11k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Following a pair of huge victories in the Florida and Illinois Democratic primary contests, former vice president Joe Biden addressed the nation and struck a more appropriate and presidential tone than the man who currently occupies the Oval Office, Donald Trump. Biden expressed his well wishes for all Americans infected with coronavirus, those who have lost a loved one to the disease, and all the healthcare workers on the front lines of this pandemic. He also said its important for the country to put politics aside during this global health emergency something Donald Trump has so far been unable to do. The coronavirus doesnt care if youre a Democrat or a Republican, the former vice president said in an address he delivered from his home in Delaware. It will not discriminate based on national origin, race, gender, or your zip code. It will touch people in positions of power as well the most vulnerable people in our society. Were all in this together, Biden added. 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. Video: Biden sounded like a president as he addressed the nation following two big victories in Florida and Illinois. #ctl #p2 pic.twitter.com/sgcK5tot7M PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) March 18, 2020 It should be noted that Bernie Sanders will not be addressing Tuesday nights election results. Biden has consistently shown presidential leadership during this crisis Joe Biden has been showing real leadership since the coronavirus hit the United States back in January. At the time, he warned that Trump wasnt up to the task of defending America from a global pandemic, and he was right. As the outbreak worsened and Trump continued to bungle his response, Biden released a comprehensive plan to deal with the crisis and addressed the nation in a way that offered assurance, not chaos. The former vice president didnt need the media or his political handlers to force him to act like a stable adult so the markets could calm down. Hes handled these crises before, and he has repeatedly demonstrated that he is more than capable of handling them again. Joe Bidens address on Tuesday night was another reminder of what real presidential leadership looks like in the midst of a crisis. Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday identified seven companies that it has blacklisted for trade in Iranian petrochemicals - three based in mainland China, three in Hong Kong and one in South Africa - the State Department said in a statement. Separately, the department also named five Iranian nuclear scientists who the Commerce Department said it sanctioned on Tuesday for having taken part in Irans pre-2004 nuclear weapons program and who continue to be employed by the Iranian state. The Trump administration on Tuesday had said it would blacklist the seven companies and five individuals but did not name them. The announcements appeared designed to signal Washington would not ease its campaign of choking off Tehran's ability to export its oil, despite appeals from China and others that it do so on humanitarian grounds because of the coronavirus outbreak. The U.S. "maximum pressure" campaign, instituted after Trump in 2018 unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal Iran struck with six major world powers, aims to force Tehran to limit its nuclear, missile and regional activities. The State Department identified the firms targeted as Hong Kong-based Mcfly Plastic Hk Ltd, Saturn Oasis Co, Sea Charming Shipping Company Ltd; Chinese companies Dalian Golden Sun Import & Export Co. Ltd., Tianyi International (Dalian) Co. Ltd. and Aoxing Ship Management (Shanghai) Ltd. and South Africa's SPI International Proprietary Ltd. It also said it had targeted two entities which own or control SPI International and had knowledge of its sanctionable activities: South African company Main Street 1095 and Iranian entity Armed Forces Social Security Investment Company. Further, the agency targeted Mohammad Hassan Toulai, managing director of Iran's Armed Forces Social Security Investment Company; Hossein Tavakkoli, director of SPI International; and Reza Ebadzadeh Semnani, director of Main Street 1095. Story continues All of these entities and individuals were added to the U.S. Treasury Department's Specially Designated Nationals list, blocking their assets under U.S. jurisdiction and generally barring U.S. persons from dealing with them. The department also named five Iranian nuclear scientists who were added to the Department of Commerces Entity List as Aref Bali Lashak, Sayyed Mohammad Mehdi Hadavi, Kamran Daneshjou, Mehdi Teranchi and Ali Mehdipour Omrani. Presence on the Entity List means the foreign parties are barred from receiving some or all items subject to U.S. export regulations unless the exporter secures a license, according to the department. (Reporting by Susan Heavey and Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Bernadette Baum and Paul Simao) China and Cambodia bucked the global trend of event cancellations this week by starting joint military exercises as a way to show the world theyre over the coronavirus outbreak and getting friendlier despite apprehension in other countries. The two old friends that often chafe against neighboring Vietnam and the United States began their fourth annual joint military drill on Sunday. The activities in Cambodias Kampot province will focus on humanitarian rescue work and counterterrorism work before ending April 1, the Chinese official Xinhua News agency reported. China and its military weaker counterpart are holding their Dragon Gold 2020 drills amid a global wave of event cancellations to stop the spread of COVID-19, the deadly diseases caused by the coronavirus. China reports more cases than any other country, about 80,000, since the virus was discovered there in December. But new cases have slowed to near none this month. Officials in Beijing hope to show the world they are reemerging now politically and economically after the outbreak, which is still spreading in Western countries, while Cambodia wants to show solidarity so it can get more Chinese aid, analysts say. This is a way of China saying that things are getting back to normal, said Alan Chong, associate professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. I think China wanted to put the COVID-19 virus behind it. Theres every reason to shore up regime legitimacy as soon as possible. China had helped Pol Pots deadly Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s as a counterweight to Vietnamese influence in Indochina. Cambodia now gives China a voice in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a negotiating bloc where some members have sparred with Beijing over maritime sovereignty issues. Cambodia is one of 10 association members. China in turn had contributed $2 billion to Cambodian infrastructure as of 2018. The impoverished benefactor has expanded a seaport, opened a road network and made plans for two new airports. Cambodia stands now to get health assistance from China, said Termsak Chalermpalanupap, a fellow with the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen traveled to Beijing in February, near the height of the countrys virus outbreak, in what experts call an unusually strong show of moral support. Hun Sen last month went all the way to Beijing to meet the Chinese president just to show that Cambodia has big friends who can help Cambodia, Chalermpalanupap said. The Southeast Asian country hopes to keep getting infrastructure help from China, Chong said. The exercises location in Cambodia happens to be near Ream Naval Base in the host countrys city of Sihanoukville, where China has a massive presence, said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political science professor at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. Military exercises this month, though not explicitly a war game, are expected to give China stronger presence over time as needed in the southern parts of Indochina, scholars say. Vietnam will be particularly worried, Chong said. Vietnam borders both and resents Chinese maritime expansion in the South China Sea. Vietnam, also an ASEAN member, and China contest sovereignty over parts of the resource-rich sea. The China-Cambodia exercises show Chinas commitment to fracturing ASEAN as in institution, said Stephen Nagy, a senior associate professor of politics and international studies at International Christian University in Tokyo. By inculcating itself into Cambodia through joint missions or joint tests or the establishment of a base, this is a very, very effective way to prevent ASEAN from working together as its supposed to, he said. The Sino-Cambodia drills come after the U.S.-led, multi-country Cobra Gold military exercise hosted by Cambodias border nation Thailand for 12 days ending March 6. China resents U.S. naval movement in the South China Sea. Washington calls the waterway public, while China claims about 90% of it as its own. Two weddings in Lakewood, New Jersey were broken up by police Tuesday night as state officials continued to warn against large gatherings amid the coronavirus outbreak. Officers responded to the separate celebrations one at Fountain Ballroom on Vassar Avenue and the other at Lake Terrace on Oak Street around 8 p.m. and told venue staff that gatherings of more than 50 people are prohibited, Lakewood Capt. Gregory Staffordsmith said. The workers and attendees then dispersed, he said. We stress that the public do their part in reducing the spread of COVID-19 by obeying the guidelines set forth by the State of New Jersey and encourage cleaning your hands often, staying home if your sick, covering coughs and sneezes, consider wearing a face mask if you arent feeling well, clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and practice social distancing, Staffordsmith said. The events exemplify the challenge of convincing people to follow local and state public health restrictions aimed at helping stop the spread of the fast-moving virus, law enforcement officers said. On Tuesday, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy banned gatherings of more than 50 people and has urged residents not to treat the situation like an extended spring break. The Trump administration has said gatherings should be limited to 10 people. Lakewood police plan to strictly enforce Murphys order in the coming weeks and are sending reminders to venues throughout town about size limits, Staffordsmith said. Mayor Raymond Coles said the township attorney is researching whether any local ordinances would allow officials to enact a temporary penalty for fine against those who hold large gatherings amid the pandemic. Youd hope you wouldnt have to with everything going on in the news, Coles said. But if we stop this thing from spreading now, then we can get back to our lives more quickly... We need to respect the restrictions." Still, Coles said he sympathizes for those forced to cancel or postpone weddings that are often planned months in advance. He said both venues thought Murphys restrictions on gatherings had not yet gone into effect. Neither venue immediately responded to a request for comment. The state rules will also greatly disrupt the large Orthodox community in Lakewood, where gatherings play a big part of everyday life and the religion, Coles said. Two-thirds of the townships 100,000 residents are Orthodox. In a letter to the Lakewood Scoop, local doctor Robert Shanik said on Wednesday that no religious leaders should be meeting with students during the outbreak and suggested all learning be done over the phone. And all of the 200 synagogues and 130 yeshivas in the township have shut down prayer services or limited them to small groups, according to Rabbi Moshe Zev Weisberg, spokesman for the local Jewish communal organization Lakewood Vaad. Shiva, the Jewish ritual in which mourners pay condolences to the family of a deceased person at their home, is also being done by phone, he said. This is a very concentrated close-knit community. Many day-to-day activities and religious customs are done in group settings, so its a bit of a learning curve, Weisberg said. But an incident here or there should not reflect the community. Avalon Zoppo may be reached at azoppo2@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AvalonZoppo. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 17:25:48|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close WINDHOEK, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Namibian President Hage Geingob on Tuesday welcomed Jack Ma Foundation's pledge to supply Africa with 1.1 million COVID-19 testing kits. This follows a statement on Monday by Jack Ma, founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, stating that his foundation would send each of Africa's 54 countries 20,000 testing kits, 100,000 masks and 1,000 protective suits and face shields. This will enable the continent to carry out more tests, as required by the World Health Organization in managing the virus, said Geingob at a news briefing. "The development is greatly welcomed. Of course, when the kits come into the country ... we will establish the best way of using them in response to the outbreak. We have to manage this pandemic," said Geingob. Namibia currently has two confirmed cases of COVID-19. Finance Minister Calle Schlettwein on Tuesday said the pandemic is distorting the country's supply chains. "The impacts of this pandemic are multiple, but the most important ones are a reduction in trade of goods and services and this is caused by supply chains that have been broken," Schlettwein said while briefing the president on the effects of the coronavirus on Namibia's economy. He said the pandemic is also weakening the export market, as demands for the country's main exports such as minerals are also slowing. Although the pandemic is negatively affecting economies globally, Schlettwein said small economies like Namibia's are more easily affected compared to larger ones. Schlettwein added that the country's tourism sector, which contributes significantly to its GDP, has also been hit by the coronavirus. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 00:54:32|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's weather agency on Tuesday renewed its alert warning over imminent destructive heavy rains in the country's nine regions. In its latest weather forecast, the Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA) said the rains were expected to begin Tuesday in Rukwa, Mbeya, Songwe, Njombe, Iringa, Morogoro, Ruvuma, Mtwara and Lindi regions. TMA said the rains were expected to damage infrastructure and property in some of the regions, adding that some houses and farms were likely to be swept away by flash floods. "There will also be disruptions in transportation, businesses and service delivery in some of the regions," said the state-run weather watchdog. Earlier on Tuesday, an official reported that about 3,500 houses and 6,600 hectares of farms have been swept away by flash floods caused by ongoing rains in Tanzania's Rufiji district in Coast region. Evarist Ndikilo, Coast regional commissioner, said hundreds of affected residents were being accommodated in makeshift shelters and public places such as schools. Enditem PA Chicagos Midway airport was plunged into chaos on Tuesday after multiple air traffic controllers were diagnosed with coronavirus. The hub which remains open was operating at a reduced rate after the air traffic control tower was closed by the outbreak. It was able to stay open using backup facilities. 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. The closure came as Trump officials said coronavirus was "worse than 9/11" for the airline industry. Read more How to be productive if you have to work from home during coronavirus Which countries around the world has coronavirus spread to? The dirty truth about washing your hands Should you be taking paracetamol or ibuprofen to treat coronavirus? What are symptoms of coronavirus and where has it spread? During a press conference on Tuesday, Mr Mnuchin spoke about the economic impact Covid-19 has had on aviation, which has significantly reduced both domestic and international flights as people are implored to stay home. 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. Story continues 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. Severity The complete clinical picture with regard to COVID-19 is not fully known. Reported illnesses have ranged from very mild (including some with no reported symptoms) to severe, including illness resulting in death. While information so far suggests that most COVID-19 illness is mild, a reportexternal icon 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. Learn more about the symptoms associated with COVID-19. COVID-19 Now a Pandemic A pandemic is a global outbreak of disease. Pandemics happen when a new virus emerges to infect people and can spread between people sustainably. Because there is little to no pre-existing immunity against the new virus, it spreads worldwide. The virus that causes COVID-19 is infecting people and spreading easily from person-to-person. Cases have been detected in most countries worldwide and community spread is being detected in a growing number of countries. On March 11, the COVID-19 outbreak was characterized as a pandemic by the WHOexternal icon. This is the first pandemic known to be caused by the emergence of a new coronavirus. In the past century, there have been four pandemics caused by the emergence of novel influenza viruses. As a result, most research and guidance around pandemics is specific to influenza, but the same premises can be applied to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Pandemics of respiratory disease follow a certain progression outlined in a Pandemic Intervals Framework. Pandemics begin with an investigation phase, followed by recognition, initiation, and acceleration phases. The peak of illnesses occurs at the end of the acceleration phase, which is followed by a deceleration phase, during which there is a decrease in illnesses. Different countries can be in different phases of the pandemic at any point in time and different parts of the same country can also be in different phases of a pandemic. There are ongoing investigations to learn more. This is a rapidly evolving situation and information will be updated as it becomes available. Situation in U.S. Different parts of the country are seeing different levels of COVID-19 activity. The United States nationally is currently in the initiation phases, but states where community spread is occurring are in the acceleration phase. The duration and severity of each phase can vary depending on the characteristics of the virus and the public health response. CDC and state and local public health laboratories are testing for the virus that causes COVID-19. View CDCs Public Health Laboratory Testing map. More and more states are reporting cases of COVID-19 to CDC. U.S. COVID-19 cases include: Imported cases in travelers Cases among close contacts of a known case Community-acquired cases where the source of the infection is unknown. Three U.S. states are experiencing sustained community spread. View latest case counts, deaths, and a map of states with reported cases. Risk Assessment Risk depends on characteristics of the virus, including how well it spreads between people; the severity of resulting illness; and the medical or other measures available to control the impact of the virus (for example, vaccines or medications that can treat the illness) and the relative success of these. In the absence of vaccine or treatment medications, nonpharmaceutical interventions become the most important response strategy. These are community interventions that can reduce the impact of disease. The risk from COVID-19 to Americans can be broken down into risk of exposure versus risk of serious illness and death. Risk of exposure: The immediate risk of being exposed to this virus is still low for most Americans, but as the outbreak expands, that risk will increase. Cases of COVID-19 and instances of community spread are being reported in a growing number of states. People in places where ongoing community spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 has been reported are at elevated risk of exposure, with the level of risk dependent on the location. Healthcare workers caring for patients with COVID-19 are at elevated risk of exposure. Close contacts of persons with COVID-19 also are at elevated risk of exposure. Travelers returning from affected international locations where community spread is occurring also are at elevated risk of exposure, with level of risk dependent on where they traveled. Risk of Severe Illness: Early information out of China, where COVID-19 first started, shows that some people are at higher risk of getting very sick from this illness. This includes: CDC has developed guidance to help in the risk assessment and management of people with potential exposures to COVID-19. What May Happen More cases of COVID-19 are likely to be identified in the United States in the coming days, including more instances of community spread. CDC expects that widespread transmission of COVID-19 in the United States will occur. In the coming months, most of the U.S. population will be exposed to this virus. Widespread transmission of COVID-19 could translate into large numbers of people needing medical care at the same time. Schools, childcare centers, and workplaces, may experience more absenteeism. Mass gatherings may be sparsely attended or postponed. Public health and healthcare systems may become overloaded, with elevated rates of hospitalizations and deaths. Other critical infrastructure, such as law enforcement, emergency medical services, and sectors of the transportation industry may also be affected. Healthcare providers and hospitals may be overwhelmed. At this time, there is no vaccine to protect against COVID-19 and no medications approved to treat it. Nonpharmaceutical interventions will be the most important response strategy to try to delay the spread of the virus and reduce the impact of disease. CDC Response Global efforts at this time are focused concurrently on lessening the spread and impact of this virus. The federal government is working closely with state, local, tribal, and territorial partners, as well as public health partners, to respond to this public health threat. CDC is implementing its pandemic preparedness and response plans, working on multiple fronts, including providing specific guidance on measures to prepare communities to respond to local spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. There is an abundance of pandemic guidance developed in anticipation of an influenza pandemic that is being adapted for a potential COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights of CDCs Response CDC established a COVID-19 Incident Management System on January 7, 2020. On January 21, CDC activated its Emergency Operations Center to better provide ongoing support to the COVID-19 response. The U.S. government has taken unprecedented steps with respect to travel in response to the growing public health threat posed by this new coronavirus: Foreign nationals who have been in China, Iran, the United Kingdom, Ireland and any one of 26 European countries within the past 14 days cannot enter the United States. U.S. citizens, residents, and their immediate family members who have been any one of those countries within in the past 14 days can enter the United States, but they are subject to health monitoring and possible quarantine for up to 14 days. People at higher risk of serious COVID-19 illness avoid cruise travel and non-essential air travel. Additionally, CDC has issued the following additional specific travel guidance related to COVID-19. in response to the growing public health threat posed by this new coronavirus: CDC has issued clinical guidance, including: Clinical Guidance for Management of Patients with Confirmed Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients, including guidance on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during a shortage. CDC also has issued guidance for other settings, including schools, and mass gatherings. Guidance for Child Care Settings. Resources for Large Community Events & Mass Gatherings CDC has deployed multidisciplinary teams to support state health departments case identification, contact tracing, clinical management, and public communications. CDC has worked with federal partners to support the safe return of Americans overseas who have been affected by COVID-19. This is a picture of CDCs laboratory test kit for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). CDC tests are provided to U.S. state and local public health laboratories, Department of Defense (DOD) laboratories and select international laboratories. resize icon View Larger An important part of CDCs role during a public health emergency is to develop a test for the pathogen and equip state and local public health labs with testing capacity. CDC developed an rRT-PCR test to diagnose COVID-19. As of the evening of March 15, 89 state and local public health labs in 50 states and the District of Columbia have successfully verified and are currently using CDC COVID-19 diagnostic tests. Combined with other reagents that CDC has procured, there are enough testing kits to test more than 75,000 people. Commercial manufacturers are now producing their own tests. CDC has grown the COVID-19 virus in cell culture, which is necessary for further studies, including for additional genetic characterization. The cell-grown virus was sent to NIHs BEI Resources Repository external icon for use by the broad scientific community. for use by the broad scientific community. CDC also is developing a serology test for COVID-19. CDC Recommends Other Available Resources The following resources are available with information on COVID-19 Fire investigators are trying to determine what started a blaze that caused extensive damage to a paper mill in northwest Georgia over the weekend. A large building at the International Paper mill in Coosa, about 12 miles (19 kilometers) from Rome, caught fire early Sunday morning, Rome-Floyd County Fire officials confirmed. One mill employee was taken to a hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation, but their condition wasnt serious, Fire Marshal Mary Catherine Chewning told the Rome News-Tribune. No serious injuries were reported, according to the company. The fire appeared to have started near two large paper machines, Chewning said. Collapsed roofs and walls, as well as the location of the blaze, made the flames difficult to fight, Battalion Chief Clay Walker added. Investigators were on the scene Monday trying to learn more about the origin. International Paper hasnt yet determined the fires impact on production, spokeswoman Jenna Guzman said in a statement obtained by news outlets. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Georgia The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has urged the Nigerian government to explore a multi-sectoral approach to locate missing cases of Tuberculosis in the country. A representative of the International agency, Temidayo Odusote, said this at a Pre-World Tuberculosis Day Media briefing in Abuja, on Tuesday. She said various healthcare practitioners need to come together to curb the spread of TB in Nigeria. She also said TB efforts in Nigeria have been mostly donor-driven. We want to focus more on multi-sectoral collaboration for TB. We have in the past major(ed) a lot on medical, open a clinic and assume that patients will come. We have all kinds of healthcare packages in Nigeria. We have the informal healthcare practitioners, private sector practitioners and it is important that we reach out to them to join this fight against TB. We have to work with the legislature, we have to work with the executive. We really have to work (with) politicians, those who go to the grassroots. We cant do it alone. We have to reach out to other sectors to come and fund this fight, she said. World Tuberculosis (TB) is observed on March 24 every year. TB burden in Nigeria Nigeria remains one of the 30 countries globally with the highest burden of the disease. Nigeria ranks first in Africa with the highest number of undetected cases. TB is one of the vaccine-preventable killer diseases which is also curable. Nigeria ranks high among countries with a high burden of TB, TB/HIV, and Multidrug-resistant TB. In 2019, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that eight countries India, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, and South Africa accounted for two-thirds of the new TB cases globally. Nigeria comes third behind India and China in terms of tuberculosis cases. Statistics from the UN health agency show that every year, around 245,000 Nigerians die from tuberculosis and about 590,000 new cases occur (of these, around 140,000 are also HIV-positive). Inadequate equipment Meanwhile, the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria , Abubakar Dahiru, said each member of the House of Representatives will buy a Gene Xpert for his constituency. He said his team will do everything possible to ensure that Nigeria is free of TB. We have a huge TB burden in Nigeria and we require all stakeholders to work together if we are to end TB in Nigeria, he said. With the active engagement of members of parliament in TB, the challenges of low awareness about TB and poor funding for TB program and services will come to an end. On the 24th of March, there will be a debate on Tuberculosis headed by the speaker of Nigeria, Femi Gbajabiamila. We have 360 members and each member of the house of representative will buy the TB testing machine, Gene Xpert. This means that we are going to have 360 machines, he added. Collaborative efforts Also, the Chairman, Organising Committee of the 2020 World Tuberculosis Day, Odume Bethrand, said despite significant progress in the last decade, TB remains the worlds deadliest infectious killer. He said there is a need to accelerate efforts to end TB globally particularly in Nigeria. Advertisements He urged all to come together and collaboratively work towards ending the TB epidemic. It is our resolve to continue to bring TB on the political agenda and build a multi-stakeholder partnership to address the socio-economic impact of the disease, he said. We call on our political leaders to invest more on TB control, the civil society to continue to call for accountability and the media to always help in creating the needed awareness. It is a call to action to scale up research, funding, human rights and accountability to end TB in Nigeria, he added. Dale Martin, 39, and Shaun Sanders, 35, pose for a selfie after being reunited in Canada on Monday night. Sanders moved from Philadelphia a month early because she was worried about the closure of the U.S. Canadian border. Read more Shaun Sanders was supposed to move back to her native Canada in April, after she finished her post-doctorate fellowship in neuroscience at Temple University. Her husband, Dale Martin, a professor, was already there, and the couple had looked forward to being together after more than year of living apart. Then the coronavirus outbreak happened. Last week, Sanders, 35, heard President Donald Trump mention that the United States might close its northern border, which for her could mean being separated from her husband for months. So she packed her life into two suitcases, made her way through an eerily empty Philadelphia airport, and flew home Monday night. It was very crazy and emotional and scary and surreal, she said. Yet when she woke up Wednesday morning to the news that the U.S.-Canadian border was closed to all nonessential travel, she was grateful shed made the decision. The reason I rushed home so quickly was exactly whats happening today, Sanders said. I feel so bad for anyone whos affected by this. Sanders said her heart breaks for the many Canadians living in the United States who may not be able to reunite with loved ones for the foreseeable future. The last thing I wanted to do was be stuck in Philadelphia, especially if I couldnt work and was away from my husband, she said. Sanders is now left with a lot of unknowns. Shes about ready to submit the final scientific publication for her fellowship, but she doesnt know whether the coronavirus will impact the traditional publication review process or the completion of her program. She doesnt know when shell be able to return to Philly to say a proper goodbye to friends or get the rest of her belongings. (Shed been staying with friends since her lease ended in December.) Some of her anxieties are ones shared by people around the world. Whats going to happen to the state of everything?" she said. The economy? Our friends and loved ones? She worries about her three grandparents, two of whom are in long-term-care homes. She worries about her parents and her sister, who is pregnant. However, since returning home, Sanders has been able to relax a little, even as she is under a mandatory 14-day quarantine in her apartment due to her recent travel. The first couple of days have been OK, she said. On Tuesday night, she said, she got her first good night of sleep in more than a week. She and Martin have enjoyed making homemade pasta, working out in their home gym, and turning on movies when the news becomes overwhelming. Theyre in isolation, but at least they are together. SPRINGFIELD MassMutual is donating $1 million toward a COVID-19 response fund that will provide resources to non-profit organizations in the Pioneer Valley that help people who have been harmed by the spread of the coronavirus. The establishment of the fund by the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts was announced Wednesday. The foundation is also donating $500,000 to the fund. Other area companies and businesses, including Big Y, Easthampton Saving Bank, Greenfield Cooperative Bank / Northampton Cooperative Bank and PeoplesBank also made contributions, although amounts were not disclosed. The COVID-19 Response Fund is being set up to provide flexible resources to nonprofits serving those who have been affected financially by the pandemic. These include those that work with the elder, those without stable housing, families needing food and people made vulnerable by health issues. To donate to the fund, go to http://communityfoundation.org/coronavirus-donations/, or contact the Community Foundation by email at donorservices@communityfoundation.org Katie Allan Zobel, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, said the impact of the pandemic is placing an extraordinary burden on families and individuals throughout the Valley. Business, philanthropy and community organizations are coming together to establish this response fund to support those who are in need. Its another example of our regions extraordinary generosity and community commitment, she said. She expressed her appreciation toward MassMutual for its leadership in acting quickly to help out in a time of crisis. Roger Crandall, MassMutual Chairman, President and CEO, said During this time of uncertainty and disruption in our daily lives, we hope that this important, cross-collaborative initiative will help provide community members and organizations with the resources and support they need. He encouraged others to contribute as well to the response fund to keep our communities safe and assist those who have been impacted. He added, While we are facing extraordinary events, we are confident in the resiliency of our region and the compassion of our people to meet the rapidly evolving needs in our community. Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Mass., each expressed gratitude toward the Community Foundation and MassMutual. I am not surprised that our business and philanthropic community, led by our hometown MassMutual, reached out to me to say, how can we help? Sarno said. Once again, MassMutual steps up to the plate as they did during our tornado recovery days in a big way to deliver to our residents. I want to personally thank my friend Roger Crandall and the team at MassMutual for recognizing the hardships that our community is facing right now and making decisive moves to assist us. Springfield is a strong city, tested and true. We will get through this latest difficult challenge stronger than ever, Sarno said. Neal said MassMutuals long-standing connections to Greater Springfield are just the result of its State Street offices, but because this is where the companys employees live and raise their families. (MassMutuals) generous donation to the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts will ensure that all families across Western Massachusetts have access to what they need during this trying time, Neal said. Whether it be access to care for seniors, or ensuring food security for those out of work, the Community Foundation and their non-profit partners will be able to step up and provide for our neighbors in a big way. I am appreciative to MassMutual and the Community Foundation for this tremendously important partnership, Neal said. The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, founded in 1991, administers a charitable endowment consisting of nearly 600 separately identified funds ($121 million) serving the three counties bordering the Connecticut River in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin Counties. Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts Related content: 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. 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. In a nutshell: There is a slew of products that fall under Samsungs brand, from phones, to home appliances, to computer hardware. The Korean giant also produces soundbars, a market where it has dominated for six years in a row. Samsung notes that its TVs have ranked number one globally for 14 consecutive years, and its soundbars have held the top spot in the global industry ever since international research firm Futuresource Consulting started officially recording in 2014. According to Futuresource, Samsung is also the number one company in terms of soundbar sales revenue, has a 21.8 percent global market share, and accounted for 16.5 percent of the industry sales volume last year. All of Samsungs audio products, including soundbars, come from its Audio Lab in Valencia, California, just outside of Los Angeles. It was behind the well-received Q series premium soundbars that arrived last year. Samsung believes its position at the top will be strengthened by the benefits of pairing its Q series soundbars with the companys TVs. Using the TV speakers in conjunction with a soundbar brings optimal sound, while the Q-Symphony feature will produce richer surround sound and provide Samsungs most immersive audio experience to-date, writes the company. The technology received the CES 2020 Best of Innovation award and is used in all of Samsungs Q series soundbars. It is rewarding to see that our competitiveness in the audio market over the last several years has culminated in this result. We will ensure Samsung remains an industry leader in both the global TV and soundbar market for years to come, said Seong Cho, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Product Marketing of the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. The number of people infected with coronavirus disease Covid-19 has risen to 151 in the country after four more were reported from various parts of the country, Union health ministry said on Wednesday. Out of these 151 people, 126 are Indians and 25 foreigners, the ministry further said. Tracking Coronavirus Outbreak: Live Updates Also Watch | Coronavirus: Mumbai local train displays awareness messages; Pune hotels shut Giving statewise break-up of the number of Covid-19 positive cases, the health ministry data said that Maharashtra is at the top with 42 confirmed cases of Covid-19 followed by Kerala (27), Uttar Pradesh (16) and Karnataka (11). Over 5,700 people, who had come in contact with these positive cases, are under rigorous surveillance, the ministry said. Delhi has so far reported 10 positive cases which includes one foreigner. According to government data, 14 people have been discharged so far, including the three patients from Kerala who were discharged last month. More than 11,500 people were infected with the novel coronavirus globally, bringing the total number of confirmed cases above 179,000, the World Health Organisation said in its latest coronavirus situation report on Tuesday. A total of 475 people died of the infection on Tuesday, raising the global death toll to 7426, the report stated. In India, three people have died of the infection. 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. With number of coronavirus cases rising in the country, the government has also banned the entry of passengers from the European Union countries, Turkey and the UK from March 18 till March 31. 6.9k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Former Vice President Joe Biden is on track to crush Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Florida and Illinois Democratic primary contests, multiple media outlets are reporting. According to NBC News, the former VP is projected to win Florida when all the votes are counted, a huge victory for Biden in his quest to effectively end this Democratic primary race and shift focus to the general election. Fox News is projecting that the former vice president will also pick up a victory in Illinois. Bidens wins are a continuation of a surge in support his campaign has seen since his stunning comeback following the South Carolina primary last month. In Florida, MSNBCs Steve Kornacki pointed out that the former VP is performing strong even in places where Sanders did well when he faced off against Hillary Clinton in 2016. With around half the vote counted in Florida, Joe Biden is crushing Bernie Sanders. #ctl #p2 pic.twitter.com/K8kQaTZbgR PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) March 17, 2020 Bidens wins are also an indication that primary voters believe he, not Sanders, is best suited to manage the type of global health crisis that has wreaked havoc in recent weeks. Early exit polls from NBC News showed that Biden was widely seen by voters as best suited to handle such a crisis. Early @NBCNews Exit Polls, Whom voters trust to handle a huge crisis: Florida Biden 71% Sanders 23% illinois Biden 64% Sanders 31% Arizona Biden 63% Sanders 31% Political Polls (@PpollingNumbers) March 17, 2020 Biden is a steady leader that people know Over the past few weeks, the American people have seen day in and day out what its like to have an unstable and incompetent leader at the helm during a time of crisis. Its been nothing short of a disaster. Whether it was Trumps outright denial that the coronavirus outbreak was even a concern or the fact that he hit the brakes on aggressive testing, the presidents lack of experience and empathy have been on full display. Contrast that to Bidens thoughtful response to the pandemic, which started in an op-ed all the way back on Jan. 27 and continued with a detailed proposal to fight the virus and a solid debate performance, and its no surprise why voters are flocking to the former vice president. Joe Biden is a steady leader that the American people know and largely trust. After a chaotic few weeks of Trumps dangerous mismanagement of this pandemic, voters are more than ready to have an adult back in the White House. Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter The Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) has asked all member churches to find appropriate ways other than meeting in chapels to reach out to their members with Gods Word. We encourage pastors to make use of the internet and reach their members in the comfort of their homes The Council said in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency and signed by Rev Dr Cyril Fayose, its General Secretary. Where possible live streaming of preaching should be adopted, the statement said. Prayer meetings can be held online to pray with Gods people. Our inability to meet in large numbers should not stop the preaching of the Word and prayer. Meanwhile, the Council has called on all Ghanaians to remain calm and avoid panic decisions. It has also advised people not to allow fear to influence their actions and inactions, adding that in such trying moments, faith in God would bring the desired victory that we all pray for. This is the time to deepen our faith in God and reflect on our personal relationship with Him. Let us take advantage of the period to examine ourselves as children of God. The council encouraged all not to entertain fear because Jesus is still Lord of every situation. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Nigerian media personality Daddy Freeze has reacted to another case of coronavirus being confirmed in Nigeria. Taking to his IG page, the OAP, stated that he thought Nigerians were immune as being said online, adding that this is a wakeup call for everyone. Read Also: Daddy Freeze Replies William Uchemba Over Comment On Youths Insulting Elders In his words; I thought the narrative was that Nigerians were immune. This is a wake up call. This is coming hours before the Federal Government confirmed 5 new cases with two being a mother and her 6 weeks old baby who just returned to the country. St. Patricks Day has never looked quite like this. With Ontario declaring a state of emergency due to COVID-19 early Tuesday morning and the prohibition of groups over 50, any hope Ontarians had of heading to the pub for a green beer was off the table. Thankfully, social media is here to help. From his downtown Toronto apartment, Mitch Vopni, 25, told the Star that his usual St. Patricks Day plans were going digital. Its the only way to hold on to a hint of normalcy under these conditions, now that empty streets are a common sight. Vopni and his friends usually plan to go out, a tradition that has followed him to Toronto from university. Even after we graduated, we tried to get together for St. Pattys Day, Vopni said. Plans kind of dissipated about a day or two ago when it became clear that social distance was encouraged and large gatherings were too dangerous to risk, he said. Since theyre all in the same position of isolating at home, Vopni and his friends decided they would join a video chat together to stay in touch. As for the logistics, I think were going to just try to FaceTime, he said. Even if its just for 35 minutes or an hour. Just to show face and keep some sort of routine when there doesnt seem to be much routine going on right now. Many people are with family right now, but Vopni lives alone. As much human interaction as I can get at this point is is definitely welcomed, he said. His group is spread out over much of the GTA, but theyve remained friends since university. We still try to stay in close contact with one another but definitely have not resorted to these means in the past, Vopni said. While Vopni couldnt find green food colouring, he said he bought some green cans to try and keep things festive. Nearly 350 kilometres away in Leamington, Maureen Lamotte said that the coronavirus had cancelled her usual St. Patricks Day gathering. Stay updated on COVID-19 for free at thestar.com: They would usually have a house full, says Lamotte, whose roots go back to the Irish town of Wexford. Her three daughters and son-in-law will still be celebrating, though small gatherings at home havent been restricted. Lamotte said she plans to put out the silly leftover decorations. Shell cook the usual green chicken chili. Then, well hoist a few drinks and call it a night. Typically, Lamotte and her husband hosts anywhere from 35 to 40 people. Local friends, family and relatives from Stratford and London usually come to join in on the festivities. The party usually runs all night, Lamotte said. People can come and go. Most stay the whole night. She said its a bit early into isolation to say how the family will handle it long term, but with their close ties, she figures that if one of them falls ill, I figure that the six of us are already baked in to all catch the virus too. Back in Toronto, Robert Hand is grappling with the virus financial toll. His pub the Jersey Giant, like all bars in Toronto, wont have any patrons tonight. It should be the busiest day of the year, Hand said. This is the only day that pubs actually make money, Hand said, continuing that pubs often use St. Patricks Day to get caught up on annual expenses. Adding to the stress is a 67 per cent rent increase the pub received in January. But with Ontarios government ordering the closure of all bars and restaurants except those that offer takeout Hand has found himself with enough food for hundreds of people. What worries Hand is that his employees are now not making money. They live off their tips. If theyre not getting tips theyre not going and buying groceries. The extra food wont last. Im offering the staff to come down every day if they cant afford food, he said. Im going to cook for them. If theyre interested, Ill be here every day. COVID-19 concerns have not curtailed manufacturing operations at two Longview paper mills so far, two of the areas economic mainstays. But health concerns did spur closures at The Columbia Theatre and Goodwill Industries as the list of local offices, businesses, entertainment and other venues continued to grow. Nippon Dynawave Packaging is encouraging any non-operations employees who can work from home to do so, said company spokesman Brian Wood. The company also has downsized or eliminated some company meetings, and it is limiting the number of visitors to the mill on Industrial Way. We did close the on-site fitness center, which was a little painful for me to do because I love that place, but its one way to prevent spouses and dependents of employees from coming on site. Its also a high-touch area and the government would have shut it down if it were off site, Wood said. Mill production, however, is unaffected so far. At this point we are continuing to operate fully and we are looking forward to continuing to do so, Wood said, adding that the company is doing everything we can to continue to operate to produce the products we need to produce to satisfy our customers needs, keep our employees safe and employed and do everything we can to follow directions from Olympia. Nippon Dynawave employs about 350 union represented employees. WestRock Co. officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but union leaders with the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers Local 153, which represents employees at mill, said the company also has done everything not to curtail production. As a matter of fact, they are having a maintenance shutdown with multiple crews today, said Nick Boehler, AWPPW 153 standing committee chairman. Local 153 President Scott Tift said hourly employees represented by the union are expected to continue coming to work, business as usual. Many salaried employees, though, have been sent home to work remotely. The company employs about 800 workers. The company also has cancelled all group meetings and trainings, Tift said. Us hourly folk are down here making the money. ... Its good and bad because you are continually being exposed to large groups of people, but you are still making money, Tift said. Interfor Corp., a British Columbia-based timber company that owns a sawmill in Longview with about 110 employees, announced late Wednesday afternoon that it was temporarily reducing production across its operations in B.C., the Pacific Northwest and the U.S. South as part of two coronavirus-related initatives. Company officials declined to give a specific breakdown of how the curtailment will affect the Longview mill specifically. But across all sites the curtailments are expected to reduce production by about 35 million board feet per week, or about 60% of the companys total production capacity, said Martin Juravsky, senior vice president and chief financial officer. We are in a very unique situation with the COVID-19 virus, and as a result of that theres a lot of unique market dynamics. We are adjusting our production to align with that, Juravsky said. The curtailments will initially last two weeks and will be re-evaluated regularly, according to a press release. North Pacific Paper Company, or Norpac, had not issued a news release about coronavirus ast of Wednesday afternoon, and company officials were not immediately available for comment. According to past reporting, Norpac employs about 400 non-union employees. Columbia Theatre Executive Director Gian Paul Morelli announced that all performances are cancelled until April 24. Postponing or canceling performances is an extremely difficult decision to make, but we know it is the socially responsible thing to do in order to best serve our community, Morelli said in a press release. A full list of canceled shows is available on the theaters website, and staff will contact people who have already bought tickets to discuss options for rescheduling or reimbursement. In the press release, Morelli said that spring in the theaters busiest time of year, so he hopes to reschedule most, if not all, of the canceled performances. The VA Portland Health Care System said it has suspended the volunteer transportation network in an abundance of caution, effective Wednesday. It did not have a planned date to resume services. This decision is made after close consideration of how VA facilities are managing nationally, along with worries expressed to the local VA Voluntary Services office due to the ages and health concerns of our local drivers, a VA Portland press release said. The VTN program provides a vital resource for veterans in our community. However, we have also seen a decrease in ridership over the past week as patients are choosing to minimize their exposure risk by selecting telehealth visits or rescheduling appointments. Goodwill retail stores in Western Washington will also close from Thursday through April 2, though most donation centers will remain open, according to a press release. Graham, Tacoma Outlet and the Blue Boutiques locations will be fully closed, but all other locations will accept donations from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Given the fast spread of COVID-19 and out of great concern for our employees and the community at-large, Seattle Goodwill and Goodwill of the Olympics and Rainier Region will be temporarily closing our retail stores, Goodwill spokesman George White said in a press release. Employees will be paid during this time, according to White, and online stores will continue to operate. Job training staff will also continue to provide support services and case management over the phone. Employees will also continue to take precautionary measures like frequently washing and sanitizing hands, counters and public areas, social distancing and staying home when ill, according to White. The Vancouver Mall will close starting Thursday through at least April 1, according to the mall website. Three Rivers Mall in Kelso will remain open for now, according to a press release, but will change business hours to 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Mall management also suggests checking individual store hours, as some retailers may choose to close. Rotary Club of Longview will cancel all meetings and events until April 15. That includes the Border Clash track meet and the Tour de Blast fundraiser, which is postponed. 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. Marissa Heffernan Reporter Follow Marissa Heffernan 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 SoftBank, the Japanese conglomerate, is threatening to withdraw an offer to acquire a much larger stake in WeWork, according to a person familiar with the matter. The surprise move comes as the coronavirus outbreak diminishes demand for the troubled companys shared office space. SoftBank, the largest outside shareholder in WeWork, in October agreed to a multibillion-dollar bailout after the company nearly ran out of cash. As part of the transaction, SoftBank agreed to buy up to $3 billion in stock from existing WeWork shareholders, including nearly $1 billion from Adam Neumann, WeWorks co-founder who stepped down as chief executive in September. SoftBank also invested $1.5 billion as part of its rescue package and agreed to lend up to $5 billion to WeWork, a commitment that it has not withdrawn. While SoftBank is still supporting WeWork, the possibility that it may own a smaller than expected share of the company could dent confidence in the business at a critical time. As more businesses ask employees to work from home and freelancers choose to avoid shared office spaces, WeWork could, over time, lose many of its paying customers. In a letter sent to WeWork shareholders on Tuesday, SoftBank offered several reasons the deal might not go through by its scheduled April 1 closing date, according to the person familiar with the matter. Among the reasons SoftBank cited were investigations into WeWork by the Justice Department, the Securities and Exchange Commission and attorneys general in New York and California. The two sides have also failed to agree on the terms for consolidating a WeWork joint venture in China. BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgium's Brussels airlines, a Lufthansa subsidiary, will suspend all flights as of Saturday until April 19 over coronavirus, the company said in a statement on Tuesday. "Given the extraordinary circumstances caused by the worldwide coronavirus crisis, Brussels Airlines has decided to temporarily suspend its flight operations," said the airlines, a subsidiary of Germany's Lufthansa. The company is also reducing from Tuesday its flight schedule until March 20. Customers will be offered a chance to reschedule flights, it added. (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio, Editing by Gabriela Baczynska) Several MPs on Wednesday raised the issue of Indian students stranded in Philippines and demanded the government take necessary steps for their evacuation from the Southeast Asian nation. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, RSP MP N K Premachandran sought response from the government saying the students have been stranded in Philippines and in other countries as well. Premchandran said Philippines had given Indian students 72 hours time to exit the country, which started from March 16, in view of coronavirus. He demanded that special flights should be operated for evacuation from Kuala Lumpur and Manila. The same issue was raised by Congress MP A Chellakumar and Independent MP from Maharashtra Navneet Kaur Rana said hundreds of students are stranded in Philippines and government must take some action for their evacuation. The Indian government on Tuesday banned the entry of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia to India with immediate effect amid stepped up efforts against the spread of COVID-19. The students said they are running out of time as the Philippines government has given them 72 hours time to exit the country, which started from March 16, after which the country will go into lockdown. The Indian Embassy in Manila has said in a tweet that they, along with the Ministry of External Affairs, are trying to work out a solution. "It is requested to all to kindly have patience," the embassy said. BJP MP Ajay Mishra complimented the government for actively responding to the threat of coronavirus. He also demanded that the House pass a resolution praising doctors, medical staff and media for their role in checking the spread of virus. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Being a 100% HIPAA compliant solution, signNow has been actively working with thousands of hospitals, pharmaceutical and other healthcare institutions for over a decade. Today is the day we would like to say thank you and offer a helping hand to all those healthcare workers who are risking their lives spending endless days and nights at work, protecting us all from the growing global coronavirus threat, announced Borya Shakhnovich, CEO of airSlate -- parent company of signNow. Thats why were offering 3 free months of our Business Cloud to all healthcare institutions that would benefit from reducing paperwork, increasing social distancing and improving efficiency through automation so they can take care of more patients with already stretched resources. signNow increases efficiency by providing: A HIPAA compliant solution Physician credentialing and reporting E-signing consent forms, patient intake forms, release forms Audit trails and compliance Digital search and records management No matter how many staff members are working at a reception desk, signNow only takes a few minutes to set up and get started, allowing you to focus on helping those who require help most. Another advantage for hospitals and clinics that use signNow is that the solution can be used from any internet-connected device such as a laptop, tablet or smartphone (iOS and Android). In this time of crisis management, every minute counts! Today were reaching out to all hospitals, clinics and medical centers in the USA to say: We are here to help and do our small part in containing the epidemic, said Borya Shakhnovich, CEO of airSlate -- parent company of signNow. Fill out a short form HERE and our Support agents will help set up your free account of Business Cloud! About SignNow: With 6 million users worldwide, signNow offers a comprehensive but easy-to-use e-signature solution. This online solution works equally well on desktop computers and mobile devices (with Android or iOS) and is both HIPAA and GDPR compliant. The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has abruptly ended activities at orientation camps across the country. The Batch A orientation camps for graduates started last week, March 10, and were supposed to last for 21 days. Corps members in the camps were, however, shocked when they were told in the middle of the night Wednesday that the camps had closed and they were all to receive their letters to places of primary assignment. The corps members said they were told this was due to the coronavirus crisis. We were called out and informed about the camp suspension at about 1a.m. today, a corps member serving in Gombe told PREMIUM TIMES. Another serving in Plateau said they were informed of the suspension very early on Wednesday morning. The NYSC management later released a statement confirming the suspension of the orientation camps nationwide. Sequel to the Coronavirus pandemic which led to the canellation of the National Sports Festival, Management of the National Youth Service Corps Scheme wishes to announce the suspension of the on-going Orientation Course for the 2020 Batch A Stream 1 Corps Members. Therefore, the corps Members shall be posted to commence their primary assignments forthwith, while they shall be invited back to the Orientation Camps when the situatiion improves, just like it happened a few years ago when the Nation was confronted by the Ebola Virus threat. Corp Members Leaving Camp The Management wishes to state that no Corps Member or Camp Official has contracted the virus. The Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare, whose ministry supervises the NYSC, also wrote on Twitter that the government took the action as a precautionary measure against Covid-19. He said the corps members will be paid their allowances. Today across the country, the NYSC Orientation camps will be closed and Youth Corpers will be paid and sent to their places of primary assignment. This again is a precautionary measure on D part of the government to check the spread of COVID-19. The DG NYSC will provide details Sunday Dare (@SundayDareSD) March 18, 2020 PREMIUM TIMES reported how President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday postponed the National Sports Festival due to the fear of the coronavirus spreading. Nigeria has now had eight cases of the virus, with one of the victims recovering fully. No one has died from the disease in Nigeria. On Wednesday, Nigeria announced travel restrictions on 13 countries with more than 1,000 cases of coronavirus. The countries include China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, Norway, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Switzerland. The winners of the Small Business Association National Small Business Awards 2020 were announced last year. The Awards celebrate the achievements of small business in Ireland and recognise the vital contribution of the sector to the Irish economy. The winners were selected from hundreds of applications received for the 2020 programme. This is the sixteenth year of the SFA National Small Business Awards, an initiative of the Small Firms Association. The Awards prize package for ALL finalists included a strategic management masterclass weekend, participation in the SFA Business Connect event in February and a half page media exposure in a special supplement published with the Irish Independent today (12th March). The total prize for finalists is valued at 50,000. The category winners were presented with a trophy and free membership of the Small Firms Association for one year. The overall winner also received a bursary of 5,000 to present to a charity of their choice funded by the 2013 National Small Business Awards Overall Winner 2013, Megazyme International Ireland. KORE Insulation was named as Overall National SFA Small Business Winner 2020. The company was founded in 1997 by Tommy Brady, Helen Brady and Jimmy Macken. KORE is based in Kilnaleck, Co Cavan and employs 48 people. The company is an award-winning manufacturer of Expanded Polystyrene Solutions for the construction and civil engineering industries. The SFA say that climate action and sustainability are of central importance and KORE offers services and products that reduce reliance on fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions, without compromising on quality or performance. Partnership with KORE on any project will ensure that any client is backed by a dedicated team of problem-solvers with experience to deliver the right product, to the right place and at the right time. The eight category winners are: Manufacturing, sponsored by NSAI: KORE Insulation (Co. Cavan) Highly Commended: Green Angel (Co. Dublin) Food and Drink, sponsored by Bord Bia: The Tipperary Cheese Company (Co. Tipperary) Highly Commended: Camerino Bakery (Dublin 6) Services, sponsored by Vodafone: Riverside Spa (Co. Cavan) Highly Commended: On-site Refueling (Dublin 15) Outstanding Small Business, sponsored by One4All: (up to five employees): Gill Opticians (Co. Dublin) Innovator of the Year, sponsored by PermanentTSB: Woodco Renewable Energy (Co. Tipperary) Highly Commended: Equine MediRecord (Co. Kildare) Exporter of the Year, sponsored by Enterprise Ireland: Smarter Surfaces (Dublin 6) Highly Commended: Carlow Concrete (Co. Carlow) Highly Commended: Big Red Barn (Co. Mayo) Sustainability, Strategic Banking Association of Ireland: Vivid Edge (Dublin 4) Workplace Wellbeing, sponsored by DeCare: AVCOM (Dublin 10) The winners of the Emerging New Business Awards, sponsored by IE Domain Registry, a category to encourage emerging entrepreneurs to promote and grow their business were: Viztronics Smart Solutions (Co. Meath); BuildTech (Dublin 11); Soothing Solutions (Co. Meath); The Salt Rooms (Co. Dublin) and Vanguard HSI (Dublin 9). Entrants for this category are under two years in business and the winners were identified by the judging panel as companies that will grow into successful organisations. Announcing the winner, Graham Byrne, SFA Chair said, "KORE Insulation is a wonderful example of a family business delivering continuous growth; of how on-going research can deliver up-to-date manufacturing of sustainable products for the low carbon transition currently underway across Ireland and Europe." SFA Director, Sven Spollen-Behrens added, "We continue to grow an Awards programme that positions the small business brand as the backbone of the Irish economy. Congratulations to all the finalists here tonight in the RDS - you are the best in small business and are all winners. Small businesses are present in every village, town and city and contribute enormously to them not only in terms of economic activity but also in terms of community engagement." Source: www.businessworld.ie PR-Inside.com: 2020-03-18 20:32:42 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 849 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 The pilot will be powered by smart contract platform RSK and RIF technology solutions.GIBRALTER / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / Today IOV Labs announced the successful launch of Gasnet, a blockchain network focused on Argentina's natural gas distribution ecosystem. The network uses IOV Labs-powered RSK smart contracts and its RIF second-layer solutions to increase efficiency, transparency, and information management in the industry. The Gasnet network was launched in collaboration with Grupo Sabra, an Argentina-based software development company.In 2019, RSK and Grupo Sabra began developing a permissioned blockchain for Argentinian gas distribution giant Gasnor, which services 2 million people in the country. Since then, Argentina's national gas regulatory body Enargas has greenlit the expansion of the project into a national ecosystem blockchain to include all nine distribution companies. Both the Argentinian regulator and Gasnor are running a node on the Gasnet network.The Gasnet network, mounted on the RSK Enterprise version, allows the registration of all transactions that are processed in the certification of a new installation or reconnection of gas service between the future or current customer, the registered gasist, and the gas distributor.Over 10,000 service providers will register, verify and implement digital identities on Gasnor's permissioned blockchain using RIF Name Services - an architecture which enables the identification of blockchain resources by human-readable names.Additionally, new gas service providers can now complete the entire registration process remotely through RIF Name Services within a few days, thereby increasing efficiency.This implementation will allow Gasnet affiliates such as Gasnor to achieve greater traceability and security to the complete process of new facilities certifications, to measure the quality of the service providers and to identify problems and solve them as fast as possible. Historically, the process of setting-up a new gas installation took a lot of paperwork and precious time was lost in the process.In addition, Gasnet will allow Enargas to improve compliance oversight by embedding approved industry regulations into processes within the network. Compliance information can be stored on the network in a safe, immutable and transparent manner for all the actors along the distribution chain. Other Gasnet members are already working to integrate the solution.Commenting on the launch of Gasnet, Gasnor CIO Carlos Amin said:The implementation of the blockchain solution built on top of RSK and RIF and developed by Grupo Sabra is a key milestone for our organization that will enable to streamline our processes, reduce costs, improve time to market and most importantly provide a much better user experience.IOV Labs CEO, Diego Gutierrez Zaldivar added: "We are very excited to assist Gasnor in bringing more transparency and traceability to the gas industry through blockchain technology powered by RSK and RIF platforms, and by doing so to enable a more cost effective and service experience to its customers." Guillermo Villanueva, Grupo Sabras CEO concluded: "We are honored that Gasnor chose RSK's blockchain solutions and Group Sabra's development tools to launch this groundbreaking initiative. We have no doubt the Gasnet network will lead the Argentinian national gas industry to a more efficient, transparent and compliant future." About IOV LabsIOV Labs is focused on developing the platforms needed for a new blockchain-based financial system that will enable worldwide financial inclusion and bridge the gap between these nascent technologies and mass adoption.The organization currently develops the RSK Smart Contract Network, RIF, and Taringa! platforms. RSK Network is the most secure smart contract platform in the world, as it relies on Bitcoin's hash power through merge-mining. RIF is a suite of open and decentralized infrastructure protocols that enable faster, easier and scalable development of distributed applications (dApps) within a unified environment to enable mass adoption of Bitcoin and RSK. Taringa is Latin America's largest Spanish speaking social network with 30 million users and 1,000 active online communities - through the integration with Bitcoin, RSK and RIF will help shape the Internet of the Future where individuals will be in full control of their information and value.Contact:Dan Edelsteinpr@ marketacross.com +972-545-464-238About GasnorGasnor S.A. is one of the nine natural gas distribution companies in the Argentine Republic, which emerged with the privatization of the State Gas Company.It has been serving the Argentine Northwest and its licensed area includes the provinces of Tucuman, Salta, Jujuy and Santiago del Estero since December 28, 1992. Its shareholders are Gascart S.A., CGE Argentina, GN Holding Argentina (Grupo Naturgy).Gasnor distributes Natural Gas to more than 550,000 residential, commercial, industrial and electricity generating customers serving approximately 2,000,000 people.Contact:Carlos G. Amincamin@ gasnor.com +54 381 450 1000About Grupo SabraGrupo Sabra is a software application development company based in Argentina, focused on the integration of traditional technology with Distributed Ledger Technologies and Smart Contracts.Grupo Sabra has an expert team of in-house software development and blockchain developers that have been building solutions for our growing customer base. The team has built and implemented solutions on Dynamics 365, mobile apps and web application since 2009 and in the last 4 years integrating those capabilities with Blockchain solutions being used by real customers.Contact:Pedro Perrotapperrotta@ gruposabra.com +54 911 5526 3168SOURCE: RSK Former vice president Joe Biden won the Florida Democratic primary Tuesday evening in a blowout victory over Senator Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.). With 70 percent of precincts reporting results by 8 p.m., Biden claimed 61 percent of votes to Sanderss 23 percent. Sanders, who typically polls well with Latinos across the U.S., saw consistently low support among Floridas large Hispanic population, made up largely of refugees and exiles from Cuba and their descendants. The Vermont senator has drawn criticism for his repeated praise of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro and other left-wing Latin American strongmen, including Nicaraguas Daniel Ortega. Voting took place in the shadow of the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic, as observers were unsure how the spread of the illness would affect voter turnout. Ohio governor Mike DeWine sued to cancel in-person voting for his states primary, originally scheduled for March 7, however Florida, Illinois, and Arizona continued to hold their primaries as planned. I think that when you go and cancel [the primaries], the signal that that sends is somehow that were paralyzed, said Florida governor Ron DeSantis on Monday. I dont think thats the case. I think were taking prudent steps. More from National Review Despite jokes and memes that keep Indian youth awake, agile and afloat through the tough times, there is a growing concern among a section of them who planned to study abroad. They prepare for years, write several examinations including IELTS or TOEFEL, approach consultants and plan much ahead in identifying study destinations and working towards them. With the outbreak of Corona, there has been a sudden break on these international study aspirations. Already last year, the number of internationally mobile students from India plummeted due to challenges emanating from the consular policies of the US and other destination countries. However, COVID-19 has come as an unprecedented challenge to international education. Just as much as it is a concern for students aspiring for the experience of studying abroad, the host universities are also in deep distress over how to fill the gaps in diversity management and anticipated deficits in their own budgets. India has been the second largest source country for international students globally, second only to China. With China being affected deeply by the virus, for the first few weeks, the universities that largely host international students were looking for Indian study abroad seekers. However, with the picture getting gloomier, it has hit a deadlock with both host universities and students left in lurch without any ideas to counter it. Last year, over 7.5 lakh Indian students opted to study at universities abroad with the US, Canada, Australia remaining the top aspirational destinations followed by UK and Germany. The unexpected outbreak of Corona has disembarked such aspirations of young Indians. For the academic year starting August-September, students should have ideally started Visa applications that have come to a grinding halt at present. Its time Indian universities get into innovative programs to keep these study-abroad seekers engaged in a learning that meets their expectations and prepares them for their sojourn - possibly, hopefully, next year. In a series of interviews conducted by the IHE (Internationalization of Higher Education) Research Team at Manipal, it was found that seven out of ten students have already dropped the ideas of going abroad for studies in the upcoming academic year. Interestingly, it was observed that most of them are not calling off their plans for fear of Corona but the anticipated visa rejections. Quite a few of them are now looking for one-year postgraduate diploma programs that are generic in nature, prepare them culturally and academically for their study abroad. Ayesha, who has a bachelors degree in economics from a reputed university in Bangalore says, she is looking for a one-year postgraduate Diploma program that can harness her academic abilities and intercultural competencies. And once the virus vanishes from the scene, I wish to be in the best of universities in the US or Australia she quips. Her friend Ashutosh also having similar plans feels, unfortunately, we are not finding many options in this category (one-year program) from the best of universities in India; there are only a few like Young India Fellowships from Ashoka and its already late for us to apply for that. he says as he regrets waiting for the decision of the host university and missing out on Indian opportunities. Vineet finished his BTech three years ago and is working at present. He had all plans of making it to Germany this year after his Visa to the US last year was denied for reasons not known as he puts it. He is deeply disappointed with the developments and says he would rather continue for a year more working before exploring other opportunities. Shruti who already holds a masters degree in Public Health from a reputed private university was all set to take up a PhD program in the US and is saddened by the developments. However, she says it is time to cooperate with the rest of the world in combating the virus; PhD can wait though I am yet to explore what I would do for the academic year ahead. If this is the case with the outbound students in India, the inbound numbers are also expected to be affected. Those universities in India, which hosted a number of international students, can expect the numbers to be reduced by more than half if COVID-19 is not contained in next two months. It is time universities take a closer look at these developments and plan for the academic year ahead. The State and Central Universities that hosted many international students may have to decide on allotment of those seats to other seekers in a planned manner already if the numbers drop as anticipated. Private universities also need to prepare themselves for this untoward development in internationalization of their campuses. Internationalization of Higher Education (IHE) is one of the parameters in ranking of the universities and that makes universities anxious at times like this. Though only five to ten percent is accorded to internationalization in the ranking matrix, everyone knows, academic reputations that has a lions share is also determined by international dimension. Therefore, all universities, big and small, private and public, Indian and others in the world are gripped in a new situation. Indian universities might have little to lose considering there has always been a large gap in outgoing and income international students in India with outbound far exceeding the inbound. It is just that Indian universities both public and private need to brace in light of this new development offering innovative programs in the upcoming academic year. But the challenge is, a period of three months available now before the academic year takes off is too short for any new academic adventures. The author is professor and Head of Manipal Centre for European Studies, Manipal Academy of Higher Education CAIRO When Dr. Ismail al-Mansouri goes to work in Yemens capital, he puts on one of the hospitals few pairs of medical gloves. Then he enters a cramped clinic teeming with listless patients, many malnourished, some vomiting, others with diarrhea. Al-Mansouri, a pediatrician, has been struggling for years to battle the rapid spread of otherwise preventable and treatable infections, such as cholera, that have surged in war-ravaged Yemen. Now as the coronavirus outbreak intensifies in the region, he is faced with a new threat, one he can only hope to ward off with a handful of masks. I cannot even speak about our preparedness for the coronavirus, he said, because we have none. Long-running wars and conflicts across the Middle East have wrecked potential defenses against coronavirus outbreaks, leaving millions vulnerable in Yemen, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan, the Gaza Strip and elsewhere. Health care systems have been gutted; war has blasted key infrastructure. Several of the countries are carved up among rival claimant governments, factions or armed groups, snarling any attempt at nationwide protection programs. Hundreds of thousands of people driven from their homes by fighting are crowded in close quarters in tent camps or improper housing. We are becoming very worried, said John Nkengasong, director of Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as the virus reached conflict-ridden Iraq, Libya, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The impact will be magnified. Most patients who contract the new coronavirus develop only mild symptoms and recover after about two weeks. But the virus is highly contagious and can be spread by those with no visible symptoms. For older adults and people with underlying health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. So far Yemen, Libya, Syria and Gaza have not confirmed any infections. But doctors in many cases believe the virus has arrived and fear that a lack of disease surveillance systems shortages of tests, basic supplies and properly trained professionals is allowing an invisible pandemic to spawn. We dont have the testing capabilities, so we can only rely on symptoms and signs. But when I do see symptoms and try to report them, no one does anything. People go home, they go out, walk around, eat in restaurants, said Dr. Wejdan Sabri, an orthopedic doctor outside Libyas capital, Tripoli. I can say with certainty that those likely carrying the virus have continued their lives as normal, passing it to family members and others on the street. Sabri is one of two volunteer doctors tasked with infectious disease control for the 2.3 million people in Tripoli, which has been a battleground for warring militias. She said she has seen at least seven patients in the last few days with the signature symptoms of coronavirus. She could only advise them to stay home or visit the central lab in Tripoli, where Libyas few dozen tests can be found. Many of her patients shun testing, fearing quarantine. They think theyll go to an isolation unit and die. Protective gear across Libya is sparse. A trauma doctor at Tripoli central hospital said 15 surgeons on his night shift share one mask. The main respiratory diseases facility in the east, near the city of Benghazi, has only eight intensive care beds, 10 ventilators and a quarantine room for two. We are doing our best but of course it is not enough, said its director, Dr. Anas Albarghathy. Last weekend, doctors there found they didnt have the equipment to assemble tests for three patients who had just arrived from Iran, Egypt and Great Britain with fevers and dry cough. In Yemen, doctors fear that raging war and a humanitarian crisis will only exacerbate the difficulties of determining chains of infection and containing the virus. The country, divided between a rebel-held north and government-run south, has already struggled to stop repeated cholera outbreaks that have infected more than 2 million people and killed nearly 4,000 since 2016. In Taiz, one of the countrys largest cities, Dr. Abdul Rahman al-Azraqi estimated that 80% of the citys hospitals and clinics had been shattered by the war and ongoing siege. He described the situation in his hospital bluntly: There is no training. There is no quarantine. We do not have tests for patients we suspect. The World Health Organization has identified two facilities in the country of 29 million people for quarantine and diagnosis, which local director Atlaff Musani acknowledged would soon become grossly insufficient. One, in the rebel-held capital of Sanaa, has the capability to carry out only 200 tests; the other, in the southern city of Aden, can test roughly 300 specimens. People are scared because they know the government is not prepared, said Dr. Mohamed Rabid, deputy director of the Adens health office, lamenting that hospitals across the country are desperate for gloves, goggles, ventilators, medicines and other supplies. Concerns have compounded as the virus sweeps across poorly patrolled borders. Iran, which has emerged as the regional epicenter of the outbreak, frequently sends military advisers and Shiite religious pilgrims to Syria. All 21 confirmed cases in Afghanistan traveled from neighboring Iran. Oil workers circulate between Libya and Italy, a major center of contagion. Thousands of migrants cross Libyas southern frontier, which Elizabeth Hoff, the countrys World Health Organization representative, called a serious vulnerability that we cant really do anything about. In the Gaza Strip, medical infrastructure has been strangled by mismanagement by the Islamic militant Hamas rulers and a 13-year blockade imposed by Israel with Egypts help that has complicated the passage of key medical equipment and supplies. While Israel has closed its border crossing, it continues to allow serious medical cases through. Gazas testing capacity remains severely limited, with enough to process 150 samples. Israel has delivered an additional 200 tests. On Wednesday, Israeli officials said they have coordinated the delivery of hundreds of additional test kits, along with medical protection equipment, from the World Health Organization. Israeli officials say they are closely monitoring the situation in Gaza and ready to work with the international community if there is a widespread outbreak. In Syria, where nine years of devastating war have left infrastructure and health facilities in shambles, President Bashar Assads government has conducted 103 coronavirus tests thus far in the countrys sole laboratory, which came back negative. Social distancing proves a monumental task in unsanitary refugee camps jam-packed with hundreds of thousands of displaced Syrians. In Afghanistan, which shares a large border with Iran, Health Minister Ferozuddin Feroz described a growing capacity to test suspected cases at the countrys only functioning laboratory, with 30,000 more kits arriving soon. We are not in a normal situation, Faroz told reporters Monday. We are faced with a national threat. In Gaza and Benghazi, authorities scrambled to set up new hospitals to handle a possible influx of patients. In Tripoli, Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj announced the allocation of some $360 million to prevent the spread of the virus. Dr. Sabri, the Libyan orthopedic, says she wont get a full nights sleep for a while as she stages awareness campaigns and frantically trains inexperienced nurses in basic sanitation. Officials in Yemen and Libya offered reassurances this week that things were under control. But not everyone sees it that way. People are terrified, said al-Mansouri, the Yemeni pediatrician. May God protect us. ____ Associated Press writers Fares Akram in Gaza City, Gaza Strip; Zeina Karam in Beirut; and Rahim Faiez in Kabul, Afghanistan contributed to this report. Sean Gallup/Getty It is whispered behind the ever closing walls of city apartments and texted about in anxiety-riddled group chatsperhaps if things got really bad in the cities we can at least escape to the national parks. But it turns out even the national parks may no longer be an option for outdoor social distancing as a number of key sites across the country are opting to close facilities and even their gates amidst the worsening coronavirus pandemic. Parks ranging from Californias Yosemite to Texass Big Bend are shuttering part or all of their operations after a new federal directive gave local superintendents the latitude to decide whether public health threats stemming from the COVID-19 epidemic implore closures. The new guidance posted on the National Park Service (NPS) website Tuesday could result in operational changes to the more than 400 national parks across the U.S. that make up more than 84 million acres of public land. The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners is the priority of the National Park Service, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said in a statement on the website. Park superintendents are empowered to modify their operations, including closing facilities and cancelling programs, to address the spread of the coronavirus. Bernhardt and NPS Director David Vela first announced the decision to allow park superintendents to decide whether to close part or all of the parks they oversee on a phone call with staff Monday. On the call, Bernhardt left it up to the discretion of each individual park to make closure decisions aligned with Center for Disease Control guidelines and the local state government, according to one superintendent on the call. Concerns about keeping parks open during the coronavirus outbreak revolved around making sure park staff could stay healthy. Other fears at parks included overcrowding of sites that can see huge seasonal tourism and heavy use of bathrooms. A ranger at one Northern California park said their visitor center was closing because it was largely staffed by volunteers over the age of 65an age group thats proved highly susceptible to the virus. Story continues It is not yet clear how many national parks will close due to the new directive but a number are announcing swift changes. Another ranger at New Mexicos White Sands National Monument said that after that park shuts down tonight, its visitor center and gift shop wont re-open. While the park entrance will stay ajar, camping wont be permitted. At Maines Acadia National Park, visitor centers are already closed due to decisions made by local towns. According to Public Information Officer Christie Anastasia, the park is approaching this on a day by day basis. Acadia also relies on a seasonal workforce in summer months, the hiring for that remains unknown. People need to remember wed need to have staff to clean the toilets, to provide information, check the bookings. People think national parks are just a big open landscape and you just show up, but there are so many people behind the scenes, said Anastasia. Big Bend National Park in Texas is closing down entirely. Bookstores, visitor centers and entrance stations will be shuttered for the indefinite future. Park entry fees will also not be collected there. North Carolinas Cape Hatteras National Seashore is also closed. At Yosemite, the park remains open, but all buses, hotels and visitor centers are closed. The new closures add to the list of historical sites previously shuttered, including New Yorks Ellis Island and the Washington Monument in D.C. The Interior Department and National Park Service did not respond to requests for comment about timelines for closures, and instead directed potential visitors to check individual park websites each day. (For instance, as of Tuesday, Shenandoah National Park, a popular destination from Washington, D.C., is keeping its season-dependent trails, entrance stations, and restrooms open.) Calls into popular parks including Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree, Arches, and Zion all went unanswered. NPS staff and watchdog groups characterized park leadership as slow to respond and disjointed in the face of the mounting coronavirus crisis that has paralyzed cities and states across the U.S. I work for a land management agency, but ten percent of our workforce engages in law enforcement and emergency services, said one superintedent who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Until Friday night we had received zero guidance on how to protect ourselves in terms of dealing with people we come in contact to. This weeks new directive was also a complete reversal from the one issued to staff Friday evening, which mandated all requests to shutter parts of parks be first sent through Washington. That directive was met with heavy disagreement by staff and outside groups alike, who didnt think it mirrored the seriousness of the coronavirus epidemic. The decision should be made locally, not in D.C.... That slows down the process and puts both employees and visitors at risk. said Phil Francis, chair of the Coalition to Protect America's National Parks. Mondays directive could see national parks closing across the board, a situation thats occurred previously under government shutdowns. The directive could also be a hit to the park services coffers, which relies on park entrance fee money for construction projects and seasonal hiring. Theresa Pierno, president and CEO for the National Parks Conservation Association, encouraged all parks to consider what would be best for staff and visitor safety. Superintendents must be supported in the decision to close visitor centers, buildings and areas within parks. In some cases, they will need to make the difficult decision to close entire parks. The best way we can support national park leaders is to heed their guidance and refrain from visiting sites until a time when they are deemed safe to reopen, she said. These are unprecedented times, and we need to make sure parks staff and visitors health come first. The Northern California park superintendent said the new policy change made it clear the administration was finally seeing the writing on the wall. Its getting bigger than peoples imaginations. Its faster than they think possible. Theres a phrase, We couldnt think big enough fast enough, and thats whats happening now. They were caught flat-footed. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close According to a study by Chinese academics it was found that people with Blood Type A are significantly more prone to coronavirus compared to those those with Blood Type O. The study that was done in Wuhan, the ground zero of the outbreak, also found that people with Blood Type A are more likely to die from the disease. Generally, Blood Type O composes more of the population at 34% compared to those with Blood Type A which is only 32% of the population. However, it was observed that 41% of COVID-19 patients have Type A blood while only 25% have Type O blood. Two thousand one hundred seventy-three (2,173) people who have been diagnosed with coronavirus were assessed by Chinese researchers for the study. The number includes 206 people who have died after contracting the diseases from three hospitals in Hubei Province. Of the 206 subjects in the study who dies, 85 people had blood type A which accounts for 41% of the deaths. While 52 out of the 206 subjects who died have blood type O which is about 25% of the deaths. It also showed that patients with blood type A tended to develop more severe symptoms. Researchers suggest to consider blood type differences in COVID-19 Mitigation. Although the researchers admit that the study is still premature and there is still more work needed to prove the findings, they are still urging the governments and medical facilities to consider the differences in blood type in the planning of mitigation measures and treatments that are being developed for COVID-19. Read also: Funerals Postponed: Families Heartbroken as Coronavirus Victims Die Alone According to the researchers from the Centre for Evidence-Based and Translational Medicine at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University led by Wang Xinghuan, people who belong to the type A blood group need strengthened personal protection in order to reduce their susceptibility to infection. Furthermore, it was also noted that COVID-19 patients in the blood group A might need to receive more aggressive treatment and should be vigilantly monitored. In contrast to this, those who belong in the type O blood group have significantly lower risks for the infectious disease. Correlation between Blood Types and COVID-19 is yet to be proven. A person's blood type is determined by the presence or absence of a particular antigen on the surface of the red blood cell. An antigen is a material on the surface of the RBC which can trigger an immune response. However, according to a researcher with the State Key Laboratory of Experimental Haematology in Tianjin, Gao Yingdai, the study about the correlation of blood types and the coronavirus infection is yet to be scrutinized by other academics in the field, however, the researchers are still unable to explain the reason between the variation of infection within different blood types. Furthermore, Gao also said that the study may be helpful to those who are in the medical field, however, he has warned ordinary citizens to not take the statistics seriously. He also noted that people with blood type A should not panic since it does not mean that there is a 100 % chance that you will contract the virus. In the same way, it does not mean that those with blood type O are absolutely safe. Gao advised that people should still take the necessary precautions like proper handwashing and cough-sneeze etiquette despite their blood types. Related news: Coronavirus Vaccine Begins Human Trial, Seattle Woman First to Receive Test @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Former Democratic Presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg failed in his bid for the White House, but he is still looking to make an impact on Texas politics. Bloomberg announced Tuesday he is sending $2 million to a Democratic-leaning group called Swing Left, which has targeted Texas as one of 12 states where it will focus its energy in 2020. In the case of Texas, the group is trying to help flip the Texas House from Republican control to Democratic control. Republicans have watched their majority in the Texas House shrink to just 9 seats and Democrats are convinced they have a shot of winning enough seats in 2020. In 2018, Democrats flipped 12 seats held by Republicans. "I centered my campaign for president around the battleground states our party needs to win in November, and I'm glad to help Swing Left continue the work of organizing voters in those states," Bloomberg said. Democrats have not controlled the Texas House since 2001. Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox More Information Texas House Control For three consecutive Texas legislative sessions, Democrats have cut the Republican majority in the Texas House and now are 9 seats away from flipping control of the chamber for the first time since 2001. Below is what the composition of the Texas House has looked like since 2015. 2015: 98 Republicans - 52 Democrats 2017: 95 Republicans - 55 Democrats 2019: 83 Republicans - 67 Democrats See More Collapse Texas was a big focus of Bloombergs campaign. He visited Houston frequently, won the endorsement of Mayor Sylvester Turner and campaigned with State House candidate Eliz Markowitz in Fort Bend to help the Democrat in her failed bid to win a special election in January. Markowitz lost the special election but is set to challenge Republican Gary Gates in a rematch in November. During a campaign stop in Houston in February, Bloomberg pointed to three Harris County seats he thinks Democrats can flip if they can build on gains made in the 2018 midterm elections. Bloomberg spent more than $500 million of his own money on his campaign for the White House. He skipped the traditional early-voting states and instead focused on Super Tuesday states like Texas. But it didnt pay off as former Vice President Joe Biden carried Texas by 5 percentage points over U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. Bloomberg won 14 percent of the vote and finished in third place. This document describes the main payments for people affected by COVID-19. The social welfare payments covered are for people of working age only (between the ages of 18 and 66) If you have no work, or less work than before Your employer may have closed their business and sent you home. Where this is temporary, this is called a temporary lay-off. If it is permanent, you may be made redundant. Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme Your employer may be able to continue to pay you under the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) and if so, you do not need to apply for a social welfare payment. You cannot apply for EWSS yourself, it is administered by Revenue through your employers payroll. If you were getting a Working Family Payment, this will continue while you are being paid under the EWSS. COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment The COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is for employees and self-employed people living in Ireland who lost their employment due to COVID-19. PUP was closed to new applicants in July 2021, but it has reopened for a limited time to support people who lose their employment as a result of the new COVID-19 public health restrictions. PUP reopened for new applicants on Tuesday, 7 December 2021. If you have dependents, you may get a higher payment by applying for a jobseekers payment. Jobseekers Allowance and Jobseekers Benefit If you have lost your job and have dependents, you may get a higher payment if you apply for Jobseekers Benefit (JB) or Jobseeker's Allowance (JA) instead of PUP. This is because PUP does not pay anything extra for dependents. JB is based on your PRSI contributions. JA is means tested. You apply for both payments at the same time and the Department decides which one you qualify for. If the number of days you work have decreased, you may be entitled to Short Time Work Support. You must be unemployed for 3 days per week (excluding Sunday) to qualify for this. You can get this even if your employer is paying you through the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS). If your hours have been reduced but you continue to work for more than 3 days per week (for example, you have been asked to work 5 mornings per week), you may qualify for Supplementary Welfare Allowance. Family payments If you are parenting alone you may be entitled to One-Parent Family Payment. The other parent of your child may have reduced the maintenance they pay to support your child. You should notify your local Intreo centre in this case. You can get an increase to your payment for up to 12 weeks. After this, your payment will be reassessed. You should also check if you qualify for Working Family Payment if you have dependent children and your hours or pay have been reduced. If you are pregnant and getting PUP or being paid through the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS), you can still apply for Maternity Benefit, Parent's Benefit and Paternity Benefit. The time you spend on PUP or being paid through TWSS or EWSS is treated the same as a period of employment. If you are receiving PUP and have not returned to work before you are due to start your maternity leave, you should ask your GP to complete form MB3 (pdf). Asking for a review of your payment If you work and also get a social welfare payment, and your hours or income from work have decreased, you can ask for your payment to be reassessed. You can continue to get both Working Family Payment and One-Parent Family Payment with your PUP. After employees of Tilman Fertitta's Post Oak Hotel were notified this week that their benefits would be cut as restaurants have had to shut down and dining room operations ceased, a company official said Wednesday that employees will actually keep those benefits. Kelly Roberts, chief administration officer of Landrys -- Fertitta's hospitality company -- said no hourly or salaried employees have lost their jobs at the Post Oak Hotel, at 1600 West Loop South. Hourly employees whose work has been cut will be eligible to use their vacation pay, Roberts said in a statement. The Post Oak will maintain and pay and benefits for all employees currently enrolled in its health plan until normal hours resume, or until June 30, 2020. LISTEN: What the slowdown in Chinatown means for Houston retailers as coronavirus closures loom Fertitta and others in the hospitality industry are struggling to cope with dining rooms closures, lost conference bookings and room cancellations as the country stays home to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. On Monday, county officials ordered bars and nightclubs closed for 15 days. Restaurants would be limited to take-out, delivery and drive-thru service. Fertitta, a Galveston native who owns the Houston Rockets and a global restaurant empire, told CNBC's "Power Lunch" early this month that his business was off $1 million a day from a base of $12 million a day in restaurant sales. CORONAVIRUS UPDATES: Stay informed with accurate reporting you can trust "But remember, that last million in sales is your most profitable," he said on CNBC, which airs his reality show "Billion Dollar Buyer." "That's where your heavy profit is, so if you don't cut expenses than what can you cut? We're not going to cut the quality of the product. You can only cut labor." This story has been edited to reflect new information from the company. Australia has initiated its toughest travel alert in history - urging residents not to leave the country due to the coronavirus pandemic. Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Wednesday that the travel advice for Australia had been upgraded to a level four - essentially stopping all international travel. Australians are still free to fly overseas. However, by doing so they are putting their health and safety at extreme risk, according to the government. 'We are upgrading the travel ban on Australians to level four for the entire world. That is the first time that has ever happened in Australia's history,' Mr Morrison said. 'The travel advice to every Australian is do not travel abroad. Do not go overseas.' Previously, Australians were banned from travelling to mainland China, Iran, South Korea and Italy as they have the highest rates of coronavirus. But as the virus takes a tighter grip on the world, tougher regulations have been introduced, meaning if you travel internationally you do so at your own risk. If you do leave the country, your travel insurance may be void and the government may not be able to help you if you run into trouble or become unwell while overseas. COVID-19 has infected 198,000 people across the globe, with almost 8,000 deaths. Australia has initiated its toughest travel ban in history - closing its boarders and stopping residents from leaving the country die to the coronavirus pandemic (Pictured: A woman arriving in Sydney) People are seen dressing in personal protective equipment at Sydney's international airport during the coronavirus pandemic What does Level 4 travel alert mean: A Level 4 travel alert means do not travel. If you do travel your health and safety is at extreme risk. If you get into trouble or become unwell, the Australian Government may be unable to help. Source: Smart Traveller Advertisement The restrictions come as many countries introduce entry or movement restrictions amid the outbreak. On Tuesday night the government's smart traveller website urged Australians to consider returning home as soon as possible or risk being stranded in a foreign country. 'Consider whether you have access to health care and support systems if you get sick while overseas. If you decide to return to Australia, do so as soon as possible.' The website advises that if you get into trouble while overseas during a level four restriction, the Australian Government may be unable to help. 'In most cases, our ability to provide consular assistance in these destinations is extremely limited.' On Sunday, the government announced all international arrivals into Australia would be forced to self-isolate for 14 days in a bid to stop the virus from spreading. The number of confirmed cases in Australia has risen to 531. Five people have died from the ilness Mr Morrison said the measures were to slow the spread of the deadly illness over the next six month to ease the pressure on the health system. What to do if you travel overseas: Check your travel insurance. Most standard policies won't cover you for 'Do not travel' destinations. Consider your security. Get independent, professional security advice. You may need to hire personal protection. Have robust risk management measures in place. This includes a detailed emergency management plan. Understand that you could die. Make sure you have an up-to-date will, an enduring power of attorney. Designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries. It's your responsibility to take care of your security. The Australian Government can't provide security assistance or advice. Source: Smart Traveller website Advertisement The travel alert has significantly impacted airlines, with customer numbers expected to plummet. Virgin Australia announced it will suspend all international flights and has more cuts to domestic capacity as quarantine measures accelerate amid the coronavirus outbreak. The airline on Wednesday said it will suspend all international flying from March 30 to June 14 and reduce group domestic capacity by 50 per cent. Virgin's measures follow Qantas' 90 per cent reduction in international flights on Tuesday and is the equivalent of grounding 53 aircraft. Virgin said it will operate a reduced international schedule between now and March 29 to enable Australians to return home and visitors to return to their point of origin. Air New Zealand is reducing capacity by 80 per cent on its Tasman routes from March 30 to June 30. All international arrivals into Australia will be forced to self-isolate for 14 days in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus , Scott Morrison announced Symptoms of the virus include a fever, cough, sore throat and shortness of breath Air New Zealand is offering fare flexibility for customers affected by Covid-19 travel restrictions. 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 Customers with international flights affected by Covid-19 government-imposed restrictions due to depart up until 31 March 2020 will be eligible for credit for twelve months or a refund. Qantas customers with existing bookings on any domestic or international flights until 31 May 2020, who no longer wish to travel, can cancel their flight and retain the value of the booking as a travel credit voucher. Virgin is offering a full refund for customers who have had their upcoming flights ccancelled. It is not clear what other carriers will do amid the travel alert. Australia's ailing airlines will be handed a $715 million federal government lifeline to help the sector through the coronavirus pandemic. Limited Internet Access Poses Challenge for 12 Million Students as Coronavirus Pushes Classes Online As schools from Seattle to New York City shift classes online in response to the coronavirus threat, millions of students are caught in whats known as a homework gap, because they are unable to access to their new online classrooms due to a no or poor internet connection, according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The homework gap is a term that refers to barriers students face when they work on school assignments without a reliable internet connection at home. According to an FCC report (pdf) from late February, as many as 12 million children from rural, urban, and suburban communities across the United States experience homework gap because they live in households that lack broadband access. Its time for the FCC to talk about the coronavirus disruption and how technology can help, FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said during a Senate hearing on March 10. Nationwide we are going to explore the expansion of tele-work, tele-health and tele-education. In the process, we are going to expose some really hard truths about the scope of the digital divide. In Washington States King County, which has become ground zero in the United States following the countrys first coronavirus death, Northshore School District asked teachers to help students familiarize themselves with the virtual learning platforms and make sure they are equipped with a device and wifi prior to the schools closure. Students who dont have computer or internet connection at home will be assigned to school computers, and if necessary, with wifi hotspots. But not every school is as prepared as the Northshore School District, as Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) pointed out in her letter (pdf) to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, in which she urged the agency to take necessary steps to help students keep up with their online schoolwork. A similar effort came up on Monday, when a group of Democratic and Independent senators called on the FCC to immediately allocate funds to help students who lack the internet connection they need. The lawmakers want the federal agency to free up some of the E-Rate fund, which is a $2 billion internet connection subsidy for schools and libraries, and use the money to provide wifi hotspots to students who lack internet access at home. This swift, immediate action would help ensure that all students can remotely continue their education during the current public health emergency, wrote Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who created the E-Rate program in 1997. We call on you to use the FCCs emergency powers to narrow the homework gap during this crisis, and we look forward to finding a long-term solution when the coronavirus subsides. Rosenworcel welcomed the proposal, writing on Twitter: The FCC can fix this #homeworkgap with a program for schools to loan out wifi hotspots. It needs to do it now. New Delhi, March 18 : At a time when the world is investing billions in medical research and development to fast track a coronavirus vaccine, it seems India's old school 'Indic' ways proved much more efficient in containing the rapid spread of the deadly virus. To begin with, it's the 'namaste' culture instead of a predominant handshake which seemed to have helped India in implementing an aggressive social distancing effort. From world leaders like Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu to figures like Britain's Prince Charles promoting Indian 'namaste' as an alternative to shaking hands. In fact, the Israeli Embassy in India tweeted, "Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu @netanyahu encourages Israelis to adopt the Indian way of greeting #Namaste at a press conference to mitigate the spread of #coronavirus." Dr D.R. Rai, former secretary general of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) backs the Indic ways. "How much you may wash hands, it doesn't matter if you continue to shake hands or hug. Indian namaste is the way to go in such time," he remarked. Even good old quarantine system has come to rescue for India. India declared it an emergency at its early stage of level two, while much of the developed countries did so in level four. The large scale home quarantine to isolation - basic old school models helped arrest the pace of spread of the virus. Even basics like home isolations are helping is containing the spread. No wonder these techniques have drawn international applause too. World Economic Forum called these steps "good and impressive" steps. "India is doing quite well," said the WHO Representative Henk Bekedam. "Despite being the world's second most populous country, with more than 1.3 billion people, the nation has reported three deaths," notes the WEF. While the pace is being arrested, the government continues to heavily rely on such Indic old school ways with different branches of paramilitary being asked to prepare for large scale quarantine facilities. "No amount of technology can help us pass through this. It's basics like self isolation alone can help us sail through. And India has done a great job in that respect," says Dr Rai. The Punjab Jails Department has mooted a proposal to release around 3,000 drug peddlers and 2,800 petty criminals lodged in various jails in the state to curb prison overcrowding and contain coronavirus outbreak. We have proposed to the state government to take a decision on releasing 3,000 inmates who have been caught with small quantity of drugs and booked in the NDPS cases after consulting with courts and police, Jails Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said here on Wednesday. The minister added that he has also proposed the release of petty criminals, numbering around 2,800, after due consideration. He said they are in jails for crimes like snatching. He said these measures have been suggested to prevent the spread of coronavirus outbreak in jails. Randhawa said he made these suggestions to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh in a meeting which was called after the Supreme Court took cognisance of the country's overcrowded prisons being a fertile ground for the spurt in coronavirus cases and suggesting remedial measures. Taking suo motu cognisance of overcrowding in jails, an apex court bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justice L N Rao had on Monday issued notices to prisons' director generals and chief secretaries of all states and Union territories, seeking to know by March 20 the steps taken to prevent corona outbreak in jails. At present, Punjab has a total of 23,800 prisoners lodged in its 19 jails, including nine central prisons, against a housing capacity for only 23,300 inmates. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, meanwhile, said the state government is mulling taking steps for release of prisoners, convicted for minor offences, on bail and giving parole to those who have spent considerable time in jail. He made the remark while pointing out that the Supreme Court had talked about decongesting prisons. In a statement, the chief minister later said the final decision on release of prisoners would depend on courts and said the state's Advocate General Atul Nanda was taking up the matter with the chief justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The prison department has already suspended the inmates' meetings with their relatives and family members till March 31. Sharing details about steps being taken to prevent Covid-19 infection in jails, Jails minister Randhawa said they have distributed masks and sanitiser to inmates. He said these items were prepared within jails. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dublin, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Soil Amendments Market by Type (Organic and Inorganic), Soil Type (Loam, Clay, Silt, and Sand), Crop Type (Cereals & Grains, Fruits & Vegetables, and Oilseeds & Pulses), Form (Dry and Liquid), and Region - Global Forecast to 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global soil amendments market is estimated at USD 2.94 billion in 2020 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 10.7%, to reach USD 4.88 billion by 2025. This report segments the soil amendments market, on the basis of type, crop type, soil type, form, and region. In terms of insights, this research report focuses on various levels of analyses - competitive landscape, patent analysis, and company profiles - which together comprise and discuss the basic views on the emerging & high-growth segments of the soil amendments market, the high-growth regions, countries, government initiatives, market disruption, drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges. The soil amendments market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 10.7% from 2020 to 2025 Factors such as the changing climatic conditions, growing concerns regarding soil health, and the rising demand for high-value crops are projected to drive the growth of this market. The incorporation of soil amendments into fertilizer formulation provides growth opportunities for manufacturers in the soil amendments market. However, the supply of adulterated and low-quality products is projected to inhibit the growth of the market. The organic segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period Soil amendments are classified into two broad categories, namely, organic and inorganic soil amendments. Organic soil amendments are sourced from natural materials, while inorganic soil amendments are either mined or man-made. The application of organic matter as a key substrate for agricultural crops and beneficial microorganisms is gaining the interest of plant pathologists, agronomists, regulators, and growers. These organic inputs provide vigor and nutrients to the soil, leading to a considerable change in the root environment, which is appropriate for the survival of crops and the proliferation of microorganisms. Moreover, the increasing shift toward organic farming, awareness about soil health quality, and promotion by governments to use organic amendments are factors that offer major growth opportunities for organic soil amendment manufacturers in the market. The fruits & vegetables segment is projected account for the largest market share during the forecast period By crop type, the soil amendments market is segmented as cereals & grains, oilseeds & pulses, fruits & vegetables, and other crop types. The dominance of the fruits & vegetables segment is attributed to the increasing consumption of soil amendments for these crops, particularly in the Asia Pacific and North American countries. The use of soil amendments on fruits and vegetables helps to increase the organic content of the soil and enhances the root growth. The soils treated with soil amendments, when used for floriculture in greenhouses and nursery crops, show an effective increase in water-holding capacity, thereby reducing the continuous need for irrigation. Due to these factors, the segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. North America held the largest share in the soil amendments market for the fruits & vegetables segment, majorly due to the high production of crops, including tomatoes, potatoes, grapes, and pepper. The liquid segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period By form, the soil amendments market is segmented into liquid and dry. The liquid form is projected to remain the most popular technique among farmers due to its effectiveness in the application of soil amendments and associated benefits, such as high application capability and efficacy rate over dry forms. In addition, liquid biofertilizer dosages are ten-times less as compared to dry (carrier-based powder) biofertilizers and require few labors for its application, which encourages its global acceptance. The North America market is estimated to account for the largest market share due to the rise in consumption of organic foods and shift toward sustainable. The presence of the increasing number of industrial sites, landfills, large & small mining sites, and superfund sites has led to the contamination and degradation of soil in the North American region. This results in a loss of productivity of crops, as degraded soils are deficient of organic content and nutrient. This is a major factor that is projected to encourage the use of soil amendments in North American countries, such as the US, Canada, and Mexico. Key Topics Covered 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 4.1 Overview of the Soil Amendments Market 4.2 Soil Amendments Market, By Type 4.3 North America: Soil Amendments Market, By Crop Type and Key Countries 4.4 Soil Amendments Market, By Soil Type and Region 4.5 Soil Amendments Market: Major Regional Submarkets 5 Market Overview 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Macroeconomic Indicators 5.2.1 Rise in Organic Farm Area 5.2.2 Decline in Arable Land 5.3 Market Dynamics 5.3.1 Drivers 5.3.1.1 Easier Availability of Humic Substances as Raw Materials 5.3.1.2 Strong Market Demand From Organic Food Products and High-Value Crops 5.3.1.3 Initiatives By Government Agencies to Promote the Use of Organic Amendments 5.3.1.4 Growing Awareness About Soil Health Management 5.3.2 Restraints 5.3.2.1 Supply of Adulterated and Low-Quality Products 5.3.2.2 Short Shelf Life of Soil Amendments 5.3.3 Opportunities 5.3.3.1 Incorporation of Soil Amendments Into Fertilizer Formulations 5.3.4 Challenges 5.3.4.1 Lack of Awareness Among Farmers 5.4 Patent Analysis 6 Soil Amendments Market, By Type 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Organic 6.2.1 Polysaccharide Derivatives 6.2.1.1 Europe Dominated the Polysaccharide Derivatives Segment 6.2.2 Humic Acid 6.2.2.1 Cheaper Source of Humic Acid Reduces the Cost of Soil Amendments 6.2.3 Biofertilizers 6.2.3.1 Rise in Soil Pollution and Soil Degradation Drives the Soil Amendments Market 6.3 Inorganic Soil Amendments 6.3.1 Gypsum 6.3.1.1 Ability to Improve Water Infiltration and Enhance Acidic Soils to Drive the Demand for Gypsum as Soil Amendments 6.3.2 Other Inorganic Types 7 Soil Amendments Market, By Crop Type 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Fruits & Vegetables 7.2.1 Organic Soil Amendments are Highly Preferred for the Cultivation of Fruits & Vegetables 7.3 Cereals & Grains 7.3.1 Application of Soil Amendments on Cereal Crops to Improve Its Productivity By Enhancing Soil Properties 7.4 Oilseeds & Pulses 7.4.1 High Demand for Biofertilizers to Drive the Growth of the Oilseeds & Pulses Segment 7.5 Other Crop Types 8 Soil Amendments Market, By Soil Type 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Sand 8.2.1 Compost are Highly Preferred for Application in Sandy Soils 8.3 Clay 8.3.1 Organic Soil Amendments are Used on Clay Soils to Loosen the Soil Texture and Improve Drainage 8.4 Silt 8.4.1 Application of Limestone Balances the PH of Silt Soil 8.5 Loam 8.5.1 High Fertility of Loamy Soil to Increase the Cultivation of High-Value Crops 9 Soil Amendments Market, By Form 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Liquid 9.2.1 High Efficacy Rate to Drive the Demand for Liquid Soil Amendments 9.3 Dry 9.3.1 Improved Shelf Life to Provide Better Opportunities for Dry Soil Amendments 10 Soil Amendments Market, By Region 10.1 Introduction 10.2 North America 10.2.1 US 10.2.1.1 Reclamation of Abandoned Mines Land to Drive the Market for Soil Amendments in the US 10.2.2 Canada 10.2.2.1 Degrading Soil Quality of Prairies in Canada to Increase the Demand for Organic Soil Amendments 10.2.3 Mexico 10.2.3.1 Soil Degradation Due to Metal Contamination to Drive the Soil Amendments Market in Mexico 10.3 Europe 10.3.1 France 10.3.1.1 Adoption of Organic Farming Practices to Drive the Market Growth for Soil Amendments 10.3.2 Germany 10.3.2.1 Increase in Awareness About Soil Health Management to Drive the Growth of the Soil Amendments Market 10.3.3 Russia 10.3.3.1 Increase in the Degradation of Soil Quality to Drive the Growth of the Soil Amendments Market 10.3.4 Spain 10.3.4.1 Poor Structural Conditions of Soils to Encourage the Demand for Soil Amendments 10.3.5 UK 10.3.5.1 Adoption of Intensive Farming has LED to Higher Usage of Soil Amendments 10.3.6 Rest of Europe 10.4 Asia Pacific 10.4.1 China 10.4.1.1 Growing Need to Reduce Soil Erosion Drives the Demand for Organic Soil Amendments in the Chinese Market 10.4.2 India 10.4.2.1 Rise in Demand for High-Value Crops to Encourage the Utilization of Soil Amendments 10.4.3 Japan 10.4.3.1 Adoption of Sustainable Agricultural Practices to Drive the Growth of the Japanese Soil Amendments Market 10.4.4 Australia 10.4.4.1 Increase in Preference for Organic Food has Encouraged the Adoption of Organic Soil Amendments 10.4.5 Rest of Asia Pacific 10.5 South America 10.5.1 Brazil 10.5.1.1 Reduction in Organic Matter in Soils to Increase the Demand for Organic Soil Amendment Products in Brazil 10.5.2 Argentina 10.5.2.1 Organic Amendments Dominated the Soil Amendments Market in Argentina 105 10.5.3 Rest of South America 10.6 Rest of the World (RoW) 10.6.1 South Africa 10.6.1.1 The Increasing Risk of Soil Erosion and A Decrease in Agricultural Land to Drive the Market Growth 10.6.2 Turkey 10.6.2.1 Overgrazing and Soil Erosion to Drive the Soil Amendments Market in Turkey 10.6.3 Others in RoW 11 Competitive Landscape 11.1 Overview 11.2 Competitive Leadership Mapping 11.2.1 Visionary Leaders 11.2.2 Innovators 11.2.3 Dynamic Differentiators 11.2.4 Emerging Companies 11.3 Competitive Scenario 11.3.1 New Product Launches 11.3.2 Expansions 11.3.3 Mergers & Acquisitions 11.3.4 Partnerships & Agreements 12 Company Profiles (Business Overview, Products Offered, Recent Developments, SWOT Analysis, and Right to Win) 12.1 BASF SE 12.2 UPL 12.3 FMC Corporation 12.4 Nufarm 12.5 Adama 12.6 Evonik Industries AG 12.7 Bayer 12.8 Novozymes A/S 12.9 Agrinos 12.10 T.Stanes & Company 12.11 Lallemand Inc. 12.12 SA Lime & Gypsum 12.13 Timac Agro 12.14 Biosoil Farms 12.15 Profile Products LLC 12.16 The Fertrell Company 12.17 Haifa Group 12.18 Symborg 12.19 Soil Technologies Corporation 12.20 Delbon For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/u8yog9 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. (Photo : Screenshot From 3D Printer szerviz Facebook Page) 3D Printed Valve In a recent news reported by TECHTIMES, Chiara Hospital located in Italy, a 3D printer was able to save the lives of ten different Italian coronavirus (covid-19) patients by being able to produce the unique replacement valve for broken ventilators just after the hospital's supply ran out! Because of this act of bravery, a medical device manufacturer has saw this and has even threatened to sue the very group of people who volunteered to print the 3D printed valve used to save lives of covid-19 patients in Italy! The valve being sold by medical device manufacturers versus the volunteer's replicas The valve which was officially manufactured by the medical device manufacturer costs about $11,000 while the replica which the volunteers made costs only about $1. This just goes to show how expensive the valves are and how the innovators were able to immediately produce a replica to save the lives of those in need but have also forgotten about possible patents and copyrights. The innovation was created with good intentions The only reason the innovation came to life was because of the urgent need for valves when the hospital was treating patients and because of the supply running out, a certain Christian Fracassi as well as Alessandro Ramaioli have decided to offer their 3D printer to manufacture the replicas to save lives. Read Also: 3D Printer Saves Lives of Italian Coronavirus Patients As Hospitals Run Out of Ventilators ! Here's How According to Business Insider Italia, the manufacturer was actually approached by the duo in hopes to ask for the valve's blueprints in an urgent attempt to save them time and produce the valves to instantly save the critical covid-19 victims but they were declined and even threatened to be sued for patent infringement! The brave move saved 10 lives The duo then proceeded to manufacture the replicas by manually measuring the valves and 3D printing three different versions to see which one worked best. Read Also: [INACCURATE] 10-Minute Coronavirus Testing Kit Created by Two British Companies Face Controversy According to Massimo Temporelli who was the one who recruited the duo and is the founder of an Italian manufacturing solutions company named FabLab, this brave move by the duo has saved 10 lives on March 14 which has also opened the way to future possibilities. Fracassi released a Facebook post explaining the intent behind the replicas Fracassi said that "[The patients] were people in danger of life, and we acted. Period" to justify their actions and later on made it clear that "we have no intention of profit on this situation, we are not going to use the designs or product beyond the strict need for us forced to act, we are not going to spread the drawing." Italy is fighting hard against the coronavirus Italy already has 31,500 confirmed infected civilians as the death toll reaches 2,500 and is still currently growing. The creation of the replica valve has been a huge step for them as they were able to prevent 10 critical patients from dying and the possibility of maybe more dying from the lack of valves as well. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Chennai: Following the outbreak of novel coronavirus, the month-long agitation at Washermanpet, Chennai against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR) was temporarily called off by the protesters early on Wednesday. "Due to coronavirus spread and to support the state and the central government to contain the same, we have called off our protest," Latheef, an organizer of Shaheen Bagh Vannarapattai Anti-CAA NRC-NPR protest said. Tamil Nadu chief secretary K Shanmugam on March 14 met with representatives from the Muslim community at the State Secretariat and urged them to call off the protests. Scores of people including women had been sitting in protest against the CAA at Washermanpet for the last 33 days in the area that is being called Chennai's Shaheen Bagh, which is modelled on the Shaheen Bagh protests in Delhi. Such protests have also been going on in other places of Tamil Nadu. Over 145 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus and there are three deaths from the infection in India according to official data. According to the World Health Organization's latest estimates, there are over 184,976 cases globally of novel coronavirus with at least 7,529 deaths. Vietnams tourism safe haven in stormy times Tomasso, a 26-year-old Italian has been to 28 countries in the world. Now, he is adding his 29th destination to the list and chose Vietnam for his two-week trip. This country is surprisingly beautiful and peaceful, said Tommaso with the brightest smile on his face, as he was boating on the river covered by water-fern through Tra Su Cajuput Forest - said to be Vietnams green paradise. While most countries in the world are busy coping with the appearance and threatening development of COVID-19, many holidaymakers have called off their journeys in fear of infection. Meanwhile, more optimistic travellers are utilising this chance to make their dreams come true. It is not much of a problem here, unlike what we were told in the media, Tommaso continued. I am even planning to extend my stay in Vietnam, because the situation in Italy is kind of alarming at the moment. Who knows, it seems to be safer here. BUSINESS AS USUAL Elsewhere, the coastal town Mui Ne is right in its busiest tourist season of the year, and amid becoming one of the international hotspots of the country and one of the most-visited destinations in Asia-Pacific by 2030. Unlike during the previous peak seasons, Mui Ne has been seeing very few Chinese and South Korean arrivals in January and February, who last year accounted for 28 and 13 per cent of total international tourists to the locality, respectively. However, resorts, hotels, and tourist areas here are by far not empty, with thousands of globetrotters from Europe and Australia flocking to the location. Danish national Magnus Wrightson just came to Vietnam the very first time. He arrived with his girlfriend in Mui Ne after a five-hour bus trip from Ho Chi Minh to spend a romantic time together and celebrate their Valentines Day getaway. Getting to know about this place via a friend, Magnus immediately decided to visit this all-year sunny and windy destination. We have been here for one week already. Everything is just amazing, local people are also warm and hospitable, said Magnus. We do not talk about the scary coronavirus here. We are on vacation! We should make the best out of it and enjoy every moment instead of being worried, he added. Meanwhile in the central coast region, Polish tourist Damia and his 4-year-old daughter were building a sand castle on the beach. Last November, Damia booked a Danang-Hoi An-Hue tour through a travel agency. Soon afterwards, the news about the COVID-19 epidemic spread dramatically fast, raising lots of concerns. His family, therefore, many times considered cancelling the trip and constantly contacted the travel firm in Vietnam. They kept us updated with the latest news about the situation in Vietnam, quickly and informatively. Thanks to the collaboration with our travel agency, we found out that Vietnam has been doing a great job in preventing the spread of COVID-19, and there are also no infected cases in these destinations. We are happy we did not get too worried and headed to our planned trip to Vietnam. Otherwise, we would have missed such a wonderful time. Obviously, everything has been great so far, Damia shared. Up north in the capital city of Hanoi, groups of tourists are still flocking to the Old Quarter and its surrounding areas to enjoy the spring atmosphere. They are heading on sightseeing tours on cyclo rides or double-decker buses, perusing the shops around the small streets, and enjoying Vietnamese food. Most of these tourists are from Europe, the US, Australia, and India. Elise Quinn, an Australian tourist upon entering Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi stated I think the Vietnamese government and tourism industry have been doing a good job in keeping visitors safe. Some of the sightseeing spots I have gone to are properly equipped with protective utilities for us tourists, and we also get our body temperature checked upon entering several places. I really appreciate Vietnams efforts in preventing and combating COVID-19. OVERCOMING ADVERSITY The encouraging words from international tourists coming to Vietnam are echoed by many other people and strongly contribute to listing the country among the safe travel destinations. This trust also helped reviving the countrys tourism after a short time of a sharp downturn. During January and February, when COVID-19 was spreading quickly in some countries, a large number of Asian people have locked themselves in at home. The consecutive disappearance of tourists, especially from Vietnams main tourist markets, such as China, South Korean, and Japan has caused a slash of 50-60 per cent in the average number of international arrivals, which then led to heavy losses among all related businesses, with total estimated damage at around $7 billion. On the other hand, surveys at a number of tourism businesses showed that visitors from Europe, America, and Australia still enjoy their planned trips regardless of the COVID-19 outbreak, with only a minimum number of called-off tours. In mid-February, two yachts carrying 1,200 passengers from Northern Europe, North America, and Australia docked at Tien Sa Port in Danang City and Chan May Port in Thua Thien-Hue, taking tourists and crew to visit these two stunning tourist hotspots. Other famous tourist destinations of Vietnam such as Can Tho, Ho Chi Minh City, and Halong are also filled with thousands of foreign visitors. The fact that travellers trust to stay in Vietnam and continue to choose the country as their holiday destination surely comes from the countrys joint efforts of authorities and companies. After the WHO highly praised Vietnams actions in containing the epidemic, the country continued to receive positive comments from the US Department of Health and Human Services. Erika Elvander, director of the departments Asia-Pacific Office, highly appreciated the medical capacity of Vietnam, especially in controlling COVID-19. This decision has been a difficult one to make, but for the safety of our attendees, clients, and staff, it is our only choice. JETNET LLC, the leading provider of corporate aviation information, today announced the decision to cancel the 2020 JETNET iQ Global Business Aviation Summit due to concerns related to the evolving Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The event was scheduled for June 8-9, 2020 in White Plains, New York. JETNET has closely followed the spread of COVID-19, as well as announcements from international and U.S. domestic governmental and medical authorities regarding restrictions on travel and large gatherings. Serious concerns and restrictions have grown, prompting the need to cancel this years event. Rolland Vincent, JETNET iQ Creator/Director, said, This decision has been a difficult one to make, but for the safety of our attendees, clients, and staff, it is our only choice. We will keep our partners and clients up to date on future developments as they unfold. Refunds will be provided via the iQ Summit 2020 event ticketing service. About JETNET iQ Summits are part of JETNET iQ, an aviation market research, strategy, and forecasting service for the business aviation industry. JETNET iQ also provides independent, Quarterly intelligence, including consulting, economic and industry analyses, business aircraft owner/operator survey results, and new aircraft delivery and fleet forecasts. JETNET iQ is a collaboration between JETNET LLC and Rolland Vincent Associates LLC of Plano, Texas, an aviation market research consultancy. About JETNET LLC As the leading provider of aviation market information, JETNET delivers the most comprehensive and reliable business aircraft research to its exclusive clientele of aviation professionals worldwide. JETNET is the ultimate source for information and intelligence on the worldwide business, commercial, and helicopter aircraft fleet and marketplace, comprised of more than 110,000 airframes. Headquartered in its state-of-the-art facility in Utica, NY, JETNET offers comprehensive, user-friendly aircraft data via real-time internet access or regular updates. Education Minister Peter Weir speaking at the Stormont education committee where he said that he cannot give a date yet for when schools in Northern Ireland will close over coronavirus. Northern Ireland's schools are to close hours after Education Minister Peter Weir said the measure would have little effect. Pictured Photo credit should read: Northern Ireland Assembly/PA Wire First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill speak to the press at Stormont Castle regarding the ongoing issues with the Coronavirus Pandemic. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye First Minister Arlene Foster has confirmed Northern Ireland schools will close from Monday, March 23 in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The DUP leader said that the closure would "likely" continue beyond the break for summer holidays. "The societal and economic impact of this measure will be enormous as parents have to adjust their routine to deal with this unplanned long term closure," Mrs Foster said. "We are exploring how our schools can continue to be a space for the education of children whose parents are health service staff or indeed other key workers such as the blue light services." "I look forward to the day when we see our schools fully functioning again." At a glance: NI school closures All schools in Northern Ireland will be closed from Monday, March 23rd Remote learning options and home packs for self-study to be explored for pupils Exam body to provide clear guidance for schools and parents for GCSE and A-Levels Options to be explored for children whose parents are health service staff or work for blue light services "Politics has to be set aside", Mrs Foster said. "Today we stand united as leaders to help guide Northern Ireland, our people, through this time of unprecedented challenge." This is the time to be the good Samaritan and we all have our part to play Arlene Foster Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill said we are currently living in "unprecedented times" and the number one priority is to "save lives". "This virus has changed everything and it cannot be business as usual. This is already impacting our economy, businesses, jobs and people's livelihood," the Sinn Fein vice-President said. "We know that you need our full support and you need resources and we need to come together like we have never, ever done before." Also announced at the press briefing was the launch of a "community response plan" and two new grant schemes for vulnerable businesses. At a glance: Stormont financial measures Launch of a "community response plan" and further announcements in the coming days New small business grant scheme of 10,000 provided to all small businesses eligible for the small business rate relief scheme with a Net Asset Value of up to 15,000. Scheme will cost 267m and is set to assist 27,000 NI businesses to ease immediate cash flow pressures New immediate grant of 25,000 for companies in the retail, tourism and hospitality sectors with a rateable value between 15,000 and 51,000. Scheme to cost 100m and is set to assist 4,000 businesses Previously announced emergency 100m rates package We are pledging to you all that the sole focus of government has now turned to doing everything that is necessary Michelle O'Neill Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that schools in England would also close from Friday, alongside schools in Scotland and Wales. It comes as the Public Health Agency announced six new cases of the virus in Northern Ireland, bringing the total number of cases - of those that have been tested - to 68. Almost 1,500 have been tested with health officials saying those that do not need hospital treatment should self-isolate and will not require testing. Here's how Wednesday unfolded: SPRINGFIELD - Baystate Health announced Wednesday that increased concerns regarding the spread of coronavirus have forced the cancelation of visitation at all Baystate hospitals. The policy applies to Baystate Medical Center and Baystate Childrens Hospital in Springfield, Baystate Wing Hospital in Palmer, Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, and Baystate Noble Hospital in Westfield. The move is intended to reduce the chance of COVID-19 from entering any hospital facility and endangering patients, employees and the community. No visitors will be allowed inside except for the following exceptions: One parent or guardian for a patient under age 18 one birthing partner for a woman in labor one person at a time for hospice or end-of-life patients one clergy for an end-of-life patient. One caretake for a completely dependant patient. Any exceptions will be at the discretion of the hospital staff and will have to be screened prior to being allowed inside. For more information, visit baystatehealth.org/covid19 The move comes on the heels of similar announcements by area hospitals. Holyoke Medical Center and Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton announced Tuesday that no visitors will be allowed into any inpatient or outpatient unit Likewise, Mercy Medical Center, part of Trinity Health of New England, which include its 182-bed hospital and Weldon Rehabilitation Hospital, both on its Springfield campus, as well as Providence Behavioral Hospital in Holyoke, are closed to visitors with the exception of compassionate visits, with a limit of one visitor per patient. Related content A Brisbane intensivist says the country does not have enough hospital beds to cope with the widespread outbreak of coronavirus and has begged the federal government to fund a team of data crunchers responding to the crisis. John Fraser, head of intensive care at St Andrew's Hospital and a pre-eminent specialist at Prince Charles Hospital, and his small team of Brisbane researchers are co-ordinating the world's only data pool for clinicians on the frontline on COVID-19. Medical workers treat patients in the isolated intensive care unit at a hospital in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province. Credit:AP Dr Fraser, and his team at Brisbane's Critical Care Research Group, have been collecting data from 120 hospitals across 26 countries and four continents to offer real-time help for doctors and nurses treating COVID-19 patients. They are the only people in the world analysing the data - and they don't have enough people to do it. The Indian industry in the UK has welcomed the unprecedented rescue package unveiled by Britain's Indian-origin Finance Minister to help businesses in Britain combat the impact of the pandemic. Sunak on Tuesday announced a whopping 330-billion pounds worth of rescue measures in the House of Commons, including easier to access loan facilities, liquidity assistance for businesses through the ongoing crisis period and a 12-month business rates holiday for the retail and hospitality sector. This unprecedented support package is very welcome. The Chancellor has extended a third of a trillion pounds in grants, guarantees, corporate paper and unlimited loans, showing the considerable flexibility the state has to act in times of crisis, said Jim Bligh, Chair of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) UK India Business Forum This shock will hit all sectors of the and businesses of all sizes, so the Treasury must continue to show flexibility as government, citizens and businesses rise together to defeat the challenge of coronavirus, he said. Bligh also called on Indian businesses operating in the UK, estimated at around 842 based on the CII/Grant Thornton India Meets Britain Tracker', to closely follow the government guidance and work together with their trade bodies in the months ahead. " is the challenge of our working lives. Businesses will play their part in defeating it, he added. The 330-billion pounds in loans, equivalent to 15 per cent of the UK's GDP, unveiled by Sunak is designed to help businesses pay for supplies, rent and salaries as the country went into near-lockdown to combat the rapid spread of COVID-19, which has claimed 71 lives in the UK. "We have never in peacetime faced an economic fight like this one," Sunak said, as he presented the package alongside British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at 10 Downing Street in London ahead of his Commons statement on Tuesday. "We must act like any wartime government and do whatever it takes to support our economy," said Johnson. The City of London, the heart of London's financial district, has warned that the pandemic could have a crippling effect on the area's many cafes and restaurants. With a very small residential population and with more companies allowing staff to work from home or closing their offices entirely, the impact of the current outbreak on City retail and leisure businesses could be devastating, said Catherine McGuinness, Policy Chair at the City of London Corporation. The fundamental strengths of London will help us to recover and rebuild, as we have done before. London will always be one of the world's leading financial centres, a city of global talent with a highly-skilled workforce and more HQs than any other European city, she added in a joint statement with Lord Mayor of City of London William Russell. Your opponent was famously anti-abortion and against Obamacare. Was your victory an embrace of your progressive agenda, or is this a case of a kind of out-of-step Democrat just losing? From most peoples perspective, yes, he was not a Democrat. He voted against overtime. He voted against Obamacare. He voted against the Dream Act in 2010. It just was clear: He was not only out of step with the district, but really out of step with the Democratic platform. So that is really kind of the No. 1 reason that I ran, and why I won. Bernie Sanders endorsed you. How do you compare your results with his throughout the state? He ran far behind you. What did you do that the progressive on the national ticket did not? You know, Ive been endorsed by Cory Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand, Elizabeth Warren, Jan Schakowsky, six other members of Congress, a governor, and then 40 local politicians. I think that Im a blend of the entire party. Everyone likes to talk about the party in terms of two or three wings. I think theres probably 50 wings, if were all being honest with one another. Weve always been a mosaic and where we all connect is around working families and workers. For me, everything is about alignment. You have to be in alignment with your district. Thats the only reason you should run, and thats the only reason you should be elected. If youre in alignment with your district, it really doesnt matter what is happening nationally. But you were backed by Justice Democrats, the national group that has been playing up that distinction between progressives and moderates. You did seem to benefit from your association with that national fight. Kildare based Seanad Eireann candidate, Peter Finnegan, independent candidate for change on NUI Panel for Seanad Eireann, has called on state and university examinations to be either cancelled or deferred to later in the year. Mr Finnegan, who lives in Celbridge, said the uncertainty of the coronavirus (or Covid 19) is putting additional worry on students and pressure on teachers. Our greatest weakness is fear and worry, he said. Mr Finnegan is a member of the State body, Teaching Council of Ireland, which oversees teaching standards, and also an elected member of the governing authority of Maynooth University. SEE ALSO: Kildare TD calls for adequate financial support for unemployed He called on the Minister for Education and Skills to provide certainty to Junior, Leaving Certificate and university students worried about final exams in the current coronavirus crisis. Mr Finnegan said: I have been contacted by University students facing final exams and by parents at second level who are anxious about the Leaving Cert exams. Individuals who are at these critical moments of their education journey need clarification and certainty. Commending the Government for the strong and resolute focus on mobilising medical expertise and community solidarity to tackle the Coronavirus he said: Our greatest weakness however remains fear and worry. I call on the Minister for Education now to remove the fear and worry of the student population by taking resolute action in respect of final exams. This will also reduce the pressure faced by teaching staff and parents. SEE ALSO: more Kildare stories Mr Finnegan said: We all know this Covid-19 health crisis will not see life return to normal in the next 12 weeks. So lets defer now final university and Leaving Certificate examinations until September. The Junior Certificate should be cancelled for this year. This simple, honest and realistic move would resolve the worry and uncertainty which is an unnecessary added pressure on teachers, parents and students in the middle of the greatest crisis we have faced as a nation since the Famine. Mr Finnegan, who worked for 15 years in FAS (now Solas and ETBs) on Training and Employment programmes, said the establishment of a realistic timetable would also allow the dedicated and committed teaching staff in second and third level to assess and plan how they might make up lost teaching and curriculum delivery time for students over the next few months. He said while this will present challenges for the CAO process and university/college intake in October, it is feasible to allocate additional resources to marking and assessing exam papers, and delay the first year intake at third level by a month, lengthen term periods and make up ground over the 2020/21 academic year. The Teaching Council said that it has no role and no position in relation to the status of State examinations. It said: The Council wishes to clarify that it has no role and no position in relation to the State examinations and has not made any statement with regard to State examinations. Any suggestion to the contrary is inaccurate. Another candidate, Senator Alice-Mary Higgins, said that while many aspects of life are on hold in the context of the current Covid-19 crisis, the Seanad elections are still underway. Our constitution requires that these elections take place within ninety days of a general election and the deadline for return of ballot papers is 11am on March 31. It is still important to use your vote. At a time of serious collective challenge, who you choose to shape our public policy is more important than ever, she said. Senator Higgins was elected to the NUI panel in 2016, the first woman to win a seat on this panel in 35 years. She has led the Civil Engagement Group in the Seanad and has been an active legislator, winning over 50 changes to law and policy in her term. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Prominent Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Kushinagar district of eastern Uttar Pradesh have been closed till March 31 owing to the coronavirus outbreak, an official said. Kushinagar is an important pilgrimage destination for Buddhists, who arrive here in large numbers especially to visit the Mahaparinirvan sthal or the place where the Buddha breathed his last. Regional tourism officer (RTO) Ravindra Mishra said, All prominent Buddhist sites in Kushinagar have been closed as visa is not being issued in the wake of the coronovirus outbreak. The prominent Buddhist temples that have been shut include the Mahaparinirvan temple, which houses a 1.6-metre-long reclining statue of Buddha. The two others are the Matha Kunwar temple with a 3.05-metre tall statue of Buddha and Ramabhar Stupa or Mukti Bandhan, the place where the mortal remains of Buddha were believed to have been cremated after his death in 483BC. (Normally), thousands of tourists and pilgrims from Buddhist countries visit temples here every day. This is the peak season for Buddhist pilgrims and the closure has hit the tourism industry, the regional tourism officer added. Kushinagar usually receives the maximum tourist footfall between July and April. The pilgrims include travellers from Myanmar, Japan, China and South Korea, according to the tourism department. The Mahaparinirvana temple was built in 1956 to commemorate 2500 years of Buddhas death and is surrounded by ruins of ancient buildings. At this temple, the reclining Buddha statue resting on a stone couch is revered by devotees who offer prayers and meditate. The Matha Kunwar shrine depicts Buddha meditating under the Bodhi tree. In the neighboring Siddharthnagar district, the stupas housing the relics of Buddha at Kapilwastilu were also closed to visitors. HOTEL BUSINESS HIT Around 100 hotels in Kushinagar district were hit due to the reduced footfall of foreign tourists, a hotelier said, adding that the hotel industry had suffered a loss of nearly Rs 200 crore since the coronavirus outbreak. IMMIGRATION OFFICE WEARS DESERTED LOOK The immigration department office at Sonauli on the India-Nepal border in Maharajganj, UP, has been wearing a deserted look following restrictions on foreign visitors due to the coronavirus outbreak. The immigration department office was set up in 1950 to check the papers of travellers. The office of the immigration department at the India-Nepal border is one of the oldest. Due to restrictions on foreign tourists, there is no arrival and departure of visa holders, said immigration officer Griraj Khanal. By Express News Service Control rooms have been opened in several districts to inform, sensitise and guide people on coronavirus. Around-the-clock helpline was opened at the district headquarters hospital (DHH) in Jharsuguda on Tuesday. The control room will remain operational till March 31. People suffering from fever, cough and difficulty in breathing can call the toll free number for any information on the virus. A vehicle has been provided to the control room to bring suspected cases to the hospital. Isolation wards have already been opened in the DHH. In Malkangiri, people with suspected symptoms can call up a toll free number for help. A control room has been opened in collectorate while the district administration has banned gathering of more than 10 people at any public space. At banks too, not more than 10 customers will be allowed to enter at one time, Collector Manish Agarwal said. Similarly, a control room-cum-helpline was opened by the district administration at the collectorate in Jajpur Town. A district-level health officer has been appointed as nodal officer for the purpose. In-charge Collector Indramani Nayak appealed people not to panic and stressed the need for adopting preventive and precautionary measures to tackle the crisis. Stating that a massive awareness drive has been undertaken by the district administration and health authorities, Nayak said adequate leaflets and posters have been distributed in the blocks to generate awareness among people on the disease. He urged people to stay at home and not venture out unless necessary and avoid crowded places. A 24-hour control has also been opened in the DHH of Gajapati district and isolation wards set up in all the CHCs. (Newser) Ugly rumors caused Oprah Winfrey's name to trend Tuesday nightand ultimately prompted a response from Oprah herself. A series of tweets that started getting attention on Sunday alleged that the celebrity's Florida home had been raided by police, who were "digging up the tunnels" there in connection with an alleged sex trafficking ring. (Never mind the fact that the Washington Post reports Oprah has no home in Florida.) The Guardian reports the tweets put forth theories: some noting the friendship Oprah enjoyed with Harvey Weinstein, others suggesting the novel coronavirus epidemic was somehow engineered to shift the spotlight away from the arrest of celebrities involved in the alleged ringwhich, per the bonkers theory, included Tom Hanks and Justin Trudeau. story continues below Oprah took to Twitter to respond: "Just got a phone call that my name is trending. And being trolled for some awful FAKE thing. Its NOT TRUE. Havent been raided, or arrested. Just sanitizing and self-distancing with the rest of the world. Stay safe everybody." As for the source of the bizarre allegations, they were thought to be disseminated by followers of QAnon, the conspiracy theory based on the idea that an anonymous government official is sharing top-secret information about a worldwide criminal conspiracy involving big-name celebrities and Democrats. In a tweet, director Ava DuVernay shamed those involved with the "disgusting rumor": "#Oprah has worked for decades on behalf of others. ... Shared her own abuse as a child to help folks heal. Shame on all who participated in this." (Read more Oprah Winfrey stories.) 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. Setting a record of being the first BJP chief minister to complete three straight years in office in Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said that his government has succeeded in changing people's perception of the state and led it on the path of development, trust and good governance. Citing "improvement" in law and order as one of the achievements, the chief minister in his 50-minute press conference, in which he did not take questions, claimed that no riot has taken place in the state and the crime rate has slumped. Mentioning closure of illegal slaughter houses and setting up anti-romeo squads for women security as its achievements, he observed that his government has turned challenges into opportunities. The CM also asserted that the state was number one in implementation of central schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Swachh Bharat Mission, Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana -- providing LPG connections to poor families and Saubhagya -- a project to provide electricity connection to households. "In the past three years, the BJP government in the state has succeeded in changing the perception of the state. We have taken the state on the path of development, trust and good governance due to guidance and support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Adityanath said. He also mentioned the successful organisation of Kumbh Mela, in which 24.56 crore people participated and "set example as unique event for world". About the law-and-order situation in the state, the CM said, "In this biggest state of the country, the government has succeeded in maintaining law and order which was in a very poor state during previous regimes. There is no riot in the state and crime is on the decline." Adityanath said dacoity that cases have registered a 60 per cent decline, murder cases have seen 21 per cent dip while there have been reduction in cases of extortion and rape too. "I am glad to tell you that due to efforts of our government, the state was leading in the areas where it did not figure in the past," he said. About road connectivity, he told the press conference that 40 per cent work on the Purvanchal Expressway has been completed and it is expected to be opened for public by the end of this year. "Work on the Bundelkhand Expressway has started and will be completed by the end of next year. Work on the Ganga Expressway from Meerut to Allahabad is also underway. All the three expressways will give new heights to the Indian economy," he said. Adityanath said his government is working on 12 new airports. "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 global recognition to Uttar Pradesh," he said. Citing achievements of his government in the health sector, Adityanath said, "Advance life support ambulance service has been made available in every district in the state. A total of 12 medical colleges were built in the state from the period of 1947 to 2016 and in the past three years our government is going to construct 30 new medical colleges." He said 1.87 crore farmers have started getting the benefit of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi. "The loan of 86 lakh farmers has been waived off. Our government is constantly working towards doubling the income of farmers. The cane price payment was pending since 2010. Our government has paid over Rs 92,000 crore of sugarcane dues," he said. The CM said there has been a major change in the field of education in the state. "A total of 50 lakh children have been enrolled in Basic Shiksha Parishad schools. Total of 92,000 schools have been transformed. In the secondary education, 193 government inter-colleges have been constructed in three years, besides ensuring fair examinations," he said. Earlier, there were 27 private universities in the state, now approval has been given to 28 private universities and eight new state universities. The chief minister said with the investment of about Rs 3 lakh crore through first and second ground breaking ceremonies and other events, more than 33 lakh people have got direct and indirect employment. "Total of three lakh youth have been given government jobs. No complaints have been reported regarding this," he claimed. The opposition Samajwadi Party and the Congress have rejected chief minister's claims and alleged that in his regime nothing has been done for the common man and they are upset with the present state government. Reacting on Adityanath's completion of three years, Leader of Opposition and Samajwadi Party leader Ram Govind Chowdhury said the biggest achievement of the government was "worst law and order" in the world. "The Yogi government is patting its back citing the Centre schemes. The reality is that this government did nothing in the past three years," Chowdhury added. UP Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu claimed, "The people of Uttar Pradesh are asking as to what has been done in last three years. Nothing has been done in the state and people are really upset with the government." Earlier, before the chief minister's press conference amid coronavirus threat, Adityanath and others present had to undergo thermal screening at the Lok Bhawan. Besides the CM, thermal screening was also done for both the deputy chief ministers and BJP state president Swatantra Dev Singh. On the occasion, the Adityanath government also released a book titled '3 years of good governance'. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Haiti - FLASH Covid-19 : Haiti - Cuba flights maintained under conditions Nader Joiseus, the new Minister of Public Works Transport and Communications in a memorandum dated March 16, confirms to the National Airport Authority (AAN) and to the National Office of Civil Aviation (OFNAC) that all flights from or to foreign countries are no longer authorized to land or take off from the airports of Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitien https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30276-haiti-flash-haiti-bans-all-flights-from-66-countries-and-closes-its-borders.html with the exception of flights from or to the United States of America and Cuba. It specifies that only passengers with Haitian or Cuban passports will be authorized to embark on flights to or from Cuba. Following the decision of the Ministry of Public Works Transport and Communications, the Haitian airline Sunrise Airways announces that from March 17, 2020, flights between the Republic of Haiti and the island of Cuba will only be accessible to passengers with a Haitian or Cuban passport only. Passengers with other passports will not be accepted at check-in. Passengers with passports from other countries who have already booked on one of our flights between Haiti and Cuba, are asked to contact Sunrise Airways sales for more information. They will be offered a free cancellation of their itinerary which can be revalidated for a later date or on another flight by the company. Flights between the Dominican Republic and the island of Cuba will only be accessible to passengers with a Dominican or Cuban passport only. Passengers with other passports will not be accepted at check-in. Passengers with passports from other countries who have already booked on one of our flights between Santo Domingo and Cuba are asked to contact Sunrise Airways sales for more information. They will be offered a free cancellation of their itinerary which can be revalidated for a later date or on another flight by the company. See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-30289-icihaiti-notice-sunrise-airways-change-tickets.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30276-haiti-flash-haiti-bans-all-flights-from-66-countries-and-closes-its-borders.html SL/ HaitiLibre Sorry, we can't find the content you're looking for at this URL. Video produced by Mia Fitzharris Time goes so slowly, says Rosa Di Maggio, 30. Shes one of 60 million Italians currently on nationwide lockdown, under Italys strict measures to stem the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19. While confined to her home in Conversano, a small town in Puglia, in southern Italy, Di Maggio composed a video diary for Yahoo News on Monday, walking viewers through a typical day for herself, her husband, and many Italians in what has become the new normal. I spend all my time working on my laptop, she said. Cooking, cleaning my house, watching TV. We cant go outside, except on our balcony. And this is very tough. We feel so stressed, and our body is in pain. On March 9, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced that he was extending restrictions already in place in northern Italy, to cover the entire country. The measures include travel restrictions, a ban on all public events, the closures of schools and public spaces, and the suspension of religious services, including funerals and weddings. This is our darkest hour, Conte told La Repubblica, echoing the famous epigram from Winston Churchill, Britains wartime prime minister. But well get through. Di Maggio explained that she is able to leave her home to go to the supermarket, but that even these brief trips require filling out a self-declaration form that must be approved by authorities. The fine for violating the lockdown is the equivalent of $224. Only one person per family can go outside, and just for three reasons: to go to work, for medical reasons, and to go food shopping, she said. If we lie, we will get in serious legal trouble. The restrictions are an extreme effort by the Italian government to curb the spread of COVID-19 and alleviate the burden on the countrys overwhelmed healthcare system. Italy is currently the worst hit country outside China, with over 31,000 cases and over 2,500 deaths reported so far. Fortunately, I dont know anyone infected with this virus. But there are many people that dont know if they have it, Di Maggio told Yahoo News. Story continues My biggest fears about this virus is the health of my parents, of all my family and my dear friends, she said. The unfolding of the outbreak in Italy started an estimated week to 10 days ahead of the outbreak in the United States, and many Italians are taking to social media to share a message they wish they had heeded 10 days earlier: Stay at home. One video has already attracted nearly 4.5 million views on YouTube. If we made mistakes to prevent coronavirus, you can choose not to repeat them, Di Maggio told Yahoo News. I wish everybody good luck. Public health officials announced the third coronavirus death in Clark County on Wednesday, a day after the first two deaths were reported. The patient who died, a man in his 70s, was the first case to be reported in the county, officials said, and had been hospitalized at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland. When the case was announced March 7, Washington had only 80 cases of coronavirus. It now has more than 1,000. The patient was not known to have had any contact with any other recent cases or any travel that would have put him in contact with the virus, according to Alan Melnick, Clark County health officer and Public Health director. Its a tragedy that weve lost another member of our community to COVID-19, Melnick said in a statement. We send our deepest condolences to his family. On Tuesday, Clark County officials announced that a couple in their 80s had both succumbed to COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus. One had been living in a family home, according to Melnick, and the other had been a resident at a Vancouver assisted living facility. Both had been hospitalized at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center last week. Washington has been one of several epicenters of the virus in the United States with more than 1,000 cases and 52 deaths, as of Wednesday afternoon. On Monday, the Clark County announced its fourth positive case, a woman in her 40s who had been in close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 in Oregon. As of Wednesday, Oregon has 75 confirmed cases and three deaths. -- Kale Williams; kwilliams@oregonian.com; 503-294-4048; @sfkale Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. 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. Story continues 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 Inc. magazine today revealed that Go Solar Power is No. 10 on its inaugural Inc. 5000 Series: Florida list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing Florida-based private companies. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the Florida economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. We are humbled to hear that Go Solar Power cracked the Top 10 fastest growing private companies in Florida! I cant thank our team enough- from sales to operations to installs to service- for their hard work, honesty and energy, says Go Solar Power president Court Weisleder. Our goal is to WIN each day in all aspects of the business creating happy clients. The companies on this list show stunning rates of growth across all industries in Florida. Between 2016 and 2018, these 250 private companies had an average growth rate of 302 percent and, in 2018 alone, they employed more than 56,000 people and added $12.6 billion to the Florida economy. Companies based in the Tampa, Miami, and Naples metro areas brought in the highest revenue overall. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Series: Florida, 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-florida-2020 starting March 18, 2020. The companies on this list demonstrate just how much the small-business sector impacts Floridas 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. Go Solar Power is the leading Solar & Battery Contractor in the Southeastern United States licensed in FL, GA, AL, NC and SC. GSP sells, installs and services Solar PV systems and Tesla Poweralls for residential and commercial buildings. GSP is a fully integrated turnkey contractor with sales, operations, installers, service teams, and more. GSP is soon to launch solar and battery services in CA, TX, TN, LA, and MS. In addition, GSP is launching a line of solar panels- 330 watt all black 60 cell panels and 445 watt 72 cell panels. CONTACT: Thomas Lanzarotta for more information- e: thomasl@gosolarpower.com; p: 561-303-2921 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 worlds 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 http://www.inc.com. Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir Press freedom in Indian-administered Kashmir is under a serious threat from security forces, the International Press Institute (IPI) has said in a report published on Tuesday. Raising concerns about the conditions of journalists in the disputed Muslim-majority region, the global media watchdog urged Indias Hindu nationalist government to end restrictions and harassment of journalists placed following revocation of the regions special status last August. Journalism in Jammu and Kashmir is under a dramatic state of repression, Ravi R Prasad, director of advocacy at the Vienna-based IPI, said in a statement. The state is using a mix of harassment, intimidation, surveillance and online information control to silence critical voices and force journalists to resort to self-censorship. Mentally disturbing Naseer Ganai, who has been working as a journalist in Kashmir for more than 10 years, told Al Jazeera that he was called by the counterinsurgency forces on February 9 and interrogated for four hours. They called me and took my phone, my laptop. They told me they want to check where do statements or mails for stories come. I dont know what they did with my phone and laptop, he said. They kept me interrogating for hours. This means in this place even my phone or laptop is not my own. They can call anytime and take it. There is no privacy to work for journalists here, this is mentally very disturbing. Ganai said the incident was completely shocking for him and he was asked to give them every detail. The report is the latest in a series of damning criticisms of the Indian governments months-long security and communication lockdown of Kashmir by international watchdogs. Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in its statement last month urged the authorities to stop harassment of journalists in the region. In these critical times in Jammu and Kashmir, police must stop harassing and questioning journalists and allow them to do their jobs without fear of reprisal, said Aliya Iftikhar, CPJs senior Asia researcher in New York last month. The Indian government should lift all remaining internet restrictions and let journalists get back to work. Slow internet IPI asked the Indian government to restore full internet and social media access in the disputed territory where slow-speed internet service was restored earlier this month after nearly seven months of blackout. Working without internet or only with restricted internet has severely hindered journalists from reporting about developments in remote parts of Kashmir Journalists have been forced to rely on press briefs issued once or twice a week by the state government, without possibilities to verify the stories, the report said. The authorities in Kashmir will review the restoration of internet services on March 26 whether its speed should be restricted to 2G. Meanwhile, the government has also filed cases against unnamed people for using VPN to access social media sites after the government allowed partial internet in January but kept a ban on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. Before the government decision to strip the regions limited autonomy on August 5, New Delhi rushed tens of thousands of additional troops to the Himalayan region, which already hosts nearly half a million Indian forces. India says its soldiers have been deployed to quell an armed rebellion which erupted in 1989. Journalists, many of whom requested anonymity, told IPI that it has become a common practice for the police to ask them to reveal their sources. Press freedom in Jammu and Kashmir is under serious threat from the security forces and the regional administration since August [2019], the IPI statement said. The Kashmir Press Club, a local body of journalists, said there have been at least 10 incidents of harassment and intimidation faced by journalists at the hands of security forces. Masrat Zahra, a multimedia journalist based in Kashmir, goes to a government-run media facilitation centre every day, travelling 8km (5 miles), from where she accesses the internet to file pictures and videos. For me, the curbs continue and there are hundreds like me. The situation continues to be a challenge, she said. There is some relaxation like phone and internet works now but its very slow. I cant do any work. Its frustrating. I still have to travel to send an email for my work. Its still tough, she said. Baseless report Moazam Muhammad, the vice president of Kashmir Press Club, also said there has been a little relief after the restoration of the internet. The low speed on mobile phones is hampering journalists to work from home, he said. There are still cases of journalists being harassed by the authorities, their equipment is being snatched and they are being asked to collect them from police stations. We witnessed two such cases recently, he said. We have taken up the cases with the government but there has been no action or response from them. A senior government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, dismissed the reports of harassment as just propaganda and nothing new. The contents of the report are baseless, based on falsehood to hoodwink global opinion about the press freedom, the official told Al Jazeera. Ashok Kaul, a spokesman of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Jammu and Kashmir region, told Al Jazeera that they were not getting any such reports about problems faced by journalists. If journalists have any issues they should bring to the notice of concerned authorities. The local papers are progressing day by day and they are working smoothly. However, if any report is found to be disturbing peace they [journalists] will be questioned. The two Vietnamese kinds of kits, using RT-PCR and real-time RT-PCR, which have been licensed by the Ministry of Health and produced were earlier successfully developed by the Vietnam Military Medical University and the Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company. COVID-19 test kit of Vietnam is assessed to have high accuracy and ease to use (Photo for illustration). According to Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Pham Cong Tac, even in case of widespread epidemic, Vietnam can take the initiative to test patients. Materials for producing 180,000 test kits have been prepared while materials for producing an additional 120,000 test kits are being imported. Meanwhile, the Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company can produce more kits with materials imported from the US and other countries. The report of the Ministry of Science and Technology shows that Vietnamese real-time RT-PCR kits have more advantages (faster results, easier to use) than those from the US. The quality of the kits receive good feedback from users, the report says. General Director of Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company, Mr. Phan Quoc Viet, said that first, the kits will be exported to Iran, Finland, Malaysia and Ukraine. Iran has ordered 200,000 kits, Ukraine 15,000 kits, he added. On the domestic market, Hanoi ordered 200,000 kits to use for Hanoi's needs and export to Italy as presents. Currently, Vietnam has 30 facilities that can test for COVID-19, of which, the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, the Pasteur Institute - Ho Chi Minh City, and Pasteur Institute - Nha Trang, are recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO). Scientists are also asking the Ministry of Health to license more labs to conduct tests, to help accelerate the diagnosis of COVID-19 patients./. Suddenly the talk is all about war, a complete social and economic mobilization against an unprecedented threat to our health and well-being. And, as in war, no effort seems too big, no cost too great. Whatever it takes is how Finance Minister Bill Morneau described the Trudeau governments approach to countering the body-blow dealt to Canadas economy by the coronavirus crisis. And what it takes, as of now at least, is a comprehensive aid package worth no less than $27 billion or $82 billion if tax deferrals to struggling individuals and businesses are included. That amounts to 3 per cent of Canadas GDP and, says the government, is just the first step. More is undoubtedly on the way as the impact of the unfolding crisis becomes clearer. The package, as outlined by Morneau and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, is ambitious, as it should be. It deals first and foremost with the prospect that many people may soon lose their income workers laid off in devastated sectors like travel and hospitality, self-employed workers, small business owners driven to the wall by the virtual suspension of public life. The government is right to focus on getting money into their hands as quickly as possible. That will come in several ways: by relaxing Employment Insurance rules, and by creating a new emergency support benefit for those who dont qualify for EI, such as the self-employed and part-timers. There will be a temporary increase in the Canada Child Benefit and a boost in the GST tax credit, which is targeted at low-income people. There will also be a fund for those forced to stay home but who dont qualify for paid sick leave or EI, which Morneau said will pay out about $900 every two weeks for up to 15 weeks. Tellingly, the minister said, the money will be handed out on the basis of a simple attestation of need no medical documentation required. No doubt there will be some fraud, but the government is quite rightly putting the emphasis on speed, not red tape. The goal is simply to get cash out the door without delay. Other governments are thinking along the same lines; the Trump administration, for one, wants the U.S. Congress to approve $500 billion in direct payments to American taxpayers. Governments are watching large sectors of their economies grind to a halt, and the response is appropriate. COVID-19 relief measures: Part 1 Here are key components of the government's massive stimulus package as they apply for individuals, families and children. Children $10 billion in funds for Emergency Child Care Benefit up to $900 bi-weekly for up to 15 weeks. Families $5.5 billion in funds into the economy after special top-up payment under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) credit. Workers $5 billion in funds toward Emergency Support Benefit for workers who are not eligible for EI and face unemployment Parents $2 billion in funds toward Canada Child Benefit payments. Taxes Extend the tax filing deadline for individuals to June 1, and allow all tax payers to defer payment until after August 31. Wages Provide eligible small businesses a 10 per cent wage subsidy for the next 0- days, up to a maximum of $1,375 per employee and $25,000 per employer. Mortgages Provide increased flexibility to lenders to defer mortgage payments on homeowner government-insured mortgage loans to borrowers. EI Waive mandatory one-week waiting period for EI sickness benefits. Waive requirement for medical certificate to access EI sickness benefits. Source: Toronto Star Ottawa Bureau Likewise, support for Canadian business includes a plan aimed at curbing the extent of layoffs. Small and medium-sized businesses will receive a wage subsidy amounting to 10 per cent of salaries for three months, encouraging them to keep people on their payrolls. Bigger aid packages will no doubt come soon, for industries like airlines, which are already being crippled by the global bans on travel. But for the moment the Trudeau governments emphasis is as it should be: on the immediate impact to individuals. The government will get no significant push-back on this. Those who can usually be counted on to carp about government in general and any new spending programs in particular have fallen silent. Or, like Ontario Premier Doug Ford, have wisely decided to get behind what must be a national, non-partisan effort to limit the impact of the coronavirus. This is the right stance. The federal government, as it constantly reminds us, is in better financial shape than others in the G7 group of industrial nations and has the so-called firepower to confront an economic crisis. No one knows how long this will endure, nor what the eventual toll will be on both lives and the economy. Down the road, we will have to reckon up the costs and find a way to deal with the bill that governments are now racking up on our behalf. But thats how it is in wars: you fight the battle you have to fight, and worry later about the cost. This one will be no different. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 18) CNN Philippines will temporarily stop broadcasting on Wednesday after another tenant of the building where it is located confirmed a COVID-19 patient was at its premises. The management of the Worldwide Corporate Center along Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City where CNN Philippines is housed will be disinfecting the building occupied by a number of other companies. As a result, CNN Philippines will be off the air for at least 24 hours. CNN Philippines will continue to provide the news through its website and its Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts. Updates will also be posted on the CNN Philippines Viber community. "We have prepared for this emergency. For more than two weeks, many of our colleagues have been isolated and working from home already," the company said in a statement. "We took that step in anticipation of something like this to happen. CNN Philippines still has a team working to gather stories that matter and to bring them to you as they happen." LIVE UPDATES: COVID-19 pandemic In the Philippines, 187 have been infected with the virus and 14 have died because of it. Four have recovered, while the rest are admitted at various hospitals in the country. Globally, it has affected over 197,000 and killed nearly 8,000 people. COVID-19 is a disease caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, which is related to the virus which causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, but is not as deadly, with the fatality rate standing at around three percent. According to the 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 were critically ill. The disease is spread through small droplets from the nose or mouth when people infected with the virus cough or sneeze. To prevent infection, authorities are urging people to practice regular hand washing, cover their mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, and avoid close contact with those who show respiratory symptoms. Commonly reported COVID-19 symptoms are fever, dry cough and shortness of breath. Those with severe and critical symptoms should call the Health Department at (02) 8-651-7800 local 1149-1150. The United States has imposed sanctions on nine companies and three individuals for allegedly doing business with Iran's petrochemical industry. Three Chinese and three Hong-Kong-based companies, two interrelated South African firms, and the Iranian Armed Forces Social Security Investment Company are suspected of "knowingly engaging in a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport, or marketing of petrochemical products from Iran," according to a State Department statement issued on March 18. Three executives of one of the entities -- Mohammad Hassan Toulai, Hossein Tavakkoli, and Reza Ebadzadeh Semnani -- were also sanctioned. The State Department says the entities and individuals "engaged in activity that could enable regime's violent behavior." "The actions of these individuals and entities provide revenue to the regime that it may use to fund terror and other destabilizing activities, such as the recent rocket attacks on Iraqi and Coalition forces located at Camp Taji in Iraq," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. "Our sanctions will deprive the regime of critical income from its petrochemical industry and further Iran's economic and diplomatic isolation. The United States will continue to fully enforce our sanctions," he added. On March 14, a number of rockets hit a military base housing U.S. and other coalition troops at Camp Taji north of Baghdad, wounding three U.S. troops, two of them seriously, and critically wounding two Iraqi air-defense personnel. The attack came just days after a similar attack there killed three military personnel, including one British and two U.S. soldiers. Mr Hunter was sentenced on Tuesday: Mike Blake Reuters Former Republican representative Duncan Hunter was sentenced to 11 months in prison on Tuesday for misusing campaign funds. Mr Hunter, who pleaded guilty to the charge in December faced up to five years in prison. Along with his wife Margaret Hunter, the former representative was accused of stealing more than $250,000 which was spent on diverse items ranging from tuition for their children to an Italian holiday. Ms Hunter pleaded guilty in June 2019 and agreed to testify against Mr Hunter in any possible trial. In his plea agreement, Mr Hunter admitted his crime writing that the object of the conspiracy was for the Hunters to convert campaign funds for their own personal benefit and enjoyment, and for the personal benefit of others with whom they had personal relationships. Mr Hunter resigned from his position in January after serving in the 50th district since 2013. His resignation ended his family's 28 years in the role, as his Dad held the position before him, prior to his run for president in the 2008 election cycle. Prosecutors also accused Mr Hunter of using the campaign funds in order to have five extra marital affairs. Prosecutors said evidence about the congressmans affairs were included in their case to demonstrate Hunters...intent to break the law and to establish his motive to embezzle from his campaign. The former congressmans wife also pleaded guilty to a single corruption charge in a separate plea last year and is scheduled to be sentenced on 7 April. At the time of his wifes plea, Mr Hunter said he was still planning on taking the case to trial. Its sad that they were able to bludgeon her into submission. Weve got some Hillary lawyers there in San Diego. I look forward to going to trial. Assistant US Attorney Phil Halpern told reporters after the hearing that he was pleased with the sentence. Todays sentence reinforces the notion that the truth still matters, that facts still matter, said Mr Halpern. Read more Married GOP congressman used campaign funds for five affairs BARONA INDIAN RESERVATION, Calif., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Barona Band of Mission Indians today announced the temporary closure of the Barona Resort & Casino due to the rapidly evolving developments of Coronavirus (COVID-19). The closure will be effective Friday, March 20 at noon and will remain in place until the end of the month. "As a Tribal Government and employer of over 3,000 staff members, we have made the decision to temporarily close Barona for the health and well-being of our staff, players, tribal members and community," said Tribal Chairman Edwin "Thorpe" Romero. "Barona is our home and our staff members and players are our family. These are unprecedented times and as one united family we will navigate through this pandemic together." During this closure, staff members will continue to receive their salary and benefits. Our Barona Fire Department will continue to provide fire safety and EMT service to the community and the Barona Gas Station will also remain open. Barona will continue to monitor and evaluate the situation based on guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). We will provide updates on Barona's COVID-19 response through www.barona.com and our social media channels. Media Contact: Kelly Speer (619) 933-5013 [email protected] SOURCE Barona Band of Mission Indians Related Links www.barona.com PR-Inside.com: 2020-03-18 18:13:00 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 430 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 PHOENIX, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 /The Colling Media market research team conducted a national Snapshot Study to understand how the coronavirus (COVID-19) is changing the way consumers are consuming media and advertising. The survey, conducted March 17, 2020, canvased 500 adults 18+ from throughout the United States. The purpose of the study was to reveal if social distancing, the closing of businesses, and people working from home are modifying how people are watching, listening, and absorbing differing media.Here are the top-level findings of this Colling Media Snapshot survey: 54.7% of consumers are watching more TV than they were this time last week. 16%.6 of consumers are listening to less radio (at home or in the car) than they were this time last week. 46% of consumers are looking at more social media (such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn) than they were this time last week. 35.4% of consumers are seeing less out-of-home advertising (such as billboards and bus shelter advertising) than they were this time last week 40% of consumers are using their desktop or laptop computers more than they were this time last week. 53.3% of consumers are consuming websites on their mobile/cell phones more than they were this time last week.Click here to view the full Snapshot study and accompanying charts: National Consumers are Dramatically Changing Media Consumption in Wake of Coronavirus"In many ways, the results of our survey aren't surprising, because we've seen shifts in consumer media consumption before during unusual times," says Brian Colling, CEO of Colling Media. "But these results are significantly amplified and different than what we've ever seen before. For advertisers, we suggest an immediate audit of where and how their target consumers are consuming media. This may mean immediate dialing back on some media, such as radio and out-of-home, and an increase in social media, TV and OTT spending, especially on mobile devices. That is what we're doing for our clients - advising them where they should be spending their advertising dollars for optimal results. Brands need to reach customers, even under unusual circumstances, so we must be vigilant in watching and responding immediately." About Colling MediaColling Media, based in Scottsdale, AZ, is a full-service national digital advertising and marketing agency specializing in advertising branding and strategy, digital and traditional advertising, media buying, paid search, lead generation, content marketing, and SEO. More information can be obtained at https://collingmedia.com and by following the company on LinkedIn ( https://www.linkedin.com/company/colling-media) , Facebook, ( https://www.facebook.com/collingmedia) and Twitter ( https://twitter.com/collingmedia) Contact:Jordan Walshjordan@ collingmedia.com SOURCE: Colling Media AP Bernie Sanders has announced he will assess his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination after suffering bruising losses in Tuesdays primaries against former vice-president Joe Biden, who won all three states that cast ballots. The Vermont senators campaign said in a statement on Wednesday morning that he was going to be having conversations with supporters about his bid for the Democratic nomination as Mr Biden appeared to gain a formidable lead in delegates over Mr Sanders. The next primary contest is at least three weeks away. Sen. Sanders is going to be having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign. In the immediate term, however, he is focused on the government response to the coronavirus outbreak and ensuring that we take care of working people and the most vulnerable to the virus, the campaign said in its statement. Mr Biden won handedly against Mr Sanders in Florida, as well as Illinois and Arizona in the nations third set of primary votes across the country. The former vice president also swept crucial states on Super Tuesday and won in several early voting states after several former Democratic candidates dropped out and swiftly endorsed his campaign. After Mr Sanders suffered a weak showing in the latest set of primaries, Mr Biden called on the Vermont senators supporters to join his campaign against Donald Trump, saying in a live-streamed speech from his home: I hear you. I know whats at stake. I know what we have to do. He added: Our goal as a campaign, and my goal as a candidate for president, is to unify this party and then to unify the nation. While the former vice president acknowledged he and Mr Sanders may disagree on tactics, he said the two share as common vision about the future of the country, and whats at stake in the upcoming general election. He also praised Mr Sanders supporters for having brought a remarkable passion and tenacity to all of these issues and for having shifted the fundamental conversation in this country. Story continues In an additional effort to court the Vermont senators liberal supporters, Mr Biden has also adopted a new college affordability plan that would provide free education to some students. It was not immediately clear whether the olive branch would be enough to receive Mr Sanders endorsement as well as the backing of his loyal base of supporters. Read more Biden celebrates massive wins in Florida pushing Sanders to brink Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 22:04:05|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close KABUL, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan on Wednesday welcomed the European Union's call for observing a ceasefire by the Taliban group as the COVID-19 is feared to further spread in the war-battered nation. The European Union (EU) on Tuesday called for a full ceasefire and halt to fighting in view of the growing threat of the virus that has also affected the Afghan people. "Everyone has the right to be helped against the coronavirus...to be better helped, first measures should be full ceasefire, stop taxing humanitarian aid, ensure full access and safety, coordinate and cooperate with Government," Roland Kobia, the EU special envoy for Afghanistan said on Twitter. "We welcome the EU call for a ceasefire on humanitarian grounds. Taliban should know that we are dealing with a humanitarian situation caused by the coronavirus. They need to stop their attacks and allow health workers to reach to vulnerable people in all parts of Afghanistan," Waheed Omer, director general of the Afghan government's Office of Public and Strategic Affairs, wrote on Twitter. Omer noted that there had been reports of Taliban causing problems to health services in some areas of Afghanistan and that "should be stopped immediately." He also called on all political groups to step forward and help raise awareness about the emergency caused by the COVID-19. "This is no time for political point scoring or cashing in on the situation to advance narrow political goals. It's time for all to work together to save Afghans lives," he said. Taliban militants has been holding a ceasefire with U.S. and NATO-led coalition forces since they signed a peace accord with the United States late on February, but their attacks on Afghan military forces have been stepped up since. The visit of National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah to the family of arch-rival PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti, has raised speculation in Kashmir about a possible joint political front to counter BJP juggernaut and deal with the situation arising after the scrapping of Article 370. Octogenarian Abdullah, who was released from the detention after more than seven months on March 13, drove to Fairview residence of former chief minister Mehbooba on Tuesday afternoon, where he met her mother Gulshan Ara and daughter Iltija Mufti. Mehbooba alongwith Abdullahs son Omar, also a former chief minister, have been undergoing detention in Srinagar since August 5 last year when the Center revoked special status of J&K under Article 370 and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two union territories. Also Read: Farooq Abdullah release just the first step, govt must continue reaching out to Kashmiris Although what transpired between Abdullah, who currently represents Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency in the Parliament, and family of Mehbooba during the two-hour meeting wasnt made public, sources privy to the meeting revealed that prevailing political situation in J&K and the need to stand united came up during the discussion. Hours before the Article 370 was revoked on August 5, Abdullah and Mehbooba played the leading role Gupkar declaration which was signed by most of the mainstream political leaders of Kashmir. The declaration was issued after all the regional parties in Kashmir resolved to be united to protect the autonomy and special status of the erstwhile state. Abdullahs visit to the Mufti residence comes in the backdrop of the emergence of J&K Apni Party on March 8, which many in the NC and PDP perceive as a pressure tactic of Modi led BJP government to force them into a dialogue. The Apni Party, headed by former PDP leader Altaf Bukhari, had recently met Prime Minister and Union Home Minister in New Delhi. Earlier, Congress leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad had met Abdullah in Srinagar on March 15. On Wednesday another delegation led by J&K Congress vice president G N Monga called on Abdullah at his Gupkar residence. On Sunday, Abdullah in his first statement after his release, advocated for a "free and frank exchange" of political views to take stock of the "momentous changes" that Jammu and Kashmir has seen since August 5. If the developments from the last few days are any indication, it points towards Abdullahs bigger role in the future politics of J&K. He (Abdullah) not only wants to regroup his party but also take along PDP, Congress and other smaller groups to counter the BJP and newly floated Apni Party, a senior political leader privy to developments told DH. As and when Mehbooba and Omar are released, the new strategy to counter BJP juggernaut in J&K jointly will be discussed. Gupkar declaration is likely to Be cornerstone for future of Kashmir politics, he revealed. Albany, N.Y. New York is requiring more businesses to close as the state continues its attempts to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Amusement parks, bowling alleys and indoor portions of shopping malls will all close by 8 p.m. Thursday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today. The move expands the business shutdowns ordered by the state earlier in the week, which included gyms, casinos and others. Onondaga County acted earlier today to close malls, including Destiny USA. New order for New York businesses: Reduce on-site workforce by 50% Coronavirus impact: Onondaga County executive shuts down Destiny USA The new closings will also affect businesses in New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. The four states are working together on a common set of closure policies so residents don't simply hop from one state to another where businesses may remain open. Earlier Wednesday, Cuomo said he plans to issue an executive order requiring many businesses to reduce their on-site workforces by 50 percent and implement work from home policies. Cuomo has said the shutdowns and other business rules are meant to cut down on crowd density, which can slow how fast coronavirus spreads. The states are trying to avoid, or at least reduce, a wave of patients that would overwhelm hospitals. New York continues to plan for the worst possible coronavirus scenario. Cuomo has said the state could need as many as 110,000 hospital beds, up from a current capacity of 53,000, when the virus peaks in New York in about 45 days. The state could need over 37,000 intensive care unit beds at that point. It has about 3,000 now. New York will also need thousands of additional ventilators to deal with the expected wave of patients. Earlier today, the governor announced that the U.S. Navy hospital ship Comfort would dock in New York City to aid in the coronavirus response. The ship, which has 1,000 hospital rooms, will take non-coronavirus patients to free up space at existing hospitals for those stricken with the virus. US Navy hospital ship Comfort to deploy to New York to aid coronavirus response Cuomo also said he has been in touch with President Donald Trump about building mobile hospitals in New York. The facilities could house 200 to 250 patients each. New York and the federal government are talking about potential sites now. In addition, Cuomo said the state is seeking sites that could be rapidly converted to health care facilities, including former nursing homes and college dorms. The Health Department also plans to relax regulations to allow hospitals flexibility to pack more patients into existing facilities. New York currently has over 2,300 confirmed cases of coronavirus. Thats nearly double the total from Tuesday and the most in the nation. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS A county-by-county map of cases, deaths in New York State Central NY cancellations, closings list due to coronavirus pandemic (updated list) 100,000+ crash New York unemployment claims site; state tries new system We all have a part to play in stopping coronavirus (Editorial) Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598 BOISE Despite warnings that the state could spend $1 million in legal fees, the Senate approved a bill on a party-line vote Tuesday to prevent transgender Idahoans from changing the gender marker on their birth certificate. The bill now heads to Gov. Brad Little. Backers of the bill say the state has a compelling interest in maintaining records of the biological sex listed on birth certificates. God made males and females and called them Adam and Eve, Sen. Lee Heider, R-Twin Falls, said. Boys are boys and girls are girls, Heider said. No doctor, no judge, no Department of Health and Welfare is going to change that reality. A federal court ruled in 2018 that Idahos previous ban on birth certificate changes was unconstitutional. The decision required the state to offer a process without onerous burdens, and Idaho Department of Health and Welfare adopted rules outlining the process. The bill to get rid of that process is highly likely to face legal challenges that could cost up to $1 million, Deputy Attorney General Brian Kane recently wrote in an opinion. (The bill) appears to try to thread the rapidly shrinking constitutional eye of a needle, Kane wrote. This office cannot determine at this point whether that eye can be threaded with (the bill), but notes that based on the existent case law it will likely require the State to litigate this matter to the United States Supreme Court. The Legislature has the authority to fight things it disagrees with in court if necessary, Sen. Jim Rice, R-Caldwell, said. I think we all understand what the costs and what the risks are to go forward in making that decision, he said. This is not something where it is inappropriate to go forward. Sen. Grant Burgoyne, D-Boise, disagreed and said lawmakers dont just get to say no when courts rule against them. Democracy demands that we be good losers, as well as good winners, he said. Senate Minority Leader Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum, said its unconscionable to take such punitive actions against a small group of people, and spending taxpayer money to do so. The decision comes a day after the Senate approved a bill that would prevent transgender girls and women from participating in sports that align with their gender identity. That bill may also soon reach Little. Love 6 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 6 For our free coronavirus pandemic coverage, learn more here. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Public gatherings curbed, people working from home and borders effectively closed. The response to the coronavirus pandemic has been overwhelming and inescapable as governments seek to contain the spread. Yet Australia's primary and secondary schools where about 3.9 million children gather every weekday remain largely open. Despite growing community anxiety and many parents pushing for closures, governments are standing firm. Why is that? Why wouldn't we keep kids at home to help "flatten the curve"? What are the dangers and merits of remaining open as opposed to closing? What is Australia's approach right now? Australia's federal and state governments unanimously agree that schools should remain open for now. While some private schools are independently deciding to switch to remote learning and many parents are keeping their kids at home, public schools are not shutting their doors. As of March 18, the national cabinet of Prime Minister Scott Morrison and state and territory leaders have agreed that "pre-emptive closures are not proportionate or effective as a public health intervention to prevent community transmission of COVID-19 at this time". Advertisement This position is based on the unanimous advice of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, made up of federal and state medical and health officers, which has said the virus poses a "minimal" health risk to people younger than 19 and closing schools would, in fact, harm the overall pandemic response. Some schools have temporarily closed in response to positive cases among their staff or students. What's the reason for making that call? Nearly 4 million children going home would mean 15 per cent of the broader workforce and 30 per cent of the healthcare workforce nearly a third might need to take time off to look after their kids. More vulnerable demographic groups, such as elderly grandparents, might be exposed to COVID-19 as they step in to babysit. Community transmission might increase if students spend time in social settings rather than school. Loading Overseas data shows children are significantly less susceptible than adults to the coronavirus disease, unlike influenza and other respiratory viruses, says Peter Collignon, an infectious diseases physician and Australian National University professor. "Unless things change, the available modelling suggests that closing schools may do more harm than good," he says. "There's pros and cons but that's my view of the data currently." National chief medical officer Brendan Murphy says it is still unclear if children are a serious vector for transmission while being asymptomatic or showing mild symptoms "so we need to make sure that our schools are made as safe as possible" by ensuring sick students and staff stay away. Advertisement Morrison and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian have said parents should keep a close eye on their children's health and keep them home if they are unwell or showing potential COVID-19 symptoms. Professor Collignon says data from China and South Korea suggests children there have not posed a significant risk as vehicles for transmission, with adults more likely to infect children rather than the other way around. He argues protecting vulnerable older people must be the priority and, if children are found to be significant carriers, then the solution is for them to be isolated from older people. Morrison and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews have also warned that school closures would need to be sustainable for six months or more to be effective in containing the virus. "That means the disruption that would occur from the closure of schools around this country make no mistake would be severe," Morrison has said. "Tens of thousands of jobs could be lost, if not more. The impact on the availability of health workers? A 30 per cent impact on the availability of health workers is our advice. That will put people's lives at risk." Loading There are also educational equity concerns in the discussion around school closures. While wealthy private schools have the capacity to roll out online learning, it may be more difficult in the public school system. Schools may not have adequate resources and disadvantaged students would face a range of barriers to effective learning at home, with some not having internet or computer access. A compromise model suggested by some would involve removing as many students as possible from school but keeping campuses open for those students who need to come in, whether they require internet or have parents working in essential services. However, this hybrid approach would also present logistical challenges for educators. Advertisement Does everyone agree with the current strategy? Some medical experts believe that mass school closures should be considered as part of a comprehensive social distancing strategy to contain the spread of the virus. "The pros of shutting schools are that this may increase the social isolation in the community and delay the spread of the virus," says Sarath Ranganathan, head of paediatrics at the University of Melbourne, suggesting mass closures should be examined. He says it could ease the burden on the healthcare system, especially as we approach winter when other illnesses will spike. A new research paper from Imperial College London said school and university closures combined with population-wide social distancing and home isolation of cases were the key elements of a "minimum policy for effective suppression" of the virus. However, the researchers note this might not be possible in many countries and the strategy would need to be in place for at least 18 months, until a vaccine is developed, and it would carry "enormous social and economic costs which may themselves have significant impact on health and well-being in the short and longer-term". But there are also growing concerns that many Australian schools do not have adequate facilities for students to follow important advice on hand-washing and that social distancing rules are not feasible in packed classrooms. NSW Teachers Federation president Angelo Gavrielatos has said inconsistent and unclear advice is causing "considerable stress" for teachers and it is unfair they are left "carrying the can". There are particular concerns for older staff and those with vulnerable immune systems, who are at greater risk from COVID-19. Defying official advice, some independent schools are closing their campuses. Ashleigh Martin, principal of Caulfield Grammar School in Melbourne, said "these are uncharted waters and our approach [to suspend classes] aims to provide our community with stability and surety in these uncertain times". Other private school principals have told their communities they can implement effective online learning and social distancing was impossible on campuses. Could the government's view change? Advertisement Officials say the official medical advice is currently "unequivocal" but have explicitly stated they are prepared to put in place widespread school closures if the advice evolves. Schools are preparing for the possibility of closures. Victorian Education Minister James Merlino has said school communities would be informed immediately if doors were to shut. "In the meantime, we are well underway preparing to ensure students can learn from home." NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant has said "school closures may still be considered late in the outbreak in anticipation of a peak in infection rates, for a shorter period of time". "Short-term reactive" interventions might also be needed for cleaning and contact tracing in certain cases. Loading What are other countries doing? The national cabinet was advised by medical officers that more than 70 countries had put in place school closures in response to COVID-19 but "the majority of these have not been successful in controlling the outbreak" and some were reconsidering the approach. Morrison pointed to the experience of Singapore, which has kept schools open while experiencing success in containing the virus. The Singaporean government has warned the closure of schools would be a "major, major decision" and would "disrupt many lives". However, Singapore has also implemented daily temperature and health checks at schools not a measure currently in place in Australia. Advertisement (Alliance News) - Synairgen PLC, a respiratory drug discovery and development company, on Wednesday said that it has received expedited approvals from two UK regulators to trial SNG001, inhaled formulation of interferon-beta-1a, in Covid-19 patients to potentially assist with the global outbreak of the virus. The company received expedited approvals from the UK Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and Health Research Authority. Two Phase II clinical trials in asthma showed that inhaled SNG001 treatment activated antiviral pathways in the lung along with improving lung function in patients with a respiratory viral infection, the company said. Synairgen's Phase II trial in Covid-19 patients will be a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Initially, the pilot phase of the study will involve 100 Covid-19 patients. Shares in Synairgen closed 1.0% lower at 24.25 pence each in London on Wednesday. By Tapan Panchal; tapanpanchal@alliancenews.com Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. [March 18, 2020] Test Preparation Market in the US 2019-2023 | Growing Adoption of Analytical Tools to Boost Growth | Technavio Technavio has been monitoring the test preparation market in the US and it is poised to grow by USD 8.17 bn during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of almost 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 of 2020-2024 This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005214/en/ Technavio has published a latest market research report titled Test Preparation Market in the US 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire) The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation 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. Growing adoption of analytical tools has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. Test Preparation Market in the US 2019-2023: Segmentation Test Preparation Market in the US is segmented as below: Product University Exams Certification Exams High School Exams Elementary Exams Other Exams End-User Higher Education K-12 Learning Model Blended Online 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=IRTNTR30650 Test Preparation Markt in the US 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 test preparation market in the us report covers the following areas: Test Preparation Market in the US Size Test Preparation Market in the US Trends Test Preparation Market in the US Industry Analysis This study identifies rising emphasis on private tutoring as one of the prime reasons driving the test preparation market in the US growth during the next few years. Test Preparation Market in the US 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the test preparation market in the US, including some of the vendors such as ArborBridge, Club Z!, Kaplan, Pearson and TPR Education IP Holdings. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the test preparation market in the US 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 Test Preparation Market in the US 2019-2023: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023 Detailed information on factors that will assist test preparation market in the US growth during the next five years Estimation of the test preparation market in the US size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the test preparation market in the US Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of test preparation market in the US 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 PRODUCT Market segmentation by product Comparison by product University exams - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Certification exams - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 High school exams - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Elementary exams - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Other exams - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by product PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 08: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY END-USER Market segmentation by end-user Comparison by end-user Higher education - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 K-12 - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by end-user PART 09: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY LEARNING MODEL Market segmentation by learning model Comparison by learning model Blended - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Online - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by learning model PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES Market drivers Market challenges PART 11: MARKET TRENDS Technological advances in test preparation services Rising emphasis on private tutoring Increase in M&A activities and number of startups PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview Landscape disruption Competitive scenario PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors ArborBridge Club Z! Kaplan Pearson TPR Education IP Holdings 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. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005214/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Penn State University is moving to remote learning for the rest of the spring semester, another indication of how the coronavirus outbreak has altered live in Pennsylvania. Penn State made the announcement Wednesday morning. Exams will be delivered remotely and spring commencement ceremonies will be postponed, the university said. Penn State had previously said the university would offer online instruction for the next few weeks and hoped to resume in-person classes by April 6. The university said it decided to move to remote learning for the rest of the semester based on evolving guidelines from the federal government and in consultation with Gov. Tom Wolf. Read our complete coverage on the coronavirus. Graduation is a significant milestone for our students and while it may not be the same as our traditional ceremony, we are committed to finding the best way possible to recognize the achievements of our graduates, Penn State President Eric J. Barron said in a statement. However, as the world works together to slow the spread of COVID-19, these decisions must be made with public health at the forefront along with the health and wellness of our students, faculty, staff, their families, and our local communities," Barron said. Penn State students should not rush back to campus to get their stuff. The university will announce a schedule for students to be able to return to dormitories to get their belongings. Students will not be able to swipe into their on-campus residences until they receive specific information and detailed instructions regarding the schedule, the university said. The University will also work with local authorities, landlords, and student leaders, where we can, to develop strategies to minimize the impact of students returning to our communities to retrieve personal belongings," Barron said in the statement. We encourage all students to be patient as they await further guidance and support. Students will likely have questions about room and board refunds, on-campus jobs, internships, and research projects. The university is aiming to provide answers soon. We also know that this is causing significant distress for many in our Penn State family, for a variety of reasons. Please know, while we are not together physically, we are here to support you virtually in any way we can, Barron said in the university statement. The administration, faculty and staff are doing everything we can to manage disruptions to your learning, teaching, working and living arrangements as much as possible, given these extraordinary circumstances," Barron said. "And there are services and various support mechanisms in place or in development. Penn State said it is working on alternatives to celebrate the accomplishments of graduating seniors. All 14 of Pennsylvanias state-owned universities have moved to online learning. 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. UPDATE: Northampton County closes off courthouse to public over coronavirus concerns Northampton County temporarily is processing marriage licenses for county residents only, under a new policy described Wednesday by county Executive Lamont McClure. The decision comes as neighboring counties have also reduced services, possibly leading some out-of-county residents to visit Easton amid the worsening coronavirus pandemic. Passport applications, for example, were still being processed as of Wednesday at the Northampton County Courthouse. Neighboring Lehigh, Monroe and Montgomery counties have suspended processing passport applications, while Bucks County has limited passport hours. Lehigh County, effective Tuesday, has stopped processing entirely in-person applications for marriage licenses and certified copies of previously issued marriage licenses due to the COVID-19 spread. "Because we are essentially standing in the shoes of the federal government, we don't think we can exclude out-of-county people from applying for passports," McClure said Wednesday. Passport seekers may want to consider an alternative avenue, however, due to reductions in office staffing and requirements that people remain 6 feet apart in the Northampton County Courthouse, with no more than 10 people in a line for services, McClure said. What we want folks to know is because of social distancing and making sure that we have a healthy workforce, we have reduced our available workforce, he told lehighvalleylive.com. So, many people are now working from home, and so there will be less folks here to wait on and service people who are coming in. "Because we are preserving our workforce, there are going to be lines and people are going to have to understand that," McClure continued. Pennsylvania on Wednesday reported 37 new positive tests for the COVID-19 illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that began spreading in Wuhan, China, last December and is now a global pandemic. Its symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath can be mild or lead to deadly complications. The positive count remains one each in Northampton and Lehigh counties, with Berks Countys first case reported Wednesday and totals of seven cases in Monroe County, nine in Bucks County and 42 -- the most in Pennsylvania -- in Montgomery County. Gov. Tom Wolfs administration on Wednesday announced an adult from Northampton County died while being treated at a hospital, marking the states first COVID-19-related death. Tom Tosti, District Council 88 director for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees in southeastern Pennsylvania, said he was unaware of any formal complaints filed by Local 1265 in Northampton County related to providing specific services that other counties may be suspending. I know we are getting some complaints about members who are being considered essential employees, Tosti said, referring to Wolf on Monday asking all nonessential government offices and businesses to close for two weeks. Tostis advice to union members is to continue to work in the roles theyre asked to fulfill, rather than risk losing their jobs. The concerns are valid because we really dont know what this thing is going to bring, he said Wednesday. Me personally, I think its going to get worse before its going to get better." Northampton County Council, meanwhile, remained scheduled to meet Thursday night at the courthouse/government center in Easton. McClure said the meeting is important so council can vote on extending his March 16 disaster declaration that closed off the Gracedale Nursing Home and Northampton County Prison to visitors and volunteers. The meeting will be live-streamed on YouTube for residents who may not want to be there in person. Gracedale has purchased an additional 18 computer tablets for residents to connect with their friends and family members during the closure to visitors, Northampton County announced Wednesday. They are loaded with software programs such as Facebook Messenger and Google Duo, and will be cleaned before and after residents use them. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email him. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Bus services between Indore in Madhya Pradesh and cities in Maharashtra would be suspended from March 21 to March 31 in view of the coronavirus outbreak, a government order said here on Wednesday. Maharashtra has reported the highest number of coronavirus cases -- 42 -- in the country so far. Indore Divisional Commissioner Akash Tripathi issued an order on Wednesday stating that bus services between Indore and cities in the neighbouring state including Mumbai and Pune will remain suspended from March 21 to March 31. The Madhya Pradesh government has already ordered closure of schools, cinema halls, museums and other establishments in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Green candela wrappers were once very popular with American cigar smokers. So much so that candela wrapper leafswhich go through a special quick and hot fermentation process that locks in the green colorwere known as American Market Selection, as opposed to more traditional brown English Market Selection wrappers. These days candelas are less popular and more of a novelty. Which is why cigar makers who bring American Market Selection cigars to the U.S. market often attach their release to St. Patricks Day, where consumers sometimes pair them with green beer (pictured). If youre thinking about trying a candela, this weekend (St. Patricks Day) is as good a time as any. To that end, heres a quick rundown of some of the green cigars available: Black Market Filthy Hooligan by Alec Bradley This is 2013s new addition to the candela ranks. It features the same blend as the regular Black Market (Panamanian and Honduran filler with a Sumatra binder) coupled with a candela wrapper. If you like the regular Black Market cigar, this is your best bet. Illusione Candela Illusione makes its original blend (Nicaraguan binder and filler) with candela in a few sizes. Back in 2011 when it first came out, we found the 88 size to be a pleasant smoke with tea and plenty of sweet flavors, and lacking the bitterness that sometimes defines candela cigars. Viaje WLP St. Patricks Day Now in its third annual release, this Viaje is part of the limited release White Label Project series. Ive smoked a few of the 2012 edition, which features the brightest candela wrapper Ive ever seen, and found that it equaled the Illusione as my favorite candela. Camacho Candela Monarca Many years ago I reviewed this candela by Honduran producer Camacho. One of the first candelas I ever smoked, it features the classic banana peel and grassy notes that I strongly associate with green wrappers. Don Tomas Candela My colleague reviewed this candela with some skepticism when the company claimed it was the result of three bales of candela wrappers that had been lost for 18 years. Ultimately, though, he found it to be a respectable smoke with enjoyable flavors, even if it wasnt destined to be a regular in his rotation. Fuente 8-5-8 Candela Fuentes regular line is known for smooth, mild flavors produced by Dominican binder and filler tobaccos. I smoked one of these a few years back and recall just that: a mild, balanced smoke with just a hint of classic grassy candela flavors. Those are the candela cigars we can personally speak to, but there are a few others. La Flor Dominicana recently released their double claro (another name for candela). Rocky Patel makes the Edge blend with a candela for St. Patricks Day. And for while La Gloria Cubana also made one in a few sizes, it isnt clear if its still produced. If youve considered trying one before, Id encourage you to use St. Patricks Day as a reason to take the plunge. Pick a brand with non-candela smokes that you like, and see what a world of difference a green wrapper can make. Finally, remember that for better or worse, with enough Jameson and Guinness, any cigar is bound to taste good. Patrick S photo credit: Stogie Guys A waiter at a restaurant in Rome attaches tape to a chair to ensure that customers sit about 3 feet apart. (Getty Images) Diplomacy by nature is a personal endeavor. Long, face-to-face meetings with officials from all over the world. Building trust, gaining cooperation, trading secrets. Can this be achieved at a long distance? Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and the foot soldiers of U.S. diplomacy under President Trump are about to find out as the coronavirus pandemic closes conventional channels of contact and cancels numerous plans, trips and programs for American officials and their global counterparts. The State Department announced next week's long-planned meeting in Pittsburgh of foreign ministers from the Group of 7 top economies will be conducted "virtually." State officials declined to provide details, but the move presumably means the foreign ministers from Canada, Britain, Japan, Germany, Italy and France will not travel to the U.S. for the mini-summit. It remains unclear what will happen to the larger summit of G-7 presidents and prime ministers that Trump is to host at Camp David in June. On Thursday, Pompeo who has repeatedly said one of the most important tasks of America's top diplomat is "showing up" also suspended dozens of the department's educational exchange programs for 60 days and was reassessing a number of overseas trips, aides said. Separately, the United Nations was scaling back operations worldwide and closing agencies, such as its human rights division in Geneva and its maritime safety board in London. It shortened a major New York conference on women's equality from two weeks to one day. In Washington and elsewhere, foreign policy think tanks were postponing sessions, sending analysts home and shifting briefings from auditoriums to the internet. The disruptions come precisely at a time when more cooperation and conversation are needed in the international and multilateral arena, experts and current and former diplomats said. "There is still a lot of uncertainty" on all fronts of the coronavirus crisis, said Stephanie Segal, an economist formerly with the Treasury Department. "There is hunger for more policy coordination." Story continues Traditionally, experienced diplomats can find workarounds in such crises, counting on already well-established relationships, protocols and technology to keep lines of communication open, said Daniel Fried, a veteran diplomat who served as an assistant secretary of State under George W. Bush. But with this administration's unorthodox, rule-busting "America first" approach to foreign policy, Fried and others worried that Pompeo and his team will be ill-equipped to bridge the chasms opened by a lack of in-person contact. Trump's Oval Office speech Wednesday night highlighted the chaos created when there is no coordination or outreach in handling such a fast-widening crisis. The president, without advance consultation with most European leaders, announced he was barring travel to the U.S. from 26 European countries, many of which belong to the European Union, a bloc he has long criticized. In his speech, he said European travelers had "seeded" the virus in many U.S. cities, though experts questioned that assertion. "A good bureaucrat can work with anything," Fried said. "But you don't pick fights with allies. You need decent relations so you can pick up the phone." Trump exempted Britain from the new travel ban, even though it has reported dozens of coronavirus cases. Americans and businesses are also exempted. Even so, the sudden travel restrictions led to panicked crowds at several European airports. "This is not how a great country manages its relations with its closest allies," said Heather Conley, director of the Europe program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a bipartisan think tank in Washington. "There was no diplomacy.... It was a domestic political desire to offer a big announcement and to blame someone." She said such "personality-driven" diplomacy "completely neuters the institutions and all the relationships that make the mechanics of crises like these work." The speech, written by White House advisor Stephen Miller, an anti-immigrant ideologue, and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, was laden with rhetoric that blamed COVID-19 on a "foreign virus." Trump and others in his administration have repeatedly referred to the "Chinese virus" or "Wuhan virus" to emphasize its origin in that Chinese city. In past global crises, American presidents typically took leadership roles and moved quickly to bring nations together and rally international support. Trump continues to view the response to the virus as a competition, frequently comparing the number of U.S. cases and deaths to those of other countries. China, in fact, made an effort at outmaneuvering Washington on the global stage. As Trump banned travelers from Europe, China sent aid to Italy, the hardest-hit country in Europe. "The coronavirus is a global crisis, not limited to any continent and it requires cooperation rather than unilateral action," European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a joint statement Thursday. Trump has long been dismissive of diplomacy. He has ordered huge cuts in the State Department budget every year since taking office. Numerous senior positions at the department and in embassies remain vacant or filled by "acting" officers or inexperienced political appointees. Trump has said he likes it that way. But the coronavirus crisis exposes the risks involved. "What the coronavirus crisis reinforces is that governments really do matter," said Jon Alterman, a global security expert at CSIS. "It's relationships between government officials that matter. And if you can't forge those relationships, if you can't forge the partnerships, you live in a whole different world." Photos of the victims of Sunday's mass murder-suicide in North Carolina have begun to emerge after police released the name of the man they believe is responsible. Investigators from The Chatham County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday that evidence indicates Larry Don Ray, 66, was the perpetrator of the massacre, killing six relatives before turning the gun on himself. The victims were identified as Jeanie Ray, 67; Helen Mason, 93; Ellis Mansfield, 73; Lisa Mansfield, 54; John Paul Sanderford, 41; and Nicole Sanderford, 39. An agency spokeswoman said that authorities are still investigating a possible motive. The shooting occurred in the small community of Moncure, around 30 miles southwest of Raleigh at 5.30pm on Sunday. Photos of some of the victims of Sunday's mass murder-suicide in North Carolina have begun to emerge. Nicole Sanderford, 39, (pictured) was named as one of the victims of the massacre Lisa Mansfield (left) and Ellis Mansfield (right) have also been named as victims of Sunday's murder-suicide Nicole Sanderford is pictured with her husband Paul on their wedding say. Both were gunned down during Sunday's murder-suicide Meanwhile, a transcript of a 911 call made at the scene of the crime has been obtained by News & Observer and sheds more light into the shocking incident. According to the publication, the call was made by a teenager who hid in a closet as he dialed the police. 'There's a guy in my house shooting right now,' the caller tells police. 'I'm in my closet. I haven't seen him, I'm not coming out. Please get somebody here to the house. How long is it going to take them to get here?' News & Observer reports that the teen stayed in his closet for three minutes before telling officers that he heard six shots and it 'doesn't feel like he's [the gunman] in the house anymore'. Helen Mason, 93, was one of the six victims Jeanie Ray, 67, was also killed alongside five of her relatvies Investigators from The Chatham County Sheriff's Office said Tuesday that evidence indicates that Larry Don Ray, 66, was the perpetrator of Sunday's mass-murder suicide in Moncure, North Carolina. The crime scene is pictured Sheriff Mike Roberson said more information would be released as the investigation continues and expressed his condolences to surviving relatives. 'To lose any family member is devastating, but to lose several at once to unexpected violence is unimaginable,' Roberson said in a statement. 'There are no words to describe the sense of loss we feel as a community in the wake of this terrible event.' Family members gathered in the garage of a relative's home across the street from the site of the shooting on Monday, Charlotte's News & Observer reported. Seven members of the same family were fatally shot in a suspected mass murder-suicide across multiple homes in Chatham County, North Carolina. One of the homes is pictured Mark Childress told the outlet he was there to support his brother, whose daughter, son-in-law and mother-in-law were among those killed. 'Right now, they're still in shock, and they don't want to talk to anybody,' Childress said. Kent Dickens, owner of the nearby Dickens RV Park, said most people in the small community knew the families affected by the tragedy. Dickens said he knew one of the victims, Helen Mason, and had worked for her when he was younger. 'They was good folks,' he said. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Yonhap North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has attended a ceremony to break ground on a general hospital in Pyongyang, calling it a "crucial task" to prop up the country's public health, state media reported Wednesday. The ceremony to begin the construction of Pyongyang General Hospital marked Kim's first reported public activity in the capital city in about three weeks. Recent state media reports suggested that Kim had been away from Pyongyang to observe military drills along the east coast, including the latest one March 9. Speculation swirled that his unusually long absence from Pyongyang might have to do with coronavirus fears. "Our party set it as a political matter of maintaining and glorifying the image of the Korean-style socialism and as a crucial task to which top-priority state efforts should be directed under whatever conditions and environments to prop up the field of public health," he was quoted as saying during the event. Kim ordered the hospital construction to be completed by the 75th founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) on Oct. 10 and "pressed the button of the blasting machine" to start its construction, the KCNA said. It is rare for the North Korean leader to make an address at such events. It is unclear whether the construction could be completed as scheduled given that just seven months are left before the target date. Kim did not mention the new coronavirus, nor did the KCNA. But his emphasis on public health came as Pyongyang is making all-out efforts to prevent the COVID-19 outbreaks on its soil by blocking its border and toughening quarantine criteria. Pyongyang has yet reported any confirmed coronavirus infection, though its media has reported that there are thousands of people under medical supervision for potential infection. The ground-breaking event was also attended by top government and party officials, including Premier Kim Jae-ryong, Pak Pong-ju, vice chairman of the State Affairs Commission, and Pak Tae-song, vice chairman of the WPK Central Committee. Photos released by the KCNA showed a group of workers joined the ground-breaking event with most of them wearing masks. Kim and other senior officials were seen not wearing masks. (Yonhap) Opinion Article 18 March 2020 Along with all the other industries around the world the U.S. hotel industry has been blindsided by the COVID-19 Global Pandemic Black Swan Event. Instantly, hotel owners have found themselves with empty hotels, depleted cash reserves, and wondering how they will be able to make their monthly mortgage payments and payroll which were hardly ever considered to be a problem in the expansionary period leading up to COVID-19. Due to the recent unprecedented sharp interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, the Prime Rate is now set at 3.25% which sets the table for many financing strategic options for hotel owners to consider. Debt refinancing, mortgage loan modifications, liquidation of assets, the SBA, and Chapter 11 Reorganization will become new buzz words in the hotel industry. Below are listed eight hotel financing strategic options that hotel owners might want to consider during these days of economic distress. This article was written by hotel industry financier Harry G. Spirides who was previously owner & operator of a 205-room, full-service beach resort hotel for over 20 years. He is a third-generation hotelier who has over 30 years of experience working in full-service hotels. He is also a former commissioned officer in the U.S. Coast Guard and a military veteran. He specializes in arranging financing for hotel development, acquisition, and debt refinancing projects. This is the time when leaders lead! Now is the time for action. Struggling hotel owners today have many financing strategic options available to them to act upon, but many of them do not even know that these options exist. So, it is my intent to outline some of these options clearly for them in the below paragraphs in which I am speaking directly to hotel owners. #1 Ask your lender to modify your loan terms and defer payments. During this difficult period of time I highly recommend honest, polite, direct, frequent, and professional communication with all your stakeholders. This includes your lender or loan servicer along with your corporate business attorney and CPA as well as your hotel franchise company and any third-party management company. It is always best to keep a friendly and professional relationship with them all. When you approach them you should convey your willingness to be flexible. For example, if they ask you to make some concessions such as implementing specific cost-cutting measures you should consider them. If you are experiencing a severe financial hardship then you should consider picking up the phone and drafting a letter to request your existing lender or loan servicer to significantly modify their loan terms to be more favorable for you and to reflect the new business realities of today and to also defer their monthly loan payments for 6 months. When a lender allows a deferment this means they will add the skipped mortgage payments to the back end of the loan to be paid at the end of the loan term. To the hotel owners who currently have a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan you should pay special attention to the following paragraphs. On March 10, 2020 the SBA sent Information Notice # 5000-20004 effective immediately to all SBA 7(a) Lenders, 504 program Certified Development Companies (CDCs), and Microloan Intermediaries to remind them of their unilateral authority to provide temporary relief in the form of deferred payments to existing borrowers. While the SBA did not specifically reference the COVID-19 Pandemic, it is inferred that the SBA is issuing this reminder at this time in light of the current situation. The notice states: For 7(a) Business Loans In accordance with SOP 50 57 2 and 13 C.F.R 120.530, Lenders may assist borrowers experiencing temporary cash flow issues by deferring payments for a stated period of time. 1. For a Loan Not Sold on Secondary Market: Lenders may grant a deferment of up to six (6) consecutive months.2. For a Loan Sold on Secondary Market: As outlined in the Secondary Participation Guaranty Agreement (SBA Form 1086), Lenders may grant a one-time unilateral deferment of up to 90 days without requiring prior investor consent. The Lender notifies the investor through the Fiscal Transfer Agent (FTA) of the unilateral deferment and reports the affected loan on SBA Form 1502. Lenders may make additional loan deferments only with prior investor consent. For 504 Business Loans In accordance with SOP 50 55 and 13 C.F.R. 120.530, CDCs may assist borrowers experiencing temporary cash flow issues by deferring payments for a stated period of time. The amount deferred should not exceed six (6) cumulative monthly payments or 20% of the original loan amount, whichever is less. Unless SBA has purchased the Debenture, the CDC must notify the Central Servicing Agent (CSA) of any deferment in order to avoid acceleration of the Note and the need to purchase the Debenture. Microloans In accordance with SOP 52 00 B, Intermediaries may provide a deferment on a loan made to a small business to ensure full repayment of the Microloan. Microloan Intermediaries may make deferments for up to six (6) months. No deferment may cause the life of the Microloan to extend beyond the maximum six (6) year maturity. #2 Apply for a SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) loan programs will play a key role in providing small business owners financing options during the COVID-19 economic downturn and during the recovery. If your hotel is located in an eligible area you should consider applying for a SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan which can offer up to $2 million in cash assistance at a 3.25% interest rate and can provide vital financial support to you to help alleviate the temporary loss of revenue you are experiencing. Click here to learn about the SBAs COVID-19 Disaster Loan and Application Process Click here for the SBAs COVID-19 Disaster Assistance Website and to Apply Online Additionally, each state usually has its own version of a disaster relief funding program. For example, here in Florida, we have the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program https://floridadisasterloan.org/ through which many of my clients have already applied for assistance. #3 Refinance and consolidate your existing debt You might consider refinancing the existing debt on your hotel(s) at a higher loan-to-value ratio and with a much lower interest rate and get "cash out" (harvest your equity) and redeploy that cash equity as needed. There are many standard loan programs available that can achieve this objective. Many owners have typically refinanced their hotel(s) after several years of paying down debt to harvest their cash equity so they can purchase or develop more hotels. In the case of COVID-19, owners can use this refi with cash out strategic financing option to produce working capital to fund operations during this lean period and get a much lower interest rate. A refinance is a good opportunity for a debt consolidation in which all of a hotel owners different debt obligations are paid off and consolidated and afterwards a hotel owner will have just one monthly loan payment with a much better interest rate. You could consider the SBA 7a and 504 loan programs for this purpose. Since lenders which hold the loans they make on their balance sheets are scared stiff of making loans to the hotel industry during this pandemic, most lenders have now implemented an indefinite lending freeze on the hotel industry. As a result, the SBA and SBAs federal government backed lenders will play a major role in the rescue of the hotel industry. For example, the SBA 504 Program can be used to refinance the primary mortgage on a hotel as well as other subordinate loans secured by that asset and to also pay business operating expenses. This loan program creates a good opportunity for hotel owners to refinance their hotel, get cash out to pay for operating expenses, and lock in a low fixed interest rate. It also decreases the lending risk exposure of their lending bank since the federal government is sharing a lot of the risk when that bank makes SBA loans. #4 Seek a business line of credit, working capital loan, bridge loan, credit card merchant cash advance, loan from a retirement account, or a second mortgage. Hotel owners can seek a business line of credit, working capital loan, bridge loan, credit card merchant cash advance, a loan from their retirement account, or a second mortgage. These are all valid loan types for hotel owners to consider as needed. I know a company which is making loans using 2nd, 3rd, or a 4th position security interest (even using already mortgaged residential property as collateral), but they are a little on the expensive side. There are many different lending program options mentioned here that you might consider. Some are very expensive. You along with your attorney and CPA should thoroughly research and quantify all costs and payback terms associated with these loans before you agree to accept any one of them. #5 Bring in a Partner Immediate family members, friends, relatives, people you know from your place of worship, chamber of commerce, hotel associations, hotel franchise companies, third party management companies, and even your business competitors are all good candidates to be considered to become your new partner. Your new partner(s) will be given a percentage of ownership commensurate with their cash investment or a negotiated amount. Each partners attorneys can work together to draw up the appropriate paperwork to create your new partnership. Be sure to ask your attorney and CPA whether a Buy-Sell Agreement or a Tag Along-Drag Along Agreement would be beneficial. #6 Sell Your Hotel When a hotel owner sells their hotel it frees up all cash equity from that asset to be used in any way he/she desires. Selling a hotel is always the ultimate financial liquidity event for that asset. However, it usually takes a year or more to properly market that hotel property and find a buyer who is willing to pay the right price, unless the hotel owner already knows the buyer. #7 File for a Chapter 11 Reorganization. To most hotel owners this is the worst-case scenario, but it is not the end of the world. It is a new beginning. If lenders do not cooperate with your request for a sizable loan modification and/or deferral of payments, then you have the constitutional right to file for a Chapter 11 Reorganization / Restructuring of debt and protection from creditors under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. This will thwart a bank foreclosure. I have seen this strategy employed to produce favorable results for hotel owners. Yes, this will bruise your ego, but it will save your asset. Plus, I assure you that these days hotel owners will not be sitting alone in the courthouse. It will be packed. Debtor in Possession (DIP) financing will need to be approved by the Bankruptcy Court and obtained. There are costs associated with a Chapter 11 Reorganization including legal and accounting fees to name just a few. #8 Historic Low Interest Rates Means Opportunity for New Projects Many experts believe this difficult COVID-19 event will be over in 5-6 months. So, if a hotel owner feels comfortable riding out this storm with his/her on-hand cash reserves, believes in the long view approach to investing, and has excess cash available to deploy, now is a great time to finance the development of a new hotel or to acquire an existing one. Interest rates will not stay this low forever. I suspect that not too many hotel owners will pursue this rosy option at this time, and I will be pleasantly surprised when I receive that phone call. I hope that I have opened a few eyes to these eight financing strategic options available to all hotel owners. I am available for telephone consultations should you have any questions about any of these financing options. My contact information is listed below. We are closely monitoring all communications from the SBA, state & federal government officials, and our lenders regarding possible additional financial relief and/or new loan programs during these difficult times. We will advise our clients accordingly as new policies and programs are promulgated by the government agencies and lenders. Disclaimer: As I mentioned many times in the above paragraphs, hotel owners should consult with their corporate business attorney and CPA before making any financing strategic decisions. The forgoing article is my own personal opinion, and I do not warrant the accuracy of any of the information. Things Can Change Overnight Finally, Coronavirus made a decision to visit the US. It is washing over the whole country, spreading from state to state, and transmitting from city to city. Even the Disease Control Center of the US has no way to stop the virus pandemic. Every Sunday morning is the time for me to attend a Sunday school class at a church. This Sunday, the thing was charged due to the course being canceled. Coronavirus is coming and maybe spreading around our reign. Our church has to shut down. One month ago, I started to pray for the US to stay away from the Coronavirus. Recently, I even fasted and kept on praying for preventing virus transmission. However, the virus is reaching the US, someone was infected, and some of them lost their lives. My prayer is extended to the victims and their families, as well as all who have been impacted by this horrible tragedy. Things become worse and worse with the virus spreading around the states. I heard a criminal report that gunmen killed several Chinese-Americans in NY. The killers said they felt uncomfortable seeing those victims wearing the face masks. I did not think that was the mask's problem. Killers might be too nervous to control their minds. And then, they turned the anger to Chinese-Americans. We never want to see this thing happen in the US. Unfortunately, it has occurred in this hardship time. Dear forks, no matter how badly someone treats us, we will never drop down to their level. We should walk away from bad guys and pray for the victims to rest in peace. We need to remain calm and stay strong. Back to talk about the virus pandemic. Everything in our lives is meant to happen to us. They will teach us a lesson and help us to grow. Life is about the balance between human beings and the natural world. I have heard a pastor's lecture. He said that Human beings should take responsibility for this disaster because they have obeyed the natural rule. Some countries are over developing their economics by the mean of destroying our social environment. The lesson is that Human beings should exist with the environment friendly. Be fast developing, but dont damage nature. Be fruitful, but dont forget to feedback nature. Be strong, but never forget to be humble. Things can change overnight, but no storm lasts forever. We can only go through the worst than can get the best. Trust ourselves believe our ability to overcome the virus. We have survived a lot in our life journey, and this time we will survive again. Keep on praying for God's bless. He will equip us to meet any kind of challenge with grace and confidence. A day after meeting with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Hindustani Awam Morcha chief Jitan Ram Manjhi on Wednesday alleged that the Rashtriya Janata Dal party Bihar chief Jagdanand Singh does not listen to anyone and urged its leaders not to be 'dictatorial'. "I request them (RJD leaders) to not be dictatorial. The person whom they have made their Bihar party chief does not listen to anyone else. This can't go on," said Manjhi while speaking to ANI. Being asked about his meeting with Bihar Chief Minister, the Hindustani Awam Morcha chief said: "My meeting with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar yesterday was a courtesy call." It is to mention that the ruling JDU in the state and Manjhi have been seen backing each other at several occasions. Manjhi quit the Democratic Alliance (NDA) and joined the grand alliance in March 2018. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Joy Anna Duggar has announced that she is pregnant once again, sharing her news on Instagram less than a year after she suffered a devastating miscarriage at 20 weeks. The 22-year-old and her husband Austin Forsyth, 26, already have a two-year-old son named Gideon, and last year were expecting their first daughter, Annabelle, when Joy Anna miscarried well into her second trimester. This time around, they waited until Joy Anna's second trimester to share the pregnancy news, and the young mom is happily showing off quite a large baby bump on social media. Another one on the way! oy Anna Duggar has announced that she is pregnant, less than a year after she suffered a devastating miscarriage at 20 weeks. 'Yes... its true! [Austin] and I are PREGNANT again!' Joy Anna wrote, confirming rumors that began to swirl a couple of weeks ago when her sister Jinger visited from LA and all of the girls and women in the family were pictured together. 'Ahhh!!! Its been quite the crazy journey these last few months, but we are so thankful that mom and baby are healthy!' Joy Anna is expecting a girl, and is due August 19. She also posted a YouTube video, in which she caught fans up on her pregnancy journey. It seems she has known she was pregnant since December 11, two days before Austin's birthday. She'd been suspecting that she was expecting, but it was still too early to know, and she took several pregnancy tests that turned up negative. It's positive! She is already quite far along, and shared a video on YouTube catching fans up on everything that has happened so far Pee stick! She took several negative pregnancy tests before one turned up positive, and she gave it to Austin for his birthday She said: 'I'm shocked. I'm not actually as scared as I thought I was gonna be after miscarrying at 20 weeks. It's just, I thought I was gonna be so nervous, but I'm really not. I'm excited' Then, on the 11th, while enjoying a family night with her parents and siblings, she took another test which also appeared to be negative, but she saw a faint second line. 'I told myself, okay, I'm not gonna take a test, I'm gonna wait to see if I miss my period or whatever, but... I took a test,' she said, showing off the results. 'I'm shocked. I'm not actually as scared as I thought I was gonna be after miscarrying at 20 weeks. It's just, I thought I was gonna be so nervous, but I'm really not. I'm excited.' Joy Anna miscarried last July, four months before conceiving again. She said that she planned to tell her best friend Carlin Bates, her mother Michelle, and her oldest sister Jana first, even before she told Austin. Later, she took another test which was clearly positive wrapped it in a gift box for her husband to share the news. Ups and downs: There have been scary times, though after Joy Anna started spotting, a doctor told her the pregnancy might not be viable It's OK! But more tests turned out good and they learned they are having a girl But it wasn't all smooth sailing. Not long into her pregnancy, she started to experience spotting. She went to the doctor, who told her it might be a nonviable pregnancy. After some anxious waiting, though, Joy Anna and Austin learned that that wasn't the case and also found out they were having a daughter. 'We're having a girl! I could not believe it. I just started crying,' Joy Anna said. 'We're super excited, nervous, and thankful, all at the same time.' 'It's just a huge load lifted off our shoulders, knowing that the tests came back good, came back normally,' Austin added. Finally, they finished off the video with the gender reveal they had for family, watching on from their yard as older brother John David dropped a bucked of pink confetti from a helicopter. Exciting: Joy Anna learned she was pregnant back in December and told her whole family soon after (but gave her mom, big sister Jana, and friend Carlin Bates the news first) Woosh: They had a gender reveal, with big brother John David dropping confetti from a helicopter Joy Anna and Austin were excitedly expecting a daughter last year when she tragically suffered a miscarriage. 'We only had her for 20 weeks, Life is fragile and precious,' the couple wrote on Instagram at the time. 'So thankful the Lord gave her to us for that short time! She will be in our hearts forever!' They added: 'Although we dont understand why, God has given us unexplainable peace and comfort during this very difficult time. Yes, it still hurts and we have cried countless tears, but we know that we can trust the Lord. 'We dont grieve as those who have no hope because we trust that we will see this little one again,' they wrote. 'Please pray for continued healing, not only physically but for our hearts as well.' Devastating moment: Joy Anna and Austin were excitedly expecting a daughter last year when she tragically suffered a miscarriage Tribute: 'We only had her for 20 weeks, Life is fragile and precious,' the couple wrote on Instagram at the time Family ties: They posed several candid shots taken in the hospital after Joy Anna delivered Upset: Joy Anna had her hair and makeup done for the shoot, and took the time to pay tribute to her best friend, fellow reality TV star Carlin Bates, for taking the time to help her with it They posed several candid shots taken in the hospital after Joy Anna delivered, with Joy Anna having her hair and makeup done for the only photos she got to take with the daughter she lost. 'Thank you, [Carlin Bates] for coming to town to be here for me and for doing my hair and makeup for pictures with our little girl!' Joy Anna wrote. Carlin, who recently gave birth herself, also shared well wishes at the time. 'Seeing her give birth to her little girl, Annabell Elise, and knowing that she would never be able to hold her again while on earth just brings tears to my eyes. Yet, through it all, she has been so strong and held on to Jesus, knowing that we will see her little baby in heaven one day,' she wrote. 'I know that Jesus doesnt promise that we will not face difficulties in this life, but He does promise to be by our side every step of the way. Im so grateful to have a friend as precious as Joy, and I know that she would covet prayers at this hard time.' Joy Anna was also joined by her mother and older sister Jill at the hospital. Memories: In their Instagram post, Joy Anna and Austin shared a photo of their daughter's footprints (left), which her best friend Carlin also posted on her own account Close bond: JoyAnna praised Carlin, 21, for being there for her during such a difficult time Fans had begun to speculate that Joy Anna was expecting recently when her sister Jinger came to visit Arkansas from California. All of the female Duggars went out for lunch and a shopping trip, and the group posed for quite a few photos together leading to guesses that someone shared pregnancy news. What's more, Joy Anna seemed to be hiding her midsection in most of the images, either behind props or behind other people. While many women wait until the second trimester to announce pregnancies to more than immediate family since the risk of miscarriage is highest in the first 12 weeks women in the Duggar family tend to announce their pregnancies quite early. In this case, though, it seems that a nervous Joy Anna wanted to wait a bit longer after suffering a loss last time around. Sister time! Fans had begun to speculate that Joy Anna was expecting recently when her sister Jinger came to visit Arkansas from California Big group: posed for quite a few photos together leading to guesses that someone shared pregnancy news The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday recommended switching to virtual patient visits instead of in-person monitoring for clinical studies, as signs emerge that the rapid spread of the coronavirus outbreak is disrupting trials. U.S.-based Iveric bio Inc delayed enrolment in a trial of its eye disease drug on Wednesday, two days after Provention Bio paused a study of its diabetes drug but allowed trial patients to complete their course. The companies said these measures were taken to ensure the safety of the patients being tested and the medical staff. The FDA said the outbreak may impact clinical trials of medical products including drugs and devices, as travel limitations and other considerations cause protocol deviations. Authorities around the world have locked down cities and curbed travel to battle the pandemic that has infected about 200,000 people and caused nearly 8,500 deaths worldwide. The restrictions have begun to disrupt the global pharmaceutical industry, as companies cancel public meetings. The influential Boston-based research group Institute for Clinical and Economic Review said on Wednesday it was postponing two public meetings to discuss therapies for sickle cell diseases and cystic fibrosis. Trials that are fully recruited and those involving the critically ill seem likely to go on without too much disruption, UBS analyst Laura Sutcliffe said in a client note. The situation is less clear for other trials, and several companies told us it is too early to tell if there will be any impact. Drugmakers are already making the switch. Catalyst Pharmaceuticals Inc told Reuters in an e-mail that it was implementing a virtual approach with doctors and company representatives to ensure patients had continued access to its rare neuromuscular disorder drug Firdapse, and remained on track to report results from its ongoing late-stage trial in the second quarter. The outbreak has also hindered new drug launches as physicians and patients practice social distancing to curb the spread of the virus. Aimmune Therapeutics Inc, which has also set up virtual meetings with physicians, on Monday warned of a muted launch of its peanut allergy therapy, a day after Amarin Corp suspended in-person interactions for its sales representatives until March 30. The companies did not provide specific details on the impact of the outbreak on their financial results. Adm. Craig Faller, head of U.S. Southern Command, and several members of his staff have all tested negative for coronavirus after meeting with a Brazilian delegation that included an infected member, SOUTHCOM said in a statement Tuesday. "To date, U.S. Southern Command has had no confirmed cases of COVID-19, and results for all personnel tested are negative," according to the statement. The number and identities of Faller's staff members who were tested were not disclosed for privacy reasons, SOUTHCOM said. The tests were ordered after Faller and his staff hosted a Brazilian delegation led by President Jair Bolsonaro at SOUTHCOM headquarters in Miami on March 8. Related: Four-Star Head of Southcom Monitored for Possible Coronavirus Exposure The delegation included Bolsonaro's press secretary, Fabio Wajngarten, who later tested positive for coronavirus and has been reported to be self-isolating in Brazil after returning from the trip. The Brazilian delegation, including Wajngarten, also visited President Donald Trump's estate at Mar-a-Lago while in Florida, and had dinner with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Bolsonaro later said he had tested negative for coronavirus. The White House said Trump was tested last Saturday, and his test was negative. The White House also said Pence has not been tested and has shown no symptoms since meeting with the Brazilian delegation. "We are taking this national emergency seriously," the SOUTHCOM statement said. "The health and welfare of our men and women is our top priority. The command has contacted, and is closely monitoring, all personnel who supported the Brazilian delegation's visit." -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Read more: COVID-19 coverage Border guards and medics during a patrol and visit to remote nomad families in Fuyun county, Altay, in northwest China's Xinjiang region, on February 19. Costfoto/Barcroft Media via Getty Images News about the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected more than 182,000 people, has reached the most faraway corners of the world. Even in remote parts of China's northwestern Xinjiang region, nomad families are being educated about the illness COVID-19. These photos, taken February 19, capture how Chinese officials traveled to these regions on horseback to promote awareness about the virus. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. With the novel coronavirus having infected more than 182,000 people in 150 countries, warnings about the pandemic have spread to almost every corner of the world. The new coronavirus, first identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has also affected every province and region of China. Even in the country's most remote regions, the police had to ride on horseback through snowy conditions to reach nomad communities and inform them about the dangers of the virus. Striking photos that were taken February 19, when China was still recording thousands of cases a day, show what that looked like. The Altay prefecture, located in China's northwestern Xinjiang region, is one of the most remote areas in the world. altay china coronavirus Xinhua/Song Yanhua via Getty Images The region of Xinjiang is home to the Uighurs, a mostly Muslim ethnic minority being heavily surveilled by the Chinese government. Uighurs refer to the region as East Turkestan. Xinjiang's major cities are easily accessible, but its more remote regions are not. To travel from Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, to Altay, it takes about one hour by plane, nine hours by day bus, 12 hours by night bus, and about 14 hours by train, according to Reuters. Related Video: Pathologists Debunk 13 Myths About the Coronavirus Source: Reuters On February 19, as coronavirus cases across China were spiking, authorities traveled through rough, snowy conditions to reach the prefecture's most isolated nomad families. Story continues Xinjiang province China coronavirus 2 Costfoto/Barcroft Media via Getty Images Source: Getty Images Wearing face masks and even hazmat suits, police officers, military troops, and medical workers had to trek through deep snow, sometimes on foot ... Xinjiang province China coronavirus Costfoto/Barcroft Media via Getty Images ... and other times on horseback. altay regions coronavirus china Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images Once they reached the nomad families, the police measured their temperatures ... Xinjiang province China coronavirus 3 Costfoto/Barcroft Media via Getty Images Source: Getty ... and also informed them about ways to try to prevent the virus from spreading. Xinjiang province China coronavirus 4 Costfoto/Barcroft Media via Getty Images Source: Getty Read the original article on Business Insider The authorities of the Ghana Technology University College ( GTUC ) have directed that all students as well as others seeking admission to the college should be properly tested for the coronavirus (COVID -19 ) at recognised medical facilities before setting foot on its campuses in the country. The directive which was announced at the matriculation of the college at its Koforidua campus on Saturday (March 14) was to ensure that no student with the virus was allowed on the campus. The Vice-President of the College, Professor Isaac Abeku Blankson, who issued the directive, emphasised that the college was taking steps since it had foreign students coming from countries such as The Gambia and the United Kingdom ( UK ) as well as partners worldwide. As part of the directive, we have provided and recommended alcohol sanitisers on our campuses in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and Ho. We hope to prevent the virus on our campuses should any student show signs of the disease, Professor Blankson stated. Professor Blankson appealed to the GHS to step up its preparedness by monitoring on a daily basis for the necessary precautionary measures to be followed to prevent Ghanaians being infected with the disease. He advised the foreign students of the GTUC to go for regular self quarantine whenever they returned to Ghana from their respective countries because of the COVID-19. New students In all 99 fresh students made up of 78 males and 21 females were admitted to pursue programmes at the Diploma and Degree levels. The number brings the total number of undergraduate students to 8,266, comprising 211 foreigners from 14 countries and 8,053 Ghanaians. Education is honesty Professor Blankson told the fresh students that education was not just about the acquisition of knowledge but it engendered honesty, respect, equality and compassion and therefore, was the awareness of knowing about what, why, when, where and how of anything. He explained that the GTUC was embedded in all aspects of teaching and learning which made the colleges quest for knowledge more interactive, easy and fun for students. Students empowerment According to him, email course-base website and computer-base chart rooms were some of the technology-enabled resources that were use by the university to empower the students to search for knowledge through constant learning and innovation. Professor Blankson told the students that the Ghana Technology University Bill (2017) would soon be passed by Parliament to enable the GTUC to become a fully-fledged public university. He expressed the hope that the GTUC would go public this year and that the concerted effort of junior and senior members for such a dream would soon become a reality. Scholarship On financial aid to students, Professor Blankson said Barclays Bank had selected the college as one of its beneficiary universities for a scholarship scheme to select students each academic year, and the tenure of the scholarship for a beneficiary would be for one academic year renewable on academic performance. The scholarship package, he stated, covered academic facility user and hostel fees, all other approved fees, a laptop and feeding allowance. According to the Vice-President of the GTUC , discussions were far advanced between management and external partners to secure a new site in Accra for the growth and expansion of the university so that it would be able to accommodate the growing number of students. Professor Blankson, therefore, encouraged the fresh students to learn hard and write exams that would be devoid of malpractices and dishonesty. Source: Daily Graphic 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 To be honest, we dont know when the next round of voting will be. But what is clear is that the coronavirus crisis flipped a switch among Democratic primary voters. When asked todays most pressing questions who can best handle a crisis and who has the best chances to defeat Donald Trump Democrats picked Mr. Biden by significant margins in all three states, according to surveys by the National Election Pool. Some Democrats say the concern about Mr. Sanders is obvious: If you cant win primaries in states like Florida, Arizona and Michigan, how do you expect to win a general election? Theyre urging him in ways both quiet and more vocal to end his campaign. Mr. Sanders doesnt agree. At least not yet. The liberal champion sees the current crisis as a moment to press the case that hes been making for years about health care and income inequality, issues that are likely to become more immediate as the virus spreads. And with so much uncertainty, the race could shift if theres a gap of weeks or months! before the next voting. Theres certainly one other candidate who sees an advantage if Mr. Sanders remains in the race: President Trump. For months, he has delighted in the prospect of an intraparty fight, which he believes will benefit his re-election bid, and has repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that the D.N.C. has rigged the election against Mr. Sanders. The DNC will have gotten their fondest wish and defeated Bernie Sanders, far ahead of schedule, Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. Now they are doing everything possible to be nice to him in order to keep his supporters. Bernie has given up, just like he did last time. He will be dropping out soon! 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. Early this month, Hachette Book Group announced that it would publish Woody Allens memoir, Apropos of Nothing. In that bygone era when people had thoughts on subjects other than the coronavirus, this caused an uproar. The journalist Ronan Farrow, Allens estranged son (assuming he is his son but thats another story), denounced the decision and said he would end his own lucrative relationship with the publisher. Hachette employees staged a walkout from company offices in New York and Boston. It took Hachette just a few days to cave. After listening, we came to the conclusion that moving forward with publication would not be feasible for HBG, the publisher said through a spokeswoman. Notice how often these days the work of the cancel culture is accomplished in the emollient language of listening. Notice something else: The book was pulped despite hardly anyone and surely none of its fiercest critics having read it. Sentence first, verdict afterwards is supposed to be the stuff of Alice in Wonderland, not what passes for literary judgment in America. My own bias runs strongly in favor of publication, both as a matter of principle and public interest. (Full disclosure: I have a slight social acquaintance with Allen; we are not friends but have friends in common. Further full disclosure: I am a member of a jury that awarded Ronan a journalism prize for his investigation of Harvey Weinstein.) But just to be sure the critics didnt have a point, I decided to ask for a copy of the book and read it. While the coronavirus pandemic continues to rapidly spread across the globe and New York, upstate organizations that aid the homeless and hungry are rearranging their services to contain the disease and prevent its spread to some of society's most vulnerable people. "Many of the homeless have chronic health conditions, so that puts them in the vulnerable population," said Bree Barker, a lieutenant in the Salvation Army of Saratoga Springs. "That's very concerning to us." The Salvation Army is among many Capital Region nonprofit organizations that are closing traditional group dining facilities, increasing sanitary rules for volunteers and establishing quarantine spaces. The Salvation Army is changing the way it serves the homeless, who in addition to having medical issues lack access to proper hygiene, medical resources and updated information. Shelters operated by the organization are being cleaned and disinfected more often, and quarantine areas are being established for residents or staff members who fall ill. The Salvation Army is serving meals via pickup or delivery in boxes and bags, rather than at dine-in soup kitchens. It is also giving clients larger boxes of food than usual to avoid frequent returns for more supplies. Latest coronavirus-related cancellations, postponements The latest coronavirus numbers in NY Sign up for the Times Union coronavirus newsletter Full coronavirus coverage The organization is scheduling appointments and time slots to avoid high-density gatherings for certain services, such as laundry and shower programs at the Salvation Army in Saratoga Springs, and food pickup at the The Food Pantries for the Capital District. Capital City Rescue Mission, a shelter located on South Pearl Street in Albany, is adding health screening services for the people they serve. As of now, there have not been any cases of COVID-19 among the mission's clients. "We are continuing to feed and shelter the homeless because they have no other place to go," Executive Director Perry Jones said. The dine-in services at the facility remain open for now, Jones said, and bagged meals are available as always. The beds in residential areas will be placed head-to-toe, rather than head-to-head, "so people aren't breathing on each other. The organization is working with Albany County to prepare for when the outbreak worsen . Street Soldiers, a group of volunteers that gathers every Friday in Albany to share food and basic necessities with the homeless and needy, is adjusting its operations as well. Renee and Mike Fahey, who started the group, are having volunteers stagger their time to limit the number of people gathered to no more than 10 at a time. Other volunteers are also prepared to do curb-side drop offs if necessary, Renee said. Those the organization serves had been able to pick and choose donated items from bins. But now the group is going to prepare bags containing donated items ahead of time. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. But Renee Fahey is particularly concerned about having supplies for the homeless and giving them a way to socialize. "It definitely is putting a damper on mental health," she said. "They come for the conversation and just asking them how their week is. That connection is so important, they need to know they're cared about and they are important. Likewise, the Salvation Army locations are ensuring care for the emotional and mental health of the people they serve. Help local organizations The organizations mentioned in this article are looking for money, supply and food donations. Street Soldiers: Drop off food, clothes and other essential items at 12 Hoffman St., Selkirk, NY. Salvation Army: Visit https://empire.salvationarmy.org/EmpireNY/Home to donate. The Food Pantries of the Capital District is mainly looking for money donations, as well as volunteers. Visit http://www.thefoodpantries.org. Capital City Rescue Mission is accepting food and clothing donations in person at 259 S. Pearl St. in Albany, NY, and at https://capitalcityrescuemission.org. See More Collapse Samuel Brumsey, assistant director of operation for the Albany location, said they are offering live broadcasting of church services for people who can't get out of the house. Their building is still open for people who need to talk. The Saratoga Springs location has men's and women's group programs throughout the week for people who struggle with mental health issues. "We are just using social media as much as possible FaceTime and texting and calls so they can have that human interaction," Barker said. "That's huge, especially for our ladies' group. They crave that positive interaction they don't get it in a lot of places in their lives. Organizations are also bracing for an increase in demand for their services as the pandemic takes financial hits on many families. We're very concerned about people who are not able to work because the schools have closed, and we're very concerned for the workers who are not having an opportunity to work because businesses are hurting and closing down, said Natasha Pernicka, executive director of The Food Pantries. I think this crisis is going to show many people are one paycheck away from having a financial crisis." E25Bio, a developer of rapid diagnostic tests for dangerous infectious diseases, announced this morning that it has raised a $2 million financing from storied VC firm Khosla Ventures. Subscribe to the Crunchbase Daily The 2-year-old Cambridge, Massachusetts startup is based out of The Engine at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and had been working on developing technology for rapid diagnosis of diseases such as dengue and zika. Now, of course, E25Bio is turning its attention to creating early and accessible tests to diagnose the novel and rapidly-spreading coronavirus, which has caused a global pandemic. Its goal is to be able to distribute more rapid, accurate and affordable detectors for coronavirus that can be distributed at scale across geographies. The startup plans to begin testing on human samples next week. The tests should be available for sale at a cost of less than $30 by late April depending on the regulatory timeline, according to a company spokesperson. We ultimately want to be able to have our tests at hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies (for at-home tests), however we are still exploring the details of potential distribution partnerships, the spokesperson told me via email. E25Bios rapid diagnostic tests use nanoparticle technology to capture virus or viral proteins secreted into the human body. They are based on technology developed by Dr. Irene Bosch and Dr. Lee Gehrke, the Hermann von Helmholtz Professor of Health Sciences and Technology at MIT. The same way a hormone is detected on a pregnancy test, our diagnostics provides doctors and patients with results in 15 minutes or less, said Bosch, who serves as CTO of E25Bio. Fast tracking In the wake of the chaos, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently announced it would fast track diagnostics for the virus through its Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), opening the door for both public and private institutions to attack the problem. Story continues Dr. Bobby Brooke Herrera, co-founder and CEO of E25Bio, said the global public health system will require a concentrated, unified strategy to better respond to the current pandemic. Khosla Ventures founder Vinod Khosla said that in this time of crisis we need every effort to get testing at scale on the market. We are excited about what E25Bio is capable of shipping in a short amount of time: a test that is significantly cheaper, more affordable, and available at-home for consumers without having to rely on primary medical services and can lessen the load on our healthcare systems, he said in a written statement. The new funding will go toward research and development, clinical studies and scaling the companys launch for diagnostic tests upon receiving EUA approval. E25Bio had raised a $2.3 million seed round last August, according to Crunchbase. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- As Jon OConnor drove downtown for Tuesday evenings city commission meeting, he noticed calm and quiet streets -- far from the status quo on a St. Patricks Day in Grand Rapids. Instead of raising a glass and offering cheers to good health, community members were practicing social distancing at home as many gathering places were forced to close amid coronavirus COVID-19 fears. OConnor, a First Ward city commissioner and co-owner of Long Road Distillers, knows the struggle that small businesses owners and their employees are dealing with first-hand as bars and restaurants were ordered by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to temporarily close dine-in services. And OConnor is asking community members to consider supporting small businesses, where possible, during this health emergency. I think about all the small businesses and not just the businesses but the employees, the serve workers out there who wont be sharing in your purchases and your tips and your revelry tonight, he said during the city commission meeting Tuesday evening, March 17. Thats going to continue on for some period of time ... I ask you to think, as you spend your dollars, about spending them locally. Spend them with small businesses in Grand Rapids. Not acting in a panic but doing so to help all those people get by. Long Road Distillers co-owners Kyle VanStrien, left, and Jon O'Connor, in Grand Haven on Thursday, July 11, 2019. Kayla Renie | MLive.com A day earlier, OConnor and his business partner, Kyle VanStrien, made the difficult decision to temporarily lay off their entire Long Road Distillers staff. The move followed the governors executive order in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, and allowed the staff to access unemployment benefits in the interim. The city commissioner thanked the governor for her forward thinking. Even so, OConnor said he has heard several of his employees say theyve had difficulty navigating the states overwhelmed unemployment system. Theres a very significant amount of people right now who dont have customers and dont have a job, OConnor said. If you can, do what you can to help the people out who dont have access to an income right now. An Instagram page -- gr_support_local -- was created earlier this week to point residents toward local businesses that are offering carry-out or delivery options while the ban remains. As of Wednesday afternoon, there were almost 60 posts that included the name of a business, what its offering during the dine-in ban, and contact information for the business. To close Tuesdays evening meeting, Commissioner Senita Lenear echoed OConnors comments. Were experiencing uncharted territory and Im just appreciate of all people who have come together throughout this city, throughout the state and even the nation to try and combat this COVID-19 in our nation and across the world, she said. Every person will be impacted in some way, shape or form. This is a time for unity. Read more on MLive: Wednesday, March 18: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan Grand Rapids increases city managers spending power during coronavirus crisis Drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants resolution taken up in Grand Rapids Recreational marijuana business cant come to Grand Rapids until at least late 2020 As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ Terahertz waves are becoming ever more important in science and technology. They enable us to unravel the properties of future materials, test the quality of automotive paint and screen envelopes. But generating these waves is still a challenge. A team at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), TU Dresden and the University of Konstanz has now made significant progress. The researchers have developed a germanium component that generates short terahertz pulses with an advantageous property: the pulses have an extreme broadband spectrum and thus deliver many different terahertz frequencies at the same time. As it has been possible to manufacture the component employing methods already used in the semiconductor industry, the development promises a broad range of applications in research and technology, as the team reports in the journal Light: Science & Applications (DOI: 10.1038/s41377-020-0265-4). Just like light, terahertz waves are categorized as electromagnetic radiation. In the spectrum, they fall right between microwaves and infrared radiation. But while microwaves and infrared radiation have long since entered our everyday lives, terahertz waves are only just beginning to be used. The reason is that experts have only been able to construct reasonably acceptable sources for terahertz waves since the beginning of the 2000s. But these transmitters are still not perfect they are relatively large and expensive, and the radiation they emit does not always have the desired properties. One of the established generation methods is based on a gallium-arsenide crystal. If this semiconductor crystal is irradiated with short laser pulses, gallium arsenide charge carriers are formed. These charges are accelerated by applying voltage which enforces the generation of a terahertz wave basically the same mechanism as in a VHF transmitter mast where moving charges produce radio waves. However, this method has a number of drawbacks: It can only be operated with relatively expensive special lasers, explains HZDR physicist Dr. Harald Schneider. With standard lasers of the type we use for fiber-optic communications, it doesnt work. Another shortcoming is that gallium-arsenide crystals only deliver relatively narrowband terahertz pulses and thus a restricted frequency range which significantly limits the application area. Precious metal implants That is why Schneider and his team are placing their bets on another material the semiconductor germanium. With germanium we can use less expensive lasers known as fiber lasers, says Schneider. Besides, germanium crystals are very transparent and thus facilitate the emission of very broadband pulses. But, so far, they have had a problem: If you irradiate pure germanium with a short laser pulse, it takes several microseconds before the electrical charge in the semiconductor disappears. Only then can the crystal absorb the next laser pulse. Today's lasers, however, can fire off their pulses at intervals of a few dozen nanoseconds - a sequence of shots far too fast for germanium. In order to overcome this difficulty, experts searched for a way of making the electrical charges in the germanium vanish more quickly. And they found the answer in a prominent precious metal gold. We used an ion accelerator to shoot gold atoms into a germanium crystal, explains Schneiders colleague, Dr. Abhishek Singh. The gold penetrated the crystal to a depth of 100 nanometers. The scientists then heated the crystal for several hours at 900 degrees Celsius. The heat treatment ensured the gold atoms were evenly distributed in the germanium crystal. Success kicked in when the team illuminated the peppered germanium with ultrashort laser pulses: instead of hanging around in the crystal for several microseconds, the electrical charge carriers disappeared again in under two nanoseconds about thousand times faster than before. Figuratively speaking, the gold works like a trap, helping to catch and neutralize the charges. Now the germanium crystal can be bombarded with laser pulses at a high repetition rate and still function, Singh is pleased to report. Inexpensive manufacture possible The new method facilitates terahertz pulses with an extremely broad bandwidth: instead of 7 terahertz using the established gallium-arsenide technique, it is now ten times greater 70 terahertz. We get a broad, continuous, gapless spectrum in one fell swoop, Harald Schneider enthuses. This means we have a really versatile source at hand that can be used for the most diverse applications. Another benefit is that, effectively, germanium components can be processed with the same technology that is used for microchips. Unlike gallium arsenide, germanium is silicon compatible, Schneider notes. And as the new components can be operated together with standard fiber-optic lasers, you could make the technology fairly compact and inexpensive. This should turn gold-doped germanium into an interesting option not just for scientific applications, such as the detailed analysis of innovative two-dimensional materials such as graphene, but also for applications in medicine and environmental technology. One could imagine sensors, for instance, that trace certain gases in the atmosphere by means of their terahertz spectrum. Todays terahertz sources are still too expensive for the purpose. The new methods, developed in Dresden-Rossendorf, could help to make environmental sensors like this much cheaper in the future. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram Nairobi, March 18, 2020 Authorities in Ethiopia should immediately and unconditionally release journalists Dessu Dulla and Wako Nole and media worker Ismael Abdulrzaq, and let them work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On March 7, police arrested Dessu, deputy director of the privately owned Oromia News Network broadcaster, Ismael, a driver for the station, and Wako, a reporter with the Sagalee Bilisummaa Oromoo radio broadcaster, in Burayu, a town in the Oromia region, according to Muhammed Regassa and Betie Urgessa, two Oromia News Network employees who spoke to CPJ via messaging app, and an eyewitness to the arrests who spoke to CPJ on the condition of anonymity, citing safety concerns. Betie told CPJ that the three appeared in court on March 10, and that police were granted 14 days to hold them in custody, but said they were not charged with any crime. Holding journalists for weeks without charge is a violation of their basic rights and a clear effort to intimidate the press; Ethiopia must release Dessu Dulla, Wako Nole, and Ismael Abdulrzaq immediately, said CPJ Sub-Saharan Africa representative Muthoki Mumo. Journalists must be allowed to cover regional politics without official interference or fear that they will be arbitrarily arrested. Police arrested the journalists and driver shortly after they left the Burayu police station, where they had traveled to speak with Abdi Regassa, a senior member of the opposition Oromo Liberation Front political party, who was detained there, according to Muhammed, Betie, and the eyewitness. Two Oromo Liberation Front party members who were visiting Abdi were also arrested, those sources said. The eyewitness told CPJ that he heard a police officer shouting that the journalists had taken pictures on their phones before they arrested them and added that officers were likely uncomfortable with the journalists visiting Abdi Regassa. Prior to 2018, Abdi was a commander in the liberation fronts armed wing while it operated from exile and was designated a terror organization; police initially denied having him in custody, according to a report by the privately owned news site Addis Standard. The Oromia News Network vehicle was involved in a minor road accident at the scene, but those sources told CPJ that it was unrelated to the arrests. Police are still holding the vehicle, Betie told CPJ. The Oromia News Network, which operated in exile until 2018, primarily covers politics and is targeted at an Afaan Oromo-speaking audience; Sagalee Bilisummaa Oromoo, which broadcasts some of its programming on the news network, hosts programming that is supportive of the Oromo Liberation Front and also covers regional news, according to Muhammed and Betie, as well as CPJs review of the broadcasters content. In a phone interview on March 10, Oromia regional government spokesperson Getachew Balcha told CPJ that he did not know anything about the journalists arrests. Getachew later acknowledged their detention in an interview with the U.S. Congress-funded Voice of America broadcaster, but said that they were arrested due to prior offenses. Getachew referred CPJ to the head of the Oromia Peace and Security Bureau, identified as Mr. Jibril, for comment. Jibril told CPJ in a phone interview yesterday that he did not know about the journalists cases. 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. Washington: President Donald Trump said in a media conference on Tuesday that he supports a bailout for Boeing, which has been reeling from the combined economic fallout of the global pandemic and a prolonged safety crisis involving its flagship commercial jetliner. Without providing details on a bailout package the president said "we'll be helping Boeing," which previously confirmed it was in discussions with top government officials about short-term access to cash. Boeing's stock price has lost 44 per cent of its value in the past five days alone. Boeing's share price has shed 44 per cent in five days. Credit:Bloomberg Trump alluded to troubles with the 737 Max jet, which has been grounded for more than a year after equipment problems played a role in two deadly crashes. "It was unthinkable what happened to Boeing.... unthinkable," Trump told reporters. "Probably I would [have] considered it the greatest company in the world prior to a year ago now they get hit 15 different ways. They were doing a getting... it was coming along well and then all of a sudden this hits. So we'll be helping Boeing." While Gov. Andrew Cuomo was announcing a state of emergency for New York, he also revealed that there are only 53,000 hospital beds and just 3,000 ICU beds in New York state. Twenty thousand of those beds are in New York City, serving a population of more than 8 million people. During my service on Community Board 1 (as a member and as the chair) I have consistently called for a New York City-run hospital to be built on Staten Island. Year after year, we included it in our statement of needs and budget requests. And, year after year, we were turned down because there werent enough funds to construct a full-blown hospital. Instead of beating a dead horse, we took a different approach. We asked for NYC Health and Hospital Corporation to provide Staten Islands hospitals with 20% of the HHC budget to help us service our more than 500,000 residents. Again, HHC denied our request but, with consistent pressure from CB 1 and Councilwoman Debi Rose, it did finally complete the full service clinic - Gotham Health on Vanderbilt and Tompkins Avenue - which had been stalled for decades, despite our population experiencing consistent growth year after year. Now that we are facing an unprecedented health crisis, we find ourselves with a shortage of hospital beds and ventilators throughout New York City and New York state. I pray to God that quarantine measures and expedient testing will result in no lives being lost due to a shortage of hospital beds, but once the dust settles and we get through the worst of this pandemic, we must plan to construct one or more New York City-run health care facilities on Staten Island. Because the healthcare industry is changing, the facilities do not have to be full-blown hospitals, but they should have the ability to offer cardiac, respiratory and renal care. The time for action is now, before the FY 21 budget is adopted. This is no longer a matter of Staten Island being the forgotten borough -- it is a matter of life and death for all New York City residents. (Leticia Remauro, is a former member and chairwoman of Community Board 1.) (Photo : KCNA on Reuters ) North Korea Boasts ZERO Coronavirus Case After Reportedly Shooting COVID-19 Patient; Experts Left Doubtful (Photo : KYODO on Reuters) North Korea Boasts ZERO Coronavirus Case After Reportedly Shooting COVID-19 Patient; Experts Left Doubtful North Korea has now officially stated that their country is still Coronavirus-free. This is despite the massive impact of the viral disease to its neighboring countries like South Korea and China. Though the country already informs everyone, experts do not yet believe that this is possible, especially with North Korea's issue of allegedly shooting a COVID-19 patient and its poor health status. This country claims to be Coronavirus-Free, but experts doubt it As reported via the Daily Mail U.K., North Korean leader Kim Jong Un already announced that the country still has no positive case of Coronavirus disease, as of today. The government of Un said that the strict implementation of 30-day quarantine, closing all their borders, and the suspension of North Korea's trade with China; made their country free from the virus. This is a different angle from what most news sites, including Tech Times, reported last Feb. 13. North Korea was under scrutiny back then when reports said that the government had killed their first potential COVID-19 carrier using a gun. The North Korean man was not identified but said to be an official from the government that came back from China. Though it seemed to be a piece of good news for North Korea since they are still free from COVID-19, experts still claim that this announcement was only a cover-up from what's really happening in the military country. Is North Korea hiding their Coronavirus bodies from the Media? Fox News reported earlier this week that Un possibly keeps all the information about their Coronavirus cases, and the claim of not being a victim of one might also be false. Jung H. Pak, a former CIA analyst on North Korea, said on the news agency, that Un might just be covering the health issue to protect his dignity as a leader and to draw away all the issues of human rights violation and economy problems that are currently happening in the country. "It's impossible for North Korea not to have a single case of coronavirus," he told Fox News. General Robert Abrams, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, also supported Pak's claim and said that nothing is currently sure about the country. Still, there are higher chances that they were already infected with the disease. "It is a closed-off nation, so we can't say emphatically that they have cases, but we're fairly certain they do," Abrams said. "What I do know is that their armed forces had been fundamentally in lockdown for about 30 days, and only recently have they started routine training again. As one example, they didn't fly an airplane for 24 days." As of now, the neighboring countries of N. Korea, such as South Korea, already have over 8,000 positive victims and over 80 deaths, while China still has the highest rate of 80,894 positive cases and over 3,000 deaths. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Car insurance quotes can help drivers save time and money. Furthermore, the best way to get them is by visiting a brokerage website, said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. Compare-autoinsurance.org has launched a new blog post that presents some important information drivers should know about car insurance quotes. 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This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. A total of 337 Indian prisoners, including fishermen, are believed to be in Pakistan's custody, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said on Wednesday in the Lok Sabha. The neighbouring country has acknowledged the custody of 261 of them, he said. In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, the minister said 270 Indian fishermen have been in Pakistan's custody for less than five years. However, Pakistan has, so far acknowledged the custody of 207 Indian fishermen, Muraleedharan said. In a written reply to a separate question, the minister said India desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan. "Our consistent position is that issues, if any, between India and Pakistan should be resolved bilaterally and peacefully, in an atmosphere free of terror, hostility and violence," he said. "The onus is on Pakistan to create such a conducive atmosphere, including by taking credible, verifiable and irreversible action to not allow any territory under its control to be used for cross-border terrorism against India in any manner," Muraleedharan said. He said as a result of "persistent efforts", the Indian government has been successful in securing the release and repatriation of 2,100 Indian fishermen, from Pakistan's custody since 2014. Thirty-four other Indian civilians have spent less than five years in Pakistan's prisons, the minister mentioned. "As per available information, 337 Indian prisoners, including fishermen, are believed to be in Pakistan's custody. "However, as per the lists exchanged between the Governments of India and Pakistan on January 1 ,2020, Pakistan has acknowledged the custody of 261 Indian prisoners, including fishermen, in its custody," he said. Muraleedharan said 19 Indian civilians have spent between five to 10 years in Pakistan's prisons, 11 Indians have spent 10-15 years and three Indians have spent more than 15 years. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) First things first! Coronavirus is real. Coronavirus is not new. This strain is more viral than its predecessors. Please follow all precautionary measures released HERE. See image HERE. Having said that, in response to inquiries about what the spiritual community is saying, here is a link to some of today's prophetic voices. Steve Shultz: I'm SO encouraged; Despite CoronaVirus, Here's What God's Prophets are Saying Also, here is my message from President Trump's March National Day of Prayer. As we go to places we need to access for basic human needs: your doctors, food supplies, sources of spiritual fulfillment, remember to practice social distancing. But do not forsake the needs of the human body, soul and spirit. And remember AGAPE love never fails. See: 1 Corinthians 13:13 MSG Finally, somebody sent me this information on WhatsApp. Again, Coronavirus is real. Proceed with wisdom. Don't panic; Pray. Faith trumps fear every time. [14/03, 13:18] Calistos Kiambo: Sources: University of Hamburg data Abortion Statistics - Worldometer The number of deaths in the world in the first two months of 2020 https://www.worldometers.info/abortions/ or http://www.numberofabortions.com/ 8,000,000: Abortions Abortion Statistics - Worldometer University of Hamburg: 2360: Corona virus 69602: Common cold 140 584: Malaria 153,696: suicide 193,479: road accidents 240,950: HIV loss 358,471: alcohol 716,498: smoking 1,177,141: Cancer Then do you think Corona is dangerous? Or is the purpose of the media campaign to settle the trade war between China and America or to reduce financial markets to prepare the stage of financial markets for mergers and acquisitions or to sell US Treasury bonds to cover the fiscal deficit in them or is it a Panic created by Pharma companies to sell their products like sanitizer, masks, medicine etc. Do not Panic & don't forward Rumors. [14/03, 13:18] Calistos Kiambo: I am posting this to balance your newsfeed from posts that caused fear and panic. 82,000 People are sick with Coronavirus at the moment, of which 77,000 are in China. With a population of over 1.1 billion. This means that if you are not in or haven't recently visited China, this should eliminate 94% of your concern. If you do contract Coronavirus, this still is not a cause for panic because: 81% of the Cases are MILD 14% of the Cases are MODERATE Only 5% of the Cases are CRITICAL Which means that even if you do get the virus, you are most likely to recover from it. Some have said, "but this is worse than SARS!." SARS had a fatality rate of 10% while COVID-19 has a fatality rate of 2%. Moreover, looking at the ages of those who are dying of this virus, the death rate for the people UNDER 50 years of age is only 0.2% This means that: if you are under 50 years of age and don't live in China - you are more likely to win the lottery (which has a 1 in 45,000,000 chance) Let's take one of the worst days so far, the 10th of February, when 108 people in CHINA died of Coronavirus. On the same day: 26,283 people died of Cancer 24,641 people died of Heart Disease 4,300 people died of Diabetes Suicide took 28 times more lives than the virus did. Mosquitoes kill 2,740 people every day, HUMANS kill 1,300 fellow humans every day, and Snakes kill 137 people every day. (Sharks kill 2 people a year) TAKE MULTI VITAMINS AND DO THE DAILY THINGS TO SUPPORT YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM, PROPER HYGIENE AND DO NOT LIVE IN FEAR. SHARE TO STOP PANIC! Listen to the latest episode at this link, or on your favorite app including Alexa, Apple, Google, Spotify and Stitcher. Episodes are available every morning on PennLive. Subscribe/Follow and rate the podcast via your favorite app. Today in Pa. Daily Podcast | March 18, 2020 Mass testing sites for the coronavirus are set to open in Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, concerns about COVID-19 lead the Philadelphia police to stop be arresting people for nonviolent crimes like prostitution in an effort to keep the prison population low. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor is working hard to ensure that those without jobs because of the pandemic can get unemployment benefits quickly. And, in a historical move, Pennsylvania is getting its first ever girls wrestling team. Those are the stories we are covering in the latest episode of Today in Pa, a daily weekday podcast from PennLive.com and hosted by Julia Hatmaker. Today in Pa is dedicated to sharing the most important and interesting stories in the state. Todays episode refers to the following article that is not coronavirus related: Todays episode refers to the following articles that are coronavirus related: Want the latest on COVID-19 in Pennsylvania? 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. If you enjoy Today in Pa, consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or on Amazon. Reviews help others find the show and, besides, we like to know what you think of the program. 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. The call also covers Hong Kong and Macao. New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal the newspapers affected. An attack on the "one country, two systems" principle. Its an all-out clash between the two superpowers. Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Chinese government has expelled journalists from three well-known US newspapers. The ban, which also affects Hong Kong and Macau, deals another blow to freedom of speech in China. Man believe that the state censorship imposed during the coronavirus crisis favored the spread of the infection. The expulsion order affects The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) staff. It is a retaliation for the Trump administration's restrictions on Chinese media in the United States in recent days. The measures desired by the US government responded in turn to the removal of three WSJ journalists from China. According to democracy and trade representatives in Hong Kong, Beijing's move is a clear violation of the "one country, two systems" principle, which has governed relations between the autonomous city and the Chinese government since 1997, the year in which the former British colony returned to the Chinese motherland. Under the agreements with London, Hong Kong can maintain its system of freedom (political, social and economic) until 2047. In this sense, the democratic deputies of the city denounce that it is the local immigration office that must decide on the entry of foreign nationals, not the Beijing Foreign Ministry - unless they are diplomatic staff. Last year, the three US newspapers gave great emphasis and coverage to the protests of the democratic movement in Hong Kong, in particular the brutal way in which city police often tried to suppress them. However, the calls for greater freedom of speech and expression are coming not only from Hong Kong, but also from China. From Wuhan's doctors, to well-known intellectuals such as Xu Zhiyong, Xu Zhangrun and He Weifang, many in the country criticize the regime for having covered up the truth about the spread of Covid-19: They believe a free press would have saved many more human lives. Analysts say the Beijing decision opens another chapter in its confrontation with Washington. The two superpowers are already struggling with a trade and technology war, and with naval skirmishes in the South China Sea and along the Taiwan Strait. Jameela Jamil attends the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center on January 26, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for The Recording Academy) Vanessa Hudgens arrives at the premiere of Columbia Pictures' "Bad Boys For Life" at TCL Chinese Theatre on January 14, 2020 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) "It was taken out of context," wrote actress Vanessa Hudgens in an apology note for her comments on the coronavirus. In a video recorded on her Instagram Stories just hours before, she spoke at length about her feelings on COVID-19 quarantining in which she said that people's deaths were "inevitable". Hudgens is self-isolating at her Los Angeles home per US government directives and said it sounded like "some bulls**t" that a suggested timeline of quarantine could extend to July. "Umm, yeah, 'til July sounds like a bunch of bulls**t," she said. "I'm sorry, but like, it's a virus, I get it, like, I respect it, but at the same time I'm like, even if everybody gets it, like yeah, people are going to die, which is terrible but like, inevitable?" Hours later - during which she was called "heartless", "cruel" and "insensitive" online - she responded in her own defence with the same medium through which she spread her initial message: Instagram Stories. Despite recording and publishing the information herself, and keeping the original Story visible to her followers, she said her quotes were "taken out of context". It was a classic move from the Celebrity Apology Tour Handbook, and she joins the great celebrity apologists hall of fame. Expand Close Jameela Jamil attends the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center on January 26, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for The Recording Academy) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jameela Jamil attends the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center on January 26, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for The Recording Academy) Lena Dunham hit fresh controversy in 2017 when she stood by a writer on her show Girls - Murray Miller - saying she didn't believe he was capable of assaulting actress Aurora Perrineau. Later, she admitted to lying in order to help discredit Ms Perrineau's rape accusation. In 2018, she wrote an op-ed in the Hollywood Reporter entitled 'My Apology to Aurora' in which she wrote that she considered Miller to be like a brother to her and said she never realised she would be hurting his accuser so deeply by denying her story. "I didn't have the 'insider information' I claimed but rather blind faith in a story that kept slipping and changing and revealed itself to mean nothing at all," she wrote. "I wanted to feel my workplace and my world were safe, untouched by the outside world (a privilege in and of itself, the privilege of ignoring what hasn't hurt you) and I claimed that safety at cost to someone else, someone very special." Kevin Spacey was widely criticised for choosing his coming out moment as a response to being accused of sexual assault by several men. This story has encouraged me to address other things about my life, Spacey wrote in 2017. I know that there are stories out there about me and that some have been fuelled by the fact that I have been so protective of my privacy. Video of the Day "As those closest to me know, in my life I have had relationships with both men and women. I have loved and had romantic encounters with men throughout my life, and I choose now to live as a gay man. Jameela Jamil found herself enraptured in fresh controversy in recent months after she was criticised when it was announced she would be judging a show vogueing - a form of dance dating back to 1980s New York founded by black gay men - and she used the moment to say she identifies as queer. "I kept it low because I was scared of the pain of being accused of performative bandwagon jumping, over something that caused me a lot of confusion, fear and turmoil when I was a kid," she said. What followed was an ugly battle of Jameela vs The Internet in which her fans dutifully supported her, and critics expressed doubts about her authenticity. But when it comes to celebrity apologies go, few can reach the levels of drama that YouTubers possess. When Logan Paul posted a video of a dead body on his channel in Japan's 'suicide forest', he promised to "be better" in an apology video simply entitled "So Sorry". "I should have never posted the video. I should have put the cameras down and stopped recording what we were going through," he said. "I want to apologise to the internet. I want to apologise to anyone who has seen the video. I want to apologise to anyone who has been affected or touched by mental illness, or depression, or suicide. But most importantly I want to apologise to the victim and his family. Like I said I made a huge mistake. I dont expect to be forgiven, Im just here to apologise." YouTubers tend to be normal people whose fame, although orchestrated, is not managed in the same way that an actor auditioning for years is. Their fame is usually quick and intense, and their apologies have become something on an artform. They are more susceptible to old tweets resurfacing - including Nikita Dragon's 2012 tweet about paedophilia and Tana Mongeau using the n-word. Most recently, James Charles enjoyed mainstream fame for the first time thanks to a feud with his former mentor Tati Westbrook over a fight about him promoting a brand of gummy vitamins. Yes, really. The main thrust of her rant was her assertion that Charles has no respect for other people in the industry. She also made a series of other detailed claims about his alleged behaviour. I hate knowing that I disappointed not only (my fans), but two people that have been role models for me doing this, he said of Westbrook and her husband. What sucks the most is that I know theres nothing I can say or do to ever earn that friendship or trust back but I dont blame them for it. Expand Close Tati and James Charles / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tati and James Charles A lot of the time when Ive had to address things in the past, Ive acted out of impulse and Ive gone off and tried to pull receipts or facts or screenshots and play the victim and Im not doing that today, Im not. That is all I have to say, Im sorry. The video is one of the most downvoted in YouTube history. Four Pakistan Army personnel, including an officer, and seven terrorists were killed in an exchange of fire on Wednesday after security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in northwest Pakistan, the army said. Acting on a tip-off, security forces launched the operation in Datta Khel area of North Waziristan district bordering Afghanistan. In the intense exchange of fire, seven terrorists and four army personnel soldiers, including an officer of Lieutenant rank, were killed, the army said in a press statement. The officer was identified as Agha Muqaddas Ali Khan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) City lights up in Irish green By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2020-03-18 17:22 March 17 marks St. Patricks Day. Each year, Tourism Ireland organizes a Global Greening campaign, lighting up landmarks worldwide to celebrate the festival in different countries. In Shanghai, the campaign has been running since 2016. But this year, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, it is using a unique way to cheer up Shanghai and China. Stay Strong China Stay Strong Shanghai Ireland China. The Citibank building in Lujiazui lit up with these messages in green neon on the evening of March 17. Green is a symbol of Ireland (or as they call it the Emerald Isle) and also represents spring, life and hope. In this way, Ireland wanted to showcase its solidarity with China amid the epidemic, which has turned into a global pandemic. On the sightseeing platform on the Bund, the Consul General of Ireland in Shanghai, Therese Healy, and Sha Hailin, chairman of the Shanghai Peoples Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (SPAFFC), witnessed the lighting. Sha expressed his gratitude to all sectors of Ireland for their support for China's anti-epidemic measures. Ms. Healy, while appreciating Shanghai's prevention and control measures and their effectiveness, said that so far no Irish residents in Shanghai had contracted the coronavirus and the Irish community felt safe in the city. The novel coronavirus has been spreading in many countries. In the face of the pandemic, humankind shares a common destiny. As Ms. Healy said, the key lies in information sharing and peoples solidarity with each other. Ireland is willing to learn from Shanghais experience in COVID-19s prevention and control and the citys emergency management, with officials from China and Ireland at the World Health Organization maintaining regular communication. The Irish government also donated half a million euros to the WHO as part of global efforts to control the spread of coronavirus. In Ms. Healys belief, it is also crucial to show solidarity, even if through a message. The pandemic is a personal experience as it affects everyone, so it is important to know that your friends are supporting and praying for you. Health is wealth, said the Consul General to both her Chinese and Irish friends. Keep up your strength. Keep up your sense that this crisis will pass. Everybody is doing their best. Try to stay [at home]. Do what is right. Follow the regulations and wash your hands. This year, to celebrate St. Patricks Day and Sino-Irish friendship, Tourism Ireland has also made a video, in which, apart from Therese Healy and Sha Hailin, the Irish Ambassador to China Eoin O'Leary, CEO of Tourism Ireland Niall Gibbons, and people from both countries, send messages of hope to the Chinese in combating the novel coronavirus. Current chair of the group of 20 major economies wants to discuss health emergency next week amid economic worries. Saudi Arabia plans to convene a virtual summit next week, bringing together the leaders from the Group of 20 major economies (G20) to address the coronavirus pandemic, as it also takes more drastic measures to contain the spread of the illness within the kingdom. Early on Wednesday, the country announced that mosques would no longer be open for the customary five daily prayers or Friday congregations, following the death of at least 171 coronavirus patients. It also suspended work in the private sector except health and food services for 15 days, the state news agency reported early on Wednesday. The extraordinary virtual leaders summit next week will put forward a coordinated set of policies to protect people and safeguard the global economy. The US-allied Gulf states have registered more than 1,000 cases, many linked to travel to neighbouring Iran, an epicentre for the outbreak in the Middle East. Oman, which reported nine new cases for a total of 33, is also closing mosques, restaurants, coffee shops, tourist sites, traditional markets and malls starting from Wednesday at midday. Grocery stores and pharmacies will remain open. It will bar foreigners from entering and nationals from leaving, state television said. Qatar, with three new cases bringing its total to 442, likewise closed shops not selling food or pharmaceuticals, and closed part of an industrial zone for at least two weeks, a government spokeswoman said. Saudi Arabia has taken drastic steps to try and slow down the spread of the virus, including suspending the Umrah pilgrimage, halting international flights, and closing schools and most public establishments. Prayers will continue only at the two holy mosques in Mecca and Medina, the holiest places in Islam, state news agency SPA reported, citing the kingdoms top clerical body. Mosque doors will close, and the ritual call to prayer will direct people to pray at home. The kingdom previously suspended work for government employees, except in the health, military and security sectors. The central bank said it had activated business continuity plans and work-from-home measures for financial institutions. The Council of Ministers postponed its regular meetings for two weeks, media reported. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), meanwhile, registered 15 new cases, raising its total to 113. UPDATE 3/19: On Thursday night, Gov. Gavin Newsom extended the shelter-in-place order to all of California. With shelter-in-place orders in effect in seven Bay Area counties, many people are now trying to sort out what they can and can't do. Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Sonoma and Santa Clara counties are asking residents to stay home except for essential needs, such as getting food or going to the doctor. Stepping outside for fresh air or exercise is permitted as long as your walk or run is not done in a group, and you stay at least six feet apart from others. Does this mean you could leave your county to go to the grocery store, to go on a hike, or to head out of town entirely if you're lucky enough to own a vacation home? The seven counties worked together to create their orders, and they're all worded very similarly. In regards to leaving your home under an order, they say travel out of the county is allowed "only to perform 'essential activities,' operate 'essential businesses,' or to maintain 'essential governmental functions,' as those terms are defined in the Order. Otherwise, the answer is 'no' because that travel puts you and others in the community at risk. ALSO: Can you ride your bike in counties with shelter-in-place orders? Shopping for food and exercise are both considered "essential activities," but Andy Lynch, a spokesperson for San Francisco Mayor London Breed's office, said this is where people need to use their best judgement. "The main spirit of the order is, to the extent possible, you should remain at home," Lynch said. "Just because something is allowable doesnt mean you should do it. This is about preventing the spread of whats a highly transmittable disease." "The order allows travel out of the county only for essential reasons," he said. "You can only leave the county for an essential job or essential government businesses." Andy added that going on a hike outside of your county for exercise violates the spirit of the order because it is not necessary to leave your county to go on a hike. Leaving the county entirely to go to your vacation home is not permitted because you could contribute to the spread of the virus. At a news conference in San Francisco on Monday, Dr. Grant Colfax, the head of the Department of Public Health, specifically said non-essential travel is restricted under the order and that people who leave San Francisco on vacation would be violating the order, but people who were already outside the area before the order went into effect could return home. "People who leave the county during this time -- except for essential travel -- would be out of compliance with the order, said Colfax. What happens if you do leave your county? Police Chief Bill Scott said at the news conference that violations of the order are punishable by a misdemeanor, but that is an absolute last resort. We are going to take a compassionate, common-sense approach, Scott said. We are looking for voluntary compliance. ALSO: Study: Coronavirus droplets from a cough can float in still air for 3 hours COVID-19 is a new virus and scientists are still working to understand it, but preliminary research suggests it's highly contagious and is spread mainly through person-to-person contact. It can also be spread through microscopic respiratory droplets emitted when an infected person coughs. A recent study by the National Institute for Health, CDC, UCLA and Princeton University published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that a single cough could produce up to 3,000 ultra-fine droplets that can float for several hours in still air. Do you have a question about the shelter-in-place orders? Email agraff@sfgate.com and we can try to get your question answered. 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. (Bloomberg Opinion) -- Debt investors seem to believe that telecoms equipment maker Huawei Technologies Co. could make a better bet in troubled times than its national peers, including Chinas two biggest internet companies. While the Bloomberg Barclays Index of high-yield U.S.-dollar Chinese bonds has dropped 6.2% over the past month, Huaweis 2026 debt has climbed 1.2% and its 2027 notes are up 0.1%. Thats better short-term performance than both Tencent Holdings Ltd., Chinas biggest social media company, and e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. At the heart of this relative optimism is the knowledge that while a private company, Huawei is cushioned from short-term consumer sentiment and economic shocks by its dominant domestic position. Its the leading supplier of equipment used in communications networks, and the largest vendor of smartphones. No matter what happens around the world, Huawei has a home market that still needs its gear as part of Chinas strategically important, long-term 5G mobile rollout. The same must-have factor doesnt apply to the major internet companies, which are both highly reliant on short-term consumer spending. Debt investors are pricing that difference. The price of Tencent bonds due in 2026 has climbed 0.5% over the same period, while Alibaba bonds for 2027 are down 3.4%. Its worth noting that Tencent and Alibaba are both rated A+ by Standard & Poors Financial Services LLC, the agencys third-highest rank, which means theyre part of the investment-grade indexes. A Bloomberg Barclays index for U.S. dollar investment grade debt has climbed 0.5%. Huaweis bonds arent rated, according to Bloomberg data, and are considered high-yield, which puts them in indexes under that category. Weve observed debt investors underlying belief in Huawei before, despite the company facing significant opposition from foreign governments such as the U.S. that deem its equipment a security risk. In October, I noted that four different series of U.S. dollar bonds continued to march upward even as Washington sought to stop Huaweis communications gear from being used in global 5G mobile networks. In fact, it took the global spread of the Covid19 coronavirus to end a 10-month bull run on Huawei bonds, which peaked on March 9. Story continues Huaweis shares arent listed, which means we cant assess equity sentiment. But the view toward Alibaba is clear. Its shares are down 18.6% over the past month as investors come to realize that even Chinas most prominent names wont be able to dodge a slowdown in the global economy. Tencents shares havent fared much better, dropping 15.1%. Having confined themselves largely to their home market, Alibaba and Tencent managed to dodge the trade war with the U.S. and growing concerns over the security of Chinese technology. As a result, sales and profits continue to climb. Huawei, on the other hand, has had its global ambitions thwarted over such fears, hurting revenue. Yet the longer-term picture remains intact because China is determined to build out the worlds most-advanced mobile network, and it cant do so without Huawei. For bond investors, that translates to a relatively good chance it will pay its bills. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg LP and its owners. Tim Culpan is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering technology. He previously covered technology for Bloomberg News. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. A national news broadcast Wednesday showed footage of walkers, joggers and cyclists close together on the Embarcadero, setting off critics who said city residents werent taking the shelter in place order seriously. Residents continued to work out along the waterfront promenade despite orders to put off all but the most urgent errands. But San Francisco officials pushed back against the criticism Thursday, saying residents are free to exercise outside as long as they practice social distancing. The debate was sparked when live video of the waterfront activity played Wednesday on CNN as anchor Jake Tapper and the networks chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, remarked that the outdoor activities may betray a lack of understanding about the severity of the coronavirus pandemic, or an indifference to it. We see a whole bunch of people here who are not distancing. Theyre holding hands and walking down the street and you know, normally, Id say bravo, but this is actually kind of enraging, Tapper said. Many people in San Francisco have clearly not gotten the message. San Francisco and five other Bay Area counties announced mandatory shelter-in-place orders Monday in an attempt to curb the spread of coroanvirus, which is easily transmitted between people, particularly in close quarters. Residents have been ordered to stay in their homes other than to handle essential tasks like obtaining food and medicine. All nonessential businesses, including bars and gyms, have been ordered to close. And restaurants have been forced to close their dining rooms, and accept only take-out or deliver orders. While all nonessential travel, including on foot or by bike, has been suspended, San Francisco officials have reiterated that people are allowed to leave their homes for exercise and fresh air provided they can practice effective social distancing, and keep at least 6 feet away from anyone they dont live with. Tapper and Guptas disdain for some residents apparently flouting the shelter-in-place mandate reflects the confusion that has surrounded the order since it was handed down on Monday. I still really get the impression that people in many places arent taking this seriously, and I think ... thats a problem, Gupta said. What needs to happen in this country is we need to break the cycle of transmission of this virus. And it doesn't look like that, he said, referring to the footage of the Embarcadero. He also expressed concern about social distancing for places that dont have shelter-in-place orders enacted. Phil Ginsburg, general manager of San Franciscos Recreation and Park Department, said in an email that, in addition to being in line with recommendations of health officials, outdoor activities with proper social distancing were critical for mental health and physical well-being.. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. We really need to stay away from some of the outdoor shaming going on right now. The shelter order is written specifically to allow runs, bike rides and walks in our parks because they are good for you and because we trust the citizens to get outside in a way that is safe for themselves and for their neighbors, he said. Perhaps due to chillier temperatures and intermittent showers, the Embarcadero was far less crowded Wednesday afternoon, with walkers and joggers leaving plenty of room for social distancing. Rachael Kagan, a spokeswoman for the citys health department, said people need exercise and fresh air, and there is a way to do that within the confines of the shelter-in-place order. To be clear about time spent outside, it is OK to go outside to walk your dog, or go for a walk, run or a hike, alone or with someone in your household. You can also go outside with someone else, as long as you stay six feet apart, Kagan said. Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com The coronavirus pandemic will last 18 months or more, could come in several waves and cause critical shortages of medicines, equipment, and staff, the government has been warned. A 100-page document, issued Friday as Donald Trump announced a state of emergency, says Washington should close schools and cancel public events to curb the spread of the virus. The missive also urges the President to invoke Korean War-era powers to force industries to respond to the crisis by ramping up production of key items. The coronavirus pandemic will last 18 months or more, could come in several waves and cause critical shortages of medicines, equipment, and staff, the government has been warned A 100-page document, issued Friday as Donald Trump (pictured) announced a state of emergency, says Washington should close schools and cancel public events to curb the spread of the virus Activating the Defense Production Act would force companies to accept and prioritize government contracts for items including ventilators, protective gear for medical workers, medicines and diagnostic tools such as testing kits, the plans says. The document, a copy of which was seen by the New York Times, also warns that state and local government resources will be stretched and less reliable as the crisis goes on. 'These stresses may also increase the challenges of getting updated messages and coordinating guidance to these jurisdictions directly,' it says. On Monday Trump urged Americans to avoid public gatherings of 10 or more people, but stopped short of a federally-enforced ban. While individual states have shuttered schools and universities, there has been no order from Washington to do so yet. And Trump has also avoided invoking the Defense Production Act, despite widespread problems with testing that has been blamed on a lack of kits. Asked Tuesday about invoking the act, Trump said: 'Were able to do that if we have to. Right now, we havent had to, but its certainly ready. 'Well make that decision pretty quickly if we need it. We hope we dont need it. Its a big step.' As of Wednesday morning there were almost 6,500 confirmed coronavirus infections in the US - more than double the 2,300 cases reported on Friday when the plan was issued. Deaths have also climbed above 100, more than double the 48 reported Friday. What the plan does not address is the economic impact of the crisis, which is being felt across the globe as Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin warned that a recession has already begun. Mnuchin told senators in a Tuesday briefing that he believes the economic fallout from the coronavirus is potentially worse than the 2008 financial crisis, Bloomberg reports. He then said that the virus could drive up the unemployment rate to 20 per cent, a level not seen since 1935. The missive also urges the President to invoke Korean War-era powers to force industries to respond to the crisis by ramping up production of key items Mnuchin lawmakers don't provide a swift financial response to wage workers and small- and medium-sized businesses to alleviate the problems. A Treasury Department spokeswoman later denied that Mnuchin was making predictions, and was giving examples of what might happen if no action is taken. '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. '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.' Late Tuesday West Virginia also confirmed its first case of coronavirus, meaning all 50 states have now reported at least one case. Meanwhile seven million Californians have been ordered to shelter in place, countless 'non-essential' businesses have been effectively shuttered and more cities - including in New York - are considering ordering similar measures. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has confirmed that the number of coronavirus cases in the Big Apple has surged to 923 with 10 deaths. 'This is moving very fast. We should all be very concerned about how we find a way to slow down the trajectory of this virus,' de Blasio said. 'The idea of shelter in place now has to be considered.' For the next two weeks, the Trump administration has asked that all Americans practice social distancing, which means avoiding gatherings of 10 or more people. Although it falls short of an order, the new guidelines ask that anyone with even mild symptoms stay home for those two weeks in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. Experts have widely agreed that the US as a whole has surpassed a tipping point in the coronavirus pandemic, and now the infection has spread to all 50 states in the US. As cases surged last week, Trump declared a national state of emergency and Tuesday announced additional measures to expand testing. Now, all US state scan make, validate and use their own tests rather than wait for the FDA's approval. The president also announced that telemedicine must now be covered at no additional costs to publicly insured Americans in an effort to lighten the burden on health care systems and reduce social contact and coronavirus transmission. Still, testing has lagged woefully in the US. As of Tuesday afternoon, less than 50,000 Americans had been tested for the infection, while South Korea and Italy are testing thousands of people per day. Health and state officials have widely blamed the testing shortage for the steep rise in US cases, saying it both delayed public knowledge of just how many cases there were and allowed the disease to continue to spread from unwitting carriers to their families, social contacts and health care workers. The Pentagon is also 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. China's top coronavirus expert has warned that 'herd immunity' will not contain the global outbreak because the disease is too infectious and lethal. The Chinese senior medical adviser rebuked Britain's approach to allow citizens to catch the virus to build up a national tolerance strong enough to stop the disease circulating. 'Herd immunity won't solve the problem,' Dr Zhong Nanshan said in a press conference today. 'We don't have the evidence to prove that if you are infected once, you would be immune for life.' 'Our next step is to develop effective vaccines, which requires global cooperation,' he added. The killer virus has claimed at least 104 lives and infected over 2,600 people in the UK. The Chinese senior medical adviser (pictured) rebuked UK's approach to allow citizens to catch the virus to build up a national tolerance strong enough to stop the virus circulating This comes after China launched its first clinical trials of a coronavirus vaccine on Monday and the researchers said they were prepared for large-scale production. Dr Zhong Nanshan also pointed out there was a lack of preparation for medical workers in Wuhan fighting on the front line, which led to thousands of medics being infected with the virus. He made the remarks at the 46th Coronavirus Prevention Media Conference hosted by the Guangzhou government in Guangdong Province of southern China. It featured a panel of top experts and medics in the country. The leading medical advisor said last week that the current pattern of the outbreaks outside of China was similar to the trajectory of the outbreak in Wuhan in its early days. The picture shows him attending an oath-taking ceremony The picture shows a medic records a patient's condition at Jinyintan Hospital in Wuhan, China The leading medical advisor said last week that the current pattern of the outbreaks outside of China was similar to the trajectory of the outbreak in Wuhan in its early days. He urged nations around the world to step up their efforts to control and prevent the virus in order to defeat the pandemic. Boris Johnson and his team of scientific advisers revealed last Thursday that the aim of the Government's approach is to slow the progress of the virus as it sweeps through the population, rather than following other countries in immediately shutting schools or banning public gatherings. But chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said around 60 per cent of the population - 40 million people - will need to catch the virus to build up a national tolerance strong enough to stop the virus circulating. The Netherlands also announced on Monday that the country would adopt the immunity approach and allow its citizens to contract the virus at a controlled pace. Boris Johnson announced only the most seriously ill will be tested with others who notice symptoms encouraged to self-isolate for 14 days A member of the public is swabbed at a drive through Coronavirus testing site, set up in a car park in Wolverhampton The World Health Organisation has slammed the approach to allow UK citizens to develop 'herd immunity' against the potentially deadly infection. Dr Margaret Harris from WHO slammed the UK's decision to aim for mass immunity, saying that not enough is known about the virus to allow millions to become infected. She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'We don't know enough about the science of this virus, it hasn't been in our population for long enough for us to know what it does in immunological terms. The World Health Organisation's spokesman Dr Margaret Harris has criticised the Government's controversial approach to allow UK citizens to develop 'herd immunity' against coronavirus 'Every virus functions differently in your body and stimulates a different immunological profile. 'We can talk theories, but at the moment we are really facing a situation where we have got to look at action.' But the UK Government is not following the advice of the health chief, instead limiting testing to patients in hospital with serious breathing problems. NHS England had announced an increase in testing capabilities which would allow them to carry out 10,000 tests a day. But after the UK moved from the 'containment' phase to 'delay', the Government accepted millions would be infected and testing was no longer a priority. 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 Supermarkets are cracking down on what shoppers can purchase as panic about the coronavirus epidemic leads to wide-spread stockpiling. Pictured: Two men with trolleys full of goods are pictured outside a Costco store in Manchester A man wearing a protective face mask stands on the Poland-German border crossing point in Frankfurt/Oder, Germany This comes as the Prime Minister set out the need for 'drastic action' on Monday to tackle the 'fast growth' of coronavirus across the UK and increased social distancing measures are introduced for the population. All people should avoid gatherings and crowded places, while people who are vulnerable - including those who are elderly - will need to undertake even more drastic measures. The measures were announced as the death toll of people with coronavirus in the UK reached 55. The deadly disease has infected nearly 200,000 people globally and claimed at least 7,947 lives, with Europe now becomes the new epicentre of the coronavirus. Irvine, Calif., March 18, 2020 - During the exceptionally warm Arctic summer of 2019, Greenland lost 600 billion tons of ice, enough to raise global sea levels by 2.2 millimeters in two months. On the opposite pole, Antarctica continued to lose mass in the Amundsen Sea Embayment and Antarctic Peninsula but saw some relief in the form of increased snowfall in Queen Maud Land, in the eastern part of the continent. These new findings and others by glaciologists at the University of California, Irvine and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory are the subject of a paper published today in the American Geophysical Union journal Geophysical Research Letters. "We knew this past summer had been particularly warm in Greenland, melting every corner of the ice sheet, but the numbers are enormous," said lead author Isabella Velicogna, UCI professor of Earth system science and JPL senior scientist. Between 2002 and 2019, Greenland lost 4,550 billion tons of ice, an average of 268 billion tons annually - less than half what was shed last summer. To put that in perspective, Los Angeles County residents consume 1 billion tons of water per year. "In Antarctica, the mass loss in the west proceeds unabated, which is very bad news for sea level rise," Velicogna said. "But we also observe a mass gain in the Atlantic sector of East Antarctica caused by an increase in snowfall, which helps mitigate the enormous increase in mass loss that we've seen over the last two decades in other parts of the continent." She and her colleagues came to these conclusions in the process of establishing data continuity between the recently decommissioned Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment satellite mission and its new and improved successor, GRACE Follow-On. A project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center, the twin GRACE satellites were designed to make extremely precise measurements of changes in Earth's gravity. The spacecraft have proven to be particularly effective at monitoring the planet's water reserves, including polar ice, global sea levels and groundwater. The first GRACE mission was deployed in 2002 and collected data for more than 15 years, a decade longer than its intended life span. Toward the end of this period, the GRACE satellites began to lose battery power, leading to the end of the mission in October 2017. GRACE Follow-On - based on a similar technology but also including an experimental instrument using laser interferometry instead of microwaves to gauge minute changes in distance between the twin spacecraft - was launched in May 2018. The gap between the missions made it necessary for Velicogna and her cohort to test how well data amassed by the GRACE and GRACE-FO missions matched. "It's great to see how well the data line up in Greenland and Antarctica, even at the regional level," she said. "It's a tribute to the months of effort by the project, engineering and science teams to make the endeavor successful." ### In addition to scientists from UCI and NASA JPL, the GRACE and GRACE-FO data continuity project involved researchers from France's University of Grenoble, the Netherlands' Utrecht University and the University of Washington's Polar Science Center. About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 36,000 students and offers 222 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UCI, visit http://www.uci.edu. Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus ISDN line to interview UCI faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UCI news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at communications.uci.edu/for-journalists. Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on March 18 that all US journalist working in Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post will have their press passes revoked. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) together with its affiliates, the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) and Associacao de Imprensa em Portugues e Ingles de Macau (AIPIM) are deeply disappointed by this decision which will deal a blow to media reporting in the region and harm the publics right to know at a critical juncture. On March 18, 2020 the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs delineated its retaliation against recent restrictions on Chinese journalists in the US, chief among them, all journalists in Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau working for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post. All journalists who are US citizens must now return their press passes within 10 days and cannot continue to working as journalists in the country. The announcement by the ministry further demands that in the spirit of reciprocity, Voice of America, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and Time will be subjected to the same laws governing foreign government missions, specifically the aforementioned media outlets must declare in written form information about their staff, finance, operation and real estate in China. The ministry announcement said that the Chinese government rejects the ideological bias against China, fake news made in the name of press freedom, and breaches of ethics in journalism. Instead it called on foreign media outlets and journalists to play a positive role in advancing the mutual understanding between China and the rest of the world. The Chinese authoritys decision directly violates article 5 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong, which states: The socialist system and policies shall not be practised in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and the previous capitalist system and way of life shall remain unchanged for 50 years. The Foreign Correspondents Club Hong Kong expressed concern about this violation and asked for immediate clarification from the Hong Kong government. Chinas retaliatory moves appear to be a direct countermeasures to the US governments designation of five Chinese media agencies as government entities, subjecting them to the same rules as foreign missions, which includes a cap of 100 Chinese citizens working at Xinhua, CGTN, China Radio, China Daily, and The Peoples Daily in the U.S. HKJA said: "we regret Mainland China's decision to restrict US media in Hong Kong and Macau and urges the Hong Kong government to clarify visa arrangements. Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are the cornerstones of Hong Kong's success. Restricting the normal interview activities of foreign media in Hong Kong and conducting political scrutiny of visas for foreign media will raise international questions about whether Hong Kong is still a free and open society, which will ultimately have a serious impact." AIPIM said: we are highly concerned and regret the inclusion of Macau and Hong Kong in the Central Governments decision to ban American journalists from three US media outlets from working in China. AIPIM is worried about the negative impact of the escalating tensions between the United States and China over press freedom and hopes that this situation can de-escalate and be reversed as soon as possible." The IFJ said: The free flow of information that journalists facilitate is pivotal, particularly in the face of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The IFJ is disappointed at the decline in relations between the US and China that has led to the unnecessary targeting of journalists. In a repeat of 2016, Bernie Sanders was their choice for president, though the rest of the state preferred former Vice President Joe Biden. County board newcomers also went a combined 4-for-4 against incumbents. The sun sets behind tower cranes and the London skyline, including the Shard building at left, and other skyscrapers in the city financial district of London, Tuesday Jan. 21, 2020. (Dominic Lipinski/PA via AP) Billions of pounds have been locked into UK property funds as the market seizes up. A string of major funds investing in UK property have been gated in the last 24 hours effectively blocking investors from withdrawing their money. Kames Property Income, which manages over 500m ($611m) of investor cash, was first to be suspended last night. Since then Janus Henderson (JHG), Aberdeen Standard (SLA.L), Aviva (AV.L), BMO Global Asset Management, L&G (LGEN.L), and Columbia Threadneedle have all suspended UK property funds. Collectively, the frozen funds manage over 10bn of investor money. Markets around the world have experienced huge disruption as Covid-19 spreads and trading in the UK property market is being severely impacted, a spokesperson for Aberdeen Standard Investments said. Read more: Pound falls to lowest level against US dollar since 1985 The spokesperson said it is not currently possible to provide accurate and reliable valuations for the properties Aviva has invested in. We are therefore unable to produce a price for the funds which we can say with any confidence reflects the true value of the assets, the spokesperson said. Representatives for the other suspended funds offered similar explanations. Given the pace of developments, price discovery isnt functioning properly in stock markets with equities lurching all over the place due to uncertainty over the impact on earnings, said Jason Hollands, a managing director at Tilney Investment Management. It isnt therefore that surprising that the independent valuers used by property funds are saying they cant arrive at accurate valuations for properties in the current climate. Stocks, currencies, and bonds have all sold-off in recent days as investors rush to hoard cash, amid fears about the economic impact of Covid-19. Deutsche Bank said on Wednesday it now expects a severe global recession in 2020 with quarterly falls in GDP on a scale not seen since the Second World War. Story continues Hollands said it is possibly all such [UK property] funds could be suspended in the coming days given market conditions. Fitch Ratings said separately it expects more funds to be suspended. Read more: Stocks fall as coronavirus stimulus packages fail to calm investors UK open-end property funds have a history of imposing extraordinary liquidity management tools such as suspending redemptions, analysts at the credit rating agency said. Many funds suspended redemptions in the wake of the UK's referendum on Brexit in 2016. All except one fund imposed extraordinary liquidity management measures. M&G Investments (MNG.L) 2.5bn UK property fund was suspended in December, with the money manager citing Brexit uncertainty as the reason for the suspension. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Donald Trump said Wednesday that he doesn't agree with his Treasury secretary that unemployment rates could reach levels as high as 20 per cent. 'No, well I don't agree with that. No, I don't agree,' he insisted during a White House press briefing on coronavirus Wednesday afternoon. 'That's an absolute, total, worst case scenario,' he continued. 'But no, we don't look at that at all. We're nowhere near it.' In February, the unemployment rate was at 3.5 per cent and the highest in recorded U.S. history was during the Great Depression in the 1930s when rates reached nearly 25 per cent. The president's comments asserting those levels are highly unlikely came after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin floated the number during a meeting with GOP lawmakers on Tuesday. Donald Trump said Wednesday during a White House briefing that he unemployment numbers reaching as high as 20 per cent would be 'worst case scenario' His comments are a departure from his Treasury Secretary, who said during a meeting with lawmakers Tuesday, according to reports, that unemployment rates could severely skyrocket in light of the coronavirus crisis Steven Mnuchin met with Republican senators at the Capitol on Tuesday, where he made the assertion but his office pushed back, claiming 'he never implied this would be the case' Trump promised in a tweet Wednesday morning that 'money will soon be coming' to relieve those who are unable to work due to the coronavirus crisis. 'For the people that are now out of work because of the important and necessary containment policies, for instance the shutting down of hotels, bars and restaurants, money will soon be coming to you,' he vowed in a tweet Wednesday morning. 'The onslaught of the Chinese Virus is not your fault! Will be stronger than ever!' he continued, again calling coronavirus the 'Chinese Virus.' He also promised in another tweet: 'I will totally protect your Medicare & Social Security!' Mnuchin warned Republican senators during the meeting at the Capitol Tuesday that the unemployment rate in American could reach 20 per cent. The head of the Treasury Department made the trek to the Hill Tuesday afternoon where he posed risks the economy could face if a coronavirus economic stimulus package is not passed fast, a person familiar with the closed-door meeting told Reuters. But Mnuchin's office pushed back on this claim. 'During the meeting with Senate Republicans today, Secretary Mnuchin used several mathematical examples for illustrative purposes, but he never implied this would be the case,' Treasury spokeswoman Monica Crowley said in a statement. Donald Trump vowed Wednesday that the federal government would be providing money and economic relief to those affected by the coronavirus outbreak. 'Money will soon be coming to you,' he tweeted Trump previewed at a White House briefing Tuesday that he wants to send cash directly to Americans in the wake of the coronavirus crisis He also promised to protect Medicare and Social Security in the financially turbulent time Mnuchin revealed at the briefing that Americans could receive checks larger than $1,000 in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak but he did not provide any further details other than claiming there would be an income cut-off Despite the recent record-low unemployment, thousands of Americans are already out of work as nonessential establishments in several states have shut down including restaurants, bars and clothing retailers. On Tuesday, San Francisco implemented a lockdown where all 7 million people in the Bay area were told to 'shelter in place' at their homes for the next three weeks. The markets have spiraled since the coronavirus outbreak rocked the nation earlier this month and an administration official claiming unemployment could reach new lows would likely rock investors even more. Unemployment rates have reached record lows under the Trump administration, which the president often touts when boasting of his economic achievements since taking office in 2017. Rates of joblessness hit a peak in October 2009 when the unemployment rate hit 10.2 per cent following the 2008 financial crisis. Some states are already reporting astounding numbers. On Monday, 15,000 people in New Jersey applied for unemployment benefits and in Connecticut, nearly 8,000 applications arrived over the weekend. Unemployment claims in Ohio went from 6,500 last week to 45,000 this week. Rhode Island officials also reported on Tuesday that a week-long rise in claims from the coronavirus outbreak brought their application number from 10 on March 11 to 6,282 on March 16. Several states have already seen major spikes in unemployment. Here people wait in a massive line for help with unemployment benefits in Las Vegas, Nevada Several non-essential businesses in states across the country have also been forced to shutter their doors leaving them without income and putting all their employees out of a job The Trump administration is proposing a phase three stimulus package before phase two has even made it through the Senate that would allocate at least another $850 billion in economic relief. Phase one included more than $8 billion in emergency funding and phase two proposes another $10 billion going toward relieving individuals who have to take off work or are unable to go to their jobs due to contracting coronavirus or quarantining. The nearly $1 trillion stimulus package would include sending cash directly to Americans within two weeks, would monetarily backup airlines and the hospitality industry and would likely include a big chunk of cash going toward Trump's desire payroll tax cut. Trump previewed during a coronavirus press briefing at the White House Tuesday that he wants to send more than $1,000 to Americans suffering economically from the coronavirus outbreak. 'We're going big,' Trump said of his administration's stimulus plans. 'We're looking to send checks to Americans immediately,' Mnuchin explained in the briefing, adding that a payroll tax holiday would get money to Americans but it would be over the next six to eight months. So far there are more than 6,500 cases of coronavirus in the U.S. and 114 Americans have died after contracting it 'Americans needs cash now and the president wants to give cash now,' Mnuchin continued during Tuesday's briefing. 'And I mean now - in the next two weeks,' he added before leaving the briefing early to attend his meeting with GOP senators. Trump said he would be present during Wednesday's coronavirus White House briefing, claiming he would give an update on news from the Food and Drug Administration Details of how the administration planned to provide direct cash to Americans was not announced at the press conference and he did not discuss who would be eligible. The only detail he gave was that it could top $1,000 and that there would be some income cut-offs. 'You don't need to send people who make a million dollars a year checks,' he chuckled. Markets saw their worst week since the 1980s last week, dropping a few thousand points with just a few moments of reprieve as hopes of a bipartisan economic stimulus package monopolized investors' interest. As of Wednesday morning, the U.S. has more than 6,500 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 115 people died after contracting the fast-spreading respiratory disease. Trump has begun calling coronavirus the 'Chinese Virus,' because he says he wants to make it clear where it originated. He also previewed that he would be participating in the now-daily coronavirus press briefing on Wednesday. 'I will be having a news conference today to discuss very important news from the FDA concerning the Chinese Virus!' the president tweeted Wednesday morning. Critics claim referring to the disease a 'Chinese virus' creates a stigma and some even claim it is a racist phrase. Trump disagrees, claiming the real stigma is Chinese officials claiming the virus was first brought to Wuhan by members of the U.S. military participating in the World Military Games there in October 2019. Kerala is leaving no stone unturned to tackle the coronavirus outbreak in the state. In its latest bid to control the spread of the pandemic and beef up surveillance as new cases of Covid-19 continue to be reported in the state, Kerala government has decided to open Covid-19 care homes which can accommodate 5,000 people in isolation near all four airports in the state. Read more Here's more top news of the day: 1) Pollution Level Has Gone Down In The National Capital As The AQI Is Just 129 Which Is Good News The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR) stated that marginal deterioration is the forecast for Thursday but in 'moderate' category. Read more 2) Postponing Recruitment To Daily Screenings: How Indian Army Is Tackling Coronavirus Outbreak Amid the threat of coronavirus outbreak, the Indian Army on March 17 decided to immediately postpone 90 different courses involving officers and jawans across the country. Read more 3) Ramdev's Patanjali Fined Rs 75.08 Crore For Not Passing On GST Benefits To Customers Patanjali Ayurveda, the FMCG brand promoted by yoga guru Baba Ramdev has been found guilty of profiteering by the National Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAA) for not passing on the benefits of goods and services tax (GST) rate reduction on to the consumers. Read more 4) 'CAA Doesn't Violate Fundamental Rights': Government Defends CAA In Supreme Court The amended CAA 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. Read more 5) Chennai's Shaheen Bagh Calls Off Anti-CAA Protest Amid Coronavirus After PM Modi's Request In the wake of the outbreak of novel coronavirus, many are calling for the temporary shutdown of anti-CAA protests across the country. The calls to call-off Shaheen Bagh protest in the national capital are gaining momentum. Read more In all of the directives issued to combat the growing coronavirus pandemic from closing schools, movie theaters, malls and gyms, and restricting restaurants to takeout and delivery only no such sweeping mandates have been issued for the thousands of playgrounds dotting our state. With schools now closed for what could be an extended period, parents and caregivers are looking for ways to keep young ones occupied. Swings, sliding boards and monkey bars may seem like a great option, but if its not your backyard swing set, some officials are urging caution. While a primary concern is that too many people gathered at a playground could lead to person-to-person transmission, a recent study found the virus can survive for two to three days on plastic and stainless steel surfaces, so playgrounds are a potential concern. Some towns arent taking any chances and have closed all playgrounds. A few places, including Brick Township, have even fenced them off. Cherry Hill Township posted a notice online that all playgrounds and recreational fields will be closed to the public. While they noted the township will not be monitoring playgrounds to ensure the closure is followed, they also urged park visitors to keep their cool. Please do NOT call police if you see people at a playground, the township stated. For those locations that are leaving playgrounds open, officials encourage parents to carry disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer. Dr. David Cennimo, an infectious disease specialist who teaches at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark, says surface transmission of the virus is theoretically possible at playgrounds. The level of danger would depend on the number of virus on the surface, he said in an emailed response to questions. That would (in part) be a function of time, initial virus number and environmental conditions. Just how long the virus could survive outdoors would depend on weather conditions. While rain, sunlight and temperature changes would probably kill the virus, more studies are needed to determine specifics on that front, Cennimo said. Apart from the need to keep your distance from others some local health departments suggest keeping one empty swing between your child and others parents are being advised to wipe down any playground surfaces before and after their child uses them. The virus seems to be primarily spread person-to-person between those who are in close contact and through respiratory droplets produced when someone with the infection coughs or sneezes, according to the CDC. Those droplets can land in mouths and noses of those nearby or be inhaled into the lungs. Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear two to 14 days after exposure and can include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Rachel Patten was out with her 4-year-old son at a playground at James G. Atkinson Memorial Park in Washington Township, Gloucester County, on Wednesday afternoon. Shes taking precautions to ensure her child stays safe, but isnt panicking. I think as long as we hand sanitize and wash our hands Its the basic stuff of the flu. Wash your hands, dont put your fingers in your mouth. As her son played, Patten talked about school and his upcoming birthday. Hes sad that his school is closed. He misses his teacher and his friends, she said. Its going to be his fifth birthday soon and I cant throw him a birthday party because everything is closed. When another woman visiting the park with family was asked is she had concerns of infections passed around at playgrounds, she said shes monitoring the news. I dont as of yet, she said. If they start shutting things down, then you have no choice. You have to go with the flow. Right now its just keeping clean, keeping distance Ive never seen this in all my years. This is historical. Others arent convinced that that playground closures are warranted. A woman in Old Bridge posted a video to Facebook showing her kids on a playground festooned with caution tape. This is utterly ridiculous, she says of the closure in her video. Lets all grow up and be the adults that we are and play. As for towns trying to decide if they should close playgrounds, I honestly dont know what to advise here, Cennimo said. I am concerned about a playground as a congregate setting that is contrary to social distancing. However, I am also saddened to think about kids stuck at home with nothing to do. He suggests that towns install hand sanitizer dispensers similar to those seen at petting zoos at local playgrounds. Also, in theory, you could wipe down the equipment with a germicidal solution or at least 60% alcohol which should kill the virus, Cennimo said. This is akin to how we clean some medical equipment. As for advice to parents visiting playgrounds, Cennimo recommends washing kids hands before and after play and making sure kids are old enough not to put items in their mouths. He also suggests bringing along hand wipes for surfaces kids are likely to touch during the outing. The decision to fence off playground follows a growing trend of leaders deciding they can take no chances with a virus for which there is no vaccine and one that takes a growing toll as the days pass. New Jersey has reported 427 coronavirus infections and five deaths. Nationally, more than 100 deaths have been reported, while the World Health Organization reports a global death toll of more than 7,800. In addition to earlier closures and restrictions, Gov. Phil Murphy ordered all malls and amusement areas closed on Tuesday and has suggested residents remain in their homes between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. to help slow the spread of the virus. As the weather warmed and more parents arrived at the Washington Township park Wednesday, Patten noted that, as long as people follow common-sense guidance, theyll be fine. I think once you let the panic take over, thats scarier than the virus. Fear makes people go crazy," she said. "People dont like the unknown. Gloucester County issued an update late Wednesday afternoon restricting access to county park playgrounds, pavilions and sports fields until further notice. In compliance with the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to refrain from large gatherings, the county must comply to restrict access to playground areas, pavilions and sports fields such as tennis courts, pickleball courts, basketball courts and baseball fields at all Gloucester County Parks (Atkinson, Red Bank Battlefield and Scotland Run) until further notice," the countys announcement states. "These restrictions are put in place in order to promote aggressive social distancing to stop the spread of COVID-19. Residents are welcome to use our paths and walkways for exercise. 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. Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find NJ.com on Facebook. HANOVER, Md., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the largest and most politically active building trade unions in North America has issued a clarion call for U.S. Congressional action to support workers who have been impacted by COVID-19. The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) represents construction workers in fifty U.S. states and in every Canadian province. Today, the union has issued a four stage response platform, titled as the "IUPAT BOLD ACTION PLATFORM FOR WORKING FAMILIES" which the union says is essential to protecting the economy and working families, and which they hope to see reflected in any upcoming stimulus package. In conjunction with the release of the response platform, IUPAT General President Ken Rigmaiden issued the following statement, calling on Congress to act. "COVID-19's impact is financially devastating for millions of working families in our industry and beyond who are now grappling with tremendous uncertainty about what their paychecks, health care, and future will hold. In just one week, we have already seen the economic impact to our industry through widespread and sudden layoffs in many areas of the country. The last time our nation faced a similar crisis, millions of workers were left with nothing. In the meantime, CEOs and Wall Street got billions of taxpayer dollars to cover their losses and pay their bonus checks. We must not let this historic pattern of workers being left behind repeat itself. All workers must be afforded basic human rights by their government in the face of this crisis -- as opposed to just another bailout for the corporate elite." Rigmaiden's statement continues: "Right now, large corporations are lining up with their hands out for federal aid, while workers are losing their jobs, their health insurance, and their economic security. Our membership works in every sector of the US economy from hospitality, retail, real estate, infrastructure, to the public sector. We will fight to ensure our members, and workers across this country, are not left behind by Congress. The IUPAT will be among the legions who will be calling for workers' basic human rights to be put first. Together, if Congress takes bold action now to support working families, we can get through this crisis and ensure our health, financial and economic well being." - Ken Rigmaiden, General President, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades IUPAT BOLD ACTION PLATFORM FOR WORKING FAMILIES First and foremost, there must be no bailouts for big corporations without a bailout for workers. Second, any corporate assistance issued should be engineered to reach the paychecks of workers, not just executives. Corporate assistance should be limited in scope, and should include provisions that protect the rights and economic interests of low- and middle- income workers. Furthermore, working families need Congress to take these four Bold Actions now: Immediate cash infusion and extended medical leave Provide healthcare protections for both the insured and uninsured Bolster/secure retirement plans Invest in American infrastructure In detail: 1. Immediate Cash Infusion and Extended Medical Leave Our membership works in every sector of the US economy. As workplaces are closing across the country due to COVID-19, working families are already suffering. The number one priority in this crisis is making sure people who are sick or need to be quarantined have whatever it takes to care for themselves. That means paid sick leave, and the IUPAT stands with all working people who need paid sick leave guarantees from the US government. However, the majority of our membership and workers in the construction industry are hourly wage earners. Bills we have seen so far, such as H.R. 6074 The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Act, will have very little benefit for construction workers in this dire situation. Unlike some industries, construction and finishing trades workers don't get paid leaveif we don't work, we don't get paid. Congress must act accordingly and leave no construction workers behind. While our members are increasingly laid off, whether temporarily or sustained, our workforce must have access to cash in order to pay bills, cover basic human needs and to provide for their families. Any bill must also aid contractors in extending medical leave to employees so that they can weather this storm. Workers covered by collective bargaining agreements need to be included in any family, medical and paid sick leave proposals. There cannot be limits on the number of employees and days worked to include all workers in these critical measures. 2. Shore up health coverage for workers on multiemployer health plans and provide healthcare protections for both the insured and uninsured With layoffs, jobsite shutdowns, long term unemployment and prolonged economic uncertainty on the horizon, we are calling on our representatives to provide relief to multiemployer health and welfare plans so that our members and their families can continue to receive health care with no break in coverage. Now is not the time for millions of Americans to avoid medical care for fear of bankruptcy. Ensuring access to health care is essential to our nation's ability to recover from this economic and public health emergency. We must curb the spread of disease and ensure every American has health care. 3. Secure Retirement Programs Our members have worked hard in our industries for decades, providing for our families and communities, the promise of retirement with dignity. With the volatility in the stock market and a projected loss in hours and contributions to our member's retirement plans, we call on congress to act once and for all to help provide relief to our retirement plans. This requires taking sweeping action to address financial woes in the economy as a whole and on the stock market. But we have learned a crucial lesson from the last economic crisis: trillion dollar bailouts for Wall Street, billionaires and corporations left working people in the cold and provided little relief to our union, our members and their private retirement system. This time around, working people must come first. We are calling on elected leaders to invest directly in Multiemployer Pension plans like the IUPAT's plan to ensure security for all worker's futures. 4. Invest in American Infrastructure The government must provide macroeconomic stimulus to uphold the economy as a whole. Any stimulus package should include a plan to quickly put America's construction workers back to work once this pandemic is under control. In the short term, we need to be looking at emergency appropriations to support our weakened public health infrastructure, especially hospitals. In the medium and long term, recovery efforts should focus on creating jobs for millions of workers and strengthening our country's essential infrastructure like roads, bridges, water systems and energy production. Across the country, infrastructure is failing and costing lives and billions of dollars every year. We call on Congress to finally act in a bipartisan way to address the growing need for a comprehensive infrastructure plan to deal with this issue once and for all. THE INTERNATIONAL UNION OF PAINTERS AND ALLIED TRADES (IUPAT) Represents a growing community of over 110,000 active and retired craftspeople in the United States and Canada. The IUPAT membership extends far beyond the workplace. Recognized as one of the most active unions in the labor movement, IUPAT members help shape their communities in many ways: through an abiding commitment to service, by fighting passionately for workers' rights that benefit all working families, and through effective worker education and mobilization. Visit www.IUPAT.org to learn more SOURCE International Union of Painters and Allied Trades Related Links https://www.iupat.org The coronavirus is also affecting the United Nations. This virus has engulfed the world very fast. All the meetings of the Security Council have been canceled this week. The family of this deadly virus is quite large. Lok Sabha passes bill to extend abortion limit to 24 weeks According to media reports, the United Nations Security Council has halted the remaining two meetings this week. With the cancellation of the meeting held on Tuesday, the Security Council was planning to discuss the situation in the Darfur region of Sudan on Thursday and a multi-pronged meeting. The Chinese mission said that despite the cancellation of the remaining session in the week, the work of the council is going on. This month's rotating presidency is overseeing the Chinese mission itself. MP Suresh Prabhu keeping distance from public for 14 days Regarding the virus, the mission spokesperson said that, 'Council members have retained communication and consultation in the matter'. UN spokesperson Stephen Dujarric said that the case of positive COVID-19 has come up in New York between staff at the Organization's Secretariat. A Philippines diplomat was found infected last week. Dujarric said, the United Nations building will remain open and General Secretary Antonio Guterres was in his office. But he further stated that the number of people visiting the building in New York City has decreased and the figure has reached 900 per day, whereas earlier this number used to be in the thousands. India furious over interference of these countries in internal affairs 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. Stricter preventive measures are being adopted in the governorates with the highest numbers of infections Egypt's health minister Hala Zayed called for designating Friday a weekly sanitisation day nationwide, as the country ramps up measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Zayed urged the dedication of Fridays to santising public places, governmental and private sector buildings, and means of transportation. In an attempt to limit the spread of the pandemic, Egypt temporarily closed schools and universities, halted sporting events, imposed restrictions on the duration of prayers, and reduced the number of public sector employees needed to be in their offices. The country is also halting air traffic from 19 to 31 March. Strict preventive measures have been taken in tourist governorates, including Luxor, where dozens of people aboard a Nile cruiser tested positive, Aswan and South Sinai. The measures include placing all staff members at tourist facilities under quarantine for 14 days as of Tuesday, Zayed said on Wednesday. The governorates will not receive domestic tourist groups for 14 days, and tourist sites and private and public facilities will be sanitised. Precautionary measures taken in the governorates with the highest numbers of infections include self-isolation of people who were in contact with infected cases, the sanitisation of all public places, markets, and houses of worship, as well as stepping check-ups and awareness campaigns, Zayed added following a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly. All travellers coming from the Umrah pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia since the beginning of March are being self-quarantined for 14 days as a preventative measure, she added. Egypt imported 27,000 quick-detection devices and 75,000 more are expected to be received. Egypt detected 196 confirmed coronavirus cases. Six patients died, including three foreigners. "The current crisis the world is undergoing is a good opportunity to spread public awareness and change the negative behaviours that compromise the health of individuals and society," the minister added. Search Keywords: Short link: Film director Paul Schrader has criticised the producers of his current film The Card Counter after the shoot was shut down due to one of the cast members contracting coronavirus. In a post on Facebook, the First Reformed director said his producers had stopped the production five days before it was due to finish because an LA day player had the coronavirus. He added: Myself, I would have shot through hellfire rain to complete the film. Im old and asthmatic, what better way to die than on the job? Schrader wrote the script for The Card Counter. Tiffany Haddish and Willem Dafoe star alongside Oscar Isaac who plays William Tell, a professional gambler working the casino circuit. During his travels, Tell meets an angry kid (Tye Sheridan) whos out for revenge and takes him under his wing. The Card Counter had been filming in Biloxi, Mississippi. The actor concerned is not one of the principal cast. The coronavirus has delayed and cancelled a number of films due to be released. The UK release of controversial Second World War drama The Painted Bird has been delayed. Disney has announced it has postponed the releases of Mulan, The New Mutants and horror film Antlers. Meanwhile, John Krasinski announced he was postponing Paramount Pictures A Quiet Place II in the wake of the pandemic just one week before his sequel was due to be released. Western Australias weddings industry has been thrown into chaos by the announcement Wednesday morning that social gatherings of more than 100 people are banned across the country until further notice. Perth couple Huy Nguyen, 35, and Jessica Le, 29, who were scheduled to get married at Lamont's Bishops House on April 5, are one of many who have been forced to postpone their big day due to coronavirus. WA couples are being forced to cancel their weddings on the eves of their big day due to coronavirus. Weve been planning for probably a year now, and its been pretty heart-breaking for us being so close only two weeks away and with everything in place, Mr Nguyen said. [In the last few days] weve had a drastic reduction in the number of guests attending, and we also had general concerns for everyone as well, so we wanted to do what was in the best interests of everyone and their health. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 18) There are now 11 Filipinos in Singapore infected with the novel coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmedDepartment of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed on Wednesday. The DFA said in a press statement that the total number of Filipinos who tested positive for the viral disease is now 11, but two have already recovered. The 11th confirmed case tested positive Tuesday and is now confined in isolation at a healthcare facility. On the other hand, the first Filipino who tested positive was already discharged on February 28, while another Filipino recovered and was released from the hospital on March 14. The Embassy is in close coordination with the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Singapore and stands ready to extend assistance to the COVID-19-positive Filipino nationals as needed, the DFA statement said. According to the World Health Organization, 80 percent of the confirmed cases of the viral disease only develop mild illness and recover subsequently 17.03.2020 LISTEN The public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has assured customers that the appropriate regulatory action will be taken against any utility company in the countrys power value chain whose actions and inactions may have contributed to recent power outages in the country. Various parts of the country have since Saturday, March 14, 2020, been experiencing power outages. In a press release signed by its Executive Secretary, Mami Dufie Ofori, the Commission stated that it has taken notice of the power cuts and is taking the necessary steps to investigate and identify what went wrong. Click here for the full details of the statement GRIDCo apologises for widespread power outage on Saturday The Ghana Grid Company on Monday apologised for the power outages that hit parts of the country on Saturday, March 14, 2020. GRIDCo attributed the blackout to a disturbance on its system. The Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) wishes to inform the general public that at 8:53 pm on Saturday, March 14, 2020, a system disturbance on its 330KV line led to some intermittent power outages in parts of the country, the power transmission company explained in a statement. It said the affected areas included parts of the Volta, Greater Accra, Eastern, Northern and Ashanti Regions. The company in the statement noted that power was restored to all the affected areas by 12:20 AM on Sunday, March 15, 2020. GRIDCo apologises for any inconvenience caused and remains committed to its mandate of delivering reliable power supply, the company added in a statement. Lack of money for fuel cause of recent power outages Edward Bawa In a very interesting twist, the Member of Parliament for Bongo Constituency and former Head of Communications at the Energy Ministry, Edward Bawa has attributed recent intermittent power outages across the country on government's inability to procure fuel for power generators to produce electricity for consumption. The Bongo legislator argues that the country's energy sector is confronted with severe financial challenges coupled with unprecedented net arrears of about US$4 billion and indebtedness of US$1.5 billion owed private power producers. Mr Bawa bemoaned that, the situation, if not tackled head-on could plunge the country into power crisis in the coming days. Mr Bawa in a statement said the country's energy production could grind to a halt if the government does not take urgent measures to address the situation. citinewsroom In a major security lapse that has come to the fore, a 28-year-old woman who tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday evening, was able to travel from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai to Pune despite returning from one of the 10 high-risk countries. State health minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday said that the matter will be investigated. Initially, I was told that the woman returned from Netherlands, but now we have been informed that she travelled to France. If there is any security lapse, we will definitely investigate it, said Tope. Two more Covid-19 (coronavirus) positive cases were reported in the city in the last 36 hours, taking the total number in Pune district to 19. One case was reported late on Tuesday night. The woman had travelled to France and Netherlands and landed in Mumbai before taking a taxi to Pune. The list of the ten high-risk countries, includes China, South Korea, France, Italy, Iran, Spain, Germany, Dubai, the US and Saudi Arabia. Out of the 19 cases, eight are from Pune while 11 are from Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC). Of the two new cases, the other case has been reported from PCMC and the person has a travel history to Philippines. The patient has been admitted to Bhosari hospital and family members have been isolated. PR-Inside.com: 2020-03-18 08:01:03 Financiere de Tubize SA/NV Allee de la Recherche 60 1070 Brussels BE 0403.216.429 www.financiere-tubize.be CONVENING OF THE ORDINARY AND EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS OF 22 APRIL 2020 The shareholders are invited to attend the ordinary and extraordinary general meetings, which will take place on Wednesday 22 April 2020 at respectively 11:00AM and 12:00AM in the EEBIC business center located in 1070 Brussels (Anderlecht), Allee de la Recherche 12 (Metro: Erasme - Erasme public parking nearby). AGENDA OF THE ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OJ 22 APRIL 2020 Report of the board of directors on the financial year ended 31 December 2019 Commentary : the board report discusses all the items referred to in article 3:6 of the Company and Associations code. Remunerations report on the financial year ended 31 December 2019 Proposed decision : approve the remunerations report on the financial year ended 31 December 2019. Statutory auditors report on the annual accounts as at 31 December 2019 Commentary : this report has been prepared in accordance with the articles 3:74 and 3:75 of the Company and Associations code. Annual accounts as at 31 December 2019 Result appropriation Proposed decision : approve the annual accounts as at 31 December 2019, including the distribution of a gross dividend of 0,62 per share. EU-IFRS financial statements as at 31 December 2019 Commentary : to provide a useful and complete set of information to the market, the Company prepares, in addition to the annul accounts in accordance with the Company code and Belgian accounting law (BE GAAP), financial statements in accordance with international financial reporting standards as adopted by the European Union (EU-IFRS), with equity accounting of UCB. Discharge of the directors for the financial year ended 31 December 2019 Proposed decision : by special vote, discharge each of the directors for the execution of their respective mandate during the financial year ended 31 December 2019 Discharge of the statutory auditor for the financial year ended 31 December 2019 Proposed decision : discharge the statutory auditor for the execution of his mandate during the financial year ended 31 December 2019 Board of Directors - Renewal - Appointment Comment : The mandate of Mr. Francois Tesch, administrator, expires at the end of this ordinary general meeting. Not fulfilling the conditions to remain independent anymore, he does not apply for a new term. Proposed decision : approve the appointment of Mr Bruno Holthof as a director for a period of four years ending at the end of the ordinary general meeting to be held in 2024 Proposed decision : Confirm that Mr Bruno Holthof is appointed as independent director, responding to the independence criteria laid down in article 526ter of the Company and Associations code and the 2020 Governance code. AGENDA OF THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF 22 APRIL 2020 Modification of the date of the ordinary general meeting. Proposed decision : The assembly decides to change the date of the ordinary general assembly and to fix it on the last Friday of April at eleven o'clock. Recognition of the company's submission to the provisions of the Companies and Associations Code. Proposed decision : In accordance with article 39 1 of the Companies and Associations Code, the assembly notes that after January 1, 2020, the company must bring its articles of association into conformity with the provisions of the Companies and Associations Code when its articles of association have to be modified for the first time. Adoption of a new text of the articles of association, in particular in order to bring them into line with the Code of Companies and Associations. Proposed decision: Following the foregoing resolution, the assembly decides to adopt a new text of the articles of association in accordance with the Companies and Associations Code, without modifying the purpose, the capital, the closing date of the financial year, whose the full coordinated version can be consulted on the company's website: www.financiere-tubize.be under the ordinary and extraordinary general meetings section of April 22, 2020, Documents intended to be presented to the general meeting: In all of the articles of associations: . deletion of the word social, except: the second paragraph of Article 6 paragraph 5; the title of Title VII; section 36. . The words Code des Societes are replaced by the words Code des Societes et Associations. Article 1 : the last sentence of the article is replaced by the following: Elle est une societe cotee au sens de larticle 1.11 du Code des societes et associations. Article 2 : this article is replaced by the following : Le siege social est etabli en Region de Bruxelles-Capitale. Il peut etre transfere en tout endroit de la Region de Bruxelles-Capitale ou de la region de langue francaise de Belgique, par simple decision de lorgane dadministration qui a tous pouvoirs aux fins de faire constater authentiquement la modification statutaire eventuelle qui en resulte, sans que cela ne puisse entrainer une modification de la langue des statuts. La societe peut etablir, par simple decision du conseil dadministration, des sieges administratifs, succursales, agences et comptoirs en Belgique et a letranger. Le site internet de la societe est : http://www.financiere-tubize.be Article 3 : this article is replaced by the following : La societe a une duree illimitee Article 6 : this article is modified as following : . The two first paragraphes of this article are replaced by the following: Le capital peut etre augmente ou reduit en une ou plusieurs fois, par decision de lassemblee generale des actionnaires statuant dans les conditions requises pour les modifications aux statuts. En cas daugmentation du capital contre especes, les titulaires des actions existantes ont un droit de souscription preferentiel au prorata du nombre de leurs titres. . The third paragraphe is suppressed; . In the seventh paragraphe, the words lettres recommandees are replaced by courrier ordinaire ; . In the eight paragraphe, the words signifie par lettre recommandee are suppressed ; . The last paragraphe of this article is suppressed. Article 9 : The word integralement is inserted between non and liberees . Article 10 : This article is replaced by the following : La societe peut emettre des obligations par decision du conseil dadministration. Celui-ci determine le type, le taux dinteret et le prix demission, le mode et lepoque de lamortissement et du remboursement des obligations, ainsi que toutes autres conditions de leur emission. Lemission dobligations convertibles et de droits de souscription sera decidee par une assemblee generale convoquee et deliberant comme en matiere de modifications aux statuts et avec faculte de supprimer ou limiter le droit de preference des actionnaires existants. La societe ne peut acquerir ses propres actions par voie dachat ou dechange, directement ou par une personne agissant en son nom propre mais pour le compte de la societe, qua la suite dune decision dune assemblee generale deliberant comme en matiere de modifications aux statuts, qui fixe notamment le nombre maximum dactions a acquerir, la duree pour laquelle lautorisation est accordee, qui ne peut exceder cinq ans a dater de la publication, ainsi que les contre valeurs minimales et maximales. Cette autorisation peut etre prorogee une ou plusieurs fois. Lassemblee generale du 25 avril 2018 a octroye au conseil dadministration, pour une periode de cinq ans a compter de la date de ladite assemblee, lautorisation dacquerir dans les conditions prevues par la loi, des actions de la societe. Le pair comptable des actions rachetees ne peut depasser 20% du capital souscrit. Les acquisitions pourront se realiser a un cours compris entre 1 euro et 200 euros. Le conseil dadministration est autorise, le cas echeant, a constater le nombre dactions a annuler et a adapter larticle 5 des statuts en fonction du nombre dactions annulees. Le conseil dadministration peut, par ailleurs, aliener les actions propres de la societe, en bourse ou de toute autre maniere. Lassemblee generale du 24 avril 2019 a egalement octroye au conseil dadministration lautorisation dacquerir des actions de la societe afin deviter un dommage grave et imminent, pour une duree de trois ans a dater de la publication de la modification des statuts decidee par lassemblee precitee. Lorsquil sagit deviter a la societe un dommage grave et imminent, le conseil dadministration est autorise a aliener toutes actions en bourse ou a la suite dune offre en vente faite aux memes conditions a tous les actionnaires. Article 12: This article is replaced by the following : Les administrateurs sont nommes par lassemblee generale des actionnaires qui fixe leur nombre. Les administrateurs sont nommes pour un terme de quatre ans. Lassemblee generale peut mettre un terme a tout moment, avec effet immediat et sans motif au mandat de chaque administrateur. Lassemblee generale ne peut fixer de delai de preavis ni dindemnite de depart. Les administrateurs sortants sont reeligibles. Les mandats venus a expiration cessent apres lassemblee generale ordinaire qui ne les a pas renouveles. En cas de vacance dune place dadministrateur, les administrateurs restants ont le droit de coopter un nouvel administrateur. Lassemblee generale, a sa plus prochaine reunion, confirme le mandat de ladministrateur coopte. En cas de confirmation, ladministrateur coopte termine le mandat de son predecesseur, sauf si lassemblee generale en decide autrement. Article 14 : This article is modified as following : . The words imputables sur les frais generaux are suppressed in the first alinea; . The words es qualites are suppressed in the second paragraphe. Article 17 : This article is modified as following : . The words simple lettre ou procuration are replaced by ecrit ; . The last paragraphe is replaced by the following : Les decisions du conseil dadministration peuvent etre prises par consentement unanime des administrateurs exprime par ecrit, a lexception de celles qui doivent etre recues dans un acte authentique. Article 18 : The words (dont celui qui preside la reunion) are added at the send of the second paragraphe of this article. Article 19 : This article is modified as following : . In the first paragraphe, the words ou les statuts reservent are replaced by reserve ; . The third paragraphe is suppressed. Article 21 : This article is modified as following : . The words de lInstitut are suppressed ; . The words ou parmi les cabinets daudit enregistres are added after des Reviseurs dEntreprises . Article 23 : this article is suppressed and the articles of associations are renumbered consequently. Article 24 (nouvel article 23) : the last paragraphe is suppressed. Article 27 (nouvel article 26) : this article is replaced as following : Les emoluments des commissaires consistent en une somme fixe etablie au debut et pour la duree du mandat par lassemblee generale dans chaque cas particulier. Ils peuvent etre modifies avec laccord des parties. Article 28 (new article 27) : this article is replaced as following : . The words et les presents statuts are suppressed; . The words incapables et les dissidents are replaced by ou opposants . Article 31 (new article 30) : the words , a condition que toutes les formalites dadmission a lassemblee soient accomplies are added at the end of the first sentence. Article 32 (new article 31) : this article is replaced as following : Les assemblees generales se reunissent au siege social ou dans la Region de Bruxelles-Capitale, au lieu designe par le conseil dadministration. Lassemblee generale ordinaire se tient le dernier vendredi du mois davril a onze heures. Lassemblee peut en outre etre convoquee extraordinairement chaque fois que linteret de la societe lexige. Lassemblee peut etre convoquee extraordinairement en tout temps par le conseil dadministration ou le(s) commissaire(s). Ils doivent la convoquer sur demande ecrite dactionnaires justifiant de la propriete du dixieme des actions. Article 35 (new article 34): this article is modified as following : . The words ou de toute autre dune are replaced by dune habilitation au conseil dadministration pour proceder a des acquisitions ou alienations dactions propres ou de toute ; . The last paragraphe is replaced by the following: La decision de lassemblee nest adoptee que si elle reunit les trois quarts des voix, au moins, sauf dans les cas ou la loi prevoit une majorite plus stricte. Article 38 (new article 37) : this article is modified as following : . The third paragraphe is suppressed ; . The fourth paragraphe is replaced by the following: Les comptes annuels et les autres documents enumeres par la loi sont mis a la disposition des actionnaires trente jours au moins avant lassemblee. Article 39 (new article 38) : this article is modified as following : . The words ce benefice are replaced by le benefice net ; . The word prelevement is replaced by prelevements ; . In the fifth paragraphe, the words , ou, si ce montant est superieur, du capital appele are added after the words capital libere ; . In the last paragraphe, the word dette is replaced by , dettes et , sauf cas exceptionnels a mentionner et a justifier dans lannexe aux comptes annuels, des montants encore non amortis des frais detablissement et des frais de recherche et de developpement. Article 41 (new article 40) : this article is modified as following : . The words , ou sur le benefice de lexercice precedent si les comptes annuels de cet exercice nont pas encore ete approuves, are inserted between lexercice en cours and et fixer la date de leur paiement ; . The last two paragraphes are suppressed. Article 43 (new article 42) : this article is modified as following : . The first sentence is replaced by the following: Dans tous les cas de dissolution de la societe, lassemblee generale designera le ou les liquidateurs et determinera leur remuneration eventuelle. A defaut de decision prise a cet egard par lassemblee, la liquidation soperera par les soins des administrateurs en fonction, formant un college. . The following text is added as second paragraphe: Le(s) liquidateur(s) aura(ont) les pouvoirs daccomplir tous les actes necessaires ou utiles a la liquidation de la societe prevus par la loi. Article 45 (new article 44) : this article is modified as following : . The first paragraphe is replaced by the following: Sous reserve de ce qui est prevu a lalinea suivant, tout actionnaire, obligataire, administrateur, commissaire ou liquidateur non domicilie en Belgique sera tenu dy elire domicile pour tout ce qui se rattache a lexecution des presents statuts. . The following text is added as last paragraphe: Tout actionnaire, obligataire, administrateur, commissaire ou liquidateur peut communiquer a la societe une adresse electronique a laquelle toute communication sera reputee etre valablement intervenue. Confirmation of the headquarters address. Proposed decision : The assembly confirms that the headquarters address is maintained in the Brussels-Capital Region, namely at 1070 Anderlecht, allee de la Recherche 60. Mention of the internet addres Proposed decision : The assembly declares that the internet address of tje company is http://www.financiere-tubize.be Assign the powers to execute the resolutions that have been made Proposal for decision : The assembly decides to confer all powers, with the power to sub-delegate, to the board of directors for the implementation of the above resolutions. Assign the powers to execute the above-mentioned decisions: Proposed decision : assign powers, with possibility of sub-delegation, to the board of directors for the execution of the above-mentioned decisions, and to Madame Stephanie Ernaelsteen and Madame Anne-Catherine Guiot, each acting separately, to prepare the consolidated text of the Articles of Association. Formalities to attend the general meeting To attend or be represented at the general meeting and exercise her/his voting right, a shareholder must have carried out the accounting registration of his/her shares on the fourteenth day before the general meeting at 24:00h Belgian time (being Wednesday 8 April 2020, the Registration Date), either by registering them in the Companys register of nominative shares, or by registering them in the accounts of a licensed account holder or a settlement institution, the number of shares held on the day of the meetings being disregarded. The shareholder must also inform the Company of her/his desire to attend the general meeting. A holder of nominative shares should send to the Company the duly signed attendance notice, this form being appended to the invitation to attend. A holder of dematerialized shares should send to the Company the attestations issued by the licensed account holder or by the settlement institution, certifying the number of shares that are registered in the accounts of the account holder or settlement institution on the name of the shareholder at the Registration Date and for which the shareholder has declared he/she wants to participate in the general meeting. The attendance notices or the attestations should reach the Company, at the e-mail address aspijcke@icloud.com , no later than six days before the date of the general meeting (being Thursday 16 April 2020). Voting by proxy Shareholders may be represented by a proxy, in conformity with the articles 7:142 to 7:145 of the Company and Associations code. The proxies must be executed in writing on the basis of the form drawn up by the board of directors and must be signed by the shareholder. For the nominative shareholders, the form is appended to their invitation to attend. Holders of dematerialized shares can retrieve the form from the Companys website www.financiere-tubize.be . The proxy must reach the Company, at the e-mail address aspijcke@icloud.com , no later than six days before the date of the meeting (being Thursday 16 April 2020). Adding items to the agenda and submitting proposed decisions One or more shareholders collectively holding at least 3% of the share capital may request that items be added to the agenda of the meetings and submit proposed decisions concerning original and/or added matters on the agenda. Requests should be made in writing and include the text of items to be added with corresponding proposed decisions or of proposed decisions relating to original agenda items. They should state the e-mail address to which the Company can send an acknowledgement of receipt within 48 hours. Requests should reach the Company no later than twenty-two days before the date of the general meeting (being Tuesday 31st of March 2020) by e-mail sent to aspijcke@icloud.com . Shareholders intending to exercise this right should prove, on the date of their request, that they hold at least 3 % of the share capital, either through a certificate stating that the corresponding shares are registered in the Companys register of nominative shares, or through a certificate drawn up by a licensed account holder or settlement institution certifying the number of corresponding dematerialised shares registered in accounts on the name of the shareholders. They should also perform the accounting registration for at least 3 % of the capital. If shareholders exercise this right, the Company shall publish a supplemented agenda for the general meetings according to the same terms as the original agenda and no later than fifteen days before the date of the general meetings (being Tuesday 7 April 2020). Simultaneously, the Company will make amended forms for voting by proxy available to its shareholders through its website. Right to ask questions to the directors and the auditor Each shareholder who has satisfied the formalities for admission to the meeting has the right, as from the publication of the invitation to attend, to ask questions in writing about the directors and the statutory auditors reports, as well as about any other items indicated on the agenda of the general meeting, to which will be responded, as the case may be, by the directors or the statutory auditor, as long as the disclosure of data or facts does not harm the Companys commercial interests and does not violate the confidentiality agreements binding the Company, its directors or the statutory auditor. These questions should be sent electronically to aspijcke @icloud.com , no later than the sixth day before the date of the meeting (being Thursday 16 April 2020). Information on the website The following information can be consulted on the Companys website www.financiere-tubize.be.: Present convening Proxy form Total number of shares and voting rights at the date of the present convening All documents intended to be presented to the ordinary general meeting Holders of nominative shares receive a copy of all documents together with the invitation to attend. Other shareholders may obtain a free copy of the documents by sending a request to aspijcke@icloud.com . Please note that, on the day of the meetings, shareholders and proxy holders will be invited to prove their identity, and representatives of legal entities must prove their representation power. For this reason and for a smooth functioning of the meeting, participants are invited to arrive as from 10h00 onwards. Brussels, 18th March 2020 The board of directors Most California schools will likely remain closed for the rest of the school year because of the new coronavirus, Gov Gavin Newsom said Tuesday. Nearly all the state's schools have already shut down as the most populous state tries to stop the spread of the virus, and the rest will soon, he said. 'I would plan and assume it is unlikely that many of these schools, few if any, will open before the summer break,' he said in a news conference streamed online. 'I don't want to mislead you, to six-plus million kids in our system and their families, they need to make some plans at a time when a lot of plans are already being curtailed,' said Newsom, a father of four children. 'But planning with kids is some of the most challenging planning.' The state has applied for a federal waiver that means children would not have to face academic tests once they eventually return to school, said Newsom. 'We think it is totally inappropriate for kids to worry about coming back and being tested,' he said. Scroll down for video Most California schools will likely remain closed for the rest of the school year because of the coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday Nearly all the state's schools (including Brookside Elementary) have already shut down as the most populous state tries to stop the spread of the virus, and the rest will soon, Newsom said An empty school front is seen at the Ramon C. Cortinez School of Visual and performing Arts in downtown Los Angeles, California on Monday as many school districts in California cancelled classes in favor of online education Newsom said he returned home Monday after a hectic day to find one of his two daughters, six-year-old Brooklynn, in her room, her stuffed bunny and most of her bedding on the floor, as she cried about the schools being closed and that she could not see her friends. 'I told her, "Honey, I don't think the schools are going to open again,"' Newsom said. 'If I can tell my daughter that and not tell your daughter ... then I'm not being honest and true to the people of the state of California. Boy I hope I'm wrong, but I believe that to be the case.' Many of the shuttered schools may be used to provide meals to lower-income students, he said after meeting with hospital officials to discuss ramping up 'surge capacity' to handle a likely flood of coronavirus patients. 'We believe we will repurpose not just our operating rooms to potential ICU rooms, which was our conversation today to meet this pandemic, but we'll repurpose a lot of our school sites not only for congregate meals and food to go but also to potentially address these child care needs,' he said. Providing child care at time when residents are supposed to remain well separated to avoid spreading the disease brings its own challenges, Newsom said. Those caregivers 'will want to have personally protective gear, make sure social distancing is practiced, make sure that we not just secure the sites but make sure that they're healthy,' he said. He said some of the money approved by state lawmakers on Monday could go to help with that effort. The state has applied for a federal waiver that means children would not have to face academic tests once they eventually return to school, said Newsom. Children are seen at the Ethel Phillips Elementary School in Sacramento, California, on Friday In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis said that all remaining testing for students K-12 has been canceled for the year. Children pick up their grab-and-go lunch and snack at Carter G. Woodson Elementary School in Jacksonville, Florida on Tuesday Newsom signed into law Tuesday a bill that makes sure any public school that closes because of the virus will keep its state funding. That includes $100million for schools to use to either purchase personal protective gear for staff or pay for cleaning. He also signed legislation allowing him to spend up to $1billion 'for any item for any purpose' related to his March 4 declaration of emergency or the coronavirus outbreak. Initially, Newsom will have $500million to spend. But he can increase that spending in $50million increments, as long as he tells lawmakers about it at least three days in advance. The spending cuts off at $1billion. Also on Tuesday, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly ordered all K-12 schools in the state to close for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. 'The reality of this pandemic is that it cannot be controlled statewide if school buildings return to normal operations or if they respond inconsistently within our local communities,' Kelly said Tuesday afternoon. A task force is due to present a 'continuous learning' plan on Wednesday for providing instruction by other means, such as online or by small groups, through the duration of the year, a spokeswoman said. Roughly 500,000 students are enrolled in K-12 public schools in Kansas. Other states are in talks about taking similar measures to cancel school for the rest of the 2019-2020 school year. Also on Tuesday, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (pictured) ordered all K-12 schools in the state to close for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. Roughly 500,000 students are enrolled in K-12 public schools in Kansas Sidewalks were empty around Strong Hall in the middle of the University of Kansas campus In Lawrence, Kansas, on Tuesday There are more than 6,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the US with more than 100 deaths In Florida, Gov Ron DeSantis said that all remaining testing for students K-12 has been canceled for the year. DeSantis said that parents will have a choice to keep their children in the same grade for 2020-2021 school year. He added that there will be no K-12 grades calculated for the rest of this year. On Sunday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the possibility of the city's schools closing for the remainder of the school year, but for right now they are closed until April 20. Officials in Washington state have warned that their school cancellations may last into the fall. 'Were likely to be in this all the way to the fall and beyond,' Superintendent Chris Reykdal told KIRO. 'This could be our reality next school year because we dont have a vaccine in place likely for another 12 months.' Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Sunday that he wouldn't be surprised if Ohio's schools remained shut for the rest of the school year. 'Odds are that this is going to go on a lot longer, and it would not surprise me at all if schools did not open again this year,' DeWine told CNN. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The majority of Yes Bank customers will withdraw the entire money parked in the troubled lender which required a government-led bailout, according to a Twitter poll commissioned by Moneycontrol. Up to 53 percent of the respondents said they will take out their money, said the poll commissioned on March 18. Only 27.4 percent said they will keep their money while 7.2 percent said they will be depositing more money in their Yes Bank accounts. Up to 748 Twitter users participated in the poll. Also Read | A tale of two kinds of depositors: Yes Bank and PMC (and many other cooperative banks) The private lender is reeling under a pile of bad loans and a moratorium had to be imposed on it by the central bank. Also Read: What the Yes Bank rescue plan actually means The moratorium has been lifted and banking services are now operational. Yes Bank's branches will open an hour earlier, at 8.30 am, from March 19 to March 21, with extension in banking hours for senior citizen customers, the bank said via a tweet. During a press meet on March 17, the RBI-appointed administartor Prashant Kumar outlined why he did not expect a run on the bank when the moratorium is lifted. 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. Though the rescue deal has been planned well, the 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 RBI's decision to write down these papers became public. China on Wednesday said it could take more action against US media if Washington did not correct its mistakes, a day after announcing the expulsion of American journalists from three newspapers in retaliation of Chinese state media being designated as foreign missions in the US. Calling it an unreasonable oppression of its journalists in the US, Beijing said the USs decision was driven by ideological prejudices, and it was compelled to take counter measures. According to the Foreign Correspondents Club of China (FCCC), at least 13 journalists from The New York Times (NYT), The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and The Washington Post (WP) could be affected by the decision. It could be higher depending on how broadly the group is defined, the FCCC said in a statement. The Chinese foreign ministry said it was within its purview to even not allow the journalists to be expelled to not work from Hong Kong or Macau as the decision was within the purview of diplomatic affairs. Foreign ministry spokesperson, Geng Shuang blamed the decision to expel the American journalists on the US government designating several Chinese state media outlets operating in the US as foreign missions. Late on Tuesday, China announced said US journalists working for the NYT, WP, and WSJ, whose credentials were up for renewal in 2020, will have 10 days to turn in their press cards. The decision not only bans them from reporting but also effectively expels them from China as press credentials here are tied to the residence visas for foreign journalists. We urge the US to take off its ideological prejudice, abandon cold war mentality, Geng said at the regular press conference on Wednesday. China is not one to start trouble, but it will not blink if trouble comes. We urge the US side to immediately stop suppressing Chinese media, otherwise the US side will lose even more. The US has said that all options are on the table. Today, I can also tell the US that all options are on the table for China, Geng added. When asked whether the decision not to allow the journalists to work in Hong Kong under the one country, two systems agreement, Geng said Geng said blocking the journalists from working in Hong Kong was within Beijings diplomatic purview. Earlier this month, the US announced that five state-controlled Chinese media outlets would be restricted to 100 visas, the de facto expelling of about 60 journalists, the Associated Press said in a reported. It cited increasingly harsh surveillance, harassment and intimidation of American and other foreign journalists working in China. The Chinese outlets employ about 160 Chinese citizens in the U.S. and include the official Xinhua News Agency and China Global Television Network, the overseas arm of state broadcaster CCTV, the AP report said. There are no winners in the use of journalists as diplomatic pawns by the worlds two preeminent economic powers, the AP report, quoting the FCCC statement, said. [March 18, 2020] Librestream To Provide Free Remote Collaboration Software For Companies Impacted By Coronavirus WINNIPEG, Manitoba, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Librestream , global provider of remote collaboration and communication solutions, today announced a free program for enterprises facing business continuity and worker safety challenges related to COVID-19. Librestream's Onsight platform is deployed by hundreds of leading aviation, defense, manufacturing, energy and inspection companies around the worl d, enabling greater operational efficiency, reductions in carbon footprint and improved worker safety. "The sudden onset of this pandemic means managers haven't had time to prepare for the new reality we are facing with the novel coronavirus," said John Bishop, president and chief executive officer of Librestream. "Many are scrambling to find safe, cost effective ways to ensure business continuity. Onsight is already helping hundreds of companies overcome distance barriers and keep workers safe. With this free program, we can extend the same opportunity to any organization." Librestream built its Onsight platform from the ground up to cater to the needs of deskless workers. This worker-centric focus includes the ability to collaborate securely across and within field environments including those where bandwidth and network connectivity ismost challenged - such as a basement over cellular or an offshore oil rig over satellite. Use cases can range from remote inspections of critical equipment and diagnostic assessments to telemedicine consults. Many organizations have announced travel/visitation bans to protect workers, making it impossible to work the traditional way. Instead, organizations are using Librestream's Onsight platform to work remotely while still maintaining the benefits of an in-person meeting including content markup, sharing visual and audio assets, and more. Use of the Onsight software by existing Librestream customers has multiplied over seven times in the last month as businesses adjust to travel and other restrictions. Onsight Connect remote expert software runs on smartphones, tablets, smart glasses, wearables and computers for a consistent, flexible and secure experience in the field. Librestream will provide its Onsight Connect remote expert package to qualified organizations who are new to this capability. The package includes pre-configured Onsight Connect remote expert software and materials to get up and running within 24 hours. To initiate the qualification, organizations must fill out their information online and agree to provide feedback. There is no commitment to purchase of any kind. In addition, Librestream is also offering no charge, virtual training sessions. Interested customers can reach out to their Librestream contact. For information on how Onsight is used, click here to read sample customer stories, or see how Volvo deployed Librestream to enhance after-market tech support and allow technicians in different regions to share information in real-time. For press assets, click here . About the Onsight Augmented Reality Platform Onsight includes a broad range of augmented reality software capabilities including remote expert assistance, guided work instructions, and content capture and delivery, as well as optional inspection accessories. The Onsight remote expert capability was built for deskless worker collaboration in secure and rugged environments. Key features include: Talk, stream video, share high-quality snapshots and content snips Add text and telestrate on screen Control the field camera remotely, adjust zoom or lighting and take pictures Operate in limited bandwidth environments, using less than 64 kbps Invite guests to bring in contractors, suppliers, and customers for collaboration Record Onsight sessions for future record keeping, audit, training and AI enablement Enterprise-grade security with end-to-end encryption and authentication About Librestream Librestream has been providing secure remote expert assistance to enterprises for over 16 years as part of its Onsight augmented reality platform. Onsight, deployed in over 120 countries, is built for workers to collaborate virtually and access content from the world's toughest environments and for the most demanding enterprises. Onsight delivers measurable business outcomes including worker safety, cost savings, productivity gains, and improved customer service delivery. The company has been honored with numerous awards including the R&D 100, the Delegates Award at Hazardex 2020, and the Field Service WBR Innovation award. Media Contact: Michael Farino Lightspeed PR [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/librestream-to-provide-free-remote-collaboration-software-for-companies-impacted-by-coronavirus-301025974.html SOURCE Librestream [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Columbus, Ohio Politicians of all stripes expressed frustration Tuesday after Ohio's primary was postponed until June by the state's elected officials amid concerns attendance at polling places would contribute to coronavirus pandemic. The Ohio Democratic Party sued Tuesday over Secretary of State Frank LaRose's decision to set a new date, saying that power rests only with the Legislature. The state's top health official, Dr. Amy Acton, cited the need to contain the pandemic in calling off the election. Gov. Mike DeWine announced the decision Monday after a judge rejected a request that in-person voting be delayed. The lawsuit asks the state Supreme Court to reject LaRose's directive setting the June 2 date and order Ohio to accept absentee ballots through April 28. European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst, Expedition 40 flight engineer, enjoys the view of Earth from the windows in the Cupola of the International Space Station. A typical astronaut knows a lot about carrying on in high-risk circumstances, even in isolation. Learning how to cope with these circumstances is new to most of us during this novel coronavirus outbreak. But for astronauts, working in small groups under duress is what they are trained for. Several astronauts offered comforting words on Twitter this week as countries around the world asked citizens to stay at home and closed schools and businesses to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Not all of the astronauts' tweets mention coronavirus specifically, but they do talk about coping in stressful times. Wherever you are, we can probably agree these are stressful times and we hope that you are doing OK. Related: Free space projects for kids at home due to coronavirus outbreak There has been a lot of chatter from astronauts about coronavirus, but here is what a few of them had to say. From up here, it is easy to see that we are truly all in this together. #EarthStrong pic.twitter.com/lGgKHLUB0pMarch 16, 2020 See more NASA astronaut Jessica Meir, who has been in space for almost six months as part of the Expedition 62 mission, tweeted a picture of Earth from her perch on the International Space Station (ISS) on Monday (March 16). "From up here, it is easy to see that we are truly all in this together. #EarthStrong," she said. NASA astronaut Scott Kelly (now retired) knows more about isolation than most, as he spent nearly a year aboard the ISS in 2015-2016 (along with a Russian cosmonaut, Mikhail Kornienko, and a few crew members who had shorter stays.) Well get through this together by following the advice of the experts. https://t.co/bC6lrfr4mBMarch 14, 2020 See more "We'll get through this together by following the advice of the experts," Kelly wrote on Twitter Saturday (March 14), linking to a web page about the coronavirus from the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) one of the agencies providing advice to Americans about how to manage their health during the outbreak. "One thing I learned in my twenty years at NASA," Kelly added in another tweet accompanied by a soothing picture of Earth, "is that most problems aren't rocket science, but when they are rocket science, you should ask a rocket scientist." He linked again to the CDC page presumably meaning that during these times, we should trust advice from public health experts. One year ago, launching into space reinforced to me that the most important thing on Earth is the people you love. Today, as we all stay close to home, Im struck how that still couldnt be more true. pic.twitter.com/WXEQx2oAOdMarch 16, 2020 See more NASA astronaut Christina Koch is another veteran of isolation, having experienced it for several months in Antarctica and also during a nearly year-long mission on the International Space Station. Koch is still in recovery and getting used to Earth after landing on Feb. 6, 2020, but she has been sharing updates on Twitter since coming home. "One year ago, launching into space reinforced to me that the most important thing on Earth is the people you love. Today, as we all stay close to home, I'm struck how that still couldn't be more true," Koch tweeted on Monday (March 16), showing a picture of a rocket launch with her tweet. .@astro_luca lancia un appello ai siciliani, anche lui e stato in quarantena per potersi preparare a realizzare grandi cose la fuori - https://t.co/vdU9M7Viyl#iorestoacasa #Coronavirus #CoronavirusSicilia #CoronavirusItalia #Covid19 #Covid19Italia pic.twitter.com/5kVLqTrM9vMarch 17, 2020 See more The European Space Agency (ESA)'s Luca Parmitano also recently returned from space, in the same spacecraft as Koch. The two-time ISS astronaut has been tweeting periodically about coronavirus, and recently tweeted a video message to Sicilians saying he has also been in quarantine recently, according to a computer translation from Italian. Tuto confinement par un astronaute ! RESTEZ CHEZ VOUS, cest le meilleur moyen denrayer le Covid19. Il faut prendre des mesures tot pour ne pas que la situation degenere. Courage a tous et des pensees fraternelles aux personnels de sante #quarantinelife #confinementtotal pic.twitter.com/zyWByrpO3jMarch 16, 2020 See more Fellow ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet has tweeted a couple of times about coronavirus, including a recent tweet in French hashtagged #quarantinelife. "STAY HOME, it's the best method of preventing COVID 19," he said, in a French message translated by Space.com. "We must take measures quickly to prevent the situation from worsening." Have fun with @esascience while #stayinghome! Qualche idea da @esascience per attivita da fare mentre #restiamoacasa! https://t.co/yRkPi94mo6March 16, 2020 See more Another ESA astronaut, Samantha Cristoforetti, posted a link to fun website activities from her agency, urging everyone to "have fun with @esascience while staying home." She retweeted a thread from ESA, in which the agency offered some space science activities to occupy folks who are stuck at home and looking for something to do. Reminder that stress happens when expectations arent in line with reality. When we cant change reality, its best to focus on our expectations.Expect to do things differently.Expect to need to adapt.Expect to be out of your comfort zone.Expect to put others first. pic.twitter.com/mR0xl40fBsMarch 17, 2020 See more NASA astronaut Anne McClain is another spaceflight veteran, having spent about six months aboard the ISS in 2018-19. "Reminder that stress happens when expectations aren't in line with reality. When we can't change reality, it's best to focus on our expectations," said McClain, who is also a U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and a former professional rugby player. "Expect to do things differently," McClain added. "Expect to need to adapt. Expect to be out of your comfort zone. Expect to put others first." Like this hand washing emoji from https://t.co/biF3NfiWKC, https://t.co/Xn79es07e7 Great idea anytime but even more important now.March 17, 2020 See more Former Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Williams, a past emergency physician and veteran of two space shuttle missions, posted a tweet along with hand-washing advice from the United Nations and an emoji from lemiwashmyhands.org. "Like this hand washing emoji," he tweeted. "Great idea anytime, but even more important now." Another former Canadian Space Agency astronaut, Chris Hadfield, has several tweets related to coronavirus and astronaut quarantine. On Wednesday (March 18), Hadfield shared a thread by Jeremy Young, a history professor at Dixie State University in St. George, Utah, detailing a new report on the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. "This thread is vitally important for everyone to read, and think about. The actual impacts of this virus on normal life," Hadfield wrote. About an hour later, he tweeted: "The best antidote for fear is competence knowing what to do." On the most isolated St Patrick's Day of my life, I sang Danny Boy (in @SoundCloud's 'space folk' collection): https://t.co/XuJdtSgc5o pic.twitter.com/DCzPhBpgReMarch 17, 2020 See more In another tweet on Tuesday (March 17), Hadfield recalled his last half-year mission to space in 2012-2013, when he experienced "the most isolated St. Patrick's of my life" and used the occasion to sing "Danny Boy," which you can listen to here. Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. Israeli surveillance firm NSO, accused by WhatsApp of creating spyware that hacked phones, has developed new technology to map the spread of the coronavirus through tracking patients mobile data. The new software, which is being piloted by several countries at the moment, comes amid mounting concerns about privacy and cybersecurity during the outbreak. Several countries including China, Iran and Israel have separately rolled out measures to survey mobile phones of patients to try to map the outbreak. Rights group the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) was so concerned they filed a petition to Israels Supreme Court on Wednesday to stop the countrys intelligence agency using counter-terrorism software to tap the phones of those with the disease and anyone they were in contact with for the last 14 days. A person familiar with the new NSO software told The Independent the product does not hack handsets but rather processes mountains of raw data aggregated from the patients smartphones to map out the movements of those affected. It works by taking two weeks of mobile-tracking data (the virus incubation time) from the patient and then cross-references that with location details taken from mobile phone cell towers to pinpoint the patients movements as well as who was in their vicinity for more than 15 minutes. The product would also allow the relevant government to text people who have come into contact with the patient long enough to get infected and warn them they are at risk. The firm is currently in discussions with several countries, and pilot schemes have been rolled out already. The source dismissed concerns that it would be an invasion of privacy saying that the product is not spyware, but aggregates and processes information extracted by the authorities in the countries that have purchased the software. The product translates that data, creating an easy to process dashboard of information. The source added that NSO is not looking at the data itself or sending text messages to anyone. That would be done by the authorities in question. When contacted for comment NSO declined to go into detail but told The Independent: NSO has always acted and will continue to work in every way for its technologies to save lives against any threat from terrorism, serious crime and epidemics. NSO has been accused in the past of creating malware used by spy agencies and authoritarian regimes to harvest data from targets phones, as well as to clandestinely scrape data from the servers of companies like Apple, Facebook and Google. In October WhatsApp sued the firm, accusing it of helping government spies break into the phones of roughly 1,400 users across four continents in a hacking spree whose targets included diplomats, political dissidents, journalists and senior government officials. NSO has repeatedly denied the allegations, saying at the time: The sole purpose of NSO is to provide technology to licensed government intelligence and law enforcement agencies to help them fight terrorism and serious crime. Rights groups have raised concerns, saying that even if the software that does not hack phones it facilitates the ability of countries to hoover up and process data of citizens. Separately on Wednesday, the Israeli intelligence agency launched its own software to monitor mobile phones and track Covid-19 patients as well as the individuals they have been in contact with. Over 420 people have tested positive in the country, according to the health ministry and more than 50,000 people are in self-quarantine. In a televised statement on 17 March, Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that mobile phone surveillance had begun to enforce isolation saying that we have started to operate the digital technology that locates the people who were in contact with those ill with the coronavirus, and that we will notify these people to self-quarantine for 14 days. The ACRI filed a petition with Israel's top court saying "the draconian and extreme nature of these measures violate the civil rights of the public and are more harmful than they are beneficial." China has also used state-level intelligence-gathering tools to map the movements of citizens including facial recognition software. Iran meanwhile has been accused by opposition groups of encouraging citizens to download an app which captured huge amounts of data including locations. It wasnt a surprise when the U.S. Navy announced Sunday that the fast-spreading coronavirus had made its way on board one of its ships, infecting a sailor on the USS Boxer, docked in San Diego. But what happened next raises questions about how the Navy will respond to the virus within the tight quarters of its seabound vessels. On Monday morning, in response to the discovery of the infected sailor, the warships leaders ordered dozens of senior enlisted sailors and officers into a cramped room on the ship to brief them on the crisis and proper social distancing, according to a sailor who attended the meeting. That action, taken as the Navy is still evaluating who aboard the ship had come into contact with the infected sailor, runs counter to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines aimed at controlling the spread of the coronavirus. According to the sailor, the meeting in the ships wardroom, a gathering place, lasted about 30 minutes and forced about 80 crew members to stand roughly 2 to 4 feet from one another -- far less than the 6-foot spacing called for by the CDC. The meeting on the ship -- which also has outdoor spaces that possibly could have been used instead -- left some attendees feeling angry and worried that theyd been placed in unnecessary danger aboard the vessel, the sailor said. "Definitely not enough room to maintain appropriate distance," said the sailor, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media. "People are wondering why we gathered in a room contradictory to CDC guidance." A Navy spokesman confirmed the meeting took place, but he would not comment on whether it was appropriate or violated federal infection control guidelines. In a statement, the spokesman said that Navy commanders have been told "to the largest extent possible to implement social distancing," including avoiding large gatherings and maintaining a 6-foot space from other sailors when possible. According to the Navys statement Sunday, a sailor assigned to the Boxer, an amphibious assault ship, had tested "presumptive positive" for the virus that causes COVID-19. It was the first case of a sailor on board a Navy ship apparently contracting the disease. The sailor, the statement said, is now quarantined at home, along with other members of the crew believed to have been in close contact, while the ships crew conducts "a thorough cleaning" and takes "appropriate preventative measures." Gregg Gonsalves, an epidemiologist at Yale School of Medicine, told ProPublica that "putting 80 to 100 members of the crew together in a small space without knowing all who were exposed to the original index case means additional transmissions may have happened in that meeting." "A Navy ship with coronavirus infection is like a cruise ship with coronavirus infection," he said. "People are in close quarters and there is easy spread of infection." According to the Navy website, ships like the Boxer have crews of roughly 1,200 sailors. The Navy spokesman told ProPublica that the initial investigation into whether any other personnel came into close contact with the infected sailor was completed, but whether other sailors were infected is still being evaluated. To make matters worse, the sailor who attended Mondays meeting said they were briefed that limited testing kits are available. The case of the Boxer illustrates how challenging it may be for the Navy to avoid the spread of the highly infectious virus aboard ships and submarines that require sailors to work in close quarters, sometimes for monthslong missions. Traversing a Navy ship, for example, requires walking through a series of tight corridors with low ceilings and stale air. Some passageways are so narrow that for one sailor to pass another, one practically needs to press flat against the wall. There are doors along corridors -- a measure to keep any flooding contained. A sailor walking the length of the Boxer would have to stop multiple times to turn a wheel or pull a latch to open a door, then do the same thing on the other side to seal the door again. Stairways are closed off in similar fashion. Eating on a ship is done in close quarters as well. Sailors dine cafeteria-style, handing their plates to servers to scoop food from large bins like at a buffet. At peak hours the tables would be packed, with everyone sitting fairly close to one another -- exactly the kind of dining that many cities have temporarily banned as a measure to stop the spread of the virus. The Boxer is about 840 feet long, about 80% of the length of the Eiffel Tower if it were laid flat. Its unclear when the Boxer will head out on its next mission, but its webpage pledges a commitment to safety: "Everything we do on and off BOXER will be done safely." Do you know someone in a work situation that may not protect them from coronavirus infection? If so, please contact robert.faturechi@propublica.org or reach out on Signal/WhatsApp at 213-271-7217. Photo from Getty Images SINGAPORE Unsatisfied with her domestic helpers standard of work, a woman instructed her to punch herself in the mouth. When Mun Sau Yeng saw that the maids teeth had not fallen out, she asked the Indonesian to use a meat pounder to hit her teeth some 50 times until three teeth loosened. That was not enough for Mun, who then took the meat pounder herself and whacked the maids teeth, causing one on her lower jaw to chip off. Satisfied, Mun, 40, then left 25-year-old Yuni Dwi Lestari alone. The incident was one of many instances of abuse across 2018 and 2019 that Mun admitted to inflicting on the domestic helper at the State Courts on Wednesday (18 March). Mun also pleaded guilty to punching the maid on both her cheeks several times before instructing the maid to punch herself on the same area 50 times. On another occasion, she punched the maid on her mouth and chin 10 times, causing some of her other teeth to become loose a charge which she also admitted to. Another four charges, also involving causing hurt to the helper, will be taken into consideration when Mun is sentenced. These involve using a vacuum nozzle to hit the maids shoulder, using her fist to hit the top of the helpers head, punching the maids cheeks 10 times and punching the maid on her left cheek. Muns lawyer, Kalidass Murugaiyan told the court that his client had Major Depressive Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and had a history of mental illness for the past 15 years. These psychiatric conditions contributed significantly to Muns offending conduct, said the lawyer. Told maid to punch herself 50 times The maid had been working for Mun since April 2018 two months before the abuse began. In November 2018, the helper wanted to eat a can of sardines at the kitchen for lunch and Mun became angry. The employer had intended for the maid to eat the sardines for dinner instead. She punched the maid several times on both cheeks. Then, she instructed the maid to punch herself on the same area some 50 times. She believed the maid would remember the pain better if she punched herself. Story continues Though reluctant, the maid complied and was made to count the punches. Even after her cheeks bruised and swelled, Mun did not bring her to see a doctor as she knew she was in the wrong. She even told the maid to tilt her head for the rest of the day so that her husband would not see the injuries. On 3 February last year, after noticing fingerprints on the kitchen windows, Mun instructed the maid to clean the markings. However, Mun still noticed fingerprints the next day. She confronted the maid and shouted, I want your teeth drop one!, according to Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhamad Imaduddien. Her intent was to see one of the victims teeth to be dislodged and to drop onto the floor, said the prosecutor. The maid pleaded with Mun to save her teeth and said her parents would pay her some money to no avail. She told the maid to pull her lower lip down and punch her teeth with her other hand. The maid did so for 15 minutes and her lips began to swell. When she noticed that the maids teeth were still intact, Mun told her to use a meat pounder from the kitchen drawer. The maid hit her own teeth with the meat pounder some 50 times until she felt three loosen. However, Mun was still not satisfied. She took the meat pounder, pulled down the maids lower lip with a piece of tissue and hit her teeth once. One of the tooth from the maids lower jaw chipped off and she picked it up. Mun then told the maid to throw it away before she left the maid alone. The maid did not see a doctor as Mun was afraid of getting into trouble. On 7 February last year, Mun returned home and saw dust in the flat. She punched the maids mouth some 10 times, causing the maid to bleed. The maids teeth again loosened. Mun then asked the maid to apply ointment but did not bring her to a doctor. Unable to take the abuse, the maid called the Centre for Domestic Employees on 15 February. She was conveyed to a hospital on the same day. She was found with facial bruises and a chipped tooth. Mun spends hours cleaning house, hoards cleaning products While the prosecution called for 15 months jail, lawyer Murugaiyan sought to call for a probation report for Mun, whose case he described as very unique given her serious psychiatric conditions. The lawyer tendered three medical reports, one from the Institute of Mental Health, which detailed his clients conditions. The IMH report dated 3 July 2019 stated that for Mun, depression and OCD likely contributed significantly to impaired self-control in the material time as she had heard an inner voice asking her to hit victim. A psychiatrist from the Singapore General Hospital also assessed that Mun had been feeling depressed for two years and had thoughts of suicide, but was determined to live for her young children. Both children were in court on Wednesday, along with Muns husband and family friend. Mun also spends hours cleaning the house and would shower for up to 45 minutes. She would later spend hours cleaning up the toilet rather than spend time with the family. To Mun, the maid did not meet her standard of cleanliness despite mopping the floor at least twice a day, said the lawyer. Mun was also compelled to buy large quantities of cleaning products so that her storeroom was filled with toilet paper and detergent. Mun had been suffering from depression since 15 years ago and had a relapse, said the lawyer. She has since been seeking treatment and started on medication from May last year. Her family is fully supportive. Her husband and family are fully committed to ensuring that she is rehabilitated into the community. Madam Mun continued treatment and improved greatly, the family and everyone noticed that her persona has gone back to normal, said the lawyer. Mun will return to court on 6 May for a further mention on issues of sentencing. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore Other Singapore stories Man admits to undressing and molesting 13-year-old daughter thrice Malaysia lockdown: Chan Chun Sing assures Singaporeans of adequate food and essential supplies GE could be in early May if COVID-19 situation stabilises: report Giant fish sold at auction for over 16 million yen German Marshall Fund: It Is not too early to think about political change in Turkey Armenian Foreign Ministry: We call on Azerbaijani authorities to refrain from provocations Armenia's Geghamasar community head: The situation is stable now Queen Elizabeth II's favorite fast food revealed Human Rights Defender: Azerbaijani troops open fire on Armenian sovereign territory World Economic Forum: Cybersecurity and space pose new risks to the global economy Defense Ministry confirms Armenian side has 2 victims Satanovsky on sending Armenian servicemen to Kazakhstan Unofficial data: 2 servicemen 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[March 18, 2020] Former Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood Takes Fight for Victims to Litigation Boutique Weisbrod Matteis & Copley In his 16 years as attorney general of Mississippi, Jim Hood recovered more than $3 billion from corporate defendants, including insurers denying payments to victims of Hurricane Katrina. Now he is taking his fight against corporate abuses to private practice. Effective immediately, Hood joins Weisbrod Matteis & Copley PLLC, an elite litigation boutique with a leading practice representing policyholders affected by natural disasters. He will serve as counsel in the firm's Jackson, Mississippi office. "Over his exemplary career as a public servant, Jim demonstrated a genuine concern for victims of injustice that aligns with the values of Weisbrod Matteis & Copley and makes him an ideal addition," WMC Chairman August Matteis said. "Jim is a gifted legal strategist and trial lawyer, but the heart that he brings to his matters is what sets him apart." For the last three of his four consecutive terms as attorney general, Hood was the only Democrat elected to statewide office in Mississippi. Serving as assistant attorney general when Mississippi filed the first state case against the tobacco industry in the 1990s, he has been at the forefront of a wave of state attorneys general making aggressive use of civil litigation to curb corporate excesses. He led states in successful litigation against credit-rating agencies following the Great Recession, and more recently initiated state action against, among others, the pharmaceutical industry and Google (News - Alert). Hood will lead WMC's State Attorneys General practice by representing states in their efforts to hold companies liable for harm to consumers and economic damage to states. He will also build on his success pursuing insurers following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina by representing public entities, businesses, homeowners and other policyholders in their efforts to maximize their insurance recoveries after hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes and other disasters. Hoo will not be working at WMC on specific matters that he oversaw as attorney general. For the past several years, WMC has represented the State of Mississippi in a number of Hurricane Katrina-related lawsuits against insurance companies. "During my time as attorney general, I hired a lot of excellent law firms, and Weisbrod Matteis & Copley is the equal of any of them," Hood said. "I have the greatest respect for the work they have done across the country, and particularly in my state following Hurricane Katrina. This move only underlines WMC's commitment to the Gulf South region." In addition to representing Mississippi in Katrina-related litigation, WMC represents two whistleblowers against State Farm in a matter that went to the U.S. Supreme Court. WMC's team prevailed over the insurer in a unanimous decision. Hood left his post as attorney general to run for governor of Mississippi, and came closer to victory than any Democrat in the state has since 1999. Over his career, he has tried more than 100 cases to a jury. In 2005, his second year as attorney general, he successfully prosecuted a former Ku Klux Klan member for the murder of three civil rights workers, a crime fictionalized in the film "Mississippi Burning." Jim Hood: Biographical Details Served four consecutive terms as the 39th Attorney General of Mississippi (2004-20). From 2008-20, was the only Democrat elected to statewide office in Mississippi. Recovered approximately $2 billion from BP following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. In 2017, filed lawsuits against numerous pharmaceutical companies alleging their involvement in a scheme to force states to pay for drugs that were not eligible for Medicaid reimbursement. Previously served as president of the National Association of Attorneys General. During his time as attorney general, created a Vulnerable Adults Unit, Domestic Violence Unit and Identity Theft Unit. Tried more than 100 jury trials as an assistant attorney general and district attorney in Mississippi. Weisbrod Matteis & Copley PLLC: Firm Facts Founded in 2011. WMC's attorneys have helped clients recover billions of dollars on insurance claims. Named to The National Law Journal's Litigation Boutiques Hot List in 2014. Has grown to approximately 50 lawyers and 100 employees. In addition to representing individual plaintiffs, represents Fortune 500 companies and major financial institutions, including hedge funds, real estate developers, food companies, technology companies, private equity firms and construction firms. Represents Puerto Rican agencies and municipalities in litigation against insurance companies that underpaid for Hurricane Maria damage. Earned U.S. Supreme Court victory as counsel to two whistleblowers in United States ex rel. Rigsby v. State Farm Fire and Casualty Co . WMC's clients alleged that State Farm systematically mischaracterized wind damage as flood damage after Hurricane Katrina to shift State Farm's liability under homeowner policies onto the National Flood Insurance Program. WMC won an 8-0 decision. . WMC's clients alleged that State Farm systematically mischaracterized wind damage as flood damage after Hurricane Katrina to shift State Farm's liability under homeowner policies onto the National Flood Insurance Program. WMC won an 8-0 decision. The only law firm in history to prove that one of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood insurers defrauded the federal government by mishandling insurance claims after a hurricane. In addition to disaster recovery and other policyholder cases, has active practices in whistleblower matters, judgment enforcement, representing state and local governments and commercial litigation. About Weisbrod Matteis & Copley PLLC Founded in 2011, Weisbrod Matteis & Copley (wmclaw.com) has approximately 50 attorneys across five locations: Washington; Ft. Lauderdale; Philadelphia; San Juan; and Jackson. WMC's attorneys have helped clients recover billions of dollars on insurance claims. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005400/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] If ever you needed a good reason to break from the endless cups of tea and email filing that is WFH and indulge in a little summer wardrobe shopping, this might just be it. For the next two weeks, London resortwear label Three Graces London will donate 100 percent of net sales from all products sold on threegraceslondon.com to homeless charity Crisis, to support its efforts to protect the homeless through the Coronavirus outbreak. Three Graces London founder Catherine Johnson said: Whilst we retreat to the safety and comfort of our homes, I want to spare a thought for those who dont have that luxury. By supporting the incredible work of homeless charity Crisis, we hope to be able to play a small part in helping those who are at their most vulnerable and alone. Crisis is the UKs national charity for homeless people. The charity says that 78 per cent of homeless people report having a physical health condition, compared to 37 per cent for the general population with conditions usually associated with older age more common amongst the homeless. Meanwhile, the average death of someone who is homeless is 45: substantially lower than the average person. Three Graces London Now, in the midst of the Coronavirus outbreak, Crisis is calling on national governments and local councils to take emergency measures to ensure people experiencing homelessness can access testing and self-contained accommodation with private bathrooms. Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive of Crisis, said: Were enormously grateful to Three Graces for choosing to support us by donating all of the profits from their online sale. With the coronavirus outbreak, weve had to postpone some of our usual fundraising events - so the money raised by Three Graces generous customers will help to ensure we continue to support thousands of people to leave homelessness behind by providing one-to-one services, education and training. Three Graces London Three Graces is running the initiative for a full two full weeks, from Wednesday March 18 to Wednesday April 1, 2020. I know that, like me, lots of people are wondering what they can do to help their community in this time of urgent need, said Johnson. I hope that this provides a unique and meaningful way for shoppers to give back and have a positive impact on societys most vulnerable whilst also, of course, helping to support all of the amazing artisans across Europe who contribute to making beautiful garments for Three Graces. Three years before the novel coronavirus appeared in Wuhan, in a city more than 7,000 miles away, Lawfares Quinta Jurecic published an essay titled Donald Trumps State of Exception. It hadnt arrived yet, Jurecic conceded, and perhaps it never would. But our then president-elect had already exhibited warning signs: hedging on whether hed accept the election result, attacking federal judges, threatening (off-the-cuff) to his 2016 rival that he would lock her up. Thus Jurecics concern. The state of exception is a concept pioneered by Nazi political theorist Carl Schmitt, and means something like an emergency dictatorship precipitated by a crisis so big and sudden and scary that it demands the suspension of law itself. This, Schmitt thought, was liberalisms Achilles heel: No constitutional order could predict every possible peril that might befall it, or what exceptional measures would be needed to weather the storm; only a person could do that. The sovereign, then, is not the law, but he who decides on the exception to the law on whether the peril is so great that extreme, extra-constitutional steps are warranted. (Schmitt believed they were warranted in the case of Weimar Germany hence his steadfast support for the Third Reich.) Jurecics worry and not hers alone was that Trump would behave as if there were a crisis when there wasnt one, suspending the legal order for reasons of paranoia or amusement or for no reason at all. He would be Americas first Schmittian president and, Jurecic assumed, a Schmittian without a cause. That assumption was plausible the year Trump took office. It remained somewhat plausible for the next three, kept afloat through Russiagate by the possibility of self-pardon. But it is less plausible now. Now there is an emergency, there is a crisis, there is an exception, there is COVID-19 in our streets and schools and lungs and thus far, Trump has done almost nothing to stop it, much less initiate a state of exception. Story continues Yes, he declared an emergency. Yes, he slashed a few regulations. Yes, he regurgitated CDC guidelines. But this weekend, bars were still packed, parties were still happening, shops were still open. SOCIAL DISTANCING Trump tweeted Saturday morning. By nightfall, young people had congregated in major cities nationwide, inches apart, celebrating St. Patricks Day as though it were their last hurrah. For some, perhaps, it was. For others, it was something worse. The virus may not kill the young with the same alacrity as the old, but it does infect themas often or more so than the elderlyand they infect everyone else in turn. Experts expect hospitals across the country to be overwhelmed within two weeks. An optimistic estimate is 200,000 deaths; a pessimistic one is 2 million. And even if mortality is under 1 percent once all mild cases are identified, I think that it is safe to say the dead dont care about denominators. We wont flatten the curve via tweet. If the skyrocketing number of cases in Europe is any indication, we must react to COVID-19 as forcefully as Italy, before the Italian scenario is fully upon us. And that means pushing for things that, in any other circumstance, at any other time, would rightly alarm Trumps critics: restricting interstate travel, quarantining cities, closing non-essential stores, ordering people to stay in their homes and punishing, with fines or worse, everyone who dont comply. The president can probably only do the first two things, legally speaking; state governors would have to do the rest. But Trump could tell the governors what to do. He could use all of his presidential powers, never mind his Twitter account, to cajole and coerce states into a de facto nationwide lockdown before its too late and it is getting very, very late. If Italy had strongly acted just 10 days ago, a team of Italian doctors wrote, there would have been much fewer deaths and economic tumble. We are at most two weeks behind Italy on the epidemic curve which gives us about three days to take drastic action. It is possible that enough governors will realize this in the next 72 hours; some, to their credit, already have. It is possible desirable that a kind of decentralized Schmittianism will emerge, as local officials take unprecedented steps to enforce social distancing without federal direction. (The decision by Ohios governor to delay Tuesdays primary contests, despite initial roadblocks, was a good example of local exception-making.) But its also possible that none of this will happen, or that it wont happen fast enough in which case Trump will face a truly existential choice: let the equivalent of multiple 9/11s happen on his watch; or do whatever it takes to stop the virus, from commandeering hotels to military-enforced quarantines. The president may not have the authority to do those things. A Schmittian president would do them anyway. And the reason Trump hasnt (and most likely wont) is that he is too narcissistic to flex his muscle when the public good requires it, too obsessed with self-image to override a demos that, until Monday, seemed hell-bent on suicide. If COVID-19 destroys his presidency, it wont be because of his authoritarian instincts or contempt for democracy; rather, it will be because he indulged the people against their own best interests, in what has already proved a self-defeating elevation of markets over men. To be clear: Im not suggesting Trump go full authoritarian, or that his doing so would be good, and if anything his incompetence as president speaks against the sagacity of letting him play Caesar. Im just saying that if America were to have a Schmittian president, or even a quasi-Schmittian one, now would be the time. That Trump hasnt jumped at the chance confirms that the real danger of his presidency was never fascism but fecklessnessa danger which, with COVID-19, has finally come home to roost. Editors Note: This article has been updated to correct an editing error. More from National Review Darren Bailey was a landslide winner Tuesday in the race to replace Dale Righter in the 55th Illinois Senate District. In the race for the Republican nomination for the seat in the Illinois Primary, Bailey finished the day with 25,019 votes. Bailey outdistanced opponent Jeff Fleming, who had 7,274 votes. The two were competing in the 14-county senate district to replace Righter, a Mattoon Republican who isn't seeking re-election. There were no Democratic candidates for the seat, leaving Bailey virtually assured of election in November. Bailey is a Clay County farmer and a first-term state representative in the 109th District. There were two Republicans seeking to fill the state representative position being vacated by Bailey. Adam Niemerg defeated Andrew Hires by a vote of 11,451 to 8,342. Niemerg, of Teutopolis, will face Democrat John Spencer of Louisville in November. In the 95th Illinois House District, incumbent Republican Avery Bourne easily outdistanced challenger Lawrence Oliver by a vote of 6,941 to 1,175. Bourne will be challenged by Democrat Chase Wilhelm in November. In Logan County, a measure to restore the county courthouse with funds raised from an increased sales tax overwhelmingly approved by voters on Tuesday. A proposed 0.5 percent sales tax increase will help finance an $8.7 million restoration project to save the courthouse, located on the square in downtown Lincoln. The tax on non-food/medical sales will add 50 cents for every $100 spent. Voters approved the measure by a count of 3,443 to 1,998 votes. Funds will be used to restore, repair and provide continued maintenance. Logan County voters also chose Don Peasley for the Republican nomination for coroner to replace Bob Thomas, who is retiring. Peasley beat Chris Sprague, 2,738 to 1,413. They also chose Kelly Elias as the Republican candidate for circuit clerk to replace the retiring Mary Kelley. Elias beat Bethany Rademaker by a vote of 2,283 to 1,876. There are no Democats filed for either position. Voters in Latham rejected three cannabis-related propositions that would have allowed an adult-use dispensing organization (43 yes votes to 54 no votes); allowing cannabis growers (46 yes votes to 51 no votes) and allowing adult-use cannabis infuser, processing or transporting organizations (46 yes votes to 50 no votes). In DeWitt County, States Attorney Dan Markwell held off a challenge from Clinton attorney Stephanie Scoles in a race for the Republican nomination for the seat. Markwell finished with 1,235 votes in Tuesday's election, while Scoles finished with 1,103. There currently is no In Douglas County, Nathan Burton, the chief of police in Newman, was an easy winner for the Republican nomination for Douglas County circuit clerk. Unofficial results had Burton with 1,223 votes, in the four-candidate race for the nomination. Totals for the other candidates were Kaitlin Rund, 501; Terra Carter-Smith, 545; and Amariah Hays, 379. There currently is no Democratic candidate running for the office. Incumbent Republican Circuit Clerk Julie Mills isn't running for re-election after six terms in the office. In Piatt County, Sarah Perry won the Republican nomination for states attorney. Perry, who is currently an assistant states attorney in Champaign County, defeated Kelly Griffith by a vote of 1,139 to 904. There is no Democratic candidate filed to replace incumbent states attorney, Dana Rhoades, who is currently uncontested in her bid to replace Hugh Finson, the presiding circuit judge of Piatt County. Voters in Monticello rejected a proposition asking if the city clerk should be appointed rather than elected by a vote of 839 no votes to 422 yes votes. In Effingham County, voters overwhelmingly supported a proposition to take part in the discussions about making Chicago and Cook County its own state. The non-binding proposition passed by a vote of 5,638 in favor to 2,001 against. Incumbent coroner Kim Rhodes held off a challenge by Gerry Kingery, by a vote 3,427 to 2,807 for the Republican nomination. There is no announced Democratic candidate for the position. In Shelby County, voters in Cowden voted against proposition asking whether the retail sale of alcoholic liquor should be prohibited in the village. The votes was 79 against to 53 in favor. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Mysuru: Three foreign tourists -- two German and one Austrian -- are undergoing precautionary quarantine at a resort in Kodagu district of Karnataka. Kodagu deputy commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy said health officials decided to quarantine them in the resort for 14 days. After that, their health condition will be assessed again. These three tourists are among 167 international passengers who are being located in Kodagu district in order to assess their health condition. Among them, 164 people are people from Kodagu who had returned from foreign countries. 160 of them have been advised home isolation. Of the five people with suspected coronavirus symptoms, one has come negative, while a report on four cases is awaited. As of now four suspects are being quarantined in the district hospital. In Mysuru, as many as 147 international passengers have been identified. Among them 85 have been quarantined at home, of which 62 completed their quarantine period. Of the 21 suspected tested, all returned negative for the coronavirus. According to Mysuru deputy commissioner Abhiram G Shankar, the 147 people quarantined in Mysuru include Mysureans who recently returned from foreign countries and also some foreign citizens. But their exact numbers cant be divulged, he said. A few hotels in Mysuru have refused to provide accommodation to foreign tourists, including a German group and another from Canada. Tour operators had to hunt for alternative hotels to accommodate them. Since all tourism destinations in the region are closed, these foreign groups returned disappointed. Several foreign groups including four French groups who had planned a Mysuru trip did not even enter Karnataka after hearing of the closure of tourism destinations in the region, according to Ashok F J, a tourist operator. Hoteliers are being warned of action if they dont provide details of their foreign guests. And they are also being asked to provide rooms to foreign guests for 14 days in case they need to be quarantined. Hence some hoteliers are refusing to give rooms to foreigners. The occupancy of hotels in Mysuru has come down to 5 percent after the outbreak of coronavirus and only 2 per cent of them are foreigners, says Mysuru Hotel Owners Association president Narayana Gowda. There is surging in sales in private gun ownership as America is facing fears that brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent occurrences like panic buying and other factors are now causing worry to the average American. Gun stores used to sell guns to gun enthusiasts mostly. But this time, there are clients from all walks of life lining in droves. One reason for this alarming concern is the possibility of the disintegration of social order because of the coronavirus, which is infecting more Americans each day. As the exponential growth of the COVID-19 pandemic increases, so does the shadow of gun sales in the US. In the states of California, New York, and Washington they have registered a buying spree on guns with the biggest increase of guns sold to private citizens, not just gun collectors or enthusiasts, and fanatics. This was confirmed by a majority of firearm shop owners saying that it is mostly a mass wave of first-timers getting any firearm. One common thread is that these individuals are afraid of panic buying, expecting to have a shortage of food and supplies. Another popular reason why they opt to own a gun is that the government will make a move with emergency powers to halt gun sales, which is something seen as detrimental to the public safety of most citizens during the coronavirus scare. All over social media, pictures and videos of Americans lining up to purchase a gun are plentiful. More than one netizen has tweeted and posted images of crowded gun shops, all are either shopping for a gun or getting ammunition. Also read: Brothers Who Hoard 17,700 Hand Sanitizers Claim They're Doing 'Public Service' CBSN reported that in San Gabriel Valley, the sales of guns are "hitting the roof." Most Asian-American buyers are fearing the prospect of racial attacks on them, as the backlash of coronavirus fears start to become prevalent. One owner of the Arcadia Firearm and Safety in the San Gabriel Valley, David Liu, is not confident for his wife's safety. He gave her a handgun for self-preservation. He is just one of many Asians who are affected by the events in America. One of David Liu's customers is Daniel Lim, who wants to secure his family and keep them protected in this crisis, just lke many Asians who are living in fear of a financial crisis. More sales are confirmed by online websites selling bullets for all type of firearms. Ammo.com talked to LA Times, reporting that from February 23 to March they had a sales surge of 68% which was more than 11-days before Feb 23. It was the day when Italy went public with their massive outbreak of the coronavirus. With the flash increase of gun sales, many Gun control groups and advocates are now airing concern about gun safety. They fear that most first-time gun owners will not be equipped to keep their guns from children in the house. Coronavirus cases in the US rose to 3,100 in 49 states on Sunday. More social distancing is implemented by state officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as they suspend any large public gathering until the crisis improves. All sectors in the US are afraid for safety, and surging sales of any gun is an indication that COVID-19 has hit a deeper nerve. Related article: Coronavirus Vaccine Might Be Available Soon, Chinese Officials Say @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The UK must act like a "wartime" government and do whatever it takes to support the country's economy, Prime Minster Boris Johnson has said as Britain's death toll from the COVID-19 rose to 71 and the number of cases stand at nearly 2,000. London is described as the hotspot of the pandemic as the virus rapidly spreads across different parts of the UK, which remains in semi-lockdown in line with the UK government's advice for everyone to avoid non-essential social contact and travel, both domestic and international. Johnson's remarks came as India closed its borders to those travelling from the UK. The Indian High Commission in London has set up a system of online registration for all Indian citizens in the UK worried about their visas and keen to travel back to India and said it was working to "address all concerns". 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. "We announced the steps that we did advising against all unnecessary contact steps that are unprecedented since World War II. They will have an effect on the spread of the disease," said Johnson in his daily briefing related to the pandemic from 10 Downing Street on Tuesday. The current death toll in the UK stands at 71 - with half of England's fatalities reported in London alone. The cases exploded by 407 to 1,950 on Monday, the biggest daily increase yet. "We must act like any wartime government and do whatever it takes to support our economy," he said, as UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled a massive 330-billion pounds bailout package for businesses to survive through the crisis. The Indian-origin finance minister said his set of measures, including a tax and mortgage holiday for an extended period as well as grants and easier access to loans, will help relieve the pressure on companies as he promised to do "whatever it takes" to protect livelihoods. Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn urged the government to suspend home rental fees and ban evictions of tenants during the coronavirus crisis. Far-reaching emergency powers that will allow the police to detain people who may be infected with the coronavirus and force them to be tested will pass through the House of Commons soon without the need for a formal vote. UK health secretary Matt Hancock said that the law would be used only "when it is absolutely necessary to help to cope with the impact of the virus. The measures have been agreed between the parties and are likely to be passed through the Commons on the nod. They are expected to gain royal assent before the UK Parliament goes into its Easter recess next week. "Public support and compliance is crucial and we are grateful for the flexibility people have shown, but we need to ensure police and immigration officers have the authority to enforce these measures where necessary, said a UK government spokesperson. As in any wartime scenario, supermarkets in the country are set to restrict what customers can buy to prevent stockpiling. They will also urge customers to use less cash to prevent passing on the virus and may scrap self-checkout tills. We have enough food coming into the system but are limiting sales so that it stays on shelves for longer and can be bought by a larger number of customers, said Mike Coupe, chief executive of Sainsbury's. Others have temporarily scrapped 24-hour opening at some stores, closing doors at midnight or 10pm to allow shelves to be replenished. Social media images showing shelves emptied of lavatory rolls are said to be partly to blame for triggering further panic buying. A new document published by a COVID-19 team at London's Imperial College, which is advising the Boris Johnson government on its coronavirus response, warns the current public health threat is the "most serious" from a respiratory virus since the Spanish Flu in 1918 when 50 million people had died in the UK. It has advised Britain to adopt a strategy of "epidemic suppression" for a period of potentially 18 months or more rather than "mitigation" to help the state-funded National Health Service (NHS) cope. The resulting government advice for the public is that those who live alone and have a high temperature or a new and continuous cough should self-isolate for seven days. Those in a household with others and have a high temperature or a new and continuous cough, everyone in the household should stay isolated together for 14 days. Everyone, whether displaying symptoms or not, should stop all unnecessary contact with others and all unnecessary travel and should work from home where possible and avoid venues such as pubs, clubs, theatres and restaurants. The outbreak, which first emerged in China's Wuhan city last year, has marched across the globe, infecting 198,006 people and killing 7,948, according to a tracker maintained by the Johns Hopkins University. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Passengers coming from Ladakh to Srinagar will be have to undergo mandatory quarantine to prevent the spread of coronavirus, Srinagars Deputy Commissioner Shahid Choudhary said Wednesday. Choudhary said that the government had taken decision to quarantine passengers in flights from coronavirus-affected areas. The flight had to land at Leh and then Srinagar. After 25 passengers of Leh de-boarded the flight, the others were communicated that since the aircraft had landed at Leh all passengers will have to go through quarantine for 14 days. Many thought that they will escape the process. Once the flight landed in Srinagar, four passengers from Delhi were sent back to the national capital but 81 others were quarantined. The rest of the passengers have to go through quarantine period of 14 days and will be released only after that, he said. Choudhary also advised fliers from Delhi to fly direct to Srinagar not via Leh to avoid being quarantined. Track live updates on coronavirus outbreak here: https://www.hindustantimes.com/topic/coronavirus Meanwhile, the Ladakh administration restricted the entry of foreign tourist by all routes till April 30. The entry of labourers into the union territory has been restricted till March 31. Eight people in Ladakh and three in Jammu have tested positive for coronavirus. No one in Kashmir has yet tested positive. Of the 41 samples tested so far in Kashmir, 40 were negative and result of one report is awaited. We are waiting for the report of one sample and there is hope that too will turn negative, AG Ahangar, Director, Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) told reporters. People should be extra careful and they should not visit hospitals unless there is an emergency, he said. Ahangar also said people coming from the effected countries need to be quarantined and the patients who have been in the quarantine in SKIMS had travelled to different countries. The people who had been to the coronavirus-affected countries need to be quarantined even if they dont show symptoms of the disease, he said. Officials at the SKIMS told Hindustan Times that all the tests conducted at the hospital were not from Kashmir region. At least 19 samples were from Jammu also, but the good news is all tests have been negative. By Azernews By Akbar Mammadov Russia is working with Azerbaijan for the supply of helicopters, head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSVTS) of Russia Dmitry Shugaev has told the Russian media. Shugaev said that cooperation with Azerbaijan continues and mainly focuses on after-sales service, the creation of a service centre for ground forces equipment and a centre for repairing helicopter equipment of the Mi-8 family. At the same time, the possibility of delivering final products is being explored, he said. Shugaev added that Russias military-technical cooperation with its closest neighbours is developing quite dynamically: "If we take all the CIS countries, our portfolio is estimated at about $2 billion." It should also be noted that Azerbaijan is the only foreign operator of Russia's unique 120mm self-propelled artillery and mortar rig 2S31 Vena. This fact has nothing to do with the manufacturer's technical specifications or service specifications. Simply, Vena is equipped with the most advanced digital inspection and firing systems, which greatly raised the price of the product the Perm Motovilixinski plan. The system consists of pre-setting fire and preparing indoors or firing. Since the beginning of 2020, Azerbaijan has been strengthening its defence industry by exporting defence industry products, combat aircraft, helicopters and artillery products from Russia, Turkey, Italy and Pakistan. During President Ilham Aliyevs visit to Rome in February, Azerbaijan and Italy agreed on Bakus purchase of the 5th generation warplane Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master from Italy. This warplane is used as a transitional aircraft to modern multi-purpose aircraft 4++ and 5th generation. Along with the replenishment of Azerbaijan's Air Force fleet, the aircraft of this type will expand their combat capabilities and will ensure Azerbaijan's superiority over Armenia in the airspace. In addition, Azerbaijan increased imports of defence products from Turkey by 1.4 times in January-February. In February 2020, the export of defence products from Turkey to Azerbaijan grew by 1.6 times compared to February 2019, amounting to $8.30 million. Azerbaijan Air Force and Pakistans PAC KAMRA company also agreed on the contract of purchasing 10 Super Mushshak MFI-395 combat aircraft in July of 2017. 'The winter and the spring have been challenges, no doubt about it. A successful spring for a dairy farm has good weather, early grazing, slurry and fertiliser application as well as calves on the ground." This is the assessment of Co Monaghan dairy farmer Kieran McDermott, who has endured a challenging few weeks. Kieran farms alongside his parents Jimmy and Mary, and his fiancee Emma is also involved in the farm on a daily basis. "Emma calls herself the chief calf-rearer and who am I to say otherwise!" he says. "We got the slurry out earlier in the year alright but ground conditions since have made grazing almost impossible." However, the Clones man insists that cow performance has not been hampered by the longer-than-expected stay indoors this winter. "The cows are happy and they're milking on well, doing 26 litres at 3.4pc protein, 4.5pc butterfat. They are on 6kg of meal too." In terms of cows calved, the back is well broken and the McDermotts are on the home straight. "We have 64 or 65 cows calved at this stage and we're motoring on well," says Kieran. "We have a few later calvers alright that will mean we'll be at it until mid-April, but overall it's not going too bad. Breeding season "There are 32 heifer calves so far so that's good return too. We got the bull calves sold quite easily this year and there appears to be a good trade for the beef calves." The McDermotts mainly use AI for their breeding season as well as a Hereford bull to mop up on the cows, and a home-bred bull to clean up on the heifers. But there appears to be little in the way of respite from the rain for the McDermotts and it is the weather that is causing most of the concern. "We're looking out to the long-range forecast out of hope more than anything else," says Kieran. " There might be something brewing in terms of a settled spell as we go further into March, but it's very early to say yet. We aren't getting two dry days together to get the cows out to grass properly. The land is just ringing wet. In reality, it has been raining since last October." Kieran and his parents have taken a philosophical and prudent approach to dairy expansion, having grown the herd from 40-odd five years ago. Investments have been made on farm buildings and extra space. "We didn't sprint into expansion and investments," says Kieran. "It's important to measure twice and cut once and know what you're doing is the right thing. "There's a good future in dairying and for young farmers in general if you have a good direction and idea of where you're going." Kieran has been heavily involved in national farm politics through Macra na Feirme in recent years. He feels the need for younger farmers to have a strong and coherent voice is critical, especially in the light of climate change challenges and a new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). "Young farmers need a voice at government and Brussels level more than ever," he says, "We're facing a slew of challenges that we can get a handle on and help influence. "There are things like the weather and the price of commodities that are outside our control, but proper funding for the CAP and workable supports for young farmers is something we can do work on. Pressure "Farmers feel under pressure more than ever. "Younger farmers feel that challenge more than most as many of them are only starting their careers so that's why Macra has a huge role to play in representing and fighting for farmers. "Macra has had tremendous success in recent years in fighting for things like supporting a Young Farmers Scheme and getting extra TAMS supports. It shows that a clear campaign can yield benefits for young farmers." Meanwhile, Kieran and Emma, have a big date on the horizon. "We're getting married on July 4. There's more work to it than you think! I think we have most things sorted at this stage and hopefully we have a good time anyway," he adds. After 13 days of hardship for customers, Yes Bank said it has resumed all banking services as the moratorium imposed on the lender was lifted on Wednesday evening. Besides, the lender would extend banking time for three days starting Thursday. Soon after the lifting of the 13-day moratorium at 6 pm, some customers took to social media complaining that they were not able to access certain services, including internet and mobile banking. 'Our banking services are now operational. You can now experience the full suite of our services. Thank you for your patience and co-operation. #YESforYOU @RBI @FinMinIndia,' the lender said in a tweet. There are also concerns in certain quarters that Yes Bank could see significant amount of deposit withdrawals. 'To serve you better, our branches will open one hour earlier at 08:30 hours from March 19 to 21, 2020. We have also extended banking hours across branches for our senior citizen customers, from March 19 to March 27, 2020, 16:30 hours to 17:30 hours,' the bank said in another tweet. On March 5, the Reserve Bank of India had imposed a moratorium as well as superseded the board of the then struggling Yes Bank. Deposit withdrawals were capped at Rs 50,000 per account apart from other restrictions. Under the Yes Bank reconstruction scheme, the State Bank of India and seven financial institutions, including private sector lenders, have infused around Rs 10,000 crore in the bank. Yes Bank's deposit base eroded by Rs 72,000 crore to Rs 1.37 lakh crore as of March 5, 2020. The same was at Rs 2.09 lakh crore as of December 31, 2019, as per data shared by the bank last Friday. On Tuesday, then Yes Bank CEO-Designate Prashant Kumar said the private sector lender has taken adequate steps to ensure availability of funds for customers. "All our ATMs are full with cash. All our branches have adequate supply of cash. So, from the Yes Bank side, there is absolutely no issue on the liquidity front," Kumar had said. With the lifting of the moratorium, Kumar is now the Yes Bank CEO. However, certain customers of the bank vented their grievances on Twitter after the moratorium was lifted. Some of them indicated that they might shift their money from the lender and posted their grievances tagging the bank's Twitter handle. Replying to some of the tweets, the bank apologised for the inconvenience caused to the customers and said it was 'facing intermittent issues'. The private sector lender has got support from its largest investor State Bank of India (SBI), which holds 48.21 per cent stake in the bank. SBI alone has invested Rs 6,050 crore into the bank. ICICI Bank and HDFC (Rs 1,000 crore each), Axis Bank (Rs 600 crore), Kotak Mahindra Bank (Rs 500 crore), Bandhan Bank and Federal Bank (Rs 300 crore each) and IDFC First (Rs 250 crore) have invested in Yes Bank. The Queensland Parliament may not sit again before September after the government rushed through an emergency motion late on Wednesday night. Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath introduced changes to sessional orders to allow Speaker Curtis Pitt to alter the Parliament's sitting calendar. Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath moved the motion just before 10pm on Wednesday night. Credit:AAP Image/ Dan Peled Ms D'Ath said the Parliament intended to reconvene on March 31, but the new laws would give the Speaker the power to suspend sittings until September 17. "This should be used in very extreme, rare circumstances," she said. WELLINGTON, New Zealand - Margaret Sparrow was 21 years old when she drank a concoction to induce an abortion, at a time when the procedure was both illegal and socially unacceptable in New Zealand. Now age 84, Sparrow was delighted Wednesday when lawmakers passed a landmark bill that treats the procedure as a health issue rather than a crime. Its been a long time coming, said Sparrow, a doctor who has spent her life advocating for the reproductive rights of women. While views about abortions have generally become much more liberal in New Zealand since Sparrows experience, the law, while updated in 1977, had not fully reflected that change. Until Wednesdays vote, the procedure was still regulated under the Crimes Act, requiring women to prove to a doctor that their pregnancy presented a danger to their physical or mental health before they could get an abortion. Justice Minister Andrew Little said that requirement forced most women to lie about their mental health and caused unnecessary delays which added health risks. The new law removes those obstacles, allowing women who are up to 20 weeks pregnant to get an abortion and those over 20 weeks to get one with approval from a health practitioner. Lawmakers voted 68 to 51 in favour of the bill. Conservative lawmaker Simeon Brown, who opposed it, said an unborn child had a heartbeat and felt pain, and should be considered a person who is treated with dignity and respect. Jackie Edmond, the chief executive of Family Planning, New Zealands largest referrer of women to abortion services, said she was thrilled with the vote and that women were finally being trusted to make their own health decisions. Its fantastic Parliament has addressed something that they should have addressed 40 years ago, Edmond said. Sparrow said the law stayed on the books for so long because people found a work-around and lawmakers worried about the political consequences of opening up a debate about it. That changed when Jacinda Ardern was elected prime minister in 2017 and followed up on a campaign promise to bring the issue to a vote. Sparrow said it wasnt so much her own experience of having an abortion that motivated her work over the decades but more recognizing that there was an unfilled need for women. She began her career helping students get access to contraception and for several years helped send people to Australia to get abortions before the first New Zealand clinic opened. She said the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade gave people hope for change in New Zealand. Sparrow, who has received one of New Zealands top honours for her work, said the new law is a step forward but her work is not done yet. It will be safer for women and better for access, she said. The next stage is making sure its implemented. By Byron Kaye SYDNEY, March 18 (Reuters) - Australia urged people on Wednesday to avoid travelling to remote indigenous areas to curtail the spread of the coronavirus epidemic in communities that suffer disproportionately low rates of healthcare and income. As part of a wide-ranging list of "social distancing" measures to stop the illness being spread, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the government planned to issue a list of hard-to-reach places where people should avoid going. "There are parts of this country that it would not be wise for people to visit," Morrison told reporters in Canberra. "Just as it is important for people to not visit aged care facilities in large numbers, it is also important they're not visiting remote indigenous communities or remote parts of the country," he added. Morrison gave the directive as part of a sweeping list of restrictions on Australian life that he said may last six months or longer in a bid to contain a flu-like virus that has now infected nearly 500 people in the country and led to five deaths. While most of Australia's 25 million people live in or near cities, about 120,000 indigenous people live in remote communities, according to official figures, making it harder for them to access healthcare and harder for health workers to reach them. Such communities are among the most impoverished in the country. The country's healthcare resources already face heightened pressure as governments roll out "fever clinics" to conduct mass testing for the illness formally called COVID-19. Morrison said the government would remove practicing restrictions on about 20,000 nursing students so they could join the response. Indigenous health workers had called for the travel restrictions to remote areas and also requested the federal government to extend the order to include a shutdown of all non-essential services. "We have a narrow window of opportunity to prevent the spread of the virus into our communities," said Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory CEO John Paterson. Northern Territory is home to much of Australia's indigenous population. "As the funder and contract managers of these non-essential programmes, the Australian Government must exercise its duty of care to actively direct all non-essential service providers to cease all access to remote communities unless there are extenuating circumstances," he said in a statement. (Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan) None of the asylum seekers arriving in Cahersiveen this week have been in the country for "less than two months". The Department of Justice moved to calm local fears after the first 105 of 150 asylum seekers have been moved from Dublin hotels to the Kerry town this week. A row broke out locally over the decision by the Department, as part of its emergency response to Covid-19, to open the former Skellig Star Hotel as a new accommodation centre for asylum seekers who are being moved out of Dublin hotels. Independent councillor Johnny Healy-Rae accused the Department of taking advantage of the virus to move people to Cahersiveen without consultation. In January, the Department had denied reports Cahersiveen was to have a centre. Mr Healy-Rae said public representatives got just two hours notice before the 12-month contract was signed. In update to Fianna Fail councillor Michael Cahill, the Department said they understood residents had concerns. Of the 105 residents arriving, some 66 are single, most of whom are female. There are 16 female one parent, one child families, one parent with two children, and two couples. "The balance of the 150 residents will be transferred in the coming weeks," they said. School places would be arranged and residents in the new centre will have access to local health services. Access to GP services will be through the medical card system. "If the concerns locally are that the people may have recently arrived from a region affected by Covid-19, I can confirm that no one in the group of 105 has been in this country for less than two months and all have been health screened by the HSE-led medical team at our reception centre in Baleseskin, North Dublin on their arrival," the Department said. Mixed views are being expressed by residents of Cahersiveen on social media. Most criticise the lack of consultation. A spokesperson for the Department said it understood the concerns. "This decision has not been taken lightly. We are in unprecedented times. The Department has a duty to protect all persons seeking international protection, and this is one step that we are taking in this regard," they said. To ensure the safety and wellbeing of applicants, they needed to transfer those who are currently in emergency accommodation in hotels to dedicated accommodation centres. The contract with the former Skellig Star hotel in Caherciveen is for a 12 month period. It is to provide accommodation for 150 single people across 56 bedrooms and was offered to the Department under the Expressions of Interest process. The Skellig Star Hotel, formerly known as the Watermarque Hotel, underwent a 3 million revamp in 2017 when it was purchased by a group of Irish and Chinese Investors. [snippet1]987600[/snippet1] Wildlife experts say moves in Vietnam to shut down its live wild animal markets are just one step towards preventing the emergence of further infectious global pandemics. Unless a proposed ban is strictly enforced, its feared that practices dangerous to human health, which are still widespread, could be driven underground. And a shift in policies in other countries that run similar markets will also be needed for disease risks to be significantly reduced. So-called wet markets where animals ranging from civet cats to turtles are crammed together in cages and may be slaughtered on demand for customers are popular in countries such as Indonesia, as well as Vietnam and China. Conservationists say its not just cruel, but creates breeding grounds for viruses to emerge because people come into close contact with animal body parts and fluids. Sars and Mers were traced back to the animal trade. Some animals are bred for the markets, others are trapped in the wild, but almost all are sold for eating or for the traditional Asian medicine market. Vietnams prime minister, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, has asked the countrys agriculture ministry to draw up a ban on the trade in and consumption of wildlife. Selling and eating species caught from the wild is in theory already illegal in the country, but it has long been a grey area, with the law poorly enforced. The ban, due to take effect from 1 April, comes just weeks after China outlawed street markets such as the one in Wuhan, where huge numbers of animals are crammed together in cages and slaughtered in unhygienic conditions. The multi-billion-dollar trade in Vietnams thousands of markets exploits animals such as endangered pangolins, bats and reptiles. Conservationists pushing Vietnam to ban its wildlife trade wrote in an open letter to the countrys government: The lesson from Sars and now Covid-19 are clear: new viruses will continue to move from wildlife to people while illegal wildlife trade and wildlife consumption continue. Experts warned a ban would need to be strictly enforced to have any effect. Matt Morley, a wildlife crime expert at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (Ifaw), told The Independent that in both China and Vietnam, the impact would be entirely dependent on the political will to enforce them. Many of these markets have operated illegally for years under the noses of law enforcers who are either complicit in the illegality or indifferent to it, he said. There are no panaceas viruses will continue to be transferred to humans from non-human sources. Anything that reduces the types of interactions that facilitate these transfers, such as closing wet markets or regulating the bush meat trade is welcome. Regulation is not the only solution, though. Frequently all it does is drive such activity underground. People buy, eat and keep wildlife for complex reasons that need to be unravelled. Calling for significant investment in public health education, Mr Morley added: We should be aware of sensitivity around these issues and recognise that in addition to the criminal elements involved, a great many vulnerable people in rural and urban areas will lose their livelihoods. Were talking about taking on some deeply ingrained practices. Bans and regulations alone wont solve this problem but theyre a step in the right direction if enforced. After the first cases of Covid-19 were detected, scientists in China pinpointed the Wuhan market as the source of the infection that has gone on to kill thousands of people worldwide. Ifaw said that Meituan Delivery, one of Chinas largest food delivery and shopping apps, has removed more than 8,000 restaurants and businesses that trade in wildlife meat. But beyond China and Vietnam, trade in wild species is also rife in Cambodia, Laos and Indonesia. However, according to website Mongabay, conservationists say these countries have indicated they are looking into regulating the trade. AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Port of Rotterdam, Europe's largest, expects the flow of goods over the whole of 2020 to be clearly below last year's tonnage and its internal forecasts as the coronavirus spreads across the continent. The outbreak of the virus in China had already been expected to cut 2 million tonnes off monthly goods traffic. The impact will be far greater as Europe's economy is hit, spokesman Leon Willems said. "We had said that every month the outbreak continued in China that would trim 2 million tonnes off cargo throughput. We now also have lower economic forecasts for the EU, indicating a contraction of 1% instead of 1.5% growth. So, for the whole of 2020, we will be considerably below the initial forecasts," Willems said. At the same time, Willems said the port was fully operational, with no closed companies or business on lockdown. He said Chinese cargo arrivals were expected to pick up now the impact of the virus there has eased. The port was revising forecasts to incorporate the latest European growth projections. An update was expected in April. Total throughput at Rotterdam had already flatlined at 469 million tonnes last year as slowing international trade halted many shipments from Asia at the end of 2019. The nearby port of Antwerp, in Belgium, which handled 238 million tonnes of freight last year, said it was also fully operational and it was too early to assess the impact of the spreading coronavirus. The port's initial assessment, when the impact was largely limited to China, was that it would lose about a month of traffic to and from China, the port's second most important source and destination of business after the United States. Belgium's other main port of Zeebrugge was also running as normal, albeit with increased safety controls. The principal virus impact so far has been seven cancelled container ships from China and reduced trans-shipments. Zeebrugge will release quarterly figures in April. (Reporting by Anthony Deutsch; additional reporting by Philip Blenkinsop in Brussels; editing by Louise Heavens and Barbara Lewis) A British couple who shot to fame for their upbeat daily updates while quarantined on the Diamond Princess Cruise ship have called upon the British public to pull together amid the coronavirus outbreak. David, 73, and Sally Abel, 70, from Northamptonshire, have made a full recovery after being struck down with the Covid-19 virus on board the liner which was harboured in Japan last month. The couple were treated in a Japanese hospital after being diagnosed with both the virus and pneumonia, and have been in self-isolation since returning home to the UK earlier this week. Mr Abel told Good Morning Britain on Wednesday: I think the measures the Government are finally taking, if people take notice and abide by them and we all take responsibility for our own health and our own hygiene, I think this could be over as quickly as it arrived. That might be very naive of me to say that but as a country, if we pull together it will disappear more quickly than we ever imagined. Coronavirus: Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined 1 /32 Coronavirus: Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined Cruise ship Diamond Princess is anchored off the shore of Yokohama, south of Tokyo AP Global interest: David Abel, who is on board Diamond Princess with his wife Sally, has been posting updates on social media David Abel Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), officials of the DFA-Philippines in Tokyo with Department of Health team wear protective suits as they prepare for the disembarkation of Filipino crew members on board the Diamond Princess Cruise Ship at Yokohama Port AP A man in a proctective clothing is seen on the sixth deck of cruise ship Diamond Princess in Yokohama via Reuters A woman holds a Japanese flag that reads "shortage of medicine" on the cruise ship Diamond Princess Reuters Passengers disembarking from the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked at Yokohama Port are pictured in Yokohama REUTERS/Kyodo Japan David Abel of the Diamond Princess cruise ship that has been quarantined in Japan. PA David Abel being treated David Abel Workers in protective clothes stand before passengers disembarkating off the Diamond Princess AFP via Getty Images Quarantine operation on the eighth deck of cruise ship Diamond Princess in Yokohama via Reuters An empty general view of Diamond Princess cruise ship PA The Diamond Princess cruise ship, in quarantine due to fears of new COVID-19 coronavirus, is seen at Daikoku pier cruise terminal in Yokohama AFP via Getty Images Sally Abel being treated David Abel/Facebook Men wearing protective gear are seen near the cruise ship Diamond Princess, Reuters The Diamond Princess cruise ship with around 3,700 people on board sits anchored in quarantine off the port of Yokohama after a number of passengers were confirmed to be infected with coronavirus Getty Images An empty general view of Diamond Princess cruise ship PA Medical workers in protective suits lead a passenger tested positive for a new coronavirus from the cruise ship Diamond Princess at Yokohama Port AP Buses carrying passengers who have been under quarantine on a coronavirus-stricken cruise ship off the coast of Japan, the Diamond Princess, leave RAF Boscombe Down in Amesbury Reuters An empty casino on the Diamond Princess cruise ship PA Workers in protective gear are seen on the Japan Coast Guard boats in Yokohama Jiji Press/AFP via Getty Images An empty atrium on the Diamond Princess cruise shi PA Workers in protective gear transfer a person under a blue sheet from the Diamond Princess cruise ship onto a Japan Coast Guard boat in Yokohama Jiji Press/AFP via Getty Images Medical workers in protective suits carry belongings of passengers of the cruise ship Diamond Princess at Yokohama Port AP Cruise ship Diamond Princess is anchored off the shore of Yokohama, south of Tokyo AP Mr Abel also praised the Foreign Office for their help in getting the pair home, saying: I cant criticise them in any way. Mrs Abel told the breakfast TV programme she feared she was losing her husband at the height of his illness. She said: I didnt think he was coming home. He was extremely bad. They diagnosed him with acute pneumonia, obviously a side effect of the virus, and basically he was giving up. I sat up most of the night watching him breathing because I didnt think he was coming back. Current Government advice states those aged 70 and older should reduce social contact. British cruise ship MS Braemar remains docked at the harbour in Mariel, Cuba / AFP via Getty Images The Abels' encouragement comes as more than 650 Britons stuck on a virus-stricken cruise ship prepare to be flown back to the UK from Cuba on Wednesday evening. Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, which operates the Braemar cruise ship, said three flights chartered from British Airways would fly to Heathrow from Jose Marti Airport in Havana. A total of 28 passengers on board the ship, who have shown influenza-like symptoms, are currently in isolation. This includes two people who tested positive for Covid-19 at the last port of call, Willemstad, Curacao, on Tuesday. If we give the airline and cruise industries assistance without requiring them to be better environmental stewards, we would miss a major opportunity to combat climate change and ocean dumping, read the letter, signed by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat of Rhode Island, along with seven of his colleagues. Air travel has become an increasingly important contributor to global warming. While aviation still accounts for less than 3 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, those emissions are expected to triple by 2050 as tourism and travel expand. And airlines have struggled to clean up their act: In recent years, air traffic in the United States has grown three times as fast as the rate of fuel-efficiency improvements. Some climate experts point out that lawmakers have plenty of options to change that dynamic if they wish, particularly if taxpayers are being asked to save the industry. One possible model is the 2009 bailout of the auto industry, which nearly collapsed during the financial meltdown a decade ago. The Obama administration rescued GM and Chrysler from bankruptcy but also enacted stricter new fuel-economy rules for cars and light trucks. (More recently, the Trump administration has been working to relax those rules.) Daniel Rutherford, who directs the aviation and marine programs at the International Council on Clean Transportation, offered a few ideas on Twitter for what a climate-friendly bailout of the airlines might look like. Congress could require new efficiency rules or even offer airlines tax breaks to speed up the retirement of older, more polluting aircraft in favor of newer, cleaner models. Or, airlines could be required to publicly report the emissions that result from different itineraries so that travelers can more easily choose less-polluting flights. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 18:32 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206ba58d2 1 Politics human-rights-violations,Netherlands,King-Willem-Alexander,Joko-Widodo,ELSAM,apology,gross-human-rights-violation Free Human rights activists have urged the government to learn from the Dutch king by, among other measures, admitting past human rights violations, apologizing to the families of victims and working to resolve cases through judicial and nonjudicial measures. Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM) deputy director Wahyudi Djafar said the Netherlands apology to Indonesia for its excessive violence in the past could be a lesson and motivation for the government to do the same for victims of past human rights violations and their families in this country. Indonesia, he went on to say, should follow the lead of other countries in apologizing for past human rights violations, including Australia, Belgium, Japan, Germany, South Africa and the United States. We also urge the government to provide economic assistance and trauma healing for people affected by such violations, Wahyudi said in a statement on Wednesday. Read also: Public lack faith in Jokowi's ability to solve past human rights abuses: Survey Dutch King Willem-Alexander conveyed the apology during his four-day visit to Indonesia with Queen Maxima, saying he expressed regret and apologies for the excessive violence on the part of the Dutch in [the early years of Indonesian independence]. President Joko Jokowi Widodo responded to the statement by saying that past events, even if they were hurtful, could be lessons for strengthening mutual respect among others in the future. Wahyudi, however, deemed the Presidents statement ironic, given that the government had not apologized for past human rights violations allegedly committed by Indonesian armed forces or caused by the governments discriminatory policies. We saw in an interview with the BBC in February when the President explicitly said that enacting human rights values was not his priority at the moment. We lament that statement since many victims or families affected by gross human rights violations have been ignored by the government, said Wahyudi. He went on to say that the United Nations Convention against Torture, which had been ratified by Indonesia in 1998, stipulated that the government was required to apologize to victims of past gross human rights violations. Read also: Indonesia military to blame for 2014 Papua killings: Rights commission A 1983 UN resolution on the responsibility of states for wrongdoing also called on governments to express regret and apologize for human rights violations. The apologies should be oriented toward victims and acknowledgement that gender discrimination also occurred during those violent acts, Wahyudi added. According to data from the Office of the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister, at least 11 gross human rights violations await resolution, including the 1989 massacre in Talangsari, Lampung, and the shooting in Wamena, Papua, in 2003. (glh) 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) A doctor who diagnosed a young Queenslander with a cold had no way of knowing his patient would die from meningitis six days later, a coronial inquest has found. Dr Marco Zorzetto saw Daniel Christopher Roulant, 22, on November 23, 2017, at the Holland Park Family Medical Practice and believed his patient had a viral head cold. Flatmates found Daniel Roulant unresponsive in his bed after he had been unwell. Credit:Andrew Quilty Following the GP visit, Mr Roulant's flatmates at their Woolloongabba sharehouse recalled him appearing fine and well the next few days. On November 29, he left work early after he had become unwell, started shivering and went to sleep during his shift at Fortitude Valley's Cloudland. LifeWay creates online Sunday school alternative for kids as churches respond to coronavirus Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment 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." If there was ambiguity and contradiction to be found in Scott Morrison's words during the past week, he left no-one in doubt on Wednesday as to the challenge confronting the nation in the grave days which lie ahead. "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," an ashen-faced Morrison told journalists in the Prime Minister's Courtyard. As sporting events shut down and pubs and restaurants close their doors to halt the spread of COVID-19, Morrison warned Australia in the weeks to come "won't look like it normally does", but reassured the nation and its people were up to the challenge. Not in a generation has any prime minister faced a such a fast-moving scenario as the coronavirus, which will in the coming days virtually bring the economy to a halt. It has left the door open to error and misjudgment but it is now clear just how serious the challenge is. Highlights Donate-a- book is launched by Wayanad district administration Under the scheme people can donate books and periodicals People in isolation are taking the read-and-relax project in good spirit Close on heels of releasing multi-lingual pamphlets on the dos and donts on coronavirus, the Wayanad district administration has launched yet another innovative scheme of distributing books and periodicals among those under home quarantine in the district. This is a kind of positive gesture on our part towards those who are under isolation. We are trying to send out a humanitarian message to these people that the whole society is with them and that it is for the sake of the society they are being put on home quarantine, district Collector Dr Adeela Abdulla told PTI. The whole exercise is done under a scheme -Donate-a- book- wherein anyone can donate books and periodicals to their panchayats. The books would be delivered to those under isolation through a mechanism via the panchayat concerned, she said. Panchayat sources said there has been a good response to the scheme in the district and the people in isolation had also taken the read-and-relax project in good spirit. With an objective to reach out to the tourists from around the globe reaching the tourist hotspot of Wayanad and aimed at creating an awareness among labourers from different parts of India, the district administration had on Tuesday last released leaflets on Covid-19 in three foreign and six Indian languages. Conceived and created in association with Totem Resource Centre, which translated the content into different languages, it was a first-of-its-kind in the efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus in Kerala. Foreign languages in which the pamphlets were printed are German, Spanish and French. Besides Malayalam, the other Indian languages in which the leaflets were printed include Assamese, Hindi, Bengali, Telugu and Tamil. New Delhi: The number of novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 147 on Wednesday, with 10 fresh cases reported from various parts of the country, according to the Health Ministry. The cases include 25 foreign nationals and the three persons who died in Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Over 5,700 people, who had come in contact with these positive cases, are under rigorous surveillance, the Ministry said. Delhi has so far reported ten positive cases which includes one foreigner while Uttar Pradesh has recorded 16 cases, including one foreigner. Maharashtra has 41 cases, including 3 foreigners, while Kerala has recorded 27 cases which includes two foreign nationals. Karnataka has 11 coronavirus patients. The number of cases in Ladakh rose to 8 and 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, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Punjab have reported one case each. In Haryana, there are 16 cases, which include fourteen foreigners. According to the ministry's data, 14 people have been discharged so far, including the three patients from Kerala who were discharged last month. Three persons infected with the virus have died so far, the latest casualty being a 64-year-old man from Mumbai with a travel history to Dubai who succumbed on Tuesday. While a 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi who returned from Saudi Arabia died last Tuesday, 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 government on Tuesday banned the entry of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia to India with immediate effect, according to an additional travel advisory. This instruction is a temporary measure and shall be in force till March 31 and will be reviewed subsequently. With coronavirus cases swelling in the country, the government has also banned the entry of passengers from the European Union countries, Turkey and the UK from March 18 till March 31. The greatest challenge from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic will be the human toll, which is already unbearable in parts of the world and could be on that trajectory in the United States. There is no modern precedent for the kind of death toll we could be looking at in coming weeks and months, and the after-effects will last for years. Not to be lost in the chaos are the inevitable economic consequences. Many businesses are closed for indeterminate lengths of time, with no certainty about when life will return to normal. That means no money is coming in, people arent receiving paychecks and bills are going unpaid. The federal government has been discussing an aid package for the innumerable suffering businesses, but much more will need to be done. At special risk are the class of workers who have few protections even in the best of circumstances. Data varies on the change in the economy over the past decade in the direction of temporary sometimes called gig economy workers. Certainly Uber and similar companies have not transformed the economy to the extent their backers might have hoped. But there is a clear pattern of companies hiring people as contractors for what would once have been full-time positions. This extends not just to mailroom and custodial duties at big corporations, but even some emergency room physicians at hospitals. Workers not employed full time have much more difficulty receiving unemployment assistance when they lose their jobs. A payroll-tax cut does nothing for someone whos not on a payroll. The shift to contract work on a wide scale has helped companies with their bottom lines, but it has left a wide swath of workers vulnerable in a time of crisis. And a crisis is what were facing. As Hearst Connecticut Media columnist Dan Haar wrote, nearly every event planned for more than a handful of people in the near future has been canceled or postponed, leaving thousands without a paycheck. The restaurant industry is in a full-blown crisis, and takeout orders cannot sustain its future for any prolonged period. That means businesses will close, people will lose wages and suffering will be the inevitable result. The only hope for meaningful aid comes from the federal government, and it cant be in the form of tax cuts for corporations. People need direct aid, and more than that, the consequences of failing to pay bills need to be put on hold. Already weve seen utilities saying they will not shut off service in the event of missed payments; more of that kind of thinking will be necessary to keep people whole. For now, the priority is to slow the spread of the contagion and limit the human toll. There is still hope to avert the worst, but it will require a massive uptick in testing, which is not yet available. But the economic fallout will arrive quickly, and leaders need to be prepared to act. It may already be too late to avoid a recession, but decisive action will be necessary to keep human suffering to a minimum. 2021s Most Popular Expert Panel Roundtable Discussions Topics that dominated our websites Expert Panel Roundtable articles in 2021 included the effects of COVID-19, the benefits of mobile access, the upcoming potential of deep learning, and the future of access control cards. Our websites Expert Panel Roundtable discussions in 2021 reflected some of the most timely and important topics in the industry. The very most clicked-on Expert Panel Roundtable discussion in 2021 considered the positive and negative effects of COVID-19. The second most popular was trends in perimeter security technology. Smart video solutions Here is a roundup of the Top 10 Expert Panel Roundtable discussions posted in 2021, along with a sound bite from each discussion and links back to the full articles. Thanks to everyone who contributed to Expert Panel Roundtable in 2021 (including the quotable panelists named and linked below). The pandemic has impacted security in many ways, some we are just now realizing" What are the positive and negative effects of COVID-19 to security? The pandemic has impacted security in many ways, some we are just now realizing. On the negative side, integrators were limited in their ability to access customer locations, posing significant challenges to supporting customers. Innovation was also halted in many sectors such as AI and edge computing in healthcare. However, the pandemic increased awareness regarding the need for smart solutions that can aid in these types of crises. Smart video solutions have been identified repeatedly in the media as a potential pathway to better customer experience and increased safety. Alexander Harlass. Reducing false alarms What are the latest trends in perimeter security technology? Whats really important in perimeter security is the minimization of false alarms, not simply the potential detection of what might be an unauthorized person or object. In light of that, many systems now include alarm validation that can confirm an alarm event using a camera. The utilization of AI-based technologies can further validate the accuracy of the alarm, making it as accurate and precise as possible. I anticipate seeing more cross-technological integrations to reduce false alarms, so that personnel in an alarm center spend as little time as possible in validating an alarm. Leo Levit. What will be the biggest security trends in 2021? 2021 will see artificial intelligence (AI) become more mainstream. There will be increased deployment in edge devices, including cameras, thermographic cameras, radar and LIDAR sensors, entry point readers, etc. Additional algorithms will be developed, greatly expanding the use and function as video surveillance transitions from a forensic tool to real-time analytics. This increases the value of these systems and helps create ROI cases for their deployment. Tim Brooks. Access control solutions Investments in tools and platforms to drive digital interactions have accelerated" What will be the security industrys biggest challenge in 2021? The security industry is traditional in the sense that it relies heavily on face-to-face interaction to do business with customers and partners alike. COVID-19 has put a hold on in-person meetings, trade shows, etc., and this trend is likely to extend throughout 2021. Virtually recreating these personal touchpoints, while cultivating and strengthening internal and external relationships, will continue to be both a challenge and opportunity for the security industry. Investments in tools and platforms to drive digital interactions have accelerated. Robert Moore. What are the challenges and benefits of mobile access control? Mobile access control solutions are an exciting innovation in a market where the day-to-day user experience hasnt changed much in the last 20 years. One area that has clear benefits and challenges is in improving the user experience. On one hand, physical credentials are expensive and a hassle to administer; however, they work reliably, quickly, and predictably. Mobile credentials are convenient in that everyone already has a smartphone, and you dont have to admin or carry cards; however, when youre actually standing at the door they need to work as well or better than physical credentials, or the benefits are lost. Brian Lohse. Attacking critical infrastructure What are the security challenges of protecting critical infrastructure? It seems so often we hear about a new threat or cyber-attack in the news. Because of the rapid growth in technology over the last few years, cybercriminals are getting bolder and discovering new ways to attack critical infrastructure. One of the biggest challenges boils down to the capabilities of the operating security system and whether the organization is aware of the current risks they face. Because there are so many points of entry for cybercriminals to target within critical infrastructure, it is vital that the security solution be prepared for attacks at every level. Charles (Chuck) OLeary. They are more aware when they make physical contact with doors and interfaces" Which security technologies will be useful in a post-pandemic world? People have become more sensitized to crowds and personal space. They are more aware when they make physical contact with doors and interfaces. As the pandemic subsides, these habits will likely remain for a majority of people." "Utilising AI-based cameras to accurately monitor the number of people in a room or in a queue will enable staff to take action to improve the customer experience. For example, AI-based analytics can quickly notify security or operations when people are waiting at a door and initiate 2-way audio for touchless access. Aaron Saks. Central monitoring station What is the potential of deep learning in physical security and surveillance? Deep learning, a subset of artificial intelligence, enables networks to train themselves to perform speech, voice, and image recognition tasks." In video surveillance, these networks learn to make predictions through highly repetitive exposure" "In video surveillance, these networks learn to make predictions through highly repetitive exposure to images of humans and vehicles from a camera feed. That ability is ideal for use with drones patrolling perimeters seeking anomalies or in software that significantly reduces the number of false alarms reported to central monitoring station operators. Through use, the software continues improving its accuracy. Brian Baker. Valuable audit trail How soon will access control cards become extinct and why? Access control cards will go the way of the dinosaur, but they still have some life left in them. For the short term, they have plenty of utility in minimum security use cases and leave a valuable audit trail. But for companies that are more technology-centric, particularly those with high value assets, were seeing demand for next-generation access control, which includes increased integration with video surveillance systems and professional monitoring services. Sean Foley. Which security markets are embracing touchless and contactless systems? Touchless technology is not a new trend, but contactless systems and transactions have surged since the COVID-19 pandemic. Even after the pandemic is over, it is likely public perception of what is hygienic and acceptable in public spaces will have changed. [We are] seeing an uptick in touchless access control systems in the education and flexible office space markets. Brooke Grigsby. Lucknow: A 25-year-old junior resident doctor at the King George Medical University here has tested positive for novel coronavirus after coming in contact with two patients undergoing treatment for the disease at its premises, a hospital spokesperson said on Wednesday. The doctor has been kept in an isolation ward and is undergoing treatment, the spokesperson said. "A woman from Canada and one of her relatives, who came in contact with her, are undergoing treatment for COVID-19 at an isolation ward at KGMU. A 25-year-old junior resident doctor had taken the samples of these patients. Suddenly, some symptoms were seen in him and he was tested at the university laboratory, where he was found to be coronavirus positive," KGMU spokesperson Dr Sudhir Singh told PTI. "The resident doctor has been kept in an isolation ward and is undergoing treatment," he said. Singh said 14 other people working in the isolation ward were also tested and their results came out to be negative. "The junior resident doctor is being treated, and he is fine. The other two coronavirus patients admitted in KGMU are recuperating," he said. Another major fashion industry event has been canceled as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, days after Anna Wintour called off this year's Met Gala. On Wednesday, the CFDA announced that it was postponing this year's CFDA Awards, which were due to be held on June 8 at the New York Public Library, indefinitely, 'after carefully reviewing the guidelines of federal and state governments, as well as public health agencies'. Making the announcement on its official Instagram account, the fashion organization vowed to 'do everything it can to help our designers through these difficult times in their businesses', noting that so many people working in the industry are struggling to stay afloat in the current climate. Called off: This year's CFDA Awards - which are usually attended by the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Emily Ratajkowski - has been called off as a result of the coronavirus outbreak Star-studded: Every year, the event sees a slew of stars, like Bella and Gigi Hadid, attending in order to honor the designers that they so often work with 'As coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to impact the globe, we want to update our members and the broader fashion community on the status of the annual CFDA Fashion Awards,' a post on the official Instagram account read. 'After carefully reviewing the guidelines of federal and state governments, as well as public health agencies, CFDA Chairman, Tom Ford, and Steven Kolb, President and CEO, along with the full support of the board, have made the decision to postpone the 2020 CFDA Fashion Awards. 'Designer nominations will also be postponed to a later date.' Last year's CFDA Awards saw a slew of A-listers attending, with Jennifer Lopez, Emily Ratajkowski, and Gigi and Bella Hadid all making stunning appearances on the red carpet. Designers including Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, and Brandon Maxwell were honored at the ceremony, taking home some of the night's most prestigious awards - while J-Lo was given the title of Fashion Icon. As well as being responsible for organizing the awards ceremony, the CFDA was set up to 'strengthen the impact of American fashion in the global economy'. Announcement: The not-for-profit organization made the announcement on Wednesday 'The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc. (CFDA) is a not-for-profit trade association, founded in 1962, whose membership consists of nearly 500 of Americas foremost womenswear, menswear, jewelry and accessory designers,' the website reads. 'The CFDA Foundation, Inc. is a separate not-for-profit organization, which was created to raise funds for charity and industry activities.' The cancelation of this year's awards show comes just two days after the star-studded Met Gala - known as 'fashion's biggest night out' - was postponed 'indefinitely' in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. According to Vogue, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where the glitzy event is held every year, made the announcement on Monday afternoon, revealing that 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 coronavirus. 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 Vogue editor-in-chief 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. The end of an era: On Monday, Anna Wintour postponed this year's Met Gala 'indefinitely' in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak 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 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. 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. Disappointment: Meghan Markle was rumored to be attending this year's event with British Vogue editor Edward Enninful While last year's theme - Camp: Notes on Fashion - saw Katy turning up dresses 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 Whos Who of showbusiness. 'Naturally Meghan was one of the first names on the guest list, and Edwards 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.' New Delhi, March 18 : An Indian Army soldier has been placed in an isolation ward at a hospital in Ladakh after he was found infected with coronavirus, sources in Army stated. It is a first positive case of coronavirus in the Indian Army. The soilder is from the Ladakh Scouts, an infantry regiment of the Army known as the 'Snow Warriors', and is currently admitted in the S.N.M. hospital in Ladakh. It was found that the soldier's father had a travel history to Iran. The soldier's father, who has also tested positive, is under going treatment at a Ladakh hospital. "His father was quarantined from February 29 at the Ladakh Heart Foundation and reported positive for COVID-19 on March 6 and was isolated at the local SNM Hospital," said Army sources. Explaining how the soldier was infected, sources said he was on casual leave from February 25 to March 1 and rejoined on March 2. Even though the soldier had rejoined from his leave but was helping his family during the quarantine period and was staying at his Chuchot village for some time as well. After his father tested positive, the soldier was also quarantined on March 7 and detected to be positive on March 16 and was isolated at the S.N.M. Hospital. The soldier's sister, wife and two children are also quarantined at the S.N.M. Heart Foundation. In the meantime, an Indian Army officer and woman have been put under self quarantine in a military institute in Pune. They were showing symptoms of the virus. However, no tests have been recommended so far. "As an when needed, COVID-19 test could be carried out," sources said. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Credit: Shutterstock Saturday, March 14 2020, is "The Day the World Stopped Travelling," in the words of Rifat Ali, head of travel analytics company Skift. That's a little dramatic, perhaps, but every day since has brought us closer to it being reality. The COVID-19 crisis has the global travel industry"the most consequential industry in the world," says Aliin uncharted territory. Nations are shutting their borders. Airlines face bankruptcy. Ports are refusing entry to cruise ships, threatening the very basis of the cruise business model. Associated hospitality, arts and cultural industries are threatened. Major events are being cancelled. Tourist seasons in many tourist destinations are collapsing. Vulnerable workers on casual, seasonal or gig contracts are suffering. It seems an epic disaster. But is it? Considering human activities need to change if we are to avoid the worst effects of human-induced climate change, the coronavirus crisis might offer us an unexpected opportunity. Ali, like many others, wants recovery, "even if it takes a while to get back up and return to pre-coronavirus traveler numbers." But rather than try to return to business as usual as soon as possible, COVID-19 challenges us to think about the type of consumption that underpins the unsustainable ways of the travel and tourism industries. Tourism dependency Air travel features prominently in discussions about reducing carbon emissions. Even if commercial aviation accounts "only" for about 2.4% of all emissions from fossil-fuel use, flying is still how many of us in the industrialized world blow out our carbon footprints. But sustainability concerns in the travel and tourism sectors extend far beyond carbon emissions. In many places tourism has grown beyond its sustainable bounds, to the detriment of local communities. The overtourism of places like Venice, Barcelona and Reykjavik is one result. Cruise ships disgorge thousands of people for half-day visits that overwhelm the destination but leave little economic benefit. Cheap airline fares encourage weekend breaks in Europe that have inundated old cities such as Prague and Dubrovnik. The need for growth becomes self-perpetuating as tourism dependency locks communities into the system. In a 2010 paper I argued the problem was tourism underpinned by what sociologist Leslie Sklair called the "culture-ideology of consumerism"by which consumption patterns that were once the preserve of the rich became endemic. Tourism is embedded in that culture-ideology as an essential pillar to achieve endless economic growth. For instance, the Australian government prioritizes tourism as a "supergrowth industry," accounting for almost 10% of "exports" in 2017-18. Out of crisis comes creativity Many are desperate to ensure business continues as usual. "If people will not travel," said Ariel Cohen of California-based business travel agency TripActions, "the economy will grind to a halt." COVID-19 is a radical wake-up call to this way of thinking. Even if Cohen is right, that economic reality now needs to change to accommodate the more pressing public health reality. It is a big economic hit, but crisis invites creativity. Grounded business travelers are realizing virtual business meetings work satisfactorily. Conferences are reorganizing for virtual sessions. Arts and cultural events and institutions are turning to live streaming to connect with audiences. In Italian cities under lockdown, residents have come out on their balconies to create music as a community. Local cafes and food co-ops, including my local, are reaching out with support for the community's marginalized and elderly to ensure they are not forgotten. These responses challenge the atomized individualism that has gone hand in hand with the consumerism of travel and tourism. This public health crisis reminds us our well-being depends not on being consumers but on being part of a community. Staying closer to home could be a catalyst awakening us to the value of eating locally, traveling less and just slowing down and connecting to our community. After this crisis passes, we might find the old business as usual less compelling. We might learn that not traveling long distances didn't stop us traveling; it just enlivened us to the richness of local travel. Explore further Places like Alaska without a COVID-19 outbreak could still be devastated This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The Indian Army said that it has postponed all Services Selection Board (SSB) batches commencing from March 20 due to COVID-19 crisis. Amid the threat of coronavirus outbreak, the Indian Army on Tuesday decided to immediately postpone 90 different courses involving officers and jawans across the country. "All large congregations involving close personal contact are to be avoided and public gatherings are to be postponed. Between the period from March 16 to April 15, a total of 90 courses are to commence which involves movement of 6,000 personnel including officers, Junior Commissioned Officers and other ranks from various units and formations to category A establishments," senior Army sources had told ANI. "Orders have been issued that all courses of institutions scheduled to commence up to April 4 at Category A Establishments for officers and jawans are to be postponed with immediate effect," they had said. The Army will review the situation arising due to COVID-19 at the end of this month. Sources said that the postponement of courses includes the ones where male and female cadets were to start training at the Officers' Training Academy in Chennai. The cadets who went back to their homes during midterm break have also been asked to report late in view of the coronavirus. The armed forces have prepared quarantine facilities for 15,000 citizens across the country to handle the pandemic threat. An Indian Army jawan from Ladakh, whose father had travelled to Iran for pilgrimage, was also tested positive for COVID-19. Senior Army sources confirmed that the Indian Army Lance Naik from Ladakh Scouts tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. The father of the 34-year-old jawan from Ladakh Scouts had travelled to Iran for pilgrimage and returned to India on February 27. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 8,000 people worldwide. More than 82,000 people have recovered so far, mostly in China. (PA Graphics) Here are the latest updates from countries around the world: FRANCE In an unprecedented move during peacetime, the army has started evacuating critical coronavirus patients from eastern France, the countrys worst-hit region. Defence minister Florence Parly said six patients were being transferred on a military plane to ease the pressure on the hospitals of Mulhouse and Colmar. They were being moved to military hospitals in southern France. The transfer is expected to be the first of several. On Monday, President Emmanuel Macron announced that a makeshift army hospital will be constructed in eastern France, housing around 30 intensive care beds. France is Europes third worst-hit country in terms of fatalities from Covid-19. Health authorities report at least 7,730 confirmed cases, including 175 who have died. GREECE Authorities have imposed movement restrictions for migrants and refugees at camps on islands near the Turkish coast as part of public safety measures for the pandemic. Migrants at camps on Lesbos and four other islands will only be allowed to visit towns on the islands in small groups and for limited periods, the Migration Affairs Ministry said. The ministry said it was also speeding up plans to build detention facilities on the islands or convert existing sites. Although no infections have been confirmed at the camps, severe conditions of overcrowding and ongoing arrivals are a major source of concern for Greek authorities. The new restrictions, valid for 30 days, mean that many charity group workers will not be allowed access to the camps. PHILIPPINES President Rodrigo Duterte has declared a unilateral ceasefire with communist guerrillas to focus on fighting the outbreak which has prompted him to place the northern third of the country under quarantine. Story continues He is ordering the military and police to stop offensives against New Peoples Army guerrillas during the ceasefire, which is to start Thursday and end on April 15. The government urged the Marxist guerrillas to respond with their own ceasefire so health workers and medical supplies can move unimpeded. SOUTH AFRICA South Africa has become Africas new coronavirus focus of concern as cases have nearly doubled to 116 from two days before. The country with the most cases in sub-Saharan Africa says 14 of the new ones were from local transmission and six were in children under 10. UKRAINE More than 35,000 Ukrainians are stranded abroad awaiting evacuation, infrastructure minister Vladyslav Krykliy said. He asked the government to allocate 3.3 million for flights to bring them back home. Earlier this week 175 flights brought more than 33,000 back home. RUSSIA Authorities are working to help tens of thousands of Russian tourists facing difficulties returning home. According to Russias state tourism watchdog Rosturizm, there are 100,000 still abroad. More than 1,000 found themselves trapped in Montenegro after its air space was closed, and the situation is difficult in Latin America and Moldova as well. IRAN President Hassan Rouhani defended his governments response to the outbreak in the face of of widespread criticism that officials acted too slowly and may have even covered up initial cases before infections rapidly spread. Firefighters disinfect a street in western Tehran (Vahid Salemi/AP) Iran has been the hardest hit country in the region. Another 147 have died, pushing the death toll to 1,135 in the biggest 24-hour rise yet, making up roughly 90% of the over 18,000 confirmed cases in the Middle East. Its leadership announced Tuesday that millions could die if people keep travelling and ignore health guidance. Mr Rouhani said the government had been straightforward with the nation and announced the outbreak as soon as it learned about it on February 19. ISRAEL The Health Ministry said 90 more people had tested positive, bringing the countrys overall number to 427, a day after authorities issued a new series of guidelines that put Israelis in near-shutdown mode. Israel has ordered tens of thousands into home quarantine, turned hotels into hospitals and is setting up drive-through testing centres. A food market in Tel Aviv (Oded Balilty/AP) In a nationwide address, PM Benjamin Netanyahu warned of catastrophic consequences if people do not follow safety instructions. This is a huge crisis. We are only at the start of the campaign. Most controversially, the Israeli government has instructed the Shin Bet internal security service to start deploying phone surveillance technology to help curb the spread of the coronavirus by tracking the moves of the infected. IRAQ A week-long curfew came into effect in Baghdad where streets were largely empty of people and cars, and most shops were closed. Only pedestrians were allowed on the streets to buy food and medicine. Armed police were seen patrolling the city and setting up roadblocks. Some pilgrims defied the curfew to observe the annual Shiite Muslim commemoration of the death of Imam Mousa al-Kazim. Demonstrators in Tahrir Square, the hub of Iraqs anti-government protest movement, issued a statement that they were suspending protests to help stop the spread of the virus. Iraq has had 11 deaths among 154 confirmed cases of the virus. Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad (Hadi Mizban/AP) EGYPT Authorities are closing shops to encourage people to stay at home. Coffee shops and restaurants were closed in Cairo, a city of more than 20 million, while plain-clothed security forces urged people to go home. RUSSIA Authorities are closing all of the countrys schools for three weeks starting next Monday. Russian education officials said it would be an extended spring break, with the opportunity to continue studies remotely. Russia has so far reported 114 confirmed cases of the new virus. The countrys government has taken vast measures to prevent the disease from spreading, including closing the borders to foreigners starting from Wednesday and ordering coronavirus testing for everyone who returned from European countries in the last 14 days. Authorities in different Russian regions imposed restrictions on public events and recommended that people work and study from home. Last week, Moscow officials announced the closing of all schools in the city and banned gatherings of more than 50 people. In France, people are only allowed to leave their homes for necessary activities such as shopping for food, going to work or taking a walk (AP) SOUTH AFRICA The country has 116 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, nearly double the number announced two days ago. Fourteen of the new cases are from local transmission, a worrying development in the country, which has the most cases in sub-Saharan Africa. South Africa is one of the worlds most unequal countries, and authorities are rushing to prevent the spread of the virus to teeming low-income neighborhoods and crowded public transport. Six of the newly announced cases are children under 10. Authorities in Gauteng, the province that includes the commercial hub of Johannesburg, say family members of a woman and her daughter who tested positive fled quarantine, but were tracked down by police. Romanian and Bulgarian cars queue to cross the border from Hungary for Romania at the border station of Nagylak (AP) KYRGYZSTAN The country has reported its first three cases of the virus. Kyrgyz health officials said the three men diagnosed with the virus had returned from Saudi Arabia recently. The infected men, along with 90 people who arrived in Kyrgyzstan on the same flight, are in isolation. Kyrgyz authorities are working to establish who else the men were in contact with. The government had already taken measures to prevent the disease from spreading in the country. On Monday, all of Kyrgyzstans schools and universities were shut down for three weeks. Cinemas, nightclubs, restaurants and cafes with more than 50 seats available are also closed for the time being. All international trains and buses have been cancelled. The Johor-Singapore Causeway lies empty in Johor Bahru, Malaysia (AP) SOUTH KOREA The mayor of the South Korean city worst-hit by the coronavirus says 87 new cases have been discovered from local nursing hospitals, raising concerns about a possible spike in infections after they had waned over the past week. Daegu mayor Kwon Young-jin said 74 of the cases came from a single hospital and that the 57 patients who were infected would be transferred to other facilities for treatment. The infections at nursing homes were not fully reflected in national figures announced by South Koreas Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), which said the cases in Daegu rose by 46. The KCDC says 116 cases and 10 deaths have been linked to a hospital in Cheongdo, near Daegu, where infections surged among patients at a psychiatric ward. South Korea has confirmed at least 8,413 coronavirus cases, including 84 deaths. People cross an empty bridge on the Tigris River in Baghdad (AP) SAUDI ARABIA The leaders of the worlds 20 biggest economies are trying to organise a virtual meeting next week to discuss a coordinated response to the coronavirus pandemic. Saudi Arabia, which currently leads the G20 presidency, said it is communicating with countries to convene the virtual meeting of leaders. The kingdom said the G20 will act in any way deemed necessary to alleviate the impact of the pandemic and will put forward a coordinated set of policies to protect people and safeguard the global economy. A volunteer cleans at Wat Traimit temple in Bangkok (AP) CANADA A government official said Canada and the United States are working out the details of a mutual ban on non-essential travel between the countries. TAIWAN Foreigners have been banned from entering the island. Chen Shih-zhong, Taiwans health minister and commander of the Central Epidemic Epidemic Command Centre, announced the ban that starts on Thursday. Taiwanese people returning home will have to quarantine at their houses for 14 days. Taiwan has 77 cases of infection with the virus that causes Covid-19. A woman walks in a deserted corridor of the metro in Paris (AP) UNITED STATES Hawaiis governor is encouraging travellers to postpone their island vacations for at least the next 30 days. The governor is directing bars and clubs to close and for restaurants to focus on takeaways, delivery and drive-through service. He called for gatherings to be limited to a maximum of 10 people. Officials have closed schools and facilities and postponed events to prevent the disease from spreading widely in the community and overwhelming the healthcare system. Hawaii has recorded 14 cases of the new coronavirus. Sri Lankan commuters wait for transport at a fairly deserted railway station in Colombo (AP) NORTH KOREA Kim Jong Un has admitted the country lacks modern medical facilities in a rare assessment of its system and said improving its health care was crucial as he marked the construction of a new hospital. Mr Kims remarks after the groundbreaking for the new hospital in Pyongyang come amid worries that a coronavirus epidemic in the impoverished country could be devastating due its chronic lack of medical supplies and outdated medical infrastructure. North Korea has engaged in an intense campaign to guard against Covid-19, though it has steadfastly claimed no-one has become ill. Many foreign experts doubt that. All appointments for U.S. visa interviews in Vietnam from March 19 onwards have been canceled. Photo by Shutterstock. The U.S. Embassy in Hanoi and U.S. Consulate General in HCMC will suspend visa interviews starting Thursday due to staffing changes amid Covid-19. The changes were a response to the "evolving new coronavirus situation," according to an announcement on the Embassy's official website. All appointments from March 19 onwards have been canceled, it said. New appointments for non-immigrant visa applicants will be opened as soon as the Embassy and Consulate General could manage, while urgent cases could contact the Embassy and Consulate directly, it said. Visa processing procedures for immigrant visa applicants would resume at a future notice, and rescheduling would be possible for those who have already missed previously scheduled appointments, it added. Vietnam has so far confirmed 68 Covid-19 cases, with 16 already cured and discharged. The latest case is an American man who arrived in Da Nang in central Vietnam last Saturday. The U.S. has recorded over 6,500 cases with 116 deaths so far. With cases of the respiratory illness reported in all 50 states, millions of Americans have hunkered down at home instead of commuting to work or going to school. The Covid-19 pandemic has spread to 167 countries and territories, claiming nearly 8,000 lives. Burma Myanmar Suspends Overseas Employment Process to Counter Coronavirus Myanmar migrant workers queue to receive medical checks-up at Phang Nga Province in Thailand to extend their labor registration in January 2020. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy Yangon The Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population on Tuesday announced a suspension of its overseas employment process amid the coronavirus outbreak. The Department of Labor has instructed the overseas employment agencies to stop issuing employment contracts as of Wednesday (March 18). The department has also suspended issuing overseas employment identity cards. The department said it had sent the directive to overseas employment agencies, labor attache offices in foreign countries and other organizations. The process will be temporarily suspended due to Covid-19. All the [labor attache] offices will be closed for now, Myanmars labor attache U Ye Yan Aung in Bangkok told The Irrawaddy. Thailand, Malaysia and Japan are the top destinations of migrant workers from Myanmar using the Myanmar Overseas Employment Agencies Federation (MOEAF). Between 700 and more than 1,000 migrants left for Thailand per day, between 500 and 1,000 went to Malaysia each month and around 100 headed to Japan per month, the MOEAF said. Some employment agencies still have workers to send and the MOEAF would listen to agencies and workers and hold discussions with the Labor Ministry, said MOEAF general secretary Daw Paw Lin. Some agencies said they will have to suffer [a suspension]. We will talk to them. They said they have workers to send and it would be better if they get a few more days [before any suspension], Daw Paw Lin told The Irrawaddy. The ministry has done this to protect the public. I think it would be better to stay in our country, which has not seen the virus, rather than run into troubles in other countries, she added. In Thailand, 147 cases and one death were reported by Tuesday noon. The World Health Organization on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic. The virus has spread globally across over 140 countries and the death toll topped 7,900 with more than 199,000 confirmed cases since December. No confirmed cases have been reported in Myanmar. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko You may also like these stories: Myanmar-Based Diplomats Told to Cancel Events Amid Coronavirus Fears Myanmar Govt Suspends Advance Tax on Exports to Aid Virus-Hit Businesses Myanmar Preschools Braced for Coronavirus Closures State officials announced Wednesday that they are in talks to reopen Inspira Woodbury hospital to help deal with a possible shortage of hospital beds if coronavirus cases spike. In addition, state Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said the department has also identified other hospital beds that can be made available immediately, providing 199 new beds in North Jersey, 11 in Central Jersey, and 50 in South Jersey. Another 227 beds should be ready over the next three to four weeks, she said. The Inspira facility at 509 North Broad Street in the seat of Gloucester County only ceased being an acute care facility in December, when the new Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill opened its doors. The Woodbury facility was previously called Underwood Memorial Hospital. Now known as Inspira Medical Center Woodbury, the facility currently houses only a satellite emergency department, behavioral health services, and outpatient services including imaging and lab work. It will be able to provide 300 new beds, the commissioner said. Persichilli clarified that the hospital would not be just for COVID-19 patients, but would provide all types of medical services to absorb the surge as more patients need to be treated for the virus. Paul Simon, a spokesman for Inspira, said that if the emergency use of the hospital is approved by the state, the hospital would need three to four weeks of rapid renovation to get ready. Once reopened, the hospital would accept medical surgical patients pending available beds from other neighboring hospitals that have reached capacity," he said. "This includes non-Inspira hospitals. A study 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. Persichilli just said the most need for more beds is in the northeast part of the state especially Bergen County, which has the most cases in the state, at 114. Its going to follow the spread of the disease, she said. We anticipate it will be a statewide issue before long. Persichilli said the state is working with the New Jersey State Nurses Association to find more nurses who can help treat patients. The state is also authorizing mobile intensive care paramedics to perform functions and duties to enhance and supplement medical staff in hospitals. Gov. Phil Murphy said at his Wednesday afternoon press conference that another 162 people in the state tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the statewide to 427 cases, five of whom have died. Persichilli said Tuesday that the state currently has 23,687 acute care beds, 1,983 intensive care beds and 700 negative pressure isolation rooms. Murphy said Tuesday he sent a letter to President Donald Trump for help from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to build temporary hospitals in New Jersey to provide more beds. Otherwise, Murphy wrote in his letter, 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. Murphy said Wednesday that his administration will meet with a commander in the Army Corps to discuss how the federal government can help. I thank the Trump administration for their swift response to our request, the governor said. NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report. Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey: If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter. 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. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. WFH for Private offices in Delhi, restaurants & bars to be shut as Omicron-led to sudden rise in Covid cases Coronavirus: What is social distancing and how do you practise it India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 18: While responding to the coronavirus outbreak, governments around the world have called for social distancing. The governments say that social distancing will help limit the spread of the virus. So, what is social distancing and how is it done. Let us find out. Social distancing can help stop the spread of the infections. Social distancing often includes curbing social contact, work and schooling among seemingly healthy individuals. This is done with a view of delaying the transmission and reducing the size of the outbreak. How do you practice social distancing: Avoid public spaces and unwanted social gatherings. Events with large numbers of people or crowds should be avoided. This would lower the chance that you will be exposed to the virus. Working from home is also another way of social distancing. The World Health Organisation says one must maintain at least 3 feet distance between yourself and the one who is coughing or sneezing. This is because when someone coughs, they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain the virus. If you are too close, your breathe in the droplets, including the virus if the person coughing has the disease. India's total coronavirus cases reaches 147; nearly 8,000 deaths globally Some examples of social distancing: Public and private colleges suspending classes and cancelling all large campus meetings. Businesses changing company practices and setting up flexible shift plans. Having employees telecommunicate and cancelling large meetings or conferences. Libraries modifying their operations and restricting people from gathering by allowing people to come in only to pick up material that has been reserved or requested by phone. It is highly recommended that one avoids physical contact with others in social situations, which includes, handshakes, hugs and kisses. How are countries implementing social distancing: India has advised closure of malls, cinema halls, schools. Further companies have also been advised to encourage the work out of home option. The advisory also says that people should avoid being part of large crowds. Marriages and other major events must be postponed, the government of India has also said. The European Union has planned to close down the borders and restrict all non-essential travel. The UK government has advised people to stop all non-essential contact with other people. China quarantined the region and introduced building isolation facilities. The Chinese government also tracked peoples' movements to prevent those with the infection from travelling. What you should do: Avoid unwanted travel Avoid large crowds Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth Practice respiratory hygiene If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early Stay informed and follow advice given by your healthcare provider For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 18, 2020, 15:15 [IST] Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez addressed a near-empty Congress on Wednesday morning to explain the measures that the government was taking to combat the coronavirus pandemic, which has so far left 11,681 people infected and 525 people dead in Spain. The speaker of Spains lower house of parliament, Meritxell Batet, began the session by stating that the absence of the majority of the 350 deputies in Congress was in accordance with the recommendations of the health authorities. She paid tribute to the people who had died so far in the pandemic, to health workers, the security forces and workers who were keeping essential services going, such as supermarket workers and cleaners. To all of them, many thanks, she said, to applause in the chamber. Sometimes we confuse who our enemy is. Ours is a virus, to which we need to respond forcefully Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez Addressing the house, the prime minister passed on his condolences to the families of those who had lost loved ones. Those who have died alone. People who have not been able to see their grandchildren. This is a cruel disease, he said. Vox deputy Jose Maria Sanchez Garcia, wearing a protective mask, listens to the prime minister in Congress on Wednesday. Mariscal (EFE) This virus is affecting us all, he continued. Its an unprecedented challenge. A challenge that has forced us to take exceptional measures. The virus has changed our way of living together. It is reaping human lives and destroying companies. Sometimes we confuse who our enemy is. Ours is a virus, to which we need to respond forcefully. The prime minister went on to explain the aim of the state of alarm introduced on Saturday by the Cabinet, and which gives the government greater powers to deal with the crisis. This is about protecting the most vulnerable, strengthening the health system and protecting the population with hygiene measures and social distancing. Spain has one of the most efficient and solid health systems in the world. The pandemic has spread through more than 150 countries. This is a health, social and economic emergency. It forces us to respond to the circumstances and to value the health system. This is the time for cooperation and solidarity. The time of our public services. He also had a warning: The hardest part is yet to come. Sanchez went on to say that the state of alarm had been put in place when it was essential to do so, and that when the emergency situation has passed, the government will put a commission into place to evaluate the public health system in the country and identify the changes that are needed. That could be the first lesson from this emergency, he said. This is the time for cooperation and solidarity. The time of our public services Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez The prime minister also warned about the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. GDP will fall, he warned. The year 2020 will not have 12 months, but rather 10 or even nine. But, he added, if we manage to maintain employment levels, the recovery will be fast. The prime minister explained that the governments plans were a social pact that consisted of taking care of one another via public [services]. The government will present a budget for social and economic reconstruction. We want to count on the support of all political forces for its approval. There will be time for opposition, we are at the start of the political term, and we will do this when we have beaten the virus and evaluated the economic and social impact of this emergency. We will present a budget once the health emergency is over. Pedro Sanchezs Socialist Party (PSOE) is the senior partner in a coalition government with the left-wing Unidas Podemos. The two parties, however, do not have a working majority in Congress and rely on other groups to pass legislation. The main opposition Popular Party (PP) this week pledged its support for the government during the coronavirus crisis. These measures are aimed at maintaining the drive of the economy during this parenthesis and not leaving anyone behind Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez I want to send out a message of absolute calm, Sanchez continued. The government will guarantee the supply of foodstuffs, electricity, gas and petroleum products. The prime minister also announced that the government is considering hiring medical students who are in the final years of their studies, in a bid to help the health system cope with coronavirus infections. Sanchez also referred to the 200 billion relief package that the government would be implementing to protect families, companies and the self-employed in Spain. The second decree that we are proposing for approval in this chamber contains economic measures approved yesterday by the Cabinet, he said. They are aimed at maintaining the drive of the economy during this parenthesis and not leaving anyone behind. Sanchez said that the government would be making a decided effort. For those who most need it. We are going to protect all of them while this crisis lasts. Sanchez concluded his address to Congress with a message to Spaniards, saying: We are more than 47 million people, we are a community. One that with a number of languages and accents will fight for the same cause: to beat this virus. Together. That is how we will win. Opposition response Popular Party leader Pablo Casado was next to speak in Congress on Wednesday morning, and told Sanchez that he was not alone in the battle against the pandemic. You can count on the support of the head of the opposition. Casado added, however, that the time would come when responsibilities for the management of the crisis would have to be examined. The truth is that there has been a lack of self-criticism and humility on your part, he said to the prime minister. Several opposition leaders stressed the need to put people ahead of economic considerations in the coming weeks and months. Gabriel Rufian, the congressional spokesman for the Catalan Republican Left (ERC), said that the deferred payment scheme for home mortgages contemplated in a newly announced relief package should also be extended to people who are paying rent, as well as to VAT tax payments. Utility bills should be placed on hold as well, he added. Too many people in too many crises have been abandoned. Lets not let it happen this time. Twelve years ago, no time was wasted bailing out the banks. I hope no time will be wasted now bailing out the people. Rufian also acknowledged the work of a woman wearing a face mask and surgical gloves whose job it was to clean the lectern in between speakers. If anyone deserves applause today, its Valentina, he tweeted. Si alguien se merece un aplauso hoy es ella. Valentina. pic.twitter.com/EKOPoB5nrr Gabriel Rufian (@gabrielrufian) March 18, 2020 Pablo Echenique, of the leftist group Unidas Podemos Sanchezs coalition partner in government summed up yesterdays announcement of a 200 billion aid package. We are waging a war against the coronavirus. In times of war, economies of war. Today, for the first time in a long time, I am proud of my government. Inigo Errejon, a former leader of Podemos who now heads a small party called Mas Pais (More Country), also urged the government to put people ahead of financial considerations. At this point nobody doubts that this is an unprecedented situation. There is no spending rule that is above the defense of life, he said. The spending ceiling and the deficit targets have stopped making sense. The budget stability law should be temporarily suspended. Other lawmakers placed the accent on the job market. The government must approve a labor contingency plan that makes jobs the big priority in this crisis, said Ivan Espinosa de los Monteros, of the far-right Vox. Employment cannot become just another victim of this crisis. English version by Simon Hunter. The government on Wednesday said several meetings have been held by the Delhi Police at different levels with various stakeholders, including Aman Committees, resident welfare associations, to end the ongoing protests at Shaheen Bagh. Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said in Rajya Sabha that the responsibility of maintaining law and order rests primarily with the respective state governments. "However, with regard to the protest at Shaheen Bagh in Delhi, several meetings have been held by the Delhi Police at different levels with various stakeholders, including Aman Committees, resident welfare associations, market welfare associations and general public residing in the area," he said. The reply was to a written question posed by TMC member Shanta Chhetri on whether the government has made any effort to end the Shaheen Bagh protest and similar demonstrations going on across the country and whether the government has held discussion with the protesters. Reddy also said the central government keeps a constant watch on the internal security scenario of the country and also provides Central Armed Police Forces to States/Union Territories upon request. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 20:59:41|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close VILNIUS, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda called for greater coordination of EU response to the COVID-19 and its ensuing impact on cross-border movement of people, goods and services as well as economy, according to a press release by the presidency on Wednesday. The president made the call on Tuesday at an extraordinary European Council meeting on the situation in EU member states convened via a video conference, read the release. "The current situation poses a challenge to the entire Community and it is vital to observe key values and principles of functioning of the Union," said the president. Nauseda called on Europe to have common rules for movement of people during the crisis to ensure safe return of EU citizens to their home countries. He emphasized that solidarity and responsible behavior of Lithuanian people seeking to return home were highly needed in this situation. "Current solutions are not the most convenient for travelers, but they are the best available under current circumstances. We must secure safe return of the Lithuanian citizens as well as safety of all parties, institutions and officials involved," said the president. According to the government's official website dedicated to information on the coronavirus, Lithuania reached agreement on Tuesday with Poland on the return of Lithuanian citizens, which allows Lithuanians to use Warsaw Airport for connecting flights. From March 16 until March 30, Lithuania is under a two-week national quarantine with measures including banning all public gatherings, suspending the activities of educational institutions, closing borders to foreign nationals, shutting shops except pharmacies, groceries and supermarkets. Cafes, bars and other catering facilities are only allowed to offer takeaway and food delivery services. The Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday announced that all Indians coming from South Korea are required to produce a negative coronavirus certificate in order to enter the Indian territory. Passengers coming or transiting through UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait after 12 GMT on March 18 (port of departure) will also be quarantined upon arrival for 14 days, the ministry spokesperson said on Twitter. A total of 153 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in India so far. Three people have so far died of the infection in the country. The ministry has issued a 24x7 helpline to answer queries regarding visa and travel restrictions as well as to facilitate foreigners in India in availing of consular services. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court asked the Centre to inform by next week if it is releasing former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah from custody. "If you are releasing Omar Abdullah release him soon or we will hear his sister's plea against his detention on merit, stated the top court. The Supreme Court was to hear on Wednesday a plea by Sara Abdullah Pilot, seeking release from detention of her brother and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. On March 5, the apex court had said that it will hear, after Holi break, the petition filed by Sara Pilot, challenging her brother's detention under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA), 1978. The matter was listed before a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra on March 5 but could not be taken up as Justice Arun Mishra was hearing a Constitution bench matter. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who appearing for Sara Pilot, had mentioned the matter before the bench, following which Justice Mishra had told him that the matter would not be taken up on March 5. Sibal requested the court to take up the matter as soon as possible as it is a habeas corpus case. The court had said that it will hear the matter post the Holi break. On March 2, the Jammu and Kashmir administration had told the Supreme Court that Omar Abdullah has been a "very vocal critic" of the abrogation of Article 370 and his presence would pose an "imminent threat to public order". The administration also objected to the petition filed by Omar Abdullah's sister challenging his detention under the Jammu and Kashmir PSA, 1978. "Omar Abdullah has been a very vocal critic of any possible abrogation of Article 370 prior to its abrogation in August 5, 2019, considering the very peculiar geopolitical position of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and its geographical proximity with Pakistan, the concept of 'public order' needs to be examined contextually," stated the affidavit submitted by Srinagar District Magistrate. Last week, Omar Abdullah's father Farooq Abdullah was released after being in detention for several months. Bengaluru, March 18 : Just after senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh was taken into preventive custody in Bengaluru after he tried to meet the rebel Congress MLAs lodged at a resort here, he announced hunger strike. In a tweet, Singh said, "We have been taken to the local DCP office by Bengaluru police. I demand that we must be allowed to meet our MLAs, who are in BJP's captivity. I announce my Hunger Strike, till we are allowed to meet our MLAs. We live in Democracy, not Dictatorship." Earlier Singh was taken into preventive custody here on Wednesday when he tried to enter a resort where the ruling party's 22 rebel legislators are lodged. "Singh was taken into preventive custody near the Ramada resort at Yelahanka when he was trying to stage a protest after he was denied entry into it to meet the rebel MLAs," a police official told IANS. Besides Singh, 9 Madhya Pradesh ministers and 2 party legislators were detained along with Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D.K. Shivakumar at the Amruthahalli police station in the city's northern suburb. Heavy security has been deployed in and around the resort in the city's northern suburb since Sunday after the rebels MLAs shifted here from another resort. "I am a Rajya Sabha candidate and I am not allowed to meet our MLAs," Singh told reporters even as the police whisked him away from the spot to the police station. Shivakumar, who received Singh at the airport earlier in the day, said the party was united and has a political strategy to deal with the crisis. "About 100 people, including Singh, Shivakumar and others came in a convoy and tried to barge into the resort. They were stopped at the entrance as the rebels did not want to meet them and told us not to allow them inside the resort," Rajan Kunti sub-inspector N. Muralidhar told IANS from the spot. Other Madhya Pradesh leaders detained include state cabinet ministers Sajjan Singh Verma, Jeetu Patwari, Umang Singar, Lakhan Gangoriya, Sachin Yadav, Hersh Yadav, Lakhan Yadav, Ashok Singh Yadav and Tarun Bhanot. Party MLAs Arif Masood and Kunal Choudhari were also detained at the police station. "The BJP government in Karnataka is misusing power. We have our own political strategy, we know how to handle the situation. He's not alone here. I'm here. I know how to support him. But I don't want to create a law and order situation in the state," Shivakumar told reporters outside the police station. Claiming that the rebel MLAs were under pressure, Singh hoped that they would withdraw their resignations and remain with the ruling party. "I spoke to 5 of the MLAs on phone. They are in captive, with their mobile phones taken away and are heavily guarded by the local police," Singh alleged. "BJP's model of democracy: MLAs can't speak to CM; MLAs can't speak to their family members; MLAs can't speak to Speaker and MLAs can't speak to party leaders. They will only speak under controlled circumstances and glare of goons posted by opposition," tweeted Singh. Singh, flew into Bengaluru from Bhopal to meet the rebel lawmakers, also alleged that the local police was not allowing him to meet his own party legislators. "BJP has abducted Democracy. I am in Bengaluru to meet our MLAs. I am not allowed to meet them by Karnataka Police," Digvijaya Singh tweeted. "I am not armed. I am not a threat to them. I am here to meet them in public view, not secretly. But the BJP wants to keep them under lock and key. They have abducted democracy," Singh said in another tweet. In the apex court when the matter comes up for hearing, senior advocate Kapil Sibal will appear for the Madhya Pradesh government and Abhishek Singhvi for Speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapati. The BJP has moved the top court for holding a floor test in Assembly as it thinks the Kamal Nath government has lost its majority. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Schools are to close across Northern Ireland from Monday in a bid to delay the spread of coronavirus. And officials said they could be shuttered until this summer. Stormont First Minister Arlene Foster said The societal and economic impact of this measure will be enormous. She said the closures were unplanned and long-term. This is unprecedented, she added. Today I stand here before you not only as Joint Head of Government, but also as a daughter, mother, a sister & an aunt I want to speak to #COVID19 concern within every city, townland & village There is only one priority at this time & that is to save lives & to mind people pic.twitter.com/CDjfyu1uVv Michelle ONeill (@moneillsf) March 18, 2020 Ms Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill made the announcement in Belfast. They had been at loggerheads after the Sinn Fein leader wanted to act sooner following a similar move from the Irish Republic. The five main teaching unions have written to Stormont Education Minister Peter Weir asking him to set a date for closures. In Ireland, schools have been closed since Friday. Earlier: Schools in Northern Ireland will close with immediate effect Schools across the UK are to close to all pupils except those of key workers, as Boris Johnson urged the public to continue heeding health advice to help slow the spread of Covid-19. Mr Johnson said schools in England will close their gates on Friday until further notice, but urged parents not to leave children in the care of grandparents or older relatives who are at higher risk of becoming seriously ill with coronavirus. He said meals and vouchers would be provided for pupils who currently receive free school lunches, but said exams will not take place as planned in May and June. The move comes as the Welsh Government said all schools will close for an early Easter break by Friday at the latest, just minutes before First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced schools in Scotland will also close by the end of the week. Schools in Northern Ireland will close with immediate effect, although teachers will attend for a further two days. To date, 104 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK. This story was updated at 5.48pm [snippet1]987600[/snippet1] We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. Alliant Insurance Services Inc. has added Sean White to its employee benefits team as first vice president. White will provide strategic benefits solutions to clients throughout the Northwest. He will be based in Boise, Idaho. White has experience in the design, pricing, and administration of health and welfare programs. White was previously a principal with a national insurance and employee benefits consulting firm. Newport Beach, Calif.-based Alliant provides property/casualty, workers compensation, employee benefits, underwriting, surety, and financial products and services. Topics Alliant Hundreds of Australians are trapped on cruise liners with no clue as to how or when they may get home, with ports locked down amid coronavirus panic that is turning the boats into floating prisons. At least one of these ships, the Costa Luminosa, has several confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more passengers are reporting symptoms. It faces being turned away from its intended port in Marseilles after a lockdown ordered by French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday. The Age and Sydney Morning Herald have been told 39 Australians are among 1400 passengers on the ship. Laura Bendlin, whose father, Graham, is on board, said many of them had gathered overnight to discuss their situation after hearing that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was advising all Australian citizens to get home immediately. However, even though PVD was a leading company which was listed quite early, it was unable to retain its position as a blue chip stock after oil prices and stock shares fell below par value. Impressive start In November 2001, PetroVietnam Drilling and Well Services Corporation (PVD), a subsidiary of Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PVN) was established under Decision 647/QDVPCP. In 2005, following the direction of PVN on promoting innovation and development of enterprises under the overall plan of arrangement and renewal of affiliated State enterprises, PVD switched to becoming a joint stock company. In 2006, PVD inaugurated the first fully jacked-up offshore drilling rig owned by Vietnamese. In 2008, PVD merged with Vietnam Petroleum Investment JSC (PVD Invest), bringing the total assets to VND 12,000 bn and the charter capital to VND 2,105 bn. In addition, PVD established PVD-Expro and PVD Tubulars Management Joint Ventures, implementing joint venture strategies with foreign partners to enhance competitiveness and develop more services. PVD is a well-established regional contractor with four new-generation jack-up rigs, one semi-submersible drilling rig (TAD) and one land rig. In December 2006, after operating for only one year as a JSC, PVD officially listed shares on HOSE at a closing price of VND 130,000 per share. The peak of PVD was established in the trading session on 3 February 2007 at VND 295,000 per share. Notably, from the listing date to the 2014 period, PVD continued to grow in both revenue and profits. The peak came in 2014 when both net revenue and profit after tax showed impressive figures, the highest in history with VND 20,884 bn revenue and VND 2,539 bn in profits. Business results in 2004 also contributed to pushing PVD to the peak at around VND 80,000 per share (adjusted due to issuance of additional shares). Fall in oil prices Since 2015, the fall in oil prices led to a gradual decline in business results. In fact, 2015 was a difficult year for the oil and gas market with oil prices falling by more than 60% to below USD 40 per barrel. The oil and gas drilling service market was also strongly affected when contractors stopped extending drilling programs. Drilling rents and technical services decreased, as well as fierce competition due to a number of inactive rigs increased. In Southeast Asia, the utilization rate of drilling rigs decreased from 94% in 2014 to about 69%. In Vietnam, the average number of active rigs decreased from seventeen to only seven. For PVD, three fifth of drilling rigs suffered from inactivity in 2015. Besides, the sharp drop in oil prices also led to a 15-25% reduction in drilling rigs and drilling related services. In this situation, PVD revenue and profits in 2015 decreased by 30.8% and 31.2% respectively. The decline in business performance pushed PVD to fall for the first time and shares fell to VND 15,000 per share, soon after information spread that former Chairman Do Van Khanh was prosecuted for cases related to the Ocean Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Ocean Bank). In recent years, when PVD's production and business activities have shown signs of prosperity, the oil price incident has been a reminder that continues to obsess shareholders. In 2019, profit after tax reached VND 177 bn, up by 2.5%, and the world oil and gas market saw many positive changes. Brent oil price at the beginning of the year reached over the threshold of USD 65 per barrel. However, the oil price event once again pushed PVD down in fear. After the information of oil price dropped more than 30%, down to just over USD 30 per barrel, PVD continuously dropped and for the first time in its 14-year trading history, this stock fell below par value to VND 10,000 per share. Uncertain future In fact, without the recent oil price shock, PVD's business in 2020 will also be questioned for its strategy to place all eggs in one basket. According to Vietcombank Securities (VCBS), 2020 could be a good year for PVD in its business activities thanks to contracts signed in the first six months of 2019, along with the increasing demand for drilling rigs in the Malaysian market. PVD's current business depends heavily on the Malaysian market, while the number of domestic jobs is quite low. However, the stability of Malaysian oil market is also a matter of concern. The Malaysian government has imposed barriers against foreign investment in the domestic oil and gas market since the 2015 oil price crisis. Due to the general difficulties of the oil and gas industry at that time, the Malaysian government has made policies to protect domestic oil corporations which is completely understandable. Currently, most of Malaysia's major oil and gas projects that were lying suspended since 2015 were restarted in 2019, after oil prices rose in 2017 and 2018. Whether or not the projects are implemented depends on the average annual oil price compared with the breakeven price at each oilfield. Therefore, when the average oil price in 2018 surpassed USD 65 per barrel, it was an appropriate condition for the projects to be implemented simultaneously, leading to a sharp increase in drilling demand and drilling services. However, in the case of a sharp drop in oil prices, PVD's mining projects in Malaysia will be on pause again. Low oil prices are expected to slow down PVD exploration activities, leading to a slow recovery. Translated by Mathew Hung Kim Giang Two women, one each from Pune and Mumbai, tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, taking the number of such cases in the state to 43, officials said. A 28-year-old woman, who had returned to Pune from the Netherlands via Dubai, tested positive for coronavirus and has been admitted to a local hospital, a government release said. In Mumbai, a 68-year-old woman, who is a close contact of an infected US-returned person, tested positive, an official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. With the addition of these two cases on Wednesday, the number of infected persons in the state went up to 43. Since January 18, as many as 1,227 people have returned to the state from abroad, of whom 958 were isolated for showing symptoms similar to Covid-19, the statement read. "The health department has completed the mandatory 14 -day follow-up with 442 passengers and the process is underway," the state said. With 10 cases, Pimpri-Chinchwad has recorded highest number of positive cases. Mumbai and Pune have reported eight positive cases each, while Nagpur has recorded four so far. Navi Mumbai, Yavatmal and Kalyan have recorded three positive cases each, while Raigad, Thane, Aurangabad and Ahmednagar have reported one positive case each so far. A 64-year-old man, who had tested positive for the infection, died in Mumbai on Tuesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) All of them will be placed under quarantine on arrival, - Foreign Ministry By the midnight of March 18, 3614 Turkish citizens will be evacuated from nine European countries. Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkish Foreign Minister said this as quoted by Anadolu news agency. "Turkish Airlines will deliver 3614 citizens with 34 flights to the country. They all will be placed under a quarantine in Istanbul and Kocaeli", he said. It's about citizens who temporarily stay or study in Europe, as well as Turks who live abroad and wish to return to Turkey, the Minister explained. Cavusoglu also reported that he remains in a constant touch with Turkish diplomatic missions in China, Italy, Iran and Iraq, where the spread of Covid-19 has been the most devastating. Previously, Turkey limited the entry for foreigners from 14 countries. Earlier, we reported that a flight from Austria will bring Ukrainians back home today, March 18, as they could not leave the country previously. Press office of Ukraine's Foreign Ministry stated that on Facebook. The press office added that a charter flight is also expected on Thursday. YPSILANTI, MI Ypsilanti officials are gearing up for a $3.3 million project to develop a safe pedestrian and bicycle pathway over I-94 at Huron Street. Construction of the shared-use path is planned for 2022 and the city is now seeking additional state funding. City Council voted unanimously Tuesday, March 17, to apply to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund for a $300,000 grant for the Huron Pathway Project. Such a pathway would not only provide a safe path for people to get to and from places of employment or to shopping, but also to recreational resources, such as North Bay Park and the anticipated bike lanes on Hamilton/Huron that in turn connect to the Border-to-Border Trail, Projects Manager Bonnie Wessler wrote in a memo to council. The city has been working with the Michigan Department of Transportation, Ypsilanti Township, Washtenaw Area Transportation Study, Washtenaw County Road Commission and state Rep. Ronnie Peterson, D-Ypsilanti Township, for more than a decade on the project, Wessler said. The state approved a grant for design last year and a subsequent grant for construction was conditionally approved, but a 20% local match is still required for each phase. The construction match is anticipated to be 20% of approximately $3.3 million dollars, or about $660,000, Wessler wrote. We are applying for $300,000, the maximum award, from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund to help provide that match towards construction. We dont know what the next stage is going to bring, Ypsilanti mayor says The city also is working with other partners, including the county parks and recreation commission and private donors, to cover the remaining balance, and the city expects to contribute $30,000 to the project in fiscal year 2021-22. The project entails adding a 10- to 12-foot-wide path with a hard barrier on the outside, pedestrian signals, a reconfigured southwest on-ramp and better sidewalk connections. I-94 does not have a safe pedestrian/bicycle crossing at or near Huron Street right now, city officials say, and thats a barrier between Ypsilanti and Ypsilanti Township. It also prevents township residents from walking/biking to downtown, Depot Town and Eastern Michigan University and blocks access to the Border-to-Border Trail from south of Ford Lake. Establishing that link is a priority called out in Ypsilantis Master Plan, Non-motorized Plan and recently adopted Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Council also OKd a contract Tuesday for improvements at Rutherford Pool and adjusted the budget to support operational management of the historic Ypsilanti Freighthouse. There are 22 events booked at the freighthouse between April 1 and June 30 and the city wishes to honor those commitments and continue taking reservations using an existing fee schedule adopted by the Friends of the Freighthouse. MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS: Ypsilanti mayor declares state of emergency over coronavirus concerns Heres what Ann Arbors state-of-emergency declaration means for the city Pittsfield installing electric vehicle charging stations at township hall Ann Arbor musicians take shows to the web amid coronavirus pandemic Ann Arbor businesses urge customers to buy gift cards, use curbside and online services amid coronavirus closures STAMFORD Mayor David Martin Tuesday issued a statement saying the demand for COVID-19 tests in the city could reach 10,000 a week, but the number available now is nowhere near that. He is working to increase the amount of testing that can be conducted, Martin said. Insufficient COVID-19 testing is a nationwide problem, and certainly an issue in Connecticut, and here in Stamford, the mayor wrote in the statement. I share everyones frustration about the lack of testing. I want significantly more testing in Stamford. If this health emergency continues to grow, I could imagine potential demand for 10,000 or more tests a week in Stamford. He is asking Stamford Hospital and the state to prepare to ramp up testing in Stamford as laboratory capacity increases, Martin said in the statement. The City of Stamford is prepared to help in any way we can to increase testing here, he wrote. The hospital Monday opened a Prescribed Alternative Testing Hub at the Bennett Medical Center on its campus off West Broad Street. Doctors may send their patients to PATH to have samples collected. The service is available by appointment only, and patients must have a doctors prescription to be tested. PATH can now accommodate approximately 80 patients per day, Martin said in his statement, and a designated COVID-19 area in the Emergency Department ... can accommodate more. Following the recommendations of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the hospital is prioritizing testing for people with COVID-19 symptoms, the mayor said. Kathleen Silard, president and CEO of Stamford Health, which includes the hospital and its affiliate services, also issued a statement Tuesday. We view this as a public health crisis and we are prepared to assist in the development of additional sites in Stamford and our region, Silard wrote. Martin said he is looking for city-owned sites that may be used for testing once more test kits become available. There is overwhelming demand for test kits nationwide. The bottleneck now is the testing capacity in Connecticut and across the nation. It will be overcome, Martin said. When that happens, I want to ensure that the city will be able to ramp up testing as rapidly as possible. Its better to solve the downstream bottleneck ahead of time. In other measures designed to curtail spread of the new coronavirus, the city Tuesday closed all playgrounds, though parks and beaches remain open. The city also suspended pay-to-park requirements near restaurants to support customers who run in to pick up takeout orders. acarella@stamfordadvocate.com; 203-964-2296. As businesses in the GTA continue to close to protect their staff and customers from COVID-19, calls are emerging for tax relief, deferred rent payments and other urgent financial assistance to help keep them afloat. In an online survey conducted over the weekend of more than 8,700 small businesses from across the country, nearly half reported a moderate or significant drop in sales. A quarter of those surveyed said they wouldnt be able to survive beyond a month if their sales were cut in half. In the meantime, bills are piling up. This is pretty perilous for many, many businesses, said Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, which conducted the survey. My worry is that a lot of viable businesses are going to be taken out as a result of social distancing. Some are calling for landlords to give their business tenants a break, and Kelly said it would be terrific if they could be flexible, but he added that the landlords themselves are often individuals who rely on rent payments to pay their own bills. Its not just a whole series of faceless corporations trying to rake in dough, he said. Its often the dry cleaner that rents out two other bays in a strip mall and that income may be what theyre counting on to pay their employees while the business is shut down. My urging is that all companies use as much flexibility as they can to not make the problem worse, not to put businesses in even greater risk of bankruptcy. Commercial real estate giant Cadillac Fairview, the Building Owners and Managers Association Toronto, and real estate services firm CBRE all declined to comment for this story. Toronto councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, whose downtown ward includes many small businesses, said there should be a freeze on all payments and collections, including mortgages, both commercial and residential rents, and bank loans. Theres no point in asking one group of people to pay and not the other, she said, echoing Kellys point that it would be unfair to defer rent payments without doing the same for mortgages. At this point in time we should, as government, create a freeze on all demand payments and just recognize that everyone is going to be in this financial pinch. Wong-Tam said the federal government has authority over the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation and the Banking Act to implement extraordinary measures in a state of emergency. They can use the institutions that exist today to halt the payments so that everybody is backstopped by the government. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday he will announce financial support Wednesday for both workers and businesses. He said the government has been looking at a range of measures, including additional support through EI, direct financial assistance for those who dont qualify for EI, wage relief for businesses, help with mortgage payments and additional support for businesses access to credit and loans. Last week, the federal government announced a credit program for businesses to be made available through the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and the Export Development Canada (EDC). Wong-Tam said the federal government needs to make sure any economic stimulus doesnt leave behind small-business owners and the precariously employed. It cannot be only at the request of the lobbyists who work for big shopping malls and big land owners who get the breaks. Those breaks have got to come to everybody whos financially harmed by COVID-19 right now. Toronto Mayor John Tory also announced plans to help local businesses and workers affected by the COVID-19 crisis, including a grace period on taxes, the potential of some kind of contingency fund and an expansion of the citys small business advisory services. Kelly said he was encouraged by promises of tax relief for small businesses, but he said the most urgent issue is paying employees, adding that he would like to see the federal government pay a portion of private sector wages to spare business owners while also ensuring workers keep their jobs. In Denmark, for example, the government is paying up to 75 per cent of private sector wages. For many businesses, Kelly said, having their employees simply work from home or shifting to online sales is simply not an option. Forty-two per cent of the small businesses surveyed said they could not conduct any business online and nearly two-thirds said online sales could only make up 10 per cent of their usual revenue. There is still a big chunk of the economy where face-to-face commerce is really hard to do without. Kelly said he doesnt want the government to implement broad stimulus measures to spur spending. This isnt a time where Canadians are just sitting on their wallets and not spending, he said. Thats not the problem. The problem is Canadians cannot go out of their homes to spend their money. Successive road safety appeals have managed to slash by half the rate of increase in fatal road traffic accidents this year but 2019 is still on course to exceed the total number of deaths recorded last year. Stock photo: PA A woman in her 70s has died following a two-car collision in Co Cork this morning. The fatal accident occurred as deaths on Irish roads have soared by 30pc this year compared to the same period in 2019. The accident occurred shortly before 10am at Annabella outside Mallow in north Cork on the N20 route. It is understood the collision involved a car and a truck and took place less than 2km outside Mallow town. Gardai, Mallow Fire Brigade units and paramedics raced to the scene. However, one person had suffered critical injuries and died before they could be rushed to Cork University Hospital (CUH). A number of other people were treated at the scene for shock. The main Cork-Limerick road is now closed between Annabella and the Dromahane turnoff to assist the work of the emergency services. Garda technical experts are now examining the scene to determine the precise cause of the collision. Motorists have been asked to avoid the area if possible or to expect delays because of necessary diversions. The section of the main Cork-Limerick road is expected to remain closed for some time. Gardai have appealed for anyone who witnessed the collision or who drove by the Annabella area between 9.30am and 10am and whose vehicle is fitted with a dash-came to contact Mallow Garda Station to assist their inquiries. Ontarios daily COVID-19 information the number of confirmed and negative cases in the province is roughly four days old or more due to a lag in test results officials are struggling to overcome. That means provincial and city leaders and the general public are relying on relatively old information on the severity of the fast-moving pandemic when making decisions. In addition, a Star analysis of the last 10 days of provincial data reveals the number of tests for which the province is awaiting results is steadily increasing. It appears from the numbers the current testing system in Ontario is being overwhelmed by demand. Tuesday, 2,728 samples were taken from Ontario residents, almost three times the number of samples taken the day before. Based on current data, the results of those tests will not be known for four or more days. In Ontario, the majority of tests are performed by Public Health Ontarios laboratory. Dr. Brian Schwartz, vice-president of Public Health Ontario, confirmed to the Star Wednesday there is now a significant delay in testing compared to the start of the outbreak. The high volume of COVID-19 tests being conducted at the Public Health Ontario Laboratory is having an impact on our turnaround times, Schwartz said. It has changed from 24 hours to up to four days, he said, adding that the most vulnerable including in-patients and hospital staff will be prioritized first. A provincial official told the Star that efforts are being made to have hospital laboratories increase their testing capacity. The goal is to increase the volume of testing (for COVID-19) in the Ontario health system to 5,000 tests a day, said the official, who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. That figure was echoed late Wednesday afternoon by senior public health officials at a government briefing. However, officials including Ontarios chief medical officer of health Dr. David Williams indicated it could be another two weeks before capacity is at 5,000 tests a day. A current Public Health Ontario document also lists the turnaround time as up to 4 days and longer if they need to send the sample for additional testing to the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg. At a press briefing Tuesday, Dr. Barbara Yaffe, Ontarios associate chief medical officer of health, acknowledged the increase in tests being requested but said the good news is the lab capacity is going up. The lag may actually be five days or more, according to members of the public who have been tested and been told of a five- to seven-day delay. One Toronto resident who was tested in Toronto on Sunday contacted Toronto Public Health on Tuesday and was told to check back on Friday for the results. The man, who asked not to be identified for healthy privacy reasons, had been on a New York flight and was told he might be at risk due to another passenger and should be tested. I believe we are completely underestimating the number of cases in Ontario and at worst we are five to seven days behind, the Toronto resident told the Star in an interview. Health experts say the problem a delay in testing can cause is that leaders and the public need up-to-date information to make decisions. Over the last two weeks there have been a number of decisions and statements made one day, then overridden by events a few days later, coinciding with the rising number of positive cases from completed tests. The actual scientific test (where cells from a nasal or throat swab is compared with the genetic code of the coronavirus) should only take about six hours to complete, once the testing is begun. In addition to a delay in getting to the test due to the high volume of requests in the province and the scarcity of testing kits, there can be an additional lag as the results are then communicated to the health care professional who authorized the test and to the public health office in the jurisdiction where the sample was obtained. The public health office then contacts the patient and provides the test results to the individual. The Star asked Toronto Public Health to respond to complaints from individuals who had been told of the test result lag. Lenore Bromley, a spokesperson for Toronto Public Health, said only Public Health Ontario, which is the lead for testing, could answer questions about the time it takes for a test to be completed. We cannot speak to their area regarding test results, Bromley said. Earlier this week, the Star also set about to do an analysis of all of the testing results the province has provided to date. Looking at the last 10 days of reported provincial results, the Star discovered several disturbing trends. First, compared to 10 days ago, the percentage of total test results coming back negative for the virus is decreasing and there is a corresponding increase in the percentage that are coming back positive. Second, there has been a sudden jump in tests ordered and a dramatic increase in the backlog as a result. The ministry of health refers to these backlogged tests as currently under investigation but the reality is these are tests that have yet to be processed, according to Ministry of Health information. The third finding from the data is that the number of cases listed as resolved has not changed in the past eight days. Resolved refers to a patient who tested positive, and then has had two negative tests at least 24 hours apart. That number of patients who have recovered in Ontario has been listed as five since March 10. Despite the sudden jump in people being tested, Williams, Ontarios chief medical officer of health, said he is hopeful the province will successfully ramp up its testing capability. With the number of tests pending there is a load issue, Williams said. He said they are in the process of opening up satellite centres for testing and obtaining all parts of the testing process, including the swabs used to collect the sample, and hiring staff. As to the testing kits, he said from conversations with other officials we understand there may be large orders coming in. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 18) COVID-19 has reached the province of Cebu, with Mandaue City confirming its first case of the viral disease. The first COVID-19 patient in Cebu is a 65-year-old man admitted at Chong Hua Hospital in Mandaue City. The Health Department recorded him as the 188th patient with the viral disease in the Philippines. The Health Department in Central Visayas said he is recovering and will be discharged after further tests. While he has not travelled outside of the country, the new COVID-19 patient went to different cities in Metro Manila and Mindanao. Health officials are still trying to find out how he got infected. This is the fourth case of COVID-19 outside of Luzon, which the government placed on lockdown in an effort to curb the spread of the disease. Negros Oriental, Lanao del Sur and Davao de Oro each reported one case. Mandaue City reported that it has 37 patients under investigation for the disease, while 64 people are under monitoring for the disease. The number of people who have contracted COVID-19 in the Philippines has reached 202, with 17 deaths because of the disease caused by a virus called SARS CoV-2. Globally, more than 198,000 have been infected and nearly 8,000 have died due to the disease, while close to 82,000 have recovered, based on data from Johns Hopkins University. Commonly reported COVID-19 symptoms are fever, dry cough and shortness of breath. Those with severe and critical symptoms should call the Health Department at (02) 8-651-7800 local 1149-1150. Philadelphias first plague, the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793, began on Aug. 19, when the otherwise healthy Peter Aston died suddenly from a strange fever. Within a week, 10 people a day were succumbing to the same illness. By October, it was up to 100 a day. By the end of the year, Philadelphia had lost 10% of its population, and the citys continued existence was in doubt. Philadelphia endured, of course, thanks to the efforts of a determined doctor, Benjamin Rush, and a group of African American nurses who believed they were immune. The city also adapted. Once the fever subsided, Philadelphias leaders wasted no time in making plans to limit the damage from the next epidemic, even though scientists didnt fully understand what caused the Yellow Fever outbreak (mosquitoes). In 1799, Philadelphia began building one of Americas first water treatment plants, on the site where City Hall stands today. Now we take it for granted that the water flowing from our taps is safe to drink. Because social distancing is not something that comes naturally to urban dwellers, densely occupied cities and towns have always been places where diseases have spread quickly from the bubonic plague to influenza. Yet throughout history, cities have found ways to make themselves more resilient. Epidemics led to innovations that have allowed dense settlements to continue functioning and even to thrive. After overcrowded 19th-century slums became breeding grounds for tuberculosis, cholera, diphtheria, and typhoid, Americas engineers developed elaborate sanitation systems and laid miles of sewer pipes in what was known as the Great Sanitary Awakening. Todays zoning codes are a direct outgrowth of the 1918 influenza epidemic. Their original intent was to ensure that new housing had enough natural light and air circulation to prevent the spread of disease. The repeated epidemics also inspired the City Beautiful movement, which led in Philadelphia to the construction of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and a fashion for hospital-white neoclassical buildings, like the Free Library and the Franklin Institute. As chilling as COVID-19s viral assault has become, its almost certain that cities will adapt again. The empty sidewalks in Center City may make it feel as if Philadelphia has become a city without people, but this will not become a world without cities. Despite the risks that density brings, the advantages of urban life outweigh the minuses. While viruses spread more quickly in cities, so do ideas, culture, innovation, and opportunities. Youre also better off being in a city during an epidemic, observed Harvey Rubin, a professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and an expert on infectious diseases. You have easier access to quality medical care, he said, and better support networks. Being among people is a basic human need. Its why we continue to gravitate to local parks. If we cant socialize as we are used to doing in restaurants and cafes, we can at least be alone in the presence of others. But theres no doubt that COVID-19 will leave its traces on our cities, just as it scars the lungs of those who recover from its attack. While my home office isnt equipped with a crystal ball, it seems likely that the prolonged lockdown will accelerate certain trend lines. Without our virtual lifelines, this quarantine wouldnt be half as bearable. By the time it is all over, we will almost certainly be more dependent on our internet connections. As Michele Acuto, a professor of global urban politics in the School of Design at the University of Melbourne, told City Lab: Digital infrastructure might be the sanitation of our time. Here are some changes that may come to cities. Expect more deliveries We know that the delivery economy has been growing rapidly over the last decade, but significantly more people are likely to order groceries and other consumer goods online during the crisis. The Reading Terminal Market, which serves many low-income Philadelphia residents, announced that it is offering free deliveries within a 16-mile radius, with no minimum order. Once people become accustomed to the convenience, many holdouts are likely to become converts. That has serious consequences for the survival of Philadelphias brick-and-mortar supermarkets. Many are already doing so many deliveries that they are morphing into warehouses. Virtual socializing Before the virus, I occasionally connected with people through virtual meetings. But I never used services like Google Hangouts and Zoom to socialize until this weekend. On Saturday night, some enterprising friends organized a virtual cocktail party, and we sat in the comfort of our individual kitchens mixing drinks and catching up on the weeks events. I switched to Zoom on Sunday night to watch the Democratic debate with my daughter and her (remote) friends in Brooklyn. More tolerance for working at home Bosses have been telling office employees they can work at home for years, just as theyve been telling us that were going to go paperless. But neither thing really happened as predicted. Remaining out of sight for too long felt like a risk in many businesses. Now that were forced to work remotely, resistance to telecommuting is likely to lessen. If working at home becomes the norm, what will happen to Philadelphias downtown office district? Occupancy in the citys legacy towers already has been hard hit by corporate downsizing. When GSK relocated to the Navy Yard in 2013, it cut its office space by two-thirds. Same for Aramark, which recently moved to 24th and Market. Liberty Place has converted part of its complex to condos because of slack office demand. Although Philadelphia is beginning to see new office building proposals, such as Brandywines Schuylkill Yards project, finding tenants could become even more difficult. Everything that can be streamed will be streamed Everything is canceled. Libraries are closed. Movie theaters are closed. Concerts and plays have been called off. Yet we still have access to the fruits of our culture via our devices. Will we find that we dont need to be at events to actually experience them? After surviving the rise of streaming, can our remaining movie theaters outlast the virus and fears of contagion? Even before the virus, many fast-casual restaurants were beginning to install flat screens for ordering. Your meal or coffee was left on a counter, and you never had to exchange a word with a human being. As we become more fearful of germs, will our retail experiences become further automated and dehumanized? Casual dress everyday If youre spending most of your time working at home and doing social streaming, whats the motivation for getting dressed up? We dress to tell a story about ourselves, Washington Post fashion critic Robin Givhan wrote recently. If there is no one to hear our narrative, were less likely to fuss about the clothes we put on in the morning what she called the mantle of public personhood. Office attire has been trending more casual, thanks to the athleisure trend. But this may spell the end of work clothes. That could further accelerate the retail apocalypse. The independent stores that populate Center City and give us a reason for walking downtown are already struggling to maintain their own against online shopping sites. Whats the incentive to go out and shop for new clothes if you dont need them? Perhaps as a show of solidarity, we can imitate the writer Gay Talese, one of the pioneers of the New Journalism in the 1970s. Every morning, he would put on a suit and tie before descending into his basement office to peck away at his typewriter. Reallocating street space When vehicles were banned from Center City during Pope Francis visit to Philadelphia in 2015, pedestrians and bicyclists took over the streets. The freedom was exhilarating and liberating, and it caused some planners and city officials to reassess how much street space we needed to cede to cars. COVID-19 hasnt eliminated traffic, but many fewer cars are on the street. New York City saw a surge in bike commuting as people sought to avoid tight quarters on buses and trains. Trips are up on Philadelphias bikesharing service, Indego. The Bicycle Coalitions Randy LoBasso argued last week that more bike infrastructure would make our city stronger in situations like these. We may also start to reconsider our willingness to hop on a plane for out-of-town conferences. Beyond the risks of infection, awareness is growing of the effects of air travel on climate change. David A. Leon, a professor of epidemiology at Londons School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told me that his faculty is already vowing to travel less and Skype more. Of course, similar predictions were made after 9/11. But within a few years, memories of that terrible day receded, and we returned to our old habits. After being cooped up for months by COVID-19, we may run out and buy whole new wardrobes, dine out every night, and dance into the morning. I hope so. Whatever innovations we adopt in the future, our ability to forget may be the most powerful factor in making cities resilient. Inox Leisure on Wednesday said that two additional screens in the existing multiplex movie hall in Indore will be opened for movie screening as soon as the Madhya Pradesh government's recent order on temporary closure of cinemas is lifted. The ban has been imposed as a precautionary measure to avoid spread of novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. "The company has opened two additional screens (with seating capacity of 73 seats) in the existing Multiplex Cinema Theatre located at Indore. Considering the Madhya Pradesh government's recent order on temporary closure of cinemas... the screens will be opened for movie screening as soon as the order is lifted," Inox Leisure said in a filing to the BSE. With addition of two more screens, the said Multiplex Cinema Theatre has 6 screens and 1,151 seats and with this opening, Inox has opened 58 screens this financial year. The company is now present in 68 cities with 147 multiplexes, 626 screens and a total seating capacity of 1,44,467 seats across India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Results showed patients receiving Favipiravir turned negative for the virus in a shorter time compared with those in the control group 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 news 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 a 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. Correction: The executive order allows the Licensing and Regulatory Agency to temporarily certify nurse aides who havent yet passed required testing for up to 28 days. A previous version of this story listed the incorrect professional license for temporary certification. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday, March 13, loosened restrictions on hospitals, doctors, nurses and other caretakers in preparation for possible spread of the coronavirus. Whitmers executive order remains in effect through April 14. It allows hospitals to build temporary or mobile facilities to care for coronavirus patients, permits the Licensing and Regulatory Agency to temporarily certify nurse aides who havent yet passed required testing for up to 28 days; allows medical and nursing license renewals prior to completion of existing education requirements, allows hours spent responding to coronavirus patients to be applied to educational requirements and allows non-nurses, such as social workers or volunteers, to feed and transport coronavirus patients. There had been 65 cases of coronavirus confirmed in Michigan as of midnight Monday, according to the latest case data released Tuesday. 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. The number of cases in Michigan has continued to rise since the first test came back positive on March 10. Whitmer declared a state of emergency two days later. Sorry, but your browser does not support frames. 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 RELATED STORIES: Coronavirus pandemic may impact Michigans May election, Secretary of State says Coronavirus closures devastating for Michigans bars, restaurants ordered to shut down before St. Patricks Day Michigan fitness centers, spas cope with shutdowns: Its really, really challenging Timeline of coronavirus in Michigan: How did we get here? 6 ways Michigan residents can help local businesses during coronavirus outbreak There was a time when Air Conditioners were considered a luxury, however, thanks to the changing environment and global warming, air conditioners have become a necessity in todays time. While purchasing an air conditioner seems like a perfect idea to get a better time in our homes and to keep ourselves away from the heat this summer, on the other hand, a lot of factor goes into deciding the perfect air conditioner for our home. Choosing the right air conditioner can be frustrating enough to send your temperatures rising. From electricity bills to energy efficiency to a WI-FI connected ACs, a lot of things should be considered in investing the money while purchasing an air conditioner. Here we bring you a list of five best air conditioners available in the market that will help you beat the heat this summer. Have a look: 18.03.2020 LISTEN The American president, Donald Trump, calls it a foreign virus and the Chinese Virus and Scientists around the world call it coronavirus. The coronavirus has taken the world by a surprise and has shaken all nations; rich or poor, mighty or developing and people of all social differentiation. Governments all over the world have taken imperative measures to stop the spread of the virus and to bring life to normality. As a matter of urgency, the government of Ghana made available $100 million as preparation money to combat the virus before the first case was reported. Members of the opposition party (NDC) have expressed concern about the $100 million allocated for fighting the coronavirus. They argue that the amount is about triple of what the National Health Service (NHS) had requested. Meanwhile, president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has reiterated his resolve to fight what has now become a pandemic. In 2014, the Government of Ghana in collaboration with USAID set up National Preparedness and Response Plan for Prevention and Control of Ebola. Ebola Center was ultimately established and suspected cases were investigated. Ebola could not enter Ghana. Similarly, polio was successfully eradicated in Ghana. Local foes such as mosquitos, salmonella typhi, and road accidents are endangering our longevity. Shouldnt every successive government allocate a contingency fund to fight the basic problems that are killing people every day in Ghana? Although, successive governments have prioritized healthcare in Ghana but we need more effort to successfully eradicate malaria and typhoid fevers. As a nation, we have not done much to improve our sanitation. Everywhere is littered and the gutters are smelling. Tree planting is not booming anymore. Our clean waters have been polluted and turned into muddy pools and sand dunes by voracious illegal miners. All the gains made by Hon. Peter Amewu, the then minister for Lands and Natural Resources have been reversed. Many people argue that construction of dual carriage roads may reduce motor accidents in Ghana. Others also think that on good roads, drivers over speed which also causes road accidents. Perhaps we need more funds to intensify road safety education and to enforce road safety rules. Penalties from road traffic offenders could be used to expand and maintain our road networks. With all the enthusiasm for the establishment of the Office of the Special Prosecutor, the fight against corruption is non-existing. The poor young men who steal coconut, cassava, plantain, and goats are serving jail sentences of up to 10years. The nation is sick. Our institutions must work properly. Undeniably so, we are very quick to react and ready to spend for and against everything foreign. National effort and commitment towards internationally-related cases are usually overwhelming.The irony though is that when it comes to the fundamental problems our approaches are usually lackadaisical. References: President Trump,a foreign virus, The Chinese Virus [Online] Retrieved from https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/12/us/disease-outbreaks-xenophobia-history/index.html [Accessed 18.03.2020] Ministry of Health Ghana, $100 Million for Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Plan [Online] Retrieved from http://www.moh.gov.gh/100-million-provided-to-enhance-coronavirus-preparedness-and-response-plan-president-akufo-addo/ [Accessed 18.03.2020] AFSA. Org, Ebola Center in Ghana [Online] Retrieved from https://www.afsa.org/working-ghana-prevent-spread-ebola [Accessed 18.03.2020] Photo credit: Hearst Owned From Esquire Savile Row is changing. Situated in the heart of Mayfair, the worlds most famous bespoke street has influenced the way men dress for more than 200 years. Now, in the 21st century, The Row (not to be confused with the Olsen twins luxury venture of the same name) is adapting to modern tastes without compromising on its English heritage and artisanal spirit. From traditional military-inspired cuts, to something slicker, Savile Row is more than the sum of its stuffier parts; and along with the beloved great houses (which are nowhere near as intimidating as theyre perceived to be) the street is flourishing under another generation of tailors and ready-to-wear designers. The Savile Row of your imagination? Its still there. Its still magic. Except today, there is a service to match most budgets, with ready-to-wear now as common as bespoke and made-to-measure offerings. With all this choice, it can be quite tricky to know where to begin. So, join us on a journey down Savile Row, as we get into the basics of each establishment (whether tailor or retail), helping you find what suits your tastes best. Photo credit: Hearst Owned ANDERSON AND SHEPPARD Photo credit: Hearst Owned 32 Old Burlington St, W1S 3AT; anderson-sheppard.co.uk Looking through the window is like looking at a tiny stage play. So welcoming is Anderson and Sheppards shop, it will dispel any fears you have about stepping inside. Since 1906, it's been at the front of innovation, specialising in the English drape cut: a softer and more relaxed fit than the military-inspired styles on offer nearby. Fred Astaire was a fan, noting how it stayed flush against his neck when dancing. Works just as well for non-tap dancing folks, too. Expect: A traditional English cut and impeccable quality. Prices: From around 5,000 for a bespoke two-piece suit. OZWALD BOATENG Photo credit: Ozwald Boeteng 30 Savile Row, W1S 3PT; ozwaldboateng.co.uk Since the Nineties, Ozwald Boateng has been a go-to for city and media types that want a suit their grandparents didnt own. This is one of the less conventional sites on the street, with vibrant embroidered suits some in orange and purple displayed wall-to-wall. Boatengs Savile Row store (like his suiting) is about making a statement, a little like Ozwald himself, who made history as the first tailor from Savile Row to present a collection at Paris Fashion Week. Story continues Expect: Colour, even if only in a contrast jacket lining. Prices: From around 5,000 for a bespoke two-piece suit. YURI AND YURI Photo credit: Yuri & Yuri - Hearst Owned 13 Savile Row, W1S 3NE; yuriyuri.co.uk Head designer Yuri Choi is considered one of the most creative tailors in the area, and along with her partner, and Savile Row svengali/journalist Will Field, finally opened a workshop in 2018. The brand's line of trousers and polo shirts are highly-sought out staples, evoking Chet Baker and Miles Daviss jazzier, preppier styles from the Fifties and Sixties, alongside a selection of dandyish tailored loungewear (including underwear). It almost feels like rebellion, if it werent for the fact that Y&Y remains up to the streets standards for quality and taste. Expect: Smart casual staples crafted with Savile Row techniques. Prices: Polos from 280, trousers from 450, off-the-rack; made-to-measure and bespoke POA. DEGE AND SKINNER Photo credit: Dege and Skinner - Hearst Owned 10 Savile Row, W1S 3PF; dege-skinner.co.uk Times havent always been easy on Savile Row. But through it all, Dege and Skinner has remained a family-run business, in continued operation since 1865. No fancy branding, no fashion trends; just Savile Row as it always was (and many believe, should remain). This is a proper tailor, a thread back the days when much of the areas clientele were military, politicians, or Royals (Prince Harry a veteran himself owns a few items from Dege and Skinner). Expect: Traditional cuts, traditional service and traditional clientele (Prince Harry married Meghan Markle in a Dege and Skinner uniform). Prices: From around 5,000 for a bespoke two-piece suit. JP HACKETT Photo credit: Hackett - Hearst Owned 14 Savile Row, W1S 3JN; hackett.com Its worth making the distinction now: Jeremy Hacketts Savile Row service is unique to his hugely successful brand. With initials proudly on the mast, JP Hackett opened in 2019, bringing Jeremy back to one of his first loves: bespoke tailoring. The style is English, a dash eccentric and amongst the easiest to pull off. The house offers three made-to-measure cuts: the Windsor (a modern, lightly structured jacket); a classic English cut (more traditional); and Jeremys house cut all to your specifications, over tea (or something a little stronger from the clubrooms cocktail bar). Expect: A very on-brand townhouse, which is almost as enjoyable as the suits themselves. Prices: From 1,900 for made-to-measure; bespoke tailoring POA. RICHARD JAMES Photo credit: Richard James - Hearst Owned 29 Savile Row, W1S 2EY; richard-james.com One of the first stores on Savile Row to bring the classic silhouette into the modern era. Before setting off on his own in 1992, James made it clear that this would be something fresh and exciting. Rules were broken, silhouettes slimmed down, sneakers approved, and a new chapter in Savile Row began, influencing the direction many houses have followed ever since. Expect: Classic British tailoring, but every suit has the option for a Richard James twist, be it an unexpected fabric or flash of colour. Prices: Made-to-measure from 1,300; bespoke two-piece suits from 4,500. GIEVES & HAWKES Photo credit: Paul Marc Mitchell - Hearst Owned 1 Savile Row, W1S 3JR; gievesandhawkes.com And so, to No 1 Savile Row. Established in 1771, and opening on the street in 1794, Gieves & Hawkess house style, with its high armhole and structured roped shoulder, is a classic, reflecting the house's continued work as suppliers to the British Navy and the Royal Family. Past clients have included Sir Winston Churchill, Ian Fleming, and Prince Charles. But that doesnt mean Gieves is stuck in the past. The house cut looks as modern as ever, without diluting its prestige as a sacred site of British tailoring. Expect: A temple to British dignity and craft and the emobodiment of Savile Rows history and future Prices: Made-to-measure from 1,150; bespoke two-piece suits from 5,000. JOSEPH Photo credit: James Whitaker 2 Savile Row, W1S 3PA; joseph-fashion.com Joseph opened its doors in 2016, and its modern, minimal take on Savile Row tailoring is great for first-time-buyers not quite ready to commit to an experience with one of the more prestigious houses nearby. At least, not just yet. Joseph proved that, with enough passion and respect, even a contemporary designer brand can make its mark on Savile Row. In many ways, the store felt like a much-needed addition, inviting younger customers to experience a brand they might be more familiar with, on a street they probably aren't. What to expect: Quality off-the-rack suiting at affordable prices (they do not do bespoke or made-to-measure services). Prices: Off-the-rack tailoring from around 500. WILLIAM HUNT Photo credit: Hearst Owned 41 Savile Row, W1S 3QQ; williamhunt.co.uk William Hunts shop appears like a Baroque showroom and is often compared to a theatre, which might be a bit of a stretch if it wasnt for the fact that many of its high-profile customers are entertainers themselves: from Queens Brian May to Led Zeppelins Robert Plant. Its easy to see why. While the cut is on the more structured and traditional end of the spectrum (they also opt for a single-button jacket), a William Hunt suit often features a unique silk lining, printed with vibrant or unusual patterns and motifs. You can hand-pick your own with the made-to-measure service, making this the clear winner for budding rock-stars. What to expect: Savile Row tailoring that comes with a personal twist. Prices: Off-the-rack tailoring from 495; made-to-measure suits, POA. MAURICE SEDWELL Photo credit: Maurice Sedwell 19 Savile Row, W1S 3PP Fancy learning the craft? For many tailors, that journey begins at Maurice Sedwells The Savile Row Academy, situated beside the workshop itself. Maurice arrived on the Row in 1963, after a stint on Fleet Street. Today though, most of the staff train under Sedwells talented understudy Andrew Ramroop OBE, a respected name and the companys current creative master tailor. DRAKE'S Photo credit: Drake's 9 Savile Row, W1S 3PF; drakes.com A very recent, highly anticipated opening. Since Michael Hill took over as creative director at Drakes, the London luxury tie and handkerchief maker has evolved into a fully-fledged clothing emporium, supplying high quality garments and its signature Ivy League style tailoring (with a dash of English elegance). What to expect: All your preppy essentials, from rowing blazers to knitted ties. Prices: Off-the-rack tailoring from around 700. DAVIES & SON Photo credit: Davies and Son 38 Savile Row, W1S 3QE With a proud history that goes back to 1803, Davies & Son occupy a rare space: being one of the only true bespoke tailors on the streets west end. This is a no-nonsense, professional service, with suits cut to the specific order of each client and a journey that begins with selecting cloth, suit-style, and your own personal features. Its an experience you'll share with some of the world's most powerful men: four kings, seven crown princes, eighteen Knights of the Realm, two US presidents, and the likes of Sir Robert Peel have made Davies and Son their choice when looking for a suit. What to expect: A service and suit that is as personal and classy as it is comfortable . Prices: From around 5,000 for a bespoke two-piece suit. HENRY POOLE & CO Photo credit: Henry Poole 15 Savile Row, W1S 3PJ Hallowed ground as far as Savile Row is concerned. Henry Poole opened its doors as far back as 1806, and has been credited with such innovations as the Tuxedo. Its favoured cut, The Mayfair, sits somewhere between the formality of Huntsman and drape of Anderson &Sheppard, with a high-armhole and flattering pinched-in waist. With the highest-quality fabrics and a team of supremely experienced and friendly staff, Henry Poole & Co is not only one of the best tailoring experiences on Savile Row, but surely one of the best in the world. What to expect: A strong but flattering cut that lengthens the legs, slims the torso and broadens the shoulders. Prices: From around 5,200 for a bespoke two-piece suit. NORTON AND SONS Photo credit: Norton and Sons 16 Savile Row, W1S 3PL; nortonandsons.co.uk One of the longest established tailoring houses on Savile Row (200 years in 2021), Norton and Sons was also among the earliest to encourage a more unique clientele. Aside from lords and politicians, explorers bound for the East and Africa shopped here, thanks to its expertise in lightweight clothing. Today, much of its forward-thinking spirit remains, now that homegrown design talent Patrick Grant has taken the helm. What to expect: British, British, British, from cloths to cuts to clientele. Prices: From 4,400 for a bespoke two-piece suit. HUNTSMAN Photo credit: Huntsman 11 Savile Row, W1S 3PS; huntsmansavilerow.com At every cultural crossroads, there is a man wearing a Huntsman suit. From the Twenties and the Sixties to today (its shopfront was used in the recent Kingsman movies), Huntsman has managed to attract both rebels and royals of any age, and in equal measure. Since moving to Savile Row in 1819, the house cut has become one of the most coveted in the world: including a padded shoulder; high armhole; and one-button jacket. What to expect: One of the more structured and traditional fits in the area, with a strong riding heritage (hence its unrivalled range of tweed). Prices: From 3,500 for a bespoke two-piece suit. CHITTLEBOROUGH AND MORGAN Photo credit: Hearst Owned 12 Savile Row, W1S 3PQ; chittleboroughandmorgan.co.uk If you are seeking out a distinctive style, look no further than Chittleborough and Morgan. The modern iteration of the house bears the closest resemblance to the famous Tommy Nutter shape, which was developed by Nutters one-time-head-cutter, and Savile Row icon, Edward Sexton, in the Sixties. Nutter veterans Joe Morgan and Roy Chittleborough continued the legacy when they opened up their own house in 1989. This is a powerful look, with a heavy shoulder, wide, curved lapels, and a longer jacket. It was become the suit of choice for British rock stars, seen on the likes of The Beatles (the Abbey Road cover) and Mick Jagger (for his wedding with Bianca), and retains that swinging, Sixties cool today. What to expect: A lot of presence. This is a suit for frontmen, not wallflowers. Prices: Bespoke only; POA. RICHARD ANDERSON Photo credit: Richard Anderson 13 Savile Row, W1S 3PH; richardandersonltd.com Richard Anderson rose to the rank of head cutter at Huntsman before setting off to start his own house in 2001. Like most new openings, he sought to create a modern environment. Unlike most new openings, he carried over the uncompromising brilliance of the great houses, making his suits amongst the most expensive and well-crafted in the street. Each tailor specialises in one individual part of your suit, meaning that complete focus is given to each element. What to expect: Uncompromising quality, and prices to match. Prices: From 5,400 for a bespoke two-piece suit. SCABAL Photo credit: Scabal 12 Savile Row, W1S 3PQ; scabal.com At its heart, Scabal is a master of cloth, supplying fabrics to tailors on both Savile Row and internationally since 1938, from materials woven at its own Yorkshire mill. It makes sense then that theres bespoke, made-to-measure, and ready-to-wear tailoring service on offer as Scabal shares its knowledge and experience. What to expect: Something unique or special, especially if you're looking for an unexpected fabric. Prices: POA. CAD & THE DANDY Photo credit: Cal and the Dandy 13 Savile Row, W1S 3NE; cadandthedandy.co.uk Perhaps one of the most modern houses on the street, Cad has steered Savile Row in new and exciting directions. Standards here are incredibly high, immovable on the idea that garments be made by hand in the traditional way. The house was established by ex-bankers Ian Meiers and James Sleater, who wanted a space where they could create the kind of suits they were looking for: softer and more natural at the shoulders and with a stronger waist, for a sleeker look. What to expect: An experience unrestricted by some of the traditions of the older tailors, at a more-than-fair price. Prices: From 1,000 for a bespoke two-piece suit. WELSH AND JEFFERIES Photo credit: Hearst Owned 20 Savile Row, W1S 3PR; welshandjefferies.co Starting out in 1917 as a military-uniform tailor in Eton, Welsh and Jeffries eventually moved to Savile Row and established themselves as official dressmakers to the Prince of Wales (who also gave it its first Royal Warrant). Thats a big deal, and it was upheld over time by the houses dedication to tradition and craft. Today, they are led by head cutter James Cottrell and director (and Savile Row master cutter) Yingmei Quan. What to expect: Traditional suits with a regimental inflection think strong shoulders and a long jacket. Prices: POA. HIDALGO BROTHERS Photo credit: Hearst Owned 2nd Floor, 13 Savile Row, W1S 3PH; hidalgobrothers.com In the brothers native Ecuador, the Hidalgo name has long been associated with fine tailoring a tradition passed down to them from their uncle. But London called, and Marco arrived in Savile Row at 24 to learn under the great masters. Before long, he was joined by his brother Ramon, establishing Hidalgo Brothers in 2007. What to expect: High-quality bespoke suits with a fun but masculine flavour. Prices: POA. ALEXANDRA WOOD Photo credit: Hearst Owned By appointment only: 020 3369 8969; alexandrawoodbespoke.co.uk Looking for a bespoke suit made exactly the way you want it? Since 2007, that has been Alexandra Woods mission: to find out what the customer wants, and build upon it. The store is favoured by tailoring first-timers, who note the expertise and friendliness of the staff. While respectful of Savile Row, Alexandra Wood prides itself on its open-mindedness. Your sense of shame and guilt for wanting a bright pink suit? You can leave it at the door. What to expect: Whatever you want, with no judgment. Prices: From 3,750 for a bespoke two-piece suit. JASPER LITTMAN Photo credit: Jasper Littman - Hearst Owned By appointment only: 0845 612 1220; jasperlittman.com Customers are fiercely loyal to Jasper Littmans bespoke tailoring service, which was established back in 2007. Elegance is the order of the day, here, and while theres an offer of a personal service, Littman is a champion of the traditions and luxury that made Savile Row the most famous tailoring street on earth. What to expect: Elegance, tradition and craftmanship. Prices: From 2,500 for a bespoke two-piece suit. NICK TENTIS Photo credit: Nick Tentis 37 Savile Row, W1S 3QD; nicktentis.com Nick Tentis is another Savile Row site that marries fashion-house confidence with English tradition. Since 2007, men have shopped here for a more colourful (and perhaps more contemporary) take on suiting. Glen checks, herringbones, and various other shapes and patterns make up its selection of cloth each season, as well as a good dose of mid-century inspiration from music and movie stars. What to expect: Modern, crisp tailoring with some Hollywood swagger. Prices: POA. Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more delivered straight to your inbox SIGN UP You Might Also Like Australians travelling aboard an international cruise ship have made a last minute escape from the vessel in lifeboats to rush home amid the coronavirus pandemic. The MV Columbus, carrying hundreds of Australians, has been ordered to cut its world cruise short and return to its port in Tilbury, UK, as the global health crisis deepens. But before embarking on the four-week journey, the cruiseliner offered passengers the option of staying on board or transferring to its sister ship, Vasco De Gama, which will head to Fremantle, Western Australia. The MV Columbus, carrying hundreds of Australians, was this week ordered to return to its port in Tilbury, UK, as the global health crisis deepened Cruise liner offered passengers the option of transferring to its sister ship, Vasco De Gama, in Phuket, bound for Fremantle, Western Australia. Australian Erica Jandle shared photos of the passenger swap from the Vasco De Gama (pictured) About 178 people chose to make the switch to the Vasco De Gama, docked off the coast of Phuket, on Wednesday, news.com.au reported. Meanwhile, 67 European and British passengers on the ship transferred to the MV Columbus. British passenger Tecwyn Vaughan Jones said people were relieved to have been given the option in the midst of the crisis. 'At least there is no one aboard affected and this will reduce that possibility,' he told Welsh media. A source told news.comau it would take 10 days to sail back to Australia. Footage of the exchange - via lifeboats - emerged on social media on Wednesday. Australian Erica Jandle shared photos of the passenger swap from the Vasco De Gama. 'Once passenger swap is done, we're sailing for Fremantle (Currently off coast of Phuket), and Columbus heading to London. Great job by CMV to get us home,' she tweeted. The ship, owned by Cruise and Maritime Voyages, can carry 1,400 passengers and had earlier made stops in Sydney, Cairns and Darwin. The cruiseliner announced it has suspended operations until April. Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday banned Australians from travelling overseas and those who are abroad have been told to come home. It was the first time travel advice has been escalated to 'do not travel' abroad. 'Do not go overseas. That is very clear, that instruction,' he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday. Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday banned Australians from travelling overseas and those who are abroad have been told to come home 'For those who are thinking of going overseas in the school holidays, don't. Don't go overseas.' Mr Morrison said the biggest risk of spreading the disease had been from Australians returning from overseas. 'It is very important that Australians do not travel abroad at this time,' the prime minister said. He said the ban on travel was indefinite, noting other countries had similar restrictions on arrivals. National coronavirus cases are approaching 560, an increase of 400 in five days, and six people have died. NSW Health confirmed an 86-year-old man died on Tuesday night in a Sydney hospital. Of the 81,000 people tested, 99.5 per cent have been negative. Mr Morrison is set to discuss the coronavirus pandemic with Donald Trump and other G20 leaders in a 'virtual summit' next week. The leaders will discuss a coordinated response to the coronavirus pandemic. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 15:10:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SHANGHAI, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A court in Shanghai has sentenced a woman to seven years in prison for smuggling pangolin scales, with a fine of 100,000 yuan (around 14,287 U.S. dollars). The Shanghai No. 3 Intermediate People's Court heard that the defendant surnamed Li, together with others, flew to Shanghai Pudong International Airport from abroad on Nov. 26, 2017 and May 18, 2018 with a large number of suspected pangolin scales in their luggage but without any customs declaration. The scales seized by police were identified as pangolin scales, with a total weight of 110.45 kg. After the sudden attack of the novel coronavirus, China has stepped up efforts in cracking down on illegal activities related to wildlife as researchers believe the virus most likely came from wild animals. China's top legislature has adopted a decision on thoroughly banning the illegal trading of wildlife and eliminating the consumption of wild animals. Unlike other providers doing similar promotions, LocalGiftCards.com has waived all fees to SMB merchants. Our goals is to help businesses get through the COVID-19 closures by selling their gift cards online. Supporting small businesses as they face COVID-19, LocalGiftCards.com (LGC) today announced its LGC Free for 3 program assisting locally owned small businesses (SMBs). The service will be free to any business that is at least 51 percent locally owned until July 1, 2020. With the program, LGC makes it very easy for any SMB owner to sell their gift cards -- email, mobile and physical -- on their web site as well as LGCs website. After signing up for the free program, business owners are provided with a custom link to add to their existing website directing customers where to purchase gift cards. Businesses can also sell gift cards on their company Facebook page with the LocalGiftCards.com Facebook app. We are pleased to do our part in helping the local business community by making our service free to SMBs for three months. Our goals is to help businesses get through the COVID-19 closures by selling their gift cards online, said Ray Clopton, CEO of LocalGiftCards.com. We hope to make it easy for consumers to support their favorite locally owned restaurants and other businesses that have been forced to close. Consumers can easily purchase email or mobile gift cards. They can also have a physical (plastic) gift card mailed out. Unlike other providers doing similar promotions, LocalGiftCards.com has waived all fees to SMB merchants, added Clopton. LocalGiftCards.com is one of the Smart Transaction Systems brands, which includes Wilbur Rewards. Wilbur is also designed for SMBs and it is an ideal way for SMBs to build customer loyalty to help them get through the likely economic downturn. LGC has been in operation since 2012. All cards sold through our service do not have expiration dates or dormancy fees. About LocalGiftCards.com LocalGiftCards.com was created to help small businesses enter the online gift card market and provide consumers with a convenient way to purchase gift cards online while supporting local businesses. LocalGiftCards.com provides small merchants with the same or better technology than what the big box and national chains stores are using. The web site is owned and operated by Smart Transaction Systems, Inc. in Boulder, Colorado. Since its founding in 1998, Smart Transaction Systems has provided thousands of small businesses with a variety of advanced technologies that would normally require a large IT investment. To learn more about Smart Transaction Systems, visit SmartTransactions.com. Media Contact April White Trust Relations april@trustrelations.agency 347-870-9402 TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar has been told that Irish health authorities should be able to carry out some 15,000 Coronavirus tests per day as efforts to battle the pandemic intensify. On a visit to the National Virus Reference Laboratory (NVRL) in UCD on Wednesday, Mr Varadkar said that testing combined with social isolation were essential to combating the spread of the virus as had been shown in South Korea. Dr Cillian de Gascun, chair of the States Coronavirus Expert Advisory Group, said that Ireland should be able to carry out 15,000 tests per day. For years and years as a doctor I used to send things off to the NVRL and Ive never been here, Mr Varadkar said on his arrival at UCD's Belfield campus where the lab is located. Its nice to see it and as we know from South Korea - one of the countries that has really got on top of Covid-19 - that testing and social isolation of people while theyre being tested is really important. So a lot of the tests are done here. Id like to see whats happening here and also say thanks to all the staff here who are going to be extremely busy. I believe we are ramping up to 15,000 tests a week. Read More However, Mr De Gascun added: It should be 15,000 tests a day depending on how things go, but well get there. Mr Varadkar also referenced the World Health Organization advice that every suspected case should be tested. Mr Varadkar and Mr Harris donned protective white gowns and goggles before entering the laboratory. LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / Compare-autoinsurance.org (https://compare-autoinsurance.org/) is a top auto insurance brokerage website, providing car insurance quotes online from trustworthy agencies all over the United States. 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They can provide receipts, police reports, pictures, medical reports, and any other documents that can support their claims. . Drivers should start negotiating first and offer their settlements to the adjusters. To support their demands, policyholders must offer arguments. They can provide receipts, police reports, pictures, medical reports, and any other documents that can support their claims. Never take the first offer . Drivers should acknowledge that a claim adjuster is an employee of the insurance companies. Their job is to minimize the financial losses of their employers. It is absolutely normal that the first offer provided by a claim adjuster to be very low. Policyholders should never take the first offer and they should demand some explanations for the low offer. . Drivers should acknowledge that a claim adjuster is an employee of the insurance companies. Their job is to minimize the financial losses of their employers. 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On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Dealing with a claim adjuster is not easy. Policyholders will have to prepare all the relevant documents if they want to obtain a fair settlement", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing Company Person for contact: Gurgu C Phone Number: (818) 359-3898 Email: cgurgu@internetmarketingcompany.biz Website: https://compare-autoinsurance.org/ SOURCE: Internet Marketing Company View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/581310/How-To-Deal-With-Car-Insurance-Claim-Adjusters Gulnara Karimova, the imprisoned elder daughter of the late Uzbek President Islam Karimov, has received an additional 13 years and four months in prison in the latest court ruling against her and her former associates. Uzbekistan's Supreme Court said on March 18 that Karimova was found guilty of extortion, money laundering, misappropriating the property of others, and financial and other crimes, and sentenced the same day along with five other defendants. Karimova, who has been jailed in Tashkent since March 2019, went on trial for the charges on January 8. Last month she sent a letter to President Shavkat Mirziyoev offering to return $686 million to the country's treasury in exchange for the dismissal of the court case. The Uzbek Prosecutor-General's Office said in August that the new case against Karimova was linked to allegations that she illegally bought state-owned shares of two cement plants that she later sold to foreign businessmen. The 47-year-old Karimova, once seen as a possible successor to her father, has been also tied to money-laundering investigations in Sweden and Switzerland. She was placed under house arrest in Tashkent in 2014 when her father was still alive and ran the country. Karimov died in 2016 and Mirziyoev became his successor soon afterward. In December 2017, Karimova was sentenced to a 10-year prison term but several months later the sentence was reclassified to house arrest and shortened to five years. In March 2019, she was placed in jail for allegedly violating the terms of her house arrest. Also in March 2019, the U.S. Justice Department named Karimova as part of a major international bribery scheme, charging her with conspiracy to violate U.S. foreign corruption laws. Pub and hotel operator Marston's has announced it is predicting a major drop in sales this year as it struggles to deal with the loss of business resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. The Wolverhampton firm's share price has collapsed by around three-quarters since the start of the year as pubs face a huge fall in customers following government advice to avoid public houses. 'We are taking an extremely prudent approach and being cautious in our management of the business during this period of unprecedented uncertainty,' it said. The government has advised citizens to avoid frequenting pubs to stop Covid-19 spreading Marston's operates around 1,400 pubs across the UK and operates six breweries including Oxfordshire's Wychwood & Brakspear brewery, which make the Hobgoblin beer, and the Park Brewery, the producer of Revisionist Craft Lager. The Regency-era firm says it is seriously considering cancelling dividend payments, which cost them about 20million last year. Capital expenditure has also been scaled back, and rent will be suspended for some premises on a case-by-case basis. Talks are also being undertaken with its banking group about the option of waivers for its debt covenants. 'We believe that we have sufficient liquidity to maintain operations at a materially reduced level of business,' the company said, adding that early-stage discussions with its bank about waivers had been constructive. Shares in Marston's have soared today and were almost a third higher just after 1pm at 30p from 22.2p at this morning's opening. The pub and restaurant industry is expected to be especially harmed by the coronavirus as Prime Minister Boris Johnson advised people on Monday against frequenting pubs and clubs. Mitchells & Butlers, and the Restaurant Group have also stated they are slashing capital spending for the year, with the former warning they could 'suffer a significant loss' from the spread of Covid-19. After the government recommended that citizens steer clear of pubs, like those owned by Marston's (above), the British Beer & Pub Association composed a letter urging them to provide immediate financial support to a sector it describes was 'facing an existential crisis' Like Marston's though, it insisted it has enough cash to weather the financial harm from the coronavirus. The company's stock price rose 4.3 per cent to 146.4p. Wagamama owner The Restaurant Group now believes adjusted core earnings this year to be between 32million and 42million lower than the previous year. The firm's share price declined 6.75 per cent today to 23.8p. David Madden, the chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK, wrote: 'The hospitality sector continues to feel the pain of the health crisis as all issued warnings in relation to Covid-19. A 330billion stimulus package was officially declared yesterday that includes a 100 per cent business rates holiday for twelve months. Planning rules have also been relaxed to allow pubs and restaurants to function as hot food takeaways Like Marston's though, it insisted it has enough cash to weather the financial harm from the coronavirus. The company's stock price rose 4.3 per cent to 146.4p. Wagamama owner The Restaurant Group now believes adjusted core earnings this year to be between 32million and 42million lower than the previous year. The firm's share price declined 6.75 per cent today to 23.8p. David Madden, the chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK, wrote: 'The hospitality sector continues to feel the pain of the health crisis as all issued warnings in relation to Covid-19. We are proud to support the manufacturing community of Los Angeles, having supported all of its cycles for nearly 25 years and we will be here for another 25 years.Matt Begley, COO When an apparel manufacturer sought growth in 2020, they were recommended by a known expert in non-recourse factoring in the California apparel market the vote of confidence to utilize Republic Business Credits growing platform of solutions. Since Continental Business Credit became part of Republic in 2019, Republic continues to fund and support growth focused entrepreneurs using its platform of funding solutions. Whether the solution is a traditional non-recourse factoring facility, e-commerce facility, direct to consumer loan or asset based loan, Republic steps up to support Brands. Republic partnered with a leading broker in the apparel community that wanted a known traditional player with a flexible client focused approach. While there are several options of course, he noticed Republic is always a featured contributor and advertiser in the California Apparel News along with industry events and tradeshows. The broker said, While I have known of the Republic Business Credit team, as Republic isnt a new name to the apparel factoring industry in LA, now with Continental combination, Republic is proving its commitment to Brands at a time when others are pausing or being much less creative The company provides Made in America private label clothing such as knit shirts and screen printed t-shirts through its wholesale strategy, while reserving its own brand for a direct to consumer only offering. The company saw a surge in growth over the past 12-18 months as the uncertainty of tariffs and trade deals puts is American based supply chain at a distinct advantage. While initially, the facility started as a factoring solution, Republic expects to add on an inventory loan in the coming months to support both the wholesale and direct to consumer sales growth. Republic provided a $750,000 Non-Recourse Factoring Facility for the larger wholesale accounts as well as some collection only services for some of the boutique sales and house accounts. Republics initial funding provided the ability to deliver orders during the first quarter and buy additional raw materials for the upcoming spring and summer seasons. In a short few months since commencing their facility with Republic, the company is on pace to quadruple its revenue compared to the previous year. Their founder attributes it to Republic, As a result of our increased confidence to buy raw materials, we are able to focus on growing our business. Apparel and consumer goods manufacturers are experiencing the greatest amount of negative press of almost any industry at this moment, from tariffs to trade deals to coronavirus concerns, says Robert Meyers, President of Republic. Matthew Begley, COO of Republic adds on, We are proud to support the manufacturing community of Los Angeles, having supported all of its cycles for nearly 25 years and we will be here for another 25 years. Republic supports brands through various cycles of their growth, increasing facility limits up to $10,000,000 as needed, including adding on inventory, seasonal overadvances or direct to consumer loans. Republic Business Credit partners with brokers, banks, accountants, sponsors, lawyers and investment banks to collaboratively support entrepreneurs across the United States, to create value, by enabling them to focus on growing successful businesses. Republic Business Credit provides fast and flexible working capital solutions to help rapidly growing businesses, start-ups, and companies in turnaround or recoverable distressed situations. Winner of the Emerging Growth Company of the Year award from the Louisiana Chapter of the ACG, and the FactoringClubs Best Factoring Company Award for 2018, the Republic Business Credit team has the expertise necessary to meet the nuanced financial needs of companies across a wide variety of industries. It provides asset-based loans, ledgered lines of credit, non-recourse factoring, factoring and direct to consumer loans including e-commerce working capital. Since its founding in 2011, Republic Business Credit has provided over $10 billion in working capital. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nate Lanxon (Bloomberg) London Thu, March 19, 2020 01:02 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206bb166b 2 Health COVID-19,Babylon,telemedicine,chat-room Free Health-care app Babylon Healthcare Services Ltd. is trialling a new form of text-based chat service that will allow users to report if their symptoms are worsening. The new service follows a meeting last week held at Downing Street between UK adviser Dominic Cummings and representatives from technology companies, including Babylon, at which Cummings asked all present to suggest ways they could support the government and the NHS, which are under pressure from the coronavirus pandemic. The system, currently being tested internally, works like a conventional instant messaging service -- conversations can be quick, or span several days or more, according to a person with direct knowledge of the trial who wasnt authorized to speak publicly. The chatroom is designed specifically to address coronavirus concerns. Both patient and professional can maintain an ongoing chat to monitor if symptoms are improving or worsening, the person said. A spokesperson for Babylon didnt immediately comment. Babylon is one of the UKs best-known health-tech startups. Last year it raised $550 million from new investors such as Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund, valuing the company at more than $2 billion. The UKs National Health Service already lets patients choose Babylons GP in Hand mobile consultation service as their official primary care provider, and the startup has claimed that its artificial intelligence software, in tests, can assess common conditions more accurately than human doctors. But the startup has come under strong criticism from health practitioners, and the Royal College of General Practitioners has also questioned the NHS for its partnering with the company. In 2018, UK health minister Matt Hancock was criticized for seeming to endorse Babylon in a British newspaper editorial authored under his name but sponsored by the technology company. A roll-out could happen as soon as this week in the UK version of its app, and Babylon is working to extend the service to the US as well, the person added. No specific timing has yet been decided or announced. One of the UK governments requests to the public is that they do not physically attend a doctors surgery or hospital if they have symptoms of COVID-19. Telemedicine has been shown to be an alternative as people self-isolate and seek advice. This week, Babylon also added specific references to the coronavirus to its virtual symptom checker. If a patient reports symptoms such as a dry cough and fever, it will advise calling emergency services, in the most severe instances, or the NHS 111 service in the U.K. as a less urgent precaution. The White House is postponing an upcoming state visit by Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia because of the coronavirus pandemic. The visit, including a black-tie state dinner to be hosted by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, had been announced for April 21. White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham cited the coronavirus pandemic in announcing the postponement on Wednesday. She said in a statement that the decision was made so the US and Spain can "continue to devote their full resources and attention" to responding to the crisis. Grisham said the Trumps look forward to welcoming the royals "in the near future". The state visit would have been the third under Trump. French President Emmanuel Macron received the honour in April 2018, and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in September 2019. Spain has been on indefinite lockdown as the country struggles to control infections and deaths caused by the coronavirus. In the US, Trump recently advised Americans to basically hunker down for a 15-day period and avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 people. Older and health-compromised Americans are encouraged to stay home. The visit by Spain's king and queen had been scheduled for the week after the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, which was being planned for April 13. The first lady announced this week that she had cancelled the holiday event because of coronavirus concerns. 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 Organisation, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may need three weeks to six weeks to recover. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU) on Wednesday urged the state government to take steps in bringing back Arunachalee students from the novel coronavirus-hit places across the country. The students' body, in a statement, said many students from the state are panicked in wake of the coronavirus outbreak and are expressing their desire to return home. "The state government should immediately open a line of communication with state governments across the country to assist the Arunachalee students and arrange transportation and relief for them," AAPSU general secretary Tobom Dai said. The students' body also urged the MPs from the state to render necessary support in bringing back the students. "In Maharashtra, colleges and hostels have been ordered to close down. In J T Mahajan College of Engineering, Faizpur, for instance, students have been directed to vacate the hostels within three days. "Twelve Arunchalee students faced serious hardships in arranging their train tickets at such short notice," Dai said. He said similar hardships are being faced by Arunachalee students in other parts of the country. The union appreciated Lok Sabha MP from Arunachal East constituency, Tapir Gao, for raising the issue of racial discrimination faced by students from the Northeast in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. "We urge the Centre to issue directives to contain such instances and initiate necessary action," Dai added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) LONDON, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Alternative data sourcing firm Neudata announced today that it would provide free access to its data scouting platform for academics, governments and healthcare institutions that are researching the spread and impact of COVID-19 through the end of June. "Our team is aware of over 100 COVID-19-related datasets on our Scout platform that could help data scientists track the virus, though there are potentially many more that could be relevant to specific use cases," said Rado Lipus, Neudata's co-founder and CEO. "We're committed to making this platform available to researchers who are on the front lines of understanding how this virus spreads and how we can combat it." Neudata's Scout platform provides in-depth, searchable analysis of datasets offered by third-party vendors across the alternative data spectrum, including global geolocation data, consumer behaviour and sentiment, satellite imaging, medical records and more. In addition to highlighting relevant datasets, Scout reports include information about a vendor's data collection methodology, history and frequency, as well as Neudata's view on the robustness of each offering. Interested parties should contact info@neudata.co to request access to the platform and should be prepared to provide proof of employment/affiliation with their designated academic, government or healthcare institution and a short description of their research project. About Neudata Founded in 2016 in London, Neudata is a human- and technology-powered data sourcing and research service that is completely independent - this means that it does not sell datasets or ask for revenue shares from data providers. Instead, its aim is to educate alternative data users and providers about new developments in the market. It also hopes to inspire new adopters across a spectrum of fundamental, quantamental and quant strategies, as well as those in the private equity and corporate space. The Neudata Scout platform captures over 3,500 datasets across sentiment, social media, weather, web-tracking, transactional, ESG and more. Its team of New York-, London- and Shanghai-based analysts source and evaluate unique and hard-to-find information on a daily basis, enabling investors to make better informed decisions on what data to buy and how to use it. London, March 18 : The European Union's 30-day entry ban in view of coronavirus outbreak has affected travellers to the 27-country bloc as they were being turned away from airports and borders. A group of travellers from Turkey was turned away from Frankfurt airport in Germany on Tuesday, DPA news agency reports. The ban covers all EU states as well as countries within the Schengen border-free zone, including Iceland, Switzerland, Norway and Liechtenstein. The ban will not affect Europeans going home or cross-border workers. The UK citizens are also not affected as an interim Brexit deal still ties the UK to the EU rules. Meanwhile, citizens stranded will be provided help to return home. Germany on Wednesday said it would continue a drive to fly home tens of thousands of tourists stranded in Morocco, Egypt, the Philippines, Argentina and other countries. Over 185,000 people worldwide have been infected with coronavirus, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The WHO has identified Europe as the "epicentre of the epidemic" now, according to the BBC. Some 3,400 people have died from coronavirus in Europe alone. European governments have begun introducing patrols to stop citizens from other countries to enter. On Tuesday, patrols appeared on the Spanish border with France and Poland. At some border crossings, long queues of vehicles has become a common sight. Were going to get back to living life, even if it kills us The Union ministry of human resources development, ina directive on Wednesday, said all class 10 and 12 board examinations have been postponed till March 31 in view of the coronavirus epidemic. The Joint Entrance Examination Mains, which were scheduled to be conducted from April 5, have also been postponed. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Wednesday night announced that it was postponing all class 10 and 12 board exams which were scheduled to be conducted between March 19-31. This includes the re-examination which were to be conducted for students from orth-east Delhi, where exams were postponed during the communal riots last month. All ongoing examinations of the board for class 10 and 12 being held in examination centres in India and abroad and scheduled between March 19 to March 31 (both dates inclusive) shall be rescheduled after March 31, CBSE secretary Anurag Tripathi said in a statement. Rescheduled dates will be communicated by the board to all its stakeholders by March 31 after reassessment of the situation. On Tuesday, HT had reported the various precautionary measures were being taken by the official at the examination centres. The board exam evaluation has also been suspended till end of March. All ongoing board exams related evaluation work in various evaluation centres in the country is also suspended upto March 31. All Centre Nodal Supervisors (CNS) may ensure rescheduling of evaluation work from April 1, unless otherwise informed by the board, Tripathi added. CBSE has also issued a detailed list of instructions to all CNS on ensuring safety of answer booklets and asking them to seal it under supervision. The directives came after Union human resources ministry, in a set of instructions, asked all agencies to postpone ongoing examination till March 31, as part of precautionary measures against the coronavirus outbreak. While maintenance of academic calendar and examination schedule is important, equally important is the safety and security of students who are appearing in various exams as also that of their teachers and parents, MHRD secretary Amit Khare said. CISCE chief executive and secretary, Gerry Arathoon, however, said that they had not received any communication on postponing exams. We have not received anything from the Centre. All major papers have already been conducted and few papers are left. We will be completing it. In addition to announcing postponement of board exams, the ministry also called for rescheduling JEE examination which were slated to begin from April 5. Since JEE mains may require travel by examinees to different towns and the dates may clash with rescheduled CBSE and other board exams, therefore JEE Mains should be rescheduled and the new date will be announced on March 31 after reassessment of situation, Khare said. National Testing Agency, which conducts JEE, confirmed that the examination would be rescheduled. Director Vineet Joshi said the new dates would come out after consultation with stakeholders and taking stock of the situation. The ministry has also asked educational institutions and examination boards to maintain regular communication with teachers and students through electronic means to ensure their is no anxiety and panic. The ministry has also called for rescheduling other ongoing examination including university and NIOS. They have also asked institutions to notify helpline numbers and emails which can be used by students to address their queries. One of the ways that researchers in Melbourne are finding ways to cure COVID-19 is to test the coronavirus immune response of patients. This path is getting investigated to find ways to devise ways to come to a cure for patients suffering from the pathogen. Some of these tests were centered on a 47-year old woman, wherein researchers took blood samples four times during the day. Data showed that she produced white anti-bodies, which pinpointed cells that were infected. Observed results were increased production of anti-bodies that allowed a 10-day recovery, after having a mild to moderate illness that forced hospital treatment on her. According to the Journal Nature Medicine on Monday, with several studies by scientists at Melbourne's Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity who are helping to identify immune-system patterns, to provide clues that doctors can use to detect, they need samples from one in five patients that will be admitted because of developing more severe or critical forms of COVID-19. However, not much is known and doctors are racing to prevent further infections worldwide. Katherine Kedzierska, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Melbourne said," We will need to analyze many Covid-19 patients." She further commented,"But it is possible that having all the data, we might find immune markers predicting recovery, which would be really important to know which patients are at risk of severe Covid-19 disease when they get admitted to the hospital." She is also one of the authors of the study at the University of Melbourne. The important thing is detecting the coronavirus immune response. Also read: American Woman Recovers by Treating Her Coronavirus at Home The patient came from the Wuhan, where the coronavirus started. Returning from China, she got ill in Melbourne where she was taken to the hospital. Doctors detected an inflammation response to the 'then' coronavirus that became the COVID-19 disease. It was noted that her response to the viral pathogen was not to disintegrate healthy tissue. According to Dr Kedzierska, whose specialty is the immune response to viral pathogens, the female patient's inflammation was controlled. There was no overabundance of the cytokines and chemokines proteins during the inflammation which can get uncontrolled. The scientists could detect antibodies against COVID-19 in the patient's blood stream. These natural defenses fended of the infection, before her symptoms were resolved. This pointed out an "immunological memory" of the pathogen. Further investigation into what happened to the anti-body response can keep the infection from resurfacing and how much time it will take to symptoms again. Results of the study will help to track an effective vaccine from many anti-vaccines for a cure, said the researchers. Other factors that may help is knowing what immune cells are likely to develop when exposed to the virus. WIth that, this can be used to develop a vaccine. Also, more people are getting better as if just having a flu. Discovering the anti-bodies is a start in knowing how to cure it, but it is also important to know the coronavirus response of the body, added study co-author Prof Katherine Kedzierska. Related article: How Coronavirus Infection Starts in the Body, Leading to Death @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The United States, Britain, France, and Germany have ruled out providing or supporting any reconstruction assistance without political reforms writes Asharq Al-Awsat. The United States, Britain, France, and Germany have affirmed that no military solution is available for the Syrian crisis. We will not consider providing or supporting any reconstruction assistance until a credible, substantive, and genuine political process is irreversibly underway, they said in a joint statement marking the ninth anniversary of the Syrian uprising. Nine years ago today, tens of thousands of Syrians peacefully took to the streets calling for respect for human rights and the end of government corruption, the statement said. Instead of heeding the Syrian peoples legitimate demands, the Assad regime responded with a ruthless campaign of arbitrary arrests, detentions, torture, enforced disappearances, and violence. As the Syrian conflict enters its 10th year, the Assad regimes brutal pursuit of a military victory has displaced over 11 million people nearly half of Syrias pre-war population and killed more than 500,000 Syrians. The four Western countries noted that the Assad regime must accept the will of the Syrian people who demand and deserve to live in peace and free of shelling, chemical weapons attacks, barrel bombs, airstrikes, arbitrary detention, torture, and starvation. We will 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. The statement stressed the necessity for the international community to come together to support the collection and release of documentation of violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, including the critical work of the UN Commission of Inquiry; the UN International, Impartial, and Independent Mechanism for Syria; and the UN Secretary Generals Board of Inquiry. The military solution the Syrian regime hopes to achieve, with backing from Russia and Iran, will not bring peace. The four countries reiterated in their statement their strong support for the UN-led process in Geneva and UNSCR 2254 to bring about a peaceful and stable Syria. We France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States demand that the Assad regime stop the ruthless killing and engage meaningfully in all aspects of UNSCR 2254, including a nationwide ceasefire, a reformed constitution, release of arbitrarily detained persons, as well as free and fair elections, it concluded. A credible political process cannot be limited to attempts at convening a constitutional committee. All Syrian citizens, including citizens who are displaced persons and refugees, should be allowed to participate in free and fair elections, under UN supervision, it stressed. 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. "This is a good distance," observes John Dampeer, owner of Fool's Errand, a wine and beer bar on Divisadero Street in San Francisco. "Theres usually a bar between us anyway, right?" Dampeer is in relatively good spirits today, considering. He's run this usually packed bar and tin fish establishment since mid-2018. Normally at this hour, the patio tables would be swarmed, with pedestrians peering in and the interior filled to standing room only. But today, no one but Dampeer is inside and he's standing several feet back from passers-by behind the window bar. Now, and hopefully for the foreseeable future, he'll return here every afternoon to sell gift cards and a selection of craft beer and wine bottles exclusively to-go. It's all he can do for now, while he awaits San Francisco's next move in battling the coronavirus outbreak. "It doesn't feel real, right?" he says. "We keep joking this is day one, and we have three more weeks. One week, two weeks from now, what are we going to do? Its going to be weird." Dampeer is one of many in a unique and unprecedented industry-wide economic situation. Due to the coronavirus and San Francisco's subsequent shelter-in-place order, his usually dependable patronage has abruptly dried up, and he must now get creative to mitigate the financial hit to his bar. He's lucky in that his particular license allows him to continue operations, albeit in an extremely limited, retail-only capacity. Things are tougher for brewery owners. In California, their economic picture changed rapidly. A week ago, breweries outlined on social media the increased measures workers were taking to disinfect surfaces and space out patrons. By Monday, however, after six counties issued shelter-in-place orders, breweries had to pivot again. Ordered to temporarily close their taprooms by local governments, breweries that do not ordinarily sell food have experienced a near-total drop in revenue earnings. Now, breweries are doing whatever they can to stay afloat to prepare for a prolonged, drastic dip in business. Many have changed company workflow based on evolving public health guidelines. Some have taken drastic measures, laying off or furloughing employees in an effort to just stay in business. Others are launching take-away can and crowler (can growler) sales, making home deliveries or adding their information to SaveOurFaves.org, a new effort to keep local businesses in operation by facilitating gift card sales. San Francisco's Cellarmaker launched "Hops to your Home," which sees the company shipping beer by the case throughout California; Berkeley's Fieldwork created a "curbside crowler service" at its numerous locations; San Francisco's Harmonic will open limited afternoon hours for to-go can and crowler sales; and Alameda's Almanac is taking phone orders for beer pickup. For SoMa's Local Brewing, co-owner Regan Long had to "essentially [take] our brick and mortar to an online shop overnight." "I literally spent all [Tuesday] putting everything we have in cans," Long says. "Then I spent all [night] creating a take-out menu." Like other breweries, Local is adapting. They're now shipping throughout California, selling gift cards online and selling packaged beer and food to-go. They are launching a "touchless takeout" food sales plan next week. They'll continue with a planned canning run tomorrow, but additional runs scheduled for later in March and April are up in the air. And there's still serious concern for the financial picture of not just the brewery but of their service workers, who are making much less tips than usual. "Long term, I look at this space we have a large taproom and eatery and it's just sitting here empty," Long says. "I don't see another solution other than staying alive by selling beer and food. Thats our goal: to continue to stay alive in every way we can." The new reality set off alarm bells for Gail Williams and Steve Shapiro, veteran Bay Area beer industry journalists who run the site Beer by BART. Last week the two began reaching out to breweries in the area to check in and collect links to gift card sale pages. They found that many breweries were not prepared for such a disaster as brewery owners were not aware their online gift card sales were not actually functional, reasonable or intuitive for potential buyers. "We're sort of volunteer, unasked-for ad hoc link testers," Williams explains. "We're doing [quality assurance] on the sites, like, 'Hey, you can only get this gift card if you can go to the brewery, like thats not right. Did you know that?'" On a post on Beer by BART, Williams and Shapiro began listing all the gift card links they could find, not just to benefit the breweries, but for the community's sake too. As Williams says, "I wanted to get a way to help people look ahead to gathering again." The picture is constantly evolving, and it's unlikely all craft breweries and bars will emerge unscathed by the closures. San Leandro's Cleophus Quealy, for example, has already shuttered. Others like Lucky 13 have organized crowdfunding campaigns for affected employees. For now, to help breweries and bars weather the storm, there's just one thing the public can do. As Long explains: "Support small businesses as much as possible." SFGATE has created a shareable Google Sheet of gift card links, crowdfunding campaigns and other to-go retail information for breweries and bars in San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley. Well continuously update this spreadsheet in the coming days and weeks. For more coverage, visit our complete coronavirus section here. MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE: Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here. Alyssa Pereira is an SFGate digital editor. Email: alyssa.pereira@sfgate.com | Twitter: @alyspereira 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 case Mukesh 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. Also read: Nirbhaya case: Four convicts to be hanged on March 20 Also read: Nirbhaya case: Loopholes responsible for delay in justice, says Shiv Sena MEXICO CITY - A Mexico City borough announced Tuesday that Latin Americas most famous re-enactment of the crucifixion of Christ will be closed to the public for the first time in 177 years to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The lavish, detailed Easter-week Passion of Christ has been played out in the east-side borough of Iztapalapa since 1843, and in recent years has drawn a week-long total of about 2 million spectators. But due to fears about the spread of the new coronavirus, Iztapalapa borough president Clara Brugada said that for the first time the event will be held in private with no spectators. Brugada said the Passion of Christ will be re-enacted indoors with a smaller cast and will be symbolic. All the actors are required by tradition to be borough residents. Brugada said the event will be transmitted live so people can watch it at home. Ironically, the passion was first performed in 1843 after a cholera outbreak threatened the then-rural hamlet. Iztapalapa was long ago swallowed by the urban growth of Mexico City. The Passion normally includes huge processions, public re-enactments with huge casts, culminating in the Good Friday re-enactment of the crucifixion in which ropes and a small ledge are used to guarantee the actors safety. The government on Wednesday acknowledged that 255 Indians had been infected by the Coronavirus in Iran even as a flight from Tehran brought back 201 people, most of them pilgrims and students. A list of more than 250 Indians, most of them Shia pilgrims from Kargil and Leh, who tested positive for COVID-19 in Iran was widely circulated in Kashmir since Sunday, but authorities had initially said there were some cases of infections given the widespread prevalence of the virus in that country. In a written reply to a question on COVID-19-related issues in Lok Sabha, minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan said a total of 255 Indian citizens had been infected by the Coronavirusin Iran. Giving details of infected Indian citizens abroad, he said one case each had been reported from Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda and Sri Lanka, five cases from Italy, and 12 from the United Arab Emirates. A special flight operated by Irans Mahan Air brought back 201 Indians on Wednesday, a majority of them pilgrims and students from Kashmir and Ladakh. People familiar with developments said Mahan Air was expected to operate another evacuation flight on Saturday. The people cited above, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said arrangements were being made to treat those who had tested positive in Tehran and the holy city of Qom, where more than 170 infected people had been detected so far. They acknowledged problems being faced in Iran, especially Qom, where medical facilities were struggling with a large number of patients. There were also reports of more Indians in Iran, including students and factory workers, facing problems in getting tested or evacuated from the country that has reported nearly 15,000 infections and more than 850 deaths. A group of 32 Kashmiri students at Kish Island, enrolled at Tehran Medical University, said they had received no response from the Indian embassy to repeated pleas to be evacuated. Their problems have been compounded as their funds are almost exhausted. So far, all the students are in good health, members of the group said. They said there had been 21 infections and three deaths in the island, where people have gone into quarantine and all the markets have been closed. We are living a painful life away from our families and we are looking at very bad things happening around us, said Husaib Shah, a second year medical student and resident of Baramulla town in north Kashmir. The government in Kish Island has reported 21 cases and three deaths, which is the highest in this province, given the population of the island. The most worrying part is that there is only one hospital. On Monday, the Indian embassy asked us to come to Tehran, from where they will be able to evacuate us but there are no flights from Kish to Tehran and this is a very big problem, he said. Abrar ul Ahad Rather, another second year medical student, said: There are specific timings for the opening of markets and only for buying essentials. Another student blamed the Indian embassy for doing nothing for them. Are we not Indians? The students are getting depressed and our families back home are in a lot of stress, he said, asking not to be named. We dont dare call our parents as we dont want to get them perturbed. Another student named Aqib Rashid said, Our university was closed on February 20 after some positive cases were found. Lunch is provided to us by the university to us, and for dinner, we buy food one week in advance. Shah said the lack of international banking facilities in Iran was also a problem. We had to bring money for the entire year. But we are facing problems in buying daily necessities as everyone in Kish accepts only ATM cards and the money we had in our cards has been exhausted. Due to the closure of banks, nothing can be done. Nitesh Singh, a resident of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh who works at the Kavir Steel Cooperative Company at Kashan Road in Ardestan, said some 60 Indians working at the plant were yet to be tested or helped with evacuation. We are from Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar and we are worried as there as reports of the virus spreading in the area around the factory. We want to go back home and we dont know what to do, he told HT on a WhatsAPP call. The factory is located about 300 km from Tehran and there are no buses or cars available. Besides, the passports of all the Indians are with our employer, he said. We are very worried as many of us are living in one room. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Alabama state legislators are mid-session, and right now theyre in the middle of their spring break. Which gives them a little time to consider what some of the effects of the coronavirus pandemic might be on the state budget. Mike Cason reports lawmakers arent expecting to have to make cuts in this years budget, which runs through Sept. 30. But after that, well, could be a whole different ballgame. Heres a coronavirus-related story some of yall will be downright giddy about. And Im not going to blame this on so many people missing church on Sunday, but the state of Alabama has issued an EMERGENCY ORDER allowing curbside sales of alcoholic beverages at licensed locations, reports Leada Gore and Shauna Stuart. So heres to the economy. Douglas Kiker was sent home by the American Idol judges this week, reports Lawrence Specker. Kiker was a fan favorite, a native of Greensboro, Alabama, who currently lives in Grand Bay. His back story was that hes a slinger on an Advanced Disposal garbage truck, and that he had zero performing experience. A stunner from late last night: Dr. Mike Saag, UAB infectious disease expert, tests positive for COVID-19 Listen to Down in Alabama, above. Get this post and more in your weekday Down in Alabama newsletter by subscribing here. You can also hear Ike each weekday by looking for Down in Alabama on the device of your choosing. Click here for the Spotify podcast page Click here for the Alexa skill page on Amazon Click here for the iTunes podcast page Click here for the Stitcher podcast page Desperate travelers choked European border crossings on March 18 after nations implemented strict controls in an attempt to slow the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, creating traffic jams miles long and slowing the passage of trucks carrying critical supplies. 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 mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. In an attempt to alleviate some of the pressure from eastern Europeans stuck in Austria trying to return home, Hungary overnight opened its borders in phases. Bulgarian citizens were first allowed to cross in carefully controlled convoys, then Romanians had a turn. But by early Wednesday on the Austrian side of the border, trucks were backed up for 28 kilometers (17 miles) and cars for 14 kilometers (nearly 9 miles) as rules allowing only Hungarians or transport trucks through the countrys borders kicked back in. European Union leaders have been working on how to make sure that food, medical supplies, and other essential goods keep flowing but so far borders have been clogged. Looking ahead, theyre also trying to figure out ways to allow seasonal agricultural workers, needed to keep the production of food going, to travel back and forth across essentially closed borders. Nations around the world were facing the same issues, with the United States and Canada working on a mutual ban on nonessential travel between the two countries. In Southeast Asia, the causeway between Malaysia and the financial hub of Singapore was eerily quiet after Malaysia shut its borders, while the Philippines backed down on an order giving foreigners 72 hours to leave from a large part of its main island. President Donald Trumps administration was considering a plan to immediately return to Mexico all people who cross Americas southern border illegally, according to two officials who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the plan hasnt been finalized. The CCP virus is now present in every U.S. state after West Virginia reported an infection. In far-flung Hawaii, the governor encouraged travelers to postpone their island vacations for at least the next 30 days, while the governor of Nevadahome to Las Vegasordered a monthlong closure of the states casinos. Increasingly worried about the economic fallout of the global shutdown, the United States, Britain, and the Netherlands announced rescue packages totaling hundreds of billions of dollars, while longtime International Monetary Fund critic Venezuela asked the institution for a $5 billion loan. Major Asian stock markets fell back Wednesday after early gains after Wall Street jumped on Trumps promise of aid. In Brussels, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said there had been a unanimous and united approach to the decision to prohibit most foreigners from entering the EU for 30 days. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said European leaders agreed in a conference call to the commissions proposal for an entry ban to the blocalong with Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Britainwith very, very limited exceptions. Germany will implement the decision immediately. But so far, EU efforts to smooth the transition have failed. On Wednesday, thousands of trucks remained backed up in Lithuania on roads into Poland, after Warsaw ordered strict measures that include testing every driver for COVID-19 symptoms. The line of trucks was 60 kilometers (37 miles) long on Tuesday night. The Polish and Lithuanian governments have opened a second crossing, but that did not help much, said border police spokesman Rokas Pukinsas. Elsewhere, droves of Malaysians endured hourslong traffic jams as they sought to get into Singapore before the border closure. More than 300,000 people commute daily to Singapore to work and many have chosen to stay there during the lockdown. Malaysias restricted movement order came after a sharp spike in CCP virus cases to 673, making it the worst-affected country in Southeast Asia. Taiwan said Wednesday that it too would ban foreigners from entry and Taiwanese would have to self-quarantine at home for 14 days. In Thailand, Bangkoks notorious red-light districts were due to go dark Wednesday after a government order closing bars, schools, movie theaters, and many other venues. Even tourists on Ecuadors iconic Galapagos islands1,000 kilometers (620 miles) off the South American mainlandhave been affected. Canadian Jessy Lamontaine and her family were stuck on the island when flights were suspended and they missed the last trip out. 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. Galapagos Gov. Norman Wray said the 2,000 foreigners who remain on the archipelago in the next week may be able to leave on charter or government-approved flights. The CCP 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. In Italy, the hardest-hit nation after China, infections jumped to 27,980 on Tuesday. With 2,503 deaths, Italy accounts for a third of the global death toll. Spain, the fourth-most infected country, saw its cases soar by more than 2,000 in one day to 11,178. Virus-related deaths jumped to 491, a toll that included 17 elderly residents of a Madrid nursing home. Among them was the 86-year-old diabetic grandmother of Ainhoa Ruiz. We feel totally helpless and devastated because my grandma spent her last week only with her husband and caretakers but no other relatives, Ruiz said. In the United States, the death toll surpassed 100, and officials urged older Americans and those with health problems to stay home. They also recommended all gatherings be capped at 10 people. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned that residents should be prepared for the possibility of a shelter-in-place order within days. A shelter-in-place order in the San Francisco Bay Area, requiring most residents to leave their homes only for food, medicine or exercise for three weeks, is the most sweeping lockdown in the United States. Janitor Miguel Aguirre, his wife, and two children were the only people on a normally bustling street near City Hall. He showed up to work because he needed the money but his supervisor texted him to leave. He brought his two daughters because schools had closed. He already lost his second job at a hotel when tourism conferences were canceled. If we dont work, we dont eat, said Aguirre. By David Rising and Chris Blake The Epoch Times staff contributed to this report. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 10:09:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MALABO, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Equatorial Guinea on Tuesday reported two more cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to three, according to a statement from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. The new cases involve a 43-year-old Equatorial Guinean man and a 53-year-old Spanish woman. Both patients took the same flight of Ceiba international airlines on Friday from Madrid to Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea, as a 42-year-old Equatorial Guinean woman did, who was confirmed Saturday as the first case of the country, said the statement. Equatorial Guinea has suspended all international flights since Sunday, and has closed all borders except for cargo planes, in order to contain further spread of the virus. Photo: Darren Handschuh/file Andrew Wilkinson Canadians and British Columbians everywhere have to work together to stem the flow of the COVID-19 pandemic. Those words from BC Liberal leader Andrew Wilkinson during a phone interview with Castanet News this week. Wilkinson, himself a trained medical doctor, says everyone has an obligation to try and beat the coronavirus. We have to stick with each other and help each other through this. "We're encouraging all of our MLAs to make as many calls as they can each day to people they know to be older, perhaps isolated, or a little concerned and needing information. We're going to have to keep in touch," said Wilkinson. "Of course, this epidemic is very isolating. People get separated and are reluctant to call out for help if it's just a bit of emotional support. I would encourage all the folks in Kelowna to do the same thing." Wilkinson says the hit to the economy will be significant, and is encouraging government, banks and large creditors to look for ways to assist small businesses as they try to just keep their heads above water. "Maybe the province should be looking at suspending collection of things like employers health tax so people can keep the cash flow in their business to keep it going, because they are going to have to be paying fixed costs like leases and employees, hydro and gas. "I would suspect the big creditors, whether it's Fortis Gas or the CRA will be hoping they can see the light of day and say we'll have to defer collecting these accounts, otherwise people aren't going to be able to pay." He also suggests all levels of government work today to find creative solutions to the new reality facing everyone. "We need to turn our minds to just getting it done. The time for niceties and strict rules may go by the wayside quite quickly as we start to have to look out for each other. "Things like this run on toilet paper, we all have to come to our senses and realize we are in this for the long run and we have to find ways to do things that make sense. "This is a bit of a test for us in this society. We kind of pride ourselves in being kind and reasonable people. It's time for us to show what we're really made of." Posted by Adam on at 09:56 AM CST Reaching out today to share some news and announcements from the Hasbro Star Wars team. As a valued member of our Star Wars community there have been several personnel changes that wed like to share. After 43 fantastic years creating some of the most iconic Star Wars toys and vehicles Mark Boudreaux will be retiring. His work has had a tangible impact on the Star Wars universe and been formative in creating the Hasbro Star Wars brand we know today. Chris Reiff will be joining the Hasbro Star Wars design team as an Associate Principal Designer. With experience in the industry and extensive knowledge of the Star Wars galaxy, including working professionally on Star Wars for 25 years, Hasbro is thrilled to have someone of Chris' caliber join the team. Product Design Manager, Sam Smith will be moving off the Star Wars brand. After a successful tenure with Hasbro Star Wars, Sam will remain in the Hasbro family and lend his talents to a number of Hasbro action brands. Vickie Stratford, Senior Director of Product Design, will continue her role as design lead on the brand. Some big changes happening at Hasbro, including something that we knew would have to happen one day...One little sidenote to mention is that Chris Reiff was born in Cincinnati, the birthplace of Kenner, and the spiritual home oftoys! Iranian National Extradited to the Western District of Texas for Illegally Exporting Military Sensitive Items from the U.S. to Iran FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, March 17, 2020 On Saturday, 38-year-old Merdad Ansari who is an Iranian citizen and a resident of the United Arab Emirates was extradited from Georgia and arrived Saturday evening in San Antonio to face federal charges in connection with a scheme to obtain military sensitive parts for Iran in violation of the Iranian Trade Embargo, announced Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney John F. Bash for the Western District of Texas; FBI San Antonio Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio Office Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden; Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Southwest Field Office Special Agent in Charge Michael Mentalvos; and, Special Agent in Charge Tracy Martin, U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security's Office of Export Enforcement, Dallas Field Office. These parts had dual-use military and civilian capability and could be used in such systems as: nuclear weapons, missile guidance and development, secure tactical radio communications, offensive electronic warfare, military electronic countermeasures (radio jamming), and radar warning and surveillance systems. "As alleged, the defendant helped Iran to develop its weapons programs by obtaining military parts in violation of the Iranian Trade Embargo," said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. "We are grateful for the work our partners have done to ensure Ansari can be brought to justice." "I am pleased that Mr. Ansari will face justice in an American courtroom. I am grateful to the many law-enforcement partners who worked so diligently to make that happen," stated U. S. Attorney John F. Bash for the Western District of Texas. "The FBI greatly appreciates the collaborative efforts and unwavering support from the Georgian Government and our federal partners. Together, over several years, we relentlessly pursued every lead to ensure that Ansari would eventually face the charges detailed in the indictment," stated FBI San Antonio Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs. "Investigating criminal violations of U.S. trade embargoes is one of the FBI's highest priorities since this criminal activity affects the national security of the United States and our allies, especially the security of our troops abroad." "HSI will use all resources at its disposal to prevent sensitive technology from being illegally exported from the United States," said Shane Folden, Special Agent in Charge, HSI San Antonio. "HSI commends all the agencies involved in this effort, their dedication and perseverance has brought this individual before the court to face justice." Ansari, and his co-defendant Mehrdad Foomanie (aka Frank Foomanie) of Iran, are charged in a federal grand jury indictment returned in June 2012 with conspiracy to violate the Iranian Transactions Regulations (ITR), conspiracy to launder money and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Foomanie remains a fugitive in this case. In October 2012, a third co-defendant, Susan Yip (aka Susan Yeh), a citizen of Taiwan, was sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to violate the ITR by acting as a broker and conduit for Foomanie to buy items in the U.S. and have them unlawfully shipped to Iran. According to the indictment, Foomanie also bought or attempted to buy items in the U.S. and arranged to have them unlawfully shipped to Iran through his companies in Iran (Morvarid Shargh Co. Ltd.); in Hong Kong (Panda Semiconductor and Foang Tech Inc., aka Ofogh Electronics Co.); and, in China (Ninehead Bird Semiconductor). The indictment also alleges that Ansari attempted to transship and transshipped cargo obtained from the U.S. by Yip and Foomanie using Ansari's company, Gulf Gate Sea Cargo L.L.C., located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In her guilty plea, Yip admitted to primarily using her companies in Taiwan (Hivocal Technology Company, Ltd.; Enrich Ever Technologies Co., Ltd.; and, Kuang-Su Corporation) and in Hong Kong (Infinity Wise Technology; Well Smart (HK) Technology; Pinky Trading Co., Ltd.; and, Wise Smart (HK) Electronics Limited) to carry out the fraudulent scheme. From Oct. 9, 2007, to June 15, 2011, the defendants obtained or attempted to obtain from companies worldwide over 105,000 parts valued at approximately $2,630,800 involving more than 1,250 transactions. The defendants conducted 599 transactions with 63 different U.S. companies where they obtained or attempted to obtain parts from U.S. companies without notifying the U.S. companies these parts were being shipped to Iran or getting the required U.S. Government license to ship these parts to Iran. At no time did Yip, Foomanie, or Ansari, individually or through any of their companies, ever apply for or receive either a required U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) license or Department of Commerce export license to ship any item listed in this Indictment to the Republic of Iran. The Iranian Transactions Regulations, renamed the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations in October 2012, prohibit, among other things, the exportation, re-exportation, sale or supply, directly or indirectly, to Iran or the Government of Iran, of any goods, technology or services from the U.S. or by a U.S. person. The embargo also prohibits any transaction by any U.S. person or within the U.S. that evades or avoids, or has the purpose of evading or avoiding, any prohibition set forth in the Executive Orders. Upon conviction, Foomanie and Ansari faces up to 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to violate the ITR, up to 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to launder money and up to five years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud. It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The extradition occurred with substantial assistance from the Criminal Division's Office of International Affairs and the Government of Georgia. Topic(s): Counterintelligence and Export Control National Security Component(s): National Security Division (NSD) USAO - Texas, Western Press Release Number: 20-322 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address T om Hanks has joked that he finally knows how to spread Vegemite properly after he was mocked online for using too much of it while in quarantine in Australia. Mr Hanks and wife Rita Wilson, both 63, announced earlier this month that they had been diagnosed with Covid-19 while in Australia working on an Elvis Presley biopic. On Monday, a representative for Mr Hanks confirmed that he and his wife had left hospital, where they were getting treatment, and were now self-isolating in a rented home. During his quarantine, the Forrest Gump actor sparked debate online when he posted a photo of Vegemite on toast. Some social media users questioned why Mr Hanks had spread such a thick layer, while others praised his picture and said that he was a "true Australian". Posting his latest update, Mr Hanks announced the "good news" that his symptoms remained similar. Hanks wrote on Instagram: Good news. One week after testing positive, in self-isolation, the symptoms are much the same. No fever but the blahs. Folding the laundry and doing the dishes leads to a nap on the couch." The Hollywood star added that the bad news was that his wife had won six hands in a row in the card game gin rummy. However, on the upside he now knew "not to spread my vegemite so thick". He shared the message alongside a typewriter he said he had been travelling with which had the word corona printed on it. Mr Hanks joked that he used to love the machine. Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) on Wednesday announced the launch of its precious metal business for its corporate customers. KVB serves approximately 6,000 jewellers and jewellery manufacturers and in order to serve them fully, the bank now offers precious metals (gold & silver) to its corporate customers (B2B), a press release from the bank said. "This will enable our customers to compete more effectively in this highly competitive industry," it said. The gems and jewellery business in the country contributes about 7 per cent of the GDP and 15 per cent of the total merchandise exports. After China, India is the second largest consumer of gold where the demand was about 700 tonnes during 2019. As the gems and jewellery business is an important part of the economy the bank is now in a position to enhance its support to this important industry, the release said. On a trial basis, the bank delivered its first shipment to clients in Chennai and Coimbatore recently. It is now in the process of ramping up the business to fully extend support to its existing set of customers across the nation. It may be re-iterated that this new business has been launched after ensuring the highest quality risk management, the release said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Repeat investigations into Troubles cases are to end under new proposals announced by the Government today. Secretary of State Brandon Lewis said ending the cycle of reinvestigations when there is no new compelling evidence would deliver on the Government's promise to protect former soldiers from "vexatious claims". Under the new proposals, once cases have been considered, there will be a legal bar on any future investigation occurring. Last July the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) published a summary of over 17,000 responses to its consultation on how to address the toxic legacy of thousands of unresolved killings by the IRA, loyalists and the security forces. Legislation to enact commitments made in the Stormont House Agreement, which include an independent Historical Investigations Unit (HIU), were promised by the Government within 100 days of the New Decade, New Approach deal. They include a pledge to ensure that Northern Ireland veterans receive equal treatment to their counterparts who served overseas. The proposals also include a "new independent body" to provide information to families and "swift examinations" of all unresolved deaths from the Troubles. Only cases where there is "new compelling evidence and a realistic prospect of a prosecution" will be investigated in the proposals. The package also proposed a central resource to be created to share experiences and narratives related to the Troubles. Mr Lewis said victims have been at the heart of the Government approach to "help the region move on to a brighter future". "I hope that by giving as many families as possible information on how their loved ones lost their lives, we can help ease the difficult process of reconciliation," he said. "We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our Armed Forces for their service in Northern Ireland. "That's why these proposals also put an end to repeated reinvestigations where there is no new compelling evidence and deliver on our promise to protect veterans from vexatious claims," he added. Mr Lewis said the proposals build on work to establish a victims' payment scheme to provide acknowledgement and a measure of financial support to those seriously injured in the Troubles. The Government says it will now begin "an intensive period" of engagement with the Northern Ireland political parties, and the Irish Government, to discuss the proposals in detail. But Ulster Unionist Justice spokesperson Doug Beattie, a former Army captain, said the proposals throw up more questions than answers. He said: "We need to see the detail of this and cannot be expected to pass judgment on these proposals until we have had sufficient time to assess them. "Who will be in this new independent body, what is the caseload, will it include murders committed outside Northern Ireland? "Who will decide what is new compelling evidence, how long will this process last and at what cost?" he added. "If this is just a reworking of the Stormont House Agreement and a rehash of the deeply flawed Historical Investigations Unit then we simply cannot support it. "However, if this is truly an innocent-victims-centred process, with the investigation of terrorists and those who went out of their way to purposely bring carnage to our streets, then the Ulster Unionist Party will give it a fair wind," the Upper Bann MLA said. New Delhi, March 18 : The government on Wednesday admitted that 276 Indians have been infected by coronavirus abroad, with most of them in Iran where over 17,000 people have tested positive and above 1,100 died due to the pandemic. The Ministry of External Affairs in response to a question in the Lok Sabha revealed that 255 Indians in Iran, 12 in United Arab Emirates, five in Italy and one each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda and Sri Lanka have tested positive for COVID-19, which originated in Wuhan city of China. The government provided 15 tonnes of medical assistance comprising masks, gloves and other emergency medical equipment to China on February 26. The aid included one lakh surgical masks, five lakh pairs of surgical gloves, 75 infusion pumps, 30 enteral feeding pumps, 21 defibrillator 21 and 4000 N-95 masks. Since March 13, the government has suspended all existing visas, except those related to diplomatic, official, UN and international organizations, employment and projects till April 15. Visa free travel facility granted to OCI card holders is also suspended. OCI card holders already in India have been allowed to stay in India as long as they want. Visas of all foreigners already in India remain valid and can apply for an extension or conversion. In addition to visa restrictions, passengers traveling from or visited Italy or Republic of Korea, are required to provide a certificate of having tested negative for COVID-19 from the designated laboratories authorized by the health authorities of the two countries. The requirement has been in place since March 10, 2020 and will be lifted after cases of COVID-19 subside. All incoming travellers, including Indian nationals, arriving from or having visited China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain and Germany after February 15, are required to be quarantined for a minimum period of 14 days. This has come into effect from March 13 at the port of departure. All international passengers entering into India are required to furnish duly filled self-declaration form in duplicate including personal particulars i.e. phone number and address in India and undergo universal health screening at the designated health counters at all points of entry. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) If Your Credit Score Is Under 700, Make These 4 Moves Soon You really try to be responsible with your money. But, no matter what you do, your credit score never seems to make it over that 700 hump. Yup youve got some algorithm spitting out a three-digit number thats basically controlling your entire life. We get it: Its frustrating. Dont give up just yet, though! These five moves just might be the kickstart you need to finally get your credit score moving in the right direction. Best of all? You can do all these things by the end of this week. 1. Write a love letter to your creditors. If you generally have a pretty solid credit history, save for a few missteps, then sending a well-executed goodwill letter to those you owe could help get you back in good graces with them and improve your credit score. Youll want your letter to cover the following bases: Explain why and how long youve been a loyal customer of the creditor. Take responsibility for the mistakes that led to the blemishes on your credit history. Describe the steps youre taking to ensure these mistakes dont happen again. Appeal to your their sense of empathy. Show that you want forgiveness but also that you are determined to do better going forward. Show them you deserve this! Keep your letter clear and to the point. Dont forget to include important information, like your account number and the date and amount of the missed payment you want removed from your credit history. Once youve written your goodwill letter, address it using the information on the creditors website. 2. Let this site show you exactly how to improve your score Your credit score is like your financial fingerprint. Everyones is different and for different reasons. One persons credit score might be under 700 because they have an error on their report. Another persons credit score might be under 700 because they have a bill in collections. That means everyones strategy to improve their credit score will look different but how in the world are you supposed to know where to start? Story continues Thankfully, there are free websites that will take a look at your credit report and let you know exactly what you need to do to improve your score. Take, for example, James Cooper. He didnt know anything about credit, but this website showed him the exact steps he needed to take to improve his score from a 524 to 801. Then there are people like Salome Buitureria, a working mom in Louisiana who found a major error on her report. The site helped her fix the mistake and take additional steps to raise her credit score nearly 200 points. Want to see exactly how to finally get your score over that 700 hump? Take a look at how this credit-monitoring website has helped these people, then sign up and get started. It takes just 90 seconds. 3. Ask this website to pay your credit card bill this month No, like the whole bill. All of it. Your credit card company is ripping you off with insane rates, and its getting rich off of you. But there are other, nicer companies thatll help you out. One personal loan website knows the best ones and could pair you up as soon as tomorrow and it could cut your credit-card interest by 69%. Heres how it works: It will match you with a loan thatll cover your credit card tab. Use that loan to pay off your debt, then make monthly payments to repay the loan. It could lower your monthly payments and help you pay off that debt a lot faster. Plus, no credit card payment this month. You wont have to stand in line or call a bank. And if youre worried you wont qualify, its free to check online. It takes just three minutes to check your rate and compare your personalized options. And it could save you thousands of dollars. Totally worth it. Now you can finally start effectively chipping away at your debt and watch your credit score reap the benefits. 4. Let this company handle the complicated stuff Now its time to take a look at everything you havent been able to address in the first three steps. And you might need to call in reinforcements for this one especially if debt collectors are involved. If youve been getting phone calls and mail from debt collectors, look into a free service that helps people clean up their credit reports and deal with collection agencies. We talked with 31-year-old server Tabatha Pankop, who told us how this service contacted her debt collectors on her behalf to negotiate to get marks removed from her credit report. She had some lingering bills from T-Mobile, Bright House Networks and Verizon, but doing this helped raise her credit score nearly 200 points in just a few months. See how much it can help you improve your credit. 5. Pay off debt by saying goodbye to your car insurer valentinrussanov/Getty Images When youre trying to raise your credit score, paying off debt is one of the most impactful things you can do. It might feel like youve already cut every enjoyable thing out of your budget, but the truth is, one of the simplest expenses you can cut is car insurance. If you really want to get the best price on car insurance, experts say you should be shopping twice a year. OK, we can hear you laughing from here. Who has time to do all that? But seriously, insurance companies take a lot of factors into consideration, and they change all the time. Ipso facto youre paying too much. Thankfully, a free website knows what factors affect these prices, and it will do the shopping for you in just two minutes. All you have to do is enter basic information about your car and driving history, then it compares prices from more than 100 companies to find you the best price. Its users save up to $670 a year. If you find a policy you like, you can sign up online instantly. Whos laughing now? Now youve got five tactics you can use to get your credit score right where you want it. Good luck youve got this! This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Charter Growth Capital Fund (CGCF) today announced its investment in Traverse City Products (TCP). CGCF provided mezzanine debt and an equity co-investment in support of the acquisition. Birmingham, Michigan-based Colfax Creek Capital was the lead investor in the transaction, which closed on March 10th. Managed by principals of Charter Capital Partners, CGCF invests up to $5 million of mezzanine debt and/or equity capital into lower middle-market companies. The fund supports companies in the Great Lakes region that are seeking funding for growth, succession or recapitalization. CGCF has seen early success in building a strong portfolio, investing in four companies while still in its fundraising period. Based in Traverse City, Michigan, TCP is a premier supplier of custom roll-formed and stamped metal products, with particular expertise in manufacturing glass hardware components, including window sashes, lift plates, sunroof reinforcements and decorative trim. Founded in 1982, TCP has developed its reputation as the go-to resource for complex glass hardware and sunroof solutions with critical product content on nearly 30 platforms across six OEMs. The investment by Colfax Creek and CGCF enabled the current owners to completely exit the business. The current management team will continue to lead the business with the oversight of an operationally focused board of advisors. "TCP is recognized as an industry leader in its field and has developed solid, long-lasting relationships with its customers," said Jason Duzan, Partner at Colfax Creek. "The company's robust material processing capabilities present substantial opportunities for diversification and growth. We're excited to partner with the TCP management team, in conjunction with CGCF, to accelerate the company's momentum." "The Charter Growth Capital Fund team is delighted to partner with Colfax Creek on this investment to help propel the company forward," added John Kerschen, President and Managing Partner at Charter Capital Partners. "With a long-standing history as a trusted supplier, TCP has significant growth potential and is a welcome addition to our portfolio." About Charter Capital Partners Founded in 1989, Charter Capital Partners is a premier investment banking firm headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Charter offers a comprehensive range of investment banking and private capital investing advisory services, including buy-side and sell-side M&A, succession planning, business valuation and capital raise. Charter Private Capital Management is a Registered Investment Adviser (RIA), professionally managing numerous private capital funds, including Charter Growth Capital Fund, Michigan Accelerator Fund I, MAF Opportunity Fund, and multiple Special Purpose Entities. To learn more, visit chartercapitalpartners.com . About Colfax Creek Capital Colfax Creek is a Birmingham, Michigan-based private investment firm that takes a long-term approach to investing in "smaller" middle market companies. The firm invests in consumer product, service, and industrial companies in the Great Lake States. Colfax Creek's investment focus is control investments to support the existing management team to build long-term business value. To learn more, visit colfaxcreek.com . About Traverse City Products Traverse City Products is a customer service-oriented company that strives to meet or exceed customer quality expectations. ISO 9001 accredited, TCP has an extensive background in the metal forming industry. Manufacturing capabilities include roll forming, stamping, welding and various assembly processes. With so many capabilities under one roof, TCP is a one-stop-shop for customers' structural and decorative metal needs. To learn more, visit tcproducts.net . For more information, please contact: Tyler Deur Lambert & Co. (616) 233-0500 [email protected] SOURCE Charter Capital Partners Local political parties in northern Myanmars Kachin state have been working together to strengthen the prospects of their candidates beating those from the ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) party in general elections later this year, politicians and activists said Tuesday. Other ethnic parties are doing the same as they try to drive up support for their candidates running for legislative seats to reverse the results of the last general election five years ago in which NLD party members dominated. On March 4, three Kachin parties held a joint conference in the state capital Myitkyina to discuss selecting candidates, financing party activities, and devising strategies to win the elections. Aung Kham, vice chairman of the Kachin State Peoples Party (KSSP) which comprises the three parties said ethnic Kachins can actively work on the countrys peace process and regional developments only if local parties win seats in parliament. It is very important for us to win seats in parliament in the 2020 election, he said. Only when we have MPs can we officially contribute to the peace process and other development issues. The combined KSPP won more votes than the NLD in Kachin state in the 2018 by-elections. Chan Htan Khin, spokesman of the military-backed, opposition Union Solidarity and Development (USDP) in Kachin state, said local parties would offer voters more choices in the upcoming elections. There is more transparency now, he told RFAs Myanmar Service. The winning parties cannot lie about their performance during their tenure. Voters are now savvier than they were before at assessing the effectiveness of individual candidates, and they will not automatically cast ballots for those endorsed by party leaders, he added. People can clearly observe their performance and competency in real time, Chan Htan Khin said. The local ethnic parties will get more votes than they did in previous elections and become an emerging force. More Kachin MPs Voters see the consolidation of local parties as a positive move, said Kachin youth activist Lum Zawng. People want to see more MPs from local Kachin parties, he said. We have seen see all Kachin civil groups, religious leaders, Kachin youth, and local intellects welcoming the consolidation of local parties. The combined KSPP party was formed in late 2018 from the merger of the Kachin State Democracy Party, Kachin Democratic Party, and Kachin State Unity and Democracy Party. A new party, the Union Nationalities Federal Democratic Party, joined the KSPP in December 2019. Among the other ethnic parties with aspirations to see their candidates win seats in the 2020 elections are the Law Waw National Unity and Development Party, Kachin State Democracy and Development Party, Lisu National Development Party, and Kachin National Congress party. Myanmar political analyst Maung Maung Soe pointed out that some communities in the state, such as the Shanni ethnic groups who live in the area along a railway line between Myitkyina and Moe Kaung, will not automatically vote for ethnic parties. It is important that the Kachin parties negotiate with the local Shanni parties, he said. We cannot tell if the ruling NLD party or USDP will win in the Shanni areas. So, it is not predictable that Kachin parties would win in Kachin state. The Shanni, also known as the Red Shan, live in Kachin state and neighboring Sagaing region, and are a subgroup of Myanmar's largest ethnic minority group, the Shan. In January 2016, the Shanni founded an insurgent group called the Shanni Nationalities Army, which is active in Kachin state. Relations with ethnic groups Myanmars de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been traveling around the country meeting with ethnic communities, including those in Kachin state, in a bid to shore up the NLDs relations with ethnic groups as the party faces elections. The meetings follow the formation in September 2019 of a new committee dedicated to engaging and promoting relations with ethnic political parties in the multiethnic country that has seen decades of internal warfare. Aung San Suu Kyi had made forging peace and creating a democratic federal union the primary goals of her administration after winning elections in 2015. But her government has grappled with a sputtering peace process marked by ongoing hostilities between national forces and rebel ethnic armies in its far-flung regions, producing hundreds of thousands of displaced villagers. The rebel Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the states main ethnic armed group, has not signed the governments nationwide cease-fire agreement and continues to engage in fighting with Myanmar forces. Kachin leaders have backed efforts to amend the 2008 constitution to guarantee ethnic groups equality and self-determination for peaceful coexistence under the federal democratic union that Aung San Suu Kyi wants to create. Reported by Elizabeth Jangma for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. An 88-year-old former resident of a Ridgefield assisted-living facility died Wednesday morning at Danbury Hospital, becoming the states first coronavirus fatality. A somber Gov. Ned Lamont said outside the state Capitol that the death of the unidentified man comes two weeks after the first coronavirus case was reported in the state, also in Danbury. Lamont said while the states first death had to be expected, it was still a shock because it makes this so real for all of our families. ... Nobody can plan for this wave thats breaking over our country right now. Its coming faster than we could have ever expected. The deceased man had been a resident of Benchmark Senior Living at Ridgefield Crossing, on Route 7, said Renee D. Coleman-Mitchell, commissioner of the state Department of Public Health. She said no other residents there had tested positive. The number of those infected statewide totaled 96 by late afternoon, including 28 new cases, out of 700 tested. Officials in Fairfield and Bridgeport said residents there have been diagnosed with COVID-19. In a statement, Benchmark Senior Living said the main was admitted to the hospital on Monday, and that as soon as his diagnosis was confirmed, the facility contacted health authorities and quarantined residents who had high exposure with the man. Coleman-Mitchell said the infection had also reached an elderly man who had been a resident at the Evergreen Health Care Center in Stafford Springs and is now hospitalized nearby. She said two other residents are also being monitored there for possible infection. Lamont asked medical and dental professionals for donations of extra gowns, sterile gloves and other protective gear that they might not be using, in case the outbreak overwhelms the medical infrastructure in the coming weeks. The governor is also on the lookout for potential sites to house recovering patients and those who only need intermediate care, if the expected increase in infections requires more than the 1,200 available beds in the states hospitals. While encouraged by the U.S. Senates ratification Wednesday of a $1 trillion aid package, including a $200 billion supplemental appropriation, he warned that the federal government needs to do more to help Connecticut workers who are sick to stay home and still get paid. In the days fast-moving developments, the governors of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania governors joined Lamont in ordering retail shopping malls, amusement parks and bowling alleys in the four states to close by 8 p.m. Thursday. One more place where people are likely to congregate, Lamont said. One more place where people might get infected. And were doing this, you know, out of love for each and every one of the citizens of this great state. In addition, Lamont asked that day care centers attempt to remain open so hospital workers and first responders can remain on the front lines. Earlier in the day Lamont announced that state environmental regulators will temporarily suspend the enforcement of the states bottle-deposit law, giving retailers some relief in the pandemic. The potential effect for consumers are more bags of returnables on the front porch. The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is trying to make it easier for supermarkets and grocers to focus on keeping their shelves stocked, their employees safe and enhancing cleaning efforts in their stores to stifle the spread of the coronavirus. DEEP noted that most independent bottle bill redemption centers in the state remain open. The DEEP also recommends that people workers redeeming bottles in centers, groceries and package stores wear nitrile gloves to avoid bacteria and viruses including COVID-19 that can stay alive on surfaces for prolonged periods. In addition, the states top administrative judge announced further service reductions, including the closure of some courthouses and ordering employees to work from home if they can. Smaller courthouses, including the ones in Norwalk and Derby, as well as the courthouse on Golden Hill Street in Bridgeport, will be closed as of Thursday. The state Department of Public Health has issued a suggestion to massage therapists, hairdressers, nail salons, cosmetologists and others that they consider closing because of the close proximity their workers get to clients at a time when social distancing is of paramount public health importance. The personal-care industry has not been subject to Lamonts executive orders closing bars, restaurant, recreational facilities and movie theaters. In responses, some local health directors, including those in Westport and Milford, have ordered local hair cutters to close immediately. Also on Wednesday, Chief Administrative Judge Patrick Carroll III ordered further curtailment of court activity that began last week with the postponement of pending jury trials. Carroll announced that many court staff will be allowed to work from home, and that juvenile matters will be heard only in Hartford and Bridgeport juvenile courthouses. Also, one building in each of the 13 Judicial Districts will be designated to handle priority functions, such as criminal arraignments; orders of relief from abuse; protection orders; orders of temporary custody; termination of parental rights; and other important hearings and reviews. Courthouses that will remain open include the Supreme Court and judicial-district courts in Milford, Danbury, Bridgeports Main Street, Hartford, Torrington, Middletown, New Britain, New Haven, New London, Stamford, Rockville, Waterbury and Danielson. Its unclear how many court workers will be affected, but the department has 4,270 employees, includes judges, magistrates, and other full- and part-time employees. These are extraordinary times and require extraordinary measures, Carroll said in a statement. Our overarching challenge throughout the crisis has been to balance the constitutional obligation of the courts to remain open with protecting the health and safety of every individual who enters a state courthouse. Ultimately, we have determined that the plan announced today is the best option to achieve this balance. In other virus-related news on Wednesday: Commissioner of Education Miguel Cardona said the state will ask the federal government for a waiver so public schools do not have to administer the annual Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium test for third through eighth grade this spring. A decision has yet to be made on the school-administered SAT, which students use for college acceptance, as well as a standardized test for high school juniors, he said at the state Capitol. Although we find value in assessments we dont feel that if students are out for an extended period of time, bringing them back to school and sitting them down to take assessments is the best way to use their time, Cardona said at the governors daily briefing on the coronavirus outbreak. Cardona is hopeful that the school year will not be canceled. During a virtual town hall meeting, University of Conncticut President Tom Katsouleas said the Mohegan Tribe has notified Lamont that the Mohegan Sun Resort Casinos hotel accommodations, which have shut down, could be used to house future patients if the coronavirus necessitates. Currently, state health experts believe that the 9,000 beds in nearly 30 state hospitals should be adequate to deal with expected infections, if the state continues an effort at social distancing. Access Health CT, the states program under the federal Affordable Care Act, will open a new enrollment period for qualified uninsured residents. For eligibility requirements, people should call the program at 1-855-909-2428 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Statewide bus ridership is down between 50 and 80 percent. The state Department of Transportation is encouraging people to use buses only for essential travel. Service is still on a normal schedule, and buses are being cleaned and sanitized on a daily basis, with focus on surfaces that are main touch points, said Kevin Nursick, DOT spokesman. We have a lot of folks that are reliant on bus service to get to work, including many health care workers, he said. A lot of people rely on the people on the buses for their basic care. Its not a simple matter of shutting down the bus services. With construction season coming up in April, the DOT is conferring with contractors on how to sanitize equipment and keep groups of workers from congregating in close areas, like at lunchtime on a job site. Liz Teitz, Peter Yankowski and Linda Conner Lambeck contributed to this report. (Photo : REUTERS/NASA/Tim Peake/Handout ) A photo taken by Expedition 46 flight engineer Tim Peake of the European Space Agency (ESA) aboard the International Space Station shows Italy, the Alps, and the Mediterranean on January, 25, 2016. (Photo : REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina) Crew member of the International Space Station (ISS) Chris Cassidy of NASA poses for a photo as he attends the final qualification training for the upcoming space mission in Star City near Moscow, Russia March 12, 2020. NASA's two experiments designed to monitor the space environment will orbit the Moon through the Gateway space station soon. While experimenting, how does the ISS program maintain crew members safe from probably dangerous pathogens? The space station-which orbits the Earth at an altitude of around 250 miles-is at the same time operated by the U.S., Russia, Japan, Europe, and Canada. The Russian space agency Roscosmos leads the training for launches of Soyuz, the only spacecraft successful of launching astronauts to and from the Station. Experiments to keep an eye on the radiation environment in lunar orbit The experiments will hold an eye on the radiation surroundings in lunar orbit to help scientists discover ways to keep astronauts safe as they explore deep space, according to Axios. Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA's associate administrator for science, said in a statement that the space agency would discover ways to improve forecasting space climate. One of the instruments built by the European Space Agency will reveal radiation from the Gateway, giving humans again on Earth a higher experience of how much exposure astronauts could have in lunar orbit. NASA's space weather Gateway experiment will keep an eye fixed on solar debris and the solar wind to useful resources in predicting space climate that can damage human beings and satellites in orbit. However, NASA said the schedule remains unclear as to when precisely the Gateway could be orbiting the Moon. SpaceNews reported NASA's head of human spaceflight, Doug Loverro, advised the space corporation's Advisory Council that the Gateway has been taken off the "important direction" for NASA's first Artemis Moon undertaking in 2024. ALSO READ: Heads Up! NASA Reveals Space Rock as Huge as Mt. Everest Will Pass on Earth in April! Great care is already taken before launching astronauts to ISS Before launching astronauts to the ISS, exceptional care is already taken to prevent the team from bringing potentially dangerous viruses on board with them. Hence, the radical coronavirus outbreak isn't currently having much of an impact on safety procedures. "[Before] launching to the International Space Station, the crew is quarantined and observed for any potential symptoms and tested," Luis Zea, a researcher from BioServe Space Technologies at the University of Colorado Boulder, told Newsweek. NASA says it applies these quarantine measures to all of its astronauts before they're sent to the space station inside the Soyuz capsule-which is released from Kazakhstan. Courtney Beasley, a spokesperson for the gap agency, instructed Newsweek that each one of its crew have to live in quarantine for two weeks before launch. This makes it positive that the team is not sick or incubating an illness. Beasley added NASA's crew also have to stay in quarantine for two weeks before they launch to makes sure that they aren't sick or incubating an illness. ALSO READ: Wonder How the Artemis Program Will Bring NASA From Moon to Mars? Zea stated objects that move up to Station are thoroughly cleaned and sterilized. Taken together, these quarantine and cleansing measures make it not possible that disease-causing pathogens will infect astronauts onboard the ISS, even within the context of the modern-day outbreak, in keeping with Zea. Nevertheless, all astronauts go through scientific emergency education and maintain regular contact with a team of docs on the ground who carefully display their health. And when a medical emergency does occur, the team has strategies in the area to deal with the situation. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Kenneth Frazier, chairman and CEO of U.S. pharmaceutical giant Merck, is appealing to every American to take coronvavirus precautions for the benefit of society. "Right now, we have the power as citizens to .... slow the spread of this virus," Frazier told CNBC on Wednesday, stressing the best practices of hand-washing and social-distancing as things everyone must do. "That's what we can do in the next week, month, etc., to ensure we actually don't have the kind of situation that we see in Italy," he said on "Squawk on the Street." Italy, where officials have put in place a nationwide lockdown, is home to the second-highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases outside of mainland China, where the disease originated in December. Italy has more than 31,000 cases, including over 2,500 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. China has more than 81,000 confirmed cases, including over 3,200 deaths. The U.S. has more than 6,500 confirmed cases and more than 100 deaths as of Wednesday morning. Frazier said the pharmaceutical industry "has really swung into action" with its efforts to develop treatments for COVID-19. Companies such as Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are working on vaccines, while Regeneron is working on a therapeutic for COVID-19. Frazier said Merck, which received FDA approval for its Ebola vaccine in December, has a lot of experience developing antiviral medicines and is putting it to use to help slow the spread of COVID-19. "We have a vast library and we're going to continue to test those assets to see if any of them have effectiveness against this particular coronavirus," he said. Frazier also praised health workers across the country who are caring for sick patients. But the American people, he said, "are the first line of defense, with respect to our own hygiene." Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Euphemisms for abortion abound: a womans right to choose, reproductive freedom, and a private decision between a woman and her doctor. The latest euphemism, one being increasingly used in political discourse, is access to essential healthcare. Recently, a listener sent us Planned Parenthoods latest fundraising letter. Between pleas to fund their organization and fight the Trump Administration, abortion was referred to as either healthcare or care a dizzying fifteen times. The American Civil Liberties Union has also embraced the phrase, particularly on the signs they provide for their protesters, including at the Supreme Court. Also, in a recent blog post savaging the pro-life policies of the Trump Administration by the ACLU of Northern California, the author insisted Abortion is basic healthcare again and again. Its almost as if there was a pro-abortion PR meeting which was even attended by the two leading Democratic candidates for President. Another listener recently wrote in to let us know that Doctors Without Borders, one of the largest non-government providers of aid to victims of conflict and famine around the world, is now openly pushing do-it-yourself abortions in their work around the world. Alerted by a report from the Center for Family and Human Rights, this listener called Doctors Without Borders to find out if it was true. Yes, the representative said, abortion is part of the, you guessed it, health care services that Doctors without Borders provides in numerous countries. I wonder how many of their donors know about the partnership Doctors without Borders established earlier this year with HowToUseAbortionPill.org, an online community whose purpose is to educate and encourage people to use chemical abortions around the world. In an article explaining why they are so aggressively promoting chemical abortions worldwide, Doctors without Borders, slammed the Trump Administrations Global Gag Rule and insisted that Despite the stigma, abortion is a part of peoples lives and a key component ofhere it is againreproductive health care. Our listener isnt the first person Ive spoken with whos pulled support from Doctors Without Borders. One alternative for anyone wishing to support a group that provides only actual healthcare and medical expertise is the Christian Medical and Dental Association, which currently has affiliates in over 60 countries. Labeling abortion as healthcare subverts the very essence of medicine, and it uses words to dodge the reality of what abortion is and does. If you find yourself in a conversation about this, needing to explain the problem with the abortion is healthcare euphemism, our latest What Would You Say? video is phenomenal. Featuring my colleague Brooke Boriack, the video explains three critical things to remember whenever someone calls abortion healthcare. First, the purpose of healthcare is to heal and preserve life, not to end life. For centuries, doctors promised in the Hippocratic Oath to do no harm. Abortion fails that test. Unlike real healthcare, even including those procedures performed to save the life of the mother but that endanger the life of an unborn baby, elective abortion is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being. Thats not only wrong, its certainly not healthcare. Second, pregnancy is not a disease to be cured. When a woman is pregnant, her body is working as intended. Shes not sick. Violently terminating pregnancy works against the bodys natural, healthy functioning. Thats not what healthcare does. Finally, slapping the healthcare label on abortion not only obscures the meaning of the word healthcare, it obscures the meaning of the word abortion. Anyone wishing to defend abortion should be forced to defend what it is and should not be allowed to cloak the violence using buzzwords. One step in making abortion illegal and unthinkable is unmasking the verbal tricks that obscure reality. Its time to make abortion advocates tell the truth, and that begins with refusing to play the language game. Our latest What Would You Say Video? can help with that. Originally posted at breakpoint.org VANCOUVERFor the past week and a half, Debra Drew and her sister, Deanna, have been spending hours each day at a private North Vancouver long-term care home where their 96-year-old father resides. The visits, she says, leave them feeling exhausted. But they feel they have no other choice. As of early this week, 23 people 12 residents and 11 staff had tested positive for COVID-19 at the Lynn Valley Care Centre. On Tuesday, provincial officials announced that six people connected to the facility had died. Yet Drew said staffing levels at Lynn Valley have remained inadequate to manage the crisis and address the individual needs of residents, including her father, Graham Drew, who has Alzheimers and is known to wander. In fact, in the early days after the coronavirus outbreak, the siblings and a handful of other visitors jumped in to help staff deliver meals and scrub down common areas, Drew said, describing the situation as bedlam and comparing it to a war zone. I feel like we need an army in here to immediately take charge of the situation, she said Tuesday. Officials with Lynn Valley Care Centre have not responded to repeated requests for comment. A letter posted Monday on the care homes website from Dr. Michael Schwandt, medical health officer for Vancouver Coastal Health, states health officials are meeting daily with Lynn Valley staff to review the situation and to ensure appropriate infection prevention and control precautions are in place. The outbreak is confined to one section of the care home known as the Lodge, the letter states, adding that a strategy is in place to address any staffing shortages and identify creative solutions to ensure ongoing care and services. Vancouver Coastal Health thanks families for their patience, kindness and understanding and acknowledges the increased concern they have about the safety of their loved ones, spokesperson Carrie Stefanson said in an email Tuesday. The spread of the coronavirus in seniors homes has been a top concern for health officials since a long-term care home in Kirkland, Wash., became an epicentre of the outbreak in the United States. As of Monday, 29 deaths had reportedly been linked to the Kirkland home. Drew said she first became aware of a problem when she showed up to visit her father on March 6 and staff were posting signs indicating there had been an outbreak. At a town hall the next day, Dr. Patricia Daly, chief medical health officer at Vancouver Coastal Health, told concerned family members extra staffing would be brought in, Drew said. Family members were also told that residents would be isolated to prevent the spread of the virus, Drew said. But Drew said when she and her brother went to visit their father on the second floor of the Lodge after the town hall, the isolation protocols were clearly not in place. Residents were sitting in common areas a regular old day, Drew said. Drew said she and her sister committed to making daily trips to the centre, knowing they were putting their own health at risk. I was willing to take the risk because I thought it was worth it. Im a healthy 66-year-old. My sister, shes 59, she said. We thought about it long and hard. We mostly have a desire to not lose our father ... to this kind of tragedy. When they went to the care home on March 8, the sisters were stunned to find only two employees on duty on the second floor. Normally there would be closer to six. She said she counted more than 45 residents on the floor at the time. Drew said she and her sister, plus a handful of other people visiting loved ones, jumped into action helping to serve meals and addressing residents needs. We just collaborated to serve everybody. Outside of the medical stuff, she said we were doing the work of the staff. Eventually, more staff showed up that day. But even so, it was not uncommon to see caregivers working double shifts to cover the shortages. In addition to helping out with meal delivery, family members also helped staff to sanitize common areas. It was an emergency situation. We took it into our hands, said Drew, adding that a cleaning supervisor asked her if she could help monitor how often cleaning was being done. Theres no question most staff at the care home are angels, Drew said. But the fact that there are so few of them has meant that residents with the highest needs get the most attention, which often leaves other residents neglected. She said she wont soon forget one womans 15-minute mournful call for help to go to the bathroom. Drew said one man became agitated and began running around the second floor before falling. She also recalled the bizarre scene when paramedics showed up in haz-mat suits in response to a resident who had passed out. At a press conference on March 10, Adrian Dix, B.C.s health minister, told reporters there was a full complement of workers at the care home. But Drew said Dixs comments did not reflect reality. While staffing levels have improved and the care home has fallen back into a rhythm, she said staffing remains inadequate. The public needs to know that. The food has also deteriorated, she said. Breakfasts that used to consist of eggs and porridge now might just be a muffin and a cookie. Hot meals that used to be served on trays with warming lids are served in Styrofoam containers that look like takeout food. A serving of macaroni and cheese is a solid mass by the time it gets to her father, she said. Nutrition is critical, she said. Its gone downhill. Stefanson, the Vancouver Coastal Health spokesperson, said although the care home is up to full staffing levels, we are working with them to add additional staff as the outbreak response precautions caused a delay in the delivery of meals. She said cleaning staff are providing service that is over and above regular levels. Meanwhile, Drew says her fathers ongoing isolation has made him restless. A retired adult education co-ordinator at the University of British Columbia, Graham Drew is a social butterfly and lawn bowler extraordinaire, she said. The inability to get out and move around has made him weaker, she said. At times, he just wants to bust out of this place. At least, Drew said, her father has a balcony outside his room and on Monday, he was able to soak in the sun. That got him content for a couple hours in the afternoon. Read more about: A Delhi government employee association on Wednesday met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and demanded closure of all government offices for a week in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Umesh Batra, general secretary of the Delhi government Welfare Association, said around 2.5 lakh people are employed with the Delhi government and most of them are engaged in public dealings. In its memorandum, the association said, "The precaution taken by the Maharashtra government should be adopted by the Delhi government by closing all its offices for seven days." Batra said the association has requested the chief minister that if the government is not interested in closing all offices, it can allow some public offices to function on alternative days. "We have given a list of 86 departments which can be fully closed while 68 government offices can be allowed to function on alternate days," he said. "Registrar and MLO offices can be closed because property registration and driving license can be issued later," he said. The memorandum stated that Delhi Police, responsible for the security of the secretariat, should be given strict instructions to use metal detectors to check people entering the premises. The number of coronavirus cases across the country has risen to 147. The Delhi government has declared coronavirus an epidemic and shut down all cinema halls, schools and colleges, except those where exams are on, till March 31. The government also made it compulsory to disinfect all public places, including government and private offices and shopping malls, every day. PTI BUN In its memorandum, the association said, "The precaution taken by the Maharashtra government should be adopted by the Delhi government by closing all its offices for seven days."Batra said the association has requested the chief minister that if the government is not interested in closing all offices, it can allow some public offices to function on alternative days. "We have given a list of 86 departments which can be fully closed while 68 government offices can be allowed to function on alternate days," he said. "Registrar and MLO offices can be closed because property registration and driving license can be issued later," he said. The memorandum stated that Delhi Police, responsible for the security of the secretariat, should be given strict instructions to use metal detectors to check people entering the premises. The number of coronavirus cases across the country has risen to 147. The Delhi government has declared coronavirus an epidemic and shut down all cinema halls, schools and colleges, except those where exams are on, till March 31. The government also made it compulsory to disinfect all public places, including government and private offices and shopping malls, every day. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) SAN FRANCISCO, CA, USA - MARCH 18: A view of early empty Castro Street as residents began their 3-week shelter in place in San Francisco on March 18, 2020. (Photo by Neal Waters/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) To prevent millions of Americans from running out of money amid the coronavirus, the government has announced plans to send out checks to them soon. When Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin made the announcement about the cash infusion on Tuesday, universal basic income proponents felt validated. Now, the group of those calling for such a policy, if only in a temporary rendition, is quickly growing. Already some 1 in 2 Americans say they support a program in which the federal government sends out regular checks to everyone, regardless of their earnings or employment. Tech entrepreneur and former candidate for president Andrew Yang centered his campaign on a $1,000 universal basic income. He dropped out of the Democratic primary last month, but now the hashtag #YangWasRight is taking off on Twitter. As the pandemic forces schools and businesses to empty, Democratic senators, including Cory Booker of New Jersey and Sherrod Brown of Ohio, have called for immediate $2,000 payments to adults and children below a certain income threshold. Meanwhile, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, proposed giving every American adult $1,000. CNBC spoke with Karl Widerquist, an associate professor at Georgetown University-Qatar and a founding editor of the journal, Basic Income Studies, about how a cash infusion could help Americans. (The interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.) Annie Nova: Why do you think the Trump administration is considering sending cash directly to Americans? Karl Widerquist: Some people have no other choice but to go to work, whether they're sick or whether their child is sick, and it's really not good to keep this threat over the heads of our entire working class. But the economy needs money and it needs money to go into the hands of people who will spend that money. AN: Why is this policy preferable to the payroll tax cut the administration was also considering? KW: The payroll tax is slower to take affect and it only effects formal workers. Informal workers, contract workers, the self-employed, single parents, children and the homeless need this money more than anyone else, but they'll be left out by the rebate. AN: How would a cash infusion make this less of a crisis? KW: In very important ways. You've got a bunch of people who've been told, 'Don't go to work. Stay home. We don't need you to wait tables and cook meals.' And these people need to eat. That's the first line. But it also has ripple effects across the entire economy. The stock markets are tanking, in such an enormous and rapid rate, that it implies we're going into a very steep recession right now. During a recession, not everyone can find work, but we need them to keep up their spending because when they don't spend, then the businesses where they buy stuff, they lose money and they go out of business. That increases unemployment. It's what we call in economics a multiplier effect. So a universal basic income is going to keep people working by keeping people spending. AN: These proposals often call for giving children money, too. Why? KW: We give money for children because that's why parents work. Parents have to go into work because their children need food, shelter and clothing. They need to pay the rent for the rooms in which their children live. If a bunch of people are having to stay home from their jobs, if they're unable to pay their rent and if they're unable to buy food, their children are going to suffer. AN: Sen. Romney recommended a $1,000 payment. Some Democrats up to $4,500. How much is enough? KW: Replacing people's entire income is not necessarily what you want to do. That preserves existing inequality. If I'm staying home from my $100,000 a year job as a university professor, and the person next to me is staying home from their job as a minimum-wage dish washer, I shouldn't get any more than they do. What you want to do is stop income from collapsing, and the best way to keep it from collapsing is to make sure everybody has a minimum amount. AN: What could go wrong with the payments? KW: I'm a little worried about the conditions. When you put conditions on at a time like this, when we're in an emergency, there are problems. You waste money on figuring out who's eligible and who isn't and then you make mistakes. You're going to give it to some people who don't deserve it, and you're going to deny it to some people who do. AN: You have politicians on the left and right getting behind this cash infusion. Does that surprise you? KW: The increasing polarization in this country is really sad to see. Hopefully, once in a while, we still can pull together. Both sides of the aisle are recognizing this is really a double crisis, with coronavirus and the stock market collapse happening all at the same time. More from Personal Finance: Here's where to put emergency funds now These financial moves can help you prepare for a recession What the Fed cutting interest rates to zero means for you [March 18, 2020] DriveWealth Forges First Partnership in Middle East and North Africa Region with UAE-Based Wealthface Wealth Management Company Turns to DriveWealth for Technology, Brokerage Execution Services CHATHAM, New Jersey, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- DriveWealth, LLC, a U.S. based leader in global digital trading technology, announced today a new partnership with Wealthface LLC, an innovative UAE-based wealth management company and online investment platform. The agreement marks DriveWealth's first initiative in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, bringing the firm's technology and brokerage execution services to one of the region's first investment robo-advisors. Employing DriveWealth's proven technology, Wealthface will offer U.S. stock market access to a wide range of regional investors with varying investment amounts. Wealthface clients will also be provided access to fractional shares in familiar U.S. brands, an offering that DriveWealth has pioneered. Wealthface Founder & CEO Bilal Majbour stated: "Our partnership with DriveWealth is a significant manifestation of our vision to make the U.S. equity market accessible to everyone everywhere. We want to enable all types of investors to access investment solutions previously unavailable to online investors using our cutting-edge technology at a low cost. In addition, we re committed to offering value-added services to millions of customers in the Middle East and North Africa region. DriveWealth is the ideal partner to help launch our offering to regional clients using the latest and most innovative technologies." DriveWealth CEO Robert Cortright said: "We are truly pleased to help Wealthface an innovator in the MENA region bring investors affordable, robust access to the U.S. markets. This partnership is a great opportunity to establish our first presence in this important region, and we're delighted to continue on our geographic expansion." The partnership with Wealthface is the latest in a series of relationships DriveWealth has forged globally on six continents, including recent agreements to increase affordable access to the U.S. markets to investors of all sizes in the U.S., Nigeria, India and Brazil, as well as in Europe through a groundbreaking offering with Revolut. The firm offers partners such as Wealthface its unique investing technology, along with a customizable suite of application programming interfaces (APIs) that they can leverage to enhance their services. DriveWealth, which launched its patent-pending real-time fractional share trading capabilities in 2016, was founded with the mission to democratize investing in the U.S. stock market. The firm is dedicated to eliminating barriers investors typically encounter with legacy brokers, creating its own proprietary infrastructure that allows investors to purchase securities without minimum account balances, high transaction costs or full share quantities. About DriveWealth DriveWealth Holdings, Inc., wholly owns DriveWealth, LLC, a member of FINRA and SIPC. DriveWealth, LLC is a licensed carrying and self-clearing broker offering digital brokerage solutions to broker-dealers, advisors and online partners worldwide through its proprietary investment platform. DriveWealth, LLC delivers access to the U.S. securities markets along with an array of digital products that power both emerging and established financial companies. For more information, please visit DriveWealth.com. About Wealthface Founded in June 2018 by former Saxo Bank Investment Banker Bilal Majbour and former ADIA executive Jake Nuseibeh, Wealthface is a UAE-based pioneering one-stop shop online investment platform that offers both passive indexing investment and factor investing services. The company's proprietary Robo-advise platform is developed in-house by a team of experienced quantitative analysts and based on advanced Nobel Prize academic research. Wealthface aims to bring investment to every doorstep by facilitating the investment process and offering modern Fintech services to a diverse range of investors, requiring no minimum deposits and offering low fees than other platforms. For more information, visit www.wealthface.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/783298/DriveWealth_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] By PTI LONDON: Indian students in the UK are desperate to return to India and have flooded the Indian High Commission here with queries about when they are likely to get back home and be with their families, as New Delhi bans travellers from Britain starting on Wednesday due to the fast-spreading coronavirus 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 coronavirus virus that has claimed three lives so far and infected nearly 150 people. Britain's death toll from the COVID-19 has risen to 71 and the number of infection cases have gone up to nearly 1,950. Universities and student associations in the UK are putting out advisories to try and calm some of the panic among the students, many of whom are on visas that are close to expiry and others who simply want to be with their loved ones as all face-to-face classes begin to be cancelled. Many were booked on flights later this month as the annual Easter break was to kick in soon but are now stranded at least until March 31 under India's travel ban in response to the coronavirus pandemic. ALSO READ: European Union seals off borders as virus deaths exceed Asia toll "High Commission is working with both the Indian and UK authorities to address concerns of the Indian citizens living in the UK," the Indian High Commission in London said. "All Indian citizens may register with us so that updates may be shared by email," it said, in reference to an online registration system it has created for Indian citizens in the UK to be kept informed. The mission said that its regular Public Response Unit was unavailable due to "technical reasons" and Indians in the UK can connect via social media or email at info.london@mea.gov.in. "I registered. Kindly allow us a few days (3-4 days) so that we can return. Please understand the plight of us students who booked return tickets over the coming weekend and suddenly, we cannot return anymore," said one student, who has been unable to meet the Wednesday travel deadline. "I am a student in the University of Warwick. Please urgently help me return to Bangalore to my family. The university has cancelled all face to face classes and exams for the third term," said another. The National Indian Students and Alumni Union UK (NISAU-UK), a representative body for Indian students in the UK, has been fielding calls and urging students to stay calm and support each other through the crisis. "Please do not panic, support each other and take necessary precautions to be safe," it said in its latest advisory for students. "Any students due to commence studies after March 2020 and concerned about the situation due to coronavirus, please discuss your concerns with your university in the first instance," it adds. Most universities have cancelled all physical presence in classrooms and the University of Oxford is considering an online examination system for the first time as a result of the pandemic. The UK Home Office, meanwhile, has 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 of work visas. "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 coronavirus," its guidance notes. "Sponsors do not need to report student or employee absences related to coronavirus which they have authorised," it said. The Home Office said it recognised the current situation was "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. The outbreak, which first emerged in China's Wuhan city last year, has infected 198,006 people and killed 7,948, according to a tracker maintained by the Johns Hopkins University. A Chinese doctor who runs a lab in Wuhan - ground zero of the coronavirus pandemic - claims he could save thousands of lives after making a breakthrough in the treatment of the deadly pathogen, DailyMailTV can reveal. Dr. Dongcheng Wu, an expert in stem cell therapy, said he has successfully treated nine patients who were hospitalised with novel coronavirus pneumonia. The patients, mostly elderly, had developed serious breathing issues as well as overwhelming inflammation in their lungs before they volunteered for Dr. Wu's medical trial earlier this month in Wuhan. Alongside conventional treatment, Dr. Wu infused Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells (UC-MSCs) directly into all nine patients' veins. It's claimed they all made a complete recovery within days of receiving the treatment. News of the breakthrough only reached Dr. Wu, who is partnered with American stem cell company Blue Horizon International (BHI), early last week. Dr. Dongcheng Wu (main), who runs a lab in Wuhan - ground zero of the coronavirus pandemic - claims he has discovered a treatment for the deadly virus. The expert in controversial stem cell therapy said he has successfully treated nine patients who were hospitalised with novel coronavirus pneumonia Dr. Wu infused Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells (UC-MSCs) directly into all nine patients' veins. Miraculously, it's claimed they all made a complete recovery within days of receiving the treatment WHAT ARE THE CORONAVIRUS SYMPTOMS? The virus, called COVID-19, is transmitted from person to person via droplets when an infected person breathes out, coughs or sneezes. It can also spread via contaminated surfaces such as door handles or railings. Coronavirus infections have a wide range of symptoms, including fever, coughing, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. Mild cases can cause cold-like symptoms including a sore throat, headache, fever, cough or trouble breathing. Severe cases can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory illness, kidney failure and death. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure. Advertisement In an exclusive interview, the scientist told DailyMailTV: 'This treatment could potentially save thousands upon thousands of lives, so naturally we are very happy with these results. 'Yes, it is a cure, but it is still very early in the process and we still have work to do. 'We need to finish the clinical trials to confirm whether the stem cell therapy is safe and efficacy to treat novel coronavirus pneumonia.' Stem cells, often dubbed the building blocks of life, are cells that have the ability to develop into different cell types. They can also help repair damaged tissue. Scientists can take stem cells from adult tissue such as bone marrow but the most controversial type are embryonic stem cells, which come from human embryos. Dr. Wu and BHI only use stem cells taken from the umbilical cord placenta, which is considered throw away tissue. Dr. Brian Mehling, co-founder of BHI, is working closely with Dr. Wu on the research and said the results of the medical trials are 'astounding'. 'As the coronavirus outbreak unraveled, coincidentally it started in Wuhan, China which is where our stem cell labs have been for over a decade,' he explained. 'A lot of people were coming down with severe pulmonary pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis and ultimately they were dying. 'But it's not the viral load that kills them it's the pulmonary complications that develop, just like influenza. 'So our research found that stem cells are extremely effective in decreasing inflammation and also enabling the body to repair damaged tissue. 'So we thought what the heck, let's give it a shot. We gave nine patients, who were in hospital with severe, acute pulmonary dysfunction, we gave them core blood stem cells via IV and 100 percent of them got better, so of course we were astounded.' Coronavirus brings about mild flu-like symptoms in most people, but for the elderly or those with underlying medical conditions, it can be deadly. Pictured: Tourists wearing masks in New York City The breakthrough, however, could bring about a sea change in how coronavirus is tackled in the future and is a sign of hope for the most vulnerable. Pictured: Graphic showing the total cases worldwide and the death toll WHAT IS STEM CELL RESEARCH? Stem cells, often dubbed the building blocks of life, are cells that have the ability to develop into different cell types. They can also help repair damaged tissue. Scientists can take stem cells from adult tissue such as bone marrow but the most controversial type are embryonic stem cells, which come from human embryos. Stem cells are also taken from the umbilical cord placenta, which is considered throw away tissue. Stem cell research was much hyped a decade ago as the miracle cure for degenerative diseases, like Parkinson's. But things turned sour when the therapy became mired in controversy over the use of stem cells derived from the fetuses of aborted babies. Embryonic stem cells quickly became a divisive and highly-politicized issue in the U.S. Advertisement Dr. Wu and Dr. Mehling said that since their breakthrough the Chinese Government has approved and fast tracked clinical trials for the treatment. And Dr. Wu's company, Wuhan Hamilton Biotechnology-Co.,LTD, has already received more than $5 million Chinese Yuan ($715,000) in government funding to begin research protocols, with more money expected to come in. Dr. Wu is Chief Science Officer for New York-based BHI, which he is working with to seek the approval needed for clinical trials in the U.S. Sadly, the scientist said it could take months before the treatment officially hits the mass market in China or the U.S. The breakthrough, however, could bring about a sea change in how coronavirus is tackled in the future and is a sign of hope for the most vulnerable. Right now there is no known effective treatment in clinical practice. Coronavirus brings about mild flu-like symptoms in most people, but for the elderly or those with underlying medical conditions, it can be deadly. Speaking to the effectiveness of the treatment, Dr. Wu said: 'It seems that the key to cure the pneumonia is to inhibit the inflammatory response, resulting to reduce the damage of cells and repair the function of the lung. 'UC-MSCs can significantly reduce inflammatory cell infiltration and inflammatory factors expression in lung tissue, and significantly protect lung tissue from virus-induced acute lung injuries.' The UC-MSCs are manufactured by Dr. Wu's company at a lab in Wuhan and comply with the requirements of China's medical gold standard - Volume of the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China (2015 Edition). The doctor says his product has also passed the quality test of China's National Institutes of Food and Drug Control (NIFDC) and his firm is currently the only stem cell institution in the Hubei province. BHI is moving quickly to seek the necessary Food and Drug Administration approvals in the U.S. Dr. Mehling says they have submitted the retrospective study data to an investigational review board (IRB) and once the study receives a rubber stamp, a research paper will be written for publication. His firm is also submitting a FDA protocol and applying for a study which they believe will be approved quickly due to the severe nature of the crisis. Dr. Mehling said because his company has spent 10 years researching stem cell therapy, a treatment which he says is already 'proven' and 'tested', he believes their coronavirus treatment will be 'ready to deploy' sooner rather than later. Dr. Brian Mehling (pictured), co-founder of BHI, is working closely with Dr. Wu on the research and said the results of the medical trials are 'astounding'. He said that since the breakthrough the Chinese Government has approved and fast tracked clinical trials for the treatment Dr. Mehling, an orthopedic surgeon, said his firm is also about to publish a long-term safety study on stem cell therapy in which 30 patients received multiple doses over a seven to eight year period with no significant complications. BHI already has two approved clinical trials for UC-MSCs treating osteoarthritis and diabetic nephropathy. Dr. Wu said he has 400 doses of stem cells stockpiled in Wuhan and another 400 could be manufactured within three weeks to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic. BHI, which has offices in Europe and the Caribbean, also has plans in place for international expansion to make the coronavirus treatment available to as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. With the right infrastructure and supply chain in place, the company will also be able to roll out treatment for dozens of other conditions around the world. But former director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and former commissioner of the New York Health Department, Dr Tom Frieden, told DailyMail.com that the CDC will need 'clear evidence' that any coronavirus treatment works. 'The priority now is to learn as much as possible about this virus and what works to stop it,' he said. 'This will include randomized controlled trials of potential treatments, some of which may be effective. 'Until we have clear evidence that any treatment works, and the means to deliver it to those who need it, we need to focus on what we can do now: wash our hands frequently, cover our coughs, not go out if sick, stop shaking hands, and practice social distancing. 'Health care facilities should focus on surging safely by improving infection control, doubling or tripling intensive care capacity, and preparing to deal with large numbers of less severely ill patients and worried well, for example through screening outside in tents.' Dr Frieden is president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, a global nonprofit initiative and part of the global nonprofit Vital Strategies. Serial science and technology entrepreneur Nova Spivack, who operates a coronavirus information site with a team of doctors and medical experts called germinfo.org, says the new treatment could be 'great' if it passes FDA protocols, but warns that it likely won't be widely available for at least a year. Dr. Wu said he has 400 doses of stem cells stockpiled in Wuhan and another 400 could be manufactured within three weeks to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured: Dr. Wu and Dr. Mehling in the lab 'Even if they find it working clinically and they have permission to test it on human volunteers, at this stage, if they wanted to go through FDA approval, it will take a year at least,' he explained. 'A lot is happening with stem cell treatments so this doesn't surprise me. 'It looks to be a very promising direction and there's a number of trials in process. 'There are a relatively small number of patients that have been treated so it's early days, but it's a very astonishing direction.' Spivack, a philanthropist and futurist, does note that while any new treatment will miss the window to treat anyone infected in the first wave of the coronavirus, it will be available for what he predicts will be second and third waves of the disease. Dr. Wu is a professor at Wuhan University School of Basic Medical Science, Chu Tian Scholar, and Director of the Stem Cell Centre, Hongqiao Brain Hospital The first cases of novel coronavirus were reported in Wuhan late last year, and until recently, China has borne the brunt of the outbreak. Almost three quarters of the more than 110,000 or so confirmed global cases are in mainland China and more than 3,000 people have died as a result of the virus, with the majority in Hubei province. The Chinese government has placed hundreds of millions of people under lockdown, while others have been unable to return to work due to travel restrictions. Stem cell research was much hyped a decade ago as the miracle cure for degenerative diseases, like Parkinson's. But things turned sour when the therapy became mired in controversy over the use of stem cells derived from the fetuses of aborted babies. Embryonic stem cells quickly became a divisive and highly-politicized issue in the U.S. The biomedical industry relied on the malleable cells for groundbreaking research, but their use raised serious questions of morality and ethics. Today, however, the technology has moved on. Still, Dr. Mehling said stem cell research gets an incredibly bad rap because of misinformation. 'There's a huge biggest misconception about stem cells that has been perpetuated, a lot of people think that stem cells are involved with fetal embryonic tissue, like aborted babies, that's just not the case,' he said. 'That's something that's happened in the past but it's not something happening now at the forefront of stem cell medicine. 'Fortunately today you don't need embryonic or fetal cells to get useful stem cell lines to treat all these different diseases, so the technology has advanced to the point where it's just not necessary to use those sources of stem cells.' Dr. Mehling explained that the stem cells are instead taken from the placenta cord tissue of healthy babies. Another source is the patient themselves. Many experts in the field blame the pharmaceutical lobby for hindering the advancement of stem cell research in the U.S. The pharma giants realized that developing a miracle cure for dozens of serious conditions could seriously dent their revenues, for the simple reason that millions of patients would no longer be reliant on expensive medication. For more information about Blue Horizon International visit: bluehorizonstemcells.com Health professionals and workers will spread out to villages in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra to check travel history of residents as part of efforts to check the spread of the novel coronavirus, an official said on Wednesday. Paramedical and anganwadi (rural child care centres) staff will perform this task which will start from Thursday, District collector Uday Choudhari told reporters here. "People in rural areas hesitate to come forward if they have any health issue. Hence, our administration has decided to reach out to these residents. "Anganwadi and other (health) staff have been assigned the job of door-to-door survey in villages and check whether their residents have a travel history (to countries affected by the virus)," he said. "If any villager is found with symptoms similar to the coronavirus, the resident concerned will be sent to hospital for further medical investigation," the collector said. "The swab sample of a lady, who had come in contact with a coronavirus positive patient, came in negative today. Reports of swab samples of the positive patients family members are awaited," he said. The state government has sanctioned Rs 2.5 crore to the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation to buy medical equipment and make adequate arrangements for treatment of suspected coronavirus patients, Choudhari said. "It has also sanctioned a sum of Rs 1.5 crore to the Government Medical College and Hospital here," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bruns says that the worst part is figuring out how to take care of her employees. They work for our dream, but its been so hard to make money, says Bruns. Like a lot of restaurant owners, they decided to create a GoFundMe account a few days ago to help raise money for their staff. Its already at nearly $3,000, says Bruns. We have eight employees, so its not a ton of money, but its a nice little bonus that theyll get. The generosity of Chicago has been great to behold. Passengers crammed inside a speeding 16-seater public minibus in South Africa's largest city Johannesburg instantly fall silent after an old woman suddenly coughs. Fellow commuters quickly cover their mouths and noses with their forearms: the fear of catching coronavirus is palpable here, as infections rise fast. The driver pumps up the radio to break the silence, the passengers resume paying their fares, and coins and notes exchange hands. The numbers of coronavirus infections in South Africa are rising rapidly. Two weeks ago, there was just a single case -- but as of Wednesday the tally stood at 116, after a jump of 31 in just 24 hours. More than a quarter of South Africa's 57 million people rely on the minibus to get to work or school, according to the South African National Taxi Association (SANTACO) which governs the privately-run minibus industry. Passengers sit cheek by jowl in the little buses, which are commonly referred to here as taxis. The closeness has done little to ease concern as the shadow of the coronavirus lengthens. "As a commuter I feel I'm at risk of infection because I still have to open that taxi door, I still have to touch the seats, I still have to handle money in the taxi," said human resources manager Serame Maishone, 37, who catches two minibuses daily to get to work. "You can't even cough in the taxi," because people will get suspicious, she said. Despite fear of the virus which has killed 8,000 people and infected more than 200,000 worldwide, passengers in the minibuses very rarely use masks or gloves. "Honestly, I'm very terrified, I'm scared," said 23-year-old commuter Yolanda Masiso, admitting that at first she didn't care about the spread of coronavirus. "I never thought it would get to me or us, or anybody in my surroundings, but obviously I travel every day to work and the possibilities of me being infected or catching it are very high," she told AFP. - 'Sneeze! we get scared' - Many cities in other continents are shutting down or heading that way, but Africa, which seems to be several weeks behind the curve of the global spread, has yet to follow suit. On Wednesday, it was business as usual at two of Johannesburg's busiest bus ranks, in the downtown district of Bree and in the northern suburb of Randburg. Commuters scurried past each other, some stopping to buy fruit from the hawkers before rushing to board minibuses headed to a variety of locations. The city's minibus drivers are famous for their boisterous approach to life and their resilience. But many were unable to hide their fear about coronavirus. "We are scared as drivers, but we don't know what to do," 28-year-old driver Bongane Nene said, adding that he still has to work to pay bills despite the pandemic. "We have seen people wearing dust masks when they come into our taxis -- when they sneeze we get scared," Nene said. While drivers and passengers alike agree that the coronavirus threat is real, the drivers' main worry is the dwindling numbers of commuters as more and more people start to work from home, according to bus owner and operator Simon Makhoba. - 'No time to wait' - On Wednesday, SANTACO's president, Philip Taaibosch, unveiled a raft of anti-virus measures, including regularly disinfecting termini and vehicles. Government will also provide hand sanitisers for commuters before they board the bus -- an idea that has not sat well with everyone. "I won't have time to wait for someone who is busy washing their hands before getting onto the taxi. It won't work," Nene protested. Makhoba said the drivers are so busy that they often found it difficult to wash their cars every day, let alone disinfect them every few hours. New Delhi : As the total number of infected people touched 142, India has stopped incoming travel from a number of nations, including the European Union, Malaysia, Philippines and Afghanistan. Amid the virus scare, the centre also declared a countrywide lock down of schools, colleges, gyms and swimming pools, crowed areas that could allow for exponential spread of the virus. IndiGo announced on Tuesday that as aviation regulator DGCA has restricted international traffic from Turkey and Malaysia, it will be canceling its flights on Delhi-Istanbul route and Chennai-Kuala Lumpur route from March 18 to March 31 Were in the middle of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis and no one is really sure where it will lead. The United States and Canada are hoping that the precautions we are taking now will be enough to save lives. Unfortunately, there is no way to predict how this will pan out. We do know that many public figures including celebrities and politicians are choosing to self-quarantine. Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex have returned to Vancouver Island in Canada where they have been residing since the end of last year. The pair have been living in a $14 million mansion that sits on extensive land. However, prior to the coronavirus outbreak, the duo loved going on long nature walks and chatting with the locals. Now, amid this global health crisis, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are doing their part and observing the quarantine. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are alarmed by the coronavirus pandemic When Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrived in the U.K. to complete their final royal engagements, the coronavirus was just beginning to spread through the western world. An insider close to the duchess explained that Meghan was feeling really alarmed by whats happening with the outbreak. The Duchess of Sussex revealed she hasnt had the time to fully educate herself on coronavirus, the source told Express. However, she believes the coronavirus outbreak, which continues to grip Europe, is rather alarming. Since there wasnt much information on the virus at the time, the Sussexes decided to leave their son, Archie Harrison in Canada with a caretaker as a precaution. Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys routine has altered Though they are away from the glaring spotlight of the British media, the duke and duchess had been enjoying the picturesque views of Vancouver Island. Meghan takes a walk with Archie every single day through the woods, a local told Us Weekly. She either pushes him in a stroller through the paved trails through the public woods by their home or straps him on and walks the more rustic routes. The walks usually last around an hour or two, but she takes them daily. Obviously, the Sussexes will no longer be getting out and about, at least outside of the confines of their property. Thankfully, they have more than enough room to remain healthy and safe within their home. Their Vancouver Island home sits on four acres and has access to two beaches. The home is fully furnished with a 11,416 square foot main house with five bedrooms and eight bathrooms and a 2,349 square foot guest cottage with three beds and two baths, Daily Mail reports. The estate has, a formal dining room, paneled office with fireplace, large two-story living room opening to the chefs kitchen with pizza oven, game room with wet bar, media room and wine tasting room. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are observing the quarantine Like many other responsible global citizens, the Sussexes are doing their part to flatten the curve. An insider told US Weekly, that they are staying indoors when possible and socially distancing themselves from others over the next couple of weeks. They are following the rules put forth by the World Health Organization. FASHION retailer Next has pulled plans to start a mid-season clothes sale in store due to the coronavirus outbreak. There was huge fear among staff of the retailer after managers at Limericks two outlets, in the Crescent Shopping Centre and at the Childers Road, were instructed to commence the sale this weekend. Its understood this was a week ahead of schedule, and workers were concerned for their own safety, with any major price reduction no doubt drawing bigger than average crowds. However, a spokesperson for the British retailer confirmed to Leader Business this Tuesday that the sale will run on the internet only, and not in stores. In a statement, Next added this was taken in light of the governments announcement and in order to protect our staff and customers. We will however, honour the lower prices in-store. This is a fast moving, fast changing situation and plans may alter between now and then and if they do we will update accordingly, the spokesperson added. Limerick Chamber chief executive Dee Ryan urged people to self-isolate, and maintain a social distance, in order to slow the spread of Covid-19, which had risen to 223 cases as of Monday night. It has caused the cancellation of the St Patricks Day festival, as well as a raft of other events in the next few weeks. Ms Ryan said: We had Collette Cowen of the UL Hospitals group on last night in a plea and a rallying call to everyone in the community to take very seriously the next seven days. Our individual actions and movements over the next seven days will have a huge impact on reducing, and flattening the curve of this disease. We are heading into an unprecedented, massive hit on our healthcare system and we need to support the advice, actions and requests of our healthcare community. The Chamber boss added: The government has put in measures for anyone who has to be laid off temporarily to get financial support. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 14:24:09|Editor: zh Video Player Close LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Thirteen Taliban militants have been killed and eight others wounded in a series of security incidents in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province, provincial government said Wednesday. In one incident, in Nad Ali district's Torpul area on Tuesday, a group of militants attacked a security checkpoint, but faced a crushing counterattack from government security forces, leaving eight fighters dead and five others wounded, the government said in the statement. Separately, militants lost three fighters, while three more wounded in a direct confrontation with security forces in Nahri Sarraj district's Jahanzib Camp vicinity, the statement added. Elsewhere, in the troubled Garmser district, two Taliban armed men have been killed while attempting to plant a roadside bomb to target a security forces' convoy crossing the Atum Darab area. Violence decreased in Afghanistan after a peace deal was signed between the United States and the Taliban as well as a joint declaration issued by the U.S. side and the Afghan government in late February. However, sporadic clashes and fighting occur in countryside as Taliban militants have been attempting to take territory and consolidate their positions. The militant group has yet to make comments. The number of deaths due to the new coronavirus in the US has reached 105, with the outbreak spreading to all 50 states, even as President Donald Trump mounted a warlike effort to contain the situation, including an economic stimulus package of USD1 trillion. The first fatality from COVID-19 was reported from the Washington state on February 26. Less than a month later, the toll has crossed 100. As of March 17, the figure stood at 105 and the number of confirmed infections crossed 6,500. New York in the East Coast and Washington in the West are the two states that took major hits due to the coronavirus. The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 a pandemic. President Donald Trump has said that the crisis in the US might continue till July and August. According to The Washington Post, most of the deaths have occurred in people over 70 and those with underlying conditions. 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 "Public health experts believe the initial and ongoing testing problems mean that unknown numbers of cases have gone undetected, and they say the death toll will only continue to rise," Politico reported. President Trump has urged people to avoid gatherings of more than 10 persons. He asked them to stay indoors and work from home as much as possible. Schools, offices, bars, restaurants and many stores remain closed across the United States. In the Silicon Valley, more than seven million people have been asked to stay indoors. Curfew has been imposed in New Jersey. Several states and cities are considering taking similar measures. Trump spoke by telephone with the executives of industrial supply retailers and wholesalers about the national response to COVID-19. He thanked them for providing Americans the goods they rely on every day and asked them to extend his thanks to the incredible employees who are working tirelessly to keep store shelves well-stocked. The President also announced that Medicare telehealth services will be dramatically expanded. "Medicare patients can now visit any doctor by phone or videoconference, at no additional cost, including with commonly used services like FaceTime and Skypea historic breakthrough," he said. Several US senators wrote to Trump, urging him to use his authority to help address the widespread shortages of medical equipment caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. "There are widespread reports of shortages in personal protective equipment (PPE), ventilators, diagnostic test kits, and other medical supplies that require medical professionals to ration existing supplies," the Senators wrote. "The Department of Defense, in collaboration with governors and appropriate federal agencies, should immediately undertake a national assessment of the supply and anticipated needs for PPE, ventilators, diagnostic test kits, and other needed medical supplies to support the use of its DPA authorities, as well as determining the potential use of the Defense Logistics Agency to support the rapid deployment of needed equipment, including from existing reserves," the letter read. US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the military would provide up to five million respirator masks. He said the Pentagon will also provide items of personal protective equipment to safeguard front-line responders and up to 2,000 specialised ventilators. Pentagon would open up as many as 16 labs to test civilians for the virus and potentially call up more members of the National Guard and Reserve, Esper told reporters. Scores of Northern Ireland holidaymakers have been left stranded across Europe as coronavirus continues to wreak havoc on the travel industry. Travel restrictions and a slump in demand have already seen airlines ground thousands of flights, with many temporarily laying off staff. Countries including Spain, Poland and Cyprus have closed their borders to all non-nationals, while the EU is banning travellers from outside the bloc for 30 days. As a result of the disruption and the short-notice cancellation of flights, many travellers have been left stranded. Have you been affected? Contact digital.editorial@belfasttelegraph.co.uk One woman from Northern Ireland, Pauline, had been on a short trip to Fuerteventura, the second-largest of Spain's Canary Islands, with her partner. She was due to fly home to Belfast at 6.20pm on Saturday with easyJet, however after arriving at the airport and checking in, she received a text from the airline stating her flight had been cancelled. Pauline was then contacted by the travel agent she organised her trip with and was booked on the next available flight home this Saturday, however that has also since been cancelled. "We feel totally cut off and totally stranded. EasyJet have left us in the lurch. There's no representative here, no one has come to speak to us, we can't get any information from anyone," she told BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show. I am desperate, I am trying to hold it together, but it's difficult. I am a nurse, I'm used to working sticky situations, but nothing comes close to this Stranded NI holidaymaker Pauline "We have taken it upon ourselves to come to the airport this morning at 6am to see if there is any opportunity to get on to any flight to the UK. Now the airline desks are closing their shutters because they've been inundated with questions from people in a similar situation to ourselves." A total of 11,178 people have been infected with coronavirus in Spain, making it the worst affected European country after Italy. Spanish authorities are maintaining a partial lockdown of the country's 47 million-strong population, stopping cars crossing its borders with Portugal and France and only allowing nationals, residents and cross-border workers entry. EasyJet said it is currently operating rescue flights for those affected, however Pauline said she fears being trapped in Fuertaventura indefinitely. "The only way I could describe this airport last Saturday is it was like a war zone, like Beirut," she said. It's a living nightmare, can anyone at home do anything to help? Stranded NI holidaymaker Pauline "Our biggest fear is that they are talking about closing this airport today and it will be closed for the foreseeable future, so there's going to be lockdown here - no flights in, no flights out. "It's a living nightmare, can anyone at home do anything to help? I am desperate, I am trying to hold it together, but it's difficult. I am a nurse, I'm used to working sticky situations, but nothing comes close to this." An easyJet spokesperson said: Following restrictions implemented by the Spanish authorities, we are doing all possible to ensure those who need to travel to and from Spain including the Canary Islands for essential, work, health or repatriation reasons can do so. "We continue to operate rescue flights which will be listed on our Latest Travel Information section of the website and customers can book onto these flights via the Manage Bookings page at easyJet.com. On Monday, easyJet said flight cancellations will continue on a rolling basis "for the foreseeable future" and could result in the grounding of the majority of its fleet. The airline's chief executive Johan Lundgren said: At easyJet we are doing everything in our power to rise to the challenges of the coronavirus so that we can continue to provide the benefits that aviation brings to people, the economy and business. We continue to operate rescue and repatriation flights to get people home where we can, so they can be with family and friends in these difficult times. European aviation faces a precarious future and it is clear that co-ordinated government backing will be required to ensure the industry survives and is able to continue to operate when the crisis is over. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Norman Harsono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 16:41 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b9c2f6 1 Business renewable-energy,regulation,ESDM,Energy-Mineral-Resources-Ministry,PLN,electricity Free The government aims to jumpstart stalled renewable energy projects through a recently issued regulation as it races against time to catch up with Indonesia's green energy commitments. The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry issued last month a regulation that scraps the unpopular build, own, operate, transfer (BOOT) scheme. Many renewable energy players have said the scheme undermined their projects' bankability. The new regulation also enables Indonesia's sole off taker, state-owned PLN, to sign power purchase agreements without conducting a bid under certain conditions. The ministrys various renewables director, Harris, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that these "few changes" were meant to get stalled renewable projects going before a more powerful presidential regulation (Perpres) on renewable electricity pricing slated to be issued this year put new projects on the table. "Passing the Perpres will take time but if we dont issue regulations immediately, the growth of renewables will be stalled," he said. Read also: Indonesia likely to miss renewable energy target again The government is aiming for renewables to contribute 23 percent of power production by 2025, yet regulatory headwinds are setting the country back from achieving its goal. Regulation stipulates that Indonesia should have reached a 17.5 percent renewable power mix by 2019 yet the country only hit 12.36 percent that year. Among the frequently complained headwinds is Ministerial Regulation No. 50/2017 dubbed Permen 50. This was the regulation that introduced the BOOT scheme and erased a feed-in-tariff pricing policy, which is widely considered to be a very effective means of boosting green energy growth. As a result, out of 75 renewable energy projects signed between 2017 and 2018 in Indonesia, 27 remain without financial close and five have been terminated as of October last year, according to records from Jakarta-based energy think tank Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR). This revision is temporary by nature. It gives a legal basis for stalled projects and is a stop-gap measure while waiting for a new pricing scheme under the Perpres, IESR executive director Fabby Tumiwa told the Post. Indonesia did not sign any new renewable energy contracts last year and industry investment shortfall the difference between actual and targeted funding was the greatest compared to the mining, electrification and oil and gas industries. Read also: Coal plant expansion wipes out green energy progress The new regulation also introduces guarantees for government-backed renewable plants in improving their economics. The regulation authorizes the energy minister to order state-owned power firm PLN to buy electricity from hydropower plants attached to government-built reservoirs from state-funded waste-to-energy power plants and from state-funded renewable energy power plants. The guarantees assume such government-backed projects operate in the best public interest. Hydropower and waste-to-power plants, for instance, serve a secondary role of providing irrigation and waste management systems, respectively. Harris also said the energy ministry was in talks with PLN. However, the electricity companys spokesman, Dwi Suryo Abdullah, told the Post he was unaware of the changes. PLN, the company responsible for offtaking power under the new regulation, has been experiencing financial constraints due to competing ambitions of developing 35,000 megawatts (MW) worth of new power plants while also keeping electricity selling prices at a minimum. Both ambitions are at the behest of the government. Mr. Lahn, who is 79, normally runs the centers Monday bingo program with an older woman who survived the Holocaust. (She did not feel up to being interviewed for this article.) Since the center closed last week, he has been checking up on her by telephone. Im wondering at times whether the Holocaust survivors are better prepared than we are for this, he said. Ive never experienced anything like this. Stephanie Cacioppo, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at the University of Chicago, who studies loneliness and social isolation, said that the sense of losing control in the pandemic was both harmful and treatable. Social distance need not lead to social isolation, she said. You can train your brain like you train your body, she said. Caregivers and family members should try to help elders feel in control of the precautions they are being told to take, so that they feel involved rather than punished by the new rules, she said. She also recommended asking about public health crises they lived through in the past, including polio or tuberculosis, even SARS or the H1N1 flu. Clear information helps; alarmist news programs, on the other hand, can make people feel helpless. In a nursing home or assisted-living building, rumors run wild. Just having someone giving you an update every three hours, saying Ill see you later, gives people a sense that there is a future, Ms. Cacioppo said. It makes seniors not feel abandoned. They see themselves not as objects, but as contributing. Lujira Cooper, 72, said she felt this control slipping away. She goes three or four days a week to the Edie Windsor SAGE Center in Midtown Manhattan, the first full-time senior center for LGBT older adults. The centers closing was a reversal of the common aging experience: She was staying healthy but the social world around her was unraveling. Also, she missed the arguing and the birthday celebrations hers was scheduled for later this month. I can clean my house and work on a book Im supposed to be writing, she said, but its the missing of talking to people in another setting. I dont mind being by myself. I mind being forced to be by myself. You cant go anywhere, you cant be around people. She liked to eavesdrop on people in museums and restaurants gone. She wondered whether, when the virus receded, people would hug again, or if the practice would disappear. She felt a loss of herself as much as other people, she said. When you cant be around people altogether, and people are afraid of catching something, it creates a self-imposed prison. Alex Vadukul contributed reporting. The doors are still open at Little Eagles Childcare Center in Eyota. "We are just reminding (parents) of our sick policies," said co-owner Tracy Krucker. "No kids with temperatures over 100. They have to be fever-free for 24 hours without medication." For the moment, daycare facilities in Minnesota will remain open, even as schools across the state begin to close due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, said Sara Stebbins, child care Aware director for Families First of Minnesota, a child care provider and outreach group. "If they have a family child care or are center-based providers, they're being asked to stay open," Stebbins said. "The governor says we need child care to be a presence during this." Krucker agreed, saying she has not heard of any closings, either at center-based providers or home-based businesses. ADVERTISEMENT "We will stay open unless the state board mandates it or if we had a confirmed case of the virus here," she said. Not everyone is staying open completely as confirmed cases of the Coronavirus increase in Minnesota, with 54 confirmed cases in the state as of Monday. At many schools, the virus is causing the closure or limitation of daycare or childcare programs. The Winona Area Public Schools announced its Key Kids program for non-school child care would be offered on Monday and today for families who have registered. However, from Wednesday through March 27, "A limited Key Kids program will be offered, with priority given to children of health care workers, first responders, law enforcement and other essential employees as classified by the Minnesota Department of Education." "The closure of schools creates a ripple effect throughout the community, and we are working with the state and other agencies to minimize the disruption to our families," Winona Schools Superintendent Annette Freiheit said in a written statement. At Kasson-Mantorville Schools, communications and administration specialist Ben Pherson said K-M will also prioritize children of health care workers, firefighters, police officers and first responders. "The state is the one that said you need to make that available for those people," Pherson said. "They encourage you to make that available to staff as well, but they left it up to the districts." K-M Superintendent Mark Matuska said the district's daycare program will be limited to people who are both members of one of those professional groups and currently have children registered in the K-M program. However, he said, the district will err on the side of being inclusive. "Well be asking people for some verification of their employment," Matuska said. "But well lean toward helping them if we can. Im going to assume positive intent." ADVERTISEMENT And if a health care worker or other K-M parent with an essential job loses their current childcare, Matuska said, "Wed welcome them into ours." In the meantime, the program will continue to stress its rules that children be healthy and nonsymptomatic when attending the childcare program. "Weve got a licensed school nurse, and shell be stationed right in that program," he said. Stebbins said all of Families First's statewide programs, including Head Start, are staying open for now. "Were doing all we can to monitor correspondence from the CDC, the Minnesota Department of Health, Olmsted County Public Health," Stebbins said. "We have strict guidelines in our classrooms." A bigger issue, she said, is that with schools closing, there will be children either school-age or preschoolers whose programs are closing. And for parents who are not police or health care workers, many of those children will need to be cared for during the day because not all parents can work from home. "We work with local providers who are open to be aware of capacity thats open," she said. However, there's not a systematic way to find open slots at providers for parents who suddenly find themselves with a need. "The situation is changing. Its almost hour by hour if not day by day." For Families First, the organization has had to close some training sessions that could affect licensure for at-home providers or even center-based day cares. ADVERTISEMENT In the meantime, Krucker still sees the same full roster of kids each morning. "We've still got our regular clientele," she said. "No parents have pulled their kids out." CovidHelp: Free food, connections to resources during coronavirus closures Yet, the rugby league competition continued, despite the pandemic affecting the young more than the elderly and claiming two high profile deaths. Furthermore, the NSWRL contributed resources to fight it, rather than ask the government for handouts. Back then, a national emergency was declared to combat the highly infectious disease; people were encouraged to minimise contact, with the Christ Church in Queanbeyan restricting worshippers to no more than two per pew; flu masks were worn; theatres were sprayed three times a day with antiseptic and, like now, strict border quarantine controls were enacted to slow the diseases arrival. It reached epidemic proportions in Australia when it was effectively over in its country of its origin. Its said there is nothing new in rugby league and this includes the coronavirus which has a parallel, as a pandemic, with the deadly Spanish Flu of 100 years ago. When the Pneumonic Influenza, or Spanish Flu as it was popularly known, reached Australia in late 1918 (first case was in Melbourne), within days it would travel to Sydney and throughout NSW. Between 1918 and 1920, the pandemic killed more people worldwide between 50 million and 100 million - than died during World War I. It travelled to Manilla, in northern NSW where Dally Messenger, rugby leagues first superstar, and his wife, Annie, operated the Royal Hotel. They both became critically ill and were hospitalised. Annie died. Only weeks earlier, they had been visited by Annies son from her first marriage, Private Cyril Macaulay, who had recently returned from active service in Europe. On June 18, 1919, the disease claimed the life of Sergeant Mick Frawley who had played in the Roosters first premiership team. A forward, Frawley began his career with Easts in the codes first season of 1908, represented Australia against New Zealand the following year, played in the 1911 premiership team and retired. He enlisted in 1916, fought on the Western Front and was only 33 when he died in Moore Park Emergency Hospital from Spanish Flu. NSW was the worst affected state, as appears to be the case with the coronavirus. In Sydney alone, there were eventually 3500 deaths. It was estimated that 36 per cent of the population was infected with a death rate of one in eight, far higher than today. However, unlike the coronavirus which appears to affect the unwell and elderly, Spanish flu attacked the healthiest, usually those between 18 and 40, and mainly men. Yet rugby league competitions continued and, in mid-1919, an Australian team toured New Zealand. Crowds increased in Sydneys eight-team, 56-game competition. In 1918, the average crowd was 5524; 1919 it was 4607; 1920 was 5757 and 1921 was 7585. Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group laid off about 2,000 workers on Wednesday, citing a "near complete elimination of revenue" due to the coronavirus pandemic. Restaurants across the country are laying off workers as the outbreak closes dining rooms and consumers cook food at home. The National Restaurant Association estimates that between 5 million and 7 million restaurant jobs will be lost over the next three months. "Never could I have fathomed a time where the only path forward would be to lay people off so they can receive unemployment, while this company fights to see another day when we can return to our full staffing levels," Meyer, the company's CEO, said in a statement. The New York-based restaurant company shuttered all of its restaurants Friday until future notice. Meyer is donating his salary, along with "substantial" pay cuts for executives, to a fund for the company's employees. Roughly 20% of the company's workforce remains. USHG is planning to rehire as many employees as possible when conditions permit. Full-service restaurants are expected to be hit the hardest by the pandemic. Black Box Intelligence found that full-service restaurant traffic declined 3.7% in the week ended March 8. Areas with clusters of the virus, such as Seattle, have seen their restaurants hit even harder. Dan Simons, owner of Washington, D.C.-based Farmers Restaurant Group, estimated that roughly 97% of the company's revenue has been wiped out after closing its dining rooms. Its Founding Farmers restaurants now are only serving curbside pickup and delivery. FRG temporarily laid off all of 1,100 of its hourly workers. "We're making the best decisions that we can so that we can survive in the short term in order to get back and thrive in the long term," Simons said in an interview. "The most important thing for me is to get back in the position where I can create those jobs again and bring those people back." The National Restaurant Association asked the federal government for financial assistance, including a $145 billion recovery fund for restaurants, a federal loan program and tax measures. Restaurant workers aren't the only ones losing their jobs. Marriott International is furloughing tens of thousands of employees, and Norwegian Air is temporarily laying off about 7,300 workers. Are WHO Findings Trustworthy? How Widespread Is Lab Animal Sale in China? Who is Patient Zero? Narration: According to Chinas official records, newly added cases in the country are in sharp decline. WHO endorsed the CCP numbers. Bruce Aylward: they care about keeping these people alive and, and they do it successfully. Narration: People trapped in Wuhans high rises however, didnt seem to be on board as they shouted FAKE! FAKE! when the vice premiere of China paid a visit to the community. Narration: Three months into the coronavirus epidemic, patient zero is nowhere to be found while skepticism towards the safety of Chinas labs continues to mount. Sean Lin: Some of the animal labs may be simply handling knockout mice, transgenic mice or even mice inoculated with low pathogenic viruses. So people may have the potential to sell them for profits. Title: Epidemic Calming Down? Patient Zero? Are Chinas Labs Safe? Simone Gao: Since the coronavirus outbreak began, questions, speculation, and doubt have surrounded the Chinese Communist Partys, or CCPs, handling of the situation. Now the virus has spread to much of the planet. But what happened and is happening in China is still of paramount importance because unless we know the truth of the epidemic, the origin and real identity of this virus, we wont be able to deal with it properly. And we wont be able to prevent it from coming back. So in this episode of Zooming In, we ask the following questions: Can we trust the World Health Organizations findings in China? Who is the real patient zero? And how safe are the laboratories in Wuhan? I am Simone Gao and you are watching Zooming In. Part 1: Is the Epidemic Calming Down in China? Narration: On Feb 26, the World Health Organization brought good news to the world. Dr. Bruce Aylward, the team lead of the WHO-China joint mission on COVID-19 held a press conference in Brussels to report their findings in China. He had this to say about their overall evaluation. Mr. Aylward: You know, if I had COVID-19, I want to be treated in China. China knows how to keep people alive from coven. Theyre super committed to it and theyre making a massive investment in it as well. Thats not going to be the case everywhere in the world. And as youve seen, weve had tragically lost people in G-7 countries are dying of this disease. And so it is a serious disease. And I worry sometimes that (when) we look at the China numbers, people are going to get a false sense of security, but these people know and they care about keeping these people alive and, and they do it successfully. Theyre really good at it, folks. Narration: The WHO-China joint mission includes 25 experts from 8 countries. It was the first and only foreign expert team allowed in China to investigate the epidemic. U.S. requests to send its own experts to China were repeatedly turned down. Why did China only allow WHO experts? Dr. Aylward was open and direct about how this WHO mission came about. Mr. Aylward: I think most of you know the genesis of the mission. It was a request or decision actually by the president of China in the meeting with Dr. Tedros with a joint feeling that China has done a huge amount of work and it could inform the global response and Chinas own response to have an in-dependent mission coming to have a review and assessment of what have been done and lessons for the way forward. Ms. Gao: If we paraphrase what Dr. Aylward said in Chinese context, it means this: Xi Jinping openly asked WHO to endorse his leadership in combating the COVID-19 epidemic. Communist regimes have a consistent pattern of organizing foreign visits, with the USSR setting the precedent. Historically, this kind of joint mission would operate like this: The Chinese government arranged the itinerary, and government personnel would accompany the experts for the entire mission. The government also dictated what the foreign specialists saw, where they went, and who they talked to, from top to bottom. Dr. Aylward also offered evidence that the team only went to the safest places. Mr. Aylward: I never had any exposures. You know, are careful and we run careful. You know, we have no contact with patients. We have no direct close contacts. We have no contacts with contacts. All the restaurants were closed, so we werent even interacting with our group. Any of the hospitals we went to, we go into the clean section, and wed go nowhere near, you know, theres a dirty section and then theres also a gray zone. We dont go near those things. Ms. Gao: The WHO team spent nine days total in China. They arrived on Saturday, February 16, and convened for the first time on Sunday night. Dr. Aylward said the team spent the last 3 days writing a report with its Chinese partners. They went to 4 provinces including Beijing, Wuhan, Guangdong and Sichuan. These provinces and cities span across much of China, which means it would take at least two days for the travel time alone. So the team really had at most 3 days to work on the mission. And one of the most important conclusions Dr. Aylward and others drew was that the world owes Wuhan. Narration: Dr. Aylward presented a chart of the epidemic development in China over time. The inverted V shape curve, according to Aylward, is evidence of the Chinese governments achievement. When asked whether we could trust Chinas official numbers, Dr. Aylward said three of their own findings support the Chinese narrative. Indicator No.1: There are empty beds everywhere. Mr. Aylward: One thing you can do is you can talk to doctors who are seeing patients who are running these massive hospitals, and everywhere you were hearing the same thing that [they] have open beds. And in Wuhan, it was like, We have open beds, we can get people out of isolation centers into a proper hospital bed. Indicator No.2: Testing clinics are freeing up. Mr. Aylward: And when we went and talked to the people at the fever clinic, they were sitting there not scanning people or not testing people and they said, you know, this is change. [They] had lines and they arent there anymore. And thats the second indicator that that is real. Indicator No.3: Not enough patients to enroll in drug trials. Mr. Aylward: So when I was talking to him, I said, so hows enrollment going? And he said, its a challenge. Its slowing down, it has slowed down because there are not enough new patients that [they] can actually recruit into the trial. Ms. Gao: Again, if everything the team saw in China was arranged by the government, we are not entirely sure if the firsthand evidence the team collected is really firsthand. In fact, social media and Chinas own media reports seem to contradict what the WHO team identified. Narration: We obtained this video from a twitter feed. The tweet said: Vice Premiere of China Sun Chunlan was visiting a community in Wuhan. Residents were not allowed to leave their apartments. They shouted Fake! Fake! All Fake instead. Ms. Gao: And its not just social media. Chinas official medias positive coverage of the coronavirus sometimes defeats its own purpose as well. Narration: According to a Xinhua News Agency report, on February 21, the deputy mayor of Wuhan Hu Yabo said that 19 more temporary hospitals would be built in the city. There are 13 such temporary hospitals in Wuhan right now with over 13 thousand beds. Over 9 thousand of them are occupied according to Hu. If the development of the epidemic is showing an inverted V-shape, and the number of illnesses is on the decline, why should Wuhan continue to build so many temporary hospitals? Hu Yabo said that on February 25, there will be 30,000 beds, which is over double the current amount. If the existing beds are not fully occupied yet, why are so many more beds needed? Meanwhile, Internal CCP documents received by the Epoch Times show that government departments and agencies are required to destroy documents and data related to the outbreak. The document was circulated in Liaoning Province, which is one-thousand miles away from the virus epicenter in Hubei. Confidential internal documents from Shandong province also show that authorities were purposefully under-reporting the number of testing-kits that returned positive results. The actual number of new cases at that time was up to 52 times more than officially reported. On top of that, change of testing methodology adds to the confusion of Chinese data. On February twenty-sixth, five senior officials in Hubei province reported negative 107 new cases. Later that day, 10 other cities also reported negative cases. The strange numbers came from shifting methodology inside China for giving confirmed diagnoses. Originally, only results from nucleic acid testing were considered valid. Then briefly, China shifted to accepting CT scan results, only to change back to nucleic acid testing shortly after. So when 112 patients tested positive on CT scans, only 5 of them tested positive with the nucleic acid test, the result was negative 107. Ms. Gao: Despite all the doubts we have regarding official numbers coming out of China, we are not making a definitive conclusion that the epidemic in China is not calming down. We simply dont know for sure. Yes, WHOs A+ grade on the Chinese governments handling of the epidemic is a textbook definition of propaganda. Nevertheless, we are not sure either whether such propaganda doesnt work at all. Heres an interview clip of Vice President Pence on Fox News. Mike Pence: There were some encouraging news that there were actually fewer new cases in China than in the balance of the world. Maria Bartiromo: And we believe them? Mike Pence: Well, we have CDC officials who were just in China a few short weeks ago. And they informed me that they were able to look at the raw data. And from their initial look, it did line up with much of the data we are receiving. Ms. Gao: Who are these CDC experts Vice President Pence mentioned, and what raw data could they have? I asked Dr. Sean Lin these questions. He is a Chinese and American trained microbiologist, former lab director of the Viral Disease Branch of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, and was involved in the outbreak response for MERS in the Middle East in 2014. Dr. Lin: Yes, there are two medical doctors from the United States who attended this mission. One of them is Dr. Clifford Lane, who is the clinical director for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. Another doctor is Dr. Wei Gongzhou in the Influenza Division from CDC. So the problem is that the medical experts in this joint mission from other countries have to be accompanied by other Chinese experts and Chinese security people in this joint mission. And throughout their whole trip in China, they only had one day of visit in Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak. So what can you find out in one day, right? And also, from their reports, you can clearly see that they acknowledge the knowledge gap regarding the animal origins, natural reservoir for the viruses, and also they clearly mentioned that theres a problem in understanding the animal-human interface for the early outbreak, and that the early exposure of this virus could not be identified. That means they couldnt identify the patient zero. So all these key questions actually point out a clear failure in early epidemiology study or in disease control in Wuhan. So I think this is the core question. But this mission couldnt find out any information about the key questions. And of course, the Chinese medical doctors and scientists have put a lot of effort in treating the patients, studying the virus, and containing the outbreak. Of course, they had made huge sacrifices for this. But for this kind of joint mission, the key issue is you need to address the core problem. If the core problem is not answered, then I think the raw data still doesnt give you much information. This is very likely to be just a cover-up under the banner of the WHO, similar to the Chinese governments inviting journalists to visit labor camps and prisons after they moved out Falun Gong practitioners or Uighurs from these locations. So what you find is what the government wants you to see. Ms. Gao: What is your assessment of the epidemic in China now? Dr. Lin: Im not optimistic at all about the epidemic situation in China. First, it would be a terrible mistake to trust the propaganda state-run media, telling people the outbreak has been contained and even blaming the United States as a potential origin of the viruses. Actually, from the reports from Chinese medical doctors, we know that even in January and February 83% of the infection were due to collective gathering, like family gatherings, social events, or maybe working units. And now the Chinese government is pushing people back to work, pushing the factory to resume production. But we know there are many reports about factory workers getting infected and (incidents where) the entire factory got quarantined down. So this is a very dangerous situation. The Chinese government is incubating a second round of big outbreak in China. Bumper: Coming up, who is the real patient zero of the COVID-19 outbreak? Part 2: Patient Zero Narration: Generally in an outbreak, finding patient zero or index case can greatly assist doctors and the scientific community in combating the disease. When the person is identified, then the way the person got sick can likely be identified as well. However, China has so far given both limited and questionable data on who patient zero actually is. Official statements from the Wuhan health authorities said that the first case of the COVID-19 appeared in Wuhan on December 8, 2019. The man was later cured and released from the hospital. He had no contact with the Huanan seafood market which the Chinese authorities claim is the source of the outbreak. However, two other reports contradict this statement. Reports from both The Lancet on January 24, and the BBC on February 18, state that the first case appeared one week earlier on December first. The patient was a bed-ridden man in his 70s. He had no contact with the seafood market either. Nevertheless, the Chinese Health authorities insisted that the virus came from the Seafood market. On Feb 17, BBC interviewed one of the Lancet article author, Dr. Wu Wenjuan who was also the director of the intensive care unit at Jinyintan hospital that treated the bed-ridden man. Wu told the BBC that because he was ill, he basically didnt go outdoors. The Lancet study said that none of the mens family members developed any fever or respiratory symptoms. When asked by the BBC about the man having no connection to the market, and if there is another source of his infection, she responded that their research was now moving in that direction. Ms. Gao: Yet, we have not heard from Dr. Wu Wenjuan about their research since. This should be pretty straight forward. A bed ridden man who had no contact with the seafood market was infected with the COVID-19 virus. How could he have caught it? The first guess would be from people who were around him. If his family members didnt have symptoms, then what about people who visited the family? The list shouldnt be too long. Yet, two months into the epidemic, the true patient zero has not yet been identified. Furthermore, Chinese health officials have made no changes to the claim that the seafood market was the source of the virus, despite multiple research indicating a large percentage of the early patients having no contact with the market. Not only that, Chinese researchers claimed that they have found the origin of the virus in absence of patient zero. Narration: On January 20, one Chinese Doctor named Shi Zhengli, along with her team, submitted a paper study to Nature, naming bats as the source of the COVID-19. Dr. Shi also happens to be a researcher at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Before the institute opened, her research was already focused on other coronaviruses, like SARS from the 2002 outbreak. Ms. Gao: What has Dr. Shi accomplished in her two decades of research and study? And what does her research mean? I asked Dr. Sean Lin this question. Dr. Lin: So Dr. Shi Zhenglis group has done a lot of research on coronavirus. For example, in 2010, her group identified a Chinese horseshoe bat having the receptor that can bind to the SARS-CoV S-protein. The mutation in the receptor binding domain can actually modulate the binding affinity. In 2013, her team published another major discovery. This time, they actually identified two virus strains in the horseshoe bat. These two strains of virus showed 95% identity in nuclear tie with the SARS-CoV. These two viruses can also bind to the receptor in bats, civets, and humans. So this is the strongest evidence of the potential transmission route from bats to civets and (then) to humans. Her team continued to study what might be the potential emergence, maybe the potential epidemic strain for SARS. In 2015, they published another article, and this time they created a chimeric virus using the S-protein from the bat coronavirus and putting it in the backbone of a mouse (that) adopted the SARS-CoV. To their surprise, this virus actually showed gain of function because it showed the infectivity in the human airways and epithelial cells, and it also showed lung pathogenesis in animal models with mice. So this is actually related to the medical acid issue about gain of function studies. Dr. Shis group had all the capacities. They had a Coronavirus-reverse genetic system. They are good at introducing mutations on S-proteins, and they had all the wild type bat coronavirus and the SARS-CoV strains. So it really depends on whether they continued this kind of function studies, as they are fully aware of the risks of such gain of function studies. Ms. Gao: The new virus Dr. Shi and her team constructed in 2015 is not the same virus as this outbreak. However, the fact that Dr. Shi, as head of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, has studied various SARS-Coronaviruses and has constructed high pathogenic coronaviruses in a lab, her lab is very close to the epicenter of this outbreak, and there are more microbiology labs in Wuhan begs a number of questions. One of them, of course, is how safe are Chinese laboratories? Part 3: Are Chinas Microbiology Labs Safe? Narration: Chinese laboratories have a history of lax standards and leaked pathogens.During the SARS outbreak, the virus was leaked from the lab twice. In both cases, individuals who worked at the Chinese Institute of Virology in Beijing became infected. One of the individuals went on extensive railway trips before being hospitalized. Another instance of lax security came from selling lab animals to local markets, according to Chinese state media reports. The man, named Li Ning, was a biologist at the China Engineering Academy. He was found to have sold experimental pigs, cows, and milk to local markets between 2008 and 2012. Li and his colleagues kept the money from the sales, close to 1.5 million dollars. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison on January second, 2020. According to a 2016 report from the China Experimental Animal Information Network, Chinese researchers use tens of millions of laboratory animals every year. The Experimental Animal Research Center of Hubei Province alone handles about 300,000 animals a year, either for bioresearch experiments inside the center, or to be sold and distributed to other labs in Hubei Province. Ms. Gao: How widespread is the practice of Chinese researchers selling lab animals? Could the virus have leaked from the labs because of this behavior? Here is Dr. Lin again. Dr. Lin: Regarding the potential lab leak, this is really related to the lab management issues, because some of the animal labs may be simply handling knockout mice, transgenic mice or even mice inoculated with low pathogenic viruses. So people may have the potential to sell them for profits. But it is a management issue. Meanwhile, I want to bring your attention to one article published by two scientists in China. One of them is in Guangzhou, and the other is actually in Wuhan, in Huazhong University of Science and Technology. In this paper, they identified a lab that was run by Wuhans CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). This animal lab actually contains hundreds of bats collected in the wild in Hubei province and in Zhejiang province. The collector was reportedly attacked by bats multiple times, and he had to quarantine himself a couple of times too. Of course, the animal lab had to do surgeries on animals to study their tissue organs. So the tissue samples and contaminated trash are the sources of pathogens. You know, if these were not managed well, it could have contaminated the environment and people who (came into) contact with such trash as well. This lab is actually only 280 meters away from the Huanan seafood market. It is (also) adjacent to Union Hospital, where the first batch of Chinese doctors got infected during the epidemic. So this is alarming. Of course, this is only a potential lab leak. No solid proof has been identified and reviewed so far. But it is a potential. Narration: On Feb 29, 2020, at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), China expert Michael Pillsbury made this comment about the coronavirus. Michael Pillsbury: One of the things President Xi and President Trump had talked about 3 times this year by phone is the coronavirus and what China needs to tell us that we need to know about this virus. They posted the analysis of the virus online. This is not the way the secretive Chinese usually do business. Then it was pointed out to them not publicly, but by people who are loyal to President Trump, this virus comes from one thing, either from a laboratory in Wuhan, which were not accusing you of, or eating wild animals that you buy in a huge market in Wuhan. Yesterday the Chinese passed a law. By the way, they usually say that their laws take two or three years to pass. In two weeks, they passed a law banning all Chinese from eating wild animals. Narration: Pillsburys account of Chinas reaction was not complete though. On Feb 15, 10 days prior to the legislation of banning consumption of wild animals, the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology published a directive, titled: Instructions on strengthening biosecurity management in microbiology labs that handle advanced viruses like the novel coronavirus. Ms. Gao: What does this directive mean? Heres what Dr. Lin told me: Dr. Lin: So this new directive is clearly suggesting there were major biosecurity hazards related to these microbiology labs handling highly pathogenic viral pathogens. So of course, when the directive was issued, it kind of implies that the Chinese government accepted the potential of a lab leak. Ms. Gao: No doubt Chinese doctors and nurses are working extremely hard to combat the epidemic. So are the average Chinese people. But unless the firewall comes down completely and the CCP allows foreign experts into China freely, the outside world wont know whats really happening in China, and neither will the Chinese people. In WHOs press briefing, Dr. Aylsward did not mention how the CCPs suppression of information in the first couple of months has taken many lives and allowed the disease to spread around the world. But these facts simply wont go away. Thanks for watching Zooming In. I am Simone Gao and see you next time. Subscribe for updates: http://bit.ly/SimoneGao Official website: https://www.ntd.com/zooming-in Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ZoomingInShow/ Twitter: @ZoomingIn_NTD Subscribe and listen to our new podcast! Links below: iTunes Podcast: https://ept.ms/zinapplepodcast Spotify Podcast: https://ept.ms/zinspotifypodcast Google Podcast: https://ept.ms/zingooglepodcast Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Inforial (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta, Indonesia Thu, March 19, 2020 00:03 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206bb14fb 4 Inforial Free We can easily stick a pin on a map of Jakarta to locate where most business took place in the mid-2010s: the Senayan Central Business District and the surrounding area. Though the market actually moves along the length of Jl. Sudirman, extending a few kilometers north toward the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle. However, today it is a little more saturated. When talking about Jakartas central business district (CBD), we could easily argue for Slipi, Kemang or the Fatmawati area. Businesses have spilled out of the now dense Golden Triangle of the city. Stately mixed-use commercial buildings can be found as far as Pantai Indah Kapuk to the North, and Jl. TB Simatupang to the south. The CBD is not defined by how tall the buildings are, or even what type of businesses are in the area. Its more of a combination of both: The CBD is an integrated, mixed-use area of land that is often leased to office towers and retail centers. It is, however, not always synonymous with the city center. Paris, for example, has its CBD located kilometers away from the city center due to zoning laws. The CBD, often synonymous with financial district or downtown in larger cities, is an area in the city zoned to house office buildings. The zoning laws in these districts are often not as restricted, allowing office towers that maximize land use in this limited area. These zones are often ringed by residential neighborhoods, allowing a more centralized approach for cities to integrate and focus their transportation and infrastructure. The surge, due to the finite CBD space available in the eponymous district in Sudirman, along with the slow decline in convenience of access to the area, is changing the landscape of the city as a whole. Jakartas new CBD areas are appearing in areas that were previously residential. Traffic slowly creates rifts of inconvenience between major districts, creating a pseudo-polycentric state in Jakarta. These new centers, such as the renowned Slipicon Valley often house up-and-coming businesses, especially technology and fintech companies. These companies are startups that look for areas with lower rent and better accessibility for their employees. Suburban areas are gradually gentrified, paving the way for office buildings that tower above shopping malls in the middle of residential areas. Superblocks are built to house lifestyle centers, residential buildings and office towers. Podomoro City, for example, is a project that makes the Grogol area desirable for companies looking to house their HQ in West Jakarta. There is also a shift in the trend where companies select a non-standard location to move their headquarters to. Ride-hailing company Gojek has chosen to locate its green, industrial HQ in Pasaraya Blok M, taking over part of the renowned shopping mall and turning it into an office with character. The companys logo is visible from hundreds of meters away, and the fact that it is not placed on an office building adds to its character. The MRT provides flexibility for the modern, agile workforce (./.) The advent of the Jakarta MRT line opened the opportunity for suburban areas to have office towers built in them. Now, office buildings tower over homes in Lebak Bulus, and shared office hubs have begun to appear along the MRT line, especially in Fatmawati, an area previously known to be strictly residential. In Japan, the fundamental characteristic of central city urban development revolves around the concept of transit-oriented development (TOD), and is almost exclusively rail-based. City centers spring up around train stations and spread radially from the stations outward to the surrounding suburbs. The decentralization of CBD areas can affect employees productivity. When CBD-based companies with commuting employees are faced with this issue, they have a choice to make: either relent to the trend by relocating or fragmenting their office into remote, interconnected teams, or maintain their integrated position at the cost of their employees wellbeing. When employees spend long hours commuting, the company risks increasing absenteeism by 16 percent, as found by a study from VU University in the Netherlands. The same study suggests that employees are more likely to be late, and more inclined to leave early to avoid heavy traffic and overcrowded public transit. This direct impact on employees productivity can affect their quality of life and relationships with other team members. The shared workspace area in GoWork Fatmawati (./.) In the internet-laden era of Industry 4.0, distance is no longer a tough hurdle. With 5G connection and ubiquitous WiFi, teams can stay connected to each other through virtual conference rooms and online Kanban Boards (scheduling boxes, i.e. workflow manager apps). To house teams like these, you will need workspaces that are readily available in the new CBDs around Jakarta, where you can house separate teams where the action is. Such workspaces must be able to support the infrastructure to enable teams to remain connected and also conveniently located to maximize productivity. GoWork provides flexible office solutions for companies that seek to move their HQ to a new location with inspiring and sleek office spaces in new CBDs located all over Jakarta. Located in Fatmawati, Puri, Pantai Indah Kapuk and Kemang, GoWork has the initiative to seize the budding market in the area, and prepare an office space for companies from all industries to house their new team in move-in ready office spaces that are more than convenient, but also future-proof. A pub worker who says she broke her finger when a fridge door was slammed on her hand is suing for 150,000 in compensation. Ana Catarina Figueira, 31, claims a chef at the Old Fields pub in Southfields, south London, is to blame for her injury, as she went to fetch hamburgers from the walk-in fridge. She says he shut the large metal door on her hand, leaving her screaming and crying with pain, Central London county court heard. Pub owner Greene King said Miss Figueira caught her own hand in the door and was being fundamentally dishonest to the court. Miss Figueira, from Croydon, claims she struggled to recover after the accident, and has been left with a disability that affects her ability to work. Her barrister, James Patience, said Miss Figueira was working in the kitchen on January 9, 2016, when the chef emerged from the fridge with ingredients to make sauce. Old Fields pub in Southfields The door to the fridge was open and she had to get some hamburgers, he said. She went to enter the fridge and, as she was doing so, the chef was leaving. She will state that he kicked, elbowed or somehow shut the door as she was entering. She attempted to grab the closing door with her right hand and, in doing so, she sustained injury, in that her hand was caught between the door frame and the door. He said Greene King had to provide compelling evidence that she was lying but it had only produced the account of the chef himself. Miss Figueira, giving evidence through a Portuguese interpreter, told Judge Simon Freeland she was left in severe pain. The pain was very sharp. I was screaming and crying, she said. Greene King says the chef was nowhere near the walk-in fridge when Miss Figueira was hurt, but he was the one who rushed to her rescue after she had caught her hand in the door. For over 3,000 years, Nawroz in Persian naw is new and roz is day the Persian New Year, which symbolizes renewal and rebirth, has been celebrated during springtime in central and western Asia along with parts of the Balkans. This year it falls on March 19, and we can join Iranians in celebrating Nawroz by making some of their prized dishes. This Persian rice ring is a showstopper, and though the recipe is complicated and lengthy, its not hard to make. Im always looking for ways to reduce the amount of meat I eat, so the mushrooms and lentils are added to contribute texture and flavor to the filling. Persian Rice Ring RICE LAYER 2 cups basmati rice Generous pinch saffron Zest from 2 oranges 2 teaspoons salt 1 cup thick Greek-style yogurt FILLING cup lentils (yellow channa or moong) 4-6 tablespoons ghee or butter 1 teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds 2 cups minced onion 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 pound ground lamb 2 cups sliced mushrooms 1 teaspoon ground dry turmeric 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon crushed coriander seeds 1 teaspoon chili powder 2 teaspoons salt 1 cup canned chopped tomatoes (or 2 cups fresh tomatoes) 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon cup sliced or slivered almonds cup currants Instructions: Rinse the lentils in warm water 4-5 times and soak for 2-3 hours. Drain. Rinse the basmati rice in cold water 4-5 times then soak for about 2 hours. Soak saffron in 2-3 tablespoons of warm water. Drain the rice, combine with 3 cups of water, saffron water, orange zest and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the rice and cook for 7-10 minutes or until cooked through and the water has evaporated. Turn the heat off, gently fold the rice over, set it aside and let it cool. In a Dutch oven or a stockpot with a thick bottom, heat up the ghee and add the cardamom seeds and minced onions. Cook on high heat until the onions have sweated and turn golden brown. Add the garlic, lamb and mushrooms. Cook on high heat for 4-5 minutes then add the lentils, turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili and salt, lower the heat and continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes until the spices have incorporated into the mixture. Now add 2-3 cups of water and bring to a boil and lower the heat and cook the mixture for 20-30 minutes. The lentils will soften, and the mixture will thicken. Next add the tomatoes and fenugreek and continue cooking the mixture for another 20 minutes it should be thick but not dry, and all elements should be cooked through. Stir the cinnamon, almonds and currants into the lamb mixture, take it off the heat and cool the mixture. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter on all sides. Incorporate the cooled rice gently with yogurt until it is evenly mixed. Press into the bottom (roughly 1-inch layer) and bring it up the sides to create a cavity for the lamb filling. Spread the cooled lamb mix into the cavity and top off with the remaining rice-yogurt mix. Cover the rice ring loosely with foil and place in the oven. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and continue cooking the rice ring for another 30-45 mintues until all sides appear golden. Remove the rice ring and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Loosen the edges with a knife, remove the outer ring and gently flip the rice ring over on a serving plate take off the top metal plate, garnish with herbs and serve immediately with fennel yogurt and/or plain yogurt. FENNEL YOGURT 2 cups plain yogurt (plain or Greek style) 2 cups fennel fronds 1 cup cilantro leaves 1 serrano pepper teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon fennel seeds Instructions: Puree the yogurt with fennel fronds, cilantro leaves, serrano and salt. Pour into a serving dish. Heat the olive oil until just shy of smoking and add the fennel seeds they will pop and sizzle. Immediately pull the pan off the heat and pour over the fennel yogurt. Notes and variations The filling can be made vegetarian with entirely mushrooms and lentils Any other meat, such as chicken, turkey or beef, can be substituted for lamb. Replace the saffron with turmeric if needed. Once the rice ring has been put together into the springform pan, it can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Replace fennel with mint or basil. Makes 8 servings From chef Anita Jaisinghani Anita Jaisinghani is the chef-owner of Pondicheri restaurant in Houston. Her website is india1948.com. Contact her at anita@pondicheri.com. Lorries crossing Hungary to and from neighbouring countries will have to use specially assigned routes and designated fuel stations before departing the country at particular crossings along the Serbian, Ukrainan and Romanian borders, a government official said. The lorries will also have to carry special permits, Tamas Menczer, parliamentary state secretary for communications told parliaments public welfare committee. He noted that international road, rail and air passenger traffic has been suspended, though Ferenc Liszt International Airport is still operating so that Hungarian citizens abroad can return home. Any Hungarian entering the country from Italy, China, South Korea, Israel and Iran must self-isolate at home for a period of two weeks, he added. MTI Photo: Gyorgy Varga Immigrants detained in the Essex County Correctional Facility have organized a hunger strike in response to growing concerns about a coronavirus outbreak in the jail, a group of immigration attorneys said Wednesday. In a statement released by New York City public defenders, the conditions at the Essex correctional facility have deteriorated to such an extent that an entire unit has launched a hunger strike and is demanding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials release them. The hunger strike just underlines how deeply problematic ICEs management of the situation is, the joint statement said. We are in the midst of an unprecedented crisis. ICE has done nothing to rise to the occasion but instead continues to put the lives of hundreds of people at risk. The statement says that attorneys from the Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn Defender Services and the Bronx Defenders, who often represent detainees in N.J., are hearing from detained immigrants in N.J. jails that they are being subjected to dangerous conditions, "putting them at further risk of contracting and spreading the COVID-19 virus. The public defender offices said they received a statement from a group of individuals incarcerated at the Essex County facility. The statement said that the point of the hunger strike was to petition for release, either on bond, bracelet monitoring or for those with final deportation orders who want to be deported, "get them on their plane ASAP. This coronavirus is getting out of control and if we were to be infected I am sure everyone would rather die on the outside with our families than in here, the statement from the detainees said. ICE detains around 2,000 immigrants in New Jersey in total between their private detention center in Elizabeth and the three county jails (Bergen, Essex and Hudson County) it has contracts with. ICE officials and the warden at the Essex County Correctional Facility did not immediately return a request for comment regarding the hunger strike. The public defender law offices have also been in contact with immigration detainees at the Hudson County and Bergen County jails, where ICE also detains immigrants awaiting immigration proceedings. At the Hudson County jail, multiple people have reported that they have not been given soap and are living in unsanitary conditions, the attorneys say. Others have said jail officials are keeping them in their cells for prolonged periods of time, including up to 24 hours straight in hopes of preventing an outbreak. Another detainee said there was no way to call for medical attention, and that jail staff was instead asking if inmates had complaints, noting down the answer, and then doing nothing whatsoever in response, according to the law offices. In Bergen County, the wife of a detainee said a group of 30 inmates was moved into solitary confinement until the coronavirus is under control. We have been calling on ICE and the wardens of the local jails to ensure that they are implementing appropriate safety and preventive measures to protect our clients and all currently-detained people from COVID-19, the joint statement said. They have failed to provide any guidance on these measures or to heed our requests to release all people from ICE custody, including vulnerable people who are particularly susceptible to infection. There is increasing pressure from immigration advocacy groups and immigration attorneys for ICE to release all immigration detainees, as experts warn that an outbreak in a correctional facility could devastate a population that lives in tight and often unsanitary conditions. 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. Make the Road New Jersey, an immigration rights organization, demanded over the weekend that ICE release all detainees in New Jersey. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) New Jersey has also called on ICE to release immigration detainees. Detention is inhumane and unsafe, and ICE is ill-equipped to provide adequate care and ensure the safety of detainees, Deya Aldana, of Make the Road New Jersey, said in a statement. Detainees must be released for their safety. Joe Atmonavage may be reached at jatmonavage@njadvancemedia.com. Follow on Twitter @monavage. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Preparations are underway to put London in a lockdown similar to EU countries if experts decide it is the only way to cut coronavirus deaths, Downing Street says. Prime minister Boris Johnson said he was not ruling out legal restrictions to prevent people flouting health advice to stay at home and keep away from public gatherings. Measures including the closure of most shops and forcing all but essential workers to remain at home are on the table after an alarming rise in cases in the capital. Nicola Sturgeon, Scotlands first minister, revealed the latest thinking when she said Boris Johnson was poised to announce more stringent measures for London, the acknowledged hotspot. Asked if there could be a shift towards a compulsory lockdown in the worst areas within the coming days, Mr Johnson said he was a believer in freedom and thought people should take their own decisions. But he told a Downing Street press conference: The more closely and the more strictly, more ruthlessly, we can enforce upon ourselves and our families the advice that were getting about avoiding unnecessary gatherings, about staying at home when we have symptoms all that advice, which is good advice then the better we will be able to protect our NHS, the fewer deaths we will have and the less suffering there will be in the UK population and the faster we will get through this and the better we will bounce back eventually. So it is a very, very clear choice for people this is strong, strong advice. We do not rule out, because it would be quite wrong to do so, taking further and faster measures in due course. Recommended Schools across UK to shut down from as early as Friday Mr Johnsons official spokesman said that current measures merely advising the public to avoid pubs, restaurants, public transport and unnecessary social contact were only what was considered necessary at this point in time and that the government was ready to do whatever is required to keep the public safe based on scientific and medical advice. London is expected to suffer one quarter of the eventual total number of fatalities. The government is confident it has masses of powers to enforce something akin to mass quarantine, even without the emergency legislation about to be passed. The 1984 Public Health (Control of Disease) Act strengthened when the crisis broke out allows for individuals to be kept in isolation for their own safety. 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 prime minister himself referred, earlier this week, to even having the power to prevent people shaking hands, in extreme circumstances. Although the UK switched tack to urge the people to accept dramatic restrictions on normal life, it remains way behind most of the western world. Edouard Philippe, the French prime minister, accused the UK of not playing its part in the war on the virus, stating: Everyone within the European Union must adopt coherent methods and processes to fight the epidemic, as in Italy, France and Spain. The UK was taking too long continuing to avoid these containment measures, he said warning they could be repercussions for British visitors to France. Mr Johnsons chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said that anyone failing to observe advice to avoid unnecessary contacts was putting lots of people at risk. The modelling does take into account that not everyones going to follow it, Sir Patrick told the No 10 press conference. But a very high proportion need to. We all need to really focus on this, because the moment we say Well, its not for me, its for somebody else and compliance for this goes down, the less effective its going to be. And the reason this is important - I cant stress this enough is to make sure that the NHS ICU (intensive care unit) capacity is kept in a way that we dont breach it, and the ventilators are available to do this. So when we dont adhere to this, were actually putting lots of people at risk, were putting those sickest patients at risk. Its crucial that this isnt taken as soft advice, but is taken as a really clear instruction to do this, if were going to make sure that we protect the lives of others. Sadiq Khan, Londons mayor, has protested at not being kept fully informed about the governments plans, being unaware of whether the lockdown would take place, or what form it might take. A decision will be based on the latest advice presented to the Cobra emergency committee, but it will not be imposed before Friday at the earliest. It comes as schools across the UK shut down by the weekend, another measure No 10 has sought to avoid. The prime ministers spokesman added: London seems to be moving ahead of other parts of the UK and he [Boris Johnson] advised people in London to pay particular attention to the measures we have been putting in place. Two more persons have tested positive for coronavirus in the city, taking the total number of cases in Karnataka to 13, Health Minister B Sriramulu said on Wednesday. The two patients--56-year-old man and 25-year-old woman--had returned from the US and Spain, respectively. Two more COVID-19 cases have been registered in Bengaluru today, taking the total infected cases to 13, the minister tweeted. The man, a city resident, had returned from the US on March 6 while the woman from Spain, Sriramulu said, adding the duo were admitted to a designated hospital's isolation ward. A 67-year-old woman, who is resident of the city and had returned from Dubai via Goa last week, tested positive on Tuesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 21:58:08|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close WASHINGTON, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The United States will temporarily close its northern border with Canada to "non-essential traffic," and the decision was made by mutual consent, President Trump tweeted Wednesday. PITTSBURG, Calif., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Filipino food manufacturer Ramar Foods will continue operating despite the shelter-in-place emergency order issued by Contra Costa County. "Deemed an essential business, food producers have a unique responsibility to do all within our power to ensure an uninterrupted supply of food products during these trying times," says Susan Quesada, President. "Ramar Foods is rising to answer the call." Essential businesses include those directly involved with food supply, healthcare, infrastructure, and some public services. Ramar Foods The now-effective order directing all residents to shelter at home for the next three weeks was issued Monday by Ori Tzvieli, the Deputy Health Officer for Contra Costa County, to combat the spread of COVID-19, also known as the coronovirus. The county is one amongst seven Bay Area counties with shelter-in-place in effect. To tackle the surge in demand for food triggered by coronavirus panic-buying, the employees of Ramar Foods will be doubling up in their efforts to continue production without interruption, while maintaining maximum employee and food safety precautions in the Pittsburg-based facility. "Our utmost concern is for employees and the safety of those in our community," says HR Manager Maggie Carrillo. "We also have a greater role to nourish our community by making sure our food is available. We are following the Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization, California Department of Public Health, and Contra Costa County Department of Public Health updates hourly." About Ramar Foods Founded in 1969, Ramar's goal is to bring the flavors of the Philippines to your household. Ramar Foods is committed to manufacturing your favorite frozen Filipino food products. Ramar's success for 50 years of experience in the industry is attributed to its people, its deep relationship with the Filipino diaspora and a commitment to understanding what brings satisfaction to Filipino families. During their first years, they started with a vision of being the premier Filipino food company that will bring nostalgia to Filipino households and at the same time, give a snapshot of the Filipino experience to non-Filipinos all over the world. Today, we have grown to be America's #1 Filipino Food company serving communities across North America and beyond. Continuously being family owned and operated, they commit to nourishing our community through its legacy of family food products For more information, visit www.ramarfoods.com. PR Contact: Roland Theo Capulong Email: [email protected] Related Images image1.png Related Links Ramar Foods SOURCE Ramar Foods Related Links http://www.ramarfoods.com Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry are officially done with royal life. And while they are off to begin their new life, fans are still wondering what ultimately caused the big split. While Prince Harry has spoken out a few times over the past few weeks, he has never given specifics as to why he felt compelled to take a different path than that of his family members. Meghan has remained completely silent since the royal exit, with only a few brief appearances and no interviews as of yet. While everyone waits for her first post-royal chat, critics have plenty to say about how Markle might be feeling about her new life. Meghan Markle had a hard time in the royal family Meghan and Prince Harry started dating in the summer of 2016. For the first few months, the new couple managed to keep their romance under the radar. However, it wasnt too long before news sources started getting wind of the affair. Although the Suits actress and her royal boyfriend seemed very happy, almost from the beginning, Meghan was beset with racist, negative press coverage. Prince Harry felt compelled to defend his girlfriend with a rare statement, calling out the press for the way they treated her. Sadly, the bad press didnt go away after their wedding in May 2018. Meghan was attacked by the British tabloids on a daily basis, with critics calling out her choice of clothing, her favorite foods, and the way she supposedly treated staffers within the palace. Although the Duchess of Sussexs close friends spoke up on several occasions to defend her, nothing could change the way the press perceived her or her relationship with Prince Harry. Why did Meghan Markle and Prince Harry resign? In January 2020, Meghan and Prince Harry announced that they would be retiring as senior members of the royal family, in order to focus on other projects, including their charitable endeavors. They revealed in their announcement that they wanted to give their son a multinational upbringing, raising him in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Their announcement said nothing about the bad press that Meghan has received, or how the negativity from critics might have played into their decision. Still, many have assumed that the constant pressure played at least a small role in the couples decision. A few sources have stated that the couple actually felt as though they were being driven out of the royal family due to a series of fallouts within the royal family circle. Did Meghan Markle really get what she wanted? Meghan and Prince Harry made their last appearances as members of the royal family in early March. Since the exit, Meghan has mostly been staying under the radar in the couples home base in Canada. According to a recent report, Meghan has been enjoying the peace and quiet and has been indulging in daily walks with baby Archie, chatting with locals, and settling into her new life. The same report claims that while the events surrounding her exit from the royal family might have been traumatic, Meghan ended up getting exactly what she wanted and that she is full of joy. This might be an oversimplification of Meghans feelings toward the whole thing. After all, she was clearly full of optimism at the time of her wedding to Prince Harry and was no doubt devastated by the medias constant bashing of her. While she is probably happy to be away from that scenario these days, the way it happened could hardly be described as ideal. In the coming months, Meghan might possibly open up about the past several years of her life, and let fans truly understand what went on, from her perspective. "It's an absolute moment to step up," says the National Gallery of Victoria director Tony Ellwood. His staff are mostly working from home after his galleries closed their doors on the weekend. But the NGV, like many other galleries in Victoria and elsewhere, is pushing forward with plans to use the latest technology to bring their art to the people, if the people can't come to the art. With virtual tours and audio tours, online galleries, ebooks, children's activities and more to be made available via the NGV website and over social media, the gallery wants to look on the bright side of the coronavirus shutdown, while acknowledging its seriousness. The 'virtual tour' of Collecting Comme at NGV. "All bets are off," said Ellwood. He has thrown out the rulebook on their online strategy. "People will have much more time on their hands so we have to think a bit differently." Private trips on private cars with booking via BlaBlaCar will remain available BlaBlaCar has decided to close all domestic and international bus routes, including routes on the Busfor platform, from March 18, 2020, amid the Covid-2019 outbreak in Ukraine. This was reported by the press service of the carrier. Thus, booking bus rides at BlaBlaCar and Busfor will be temporarily unavailable to users. In this case, private trips by private cars with booking through BlaBlaCar will remain available. The company also recommended that Ukrainians act in accordance with the provisions of national and local governments, as well as prevention rules, in order to take the proposed safety measures. As we reported earlier, there will be no intercity or interregional passenger traffic in Ukraine until April 3, when the anti-coronavirus quarantine is supposed to be over. The last suburban train arrived in the Ukrainian capital on March 18. Ukrainian Railways (UkrZaliznytsia) stopped international railway transportation on March 17. As of now, Ukraine has closed nearly 100 border-crossing points, the entry into the country for foreigners and stateless persons is also temporarily prohibited. FAIRFIELD In its first ever virtual meeting, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve a lease agreement for the building that will serve as the emergency communications call center for Westport and Fairfield. The center would take up the 2,900-square-feet on the first floor of the former General Electric building on Park Avenue. The agreement is between the towns of Fairfield and Westport and Sacred Heart University, which owns the building. The selectmen voted unanimously to approve the lease agreement. Selectman Thomas Flynn said the combined center made sense from a financial and operations perspective. The public gets better service at an overall reduced cost, Flynn said. I applaud the prior administration for initiating the process and the current administration for its commitment to implement it. The towns would pay a symbolic $1 a year rent as part of the partnership. The plan has been in the works since 2018, when the towns shared the $80,000 cost of hiring a consultant to create a study on how the joint dispatch center would operate and whether it would be cost effective. The plan for the two towns to run a joint dispatch center is slightly behind schedule, originally planned to be up and running by Jan. 1. In April of last year, Fairfield Fire Department Chief Denis McCarthy said a two-town force would help people in the field get faster backup. This is something we should have done a long time ago, Westport Police Department Chief Foti Koskinas said last year. Westport currently has two dispatch centers: one at police headquarters for police and Emergency Medical Service calls and another at the fire department for fire related calls. Koskinas also said response times would decrease if the two municipalities shared the service. As of now, if a serious call is made in the part of Westport near the Fairfield border, Fairfield emergency services are not notified, even if they may be closer to the scene. Fairfield Police Department Deputy Chief Donald Smith said last year that savings would be in the long term, particularly in the purchase and replacement of equipment. Instead of one municipality paying to upgrade their center, its now multiple municipalities splitting the cost to upgrade centers, he said at the time. When the plan comes to fruition, Westport will be able to benefit from a state subsidy that towns with a population greater than 40,000 get towards dispatch center funding. Smith said the cost of moving and equipment would be in the $2 million to $2.5 million range, an amount the town bodies could bond. The Representative Town Meeting will vote on the measure during its March 23 meeting. Ryu Hyun-jin of the Toronto Blue Jays has been stranded in the U.S. amid the coronavirus pandemic. Ryu, currently in Dunedin, Florida for spring training, is unable to travel to his club's home city due to Canada's entry restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus. Canada on Monday announced an entry ban to the country on travelers who are not Canadian citizens, permanent residents or Americans. Ryu has been gearing up to make his regular season debut with his new club, which he joined after playing seven seasons for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He started two pre-season games and gave up a run while pitching 6 1/3 innings. But the remaining pre-season games have been canceled and the regular season has been pushed back indefinitely as the coronavirus continues to spread in North America. His agency said, "Ryu has already prepared a residence in Toronto, but he will have to stay in the U.S. for now. We plan to discuss his schedule with the club." Dr. Orville Hagan, age 83, a resident of Cleveland, Tennessee, passed away Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in a local health care facility. A Remembrance of Life service will be held Friday, March 20, at 2 p.m. at North Cleveland Church of God main sanctuary. The family will receive friends Friday, March 20, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the church. Survivors and complete funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date. WASHINGTON The United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar have reached out to Iran to provide humanitarian assistance to help it combat one of the worlds biggest outbreaks of coronavirus, as some experts and former policymakers urged the United States and Iran to pursue virus diplomacy to save Iranian lives. Iran today reported a sharp 15% spike in coronavirus deaths overnight, saying 147 people had died from COVID-19 in the previous 24 hours. Iran reported that its official death toll from coronavirus was 1,135, and the total number of confirmed cases at 17,361. Some experts believe the actual numbers of those afflicted in Iran may be higher. Irans deputy health minister, Iraj Harirchi, said today that 43 people contract coronavirus in Iran per hour, and three infected people die every hour. The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) praised the UAE and its de facto ruler, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, for a second humanitarian airlift to Iran this week of medical equipment, gloves and surgical masks to combat the respiratory disease. Thanks #UAE and @MohamedBinZayed for your continuing support to the #COVID19 response, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted Tuesday. Solidarity among international communities is of the utmost necessity. Kuwaits foreign minister, in a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Tuesday, offered Iran $10 million to fight COVID-19. Qatar said Sunday that it was sending medical aid to Iran, including 6 tons of medical equipment and supplies, Gulf News reported . Former US Ambassador to the UAE Barbara Leaf praised the humanitarian outreach from the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar to Iran, despite the countries overall strained relations. It doesnt surprise me at all that UAE stepped up like this. They really do pride themselves on being very forward-leaning and showing leadership on humanitarian assistance in general, Leaf, now with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told Al-Monitor. Its a real pillar of their foreign policy. I thought it was not surprising but gratifying they did so even in the context of pretty strained relations with Iran, but recognizing the unprecedented nature of the crisis hitting the globe and hitting Iran very frontally, Leaf continued. We all know myriad reasons why the Iranian government is stumbling so badly. All that said, the fact that they [the Emiratis], Qataris and Kuwaitis stepped forward, is really admirable. Leaf said she has been poking around to see about any specific US government plans to facilitate humanitarian relief to Iran to combat coronavirus, but did not find anything. I dont know for the moment of anything were doing, Leaf said. I dont know whether we are even contemplating an airlift. I kind of doubt it, especially with the US government increasingly focused at home on its own efforts to get a handle on the virus. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that he had spoken with the head of the WHO on Tuesday and said he conveyed a US offer to provide what the agency might need to help Iran combat COVID-19. I spoke with the head of the World Health Organization just this morning, Dr. Tedros, where we talked expressly about Iran and how America might be able to help, Pompeo told journalists at the State Department on Tuesday. We made a commitment to do everything we can to provide them with all that America can deliver for Iran. I hope theyll take us up on these humanitarian efforts, not only us but countries all around the world who want to come help the Iranian people stay healthy and mitigate the risk thats there. Pompeo also said the United States was strongly urging Iran to release detained US citizens, in particular to reduce the risk that they might contract the virus in prison. We are communicating with them. We are urging them, as we have done publicly many times, to release every American that is being wrongfully held there as a humanitarian gesture given the risk that is posed to them given whats taking place inside of Iran, Pompeo said. Ali Vaez, director of Iran programs at the International Crisis Group, urged the United States and Iran to consider pursuing a humanitarian deal under which Iran would furlough US citizens detained in Iran in exchange for the United States relaxing sanctions that inhibit other countries from providing aid to Iran to combat the coronavirus. What we suggested is maybe a two-phase approach, in which, [in the first phase] the Iranians would furlough Siamak Namazee and the other US prisoners and in return, the US would allow other countries to provide humanitarian assistance to Iran without concern for US sanctions at this moment, Vaez told Al-Monitor, referring to an idea proposed by himself and former Barack Obama administration Middle East coordinator Rob Malley for "virus diplomacy," published in Foreign Policy. Vaez and Malley proposed that in a possible second phase, the United States could issue a waiver to not veto an IMF loan of $5 billion Iran has requested, and Iran would permanently release the prisoners. It would make it a win-win solution, for both sides, and put more time on the clock, and put the issue on ice for the President [Trump] in the runup to the US election, Vaez said. Former USAID official Jeremy Konyndyk said it would make both good policy and humanitarian sense for the United States to provide more humanitarian assistance to Iran. I think we should do it now. It is in our humanitarian interests to prevent more dead Iranians, period, Konyndyk told Al-Monitor. This disease harms a bunch of average Iranians, people whose side we have said we are on. Leaf said US interests as well as those of its Gulf allies would actually be undermined if the Iranian regime collapses under the additional strain of the coronavirus. The last thing [we should want to hear] is the crashing sound of another regime collapsing, with all the destructive dynamics, Leaf said. Collapse is collapse. There are no assurances from such chaotic conditions. The Hulu series Little Fires Everywhere is now available to stream. In the first episode, we meet the Richardson and Warren families, who live in Shaker Heights, Ohio. Mia Warren (Kerry Washington) and her daughter, Pearl, have always been on the move. Now, theyre trying to settle down somewhere. But will Mia and Elena (Reese Witherspoon) become actual friends? Mia starts her new job Kerry Washington as Mia Warren in Little Fires Everywhere | Hulu As could be gleaned from the first episode, Mia took the house manager job at the Richardsons so she can keep an eye on Pearl as she spends time with them. Elena explains what tasks Mia can do around the house, and Mia leaves and says shell be back in the afternoon, much to Elenas surprise. Later, while Mia is working (and smoking weed), Elena comes over and brings her the key to the house. She brings up the reference that didnt check out, so Mia gets one of her coworkers Scott, at Lucky Palace where she works nights to call Elena and pretend to be a glowing reference. Mia is suspicious, and asks her cop friend to do a background check. Pearls math class Lexi Underwood as Pearl Warren and Gavin Lewis as Moody Richardson in Little Fires Everywhere | Hulu Pearl has moved around a lot, so shes already taken Geometry, which is what sophomores are meant to take. When the guidance counselor doesnt listen to her pleas to be placed in a higher math class, she writes a letter, which she asks Elena to read. Elena decides to go into the school and fix the situation herself. On the day of the book club, Pearl and Moody grow closer. He comes over, and they smoke some of Mias pot together. They write lyrics on each others arms and hold hands. Both talk about their parents and their different attitudes towards sex. Izzy is being bullied Megan Stott as Izzy Richardson in Little Fires Everywhere | Hulu Ono her first day of high school, Izzy opens her locker to find the Time Magazine cover of Ellen DeGeneres in which she came out as gay taped to the inside. This kind of bullying continues throughout the day. When she gets home, she connects with Mia again, who encourages her to stand up for herself. At orchestra practice, Izzys former friends continue to tease her regarding her sexual orientation. The teacher yells at another student, causing Izzy to snap, and yell at her. This coincides with Elena leaving the counselors office, having fixed Pearls problem. Izzy gets sent home, and leaves with her mom. Could Elena and Mia become friends? Reese Witherspoon as Elena Richardson and Kerry Washington as Mia Warren in Little Fires Everywhere | Hulu During book club, Elena is asked a question by her friend, Liz, the one who chose The Vagina Monologues, much to everyone elses dismay. Elena didnt read the book, so shes struggling, but Mia, who has, swoops in and makes an interesting point about how women (including Elena) are afraid of speaking about female anatomy or addressing it at all. After the book club, Mia comes clean to Elena, telling her she saw the fax containing the background check and that she lied about her reference, because most landlords wont take a chance on her. The two drink together and connect, but Mia grows cold again when she finds out what Elena did for Pearl. What could happen next Kerry Washington as Mia Warren and Huang Lu as Bebe Chow in Little Fires Everywhere | Hulu Elena doesnt want her kids to experience any hardship. Thats what all her planning is for. But the need to have everything be perfect, to be perfect, is her main character flaw. And clashes with Mias philosophy, that we all have to learn to be independent and take care of ourselves. Clearly, their parenting styles are going to come into play here. Pearls comment Mias sex life certainly points to her sleeping with Bill, or someone else inappropriate. We havent seen much of Lexie, but it looks like shes going to use Pearls letter for her Yale admissions essay. Trip and Pearl in the same class could lead to trouble for Moody, and we dont think this is the end of Mias bond with her coworker, Bebe. At the urging of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the heads of government of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) held a video-conference Sunday with the ostensible aim of developing a joint strategy for combating COVID-19. The video-conference, the first time the SAARC leaders have met since 2014, was a sham, a sham made all the more deplorable because the poverty and squalor to which capitalism has condemned the vast majority of South Asias 1.9 billion people makes the region exceptionally vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic. Modi and his BJP government had two main goals at Sundays hastily organized video-conference: to use the pandemic to assert the Indian ruling elites claim to regional leadership, and second, and even more importantly, to distract attention away from their manifest failure to fund and mount a systematic nationwide effort to halt the spread of the coronavirus. At the conference Modi sought to present India as a model in the fight against the pandemic, claiming that New Delhis mantra since the coronavirus outbreak was first identified in China has been Prepare, but dont panic. In reality, the Indian state, which for decades has spent 1.5 percent of GDP or less on health care while lavishing tax cuts and other favors on big business, has refused to mobilize resources to protect the population from the scourge that is the coronavirus. Indias so-called fight against the coronavirus has consisted almost exclusively of travel bans, limited screening of overseas arrivals at airports, and more recently school, cinema, and other closures ordered by state and territorial governments. Testing has been restricted only to persons showing symptoms who recently arrived from abroad and those who came into direct contact with them and manifestly appear to have contracted the virus. To date, in a country of more than 1.3 billion people, Indian authorities have tested just 11,500 people. No less fraudulent were Modis claims to be altruistically coming to the aid of Indias even poorer and less technologically advanced neighbours. As was spelled out in pretty frank terms in a spate of laudatory Indian newspaper editorials and op-eds, Modis SAARC COVID-19 initiative was a means of expanding New Delhis strategic influence. Since its founding in 1985, SAARC has been riven by bitter conflicts among its eight member states: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. In recent years, the reactionary rivalry between nuclear-armed India and Pakistana rivalry the US has inflamed by its drive to build up India as a military-strategic counterweight to Chinahas reduced SAARC to little more than a nameplate. India forced the cancelling of the 19th SAARC summit, planned for Islamabad in November 2016. It did so after blaming Pakistan for a terrorist attack on a military base at Uri, in India-held Kashmir, and mounting an illegal surgical strike inside Pakistan that brought the two states to the brink of all-out war. Since then Indo-Pakistani relations have remained near the boiling point and SAARC in effective limbo. Only after the leaders of the six other SAARC states had all agreed to Modis proposal, first publicly revealed last Friday, did Pakistan agree to participate in Sundays video-conference. But Pakistans acceptance of the invitation came with a sting, as Prime Minister Imran Khan delegated his Health Minister, Zafar Mirza, to attend in his stead. Indias headline announcement at the hour-long meeting was that it was ready to give a derisory US $10 million, or about half a US cent per person, as its initial offer to a South Asian COVID-19 Emergency Fund. This fund, said Modi, could be based on voluntary contributions from all of us. Modi also claimed New Delhi is assembling a Rapid Response Team of doctors and specialists in India along with testing kits and other equipment that will be at your disposal, if required. Our neighborhood collaboration, he fatuously concluded, should be a model for the world. Islamabad, for its part, sought to puncture New Delhis attempt to cast itself as South Asias leading power by raising at the conference Indias seven-month long security clampdown in Indian-held Kashmir. Noting that there are COVID-19 cases in Indian-held Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Mizra told the SAARC video-conference, Opening up communication and movement would facilitate dissemination of information, allow distribution of medical supplies and allow containment to proceed unimpeded. To suppress popular opposition to its illegal abrogation of Jammu and Kashmirs semi-autonomous constitutional status, Modi and his BJP have deployed tens of thousands of additional security forces to the region. They also suspended virtually all cellphone and internet access in the Kashmir Valley for months, and have detained thousands without charge, including several former J&K Chief Ministers. Following the meeting, Indian officials complained bitterly in unattributed remarks that Pakistan had soiled the pitch by politicizing the fight against the coronavirus. Pakistans venal bourgeois elite, no less than its Indian rivals, has abused and manipulated the Kashmiri people since the reactionary 1947 communal partition of South Asia. Modis ignorant and cynical claims at Sundays video-conference and the petty wrangling between Islamabad and New Delhi during and following it only exemplify the criminally negligent response of all the regions ruling elites to the coronavirus. Confirmed COVID-19 cases in the region are now approaching 500. This includes 237 in Pakistan;142, including three deaths, in India; Sri Lanka, 44; Afghanistan, 22; and Maldives, 13. However, because of the lack of testing and the limited access of the poor to health facilities the true number of infected people is undoubtedly higher, likely far higher. Most ominously there are mounting cases in both India and Pakistan of community transmission that go beyond the immediate family of persons recently returned from abroad, or those who came into direct contact with tourists who had contracted COVID-19. In recent days a growing number of Indian medical experts have spoken out against the Modi governments testing policy, warning that Indias apparent low rate of infection most likely masks a growing spread of the disease. Dr. Gagandeep Kang, the director of the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, told Associated Press, Given the pattern of disease in other places, and given our low level of testing, then I do think that community transmission is happening. Community spread is very likely, added Dr. Anant Bhan. But the only way to know for sure is through more expansive testing. The government and Indian health authorities have advanced various spurious arguments to defend their self-avowed stringent testing policy. But undoubtedly the cost of each test to the state, 5,000 rupees or about US $67, is the determining factor. All of the states of South Asia are marred by mass poverty and decrepit to nonexistent health infrastructure. India, Bangladesh and Pakistan also have mega-cities with teeming cramped slums whose poorly nourished populations are highly susceptible to disease. Confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan have rapidly increased to 237 since late last week. Pakistans health care system is on life support after years of IMF imposed austerity. The Muslim Students Society of Nigeria has cancelled its annual camping programme over coronavirus fears. The programme takes place annually in April. A statement by the Amir (President) of the MSSN in Lagos State, Saheed Ashafa, said that the cancellation was in-line with the federal governments directive cautioning against large gatherings. While regretting the inconveniences that may be created through the cancellation, Mr Ashafa urged parents to productively engage their wards during the break. He said, The leadership of MSSN in Lagos State has been observing with keen interest the development across the globe as regards the pandemic coronavirus. We had prepared alongside other stakeholders to hold a hitch-free Islamic Vacation Course with necessary precautions being worked on. However, with the prevailing situation worldwide and unveiling development in Nigeria, the leadership after due consultation hereby cancels this years April IVC. We regret all inconveniences and implore our members to adhere strictly to precautionary measures recommended by experts. Members of MSSN are once again enjoined to take the cancellation of April IVC in good faith and await further directive regarding other programmes. He subsequently urged government to avoid playing politics with the pandemic, asking them to prioritise the well-being of Nigerians. We use this medium to urge governments across all levels to step up actions to curtail risk and introduce more stringent measures on diplomatic relations. Members of the public should monitor their children and wards closely against all-hazard porous habits, he added. Nigeria recorded five new cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday. The number brings to eight, the total number of confirmed cases in the country, according to Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire. All five cases had a travel history to the UK and U.S., he said. Nobody has died from the disease in Nigeria and one of the earlier three cases had completely recovered. The announcement was made just as the country announced travel restrictions from 13 countries with high coronavirus cases. The affected countries are; China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, United States of America, Norway, United Kingdom, Netherlands & Switzerland. The travel restriction will commence on March 21. Australias 17,000 medical students are also ready to join the coronavirus fight, the head of the Medical Students Association said, but must be integrated carefully to avoid long-term damage to patients and the health system. Multiple Australian medical executives on Wednesday suggested Australia follow the lead of Italy in making more use of training doctors, after the UKs peak medical board on Monday also urged final-year students to be fast-tracked. Australian Medical Association Victoria president Julian Rait says young medical students are "a very robust group". Credit:Justin McManus Daniel Zou, president of the Australian Medical Students Association, backed students, under the right conditions, to be immediately used for telephone consultations to relieve Victorias 24-hour coronavirus hotline that is already suffering from waiting times of several hours. Over the weekend, Shedd Aquarium animal handlers took advantage of the big, empty building to let some of its rockhopper penguins go exploring. The video became an Internet hit, one of the rare happy diversions in these worrisome times. Penguins, it turns out, are very interested in fish. For Republicans, this time is different. Senior GOP lawmakers are moving quickly to inject as much as $1 trillion into the economy to save a slew of industries and millions of jobs from the devastation of the fast-spreading coronavirus. Theyre even talking about handing out $1,000 checks to Americans an idea first pushed by a Democratic presidential candidate. Such a massive rescue package would seem to mean an agonizing vote for the GOP the last major bailout in 2008 helped launch the conservative tea party movement and many senior lawmakers still boast about their opposition to it. But Republicans say the coronavirus is an entirely different animal: the hospitality and airline industries didnt cause the global pandemic. "This is not like the financial meltdown, where you had banks that made bad decisions and asked the government to bail them out," said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). "We are basically telling people not to go out, not to spend money at these stores, and in some jurisdictions, not go to work. ... It's an unprecedented challenge." Republicans are eager to make that argument as they embark on a wide-ranging rescue mission and fend off charges that theyre ditching their free-market principles. Senior administration officials have been careful not to refer to President Donald Trumps plan as a bailout a tacit acknowledgement that the proposal could spark a revolt while being politically toxic for the GOP down the road. Some outside conservative groups are already urging lawmakers on Capitol Hill to reject direct aid for industries. But at least for now, Republicans are mostly brushing aside long-held cost concerns in order to salvage the economy and perhaps Trumps reelection, as well as their own. The term bailout does give everyone pause, and justifiably so, said Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. But even Biggs, who voted against the Houses $100 billion coronavirus bill last week, didnt entirely shut the door on supporting the next round of stimulus. We do want this country to be strong, he said. You have to consider future generations. Story continues Particularly in the face of an extraordinary public health crisis which Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) compared to World War II lawmakers are calculating that there is a far greater risk if they dont take aggressive steps to protect the economy. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., the newly-elected chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, listens as House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., leads his panel to approve guidelines for impeachment investigation hearings on President Donald Trump, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Tuesday pitched Senate Republicans on whats likely to be a $1 trillion package, with around $500 billion in direct cash payments for individuals as well as money for emergency loans for small businesses hit by the economic slowdown and assistance for the airline industry. GOP Rep. Peter King of New York, who backed the 2008 financial industry rescue, said he is inclined to support whatever Trump and GOP leadership come up with, even if its not ideal. In ordinary times, some would have those concerns, about the cost and the deficit, King said. But, he added, in times of crisis, you cant let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Trumps strong support for a stimulus package could also provide Republicans with some much-needed political cover especially if it means resuscitating the economy, which was supposed to be the GOPs crown jewel in the 2020 elections. Last Friday, the Capitol was at a standstill waiting for Trump to tweet his support for the Houses coronavirus relief bill, which expands access to free testing, provides $1 billion in food aid and extends sick leave benefits to vulnerable Americans. When Trump finally did, all but 40 Republicans ended up voting for the legislation. But some GOP lawmakers were frustrated that they voted in the early hours of Saturday morning on a bill they didnt have time to fully read. And the legislation was so hastily written that the chamber had to pass 90 pages of technical corrections on Monday. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Mnuchin sought to alleviate some concerns during a conference call with ranking members and GOP caucus leaders on Tuesday during which they walked lawmakers through the changes and vowed to be more inclusive in the next phase of their economic response. But Republicans also recognize the sense of urgency and the need to act fast. House Rules Committee ranking member Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla.,during a House Rules Committee hearing on the impeachment against President Donald Trump, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Would you like to slow it down? Yeah, were talking about a lot of money here. But were also talking about an unprecedented challenge to the economy, said Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma, the top Republican on the House Rules Committee, who was on the call. The sheer speed with how this virus spreads requires a speedy response. Having lived through [Troubled Asset Relief Program] calls and TARP meetings, Cole added, theres just not been the level of acrimony. The GOPs early embrace of a pricey stimulus package caps a transformation of the party that has been three years in the making. Trump has kept a firm grip on the GOP, overseeing a massive tax cut and putting the deficit on track to surpass $1 trillion. There are still a number of fiscal hawks and conservative hard-liners who have pushed back against deficit-busting bills and they are certain to raise concerns during the coming debate. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is vowing to offer an amendment to cut spending from other programs for every dollar added in stimulus spending, while the Club for Growth and other conservative groups backed by megadonor Charles Koch are urging lawmakers to reject any tax-payer funded bailouts that provide direct relief to industries hit by the coronavirus. Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) even threatened to hold up quick passage of the Houses revised coronavirus bill, though he eventually backed off. Still, his antics sparked some concern among Republicans that the partys right flank will get in Trumps ear and sour him on the idea of a massive economic relief plan. What we do have to worry about is Louie Gohmert, a few others, getting to Fox News, said one GOP lawmaker. If momentum [against it] builds up on its own, the president may turn on it. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is undeterred, vowing to press ahead with the stimulus package at warp speed. These are not ordinary times. This is not an ordinary situation, the Kentucky Republican told reporters. So it requires extraordinary measures. John Bresnahan contributed to this report. DUBLIN, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Europe & Asia Pacific Kraft Papers Market Outlook and Projections, 2019-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The kraft paper market in Europe was valued at USD 24.56 billion in the year 2018 and is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 3.54% over the forecast period., i.e. 2019-2027, owing to high demand for kraft papers from across several nations in the world as well as the advantage that they offer in terms of sustainability and safety. Additionally, ongoing advancements in the packaging industry in the region is also anticipated to contribute towards the growth of the market in the region during the forecast period. According to the statistics by the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI), exports of paper & board in Europe increased from 6,825 thousand tons in the year 2005 to 7,503 thousand tons in the year 2017. The kraft paper market in Asia-Pacific was valued at USD 25.37 billion in the year 2018 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 4.02% during the forecast period. Factors such as increasing demand for kraft papers in electrical, construction and food & beverages end user industries, followed by rising adoption of kraft paper in the region are anticipated to promote towards the growth of the market in the region. According to the statistics by CEPI, exports of paper & board in Asia-Pacific region increased from 4,742 thousand tons in the year 2005 to 5,518 thousand tons in the year 2017. The kraft paper market is comprised of various segments such as product type, application, end-user and region. The product type segment is further sub-divided into medium corrugate, kraft liner, chipboard and others. Out of these, chipboard segment is predicted to register a CAGR of around 4.35% in the European market over the forecast period, owing to its offering of better protection as well as being sturdy that reduces the chances of damage caused to the product. On the other hand, the market in Asia-Pacific is predicted to register a CAGR of 5.13% over the forecast period, owing to growing need for increased quality in packaging FMCG products coupled with the growth of the manufacturing sector in the region. Some of the key industry leaders in the Europe and Asia-Pacific kraft paper market are Natron-Hayat, Nordic Paper, Stora Enso, Segezha Group, Mondi, Smurfit Kappa and Daio Paper Corporation. Key Topics Covered Part 1 Market Definition And Research Methodology Market And Solution Definition Research Objective Part 2 Research Methodology Part 3 Executive Summary Part 4 Policies & Standards Part 5 Production Data By Country Part 6 Import Quantity By Country Part 7 Europe Kraft Paper Market (Usd Billion & Million Tons) Market Dynamics Drivers Restraints Market Overview - Market Size And Forecast (2018-2027) Market Segmentation By: Product Type Application End-User By Country Part 8 Asia Pacific Kraft Paper Market (Usd Billion & Million Tons) Market Dynamics Drivers Restraints Market Overview - Market Size And Forecast (2018-2027) Market Segmentation By: Product Type Application End-User By Country Part 9 Africa Pacific Kraft Paper Market (Usd Billion & Million Tons) Market Overview - Market Size And Forecast (2018-2027) Market Segmentation By: Product Type Application End-User Market Dynamics Drivers Restraints Opportunities Assessment Of Leading Companies Part 10 Competitive Landscape Company Profiles Of Top Players Mondi Segezha Group Stora Enso Nordic Paper Natron-Hayat Smurfit Kappa Daio Paper Corporation For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/5595h6 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 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com Rebel Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh who are staying at a resort here, on Wednesday said they have come to the city voluntarily and don't want to meet anybody, even as senior party leader Digvijaya Singh is making efforts to reach out to them. High drama unfolded this morning near the resort, as Singh, a two-time Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, staged a protest accusing the police of not allowing him to meet the legislators, following which he was detained briefly and released later. Singh, along with Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar, is meeting police top brass seeking opportunity to meet the MLAs. He hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, accusing them of trying to block their efforts to get in touch with the legislators. "We have come here voluntarily on our own wish; we have got to know from some people that a few leaders from Madhya Pradesh including Digvijaya Singh and some MLAs have come here. We don't want to talk to anybody," Congress rebel MLA from Sumawali Adal Singh Kansana said in a video message. "We have tried enough to speak with every one for the last one year, when they did not hear us for one year, what they will hear us in one day? We want to say only this that we have come here as per our wish and go back as per our wish," he added. Another rebel MLA Govind Singh Rajput too said they have come voluntarily and don't want to meet anybody. "We got to know that Digvijaya Singh has come with a few Ministers and leaders. Unnecessarily at the gate they are saying they want to meet us. When no MLA wants to meet him, they should not be doing this. All MLAs have sent in their resignation," he said in a video message. Currently, 22 rebel MLAs are said to be camping in the city. Digvijaya Singh said he wants to meet MLAs, who are his "voters" for the Rajya Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh, and will stay here till he meets them. Ahead of meeting the city police commissioner, he said, "I have my doubts (about any help from the commissioner) because of pressure from Union Home Minister and the Chief Minister on them; they will not allow meeting (MLAs), because if MLAs meet me they will come out with me." Claiming that Singh had come to the city, as he got a message from few rebel MLAs, Shivakumar asked: "Why is police blocking, they don't have any right to block, they are blocking the right of a candidate.""Our candidate (Singh) wants to request the higher authorities (Police Commissioner), because these people (local police) are acting on the instructions of the Chief Minister here, so they want to request the higher authorities, then we will see other remedies," he added. Shivakumar alleged Yediyurappa did not show the courtesy of responding to Singh's call. "He (Singh) tried to request the Chief Minister; Chief Minister did not come on phone. No basic courtesy to answer senior leaders call...," he added. 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The fund, enables private individuals, corporations and institutions anywhere in the world to come together to directly contribute to global response efforts WHO, UN Foundation and partners have launched first-of-its-kind COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. A new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Solidarity Response Fund will raise money from a wide range of donors to support the work of the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners to help countries respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund, the first-of-its-kind, enables private individuals, corporations and institutions anywhere in the world to come together to directly contribute to global response efforts, and has been created by the United Nations Foundation and the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, together with WHO. Funds will go towards actions outlined in the COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan to enable all countries particularly those most vulnerable and at-risk, and with the weakest health systems to prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 crisis including rapidly detecting cases, stopping transmission of the virus, and caring for those affected. WHO and its partners are seeking financing for protective equipment for frontline health workers; to equip diagnostic laboratories; improve surveillance and data collection; 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. The COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund is hosted by two foundations, the UN Foundation (registered in the United States) and the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation (registered in Switzerland). Both foundations have established relationships with the World Health Organization, allowing for efficient transfer of financial resources to enable COVID-19 response efforts. A voter in Miami Beach after casting her ballot in the Florida presidential primary on Tuesday. (Getty Images) Democracy in the time of a global pandemic is a messy thing but it still marched on Tuesday. Well, mostly marched on. With Ohio officials deciding in a dizzying series of last-minute orders to call off in-person voting, the focus turned to the remaining three states holding contests: Florida, Illinois and Arizona. The coronavirus outbreak upended the process of voting, with volunteers scheduled to work the polls not showing up amid concerns about the disease. But it did not dramatically reshape the Democratic presidential race, with former Vice President Joe Biden remaining the odds-on favorite to clinch the nomination. Here are the key takeaways from tonight's results: Sanders' path continues to narrow After two weeks of grueling losses, Bernie Sanders needed to significantly shift the trajectory of this race to justify his continued candidacy. Bernie Saners, in a screengrab taken from a berniesanders.com webcast, talks Tuesday about his plan to deal with the coronavirus outbreak. (Getty Images) He failed to land a knockout blow in his one-on-one debate with Biden on Sunday. And the crush of coronavirus news has drowned out much interest in the presidential election. The results from Tuesday's ballotingshow the Vermont senator didn't get what he needed. Instead, Biden notched a decisive win in Florida, the biggest delegate prize of the evening, which landed in his win column as soon as all polls closed in the state. Biden later won in Illinois; the Associated Press projected his victory about 30 minutes after most polls closed there. He then completed the sweep with a win in Arizona. That means Sanders will need to win about 60% of the remaining delegates to win the nomination, an exceedingly uphill climb given the math and momentum in Biden's favor. Coronavirus anxieties cut in Biden's favor "Which candidate would you trust to handle a major crisis" is the type of question pollsters ask voters all the time, usually as a hypothetical exercise. Now, that question has very real implications and voters appear to be siding with the former vice president. Story continues A poll on Tuesday of Florida, Arizona and Illinois voters found that respondents in all three states picked Biden over Sanders as the leader they'd prefer in a disaster. It wasn't even close the slimmest margin was in Arizona, where voters sided with Biden on that question by 32 percentage points. The poll was conducted for the major television news networks and surveyed voters prior to Tuesday's vote. There were no in-person interviews at polling places, as are typical in exit polls, because of the coronavirus. Biden improves his Latino support... Even as Biden improbably turned around his campaign, there was always a glaring gap in his coalition: his soft support among Latino voters. Sanders prioritized winning the support of Latino voters in his campaign strategy, and in the early states, it showed. In places like Nevada and Texas, Sanders racked up double-digit leads over Biden among that demographic. But Tuesday's contests showed a notable improvement for Biden on that front. In Florida, analysis by UCLA's Latino Policy and Politics Institute found that Biden outperformed Sanders in heavily Cuban American precincts in Miami-Dade county by 20 points, and racked up similar margins in neighborhoods with large Venezuelan American populations. Biden was likely aided there by lingering anger over Sanders' comments praising elements of Fidel Castro's communist revolution in Cuba, even though he denounced the regime's "authoritarian nature." Further west, where Latino voters don't have the personal connection to Cuban politics, Biden also made some improvements. In Arizona, he tied Sanders among Latino voters, according to polling. ...But still has to catch up with young voters Another weak spot for Biden has remained young voters, and that held true in the most recent contests. Sanders won the support of 66% of voters younger than 45 in Illinois, 71% in Arizona and 52% of that group in Florida. Joe Biden, shown March 12, reached out to Bernie Sanders' young supporters on Tuesday. (ASSOCIATED PRESS) Biden, speaking from his Wilmington, Del., home after the bulk of the results rolled in, made a concerted effort to reach out to Sanders' youthful supporters by acknowledging his rival's ideological influence. Senator Sanders and his supporters have brought a remarkable, passionate tenacity to all of these issues. Together, they have shifted the fundamental conversation in this country," Biden said. "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." To vote or not to vote? The scenes from the polling places on Tuesday were not a shining example of democracy in action. Some voters in Illinois waited in hours-long lines in cramped spaces, running counter to the social distancing recommended by experts to stop the coronavirus' spread. In some cases, polling places at nursing homes were moved to alternate locations to protect residents, but the last-minute change made it too late for those voters to request mail-in ballots. The bumpy election day marked by confusion over closed polling places could leave some feeling like the results are a flawed glimpse into the preferences of Democratic voters. The Sanders camp depicted the decision to hold the contests as detrimental to public health. The campaign did not do any traditional get-out-the-vote efforts, and a spokesman said going to the polls amid the outbreak was a "personal decision," hardly the usual language urging for every last vote. In a livestreamed address from Washington, D.C., before most polls closed, Sanders did not make any mention of the night's contest and focused instead on proposals to combat the coronavirus, including a call for $2,000 in monthly cash payments for every American household for the duration of the crisis. We can address this crisis, Sanders said. We can minimize the pain. Let us do just that. The Biden campaign, eager to wrap this primary up, sounded a different note. In a memo released on Tuesday before polls closed, Biden's deputy campaign manager noted the country had held elections during the Civil War, the 1918 flu pandemic and World War II. And, she added, a robust early vote in states like Florida, where nearly 1.1 million ballots were cast in the Democratic primary before Tuesday, showed that plenty of people got to express their choice. In short, Team Biden's message was that despite the unusual circumstances, Tuesday's results are still legitimate. The University of Cape Coast (UCC) has given students up to March 21, 2020 to leave the campus. A statement issued today and signed by the universitys registrar said halls of residence would be closed after 6p.m. on March 21, 2020. The statement said all academic activities, including teaching lectures, quizzes (including College of Distance Education examinations) have been suspended until further notice in response to the President's broadcast on closure of educational institutions. The statement said as students prepared to leave campus they should adhere to the regulations on demonstrations, rallies, assemblies and processions of the university, maintain social distancing and observe precautionary measures on COVID-19. Lecture halls, libraries closed The statement further noted that lecture theatres, laboratories and libraries would be closed to all students from March 16, 2020. It said the university management was working with the dean of student affairs, the students representative council and the Graduates Association of Ghana to provide vehicles to support the transportation of students to some regional capitals at a fare. International students It, however, asked all international students to remain in their respective halls of residence until further notice. It said the centre for national education and rapid response team (RRT) of the directorate of the University Health Services would monitor their activities and provide the necessary support. It urged students to stay calm and comply with these directives while staff of the university were advised to be at post and observe the necessary protocols and precautionary measures until further directives. The statement said management solicits the cooperation and support of all members of the university community and stakeholders in these difficult times. Source: Daily Graphic 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 RTE will begin broadcasting Mass on weekdays from tomorrow in response to restrictions placed on public gatherings amid coronavirus concerns. The broadcaster said services will be aired from 10.30am at St Eunans and St Columbas Cathedral, Letterkenny, on RTE News Now with the assistance of Bishop of Raphoe, Dr Alan McGuckian, and Cathedral Administrator, Monsignor Kevin Gillespie. Web-streaming service churchservices.tv will facilitate the broadcasts. The decision to broadcast Mass is in response to the Government's advice against public gatherings, meaning congregations must not exceed 100 people within the church building. The Mass services will be shown on the RTE News Now channel from tomorrow until at least March 29. The broadcast will be followed by a religious message from representatives of Irelands other faith communities and Christian denominations. RTEs Head of Religious Content, Roger Childs, said: We are aware that, either through self-isolation or Government restrictions, many people are unable to come together to worship at precisely the time when they feel most in need of community, comfort, encouragement and prayer. "Facilitated by the web-streaming service churchservices.tv, the Bishop of Raphoe, Dr Alan McGuckian, and Cathedral Administrator, Monsignor Kevin Gillespie, have kindly agreed to celebrate a Mass every weekday morning, which RTE is very happy to share with viewers, as part of our commitment to public service during the current emergency. "We want people of all faiths to know that RTE is with them in spirit. RTE will continue to broadcast a diverse range of Christian worship every Sunday at 11am, on RTE One Television, RTE Radio 1 Extra/LW252 and, in Irish, on RTE Raidio Na Gaeltachta, and will mark the Jewish festival of Passover on RTE One at 5.35pm on Sunday April 5 and on Saturday April 11. The broadcaster will also celebrate the Sikh festival of Vaisakhi, again at 5.35pm on RTE One. As national travel bans and local restrictions aimed at curtailing the spread of Covid-19 pile up, including an order for California residents to shelter in place, its time to ask whether bans on interstate travel would be lawful. In particular, if a state can order its own residents to stay indoors, can it order residents of other states to stay away? Can a state close its borders? Im not saying this would be a good idea. But the scholar in me cant help pondering its legality. Imagine two neighboring states, State A and State B. Suppose the coronavirus is rampant in State A but rare in State B. Can State B, in an effort to protect its citizens, tell the people of State A that theyre not welcome? Many legal scholars would reply that its unconstitutional for one state to close its border with another. But in the case of declared public health emergency, would they be right? The question may not be as crazy as it sounds. Governors around the country are taking stronger steps than the federal government, and a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll finds that that 75% of respondents have faith in their state governments to deal with the virus, compared with 62% who have faith in the federal government, and only half who have faith in President Donald Trump. These numbers suggest that although we tend to think of travel bans as something imposed at the national level, people might well support local officials who acted on their own. Weve been down this road before. During the yellow fever outbreak of the late 19th century, many local governments responded to rising public fear by sealing their borders, a practice headlines of the day called shotgun quarantine. Although the disease is actually spread by mosquitoes, popular belief at the time held that the villain was personal contact. Armed patrols began to appear in relatively uninfected areas, tasked with keeping out refugees from states or towns where yellow fever was endemic. The patrollers were not vigilantes. As the legal scholar Polly J. Price has shown in an admirable paper, the armed bands had usually been deputized by state or municipal authorities for this very purpose in short, local governments themselves were the ones sealing their borders. In 1900, the U.S. Supreme Court had the chance to address the legality of these actions when Louisiana accused neighboring Texas of using yellow fever as a pretext to close its borders when in truth the rules were intended to protect local businesses from competition. The justices dismissed the case on other grounds, and have not touched the subject since. Nevertheless, the precedents suggest that one state might well possess the power to seal its borders against another. For although the courts have long held that the Constitution protects the right to travel, including from one state to another, that freedom has been subject to a considerable caveat, articulated by Chief Justice Earl Warren in the Supreme Courts 1965 decision in Zemel v. Rusk: But that freedom does not mean that areas ravaged by flood, fire or pestilence cannot be quarantined when it can be demonstrated that unlimited travel to the area would directly and materially interfere with the safety and welfare of the area or the Nation as a whole. This passage, along with similar language in other cases, is often pointed to as the authority for orders by national or local health officials requiring that a contagious person or persons be quarantined. Even the American Civil Liberties Union conceded in a 2008 report that interstate travel may be restricted when there is a direct threat of disease. Specifically, in a pandemic, governments may either impose broad bans on travel or seek to prohibit travel only by individuals who are thought to pose a high risk. Given the current national mood, its easy to imagine a court applying similar logic should one state impose a broad ban excluding the residents of another on public health grounds. Consider the way many localities have had to be dragged kicking and screaming to close their public schools a move long understood by researchers to be perhaps the single most effective tool for slowing the spread of contagion. If State A swiftly closes its schools while State B dithers, its easy to see why residents of State A might be uneasy around residents of State B. Now, dont get me wrong. Im not advocating such measures. I dont believe closing state borders would be either useful or wise. Experts have long been skeptical that travel bans do much good. Computer simulations teach us (as should common sense) that any restriction on movement within a country will be effective only if done early and even then, the effect will be moderate at best. The models also show that in predicting the spread of a pandemic, the choice of a particular strategy is less important than acting swiftly. In other words, whatever a government decides to do, it ought to do fast. So although I think the authority of a state to seal its borders might well be upheld by the courts, I also think its a bad idea that would in any case be arriving far too late. Still, no elected official likes to sit around seeming to do nothing. Governors are running out of new emergency measures to announce. I hope none of them tries this one. But given the nations current mood, one never knows. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. INDIANAPOLIS, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) announced today its scientists are partnering with the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH), with support from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to accelerate testing in Indiana for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. "Lilly is bringing the full force of our scientific and medical expertise to attack the coronavirus pandemic around the world," said David A. Ricks, Lilly's chairman and chief executive officer. "For more than 140 years Lilly has played a leading role in solving problems in our Indiana home. Today we are marshalling our people and our assets to confront and defeat the novel coronavirus in our state." Lilly will use its specialized research laboratories to analyze samples taken in Indiana healthcare facilities, including nursing homes and emergency rooms. Assuming the company can continuously access required diagnostic reagents, this should start to expand the state's ability to conduct testing and receive a timely diagnosis of individuals who suspect they may be carrying the virus. As Lilly's testing capacity expands, Lilly and ISDH will work together to maximize the impact of broader testing. "As the global COVID-19 pandemic has intensified, Lilly has redirected efforts to help solve critical issues including potential therapeutics, diagnostics and testing," said Daniel Skovronsky, M.D., Ph.D., Lilly's chief scientific officer and president of Lilly Research Laboratories. "Lilly's scientists have been working day and night for several weeks to implement and validate this testing approach, and access or produce the chemical reagents that are in short supply across the country. Lilly's lab meets the required certifications to conduct testing, and we're optimistic in our ability to help accelerate testing." "At the State Department of Health, we started partnering with Lilly from the early stages to tap into the capabilities of this innovative Indiana company," said Dr. Kris Box, Indiana State Health Commissioner. "We know the magnitude of the impact that advances by Lilly can have on how we diagnose and treat Hoosiers and people worldwide, and we're grateful for Lilly's commitment to help accelerate solutions." In addition, Lilly is piloting drive through testing that may eventually be able to test patients outside of a healthcare facility to avoid spread of the virus. The company hopes to have additional details in the coming days. Lilly will not accept money from government agencies, hospitals, insurance companies or patients for conducting or analyzing tests. "This is one contribution we can make to help slow the spread of coronavirus in our community, and this testing will be entirely free," Ricks said. About Eli Lilly and Company Lilly is a global health care leader that unites caring with discovery to create medicines that make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us at lilly.com and lilly.com/newsroom. C-LLY This release contains forward-looking statements regarding Lilly's efforts in regard to the novel coronavirus. These statements are based on management's current expectations, but actual results may differ materially. Other risk factors that may affect the company's results can be found in the company's latest Forms 10-K and 10-Q filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Lilly undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements. SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company Related Links http://www.lilly.com " " A new report makes the claim that animal hoarding should be considered a separate diagnosis from general hoarding. Margo Silver/Getty Images Even the hardest of hearts are likely to be saddened by animal hoarding cases, which too often reveal sick, neglected and dead animals. This is not an uncommon occurrence, either. At least 700 and 2,000 animal hoarding cases are exposed every year in the United States alone, each of which may involve dozens, even hundreds of animals living in filthy conditions. Some experts have struggled with whether or not animal hoarding merits its own diagnosis, separate from object or general hoarding. Researchers from Brazil recently released a report in the journal Psychiatry Research that supports the creation of the separate diagnosis. The group conducted field visits to the homes of 33 hoarders in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The average number of animals in each location was 41, mostly cats and dogs giving a total of 1,400 animals affected. The researchers talked at length to the subjects about their backgrounds, lifestyle and living situations. Analysis showed that 64 percent of them were elderly, 75 percent were low-income and 88 percent were not married. Advertisement These statistics jibe with what scientists currently believe to be true of general hoarders. Some major differences emerged, however. First, 73 percent of the animal hoarders were women, compared with what is generally a 50/50 split of general hoarders. Also, they appear to have different motivations for hoarding animals. "They think they are like missionaries, that they are saving these [animals'] lives ... and that they are the only ones who can care for them," researcher Elisa Arrienti Ferreira told Science Magazine. "When you speak to someone who is hoarding objects, they don't say things like that. Instead, they say they are keeping things because they think they might need them someday." And although the DSM (the diagnostic manual of the psychiatric profession) stated that most animal hoarders also hoarded objects, Ferreira found that to be true only half of the time. Most of those interviewed described a major traumatic event like the death of a child as the catalyst for the animal hoarding. In addition, "The processes of disengaging from or donating animals also differ from those of object hoarding, since there is an affectional bond with lives and not with unanimated objects," the scientists write in the study. "In this sense, the characterization of Animal Hoarding Disorder as a new mental disorder may arouse great interest from both clinical professionals and researchers." Not so fast, say some experts. Animal hoarding is accepted as a special manifestation of general, compulsive hoarding. However, it takes a huge amount of study for a new diagnosis to be created. "It is premature to establish such a diagnosis," explains Dr. Gail Steketee, with the Boston University School of Social Work in an email interview. "Although we have a working definition for animal hoarding, this has not yet been established through rigorous research and vetted through the psychiatric channels. We do not have comprehensive studies of those with the condition and corroborating information from professionals who treat them." More in-depth study can't come fast enough for experts and those affected by animal hoarding, whether or not a new diagnosis is necessitated. "The consequences of animal hoarding can be quite severe not only for the animals themselves, but anyone living nearby," says Smith College psychology professor Dr. Randy O. Frost in an email. "It is not uncommon to find large numbers of sick and/or dying animals in homes that also threaten the health of any humans living there." Frost co-authored a paper comparing object and animal hoarders in 2011. It noted that because animals are legally considered property, it would seem that hoarding animals would qualify as hoarding disorder, with people who hoard objects displaying many similar characteristics to those who hoard animals. These include a need for control and intense emotional attachments to objects/animals, as well as not being aware they had a hoarding problem. There were also differences, one being that animal hoarders tended to live in very squalid conditions, which was true for only a small group of object hoarders. However, much is unknown. And Ferreira's study is pretty small. "The fundamental conclusion is that we know so little about animal hoarding that it is hard to justify a new diagnosis," says Frost. "There was great pressure to avoid creating new disorders when DSM-5 was put together [it was released in 2013]. One option that was considered was to include animal hoarding as a special subtype or specifier under hoarding disorder. It was concluded that there was simply not enough known about it to do so." Now That's Cool Serial animal hoarder Vikki Kittles was repeatedly busted for decades of animal abuse in Florida, Mississippi, Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Wyoming. Oregon officials found her case so frustrating and riddled with limitations that she inspired the "Kittles Bill", which turned aggravated animal abuse into a felony, and also gave shelters the ability to give veterinary care to animals seized from hoarding cases. Update April 2, 2020: President Donald Trump signed the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act on March 27. This headline and story have been updated to reflect new figures according to the bill. Read more about the $2.2 trillion CARES ACT here. Have questions about the direct payments to Americans? Your questions answered on checks, unemployment, business loans. With the COVID-19 outbreak plummeting global markets and shuttering businesses across the country, the Trump administration and congressional leaders are hammering out a stimulus package that would cut checks to millions of Americans and inject billions of dollars into small businesses to stave off layoffs. The $2 trillion plan, which was announced in mid-March as the number of U.S. deaths connected to the new coronavirus eclipsed 100, includes sending $1,200 checks to most American tax payers, even if they are unemployed, on Social Security or earned an income that did not require them to file a tax return. (As of Thursday, April 2, the death toll from the virus is approaching 5,000, and the U.S. has more cases than anywhere in the world, at 226,000.) The package also sets aside more than $350 billion toward small business loans for payroll assistance, which will help keep small businesses afloat as they look to keep or bring back staff. Read here for more information on loans available for small business loans. The final deal also expanded unemployment insurance to more individuals, such as self-employed people and independent contractors, and tacked on $600 weekly to what states typically pay in unemployment benefits over four months. Read here for more information on unemployment benefits available in the final package. The stimulus plan also devotes $50 billion to help the airline industry make direct loans to U.S. passenger and cargo air carriers, and another $450 billion to other distressed sectors of the economy. The initially-proposed $1 trillion package was already bigger than the 2008 bank bailout or the 2009 recovery act, officials told the Associated Press in March. At $2.2 trillion, the package eventually signed by Trump is the the bill with the largest price tag in U.S. history. Related Content: French catering giant Sodexo said Wednesday it expected the coronavirus pandemic to hit its annual revenues by two billion euros (USD 2.2 billion). "Currently, early estimates, given the many moving parts, could be for an impact of around two billion euros on annual revenues," it said in a statement. Revenues in its last financial year came to 22 billion euros. Its first-half figures included a "mild shortfall" in revenues from China and Italy because of the COVID-19 virus that it had been able to absorb, the company added. "At this stage, it is too early to determine the impact that these combined factors may have on the Group's second half results," it said. "Based on the last few weeks' observations in China, Italy, France and the USA we can see that for each 100 million euros of revenue decline the impact on underlying operating profit is around (negative) 30 percent depending on the country and the segment." The company said that while it remained confident in its market and financial position, it nevertheless had to suspend guidance "until the situation stabilizes". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid the rising cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in India, the Vaishno Devi Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir was suspended and changes were also introduced on the Ganga Aarti in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi on Wednesday. The total number of positive cases increased to 147 in India till Wednesday afternoon. The Vaishno Devi Yatra has been closed from Wednesday and the operations of all interstate buses, incoming and outgoing from Jammu and Kashmir, was banned from Wednesday. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board on March 17 had appealed pilgrims to postpone their visit to the Holy Shrine. In Uttar Pradesh, certain changes were also introduced on the world-famous Ganga Aarti held in Varanasi. The Ganga Aarti which was performed by seven Brahmins will now be performed by only one Brahmin. An appeal has been made to the devotees to refrain from visiting the Aarti. The decisions have been taken by the Ganga Seva Nidhi, who organises the Aarti. There will be no grandeur in Ganga Aarti as a prohibition has been imposed until further orders Following the famous dialogue, "O stree, kal aana", from Bollywood hit movie "Stree", posters have come up in Varanasi to ward off COVID-19. With a little tweak, the posters read, "O Corona kal aana" and are now being pasted on the walls of lanes and bylanes in this temple town, according to news agency IANS. The posters may not keep the deadly virus at bay as it killed around 8,000 people worldwide. However, it is evoking great interest among the local people who are flocking to see the posters and even click selfies with them. The posters have been put up by one Punit Mishra and bear his name. EAST LANSING, MI Students at Michigan State University who move out by April 12 can receive a credit of $1,120, the university announced. The refund can come in three options: A credit toward next falls on-campus housing and dining costs, a credit toward next falls off-campus dining plan or a direct deposit for $1,120, minus any outstanding balance with the university. The credit only applies to those in residence halls and is not related to tuition, MSU spokesperson Emily Guerrant said. Michigan confirms new coronavirus cases, raising total to 65 Many students at MSU have already started moving out after the university moved to courses online and cancelled commencement ceremonies as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. The state announced Tuesday that the number of COVID-19 cases in Michigan has risen to at least 65. The governor has banned gatherings of more than 50 and ordered restaurants, bars and other businesses to shut down as a measure to slow the spread of the virus. Missing paychecks due to coronavirus creating one-month depression for Michigan workers An email from the university to students said they must be signed up for direct deposit in StuInfo, and the university is asking students to sign up before the end of March. If students do not have direct deposit, a check will be mailed. The email said students who receive institutional funds for their room and board, including student-athletes, Spartan Advantage students, Alumni Distinguished Scholars, residential advisers, intercultural aids and others, will not be eligible for the credit. Michigan releases interactive map locating free meals for children during coronavirus school closures Guerrant said about 14% of students are still living on campus, or roughly 2,350 students. We anticipate that number will continue to go down as more international students and domestic out-of-state students make arrangements to go home, Guerrant said. But, we also know there will be some students who need to remain, and we will continue to care for them. The university said virtual teaching and learning at MSU will continue for the rest of the semester. According to an update from MSU on Monday, university officials plan to make every effort to reschedule commencement ceremonies. MSU extends virtual classes through semester, postpones commencement due to coronavirus MSU also sent an email to its study abroad students March 12 saying they should return to the United States immediately. Students who received an Education Abroad scholarship are permitted to retain those funds, but for any other scholarships, students should contact the MSU unit from which they received the award. Depart for the US immediately; Michigan State University tells all study abroad students to come back to US Students at MSU have also started petitions to make classes this semester credit/no credit, in place of the typical grading system. A petition created by Will Bulkowski garnered more than 5,000 signatures since it was started four days ago. University of Michigan, Michigan State students petition for credit/no-credit classes Guerrant said students and parents have been asking about reimbursements specific to residence halls and dining expenses. MSU based its reimbursement rate on the April 12 checkout date. The email said MSU students who receive financial aid should reach out to the financial aid office to see how the credit may impact their financial aid determination. University of Michigan spokesperson Rick Fitzgerald said UM is looking into reimbursing its students, but no update was immediately available. PREVENTION TIPS Michigans State Emergency Operations Center is coordinating state-government resources and the response to the coronavirus spread. It has shared the following tips: What you can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases: Always cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue or sleeve. Stay home if you are sick and advise others to do the same. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, if soap and warm water are not available. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces (computers, keyboards, desks, etc.). Its not too late to get your flu shot! While the influenza vaccine does not protect against COVID-19 infection, it can help keep you healthy during the flu season. For statewide and national information on the virus, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus or CDC.gov/Coronavirus. MORE CORONAVIRUS NEWS: Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus Eastern Michigan University postpones commencement, encourages students to go home University of Michigan giving employees 2 weeks paid time off due to coronavirus concerns For Michigan State students, unknowns abound after coronavirus threat prompts suspension of in-person classes Every Michigan public university suspends in-person classes due to coronavirus concern 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 A restaurant worker looks out at a largely empty Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood on Tuesday. Restaurants, shops, theaters and attractions have temporarily closed as a safety measure against the coronavirus pandemic. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) A Los Angeles moratorium on evicting restaurant operators and other small businesses that are losing customers during the novel coronavirus pandemic may cause pain to landlords while offering relief to their struggling tenants. Early reports, however, suggest that commercial property landlords are not eager to boot tenants who have fallen on hard times because they might not be able to find new renters any time soon. The planned moratorium on evictions of small businesses was part of sweeping measures approved by the City Council on Tuesday to protect people from being forced out of their homes or apartments because they have lost income and can no longer afford rent or mortgage payments. The plan, which could be adopted as early as next week, will temporarily ban evictions and late fees, require landlords and residential mortgage-holders to work out payment plans with affected residents, reduce city business taxes and create a citywide rental assistance fund. The council directed the city attorney to draw up an emergency eviction plan, which is expected to include more details about how the moratorium will be implemented. It could be finalized next Tuesday. Similar measures were also announced Tuesday for unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, including a moratorium on all no-fault residential and commercial evictions, retroactive to March 4 and lasting until May 31. Tenants will have six months after the end of the emergency proclamation to make rent payments they missed, Supervisor Hilda Solis said. President Trump said Wednesday that he had ordered federal housing officials to suspend residential evictions and foreclosures until the end of April. For commercial landlords, evicting a tenant is a drastic measure likely to harm both parties, and real estate brokers say they are instead renegotiating leases to secure reduced rents or even months of free rent for businesses on the ropes. Similar deals were cut in previous economic recessions, but the coronavirus-related business lockdown presents an unprecedented challenge, said Stuart Gabriel, director of UCLA Ziman Center for Real Estate. Story continues "Clearly we are confronting something we have never known in our lifetime," Gabriel said. "There is going to be carnage all over the economy." A moratorium on residential foreclosures during the 2008 financial crisis was a balm for the reeling California economy, he said. "You prevented further foreclosures, which in turn broke the downward cycle in house prices and helped forestall losses in the banking sector until the economy improved." The council's latest measures are intended to be a similar "circuit breaker," he said, that would give small businesses a chance to survive a crisis beyond their control and be in position to operate and pay rent when the pandemic abates. The legal aspects of eviction may also become more difficult for landlords as courts face their own challenges to operate during the pandemic when public assemblies of all types are discouraged, he said. And should landlords succeed in evicting a failing tenant such as a restaurant or nail salon, they would be hard-pressed to find another small business able to rent the empty space. "Eviction is not going to help the landlord in the midst of this crisis," Gabriel said. Landlords are often paying mortgages on their properties and have other costs that must be met, so they also stand to suffer as they lose rental income. "The bank is the landlord's landlord," real estate broker Jay Luchs said. "Are the banks going to do anything?" So far, he said, banks have not offered relief to their landlord mortgagors. Luchs of Newmark Knight Frank and other brokers are negotiating rent relief for tenants, though. He's asked landlords for three to six months or more of reduced or free rent for struggling tenants in Beverly Hills and West Hollywood. On average, landlords have agreed on breaks for two or three months, he said, but more rent easing may be called for. "In 2008, we had reduced rent for a year or a year and a half," he said. "After that they went back to normal." The city moratorium on evictions wouldn't relieve tenants from eventually paying rent, said property broker Lorena Tomb, chief executive of Urbanlime Real Estate, whose clients include restaurants and gyms. "They still need to pay that rent in the future," she said, which could overwhelm many businesses that have had to shut down or drastically reduce services. "The smaller ones are going to get hit first when they have to let go of employees," she said, because "their obligation to pay rents are not waived." If limits on public assembly last more than two weeks or so, more restaurants and stores will go under, she predicted. "There is kind of a sense of panic about how long this will go on for." Gabriel said the federal government is best positioned to block the collapse of small businesses, perhaps in part through emergency funding to help them survive and pay rent. "An ordinance to put it all on the landlord is not the right solution," he said. "We have to work with all parties, not just one. The building owner has to survive as well." File image GoAir, which on March 17 suspended its international operations, is terminating contracts of its expat pilots to cut costs and see through the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic on the aviation industry. Sources told Moneycontrol that the Wadia-family owned airline sent termination letters to expat pilots, on March 16. Moneycontrol has seen a copy of the letter. Later in the day on March 18, GoAir confirmed that it has terminated contract of expat pilots. "In view of the current situation, GoAir has been forced to terminate the contracts of expat pilots which is in line with the reduced international capacity," it said in a statement shared with Moneycontrol. While the airline didn't specify the number, reports have earlier indicated that the company has about 70 expat pilots. 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 Termination letter In the letter to the employee, the airline said the aviation industry is going through a 'global crisis' due to the coronavirus pandemic. "There has been substantial reduction in our domestic operations and international has presently been suspended," the airline said to the employee. GoAir on March 17 said it is suspending all international operations, starting March 17, until April 15, due to unprecedented decline in air travel. In the termination letter, the airline added: "As a result, we are unable to operate on the scale we presently were and have been forced to scale down the operation to be able to sustain this decline." It then advised the expat pilot to 'immediately proceed to your home country'. The layoff underlines the dramatic collapse that the aviation sector is going though in India and overseas because of the coronavirus. Globally, some of the airlines have shut operations and others have considerably cut down on operations. While globally the virus has led to more than 7,000 death and nearly 200,000 infections, in India, three have died and 147 have been reported to be infected. Industry organisation IATA has estimated losses to be as high as $113 billion. Industry advisory CAPA has warned at many airlines could go bankrupt. "All airlines globally and within India are having staff engagement on taking leave, leave without pay and terminating contractors," said a senior industry executive. "Airlines are scaling down scaling operations and therefore asking contract expat pilots to take leave without pay," the executive added. In its announcement on March 17, GoAir said that it has' initiated a short term and temporary rotational leave without pay programme 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 noted that airlines in India have petitioned the government seeking immediate support, "as most governments around the world have already provided aid." Its peers IndiGo and Air India have also curtailed international operations. While Air India suspended flights to the UK and Europe, IndiGo has done the same for its flights to Turkey. The suspensions have come after the Indian government put in travel restrictions to limit the spread of the virus. The story has been updated after GoAir's statement Advertisement "Late-onset sepsis is a major problem in premature babies," said senior author Rodney D. Newberry, MD, a Washington University gastroenterologist and professor of medicine. "These findings give us a better understanding of one of the scenarios that triggers sepsis, and a potential new tool to combat this condition."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."Source: Eurekalert Australian supermarkets have been forced to ramp up their security measures as coronavirus panic-buying reaches a fever pitch across the country. Police have been called to supervise long queues at grocery stores as shoppers rush to get their hands on what's left on the shelves amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The hysteria surrounding the deadly outbreak has seen shoppers break into fights over toilet paper and other goods at supermarket chains in recent days. Footage emerged on Wednesday of authorities standing guard as long lines formed outside a Coles at Broadway Shopping Centre, in Sydney's inner-west. In Western Australia, police officers were seen patrolling the aisles as the customers rushed in to stock up on groceries. A NSW Police spokesperson said officers are helping monitor the queues due to a large influx of customers and will be present where needed. Police officers have been seen patrolling the aisles at supermarkets in a bid for calm amid panic-buying. Pictured: WA police officer at a Coles 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 Coles also confirmed it has increased its security measures in a bid to control chaos at its stores which have been overrun with customers clearing out shelves daily. '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,' they said in a statement on Wednesday. 'We are constantly reviewing security measures to manage the unprecedented levels of customer demand in our stores and have increased the presence of security in our stores nationally.' Woolworths has followed suit by doubling their security presence across the store network in the last couple of weeks. 'We're working closely with our security contractors to extend coverage even further,' a spokesperson said. Coles joined Woolworths, Aldi and IGA in a desperate plea to customers to be more considerate of workers during the stockpiling frenzy. The call made in newspaper advertisements across the country followed a series of incidents of customers verbally attacking retail staff. On Tuesday, shocking footage emerged of a shopper in a confrontation with a Coles worker during a heated dispute over toilet paper rationing. The move to protect elderly and disabled shoppers from the panic-buying chaos comes after numerous confrontations between customers. Two women were charged over this recent incident at a Woolworths in Chullora in Sydney's south-west Footage emerged on Tuesday of a Coles customer (right) allegedly abused a female employee (left) over he supermarket's toilet paper policy General view outside a Woolworths in Sunbury as people wait outside on Tuesday The video showed a female member of staff arguing with the male customer - before he said he would 'smack her face' if she had been a man. '[W]e ask you to please be considerate in the way you shop,' the ad said. '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. 'No one working or shopping in any of our stores should experience abusive or aggressive behaviour.' Ugly scenes have also unfolded at Woolworths where three women were filmed in a remarkable fist fight over toilet paper. The bizarre brawl is understood to have taken place in Chullora, 15km west of Sydney's CBD, earlier this month. Hysterical screaming broke out as the trio battled in the aisles, with the incident seemingly stemming from a mother and daughter stockpiling toilet paper. After spending hours queuing for the store to open at 7am on Saturday, the women poured in - with the mum and daughter piling their trolley high with toilet paper. The fight began when a third woman tried to take one of the precious packets from the trolley, sparking mayhem. ASydney woman took to Facebook to share an image of the line at her local Aldi in Miranda (pictured) before claiming the employee offended people by asking them to remain calm In a speech addressing the nation, Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged Australians to stop hoarding food and abusing supermarket staff. 'Stop hoarding. I can't be more blunt about it. Stop it,' Mr Morrison said as he addressed the nation on Wednesday. 'That is not who we are as a people. It is not necessary. It is not something that people should be doing. '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.' Mr Morrison reassured the public the government was putting in place 'scalable and sustainable measures' and bulk-buying was unnecessary. Panic-buying has caused stress and frustration amongst elderly shoppers, many of whom find it difficult to make frequent visits to supermarkets for essential goods. Coles will on Wednesday hold its first 'community hour' for seniors and pension card holders from 7am at its stores nationwide, before opening to everyone else. '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. Coles is trying to employ more than 5,000 casual workers to help restock its supermarkets quicker under a fast-tracked induction process and will hire more Coles Online delivery van drivers. He wants to check the humanitarian situation in Donbas first-hand. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has had a phone call with President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer during which they have agreed that the latter's visit to Ukraine will take place as soon as possible. "The parties agreed that the visit of the ICRC President to Ukraine, in particular for personal acquaintance with the humanitarian situation in Donbas, will take place as soon as possible," the Ukrainian president's press service said on March 18. Read alsoUkraine to take back all its citizens from Russian captivity envoy to TCG Maurer also announced plans for the ICRC's further activities in Ukraine, emphasizing that cooperation with the Ukrainian side is and will remain one of the priorities on the agenda of the organization he chairs. What is more, the ICRC President thanked the Ukrainian party for taking steps to ensure access to the detained persons for ICRC representatives. He pledged to take personal control over the issue of ICRC staff members' access to the detainees, as agreed during the Normandy meeting. The federal appeals court should let stand a district judges order that allowed for the release of Frank Gable or a new trial and reject Oregons effort to place irrational and unprecedented limits on the review of his prosecution, his lawyers argue in a 98-page brief filed late Tuesday. Gable introduced compelling new evidence establishing his innocence in the January 1989 stabbing death of Oregon prisons chief Michael Francke, Oregon Assistant Federal Public Defenders Nell Brown and Mark Ahlemeyer wrote in a brief filed with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Gable also undercut the reliability of the states prosecution that sent him to prison for life without the possibility of parole following his conviction, the lawyers wrote. Francke, 42, bled to death from stab wounds and was found dead on the north porch of the Dome Building in Salem where he worked. The door of his nearby state-issued Pontiac stood open, its dome light on. In a stunning ruling last April, Oregons U.S. Magistrate Judge John V. Acosta cited eight material witnesses in the case against Gable who had recanted their testimony and a record of improper interrogation and flawed polygraphs used to question the witnesses and shape many of their statements to police. Acosta made an actual innocence finding -- that he didnt have confidence in the jurys verdict based on his review of old and new information -- and ordered the state to release Gable or retry him in 90 days. Acosta found that the jury at Gables murder trial in Marion County should have heard evidence that another man had confessed to the crime under Gables Sixth Amendment right to confront witnesses. Acosta also said Gables lawyers provided ineffective counsel by not challenging the trial courts exclusion of the confession, violating Gables 14th Amendment due process right to present a complete defense and show that another person may have committed the crime. On June 28, Gable, 59, walked out of the Lansing Correctional Facility near Kansas City in a remarkable turnaround in one of the most publicized and debated murder cases in Oregons modern history. Gable is on federal supervision, living with his wife in Kansas as the states appeal of the judges ruling proceeds. The state has argued that no new trustworthy eyewitness accounts of the killing or critical physical evidence was uncovered to undercut Gables conviction. The states lawyers say Acosta wrongly concluded that Gables attorneys met the legal threshold for a showing of Gables actual innocence. Gables lawyers strongly disagree. Multiple trial witnesses recanted. New evidence showed pervasive investigative bias by the initial detectives, coupled with a credible confession by another man, John Crouse, to the crime, according to Gables lawyers. No physical evidence links Frank Gable to the murder for which he was convicted. Gable denied involvement during numerous interrogations. But the State spent months repeatedly interrogating Gables drug-world acquaintances until they claimed they witnessed the stabbing or that Gable confessed, then declaring them material to the States case against him, Brown and Ahlemeyer wrote. Gable presented new reliable innocence evidence eviscerating the States evidence of guilt and demonstrating the jury was deprived of trustworthy critical evidence of third-party guilt. The States own investigators acknowledged Gable never confessed to them. The reports of Gables consistent and emphatic assertions of innocence during many hours of interrogation are consistent with the innocence evidence, Brown wrote. The trial jury that convicted Gable never learned that Crouse, a Salem man who was on parole for a robbery at the time, had confessed to the murder, providing details only the killer would know, Gables lawyers argue. Those details included that Francke was stabbed when interrupting the burglary of his car, a description of Francke, a struggle with Francke including a punch that explained Franckes facial wounds and bent eyeglasses, the nature of his stab wounds and the direction of his flight, they wrote. The lawyers further argued that the 9th U.S. Circuit Court shouldnt discard Acostas exhaustive judicial examination, having reviewed 24,000 pages of transcripts, exhibits, expert reports, witness declarations and briefings, and held a six-hour evidentiary hearing. Acosta found that based on the totality of evidence its more likely than not that no reasonable juror would convict Gable. With a fragmentary and skewed presentation of the facts, the State asks this Court to ignore the compelling evidence of innocence, Brown and Ahlemeyer wrote. Lawyers from the Oregon Department of Justice will have time to respond in writing to the arguments made by Gables lawyers challenging their appeal. -- Maxine Bernstein Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212 Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian https://twitter.com/maxoregonian Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Subscribe to Facebook page 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 nonprofit 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. MOSCOW, March 17 (Reuters) - A Russian firm accused of meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election said on Tuesday it planned to file a $50 billion lawsuit against the United States after a U.S. federal judge dismissed the criminal case against it. Concord Management and Consulting LLC was accused of funding a propaganda operation to tilt the 2016 vote in favour of President Donald Trump. The case was set to be tried next month, but the case was dismissed on Monday at the request of U.S. prosecutors. Prosecutors questioned the merit of holding the trial, saying Concord had tried to use case evidence to discredit the investigation, refused to cooperate and that there were also challenges raised by some evidence being classified as secret. The firm's executive, Evgeny Prigozhin, a businessman with ties to President Vladimir Putin and who was also charged in the case, was not expected to attend the trial in the United States. On Tuesday, Concord hailed the dismissal of the case as a victory and said it was proof the case had been based on lies aimed at blaming Russia for the United States's own domestic problems. "A $50 billion Concord vs U.S. lawsuit for unlawful prosecution and sanctions is currently being drawn up," it said in a statement. Prigozhin and Concord were both charged in 2018, along with 12 other individuals and two other entities, with conspiracy to defraud the United States for their alleged role in election meddling aimed at sowing discord in the United States. (Reporting by Maxim Rodionov; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Nick Macfie) As coronavirus disease (COVID-19) threatens the country, David City Mayor Alan Zavodny said the city is taking the proper steps to ensure the safety of its community. Weve been monitoring as everyone else has, from the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), our local health department and from what the governors press conference said, he said. So were following their recommendations and really trying to keep people as calm as we can as we prepare for what might come next. Nebraska had well over a dozen COVID-19 cases as of Monday since the virus first came to the country last month. Over 6,500 have died worldwide, with over 70 deaths in the United States In that time, Zavodny said hes seen and talked with lots of people in the city who are worried about the virus. It seems like everywhere I go, people are asking me what we are going to do, what the plan is, he said. And I think the advice I give people is everything Ive been reading and listening to, to just have social distancing, which is important. David City will also try to limit as many large gathering events as possible, as the CDC recommended canceling events with 50 or more people for the next eight weeks on Sunday. Gov. Pete Ricketts lowered the event limit to 10 this week. The hospital sent me some information they had about how much we can flatten the curve of potential contamination community spread if we just try to limit the large gatherings and spread through person-to-person contact, he said. But Zavodny said hes heard hopeful news, that though the virus could continue for a year, its height will be seen in the next two to eight weeks. So were really going to have to just weather this storm for the next couple of months at least, when it might be the worst, and then still possibly see cases here and there over the next year, potentially, he said. The effects of the coronavirus have also been felt on local stores, as the country faces a shortage of toilet paper and cleaning supplies. Jeff Yatts, store owner of Dales Food Pride, said the store has been running low on sanitizer, toilet paper and water. And those sanitizing wipes, theyre wiping us out on that stuff, he said. Although Dales Food Pride was able to get a shipment of toilet paper in on Friday after being hit hard the day before, the store has been out of sanitizer since Monday. Im not expecting to see any sanitizer or cleaning wipes for a while, Yatts said. A while could be next week or it could be a month from now. I have no idea. Tony Didier, owner of Didiers Grocery, said the store was also hit by people hoarding toilet paper and sanitizing wipes, as well as milk and eggs. They found out their local Walmart didnt have it, so the local grocery store finally gets their business, he said. Didiers Grocery has few toilet paper packages left, but received a shipment of milk Monday morning, with eggs and more milk to come on Tuesday. And as far as the paper products, its a guess on whether Ill get them or not. Ill more than likely not, Didier said. Sanitizing wipes and hand sanitizer is probably gone for a while because of the hoarding, along with toilet paper. Although hes seen similar situations with the flooding last spring and hailstorms, Yatts said hes never seen anything this bad. The problem being is its everywhere, he said. Usually if its a snowstorm, its just the area thats hit bad. Now, Florida, the Washington states getting hit, and its going to be a different situation for the supply chain. But even with these supplies becoming hard to find, Yatts said Dales Food Pride still has the necessities for a self-quarantine. They should be buying some extra medicine for the flu and some extra food if theyre stuck indoors, he said. And something to do if theyre bored. Zavodny had two words of advice for people at this time: Be smart. Especially if you have an underlying condition, try to limit the amount you need to go out and be around people, he said. Because I think the biggest risk is to people who are maybe more vulnerable should they catch it. But with basic necessities in short supply, Didier said to just hold on. Just have patience, he said. Were doing the best we can. Paytm Payments Bank Ltd announced on Wednesday it will now start issuing Visa virtual debit cards to its customers Bengaluru: Paytm Payments Bank Ltd announced on Wednesday it will now start issuing Visa virtual debit cards to its customers. PPBL said it is targeting to issue over 10 million new digital debit cards in 2020-21. The bank said in a statement it is already the largest issuer of RuPay debit cards and has the "fastest-growing" bank account base. Visa virtual debit cards would enable its customers to transact at all merchants accepting payments through cards. For the first time, the bank's customers would also be able to make international transactions using their Visa debit cards, it said. Soon, the customers will also have an option to request for a physical card. This will enable customers to make contactless payments through their chip-inserted cards. Would you believe me if I tell you that TikTok is the number one non-gaming app on the app store on the US? Or if I tell you that is the number one social media app on all platforms? What Is TikTok? TikTok is a social media app that presents short videos that last around fifteen seconds, users can like, comment, share, and follow users just like on a regular social media app. People sometimes think that this app only focuses on lip-syncing or dancing, but in reality TikTok is much more than that. Users use the fifteen seconds to create anything they want, it can be comedy, scientific experiments, challenges, memes or stunts. So it's much more than just a video with some background music. TikTok's popularity is now comparable to all the other social media like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, so there must be a reason behind the success of this app. Who Owns TikTok? TikTok is owned by a Chinese company called ByteDance. ByteDance was founded in 2012, and its main headquarter is located in Beijing, it was created by a former Microsoft software engineer who started the company that is now worth over US$75 billion. ByteDance has also launched other social media apps on China, from chats and picture apps, but in 2016 they launched a short video app called Douyin, and when they saw how popular it became on China, they launched it to the world with the name of TikTok. But TikTok had a rival at the moment called Musical.ly, which dominated the short video apps after the downfall of Vine in 2016, but ByteDance bought Musical.ly and merged the apps into the TikTok we know today. All About The TikTok Followers You might be wondering who are the TikTok followers, and the answer is that the average age of the users is under 24 years old. The generation Z has invaded the app and made it their own, that's why it's a little difficult for other generations to understand the humor and content of TikTok. The people from the generation Z are going wild about TikTok because it's designed to be modern and it has every feature all the other apps already have, so it's easy for them to use. TikTok's followers have started to have influence on the world. In 2019, they made popular the song called "Old Town Road" based on its suitability for memes. Why Is It So Popular? TikTok presents an opportunity for users to be creative and fun, the most famous accounts are from people doing creative content like jokes and stunts. People are inspired by others to do challenges and fun things, so that's why the younger generations love it. On the app you can also use emojis, fun filters, and great music on your videos to make the experience even better. It's also very easy to repost the content on other social media platforms. It's very easy to use and to add effects to create unique fun videos for other people to watch. But what really helps TikTok it's the Artificial Intelligence. TikTok's approach is a little different from other social media like YouTube or Facebook. It has a powerful Artificial Intelligence tool that is more extreme than the other social media channels. Everything that appears on your feed is strictly dictated by the A.I. and the more you use it, the A.I. learns better what you like. You can follow people, sure, but still, your entire feed is controlled by the A.I. and you can't select the content you watch, you can just keep scrolling or watch the full screen video that starts playing. When you don't finish watching a video, the machine will understand that and it will show you less of that content, and the more you watch certain content, the more it will show you. On other platforms like Netflix, YouTube, or Instagram, the user has the possibility to choose the content they want to watch, but that doesn't happen on TikTok, and believe it or not, that has been a key factor to the success of the app. Just check it out yourself! And see if the A.I. is doing a great job. Start using TikTok, and you will notice that the more you watch, the more you like the videos that are being presented to you, and that is why it's so addictive. How Does The Business Work? ByteDance owns two versions of TikTok, the TikTok app and the other app called Douyin, that was designed for China's borders and their national censorship. Users can also advertise their content like in other social media platforms, with influencers and celebrities. There's also an option where you can buy emojis and stickers from the app and send those to whomever you want. To buy these emojis and stickers, your money is converted into a currency that works inside the app and can be converted again into US dollars. Not that long ago, TikTok partnered with Guess to create a campaign called #InMyDenim and it became its first ever branded content in the US What Does The Future Have Prepared For TikTok? Many celebrities are already using TikTok to capture the attention of younger generations, and its popularity has been doing nothing but increasing in the past two years. We are living the golden era of TikTok, and it's growing fast and big. Their communities are growing also, and just like any other social media, influencers are starting to dominate the land. It's amazing that young people have a bigger voice and clearer voice. TikTok has given a voice to young people, a place where they feel comfortable and can express themselves with liberty. We still have a lot to learn from TikTok and only time will tell us if this is an app that's here to stay, or if it eventually will crash down. But at least it won't catch you by surprise if TikTok's popularity increases. If you was wondering what is TikTok, by now I hope we have helped you understand, however, if you have any questions feel free to drop a comment below. B oris Johnson has said he has no intention of asking for an extension to the Brexit transition period despite the mass disruption sparked by the coronavirus pandemic. The Prime Minister insisted there will be no delay past the end-of-year deadline, even though trade negotiations scheduled for this week have been cancelled. However, regardless of the delay over Covid-19, the UK and the EU did exchange draft legal texts for the future relationship on Wednesday evening. Britain was understood to have shared a negotiating document detailing a desired free trade agreement, plans for aviation safety and a civil nuclear agreement. Brexit briefing: 288 days until the end of the transition period The PM's Europe adviser David Frost and Brussels' chief negotiator Michel Barnier were due to resume talks, but had these scuppered by the virus outbreak. Negotiations were expected to get back on track next week, but there was an acknowledgement they could no longer take place in person. Mr Johnson pointed towards laws preventing ministers from requesting a delay when asked at his daily coronavirus press conference on Wednesday. "It's not a subject that's being regularly discussed, I can tell you, in Downing Street at the moment," he told reporters. "There is legislation in place that I have no intention of changing." The Government had no plans to publish the draft treaty, whereas the EU's version had leaked to various media outlets ahead of it being shared with the UK. "We are sharing ours in confidence as a negotiating document, as part of the ongoing negotiating process," a Government spokeswoman said. "Teams will now analyse each other's texts and we expect further conversations between the teams next week. Two attorneys for Lemps family, Rene Sandler and Jon Fellner, said the new details released by police were inconsistent with the physical evidence and eyewitness accounts. The attorneys said SWAT officers initiated gunfire and flash bangs through Duncan Lemps bedroom window in the front of the house, and did so before officers forced their way into the house and made their way to his bedroom. With so much inspiration from the people, the food, and the colours, we were totally amazed by the fabrics and crafts surrounding us in the city. While discovering this perfect place, we got the crazy idea to start Chula, shared Diego. They started designing a fashion brand reflecting their passion for the country and its culture. The particularity of their creations is about combining simple shapes with radical designs. Chula Fashion employs mostly people with physical disabilities and focuses on slowly produced and sustainable fashion while leaving zero waste. Until now, Chula Fashion has become a popular reference in the Vietnamese fashion and art industry, with its dresses appearing in international fashion shows and winning global awards. In addition to its headquarters in Hanoi that also host live concerts and fashion shows, Chula Fashion has more shops situated in Hanoi, Hoi An, and Ho Chi Minh City. The brand has teamed up with the Spanish hotel brand Melia Ho Tram Beach Resort in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province to dress the resorts staff in a runway-worthy collection of apparel, featuring a bold, contemporary layer of Vietnamese culture. The resorts staffs put a Spanish spin on the traditional Vietnamese ao dai, a tight-fitting silk tunic worn over pants. The ao dai has a 1000-year history and, it is said, reveals everything and shows nothing at the same time. Unsurprisingly, Melia Ho Trams hostesses and waitresses attract many views wearing their iconic Vietnamese ao dai costumes designed by Chula Fashion. As a result of guests asking after the striking creations to take home, one-off dresses by Chula Fashion are also for sale in the resorts gift shop. As both our resort and Chula Fashion have a deep affection for Vietnam and our Spanish roots, it seemed only natural for Melia Ho Tram to join forces with Chula Fashion. Together, we created a fresh, contemporary approach to what we do define as sustainable and community-minded fashion, said the resorts general manager Manuel Ferriol. Donald Trump's final Republican primary challenger dropped out of the race Wednesday after the president officially amassed enough delegates to be the party's nominee for November's election. Trump's renomination was never in doubt and former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld barely cracked a dent in the president's re-election plans. 'With deep gratitude to all who have stood with me during the past eleven months in our effort to bring better government to Washington, D.C., I am today suspending my candidacy for President of the United States,' Weld said in a statement. After Tuesday's primaries, President Donald Trump officially had enough delegates for the Republican Party's presidential nomination Trump's last remaining primary challenger, former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld, dropped out of the race on Wednesday He was a fierce Trump critic who called on the president to resign. He said he was running to give Republican another option besides the incumbent. But Weld only amassed one delegate - from Iowa - during his presidential bid. His campaign failed to catch fire, even in New Hampshire where he hoped to make traction given he was from the neighboring state. Trump, after Tuesday's primaries had 1,330 delegates, surpassing the 1,276 needed for the nomination. 'Leading this movement is one of the greatest honors of my life, and I will always be indebted to all who have played a part,' Weld said. 'But while I am suspending my candidacy,' he noted, 'I want to be clear that I am not suspending my commitment to the nation and to the democratic institutions that set us apart.' Weld served as governor of Massachusetts in the 1990s and, in 2016, was the vice presidential candidate on the Libertarian ticket. Weld was the last primary challenger left standing to the president. Earlier contenders - Joe Walsh, a former congressman from Illinois, and Mark Sanford, a former South Carolina congressman - dropped already. President Trump will formally become the GOP nominee at the Republican National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, in August. Joe Walsh, a former congressman from Illinois, and Mark Sanford, a former South Carolina congressman, had already dropped out of the Republican primary contest President Donald Trump's renomination was never in doubt but he has suspended holding campaign rallies while the country deals with the coronavirus The president had suspended his campaign rallies to help keep down the spread of the coronavirus. His administration has recommended limiting gatherings to under 10 people. On the Democratic side, Joe Biden racked up another series of wins Tuesday night. Rival Bernie Sanders is reassessing his campaign in the wake of Biden's delegate surge. But the Vermont senator has given no timetable on making a decision on staying in the race. Boris Johnson will be forced to seek an extension to the Brexit transition period beyond the end of 2020 because of the coronavirus outbreak, it was claimed today. The UK and the EU were due to hold a second round of face-to-face trade talks this week but they were scrapped because of the spread of the deadly disease. The 'standstill' transition period is due to expire on December 31, giving the bloc and Britain nine months to hammer out the terms of their future relationship. But UK government sources believe a request for an extension will be made 'sooner rather than later' because of the disruption caused by coronavirus. Publicly Downing Street is absolutely adamant that the transition period will not be extended. But there is a growing belief that the pandemic will ultimately force Mr Johnson to perform a U-turn. Boris Johnson has repeatedly ruled out extending the Brexit transition period but there is growing speculation coronavirus disruption will force him into a U-turn The two sides had been hoping to figure out a way to use video conferencing to allow this week's talks to go ahead but nothing was agreed in time to make it happen. A Downing Street source said the claim an extension would be sought was 'totally untrue'. The pace of Brexit trade talks has slowed right down because of the worsening spread of coronavirus. EU officials involved in the Brexit talks are now reportedly mainly communicating via email. One source told The Telegraph that the bloc has not 'had time to properly go through our own text' among the 27 member states on the specifics of what the deal should look like. 'There were going to be in-depth meetings, but now they are cancelled,' they said. A government spokesman announced yesterday afternoon that this week's talks had been cancelled. '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,' the spokesman said. '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.' 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. The Brexit divorce deal which took the UK out of the bloc on January 31 this year states that any decision on extending the transition period must be made before June. Both sides must agree to it for it to go ahead. Dominic Raab yesterday 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 The cancellation of talks came after Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, yesterday resisted calls from MPs to seek an extension as he said he believed talks could still be concluded this year. He told the House of Commons: 'As far as I am aware the negotiations can still proceed, given all of the logistical arrangements that we put in place. '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 after the first round was held in Brussels. Critics have questioned the feasibility of conducting complex trade talks over a video link. The Yangon court accepted the Myanmar militarys legal dispute against The Irrawaddy over the newsroom coverage of the conflict in Rakhine State. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) reiterates its call for authorities to drop the case and protect journalists rights. After a year of stalling, on March 16, the legal action against The Irrawaddy for contravening Article 66 (d) of the Telecommunications Law continued. The military filed a lawsuit against the Irrawaddy News editor U Ye Ni on April 12, 2019 at Kyauktada Police Station, in Yangon for its coverage of the conflict between Myanmar military and the Arakan Army (AA) in Mrauk-U town in Rakhine State. Irrawaddy reported on the clashes between the Myanmar military and the AA, who want autonomy for the Arakanese people in Rakhine state. The conflict escalated in early 2019 after the attacks on police outposts in northern Rakhine on January 4. From January to March 2019, twelve civilians were killed in the armed conflict. The Irrawaddy has reported on the clashes from both sides and followed up by contacting locals who were displaced by the clashes. The military has taken legal action against the Irrawaddy twice now in the last four years. In June 2017, the Irrawaddy reporter Lawi Weng and the Democratic Voice of Burmas Aye Naing and Pyae Bone Naing were detained by the military and charged under Article 17 (1) of the Unlawful Association Act during a reporting trip to northern Shan State. The journalists were in convoy visiting the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in northern Shan State when the military at the checkpoint stopped and arrested them. Male narwhals with the biggest tusks are more attractive to females, scientists have discovered. Those with the largest tusks, which are actually overgrown teeth, are also more successful at fending off rival males as they use them as 'sexual weapons'. Researchers studied 245 adult male narwhals and found the largest of the so-called 'unicorns of the sea' had disproportionately long tusks. The US scientists expected bigger narwhals to have larger tusks than smaller individuals but were surprised at the enormity of the tusks on the very largest males. Scroll down for video Male narwhals with the biggest unicorn-like tusks protruding from their skull are more attractive to females, scientists discover The phenomenon of excessive growth of a certain body part is known as hyperallometry and describes excessive development. According to the team from Arizona State University, having long tusks gives male narwhals an advantage when looking for a mate or showing aggression towards fellow males. This gives them an edge in the battle for female attention and makes it more likely they will mate. Zackary Graham, a PhD student at Arizona State University's School of Life Sciences, said: 'We suggest that the narwhal tusk is a sexually selected signal that is used during the male-male tusking contests. 'The information that the tusk communicates is simple: "I am bigger than you".' Narwhals, like walruses and elephants, grow tusks. They grow out of the narwhal's head in a spiral pattern and can be be as long as 8ft, giving the creatures a unicorn-like appearance. Although this trait in mainly seen in males, some females have also been found to have tusks. On rare occasions, males have been seen with two tusks. The researchers analysed the shape, size and structure of 245 adult male and measured the whales' bodies, the width of their tails and the length of their tusks. The team found that two males of the same body size can have tusks of different lengths, varying from as small as 1.5ft to 8.2ft. Researchers studied 245 adult male narwhals and found the largest of the so-called 'unicorns of the sea' had disproportionately long tusks WHAT ARE NARWHALS? The narwhal, or narwhale has the largest canines in the animal kingdom. Narwhals, like walruses and elephants, grow tusks, which are actually modified teeth. They grow out of the narwhal's head in a spiral pattern and can be be as long as 8ft, giving the creatures a unicorn-like appearance. Although this trait in mainly seen in males, some females have also been found to have tusks. It projects from the left side of the upper jaw, through the lip and forms a left-handed helix. The tusk is hollow and weighs only around 10 kg (22 lb). About one in 500 males has two tusks, which occurs when the right canine, normally small and less straight, grows as well. Advertisement However, while tusks were highly variable, it was not matched in measurements for tail size. In the study, the majority of the narwhal tails measured between 1.5ft and 3ft. The researchers said the results provide the best evidence to date that narwhal tusks are used to fight off other males or attract mates, as traits determined by sexual selection often show disproportional growth in individuals of the same age. According to the team, this is because many sexual characteristics are highly sensitive to nutrient and body condition, so only the strongest individuals have the energy to produce the largest traits. Mr Graham said: 'Overall, our evidence supports the hypothesis that the tusk functions both as a sexually selected weapon and sexually selected signal during male-male contests. 'However, further evaluations of the narwhal's ecology are warranted.' The findings are published in the journal Biology Letters. [March 18, 2020] $300 Million-Dollar Travel Management Company Goes Virtual in Response to Coronavirus ATLANTA, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As a precaution against the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, Duluth Travel (DTI) a full-service travel agency since 1993 located in Duluth, Georgia, has adopted a work-from-home policy starting March 17, 2020. DTI's full staff, more than 60 employees, including the CEO of the company, will continue working remotely with the same capabilities as operating in the workplace. Business operating hours will remain the same from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The 24/7 customer assistance desk will also continue assisting the government accounts. Duluth Travel's robust IT system and the latest technology allows employees to have the ability to support travelers remotely in order to ensure smooth operations with no interruptions. Managers and travel agents have been well trained to face any unforeseen circumstances to operate the business from home as usual, answering calls, emails, online requests, video conferences, and cell phone calls. Remote employees have a clear understanding of the IT cybersecurity and communications protocols. "All of our employees are trained and equipped to work virtually. Our highly sophisticated computer network is designed to be both redundant and secure. We do not rely upon a physical location in order to serve our customers," said the Director of IT, Scott Mims. To further demonstrate their dedication to security, Duluth Travel has implemented NIST 800-171 cybersecurity framework. "This type of framework ensures that we take the security of your data very seriously. At Duluth Travel we do not cut corners when it comes to technology," mentioned Mr. Mims. During these challenging times, Duluth Travel's responsive team s working full time and offering 24/7 services to government, corporate and leisure travelers who need assistance in changing or canceling their travel plans. "In my 24 years working in the travel industry, I have never seen a travel business closing their offices. I'm proud of my team and the capabilities we have as a company to provide customer service, no matter the circumstances. The safety of our employees and customers is our top priority," said Arthur Salus, CEO of Duluth Travel. Duluth Travel's other division, Costa Rica Dream Adventures, a Tour Operator that sells Costa Rica vacation packages, is offering travel flexibility for all new bookings made before April 30, 2020. Change fees will be waived, and clients will have 12 months to travel from the date their vacation was booked. About Duluth Travel: Duluth Travel (DTI) is a full-service travel agency providing corporate, leisure, government and incentive travel services for over 24 years. DTI is a service-disabled veteran-owned small business, based in Atlanta, Georgia, with offices throughout the United States including Hawaii and Alaska. Duluth Travel is affiliated with Worldspan, SABRE, and proud partner of SAP/Concur Travel. MEDIA CONTACT: Nadja Castillo PHONE: 770.308.7082 EMAIL: [email protected] Related Files DuluthTravel-ArthurSalus-letter1.jpg DT_presentation2019.pdf Related Links A message from the CEO Duluth Travel View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/300-million-dollar-travel-management-company-goes-virtual-in-response-to-coronavirus-301026443.html SOURCE Duluth Travel Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] It has been more than two weeks that Siem Reap resident Orm Phally has had her daughter at home. The teenager does not have much to do and her mother has increased her daily chores to keep her occupied. So, Suos Kanha Rosa, who would usually be busy with schoolwork, is now in charge of cleaning the dishes, washing the clothes and other household work, occasionally mixed in with some reading. Staying at home is boring, she said at her mothers small grocery store. I sometimes read books, sometimes my mum asks me to wash clothes, so I do it. The 14-year-old is reluctantly following a two-week school closure announced by Cambodian officials on March 7, after a resident in the town tested positive for the novel coronavirus days before. But two weeks later, the closures have now been extended indefinitely to all education institutions across the country, according to a government statement released on Monday, extending Kanha Rosas boring stay at home. The ministry also announced it would start e-learning classes, though little detail has been provided on how these lessons will be conducted. Nearly 30,000 primary school students and around 20,000 secondary and high school students are affected by the closures, according to provincial Education Department statistics. The school closures have made it hard for working parents to supervise their children or ensure that they are not falling back on their lessons. Orm Phally, 43, said she was concerned that Kanha Rosa will forget her lessons if she does not revise them regularly. This could mean Kanha Rosa will fail her examinations that were supposed to start on March 16, feared Orm Phally. We are concerned by this [virus]. But, on the other hand, I worry that my child will not pass the exams, Orm Phally said. The concern is expressed by Kanha Rosa, who said she is trying to at least keep up with her mathematics lessons. I feel scared too of forgetting the lessons because I am afraid that my teachers will hold the exams when I go back to school, she said. Schools, universities and vocational training institutes across the country are normally buzzing with students, food vendors and stationery sellers. But none of this bustle was seen around schools in Siem Reap, most bearing a barren look. Inside 10 Makara 1979 High School, Sean Thy is finishing up some construction work at the schools central hall. The 50-year-old works as an assistant to the principal. He said the school had been given no indication when classes would resume, admitting that there was a chance teachers would have to aggregate grades over the last three months, to give students their final grade for the term. For the semester score, we will divide the scores for the last three months to see average score for the semester. We will do this way, and thats all, he said. In the meanwhile, Sean Thy said teachers and staffers had sanitized the premises and were preparing for students return by installing alcohol-based hand washes for the more than 5,000 students in grades 7 to 12. The school assistant was unaware of the e-learning classes announced by the ministry, adding that supplementary classes held by teachers after school hours had been stopped as well. [Students] have to keep this time to learn by themselves, he said. Parents must help teach their children because the students are now not allowed to meet each other. Ly Bunna, acting director for the provinces Education Department, said that the ministry had distributed books for self-study, but said primary, secondary and high schools were preparing e-learning lessons, though again unable to provide details of this online pedagogy. For the first stage, we could encounter some difficulties. But it could get easier step by step, he said. In the dark about how to school their children at home, parents across the temple town hoped schools would reopen soon, in part because their children were sitting idle at home. Run Saroeun, 35, is busy cutting harvested sugarcane at her home in Siem Reap provinces Sala Kamroeuk commune. Her children were either sitting idle or spending hours on their smartphones, said the mother of two sons, not once stopping her work. Keeping them at home, they feel stressed out, Run Saroeun said. But if they go to school, they will have fun with his friends. I dont want them to just stay at home. The Delhi government has called a meeting on March 26 to discuss measures that can be taken if need arises to keep schools closed after March 31 in view of coronavirus outbreak. "As per the current plan, schools are likely to reopen on April 1 and resume normal teaching and learning in new academic session if situation becomes normal. However, incase we need to close schools further, we need to have an alternate plan so that academic loss of students can be minimised," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said in an official order. "A meeting has been called on March 26 to decide future plan of action. Directorate of (DOE) officials, teachers and private school principals will be attending the meeting. "The participants are encouraged to join through video conferencing," Sisodia added. Schools in Delhi are closed till March 31 in view of COVID-19 outbreak while board exams are going on. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Home Politics Nepal may go on lockdown anytime if need be: DPM Pokharel Kathmandu, March 18 Deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokharel says the government can decide to go on lockdown anytime if it feels a need for it to protect the country from the novel coronavirus infection. Pokharel, who heads a high-level committee formed to take measures to control the spread of the virus in the country, says the government has already imagined such situations though it is not likely anytime soon. After we decided to suspend on-arrival visas at the airport, the arrival of foreigners has stopped at one level, he tells Onlinekhabar in a Tuesday interview, But we share an open border with India, and it is a bigger problem. Peoples movement via these points seems inevitable. However, we are controlling it in coordination with India. Pokharel also appeals to the public to support the government if it faces any situation requiring lockdown or any adverse condition, adding major political parties have already extended their support to the government in this regard. The government will take initiatives and lead the process, but it is a collective fight, he says, We (the public) also have to control various social events and behaviours. Pokharel requested the common people not to host functions like wedding parties and social gatherings until the fears fade away. This is the wrong place to put it, said Mr. Ellis, a former naval captain whose office inside Cambria Town Hall serves as his anti-solar war room, with petitions to sign and town zoning maps blasted in red where solar may end up. Dont drop it in the middle of an agricultural, residential community. Youre talking about disrupting a way of life, he said. Part of the impetus behind the solar power push in New York is the states mandate, under Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, to shift 70 percent of its electricity to renewable energy sources such as solar, hydroelectric and wind power by 2030. The move has resulted in a so-called green rush of solar developers, spurred by generous subsidies and tax breaks, to procure flat, vacant land on which to install sun-catching technology. More than 46,000 solar projects of varying sizes have been completed since 2016, according to information collected by the state. Opposition has largely focused on large-scale solar farms. A state law known as Article 10 empowers the state to approve 25-megawatt plants or larger (a 25-megawatt solar plant generally requires more than 100 acres of land). None have yet been built via this process; 38 are making their way through the approval process, according to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. Governor Cuomo said that the state intends to streamline that process through a new Office of Renewable Energy Permitting, eventually allowing the state to preselect sites for large solar farms and assess their viability, then offer those that pass muster to developers. When the private developer advances it, they often generate community opposition, because they dont bring the lens of political feasibility, the governor said in an interview. If the state can run the traps first on the community opposition, Mr. Cuomo added, then some of the tensions should subside. But critics fear that the new model, if adopted, will render the community powerless to stop a preselected site. In Niagara County, a group of residents has banded together in opposition to Cypress Creeks application for state approval for its Bear Ridge project. As the virus has spread, it has also ravaged our outlets for sustained creative expression. Theaters have been darkened, exhibitions shuttered, wedding dances postponed, Eurovision canceled. People-watching is out. But bingeing and posting and thumbing incessantly through social media are open for business. In fact, a slavish devotion to our devices has come to feel like a practical necessity. Social media platforms have been unexpectedly reliable in spreading information about the pandemic, and in a time of social isolation, they have spontaneously delivered on their promise of community connectivity. But they have also ensnared our attention with an alarming grip. The virus has clarified the dark bargain of these devices: We look to them to protect our bodies and soothe our nerves, and in return, we hand over our minds. By Day 2 of a self-imposed kind-of quarantine, I was pacing my apartment, riding the crests of my anxiety, periodically sucking a thermometer and tapping idly through every content-emitting app on my phone. No crevice of the internet remained untouched by the virus. It has infected the content of beefcake influencers, wellness personalities and cat Twitter. There is surgical glove nail art and a masked makeup tutorial. Everybody is yelling about how to prepare beans and wash your hands. The impulses to signal awareness of the looming public health crisis and to reap the benefits of a coronavirus traffic bump align here. Even puppy rescue Instagrams are starting their captions with phrases like In this time of uncertainty The Indian embassy in Italy said on Wednesday it was assisting more than 300 Indian students stranded in the capital Rome and nearby areas amid the outbreak of coronavirus that has infected nearly 28,000 people in the European nation. "We are doing all that is possible within our limited resources, despite the current lock-down, to support and assist more than 300 Indian students in Rome and nearby areas. Their swab tests have been taken over the weekend and reports are awaited," the Embassy tweeted. The Indian government had earlier evacuated 218 Indians -- mostly students -- from the Italian city of Milan. Italy has reported 27,980 confirmed cases of the virus, while 2,158 people have died from the disease -- the most outside of China. Globally, 184,976 people have been infected, while 7,529 have died from COVID-19, as per the latest available data on the Health Organisation (WHO) website. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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 Search Keywords: Short link: An international consensus panel, led by WIMR researchers, has highlighted the need to redefine non-alcoholic fatty liver disease An international consensus panel led by researchers from The Westmead Institute for Medical Research (WIMR) has highlighted the need to redefine Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), and to name it Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD). Researchers highlighted that the new terminology will better reflect its causes, and improve public health initiatives. MAFLD is a condition characterised by a build-up of fat in the liver and affects over one billion people. Over time, this can lead to complications including cirrhosis, liver failure, liver cancer, and heart health issues. The consensus panel found that both the term 'NAFLD' and its diagnostic criteria must be updated in order to better reflect our current understanding of the disease. Associate Professor Mohammed Eslam, co-lead author of the paper said, "Since it was first described in 1980, we haven't revisited the appropriateness of the name, or the criteria used to diagnose fatty liver disease. "By updating terminology and definitions, we can shift towards more precise and personalised treatment pathways, trial design and drug development." Professor Jacob George, co-lead author of the paper said, "Initially, the disease was defined as fatty liver in the absence of significant alcohol intake. This definition was problematic and has resulted in a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to treatment, despite the significant variation we see in people affected by the disease. "This may be one of the reasons why we are seeing relatively low response rates in our current trials. "The proposed name and definition recognises that the disease we are looking at is associated with metabolic dysfunction. It also acknowledges that there are multiple overlapping causes and drivers of the disease." Researchers are now conducting further studies to characterise the different sub-types and causes of MAFLD to help design new clinical trials, and best practices for patient management. "Ultimately, we hope that by strengthening the diagnostic criteria and language surrounding MAFLD, we can help reduce the progression of the disease, and reduce the number of people affected worldwide," Professor George concluded. ### The paper was authored by an international consensus panel and published in Gastroenterology: https://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(20)30171-2/fulltext Professor Jacob George is affiliated with WIMR, the University of Sydney and Western Sydney Local Health District. Associate Professor Mohammed Eslam is affiliated with WIMR and the University of Sydney. Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak attends a news conference addressing the government's response to the novel coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, inside 10 Downing Street in London. AFP Photo 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. 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. OSLO (Reuters) - Struggling Norwegian Air needs government support similar to that which SAS received from the Danish and Swedish governments if it is to protect jobs in Norway as demand is strangled by the coronavirus outbreak. The Danish and Swedish governments on Tuesday pledged to provide credit guarantees to SAS totalling 3 billion Swedish crowns ($302 million). "We hope that similar measures will soon be offered for Norwegian in the form of a credit facility," the airline, which has decided to cancel 85% of its flights, said in a statement. The Norwegian carrier's plea comes as airlines across the globe seek support to avoid multiple bankruptcies as coronavirus disruption wreaks havoc across the sector. Norway's minority government last week said it was looking at measures to help the industry, and the opposition on Monday called for specific measures to protect jobs and companies. A pioneer in transatlantic budget travel since 2013, Norwegian Air quickly became the largest foreign airline serving New York and a major player at other U.S. airports. The company has suspended all flights to the United States after U.S. President Donald Trump extended restrictions on travel from Europe. From March 21 the airline will primarily fly a reduced schedule in Norway and between the Nordic capitals. (Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and David Goodman) Close Trump defends using name 'Chinese virus': It's not racist - it comes from China' The stock market has suffered yet another historic day of losses as the Dow Jones reportedly lost the entirety of economic gains seen under Donald Trumps presidency amid increasing anxieties over the global coronavirus pandemic. The US Centre for Disease Control meanwhile released a grim outlook for a worst-case scenario surrounding the pandemic, in which 214 million people would be impacted and nearly two million would die as a result of the outbreak. The Trump administration released its own plan-of-action while seeking a nearly $1 trillion economic relief package that could include sending checks to all Americans in the coming weeks to help battle back against the economic downturn. The number of total cases in the US surpassed 7,000 on Wednesday, according to the latest data, as the death toll rose to at least 117. Experts have said the true rate of infections is likely far higher nationwide, citing a lack in testing. Stocks tumbled close to 8 percent on Wall Street Wednesday and wiped out the last of the gains for the Dow Jones Industrial Average since Mr Trump's inauguration. Even prices for investments seen as very safe fell as investors rushed to raise cash and the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread. Markets have been incredibly volatile for weeks as Wall Street and the White House acknowledge the rising likelihood that the outbreak will cause a recession. The typical day this month has seen the stock market swing up or down by 4.9 percent. Over the last decade, it was just .4 percent. It was just a day before that the Dow surged more than 5 percent after Mr Trump promised massive aid to the economy, but the number of infections keeps climbing, and the Dow slumped to its lowest level since 2016. The S&P 500, which dictates how 401(k) accounts perform much more than the Dow, is down 31 percent from its record set last month, though it's still up nearly 9 percent since Election Day 2016. The S&P 500's slide was so sharp that trading was halted for 15 minutes Wednesday. The losses deepened after trading resumed, and the S&P 500 was down 7.9 percent, as of 3:20 pm. Eastern time. As big swaths of the economy retrench while much of society comes to a halt in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus, investors have clamored for Congress, Federal Reserve and other authorities around the world to support the economy until it can begin to reopen. They got a big shot of that Tuesday, when the Trump administration briefed lawmakers on a program that could surpass $1 trillion and the Fed announced its latest moves to support markets. But the worldwide number of known infections has toped 200,000, which creates more uncertainty about how badly the economy is getting hit, how much profit companies will make and how many companies may go into bankruptcy due to a cash crunch. "It's, it's a very tough situation", Mr Trump said at a news conference, during which losses for stocks accelerated. He added: "You have to do things. You have to close parts of an economy that six weeks ago were the best they've ever been.... And then one day you have to close it down in order to defeat this enemy." Additional reporting by AP. Read live updates as they came in below: Native Midlander and Early College High School graduate Cody Vasquez has been named the National Collegian of the Year in 2020 by his professional business fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi. The 20-year-old is currently a graduate student in the business college at Angelo State University in San Angelo. With plans to graduate with his masters degree in business administration in May, Vasquez said he will have received his high school diploma, associate degree, bachelors degree and masters degree within a span of just three years. He said his next education goal is to receive his doctorate in leadership instruction or event coordination, before starting a career as an event coordinator at a higher education institution or the founder of a leadership academy. Vasquez said that when he first joined the fraternity in 2017, there were about 16 members. Now, the fraternity has a little about 60. During this three-year period, I was kind of the one who spearheaded growth and re-establishment, fixed reputation and made our organization prestigious again at least our home chapter, (ASU Eta Theta), Vasquez said. Serving a variety of roles for the fraternity including webmaster, vice president for pledge education, senior vice president and president, currently in his second term he also received the Southwestern Collegian of the Year in 2019, and under his leadership, ASUs Eta Theta chapter received the Most Improved Collegiate Chapter Award for 2017-18 and the R. Nelson Mitchell Outstanding Collegiate Chapter Award for 2018-19. As the newly named National Collegian of the Year, he will take on a new leadership position on the fraternitys board of directors in August for a two-year term. As a board member representing collegiate members across the nation, Vasquez said he wants to focus on diversity within Delta Sigma Pi and assist chapters on the local and national levels in achieving greater inclusion. In addition to the new leadership position, he received a $5,000 scholarship and a pearl-and-ruby fraternity badge when named National Collegian of the Year. Vasquez does not only serve as a leader for Delta Sigma Pi, but he serves in multiple roles across the ASU campus. This includes the alumni recruitment chair for the Association of Mexican-American Students, a college transition leader for first-year college students, a representative for the Multicultural Advisory Council and a representative for the Student Organization Advisory Council, alongside his part-time job as the activities manager for the campuss multicultural and student activities program office. I really just want to help in building young leaders, Vasquez said of his commitment to the chapter. Armenia is looking to expand its capacity to place patients in hospitals amid a state of emergency declared over an outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the South Caucasus country. Health Minister Arsen Torosian said on Wednesday that Yerevans specialized hospital for infectious diseases will get dozens of additional wards by the end of the week. Construction of the modular reception hall at Nork Infectious Diseases Hospital is in full swing. We are going to have 40 new wards in 3-4 days, the minister announced in a Facebook post. Since the number of coronavirus cases in Armenia began to increase rapidly late last week, the Nork hospital started to treat only patients having the new coronavirus infection or suffering from COVID-19, a potentially deadly disease caused by it. According to the official data released on March 18 morning, the number of people infected with coronavirus in Armenia has reached 84. Officials say Armenias first COVID-19 patient identified on March 1 has recovered. In a live broadcast on Facebook late on Tuesday Minister Torosian said that about 600 people suspected of having had contacts with coronavirus patients are currently under quarantine. He said the government has the capacity of placing several hundred more people under quarantine, but warned that beyond that self-quarantines would be required. On March 16, the Armenian government declared a 30-day state of emergency over the coronavirus outbreak. A set of limitations have been introduced, including a ban on public gatherings and the possibility of restricting peoples travel due to epidemiological conditions. Land border crossings with Iran and Georgia remain open only for cargo transportation. Citizens of 16 countries most affected by the coronavirus, including China, Iran, South Korea, Japan, Italy and some other European countries have been banned from entering Armenia. The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Armenian citizens to refrain from traveling to foreign countries. Under the terms of Armenias state-of-emergency rule, Armenian citizens can leave the country by plane, but will have to be placed under 14-day quarantine upon return. The Armenian Apostolic Church, which began to conduct all liturgies behind closed doors and limited other services following the declaration of the state of emergency in Armenia, has called for a national day of prayer over the coronavirus pandemic on March 18. We invite everyone to join together in private prayer from wherever they are located at the time to ask the Lord to guide the world and our people to overcome this tribulation in a spirit of unity and mutual support, His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, said in his appeal earlier this week. DUBLIN, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Phosphate Fertilizers Global Market Report 2020" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global phosphate fertilzers market was worth $65.69 billion in 2019. It is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7% and reach $84.04 billion by 2023. The phosphate fertilzers market has been geographically segmented into North America, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, South America and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific accounts for around 42% of the market. World population is growing and is expected to reach 10 billion by 2050 and is expected to significantly boost the insecticides market. Increase in population creates more demand for food. Crop production, farming activities and trade volumes will have to increase in order to meet increased population. Additionally, farmers and commercial farming companies will increase acquisitions in arable land to increase crop production, which is expected to increase the demand for herbicides. In order to meet the food demand that may rise from 59% to 98%, farmers have to increase agricultural productivity through fertilizers and advanced technologies in farming. Thus, the increase in demand for food for the growing population will promote the growth of insecticides market. Most of the phosphorus is derived from the rock phosphate. The phosphate rock is a non-renewable source and it has taken millions of years for formation from seabed to soil through tectonic uplift and weathering. The growing demand for phosphorus is depleting its source. According to Global Phosphorus Research Initiative (GPRI), the phosphorus production would be at peak stages in the year 2033 and it will rapidly decrease in coming years due to its depletion in reserves. Thus, the scarcity of rock phosphate is limiting the growth of phosphorus fertilizers. There has been a rapid increase in production and exports of phosphates from China. In the past, there was limited supply of phosphate rock due to limited production capacity and monopolistic pricing in most countries but, over the past few years there has been a rapid increase in phosphate production in China. For example, in 2014 the world trade in diammonium phosphate and monoammonium phosphate was estimated to be around 24 million metric tonnes, of which China provided 8 million tonnes. This is significant given that ten years ago Chinese exports were close to zero. In August 2019, Ma'aden, a Saudi Arabia-based mining and metallurgical company that specializes in gold mining, refining, phosphate mining and aluminum mining acquired Meridian Group for $140 million. The acquisition is expected to help Ma'aden in strengthening its position as the world's largest producer and exporter of phosphate fertilizers and enhance its contribution in the global food security. The acquisition also helps Ma'aden with logistics asset in South East Africa through Meridian's operations in Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Meridian Group is a Mauritius-based fertilizer company that specializes in fertilizer manufacturing and distribution such as ammonium phosphate. Major players in the market are Agrium Inc, Israel Chemicals Limited, CF Industries Holdings Inc., Coromandel International Ltd., Nutrien Ltd., PhosAgro, Yara International ASA, EuroChem Group A, The Mosaic Company, and OCP S.A. Key Topics Covered 1. Executive Summary 2. Phosphate Fertilzers Market Characteristics 3. Phosphate Fertilzers Market Size And Growth 3.1. Global Phosphate Historic Market, 2015 - 2019, $ Billion 3.1.1. Drivers Of The Market 3.1.2. Restraints On The Market 3.2. Global Phosphate Forecast Market, 2019 - 2023F, 2025F, 2030F, $ Billion 3.2.1. Drivers Of The Market 3.2.2. Restraints On the Market 4. Phosphate Fertilzers Market Segmentation 4.1. Global Phosphate Fertilzers Market, Segmentation By Type, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2019, 2023F, 2025F, 2030F, $ Billion Monoammonium Phosphate (MAP) Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) Superphosphate Others 4.2. Global Phosphate Fertilzers Market, Segmentation By Application, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2019, 2023F, 2025F, 2030F, $ Billion Cereals & Grains Oilseeds Fruits & Vegetables Others 5. Phosphate Fertilzers Market Regional And Country Analysis 5.1. Global Phosphate Fertilzers Market, Split By Region, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2019, 2023F, 2025F, 2030F, $ Billion 5.2. Global Phosphate Fertilzers Market, Split By Country, Historic and Forecast, 2015-2019, 2023F, 2025F, 2030F, $ Billion Companies Mentioned Agrium Inc. Israel Chemicals Limited CF Industries Holdings Inc. Coromandel International Ltd. Nutrien Ltd. PhosAgro Yara International ASA EuroChem Group The Mosaic Company OCP S.A. Potash Corp For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/c600bn 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 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com Halls mother has been a resident of the facility since having a stroke about a year ago. She tested negative for the virus, remained in good health and was undergoing a routine check every four hours for fever, Hall said. She is hoping her mother can come home in April, when she was scheduled to be released prior to the international outbreak of COVID-19. 2020 is expected to be a tough year for real estate developers, but some real estate firms still have high hopes thanks to the large land holdings they own. According to Rong Viet Securities, real estate firms with large land banks are big players in the market. It predicts a prosperous year for the firms with land plots in central positions which have clear legal status. Vinhomes sis believed to be the real estate developer with the largest land bank Vinhomes (VHM) is believed to be the real estate developer with the largest land bank of up to 14,900 hectares. Fifty percent of the land is located in Hanoi and HCM City, while the remaining land is in bustling areas such as Quang Ninh. With huge projects such as Vinhomes Ocean Park, Vinhomes Smart City, Vinhomes Wonder Park and Vinhomes Grad Park in HCM City and Hanoi, Vinhomes is trying to develop large-scale cities covering hundreds of hectares in the suburban areas of Hanoi and HCM City. Novaland (NVL) ranks second among real estate groups rich in land banks with 4,270 hectares. 2020 is expected to be a tough year for real estate developers, but some real estate firms still have high hopes thanks to the large land holdings they own. The projects developed by Novaland focus on three groups of products, urban houses in HCM City, and resort real estate and ecological urban areas in neighboring provinces. The enterprise stated that with its land Bank, it will be able to have stable development in the next 10-20 years. Khang Dien (KDH) and Nam Long (NLG) are also holding large land banks, 650 hectares and 640 hectares, respectively. Khang Dien accumulated land through the acquisition of Binh Chanh Investment and Construction in late 2017. The land plots are mostly located in HCM City. In the next two years, Verosa Park and Clarita projects will make significant contributions to the firms growth with the average expected profit rate of 30-40 percent. Meanwhile, Nam Long has been expanding its coverage to large provinces, including Dong Nai in the south and Hai Phong in the north. Rong Viet Securities believes that the areas have great growth potential in the medium term thanks to the improvement of local infrastructure conditions. The provinces are considered the portal that connects the northern and the southern economic hubs. Other real estate firms, namely DIC Corp, Van Phu Invest, Dat Xanh and Ha Do, have tens or hundreds of hectares each. Predicting the market in 2020, Rong Viet said real estate developers are trying to accumulate more and more land to prepare for the future. However, it believes that only projects in the central areas, such as Hanoi and HCM City, will have high absorption rate, while the situation will be more difficult in other provinces and cities. Chi Mai VN real estate firms struggle amid Covid-19 epidemic The coronavirus epidemic has caused a shock to global tourism, seriously affecting hotels and resorts. (Newser) Gambling is grinding to a halt in casino-mecca Las Vegas after the governor of Nevada issued a sweeping statewide order to stop the spread of the new coronavirus. Democrat Steve Sisolak ordered a monthlong freeze on gambling, shutting down everything from the famous casino resorts to slot machines found in convenience stores, cutting off an industry that fuels the state's tourism and hospitality-powered economy, the AP reports. Sisolak's broad directive also includes the monthlong closure of non-essential businesses like bars, movie theaters, and gyms at noon Wednesday. Restaurants must shutter their dining rooms and only offer takeout or delivery. story continues below "This is affecting the lives of our citizens. People are dying. Every day that is delayed here, I'm losing a dozen people on the back end that are going to die as a result of this, Sisolak said Tuesday night. His order follows similar moves by more than 10 other governors as states scramble to mitigate the risk of exposure to COVID-19. The governor gave thousands of businesses in Las Vegas less than a day to prepare. Though a number of casinos started to close their doors this week, Sisolak's sweeping order shutters Nevada's main industry, anchored by glimmering casinos lining the Las Vegas Strip. The last time casinos closed in Las Vegas was for John F. Kennedys funeral on Nov. 25, 1963, says University of Nevada history professor Michael Green. (Read more coronavirus stories.) Funerals could soon be live-streamed to compensate for the government's ban on indoor gatherings of more than 100 people - while grieving family and friends will be reminded not to kiss and embrace. Kelly Scott, the funeral director for TJ Scott & Son Funeral, said while large gatherings of 500 people were still happening outdoors, this could change on short notice because of the outbreak. 'It's a really, incredibly hard time for families because the first thing they will find, even if you have a gallery of 500 people, no hugs, no kisses, no handshakes,' she told The Age. Mr Morrison's announcement of a ban on big gatherings is part of Australia's response to try and contain the spread of coronavirus, as the number of positive COVID-19 cases hits 561, with six dead as of Wednesday. Funerals could soon be live-streamed after Prime Minister Scott Morrison banned gatherings of 100 people indoors and 500 people outdoors (stock) 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 'That's how we tell people we're thinking of them, that we care for them.' A funeral for a man at the end of the week had an expected number of 1,000 attendees. Due to the new ban, Ms Scott said the funeral would be live-streamed to family and friends to lower the risk of spreading coronavirus. 'In a funeral environment where people are very close, that causes a possible risk,' she said. Ms Scott is constantly monitoring the COVID-19 situation and is preparing her to just live stream funerals and memorials held at a later date. Funeral directors are frustrated they are still waiting to hear if they would be provided with protective gear. Family members and friends will not be allowed to embrace at funerals amid the coronavirus outbreak (stock) On Wednesday, Mr Morrison announced that 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. 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. The former Second Lady of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Hajia Ramatu Aliu Mahama has received a Lifetime Achievement Award, Noble of Charity in Humanitarian Services at this years Northern Ghana Excellence Awards. NExA is a special initiative put together by the Celebrities Charity Development Foundation in collaboration with Ghana Tourism Award winners; Smile Multimedia Agency and Partners to annually recognize and honor distinguished personalities who are positively contributing to the development of Northern Ghana and beyond. The wife of the Late Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama was recognised for her remarkable social contributions to humanity; through her numerous philanthropic works towards children, youth and women empowerment, health support services among others. Hajia Ramatu was an educationist in Tamale who dedicated her time to the empowerment of children and the marginalized in the society. Her love and care for her pupils earned her the coveted title Mma Ramatu. During the tenure of the late vice president, his house was the home of many young people due to her commitment to the development, wellbeing, and welfare of the teeming young people in the community The Former Second Lady also founded a school in Tamale called Rama Foundation International School, where a lot of marginalised children benefit from some part and full scholarships. Receiving the award from the organizers of the scheme, H.E. Hajia Ramatu expressed her profound appreciation to the team for having recognised her efforts in improving the lives of children, women, the vulnerable and Persons Living with Disability. According to her, the award comes at a time she supports people in her own little way without noise since its her passion to support the marginalised. She recounted how she had always run to the support of the needy during festive seasons. The 2nd edition of the Northern Excellence Awards (NExA) which took place in Tamale on 7th March 2020 also recognised the Vice President, H.E. Dr. Alhaji Bawumia, Hon. Issac Adongo, MP for Bolgatanga Central, Mubarak Wakaso, CEO of NABCO, Dr. Ibrahim Imoro Ayars, UNICEF, SONGTABA, CAMFED, and TWELLIUM INDUSTRIES among others. The Maiden edition of NExA witnessed the former Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Otiko Afisah Djaba, Deputy Minister for Energy, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, Former Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Nashiru Issahaku and Northern Regional Minister, Hon. Salifu Saeed among others being honored for positively contributing to the growth of Northern Ghana. A Jersey Shore town has organized a mask drive to help replenish the supply of N95 protective respiratory masks needed by first responders, doctors and nurses to treat patients for coronavirus and other illnesses. The event will be held at Manasquan High School from Wednesday, March 18, through Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. We are requesting all residents and businesses look at their supplies and donate any available N95 respiratory (painters type) mask, a post from the Manasquan Office of Emergency Management stated. The drive was created in response to a letter from a nurse at nearby Jersey Shore University Medical Center who said the number of masks at the hospital was getting critically low. Please help us deliver this vital protection to the ones who need it most, the post stated. Our priority is to doctors and nurses in area hospitals as well as first responders. Only new N95-rated respirator sealed in unopened packaging will be accepted and receipts will be given to those who donate. The number of people who tested positive for coronavirus in New Jersey increased to at least 267 cases Tuesday, with 89 new positive tests for COVID-19 announced by state officials. 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. 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. Photo: CTV News 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 Innisfail, 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. The 2020 Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam has been cancelled over coronavirus fears, organisers have said. The 65th edition of the event had been set to take place in May, with entries from 41 countries participating. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said in a statement: It is with deep regret that we have to announce the cancellation of the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam. Over the past few weeks we have explored many alternative options to allow the Eurovision Song Contest to go ahead. We are very proud that the Eurovision Song Contest has united audiences every year, without interruption, for the past 64 years and we, like the millions of fans around the world, are extremely saddened that it cannot take place in May. The EBU, NPO, NOS, AVROTROS and the City of Rotterdam will continue a conversation regarding the hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021. We would ask people to bear with us while we work through the ramifications of this unprecedented decision and patiently await any further news in the coming days and weeks. We would like to pay tribute to all the host broadcaster teams in the Netherlands and our 41 Members who have worked so hard on planning this years event. We are all as heartbroken as they are that the Eurovision Song Contest will not be able to be staged in May and know that the whole Eurovision family, across the world, will continue to provide love and support for each other at this difficult time. Singer-songwriter Lesley Roy was chosen to represent Ireland in the 2020 competition in the Netherlands in May. The 2020 contest was supposed to take place in Rotterdam, Netherlands, with two semi-finals on May 12 and 14 followed by the final at the Rotterdam Ahoy arena on May 16. Eurovision is the latest high-profile entertainment event to be affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The world famous Coachella music festival had originally been set to take place in the California desert in April before being postponed until October. On Tuesday, the Billboard Music Awards and the Bafta TV awards were postponed while the Olivier Awards were cancelled. Major film releases have also been disrupted. James Bond movie No Time To Die has been postponed until November and Disneys blockbuster remake of Mulan has also been delayed. Musicians including Sir Elton John, Billie Eilish and Celine Dion have all postponed tour dates. She announced that she is expecting her first child with beau Tony Keterman, 33, last week. And Lauren Pope, 37, shared a gorgeous selfie to her Instagram on Tuesday showcasing her blossoming baby bump while giving fans an update on how she is doing amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. The TOWIE star looked glam in a white tank top paired with khaki combat trousers despite telling fans she is 'all dolled up' with 'nowhere to go' Glowing: Lauren Pope, 37, shared a gorgeous selfie to her Instagram on Tuesday showcasing her blossoming baby bump while giving fans an update on how she is doing amidst the COVID-19 outbreak She wore her blonde hair in crimped waves and posed in front of her plush living room at home. She penned a lengthy caption to go with her selfie sharing: 'All dolled up & nowhere to go...Literally! Pregnancy isolation has officially begun 'What a strange time for us all, Im going to be doing exactly what has been suggested & reduce contact as much as poss & it sounds like a lot of you are also doing the same. She penned: The TOWIE star looked glam in a white tank top paired with khaki combat trousers despite telling fans she is 'all dolled up' with 'nowhere to go' 'Ive been trying to reply via DM to as many of you as I can as I didnt want to repost your personal responses but feel free to keep messaging if your worried or feeling alone, there are so many of you that havent even announced your pregnant yet so feel like you cant talk to anyone else about whats going on 'Ill try to repost as much up to date official info I come across over on my stories & of course keep replying to you on here...No better time to all pull together & be there for each other. Stay safe' Lauren Pope has shared her joy at having waited to have a child with the 'right person', days after announcing she's expecting a baby with her beau. Earlier this week the star, who publicly announced her pregnancy last Thursday, conducted a Q&A session with her fans on Instagram, and candidly shared her excitement over welcoming a child with her 33-year-old boyfriend. Mr. Right: Lauren announced that she is expecting her first child with beau Tony Keterman, 33, last week When asked if she always wanted children, Lauren said: 'In the back of my mind I knew I always wanted a family of my own but I was just more concerned about waiting & doing that with the right person & not rushing it.' 'Im just so glad I did wait for that person & never settled for anything less [than] I felt I deserved,' she added, before telling another fan of her baby's impending arrival: 'Ive never been more excited about anything in my life.' Writing to another of her followers, the erstwhile reality star wrote: 'Im 37 & the happiest & most content Ive ever been on so many levels. Hopefully anyone out there trying to conceive at a similar age to me will see some comfort in my journey. 'I [used] to stupidly think I would be considered old to get pregnant but the fertility experts Ive spoken to have all told me thats really not true. Just in case anyone needs to hear this right now.' Happy news: She took to Instagram on Thursday to reveal her news after quitting fame Telling all: On Sunday, she used the 'Ask me anything' feature on her Instagram Stories to answer a series of questions about her pregnancy She shared that she already knows the baby's gender, having had a special test 10 weeks into her pregnancy. Sharing details of the process, the mother-to-be said: 'I had a blood test at 10 weeks called a "harmony test". 'You do have to pay for this & its not cheap it it also tests for some other potential issues you may want reassurance on before your 12 week scan & I am impatient and wanted to know everything was healthy as soon as I could & of course could find out the sex.' However, knowing the baby's gender has in no way helped the couple settle on a name for their offspring just yet, as Lauren explained: 'This is just the hardest decision, we have a few we like but its such a responsibility naming another human for the rest of [their] lives.' Secret: She admitted that keeping her baby news a secret was 'tough' in the first few months Sharing all the details: Lauren shared that she already knows the baby's gender, having had a special test 10 weeks into her pregnancy Lauren, who is five months pregnant, also shared about how she was able to keep her happy news under wraps for such a long time. She admitted: 'It was tough in the first few months but always in the back of my head I kept reminding myself how lucky I am to even be pregnant so you get through it & now I feel pretty good! 'The hardest part is no one knowing at that early stage so it cane be lonely when you want to talk about your symptoms to someone so I did end up telling a handful of friends & family early on & thankfully they all kept my secret for me.' A large part of keeping that secret was keeping her growing baby bump concealed. Sharing her secrets, she wrote: 'I found standing front on to camera hid it a l lot or of course loose fitting tops or a strategically placed shirt of handbag did the trick.' Staying safe: With deadly coronavirus dominating the news cycle, Lauren said, 'Im trying not to panic and just keep myself away from crowded places as much as possible' Elsewhere, former TV personality Lauren also spoke about her experiences thus far carrying her bundle of joy, including dreaded morning sickness. She said: 'Mine went on till about week 15 to be honest but Id say the peak of it was around 8-13. I did find that keeping crackers with me at all times helped so much when I was out & about & started to feel sick.' And while she experienced the expected nausea, Lauren revealed that cravings have so far not been a part of her pregnancy, saying: 'Im past 5 months already and not had any cravings really yet, when does that kick in? 'The first 3 months I couldnt face much as was pretty nauseous all the time so was living off crumpets, pasta & crackers. But since then Ive been forcing myself to be as healthy as possible with the odd treat here & there.' Morning sickness: Elsewhere, former TV personality Lauren also spoke about her experiences thus far carrying her bundle of joy, including dreaded morning sickness With deadly coronavirus dominating the news cycle, Lauren was asked if she felt 'nervous' about it, to which she responded: 'Im trying not to panic and just keep myself away from crowded places as much as possible. 'Try not to get stressed as thats never healthy. Just try to keep yourself eating well and rested as much as possible.' Lauren admitted that she's 'struggling' to find her maternity style after her baby bump 'popped' in the past couple of weeks. But where she may lag in sartorial preparation, she makes up for in her decisions about how the baby will arrive - revealing that she plans to try hypnobirthing, which reduces the pain of childbirth through controlled breathing. Covered: A large part of keeping that secret was keeping her growing baby bump concealed Birth plans: Lauren revealed that she plans to try hypnobirthing, which reduces the pain of childbirth through controlled breathing On Thursday, Lauren shared a collage of photos on Instagram in which she debuted her bump, as well as her baby scan and a picture of Tony kissing her tummy. A source told MailOnline: Lauren consciously took a step away from the limelight some time ago now. Since then, she has been fully focused on her business and is truly head over heels with her boyfriend. 'She is happier than she has ever been and having a family of her own and being a mother has always been a dream and is looking forward to this new chapter in her life together with her boyfriend. 'Lauren wanted to wait until she was way past the three month mark before revealing her news to make sure the baby was safe and healthy. She's found The One: The couple went Instagram public with this image in January 2019 on social media and it seems Lauren has found her fairytale ending Her love: Lauren bowed out of the spotlight in March last year to spend time with her boyfriend following a nine year stint on TOWIE 'The pregnancy has been going well and she's been eating everything in sight since the morning sickness subsided.' Lauren decided to bow out of the spotlight in March year to spend time with her boyfriend following a nine-year stint on TOWIE. But she has been busy working on her successful Hair Rehab London brand and would still keep her fans posted about what she's up to on Instagram. Lauren announced she was quitting TOWIE in March of last year. She shared a glamorous snap with her on-screen best pal Chloe Sims and thanked both show bosses and her close friends on the programme. A source told MailOnline: Lauren consciously took a step away from the limelight some time ago now. Since then, she has been fully focused on her business and is truly head over heels with her boyfriend' They continued: 'She is happier than she has ever been and having a family of her own and being a mother has always been a dream and is looking forward to this new chapter in her life together with her boyfriend' Lauren penned at the time: 'After an amazing nine years on @towie I have decided that now is the natural time for me to say goodbye... 'Ive made incredible friends especially you @chloe_simsstarship @georgiakousoulou @diags_ @danedgar @tommy_mallet & @limepicturestv have now become an extended family to me... 'Ill be forever grateful for their guidance & support over the years & the opportunities that have come my way from being a part of the family. I now really want to focus my time on my business ventures and personal relationship... 'And finally big thank you to all of you guys for keeping up with me over the years, heres to an exciting next chapter'. Two months before, Lauren had confirmed her romance by sharing a sweet snap of her kissing a hunky man, who was revealed to be foreign exchange investor Tony Keterman, 33. Replying to a fan who asked if she was single, the beauty entrepreneur shared a picture of her packing on the PDA with her beau and wrote: 'Nope' alongside a smiling emoji. Cautious: 'Lauren wanted to wait until she was way past the three month mark before revealing her news to make sure the baby was safe and healthy' New Delhi, March 19 : Centre should ask banks to delay declaring companies' accounts as NPAs for one year due to the economic fallout of COVID-19, the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) said. FIEO President Sharad Kumar Saraf said that the spread of Covid-19 to over 144 countries points to the most challenging times for the exports sector. "Banks may be asked to delay the declaring companies' accounts as NPA for 1 year as the lack of business coupled with fixed cost will make many accounts NPAs," he said in a statement. "The existing working credit limits of exporters with the banks may be automatically enhanced by 25 per cent, if so desired... All existing Export Promotion Schemes must continue till March 31, 2021 at least." He said that as per current trend, MSMEs particularly in employment intensive sectors like carpets, handicrafts, apparels, footwear, gems and jewellery, marine and perishable, with their major market in Europe and the US are likely to be worst affected particularly in first quarter of FY 2020-2021. Reuters By Krystal Hu and Jeffrey Dastin NEW YORK (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc will only receive vital supplies at its U.S. and UK and other European warehouses until April 5, its latest move to free up inventory space for medical and household goods in high demand as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. The change does not mean that Amazon will stop selling non-essential items like phone cases and toys for now, only that products may be more likely to run out of stock in the next few weeks or sellers have to ship the products directly to consumers themselves. In a note sent to sellers on Tuesday, Amazon said it is seeing increasing online shopping demand from consumers. As its household staples and medical supplies are running out of stock, it will prioritise certain categories in order to "quickly receive, restock, and ship these products to customers." Amazon defined several categories as essential products that can continue shipping, including baby products; health and household items; beauty and personal care; grocery; industrial and scientific; and pet supplies. Books are included as well. "We understand this is a change for our selling partners and appreciate their understanding as we temporarily prioritise these products for customers," Amazon said in a statement. The company said the new protocol applies to both first-party vendors and third-party sellers. That suggests that the company is not protecting its own products. The move follows Amazon's announcement it will hire 100,000 workers for its warehouses on Monday, as the Seattle-based giant is trying to meet growing online shopping need from people who stay home amid the coronavirus outbreak. LESS AD REVENUE? The news may hurt demand for lucrative services that Amazon offers to merchants, like advertising. Amy Roskelley, owner of Utah-based Health Beet, said she pays Amazon around $1,000 a month to promote her flatware products that help consumers portion their meals. Now that she cant add inventory to Amazons warehouses, she plans to cut ad spend in half. Its hard for me to justify spending money if I dont have enough inventory to fill customers orders, she said. Roskelley is considering other ways to reduce her dependence on Amazon, too, whether shipping directly to customers or driving traffic to her own website. "I have been concerned that they'll shut down Amazons warehouses and wont ship out at all, and that would just devastate me," she said. Amazon has yet to indicate any such closures. Still, the months-long outbreak is posing challenges to the e-commerce giant's operations, from supply chain to deliveries, as the virus spreads from China to the rest of the world. "Our factories just resumed production, but now we can't ship to warehouses until April," said Zengxie Pang, a China-based seller, "We are already seeing a rising demand for kitchen supplies and they will likely run out of stock, as well as other products people use when they're stuck at home." Amazon's two-day shipping guarantee has in some cases slowed to up to seven-day delivery, Baird Equity Research analyst Colin Sebastian said in a note. Tuesday's announcement aims to speed up the operation, at the risk of limiting the availability of non-essential items like electronics that typically are a big part of Amazon's business. "This change will likely force some third-party sellers currently dependent on Amazon to shift sales to other marketplaces (eBay, Wish, Walmart, Facebook Marketplace, etc.), or onto their own websites," Sebastian said. Third-party sellers account for over half of the sales on Amazon. Amazon has been courting sellers to use its own fulfilment system, enabling many of them with faster delivery without the risks of sitting on inventories. One consultant said the announcement landed as third-party sellers were grappling with economic uncertainty amid the outbreak. Workers at bars, gyms, theatres and other non-essential businesses are furloughed to help contain the spread of the deadly virus and President Donald Trump on Monday said the U.S. economy may be sliding into recession. "Sellers are rethinking their entire strategies for selling in 2020," said Chris McCabe, founder of Amazon seller consultancy ecommerceChris.com. (Reporting by Krystal Hu; Additional reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Jeffery Dastin in San Franscico and Elvira Pollina in Milan; Editing by Nick Zieminski, Lisa Shumaker and Sandra Maler) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. A family in Cumberland County is quarantined at home after one member got sick with COVID-19. Dominic, a 21-year-old University of Pennsylvania student, said he wouldnt have thought to get tested for the illness if a friend hadnt turned up positive with the coronavirus first. He and his mother, Trina, spoke to WITFs Smart Talk but didnt want to use their last name because of privacy concerns. Dominic and several friends cut short a spring break trip to Spain when President Donald Trump announced a travel ban to the U.S. from Europe a week ago. He said he landed in New York City Thursday but wasnt screened at the airport as hed expected to be. He took a bus to Philadelphia to collect his things. It wasnt until Sunday, when one of his friends who had been on the trip texted him that he had tested positive, that Dominic realized he might have COVID-19. We went straight home and started calling people to figure out where I could get tested and it was difficult, he said. Trina said when they went to a hospital on the advice of their family doctor, a nurse in a mask quickly ushered them back out the door. And made us stand far away from the emergency room door outside and within a couple minutes she came back out and immediately put masks on both of us, she said. They waited in an exam room for several hours before doctors decided to test Dominic. He was sent home as a presumed positive case. Test results Tuesday morning confirmed it. Dominic said his symptoms are mild, like a common cold or allergies. If I felt like this during the normal school-year flu season, I dont even know if I would pop an Advil or go seek any medical attention, Dominic said. I dont have a fever. I have a little bit of a cough. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists symptoms of COVID-19 as fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Dominic said state health officials told him to stay quarantined while he has symptoms, then for another two weeks after they stop. There are 96 cases of coronavirus in Pennsylvania as of Tuesday afternoon. 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. Families of the 22 victims murdered in the Manchester bombing waited almost three years for a chance to see justice, only to find it delayed time and again by the cowardly evasions of Hashem Abedi. He had helped build the bomb that his brother, Salman, detonated at Manchester Arena in May 2017. Prosecutors presented forensic evidence to the Old Bailey that showed the blast was a joint enterprise between the two brothers, although only one would press the button. After months of preparations together, Abedi stayed in Libya when the attack took place and fought being put on trial in Britain at every step. He claimed he had been tortured in Libyan custody, that his extradition was unlawful, and then refused to answer questions from police. Despite an overwhelming quantity of forensic evidence proving Abedis involvement in obtaining explosives, bomb components and properties to build it, he denied all charges. Legal argument delayed the start of his trial in February and then on the second day, the 22-year-old claimed he felt unwell. The jury was sent out of the courtroom before his defence barrister told the judge that Abedi was dehydrated because he was allergic to chlorinated water and had to have mineral water at HMP Belmarsh or in the dock. Justice Jeremy Baker adjourned the trial so the defendant could attend, telling the court: It s important that Mr Abedi is able to concentrate on the [prosecution] opening and for that reason Ive arranged for some inquiry to be made about his condition to ensure that if he needs any medical intervention he receives it promptly. But it was just the first of numerous absences by Abedi throughout the seven-week trial, which was watched by relatives of the victims in the Old Bailey and streamed live to Manchester and other cities. The evidence was repeatedly paused when the defendant claimed he felt ill, suffered flashbacks and was too exhausted to attend. On one day, jurors were sent home again barely a minute after taking their seats after being told simply that Abedi was feeling unwell. 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, hes feeling exhausted, defence barrister Stephen Kamlish QC told the judge on 3 March. Hes been having flashbacks, hardly any sleep and hes just reached the point where hes just overwhelmed by it all. Hashem Abedi was found guilty of 22 counts of murder (Greater Manchester Police) Mr Kamlish complained over Abedis treatment in custody and in Libya, but a psychiatrist who visited him in custody said he was not unfit to stand trial. Mr Kamlish said Boris Johnson, then the foreign secretary, visited Libya in August 2017 while Abedi was being detained and announced a 9m aid package shortly afterwards. It was followed by a historic request to extradite Abedi to the UK something agreed by Tripoli despite its previous refusal to hand over Libyan nationals to foreign jurisdictions. Abedi, who was born in Britain to Libyan parents, said he was tortured in Tripoli but defence requests for details of any discussions between Mr Johnson and Libyan officials about the case were ignored by the Crown, Mr Kamlish said. Addressing the court during legal argument in January, he said: They [the Crown Prosecution Service] cannot show the extradition was lawful. Mr Kamlish alleged that the questions posed by Libyan torturers about Abedis conduct in Manchester could have only have come from investigators in the UK. British officials were also aware of Abedis complaints of extreme torture including concerns raised by his brother Ismail long before an application to extradite him to the UK was made, the court was told. Mr Kamlish said Abedi was questioned about his treatment by MI5 and MI6 representatives, who allegedly gave him chocolate, with his alleged aggressors present in the room. He added: After the torture was clear, the British government do nothing to stop it, then applied for his extradition. A fragment of can of the type obtained by Abedi from the scene of the bombing (Greater Manchester Police ) (Greater Manchester Police) The Home Office denied that any rules were broken and Duncan Penny QC, for the prosecution, ruled out underhand tactics from London. There is no evidence here that the defendant was deprived of due process in Libyan proceedings, he added. The judge said there was no reason to believe the prosecution hasnt carried out its duty and the trial went ahead. A Home Office spokesperson said: Hashem Abedi was extradited in line with strict legal requirements, and the defence counsel themselves abandoned their arguments regarding this process. Abedis barristers had to persuade him to return to court but as the prosecution closed its case, he decided to drop out completely refusing to attend court, declining to give evidence in his defence and sacking his lawyers. In the absence of the jury, barristers Stephen Kamlish QC and Richard Thomas were thanked by the judge before they picked up their case files and walked out with a look of resignation. Abedi 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 on Tuesday. He will be given a life sentence at later date. Assistant Chief Constable Russ Jackson, of Greater Manchester Police, said Abedi was every bit as guilty as his dead brother. (UK (UK) During his police interview, he professed not only his innocence but his desire to help police with their enquiries before then refusing to answer all further questions put to him, he added. Then at his trial, he offered no testimony in his own defence. 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. Abedis refusal to give evidence left many unanswered ahead of the delayed public inquiry into the attack, which will examine claims the security services missed opportunities to prevent the bombing. A lawyer who represented the families of 11 victims said the trial process had been incredibly painful. Victoria Higgins, of Slater and Gordon, added: The frequent delays and disruption Abedi has orchestrated during an already lengthy trial has only added to their distress. But they can now turn their attention to the inquiry and I think that, for many, is the part that will answer their questions. They know what happened but the inquiry will examine the how and why and whether there is anything that could have prevented or minimised the devastation caused by this attack. Additional reporting by PA Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 18:09:56|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A team of Chinese medical experts arrives in Padova, Italy to share their experience and expertise in #coronavirus treatment and prevention. #COVID19 Nice to see you, readers, to see you nice. Thanks to my former cable company, I had an intense few days of online social distancing, with only a handful of apps offering me news from the land of the connected. What with a fatal decision I had made regarding passwords, I had full access only to the CBC, Twitter, the Star, and, for inexplicable reasons from a former life, Massimo Dutti, a Zara app selling casual office wear. How strange it has been to hunch over the phone on the couch, in a silent hair salon, on Torontos empty streets, or just wandering the neighbourhood trying to find a piece of air with thick high-quality wi-fi while listening to Prime Minister Trudeau address the nation. It seemed very 1939, the family huddled around the radio waiting to hear if the war had started. My mother, who is 92, was around then and I asked her if it felt anything like that, or, as has been absurdly suggested, the Blitz, but she said she didnt remember. A former Land Girl who I think spent the war baling hay, shes Scottish and they dont dwell on things. I do though. I wont name The Little Cable Company That Couldnt because its unfair and also because I want to nurse my resentment like a freshly laid egg. After much begging and unhingement on my part, Rogers agreed to take me on and pay a visit. Heres what I learned as the pandemic kicked in. Rogers Cable really came through, and it isnt often you hear that. During a pandemic you find out who your friends are (Eric, Natasha and Rammy Rogers) and its never the people youd expect. Home is the place where when you have to go there, they have to take you in, but that isnt true in a pandemic, not if home has its wits about it. The way to test your familys love will come a month from now when you cut their hair. Yes, its shorter but isnt that the definition of a haircut, try saying that. I dont think it looks like dog fur. In unfriendly Toronto, strangers were adorable, grinning at each other across great distances in the subway car, while passive-aggressive status wars played out. Where did that peculiar couple get those matching yellowy face masks, in the attic I bet. Oooh, an N95, very fancy. I try to write with candour, sorry about that, so yes, I devised a face mask of my own, an Ines de la Fressange silk scarf from her Uniqlo line, ineffective but attitudinal, worn bank-robber style over a fresh HEPA filter from the good vacuum cleaner. I resent the constant advice from experts that N95 masks are ineffective unless correctly fitted, and that plain masks wont keep out your bigger death droplets, only some. Theyre better than nothing, which is all we ask of gear in a pandemic. My mask keeps out both coronavirus and pet dander. I dont care to hear the Conservatives saying its time to cut taxes. Tax revenue is useful in a pandemic, as we learned from Trudeau yesterday. As opposed to what, heavy tipping? Other things I learned: there are windows of opportunity for everything, including buying flour in a serious-sized bag, not the cute kind that would fit in a Christmas stocking. On the bright side, the bread maker it requires has not been delivered by Amazon, nor has my copy of the 1722 bestseller A Journal of the Plague Year. At a certain point, trains uncaught will not pass by again. Batteries. Bread yeast. New contact lenses. After days on Twitter, I again see that it is vicious and often wrong but its actually good if your gamut runs from sentimental to doom laden with nothing in between. David Wallace Wells, who wrote The Uninhabitable Earth about climate change killing off all humans, has a terrible Twitter feed telling us how were going to die sooner than that thanks to COVID -19. I dont question his stats or his honesty but in his place, why bother? Yesterday, post-reconnectivity, I had a brief moment of blue-skies ecstasy walking along Bloor Street. No reason at all. These two events have been far from the only cyber events that have hurt maritime operators. In 2013, the Belgian port of Antwerp was attacked after malicious software was emailed to staff, allowing the organised crime group to access data remotely, and in 2018, a cyber breach affected shipping giant Coscos operations in the US Port of Long Beach. While the maritime space might not have been traditionally thought of as a prime target for cyber criminals, times are changing and companies have to evolve or risk becoming victims themselves. Nonetheless, this might be easier said than done. I have done assessments on oil tankers and different ships, and seen the technology they use. Its old and not kept up to date because it hasnt had to be, but also when they do have connection to the internet, they have a lack of controls, said Stacy Scott (pictured), a managing director in Krolls cyber risk practice. That means they could download anything, which could then be transferred to their charting system, which is not only the map on how to get from point A to point B, but are there storms, are there things you want to avoid that could have a catastrophic effect? The data that a ship or port holds in its systems might not be credit cards and social security numbers, but that doesnt make the breach of the data any less significant. The data could be operational, or reveal intellectual property plans for a new ship. Though a lot of companies in the sector are thinking about cybersecurity now more than ever, they dont necessarily know how to build it into what they already have in place. I have been on 30-year-old ships because theyre still working and you build them to last a long time, and they dont have the capability to take on modern security or technology, so how do you protect those things? explained Scott, adding that the fallout from a cyberattack could include not getting goods to intended destinations or even loss of life because a hacked charting system could direct ships into a storm or into the way of pirates. Read more: James Fisher and Sons rocked by cyberattack At the same time, hackers are getting increasingly sophisticated in their methods of attack. The risk is growing from medium to high, said Scott. I think the level of concern is growing, rightfully so because of what happened to Maersk down to the most recent events. For insurance professionals advising marine companies about risk mitigation for cyberattacks, they can pass along a few tips that the Kroll team has used with its clients. What we found works for our clients is implementing checklists. Its a checklist culture and theyre on-ship staff particularly will be able to run through those, recommended Scott. They are able to check systems to make sure theyre up to date, make sure configuration is still the same, make sure people are logging off, and make sure that they dont have open sessions with a Gmail account, for example. As the industry evolves and new ships and marine systems are introduced, cybersecurity should be a top priority. Scott also added that satellite internet providers should take a bigger role in securing those networks. Read more: Shipping industry tussling with potential risks from new IMO rules As with most industries however, the maritime sector faces pressure from hackers that seem to be moving faster than they can keep up with. That shouldnt discourage companies from implementing controls if anything, it should spur them to join the cybersecurity race and prioritise key actions. It starts with whats the most critical and I think if you have ships, its operations that are most vulnerable, so understanding what those operations are and how to put some security processes or technology controls in place [is important], explained Scott. Most often, the easiest thing to do is [introduce] a new process to double-check and detect if things are potentially going wrong or [if theres anomalous activity. This way, companies can catch suspicious activity sooner and respond more quickly, potentially reducing the impact of an attack. These types of risk management practices can prepare maritime operators for the worst. The question that I usually get is how do we get ahead of the bad guys? And I think thats very hard to do, continued Scott. There are large companies that spend billions on security and theyre not ahead of it, and they probably dont have a huge enough budget for these things. But, the idea is to focus on detection. Were not going to be able to protect everything and maybe [hackers] get into the first layer of defence, but we can stop them there. Passengers on board a Qatar Airways flight arriving in Sydney from Doha were given instructions to self-isolate for 14 days, as part of new travel restrictions from the Australian government. After we landed we all got up to get our things and were waiting for quite a while then an announcement over the PA said to sit back down, Arjun Mehrotra told Storyful. Passengers were then told an official was going to give them information on the coronavirus. He was then going through and asking questions to each person where they had been and if they felt sick. And they also gave all of us information about the coronavirus: what to do if we felt sick and what self isolation means, as we all have to undergo it. All international arrivals to Australia as of March 16 were required to self-isolate for 14 days. There were 454 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia on March 18, according to national health authorities. Credit: Arjun Mehrotra via Storyful [March 18, 2020] Plus Renewable Technologies, Limited and Avondale Solar, LLC agree to sell 350 MWac solar project to an affiliate of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners P/S AUSTIN, Texas, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Plus Renewable Technologies, Limited ("Plus") and Avondale Solar, LLC ("Avondale") (the "Sellers") have entered into an agreement to sell their interests in a 350 MWac solar PV project in Fort Bend County, Texas ("Fighting Jays Solar") that they are developing via their affiliate AP Solar Holdings, LLC ("AP Solar") to an affiliate of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners P/S ("CIP"). Fighting Jays Solar is expected to break ground in second half of 2020 and be operational by the summer of 2022. Due to its close proximity to the Houston metro area, the Fighting Jays Solar project is expected to experience minimal curtailment and basis risk to the premium Houston Zone of ERCOT. Speaking on behalf of the Sellers, Trevor Nash, the CEO of AP Solar Holdings, LLC said, "We are very pleased to be working with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners on the development of Fighting Jays Solar, and, based on the market dynamics and data that we are seeing, Fighting Jays Solar will be well positioned to provide low cost, clean and reliable power to the Houston Zone." "We are excited to be involved in Fighting Jays Solar, which is strategically located in the fastest growing load pocket in ERCOT. This transaction signifies another major investment by CIP in the Texas renewable energy market and CIP looks forward to working with our local partners to produce clean energy for the Houston Zone," commented Christian Skakkebaek, Senior Partner at CIP./p> About the Companies Plus Renewable Technologies, Limited is led by an experienced management team with domain expertise in infrastructure, renewable energy, capital raising, mergers and acquisitions, investment and asset management. The Company owns operating renewable assets in China and the U.S. and continues to evaluate and develop new projects in the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy and other Asian markets, including the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Taiwan, South Korea, and Sri Lanka. Plus Renewables also owns Radian Generation, its wholly owned subsidiary based in California. Radian Generation, using its own proprietary technology, LENS, is one of the world's largest renewable energy asset managers with over 12 GW of third party solar and wind generation assets under management. Avondale Solar, LLC was founded by affiliates of Snapper Creek Energy Advisors, LLC, and is a privately-held investment holding company created for the purposes of investing in utility-scale solar PV throughout the de-regulated electricity markets in the United States. AP Solar Holdings, LLC is a joint development company created by Avondale and Plus to provide a full suite of development services and capabilities for Avondale and Plus' utility-scale solar power project development portfolio in the ERCOT power market. Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners P/S is a fund management company with five energy infrastructure funds and nearly EUR 8 billion under management. CIP is a multinational team with extensive experience and knowledge within renewable technologies. CIP has investments in utility scale renewable assets across North America, Western Europe, and Asia Pacific. The team has a broad range of competencies within corporate finance, merger & acquisitions, engineering, construction, project development and project management. CIP was established in 2012 by senior executives with a proven track record from senior positions in the energy industry. Current investments include a wide range of energy infrastructure assets including offshore wind, onshore wind, offshore power transmission, biomass and energy-from-waste, and solar PV investments. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/plus-renewable-technologies-limited-and-avondale-solar-llc-agree-to-sell-350-mwac-solar-project-to-an-affiliate-of-copenhagen-infrastructure-partners-ps-301026260.html SOURCE AP Solar Holdings, LLC [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is projected to win Virginias primary Tuesday evening in his second victory in a state nominating contest. Virginia has 99 delegates up for grabs Tuesday night. Biden is projected to win at least a plurality of them, NBC News projected. The former vice president won the partys South Carolina primary election Saturday evening in a major boost for the former front-runners campaign, which had faltered in recent weeks after months of holding front-runner status nationally. Senator Bernie Sanders began beating Biden in national polls as he won in New Hampshire and Nevada and tied with former South Bend, Ind., mayor Pete Buttigieg in the Iowa caucuses. Sanders won his home state of Vermont in an expected victory. He is expected to earn at least a plurality of Vermonts 16 delegates. Biden, however, may prevent Sanders from sweeping the states delegates, as he did in 2016. Buttigieg and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar both dropped out of the Democratic 2020 race after Bidens South Carolina win and endorsed him this week in another boon for the former vice presidents campaign. A total of 1,344 delegates are up for grabs in the 14 state primaries on Super Tuesday. A majority of at least 1,991 of the entire 3,979 pledged delegates in the nominating race is required to win the Democratic presidential nomination on the first ballot at the partys convention this summer. Three other 2020 candidates are competing in Tuesdays primary contests, Massachusets Senator Elizabeth Warren, former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg, and Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. More from National Review Militants in Idleb have launched an attack against points controlled by the Syrian army, using rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns reports Al-Masdar. The militant forces in the Idleb countryside targeted the military points belonging to the Syrian army near the cities of Kafr Nabl and Hazarin in the southern countryside of the governorate. Following this attack, the Syrian army responded to the ceasefire breach by heavily targeting the militants north of Kafr Nabl. According to local reports, the militant forces have deployed their heavy weapons to the Jabal al-Zawiya front, where they later targeted the Syrian Arab Army troops. Terrorist groups have continued to violate the cessation of hostilities agreement and have used rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns to attack army points in Kafr Nabl and Hazarin, causing material damage, SANA said on Tuesday. The agency confirmed that: The Syrian Arab Army units monitored the sources of the attacks and responded to the sources of the fire with the appropriate measures. The militant forces have also destroyed a part of the M4 highway (Aleppo-Lattakia) to protest the Russian-Turkish patrols that are supposed to take place along this roadway. According to reports and photos released from the area, the militants cutoff the M4 highway by removing a part of the road and replacing it with a dirt mound. This move by the militant forces comes just two days after the Russian and Turkish troops were supposed to conduct joint patrols along this strategic highway that stretches several kilometers across northern Syria. On Sunday, the Russian and Turkish forces were blocked from continuing their patrols along the highway when a group of 60 protesters obstructed the roadway and forced them to seek an alternative route. 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. Comparisons of organic and conventional agriculture need to be better, say researchers The environmental effects of agriculture and food are hotly debated. But the most widely used method of analysis often tends to overlook vital factors, such as biodiversity, soil quality, pesticide impacts and societal shifts, and these oversights can lead to wrong conclusions on the merits of intensive and organic agriculture. This is according to a trio of researchers writing in the journal Nature Sustainability. The most common method for assessing the environmental impacts of agriculture and food is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Studies using this method sometimes claim that organic agriculture is actually worse for the climate, because it has lower yields, and therefore uses more land to make up for this. For example, a recent study in Nature Communications that made this claim was widely reported by many publications, including the BBC and others. But according to three researchers from France, Denmark and Sweden, presenting an analysis of many LCA studies in the journal Nature Sustainability, this implementation of LCA is too simplistic, and misses the benefits of organic farming. "We are worried that LCA gives too narrow a picture, and we risk making bad decisions politically and socially. When comparing organic and intensive farming, there are wider effects that the current approach does not adequately consider," says Hayo van der Werf of the French National Institute of Agricultural Research. Biodiversity, for example, is of vital importance to the health and resilience of ecosystems. But globally, it is declining, Intensive agriculture has been shown to be one of the main drivers of negative trends such as insect and bird decline. Agriculture occupies more than one-third of global land area, so any links between biodiversity losses and agriculture are hugely important. "But our analysis shows that current LCA studies rarely factor in biodiversity, and consequently, they usually miss that wider benefit of organic agriculture," says Marie Trydeman Knudsen from Aarhus University, Denmark. "Earlier studies have already shown that organic fields support biodiversity levels approximately 30% higher than conventional fields." Usage of pesticides is another factor to consider. Between 1990 and 2015, pesticide use worldwide has increased 73%. Pesticide residues in the ground and in water and food can be harmful to human health, terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and cause biodiversity losses. Organic farming, meanwhile, precludes the use of synthetic pesticides. But few LCA studies account for these effects. Land degradation and lower soil quality resulting from unsustainable land management is also an issue - again, something rarely measured in LCA studies. The benefits of organic farming practices such as varied crop rotation and the use of organic fertilisers are often overlooked in LCA studies. Crucially, LCA generally assesses environmental impacts per kilogram of product. This favours intensive systems that may have lower impacts per kilogram, while having higher impacts per hectare of land. "LCA simply looks at the overall yields. Of course, from that perspective, it's true that intensive farming methods are indeed more effective. But this is not the whole story of the larger agroecosystem. A diverse landscape with smaller fields, hedgerows and a variety of crops gives other benefits - greater biodiversity, for example," says Christel Cederberg of Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. LCA's product-focused approach also fails to capture the subtleties of smaller, diverse systems which are more reliant on ecological processes, and adapted to local soil, climate and ecosystem characteristics. LCA needs a more fine-grained approach. "We often look at the effects at the global food chain level, but we need to be much better at considering the environmental effects at the local level," says Marie Trydeman Knudsen. The researchers note in their study that efforts are being made in this area, but much more progress is needed. A further key weakness is when hypothetical "indirect effects" are included, such as assuming that the lower yields of organic agriculture lead to increased carbon dioxide emissions, because more land is needed. For example, another prominent study - from a researcher also based at Chalmers University of Technology - suggested that organic agriculture was worse for the climate, because the requirement for more land leads indirectly to less forest area. But accounting for these indirect effects is problematic. "For example, consider the growing demand for organic meat. Traditional LCA studies might simply assume that overall consumption of meat will remain the same, and therefore more land will be required. But consumers who are motivated to buy organic meat for environmental and ethical reasons will probably also buy fewer animal-based products in the first place. But hardly any studies into this sort of consumer behaviour exist, so it is very difficult to account for these types of social shifts now," says Hayo van der Werf. "Current LCA methodology and practice is simply not good enough to assess agroecological systems such as organic agriculture. It therefore needs to be improved and integrated with other environmental assessment tools to get a more balanced picture" says Christel Cederberg. ### Read the article Towards better representation of organic agriculture in life cycle assessment in Nature Sustainability. For more information, contact: Christel Cederberg Professor, Department of Space, Earth and Environment, Chalmers University of Technology christel.cederberg@chalmers.se +46 31 772 22 18 Marie Trydeman Knudsen Researcher, Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University mariet.knudsen@agro.au.dk +45 87 15 7958 Hayo Van der Werf Researcher, French National Institute of Agricultural Research hayo.van-der-werf@inra.fr +33 02 23 48 57 09 This story has been published on: 2020-03-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. In this time of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, pandemic, you can't go long without hearing mention of "social distancing" and "flattening the curve." While those terms might sound like some modern scientific theory government officials and scientists have just come up with, you may be surprised to learn that these methods to stop the rapid spread of illness are due to hard lessons learned during the Spanish flu pandemic, which swept the globe almost exactly 100 years ago. The Spanish flu was first identified in military members during World War I and rapidly swept across the globe, carrying death as it went. In fact, more U.S. military members were killed by the flu (63,114) than in the war (53,402). In September 1918, many Americans thought the flu was over. The summer had brought a decrease in cases and deaths, so life began to resume as before. Philadelphia organized a patriotic parade to show support for the troops and sell war bonds to raise funds for the war effort. This went on despite warnings from some officials that the illness was just waiting to make a comeback. In fact, nearby Camp Dix, New Jersey, and Camp Meade, Maryland, were locked down due to hundreds of ill troops. Undeterred by this, and bowing to media pressure calling for the parade to go on, the city decided to stage the extravaganza on Sept. 28, 1918. The parade was huge, with crowds thronging both sides of the street for blocks. American composer John Philip Sousa, who was also a 62-year-old Marine reservist, and his orchestra even put on a concert of patriotic songs. In less than 72 hours, thousands in the city had fallen ill. Hospitals were overwhelmed; morgues and undertakers couldn't keep pace with demand as citizens died by the thousands. In fact, one newspaper account said that there were "bodies stacked like cordwood" in parts of the city. Meanwhile, St. Louis saw the way that the flu had spread quickly throughout other cities and military camps. By virtue of being geographically separated from the large population centers of the East Coast, St. Louis officials had time to react to the conditions back East before the illness hit their city. In early October, St. Louis' city health commissioner ordered the closure of schools, movie theaters, saloons, sporting events, church services and other public gathering spots. This wasn't popular with the people. Business owners protested, but government officials remained firm in their decision. The number of new cases began to decline. Then, a month later, there was an uptick of cases at the nearby Jefferson Barracks military training post, so the quarantine was expanded to all businesses except banks, newspapers, embalmers and coffin makers. St. Louis was spared from the devastation that other cities faced. By the end of the year, much of the flu had run its course, and new cases began to drop off in the U.S., so the St. Louis quarantine was lifted. In 1918, the city, with a population of 700,000, saw 1,700 die from the flu. In contrast, Philadelphia with a population twice that of St. Louis, saw several times the number of flu deaths -- more than 12,000. Most of the Philadelphia deaths occured in October and November and were a direct result of the September military parade. This history is well known in epidemiology and infectious disease circles. Numerous academic papers have been written about the St. Louis effect and the lessons of social distancing and public policy. In fact, the term "flattening the curve" may have originated by comparing graphs of the number of fatalities in both cities. As you can see in the graph below, Philadelphia suffered a huge spike in deaths three weeks after that fateful September parade, while St. Louis had fewer deaths and showed no rapid increases. As illustrated, the "curve" of the graph is flatter. This allows public health agencies to develop and prepare a response rather than be overwhelmed with a rapid spike in a short time frame. So, the next time you hear somebody complaining that they can't go sit in a dark room and drink with other people, or go to a large sporting event for the next few weeks, remember history. Some people learn from it. Some don't. Mining billionaire Clive Palmer has donated $1million to go towards a clinical trial in the hopes of finding a cure for the deadly coronavirus. Researchers at the University of Queensland will now be able to further test their theory that drugs used to treat HIV and malaria could be used to tackle the coronavirus. They launched a fundraising campaign to raise $750,000 to go toward understanding and better treating COVID-19. With the funding from Mr Palmer, the larger-scale clinical trial can now begin immediately. Scientists and doctors around the world have been scrambling find a cure or treatment for the deadly virus which has infected almost 200,000 people worldwide, and caused almost 8,000 deaths. The number of cases has spiked to 561 in Australia and six people have now died. Mining billionaire Clive Palmer has donated $1million towards a clinical trial in the hopes of finding a cure for the deadly coronavirus Researchers at the University of Queensland will now be able to further test their theory that drugs used to treat HIV and malaria could be used to tackle the coronavirus 'At this time of national crisis in our country all Australians must do whatever they can to help their fellow Australians,' Mr Palmer said. 'There are many other Australians beside me that can provide financial support necessary to allow our medical resources to be deployed in the shortest possible time to save lives. 'I want all Australians who have done well in this country to remember their fellow Australians and the sacrifices that have been made by previous generations and dig deep to support all efforts necessary to defeat this threat to our lives.' His generous donation comes after he sank $83.7 million to his failed United Australia Party in the run up to the federal election last year. The massive figure, spent largely on TV adverts, was not enough to win him a single seat in either house of parliament. YFG Shopping Centres, which is based in Sunnybank in Brisbane, also donated $150,000 to the corovirus clinical trial. Queensland researcher, Professor David Paterson, said he hopes to enroll people in larger scale pharmaceutical trials by the end of the month. Chloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, and HIV-suppressing combination lopinavir/ritonavir have both reportedly shown promising results in human tests and made the virus 'disappear' in infected patients. The HIV drug Kaletra has shown promising results in the small number of coronavirus patients who have been treated with it, scientists say they now want to start proper clinical trials Coronavirus is a group of viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans, the virus causes respiratory infections Professor Paterson said it wouldn't be wrong to consider the drugs a possible 'treatment or cure' for the deadly respiratory infection. He explained that when the HIV medication lopinavir/ritonavir was given to people infected with the coronavirus in Australia it led to the 'disappearance of the virus'. He told Australian news site news.com.au: 'It's a potentially effective treatment. 'Patients would end up with no viable coronavirus in their system at all after the end of the therapy.' Although the treatment had been effective in a smattering of cases, there hasn't been any controlled testing like what would be needed to test a new drug, Professor Paterson said. '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 we're going to compare is one drug, versus another drug, versus the combination of the two drugs,' Professor Paterson said. The number of cases has spiked to 556 in Australia and six people have now died Scientists and doctors around the world have been scrambling find a cure or treatment for the deadly virus which has infected almost 200,000 people worldwide, and caused almost 8,000 deaths Lopinavir/ritonavir, the anti-HIV drug being tested, is most commonly sold under the name Kaletra. It is an antiviral medication which can be taken twice a day by people infected with HIV in order to reduce levels of the virus circulating in the body. Regular use of the medication is intended to stop HIV progressing to AIDS, which is fatal, and may also reduce the risk of people transmitting the infection to others. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF THE CORONAVIRUS? Once someone has caught the virus it may take between two and 14 days for them to show any symptoms. If and when they do, typical signs include: a runny nose a cough sore throat fever (high temperature) The vast majority of patients at least 97 per cent, based on available data will recover from these without any issues or medical help. 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. Advertisement It is a type of drug called a protease inhibitor, which works by stopping viruses from using an enzyme called protease, which is vital for them to be able to spread. Without protease viruses cannot make the fully-matured clones that they need to be able to infect other healthy cells, so the infection can't spread. This ability to stop a virus from reproducing and infecting new cells is believed to be what apparently makes Kaletra an effective coronavirus treatment. Kaletra is approved for use in the US, Europe and Australia, and its manufacturer AbbVie has already donated supplies of the drug to authorities China, the US and to the World Health Organisation. It is a different combination to the PREP drug which was recently approved for HIV prevention in the UK. Chloroquine an antimalarial drug works in a different way and is given to people to prevent malaria infections if they are bitten by a mosquito carrying the parasite. It does not cure malaria but stops it from developing when taken before, during and after someone visits an at-risk area. The drug works by salts inside them poisoning parasites and preventing them from growing inside human red blood cells. It has also been found to be able to destroy viruses, and scientists found in lab tests that it could be effective against the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Chloroquine is already widely used as an antimalarial for travellers and is also approved in the UK for use on people with rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. Symptoms of the virus include a fever, cough, sore throat and shortness of breath Scientists are keen to use an already-approved medication to try and treat the coronavirus because it would cut out the lengthy processes of safety trials they are already proven to be safe and getting government approval and manufacturing. It comes as a senior US official revealed that humans will begin trials of an experimental coronavirus vaccine today. Forty-five participants in Seattle which is currently being ravaged by an outbreak will receive the jab to test it is safe. None of the volunteers, who are aged between 18 and 55, will be infected at this point. Further trials are planned if the vaccine is safe. Dozens of pharmaceutical firms and universities across the world are in a race against time to create a COVID-19 vaccine. CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 27,244 Victoria: 20,269 New South Wales: 4,273 Queensland: 1,161 Western Australia: 692 South Australia: 473 Tasmania: 230 Australian Capital Territory: 113 Northern Territory: 33 TOTAL CASES: 27,244 ESTIMATED ACTIVE CASES: 269 DEATHS: 897 Updated: 5.31 PM, 11 October, 2020 Source: Australian Government Department of Health Advertisement Leading officials have already warned a jab to protect millions could be a year away, with deaths mounting in the meantime. The World Health Organization says 35 experimental vaccines are in development, including one co-developed by the US government. The National Institutes of Health is funding the trial of the jab, which was created alongside Massachusetts-based Moderna. The first participant in the phase one trial the earliest stage of human drug research will receive the vaccine today, an official revealed. None of the patients will be infected with the coronavirus at this stage. All of the patients will receive the experimental jab at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle. The source who disclosed plans for the first participant spoke on condition of anonymity because the move has not been publicly announced. Public health officials say it will still take a year to 18 months to fully validate any potential vaccine despite human trials beginning. The Japan share market finished session lower after erasing early gains on Wednesday, 18 March 2020, as the rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak globally continued to weigh on investor sentiment. Market losses were, however, capped on hopes that the Bank of Japan will buy Exchanged Traded Funds (ETFs) more aggressively. At closing bell, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average declined 248.98 points, or 1.68%, to 16,726.55. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange added 2.38 points, or 0.19%, at 1,270.84. Tokyo shares remained firm most of the day following a rebound on Wall Street overnight on expectations of the U. S. stimulus package. The increased exchange-traded fund purchases by the Bank of Japan as part of its expanded monetary easing policy also supported issues. However, selling was triggered late afternoon on tracking fall in U. S. stock futures, pulling the Nikkei index into negative territory after gaining more than 2 percent. U. S. stock futures sagged on speculation the administration of President Donald Trump may not be able to advance discussions smoothly on its proposed $1 trillion stimulus plan with Democrats Globally, more than 184,000 have been infected by the coronavirus while at least 7,529 lives have been taken, according to the latest figures from the World Health Organization. Mining and warehousing and harbor transportation service issues posted sharp declines as more travel bans have been introduced to try to prevent further spread of the coronavirus. Shares in Japan's Fujifilm Holdings Corp jumped after a Chinese official said the company's Avigan anti-flu drug appeared to help coronavirus patients recover. SoftBank Group tumbled after reports that the investment giant is reviewing its plan to acquire up to $3 billion worth of WeWork shares from existing shareholders. ECONOMIC NEWS: Japan Posts Y1,109.845 Billion Trade Surplus In February -Japan posted a merchandise trade surplus of 1,109.845 billion yen in February, the Ministry of Finance said on Wednesday, following the 1,312.6 billion yen deficit in January. Exports were down 1% on year, after sliding 2.6% in the previous month. Imports tumbled an annual 14% following the 3.6% decline a month earlier. CURRENCY NEWS: The Japanese yen, often seen as a save-haven in times of economic uncertainty, traded at 106.97 per dollar following an earlier low of 107.70. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi: In a big boost to Make in India, the government on Wednesday (March 18) paved a way for procurement of 83 indigenous Tejas fighter aircraft for Indian Air Force (AIF). The first meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) was held today under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to take this decision, according to Ministry of Defence statement. "Consequent to the separation of duties between Department of Defence (DoD) and Department of Military Affairs (DMA), the first meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) under the chairmanship of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh was held with the Acquisition Wing being the Secretariat of the DAC," it said. The decision would lead to better coordination and faster processing of cases with the Acquisition wing being in the overall charge of the Capital acquisition process. "While orders of 40 Tejas aircraft had been placed with HAL in initial configurations, DAC paved the way for procurement of 83 of the more advanced Mk1A version of the aircraft from HAL by finalising the contractual and other issues. The proposal will now be placed for consideration of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS)," the statement said. It further said, "This procurement will be a major boost to `Make in India` as the aircraft is indigenously designed, developed and manufactured with the participation of several local vendors apart from HAL." The ministry said that the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas indigenously-designed by Aircraft Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is going to be the backbone of Indian Air Force in future. The ministry said that the Defence Acquisition Council also accorded approval for the acquisition of indigenous Defence equipment for about Rs 1,300 crore. The proposals were for procurement of Aerial Fuses and Twin-Dome Simulators for Hawk Mk32 aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The DAC has also approved an amendment to the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) 2016 to enable review by a Costing Committee of bids submitted by Joint Ventures of Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs)/Ordnance Factory Board (OFB)/DRDO from whom procurement of Defence items is undertaken on a nomination basis. "This will bring about more transparency in costs and compress the timelines for negotiation of the contract," the statement added. (Natural News) Even though a former passenger tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), a cruise ship full of thousands of passengers was reportedly allowed to disembark in Miami over the weekend without undergoing any type of medical screening for the novel virus. This former passenger is said to have gotten off the MSC Meraviglia in Miami on March 8 after an eight-day Caribbean cruise, at that time leaving behind 103 passengers and the ships crew for the next voyage. Four days later, after the ship had traveled around with thousands of new passengers aboard, it was confirmed by the Public Health Agency of Canada that this passenger had, in fact, tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). After receiving the news, the company decided to isolate seven crew members who had been in close contact with this individual in separate cabins. But nothing was done with any of the potentially exposed passengers, and all of them ended up being released without any type of screening, let alone actual testing. Amazingly, it was federal health officials who gave MSC clearance to dock in Miami on Sunday and let all of the passengers leave. This stands in sharp contrast to what happened in California with the Grand Princess cruise ship after a passenger tested positive on that vessel, leading to both the California Department of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) testing 46 people while isolating the rest of them offshore for three days. None of the 3,877 passengers who disembarked from the MSC Meraviglia, on the other hand, were tested at all. And many of them immediately went to Miami International Airport to fly back to their homes all across the country. Listen below as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks about how everyone who mocked others for prepping for this type of crisis are going to have a rude awakening very soon: South Carolina cruise ship passenger says hes getting voluntarily tested for coronavirus One man from South Carolina who was aboard the MSC Meraviglia told the media that he received a letter from the company under his door while still on the ship informing him that another passenger had tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus. But upon disembarking, this man, who chose to remain anonymous, says that no protocols were in place to screen himself or any of the other remaining passengers. If we have it, its going to spread throughout the country, the man is quoted as saying. When I say there was no check, there was none whatsoever. I expected us to have some kind of screening. They didnt do a single thing. We walked straight off the ship. There wasnt any check on anyone for anything. MSC, in its defense, stated that no one on board had any visible symptoms of the disease, and were thus clear to disembark. The company must have missed the memo about how the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) can incubate without symptoms for nearly a month. We worked closely with the Health Authorities in Canada, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and PortMiami and followed all protocols as required, a spokesperson from the company wrote in an email to the media. MSC Meraviglia received clearance after health authorities reviewed all the necessary documentation regarding the health of passengers and crew on board today and throughout the cruise. What makes this situation even worse is the fact that a spokesperson from PortMiami told the media that it wasnt even aware that a cruise ship passenger had tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). The Florida Health Department also says it was not informed about any passenger testing positive. For more related news about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), be sure to check out Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: MiamiHerald.com NaturalNews.com For the past two years, I have attended the a large credit union board of directors conference as part of the delegation of 360 Federal Credit Union, based in Connecticut. Both years I had generally the same experience, I was one of the youngest (likely the youngest!) board members of any credit union delegation, way below the average age. Also, I was one of the few of Latino heritage, and in general there were not very many minority board members. At both conferences, almost everyone admitted the need for recruiting young and diverse board talent to remain competitive, but many were struggling to find and retain such talent. As a young and diverse board member from a credit union that has successfully recruited and retained such talent, I decided to write this article to share my experiences and help credit unions in this crucial task. I dont claim to have all the answers and you should get perspectives from others, but my experience can be replicated at other credit unions to improve their chances of success. First of all, why should credit unions look for young and diverse board members? Every organization needs to be able to stay in touch with the times in order to remain competitive, serve the needs of its market, and grow. In order to do that, credit unions need to know their market, and there is no way to know that market unless they regularly engage in and involve that market in its decision making. According to The Brookings Institute, Millennials have surpassed Baby Boomers to become the nations largest age group. They are also one of the most diverse generations in our history. Ignoring these population trends will guarantee that eventually every organization that doesnt adapt will be sidelined by its competition who does, thus gaining a competitive advantage. The statistics also recommend recruiting young and diverse board members. The Boston Consulting Group found that companies with diverse management have 19% higher revenue and 9% higher EBIT due to improved innovation when compared to companies with less diverse management. Recruiting this kind of talent can help keep a credit union ahead of its competition and improve its financial performance! How should credit unions find young and diverse talent? Instead of waiting for them to come to you, I suggest you go to them! There are lots of different ways you can do this, so the methods outlined in this article are not exhaustive. There are many young and diverse professional organizations that are full of talented potential candidates who are looking for an opportunity to prove and distinguish themselves. A credit union can send representatives (even board members) to these events to meet these potential candidates and hear how they want to be served by a credit union. Also, a credit union can host events in its offices designed to attract a young and diverse crowd. For example, I was eventually recruited because I met the Vice President of Human Resources of 360 Federal Credit Union at a seminar about understanding credit scores. At this event, 360 Federal Credit Union was able to attract a crowd of people to come to one of their offices, meet potential candidates, and even advertise itself to prospective members! Credit Unions can use other methods like hiring a recruiter, but they can be expensive and often lack experience recruiting young and diverse talent. They can also utilize social media like LinkedIn to advertise board openings. Another method is to task the credit union board members and staff with exploring their networks to find potential candidates. 360 Federal Credit Union has used this tactic successfully to recruit new board members. In order for any recruitment tactic to work, credit unions need to be willing to talk to and support these potential candidates. We rarely see young and diverse people serving on organizational boards, so the prospect of serving on a credit union board can be intimidating. Credit unions need to be willing to answer their questions, calm their concerns, and show them that they will be supported during their service. Show them that they will be valued for who they are, that their insights and skills matter, and that they are not being used as a simple token to fill some kind of quota or to show off. I suggest showing them how the credit union plans to invest in them. Is there monetary compensation involved? What kinds of opportunities are available for education and development (this is especially important if the potential candidate is not familiar with the credit union industry, which few will be)? How will credit union board experience help them in their careers? How is the application or election process run? What should they expect as part of the onboarding process? I would also suggest the credit union consider offering a mentorship opportunity with a more experienced board member. Once these concerns are addressed, the candidate will likely feel like serving on the board would be a good use of their time and that they will be able to make a difference. Failing to do this is a major reason why credit union boards fail to convince qualified candidates to apply or run for board vacancies. Then comes the next step, of equal importance, which is the process of retaining the young and diverse talent on your board. You need to develop an atmosphere that will embrace and value the unique perspectives of these new board members. For example, many credit unions have struggled to retain board members because they couldnt come to meetings during the middle of a work day. This might be fine for individuals who are retired, but not for those with typical 9am to 5pm jobs. I suggest making sure board meetings occur later in the day or early evening to minimize disruption to the work day. Credit unions should also utilize technology to allow board members to attend meetings remotely via conference calls or other virtual meeting programs. I have called into board meetings when I was traveling for work, and it has allowed me to contribute even when I am physically far away. At first, dont be surprised when a new board member is quiet. They may still be intimidated by being on a new board, especially if they are not familiar with the industry. Take the initiative to reach out to them and respectfully solicit their opinions and feedback in meetings. Maybe even give them opportunities to issue certain reports to the board so that they can practice speaking to the group. Occasionally, schedule one-on-one meetings between the board chair and the new board members to check up on them and see how they are feeling. Dont let new board members feel isolated and ignored, that is a major reason why they end up leaving. Take their suggestions seriously and make sure their concerns are addressed. As I mentioned earlier, continue to invest in new board members to make sure they get up to speed. Invite them to join various sub-committees and even ask them if they could see themselves as future board officers. Give them plenty of opportunities to grow and be heard. Sending young and diverse board members to conferences to network and learn from other credit unions is a major way to engage them. There are various young and diverse credit union professional groups, like the World Council Young Credit Union Professionals, that can be major resources to these new board members. Showing them that there are other credit union board members that look like them will inspire them to get more involved. Recruiting and retaining young and diverse board members is crucial to the long-term success of any credit union. If credit unions take a proactive approach to recruiting such talent, and develop a welcoming culture that values their insights, then they will unlock their amazing potential and get a competitive advantage. Be patient, be persistent, and make the necessary changes, because they will be worth it. Feel free to reach out to me to continue this important discussion. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/03/01/millennials-overtake-baby-boomers/ Pune The Pune police on Wednesday arrested a man for allegedly murdering a woman. The incident took place on March 12. The accused has been identified as Prem Jodharam Mali, 32 a resident of Mula road, Khadki. The victim has been identified as Reshma Sharma, 30. Her body was found by her husband in their home on March 12. According to the police Sharma was having an extramarital affair with Mali. The husband found her body after he returned from an outstation trip. Police Naik Sachin Jadhav of Unit 1 of crime branch on Wednesday received information that the man Samarth police station officials were looking for was spotted in Swargate. Mali was caught by the police at 1pm on Wednesday in Swargate. He confessed to having murdered the victim after they had a fight. A case under Section 302 (murder) of Indian Penal Code was registered at Samarth police station in the matter. The City of Lebanon has closed City Hall, the Senior Center, the library and the Municipal Court in response to the spread of the coronavirus to the community. The City of Lebanon has also canceled all public meetings until further notice. Acting City Manager Ron Whitlatch said the City is working with essential staff only at this time with the goal of maintaining basic services. "You do what you think is best with the information you have at hand," Whitlatch said of the closures. "We started looking at other cities' policies on contagion. We've got a lot of stuff on emergency management, but we really didn't have one on contagions. What we ended up doing is looking at several other cities ... and following what theirs were, which is based off of FEMA." Whitlatch said the fact that coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the community weighed heavily on the management team. "It was a hard decision to make because this is going to put us way behind, but we need to do our part to make sure we can continue to serve the public. Even if it's just essential (services)," Whitlatch said. The LINX Loop bus service has been suspended. The LINX Dial-A-Bus service is continuing to operate. Priority will be provided for essential travel needs. Bus operations will be Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please call 541-258-4920 for ride arrangements. The Lebanon Police Department will continue all essential services, but has suspended its public fingerprinting program at this time. The department requests that visits to the lobby be limited to emergency situations. The City of Lebanon will continue to accept utility payments online or through automated phone payments. Payments mailed or dropped off in the white mailbox in front of City Hall will be accepted, but not processed until normal City Hall operations resume. In addition, the City will be suspending late fees and will not be conducting Lock-Off procedures this month. To start or stop utility service, and for emergency sewer or water disruptions, utility customers should contact the after-hours service line at 541-451-0101. The usual after-hours fee will be waived. The Cascade West Council of Governments will continue to operate the Meals-on-Wheels (MOW) program, but the congregate meal site will not be open. For more information on that program, please call 541-924-8455. Whitlatch said there is no way to know how long these closures will remain in effect. "We'll stay in communication, the management team along with (City) Council and the mayor. We'll send an update to them every day and sometimes twice a day," Whitlatch said. "We'll continue to look at the situation and we'll modify from there, whether it gets worse or it gets better." 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. Its the zombie primary now. For all practical purposes, the Democratic nominating contest was over after Joe Biden won Michigan and Washington last week, then stretched his delegate lead by sweeping Florida, Illinois and Arizona on Tuesday night. Bernie Sanders has almost no chance of catching him. Yet because of the coronavirus, the presidential campaign is suspended in time. Rallies are off. Campaign workers, like many other people, are sheltering in place. On Tuesday, Maryland became the fifth state to postpone its election, and more states are expected to follow. The postponements have left an unexpected opening for Sanders to soldier on, even as his prospects fade. The pandemic, which first sapped the primary of life, is now extending it. Its frozen the campaign, said Mark Longabaugh, a senior adviser to Sanders during his 2016 campaign. I dont know what major campaign event you are going to have Put 50 press people in the room and let [the candidates] address the camera with their wives, maybe? He said, Past that, and I dont see how you cut through this life-or-death coverage that weve got. It just kind of closes it down. Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks about the coronavirus Thursday, March 12, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) For many Democrats, the prospect of a stalled but protracted nominating contest is unsettling. Moderates are laboring to unify the partys ranks behind Biden, and the politics of the coronavirus crisis is heightening their anxiety. The conventional wisdom for weeks has been that President Donald Trump's uneven, and at times chaotic, handling of this crisis is deeply problematic for his reelection chances. But it may not be that simple. So far, Trump has taken a beating over his handling of the pandemic. The economy is tanking, and just 46 percent of Americans believe the federal government is doing enough to confront the coronavirus, down from 61 percent last month, according to an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll. Few people trust what Trump is saying about the pandemic, according to the same poll. Story continues But Trump has time on his side, with the coronavirus spreading early in the election cycle. This week, the Republican president adopted a more somber tone, and some Democrats are beginning to worry that he could mold the narrative to his benefit. A massive stimulus, including direct payments to Americans, could help him in November. The initial mishandling of the coronavirus by the government doesnt mean voters will penalize Trump in November, said Michael Ceraso, who worked for Sanders in 2016 and was Pete Buttigiegs New Hampshire director before leaving his campaign last year. We know we have two candidates who can pivot this generations largest health crisis to their policy strengths. But history tells us that an incumbent who steers us through a challenging time, a la Bush and 9/11 and Obama and the Great Recession, are rewarded with a second term. In a normal year, the presidential primary would be shutting down by now, with Biden piling up delegates and Sanders running out of states to win. Biden easily defeated Sanders in the three states that voted Tuesday, including landslides in Florida and Illinois. And unlike in 2016, when Californias massive haul of delegates came later in the process, Sanders has little to look forward to. Sanders was widely expected to lose in delegate-rich Ohio on Tuesday before the state postponed its primary at the last minute. Georgia, which also just pushed back its primary that had been scheduled for next week, looked similarly grim for the Vermont senator. But the coronavirus has temporarily forestalled those outcomes. And if Puerto Rico reschedules its March 29 primary as expected, it will be more than two weeks before the next regularly scheduled primaries. Many of Sanders allies are lobbying him to stay in not to win, necessarily, but to amass more delegates to help advance progressive policy causes at the Democratic National Convention this summer. In this image from video provided by BernieSanders.com, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks from Washington, Tuesday, March 17, 2020. (Senate Television via AP) Sanders himself has given no indication he is eyeing the exits. He has staff in place for states voting in late April, with allies believing he may perform better in the Northeast if he can hang on until the primaries there. The Democratic National Committees framework calls for another debate that month, offering Sanders another platform if he sticks around. Sanders supporters have learned from this primary more than others that a race can change dramatically in two weeks. Its about winning, but its also about building movements, said Norman Solomon, a co-founder of the pro-Sanders online activist group RootsAction.org. He cast the Vermont senator not only as a politician, but as a teacher who, even in this somewhat dire moment of the campaign is still trying to deepen and widen the political discourse. In an election night address before polls closed Tuesday, Sanders spoke exclusively about the coronavirus and measures he said Congress should take to address it. Hours later, in live-streamed remarks from his home in Wilmington, Del., Biden did much the same, calling the response to the pandemic akin to fighting a war. He acknowledged that Sanders and his supporters had shifted the fundamental conversation in the United States on a number of issues, and he turned to them directly, saying, I hear you. I know whats at stake. But the online-only settings of the candidates remarks served as a reminder of how dramatically the campaign has changed and how far removed it now seems from many of the ideological disputes that defined the early stages of the race. The pandemic, Biden said in a message fit for the general election, was a reminder of a need to put politics aside. And with much of the electorate no longer fixated on the primary, but on a virus, that is a sentiment many voters may share, too. Viewership for the debate on Sunday between Biden and Sanders was down significantly from previous, pre-pandemic events. People are fearful, and the economy is shutting down. Paul Maslin, a top Democratic pollster who worked on the presidential campaigns of Jimmy Carter and Howard Dean, predicted the primary will hold in place with no actual campaign going on" for several weeks and "possibly longer." Regardless, Maslin added, Voters dont want this choice anymore" between Biden and Sanders. "They know Biden is the winner. They dont want to think about politics with a humongous crisis going on. Jackie Sells savors the warm fire and sunset light in Moab, Utah last fall.Dispersed camping on public and private land for recreational visitors in three southeast Utah counties including the Moab area has been shut down for a month under an order issued yesterday by state public health officials. A high-stakes divorce battle involving one of Britain's most famous businessmen has been derailed by the outbreak of coronavirus. Sir Frederick Barclay, 85, and his estranged wife, Lady Hiroko Barclay, 77, are currently embroiled in a row at the High Court, London, following the breakdown of their marriage. But Sir Frederick's lawyers said he was unable to attend the latest hearing at court earlier today as he was self-isolating due to a coronavirus scare. Sir Frederick Barclay, 85, (right, alongside twin brother David in 2000) is currently embroiled in a high-stakes divorce battle at the High Court, London A trial was scheduled to begin in June this year but Mrs Justice Roberts said that this will no longer take place and indicated that it may now be postponed until next year. Hearings have so far been overseen in private and judges have placed limits on what can be reported. Sir Frederick and his twin brother Sir David are among the UK's most high-profile businessmen and are currently worth around 3.2billion, according to Forbes. His estranged wife Lady Hiroko Barclay, 77, (left) attended court earlier today but his lawyers said that he was self-isolating due to a coronavirus scare The pair bought The Ritz Hotel, a favourite stomping ground of the rich and famous for over 100 years, in 1995. But the brothers, who have both been knighted, have recently been locked in a bitter feud about the future of the hotel. It is thought that Sir David resisted a possible deal in which a Saudi private investment firm would buy it for 750million. Sir Frederick and his twin brother Sir David are among the UK's most high-profile businessmen and are worth around 3.2billion but are currently in a bitter feud over The Ritz Hotel (pictured) And Sir Frederick and his daughter Amanda claimed that Sir David's three sons - Alistair, Aidan and Howard - as well as Aidan's son Andrew had been recording their private conversations over several months. Sir Frederick launched a separate High Court litigation alleging misuse of private information, breach of confidence and breach of data protection laws. This litigation was overseen by Mr Justice Warby in February. New paper published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology outlines key information for gastroenterologists and patients with chronic digestive conditions Bethesda, Maryland (March 18, 2020) -- A paper published today in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology by clinicians at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai outlines key information gastroenterologists and patients with chronic digestive conditions need to know about COVID-19, or coronavirus. Coronavirus is of particular concern for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who may take immunosuppression drugs. The paper, published in a journal of the American Gastroenterological Association, provides clear guidance: Patients on immunosuppression drugs for IBD should continue taking their medications. The risk of disease flare far outweighs the chance of contracting coronavirus. These patients should also follow CDC guidelines for at-risk groups: avoid crowds and limit travel. "This is a rapidly evolving area with new information emerging on a daily basis," says Ryan Ungaro, MD, MS, assistant professor of medicine at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "While COVID-19 is a significant global public health concern, it is important to keep its risks in perspective and stay up-to-date on current research and recommendations in order to provide our patients with the most accurate advice." ### KEY INSTRUCTION FOR GASTROENTEROLOGISTS: Use personal protective equipment during endoscopy as the GI tract may be a potential route of coronavirus infection. COVID-19 patients may complain of gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea or diarrhea. Laboratory findings described in COVID-19 patients include liver function test abnormalities. Reference Ungaro, R.C., Sullivan, T., Colombel, J.F., Patel, G. What Should Gastroenterologists and Patients Know About COVID-19? Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2020. Epub ahead of print. https://www.cghjournal.org/article/S1542-3565(20)30330-X/fulltext Contact for media: Rachel Shubert, media@gastro.org, 301-272-1603 About the AGA Institute The American Gastroenterological Association is the trusted voice of the GI community. Founded in 1897, the AGA has grown to more than 16,000 members from around the globe who are involved in all aspects of the science, practice and advancement of gastroenterology. The AGA Institute administers the practice, research and educational programs of the organization. http://www.gastro.org. About Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology The mission of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology is to provide readers with a broad spectrum of themes in clinical gastroenterology and hepatology. This monthly peer-reviewed journal includes original articles as well as scholarly reviews, with the goal that all articles published will be immediately relevant to the practice of gastroenterology and hepatology. For more information, visit http://www.cghjournal.org. AGA is now on Instagram. Like AGA and CGH on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @AmerGastroAssn, AGA_CGH. Check out our videos on YouTube. Join AGA on LinkedIn. Rajesh Asnani By Express News Service JAIPUR: After the good news about three coronavirus patients getting cured in Jaipur, three more people have been found positive with the virus in Rajasthan as CM Ashok Gehlot implemented section 144 in the entire state. According to the information, the trio, who have been found positive, are from the same family and live in Jhunjhunu. They returned from Italy on 8 March. After finding the symptoms, samples were sent to Jaipur on Tuesday for examination, which were found positive. ALSO READ| Centre orders CBSE, JEE exams to be deferred due to coronavirus scare The Health Department has kicked into action with the latest development. "The three positive cases have travel history of Italy. Samples were tested in Jaipur's Sawai Man Singh Hospital. A Rapid Response team has left for Jhunjhunu. Two Director level officers, five other officers, representatives of WHO, UNICEF will be in Jhunjhunu for next two days to supervise the comprehensive screening of the entire zone of 5 km radius from the epicentre i.e the residence of the positive family," said Rohit Kumar Singh, Addl Chief Secretary (Medical and Health department). He further remarked, "From tomorrow early morning, 350 teams will start an intense surveillance in three zones in Jhunjhunu - with a radius of 1 km, 3 km and 5 km respectively. They will do screening of the entire population so that no positive cluster is allowed to be formed." Seeing the growing influence of coronavirus, Gehlot called an emergency meeting in which it was decided to impose Section 144 in the entire state. During this time, more than five people can't be together at any place in the entire state. ALSO READ| Coronavirus: HRD Ministry to launch e-classes for school students Gehlot said that it is the endeavour of the state government that the citizens of the state survive the infection of this epidemic. He added that people have been advised to not gather at religious and public places including temples and mosques. The Chief Minister directed that Guardian and Teachers' Meeting (PTM) should be stopped with immediate effect in all government and private schools in the state till 31 March. He has also directed public and government libraries to be closed till the above date. The state has had four coronavirus positive patients till now. Amongst them, two were from Italy, one came from Dubai and the other from Spain. Three of them had been treated successfully in the Sawai Man Singh Hospital. But with three more patients detected positive, the state health machinery might be anxious once again. BJP MLC Lahar Singh Siroya on Wednesday wrote a letter to Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, urging him to allow half-an-hour daily discussion in the State Assembly and Council to take stock and review preparation of the government to contain the spread of coronavirus. "Since the entire world including India is facing an emergency-like situation, it is appropriate for lawmakers to discuss the matter in the legislature. I would like to request you to allow the matter to be discussed every day in the upper house," said Siroya in his letter to the Chief Minister. He said discussion and suggestions on the issue can help the government to improve the surveillance activities. He said members of the Assembly can bring realistic information from their districts and present the same before the House. Stressing that Bengaluru is a global hub of software and electronic industries, Siroya said: "We need to step up surveillance on the improvement of the international community. So, we have to discuss in detail and devise a robust strategy to contain the spread of the disease." He asserted there is a possibility of people using social media to mislead public. "lf the government discusses and debates the issue besides making announcements if any, there will be no scope for social media to mislead the public. Media is doing a good job in educating people. So, I would like to request you to involve the media and select NGOs to sensitise people and bring in the preventive mechanism of self-quarantine more effectively," he said. Two more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Karnataka on Wednesday, taking the tally of infected persons in the state to 13, Health Minister B Sriramulu said. A total of 147 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in India so far, as per the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The deadly virus has claimed three lives in the country, the first one was reported from Karnataka. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Montana's Motor Vehicle Division offices will remain open, but driving tests will be suspended for a month and crowds will be limited in waiting areas, officials said Tuesday. Attorney General Tim Fox and MVD Administrator Sarah Garcia announced several changes coming to MVD offices in response the novel coronavirus. Steps include a governor's executive order to extend the renewal deadline for expiring driver licenses, suspension of driving tests, additional cleaning of offices and limiting the number of customers allowed in waiting areas. The Helena office will also temporarily relocate. The COVID-19 virus is obviously changing daily life around the world and Montana is no exception, Fox said. Businesses and governments must adapt in order to help limit the spread of the disease, but at the same time we must do all we can to continue providing the services that we all need. An executive order extending expired driver license renewals for 90 days was signed Tuesday, Gov. Steve Bullock said during a media call. The extension applies to licenses that expire in March, April or May. Fox cautioned that the renewal did not protect Montanans from citations in other states for driving with an expired license. The goal is to limit the need for visits to MVD stations during the COVID-19 outbreak, Fox said. This safeguards the health of the public and of MVD employees by reducing person-to-person contact and allowing Montanans to focus on other important matters until this situation subsides. TSA issued a statement, Fox said, indicating that travelers with expired state driver licenses or ID cards may still use them for a year to fly. When asked about the upcoming Real ID deadline in the fall, Garcia said Sen. Steve Daines had requested an extension past the current deadline of Oct. 1, and she anticipated a response, particularly if the pandemic lasts much longer. Within MVD, office chairs are being removed and customers that come inside may be asked to provide a phone number and wait in their vehicles to avoid crowds. Additional disinfecting is also occurring, including on eye test machines, Garcia said. Were trying to practice good social distancing when you can, she said. Driving tests will also be suspended for 30 days in an effort to avoid placing staff and customers in close contact, officials said. Due to the sharing of office space and temporary closing to the public of AAA in Helena, the Helena MVD office will move to the Scott Hart Building at 302 N. Roberts St. until the business reopens. Officials said they meet daily to discuss the status of MVD and other divisions of the Montana Department of Justice, but have thus far decided against closing MVD offices altogether. We believe that in conjunction with all of the actions at the federal, state and local level that are designed to curtail the spread of COVID-19, that these initial steps are important and collectively may help us avoid a situation where we altogether curtail certain services, Fox said. Reporter Tom Kuglin can be reached at 447-4076 @IR_TomKuglin 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. 23.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Trump is taking out his anger over the coronavirus on his son in law, Jared Kushner, who he is blaming for the inept White House response. Via Vanity Fair: Sources say a principal target of his anger is Jared Kushner. I have never heard so many people inside the White House openly discuss how pissed Trump is at Jared, the former West Wing official said. Sources told me Trump is regretting that Kushner swooped into the coronavirus response last week. Kushner, according to sources, encouraged Trump to treat the emergency as a P.R. problem when Fauci and others were calling for aggressive action. . Trump was also said to be angry that Kushner oversold Googles coronavirus testing website when in fact the tech giant had a fledgling effort. Trump got slammed in the press for promoting the phantom Google product. Jared told Trump that Google was doing an entire website that would be up in 72 hours and had 1,100 people working on it 24/7. Thats just a lie, the source briefed on the internal conversations told me. A president should be knowledgable and capable of making his own decision. If Trump cant keep his own son-in-law under control, he cant manage this crisis. It was Trump who refused to declare a national emergency until after Kushner finished his research on the subject. It is up for debate whether Kushner lied to Trump about the website, people around Trump have learned to keep him calm by telling him what he wants to hear for years, or if Trump did his usual hearing what he wanted to hear routine when he was told about the website. Trump is looking for someone to blame when this is all on him. It was Trump who didnt adequately staff the government and bragged about closing the White House Pandemic Office. Trumps years of ignorance and incompetence have finally caught up to him, and if the health and economic projections are half as bad as what is being forecast, Donald Trumps presidency will be over in November. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook Hungary will provide transit to more than 300 Ukrainian citizens who traveled by bus and car and were stuck at the border with Austria and Croatia, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said. "Ive had a telephone conversation with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary Peter Szijjarto. We agreed that Hungary will provide transit to Ukrainian citizens who traveled by bus and car and were stuck at the border with Austria and Croatia. At the moment, there are 310 people. We are waiting for you at home!" Kuleba wrote on his Twitter account. As Ukrinform reported, since March 12, the lockdown regime has been introduced in Ukraine to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection. It will last for three weeks - until April 3. On March 14, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a resolution to temporarily ban foreigners from entering Ukraine and close international passenger traffic from 00:00 on March 16 until April 3, 2020. ish To build a successful e-commerce business today, you have to realize that youre not in the business of selling products youre in the people business. People dont buy products. They look for solutions to their problems and answers to their questions. They look for ways to be better versions of themselves. They look for ways to help make the world a better place. Today, e-commerce is not transactional, but relational. You cant win by simply creating products and launching an online store. If you want to win, you have to be willing to humanize your business and develop deeper connections with the people you know your products can help. Here are five ways to build stronger, more meaningful relationships with your e-commerce customers in the months and years ahead. Related: 5 Can't-Miss E-Commerce Personalization Ideas 1. Build community alongside your products The e-commerce brands that thrive today are the ones that create and support an authentic community around their business, products and customers. Its never been easier to spin up an e-commerce store, find manufacturers, build a brand that looks like all the other brands. So how do you compete? How do you build something sustainable that cuts through all the noise? It all comes down to the community you build for people. In the world of e-commerce, people become loyal to brands when they believe that by supporting your business, they become part of something bigger than themselves. They join a group of like-minded people who share the same problems, goals, life experiences and values. Its your job to help your customers understand what kind of community they are joining when they buy your products. For example, are they stay-at-home moms? People that love going to the gym? Globetrotters? Small-business owners? The easiest way to create community around your business is by making your brand less about you and all about the people you serve. Share stories about your customers, feature real people in your brand- and product-photography and make it easy for people who buy your products to connect and interact with each other. Want to see a powerful example of a brand that is going all in on community? Watch some of the short films Square created about their customers and community. 2. Make customers part of your legacy Most entrepreneurs start businesses because they see or experience a problem that they believe can be solved. Its about the chance to make an impact and create a legacy. Today, more e-commerce brands are leaning into the idea that we all have a responsibility to make the world a better place. We need to create products, businesses and relationships that allow us to address the big problems of the world. Your customers dont just want to buy your products they want to know that they are supporting a business that cares about the world. Build stronger relationships with them by including them in your legacy. Find a cause or a group of people you want to help, and make it your personal mission to use your business as a catalyst for change. Donate a percentage of every sale to a charity you want to align with. Mobilize your customers to raise money for a cause one day a year. Ask your community to volunteer their time to help another group of people. You might not be in a position to kick off a big program or initiative for your business, but thats OK. Start small, and do what you can now. Want to see an example of a company thats rallying customers to help other people and make the world a better place? Read what Expensify is doing to address what they feel is the biggest challenges of our time. 3. Do the right thing, no matter what Believe and live out the Golden Rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated. Dont cut corners, dont be dishonest, and dont try to trick people. Recently, a former client of mine sent me this email: You do great, honest work. You are one of the few people I've had a truly pleasant experience working with, and whenever I ask you for help with anything, I'm confident I'm going to get the right answer from you or you're going to point me in the right direction." This is a client that we didnt find success for. We dont get it right every time, but its my hope that we're always known for this kind of connection more than our case studies of exponential growth. Its too easy to build an inauthentic e-commerce business today. Dont do it. Build something that you can be proud of. When things go wrong, do everything in your power to make things right. Why? Because your reputation and sustainability depend on it. Online shoppers are not very forgiving. One bad experience can turn them away from you and your products forever. Be known as a company and team that does the right thing that takes care of people. Be known as a company thats willing to take ownership and say sorry when things dont go as expected. Put people and processes in place that allow you to always go above and beyond to create delightful experiences for your customers, even when they come to you with a problem. Related: Turn Browsers Into Buyers With These E-Commerce Marketing Strategies 4. Be boldly different than your competition Build a business and brand that your customers remember by being boldly different than everyone else. There are too many blueprints and equations and master courses that try to convince you that theres one road to success in e-commerce. Dont fall into the trap. People are drawn to bold ideas and unique perspectives. Embrace what makes you different, and dont be afraid to be a little weird when it comes to marketing and branding your business. Want a good example? Look at anything that Squatty Potty has done to attract and convert customers since launching. Its unique. Its bold. Its what it takes to cut through the noise. Related: How Much Do SEO Services Actually Cost? If You Want to Communicate Like a Pro, Get This: It's Not About You What Franchises Should Know Before Hiring a PR Firm Copyright 2020 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved San Francisco, March 18 : San Francisco Bay Area's new coronavirus shelter-in-place order that requires all "non-essential businesses" shut down for three weeks will also impact Elon Musk-led electric carmaker Tesla's California factory, according to county officials and the local sheriff's office. The Alameda County Sheriff's Office tweeted late Tuesday that Tesla is "not an essential business as defined in the Alameda County Health Order," and said "Tesla can maintain minimum basic operations" per the order, The Verge reported. "Minimum Basic Operations" are defined by the order as "(t)he minimum necessary activities to maintain the value of the business's inventory, ensure security, process payroll and employee benefits, or for related functions," and "(t)he minimum necessary activities to facilitate employees of the business being able to continue to work remotely from their residences." The clarification came after Tesla kept its factory open on Tuesday, the first day that the new guidance issued with an intention to contain the spread of coronavirus came in place. Leaders of six counties in the Bay Area issued the shelter-in-place order on Monday. The order requires people to stay at home unless they need to venture out for "essential activities" like buying food. It also asked "non-essential businesses" to shut down. Tesla's human resources head Valerie Workman reportedly wrote an email to employees, saying Tesla could be exempted from the order to close as its operations might come under "essential business" category. Musk earlier underplayed the coronavirus scare. After calling coronavirus panic dumb and mind-killer on Twitter, Musk wrote an email to employees in Bay Area, saying "coronavirus panic is worse than virus itself". "First, I'd like to be super clear that if you feel the slightest bit ill or even uncomfortable, please don't feel obligated to come to work. I will personally be at work, but that is just me. Totally ok if you want to stay home for any reason," he said in the email seen by electrek.co. "A lot of rumours are flying around, but, to the best of our knowledge, no one at Tesla (over 56,000 people) has tested positive for COVID-19. I will inform you immediately if anything changes," he added. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) To flatten the curve and slow the spread of COVID-19, the government of Ontario must immediately step up for all workers and the most vulnerable among us. As the Ford government drafts emergency support legislation for workers in Ontario, they cannot leave any Ontario workers behind. Many, like our health care workers, must continue to work or cannot work from home. Even more are at the mercy of employers, many of whom themselves are affected and struggling. Ontario must take lead from jurisdictions like Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden and France. Put measures in place to protect all workers, with full pay for those laid off, the self-employed, in the gig economy, and migrant workers. The effort to contain the spread of COVID-19 requires that every person in Ontario takes precautions that may range from social distancing and self-isolation to using effective safety equipment while they continue to work. The federal and provincial governments are recommending that where possible, workers should stay home. But without effective protections including paid leaves, workplace closures, staying home, or refusing unsafe work many workers will be unable to follow the directives of public health officials, or implement basic safety procedures without forfeiting their pay. In turn, this would leave them unable to support their families. The federal governments changes to EI will accelerate access to sickness benefits, but they will not change who qualifies for it. Fewer than 40 per cent of unemployed workers qualify for EI. Those who cannot access it are disproportionately women, newcomers, workers of colour, and others facing discrimination in the labour market. The changes do not go far enough to protect all workers. Provincially, this crisis has likewise exposed the deep inadequacies written into Ontarios labour and employment laws, famously cut back by the Ford Conservatives when they came to power. It is now time for quick, decisive, and sweeping actions to provide protections to all workers and vulnerable people in Ontario. This would include at least 21 days of paid emergency leave without reprisals, and should also include the right to take leave to care for children who are home due to school and daycare closures. Its time for the Premier to create an emergency fund, whether funded provincially or in partnership with the federal government, to provide a non-repayable living allowance to vulnerable Ontarians including precarious and gig workers, seniors, social assistance recipients, and students. To flatten the curve, Ontario must reduce inequality. Everyone in Ontario must have access to free health care, meaning no registration fees or bills, regardless of status. It must include COVID-19 assessment centres, community clinics, and hospitals. Staff at these facilities must be provided with adequate training and safety equipment. Then, the government must develop clear public messaging to make sure everyone knows they can access health care for free. Many vulnerable Ontarians rely on community and social services delivered by not-for-profit organizations. Their important work must continue to be funded during this crisis. This pandemic also exposes, even more, the need for strong, fully-funded public services including health care and child care. These services must be properly funded, accessible, and affordable for all workers particularly for health care professionals who are working hard to keep Ontarians healthy and safe during this crisis. Many workers do not have the option to work from home. They must be provided with the necessary equipment and supplies to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Workers compensation must be available for every worker who contracts COVID-19 related health conditions as result of their working conditions. Indigenous communities must have immediate access to clean water so individuals can practice short-term prevention measures and prevent the spread of COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked racism and xenophobia in our province, which already had the largest number of reported hate crimes in Canada. To stop hate from deepening its hold, the government must fund the Anti-Racism Directorate and end the xenophobia so shamefully evident in Ontario. All provincially regulated institutions should follow the lead of other jurisdictions by extending and relaxing payment requirements on financial responsibilities facing consumers and households including OSAP, rent, mortgage payments, along with gas and electricity bills. The Premier has said he would spare no expense and that nothing is off the table when it comes to keeping all Ontarians safe. The labour movement urges him to take bold and sweeping action to protect Ontarians, and our economy. Advocate for enhancements to EI. Provide all the supports that are needed to every worker in Ontario. Work across political lines, with labour and community groups. The changes outlined here may not be all that is needed as together we face the challenges this pandemic brings. The government needs to do better for workers and provide real, meaningful supports to keep Ontario healthy and safe, and our economy viable, as we strive to flatten the curve. It was the best of times, It was the worst of times. The exacerbating coronavirus pandemic makes one reminiscent of the opening lines from Charless Dickens A Tale of Two Cities. Only this time, its the tale of Planet Earth itself. With the number of deaths due to coronavirus swiftly crossing 7,000 in just a span of months, the virus seems to have brought out the best and worst of humanity. While on the one hand, there is an immense amount of racism being subjected towards Asians, specifically the Chinese, and petty hoarding of essentials like hand-sanitisers, there are also outpourings of love and kindness that have popped up across the world. From offering free supplies and lodging to legal and mental-health support or even just simple acts of kindness to cheer up a person in quarantine, COVID-19 has brought out some of the best sides of humanity in recent days. 1. Rooftop Fitness Classes A fitness instructor in Sevilla, Spain, refused to let coronavirus make him or his neighbours unfit while in quarantine. Unable to go to the gym or hold regular classes, the instructor decided to give classes from his rooftop for his neighbours to follow from inside their homes. In Seville, Spain they are not accepting #quarantine as an excuse for not working out. This fitness instructor hosts a workout from a rooftop and people join his class from their balconies. More of humanitys awesomeness pic.twitter.com/Aw23y2tkYi Zoe (@zoescaman) March 15, 2020 2. Heart of Gold Jackson Frank, a Gonzaga University student from Spokane, Washington in the United States, took to Twitter to offer financial help to anyone affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Within instants of posting, the student started receiving a barrage of requests from people in need. And it seems he sent each one of them some form of help. Wondering how a college student managed to offer much aid to everyone who sought it? According to reports on local Spokane media, Franks Twitter not only attracted those who needed help but others who could offer help as well, thus allowing him to provide much-needed aid to people who had lost their incomes due to heavy quarantining and lockdowns to contain the pandemic. I dont have a ton to offer but if youre in need of financial support because of coronavirus, DM me or reply here. Gonna try to mobilize my following for good. Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) March 15, 2020 3. Quarantine Serenade An adorable video of two young children, Taran Tien, 9 and Calliope Tien, 6, from Ohio, US, won the internet recently after they serenaded their elderly quarantines neighbour with a cello performance from their porch. The two little budding cellists performed for their 78-year-old neighbour who had put herself on self-quarantine. My elderly neighbor is self-isolating. So the neighbor kids are playing her a cello concert from her patio. pic.twitter.com/g6Nr2HNVho Jackie Borchardt (@JMBorchardt) March 16, 2020 4. Exclusively for seniors A grocery store in Cornwall, United Kingdom, has been opening shop early to give time to the elderly to shop without hindrance. The store, called the Constantine Bay Stores has been inviting the elderly citizens, or more specifically, those born on or before 1950, to come to do their shopping from 8 am to 8.30 am every day. Called The 1950s Club", the initiative is meant to provide a safe and comforting environment for the elderly, who are at high risk of being infected by COVID-19, to shop for essentials and groceries. Not just Constatine, convenience store chains like Woolworths in Australia and others like Iceland Foods in Belfast, Iceland, have also initiated similar plans. Iceland Foods at Kennedy Centre, West Belfast will be opening their store between 8-9am for the elderly starting this Tuesday. The wider public are asked to respect this hour as it has been allocated for elderly people only. Would be great to see other stores now do the same pic.twitter.com/nfu5Hsz5um Paul Doherty (@Paul_Doherty__) March 15, 2020 5. Community Birthday That awesome moment when an entire quarantined apartment block in Lebanon came together (from their respective apartment windows) to celebrate the birthday of a woman who couldnt leave her home to celebrate. In a video that went viral, the woman can be seeing giggling while readying to cut the cake, even as her neighbours sing Happy Birthday for her. This is how a lebanese woman is celebrating her birthday with her neighbors in #Quarantine pic.twitter.com/Hc7T8mgk1E Romy (@romyjournalist) March 15, 2020 6. Kindness Postcard Another story from Cornwall, UK, saw a woman called Becky Wass slipping in little kindness postcards" to those in containment, offering to run errands and provide the outside assistance they require while in quarantine. Her husband John Green took to Twitter to share the Wasss initiative online. In the postcard, the Wass asked others to spread kindness" and not the disease. In the postcard, the made boxes that patients or those in quarantine could check such as getting groceries, posting mail, or just giving them a friendly phone call. Becky my wonderful wife came up with a great idea last night, and it's already going viral. Wash your hands, print this, fill it out and pop it in your neighbour's letterbox. Simples. #viralkindness #COVID_19uk #coronavirusuk https://t.co/wnxVhvk742 pic.twitter.com/tnVQMIiSMI Jonny Green (@MrJonnyGreen) March 13, 2020 I just received this through the door from someone on my street. This restores some faith in humanity. #ViralKindness is a hashtag I can get behind. pic.twitter.com/tq19NI3T4h Bees (@VoiceOfKosh) March 16, 2020 7. Helping Hand A woman called Rebecca Mehra went viral on social media for helping an elderly couple shop for groceries when they were too afraid to go inside the store. A former Stanford runner, Mehra said that she found the couple huddled in a car and too scared to go to inside the store for fear of getting infected. She asked them if she could help and they gave her a $100 bill along with a list of groceries. Mehra obliged and bought the items, much to the relief of the couple. The random act of kindness cheered many up on Twitter. I went to the grocery store this afternoon. As I was walking in I heard a woman yell to me from her car. I walked over and found an elderly woman and her husband. She cracked her window open a bit more, and explained to me nearly in tears that they are afraid to go in the store. Rebecca Mehra (@rebecca_mehra) March 12, 2020 8. Caremongering Canadians Canadians have started about 35 or so caremongering" groups on Facebook to take acre of the needs faced by people in quarantine. One of the first such caremongering" groups was set up by Mita Hans and Valentina Harper along with the help of others in order to fight scaremongering" or the spread of misinformation and fake news about the global pandemic. In the last week, Candians have successfully managed to launch caremongering" as a movement in the country with several individuals joining such groups to help out those in need. 9. Pizza love A Pizza parlour in San Jose called Pizza and Pasta has been delivering food to those above the age of 70, free of cost. People have also been donating to their fund in order to aid hungry and needy people with food. People. Doing. Good. This is what we love to see! @tonyandalbas Pizza & Pasta in San Jose is taking free pizza and salad to people 70 and older in their delivery area. Cash donations have been flooding in to help pay for the food for people in need. https://t.co/4BmMorGiz1 pic.twitter.com/Zs2gkSpDXB Dustin Dorsey (@DustinABC7) March 17, 2020 10. Corona-Library When a school was sent into lockdown for an indefinite break, a librarian called Tom Bober decided to give children the opportunity to continue reading while at home by lending large numbers of books to children. Before sending the children home, Bober took all the students to the library and let them choose whichever books they liked. Imaged of gleeful kids with cartons of books lit up social media. Today I decided, with the possibility of an extended break, that we would drastically expand the number of books thats students could check out. We had the entire school through the library by 12:45. The shelves are a mess but these kids have some great books going home. pic.twitter.com/mMGLxlqsv0 Tom Bober (@CaptainLibrary) March 12, 2020 11. Love thy neighbour In a heartwarming incident, a Twitter user called Florencia Chang-Ageda shared how her neighbour had brought over vitamins for them while they were in quarantine. My neighbor bought vitamins for those who dont have pic.twitter.com/dG3f8J1s8p Florencia Chang-Ageda (@FloAgeda) March 16, 2020 In fact, people from a variety of places have been coming up with innovative ways to help their neighbours in this time of need. A small act of kindness seen in my building Hello. We are the neighbors of 2nd 1. If any neighbor with risk factors to the contagion needs to buy food, medicine or another thing, we offer to go. You can call our intercom pic.twitter.com/3K3L4odnFz Ellie Borstad (@ellieborstad) March 15, 2020 A neighbor Ive never met (but will) taped this to every door on my block. Its our community & humanity that will get us through #StayTheFHome #canceltrump pic.twitter.com/DeYMbcAThq Greg Cope White (@eatgregeat) March 15, 2020 Five min ago our neighbor knocked on our door and gave us a bag and it was full of essential hygiene materials because there's lack in stores He's giving this to all of our neighbours too.He restored my believe in humanity in a whole new level #COVID19 #coronavirus #Libya pic.twitter.com/JOQ7XyxPVL S (@sarsarism) March 15, 2020 12. COVID-kits A Muslim couple, Jawed and Asiya, who run a cornershop convenience store called Day Today store in Falkirk, Scotland, have been giving away free COVID-19 kits to help the elderly from getting the disease. They prepare the relief packages which include a hand sanitiser and face mask and personally deliver them to vulnerable neighbours, completely for free. A Muslim couple in Scotland is giving out #coronavirus relief packages to vulnerable people.And delivering them for free. There are many ways to respond to a crisis, and its so good to see people choosing generosity, compassion, and kindness. pic.twitter.com/TuZY4cAjpW Joshua Potash (@JoshuaPotash) March 13, 2020 13. Tips Galore Customer of a restaurant in Houston, Texas called Irmas left behind over $9000 in tips to help sustain the employees of the restaurant that went into lockdown due to the pandemic. With the staff looking at no work for an indefinite number of days, the tips would be divided equally among the staff. ACT OF KINDNESS Houston restaurant receives a $9,400 tip to help staff get by during mandatory shutdown during the coronavirus outbreak. #News #bekind #staypositive pic.twitter.com/1UJALeMXIe News12 (@News12) March 17, 2020 14.Balcony operas Italians went viral across the world and almost started the global trend of singing opera, love and patriotic songs from their balconies while families were stuck at home in quarantine. People of my hometown #Siena sing a popular song from their houses along an empty street to warm their hearts during the Italian #Covid_19 #lockdown.#coronavirusitalia #COVID19 #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/7EKKMIdXov valemercurii (@valemercurii) March 12, 2020 15. #StopHoarding When a considerate neihbour left a sealed packet of toilet paper at a doorstep amid intense hoarding of the commodity. From a neighbor. My faith in humanity is restored. #stophoardingTP pic.twitter.com/Ceb9FziE2D Bob Szymkiewicz (@bobszy) March 13, 2020 (This story was originally published on March 18, 2020) Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here Food is one of the best reasons to travel, and the number one way to experience a new culture is by sampling the local delicacies. There is no point in going to a brand new country and eating the same food that you do back home. Some travelers save up their money so they can eat at a luxurious restaurant, but eating cheap street food can be just as fun. Japan is one of the top destinations for foodies because the food is so fresh and varied. Western chefs often visit Japan for inspiration. Singapore and Bangkok attract visitors because both cities have a multitude of street food stalls. Paris has long been regarded as a city with world-class cuisine, and New York City is filled with travelers craving delicious deli. 10. Osaka, Japan Osaka has a reputation for being more laid back than Tokyo, and that is certainly true when it comes to the food in Osaka. Fried food is king in Osaka. Takoyaki and okonomiyaki are popular street foods. Takoyaki is grilled octopus balls and okonomiyaki is a pancake topped with meat, veggies, and plenty of mayo. Osaka residents love to go out drinking and eating. They even have a word called kuidaore, which means eating until you go broke. 9. Chicago, USA Chicago is known as the Second City, but the food here rivals New York City. Like New York, Chicago is famous for hot dogs and pizza. However, Chicago dogs and pizza are completely unique. Deep dish pizza is more like a casserole than a pizza. Deep dish pizza is packed with toppings and gooey cheese. Chicago hot dogs are known for having a signature snap. The sound is nearly as important as the taste. 8. San Sebastian, Spain San Sebastian has more Michelin-star restaurants per square meter than any other city on earth. San Sebastian is famous for its Idiazabal cheese, foie gras, and anchovies. Basque Country has phenomenal prized beef that visitors must try. You can partake in Txuleta, which is a Spanish beef rib, at one of San Sebastian's many steakhouses. 7. Montreal, Canada Montreal is the top destination in Canada for foodies. The city is famous for its Quebecois food like poutine. Poutine is not just fries, gravy, and cheese curds. Many restaurants like La Banquise offer unique takes on poutine. Foodies can try poutine topped with smoked meat, bacon, or even pulled pork. 6. Singapore Singapore is famous for its multicultural food scene. The food courts in Singapore showcase delicacies from China, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Indonesian mie goreng, Singapore spicy crab, and Hainanese chicken rice are some of the mouth-watering foods you can try. Wash it all down with a tasty watermelon juice. Gluttons Bay and Peoples Park Food Centre are two of the best food courts in Singapore. 5. Copenhagen, Denmark Editorial credit: Pe3k / Shutterstock.com Copenhagen is often overlooked by foodies, but this city is filled with delicious treats. Nothing beats a greasy pork sausage from a Copenhagen food truck following a night of heavy drinking. Copenhagen restaurant Noma was ranked the best eatery in the world four times in a row. The restaurant now ranks second after it closed and reopened under the name New Noma. New Noma chefs specialize in dishes that highlight locally-sourced Nordic ingredients. 4. Bangkok, Thailand Bangkok is the street food capital of the world. Yarowat should be the first place you go when you visit Bangkok. Bangkoks Chinatown is packed with new discoveries around every corner. The streets are packed with food stalls offering grilled meats and savory soups. Be sure to try some stinky durian if you are adventurous. One of the most famous street food stalls in Bangkok is Jay Fai. You will recognize her instantly thanks to her massive goggles. Her crab omelet is so divine that it earned her a Michelin star. 3. Paris, France Paris has earned its reputation as one of the top destinations for foodies. Paris is the city that inspired Julia Child to write her famous cookbook. There are few joys in this world more relaxing than a morning cafe latte and croissant in a French cafe. Paris has over 100 Michelin star restaurants. Travelers will be delighted by the abundance of bakeries and cheese shops. Pierre Gagnaire is one of the best restaurants in the city. Chef Gagnaire delights guests with his exciting and modern take on classic French fare. The three-star Michelin restaurant offers a tasting menu at lunch if you want a slightly more affordable option. 2. New York City, USA No city in the USA offers more to foodies than New York City. The Big Apple is famous for its world-class steakhouses and phenomenal delis. Keens Steakhouse in Manhattan should be the first steakhouse you visit. The ribeyes are juicy and perfectly marbled. A rasher of bacon will go well with your steak. Sarges Deli has so much choice that it will take you at least ten minutes to decide what you want. The belly lox is salty and filling. The sandwiches are packed to the brim with delicious meats like pastrami, corned beef, and tongue. Of course, no New York City trip would be complete without a tasty hot dog. 1. Tokyo, Japan Tokyo has more Michelin-star restaurants than any other city in the world. This bustling metropolis is a paradise for foodies. Izakayas (Japanese pubs) are a great place to enjoy some yakitori and a beer. There are numerous high-end sushi restaurants to try, but some are so exclusive that they no longer accept reservations from the public. Kyubey is a popular Michelin-star sushi restaurant that has been wowing locals and tourists for years. Be sure to make a reservation before you visit. Foodies can even find tasty treats at convenience stores. Lawson is famous for its spicy fried chicken. One more person in his early thirties has been found positive for Coronavirus (Covid-19) in Noida. The total number of Covid-19 infected patients went up to four by Wednesday afternoon. The identified person had travelled to Indonesia along with his wife. According to the officials, the newly identified Covid-19 infected person had come back to India on March 3 and after noticing symptoms of the disease after a few days, he had contacted the health officials. The patient is a resident of Sector 41 and has been admitted to the isolation ward of Government Institute of Medical Sciences. The new Covid-19 infected person contacted us a week after coming back from Indonesia on March 3. We immediately took his sample at GIMS which was sent to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). On Wednesday morning, we received his reports which showed him positive for the virus. He has been put under isolation and his wife has been quarantined, said Dr Vikasendu Agarwal, State Surveillance Officer, Lucknow. Officials are also going to take the sample of his wife by Wednesday evening. We have asked the Noida officials to take the sample of the Covid-19 positive patients wife. It should be done by today itself. She has been quarantined since the sample of her husband was taken, added Agarwal. With the positive report in, health officials are going to start tracking people who came in contact with the couple. We are tracing all the people who got in touch with the patient and his wife to ensure that they are quarantined too, said the officer. Officials are now visiting all the flats in the residential society where the couple lived. All the people living around his residence have been asked to quarantine themselves. Officials will be getting in touch with the domestic help and all the people who visited the couple in the last 15 days. On Tuesday, two persons were found positive for the Coronavirus (Covid-19) in sector 100 and 78 of Noida after which all the residents living in the same premises were asked to quarantine themselves. Both the societies have restricted entry of outsiders. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra has been suspended as a precautionary measure over coronavirus scare, announced Jammy and Kashmir administration on Tuesday. The administration also banned operations of all interstate buses in Jammu and Kashmir. "Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra has been closed from today. Operations of all interstate buses, both incoming and outgoing from J & K, are banned from today," announced Department of Information and Public Relations, Government of Jammu and Kashmir. The newly-formed union territory reported three coronavirus cases so far. Meanwhile, according to the daily media bulletin on novel coronavirus, 2615 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been enlisted for surveillance Earlier in the day, the administration extended J & K Epidemic Disease (COVID-19) Regulations 2020 to both the divisions of Jammu and Kashmir to step up efforts to tackle the disease. The regulations were extended to the whole of Jammu and Kashmir under the orders of Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu which define powers, duties and responsibilities to the surveillance personnel, duties and responsibilities of medical officers and practitioners, enforcement and offences. The administration banned the entry of foreign tourists in Kashmir. "Entry of all foreign tourists in Kashmir has been banned as a precautionary measure. #CoronavirusPandemic," District Magistrate Shahid Choudhary tweeted.A total of 137 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in India so far.The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared 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.) A dedicated detective refused to stop digging after she solved the brutal murder of a chemist in California. Then, by reopening an earlier case, she helped a genetic genealogist to discover the identity of a girl the killer claimed was his daughter, and then, the killers true identity. Their hard work, along with that of a dogged researcher, ultimately unraveled a long trail of missing and murdered women and children all leading back, police say, to a serial killer. PHOTO: Terry Rasmussen poses for arrest photo from 1973. (Maricopa County Sheriff's Office) Known by a lengthy list of aliases, Terry Peder Rasmussen has been dubbed The Chameleon Killer for assuming so many different identities as he infiltrated families and destroyed lives in New Hampshire and California. So our suspect started in 1984 as Curtis Kimball. Then we had Gordon Jenson. Then he was using Larry Vanner. And now, it turns out, in the early 1980s back in New Hampshire, he was using Bob Evans, San Bernardino County, California, Sheriffs Deputy Peter Headley explained. All the same guy. Rasmussen has been linked to five horrific murders and authorities fear there are more. These are the stories of the women and children he is suspected of killing, one he confessed to murdering and those whose lives he changed forever: Victims tied to Rasmussen Marlyse Elizabeth Honeychurch Honeychurch, who was born in Connecticut in 1954, was married twice and had a daughter with each husband. Marie E. Vaughn was first, born in 1971, then Sarah L. McWaters was born in 1977, according to the New Hampshire Department of Justice. Honeychurchs sisters, Roxanne Barrows and Michelle Chagaris, remember her as bubbly and quirky, and said she had a good sense of humor. Marlyse was excited to be a mom. She loved her kids dearly, Chagaris said. PHOTO: Marlyse Honeychurch was last seen around Thanksgiving 1978 with her two daughters, Marie and Sarah. (Courtesy of Chris Varbero) Honeychurch was last seen at her mothers house in La Puente, California, around Thanksgiving in 1978. It was there that she introduced her family to her boyfriend, Terry Rasmussen, according to the New Hampshire Department of Justice. Story continues I don't remember exactly what happened, Paula Hodges, Honeychurchs other sister, told 20/20. I just heard that they had an argument, Marlyse and my mom. My mom might've said something to her as, He's too old for you. Why are you with him? Hodges said. She went with Terry. And they left never called. Never contacted nobody. Just disappeared. Honeychurch was 24 at the time, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Police believe she died one to two years later, making her 26 to 27 when she died. David Salamon, Honeychurchs brother, remembered the lengths to which their family went to find Honeychurch and her daughters. It was just a situation where, every time we searched, [we] came to a dead end. Came to a dead end. Came to a dead end, Salamon said. Through the years my mother always said, You know, something's not right. Where is she? Hodges remembered. It was sad, Salamon said. We had a sister that was gone. A sister and two nieces. Marie E. Vaughn The remains of Marie and her mother, Honeychurch, were found in the first of two barrels that were discovered at Bear Brook State Park in November 1985. They werent identified until 2019; at that time, authorities believed Marie was 8 to 10 years old at the time of her death. PHOTO: Marie Vaughn was last seen with her mother and sister at a Thanksgiving gathering in 1978. (Courtesy of Chris Varbero) It was very surreal that a mother and daughter were actually inside the barrel itself, disposed of like common trash, John Cody, a former New Hampshire State Police detective, told 20/20. Jesse Morgan, who grew up in a small trailer park surrounded by Bear Brook, was 11 when he and his friends stumbled upon the barrel. We were playing a game of hide and seek, Morgan told 20/20. I was approached by one of the kids in the group that he had come upon a barrel out in the middle of the woods, which was off the trail. It was just odd that the barrel was out there It was [a] slightly rusted, dark blue barrel. It's a blue 55-gallon steel drum. It's just kind of sitting out in the woods. PHOTO: Jesse Morgan, who grew up in a small trailer park surrounded by Bear Brook, was 11 when he and his friends stumbled upon the first barrel. (ABC) The brother that found the barrel went over to it and tried to lift the top of the barrel and when he did that, we were hit with a smell that was absolutely putrid. One of the brothers just pushed the barrel over. And we watched the barrel fall on its side, Morgan said. The guys jumped on my four-wheeler and we booted out of there and that was the last time that we saw the barrel. At the time, Morgan and his friends didnt know there were remains inside the barrel. Four months later, Ron Montplaisir, who was an Allenstown, New Hampshire police officer at the time, got a call from dispatch to meet a hunter at the edge of the woods. He was very, very white, very pale, Montplaisir told 20/20. He said to me, There's a barrel up in the woods, and I think there's some bones in there. PHOTO: Ron Montplaisir, Jr., a former Allenstown, New Hampshire, police officer spoke to 20/20 about the hunter who found the first barrel in 1985. (ABC) Police later determined the female adult and child, unidentified at the time, had died of blunt force trauma to their heads. They were buried together at a local Allenstown cemetery with a donated gravestone that read: Here lies the mortal remains known only to God of a woman aged 23-33 and a girl child aged 8-10. Their slain bodies were found on November 10th, 1985, in Bear Brook State Park. May their souls find peace in Gods loving care. PHOTO: Marie Vaughn was last seen with her mother and sister at a Thanksgiving gathering in 1978. (Courtesy of Chris Varbero) On June 8, 2000, the remains of Marie and Honeychurch, which were still unidentified at the time, were exhumed from the grave by authorities for DNA testing. Timeline of serial killer Terry Rasmussen's terror in New Hampshire, California Sarah L. McWaters In 2000, 15 years after the first barrel was discovered, Sarahs body was found inside a separate barrel at Bear Brook State Park along with the body of an unknown child. Sarah is believed to have been 2 to 3 years old at the time she was killed, according to authorities. PHOTO: Sarah L. McWaters was 11 months old when she was last seen with her mother and sister around Thanksgiving of 1978. (Courtesy of Chris Varbero) Sarah, her half-sister Marie and their mother, Honeychurch, were unknown persons until authorities announced their identities at a press conference on June 6, 2019. Rebekah Heath, a research librarian who said shed become obsessed with the case, helped identify the woman and the two children through her own sleuthing. On an online message board, she connected with a woman who was looking for her missing family members: a woman and her two daughters whose ages and locations matched that of Honeychurch, Sarah and Marie. The woman also told Heath that her missing family member had once married a man with the last name Rasmussen. PHOTO: Rebekah Heath, a research librarian who said shed become obsessed with the case, helped identify the woman and the two children through her own sleuthing. (ABC) As Heath was calling in the tip to authorities, investigative genetic genealogist Barbara Rae-Venter was also uncovering the three victims identities through a new technique that involves extracting DNA from the shaft of a strand of hair. In November 2019, Honeychurch and her older daughter Marie Vaughn, were laid to rest together with a new headstone bearing their names in Allenstown, New Hampshire. Honeychurchs youngest daughter, Sarah, was laid to rest in Connecticut, near her fathers family. We're here today to bury my sister and my nieces, Salamon said at Honeychurch and Maries funeral. We as a family would like to thank the community, for caring and loving our sister Marlyse and our nieces, Marie [and] Sarah. PHOTO: David Salamon and Paula Hodges are Honeychurch's siblings. (ABC) We have looked and searched for over 30 years for them, with no luck. We have never stopped looking, he said. Although this moment is bittersweet, they had their names back on this day. They can rest in peace. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. Unknown child The remains of a young girl, aged 2 to 4, was found in the second barrel with Sarahs remains in 2000. To this day, she has yet to be identified. New Hampshire authorities have referred to her as the middle child because of how her suspected age compares to the other two children found in the barrels, but DNA tests confirmed she is not related to Sarah and Marie, nor their mother. PHOTO: 'The Middle Child' was found on May 9, 2000 on private property next to Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown, NH. She was 2 to 4 years old at the time of her death, placing her birthdate between 1975-1977. (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children) In 2016, this child was determined to be Rasmussens biological daughter. You know, people ask me why I do these interviews. [Its because] there's still one victim out there, former Detective Cody said. There is one girl who we don't know who she is. That's why I do these to get her identified and so that there's closure for the families involved here. That's the only reason. PHOTO: It was very surreal that a mother and daughter were actually inside the barrel itself, disposed of like common trash, John Cody, a former New Hampshire State Police detective, told 20/20. (ABC) Salamon said he and his family call the girl Angel. The focus from this day forward should be to find the family of that little girl, he said. Eunsoon Jun Eunsoon Jun, a chemist from California, was the first victim authorities were able to tie to Rasmussen. Jun was in her mid-40s when she introduced her family to her new boyfriend, Larry Vanner, whom authorities later identified as Rasmussen, according to the New Hampshire Department of Justice. PHOTO: Jun was in her mid-40s when she introduced her family to her new boyfriend Larry Vanner, whom authorities later identified as Rasmussen, according to the New Hampshire Department of Justice. (Courtesy of Sang Jun) He didn't even look healthy. His face was gray. He smoked constantly, Juns friend, Renee Rose, told 20/20. Larry would just grab and gobble up everything on the table and belch and eat more, and then he'd go sit on the couch. Jun disappeared from Richmond, California, in June 2002, approximately two years after Vanner met her family and friends. Vanner fended off her loved ones questions with an array of excuses. He would say, Well she's busy taking care of her mother or She was going to get some therapeutic help, Rose said Vanner told her. He would say she decided she didn't like me anymore and didn't want me in her life. Who could believe him for one second? PHOTO: Renee Rose spoke to '20/20' about her friend Eunsoon Jun. (ABC) Rose said she told him: I want Eunsoon, not you, I want Eunsoon to tell me that she's done with our relationship or I'm going to get the sheriff involved. Rose ultimately went to the Contra Costa County Sheriff, where Roxane Gruenheid was a homicide detective. He was polite and soft spoken and very smart, and with his twinkly blue eyes he could get somebody to maybe trust him, Gruenheid told 20/20. All we were really trying to do was to determine where Eunsoon was and if she was okay. And he wasnt being cooperative with that at all. PHOTO: Roxane Gruenheid was a homicide detective at the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office. (ABC) When somebody's story keeps changing, it means that they [have] either made something up, can't remember what they told you the first time or that they're lying to you, she added. While searching Vanners California home, Gruenheid and a fellow detective located an enormous pile of cat litter in a crawl space. Big, like 4 or 5 feet around and probably 2 or 3 feet high, she said. I stood there for just a few seconds There was no odor. I remember seeing an ax leaned up there. Buried in the cat litter, police found a human foot completely mummified wearing a flip flop. Ultimately, the body was identified as Jun, who police determined had died of blunt force trauma to the head. PHOTO: Terry Rasmussen poses as 'Bob Evans' in an arrest photo from 1985. (New Hampshire Dept. of Justice) When I got up in the morning, I pulled my shades back, there was clouds and a beautiful blue sky, and there was seagulls circling in the sky, they were beautiful. and I went, This can't be, Rose said of learning her friend was gone. I closed the blinds back up. How could it be bright and sunny when Eunsoon's dead? Gruenheid said she later determined a man matching Vanners description had bought 10 bags of cat litter from a nearby pet store. In November 2002, he was arrested for Juns murder and in 2003, he was sentenced to prison for 15 years to life after he pled guilty to the crime. Vanner died in prison in December 2010 of natural causes. His true identity, Terry Rasmussen, was not revealed by authorities until 2017. A receipt from Target, a stolen car in Mexico and a third unsolved murder: Investigation into yacht murder of California couple I guess dying serves him right, Rose said. I wished he'd lived longer, so he would have suffered longer in prison, myself. More possible victims Denise Beaudin In 1981, Denise Beaudin went missing shortly after Thanksgiving with her 6-month-old daughter and her boyfriend, Rasmussen, whom she had known as Robert T. Evans, according to the New Hampshire Department of Justice. PHOTO: In 1981, Denise Beaudin went missing shortly after Thanksgiving with her 6-month-old daughter and her boyfriend, Rasmussen, who she knew as Robert T. Evans, according to the New Hampshire Department of Justice. (Courtesy of Armand Beaudin) I don't think they're ever going to find her, Beaudins father, Armand Beaudin, said. There's always that hope, but nothing's definite. Decades later, investigators discovered that Denise Beaudin was the mother of the child known as Lisa, a little girl Rasmussen claimed in the 1980s was his daughter, which DNA tests later confirmed wasnt true. Denise Beaudin has never been located. When Lisa was taken into protective custody in 1986, police asked her if she had any siblings. Police believe her answer indicates they may have been killed by Rasmussen, too. She said that she did, but they died from eating grass mushrooms when they were out camping, Deputy Headley said. Which says, yeah, there's more victims out there, definitely. PHOTO: Terry Rasmussen poses as 'Curtis Kimball' in an arrest photo from 1990. (New Hampshire Attorney General) The mother of the middle child The mother of the middle child, the unidentified girl in the second barrel found at Bear Brook in 2000, who was determined to be Rasmussens biological daughter, has also never been found nor identified. Authorities fear both Beaudin and the unidentified mother of the middle child are other possible victims of Rasmussen. We do regrettably fear that his daughter's mother is probably another victim somewhere, Carol Schweitzer, of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, said. Other victims? In 1995, scavengers found a refrigerator containing what former San Joaquin County Assistant Sheriff John Huber believes may be another one of Rasmussens victims. The refrigerator had been dumped in a canal in San Joaquin County, California. The scavengers actually walked out in the middle [of the canal], because it was just mud cut the rope and opened it up here and that's when they saw what they thought was a human being inside, Huber told 20/20. PHOTO: In 1995, scavengers found a refrigerator containing what former detective John Huber believes may be another one of Rasmussens victims. The refrigerator had been dumped in a canal in San Joaquin County, California. (ABC) Huber said the body of a woman was found in a state of advanced decomposition and police couldnt discern the womans facial features. She had been placed in the refrigerator with a pillow, sleeping bag and what appeared to be several blankets, he said. Also in the refrigerator, was a unique brand of milk that was only delivered to a certain area that matched up with where Rasmussen had been at the time, Huber said. Additionally, Huber said the womans remains bore the hallmarks of Rasmussens other victims. She had blunt force trauma to the head, and then she was put in a container and the container was tied off and he dumped it, he said. Huber says the investigation is stalled because she is still unidentified. First thing we need to do is find out who she is, because without knowing who she is, it's pretty hard to track back and find out where she stayed and who her relatives were and who she associated with, he said. It well could be Terry. It well could be somebody else. But, I think until we know her identity, we're not going to solve the case. PHOTO: Terry Rasmussen poses as 'Larry Vanner' in an arrest photo from 2002. (New Hampshire Dept. of Justice) The ones he left alive Lisa In the early 1980s, a man who said his name was Gordon Jenson was living in a trailer park in California, with a little girl he called Lisa, who police say was about 4 or 5 years old at the time. Jenson arranged for Lisa to be taken to Southern California for two weeks with another family, Katherine and Richard Decker. Jenson said after those two weeks, the Deckers could arrange for their daughter to adopt Lisa, police said. The Deckers came to believe Lisa might have been abused. When they reached out to Jenson again to finalize the adoption, he had disappeared. After Jenson disappeared, the Deckers were unable to complete the adoption and Lisa was taken into protective custody. In 1989, Jenson, later identified as Rasmussen, was arrested for child abandonment and was subsequently sentenced to three years in prison. Under his plea agreement, an additional charge of child abuse was dropped. Upon Rasmussen's release from prison, according to the State of California Dept. of Corrections, he broke parole and fled, Gruenheid said. Years later, when Gruenheid took on the Eunsoon Jun missing-person case in 2002, she became determined to find out more about Rasmussens supposed daughter Lisa, who had been mentioned in his criminal history, including prior booking records. There were little fingerprint cards, with these little tiny little hands, and had their little footprints on the back of them and little tiny fingerprints, Gruenheid said. It just made me angry and curious. A paternity test comparing Rasmussens blood from prison and a sample police had from 5-year-old Lisa showed Rasmussen was not her father. In 2003, when the San Bernardino Sheriffs Department opened a new case aimed at finding Lisas biological family, she was approximately 22 years old. After countless hours of research, genetic genealogist Rae-Venter found Armand Beaudin, Lisas maternal grandfather. PHOTO: I don't think they're ever going to find her, Denise Beaudins father Armand Beaudin said. There's always that hope, but nothing's definite. (ABC) I was contacted one day by my nephew, and he was working with the sheriff's department out in California, Armand Beaudin told 20/20. They requested for me to do a DNA [test], and they discovered that I was the actual grandfather. Armand Beaudins daughter Denise Beaudin is Lisas mother. Lisa was born Dawn Beaudin in 1981, Armand Beaudin said. PHOTO: Family photos of Denise Beaudin. (Courtesy of Armand Beaudin) She was only 5 months old when they left Manchester, [New Hampshire], Armand Beaudin said. Rasmussens other biological children When authorities traced all Rasmussens aliases back to his true name, they found that in the early 1970s, he had been married and fathered four children from that marriage. All of them are still alive. My father's real full name is Terry Peder Rasmussen, and he was born Dec. 23 of 1943, Diane Kloepfer told 20/20. PHOTO: Diane Kloepfer is one of four biological children Terry Rasmussen fathered in his marriage. (ABC) She said her mother and Rasmussen got married in 1968 in Hawaii. My father's been outta my life since I was, like, 6 or 7, she said. We have his eyes. I do, my sister does, and my brother does. I do know that my mother tells me All that I can get from her is that he was the great love of her life, she said. I don't know if my mother knew his capacity for violence, but I don't believe that she knew about this His ability to kill women and children. If my mother wouldn't have left my father, it couldve been me, she said.Would have been me. If you have any information about these missing cases or others, please call the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or visit its website at www.missingkids.org. For any tips concerning Terry Rasmussen and any unknown victims, please contact please contact Deputy Peter Headley with San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department at pheadley@sbcsd.org or the New Hampshire State Police Cold Case Unit (603)223-3648, ColdCaseUnit@dos.nh.gov Serial killer Terry Rasmussen's victims, known and unknown originally appeared on abcnews.go.com BAD AXE Even though classes have been canceled, Huron County educators are working to provide lessons and meals while students are out of school due to the coronavirus pandemic. Bad Axe Public Schools is among the area districts providing food to students who normally rely on the school cafeteria for daily breakfast and lunch. On Monday and Tuesday, parents have had the opportunity to pick up food for school-age children in Bad Axe at the west entrance to the school gymnasium from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. In addition to the drive-up service, Bad Axe is also providing home delivery of meals to kids in need. Superintendent Greg Newland said Tuesday he personally delivered food on Monday and Tuesday, and theyre happy to provide the service to the families within the districts boundaries as long as parents make a request through the districts website, www.badaxeps.org, or the link on the districts Facebook page by 6 a.m. for that day. Newland said theyve distributed about 500 meals in the first two days of the program and hope eligible families take advantage. Were in this together, Newland said. Were going to get through this as a community. Newland emphasized the meals, which include items like ham and cheese sandwiches, cereal, yogurt, salads, milk and fruit slices, meet Michigan Department of Education nutrition guidelines. Bad Axe plans to prepare multiple days worth of meals and distribute them on a couple of days each week during the program. Newland said parents can pick up meals on Wednesday for the rest of this week. He added he is pleased so many families have taken advantage of the program and have been grateful for the meals. People are very thankful, Newland said. Parents with questions or concerns can call the Bad Axe Public Schools board office at 989-269-9938. Ubly Community Schools is also providing lunch to students during the closure. Parents can place orders by sending an email to jcandela@ublyschools.org, cwedge@ublyschools.org, or by calling 989-658-8202, ext. 57008. Meals can be picked up from 11:30 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday, in the Multi-Purpose Room (Cafeteria). Parents should follow the driveway along the river to the back of the building and enter from the east side near the bus garage. Laker Schools is providing meals to students during the closure. Meals will be available Wednesday morning at Elkton Youth Center from 9:30 to 10 a.m., the Pigeon YFC Building from 10:15 to 10:45 a.m. and Bay Port Town Hall from 11 to 11:30 a.m. The district is also working with Thumb Area Transit to offer deliveries to families outside of town centers. Those wanting meals should email Cinamon at cmarker@lakerschools.org to share how many meals theyll need and where the food should be taken (town center or home address). North Huron is currently surveying parents about their needs during the closure and plan to begin offering meals on March 23. Families can find the survey on the North Huron Schools Facebook page. Harbor Beach Schools is also surveying parents and plans to begin offering meals this week. Parents can find a link to the survey on the districts Facebook page. The Unionville-Sebewaing Area Public School District is distributing meals at Son's Life Missionary Church and Bayside Estates in Sebewaing and the Knights of Columbus Hall in Unionville. Parents can email roset@think-usa.org with the number of children who require a lunch and the location they plan to use for pickup. This week, Cass City Public Schools is offering free meal kits for kids 18 and younger. Parents can place their orders by visiting www.casscityschools.org/coronavirus and clicking the Meal Kits link. Caseville Public Schools is working with the Caseville Community Food Pantry. to help those families that need food and meal assistance while school is closed as well as acquiring food from them that would otherwise go unused. Delivery service can be arranged for those who are home bound or do not have transportation to the pantry. Those eligible are residents of Caseville, Caseville Township and Lake Township. Proof of residency in the form of a driver's license or state issued ID is required as well as information regarding family income. Deckerville Community Schools has food for families available for pickup at the high school cafeteria. Parents can check the districts website or call for more information. Parents of students in Owendale-Gagetown should call the school for more information. The Today show is turning into an at-home broadcast due to the coronavirus pandemic. Savannah Guthrie co-anchored Wednesday mornings NBC broadcast from her basement after coming down with a sore throat and runny nose. Well now were really socially distancing arent we, Hoda? Guthrie asked her partner in crime Hoda Kotb, who was in the NBC studio. Well, its very unusual, Im actually home. Im in my basement right now. "Here's what happened, I wasn't feeling my best, little sore throat, some sniffles, I wouldn't have thought anything of it, but we are in different times, aren't we?" Guthrie said. "So, in an abundance of caution, and also to really model the vigilance that the CDC is asking of all of us right now. We followed the advice of NBC's medical team, and so, here I am, I'm working from home as we speak. And we're still together and we're gonna get this show on the air." SUNY Oswego alumnus Al Roker also broadcasted from his home Wednesday, staying out of the studio since a third-hour staffer tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. He and Craig Melvin sat out Mondays show, and Roker returned Tuesday and Wednesday to deliver weather updates remotely. Look, it is very weird, Ill admit, Roker said. You know, venturing out, making sure you keep that physical distance ... its eerie, kind of. "This show's been around a long time. ... but never has this happened before." @savannahguthrie and @alroker discuss what it's been like working from home while @hodakotb holds down the fort in Studio 1A pic.twitter.com/uhCdmAVp4Z TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 18, 2020 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. NBC News president Noah Oppenheim informed staff Sunday that an unnamed employee was receiving medical care for mild symptoms after testing positive for coronavirus. The network said everyone who had close contact with the individual, who worked on the shows third-hour with Seinelle Jones, Dylan Dreyer, Roker and Melvin, 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. Live... from my basement... this is TODAY. Big shoutout to my husband @feldmike who has turned into producer and technician!! pic.twitter.com/HqsnH4ZmJn Savannah Guthrie (@SavannahGuthrie) March 18, 2020 Things look a little different for us this morning. @savannahguthrie wasnt feeling her best, so in an abundance of caution and to model the vigilance the CDC has asked of all of us, she followed the advice of NBCs medical team and is working from home. pic.twitter.com/kAszjLblS0 TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 18, 2020 MORE ON CORONAVIRUS The Madhya Pradesh Congress on Wednesday sought more time from the Supreme Court in the floor test matter, and demanded a probe in the resignation matter of its lawmakers. Heavens are not going to fall that Congress government must go immediately and Shivraj Singh Chouhans government must be saddled on the people, partys lawyer Dushyant Dave told the bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta. The MLAs must go back to the electorate and win the election again, said Dave adding that the lawmakers are expected to serve their constituencies and not get up one day and resign. Also Watch | Congress Vs MP governor over rebel MLAs; Digvijaya Singh in preventive custody Justice Hemant Gupta agreed with the statement and said, Thats what they are doing. They are giving up on their membership and may go back again to voters. The Madhya Pradesh Congress told the apex court that a probe is needed on the resignation letters of its rebel MLAs submitted by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders to the Speaker of the state Assembly. The party claimed that resignations of its rebel MLAs in Madhya Pradesh were extracted by force and coercion and they did not act as per their free will. It also said the Governor has no business to send messages at night asking the Chief Minister or Speaker to hold floor test. The Speaker is the ultimate master and the Madhya Pradesh Governor is overriding him, said Dave, the partys lawyer. The BJP has claimed that the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh, led by Kamal Nath, is in minority after the resignation of 22 MLAs and have demanded a floor test in the Assembly. But Speaker NP Prajapati adjourned the House for 10 days on Monday, prompting the BJP to move Supreme Court. The court sought responses from Chief Minister Kamal Nath and the Speaker. The Congress also filed a petition in the top court the next day saying that the floor test cannot take place in Madhya Pradesh because 16 of its lawmakers have been held captive in Bengaluru. In order to contain the spread of novel coronavirus (Covid-19), the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (Department of Personnel and Training) came up with some precautionary measures required to be taken by all the employees and the ministries/departments in India. The Ministry has given several instructions to health personnel and agencies at all points of operation across the country. Along with the measures, an indicative list of Do's and Don'ts has also been issued for wide dissemination. ALSO READ: Coronavirus outbreak: Everything you ... The BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Economics, Finance and Management has gone in this twelfth edition to Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt for fundamental contributions to the study of innovation, technical change, and competition policy The BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Economics, Finance and Management has gone in this twelfth edition to Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt "for fundamental contributions to the study of innovation, technical change, and competition policy," in the words of the award citation. The committee, which met remotely due the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, elected to share the award between the two economists who, it said, "have revived, developed in the framework of modern economic theory and validated empirically Schumpeter's idea that productivity growth at the macroeconomic level stems from a process of creative destruction." This idea of creative destruction was popularized by the Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter in the early 1940s. It holds that productivity growth at the macro level is the result of a process whereby the firms best able to adapt and develop new technologies will drive out competitors that lag behind in productivity. The result is a ceaseless movement with the most productive players displacing their less productive counterparts. The new laureates began collaborating in 1987, not long after Aghion joined the staff at MIT. There he met Peter Howitt, at the time a visiting professor. "It was Olivier Blanchard, a Professor of Economics, who introduced us to each other - Howitt recalls - and suggested we might want to collaborate, as we had some ideas in common. He was quite right, I think, because we hit it off immediately and began to work on theories of economic growth. And we have been doing so ever since." "At the time we would talk in class about Schumpeter's idea that innovation is important for growth, but we realized that what was lacking was a model," adds Philippe Aghion. And here the French researcher's specialization in applied microeconomic theory found its ideal complement in the macro analysis that was the Canadian's terrain. "I am very excited to share this award with Peter Howitt for developing what is now known as the Schumpeterian growth theory, which is a new way to look at growth economics," said Aghion after hearing of the award. Professor Howitt expressed a similar enthusiasm about sharing the distinction with his colleague: "The work I've done with Philippe is the most important of my career. We've been collaborating for 33 years now, so it's taken up a very big part of my professional career. Now to share such an important award with him; I just couldn't be happier." Wedding macro analysis with micro-scale detail At the start of the 1980s, the so-called neo-classical models explaining economic growth mostly confined themselves to the accumulation of physical capital. Technological change was an external factor that was simply left out of the equation. The early 1990s, however, saw the popularization of endogenous growth models whereby a country's growth was considered to be a product of its own system of economic and institutional organization. The first endogenous models were not explicit about how these arrangements were meant to feed into growth, and simply assumed that technology exhibits constant returns to scale. The Aghion-Howitt model supplied the missing link, identifying it as the creative destruction produced by innovation at the microeconomic level. According to Professor Aghion, Chair of the Economics of Institutions, Innovation and Growth at the College de France in Paris, it relies on three basic ideas. "The first is that innovation is the engine of long-term growth. To grow, you need innovation that builds upon previous innovation. The second is that innovation doesn't come from heaven, but from entrepreneurs who pursue it. And the third is creative destruction, the fact that new technology displaces old technology. And that is very important, because it means that growth is a process of conflict between the old and the new." In this process, Professor Howitt expands, there are losers as well as winners: "New technologies not only generate lots of benefits, they also render old technologies obsolete along with the knowledge and skills of the human capital employed. This creates a conflict between the status quo and the entrepreneurs bringing new ideas into the marketplace. One that has to be resolved somehow, so society can enjoy the fruits of economic growth." The Aghion-Howitt model reflects the convergence of the two economists' specializations. "My work," Aghion explains, "was much more on the micro side, but I thought that answers could be found by putting micro into macro." This led him naturally to Howitt, an expert in macroeconomic analysis. "Peter and I decided to harmonize our approaches to expand on Schumpeter's ideas. We were a good fit together and that is how the model came about. The complementarity between macro and micro was what allowed us to progress." The key, they felt, was to build a growth theory that puts firms and market structure "at the heart of the growth process." And the way to proceed, as Aghion relates, was "to arrive at a theory which 'operationalizes' Schumpeter's notion of creative destruction - the process by which new innovations replace older technologies." They decided to pursue this goal via a two-way approach: developing models based on creative destruction that shed new light on several aspects of the growth process; and "establishing a continuous dialogue between theory and empirical research, with the purpose of using rich micro data to confront the predictions that distinguish our theory from other growth theories." The result, Aghion believes, "has improved our understanding of the underlying sources of growth." "Our thinking," continues Howitt, "was influenced by the econometric research taking place in the 1980s which showed that short-run macroeconomic shocks tend to have long-run effects. This means that at least some of the technological change that sustains long-run growth arises from shocks that disturb economic activity in the short run. Creative destruction is a process that produces just this kind of result, and we were able to incorporate the process into a macroeconomic growth model by adapting the micro models developed by Jean Tirole." In 1992, their work appeared in a joint paper in Econometrica titled "A Model of Growth through Creative Destruction," providing a new economic framework which, the committee says, "is the basis for important positive and normative new insights, and identifies policies that can increase or decrease innovation and growth." A rich variety of applications This "neo-Schumpeterian" framework, as it is generally referred to, quickly proved itself to be a powerful tool for a wide variety of applications, some of them developed by the authors themselves. Working collaboratively, for instance, they have identified effective policies to foster innovation-led growth. These include subsidies to basic research, education, health, infrastructure, and a balanced tax policy; property right protection to safeguard innovators against imitators; and competition policies which ensure that incumbent firms cannot bar the entry of new innovators. They also emphasize the importance of insurance and protection policies: "We need a government," says Aghion, "which protects firms and employees against shocks like the 2008 crisis, so that R&D investments and innovation survive those major setbacks." Howitt adds his own reflections: "Which policies are best depends very much on a country's specific situation, and especially on the level of development. In particular, strong protection of intellectual property rights is less important for countries that are struggling to catch up to the global technology frontier, who rely on copying or adapting existing technologies, than it is for leading countries that need to maintain incentives for frontier innovations." Asked about their work on the role of institutions in economic development, Aghion considers that "it has shown the importance of having, on the one hand, good intellectual property right protection for new innovations, to guarantee that innovation rents will not be dissipated and, on the other, effective competition policy, to make sure that incumbent firms (the innovators of yesterday) are not using their rents to prevent subsequent innovations and the entry of new players." In another major paper published in 2005 dealing with competition and innovation, they found that the relationship between these two parameters had an inverted-U or hump shape, with both very high and very low competition deterring innovation. "It also shows," remarks the French economist, "that innovation and productivity growth reacts more positively to increased product market competition in more frontier firms, whereas innovation may react negatively to competition in less advanced firms." Laureate bio notes Philippe Aghion (Paris, France, 1956) earned a first degree in the Mathematics Section of the Ecole Normale Superieure de Cachan (1980). He continued his training in Mathematical Economics in Paris then completed a PhD in Economics at Harvard University (1987). He next taught for two years at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, before returning to Europe, where he worked for ten years at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London, as Deputy Chief Economist (1990-1992) and latterly as Research Coordinator (1992-2000). In this period he was also made an Official Fellow at the University of Oxford's Nuffield College. Professor of Economics at University College London from 1996 to 2002, in 2000 he joined the faculty at Harvard and two years later was appointed Robert C. Waggoner Professor of Economics. In 2015 he again returned to Europe, to the College de France in Paris, where he holds the Chair in the Economics of Institutions, Innovation and Growth. That same year he was named Centennial Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics. From 2018-2020 he has also visited the Department of Economics at Harvard. Author of over a hundred published papers and twelve books, he is a former president of both the French Economics Association and the European Economic Association. He is a Fellow of the Econometric Society and has served on the editorial boards of journals including Econometrica, Review of Economic Studies and Review of Economics and Statistics. Peter Howitt (Canada, 1946) is Professor Emeritus of Economics at Brown University (United States), where he is also Lyn Crost Professor Emeritus of Social Sciences. He earned a BA in Economics at McGill University in 1968, and an MA in Economics the following year at the University of Western Ontario, before moving to the States to complete a PhD at Northwestern University (1973). From 1981 to 1996 he taught at the University of Western Ontario, combining his work there with visiting positions in France (Laval, Paris and Toulouse universities) and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1996 Howitt moved to Ohio State University (United States) as a university chaired professor, before joining the faculty at Brown University in 2000. He has held editorial positions with many leading economics journals, and been granted several honorary doctorates. Economics, Finance and Management committee and evaluation support panel Due to the restrictions imposed by the COVID 19 coronavirus pandemic and the state of emergency declared in Spain, the committee in this category conducted its deliberations by remote means. The committee chair was Eric S. Maskin, Adams University Professor at Harvard University (United States) and Nobel Laureate in Economics, with Manuel Arellano, Professor of Economics in the Center for Monetary and Financial Studies (CEMFI) of Banco de Espana acting as secretary. Remaining members were Antonio Ciccone, Professor of Economics at the University of Mannheim (Germany); Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg, Elihu Professor of Economics at Yale University (United States); Andreu Mas-Colell, Professor of Economics at Pompeu Fabra University (Spain); Lucrezia Reichlin, Professor of Economics at the London Business School (United Kingdom); Jean Tirole, Honorary Chairman of the Jean-Jacques Laffont-Toulouse School of Economics Foundation (France), Frontiers of Knowledge Laureate in Economics, Finance and Management (2008) and Nobel Laureate in Economics (2014); and Fabrizio Zilibotti, Tuntex Professor of International and Development Economics at Yale University (United States). The evaluation support panel of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) was coordinated by M. Victoria Moreno, the Council's Deputy Vice President for Scientific and Technical Areas, and formed by: Elena Castro Martinez, Coordinator of the Global Society Area and tenured researcher at the Institute of Innovation and Knowledge Management (INGENIO); Adela Garcia Aracil, tenured researcher at the Institute of Innovation and Knowledge Management (INGENIO); Adelheid Holl, tenured researcher at the Institute of Public Goods and Policies (IPP); Hugo Rodriguez Mendizabal, tenured researcher at the Institute for Economic Analysis (IAE); Francisco Javier Sanz Canada, tenured researcher at the Institute of Economics, Geography and Demography (IEGD). About the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Awards The BBVA Foundation centers its activity on the promotion of world-class scientific research and cultural creation, and the encouragement of talent. The BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Awards, established in 2008, recognize and reward contributions of singular impact in diverse fields of science, technology, social sciences and the humanities that have demonstrably expanded the frontiers of the known world, opening up new paradigms and knowledge fields. Their eight categories are reflective of the knowledge map of the 21st century, encompassing basic research in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, Biology and Biomedicine, Information and Communication Technologies, Humanities and Social Sciences, Economics, Finance and Management, Ecology and Conservation Biology, Climate Change, and, within the arts, the supremely creative realm of music. The BBVA Foundation is aided in the evaluation process by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the country's premier public research organization. The Foundation and CSIC jointly appoint the evaluation support panels charged with undertaking an initial assessment of the candidates proposed by numerous institutions across the world and drawing up a reasoned shortlist for the consideration of the award committees. CSIC is also responsible for designating the chair of each committee, formed by eminent authorities in the subject area. ### City of Fresno, California Issues Emergency Shelter in Place Order Essential Services and Activities Are Still Permitted Officials in Fresno, California, ordered residents to shelter in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP virus. 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 mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. The order allows residents to leave their homes for some services such as doctors appointments, grocery shopping, going to work, and picking up medications, according to the Fresno Bee. According to ABC30, locals can also engage in outdoor activity if they stay six feet away from other people, perform any activities considered essential, and to care for a family member or pet. City Manager Wilma Quan signed the order before it was ratified by the City Council. The order will go into effect starting at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, March 19. We are making the most difficult decision weve ever made, Mayor Lee Brand said, adding, In the end this is really a life and death situation, as reported by the Bee. Fresno, a city with a population of nearly 500,000, is one of the largest cities in the United States to issue such an order. Authorities in San Francisco and counties in Californias Bay Area issued a similar order earlier this week. The order comes on the same day that President Donald Trump invoked emergency powers to order industry to help fight the CCP virus as economic instability has escalated during the pandemic. Detroits Big Three automakers of Fiat Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors announced they would shutter production in North America. Every name on the BrandBucket marketplace is exclusively listed with BrandBucket. That means that all of our sellers are very responsive, making for quick domain transfers. A dedicated BrandBucket agent will manage your domain transfer from beginning to end, ensuring a secure and easy transaction. They will manage the receipt of the domain into one of BrandBuckets secure registrar accounts and then complete the transfer to you. 1. Verification and registrar choice After we receive the payment and verify it, we will reach out via email to confirm which registrar you want the domain transferred to. 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Transfer the name into your account As soon as we receive the name from the seller, we start the transfer into your account and guide you through the whole process. 4. Verify with the buyer that the transfer is complete Once we confirm that you have received the name, we consider the escrow process to be complete. Only then do we release payment to the domain seller. Sydney, March 11, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just released, this edition of Paul Budde Communications focus report on Switzerland outlines the major developments and key aspects in the telecoms markets. Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Switzerland-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses Switzerland has a sophisticated telecom sector and enjoys one of the highest broadband penetration rates within the European Union and among the OECD nations. Its competitive mobile market is served by three network operators and a small number of MVNOs while the broadband market is dominated by Swisscom and UPC Switzerland, though there are a large number of smaller players in the market, many providing services to local communities. UPC has gained scale in recent years by acquiring a number of its partner networks. The bid from the full-service provider Sunrise to acquire the operator was called off in late 2019. Although not a member of the EU, the countrys economic integration has meant that its telecom market deregulation has followed the EUs liberalisation framework, including the recent regulations on international voice roaming. The country benefits from universal DSL infrastructure and an expansive cable broadband network, with effective cross-platform competition. The DSL sector commands a diminishing share of the market, while that for fibre has increased rapidly. UPC Switzerland offers broadband in most cities and towns, and its gigabit service is now available across its footprint This network upgrade spurred Swisscom to intensify its VDSL, G.fast and FttP network rollouts in a bid to remain competitive. Swisscoms planned infrastructure investment over the coming years has been facilitated by cooperative deals struck with regional utility companies. The government has promoted technologies providing focus on ultra-fast broadband, and by the end of 2020 fixed-line networks are expected to deliver at least 100Mb/s to 85% of the population. The extension of mobile broadband services from Swisscom and Sunrise is being supported by the operators closing down 2G infrastructure and repurposing spectrum and physical assets for LTE and, in future, 5G use. Although there are about 2,000 5G-ready mobile antennae, the environment agency in late 2019 urged canton governments to halt 5G transmissions (though development in 5G infrastructure can continue) pending further checks on the health implications of radiofrequency radiation. This report presents an analysis of Switzerlands fixed-line telecom market, including an assessment of network infrastructure. It examines the regulatory environment and evaluates the strategies and performance of service providers including Swisscom, UPC Switzerland and Sunrise. The report also assesses the mobile market, including new technologies and profiles of the main operators. In addition, the report reviews the fixed and fixed-wireless broadband segments and the migration to a fibre-abased infrastructure. Subscriber forecasts to 2024 are provided covering a range of services. Key developments: Environment agency concerns of 5G tower radiation results in halt of services; Sunrise expands the reach of its 5G network; Fine against Swisscom for unfair DSL pricing confirmed by Federal Supreme Court; Salt extends the reach of its FttP footprint via Swiss Fibre deal; Regulator concludes multi-spectrum auction for 5G services; Sunrise and Swisscom to switch off 2G infrastructure; Swisscom and Ericsson trial 10Gb/s 5G; Federal Council adopts changes to Telecommunications Act; Swisscom deploys LoRa networks; Regulatory measures eliminate FttP network duplication, increase minimum internet speed on Swisscom's USO; UPC Switzerland extends gigabit services across its footprint; Report update includes the regulator's market data for 2018, telcos' operating and financial data to Q4 2019, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses; recent market developments. Companies mentioned in this report: Swisscom, Salt (Orange Switzerland), Sunrise, UPC Switzerland, Swiss Digital Henry Lancaster February 2020 Table of Contents Key statistics Regional European 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 Market analysis Government ICT strategy Regulatory environment Historical overview Regulatory authorities Fixed-line developments Telecom sector liberalisation Telecommunications Act Privatisation Interconnect Leased lines Access Bitstream access Number Portability (NP) Carrier PreSelection (CPS) Universal Service Obligation (USO) Fixed broadband developments Regulatory measures Network sharing Network Neutrality Mobile network developments Spectrum regulations Digital dividend spectrum Spectrum auction - 2012 Spectrum auction 2019 Mobile Number Portability (MNP) Mobile termination Rates (MTRs) Roaming Mobile market Market analysis Mobile statistics Mobile infrastructure 5G 4G (LTE) 3G GSM Other infrastructure developments Mobile voice Mobile data SMS and MMS Mobile broadband Major mobile operators Swisscom Mobile Sunrise Salt Mobile Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) Mobile Virtual Network Enablers (MVNEs) Mobile content and applications m-Music Location-based services m-ticketing m-commerce Train network Fixed-line broadband market Introduction and statistical overview Market analysis Broadband statistics Fixed-line broadband technologies Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks Other fixed broadband services Fixed wireless Fixed network operators Overview of the national telecom network Swisscom Sunrise UPC Switzerland Swiss Digital Telecommunications infrastructure Overview of the national telecom network LoRa network VoIP Smart infrastructure Smart cities Digital economy e-government e-economy e-health Appendix Historic data Related reports List of Tables Table 1 Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities Switzerland 2019 (e) Table 2 Development of telecom market revenue, profit and investment 2009 2018 Table 3 Change in telecom market revenue by sector 2009 2018 Table 4 Development of telecom investment by sector 2009 2018 Table 5 Change in interconnection revenue 2009 - 2018 Table 6 Growth in the number of fully unbundled lines 2008 2019 Table 7 Growth in the number of bitstream access lines 2014 2017 Table 8 Decline in the number of fixed numbers ported 2009 2018 Table 9 Decline in the number of Call by Call and CPS lines 2009 2018 Table 10 Change in the number of mobile numbers ported and proportion to total 2009 2018 Table 11 Development of mobile roaming revenue by service 2013 2018 Table 12 Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration rate 2009 2024 Table 13 Change in mobile market revenue 2009 2018 Table 14 Change in mobile sector investment (UMTS and total) 2009 2018 Table 15 Change in the market share of mobile subscribers by MNO 2009 2018 Table 16 Decline in the number of prepaid subscribers and market share 2009 2018 Table 17 Fall in the proportion Swisscom Mobile prepaid share to total 2009 2019 Table 18 Development of geographic coverage by mobile technology 2010 2018 Table 19 Change in the number of 3G mobile subscribers 2010 2017 Table 20 Growth in the number of M2M connections 2014 2017 Table 21 Decline in SMS traffic 2009 2018 Table 22 Decline in MMS traffic 2009 2018 Table 23 Mobile internet subscribers by technology 2009 2018 Table 24 Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration 2009 2024 Table 25 Growth in mobile data traffic 2008 2018 Table 26 Decline in Swisscom Mobile blended ARPU 2006 2019 Table 27 Decline in Swisscom Mobiles retail mobile revenue 2009 2019 Table 28 Change in Swisscom Mobiles subscribers by type 2006 2019 Table 29 Change in the number of Sunrises mobile subscribers 2011 2019 Table 30 Development of Sunrises mobile revenue (CHF) 2009 2019 Table 31 Development of Sunrises mobile revenue by quarter (CHF) 2012 2019 Table 32 Decline in Sunrises mobile ARPU 2011 2019 Table 33 Development of Salt Mobiles financial data (CHF) 2010 2019 Table 34 Fall in Salt Mobiles subscribers 2009 2019 Table 35 Growth in the number of UPC Switzerlands mobile subscribers 2016 2019 Table 36 Change in MVNOs market share of mobile subscribers 2008 2018 Table 37 Decline in the number of dial-up internet subscribers 2009 2018 Table 38 Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration 2009 2024 Table 39 Change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers by platform 2009 2018 Table 40 Change in fixed-line broadband market share by platform 2009 2018 Table 41 Fixed-line broadband market share by operator 2008 2018 Table 42 Development of fixed-line broadband penetration by platform 2004 2018 Table 43 Change in the number of fixed broadband connections by rate 2008 2018 Table 44 Change in the proportion of broadband connections by rate 2008 2018 Table 45 Change in the number of cable broadband subscribers 2009 2018 Table 46 Change in the number of UPC Switzerland broadband subscribers 2007 2019 Table 47 Decline in the number of DSL accesses 2009 2018 Table 48 Growth in the number of Swisscoms fixed broadband subscribers 2009 2019 Table 49 Growth in the number of Sunrises fixed broadband subscribers 2009 2019 Table 50 Development of Sunrises broadband and TV revenue 2016 2019 Table 51 Change in the number of VDSL accesses 2009 2019 Table 52 Growth in the number of fibre connections by type 2009 2017 Table 53 Growth in the number of fibre subscribers 2007 2018 Table 54 Growth in the number of WiMAX broadband subscribers 2012 2017 Table 55 Change in the number of satellite broadband and telephony subscribers 2014 2017 Table 56 Change in the market share of fixed-line subscribers by operator 2007 2018 Table 57 Development of fixed-network revenue 2009 2017 Table 58 Development of Swisscom Groups financial data 2009 2019 Table 59 Development of Swisscoms domestic financial data by sector 2007 2019 Table 60 Change in the number of Swisscoms domestic fixed-voice, mobile, IPTV subscribers 2008 2019 Table 61 Development of Sunrises revenue by service (CHF) 2009 2019 Table 62 Change in the number of Sunrises subscribers by sector 2009 2019 Table 63 Development of UPC Switzerlands financial data 2007 2019 Table 64 Change in the number of UPC Switzerland broadband and telephony subscribers 2007 2019 Table 65 Change in the number of Swiss Digitals subscribers by service 2009 2018 Table 66 Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity 2009 2024 Table 67 PSTN lines in service 2007 2017 Table 68 Decline in fixed line traffic by type 2009 2017 Table 69 Decline in the number of ISDN subscribers by type 2009 2017 Table 70 Increase in the number of VoIP connections 2009 2018 Table 71 Historic - Telecom market revenue, profit and investment 1998 2009 Table 72 Historic - Telecom market revenue by sector 1998 2009 Table 73 Historic - Telecom investment by sector 1998 2009 Table 74 Historic - Interconnection revenue 2000 - 2009 Table 75 Historic - Call by Call and CPS lines 1999 2008 Table 76 Historic - Mobile numbers ported 2000 2009 Table 77 Mobile termination charges by operator 2006; 2009 2011 Table 78 Mobile termination charges by operator 2016 2019 Table 79 Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate 1995; 1997; 1999 2009 Table 80 Mobile market revenue 2000 2009 Table 81 Historic - Mobile sector investment, UMTS and total 1998 2009 Table 82 Historic - Share of subscribers by MNO 2003 2009 Table 83 Historic - Prepaid subscribers and market share 1998 2009 Table 84 Historic - Swisscom Mobile prepaid share of subscribers 1998 2009 Table 85 Historic - Swisscom Mobile SMS and MMS traffic 2007 2014 Table 86 Historic - SMS traffic 2002 2009 Table 87 Historic - MMS traffic 2003 2009 Table 88 Historic - Swisscom Mobile retail revenue 2003 2009 Table 89 Historic - Sunrise mobile subscribers 2004 2010 Table 90 Historic - Sunrise revenue and annual change (DKK) 2006 2010 Table 91 Historic Salt mobile revenue (), annual change 2005 2011 Table 92 Historic - Salt mobile subscribers 2000 2009 Table 93 Historic - Salt ARPU 2006 2011 Table 94 Historic - Salt mobile data as percentage of revenue 2003 2011 Table 95 Dial-up internet subscribers 2000 2009 Table 96 Historic - Internet users and penetration rate 1996 2015 Table 97 Historic - Fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration 2000 2009 Table 98 Historic- Fixed-line broadband market share by platform 2003 2009 Table 99 Historic - DSL market share by operator 2006 2016 Table 100 Historic - DSL accesses 2000 2009 Table 101 Historic - Cable broadband subscribers 2000 2009 Table 102 Historic - Swiss Digital broadband and telephony subscribers 2003 2009 Table 103 Historic - UPC Switzerland financial data 2005 2009 Table 104 Historic - DSL/fibre accesses by main provider 2004 2016 Table 105 Historic - DSL/fibre market share by main provider 2004 2016 Table 106 Historic - Swisscom broadband subscribers 2003 2009 Table 107 Historic - Fibre connections by type 2003 2009 Table 108 Historic - BPL broadband subscribers 2008 2016 Table 109 Historic - Wi-Fi hotspots in service 2008 2016 Table 110 Historic - Fixed-network revenue 2000 2009 Table 111 Historic - Swisscom Group net revenue, EBITDA and net income 2004 2009 Table 112 Historic - Sunrise financial data (DKK) 2006 2010 Table 113 Historic - Sunrise revenue by type (DKK) 2006 2009 Table 114 Historic - Sunrise subscribers by sector 2005 2009 Table 115 Historic - Swiss Digitals subscribers by service 2003 2009 Table 116 Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity 1997; 1999 2009 Table 117 Historic - ISDN subscribers 1999 2009 Table 118 Historic - VoIP connections 2004 2009 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 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 Development of telecom market revenue, profit and investment 2009 2018 Chart 15 Change in telecom market revenue by sector 2009 2018 Chart 16 Development of telecom investment by sector 2009 2018 Chart 17 Change in interconnection revenue 2009 - 2018 Chart 18 Growth in the number of fully unbundled lines 2008 2019 Chart 19 Decline in the number of fixed numbers ported 2009 2018 Chart 20 Decline in the number of Call by Call and CPS lines 2009 2018 Chart 21 Change in the number of mobile numbers ported and proportion to total 2009 2018 Chart 22 Development of mobile roaming revenue by service 2013 2018 Chart 23 Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration rate 2009 2024 Chart 24 Change in mobile market revenue 2009 2018 Chart 25 Change in mobile sector investment (UMTS and total) 2009 2018 Chart 26 Change in the market share of mobile subscribers by MNO 2009 2018 Chart 27 Decline in the number of prepaid subscribers and market share 2009 2018 Chart 28 Fall in the proportion Swisscom Mobile prepaid share to total 2009 2019 Chart 29 Development of geographic coverage by mobile technology 2010 2018 Chart 30 Change in SMS and MMS traffic 2009 2018 Chart 31 Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration 2009 2024 Chart 32 Growth in mobile data traffic 2008 2018 Chart 33 Decline in Swisscom Mobile blended ARPU 2006 2019 Chart 34 Decline in Swisscom Mobiles retail mobile revenue 2009 2019 Chart 35 Change in Swisscom Mobiles subscribers by type 2006 2019 Chart 36 Change in the number of Sunrises mobile subscribers 2011 2019 Chart 37 Development of Sunrises mobile revenue (CHF) 2009 2019 Chart 38 Decline in Sunrises mobile ARPU 2011 2019 Chart 39 Development of Salt Mobiles financial data (CHF) 2010 2019 Chart 40 Fall in Salt Mobiles subscribers 2009 2019 Chart 41 Change in MVNOs market share of mobile subscribers 2007 2018 Chart 42 Decline in the number of dial-up internet subscribers 2009 2018 Chart 43 Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration 2009 2024 Chart 44 Change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers by platform 2009 2018 Chart 45 Change in fixed-line broadband market share by platform 2009 2018 Chart 46 Development of fixed-line broadband market share by operator 2008 2018 Chart 47 Change in the number of fixed broadband connections by rate 2008 2018 Chart 48 Change in the proportion of broadband connections by rate 2008 2018 Chart 49 Change in the number of Swiss Digitals broadband and telephony subscribers 2009 2018 Chart 50 Growth in the number of Swisscoms fixed broadband subscribers 2009 2019 Chart 51 Growth in the number of Sunrises fixed broadband subscribers 2005 2019 Chart 52 Change in the number of VDSL accesses 2009 2019 Chart 53 Growth in the number of fibre connections by type 2009 2017 Chart 54 Change in the market share of fixed-line subscribers by operator 2007 2018 Chart 55 Development of fixed-network revenue 2009 2017 Chart 56 Development of Swisscom Groups financial data 2009 2019 Chart 57 Development of Swisscoms domestic financial data by sector 2007 2019 Chart 58 Change in the number of Swisscoms domestic fixed-voice, mobile, IPTV subscribers 2008 2019 Chart 59 Development of Sunrises revenue by service (CHF) 2009 2019 Chart 60 Change in the number of Sunrises subscribers by sector 2009 2019 Chart 61 Development of UPC Switzerlands financial data 2007 2019 Chart 62 Change in the number of UPC Switzerland broadband and telephony subscribers 2007 2019 Chart 63 Change in the number of Swiss Digitals subscribers by service 2009 2018 Chart 64 Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity 2009 2024 Chart 65 Decline in fixed line traffic by type 2009 2017 Chart 66 Decline in the number of ISDN subscribers by type 2009 2017 Chart 67 Increase in the number of VoIP connections 2009 2018 List of Exhibits Exhibit 1 Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment Exhibit 2 Access and the local loop Exhibit 3 Mobile spectrum auction 2012 Exhibit 4 Mobile spectrum auction 2019 Exhibit 5 Decline in MTRs (CHF / minute) 2016 - 2019 Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Switzerland-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses After the second fatal crash of a Boeing Co. 737 Max jetliner, most of the worlds aviation regulators rushed to ground the jet while the U.S., where it was built, waited for data. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration took three days and ended up being the last to end flights on Boeings best-selling jetliner, a year ago Friday. The delay, and subsequent revelations about what went wrong with oversight of the planes design and certification, raised questions about the judgment of an agency accustomed to international deference. The reverberations threaten to complicate the jets return to service and could portend long-term implications for the industry. What weve got now is a situation where the confidence, the straightforward acceptance of another regulators work, has been shaken, said Dai Whittingham, a fellow at the U.K. Royal Aeronautical Society. The 737 Max crashes prompted the longest grounding of a jetliner in decades, tarnished the aircraft manufacturing giants image, and caused financial stress for airlines around the world stuck with hundreds of planes that they still cant fly. Boeing projects it will take until midyear to get approval for the multiple fixes on the plane and the FAA is leading the process. But other regulators, such as the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, might conduct additional checks on future aircraft designed in the U.S., Whittingham said. They want to see it for themselves, he said. Thats a big step. It will add a layer of cost to the industry. Any tension among regulators has been kept mostly behind closed doors, but there have been exceptions. Canadas transport minister said last year that Max pilots should receive additional training in flight simulators something the FAA is still studying but expected to mandate soon. Canadian officials have also insisted in contentious meetings with the FAA that pilots should be instructed to disable a key warning system to avoid distraction during an emergency. FAA experts think that would create additional risks. For the most part, however, the leading agencies around the world appear to be working with their U.S. counterparts to return the plane to service at close to the same time, according to public statements and interviews with more than 10 current and former officials around the world. It will take the FAA and Boeing a while to restore that reputation, which may well change the attitude of other countries towards its leadership role, said Barry Humphreys, an aviation consultant who formerly was a U.K. economic regulator and airline executive. After the second crash, of an Ethiopian Airlines jet on March 10, 2019, the FAA issued a global notice of continued airworthiness. But in a stunning rebuke, nation after nation declared a halt to flights of the plane. They included Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, the U.K., France, Turkey, Germany, Italy, Ireland and the Netherlands, as well as the European Unions aviation regulator. In some cases they prohibited the jetliner from even flying through their airspace. The FAA reversed course March 13, after investigators found a piece of wreckage and obtained the first flight-track data showing similarities to the previous accident, off the coast of Indonesia the previous October. Delegated Assessments Boeing made the FAA look really bad in the world because historically the rest of the world relied on the FAA, said consultant Adam Pilarski, former chief economist for McDonnell Douglas before it merged with Boeing. The agency had delegated key assessments of the system on the plane that malfunctioned in the two crashes to Boeing employees, Pilarski said, a process that had been expanded by lawmakers. It turns out the FAA didnt do a lot of the work, he said. They relied on Boeing. That cant be recovered in my opinion. A U.S. congressional committee investigating the Max disasters called the FAAs certification of the plane grossly insufficient. Developing a transport category commercial aircraft that is compliant with FAA regulations but fundamentally flawed and unsafe highlights an aviation oversight system in desperate need of repair, the committee wrote in a recent report. David Calhoun took over as Boeings president and chief executive officer in January amid a flurry of actions designed to improve relations with regulators and reset expectations for returning the plane to service. New CEO Among his first actions was to call FAA Administrator Steve Dickson. Dave is working to rebuild trust with all of our stakeholders and the FAA is at the top of our list, Boeing spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. The FAA, in a statement, said the lessons learned from the two crashes would be a springboard to an even greater level of safety. While the FAAs certification processes are well-established and have consistently produced safe aircraft designs, we are a learning agency and welcome the scrutiny, the agency said in the statement. We are confident that our openness to observations and recommendations will further bolster aviation safety worldwide. Like Boeing, the FAA changed leaders since the crashes. It is tightening oversight of the system that allows specially deputized employees of manufacturers such as Boeing to approve aircraft designs, Dickson, who took over the agency in August, told lawmakers Wednesday. The FAAs ability to oversee the process currently has areas that need to be improved, he said at a House hearing on the agencys budget proposal. The FAA hasnt delegated any decisions to Boeing as it oversees fixes to the software system involved in the accidents. More Assertive The agency has also ordered several additional changes on the plane, including to its flight computers and wiring. In recent months, the FAA has proposed three large fines against Boeing and forbidden it from signing off on the safety of newly built planes. I think the FAA has internally said we have to be more assertive here, said Randy Babbitt, who formerly led the agency. Some cautioned that criticism of FAAs reviews of the plane should be taken with a grain of salt in the emotional aftermath of the crashes. The whole issue has become politicized, said John Hansman, an aeronautics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In the 1960s and 1970s, the aircraft manufacturing industry was centered in the U.S. and the FAA was the leader in setting standards. But as other companies such as Airbus SE in Europe grew in stature, that also led to increased influence for the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, Hansman said. Theres been a longer-term shift, which is not just the 737 Max, he said. There are only a handful of countries in the world with aircraft manufacturing industries and the governmental agencies to assess the safety of airliners. EASA, based in Cologne, Germany, is taking a lead role in looking over the FAAs shoulder at its work on the 737 Max during the past year. Canada and Brazil, which also produce airliners, are also working closely in the process. Boeing needs oversight from regulators other than the FAA, Patrick Ky, the European agencys executive director, told the Financial Times in December. EASA, he said, wouldnt have made the same missteps as the U.S. agency. But in that interview and others, Ky has added that EASA was working well with FAA and it expects to clear the plane for service on a similar time-line as the U.S. EASA didnt respond to questions on the issue this week. The United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority has become more involved in safety oversight related to the 737 Max, said a person familiar with that countrys regulators who asked not to be named. The authority wont allow the plane to return to service at Flydubai unless pilots receive special simulator training related to the failure in the two crashes, said the person, declining to specify other possible actions by the agency. Such a demand is no longer contentious, however, since Boeing in January said it supports such training and the FAA is all but certain to order it after a series of committees review training needs later this year. Simulator Training Canadas Minister of Transport Marc Garneau has been calling for simulator training since last April, initially putting him at odds with the FAA. Canada is working with a multinational panel reviewing the Maxs training needs, the Joint Operations Evaluation Board, and with other agencies in very much a collaborative approach, said Amy Butcher, a spokeswoman for Garneau. But the country doesnt hesitate to disagree if its own experts say its necessary, Butcher said. While FAA has taken some unusual public criticism, there are also signs that key nations have been reassured by the process. China, which was one of the first nations to ground the Max after the Ethiopia crash, has recently reassured people that it intends to follow the FAAs lead, said one industry official familiar with that countrys thinking who asked not to be named. Some in the aviation world worry about what would happen were a significant split to emerge among regulators in different countries. It would bring our industry to a grinding halt, David Curtis, chief executive officer of planemaker Viking Air Ltd., said Tuesday at a Parliamentary hearing in Ottawa. With assistance from Julie Johnsson, Todd Shields, Kait Bolongaro and Layan Odeh. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. More than 10,000 French tourists are stranded in Morocco, desperately hoping to get on a flight home after the country banned all flights to Europe in an attempt to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Our Observers, who were trapped in the airport in Marrakesh, told us about their odyssey. Figuring out how to help French citizens stranded in Morocco became decidedly more difficult for French authorities on Friday, March 13 when the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided to suspend flights to Europe in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus. On Friday, 20,000 French citizens were still in Morocco, according to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On Monday, authorities reported that 12,000 people were still stranded. On March 14, Morocco finally authorized several flights to bring people back to Europe, the majority of them to France. But our Observers say that this isnt enough to manage the situation. Videos on social media show long queues stretching out in front of airline company counters and stranded travellers spending the night in crowded airports in Marrakesh, Casablanca and other cities. "The crying, the exhaustion, the stress is making us panic!" French citizen Sonia Hassainia spent more than 48 hours stranded in Marrakesh before finally managing to get on a flight back to Nice. No one even gave us a second glance at the airport. No one offered us any food or water. We were completely left to our own devices. I was supposed to go back to Nice on Sunday but my flight was cancelled. I didnt hear anything from the French embassy. Everyone was just watching Transavias website, trying to buy tickets as soon as they were made available. Starting on Sunday morning, I spent night and day in a queue at the airport. I left the airport Sunday night but then got to the airport at 4am on Monday, like a lot of other people. The counter still wasnt open at noon. The departure screens didnt have a single flight on them. Its incredibly hard to get a ticket for a flight back to France. They disappear as soon as they go up for sale on Transavias website. A lot of people report that theyve had problems finalizing their purchase. Theyll be ready to check out and suddenly it wont go through and theyll get a message saying that tickets "are no longer available at this price." Other companies like Ryanair have upped their prices, sometimes even tripling them. Theyve refused to give travelers any kind of refund for cancelled flights or pay to put them up in hotels, apparently because they are "no longer their customers." Story continues Sonia finally realized that she couldnt leave the airport until she got a ticket back to France: Lots of French people ended up sleeping here on Monday night. There was a lot of tension. Fights broke out between travelers or between exasperated travelers and airline staff. There were elderly people here and parents with small babies. The crying, the exhaustion and the stress made us panic even more! Sonia finally managed to get on a flight back to France on Tuesday, March 17, but not without difficulty. "We were all just panicked that we wouldnt be able to get home" French citizen Jonathan Thomas finally managed to get on a flight home on Monday evening after several nightmarish days. He said the French government did practically nothing to help with the situation. I went to the consulate in Marrakesh on Saturday morning, the day after the announcement that flights had been suspended. At that time, the staff had absolutely no information for us. We didnt know if they would come up with some kind of solution or if wed be stuck in Marrakesh. The Consulate wasnt even able to tell us what official platform we should be looking at to get news and updates from them. We filled out forms with our contact details and the date that we were originally supposed to fly back to France. I got two SMS messages from the Consulate but the content of these messages in no way reflected the urgency of the situation we were experiencing. Post from French embassy in Morocco on March 14, the day after it was announced that all flights from Morocco to Europe had been suspended. The post has since been deleted from the Facebook page of the French Embassy in Morocco. The French embassy announced on Sunday morning that they would be working in partnership with Transavia and Air France to repatriate French citizens, though these citizens would have to pay for the flights themselves. On Twitter, the French ambassador to Morocco Helene Le Gal told stranded travellers to regularly check airline websites in order to find tickets back to France. Thomas continues: We had to find information for ourselves on Transavias Facebook and Twitter pages. The French government didnt hire a plane to repatriate us like we thought they would. We were all just panicked that we wouldnt be able to get home. I was able to extend my stay in a hotel, but some people dont have the means to pay for a hotel while they wait. Those people were sleeping at the airport, where they risk getting infected. The France 24 Observers team spoke to Transavia, who said that "38 repatriation flights were organized between March 14 and 17. Other flights have been scheduled for March 18". These flights brought "more than 7,000 passengers back to France (...) from different cities in Morocco including Marrakesh, Agadir, Casablanca, Tanger, Fez, Oujda and Rabat". The company also added, "All of the customers whose tickets were cancelled will be reimbursed by our customer service department." The French Embassy in Morocco posted an emergency number for French people who want to leave Morocco, but the line is saturated with calls, according to the Embassys Facebook page. Thousands of French citizens, who are still stranded in Morocco, are afraid they wont be able to get home in the coming days. On March 17, Morocco reported that it has recorded 38 cases of COVID-19 and two deaths from the virus. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 13:01:04|Editor: zh Video Player Close SYDNEY, March 18 (Xinhua) -- An 86-year-old man has become the sixth person to die in Australia after contracting COVID-19, health authorities in the state of New South Wales (NSW) reported on Wednesday. The man died in a Sydney hospital on Tuesday night, and officials have offered their condolences to his family and friends. So far NSW has recorded all but one of the country's deaths and has roughly half of the nation's more than 500 confirmed cases. The state once again recorded its biggest daily jump on Wednesday, with 57 new cases, taking the total number to 267, which NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant attributes partly to a rigorous testing regime. "We have done well in excess of 25,000 tests and continue to test a large number of people each day," Chant said. She added that as the case numbers increased it was becoming increasingly difficult to trace infection back to their source. "We have also observed an increase in the number of cases where we haven't been able to find a source of that infection," she said. NSW State Premier Gladys Berejiklian echoed Chant's sentiments that there was extensive testing being done and asked the community to remain calm but vigilant. The Library of Congress is moving from an on-premises data center to a three-part hybrid hosting environment to increase its scalability and ability to provide fast, reliable access to digital collections. Funded by Congress in 2017, the initiative will wrap up by Sept. 30, when the library vacates its legacy data center. Meanwhile, library staff members have been assessing which data and applications are best suited for each of the three new environments: the librarys own cloud, a vendor-supplied software-as-a-service (SaaS) environment or a new data center. Because of the different type of mission we have at the Library of Congress and because of the different type of data that we have, we really had to go for a hybrid hosting environment, said library Deputy CIO Judith Conklin. She categorized the librarys data into four sets: public, congressional, copyright and business processes. Most public data is ideal for the cloud, Conklin said, especially as employees follow the librarian of Congresss directive to throw open the treasure chest by digitizing many of the librarys analog collections. Were doing that in two ways: Were digitizing our analog collections and were starting to receive born-digital, meaning we never get it in an analog format we just receive it digitally, Conklin said. A cloud environment can help us do that. We can present more and more with the capacity of the cloud by [posting] more and more digital collections. Conklin breaks the digital collections into two types: preservation and presentation. Presentation data is what visitors to the website can view and is stored in the cloud. Preservation data, on the other hand, is the museum part of the library, she said, and required by a CIO directive to remain on-premises. Because the librarys mission is to serve Congress, its the keeper of legislative and congressional data, some of which needs to stay on-premises, she said. Congress.gov data is public and can therefore be in the cloud, but other data is more sensitive and must remain on-prem. Similarly, anything that is still under copyright must be stored in the on-prem data center and treated as sensitive data. Financial, contractual and human resources data, which fuel the librarys business processes. can exist in a SaaS environment or the librarys cloud, depending on the level of sensitivity, Conklin said. SaaS to me is the vendor. A vendor has said, We will do the entire IT stack for you, she said. Thats preferred. If it is financially feasible, if its not too expensive -- the option that theyre giving. We prefer that to get out of the hardware business, she said. If it is not being offered in a SaaS or its not financially feasible, then our next preference is a platform-as-a-service up there in the cloud and [to] have a cloud [Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program] vendor take some responsibility for parts of the IT stack, with us owning the responsibility of the application and the data. At the end of the month, the library will go live with a limited pilot of a new application for copyright called Recordation that resides in the cloud, and its readying the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled collection of downloadable braille and audiobooks and magazines to move to the cloud soon. The transformation project grew out of a need to revamp or replace the existing data center, which fell short of the librarys standards and requirements for heating, ventilation and air conditioning. On the scale of data center service performance, we were barely making a Tier 1, the lowest ranking, Conklin said. It was going to be more money to fix that problem and stay here on Capitol Hill than go somewhere to a new data center. So, Congress decided to fund us for a new data center and hybrid hosting instead of giving us funding for fixing our tier problem. For the new data center, the library contracted with a facility that provides Tier 3 services and built its racks in that facility. In August 2018, the library awarded Accenture a $27.3 million contract to migrate its data center to new hosting environments. Challenges that have come up in the modernization process include cleaning up technical debt and reducing shadow IT. I wish we could go faster and just be done with it, but it is very, very hard [after working] in a data center for so long and with so much storage and so much data. Its time-consuming and takes a lot of energy and funding and resources, Conklin said. The effort will be worth it, Conklin said. One of the benefits is we get out of -- I dont want to say 100% -- the hardware business, but the percentage goes significantly down, and hardware is expensive, Conklin said. Another benefit is we get to choose the best environment for the type of data. Another one is we can really scale when we need to. If we have a big public announcement that everyone wants to see our cloud vendor can help us do that. This gives us so many more options than just being solely on-prem. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Gemma Holliani Cahya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 17:32 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b9f420 1 National COVID-19,coronavirus,Achmad-Yurianto,deddy-corbuzier,podcast Free The Indonesian Nurses Association (PPNI) has expressed its disappointment over a statement made by the Health Ministry's disease control and prevention director general, Achmad Yurianto, who called them room boys in a popular podcast. This really affected our spirit. I dont think it was necessary for him to say that. We have been very focused on serving patients, thus hearing his statement is discouraging, Harif Fadhillah told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday. Harif said nurses across country had been giving their best for the past few weeks to work hand in hand with other medical workers to treat patients, especially those infected with the novel coronavirus. Two nurses in Sanglah had even been placed in isolation. Read also: Two Sanglah hospital nurses placed in isolation after developing fever, cough I think right now, what we need to do is focus on serving others and not use degrading words. Please appreciate us. Even the President appreciates us, why does a spokesperson talk like that? he added. Amid the COVID-19 surge in the nation, Yurianto turned to mentalist cum YouTube personality Deddy Corbuzier to speak his mind about the pandemic. In the video podcast, published and having gone viral on Monday, Yurianto criticized private hospitals for rejecting COVID-19 patients because they did not want other patients to know they were treating people with the infectious disease. This is business. Welcome to Indonesia, Yurianto, who was also appointed by the government as COVID-19 spokesperson, said as he smiled as if he was joking. He later argued that was the reason he did not disclose the names of the hospitals where the patients were being treated, except the official referral hospitals, such as Jakartas Persahabatan Hospital and Sulianti Saroso Hospital. Hospitals are no longer carrying their social functions. Hospitals are just businesses now. A hotel with nurses as their room boys, Yuri said. The government has set up a protocol for hospitals that only those designated as referral hospitals could treat COVID-19 patients. If a non-referral hospital or clinic finds that a patient is a COVID-19 suspect, the administrator must send the patient to a referral hospital appointed by the government using an ambulance, accompanied by medical personnel with protective gear. The news comes as nurses and medical workers across the nation struggle to serve patients, putting their own health at risk over the past few weeks. So far we have received a report that one nurse has died after she had contact with COVID-19 patients, Harif of PPNI said. Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Our professional and personal lives have been dramatically upended by the spread of COVID-19, but regional public transit in greater Los Angeles is still moving -- though it's noticeably less crowded right now (and service is reduced in some places). As of Wednesday, the L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is running regular weekday service and agency officials say there are currently no plans to shut down. But the agency "may adjust service on certain lines based... on street realities," spokeswoman Anna Chen wrote in a post on Metro's blog The Source. The prevailing messaging from Metro: "If you can stay home, please do so." Officials have advised the system only be used by "essential workers and those who need to access crucial resources." "Metro is a mobility safety net for many people in Los Angeles County," Chen said. "That includes many who work in hospitals, nursing homes, groceries and other places that are too important to fail right now." (Courtesy Los Angeles Metro) Metro has formed a Contagious Virus Response Task Force and is in regular communication with the county health department and the CDC. The agency has intensified cleaning at Union Station and other major transit hubs with a focus on frequently touched surfaces like doors, handrails and TAP vending machines. Trains and buses are being cleaned once a day. The agency said it will follow the guidance of public health officials "should there be any instances of the virus on the transit system," Metro spokesman Dave Sotero told us last week. As of Wednesday, officials said they were not aware of any COVID-19 infections on its system or among its employees or contract workers. Parts of Union Station will be closed this week as a result of the outbreak, but officials said it won't affect operations or access to Amtrak, Metrolink or Metro's rail and bus lines. Riders on the B (Red), D (Purple) and L (Gold) lines, along with bus riders, will be "appropriately guided to those services by security and station personnel," Chen said. Meanwhile, Metro's March board meeting was postponed and its headquarters downtown is now closed to the public (except for a few select appointment-based services). One concern raised by monthly pass holders: will I get a refund if I'm under orders to work from home or self-quarantine and can't ride? Yes, Metro officials said, but hang on to those passes. "Once they start riding again, affected customers can call 866-TAPTOGO and we will add the additional days to their TAP cards," Chen wrote on Metro's blog. Chen also announced that the ridership requirements attached to monthly parking permits have been waived for March and April. icon DON'T MISS ANY L.A. CORONAVIRUS NEWS Get our daily newsletter for the latest on COVID-19 and other top local headlines. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Support our free, independent journalism today. Donate now.WHAT ABOUT L.A. CITY'S PUBLIC TRANSIT? As of Wednesday, all L.A. Department of Transportation transit services are operational and on normal schedules, according to department officials. That includes DASH and Commuter Express buses, along with senior and on-demand shuttle services. We encourage Angelenos to practice healthy hygiene amid the spread of the Coronavirus; Avoid touching your face Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or use the crook of your arm pic.twitter.com/7kabxC8ND9 LADOT (@LADOTofficial) March 9, 2020 LADOT is evaluating that decision "day-to-day," spokesman Colin Sweeney told LAist this week. The department is consulting with public health officials and service may change based on how the situation develops in L.A. "There are still many people required to report to work [who] depend on our transit services to get there," Sweeney said. "So long as proper precautions and social distancing recommendations are observed, public transportation remains a safe option for healthy individuals." Deep Cleaning, Disinfectant & 'Death Stares': Public Transit In The Age Of Coronavirus The L.A. City Council has also tasked the department with establishing updated sanitation protocols for the dockless electric vehicles it manages -- as in scooters and e-bikes. Several of the companies licensed to operate in the city have already announced enhanced cleaning and employee hygiene procedures. One company, Lime, has fully suspended its operations in L.A. and the rest of California -- among other cities and countries -- pulling thousands of scooters off SoCal streets. Asked if LADOT was considering grounding scooters and e-bikes citywide, Sweeney told LAist it's a wait-and-see situation and the department is in regular contact with operators on the measures they're taking to keep riders safe. Blue LA, an electric car-sharing service run through a partnership with LADOT, has suspended its operations "indefinitely," according to its website. Your safety is our number one priority. In light of current events, the City of Los Angeles' Blue LA car sharing service will be suspended temporarily to help prevent the spread of #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/ExrxJst2XC LADOT (@LADOTofficial) March 16, 2020 Blue LA officials said they hope to resume service "as soon as the situation permits." WHAT ABOUT TRANSIT SERVICES RUN BY OTHER CITIES? Here's what we know so far: The Antelope Valley Transit Authority has cut maximum occupancy on its buses by 50%. Foothill Transit announced a new service level system, in which they could potentially start scaling back service in response to the outbreak. The agency is currently operating at Level 1 -- "regular service, no disruptions." Level 6 would be the "last resort" of fully suspended service. Bus boarding is now rear-door only -- except for riders who need to use the front door ramp -- and the agency is not collecting fares right now "in order to maintain proper social distancing." Big Blue Bus, operated by the city of Santa Monica, has halted service on a few of its lines to "ensure continuity of operations and match ridership demand." Starting Thursday, March 19, Culver CityBus is waiving fares for riders. The agency is also asking riders to board using the rear door to limit contact with bus drivers, though front door boarding is still happening for riders with certain mobility needs. Certain bus lines are running on Saturday service timelines through the week. Both Pasadena Transit's buses and its on-demand shuttle service for seniors and people with disabilities remain in service as of Wednesday. Bus services in the cities of Glendale and Burbank are also operating as normal. UPDATES: Friday, March 20, 9:02 a.m.: This article was updated with new information from Foothill Transit. Thursday, March 19, 6:33 a.m.: This article was updated with information on changes to Culver CityBus operations. Thursday, March 19, 10:51 a.m.: This article was updated with information on partial closures at Union Station. This article was originally published at 3:10 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS: St. Mary's University joined the growing list of schools statewide that will not be returning to in-person classes this spring and is closing its residence halls. On Wednesday morning, university officials emailed its more than 1,200 students with the update. Students who live on campus must move out by March 23. The Office of Residence Life will be supplying those students with more information, according to the email. Litchfield Distillery in Litchfield, Conn. has ceased normal production of its spirits to instead provide a public service: free disinfectant alcohol spray. When hand sanitizer started flying of the shelves due to coronavirus, Litchfield Distillery partner Jack Baker said it made sense for his company to take action. "Our industry makes high proof spirits and there became a public need for it; it automatically made sense to offer it to the public," he said. Baker said additives normally found in commercial hand sanitizers, like aloe, are not readily available, "but we have the alcohol part," so they decided to make a spray The spray is not officially approved as a healthcare or sanitation product, but the CDC recommends 60 percent alcohol solutions to kills germs, and Litchfield's spray is 130 proof. Baker said the distillery is giving out the spray to healthcare workers, shelters and soup kitchens. He said many people are also calling about it and "a constant stream of people" is coming into the distillery looking for a bottle of the spray. "When people walk in and say 'I have an 80-year-old dad who's in chemo,'" we give them a bottle. Baker said he's not sure how the pandemic will affect normal business at the distillery. Restaurants and bars are closed, which make up the bulk of their business. But on the other hand, liquor stores are doing well. Regardless, Baker said their main priority is public service, and he believes any company who can offer a public service right now is "obligated to do so." "We stopped normal production to focus on what's needed in community," he said. Litchfield isn't the only distillery thinking this way. Eight Oaks Farm Distillery in Pennsylvania has also temporarily converted its operation into a production line for hand sanitizer, according to the Associated Press. The family-owned distillery plans to dramatically boost production this week and distribute the bottles to charities as well as offer them at farmers markets where it sells its spirits and through its website. Other distilleries including Green Mountain Distillers in Vermont, Durham Distillery in North Carolina and Smugglers Notch Distillery, also in Vermont, are doing the same. I know I have a unique opportunity to help out a little bit and keep my staff employed, Jeremy Elliott, co-owner of Smugglers Notch Distillery told the Associated Press. Telephones in the Middle East offices of Microsoft, Cisco and Avaya are ringing endlessly as enterprises from financial hubs like Dubai and Riyadh call for access to the vendors remote-working applications. A rising number of firms in the Middle East are asking their employees to work from home as the total number of COVID-19 cases in the region climb past 15,000. More than 90 percent of the cases are in Iran, the regional epicentre of the virus. As enterprises move their projects to virtual and remote working environments, applications such as Microsoft Teams and Dropbox are experiencing higher demand, according to industry experts. The novel coronavirus has accelerated this trend, said Savio Tovar Dias, UAE-based senior director of Sales Engineering for Avaya. The companys Spaces platform a cloud-based meeting tool has seen a 200 percent increase in video collaboration traffic worldwide and now the same trend is picking up in the Middle East, Dias said in an emailed statement to CIO Middle East. Vendors respond to rising demand Avayas larger rival, Cisco, whose products include routers and the videoconferencing platform Webex, has also seen a surge in demand for its services. In a tweet on Saturday, Cisco Middle East said it would expand supply of its free security offerings such as Umbrella and Duo, designed to enable enterprises to extend security technology to users outside their corporate networks, due to the rising number of remote workers. The company had previously said in a separate tweet that its contact centres were experiencing unprecedented call volumes due to COVID-19. Enterprises have also approached India-based software maker Zoho, which recently launched Remotely a suite of cloud-based communications applications. The product has seen rapid adoption around the world and 10 percent of the companies using it are from the Middle East region, a company spokeswoman told CIO Middle East in a statement. We are largely seeing adoption from small and medium businesses (SMBs), the statement said. This demand is not from the private sector alone. UAE sends some government workers home The UAE, one of the Gulfs largest economies, said on Friday that it would activate remote work for a segment of federal government employment, effective March 15 to March 26. As part of the plan, ministries and federal departments are expected to capitalize on effective use of advanced technologies and digital platforms with the aim to decrease visits by members of the public to their centres, local media reported, citing government orders. Avaya, which provides contact centre and collaboration tools to many of these agencies, has confirmed that the government bodies are technologically ready to executive this initiative. Were working in close collaboration with our customers across the region to ensure that all the communications features and capabilities will be conveniently available to remote workers, Avayas Dias said. Over the last few years, remote working has been growing as a viable alternative to a traditional desk job and this shift is expected to accelerate. As Generation Z children born between mid-1990s and the early 2010s fully enters the workforce, the demand for remote work will increase by 30 percent, according to Gartner. This will fuel demand for remote working technologies. Research firm Technavio expects the clientless remote support software market to grow by $1.06 billion in the next four years. Falling oil prices hit economies In the Middle East, however, enterprises have to now contend with the effects of both coronavirus and lower oil prices. Prices of the commodity have plunged to US$30 a barrel after a price war erupted between two of the largest producers Russia and Saudi Arabia. The economics of the situation will curb demand for new emerging-technology projects and stall existing work in the short term, but it will also drive up the demand for remote-working technologies, automation and disaster recovery, said Alan Pelz-Sharpe, founder of U.S.-based tech consultancy Deep Analysis. Over time as things hopefully return to normal there will be a shift of emphasis and a rethink regarding the role of emerging technologies particularly around automation and augmentation of currently human-centric tasks, he added. Ethos Medical, a startup founded by Georgia Tech alumni, has developed the Iris needle guidance system to assist clinicians in successfully performing lumbar punctures. The system allows a clinician to visualize the needle traveling through tissue in real time. Tracking the needle path in this way is intended to improve the success rate and reduce the chance of complications in such procedures. Lumbar punctures are used to diagnose several diseases, including multiple sclerosis and meningitis. However, they arent always straight-forward, with certain patients posing a unique challenge to clinicians because of their spinal anatomy, or obesity. Ethos Medical reports that between 2040% of spinal taps fail, which typically involves frustration for medical staff during procedures, and a potentially distressing experience for patients, along with increased hospital stays and expenses. A failed lumbar puncture often involves multiple needle reinsertions, which can be painful and uncomfortable for patients. At present, clinicians will typically insert the needle after palpating the area, without being able to see where exactly the needle is traveling within the tissue. The Iris system aims to improve lumbar puncture success rates. The system consists of a handheld medical device that attaches to existing ultrasound probes. The attachment acts as a needle guide, and the accompanying software overlays the predicted needle trajectory onto the ultrasound image, enabling practitioners to properly orient the needle prior to insertion. Ethos Medical was recently awarded a $225,000 grant from the National Science Foundations Small Business Innovation Research programthis funding will propel Ethos through cadaveric testing and towards commercialization. See a video of the Ethos Medical co-founders discussing the technology: Medgadget had the opportunity to talk to Dev Mandavia, co-founder and CEO of Ethos Medical, about his companys technology. Conn Hastings, Medgadget: Please give us an overview of the difficulties clinicians encounter in performing a lumbar puncture. Dev Mandavia, Ethos Medical: The current standard of practice is to conduct lumbar punctures (LPs) blindly, and this has been the case since the procedure was first introduced in 1891this involves practitioners (typically in emergency medicine or neurology) palpating the patients back and feeling for bony landmarks in order to paint a mental map of the patients spinal anatomy and determine where to insert the needle and at what angle. Once the needle is inserted, the practitioner is relying on tactile feedback to determine what type of tissue the tip of the needle is passing through and is expecting a particular sensation to guess whether or not the needle is on the right track. Relying on tactile feel is subjective and no two patients have the same anatomy, which is why the learning curve is so high for new and training practitioners. Additionally, our testing indicates that LP needles curve a significant amount when being inserted and the degree of curvature can vary depending on the type of needle and depth the needle needs to be inserted. Even for extremely experienced practitioners, using the blind technique to perform LPs is especially challenging in patients who are obese, scoliotic, or older or in patients that have previously had back surgery. Medgadget: What inspired you to design a device to assist in this process? Dev Mandavia: During our final semester at Georgia Tech in 2018, Cassidy Wang, Lucas Muller, and I (the three current co-founders at Ethos) were a part of the same multidisciplinary Senior Design team in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering. The beginning of the course revolved heavily around pain point identification, and we were tasked with selecting a medical procedure that we felt could be improved. After shadowing many local hospitals (Emory, Piedmont, Northside, and Grady, among others), we were consistently surprised that the blind technique was used for spinal access procedures, especially when juxtaposed with the expensive, specialized equipment, such as the da Vinci surgical system, that was also found at some of these facilities. During the course, we created a prototype of a needle stylet that could characterize tissue type at the tip of the needle the stylet was inserted inside of, thereby circumventing the need for practitioners to rely on tactile feel. We later learned that, while this device did address a pain point of the spinal access procedure, it was not the primary pain point of the procedure-what practitioners really wanted was x-ray vision to see where the needle was going throughout the entirety of the procedure! Since we couldnt provide exactly that, we set off to develop the next best thing: a real-time needle guidance system. Weve been working on it ever since. Part of what inspired us to start over, and what continues to motivate us to this day, was the overwhelmingly consistent response we received from patients, practitioners, and administrators about the problems associated with the LP. After hundreds of interviews, we were confident that this was a problem worth solving. Medgadget: Please give us a breakdown of how the Iris works. Dev Mandavia: The Iris consists of three components: 1) A reusable attachment for ultrasound probes which houses electronics, 2) a disposable, rotatable needle-guide insert, and 3) a software overlay to display the needles trajectory on the ultrasound image. The reusable attaches to the head of the ultrasound probe, and the disposable insert slides onto the Iris reusable. Sensors in the reusable can detect rotation of the disposablethese data are converted into a trajectory and then overlaid onto the ultrasound image by our software. This enables practitioners to properly orient and set the rotatable needle-guide insert prior to insertion of the needle. The Iris prototype weve been testing with is compatible with the Philips Lumify portable ultrasound, but well be launching with a system that can interface with point-of-care ultrasound machines that are commonly found in hospitals today, such as the carted options developed by SonoSite. Medgadget: Do clinicians require any training to use the device? Do they need experience in interpreting ultrasound images? Dev Mandavia: The feedback weve received from practitioners that have handled the Iris so far is that it is quite intuitive. Ultrasonography of the spine was not commonly taught in emergency medicine or neurology residencies until the last 510 years. So, while many practitioners in these specialties are familiar with the concept of using ultrasound for other procedures, the majority are not familiar with spinal ultrasound. Because of this, there will need to be some amount of training. During user testing, we typically spend the first 1020 minutes (depending on the practitioners ultrasound proficiency) going through prepared materials that explain how to identify and interpret spinal ultrasound landmarks. So far, this has been sufficient for practitioners to use the Iris in a bench model we developed to mimic a worst-case scenario patient. Our upcoming cadaver studies will provide us a better sense of the training necessary for practitioners to begin using our system. Our goal is to make the Iris as intuitive as possible and minimize the amount of training necessary to successfully navigate needles into the spine on the first attempt. Medgadget: How will the recent National Science Foundation award help you to develop the technology? Dev Mandavia: Were ecstatic to have been awarded a competitive Phase I SBIR grant from the National Science Foundationthis funding will allow us to complete remaining R&D and conduct preclinical testing to prove the efficacy of the Iris, a milestone that will enable us to raise the remaining funding necessary to complete regulatory testing, receive FDA 510(k) clearance, and support initial sales. Medgadget: When do you envisage that the Iris will be available? How has the system stacked up in tests so far? Dev Mandavia: Based on our current projections, were estimating FDA clearance for sale in the United States in 2021 Q2Q3 timeframe. The Iris has been performing exceptionally well, even beating internal success rate requirements we set for ourselvesweve seen a 97% success rate among practitioners (of all levels of experience and ultrasound proficiency) who have used a functional prototype of the Iris to perform an LP in our bench model, which simulates the lumbar region of a patient with a worst-case scenario level of obesity. Existing training models and LP phantoms didnt provide the fidelity we were looking for and were much easier to perform an LP on than in practice, so we had to develop our own bench model by embedding a 3D printed lumbar spine (pulled from a CT scan) at 10 cm of depth in an industry-standard gelatin mixture designed to mimic the mechanical and sonoacoustic properties of human tissue. Our next step is to complete a series of preclinical studies in which practitioners will perform an LP on obese cadavers, either by using standard techniques or the Iris. This will allow us to compare the overall efficacy of our system, among other success metrics, in human tissue to those of current standard of practice. This will also allow us to gather user experience data which will be used to determine what additional changes need to be made before finalizing the design of the Iris and beginning regulatory certification testing for our FDA 510(k) submission. Link: Ethos Medicals homepage An Escalating Cyber-Espionage Campaign In The Middle East Cyber-attacks in the Middle East are on the rise and the US Dept. of US Homeland Security is warning US companies to consider and assess the possible impacts and threat of a cyberattack on their businesses following heightened tensions with Iran. This is the first official guidance published by the governments dedicated cyber advisory unit, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency following the assasination of a leading Iranian military commander. Iran-linked hackers have been running spearphishing email campaigns against governmental organisations in Turkey, Jordan and Iraq in recent months in a likely effort to gather intelligence, according to research published by Dell Secureworks. Most of the targeting, began before the US killing of General Soleimani, the leader of the Irans Quds Force, in Baghdad early January. The alert highlighted that Iranian hackers could be zeroing in on the defense industrial base, government agencies, academia and nongovernmental organisations. The campaign Secureworks Counter Threat Unit (CTU) has observed, with activity from mid-2019 to mid-January of 2020, has also targeted intergovernmental organisations and unknown entities in Georgia and Azerbaijan, according to the CTU, which declined to share how many entities, and which ones, have been targeted. Its not clear if the activity increase in these apparent espionage operations is in a response to the Soleimani killing or if it is just a natural progression of the campaigns and while lures from this group in the past have been related to intelligence themes, this espionage campaign is more generic, according to Secureworks. Based on the victims and code similarities, Secureworks assesses the activity to be the work of MuddyWater, an Iranian hacking group that has been known to target Middle Eastern, European, and North American nations. A New RAT To execute its attack, MuddyWater has been sending targets malicious Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet files through .zip archives in their spearphishing messages, CTU assesses. In one version of the campaign, the Excel file delivers a Remote Access Trojan (RAT) that has not previously been observed, according to Secureworks. The RAT, which CTU is dubbing ForeLord, uses DNS tunneling so that requests are directed to legitimate DNS servers but then rerouted to malicious servers controlled by the attackers. The tools MuddyWater appears to be deploying after initial intrusion, such as a variant of the Mimikatz malware, appear to show Iran may be interested in gaining credentials from its targets. After gaining initial access to a host, the threat actors dropped several tools to collect credentials, test those credentials on the network, and create a reverse SSL tunnel to provide an additional access channel to the network, the researchers write. Cyber-espionage and sabotage are the chief motivations for groups carrying out such attacks, according to the report. Their preferred mode of duping targets is through spear phishing, a practice of sending emails from ostensibly a trusted sender in order to trick them into revealing information. CyberScoop: CNBC: Techcrunch: You Might Also Read: Hamas Hackers Use New Malware: Welcome Guest! You Are Here: South Africa: Higher education institutions close for early recess All higher institutions of learning will close for early recess with effect from Wednesday, 18 March 2020. Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, made this announcement following a meeting with stakeholders, as part of South Africas bid to combat the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). Nzimande met with the stakeholders in the post school education sector, including amongst others the Universities South Africa (USAf), the South African College Principals Organisation (SACPO), the South African Union of Students (SAUS), and labour unions (National Education Health and Allied Workers' Union, Public Servants Association of South Africa and National Tertiary Education Union) in Tshwane on Tuesday. The meeting formed part of governments consultations following President Cyril Ramaphosas announcement on measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Announcing the outcome of the meeting at a media briefing, Nzimande said stakeholders have agreed that all post-school institutions will close for early recess with effect from 18 March 2020 and reopen on 15 April 2020. This would be based on the assessment of the course of the virus. Some aspects of institutional activities will continue during this period, such as postgraduate and research work. Institutions will, however, be utilising this break period to identify and explore digital and online methodologies for teaching and learning that may need to be put in place to support the academic programme at a later stage. This may be particularly important for contact teaching in a range of programmes at the majority of our colleges and universities. The decision by institutions will be based on scientific evidence and institutional considerations, Nzimande said. Institutional arrangements Institutional arrangements will also include accommodation arrangement for students and leave arrangements for workers. It was also agreed that all institutions will announce further measures to be taken to minimise the risks to both department staff and its entities Guidelines Nzimande emphasised that the early recess is not a shutdown, adding that the department continues to be led by guidelines that took place as from Monday. The following guidelines apply to all public post-school institutions with immediate effect: All international travel should be cancelled or postponed at this point in time and any students or staff of public institutions, who may have a critical reason to travel internationally, should consult the relevant authorities at their institution and are required to report their planned travel according to the institutional protocols in place. All individuals, who have travelled internationally within the past three weeks, should self-isolate for a period of 14 days, and students or staff members of public institutions are required to report their travel to the institutional authorities before their return, so that their possible return to work/study can be effectively monitored. Travel within South Africa should be limited to essential travel at the current time and wherever possible, planned meetings, symposia or conferences should be restricted, and alternative formats explored, including the use of ITC. Institutions should explore all other possible means to replace face-to-face meetings, lectures of more than 100 people and gatherings with other formats where this can be done, and should consider postponing or cancelling all large-scale gatherings, including graduation ceremonies, large conferences and symposia, for at least the next three months. Every institution needs to have in place a communication strategy to manage regular communication with its community. Public health information is readily available through the NICD and the DOH and the Universities South Africa webpage will also be updated with regular communication to the university community. Communication channels Nzimande said that the department will also ensure that regular communication channels with the management of institutions is in place, so that information can be cascaded to institutional communities. Every institution has its own context, which will require individual communication plans to be in place. Student health clinics across post-school institutions have been working with Higher Health (Higher Education and Training Health, Wellness and Development Centre) to ensure readiness to deal with COVID-19 infections. Higher Health works closely with the Department of Health and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) in this regard. It is important that student health services are closely involved in the communications strategies and plans of individual institutions, the Minister said. In addition, Higher Health has developed sector specific guidelines and capacity development initiatives for COVID-19. Nzimande noted that no international student has been diagnosed with COVID-19. To date, about 1 500 South African students are currently studying in China. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-03-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. I would say to them that weeks from now, months from now, when one of those partygoers, one of those people that they kind of defied the order to have into their establishment becomes sick, perhaps dire, somebody perhaps that might die, they should know that they are responsible for that, Pritzker said. CLEVELAND, Ohio Banks in Ohio and nationwide are beginning to offer relief to individuals and businesses whose finances are being walloped by the coronavirus pandemic. Help includes offering emergency short-term loans, waiving late fees on loan payments, stopping foreclosures and repossessions, and waiving early withdrawal fees on certificates of deposit. Banks announcing help so far include Huntington, KeyBank, PNC, Fifth Third, Citizens, Third Federal and Chase. Huntington Bank on Wednesday announced it will defer loan payments for consumers and businesses without penalty, halt auto repossessions and offer business disaster loans. We recognize that these are challenging times filled with uncertainty, the bank said in a news release. Huntingtons purpose is to look out for people by making their lives better, helping businesses thrive and strengthening the communities we serve, and these extraordinary times demand we take action to support our valued customers, Stephen Steinour, Huntingtons chairman and CEO, said in a statement. All of Huntington stands with our customers and local communities during this challenging time. We believe these steps can bring some financial relief and peace of mind to those affected by the pandemic. Huntington, the largest bank in Ohio by branches and the second-largest by deposits, will defer loan payments without reporting late payments to credit bureaus and without imposing late fees on customers affected by illness or loss of income. Huntington said customers can call 1-800-480-BANK (2265) to find out what programs are available. More information is available at https://www.huntington.com/coronavirus. Huntington is offering: Consumer payment deferrals: Customers facing a financial hardship related to illness in the family or the closure of their workplace can ask for help. We will offer a payment deferral for up to 90 days with no credit bureau impact, the bank said. Small business payment deferrals: Similarly, small businesses experiencing distress because of illness or workplace closure can get payment deferrals for up to 90 days with no negative effects on credit history. Small business economic injury disaster loans: Huntington said its working with Ohio Gov. Mike DeWines office to offer SBA Economic Injury Disaster loans. For more information, go to https://www.huntington.com/coronavirus#faq Late fees on consumer and business loans: Beginning immediately, Huntington will suspend charging late fees on consumer loan payments through at least the end of March. We will continue to evaluate with considerations to extend this program. Suspension of foreclosures: Beginning immediately, Huntington will suspend initiating any new home foreclosures unless required by government authorities. This program will remain in effect through at least the end of March and continue to be re-evaluated. Halting repossessions: Beginning immediately, Huntington wont initiate any new vehicle repossessions. The bank also will relax requirements for customers who want to get their repossessed vehicles back. This program will remain in effect through at least the end of March and continue to be re-evaluated. At KeyBank, the largest bank in Greater Cleveland by deposits, its offering various borrower assistance programs for customers with certain types of loans. Assistance includes extensions and waived late fees. It also can include waived penalties for early withdrawals on CDs. KeyBank says it realizes some customers face financial distress because their job or business has been interrupted or they or someone in their family is ill. Customers may be eligible for a loan forbearance or extension, waived late payment fees, forgiven overdraft fees and waived penalties for early CD withdrawal. KeyBanks also offers a borrower assistance program for certain loans with KeyBank. More information is available at Key.com/coronavirus. Next week, KeyBank will announce details for qualifying existing clients a shorter-term unsecured personal loan. Also, its new temporary assistance loan will offer same-day approval and next-day funding, with very low rates. Full details will be available next week. Serving our clients and meeting their needs in a safe manner is always our primary focus, spokesman Matt Pitts said. This is especially critical as our communities take steps to limit the spread of COVID-19. For more information, go to key.com/coronavirus or call 1-800-KEY2YOU. PNC is also willing to help customers who are directly affected, spokeswoman Marcey Zwiebel said. PNC understands the impact that this global pandemic could be having on our consumer and small-business customers and we stand ready to assist them as they experience financial difficulty as a result, she said. We are encouraging our customers who have been impacted by the coronavirus and are experiencing a hardship to please contact us directly to discuss the best options for meeting their needs. PNC is offering to: Waive or refund late payment fees on mortgages, credit cards and other products. Waive fees for early withdrawal of CDs. Help business customers having difficulty making payments on loans. Offer low-rate, emergency hardship loans to qualified consumers and small businesses. We hope that our consumer and small-business customers who require assistance during this difficult time will reach out to us so that we can determine how best to help, Zwiebel said. PNC customers can call 888-762-2265 or go to: https://www.pnc.com/en/customer-service/coronavirus-update.html?lnksrc=homepage-alert. Fifth Third, Ohios largest bank by deposits, rolled out a comprehensive customer assistance program late Wednesday. It includes help for disaster-related hardship connected to auto loans, credit cards and real estate loans and equity lines. Customers can call 866-601-6391 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday. For more information, go to https://www.53.com/content/fifth-third/en/alerts/covid-support.html. The relief includes: Vehicle payment deferral, for up to 90 days with no late fees. Credit card payment deferral, for up to three payments and no late fees. Mortgage and home equity loans: 90-day payment forbearance with no late fees. Small business payment deferral, for up to 90 days, no late fees and a range of loan modification options. In addition, the bank is waiving all fees on fast capital loans for six months. Fee waivers on a number of consumer and small business deposit products and services. Suspension of new home foreclosures and vehicle repossessions for 60 days. Fifth Third individual customers can call 800-972-3030 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday and from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET on Saturdays. For businesses, call 877-534-2264 or email bbgsupport@53.com. Due to high demand, call wait times may be longer than normal, the bank said. At Third Federal, the Cleveland-based bank has announced help for customers having trouble making their mortgage payments. Through our forbearance program, a customer has the option to defer loan payments for up to three months, without penalty and without reporting to the credit bureaus, spokeswoman Jennifer Rosa said. At the end of that time period, they do have additional options if they are still struggling to make their payment. At Citizens Bank, we are ready to work with affected customers regarding potential options that best fit their needs," said spokesman Rory Sheehan. "This includes things like flexibility on loan payments, and late fees, and providing easy access to CDs. Affected customers can call 800-922-9999. JPMorgan Chase, the nations largest bank, also is offering customer relief, spokeswoman Carlene Lule said. Chase didnt provide many details. Were here to help all our customers: consumers, small businesses, midsize companies, state and local governments, and large corporations, Lule said in a statement. When customers call us with issues, our customer service specialists have been helping them with things like waiving fees, extending payment due dates for cards, auto loans and mortgages, or increasing credit lines for consumer and small business customers. Meanwhile, Democratic U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Brian Schatz of Hawaii introduced a proposal Wednesday to protect individuals credit scores if they make late payments during this crisis. Brown and Schatz, both members of the Senate Banking Committee, said its obvious some families will face distress with job losses or reduced incomes and may fall behind on their bill payments. Normally, a late payment on a credit card or mortgage or auto loan can harm their credit scores for years to come and lead to higher interest rates and denied credit applications in the future. Protecting credit scores now will give people a chance to rebuild their lives and our economy, Schatz said. During these uncertain economic times, Americans shouldnt have to worry about their credit scores as they work to make ends meet, Brown said. This is an important fix to ensure Americans can focus on staying healthy and supporting themselves and their families, not worrying about accessing credit in the future. The Disaster Protection For Workers Credit Act would require a four-month moratorium on the reporting of negative credit information such as late payments to the credit bureaus for affected consumers. The law also would require the bureaus to offer free, unlimited credit reports and credit scores for a year after the end of this crisis. Read more coronavirus coverage: Workers at highest risk Health care workers, whats it like handling coronavirus cases? Hudson mom shares brutal encounter with coronavirus Summit County woman is face of the coronavirus pandemic Ohioans adjust to coronavirus Cleveland Clinic identifies handful of positive coronavirus cases Coronavirus in Ohio nursing homes A mother has pleaded with the government to ensure her daughters overseas medicinal cannabis supply is maintained during the Covid-19 crisis. Vera Twomey, who spearheaded a campaign to secure medicinal cannabis for her daughter, Ava, said EU-wide travel restrictions will prevent her from travelling to the Netherlands this week to collect Avas supply of meds for the next three months. "Im afraid that Avas seizures will come back if she doesnt get her medication and that shell just go into freefall," she said. Ava has Dravet Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy that causes multiple seizures a day. Ms Twomey led a mammoth campaign to secure access to a form of medicinal cannabis which was unavailable in Ireland. The family was finally granted legal access under special licence to medicinal cannabis. The treatment has transformed Avas life. The Twomey's are issued with a licence every few months which allows them to import the medicine legally but they must travel to the Netherlands to collect it in person. Ms Twomey said they were due to travel this week to replenish Avas medicine but the Covid-19 travel restrictions have hit their plans. "It is essential that her medication regime is maintained. What am I going to do when her THC runs out?" she said. "We cant get it posted because of legal issues on the Dutch side. But in the UK, for the last two years, they have arranged for a distribution company to collect bulk orders of the THC oil on patients behalf, and then ship it back to the UK where it is then distributed to pharmacies from where the families and patients can collect it." Ms Twomey fears the progress Ava has made will be lost if she cant access her medicine. "A seizure could take Avas life at any time but we have learned is to put that to the back of our minds, thanks to the medication, but with Covid-19 we are fearful that this could take her," she said. Ms Twomey and her family are taking steps to self isolate at their home in Cork to minimise the risk to them and particularly to Ava. She said she has tried to raise her concerns with various politicians and with the HSE and the Department of Health but feels that their focus is currently on dealing with the crisis. But she said they will have to focus soon on making specific arrangements for vulnerable people like Ava. [snippet1]987600[/snippet1] Liberia's President George Weah has suspended a government official who tested positive for Covid-19 after he returned to the country from Switzerland, becoming the West Africa nation's first case. Mr Weah said Nathaniel Blama, head of the Environmental Protection Agency, had refused to be quarantined as required by health protocols set up to deal with the coronavirus outbreak. But Mr Blama denied the accusations, saying he had complied with the health rules and that he regretted that state officials were "misinforming the public". Meanwhile, President Weah has suspended all school activities including those of universities for one week from 17 March, a statement from the information ministry says. The measure will allow the health authorities to conduct surveillance and trace those said to have arrived in the country on the same flight as Mr Blama. Many Liberians are anxious, with many worried that if the virus is not controlled it could create a health crisis similar to the 2014 Ebola outbreak, which killed more than 11,000 people in the region. 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. Featured Video Work from home is the new norm as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps the world. (Getty) People across the UK have been told to work from home where possible to try and contain the spread of coronavirus. For some people, the idea of self-isolation may seem like a dream come true you can avoid commuting, work in the comfort of your home and if you like, spend the day in your pyjamas. For others, however, working from home can be a challenge. Being cut off from the outside world can be difficult for people who love socialising, even if its just a quick chat over a coffee in the office kitchen. And remote working can be even harder for those with small children, too. Many of us will have experienced cabin fever at some point, perhaps if stuck inside for a long period due to the weather or an illness. In 1984, researchers in Minnesota found that although cabin fever means slightly different things to different people, it is often characterised by anxiety, irritability, boredom and restlessness. Essentially, being taken out of your daily routine, cooped up in your house and restricted in your choices and activities is stressful. Keep in contact with other people One of the trickiest aspects of self-isolation or working remotely is managing loneliness, which is already a growing problem among workers. Loneliness is bad for our minds and our physical health, increasing our risk of high blood pressure, obesity and mental health problems such as anxiety or depression. According to a survey of 2,000 professionals by CV Library, more than half (53%) said they suffer from loneliness in the workplace. Two-thirds of those aged 35 to 44 feel lonely at work, making them the most isolated age group. A further 47.4% of 45- to 54-year-olds said they felt lonely at work too. You may not be able to head to the pub after work as usual or go out for dinner with friends, but socialising is still important. A quick phone call to a friend or colleague can benefit both of you, even if its for a brief catch-up. Make sure your day is structured Story continues A change in your working environment can be difficult, particularly if you are used to getting up at 7am, commuting to your office and switching off when you get home. Suddenly, you may not have to wake as early and your personal space becomes your office. Read more: How to make a good impression if you work from home Its tempting to wake up when you feel like it, but sticking to a routine and a structure is key to successfully working from home. Try to get up at the same time every day, give yourself a lunch break and coffee breaks and finish work at a reasonable time. Set yourself a list of work to complete, or schedule what youll do and when over the course of the day. Setting yourself up in a home office - which may just be a small desk in your living room or at the kitchen table is crucial. You know where you work best, but when youre working at a proper desk, youre more likely to be in the mindset to focus and concentrate. Try a change of scenery If you are working from home, switching up your workplace every so often can help prevent cabin fever from setting in too quickly. According to the Minnesota study, many coping solutions involved a change in physical or mental scenery. Additionally, having the concept of cabin fever may have been useful in itself, providing a way to interpret what was going on and to point to coping strategies, the researchers wrote. This might mean working on the balcony or in the garden if you have one, or setting up your home office in another room every other day. Taking regular breaks is important, even if you cant leave your house. Obviously, a physical change of scenery is easier said than done for some people under the current circumstances. According to the latest NHS guidelines on self-isolating, anyone with symptoms should stay at home for at least seven days. If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home. Read more: How to tackle work-from-home loneliness But, if anyone in your home gets symptoms, they should stay at home for seven days from the day their symptoms start, even if it means they're at home for longer than 14 days. Set yourself small goals The days can drag if you are stuck at home, particularly when bombarded with bad news every day. Setting small goals can help, whether its learning a new skill, doing an online course or reading a new book every week. Its also important to keep active when working remotely. Physical activity releases brain chemicals such as endorphins, which help to relieve discomfort and boost our mood. A 2017 study by the Black Dog Institute found regular exercise of any intensity can help prevent depression and exercising for just a few minutes a day can have a significant impact on your mental health. The gym might be off-limits, but there are plenty of home workout videos on YouTube, from Zumba to Yoga and strength exercises. Iran awards contracts to 6 domestic firms for coronavirus test kits: Official Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2020 1:33 PM Iran is ramping up production for various items needed to fight coronavirus as the government awards contracts to six biopharmaceutical companies for making highly-needed testing kits. A senior deputy to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday that mass supply of coronavirus test kits will begin by several Iranian companies in the upcoming days. Sorena Sattari said on his Instagram page that three Iranian companies had already obtained certificates needed for mass production of coronavirus test kits. The official, who heads a presidency department on sciences and technology, said that the coronavirus outbreak in Iran has created an opportunity for a rapid boom in an Iranian biotechnology sector that is one of the fastest-growing in the Asia region. "These companies are producing some of the most complicated homemade drugs for fighting this (coronavirus) disease," said Sattari, who also said that pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies were working round the clock to supply items needed in hospitals for treating coronavirus patients. He said that domestic production of ventilators, machines needed to treat patients suffering from respiratory problems as a result of coronavirus, had reached 30 units per day. A delegation of World Health Organization (WHO) that visited Iran earlier this month to monitor efforts for combating coronavirus was impressed with the level of domestic capability to supply hospitals and health centers with devices needed to treat the patients. Dr. Rick Brennan, WHO's regional emergency director, told Reuters news agency on Monday that he had visited new health facilities in Iran with dozens of beds where everything from the bed sheets, to the oxygen masks had been made locally. "There's a great commitment and they are taking it seriously from the highest level of government," said Brennan, who also acknowledged that the Iranians were "rapidly increasing their ability to test" coronavirus patients. A total of 16,169 people have tested positive for cronavirus in Iran since the outbreak started in the country on February 19. Some 5,389 have recovered from the illness while 988 patients have died, according to an update provided by the Iranian health ministry on Tuesday. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Why do so many not participate in the election process, especially poor and low-income folks? Many have opted out because they are tired of being lied to with the oft-used campaign slogan of change, and then soon learn that they have fallen for the old bait and switch. Many New Haven residents are quickly learning that this new change mayor sold them the same hustle during his campaign. What promises have been made and not kept by then candidate and now Mayor Justin Elicker? Lets start with the starkest example, taxes. During his campaign. Elicker often criticized former Mayor Toni Harp for the city raising taxes a year earlier. During a Democratic Town Committee meeting in June 2019, he stated that taxes need to be kept under control. Yet by March 2020 he was presenting a new budget which raises taxes by 3.5 percent. Controlling taxes, a promise made and not kept. In September 2019 Elicker stated that unions create a career that allow for a middle-class lifestyle, while receiving endorsements from a slew of unions, including public works, bricklayers and construction workers. He said that he supported strengthening unions and their member workers. Yet the very first opportunity he had to vote to support the union, he failed. Recently, the Board of Education had before it a recommendation to eliminate a union custodial position and instead transfer the funds to an out-of-town Stamford-based contractor. Elicker voted for the position elimination and transfer of the funds. He was joined by new board president Yesenia River and vice president Matthew Wilcox. Luckily, he lost on a 4-3 vote. I guarantee you that he will place barriers on the city side to try to stop the BOE vote. Well be keeping an eye on that one. A promise to support unions has not been a promise kept. He also suggested that he would be supportive of the lowest-paid hardworking employees who interact with our students assistant teachers (paraprofessionals) and bus monitors. He stated that two to three part-time jobs are not going to make ends meet and not create a career. At an April 2019 forum with teachers, he promised to strive to provide financial incentives to the lowest class of school workers. Currently, many of these folks, especially the part-timers, earn $12 per hour, and are oftentimes covering classes for teachers who may be absent. Again, he had not one but two opportunities to support those low-paid workers by voting for a resolution put forward by board member Darnell Goldson to raise their salaries by $1.50 per hour. Not a lot, but at least it would be a start after many havent received raises for at least the last four years. But again, he failed miserably, voting to defeat the proposal. He was joined again by Rivera, Wilcox and Edward Joyner. See a pattern here? In the same meeting, he voted to raise the salary of a supervisor by $3,000 from $137,000 to $140,000, while another salary was raised by $5,000, with no questions asked. A promise made to assistant teachers is a promise he has not kept. During his campaign Elicker promised to improve problem-solving, transparency and inclusive decision-making through ethical fiscal governance. He said he would eliminate contracts to out-of-town contractors. One example of failure is the above-mentioned attempt to transfer over $112,000 related to custodial services to the out-of-town contractor. He has several other ethical issues to address. First, the new board president he pushed, Ms. Rivera, currently manages an after-school program at Edgewood School that is largely paid for through parent fees, and she is the highest-paid employee of the program. Thats right, you read it correctly, the BOE president is a parent-paid employee of an after-school program located at a New Haven school. If Goldson had attempted to do that as president, or even as a member, the parent advocates and Elicker would have been hosting passionate protests to get him out. With Rivera, not a peep. Additionally, as I wrote previously Joyner has two children who work for the school system who had suspicious promotion opportunities and horrible attendance records. Joyner was an Elicker high-ranking campaign adviser, and as you see in the votes above almost always votes with Elicker against the interests of the unions and low-paid workers in the school system. Why does Elicker allow Rivera and Joyner to continue serving on the BOE, promoting both to leadership positions? Ethics and transparency promises have not kept by our new mayor. Just three months in, so many promises broken. Boise Kimber is pastor of First Calvary Baptist church in New Haven. Peter Kay has cancelled his Dance For Life tour due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The comedian, 46, broke the news in a statement, less than a month after confirming he would be returning to the stage with his epic dance-a-thon to raise money for Cancer Research UK. Peter's Dance For Life Tour would have been his long-awaited return to the spotlight after cancelling all of his work commitments in 2017 due to 'unforeseen family circumstances.' Tragic: Peter Kay has cancelled his Dance For Life comeback tour which was scheduled to begin next month, due to the coronavirus outbreak (pictured in 2017) He said: 'Obviously this is disappointing news but well and truly justified given the circumstances. We'll get through this, together and then we'll all have a great big dance for life. Stay safe and look after yourselves and the people around you.' A further statement from Peter said: 'Due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak and following Government advice, it is with deep regret that the forthcoming Peter Kay's Dance For Life shows are being postponed. 'We are looking to schedule the shows so please hold onto your tickets as they will be valid for the new dates. 'We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause but the safety of the public is paramount.' Sad news: Peter announced the sad news in a statement, but did confirm that the tour dates would be rescheduled Bad news: Peter announced the news in a statement to fans just weeks after first revealing his comeback tour Exciting news: Last month the comedian announced that he would be returning to the stage in April to DJ at six charity dance-a-thon events Last month Peter announced that he would be returning to the stage in April to DJ at six charity dance-a-thon events. A post to the comedian's Twitter page this morning announced that the Dance For Life event - to raise month for Cancer Research UK - would return with Kay as the DJ in April and May. Since his self-imposed hiatus, the Lancashire-born comic has rarely been seen in public but has promoted charity events. Big return: The Dance For Life event - to raise month for Cancer Research UK - was planned to return with Peter as the DJ The Dance for Life JustGiving page stated that Kay 'was returning to the decks' for the events in Manchester, Liverpool and London. He told Bolton News: 'I've honestly never had so much fun as I had working on Dance For Life. 'The atmosphere was so happy and positive; it really is a great way to raise money for the worthiest of causes. All people have to do is turn up and dance.' Peter's last stage appearance was when he spoke to an audience gathered to see a charity screening of his BBC comedy Car Share in April 2018. Absent: Since cancelling his tour and all work commitments due to 'unforeseen family circumstances' in 2017, Peter has been rarely seen (pictured in late December) All the times Peter Kay broke his self-imposed hiatus after cancelling a tour for 'unforeseen family circumstances' December 13 2017 - Kay announces that he will cancel all future work projects - including his Peter Kay Live: Have Gags Will Travel tour March 29 2018 - Kay announces charity screening of Car Share April 7 2018 - He addressed the audience gathered to see the final charity screening April 22 2019 - Kay is seen on a tram in Blackpool on Easter Monday. He was snapped grinning with the driver and conductor of the tram September 27 2019 - Kay takes to Twitter to announce Phoenix Nights is coming to the big screen in aid of Cancer Research UK December 27 2019 - Peter slammed Channel 5 for using an 'incredibly misleading title' for 'Peter Kay: In His Own Words' - a documentary on his life and career December 27 2019 - He made an appearance at the Crewe Lyceum Theatre to watch X Factor star Chico and iconic duo Canon and Ball in a production of Peter Pan December 29 2019 - Kay smiled for a photograph at the final performance of Nativity! The Musical in London January 2020 - Star confirmed that he's laid out plans for a movie version of Phoenix Nights - while speaking in pre-recorded footage shown at a charity screening of the series February 2020 - Peter announces his comeback Dance For Life tour to raise money for Cancer Research UK. March 10 2020 - Peter is seen pumping air into his tyres on a rare outing in Preston, Lancashire Advertisement The three screenings were to raise money for The Lily Foundation, supporting children with mitochondrial disease, that the Phoenix Nights star had 'first-hand experience of'. While he was first spotted Peter was photographed for the first time in eight months on December 27 when he made an appearance at the Crewe Lyceum Theatre to watch X Factor star Chico and iconic duo Canon and Ball in a production of Peter Pan. TV personality Chico posted a picture of the four men together on his fitness page with the caption: 'When Peter Kay pops in to see us #panto with the legends that are Cannon and Ball life is complete.' On December 29 he was seen looking in high spirits as he smiled for a photograph at the final performance of Nativity! The Musical in London. Kay posed for the snap alongside the show's director Debbit Isitt, who later posted the photo on her Twitter page alongside a caption about the star. She penned: 'So lovely to see the brilliant comic genius Peter Kay and his lovely family tonight for our final show! What a lovely surprise for us all!' This came hours after Peter broke his social media silence to slam Channel 5 for using an 'incredibly misleading title' for a documentary on his life and career. 'Peter Kay: In His Own Words' aired on the channel, but doesn't feature any new interviews with the comedy legend. A strongly-worded statement posted on the funnyman's official Twitter account hours before the programme aired stated that Peter wasn't involved with the two-hour documentary in any way. Earlier this year, the star confirmed that he's laid out plans for a movie version of Phoenix Nights - while speaking in pre-recorded footage shown at a charity screening of the series, The Sun reports. He said: 'People always ask, 'Will there be more Phoenix Nights?' and I can now confirm there won't but I am thinking of a film.' City dwellers take more antibiotics than people in rural areas; children and the elderly use them more often than middle-aged people; the use of antibiotics decreases as education increases, but only in rich countries: These are three of the more striking trends identified by researchers of the NRW Forschungskolleg "One Health and Urban Transformation" at the University of Bonn in a recent study. They evaluated 73 publications on the use of antibiotics in the outpatient sector around the world. The subject is of great importance: Too many antibiotics are still being administered. Possible consequences are resistances: Already there are hardly any effective drugs available against some bacteria. The study will be published in May in the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, but is already available online. Most antibiotics are taken by patients whose illness does not require hospitalization. In Germany, these cases account for about 85 percent of all prescriptions; EU-wide the rate is even slightly higher. But what factors promote the use of antibiotics in the outpatient health sector? Scientists have been interested in this question for some time. It is largely undisputed that too many antibiotics are used overall. This promotes the development of resistances and thus ensures that these weapons, which are actually the sharpest tools against bacterial infections, are gradually blunted. The current study summarizes the present state of knowledge on this issue. The scientists involved evaluated a total of 73 publications on the driving factors of antibiotic use in the general population. "We were interested not only in individual parameters such as age or education, but also in geographical contexts and socio-cultural factors," explains Dennis Schmiege, who is pursuing his doctorate at the University of Bonn (Center for Development Research (ZEF)) under supervision of Prof. Mariele Evers (Department of Geography) and Prof. Thomas Kistemann (Institute for Hygiene and Public Health). 600 possible influencing variables evaluated Together with his colleague Dr. Timo Falkenberg, he evaluated almost 600 variables and arranged them into about 45 groups. For each of the groups, the review paper lists whether they are to be considered potentially influencing factors according to current findings. There is relatively good evidence that children and seniors are more likely to take antibiotics than middle-aged people. In contrast, a higher level of education tends to have a restraining effect. However, this association is reversed in poorer countries -- "probably because there it is more likely to be the well-educated people who either have access to the health system or who can afford to visit a doctor or buy a drug in the first place," assumes Schmiege. Among the geographical parameters the discrepancy between urban and rural areas stands out: Several publications show that the use of antibiotics is higher in urban areas. "We suspect that this has something to do with better access to doctors' surgeries and pharmacies," explains Schmiege. The concentration of doctors indeed appears to be also one of the driving factors. In contrast, higher drug prices reduce the amount of antibiotics sold. There is still comparatively little research on which socio-cultural parameters promote the use of antibiotics. National culture seems to have a certain influence: For example, citizens of "masculine" societies, which are considered to be more competitive, use more antibiotics on average. The situation is similar in societies that are traditionally considered to avoid uncertainty. "Overall, however, we still see a clear need for research in this area," emphasizes Dennis Schmiege. Elsewhere, the study situation also shows a clear imbalance: Lower- and middle-income countries are clearly underrepresented compared to richer ones, which is another point that future research projects should help to remedy, the scientist believes. [March 18, 2020] Wipro Launches Microsoft Business Unit for Digital Transformation Solutions Wipro (News - Alert) Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, today announced the launch of its Microsoft (News - Alert) Business Unit. The unit will focus on the development and evangelization of solutions leveraging Microsoft's enterprise cloud services. This initiative is an outcome of Wipro's expanded global alliance with Microsoft to accelerate cloud adoption and digital transformation for its customers across sectors. Wipro's Microsoft Business Unit consists of a team of trained and certified Azure consultants and specialists. The new unit will offer domain-based solutions and solution accelerators, including the following: Wipro's Cloud Studio which delivers migration for different workloads on Microsoft Azure, Data, Microsoft Dynamics 365. The studio is an 'as-a-service' model for cloud transformation with standardized tools, technologies and processes. Wipro's LiVE Workspace solution which leverages Microsoft's Modern Workplace, Microsoft 365 as well as LUIS and the Power platform to help customers unbox an intelligent, future-ready workplace where apps and data can be accessed from anywhere, anytime and on any device. Wipro's Data Discovery Platform (DDP) empowers customers with actionable insights by exploring varied data sources through sophisticated techniques such as pattern discovery, Auto ML, visual sciences and storytelling to simplify interpretation and decision-making. The core of this platform brings together the Wipro HOLMES Artificial Intelligence and Microsoft Azure. Bhanumurthy B.M, President and Chief Operating Officer, Wipro Limited said, "Our newly formed Microsoft Business Unit will aid organizations in accelerating their innovation and modernization journey by leveraging Wipro's deep domain expertise along with Microsoft's futuristic enterprise-class offerings. With this partnership, we will co-innovate in industry domain services focused on data, analytics, security and customer/employee experiences." Nitin Parab, Senior Vice President and Global Head, Technology Business Unit, Wipro Limited said, "We are excited to expand our partnership with Microsoft. By integrating our unique offerings such as Cloud Studio, DDP and LiVE Workspace with Microsoft's Intelligent Cloud, we will be able to better address our customers' digital goals." Wipro recently completed a cloud migration project leveraging Microsoft Azurefor Mitie, a leading facilities management and professional services company headquartered in the UK. The successful migration of workload from on-premise to cloud environment helped the client achieve business flexibility, security and scalability, thereby improving the company's overall operational efficiency. Cijo Joseph, Chief information Officer, Mitie Group PLC said, "We wanted to move our 'on-premise' landscape to cloud for performance enhancement, evergreen capability and operational efficiency. Our long-term strategic partnership with Wipro gave us an exposure to the company's leading-edge capabilities and it has a solid reputation in the marketplace. We selected Microsoft Azure Cloud as our cloud service platform, for its business agility, high availability, low business disruption risk and other favorable factors including implementation time and complexity. Wipro's vast experience in executing similar cloud migration projects leveraging its proprietary framework "Safe Passage to Cloud" helped in a seamless and risk-free upgrade to migrate SAP (News - Alert) to Azure cloud." "At Microsoft, digital transformation is a core focus that enables organizations to improve how they engage customers, empower employees, optimize operations and transform products. Our expanded partnership with Wipro will allow them to better serve customers' digital needs by leveraging Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Dynamics 365," said Judson Althoff, Executive Vice President, Microsoft. Wipro and Microsoft have been strategic partners for decades. Wipro has demonstrated its commitment to this relationship by investing in new industry leading solutions for customers on the Azure platform. Wipro is a Microsoft Gold Competency Partner. About Wipro Limited Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. We harness the power of cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics and emerging technologies to help our clients adapt to the digital world and make them successful. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, we have over 175,000 dedicated employees serving clients across six continents. Together, we discover ideas and connect the dots to build a better and a bold new future. Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property, and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005378/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] New Delhi: Allahabad High Court on Wednesday (March 18, 2020) issued an order to close the high court for three days amid the coronavirus threat. Allahabad High Court and Lucknow Bench will be closed from March 19 till March 21. The cases will not be heard in the High Court on these days. According to the information given by the Registrar (Protocol) of Allahabad HC Ashish Srivastava, it has been closed for cleanliness and sanitization among the rising coronavirus cases in the country. The high court will work on April 4, June 1 and June 2 to compensate for the closure dates. The High court order also read, "On March 23 and March 24, 2020, only fresh cases will be taken up. During the period of March 23-March 25, 2020, urgent matters shall be listed in the additional cause list under the directions of the concerned courts." Uttar Pradesh has witnessed 16 coronavirus cases until Wednesday evening. The total number of positive coronavirus cases in India has touched 151, while three people have lost their lives due to the virus in the country. The government has taken various steps to place the country in a near-total lockdown with states across the country shutting down schools, colleges, temples, parks, gyms and public gatherings. The total number of cases globally has reached 2,03,612. The number of fatalities around the globe due to the coronavirus outbreak jumped to 8,012 by Wednesday evening with China having the highest number of fatalities at 3,237, followed by Italy with 2,503 deaths. A key part of Congresss fiscal response to the coronavirus crisis will almost certainly involve sending checks to most citizens across the country. On Monday, Senator Mitt Romney (R., Utah) proposed sending $1,000 to all American adults 18 years of age and over. Senator Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) released his own proposal: Authorize the Treasury Department to immediately cut a tax-rebate check of $1,000 for every adult tax filer making less than $100,000 per year and $500 for each claimed dependent. Married couples filing jointly that make less than $200,000 per year would be eligible for a $2,000 tax-rebate check. While the details are being hammered out, Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin has signaled support for the idea of sending out a first round of $1,000 checks to most American adults he has specified that he doesnt want any of this money going out to millionaires with another round of $1,000 checks to come later if necessary. While many Republicans are also pushing for a payroll-tax holiday, they recognize that suspending the payroll tax wont help those who lose their jobs through no fault of their own or their employers anyway. Across the Internet, many journalists and pundits of different political stripes have commented that the strong bipartisan support for such direct cash assistance has somehow vindicated Andrew Yang, the Democratic presidential candidate who proposed sending $1,000 checks to all American adults every month in perpetuity. Andrew Yangs plan to give Americans $1,000 could become reality during coronavirus outbreak, reads one headline at the Washington Post. Certainly I would never hope that UBI gets adopted because of this terrible virus, Yang told the paper. But I will say its somewhat surreal to suspend my presidential campaign in February and see it potentially implemented in March. The salient thing to remember here is that the $1,000 checks gaining support on Capitol Hill at the moment would be an extraordinary response to an extraordinary circumstance, rather than a new, immutable monthly entitlement. Yangs proposal to send a $1,000 check to every American adult every month would cost $3 trillion a year more than $30 trillion over the next decade when you account for population growth for a country whose federal government spent $4.4 trillion total in 2019. One round of $1,000 checks to every American adult, by contrast, would cost some $210 billion. (If the government suspended the payroll tax through the end of the year, its tax revenue would fall by $800 billion.) Yes, more rounds of checks might be needed depending on the length of the current crisis. But there wont be a broad, bipartisan congressional backing for Yangs plan any time soon. Story continues Saying Yang has now been vindicated would be akin to saying that a presidential candidate who ran on a platform of rationing basic goods like gasoline, rubber tires, and nylon during peacetime had been vindicated by the necessity of rationing during World War II. Its entirely possible that the emergency cash payments now under discussion might increase interest in Yangs proposal, but there is little reason to think that theyll bring it any closer to being implemented. It remains unlikely to ever happen for the same reason it was always unlikely to happen: A nation already drowning in red ink simply cant afford to almost double its annual budget permanently. More from National Review A leading Co Down-based food producer has warned of imminent shortages if the Government enforces the same isolation measures on food production workers and businesses. Denis Lynn, the owner of Finnebrogue Artisan, which produces meat products as well as vegetarian and vegan products, has also issued a call for hospitality sector staff who have been laid off as a result of the coronavirus pandemic to help with the strain on food production lines. He said: "It is vital the Government steps in immediately to make food manufacturing a protected industry to ensure we are able to feed the people of Britain during this crisis. "Nobody supports stringent and strict isolation measures more than me. They are long overdue. "But the Government should not enforce these rules for all food production workers or serious food shortages will become a very grave reality." Mr Lynn appealed to all hospitality workers who had been made redundant as a result of the crisis to turn to food production businesses. "We will need you to plug the gaps that are already appearing on our production lines. "We need you to help us feed the nation." Mr Lynn said that Boris Johnson's announcement that anyone who lives with someone suffering coronavirus symptoms should self-isolate for 14 days is a welcome measure. However, without further action to support the food industry it threatens "to wreak havoc on our capacity to make the food the country needs". He called for the Government to step in immediately to make food manufacturing a protected industry to ensure there is enough food for everyone. "We are currently meeting the increased supermarket demand brought about by millions of people now eating all three meals a day in the home, but we are facing an imminent labour shortage that will grind production lines to a halt unless radical action is taken quickly," he added. Finnebrogue Artisan is a leading food businesses. It employs 640 people in Co Down, with turnover of around 115m a year. Mr Lynn said the Government must help to facilitate the current food production lines to ensure supply. He said: "It must announce a package of economic measures that will enable successful food businesses like ours to carry out a vital national service in these difficult times while supporting the many hundreds and thousands of food operatives who will be off work and for whom long-term statutory sick pay will cause very real economic hardship." Theres been a cloud hanging over this office for years. Why hasnt anything improved?" Martinez said recently. "Why has there been all this mismanagement happening, and why hasnt it been addressed? We need to go one by one, and listen to people explain themselves. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., left, is welcomed to the stage by Sunrise Movement co-founder Varshini Prakash, right, at a climate rally with the Sunrise Movement at The Graduate Hotel, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020, in Iowa City, Iowa. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik US climate activists are recruiting their counterparts in Germany in a last-ditch effort to keep Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential bid and his Green New Deal viable in 2020. The German activists pledged to make up to 10,000 calls to voters in Ohio, Florida, Arizona, and Illinois before Tuesday's primary elections in those states. Election law and campaign finance experts say the volunteer activities appear to be above board, although a co-founder of Germany's Fridays for Future, whose members helped organize the efforts, says they weren't authorized by the group. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. As Sen. Bernie Sanders presses on in what increasingly looks like a doomed bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, climate activists across the globe are doing their best to keep his candidacy afloat. Young American climate activists are working to recruit environmental activists from Germany to rally support for Sanders through phone banking in key primary states. Members of Germany's largest climate advocacy group, "Fridays for Future" (FFF), are using WhatsApp chat groups to recruit volunteers for Sanders. The groups are open to anyone and once in, anyone can send messages to the group. "In the US, our friends from Sunrise Movement, Youth Climate Strike, and Zero Hour have rallied behind Bernie Sanders," an FFF coordinator wrote, according to a message obtained by Business Insider. The person went on to explain that Sanders has the most ambitious climate policy in the Democratic field the Green New Deal a far-reaching set of climate and economic policy proposals. "Do you want to help Bernie win the White House?" they continued. "Text me, if you want to help." A message sent to the Fridays for Future WhatsApp group asks volunteers to phone bank on behalf of Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign. Screenshot/Business Insider Those interested were then invited to join another WhatsApp group, where they were given further instructions. By last Friday afternoon, the group had about 90 participants. The leaders emphasized that phone banking is a crucial part of Sanders' efforts to overcome former Vice President Joe Biden's delegate lead in the primary. Story continues At 8 pm on Thursday, two members of an organization called "Germany For Bernie" used the video conferencing software Zoom to train potential volunteers. They explained how to use the phone banking system and showed them the script they'd need to follow. The leaders performed several mock phone conversations with different types of voters ranging, including both supporters and critics of Sanders. Later, another member of the group introduced a system called "Spoke," which can be used to target voters via text messages. The members of the WhatsApp group committed themselves to calling 10,000 people by Tuesday, when primary elections are scheduled to take place in Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio. (Ohio has since closed its polling places amid the coronavirus pandemic). And some of the group members said they were willing to recruit additional volunteers for the campaign through Fridays for Future's European network. Sanders is predicted to fall short in all of Tuesday's contests, giving Biden a potential fast-track to the nomination. Guidance used during a training of German climate activists on Zoom. Screenshot/Business Insider Carla Reemtsma, a spokesperson for Germany's chapter of Fridays for Future, confirmed she's aware of the American groups' outreach to German activists on behalf of the Sanders campaign. But she distanced the group from any of the work done for the Sanders campaign, arguing that the efforts weren't officially condoned by the German organization. "Apparently, climate activists from the US, including ZeroHour, Youth Climate Strike, and Sunrise Movement, have reached out to activists over here in order to promote Bernie Sanders," Reemtsma told Business Insider, adding, "These actions are not happening in the name of Fridays for Future Germany." Youth Climate Strike's communications director, Neha Desaraju, told Insider the group "hasn't officially reached out to anyone outside the US" and has only opened up its phone banking efforts to its organizers, none of whom are in Germany. Zero Hour and the Sunrise Movement didn't respond to Insider's request for comment in time for publication. Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks during a rally at Howard University in May 2019. The Sunrise Movement held an event for the final stop of the "Road to a Green New Deal" tour to "explore what the pain of the climate crisis looks like in D.C. and for the country and what the promise of the Green New Deal means." Alex Wong/Getty Images The ethics of foreign influence Foreign interference in US elections has become a central issue in recent years. In the 2016 presidential election campaign, Russia had successfully exerted massive influence to support then-candidate Donald Trump and to harm his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. And last month, federal authorities informed the Sanders campaign that the Russian government has attempted to interfere in the 2020 primaries to help Sanders win the Democratic nomination. But, in this case, experts say the foreign involvement on behalf of the Sanders campaign appears to be above board. Under US federal election law, foreign entities and individuals aren't allowed to contribute funds in American elections. But foreign nationals are permitted to volunteer for a candidate or campaign, so long as they don't act in a managerial or decision-making role. "It's perfectly legal under US federal campaign finance law for foreign nationals to volunteer for candidates, so long as the volunteer isn't in a campaign decision-making role," Paul Ryan, a campaign finance expert at the nonpartisan watchdog group Common Cause, told Insider. The Sanders campaign, which didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment, has run into issues with foreign supporters in the past. Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign was forced to pay a $14,500 fine to the Federal Election Commission to settle a complaint after it accepted campaign help from members of the Australia Labor Party, which paid the volunteers' expenses and stipends. Because the Australian volunteers were compensated, their efforts to help Sanders were considered a violation of federal election law, which bars foreign nationals from giving anything of value to an American candidate or election. The Sanders campaign settled the complaint, didn't agree that it violated any laws, and said the campaign staffers managing volunteers didn't believe the Australians would be barred from helping because they were compensated. But Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, a professor at Stetson University College of Law, argued that the Trump campaign has not been held accountable for some of its alleged violations of campaign finance law during the 2016 race potentially setting a new, more relaxed precedent for foreign influence in presidential races. She pointed to the Trump campaign's partnership with Cambridge Analytica, which reportedly employed dozens of foreign nationals to work on its political efforts in the US. Meanwhile, the Federal Election Commission has been without a quorum for months and is unable to carry out its watchdog and enforcement duties, which include investigating wrongdoing on campaigns. Read the original article on Business Insider North Korea boasts that it has no cases of COVID-19, even as its neighbor to the north China has experienced more than 3,200 deaths from the global pandemic. North Korean leader Kim Jung Un claims that a 30-day quarantine, a closed border and the suspension of trade with China has kept the nation free from coronavirus. But some experts think the claim is just a cover-up. 'It's impossible for North Korea not to have a single case of coronavirus,' Jung H. Pak, a former CIA expert on North Korea, said to Fox News. Pak said the unrealistic brag from Un is likely his way of drawing attention away from North Korea's economy, human rights violations and other criminal acts. North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un says the country has had no cases of coronavirus, a claim experts have greatly disputed Leaders in North Korea's largest city of Pyongyang claim the country has been able to stave off coronavirus infections by fighting for 'national survival.' Officials in North Korea said they found no coronavirus infections among the more than 5,400 people who were released from quarantine. General Robert Abrams, a commander of U.S. Forces Korea, points to the low level of recent military activity in North Korea as one hint that coronavirus likely infected the country. A woman has her temperature taken before boarding a flight at the Pyongyang International Airport in North Korea A quarantine worker in Cheongdo county, South Korea stands at a screening center while spraying disinfectant 'It is a closed-off nation, so we can't say emphatically that they have cases, but we're fairly certain they do,' Abrams said. He added, 'What I do know is that their armed forces had been fundamentally in a lockdown for about 30 days and only recently have they started routine training again. As one example, they didn't fly an airplane for 24 days.' Some experts think North Korea's massive malnourishment problem, which can weaken the immune systems of many of its citizens, could contribute to a massive spread of coronavirus. But the country's repressive regime, ironically enough, could help curb the spread of the disease, whatever the true number is. A passenger pushers her luggage through a Hong Kong airport while wearing protective gear 'There's no human rights or social freedom concerns, there's probably no concern for people starving to death,' Thomas Byrne, president of the Korea Society, who teaches international affairs at Columbia University, told Bloomberg. 'They can really enforce social distancing.' A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department has said the United States is worried about the susceptibility of the North Korean populace to widespread infections. South Korea has stabilized its coronavirus spread after reaching more than 8,300 cases Medical staff tests patient for coronavirus at a check point in Daegu, South Korea 'The United States is deeply concerned about the vulnerability of the North Korean people to a coronavirus outbreak,' said Morgan Ortagus, department spokesperson. South Korea, on the other hand, has been praised by other countries for its handling of coronavirus. The spread of the disease has steadily tampered off and is currently around 8,300 confirmed cases. It has tested over a quarter of a million of its citizens for coronavirus, representing roughly one of every 200 South Koreans. In the hopes of getting the same results, the United States and other nations are looking to adopt similar testing methods. As of Tuesday night, there were more than 197,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus worldwide with nearly 8,000 deaths. tech2 News Staff Apple in China recently had a moment of faux pas when it accidentally revealed details about four upcoming models of iPad Pro on its website. Moments after the iPad user manual carrying all the details of the feature iPads were put up on the website, Apple took them down, however, someone at Chinese website Feng got there at the right time and took a screenshot of the details. iPhone in Canada was the first to report it. Per the website, Apple is soon going to release an 11-inch and a 12.9-inch iPad Pro in both Wi-Fi and Cellular versions. The list of the iPad Pro includes four configurations with model numbers A2229, A2228, A2231, A2233. "These iPad Pro models are listed in the section detailing radiofrequency exposure and how iPad uses radio signals to access wireless networks," as per iPhone in Canada. While currently, no features of these iPad Pro models are detailed, previous reports suggest that the new iPad Pro models will feature a new rear camera system with three lenses, which may be similar to the ones seen on iPhone 11 Pro. The iPad's camera setup is also reported to sport a time-of-flight 3D camera to support augmented reality applications. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 16:25:59|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close An Israeli woman wearing mask is seen in the Israeli city of Bat Yam near Tel Aviv on March 18, 2020. A total of 90 Israelis tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 427, according to the Israeli Ministry of Health. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua) JERUSALEM, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A total of 90 Israelis tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 427, according to the Israeli Ministry of Health. The ministry warned the Israeli public against leaving home except for emergency cases. Israel also tightened restrictions on the entry of Palestinian workers, as only those work in the sectors essential to the economy, including health, agriculture, caregiving and construction, will be allowed in. [Read more: Bernie Sanders has officially ended his 2020 presidential campaign.] Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont was reassessing the future of his presidential bid on Wednesday after a crushing round of primary losses left him with no realistic path to the Democratic nomination and the 2020 race itself was on hold because of the coronavirus outbreak. Mr. Sanderss campaign has stopped actively advertising on Facebook, and his campaign manager sent an email to supporters without asking for donations the kind of steps that sometimes precede the end of campaigns. His aides say Mr. Sanders is not suspending his bid, even as some Democrats have become increasingly vocal that he should consider leaving the race. The partys front-runner, Joseph R. Biden Jr., has now amassed a nearly insurmountable lead in delegates needed to clinch the nomination after winning the Arizona, Florida and Illinois primaries on Tuesday. Mr. Biden has swept so many states and attracted so many demographic groups that Mr. Sanders has little left to go on besides his political message and his passionate base of liberal supporters. Some Democrats said that with the delegate outlook so bleak, and with a deadly pandemic gripping an anxious nation, Mr. Sanders risks appearing self-centered and out of step if he insists on pressing ahead. The coronavirus outbreak has restricted travel and slowed down industrial activity in India to the point of reducing overall fuel demand in the country by 10-11 percent in the first two weeks of March, Indian Oil Corp, the biggest domestic refiner and fuel retailer, says. The petroleum industry is witnessing the impact of Covid-19 on sales of all petroleum products, state-held Indian Oil Corp told local outlet Economic Times in an emailed reply to questions. Total demand for all kinds of liquid fuels in India - one of the key growth drivers of global oil demand alongside China - was down by 10 to 11 percent for the first fourteen days of March, the company told Economic Times. Stopped flights, travel restrictions, and travel advisories have led to a double-digit drop in demand for gasoline, diesel, shipping fuel, and jet fuel, according to the largest Indian oil refiner. Before the coronavirus outbreak, India and China were the countries expected to contribute the most to oil demand growth this year. Now analysts expect global oil demand to actually drop in 2020 compared to 2019 as a growing number of major economies are going into lockdown and are heavily restricting inbound air traffic and domestic travels. Oil prices were plunging on Wednesday as the pandemic and the coming extra oil supply from Saudi Arabia are set to result in the largest ever crude glut on the oil market in the first half of 2020, as per IHS Markit estimates. Related: Saudi Aramco Is Very Comfortable With $30 Oil While low oil prices may be a boon to Indias refiners who rely on imports for more than 80 percent of oil demand, the coronavirus outbreak is curbing global oil demand and is threatening to tip the global economy into recession. As of Wednesday, India had 155 cases of coronavirus infections, including 25 foreign nationals and three fatalities. India has banned entry for passengers from several Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines and Malaysia, as well as for passengers from the European Union (EU) and United Kingdom. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: A hero commuter has been praised for coming to the rescue of an Asian woman who was being racially abused by a belligerent man on a train. A disturbing six-minute video posted online on Wednesday shows a man in a white cap standing by a woman on a Sydney train to protect her from an aggressive man. The offender can be heard repeatedly screaming 'f**k off' as the hero bystander blocks him from getting close to the innocent woman he is shouting at. Alarmed passengers can be seen gazing towards the commotion, as the Good Samaritan cops the brunt of the racially-charged tirade. A man in a grey and orange hoodie could be seen screaming racist slurs at a woman keeping to herself on a Sydney train The man eventually barges past him to start abusing the woman as she sits quietly and alone. 'Get back to Manila you piece of s**t,' the man taunts, pointing his finger at her face. 'You're from Manila. You're a f***ing piece of s**t from Manila.' Fed up, the man in the cap walks through the cabin towards the train's emergency button, which he uses to contact transport NSW train staff. But the antagonist launches a verbal attack on him, following the man down the stairway. 'Where are you going maggot? Hero? Hero! Hero! the abuser yells. The commuter can be heard speaking over the emergency line as the man, viciously attempting to distract from the call, spits on him before storming back into the cabin. 'I'd rather you have a go at me than pick on some woman,' the hero calls as the pair engage in a heated exchange. The instigator then storms back towards the woman to continue berating her, with the commuter following to stand by to ensure her safety. 'The Filipina f***ing piece of s**t,' the man in the hoodie jeers. A fellow commuter rushed to her rescue and stood guard as the aggressor launched a foul-mouthed tirade 'I'm not a Filipino, I'm Indonesian,' the woman responds. 'I don't give a f**k who you are,' I'm bouncing the ball right here,' the offender says. 'Mate I'm happy to stand down here if you're going to keep on intimidating the woman,' the hero replies. 'What are you going to do? Try and intimidate me? It's not working is it?' The hostile stand-off drags on for a further three minutes, with the pest flexing his fist and seizing up against him in a bid to intimidate before stealing his hat. As the aggressor prepares to descend the train at Hurstville station, in the city's south west, the defender pushes him down the stairs and collects his belonging. The bully can be seen lying on the train's floor, incessantly shouting abuse until the video cuts out. Commentators were left outraged by the racist behaviour, with many applauding the commuter for standing up to protect the victim. The hatted bystander became the target of the man's abuse but refused to back down 'Good job on the way the white cap guy handled the situation and reassured the lady. What a complete jerk the other dude was. Hoping he was charged and caught,' one person wrote. 'This made my anxiety spike. What makes them think it's okay to be so horrible to other people,' another comment read. Someone else said: 'sounds like he's got some serious mental issue. Good on the guy with the white hat. 'That was rage inducing. I hope that push down the stairs permanently broke something,' a fourth person added. A NSW Police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the incident is currently under investigation. 'Police are aware of a video circulating on social media depicting an incident that occurred about 5:40pm last Sunday on a south coast train service,' he said. 'The matter is now under investigation by officers from the Police Transport Command.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Transport NSW for comment. Over the weekend, news broke that the United Kingdom had adopted a wildly different approach from the rest of the world when it comes to the coronavirus. While most of the world's countries were trying to stop or slow the disease until reliable treatments and vaccines are available, Britain planned to create old-fashioned herd immunity by sequestering vulnerable people but letting everyone else get exposed to the virus. In an article published here early Monday morning, we suggested that, while this was certainly a creative idea, it was also very risky: It's an interesting theory but . . . a risky one. Misjudge the delicate balance, and you end up with an explosive rate of disease. Also, viruses mutate, so the coronavirus might grow to become harmful to previously low-risk communities. [snip] [W]hile the U.K. is experimenting with something that theoretically makes sense, the downside risks of trying magically to create a herd are huge. For that reason, we have reason to be grateful that, within 24 hours of excluding the U.K. from the list of European countries now barred entry to America, Trump reversed course and added the U.K. to the list. It turns out that, by Monday evening, the British government had come to the same conclusion we did and decided not to experiment with its creative coronavirus policy. According to reports, the primary reason the government reversed itself was that, also on Monday, the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team published a report saying the proposed British plan could have a disastrous outcome. The study looked at two different approaches to the virus's spread: suppression, which is what America is currently trying, and mitigation, which was what Britain proposed. According to the assumptions fed into the computer, "the resulting mitigated epidemic would still likely result in hundreds of thousands of deaths and health systems (most notably intensive care units) being overwhelmed many times over." The Imperial College report reached its conclusions using computer simulations, which, as we know, are only as good as the data fed into the program. However, given that the British government was relying solely on a theory that would be enforced by a government body on a population that would never be 100% compliant, it's a pretty sure thing that wisdom was on the side of the computer simulations, not the theory. For that reason, by late Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson followed other nations and told British citizens, both young and old, to start practicing social distancing: In yesterday's briefing, the measures presented were drastic, advising that all Brits should stay away from pubs, clubs, theatres and cinemas for weeks and potentially months. During the first conference, the prime minister also said: Those who can work from home should Over 70s, those who are pregnant and anyone with underlying health conditions should try and not leave home People are advised to not visit vulnerable and elderly family and friends - for around 12 weeks If one family member shows symptoms then the entire family should stay home for two weeks The Government is no longer supporting mass public gatherings Schools will remain open for now - but kids with a cough should be sent home The same Imperial College report, incidentally, says the American "suppression" plan, which replicates the approach in South Korea, is the better plan even though it may only delay the virus's outbreak without actually stopping it. The report basically says we cannot suppress the disease forever and, at some point, must deal with it. When fighting a viral foe, though, time is valuable. The longer we can hold off the virus, the longer we can research ways to mitigate its effects on the human body. Also, because the virus seems to be temperature-sensitive, if we can suppress it just until the warm months, that may buy us enough time to develop a vaccination before the next flu season. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Illinois) dislikes abortion, Barack Obama, the affordable care act and marriage equality, and likes religious discrimination, domestic surveillance and denying federal benefits to gay couples. If you're wondering why he even has a "D" in his title, here's a clue: he inherited his seat in congress from his own father, courtesy of the state Democratic party. But he's not going to represent the deep blue district any more, because a progressive opponent took it from him in Illinois' primary election. The eight-term Illinois Democrat fell to businesswoman Marie Newman, who led 48 to 44 percent when The Associated Press called the race, a resounding victory for the party's progressive wing, which has struggled so far this year to capitalize on its 2018 success. "I am bursting with pride and gratitude for the amazing coalition that helped bring about much needed change in our district," Newman wrote in a late-night tweet. She canceled her election-night party as the number of coronavirus cases surged. Lipinski was a poster child for the Democratic party as a cult of self-serving political insiders. Getting rid of him is a defeat for the machinery, yet a close-run thing all the same. A Massachusetts House of Representatives staffer tested positive for the coronavirus, the speakers office confirmed Wednesday. An employee received a presumptive positive test result, House Speaker Robert DeLeo said in an email to lawmakers Wednesday morning. The employee started sick leave on March 12. House officials notified offices and suites where the employee visited before they started sick leave, email said. Those offices will get a comprehensive environmental cleaning before members and their staffers will be allowed to return. If you have not been notified that the affected employee visited your office prior to the affected employee commencing sick leave on March 12, 2020 then we have no reason to believe that the affected employee visited your office/office suite, the email said. DeLeo said that any member or staffer who had close contact with the affected employee will be contacted by their local board of health or the state Department of Public Health, or both. Massachusetts has at least 256 coronavirus cases as of Wednesday, up 38 from Tuesday, according to the department. Of the 256 cases, 97 are linked to the Biogen employee conference in Boston in late February. Lawmakers reduced their staffing levels last week in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Many lawmakers and their employees are adjusting to working remotely, holding meetings by phone. The State House closed to the public this week to prevent the spread of the disease. Gov. Charlie Baker announced this week that all executive branch employees who are not working on the coronavirus response must work from home. Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts Related Content: Coronavirus: Legislature fast-tracks Gov. Charlie Bakers response bills, including one for unemployment benefits Massachusetts Department of Correction implements moratorium on suspensions, discipline for prison staff during COVID-19 pandemic Coronavirus testing locations: Drive-thru testing has begun in Massachusetts, but many require appointments, prescription from doctor Sorry! This content is not available in your region Justices Arun Mishra and MR Shah told counsel appearing for the Centre that Abdullah's sister Sara Abdullah Pilot's plea against his detention will be heard on merit if he is not released soon New Delhi: The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday asked the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir administration to inform by next week if it is releasing former chief minister Omar Abdullah, who has been detained since the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year. A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and MR Shah told counsel appearing for the Centre that Abdullah's sister Sara Abdullah Pilot's plea against his detention will be heard on merit if he is not released soon. "If you are releasing him, then release him soon or we will hear the matter on merits," the bench said. The observations came after counsel for the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir administration informed the court that Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was appearing in the matter, is arguing in another court. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner, said the court should fix a short date for hearing the matter. To this the bench said only six benches are functioning due to the ongoing arrangement in the apex court and it does not know when the next turn will come. "Probably next week we are sitting and the matter will be taken up at that time," the bench said. US President Donald Trump said he will hold a conference on Wednesday on "very important news" from the Food and Drug Administration related to the new coronavirus. Trump, who referred to the disease as the "Chinese virus" in one of a series of tweets, shed no light on the development to be disclosed. "I will be having a conference today to discuss very important from the FDA concerning the Chinese Virus!" The FDA is the US agency that is responsible for ensuring the safety of drugs, vaccines and medical devices as well as US foods. More than 100 people have died of the virus in the United States, which has nearly 6,500 confirmed cases of the disease, according to a running tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Lincoln County COVID-19 patient is an employee of Union Pacific, the railroad confirmed Wednesday. Despite implementing numerous measures to prevent COVID-19 infections, one employee at Bailey Yard tested positive for the virus, said Raquel Espinoza, senior director of corporate communications and media relations for U.P. Following U.P.s pandemic response plan, a U.P. occupational health nurse reported to West Central District Health Department when the employee began experiencing symptoms, she said. The employee and others who came in contact with him are under self-quarantine at home. Espinoza said the employees work area is being decontaminated and sanitized. Several stores have closed in Victoria Square in Belfast Some of the best known high street names are shutting their doors indefinitely as retailers seek to cope with reduced footfall amid measures to halt the spread of coronavirus. The Apple store at Victoria Square in Belfast city centre has closed for business as part of the firm's global strategy to close all outlets in response to Covid-19, as has some neighbouring shops including Urban Outfitters, Hollister, Vans, Inglots and McCombs. Cinema chains Odeon Cinema and Vue are also shutting after Prime Minister Boris Johnson advised against social gatherings. Victoria Square said that its "priority at all times is the health and safety of our customers and our employees". A spokesman said: "Victoria Square shopping centre remains open and we are encouraging all visitors to follow the Government's advice to frequently wash their hands and practice social distancing measures. "We are continuing with our stringent cleaning regime throughout the centre and we are also ensuring that all hand dispensers are fully stocked with anti-bacterial solution. "We are working with all of our stores throughout this challenging period to maintain our consistently high standards and we will continue to follow advice from our local health authority and the World Health Organisation." The Boulevard in Banbridge and The Junction in Antrim both said that "the schemes remain open at this time as per government guidelines". However, the Nike stores at both complexes and Asics store at The Junction are both closed until further notice. Omniplex Cinema has a cinema at both The Junction and the Outlet but has closed all of its cinemas in Northern Ireland until March 29. It is not yet known how the outbreak is affecting other big shopping centres in Northern Ireland, such as CastleCourt in Belfast and Rushmere in Craigavon. Both shopping complexes were contacted but did not respond to a request for comment. Meanwhile Retail NI has welcomed Infrastructure Minister Nicola Mallon's decision to relax delivery drivers' hours. Glyn Roberts, chief executive of the organisation, said: "This would be a temporary relaxation of drivers' hours to ensure that our members' stores can restock faster to keep up with the exceptional demand from consumers due to Covid-19. "We fully appreciate that this will be a difficult and challenging time for delivery drivers and hope that it will only be for a short duration of this emergency. "We repeat our message again to the general public. Shop responsibly. Do not panic buy and stockpile as you will leave other people without essential items. "Retail NI also asks that you think about the most vulnerable in our society and suggests that shoppers donate goods to food banks." thtttytytyy thewthewkth tkjhwetkjew kjhewkjthwekjthwekhtt kjethkjwethkjwethkjewhtt At a time when malls, cinema halls, gyms, educational institutions, and public parks are shut down in Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu, a Non-political Islamic organization Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ) is staging a protest in Chennai demanding the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) be revoked and that the state Assembly pass a resolution against National Population Register 9NPR). Thousands of protestors including children, women and the elderly gathered near the Madras High Court metro station in what they call a Jail Bharo protest. The protestors of TNTJ were heard shouting slogans such as, even corona has killed only 2 people, but CAA has killed over 80 and we would rather die of corona than as refugees in our own country. The organizers maintain that the protest is being conducted despite the partial shutdown over corona virus fears, as it was a pre-planned event. The Tamil Nadu government had issued an order on Monday, March 16th regarding the closure of various establishments until March 31st. The order mentioned that planned events could take place, but with less crowds. iut had also denied permission for rallies, public meetings, summer camps, conferences until March 31st. People have also been advised not to crowd in large numbers at placed of worship and avoid travel to other states until the month-end. The protest is occurring a day after the protest at Washermanpet, dubbed as Chennais Shaheen Bagh had been called off. Protestors had gathered at the Washermanpet locality in North Chennai in February and had been protesting for over 33 days demanding an assembly resolution. The organizers of the protest at Washermanpet said they would resume the agitation until the government passes a resolution against CAA-NRC-NPR, but they would be temporarily calling it off due to Covid-19 fears. The AIADMK government in Tamil Nadu, which is an ally of the BJP has maintained that the CAA would do no harm to Indian citizens. However, the Tamil Nadu government has put the NPR on hold stating that they are yet to receive certain clarifications that were sought from the Central government. 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 New Delhi: 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 DY Chandrachud on Tuesday said it will issue notice to the state government and others, including the secretary of the legislative assembly, for Wednesday 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 NP Prajapati cited coronavirus concerns and adjourned the house till 26 March 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 (18 March) 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. Two 'diametrically opposed' accounts of how Johnny Depp lost the top of his middle finger in a heated row with ex-wife Amber Heard is at the centre of his libel battle against The Sun newspaper. The Pirates Of The Caribbean star, 56, is suing News Group Newspapers - the publishers of The Sun - and its executive editor Dan Wootton over an April 2018 article which alleged he was violent and abusive towards Ms Heard and referred to him as a 'wife-beater'. At a preliminary hearing on Wednesday, NGN's barrister Adam Wolanski QC said Mr Depp lost the top of his finger 'whilst in an alcohol and drug-addled rage against Ms Heard' when the pair were on holiday in Australia in March 2015. Two 'diametrically opposed' accounts of how Johnny Depp lost the top of his middle finger in a heated row with ex-wife Amber Heard (pictured together in 2016) is at the centre of his libel battle against The Sun newspaper He told the court Ms Heard, 33 - who is giving evidence in support of The Sun's defence - alleges Mr Depp had 'shoved Ms Heard into a ping-pong table', grabbed her and then 'tore her nightgown' before he 'slammed her against the countertop and strangled her'. She claims that during the attack, which left her 'scared for her life', Mr Depp 'severely injured his finger, cutting off the top' while he was smashing a telephone against a wall, Mr Wolanski said. Mr Depp, however, claims Ms Heard threw a glass bottle at him which smashed and fractured his finger before she 'put a cigarette out on the claimant's right cheek'. Mr Wolanski said there were 'diametrically opposed accounts of what happened' in Australia, and submitted that two 'highly damaging' text messages sent by Mr Depp to his personal doctor, Dr David Kipper, later in March 2015 undermined his account. One message sent shortly after the incident read: 'I cut the top of my middle finger off... What should I do!?? Except, of course, go to a hospital... I'm so embarrassed for jumping into anything with her... F*** THE WORLD!!! JD.' The Pirates Of The Caribbean star, 56, (pictured in February) is suing News Group Newspapers - the publishers of The Sun - and its executive editor Dan Wootton over an April 2018 article which alleged he was violent and abusive towards Ms Heard and referred to him as a 'wife-beater' A second message, sent around two weeks later, read: 'Thank you for everything. I have chopped off my left middle finger as a reminder that I should never cut my finger off again. I love you brother. Johnny.' Mr Wolanski said the texts had been disclosed in a separate libel case between the pair in the US but had only recently been disclosed to NGN's lawyers, which he said demonstrated 'the claimant just cannot be trusted when it comes to disclosure'. The barrister also said that after another alleged attack, Mr Depp had told Ms Heard 'it was as if there was another personality having done it', which he referred to as 'the monster'. Mr Wolanski added that Ms Heard said: 'He would blame all his actions on a self-created third-party... he would speak about it as if it was another person or personality.' He applied for further disclosure of Mr Depp's medical records from a psychiatrist and a relationship counsellor who treated him while he was in a relationship with Ms Heard and when, Mr Wolanski said, 'he was under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs and prescription drugs'. Mr Depp (pictured leaving court last month) claims Ms Heard threw a glass bottle at him which smashed and fractured his finger before she 'put a cigarette out on the claimant's right cheek' He added Ms Heard's evidence was that Mr Depp would 'usually when under the influence of drugs and alcohol, but not always, flip and suddenly turn into 'the monster' and it was on those occasions that, she says, he lost control and attacked her'. Mr Justice Nicol ordered Mr Depp to take further steps to secure evidence from consultations he had with the two doctors. However, a two-week trial, which is due to begin on Monday, may be derailed by the global coronavirus crisis as several witnesses - including Ms Heard - may not be able to travel to or from the UK. Mr Wolanski said Ms Heard is 'desperate' for the trial to go ahead and is willing to give evidence 'by video-link in the middle of the night from Los Angeles'. NGN's barrister Adam Wolanski QC told the court Ms Heard, 33 (pictured leaving court in 2016) alleges Mr Depp had 'shoved Ms Heard into a ping-pong table', grabbed her and then 'tore her nightgown' before he 'slammed her against the countertop and strangled her' He added she is concerned about 'a number of leaks into the public domain of evidence', including the evidence of actress Winona Ryder and Kate James, Ms Heard's former assistant. Mr Wolanski submitted: 'Ms Heard's position is that what is going on is that Mr Depp is quite obviously leaking evidence which he thinks supports his case into the press. 'The press are reporting it and it is putting her under immense pressure. He is conducting this trial by media.' Jennifer Afia, representing Mr Depp, said her client is also 'anxious' for the trial to go ahead in order to address the 'serious allegations that have been hanging over him for a significant amount of time now'. But she also warned that hearing witness evidence almost entirely over video-link could 'turn into a shambles'. The court also heard two barristers who were supposed to be representing Mr Depp are currently self-isolating. Mr Justice Nicol said he would decide whether the trial should go ahead at another hearing on Friday. Neither Mr Depp nor Ms Heard attended the hearing on Wednesday. In a statement, a spokesman for Ms Heard said: 'Ms Heard obtained a domestic violence restraining order from a judge in 2016. In May 2016, Ms Heard obtained a restraining order against Mr Depp after accusing him of abuse, which he denied. Pictured: The couple in 2016 'Four years later, Mr Depp has dragged her to give evidence to a court in London and subjected her to trial by media. As today showed, the evidence in court will ultimately speak for itself.' The libel claim against NGN and Mr Wootton arises out of publication of an article in The Sun in April 2018, under the headline 'Gone Potty - How can JK Rowling be 'genuinely happy' casting wife-beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?' Mr Depp has brought separate libel proceedings against Ms Heard in the US, which the court has previously heard are 'ongoing'. Mr Depp and Ms Heard met on the set of 2011 comedy The Rum Diary and married in Los Angeles in February 2015. In May 2016, Ms Heard obtained a restraining order against Mr Depp after accusing him of abuse, which he denied. The couple settled their divorce out of court in 2017, with Ms Heard donating her seven million US dollar (5.5 million) settlement to charity. Axios has compiled a timeline of the earliest weeks of the coronavirus outbreak in China, highlighting when the cover-up started and ended and showing how, during that time, the virus already started spreading around the world, including to the United States. Why it matters: A study published in March indicated that if Chinese authorities had acted three weeks earlier than they did, the number of coronavirus cases could have been reduced by 95% and its geographic spread limited. This timeline, compiled from information reported by the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the South China Morning Post and other sources, shows that China's cover-up and the delay in serious measures to contain the virus lasted about three weeks. Dec. 10: Wei Guixian, one of the earliest known coronavirus patients, starts feeling ill. Dec. 16: Patient admitted to Wuhan Central Hospital with infection in both lungs but resistant to anti-flu drugs. Staff later learned he worked at a wildlife market connected to the outbreak. Dec. 27: Wuhan health officials are told that a new coronavirus is causing the illness. Dec. 30: Ai Fen, a top director at Wuhan Central Hospital, posts information on WeChat about the new virus. She was reprimanded for doing so and told not to spread information about it. Wuhan doctor Li Wenliang also shares information on WeChat about the new SARS-like virus. He is called in for questioning shortly afterward. Wuhan health commission notifies hospitals of a pneumonia of unclear cause and orders them to report any related information. Dec. 31: Wuhan health officials confirm 27 cases of illness and close a market they think is related to the virus' spread. China tells the World Health Organizations China office about the cases of an unknown illness. Jan. 1: Wuhan Public Security Bureau brings in for questioning eight doctors who had posted information about the illness on WeChat. An official at the Hubei Provincial Health Commission orders labs, which had already determined that the novel virus was similar to SARS, to stop testing samples and to destroy existing samples. Jan. 2: Chinese researchers map the new coronavirus' complete genetic information. This information is not made public until Jan. 9. Jan. 7: Xi Jinping becomes involved in the response. Jan. 9: China announces it has mapped the coronavirus genome. Jan. 1117: Important prescheduled CCP meeting held in Wuhan. During that time, the Wuhan Health Commission insists there are no new cases. Jan. 13: First coronavirus case reported in Thailand, the first known case outside China. Jan. 14: WHO announces Chinese authorities have seen "no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus." Jan. 15: The patient who becomes the first confirmed U.S. case leaves Wuhan and arrives in the U.S., carrying the coronavirus. Jan. 18: The Wuhan Health Commission announces four new cases. Annual Wuhan Lunar New Year banquet. Tens of thousands of people gathered for a potluck. Jan. 19: Beijing sends epidemiologists to Wuhan. Jan. 20: The first case announced in South Korea. Zhong Nanshan, a top Chinese doctor who is helping to coordinate the coronavirus response, announces the virus can be passed between people. Jan. 21: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms the first coronavirus case in the United States. CCP flagship newspaper Peoples Daily mentions the coronavirus epidemic and Xi's actions to fight it for the first time. China's top political commission in charge of law and order warns that anyone who deliberately delays and hides the reporting of [virus] cases out of his or her own self-interest will be nailed on the pillar of shame for eternity." Jan. 23: Wuhan and three other cities are put on lockdown. Right around this time, approximately 5 million people leave the city without being screened for the illness. Jan. 2430: China celebrates the Lunar New Year holiday. Hundreds of millions of people are in transit around the country as they visit relatives. Jan. 24: China extends the lockdown to cover 36 million people and starts to rapidly build a new hospital in Wuhan. From this point, very strict measures continue to be implemented around the country for the rest of the epidemic. The bottom line: China is now trying to create a narrative that it's an example of how to handle this crisis when in fact its early actions led to the virus spreading around the globe. Go deeper: China's coronavirus cover-up was among worst in history, congressman says Editor's note: This story will be updated as more information is reported. Sign up for Bethany's weekly newsletter, Axios China. An agro-chemicals industry body has opposed penal provisions in the new Pesticides Management Bill, saying these do not differentiate between minor and major offences. The prices of pesticides should not be controlled as these are not essential commodities, the Crop Care Federation of India (CCFI) said. Last month, the Union Cabinet approved the Pesticides Management Bill, 2020, to regulate the business of pesticides and compensate farmers in case of losses from usage of spurious agro-chemicals. The bill will be introduced in the ongoing session of Parliament. The main objective of the bill is to protect the interest of farmers and ensure they get safe and effective pesticides. The CCFI said there are substantive changes in the bill from the draft law and, therefore, this bill needs a thorough review with the stakeholders. It demanded the bill should be referred toa Select Committee of Parliament for consultations. "There are serious concerns with the new Pesticide Management Bill, which heightens the criminalisation of business operations, as there are penalties of up to Rs 50 lakh with an imprisonment up to 5 years or both, without differentiating between minor or major offences," it said. Harish Mehta, Senior Advisor, the CCFI said, "There is no safeguard provision for the genuine manufacturer, who appliesthe product manufacturedas per the regulatory framework formulated byacompetent body like Registration Committee. Safeguard provisions are essential, otherwise over-criminalisation penalty willforce manufacturers to shut their shop in India. No-one would take the risk of imprisonment for minor offences." He said the bill should aim at reducing the criminalisation of business operations. The CCFI said agrochemicals are not essential commodities and there is no merit in bringing these products under price control and creating newcomplexities in the system. "Any efforts to unnecessarily price control the crop protection solutions in a competitive market would scare away those who are willing to provide better solutions for crop protection compared to an inefficient or less effective alternatives," it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday informed Lok Sabha that 276 Indians have been tested positive for coronavirus abroad. They include 255 in Iran, 12 in the UAE, five in Italy, and one each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda and Sri Lanka, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha. As of now, the government has evacuated as many as 389 people from Iran, one of the worst-affected countries by the coronavirus outbreak. This includes a fourth batch of 53 Indians who returned to India from Iran on Monday. Also Read: Coronavirus in India Live updates: 255 Indians COVID-19 positive in Iran, Centre tells Lok Sabha The government is also working to bring back Indians stranded in Iran, where more than 700 people have died from this deadly disease and nearly 14,000 have been infected. Meanwhile, the global death toll due to the coronavirus outbreak has touched 7,800, with China and Italy contributing to maximum number of deaths. In India, the number of coronavirus-linked deaths has reached three. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in India has risen to 151 on Wednesday after fresh cases were discovered in various parts of the country. Also Read: India grossly under-tested on coronavirus; urgent steps needed to ramp up testing By Chitranjan Kumar with PTI inputs (Photo : Unsplash / Jacek Dylag) (Photo : www.pxhere.com) Indeed, elders are more vulnerable to coronavirus because of weaker immune systems. However, it does not mean young people are safe. Experts are now giving warning to everyone that everyone, regardless of what age, is unsafe to COVID-19--even the young and healthy can still get the virus and again die from the respiratory infection that the coronavirus gives. Read More: A Pill Used To Treat Cats With Leukemia Can Be An Effective Cure For COVID-19, Claims Biomed Company No One is Safe Says, Dr. Bruce Aylward Dr. Bruce Aylward spoke to an Australian health conference earlier this month and has been recorded saying that people as young as 30 were already dying from the virus. So it's not just the elderly who are at risk in this deadly pandemic. "I would emphasize that there were a lot of people in their 30s, 40s, 50s, who were dying as well," he said. 'People who did have comorbid conditions had a much higher ratio of dying from the disease, but in most people, there were no other predictors, apart from age, that they could die.' Brian Oliver, an infectious expert at the University of Technology, has also talked about the deaths in young and healthy people tend to be higher in China than then the rest of the globe. 'What happened in China doesn't seem to be playing out in quite the same way elsewhere. In terms of younger people being susceptible, it seemed to be happening a lot more in China but not so much elsewhere, and I don't quite understand that,' he said. 'Because we haven't had these infections before, how our body responds to it is completely unknown... There's always going to be people who have no apparent risk factors and do very badly.' Read More: Really? COVID-19 Survives in Surfaces How Long?? Even Newborns Are Sadly Susceptible The youngest case we have so far on the planet is from a newborn in London who tested positive for the coronavirus strain just literally minutes in being born from a mother who was tested. The mother was admitted to the hospital for having symptoms of pneumonia only to find out that she indeed has the coronavirus and was tested positive only after the baby was born. They were both hospitalized in North Middlesex hospital located in Enfield, north London, as reported by The Guardian. How Did The Newborn Contract The Virus? It is still unclear as to how the newborn got the virus because it was within 36 hours of birth that the test came back positive, and that is a lot of time that could have passed already to rule out that it came from the mother. Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of Preventive Medicine and Infectious Diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine has said: "We can't say it happened while the baby was still in the womb," Similar Cases, Different Study When the news spread about the baby being the youngest to contract the virus, a study was made in Wuhan, China, between nine women who contracted the COVID-19 while they were 36 to 39 weeks pregnant. All of which delivered their infants via C-section, and they wanted to see how the virus could be transmitted. The team analyzed and looked closely at the data and found that not the amniotic fluid, umbilical cord blood, breast milk, or samples found from the newborn's throat test positive for the coronavirus. All the mothers and infants survived the ordeal, and the study was quickly published on February 12 in The Lancet journal. The findings of both studies that are published and known to the world are proof enough that not even the young and healthy are safe to get the sickness. The bigger question now is what you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones, knowing that no one is safe. Stay at home and always practice proper handwashing and disinfect as much as possible. Lay low, stay safe. Read More: Maker of $11,000 Ventilator Valves Threatens to Sue Volunteers Using Coronavirus Life Saving $1 3D-Printed Replicas 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The federal coronavirus stimulus bill could scramble Gov. Andrew Cuomos plans to fund $2.5 billion in budget savings through changes to the state Medicaid program. But lawmakers might pass a budget in the coming days. Whether it is bail reform, marijuana legalization, funding for health care and education, it is all on the line. A key factor in all of this is how Cuomo will wield his political power on a wide variety of legislative fronts in a session increasingly defined by the coronavirus outbreak. Any governor of New York has formidable budgetary powers. But Cuomo has been particularly deft in achieving his objectives, most recently in getting the state Legislature to approve sweeping emergency powers with just a few hours notice. Among the handful of legislators who voted against the emergency powers bill was State Senate Health Committee Chair Gustavo Rivera, an outspoken critic of the governor. City & State caught up with Rivera on Tuesday to hear his thoughts on the budget, Medicaid and how the state could do more to reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus in jails and prisons across the state. A lot has been happening in the last few days. What is the big picture from your standpoint? I will laud the governor for being far more responsible an executive than probably everybody else, whether it's the orange sociopath in the White House or the nincompoop in the frickin City Hall, but we need to watch him particularly this time. You have to pay attention to the details, because the governor is always about the details. What do you make of whats going on at the federal level with Medicaid and the coronavirus stimulus bill? We'll have to see obviously what the final language is. We're not going to have a one-house budget proposal anymore, right? The recommendation that a work group was making to the leadership here in the Senate was that we push that back and we omitted it on purpose. It is my understanding that the Assembly was going to do the same thing. The governor is saying that the federal government is not letting him do what he wants to do in the budget, which is to shift costs to the localities for savings of $150 million. And he's willing to say to the feds: I'm not going to accept over $6 billion in emergency Medicaid funding, because I want to do this myyyyy way. Do you see what I'm saying? It doesn't make any damn sense to me. Right now on Medicaid, we're kind of in limbo, as we are with everything. I would argue that I'm glad that you're covering this because, yes, of course, we need to pay a lot of attention to the crisis that's ongoing. How does this play into the state budget? We should be doing a bare-bones budget. That actually lets us go home and lets the state continue to operate. Then we come back in a few months when things have calmed down. The things that he is suggesting that we get done, and maybe as soon as this week, includes this bail reform reform, which from a moral and public health perspective is a dumb idea. I don't think we should ever do it, but certainly we should not do it now. No. 2, he's saying that we should legalize marijuana. There are different opinions within my conference, within the Assembly of what their final package should be like. He just wants to push that through. And then there is the idea that he wants to redesign in a couple of weeks a system that provides care for 1 out of 3 New Yorkers. He wants to just ram this through. It is unconscionable. We can't let the crisis that we find ourselves in right now allow us to be like: You know, do whatever you want. Go ahead. We trust you. We believe you. Guess what? I don't trust him. Now, again, he is doing some things that need to be done to act aggressively to deal with this crisis. However, at the same time, he is suggesting that we give him carte blanche on everything. My colleagues gave him an enormous amount of power. Once he gets done with the budget, he doesn't need a legislature anymore. He already has the power to do whatever the hell he wants. What is the connection between coronavirus and bail reform? Our goal right now is to lower the impact on the health care system. We do that by social distancing. The idea that we would be trying to go back on bail reform right now let's assume that every single person who's ever arrested for anything is guilty. It's not true, obviously, but let's assume that's the case. Keeping everybody in there only exacerbates the potential public health emergency that will occur. How is the outbreak affecting incarcerated people? Prisons are petri dishes for infections. They don't have good air circulation. They do not have good nutrition. These are crowded locations. They don't have access to soap and water on a regular basis. All of these things together mean that the more people that are incarcerated even the people who are being held in jails, people that are still not been convicted of anything the more they are at risk of carrying coronavirus. Putting aside bail reform, how could the administration handle the incarcerated population better? There're some bills that, with the (emergency) power that the governor now has, where he can actually impose certain things without legislative approval. There are many bills that relate to elder parole, for example. There are people who could be sped along in the process of being let out. People that are not dangerous to society that are in high-risk categories should be released. The New York City Board of Correction has now called for many of the actions we call for including the release of people over 50, those with underlying conditions, those detained for administrative reasons, like parole. Those are types of things that that we could do at the statewide level as well. Folks that are let out after being in for 20, 30 years, people over 60, the recidivism rate is basically nothing. if you're just looking at it from a fiscal standpoint, it costs us more because prisons are not places for healthy people. The moral argument is simple: Do we believe that these individuals are people? If we believe as individual people, then we owe them the same amount of respect that we do for anybody else. Photo: military.cnr.cn Chinese military experts on Tuesday suggested the use of non-lethal electromagnetic weapons, including low-energy laser devices, in expelling US warships that have been repeatedly intruding into the South China Sea in the past week. Ships from the Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier strike group and America amphibious assault ship expeditionary strike group sailed together in the South China Sea on Sunday for expeditionary strike force drills, the US Pacific Fleet said on its Twitter account on Monday. This is the third time in just a week US warships are known to have trespassed into the South China Sea: US guided missile destroyer McCampbell on March 10 trespassed into China's territorial waters in the Xisha Islands, and amphibious assault ship America and littoral combat ship Gabrielle Giffords sailed in operations in the South China Sea on Friday. To counter US' repeated trespasses into Chinese territorial waters, the Chinese military has the option of using new approaches, including the deployment of electromagnetic weapons, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and commentator, told the Global Times on Tuesday. Firing at US warships is not a good choice unless the US fires first, and that would result in the start of a China-US military conflict, Song said, noting that bumping into US ships might also not be a good counter, as lessons have been learned from the Black Sea bumping incident between the Soviet Union and US in 1988. But the use of electromagnetic weapons, including low-energy laser devices, could be viable, as they can temporarily paralyze US ships' weapon and control systems without visible conflict but can send a strong warning, according to Song. Electromagnetic weapons can emit electromagnetic waves that can potentially jam electronic devices of target vessels and will not cause casualties, military observers said. The US accused a Chinese destroyer of using lasers on February 17 on its patrol aircraft near Guam, even though it was the US aircraft that had initially conducted repeated close-in reconnaissance that interrupted the Chinese fleet's normal navigation and training. This is a good example and could be applied more, Song said. The US side is using "freedom of navigation" as an excuse to repeatedly enter the South China Sea to flex its muscles and cause trouble, which are acts of hegemony that violate international law, threatening peace and stability in the region, People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command spokesperson Li Huamin said after the US naval activities on March 10, noting that the US warship was expelled by Chinese naval and aerial forces. China has undisputed sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and nearby waters, and the Chinese military remains highly vigilant at all times. It will take any necessary measure to safeguard national sovereignty, peace and stability in the South China Sea, Li said after that incident. The PLA has yet to announce its response to the US activities on Friday and Sunday. Organizations representing more than 1 million Pennsylvania workers are calling for lawmakers and elected officials to provide immediate relief for the most vulnerable workers in public, property and healthcare services. The American Working Family Relief Action plan, outlining what elected officials need to address to assist front-line workers during the coronavirus crisis, was released Tuesday. The most prominent message to lawmakers at all levels of government is that action to reduce the financial burden, and beyond, must begin now. American workers who are facing this are going to need relief. They are going to need it soon so this recession induced by this pandemic is not going to become a depression, said Gabe Morgan, vice-president of the Service Employees International Union, on Tuesday. Morgan conducted a conference call prior to Tuesdays press release unveiling the American Working Family Relief Action plan. Members of the 40-plus organizations who partnered with the SEIU were part of the call. Additional workers in service industries offered compelling stories on how the pandemic has already affected their lives. This coalition is putting forward a series of actions that wed like to see local and state and federal government take in order to protect the majority of workers in this country. Part of the plan calls for expanded access to affordable healthcare, which would include fully paid leave for any COVID-19 issue, as well as care for infected family members. Another is providing economic relief for working families, including doubling unemployment compensation and extending the length of benefits to 1 year, suspension of foreclosures, credit defaults, school loan payments or other liens for workers who may be laid off or have hours reduced during the health emergency. --Read all of PennLives coverage on coronavirus-- The plan also calls for increased staffing at unemployment service centers to ensure quick processing of all new applications. This pandemic is putting extraordinary pressure on Pennsylvanias unemployment compensation system. Many workers, like the self-employed, are not even eligible for unemployment benefits, said Chris Good, a claims examiner at the service center in Harrisburg. Good said the Harrisburg center already is stressed due to the rise in applications and the recent closing of three unemployment service centers in Philadelphia in 2012 and Lancaster and Allentown in 2016. Many people who were laid off during the winter have exhausted their benefits at this point, or soon will, Good said. Many workers who are eligible are facing furloughs and lay-offs due to COVID-19 and need immediate relief to cover rent, utilities and groceries. Randi Trent, an employee for 19 years at Aramark, which supplies food services at Philadelphias Wells Fargo Center and Citizens Bank Park, said she will soon feel the financial strain like so many in the service industry. I pay $400 a month of health insurance and my boyfriend pays about $200, which is almost enough to cover rent, Trent said. After this month, its going to come down to paying rent or health insurance, and that does not include bills and food. 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. Morgan added that the current federal stimulus package introduced by the White House Monday will not reach the majority of workers. It falls short and leaves many working people exempt. In fact, under the plan that is going to Congress right now, only 20-percent of American workers are eligible for mandatory paid sick time, Morgan said. Without immediate action by the government, the burden of this pandemic will fall on the working people who are already the most vulnerable. The coalitions plan also mandates emergency funding for safety equipment and mental health support for front-line healthcare workers and direct support professionals and first responders. Michelle Boyer, a registered nurse at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, is part of that group. The containment of this disease requires that people feel safe enough to stay at home, that its not a choice between getting sick and infecting family members and financial ruin, Boyer said. Weve heard lots of great things from Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf but zero leadership at the national level to deal with what will contain this disease and what will contain this financial fallout. Its infuriating. AMERICAN WORKING FAMILY RELIEF ACTION PLAN Expansion of Healthcare access: Free COVID-19 testing and treatment regardless of insurance No profits for private corporations providing public health services Protection from disciplinary action against workers using sick time or leave due to COVID-19 Expansion of Medicaid for all Pennsylvanians without insurance until 2021 Waive all costs for emergency room, urgent care for COVID-19 Protection of front-line workers and communities: Emergency funding for safety equipment Healthcare facilities to provide containment control plans Suspension of foot traffic to public and community buildings Routine cleaning of workplaces that remain open Economic Relief for Working Families: Doubling unemployment compensation, extend length of benefits, increase staffing Suspend foreclosures, utility shutoffs, evictions, defaults, student loan payments Enhance of food security, increase funding for nutrition assistance programs Continuation of pay/benefits for hourly K-12 employees during shutdowns Continuation of pay for food service contractors at all Pa. colleges and universities Return to work protection for those on leave Assessment of benefits as paid sick leave and unemployment compensation for tipped workers Free and reliable access to took so workers can work remotely Protection of Values, Safety and Voices: Expand Pa. Human Relations Commission to educate/inform public to prevent discrimination Aggressive measures to prevent price gouging for common goods Resources to protect ability to be counted in 2020 Census, upcoming elections Mailing all voters a ballot with postage paid return during pandemic 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. Follow Eric Epler on Twitter -- @threejacker But the move is also being seen with trepidation by some insiders who wonder if it is part of a Trump administration effort to purge the intelligence community of career professionals. The acting NCTC director, Russell Travers, a respected career intelligence officer with decades of experience, has held the line against cuts at his agency. And though he has long been expecting to retire, he did not learn of Trumps intention to nominate Miller until Wednesday morning, according to a person familiar with the matter. Brownian motion describes the random movement of particles in fluids, however, this revolutionary model only works when a fluid is static, or at equilibrium. In real-life environments, fluids often contain particles that move by themselves, such as tiny swimming microorganisms. These self-propelled swimmers can cause movement or stirring in the fluid, which drives it away from equilibrium. Experiments have shown that non-moving 'passive' particles can exhibit strange, loopy motions when interacting with 'active' fluids containing swimmers. Such movements do not fit with the conventional particle behaviours described by Brownian motion and so far, scientists have struggled to explain how such large-scale chaotic movements result from microscopic interactions between individual particles. Now researchers from Queen Mary University of London, Tsukuba University, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne and Imperial College London, have presented a novel theory to explain observed particle movements in these dynamic environments. They suggest the new model could also help make predictions about real-life behaviours in biological systems, such as the foraging patterns of swimming algae or bacteria. Dr Adrian Baule, Senior Lecturer in Applied Mathematics at Queen Mary University of London, who managed the project, said: "Brownian motion is widely used to describe diffusion throughout physical, chemical and biological sciences; however it can't be used to describe the diffusion of particles in more active systems that we often observe in real life." By explicitly solving the scattering dynamics between the passive particle and active swimmers in the fluid, the researchers were able to derive an effective model for particle motion in 'active' fluids, which accounts for all experimental observations. Their extensive calculation reveals that the effective particle dynamics follow a so-called 'Levy flight', which is widely used to describe 'extreme' movements in complex systems that are very far from typical behaviour, such as in ecological systems or earthquake dynamics. Dr Kiyoshi Kanazawa from the University of Tsukuba, and first author of the study, said: "So far there has been no explanation how Levy flights can actually occur based on microscopic interactions that obey physical laws. Our results show that Levy flights can arise as a consequence of the hydrodynamic interactions between the active swimmers and the passive particle, which is very surprising." The team found that the density of active swimmers also affected the duration of the Levy flight regime, suggesting that swimming microorganisms could exploit the Levy flights of nutrients to determine the best foraging strategies for different environments. Dr Baule added: "Our results suggest optimal foraging strategies could depend on the density of particles within their environment. For example, at higher densities active searches by the forager could be a more successful approach, whereas at lower densities it might be advantageous for the forager to simply wait for a nutrient to come close as it is dragged by the other swimmers and explores larger regions of space. "However, this work not only sheds light on how swimming microorganisms interact with passive particles, like nutrients or degraded plastic, but reveals more generally how randomness arises in an active non-equilibrium environment. This finding could help us to understand the behaviour of other systems that are driven away from equilibrium, which occur not only in physics and biology, but also in financial markets for example." English botanist Robert Brown first described Brownian motion in 1827, when he observed the random movements displayed by pollen grains when added to water. Decades later the famous physicist Albert Einstein developed the mathematical model to explain this behaviour, and in doing so proved the existence of atoms, laying the foundations for widespread applications in science and beyond. ### * Research paper: 'Loopy Levy flights enhance tracer diffusion in active suspensions.' K Kanazawa, T Sano, A Cairoli, and A Baule. Nature. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2086-2 * Paper available here after the embargo lifts: http://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2086-2 * For more information or a copy of the paper, please contact: Sophie McLachlan Faculty Communications Manager (Science & Engineering) Queen Mary University of London sophie.mclachlan@qmul.ac.uk Tel: 020 7882 3787 About Queen Mary Queen Mary University of London is a research-intensive university that connects minds worldwide. A member of the prestigious Russell Group, we work across the humanities and social sciences, medicine and dentistry, and science and engineering, with inspirational teaching directly informed by our world-leading research. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework we were ranked 5th in the country for the proportion of research outputs that were world-leading or internationally excellent. We have over 25,000 students and offer more than 240 degree programmes. Our reputation for excellent teaching was rewarded with silver in the most recent Teaching Excellence Framework. Queen Mary has a proud and distinctive history built on four historic institutions stretching back to 1785 and beyond. Common to each of these institutions - the London Hospital Medical College, St Bartholomew's Medical College, Westfield College and Queen Mary College - was the vision to provide hope and opportunity for the less privileged or otherwise under-represented. Today, Queen Mary University of London remains true to that belief in opening the doors of opportunity for anyone with the potential to succeed and helping to build a future we can all be proud of. About Imperial College London Imperial College London is one of the world's leading universities. The College's 17,000 students and 8,000 staff are expanding the frontiers of knowledge in science, medicine, engineering and business, and translating their discoveries into benefits for our society. Founded in 1907, Imperial builds on a distinguished past - having pioneered penicillin, holography and fibre optics - to shape the future. Imperial researchers work across disciplines to improve health and wellbeing, understand the natural world, engineer novel solutions and lead the data revolution. This blend of academic excellence and its real-world application feeds into Imperial's exceptional learning environment, where students participate in research to push the limits of their degrees. Imperial is one of the world's most international universities, with academic ties to more than 150 countries. Reuters named the College as the UK's most innovative university because of its exceptional entrepreneurial culture and ties to industry. About University of Tsukuba The University of Tsukuba is located in the suburbs of Tokyo and is at the heart of Tsukuba Science City --Japan's largest "science city," which has 29 national research institutes and about 150 private research organizations. The University operates on the principle that it is open to all. The University of Tsukuba aims to cross the borders that separate a variety of organizations, such as those between nations, research institutions, and fields of study. The University's network is expanding globally. In particular, the University has entered into ten campus-in-campus arrangements with universities in eight countries and regions, thereby promoting close cooperative relationships between education and research. At present, the University hosts approximately 2,400 study abroad students from more than 110 countries and regions. Cindy Paredez paced Tuesday near the doors to a Douglas County courtroom, resigned to having to stand outside while her 19-year-old daughter awaited her fate for a misdemeanor. The signs on the courtroom doors were as conflicting as the green and neon yellow in her tie-dyed tights. One sign screamed: Stop! Health Precaution Please. ONLY DEFENDANTS AND WITNESSES. No family, friends or acquaintances are allowed. It was posted above an order from Nebraska Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Heavican an order declaring that the courts are open. I know my daughter would like me in there with her, she said. But Im told I cant go in. She wasnt the only one. More than a dozen people were waiting in the courthouse rotunda both Monday and Tuesday, barred from courtrooms because of the coronavirus crisis. World-Herald reporters were denied access to county courtrooms three times in those two days, including once for a murder arraignment. Donald Trump asserted that his administration would knock this enemy out. 'We have to knock out this enemy. This is a really tough enemy. We have to knock out this, and we will have an economy--I actually think will have an economy as we've never had before. It's all pent-up,' he said in response to a question. Washington: The world is at war with the invisible army of the new coronavirus, US President Donald Trump said here, and asserted that we will win. The president repeated the expression multiple times on Tuesday, telling the nation that he was using all available resources to combat the challenge posed by the virus that has so far killed at least 100 people in the US and over 7,000 globally. "The world is at war with a hidden enemy. WE WILL WIN!" Trump tweeted in the afternoon. "We have to get rid of this, we have to win this war and ideally quickly," he told reporters at a White House news conference. Trump referred to the fight against the COVID-19 as a "war" again at a meeting with CEOs of the tourism industry. "We have to help the airline industry. It wasn't their fault. So we are adding it up. It will be fine. It will come back very quickly once we are finished with our war with the virus," he said. "We know your industry is among the hardest hit by the economic impact of the virus. Our goal is to beat the virus and we will. We call it the hidden virus, the hidden enemy, with aggressive action now so that we can rebound stronger than ever before and that is what we are doing and everyone is cooperating," the President said. Earlier in the day, he told reporters at the White House: "We have to fight that invisible enemy, I guess unknown, but we are getting to know it a lot better." Trump asserted that his administration would knock this enemy out. "We have to knock out this enemy. This is a really tough enemy. We have to knock out this, and we will have an economy--I actually think will have an economy as we've never had before. It's all pent-up," he said in response to a question. The city of New York has already described it as a warlike situation. "We're getting into a situation where the only analogy is war," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said last week. Trump is not the only world leader to declare this a warlike situation. French President Emanual Macron, in an address to the nation, said, "We are at war against coronavirus, an invisible enemy." "We are at war. With an enemy who is invisible, but not invincible," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a state address this week. Popular American television journalist Joe Scarborough from MSNBC said the coronavirus pandemic is more like World War II than the 9/11 terror attacks. The Wall Street Journal said a generational war is brewing against the coronavirus. At the US Capitol, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for at least USD750 billion in federal funds to wage war against the coronavirus. "Whenever crises erupt, the scammers and fraudsters have a heyday," said Sally Greenberg, executive director of the National Consumers League, a consumer advocacy group. "We see so much fraud related to COVID-19 because people need answers, aren't thinking straight and are somewhat confused." Government agencies, like the IRS, the Federal Trade Commission and the Social Security Administration, are warning consumers to be vigilant as fraudsters try to take advantage of them during the coronavirus pandemic. These scams are largely related to the money the Treasury Department is sending to millions of people, in the form of a direct deposit or a paper check, over the next several weeks and months. Individuals will get up to $1,200 and married couples $2,400, plus $500 for each eligible child. IRS officials warned of "a wave of new and evolving phishing schemes against taxpayers" in a memo issued on Thursday. The measure, known as the CARES Act, will send financial assistance directly to Americans and offer expanded unemployment benefits , among other things. There's been an uptick in financial fraud connected to the $2 trillion coronavirus relief package signed into law March 27. Taxpayers should be wary of emails, text messages, websites and social media trumpeting messages about stimulus checks or stimulus payments that request money or personal information, the IRS said. Scam artists may use this information to commit tax fraud, identity theft or steal money from financial accounts. They may also try to entice unsuspecting victims to click on malicious hyperlinks, which can be used to remotely install malware to "potentially harvest credentials, install key-loggers or lock down the system with ransomware," the U.S. Secret Service told law enforcement and banking officials this week. "While you are waiting to hear about your economic impact payment, criminals are working hard to trick you into getting their hands on it," said Don Fort, the agency's criminal investigation chief. Social Security officials also warned recipients this week of providing personal information or payment via retail gift cards, wire transfers, internet currency or by mailing cash to maintain Social Security benefits or receive the Treasury's payments. "I want our beneficiaries to be aware that scammers may try to trick you into thinking the pandemic is stopping or somehow changing your Social Security payments, but that is not true," Andrew Saul, the agency's commissioner, said. "Don't be fooled." Scammers are also trying to trick jobless Americans into forking over some of their unemployment benefits. A record 6.6 million unemployment claims were filed last week, double the week prior, according to the Labor Department. More from Personal Finance Paper stimulus checks could be delayed by up to 5 months Once a sought-after perk, working from home could be here to stay Americans expect to burn through their savings quickly Fraudsters posing as a state unemployment officials may contact people and ask for unemployment insurance overpayments to be paid back by credit card or gift card, according to Iowa's unemployment website. However, individuals who received an over-payment will only be contacted by mail through the U.S. Postal Service, officials said. Scammers are also using illegal robocalls to pitch things like fraudulent coronavirus treatments, vaccinations, home test kits and work-at-home schemes, according to the Federal Trade Commission. "There is no treatment to date for COVID-19, no cure and no vaccine, no pills, potions, lotions or other products bought over the counter that are legitimately tested to treat COVID," Greenberg said. "It's all misleading." Grandparent scams related to the coronavirus are also emerging, the FTC said. In these frauds, attackers may pose as grandchildren who are sick or stuck overseas and need quick cash to help pay a hospital bill or escape a foreign country. Home Just In Recalled from Beijing, ambassador Paudyal says his term was historic Kathmandu, March 18 Nepals Ambassador to China, Leela Mani Paudyal, is arriving in Kathmandu on Tuesday after the government decided to recall him, only a few months before he was scheduled to complete his four-year term. A day before his arrival back home, the bureaucrat-turned-diplomat issued a long statement from Beijing, claiming the period he served as the ambassador was significant and historic. Paudyal said he did not make any expression or action in this period that could make Nepalis feel embarrassed. Paudyal listed Nepali presidents visit to China and Chinese presidents visit to Nepal, a transit and transport agreement, and the inclusion of a few Nepali projects on the list of projects under the Belt and Road Initiative as his achievements. Likewise, China has become the largest grant supporter for the post-quake reconstruction of Nepal during this term, according to him. As per the government decision, ruling Nepal Communist Party leader and former minister for foreign affairs Mahendra Bahadur Pandey will soon succeed Paudyal. The Parliamentary Hearing Committee has already begun preparations for his hearing. WATERLOO -- After declining to give any information about Black Hawk County's first confirmed COVID-19 case, state health officials later did release limited information -- the age range of the victim -- but declined any others details Wednesday. Iowa Department of Health spokesperson Amy McCoy told The Courier on Wednesday the case is a person over 81 years of age, but that the department was "going to stop focusing on travel" as it related to where that person had been traveling. She also declined to give the person's condition, including if they were hospitalized. McCoy's announcement was followed Wednesday evening by the state's announcement there were nine new cases of COVID-19 statewide, including Winneshiek County's first positive case. Three more positive cases were announced in Johnson County, two in Polk County, two in Dallas County and one in Washington County. The announcement brings Iowa's total to 38 cases. Travel and patient condition information was readily given in Iowa's first two dozen cases of coronavirus. But Black Hawk County public health director Nafissa Cisse Egbuonye cited the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and the IDPH as the reasons for not giving that information in a Wednesday morning briefing at the county Emergency Operations Center. "My direction is from the Iowa Department of Public Health," she said. She also noted she couldn't disclose the patient's condition. Egbuonye said health officials were working to identify those in close contact with the individual and "implement isolation and quarantine" for them. "The landscape shifted out from underneath us yesterday (Tuesday) with the first positive test found here in Black Hawk County," said Black Hawk County Sheriff Tony Thompson. McCoy said Wednesday by phone that the state was now limiting information given out in its new cases. "There's a point in epidemiology work where we don't release those types of details because we get so many cases," she said. McCoy said IDPH medical director Dr. Caitlin Pedati was not immediately available for comment. Egbuonye and three medical directors at the county's largest hospitals all spoke at the briefing about the importance of personal hygiene, social distancing of at least 6 feet and staying home when sick, even with only mild symptoms. "I know this is difficult, I know there's a lot of questions, I know there's uncertainty. But I am urging the community to please stay calm," Egbuonye said. "We are continuing to monitor this situation locally, and we are working closely with our health care and response partners." Those especially at risk were people age 60 and older and those with underlying conditions, she noted, and people were "most infectious" when they were experiencing symptoms, particularly a high fever. Dr. Russell Adams, chief medical officer at UnityPoint Health, pointed out that there was no treatment and no vaccine yet for COVID-19, emphasizing the importance of the entire county keeping their distance. "We know that, even if we are in our 20s or 30s and we have a cough and a sneeze, we may be standing next to a person who is 50 or 60 years old that has a lung disease, or a heart problem, or has a problem with their immunity, and that we could transmit a virus to them," Adams said. "So that is why we talk about social distancing." UnityPoint announced Wednesday it would be postponing all elective surgeries, procedures and diagnostic testing at its Waterloo, Grundy Center, Sumner and Marshalltown locations beginning Thursday at 7 a.m. Dr. Matthew Sojka, chief medical officer at MercyOne, noted his organization has already eliminated all elective procedures and restricted all visitors, adding that temperatures were taken of all patients, visitors, staff and providers coming into the buildings, including himself. "We've done that to protect our resources," he said. "We are limited in what we will have in the area -- blood products, gowns, masks, eye protection -- as we move forward." Sojka clarified there wasn't yet a shortage of supplies, but MercyOne's blood supply was at 80% -- still adequate, but lower than what it would normally be. People with any possible COVID-19 symptoms were not able to donate blood either because there wasn't a test for it, he said. Anxiety surrounding news of COVID-19 was also a concern for health officials, said Dr. Sharon Duclos, medical director at Peoples Clinic in Waterloo. "When something out of the ordinary happens -- in this case, it's a pandemic -- things are unsettling," she said. "That unsettling feeling that you feel is normal, so just realize that. And this, too, shall pass." Duclos said taking breaks from the news and from social media, eating healthy foods like fruits and vegetables and getting adequate sleep and exercise would all help to stem anxiety. "This virus will run its course. We will get through this," she said. "If we all work together, we will limit the severity of the virus -- and that's what we're all trying to do." UnityPoint noted it had 31 ventilators available at Allen Hospital in Waterloo, including 14 surgery vents, three of which were in use as of Wednesday, according to UnityPoint spokesperson Carson Tigges. MercyOne noted Tuesday it had 15 ventilators. Both Waterloo hospitals had 12 intensive care beds, and MercyOne had an additional four beds at its Cedar Falls location. 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: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has ordered the formation of a committee to look into the possibilities of defining the state's domicile policy. Whenever finalised, the policy is expected to have a huge impact on the process of recruitment for government jobs with a sizeable number of openings to be set aside for locals (mainly tribals). Defining the term domicile has been a long-pending demand of tribals in the state -- perhaps as old as the state itself. It was one of the top priorities of the state's first chief minister, Babulal Marandi. It also proved to be his undoing. According to a proposal made by his government, any person whose parents' name did not figure in the land records of 1932 was not considered a domicile. The move sparked unrest in the state and in July 2002, two years after the formation of the state, five people died in protests. Eventually, 25 months after he took oath as Jharkhand's first CM, Marandi had to withdraw the proposal and resign. Why is then Soren deliberating over this policy? In this explainer, News18 would try and answer this and some other questions related to the subject. Why is Soren pursuing the same policy? It is because the domicile issue is quite close to the adivasis who voted for him in large numbers in the recently held Assembly elections. There is palpable anger among locals that 'outsiders' are getting all the well-paid jobs, while the tribals are being denied a favourable space by their own government. The move is meant to signal to his core voters that he stands firmly with them. Soon after coming to power, Soren had ordered withdrawal of all Pathhargarhi-related cases, in nearly all of which adivasis were the main accused. What will it mean for those whose parents' names do not figure in the land records of 1932? As of now, it doesn't seem that Soren's high-level committee will decide on the same date. Government sources say the committee could look at different cut-offs, even as late as 1980's. That's because, quite understandably, a lot of people have moved into the state since 1930's, and have been working in its various PSUs, government and private firms. Whole new cities, like Bokaro, have come up in the meantime and framing a policy not keeping the interests of this population in mind could affect Soren the same way it did to Marandi. Will Soren, who has publicly opposed the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR), not be criticised for creating a similar policy in his state? The two things are not comparable, but yes, whenever domicile policy is brought into effect, it will require enumeration. It will require people having to submit their certificates to the government to prove that they are state subjects to secure government jobs. Soren may be called out for having 'double-standards' on this issue as he is publicly opposed to enumeration in the NRC, NPR exercises. Some government sources say a middle ground could be reached if the domicile policy is applied only to lower grades, like grades 3 and 4, government jobs. In that case, people from outside would anyway not find it lucrative to move all the way to the state for such jobs. Even paleontology has ugly duckling stories. In 2000, a fossil collector found a chunk of rock about as big as a deck of cards in a limestone quarry in Belgium. Sticking out of it were femur and shin bones the size of twigs that looked like the remains of a miniature chicken dinner. Eighteen years later, Daniel Field, a paleontologist at the University of Cambridge in England, and Juan Benito, a doctoral student, took a CT scan of the chunk and found a prize within: an almost perfectly preserved ancient bird skull. It just totally blew our minds, Dr. Field said. The fossil, described by Dr. Field and colleagues today in Nature, is between 66.7 and 66.8 million years old, making it the oldest known fossil thats clearly part of the modern bird family tree, Dr. Field said. Its also the first fossil that resembles a modern bird without any ambiguity found in the northern hemisphere, he said, although at least one expert takes issue with this characterization. Bhart-Anjan S. Bhullar, a paleontologist at Yale who was not involved in the study, said that the fossil is one of those great discoveries that come up a few times in a lucky lifetime. SlowTV returns to SBS with an Easter special, The Chocolate Factory: Inside Cadbury Australia. Produced by Mint Pictures for SBS, this is a 3 hour special dipped in the chocolate factories of Hobart & Melbourne. SBS Director of Television and Online Content, Marshall Heald, said: Slow TV is a welcome escape from the noise and drama of the world and this latest incarnation is no exception. The Chocolate Factory: Inside Cadbury Australia is an outstanding film, a spellbinding visual feast for the senses, the likes of which have never been seen before in Australia. Viewers have warmly embraced this genre beyond our wildest expectations. It offers us an innovative way to explore lesser-known parts of Australias history like no one else would. Sit back, relax and enjoy! Its time to immerse yourself in the wonderful, mesmerising world of chocolate as Slow TV returns on SBS with The Chocolate Factory: Inside Cadbury Australia. In an Australian television first, this fourth iteration of Slow TV takes viewers from the sugarcane fields of Queensland to a dairy farm in Tasmania before revealing the slow journey of millions of Easter eggs and bunnies inside the Cadbury factories in Hobart and Melbourne. Like its predecessors, this three-hour visual feast will highlight Australias multicultural and Indigenous history with fascinating stories from our past. Indulge your tastebuds and marvel at the creation of the iconic Easter Egg and Chocolate Bunny, the two best-selling chocolate products in Australia during Easter. In 2020 alone, Cadbury will produce 477 million Easter Eggs and 14 million Chocolate Bunnies, which requires 6,014 tonnes of cocoa, 87 million litres of milk and 54 million kilograms of sugar. The epic journey begins with two of the core ingredients in chocolate sugar harvested from the fields of north Queensland and milk from a dairy farm in northwest Tasmania. Then its inside the chocolate factory where they are mixed with the third core ingredient cocoa, imported from Ghana. Revel in the Willy Wonka-inspired haven of Cadburys chocolate factories as the ingredients are slowly transformed into Easter eggs and bunnies in a hypnotic rhythm of melting, rolling, drying, shaping and wrapping before going to market. Sprinkled throughout this visual delight will be enthralling chocolate facts set to a rousing original score by Amanda Brown and Caitlin Yeo. An innovative style of television which invites the viewer on an immersive journey, Slow TV first originated in Europe. SBS introduced local audiences to the genre in 2018 with The Ghan Australias Greatest Train Journey. Despite some critics labelling it the most boring thing on television and a train to nowhere, it was an SBS ratings hit with 1.75 million viewers* (Combined Metro + Regional). The Slow Summer series (featuring two new Australian commissions The Indian Pacific and The Kimberley Cruise) followed in January 2019 and it also captivated viewers with a combined reach of 3.58 million* people across SBS and SBS VICELAND. Saturday April 11 on SBS at 7:30pm (repeated Sunday April 12 on SBS VICELAND at 3:35pm). BERLIN Desperate travelers choked European border crossings Wednesday after countries across the continent began shutting the doors against the coronavirus, which has now infected more than 200,000 people worldwide and killed over 8,000. The border closings extended to North America, as the U.S. and Canada agreed to close their shared boundary to nonessential travel. And the Trump administration was said to be considering a plan to turn back all people who cross into the United States illegally from Mexico. Some bright spots emerged: Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the virus was first detected in late December and which has been under lockdown for weeks, reported just one new case for a second straight day Wednesday. But in a grim illustration of the epidemics shifting center of gravity, the death toll in Italy moved closer to overtaking Chinas. Italy had more than 2,500 dead and was averaging about 350 a day; Chinas toll was just over 3,200. Meanwhile, the United Nations International Labor Organization estimated that the crisis could cause nearly 25 million job losses. Across the continent, European leaders closed borders to nonessential traffic, while leaving many frontiers open to cross-border workers and trucks carrying critical goods like food and medicine. That led to monumental traffic jams. To alleviate some of the pressure from Eastern Europeans stuck in Austria and trying to return home, Hungary opened its borders in phases. Bulgarian citizens were first allowed to cross in carefully controlled convoys, then Romanians had a turn. Serbians were also allowed to pass through. But at one point early on the Austrian side, trucks were backed up for 17 miles and cars for nearly 9 miles. The traffic jam is slowly starting to dissolve, said Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer. Were trying to manage the traffic situation as best as possible. Thousands of trucks were backed up in Lithuania on roads into Poland. Traffic was similarly jammed along Germanys border with Poland. The European Union said that it was trying to help about 80,000 citizens stuck outside Europe get home, but that it faced huge challenges, including finding flights. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic expressed outrage as his citizens returned, claiming that 40,000 coming from jobs abroad had largely ignored orders to go into isolation at home, putting others in the country at risk. Italy has been the second-hardest hit country with more than 31,000 cases, behind more than 81,000 in China. But Lothar Wieler, head of the Germanys disease control institute, warned that unless social contacts are reduced, his country could have 10 million infected people in two to three months. In Southeast Asia, the causeway between Malaysia and the financial hub of Singapore was eerily quiet after Malaysia shut its borders, while the Philippines backed down on an order giving foreigners 72 hours to leave from a large part of its main island. Taiwan said that it, too, would ban foreigners from entry and citizens would have to quarantine at home for 14 days. Even tourists on Ecuadors Galapagos islands 620 miles off the South American mainland have been affected. Canadian Jessy Lamontaine and her family were stuck there when flights were suspended. 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. David Rising and Chris Blake are Associated Press writers. These are unprecedented and incredibly uncertain times. The coronavirus, or Covid-19, has rapidly become impossible to ignore. The news keeps coming thick and fast as governments announce forced social distancing measures, the closure of non-essential businesses, event and flight cancellations and, in an increasing number of cases across Europe, complete societal lockdowns. Despite positive, proactive moves from central banks including the US Federal Reserve, circuit breakers have been hit multiple times over the past week as stock markets spiral downwards. Short-selling restrictions have come into place across Europe as the continent quickly emerges as the epicentre of the pandemic: regulators in the UK, Italy, Spain and France have all introduced temporary limits on the practice for the second time this week as equity markets suffer major losses. You can read IFLR's (open access) explainer on circuit breakers and how they work here. The implications for businesses, working practices, financial markets and society have already been severe and the situation is constantly developing. First things first working practices have already changed significantly, with the growing belief that things may never quite go back to how they were before. With this in mind the IFLR team is offering its best tips and tricks for working remotely, whether it's your first time or you're a seasoned pro. The article is free to read here. With reporters in London, New York and Hong Kong SAR, IFLR and our sister publication Practice Insight have been covering coronavirus developments for some weeks now. In Practice Insight, we can reveal that the International Capital Market Association and the International Securities Lending Association have written to the European Securities and Markets Authority requesting a delay to implementation of the Securities Financing Transactions Regulation (SFTR). Read the full piece here and if you dont have a subscription to Practice Insight, take a free trial or get in touch with us to arrange access. We also looked at the way the coronavirus seems to have already revealed flaws in post-crisis regulatory reforms from quantitative easing-linked asset bubbles to inadequate liquidity safeguards this unprecedented pandemic has uncovered a range of cracks in the new normal. Our coverage started with Asia reporter Karry Lais piece in mid-February on how force majeure certificates of which approximately 5,600 worth around $72.5 billion have now been issued were aiding Chinese businesses suffering from the immediate impact of manufacturing delays and store closures. Lawyers warned that these clauses, which are in normal times largely expected to go unused, had not been properly negotiated into contracts. Read the full piece here. EMEA reporter Jimmie Franklin considered the coronavirus through the lens of Chinas new foreign investment law, reporting in mid-February that various deals, including Japanese restaurant chain Daikiyas planned Hong Kong SAR IPO, had already been pulled. Read more here. Looking back on those pieces its clear that the vast majority underestimated the impact globalisation would have on what seemed like a relatively easily containable epidemic. As sources said just weeks ago, SARS knocked an estimated one percent off of Chinas growth rate, with a much more limited impact globally. We then looked at the range of Chinese companies issuing anti-epidemic bonds after the government offered quick approval processes to aid fundraising to help contain the virus. Asset managers were sceptical that the funds would definitely be used for Covid-19 emergency efforts given the lack of scrutiny. Read the full story here. On the capital markets side, Baker McKenzie lawyers from across the globe outlined the moves companies and exchanges have already made to mitigate the economic impact. From contractual implications for securities offerings to the immediate practical impact such as virtual AGMs its all here. Americas editor John Crabb reports on the latest moves from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (Cfius), which has introduced an e-filing system in a direct response to the ongoing health crisis. The European M&A market has already stalled, with fears that transactions close to the finishing line will also be affected. Bob Bartell, global head of corporate finance at Duff & Phelps, tells us that 99.9% of M&A practitioners are waiting for further certainty before proceeding with deals. Meanwhile Italian advisor Antonio Lanotte digs deep into the government's maxi anti-coronavirus decree: a 25 billion package announced on March 16 to help protect businesses and families from the economic repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic. Read the full analysis here. The Practice Insight team is busy covering the implications for 2020's financial regulation schedule. Spoiler: there are many, from Libor reform to Brexit negotiations. We will continue to keep this page updated with further developments as and when they come. All of our coronavirus-related content is here and will be continually updated: Force majeure clauses provide coronavirus relief for businesses Companies remain cautious about entering China Corporates rush to issue coronavirus bonds Coronavirus under the capital markets landscape Cfius filing fee a hindrance but unlikely to curb deal flow Covid-19: M&A market stalls amid uncertainty The Italian treatment: the decree to fight coronavirus Remote working: tips, tricks and anecdotes from the IFLR team PRIMER: US market circuit breakers Why MAC clauses are no Covid-19 silver bullet UKs Covid-19 business support leads to confusion Inside NYSE's response to the Covid-19 crisis Covid-19 illuminates corporate buyback issues Why capital markets should embrace blockchain No-deal Brexit fears resurface amid Covid-19 crisis (Practice Insight) Coronavirus: markets show resilience in turbulent times (Practice Insight) How coronavirus could revive PIPEs UK regulators ease coronavirus impact on premium-listed companies No synchronicity between US banking regulators as Fed pushes leverage rules Germanys response to Covid-19: expanding the restructuring and distressed M&A toolbox Covid-19 highlights need for stricter ESG oversight Coronavirus rewrites Europes AGM rules CARES Act enforcement risks and compliance best practices Coronavirus: Private equity investing in a distressed environment Australia's heightened M&A scrutiny likely to affect foreign investment levels Industry standards providing stepping stone for ESG regulation Cicilline's proposed merger ban will do more harm than good 2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQs. Share this article When Shakun Batras Kapoor And Sons released back in 2016, no one had thought that the film would be what it is. It is probably one of the most mature family drama that, instead of painting a rosy picture, gives us a glimpse of what really goes on in a family. The way the vulnerabilities, the flaws and shortcomings of each character were portrayed has been lauded for years and it made us empathise with the family. This film also had each star in their top forms. But one star who was a revelation in the film was Fawad Khan. His portrayal of a closet gay was spot on. But did you know that as many as 6 actors had rejected the film. Yes, you read that right! As many as six actors had said no to the character that Fawad portrayed. Here is a list of 5 of the actors who rejected the role: 1. Saif Ali Khan He had himself admitted in Koffee with Karan that he regretted not playing Fawads character in the film when it was offered to him. 2. Hrithik Roshan The Greek God was also in the list of the actors who was being considered for this film. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hrithik Roshan (@hrithikroshan) on Feb 28, 2020 at 2:01am PST 3. Farhan Akhtar Come to think of it, Farhan would have looked quite good, isnt it? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Farhan Akhtar (@faroutakhtar) on Feb 18, 2020 at 6:10am PST 4. Aditya Roy Kapur Yes, the Malang actor too was in the race for this role and when it came to him, he turned it down. We are pretty sure he must have regretted the decision after the films release! View this post on Instagram A post shared by @adityaroykapur on Apr 9, 2019 at 11:06pm PDT 5. Shahid Kapoor The role had gone to Shahid too, but he had also turned it down! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) on Dec 12, 2019 at 5:21am PST In fact, Karan had said in an interview that after six rejections, he had asked Shakun to change the character and that is when Fawads name came to his mind. When the script reached him, he instantly said yes and well, we had the gem called Kapoor and Sons A new academic paper argues that a lockdown of several weeks could be sufficient to stop the spread of coronavirus, directly challenging Imperial College London's claim that widespread shutdowns may need to continue for 18 months until a vaccine is available. In their study released on Monday, Imperial College issued the stark recommendation, causing the US and UK governments to begin planning for dramatic and long-term shutdowns. However, an academic paper published on Tuesday by the New England Complex Systems Institute argues that Imperial College's model ignores other key interventions that could be deployed after a lockdown ends. In essence, the authors argue that a lockdown of several weeks could be sufficient to stamp out the virus, as long as travel restrictions, widespread testing capabilites, and contact tracing protocols are in place to limit any subsequent outbreaks. The Imperial College authors show their model predicting that virus cases (red line) would surge every time suppression strategies (blue line) are relaxed, until a vaccine is available Authors Chen Shen (not pictured), Nassim Nicholas Taleb (left) and and Yaneer Bar-Yam (right) wrote the new paper published by the New England Complex Systems Institute 'When everyone is locked down for two weeks, if someone develops symptoms, the people with them can be isolated. No one else can become infected. So including these cases and a few random ones, it takes four to five weeks to stop the outbreak,' said the paper's co-author Yaneer Bar-Yam in a tweet. 'China and South Korea showed this is actually how it happens,' he continued. According to their assessment, Imperial College experts believe social contact may well need to be minimized throughout the population until a vaccine is widely available - up to 18 months from now. '[W]e predict that transmission will quickly rebound if interventions are relaxed' before a vaccine is available, the Imperial College experts write. In their rebuttal, the academics as NECSI, a small think tank based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, disagree. 'Their conclusions that there will be resurgent outbreaks are wrong,' the NECSI authors write. 'After a few weeks of lockdown almost all infectious people are identified and their contacts are isolated prior to symptoms and cannot infect others.' They continue: 'The outbreak can be stopped completely with no resurgence as in China, where new cases were down to one yesterday, after excluding imported international travelers that are quarantined.' Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the virus was first detected in late December and which has been under lockdown for weeks, reported just one new case for a second straight day Wednesday. The NECSI authors go on to argue that with certain measures in place, such as bans on mass gatherings and travel restrictions, it could be possible to relax a population-wide lockdown without resurgence of the virus. A chart from Imperial College shows their model for expected number of critical care beds occupied over surge capacity under various scenarios in the UK This graph shows the US's trajectory, in hot pink, and how it relates to Italy, green, and China, black, as opposed to South Korea and Japan which were able to stunt the virus This graph illustrates how America's states coronavirus cases relate to the scale of the outbreak in Italy. New York has surpassed Italy's growth rate as has Washington The Imperial College authors did not immediately respond to an inquiry from DailyMail.com, but in their study, they did argue that it is too early to tell whether China has successfully contained the spread of coronavirus. They write: '[W]hile experience in China and now South Korea show that suppression is possible in the short term, it remains to be seen whether it is possible long-term, and whether the social and economic costs of the interventions adopted thus far can be reduced.' While the academics disagree about the steps that may be necessary to end the pandemic, none of them argue for taking the situation lightly. Both sides agree that without intervention, the loss of life and human suffering would be enormous, with hospitals becoming overwhelmed by critical patients. The Imperial College study estimated that 2.2 million Americans would die without the imposition of mitigation strategies, such as social distancing. The NECSI authors also urged authorities to 'go all out' with mitigation strategies, but to be prepared to fine-tune them in time rather than trying to statistically model their effects ahead of time. 'Since the exponential decay is highly sensitive to the interventions made by both government and social action, simulating their effects is less helpful than the advice to "go all out" and refine the effort over time with improved tracing, testing, and other protocols,' write the NECSI authors. The San Antonio Current laid off 10 employees Wednesday in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The publication said the temporary cuts were spread across departments including sales, production, editorial and events. The remaining employees will take a pay cut and cover multiple roles. "This is absolutely brutal the worst-case scenario. Never in our wildest dreams did we anticipate this, and we are heartbroken to have to let go of these hardworking and talented people," publisher Michael Wagner said. "My hope is that in the very near future, we can go back to business as usual. "Until then, our very small but scrappy staff remains committed to San Antonio, our advertisers and to delivering journalism for the city we love." In a statement, the Current which publishes a free weekly magazine said that 100 percent of its revenue comes from San Antonians being able to gather in public. The publication hosts a number of events and festivals. A majority of the Current's advertisers are ceasing operation as quarantine measures go into effect, the statement said. The publication did not offer a timeline for when it would bring back the laid-off employees. The alternative media company, founded in 1986, works out of a brightly-colored downtown office at 915 Dallas St. The Current noted the city of San Antonio will need information during the pandemic and the economic crisis it has caused. The magazine asked supporters for donations to keep the news source in operation. "Its a hell of a time for everyone, but we're up for the challenge and are grateful, dear reader, for your loyalty and support," the Current said. 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 The Luxembourg army has begun increasing capacity by setting up more beds in tents outside Ettelbruck hospital on Wednesday. The aim is to increase capacity at hospitals now that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Luxembourg skyrocketed to 203 Wednesday morning. Follow here for all the latest national and international developments. Millions of people around the world are now experiencing a total lockdown in an attempt to reduce and mitigate the spread of coronavirus pandemic. The implementation of lockdowns around the world depends on how severe is the effect of the virus. They based it on the number of cases who are confirmed positive for the virus, persons who are still observed, and the number of the death toll. In the past 24 hours, many countries have already declared nationwide lockdown following the declaration of Italy and Spain which were totally devastated and hit so fast by the virus. However, many are still confused about the declaration of "lockdowns" around the world. The word may seem easy to understand but the policies and fines that are embedded in the word are still not clear for everyone. Different government is taking different approaches on how to implement lockdown. There are many questions about it like if one country shuts down a school, can parents send their children to another school in other countries? And why some other countries are just advising non-essential travels while other countries are totally banning it either international or domestic flights. In a recently published article, Spain and Italy have implemented a total lockdown. Their government has ordered its people to stay at home and are only allowed to go out for some essential matters like buying medicine, visiting a doctor, buying groceries but as much as possible food should be ordered online. Restaurants were also shut down and are only allowed to open to deliver food but are not allowed dine-in customers. They also imposed fines for those who will not follow the said restrictions. Spain and Italy are very stringent in implementing lockdowns but some countries are not as strict as the two countries. An example of this is in the United Kingdom, where people were advised to stop all non-essential contact and avoid all unnecessary travels. The announcement of the Prime Minister in the United Kingdom was criticized because it seems that the government is just too relax amidst the impacts and effects of coronavirus pandemic. In fact, a new study from experts at Imperial College in London found out that the lax restrictions in implementing lockdown could have devastating effects in the country. For United Kingdom's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, even though it is already expected that being lax in implementing lockdown could have devastating effects in the country, still he will not shut down schools, not enforce new guidelines with corresponding fines, or even legal threats. He believed that the UK is "a mature and grown-up democracy where people understand the advice being given to them." The statement of the Prime Minister was immediately questioned and criticized because there were British tourists in Spain in a recorded who ignored police orders to stay in their hotels. Instead, they roam around as if nothing is happening. France has its own way also in cracking down the spread of the virus. The government has deployed 100,000 police officers to strictly implement the total lockdown in the country. The French government warned its citizens that if they plan to leave their homes, they have to justify it. French Interior Minister Christopher Castaner said: "To do this, each person, for each movement, will need to take a document, stating on their honor, the reason for their movement." The French government also advised its citizens to provide some proof like professional cards and certificates from their employers. However, the implementation of lockdown in the United States is quite confusing. Even though the government has released new guidelines like avoiding gathering of more than 10 people, eating in restaurants, and the practice of social distancing, it seems that other states are taking different ways of implementing it. Six counties in the Bay Area have already implemented and set strict guidelines for implementing lockdown. They call the policy "shelter in place" where people are mandated to stay at home unless it is necessary for them to go out. However, after the advice and warnings from Pres. Trump and CDC, many college students and tourists visited Clearwater Beach in Florida last weekend. It was observed that every state in the country is doing different things in implementing lockdown which confused its people. Moreover, countries in Southeast Asia, like Malaysia and the Philippines, have implemented travel restrictions to mitigate the spread of the virus. Check these out! The Battle for Life Between Italy's Old and Young President Trump Announces Strict Guidelines to Combat COVID-19 San Francisco Mayor Orders Residents to Stay at Home for 3 Weeks! Beach Goers in Florida Ignore COVID-19 Precautions J. Scott Park | MLive.com A Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Burger at Rookie's Burger Bar in Jackson. Don't Edit By John Gonzalez | gonzo@mlive.com and Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com JACKSON, MI -- It's Day 3 for many of us who are working from home, dealing with kids who home from school or just navigating life -- like parents, grandparents, neighbors and missing co-workers. It's just another day of life of the coronavirus Covid-19. Well, the Team Michigan's Best remains in contact with restaurant owners, managers and employees who are dealing with the decision to close while we await the latest developments. Some have decided to close and wait it out. Others are staying open to offer take out, delivery or a combination of both. RELATED: Michigan's governor orders all bars, restaurants, entertainment venues, more to close amid coronavirus outbreak As you know, we were on the tail end of our search for Michigan's Best Burger. We remain dedicated to keep up the search, but in a very different way. Hang with us as we all get through this together. As we all try to figure out how to be safe and still support the restaurant industry, we have checked in with some of our recent stops and nominees for Michigan's Best Burger to see what they are offering loyal customers. Special thanks to Michigan's Best Burger search sponsor, the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau. Get up to the minute coverage of the coronavirus in Michigan here. Don't Edit J. Scott Park | MLive.com The Michigan's Best Team of John Gonzalez and Amy Sherman try burgers at Albion Malleable Brewing Company. (Friday, March 6, 2020) Don't Edit Jackson area Let's take a look at what some nominees of the Michigan's Best Burger search have planned. If you're a restaurant owner or manager and you're not on this list, please email us: gonzo@mlive.com or asherma2@mlive.com Please email all the pertinent information and link to your website and Facebook page. Name, address, phone number, what's available, hours, etc. Also, please share this post so we can help these local business owners, families and neighbors. Oh, and we're working on more lists: Where you can still get some of Michigans Best Burgers in Flint 10 great burgers in Grand Rapids to pick up while enduring the coronavirus outbreak Some of Michigans Best Burgers in Muskegon and the lakeshore are available for take-out Don't Edit J. Scott Park | MLive.com The Superior Street BBQ burger at Albion Malleable Brewing Company. (Friday, March 6, 2020). Don't Edit Don't Edit Albion Malleable Brewing Company 420 S. Superior St Albion, Michigan 49224 (517) 343-2202 Facebook Malleable opened in 2018, and has been making a name for itself, and making what sounds like pretty great burgers ever since. They want you to call them at 517-343-2202 to order your favorite burgers and fries to go! (Hand-cut fries that would rival anyone in out Top 10 of Michigan's Best Fries, we might add.) The new carryout service hours are Noon - 8 p.m. daily. Check out the website for current menu options at www.albionmalleable.com/menu See the photos from our recent stop: Albion Malleable Brewing Company in the search for Michigan's Best Burger Reader shout outs: -Malleable Brewing Company, Albion. I nominate Albion Malleable Brewing Company for best burger...fresh, finest of ingredients, combo of flavors. -Malleable Brewing Company, Albion. Please consider Albion Malleable Brewing in downtown Albion! The burger blend is house ground sirloin, chuck, and brisket, served on a Michigan baked bun with fresh toppings. The most popular is our house burger with lettuce, pickle and an insanely popular homemade special sauce that our customers love to put on EVERYTHING! Personally my favorite is the Jolly Roger, topped with fire roasted poblano, bacon, cheese and jalapeno honey mustard. But everything from our olive burger to unique take on a mushroom burger (Parmesan cheese skirt, bacon, mushrooms, arugula and garlic aioli) is fantastic. Don't Edit Give us a call at 517-343-2202 and order your favorite burgers and fries to go! Our new carryout service hours are... Posted by Albion Malleable Brewing Company on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 Don't Edit Schlenkers Sandwich Shop 1104 E Ganson St, Jackson, MI 49201 517-783-1667 Facebook Schlenker's has been a long time favorite in Jackson, and in 2018 got a new set of owners, Nick and Tina Fuller. The couple have made a few tweaks to their incredible popular burger, but have kept most of the original recipe the same, just like it's been since 1927. Schlenkers was a top ten finisher during the burger search in 2013. Currently it is open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, and from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturdays. But they may close earlier if business is slow. On Tuesday they had to close at 5 p.m. "We're open for take-out, but people just don't want to go anywhere," said Tina Fuller on Wednesday morning. Typically she sells 60-70 pounds of beef on a Tuesday. On March 17 she sold about 30 pounds. "Yeah, that's how slow it is." Photos from our recent stop: Schlenker's Sandwich Shop in search for Michigan's Best Burger Don't Edit J. Scott Park | MLive.com A single cheeseburger at Schlenker's Sandwich Shop in Jackson. (Friday, March 6, 2020.) Burgers come with its signature "Everything Sauce," a mixture of mustard, sweet relish and onions. Don't Edit Status update until further notice Posted by Schlenkers-Fuller on Monday, March 16, 2020 Don't Edit Don't Edit Rookies Burger Bar 1910 S. Cooper street Jackson, Michigan 49203 517-795-1286 Facebook Known for their stuffed burgers, this might be a good time to check them out because it takes time to make one of their gargantuan burgers. We tried calling a few times on Wednesday morning to see if they had updates, and they did not answer. So please trying calling yourself or stop by. This Jackson spot rebranded from Rookies Sports Bar to Rookies Burger Bar in 2018. See the photos from our recent stop: Rookie's Burger Bar in the search for Michigan's Best Burger Reader shout out: -Rookie's Burger Bar, Jackson. The best burger I've had from anywhere around!!!!! They use all fresh ground beef from a local meat market, never frozen. Personally hand crafted, stuffed, 1# burger is the best around and it's unique, personally created by Rodney Tripp, owner/master chef. This is a must on your list of places to stop!!! Don't Edit J. Scott Park | MLive.com A cheesburger at Rookie's Burger Bar in Jackson. (Friday, March 6, 2020.) Don't Edit Don't Edit West Point Lounge 1712 Spring Arbor Rd, Jackson, MI 49203 517-784-3602 Facebook On our search for Michigan's Best Burger in 2013, West Point has been a local favorite and dates back to 1932. Current owner Joe Lammers is a third-generation owner. It's known for its classic sirloin burger, which is sourced fresh daily. The restaurant plans to open at 11 a.m. daily for take-out, but will close early if business is slow. Closed Sundays. See the complete menu here. Don't Edit Don't Edit Don't Edit Greystone Tavern 1008 Lansing Ave, Jackson, MI 49202 517-789-6050 Facebook Another popular burger joint in Jackson, Greystone is offering delivery this week: * $5 flat delivery fee * $20 min. orders They also are offering curbside pick-up. Hours are 11 a.m.-7 p.m. See the menu here. Don't Edit Don't Edit Don't Edit Wooden Nickel II 1029 Jackson St, Dansville, MI 48819 517-623-6960 Facebook Hours are 11 a.m.-8 p.m. daily; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Owner Ryan Carter is determined to keep things "rolling" for his staff, and for his community. He is offering take-out and delivery for an 11-mile radius ($5 fee). "We've had great community support and we believe we will grow as the word gets out that we're open during this time," he said. "We'll make it through this." A nominee for Michigan's Best Burger (they finished 6th in the voting), Carter said they use 1/2 pound patties and a custom, all-Michigan beef blend. Several burgers are on the menu, as well as Vegan, house-made Black Bean Burger, and Olive Burger. The most popular is the Aggie Burger, which is topped with bacon, lettuce, tomato, onions, mushrooms, and American and Swiss cheese. Carter said they are hoping to offer breakfast on the weekends, and there will be a Fish Fry on Fridays with Blue Gill and Cod. Don't Edit We want to thank everyone for the support! During this difficult time we are following the recommendations of the CDC... Posted by Wooden Nickel II on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 Don't Edit Don't Edit UPDATE Grand River Brewery - Jackson and Grand River Brewery - Marshall About 2:30 p.m. March 18. From their website: After much deliberation, we have decided to cease operations altogether during this time. Our top priority right now is ensuring our staff and customers still have a place to come back to when we're past this. We look forward to raising a glass with you all when it's safe for restaurants to return to normal operations. Thank you for your support and understanding. Don't Edit UPDATE: After much deliberation, we have decided to cease operations altogether during this time. Our top priority... Posted by Grand River Brewery - Marshall on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 Don't Edit University Lanes - Splitters Classic Grill 16653 E Michigan Ave, Albion, MI 49224 517-343-2005 Hours are 4-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Facebook University Lanes Bowling Facility, Bar, and Dine in for our restaurant will be closed, but Splitters Classic Grill, will be open for delivery and curb service. Don't Edit Open Tuesday thru Saturday from 4pm till 9pm. Delivery and curb side pick up only. Posted by Splitters Classic Grill on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 Don't Edit Oak Tree Lounge 617 Oak St, Jackson, MI 49201 517-783-5823 Facebook One of our favorite stops in 2019 for Michigan's Best Chili, Oak Tree Lounge remains open for take-out from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Closed Sundays. It has several 1/2 pound burgers on the menu, including a Vegetarian burger and The Mighty Mike, which is topped with olives and bleu cheese crumbles. Don't forget the chili. The white chicken chili is on every Friday, and is their biggest seller. See the Oak Tree menu here. Don't Edit Don't Edit J. Scott Park | MLive.com White chili is served at the Oak Tree Lounge. Don't Edit Don't Edit Missy's Little Grass Shack 100 E Michigan Ave, Grass Lake Charter Twp, MI 49240 517-522-9949 Facebook missysgrassshack.com Like a lot of Michigan restaurants, Missy's kept the St. Patrick's Day traditions alive and well, considering the circumstances, offering corned beef and cabbage dinners. Now it's back to delicious burgers and specials which will be updated on Facebook. The plan is to remain open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday. We reached out to owner Missy Shelhart this morning to inquire about their best-selling burgers. She just got back to us: "Sorry, I was busy cooking at noon. All my burgers are popular (and) my daily specials are very good. Just go on the website and look and everything is posted. Wednesday is a mystery day; I never know what I'm gonna make. My Thursday day is Coney day and Friday fish fry. Order the 'shack burgers' that's why we're called the shack." Don't Edit Don't Edit Here's to You Pub & Grub 45 North St, Hillsdale, MI 49242 517-465-0315 Facebook More info: herestoyoupubngrub.com On our search for Michigan's Best Fries, Here's to You won us over with some incredible chili cheese fries, and its love for Michigan craft beer. Today they remain open for take-out and delivery. They have an extensive menu, especially when it comes to specialty burgers. The Clogger, for example, comes with Pepperjack cheese and coney sauce (a match made in heaven!), especially for Gonzo. (See menu here.) These are 4 of the best chili cheese fries in Michigan Amy said about the chili cheese fries: "The chili here is house made, and is a coney style version, with nice notes of cinnamon and other spices, and a lovely hum of heat. These fries get the double dose of nacho cheese sauce and shredded cheese, which is my new preferred method for cheese fries. The whole mess comes together perfectly, into the most wonderful basket of awesomeness ever." Don't Edit Don't Edit Amy Sherman | asherma2@mlive.com Don't Edit We will be open for dine in business until 3pm serving Green Beer and our normal bar fare! Until this Emergency is... Posted by Here's to You Pub & Grub on Monday, March 16, 2020 Don't Edit The Crazy Cowboy 215 S Mechanic St, Jackson, MI 49201 517-817-1910 Facebook thecrazycowboy.com Our friends at the Crazy Cowboy, known for its Tex-Mex offerings and those saddle seats, is offering delivery and take-out for a limited time, and will take things "day by day." Hours are currently 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The entire menu is available, including pepper jack cheese balls, cheese curds and burgers, of course. The Crazy Cowboy features 100% Angus beef and a "build your own" burger menu with plenty of options. Customers will get free small chips and salsa with any order over $25. See the menu here. Don't Edit We are open for togo/ delivery orders today 11-3pm! We have the entire menu available! We also have pepper jack cheese... Posted by The Crazy Cowboy on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 Don't Edit Phat Manz 12226 Seymour Rd., Grass Lake, MI 49240 517-522-8980 Facebook A great burger in a party store? Owner Ron Nichols has been open for more than a year now and is one of the highest-rated restaurants on Google and Facebook ,in the area. He said he has two top selling burgers, the Phatapeno Popper Burger, which is a stuffed burger stuffed with jalapenos cream cheese, and Bacon and the Olive Burger, which is also stuffed (with green olives Swiss Cheese and topped with a homemade olive sauce). He is open for take-out. Hours are 11 a.m-8 p.m. Monday- Saturday and noon-8 p.m. Sunday. Pizza is also on the menu, Don't Edit Don't Edit Don't Edit J. Scott Park | MLive.com Don't Edit Read about more take-out Burgers: Where you can still get some of Michigans Best Burgers in Flint It's Take-Out time! 11 burgers not to miss in the Kalamazoo area Some of Michigans Best Burgers in Muskegon and the lakeshore are available for take-out 10 great burgers in Grand Rapids to pick up while enduring the coronavirus outbreak Don't Edit John Gonzalez | gonzo@mlive.com Don't Edit More Michigan's Best Burger coverage: Michigan's Best Burgers may be at this sweet little spot on the lakeshore. This Muskegon favorite is a finalist for Michigan's Best Burger Is Michigan's Best Burger at this whiskey and arcade bar in Grand Rapids? See photos from search for Michigan's Best Burger in Jackson area Why the Bear Supreme is in the running for Michigans Best Burger See photos from the search for Michigans Best Burger in Kalamazoo Is Michigans Best Burger topped with bacon jam? Is Michigans Best Burger a secret menu item at the Wayland Hotel & Bar? Muskegon, Shelby make list for todays Michigans Best Burger search See first 3 stops on Michigans Best Burger search See our first 12 finalists for Michigans Best Burger Don't Edit Don't Edit J. Scott Park | MLive.com Don't Edit Follow us on social media: @mlivemibest on Twitter @mlivemibest on Instagram Also, be sure to follow our MI Best Facebook Page, which you can check out here. Join in by using the hashtags #mibest, #bestburger and #ItriedMiBest In addition: Amy Sherman is on Twitter @amyonthetrail, as well as Facebook and Instagram @amyonthetrail. John Gonzalez is on Twitter @michigangonzo, as well as Facebook and Instagram @MichiganGonzo. The Indian Army reported its first case of coronavirus after a 34-year-old soldier of Ladakh Scout regiment tested positive for the COVID-19, prompting the force to strengthen its check and prevention mechanism and suspend war games and training activities, as the total number of cases rose to 151 in the country on Wednesday. Meanwhile, in a written reply in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said the total number of Indians infected by coronavirus abroad is 276 -- 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE, five in Italy, and one each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda and Sri Lanka. Incidentally, Muraleedharan on Tuesday announced that he has quarantined himself at his residence in the national capital as a precautionary measure after a medical institute he had visited recently in south India reported a COVID-19 case. Though, he had tested negative for the infection. A 34-year-old soldier from the Ladakh Scout regiment tested positive for the infection, army sources said, adding the soldier, a resident of Chuhot village in Leh, came in contact with his father, who had returned from a pilgrimage in Iran by an Air India flight on February 20 and tested positive for COVID-19. The soldier was on leave from February 25 and rejoined duty on March 2, sources said, adding he was quarantined on March 7 and tested positive on March 16. Even the soldier's brother has tested positive, sources said. While there were 14 fresh cases of coronavirus cases reported since Tuesday, the first case in the armed forces prompted the army to further strengthen its check and prevention mechanism by taking additional steps, including checking soldiers for flu symptoms on their return from leave, and cancelling non-essential travel and conferences. The army also announced suspension of wargames, conferences and training activities. The total tally of 151 include 25 foreign nationals and the three persons who died after getting the infection, which has killed 7,500 people globally and infected nearly 200,000 others. Union health minister Harsh Vardhan directed teams to visit quarantine facilities to assess and monitor amenities as the ministry maintained that over 5,700 people, who had come in contact with these positive cases, are under rigorous surveillance. According to the ministry's data, 14 people have been discharged so far, including the three patients from Kerala who were discharged last month. Meanwhile, several opted for self-quarantine as a matter of precaution, including former Union minister and BJP MP Suresh Prabhu, who quarantined himself at his residence for the next 14 days after he returned from Saudi Arabia despite testing negative for the infection. An Army officer attached to the College of Military Engineering in Pune was asked to self-quarantine after he showed symptoms of flu, sources say. Giving the details of Indians in Iran, one of the worst affected countries by coronavirus, Muraleedharan in his written reply said the nationals include about 1,100 pilgrims mainly from Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir and Maharashtra. There are also nearly 300 students primarily from J&K, about 1,000 fishermen, including from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, and others who are on a long-term stay in Iran for pursuing their livelihood and religious studies, he added. Asked about steps take by the Centre to help Indians stranded in Iran due to the coronavirus outbreak, Muraleedharan said the government has made focussed efforts for the safe return of Indians from that country. A team of six Indian health officials has been deputed to Iran in order to set up testing and sampling facilities there, he said. Muraleedharan said 1,706 samples have been taken, including from pilgrims, students and other Indians stranded in Iran. These are tested at medical facilities including the National Institute of Virology, Pune, he said. As of March 16, 389 Indians, including 205 pilgrims and 183 students, have been repatriated in four batches on board special flights of the Indian Air Force and Iranian airlines, he said. In a bid to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the National Restaurant Association of India asks all members to shut down restaurants till March 31 or till such time when no new cases are reported. With schools across several states closed, the Supreme Court took suo motu cognizanse of the non-availability of mid-day meals and issued notices to the states and union territories asking them how children were being provided mid-day meals amid the shut down. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dublin, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "3D Bioprinting Market - Growth, Trends and Forecasts (2020 - 2025)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global 3D Bioprinting Market (henceforth referred to as the market studied) was valued at USD 586.13 million in 2019 and is expected to reach USD 1,949.94 million by 2025, registering a CAGR of 21.91%, during the period of 2020-2025. The market is expected to experience growth, owing to its revolutionary breakthrough in healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. 3D bioprinting is an emerging field represented by various biologically applied deposition and assembling systems, which include direct writing, photolithography, microstamping, extrusion, laser writing, stereolithography, electro-printing, microfluidics, and inkjet deposition. Healthcare is one of the major markets where 3D bioprinting is bringing a seismic change. This is majorly because of the increasing investments in healthcare applications, such as model and organ prototyping and production throughout the globe, and growing innovations in healthcare through 3D printing. The primarily growing bioprinting applications include 3D bioprinted tissue and hair follicles, as they are very beneficial to cosmetics companies, especially in Europe, where animal testing for cosmetics was banned in 2013. For a cosmetic company, the advantage will be the ability to economically and ethically test products (i.e., not on animals) across varying skin types, for more accurate results. Several companies are undergoing extensive R&D expenditures to boost the market growth by making significant product developments and innovations. For instance, Organovo, a medical laboratory and research company, has been at the front of the R&D of 3D bioprinting in the country. The market is viewing strategic partnerships and collaborations as a lucrative path towards the expansion of the market presence, by leveraging the various skills and expertise of the other players in the market. For instance, in December 2019, CELLINK, a Swedish 3D bioprinter manufacturer collaborated with microgravity manufacturer, Made In Space., with the aim to identify 3D bioprinting development opportunities for the International Space Station (ISS). Market Trends Drug Testing to Hold Major Share 3D bioprinters are of the highest importance for drug testing and clinical trial applications expected to drastically reduce the need for animal trials (therefore not only being ethically beneficial but also being cost-effective). Traditionally, clinical trials for new drug development involved testing on animals with artificially induced affected tissues. With the advent of 3D bioprinting, drug developers will be able to address the complications associated with human clinical trials of new drugs, by identifying them in a short period (since these can be tested with human-like 3D printed tissues). Thus, they are expected to reduce the losses incurred during late-stage failures. The regulatory agency of the United States Food and Drug Administration has already started to consider integrating alternatives for drug safety and efficacy assessment, providing a scope for the market. Companies like Organovo (US based) were instrumental in the development of 3D bioprinter able to develop liver and kidney tissue for drug discovery applications. In April 2019, NIBIB-funded researchers at the University of Minnesota (UMN) created a new, dynamic 3D Bioprinted tumor model in a laboratory dish to screen anticancer drugs and study the spread of cancer and primary site tumor growth. Asia-Pacific Anticipated to Witness the Fastest Growth Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing market for 3D bioprinting, mainly due to a strong existing consumer base that will drive demand for 3D bioprinting, huge scope of 3D printing in medical services, increasing R&D for 3D printing, and government support and tax incentives. The Chinese researchers have made rapid advancements in 3D-bioprinting technology, such as Liquid-in-liquid printing method. This method involves liquid polymers that create a stable membrane where they meet. The resulting liquid structures, as they claim, can hold their shape for as long as 10 days, before they begin to merge. Using this new technique, they were able to print an assortment of complex shapes. This is further leading the path to print complex 3D-printed tissues made, by including living cells. The Japanese government estimates that the regenerative medicine industry is presumed to grow to JPY 1 trillion by 2030, the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) expects that emerging and innovative technologies, such as 3D bioprinting, will lead the market in near future. In July 2019, the Government of India (GoI) also agreed to collaborate with the United States in the research and development of 3D bioprinting regenerative medicine. This co-operation involves the exchange of faculty members and students for the exchange of scientific ideas/information and technologies, as well as the joint use of scientific infrastructure for research, especially in the areas of 3D bioprinting. The Government of South Korea announced plans to invest about USD 37 million to boost the development of 3D printing across the country. The country's Ministry of Science announced plans to spend a considerable portion of its budget on a plethora of 3D applications, in order to strengthen its competitiveness and ability to meet the demand. Competitive Landscape The 3D bioprinting market is highly competitive and consists of several major players. In terms of market share, few of the major players currently dominate the market. These major players with a prominent share in the market are focusing on expanding their customer base across foreign countries. These companies are leveraging strategic collaborative initiatives to increase their market share and increase their profitability. Recent Developments In January 2020, 3D Systems and CollPlant Biotechnologies announced a joint development agreement to play a pivotal role in advancing and accelerating innovations in the biomedical industry. This alliance will be focusing on the development of regenerative medicines with the help of 3D bioprinting. In September 2020, CELLINK launched its newly developed BIO X6, which is a six-printhead bioprinting system that allows the combination of various materials, tools, and cells. It also offers an intelligent exchangeable printhead system backed by CELLINK's patented Clean Chamber Technology. This product will help to enhance advanced research and clinical applications. Key Topics Covered 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Study Assumptions and Market Definition 1.2 Scope of the Study 2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 MARKET INSIGHTS 4.1 Market Overview 4.2 Industry Attractiveness - Porter's Five Forces Analysis 4.2.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers 4.2.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers/Consumers 4.2.3 Threat of New Entrants 4.2.4 Threat of Substitute Products 4.2.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry 4.3 Industry Value Chain Analysis 5 MARKET DYNAMICS 5.1 Market Drivers 5.1.1 Increasing Geriatric Population 5.1.3 Increasing Investments in R&D 5.2 Market Restraints 5.2.1 Operational Challenges 6 MARKET SEGMENTATION 6.1 By Technology 6.1.1 Syringe/Extrusion Bioprinting 6.1.2 Inkjet Bioprinting 6.1.3 Magnetic Levitation Bioprinting 6.1.4 Laser-assisted Bioprinting 6.1.5 Other Technologies 6.2 By Component 6.2.1 3D Bioprinters 6.2.2 Biomaterials 6.2.3 Scaffolds 6.3 By Application 6.3.1 Drug Testing & Development 6.3.2 Regenerative Medicine 6.3.3 Food Testing 6.3.4 Research 6.3.5 Other Applications 6.4 Geography 6.4.1 North America 6.4.2 Europe 6.4.3 Asia-Pacific 6.4.4 Rest of the World 7 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE 7.1 Company Profiles 7.1.1 3D Systems Corporation 7.1.2 Aspect Biosystems Ltd. 7.1.3 GeSIM GmbH 7.1.4 Allevi Inc. 7.1.5 Cyfuse Biomedical KK 7.1.6 Envision TEC GmbH 7.1.7 Organovo Holdings Inc. 7.1.8 RegenHU S.A. 7.1.9 Stratasys Ltd. 7.1.10 REGEMAT 3D 7.1.11 3D Bioprinting Solutions 7.1.12 Arcam AB (GE Company) 8 INVESTMENT ANALYSIS 9 FUTURE OF THE MARKET For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/t6fop Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. The disparities across the country set the U.S. response apart from that of nations that have moved in a unified way to try to tamp down outbreaks. The gaps are increasingly drawing the ire of state and local officials who have acted decisively to halt the spread, but worry that their efforts will be for naught if their neighbors dont follow suit and if Washington doesnt act more proactively to set the tone. Egypt's security forces have reportedly arrested the Man Booker-shortlisted novelist Ahdaf Soueif and three other women after they took part in a protest demanding the release of prisoners over fears of a coronavirus outbreak in the countrys overcrowded jails. According to the reports, Soueif, her sister Laila Soueif, activist Mona Seif and political science professor Rabab El-Mahdi held a small scale protest in central Cairo on the afternoon of March 18. Mona reportedly said in a Facebook live video that they were in front of the cabinet and demanded the state to take precautionary measures regarding coronavirus in prisons, adding that Egypt's prisons are clusters for diseases. READ: Egypt Locks Down Major Red Sea Tourist Resort Authorities must end over-crowding in prisons & detention centres to limit potential spread of @Covid. Laila Soueif letter to Prosecutor-General: decision is your responsibility & you will be held accountablehttps://t.co/Zd1XkmFjrn#_ #_ #___ Ahdaf Soueif (@asoueif) March 17, 2020 Increasing concerns in Egyptian jails According to the international media reports, there have been increasing concerns among the supporters of jailed software developer Abd El Fattah about the conditions of Egyptian jails where human rights watchdogs have frequently warned about overcrowding and lack of hygiene. As per the reports, the prisons have been shuttered for over two weeks now and the families have had no contact at all with the prisoners and they are increasingly nervous. READ: Coronavirus Outbreak: UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia Pledge $46 Bn To Tackle Economic Impacts Mona Seif wrote on Twitter, "Mama I sent a letter to the Attorney General regarding the measures he needs to take to reduce the number of detainees in prisons to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Such a decision is your responsibility, which you will be asked about if you fail to bear it. God forbid, the disaster happened." Meanwhile, Egypt's presidential spokesperson, Bassam Rady has said on his official Facebook page that the Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has called for $6.7 billion funds in order to finance a state plan. However, the source of this fund has not been mentioned by Rady, while also announced that schools and universities will be suspended for two weeks starting from March 15. READ: Johnson County Says Virus Hasnt Spread Since Egypt Cruise READ: Death Toll At 18 As Egypt Storms, Flooding Enter 2nd Day (Pic Credit: AP) Alabama lawmakers know the coronavirus pandemic will slow the flow of tax dollars that support education, prisons, and other state programs, but they dont know the extent or how soon the slowdown will have an effect. Legislators said theyre not expecting enough of a drop-off to force cuts in this years budget, which extends until Sept. 30. But theres plenty of uncertainty about the longer-term outlook. I think its too early to tell right now other than that it cant be good, Rep. Steve Clouse, R-Ozark, the House General Fund budget chairman, said. So weve got to try to analyze this over the next three to four weeks at least, maybe a little bit longer than that to see what kind of direction our tax revenues are going. Legislators are scheduled to return from spring break to resume the session March 31, although its possible they could extend the break because of the pandemic. The legislative session must end by May 18 because of a 15-week limit set in the state Constitution. Clouse said the possibility of a delay in resuming the session because of the pandemic and the need to evaluate the slowdown in tax revenues raises the possibility that legislators wont be able to pass the budgets during the session. That would require them to return this summer in a special session. Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, chair of the education budget committee in the Senate, said he believes lawmakers will pass the budgets during the regular session. But Orr said its too soon to say how much the pandemic will force an adjustment in state finances next year. It will certainly be adverse, Orr said. But weve been ahead of projections. So, I think right now were still comfortable where we are. But it all depends on how long the new reality will go forward. Orr said numbers from the legislative fiscal office show that tax revenues that support the education budget are up 8% this fiscal year over the previous year. That provides some cushion that could help offset an anticipated slowdown in revenues. The state is roughly halfway through the fiscal year. Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Range, said the state has some time to adjust its budgets because of a slowdown caused by the pandemic. It still looks like were going to be fine this year and even in 2021, Albritton said. Its too early to tell but we dont foresee a complete shellacking here. Were going to have an effect. We know its going to be negative. We just dont know how much. But there is not a panic going on at all. Here are our live updates on the public health crisis in Alabama. You can find all of our coronavirus stories here. A person under coronavirus lockdown in Spain was stopped by police after trying to leave their home dressed as a Tyrannosaurus rex. Spanish police were prompted to issue a statement urging citizens to remain indoors after person donning a dinosaur costume was seen roaming the streets in the south-eastern city of Murcia. It comes after Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez imposed a 15-day state of emergency that has restricted free movement besides essential trips. The Murcia Police department posted footage of the unidentified person in the T-rex outfit being stopped by officers enforcing the Government's stringent restrictions. While walking pets is still allowed, the police noted on social media that dinosaurs are not included under this exemption. Alongside the footage edited to include the Jurassic Park theme tune, Murcia Police wrote: "During the state of emergency, walking of pets is allowed if accompanied by one person, always short walks so they can relieve themselves. "Having a Tyrannosaurus rex is not covered. #stayathome." The post quickly racked up tens of thousands of shares and likes on the platform. A person in a dinosaur costume makes a break for it in Spain / Murcia Police Officers did not provide further detail of why the citizen was wearing a dinosaur outfit on Murcia's streets or who they were. However, many commenters suggested that it may have been the unidentified person's attempt to shield themselves from the virus. Murcia Police later published more footage of someone in the same dinosaur outfit shuffling slowly along the road with a rubbish bag, throwing it into a large bin and running back down the street. Murcia Police also wrote: "Remember that you can go outside during the ESSENTIAL TIME so that our pet meets his needs and do not forget to collect their droppings. "Do not use your pet as an excuse to break the rules." The tweets appeared to come as some light-hearted relief in the country which has so far seen nearly 14,000 cases and 623 deaths. Pune, March 18 : A woman with history of travel to France and The Netherlands has tested positive for Coronavirus, taking the state total cases to 42, here on Wednesday. The woman had been isolated since past few days and her test reports came positive today, said an official. She is currently undergoing treatment in the Naidu Hospital here and her condition is described as 'stable'. COVID-19 claimed it's first victim in the state on Tuesday when a 63-year-old man One person with a history of travel to Dubai, passed away in Mumbai's Kasturba Hospital. However, his wife and son who also tested positive are currently under treatment in the se hospital. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Washington Joe Biden swept to victory in Arizona, Florida and Illinois on Tuesday, increasingly pulling away with a Democratic presidential primary upended by the coronavirus and building pressure on Bernie Sanders to abandon his campaign. The former vice president's third big night in as many weeks came amid tremendous uncertainty confronting the Democratic contest as it collides with efforts to slow the spread of the virus that have shut down large swaths of American life. Polls were shuttered in Ohio, and although balloting went ahead in Florida, Illinois and Arizona, election workers and voters reported problems. Biden's quest for his party's nomination now seems well within reach. He needs less than half of the remaining delegates to become the nominee. The party establishment has also lined up behind him as the best option in November to try and unseat President Donald Trump. Using a livestream to address supporters from his home state of Delaware, Biden seemed ready to move past the primary. He paid tribute to Sanders for advancing key issues like affordable health care and combating climate change. "Sen. 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," he said. "So let me say, especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Sen. Sanders, I hear you. I know what's at stake. I know what we have to do." For his part, Sanders made no immediate move on Tuesday to contact Biden, according to people familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak for the candidates. During remarks early in the night, the Vermont senator said little about the future of the race and instead focused on the coronavirus outbreak. As Biden and Sanders considered their next steps, Trump formally clinched the Republican presidential nomination after facing minimal opposition. But much of the action was on the Democratic side, where higher turnout in some key states suggested enthusiasm that even the coronavirus couldn't contain. Turnout in Florida's Democratic primary was on pace to approach 2 million, surpassing the 1.7 million who cast ballots four years ago. Sanders' path to the nomination is quickly narrowing, and some Democrats are now calling on him to leave the race in the name of party unity. Top advisers have said he's considering whether the political landscape could look different as the virus continues to reshape life across the country. The race, however, increasingly favors Biden. He maintained the strength on Tuesday with African Americans and older voters who have been the hallmark of his campaign. He also appeared to chip away at Sanders' previous advantage with Hispanics that helped him win Nevada and California early in the race. In Florida, Latinos were roughly 20 percent of Democratic primary voters, and they largely sided with Biden. The former vice president received the support of 65 percent of Puerto Rican voters and 56 percent of Cubans, according to AP VoteCast, a broad survey of primary voters. Still, the havoc wreaked by the coronavirus will influence how the presidential contest unfolds. Rallies and other big events have been canceled. Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez urged states with upcoming primaries to expand vote-by-mail and absentee balloting, as well as polling station hours. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "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 statement. But the damage may have already happened. Four states Louisiana, Georgia, Kentucky and Maryland have joined Ohio in moving to push back their upcoming primaries, and others may yet do so. That has left the Democratic primary calendar empty until March 29, when Puerto Rico is scheduled to go to the polls. But island leaders are working to reschedule balloting there, too. That means there is nowhere for Sanders to gain ground on Biden anytime soon, even if he could find a way to mount a sudden surge. At least one of Sanders' top advisers chided party officials for going forward with voting on Tuesday. "The Democratic Party rightly berates the GOP for ignoring scientists' warnings about climate change," David Sirota tweeted. "The same Dem Party just ignored scientists' warnings & pushed to continue in-person elections during a lethal pandemic, rather than delaying until there is vote by mail." There were problems Tuesday. In Illinois, for instance, there was a push to relocate about 50 Chicago-area polling places after locations canceled at the last minute. (Newser) Joe Biden cruised to victory in all three states that held Democratic primaries Tuesdaybut there were no triumphant rallies in Florida, Illinois, and Arizona for him to address. Instead, the former vice president, obeying federal guidance against gatherings of more than 10 people, addressed supporters from his home in Delaware, Politico reports. "We've moved closer to securing the Democratic Partys nomination for president," he said before praising Bernie Sanders and reaching out to his supporters. "I hear you. I know what is at stake. And I know what we have to do," he said. More: Calls for Sanders to drop out. Sanders is now far behind in delegates and a growing number of Democrats are urging him to drop out, though his supporters argue that the coronavirus crisis has made his message on universal health care even more important. Sources tell the Washington Post that Sanders and his wife, Jane, are expected to make a decision together on the future of his campaign. story continues below Huge margins for Biden . Biden won by large margins in all three states, especially Florida, where he took 61.9% of the vote to 22.8% for Sanders, the New York Times reports. It was 59.1% to 36.1% in Illinois. With 88% of votes counted, Biden was leading Sanders in Arizona by 43.6% to 31.6%. So far, Biden has been awarded 249 delegates from Tuesday's votes and Sanders 116, giving Biden 1,147 total delegates to 861 for Sanders. Biden needs 1,991 to secure the nomination. . Biden won by large margins in all three states, especially Florida, where he took 61.9% of the vote to 22.8% for Sanders, the New York Times reports. It was 59.1% to 36.1% in Illinois. With 88% of votes counted, Biden was leading Sanders in Arizona by 43.6% to 31.6%. So far, Biden has been awarded 249 delegates from Tuesday's votes and Sanders 116, giving Biden 1,147 total delegates to 861 for Sanders. Biden needs 1,991 to secure the nomination. Sanders focuses on pandemic . Sanders didn't mention the primaries or the election in an address streamed from Washington, DC, on Tuesday night. Instead, he focused on the coronavirus crisis, listing priorities including $2,000-a-month checks for families. "I look forward to continuing to communicate with you to tell you where we are coming from, what our ideas are, and look forward to hearing from you," he said. . Sanders didn't mention the primaries or the election in an address streamed from Washington, DC, on Tuesday night. Instead, he focused on the coronavirus crisis, listing priorities including $2,000-a-month checks for families. "I look forward to continuing to communicate with you to tell you where we are coming from, what our ideas are, and look forward to hearing from you," he said. The outbreak has hit turnout . The coronavirus outbreak caused a large drop in in-person voting, though records numbers of people in Florida either voted early or mailed in their ballots, the Hill reports. In Illinois, where some polling places were closed at the last minute and officials failed to show up at others, turnout was down an estimated 50% from 2016. . The coronavirus outbreak caused a large drop in in-person voting, though records numbers of people in Florida either voted early or mailed in their ballots, the Hill reports. In Illinois, where some polling places were closed at the last minute and officials failed to show up at others, turnout was down an estimated 50% from 2016. Bad numbers for Bernie. In Illinois, which Sanders almost won in 2016, turnout was low among the young voters he was relying on, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. According to pollsters at NBC, 70% of black voters chose Biden, while 63% of non-college educated whites voted for Biden and 31% chose Sanders. (Read more Election 2020 stories.) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government is deferring tax payments until August, providing a wage subsidy for small business and pausing student loan payments amid the pandemic. Trudeau says government is focused on making sure Canadians have the money they need to support their families, buy groceries and pay the rent. Up to $82 billion Canadian ($56.4 billion) is being spent. The money is about 3% of Canada's gross domestic product. Trudeau says he will provide employers of small businesses with a temporary wage subsidy equal to 10% of salary paid to employees, for three months. He says this will encourage employers to keep staff on the payroll. Trudeau made the announcement outside his residence where he is self isolating after his wife tested positive for coronavirus. He says she is OK but experiencing flu-like symptoms and headaches. The prime minister says he and his three kids are not showing symptoms. As of Wednesday, Canada has 569 known cases of the novel coronavirus, or about 1.5 per 100,000. Search Keywords: Short link: She was left heartbroken on the summer series of the ITV2 dating show. And Amy Hart has revealed that she is still having therapy nine months after her ex half-boyfriend Curtis Pritchard dumped her on Love Island. The former air steward, 27, was left heartbroken over the summer and decided to leave the villa after Curtis ditched her and pursued a romance with now-ex Maura Higgins. Candid: Amy Hart has revealed that she is still having therapy nine months after her ex half-boyfriend Curtis Pritchard dumped her on Love Island Curtis, 24, and Maura, 29, split earlier this month amid claims they had 'rows over her friendship' with married Dancing On Ice partner Alexander Demetriou. Talking about their separation, Amy told The Sun: 'Break ups are hard for everyone and look, I genuinely hope theyre both alright. 'Ive been out of Love Island for nine months and it has been hard. Im still having therapy. Upset: The former air steward, 27, was left heartbroken over the summer and decided to leave the villa after Curtis ditched her and pursued a romance with now-ex Maura Higgins (pictured on the show) Split: Curtis, 24, and Maura, 29, split earlier this month amid claims they had 'rows over her friendship' with married Dancing On Ice partner Alexander Demetriou (pictured on Love Island over the summer) 'People thought what I said on Love Island when I left was scripted but it wasnt, that was me being me. And I know now that I have been true to myself and I am still being true to myself.' It comes after Amy revealed she is taking a break from social media on Wednesday after being sent nasty messages from trolls about her appearance. The Love Island star decided to take the step back after critics took aim at her veneers, with one telling her that her 'pony had better teeth' than her. Amy shared a message on Twitter saying she no longer wanted to read the comments and said that the 'be kind' message only lasted 'two days'. Upsetting: 'Ive been out of Love Island for nine months and it has been hard. Im still having therapy,' Amy told The Sun (pictured with ex Curtis during their break-up on Love Island) Stepping back: It comes after Amy revealed she is taking a break from social media on Wednesday after being sent nasty messages from trolls about her appearance Celebrities and social media users encouraged 'kindness' online in the wake of late Love Island host Caroline Flack's death, after she took her own life last month. Amy wrote on Twitter: 'Well after a day of really positive messages about helping each other and being kind, I think I'm gonna take a break from social media. 'I don't need to read stuff like this everyday. The whole be kind thing literally lasted 2 days. [sic]' Cruel: The Love Island star decided to take the step back after critics took aim at her veneers, with one telling her that her 'pony had better teeth' than her Underneath the message, Amy shared a selection of the comments she had received both underneath her Instagram pictures and private. One message read: 'Those veneers [crying face emoji]' While a reply said: 'Literally the worst I've ever seen. My ponies have better teeth.' Twitter: Underneath the message, Amy shared a selection of the comments she had received both underneath her Instagram pictures and private Comments: One message read: 'Those veneers [crying face emoji] Shocking: Amy has long-suffered abusive messages from trolls regarding her teeth In response to the trolls, Amy said: 'Thanks gals. Actually have 20 veneers/crowns on my teeth, the front 6 are just more prominent as they are bridges as I have teeth that never appeared. Thanks for your comments though. With all the #bekind movement at the moment maybe just keep it to your group chats? (sic)' In November, Amy revealed that she was planning a 100,000 teeth makeover to transform her smile after being trolled for her appearance online. The dental work, which includes crowns and a bone graft, take a total of six months to complete, beginning just a week after she revealed the plans. Full makeover: In November, Amy revealed that she was planning a 100,000 teeth makeover to transform her smile after being trolled for her appearance online (pictured in November) Amy said: 'I'm starting a full teeth makeover next week costing 100k. I'll be having some of the work done at the same time as filming Celebs Go Dating. 'They said they could do it in two weeks and it would be good or it will take six months and it will be perfect so I've decided to do that.' Explaining what work she was planning to transform her smile, Amy said it will involve several treatments including crowns and a bone graft. She said: 'I will be having braces to move my teeth back, I will then be having bone grafts in my gums to put implants in. Then the rest of my mouth will be crowns and veneers. New smile: The dental work, which includes crowns and a bone graft, take a total of six months to complete, beginning just a week after she revealed the plans (pictured in November) 'It is something I have wanted for so long. I had my teeth done when I was 17 but now it is time to have them done properly.' Speaking about receiving abuse online at the time, Amy said that this had gone quiet but then picked up again. She said: 'Trolling abuse had died down lately but it has been really bad again since it was announced I will be on Celebs Go Dating. 'I try not to read it but I would be lying if I say I didn't look sometimes and it didn't hurt.' The star explained how she ended up crying after reading comments during a photoshoot for InTheStyle. Amy said: 'I was shooting along with Yewande, Anna, Fran and Joe which was so nice to be all back together. 'Then the next thing I was crying and my make-up was running everywhere. Anna instantly knew I'd been reading things online and told me to stop. Plea: Amy, who will spend six months having her teeth done during the makeover, has previously posted on social media to ask 'hurtful' trolls to stop criticising her looks 'I'm just an ordinary girl': She lashed out on Instagram in September and admitted she has felt 'insecure' about her smile for years 'You can laugh off the first five horrible comments but I get so much abuse about my appearance. People were commenting saying I was too old for Celebs Go Dating, how I was too ugly to find love, how my teeth were horrible.' In September Amy launched an impassioned plea for 'hurtful' trolls to stop criticising her looks. She lashed out on Instagram, admitting she's felt 'insecure' about her smile for years after receiving numerous comments calling for her to get her teeth 'fixed'. The former air hostess posted a smiling selfie alongside a long caption, writing: 'To everyone who has taken time out of their day to point out my flaws - thank you. 'I have my insecurities': Amy went on to remind her followers that, despite being a television personality, she is just an 'ordinary girl from Worthing whose dreams are coming true' (pictured on Love Island over the summer) 'I know you probably think that the comments you make about my appearance dont get read, well they do - and they hurt. Not just me, but my friends and family, too. 'I've seen so many comments telling me to get my teeth fixed, and they've been heard. Loud and clear. I've actually been unhappy with them for years, but I havent really been in a position to get them sorted out.' Amy went on to remind her followers that, despite being a television personality, she is just an 'ordinary girl from Worthing whose dreams are coming true'. Amy suffered a tumultuous time on Love Island when she was unceremoniously dumped by 'half boyfriend' Curtis, 24, when he developed feelings for other women during the Casa Amor segment of the show. The former British Airways cabin crew member won the heart of the nation when she bowed out of the ITV2 reality series with a dignified speech after being one of the original Islanders. Curtis went on to finish the show in fourth place alongside Irish grid girl Maura Higgins, 29, after they got together following Amy's departure. They split earlier this month. As COVID-19 forces much of America to work from home, the United States Congress whose 535 members have an average age of 60 is still operating from Capitol Hill. Why this population (deemed high-risk to the coronavirus) isn't yet doing legislative business remotely comes down to process, tech and political will. "The House rules and the Senate rules require voting in person. And it would require a change in those rules to do that," California Congressman Eric Swalwell told TechCrunch on a call from his Washington, D.C., office. Swalwell has a plan for Congress to work away from the Hill. He recently reintroduced a resolution with Arkansas Representative Rick Crawford (R-AR) that would allow members to participate virtually in hearings and vote remotely, under special circumstances. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appears to have nixed that option, at least for the near-term, reportedly telling her caucus last week, "We are the captains of the ship. We are last to leave." A priority for Congress is finalizing emergency COVID-19 legislation to provide trillions of dollars in resources to combat the virus and stem the economic havoc it's wreaking across the U.S. Without a rule-change and clear plan for members to legislate and vote outside from Capitol Hill, passing that legislation requires lawmakers be present on the building's floor. Bill Dickinson/Getty Images There are mixed messages on who makes the call for Congress to go to a remote-work scenario and what kind of digital contingency would kick in to perform legislative duties at a distance. In a subsequent scrum to her "last to leave" comments, Pelosi gave an unequivocal "no" to reporters' questions on Congress closing due to COVID-19. But she added, the ultimate call was not hers. "That's a health and security decision up to the Capitol physician [and] Sergeant at Arms," the Speaker said. TechCrunch sought input on the matter from the House Office of the Sergeant at Arms. That inquiry referred us to the Chief Administrative Office, which has not yet responded. Even after the first congressional staffers have tested positive for COVID-19, the majority of Capitol Hill's high-risk members continue to work on-site and in their office buildings. Story continues Representative Swalwell's MOBILE (Members Operating to Be Innovative and Link Everyone) resolution proposes to change that. Hes introduced the measure every year since 2013, but believes it carries extra weight now due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Swalwell reintroduced it again on March 9. MOBILE would "mandate the development of a secure remote voting system which members could use to vote remotely on suspension bills, generally non-controversial bills that require a two-thirds vote to pass," according to a statement on the resolution provided by Swalwell's office. "It's bi-partisan, introduced by me and Representative Rick Crawford from Arkansas and we've had dozens of members join us in support," Swalwell told TechCrunch. "I don't mean to have this substitute us meeting in person," the California Democrat said. But Swalwell believes there needs to be tech provisions in Congress, comparable to contingency plans in the private sector, for members to operate virtually outside of Capitol Hill. Illinois Senator Dick Durbin echoed this on Tuesday, underscoring the need for virtual committee hearings and the ability to vote away from Congress in times of national emergency. As millions of Americans shift from physical work spaces to platforms such as Zoom, Slack or Google Hangouts during the COVID-19 crisis, detail is lacking on the software, apps and security for Congress to operate under a measure such as MOBILE. There's still little in the way of tech in the voting process on Capitol Hill, where the Senate still makes decisions by recording verbal "Yeas" and "Nays" on a tally sheet. "I'm not offering myself as the technical expert," Swalwell said on the implementation of his suggested remote voting and convening resolution. He explained that the House Administration Committee and House Rules Committee would be the subject matter experts to determine how the Congress would secure voting and meetings remotely. Photo by Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images "We have smart members on those committees and capable staffers who could give us a tech solution today...and the solution that we ultimately use down the road," he said. While the business of Congress still remains a present and in-person affair, the body is taking cautionary measures to protect staff. This week several members, including representative Swalwell and West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, instructed employees to work from home. There's more capability for congressional staff, compared to members, to work remotely, according to Frederick Hill, a managing director at FTI Consulting who spent 17 years as a staffer in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. "The technology is in place to support much of the work that goes on in the background at the staff level," Hill told TechCrunch. "They have VPN networks, shared drives for off-site work, devices and smartphones to keep them in contact and help draft legislation." The September 11 attacks and 2001 Anthrax attacks forced a number of these contingencies for congressional staff members. Hill explained that when it comes to the most official congressional activity, such as voting on the floor, "there really are no provisions [currently] to use technology." Part of that has to do with ensuring those elected to represent constituencies are genuinely present to vote. But similar to so many previously in-person functions that have shifted to apps paired with security measures, such as multi-factor authentication, decision-making on Capitol Hill could also move to remote and digital options. An extenuating circumstance, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, could be what finally moves America's chief legislating body in the direction of being able to vote remotely. "It certainly has provoked the conversation," Swalwell said. "I think it is a needed conversation. I wish it were under different circumstances." So long as you can maintain a distance of six or more feet from fellow pedestrians, leaving your home or apartment is now more crucial than ever. Below, some words on the history of the afternoon amble, what it does for the mind and body, and how to seamlessly ingratiate one into your routine. In 1859, an essay called Walking as an Exercise was reprinted in The New England Farmer, a monthly, Boston-based journal dedicated to educating Americans on agriculture and general intelligence. In the essay, the writer argues: If Americans would prescribe to themselves what John Bull calls his constitutional walk, we should gain in strength of muscle, and banish or diminish the common complaint, dyspepsia. John Bull, for those who need a refresher, is this jolly personification of the United Kingdom. Dyspepsia refers to indigestion. We dont need necessarily need antebellum pamphlets to remind us that walking is healthy, but its startling to consider how long that knowledge has been so common and how little Americans seem to care. In 2019, the average American walks 5,900 steps a day, which is multiple miles below the recommended number of 10,000 steps. Thats a slight improvement from 2017, when Stanford University pegged the United States at 4,800 steps a day, and 30th out of 46 nations. The improvement could be chalked up to varying data sets, or the rise of Fitbits, but either way we could be doing better. In fact, as Im here to argue, we should all want to be doing better. The key phrase in that New England Farmer text, constitutional, mightve been voguish to Americans in the 19th century, but its decidedly oldfangled today. Id never heard the phrase in reference to a daily stroll, let alone formally considered implementing one for my own workday, until I heard it uttered by a coworker a few months ago. And despite the words semi-pompous verve, the etymology is simple enough. Ones constitution refers to his or her physical disposition. A regularly scheduled walk is performed for the betterment of that constitution. This past June, I began a faithful route from InsideHooks HQ in Midtown Manhattan seven blocks north into the southern maze of Central Park. Id walk past hawking pedicabs and geriatric softball leagues and siblings scrambling over Manhattan schist before turning back towards the high rises, and completing the loop. It was 1.8 miles long, and could be done in 25 minutes if I was really motoring, but often I liked to find a bench in the sun for a beat, or watch a couple at-bats by the Heckscher Ballfields, or finish a chapter of my book that Id started on the subway that morning. After just one week of this routine, for which I generally carved out 45 minutes in the 2:00-4:00 range of the afternoon, I began to notice improvements in the dusk period of my working day, which takes place from 4:00-6:00. I spend that portion of the day working on larger, vaguer writing projects, which often require double or triple the creativity I might need for my morning assignments, and it was abundantly, almost immediately clear, that my constitutionals were helping me focus like never before. I had stopped looking out the window, feeling sorry that I was inside on a cloudless day. I would instead come back from my walks and sit down at my desk (albeit a little sweatier), ready to crank. The benefits have extended past productivity. Ive added, on average, 3,000 steps a day. Its a mini bonus workout, which has come to compliment my morning workout. My mental health has benefitted, too; I feel calmer, and the day seems more manageable, following minutes of mindfulness in a place where work doesnt exist. I get to feel the sun on my arms, and give my phone a break, and see dogs. Obviously, everyones work situation is different. But if you have the capability to incorporate a constitutional, or something like it, into your day-to-day, its a no-brainer. The research, thankfully, extends past my testimonial. Below, find a few science-backed explanations for why your afternoons could use an amble, plus some tips on how to get the most out of them. See you out there. Sharper Afternoons According to a 2015 study, which was published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, hour-to-hour moods can be improved with the help of an afternoon walk. Researchers at the University of Birmingham had two groups walkers and non-walkers, both sedentary at the start of the study record their attitudes in real time over the course of a day for several weeks. Walkers that took afternoon strolls were more enthusiastic and relaxed than non-walkers, and more likely to associate positive emotions with the days that they walked. In fact, they literally felt better in the hours after they walked, than they did earlier that morning. Unsurprisingly, a relaxed attitude is related to improvements in work productivity, which is exactly what I experienced in the early days of my constitutional. As for how this occurs physiologically? Bloodflow. Findings presented at Experimental Biology 2017 connected the impact of a foot pressing against to the ground to supplies of blood being sent directly to the brain. This boosts concentration in the short term, and your memory in the long term. Easy on the Eyes Americans stare at screens for at least seven hours a day. There are tricks out there now to ease the strain this puts on your eyes (theyre called blue light glasses) but its impossible to do a good job at work in 2019 while giving your eyes and brain the treatment they deserve. The light emitted by screens fiddles with circadian rhythms (you produce less melatonin, which means youre far too alert before bed) and the manner in which we stare at them can lead to extensive to neck or back pain. A blissful aspect of the constitutional, then, is leaving your phone behind. Dont bring it. If youre checking emails while getting this 30-minute walk in, youre missing the point. Crane your neck up, people-watch, look at the trees, let yourself be distracted by an airplane. Anything. Its a welcome reprieve from being on, and that phone is waiting for you when you get back. Need for Speed Faster walkers live longer. Its true; brisk walkers, who walk at least 100 steps a minute, can expect to live 15-20 years longer. You can easily join their ranks. If you walk everyday, you will simply get better, and faster, at walking. Men havent historically given walking much credit as a form of exercise, but when considered within the sedentary framework of modern society, it of course counts. Look for ways to improve your posture while walking; walk with your back straight and engage your core. And try to recognize the aches and pains in your body, and make a point later in the day to stretch those areas, or rub down the tissue. When walking, dont be afraid to test out uneven terrain, if you can find it nearby; itll confuse your body in a good way, and encourage better balance. Highly Customizable The beauty of the constitutional is that its entirely up to you. The time you go, the amount of time you commit to it the point of this exercise is to make you feel good, to steal a little moment during a humdrum Tuesday to capture a semblance of control. So pay attention to what makes you happy, and keep at it. Ive noticed I do best walking in green-space. Thats not exactly the hottest take a Harvard study last year found nature can have a direct, positive affect on handling stress, anxiety and depression and it is probably true for you too. Find a public park. It can even be a tiny pocket park. Bring a book and resolve to read one page, really closely. Or find somewhere to sit with your thoughts. On my constitutionals, breaks are encouraged. Get Some Gear Its still the workday, so you dont want to go gallivanting in your best pair of Oxfords. Have a pair of walking sneaks handy, which are subtle enough to avoid confused looks on the elevator back up to your desk. I recommend a dark pair of Allbirds. As for the aforementioned Fitbit, definitely get one. I like a wearable on the more spartan side. Way less distracting. Pick up Fitbits Inspire Fitness Tracker for $70, whichll count steps, plus document mileage traveled and calories burned. And tell the time. That way you dont walk in late to your afternoon meeting. Originally published September 10, 2019 The post Why You Should Be Taking a Daily Constitutional appeared first on InsideHook. Overall, 79% of Democratic voters said they were concerned that they or a family member would contract the virus. Of those, 61% went with Biden while 33% chose Sanders. Among the 21% who said they were not concerned, 49% chose Biden and 43% voted for Sanders. I appreciate that my opponents in the election have acknowledged that the voters of Cook County have once again sent a message to the political establishment that they want change, Martinez said in a statement. I am honored and proud to be that change agent. Our campaign appealed directly to the voters to select an independent, progressive, woman, and the voters responded overwhelmingly. Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday expanded border control to 38 countries, including most European countries, in an effort to stem the spread of the new coronavirus. Travellers from the listed countries will be requested to self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival starting March 21st through the end of April. Abe also announced plans to put entry bans on travellers from parts of Italy, Spain and Switzerland effective midnight into Thursday, March 19, (1300GMT March 18) as well as the whole of Ireland. Meanwhile, the Japanese government called on the nation to consider the necessity of any overseas travel. BERLIN Mass disruptions shuddered across the globe Tuesday as governments struggled to slow the spread of the coronavirus while also trying to keep their economies afloat. The chaos stretched from Lithuania, where border traffic jams were 40 miles deep, to Detroit, where bus service came to a sudden stop when drivers didnt show up for work. European Union leaders, meanwhile, agreed to shut down the blocs external borders for 30 days. Increasingly worried about the economic fallout of the global shutdown, the U.S., Britain and the Netherlands also announced rescue packages totaling hundreds of billions of dollars, while Venezuela long a fierce critic of the International Monetary Fund asked the institution for a $5 billion loan. In Brussels, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said there had been a unanimous and united approach, to the decision to prohibit most foreigners from entering the EU for 30 days. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said European leaders had agreed to the Commissions proposal for an entry ban to the bloc along with Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Britain with very, very limited exceptions. But the countries also agreed on the need to ensure continued cross-border travel for commuters, she said. There will be grave, very grave consequences for European economies from the outbreak, she said, one reason to safeguard the flow of goods. On Monday, the EU issued guidelines aimed at facilitating the flow of critical goods like food and medicine, while helping individual nations restrict non-essential travel. But on Tuesday it was chaos on many borders with traffic backed up for dozens of miles. We are all desperate, cold and sleepless here for a third day, said Janina Stukiene, who was stuck in Lithuania on the border with Poland with her husband and son. We just want to go home. The line of cars and trucks in Lithuania was some 37 miles long after Poland closed its border, while similar traffic jams could be seen on the borders with Germany and the Czech Republic. French President Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, tightened internal guidelines, allowing people to leave home only to buy food, go to work or do essential tasks, saying that people hadnt complied with earlier guidelines and we are at war. In Italy, reported infections jumped to 27,980. With 2,503 deaths, Italy now accounts for a third of the global death toll. 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. David Rising and Tim Sullivan are Associated Press writers. Democratic presidential hopeful former US vice president Joe Biden participates in the 11th Democratic Party 2020 presidential debate in a CNN Washington Bureau studio in Washington, DC. Joe Biden easily won the Florida and Illionois primaries over Bernie Sanders, widening his lead in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. AFP/VNA Photo MIAMI Joe Biden cemented his status as the likely Democratic presidential nominee on Tuesday after trouncing Bernie Sanders in Florida and Illinois, the top prizes on a busy primary night blighted by the coronavirus pandemic. The substantial margin of projected victory in the two states speaks to the speed with which many Democrats have begun coalescing around a potential flagbearer just one month after the former vice president's campaign was struggling badly against a surging Sanders. Following a string of victories in high-profile contests and his show of strength on Tuesday, the moderate Biden has now crossed the halfway point in terms of earning a majority of delegates needed to become the nominee. With almost all Florida precincts reporting, the 77-year-old Biden led 62 per cent to 23 per cent against Sanders, a 78-year-old leftist senator from Vermont. In Illinois, Biden was ahead 59 per cent to 36 per cent, with 58 per cent of precincts reporting. "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." Biden has long said that Americans do not want Sanders's political "revolution," they want results. But he extended an olive branch 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. Americans were also voting in Arizona. Biden has led in polling there and is expected to do well. A Biden trifecta would leave Sanders a gravely wounded candidate, having largely failed to reverse his fortunes after losing 18 of the last 23 contests. "I think there's going to be enormous pressure for him to call the race, because it's over," Democratic analyst David Axelrod, chief strategist for Barack Obama's two successful presidential campaigns, said on CNN, referring to the likelihood of Sanders dropping out. Sanders delivered a 20-minute speech online Tuesday. But the democratic socialist did not mention the primaries, focusing instead on his recommendations for addressing the coronavirus crisis, including injecting $2 trillion in funding to prevent deaths and "avoid an economic catastrophe." A fourth state, Ohio, was scheduled to vote on Tuesday, but it postponed its elections until June on orders of Republican Governor Mike DeWine, who told voters to stay home amid the escalating public health emergency. That still left a major three-state haul of 441 delegates at stake. On Tuesday Biden's delegate count stood at 1,121 compared to Sanders's 839, according to a New York Times rolling tally. A candidate needs 1,991 delegates to secure the Democratic nomination and face President Donald Trump in November's election. Hurdles The United States officially has more than 5,600 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 with the Trump administration urging Americans to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people. Despite hurdles, the states managed to successfully host their primaries. In Florida, state authorities moved dozens of precincts from senior centres to protect against the virus. In Illinois, Chicago election commissioners scrambled to find substitute voting judges after hundreds informed the county clerk's office they wouldn't show up. The Chicago Board of Elections said the coronavirus crisis posed immense challenges, and that turnout was low. 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. AFP Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Oslo, Norway Wed, March 18, 2020 12:06 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b827bb 2 Entertainment Game-of-Thrones,Kristofer-Hivju,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free The 'Game of Thrones' actor Kristofer Hivju, who played the role of Tormund, has tested positive for the new coronavirus and is doing well, the Norwegian said in an Instagram post. The 41-year-old known for his fiery red hair and beard said he and his family were in self-isolation at home. "We are in good health -- I only have mild symptoms of a cold," he wrote in a message accompanied by a photograph of him with his smiling wife, Gry Molvaer Hivju. The actor, whose major breakthrough came with the hit series, took the opportunity to remind his followers of good habits to practice in coronavirus times: wash hands, keep a social distance of 1.5 meters, and respect quarantaine rules, among other things. "Together we can fight this virus and avert a crisis at our hospitals," he said. A number of other Hollywood celebrities have tested positive for the virus, including US actor Tom Hanks, who was released from an Australian hospital on Tuesday after being held in isolation since last week. On Monday, Norway said 1,308 cases had been detected and three people have died in the Scandinavian country. On Sunday night, the adult industry trade group Free Speech Coalition called for a voluntary, two-week suspension of all porn productions in the United States and Canada, in response to the fast-moving coronavirus pandemic that had killed 102 Americans, and five Canadians, as of Tuesday afternoon. In fact, the FSC asked performers and workers in the adult industry not only to stop film production, but to stay home as much as possible, leaving the house only for necessities. We all must do our part to flatten the growth curve of this global pandemic. BuzzFeed News warned that the creation of new adult content may now grind to a halt across North America, in the wake of the FSCs recommended voluntary shutdown. But BuzzFeed also noted that during the coronavirus pandemic, which appears likely to make it harder for performers to work even absent a full shutdown, fans who are currently accustomed to getting their online porn for free should start paying. This is the time to pay for your porn, porn producer FiveStar of Luster Productions told BuzzFeed. I know that theres a lot of free porn on the internet and you dont have to, but if you can there are a lot of performers that need your help out there, and this is the time to show appreciation. Rolling Stone also covered the proposed shutdownand wondered whether performers would actually comply with the FSC call. The backlash to the adult industry shutdown is already taking place on social media, the venerable music and pop culture magazine reported. It remains to be seen whether everyone who is reliant on income from shoots alone will adhere to the call for a voluntary shutdown. Even the Rupert Murdoch-owned New York Post tabloid devoted coverage to the FSC bulletin, quoteing FSC Executive Director Michelle LeBlanc saying that the coalition was working as quickly as possible to develop relief plans for performers and other industry workers who lose income due to the called-for production halt. On Tuesday, Donald Trump announced that the U.S. Treasury would be sending checks to Americans within the next two weeks, to help workers across industries get through the economic crisis caused by the public health coronavirus disaster. But the administration gave no specifics as to who would receive the payments, and what the amounts of money in the checks would actually be. The site Mashable, which last week published a report on the pandemics impact on the porn industry, also ran a straightforward account of the FSC press release calling for the voluntary shutdown. Britains sensationalist Sun tabloid also reported the FSCs shutdown call, but also said that some performers have already found a way to capitalize on the widespread self-isolation required to slow the pandemic. Canny webcam girls were cashing in on the coronavirus lockdown thanks to boredand randyhomeworkers, The Sun wrote. Photo By Awkwafaba / Wikimedia Commons Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor INVIBES ADVERTISING announces success of second tranche of 2.5m capital increase Private placement of 1.5m issued to GENERIS CAPITAL PARTNERS in addition to first tranche of 1.0m raised in October 2019 Weighted average unit price of 8.00 per share, implying a 40% premium on the most recent share price London, 18 March, 2020 - INVIBES ADVERTISING, a tech firm specialising in digital advertising, today announced the success of the second tranche of its 2.5m capital increase reserved for the investment funds managed by GENERIS CAPITAL PARTNERS. The capital increase was issued, without pre-emptive subscription rights, under a private placement to which GENERIS CAPITAL PARTNERS fully subscribed. It consisted of two tranches and a top-up placement: a first tranche , in the amount of 1.0m including the issue premium, was completed in November 2019, resulting in the issue of 181,818 new ordinary shares without pre-emptive subscription rights, priced at 5.50 per share ; , in the amount of including the issue premium, was completed in November 2019, resulting in the issue of without pre-emptive subscription rights, priced at ; a second tranche , in the amount of 1.0m including the issue premium, was completed on 16 March 2020. The transaction was contingent upon revenue and EBITDA targets for 2019 which were effectively met, resulting in the issue of 68,166 new shares , without pre-emptive subscription rights, at a unit price of 14.67 ; , in the amount of including the issue premium, was completed on 16 March 2020. The transaction was contingent upon revenue and EBITDA targets for 2019 which were effectively met, resulting in the issue of , without pre-emptive subscription rights, at a unit price of ; a top-up placement of 500k, including the issue premium, was agreed by the parties, resulting in the issue of 62,488 new shares, without pre-emptive subscription rights, at a price of 8.00 per share, which is the weighted average unit price per share of the first two tranches. Overall, the capital increase raised a total of 2.5m, including the issue premium, and resulted in the issue of 312,472 new shares at an average weighted price of 8.00 per share. The newly-issued shares will increase the total number of shares in INVIBES ADVERTISING's capital to 2,909,082 and the total number of theoretical voting rights to 3,767,686. These will be assimilated to existing shares upon issuance and will grant the same rights as existing shares in circulation. The capital increase was authorised by INVIBES ADVERTISING's Board of Directors, enacting Article 22bis.1, a resolution passed by the Ordinary and Extraordinary General Meeting held on 20 May 2019. For information purposes, a shareholder owning 1% of the Company's share capital prior to the capital increase would hold a 0.893% stake following that issue. This transaction will strengthen INVIBES ADVERTISING's equity, giving it the means to comfortably fund growth in its business and in international markets. INVIBES ADVERTISING CEO and co-founder, Nicolas Pollet, said:"I would like to extend my sincere thanks to GENERIS CAPITAL PARTNERS, and especially Thibaut de Roux and Edouard de Cassini, for the confidence they have placed in us over the past three years by taking part in all of our fundraising efforts. This ensures strong support for our development and the stability in our shareholder structure needed to continue growing and, with their help, become one of the major players in our sector in future." Note on Covid-19 outbreak The company is keeping a close watch on situation in relation to the Covid-19 virus epidemic. At this point in time, it does not expect the outbreak to have an impact on its business in the short term. If the situation persists, the company is likely to be affected to the same degree as the rest of its business sector. Meanwhile, it has taken all the necessary steps to ensure the health and safety of its staff. About INVIBES ADVERTISING Founded in 2011, INVIBES ADVERTISING is a technology company that specialises in digital advertising. It has developed advertising solutions using an in-feed format built into media content, based on a principle that is similar to social networks. The format is optimised for dissemination in a closed network of media websites: Bertelsmann, Hearst, Lagardere and many others. Its clients include major brands such as Mercedes, Samsung, Air France and IBM. INVIBES ADVERTISING is listed on Euronext Growth in Paris (Ticker: ALINV - ISIN: BE0974299316). For our latest press releases, go to: https://www.invibes.com/uk/uk/investors.html Keep up with all the latest new on INVIBES ADVERTISING: Linkedin: @Invibes advertisingTwitter: @Invibes_advFacebook: @Invibes advertising About GENERIS CAPITAL PARTNERS Generis Capital Partners is an independent venture capital firm, focused on private equity, that funds and supports the growth of SMEs in France and internationally. Generis Capital Partners has 231 million in assets under management and 36 investments in France and abroad. In 2009, Generis Capital created the first Venture Loan funds in France and, in 2011, the first private equity fund which shares investment returns with associations that work to create jobs and develop entrepreneurship in France and abroad. Financial & Corporate Contacts INVIBES ADVERTISING Kris VLAEMYNCK, CFO kris.vlaemynck@invibes.com ATOUT CAPITAL, Listing Sponsor Rodolphe OSSOLA rodolphe.ossola@atoutcapital.com +33 (0)1 56 69 61 80 ACTIFIN, Investor Relations Alexandre COMMEROT acommerot@actifin.fr +33 (0)1 56 88 11 11 ACTIFIN, Financial Media Relations Jennifer JULLIA jjullia@actifin.fr +33 (0)1 56 88 11 19 DISCLAIMER This offer, for an amount less than 8 million and which does not represent more than 50% of the company's capital, will not result in the preparation of a prospectus submitted to the AMF for approval, pursuant to Article 211-3 of the AMF General Regulations. This press release and the information herein does not constitute a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe to securities in France or any other country. Attachment By Peter Nurse Investing.com - Oil markets continued to head south Wednesday, with U.S. crude futures tumbling to a near 18-year low as travel and social lockdowns sparked by the coronavirus epidemic knocked the outlook for demand. AT 9:00 AM ET (1300 GMT), U.S. crude futures traded 8.7% lower at $24.94 a barrel, its lowest since May 2002. The international benchmark Brent contract fell 5.2% to $27.23, its lowest since May 2003. The battleground against the virus has moved from Asia to Europe and America. Deaths have continued to soar in Italy and Spain, prompting the European Union to ban travellers from outside the bloc for 30 days in an unprecedented move to seal its borders. Travel within Europe has also been severely limited by public health measures closing most non-essential business activity. The Trump administration has recommended the closure of restaurants, bars and schools while assembling a $1.2 trillion stimulus plan that would shortly send cash to Americans, and backstop airlines and other companies. However, even those financial measures look unlikely to stop a near-term collapse in physical demand for fuel. U.S. Gasoline RBOB Futures remained close to their all-time lows at 70.36c a gallon, down 1.1% on the day. Some are looking to China, where this coronavirus started, for the best guide to the potential hit to demand. Chinas economy will grow 3.4% this year, according to the median of 12 forecasts since Monday, compiled by Bloomberg. That is the lowest since a contraction in 1976 - the final year of the Cultural Revolution which wrecked the economy and society - and the year Mao Zedong died. Data out Monday showed an across-the-board slump in manufacturing, retail sales and investment in January and February, with all the numbers hitting historic lows. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has ordered state-owned Aramco (SE:2222) to keep supply at a record of 12.3 million barrels per day over "the coming months", suggesting Riyadh is determined not to back down in the price war with Russia. Story continues The pickup in oil supply from April following the breakdown of OPEC+ talks does mean that these weak prices are likely to linger for quite a while longer, said ING, in a research note. Lower prices are clearly going to hurt oil exporting countries, and the Iraqis have already requested that OPEC+ hold an urgent meeting. However, with the Saudis and Russians in a fierce battle for market share, it is difficult to see any quick resolution on this front, ING added. Analysts at Rystad Energy estimate that up to 3 million barrels a day extra could hit the global market in April, if Libya can agree a ceasefire in its civil war. Around 1 million b/d of Libyan capacity is currently shut in due to hostilities. Related Articles U.S. crude hits 18-year low as lockdowns, restrictions spread Gold Reverses Losing Streak After Virus Response Oil Slumps to Lowest Since 2003 on Global Recession Threat Tunis Tunisia (PANA) Tunisian president, Kais Saied, in a communique on Tuesday evening, announced his decision to impose a curfew, from 18h00 to 06h00 from Wednesday, 18 March, all withing the framework of the additional measures aiming to face the spread of the new coronavirus : There has been no fresh positive case of coronavirus for the second consecutive day in Kerala on Wednesday, even as over 25,000 people have been brought under survillence. At least 25,603 people are under observation, 237 in hospitals and the remaining in home quarantine, while 7,861 people were brought under observation on Wednesday and 57 admitted to various hospitals in the state. "We need to be extremely vigilant. Let us not let down our guard in any way," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters after a review meeting. Of the 2,550 samples of suspect cases sent for testing, 2,140 have been negative. The total number of cases tested positive so far in the state was 24, including two foreigners - an Italian and another from the UK. Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and family health centres should have their OPs till evening and presence of doctors should be ensured at such centres, Vijayan said. A video conference was held with religious heads here about the precautions that need to be taken during religious gathering in places of worship. The Chief minister said the rituals can be held, but under the present circumstances gathering of a large number of people in places of worship needs to be avoided. "We have made an appeal to avoid such gatherings. Everyone has promised total cooperation", he said. In mosques during the Friday prayers and Sunday mass at churches, a lot of people gather. So, there is a need to avoid such large gatherings, he said. This is also the time of various temple festivities and pongalas. All festivals need to be restricted. Only the rituals need be held and presence of large number of people should be avoided to ensure that the virus does not spread. Pointing that the Kodungalloor Bharani festival in Thrissur is slated to be held in two days time in which there is a massive convergence of people from various districts, Vijayan urged people to avoid their participation this year considering the present crisis. The state government also appealed to people to desist from participating in the Bharani festival. Let the rituals be held, but people should keep away, he said. Vijayan referred to Pathnamthitta district where it has been decided that not more than 10 people should participate in religious functions; in Kozhikode, a mosque has decided that Friday namaz would not be held from this week. In all districts, COVID-19 care centres would be opened and various hotels and lodges can be used for the purpose. Asked if bars and outlets would be shut in view of the present situation, Vijayan said instructions have been given to ensure that bars are kept clean and those unwell should not visit these places. Excise department has been asked to ensure space between tables. Taking into account the present situation in the state following COVID-19, health minsiter, K K Shailaja on Wednesday asked doctors and other medical staff who have gone on leave to join immediately for duty. The primary health centres would function till 6 pm. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Donations will support at-risk populations and communities affected by the global spread of COVID-19 TORONTO, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - To support vulnerable populations and communities, RBC has committed an initial $2-million to COVID-19 community response efforts. Donations will be directed to communities dealing with the repercussions of the global health challenges posed by COVID-19 and will be used for programs serving at-risk populations, addressing food insecurity, scaling mental well-being support access as well as providing other necessary services that are vital during challenging times like these. As a first step, RBC will be donating funds to respond to community needs in Canada, the U.S. and globally to charitable partners including Food Banks Canada ; Feeding America and The World Health Organization's Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund . We acknowledge that this is an evolving situation that requires a coordinated and sustained response. RBC is actively working with our community partners, subject matter experts, and the public and private sectors to understand and determine where the greatest community needs are and how to continue delivering the right support where it's needed most. About RBC Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 85,000+ employees who bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank, and one of the largest in the world based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our 17 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 34 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com . We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact . SOURCE RBC Related Links http://www.rbc.com Authorities in Spain have launched an investigation after 17 people died as a result of coronavirus at the same nursing home. Fifteen residents of the Monte Hermoso facility in Madrid have died since Friday after contracting Covid-19, while another two died after being transferred to hospital. According to El Pais, the elderly residents who tested positive had been confined to the nursing home until Tuesday and were not receiving proper hospital care. Relatives of the victims claim they were not told about the spread of the illness at the home and filed an official complaint to Spanish authorities. A boy wearing a protective mask walks past Monte Hermoso nursing home in Madrid, where 17 people died. (AP) (PA graphic) Yolanda Cumia, who was informed of her fathers death at 2:30am on Tuesday, told Telemadrid TV: Either the authorities have been covering this up or the situation is just completely out of control. At least 623 people have died from coronavirus in Spain, according to John Hopkins University the second highest figure in Europe after Italy. Staffers at the Monte Hermoso nursing home help an old woman lie down on the bed in Madrid. (AP) 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 Madrid accounts for the majority of the deaths. Fernando Simon, the head of Spains health emergency centre, said the coronavirus death toll in the country was inflated by nursing homes that had been hit by the pandemic. He added: In the regions where nursing homes are affected, there is an impact on [the overall number of] serious cases and deaths. Spain has closed its land borders for those wishing to enter the country, but they will remain open for those leaving the country. Britons have been advised against non-essential travel to anywhere in the world as the coronavirus crisis closes borders around the globe. UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab said the fast-paced nature of the crisis meant it was now necessary to issue global guidance. The advice takes effect immediately and will last for an initial 30-day period. The Foreign Office said Britons who decide that they still need to travel abroad should be fully aware of the increased risks of doing so including the possibility of being stranded overseas if restrictions are put in place. Medical workers in overalls stretch a patient under intensive care into the newly built Columbus Covid 2 temporary hospital to fight the new coronavirus infection, at the Gemelli hospital in Rome on March 16, 2020. (Andreas Solaro/AFP via Getty Images) Italy Reports Nearly 500 Deaths in 24 Hours From CCP Virus Italian health authorities said that nearly 500 people have died from the new coronavirus in 24 hours as the country struggles to contain the outbreak. The countrys Civil Protection chief, Angelo Borrelli, said that 475 people died from the CCP virus in a single day, raising the death toll to 2,978 as of Thursday. The 24-hour death toll a day before was 345, according to ANSA. The Epoch Times refers to the COVID-19 virus as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. There are 1,084 more healed today, a truly important number, which brings [the figure] to 4025, 37 percent more than yesterday, said Borrelli during a Wednesday press conference cited by ANSA. About 2,629 health workers, or 8.3 percent of the total, have become infected with the CCP virus, authorities told ANSA. And so far, more than 35,713 cases have been reported across Italy, officials said. Italy has been essentially on full lockdown for about two weeks as officials attempt to curb the spread of the disease, which first emerged in Wuhan, China, late last year before spreading to more than 150 countries worldwide. Italy is currently the worst-affected country in Europe and the hardest hit outside of China. It is necessary to limit travel as much as possible, Borrelli said, adding that correct behavior must be adopted. An airport security staff, wearing a respiratory mask (C), waits to control passengers at Romes Fiumicino international airport on March 13, 2020. (Andreas Solaro/AFP) Citizens must know that this is not about changing their lifestyle just for one or two weeks, the Italian national center for epidemiology chief, Stefania Salmaso, was quoted by Sky News as saying. The Italian national health authority said in a study released Wednesday that about 99 percent of those who died from COVID-19 had previous medical problems, reported Bloomberg News. The average age of those who died is around 79.5 years old, and about 17 people under the age of 50 have died from the disease. All of the victims under the age of 40 had serious preexisting medical problems, the report said. Elsewhere in Europe, French authorities have recorded an uptick in cases to 7,730 along with 175 deaths, reported the BBC. Spain has reported 13,000 cases and 598 deaths. Germany, meanwhile, has 8,198 cases and 14 deaths while the United Kingdom has reported nearly 2,000 cases and at least 60 deaths. This week, the European Union announced that travelers from outside the union would be turned away from border crossing points and airports for 30 days. Sen. Bernie Sanders is assessing his presidential campaign after losses in three states Tuesday, including the major delegate haul of Florida, to former Vice President Joe Biden. Faiz Shakir, Sanders campaign manager, said in a statement Wednesday morning that the next primary contest is at least three weeks away. Sen. Sanders is going to be having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign. Sanders had catapulted to frontrunner status and saw spikes in fundraising after wins in New Hampshire and Nevada. But after a decisive win in South Carolina, Biden has steamrolled toward the nomination and picked up several key wins and a larger share of delegates ahead of the Democratic National Convention in July. For the short term, Sanders will focus on the government response to the coronavirus outbreak and ensuring that we take care of working people and the most vulnerable, Shakir added. In an address from Washington, D.C. on Tuesday night as voting wrapped up in Florida, Illinois and Arizona, Sanders pushed for an immediate economic boost to combat the COVID-19 crisis, which has claimed the lives of more than 100 Americans. Sanders suggested $2,000 monthly payments to American households for the duration of the outbreak, and he urged a moratorium on evictions, foreclosures and utility shutoffs. Theres two components. One component is sick leave, up to two weeks. The other is for those individuals who might have child care challenges, a school is closed, day care is shutdown. That can be weeks three through 12, and that would be at two-thirds pay. It would be for those situations. Were facing that in Montana as we speak with our schools closed. There are families who have to figure out a way to take care of children who are now at home, and that is part of the safety net we are passing here to assure our employers dont lose employees as well. There were other looming challenges for Montanans. Cattle prices have tanked on the rancher side of the equation, while meat packers are turning a profit on the other end. Both Tester and Daines said the problem started last August after a Tyson packing plant was badly damaged by fire. The shortage of space in packing plants was said to drive down demand for more cattle, while the loss of more than 5,500 animals in the fire created a supply shortage for boxed beef, driving up retail market prices. The new coronavirus has only made the cattle markets worse, the senators said. Both see market manipulation thats hurting Montana ranchers. Bengaluru, March 18 : Senior Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Wednesday petitioned the Karnataka High Court for its permission to meet the 16 rebel Congress legislators staying at a resort in the city's northern suburb, an official said. "As the police did not allow Singh to meet his party MLAs staying at the resort in Yelahanka, he has approached the High Court for permission to meet them," a party official told IANS here. Madhya Pradesh Congress' rebel lawmakers have however refused to meet Digvijaya Singh and requested the police not to allow him and his aides inside the Ramada resort to interact with them. "As the party's candidate for the March 26 Rajya Sabha by-election in Bhopal, I have every right to meet my party's legislators to seek their vote in my favour. Unfortunately, the local police and the ruling BJP in the southern state are not allowing me to meet them," said Singh in his writ petition to the court. Earlier, Singh met state director-general of police (DGP) Praveen Sood along with the Karnataka Congress unit president D.K. Shivakumar, some Madhya Pradesh cabinet ministers and legislators and complained to him that they was denied entry into the resort to meet the rebels. Though all the 22 rebels resigned from their Assembly segments, MP Assembly Speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapati accepted only six of the resignations of those who were ministers in the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government. Digvijaya Singh, who flew into the city earlier in the day from Bhopal on a chartered flight, was taken into preventive custody near the resort when he tried to barge into it. Local police, which is providing security to the rebels as sought by them, whisked away Digvijaya Singh and his aides to the local police station for detention. The rebels, who owe allegiance to Gwalior royal scion Jyotiraditya Scindia who joined the BJP on March 11 after quitting the Congress, said they were not captives of anybody and were staying at the resort of their own free will. We want to make sure everyone is safe and comfortable and thought it would be in the best interest of everyone to close earlier and let everyone go home and be with their families, Geist said. The helicopter known as the Squirrel is typically used to douse fires and shoot pests. But these days it has a new mission: scattering tons of carrots and sweet potatoes in New South Wales, Australia, for threatened wallabies on the brink of starvation. A long-running drought had already drastically reduced the marsupials food supply. Then came the bush fires that devastated southeastern Australia in recent months. There was absolutely nothing left, said Michaela Jones, a senior project officer at the National Parks and Wildlife Service in New South Wales. Millions of U.S. households are expected to face financial burdens in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. If you are facing reduced hours or job loss and are worried about making your rent or mortgage payment this month, stay calm President Trump said Wednesday that the Department of Housing and Urban Development will suspend "all foreclosures and evictions" through the end of April. That said, you will still want to discuss your options with your mortgage lender or landlord if you have experienced a disruption in your income. Here are some steps to take now. If you are a homeowner Contact your lender Financial planners and consumer advocates are encouraging homeowners to reach out to their loan servicer directly to discuss payment options as soon as they can. "Borrowers should first reach out to their mortgage holder and inquire about resources they have to delay payments," John Graff, a Los Angeles-based real estate broker, tells CNBC Make It. "Many lenders have implemented special waivers due to COVID-19, you should check with them first." Lenders have certain obligations under your mortgage contracts, says Ira Rheingold, executive director of the National Association of Consumer Advocates. If they aren't willing to work with you, he suggests reporting them to your state attorney general's office and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. "You've got a long-term relationship with them and they have certain obligations under the law," says Rheingold. "Contacting them before you are behind is a good thing to do." Reach out to your bank or credit union Your bank may also offer hardship programs you can tap into, says Kelley Long, financial planner and member of the American Institute of CPAs' Consumer Financial Education Advocates. Don't wait until your mortgage payment is due to find out about this, call today. Kelley Long Financial Planner "You have to call and ask about it and most likely apply," says Long. "Don't wait until your mortgage payment is due to find out about this, call today. Remember that you don't have to take advantage of these programs, but it's worth it to know what's out there." If that doesn't work, Graff suggests contacting your bank to discuss your personal loan options to continue making payments. "Low rates coupled with mass benevolence from corporate America means you may be able to borrow some cash to help tide you over," he says. Many banks are already putting together coronavirus response pages. Here are a few major ones: Bank of America Capital One Chase U.S. Bank Wells Fargo Put your loan in forbearance A less-than-ideal alternative for homeowners is forbearance, a hardship option that allows you to postpone payments. "The key here is to inquire about options available for a delay in payments under so-called hardship circumstances," says Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst at Bankrate.com. Although this can provide immediate relief, interest will still accrue on your loans. Since you won't be paying down your principal balance, that means you will likely owe more in the long run because you will owe more in interest than you would if you made regular payments. If you have to go this route, ask your lender what terms they can offer you. They will be different for each person depending on their financial history and loan provider. If you are a renter Give your landlord notice Renters are advised to contact their landlords as soon as they can to talk through delayed or partial payment options. "Most landlords would be willing to work with a good tenant who is experiencing hardship due to current events," says Graff. Work out a payment plan It's best to give your landlord at least a partial payment if you can, says Long. Make a payment plan with them with repayment dates, and get everything in writing. She suggests using the following script and inputting your own financial details: Hi landlord, as you probably know, I'm off work right now. Will you accept $500 this month rather than the typical $1,000? If you believe you won't be able to make a payment at all, bring it up to your landlord as soon as possible and, again, ask if you can put a plan into place to pay once you have income again. Long says to ask if you can skip a month and spread the payment out over the next six months (or whatever is realistic for you) once you are back to work. "Remember that your landlord needs income too, so approach this with empathy for what you're asking," she says. Make clear that "you're just paying late rather than asking for free money." You can also call 211 for your local United Way to see if they are offering rent help, Long suggests. Look for outside assistance If your landlord refuses to work out a payment plan, Graff suggests turning to your bank for a short-term loan. "Many banks are offering to help their customers during this difficult time and you should absolutely take advantage of the assistance if you need it," he says. Housing is your top priority Housing and food should be your top priorities, says Long. After that, take time to figure out what's going on with your other bills. Both renters and homeowners can check in with creditors and utility companies to see if they are offering financial hardship assistance. "If your utility company is willing to waive late fees and give you a payment plan with super low interest for your bill, but your internet provider won't be flexible, you may opt to pay your internet bill before utilities," she says. "The goal is to minimize the long-term impact of paying late or less than in full." Eviction bans The coronavirus has become a sneak attack in slow motion on the American workforce. Fear has become the operative word, not only of falling ill, but the impact this virus is having on our economy, on jobs. Employment law attorneys are swamped by calls from business owner clients, wondering what they are allowed to do in an effort to keep their employees safe and their doors open. I ran the following questions by two attorneys in Bakersfield, Calif., who specialize in employment law: Dan Klingenberger and Jay Rosenlieb. They provide a global perspective to these issues challenging American businesses today. Can a business require workers and/or customers to wear masks? Question: I believe wearing a mask should be a personal choice. I don't believe in them myself, and I don't want people telling me what to do. Can I refuse to wear a mask? Rosenlieb: With respect to employees, in the absence of a medical condition or religious objection, which is subject to reasonable accommodation with alternative PPE, an employer can require the wearing of a face mask. Customers can be required to wear masks and other PPE. These requirements are based on current CDC, OSHA and EEOC guidance. Klingenberger: You can make your personal choices based on your beliefs after you leave work. While you are on the clock, your employer can set rules and expectations at its discretion so long as the employer is within the bounds of the law. Beware, however, that even off-duty conduct can sometimes have work-related consequences. A forklift operator named Antoine from Troy, Mo., can attest to that. You may have seen video of a huge Memorial Day pool party at Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri attended by crowds of partiers, most of whom were not wearing masks. Antoine who was interviewed on the Today show the Friday after the party and asked that his last name not be used was at that party. Now his employer has told him to stay home from work for 14 days to quarantine ... without pay. Can a business order employees NOT to wear masks? Question: Believe it or not, my employer doesn't want workers to wear masks. We have been told it makes customers uncomfortable and that it projects the wrong image. What should I do? Klingenberger: You may want to have a one-on-one discussion with your boss to express your concern. It is likely other employees share your concern. Masks are so common these days that I dont think wearing a mask makes others feel uncomfortable, but your boss is entitled to her/his opinion. You could show your employer information regarding the use of masks that have been published by the CDC and OSHA, but that is a judgment call you will have to make on your own. Rosenlieb: Employers must follow the directives of local and state public health authorities. Can my boss monitor me when Im working from home? Question: I'm working from home and have learned through the grapevine that my company is using some kind of tracking software to monitor me and my co-workers. There are rumors that they are even accessing the cameras on our company laptops. Is that legal? Rosenlieb: Maybe. The subjects of privacy and monitoring of communications, movements and productivity (in the traditional office setting and in the work at home setting) are much debated and sometimes hotly contested. Restrictions and prohibitions on monitoring of employees vary from state to state and are subject to the federal National Labor Relations Act. An employer, outside of an investigation of suspected criminal activity, will find the greatest success in these areas by advising employees in advance of steps that are being taken to monitor all forms of communication (e.g. emails, voicemails, phone conversations), movement (e.g. GPS trackers on delivery vehicles), and productivity (e.g. software that tracks productivity). All of these steps are generally legal, subject to restrictions. Policy announcements, acknowledged by employees, are generally the best form of communication. Employees should never learn of these issues through the grapevine. This is a complex area and employers are well-advised to consult with legal counsel in their state before moving forward. Klingenberger: Employers have the right to monitor the use of business equipment, computers and vehicles, as well as the use of employee time. Most, but not all, privacy rights individuals enjoy outside of work do not exist at work. However, statutory and constitutional rights regarding privacy have been imposed and upheld in some instances by the courts. Those rights will vary from state to state. To the extent an employee has an expectation of privacy, whether well-founded or not, employers can reduce or eliminate that expectation by implementing clear policies that communicate to the workforce that the employer reserves the right to surveil, search, track and/or monitor. Privacy issues can become more complicated for employers who telework. A colleague recently showed me a picture of her long-retired mothers home computer with a piece of paper taped over the camera lens. Apparently, she is nervous about an unknown source spying on her through the camera. Doing something similar on your computer might make Zoom meetings less interesting but could flush out the IT folks as to whether the camera is being used without your knowledge. Thats not legal advice, just random musing. I want to keep working from home: Can I insist? Question: The company I work for is opening up again. I've been working from home for weeks and can do my job fine from there. I want to keep working from home (mostly for convenience, but also because I'm nervous about the virus), but my boss is requiring me to come back to the office. Can I refuse? Rosenlieb: Assuming that public health authorities have cleared the specific place of work for re-opening, absent an underlying medical condition (supported by a note from a health care provider) or specific childcare/school issues, an employer can require employees to return to their regular place of work. Teleworking may be considered to be a reasonable accommodation of a disability. This is a complex area, and employers are well-advised to consult with legal counsel in their state when a request for teleworking is made by an employee because of a disability. Klingenberger: It is nice that you have enjoyed working from home, but all good things must come to an end. On the bright side, the request to return to work in the office is likely a sign of optimism that your region is past the worst of the pandemic. I agree with Jay that the employer has the right to require an employee to work at his/her normal work location. Employers must keep in mind that the protections included in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) continue to apply through the end of 2020, including time off for COVID-19 related medical conditions and the need to care for others for COVID-19 related reasons. The FFCRA also authorizes the employer to obtain verification that the employee is taking time off for reasons allowed under the statute. Although it is understandable why people continue to be nervous, given the number of illnesses and deaths that have occurred across the country, that nervousness is not enough to insist on continuing to work from home. As employees are brought back to work, employers are well-advised to implement COVID-19 related safety protocols in the workplace. Many recommendations have been published by the CDC and OSHA on the subject. Do workers have a right to be provided with protective equipment on the job? Working at home is not an option in my line of work. My employer isnt providing the workers with gloves or masks: We have to bring our own. Do workers have a right to be provided with protective equipment on the job? Rosenlieb: Yes. The federal OSHA General Duty Clause requires that an employer provide their employees with a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm this includes injury from infectious diseases such as COVID-19. (OSHA-approved state plans will have similar or more protective standards.) Employers are obligated to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) needed to keep them safe while performing their jobs. It should be noted that an employee cannot demand specific PPE or PPE that is not deemed appropriate for the exposure. Klingenberger: The OSHA general duty clause certainly creates an obligation for employers to provide a safe workplace and to provide necessary personal protective equipment (PPE). However, it is not entirely clear how those obligations apply in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. An employers obligations may vary depending on the work being performed. Health care workers, for example, likely need a higher level of protection than a retail worker, although both are extremely important and both are providing services in a critical time. Guidance from OSHA during the past few weeks recognizes that difference in protection needed for various industries. The OSHA COVID-19 Guidance for Retail Workers provides tips for employers in the retail industry (e.g., pharmacies, supermarkets, and big box stores) to help reduce your employees risk of exposure to the coronavirus. The tips include: Allow workers to wear masks over their nose and mouth to prevent them from spreading the virus. Why did OSHA choose the word allow rather than require in the tips for retail workers? The choice likely reflects several considerations: First, very few masks or face coverings would actually filter out coronavirus. Masks and face coverings primarily serve the purpose of avoiding spread by the person wearing the mask. Assuming that is true, masks, and perhaps gloves, may protect the customers, but would not accomplish the objective of protecting the employee and, therefore, may not be PPE. very few masks or face coverings would actually filter out coronavirus. Masks and face coverings primarily serve the purpose of avoiding spread by the person wearing the mask. Assuming that is true, masks, and perhaps gloves, may protect the customers, but would not accomplish the objective of protecting the employee and, therefore, may not be PPE. Second, other practices are better served to protect the employee, e.g. social distancing, frequent hand washing, do not touch face, and disinfecting work area. other practices are better served to protect the employee, e.g. social distancing, frequent hand washing, do not touch face, and disinfecting work area. Third, obtaining masks and gloves for employees may be very difficult due to high demand. I don't feel safe at work: Can I speak up without worry? The company, where I work, doesnt seem to be taking this crisis seriously enough. There have been no real efforts made to ensure social distancing in the workplace, other than some signs and tape marks on the floor, which are not enforced. It doesnt feel safe, but I fear retaliation if I speak up. What should I do? Rosenlieb: An employer is obligated to take such steps as are required by OSHA or an OSHA approved state plan, not more. In other words, an employee who doesnt feel safe has little basis to demand further protection if, in fact, the employer is fully compliant with its state and federal safety obligations. In the event that the employer has policies in place, but the policies are not followed, the employee will have a basis for a complaint. Klingenberger: I agree. Oftentimes employees would like to see more done by an employer when the employer is actually fully compliant. As has been said many times, these are unprecedented times. Business owners and each of us as individuals are making decisions in a world of uncertainty. On a personal, local and national scale we are asking, have we done enough? Sometimes, there is strength in numbers. If some of your co-employees share your concerns, consider going with another employee to express those concerns about safety in a professional manner to your employer. Offering ideas on solutions may help the conversation. Can I refuse to work overtime? Im in an industry where demand is currently skyrocketing, and workers are being pushed to the brink. Can I refuse to work overtime? Rosenlieb: No. There are, however, a couple of exceptions. First, if a lack of sleep or fatigue creates demonstrable safety concerns, the employee may refuse to work if he or she has a good faith belief that the conditions create an imminent risk of serious injury or death. Second, if the employee is part of a workplace covered by a collective bargaining agreement, the employee may be excused from working mandatory overtime. Klingenberger: Jays answer is spot on. Unfortunately, we are in situation where some employees are working far more than they would like and others who would love to be back at work in any capacity. Can your employer force you to go to work? Klingenberger: The answer would depend on the circumstances. If there has been evidence of spread in the workplace, for example, someone has it, an employer could not force the other employees to come to work in that environment, as there is a direct threat of contamination. But with no evidence of exposure, or the exposure does not impact all employees, then, the employer can insist that people come to work. Rosenlieb: In the event of an immediate or imminent danger, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides that an employee can refuse to work. Further, the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) protects concerted activity by employees. Concerted activity includes a refusal to work because of unsafe working conditions. Can you be fired/disciplined if you refuse to go to work? I asked, What if there is no legitimate reason to not come to work, but an employee still refuses to show up. Could this result in discipline? Klingenberger: Yes, that is possible, but in todays COVID-19 environment, an understanding employer could tell an employee, If you do not want to come to work for the time being, you may use vacation, sick leave or other time-off benefits, if that is a benefit the employer offers. The employer also has to balance other considerations, such as fairness to other employees and the need to get the work done. Rosenlieb: While an employer could take more serious action, those who care about their employees should work with them to address their concerns and find alternatives to being present at the office, if possible. And we are seeing that with a large increase in people working from home, telecommuting. What should you do if an employee comes to work sick because they need the money? Klingenberger: If an employee comes to work who is obviously ill and showing symptoms of coronavirus, the employer should send the employee home because of the risk to others. If the employee misses work because of having the virus or must be quarantined, many states, including California, have made unemployment insurance benefits available for days missed or reduced hours that might not normally be available. Rosenlieb: An employee who presents at work with symptoms of a contagious illness can be sent home. The employer is not obligated to provide work to an employee who presents with symptoms of a contagious disease. On the other hand, an employer cannot send an employee home simply because the employee is a member of a high-risk group someone who is 65 years old and older or has underlying health conditions. This would be discrimination on the basis of protected class status. Can you turn away a customer who is coughing? Both lawyers agree there is no obligation to serve everyone, unless you are avoiding someone for clearly illegal reasons, such as race, religion or national origin. They equally believe a polite way of dealing with a customer who is coughing would be for restaurant employees to say, We are concerned, given what is going on with the coronavirus. If you will please step outside, I will bring you the food. Do you have a legal responsibility to inform people you have come into contact with if you later test positive? While neither attorney was aware of a legal obligation to personally inform people that you have been tested positive, they observed that health departments ask every person infected to list all the people they have been in close contact with. And while I do not know of a legal duty in the United States of self-reporting to others, it is not much of a stretch to compare their silence now with that of people who have been jailed for knowingly spreading herpes and AIDS. To me, knowingly exposing those around you to the virus could be seen as an assault and battery. History proves that correct with the story of Typhoid Mary, an Irish cook believed to have infected 51 people with typhoid fever, several of whom died. If you are not familiar with her story, it is worth looking up, as you will find a cast of characters right out of a horror movie, including Mary herself, who was aware of the danger she posed to others and yet continued to work as a cook, literally killing people. She was the first person in the United States identified as an asymptomatic carrier of the disease. Considering they did not have disability insurance in place in those years to give her an income, she could not stop working as a cook exposing others to the disease. She was twice forcibly isolated by authorities, and died after a total of nearly three decades in isolation. What is your legal responsibility if you start to get an inkling that you are getting symptoms? Klingenberger: I am not aware of a requirement in OSHA or various federal safety laws where someone is required to make this disclosure. Employees are always encouraged to disclose those things, and especially on-the-job injuries. There can be ramifications if they dont. For example, they hurt their back and do not disclose it for six months, their workers compensation claim could be denied for a failure to report it in a timely fashion. Rosenlieb: While not a violation of a law, if the company had a policy requiring employees who become ill with the flu, even the common cold, to report this to HR, and if that were violated, it could result in discipline for violation of an order. What happens if the governor or president orders you to shut your business? Do you have any options other than to follow the order? Note: Not only has the president issued executive orders, which have shut down many businesses in the country, but state governors are also issuing similar mandatory orders. Constitutional lawyers will tell you that the government has an inherent power and duty to protect the population, especially in areas of health. Klingenberger: The imposition of quarantine, shelter in place and business closure orders are examples of the states ability to exercise its police power. Failure to comply may be a misdemeanor and subject the company to fines. Time will tell whether tax and other forms of relief will be granted to help deal with the enormous financial losses. Rosenlieb: There is no choice but to follow those mandatory orders or face fines. Say you are ordered to stay home quarantined by the health department. What would happen if you disobeyed? Both attorneys agree that the employee could face termination. What if you know people who are doing risky things on the job, exposing co-workers to harm. Do you have a responsibility to do something about it? And, once more, there was agreement by both Klingenberger and Rosenlieb as to what employers and employees need to do when faced with a co-worker who cares little for his or her colleagues. We all should hope that concerned co-workers would report dangerous behavior of whatever type, physical or health-wise, commented Klingenberger. Today we all have a duty to each other to act prudently and safely. Any employee who puts co-workers in harms way should face potential termination. Our country is facing one of its greatest health threats in over a century. We need to watch out for each other more so than at any other time in memory, Rosenlieb strongly maintains. Hundreds of Aboriginal men who became native mounted police in colonial Australia carried a significant burden of responsibility for law and order for white settlers in Queensland and other settlements. A long-running ARC-funded archaeology project has turned the lens on the recruitment to the Queensland Native Mounted Police and their part in the violent 'frontier wars' - which created long-term traumatic impacts on the lives of the Indigenous people involved. "We argue that the massacres, frontier violence, displacement, and the ultimate dispossession of land and destruction of traditional cultural practices resulted in both individual and collective inter-generational trauma for Aboriginal peoples," says Flinders University Professor Heather Burke in a new article published in the Journal of Genocide Research "Despite the Australian frontier wars taking place over a century ago, their impacts continue to reverberate today in a range of different ways, many of which are as yet only partially understood." Professor Burke, and Queensland researchers, say official records show of the history of the Queensland Mounted Police in terms of its development, its white officers, some day-to-day operations of the force, and how many people were killed during the frontier wars. The article looks at the ongoing psychological impacts of the historical dispossession and frontier violence. Based on more than four years of research, the Archaeology of the Queensland Native Mounted Police project combined historical records, oral and historical evidence from a range of sites across central and northern Queensland to understand more fully the activities, lives and legacies of the native police. It strives to present an alternative perspective on the nature of frontier conflict during Australian settlement, in order to initiative new understandings of the Aboriginal and settler experience, and contribute to global studies of Indigenous responses to colonialism. The article 'Betwixt and Between: Trauma, Survival and the Aboriginal Troopers of the Queensland Native Mounted Police' (March, 2020) by Heather Burke, Bryce Barker, Lynley Wallis, Sarah Craig and Michelle Combo has been published in the Journal of Genocide Research (Taylor & Francis Online) DOI: 10.1080/14623528.2020.1735147 Background: The Queensland Native Mounted Police was organised along paramilitary lines, consisting of detachments of Aboriginal troopers led by white officers. It covered the whole of Queensland, including 170 camps, and was explicitly constituted to protect the lives, livelihoods and property of settlers and to prevent (and punish) any Aboriginal aggression or resistance. This was often accomplished through violence in many forms, leading Australian historian Henry Reynolds to characterise the NMP as "the most violent organisation in Australian history". The project's new publicly available national database covers the 50-year history of the Queensland Native Mounted Police (1849-1904) and stories of many of the 800 troopers and 400 officers. It is the only publicly available historical and archaeological dataset of their lives and activities. The excavations conducted over the past four years were the first archaeological investigations of any native police force operating anywhere in Australia. https://youtu.be/5AIqN_-1Dpk ### China has opened a dedicated coronavirus hospital to quarantine people arriving in Beijing from abroad. The first group of travellers were transferred from the Beijing International Airport to the Xiaotangshan hospital today, according to Chinese media. The facility was rebuilt from a previous medical centre built for SARS. The construction took 53 days and involved more than 15,000 workers. The news comes as overseas Chinese now deem the country a safe harbour during the coronavirus pandemic and are flocking back home. Officials in Beijing have so far identified 54 patients who contracted the disease abroad. They fear the surging number of 'imported cases' would spoil its progress to curb the outbreak. China has designated a coronavirus hospital to quarantine 'imported cases' arriving in Beijing from abroad. The picture shows the newly-renovated Xiaotangshan Hospital The first group of travellers have been transferred from the Beijing International Airport to the Xiaotangshan hospital today, according to Chinese media The dedicated hospital is equipped with over 1,600 beds and more than 600 medical workers to test suspected cases and treat patients with mild symptoms, according to a spokesperson from the Beijing Health Commission The officials announced on Monday that all international arrivals to the Chinese capital must be quarantined for 14 days. The dedicated hospital is equipped with over 1,600 beds and more than 600 medical workers to test suspected cases and treat patients with mild symptoms, according to a spokesperson from the Beijing Health Commission. The facility was first rushed together in a week in 2003 to treat patients infected with SARS, another deadly coronavirus that took 774 lives. On January 23, Beijing officials decided to rebuild the hospital in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The renovation took a total of 53 days and over 15,000 construction workers. The facility was first rushed together in a week in 2003 to treat patients infected with SARS, another deadly coronavirus that took 774 lives. The picture shows it before being renovated On January 23, Beijing officials decided to rebuild the hospital in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The renovation took a total of 53 days and over 15,000 construction workers This comes as China has found 54 cases imported from abroad, threatening to spoil its progress to curb the outbreak. The picture shows the interior of the hospital It comes as China has seen an influx of cases from abroad, with an average of 20,000 people flying into the country every day. Overseas Chinese are paying up to 21,000 for a seat on charter planes to fly home as China is now deemed to be a safe harbour during the escalating coronavirus pandemic. Social media footage shows the Beijing Capital Airport, the country's major air hub, filled to the brim by passengers arriving from abroad last Sunday after the global health crisis led dozens of countries to declare a state of emergency. Footage shows the Beijing Capital Airport filled to the brim by passengers arriving from abroad after the coronavirus crisis led dozens of countries to declare a state of emergency Meanwhile, the number of deaths and infections in Europe continue to soar as the total number of cases globally has surpassed 200,000 today. There are nearly 2,000 cases in the UK and at least 71 deaths. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Monday that people should stop socialising, work from home, avoid travelling and that whole households should stay in isolation if one person becomes ill. And a report by leading scientists who are advising the Government said people may need to keep up the drastic lifestyle change for 18 months or more. 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. Now it could limit the fatalities to fewer than 20,000 by keeping people away from each other and slowing down the spread of the virus. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 03:34:52|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, March 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. airplane giant Boeing Company is continuing production under government guidelines despite the spread of the coronavirus. "Some Boeing sites were already partially or fully operating under these guidelines in accordance with local or national government mandates," Boeing said in a statement released this week. "We're leveraging all resources to sustain our operations during this difficult time." According to the statement, the company has enhanced cleaning procedures in workspaces and updated guidance directing employees who work from home to effectively telecommute. "We're assessing the safety of all of our sites and their alignment with local, state and national government guidance as we continuously monitor this evolving situation." America's aerospace industry which supports over 2.5 million jobs and 17,000 suppliers is facing urgent challenges resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, the statement said, adding that Boeing believes "the long term outlook for the industry is still strong." "Until global passenger traffic resumes to normal levels, we're taking steps to manage the pressure on our business," it said. Enditem MAHWAH, New Jersey and MEDICINE HAT, Alberta, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- RADWIN (www.radwin.com), a leading global wireless broadband product solutions provider, and MBSI WAV (www.mbsiwav.com), a Canadian premier Value Added Distributor of wireless and networking technologies, today announced that they have signed a partnership agreement. MBSI WAV will offer RADWIN's extensive portfolio of wireless broadband solutions, including RADWIN's world leading JET AIR, PRO and DUO beamforming solutions and OSS tools to its extensive base of services providers and channel customers. "We are excited to offer RADWIN's carrier-grade portfolio to the Canadian market to best serve our customers - service providers, WISPs, government, public and private enterprises as well as utility companies," said Michael Schneider, MBSI WAV's Principal. "RADWIN's wireless broadband systems will enable our customers to expand their network footprint rapidly and cost-effectively." Reinhard Florin, General Manager US & Canada: "We are pleased to add MBSI WAV to our select network of global partners. The Canadian market is important to RADWIN and we have the products that meet the needs of this diverse market and environment. Our JET wireless broadband solutions with advanced Beamforming technology as well as our new TV White Space and 60GHz Mesh solutions are a great fit for WISPs, Telecom Carriers, Government, and Commercial Businesses that require high-speed, robust, wireless connectivity. Through this partnership RADWIN's current and future customers can leverage carrier-grade products while benefitting from MBSI WAV's extensive portfolio of value-added engineering and logistics services." About RADWIN RADWIN is the global provider of broadband wireless solutions that deliver blazing fast broadband with unparalleled reliability. Incorporating cutting-edge technologies, RADWIN's solutions are equipped with powerful OSS tools that support all operational aspects of the network lifecycle and enable operation in the toughest conditions including interference and nLOS. Deployed in over 170 countries, RADWIN's solutions power applications including backhaul, access, private network connectivity and broadband on the move for rail and metro trains. Visit: www.radwin.com About MBSI WAV MBSI WAV is the industry's premier distributor serving the Canadian wireless market with strong stocking positions both in Alberta and Ontario. MBSI WAV provides the depth of knowledge and expert services required to fully address the specific technology and value-add needs of the WISP, VAR and Solution Provider community. Along with providing professional value-add services, MBSI WAV offers up to date product knowledge with support for multi-vendor solutions. Visit: www.mbsiwav.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1134921/RADWIN_and_MBSI.jpg RADWIN Sales HQ: +972-3-769-2820 Email: sales@radwin.com Media Contact Amanda Azran Tel: +972-3-766-2904 Email: pr@radwin.com MBSI WAV Sales HQ: +1 (866) 597-6274 Email: sales@mbsiwav.com Media Contact Nicole Devereaux Tel: +1 (866) 597-6274 x303 Email: ndevereaux@mbsiwav.com Ive been quarantining for three hours, and I am already so bored!Friend Oh my God, how am I going to do this for another week, if not more?Another friend This self-quarantine is crazy. I am losing my mind. Did I tell you about my date last night? P.S. He was so weird. Ill call you right back. I am going to walk my dog. Yet another friend Of course I am going to her birthday dinner. Our age group is not at risk.Again, another friend Advertisement It would appear that my thirtysomething contemporaries have varying views on what self-quarantining means, and to whom it applies. Who can blame them when its not required (yet, at least) in New York, where we live, and the media information about COVID-19 is so rampantly multiplying with murky, contradictory, and misleading statistics and recommendations? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Id like to help. Having recently emerged from my own unrelated, 10-month-long self-imposed quarantine, I can offer you the following advice: Listen to the actual health authoritiesi.e., Anthony Fauci, not Mike Penceand when it comes to following their recommendations, err on the stricter side. In 2018, I was living in Italy, attending business school in Milan. In late May, I was spending the week in Rome, interning at the Valentino flagship store on Piazza di Spagna. It should have been just as romantic as it sounds. But after months of feeling unwell, and seeing various specialists in Milan to no avail, newer symptoms of a cough and an aching pain in my side became so severe I ended up at a walk-in clinic in Rome. When the blood results came back four days later, I received a call telling me to go to the hospital immediately. At Campus Bio-Medio Hospital just outside of Rome, the doctors performed a bone marrow biopsy (a nasty little procedure), and I was formally diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemiaa mouthful affectionately called by its acronym, A.L.L. Advertisement Advertisement Arrivederci, Italia. Thirty-six hours later, I was stateside again. My parents picked me up from JFK and drove me directly to MSK, or Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan. I would remain there for five weeks, attached the entire time to an intravenous line pumping me with chemotherapy drugs, blood transfusions, anti-bacterial medicinesyou name it. Advertisement I left the hospital in remission on July 5, 2018. However, I still had nine months of intensive chemotherapy in front of me, followed by three years of maintenance chemotherapy to ensure the cancer cells were completely obliterated. (I have just finished my first year of maintenance. Quite a time for my quarantine re-entree.) Advertisement Advertisement It was these initial nine months of intensive chemo that necessitated my self-quarantine. My white blood cells and neutrophils, also known as the immune system, were compromised by the constant attack of the chemo, whose job it is to kill said blood cells. I spent every day in my parents home. I could not go to crowded spaces. I often wore gloves outside. Visits to the doctors office, my main social activity, required a mask and constant hand-sanitizing. I spent half my days disinfecting my hands, whether through hand-washing or sanitizing, paranoid that I would become ill. My daily walk outside was my one break from quarantine, the purpose of which was to minimize my risk of forming a blood clot (which, of course, I developed anyway). You get the pointIve done this before. Advertisement So this week, when friends started complaining of boredom and disruption after mere hours of social distancingin some cases while recounting to me the date they went on the night before, or describing the birthday party they were about to attendI did not feel much sympathy. That is, until I remembered how frustrated I felt way back when Id first returned home from the hospital in 2018 and realized that I would be stuck there for nine more months. Until I remembered that, in fact, I had complained a lot. Unlike my peers, who at that point were doing everything as usual except maybe not going to parades, my own isolation was accompanied by almost-daily doses of poison that left me feeling hungover for basically an entire year, without the drunken benefits of a night out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Regardless, I get it. Self-quarantining sucks. Especially since there is currently no clear end in sight. In my case, it was not hard to convince me that isolation was the best option when the carrot dangling in front of me was extending my life span. Beyond battling cancer, which could kill me, I was at risk of getting pneumonia and other illnesses that my body, its immune system weakened by the cancer treatment, couldnt properly fend off. In fact, despite my stringent precautions, I still contracted a virus that led to a very dangerous bout of acute myopericarditis, requiring a heart biopsy and a weeklong stay in the cardiac ICU at New YorkPresbyterian. Advertisement So, for everyone who currently has a healthy immune system, think about all the people who are in the situation that I was in last yeari.e., cancer patients undergoing the worst year or years of their lives, with no immune system. Think about how real the threat of COVID-19, a disease we know incredibly little about, is for them. Think about those with other autoimmune disorders or chronic conditions like heart or lung disease. Think about the elderly. Think about the people who fall into several of these categories. Do you want to make them sick? Just because you are asymptomatic or might not be at the most risk of dying from the coronavirus, do you think it is OK to contribute to the spread of the disease and increase the chances of these people getting fatally ill? Advertisement Advertisement It can take a while to find your groove in isolation; it did for me. Please keep in mind that I was not able to work in this period, given the state of my health, so I cannot offer tips on WFH, a term we are all now too familiar with. I am currently eight days into my self-imposed coronavirus quarantine and happy to report that I am yet to lose my marbles. Practice makes perfect. Some tips to dealing with the cabin fever are as follows: 1. Your life will begin to feel like Groundhog Day. Be prepared. 2. Glass half full, people. Remind yourself how lucky you are to be alive. It makes the self-quarantining seem like less of a big deal. Advertisement 3. Watch those movies and read those books on that ever-growing list in the notes section of your phone. 4. Take advantage of the extra time with your family and loved ones, if you are not sick yourself. Advertisement Advertisement 5. Explore journaling and meditation to deal with increased anxiety. 6. Most importantly, take it seriously. Follow the advice from the CDC and other health experts. I dont mean to sound glib. I know this is not going to be one long, lazy vacation. I cannot speak for working parents who are now juggling doing their jobs and taking care of their children all under one roof. I cannot imagine how hard this will be for them. I cannot speak for people who rely on schools to help feed their children. I cannot speak for the people worrying about keeping a job and making rent while being told to stay home, without paid sick leave. Or for those who have already lost their jobs due to the catastrophic toll this virus is taking on the global economy. I come from a place of privilege, and Im acutely aware of that. I also know that, unlike my cancer quarantine, a pandemic incites extreme behaviors and panic on a global scale, not just for an individual. I know people are not simply watching movies at home with a bag of popcorn but are also on Amazon trying to find food for their family and toilet paper for their nether regions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I recently called my doctors office and asked: Am I more at risk? Why have I not heard anything from you all? Am I going to die if I get the coronavirus? The response engendered both optimism and concern. They said that while my latest blood counts are within the normal rangewhich means I should not be particularly more at risk currentlythey recommend I follow the CDCs guidelines, because that is all the information they have as well. Eerie. So, what I ask is this: that the government assist people in this trying time, that health officials become clearer with their messaging and recommendations as their understanding of the coronavirus develops, that the media try its best not to add to the confusion, and most of all, that people properly self-isolate and understand their role in the spread. Let us all come together in this moment of uncertainty and embrace the quarantine. With some Connecticut hospital staffs already flat out treating patients for coronavirus symptoms, Gov. Ned Lamont issued a plea for nurse retirees to contact their former employers about returning to work and said the state could accelerate the training requirements of those studying for nursing careers in order to press them into service. Speaking in Hartford on Tuesday afternoon, Lamont and the states lead expert on infectious diseases warned hospital staffing in Fairfield County is already stretched near the breaking point, as it handles the influx of patients with symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Nuvance Health, the parent organization for Danbury Hospital and Norwalk Hospital, attracted national attention after it was forced to place some 200 nurses and other staff at hospitals in Connecticut and New York on temporary furlough as a precaution against any exposure to the virus. Hospitals in the New Haven and Hartford areas are seeing increased patient counts as well, with Lamont expecting that to spill over into eastern Connecticut before long. We are working with the Department of Public Health ... in terms of certifications see what we can do to get more nurses available now, Lamont said Tuesday. We have a number of training nurses (and) we are accelerating their certifications. Were also reaching out to retired nurses, Lamont said. We are going to need you over the next two ... (to) six weeks. The state Department of Public Health is forwarding queries to a State Joint Information Center on coronavirus response, which did not provide details immediately Wednesday on base requirements any nursing students would need to have and how they would be placed in assignments and paid. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services supports a Medical Reserve Corps that, at last report, had 175,000 professionals nationally on which it can potentially draw. HHS lists nearly two dozen MRC units in Connecticut, from Greenwich to New London and points inland. The Connecticut Nurses Association hosts regular gatherings of retired nurses who wish to stay on top of industry developments. In 2016, Connecticuts nursing schools produced more than 3,100 graduates with varying focuses of expertise, according to the most recent data posted by the Connecticut League of Nursing. With nearly 30 percent of the states nursing workforce age 60 or older at that point, lawmakers have spent the past few years enacting policies to draw more people to the profession. On Tuesday, the states head epidemiologist indicated speed is of the essence, as hospital staff on the front lines are overwhelmed and facilities that still have a few days or weeks more to plan brace themselves. At Greenwich Hospital, they are working 24/7, said Dr. Matthew Cartter, director of infectious diseases at the Connecticut Department of Public Health. The doctors and nurses and others havent been sleeping for days. They are totally full same thing in Danbury and in Bridgeport. Includes prior reporting by Ken Dixon. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman The US Air Force has flown 500,000 coronavirus testing kits to the country from Italy as the confirmed number of cases surpassed 7,800 on Tuesday and the number of deaths over 121. An image showing the aircraft filled with the tests on Monday was posted on social media alongside the caption: 'Got to be part of something special last night.' The plane took off from Aviano Air Base Monday afternoon and touched down in Memphis, Tennessee with a person on board sharing online that they 'got to be part of something special last night'. Showing the precious cargo stretched across the aircraft, the caption highlighted that 'these pallets right here are 500,000 covid-19 testing kits that the aircrew I was a part of' had responsibility for, according to the poster. The US Air Force flew 500,000 coronavirus testing kits from Italy Monday and landed in Tennessee Tuesday. One of the crew shared an image online and captioned it: 'Got to be part of something special last night' Above are the number of confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths in the US as of Wednesday and how the pandemic has escalated since January 21 The post has since been removed. DefenseOne.com reports that the authenticity of the post has been verified. Air Force Chief of staff, General David Goldfein, has not confirmed the shipment mentioned in the social media post but said in a press conference Wednesday: 'We've just made a pretty significant movement into Memphis.' Defense One reports the C-17 aircraft touched down at Memphis International Airport which is a major FedEx hub that would allow onward commercial flights to carry the kits around the rest of the country. Citing a source that is familiar with the mission, the website said the quiet mission was called Reach 911. Similar missions are expected to occur over the next few days as the United States Air Force (USAF) has been flying spare parts to the Aviano base. USAF declined to comment and the Office of the Secretary of Defense and the White House did not respond to requests for comment. Defense One reports the C-17 aircraft touched down at Memphis International Airport (pictured) which is a major FedEx hub that would allow onward commercial flights to carry the kits around the rest of the country Air Force Chief of staff, General David Goldfein, has not confirmed the shipment mentioned in the social media post but said in a press conference Wednesday: 'We've just made a pretty significant movement into Memphis' Goldfein said USAF has implemented procedures such as taking the temperatures of Air Force members and isolating them when necessary, plus focusing on 'minimizing movement, keeping them in a bubble'. 'We can move a lot of test kits on a C-17 or a C-5,' Goldstein said, but it means those planes will be out of action for other missions or training. The setup of Air Force control rooms and other spaces have had to change amid the outbreak. By Wednesday seven had tested positive for COVID-19. The Air Force has canceled big calendar events due to the pandemic and Goldstein alongside other big leaders have been teleworking at least three days per week. Donald Trump has been criticized for the delay in testing Americans. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) never discussed providing coronavirus testing kits to the US in the early days of the outbreak. By the end of February, the WHO had shipped hundreds of thousands of test kits around the world - but the US was not among them. Tarik Jasarevic, a spokesperson for the WHO, told DailyMail.com that no discussions occurred between the UN health agency and the CDC about providing tests to the US - nor did the WHO offer to send tests. 'This is consistent with experience since the US does not ordinarily rely on WHO for reagents or diagnostic tests because of sufficient domestic capacity,' he said in a statement. The WHO published guidelines on January 17 for any nation that was planning to manufacture tests for the virus. However, the CDC told media on the same day that it had chosen to develop its own version of the test. President Donald Trump walks into the Roosevelt Room and is greeted by (L-R), Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford, U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, U.S. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller and U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. David Goldfein. Pictured December 2017 The CDC shipped its first batch of kits to laboratories across the US on February 5. According to CNN, the WHO announced the next day that it had shipped 250,000 kits to at least 70 countries. Less that a week later, several state labs said the CDC diagnostic was returning 'inconclusive results.' This forced the federal health agency to re-manufacture components of the kit, although its unclear what defect occurred. Ever since the CDC started to address this issue, delays have continued. As of Wednesday, just 4,255 specimens have been tested for the virus that causes COVID-19 at CDC labs, according to the CDC's website. However, this does not include tests conducted at US public health laboratories, commercial laboratories and some hospitals. Meanwhile, there have been no reports of delays from countries that received testing kits from the WHO. South Korea, by comparison, has tested more than 270,000 people - about 700 times as many people as the US has. It's unclear whether using the WHO's protocol would have delayed testing the US. There was also plenty of red tape for US public health labs in all 50 states to be granted authorization to test for coronavirus, which didn't occur until March 9. CDC: HOW TO SLOW THE CORONAVIRUS SPREAD Advertisement JERUSALEM Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was supposed to be facing trial this week on bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges. Instead, he was shutting down the courts and ordering Israels internal security service to identify people who should be quarantined using data harvested from their phones. Both of those extraordinary moves, announced in the dead of night on Sunday and Tuesday, were made in the name of combating the coronavirus. The court shutdown also had the effect of delaying Mr. Netanyahus corruption trial by two months. Many Israelis have expressed admiration for the celerity and aggressiveness of Mr. Netanyahus response to the pandemic: Israel was ahead of the curve in shutting down travel to hot spots, ordering new arrivals into quarantine and closing down the public schools. KYODO NEWS - Mar 18, 2020 - 22:52 | All, Coronavirus, Japan A man infected with the novel coronavirus who went out to drink earlier this month after saying he wanted to "spread the virus" died Wednesday at a hospital in central Japan, local authorities said. After testing positive with the pneumonia-causing virus on March 4, the 57-year-old man from Gamagori, Aichi Prefecture, went to two drinking establishments in the city that evening despite being requested by health officials to remain at home. The local authorities said they did not have the power to prohibit him from going out. The man's death was due to pneumonia caused by the new coronavirus, the prefecture said, adding he developed a fever and respiratory abnormalities shortly after being admitted to the hospital on March 5. He was suffering from hepatocellular cancer. Police launched an investigation into the man, whose identity has not been released, last Friday after a woman in her 30s working at a Filipino pub tested positive for the virus, which originated in China and causes COVID-19. The woman's nationality has not been disclosed. The police had planned to question him on suspicion of obstruction of business after he left the hospital. (Photo taken March 4, 2020 shows a man infected with the new coronavirus at a pub in Gamagori, Aichi Prefecture.) [Photo courtesy of the pub operator] The man spent 15 minutes at an "izakaya" Japanese-style drinking establishment before going to the pub for about 40 minutes, according to Gamagori city officials. At the Filipino pub, the man sang karaoke and put his arm around a female employee who was serving him, a source knowledgeable of the situation said. Although the female employee tested negative for the virus, another female worker developed a fever on March 8 and later tested positive, officials of Toyota city, also in Aichi, said last Thursday. The woman lives with her family in the city. Both the izakaya and the Filipino pub temporarily suspended business from March 4, with the pub manager filing a complaint with the police last Friday regarding disruption of business. The man had tested positive for the virus a day after his parents, with whom he lived, were found to be infected. Before taking a taxi to go out drinking, the man told his parents he wanted to "spread the virus," according to the Gamagori city officials. Aichi Prefecture currently has the second highest number of domestic COVID-19 infections at about 120, after Hokkaido, where some 150 cases have been confirmed. Japan has so far found 13 clusters of people infected with the pneumonia-causing virus, according to the health ministry, including one at a day-care center for the elderly in the central Japan prefecture. In a separate incident, police on Monday arrested a man in Kiryu, Gunma Prefecture, on suspicion of obstructing business after he told passengers on a train he was infected with coronavirus, causing the operator to suspend the line for around an hour. The 54-year-old man, Kiyoshi Kogure, was confirmed not to be infected with the virus and was drunk at the time of the incident, according to the police. Related coverage: Osaka to offer free school lunches as coronavirus hits local economy More parents in Japan turn to apps for child care as virus shuts schools Japan decides to cancel court crown prince banquets over virus 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. 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. As the world grappled with the threat of coronavirus, UK initially seemed to take it easy. However, as cases increased, Britain changed its stance on fighting coronavirus in a matter of a week. While countries imposed lockdowns, UK preferred to wait it out. On March 12, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson government stated that it was shifting its focus from aggressive measures to try and delay the effects of COVID-19. The UK government looked at a couple of things. The government said it would not try to track down contacts of suspected cases but would only test patients admitted to the hospitals. It also believed that the peak was a few weeks away and hence imposing strict measures early on would make people uncooperative and careless. Sir Patrick Vallance, UK's chief scientific adviser also said that when the measures are lifted, the virus would make a comeback. ALSO READ: India grossly under-tested on coronavirus; urgent steps needed to ramp up testing In order to tackle the issue, Sir Vallance said that UK would not get rid of the virus completely but would "suppress" it. The way to do it, they believed was to protect the vulnerable including the elderly. However, the others would get sick in the meantime. And as the virus has proven to have milder effects on younger age groups, they would subsequently recover and become immune to the virus. This phenomenon is called "herd immunity". The "herd immunity" phenomenon would also allow the severe cases to receive all the medical care they need as well as not crush the healthcare system. However, herd immunity has never been used as a preventive measure. According to a report in the World Economic Forum, for UK to achieve herd immunity, 70 per cent of the population would require to be infected with coronavirus. "Achieving herd immunity would require well over 47 million people to be infected in the UK. Current estimates are that COVID-19 has a 2.3 per cent case-fatality rate and a 19 per cent rate of severe disease. This means that achieving herd immunity to COVID-19 in the UK could result in the deaths of more a million people with a further eight million severe infections requiring critical care," stated the report. ALSO READ: Coronavirus in India Live updates: 255 Indians COVID-19 positive in Iran, Centre tells Lok Sabha As UK's unusual preventive measure made headlines, the Johnson-led government came under severe backlash. A couple of days since then, UK has registered 71 deaths till March 18. Till yesterday, the number of confirmed cases in UK was 1,950, but the UK media believes that the real figure could be around 55,000. Three babies are also reported to have contracted coronavirus. Amid the backlash and the rapid pace of coronavirus, Johnson government went back on its words and announced aggressive measures to fight the virus. Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked everyone to avoid non-essential travel. Till Monday the number of deaths in UK was 55. Johnson said that the disease was now "approaching the fast growth part of the upward curve". He asked households to self-quarantine for 14 days if anyone displayed coronavirus symptoms. Johnson said that anyone who can work from home should. "And you should avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues," he said. UK has also promised to ramp up coronavirus testing. There are also reports that people over 70 would be asked to isolate themselves -- either at home or at care facilities. Although schools remain open, the PM hinted that they would be soon shut down. ALSO READ:Coronavirus update: Here's a list of 62 test centres for COVID-19 Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care said that the government would soon contact people with severe conditions who should be "shielded from social contact" for three months. He also said that all non-essential operations of the NHS would be cancelled. So far more than 2 lakh people have been infected with coronavirus, with the death toll at 8,010. China is the most affected, followed by Iran and Italy. ALSO READ:Coronavirus impact: Mukesh Ambani pads up to protect half a million Reliance employees ALSO READ: Coronavirus update: DGCA issues guidelines to airlines on preventive measures Many film shootings and releases have been postponed owing to the Coronavirus outbreak in the country. While most of our Bollywood celebrities are under self-quarantine because of the lockdown, that doesn't stop them enjoying their unexpected break. Some are busy binge-watching films and web-series and then, there are stars like Deepika Padukone and Kareena Kapoor Khan who are in a mood to indulge in some guilty pleasures on the plate. Recently, Deepika shared a meme with the text that read, "Pizza toppings ranked." And it listed three toppings - cheese, cheese and more cheese. It seems like the Chhapaak actress was thinking of some mouth-watering pizza loaded with lots of cheese. Talking about Kareena Kapoor Khan, the actress posted some funny photos of herself enjoying spoonfuls of 'gaajar ka halwa' on her Insta stories, where she is seen posing with a bowl and spoon. She captioned the pictures as, "Dessert doesn't go in the stomach, it goes to the heart. And I clearly have a big heart." As her mouth opens wider with each picture, the caption reads, "Really big, trust me." The final picture with a caption 'Hence proved' shows a bowl with one bite of dessert left in it. Earlier this month, Deepika cancelled her trip to Paris for the Paris Fashion Week because of the Coronavirus epidemic. Meanwhile, Kareena Kapoor Khan too flew back from Punjab as the shooting of her upcoming film Laal Singh Chadha got postponed owing to the pandemic. Bebo was recently seen in Irrfan Khan's Angrezi Medium where she essayed the role of a cop. Despite theatre lockdown and government advising people to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary to step out, the Homi Adajania directorial managed to collect Rs 9.5 crore in three days of the release. Now, the makers are planning to re-release the film in India once things are under control. Fight Against Coronavirus: Deepika Padukone And Anushka Sharma Take Up The 'Safe Hands' Challenge Coronavirus Relief: FWICE To Organize Distribution Of Essential Commodities For Needy Members [March 18, 2020] The refrigeration monitoring market is projected to grow from USD 7.4 billion in 2020 to USD 11.1 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 8.3% from 2020 to 2025 NEW YORK, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Refrigeration monitoring market is projected to grow at CAGR of 8.3% from 2020 to 2025 Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05875815/?utm_source=PRN The refrigeration monitoring market is projected to grow from USD 7.4 billion in 2020 to USD 11.1 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 8.3% from 2020 to 2025. Key factors fueling the growth of this market include changing food consumption patterns, shifting consumer preference for organic food products, increasing demand for high-quality packed food products, growing demand for temperature-sensitive drugs, high disposable income, and the need to reduce food wastage. Market for software is projected to grow at highest CAGR during forecast period among offerings Among the different offerings in this market, software is expected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2020 to 2025.The demand for software is increasing owing to its benefits of real-time monitoring of refrigeration systems, remote control, and predictive maintenance for the [reservation of food & beverages, drugs, vaccines, and chemicals. Refrigeration monitoring is available with software for quality-controlled, interactive notification & alarming, and platform for the Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring. Market for temperature sensors is projected to grow at highest CAGR during 20202025 Among sensors, the temperature sensor is projected to witness the highest CAGR from 2020 to 2025.Temperature is one of the most common parameters that is measured across a wide variety of industries including food & beverages, retail, transport, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and others. Most frozen and packed food products are required to be stored at a specific temperature requirement in order to ensure that they remain.A temperature sensor is used to adjust the temperature of the refrigerator as required, according to the contents of the refrigerator. The wide applicability of temperature sensors in the pharmaceutical, chemical, food & beverage, hospital, and residential sectors is likely to increase the worldwide demand for these sensors in the forecast period. Refrigeration monitoring for storage accounted for largest market share in 2019 Among applications, the refrigeration monitoring market for storage is projected to lead from 2020 to 2025.To increase the availability of perishable food products and reduce losses due to wastage, retail companies and transport companies are deploying cold storage facilities to preserve food & beverages. Rapid growth in the retail sector, such as an increase in the number of supermarkets and quick-serice restaurants, is expected to increase demand for these commercial refrigerators. The rise in refrigerated capacity of cold storage in APAC is thus expected to accelerate the growth of the refrigeration monitoring market in the storage sector. Among industries, the food & beverages industry is projected to witness the highest CAGR from 2020 to 2025.The quality and durability of food are directly related to the efficient monitoring of the refrigeration unit. With the increase in disposable income of individuals worldwide, the refrigerated foods market is growing at a fast pace. The growth in this industry is attributed to factors such as government regulations for food safety, a rise in demand for packaged food, and the adoption of refrigeration systems by retail, cold storage, and transport companies to minimize losses. APAC is expected to hold largest share of refrigeration monitoring market in 2025 APAC is expected to hold the largest share of the refrigeration monitoring market in 2025.The growth in APAC is driven by the rising demand for high-quality food products, an increase in online food retail, increased consumer spending on eating out, and government initiatives to improve healthcare in the region. Additionally, advancements in e-commerce, logistics, and warehouse management are contributing to the growth of the market in the APAC region. APAC is the world's most densely populated region with diverse climatic conditions.This reflects the necessity for efficient cold chain services for the transportation of temperature-sensitive goods from one place to another. Governments in various countries are also attempting to facilitate improvements in the cold chain service industry through regulations and subsidies. Breakdown of profiles of primary participants: By Company: Tier 1 = 30%, Tier 2 = 45%, and Tier 3 = 25% By Designation: C-level Executives = 35%, Directors = 40%, and Others (Managers, Scientists, and University Researchers) = 25% By Region: APAC = 40%, Americas = 35%, Europe = 20%, and RoW = 5% Major players profiled in this report: Emerson MONNIT Danfoss TE Connectivity Zebra Technologies Texas Instruments ORBCOMM Controlant Samsara SmartSense Research coverage This report offers detailed insights into the refrigeration monitoring market based on offering, sensor, application, industry, and region.Based on offering, the refrigeration monitoring market has been segmented into hardware, software, and service. Based on sensor, the market has been divided into temperature sensors, defrost sensors, touch sensors, liquid level sensors, pressure sensors, contact sensors, AC current sensors, water detectors, gas detectors, and motion detectors.Based on application, the market has been divided into storage and transportation. Based on industry, the refrigeration monitoring market has been classified into food & beverages, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, hospitals, residential, and others. The market has been studied for Asia Pacific (APAC); North America ; Europe ; and Rest of the World (RoW). Reasons to buy the report The report is expected to help market leaders/new entrants in this market in the following ways. 1. This report segments the refrigeration monitoring market comprehensively and provides the closest approximations of the overall size of the market, as well as its segments and subsegments. 2. The report is expected to help stakeholders understand the pulse of the market and provide them with information about key drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities. 3. This report aims at helping stakeholders obtain an improved understanding of their competitors and gain insights to enhance their position in the market. The competitive landscape section includes the competitor ecosystem of the market, as well as growth strategies such as product launches, expansions, agreements, partnerships, collaborations, and acquisitions adopted by major market players. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05875815/?utm_source=PRN About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-refrigeration-monitoring-market-is-projected-to-grow-from-usd-7-4-billion-in-2020-to-usd-11-1-billion-by-2025--at-a-cagr-of-8-3-from-2020-to-2025--301026043.html SOURCE Reportlinker [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] An emergency 100m rates package to assist Northern Ireland businesses impacted by Covid-19 is "too little, too late", according to a tourism expert. Finance Minister Conor Murphy announced details of the financial aid yesterday after Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled a 330bn cash boost to help businesses across the UK that are being caught up in the devastating effects of coronavirus. Mr Murphy said: "This is a fast-moving situation but I want to provide businesses here with as much certainty as I can, as quickly as I can. I am therefore introducing emergency measures to reduce the cost of rates on businesses at this very difficult and uncertain time. "All businesses will pay zero rates for the next three months. This rates holiday will save businesses 100m. I am also deferring the issuing of rates bill from April until June to help businesses with short-term cash flow." However, Joanne Stuart, CEO of Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance, said urgent action must be taken to stop the loss of thousands of jobs across the tourism, retail and hospitality sectors - coming after the Deputy Chief Medical Officer in England said some of the strict restrictions being put in place might remain for 12 months. Some of Northern Ireland's biggest tourist attractions have already fallen victim to the measures being put in place to slow the spread of Covid-19. Titanic Belfast closed its doors yesterday evening, with a spokeswoman from TBL International explaining that all of its venues, including Titanic Belfast, SS Nomadic and TEC Belfast, would be closed until March 31 at the earliest. The situation will be reviewed at the end of the month, the spokeswoman added. Meanwhile, the Ulster Museum, Folk Museum, Transport Museum and Ulster American Folk Park have all closed indefinitely. Ms Stuart said: "I think the extra money for businesses that has been announced by the Chancellor is to be welcomed, however, many of the measures being put in place in England do not apply here in Northern Ireland. "We would call on Conor Murphy to act swiftly to ensure that the money being made available to the devolved nations is used to mitigate the effects of coronavirus as quickly as possible. "Tourism, hospitality and retail are already being affected and while the 100m rates holiday is a step in the right direction, it is too little, too late. "It also does not address the cash flow issues that businesses are experiencing now, money needs to be made available now because the biggest cost in tourism, retail and hospitality is staff, so businesses need money now to enable them to continue to pay wages. "I'm disappointed the Chancellor didn't mention that in his speech, however, I do welcome his announcement that he has set up a committee for business and economy and we would want to see either the Finance Minister or Economy Minister on that so the views of the business community here are represented." Forky (Tony Hale) and Hamm (John Ratzenberger) in a still from Pixar's Disney+ Original series Forky Asks A Question. (Disney) Disneys new streaming service Disney+ is launching in the UK on 24 March. Alongside the Mickey Mouse studios extensive back catalogue including its animated classics, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars, theres also a raft of brand new shows and movies exclusive to subscribers. One of the highlights of that slate is Pixars Forky Asks A Question, a series of short films starring Forky, the breakout star of the Oscar-winning Toy Story 4, voiced by Veep and Arrested Development star Tony Hale. In each episode, the spork-turned-toy ponders some of lifes biggest quandaries, and the stars of the Toy Story universe are there to help him get a grip on life. With episodes such as What is love?, What is money?, and What is cheese? we were keen to find out what questions Hale had about life in the UK now that the show was about to launch on these shores. Read more: All the Pixar coming to Disney+ I do have a lot of questions about Brexit, Hale told Yahoo Movies UK. I think Forky would be confused by that because it sounds like a breakfast cereal. Also Vegemite, is that you guys? We explained thats an Australian product, and that us brits prefer Marmite. That seems like an acquired taste, he mused. I would have a lot of questions about that. Heres what else we learned about Forky Asks A Question from its star Tony Hale who also shared his pick of the Disney+ highlights to watch out for, and the crossover show hed love to see happen. Yahoo Movies UK: It must be a quite a thrill to be one of the launch highlights for Disney+ - how does it feel? Actor Tony Hale, from left, poses with characters Woody and Forky as he arrives at the world premiere of "Toy Story 4" on Tuesday, June 11, 2019, at the El Capitan in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Tony Hale: Its pretty exciting. I mean the whole journey of joining the Toy Story universe these past few years has been obviously very exciting and overwhelming at the same time. Stepping into a franchise that is not only so established with so incredibly well done, it was intimidating at first, but they could not have been more welcoming, and funny, and the whole process has been pretty great. Story continues Was it easy to slip back into Forky mode after having left it for a little bit after Toy Story 4? Very. I guess it was like six or seven months before the film came out that they asked if I wanted to do this, and of course I was like yeah, Im in! because I loved the whole aspect of... Forky kind of came into the world, really just having the one goal of helping people eat chilli and then going to the trash. That was his mission in life. And Woody comes along, he's like, no, you're made for more: to love and be loved. And Forky just out of the gate he had a tonne of questions. And I love that this is just a continuation of all those questions. Do you have any questions that you'd like to see Forky tackle in the future? Oh man, I feel like I have so many, and they would probably be my own personal frustrations like why do people talk on the phone so loud?, Why do people eat with their mouths open? Stuff like that. With this being the launch of Disney plus in the UK, I wondered if you had any questions about the UK or UK culture that you thought that you would like answering? Tony Hale poses at the Disney + launch event promoting "Forky Asks A Question" at the London West Hollywood hotel on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019 in West Hollywood, Calif. (Photo by Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP) I do have a lot of questions about Brexit. I think Forky would be confused because it sounds like a breakfast cereal. Also Vegemite, is that you guys? We have Marmite here, Vegemite is an Aussie thing. That seems like an acquired taste. I would have a lot of questions about that. Read more: Aussies appalled by Tom Hanks Vegemite use And if you weren't given the opportunity to ask Forky a question - do you have something you'd like to know about the world of toys? I would ask a question about I think he's got to stretch in the morning because he has no flexibility. I don't know how he gets around so fast. Theres no flexibility in that body. He cant even move his neck, so I'm very curious about his mobility. Those little feet though, they seem to have a lot of movement in them. A still from new Disney+ show Forky Asks A Question. (Disney) Those feet are going strong. I dont know if he gets foot replacements every week or something, but hes got to wear those out. Yeah, we made a Forky when the film came out, and he is not in good shape right now. Hes got to have some handlers helping him out. Talking of people helping him out, can you tell me a little bit about the creative team behind Forky Asks A Question? Who's the brainchild behind it? Co-director Bob Peterson arrives at the premiere of Disney Pixar's ''Up'', 2009. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) Bob Peterson wrote the episodes and directed them and he is just so funny and I love him. For example, the episode What Is A Friend? I think you might have seen that one? Just the fact that Forky gains a friend and its a coffee mug, that was so weird and so funny at the same time. I think most of the time the actors get a lot of press around the movie, but its all about the animators. Read more: All the Star Wars you can watch on Disney+ The spotlight should be on those guys because they work so incredibly hard on the animation and it looks so stunning. So I always love to just bring attention back to them, theyre the unsung heroes. Definitely. I imagine when you're shooting a three minute short like this, you're only in the booth for a short amount of time or is there a lot of improvisation that goes into it? Tony Hale poses at the Disney + launch event promoting "Forky Asks A Question" at the London West Hollywood hotel on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019 in West Hollywood, Calif. (Photo by Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP) Yeah. Theres a lot of improvisation, and they give a lot of freedom for that. You could be there a couple of days coming up with ideas and doing the scripts. I mean, honestly, I was so excited just to kind of get back into the storyline, because I love Forky; the way he looks at life and how simple it is. And I think that might be why people are attracted to him. Because life is so crazy chaotic and just having a character just ask very simple questions like, What is love? What is a friend? What is cheese? I feel like we forget a lot of that simplicity. And it's a great reminder of it. Yeah, especially for the younger audiences as well. These are the things that kids want to know, right? Kids wanna know, and I want to be reminded of it. When I get too overwhelmed by life, it's nice to have a little spork just ask the question like hey, whats love? just throwing it out there because I can kind of forget. Whats a friend?, you know many times I forget, and it's nice to just bring back some simple truths. Talking of people exploring the world with a wild eyed wonder, one of the other things I've watched on Disney plus is The World According To Jeff Goldblum. Its a really great companion series for your series. I'd love to see a crossover episode. Do you think that's possible? A still from new Disney+ show The World According To Jeff Goldblum. (Disney) Let's do it! From your mouth to Pixars ears. What's a Jeff Goldblum? That's a question we all need answering. I know! I just think Jeff Goldblum and Forky should have their own talk show. Jeff Goldblum would be like the Andy Richter to Forkys Conan. Congratulations on the Oscar win, what was that night like for you? Oh, it was so exciting. I think we were all just so excited that they got the attention that they deserved. Again going back to the hard work that they all put into it. It's just the details of that movie. Watching Toy Story, it felt like watching magic, just all this eye candy. Like Bo Peeps face, it looked like real porcelain. That beauty... I was so excited that they got the attention that they deserved for it. People will be able to revisit it when it comes to Disney+. You've had it in America for a while now - what did you dive into first on the platform? I was pretty excited to go through The Simpsons episodes, because there was a lot that I've missed. And so that was really fun. And my daughter is now 14. So that's always fun to watch together. Read more: Everything you can watch on Disney+ Obviously The Mandalorian, but it's also just all the library they have, its just so extensive. Just what we have access to now through Disney+, it's pretty crazy. Pre-Order Disney+ Yahoo Entertainment is committed to finding you the best products at the best prices. We may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change. Disney+ subscription | 49.99 a year for a limited time only Disney+ will land in the UK on 24 March. Theres a monthly subscription fee of 5.99 a month, or an annual charge of 59.99. If you pre-order before 23 March, Disney is offering a years subscription for 49.99. MANILA, Philippines (AP) The Philippines lifted a deadline for thousands of foreign travelers 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 travelers, 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 travelers in Luzon may face limited options for staying as mass transportation is suspended and more businesses decide to close. Some airlines have canceled international flights, complicating the problems of outbound travelers. 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. Story continues 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 Dublin, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Composite Film Market by Resin Type (Epoxy), Curing Type (Autoclave, Out-of-autoclave), Function (Lightning Strike Protection, Surface Protection), End-use Industry (Aerospace & Defense, Automotive), and Region - Global Forecast to 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global composite film market is projected to grow from USD 245 million in 2020 to USD 328 million by 2025, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6% between 2020 and 2025. In comparison to conventional materials such as aluminum steel, composite films offer strength, tenacity, density, and thermal and electrical conductivity, fatigue, and corrosion resistance properties. As such, composite films are preferred in high-performance applications in several end-use industries, driving the demand for composite films in various end-use industries. Epoxy resin films are the fastest-growing resin film type of composite film market in terms of value. Epoxy resin films are projected to register the highest CAGR in terms of value between 2020 and 2025. Epoxy resins are thermoset resins known for their excellent mechanical, electrical, and high heat resistance properties. They are also available in a wide range of curing-agent variations. As they have a fast curing time in comparison to other resins, they are the preferred choice among the manufacturers. This factor drives the market growth of the epoxy resin film market. Autoclave curing type is the largest curing type segment of composite film, in terms of value and volume. Autoclave curing type is the largest curing type segment in the composite film market. Autoclave curing type produces denser, and void-free molding because high heat and pressure are used for curing. High demand for autoclave exists in the composite film market as it helps in the production of high-value composite films that are widely used in the aerospace industry to fabricate high strength-to-weight ratio parts for aircraft. This is expected to drive the market for autoclave curing during the forecast period. Lightning strike protection is the fastest-growing function in the composite film market in terms of value. The lightning strike protection function is projected to register the highest CAGR in terms of value between 2020 and 2025. The composite film protects the aircraft's composite structures from lightning strikes. Growth in the aerospace & defense industry would increase the demand for lightning strike protection composite film Aerospace & defense is the largest end-use industry of composite film, in terms of value. The aerospace & defense end-use industry held the largest market share in 2019. According to Boeing's Commercial Market Outlook 2019-2038, airline passenger traffic will grow at a CAGR of 4.7% per year. This will lead to the rise in demand for more than 44,004 deliveries of new commercial aircraft in the next 20 years to cater to the demand in the coming two decades. 39% of all new aircraft will be delivered to airlines in the APAC region alone, whereas another 41% will go to carriers in North America and Europe, which in turn will increase the demand for composite films. North America dominated the composite film market. North America is the largest composite film market in terms of value and volume in the global composite film market. APAC dominated the composites industry in 2018. The key reason for this includes the demand for composite films in the aerospace & defense industry in the region. The demand for composite films in aerospace & defense, automotive, and other industries is projected to grow due to product innovation and technological advances. The growth of the composite film industry in this region is further boosted by improved composite technology solutions and market penetration of composite films in various end-use industries. Some of the key players in the global composite film market are 3M (US), Henkel AG Co. KGaA (Germany), Hexcel Corporation (US), Gurit (Switzerland), Solvay (Belgium), Toray Industries, Inc. (Japan), Socomore (France), Park Aerospace Corp. (US), Axiom Materials Inc. (US), and Lincoln Composite Materials (California). The key strategies adopted by the major players for expanding their business revenue are expansions, new product launches, contracts, agreements, and acquisitions. Key Topics Covered 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 4.1 Attractive Opportunities in the Composite Film Market 4.2 Composite Film Market, By Curing Type and Region 4.3 Composite Film Market, By End-Use Industry 4.4 Composite Film Market, By Resin Film 4.5 Composite Film Market, By Country 5 Market Overview 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Market Dynamics 5.2.1 Drivers 5.2.1.1 Growing Use of Composites in the Aerospace & Defense Industry 5.2.1.2 Increasing Demand for Lightweight Materials and Fuel-Efficient Vehicles From the Automotive Industry 5.2.2 Restraints 5.2.2.1 High Risks Related to the Manufacturing Process 5.2.3 Opportunities 5.2.3.1 Increase in Demand for Smooth Surfaces of Aircraft 5.2.3.2 High Demand for Environmental-Friendly Electric Vehicles 5.2.4 Challenges 5.2.4.1 Developing Low-Cost Technologies 5.3 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5.3.1 Threat of New Entrants 5.3.2 Threat of Substitutes 5.3.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers 5.3.4 Bargaining Power of Buyers 5.3.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry 5.4 Patent Analysis 6 Macroeconomic Overview and Key Trends 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Trends and Forecast of GDP 6.3 Trends in Aerospace Industry 6.4 Trends in Automotive Industry 7 Composite Film Market, By Resin Film Type 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Epoxy 7.2.1 Excellent Chemical Properties Have Led to the Increased Demand for Epoxy 7.3 Others 8 Composite Film Market, By Curing Type 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Autoclave 8.2.1 Autoclave Produces High-Value Composite Films for Aerospace & Defense End-Use Industry 8.3 Out-Of-Autoclave 8.3.1 Out-Of-Autoclave Can Process Larger Composite Panels 9 Composite Film Market, By Function 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Lightning Strike Protection 9.2.1 Increasing Use of Composite Film in the Aerospace & Defense End-Use Industry to Drive the Market 9.3 Surface Protection 9.3.1 Surface Protection Composite Film Caters to the Huge Demand From Europe 9.4 Other Functions 10 Composite Film Market, By End-Use Industry 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Aerospace & Defense 10.2.1 Growth in Airline Passenger Traffic Would Increase the Demand for Composite Film 10.3 Automotive 10.3.1 Automotive Sector's Focus on Reducing Weight Would Increase the Demand for Composite Film 10.4 Others 10.4.1 High Performance and Low Weight to Drive the MarketIn This Segment 10.4.1.1 Civil Construction 10.4.1.2 Marine 10.4.1.3 Wind Energy 11 Composite Film Market, By Region 11.1 Introduction 11.2 North America 11.3 Europe 11.4 APAC 11.5 Middle East & Africa (MEA) 11.6 Latin America 12 Competitive Landscape 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Competitive Leadership Mapping 12.2.1 Visionary Leaders 12.2.2 Dynamic Differentiators 12.2.3 Emerging Companies 12.2.4 Innovators 12.3 Strength of Product Portfolio 12.4 Business Strategy Excellence 12.5 Market Ranking 12.6 Competitive Scenario 12.6.1 New Product Launch 12.6.2 Contract 12.6.3 Expansion 12.6.4 Agreement 12.6.5 Acquisition 13 Company Profile (Business Overview, Products Offered, Recent Developments, SWOT Analysis, Winning Imperatives, Current Focus & Strategies, Threat From Competition, Right to Win) 13.1 3M 13.2 Henkel AG. & Co. KGaA 13.3 Hexcel Corporation 13.4 Gurit 13.5 Solvay 13.6 Toray Industries, Inc. 13.7 Socomore 13.8 Park Aerospace Corp. 13.9 Axiom Materials Inc. 13.10 Northern Composites, LLC 13.11 Lincoln Composite Materials, Inc. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/kowd33 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. SAN FRANCISCO, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The global Drum Liner Market estimated to grow by a 4.5% CAGR for the duration of 2019-2024. The drum liner assists in reducing the replacement and cleaning of the drum and stop pollution. Usually they are made from polyethylene, and are intended to fitting in both plastic and steel drums of a number of dimensions. It is a supple material utilized for the gathering, storing, discarding, and management of trash. Furthermore, it has an extensive use in the transference and delivery of trash. On the other hand, sustainability of the global market for drum liner majorly rest on invention of new-fangled product, for example trash bag having better-quality odor control assistances. Customization of drum liner by means of capacity and space, can increase the global market during the period of forecast. Drivers The income of the global market for drum liner is motivated by the way of development in usage from the division of end user businesses for example pharmaceuticals & cosmetics, industrial chemicals and food & beverages. These liners have the capability to change elasticity. This makes it an appropriate choice for a number of categories of products for example pharmaceuticals & cosmetics, industrial chemicals food & beverages and others. Drums are utilized for transfers of a number of products in various businesses and this motivates the global market for drum liner. These liners abolish the necessity of cleaning of the drum that possibly will save the price for drum handlers. The global market for drum liner is observing improvements happening due to the actions of product improvement and eye-catching structures of drum liner for example price effectiveness and the reusability of drums. Restraints On the other hand, growing acceptance of different solutions of bulk packing for example bulk containers may perhaps restrict the possibility of the development of drum liner. A communal restriction detected for these liners in a number of industries for example industrial chemicals is that discarding of a number of chemicals from factories, hospitals and chemical laboratories can bring about fires at the sites if chemicals are mixed in single merely drum or else a drum liner . Strict rules by the government in several states are also likely to obstruct the development of the global market for drum liner. Frequently the drum liners use LDPE and HDPE material. According to EU guidelines and FDA, use of it is restricted. Similarly, variations in the charges of raw materials, utilized for the production of the liners, outcomes in a growth in the prices of the liners. This may possibly impact unfavorably on the revenue development of the global market for drum liner. Classification The global market of Drum Liner can be classified by Application, Type, Size, Packing Type and Region. By Application it can be classified as Industrial, Agriculture, Chemicals & Flammables, Food, Pharmaceuticals, Adhesives, Inks & Coatings, Cosmetic Materials and Others. By Type, it can be classified as Flexible liners, Round bottom liner, Flat bottom liner, Shrink liner and others. By Size, it can be classified as >55 liters, 40-55 liters, 25-40 liters, and 10-25 liters. By Packing Type, it can be classified as Semi-rigid, Flexible and Rigid. By Material, it can be classified as Co-extruded plastic bags, Biodegradable polythene, Woven polypropylene, Degradable polythene, Metallocene Polythene (MPE), Medium Density Polythene (MDPE), Liner blend polythene, Polyamide (PA), Polyester (PET), Polyvinylchloride (PVC), Polypropylene (PP), Polyvinylidenchloride (PVDC), High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Polyethylene (PE). Download PDF to know more details about "Global Drum Liner Market" Report 2024. Regional Lookout By Region the global market of Drum Liner can be classified as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Owing to vast retail business, the Europe and North America, together is likely to take over the market during the course of the forecast period. Yet, numerous transnational packaging businesses are increasing their funds in Asia Pacific to tap the increasing requirements of hypermarkets and supermarkets within the state and the backing of the government for increasing the industrial bionetwork. Additionally, growth in the importance of the Asia Pacific has given rise to structural modifications. Numerous fresh competitors of packaging industry have appeared during the previous a small number of years, and several prominent companies has set up their marketing opening within the state. Asia Pacific is likely to be mainly motivated by India, China and Japan. The Middle East & Africa and the Latin America are estimated to observe sluggish and stable development during the period of forecast. Mexico and Brazil, in Latin America, are likely to generate openings in the market for the companies engaged in the packaging of intravenous product. Companies Some of the important companies for Drum Liner Market are: Safe pack Industries Ltd., Nittel Halle GmbH, ILC Dover, LP, Chem-tainer Industries, Inc., Round liner Umweltfreundliche Verpackungen GmbH, International Plastics Inc., Fujimori Kogyo Co., Ltd., CDF Corporation, International Plastics Inc., Fujimori Kogyo Co., Ltd., and CDF Corporation. Drum liners help minimize drum cleaning and replacement (reducing waste) and prevent product contamination. They are typically constructed from polyethylene, and are designed to fit in either steel or plastic drums of various sizes. The analysts forecast the global drum liner market to exhibit a CAGR of 4.5% during the period 2019-2024. The report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global drum liner for 2019-2024. To calculate the market size, the report considers the drum liner sales volume and revenue. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: regional markets, and application. Access 99 page research report with TOC on "Global Drum Liner Market" available with Radiant Insights, Inc. @: https://www.radiantinsights.com/research/drum-liner-market Market Segmentation: Geographically, the global drum liner market is segmented into North America , Asia Pacific , Europe , Middle East & Africa and South America . This report forecasts revenue growth at a global, regional & country level, and provides an analysis of the market trends in each of the sub-segments from 2019 to 2024: North America (U.S., Canada , Mexico , etc.) (U.S., , , etc.) Asia-Pacific ( China , Japan , India , Korea, Australia , Indonesia , Taiwan , Thailand , etc.) ( , , , Korea, , , , , etc.) Europe ( Germany , UK, France , Italy , Russia , Spain , etc.) ( , UK, , , , , etc.) Middle East & Africa ( Turkey , Saudi Arabia , Iran , Egypt , Nigeria , UAE, Israel , South Africa , etc.) & ( , , , , , UAE, , , etc.) South America ( Brazil , Argentina , Colombia , Chile , Venezuela , Peru , etc.) ( , , , , , , etc.) Based on application, the drum liner market is segmented into: Chemicals Pharmaceuticals Agriculture Food Industrial The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market. Some of the leading players in the global drum liner market are: CDF Corporation Chem-tainer Industries, Inc. Fujimori Kogyo Co., Ltd. ILC Dover, LP International Plastics Inc. Nittel Halle GmbH Roundliner Umweltfreundliche Verpackungen GmbH Safepack Industries Ltd. U.S. Coexcell, Inc. Objective of the study: To analyze and forecast the market size of global drum liner market. To classify and forecast global drum liner market based on region, and application. To identify drivers and challenges for global drum liner market. To examine competitive developments such as expansions, mergers & acquisitions, etc., in global drum liner market. To conduct pricing analysis for global drum liner market. To identify and analyze the profile of leading players operating in global drum liner market. The report is useful in providing answers to several critical questions that are important for the industry stakeholders such as manufacturers and partners, end users, etc., besides allowing them in strategizing investments and capitalizing on market opportunities. Key target audience are: Manufacturers of drum liner Raw material suppliers Market research and consulting firms Government bodies such as regulating authorities and policy makers Organizations, forums and alliances related to drum liner Browse reports of similar category available with Radiant Insights, Inc.: Sodium Silicate Market Aluminum Casting Market Waterborne Acrylic Coating Market Plastic Refractory Material Market About Radiant Insights, Inc.: At Radiant Insights, we work with the aim to reach the highest levels of customer satisfaction. Our representatives strive to understand diverse client requirements and cater to the same with the most innovative and functional solutions. Contact: Michelle Thoras. Corporate Sales Specialist Radiant Insights, Inc. Phone: +1-415-349-0054 Toll Free: 1-888-928-9744 Email: sales@radiantinsights.com Web: https://www.radiantinsights.com Blog: https://radiantinsightsinc.blogspot.com/ Heather Harget has been using the Facebook group to communicate with other parents whose children are in Morocco. Her own daughter, Colleen Mader, has been involved in a State Department-backed exchange program in Rabat for about six months and was going to return home to Maryland on Tuesday, after her program, along with other study abroad programs, was cut short. Ms. Maders flight was canceled when the ban on international travel was announced on Sunday. A lot of us are just wondering if other countries are doing this for their citizens, why havent we heard anything from ours? said Ms. Bell, the creator of the maybe we can help each other Facebook group. Ms. Eden, the woman who is pregnant, said she has been teaching English in Morocco for two months. She was taken to a hospital by an American woman and her daughter in Casablanca after she felt sick on Tuesday. Yesterday, I felt contractions, I was in pain and was worried that I was going to have a miscarriage, she said. Today I didnt feel any contractions but I felt extremely tired and sick. I was scared enough to agree to someone taking me to a hospital here. The State Department, in its email, did not elaborate on any plans it might have to help the stranded Americans get home. We are aware the governments of several countries have announced suspension of air travel, it said. We are considering all options to assist U.S. citizens in these countries and are continuously assessing travel conditions in all areas affected by COVID-19. We will continue to update our travel advisories and safety information for U.S. travelers as situations evolve. It also advised Americans to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (C.D.C.) and local health authorities, review its travel advisories at Travel.State.Gov, and enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment (STEP) program at step.state.gov for updates from the department. Morocco is just one of many countries that have put travel restrictions in place with little warning, essentially trapping some travelers. In Peru, which announced plans to shut down travel to and from the country earlier this week, thousands of travelers from across the world found themselves stranded, with their flights canceled and little idea how to get home. Delhi riots: Agencies zero in on spread of toxic propaganda by NGOs from Pak, Malaysia, India India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 18: The role of more Islamic nations apart from Pakistan have come under the scanner of the agencies, who are probing the Delhi riots. While the role of Pakistan was text book, the agencies now have under their scanner NGOs from Malaysia. An Intelligence Bureau official tells OneIndia that the NGOs from Malaysia and Pakistan worked closely with those with India to spread a toxic propaganda. Money was pumped in and social media handles were activated for this toxic spread. The main intention was to incite the Indian Muslims to indulge in violence the officer cited above also informed. In Pakistan the charity wing of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba played a crucial role in sending in the money. It may be recalled that when the National Investigation Agency busted a Falah-e-Insaniyat module recently, it was found that the money was being sent from Pakistan to Dubai and then routed into India through hawala channels. An outfit called as the Muslim Defence Fund had been set up to receive the money and further the activities, the NIA had said back then. The flow of foreign money to fan the Delhi riots is one of the major aspects of the probe. The agencies are watching closely the NGOs in India, which had teamed up with those abroad to bring in the money and incite the violence. Delhi riots: In an 18 day old probe, Pakistans role features multiple times Even in the aftermath of the Delhi riots, the agencies have discovered a money flow from abroad. This time around, the handlers in Pakistan instructed their contact person in India to distribute the amount to those families affected in the riots. This is part of a larger recruitment agenda and the family is specifically told where the money has come from. An amount of Rs 25 lakh that came in a week after the Delhi riots is being investigated currently. In addition to this, the Twitter handles of these NGOs had been active in the aftermath of the riots. They were circulating riot images on these handles. Further similar images of the riots were also circulated on chat groups such as WhatsApp and Telegram, the probe has also found. The role of Pakistan in the Delhi riots has cropped up at least twice during the probe conducted by the various agencies. It was a mix of both internal and external elements that led to the Delhi riots, the Intelligence Bureau has learnt. The first time the Pakistan role cropped up was when the Intelligence Bureau picked up chatter of a Pakistani handler speaking to a contact in India. He is heard reprimanding the Indian contact for failing to bring in more crowds. The money has reached you, but the crowds are low, the handler is heard saying. When the protests against the newly amended citizenship law began, there was a sustained effort on the part of Pakistan to rake up violence, the IB has also learnt. The contacts in India were paid off to spread a misinformation campaign both on the ground as well as on the social media. Pakistan made every effort to incite communal tension and in Delhi, it finally worked. Groups such as the Students Islamic Movement of India too pitched in to ensure that the violence spread. There was a clear attempt to defame India and tell the world that the Indian police is unfairly targeting Muslims. Moreover if one looks at the pattern, the riots broke at a time when US President, Donald Trump was visiting India. Entered Jamia Milia University to rescue trapped innocent students, says Delhi police Specific hashtags were created and radical as well paid elements in India were asked to use this and spread a misinformation campaign. At any given time there were several handles that were tweeting about the riots. The intention was to ensure that the riots spread to different parts of the country. The IB officer cited above said that Pakistan and its Indian contacts have been in the forefront when the riots broke out in UP and Mangaluru as well. The idea is to ensure that the violence takes place in every part of the country. Pakistan was planning on taking up these issues on the international platforms to put India in bad light. This became extremely crucial for Pakistan as it has failed to attract any traction on Article 370. Most countries have maintained that Kashmir and Article 370 are India's internal matters. The IB which is coordinating with the Delhi Police has managed to identify most of the handles. Arrests would take place and each one would be brought to book. It is extremely important to identify the insiders, whom we consider to be more dangerous, a Delhi Police official associated with the probe said. The police officer also said that they would be questioning suspended Aam Admi Party councillor, Tahir Hussain. He has been arrested for the murder of IB staffer Ankit Sharma. The police would go belong the Sharma case and try to find out of Hussain was involved in the larger conspiracy during the Delhi riots. The police had found petrol bombs, stones and sticks on his roof top. Hussain has denied all allegations and said that he will cooperate with the probe agencies. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 18, 2020, 10:39 [IST] Ellen Matthews celebrated with her nieces, nephews and friends (Picture: SWNS) A woman has celebrated her 105th birthday in the pub despite people being advised to avoid unnecessary social interactions due to the coronavirus pandemic. Ellen Matthews, who was born on 17 March, 1915, said she was not going to let the current Covid-19 outbreak stop her celebrating with friends and family. On Wednesday she enjoyed a glass of wine and afternoon tea at the Edge of Town pub in Northampton surrounded by relatives. Matthews, who is known to most of her family as Auntie Nelly, added she wanted the event to go ahead because you only die once. 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 The government has asked the public to avoid gatherings and crowded places, including pubs and restaurants. Categories of people at the highest risk from coronavirus include over-70s, people with certain health conditions and pregnant women. The 105-year-old is known to most of her family as Auntie Nelly. (SWNS) Matthews lives at home in Wooton, Northamptonshire, despite having a stroke and only having limited use of her right arm. She has carers who visit her three times a day who, she said, look after her very well". Matthews added: I have a very good appetite and I still manage to do little bits of cooking. I eat good food, loads of vegetables and I do enjoy a glass of wine. I have my faith, which is Church of England. When He chooses, I am going to go happily and at peace. When asked what her advice would be to help others live a long and happy life, she replied: Keep going in the face of adversity. Matthews had a long working life, including as a nurse for premature babies at Northampton General Hospital and then working in care homes for seven and a half years. She said: I worked with little babies and I worked with older people until they died. I saw them in and saw them out. The number of coronavirus deaths in the UK has risen to 104. Its a jump of 33 from Tuesdays death toll of 71: the biggest day-on-day increase since the first death on March 5. The Department of Health announced the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK now stands at 2,626: up 676 from Tuesday. With the French economy expected to contract by 1 percent this year due the Covid-19 pandemic, the government has promised to mobilise 45 billion to help struggling companies. Other measures include the possibility of nationalisation for big businesses. The war against the coronavirus is also an economic and financial war, said Bruno Le Maire, the French finance minister, on Tuesday. It will be a violent and long-lasting conflict, he warned. He expects the coronavirus outbreak to cut France's Gross Domestic Product by 1 percent. The entire world economy will face recession. A large part of the 45 billion euro rescue package includes deferring corporate taxes and social security charges due in March. It also includes state payments to workers temporarily laid off by their employers because of the crisis. The funds come in addition to the announcement made on Monday by President Emmanuel Macron, that the government will guarantee 300 billion euros of bank loans to businesses. A solidarity fund of one billion euros will also be set up to provide assistance to small, independent companies with a turnover of less than a million euros. The funds are to help businesses which have lost 70 percent of their turnover between March 2019 and March 2020. These funds have been set up to provide a safety net for the companies which are not eligible for the other types of financial assistance which have been put in place, said Le Maire. The minister added that the government is prepared to use all means necessary to protect big French companies. That can be done by recapitalisation. That can be done by taking a stake, I can even use the term nationalisation if necessary, Le Maire declared. France along with Spain, Italy and Belgium banned short selling, the borrowing of shares in a falling market with a view to making short-term profit, on Tuesday to calm investors and prevent a deeper plunge in prices. We want to avoid speculation on the markets, Le Maire said. The minister also added that there was no need for panic buying as there will be no shortage of goods, and no need to stock cash reserves. Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman has made the decision to close his New York City cafe due to Coronavirus panic. The 51-year-old penned an emotional message on Wednesday, explaining his decision to put health before profits. 'We have made the decision to temporarily close the @laughingmancafe,' he wrote, sharing a photo of the Tribeca coffee shop. 'We feel this is the best course of action': Hugh Jackman, 51, (pictured) has 'temporarily closed' his Laughing Man cafe in New York City due to coronavirus panic 'We feel this is the best course of action to ensure the safety of our staff and community. We also feel it is the right thing for the larger community of NYC.' The X-Men star went on to explain that he didn't want to operate a space that could be a potential danger to the public. 'This is a time when we find new depths to our motto ALL BE HAPPY and hope, more than ever, for it to help guide humanity,' he wrote. Shut down: 'We feel this is the best course of action to ensure the safety of our staff and community. We also feel it is the right thing for the larger community of NYC,' he wrote 'While it pains us not to serve you person to person, we will look for other ways to serve you during this time,' he added. 'Let us take care of each other the best we can. We wish the whole world health, peace, patience and love.' Hugh established Laughing Man in 2011 to provide a marketplace for farmers in developing countries to sell their goods to customers in America. Oops! Hugh (pictured) demonstrated a 20 second handwash last weekend, only to gain backlash when he left the tap on and let the water run On Saturday, Hugh was forced to amend a video of him washing his hands, after he accidentally left the tap on during the demonstration. After the actor shared the short clip, he was forced to apologise for his mistake after fans pointed out his water wastage was problematic for the environment. He captioned the new post: 'Take 2. You're ALL absolutely right. Turn off the tap whilst washing your hands. Smart, healthy practices for yourself... and the planet.' Isolated: Amid the surging cases of coronavirus, countless 'non-essential' businesses have been effectively shuttered in New York. Here: Times Square Hugh is based in New York with his wife Deborra-Lee Furness, 64, and their children Oscar Maximilian, 19, and Ava Eliot, 14. Amid the surging cases of coronavirus, countless 'non-essential' businesses have been effectively shuttered in New York. In his native country of Australia, as of Wednesday night, there were 565 reported cases of coronavirus, including six deaths. Two weddings in Lakewood were broken up by police Tuesday night as state officials continued to warn against large gatherings amid the coronavirus outbreak. Officers responded to the separate celebrations one at Fountain Ballroom on Vassar Avenue and the other at Lake Terrace on Oak Street around 8 p.m. and told venue staff that gatherings of more than 50 people are prohibited, Lakewood Capt. Gregory Staffordsmith said. The workers and attendees then dispersed, he said. We stress that the public do their part in reducing the spread of COVID-19 by obeying the guidelines set forth by the State of New Jersey and encourage cleaning your hands often, staying home if your sick, covering coughs and sneezes, consider wearing a face mask if you arent feeling well, clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and practice social distancing, Staffordsmith said. The events exemplify the challenge of convincing people to follow local and state public health restrictions aimed at helping stop the spread of the fast-moving virus, law enforcement officers said. On Tuesday, Gov. Phil Murphy banned gatherings of more than 50 people and has urged residents not to treat the situation like an extended spring break. The Trump administration has said gatherings should be limited to 10 people. Lakewood police plan to strictly enforce Murphys order in the coming weeks and are sending reminders to venues throughout town about size limits, Staffordsmith said. Mayor Raymond Coles said the township attorney is researching whether any local ordinances would allow officials to enact a temporary penalty for fine against those who hold large gatherings amid the pandemic. Youd hope you wouldnt have to with everything going on in the news, Coles said. But if we stop this thing from spreading now, then we can get back to our lives more quickly... We need to respect the restrictions." Still, Coles said he sympathizes for those forced to cancel or postpone weddings that are often planned months in advance. He said both venues thought Murphys restrictions on gatherings had not yet gone into effect. Neither venue immediately responded to a request for comment. The state rules will also greatly disrupt the large Orthodox community in Lakewood, where gatherings play a big part of everyday life and the religion, Coles said. Two-thirds of the townships 100,000 residents are Orthodox. In a letter to the Lakewood Scoop, local doctor Robert Shanik said on Wednesday that no religious leaders should be meeting with students during the outbreak and suggested all learning be done over the phone. And all of the 200 synagogues and 130 yeshivas in the township have shut down prayer services or limited them to small groups, according to Rabbi Moshe Zev Weisberg, spokesman for the local Jewish communal organization Lakewood Vaad. Shiva, the Jewish ritual in which mourners pay condolences to the family of a deceased person at their home, is also being done by phone, he said. This is a very concentrated close-knit community. Many day-to-day activities and religious customs are done in group settings, so its a bit of a learning curve, Weisberg said. But an incident here or there should not reflect the community. There were three reported coronavirus cases in Ocean County as of Tuesday afternoon. 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: Avalon Zoppo may be reached at azoppo2@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AvalonZoppo. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. WASHINGTON He knew at once that something was amiss. Five young men, all active homosexuals, were treated for biopsy-confirmed Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia at three different hospitals in Los Angeles, California. Two of the patients died, read the opening of the now infamous Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for June 5, 1981. I started to get goose pimples, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci would later recall. Then a young epidemiologist with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which he now directs, Fauci grasped well before many of his peers that HIV/AIDS, which would kill all five of the men in Los Angeles, was going to kill many more. And even as many in the Reagan administration downplayed the disease as a gay cancer that did not deserve the attention of the medical establishment, Fauci understood with tragic clarity that HIV/AIDS was not going to discriminate over its victims. I became more convinced that we were dealing with something that was going to be a disaster for society, he said in a National Institutes of Health oral history of the AIDS/HIV epidemic. Back then, Fauci was known for an intense schedule of 16 hour days, broken up by a 7-mile run at lunchtime. If everyone in the world were like Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, there would be no need for Prozac, the New York Times wrote of him in 1994. By any sensible reckoning, the man should be wilting around the edges. Now 79 years old, Fauci still has not wilted. And, as he told Yahoo News in a recent interview, he is working up to 19 hours a day. The target is no longer HIV/AIDS, which, thanks to efforts by him and his colleagues, is now a manageable condition. The new adversary is COVID-19, a disease that has sickened nearly 200,000 people around the world. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (Leah Millis/Reuters) And, yes, he still runs, though his distance has halved to 3.5 miles daily. Its kind of tough to fit a run in, he lamented in a conversation shortly after hed stood next to President Trump at yet another harrowing White House coronavirus task force briefing. But hopefully we'll change that, and sometime soon well get back to some normality where I can exercise the way I like to exercise. Story continues His own regimen aside, Fauci reminds people that even with schools and businesses closed, and Americans asked to refrain from congregating in groups of greater than 10, outdoor exercise is a good way to weather the coronavirus pandemic. Its not only safe, he says. Its healthy. To be sure, his new adversary bears little resemblance to his old one. COVID-19, a respiratory infection caused by a previously unknown coronavirus, is not nearly as deadly as AIDS, which killed 32 million people around the world. So far, the coronavirus has killed about 8,000 since emerging in China last December. And though there have been some instances of xenophobia toward people of Chinese descent, there has been nothing like the sustained prejudice experienced by members of the LGBT community during the AIDS crisis. There are similarities, however, the foremost among them a sense of urgency that Fauci is desperate to convey. If you dont recognize that youre dealing with a spreading infection and you dont put all of your resources and your forces into preventing infections, you could wind up with a large number of people infected. To underscore that urgency, Fauci has eagerly given interviews to media outlets, one of the few figures in public life who can appear on MSNBCs Morning Joe and Sean Hannitys primetime program on Fox News without squandering even slightly his credibility. In the latter appearance, he chided Hannity for comparing the coronavirus to the flu, vowing to give his audience an accurate idea about what goes on. One of Fauci's numerous media appearances to educate the public about the coronavirus outbreak. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) And in conversation with Yahoo News, Fauci expressed dismay at images of crowded restaurants and bars in cities like Washington, D.C., and New York, despite injunctions from both federal and municipal authorities to stay away from large gatherings. When I see crowded bars and crowded restaurants, it is a little bit unnerving, Fauci said. "Its clear that those are the situations that put people very much at risk. Fauci is straightforward but not abrasive, voluble but not glib. And in everything he says, you hear the Brooklyn of his youth. His fathers family came from Sicily, his mothers from Naples. They settled in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, which remains one of New Yorks last authentic Italian enclaves. His father ran a pharmacy, with young Tony delivering prescriptions on his bike. Fauci excelled at school, first at Regis High School in Manhattan, then at the College of the Holy Cross, where he studied both the classics and the life sciences. From there, he went on to medical school at Cornell, graduating in 1966. He went to the National Institutes of Health, where he would work for his entire career, except for a few stints in New York City. But more than half a century after he left Brooklyn, more than its accent has stayed with him. The finest points of his Jesuit education Regis and Holy Cross are both run by the influential Roman Catholic order have plainly influenced his devotion to intellectual rigor and physical health. There is also, in Faucis approach, a reminder of what the Roman orator Cicero said and, later, the Jesuits adopted as their own unofficial motto: Non nobis solum nati sumus, which translates to We are not born for ourselves alone. It is something like that imperative that has kept Fauci in public service, even as many others of his stature have cashed out with plum positions with pharmaceutical companies and health networks. Thats not to say that Fauci is above politics. It would have been impossible to survive in Washington as long as he has without being a deft navigator of political currents. Those currents were especially treacherous during the HIV/AIDS crisis, which many in the Reagan administration including Reagan himself minimized, with deadly consequences, as a concern confined to gay men and not requiring a national response. At the same time, activists were frustrated that the Fauci-led response was not aggressive enough. Dr. Anthony Fauci, far right, giving a presentation to President Ronald Reagan, far left, and other members of the President's Commission on AIDS. (Diana Walker/LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images) Fauci never fulminated, but he defended his domain capably, making sure that conservative politicians did not prevent him from conducting pure research into the vexing, complex mechanism through which HIV hijacked the bodys immune system. In 1985, for example, he asked Congress to more than double the money available for AIDS research to more than $300 million. Fauci was counseled against asking for so much money, according to How to Survive a Plague, a chronicle of the AIDS epidemic by David France. Were not backing down, he said, according to Frances recounting of the budget fight, which ended with Fauci getting the funding he needed. And he listened to activists, neither dismissing them nor treating them with derision. When they pushed him to approve a drug called AL721, he refused to do so, because he did not believe it would save lives, calling it useless. After one protest at NIH headquarters in which demonstrators burned him in effigy, Fauci described their tactic as interesting but not helpful. At the same time, he frequently visited with those same activists, including at the Lesbian and Gay Community Center in New York, an important site for organizing around the disease. And he clearly took their concerns seriously. These are intelligent, gifted, articulate people coming up with good, creative ideas, Fauci said in 1990, after meeting with activists and agreeing to honor some of their requests about being included in decisions pertaining to drug trials. Fauci with actress Ashley Judd prior to giving their testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, June 23, 2005. (Susan Walsh/AP) Fauci even earned the grudging admiration of Larry Kramer, the writer and activist famously scornful of politicians, excoriating President Reagan and New York City Mayor Ed Koch with particular relish. Fauci earned his share of scorn, too, but also a measure of admiration. I call him murderer or hero, depending on the week, Kramer told the Times in 1994. Kramers 1992 play The Destiny of Me includes a tyrannical doctor clearly modeled on Fauci. Despite the implicit criticism, there Fauci was, sitting in the audience when the play premiered at a small theater in Greenwich Village. Faucis role in fighting the AIDS virus was downgraded in 1994 after the creation of the Office of AIDS Research and the appointment of Dr. William Paul to head the effort. By that time, however, treatments to mitigate the ravages of HIV/AIDS were becoming more effective and more widely available, and the crisis was soon to subside, at least in the United States. When it had been at its worst, it had been Faucis war. He has fought others since. In 2014, he was on the front lines of the governments response to the deadly Ebola epidemic, volunteering to personally treat a patient who was infected with the disease. Ebolas worst enemy, Financial Times called him. Fauci with Nina Pham, the first nurse diagnosed with Ebola after treating an infected man at a Dallas hospital. She was cured of the virus. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) He also worked on the response to Zika, the mosquito-borne virus. Asked in 2016 what he learned from the Obama administrations Zika response, Fauci counseled that readiness is all. Outbreaks occur, he said. And if you find out youre behind it as opposed to ahead of it, things are worse than they couldve been. The Trump administration has been criticized for not taking the coronavirus outbreak seriously enough until the end of last week, when it finally recognized that the pandemic could wreak havoc in the United States. Fauci appears to have convinced his fellow New Yorker to take the coronavirus more seriously, which Trump has finally done. Even Sean Hannity, who only days before had been arguing with Fauci about morbidity numbers, has been cowed into something approaching solemnity about the potential scope of the pandemic. Trump and Fauci could not be more different. One is from one of the great ethnic enclaves of Brooklyn, a pharmacists studious son. The other was reared by his wealthy real estate developer father in a suburban swath of Queens. The president is tall and brash, while the doctor is short and cautious. Despite their differences, however, there has been none of the tension that seems to inevitably accompany Trumps relationships with his top advisers. That may well be because Trump realizes that having Fauci at his side is not only reassuring he has served every president since Reagan but a credit to his newfound faith in scientific expertise. Turning to Fauci at a White House briefing on Tuesday, Trump marveled at how the diminutive epidemiologist Anthony, he called him, with obvious fondness has become a major television star, for all the right reasons. Hes just so professional, Trump gushed, so good. For now, Faucis main goal is keep the coronavirus from spreading, giving microbiologists the critical time to develop treatments and vaccines. We are doing whatever we possibly can to try and blunt the impact of these infections as they emerge in the country, he said in a conversation with Yahoo News earlier this week, right after the Trump administration unfurled new measures that included a restriction on gatherings of more than 10 people and a strong admonition to work from home. Fauci looks on as President Trump speaks during a press conference on Tuesday. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) I don't think people should be alarmed by those guidelines, Fauci says. They are really meant to protect the American public. At the same time, the guidelines will mean nothing if they are not taken seriously. People have to adhere to the guidelines to physically separate themselves. If they dont, Faucis efforts to fight the coronavirus could fail to prevent a catastrophe. We have not yet seen the peak, he warns. Things will clearly get worse before they get better. He gently disputed the president's assertion, during a Monday press conference, that the coronavirus outbreak could last until August, calling that the outer limit scenario. At the same time, as he well knows, much more dire scenarios have also been proposed, with nearly two million projected dead in the United States. Thats why he says its so important to take measures now. The new guidelines on social distancing, he acknowledges, may seem like an overreaction but I dont think they are. Most anyone would agree that skipping a restaurant meal is small sacrifice if it means avoiding a prolonged stay in an intensive care unit. Fauci may not always bring good tidings, but when catastrophe does strike, you want him nearby. Last year, prospective jurors were being interviewed ahead of a trial at a Washington, D.C., courthouse when a woman became sick. It turned out that Fauci was in the jury pool with her and quickly came to her rescue. Later, a journalist asked him about the incident, but Dr. Fauci did not want to talk. 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. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Mumbai, March 18 : In a relief for the Jet Airways' lenders, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on Wednesday approved their request for an extension to the corporate insolvency resolution process (CIRP) of the airline by another 90 days. The 270-day CIRP period of the grounded company ended on March 15. The Committee of Creditors did not receive any bid from the suitors who had expressed interest in the airline. "It is hereby brought to the attention of the stakeholders that the application for extension of the CIRP period by another 90 days beyond the 270 days was filed by the Resolution Professional and the NCLT, Mumbai Bench in the hearing dated March 18, 2020 has approved for such extension," the company said in a regulatory filing. The cash-strapped airline stopped its operations in April last year and is undergoing bankruptcy proceedings at the Mumbai bench of NCLT after its lenders led by the State Bank of India dragged it to the bankruptcy court. In December, the NCLT approved the extension of the CIR) of Jet Airways by 90 days, after the 180 days deadline for CIRP period of the grounded airline had ended on December 16. Under the insolvency and bankruptcy code (IBC), the maximum time limit for completion of CIRP has been set at 330 days, which includes the litigation period, as per a recent amendment. The suitors which had submitted expression of interest were South America-based Synergy Group, Russia-based Far East Development Fund, and New Delhi-based Prudent ARC in the second round of bidding. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 19:09:55|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HANGZHOU, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Jack Ma Foundation on Wednesday released a COVID-19 prevention and treatment handbook in partnership with a local hospital to share with global medical communities China's experience in battling the epidemic. The English version of the handbook, jointly compiled with the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, has been made available online, and versions in other languages are being prepared. Over the past more than 50 days, the hospital has treated 104 COVID-19 patients, including 78 in severe or critical condition. With pioneering efforts and new technologies, it has reported no deaths of patients or infections of medics. "As the epidemic spreads around the world, the experience is the most precious tool and the most important weapon for medical workers to take to the battlefield," Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba Group, wrote in the preface to the manual. "We hope the publication of this manual can help at least doctors and nurses in the epidemic areas in other countries walk in our footsteps when stepping on this special battlefield, instead of starting from scratch when facing the new disease," Ma said. The epidemic poses a common challenge for mankind in the era of globalization, said Ma. "We will not beat the virus unless we are ready to share resources, experience and lessons with each other," he said. By Wednesday, the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation have committed to donating 11.8 million face masks and more than 1.7 million test kits to Japan, the Republic of Korea, Italy, Spain, the United States, and 54 African countries. The Jack Ma Foundation has donated 100 million yuan (14.2 million U.S. dollars) in support of the research and development for COVID-19 vaccination and treatment. In addition to research institutions in China, collaborations have been formalized with Columbia University and the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Australia. Alibaba's communication app DingTalk has been used by 420 million students in 39 countries and regions as a platform for remote classroom learning, according to the company. Meanwhile, Alibaba Health and Alipay have created an online channel to offer health risk assessments for the overseas Chinese population. As Ontario confirms its first coronavirus death and declares a state of emergency, health-care workers in Toronto and beyond are bracing for the next front in this rapidly-growing outbreak: intensive care units. Doctors say COVID-19 patients are already being admitted to intensive care units across the Greater Toronto Area. Based on the pattern of the outbreak in other countries which typically ticks along at low levels and then suddenly booms, with an associated increase in the severely ill experts are bracing for a surge to begin in the next few days. Canadas top public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, said Tuesday that of Canadas 440 cases the most concerning was the increase in Ontario, including three Toronto cases not linked to international travel. The city has now reported 108 cases, and Toronto medical officer of health Eileen de Villa said she expects to see more community transmission. Doctors have expressed concern over whether Ontario has enough ventilators, a crucial medical device that can save the lives of patients suffering acute respiratory distress. As fears of global ventilator shortages grow, calls for a wartime effort have prompted factories to pivot toward producing parts. The Ford government just spent $12.2 million to boost the provinces supply, anticipating a surge in demand, according to a Ministry of Health spokesperson. But as hospitals await the promised reinforcements, doctors are already gearing up for what some describe as a coming onslaught. I dont want this to sound too hyperbolic but it feels like were going into war and were just preparing ourselves for that, said Dr. Michael Detsky, an intensive care physician at Mt. Sinai Hospital. Like the people who were stationed in England before D-Day thats kind of the sense you have. You know this is coming and what to expect is hard to know. Among the many uncertainties now facing hospitals is how much of a surge to brace for. In China, where the outbreak was first detected, data shows that 80 per cent of confirmed coronavirus cases are mild to moderate. The remaining 20 per cent were severely or critically ill, and a quarter of those required mechanical ventilation, according to a World Health Organization mission report co-led by Canadian Dr. Bruce Aylward. A recent study from China of 52 critically ill cases found that three patients spent 28 days on ventilation. Italy had much higher intensive care rates. A recently published study found that 16 per cent of all confirmed COVID-19 cases were admitted to the ICU. A group of Italian doctors said that roughly 10 per cent of cases required mechanical ventilation. Its not clear why Italy experienced a higher proportion of severe cases than China, but it could be because its population skews significantly older, and older COVID-19 patients are more likely to suffer severe outcomes or die. Canadas population is younger than Italys but older than Chinas. The availability of ventilators has been a particular source of anxiety for health-care workers bracing for the coronavirus arrival in Canadian ICUs. Federally, there is no single body tracking the number of ventilators available across the country. But according to a 2015 study that surveyed acute care hospitals, Canadian hospitals had at least 4,982 ventilators at the time. Dr. Robert Fowler, an intensive care physician with Sunnybrook Hospital and lead author on the study, says he and his co-authors are now working on finding updated figures, an effort that began last week. We want to make sure that we have enough capacity to treat everybody to the best of our usual ability, he says. The devices are needed not just for the sickest COVID-19 patients but also for people being treated for everything from chronic lung disease to opioid overdoses. A spokesperson for Ontarios Ministry of Health confirmed to the Star Tuesday that the province had just spent $12.2 million to obtain 300 new ventilators, and said the devices have already been delivered. That money is on top of the $304 million announced to address COVID-19 in the province, including $100 million to increase capacity in hospitals, including ICU treatment. Ontario also has a ventilator stockpile, part of a provincial plan to deal with surges in critically ill patients a plan developed after the 2003-04 SARS crisis, when Ontarios health-care system buckled under the stress of a different coronavirus-caused respiratory illness. The provincial stockpile counted 209 ventilators stored at 19 hospitals in 14 different regions as of last August. Hospitals in a crunch for ventilators can request one or more of these to be delivered through a series of protocols. As for the availability of ventilators in regular use in Ontario, the province has yet to publicly confirm a number, though physicians like Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist at Toronto General Hospital and the University of Toronto, have called on officials to disclose this information. Weve had two months to prepare for this, he said. So the Ministry of Health really needs to step up and ensure that we have the appropriate number of beds, the appropriate intensive care capacity we need it now. But James Downar, secretary of the Canadian Critical Care Society, says when it comes to the provinces availability of ventilators, the people who need to know these things, know them. Citing numbers provided by the ministry, Downar says he is aware of 1,700 ICU beds and ventilators currently available at hospitals across Ontario. He adds that hospitals also have the ability to flex up, for example by using resources in operating rooms to treat critical care patients. Detsky believes his own hospital has enough ventilators at the moment and his bigger short-term concern is keeping hospital workers healthy patients on ventilation need the support of an entire team, everyone from nurses to respiratory therapists. But like all ICU physicians, he has read disturbing accounts streaming out of Italy, where doctors have described ventilator shortages and heartwrenching decisions over which patients to save. He cant help but worry about the prospect of a ventilator shortage. He still believes Canada can avoid the worst-case scenarios currently playing out in countries like Italy and Spain, but everyone will have to play their part in controlling the spread. As he awaits his first coronavirus patient one he knows will soon be coming to his ICU he can only hope Canadians are heeding advice to stay home and practise social distancing. It makes me sick just looking at these videos of people at concerts, at Disney World over the weekend its stressful, he says. Were going to be tested in ways weve never expected. Dowling recovering at home after long hospital stay State Rep. Matthew Dowling has returned home after suffering a one-vehicle crash in October. Dowling represents parts of Somerset County. According to an announcement made on Friday by the Health Department of Mexico, a new case of the COVID-19 was confirmed in Mexico City. This brings the total of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus epidemic to two in the country, said an article from KRGV. The other confirmed case was in the northwestern state of Sinaloa. Mexico's New Confirmed Case of the Coronavirus Miguel Riquelme Solis, the northern border state of Coahuila's governor, stated on Saturday that the health officials of the country had revealed that the second case in Mexico of the illness was in Torreon city. The fourth case was a 20-year old female who was reported to have traveled to Europe. It was found out that she traveled to Milan, Italy in Europe last January and February. She recently returned to Mexico in the past few days before he found out that he was one of the confirmed cases of the disease in the country. According to Riquelme, after two days, the woman was reported to have shown symptoms of the novel coronavirus. According to the Health Secretary of the State Roberto Bernal, the female was in good health. She and her family members are under quarantine for 14 days. Two other people who traveled with her had contacted the authorities. According to Mexico's health officials, the country is currently not in a state of national emergency for the COVID-19. According to Hugo Lopez-Gatell, the Assistant Health Secretary of Mexico, there is no need to employ intense measures such as the cancellation of mass events as long as Mexico is only experiencing isolated cases of the COVID-19. In the 2009 outbreak of the H1N1 virus or the swine flu, Mexico was ground zero. Many people in the country of Mexico had clear memories of those trying times. Other Recent Cases of the COVID-19 in South America Ecuadorian officials confirmed on Saturday the country's first case of the COVID-19 in South America. Brazil had also reported another one. According to the Health Minister of Ecuador, Catalina Andramuno Zeballos, there is a woman in her 70s who lives in Spain and arrived in Ecuador last February 14. Upon her arrival in the country, she had shown no symptoms of the illness. However, after a few days after her arrival in the country, she felt really bad and had a fever. The woman was later taken to a medical center. After being tested for the virus, the National Institute of Public Health and Investigations in Ecuador confirmed that she was positive for the new coronavirus. Julio Lopez, the deputy minister of health in Ecuador, stated that the patient is currently under 'critical' condition. This was the next case reported in South America after Brazil reported one case on Wednesday last week. On Saturday, another case was reported by the Sao Paulo state health department from Brazil. It was reported that the new case in Brazil went to Italy before going to Brazil. The president of Ecuador, Lenin Moreno took social media to calm the residents. The Interior Ministry of Ecuador revealed that it will be prohibiting mass events in the cities of Guayaquil and Babahoyo. As many as 276 Indians have been infected with coronavirus abroad, including 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE and five in Italy, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said the total number of Indians infected with coronavirus is 276 -- 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE, five in Italy, and one each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda and Sri Lanka. Follow latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak here Replying to a separate question, Muraleedharan said eight resident Indians are under quarantine in the UAE, while none in Kuwait. In Iran, as per available information, there are over 6,000 Indian nationals, he said in his written reply to a question on whether many Indians are held up in Arab countries including Kuwait and Iran due to coronavirus. Also Read: COVID-19: Most of 254 Indians tested positive in Iran are from J&K The Indians in Iran include about 1,100 pilgrims mainly from Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir and Maharashtra, nearly 300 students primarily from J&K, about 1,000 fishermen, including from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, and others who are on a long-term stay in Iran for pursuing their livelihood and religious studies, the minister said. Asked about steps take by the Centre to help Indians stranded in Iran due to the coronavirus outbreak, Muraleedharan said the government has made focussed efforts for the safe return of Indians from that country. A team of six Indian health officials has been deputed to Iran in order to set up testing and sampling facilities there, he said. Also Read: Coronavirus FAQs: All you need to know about the new pandemic COVID-19 Muraleedharan said 1,706 samples have been taken, including from pilgrims, students and other Indians stranded in Iran. These are tested at medical facilities including the National Institute of Virology, Pune, he said. As of March 16, 389 Indians, including 205 pilgrims and 183 students, have been repatriated in four batches on board special flights of the Indian Air Force and Iranian airlines, he said. Also Read: Coronavirus India update: State-wise total number of confirmed cases "Our Consulate in Bandar Abbas has reached out to the Indian fishermen who are residing mainly in southern provinces of Iran. They are in good health and have sufficient provision of essential supplies. Efforts are being made to facilitate early return of the Indian nationals stranded in Iran after testing them," Muraleedharan said. "Our Embassies/Consulates in the region are in touch with the Indian nationals and are working with the local authorities to provide all possible assistance. The situation is being monitored regularly," he said. Iran is one of the worst-affected countries amid the coronavirus outbreak and the government has been working to bring back Indians stranded there. Nearly 1,000 people have died from the disease in Iran. Iran said its coronavirus death toll surpassed 1,000 on Wednesday as President Hassan Rouhani defended the response of his administration, which has yet to impose a lockdown. The COVID-19 outbreak in sanctions-hit Iran is one of the deadliest outside China, where the disease originated. Rouhanis government said the virus has killed 1,135 people out of 17,161 cases of infection since it first emerged in the Islamic Republic a month ago. Some ask why the government isnt intervening, but I think we have intervened significantly, the president said. Great things have been done [including] measures no other country has taken, he said in televised remarks after a weekly meeting of his cabinet. We will get past these hard days, added Rouhani, who was flanked by ministers wearing face masks. Centenarian recovers The health ministry said 5,710 people had overcome the virus. One person who recovered was a 103-year-old woman, state media reported, despite overwhelming evidence that the elderly are the most at risk. The unnamed woman had been hospitalised in the central city of Semnan for about a week, IRNA news agency said. But she was discharged after making a complete recovery, Semnan University of Medical Sciences head Navid Danayi was quoted as saying. The report did not say how she was treated. Iran has yet to impose any lockdowns, but officials have repeatedly called on the public to stay home for the Iranian New Year holidays starting this week. Since it announced its first two deaths in the holy Shia city of Qom on February 19, Iran has taken a series of additional steps to contain the virus. It has closed schools and universities until early April, as well as four key pilgrimage sites, including the Fatima Masumeh shrine in Qom. Iran has also cancelled the main weekly Friday prayers, and temporarily closed parliament. 200318090341285 Be patient Few officials have directly commented on why a lockdown has not been imposed. But Tehrans mayor has said the economy may not be able to handle the cost of doing so, especially while it is under crippling US sanctions. In a normal situation and a good economy, we could have imposed a lockdown, Pirouz Hanachi was quoted as saying by Mehr news agency. But what comes next, like providing necessary goods or compensating for losses across Iran, is not possible, so a complete lockdown cannot be done, he added. The United States withdrew from a landmark nuclear deal and began reimposing punishing sanctions on Iran in 2018, blocking banking transactions and oil sales, among other sectors. An Iranian health official said the outbreak could last longer than two more months if people keep travelling, especially during the holidays. Now, everyone knows about this disease, and what is very strange is that some dont take it seriously, Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi said. If people help, we can control it, and if not, then expect it to last more than two months. The deputy minister complained that in Tehran bazaars are busy and that people travel in their cars despite warnings not to do so. Just be patient for these two weeks so that, God willing, we can overcome this virus, Raisi said. Millions dead? The New Year holidays start on March 20 this year and will last until early April. Many Iranians traditionally travel to popular spots such as the northern provinces of Mazandaran and Gilan, which are two of the worst-hit with coronavirus. An Iranian doctor has warned millions could die in the Islamic Republic if people keep travelling and ignore health advisories. 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. CLEVELAND, Ohio Trail planners will go online today to announce the proposed route of a 200-mile-plus recreational trail linking Cleveland to Pittsburgh. They had planned to hold a news conference on the banks of the Ohio River in Steubenville to release their study, which outlines how seven gaps totaling 72 miles between existing trails could be filled to complete the route. The site chosen for the announcement is within sight of the Market Street Bridge which could one day provide a vital hike-and-bike crossing for the trail. But the coronavirus pandemic forced a change in plans to use the bridge and the river as a dramatic backdrop. Were all working in a space of were not sure what and how and its pretty wild, and nobodys sure what to do, said Eric Oberg, based in Yellow Springs and director of trail development for Rails-to-Trails Conservancys Midwest Regional Office. The online news conference will be held as a webinar at 1:30 p.m., and has a log-in capacity for 5,000 people. Details of the plan will also be posted on RTCs own website later today. The Cleveland-to-Pittsburgh route would become part of a larger, 1,500-mile network proposed by the Industrial Heartland Trails Coalition spanning 51 counties in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and New York. The Industrial Heartland network will also connect with the growing Great American-Trail, a 3,700-mile-plus network that would connect Cleveland to Washington, D.C. The Cleveland-to-Pittsburgh route would traverse 11 counties with 211,000 residents living within a half-mile and 14 million living within 100 miles. It would add to existing trails, including the Towpath Trail of the Ohio & Erie Canalway, a National Heritage Area established by Congress in 1996. This is the next step of trail development for this region, Oberg said. A map shows the route of the proposed 200-mile-plus Cleveland-to-Pittsburgh trail, with seven gaps measuring a total of 72 miles that need to be completed.Rails to Trails Conservancy The Towpath, now largely finished, runs 101 miles from Cleveland to Zoar and New Philadelphia in Tuscarawas County. Other existing trails on the route include the Conotton Creek Trail, the Panhandle Trail, the Montour Trail and the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. It really only makes sense to me they would connect to each other, said Mera Cardenas, recently appointed as director of Canalway Partners, a nonprofit leading construction of the Towpath in Cleveland. Oberg said it could take 10 years or more to fill gaps on the Cleveland-to-Pittsburgh route. Roughly early cost estimates for construction of the trail segments range from $17 million to $23 million, but Oberg cautioned that those numbers are likely to change. He described the plan as a playbook created by more than two-dozen local and regional advocacy groups, governments and park organizations that lays out whats needed in the 11 counties to build and maintain the trail. An aerial photo shows how the Towpath Trail, in foreground, is weaving high-quality public space through sections of the Cuyahoga Valley once written off as industrial wastelands. The conical mounds in the foreground were designed as viewing spots that capture 360-degree views of the downtown skyline and the industrial portion of the Cuyahoga Valley. Photo: Brett Fisher, courtesy of Canalway Partners.Brett Fisher, courtesy of Canalway Partners The report stresses the ability of trails to boost local economies. The Towpath Trail attracts 2.5 million users a year, generating $6.9 million in spending, according to the report. Oberg said the coronavirus pandemic emphasizes the importance of public spaces, such as trails and parks, as safe places to exercise without fear of spreading the disease. He worried about promoting parks during the current crisis, but he noted many communities dont have high-quality public space within easy walking distance. We have whole swaths of communities without trails, he said. In hindsight, I think we will learn the importance of access after this crisis. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 03:36:13|Editor: zh Video Player Close Photo taken on March 17, 2020 shows the Bank of England in London, Britain. The British government will provide 330 billion pounds (about 399 billion U.S. dollars) of loans to businesses to support firms to get through the difficult moments as the coronavirus outbreak escalates in the country, said the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak on Tuesday. (Photo by Ray Tang/Xinhua) LONDON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The British government will provide 330 billion pounds (about 399 billion U.S. dollars) of loans to businesses to support firms to get through the difficult moments as the coronavirus outbreak escalates in the country, said the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak on Tuesday. Sunak told a daily press conference that "if demand is greater than the initial 330 billion pounds, I'm making it available today, I will go further and provide as much capacity as required. I said whatever it takes, and I meant it." The announcement came just six days after the British government last Wednesday pledged a 30-billion-pound stimulus plan to shore up the country's economy amid the COVID-19 outbreak in its first post-Brexit budget. In Tuesday's press briefing, Sunak said: "Some sectors are facing particularly acute challenges. In the coming days, my colleague the Secretary of State for Transport and I will discuss a potential support package specifically for airlines and airports." Suffering from the rapid spread of COVID-19 and government travel restrictions, British airlines have announced recently new actions to address the negative impact, including cutting sharply flights in the coming weeks and reducing operating expenses, as they urged government to give substantial emergency supports. In the joint press conference, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that "we must do whatever it takes to support the economy", adding that "this a time to be bold, to have courage. We will support jobs, we will support incomes, we will support businesses... We will do whatever it takes." In addition to the enormous financial support package promised Tuesday, Sunak also pledged to provide funding grants of up to 25,000 pounds for small businesses. Meanwhile, "every single shop, pub, theatre, music venue, restaurant... will pay no business rates for 12 months", said Sunak. On the same day, British Treasury and the Bank of England announced a Covid Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF) to offer additional help for firms to bridge through COVID 19-related disruption to their cash lows. "The CCFF will provide funding to businesses by purchasing commercial paper of up to one-year maturity, issued by firms making a material contribution to the UK economy," said a statement, adding that "it will help businesses across a range of sectors to pay wages and suppliers, even while experiencing severe disruption to cashflows." "Taken together the actions announced by HM Treasury and the Bank of England will help UK businesses and households to bridge a temporarily difficult period and thereby to mitigate any longer-lasting effects of COVID-19 on jobs, growth and the UK economy," said the statement. As of March 17, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Britain has risen to 1,950, with death toll of 71. Following intensive review, the British government has stepped up measures to fight COVID-19. on Monday, the British prime minister called on people to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel. (1 pound equals to 1.21 U.S. dollars) The novel coronavirus that has killed about 8,000 and infected 200,000 people worldwide stays infectious in aerosols for several hours and on surfaces for days, says a breakthrough study that explains how the pathogen spreads quickly through infected droplets and from contact with contaminated surfaces. Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes the Covid-19 disease, is detectable for up to three hours in aerosols, up to four hours on a copper surface, up to 24 hours on cardboard, and up to two-three days on plastic and stainless steel, found the study published in the peer-reviewed New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). It compared the stability of Sars-Cov-2 in the environment with that of Sars-Cov, which caused the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) outbreak that sickened close to 8,000 people in 2002-2003. Also read: UP doctor who attended to coronavirus patients tests positive Scientists say both viruses are closely related. No Sars case has been detected since 2004. The study found that the stability, or the duration a virus is live in the environment, of Sars-CoV-2 was similar to that of Sars-CoV in experimental circumstances tested. But unlike Sars, which was contained through intensive contact tracing and case isolation measures, the ongoing community transmission of Covid-19 in several countries has turned it into a pandemic. Watch | Coronavirus: ICMR engaging with high quality private labs to increase test access Community transmission is when a person tests positive for the disease but doctors are not able to trace the source of the infection. This indicates that differences in the epidemiologic characteristics of these viruses probably arise from other factors, including high viral loads in the upper respiratory tract and the potential for persons infected with Sars-CoV-2 to shed and transmit the virus while asymptomatic, said the study published on Wednesday. Also read: Government, ministries step up fight against coronavirus pandemic The study warned of the dangers of Covid-19 spreading from people who do not have symptoms or those with mild symptoms, an occurrence confirmed in another study from China that found for every confirmed case in China, there are another five to 10 people in the community with mild, undetected symptoms. These undiagnosed cases were the source of 79% of reported infections in China before a lockdown was imposed on January 23, said the study published in the journal, Science, on Tuesday. Another big difference between the two viruses is that Covid-19 is spreading in community settings, unlike Sars, which caused outbreaks in clusters in hospitals. If viral shedding is high, there will be higher concentration of aerosols in the air and on surfaces, which makes the risk of transmission higher in hospital settings compared to other groups, said Dr G Anil K Prasad, professor and former head of respiratory virology at Vallabhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi. Also read: 34-year-old soldier tests Coronavirus positive, first case in Army Viral shedding is the release of virus in the air or any surface by an infected person. Those in ICUs performing intubation on people with severe respiratory diseases are at particular risk and must wear N95 masks to filter out 95% of liquid or airborne particles, he said. Intubation is a procedure through which a tube is placed into a patients airways through the throat to assist with breathing. World Health Organization is considering new airborne precautions for hospital staff. When you do an aerosol-generating procedure like in a medical care facility, you have the possibility to what we call aerosolize these particles, which means they can stay in the air a little bit longer. Its very important that health care workers take additional precautions when theyre working on patients and doing those procedures, said Maria Van Kerkhove, head of WHOs emerging diseases and zoonoses unit in Geneva. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sanchita Sharma Sanchita is the health & science editor of the Hindustan Times. She has been reporting and writing on public health policy, health and nutrition for close to two decades. She is an International Reporting Project fellow from Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at the Bloomberg School of Public Health and was part of the expert group that drafted the Press Council of Indias media guidelines on health reporting, including reporting on people living with HIV. ...view detail The infant monkey was left orphaned after locals poisoned its parents Advertisement Heart-warming images show a heavily pregnant dog who seems to have adopted an orphaned baby monkey after its mother was poisoned. The infant monkey can be seen hugging and playing around the dog, as the mother-to-be seems to be enjoying having him around. Photographer Prakash Badal 48, snapped the images while visiting Chakki Mor, Solan in Himachal Pradesh, northern India, initially planning to photograph birds. Heart-warming footage shows a heavily pregnant dog who seems to have adopted an orphaned baby monkey after its mother was poisoned The infant monkey can be seen hugging and playing around the dog, as the mother-to-be seems to be enjoying having him around Photographer Prakash Badal 48, snapped the images while visiting Chakki Mor, Solan in Himachal Pradesh, northern India Photographer Prakash Badal, 48, had initially planned to photograph birds when he spotted the dog and the monkey together He said: 'The monkey infant seemed to be about 10 days old when locals poisoned the adult monkeys because it is said they are destroying their crops. 'This infant survived and the dog adopted it. He said: 'The monkey infant seemed to be about 10 days old when locals poisoned the adult monkeys because it is said they are destroying their crops' 'This infant survived and the dog adopted it,' the photographer added The monkey is pictured misbehaving while the pregnant dog tries to sleep, in Chakki Mor, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India 'Although sometimes there are conflicts between monkeys and dogs, the relationship of a mother is more important. 'I felt that when a mother saw a baby who is very small and left alone and there is nobody to take care of him, the maternal instinct took the initiative to adopt a small baby even if it's from different species. 'This type of relationship is a lesson for humans who have become selfish and kill each other just because he is from another cast or religion. ' Photographer Prakash Badal, 48, said: 'Although sometimes there are conflicts between monkeys and dogs, the relationship of a mother is more important' 'I felt that when a mother saw a baby who is very small and left alone and there is nobody to take care of him, the maternal instinct took the initiative to adopt a small baby even if it's from different species' Daily COVID-19 updates on March 17 People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 13:16, March 17, 2020 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A 50-year-old woman was killed and three of her family members were injured when a group of people opened fire at their house at Harchowal village in Gurdaspur on Tuesday night. The deceased has been identified as Jasbir Kaur, while the injured are Partap Singh, his wife Narinder Kaur, and his brother Narinjan Singh. All the injured were referred to a government hospital in Amritsar. Harchowal station house officer (SHO) Harjinder Singh said that at around 10:30pm, over a dozen people, armed with .315 and .32 bore pistols, attacked the victims at their house. Police said that a few days back, boys of the victims and the assailants family, all students of Class 10 at a Harchowal school, got into a scuffle on school premises which resulted in the Tuesdays attack. The SHO said that a case under Sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against four people identified as Lakha Singh, Malkiat Singh, both residents of Harchowal village, Amritpal Singh, of Bham village, and Sahil, of Bhambri village, and 10 other unidentified persons. So far, no arrests have been made, the SHO added. New Delhi, March 18 : Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday cautioned MPs not to ask questions based on what is published in newspapers and raise issues only on the basis of their own information. Birla's direction came after A. Raja, a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader and an MP from Mayiladuthurai in Tamil Nadu, referred to a newspaper article while asking a supplementary question during Question Hour. "MPs should not ask questions based on information published in newspapers. This is in the rule book that questions should not be asked based on the information of newspapers and television channels. So, ask questions based on your own information," Birla said while interrupting Raja. Raja put a supplementary question when question number 346 linked to Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) mentioned in the list of 20 questions for oral answer was raised. "Yesterday, newspapers carried very hot and burning articles. This government came to power by saying that Rs 1.73 lakh crore loss to the exchequer in 2G (spectrum allocation). We suffered a lot. That is not the question. I want to ask a legitimate question," Raja said. "The newspapers carried articles that the Law Minister and the Telecom Ministry succeeded in getting the Supreme Court's permission to allow private telecom operators like Airtel, Vodafone and Idea to pay statutory dues totalling Rs one lakh crore over 20 years. You succeeded. Who gave concession to the operators?." Fox News host Tucker Carlson praised Donald Trump for repeatedly referring to COVID-19 as 'the Chinese virus'. The president has used the term multiple times on Twitter, prompting critics - including Chinese officials - to accuse him of promoting racist rhetoric against Asians. Carlson addressed the backlash on his show Tucker Carlson Tonight on Tuesday and expressed his support for Trump. 'Today, NBC News sent a tweet suggesting the president's use of the phrase 'Chinese virus' was, quote, both inaccurate and harmful, in tying racist associations between the virus and those from China,' the host said. 'Another statement written by morons in our news media. How is it inaccurate to call a virus from China "Chinese?"' Scroll down for video Fox News host Tucker Carlson praised Donald Trump for repeatedly referring to COVID-19 as 'the Chinese virus' during his show on Tuesday night President Trump has been accused of promoting racist rhetoric against Asians by referring to the novel coronavirus as 'the Chinese virus' multiple times on Twitter this week 'The president, to his credit, does not seem intimidated,' Carlson added before cutting to a clip of Trump dismissing criticisms at a press conference Tuesday afternoon. In the clip a reporter is heard asking Trump whether he will continue to use the phrase despite having been told its offensive. 'Well, China was putting out information which was false, that our military gave this to them, which was false,' he responded, referencing his administration's previous accusations that China was spreading conspiracy theories about the virus being created by the US military. 'Rather than having an argument I said I have to call it where it came from. It came from China.' 'Good for him,' Carlson stated at the clip's conclusion. 'That was Trump at his very best.' 'Why would our media take the side of China in a crisis like this?' he asked. A graphic with the words 'Chinese Coronavirus in America' was shown on the screen as he spoke. Trump appeared unfazed by the backlash as he repeated the offending term three times in a string of tweets on Wednesday morning As of Wednesday afternoon, 7,898 people in the US have tested positive for COVID-19 across all 50 states and 121 have died Federal officials including the head of the US Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 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 in the city of Wuhan. World Health Organization guidelines caution leaders to avoid naming a disease after a location because doing so can stigmatize an area or ethnic group. But Trump - who has faced fierce criticism over his handling of the pandemic in the US and also has a long history of alleged racism and xenophobia - has sought to cast the novel 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 of Wednesday afternoon, 7,898 people in the US have tested positive for COVID-19 across all 50 states and 121 have died. Trump drew the ire of Chinese officials on Monday when he referred to COVID-19 as the 'Chinese virus' 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.' Trump first drew the ire of Chinese officials on Monday when he referred to COVID-19 as the 'Chinese virus' in a tweet The president repeated the offensive moniker for coronavirus in another tweet on Tuesday Hours later an Asian-American reporter for CBS News added fuel to the controversy when she accused a White House official of calling coronavirus 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, writing: '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.' 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, accused a White House official of referring to coronavirus as the 'Kung Flu' right to her face on Tuesday morning Dozens of social media users expressed outrage over the comment, charging that Trump is responsible for racist rhetoric surrounding coronavirus within his administration Several other pro-Trump officials have referred to the deadly strain as the 'Wuhan virus', including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Sen Tom Cotton (R - Oklahoma) and Congressman Paul Gosar (R - Arizona). Pompeo accused China of spreading conspiracy theories that the virus was the creation of the US military. Contrasting conspiracy theories charging that the virus was created by China as a tool for biological warfare have been aired in pro-Trump circles in the US. Geng Shuang, a spokesperson from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Tuesday accused 'certain American politicians' of promoting stigmatization by connecting the novel coronavirus with China. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (pictured) accused China of spreading conspiracy theories that the virus was the creation of the US military He did not name Trump specifically, but was believed to be responding to the president's tweet hours earlier, 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 said. China later retaliated by announcing that Beijing would expel American journalists working for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. Trump responded to the snub by tripling down on the offending term in a string of tweets. 'For the people that are now out of work because of the important and necessary containment policies, for instance the shutting down of hotels, bars and restaurants, money will soon be coming to you. The onslaught of the Chinese Virus is not your fault! Will be stronger than ever!' the first tweet read. About an hour later he added: 'I will be having a news conference today to discuss very important news from the FDA concerning the Chinese Virus!' In a third tweet he stated: 'I always treated the Chinese Virus very seriously, and have done a very good job from the beginning, including my very early decision to close the "borders" from China - against the wishes of almost all. Many lives were saved. The Fake News new narrative is disgraceful & false!' Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 18) The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation said it will release 30 billion to accredited hospitals in line with the government's response against the coronavirus disease or COVID-19. In a statement Tuesday, PhilHealth said the fund classified as advanced payment under the agency's interim reimbursement mechanism will "provide health care providers with the much needed liquidity to adequately respond to the pandemic." The state health insurer said the amount would be equivalent to three months worth of claims based on historical data, and will be charged to future claims. It said hospitals will be asked to craft a letter of intent to avail of the service. PhilHealth added it has also extended the deadline for payment of contributions of self-paying members until the end of April. "Moreover, its policy on single period of confinement and 45-days coverage are also waived in favor of the member, while the filing period for claims is also extended from the usual 60 days to at least 120 days in favor of the health care providers," the statement read. The Philippines was placed under a state of calamity amid the rapid spike of COVID-19 cases, which neared 200 as of Wednesday. Fourteen deaths due to the infectious disease have also been recorded. PhilHealth earlier assured there is enough budget for the country's COVID-related medical costs, as the agency was tapped to cover the testing of hospitals nationwide. READ: Testing for coronavirus disease is free Duque Apart from the testing fee, PhilHealth said Filipinos can also avail of a 14,000 health package should they get quarantined for the disease. The amount will provide 1,000 for each day of the isolation. Coronavirus-positive patients can also seek a beneficiary package of up to 32,000 the amount usually provided for severe pneumonia cases. COVID-19, now considered by the World Health Organization as a pandemic, has infected over 197,000 individuals in 154 different countries including China, the epicenter of the virus outbreak. Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Wednesday said a Norway national in the state has tested positive for novel coronavirus but shortly afterwards retracted the remarks. Rane said the earlier information was based on a 'hoax call' to the concerned nodal officer. The man had travelled to Delhi, Agra, Assam and Meghalaya after leaving Norway on February 6, he said. "The man came to Goa on February 20. He was having fever since March 10 and was isolated as a suspect in hospital in Panaji," the minister had told PTI earlier today. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The coronavirus has disrupted our lives in ways both large and small. Multiple organizations have cancelled conferences and events, and various municipalities have instructed residents to practice social distancing and to stay home whenever possible. If there was any kind of upside it's that we're all suddenly a lot more conscious of personal hygiene. Health authorities have advised the public to practice good sanitation practices, such as washing hands with soap, refraining from touching our face and coughing into our elbows. Another way to maintain good hygiene? Keeping our gadgets clean. "Phones, laptops and other electronics travel with us everywhere, from bathrooms to buses to kitchens and restaurants," said Dr. Kelly A. Reynolds, an Associate Professor in the College of Public Health at the University of Arizona. She authored a study about hygienic preventions to prevent viral spread. "Like our hands, they pick up germs along the way. Frequently touched surfaces are vulnerable to increased contamination that can spread to hands, and then to entry points on the body where infection occurs, such as the eyes, nose and mouth." According to the CDC, transmission of the COVID-19 virus from surfaces has not yet been documented -- it's much more common via respiratory droplets or direct human contact. But, the CDC suggests cleaning any surfaces down all the same, as the virus can last from hours to several days on some materials. A recent study showed that the COVID-19 virus in particular can last up to 24 hours on cardboard and two to three days on plastic and stainless steel. The CDC states that "cleaning of visibly dirty surfaces followed by disinfection is a best practice measure for prevention of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory illnesses in households and community settings." "If you touch something contaminated, such as your phone, after hand washing, you need to wash it again to clear the virus away," said Dr. Jonathan Golob, an Assistant Professor of Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan School of Medicine. Story continues The consensus is clear: You need to be cleaning the gadgets that you use often. That includes your phone, and for some of you, your laptop or keyboard as well. The woman cleans the cell phone with a napkin Be gone, germs How best to clean your phone will differ from manufacturer to manufacturer, but there are a few general guidelines. Obviously, the first thing to do is to remove any protective case as well as unplug any cables. For general-purpose cleaning, nearly all manufacturers suggest gently wiping down the phone with a soft, lint-free cloth. Both Apple and Samsung suggest using a microfiber material or a camera lens cleaning cloth, for example. If your phone is a little grimier than normal, then you can use a dampened cloth to wipe the smudge away, being careful to avoid excess moisture getting into any open ports. But simply wiping your phone down won't get rid of germs. To do so, you can use soap. "Coronavirus has a fat coating it needs to infect us," said Golob. "Soap and water or alcohol gels destroy this fatty layer, and thus make the virus unable to infect us." But, be sure to check the manufacturer's website to make sure soap is allowed. Apple, for example, suggests using a cloth dampened with warm, soapy water, but only with the iPhone 11 line of handsets (you can then "rinse" the soap off with another damp cloth, then dry it off with another one). Google recommends using ordinary household soap only on the back and sides of the Pixel. Samsung, on the other hand, doesn't recommend soap at all. For an even easier way to sanitize your phone, you could use disinfecting wipes. We were once advised not to use alcohol wipes on our phones, as they could potentially remove the oleophobic coating that prevents fingerprint smudges. But recently, Apple released a statement that it's OK to use 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipes or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, as long as they don't have any bleach. Google and Samsung have similar recommendations as well. That said, all three companies strongly advise against pouring the alcohol solution directly onto the phone; use the cloths and wipes instead. Cleaning your laptop is very similar to cleaning your phone; start with a dry lint-free cloth and move on to a slightly dampened cloth for wiping down the screen. For a deeper, sanitizing clean, manufacturers like Apple and Lenovo have recommended using the aforementioned disinfectant wipes for both the display and the keyboard. If it's an external keyboard, you can also use compressed air to clear away any dust particles, though that won't kill any germs. Phonesoap An alternate option is to buy a UV sanitizer like PhoneSoap, which uses UV-C light to "clean" your phone in just ten minutes. "UV-C light is effective against a wide range of germs and provides an option for disinfecting your phone without the use of chemicals," said Reynolds. While that might be true, it's unclear if this has been tested with the COVID-19 virus. Additionally, these UV sanitizers tend to be very expensive, and don't seem to be any more effective than simply using the wipes. As for how frequently you should clean your devices, well, that depends. "You may want to disinfect your phone after using it in the bathroom, or before using it at the dining room table," said Reynolds. "Developing a habit of daily disinfection will help to keep the germ count low." Golob generally agrees. "A good rule of thumb is to clean the device and then your handsparticularly before eating or touching your face." Don't do this: Even though some of these warnings were alluded to above, they bear repeating: Avoid getting moisture into any openings or ports Avoid window cleaners, household cleaners, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide. Avoid bleach especially Avoid abrasive cloths and materials, such as paper towels Avoid submerging the products in cleaning solution Avoid excessive wiping that might damage the product In general, be sure to check the manufacturer's website before cleaning your device so you don't ruin it. Keeping it clean Aside from keeping your phone and laptop clean according to the above instructions, there are a few extra steps you can take to ensure proper gadget hygiene. "Another way to keep your phone clean is to keep your hands clean before use and avoid sharing your electronics with others," said Reynolds. "Avoiding contact with your face, from either your hands or your device, is another approach to breaking the cycle of germ transmission." What could prove harder to do, however, is to simply not touch it as much. Experts suggest not using it while eating, and not while on the toilet. "Treat your gadgets as another hand," Golob said. "They can get contaminated with coronavirus, spread it to you and others, and make you sick." CARGOTEC CORPORATION, PRESS RELEASE, 18 MARCH 2020 AT 4 PM (EET) Kalmar, part of Cargotec, has been awarded a contract to supply Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) with a total of six Kalmar rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes for use at Dar es Salaam port. The order was booked in Cargotec's 2020 Q1 order intake, with delivery scheduled for Q1 of 2021. Dar es Salaam port handles about 95% of Tanzania's international trade and serves the landlocked countries of Malawi, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda. The port is strategically placed to serve as a convenient freight link not only with East and Central Africa but also with the Middle East, Far East, Europe, Australia and America. TPA and Kalmar have developed a productive and collaborative working relationship over the years, and Kalmar's solution to support TPA's expansion plan in Dar es Salaam was the best fit for the company. The Kalmar RTG combines the best of diesel and electric technology for fuel savings, low emissions and easy maintenance. At 1,000 hours, it has one of the longest maintenance intervals in the industry, while its modular design makes it easy to tailor to customer requirements. The units delivered to TPA will be configured to handle 6+1 wide with 1-over-5 high stacking and will have a lifting capacity of 40 tonnes under the spreader. They will also be equipped with a variable speed generator, which enables even greater fuel economy and lower emissions by automatically optimising RPM according to the required power. Mikko Mononen, Vice President, Sales, EMEIA, Kalmar: "The relationship between TPA and Kalmar goes all the way back to 1987 when we delivered our first diesel-electric RTGs to the customer. As one of our longest-standing customers, we are very pleased to continue our collaboration going forward and look forward to supporting them in achieving their strategic objectives for Dar es Salaam port." Further information for the press: Mikko Mononen, Vice President, Sales, EMEIA, Kalmar, tel. +358 40 536 0596, mikko.mononen@kalmarglobal.com Maija Eklof, Vice President, Marketing and Communications, Kalmar, tel. +358 20 777 4096, maija.eklof@kalmarglobal.com Kalmar offers the widest range of cargo handling solutions and services to ports, terminals, distribution centres and to heavy industry. Kalmar is the industry forerunner in terminal automation and in energy efficient container handling, with one in four container movements around the globe being handled by a Kalmar solution. Through its extensive product portfolio, global service network and ability to enable a seamless integration of different terminal processes, Kalmar improves the efficiency of every move.www.kalmarglobal.com Kalmar is part of Cargotec. Cargotec's Attachment Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 18:14:41|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Zhong Nanshan, renowned Chinese respiratory specialist, attends a press conference on epidemic prevention and control work in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, March 18, 2020. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin) GUANGZHOU, March 18 (Xinhua) -- More communication and cooperation are needed for the fight against the coronavirus, said Zhong Nanshan, renowned Chinese respiratory specialist, at a press conference Wednesday. "We hope that countries in the world can share research and technologies on vaccine development, virus transmission routes, diagnosis methods and treatment plans so that we can win the battle against the coronavirus sooner," said Zhong, who played an important role in China's fight against COVID-19 and SARS back in 2003. He also said that early prevention, early diagnosis and early quarantine have proved effective, adding that every country in the world should take action to fight the coronavirus. The past few days have undoubtedly been among the most stressful, scary and challenging in our nation's history. We are all braced for a health crisis beyond any of our imagining. Schools have closed, planes are grounded, businesses are shutting down and there have already been tens of thousands of layoffs, with many more on the horizon. At times like these, our inclination is to come together. To be physically close to the ones we love, so we can support them and they can support us. But this virus has weaponised our desire for intimacy - adding to feelings of dread, loneliness and helplessness. Faced with these unprecedented challenges, it is natural to feel worry and fear about the future and what may come. But it is important to state that there are reasons to be hopeful. The response of the acting Government, to date, has been hugely impressive. They have risen to the occasion and that should be acknowledged. It can't be easy for politicians, most of whom expected to be leaving office after the election, to suddenly find they have responsibility for managing such an existential crisis. Making the kinds of life-and-death decisions they are now making, in a period of enormous flux and uncertainty, must be extremely difficult. Yet they have not flinched. The communication has been excellent. They have been open with the public and have acted swiftly in a bid to mitigate the damage. Their handling of the crisis - informed by an excellent team of healthcare experts - means the majority of us now know what is at stake, are adhering to social distancing measures and are trying to adapt to this surreal new reality. Leo Varadkar, Simon Coveney and Simon Harris have been leading the charge, masterfully balancing two competing obligations: keeping the public accurately informed, yet simultaneously seeking to reassure. Regina Doherty, who lost her seat at the last election but is still working tirelessly in the Department of Social Protection, also deserves special mention. Her department has already overseen the introduction of a new Covid-19 unemployment payment, which can be applied for by filling out just one page. On Friday alone, 20,000 people applied for this new scheme and payments are being processed within 24 to 48 hours. An incredible achievement for civil servants who must be working flat-out while under huge pressure. In the health service, 19 of 30 new test centres have now been opened, including a drive-through service at Croke Park which will operate from 8am to 8pm seven days a week and process eight tests every 15 minutes. A new recruitment campaign for healthcare professionals and support staff has been launched, and every single newly qualified doctor in the country will be offered an internship. Meanwhile, doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers, already in the system, are working tirelessly, many making huge sacrifices in their personal lives - like isolating themselves from their own partners and children - to do so. All across the public service - from gardai to first responders, bus drivers and cleaners to hospital porters - workers have been laser-focused on just one thing: doing their best to help the public in this period of unimaginable crisis. Their Trojan efforts have not gone unnoticed. There are workers on the front line in the private sector too. Staff in pharmacies, supermarkets and indeed, hauliers and truck drivers, who have never been so busy, none of whom are complaining about their vastly increased workload. Ordinary people across the country are also displaying the best of community spirit - setting up groups to assist those in self-isolation and crowdfunding meals to be sent to healthcare workers in hospitals. The response, across all sectors of society, has been inspiring in its resilience, kindness and selflessness. We may be fearful and anxious, but we cannot let those feelings overwhelm us. This pandemic is going to test us, but we cannot let it crush us. As a country, all of us must come together to fight this threat. We all have a part to play and, even if we can't be physically close to each other, we can support each other in other ways. Some of us will face great hardship and tragedy, others will be asked to contribute by obeying healthcare advice and remaining in isolation if suffering from symptoms. We are at the start of what could be a long road, and our resolve must not weaken, no matter what disappointments and setbacks we suffer. While we can do much within this country to prepare for, and cope with, coronavirus, when it comes to the economic impact, we cannot go it alone. The good news is, we don't have to. As a member of the most powerful economic union on the planet, we need a co-ordinated response across the EU and a European Central Bank that is prepared to take extraordinary measures to save jobs and businesses. The world is about to enter a depression more devastating than that which was experienced during the financial collapse. We need an international response of the same magnitude - one that is capable of swiftly rebuilding the wreckage that will be left in the wake of this tsunami of business collapse and unemployment. A financial package, agreed at an EU level, that puts money back into the pockets of workers who lose their jobs needs to be urgently established. Companies, and entire sectors, will also need mammoth financial assistance. Agreeing a basic income for those affected by this crisis would be a great start. Many workers, particularly those in precarious employment, do not have savings to sustain them through this. These are people for whom support would be limited, until the threat of coronavirus has receded and their jobs are reinstated. The EU cannot repeat the mistakes of 2008, when austerity was the answer to financial catastrophe - a response that led to a lost decade across the continent. We know in Ireland we have the tenacity and the resolve to tackle this crisis, but while people endure the trauma of dealing with a deadly virus and a completely alien and isolated lifestyle, they do not need the added anxiety of financial ruin. As a small island with limited resources, our Government can only do so much. The EU must now prove the benefit of membership, to those Brexiteers who maligned it, and signal its intent to support its 27 member states with whatever financial muscle that is required to sustain them. With moratorium being lifted from Wednesday, the crisis-hit Yes Bank might see a heavy withdrawal of deposits by customers, according to a report New Delhi: With moratorium being lifted from Wednesday, the crisis-hit Yes Bank might see a heavy withdrawal of deposits by customers, according to a report. On 5 March, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a moratorium on the troubled private sector lender, including capping withdrawals at Rs 50,000 per depositor. Lifting of deposit withdrawal moratorium on March 18 could open flood gates and will require a calibrated approach along with active support and signaling from the RBI, government and investor banks, said Emkay Alpha Portfolio in its report. The moratorium would be lifted by 6 pm on 18 March, as per the reconstruction scheme notified by the government on Friday. However, Yes Bank CEO-designate Prashant Kumar said there are absolutely no worries on the liquidity front and that complete operational normalcy would be restored from 6 pm on Wednesday. "We have made adequate precautions. All our ATMs are full with cash. All our branches have an adequate supply of cash. So, from Yes Bank side, there is absolutely no issue on the liquidity front," Kumar said. According to rating agency Crisil the moratorium would pose challenges to companies that have cash credit facilities and current accounts with Yes Bank. The ensuing financial stress can impact their ability to service financial obligations on time in spite of sufficient liquidity, it said. Companies having a material banking relationship with Yes Bank could face financial stress, which does not reflect their inability or unwillingness to meet obligations. Many retail customers are waiting for the first opportunity to withdraw their hard-earned money from the bank. Yes Bank Reconstruction Scheme 2020, SBI cannot reduce its stake in the bank to below 26 percent for a period of three years, while other investors and existing shareholders will have a lock-in period of three years for 75 percent of their investment in Yes Bank. However, the lock-in period will not apply to shareholders with less than 100 shares. The Yes Bank Reconstruction Scheme 2020 came into force on 13 March, 2020, the gazette notification had said. 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 USD94,000 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 Administration's 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, couple's YouTube channel, BEAM Squad, has more than 1.4 million subscribers. Wellington is west of West Palm Beach. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Photo credit: Claudio Lavenia - Getty Images From Esquire If you ask Virgil Abloh, 2020 is the year streetwear officially dies. Given that Abloh is currently at the top of streetwears Mount Olympus, echoes of his prediction reverberated throughout the internet, raising some degree of alarm amongst streetwears disciples. Is he just being an alarmist or does he see something we dont? He clarified exactly what he meant by his comment this past December, which he still stands by. Its fifty-fifty, Abloh says of streetwear's prognosis. I said it as a means to provoke this industry that we all love. Photo credit: Peter White - Getty Images The Ablohnian way of looking at the shirts, sneakers, and apparel that he and other designers like him make is to treat them like an art movement. Except instead of the Baroque period of the 1600s, streetwears renaissance can be traced back to New Yorks Lower East Side in the early aughts, when shops like Nom De Guerre, A-Life, and Prohibit were at the height of their influence. Now, they're defunct or a shell of their former selves. It just reminds me that most people skipped over the history lessons that got us here today, he explains. If we want the future of streetwear to not just become this mainstream thing that can be easily replicated, then us that care about streetwear or are of streetwear need to make it as great as possible, not formulaic. Some may find a foreboding proclamation like this coming from him confusing, polarizing, or maybe even offensive. But, Abloh isnt completely wrong. Everything, from a fad to the human condition, comes to an end eventually. Photo credit: Bennett Raglin - Getty Images What trend on earth exists that doesnt die? Its a real intellectual question, Abloh says. If we love this culture of ours, you need to think about it. Its like disco: People thought that was going to last forever. Do you see disco around today? No. One of his biggest grievances with the state of the culture is the tornado spin-cycle of releases thats meant to entice hypebeasts to lust after shoes on a weekly basis, even though hes been behind some of the most lust-worthy sneakers of the past few years. Abloh also points out another carcinogen to streetwear can be found in the comments section. Story continues When first looks of his Air Jordan V collab hit the Internet, it was lambasted by trolls with itchy Twitter fingers. Abloh saw every negative comment about his shoes and made a point to remind his detractors on release day. Photo credit: Nike There was a presiding opinion that they were whack, he said. Now, everyones mad that they cant get them. I obviously dont care [what people think]. In Ablohs estimation, sneakers are more like sculptures that youd find in a museum and less trademarks of hype. Sneakers were actually part of his first solo museum exhibition, Figures of Speech, at Chicagos MCA, and he likens himself to Mies Van Der Rohe , a modern architecture pioneer who Abloh studied while he attended the Illinois Institute of Technology. This is for me and my own narrative in design, the same way Mies Van Der Rohe was making his own catalog of ideas for his own investigation. For me its much the same, Abloh said. Obviously I think from the perspective of the kids from the comments too, because Im that kid that wasnt given an opportunity to design. Now that I have it, I express it by putting an idea on the table, not by commenting on other ideas that exist. Photo credit: Daniel Zuchnik - Getty Images Ultimately, Abloh is looking beyond creating the next big ticket item on the resale market and looking out for the next generation of designers wholl ultimately be responsible for the life or death of streetwear. I want to inspire kids to create, he said. So take the criticism of my product and take the criticism of any other designer and make something. Just dont sit and critique. You Might Also Like Flipkart has tweeted that the Nokia Smart TV powered by JBL speakers will come in a new dimension Information circulating the internet suggests that this could be a 43-inch variant on the TV. There is no information on the launch or price of the TV. Flipkart has tweeted saying Introducing the @nokia #SmartTV with Sound By JBL, coming soon in a new dimension. Watch this space for updates. One could be mistaken for thinking that Flipkart is suggesting that the 55-inch TV that was launched earlier will be back in stock. However, the new dimension in the tweet hints that we could get the TV in a different size. So why is the internet speculating that this could be a 43-inch TV? Well, Nokia power user claims that the TV launching will be a 43-inch one and will be priced at Rs 30,999. Nokia launched the 55-inch Android Smart TV back in December 2019 and it was quite feature-rich when it launched. We expect the 43-inch variant of the TV to house the same specifications as its bigger sibling. Speaking of the specifications of the 55-inch Nokia TV, it runs on Android TV 9 out of the box with support for Netflix and Prime Videos. Running on Android TV, users also have access to the Play Store for their streaming services and apps needs. Coming to the panel, it has a 10-bit ADS panel with 400 nits of brightness. It covers 85-90% of 10-bit colour space. The TV also supports Dolby Vision which is Dolbys object-based HDR rendering. When it comes to audio, the Nokia Smart TV audio is powered by JBL with 24W of sound output. The sound tuning and equalizer are catered to by JBL. The TV has two full-range drivers, front-facing tweeters and down-firing mid and low range drivers. There is no separate woofer. The TV also supports Dolby Audio and DTS TruSurround. The 55-inch Nokia Smart TV runs on a quad-core processor coupled with 2.25GB RAM and 16GB storage. All these features at 30,999 and 43-inch screen size may seem tempting. However, the Android TV market is heating up in the budget segment. Recently Kodak launched a bunch of new Android smart TVs all of which are running on Android TV 9 out of the box. One of the TVs is a 43-inch TV. Lets quickly highlight some of the specifications. The 43-inch TV boasts of a 4K resolution along with support for HDR 10 and Dolby Vision along with support for Wide Colour Gamut. It is priced at Rs 23,999. For audio, the TVs have 30 Watt speakers with support for DTS and Dolby Digital Plus. Running on Android TV, the Kodak 43-inch TV brings with it support for all popular streaming services like Netflix, Prime Videos, Hotstar and more. You can read more about the recently launched Kodak TVs here. A Congress MP in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday made a demand for enacting a legislation for protection of journalists, claiming India has become one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a journalist. M V Rajeev Gowda (Cong) raised the issue through a Zero Hour mention in the Upper House. "There is an urgent need to enact a national legislation for protection of journalists. In the past several years India has become on of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a journalist," he said. Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu pointed out that he should not make sweeping remarks and cautioned him. "Let us not make such a sweeping remark. You (Gowda) are a well read person...some report, some international...Member saying it from Parliament that will be quoted outside also. I am only cautioning...," he said. Gowda said last year, India ranked 13th in the global impunity index by the community to protect journalists which features countries with the worst record of punishing killers of journalists. The organisation Reporters without Borders has listed India at 140 out of 180 countries on its World Press Freedom Index, he said. The Congress MP said a sub-committee of the Press Council of India prepared a detailed report on attacks faced by working journalists in 2015. "It found 80 journalists have been killed in India since 1990 and most of the cases are still pending in courts," he said. The report, Gowda said, demanded that a separate law be enacted for safety of journalists across India along with other recommendations. This report was submitted to the then I&B Minister Arun Jaitley. He said this report could be the basis for drafting the law. "We have also heard of tragic cases of murder of journalists. Along with that threats, intimidation and violence against journalists are also a major problem. How long we will let this happen," he asked. In the absence of legal protection and mechanism to create safe mechanism for journalists and media persons, the public domain and discourse suffers the most, he noted. "Therefore, I urge the government to enact a legislation for protection of journalists and media, and ensure freedom of press stays alive," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Age Concern New Zealand want to make sure all older people are supported through the Covid-19 pandemic. During a time of uncertainty and social distancing it is normal to feel distressed and experience symptoms of stress and Age Concern wants people to know they are there to help. Age Concerns are based in 40 locations across New Zealand and teams are available to help with advice and support. Age Concern New Zealand chief executive Stephanie Clare says, This is not a time to sit in silence, if you are worried about anything from your medication and food supplies through to your mental wellbeing you should call us. Too often we hear of people not wanting to be a burden or make a fuss, please make a fuss! We have amazing staff and volunteers who can help direct you to the support or information you need. We know that social isolation is already a huge issue for some of our older kiwis so we are adapting some of our services from face to face to other forms of connection so that no one feels alone during this time. We are also encouraging friends, family and communities to find new ways to keep connected, from Skype calls, delivering a meal and phoning each other to leaving notes of kindness in mail boxes. We all have the power to connect in a safe way and help each other through this scary time. Age Concern is following the Ministry of Health guidelines for all their services and using the most current advice in these rapidly changing times. Age Concern says some key things people need to know are: If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 Visit the Ministry of Health for more information and the latest advice on symptoms, prevention, treatment, how it spreads, self-isolation and more Wash your hands often Minimise direct contact with others Make sure you stay connected look for new ways to connect rather than face to face Still do things that make you happy for your mental health Ask your near neighbours to share contact details The government has announced Superannuitants will get a cash bonus and a one-off doubling of the Winter Energy Payment this year. To find the nearest Age Concern contact details are on the website: www.ageconcern.org.nz A 34-year-old man was arrested for allegedly blackmailing a girl through a fake social media account and demanding money from her in Jharkhand's Palamau district, police said on Wednesday. Chhatarpur sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Sambhu Kumar Singh said that the accused, Sujit Kumar, had created the fake social media account and lured her into an affair before resorting to blackmail. Noticing a behavioural change in the girl, family members asked her about the reasons behind it and subsequently, lodged a police complaint, he said. The accused was arrested on Tuesday and booked under the IT Act, the SDPO said, adding that the investigation is on. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Replicating Salesforce or OData sources, like Microsoft Dynamics 365, across multiple Snowflake or AWS S3 or RedShift accounts for easy and quick setup of cloud-based data warehouses and data lakes. DBSync, a leading technology company providing a modern data integration solution, announces support for Snowflake, a cloud data warehouse. DBSync expands the scope of actions for Snowflake customers, allowing them to perform the following: Replicating Salesforce or OData sources, like Microsoft Dynamics 365, across multiple Snowflake or AWS S3 or RedShift accounts for easy and quick setup of cloud-based data warehouses and data lakes. Configure Salesforce or OData source replication and restore to one or more Snowflake, AWS S3 or RedShift accounts for business continuity and disaster recovery. Import data from Snowflake, AWS S3 or RedShift databases into Salesforce or OData supporting applications and keep the database objects and stored data synchronized. Snowflakes mission, to enable every organization to be data-driven, coincides very well with our calling as well, said Rajeev Gupta, DBSync CEO. For enterprise-level companies, it is critical to recognize an interdependent and critical part that plays an agile data warehouse together with Extract/Transfer/Load (ETL) process of data integration. He added, most data warehouses are now multiplatform data architectures, distributed across on-premises and cloud systems...integrating numerous, diverse datasets and platforms into a cohesive architecture is a difficult, but essential project for any org to fuel their management team with data-driven insights. Benefits of Cloud Data Warehousing Using Snowflake, AWS S3 or Redshift 1. Performance and Speed To speed up data loading process and run a high volume of queries, users can scale up their virtual warehouse to take advantage of extra compute resources. 2. Storage and Support Structured Data Users can combine structured data for analysis and load it into the cloud database without the need for conversion or transformation into a fixed relational schema first. 3. Reduce Concurrency Issue Queries from one virtual warehouse never affect the queries from another, and each virtual warehouse can scale up or down as required. It also allows organizations to seamlessly share data with any data consumer, whether they are a Salesforce customer or not. About DBSync DBSync is a leading provider of data management, replication, and application integration for CRM (Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics 365 and more), Accounting (QuickBooks Desktop and Online, Microsoft Dynamics GP & NAV), Warehouse Management Systems (SkuVault), popular databases (Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, MongoDB, S3, etc), and data integration markets. With easy to use pre-built maps and powerful Extract, Transform, and Load (ETL) capabilities, DBSync enables users to link information between leading Cloud and On-premise based CRM, hospital asset and case management, and accounting applications, along with support for on-premise applications running databases. DBSync provides support, training and consulting services for its integration solutions and is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, with centers in San Francisco, CA and Bangalore, India. For more information on the Data Management Platform, please visit, DBSync. All trademarks are owned by their respective companies. Scott Morrison personally intervened to ensure 600 catholic schools across New South Wales stayed open as they planned an unprecedented coronavirus shutdown. It comes as the prime minister defended his decision to keep Australian schools opens, after critics warned it could leave families vulnerable to coronavirus. After a meeting with health officials on Tuesday, Mr Morrison called the Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher to ask him to reconsider closing 595 schools. Earlier this week, catholic dioceses decided it would close its schools - but after the intervention they will now remain open. The prime minister warned that any action the government takes to combat the disease will need to be in place for the next six months. Scott Morrison (pictured, right, on a visit to a Sydney school in September 2018) said his two daughters will still be attending school during the coronavirus crisis Why the medical experts say schools MUST stay open Medical experts have advised the Australian government that for the good of the country, schools must stay open. - If schools were to close, it would force essential health staff to stay home - This would lead to 30 per cent drop in healthcare workers - Children who have caught coronavirus have not done so in schools - Kids are far more likely to contract it at home or elsewhere - This means children are safer in school - Even if kids do get it, they have mild or no symptoms - It would have dire consequences for the already embattled economy, leaving thousands of workers forced to care for kids Advertisement This would mean students wouldn't go back to school until at least term three. It comes as the deadly respiratory infection, which originated in a market in the Chinese city of Wuhan, killed a sixth person in Australia, with 636 confirmed cases. 'What you do, youve got to keep doing for the next six months,' Mr Morrison told Sky News. 'Shut them down, they wont open again. And that means your children will miss what is effectively a whole year of their education. 'Now if theres not a good health reason to do that and risk the childs education or cause them rather significant economic cost...you should keep the schools open. 'And thats why Ive formed such a strong view on this.' He insisted that social distancing and proper hand sanitation was enough to keep children and families safe, and would be scaled up in the future. It comes as several other affected countries, including America and areas of the UK, announced their decision to shut down schools and universities. Students across Australia are being encouraged to carry on going to school (pictured, a school in Cobargo in January) Scott Morrison (pictured, far right) explained he agreed with his wife Jenny (in sunglasses) that their two children Abbey and Lily should still go to school The FACTS on kids and the coronavirus The World Health Organisation found that in China, where the virus originated, only 2.4% of patients were aged 18 and under. Of those infected children, just 2.5% experienced severe illness. Just 0.2% became 'critically ill'. When children are infected, they often have no symptoms at all. But they can still infect others, including elderly and vulnerable people. It is advised that children are not brought into contact with elderly grandparents, as they could unknowingly pass on coronavirus. 'Even if children are mildly ill, they serve as reservoirs of infection and can spread disease to adults, especially the elderly,' said Dr Bessey Geevarghese, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist, said. Advertisement But Mr Morrison insisted the government were following top medical advice, which says it is safer for children to stay at home. Kids in China who have contracted coronavirus, of which there are very few, did not contract it at school. Instead, they caught it at home or elsewhere in the community. Additionally, sending thousands of children home would crush the health service, as frontline staff would have to stay home to care for their kids. It would also have dire consequences for the already embattled economy, depleting the already struggling workforce. 'The health advice that we have is that the coronavirus has a very limited impact on younger people, particularly children. 'And when you look at what has happened in China, the rate of infection in those areas is around 2.4 per cent. 'And in the majority of cases they contracted it not at the school, but at their homes and with parents and in the broader community. 'So the health advice is that by keeping schools open and children going to school, this is not a risk to parents or kids.' A woman is seen crossing the road wearing a face mask in Sydney's CBD on Tuesday (pictured) as the country enters lockdown Epping Boy's High School in Sydney (pictured) was forced to close earlier in March after a student tested positive for coronavirus 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 Statistics from the World Health Organisation show that just 2.4 per cent of coronavirus cases in China are among people aged 18 and under. Of those infected children, just 2.5 per cent become severely ill and just 0.2 were critically ill. Many children with COVID-19 do not experience symptoms at all, which can cause problems if they come into contact with elderly or vulnerable people. Professor Tania Sorrell, the director of the Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, told the ABC children seem to be getting their infections from adults, rather than other pupils. I completely understand the anxiety around (school closures) and the concerns, but I think we also need to look at the data and what were trying to achieve by actually closing the schools, she said. Prof Sorrell said its hard to make the case for school closures according to preliminary health data. Meanwhile, doctors have traced every contact a student at the first affected school had with others or about 100 people. All of them were negative, she said. Mr Morrison also raised concerns that if schools were to close, it could lead to a shortage of health workers - as they would be forced to stay home and care for their children. 'If we close schools down, where there isn't a health reason for doing it, the dislocation and disruption that would cause more broadly can be frankly very dangerous,' he went on. COULD SCHOOLS HELP ENCOURAGE HERD IMMUNITY? Herd immunity is when a large proportion of the population becomes infected with a disease. Most of the 'herd' then recover and become immune to it. Keeping children in school could encourage this to take place, helping the outbreak fizzle out - as there are fewer potential hosts for the virus to infect. Along with extreme isolation, it is considered one of the best ways to fight pandemics. But experts disagree over whether this is what would happen in schools - with many children not vulnerable to the disease at all. Advertisement 'It could compromise about 30 per cent our health workforce, and it would further disrupt what happens in the economy, - and the cost there is tens of thousands of jobs.' On Wednesday, officials in Scotland and Wales announced they would close all schools, as staff isolations due to the disease left them without enough teachers. He also explained that there was not easy fix for the crisis, which has infected most countries around the world and sparked global travel bans. 'There seems to be a view that somehow you can just turn the tap off for two weeks and all of a sudden weve got through the coronavirus, thats just not true,' Mr Morrison said. 'People who are thinking about it in those terms are really not understanding the scale of whats happening here. 'Six months is in indicative and I certainly dont think at this point that it will be any less than that.' A woman wearing a facemask is seen admiring Sydney Harbour on March 13 (pictured) as visitor numbers plummet to top tourist attractions But others believe the policy is putting families at risk of the virus, and are choosing to keep their children at home. New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian has appealed to shut schools to reopen, so it doesn't send mixed messages to parents. Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) said schools should stay open 'We would prefer that everybody is absolutely on the same page when it comes to all the stakeholders in education,' she said on Wednesday. 'And indications weve had from different sectors of the education system is that in the main everybody supports our decision. 'There are some, very few, that do not. But there is no rationale for closing down schools. Every bit of advice weve received across the nation in NSW, from health experts, is that schools should remain open. The Willoughby Girls High School in Sydney (pictured) was closed on March 9 after a 12-year-old pupil was diagnosed with coronavirus Is this the REAL reason schools were kept open? How ALLOWING children to get coronavirus could flatten infection rates By Karen Ruiz Allowing children to go to school and get coronavirus could flatten infection rates, scientists have claimed. The controversial approach, known as herd immunity, suggests that at-risk individuals could be protected from infection because they are surrounded by those who have developed immunity because they have recovered from the virus. By allowing children to go to school it could spread the virus in a controlled way and ultimately protect those most at risk - the elderly. Esteemed epidemiologist John Matthews, from the University of Melbourne, told the Australian Financial Review said that this was a defensible option and could have a wider benefit. 'One possibility is that because childhood infections are so mild, they will transmit smaller doses of virus, and this would induce milder illness in their parents and grandparents at home,' he said. 'Contrary to conventional thinking, this could even mean that adults at home, especially older ones, could be major beneficiaries of keeping schools open.' While testing facilities for Covid-19 are now set up across the country, self-isolation is still the key to slowing down the spread of the virus, according to local GP and president of the Irish Medical Organisation, Dr Padraig McGarry. As of Wednesday morning, March 18, there are 292 cases of coronavirus confirmed in Ireland and two deaths. An announcement by An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar saw schools, businesses, pubs and clubs across the country shut down temporarily. Travel restrictions have been put in place, jobs have been lost, social welfare offices have been hit with massive queues of people trying to sign on, and shelves in supermarkets have been wiped clear on several occasions. And there will be a spike in the number of people who contract the virus, officials have said, with a 30% daily increase predicted and 15,000 cases expected by the end of the month. A total of 22 test centres will be operating in an attempt to manage the spread of the virus, but Dr McGarry has said it is important to know that these tests are done by GP referral only, and a number of steps must be taken before a Covid-19 test is carried out. Read also: Parties are irresponsible to those being careful, says Longford's Jillian McNulty The entire way GPs will deal with patients will change, Dr McGarry told the Longford Leader on Monday. Patients should not arrive at the GP surgery for any reason. You must call ahead so that you can be triaged and the staff will look at your complaints and call you back to determine what needs to be done. Were trying to keep people out of surgeries to contain socialisation. Bringing people in is a bad idea because there will be people who have to come in, he added, stressing that patients need to be kept separate. But self-isolation is essential when feeling flu-like symptoms, as this is the best way to avoid spreading the coronavirus, he added. After a patient has called ahead, depending on their symptoms, they may well be asked to self-isolate for 14 days or more. And the reason I say or more is that you need to isolate for five days after youve had a fever. So if you get a fever on day 12, you need to isolate until day 17. GP consultations will be carried out over the phone and the appropriate advice will be given without the need for an influx of patients at surgery waiting rooms. If necessary, your GP will order, electronically, a Covid-19 test, depending on your symptoms. The test centre will contact the patient directly, but having the test does not change the advice - you still have to isolate for 14 days or more. Having the test does not change the clinical outcome. Read also: Coronavirus crisis could go on for months, says Taoiseach Your GP may determine you need to be seen and could advise you to come into a designated area where the doctor will be gowned up and will examine you, Dr McGarry continued. The doctor may then determine if you are ill enough to require an ambulance or hospitalisation. But the most important thing here is that, if you have symptoms, you need to self isolate. Your GP will not be able to provide you with a Covid-19 test, Dr McGarry stressed. He or she can only provide you with a referral. And out of hour services will not be able to order a test - only your GP can do that, he added. GPs are also asking people to use common sense and not overwhelm the system as this may prevent people who really need the test from getting it on time. The capacity for testing is being ramped up but its not unlimited and the system will crash if its overwhelmed too much, said Dr McGarry. Having the test doesnt change the clinical decision-making. Isolate yourself if you have symptoms and take the appropriate measures. If you self-isolate, you slow the spread, in particular to vulnerable people who may need hospitalisation. If a large portion of these vulnerable people get it together, the system would not be able to cope, said Dr McGarry. Covid-19 is a new virus and, as such, theres not enough knowledge about whether or not you can get it more than once. There is evidence that you can get it twice, but once you get it, youll develop a significant immunity to deal with it and your immune system will be primed to fight it if you do get it again, Dr McGarry explained. But the majority of those who get it even for the first time will, realistically, be well-equipped to deal with it and will probably only suffer mild symptoms for a few days before recovering. A lot of people who get it wont necessarily feel too bad - you may very well be able to continue to work remotely, said Dr McGarry. If I get it, I can work from home. A lot of my work can be done remotely. I can make and take phone calls and write up prescriptions. But, with a spike in the number of cases expected, Dr McGarry reiterated the importance of self isolation, hand washing, and proper cough and sneeze etiquette for the protection of the more vulnerable members of society. Isolate, isolate, isolate - I cant stress that enough, he concluded. Read also: Incremental measures can amount to a huge impact, when preventing the spread of Coronavirus says Longford GP As SAS and other airlines have sharply reduced their services in and out of Copenhagen Airport (CPH) on account of the current health crisis, CPH is preparing to cut back operations substantially during the upcoming period. Over the past few days, airport management has been working on a plan to cut down operating costs and postpone the current investment plans for the airport. At the same time, CPH has engaged with union representatives to discuss measures that can help the airport maintain minimum operations while helping the airport to sharply reduce its costs. As part of these efforts, CPH expects to make use of the wage compensation package presented by the Danish government and labour market parties. CPH expects to apply the package for employees who will be temporarily sent home due to the sharp drop in operations. At the present time, CPH expects to temporarily send home upwards of 1,500 employees over the coming weeks. It is important to emphasise that this will be a gradual process in step with the cutback in operations. CPH has a total of 2,600 employees, while the shops at the airport, the airlines and the handling companies employ between 22,000 and 23,000 people between them. Were currently attempting to manage an entirely unusual and grave crisis situation for the airport. In addition to what we can do ourselves to reduce our operations, we welcome the solution presented by the government and the labour market parties involving wage compensation for employees. It enables us to navigate the situation by taking a longer-term view and making a dedicated effort to avoid redundancies, while the crisis persists, says Copenhagen Airport CEO Thomas Woldbye. Cutting back on costs and investments After reviewing all CPH business areas, management has identified potential savings in the remainder of the year of DKK 250350 million in current operating costs, including costs for marketing, consulting services and external contracts as well as reduced staff costs, not counting the effects of the wage compensation scheme which will be phased in gradually. Story continues Management has also identified a number of current projects and investments that can be put on hold for the time being. Overall, this will mean CAPEX savings in the airports investment programme of DKK 400700 million for the remainder of the year. CPH has currently a number of large development projects, including the airside expansion of Terminal 3, and the postponements being made will involve a portion of this project. In addition, a number of smaller projects to upgrade the airport infrastructure will be put on hold, including certain climate initiatives such as the installation of new solar panels and EV charging points. All safety-related investments will be exempt from the cost-cutting programme. Given the widespread concerns that COVID-19 has caused for air traffic in Denmark and the rest of the world, and the uncertainty pertaining to the duration of the situation, it is still not possible to provide a realistic assessment of the financial impact of the Coronavirus. As a result, it is also not possible to forecast revenue, profit before tax or total investments. Therefore, CPH will continue to assess and adjust operating costs and the level of investments on an ongoing basis. Maintaining operations in order to support critical infrastructure The identified cost cuts and postponed investments will not impact the airports ability to stay focused on operating a safe and efficient airport. While many airlines are currently shutting down large parts of their operations at CPH, we have an important responsibility to keep the airport running and making sure that critical flight operations, such as freight, can continue. Our main priority is to make sure that the initiatives were launching now will not have a long-term negative impact on our ability to return quickly to normal operations when we have to. At the same time, we have to protect CPHs financial foundation and our long-term potential to act as critical infrastructure in Denmark, says Woldbye. One of our highly critical duties at CPH is to support the flow of freight either leaving Denmark as exports or arriving on board cargo planes or scheduled flights. A total of 33 per cent of Denmarks total exports is transported by air, and large quantities of pharmaceutical and consumables are flown in and out of the country every day. Overall costs of the crisis must be kept as low as possible In other words, CPH plays an important role in the Danish economy. According to data from Copenhagen Economics, the aviation industry contributes as much as DKK 100 million to the annual wealth creation in Denmark, including DKK 30 billion in direct or indirect effects from CPH. Being able to exchange goods and services quickly is crucial for a small open economy such as Denmarks. The current crisis has seriously curbed this ability, and if the damage is permanent, it would result in severe financial losses for Danish society and welfare. The government has announced that various options are being considered to stabilise the critical infrastructure of Danish aviation. I would like to commend the determination shown by our politicians to ensure that the huge financial crisis currently experienced by the aviation industry will not have a permanent impact on the Danish economy as a whole. The fact that the government is considering further measures supports the aviation industrys critical role as a channel for exchanging goods, services and value-added experiences. Its about more than supporting critical infrastructure; its about keeping the overall economic and social costs of this crisis as low as possible, says Woldbye, and he continues: Clearly, we must do everything in our power to manage this very sudden challenge to Copenhagen Airport. This is a serious situation, and we may come to a point where well have to make such big cuts that itll permanently damage the critical infrastructure. Apart from major financial losses for the airport and for the Danish state, the situation could also become very serious for businesses, employees and suppliers to the airport. Thats why its absolutely critical to find political solutions that can stabilise the downturn in aviation and prevent companies operating across all sectors at the airport from losing everything, for example compensation schemes similar to those provided by the EU during the ash cloud and after 9/11 and financial guarantees. We fully trust the judgment of the government and the Danish parliament in determining the design and timing of such measures, says Woldbye. Gradual shutdown of airport operations and the shopping centre Over the coming days, Copenhagen Airport will adapt operations to the dramatic cut in aircraft operations. Passenger traffic has already been reduced by up to 70 per cent, and it is expected to drop further over the next few days. In the short term, the main focus will be on managing arriving aircraft carrying Danish citizens who have heeded the governments advice to come home as soon as they can, and to help the authorities manage assignments relating to the newly introduced border control. In addition, CPH will be solving a pressing challenge for those airlines in need of temporarily parking their aircraft until they can resume operations. This means that two of the three runways at the airport have temporarily been decommissioned and will be used to park aircraft. We expected a high double-digit number of aircraft to be parked at Copenhagen Airport before long. All take-offs and landings will use runway 22L/04R. CPH runs what is usually Denmarks largest shopping centre. There are 91 shops and 46 restaurants overall in our terminals. Many of these shops and restaurants will close temporarily over the next few days. However, CPH has agreed with a number of shop and restaurant concessionaires that a minimum of them will stay open to serve passengers at the airport over the coming period. This will mainly be in Pier C, where all arriving passengers have been going through passport control since border control was reintroduced on Saturday. For further information, please contact: Kenni Leth, Head of Press Relations at Copenhagen Airport, tel. +45 32 31 28 00 Attachment Czech Republic - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses 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. Story continues 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 Nicolas Bombourg nbombourg@budde.com.au Within Australia (02) 8076 7665 Outside Australia +44 207 097 1241 S chool exams including GCSEs and A Levels will not take place in May and June as schools close due to coronavirus. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday that the Government would ensure pupils due to sit exams this summer would get the qualifications they need "in time". Speaking during the daily Downing Street press conference, the PM said: I dont want to go into detail about when and how those qualifications will be administered, but it will be done fairly and in order to protect their interests. Mr Johnson said the Government would try to keep the duration of school closures to an absolute minimum and intended to get things going again as fast as we can. Gavin Williamson announces that schools will close / PA His comments came after Education Secretary Gavin Williamson confirmed in the Commons that exams will not take place in the current academic year after announcing that all UK schools will close as of Monday. He added that the Government would not be publishing performance tables this year either. We will work with the sector and Ofqual to ensure that children get the qualifications that they need," he said. My department is working closely with local authorities, representatives of early years schools and headteachers, regional schools, commissioners and bodies such as Ofsted and Ofqual about how to deliver this change as effectively as possible. And we will do whatever is necessary to support local authorities, schools and teachers through the weeks and months ahead." Boris Johnson / PA The Education Secretary also told the Commons that the Government would be making sure that every child "gets the proper recognition that they deserve and we will obviously update the House". He said they are working closely with Ofqual to have a detailed set of measures that makes sure no child is unfairly penalised. Mr Williamson went on to say said a means of redress will be put in place for GCSE and A-Level students to query their grades. Labours Rupa Huq (Ealing Central and Acton) asked: As mum of a year 11, are his exams now indefinitely postponed? And for all his cohort, can I ask, will their sixth form admission, because those arent automatic nowadays, now be based not on actual but on predicted grades in a kind of mystic meg kind of way? A pupil is seen as a South-East London school closes due to the coronavirus outbreak on March 18, 2020 in London / Getty Images Mr Williams replied: What I outlined is the fact that we will be ensuring that all children who have done so much working towards their exams, both in GCSE and A-Level, will get a fair system in terms of their grades. We do recognise that there will be sometimes disagreement over that, so making sure that we have a proper and robust system and means of redress for those children is absolutely vital. And that is something that were going to have in place with Ofqual, and weve already had those discussions. In a statement, Englands exams regulator Ofqual, said: We welcome the certainty that the Secretary of States decision not to hold exams this summer provides in these challenging circumstances. We will now work urgently with the Department for Education to work through the detail of this decision and to provide more information as soon as possible. Clare Marchant, Ucas chief executive, said: We will be working through the implications of todays announcements for students, teachers, universities and colleges over the coming days, which was one of the scenarios we were planning for. London Museums and Galleries closed during Coronavirus 1 /18 London Museums and Galleries closed during Coronavirus A pedestrian in a face mask walks past the National Gallery AFP via Getty Images British Museum Getty Images Tate Britain Museum REUTERS British Museum Getty Images A sign outside the Natural History Museum declares the building temporarily closed Getty Images An empty gallery is seen within the V&A Museum Getty Images An empty gallery is seen within the V&A Museum Getty Images British Museum Getty Images British Museum PA British History Museum PA A pedestrian wearing a face mask walks past the National Portrait Gallery AFP via Getty Images 'A Rakes Progress' by William Hogarth is displayed alongside contemporary work 'Low Relief' by John Riddy during the "Hogarth: London Voices, London Lives" exhibition photocall at Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery on March 17, 2020 in London, England. The exhibition was due to open to the public on the 18th March. However, the gallery will be temporarily closed until further notice Getty Images LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 17: 'Long Live Southbank' by Grassroots Activist Group during the "Hogarth: London Voices, London Lives" exhibition photocall at Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery on March 17, 2020 in London, England. The exhibition was due to open to the public on the 18th March. However, the gallery will be temporarily closed until further notice. Getty Images Visitors to the Victoria and Albert Museum PA Flexibility within the admission process will be enhanced and extended to deal with the coronavirus outbreak and the announcement that there will be no exams this year. We are confident that our team and systems are ready to adapt throughout the spring and summer. We will continue to work closely with colleagues across the education sector including Ofqual, the Department for Education, the Scottish government, Office for Students and Universities UK. As soon as any changes are confirmed, students will be emailed to explain how this might affect them, so its important they keep their email address up to date in Track. We will also communicate further and extend support to all of customers during these challenging times. The shock announcement came after the PM had said on several occasions this week that he was very reluctant to close schools. The PM said that schools would now close as a way of trying to flatten the upwards curve of new Covid-19 cases in the UK as the situation continues to evolve. It followed Monday's announcement where he introduced new measures to tackle the coronavirus outbreak, including urging the public to avoid all non-essential social contact. As the debate rages over school closures with anxious parents and some healthcare workers calling for them to be shut, and the government saying they should be kept open - many are calling for classes to go online. Some private schools are already swapping their physical campuses for virtual ones, and two Catholic systems in Sydney want to follow. Putting classes online now sounds like an easy solution to a difficult dilemma. But it brings another set of problems. Lisa Pearson teaching OC STEM class with year 5 students at Aurora college, a virtual selective school. Credit:Kate Geraghty There is no question that online and remote learning will be important during this crisis. Some form of closure is considered by many to be inevitable as the peak of infections approaches. The more optimistic believe schools are unlikely to reopen after the Easter holidays. But health experts are adamant that schools do not need to close yet, and closing them prematurely could aid the spread of the disease. And they say if campuses are shut down early because of parental pressure rather than expert advice, they could be closed for six months. SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA-MARCH 19, 2020-The City of Santa Monica closed the Santa Monica Pier in an attempt to prevent the further spread of the Coronavirus on March 19, 20230. Very few people were on the beach in Santa Monica as the epidemic continues to be a problem. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) (Carolyn Cole/Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) The new coronavirus threatens to overwhelm California hospitals in the coming weeks unless the unprecedented social-distancing measures imposed across the state slow its rapid spread. State projections show that the coronavirus will likely require anywhere from 4,000 to 20,000 additional hospital beds a disturbingly imprecise estimate caused in part by the lack of testing, which has made it difficult for officials to know exactly how many people have the virus. Based on conditions in other countries hit by the pandemic and models of what could happen in California, a rapid rise in infections expected in the next two weeks would quickly fill the existing hospital space. A Los Angeles Times data analysis found that California has 7,200 intensive-care beds across more than 365 hospitals. In total, the state has about 72,000 beds. The Times data analysis shows roughly one intensive-care bed for every 5,500 people in California. Experts said that capacity could easily be reached soon if the virus spread continues unabated. Medical personnel screen patients outside the Emergency Room at Loma Linda University Health during the coronavirus pandemic on March 17, 2020 in Loma Linda, California. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) You cant argue with numbers, said Dr. Robert Winters, an infectious-disease specialist in Santa Monica. Its a potential brewing time bomb. About half of California's total intensive-care beds 3,700 are in the five-county area around Los Angeles, according to data from 2018, the most recent available. Intensive-care beds allow for a higher level of treatment than regular beds, a level of care serious COVID-19 patients have needed as the illness forces them onto ventilators and attacks organs. County-USC Medical Center in Boyle Heights had the most licensed ICU beds in the state: about 130. Those beds were occupied about 58% of the time in 2018, according to the data. In the nine-county Bay Area, where the state's worst outbreak is happening, there are roughly 1,400 ICU beds for a population of 7.6 million people, and they are typically occupied more than half the time with routine emergency patients, records show. Story continues Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom met with hospital leaders and medical professionals to plan for the coming influx of COVID-19 patients but offered only broad strokes of how the state would respond. "We had a very candid and very somber, if not sobering, conversation," Newsom said at a press briefing after the meeting. "None of it surprised any of us." Dr. Mark V. Morocco oversees the testing for Covid-19 at UCLA Medical Center. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) Newsom's estimates of existing state capacity differed from those found by The Times, with Newsom estimating that there are currently 460 hospitals with about 75,000 available beds. Those numbers appear to include about 100 facilities without ICU capabilities, some used for purposes such as rehabilitation or addiction treatment. Newsom declined to give projected estimates for how many ICU beds might be needed in coming days. "I could give you a total number but it would be meaningless because of conditions on the ground," Newsom said, pointing out that needs will vary by region. Newsom said the goal of surge planning will be to move as many noncritical patients out of hospitals as possible to preserve those facilities for critical care, and create a flexible response that can address outbreaks across the state. Patients who require less-intensive interventions may be moved to assisted living or long-term care facilities, and those with the least medical needs may find themselves in hotels and motels the state is currently purchasing, Newsom said. He added that the state was also in the process of leasing and bringing online two hospitals, one in Northern California and one in Southern California, to meet expected needs. Tuesday, in a measure passed with unprecedented speed, the state legslature approved $1.1 billion in emergency funding in part to increase hospital capacity and make those acquisitions. Still, California Hospital Association CEO Carmela Coyle acknowledged at the press briefing that "our capacity will be stretched." United Local 11 holds a food bank for those in need given the effects of layoffs and unemployment. Myra Madrid, who has four children, has worked for Four Seasons in Beverly Hills for ten years. On Friday she was told she is on call from now on, and will only work when needed. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times) Newsom said he spoke to President Trump on Tuesday to formally request federal aid to set up mobile hospitals as well, a conversation he said was well received. Trump has previously asked state governors to work on their own solutions, telling them, "we will be backing you, but try getting [supplies] yourselves." But Tuesday, Trump said the Army Corp of Engineers would be "ready, willing and able" to assist with emergency facilities, though that roll out has not yet happened. Despite the assurance of hospital administrators and state officials, healthcare workers and others are sounding alarms about readiness. A leading trade union, National Nurses United, on Monday blasted hospital administrators and federal authorities for not being prepared. In a statement, the groups executive director, Bonnie Castillo, said hospitals are drastically short in providing protective gear for nurses and other medical workers. That, she said, leaves them exposed to becoming infected themselves and exposing patients and their own families. Our healthcare capacity is far short of what we need to respond to this national emergency, said Castillo, a registered nurse. Richard Riggs, chief medical officer and senior vice president for medical affairs at Cedars-Sinai, said theres a clear recognition at his organization that the full impact of the disease is unknown, as is the extent to which his facilities and staff will be able to cope with the strain. If we are short, what do we do? How do we triage patients to have the most opportunity to survive? he said. Were planning with all the tools we have in our arsenal. Dave Pine, San Mateo County Supervisor, said Tuesday he's "scared as to whether we can prevent an Italy-like situation despite our best efforts." He said, "Ideally, we should have done this two weeks ago." Riggs said in Beverly Hills and Marina del Rey Cedars-Sinai facilities, Monday was the last day for elective surgeries, allowing his staff to free up space for COVID-19 patients. The number of intensive-care beds capable of dealing with serious respiratory patients has expanded substantially in recent days, to nearly 100, at the Beverly Hills location. His teams are preparing to repurpose rooms, deploy triage tents, even offer drive-through testing for the disease. David Simon, a spokesman with the California Hospital Association, said many of its members across the state were also postponing non-emergency procedures. He said COVID-19 would likely require many of them to offer care via video conference or phone, and to upgrade regular rooms into emergency ones, to make room for an onslaught of expected patients in the coming weeks. But, said Otto Yang, an infectious disease expert at UCLA, the hard truth remains that "we don't know how many cases we are going to see in the next days or weeks." Yang and other experts said the expected surge is best viewed as the result of the failure to test for the virus in the early days of its outbreak in the U.S., leaving many undetected cases that will soon pop into official counts as they become serious enough for treatment. They warn that testing is still not widely available, and the number of reported positive cases will likely remain artificially low for weeks as more labs come online. Yang cautions that a surge in serious cases shouldn't be viewed as a failure of mitigation strategies or an indicator the virus can't be controlled in coming months. But for now, officials are faced with battling an enemy that is invisible because of that testing misstep forcing worst case scenarios to become default positions. Officials are hoping the strict mitigation strategies currently keeping people inside their homes will curtail infections, giving medical systems a chance to catch up after the initial surge and blunting the wave of COVID-19 cases. But Yang and others warn that with the lack of testing data, there is ultimately no way to know what will happen, or whether large numbers of cases will continue to enter hospitals after the first wave. "What is not clear is how bad this is going to be," said Yang. Times staff writer Susanne Rust contributed to this report. A Federal High Court sitting in Kano on Wednesday fixed March 23, for continuation of hearing in the suit filed by the deposed Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, seeking for an order restraining the Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) from investigating him. The suit filed by Mr Sanusi, in an exparte motion seeking the court to stop the PCACC, its Chairman, Muhyi Rimingado, Attorney-General of Kano State and Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, from investigating him. The court had on March 6 restrained the PCACC from investigating Mr Sanusi and ordered the maintenance of the status quo pending the hearing of the matter. The Respondents in the suit are PCACC, Mr Rimingado and Mr Ganduje. When the case came up for hearing, counsel to the first and second respondent, Usman Fari, filed a counter affidavit dated March 17. Counsel to the third and fourth respondent, Khalifa Hashim, filed an application pursuant to order 48 dated March 17, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the suit. Responding, Counsel to the applicant, Nasiru Dangiri, SAN, prayed for an extension of time in order to respond to the motion filed by the respondent challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the suit. The judge, Lewis Allogoa, adjourned the suit until March 23, for hearing of the originating summons and substantive matter. PCACC is investigating Sanusi over alleged land racketeering at Hotoron Arewa and Bubbugaje, in Kano. Others being investigated by the commission over the alleged racketeering include Sarki Ibrahim (Makaman Kano) and Shehu Dankadai (Sarkin Shanun Kano). (NAN) SAN FRANCISCO Pat Hanrahan was a young biophysics student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the 1980s when he decided to give up his work with microscopic insects and join a small group of computer scientists in their quest to make a movie. The group was led by Ed Catmull, a computer graphics pioneer who had become the chief technology officer at a new company called Pixar. The movie was Toy Story, the landmark animated feature released in fall of 1995. On Wednesday, the Association for Computing Machinery, the worlds largest society of computing professionals, said Dr. Hanrahan and Dr. Catmull would receive this years Turing Award for their work on three-dimensional computer graphics. Often called the Nobel Prize of computing, the Turing Award comes with a $1 million prize, which will be split by the two pioneers of what is often called C.G.I., or computer-generated imagery. Their work changed not only animated movies but Hollywood special effects, video games, and virtual reality. EDMONTON If youre one of the many Canadians working from home due to COVID-19, cybersecurity expert David Masson has some advice go change your internet password right now. Experts such as Masson are concerned about the security implications of thousands or even millions of Canadians working from home and sending sensitive data over unsecured networks. Masson, director of enterprise security with Darktrace, a global cybersecurity company, said most Canadians dont realize how insecure their home internet connection is compared to the system in an office environment. Its a potential treasure trove for hackers looking to steal peoples identities and passwords. Its a field day for them, Masson said. Theyll be well aware of this fact, and theyll be looking for the low-hanging fruit as they always do. Most medium and large companies require employees to have strong passwords that are changed regularly, often with two-factor authentication, which requires a user to confirm their identity on a separate device, such as their phone. For 99 per cent of people, that isnt the case at home at all, Masson said. They probably dont even know what the password is for their router. Often, people dont change the default passwords on their devices, which can be as generic as password. All those standard basic passwords ... the bad guys know what those passwords are, Masson said. Go change them. Go change them right now. Office environments tend to have stronger security systems such as next generation firewalls that cannot easily be breached. There is also greater oversight when everyone is working in the same network. When youre in an office, you got everyone in one place ... and its easier to secure the Crown Jewels, Masson said. That has literally just gone out the window for everybody. Not only does your home internet need a strong, unique password, its also important to encrypt your other devices, such as your phone, as well as any data stored on items that can be lost such as USB sticks and external hard drives, Masson said. Ali Ghorbani, director of the Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity at the University of New Brunswick, said cybersecurity knowledge and protections vary from sector to sector. Its typically very good in the financial sector and acceptable at medium and large corporations, Ghorbani said. Its employees of small and independent businesses that are most at risk of being hacked and having their sensitive information compromised. Many medium and large corporations have moved toward having their employees work on a Virtual Private Network (VPN), which Ghorbani says is like having a secure tunnel for your data to travel through. This is much more secure than the path your information travels through when using the standard connection from your internet service provider. But employers also have to be wary of free VPN services, which are becoming more and more common. We think those free VPNs are secure, which theyre not, Ghorbani said. A lot of them, I think 50 per cent of them, have a man in the middle ... You think this VPN is encrypting your information, but theyre actually using it for their own purpose. Ghorbani said generally, Canadians are not up-to-date when it comes to cybersecurity. This becomes even more dangerous during a pandemic, when people are anxious, scared and less patient. The weakest link in cybersecurity is the human element, Ghorbani said, and hackers and online criminals are eager to exploit peoples insecurities both technological and mental. People are tired, they have less patience, they basically disconnect and they dont care about the data they are accessing or sending, Ghorbani said. This is the best breeding ground for (hackers) now because they realize they have more vulnerable people. He would like to see the federal government have stronger rules and regulations for cybersecurity, particularly when it comes to companies who mine peoples personal information for advertising purposes. There should be explicit rules for how that data is stored and where. Currently, there are none. There is nothing there mandating them to follow certain criteria and buy certain technologies to safeguard their cybersecurity operations, Ghorbani said. The federal government should look into giving clear directions and requirements. The federal Canadian Centre for Cyber Security noted on their website they have seen an increase in reports of malicious cyberattacks, including phishing campaigns. In those campaigns, hackers try to lure people into giving sensitive data by clicking on a link that leads to a website that appears credible but is fake. Scott Jones, who heads the agency, told the Star the government is working to increase knowledge of the importance of good habits online, or cyber hygiene. Its increasing ... but its not where it needs to be yet, he said. But I think thats the legacy of the technology industry, which has really tried to make it hard for people. Its supposed to be a magic box that just works. And now were asking people to understand how it works. He said some of the most important things Canadians can do to protect themselves from cybercrime is use unique passwords for each of their devices and accounts, to use two-factor authentication when available, and to keep software on their devices up-to-date. Medical staff test a person for the novel coronavirus in a drive-through setting at the Kaiser Permanente Geary campus in San Francisco on Wednesday. Drive-through testing at the campus is available by appointment only. (Jessica Christian / San Francisco Chronicle ) At least 17 counties in California, centered on the San Francisco Bay Area, have issued shelter-in-place or shelter-at-home orders to slow the spread of coronavirus. Here's how it works. Why it's being done The San Francisco Bay Area is the hardest-hit region in California with regards to coronavirus cases. More than 450 have been reported in the nine Bay Area counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Sonoma, Napa and Solano), which issued the orders this week. In Santa Clara County alone, 189 cases were confirmed and more than 60 have been hospitalized. Officials expect the number of cases to worsen. Other counties around the state issued similar orders this week Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Benito and San Luis Obispo in the Central Coast area; Sacaramento and Yolo in the Sacramento Valley, which includes Davis and West Sacramento; Mendocino and Lake in the North Coast area. Officials say slowing the spread of the virus is urgent to prevent hospitals from getting overwhelmed. Older adults and those with underlying medical conditions are most at risk for critical illness, with their bodies unable to fight off a viral infection of the lungs that can result in a failure to breathe on their own, septic shock and multiple organ failure. "Some individuals who contract the COVID-19 virus have no symptoms or have mild symptoms, which means they may not be aware they carry the virus," the order said. "Because even people without symptoms can transmit the disease, and because evidence shows the disease is easily spread, gatherings can result in preventable transmission of the virus." What does the order say? Officials are directing the public to stay at home as much as possible, with certain exceptions, such as to go out and get food at supermarkets, pick up prescriptions at the pharmacy, buy gas, go to the bank and check up on relatives. You will still be able to walk your dog, or go on a hike alone or someone you live with, or even with another person, as long as you keep 6 feet between you, Dr. Grant Colfax, the San Francisco director of health, said at a press conference. Story continues Certain essential activities are exempt, such as essential government and business services or essential public infrastructure construction, like housing. Essential activities are defined below. The order goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. It'll continue until 11:59 p.m. on April 7, unless rescinded earlier or extended. What kinds of businesses are now ordered closed? All bars and nightclubs Gyms and recreation facilities Essential businesses are urged to remain open. A list of them is below. Are restaurants and cafes ordered closed? Restaurants and cafes can remain open for takeout and delivery. How big can gatherings be now? All public and private gatherings of any number of people outside a single household or living unit are now banned, with certain exceptions listed below. What kind of travel is banned? All travel, including by car and public transit, is banned except for essential travel or essential activities, as defined below. Public transit riders should try to stay 6 feet away from others. What about homeless people? Homeless people are not subject to this order but are urged to find shelter. How will it be enforced? San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said police are asking the public to voluntarily comply. While violation of the health order could be enforceable as a misdemeanor, that is an absolute last resort, Scott said. This is not about a criminal justice approach to a public health issue. What are essential activities that are still allowed to occur? To do things essential to health and safety of the household, including pets, like getting medical supplies, visiting a clinic or hospital, or obtaining supplies to work from home. To obtain needed services or supplies, like buying groceries. To engage in outdoor activities like walking, hiking or running, while keeping 6 feet away from others. To do work defined as essential business, defined below. To care for a family member or pet in another household. To continue working for a healthcare operation, like a hospital, clinic, dentist's office, pharmacy, pharmaceutical and biotech company, a healthcare facility, healthcare supplier, home healthcare service, mental health provider, veterinary office or other related services. To continue working for construction projects needed for essential infrastructure, such as building housing, airport operations, and work on water, sewer, gas, electrical, oil refining, roads and highways, public transportation, solid waste collection, internet, and telecom systems. To continue working as first responders, emergency management personnel, emergency dispatchers, court personnel, and law enforcement. Anyone needed to ensure the continuing operation of government agencies and provide for the health, safety and welfare of the public is exempt. People at high risk for severe illness, such as the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions, are urged to remain at home except as needed to seek medical care. If you go out, what are you supposed to do? Stay 6 feet away from other people the distance at which virus-infected saliva can travel in someone's cough or sneeze; wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds often or use hand sanitizer; cover coughs and sneezes; stop shaking hands; Other than healthcare workers and other essential workers, if you have a medical condition that puts you at risk for serious complications for the coronavirus, stay at home; For employers, take all steps needed to allow workers to work from home to the extent possible. What are essential businesses under this order? Healthcare operations Grocery stores, certified farmers' markets, farm and produce stands, supermarkets, food banks, convenience stores, and other establishments that sell canned food, dry goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, pet supplies, fresh meats, fish and poultry, and household products such as cleaning and personal care products. Food cultivation, like farming, livestock and fishing Businesses that provide food, shelter and social services and other necessities of life for the needy Newspapers, TV, radio and other media services Gas stations, auto supply, auto repair and related facilities Banks and related financial institutions Hardware stores Plumbers, electricians, exterminators, and other service providers who provide services that are necessary to maintaining safety and sanitation Businesses providing mailing and shipping services, including post office boxes Educational institutions including public and private K-12 schools, colleges and universities for purposes of facilitating distance learning or performing essential functions Laundromats, dry cleaners, and laundry service providers Restaurants and other facilities that prepare and serve food, but only for delivery or carry out. Schools and other entities that typically provide free food services to students or members of the public may continue to do so under this order on the condition that the food is provided to students or members of the public on a pickup and takeaway basis only. Schools and other entities that provide food services under this exemption shall not permit the food to be eaten at the site where it is provided, or at any other gathering site Businesses that supply products needed for people to work from home Businesses that supply other essential businesses with the support or supplies necessary to operate Businesses that ship or deliver groceries, food, goods or services directly to residences Airlines, taxis and other private transportation providers providing transportation services necessary for essential activities Home-based care for seniors, adults and children Residential facilities and shelters for seniors, adults and children Professional services, such as legal or accounting services, when necessary to assist in compliance with legally mandated activities Childcare facilities providing services that enable employees exempted in this order to work as permitted. To the extent possible, childcare facilities must operate under the following mandatory conditions: Childcare must be carried out in stable groups of 12 or fewer (stable means that the same 12 or fewer children are in the same group each day). Children shall not change from one group to another. If more than one group of children is cared for at one facility, each group shall be in a separate room. Groups shall not mix with each other. Childcare providers shall remain solely with one group of children. Can I still get an eye exam or teeth cleaning? A separate upcoming order will require routine medical appointments and elective surgery be canceled or rescheduled. What if my business is not an "Essential Business"? Owners and employees are allowed to perform minimum basic operations, like activities to maintain the value of the business' inventory and ensure security, and to ensure other workers being able to work remotely from home. Will the local government close? "Essential services" by city and county government will remain operational, such as police, fire, hospitals, clinics, jails, courts, garbage, public transportation, water, power and gas, office uses like payroll, security and administration, public works construction including construction of housing and airport operations. Can I still get deliveries? Yes. Can I use a rideshare or taxi? Yes, for essential activities. Can I go to the laundromat or dry cleaner? Yes. Can nannies still work? Yes, in some instances, like if the nanny provides health care for the child, or if the child lives with you. Nannies are also permitted to work if parents are required to work away from home for essential services. - Partnership to augment gas-based economy in the country giving enhanced access to LNG by virtual pipeline MUMBAI, India, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- INOX India Pvt Ltd (INOX), global leaders in Cryogenic Liquid Storage, Distribution and Re-Gas solutions have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Shell Energy India Pvt Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc, for partnering and developing the market for LNG supply by Road from Shell's LNG Terminal in Hazira (District Surat), Gujarat. The MoU envisages deployment of distribution infrastructure including logistics and receiving facilities at customer end and will offer LNG access to the customers not connected to the pipelines. This will help in increasing the penetration and consumption of clean, reliable and cost-efficient LNG to commercial and industrial (C&I) users all over the country. The MoU also covers the cooperation in developing a larger market for LNG as a transport fuel for long-haul heavy-duty trucks and buses. Shell Energy India (SEI) owns and operates a 5 MMTPA LNG Receiving, Storage and Regasification Terminal at Hazira in Gujarat. SEI is building a truck loading facility at its Hazira Terminal and the partnership with INOX, will help Shell to develop the market for LNG as a preferred fuel in the rapidly growing city gas distribution, LCNG and industrial sector as well as usage of LNG as an auto fuel. Announcing the MoU, Siddharth Jain, Executive Director, INOX India Pvt Ltd said, "Our partnership with Shell, underlines INOX's innovativeness and our futuristic approach. LNG is not only a clean and cost-effective fuel but is also safe and reliable. We are delighted that our collaborated efforts will make this green fuel more accessible. A larger gas-based industrial ecosystem augurs well with Indian economy as well as for the environment at the same time and is a win-win situation for all stakeholders." Speaking on the occasion, Ashwani Dudeja, Country Head, Shell Energy India added, "We look forward to working with INOX to deliver LNG by trucks and create access to LNG for customers not connected via pipeline. There is a growing demand for gas, the cleanest-burning fossil fuel, from the City Gas Distribution sector, commercial and industrial customers and as a fuel for heavy-duty transport. We are excited to explore this new segment and develop other such partnerships which will enable us to continue playing a key role in meeting India's long-term need for more and cleaner energy." As a market leader for safe and reliable transportation and distribution of LNG by road, INOX is known for its innovative and future-ready solutions, customized to the needs of global gas consumers. Since commissioning its first small scale LNG installation at the Halol Plant of General Motors in year 2010, INOX has successfully installed more than 35 such facilities across the country, under its GoLNG brand. Propagating the use of LNG as a clean and environment-friendly source of energy, INOX's GoLNG transport tankers have collectively logged more than 6.5 Million KMs and distributed ~100,000 Metric Tonnes of LNG to its consumers spread all over the country. About INOX India Pvt. Ltd INOX India Pvt. Ltd ( INOX India) is one of the largest manufacturers of Cryogenic Storage, Re-gas and Distribution Systems for LNG, Industrial Gases and Cryo-Scientific applications with operations in India, Brazil & Europe. The Company has an extensive user base, spread across more than 100 countries and is serviced by a network of after-sales support associates in 25 countries. The Company's key strength lies in design engineering, manufacturing, supply and commissioning of Cryogenic turnkey packaged systems with reputation and a vision to deliver a significantly higher value to its consumers. For more information, please visit www.inoxcva.com Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1135217/Ashwani_Dudeja_with_Siddharth_Jain.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1135218/INOXCVA_Logo.jpg A mother and daughter bffs are so close they actually shared their wedding and honeymoon - as a happy foursome. Aisling Cislikauskiene, 35, and her mother Trisha Duffy, 53, from Limerick, have always been 'more like best friends than mother and daughter'. But the familial bond was made even stronger when the pair decided to tie the knot with their fiances in a shared ceremony and jet off on a dream honeymoon together. Both couples excitedly starting to plan separate weddings before Trisha suggested the a joint ceremony. Aisling and Marius were originally against the idea because they didn't want to 'gatecrash' Trisha and Joe's big day, but they soon changed their minds after realising how special it would be to share it. Mother and daughter duo Trisha Duffy, 53 (left) and Aisling Cislikauskiene, 35, shared their wedding ceremonies, receptions and honeymoon after they got engaged three years apart from each other Trisha had already booked and planned most of her wedding with Aisling by her side, approving all of the finer details, so it was a 'no brainer' to roll it out and do a two for one. The foursome tied the knot on 14th February 2020 - Valentine's Day - at Castletroy Park Hotel in Limerick, in front of 160 guests. Aisling, a hairdresser, said: 'When mother first suggested that we have a joint wedding, I thought she was joking! 'Marius and I told her not to be silly and said we wouldn't want to gatecrash their big day. But the more we spoke about it, the more of a good idea it seemed. The mother and daughter tied the knot with their beaus on Valentine's Day in a joint affair (pictured: Aisling signing the wedding registrar) 'We get on so well as a foursome - and are always going out for dinner and spending weekends together - we ended up thinking: "Why not?" 'We knew we could both save a lot of money by having one big wedding and it would be easier for all of our guests coming to one event - rather than two. 'It was the best day ever and it felt so special to share it with my mother. It made it all the more special. 'We are more like best friends than mother and daughter. I wouldn't have changed a thing about it.' Aisling married Marius, 38, after he proposed to her in front of her mother and sisters in 2016 (pictured on their wedding day) Trisha, Joe, Aisling and Marius were enjoying dinner at the Castletroy Hotel restaurant in Limerick, Ireland, in October 2019, when they first discussed having a joint wedding. Aisling said: 'At first we were unsure whether to go ahead with it because we didn't want to ruin their big day. 'They had spent so much time planning it and making it perfect - we didn't want to jump in and change any of that. 'Marius and I initially thought we should have two separate weddings, but we went home from the meal and thought about it and it started to really make sense. 'We called my mother up the next morning and said: "Let's go for it"!' For Aisling, sharing her wedding with her mother made perfect sense, as they already shared so much (pictured during a dance with Marius during the wedding reception) Trisha, a carer, from Limerick, said: 'Aisling has been there with me since day one - from the surprise engagement in Amsterdam to the amazing hen do she gave me, and all the planning for my special day. 'Joe and I decided to ask Aisling and Marius to join our wedding, because why not? I would do anything for my children - they're my world.' Aisling and Marius met in Icon nightclub in Limerick in 2012. The pair fell in love straight away and now have two children together, Amelia, four, and Isabelle, three. Aisling also has two children from a previous relationship, Kellie, 15, and Keelan, nine - Marius also has another daughter from a previous relationship, Gabrielle, 15. Aisling and now husband Marius Cislikauskiene, 38, became engaged in March 2016, during a large family gathering. Romantic Marius surprised her when he got down on one knee as they enjoyed meal out with Aisling's mother Trisha and sisters - Jamie, 16, Laura, 24, Nicki, 24, Mary, 26, Joanne, 31, and Louise, 33. Single mother Trisha met her new partner, Joe Fitzgerald, 71, in June 2017 when they were introduced by a friend. They went on their first date to Spanish Point beach in County Clare, and fell in love instantly. He popped the question in January 2019 while they were all on holiday in Amsterdam. Aisling said: 'Mum was thrilled when Marius proposed, and I was thrilled when Joe proposed to her! 'We'd enjoyed planning her wedding together and fussing over the details - like the colour scheme and favours - and agreed on everything. It was so exciting to be doing it together.' The mother and daughter both have the same taste and Trisha was delighted that Aisling would be a big part of the day she had put so much hard work into already. In order to surprise their guests, the couples pretended the wedding was not a joined event, but only Trisha and Joe's (pictured) big day As well as avoiding stressful months of organisation, Aisling wanted to have her mother at her side on the 'biggest day' of her life. Aisling said: 'There's no one else I'd rather share such a special moment with. 'Mum and I always do everything together - so to be there, beside each other, on the biggest day of our lives made perfect sense.' The happy couples couples booked a joint ceremony for the 14th February 2020. They decided to keep the double celebration a secret from their friends and family - instead claiming it was just Trisha and Joe's big day - to surprise guests. Aisling said: 'Everything was already planned, so I just had to find my perfect dress. The mother and daughter duo even shared their bridesmaid, all dressed in beautiful red gowns for the occasion (pictured) 'One day, mum and I were out picking up her dress and we had a spare half hour.We joked that I should try a dress on, and I refused at first. 'But then I did, and it just so happened that the first dress I tried on was my perfect gown! We were so happy - we walked home together holding our dresses! 'What's even more amazing is the fact that when I visited my psychic medium, Elaine Maher, in 2019, she told me there was going to be a double wedding. 'One of my sisters got married soon afterwards and then my mother got engaged, so I thought that was it. Little did I know it would be mum and I! Trisha added: 'We decided to keep our joint wedding a secret from all the guests - we told only the groomsmen and bridesmaids, and Marius' parents as they had to fly across from Lithuania. 'But nobody else knew what was going on. I had Aisling's dress, shoes and jewellery in my house, and even though I slipped up a few times, no one ever noticed." The duo soon realised that due to their closeness, they shared most of the same friends anyway, meaning the guest list remained very similar. After their joint wedding, the foursome went on the same honeymoon, a cruise in Spain (pictured: Aisling and Marius on their wedding) Aisling said: 'The funniest part was the top table - everyone there was exactly who we wanted, so everything leading up to the big day was smooth sailing. 'Not once did we have a different opinion or an argument about anything.' On the day, Trisha walked down the aisle towards Joe - and she was closely followed by Aisling, who had been hiding away in a separate room before Marius popped up. Guests were stunned, but delighted at the double wedding and Aisling and Trisha claim the day was 'absolutely perfect'. Aisling said: 'Mum and Joe went in first, and when they had finished they asked everyone to stay, as she had a surprise. 'And then in I walked - nobody had suspected a thing! They were all absolutely shocked, but so thrilled for us. It honestly was the best day of our lives. It was absolutely perfect. 'What could have been a very stressful occasion was easy and thoroughly enjoyed by everybody who was there. 'Any pre-wedding nerves melted away as I followed my mother up the aisle and having her by my side was so poignant. She's always been there for me throughout my whole life.' The foursome then headed off on a joint honeymoon - on a week-long cruise around the Spanish Islands. Aisling said: 'I can't wait for the future. I keep thinking about all the anniversaries to come and get so excited. 'I'm so glad that as well as having an amazing husband, I've also become even closer to my mother. I didn't know that was possible.' Construction worker Marius said: 'In my speech, it was so hard to put into words the appreciation, not only for Aisling, but for Joe and Trisha too.'"I had been waiting for that day since I met Aisling, and it was so special..' Retired factory worker Joe said: 'It was a very emotional day. 'When Aisling appeared and walked down the aisle, I never thought people were going to stop clapping! Everybody was so happy.' Analysis by the European Unions diplomatic service claims to have uncovered a Russian disinformation campaign aimed at aggravating the coronavirus crisis in the west. Fragments of a new EU report, leaked to the Financial Times and Reuters, allege Kremlin-funded media have looked to stoke confusion, panic and fear in the wake of the pandemic. Dated 16 March, the document says confusing and malicious coverage has made it harder for the EU to coordinate its response. The report says it has tracked almost 80 cases of Covid-19 disinformation since 22 January. An overarching goal of the Russians, it says, is to deploy multiple, often contradictory narratives to subvert European societies from within. The European analysis suggests Kremlin-funded media like RT have consciously pushed apocalyptic stories that look to blame capitalists for trying to benefit from the virus, and emphasise how well Putin is dealing with the outbreak. It quotes fake news created by Russia in Italy, the western epicentre of the crisis, which reported health systems elsewhere would be unable to cope and people left to die. The Kremlin has angrily rejected any suggestion that it stands behind such a strategy. Speaking with reporters on his daily conference call, spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the allegations as groundless and beyond common sense. They havent come up with one piece of evidence, one example of what they are talking about, he said. Given the current circumstances, youd expect the wests Russophobic obsessions to be on the decrease, but clearly that isnt happening. The Independent has sent a request for comment to the EU, but had not received a reply at the time of publication. Historically, Kremlin-funded media have proposed a range of propaganda narratives on coronavirus. Especially early on, some promoted the idea of the virus being a biological weapon sent by the west. Most of them echoed President Putins line that the west has looked to spread panic among the Russian population, with allegations that Russia may be camouflaging its figures. All have praised Mr Putins steady handling of the crisis. Accusations of the Kremlin using arms-length media and social-media agents to destabilise the west are not new. In many respects, there is a clear evidential base for them most especially in relation to the six year conflict in Ukraine. Predictably, growing tensions between Russia and the west have seen a whole industry develop around the idea of disinformation. But for all the new practitioners, its less clear how effective the Kremlins alleged campaign has been. Or indeed, in the case of coronavirus, whether Moscow could or would devote significant central resource to such efforts. The Kremlin, after all, currently finds itself sandwiched in several layers of economic, political and public health crises. Alexei Kovalev, an investigative reporter specialising in Kremlin media strategy, told The Independent he was sceptical about the claims made in the cited report. The EU analysis is obsessed with information war, he said, and as a result misunderstands the agency of who is doing what: Youve got one nutcase on RT because where else could he go? saying one stupid thing. And you have another saying, no its the opposite, but thanks for having me on this show because no one else would take me. The result is oh my god, the Kremlin is sowing discord. Trust me, the Kremlin has other stuff to worry about, Mr Kovalev added. Twelve Ukrainian citizens infected with Covid-19 coronavirus are treated abroad, 744 Ukrainians have been isolated. "Twelve Ukrainian citizens receive treatment abroad: five people in Germany, two in Italy and two in Poland, one person in Moldova, one in the UAE and one in the Dominican Republic," Foreign Ministry of Ukraine announced such data as of 23:00 on March 17 on Twitter. According to the minister, five citizens of Ukraine recovered after coronavirus treatment: four in Japan, one in Italy. A total of 744 citizens of Ukraine have been isolated, in particular, 712 people - in Egypt (in two hotels), 16 people in Brazil, seven people in Germany, three people in Moldova, three people in the Dominican Republic, three people in the UAE. One Ukrainian citizen died from coronavirus in Italy on March 13. A total of 11,758 Ukrainian citizens were evacuated home from abroad. As reported, fourteen cases of Covid-19 infection have been confirmed in Ukraine, two of them were lethal. ol A Salem School District student is among the four Kenosha County residents who have tested positive for COVID-19, interim district administrator Connie Valenza reported Wednesday. Sadly, we are confirming that we were notified last evening by the Kenosha County Division of Health, that a student of ours tested positive for COVID-19 (Coronavirus), Valenza wrote in a news release. We did not want to scare families, but we also wanted to provide them with awareness, so we began notifying everyone (Tuesday) evening. We first notified our staff, followed by families in the grade level of the student, and then all families. We wanted to make sure that people understood the importance of all the measures that have been taken, and to continue protecting our students and the community. She said families have been made aware of the symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath and if they have symptoms to contact their physician. She said the Division of Health worked rapidly and compassionately to give the district the information it needed to take appropriate action. I have seen such acts of kindness in recent days, and I know that all of us are wishing for a swift recovery for our Salem student, Valenza said. We worry about all our members of the Salem family. We are heartbroken at this separation from those that rely on us every day and we will continue our best efforts to educate, protect, and support our students. Meanwhile, Walworth County officials have announced the countys first confirmed case of coronavirus. The county health and human services department announced Wednesday that the patient recently traveled domestically and has remained in voluntary self-isolation since returning from travel. No other information was released about the patients identity or location. We are in daily contact with this individual to monitor their symptoms and ensure they are receiving support to be able to isolate at home, said county public health officer Erica Bergstrom. The county also said it would directly notify close contacts of any identified cases of coronavirus. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Thousands of employees will have woken up yesterday terrified they are about to lose their jobs. As we reveal today, businesses all over Britain are already cutting workers hours and pay in a bid to protect jobs. But even so, after families were warned to steer clear of pubs, theatres and other social venues, it is inevitable there could soon be insufficient work for everyone. Threat: Air hostesses are among workers whose jobs are under threat from the coronavirus lockdown Many will be dependent on companies offering generous sick pay or redundancy packages to get them through this terrible time. In his first Budget last week, Chancellor Rishi Sunak pledged billions of pounds of aid to help small businesses survive the coronavirus crisis, including refunding sick pay for those who need time off work to self-isolate. Yet when Money Mail asked the Treasury how much has been paid to companies who could soon go to the wall, we were told not a penny. Many were told they would not be able to claim the refunds until new systems had been set up, which could take weeks. Others discovered they have to fill in complicated forms to claw back cash as plans to scrap business rates for thousands of small firms are not due to come in until next month. And there was no detail to be found about how to claim the promised grants or take advantage of a new loan scheme. So while the extraordinary new measures Mr Sunak announced yesterday will be a lifeline for thousands of businesses, there must be no more bureaucratic delays. Desperate businesses cannot afford to wait for civil servants to work their way through endless red tape, particularly given that many may well be working from home or be off sick. They need money to pay rent and wages now jobs depend on it. Patience, please In these unprecedented times, it is essential that people avoid adopting a compensation culture mentality. The fact is that we are all probably going to take a hit in one way or another be it the cost of tickets to see your favourite band or a much-needed holiday. Chasing firms for every penny could mean they go under, and that will cost yet more jobs. So if you are waiting for a refund, do try to be patient particularly if you dont need the money immediately. At the same time, while it is fair for firms to charge a modest administration fee for rearranging holidays and so on, they must not use these fees to boost their bottom line. Scams at large If you are self-isolating or working from home, please be on your guard against scam calls. Fraudsters know that a record number of people will now be at home and I have no doubt they will try to cash in. One call already doing the rounds is from scammers impersonating your internet provider such as Sky, BT or Virgin. They often say your broadband router is under attack and persuade you to install software so they can take control of your device. Their end game is to steal your bank details or demand payment. So, if you receive a call like this, hang up immediately and please dont give out any personal information. Here to help Finally, whatever happens, know that Money Mail will be here each week to help you navigate any financial fallouts to come. Be it answering questions about what it all means for your personal finances or intervening when youve been unfairly treated, write to me at the email address below and we will do our best to help. Im also very much in the market for cheery tales of where companies have gone above and beyond to help those affected. If you send them in, I'll print the best ones here Congress MP B Manickam Tagore has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah asking for a CBI enquiry into an attack on a journalist. In the letter, Tagore said, "This is to bring your kind notice about the brutal attack of goons on the Press Reporter Shri Karthik under the influence of local state Minister in Sivakasi, Virudhunagar District Tamil Nadu. The incident took place on March 3, 2020 wherein the criminals had triggered a bloody attack on the reporter and the reporter got seriously injured." "It was informed that the accused has given statement that under the aegis of local state Minister they had attacked the reporter. This has raised serious concerns followed by shock wave among the public since even the responsible minister has headed such hooliganism," the letter read. "There are many demands raised by the people that police should take actions against accused and judicial investigation should be initiated. But the police functioning under the state government cannot be expected to be genuine in this matter. Therefore I request your intervention and initiate a CBI enquiry so that justice can prevail," it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 22:33:30|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- At a critical moment when the world is united in the battle against COVID-19, some U.S. politicians, instead of stepping up epidemic containment efforts on American soil, have kept calling the coronavirus the "Chinese virus" in an attempt to scapegoat China for Washington's lackluster epidemic response. The World Health Organization (WHO) has guidelines on how to name new human infectious diseases, and COVID-19, the official name for the disease that has affected over 200,000 worldwide, was deliberately chosen to "avoid stigmatization." Going against the international consensus, Washington exploits such racist terms for cheap political gains, using the virus as a weapon to smear China. Yet such a political scheme won't quell domestic criticism of the White House over the coronavirus crisis. Washington is currently under fire for its slow and sloppy response to the virus, which has hit all 50 states throughout the country. Many media outlets have criticized the White House for squandering the precious time China has bought the world to fight against the virus. In this context, Washington, instead of examining its policies, is trying to deflect attention by stigmatizing other countries. Such a move is malicious. With 2020 being an election year, the current administration is trying to tighten its grip on the Oval Office. However, the spread of the coronavirus outbreak has roiled U.S. financial markets, leading to the circuit breaker in stock markets being hit for three times in eight days. Wall Street's bull market has been repeatedly touted as a major policy accomplishment by the White House. And now, as the U.S. economy is likely to enter a recession as a result of the virus, adding uncertainties to the presidential election, the White House desperately needs a scapegoat. China, unsurprisingly, seems to fit the bill. Buck-passing is nothing new, if one has observed U.S. politics in recent years. There are always some politicians who habitually blame China for domestic problems. Stephen Roach, a senior fellow at Yale University's Jackson Institute of Global Affairs, pointed out why this is the case. "Sadly, fixating on scapegoats is apparently much easier than taking a long, hard look in the mirror," he said. Smearing China will neither stop the spread of the epidemic in the United States, nor fix the problems the U.S. politicians themselves have created. In these critical times, China-bashers in Washington should wake up to the fact and join the international community in fighting the disease -- the common enemy currently facing mankind. Start with the website for your lenders and read what they have posted. Some have made their policies more stingy since Ron first reported on changes in March. If you call for help via phone, record the conversation if you can or at least get written documentation of any changes the lender agrees to. This column from Ron explains how and why. Among the options you can ask for are permission to skip payments (with waived interest charges during the months you skip), the elimination of late or other fees and a permanently lower interest rate. Ask how any change might affect your credit score and whether youll have to make up missed payments in one lump sum right after the zero-payment months. Financial losses often come with emotional strain, at the very point when people may be least likely to spend money on care for themselves. If you are in severe distress, the number for the free, confidential National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. Its open at all hours. Or text HELLO to 741741. Many mental health practitioners do pro bono work or charge fees on a sliding scale. There does not appear to be a national directory of such providers, but there is no reason not to contact local ones to ask about low or no-cost services. The National Alliance on Mental Illness maintains a help line that can provide referrals to local resources as well. Its number is 1-800-950-6264. Help for the self-employed. The self-employed often have fewer protections than employees working for companies and other organizations, but two legislative packages extended several new benefits to help them cope during the pandemic. Paid sick and family leave is now available in the form of a tax credit. Unemployment insurance is also newly available to gig workers, independent contractors and freelancers who are usually ineligible. And self-employed people who can no longer afford their health insurance or want to buy new polices may have more options. Taras story has more details. You have some flexibility with your federal student loans. In fact, you should have automatically received relief without lifting a finger: Borrowers have been placed in so-called administrative forbearance, which allows you to temporarily stop making payments. This relief measure was extended by the Biden administration through at least Sept. 30. No interest will accrue during this period, and borrowers who want to continue making loan payments can do so. The Education Department says that these skipped payments will still count toward loan forgiveness for borrowers in income-driven repayment and public service loan forgiveness programs, as long as the other usual requirements are fulfilled. If you have more questions, check out the Education Departments Q. and A. here. Some private lenders are offering relief programs, too. Payroll tax deferral. As of Sept. 1, a payroll tax deferral is in effect for four months if you meet certain income requirements laid out in a presidential memorandum. Youll still need to pay the taxes, but you will have to until 2021 to do so. Its not clear that many employers will use this for employees given the looming eventual due date, though the I.R.S. did issue some instructions for those employers. Staying in touch. The relief legislation in December set aside $3.2 billion to help people who are having trouble paying their broadband bills. If you qualify, you would get up to $50 per month (or $75 if you live on tribal lands) until the money runs out. But there would be eligibility requirements. At least one member of the household would have to qualify for free lunch or a Pell Grant. Anyone who could prove via qualification for unemployment benefits that a substantial loss of income had occurred would also be eligible. How to help. There is no shortage of need right now and no shortage of guides to helping. The New York Times has a basic guide to coronavirus giving, suggestions on where to donate money, some practical tips on what not to do and an explainer on donating clothes. Ron wrote a column about the kind of direct giving that allows you to channel money to individuals with immediate cash needs. The New York Times has also started its own campaign as part of its Neediest Cases fund. Dont forget about property taxes. Despite the economic strain caused by the virus, in many places, homeowners are still expected to make property tax payments by the usual deadlines. If they were postponed, they could wreak havoc on local budgets. Our colleague Ann Carrns has a column with more information. You can find details on jurisdictions that may offer some leeway in this chart. There are situations where you may get a break. If you have paused payments on your federally backed loan and you pay taxes and insurance from an escrow account, your mortgage servicer should continue to advance those payments as well, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency. But if you dont use an escrow account for taxes and insurance, you will need to continue making those payments on your own unless your locality provides some flexibility or relief. Financial planners are offering free advice. Dozens of members of the XY Planning Network have offered to help people through phone consultations. The Financial Planning Association has its own list of volunteer certified financial planners, as does the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors. What to know about Social Security. Older workers who have lost their jobs and are short on savings may be contemplating whether they should file for Social Security earlier than they had anticipated. Filing before your full retirement age has serious implications, which may reduce your monthly check forevermore. Before you decide, consider the following strategies. (And if youre eligible for unemployment, you might apply for that first.) The Social Security Administration has mostly closed its 1,200 offices for routine requests like help with benefit claims. Those requests should go through the agencys toll-free phone line, 1-800-772-1213, and its website. In-person assistance is still available for crucial services, like reinstatement of benefits and assistance for those with severe disabilities. Those seeking in-person help must call in advance. Mark Miller has details here. You can use a retirement account in new ways. Many people who are out of work may be turning to their retirement accounts for emergency cash. Under normal circumstances, that would incur taxes and penalties. But the CARES Act provides more flexible hardship options for 401(k) and individual retirement accounts. Even newly jobless people who dont need to tap their savings have a decision to make: Leave the money in a former employers plan or roll it over to an individual retirement account? All of these situations require some analysis. This article can help. Get your free credit report. Consumers can now check their credit reports from each of the Big Three credit firms each week, free of charge, instead of just once a year. Routine checks have always been wise, but now they are essential particularly if youre skipping payments with the permission of your lender. Even if your lender says this relief wont hurt your credit profile, mistakes are bound to happen. To find out more about how to check your report and what to look for, read Anns column here. News In Slums and Windowless Apartments, Asia's Poor Bear Brunt of Coronavirus A view of a slum is seen along a seashore in Mumbai, India, on Nov. 28, 2019. / Reuters BANGKOKMillions of homeless people and those living in informal settlements across Asia are at heightened risk of contracting the coronavirus due to their dire living conditions, housing experts said on Tuesday. The coronavirus has infected about 180,000 people worldwide and killed more than 7,000, according to a Reuters tally. While the data does not show how many lived in slums, the high density of settlements and meager facilities raises their vulnerability, said Cecilia Tacoli, a researcher at the London-based International Institute for Environment and Development. Proximity is an important driver of infection, and low-income settlements in many cities of the Global South are very densely populated, she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Given that new infectious diseases will likely continue to spread rapidly into and within cities, low-income settlements need more effective infrastructure, she said. Globally, about 1.8 billion people live in inadequate housing and homelessness, according to the UN. While handwashing is a basic precaution against the coronavirus, about 40 percent of the worlds population do not have such a facility with water and soap at home, according to UNICEF, the UNs childrens fund. Isolation is also hard when space is constrained and rooms are often shared, said Annie Wilkinson, a research fellow at research organization the Institute of Development Studies. Slums informal or illegal status often undermines both the collection of data and the implementation of policies to improve health, she said. There is a real risk that the impacts on the urban poor will be considerably higher than elsewhere, she said. Alarming In Hong Kong, where thousands of people who have recently visited China or may have had contact with patients are confined to their homes under quarantine orders, it is particularly risky for those who live in partitioned flats. These units generally have poor ventilation and drainage, and residents are more vulnerable because of the shared kitchen and toilets, said Choyu Cheung, a community organizer at the Society for Community Organization, a non-profit. This epidemic highlights how alarming the housing situation is in Hong Kong, Cheung said. While the Hong Kong government has announced handouts to tackle the outbreak, some public housing has been converted into quarantine centers, thereby reducing an already constrained supply of public housing. In South Asia, authorities have reported rising numbers of coronavirus cases. In India, at least 4 million people are homeless in urban areas, and more than 70 million live in informal settlements, said the Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN), a non-profit. In addition to providing emergency accommodation and healthcare services, authorities must enforce a moratorium on evictions, said Shivani Chaudhry, executive director at HLRN. Under the current circumstances, demolishing homes and rendering people homeless would result in increasing their vulnerability to contracting and spreading the virus, she said. In Delhi, city officials are sanitizing homeless shelters, and providing tent shelters until the end of the month, said Bipin Rai, a member of the Delhi Urban Slum Improvement Board. The government is closely monitoring the needs of homeless citizens. There will be no evictions for now, he said. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Migrants in Thailand Discouraged From New Year Homecoming Amid Covid-19 Concerns Myanmar Orders Quarantine, Monitoring for Arrivals from Countries Hit by Coronavirus India Proposes Regional Fund to Fight Coronavirus as Cases Exceed 100 The NIA on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against nine members of Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) terrorist group for their alleged involvement in a case relating to dropping of arms and ammunition in Punjab by drones from Pakistan. All the accused, including two senior citizens, have been charged with relevant provisions of the IPC, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act and Explosives Substances Act, an NIA spokesperson said. Akashdeep Singh (21), Balwant Singh (48), Harbhajan Singh (65) , Balbir Singh (70), Maan Singh (43), Gurdev Singh (40), Shubhdeep Singh (21), Sajanpreet Singh (22) and Romandeep Singh (20) have been named in the charge sheet filed before the special NIA court here, the official said. The case relates to the information that Pakistan-based chief of KZF, Ranjeet Singh in connivance with Gurmeet Singh have smuggled arms, ammunition, explosives and Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) into India via drones from Pakistan, the premier investigation agency said. These consignments were received by their associates Akashdeep, Balwant, Harbhajan, Balbir and Shubhdeep in India in order to revive a huge terrorism in Punjab and carry out a terror attack in the country, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) spokesperson said. They were preparing to execute a huge terrorist incident so as to create an atmosphere of disharmony, communal tension and instability in Punjab and other states of India, the official said. Subsequently, Akashdeep, Balwant, Balbir and Harbhajan were arrested from Punjab's Tarn Taran district on September 22 last year along with a huge cache of arms, ammunition, explosives, communication devices and FICN, the NIA official said. Akashdeep was recruited in KZF by Maan and Gurdev and the terror conspiracy was hatched in Amritsar Central Jail during 2018-2019 when the three were in judicial custody in other crimes, the NIA said. Further investigation revealed that the consignments were sent through a total of eight sorties of drones on five days in August and September last year. The consignments were received by Akashdeep, Subhdeep, Sajanpreet and Romandeep, the premier investigation agency said. Further investigation against absconding accused Gurmeet and Ranjit and other suspects continues, the NIA added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Toyota Motor Corporation's (NYSE:TM) Europe group has announced that it is idling production due to the coronavirus pandemic. This follows other automakers, including Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) and Volkswagen AG (OTC:VWAGY), that have also announced stoppages at European facilities. In its announcement, Toyota Motor Europe expressed its condolences to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and its respect for the healthcare workers and government officials that are on the front lines battling the coronavirus spread. Taking action Toyota is joining other manufactures across Europe that are taking action to help stem the spread of the pandemic based on measures recommended by health authorities. Volkswagen is suspending production at plants in Spain, Portugal and Slovakia, and at its subsidiary Lamborghini and Ducati plants in Italy. Ford has already announced production halts at facilities in Germany and Romania, and its Valencia, Spain plant shut down after three workers were confirmed as having tested positive for COVID-19. The release from Toyota Europe Group discussed the efforts to protect its workers and help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, as well as "an uncertain short-term sales outlook and difficulties in logistics and supply chains [that] are being felt and will increase in the next weeks." The affected Toyota plants include those in France, UK, Poland, Turkey, and the Czech Republic, which will cease production between now and the end of the week. The company also said it would continue operating processes to support service and sales, as well as maintaining staff for new vehicle projects. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday defended his government's response to the coronavirus outbreak in the face of of widespread criticism that officials acted too slowly and may have even covered up initial cases before infections rapidly spread across the country. In Israel, meanwhile, the government reported a 25% spike in the number of cases, while Iraqis in Baghdad hunkered down as a week-long government-imposed curfew went into effect. Saudi Arabia, leader of the group of the world's 20 biggest economies, said it was working to organize an extraordinary virtual meeting next week about advancing a coordinated response to the pandemic. Iran has been the hardest hit country in the region, with nearly 1,000 dead and roughly 90 per cent of the over 18,000 confirmed cases of the virus in the Middle East. Its leadership announced Tuesday that millions could die in the Islamic Republic if people keep travelling and ignore health guidance. In a speech to his Cabinet, Rouhani said the government was straightforward" with the nation, saying it announced the outbreak as soon as it learned about it on Feb. 19. "We spoke to people in a honest way. We had no delay, he added. The government has come under heavy criticism for what has been seen as a slow and inadequate response. For weeks, government officials implored clerics to shut down crowded holy shrines to stymie the spread of the virus. The government finally closed the shrines this week. It was difficult of course to shut down mosques and holy sites, but we did it. It was a religious duty to do it, Rouhani said. The outbreak has cast a shadow over the Persian New Year, Nowruz, a normally joyous holiday that begins on Friday. Health officials have urged the public to avoid travel and crowded places. But many seem to be ignoring the warnings, raising the risk of further outbreaks. Some food markets in the capital, Tehran, were still packed on Wednesday, and highways were crowded with traffic as families traveled between cities. Iran also announced it would close mosques for communal Friday prayers for a third consecutive week. Other Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates have also cancelled Friday prayers in mosques. The new coronavirus has spread to more than 100 countries, infected more than 195,000 people worldwide and killed more than 7,800. For most people, it causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. In Israel, the Health Ministry said 90 more people had tested positive, bringing the country's overall number to 427, a day after authorities issued a new series of guidelines that put Israelis in near-shutdown mode. Israel has ordered tens of thousands into home quarantine, turned hotels into hospitals and was setting up drive-thru testing centers. In a nationwide address Tuesday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of catastrophic consequences if people don't follow safety instructions. This is a huge crisis. We are only at the start of the campaign. Most controversially, the Israeli government has instructed the shadowy Shin Bet internal security service to start deploying the agency's phone surveillance technology to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus in Israel by tracking the moves of the infected. The step has sparked widespread criticism from lawmakers and civil rights groups. In Iraq, a week-long curfew went into effect in Baghdad where streets were largely empty of both people and cars, and most shops were closed. Only pedestrians were allowed on the streets to buy necessary foodstuffs and medicine. Armed Iraqi police were seen patrolling the city and setting up roadblocks. Still, some pilgrims in Iraq defied the curfew order to observe the annual Shiite Muslim commemoration of the death of Imam Mousa al-Kazim. Thousands typically make the journey on foot to the revered imam's shrine in the Khadimiya area outside of Baghdad. Several men, women and children walked solemnly down Baghdad's Saadoun Street on Wednesday, determined to complete the journey to the shrine. Police stationed nearby did not intervene to stop them. Demonstrators in Tahrir Square, the hub of Iraq's anti-government protest movement, issued a collective statement that they were suspending protest activities to help stop the spread of the virus. Iraq has had 11 deaths among 154 confirmed cases of the virus, which causes the COVID-19 illness. In Egypt, authorities started to close shops to encourage people to stay at home. Coffee shops and restaurants were shuttered on Wednesday in Cairo, a city of over 20 million, while plain-clothed security forces urged people to go home. I am financially ruined, how can I earn my living now, said Mohammed Gamal, a worker in a coffee shop that was shut down. Egypt, which has reported nearly 200 cases and six deaths from the virus, has suspended flights, closed schools, is quarantining more than 300 families in a Nile Delta village, and imposed a lockdown in the Red Sea resort town of Hurghada. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) We can confirm that on Tuesday March 19 we were notified of one positive case and one presumed case of COVID-19 at our Hammond, IN facility, according to a company statement. These employees worked on the same shift and were most recently in the facility late last week. After experiencing flu-like symptoms over the weekend, the employees one salaried and one hourly visited their health care provider for treatment and have not returned to work. Bengaluru, March 18 : The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday rejected senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh's plea for directions to state police to allow him to meet rebel party legislators from Madhya Pradesh staying at a city resort, a source said. "The High Court rejected Singh's interim prayer for directions to Bengaluru police to allow him to meet 22 rebel lawmakers at the resort and adjourned the case to March 26," the source told IANS on the condition of anonymity. The former Chief Minister has been renominated as Congress candidate from Madhya Pradesh in the March 26 Rajya Sabha elections. "As the party's candidate for the March 26 Rajya Sabha elections, I have every right to meet my party's legislators to seek their vote in my favour. Unfortunately, the local police and the ruling BJP in the southern state are not allowing me to meet them," the Congress leader said in his writ petition which was heard by Justice R Devdas. "As the police did not allow Digvijaya Singh to meet his party MLAs at the resort in Yelahanka, he had approached the High Court for permission to meet them," a party official told IANS earlier. Earlier, Digvijaya Singh met Karnataka Director General of Police Praveed Sood along with party's Karnataka unit President D.K. Shivakumar, some Madhya Pradesh Cabinet ministers and legislators and complained to him that he was denied entry into the resort to meet the rebels. Though all 22 rebel Congress legislators have resigned from their Assembly seats, Speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapati has accepted the resignations of only six who were Ministers in the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government. Digvijaya Singh, who took a chartered flight to Karnataka from Bhopal, was taken into preventive custody near the resort. State police, providing security to rebel MLAs as sought by them, whisked away the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and his aides to the area police station. The rebel lawmakers have, however, refused to meet Singh and requested police not allow him and his supporters inside the Ramada resort to interact with them. The rebels, owing allegiance to Gwalior erstwhile royal family's scion Jyotiraditya Scindia, who joined the BJP on March 11 after resigning from the Congress on March 1, said they were not held captive by anybody and were staying at the resort of their own volition. The world is in the grip of a global pandemic that is marked by both, lethality and an astounding spread, across continents. The emergence of Covid-19 is uncharted territory that demands our focused attention and a calibrated response that is also globally collaborative. The growth and enormity of the crisis can only be understood in the context of an increasingly globalised world, which is more connected now than at any other point in human history. People, goods and services are all part of global chains. This also creates some unique challenges, especially in the health sector, with spillover effects on the economy and governance. There is little probability of an outbreak being limited to a particular region. A reportedly zoonotic spillover that occurred in the Hubei province of China has now brought the world to a grinding halt in double-quick time. Kerala has always been an important hub in the global trade route. It is here that Europeans first landed on the Indian mainland. People from Kerala have also travelled far and wide. Evidence of this is the fact that the tiny state has four international airports. It is no surprise that Kerala became the first Indian state to report a coronavirus incident. The first wave of the Covid-19 outbreak reached Kerala in the last week of January. The state government responded swiftly as Kerala became a bulwark against the disease and successfully prevented local and community transmission. We need to appreciate that Kerala remains one of the few states to achieve such a feat. Government officials, local governments, the police, health and other departments have played a crucial role in this effort. However, the relief proved to be short-lived. By March, the Sars-CoV-2 virus found its way to Europe and eventually to North America. This has created some new challenges. Earlier, the screening process was focused on passengers from China and Korea. With more countries coming under the radar, screening and contact tracing became an enormous task. The state government undertook a massive efforts to rise to the challenge. A plethora of initiatives were introduced to strengthen the surveillance and control measures against the disease. A 24-hour control room was readied in the state capital to monitor the activities. A single-window communication channel was established with all district control rooms for high priority communications, which is headed at the state-level by the state control room. To improve the monitoring efforts, automated real-time data-capturing formats from the districts were established. Human resource management teams were constituted at the state and district levels. We have ensured that enough staff is deployed on the ground for airport surveillance, transportation, isolation services, contact tracing and call centre support. The state now has four facilities capable of testing for Covid-19. Six lines are operational at the state call centre. Our mental health professionals are giving counselling support to those who are isolated. Our earlier experience in successfully fighting Nipah has helped us handle the current crisis. Kerala has one of the finest public health networks in the country. Our public health system and health professionals have an integral role in helping Kerala attain high levels of human development. They are our frontline staff in this effort too. Teams of officials, which include health professionals and volunteers, are keeping constant contact with those under observation. The government has also come out with a set of suggestions to avoid social gatherings at public places to contain the spread of the virus. We have also been mindful of the indirect impacts that restrictions can cause. One such case is the issue of midday meals. As anganwadis in the state are closed, we have tried to ensure the home delivery of these meals. The Kerala State Drugs and Pharmaceuticals (KSDP), a public sector unit under the department of industries, has begun the production of hand sanitisers. It aims to produce 100,000 bottles in 10 days. Directions have been given to engage jails in manufacturing masks to overcome shortages. The prison officials of Thiruvananthapuram Jail have handed over the first batch of masks. We have also undertaken a massive outreach campaign to improve public awareness. Multilingual campaign materials are being prepared to reach every section of society. Kerala also hosts a sizable population of guest workers from the other Indian states. As the coronavirus cases are spiralling in the country, we have intensified the screening process. Now health officials and police are screening entry points to the state. The Union government and states must work in tandem to overcome this pandemic. Equally important is to swiftly scotch the barrage of misinformation that is being circulated by uninformed users of social media and through word of mouth. In this connection, Qkopy, a start-up incubated under Kerala Startup Mission, has launched a dedicated mobile app, called GoK-Direct Kerala. Within a day of its launch, the government was able to disseminate updates and instructions to over 200,000 people. The state government also appreciates Internet service providers in Kerala, who have agreed to augment the network capacity by 30 to 40% to facilitate those who are working from home. It will be particularly beneficial for those working in IT institutions. Surely, this is an unprecedented crisis that demands a multipronged and extraordinary response from our end. From what we know, we are only at the beginning of a major crisis. It would be premature and unwise to make any claims of victory. We should neither become complacent nor should we lose hope against this contagion. This too shall pass. We shall overcome. But we need to strain all our resources in mounting a response that meets the deadly virus in all its ramifications. Pinarayi Vijayan is the chief minister of Kerala The views expressed are personal The Democratic ballot had 18 names, including more than a dozen candidates who dropped out. But the race boiled down to a face-off between Sanders and Biden. I was more nervous about the wrong candidate winning than I was about the virus at this point, said Nisha Hindosha, a 50-year-old nurse from Tempe. She said she voted for Biden, concerned that Sanders was too far to the left to beat Donald Trump. At a polling place in a Lutheran church in Phoenix, a steady stream of voters meant several people had to wait to enter until others left. Others saw only a trickle. Toni Benjamin, who wore blue medical gloves to guard against the coronavirus when voting at a polling place in downtown Phoenix, previously supported Elizabeth Warren and has since settled on Biden. I like Bidens experience. He certainly does have the experience, Benjamin said. Career politicians are career liars every last one of them. But he was agreeable to me because of his past performance, because of his diplomacy. He was presidential even as a vice president. Some counties scrambled to find last-minute replacements for poll workers who were concerned about the virus. On Tuesday afternoon, San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced a moratorium on evictions of small and medium-sized businesses related to financial impacts caused by coronavirus. "These businesses are being hit hard and need our support," wrote Breed on Twitter. "We'll continue to push for more state and federal resources." Normally, local governments aren't allowed to regulate commercial evictions under state law. However, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order yesterday allowing local governments to halt evictions and to slow foreclosures for residents struggling to pay their bills amid the coronavirus crisis through May 31. In addition, Breed is able to issue this moratorium under the powers of the Local Emergency she declared on Feb. 25. The moratorium, which applies to SF businesses that have less than $25 million in annual gross receipts, means evictions will be temporarily prohibited for 30 days. It can be extended by the Mayor for another 30 days if necessary. The COVID-19 pandemic is doing severe harm to small businesses in San Francisco and elsewhere, and we must take aggressive steps to help them survive and reopen after the stay-at-home order ends, read a press release from Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), who announced the legislation along with Senator Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach). "The last thing we need is permanent mass closure of San Francisco small businesses due to inability to pay rent. We need to hit the pause button and allow these businesses many of whom have little or no revenue at the moment not to pay rent while still keeping their spaces." This announcement follows a moratorium on residential evictions that Mayor Breed announced on Mar. 13, as well as a paid sick leave program for private sector workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The City of San Francisco has also deferred business taxes and licensing fees to support small businesses. MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE: Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here. Madeline Wells is an SFGATE associate digital reporter. Email: madeline.wells@sfgate.com | Twitter: @madwells22 Want his in your inbox each morning? Sign up here. This is like war We must act like any wartime government and do whatever it takes to support our economy, Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain said yesterday. He is far from alone in using martial metaphors, as governments around the world unveil enormous spending plans unlike anything seen during peacetime. A $1 trillion U.S. stimulus package is in the works, including hundreds of billions in funds that will be sent directly to Americans, according to reports. We want to go big, President Trump said at a news conference yesterday. The Fed also unveiled another emergency lending program, this one meant for companies struggling to raise cash. What does a wartime economy look like? Britain yesterday announced more than $420 billion in emergency spending and loans, which is worth about 15 percent of its G.D.P. It follows similarly expansive packages in France, Germany and Spain, which have pledged around $1 trillion in fiscal stimulus combined. As a share of the U.S. economy, federal spending on the same scale would be in the region of $3 trillion to $4 trillion. Business secretary Alok Sharma has claimed the government will provide support for workers who could lose their income or jobs during the coronavirus outbreak. Yet Mr Sharma would not say if the government would raise the current level of statutory sick pay (SSP) from 94.25 a week and ignored a question about whether he could live on the sum. The 350bn package set out by chancellor Rishi Sunak was mainly aimed at employers, and the business secretary could not say whether the government would provide direct support to workers losing out on wages. The principle is that we will get support to businesses for employee measures, specifically, and we will do that very soon, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. Asked by host Nick Robinson if he could live on 94.25 a week if he fell ill, Mr Sharma ducked the question and said around 30 per cent of employers pay above the statutory minimum. And course you, if you are on statutory sick pay, you may also be entitled to benefits as well, the business secretary added. Mr Sharma declined to say if help for renters would match the scale of assistance for mortgage-payers, saying only that support would come forward very shortly. Following the announcement homeowners would get a three-month mortgage holiday, Jeremy Corbyn said: Millions of people rent in the UK. Suspend rents. Ban evictions. Now. Labour has also called for a series of emergency financial protections for workers, including a rise in statutory sick pay, and income protection for the self-employed and others in the gig economy. Meanwhile, the business secretary said parliament may have to change the way it operates as a result of the coronavirus outbreak suggesting government business could be done via video apps. I think it is very important that parliament continues to operate. The government of course will continue to operate, Mr Sharma told the Today programme. The way that we interact in parliament of course may change. Parliament has been closed to outside visitors and we need to make sure that we follow the advice that we are giving to others. Mr Sharma added: You need to be able to ensure that where people are able to work from home, they do that. I have colleagues in my department who are doing that and we are doing work over the phone through video. Pakistan on Wednesday reported its first casualty due to the deadly coronavirus that has infected 289 people across the country. "Sad to report one patient who passed away in Mardan," Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra tweeted late Wednesday night. The number of cases in the worst-hit Sindh province reached to 208 on Wednesday after 19 people in Karachi tested positive, said Meeran Yousuf, the media coordinator of the health and population welfare minister. She said the province recorded total 36 new cases on Wednesday. Majority of Pakistan's COVID-19 cases are linked to those who went on pilgrimage to Iran, one of the countries hardest-hit by the disease, while less than half a dozen are locally transmitted. Pakistan shares a 960-kilometre border with Iran, with the main crossing point at Taftan in Balochistan province. The Taftan border has been closed since March 16, but thousands of Pakistan Shia pilgrims who were visiting religious sites in Iran have been allowed to return subject to two weeks' quarantine. More 10 cases were reported in Gilgit-Baltistan and its Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman said that the total number of infection in the region was 15. Also, the first coronavirus case was reported from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where a 45-year old person who had recently come back from Iran was found positive. Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said two new cases emerged in the province where the total number rose to 28. Buzdar also announced that the restaurants, hotels and shopping malls would be shut down by 10pm every day to reduce exposure. He also said that number of staff at offices will be reduced. Already 19 cases were reported from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 16 from Balochistan and 2 from Islamabad. Authorities in Pakistan have screened over 1,015,900 travellers since the virus was first detected in the country. At least 20,088 travellers have been screened in the last 24 hours. Sindh government has come out criticising Centre for lack of foresight in quarantine arrangements in Taftan where over 9,000 pilgrims returning from Iran had been quarantined by the Balochistan government in a tent city'. After completing the 14-day incubation period, the pilgrims were allowed to travel back to their cities. However, Sindh and K-P sent the pilgrims to isolation facilities in Sukkur and Dera Ismail Khan and tested them before allowing further travel. In its March 13 National Security Committee meeting, Centre formed a Novel Coronavirus Core Committee with daily meetings between federal and provincial authorities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on Tuesday announced a four-week extension of her previous order to shutter the states public schools until April 1. Students will now return from what some districts have dubbed an extended spring break on April 28. The governors move, which came one day after Brown ordered a ban on gatherings of 25 or more people, raises questions over how Oregon students will continue learning as the effects of the coronavirus pandemic deepen on everyday life across the globe. Portland Public Schools Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero told The Oregonian/OregonLive Tuesday the state's largest district has 45,000 devices such as Chromebooks that it can dispatch for distance learning. It should be enough to provide technology to students who don't have laptops and tablets at home. The problem, he said, is cataloguing all of the equipment and tracking it. In addition, devices owned by families across the district may lack the licenses to access proprietary software Portland Public Schools has paid for over the years. Guerrero said many district teachers also lack training in online instruction. "We're about 10 years behind everyone else," Guerrero said, referring to districts in other states that have more digital learning equipment, software and training. He also noted that many low-income students lack internet access at home. Guerrero said hes been in constant contact with state schools chief Colt Gill as the education department has braced for the potential that closures would last past April 1 since the governors original announcement. Browns new mandate requires districts to provide families with learning supports during the five-week closure, including to-go meals for students and child care for first responders and medical workers. Portland Public Schools has designated 15 buildings as meal sites. On Tuesday, district officials said they handed out 2,800 bagged breakfasts and lunches to students across the city. Guerrero, clad in a district-branded rain jacket and donning latex gloves, was at Rigler Elementary for much of the morning, where he also handed out homework packets to parents and children. To access a PDF version of this newsletter, please click here http://share.thomsonreuters.com/assets/newsletters/Morning_News_Call/MNCGeneric_CA_03172020.pdf You can read Morning News Call Canada via TOPNEWS Canada page. If you would like to receive this newsletter through your email, please register at: http://solutions.refinitiv.com/MorningNewsCallENsubscriptionpage ECONOMIC EVENTS 0830 Manufacturing Sales mm for Jan: Expected -0.5%; Prior -0.7% 0830 Securities Cdns for Jan: Prior C$13.80 bln 0830 Securities Foreign for Jan: Prior -C$9.57 bln COMPANIES REPORTING RESULTS March 17: Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc (ATDb). Expected Q3 earnings of 44 cents per share Cardinal Energy Ltd (Alberta) (CJ). Expected Q4 earnings of 2 Canadian cents per share Information Services Corp (ISV). Expected Q4 earnings of 20 Canadian cents per share Westport Fuel Systems Inc (WPRT). Expected Q4 earnings of 1 cent per share March 18: Biosyent Inc (RX). Expected Q4 earnings of 9 Canadian cents per share Photon Control Inc (PHO). Expected Q4 earnings of 1 Canadian cent per share Power Corporation of Canada (POW). Expected Q4 earnings of 80 Canadian cents per share CORPORATE EVENTS 1100 Mountain Province Diamonds Inc (MPVD). Q4 earnings conference call 1700 Westport Fuel Systems Inc (WPRT). Q4 earnings conference call EX-DIVIDENDS Clearwater Seafoods Inc (CLR). Amount C$0.05 Neo Performance Materials Inc (NEO). Amount C$0.10 West Fraser Timber Co Ltd (WFT). Amount C$0.20 For Morning News Call U.S. -- a preview of market-moving news for the trading day: - type US/MNC in a news browser if you are an Eikon user, or type RT/US/MNC in a news browser if you are a Thomson One user For The Day Ahead -- a recap of the day's events and preview of the next trading day: - type DAY/US in a news browser if you are an Eikon user or type RT/DAY/US in a news browser if you are a Thomson One user For an index of our newsletters click on True to its sense of community, Pernod Ricard is mobilizing affiliates globally to deal with the shortage of hand sanitizer Regulatory News: Communique de presse, Paris, le 18 mars 2020 While the French government has strengthened measures to combat the Covid-19 epidemic, health authorities have expressed concerns regarding a potential shortage of basic resources, including hand sanitizer. In this context, the company Ricard SAS (Paris:RI) is donating 70,000 litres of pure alcohol to Laboratoire Cooper, one of France's leaders in everyday health products, and the leading supplier of hydroalcoholic gels to pharmacies. This will allow Cooper to increase alcohol deliveries to pharmacies to produce hydroalcoholic gel, the equivalent of approximately 1.8 million individual 50 ml vials. Laboratoire Cooper is committed to donating the equivalent of the donation to various health care associations. Other Pernod Ricard subsidiaries around the world are also contributing to local efforts to fight the pandemic and help their communities. This is particularly the case in Sweden, Ireland, Spain and the United States, where initiatives are being rolled out to directly produce hand sanitizer within the Group's plants or to supply stocks of pure alcohol. In Sweden, the distillery of Absolut Vodka is offering spirits at large scale to produce hand sanitizer for public health care - In the United States, responding to the U.S. Administration's call to action, Pernod Ricard's Ft. Smith, Arkansas manufacturing plant and distilleries for Rabbit Hole (Kentucky), Smooth Ambler (West Virginia) and TX Whiskey (Texas) are producing hand sanitizer - In Spain and Ireland, Pernod Ricard Spain and Irish Distillers have announced they will put their technical, human and production facilities at the service of the authorities to produce hand sanitizer - Other initiatives are being rolled out in other affiliates, including in the United Kingdom, and will be announced shortly. Alexandre Ricard, Chairman Chief Executive Officer of Pernod Ricard, said, "As the world is facing a major pandemic, companies must mobilise, not only to ensure the safety of their employees, but also to contribute to collective efforts in accordance with their capabilities. By sharing our resources and making our production facilities available wherever they are needed, we are supporting our fellow citizens and local authorities. I would like to thank our employees who have worked hard to make everything possible in record time, all over the world." Sebastien Lucot, Managing Director of Laboratoire Cooper, added: "We are very pleased with this partnership with Ricard SAS. Since January we have been steadily increasing our production capacity. It has already increased five-fold in one month, with the demand of pharmacists and consumers being a top priority for us." About Pernod Ricard Pernod Ricard is the world's No 2 in wines and spirits with consolidated sales of 9 182 million in 2018/19. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has developed through organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard, which owns 16 of the Top 100 Spirits Brands, holds one of the most prestigious and comprehensive brand portfolios in the industry, including: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine's, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouet champagnes, as well Jacob's Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo, and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard's brands are distributed across 160+ markets and by its own salesforce in 73 markets. The Group's decentralised organisation empowers its 19,000 employees to be true on-the-ground ambassadors of its vision of "Createurs de Convivialite." As reaffirmed by the Group's three-year strategic plan, "Transform and Accelerate," deployed in 2018, Pernod Ricard's strategy focuses on investing in long-term, profitable growth for all stakeholders. The Group remains true to its three founding values: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust, and a strong sense of ethics. As illustrated by the 2030 roadmap supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), "We bring good times from a good place." In recognition of Pernod Ricard's strong commitment to sustainable development and responsible consumption, it has received a Gold rating from Ecovadis and is ranked No. 1 in the beverage sector in Vigeo Eiris. Pernod Ricard is also a United Nations' Global Compact LEAD company. Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN Code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index. About Laboratoire Cooper Since its inception in 1907, the Cooper Laboratory has based its ambition on the quality of its partnership with pharmacists to offer the best of local health to all consumers. Innovative and efficient products, completely safe, intended for the greatest number of people, available all over France. A simple pharmaceutical cooperative in its infancy, Laboratoire Cooper is now one of the main players in self-medication in France, marketing many leading brands such as Baccide, Mag 2, Insect Ecran, Arnican, Pouxit or Hexomedine. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005329/en/ Contacts: Pernod Ricard Julia Massies Financial Communication Investor Relations VP +33 (0)1 41 00 41 02 Charly Montet Investor Relations Manager +33 (0)1 41 00 41 59 Alison Donohoe Press Relations Manager +33 (0)1 41 00 44 63 Emmanuel Vouin Press Relations Manager +33 (0)1 41 00 44 04 To fight the spread of novel coronavirus, the Uttar Pradesh real estate regulatory authority (UPRERA) has cancelled all its realty hearings till April 10 and the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI), a builders group, has deferred all its meetings. Developers in Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway have also sent 50% of their office staff on paid leave till April 10, have shut community clubs, swimming pools, gyms, spas and other public spaces at all the newly developed housing complexes where they continue to offer maintenance services, besides starting sanitisation drives. In view of coronavirus, we have stopped all sales activities till March 31 as our sales executives have to interact with so many customers on a daily basis. We have asked more than 50% of our staff to not attend office and work from home, said Amit Modi, vice-president of Western UP wing of CREDAI. We have sent a letter to all developers of western Uttar Pradesh, including Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad and Yamuna Expressway areas, requesting them to take all precautionary steps to contain the spread of coronavirus and follow the directions of the Government of India. We have immediately shut clubs, spas, gyms, swimming pools and other public spaces in newly developed housing complexes, said Prashant Tiwari president of Western UP Wing of CREDAI. There are more than 1000 developers in Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway, who together employ an estimated 50,000 people. They have started disinfecting offices and housing complexes, where they look after the maintenance work. Supertech management is constantly disinfecting the office areas, including door handles, washrooms, lobby, canteen, lift area and other places, which are in direct touch with employees or visitors. We are using thermal infrared equipment to check tempreture of visitors and employees. We are educating our staff about government of India precautionary guidelines. If any employee is sick we are asking him to visit doctor and work from home, said RK Arora chairman of Supertech Limited. UPRERA CANCELS HEARINGS Meanwhile, the UP real estate regulatory authority that hears the complaints of homebuyers against the builders has also stopped hearings. We have adjourned all complaints listed from March 18 to March 31, 2020. Only urgent matters can be addressed via email. We will take stock of situation again after March end and then communicate the fresh dates of cases to complainants. The hearing has been adjourned in Lucknow and Noida, UPRERA secretary Abrar Ahmed said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A new five-part documentary on Asian Americans examines the significant role of the fastest-growing racial/ethnic group in the United States. The film starts with the first wave of Asian immigrants in the 1850s and identity politics during the social and cultural turmoil of the 20th century to modern refugee crises. As Americas home for documentaries, PBS is committed to telling stories that illuminate and celebrate the rich diversity of our country, said Paula Kerger, PBS President and CEO. We are proud to share this important series with our audiences, and to deepen understanding about the extraordinary impact of Asian Americans on our national identity. Asian Americans tracks the first new immigrants to the United States and their efforts for equality in an era of exclusion and empire; brings insight into a generation whose loyalties are tested during World War II; and takes a look at a new generations role in political and cultural issues in both the recent past and present. This series follows the stories of trailblazers, both prominent and forgotten, who had an impact on representation and what it means to be Asian American today. Interviewees in the film include Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen, activist Helen Zia, actor Randall Park, comedian Hari Kondabolu, and academic expert Erika Lee. Asian Americans is a comprehensive multiplatform initiative that will embrace the question of what it means to be an American, said Sharon Percy Rockefeller, President and CEO of WETA. These are American stories: stories of resilience in the face of racism, of overcoming challenges as refugees from war and strife, of making contributions in all sectors of society: business, technology, military service, and the arts. These Asian American experiences and voices provide a vital foundation for a future fast approaching, in which no single ethnic or racial group defines America, in which shared principles will define who we are as Americans, said Stephen Gong, Executive Director of the Center for Asian American Media. Partnering with Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles, the series will aim to expand audience reach and engage diverse perspectives through targeted community events, impactful education initiatives and integrated digital content. Asian Americans premieres May 11 and 12, 2020 at 8pm on PBS (check local listings). A neighbourhood in Dublin proved social distancing was no barrier to celebrating St Patricks Day, on March 17, when residents in the suburb of Glasnevin took to the street to hold a coronavirus-themed parade. With Dublin all-but brought to a standstill following shutdowns of pubs and public events including the citys famed St Patricks Day Festival resident Ciaran Keogh said the parade was a welcomed break. So basically weve been at home for 5 days now with 4 kids (8 years down to 18 months) and this was to try [and] break the mundane, Keogh told Storyful. We stuck with guidelines, social distance, anyone not from the same household stayed 2 [metres] apart and no touching. Organized by parents in the neighborhood through a WhatsApp group, some 15 children took part in the parade, according to Keogh. They really enjoyed it despite the no close contact rule, he said. The footage shows one resident dressed as St Patrick who is seen banishing away a giant germ representing the virus. The idea takes its lead from the tale of St Patrick banishing snakes from Ireland. As of March 17, Irish officials reported 292 confirmed cases of coronavirus with the death toll at two. Credit: Ciaran Keogh via Storyful More than 200 small- and medium-sized oilfield services operators in Europe, or 20 percent of all European oilfield services firm, could go bust as the coronavirus epidemic will hit the market hard and wipe out US$5 billion worth of orders, Rystad Energy said in a new impact analysis. Most of the hardest hit firms will be in the UK and Norway, Western Europes largest oil and gas producers, according to the energy research company. Travel restrictions, quarantines, and capital expenditure (capex) cuts amid the Covid-19 outbreak will seriously disrupt the European oilfield services market, which is set to suffer this year, compared to pre-virus estimates of a flat US$47 billion market in 2020. Most of the US$5-billion decline in orders this year, or as much as US$4.5 billion, will be in Norway and Britain, while maintenance, drilling rigs, and well services will be the hardest-hit segments, Rystad Energy has estimated. For Europe, this crisis is worse than the one that OFS companies experienced in 2015 and 2016 after the oil-price fall, Audun Martinsen, Rystad Energys Head of Oilfield Service Research, said in a statement. A recovery to the 2019 levels is likely to take place from 2024, Martinsen added. The coronavirus outbreak is not only physically disrupting production, but it has also played a key role in the OPEC+ breakup and the subsequent oil price collapse. This price plunge has pushed out into the future many oil and gas development projects, according to Rystad Energy. Related: How Coronavirus Is Saving Lives Aker Solutions, for example, has already warned its 6,000 employees in Norway to expect temporary layoffs this year. Such a fate could soon apply to many rival engineering houses in Europe as well, Rystad Energy said. The oil price crash hurts oilfield services firms in the U.S. too, where very few shale producers make any money when WTI is below $30 per barrel, and where even giant ExxonMobil said it would be looking to significantly reduce spending as a result of market conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and commodity price decreases. Halliburton, one of the worlds biggest oilfield services providers and the one with the highest exposure to U.S. shale, said earlier this week it would furlough 3,500 employees in Houston for 60 days as producers race to cut capex. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: In a last ditched effort, one of the convicts in the 2012 Delhi 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. Pawans 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 Pawans similar plea. The apex court had said that the convicts 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. Pawans counsel had earlier argued that as per his school-leaving certificate, he was a minor at the time of the offence. Also read: 2012 gangrape convict now says he was not in Delhi on day of crime, seeks stay on execution Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Delhi Police, had said Pawans 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. Also read: Hangman arrives in Tihar jail for execution of Delhi gang rape convicts The UAE Government has ramped up coronavirus testing following the pandemic's spread and is leading the global efforts in combating the pandemic. As of March 17, 127,000 individuals had been tested for coronavirus in the UAE, according to the Ministry of Health and Prevention, quoted by the Emirates News Agency. The figures indicate the country's concerted efforts to prevent the further spread of the virus, which has caused 187,000 confirmed cases worldwide. Considering data on COVID-19 testing per capita, the UAE is now leading global efforts to ensure the mitigation of the pandemic, said the report. When analysing the number of swab tests conducted per capita, the UAE total has exceeded 13,020 tests per one million people. When looking at the number of positive cases, the UAE rated 0.8 COVID-19 cases per 1,000 individuals. The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHaP) yesterday announced 15 new cases of COVID-19, bringing to 113 the total infection tally in the UAE. "The new cases have been detected through the Ministry's early monitoring and reporting system and after examining those who had been in close contact with already confirmed cases in addition to individuals coming from abroad who had been all under quarantine," said MoHaP in a statement. "The newly confirmed cases are all in a stable condition and receiving all required healthcare services. They belong to different nationalities, including one individual each from Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, Italy, the Netherlands, Australia, Germany, USA, Greece, Russia, Ukraine, and Bangladesh, in addition to two persons each from Britain and Spain," added the ministry. The coronavirus continues to wreak social and economic havoc in Indian County, with more and more tribes curtailing their operations as the first cases are confirmed in their communities. On a conference call with members of the media on Tuesday, the Indian Health Service reported the first three "presumptive positive" cases at its facilities. But in a sign of the volatile nature of the crisis, a fourth was confirmed just hours later. "This is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation," IHS Chief Medical Officer Michael Toedt said on the call. "More cases of COVID-19 are likely to be identified in the coming days." "The potential public health threat posed by COVID-19 is very high," Toedt added, reaffirming a position the IHS has expressed to Indian Country since early March. According to Toedt, the first three COVID-19 cases were reported in the Portland Great Plains and Navajo service areas of the IHS. At the time of the call, the most recent incident emerged on the Navajo Nation The individual who tested positive was referred to a higher level of care and is with one of our partner institutions, Toedt said when asked about the first Navajo case. All contacts are being thoroughly investigated as appropriate testing is being done. When pressed for additional details about the first three incidents, Toedt said the IHS was committed to protecting patient privacy. To protect patient privacy, we are not going to identify where individuals live, said Toedt, who pointed out that the IHS network includes facilities in reservation and urban settings. But as soon as the call was ending, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez confirmed that a 46-year-old citizen reported symptoms to an IHS facility in Kayenta, Arizona. The patient was then transferred to a facility off the reservation in Phoenix, where further testing occurred. We have health and emergency experts who have been planning and preparing for this situation for several weeks," Nez said in a news release . "We call upon our Navajo people to do their best to remain calm and make good decisions by staying home to prevent the spread of the virus among our communities." Just a few hours later, tribal leaders were sharing news of the second case. A "middle-age male" reported to the same IHS facility in Kayenta and is now being treated off the reservation. We are taking all proper actions at this time," Navajo Nation Vice President Myron Lizer said in a news release in the evening. "Through the power of prayer, we will overcome this pandemic as our ancestors did. In terms of land base, the Navajo Nation is the largest reservation in the U.S. It's also home to the largest population, Indian and non-Indian included, making it a likely area for coronavirus cases to emerge. But the coronavirus is reaching into all parts of Indian Country, rural and urban alike. Though IHS officials declined to provide details, the case in the Great Plains Area was previously confirmed to have occurred in Charles Mix County in South Dakota, home to the Yankton Sioux Tribe The tribe declared a state of emergency after the governor disclosed the case, which affected a man in his 50s. And what was initially scheduled to be a two-day cleanup was extended by several days -- offices on the reservation remain closed through the end of this week. "We are continuing the thorough cleaning of the facility and all programs are conducting intense cleaning of their own facilities," Chairman Robert Flying Hawk said in a March 13 memo. Similar scenes were unfolding in tribal communities across the nation. Gaming establishments, schools, economic enterprises and other operations were being shut down or severely curtailed in hopes of stopping the spread of the coronavirus. The Ponca Tribe is among those taking a hit. Its relatively new gaming facility, the Prairie Flower Casino in Iowa, shut down on Tuesday, after Chairman Larry Wright Jr. declared a state of emergency following confirmed COVID-19 cases in its service areas in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota. On Monday, Wright announced a ban on travel for all employees and officials. Of the state of emergency, a contributing factor was the "shortfall in funding of IHS, and the impact that funding shortfall has on tribal nations," he said. Such shortfalls are on the minds of many. In normal times, the IHS only meets about half of the needs of the 2.6 million American Indians and Alaska Natives the agency is supposed to serve. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY Ponca Tribe of Nebraska office sites will no longer be accepting walk-in traffic. This includes... Posted by Ponca Tribe of Nebraska on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 To start combating the coronavirus crisis, the U.S. Congress so far has approved $8.3 billion for federal agencies. But only $40 million was set aside for Indian Country, and advocates say that's not enough to help tribes and their communities, both in reservation and urban settings. "It really paints a dire picture of what you're not getting access to, what you don't have, what you're not being communicated," Stacy Bohlen, the chief executive officer of the National Indian Health Board , said on a Tribal Leader Town Hall on COVID-19 that was hosted by her organization, the National Congress of American Indians and the Native American Finance Officers Association on Tuesday evening. Tribal leaders have called on the Trump administration to set aside at least $120 million for the first Americans, a request that has not yet been answered. Neither has their request for the IHS -- rather than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- to be in charge of the funds that are supposed to flow to Indian Country. "The Indian Health Service has the cultural competency and the experience get the money out to tribes quickly," said Bohlen, a citizen of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians , whose nation is among the many that have shut down gaming operations "In order to achieve the greatest flexibility, we really have to have an eye for 638 self-determination contracting and compacting , which we currently don't have with with the CDC," Bohlen added. That's not an option for the tribes." Second member of the Navajo Nation tests positive for COVID-19 coronavirus pic.twitter.com/02rzjud2SO Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez (@NNPrezNez) March 18, 2020 Tribes have asked the Department of Health and Human Services to execute an interagency transfer of the set-aside from the CDC to the IHS. Michael Weahkee , the Principal Deputy Director of the IHS , participated in the town hall but did not have an answer on the status of the request. H.R.6074 , the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act , was the first vehicle Congress enacted to in response to the global pandemic. Title III requires "not less than" $40 million to be directed to Indian Country. Two additional vehicles -- one of them is H.R.6201 , the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, while the other is in development -- are making their way through the halls of Capitol Hill. Tribes are working closely with key lawmakers to ensure that funds flow to the IHS and to their communities. "My guess is -- and it's only a guess -- it will be this week at the minimum to put together these things," Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma), a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation , said during the tribal leader town hall. "It will be in the next week before we know what is happening." "There is an effort to move fast and big, if you will," Cole added. The coronavirus has been confirmed in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia and three U.S. territories. As of Wednesday morning, there have been at least 5,881 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 . More than 100 have died, according to health authorities. Member of the Navajo Nation tests positive for COVID-19 coronavirus WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. On Tuesday, Navajo Nation... Posted by Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 Join the Conversation Related Stories Oregons wine industry is struggling as their customers abandon stores and tasting rooms to wait out the coronavirus outbreak at home. Its scary. Its really difficult to stay positive right now, says Becky Kramer, the general manager at Kramer Vineyards in Gaston. Wineries and bottle shops throughout the state are fighting back by offering customers curbside pickup services and local delivery. Some are even eliminating their UPS and FedEx shipping fees. If you would like wine in your home, but are reluctant to venture inside a store or tasting room, here is a list of wineries and bottle shops eager to be of service. This list is only a small percentage of the wineries and stores offering curbside services and home delivery. If your favorite isnt here, call them to find out if they are offering these services. This is a rapidly changing situation, and the information presented here may change. WINERIES Teutonic Wine Co.: Barnaby and Olga Tuttle provide a bit of flair by delivering wine in their cherry 1962 Dodge. Delivery is free in the Portland metro area with a six-bottle minimum purchase. Teutonic Wine Co., 3303 S.E. 20th Ave., Portland, teutonicwines.com or winecrue@teutonicwines.com. Winemaker Athena Pappas has rolls of TP and wine ready to go.Photo by Stewart Boedecker Boedecker Cellars: Free delivery is available with the purchase of three or more bottles of Boedecker Cellars or Pappas Wine Co. wines. A single roll of free toilet paper will accompany each delivery: one order per person, per day, while supplies last. Boedecker Cellars, 2621 N.W. 30th Ave., Portland, boedeckercellars.com or 503-224-5778. Day Wines: Winemaker Brianne Day and her crew will make wine deliveries one day a week. Delivery is free with a six-bottle minimum purchase. Day Wines, 21160 OR 99W, Dundee, daywines.com or tastingroom@daywines.com. Abbey Road Farm: Free local delivery or shipping is available for orders of three or more bottles of wines from Abbey Road Farm, Statera Cellars, or James Rahn Wine Co. Abbey Road Farm, 10501 N.E. Abbey Road, Carlton, abbeyroadfarm.com or 503-852-6278. Brooks Wine: Brooks offers complimentary curbside pickup service for food and wine orders. Free delivery is available within a 25-mile radius of the winery for orders of four or more bottles. Free ground shipping is available to the lower 48 states for orders of six or more bottles. Brooks Winery, 21101 S.E. Cherry Blossom Lane, Amity, brookswine.com or 503-435-1278. Helioterra Wines: Delivery within 15 miles of the winery is available for a $5 fee for orders of six bottles or totaling $150. A 25% discount is applied to current releases. Shipping and winery pick-up is also available. Helioterra Wines, 2025 S.E. Seventh Ave., Portland, helioterrawines.com or info@helioterrawines.com. Pat Spangler of Spangler Vineyards in Roseburg offers curbside pick-up and delivery from Ashland to Eugene. Photo courtesy of Spangler Vineyards Spangler Vineyards: Pat Spangler will deliver wine to the Eugene/Springield area once a week. Six bottle minimum orders and no delivery fee. Delivery to Ashland, Medford, and Grants Pass will depend on receiving enough orders. Drive-through pickups are available at the winery. Spangler Vineyards, 491 Winery Lane, Roseburg, spanglervineyards.com or 541-679-9654. Copper Belt Wines: Free delivery within Baker City limits. Free delivery in Baker County with the purchase of 12 or more bottles. Copper Belt Wines, 1937 Main St., Baker City, copperbeltwinery.com or info@copperbeltwinery.com. Citation Wines: Use the code SFO2020 for free UPS ground shipping in the U.S. for orders of three or more bottles. Citation Wines, 375 First Place N.W., Issaquah, citationwine.com or 206-233-0683. Willamette Valley Vineyards: Complimentary delivery is offered to Salem, McMinnville and surrounding areas for orders of $100 or more. Free UPS ground shipping to an Oregon address for orders of $100 or more. Pick-up is also available at the estate and McMinnville tasting room locations. Willamette Valley Vineyards, 8800 Enchanted Way S.E., Turner, wvv.com or tasting.room@wvv.com. Dion Vineyard: Free local delivery for purchases of six or more bottles. Parking lot pickup is also available by appointment. The winery will pay half the shipping costs to anywhere they ship. Dion Vineyard, 33155 Riedweg Road, Cornelius, dionvineyard.com or 503-407-8598. Hazelfern Cellars: Free local delivery on purchases of three or more bottles. Select "Complimentary Local Delivery" at checkout. Hazelfern Cellars, 4008 N.E. Zimri Drive, Newberg, hazelfern.com or hospitality@hazelfern.com. Hip Chicks Do Wine: Free Portland metro area delivery for purchases of four, six or 12 bottles. 10% discount on six bottles, 20% on 12. Curbside service is available 1-6 p.m. Thursday-Monday. Hip Chicks Do Wine, 4510 S.E. 23rd Ave., Portland, hipchicksdowine.com or 503-234-3790. Varnum Vintners: Free delivery in Yamhill County and the Salem area with a minimum three bottle purchase. Free delivery in the Portland area with a minimum six bottle purchase. 10% discount on six bottle purchases. Varnum Vintners, 9500 S.E. Eola Hills Road, Amity, varnumvintners.com or 971-267-5267. Troon Vineyard: Troon is offering free delivery on orders of six or more bottles. Their Carlton tasting room will cover the Portland metro area and the northern Willamette Valley to Corvallis. The winery will cover Grants Pass, Medford, Ashland and surrounding areas. Free shipping is also available for purchases of six or more bottles. Troon Vineyard, 1475 Kubli Road, Grants Pass, troonvineyard.com or 541-846-9900. SE Wine Collective-Division Wine Co.: Offers free delivery Monday-Friday from 2-6 p.m. within a 10-mile radius of the winery for orders of two or more bottles. 1 p.m. order cutoff for same day delivery. Curbside service for wine orders only is available at the winery. SE Wine Collective, 2425 S.E. 35th Place, Portland, divisionwineco.com or Info@DivisionWineCo.com. Jackalope Wine Cellars: Free delivery in the Portland metro area with a three-bottle minimum purchase. 10% discount on all wines. 15% discount for 12 or more bottles. Jackalope Wine Cellars, 3201 S.E. 50th Ave., jackalopewinecellars.com or Corey@JackalopeWineCellars.com. Bells Up Winery: Free delivery within a 30-mile radius of Newberg for orders of six bottles or more. Bells Up Winery, 27895 N.E. Bell Road, Newberg, bellsupwinery.com or 503-537-1328. Vidon Vineyard: Free ground shipping via common carrier within Oregon is available with the purchase of three or more bottles. Home delivery to Portland and Yamhill County is available. Contact Stephanie@vidonvineyard.com to coordinate. Vidon Vineyard, 17425 N.E. Hillside Drive, Newberg, vidonvineyard.com or 503-538-4092. Trathen Hall Wines: Free local home delivery with a minimum three-bottle purchase. Trathen Hall Wines, 26421 Highway 47, Gaston, trathenhallwines.com or 781-859-9512. Torii Mor Winery: Free delivery is available to areas within a 50-mile radius of Dundee. Six bottle minimum purchase. Torii Mor Winery, 18365 N.E. Fairview Drive, Dundee, toriimorwinery.com or 503-554-0105. Saffron Fields Vineyard: Free home delivery is available from Salem to Portland with the purchase of six or more bottles. There is a $10 delivery fee for five bottles or less. Saffron Fields Vineyard, 18748 N.E. Laughlin Road, Yamhill, saffronfields.com or 503-662-5323. John Grochau of Grochau Cellars is ready to deliver his wines in the Portland metro area.Photo by John Grochau Grochau Cellars: Free delivery within the Portland metro area with any purchase of six or more bottles. Grochau Cellars, 9360 S.E. Eola Hills Road, Amity, grochaucellars.com or 503-835-0208. EIEIO & Co. Wines: Jay McDonald will deliver his wines by hand or via FedEx for free to any location within 600 miles of Carlton. Six bottle minimum purchase. EIEIO & Co. Wines, onhisfarm.com or info@OnHisFarm.com. Denison Cellars: The Wilson family is offering free wine delivery from Salem to Portland. No minimum order required. Denison Cellars, 1722 S.W. Highway 18, Suite C, McMinnville, denisoncellars.com or 541-517-3370. Illahe Vineyards: The Ford family is offering free delivery of six bottles or more in the Salem area and free shipping on 12 bottles outside the Salem area. Illahe Vineyards, 3275 Ballard Road, Dallas, illahevineyards.com or 503-831-1248. Angela Estate: Angela Estate offers complimentary delivery on all orders of three bottles or more within 30- miles of Dundee. They are also including the cost for ground shipping on all orders of three bottles or more outside of that 30-mile radius. Angela Estate, 1326 North Highway 99W, Suite 105, Dundee, angelaestate.com or tastingroom@angelaestate.com. Golden Cluster: Winemaker Jeff Vejr offers free delivery within the Portland metro with no minimum purchase. His wines are also available for pickup at Les Caves wine bar. Golden Cluster, goldencluster.com or jeff@goldencluster.com. Quady North: Quady North offers free local delivery of two or more bottles Wednesday-Friday to the greater Rogue Valley. They also offer 30% off of all single bottle purchases at the tasting room when guests bring in a receipt from a local restaurant for take-out. Quady North, 255 E. California St., Jacksonville, quadynorth.com or 541-702-2123. Elevee Winegrowers: Free local delivery to the greater Portland Area and Northern Willamette Valley with a minimum three-bottle purchase. Elevee Winegrowers, 9653 N.E. Keyes Lane, Dundee, eleveewines.com or 503- 840-8448. Alloro Vineyard: Complimentary delivery is available in the Portland metro area with a three-bottle minimum purchase. Complimentary shipping to Oregon and Washington addresses for purchases of three or more bottles. Alloro Vineyard, 22075 S.W. Lebeau Road, Sherwood, allorovineyard.com or info@allorovineyard.com. William Marie Wine: Free delivery is available in the Portland area, including Lake Oswego, for purchases of six bottles or more. William Marie Wines, 4784 Southeast 17th Ave., Portland, williammariewines.com or elefferts32@gmail.com. Joyful Noise Wine: Free delivery in Portland and McMinnville for any wine orders totaling $100 or more. Joyful Noise Wine, 845 N.E. Fifth St., McMinnville, joyfulnoisewine.com or deven@joyfulnoisewine.com. R. Stuart & Co. Winery: This iconic winery is offering curbside service as well as free delivery in McMinnville for orders totaling $100 or more. R. Stuart & Co. Winery, 528 N.E. Fifth St., McMinnville, rstuartandco.com or winery@rstuartandco.com. Phelps Creek Vineyards: Free delivery in the Hood River area is available for purchases of six or more bottles. Delivery to Troutdale and Portland is anticipated. Phelps Creek Vineyards, 1850 Country Club Road, Hood River, phelpscreekvineyards.com or 541-386-2607. Kramer Vineyards: Purchase three or more bottles for free delivery to Gaston, Yamhill, Carlton, Forest Grove, Dundee, Newberg, McMinnville, and Hillsboro. The winery is also offering $10 flat-rate shipping via a common carrier for orders of six or more bottles. Kramer Vineyards, 26830 N.W. Olson Rd, Gaston, kramervineyards.com or becky@kramervineyards.com. Winderlea Vineyard and Winery: Winderlea offers wine pickup in their tasting room 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. Winderlea is including shipping on orders within Oregon for six bottles or more. Winderlea Vineyard & Winery, 8905 N.E. Worden Hill Road, Dundee, winderlea.com or 503-554-5900. Johan Vineyards: Free Friday delivery within a 50-mile radius of the winery for any purchase of four or more bottles. Delivery day options may expand in the future. Johan Vineyards, 4285 North Pacific Highway, Rickreall, johanvineyards.com or info@johanvineyards.com. Big Table Farm: For the next month, any order of six or more bottles is shipping included. Free home delivery in the Willamette Valley and Portland metro areas are also available for purchases of six or more bottles. Be sure to ask about the stay at home packs Clare Carver has put together, recipe included. Big Table Farm, 128 S. Pine St., Carlton, bigtablefarm.com or 503-852-3097. Project M Wines: The Murray family is offering online purchases of their Project M wines. Complimentary UPS ground shipping on orders of six or more bottles. Project M Wines, projectmwines.com, 503-583-2354. Nasty Woman Wines: Receive a 30% discount in March for any wines purchased online from Nasty Woman Wines. The wines will be shipped to your home via UPS. Nasty Woman Wines, nastywomanwines.com or getnasty@nastywomanwines.com. Ponzi Vineyards: Ponzi Vineyards offers a 20% discount on all bottles (excluding library and single vineyard wines) and $10 flat-rate ground shipping through April 30. Beginning Monday, March 23, same-day local delivery service included on purchases of six bottles or more within a 30-mile radius of the winery will be available. Ponzi Vineyards, 9500 S.W. Mountain Home Road, Sherwood, ponzivineyards.com or 503-628-1227. Timothy Malone Wines: With a three-bottle minimum purchase, free delivery is available to the Portland metro area, including West Linn, Vancouver, Tigard, Beaverton and Gresham. Timothy Malone Wines, 28005 N.E. Bell Road, Newberg, or timothymalonewines.com or orders@timothymalonewines.com. Stoller Family Estate: Curbside pickup service is offered. Stoller Family Estate, 16161 N.E. McDougall Road, Dayton, stollerfamilyestate.com or 503-864-3404. Chehalem Winery: Curbside pickup service is offered at the tasting room. Chehalem Winery Tasting Room, 106 S. Center St., Newberg, chehalemwines.com or 503-538-4700.Curbside pickup service is offered. Proteus Estate and Aerea Vintners: Owner Ian Burrows is offering free home delivery within a 150-mile radius of Portland for a mixed case of current releases of Aerea Vintners and Proteus Estate wines. The case includes four bottles each of Aerea and Proteus wines from the 2017-2019 vintages. Cost of the case is $265, which is 20% below retail pricing. Proteus Wines, 21360 S.W. Hillsboro Highway, Newberg, proteuswines.com or ian@consulon.com. Chris James Cellars: Free delivery within 1.5 hours of Carlton is available for purchases of 6 bottles or more. Free ground shipping to eligible states in the lower 48 is available for purchasing a case or more of wine. Chris James Cellars, 12000 N.W. Old Wagon Road, Carlton, chrisjamescellars.com or 503-852-1135. Terra Vina Wines: Free delivery is available to the Portland metro area, Salem, Wilsonville, Tualatin, Tigard, Sherwood, Newberg, Dundee and McMinnville on new orders of four or more bottles of wine. 10% discount on four bottles; 15% on six or more bottles. Curbside pickup by appointment is available at the Wilsonville vineyard or McMinnville tasting room. Terra Vina Wines, 33750 S.W. Ladd Hill Road, Wilsonville, terravinawines.com or 503-925-0712. Lange Estate Winery and Vineyards: Curbside pickup is available Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. To schedule, please email: shop@langewinery.com. Allow four hours for their staff to pack your order. Complimentary ground shipping for all orders of three or more bottles. Lange Estate Winery and Vineyards, 18380 N.E. Buena Vista Dr, Dundee, langewinery.com or 503-538-6476. Fullerton Wines: Curbside service is available. Complimentary delivery within a five mile radius of the tasting room is offered for orders of $150 or more. $20 delivery fee on all other orders. Wine and cheese/charcuterie platters are available for delivery. Fullerton Wines, 1966 N.W. Pettygrove St., Portland, fullertonwines.com or 503-477-7848. Et Fille Wines: Complimentary delivery, with no minimum purchase, is offered in the greater Portland area. Orders placed by 3 p.m. will be delivered by 8 p.m. that day. Et Fille Wines, 718 E. 1st Street, Newberg, etfillewines.com or info@etfillewines.com. Ruby Vineyard: Curbside pickup at the winery is available, with free local delivery on four bottles or more. Orders can be placed by calling 503-628-7829 for delivery in Portland, Lake Oswego, Tigard, Tualatin, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Sherwood, Newberg and McMinnville. Ruby Vineyard, 30088 S.W. Egger Road, Hillsboro, rubyvineyard.com or info@rubyvineyard.com. A Blooming Hill Vineyard & Winery: Make a purchase by phone or email for curbside pickup service at the winery. Shipping via common carrier to Oregon, California and Washington is $10. Purchase four or more bottles and shipping to any state the winery is allowed to ship to will be included in the package price. A Blooming Hill Vineyard & Winery, 5195 SW Hergert Road, Cornelius, abloominghillvineyard.com or bloominghillvineyards@gmail.com. LAngolo Estate: LAngolo estate offers free FedEx or UPS ground shipping to the lower 48 states with no minimum order required. Use the code FREESHIP when checking out. LAngolo Estate, 18830 N.E. Williamson Road, Newberg, langoloestate.com or 503-538-7953. Anne Amie Vineyards: Call or email contactus@anneamie.com to place an order and schedule curbside pickup. Non-club members will receive 15% off bottle purchases and club members will receive 20%. Shipping special: 15% off a six-bottle purchase for non-club members, 20% off for club members, and complimentary shipping. Email tiquette@anneamie.com or call 408.858.1830 to arrange shipping. Anne Amie Vineyards, 6580 N.E. Mineral Springs Road, Carlton, anneamie.com or 503-864-2991. Archer Vineyard: Free delivery is available to the Portland metro area for orders of $100 or more. 25% off all whole-case purchases no mix or match. Archer Vineyard, 32230 N.E. Old Parrett Mountain Road, Newberg, archervineyard.com or 503-538-6130. Eola Hills Wine Cellars: Call or email to arrange curbside pickup at the winery. Local delivery is available within a 25-mile radius of the winery for orders of 12 or more bottles. 50% off FedEx ground shipping with promo code TOGETHER. Eola Hills Wine Cellars, 501 S. Pacific Highway 99W, Rickreall, eolahillswinery.com; tastingroom@eolahillswinery.com or 503-623-2405. Redolent Wine Co.: Free delivery anywhere in the Portland metro area for purchases of three bottles or more. Redolent Wine Co., redolentwine.com or 503- 830-7738. Willful Wine Co.: Free next-day delivery in Portland and Vancouver, Washington for orders of $100 or more. Willful Wine Co., 5705-F N.E. 105th Ave., Portland, willfulwine.com or 503-577-8982. Irvine & Roberts Vineyards: Curbside pickup is available at the winery. Delivery is available to the majority of the Rogue Valley. Shipping is included for purchases of six bottles or more. These services are available Thursday - Monday, noon-6 p.m. Irvine & Roberts Vineyard, 1614 Emigrant Creek Road, Ashland, irvinerobertsvineyards.com or 541-482-9383. Dobbes Family Estate: Curbside pickup is available by calling or emailing the winery. Ground shipping included on all order of three or more bottles of Dobbes wines. 10% discount on all wines when using the code SPRING10 at checkout. Dobbes Family Estate, 240 S.E. 5th St., Dundee, dobbesfamilyestate.com or 503-538-1141. WINE SHOPS Pairings Portland: Pairings Portland offers wine delivery in limited Portland areas for a $10 delivery fee. Delivery is free for orders of six or more bottles. Pairings Portland, 455 N.E. 24th Ave., Portland, pairingsportland.com or jeff@pairingsportland.com. Sip DVine: Limited local delivery is available for $5 on orders of six or more bottles. Delivery fee waived for orders of 12 or more bottles. Case discounts apply and curbside service is available. Sip DVine, 7829 S.W. Capitol Highway, Portland, sipdvine.com or wine@sipdvine.com. Vino Veritas: Free home delivery within the Portland metro area for six and 12 bottle orders. Curbside service is available at the store. Vino Veritas, 7835 S.E. Stark St., Portland, vinoveritaspdx.com or info@ vinoveritaspdx.com. Cellar 503: Special 4-and 6-packs of Oregon wines have been prepared for shipment via common carrier. Each purchase generates a donation to the Virginia Garcia Memorial Foundation. You can have these packs hand-delivered to your doorstep in the Portland area for a $5 fee. Cellar 503, 4407 S.W. Corbett Ave., Portland, cellar503.com or 503-897-8013. Liner & Elsen Wine Merchants: Delivery by courier is available to the greater Portland area, Lake Oswego and Vancouver, Washington. No minimum order. Fees are determined by weight and distance. Curbside pickup at the store and shipping via UPS and FedEx is also available. Liner & Elsen, 2222 N.W. Quimby St., Portland, linerandelsen.com or 503- 241-9463. Great Wine Buys: Great Wine Buys offers delivery within Portland for a $10-$15 fee, depending on location. Locations outside Portland are open for discussion. $75 minimum order. Curbside service is also available. Great Wine Buys, 1515 N.E. Broadway, Portland, greatwinebuys.com or 503-287-2897. Kimballs Artisan Wines: Jacksonvilles premier bottle shop offers free delivery within the city limits. Six bottle minimum purchase for free delivery to Ashland and Medford. Kimballs Artisan Wines, 120 S. 3rd St., Jacksonville, kimballwine.com or 541-954-4715. Namazake Paul: This isnt wine, but it does involve fermentation. Small business owner Namazake Paul offers a wide variety of sake for free delivery within the Portland metro area. Namazake Paul, namazakepaul@gmail.com. Vino: Owner Bruce Bauer will personally place wine in your trunk at Vinos curbside pickup service. Next-day home delivery is available for a $5-$10 fee. Free delivery for all orders of $150 or more. Vino, 137 S.E. 28th Ave., Portland, vinobuys.com or 503.235.8545. Woodard Wines: Owner Jeff Woodard will waive delivery fees and personally deliver orders of six or more bottles to homes in the Yamhill County and Portland metro area. Woodard Wines, 323 N.E. Davis St., McMinnville, woodardwines.com or 971-237-2502. -- Michael Alberty writes about wine for The Oregonian/OregonLive. He can be reached at malberty0@gmail.com. To read more of his coverage, go to oregonlive.com/wine. Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. By Marta Nogueira RIO DE JANEIRO, March 17 (Reuters) - The recent collapse in oil prices could chop $300 million to $600 million off 2020 exploration budgets in Brazil, which has emerged as one of the world's hottest offshore oil plays, specialists at consultancy Wood Mackenzie told Reuters. Before oil prices collapsed in the wake of failed OPEC talks earlier this month, the consultancy had forecast that some $3 billion would be invested in exploration in Brazil, with state-run Petrobras, Royal Dutch Shell PLC and Norway's Equinor ASA leading the charge. Petrobras, formally known as Petroleo Brasileiro SA , said it alone planned to invest an average of $2.3 billion per year on exploration between 2020 and 2024. Those hefty bets come as oil majors rush to claim and develop their share of Brazil's so-called "pre-salt" reserves, a prolific zone off the nation's southeastern coast where billions of barrels of oil are trapped beneath the sea floor. But Wood Mackenzie is now assuming a reduction of exploration budgets of roughly around 20% across the board, should oil prices remain around $35 per barrel this year. "I think everyone ... is evaluating what they can do to save money," Marcelo de Assis, the firm's head upstream researcher for Latin America, told Reuters on Friday. The consultancy noted that Exxon Mobil Corp and France's Total SA are still awaiting exploration licenses, which could make their plans in Brazil easier to delay. Equinor is likely to continue developing its Carcara offshore block, the consultancy said, where the Norwegian firm has already declared the zone commercially viable. Exxon, Equinor and Total told Reuters on Monday they had made no changes to their plans for Brazil. Total added that it had applied for a license from Brazil's environmental authorities in February to begin drilling exploratory wells at the C-M-541 block that it won at auction in October. Petrobras and Shell did not immediately respond to requests for comment. ($1 = 5.07 reais) (Reporting by Marta Nogueira; Writing by Gram Slattery; Editing by Sandra Maler) Three Vaccine Candidates Completed Nearing Readiness for Animal Efficacy Testing and Human Clinical Trials ATLANTA, GA, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- GeoVax Labs, Inc. (OTC: GOVX), a biotechnology company developing human immunotherapies and vaccines against infectious diseases and cancer, today provided an update on its development of a vaccine for prevention/control of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by SARS-Cov-2 coronavirus. GeoVax is using its GV-MVA-VLPTM vaccine platform and expertise to design and construct vaccine candidates using genetic sequences from the virus responsible for the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak originating in Wuhan, China. Farshad Guirakhoo, PhD, GeoVaxs Chief Scientific Officer, stated, We are pleased with a rapid progress with design, construction and in vitro characterizations of our three vaccine candidates. From here, we will narrow to one vaccine candidate based on the safety, immunogenicity and protective efficacy of our PreMaster Seed Viruses observed in upcoming animal studies. The final candidate will then proceed directly to manufacturing and initial human clinical testing for safety and immunogenicity. David Dodd, GeoVaxs President and CEO, commented, Safety, efficacy, and durability of protection (long-lasting) are the expected characteristics of our GV-MVA-VLPTM vaccine platform. Our platform has a demonstrated track record of safety in humans through our HIV vaccine program, and the preclinical testing results weve seen with our HIV, Ebola and Zika vaccines leads us to believe that our COVID-19 vaccine will demonstrate a similarly strong efficacy and durability profile. We have initiated discussions and submitted applications with various U.S. and international funding agencies, Mr. Dodd continued. The seriousness of this global health crisis warrants a broad disbursement of funds in order to advance multiple vaccine approaches to human clinical studies. Just last week, I was in Washington, DC visiting with various members of Congress and their staffs to emphasize the critical need of funding and support behind our accelerated COVID-19 vaccine development program, and we look forward to advancing our program as rapidly as ethically possible. With appropriate and timely funding, our goal is to advance a vaccine candidate to human clinical trials before the end of this yearmuch faster than the typical 12-18 months normally expected. Mr. Dodd concluded, We also continue to be in frequent communication with BravoVax, our vaccine development collaborator in Wuhan, China. Under our January letter of intent, and upon completion of a definitive agreement, BravoVax will provide testing and manufacturing support, as well as direct interactions with Chinese authorities, for a parallel regulatory pathway to what we will pursue in the United States. About Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). Novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavairus-2 (SARS-Cov-2) which originated in Wuhan, China, is a new strain that had not been previously identified in humans. Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death. There is currently no vaccine available to treat or prevent COVID-19 (coronavirus disease) or any other CoV infections. As of March 17, 2020, the number of reported COVID-19 infections is rapidly approaching 200,000 cases, with nearly 8,000 deaths. For the first time, the number of cases and deaths outside China has exceeded those of inside China and the situation is still fluid, with case reports being updated daily. The current situation report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can be found here. Situation reports from the WHO are accessible here. About GeoVax GeoVax Labs, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing human vaccines against infectious diseases and cancer using a novel proprietary vaccine platform (GV-MVA-VLPTM). On this platform, MVA, a large virus capable of carrying several vaccine antigens, expresses proteins that assemble into VLP immunogens within (in vivo) the person receiving the vaccine. The production of VLPs in the person being vaccinated mimics virus production in a natural infection, stimulating both the humoral and cellular arms of the immune system to recognize, prevent, and control the target infection. The GV-MVA-VLPTM derived vaccines can elicit durable immune responses in the host similar to a live-attenuated virus, while typically providing the safety characteristics of a replication-defective vector. GeoVaxs current development programs are focused on preventive vaccines against COVID-19, HIV, Zika, hemorrhagic fever viruses (Ebola, Sudan, Marburg, and Lassa), and malaria, as well as therapeutic vaccines against chronic Hepatitis B infections and multiple cancers. The Company has developed preventive HIV vaccine candidate (GOVX-B11) for the clade B subtype of HIV prevalent in the Americas, Western Europe, Japan, and Australia and the clade C subtype prevalent in Africa and India. GOVX-B11 is scheduled for inclusion in an upcoming human clinical trial managed by the HVTN with the support of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). GeoVaxs clade B HIV vaccine is also part of collaborative efforts to develop an immunotherapy as a functional cure for HIV. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this document are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from those included in these statements due to a variety of factors, including whether: GeoVax and BravoVax will enter into a binding agreement, GeoVax can develop and manufacture its vaccines with the desired characteristics in a timely manner, GeoVax's vaccines will be safe for human use, GeoVax's vaccines will effectively prevent targeted infections in humans, GeoVaxs vaccines will receive regulatory approvals necessary to be licensed and marketed, GeoVax raises required capital to complete vaccine development, there is development of competitive products that may be more effective or easier to use than GeoVax's products, GeoVax will be able to enter into favorable manufacturing and distribution agreements, and other factors, over which GeoVax has no control. GeoVax assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements and does not intend to do so. More information about these factors is contained in GeoVax's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including those set forth at "Risk Factors" in GeoVax's Form 10-K. GeoVax Labs Inc. 678-384-7220 investor@geovax.com Export-Import Bank of Korea (Eximbank) workers donate blood at the bank's headquarters on Yeouido, Seoul, March 17. The bank is among many financial services firms encouraging workers to donate blood amid a severe shortage caused by the fast-spreading new coronavirus. Courtesy of Eximbank 18.03.2020 LISTEN In 1995, the NDC government led by Jerry John Rawlings launched a vision 2020 document that was put together by the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) as Ghanas blue print for sustainable development. The long-term vision of the document was that by the year 2020, Ghana would have achieved a balanced economy and middle-income country status and standard of living, with a level of development close to the present level of development in Singapore. The 25-year development plan was set to be achieved by creating a robust, diversified and commercially-based agricultural sector with strong linkages to an efficient, technologically- progressive and market oriented industrial sector, both of which sectors pay due regard to the maintenance of a sound sustainable environment as well as the generation of employment opportunities, including self-employment. Such a transformation of the countrys socio-economic structure was to involve not only economic changes but also reforms in land tenure, legal and administrative systems so that they were fully supportive of private sector development, including promotion of foreign investment. Speaking on the Super Morning Show programme on Joy FM, Professor Stephen Adei, chairman of the National Development Planning Commission decried the lack of commitment on the part of successive governments to work towards the achievement of the longterm development plan. According to him the 25-year development plan would not be gathering dust on the shelf if successive governments had instituted clear cut framework within which target would be implemented. We are in the year 2020 but Ghana has failed to achieve the objective of vision 2020 comparing Ghanas today with the economy of Singapore in 1995. In 1995, Singapore had a GDP of 87.89 billion dollars. Today Ghanas GDP is around 65.56 billion dollars and GDP per capita is projected to trend around 2,100 dollars. Unemployment rate in Singapore in 1995 was 3.3% and in 2019 Ghana had unemployment rate 6.78%.In fact Ghanas economy in 2020 cannot be compared with the economy of Singapore in 1995 in terms of infrastructure, standard of living and quality of life. Although Ghana has failed to achieve the target of the vision 2020, our economy is one of the fastest growing economies in Africa. We have made a major progress in the attainment of and consolidation of growth. Significant progress has been made in poverty reduction. In fact Ghana was the first country in Sub-Saharan Africa to achieve the Millennium Development Goal I, which is the target of halving extreme poverty. There has been improvement in the health delivery system and socio-economic infrastructure. According to IMF, GDP per capita has increased from 517.8 US dollars in 1995 to over 2000 dollars in 2019. Though Ghanas growth has been fairly robust the source of growth has always been biased in favour of extractive industries and service sector which do not have direct poverty reducing effect. As a result, poverty endemic areas are constrained by infrastructure such as roads that link their economic activities mostly farming to urban market centres. The business climate in Ghana is still weak and continues to hold back productive investment, particularly in the area of manufacturing. The business community is often constrained by lack of access to credit especially for SMEs to enable them to expand production to create jobs and improve incomes of citizens. The agriculture sector, particularly the food crop-sub-sector continues to be rain fed and the adoption of ancient old farming techniques. Our farmers still rely on hoes and cutlass as their farm inputs. The techniques used to cultivate the soil are far behind what have been adopted in Asia, North America and Europe. For a country, with such a vast arable land, a booming young population and conducive tropical climate, it is surprising that Ghana is not a net exporter of food. There is still high unemployment among university graduates in Ghana. This is because University Education focuses on students admission standards, lecturers academic qualifications, rigorous examination protocols, degree programmes requirements with little or no attention paid to pedagogy. Abstract facts, figures, theories and concepts are thrown at students without stimulating them to think critically, creatively and analytically. Some lecturers are sole actors in the classroom, turning students into mere spectators. This does not stimulate the intellectual curiosity and creative development of students. No wonder there are people in Ghana with university degrees struggling with survival because they cannot create jobs for themselves. The major reason why Ghana could not reach the target of vision 2020 is bribery and corruption. Corruption has been with us since independence. Since 2006, Ghanas score and ranking on the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index has been low. Petty and grand corruption keep on rising and businesses frequently quote corruption as an obstacle for doing business in the country. Corruption in Singapore is generally perceived as one of the lowest in the world. Cases of corruption are quickly handled by the Singapore Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (C.P.B). According to Transparency International Survey, an overwhelming majority of people in Singapore have not witnessed cases of corruption by public officials or institutions in their lifetime. Another significant reason why we are still where we are today is traditionalist conservatism which places a strong emphasis on the notions of customs, conventions and traditions. We are slow to transform our cultures, social institution, social systems and structure. We are not ready to amend societal norms, standards, behaviours and values to suit modern trends of development. We always want to stick to traditions handed down to us by our forefathers. We want to maintain practices and beliefs that have no logical or scientific basis. Singapore did not achieve their level of development on a silver platter. They worked for it. Singapores socio economic transformation has not been one of slow evolution, but rather a set of giant leaps from one epoch to another. Their transformation plans have always factored in changes in local and global trends, and ensured that their transformation agenda remains relevant to address future challenges to meet the needs of Singapore. Our economy will be in stagnation if we do not change our development paradigm to save Ghana from wallowing in such unsatisfactory conditions. We need a total and drastic transformation of our economic and social institutions and it should be now! We must change our outmoded cultural practices and our belief systems. We need to embark on industrialisation and modernise agriculture to improve the standard of living of the citizenery.Corrupt people must be punished to prevent monies ,meant for development ,going down the drain to change the destiny our dear nation. Writers Email: [email protected] JOHNSON GYAN TEACHER AT SAWUA D/A 2 PRIMARY SCHOOL This summer, Oscar winner Jordan Peele and rising filmmaker Nia DaCosta are bringing you a blood-curdling urban legend you've probably heard before: Candyman. The Candyman movie is set to premiere in theaters on June 12, 2020. It gives us plenty of time to watch the original film and absorb everything Candyman is about. Candyman 2020 will be a "spiritual sequel" to 1992 classic directed by Bernard Rose. The sequel movie will see the return of the murderous soul to claim innocent lives in the Chicago neighborhood where it all began. The supernatural killer with a hook for a hand was originally summoned by anyone who dared repeat his name five times into a mirror, similar to Bloody Mary. The reboot will see visual artist Anthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) and his girlfriend, gallery director Brianna Cartwright (Teyonah Parris) are exposed to the horrific nature of the Candyman after they move into the now-gentrified Cabrini neighborhood. Anthony unknowingly opens a portal to a complex past through his macabre paintings, unleashing waves of violence unto the Cabrini condo residents. Check out other binge-worthy movies here: Where do I watch Candyman (1992)? The original movie is available on the streaming giant Netflix. The original film revolves around a tale of a young grad student named Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) who is researching urban legends. She comes across a local story about the Candyman as well as two cleaning ladies who tell her of the murder of a Cabrini-Green resident. Upon researching the case, Helen discovers at least 25 similar murders. Skeptic, she says Candyman five times in the mirror. Helen's studies eventually led her to uncover secrets and dive deeper into the horrifying history of the Candyman. Tony Todd, who played the Candyman in the 1992 horror flick, is set to join the cast of the Candyman reboot. There has been no confirmation whether or not Tony will reprise his role as the eponymous villain. Jordan Peele, the writer of the reboot, has made near-perfect feature films such as Get Out (2017) and the very unsettling film Us. Get Out, Peele's first film as a solo director earned him a 98% rating on movie review site Rotten Tomatoes. The film received numerous praises for screenplay and direction. The thriller was also chosen as one of the top 10 films of the year and was called "a masterpiece" by The Atlantic. Get Out grossed over $255 million and earned numerous accolades and nominations including the Academy Award for Best Orginal Screenplay. Peele made history as the first black screenwriter to win the category. Peele also directed another blockbuster horror-thriller film Us. The film earned a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film went on to snag 41 awards out of 68 nominations, including Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie (Critics' Choice Movie Awards), Best Actress (Hollywood Critics Association), Best Director (Saturn Awards), and Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture (NAACP Image Awards). Needless to say, the Candyman reboot will be another showstopper. Watch the trailer for Candyman 2020 movie below: GamesRadar+ is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more Governor Bala Mohammad of Bauchi State on Wednesday said his administration would establish isolation centres in three hospitals in the state to manage persons infected with Lassa fever disease. Mr Mohammed said this in Bauchi when the officials from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) paid him a courtesy visit. We are delighted to receive you today in the Government House to condole with us over the outbreak of Lassa fever disease that resulted in the death of a district head and others. We are aware of the measures taken by the NCDC to stop the spread of the disease not only in Bauchi State, but across the country and we will give you our support to achieve the set objectives. On our part, we are going to establish three isolation centres in three selected hospitals in the state; the essence is to manage and control the spread of Lassa fever disease in the State, he said. The governor, represented by his deputy, Baba Tela, said the state government had taken proactive measures against the spread of the disease in the state by setting up an emergency outbreak basket fund. He commended stakeholders in the health sector for their concerted efforts in tackling the outbreak of communicable diseases in the state, adding that they were up to the task in the fight against any outbreak of diseases. Earlier, the Director General of NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu, said the visit was to condole the government and people of the state over the death of one of the district heads and others who lost their lives as a result of contracting Lassa fever disease. Mr Ihekweazu, represented by Yakubu Abdullahi, the Director, Administration and Human Resources, NCDC, said there was the need for the state government to embark on a massive awareness campaign to prevent the spread of the disease. Bauchi is an endemic state as far as Lassa fever disease is concerned. We have learnt a lot with the death of a district head and we are planning to monitor his family for 21 days to assess the situation. From all indications, the Bauchi State Government is ready to fight the scourge of the disease, so we will support you in the establishment of the isolation centres in the state. he said. (NAN) DETROIT -- Although officials dont know exactly when or for how long, it was confirmed Wednesday that the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel will close as part of an agreement between the U.S. and Canada to limit border crossing as the coronavirus pandemic continues. As of noon Wednesday, the tunnel remained open, but in a statement released Wednesday morning, officials said further clarification is expected in the near future. Earlier in the day, President Trump tweeted that an agreement as been reached between the two nations to end non-essential crossings between the two nations. It is also unclear how the closure will impact workers at the border on both sides. The tunnel has experienced routine closures in recent months as an ongoing renovation project has required closures. Tunnel officials did not say how the mandated closure will impact that project. 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 Wednesday, March 18: 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 The small south Montgomery County city of Shenandoah became the latest municipality to declare a disaster over the growing COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic, issuing the declaration on Tuesday afternoon while also announcing more closures or cancellations of facilities and public events. In a press release sent to media, Mayor Ritch Wheeler and city officials stated that the declaration was, pursuant to the Texas Disaster Act of 1975 and the Texas Government Code, and would activate the citys emergency management plan and authorizes the furnishing of aid and assistance. The move comes after cities and states across the nation had made similar declarations in their communities as the changing guidelines on social distancing and public isolation evolve daily. On March 12, Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough issued a county disaster declaration, but the limitations were different than this week prohibiting public gatherings of more than 250 people for 30 days but only recommending that measure for events at private facilities. On Tuesday, bars and clubs in Harris County had been ordered shuttered, and Montgomery establishments were subjected to new, stricter restaurant and bar guidelines by Keough. Related: Montgomery County Judge orders all restaurants, bars to limit capacity to 50 people or less The city is authorized to take any actions necessary to promote health and suppress the virus; this includes but is not limited to quarantining of persons and occupied structures, examining and regulating hospitals, regulating ingress and egress from the city and from occupied structures, establishing quarantine stations and emergency hospitals and ensuring compliance for those who do not comply with the citys rules, the release continued. Wheeler, a U.S. Navy veteran running uncontested for his third term in office in May, said in the release that the move is intended to protect local residents. "This is a necessary step that gives the city the authority to do what it needs to do to protect the public health, safety, and welfare of our residents and visitors," Wheeler stated in the release. "We are diligent in our planning for continuity of operations to serve the public to the best of our ability." The enactment will limit the number of attendees at gatherings at 50 people, and it also mandates, the cancellation of such gatherings until further notice. Any business that sells, food and drink has been mandated to lower the occupancy at each facility, to 50 people or less at any one time with table spacing at a minimum of 10 feet apart. Restaurants may offer to go, delivery and catering options. Restaurant employees may not report to work if they are sick and must exercise strict handwashing and sanitizing operations. Bars and clubs must limit occupancy to no more than 50 persons at any time, officials stated in the release. Movie theaters shall limit occupancy to 25 persons or less at any time The city also announced closures and cancellations. A special meeting of the City Council is scheduled for 7 p.m. March 23, in the Shenandoah City Hall on the Interstate 45 South feeder road south of the Wellman Road intersection. The release said the city also closed the Mary Pat Case Swimming Pool, the City Park Pavilion and the City Park Splash Pad was turned off. Rentals of the Park Pavilion are on hold for an undetermined period of time. The following meetings or events were canceled: Planning & Zoning Commission meeting, March 17 Community Garage Sale, Saturday, March 21 Regular Municipal Development Board Meeting, Wednesday, March 25 Regular City Council Meeting, Wednesday March 25 Montgomery County Safety Expo, Saturday, March 28 Trash Bash, Saturday March 28 Easter Egg Hunt, Saturday, April 4 Civic Club meeting, April 14 jeff.forward@chron.com BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 18 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Turkey's export of electrical goods to Uzbekistan decreased to make up $8.1 million from January 2020 through February 2020, which is 25.4 percent less than in the same period of 2019, Trend reports with reference to the Turkish Trade Ministry on March 18. In February 2020, Turkey's export of electrical goods to Uzbekistan also dropped to make up $3.8 million, which is 21.3 percent less compared to February 2019, the ministry noted. 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 the 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 President Donald Trump listens as Vice President Mike Pence speaks during press briefing with the Coronavirus Task Force at the White House in Washington on March 18, 2020. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo) Trump, Pence Aide Dismiss Reports of Possible 20 Percent Unemployment President Donald Trump and a top aide to Vice President Mike Pence dismissed reports of unemployment in the United States possibly climbing as high as 20 percent amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Both men were responding to anonymously-sourced reports that claimed Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told senators in a briefing on Tuesday that if a relief package wasnt passed, unemployment in the country could soar to 20 percent. I dont agree with that. Thats an absolutely total, worst case scenario, Trump told reporters at the White House in Washington on Wednesday. Were nowhere near it. Marc Short, chief of staff for Pence, also said Mnuchin was discussing a wide range of possibilities. Nobody is right now that I know forecasting a 20 percent unemployment from the coronavirus, he said during an appearance on Fox Business earlier in the day. The foundation of our economy remains incredibly strong. This is a short-term, we believe, challenge. A passenger wears a medical disposable face mask in the Times Square subway station, New York, on March 11, 2020. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times) Were trying to make sure that the people who are impacted in the short term get the resources they need in a quick fashion and thats what Secretary Mnuchin and this president are looking to do, Short added. We believe the economy will bounce back in a hurry once we get over the hump of this virus. The Trump administration postponed tax payments for 90 days for most Americans, is seeking a big stimulus package, and is looking at sending checks to Americans to help them amid the restrictive measures put into place nationwide to try to blunt the spread of the CCP virus. 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 mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. The virus infected thousands in the United States. Over 110 people have died in the country. Congress was set to pass a bill on Wednesday that included giving many people up to 12 weeks of paid leave to care for dependents because of virus-related school closures. (Newser) Amazon UK has told vendors that books of Nazi propaganda, including Adolf Hitler's 1925 manifesto and children's publications designed to instill anti-Semitism, will no longer be sold through the site. Jewish groups and Holocaust education organizations have asked Amazon to remove the books since the late 1990s, the Guardian reports. An email to a reseller of Mein Kampf said it violates Amazon's code of conduct. The main editions of the book, sold by major publishers such as Random House, are affected. Kindle versions also have been removed from Amazon UK, as has an author page for Hitler. Amazon, which has cited a need to understand Hitler and free speech concerns in the past, did not say why it changed course. story continues below Amazon still sells Mein Kampf and other Nazi propaganda on its US site, per the New York Post. Hitler's book has been a best-seller at times in the past few years in India and Germany, complete with a number of five-star user reviews on Amazon. Facing British pressure in February, the company told the Holocaust Educational Trust it would take the organization's objections seriously. As Amazon began banning books such as two by former KKK leader David Duke, per the New York Times, vendors selling books through the site complained that Amazon's guidelines weren't clear. "Amazon reserves the right to determine whether content provides an acceptable experience," one seller was told by the company in a removal notice. (Mein Kampf sold 85,000 copies in Germany one year.) 18.03.2020 LISTEN The novel coronavirus which has caused COVID-19, a disease the World Health Organization has declared as a pandemic that can engulf the whole world is rapidly eroding the economic gains of most of the affected countries. It can be traced as back as November, 17th 2019 but has been common in March, 2020, where cases are pronounced in China, Spain, Germany, Italy etc. the worlds most economical countries. Since then, COVID-19 has found its way into other countries across the globe, notably, American and Africa on a continental basis. One will hardly understand the means of fast spreading of this disease when it is human -human contacts that ease the transfer of the deadly disease. Not forgetting the webbed global economy, that comes with different means of traveling and transportation, different goods and services or diplomatic relations that exist among countries across the globe, the reason for the fast spread will not be farfetched. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, several productive lives have been lost, numerous income generation activities (Sports, movements of goods) have been halted, traveling have been banned in most of these affected countries as means of minimizing the spread of the disease. Ghana's case is not an exception since the disease has been able to find its way into the country through its tight and screened borders from Turkey and Norway. On 13th day of March, 2020, the Government of the Republic of Ghana confirmed to the citizenry, the 'importation' of COVID-19 into the country as said by the Director of Public Health Dr. Badu Sarkodie affirmed by Hon Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the minister of information. From two reported cases, four more cases were confirmed by 15th March, 2020 leading to the health alarm in the county. Since the president second address on COVID-19 to the state, most economic activities in the country have frozen or stopped completely. Schools have been closed, traveling Outside the country have been banned, funerals and other social gatherings have been discouraged. If one will take time to think of the effect of these measures, the impact on the economy will be key. Since schools have closed, it's clear that all food vendors, shop owners and other people into businesses on the various campuses of the schools irrespective of the level of education will be sitting idle pending the return of the students. Also, Schools have to take measures to avoid disruption of the academic calendar especially the universities. For example, Ashesi university has resorted to online teaching and learning for the rest of the semester hence the high cost of internet on students, a burden that maybe difficult for some students. Tro-tro and taxi drivers who operate on campuses are forced to lay down their tools since their customers are vacated. This is going to reduce their income generation hence a burden on them. In our various market places, people will avoid going to the market as a way to prevent getting the disease. This is going to affect income generation, taxation and tolls across the country. For institutions where workers will work from home, new technology have to be developed to match that. The effect of COVID-19 on tourism and other hospitality services in Ghana is going to be mega. For those who deal with figures, they can hastily think that the outbreak of COVID-19 will stabilize the local currency or will compel us to resort to locally produced products hence a means to be self-reliant. It is not of a common sense to think this way since the local currency stability is due to freeze in the world market, closed businesses and transactions, locked up goods for importers. Thinking of self-reliance amidst COVID-19, let me assume that the way COVID-19 found its way into Ghana, it's the same way imports by foreign companies can be allowed over local business. The rate at which the disease spreads alone deters people from moving out of their homes to do their private works especially in the case of Ghana where the number of contacts have been rated to be high and difficult tracing since detections wasn't done at the ports or point of entries but in the heart of the country; Obuasi and Accra. These infested people are high profile persons from their respective countries who in one way or the other might have interacted with Government officials in fulfilment of their obligations to their visit to the country. It's becoming overly worrisome as people are raising eyebrows over the safety of the commander in chief of the Ghana Armed Forces (the president of the republic) since he returned from countries where the first two confirmed cases were reported to come from and also passed through the normal screening these affected persons did at the airports. The Governments failure to demarcate places of high risk in the country is going to affect the movement of people even at places there is low chances of it occurring. Government have secured an emergency 100 million dollars for adequate preparations towards containing COVID-19. The confidence of the Ghanaian can only be restored if this amount is used to carry out practical public education across the length and breadth of Ghana. It is key to note that our rural communities are the sources of our food and they are part of the customers to the markets in the towns. Imagine they go to markets to see shop attendants in mask and gloves and they are exposed. I don't imagine they will go the next day. In as much as we educate people in the towns and cities, there is the need to extend our tentacles to reach the vulnerable in many a rural community. To reduce the bad economic impact of the pandemic, protocols for trading and economic transactions should be adopted to ensure that business goes on as we fight the ghost disease. Ghana can end it at 7 cases if we eschew political mischief and enhance communication across the country. BRIGHTON AND HOVE, England, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Specialist Health Insurance and Employee Benefits Consultancy, Engage Health Group, has experienced a significant number of enquiries from customers asking whether their health insurance policy covers any element of the recent COVID-19 outbreak. Says Director, Nick Hale, "The answer here is not always a straightforward one, and depends on which insurer you're with, and in which region of the world you are covered. International Private Medical Insurance (IPMI) offers a greater degree of cover by its very nature, but the stance can still differ significantly". All major UK health insurers are holding the same position: That those diagnosed with COVID-19 will be best looked after within the NHS, as they are better equipped to manage these patients in isolation. Any patients testing positive would likely be within an NHS clinic or hospital for monitoring and/or temporary relief of symptoms as opposed to active treatment typically available under UK PMI plans. That said, it's expected that a small number of patients could develop more severe complications as a result, such as pneumonia, which would be covered by their health insurance plan in most cases. Whilst they couldn't be moved to a private hospital or facility, most health insurers will consider applications for NHS cash benefit (where the option is included on their plan), but this may be on a case-by-case basis. Now that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic disease, this can also change how an insurer will treat a potential claim, as some insurers have general scheme exclusions for pandemic diseases. Engage have provided a breakdown below: Domestic (UK) Health Insurance Providers AXA No exclusions for pandemic diseases and may offer NHS cash benefit where applicable Bupa Pandemics are a standard scheme exclusion so no cover available Cigna Would consider NHS cash benefit and related conditions for cover Freedom Pandemics are a standard scheme exclusion so no cover for this or related conditions PHC No cover for Coronavirus, related conditions or NHS cash benefit Vitality COVID-19 classed as "Emergency Treatment" and thus excluded from cover. Will consider NHS cash back for related eligible conditions. WPA - No exclusions for pandemics and will offer NHS cash benefit where applicable International Health Insurance Providers Aetna No exclusions for pandemics and Coronavirus is covered AXA Global Healthcare benefits will apply as normal if members are diagnosed with Coronavirus Bupa Global Does have an exclusion for epidemics and pandemics but currently this isn't being enforced and they are covering Coronavirus at their discretion. Cigna No exclusion for pandemics and Coronavirus is covered Generali Does have an exclusion for epidemics and pandemics but currently this isn't being enforced and they are covering Coronavirus. Now Health There is no exclusion for pandemics and Coronavirus is covered William Russell Members are covered in the same way as they would be for any viral infections All insurers are within their rights to deny claims if customers have travelled against the advice of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office travel advice. Engage Health Group has made every effort to ensure accuracy of this information having spoken with its insurer partners, but as the situation is changing regularly, it is recommended that customers contact their insurer directly with any specific questions. About Engage Health Group Engage Health Group specialises in UK and international health insurance as well as the broader Employee Benefits landscape as an independent as whole of market brokerage and consultancy. Contact: Press enquiries: [email protected] +44-(0)-1273 974419 www.engagehealthgroup.co.uk Engage Health Group, Curtis House, 34 Third Avenue, Hove BN3 2PD SOURCE Engage Health Group Video Produced by Laura Ramirez MIAMI On a Monday afternoon in late February, Ana Maria Espino walked into a small storefront in Miamis Little Havana neighborhood that housed a local office for Michael Bloombergs presidential campaign and announced that she wanted to volunteer. Floridas Democratic primary election was just three weeks away, and Espino, 66, was determined to do her part to ensure that Democrats nominated the candidate who, she believed, had the best chance of defeating Donald Trump in November. Our country needs somebody different and Im very adamant about trying to help attain this, Espino told Yahoo News. A native of Cuba who teaches English to adults in her adopted home of Miami, Espino described herself as a longtime Democrat though she did vote for Republican President Ronald Reagan. While other Democratic candidates were busy campaigning in states with earlier primary elections, Bloomberg, the billionaire former mayor of New York City, had been saturating Floridas television and radio airwaves with millions of dollars worth of campaign ads for weeks. Asked why she thought Bloomberg was the best person to take on Trump, Espino said, I feel that he has a lot of experience in government and in business. Most of all, she continued, hes not a socialist communist. Espino was referring to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, the self-described democratic socialist who, just two days earlier, had emerged from the Nevada caucuses as the clear albeit temporary frontrunner in the still-crowded Democratic primary field. Bernie Sanders signs autographs at a campaign event in February at Valley High School in Santa Ana, Calif. (Damian Dovarganes/AP) As it does for many Cuban exiles who call Florida home, the populist platform promoted by Sanders raises serious red flags for Espino, who was just 6 years old in 1960 when she and her family left home for Miami, one year after Fidel Castro took power. Just one night before Espinos visit to the Bloomberg campaign office, Sanders seemed to validate those concerns by offering praise for Castros literacy program during an appearance on 60 Minutes. Story continues There is clear evidence that Castro has done no good whatsoever in Cuba, and the people are the ones suffering, said Espino. She dismissed claims that Sanderss brand of democratic socialism is nothing like the repressive communism that has come to define the Castro regime. Thats how Castro started, Espino said. He was socialist and then communist. Its all just very idealistic, and it just doesnt work for the people. A lot has changed in the weeks since Espino first walked into the Bloomberg campaign office in Little Havana not least Bloombergs ending his short-lived bid for the presidency following staggering Super Tuesday losses, and throwing his support behind former Vice President Joe Biden. Several other candidates have since followed suit, unexpectedly propelling Biden to the lead in what has become a two-person race with Sanders. Espino told Yahoo News via email last week that she too was following Bloombergs lead and backing Biden as well. While support from Hispanic voters, particularly in Nevada and California, has proven to be crucial to Sanderss initial success and more recent survival in the Democratic primaries, Latinos in Florida could ultimately help bring about his campaigns demise. According to the results of a recent Telemundo poll, 70 percent of likely Latino voters in Florida said they would not support a candidate who identifies as a socialist. Overall, the poll found that 48 percent of likely Latino voters in Florida prefer Biden compared to 37 percent for Sanders. In Arizona, where the Hispanic electorate is generally younger and more progressive, Telemundos poll found that Sanders led Biden among Latino voters 47-40 percent. Cafe Versailles in the Little Havana section of Miami. (Caitlin Dickson/Yahoo News) One of the things we have to understand is that not all Hispanic voters are created equal, said Fernand Amandi, a Miami-based pollster and Democratic strategist. During an interview with Yahoo News at his office in Miami in February, Amandi explained how Floridas Hispanic electorate has evolved over the last 20 years from what used to be almost a monolithically Cuban-American vote. Virtually all Hispanic voters in the state were of Cuban-American origin. Now, he said, Latino voters in the state generally fall into one of three main categories: Cubans, who still make up about a third of the Hispanic electorate; Puerto Ricans, U.S. citizens whove flocked to Florida in large numbers over the past few years in response to crippling economic crisis and devastating natural disasters; and immigrants or first- and second-generation Americans from a variety of countries in Central and South America. Amandi said that while these different cohorts are generally aligned on what they believe are the most important issues the economy, health care, immigration there are still certain litmus test issues that each community holds dear. For Cubans, as well as Venezuelans, Nicaraguans and others who fled socialist or communist dictatorships, that issue is U.S. policy toward those regimes. For voters who fall into that category, Amandi said, Sanderss identification with democratic socialism and his positive comments about Castro and other leftist Latin American regimes might be a disqualifier, even if he is otherwise seen as representing their interests. Bernie Sanders represents what used to be the caricature of the wide-eyed leftist, sympathetic to communists and socialists [that] was imprinted in the minds of a lot of voters here over the years, said Amandi. Democrats worked very hard over the last 25 years to kind of mitigate those perceptions, and it actually led to tremendous success, he said, noting that both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton received over 40 percent of the Cuban vote in the last two presidential elections. Sanderss candidacy, Amandi argued, could be detrimental to that success. Sanders at a campaign rally in November of last year in Los Angeles. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) Andy Vila disagrees. Vila, 21, was just 6 years old when he and his family emigrated from Cuba in 2004. Like many Cuban refugees in Miami, Vila said his parents felt embraced by the Republican Party in the United States, and as a teenager, he too identified as a conservative. He even worked as an intern for Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the long-serving former Republican representative from Miami. But once he got to college, Vila, who is currently a student at Florida International University, began to question the staunchly conservative views hed grown up with. Now, Vila works as a team lead for the progressive Florida Immigrant Coalitions voter registration program. Separately, hes also an outspoken supporter of Sanders. As a Cuban immigrant, I think he has done an excellent job of dispelling whatever fears I mightve had about his candidacy, Vila told Yahoo News while canvassing in Miami in February. The Florida Immigrant Coalition, or FLIC, does not endorse any particular presidential candidate, but Vila said that based on his own conversations with prospective voters, he personally believes that Sanderss platform appeals to many Latino voters in Miami, including Cubans. I think the most important thing to Latinos is health care. Thats what Ive heard from people that Ive spoken with, he said. While Vila acknowledged that concerns about socialism exist particularly among the older generation of Cuban-Americans, he dismissed the idea that Sanderss democratic socialist identity is a deal breaker for the entire Cuban community. I dont think that really matters to most people, he said, arguing that recent Cuban migrants like myself are more concerned about issues like climate change, student debt, housing and health care. I dont think people are going to care so much about the label. I think theyre going to care more about the policies that youre putting forward. Andy Vila, a Sanders supporter who emigrated from Cuba in 2004, stands in front of a monument to Cuban poet Jose Marti in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami. (Laura Ramirez/Yahoo News) Republicans are hoping Vila is wrong about that. Since 1992, no candidate from either party has won a presidential election in the United States without the support of the Sunshine State including Trump, who narrowly won Florida in 2016 by 1.3 percentage points over Hillary Clinton. Latinos have always been an influential segment of Floridas electorate, but their numbers have grown substantially over the last six years, largely thanks to an influx of U.S. citizens from Puerto Rico, the fastest-growing segment of the Latino voter population. According to U.S. census data, between 2010 and 2017, the number of Puerto Ricans living in Florida grew by 30.5 percent to 1.1 million, becoming the second-largest group of Latinos in the state after Cubans. Migration from Puerto Rico further increased in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in September 2017, which is estimated to have killed 2,975 people and caused more than roughly $100 billion in damage to the island. In 2018, the U.S. Census Bureau found that 36.9 percent more people moved from Puerto Rico to the mainland United States than during the previous year with a third of them relocating to Florida. Pew Research Center estimated that as of 2018, Puerto Ricans made up roughly one-third of all eligible Hispanic voters in Florida. However, it remains unclear exactly what role theyll play in the 2020 election. One poll released in October by the progressive group Equis Labs found that 73 percent of registered Puerto Rican voters in Florida surveyed said they disapproved of the way Trump has handled issues relating to Puerto Rico, including his administrations response to Hurricane Maria. However, just 67 percent said they were highly motivated '' to vote in the upcoming presidential election. Twenty-one percent of those surveyed said they would vote to reelect Trump, while 63 percent said they planned to back the Democratic nominee, and 16 percent were still undecided. Voter turnout, particularly among Puerto Ricans, is a big concern for groups like Mi Familia Vota, a national civic engagement organization that has been focused on registering and mobilizing Latino voters ahead of the 2020 election. Its one thing to register a person to vote, said Wilfred Benitez, the Tampa Bay coordinator for Mi Familia Vota. Getting them to show up at the polls is another. Benitez, who himself is Puerto Rican, spoke to Yahoo News at Mi Familia Votas offices in Orlando in February. He explained that in addition to registering new voters, the organization also works to educate recent Puerto Rican transplants on how U.S. elections work, and then convince people that voting is worth their time. Though Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, residents of the U.S. territory can vote only in presidential primaries, not general elections, and are represented by a nonvoting commissioner in Congress. This long-standing lack of representation has discouraged many from participating in the political process. Many blame those in political power for problems that caused them to leave Puerto Rico in the first place but [they have an] ingrained belief that their vote doesnt count, said Benitez. Its a process you have to teach them. Here, you need to participate, you need to engage in order to have a better quality of life. Wilfred Benitez at the Orlando offices of Mi Familia Vota, a national civic engagement organization that has been registering and mobilizing Latino voters ahead of the 2020 election. (Laura Ramirez/Yahoo News) Earlier that day, that dissonance was on display outside an Orlando food bank where Benitez and other Mi Familia Vota staffers approached people with voter registration forms. Two women, both from Puerto Rico, expressed their frustrations with Trump as they filled out the forms, citing his immigration policies as well as his administrations response to Hurricane Maria. However, when asked who they planned to vote for, neither woman named a candidate but instead said they werent sure whether they would vote at all. The importance of Floridas Latino vote has not been lost on the Trump campaign. While Democratic candidates, with the exception of Bloomberg, have done relatively little outreach in Florida so far, instead focusing much of their time and energy in states with earlier primaries, the Trump campaign has been aggressively courting Latino voters here since June 2019, when he officially launched his run for reelection at a rally in Orlando. More than half of Cuban voters in Florida backed Trump in the last presidential election, reversing a sizable shift within that community toward the Democratic Party after decades of support for the GOP. But the Trump campaign has clearly recognized that it cant rely on Cubans alone to win Florida in 2020. Attendees at the Latinos for Trump Coalition event in June of last year in Miami, where Vice President Mike Pence made an appearance. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) In speeches and campaign materials, Trump and his allies have sought to stoke the deep-seated concerns about socialism held not only by Cubans but also Venezuelans and Nicaraguans, by painting Democrats in general as radical socialists and promoting his administrations so-far unsuccessful efforts to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. His campaign is also targeting other segments of Floridas growing and diverse Hispanic electorate, including evangelical Latinos and even Puerto Ricans. In January, Vice President Mike Pence spoke to a mostly Puerto Rican crowd at a Latinos for Trump event in Kissimmee, touting the major disaster declaration signed by Trump earlier that day to provide Puerto Rico with federal emergency funds to aid in the response to recent earthquakes. Our message to Puerto Rican Americans is this: Were with you today. Well be with you tomorrow, and well be with you until the day Puerto Rico rebuilds bigger and better than ever, Pence said at the event. Ultimately, Amandi argued, any Democrat who hopes to win Florida in November shouldnt wait much longer to launch their own Latino outreach campaign in the state. What weve seen in Florida, and really throughout the country when it comes to the Hispanic vote, [is that] those who have a first-mover advantage, those who can get to the community early, define their candidacies, define themselves, have a tendency to do well, particularly when theyre doing it by themselves, said Amandi. Any segment of the Hispanic electorate in such a close state like Florida could potentially be decisive. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Rep. Daniel Lipinski, D-Ill., one of the last antiabortion Democrats in Congress, lost his bid for renomination to a ninth term Tuesday to a more liberal challenger, business executive and activist Marie Newman. The race had been closely watched as a test of whether a socially conservative Democrat could maintain support among the party's base in a solid blue seat- and whether the dwindling number of Democratic lawmakers opposing abortion would be further culled by primary voters. While Lipinski won support from trade unions and some business groups, key national advocacy groups and liberal activist networks coalesced behind Newman as a better match for a district that preferred Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race by 15 percentage points over Donald Trump. With 95% of precincts reporting, Newman held a roughly 3,800-vote lead - about four percentage points. The Associated Press declared Newman the winner shortly after midnight. "I am bursting with pride and gratitude for the amazing coalition that helped bring about much needed change in our district," Newman tweeted. "We are going to work together to lower health care costs, to fight climate change, and to build an economy that works for everyone." Lipinski, who is the first member of Congress to lose a renomination bid in the 2020 election cycle, declined to concede in a posting to his campaign Facebook account: "It is very close. We may have to wait overnight or into the morning for the final vote count." The election was upended in its closing phases by the coronavirus pandemic, with both candidates canceling their election night parties and encouraging voters to cast early ballots if possible rather than risk an in-person visit to polling places Tuesday. The race was a rematch of the 2018 Democratic primary in the 3rd Congressional District, which is anchored in the working-class neighborhoods of Chicago's South Side but stretches westward along the Des Plaines River into more affluent suburbs. Lipinski won a two-point victory in the last primary by marshaling voters in Chicago precincts to overcome Newman's strength in the suburbs before securing an easy victory in the general election. A year later, Newman announced she would try again. Lipinski's unapologetic antiabortion views - and Newman's outspoken support for abortion rights - had been the dominant topic in a district that is heavily Democratic but also has a socially conservative strain rooted in the largely Catholic ethnic communities of Chicago. "I am pro-life - there's no question about that," he said at a candidate forum aired by WTTW-TV last week. "Most people do not believe we should have abortion on demand up until birth; that, I believe, is an extreme position, and that is something I do not support. But I think the majority of people don't support that." Newman, in the forum, said her views were simply more "in alignment" with her district, and she has sought to expand her message to an embrace of a single-payer, Medicare-for-all health-care system - and noting that Lipinski was one of a handful of Democrats who opposed the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010. Besides Lipinski, only Reps. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, Ben McAdams, D-Utah, and Collin Peterson, D-Minn., hold a rating over 25% on the National Right to Life Committee's legislative scorecard. Newman said she would "be a worker bee in Congress and get health care done" - an indirect shot at Lipinski's argument that, with eight terms in Congress and a spot on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, he is better positioned to deliver for the district. In a call with reporters arranged by Emily's List last week, Newman said she was well positioned to succeed Tuesday where she fell short two years ago: "As you can imagine, your first time out, you learn a lot. And I did. There's things that I didn't do well and are now doing well." Both candidates raised and spent well over $1 million, according to campaign finance reports filed late last month, with Lipinski slightly outspending Newman. But Newman benefited from about $1.5 million in outside spending vs. the roughly $350,000 spent to elect Lipinski. A super PAC affiliated with Emily's List, which is an activist group devoted to electing female Democrats, led the charge with nearly $1 million, while NARAL Pro-Choice America, the Sierra Club and the Service Employees International Union also spent heavily for Newman. The plumbers and pipefitters trade union spent nearly $160,000 in support of Lipinski, with the National Association of Realtors and the bipartisan advocacy group No Labels also chipping in - as well as the Susan B. Anthony List, an antiabortion group that typically backs Republicans. A third Democratic candidate, Rush Darwish, also raised significant amounts of money, reporting more than $780,000 in receipts as of last month. Earlier this month, in another primary challenge to a conservative Democratic incumbent, Cuellar fended off attorney Jessica Cisneros, who also ran with the support of Emily's List and liberal luminaries of the Democratic Party. That race was seen as an early test of whether moderate and conservative incumbents could withstand focused opposition from the left - including groups such as the Justice Democrats and prominent figures such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who successfully mounted her own insurgent campaign in 2018. Newman had the backing of Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. But many Democrats placed the Lipinski race in a different category, given the amount of institutional support Newman had been able to amass - not only from Emily's List and other major advocacy organizations, but also from Lipinski's own colleagues in the Illinois House delegation, as well as a constellation of local officials including Chicago Democratic Mayor Lori Lightfoot. And while Cuellar benefited from a last-minute fundraising visit from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., top Democrats largely kept their distance from Lipinski. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., the chairwoman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, canceled an appearance last year at a Chicago fundraiser for Lipinski after an uproar from liberal elements of the party. This is a time for serious people. It is not a time for games. It is not a time for political posturing, Pritzker told reporters at an afternoon news conference. It is not a time to complain that youre being asked to do uncomfortable things, to make hard choices, to go above and beyond in your responsibilities. I have a responsibility to the people of the state of Illinois to make sure that democracy survives through everything, that through everything democracy will be preserved, that through everything democracy will be venerated. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned Republican senators on Tuesday that the country's unemployment rate could hit 20% if they failed to act on a proposed coronavirus rescue package, a person familiar with the closed-door meeting said. Mnuchin met with senators to persuade them to pass a $1 trillion stimulus package that would send cash to Americans within two weeks, and backstop airlines and other companies. The Senate is majority-controlled by President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans. A Treasury official said Mnuchin was not providing a forecast but trying to illustrate the potential risks of inaction. Technavio has been monitoring the document capture software market and it is poised to grow by USD 3.28 bn during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of almost 12% 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/20200318005213/en/ Technavio has published a latest market research report titled Global Document Capture Software 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. Growing use of big data analytics has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. Document Capture Software Market 2019-2023: Segmentation Document Capture Software Market is segmented as below: End-User Healthcare Government BFSI Legal 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=IRTNTR30205 Document Capture Software 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 document capture software market report covers the following areas: Document Capture Software Market Size Document Capture Software Market Trends Document Capture Software Market Industry Analysis This study identifies integration of document capture software with machine learning as one of the prime reasons driving the document capture software market growth during the next few years. Document Capture Software Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the document capture software market, including some of the vendors such as ABBYY, Adobe Systems, Canon, Kofax and Xerox. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the document capture software 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 Document Capture Software Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023 Detailed information on factors that will assist document capture software market growth during the next five years Estimation of the document capture software market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the document capture software market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of document capture software 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 END-USER Market segmentation by end-user Comparison by end-user BFSI Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Healthcare Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Government Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Legal 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 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: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES Market drivers Market challenges PART 10: MARKET TRENDS Mobile-based data capture software Integration of document capture software with machine learning Intelligent character recognition (ICR) PART 11: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview Landscape disruption PART 12: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors ABBYY Adobe Systems Canon Kofax Xerox PART 13: 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. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005213/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ As many people are feeling stressed and anxious due to the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health is important just like physical health. Two local experts Elizabeth McIngvale and Steven Parks recently talked about how to manage and cope. Elizabeth McIngvale, PhD, is the co-director and founder of Peace of Mind Foundation, a nonprofit that helps people with obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety and other mental health issues. She said right now it can actually be more difficult for people that dont typically struggle with their mental health. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Galleria, Houston Premium Outlets and Katy Mills malls to temporarily close during pandemic I think that most of our patients who live with OCD or an anxiety disorder really arent that affected by the virus just because they are worried about these fears all the time, said McIngvale. She said those people that normally face mental health issues may take extra precautions, but from what she has seen, the major increase in symptoms has been among the general public. So people who dont already have a diagnosis of OCD or anxiety and for the first time are really starting to panic and worry when this might not have been a part of their normal routine, McIngvale explained. For many right now, she said anxiety comes because so much about the disease is unknown, that its treatment is unknown and that it can cause terrible symptoms and even death. McIngvale said seeing certain peoples anxiety and panic can also be a trigger, such as hoarding items like toilet paper or cleaning items at stores. COVID-19 COVERAGE: Free meals available for Katy area children at 10 Katy ISD schools McIngvale said the most critical way to fight symptoms of OCD and anxiety is to keep a sense of normalcy during the chaos. She gave three main tips. She urged people to limit their information gathering about the virus to once or twice a day and then to pick one reliable source for where they get their information, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Lastly, she recommended while following guidelines like social distancing, still live your life and try to avoid obsessing about it. Well see that coronavirus is real, guidelines or recommendations are real, but OCD and anxiety are also real, McIngvale said. And those can take control, and so what I really want people to see and understand is that you can engage in these guidelines without letting it become overwhelming. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Coronavirus live updates: Greater Houston region reaches 44 cases, Galleria closes For those that fight mental illness in regular life, she recommended trying to find ways to keep your routine like continuing therapy sessions many therapists will hold sessions over the phone right now and finding phone or online meetings if you regularly attend support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous. McIngvale said, Its making sure you still have your network, your resources and your support, despite these unfortunate circumstances were all kind of in. MORNING REPORT: Get the top stories on HoustonChronicle.com sent directly to your inbox She said people can learn to cope with OCD and anxiety: they are treatable. While this is certainly a trigger for most of us that live with anxiety or OCD, you can still learn to manage your symptoms, despite this outbreak that is real. Steven Parks is the childrens mental health program manager at JFS (Jewish Family Service) in southwest Houston. Part of what JFS does is provide counseling services and mental health programs. JFS is offering phone and online counseling services for those that are encountering anxiety during the pandemic. And right now, it has online and call-in group sessions during the week for parents, adults and teen 13 to 17 years. The groups are administered through Zoom. Events such as these and other disasters often exacerbate mental health symptoms of anxiety, depression, aggression and other negative emotions because they tap into deep fears about our inability to consistently control our environment and protect ourselves and our loved ones, said Parks in an email. He said he has mostly seen people feeling overwhelmed and anxious because in chaotic times, those who struggle with mental health issues can focus on their challenges as they think about the health of themselves, family members and friends and economic hurdles. He said anyone facing such feelings is encouraged to participate in the groups. A qualified clinician leads each meeting that give participants a chance to hear support and guidance on how to deal with and cope with their mental health responses. Physical health and mental health are inextricably linked, and managing ones mental health can help individuals make the best decisions to protect their physical health and the health of their loved ones, Parks said. Fear may incite the worst of us, but remembering that we are all in state of heightened fear and alertness often brings out the best in us, he added. To learn more about the Peace of Mind Foundation, visit https://peaceofmind.com. To learn more about the online group sessions or counseling sessions offered by JFS, www.jfshouston.org. tracy.maness@hcnonline.com A parliamentary standing committee slammed the railway ministry for its "unpreparedness" to tackle COVID-19, while praised Air India for its evacuation of Indians from abroad in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. The crucial meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture was held two weeks after one of its members demanded an emergency meeting over the issue. The meeting which was attended by 20 MPs slammed the Chairman Railway Board V K Yadav for being "unprepared" and said he made a "shoddy presentation", some members who attended the meeting said. "While the aviation and tourism officials came with presentations with slides, Chairman Railway Board did not. He just read out from some papers he was carrying. He was unprepared and made a shoddy presentation," said an MP. Yadav informed the Committee that over 60 per cent of tickets were cancelled this month due to coronavirus. The tourism ministry official who attended the meeting said the tourism industry was hit hard by the spread of the disease and that business worth Rs 5 lakh crore was affected. He said the impact was significant on 95 per cent of small and medium scale industries which have cash reserve only for 20-25 days after which they have to be shut down. Some MPs suggested that the government plan a bailout package for the industry. The panel members, specially those from Kerala, praised the Ministry of External Affairs for its handling of incoming traffic at airports. "Human life is more important than losses. We need to take all necessary steps in that regard," said chairman of the parliamentary panel T G Venktesh. The panel also questioned Civil Aviation Secretary P S Kharola on whether it is feasible to sell Air India at a time when coronavirus pandemic has caused major economic disruption across the world, according to sources privy to the development. Several MPs told Air India Chief Rajiv Bansal, who also attended the meeting of the parliamentary panel, that they "stand" with the airline and "will fight till the skies to keep it flying and stop the sale of the national carrier". Meanwhile, the TMC raised questions on holding the parliamentary committee meeting in close quarters with 20 MPs and around 55 officials, and asked why the meeting was not held via video conferencing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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 The Catholic Church in Hungary is suspending public worship from Sunday in light of the novel coronavirus epidemic. Churches will not close altogether but will only administer simple and short funerals, the Hungarian Catholic Bishops Conference (MKPK) said. The MKPK has asked priests and bishops to celebrate scheduled masses in churches and chapels, and many of these will be broadcast online. Public service media will broadcast masses on Sunday and public holidays. Further, the MKPK has asked congregations to arrange prayers for those affected by the epidemic while observing related regulations by the authorities. Source: Daily News Hungary MTI Photo: Tibor Rosta- online service at Szeged I am a preschool teacher and parent, and I think weakening regulations is a horrible, shortsighted way to deal with the coronavirus health and child-care crisis (Oregon may let day cares exceed capacity limits amid coronavirus shutdowns, March 14). There are student-to- teacher ratios for a reason to keep children in safe, healthy, quality day care/preschool conditions. There are reasons why class ratios have limits of six infants or toddlers per teacher or 10 preschool-age children per teacher. Overcrowding is not the answer to the problem. Packing a bunch of older children in with preschoolers, above normal limits, is a terrible solution. Teachers are already working extra hard to supervise children in their care and to sanitize high-contact areas and keep classrooms and restrooms as clean as possible. Not every preschool has janitorial staff. Ratios of children to kitchen staff are monitored closely so food safety and health are taken care of. Children need to be in appropriate numbers per teacher to ensure their safety outdoors and on playgrounds. I am shocked that overcrowding and mixed ages is possibly going to be a solution to our health crisis when social distancing is crucial to controlling the spread of the coronavirus. Teachers may need to be out sick themselves, so there already may be an overcrowding problem. Young children deserve the same protection and safety measures as older children. I hope people will write and call Gov. Kate Brown and other authorities to object to the mixing of ages and overcrowding of day cares/preschools. Shana Canote, Portland South Korean soldiers wearing protective gear spray disinfectant on the street to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, at a residential area in Seoul on March 9, 2020. Jung Yeon-Je | AFP | Getty Images Investors are looking at big losses in two World Bank-issued "pandemic bonds," which have fallen under the spotlight as the coronavirus outbreak continues to spread worldwide. Those bonds, issued by the World Bank's International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) in 2017, were designed to pay out funds to countries that need help to contain a pandemic. The World Health Organization classified the current coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic earlier this month. The bonds offer investors high interest payments in return for taking on the risk of losing a certain amount or all of their money if pandemics occur. That includes the current coronavirus pandemic. But prices of those bonds have plunged as investors flee with the number of infection cases surging. Growing fear about the economic fallout of the outbreak has driven a sell-off in risk assets as investors seek the perceived safety of government bonds like U.S. Treasurys. According to ratings agency DBRS Morningstar, investors who hold the riskier of the two bonds could be losing their entire principal amount soon, with the firm telling CNBC that the price should have dropped more than 80%. Pricing for the less risky bond has probably fallen less than 50%, said Marcos Alvarez, senior vice president and head of insurance global financial institutions at DBRS Morningstar. Pricing information on these bonds is not public as they were privately placed three years ago. "Similar to other catastrophe-linked bonds in the market, investors could lose their principal if a set of parametric triggers, such as outbreak size, growth rate and spread across borders, are met," the firm wrote in a report earlier this month. According to the World Bank, the outbreak would need to last at least 12 weeks, and have more than 2,500 deaths for the riskier of the two bonds, and 250 deaths for the other. There must also be more than 20 deaths in a second country. When all those conditions are fulfilled, it triggers a payout to selected countries in need of help to contain the outbreak, and investors lose some or all of their money. That date works out to be Mar. 24, going by the 12-week period, and the start date of the outbreak Dec. 31, according to the WHO, said DBRS Morningstar. The World Bank did not respond to CNBC's request for comment. Globally, there are at least 184,976 cases and 7,529 deaths, according to the latest data from the WHO. "You have the risk out there, we have the coronavirus out there. But you look at the last 50 years, you have SARS, you have MERS, you have Ebola, it's not that rare. It happens," says Amiyatosh Purnanandam, professor of finance at the University of Michigan. What are the World Bank's pandemic bonds? Pandemic bonds are essentially debt that's tied to catastrophic events, designed to raise money for issuers if natural disasters occur. Investors typically buy catastrophe bonds because they offer much higher yield than other fixed income products. They also aren't linked to the usual stock market performance but are instead tied to disaster events and hence offer investors' portfolios some diversification. But DBRS Morningstar cautioned: "The typical investor in catastrophe bonds is attracted to this asset class because it is generally uncorrelated with the general markets; however, the current coronavirus outbreak is showing that the valuation of pandemic bonds is highly correlated with the performance of global financial markets when it matters most." Stock markets have been very volatile since the outbreak rapidly gained pace this month, with the Dow having its worst decline on Monday since the "Black Monday" crash 30 years ago. On Monday, the Cboe Volatility Index closed at a record high, topping its peak during the 2008 financial crisis. The index looks at options prices for the S&P 500 and is sometimes referred to as the "fear gauge" of Wall Street. Here are more details about the World Bank's pandemic bonds: Two bonds worth a total of $320 million: Dubbed Class A and the riskier Class B. Interest payments: Class A dishes out interest payments of 6.5% plus 6-month U.S. dollar Libor rate. Class B pays out 11.10% plus 6-month U.S. dollar Libor rate. These interest payments are funded by donor countries including Japan and Germany. Viruses covered: The six that are "most likely to cause a pandemic," the World Bank said, which could trigger a payout to countries Influenza, coronaviruses, Filovirus, Lassa Fever, Rift Valley Fever and Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever. Countries that could receive that payout: 76 countries are eligible for funding under the World Bank's International Development Association. If that payout is triggered, that's when investors stand to lose their money. For investors of Class A notes, that loss is 16.67% of their principal amount, while those invested in Class B notes stand to lose everything. Investors in those bonds reportedly include French asset management firm Amundi, and U.K.-based asset manager Baillie Gifford. According to DBRS Morningstar, the bonds are owned by asset managers, pension funds, among others. Investors are mostly based in the U.S. and Europe. The bonds were more than 200% oversubscribed in 2007 when they were issued. Bonds under fire As the coronavirus spreads, Asian countries that were first hit with the disease as it migrated from China are bracing for another wave of infections as their diasporas return home from Europe, the U.S., and elsewhere. The return of tens, and sometimes hundreds, of thousands of nationals living abroad as the world shuts its borders has led to an uptick in coronavirus cases among early-hit Asian countries, like China, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan, that had appeared to have stabilized after initial surges in coronavirus cases. In China, for instance, the countrys immigration authority said as many as 120,000 Chinese nationals had arrived daily in the week since the World Health Organization upgraded the virus to pandemic status. Advertisement The result has been a sudden increase in new coronavirus cases in countries that were beginning to unwind some of their most stringent preventive measures. In China, according to government statistics, the number of imported cases has tripled over the last two weeks from 50 to 155. Singapore, which has been hailed as a success story in its dealing with the virus, reported 23 new cases Tuesday, its highest number of cases yet. Taiwan also tallied its highest daily total with 10 this week, while Hong Kong worryingly recorded its highest number of cases since Feb. 9. South Korea, another exemplar of coronavirus response, also had 44 new travel-related infections at the beginning of this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The number of coronavirus cases has spiked across Asia, crushing hopes that the region had contained the outbreak, the Financial Times reports. Officials in South Korea, Taiwan and parts of China and south-east Asia are rushing through new measures after a second wave of new infections following weeks of declines. Experts say the sudden increase in cases has revealed the limits of both Chinas sweeping lockdown of citizens and of the massive public testing and social distancing campaigns rolled out across Asia. The affected countries are tightening quarantine restrictions on incoming travelers to try to avoid a second wave of the virus. China has ordered the 14-day isolation of all incoming people to Beijing at specially designated quarantine hotels in the city. Measures in China, Hong Kong and Singapore include city-wide lockdowns, border tightening, contact tracing efforts and strict social distancing, Reuters notes. The virus has already taken a heavy economic toll, especially in mainland China and global financial hub Hong Kong, so any rise in new cases could be devastating. As San Franciscans continue to grapple with the magnitude of the "shelter in place" order issued simultaneously by six Bay Area counties on Monday, news that marijuana dispensaries and delivery services would not be considered an "essential" service by the city resulted in confusion and pushback. The decision was initially met with shock and outrage by prominent cannabis industry figures and consumers alike. However, the classification was reversed in under 24 hours Tuesday. In an email to anxious members of the industry sent Tuesday, as a joint effort between San Franciscos Office of Cannabis and Department of Health, city officials acknowledged the request from the Mayors Office and the County Health Officer to shut down all cannabis businesses as a result of the "shelter in place" order. "The situation is fluid," the note conceded, "and we are working closely with city partners and healthcare professionals to craft a strategy that will allow for access to healthy and safe product. We are hopeful that this will create a pathway for businesses to support those that need access. Please standby." For cannabis advocates, requests for patience were too little, too late. Demand spiked Monday resulting in long lines at several San Francisco dispensaries, including Dr. Greenthumb at 3139 Mission St., with customers rushing to purchase products before the shelter-in-place order went into full effect. This last-minute effort to stock up on flower, vapes, tinctures and more comes in stark contrast to fellow shelter in place counties like Alameda, where cannabis stores will reportedly remain open for curbside pick-up and delivery for the duration of the order. Elsewhere, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey have all made various assurances on behalf of their cannabis markets as well. Shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday, San Francisco reversed the decision. San Francisco's Department of Health issued a tweet stating "Cannabis is an essential medicine for many San Francisco residents" and that dispensaries could remain open. Earlier in the day, one of the first organizations to condemn San Franciscos decision to omit cannabis as an essential service was the California chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. In a press release issued Tuesday, deputy director Ellen Komp emphasized the risk such unilateral closures could place on vulnerable medical patients. For recreational users, her argument questioned a rationale that permitted liquor sales but not the equally legal sale of cannabis (though dedicated liquor stores remain shuttered). While we have no objection to Palm Springs or other places closing cannabis consumption rooms for the time being, we dont understand the need to halt cannabis sales or delivery services anywhere, Komp explains. For this to happen in San Francisco, the city that brought us medical marijuana largely to serve immune-compromised AIDS patients, is especially troubling. CA NORMLs strenuous objections to the decision were echoed by other leading voices in the industry. As the partner to local medical marijuana pioneer Dennis Peron, activist John Entwistle is well aware of how short-sighted the governments responses can be when it comes to enacting cannabis policy. I strongly disagree with this policy, he said via text message. Cannabis is important, and under quarantine, access is crucial. His concerns were echoed by San Franciscos cannabis operators some of whom are were choosing to remain open while awaiting more information from the OOC and DPH. Reached on the stores main phone line, a staff member for the Sunset district dispensary Barbary Coast confirmed prior to the update from the city the store would be open until 9:45 p.m. Tuesday evening but could not comment further. Liz Connor, director of analytics for the cannabis data intelligence service Headset, reports California market sales for Monday were approaching the numbers usually reserved for April 20 aka 4/20 (weeds most popular unofficial holiday). Connor also observed that edibles saw gains of 107% over normal volume, suggesting some concerned for lung safety amid a respiratory virus outbreak might be pivoting to a smokeless consumption method. Harborside Oakland also enjoyed a record-breaking day on March 16, with a minimum 25% increase in sales across all four locations. The company also announced on its website today that curbside delivery will be added as an option to their Oakland, San Leandro, and San Jose locations beginning Wednesday, March 18, at 10 a.m. Mara Gordon, founder of the medicinal cannabis enterprise Aunt Zeldas and a feature subject in the 2018 documentary Weed the People, confirms she had received communications from patients inquiring about whether they should be stockpiling resources. We have had several patients ask about getting a year's supply at once because they are so frightened, says Gordon. Neither was a resident of San Francisco, but it points out the reality of those dependent upon cannabis as medicine. As a patient herself, Gordon explains what those who count on cannabis would likely have had to rely on instead if a solution wasn't found to keep access available in the unprecedented times of a pandemic. If I suddenly didn't have access to my cannabis medicine, Gordon explains, my only other choices would be oxycodone and Ambien neither of which are good options. Zack Ruskin is a freelance writer based in San Francisco. Email: zruskin@gmail.com | Twitter: @zackruskin MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE: Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here. - Easy money mobile app, Monese, becomes latest partner to join OpenLending, with Xero planning to join within a year. - Through OpenLending iwoca can enable fintechs, banks and other partners to provide micro businesses with fast and digital access to finance at a crucial time LONDON, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- iwoca, one of Europe's largest business lenders has today announced OpenLending, the new platform that - for the first time - can unify fintechs and banks to extend iwoca's lending capabilities to over two million UK businesses. With 14 partners already integrated [1], OpenLending brings the finance ecosystem together, allowing fintechs, banks, brokers, accountants and bookkeeping platforms to customise their offering of iwoca loans. This new platform allows partners such as Monese, Funding Options and Funding Xchange to tailor the user experience for their customers, giving them decisions and access to funds in seconds. "The concept of OpenLending has the potential - through collaboration with the banks and fintech partners - to fix some of the biggest problems SMEs will face in the coming months," said Christoph Rieche, iwoca's CEO and co-founder. "OpenLending is a fully digital platform that established banks can use to get finance to small businesses within minutes, opposed to weeks or even months. Digital access to finance is particularly valuable now where COVID-19 may lead to severe disruption of bank branch networks and call centres, reducing their ability to provide the service level that they aim for under normal circumstances. Now is the time to come together and work collaboratively to solve this problem." "With our proven track record, we're confident that by bringing the industry together we can give at least two million small businesses access to finance." Monese "We want our small business customers to have the very best access to funding so that they can really thrive, which is why we've integrated with iwoca's OpenLending platform," said Atul Choudrie, Chief Commercial Officer at Monese. "It's important that we partner with a leader in the SME lending space and give our customers the very best tools to control their finances and manage important cash flow gaps. We started Monese with a goal to provide businesses with financial freedom anywhere and everywhere, and I believe OpenLending will help us do that." Xero and OpenLending iwoca and Xero, the UK's leading online accounting platform, are currently undertaking deep research with a view to a potential customised finance solution in early 2021. This would be designed and built specifically for Xero's customers, and making tailored finance products directly accessible from within the core Xero software. iwoca's OpenLending API has already integrated with some of the most progressive finance partners in Europe , including; Alternative Business Funding, Capitalise, CardOneBanking, Divido, Finpoint, FundingOptions, FundingXchange, Leadsource International, Monese, MVF, Rangewell, Sorodo, Think Business Finance, tide. The launch of OpenLending forms part of iwoca's 10 million BCR grant win . About iwoca iwoca is unlocking economic growth by expanding the financial possibilities available to small business owners. No more convoluted forms, long waits and unfairly rigid criteria. Using our award-winning technology we offer loans of up to 200,000 through our website, partner integrations and our Lending API. Since launching in 2012, we have made funding available to 50,000 businesses and have raised over 400 million in equity and debt finance. For more information go to www.iwoca.co.uk , like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter @iwoca and Instagram @iwoca . About Monese Monese was launched in 2015 by Norris Koppel, after his first-hand experience of the hassle involved with opening a bank account in a new country. Monese gives people the financial freedom to thrive anywhere. Monese is for the hundreds of millions of people who live some part of their life in another country - whether it's for travel, work, business, study, family, or retirement. With its mobile-only multi-currency accounts, its portability across 31 countries, and both the app and its customer service available in 13 languages, Monese allows people and businesses to bank like a local across the UK and Europe. With over 2 million sign-ups, 70% of incoming funds being from salary payments, and a 4.3/5 TrustPilot score, Monese is one of the fastest growing, most popular and trusted banking services in the UK and Europe.Monese fully supports and speaks; English, French, German, Romanian, Polish, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, Bulgarian, Czech, Lithuanian, Estonian and Turkish. The company employs 400 people, and has offices in London, Tallinn, Lisbon and Berlin. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 18) The World Bank has provided the country a loan of $100 million to help fight the coronavirus disease pandemic, the Department of Finance said Wednesday. The DOF said the amount is a fast-track loan which the country can receive in a matter of weeks. The loan will enable the Department of Health to procure more personal protective equipment for health workers and testing materials, it added. The country is also eligible for a waiver for the first year of commitment fees. On March 3, the World Bank said it prepared a $12 billion financial package called the COVID-19 Fast Track Facility" to assist countries in their fight against the disease officially known as COVID-19. The Asian Development Bank also gave a $3-million grant to the Philippine government on March 13 for the purchase of medical supplies and delivery of health care services, among other needs. President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly assured the public in his earlier speeches that the government has enough money to contain the spread of COVID-19 which to date has infected at least 193 people in the Philippines, including a DOH director, and killed 14 others. Duterte declared a nationwide state of calamity on Tuesday, allowing the national and local government units to access their quick response funds. The president has also placed Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine which laid down strict controls on the movement of people outside their homes. The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation also said it will release 30 billion to accredited hospitals. The amount is three-months worth of claims and will be charged to future claims. Big business companies such as SM Group have also stepped up in assisting the public by donating supplies. San Miguel Corporation announced that it is producing ethyl alcohol in its liquor plant which it will distribute for free to hospitals and LGUs. As for testing, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said the public will not have to pay to get tested but currently, the available kits remain limited. The country has since been receiving donations of thousands of testing kits from China and South Korea. Chinese billionaire Jack Ma also contributed 50,000 test kits through Senator Manny Pacquiaos foundation. The University of the Philippines also developed its own kits which the DOH is still validating. The DOF said 3.1 billion has been set aside to purchase more COVID-19 test kits. There is also a need for more facilities to conduct the tests. For now, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City is the only facility in the country equipped to execute clinical tests for COVID-19, which caused delays in the release of results. However, DOH said soon four more hospitals - one in Davao, Cebu, Benguet and Manila - will start testing as well. Amid calls for mass testing, the DOH maintains thousands have already been tested for the disease, but adds that with the limited supplies and facilities currently available, priority must be given to the elderly, those with pre-existing medical conditions and those showing severe symptoms. A resident of Gurugrams Sector 50 who returned from London 11 days ago has tested positive for coronavirus, or Covid-19, the second case reported from Haryana. The man had travelled to London and is currently admitted in Safdarjung hospital, Delhi. A 44-year-old man from Gurugram has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. He is undergoing treatment at Safdarjung Hospital. We are in contact with his wife. Samples of the other two family members have been taken for testing, said Dr Jaswant Singh Punia, chief medical officer The patient had returned from London on March 7 and stayed at his residence in Sector 50 for two days. He visited RML Hospital after he developed flu-like symptoms and went to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi. He was later admitted to Safdarjung hospital. The health officials on Tuesday night confirmed to HT that the patient was admitted to Safdarjung Hospital since last week. A second and final confirmation from the National Institute of Virology, Pune is still awaited. According to the district health department, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) laboratory confirmed the case to be positive. All positive samples tested in other laboratories are sent to NIV for a final confirmation, as per the government guidelines. The states first coronavirus case was reported from Gurugram on Monday after a 26-year-old woman, a resident of Sector 9, was admitted in the citys Fortis Hospital. She had a travel history to Malaysia and Indonesia. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON General Secretary of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia says his party has suspended all party activities in compliance with the directives of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The Akufo-Addo led 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. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said the ban will be in force for the "next four weeks", following the six confirmed cases of COVID-19 that have been recorded in the country within a few days. Commenting on President Akufo-Addos directives on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, the NDC Chief Scribe joined the crusade of the President to entreat all and sundry including members of his political party to take the directives of the President serious. We are looking at a situation where everybody will adhere to the directives of the President and just as other countries have stated, we are at war as a nation and when it comes to war, we dont have NDC, NPP or CPP; the country is rather an under attack by the coronavirus and so we have to do everything necessary to eradicate the coronavirus immediately and I think it will help everyone, he implored. 7th COVID-19 Case Confirmed 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, was confirmed on the Ghana Health Service (GHS) website. According 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. Watch Video Below Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video First death due to the coronavirus disease has been confirmed in Turkey on late Tuesday and the country also witnessed a double hike in the confirmed cases, taking the toll to 98 from 47 which was recorded a day earlier. Health Minister confirms first death Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca in a press conference in capital Ankara said that an 89-year old died after contracting the virus from someone who had contact with China, the epicentre of the global outbreak. Turkey has diagnosed 51 more cases on Tuesday, he added. Read:Javelin Throwers Neeraj Chopra & Rohit Yadav To Return From Turkey Amid COVID-19 Scare There were 47 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country by early March 17. On March 11, Turkey became the last major economy to report an outbreak of coronavirus. Since then, the government has imposed measures to halt the spread of the coronavirus, including the closure of places where people gather. On March 16, the Interior Ministry decided to shut down bars and nightclubs to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Koca, meanwhile, reported on his Twitter handle 12 more coronavirus cases, including seven people who had returned from European countries and three from the United States. The update raised Turkeys confirmed cases to 18. Read:The Latest: Turkey Closes Bars, Clubs, Quarantines Pilgrims Read: Turkey Suspends Collective Mosque Prayers Over Coronavirus Measures taken by the Turkey government Turkey has stepped up measures to contain the spread of the virus, including suspending flights to several countries and closing schools and universities. On Sunday, Turkey set up medical examination locations for more than 10,300 people returning from pilgrimages to Islams holy sites in Saudi Arabia. The Peace Corps is reportedly evacuating all of its volunteers and suspending operations in dozens of countries. Director Jody Olsen says Sundays decision comes as international travel becomes more and more challenging by the day. She said the agency wanted to avoid leaving volunteers stranded in host countries. Read: Coronavirus: India Restricts Airlines To Board Passengers From EU, UK, EFTA And Turkey Read: Javelin Throwers Neeraj Chopra & Rohit Yadav To Return From Turkey Amid COVID-19 Scare Apart from Pawar, the commission has also summoned then SP (Pune Rural) Suvez Haq, then Additional SP, Sandip Pakhale, then Additional Commissioner, Pune, Ravindra Sengaonkar, and then Collector Saurabh Rao, Satpute added. Pune: The Koregaon Bhima Inquiry Commission has summoned NCP chief Sharad Pawar to depose before it as a witness in the 2018 caste-violence case, the panel's lawyer Ashish Satpute said on Wednesday. Pawar will have to appear before the commission in Mumbai, as the scheduled hearing by the commission was shifted there in view of coronavirus outbreak. The hearing, which was scheduled to be held in the last week of March, will now be held between 30 March and 4 April. Apart from Pawar, the commission has also summoned then SP (Pune Rural) Suvez Haq, then Additional SP, Sandip Pakhale, then Additional Commissioner, Pune, Ravindra Sengaonkar, and then Collector Saurabh Rao, Satpute added. The NCP chief had filed an affidavit before the commission, headed by former Bombay High Court Chief Justice JN Patel, on 8 October 2018. In February this year, social group Vivek Vichar Manch member Sagar Shinde filed an application before the commission, seeking summoning of Pawar in view of certain statements made by him in the media about the 2018 caste violence. In his plea, Shinde cited a press conference of Pawar held on 18 February. As per the application, at the press meet Pawar alleged that right-wing activists Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide had created a "different" atmosphere in Koregaon-Bhima, located on outskirts of Pune city, and its vicinity. "In the same press conference, Mr Pawar also alleged that the role of Pune city police commissioner is doubtful and must be investigated. These statements are within the purview of the terms of reference of this commission and therefore, they are relevant," Shinde had said in the plea. The applicant had also said he had reasons to believe Pawar has relevant and additional information, apart from what he has already shared in his earlier affidavit filed before the panel regarding the violence and other related matters. In his affidavit, Pawar had stated that it was unfortunate that the state government (BJP was in power at the time of the violence) and law and enforcement authorities failed to protect the interest of the common man residing at Koregaon Bhima and its vicinity. "I would not be in a position to factually point out the chronology of the said events as that would be the domain of the existing law and order machinery." He also stated that he would not be in a position to specifically make allegations against any particular organisation," Pawar had said. He had further stated that the active role of "right-wing" forces behind the violence at Koregaon Bhima cannot be ruled out. "However, concrete evidence in this regard can be gathered only by law enforcement agencies of the state, he said in the affidavit. Gathering of anti-social elements in large numbers at Koregaon Bhima indicated the failure of law enforcement agencies, he had told the panel. Last month, the commission was given "final extension" till 8 April this year by the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government to submit its report. Violence erupted in Koregaon Bhima and nearby areas on 1 January 2018, during the 200th-anniversary celebrations of the Koregaon-Bhima battle. The Pune Police have alleged that "provocative" speeches at the 'Elgar Parishad conclave', held on December 31, 2017, triggered the violence. According to the police, the Elgar Parishad conclave organisers had links with Maoists. In December, Pawar termed the arrest of activists in the Elgar Parishad case "wrong" and "vengeful". He had also demanded that a Special Investigation Team be set up under a retired judge to probe the action taken by Pune police. The Irish Property Owners Association has said all tenants who find themselves in the unfortunate situation of losing their jobs due to the coronavirus outbreak should be afforded access to the existing HAP scheme. Chairman Stephen Faughnan said the Government needs to put the resources in place to deal with the situation. Hashem Abedi, pictured, younger brother of Manchester Arena bomber Salman, has been convicted of 22 counts of murder relating to the 2017 attack The mother of one of the Manchester Arena bomb victims has described feeling 'kicked in the stomach' as her son's murderer was found guilty in his absence. Daryl Price, whose son John Atkinson was killed in the blast, branded Hashem Abedi a 'coward' for failing to face up to his crimes in court. On Tuesday, Abedi, from Manchester, was found guilty of 22 counts of murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to cause explosions. During the seven-week Old Bailey trial, he declined to give evidence, refused to sit in the dock and sacked his defence team. Mrs Price said: 'We welcome the verdict but it doesn't change what's happened, it won't bring John back. 'There is no justice for what Abedi did and there never will be, but it does feel like a weight has been lifted. 'The last few weeks have been draining, both mentally and physically, and when the jury read out their decision it felt like somebody had kicked me in the stomach. 'I was expecting it but it still knocked the wind out of me, I couldn't breathe for a few seconds.' 'I am annoyed that he couldn't make an appearance in court to face those people whose lives he ruined. 'I had planned to go to London for the verdict, I wanted to look him right in the eye, but he is too much of a coward for that'. Mr Atkinson, 28, from Manchester, had been a support worker for people with special needs. John Atkinson, pictured, was one of the 22 men, women and children killed in the terror attack which took place on May 22, 2017 He was among 22 men, women and children aged between eight and 51 who were killed in the terror attack on May 22 2017. He had been at the concert with his friend, Gemma O'Donnell, and was crossing the foyer when Abedi's brother Salman, 22, detonated a homemade bomb packed with deadly shrapnel at 10.31pm. Mr Atkinson, who had been with his partner Michael for 15 years, was evacuated from the scene but died of his injuries soon after midnight. Ms O'Donnell survived but was very seriously injured. The court heard how Abedi was just as guilty of the atrocity as his older brother, who police believe called him in Libya en route to the Arena for last-minute encouragement. He was involved in the planning and preparation, and helped source two of the three chemicals to make TATP explosives, jurors heard. He was arrested by Libyan militia within 24 hours of the bombing and, in an unprecedented move, British authorities succeeded in securing his extradition last year. Abedi's trial heard his mother Samia Tabbal started claiming housing benefit from August 23, 2013 until May 26, 2017 - four days after the terror attack Abedi, who was born in Manchester to Libyan parents, faces mandatory life imprisonment when he is sentenced by Mr Justice Jeremy Baker on a future date. Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Barraclough, who led the investigation, has refused to rule out pursuing anyone else over the attack, saying the case remains 'open'. In an interview with the PA news agency, Mr Barraclough said police 'keep an open mind' and would always be open to receive information or evidence of a wider conspiracy around the bombing. He said: 'At this stage in time the evidence existed purely to charge and prosecute Hashem Abedi. 'These matters are always left open but that's where we are at the moment.' Earlier, it emerged, the Abedi family was given almost 200,000 in state hand-outs in seven years - and some of it funded the Arena attack, the trial revealed. Samia Tabbal, the mother of Salman and Hashem Abedi, was paid housing benefit, tax credits and child benefit worth an estimated 190,000 - about 2,200 every month - right up to the time of the 2017 atrocity, even though the parents and younger children left for Libya in October 2016. The jury heard the family received 692 per month in housing benefit with a further 302.76 in working and tax credit and 61.80 in child benefit Arena bomber Salman Abedi, then doing a business management degree at Salford University, was handed a student loan worth 2,258 on January 20, 2017. It was around this time he and his brother started plotting a terror strike. The Arena trial heard how mother Samia's bank account was used to pay for bomb-making kit as well as groceries for the bomber and his accomplice, brother Hashem. Even though she wasn't in the country, some 250 was withdrawn from her HSBC bank account from a newsagents in Rusholme on March 25, 2017. The jury was told Hashem Abedi went to B&Q in Stockport on March 27, 2017, where the card was used to purchase a Mac claw hammer, a junior hacksaw and ten blades, a pair of 'tin snips' and water pump pliers for 40.99. The next day there were two further large cash withdrawals using the same card in Whalley Range. The brothers used pliers to cut 20 litre vegetable oil drums to turn them into prototype parts of a bomb. The same card was used by Hashem Abedi to purchase a huge 200 amp battery from a firm in Salford on March 3. 2017, although this wasn't for the bomb. The trial was told Samia Tabbal received housing benefit for herself, her husband Ramadan Abedi and their six children while they were living in their semi on Elsmore Road in Fallowfield between 2008 and 2011. The housing benefit stopped in 2011 after the council was informed the family would be leaving the country. They went back to Libya following the death of ruler Col Muammer Gaddafi amid the Arab Spring uprisings. However, the family returned and Samia Tabbal started claiming housing benefit for herself and her five youngest children from August 23, 2013. It is believed her eldest Ismail married and left the family home by then. The family stayed for about a month at a terraced home on Claremont Road in Moss Side but then they returned to the same house Elsmore Road in Fallowfield where they had spent the three years up to 2011. In total, the family were claiming 27,000 a year in benefits over the course of seven years Housing benefit continued to be paid for Samia's tenancy there until May 26, 2017, covering a period which elapsed four days after the bomb. It wasn't just monthly housing benefit payments, which were worth 692 per month. A copy of Samia Tabbal's bank statements shown to the jury showed her account was also bolstered by a weekly 302.76 working and child tax credit and a 61.80 in child benefit. It meant a total bill to the tax-payer of 27,000 a year (or 524 per week). It means an estimated 189,000 was given to the family in benefits during two periods totalling seven years - not including a student loan secured by Salman Abedi. Some 2,258 loan money was deposited into Salman Abedi's RBS account on January 20, 2017 by the Student Loan Company. It swelled his account to 5,790.78. He withdrew about 3,000 in cash on January 23 and 24. His brother's trial heard the pair 'hated education' and it was around January 2017 that the siblings started to plot a terror attack. By AFP PARIS: The European Union sealed off its borders on Wednesday to try to put the brakes on the ferocious spread of the coronavirus pandemic, as the number of deaths on the continent soared past the toll in Asia. Millions of people are on strict lockdown in Europe, now the epicentre of COVID-19 with more than 3,400 deaths now recorded, according to an AFP tally. The United States and Britain led a multi-billion-dollar global fightback against the economic havoc unleashed by COVID-19 but financial markets were unimpressed, with Asian and European stocks plunging further. Governments across the world have imposed draconian measures to try to slow the pace of infections, confining people to their homes, closing shops, restaurants and schools, dramatically changing life as we know it. The coronavirus outbreak, which first emerged in China late last year, has quickly marched across the globe, infecting nearly 200,000 people and killing almost 7,900. ALSO READ: EU chief admits politicians 'underestimated' magnitude of danger posed by coronavirus Europe has now recorded 3,421 deaths -- including 2,503 in Italy -- leapfrogging Asia with 3,384, according to an AFP tally at 1100 GMT. As the spectre of a deep global recession looms large, London and Washington on Tuesday announced massive economic stimulus packages after coming under fire over their response to the crisis. US President Donald Trump said the White House was discussing a "substantial" spending bill with Congress that would include immediate cash payments to Americans. Officials did not give hard numbers but The Washington Post reported the amount could reach USD 850 billion, with a chunk destined for airlines fearing ruin. "We're going big," Trump told reporters. British finance minister Rishi Sunak unveiled an "unprecedented package" of government-backed loans worth 330 billion pounds for businesses struggling in the sudden economic paralysis caused by mass self-quarantine. Similar measures have been introduced by France and Germany, the two leading members of the 27-member European Union. EU leaders decided on Tuesday to impose an entry ban on travellers from outside the bloc for 30 days, the most significant emergency measure from Brussels, which has struggled to develop a unified response. EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen told Germany's Bild newspaper that politicians had initially underestimated the virus threat. "But now it is clear that this is a virus that will keep us busy for a long time yet," she said. "We understand that measures that seemed drastic two or three weeks ago, need to be taken now." The World Health Organisation has called for every suspected coronavirus case to be tested and says Europe needs to take the "boldest actions" against the disease. Drugmakers are scrambling for a breakthrough, and it could still take more than a year before a safe vaccine is ready to market. US officials have said the first human trial for a possible vaccine has begun. In the United States, restrictions continued to build, with Maryland becoming the latest state to delay presidential election primaries and New York City considering curfews. Australia's government urged citizens to not travel abroad and banned gatherings of more than 100 people as cases topped 500. Asian hotspots China and South Korea have seen new infections and deaths level out in recent weeks -- China reported just one new domestic case for the second consecutive day on Wednesday. Africa, with its fragile healthcare systems, has also recorded more than 500 cases, and Burkina Faso reported the first confirmed death in sub-Saharan Africa. Latin America has more than 1,100 recorded infections, with the continent's most populated country Brazil announcing its first fatality. Trump, who for weeks has been accused of playing down the crisis, appeared determined to take control of his messaging, declaring he would do everything to fight an "invisible enemy". "We have to win this war," he said at the White House, where staff and journalists now have to undergo regular temperature checks. Battered US stocks -- which Trump considers a key metric of his success ahead of the November presidential election -- closed higher after the stimulus announcement. But markets slumped again in Asia and Europe on Wednesday. Trump had acknowledged on Monday that the economy might be sliding into recession. In France, President Emmanuel Macron also likened the outbreak to war and ordered almost the entire population to stay at home for at least two weeks. Britain stepped up its measures following scientific advice that infections and deaths would spiral without drastic action. Usually joyful -- and alcohol-fuelled -- Saint Patrick's Day celebrations were cancelled in Dublin, New York and Boston. Anthony Whyte, 49, looked out onto the cobbled streets of Dublin from a bar and likened the scene to "a ghost town". "It's like armageddon," he said. G7 leaders have vowed to "do whatever it takes" to prevent a financial meltdown. However, every sector from tourism to food to aviation is affected as the global economy effectively goes into shutdown. Major world airlines have axed almost all flights temporarily, triggering pleas to help carriers survive. The outbreak has also shredded the global sporting and cultural calendar. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said there would not be any re-assessment of Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) dues to be paid by telecom firms as it came down heavily on the government and called its attitude in the case questionable. Criticising the government for seeking time to re-assess total dues of telecom firms, a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra asked, "Are we fools? Who allowed re-assessment? as it added that everyone has been trying to influence the court but it won't budge. The court said that all telecom companies will have to pay the dues with interest and penalty as was ordered in the main judgment. "If reassessment is permitted - it is fraud on this court. We won't spare officials who allowed reassessment of telecom dues," the Supreme Court said, ordering the Department of Telecom (DoT) to withdraw its move to allow reassessment. The judges were exasperated that the companies continued to knock on its doors even as its October 24 judgment made it amply clear what dues they had to pay. The court said the numbers were arrived at by the Department of Telecom only on which the case was fought. Ending a 14-year-long court battle, the SC had upheld the governments definition of AGR on which it calculates levies on telecom operators, dealing a blow to the industry. Vodafone Idea was estimated to pay dues of 58,254 crore, including penalty and interest. The companys assessment though pegged it at 21,533 crore. So far, the telecom firm has paid 6,854 crore, which is the entire principal amount it had self-assessed as dues related AGR. Bharti Airtel Ltd has pegged its dues at 13,004 crore after self-assessment, less than a third of the 43,980 crore that was estimated by DoT. Justice Mishra said that it is public money some companies are trying to pocket but the government thinks it is excessive. Government's attitude is questionable will recuse if it behaves like this, the judge said. On the governments plea to allow the telecom firms to make staggered payments of AGR dues over the next 20 years, the court said it will hear the matter at a later date. The government had approached the Supreme Court on Monday seeking approval for a formula allowing telecom service providers to make annual installments of unpaid or remaining AGR dues in next 20 years or more. The petition said that the Centre is dealing with the telecom service providers and it has found that telcos who are required to make the payments are catering to crores of consumers throughout the country. "The Centre is conscious of the fact that any immediate adverse impact on the functioning of telecom service providers would not only have an adverse impact on the overall economy of the nation but would also seriously harm the interest of the consumers across the country," added the petition. [March 18, 2020] Keysight Technologies Provides Business Update For Fiscal Second Quarter Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS), a leading technology company that helps enterprises, service providers and governments accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world, today announced that in order to limit the spread of coronavirus, mitigate the risks to employees, customers and suppliers, and in response to local government directives, it has temporarily closed many of its locations globally until at least the end of March. The temporary closures impact both the company headquarters in Santa Rosa, California and principal order fulfillment and manufacturing operations in Malaysia. These actions may impact the company's ability to meet the fiscal second quarter 2020 financial guidance provided on February 24, 2020. This guidance reflected the best information available as of that time. Due to the disruption and uncertainties resulting from this situation, the company is currently unable to quantify the full coronavirus impact and will provide additional information during the next earnings call. Forward-Looking Statements This communication contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is subject to the safe harbors created therein. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect the expected results and are based on certain key assumptions of Keysight's management and on currently available information. Due to such uncertainties and risks, no assurances can be given that such expectations or assumptions will prove to have been correct, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Keysight undertakes no responsibility to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement. The forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, information and future guidance on the company's goals, priorities, revenues, demand, financial condition, earnings, the continued strengths and expected growth of the markets the company sells into, operations, customer slutions, execution of the company's strategy and site closures, that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause Keysight's results to differ materially from management's current expectations. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, changes in the demand for current and new products, technologies, and services; customer purchasing decisions and timing; the risk that we are not able to realize the savings or benefits expected from integration or restructuring activities; and impact on manufacturing operations, the supply chain and slowdown in customer purchasing caused by epidemic and pandemic conditions. The words "estimate," "expect," "intend," "will," "should," "continue," and similar expressions, as they relate to the company, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In addition to the risks above, other risks that Keysight faces include those detailed in Keysight's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Oct. 31, 2019 and Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended Jan. 31, 2020. About Keysight Technologies Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) is a leading technology company that helps enterprises, service providers and governments accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Keysight's solutions optimize networks and bring electronic products to market faster and at a lower cost with offerings from design simulation, to prototype validation, to manufacturing test, to optimization in networks and cloud environments. Customers span the worldwide communications ecosystem, aerospace and defense, automotive, energy, semiconductor and general electronics end markets. Keysight generated revenues of $4.3B in fiscal year 2019. More information is available at www.keysight.com. Additional information about Keysight Technologies is available in the newsroom at www.keysight.com/go/news and on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. Source (News - Alert): IR-KEYS View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005366/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Saudi Arabia, the current chair of the G20 bloc, has accepted a proposal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold an "extraordinary" virtual G20 Summit next week, eight months before it is meant to be held in the Saudi capital Riyadh. The decision to go virtual comes amid the fear of coronavirus pandemic that has swept across the world and killed nearly 9,000 people so far. Moreover, given the extraordinary circumstances, world leaders have been engaging with each other online, from the European Union summits to SAARC. G20 is a club of the twenty major economies of the world including India, China, Japan, Australia, the US, several EU, African and South American countries. In a statement, the Kingdom said, "The Saudi G20 Presidency is communicating with G20 countries to convene an extraordinary virtual G20 Leaders' Summit next week to advance a coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its human and economic implications." READ | G7 Holds Emergency Video Summit On Coronavirus, Slams US Attempt To Monopolise Vaccine Saudi Arabia said that the bloc leaders will "put forward a coordinated set of policies to protect people and safeguard the global economy". The bloc is expected to consult on a swift, coordinated response to worries that the global economy is heading towards a recession as the novel coronavirus wreaks havoc on financial markets and hits consumer spendings. READ | Here's PM Modi's Proposed Partnership To Combat The Coronavirus Pandemic With SAARC India pitches idea after SAARC summit The announcement from the Kingdom comes a day after PM Modi discussed the need for coordination and drawing up of a strategy at the level of G20 with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a telephonic conversation. The external affairs ministry said the PM Modi mentioned Indias recent initiative to organise a video conference among SAARC countries and pitched a similar idea for the G20 to Prince Salman. Both 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, both for discussing 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. PM Modi had also pitched this idea to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week, who said he thinks it is a commendable initiative. A teleconference of SAARC countries was held on Sunday, March 15, where member nations pledged funds, technical expertise and knowledge sharing to combat coronavirus. READ | PM Morrison On Virus And Need For G20 Discussion Coronavirus crisis First detected in Wuhan in December 2019, novel coronavirus termed COVID-19 has affected nearly 148 countries in the world. Presently, there are over two lakh confirmed cases of COVID-19 which has led to the death of nearly 9,000 people. As there is no vaccine or specific antidote to 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 | G20 Finance Ministers Agree On Final Communique With Reference To Climate Change (Photo: Twitter/@narendramodi) WASHINGTON Permanent paid family and medical leave. A $15 minimum wage in some industries. Reforming corporate boards. Expanding consumer travel protections. Those are the long-term reforms that Democrats are trying to braid into a massive coronavirus aid package under negotiation in Congress that could total roughly $800 billion to $1 trillion. The health crisis and Congresss corresponding economic stimulus is likely to have lasting impacts for individuals and businesses. But Democrats in particular are emphasizing that the public health crisis is spotlighting and exacerbating existing weaknesses in the nations social safety net and business fabric. Democrats want to use the emergency to deliver immediate aid as well as systemic change in the way that the Great Depression sparked the New Deal in the 1930s. Some of their proposals would impact American life years after the outbreak recedes if they win Republican support. We do need to have a long-lasting system change to how the economy works so that it works for everyone, said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. Unfortunately, weve seen over the last 20 years income inequality grow and only the top one percent are thriving in this economy. And it has to be fixed. Gillibrand's plan for a permanent paid family and medical leave program funded by a payroll tax is a key pillar of the Democratic plan to respond to the virus. More broadly, among other measures, Senate Democrats stimulus proposal would require all businesses accepting coronavirus aid to provide mandatory sick days and minimum wage for all direct employees, according to a summary of the proposal shared with the caucus Tuesday. It would open up unemployment insurance to the self-employed and gig workers, like ride-share drivers. These provisions are in addition to $400 billion in emergency appropriations to pay for medical supplies, small business loans and other assistance. Senate Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., said the unprecedented nature of the health crisis requires a sweeping response. "I've lived through 9/11," Schumer said. "It occurred in my city. I know people who were lost. I lived through the days of the financial crisis in 2008 and other moments of national urgency, but there's something much worse about this crisis we face. I have never sensed a greater sense of uncertainty, a greater fear of the future, of the unknown." In a divided Congress topped by a Republican president, its unclear that their efforts will win the bipartisan support needed to become law. Republicans were crafting their own nearly $1 trillion coronavirus package Wednesday, including relief for the airline and hotel industries, small business loans and direct cash assistance to Americans an idea that has some bipartisan support. The final package is likely to reflect a combination of the partys proposals. Paid leave Legislation passed by Congress Wednesday required businesses to give employees two weeks of paid sick and up to three months of paid family and medical leave. But companies with 500 or more employees are exempted and small businesses can get exemptions too, meaning millions of Americans might not be covered. The leave is paid up front by employers and then reimbursed to businesses through a tax credit later. Gillibrand and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wa. two states with some of the most severe outbreaks in the nation that would immediately reimburse all employers for coronavirus-related sick days and leave in 2020 and 2021 through the Department of Labor. Democrats do not have an estimate on how much this policy would cost the federal government. In 2022, the legislation would launch a permanent paid family and medical leave program for American workers funded by a payroll tax something DeLauro and Gillibrand have advocated for for years. This legislation is the right answer, Gillibrand insisted Wednesday. The White House rejected a similar leave proposal during negotiations over the second coronavirus bill last week. Democrats tried to pass a version of the legislation as a Senate amendment Wednesday, but that effort failed. Some Republicans support expanding paid leave to cover more businesses than included in the House bill passed Wednesday. U.S. reps. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, Max Rose, D-Saint George, Peter King, R-Seaford, and others wrote to Senate leaders urging them to extend the legislation passed Wednesday to cover larger companies, along with more small business loans and unemployment benefits. Republicans previously raised objections to creating a permanent paid program in coronavirus legislation. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Bail outs Democrats and Republicans also agree that the next coronavirus package is likely to include aid for industries hit hard by the outbreak: airlines, cruise lines and hotels suffering from mass cancellations. President Donald Trump has promised significant help for those industries. Democrats are eager to apply strict limitations to the funds to direct money to workers. "The reason, let's not forget, that many airlines are so short of cash right now is they spent billions on stock buybacks," Schumer said. "Money they should have been saving for a rainy day for their customers and workers." In addition to paying direct employees $15 an hour within a year, Democrats would prohibit companies from using the funds for repurchasing shares, paying dividends or paying executive bonuses within three years of getting the funds. Companies would have to create a seat on their board for a worker representative and Democrats would create a new oversight body to ensure rules are followed. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., sent a letter to Senate leaders Tuesday urging them to include strings that blocks airlines from what he called price gouging, involuntarily denied boarding, shrinking seats, baggage mishandling, and more. Blumenthal also asked that language be added to require cruise ships have doctors on board and bolster medical protocols. In addition to large corporations, Democrats and Republicans agree that the next package must include more small business loans for the many small and mid-size companies that have had to close their doors during the coronavirus crisis. Both parties support billions more in aid so the companies can avoid layoffs and bankruptcy. Small businesses in this country wont be able to survive without extraordinary assistance, said Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fl., who was working on the Republican small business proposal Friday. Temporary individual assistance There is also bipartisan support for more temporary assistance for individuals struggling during the crisis. The Trump administration, along with multiple Republican senators, have said that assistance should come in the form of checks for all adult 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. Six Democrats senators on Wednesday proposed giving every American $2,000 checks immediately and more money quarterly during the crisis. Both parties have supported expanded unemployment benefits during the crisis, as states are already seeing thousands of claims submitted. Updated March 18, 2020, to correct misinformation about citation provided in police report. Jacksonville Police ACCIDENTS Anessa L. Stone, 22, of Jacksonville was cited on a charge of failing to yield after the car she was driving and one being driven by Steven J. Lund, 34, of Jacksonville collided at East College and Hardin avenues at 5:34 p.m. Monday. FIRE The Jacksonville Fire Department was on scene of a fire for roughly an hour and a half at 911 E. College Ave. The fire caused roughly $24,000 in damage after a fire sparked in the stove area. A cat and dog were removed from the home. No injuries were reported. Compiled by David C.L. Bauer and Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree Advertisement The Mariana Trench is the deepest spot in the world's oceans and only a handful of people have been there. But for the first time, travellers are being offered the opportunity to explore its most extreme area - if they have a spare $750,000 (710,000). Isle of Man-based Eyos Expeditions is offering three members of the public the chance to tag along on a dive it's organising to the deepest spot in the Western Pacific trench, known as Challenger Deep - 35,853ft (10,928 metres/6.79 miles) beneath the surface. It is, the company says, the most exclusive destination on the planet. The submersible vehicle called Limiting Factor, which will take three lucky members of the public to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, the deepest spot in the oceans Limiting Factor, pictured, has been pressure tested to 14,000 metres and has already dived to the bottom of the Mariana Trench five times The lucky three travellers will fly to the Pacific island of Guam. From there, they will board the expedition vessel, DSSV Pressure Drop, and spend a day at sea before reaching the Mariana Trench. The expedition, which is set to take place in June, will then use a submersible vehicle called Limiting Factor to dive to the bottom of Challenger Deep. The vehicle has been pressure-tested to 14,000 metres (45,931ft/8.69 miles) and has already dived to the bottom of the Mariana Trench five times. Each guest will get an individual trip. According to Eyos Expeditions, which has teamed up with Caladan Oceanic for the trip, the occupants of the submersible are completely protected by the 90mm-thick titanium sphere and 'experience no pressure changes or physiological stresses at all'. The firm adds: 'Indeed, the inside of the sub is quiet, peaceful and very relaxing. 'The sub has two comfortable seats, three viewports, and hi-definition surround cameras.' Each dive will take up to 14 hours. Expedition leader Rob McCallum, from Eyos Expeditions, who says that the expedition to Mariana Trench is a trip to the 'most exclusive destination on earth' The expedition vessel, Pressure Drop, will take guests from the island of Guam to the Mariana Trench in the Western Pacific The descent takes over four hours. Once at the bottom the group will get to potentially film some of the most extraordinary species on the planet. They will then begin a four-hour ascent back to the surface. Only seven people in the past have ever made it to the bottom of Mariana Trench - one being Hollywood film director James Cameron in 2012. No formal pre-departure training is required, and those taking part will receive a comprehensive shipboard and sub orientation as part of the pre-dive preparations. Rob McCallum, founding partner of Eyos Expeditions, said: 'This is the most exclusive destination on earth. 'Currently, only three manned expeditions have ever been made to the bottom of Challenger Deep and more people have been to the moon than to the bottom of the ocean. Four thousand people have been to Everest and 562 to space - only seven have made it to Challenger Deep. 'This will be a rare and special opportunity to participate in and help fund genuine exploration in the modern age. One of the landers launched before each dive that sends back detailed reports on ocean conditions at depth and acts as a communication and navigation aid 'These three mission specialists joining the expedition will be at the forefront of our continued scientific research into the oceans virtually unknown hadal zone [the ocean below 6,000m/3.72 miles/19,685ft], and demonstrate the power of private travel to advance our understanding of the planet. 'Whilst onboard [the mother vessel], the mission specialists will be fully integrated members of the team and free to work alongside our sonar operator/ocean mappers, submersible technicians, film production team, expedition management and ships officers to gain an insight into the complexities and challenges of hadal exploration. 'Tracking and communicating with the sub is a great way to spend the day, as is the launch and recovery sequence, which is an all hands activity. 'When we are not diving, we relax by taking in a movie, heading to the gym, reading, or heading up to the Sky Bar for a sundowner.' Eyos Expeditions says that every new dive is rehearsed at a full team meeting that draws in the collective expertise of the captain, sonar operator, chief scientist, sub team and the expedition leader On Limiting Factors previous dives to Challenger Deep, both new species and discarded plastic were found The dive is part of a much longer six-month-long Ring of Fire expedition Eyos and Caladan Oceanic are operating. Ben Lyons, Eyos Expeditions CEO, said: 'The Ring of Fire expedition will continue the groundbreaking work of the Five Deeps Expedition (FDE) last year. 'Its collective mission is to verify and test the deepest points possible, collect and analyze scientific samples, and extend humankinds knowledge of the most extreme environment on earth. 'Pressure Drop will further contribute to science with powerful full-ocean-depth sonar - Kongsberg EM-124. It can produce high-resolution 3D maps of the deepest seafloor in order to further our knowledge of the oceans.' The science team - led by Five Deeps veteran Dr. Alan Jamieson from Newcastle University - will deploy landers [robotic submersibles] to collect further biological samples and shoot valuable video footage. This continues the work of the FDE where over 40 new species have already been identified, with this number expected to rise significantly as the samples are processed. The dives will also continue to assess and document environmental impact (including plastic pollution) at the deepest point of the oceans. On the Limiting Factors previous dives to Challenger Deep, both new species and discarded plastic were found. Eyos Expeditions team has cumulatively completed over 1,200 expeditions, and will plan, manage and lead all aspects of the voyage including logistical support, team travel and permits. James Cameron emerges from the one-man submersible Deepsea Challenger after his successful descent to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in 2012 Last year Eyos led a dive to the Titanic in the North Atlantic Ocean to assess how microbial life was eating away at the wreck. But it was reported that a submarine hired by the company struck the legendary ocean liner due to 'intense and highly unpredictable currents'. An Eyos Expedition leader confirmed that there had been contact with the Titanic but said that any damage to the remains would have been minor. Guests interested in joining the Mariana Trench expedition should contact EYOS Expeditions for pricing and full details at info@eyos.com. For more information visit www.eyos.com. EDWARDSVILLE With all but two precincts counted in Madison County, Crystal Uhe had enough of a lead over Susan Jensen to declare victory. With 223 precincts counted at 10 p.m., Uhe led 12,568 to 10,356. I want to say how grateful I am to all the volunteers and supporters who got me here today, Uhe said in a telephone interview. Im excited about the months ahead. On Nov. 3, she will face Republican Tom Haine, the son of former Madison County States Attorney and state Sen. Bill Haine. Uhe, of Edwardsville, is currently the first assistant states attorney for Madison County, supervising the Violent Crimes Division and prosecuting major criminal cases. Jensen was a former first assistant states attorney under Bill Haine. The Democratic states attorneys race was the only contested countywide race. In Madison County Board races, there were two contested Democratic races and one Republican. In the 17th District, former Edwardsville Mayor Gary Niebur overwhelmingly defeated incumbent Victor Valentine Jr., 707-303. Valentine had been appointed to fill the remainder of Ann Gormans term. In District 19, Dina Burch defeated Tammy Davis, 572-400. The two were vying for the seat currently held by Mike Parkinson, D-Granite City, who decided not to run for reelection. The lone contested Republican race was in District 3 where late on Tuesday night former board member William S. Meyer was ahead of incumbent Phil Chapman, R-Highland, 614-372 with one precinct still out. Chapman beat Meyer in 2016. However, Chapman has faced criticism because over his relationship and subsequent lawsuits involving former Madison County Community Development Director Kristen Poshard. In Republican judicial races which include other counties, David K. Overstreet was ahead of John B. Barberis Jr. for the Fifth District seat on the Illinois Supreme Court and Katherine Ruocco was ahead of Mark M. Boie for a seat on the Fifth District Appellate Court. In Madison County ballots, former Vice President easily beat Sen. Bernie Sanders while incumbent President Donald J. Trump overwhelmingly trounced his Republican primary challenger Roque Rocky De La Fuente. In the U.S. Senate race, Madison County Republicans picked Peggy Hubbard in a five-way race to unseat incumbent Democrat Dick Durbin, who was unopposed. Three federal Congressional races included parts of Madison County along with other counties. In the 12th Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Mike Bost was unopposed. Democratic voters in Madison County favored Raymond C. Lenzi over Joel D. Funk, 4,206-4,024. U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis was unopposed in the Republicans 13th Congressional District primary. In Madison County Betsey Dirksen Londrigan was handily beating Stephanie Smith among Democrats. In the 15th Congressional District where long-time incumbent Rep. John Shimkus is retiring, both parties had multiple candidates running. On the Democratic side, Erika C. Weaver was collecting more Madison County ballots than Craig Morton, Kevin Gaither and John W. Hursey Jr. On the Republican side, Mary Miller was drawing more Madison County ballots than Kerry A. Wolff, Darren E. Duncan, and Chuck Ellington. Full unofficial vote results will be available at https://www.co.madison.il.us/departments/county_clerk/elections/election_results.php. VALPARAISO Porter County election officials are encouraging voters to request absentee ballots and vote by mail instead of going to early voting sites as the novel coronavirus pandemic affects everyday life. At this time, we are recommending that voters who are at an increased risk for severe illness consider voting by mail instead of going to an early-voting facility or their polling location on Election Day, Porter County Clerk Jessica Bailey said in a prepared statement. Please request an absentee ballot ASAP. The U.S. Post Office advises that first-class mail turnaround is at least three to five days, and the absentee application must be received by 11:59 p.m. on April 23, Bailey said. Anyone can request an absentee ballot, but Bailey especially encouraged voters 60 and older, those with underlying health conditions (including heart disease, lung disease, diabetes and weakened immune systems) and voters in households with those at an increased risk of contracting COVID-19 to apply for an absentee ballot. Visit porterco.org/absentee, email abs@porterco.org or call 219-465-3485 or 219-465-3398 to request a ballot and vote by mail. The mayor of Baltimore is begging residents to stop shooting one another to allow doctors and nurses to focus on saving coronavirus patients and not gunshot wound victims. In a statement on Wednesday, the Mayor Jack Young said: 'I want to reiterate how completely unacceptable the level of violence is that we have seen recently. 'We will not stand for mass shootings and an increase in crime. 'For those of you who want to continue to shoot and kill people of this city, were not going to tolerate it. 'Were going to come after you and were going to get you. In a statement on Wednesday, the Mayor Jack Young fumed over the ongoing gun violence in Baltimore when the city is trying to prepare to fight coronavirus Seven people were shot in a single night on Tuesday. The motive is unknown 'We cannot clog up our hospitals and their beds with people that are being shot senselessly because were going to need those beds for people infected with the coronavirus. 'And it could be your mother, your grandmother or one of your relatives. So take that into consideration,' he said. Seven people were shot by one person in a neighborhood of the city on Tuesday. The motives is not yet known but CBS Baltimore reports the gunman wore all black and a black ski mask to carry out the shootings. Five needed hospital care and are in a stable condition. The other two who were shot walked into the hospital themselves but did not need treatment. There are also five confirmed cases of coronavirus in Baltimore, but the number is expected to rise drastically as more people are tested around the country. The Navy has deployed two hospital ships - one to New York and one to the West Coast - to alleviate the strain on hospitals by taking in patients with non-coronavirus illnesses. There are now more than 7,000 cases of coronavirus in the US and it is fast spreading; 121 people have died so far The government has also made a plea to retired healthworkers who are able to to come back to the workforce. There are now more than 7,000 cases of coronavirus in the US and 121 people have died. The government's official advice is for people to stay at home, work from home, avoid groups of 10 or more and stay 6ft away from people at all times. They are not implementing a full lock-down like in Italy or France. Instead, they are urging people to take the necessary precautions now in an effort to stop the virus's growth. Along with a shortage of ventilators and hospital beds, there is a severe shortage of medical masks and gloves. Hospitals are now being told to delay all non-essential procedures. 'We need millions of masks, we need ventilators. We have ventilators but we need a lot more,' President Trump said. Vice President Mike Pence said there were 10,000 ventilators in a 'stockpile' currently but that the government had ordered 'thousands more'. A cargo ship called MV Corona has been held off the coast of South Africa today after fears a crew member has coronavirus. The crew member of the unfortunately named cargo ship is suspected to have the virus, and had been on a flight with six other people who then boarded the MV Aidamira, which has now been forced to return to Cape Town. The more than 1,700 passengers and crew have been unable to leave the Italian-flagged ship since Monday, while port authorities tested the six passengers for coronavirus. People wait around on the Aidamira, an Italian registered cruise ship carrying mostly German passengers, as the ship is docked in Cape Town harbour All those tests came back negative, South African Maritime Authority acting Chief Executive Sobantu Tilayi told a news conference today. But maritime officials were still working out how to move the passengers off the liner safely and they would not be moved on Wednesday, he added. The new maritime regulations that came into force on Wednesday prohibit all embarkations and disembarkations from passenger ships at the country's eight sea ports. Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula said no ships would be allowed to unload passengers until further notice but that cargo ships could come and go unhindered. The cruise liner MV AidAmira sits at dock after authorities announced measures due to the outbreak of coronavirus disease 'In essence, there is a total ban on cruise ships,' Mbalula told reporters near Cape Town's cruise terminal, where the AidAmira was docked and some of its passengers were leaning over the rails. A shipping agent who did not want to be identified said two ships carrying passengers were waiting off Cape Town harbour and running low on fuel and supplies. KYODO NEWS - Mar 18, 2020 - 16:15 | Feature, Coronavirus, Japan, All As the spread of the new coronavirus has caused most schools in Japan to close, parents have turned to apps to help in looking after their children and doing household chores. Megumi Takahashi, a 37-year-old care worker in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture, said she has asked neighborhood friend Ayako Sugiyama, 32, to look after her 4-year-old son several times this month through a smartphone app. "It helps me a lot because I can go to work even when the kindergarten is closed," said Takahashi. (Megumi Takahashi (R) and Ayako Sugiyama (center L)) The app, "Kosodate Share," is a platform that allows members who already know each other and their children to look for friends to babysit their children and pick them up or drop them off at a child care facility. It also enables them to exchange toys and clothes. The fee for each task is set at 500 yen ($5) per hour. The app operator AsMama Inc. does not charge any fees to members and provides insurance coverage for children's injuries. For those who do not have friends on the platform, the operator can send trained personnel. [Photo courtesy of AsMama Inc.] There are currently about 73,000 registered members, and AsMama is seeing a tenfold increase in the number of new app members a day since most schools across the country closed from early March in line with a government request to contain the spread of the pneumonia-causing virus, according to the operator. Demand has also grown for "Taskaji," a service run by a company in Tokyo to match people looking for home-cooked meals with cooks. While users usually pay about 1,500 yen to 2,990 yen per hour depending on the cook's skill and experience, the operator Taskaji Inc. temporarily cut the fees by up to 1,000 yen after the school closures started. Anju Ishiyama, 30, secretary general of the Sharing Economy Association in Tokyo, said such platforms are also used widely to support people affected by natural disasters and those living in depopulated areas. "We hope to spread (matching services) as a new infrastructure to bring together people in need and those willing to help," said Ishiyama. Related coverage: Court banquets for Japan's crown prince elevation to be canceled over virus Chartered flight departs for Greece to bring Olympic flame to Japan Virus halves Japan Feb. imports from China, steepest fall since 1986 COLUMBIA Public health officials are activating a drive-thru coronavirus testing site in Camden the area hardest hit by the disease in South Carolina. Details of the plan, including who is providing the tests, will be announced Thursday, but officials told The Post and Courier that a location at the Kershaw County Mental Health Clinic will be operational next week. The site at 2611 Liberty Hill Road will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 23, 25 and 27. Future dates will follow. The state Department of Health and Environmental Control has reported 60 confirmed cases of the virus, with 25 of them coming from the Kershaw County, just east Columbia. Most have come in Camden, a town of 7,200 where it has spread with person-to-person contact. Officials including state Sen. Vincent Sheheen, D-Camden, Kershaw County Council Chairman Julian Burns and Kesha Haynes of the Sandhills Medical Foundation are expected to provide more information at a Thursday morning news conference. Calls have grown for more testing as COVID-19 spreads across the state, reaching 14 counties. Nearly 600 tests have come back negative, state health officials said. WASHINGTON When Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin rushed to the Capitol on Tuesday to pitch Senate Republicans on a $1 trillion coronavirus relief package, the chamber had already moved into crisis mode as lawmakers confronted a growing sense of urgency to act before much of the nation shuts down. Senate Democrats abandoned their weekly policy luncheon for a teleconference, while about four dozen Republicans, joined by Mr. Mnuchin, practiced social distancing by moving their lunch from their usual 80-seat room in the Capitol to one across the street that seats 200. Instead of 10 senators at each table, there were five. The buffet line was gone; gloved servers dished out tuna, egg salad and chicken. Despite public health officials pleas to employers to keep their workers at home, the Senate whose members include a high volume of septuagenarians and octogenarians considered particularly vulnerable to coronavirus has continued to meet. One reason is that lawmakers are rushing to pass legislation to provide relief to workers and businesses. Another is that they are reluctant to shutter the Capitol, a potent symbol in the United States and around the world of a functioning government in trying times. But on Wednesday, they received a sobering reminder of the risks. Representative Mario Diaz-Balart, Republican of Florida, and Representative Ben McAdams, Democrat of Utah, became the first members of Congress to discover they were infected with the coronavirus. The House is on recess, but the Senate soldiered on. Information reaching the front desk of ghlinks.com.gh indicates that personnel from the Ashanti Regional Police Command of the Ghana Police Service have effected the arrest of the Head Pastor of Open Arms Ministry, based in North Suntreso, Kumasi. Hello FM's Samson Kwame Nyamekye told Kwame Sefa Kayi, host of Peace FM's Kokrokoo that the head pastor had congregated the members at the church in flagrant disregard for the Presidents directive banning gatherings and groupings of more than 25 people. Samson Kwame Nyamekye also reports that there was near physical confrontation between members of the church and the personnel from the Police, but for the professionalism and preparedness of the personnel, it would have degenerated into something else. Stay tuned for updates as and when they come in. Watch Video Of His Arrest Below The global biostimulants market is expected to post a CAGR of more than 12% during the period 2020-2024, according to the latest market research report by Technavio. Request a free sample report This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005482/en/ Technavio has published a latest market research report titled Global Biostimulants Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) Biostimulants are widely used in the form of vermicompost, composted urban waste, protein hydrolysate, and chitin/chitosan derivates in organic farming. This is because biostimulants improve the quality and yield of crops and also enhance productivity. With the growing consumer demand for organic and healthy food products, farmers are increasingly adopting organic farming practices. This is increasing the demand for biostimulants, which is driving the growth of the global biostimulants market. 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=IRTNTR40738 As per Technavio, the reduction in arable land will have a positive impact on the market and contribute to its growth significantly over the forecast period. This research report also analyzes other important trends and market drivers that will affect market growth over 2020-2024. Global Biostimulants Market: Reduction in Arable Land Rapid industrialization and urbanization have led to the reduction of arable land across the world. Moreover, inappropriate agricultural practices and deforestation have further reduced the fertility of available arable land. During the forecast period, the demand for food is expected to increase significantly with the expanding global population. This is expected to increase the use of biostimulants to improve crop yield and meet the growing requirement for food. Therefore, the reduction of arable land across the world will have a positive impact on the growth of the biostimulants market. "Global initiatives to improve agricultural output and upcoming regulations on biostimulants will further boost market growth during the forecast period", says a senior analyst at Technavio. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Global Biostimulants Market: Segmentation Analysis This market report segments the global biostimulants marketbygeography (APAC, Europe, MEA, North America, and South America), product (acid-based, extract-based, and others), crop type (raw crops and cereals, fruits and vegetables, turfs and ornaments, and others) and application (foliar, soil, and seed). The European region led the market in 2019, followed by APAC, North America, South America, and MEA respectively. During the forecast period, Europe will register a maximum incremental growth due to the rise in the production of fruits and vegetables in the region. Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report, such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Request a free sample report Some of the key topics covered in the report include: Market Landscape Market ecosystem Market characteristics Market segmentation analysis Market Sizing Market definition Market size and forecast Five Forces Analysis Market Segmentation Customer Landscape Geographical Segmentation Geographic comparison Key leading countries Market Drivers Market Challenges Market Trends Vendor Landscape Landscape disruption Competitive scenario Vendor Analysis Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors About Technavio 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/20200318005482/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: https://www.technavio.com/ China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page Could Mercury's close orbit around the sun help the planet generate ice? It sounds like a paradox, but new analysis of the planet's surface chemistry suggests that heat-generated ice may indeed be the case. Even though daytime temperatures on Mercury soar to 750 degrees Fahrenheit (400 degrees Celsius), ice can occur in craters sheltered from the sun. There, the surface is exposed to cold space at about minus 330 F (minus 200 C). Video: Ice on Mercury How does it form? Related: Photos of Mercury from NASA's Messenger spacecraft We've known about this ice for almost a decade thanks to observations from NASA's now-defunct MESSENGER (Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging) spacecraft. But the explanation for how some of the ice got there, chemically speaking, remains under investigation. A new study shows how water can collect on the surface even amid these extremely hot temperatures. Despite Mercury's extreme heat, there is permanent ice at the planet's poles, according to data and images from NASA's MESSENGER probe, which visited Mercury in 2011. (Image credit: NASA/MESSENGER) "This is not some strange, out-of-left-field idea. The basic chemical mechanism has been observed dozens of times in studies since the late 1960s," Brant Jones, a researcher in Georgia Tech's School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the lead author of the new study, said in a statement. "But that was on well-defined surfaces. Applying that chemistry to complicated surfaces like those on a planet is groundbreaking research." The minerals on Mercury's surface contain groups of bonded oxygen and hydrogen atoms known as hydroxyls. Protons from the solar wind (the constant stream of charged particles from the sun) are common on the planet's surface, since there is not enough of a magnetic field to repel the particles. Billions of tons of water ice hides in frozen pits at the north pole of the hot planet Mercury. (Image credit: Karl Tate, Space.com contributor) This study's model suggests that the magnetic field can cause protons (positively charged subatomic particles) to migrate across Mercury, so the protons can then implant themselves in the soil and the hydroxyl groups. The sun's searing heat energizes the hydroxyl groups, causing them to crash into each other. These collisions create water (which is also made from hydrogen and oxygen, just in different proportions), as well as freeing up extra hydrogen that leaves the surface and drifts above Mercury. As for the water molecules, some of them get broken down by sunlight and dissolve into their elemental components. Other water molecules escape from the surface and fly into space. However, a few water molecules escape these fates and instead land on the poles of Mercury, making it into permanently shadowed craters. And there, the molecules can stay, since Mercury has no substantial atmosphere that would further affect the water molecules by conducting heat, for example. While this sounds like a subtle process, over time, the water ice would add up. The model suggests that in 3 million years, Mercury would accumulate 11 trillion tons (nearly 10 trillion metric tons) of water ice, which is roughly 10% of the observed ice on the planet. Other ice may have arrived from small worlds such as asteroids, comets and meteorites. "It's a little like the song 'Hotel California.' The water molecules can check in to the shadows, but they can never leave," study principal investigator Thomas Orlando, who studies electron- and proton-induced surface chemistry at Georgia Tech, said in the statement. Georgia Tech researchers Thom Orlando (left) and Brant Jones modeled a chemical reaction in which the Vulcan heat on Mercury could help create ice at the planet's poles. The two researchers are also engineering this type of chemical reaction in the lab to propose it as a method for making water for future crewed missions to the moon and to Mars. (Image credit: Rob Felt/Georgia Tech) Mercury is not alone in having ice on its surface, as water ice has also been discovered on the moon and on small worlds such as asteroids and comets. These locations may have variations in water deposition, however. "The process in our model would not be anywhere near as productive on the moon. For one, there's not enough heat to significantly activate the chemistry," Jones said. A study based on the research was published Monday (March 16) in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. Russian communications watchdog warns about liability for fake coronavirus news pixabay.com 15:38 18/03/2020 MOSCOW, March 18 (RAPSI) Russias communications agency Roskomnadzor has warned mass media and Internet resources about legal liability for distribution of fake reports about coronavirus. Recently, the number of fake news about the infection has increased, the watchdogs press service reports. Roskomnadzor monitors all mass media, social networks, video hosting platforms around-the-clock for fake news provoking public concern. The watchdog also cooperates with law enforcement and prosecutors on this matter in order to immediately and effectively response all detected cases of such violations, the statement reads. Violators would face penalties including fines, website blocking and even decertification. Stormont will not hold back on allocating funds for an emergency package to help tackle the coronavirus crisis, the Finance Minister has said. Conor Murphy said a three-month rates holiday for businesses announced on Tuesday was only the first measure in a series of forthcoming steps. Mr Murphy said he expected that grants of up to 25,000 being offered to businesses in England would be available to companies in Northern Ireland. Its not a question of holding back and being prudent, there is an emergency happening all around us and it needs an emergency response and we will direct whatever resource we get at it, he said. Testing has resulted in six new positive cases in Northern Ireland, bringing the total number to 68. The total number of tests completed is 1,482. Mr Murphys comments come as hundreds of jobs continue to be lost in the region amid an unprecedented wave of businesses closing down. Executive ministers, health chiefs and emergency services are among those attending a meeting of Northern Irelands Civil Contingencies Group to discuss the crisis on Wednesday. Just finished todays Civil Contingencies Group. Working collectively to be prepared for what is coming down the tracks. Doing everything possible to protect people. We cant do it alone. Our preparations will only be effective if we all work together. Arlene Foster #ProudofNI. (@ArleneFosterUK) March 18, 2020 First Minister Arlene Foster tweeted: Working collectively to be prepared for what is coming down the tracks. Doing everything possible to protect people. We cant do it alone. Our preparations will only be effective if we all work together. Economy minister Diane Dodds has expressed hope a financial package could be unveiled by the close of Wednesday. I hope that by the end of today we will be able to announce measures that we want to take in relation to the economy, she told BBC Radio Ulster. At Minister Dodds meeting with business leaders today she said money from Chancellor must be ringfenced for the needs of local businesses and communities. pic.twitter.com/UPm1R7J0CR Economy NI (@Economy_NI) March 17, 2020 We now know this money is coming. Its a significant amount of money and we need to be sure there is that mixture of loans at the national level, that we have the rates relief, that we have additional help for businesses that will help us alleviate some of the pressure in a very, very difficult situation and a very fast changing situation. Mr Murphy accused the UK Government of a dangerously slow response to the crisis and said Stormont had been in limbo waiting for confirmation of the money being made available by Treasury. Northern Ireland is receiving 640 million as part of the 350 billion package announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak on Tuesday. The Executive had already received an additional allocation of around 200 million in last weeks budget. I am glad the British Government are finally waking up to both health realities and the economic realities in terms of the severity of the issues that are facing us, Mr Murphy told Radio Ulster. He acknowledged that a priority was to help companies struggling to pay staff wages. (PA Graphics) Meanwhile, pressure continues to mount on Stormonts Education minister Peter Weir to close the regions schools. Several schools have been denied permission for exceptional closures by the Department of Education. Many are using their allocation of discretionary closure days to close their doors to pupils anyway. The five main teaching unions have written to Mr Weir asking him to set a date for closures. In the Irish Republic, schools have been closed since Friday. In Belfast High Court on Wednesday afternoon, a Co Armagh mother whose daughter has a respiratory condition has adjourned a legal challenge against the decision to keep schools open. (Photo : Thor Deichmann from Pixabay) EU healthcare regulators have said that there is no evidence that taking ibuprofen worsens COVID-19. Amid the panic and fear due to the coronavirus pandemic, experts have finally shed some light on the confusion regarding taking NSAIDs like ibuprofen for the concern that it will worsen COVID-19 symptoms, which is brought by the novel coronavirus. Ibuprofen is safe to use! According to The Straits Time, the European Union's healthcare regulator has confirmed that there is currently no evidence that can back up the claims that taking anti-inflammatory medicines, such as ibuprofen, could worsen COVID-19. Nevertheless, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is closely monitoring the situation. They have said that healthcare professionals, as well as patients, should be considering every treatment option available, including paracetamol and other anti-inflammatory medicines to treat symptoms associated with the novel coronavirus disease. "In line with EU national treatment guidelines, patients and healthcare professionals can continue using NSAIDs (like ibuprofen) as per the approved product information," the EMA said. With that, patients are advised to take the drug on the lowest dose possible for a short amount of time. This is particularly important for patients who are required to take ibuprofen for chronic illnesses. Don't stop taking ibuprofen unless suggested by experts As per the Irish Times, there is no reason to stop taking NSAIDs like ibuprofen despite the alarming rate of coronavirus infections, unless patients have seen a doctor and are suggested not to take them anymore. According to Metro, a frontline NHS doctor said that many patients in the UK that require these anti-inflammatory drugs, such as rheumatoid patients, are denied pain relief. It's even worrying as they were not yet tested due to the lack of testing in the country. ALSO READ: Maker of $11,000 Ventilator Valves Threaten to Sue Volunteers Using $1 3D-Printed Replicas That Just Saved 10 Coronavirus Patients! Additionally, NHS officials have also issued clear advice on the matter, stating that although there is no evidence showing ibuprofen worsens the situation, patients should turn to paracetamol as their first choice in treating fever and pain associated with the coronavirus disease. "Take paracetamol to treat the symptoms of Coronavirus, unless your doctor has told you it's not suitable for you," NHS suggests. Confusion over ibuprofen TechTimes have previously reported that United Kingdom health officials have already declared ibuprofen as harmful. However, French health minister Olivier Veran said otherwise. Additionally, a father of a four-year-old girl has also gone viral after sharing his sentiments about the medicine, saying it aggravated his daughter's symptoms and induced shaking, panting, and vomiting. After that, people began getting confused about whether to take it or not for fear of worsening any symptoms related to the coronavirus outbreak. Don't believe everything on social media Chris Morris, a BBC fact-checking correspondent, issued a warning to scammers and hoaxers that are spreading fake news about the coronavirus pandemic through social media and pretending to quote prestigious institutions about ibuprofen and its negative effect on COVID-19. Morris also advised the people that when they are in doubt, they should check the NHS website and know what the government is saying. He also encouraged people to check reputable media outlets for relevant news, and to "stop believing everything you read on social media." As of writing, there are currently more than 212,000 cases of confirmed COVID-19 patients globally, with over 8,700 deaths. ALSO READ: CORONAVIRUS CURE UPDATE: 'We're Already There,' Says Australian Scientist on Creating COVID-19 Cure 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Lord Alan Sugar has urged Piers Morgan to 'self-isolate' after his Good Morning Britain co-host Susanna Reid put herself in quarantine due to COVID-19 symptoms in her household. The Apprentice star, 72, took to Twitter on Tuesday to point out that Susanna, 49, had been in contact with Piers, 54, as they filmed their ITV chatshow on Monday. Lord Sugar tweeted: 'If @susannareid100 may have corona passed on from her son. Does it not follow that as she has been in contact with @piersmorgan he should be in isolation also.' 'Self-isolate': Lord Alan Sugar has urged Piers Morgan to 'self-isolate' after his Good Morning Britain co-host Susanna Reid put herself in quarantine due to COVID-19 symptoms in her household It comes after Susanna revealed that she is self-isolating at her London home after a member of her household developed symptoms akin to those displayed by coronavirus COVID-19 carriers. The Good Morning Britain presenter, who featured on Mondays edition of the show alongside Piers, will not return while she adopts the precautionary measure laid out by the World Health Organisation. 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. Lord Sugar tweeted: 'If @susannareid100 may have corona passed on from her son. Does it not follow that as she has been in contact with @piersmorgan he should be in isolation also.' Absent: It comes after Susanna revealed that she is self-isolating at her London home after a member of her household developed symptoms akin to those displayed by coronavirus COVID-19 carriers (pictured on Monday's GMB) 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.' While on Tuesday, Susanna Skyped in from home during an episode of Good Morning Britain. She took part in the show via video call to join her co-star Piers as he joked she was self-isolating 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. 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 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. Working from home: Susanna called in from home during Tuesday's episode of Good Morning Britain, as Piers joked she was self-isolating to avoid him 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.' Susanna's admission on Monday 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 admission on Monday 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 Mondays 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. The title page read, The Federal Metropolis, or: The Story of a Century. And the preface began: One hundred and three years have now passed away since the law was adopted by Congress, looking to the establishment of the Federal metropolis on the banks of the river Potomac. It is this fact which has induced the writer to try and prepare a volume that might be in keeping with the event in question, and of interest to the lovers of historic lore. BEIJING - At least 13 American journalists stand to be expelled from China in retaliation for a new limit imposed by the Trump administration on visas for Chinese state-owned media operating in the U.S. The Chinese government announced Wednesday that Americans working at three major U.S. newspapers would have to surrender their press cards within 10 days. They will all but certainly have to leave the country, as their visas are tied to their media credentials. The number of affected journalists at the three papers the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post is at least 13 and could be higher depending on how broadly the group is defined, said the Foreign Correspondents Club of China, or FCCC. It would be by far the largest expulsion of foreign journalists from China in recent memory. There are no winners in the use of journalists as diplomatic pawns by the worlds two preeminent economic powers, the FCCC said in a statement. The U.S. announced earlier this month that five state-controlled Chinese media outlets would be restricted to 100 visas, the de facto expelling of about 60 journalists. It cited increasingly harsh surveillance, harassment and intimidation of American and other foreign journalists working in China. The Chinese outlets employ about 160 Chinese citizens in the U.S. and include the official Xinhua News Agency and China Global Television Network, the overseas arm of state broadcaster CCTV. The foreign ministry announcement said that American citizens working for the three newspapers with credentials expiring this year must surrender their press cards within 10 days. They will also be barred from working in the semi-autonomous territories of Hong Kong and Macao, the ministry said. Until this announcement, China had expelled nine foreign journalists since 2013, the FCCC said. The dramatic step, which shocked foreign journalists in China, is the latest retaliatory move in a series of disputes between the two governments. They remain enmeshed in a tariff and trade war despite a recent truce and have traded angry words over the coronavirus pandemic that first emerged in China and has spread worldwide. Chinese state media published editorials after the foreign ministry announcement blaming the U.S. side. The impact of the U.S. move will not be limited to the field of media, but will create negative overall effects and new uncertainties to the relationship, the ruling Communist Partys Peoples Daily newspaper said in an editorial. 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 ... were part of Chinese propaganda outlets, he said. 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 Peoples Daily editorial said Chinese reporters in America have always adhered to U.S. laws and regulations, journalistic ethics and the principles of objectivity, fairness, truth and accuracy. Editors of all three American newspapers condemned the Chinese action. Dean Baquet, executive editor of The New York Times, said it was 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, he said, referring to the coronavirus pandemic. ___ Associated Press Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee in Washington and Media Writer David Bauder in New York contributed to this report. CLEVELAND, Ohio Less than two weeks after Ohio got the ability to test for the coronavirus, there are 88 confirmed cases in the state, as of Wednesday afternoon. That number increases daily as more people are tested. Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton has estimated that 100,000 Ohioans already have the virus and on Wednesday said we may never know how many people actually contract it. We have to assume it is among us, Acton said Wednesday during the governors daily news conference. Right now, the Clinic and UH combined can test about 1,500 people per day. MetroHealth began testing Tuesday but hasnt shared its capacity. On Tuesday night, the Clinic announced it would reserve testing only for patients at the highest risk, which includes those in the hospital and patients 61 and older with a doctors order for the test, to preserve a limited supply of Italian-manufactured testing swabs, it said. At MetroHealth, tests also are being reserved for hospitalized patients who are critically ill. Do not be afraid if you cannot get a test, Acton said, encouraging people to self-quarantine if they exhibit symptoms. Acton said 80% of people will be fine and that those with symptoms should reach out to medical personnel if their condition becomes severe. COVID-19 is a respiratory illness with symptoms including fever, cough and shortness of breath. It has sickened thousands and killed 7,400 globally, according to the World Health Organization. There is not yet a vaccine for COVID-19, nor are there any medications approved to treat it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Plain Dealer reporters Julie Washington and Rachel Dissell contributed to this story. Latest COVID-19 statistics, as of 1 p.m. Wednesday: Countries, territories and areas with confirmed cases: 151 U.S. states reporting cases: 50 and Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and U.S. Virgin Islands Total cases in U.S.: 7,038 Total deaths in U.S.: 97 Worldwide information is from the WHO, and U.S. numbers are from the CDC. Read more coronavirus coverage: Scarcity, health care rationing and coronavirus How and where to get tested for coronavirus Childcare centers, parents grapple with tough choices Acts of kindness amid coronavirus pandemic Workers at highest risk Health care workers, whats it like handling coronavirus cases? Hudson mom shares brutal encounter with coronavirus Ohioans adjust to coronavirus Coronavirus in Ohio nursing homes The Washington Post is providing this news free to all readers as a public service. Follow this story and more by signing up for national breaking news email alerts. The Coronavirus scare had people running to the supermarkets and grocery stores and stockpiling, or hoarding, on items like faces masks, hand sanitisers and, of course, rolls and rolls of toilet paper. There were fights inside the stores over toilet papers. Photos of empty racks of toilet paper inside supermarkets went viral. Countries like the United States and United Kingdom depend heavily on the washroom essential, unlike India where water is used to clean up after doing one's business. With that, it seems like Americans are finally discovering the Indian way of cleaning up. Adaption in times of toilet paper shortage may start a lifestyle change as people might switch to bidets. Chicago-bases 28-year-old Xack Brame recently tweeted a photograph of his new bidet on Twitter. Yall, imbeciles: buying toilet paper in bulk, he jokes in the tweet. Us, intellectuals: bought a bidet. Actor and comedian Vir Das, in an appreciation post on Instagram, posted the image of a bidet and called it the unsung hero. In a world hoarding toilet paper, lets take a moment to appreciate the unsung hero, he wrote with the image. Toilet paper emerged as the topmost stockpiling target for people after they panicked that the spread of the coronavirus epidemic will lead to supply shortages. Recently, the police in the northwestern US state of Oregon urged citizens worried about the coronavirus pandemic not to call 911 if they run out of toilet paper. The novel coronavirus prompted panic buying across much of the US, and overseas, with items including hand sanitiser, mineral water and toilet paper frequently disappearing from supermarket shelves. The surge in purchase of toilet papers also resulted in scuffles between people, compelling cops to intervene. (With agency inputs) Image: IANS With the deadly coronavirus triggering worldwide panic and forcing governments to carry out preventive measures, a shop in Kerala's Muvattupuzha town has managed to attract attention for a different reason. Located at a distance of 40 km from Kochi, the name of this quaint shop is 'Corona', which explains its new-found popularity. Pareed's shop sells cloth materials and stitches garments. Track this blog for the latest updates on coronavirus outbreak A News18 report quoting IANS stated that the name of the shop has earned the owner the moniker 'Corona Pareed'. 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 "Many people want to take a selfie with me; some just look at me and smile Several persons who pass by my shop in their vehicles, pop their heads out to take another glance," he said. When the 'Corona Textiles' owner was asked why he chose this name for his establishment, he said: "I looked up the dictionary and took a liking for this word." He is, however, aware of the impact of the deadly coronavirus and he has kept a bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer at the entrance of his shop for use. India's first confirmed case of COVID-19 was from Kerala. Although the person has recovered, the total number of Coronavirus positive cases in the state stands at 27 now. Bombshell statement: Aged care nurse Kirston Okpegbue after giving evidence at the William Tyrrell inquest A nurse has made a bombshell statement to the inquest into William Tyrrell's disappearance, telling how a dying man made a chilling confession with his head rested on her shoulder. The coronial inquest into the little boy's suspected abduction from his foster grandmother's home in September 2014 has been rocked by sensational evidence from Port Macquarie aged care nurse Kirston Okpegbue. In a statement released by the court overnight, Ms Okpegbue, 44, described how Ray Porter approached her in the corridor of the Uniting Mingaletta aged care home in Port Macquarie, NSW during a medication drop one morning in April 2019. Mr Porter told her he had 'picked up his best mate', known as Frank, from Kendall School and 'from there they drove 300km' north, the inquest has been told. It was not explicitly said that Mr Porter was referring to Frank Abbott - a convicted paedophile who lived in a caravan not far from where William vanished, and who the inquest has recently focused upon. But the inquest heard Mr Porter only spoke of two friends - one known as "Frank" - and that Mr Porter and Abbott were fishing buddies. Ms Okpegbue reported her startling conversation to her supervisor, later to her facility manager, and then to the police. Below, Ms Okpegbue details just what happened in a police statement tendered to the NSW Coroner's Court: The inquest has focused on convicted paedophile Frank Abbott in recent weeks. Daily Mail Australia revealed he was arrested in prison for questioning in late November 2019 'I felt his presence behind me': Extract from nurses's bombshell William Tyrrell statement In the morning on either a Tuesday or Thursday I was doing the medications rounds with Uniting Mingaletta. This basically involves me distributing medications to the residents we care for. This morning medication round commences at 7.15am and usually takes about 45 minutes. On this particular morning I had completed several medications drops and I was walking in an area called the Long Corridor of the Kippara wing. 'About half way along the Long Corridor I felt the presence of someone standing behind me. 'I turned around and saw the patient I know as Ray Porter standing close by. Ms Okpegbue drew police this diagram of the 'Long Corridor' where she and Mr Porter had a conversation in April 2019 'Whilst we were standing there, Ray placed his head down and rested it on my right shoulder. We then had the following conversation: He said: 'Where have you been?' Little boy lost: William Tyrrell, three, vanished from his foster grandmother's home at Kendall on September 12, 2014 I said: 'I have been on days off' He said: 'I have been waiting for you to come back, because you have one of the faces I can trust. I don't want to talk anymore. I have had enough of these people coming up to talk to me'. (Whilst Ray said this, I believed he was talking about members of his family) I said: 'What are you talking about?' He said: 'I don't want any more visitors' I said: 'If there are people that you don't want to visit you, you can just let us know and we can make another time for them to come.' He said: 'I didn't do anything wrong, all I did was give my best mate and the boy a lift?' I said: 'Who?' He said: 'The boy that went missing down in Kendall?' I said: 'Are you talking about William Tyrrell?' He said: 'Yes'. During the conversation I saw that Ray appeared to be down and distressed. I noticed his eyes were also watery and he was resting his head on my shoulder. Ms Okpegbue outside Taree Local Court, after giving evidence to the inquest into the little boy's disappearance 'After the conversation stopped, I saw that Ray walked back up to his room and I continued with his medication rounds'. 'Whilst I was doing my rounds I kept thinking about the conversation I had just had with Ray. 'I remember I was confused about what I should do next. I was thinking should I go back into his room and ask him more questions about what he said, or should I just report it to my supervisor .... 'I went straight to the nurse's station and informed my shift supervisor Carol .... 'At 11.30am I completed the lunchtime medication rounds which involved me going back into Ray's room. I did not have any further conversations with him. 'During the rest of the shift I did not have any further contact or conversations with Ray. I did however note that Ray did not leave his room for the rest of the day. Search for William: Police search a woodpile near where Frank Abbott once lived last August 'It's difficult to tell if this is strange behaviour or not because Ray does tend to just stay in his room most days .... 'On Thursday the 18 July 2019 I was working at Uniting Mingaletta in the Ashdown Ring. 'I was approached by another nurse named Robyn Seymour. Robyn said, 'have you heard that police have been trying to get a confession out of Ray before he passes about the missing boy William Tyrrell? 'I told Robyn I had not heard anything about this. After Robyn said this though it immediately triggered the conversation I had with Ray two and a half or three months ago. 'I then told Robyn about my conversation with Ray and she told me I needed to tell someone about it. 'A short time later I was called into the office (by her supervisor)... (I was told) I would have to talk with the police about this conversation.' The William Tyrrell inquest will be adjourned to a later date after hearing evidence on Wednesday, due to the COVID-19 crisis. By Geoffrey Smith Investing.com -- Europes economy is grinding to a halt because of the coronavirus, and theres little telling when it will start up again. Volkswagen (DE:VOWG_p), the worlds biggest auto maker and the biggest private-sector employer across the continent, said it will suspend production this week at plants in Italy, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain and will shut down the rest of its factories across Europe in due course. The shutdown is initially planned to run for two weeks. The measures dont come as much of a surprise, given that Germany, like other countries in Europe, is imposing increasingly severe restrictions on all walks of daily life. The move will be felt along the length of one of the worlds most extensive supply chains, a stark illustration of how the virus is freezing economic activity. 2020 is a very difficult year, chief executive Herbert Diess told a press conference as he unveiled the companys annual results. The corona pandemic presents us with unknown operational and financial challenges. At the same time, there are concerns about sustained economic impacts. VW like many others isnt giving guidance for 2020, citing the extreme lack of visibility created by Covid-19. VW and the other big-name German car brands can typically rely on extensive support from the German state when they run into trouble. Its usually their suppliers that end up taking most of the strain from temporary collapsed in demand. VWs preferred stock was down a relatively modest 3.5% by 5:50 AM ET (0950 GMT), while those of its biggest suppliers, such as were all down by more. Schaeffler stock fell 9.9%, Hella stock fell by 5.7% and Continental stock fell by 3.6%, all anticipating similar shutdowns by Daimler (DE:DAIGn) and BMW (MI:BMW). The benchmark Dax index was down 1.7%, while the Stoxx 600 was down 2.0%, spooked by short-selling bans in France, Spain and Italy. VW preferred stock is now down 47% for the year to date and trades at a trailing price-earnings ratio of 3.65. However, such traditional value metrics have temporarily lost any meaning as investors refuse to take on risk at any price. Story continues The shame for VW is that it entered 2020 in relatively good shape, having made decent progress in ramping up output of electric vehicles and meeting new emissions regulations, and having avoided a hard Brexit. Revenue rose 4.5% to 88.4 billion euros ($97 billion) while underlying operating profit rose 19% to 3.8 billion euros. Nice numbers, but for now at least utterly irrelevant. The only thing matters for the foreseeable future is how long those billions of euros of capital invested in VWs fixed assets are shut, and to what extent the government, lenders and the European Central Bank will share the burden of keeping its workforce idle. And that is a question that applies, mutatis mutandis, across the whole of the European economy. Related Articles European stock market rebound fizzles as virus damage grows Stocks shaky after worst Wall Street crash since 1987 'Single biggest shock': Aviation battles coronavirus cash crunch 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. Cairo, March 18 : Egypt on Wednesday reported two more coronavirus deaths taking its toll to six, as virus cases began to be reported across Africa, which has so far been spared the brunt of the disease, reports said. Egypt currently has 196 confirmed cases, the BBC reported. Tunisia, which has 24 cases and over 2,000 recent travellers in self-quarantine, has imposed a curfew 12 hours a day to try to curb the disease's spread. In South Africa, where there are 116 cases so far, over 1,700 people are confined in a cruise ship of Cape Town after six people with symptoms were taken ashore for testing. Kenya confirmed three more cases of coronavirus, bringing the total to seven. Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe said all the cases are people who arrived from outside. Tanzania's Zanzibar has confirmed its first case of coronavirus, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said. The East African country currently has reported three cases. Burkina Faso has announced its first death from Covid-19, with authorities identifying the deceased as a diabetic woman aged 62. The West African nation has confirmed 26 cases. The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Ghana has increased to seven, but authorities said that all were recovering. Nigeria has placed a travel ban on people coming from 13 countries worst affected by coronavirus as five new cases were recorded in the continent's most-populous nation. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) A stimulus could soon put cash in American pockets, New York might consider a shelter in place order, and idled NBA star Kevin Durant says he has tested positive as the coronavirus once again dominated the global landscape Tuesday, with deaths in the U.S. surpassing the 100 mark. President Donald Trump, speaking at the White House, promised to help thousands of workers facing furloughs and layoffs. Among options being considered: $1,000 checks to almost all adult Americans, he said. Trump urged everyone to remain vigilant stay at home as much as possible, limit gatherings to 10 people for at least two more weeks. "We have to fight that invisible enemy, I guess unknown, but we are getting to know it quickly," Trump said. "One day we will be standing up here and be saying, 'Well, we won.'" Ohioans were not going to the polls Tuesday because of coronavirus concerns, but voting was taking place in Arizona, Florida and Illinois. And the up-and-down Dow, overwhelmingly down in recent days, rose more than 1,000 points most of the gain occurring as Trump spoke. The roll call of massive isolation zones continued to grow, and the nation was slowly absorbing Trump's warning that restrictions could stretch into July or August. The U.S. death toll hit 114, and there are more than 6,400 confirmed cases, according to the Johns Hopkins University data dashboard. More cases are expected in the coming days as the government ramps up testing. Worldwide, more than 7,900 people have been killed by the virus. Our live blog on the coronavirus is being updated throughout the day. Refresh for the latest news. More headlines: Story continues Donald Trump's 'big, bold' stimulus could checks soon be in the mail? Trump and Mnuchin say they are considering legislation that would include sending checks to most adult Americans to help them through the economic devastation of coronavirus disruptions. "We're looking at sending checks to Americans immediately," Mnuchin said at a news conference Tuesday. He said all measures being considered are "stuff that needs to be done now. This is no fault to American workers. For medical reasons, we are shutting down parts of the country." Trump said Mnuchin and lawmakers were working on a "big, bold" package. Mnuchin has been pressing for a $850 billion stimulus plan that includes relief for small businesses and the struggling airline industry. Nevada orders all casinos, other nonessential businesses, closed In Nevada, Gov. Steve Sisolak ordered the statewide shutdown of all casinos and other nonessential businesses starting noon Wednesday. The states latest coronavirus containment effort will apply to all bars, gyms, beauty salons, barber shops, malls and restaurants that do not provide takeout and delivery services. Sisolak said in a Tuesday press conference that casinos and hotels will be given time to remove their guests before closing for 30 days. Retail malls and stores will also be mothballed for a month. Gaming machines are to be emptied and shut down by midnight. Some of Nevadas largest casino companies among them MGM Resorts, Wynn Resorts and Las Vegas Sands voluntarily shuttered their properties earlier this week. But Tuesday's order effectively closes the remaining casino-related business and others that had not voluntarily closed. My ultimate goal here is to come together as Nevadans to save lives, he told reporters in Las Vegas. That requires aggressive strategies aimed at limiting community spread. -- Reno Gazette Journal New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio pondering shelter-in-place order New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said hes weighing a citywide lockdown that allows residents to leave their homes only for basic needs such as food and medicines. "I think that all New Yorkers should be prepared right now for the possibility of a shelter-in-place order, de Blasio said in a Tuesday news conference, adding that he expects to decide in the next 48 hours. However, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said it's up to the state to issue such an order, and he has no intention of doing so at the time. Theres not going to be any quarantine, Cuomo said on Spectrum News. "No one is going to lock you in your home. No one is going to tell you you can't leave the city. That's not going to happen.'' Kansas becomes first to cancel in-person teaching for school year Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced Tuesday that she was canceling in-person K-12 school and classes for the remainder of the school year, but that students would continue online learning. The decision is the first of its kind by any state in the nation. More than a dozen states have canceled traditional classes for two or three weeks, but none so far has stopped in-person teaching for the rest of the academic year. A task force of 40 educators was preparing to deliver guidelines for Kansas school districts by Wednesday night. Challenges include child care, delivery of meals, and alternative instruction for urban and rural school kids who lack devices or quality internet access. Lockdowns, restrictions sweep nation New York would not be the first major city to impose a lockdown. On Tuesday, six counties in the San Francisco Bay Area -- including its namesake city -- began a three-week period when all residents are required to stay home except for essential activities. Those include visiting the grocery store or pharmacy, taking pets outside and exercising outdoors, though while maintaining a six-foot social distance. Other counties around the country, including some in Pennsylvania and Colorado, face similar restrictions. The Bay Area orders affect nearly 7 million residents and resulted in normally bustling streets and commercial areas looking largely empty, except those with supermarkets. Those shops, drug stores, banks and gas stations remain open, along with other essential government functions and businesses. Gyms and bars are closed, and restaurants can only serve food for takeout or delivery. California Gov. Gavin Newsom shut down restaurants for seated dining, allowing only for drive-thru, pick-up or other delivery options. Florida was the latest state to order all bars and nightclubs to closed, effective at 5 p.m. Tuesday. Gov. Ron DeSantis also recommended that all restaurants reduce capacity by 50% and distance tables to provide six feet of separation between groups of diners. Canned water only on Southwest Airlines flights, starting Wednesday Southwest Airlines is suspending traditional drink service on its flights to limit interactions between flight attendants and passengers during the coronavirus crisis. The new policy takes effect Wednesday. Southwest, the nation's largest domestic carrier, will offer only unopened cans of water to passengers requesting a drink on most flights. The airline will still serve pretzels and, on longer flights, other packaged snacks. On short hops dozens of Southwest flights under 250 miles, including Atlanta-Nashville, Dallas-Houston and Los Angeles-Las Vegas the airline won't serve any drinks or snacks so the crew can focus on other aspects of in-flight hygiene. -- Dawn Gilbertson Kevin Durant one of four Nets players to test positive for coronavirus Four Brooklyn Nets players have tested positive for the coronavirus, the team said in a news release Tuesday. The Nets did not name the players, but Durant is one of them, according to The Athletic. Durant told the Athletic he feels fine: "Everyone be careful, take care of yourself and quarantine. We're going to get through this." Durant, a former league MVP and two-time Finals MVP, is sitting out this season while recovering from a torn Achilles tendon after playing the previous three seasons with the Golden State Warriors. Identities of the other three players are not yet known. The NBA suspended the season Wednesday after learning Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert had tested positive in Oklahoma City. -- Jeff Zillgitt Stocks show gains after darkest day U.S. stocks rose Tuesday after the Trump administration said it planned financial support for an airline industry devastated by a drop in travel caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The gains following the market's worst sell-off in more than three decades on Monday. Futures tied to the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poors 500 surged 5% overnight, triggering a trading halt but later gave back most of those gains. That came hours after both averages suffered their worst day since the Black Monday stock market crash of 1987. Jessica Menton Mayor in Pennsylvania will not enforce governor's order on business closures A Pennsylvania mayor said Tuesday that the Borough of Chambersburg will not enforce Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf's recommendation that all non-essential businesses close for two weeks. On Monday, Wolf ordered all restaurants and bars to close their dine-in facilities and "strongly (urged)" all non-essential businesses to shut down for at least 14 days in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. "Chambersburg will not be enforcing Governor Wolfs directives. My advice to all businesses is to evaluate the impact on the community and your employees, by your business remaining open during this time," Mayor Walter Bietsch said. The mayor said Wolf has "no authority to label private businesses as essential or non-essential" and he cannot mandate closures of private businesses, with the exception of restaurants and bars. Amber South, Chambersburg Public Opinion Struggling airlines may get help from government Airlines battered by coronavirus guidelines that urge people to stay at home and avoid crowds may be getting some help from the federal government. "We don't want airlines going out of business,'' Trump said Tuesday's press briefing. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin said he has spoken with airline CEOs this week about what they need projected to be billions of dollars in assistance. A few weeks ago carriers were touting their unprecedented financial strength to withstand the crisis. No longer. "This is worse than 9/11 for the airline industry,'' Mnuchin said, echoing comments from multiple airline executives. The industry, he said, has "almost ground to a halt.'' Dawn Gilbertson Poll: Americans don't trust Donald Trump on coronavirus Americans overwhelmingly don't believe hearing from President Donald Trump about the coronavirus, and their confidence in the federal government's response to it is declining sharply, according to a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll. Just 46% of Americans now say the federal government is doing enough to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, down from 61% in February. And 37% of Americans now say they had a good amount or a great deal of trust in what they're hearing from the president, while 60% say they had not very much or no trust at all in what he's saying. The poll of 853 adults was conducted Friday and Saturday before Trump's latest press conference. Massive job losses coming As if fear of the highly contagious virus spreading throughout the world didn't produce enough anxiety, many workers also have their jobs to worry about. If the outbreak worsens, some 24% of employers plan to downsize, according to a survey of business owners conducted March 7-13 by investment bank UBS. U.S. companies have already announced more than 1,000 job cuts as a result of the outbreak, according to research by USA TODAY and the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas. On Tuesday, hotel giant Marriott International set in motion plans to place tens of thousands of workers on unpaid furlough as room cancellations escalate. The American Hotel & Lodging Association and the U.S. Travel Association estimated that 1 million hotel jobs, or about 45% of the industry's employment, "have either been eliminated or will be eliminated in the next few weeks." Apple, Macy's, Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom are among the major retailers that have announced a temporary closure of all their U.S. stores. Their websites remain open for online shopping. -- Nathan Bomey Hotels want $250 billion bailout The hotel industry is seeking a total of $250 billion in bailouts for owners, employees and suppliers, saying room bookings decimated by the coronavirus outbreak are resulting in closures and mass layoffs. Hotel executives said they detailed the devastation that the travel pullback is having on their industry in a meeting Tuesday with the Trump administration. The industry is hoping for $150 billion to allow hotel owners to continue to make their loan payments and to support employees who are being laid off. Another $100 billion would go to suppliers, from recreation providers to retailers. -- Chris Woodyard Illinois reports first coronavirus death amid surge in positive cases Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who has been aggressive in his attempts to curb the coronavirus epidemic, had a somber task on Tuesday. Pritzker announced the first death linked to the virus in his state, saying the victim was a Chicago woman in her 60 who had been in close contact with another coronavirus patient. There are going to be moments in these next few weeks and months when this burden feels like it is more than we can bear, but we will bear it,'' Pritzker said. "We will get through it.'' The number of confirmed cases in Illinois rose by more than 50% since Monday, from 105 to 160 at last count. Among them are several technicians at Chicagos Midway airport air traffic control tower, which prompted their union to ask the Federal Aviation Administration to close the facility until it could be disinfected. The FAA said the control tower was temporarily closed for work to "ensure a safe work environment'' but the airport continued operating at reduced capacity with backup facilities. Blood shortages: 2,700 Red Cross blood drives canceled The American Red Cross said almost 2,700 blood drives have been canceled, resulting in around 86,000 fewer blood donations.There is not any evidence that the coronavirus can spread through blood transfusion, the organization said. The Red Cross said it has implemented new safety measures for donor and staff members including temperature checks, hand sanitizer, enhanced disinfecting processes and bed spacing to follow social distancing practices. "One of the most important things people can do right now during this public health emergency is to give blood, Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the American Red Cross, said in a statement. "If you are healthy and feeling well, please make an appointment to donate as soon as possible. Eduardo Nunes, vice president of quality, standards and accreditation at the American Association of Blood Banks, said most hospitals are down to a blood supply of two to three days. Morgan Hines and Adrianna Rodriguez VA medical workers quarantined for coronavirus infections A dozen workers at the Department of Veterans Affairs have tested positive for coronavirus, including four at medical center campuses in Seattle and Tacoma, Washington. The others include two in Nevada, one in New York, one in New Mexico and three in Palo Alto, California, where the first coronavirus patient treated in the VA medical system was admitted two weeks ago. What's unclear: Whether the infected employees are health care workers or staffers in other departments. VA spokeswoman Christina Mandreucci declined to say what their jobs are, citing privacy concerns. Those people are now quarantined at home, she said, mitigating further risk of transmission to other patients and staff. The number of VA patients testing positive for COVID-19 spiked from five cases last week to nearly 40 Tuesday. The VA reported its first death in Portland, Oregon, over the weekend. Donovan Slack PGA Championship postponed The PGA of America said its PGA Championship, scheduled for TPC Harding Park in San Francisco from May 11-17, has been postponed. The organization said it hopes to schedule the tournament at the same golf course "at a date this summer when it is once again safe and responsible to do so. Students, parents face new reality: No school for awhile At least 70% of America's schools have shut down, and a nationwide shutdown looks increasingly to be a case of when, rather than if. It's also becoming clear the nation's schools could be closed not just for a couple weeks, but for months or the entire rest of the school year. President Donald Trump on Monday called for limiting gatherings of people to no more than 10 for the next 15 days and suggested school-age students take classes from home. He also said the new normal could last deep into summer. School districts across the nation are scrambling to set up online learning where feasible. "Nobody is taking the bull by the horns and saying, 'This is what we're doing or should be doing,'" said Dan Domenech, head of the American Association of School Superintendents. "We need more guidance." Erin Richards Coronavirus news: More headlines, tips, information Here are additional reads on coronavirus from USA TODAY: Viral tweet asks grocery customers to be mindful about WIC items. Here's why. And canned goods and non-perishables are selling out here's where you can still buy them. Is there any "good news" related to the coronavirus? Perhaps, in reduced air pollution and carbon emissions and in some places, lives saved. You might be asking how bad is this? Are we headed for a recession? Should I rebalance my portfolio? Also: What kind of stimulus should Congress pass to rescue the economy? Our experts Jessica Menton and Paul Davidson have a rundown of answers. 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. Get updates in your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter. In LA, concern for homeless, jail inmates Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said officers are favoring citations over arrests, and the jail population has been trimmed by more than 600 because inmates are considered "vulnerable" to the virus. None of the more than 16,000 inmates have tested positive for the coronavirus, he said, but 35 have exhibited symptoms and been quarantined. Villanueva also said outreach to the county's estimated 59,000 homeless people has been stepped up: "Our biggest threat actually is the homeless population," he said. "You have the river beds, all the homeless encampments under the bridges, along skid row. Those are the biggest threat because of the sanitary conditions and people who are resistant to seeking aid when it is obvious that they should." Map: Which states have coronavirus cases? Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus live updates: 114 US deaths; Nevada closes casinos Sharing the same ex-boyfriend hasnt stopped supermodel Kaia Gerber and Margaret Qualley from forging a friendship under a self-quarantine amid the coronavirus outbreak. The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actress, 25, and the 18-year-old daughter of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber appeared in high spirits, as they strolled around Los Angeles on Wednesday. During the walk, Qualley put her arm around Gerbers shoulder, as they pair trailed behind girlfriends Ashley Benson, 30, and Cara Delevingne, 27, who have been dating for over a year. Besties now? Sharing the same ex-boyfriend hasnt stopped supermodel Kaia Gerber and Margaret Qualley from forging a friendship under a self-quarantine amid the coronavirus outbreak Fun together: The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actress, 25, and the 18-year-old daughter of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber appeared in high spirits, as they strolled around Los Angeles on Wednesday The Pretty Little Liar alum and Delevingne looked at ease, as they shared a sweet kiss and walked around in laid-back and over-sized ensembles. The younger sister of 20-year-old Presley Gerber kept her appearance causal, as she sported a white knit beanie, sunglasses and a grey hoodie, while Qualley donned a blue Newport Harbor sweatshirt and jeans. Gerber spilt from her Saturday Night Live star beau after three months of dating in January. The new squad is here: During the walk, Qualley put her arm around Gerbers shoulder, as they pair trailed behind girlfriends Ashley Benson, 30, and Cara Delevingne, 27, who have been dating for over a year In love: The Pretty Little Liar alum and Delevingne looked at ease, as they shared a sweet kiss and walked around in laid-back and over-sized ensembles One guy in he group: There was also a man in overalls who talked to Cara He previously dated Ariana Grande Kate Beckinsale and Qualley, who Gerber shares mutal pals. After the Emmy-nominated actress and Davidson, who started dating in August 2019, broke up in early October, the comedian made headlines leaving Gerbers New York apartment at the end of the same month. The pairs dating overlap doesnt appear to be an issue, as theyve spent the past two days goofing around and shooting footage of each other and their star-studded friend group for TikTok. Fierce group: The only male walked a dog on a leash while the beauties chatted Despite Los Angeles urging for residents to social distance themselves, the friend group, which also includes Tommy Dorfman, have been isolating together and staying entertained by building furniture and showing off their gymnastics skills. In a snap and video posted on Bensons Instagram Story, Qualley can be seen doing an impressive backflip in a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. While shooting a series of hilarious videos, the comrades spilt into smaller groups and created content inspired by reality shows, including Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and choreographed dance routines. T E A, Ashley captioned a lip-synced clip of herself, Dorfman, Gerber and her girlfriend reenacting a scene from Pauls Drag Race. Gerber, Benson, Delevingne and Dorfman have been nearly inseparable, since stocking up on groceries over the weekend and have been documenting their social distancing activities. Welp... weve lost it, Qualley captioned a video dancing with Delevingne to Kung Fu Fighting, who also shared the recording on her Instagram and joked about how they were using their time wisely. Zero high fashion here: The ladies all dressed way down perhaps to not get noticed At first Qualley and Delevingne push each other around, before the Suicide Squad actress jumps up and wraps her legs around her friend, who effortlessly swings her around. During the video, the women show off their high kicks and conclude their show with a bow. The stars have stayed together in an effort to keep themselves safe, as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps across the globe, wreaking havoc on countless industries forced to slow down or temporarily halt. How does he get all the pretty girls? Pete seen on March 5; he has said he may leave SNL On Tuesday, Kaia was seen building furniture with Cara and a pal; Cara and the friend were focused on putting the chair together while Kaia filmed. Sharing the snapshot on her Instagram account, the teen model added the caption: 'Furniture building is a great way to pass the time.' The stars' uploads come amid the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, which has reached 152 countries and infected over 208,213 people and killed more than 8,272. As of Wednesday, the US has 7,411 cases and counting, with 116 deaths. Cook County, Ill., prosecutor Kim Foxx won Tuesdays Democratic primary despite controversy over her handling of the hoax hate crime case brought by actor Jussie Smollett. This win is about all of us, Foxx wrote on Twitter after the win. Ive spent the last four years working to reform a system that is not representative of the communities it serves Im ready to continue this work. Foxx beat three primary challengers, all of whom made her handling of the Smollett case a central issue of the campaign. Cook County is heavily Democratic, meaning Foxx will almost certainly be reelected as county prosecutor in November. Smollett, an actor on the television show Empire, was allegedly the victim of a racist, anti-gay hate crime in early 2019. However, the investigation of Smolletts case soon uncovered allegations the actor had staged the incident. In February 2019, a grand jury indicted Smollett for allegedly staging the crime. In March, Foxx dropped all charges against Smollett, citing the victimless nature of the alleged hoax. Foxx was criticized for the decision by Chicago police and by attorneys in the Cook County prosecutors office. This case was handled markedly different from any other case at 26th Street, an anonymous Cook County attorney wrote following the decision. No one knows why, and more importantly, no one can explain why our boss, the head prosecutor of all of Cook County, has decided to so demean and debase both our hard work, and our already tenuous relationship with the Chicago Police Department. In February 2020, Smollett pleaded not guilty to felony charges brought by Chicago special prosecutor Dan Webb that the actor had staged a hate crime hoax. More from National Review Folks in the beauty industry, including make-up artists across the country, have been advised to consider suspending their activities. This is in line with governments efforts to prevent and contain the spread of coronavirus which has killed thousands around the world. So far, Ghana has recorded six confirmed cases of the virus. In the wake of that, President Akufo-Addo has ordered the closure of all schools and universities in the country as part of measures to stem the tide of coronavirus cases. There is also suspension on public gathering as well as other stringent travel measures to curb the spread. The beauty industry in Ghana is seen as one of the key areas of society that has a risk of spreading the virus due to the nature of working in that industry. According to a message available to NEWS-ONE from Make-Up Ghana, organisers of the prestigious Ghana Make-up Award, beauticians should consider suspending their bookings. However, it added that if booking is critical, then stakeholders must exercise the most extreme caution in dealing with their clients. We urge all beauty practitioners to suspend all bookings or adopt the use of face masks and gloves if booking is critical. Use alcohol-based cleansers to disinfect brushes, eyeliners, pencils etc as well as usage of disposal applicators, the message added. It also reiterated the call on the use of sanitizers and washing of hands with soap under running water for 20 seconds, among others, to avoid contamination. The advice follows that of other industries which have suspended their activities to stem the spread of coronavirus. Source: Daily Guide 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 By Park Si-soo A boy, 17, died in Daegu on Wednesday after showing symptoms of pneumonia. A post-mortem coronavirus test is being done to determine the cause of his death. The boy died at 11:15 a.m. at University Medical Center. He had no underlying disease but had multiple organ failure at the time of death, according to . If the boy is confirmed to have died from coronavirus, he will be the youngest victim here of a disease that has claimed 84 lives in South Korea (as of noon Wednesday). Daegu is the epicenter of the country's growing coronavirus outbreak. He reportedly visited a medium-size hospital in Daegu on March 13 complaining of fever. An X-ray revealed he was developing pneumonia and he was sent to a bigger hospital, Yeungnam University Medical Center. On the day, he tested negative for coronavirus. At Yeungnam, his health deteriorated rapidly over a couple of days and he was placed on a respirator. "Multiple tests were conducted to know if he contracted coronavirus," a health official said. "He tested negative in some tests but positive in a genetic test. A test of tissues from the body is under way." At least 167 people suspected of having coronavirus have been missing in Ludhiana while only 29 have been traced, said Dr Rajesh Bagga, the city's civil surgeon. Medical officials in Punjab had received a list of people who have recently returned to India and have been tracking down people on the list in a bid to ascertain infections if any. "Two teams have been tasked to find people coming from abroad, in which police have been given responsibility for finding 119 people. They have found 12 people so far and the other team is from the health department, in which they were given the responsibility to find 77 people," he told ANI. "17 people have been traced by the health department team. The rest of 167 people are still missing in Ludhiana," he added. Kumar mentioned that the main reason behind the same is they are not able to trace all of them is due to either wrong address in the passport and telephone number. "The main reason behind this issue is that these people do not have the correct addresses and telephone numbers. It seems that the address and telephone numbers have changed," he said. "Our teams are active and searching for them. They will be traced soon," Kumar added. Sanitisation measures have been taken at Ludhiana Railway Station as a precautionary step to contain the spread of COVID-19. Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh government has constituted the Inter-Departmental Coordination Committee with the Secretaries of Line Departments for concerted measurements to containment and surveillance of COVID-19. The committee comprises Principal Secretary of Finance Department, Special Chief Secretary of Health Medical and Family Welfare Department and Principal Secretary, Secretary of Home Department. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi, March 18 : In a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court on Wednesday used powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to restrain Manipur Minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar from entering the Legislative Assembly. A bench headed by Justice R.F. Nariman also ordered that Shyamkumar, who defected to the BJP from Congress, will cease to be a minister from immediate effect. "We are constrained to use our powers under Article 142 of the Constitution. Respondent No. 3 (Shyamkumar) is restrained from entering the Legislative Assembly till further orders of this court. Needless to add, he will cease to be a Minister of the Cabinet immediately," said Justice Nariman. The apex court took this decision after Speaker Y. Khemchand Singh, even after the one month's period given by the apex court, failed to decide on the disqualification petition pending against Shyamkumar. Instead, the Speaker sought adjournment for eight weeks on the matter. On January 21, the apex court in a verdict made it crystal clear that Speaker cannot indefinitely sit on disqualification petition. The court also noted that it was assured that latest by 10 days from March, 4, the decision would be taken, but nothing has been done yet. Justice Nariman observed that such delay, "exhorts us to take up the matter today itself and decide the matter ourselves". Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Speaker, appealed to the court that the matter may be deferred till March 28, which could give enough time for a judgment on the disqualification applications by the Speaker. "He also pointed out that, in point of fact, 28th March, 2020, has been notified for pronouncement of judgment by the Speaker," the court observed. "We went out of our way to give the Speaker a chance to perform his functions under the Tenth Schedule to the Constitution by stating that, given the fact that such a long period had already gone by without any decision, one month should suffice for the Speaker to decide the disqualification petitions before him." The top court's observation came in a case of disqualification of Forest and Environment Minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar in Manipur. Shyamkumar had won on a Congres ticket, but switched to the BJP-led government in the state. The Congress had won 28 seats in 2017 in Manipur Assembly election and BJP got 21. Later, the BJP aligned with National People's Party (NPP) along with Shyamkumar, who went on to become a minister in the government. The Congress filed a disqualification petition before the Speaker, but there was no action on it. In the verdict on January 21, the top court held that the Speaker can't sit on a disqualification petition indefinitely. It emphasised that it is essential for the Speaker to decide on the matter within a reasonable time period, and recommended the disqualification petitions should be decided within three months. "A period of three months from the date on which the petition is filed is the outer limit within which disqualification petitions filed before the Speaker must be decided if the constitutional objective of disqualifying persons who have infracted the Tenth Schedule is to be adhered to," the court said. The court reckoned the Parliament may seriously consider amending the Constitution to substitute the Speakers of the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies as arbiter of disputes concerning disqualification which arise under the Tenth Schedule with a permanent Tribunal headed by a retired Supreme Court Judge or a retired Chief Justice of a High Court, or some other outside independent mechanism "to ensure that such disputes are decided both swiftly and impartially". Article 142 says the Supreme Court in the exercise of its jurisdiction may pass such decree or make such order as is necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it, and any decree so passed or orders so made shall be enforceable throughout the territory of India in such manner as may be prescribed by or under any law made by Parliament and, until provision in that behalf is so made, in such manner as the President may by order prescribe. A glamorous Uzbek 'princess' with links to the British royals and London's high society has been jailed for 13 years in a 1.7 billion corruption trial. Gulnara Karimova, 46, daughter of former tyrannical Uzbekistan ruler Islam Karimov, was sentenced by a secret court in Tashkent. A former billionaire, she was once believed to be the USSR's richest woman and was a friend of Queen's cousin Prince Michael of Kent. Gulnara Karimova argues with officers while being taken to prison Gulnara Karimova, the eldest daughter of Uzbekistan's president Islam Karimov, speaks during a press conference at her foundations summer camp for young Uzbek journalists on August 12 (file image) Gulnara Karimova pictured with Bill Clinton. Last month Karimova begged her father's successor President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to permit her release, citing ill health and an urgent need for surgery. Her 13 year sentence will be counted from 2015 when she was detained Gulnara Karimova with her friend, HRH Prince Michael of Kent The former British ambassador to the country - nicknamed 'Corruptistan' under her father's rule - described the then all-powerful 'princess' as a beautiful but deadly James Bond villainess. 'Gulnara Karimova is one hell of a package,' said Craig Murray. 'Richer than Paris Hilton, undeniably smarter and arguably sexier - and I've met both. Gulnara Karimova with Jude Law at the 64th Cannes Film Festival in 2011 A former billionaire, she was once believed to be the USSR's richest woman and was a friend of Queen's cousin Prince Michael of Kent 'Harvard MBA, owner of scores of businesses, martial arts black belt, fluent in four languages, professional jewellery designer, poet and performer of a number one hit pop single. 'Her muscle-bound boyfriend walks respectfully behind her, head bowed.' She mixed in British high society with tycoon Nat Rothschild and actor Jude Law, among others. A neighbour at her 30million Gorse Hill Manor mansion in Surrey was Sir Bruce Forsyth. Inside the prison where Gulnara Karimova will serve her 13-year term, above and below The glamorous Uzbek 'princess' with links to the British royals and London's high society has been jailed for 13 years in a 1.7 billion corruption trial Barbed wire at the prison where Gulnara Karimova will serve her term Described in US diplomatic cables as a 'robber baron', she had been tipped to succeed her late father as president but he suddenly turned on her after hearing the scale of her alleged corruption. He slapped her in the face, after which she was banished from view in the cotton and gas-rich central Asian state. She has been shut away behind barbed wire in bleak penal colony number 21 in Tashkent region. At a trial that has been ongoing for years she was accused of fraudulently acquiring assets worth 455 million and receiving 664 million in kickbacks paid into offshore accounts. The total value of her alleged theft from the people of Uzbekistan was put at more than 1.7 billion. Gulnara Karimova pictured with the Queen's cousin Prince Michael (left) and Lord Cilford (right) Gulnara Karimova (left and right). The total value of her alleged theft from the people of Uzbekistan was put at more than 1.7 billion She was convicted of organising a criminal group, extortion, embezzlement by misappropriation, and legalisation of income derived from criminal activities. Five accomplices were also jailed. The Uzbek government has confiscated some 1 billion of her assets. From his London exile, her 28 year old son Islam Karimov Jr accused the Uzbek authorities of seeking to kill Karimova, alleging she was a victim of vengeance by jealous cronies of her father. 'They want to eliminate her, most likely by poisoning,' he alleged. Last month Karimova begged her father's successor President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to permit her release, citing ill health and an urgent need for surgery. Her 13 year sentence will be counted from 2015 when she was detained. Take a look at some of the biggest movers in the premarket: Boeing (BA) Boeing is seeking access to $60 billion in public and private liquidity for the U.S. aerospace industry. Boeing has already told the government it cannot meet its liquidity needs under current market conditions. Tesla (TSLA) Tesla was ordered to halt production at its Fremont, California, factory, despite CEO Elon Musk's plan to keep the factory in operation. Counties in the San Francisco Bay area issued a shutdown order earlier this week for all nonessential businesses. Ford Motor (F), General Motors (GM), Fiat Chrysler (FCAU) The automakers struck an agreement with the United Auto Workers Union to slow production at U.S. factories and limit the number of workers on the job at the same time to keep the coronavirus from spreading among employees. FedEx (FDX) FedEx reported quarterly profit of $1.41 per share, matching estimates, with the delivery company's revenue exceeding Street forecasts. FedEx also suspended its 2020 profit outlook, pointing to the impact of the virus outbreak, and made plans to cut costs due to the pandemic. General Mills (GIS) The food producer beat estimates by a penny a share, with quarterly earnings of 77 cents per share. Revenue missed forecasts. General Mills, like numerous other companies, said the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on full-year results is still uncertain. Exxon Mobil (XOM) Exxon Mobil raised $8.5 billion in new debt, but had to pay a higher premium than usual because of the recent tumble in oil prices. Cinemark (CNK) Cinemark is closing all 345 of its U.S. movie theaters due to the coronavirus outbreak. The move prompted Fitch Ratings to place the movie theater operator on "rating watch negative," with Fitch noting that under normal circumstances, Cinemark has a relatively strong balance sheet compared to its peers. Target (TGT) Target announced a reduction in store hours to allow more time for cleaning and restocking. Target will also close the eateries and cafes located within its stores. Amazon.com (AMZN) Amazon is prioritizing medical supplies, household staples, and other high-demand products in its warehouses. Independent sellers will not be allowed to ship other products to Amazon's warehouses until April 5. Kontoor Brands (KTB) The maker of Lee and Wrangler jeans will close its North American and European retail locations, effective today, in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The apparel company currently plans to keep the stores closed through March 27, and will pay workers during that period. Walmart (WMT) Walmart was upgraded to "outperform" from "neutral" at Credit Suisse, which thinks the retail giant may grow market share due to a virus-inspired, long-term structural change in consumer buying habits. Dunkin' Brands (DNKN) BTIG upgraded the restaurant chain to "buy" from "neutral," saying that as the virus outbreak takes its toll on restaurant operators, investors should increase exposure to companies in the sector with strong brands and balance sheets. Ralph Lauren (RL) Bank of America Securities upgraded the apparel maker to "buy" from "neutral," noting that potential downside from the virus outbreak is now largely priced in and that the company stands out from peers for its strong balance sheet. 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. By Akbar Mammadov Russia is working with Azerbaijan for the supply of helicopters, head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSVTS) of Russia Dmitry Shugaev has told the Russian media. Shugaev said that cooperation with Azerbaijan continues and mainly focuses on after-sales service, the creation of a service centre for ground forces equipment and a centre for repairing helicopter equipment of the Mi-8 family. At the same time, the possibility of delivering final products is being explored, he said. Shugaev added that Russias military-technical cooperation with its closest neighbours is developing quite dynamically: "If we take all the CIS countries, our portfolio is estimated at about $2 billion." It should also be noted that Azerbaijan is the only foreign operator of Russia's unique 120mm self-propelled artillery and mortar rig 2S31 Vena. This fact has nothing to do with the manufacturer's technical specifications or service specifications. Simply, Vena is equipped with the most advanced digital inspection and firing systems, which greatly raised the price of the product the Perm Motovilixinski plan. The system consists of pre-setting fire and preparing indoors or firing. Since the beginning of 2020, Azerbaijan has been strengthening its defence industry by exporting defence industry products, combat aircraft, helicopters and artillery products from Russia, Turkey, Italy and Pakistan. During President Ilham Aliyevs visit to Rome in February, Azerbaijan and Italy agreed on Bakus purchase of the 5th generation warplane Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master from Italy. This warplane is used as a transitional aircraft to modern multi-purpose aircraft 4++ and 5th generation. Along with the replenishment of Azerbaijan's Air Force fleet, the aircraft of this type will expand their combat capabilities and will ensure Azerbaijan's superiority over Armenia in the airspace. In addition, Azerbaijan increased imports of defence products from Turkey by 1.4 times in January-February. In February 2020, the export of defence products from Turkey to Azerbaijan grew by 1.6 times compared to February 2019, amounting to $8.30 million. Azerbaijan Air Force and Pakistans PAC KAMRA company also agreed on the contract of purchasing 10 Super Mushshak MFI-395 combat aircraft in July of 2017. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Airbus announced plans to halt operations at its plants in France and Spain for four days as the coronavirus crisis spread from battered airlines to the manufacturing sector. The most serious across-the-board disruption in Airbus production since a strike at then British partner BAE Systems in 1989 pushed its shares down 7 percent as a rebound in other European shares quickly faltered. 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 in a statement. The pause in output came after Reuters exclusively reported on March 16 that Airbus had drawn up contingency plans to slow or stop production if France was placed under a drastic lockdown due to coronavirus. French President Emmanuel Macron late on Monday ordered stringent restrictions on peoples movements to slow the spread of the virus. At mid-morning, Airbus shares were down 7.1 percent versus a 1 percent decline in Frances CAC40 blue-chip index. Frances aerospace capital of Toulouse is home to Airbuss largest assembly plants as well its headquarters. Its suppliers are also expected to be hit hard by the crisis. It assembles the narrow-body A320 series there as well as all wide-body aircraft such as the A330 and A350 and the last remaining units of the A380, whose output is being wound down. French factories also provide the cockpit section and central wingbox for all Airbus planes as well as the pylons, which connect engines to the wings. In Spain, Airbus builds part of the tail section for its aircraft and assembles A400M military transporters. Other assembly lines include A319, A321, and more A320s in Hamburg, Germany, as well as overseas production outposts for A320 and A321 aircraft in Mobile, Alabama, and Tianjin, China. Airbus produces the smaller A220 jetliner in Montreal and Mobile after acquiring it from Bombardier. Factories in Britain, where Airbus makes wings, or Germany, where it builds part of its fuselages and has its second-largest cluster of assembly lines, can operate for several days. Deliveries have already been disrupted as crisis-hit airlines hold back from taking possession of aircraft in order to conserve cash, industry sources say. U.S. rival Boeing said on Monday it was deploying all its resources to sustain its operations. By Tim Hepher and Sarah White MURPHYS, CALIF. Karl Karlsen, the man who killed his son for insurance money in 2008 in Seneca County, will spend the rest of his life in prison for murdering his first wife. Karlsen was sentenced to serve life in prison without the possibility of parole Tuesday by a Calaveras County judge, reported the Calaveras Enterprise. The sentence came weeks after Karlsen was found guilty of killing Christina Karlsen in a fire in 1991. Christina Karlsen died trapped behind a boarded-up window in the smoke-filled bathroom of her California home on New Years Day in 1991. Karlsen and the couples three children including Levi, the son Karlsen would later kill escaped. Karlsen cashed in on his wifes $200,000 life-insurance policy and moved his family to Seneca County, New York. Seventeen years later, Karlsen had his son Levi work on a truck at Karlsens Varick home in 2008. When Levi Karlsen was under the truck, his father knocked the truck off a wobbly jack -- crushing his son to death under the truck. He later collected a $707,210 life-insurance policy for his sons death. Before the trial for his first wifes murder, Karlsen was serving 15 years to life in a New York prison for murdering his son. Calaveras County District Attorney Barbara Yook told the Calaveras Enterprise that Karlsen will have to serve his two murder sentences consecutively, meaning he must finish serving time in New York before he starts serving time in California. Thanks for visiting Syracuse.com. Quality local journalism has never been more important, and your subscription matters. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work. Have a tip, a story idea or a comment? You can reach me at: shouse@syracuse.com | (315) 466-4160 | Twitter | Facebook New Delhi, March 18 : With all preparations in place once again at the Tihar Central Jail here for the March 20 hanging to death of four convicts awarded the capital punishment in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case, a 'dummy trial' was held on the prison premises on Wednesday morning. Sanjiv Kumar Singh Chauhan New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) With all preparations in place once again at the Tihar Central Jail here for the March 20 hanging to death of four convicts awarded the capital punishment in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case, a 'dummy trial' was held on the prison premises on Wednesday morning. Hangman Pawan, who was brought from Meerut in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, conducted the 'dummy trial' -- wherein a life-size dummy is hanged -- in the presence of jail officials in the hanging room of prison number 3 on Wednesday. Tihar Jail Additional Inspector General Raj Kumar said such trials before any hanging is routine matter. "Mainly, the hangman is assigned to carry out all the work related to the hanging. So, he has to ensure there is no glitch during the actual hanging. Hence, the dummy trial was held, which went on for half an hour," the senior officer said. Fresh warrants for executing death row convicts -- Mukesh Kumar Singh, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Kumar Sharma, and Akshay Kumar have been issued by a Delhi court in the case. They are to hanged at 5.30am on March 20. (Sanjiv Chauhan can be contacted at sanjiv.c@ians.in) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text 18.03.2020 LISTEN The Reverend Dr Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong, a lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has urged heads of churches to consult the office of the President to fix a date for the 2020 Easter celebration. He said the annual Easter activities, which had biblical roots, but fixed by the World Council of Churches, could be celebrated on a later date because it fell within the four-week period of social disengagement directed by the President to contain the COVID-19. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra, Rev Opuni-Frimpong, a former General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, said since the four-week suspension of all social gatherings by the President would eat into the Easter period, which is scheduled to start on April 10, it would be advisable for the Christian leadership to have a conversation to propose a new date that was most suitable for the Easter. He said the Catholic Bishop Conference, the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, the Christian Council of Ghana, and other church leaders should speak among themselves to enable them all have a fixed date to mark the period, which was very important in the lives of the Church. He said the peculiar challenge of CONVID-19 emphasized the need for the church to be united than ever before, so it could stand with each other to bear the world in prayer. He had however advised Christians not to over-spiritualise the Coronavirus issue, saying it was a global challenge that affected everybody and so we only need to listen to those who have the knowledge about it so we will be able to protect our members. He said: This is not the time to call people to come and buy oil and water, or asking church members to ignore what the professionals are saying. We are not in ordinary times so we must avoid spiritualisation of the virus. Meanwhile, Rev Opuni-Frimpong had expressed optimism that there would soon be a solution to the pandemic, saying, many countries were working around the clock to find a vaccine. He, therefore, urged all people to remain calm and adhere to the advice of the technical and health experts until an antidote was found. ---GNA TORRINGTON LARCs Project Search Team attended the 7th Annual Arc Connecticut/IDD Caucus Family Hearing Day, held Feb. 26 at the Capitol in Hartford A group of 30 legislators attended the hearing, which attracted more than 200 people, 36 of whom shared personal experiences of the challenges facing individuals with I/DD or families caring for loved ones, according to a statement. Two of the Project Search program participants met Jordan Scheff, Commissioner of the Department of Developmental Services. It was very powerful testimony, said Kathy Riberdy, Project Search coordinator and special educator, in the statement. This was a good experience for the team. LARC is working with Charlotte Hungerford Hospital to develop the model for this new program, which began in the fall. Project Search provides classes in employability skills, independent living skills and internship experience to individuals with disabilities ages 18-35. LARCs partner, Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, is providing internships in various departments such as Cardiovascular Medicine and Nutritional Services. The Connecticut Department of Developmental Services (DDS) is collaborating with national Project SEARCH as part of its commitment to helping people with intellectual disabilities find, get and keep community-based, competitive wage jobs, a commitment LARC shares. In early 2018, LARC was chosen to be one of 10 agencies nationwide to participate in the National ARCs pilot grant program with Boston Universitys Institute for Community Inclusions Provider Transition Network. The purpose of the program is to assist in the process of provider transformation towards competitive integrated employment. LARCs goal is to educate staff on the processes needed to provide competitive integrated employment to individuals in the agencys current group supported employment programs. Miami Beach police officers talk to beachgoers on spring break in Miami Beach, Florida. Portions of South Beach were closed late Saturday to avoid large group gatherings that could spread the coronavirus. South Beach is a popular party spot for college students and others from around the world. (Image: AP) Residents of the tiny Warren County borough of Alpha dont have to worry about their water getting shut off during the coronavirus pandemic. More than three dozen people in the borough of about 2,000 received yellow notices over the weekend and on Monday from the borough-owned utility that their service would be cut off for overdue bills starting March 26 during New Jerseys statewide shutdown of schools and businesses, when even the municipal building is closed to the public to slow the spread of COVID-19. A public works employee told lehighvalleylive.com that he delivered 39 of the shutoff notices on Monday, one day before Warren Countys first COVID-19 case was reported. The New Jersey borough of Alpha told residents it would turn off water for unpaid bills during the statewide shutdown over the coronavirus. The DPW director now says it was done in "error."Submitted photo With the rise of the new coronavirus around the state, residents have been instructed to stay home to avoid the disease and slow its spread. Gathering places have been ordered closed and people have been encouraged to stay home. Many of the states water utilities have independently agreed to temporarily suspend shutoffs as a way to protect public health as residents practice social distancing. But there has been no official order to do so and Alpha, with its own water utility, can choose how to proceed. However, after speaking with frustrated residents, lehighvalleylive.com called Alphas public works Director Peter Pettinelli and other borough officials. Pettinelli on Tuesday night said the decision to send notices was an error. In this current situation pertaining to (COVID-19), events have been changing rapidly each day. The safety of our residents is the paramount objective of both myself and council. This truly is a unique emergency of the kind that has not been seen before, Pettinelli, who is also a Republican councilman, said in an emailed statement addressed to residents. Unfortunately, shutoff letters sent to you from our utility department were mailed out last week before this thing turned into a pandemic, and the postings yesterday were done in error. I have spoken to both my deputy director and our health and welfare director and we are in agreement that the water will not be shut off during this pandemic period, the statement continued. We realize how important it is to wash our hands many times a day. Residents with overdue bills are still encouraged to work out a payment plan with the boroughs utility department. For more information on the coronavirus, consult your state health department at www.nj.gov/health and the CDC website. MORE: Water wont give you COVID-19. How N.J. treatment plants are handling pandemic. Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email him. Follow him on Twitter @SteveNovakLVL and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has publicly confirmed the existence of an organisation established to assess the threat of hostile state activity and inform the UK government's response. The Joint State Threats Assessment Team (JSTAT) was created in 2017 in response to the increased and evolving threat the UK faces from hostile states such as Russia but has functioned under cover until this week. But the Indian-origin Cabinet minister has decided to remove the covers from the undercover outfit to function more actively across different government departments. "We continue to face a very real and serious threat from states who seek to undermine and destabilise this country to pursue their own agendas, said Patel. "It is vital that we continue to gain a deeper understanding of the wide-range of threats we face in order to take robust action to protect our national security. JSTAT has enhanced our capabilities and understanding of the state-based threats we face and will continue to do so in order to protect us at home and abroad, she said. Based inside MI5's headquarters in London, the independent unit of intelligence specialists provides early warnings and advice to the government on potential threats by hostile states including the deployment of spies, assassinations, attempts to disrupt elections and cyber attacks. Patel said the decision to publicly unveil JSTAT has been taken in order to maximise its utility to the national security community, enabling greater engagement with stakeholders, industry and academics. It will also allow for broader communication of the threats to government departments and agencies, as well as partners across the private and charitable sectors, ensuring they have access to information to better protect themselves. Like other independent assessment bodies, including the joint terrorism analysis centre, JSTAT reports to a governance board comprising senior officials from across the UK intelligence community and wider government departments. The Director General of MI5, Andrew Parker, has ultimate responsibility for the organisation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Irish YouTuber Melanie Murphy said a "fancy wedding is a privilege" as she married her long-term love in a small civil ceremony amid the COVID-19 crisis. Ms Murphy, who has written two best-selling books, and her long-term partner Thomas were due to celebrate their wedding last weekend in Wicklow, but cancelled after Government directives were issued on social distancing, and banning indoor events of more than 100 people. Instead, they shifted their focus on their more intimate legal ceremony at the Registry Office in Dublin. The bride wore a dress from ASOS and her father walked her up the aisle to 'A Gift of Thistle' from Braveheart. Despite the heartbreaking reality of having to cancel her dream wedding, Ms Murphy remains positive at the fact that she was finally able to wed her partner of three years, saying, "A strong marriage is what we really care about. "We've lost a considerable amount of money on deposits and non-refundables, but we can still have the big celebration down the line in a couple of years. "A fancy wedding is a privilege, a bonus, a cherry on top kinda thing. Love is all we need during these difficult times." She says she is mostly grateful to be married to the love of her life, a love without which she would be "at a loss" and decided to change her name legally, but will be retaining her maiden surname professionally. Thomas, a pilot, regularly appears in her work but declines to share his surname. In a series of posts across social media platforms, Ms Murphy spoke of her father's joy on her big day, saying his approval "means everything to me". "I couldnt be happier about the person youve chosen to be your partner...Something Dad said to me after we did the official bit and got married," she added. "I sobbed and sobbed. Feel so fortunate to have such good men in my life!" Video of the Day Their mini-moon in Adare Manor has also been cancelled as the hotel is temporarily closing as part of the ongoing coronavirus crisis. Two additional positive cases of COVID-19 were reported by Fort Bend County Health and Human Services officials on Wednesday, March 18,, bringing the countywide total to 12. The cases involve a woman in her 70s, with a history of international travel who is said to be experiencing mild symptoms and is in isolation at home, and a man in his 60s who is in the hospital in stable condition. The case is still being investigated to determine the source of the infection. Fort Bend County Health and Human Services medical staff are currently expanding the epidemiological investigation to identify others who may have come into close contact with the two individuals, which could include family members, co-workers, emergency responders, and others, according to a county press release. On Tuesday, March 17, Fort Bend County Judge KP George issued orders requiring bars to close and limiting restaurants to take-out, delivery and drive-through service until April 1 citing concerns over the growing number of COVID-19 cases in the greater Fort Bend County area. Related: Fort Bend County bars to close, restaurants limited to pickup, delivery orders We will continue to allow the science, not the fear or panic to drive our decision-making in Fort Bend County, George told reporters at a press conference later that day, saying the county was doing everything possible and monitoring the situation to protect residents. We need everyone to do their part. Dr. Jacquelyn Johnson Minter, director of Fort Bend County Health and Human Services, also spoke to reporters and answered questions. In light of the increase in regional cases and evidence of community spread in our neighboring counties, I urge you to take seriously the social distancing ordinances establishing to help keep our most vulnerable residents safe, Minter said. Please do not call 911 unless it is a medical emergency, she said and stressed the importance of various health-related protocols. Fort Bend County Health and Human Services health-related recommendations Officials advise those who have recently returned to the U.S. to watch for symptoms, such as fever cough and difficulty breathing got 14 days. If symptoms develop, immediate medical care is recommended but before visiting a medical provider or hospital, residents are asked to call ahead and alert medical staff before arrival. People who recently returned to the United States from a COVID-19 outbreak area need to monitor fever, cough, and difficulty breathing for at least 14 days after return. Seek medical care right away if symptoms develop. Before, visiting their healthcare provider or hospital, symptomatic people with a travel history to a COVID-19 outbreak area must call ahead and tell the healthcare professional about their recent travel and symptoms. Otherwise, officials ask that residents avoid visiting the emergency room unless it is absolutely necessary as emergency rooms will be needed to serve those with the most critical needs, officials said. Residents are also asked to practice healthy hygiene habits every day to help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, including hand-washing often with soap and water after going to the bathroom and before eating. Residents are also advised to avoid touching their face and avoid close contact with anyone who is sick. knix@hcnonline.com The Supreme Court on Tuesday took suo motu cognisance of non-availability of mid-day meals for children due to the closure of schools due to coronavirus spread. A Bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde issued notices to all state governments and union territories. Union government had earlier announced the complete shut down of all educational institutions, places of social gatherings like swimming pools, spas, gyms, museums and cultural centers in a bid to contain the spread of Covid-19. The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in India has reached 147, including 122 Indians and 24 foreign nationals, according to government data on Wednesday morning. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) EXPERT OBSERVER Thats a little dramatic, perhaps, but every day since has brought us closer to it being reality. The COVID-19 crisis has the global travel industry the most consequential industry in the world, says Ali in uncharted territory. Nations are shutting their borders. Airlines face bankruptcy. Ports are refusing entry to cruise ships, threatening the very basis of the cruise business model. Associated hospitality, arts and cultural industries are threatened. Major events are being cancelled. Tourist seasons in many tourist destinations are collapsing. Vulnerable workers on casual, seasonal or gig contracts are suffering. It seems an epic disaster. But is it? Considering human activities need to change if we are to avoid the worst effects of human-induced climate change, the coronavirus crisis might offer us an unexpected opportunity. Ali, like many others, wants recovery, even if it takes a while to get back up and return to pre-coronavirus traveller numbers. But rather than try to return to business as usual as soon as possible, COVID-19 challenges us to think about the type of consumption that underpins the unsustainable ways of the travel and tourism industries. Tourism dependency Air travel features prominently in discussions about reducing carbon emissions. Even if commercial aviation accounts only for about 2.4% of all emissions from fossil-fuel use, flying is still how many of us in the industrialised world blow out our carbon footprints. But sustainability concerns in the travel and tourism sectors extend far beyond carbon emissions. In many places tourism has grown beyond its sustainable bounds, to the detriment of local communities. The overtourism of places like Venice, Barcelona and Reykjavik is one result. Cruise ships disgorge thousands of people for half-day visits that overwhelm the destination but leave little economic benefit. Dunk/flickr, CC BY-SA Cheap airline fares encourage weekend breaks in Europe that have inundated old cities such as Prague and Dubrovnik. The need for growth becomes self-perpetuating as tourism dependency locks communities into the system. In a 2010 paper I argued the problem was tourism underpinned by what sociologist Leslie Sklair called the culture-ideology of consumerism by which consumption patterns that were once the preserve of the rich became endemic. Tourism is embedded in that culture-ideology as an essential pillar to achieve endless economic growth. For instance, the Australian government prioritises tourism as a supergrowth industry, accounting for almost 10% of exports in 2017-18. Out of crisis comes creativity Many are desperate to ensure business continues as usual. If people will not travel, said Ariel Cohen of California-based business travel agency TripActions, the economy will grind to a halt. COVID-19 is a radical wake-up call to this way of thinking. Even if Cohen is right, that economic reality now needs to change to accommodate the more pressing public health reality. It is a big economic hit, but crisis invites creativity. Grounded business travellers are realising virtual business meetings work satisfactorily. Conferences are reorganising for virtual sessions. Arts and cultural events and institutions are turning to live streaming to connect with audiences. In Italian cities under lockdown, residents have come out on their balconies to create music as a community. Local cafes and food co-ops, including my local, are reaching out with support for the communitys marginalised and elderly to ensure they are not forgotten. These responses challenge the atomised individualism that has gone hand in hand with the consumerism of travel and tourism. This public health crisis reminds us our well-being depends not on being consumers but on being part of a community. Staying closer to home could be a catalyst awakening us to the value of eating locally, travelling less and just slowing down and connecting to our community. After this crisis passes, we might find the old business as usual less compelling. We might learn that not travelling long distances didnt stop us travelling; it just enlivened us to the richness of local travel. Freya Higgins-Desbiolles, Senior Lecturer in Tourism Management, University of South Australia This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Main image: Shutterstock The pound slumped to a 35-year low against the US dollar today as the Chancellor's 350billion coronavirus bailout failed to calm the markets. Sterling dropped to 1.175 against the American currency, while the FTSE lost more than 3 per cent as it teetered on the edge of the psychologically important 5,000 level. The grim slide for the Pound - to the lowest level since 1985 - came as Rishi Sunak defended his package for keeping the UK economy afloat amid the mounting crisis. Boris Johnson has also been facing heavy criticism for his response to the situation, with claims the lockdown was imposed too slowly and there has not been enough testing. Mr Sunak was giving evidence to the Treasury Select Committee this afternoon as the Pound hit its low. Sterling dropped to 1.175 against the American currency today, its lowest level since 1985 Mr Sunak was giving evidence to the Treasury Select Committee (pictured) this afternoon as the Pound hit its low Dealers at KB Kookmin Bank look at the Korea Composite Stock Price Index in Seoul today But he denied that the UK's bailout package was smaller than that in other countries such as France. He said: 'Looking at it in the totality of the fiscal intervention and adding the 30 (billion pounds) and the 20 (billion pounds) together which is 50 billion, and then looking at that as a percentage of GDP, for example, you can benchmark to most large economies and you would see that the totality of what we're doing relative to almost any large economy thus far is very significant and I do think that is the right way to look at it... 'In terms of the overall quantum, I think on a benchmark basis as we've done it, it looks like a very comprehensive package.' Mr Sunak also said that measures for individuals and families would be outlined 'as soon as they are developed and hopefully we can have broad support for them'. Asked about the performance of the Pound, Mr Sunak insisted Chancellors never commented on the currency. The FTSE 100 index of Britain's biggest firms fell 280 points or 5.3 per cent in the first three hours of trading to 5,015 today. It clawed back some of its losses during the day, ending the day down 198 points or 3.7 per cent at 5,097 this afternoon. Investor sentiment in Europe has been crushed over the past month as countries imposed lockdowns to halt the spread. Similar falls were seen in Europe this morning, where Frankfurt's DAX 30 tanked 4 per cent to 8,581 points and the Paris CAC 40 dropped 2.3 per cent to 3,898 points. US stock futures slid 3.7 per cent in Asia overnight, a day after the S&P 500 rose 6 per cent to 2,529 and the Dow Jones gained 5.2 per cent to 21,237. The FTSE 100 has fallen about 30 per cent since coronavirus fears really began to grip investors on February 24, although it did rebound yesterday by 2.8 per cent. Ed Monk, associate director from Fidelity Personal Investing's share dealing service, said: 'The damage to the corporate world from the COVID-19 outbreak is beginning to be laid out via a host of warnings to the stock market this morning. THIS WEEK: The FTSE fell on Monday (left), rebounded yesterday (centre) and fell today (right) PAST MONTH: The FTSE 100 has collapsed since fears over the virus intensified on February 24 'Along with airlines and travel, hospitality will be among the first hit. Brewer Marston's, Wagamama owner The Restaurant Group and Revolutions Bars all warned that trading will be significantly impacted this year. 'Fashion retailer Superdry also confirmed that not only will it not meet profit guidance issued as recently as January, but that it will now not issue guidance for this year. 'Software firm MicroFocus confirmed that it will now not pay a final dividend. Even supermarket Morrisons - which is in a sector that enjoys some insulation in the crisis - confirmed that a planned special dividend now won't be paid.' Italy's prime minister yesterday declared the virus was causing a 'socio-economic tsunami' as European leaders agreed to seal off external borders. Women walk in front of a quotation board displaying Tokyo Stock Exchange share prices today Michael James, managing director of equity trading at Wedbush Securities in Los Angeles, said: 'Right now the predominant concern is that all the shutdowns of just about everything is going to lead to a recession. 'The sentiment is being dominated by those fears far outweighing everything else.' Following dramatic monetary policy easing by some of the world's biggest central banks earlier in the week, US President Donald Trump pressed yesterday for a $1trillion stimulus package, while many other governments looked to fiscal stimulus. European airlines and energy firms have been among the biggest decliners as the health crisis halts nearly all travel, crushes oil prices and cripples company finances. The Government has been urged to do more to support the poorest members of society in the wake of the outbreak after allegations the Chancellor's 350 billion package did 'nothing' to protect home renters and those on low incomes. Rishi Sunak vowed to do 'whatever it takes' to buoy the economy when he revealed his 'unprecedented' fiscal cannon yesterday, as the number of people thought to have the virus in the UK rose to 55,000 and the official death toll climbed to 71. Yet his package of measures designed to protect businesses was criticised after it failed to acknowledge financial means of supporting those in rental accommodation and people on low incomes amid concerns over potential job losses. LOS ANGELES, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Snob World co-founder and travel influencer Kelsea Moscatel is giving Cosmopolitan Turkeyreaders a glimpse into her glamorous lifestyle, appearing on the cover of the magazine's March issue with an eight-page spread in book and an exclusive interview. Kelsea opens up about her journey to become a top social media influencer, her luxury travel platform Snob World, her first trip to Istanbul, and her favorite travel destinations. Check out this month's issue of Cosmopolitan Turkey for the complete cover story and full interview with Kelsea. Kelsea and her husband Cole became famous on social media after they began sharing images from their jet-setting adventures. In 2018, the couple decided to turn their passion for travel into a business and together they launched Snob World. "Snob World offers direct access inside our opulent travels where we highlight the coolest and most lavish hotels, resorts, restaurants, fashion, family travel tips, and thrilling things to do; while also providing once-in-a-lifetime experiences through our VIP travel concierge," Kelsea explained. "We wanted to make sure we stood out by focusing on the family aspect in luxury travel. There are many blogs and brands out there that focus on traveling on a budget or splurging only when traveling by yourself or as a couple. We wanted to make sure that we gave our followers a different perspective and to let them know that it's okay to splurge when traveling, even with a family." As a businesswoman, influencer and mother, Kelsea personifies the idea that a young woman can truly have it all. In her interview, Kelsea shares some of her secrets to achieving success on social media and dispels popular preconceived ideas about influencers. "A big misconception is that people think the influencer life always comes easy. People think that you just take pictures all day and post them on social media. What many people don't know is that it takes time to create the ideas, to develop them, to find the right sponsorships, and to connect with others. It's also hard when juggling a family." The sky's the limit when it comes to Kelsea's ambitions for the Snob World platform. "My goal for the near future is to build a Snob World empire which would include restaurants, hotels, members-only clubs and product lines," Kelsea said. Fans of Kelsea and Cole will be excited to discover that they soon will be able to get a personal look inside the couple's life. "We definitely want to launch a Snob World YouTube channel documenting our travel experiences and giving our fans a view into our personal lives. We would like to highlight the reality as well as the fantasy because travel isn't always easy. There are often bumps along the way and mishaps. A lot can happen before and after the perfect Instagram photo. Our lives are really amusing. We definitely want to show that side of it as well." For more information about Kelsea Moscatel and Snob World, visit snobworld.com. For any questions, please contact pr@snobworld.com. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1135022/Snob_World_Kelsea_Moscatel_Cosmopolitan_Turkeys_March_Cover.jpg "These tools will very much assist us in locating the sick and stopping the virus from spreading," Netanyahu said. The Israeli government has approved emergency measures for its security agencies to track the mobile-phone data of people with suspected coronavirus. The new powers will be used to enforce quarantine and warn those who may have come into contact with infected people, the BBC reports. The temporary laws were passed by Cabinet bypassing parliamentary approval. The Association for Civil Rights in Israel called the move "a dangerous precedent and a slippery slope". Such powers are usually reserved for counter-terrorism operations. It is understood the location data collected through telecommunication companies by Shin Bet, the domestic security agency, will be shared with health officials. Once an individual is highlighted as a possible coronavirus case, the health ministry will then be able to track whether or not they are adhering to quarantine rules. It can also send a text message to people who may have come into contact with them before symptoms emerged. The ultimate test of bolstering the powers of surveillance agencies will lie in their longer term effectiveness: whether they can slow the spread of the coronavirus. Israel has confirmed more than 300 cases of the virus and imposed a series of other measures to stop the spread. They include closing schools, shopping centers, restaurants and most places of leisure, as well as limiting gatherings to 10 people. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the new powers will last for 30 days only. Speaking ahead of the vote, he said: "Israel is a democracy and we must maintain the balance between civil rights and the public's needs. Read alsoCoronavirus update: nearly 198,000 cases reported worldwide, almost 82,000 recoveries "These tools will very much assist us in locating the sick and stopping the virus from spreading." Although it is shrouded in secrecy, other countries are believed to collect data from mobile phones to be used in mass-surveillance programmes or in specific criminal investigations that require case-by-case legal permission. China's sophisticated mass surveillance system is also being used to keep a tab on infected individuals. Tencent, the company behind popular messaging app WeChat, has launched a QR-code-based tracking feature. The "close contact detector" app notifies the user if they have been in close contact with a virus carrier and enforce quarantines. In South Korea, similar technology has been criticised for an invasion of privacy as some people were accused of having extramarital affairs based on their location data being made public. In response to the current outbreak of the COVID-19 virus and recent guidance by the Secretary of Defense, we have modified exercise DEFENDER-Europe 20 in size and scope. As of March 13, all movement of personnel and equipment from the United States to Europe has ceased. The health, safety and readiness of our military, civilians, and family members is our primary concern. With this decision, we continue to preserve the readiness of our force while maximizing our efforts to advance our alliances and partnerships. A 1st Cavalry Division Sustainment Brigade Wagonmaster Trooper ground guides a vehicle during offload operations, Port of Antwerp, Belgium, Feb. 25, 2020 (Picture source: U.S. Army/Sgt. Calab Franklin) As we make the appropriate adjustments, the linked exercises to Exercise Defender-Europe 20 Dynamic Front, Joint Warfighting Assessment, Saber Strike and Swift Response will not be conducted. We anticipate the armored brigade combat team already deployed to Europe will conduct gunnery and other combined training events with Allies as part of a modified Allied Spirit exercise. Forces already deployed to Europe for other linked exercises will return to the United States. The purpose of Defender-Europe 20 is to build strategic readiness by deploying a combat credible force to Europe in support of NATO and the U.S. National Defense Strategy. This effort has exercised the Armys ability to coordinate large scale movements with Allies and partners. Since January, the Army deployed approximately 6,000 Soldiers from the United States to Europe including a division headquarters and an armored brigade combat team. It has moved approximately 9,000 vehicles and pieces of equipment from Army Prepositioned Stocks and approximately 3,000 pieces of equipment via sea from the United States. And, in coordination with Allies and partners, it also completed the movement of Soldiers and equipment from multiple ports to training areas in Germany and Poland. There are many details still being worked and discussed with our Allies and partners. Changes are anticipated to the deployment timelines of Soldiers currently in Europe, redeployment of U.S.-based equipment, and the next Atlantic Resolve rotation. We will continue to provide updates as details become available about these adjustments. AFRICOM cancels Exercise Phoenix Express After careful consideration with exercise participants and the host nation, Exercise Phoenix Express 2020 (OE20) has been canceled for force protection considerations. The decision not to proceed with the exercise comes in response to the global effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), while minimizing exposure of U.S. and partner nation service members to this virus. U.S. Africa Command will continue to evaluate and adjust the scope of its activities as necessary to ensure the force health protection and prevent the spread of the virus. The U.S. routinely exercises with partners in Africa to build enduring relationships and combined capacity to ensure the safety and security of the regional maritime environment. Phoenix Express, originally scheduled April 5-18 in the Mediterranean Sea, is designed to improve regional cooperation, maritime domain awareness, information-sharing practices, and operational capabilities in order to enhance efforts to promote safety and security in the Mediterranean Sea and territorial waters of participating North African nations. Planning continues for the exercise in 2021. A flu drug is 'clearly effective' in treating coronavirus, medical experts in China have claimed. Favipiravir, the active ingredient in a Japanese anti-flu medicine called Avigan, was trialled on 340 patients with the killer disease in China. Patients who took Favipiravir recovered quicker and showed greater lung improvement compared with patients not given the drug. Anti-influenza Avigan tablets, produced by Japan's Fujifilm, are displayed in Tokyo on October 22, 2014. Individuals given Favipiravir in Shenzhen gave negative results around four days after testing positive, compared to an average of 11 days for those not administered the drug, according to Japanese media The component is thought to block the virus from replicating in the body. Doses will be investigated in more COVID-19 patients by Hong Kong researchers, who claim they will give their pill 'for free' if studies show it is safe. However, contradictory clinical trials suggest Favipiravir will not be useful in patients who have more severe illness. As of yet, there isn't a treatment for the new coronavirus causing a global pandemic. Most people have mild symptoms and can recover at home within a week. Almost 200,000 have been infected and 7,9000 have died. Avipiravir is an active ingredient which has shown to be effective against flu strains, yellow fever, foot-and-mouth-disease and some other virus families. It was given to 80 patients in Shenzen and in Wuhan, where the novel coronavirus first emerged in December 2019. Favipiravir has been effective, with no obvious side-effects, in helping coronavirus patients recover, Zhang Xinmin, an official at China's Science and Technology Ministry, told reporters at a news conference on Tuesday. A worker wearing protective suit checks the body temperature of an employee at the entrance of OrbusNeich Medical (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd amid the coronavirus outbreak on March 6, 2020 in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province of China. Trials of the Avigan anti-influenza drug in Shenzhen proved successful in reducing the duration of the disease in patients, according to Chinese officials 'It has a high degree of safety and is clearly effective in treatment,' Mr Xinmin said, according to The Guardian. Patients who were given the medicine in Shenzhen had negative results for the coronavirus an average of four days after being diagnosed, meaning there was no trace of the virus in their body. This compared with 11 days for those who were not treated with the drug, according to local media. X-rays showed improvements in lung condition in nine in ten of the patients who were treated with Favipiravir, compared to six in ten of those without the drug. It is not clear what the results were in patients in Wuhan. It's also unknown which branded Favipiravir drug the patients were given. One of the most known is Avigan, manufactured by a subsidiary of Fujifilm, which is better known for its cameras. The drug was approved for use in Japan in 2014 as a new flu treatment. Fujifilm Toyama Chemical, the medical arm of Fujifilm has declined to comment on the clinical trial, The Guardian reports. However, shares in the firm surged 15 per cent on Wednesday after the encouraging trial results were revealed by Mr Xinmin. An oral medicine using favipiravir, developed by Hong Kong-based Sihuan Pharmaceutical, is also in line to try on COVID-19 patients. Led by Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, a clinical trial is part of a program by Sihuan and the Institute of Microbiology Epidemiology, a division of the Chinese armed forces. The study will involve 60 COVID-19 patients who will be given treatment for around 10 days. Larger trials are expected after. Sihuan executive director Che Fengsheng said: 'After all the efforts and preparations, our group is fully prepared for favipiravir's raw material and preparation production. 'Once approved, favipiravir tablets will be provided for free as a treatment protection for COVID-19 patients during the epidemic, bringing good news to patients.' By Trend Police stations will be established in three places for people entering Baku and Sumgayit cities and Absheron district from regions on Novruz holidays, Head of the Public Relations Department of the Main State Traffic Police Department of Azerbaijani Interior Ministry, Police Colonel Kamran Aliyev told Trend on March 18. Aliyev said the work has already begun. Posts are being installed on the 65th kilometer of the Baku-Alat-Astara highway, the 45th kilometer of the Baku-Guba-Russian Federation state border highway and the 26th kilometer of the Baku-Shamakhi-Yevlakh highway. From on 00:00 (GMT+4) March 19 all cars and passengers arriving along these directions to Baku, Sumgayit and Absheron will be stopped and checked. Also, cars registered in Baku, Sumgayit or Absheron region, will be stopped at the posts in order to clarify the place of registration of passengers. Therefore, citizens are asked not to go to the regions and not to come from the regions to Baku, Sumgayit and Absheron region on March 19-29. Otherwise, these people will not be allowed to enter the mentioned territories, said the statement. The Operational Headquarters under the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers earlier told Trend that in connection with preventive measures on the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, entry to Baku, Sumgayit and Absheron region is limited. According to information, from 00:00 (GMT+4) on March 19-29, vehicles and their passengers registered in cities and regions of the republic are prohibited from entering Baku, Sumgayit and the Absheron region, excluding special purpose vehicles, ambulances, emergency vehicles recovery, rescue services, as well as freight transport. Passenger vehicles (buses, minibuses, taxis and others) registered in Baku, Sumgayit and Absheron region are prohibited to transport people from other cities and regions of the country to the above-mentioned destination. For vehicles and their passengers registered in Baku, Sumgayit and Absheron region, free entry and exit to Baku is allowed. Operational Headquarters calls on owners of vehicles and passenger cars registered in Baku, Sumgayit and Absheron region to refrain from traveling outside the settlements where they are registered. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz He was dubbed the Bernie Madoff of New Zealand in reference to the New York fraudster serving 150 years. And a judge described him as a liar and thief operating on a scale unprecedented in New Zealand. Now the recently paroled Wellington Ponzi fraudster, David Ross, is going to be the subject of a Tauranga produced television documentary with the working title GRoss MisManagement. His company was Ross Asset Management. But its not an attempt to vilify David Ross, says Tauranga businessman turned documentary maker, Gary Benner. He has already done a pretty good job of that himself. The documentary will aim to equip investors on how to protect their money, using David Ross as the catalyst. It will give people a better understanding of how the investment process works, the legislation, what they can rightfully expect when they turn to an authorised financial advisor. David Ross was an authorised financial advisor providing broking services when he wasn't authorised to provide broking services. What is a broking service as opposed to an authorised financial advisor. Using the David Ross case, the documentary will aim to put that into context. Itll also examine the Financial markets Authority and Serious Fraud Office who combined to investigate Ross. It will also allude to the other parties banks, solicitors, accountants and auditors who were all part of a scene and who in an ideal world should have very quickly picked up that David Ross was a Ponzi. David Ross was jailed in 2014 for about 11 years for his role in a massive $115 million Ponzi scheme fraud, ripping off more than 700 investors. What I came to appreciate was that Ponzis ruin lives, says Gary. Ross was a skilled and sophisticated conman who was finally brought down by circumstances he couldnt control. It was the experience of a university mate that helped trigger the documentary idea. He lost base capital of $400,000 with Ross Asset Management. But fortunately he had split his investment between two parties. But then there were many people who lost the bulk of their life savings. There was the couple whod sold their farm and while they were deciding their next step, the money was put with David Ross and they lost the lot. Its Garys first foray into documentary production but is an expansion of his work with online learning and training. Much of it within the financial industry, dealing with financial advisors and anti-money laundering legislation training. The documentary, which it is hoped will be seen on mainstream television, is at the final research stage and theyre now starting interviews. The plum, of course, would be an interview with David Ross. We have made approaches. We hope he will see it as a chance to present his side of the story. Our style is more Parkinson than Frost. But if not, they will use docudrama reconstructions to illustrate how he operated. Gary Benner believes the David Ross Ponzi case is an embarrassment to the industry. And its a story that demands to be told because it was allowed to happen, despite new regulations, management and legislation around authorized financial advisors. In fact, there were so many mechanisms in place that should have protected the investor. They needed to have the confidence that if someone proclaimed that they were an authorized financial advisor, that they were a good person. In the David Ross case, that was not so. Former vice president Joe Biden has claimed victory over Senator Bernie Sanders in the crucial primaries in the three US states, inching closer in the race to become the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee to face President Donald Trump in November's election. Biden, 77, won the three primaries in Florida, Illinois and Arizona with an impressive margin, trouncing his main rival Sanders, 78, to become the Democratic party's presidential nominee. As of Tuesday, Biden had 1,121 pledged delegate in his kitty with Sanders trailing behind with 839 delegates. Either of the two presidential aspirants need 1,991 of the 3,979 pledged delegates to win the nomination during the Democratic National Convention in Wisconsin in July. In his speech, Biden laid out his vision for America, call on Americans to come together to address this global health pandemic, and describe how we will come out of the crisis stronger as one nation. Biden spoke from his home in Delaware keeping the guidelines of avoiding a gathering of 10 or more people. He urged supporters of the Sanders campaign to join him. Commending the remarkable passion and tenacity of Sanders' supporters, he said that they have shifted the fundamental conversation in this country. "I hear you. I know what's at stake. I know what we have to do," Biden said in an impressive speech. "This is over. It's over. The election is over tonight. I think that is very clear," former US president Barack Obama's adviser David Axelrod told the CNN. In his brief address, Biden said that tackling this pandemic is a national emergency akin to fighting a war. It will require leadership and cooperation from every level of government. "It will require us to move thoughtfully and decisively to quickly address both the public health crisis and the economic crisis we're in. It will require us to pay attention to the medical and scientific and health experts. And it will require each and every one of us to do our part, he said. "Yes, this is a moment where we need our leaders to lead. But it is also a moment where the choices and decisions we make as individuals, and collectively as a people, will make a big difference in the severity of the outbreak and the ability of our medical and hospital systems to handle it, Biden said. I know that we as a people are up to this challenge. I know that we will answer this moment of crisis with what is best in ourselves because that is what Americans have always done, he added. Biden said that he is building the broad coalition that they will need to win in November with strong support from the African American community; the Latino community; high school educated people, like the ones he grew up with in his old neighbourhood; labour; teachers, suburban women, veterans, fire fighters, and so many more. And we're doing it with a common vision, said the former vice president. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Zealand's parliament has voted to legalise abortion. The bill passed its third reading stage and will now be sent to the country's governor-general for royal assent. Sixty-eight MPs voted in favour of the bill, while 51 voted against. New Zealand 's parliament has voted to legalise abortion (file picture) Kiwi women had been forced to exploit a legal loophole to get an abortion, with two doctors having to agree that giving birth would be a 'serious danger' to the woman's health. Under the new legislation, women will be able to have abortions before 20 weeks without any medical need. Women will also be able to terminate pregnancies after 20 weeks, but only if two doctors agree it is 'clinically appropriate'. 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. New coronavirus deaths have been reported in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia as the battle against COVID-19 intensifies in Southeast Asia. Some governments that long reported few or no cases have shifted from denial to more forceful action in the face of the outbreaks mounting toll. Indonesia marked its deadliest day yet today with 14 more people killed by the virus, raising the total to 19. Malaysia and the Philippines reported two deaths each. More extreme measures have been taken by regional governments, with Malaysia enacting a nationwide lockdown and Thailand shuttering schools and most venues in Bangkok. Both are in place for at least two weeks. The Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has declared a national state of emergency. Mosques have become vectors for infection around the region as more cases linked to a virus-hit gathering of 16,000 Muslims in Kuala Lumpur spill into Brunei and Cambodia. A number of them also attended a separate mosque gathering in Brunei that has now been linked to a new case in the country, the government revealed yesterday. A number of Malaysians from the Kuala Lumpur mosque gathering have also tested positive in Cambodia. Updates from Coconuts newsrooms in Southeast Asia and Hong Kong: Malaysia The Johor state government is working to reopen Malaysias border with Singapore, where thousands of Malaysians mostly from Johor commute to for work each day. We are coming up with a mitigation plan during this Covid-19 outbreak, Johor Chief Minister Hasni Mohammad was quoted by The Star as saying. Malaysia begins its two-week lockdown today, barring citizens from leaving and foreigners from entering the country. Schools, places of worship and most businesses have been closed, except for those providing essentials like supermarkets. Large gatherings, including weddings, have also been banned. Those who violate the Movement Control Order face RM1,000 fine (US$230) and six months jail. One of Malaysias first COVID-19 deaths was buried in Johor Bahru last night, hours after his death was announced, according to Bernama . The 34-year-old man had attended the virus-hit mass mosque gathering in Kuala Lumpur before testing positive on March 12. The other death in Malaysia involves a 60-year-old pastor in Kuching, Sarawak. Coronavirus cases rose to 790 today after 117 new cases were reported, 80 of which are linked to the virus-hit mosque gathering in Kuala Lumpur. More than 500 of the infected are now linked to the event. A total of 15 people are in critical condition. Story continues Manila Total known infections rose to 193 and the death toll to 14 in the Philippines. Two new deaths reported involved elderly men. Six more infections were reported today. Seven people have recovered. Veteran actor Christopher De Leon is among the Philippines newest patients. The 63-year-old actor revealed on Instagram last night he tested positive earlier in the day. President Rodrigo Duterte has put the entire country under a state of calamity, freeing up access to more funds. Indonesia Indonesia reported 14 new deaths today, pushing the death toll to 19. Coronavirus cases rose to 227. A number of Indonesian government officials currently on holiday in Europe has been ordered to cut their vacation short and come home. They were originally headed for Saudi Arabia but changed their itinerary into a Euro trip after a ban on Muslim pilgrims from entering holy sites. The government has also suspended visa waivers for short-term visits for a month. Thailand Dozens of new cases were reported for the third time since Sunday. Total coronavirus cases rose to 212 after 35 new infections were reported. They included cases linked to an entertainment venue and a boxing match in Bangkok. One separate case involved a person recently in Cambodia. The Thai government announced a package of measures in its bid to contain COVID-19. Measures include postponing April holidays and partially shutting down Bangkok. Schools, entertainment places, traditional Thai massage parlors and sports stadiums are among places forced to close for two weeks. Public transportation services will be ramped up to reduce congestion. Government officials not allowed to travel abroad. Thais abroad are urged not to return until the coronavirus outbreak is over. Hong Kong The 17-year-old dog that tested positive and then negative for COVID-19 has died after being released from quarantine. The Pomeranian died days after returning home to his owner, who has recovered from the coronavirus. On average, Pomeranians tend to live nine to 16 years. Hong Kong has urged sick residents abroad to sick treatment before traveling back as imported infections rise in the city. Coronavirus cases rose to 181 today after 14 new infections were reported, according to the South China Morning Post. Taiwan Taiwan today banned entry to all foreign visitors as coronavirus cases rose to 100. Twenty-three new cases reported today mostly involved people who had traveled abroad. Brunei Brunei has 56 coronavirus cases after two more were reported yesterday. One of them is linked to the mosque gathering in Kuala Lumpur while another had attended a separate mosque gathering that took place in Brunei on March 5. A number of mosque goers from the gathering in Malaysia were also at the one in Brunei. Four Brunei nationals who went to the Malaysian mosque gathering have tested positive in Malaysia. Cambodia Coronavirus cases rose to 35 in Cambodia after more than 20 new cases were reported, including three Malaysians who were from the Kuala Lumpur mosque gathering, Khmer Times reported. Singapore Singapore reported 23 new cases, bringing the total number of infections to 266. Latest cases mostly include people who likely contracted COVID-19 abroad. Related: Solidarity with Malaysians forced to flee lockdown for Singapore as cases rise to 266 (Map) Full govt statement on partial COVID-19 shut down of Bangkok in English Six new infections bring Philippines total COVID-19 cases to 193, one more patient recovers Actor Christopher De Leon tests positive for COVID-19, wife Sandy Andolong under quarantine Hong Kong Pomeranian that tested positive for COVID-19 dies after returning home Indonesian officials, wives go on Euro trip amid coronavirus outbreak Elderly Indonesian doctor who went viral for joining fight against COVID-19 reportedly in intensive care This article, COVID-19 in ASEAN: Coronavirus battle escalates as death toll rises, originally appeared on Coconuts, Asia's leading alternative media company. Want more Coconuts? Sign up for our newsletters! N.K. Jemison, whose novel "The City We Became" makes New York a living being whose avatars fight aliens and racism. (Laura Hanifin) N.K. Jemisins The City We Became is a novel concerned with the pleasures and violences of urban life, so it makes sense that reading it feels a little like riding the subway for the first time. You barely have a moment to steady yourself grab a seat, or at least a pole before the world is lurching forward, dragging you into inky darkness, pulling you around corners at breathless speed. Jemisin is a veteran writer and a decorated one: Her previous books, including the Inheritance trilogy, the Broken Earth series and the story collection How Long til Black Future Month?, have won a Nebula Award, two Locuses and a record-setting three Hugos. Jemisin brings all of her considerable skill and talent to bear on The City We Became, which is epic in ambition and scope: This first novel in a series is a multicultural twist on and sharp riposte to Lovecraftian speculative fiction. (H.P. Lovecraft was a genre-defining writer and an unapologetic racist: His story The Horror at Red Hook made the diverse immigrant neighborhood the literal gateway to hell.) The City We Became imagines a handful of the worlds great cities Hong Kong, Sao Paulo and London among them as not just vital but actually alive, and engaged in a struggle with hostile forces that threaten their very existence. Great cities are like any other living things, Jemisin writes, being born and maturing and wearying and dying in their turn. At some point in that process of maturation, some cities transform and cohere from a collection of buildings and people into something more like an organism. Then, like any animal, they gestate until they are ready to be born, able to stand on wobbly legs and do well, whatever the [hell] a living, thinking entity shaped like a big-ass city wants to do. The book begins with the birth of the worlds newest city, New York. A citys birth also transforms one of its residents into its avatar and protector, and New York is ensouled in a young man nameless, homeless, black, queer, a graffiti artist and sometimes-sex worker. But because the city is so sprawling and diverse, it also generates avatars for each of its boroughs: the Bronx (which finds its champion in a Native museum administrator), Brooklyn (a black rapper-turned-lawyer-turned-local politician), Manhattan (a former contract killer of indeterminate origins), Staten Island (a sheltered white woman whose father is a racist cop) and Queens (a South Indian graduate student). Story continues (Orbit) Shortly after its birth, the city and its avatars realize theyre being threatened by an alien invader, a force from the multiverse intent on subduing and destroying them. This invader takes the form of infectious white tendrils; it can also manifest in people, controlling and directing packs of white young men who feel disenfranchised, or the kind of woman whos predisposed to call the police on two men of color sitting in a park together. If all of this sounds a little bit obvious a thriving, diverse city threatened by, well, uniform whiteness in Jemisins hands its anything but. She uses the imaginative space provided by speculative fiction not just to score a specific political point, but also to deepen and widen and weirden our understanding of the world. The avatars powers, for instance, are rooted in the many and varied dimensions of New Yorks New Yorkiness. When Manhattan finds himself fighting the woman in the park, he discovers he can keep her at bay by enacting constructs, ideas so many people have about the city that theyve taken on a life of their own. An effective one for him is money talks, bullshit walks: Every dollar thrown onto the ground literally buys that space for him to inhabit though real estate is so expensive that only a credit card earns him more than a couple of inches. Money from someone elses wallet works better than ones own, since, as Jemisin notes, Manhattan was built not only on land valuations, but stolen value. The City We Became also layers emotion tenderness and fear and ferocity into all of that world-building infrastructure. Writing from each of the avatars perspectives allows Jemisin to weave an astonishing amount of information into her narrative without slowing its momentum: She teases out the histories and demographics of each of the boroughs she describes and then gives all of that data texture and weight. The city is at once a larger-than-life myth and also a human-scale experience; it is the avatars home just as much as any of their individual apartments might be, and you feel the depth of their attachment to it on every page. All of this emotional work should help the novel resonate even with people whove never stepped foot in New York. Jemisin communicates the specific specialness of her city, but its easy to extrapolate that to the delirious, surreal experience of living in and loving any modern metropolis: the serendipity of hitting all the traffic lights for a milelong stretch; or coming across a vibrant new neighborhood by accident; or seeing a particular building or communal space and knowing in your bones that, at last, of all the places in the wide world, you are at home. Jemisin also conjures the pain of watching helplessly as your block and its locals get swallowed by chopped salad chains, corporate-hip live-work spaces and big box stores. The City We Became feels especially timely as rising rents continue to force all but the ultra-wealthy out of big American cities and brands gobble up the space that mom-and-pop shops used to occupy, leaving us with a dehumanized landscape of corporate logos. The book is, in some sense, a rallying cry, a call to arms: If you live in a city, its hard to read it without wanting to fling yourself on the pavement in tears of both gratitude and frustration. Jemisin mostly keeps her morals from overshadowing her storytelling, but there are a handful of moments where the wokeness calls too much attention to itself. That was, uh, racist. Technically prejudiced because the power dynamics are basically flat, one character says to another, apologizing for a barbed comment about drug use, in a piece of dialogue that feels unnatural outside academia or certain subsections of Twitter. But such moments are rare and, for the most part, The City We Became is thrillingly expansive without ever becoming abstract or high-flown. Speeding through its pages feels like walking down a beloved city block: gloriously familiar and yet always shimmering with the promise of the unexpected. Romanoff is a writer and the author of several novels for young adults. The City We Became N.K. Jemisin Orbit: 448 pages, $14.99 T he mother of one of the Manchester Arena bomb victims has described feeling kicked in the stomach as her sons murderer was found guilty in his absence. Daryl Price, whose son John Atkinson was killed in the blast, branded Hashem Abedi a coward for failing to face up to his crimes in court. On Tuesday, Abedi, from Manchester, was found guilty of 22 counts of murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to cause explosions. During the seven-week Old Bailey trial, he declined to give evidence, refused to sit in the dock and sacked his defence team. Duncan Penny QC (prosecution) on his feet as Hashem Abedi sits in the dock / PA Wire/PA Images Mrs Price said: We welcome the verdict but it doesnt change whats happened, it wont bring John back. There is no justice for what Abedi did and there never will be, but it does feel like a weight has been lifted. The last few weeks have been draining, both mentally and physically, and when the jury read out their decision it felt like somebody had kicked me in the stomach. I was expecting it but it still knocked the wind out of me, I couldnt breathe for a few seconds. I am annoyed that he couldnt make an appearance in court to face those people whose lives he ruined. I had planned to go to London for the verdict, I wanted to look him right in the eye, but he is too much of a coward for that." Hashem Abedi was the brother of Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi / PA Mr Atkinson, 28, from Manchester, had been a support worker for people with special needs. He was among 22 men, women and children aged between eight and 51 who were killed in the terror attack on May 22 2017. He had been at the concert with his friend, Gemma ODonnell, and was crossing the foyer when Abedis brother Salman, 22, detonated a homemade bomb packed with deadly shrapnel at 10.31pm. Mr Atkinson, who had been with his partner Michael for 15 years, was evacuated from the scene but died of his injuries soon after midnight. The scene close to the Manchester Arena after the terror attack / PA Ms ODonnell survived but was very seriously injured. The court heard how Abedi was just as guilty of the atrocity as his older brother, who police believe called him in Libya en route to the Arena for last-minute encouragement. He was involved in the planning and preparation, and helped source two of the three chemicals to make TATP explosives, jurors heard. He was arrested by Libyan militia within 24 hours of the bombing and, in an unprecedented move, British authorities succeeded in securing his extradition last year. Abedi, who was born in Manchester to Libyan parents, faces mandatory life imprisonment when he is sentenced by Mr Justice Jeremy Baker on a future date. Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Barraclough, who led the investigation, has refused to rule out pursuing anyone else over the attack, saying the case remains open. In an interview with the PA news agency, Mr Barraclough said police keep an open mind and would always be open to receive information or evidence of a wider conspiracy around the bombing. He said: At this stage in time the evidence existed purely to charge and prosecute Hashem Abedi. By then, the threat of the virus no longer felt distant. It had arrived, not just in America, but Missouri, St. Louis, and maybe one day soon, the couple feared, it would appear in their own home. Patel knew she would go back to work eventually, but she had thought those two weeks would give her enough time to prepare: to buy a new breast pump, to rehearse in her mind how shed stay safe at work, to make a plan for who would look after the children the oldest was 3 since it had become too risky for her mother, in her 60s, to care for them. Seven Indian nationals, who were quarantined as primary contacts of a coronavirus case in Bhutan, have been tested negative, an Indian embassy official said on Wednesday. "Pleased to share that the 7 Indian nationals who were quarantined as primary contacts of the lone COVID-19 case at this end finally tested negative, and have since left Bhutan in good health and cheerful spirit," Indian Ambassador to Bhutan Ruchira Kamboj tweeted. The land-locked Himalayan country reported its first case of the coronavirus after a US tourist tested positive early this month. The government immediately closed borders to foreigners for two weeks and quarantined his primary contacts, seven including Indians. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With Israel now on emergency footing to combat the spread of the virus, the most likely scenario, observers say, is for Blue and White to form a unity government with Likud. But Gantz and his party say they will not join a government led by Netanyahu, who is now under indictment on corruption charges, and Netanyahu refuses to step aside. A Japanese man who said he wanted to scatter coronavirus after he tested positive for the disease has died. The 57-year-old died in hospital on Wednesday, according to local media. The man reportedly went to bars on the same day he tested positive for Covid-19 and had been ordered to stay at home to limit the spread of the disease. He told his family that he was going to scatter the virus and headed to an izakaya bar an informal drinking establishment similar to a pub and a Filipino bar, local media said. The man, from Gamagori in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, was hospitalised a day later on 5 March, according to a Japanese news agency. The man had been under investigation over alleged obstruction of business after both bars temporarily closed following his visit, Kyodo News said. A woman who worked at the Filipino bar tested positive for the coronavirus on 12 March. An official for Aichi Prefecture said people who test positive are in principle hospitalised but if there is no bed available, they are told to stay home. Aichis 125 cases represent the second-highest number among Japans 47 prefectures, according to public broadcaster NHK. The area has been hit hard by a cluster of cases linked to an elderly day care facility in the capital, Nagoya. As of Wednesday morning, Japan had more than 1,600 confirmed coronavirus cases, while the death toll for people who had tested positive stood at 36. More than 198,000 have been diagnosed with Covid-19 a flu-like disease that can develop into pneumonia around the world to date. Countries have gone into lockdown around the world including Spain and Italy as authorities try to contain the pandemics spread. The British prime minister, Boris Johnson, urged people to stay away from bars, clubs and theatres earlier this week as the UK battles the outbreak. Additional reporting by Reuters The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix, 1 season): A critically acclaimed prequel to Jim Hensons and Frank Ozs 1982 fantasy movie The Dark Crystal, Age of Resistance is a deep dive into a risk-strewn world that retains the original hand-made aesthetic and very real sense of risk as illegitimate rule and political strife forge a puppet-driven quest. Veronica Mars (Stan*, 4 seasons): High school has many mysteries but none more so than in this teenage noir, where the supremely sharp-tongued Kristen Bell plays the titular school student by day and private detective by night. The crimes here are real and imbued with trauma, but the series handles it with a skilful mix of retribution and regret. For Those Who Delight in the Worst Case Scenario Black Summer (Netflix, 1 season): Shot on the move so that it feels like the end is constantly a few seconds away, this ground zero at the zombie apocalypse (these ones run) turns an average American town into a post-apocalyptic landscape as you watch. Black Summer is tense and terrifying, and yet the people and places feel readily recognisable. Black Summer season 1 on Netflix. Colony (Netflix, 2 seasons): If you still have fond memories of Losts nickname sprouting anti-hero Sawyer, this alien occupation drama puts actor Josh Holloway front and centre in a tale of life in Los Angeles under unknown overlords. Subterfuge, collaboration, and otherworldly twists ensure in a tightly made thriller. The Handmaids Tale (Stan*, season 1-2; SBS on Demand, season 3): How much dystopia can you take? I checked out after two seasons, but this nightmarishly grim reality of an America turned into a theocratic dictatorship, with a compelling Elisabeth Moss as woman deprived of even her own name, matches wrenching duress to official terror. For Those Who Want to Laugh Catastrophe (Stan*, 4 seasons): When an American advertising exec (Rob Delaney) and an Irish school teacher (Sharon Horgan) have a six night thing in London, it unexpectedly turns into a relationship and parenting. Getting by requires sardonic exchanges and horrifying missteps that are often inappropriate and blackly hilarious. Catastrophe, season four. I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson (Netflix, 1 season): A sketch comedy series that takes everyday foibles and social missteps to excruciating extremes. This journey into the warped brain of comic actor Tim Robinson is wildly audacious without ever winking at the audience. Exhibit A: "Baby of the Year". Last Man on Earth (SBS on Demand, 4 seasons): You never see the virus that spurs this deft comedy, but it leaves the incredibly ill-chosen Phil Tandy (Will Forte) as seemingly the last person in America. His solo set-piece are sublime, but the show soon delivers other survivors, all of whom Phil manages to offend. For Those Who Love Their Crime Shows Justified (Stan*, 6 seasons): Located in the character-rich confines of Kentucky and adapted from an Elmore Leonard short story, this idiosyncratic crime drama follows wayward US Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) and features a magisterial supporting cast that includes Walton Goggins, Margot Martindale and Damon Herriman. Mindhunter stars Holt McCallany, left, and Jonathan Groff as FBI agents. Now available on Netflix. Mindhunter (Netflix, 2 seasons): Set in the late 1970s, this eerie procedural watches with forensic interest as a disparate group of FBI agents and psychologists begin the study of serial killers. Shaped by filmmaker David Finchers precise eye, the result is an ominous immersion with modern historys inexplicable monsters. Ozark (Netflix, 2 seasons): The fractured marriage of Jason Bateman and Laura Linneys comfortable Chicago couple is locked down when his money laundering work puts their lives at risk. Exiled to rural Missouri, they have months to repay millions, requiring illegalities that draw the attention of locals. Season three debuts March 27. For Those Who Seeking a Non-Infectious Mystery The Bureau (SBS on Demand, 4 seasons): A riveting study of national security and self-deceit the two are dangerously interlocked this quietly tense French espionage drama follows an undercover agent (an excellent Mathieu Kassovitz) returning to Parisian desk duty. What he brings with him upends an already labyrinthine world. Julia Roberts in Homecoming on Amazon Prime Video. Wormwood (Netflix, 1 season): Errol Morris is one of the greatest documentary filmmakers alive and he uses the breadth of this Netflix series about the controversial 1950s death of an American scientist working for the CIA, to mix eras, testimony and possible culpability. You feel like youre living inside this murky story. Homecoming (Amazon Prime Video, 1 season): With note-perfect performances from Julia Roberts and Bobby Cannavale, this collection of conspiracy strands that meet in an unforgettable moment is the work of Mr. Robot creator Sam Ismael. From menacing tracking shots to meticulous production design this is bespoke 21st century paranoia. For Those Needing Comfort TV Grace & Frankie (Netflix, 7 seasons): You had me at Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. The terrific duo star as acquaintances thrown together after their respective husbands go public with their long-time affair and move in together. The first season is middling, but as grief gives way to a second chance this comic drama makes the cranky and caring sparkle. Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in season five of Grace and Frankie on Netflix. Parks & Recreation (Amazon Prime Video, 7 seasons): As played by Amy Poehler, Leslie Knope is a parks department bureaucrat in the American town of Pawnee, who genuinely tries to do good for others. Her co-workers are another matter. Eccentric characters, community strength and madcap misadventures all punctuate this wonderful comedy. Veep (Foxtel on Demand, 7 seasons): If youd prefer to laugh at the failings of those in charge rather than stress about them, theres no better starting point that Armando Iannuccis sharp-edged satire of Julia Louis-Dreyfus's fictional US vice president. Public service has rarely been so precisely skewered. For Those Who Want a Period Setting Babylon Berlin (Netflix, 3 seasons): 1929 Berlin is the perfect setting for this kaleidoscopic thriller: the Weimar Republic teeters, factions and cabals clash, the trauma of World War I endures. A flawed detective looking for blackmail material is the starting point, but this lavish German production rewrites history as you watch it. Rachel Brosnahan in The Marvelous Mrs Maisel on Amazon Prime Video. The Marvelous Mrs Maisel (Amazon Prime Video, 3 seasons): With a tip of the hat to Joan Rivers stand-up comedy beginnings in the 1950s, Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino mixes pithy dialogue, female empowerment, and rich period detail in a tale that ultimately celebrates the joy of self-expression. Harlots (SBS on Demand, 3 seasons): The rivalry between two brothel madams played by Samantha Morton and Lesley Manville underpins this blithe anthropological dive into 18th century London, where sex work is one of the only ways women can claim agency. Female creators, directors, and leads mean a different take on corset culture. For Those Who Want a Pre-Streaming Hit Friends (Stan*, 10 seasons): The One with Self-Isolation sounds like a readymade Friends episode, and the trademark sitcom about six young New Yorkers who somehow stuck together through every 22-minute mix of mishap and punchlines has a slick comic energy that is absolutely reassuring right now. Mad Men is now available to stream on Netflix. House (Amazon Prime Video, 8 seasons): The show that introduced America to Hugh Laurie, House has a mammoth 177 episodes where the thoroughly unconventional and generally misanthropic Dr House makes getting the correct diagnosis more fun than it actually is. The show remains a medical drama that twists the familiar elements just enough to make it fresh. Mad Men (Netflix, 7 seasons): Matthew Weiner and his collaborators crafted a modern masterpiece with this elegiac study of a charismatic but inscrutable ad agency creative (Jon Hamm) and his co-workers and family. Social shifts and personal mores intermingle with a defining mood that was somehow both bracing and bittersweet. For Those Who Want it Weird Dark (Netflix, 2 seasons): The secrets of successive family generations and the means to traverse time are more tightly bound than you might imagine in this gloriously grim German science-fiction puzzle box drama, which turns a German village inside out over successive eras. Its greatest success? The intricate plot is actually legible. Kyle MacLachlan in Twin Peaks reboot, now streaming on Stan. Walter Ogrod, 55, has spent 23 years on death row for the 1988 murder of 4-year-old Barbara Jean Horn but in February, the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office filed briefs arguing that Ogrod is likely innocent and seeking his release from state prison. The filing documented falsified testimony and alleged misconduct by prosecutors and detectives that led to Ogrods conviction. Ogrods next scheduled court date on this matter, March 27, has been postponed at least until June. Now, both his defense team and the district attorney have filed emergency motions for Ogrods release and transportation to a hospital citing symptoms of possible coronavirus, including a 106-degree fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Ogrod has exhibited symptoms consistent with COVID-19, has not been tested for COVID-19, is vulnerable to it because of his age and medical conditions, and has not been given appropriate medical treatment, the emergency motion reads. Philadelphias courts were closed on Monday through April 1, to retard the spread of the coronavirus. However, the First Judicial District issued an order permitting emergency proceedings for medical reasons. Ogrods brother, Greg, said he spoke with Walter and it sounded like his health was improving. However, without a test, hes still anxious. Im concerned about my brothers health. God forbid he dies in there after all this time," Ogrod said. "Let his family come get him, and we can quarantine him in our house. The Department of Corrections did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding whether Ogrod or others are under quarantine or have been tested for the coronavirus. Ogrod is housed at State Correctional Institution Phoenix in Montgomery County, which has Pennsylvanias highest concentration of cases to date. James Rollins, one of Ogrods lawyers, said theres no time to wait. The prison is unable to provide the treatment that he needs, he said in a statement. Every day a decision and/or hearing is delayed is another day that Mr. Ogrod remains on death row for a crime he did not commit and at grave risk to his life. We are asking for an immediate ruling on already filed papers or a telephone hearing to get Mr. Ogrod released to treatment and safety. Bhopal, March 18 : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of playing 'dirty 'politics and suppressing the democratic values and rights much like Hitler. The Chief Minister was reacting after senior Congress leaders, including Digvijaya Singh were detained in Bengaluru when they tried to meet the 16 rebel Congress MLAs. In a series of tweets in Hindi, Kamal Nath said, "Congress Rajya Sabha candidate Digvijaya Singh and other Congress ministers tried to meet the Congress MLAs who have been held hostage by the BJP in Bengaluru. The police stopped them, misbehaved with them and detained them, which was completely dictatorial and Hitler like." The Chief Minister added, "The whole country is watching how the BJP is murdering democratic values by destabilising an elected government. Why are they not letting us meet the legislators, what sort of fear do they have?" "All our leaders who have been detained should be freed and meeting with the hostage MLAs be allowed. BJP neither has the majority, nor has Shivraj Singh been appointed as the leader of the BJP Legislative party. BJP government is not forming here and neither will it be able to form a government. But Shivraj Singh's restlessness to become the chief minister is being seen by all, " said Kamal Nath in his tweet. He said, "They are so very restless for power. They are not even able to sleep and are day dreaming about becoming the Chief Minister. They are threatening the officers. I take pity on them." Brussels warning comes less than a month after US officials said thousands of Russian-linked social media accounts had embarked on a coordinated effort to spread alarm about the virus. Brussels: They did it with the 2016 US elections and allegedly with Brexit, and now Russian players are meddling in the Wests efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus. The European Union on Wednesday said Russia was putting lives at risk with a significant campaign to spread false or misleading information about the coronavirus pandemic. An internal EU document seen by AFP warned that pro-Kremlin media outlets are promoting disinformation about COVID-19 in order to make the crisis worse in the West by undermining trust in healthcare systems. Brussels warning comes less than a month after US officials said thousands of Russian-linked social media accounts had embarked on a coordinated effort to spread alarm about the virus. The EUs Stratcom East task force, which tackles disinformation emanating from Russia, said it had identified nearly 80 cases of disinformation about coronavirus since January 22. The EU document, circulated to all 27 member states said, Pro-Kremlin disinformation messages advance a narrative that Coronavirus is a human creation, weaponised by the West. Russia strenuously denied the accusations. If there was even a single concrete example, I could comment on it but once again they are just unfounded allegations, foreign ministry spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Sparking Confusion The task force said accounts linked to Russia have been pushing disinformation online about coronavirus in English, Spanish, Italian, German and French. Dozens of different, sometimes contradictory narratives, are being pumped out to sow confusion and fear and make it difficult for people to access reliable information about the virus. These efforts are in line with the Kremlins broader strategy of attempting to subvert European societies from within by exploiting their vulnerabilities and divisions, the internal document said. According to researchers working with the task force, the pro-Kremlin sources are not authoring the theories themselves. Instead they are picking up and amplifying conspiracy theories originating elsewhere, such as China, Iran or the US far-right. Playing with lives The EU is working closely with its member states as well as other international actors such as NATO and the G7 to try to crack down on disinformation, EU spokesman Peter Stano said. Whoever is spreading the disinformation is essentially playing with peoples lives, he said. This needs to be taken into account by the (media) users but also by the providers and by those who are engaged in distributing and forwarding all this wrong information and sowing panic or distrust. Major online platforms including Google, Facebook and Twitter are working with national governments and health authorities to stop the spread of disinformation. But the EUs internal report said they were still not doing enough to systematically share data and statistics with researchers and others. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. FTV10 took off at 14:53 (JST) from the Prefectural Nagoya Airport and conducted basic aircraft performance tests in normal operating conditions over the Pacific Ocean. After approximately two hours of flight, the aircraft returned to Nagoya at 16:40 (JST). With the completion of FTV10s first flight, Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation is prepared to enter the final phase of certification flight testing for the SpaceJet M90, the first commercial jet manufactured in Japan. "I am very pleased that FTV10, which was handed over from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in January this year, successfully conducted its first flight today," Hisakazu Mizutani, President of Mitsubishi Aircraft said. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all those who are continuously supporting the program. We are excited for this latest step in the certification of the Mitsubishi SpaceJet M90." Todays announcement is especially encouraging, as it marks the start of certification flight testing for the first SpaceJet M90 in final, certifiable configuration, added Alex Bellamy, Mitsubishi Aircrafts Chief Development Officer. We are all proud of this latest accomplishment, which reflects the hard work of a dedicated team, the culmination of an organizational transformation and all of the engineering changes made since 2016. We look forward to continuing our progress toward commercial certification of the M90 programme. Hiroyoshi Takase, a captain aboard FTV10s maiden flight, added: Todays flight test was conducted smoothly and according to plan. The aircraft delivered on expectations and handled just as I anticipated. In coming weeks Mitsubishi Aircraft plans to continue flight tests on FTV10 in Nagoya, as well as prepare for the ferry flight to Moses Lake Flight Test Center (MFC) to join the remainder of the Mitsubishi SpaceJet M90 test fleet for the final phase of type certification flight test. At a news conference outside City Hall on Thursday, Stoney said he is concerned that the toll of the coronavirus could have an outsized impact on racial minorities who could be more vulnerable to medical complications because of covid-19. Those who are African American are not more likely to contract the disease, but because of underlying conditions in the community, such as diabetes and hypertension ... it could lead to hospitalization or going to intensive care, Stoney said. As of Thursday morning, there have been 120 positive cases and six deaths in the city due to COVID-19. City Hall will now remain closed through May 3. Dr. Danny Avula, director of the combined Richmond and Henrico County Health District, said officials are still working to determine demographic impacts. He said some health care providers and facilities testing for the disease are not providing that data. Fifty-one percent of the cases reported by the Virginia Department of Health do not include racial demographic information. On October 1, 2020, Nigeria will celebrate her 60th year of political independence. Our diamond jubilee is a remarkable milestone worthy of significant documentation even as the country is deeply immersed in the crisis of nationhood. In furtherance of this objective, the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) and partners are launching the Sixty Years, Sixty Voices initiative which seeks to produce a book of 60 essays by young Nigerians to address our problems as a nation. Many Nigerians argue that the major problem facing the country is leadership, and that if nothing is done to ensure purposeful leadership, the country will disintegrate. This fear is not misplaced. Our political leaders have failed to serve as the rallying point for national unity, nation-building and cohesion. The Punch in an editorial (January 24, 2020) titled 50 years after the Civil War quotes Banji Akintoye, a retired professor of history: We have good reasons to fear today that the character of the affairs of our country and the prevailing mood among us Nigerians are chillingly similar to the character of the affairs of our country in the months leading to our Civil War. The government of our country is being managed in ways that make it look like the exclusive preserve of a particular minority. Insecurity has steadily worsened. Terrorists, bandits, gun and machete-wielding herdsmen and kidnappers have become unstoppable, turning the country into a massive graveyard. According to the Nigerian Security Tracker, 25,794 people were killed between 2015 and 2019. More than 100,000 persons have been killed by Boko Haram while 1.9m people have been displaced since its murderous campaign began in 2009. Kashim Shettima, former governor of Borno State, says Nigerias northern land borders with Chad, Niger and Cameroon are major suspected routes of the inflow of illicit arms and ammunition into the country, which fuels the orgy of bloodbath (Punch, February 4, 2020). Nigerias abysmal failure in security has forced some states and regions to consider self-help, as well as moved the two houses of the National Assembly to pass a resolution calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the security chiefs. Other indices of growth and development are also progressively on the decline. Population is growing at 3% while economic growth is just about 2%. Life expectancy rate is 55 years, the third lowest in the world. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the life expectancy of an average Nigerian is only better than those of the people of Sierra-Leone, Chad and the Central African Republic. Even war-torn Afghanistan and Somalia have a higher life expectancy, at 65 and 58 respectively. Electricity consumption is at a meagre 3,500 to 4,000MW. Unemployment is rising, reaching an all-time high of 23.10% in the third quarter of 2018. There are 13.5m out-of-school children and the number is growing. Politically, the electoral process is still largely being manipulated and there seems to be no solution to the endemic corruption in the country. And most embarrassing of all, in June 2018 the World Poverty Clock indicated Nigeria had overtaken India as the poverty capital of the world. The country now has the largest number of people living in extreme poverty with an estimated 87 million Nigerians, or around half of the countrys population, said to be living on less than $2.00 or N700.00 per day. Most Nigerians hold the view that six decades after independence, the country has failed to work for them in a way that is satisfactory. Based on current reality, there are citizens who think a bloody revolution, as it happened in Ghana under Flight-Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings, is the only solution to the countrys problem. There are also those who argue that the fundamentals of nationhood are flawed, that Nigeria as presently constituted is not a workable union and, therefore, cannot deliver national security, peace, justice and development. These issues and more are what will be addressed in the proposed book. The new decade will be a defining moment for Nigeria. Sixty years after independence, fifty years after a civil war, and at the beginning of a new decade, it is important that a new generation of citizens is challenged to reposition the country. The future of Nigeria is in the hands of the youth. The youth are the social forces that would bring change to the country. How they handle it will determine where the country goes. This project challenges them to chart a roadmap that outlines a future that works for the good of the greatest number of compatriots; one that will put the country on the path of growth and development. The historian, Prof. Yakubu Ochefu, has described Nigeria as a country on its third missionary journey to a truly democratic nation. Ochefu notes that, The corporate existence of the country has been tested twice. It was formally broken once (1967-70) and pronounced broken once (April 1990). It took a horrible civil war to restore the entity when it was broken and an equally brutal attempted coup when it was pronounced. The current attack on our polity that is being driven ferociously in a religious and ethnic vehicle has produced outcomes that many Nigerians have long envisaged. But we cant allow these issues to consume the country. Unfortunately, the problems confronting Nigeria are not problems to be resolved by wishful thinking. What do Nigerians want? How did we get here? Where do Nigerians envisage the country will go after 60 years of independence? These are issues that require urgent and practical national attention. The aim of this project, therefore, is to produce a book of 60 essays on Nigeria60 Years, 60 Voices Essays on Nigeria at Sixtyby young Nigerians, the critical change agents, to help the country understand and sharpen its focus on those issues that hold the key to our collective survival as a people. These essays will examine Nigerias social, economic, and political situation and explore the options open to us, suggest solutions and how to actualize them. The essays will take a critical look at the countrys democratic experiment since independence in 1960, where the country is today and some of the major issues that have dogged the countrys march to genuine democracy and nationhood. This collection of essays will be used not just to commemorate Nigerias diamond jubilee, but as a social mobilization tool to address critical issues surrounding our nations socio-cultural, political and economic evolution from independence to the present day. The idea is to generate enough public conversation that can push for and bring about the desired change in the country. The essays will focus on different aspects of our national life, including whether the fundamental question of nation building that began six decades ago has been fully and or properly answered and what lessons we have learned or need to learn as a nation 60 years after independence. Through these essays, the book hopes to document our failures, successes; but more important, the way out of the cul-de-sac Nigeria has found itself. Nigeria has been described as a nation of great potentials; but it has remained essentially that in the last sixty years. After a civil war, several successful and unsuccessful coups and thirty-one years of civilian rule, clearly the leadership challenge can partly be blamed for our inability to actualize the hope citizens felt at independence sixty years ago. While the Nigerian situation can depress any true patriot, there is no reason for Nigerians to be pessimistic about the countrys future. The reality is that the social forces that will bring changethe countrys young, progressive and active citizensare not in short supply. Part of the idea behind this book, therefore, is to get these young Nigerians, many of whom ventilate their frustration and solutions daily on social media to articulate their ideas and solutions in a compendium that can be used for social and political mobilization. Contributors will be young Nigerians spread across the 36 states and the FCT; post-Civil War Nigeriansthat is, not more than 50 years oldwith progressive ideas about building a united and egalitarian society. These active citizens are the ones who will inspire and rekindle hope and bring the country out of its current depressing situation. It is our expectation that the essays in the book will analyze the realities in the socio-economic, political and cultural life of the country since independence and answer questions on why Nigeria remains a giant with clay feet despite the availability of abundant human and mineral resources envied by other nations. Chido Onumah, Coordinator, African Centre for Media & Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), read this address on behalf of PT Books, YIAGA Africa, Sahara Reporters, TechHer, and OAK TV, partners of the Sixty Years, Sixty Voices initiative at the formal launch of the initiative in Abuja on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. The coronavirus pandemic highlights how uncertainty and fear can quickly translate into panic and crisis in the economy. For individual businesses faced with potentially falling revenue, it appears to make good sense to be cautious and cut back on spending. But for the economy as a whole, this reinforces the downturn as spending falls everywhere. The announcements by the federal and NSW governments to deliver stimulus confirm the unique role of public spending in avoiding recession. With this crisis, universities are at the frontline and among the first to consider spending cuts this from a sector we usually consider to be public. Across the country, universities are considering freezing staff hiring and halting building works, taking much needed money out of the economy. Universities are a critical part of the Australian economy. Credit:Bloomberg Universities are now vital to Australias economy. Higher education is Australias fourth highest earning export sector, behind coal, iron ore and natural gas. It brought in $35 billion in 2018. Universities are a major employer, with 217,500 people employed by them in 2017-18, including some workers most exposed to a downturn. They directly employ tens of thousands of casual staff and indirectly support thousands more in other industries such as construction. This means university spending cuts reduce many peoples incomes and overall economic demand. In contrast, announcements of temporary school closures have not led to the same cuts in spending. Public school funding continues even as private spending in the economy falls.Public institutions have a unique ability to weather bad economic times. It makes no economic sense to cut school or hospital budgets in a recession and just by keeping this spending going, the public sector plays a crucial role in easing the downturn. [March 18, 2020] Wipro joins Hedera Governing Council to provide decentralized governance model for blockchain DALLAS, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Hedera Hashgraph , an enterprise-grade distributed ledger platform, today announced that Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, has joined the Hedera Governing Council. The Council, designed to be the most decentralized governance model for a public ledger, will include 39 enterprises from a diverse array of industries and geographies. Mance Harmon, CEO and Co-founder of Hedera Hashgraph, said, "The conversation around distributed ledger technology (DLT) governance is gaining prominence, with enterprises, developers, and regulators all recognizing the importance of fair, decentralized, and effective governance models. The Hedera Governing Council delivers a governance model that is designed for ongoing decentralization and is considered industry-leading for DLT governance a status strengthened by the addition of Wipro to the council." Members of the Council are responsible for approving updates to the Hedera platform codebase and setting policies for the nodes in Hedera's decentralized network. Hedera's governance model protects users by eliminating the risk of forks, guaranteeing the integrity of the codebase, and making the source code open for review. Members serve a maximum of two consecutive three-ear terms, ensuring the Council's decentralization and diversity. Harmon concluded, "Wipro joining the Hedera Governing Council highlights our commitment to developers, and a rapidly emerging need for blockchain innovation. With a global presence, Wipro is a prime example of a leading multinational entity making the right moves in the future and adoption of DLT. Joining the Hedera Governing Council, alongside other top enterprises, is a strong signal of their intent to be at the forefront of distributed ledger technology as Hedera grows in the months and years ahead." For more information, visit https://hedera.com/council About Hedera Hedera Hashgraph is a public distributed ledger for building decentralized applications. Developers can build secure, fair, blazing-fast decentralized applications on top of the Hedera platform. Dr. Leemon Baird, Hedera Hashgraph Co-founder and Chief Scientist, and Mance Harmon, Co-founder and CEO of Hedera, patented the groundbreaking hashgraph technology after working together at the United States Air Force Academy and as founders of Trio Security, BlueWave Security, and Swirlds, Inc. For more information, visit https://www.hedera.com , or follow us on Twitter at @hashgraph , Telegram at t.me/hashgraph , or Discord at https://www.hedera.com/discord . The Hedera whitepaper can be found at https://www.hedera.com/whitepaper. About Wipro Limited Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. We harness the power of cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics and emerging technologies to help our clients adapt to the digital world and make them successful. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, we have over 175,000 dedicated employees serving clients across six continents. Together, we discover ideas and connect the dots to build a better and a bold new future. For Media Enquiries Zenobia Godschalk Hedera Hashgraph E: [email protected] Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/725385/Hedera_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] City Council late Tuesday unanimously approved a two-week mandatory lockdown in Laredo, where members of the community will have to quarantine at home, leaving only to go to work or buy necessities such as groceries, medicine, take-out food from restaurants or home improvement materials. Council is also mandating that employers provide health safety measures for their employees such as hand sanitizer. Outside of these exceptions, gatherings of more than 10 people during this time will be prohibited, council decided. HoustonChronicle.com: Live coronavirus updates Laredo City Council also voted to not disconnect any citizens utilities during this period, and to prohibit landlords from evicting tenants, residential or commercial. This took place at an emergency City Council meeting livestreamed on Facebook Tuesday night. Council members, the mayor and a few members of city staff were split up between three rooms at City Hall and teleconferenced to communicate between rooms. The discussion was lengthy and contentious. Health Department Director Dr. Hector Gonzalez did not support a mandatory lockdown, which took a step beyond the order Mayor Pete Saenz signed earlier in the day that prohibited most gatherings of 50 or more people. This marks the most serious action yet taken by the City of Laredo as it copes with its first positive case of COVID-19. Councilman Marte Martinez, a medical doctor, expressed major concern that this was a locally-transmitted case, that Laredos patient zero was unknown. CORONAVIRUS HITS HOUSTON: What you need to know Theres no overreacting right now, theres only underreacting. ... The fact that we dont know when this patient became infected or who infected this patient and then how long they themselves were contagious puts us in a completely different algorithm where were no longer able to plan ahead. We have to react, Martinez said. He and council member George Altgelt were the most enthusiastic about this mandatory lockdown. Several council members expressed deep worry about how the people who live paycheck to paycheck would be able to live if they couldnt go to work. The vote for the lockdown was approved unanimously only when it was clear that people would still be able to go to work. Meanwhile, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced Wednesday the city will not be undergoing a similar lockdown. "There will be no shelter in place in Houston. [Stay tuned]" Turner tweeted. Owned by our friends and neighbors, your corner coffee shop, go-to bakery, and date-night bistro make a big impact on how sweet and spirited your day might be. Of course, they also play a big role in the economy. A whopping 44% of the total American economic activity is driven by small businesses, and they generate two out of every three new jobs in the U.S., according to a 2019 report from the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy. Small business owners in every community across the country are feeling the very real impacts of the coronavirus closures and are adapting day by day to serve their customers and take care of their staff. And just as some of the restrictions began to lift over the last few weeks, small businesses in big cities have also had to adapt to additional closures and curfews initiated by the worldwide protests happening right now. With all that's going on, far fewer Americans are dining out, shopping for their summer vacation swimsuit, swinging by for a daily tea, and booking an in-person yoga class. So, what can you do? Related: How to Shop Small Businesses Online At the very least, says Christina Moffatt, owner of Creme Cupcake in Des Moines, Iowa, pick up the phone, send a text, shoot them a quick note of support. From a mental health perspective, check in on the operators. Its more than stores closing, people stand to lose their homes and families, she says. Westend61/Getty Images 5 Ways to Support Your Local Small Businesses Today You can still help out your favorite businesses without stepping foot inside. Buy a Gift Card Infuse their business with extra funds now for a treat to enjoy later. And you need not take any social distancing risks for most locations: Check the website or call one (or several) small businesses to see if you can purchase a gift card or certificate to be mailed or emailed to you directly. Most vendors that dont offer online gift card options are happy to coordinate purchase by phone. Since they mainly process through your credit card number, have your wallet handy. Or if youre feeling healthy and well and the shop is still open, next time youre out stocking up on your fresh produce and gallon of milk, swing by and purchase at a safe distance. Story continues Order Delivery or Takeout Many cafes, bakeries, and restaurants are still closed, and those that have reopened have limited dining room service. As a result, most have increased their to-go and delivery options like curbside pick-up and more food delivery app partners. Visit the website or social media pages of your top spots, and try to spread the love (without spreading any germs). Or send a dose of sunshine to friends and neighbors by ordering springy bouquets for delivery from a local florist. Book an Appointment or Event for Later For salons, event venues, and bakeries, call or email to inquire about future treatments, party bookings, or baked good bulk orders for business or social events. Bonus points if you can prepay now (with a contingency plan for rescheduling options, pending the timing of when its safe to resume normal social interactions). Several businesses that operate past normal work hours (think hair salons that book customers for after-5:00 appointments) had just re-opened when curfews forced them to begin closing early, so your support will be appreciated more than ever. Leave a Positive Review If now isnt the best time to spend extra money, use your words. A positive review on Yelp, Facebook, or Trip Advisor can have a long-term impact on the businesses reputation, and it doesnt cost a thing but a few minutes. Be specific with what and why you appreciate the small business, and share explanatory and attractive photos if you have them. This is one tangible way to help a business that's been damaged or closed in the last few days. If you can't physically be there to help rebuild the space, positively promoting their business on social media will be extra helpful as they move forward. Related: Little Free Pantries Are an Easy Way to Help Your Neighbors Right Now Send a Supportive Email or Note Draft an email or handwritten note to send as a way to let the small business owners and teams know how much they mean to you. Whether it's letting them know how much you missed being in their space during the pandemic, or sending words of encouragement in this difficult time, the owners, operators, and staff members will appreciate your kind words now more than ever. None of us know what to do, what to say, or how to feel right now, but a little mental or financial pick-me-up could make all the difference to help your most treasured small businesses stay strong and well through (and beyond) these unprecedented times. Some providers will close their Isas before the official deadline Savers looking to use their cash Isa allowance could miss out if they leave it too late. Some providers will close their Isas before the official deadline. You have until the end of this tax year midnight on Sunday 5 April to use your 20,000 allowance. If you don't use it, you can't carry it forward until next tax year. Act now, as branches will be shut on the final day. Some online providers also close accounts early to ensure they have time to carry out all the admin. For example, Aldermore Bank will withdraw its accounts at noon on 3 April. Tesco Bank stipulates an even earlier deadline of 26 March. Donald Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, is among hundreds of prisoners calling for early release due to coronavirus: REUTERS Donald Trumps former personal lawyer and personal counsel, Michael Cohen, is among multiple high profile prisoners in the US asking for compassionate release as a result of coronavirus. The former attorney is currently serving a three-year sentence at the Otisville federal prison, New York. The 53-year old began his sentence in May 2018 after pleading guilty to charges including campaign finance violations, tax evasion and lying to Congress. But as the number of coronavirus cases rise in the US, many inmates are pleading for early release or home detention. On Tuesday, Mr Cohens attorney, Roger Bennet Adler, argued in a letter to a senior District Judge for the Southern District of New York that Mr Cohens sentence should be amended as a consequence of the Bureau of Prison being demonstrably incapable of safeguarding and treating BOP inmates who are obliged to live in close quarters and are at an enhanced risk of catching coronavirus. That came as Bernard Madoffs attorney argued that the 81-year-old, convicted in 2009 for his role in a Ponzi scheme, should be released due to the prisoners vulnerability to coronavirus. The letter sent by Mr Cohens lawyer cited other US states that had moved to downsize their prison populations since the outbreak to stop the spread of coronavirus, including those in Los Angeles county. Michael Cohens Twitter account shared a change.org petition on Saturday addressed to Mr Trump, calling for non-violent federal prisoners to be released. In a letter attached to the petition, Mr Cohen claimed Federal Prison Camps had inadequate numbers of medical equipment, staff and methods of sterilization. Mr Cohen added: Without your intervention, scores of Non-Violent Offenders are at risk of death, and these people were not given a death sentence. The former lawyer had previously said he should be released from prison early for his contributions to investigations about the US president. English Danish Unfortunately, Jyske Bank A/S will have to cancel the annual general meeting scheduled for Tuesday 24 March 2020. The decision has been made to align with the governments and authorities measures taken to limit the spread of COVID-19. Jyske Bank will announce a new date for the annual general meeting, as soon as the circumstances allow it. Yours faithfully, Jyske Bank Contact person: Birger Krgh Nielsen, CFO, tel. +45 89 89 64 44. Attachment Filmmakers used RenderMan software in nearly all of the last 47 movies nominated for a visual effects Academy Award. The software was also used in Finding Nemo, which won the Best Animated Feature Oscar. (Photo | Flickr - Ali Harrison) San Francisco: The technology that animated movies like Toy Story and Finding Nemo and enabled a variety of special effects is the focus of this year's Turing Award, the technology industry's version of the Nobel Prize. Patrick Hanrahan and Edwin Catmull won the 2019 prize for their contributions to 3-D computer graphics used in movies and video games. The Turing Award, named after British mathematician Alan Turing who is known as the Father of Modern Computing, is given annually by the Association for Computing Machinery and comes with a cash prize of USD 1 million. Edwin Catmull was hired by legendary filmmaker George Lucas to head the computer-technology division that became Pixar when Apple founder Steve Jobs bought it. Patrick Hanrahan was one of Catmull's early hires at Pixar, now part of Disney. Together, the two worked on techniques that made graphics in movies like Toy Story'' look more lifelike, even though Hanrahan left Pixar years before the studio released that film. Catmull is the former president of Pixar and worked there for more than three decades. What makes skin look like skin? What makes a tree look like a tree? You have to understand the structure of material and how light interacts with it,'' Hanrahan said in an interview with The Associated Press. Only then is it possible to translate that understanding of how the physics of curved surfaces _ our hands, our noses _ works with light into the 100,000-plus frames that make up a movie. Hanrahan's RenderMan software helped produce Toy Story in 1995 and then a string of Pixar films like Up, Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo and Wall-E. It was also the backbone of CGI special effects in live-action movies such as Titanic and the Lord of the Rings films. The Association for Computing Machinery says filmmakers used RenderMan software in nearly all of the last 47 movies nominated for a visual effects Academy Award. The technology has also indirectly helped the artificial-intelligence field. The chips that were developed for video-game graphics were so powerful that they could then be used to train AI algorithms. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. And having a movie being out in theaters even if it only plays here in Chicago at the ArcLight and a couple theaters in L.A. and New York it serves as another kind of advertisement, so by the time the movie does end up on Netflix, people are, like, Oh, yeah, I remember when that movie came out. There was all that groundwork laid ahead of time, and its got a little bit of a stamp of approval on it, because there are so many movies streaming on Amazon or Netflix that youve never heard of, where youre, like, I dont know, that looks kind of bad. I dont even remember that being a real movie. Regular business continued during the most recent Meredosia village board meeting, even as board members touched on the need to be prepared for the COVID-19 coronavirus. The board agreed to revise Ordinance 501, which will increase from $175 to $500 the fees to install new water and sewer meters; newly built homes will be an exception to the increase. Board member John Petri made a motion to make Jesse Myers return $500 that he was paid over an accepted $5,000 bid so the board could vote on whether to pay him. Petri was upset that Myers was given the extra $500 without board members voting on the action. Petri also said the new pump house roof is not the one that was approved in the bid. The board split the vote, 3-3. Mayor David Werries broke the tie, saying Myers did not have to return the money. Chief of Police Josh Weber told board members about recent police reports, including a check with insufficient funds that was passed at a local business, a case of internet-based identity theft, and the enforcement of village ordinances. Village employee Dusty Hall told the board that the village no longer can haul its own gravel but must bid out the work. Board member Ernie Gregory said he plans to meet with Keith Anderson, who is working on several grants for the village, including one that would fund the purchase of security cameras for the boat dock and playground equipment for the park. Board member Betsy Harnois gave an update on Riverfest. She ask if vendors such as a glass blower and a chainsaw carver were a liability. She was told it was OK for them to participate as long as they have insurance. A fish fry is being planned. The board approved changes to the employee handbook. They also accepted a bid to work on the villages deep well. It was noted that Rusty Richards, the villages part-time police officer, recently lost his house in a fire. Harnois also noted that she listened in on a COVID-19-related conference call with Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who stressed the need for communities to be prepared and to take precautions to avoid spreading the disease. Pritzker has issued a disaster proclamation for the state as it battles the coronavirus, which was discovered in December in Wuhan, China. The virus is a respiratory illness with symptoms including fever, cough and shortness of breath. A person usually shows symptoms within two to 14 days after being exposed. There is no vaccine, but people can protect themselves and others by washing their hands frequently and thoroughly, by avoiding touching their face, and by cleaning and disinfecting surfaces. The virus can only be diagnosed through laboratory tests. WASHINGTON Bernie Sanders isnt leaving the presidential race. Instead, the Vermont senator and democratic socialist is back in a familiar place: on the outside looking in. After being routed in Democratic primary contests for the third consecutive week by former Vice President Joe Biden, Sanders faced the grim calculation on Wednesday that he has virtually no chance of clinching the Democratic nomination. He would need to win a whopping 63% of the remaining delegates to do so. That left him with a series of wrenching decisions. Sanders could stay in the race and use its national platform to keep pressing for the issues hes most passionate about, such as a single-payer health care system. He could yield to growing pressure to step aside and let the party coalesce around Biden and focus on defeating President Donald Trump. Or he could simply stall for more time as the campaign takes an awkward pause with much of the nations attention on combating the coronavirus, which has caused states to push back their upcoming primaries and left the next major contests weeks away. That would also allow Sanders to try to exact additional policy concessions from Biden, who has already adopted his rivals free-college tuition plan. He could also shape the Democratic Party platform during the upcoming convention. For a campaign that has inspired millions to activism, the choice of whats next ultimately falls on a small group: Sanders and his wife, Jane. And he made clear Wednesday he wouldnt be rushed. Stop with this, Sanders told reporters outside the Senate chamber when pressed on when he might suspend his campaign. Right now Im trying to do my best to make sure that we dont have an economic meltdown and people dont die. He said the country is in the midst, literally Im not using that word easily of an unprecedented crisis in our lifetime, and thats what we have to focus on right now. But Sanders also implied that the global pandemic might have unfairly skewed Tuesdays results, in which he was roundly defeated in Florida, Illinois and Arizona. You tell me what happened yesterday. Do you think those were orderly elections? he said. God willing, please, November, were not where we are right now. Ohios governor ordered polls closed mere hours before voting was supposed to begin Tuesday, and some voters and election officials reported problems in the states that proceeded with casting ballots. Asked if the numbers would have been different under more normal circumstances, Sanders said: Who knows? I dont know. Despite the disappointing results in recent contests, Sanders still attracts a loyal following. As a movement politician, his next steps could help determine whether his backers accept defeat or spend the coming months criticizing Biden potentially leaving him weakened going into the general election. Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic nominee, has continually blamed bad feelings from her primary fight against Sanders as a factor in her defeat to Trump in the fall. Speculation about Sanders candidacy intensified Wednesday morning when his campaign manager, Faiz Shakir, said the senator was having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign. Many Sanders supporters say they were unbowed. Our hope is he stays in the race and continues through the convention, said Derrick Crowe of Peoples Action, an activist organization that has endorsed Sanders. Charles Chamberlain, chairman of the progressive group Democracy for America, said Sanders can play a potentially critical role in unifying the party by continuing his campaign. Bernie has already made it clear that he will 100% support the Democratic nominee and that hes going to campaign for Joe Biden if thats who it is, Chamberlain said. The reality is, thats not 100% true for all Bernie Sanders supporters. So there is a real value to Bernie staying in the race as long as possible to bring those people into the party deeper. That underscores the sensitivity of how Sanders proceeds. Justin Bamberg, a South Carolina state representative and Sanders supporter, said its wrong to assume that, if the senator quickly drops out, his backers would unite behind Biden. Its a mistake for the party, regardless of whether the nominee is Biden or Bernie, to think that beating Donald Trump in and of itself will be enough motivation for the average person living their day-to-day life to come out and be excited about voting in November, Bamberg said. Meanwhile, the Biden campaign is proceeding with caution, carefully avoiding any moves that would seem like gloating while Sanders decides his future. Still, Bidens new campaign manager, Jen OMalley Dillon, is focusing on general election strategy. And Biden campaign co-chairman, Louisiana Rep. Cedric Richmond, has said the former vice president has already begun considering possibilities for his vice presidential pick even though no formal vetting process has yet been launched. Bidens senior adviser Anita Dunn said the campaign is moving ahead as if the former vice president will clinch the nomination. But she noted that neither Biden nor his aides called for Sanders or any other former rivals to drop out. I always say youre a candidate until youre not, Dunn said. What we remain most focused on today is winning a primary campaign that isnt over. ___ Associated Press writers Bill Barrow in Atlanta, Meg Kinnard in Columbia, S.C., and Seth Borenstein in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast, Ground Game. ANN ARBOR, MI -- Ann Arbors Briarwood Mall is still open, despite several businesses closing across Washtenaw County in response to the outbreak of COVID-19, the disease caused by novel cornavirus. Some stores have closed until the end of March, while others are continuing to operate on limited hours. The malls hours are now 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. 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, according to a statement from the mall management team. Closures at the mall include Abercrombie & Fitch, Apple, Bath and Body Works, J. Crew and Sephora, while stores like Gap, JCPenney, Vera Bradley and Zales are open. See the full list of open stores online. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday ordered businesses from restaurants, bars, casinos, fitness centers and theaters to close through March 30 in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Malls and retail stores are excluded at this time. Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti restaurants offer takeout amid state-ordered closures due to coronavirus Comerica Bank to close Ann Arbor branch after potential exposure to coronavirus Ann Arbor businesses urge customers to buy gift cards, use curbside and online services amid coronavirus closures PREVENTION TIPS Michigans State Emergency Operations Center is coordinating state-government resources and the response to the coronavirus spread. It has shared the following tips: What you can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases: For statewide and national information on the virus, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus or CDC.gov/Coronavirus. Layoffs, cutting costs and halting dividends... companies are scrambling to adapt as the coronavirus emergency hits demand and the draconian measures taken to contain the spread of the illness undercut production and demand. With the economic impact of the coronavirus threatening the survival of many firms, governments have pledged tens of billions to help them limp along -- or failing that, to bankroll outright rescues or nationalisation if necessary. Several industrial giants, in particular in the automobile industry, have reduced or even suspended production. Nissan suspended production at its Sunderland plant in northern England, the automaker's biggest plant in Europe, employing about 7,000 workers, and has closed plants in Spain and Indonesia as well. French automobile manufacturer Peugeot-Citroen is shutting down all of its production sites in Europe, and Italian-US carmaker Fiat Chrysler, with which it is in the process of merging, also intends to close most of its facilities on the continent, as does its American counterpart Ford. Germany's VW is shuttering most of its European plants for two to three weeks. BMW said Wednesday that it is shutting down production in its European and South African plants for one month. Renault is halting production at plants in France, Spain and Slovenia, as well as Romania, Portugal and Morocco. Tyre giant Michelin is halting production at its sites in Spain, France and Italy for at least a week. Airbus said it was suspending work at its French and Spanish plants for four days to improve workplace safety. Even the luxury industry is taking steps. Gucci, part of the Kering group, is closing all of its sites until March 20. Meanwhile Hermes is shutting its manufacturing sites until the end of March. In Germany, long-distance bus companies Flixbus and Blablabus said they were halting services as new travel restrictions take effect. A slew of American retailers have shut some or all of their outlets, including Nike, Macy's and Gap. The iconic Saks Fifth Avenue flagship store in New York is closed, and Apple has shuttered all its stores outside of China. The situation is especially catastrophic for the travel industry, with US hotel giant Marriott shutting down some of its properties and furloughing tens of thousands of workers. Airlines have been hit by a double-whammy: plunging demand and sweeping travel restrictions imposed by governments. They have taken different measures to adapt. Russia's Aeroflot has asked employees who have accumulated extra time off to use it. Air France says it will look at reducing working hours, a measure that several countries have facilitated with easier access to state benefits for workers now forced into part-time work. Low-cost airline Ryanair, which has announced that "most if not all" of its flights from March 24 will be cancelled, said it is looking at that option along with voluntary departures and temporarily suspending work contracts. Forcing workers into unemployment temporarily is also an option that several countries have made easier, with Volkswagen's Spanish subsidiary Seat taking that course when it began having trouble receiving parts. Italian shipyard Fincantieri, which has also halted output, has asked its workers to use their annual vacation time. UK mobile phone retailer Dixons Carphone meanwhile said it was axing 2,900 jobs as it faces "turbulent times". Firms have also moved swiftly to cut costs. Air France-KLM, which is being forced to cut as many as 90 per cent of flights, has said it will reduce its planned investments for 2020 by 350 million euros (USD 380 million) and make 200 million euros in savings elsewhere as it seeks to ensure it has enough cash on hand. Firms are not sparing shareholders from the pain either. Lufthansa, which is chopping as much of 90 percent of flights, said it would not distribute a dividend from 2019 earnings as it seeks to keep hold of cash. Inditex, which owns clothing brand Zara among others, also decided to put off a decision on dividends from the 3.6 billion euros it earned in its 2019-2020 fiscal year as well as making a provision of 287 million euros for coronavirus crisis. Companies are not hesitating to take up offers of state support. German tourism giant TUI, which employs 70,000 people worldwide and has suspended the "majority" of its operations over the coronavirus, has made a request for state aid. Germany's government has promised "unlimited" loans to stricken firms via the state bank KfW. US airlines have asked for a USD 50-billion bailout and US planemaker Boeing is seeking at least USD 60 billion in federal support for the aerospace industry. The US authorities have also stepped in to prop up a key market where firms raise short-term funding and whose freezing up was threatening the finances many companies. The Italian government said it intends to re-nationalise the bankrupt former national carrier Alitalia under an emergency economic rescue plan. Meanwhile, France also stands ready to nationalise large companies "if necessary", according to Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Colin's mother, Sandy (Doon Makichan), falls at the doorstep and acts like her leg is broken. Colin looks on with derision as everyone makes her the centre of attention - again. His dad, Gordon (Bill Paterson), bites him for a loan even before everyone has arrived, then starts drinking when Colin says no. Colin's sister Gini (Hayley Squires) has secretly invited the black sheep to return after five years in exile. The movie is half over before we find out why her brother David (Sam Riley) is a pariah. The Burstead women run in all directions, cursing and weeping in the servants' quarters. That gives a hint of David's priors. Tolstoy be damned: every unhappy family may be unhappy in its own way, but that doesn't make them interesting. Take the Bursteads, a working-class English family. The name rhymes with bastards. They mostly hate each other. Colin Burstead (Neil Maskell) hates some more than others, but he does his duty and organises a New Year's Eve reunion in a posh country house. The host is a bumbling aristocrat (Richard Glover) who's well out of his depth in hospitality. Ben Wheatley has made a brilliant career out of bending genres, while taking the piss out of the British family. Sightseers was a blacker-than-black comedy about a loving couple who kill people on their caravan tour of Britain. Down Terrace, his debut in 2009, was about the hunt for a grass within an East End crime family: the members tried to work out domestic tensions as they offed each other. High-Rise was a startling departure, a dystopian nightmare based on a story by J.G. Ballard: the residents of a tower block, cut off from all services, start to kill each other. It would be fair to say Wheatley's films do not throb with his love of his fellow man (or woman). That instinct makes his comedy sharp, but it has to be tempered. Bile by itself is not that funny. Wheatley's comedies aren't crafted to be thigh-slappers, anyway. He's in the long British television tradition of humour based on close observation of character, with a strong instinct for class. Wheatley is more Mike Leigh than Ken Loach, but he hasn't got Leigh's forgiving heart or Loach's political instincts. He puts violence where the heart is, quite literally. The Bursteads are a diverse mob, to be sure. Uncle Bertie (Charles Dance) wears make-up and twin-set, but stops short of the full wig. No-one bats an eyelid, nor do they notice that he is not looking well. There is an Indian couple, friends of the family (Vincent Ibrahim and Sudha Buchar), whose presence adds nothing to the drama - except that their no-hoper son Sham (Asim Chaudhry) arrives uninvited, thinking of suicide. Some of the family members are never introduced, so we don't quite know who's who. Others appear in the background, unrelated and unexplained, random people who have neither lines nor function in the unfolding tensions between the Bursteads. The writing credit confirmed my suspicions: Ben Wheatley wrote most of the script, but other cast members improvised dialogue during shooting. That explains why some scenes are slack and seemingly pointless. Wheatley appears to have hired a big house, filled it with friends and booze, giving each person a thin description of their character, then waited for the magic to happen. What results is a disjointed mess with little trajectory or precision, and very little added width in the characters. That's partly because there are too many to develop. Karnataka to undertake Triaging: What does it mean and how do you pronounce it PM Modi chairs review meet on Covid-19, to address nation today at 8 pm India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Mar 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on Thursday at 8 PM on the ongoing coronavirus outbreak across the globe and the efforts to combat it. The address comes after he chaired a high-level meeting to review the ongoing efforts to contain COVID-19. He also discussed ways to further strengthen India's preparedness were discussed, including further enhancing testing facilities. During the high-level meet, PM Modi emphasised on actively engaging with individuals, local communities and organisations in chalking out mechanisms to fight the COVID-19 menace. He also urged officials and technical experts to deliberate on the steps to be taken next. The prime minister expressed gratitude to all those at the forefront of combating COVID-19 including the various State Governments, medical fraternity, paramedical staff, armed and paramilitary forces, those associated with aviation sector, municipal staff and others. Coronavirus update: CBSE, JEE (MAIN), all university exams postponed till Mar 31 The number of novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 151 on Wednesday after 14 fresh cases were reported from various parts of the country, according to the Health Ministry. The cases include 25 foreign nationals -- 17 from Italy, 3 from Philippines, one each belonging to Canada, United Kingdom, Indonesia and Singapore. The figure also includes three deaths reported from Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Over 5,700 people, who had come in contact with these positive cases, are under rigorous surveillance. So far, 13,93,301 passengers have been screened at 30 designated airports. New Delhi has to move beyond its wait and watch policy In American troops in Afghanistan. The US is keen to end its longest-ever conflict, and under the terms of a deal signed in Doha last month has said all foreign forces will quit Afghanistan within 14 months -- provided the Taliban stick to their security commitments. (AFP) The peace deal reached between the United States and the Taliban on February 29 in Qatar notwithstanding, Afghanistan can descend into turmoil and instability yet again. The contested election results and the parallel swearing-in ceremonies in Kabul combined with the signing of the peace pact and the beginning of another phase of insurgent violence have thrown up stark policy choices for New Delhi, testing its 'soft power' and 'middle-of-the-road' policy. Despite its investments in Afghanistan for the past 18 years, it now appears that New Delhi remains a bystander to a rapidly changing political situation in that country. Under the security umbrella provided by Washington, New Delhi adopted a 'soft power' approach, pledging aid and development assistance of more than US $3 billion. This may have generated considerable 'goodwill' for India among Afghans. But such gains face the prospect of reversal if the political turmoil and future negotiations allow the Taliban to share power in Kabul. A revisit of its Afghan policy may still secure Indias interests in the country. Indias ambassador in Qatar attended the signing of the peace deal, while the previous day the foreign secretary had made a quick dash to Kabul to demonstrate support for president Ashraf Ghani. This dual policy of supporting the Afghan government that has been kept out of the peace deal thus far and yet supporting American efforts of peacemaking doesn't send a clear signal to the Afghans or the region. Having invested in the American-led democratic exercise in Afghanistan for more than a decade, New Delhi cannot just watch the Afghans being thrown under the bus. As a friend in need and a major regional power, New Delhi needs to chart its own course of action in Kabul that is useful to the Afghans and at the same time protects its own national interests. Beyond support for Afghan-owned, Afghan-led and Afghan-controlled initiatives, New Delhi needs serious policy introspection about what these terminologies mean when Afghans are hardly let to be in charge of their own destiny. Legitimacy issues The contested and fraud-marred presidential elections of September 28, 2019, have led to a precarious situation in Afghanistan for the last couple of months. Not just that the conduct of presidential elections was delayed from April to September, there were also talks at forming an interim government as a prerequisite for the signing of the peace deal with the Taliban. After such attempts failed in September, elections were held with very little time for preparations. In 2014, a carefully mediated deal by then US secretary of state John Kerry had brought the two opposing camps of Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah together under the National Unity Government (NUG). The novel nomenclature notwithstanding, unity remained the absent entity. I, then in Afghanistan, witnessed from close quarters how less of unity affected the government's functioning, as the two camps held opposing views on major issues. Moreover, this experiment never received the approval by the constitutional Loya Jirgah. The entire tenure of the NUG, therefore, lacked legitimacy that reinforced the Taliban narrative of not negotiating with puppet governments. The government in Kabul was hardly able to deliver of basic services, leaving large swathes of territory to come under insurgent influence and onslaught. Fractured mandate Amidst the spiralling violence and the battle fatigue that was developing in Afghanistan, the US reinitiated a peace process, after the infamous announcement by president Donald Trump had derailed a similar attempt back on September 2019. The Qatar process this time bore fruit, leading to a peace deal was signed in Doha by the US representative and Taliban on February 29. The deal, which has interesting parallels with the previous Paris accords, has been characterised clearly as a necessity sought by or Trump for his reelection bid this November. Successful projection of efforts leading to the end of Americas longest war in Afghanistan and return of troops may boost his winning prospects. However, subsequent days have demonstrated the complexities of implementing the deal. Much less is known of the secret annexes of the deal that has raised concerns not only in Kabul but also other capitals. The deal, which has been hailed by many, missed the key point by excluding the Afghan government and delaying the presidential inauguration till March 9, only a day prior to the scheduled date for conduct of the intra-Afghan dialogue. Violence levels, meanwhile, had peaked immediately after the signing of the deal, amid Ghani's initial reluctance to release Taliban prisoners (up to 5,000) as agreed in the US-Taliban agreement. While the insurgents have stopped targeting the Nato forces, the Afghans did not witness a respite. It is evident that the Taliban is back to using their preferred tool to negotiate with the Afghan government from a 'position of strength'. That the 'infidels' are willing to retreat has emboldened the Taliban and their benefactors. On the contrary, the Afghan governments position has been severely weakened. The political turmoil and contestation has further complicated the situation. Despite the US effort led by Ambassador Khalilzad, Mr Abdullahs decision to organise a parallel swearing-in ceremony reflected the disunity among Afghan political elites. Abdullah and Opposition leaders call for formation of a parallel government seems to have been endorsed by Russia, Iran and some other countries whose diplomatic staff attended his inauguration event. The probability of external regional power intervention and support to their proxies as the turmoil deepens thus cannot be ruled out. Worse still, these moves have all the ingredients for the formation of Northern Alliance 2.0, a power bloc that could pose a direct challenge to the authority of the Ghani government. These multiple fractures and polarisation will have serious ramifications for the 100-day intra-Afghan dialogue supposed to be held to advance the peace process negotiations with the Taliban. Muddling along? It is convenient as well as lazy to discount the element of success of the peace deal. Trump will leave nothing to chance to ensure that its efforts bear fruit as a demonstration of foreign policy success for his reelection bid. He has even announced his willingness to meet the Taliban leaders a throwback to Ronald Reagan's meeting of the Mujahideen in the 1980s. New Delhi, thus, has to move beyond its wait and watch policy and get proactive in developing long-term tools to prevent Afghanistans slide into chaos. A well-calibrated long-term strategy of building Afghan institutions, self-sufficiency and minimising external interventions may yield results. Flushing funds and the consequent elite buy-in will not help New Delhi achieve its national security objectives. The signing of the peace deal and the narrative of defeating a superpower has emboldened other anti-India groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and others, which may have implications for Kashmir. The wait and watch policy is bound to impinge on Indias interests in the country and region. There are early warning signs of Indias goodwill in Afghanistan beginning to evaporate with anti-India demonstrations organised in provinces like Kabul, Herat, Kapisa and others cannot be ignored. Indias domestic policies have started having implications on for its international standing that in all probability will be used by anti-India forces. The Parliament building an edifice of democracy, which India built may eventually be occupied by the forces it tried to defeat. Beyond such symbolic structures and grandiose statements, India will have to play a larger role in enabling Afghans to take charge of their own affairs if it is to help prevent Afghanistan's further slide into instability and chaos. Citing threat to their life and security, 22 rebel Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh who are lodged in Bengaluru, wrote to Karnataka's Director General of Police (DGP) on Wednesday requesting that no Congress leader should be allowed to meet them. This comes amid former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh, who landed in Bengaluru early on Wednesday, being placed under preventive arrest after he sat on a dharna near Ramada Hotel here, allegedly for not being allowed by police to meet the 21 Congress rebel MLAs lodged in a hotel. "I am a Rajya Sabha candidate from Madhya Pradesh, voting is scheduled for March 26. My MLAs have been kept here, they want to speak to me, their phones have been snatched, the police is not letting me speak to them saying there is a security threat to MLAs," Singh told reporters. Singh who sat on the dharna with a face mask on said: "We were expecting them to come back, but when we saw they're being held back, messages came from their families...I personally spoke to five MLAs, they said they're captive, phones snatched away, there is Police in front of every room. They're being followed 24/7," Singh said. The development comes amid the political crisis in Madhya Pradesh after the exit of Jyotiraditya Scindia from the Congress party. Scindia's departure was followed by 22 Congress MLAs resigning from the party as well as from the state legislative Assembly. The resignation of these MLAs has left the Kamal Nath government below the majority mark. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The U.S. and Canada have agreed to temporarily close their shared border to nonessential travel, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday as the two nations work to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. People crossing the border for trade, trucking and essential work purposes including health care will be allowed to continue to cross the border. Trump intends the limitations on border crossing will last for roughly 30 days, he said during a White House briefing on the coronavirus Wednesday. "Hopefully at the end of 30 days, well be in great shape, he said. The temporary border measures were mutually agreed to by Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who spoke by phone Wednesday morning. Travelers will no longer be permitted to cross the border for recreation and tourism," Trudeau said in a televised address Wednesday morning. Essential travel will continue. Both countries are eager to choke off the spread of the virus but also maintain their vital economic relationship. Canada relies on the U.S. for 75 percent of its exports. Healthcare workers can continue to cross as needed, said U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, whose district borders Canada. "I just got off the phone with Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Wolf, Stefanik said Wednesday. Hospital and healthcare workers on NAFTA visas will be exempt from the border closure and can continue their important work serving North Country hospitals and communities. We are grateful for their public service providing medical care. Truck drivers and Canadian snowbirds, who live in the U.S. for part of the year and are returning to Canada, are among those expected to get an exemption. Completely closing the border would cause severe economic damage to both the U.S. and Canada as the two economies are integrated. Much of Canadas food supply comes from or via the U.S., and and 98 percent of its oil exports go to the U.S. About 18 percent of American exports go to Canada. Trudeau said Monday he would close the country's borders to anyone not a citizen, an American or a permanent resident, and even then they must self-isolate for 14 days on arrival. Trudeau said the exemption for Americans, despite the rapid rise of cases in the U.S., was due to the level of integration of our two economies." "Both countries wish to avoid interruption of the huge trade relationship including actice cross border supply chains for manufacturers in our region, so we expect trucks and other shipping to continue," said Garry Douglas, president and CEO of the North Country Chamber of Commerce in Plattsburgh. "This will sustain our very large bi-national manufacturing base here. "We have also made clear that the health care system across the North Country and in other U.S. border regions depends on commuting nurses and physicians," Douglas told th Times Union. "Hundreds of such personnel work at North Country hospitals. Clearly these are essential travelers. There is some other commuting in our region, mostly by managers at Canadian based companies in the area, but not large numbers." 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. The United States has seen about 6,500 coronavirus cases and more than 110 deaths while Canada has seen about 600 cases and eight deaths. Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said the border is vital to the daily life to people on both sides. "Nearly 200,000 people cross that border every day, and that border and that traffic that goes across that border is literally a lifeline for both the Canadians and the Americans on both sides of that border,'' Freeland said. We get our groceries thanks to truckers who drive back and forth across that border," she said. Very urgently needed medical supplies and medicines go back and forth across that border. And essential workers go back and forth across that border every day. So it is a unique relationship for Canada, and it's important for us in handling our situation on the border to be sure that we act to get things right.'' But many people in Canada criticized the decision to give Americans an exemption. British Columbia Health Minister Adrian Dix said he vehemently disagreed with the American exemption given the surge in cases in neighboring Washington state. Bruce Heyman, a former U.S. ambassador to Canada, said both countries recognize how many people cross the border daily. Border traffic has already slowed and in line with recommendations to stay home and eliminate nonessential movement, Heyman said. New rules jointly accepted for our shared border makes sense." Robert Bothwell, a professor of Canadian history and international relations at the University of Toronto, noted the government-to-government accord merely ratifies what is already in place. "Tourism in the age of the coronavirus is a contradiction in terms," Bothwell said. And no Canadian in his or her right mind would want to be caught with the virus on the U.S. side of the border, given the predatory U.S. medical pricing system. Actually, the insurance companies have already taken care of the problem. Many of us have received notices that they will not pay for virus treatment south of the border. ___ 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. Guest Commentary Gerry Bowler In 1849 the philosopher Henry David Thoreau was angry at his governments actions in the Mexican-American War and at the continued legality of slavery in the U.S. In response, he published an essay entitled Civil Disobedience in which he stated that that the evils of war and slavery should be confronted by citizens through withholding their taxes. Though such lawbreaking, he thought, was justified, he believed that those who disobeyed the government, even an unjust government, should be prepared to face legal retribution. Thoreau himself was imprisoned for refusing to pay the poll tax. Others imitated this example. In India, M.K. Gandhi led a drive for independence from the rule of the British Empire using Thoreaus principles. In 1920 Gandhi launched the Non-Cooperation Movement, calling for a boycott of all government activities and a burning of British-made clothing whose import had harmed Indian textile workers. The great Salt Satyagraha of 1930 was a massive march to the sea in protest of the tax on salt. Over the years, Gandhi led repeated strikes, demonstrations, and marches in order to show that his country was ungovernable without the consent of its people. For these acts of disobedience, he was imprisoned a number of timesa penalty which he never sought to evade. From his career of resistance came the principle that those who break the law must suffer its prescribed punishment. Hundreds of thousands of Indians were imprisoned by the British until finally, India won its independence in 1947. In America, the Baptist minister Martin Luther King chose to protest racial segregation laws and the oppression of African-Americans by campaigns that resembled those of Gandhi. In Montgomery he supported a boycott of the transit system which made blacks sit at the back of buses; in Selma, he violated the law that forbade marches without city approval; in Atlanta, he joined a sit-in protesting segregated dining rooms. Throughout his career, King was arrested numerous times, but he insisted that disobedience always came with a price, saying: Any man who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail to arouse the conscience of the community on the injustice of the law is at that moment expressing the very highest respect for the law. Readers may think that this principle has not applied in recent confrontations over the extension of a British Columbia pipeline. The unspoken contract of civil disobedience is this: you break the law in order to highlight some injustice, and then you serve the penalty. By doing this you show the seriousness of your purpose and your willingness to suffer for your beliefs. If you inconvenience or endanger your fellow citizens, if you withhold revenue from the government, if you restrict the commerce of businessesin short, if you violate social harmony on behalf of an alleged greater good, you are not permitted to walk away from your actions unpunished. The law remains the law until it is changed and no group is allowed to place its virtue above the normsthe lawwe have agreed to live by. Protest non-violently all you want, make your neighbours suffer for your cause if you think it will do some good, but a well-regulated society must restore the balance you have upset by exacting its due price for your actions. However, this social harmony also demands a government to act firmly against those who break the law. There is, of course, justified resentment among law-abiding citizens when they perceive that their rulers are reluctant to enforce legal norms. When Canadians cannot travel to their destinations by road; when blockades disrupt rail traffic, shutting down businesses, and delaying the delivery of food, medicine, and other goods when one group seems to be immune to the penalties that anyone else would expect to be levied against them, then disrespect for the law itself grows and social divisions are exacerbated to the detriment of our democracy. Gerry Bowler is a Canadian historian and a senior fellow with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy. New Vice President of Acquisitions and New Director of Communications & Investor Relations Set to Drive Acquisition Efforts and Improve Investor Engagement WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y., March 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 22nd Century Group, Inc. (NYSE American: XXII), a plant biotechnology company that is a leader in reduced nicotine tobacco and hemp/cannabis plant genetics research, today announced the appointment of Lisa Parks as its Vice President of Acquisitions and Mei Kuo as its new Director of Communications and Investor Relations. In a newly created role, Lisa Parks will drive 22nd Century Groups strategic partnership activities focused on creating a synergistic portfolio of operating companies to commercialize the Companys proprietary hemp/cannabis plants and intellectual property in development. Parks will play a crucial role in identifying and screening potential targets in the hemp/cannabis space as well as leading the due diligence process, performing financial modeling, leading deal negotiations, and coordinating post-deal integrations. Parks will also play a key role in the formation of strategic partnerships to commercialize the Companys proprietary, very low nicotine content cigarettes. Prior to joining 22nd Century Group, Parks served as Managing Director at Envest Capital Partners, a private investment firm focused on acquiring equity positions in cash flow positive companies in basic industry sectors. Earlier in her career, Parks served as the Director of Corporate Finance at Landmark Media Enterprises. She holds an MBA from University of Virginias Darden Graduate School and a Bachelor of Business Administration from William and Mary. Mei Kuo will lead 22nd Century Groups communications and investor relations function and serve as the primary liaison between the Company, its external stakeholders and the investment community. She joins 22nd Century Group from Shake Shack, an American fast casual restaurant chain, where she established and led the investor relations function. During her career, Kuo has held various investor relations and corporate finance positions of increasing responsibilities at other public companies, including Integra LifeSciences and Assurant, Inc.. Kuo received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. She also serves as President of the National Investor Relations Institute New York Chapters (NIRI NY) NextGen Committee. Story continues We are thrilled to welcome Lisa and Mei as the newest members of our leadership team, said Mike Zercher, President and Chief Operating Officer of 22nd Century Group. They join us at an exciting time as we poise our organization for new growth opportunities. Lisa and Mei bring incredible expertise and skill sets to our team, which will enhance our ability to execute on our growth strategies, generate growth and enhance shareholder value. About 22nd Century Group, Inc. 22nd Century Group, Inc. (NYSE AMERICAN: XXII) is a plant biotechnology company focused on technologies that allow it to alter the level of nicotine in tobacco plants and the level of cannabinoids in hemp/cannabis plants through genetic engineering, gene-editing and modern plant breeding. The Companys primary mission in tobacco is to reduce the harm caused by smoking by bringing to market its proprietary, reduced nicotine content cigarettes with 95% less nicotine than conventional cigarettes. The Companys primary mission in hemp/cannabis is to develop proprietary hemp/cannabis plants with unique cannabinoid profiles and desirable agronomic traits and to commercialize those plants through a synergistic portfolio of strategic partnerships in the hemp/cannabis industry. Learn more at xxiicentury.com , on Twitter @_xxiicentury and on LinkedIn . Military police officers are seen at the main entrance of the Doctor Edgar Magalhaes Noronha (Pemano) Penitentiary during a riot in Tremembe, 155 km from Sao Paulo, Brazil, early on March 17, 2020. (Photo by Lucas Lacaz/AFP via Getty Images) Hundreds of Inmates Escape Brazil Jails Ahead of Lockdown RIO DE JANEIROHundreds 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 jails Mongagua, Tremembe, Porto Feliz and Mirandopolisahead of the lockdown. A video on social media showed a long stream of prisoners purportedly fleeing a prison. Reuters was unable to verify the veracity or location of the video. 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 were taking care of the situation. Sao Paulo state is home to the First Capital Command, Brazils most powerful prison gang, which is expanding quickly across the country and in neighboring nations. It traffics guns, drugs and other contraband. Brazils overstuffed prisons often see deadly prison riots between rival gangs. By Gabriel Stargardter A policeman questions men walking along a street while the government implements the "enhanced community quarantine" as a precautionary measure against the spread of the new coronavirus in Manila, Philippines. AFP Photo Washington: Hundreds of distressed Indian students, stuck in the Philippines, are seeking help through video messages as they are unable to fly back home due to the travel restrictions imposed by India to contain the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus, according to friends and relatives of some of these students in the US. The Indian government on Tuesday banned the entry of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia to India with immediate effect amid stepped up efforts against the spread of COVID-19. In a video message by one of these students Akhil Bala Nair, around 200 Indian students had booked their flight tickets for India in the next few days. But all of them have been cancelled due to the new policy. Most of the students, she said, had booked their flights for March 17 and rest were schedule to travel to India on March 19 and 20. But the flights were cancelled and scores of Indian students are now stuck at the airport in Manila, Nair said in the video message sent to Prem Bhandari, head of the Jaipur Foot USA. It is need of the hour that the Indian government send a plane to bring these Indian students back home, Bhandari, who in the past has worked for the cause of the Indian diaspora, and who was approached by these students told PTI. According to these students, some 100 of them have been at the airport since Tuesday. They all have confirmed tickets but the airport authorities are not allowing them to check in because of the new travel regulations. While the airport authorities have asked them to go back to their respective place of residence, the students said they were unable to travel because of the absence of local taxi or shared ride services. The students said that they are running out of time as the Philippines government has given them 72 hours time to exit the country, which started from March 16, after which the country will go into lockdown. This means we would not be able to travel anywhere outside Philippines after March 20, Nair said in her message. The students said that there are many of them who have applied for renewal of their visas and are unable to travel to India. There are nearly 1,000 Indian students presently in Manila who are willing to travel back home, they said. Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Manila, in a tweet, said that they, along with the Ministry of External Affairs, are trying to work out a solution. It is requested to all to kindly have patience, the embassy said. WASHINGTON (AP) Joe Biden swept to victory in Florida, Illinois and Arizona on Tuesday, increasingly pulling away with a Democratic presidential primary upended by the coronavirus and building pressure on Bernie Sanders to abandon his campaign. The former vice president's third big night in as many weeks came amid tremendous uncertainty confronting the Democratic contest as it collides with efforts to slow the spread of the virus that have shut down large swaths of American life. Polls were shuttered in Ohio, and although balloting went ahead as scheduled in the three other states, election workers and voters reported problems. Biden's quest for his party's nomination now seems well within reach. He needs less than half of the remaining delegates. The party establishment has also lined up behind him as the best option in November to try and unseat President Donald Trump. Using a livestream to address supporters from his home state of Delaware, Biden seemed ready to move past the primary. He paid tribute to Sanders for advancing key issues like affordable health care and combating climate change. Sen. 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," Biden said. So let me say, especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Sen. Sanders, I hear you. I know whats at stake. I know what we have to do. For his part, Sanders made no immediate move on Tuesday to contact Biden, according to people familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak for the candidates. During remarks early in the night, the Vermont senator said little about the future of the race and instead focused on the coronavirus outbreak. As Biden and Sanders considered their next steps, Trump formally clinched the Republican presidential nomination after facing minimal opposition. But much of the action was on the Democratic side, where higher vote totals in some key states suggested enthusiasm that even the coronavirus couldn't contain. Turnout in Florida's Democratic primary was on pace to approach 2 million, surpassing the 1.7 million who cast ballots four years ago. Sanders' path to the nomination is quickly narrowing, and some Democrats are now calling on him to drop out in the name of party unity. Top advisers have said he's considering whether the political landscape could look different as the virus continues to reshape life across the country, though. Still, the race increasingly favors Biden. He maintained the strength on Tuesday with African Americans and older voters who have been the hallmark of his campaign. He also appeared to chip away at Sanders' previous advantage with Hispanics that helped him win Nevada and California early in the race. In Florida, Latinos were roughly 20% of Democratic primary voters, and they largely sided with Biden. The former vice president received the support of 65% of Puerto Rican voters and 56% of Cubans, according to AP VoteCast, a broad survey of primary voters. Still, the public health and economic havoc wreaked by the coronavirus will influence how the presidential contest unfolds. Rallies and other big events have been canceled. Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez urged states with upcoming primaries to expand vote-by-mail and absentee balloting, as well as polling station hours trying to ensure the primary isn't further hampered going forward. 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 statement. But the damage may have already happened. Four states Louisiana, Georgia, Kentucky and Maryland have joined Ohio in moving to push back their upcoming primaries, and others may yet do so. That has left the Democratic primary calendar empty until March 29, when Puerto Rico is scheduled to go to the polls. But island leaders are working to reschedule balloting there, too. That means there is nowhere for Sanders to gain ground on Biden anytime soon, even if he could find a way to mount a sudden surge. At least one of Sanders' top advisers chided party officials for going forward with voting on Tuesday. The Democratic Party rightly berates the GOP for ignoring scientists warnings about climate change," David Sirota tweeted. "The same Dem Party just ignored scientists warnings & pushed to continue in-person elections during a lethal pandemic, rather than delaying until there is vote by mail. There were problems across the country on Tuesday. In Illinois, for instance, there was a push to relocate about 50 Chicago-area polling places after locations canceled at the last minute. Jim Allen, a spokesman for the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, said that the board asked Gov. J.B. Pritzker last week to cancel in-person voting, but the governor refused. Pritzker countered 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, the governor said. There weren't problems, everywhere, though. Mel Dockens, a 49-year-old small-business owner, voted in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale and said it was a tough choice. But he went for Biden because he thought Sanders progressive views might turn off some Democratic voters. Its all about electability, Dockens said. "Its not that I dont trust Bernie Sanders, but I trust (Biden) a little more. ___ By Will Weissert and Brian Slodysko. Christina Cassidy, Bill Barrow, Katie Foody, Kelli Kennedy, Terry Spencer, Don Babwin, Seth Borenstein and Alexandra Jaffe contributed. The way the leader of tightly controlled Turkmenistan sees it, there's an ancient remedy for warding off the coronavirus: burning a wild herb known as hamala. Belarus's authoritarian president had similarly folksy advice for cabinet ministers and his fellow countrymen: go out and work in the fields. And ride a tractor. Global leaders and medical experts are struggling to contain the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, imposing quarantines, shutting down borders, mandating mask use, and bolstering the capabilities of infectious disease-fighting medical workers. Scientists, meanwhile, are rushing to find a vaccine and a cure for the disease that has killed more than 7,500 people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Many officials are also struggling to prevent the spread of half-truths, misinformation, and unscientific remedies -- something that is even harder in the era of social media and instantaneous communication -- and even propaganda. The coronavirus "outbreak and response has been accompanied by a massive 'infodemic' -- an over-abundance of information some accurate and some not that makes it hard for people to find trustworthy sources and reliable guidance when they need it," the WHO said in a report issued in early February. Garlic, vitamin C, steroids, essential oils? Despite what you might read on Facebook or VK, the Russian social network, there's no scientific evidence any of these things will combat the coronavirus. With a view to highlighting the problem of misinformation, and nudging people toward reliable, authoritative sources, here's a look at some of the more outlandish remedies that some leaders have wrongly suggested would help fight the coronavirus. Turkmen Fumigation In Turkmenistan, one of the most oppressive societies in the world, the country has been ruled for years by authoritarian leaders with a penchant for quixotic quirks and health recommendations. Before his death in 2006, Saparmurat Niyazov, who called himself the Father Of All Turkmen, routinely dispensed spiritual guidance, not to mention public-health advice, to the country, messaging that was widely disseminated by state TV and newspapers. In 2005, the country's physicians were ordered to spurn the Hippocratic Oath -- the ancient pledge used worldwide by medical workers -- and instead swear an oath to Niyazov, an electrical engineer by training. His successor, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, is a dentist by training. But that hasn't stopped him from building a personality cult similar to Niyazov's -- or from offering unfounded medical advice, most recently on March 13, when he chaired a cabinet meeting to discuss the looming dangers of the coronavirus. "Over the millennia, our ancestors have developed proven national methods of combating addictions and preventing various infectious diseases," he said. He went on to suggest that burning an herb known as hamala, or wild rue, would destroy viruses "that are invisible to the naked eye." In fact, this is not true. In December, Turkmen state TV featured a program discussing veterinary remedies for farmers coping with an outbreak of disease among cattle. Among the remedies being offered were those featured in a book authored by Berdymukhammedov. A year earlier, the Health Ministry offered medical advice to Turkmen dealing with summer respiratory ailments. Among the tips: "use medicinal teas scientifically described in the book of Berdymukhammedov's Plants of Turkmenistan." As of March 18, Turkmenistan had reported no confirmed cases of infection. Reap What You Sow Over more than two decades of ruling Belarus, Alyaksandr Lukashenka has also routinely dispensed folksy wisdom to his countrymen. Prior to the presidency, Lukashenka headed a Soviet-style collective farm operation, which is where he has drawn his suggestions and medicinal folklore from in the past. On March 16, he hosted a meeting of cabinet officials in Minsk, where he sought to head off mounting concerns about the coronavirus in the country. As of March 17, it had 17 confirmed cases. At the meeting, which was televised on state TV, he told officials "we have lived through other viruses. We'll live through this one," he said. "You just have to work, especially now, in a village," Lukashenka said. "In the countryside, people are working in the fields, on tractors, no one is talking about the virus." "There, the tractor will heal everyone. The fields heal everyone," he said. Lukashenka wished his ministers good health and offered this other piece of health advice: Go have a good sweat in a dry sauna; the coronavirus, according to Lukashenka, dies at 60 degrees Celsius. In fact, there's no evidence that tractors, saunas, or fieldwork have any effect on the coronavirus. Vodka Elixir As of March 18, Serbia had 83 confirmed cases of the virus. Three weeks prior, as officials across the world were beginning to take concerns about the coronavirus's spread seriously, President Aleksandar Vucic met with health specialists to discuss the measures being taken by his government. He joked that alcohol -- ingested -- might very well be a useful salve. "After they told me -- and now I see that Americans insist it's true -- that the coronavirus doesn't grow wherever you put alcohol, I've now found myself an additional reason to drink one glass a day," he said. "But it has nothing to do with that alcohol [liquor], I just made that up for you to know." It didn't help matters that, earlier on, Vucic's foreign minister, had gone on Serbian TV to suggest that the virus was a foreign plot targeting the Chinese economy. Belarus's Lukashenka, meanwhile, echoed Vucic's quip about vodka himself earlier this week. "I'm a nondrinker, but recently I've been jokingly saying that you should not only wash your hands with vodka, but that probably 40-50 grams of pure alcohol will poison this virus," Lukashenka said. In fact, drinking alcohol does not prevent or cure the coronavirus, or any other virus inside the body. Alcohol can, in fact, help kill germs and viruses externally, but washing your hands with vodka will not. Holy Water, Holy Virus While political leaders have been confusing people with unhelpful medicinal folklore, they aren't the only leaders to do so. Some clerics in a number of Orthodox countries -- Russia included -- have spurned medical guidance that has warned the coronavirus can be transmitted via close physical contact, or bodily fluids, such as droplets in the air, or saliva on utensils. Metropolitan Ilarion, a top official in the Russian Orthodox Church, told state media that the church will not be closing parishes for services during the period leading up to Easter, which is to be celebrated on April 19. Ilarion also told Rossia-24 TV that church leaders do not believe that any "virus or disease can be transmitted through communion" -- the religious rite of eating bread and sipping wine during a church service. Still, he indicated that the church would consider changes to things like the use of a communion spoon, used to give blessed wine to parishioners. "But if it comes to bans or recommendations that we are obliged to follow, then in some cases single-use [disposable] spoons will be used," he said. On March 17, he went further. "This does not mean that the church underestimates the threat. If the virus spreads and the number of infected grows, if new orders from the authorities appear regarding the fight against the coronavirus, the church will respond to them," he was quoted as telling Rossiiskaya Gazeta. He said church leaders were taking other unusual steps, including the use of disposable cups, disposable rubber gloves, and a suspension of the practice of kissing the cross or religious icons -- a common practice in Orthodox tradition. Two days earlier, however, at least one Orthodox parish, in the Volga River city of Kazan, was using a reusable "holy spoon" to administer communion wine. As of March 18, Russia had 114 confirmed cases. Meanwhile, in Georgia (38 confirmed cases), Orthodox priests were reportedly continuing to use a common spoon to ladle communion into the drinking cups of worshippers who chose that option. And the Greek Orthodox Church also echoed Ilarion's unfounded insistence that viruses could not spread via Communion. Other Georgian Orthodox priests, meanwhile, took to the roads this week to try and curtail, or cure, the coronavirus, driving around Tbilisi sprinkling holy water on cars and drivers alike. With reporting by RFE/RL's Turkmen, Belarus, Balkan, and Georgian Services A hundred years ago, printed posters usually of red and orange, with bold black letters, issued stark warnings to Keep Out This House or Smallpox. Keep out of this house. By Order of the Board of Health. Another was, Quarantine Scarlet Fever. No one shall enter or leave these premises except as provided by the State Department of Health or Local Board of Health. As the coronavirus crisis continues to shut down borders and keep people apart, event organisers worldwide are faced with questions of whether or not to cancel, postpone or move their occasions online - including the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26). Uncertainty around how long the outbreak will last has raised doubts about COP26's future. The climate change conference has been billed as the biggest international summit the UK has ever hosted and is expected to welcome over 30,000 delegates to coordinate on tackling the climate emergency. David King, a former chief scientific advisor to the UK government, told Radio 4's Today programme on Tuesday there is a "possibility" the COP26 may be delayed but could be conducted in the virtual space if the habit of requiring face to face meetings can be overcome. But Richard Black, director of the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, told The Independent the idea was "not feasible" and could reduce productivity gained by "rich debates" held at the international conference. Speaking about the creation of a "global climate alliance" he is pushing for, Mr King had said "all of the action is now taking place virtually and its flowing along quite well". 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 He added: I think that one can get a long way with virtual action; what is needed to be seen is whether our habit of requiring face to face meetings can be overcome as we move forward in time. It will be very interesting to see if we can reduce air travel after the coronavirus outbreak has died away. In other words, whether we develop new habits over the next year, year and a half, that reduces the demand for air travel." But the logistics of bringing 195 governments and 30,000 people into an online space at the same time would be extremely difficult, considering different time zones, internet connection speeds, and the need for multiple conversations and consultations to be had between individuals, according to Mr Black. "To have them all on conference calls when they all need the right to contribute and have private sessions to consult scientists, civil societies and more it simply is not feasible," he told The Independent. "COP26 is made up of a rich ecosystem. 30,000-ish people from different walks of life in one place, allowing for the scrutiny of governments and rich debates to be held it wouldn't be possible to reduce all that into a video conference call. "A few smaller meetings have already been moved online, for example, there has been one that involved 23 countries. Not only were time zones an issue, but comments and discussions had to be done via text, which takes more time. "Representatives from developing countries without stable Internet connections also had problems making the most of the meeting. Imagine trying to organise that for thousands of people." The question of COP26's future arises as the UN Climate Change (UNFCC) secretariat announced it is exploring remote work and video conferencing technology that will enable it to continue ongoing support to the intergovernmental process on climate change while the virus continues its spread around the world. The UNFCC secretariat will also not be holding any physical meetings until the end of April 2020 and official missions have been suspended amid the outbreak of the disease. There has also been criticism over the environmental impact of tens of thousands of attendees flying from around the world to attend an event aimed at mitigating the climate emergency. But COP meetings currently produce zero emissions, according to Mr Black, in line with UN policies to cut carbon footprint as much as possible. Last year, COP25 committed to being entirely climate neutral by avoiding greenhouse gases, waste production, water and energy use, as well as encouraging participants to travel by local public transport. "What can't be cut gets offset," he said. "So for example, the Paris Agreement only produced as much emissions as that of 800 French people." The UN's 'Climate Neutral Now' initiative offers organisations, companies and individuals the opportunity to offset their carbon footprint by purchasing UN-certified "carbon credits" generated by climate-friendly projects. It's still too early to say if COP26 will be postponed, though both Mr King and Mr Black say a delay to the conference is a possibility that can't be ruled out if the coronavirus pandemic remains an issue closer to the date. But considering the significance of COP26, which marks five years since the Paris Agreement was reached, Mr Black said countries must honour their commitments, which were promised "by 2020, not by COP26". Susanna Reid has begged Good Morning Britain viewers to be more mindful of the elderly amid the global coronavirus pandemic. The presenter, 49, dialled into the ITV breakfast programme via video link on Wednesday for the second time this week after self-isolating due to COVID-19 symptoms in her household. Urging everyone to think of those aged 70 plus, who have been warned by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to quarantine themselves at home in a bid to protect them from the deadly virus, Susanna launched into an impassioned speech. Dialling in: Susanna Reid begged Good Morning Britain viewers to be more mindful of the elderly as she dialled into the ITV breakfast programme via video link on Wednesday for the second time this week after self-isolating She declared: 'We need to be aware that older people are going to find this very difficult and we need to be, obviously, incredibly supportive. 'They have been advised to socially distance for 12 weeks. That's three months! Some older people are lucky because they're still married or their partner is still alive, they still live alive. 'Some of them are going to be on their own and not seeing anybody else for three months. We need to be incredibly mindful of carrying on the cause. 'Encouraging them to work out how to use Face Time, Skype or whatever, so they can carry on seeing people face-to-face, even if it's via a screen. 'And also, I think Dr. Hilary [Jones], your point - still going out while they can for walks. At some point there might be a lockdown where we can't leave our houses. Keep away! Meanwhile in the studio, Piers Morgan explained he and Ranvir Singh had been ordered to sit apart from one another in a bid to practice social distancing 'Let's be very supportive of people and realise it's actually very difficult to tell people to self-isolate because you get very lonely.' Meanwhile in the studio, Piers Morgan explained he and Ranvir Singh had been ordered to sit apart from one another in a bid to practice social distancing. The GMB team has been stripped back to a skeleton staff, with as many people as possible working from home. Susanna had also Skyped in from her London home during Tuesday's episode of GMB, after a member of her household developed symptoms akin to those displayed by coronavirus COVID-19 carriers. After the star adopted the precautionary measure laid out by the World Health Organisation, Piers joked she was self-isolating to avoid him. Working from home: Susanna had also Skyped in from her London home during Tuesday's episode of GMB, after a member of her household developed symptoms akin to those displayed by coronavirus COVID-19 carriers 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: Piers has been joking that Susanna was self-isolating in order 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. Moments after Johnson's dramatic press conference, actor Idris Elba revealed he has tested positive for the coronavirus. In the studio: Susanna featured on Monday's edition of the show alongside Piers Morgan and resident Doctor Hilary Jones 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. 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. The coronavirus can live for three days on some surfaces, like plastic and steel, new research suggests. Experts say the risk of consumers getting infected from touching those materials is still low, although they offered additional warnings about how long the virus survives in air, which may have important implications for medical workers. The new study, published Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, also suggests that the virus disintegrates over the course of a day on cardboard, lessening the worry among consumers that deliveries will spread the virus during this period ... With the world turned upside down and Americans dying, Trump would have been forced to reckon with the disaster eventually. But the talk-show host did seem to get through to Trump in a way that no one else could, which is completely consistent with what we know about this president. DANBURY With appearances being pushed into April due to novel coronavirus concerns, several cases followed by The News-Times have received new court dates. David Anderson, the former Newtown man charged with possession of child pornography, is expected back in court for a plea hearing on April 1. The disposition hearing of Jennie Reese has been rescheduled to April 20. Reese is accused of making a false statement, exchanging letters with an inmate and sneaking a cell phone into Newtowns Garner Correctional Institute. Accused car dealership embezzler Larnell Colontonio, of Carmel, N.Y., is scheduled back in court for a pre-trial hearing on April 20. The supervised pre-trial hearing of James Maharg the Sherman man accused of murdering his husband in a drunken rage last year is now scheduled for April 29. The pre-trial hearing of Amparo Sandoval, a Danbury resident accused of embezzling thousands of dollars from a Ridgefield animal rescue, has been rescheduled for April 29. Prosecutors are pushing court appearances in criminal cases out into April as part of statewide efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus. That means for the next two weeks, the superior court in Danbury will only be handling arraignments of those held in custody without posting bond, or domestic violence cases which by law have to appear in court the next day, said Danbury States Attorney Stephen Sedensky. Pictured: A man police were hoping to speak with to assist with their investigation A Coles customer has been arrested after he punched an employee in the face and rammed his trolley into two women in their 70s when he learned the store was sold out of certain items, including flour. The man, who appeared to be in his mid-50s, grew agitated when he couldn't find flour, among other groceries, during a trip to Coles in Lismore, in northeast New South Wales, on Tuesday afternoon, police said. He rammed his trolley into two other customers, both women in their 70s. One of the women was knocked to the ground in the incident, while the other was pinned up against store shelves. Panic buying due to the threat of coronavirus has stripped shelves bare in Coles, Woolworths and Aldi stores throughout the nation. Supermarket bosses have repeatedly assured consumers there is no manufacturing shortage, but said staff are struggling to keep shelves stocked of toilet paper, non-perishables like pasta and hand sanitiser. Before the arrest, police released this image of a man they were hoping to speak with to assist the investigation When a 45-year-old shop assistant came to the aid of the two victims, she was punched in the face. She suffered bruising and swelling to her jaw, chest and forearm as well as stiffness in her neck from the incident. The two other women who were targeted quickly left the store without providing their details. It is unknown if they were injured. The store manager and a security guard on the premises were also assaulted before the man was eventually escorted from the building. So far, at least 561 people have been infected with coronavirus in Australia, including six people who died from the illness Pictured: A man trying to buy toilet paper in an Australian supermarket after panic buying due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no suggestion he was involved in any violence The incident is the latest in a string of brawls and arguments in supermarkets, as tensions run high during the COVID-19 pandemic. Just days ago, shocked onlookers in Bass Hill watched a man threaten to 'f**king kill' another after a confrontation over goods, while another customer produced a knife during an argument over toilet paper in Parramatta two weeks ago. Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged Australians to stop hoarding food and other essential supplies. 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. 'Stop hoarding. I can't be more blunt about it. Stop it,' Mr Morrison said as he addressed the nation on Wednesday. 'That is not who we are as a people. It is not necessary. It is not something that people should be doing. '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.' Mr Morrison reassured the public the government was putting in place 'scalable and sustainable measures' and bulk-buying was unnecessary. He also asked people to stop 'abusing staff' after footage emerged online of customers verbally attacking supermarket employees because they couldn't locate goods. Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Lismore Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. PR-Inside.com: 2020-03-17 20:26:17 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 334 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 17, 2020 / Shade is pleased to announce they have entered a strategic partnership with GW Holdings as the latest high-end brand addition to GWs' extensive sales and distribution network.Shade products are carefully crafted for a high that enhances creative processes, combined with optimal comfort, sleek minimalist designs and a sustainable footprint. Through this new partnership, Shade will have access to the distribution and support network of GW Holdings throughout California, with a strong focus on Los Angeles and surrounding areas.Shade co-CEO and Founder, Dave Zand, explains: "We are excited to be working with GW to leverage their distribution network and expand our footprint throughout southern California." "All of the brands we bring to market have their own unique distinction, and Shade is the perfect example of a brand that breaks the norm, in addition to being line with our own values for impeccable quality and commitment to the community." said Giovanti Humphires, CFO of GW Holdings.The two businesses have the intention to expand their footprint in additional cities and states throughout Q2 of 2020. Moreover, both parties have expressed the intent to co-host social responsibility & culture driven activities in line with their greater visions for the Los Angeles community.About ShadeShade is made by creatives for creatives. The Shade family of partners combines time-honored growing and manufacturing traditions with the latest research and technology. Products are carefully crafted, and no cutting agents, plastics or pesticides are used. Your art, your path, your dose is discovered, not defined. Learn more at discovershade.co About GW HoldingsThe spirit of Goodwill is to do unto others & build our asset portfolio responsibly. Our commitments establish a clear position regarding the ethical responsibility of cannabis business in general, as well as the distinctive role played in society by a group such as GW, in Los Angeles and globally. Learn more at gwholdings.co Media ContactCompany: Pixel ManagementEmail: press@ pixel.management Website: pixel.management SOURCE: Pixel Management SALT LAKE CITYA strong earthquake struck Salt Lake City Wednesday, damaging some roads and buildings, shutting down a major air traffic hub, and scaring millions of people already on edge from the global pandemic caused by the CCP virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus. The 5.7-magnitude quake just after 7 a.m. showered bricks onto sidewalks, sent a chemical plume into the air outside the city and damaged a spire and statue atop the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints iconic Salt Lake Temple. The epicenter was just southwest of Salt Lake City, between the citys international airport and the Great Salt Lake. The temblor and its aftershocks were felt by about 2.8 million people. Most were hunkered down inside their homes to prevent the spread of the virus when buildings started shaking, and many ran outside to the streets in panic. This is extremely bad timing, because we already have the coronavirus issue going on right now causing a lot of anxiety, Gov. Gary Herbert said. NTD refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. There were no reports of injuries in the hours immediately after the 7:09 a.m. quake, Utah Emergency Management spokesman Joe Dougherty said. Operations at Salt Lake City International Airport came to a halt, planes were diverted and the control tower and concourses were evacuated. Far fewer people than normal were in the airport. On a typical travel day, the airport would have had about 24,000 people inside it and more making connections. But there were just 9,000 there, said the airports executive director, Bill Wyatt, making an evacuation of the terminal easier. Marsha Guertzgen of Evanston, Wyoming, was about to board a flight when the quake struck and said pandemonium and chaos immediately erupted in the terminalonly to be heightened by each aftershock. Everybody was running around, they were scared I dont think they knew what was going on, she said. People were screaming, kids were screaming, people were climbing under things. No runway damage was found and most of the damage in the terminal appeared to be caused by a broken water line, Wyatt said. Cargo and non-commercial flights resumed late Wednesday morning, but commercial flights were delayed into the afternoon. The quake also shut down the light rail service for Salt Lake City and its suburbs. It caused the release of chemicals at Kennecott copper mine west of Salt Lake City, creating a visible plume that moved toward the Great Salt Lake, said Clint Mecham, Salt Lake Countys emergency manager. Officials have not identified the chemicals sent into the air in the plume, but Mecham said it was not expected to affect people since its moving away from populated areas. Residents reported feeling shaking across a 100-mile area, with the heaviest impact in Salt Lake County, officials said. Some residents ran from their homes and into the streets as they felt the earthquake shake buildings for 10 to 15 seconds. The underlying concern about the virus outbreak was evident in the response to the quake. Paramedics and fire crews responding to emergency calls asked people to first disclose if they have symptoms. If they did, the crews geared up with masks, gowns and gloves before attending to them, officials said. Health officials virus response operations were briefly disrupted by the earthquake. Some virus testing was delayed and the states virus hotline was temporarily shut down while damage assessments were conducted. Michelle Daneri, 30, said the virus outbreak had kept her mostly inside her Salt Lake City home since last Friday, but she emerged from it after the quake to search for her frightened cat. She chatted with her neighbors outside but stood apart from them. Were trying to check on each other but were also trying to keep our distance, Daneri said. I think we at least stood about 5 feet away from each other. The experience made her wonder how to take precautions against the CCP virus if she could not stay in her home. It makes me feel a little bit on edge in my house, when that felt like a safe space, Daneri said. There were reports of damage in Salt Lake City and in the communities of Magna and Kearns, but authorities said they did not expect it to be severe. Fire officials in Magna said 14 structures were damaged. There was damage to roads and bridges and natural gas leaks were reported at state government buildings, said Utah Commissioner of Public Safety Jess Anderson. In Salt Lake City, bricks fell off the side of a homeless shelter and the Salt Lake Temple sustained minor damage, with the trumpet held by the Angel Moroni falling from the statue at the top of the temple and stones displaced from a spire. The temple is undergoing renovations and a seismic upgrade. Construction crews were sent home while the damage is being assessed, church spokesman Daniel Woodruff said in a statement. But authorities did not expect to find severe damage in most structures, said Dougherty, the emergency management spokesman. Were hearing of lights falling down, bookcases falling down, weve heard of water lines breaking inside of buildings, Dougherty said. People reported feeling the quake in the neighboring states of Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming and Nevada. About 73,000 homes and businesses lost electricity in the Salt Lake City area, but power was quickly being restored in some areas, said utility Rocky Mountain Power. It was the largest earthquake to hit Utah since a 5.9 magnitude quake shook southern Utah in 1992, according to Utah Emergency Management. By Brady McCombs and Lindsay Whitehurst NTD staff contributed to this report VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Endeavour Silver Corp. (TSX: EDR, NYSE: EXK) advises that it has implemented plans to minimize the risks of the COVID-19 virus, both to employees and to the business. To date, there have been no known or suspected cases of COVID-19 reported at any of the Companys work places in Canada, Mexico and Chile. At each site, Endeavour is following government health protocols and is closely monitoring the situation with local health authorities. The Company has posted health advisories to educate employees about the COVID-19 symptoms, best practices to avoid catching the virus, and procedures to follow if symptoms are experienced. Bradford Cooke, Endeavour CEO, commented, During these turbulent times, we are fully committed to reducing the health risk to our employees and any potential disruptions to our business. We will continue to work proactively to protect the health of our employees, local stakeholders and our communities as we navigate the current situation. Endeavour has initiated the following health and business precautions: Encouraging social distancing (minimum 2 meters) and minimizing interpersonal contacts where possible Encouraging regular and thorough hand cleansing Cancelled all non-essential travel in favour of video conferencing At the head office, working from home until further notice At the operations, extra cleaning in common and food service areas At the operations, all workers will be screened for temperature on arrival at the gates Any employees experiencing symptoms and or a temperature of +38*C are immediately sent home to self quarantine and report to the health authority Back-up plans have been created for certain key jobs to ensure continuity of work Educating contractors and suppliers similar to employees Back-up plans if a contractor or supplier cannot perform their duties Increasing critical supplies and spare parts inventories to minimum three months There have been no business restrictions to date in Mexico and no disruptions to either metal sales or supply chains for the Companys operations. Terronera Prefeasibility Study The Company also announces that it has received an economic summary of the updated pre-feasibility study (PFS) for the Terronera silver-gold mine project in Jalisco, Mexico. Significant changes were made to the operations plan, capital and operating costs compared to the previous PFS and as a result, although still positive, the new PFS returned less robust economics compared to the prior PFS. Endeavours new Director of Project Development is conducting a complete review of both studies in order to assess all assumptions and optimize the project design and economics for an internal updated prefeasibility study prior to proceeding to a full independent feasibility study. Endeavour plans to provide a further update of the Terronera Project within the next three months. Bradford Cooke, Endeavour CEO, commented further, The Terronera Project has the potential to become our largest, lowest cost, and longest life mine. Were disappointed the latest draft PFS economics differ from the prior PFS economics. As a result, we have decided to reconceptualize the project using our inhouse expertise so that Terronera can become a model for our future mines. About Endeavour Silver Endeavour Silver Corp. is a mid-tier precious metals mining company that owns and operates three high-grade, underground, silver-gold mines in Mexico. Endeavour is currently advancing the Terronera mine project towards a development decision and exploring its portfolio of exploration and development projects in Mexico and Chile to facilitate its goal to become a premier senior silver producer. Our philosophy of corporate social integrity creates value for all stakeholders. SOURCE Endeavour Silver Corp. Contact Information Galina Meleger, Director Investor Relations Toll free: (877) 685-9775 Tel: (604) 640-4804 Email: gmeleger@edrsilver.com Website: www.edrsilver.com Follow Endeavour Silver on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and LinkedIn Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States private securities litigation reform act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forwardlooking statements and information herein include but are not limited to statements regarding Endeavours anticipated performance in 2020, including production forecasts, cost estimates and metal price estimates, and the timing and results of mine expansion and development and receipt of various permits. The Company does not intend to and does not assume any obligation to update such forward-looking statements or information, other than as required by applicable law. Forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Endeavour and its operations to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such factors include, among others, changes in national and local governments, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in Canada and Mexico; operating or technical difficulties in mineral exploration, development and mining activities; risks and hazards of mineral exploration, development and mining; metal prices; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, risks in obtaining necessary licenses and permits, and challenges to the Companys title to properties; as well as those factors described in the section risk factors contained in the Companys most recent form 40F/Annual Information Form filed with the S.E.C. and Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to: the continued operation of the Companys mining operations, no material adverse change in the market price of commodities, mining operations will operate and the mining products will be completed in accordance with managements expectations and achieve their stated production outcomes, resource and reserve estimates, metal prices, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or information, there may be other factors that cause results to be materially different from those anticipated, described, estimated, assessed or intended. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. Now that news about the coronavirus pandemic is taking up so much of our lives, many Americans are looking back to the 2011 movie Contagion. Unlike a more traditional disaster movie, Contagion takes a nuanced and well-researched approach to show how the United States might respond to a pandemic. Screenwriter Scott Z. Burns and director Steven Soderbergh tell the story of CDC scientists, government officials, and patients, who are all doing their best to beat the disease. Burns was recently asked about his advice on the 2020 COVID-19 situationand it seems like theres a lot we can learn from Contagion. The 2011 pandemic movie is actually fairly accurate Marion Cotillard attends the Contagion premiere | Michael Loccisano/Getty Images Yes, Contagion is a movieand we know Hollywood isnt exactly known for its accuracy. Especially when it comes to medicine. However, an article in New Scientist magazine actually praised Contagion for its dedication to correct information. Its hard to name many Hollywood blockbusters that are as invested in the realities of science as Contagion. They acknowledge that while its not perfect, Soderbergh and the whole Contagion team clearly put in the time to research what they were making a movie about. Fortunately, the biggest difference between the disease in Contagion and COVID-19 is how many people it kills. The movie virus mortality rate is about 20%, while the real-world coronavirus rate is about 3%. Still, that number is affecting our most vulnerable populationsmeaning we need a wide-scale response. Listen to the medical experts, Contagion screenwriter says Contagion writer Scott Z. Burns told Slate what he thinks we should be doing about the COVID-19, ten years after his pandemic movie was made. I guess my feeling as someone who believes in science is that when scientists tell us those things we would do well to listen, Burns said. He worried that as of now, were not doing enough of that. He told Slate: It is incredible to me that we are not letting the really amazing public health people in this country lead the responsethat we are finding out that we dont have enough test kits and have for some reason disbanded our pandemic-preparedness teams. Social distancing is a thing, Contagion reminds us Many scenes in Contagion hit a little close to home. Advice from CDC officials in the movie sounds very familiarsocial distancing, washing your hands for 20 seconds, not touching your face. The CDC is now suggesting the same things to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Burns take: we can keep each other safe if we do the right things. And that means social distancing. That means washing your hands a lot. That means staying home if you are sick. The writer of Contagion says that while the government has to take massive action, at this point: the people have the power to determine whether or not this public health crisis gets really bador not. If you talk about it with people in public health, until we have a pharmaceutically generated or a scientifically generated cure, we are the cure, Burns said. We can be the cure. Panic and misinformation dont help anything Burns said that the gravest mistake to make in this type of situation is not giving the space and the support to the public health officials who can help guide us through this. The Contagion scribe wants to see even more of that. He told Slate: A doctor in Wuhan, China looks at a CT image| STR/AFP via Getty Images I have read accounts in the press that Dr. [Anthony] Fauci isnt really allowed to speak until Mike Pence has approved his messaging. That is concerning to me. If we are going to get through this in the best version, it is by empowering those people and giving them the resources that they need. Thats because, in pandemics or other national crises, misinformationand paniccan spread like wildfire. And that can be just as dangerous. If you go back and look at the poster, the tagline for the movie was Nothing Spreads Like Fear,' Burns said. When Steven and I talked to public health officials, that was always their biggest concern. The Contagion writer advised: I think we have to be really nuanced and responsible with each other about what is really important information for people to have to keep themselves safe, and what is inflaming panic. Immediate government response is key, Scott Z. Burns of Contagion argues The writer criticized the United States government for not doing more in the immediate face of the crisis. Burns said: The issue isnt playing games with our borders; its how we take care of people now. Its stunning to me that our administration cant put out a clear message on how people can stay safe and what our tools are for understanding the current spread. Luciana Bozan Barroso and Matt Damon attend the Contagion premiere in 2011 | Michael Loccisano/Getty Images The Contagion screenwriter compared our response to Vietnamsand the U.S. comes up lacking. Theres a video on YouTube of a song they did in Vietnam about hand-washing he told Slate. Why isnt our government putting out public service messages about how to stay safe? That isnt that hard. Health is fragile; wash your hands Burns does have some hope for how we can handle COVID-19. I am encouraged by the ability of scientists to sort these things out, and I am grateful that the mortality rate of this virus is not like the one in the movie, he told Slate. I do believe that we will sort this out. However, a lot of the responsibility to solve this crisis is in the hands of politicians. But it is really up to our government leadership to decide how fast we sort it out, and how many people need to suffer before they pull their heads out of their *sses, the Contagion screenwriter concluded. At the end of the day, health crises such as these remind us of one crucial thing. Our health is inherently fragile; our bodies and immune systems can only take so much. No, we are not all going to diebut the elderly and immunosuppressed are at a higher risk of doing just thatand they are not disposable members of our society. As the Contagion writer reminds us, lets proceed with caution and protect the vulnerable. Because we would rather laugh at how we all overreacted than regret we didnt do more. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday that the U.S. Navy would be sending its 1,000-bed USNS Comfort floating hospital ship to New York in an effort to help deal with the states coronavirus outbreak. The president I spoke to [him] this morning hes going to be making arraignments to send up this hospital ship, Cuomo announced at a press conference to update the public on New Yorks efforts. He added that the ship will be stationed in New York City harbor. Its an extraordinary step, obviously, its literally a floating hospital, which will add capacity and the president said that he would dispatch that immediately, Cuomo stated. Trumps decision comes after New York lawmakers sent a letter to the president asking him to deploy the Comfort currently stationed in Norfolk, Va. to assist New York. 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. We need thousands of new beds and deploying the Navys floating hospital would be a huge help, Representative Max Rose, an Army veteran who represents Staten Island. Rose wrote the letter with Representatives Nydia Velazquez of Brooklyn, Jose Serrano of The Bronx, and Tom Suozzi of Long Island. The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday the Defense Secretary Mark Esper was mobilizing the Navys hospital ships to help with the countrys fight against the Wuhan coronavirus, with the extra hospital beds that could be used to handle non-coronavirus patients. Cuomo also revealed Wednesday that the state has identified 1,000 new cases since the last time the state reported numbers. New York City accounted for a significant 1,339 new cases an increase of 695 from Tuesday. The numbers are going up, Cuomo admitted. Hence, the increased actions to reduce the spread. Later, Navy officials reportedly said that it would take the Comfort until mid-April to make it to New York. Story continues Hospital ship Comfort based in Norfolk, Va. not able to arrive in New York harbor until mid-April for coronavirus relief: U.S. Navy officials Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) March 18, 2020 More from National Review Sony had introduced two new flagship smartphones last month, the Xperia 1 II and Xperia PRO. The moment they were announced, we knew that the Sony Xperia PRO will be pricier than the Xperia 1 II. The thing is, it may be a lot pricier than you think. The Sony Xperia PRO will be considerably pricier than the Xperia 1 II According to a new piece of information from Japan, the Xperia PRO will cost $200-$300 more than its siblings, so it will be a lot pricier than expected. Many of you have probably expected a $100-150 difference, maximum. Well, it seems like thats not exactly accurate. The PRO model could be a lot pricier for some reason. Advertisement If this information ends up being accurate, the Xperia PRO will cost more than the Galaxy S20 Ultra. The Sony Xperia 1 II will cost 1,200 in Europe. Its price tag for the US hasnt been announced yet, but it will probably cost around $1,200. That is already a premium price tag, and way more than some people expected the Xperia 1 II to cost. If you add /$200-300 to that, youll end up with a /$1,400-1,500 price tag. Needless to say, this is just an insane price tag for a phone. Too many OEMs have followed in Apples footsteps and pushed smartphone prices way beyond what consumers expected. Advertisement The Xperia PRO will likely be marketed as a professional tool for Sony Alpha camera owners The Sony Xperia PRO will be marketed as a Professional tool for Sony Alpha camera owners, no doubt about that. It comes with an HDMI port, and can serve as a second screen for such cameras. The Xperia PROs availability will be region-dependent. It will be available in the US, but interestingly enough, it is not expected to launch in Sonys homeland, Japan. The Sony Xperia PRO is more rugged than the Xperia 1 II, and it has an extra physical button on the side. The phone also features four 5G mmWave antennas, compared to sub-6GHz 5G on the Xperia 1 II. Advertisement Other than that, their specifications are almost identical. Features that weve mentioned definitely wont be enough for the vast majority of users to pay an extra couple hundred /$ for the PRO model. Sonys smartphone sales havent exactly been great for years now, and such price tags are definitely not helping. Sony has always attached quite high price tags to its flagship phones, and this time around is no different. It remains to be seen how accurate is this report, but the situation with pricing doesnt look good at all. The Xperia 1 II is expected to go on sale in late Spring, while the PRO model wont be far behind. 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. When I told my 10-year-old daughter that her elementary school would be shutting down for two weeks, she didnt seem to mind. But after Lexi had time to process the news and realized a friends birthday party, a dance competition and the Jump Rope for Heart fund-raiser at school were also looped into the cancellation list, I was met with tears and a string of questions, both of which caught me off-guard. With the new coronavirus leading to school closures and event cancellations across the country, parents are getting mixed reactions from their kids that range from joy over extra time off to confusion and sadness over missing a highly anticipated event and even fear of the unknown. [10 questions parents may have about coronavirus.] Whether theyre forced to skip a musical performance, a tryout for a spring sport, a visit to their grandparents or a family vacation, simply telling children that disappointment is a part of life doesnt cut it. In fact, breaking this news may also spark anxiety in parents. So how can parents help kids process their disappointment? I asked a few experts for their advice. First, check your own emotions. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trevali Mining Corporation (Trevali or the Company) (TSX: TV, BVL: TV; OTCQX: TREVF, Frankfurt: 4TI) announced today that the Peruvian Government has issued a Supreme Decree and declaration of a National Emergency in its efforts to contain the outbreak of COVID-19. The declaration restricts travel within the country and requires citizens to remain at home except to travel to grocery stores, banks and medical facilities. The state of emergency took effect today and will last for the next 15 days. Mining projects and operations that have a remote workforce that is housed by a camp are permitted continue to operate as usual during the 15-day period. The Santander mine is in full compliance with the Governments requirements and as a remote operation with a workforce that is housed by a camp is expected to remain in operation for the 15-day period. If the term is extended beyond the 15 days and further flexibility to operate mining complexes is not provided, then the operation will need to ramp down. Ricus Grimbeek, President and CEO stated, We are monitoring the situation in Peru and all our operations very closely. Our priority is to the health and safety of our workers. We are well prepared to keep the Santander mine going for the next 15 days and are arranging a ramp down program in the event the state of National Emergency is extended. We will continue to monitor the situation and will provide a further update as things progress. ABOUT TREVALI Trevali is a global base-metals mining company, headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. The bulk of Trevalis revenue is generated from base-metals mining at its four operational assets: the 90%-owned Perkoa Mine in Burkina Faso, the 90%-owned Rosh Pinah Mine in Namibia, the wholly-owned Caribou Mine in northern New Brunswick, Canada and the wholly-owned Santander Mine in Peru. In addition, Trevali owns the Halfmile and Stratmat Properties and the Restigouche Deposit in New Brunswick, Canada, and the past-producing Ruttan Mine in northern Manitoba, Canada. Trevali also owns an effective 44%-interest in the Gergarub Project in Namibia, as well as an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Heath Steele deposit located in New Brunswick, Canada. The shares of Trevali are listed on the TSX (symbol TV), the OTCQX (symbol TREVF), the Lima Stock Exchange (symbol TV), and the Frankfurt Exchange (symbol 4TI). For further details on Trevali, readers are referred to the Companys website (www.trevali.com) and to Canadian regulatory filings on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Investor Relations Contact: Brendan Creaney Vice President, Investor Relations Email: bcreaney@trevali.com Phone: +1 (778) 655-6070 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, forward-looking statements). Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, expectations and opinions of management of the Company as of the date the statement are published, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required by law. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect managements expectations or beliefs regarding future events including, but not limited to, statements with respect to the Companys operations, including the impact on the Santander mine of the national state of emergency declared by the Peruvian government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Companys growth strategies and planned development activities. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, risks related to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future prices of zinc, lead, silver and other minerals and the anticipated sensitivity of our financial performance to such prices; possible variations in ore reserves, grade or recoveries; dependence on key personnel; potential conflicts of interest involving our directors and officers; labour pool constraints; labour disputes; availability of infrastructure required for the development of mining projects; delays or inability to obtain governmental and regulatory approvals for mining operations or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities; counterparty risks; increased operating and capital costs; foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; operating in foreign jurisdictions with risk of changes to governmental regulation; compliance with governmental decrees and regulations, including any new or ongoing decrees and regulations issued by a governmental authority in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; compliance with environmental laws and regulations; land reclamation and mine closure obligations; challenges to title or ownership interest of our mineral properties; maintaining ongoing social license to operate; impact of climatic conditions on the Companys mining operations; corruption and bribery; limitations inherent in our insurance coverage; compliance with debt covenants; competition in the mining industry; our ability to integrate new acquisitions into our operations; cybersecurity threats; litigation and other risks and uncertainties that are more fully described in the Companys annual information form, interim and annual audited consolidated financial statements and managements discussion and analysis of those statements, all of which are filed and available for review under the Companys profile on SEDAR 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 statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Trevali provides no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events may differ from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Source: Trevali Mining Corporation Actor Ayushmann Khurrana on Wednesday shared self-written prose dedicated to low-income groups of the country that are among the most affected by the coronavirus shutdown in the country. The 35-year-old actor took to Twitter to share his literary work in the tough times that the world is dealing with. Khurrana's prose threw light on how the shutdown is affecting two economically segregated classes of the country. "Ab ameer ka har din ravivaar ho gaya, Aur gareeb hai apne somvaar ke intezaar mein. Ab ameer ka har din seh parivaar ho gaya hai, Aur gareeb hai apne rozgaar ke intezaar mein," he tweeted. With different parts of the country on lockdown as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of highly contagious COVID-19, many daily wage workers, and low-income families are facing the brunt of the situation. Alternatively, actor Richa Chadha earlier in the day urged the Indian government to announce a bailout for small businessmen amid the disaster. "Dear government, Please announce a bailout for the small businesses... or this lockdown will be the last nail in their coffin. Announce relief/daily wage workers. We're staring a disaster in the face! can wait," Chadha tweeted. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India has reached 147, including 122 Indians and 24 foreign nationals according to government data on Wednesday morning. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld suspended his presidential campaign Wednesday. Weld was running for president as a Republican, seeking to put pressure on President Donald Trump for the partys nomination. Weld told supporters that he was intensely grateful for them. Previously, he formally announced an exploratory committee on Feb. 15, 2019 at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics. Weld was the 2016 vice presidential nominee of the Libertarian Party, running with presidential nominee, Gary Johnson. Weld also said that even though he was suspending his campaign immediately, he wasn't stopping his "commitment to the nation and to the democratic institutions that set us apart." File video (March 3): Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld crushed in home state by President Trump A super PAC affiliated with Emilys List, which is an activist group devoted to electing female Democrats, led the charge with nearly $1 million, while NARAL Pro-Choice America, the Sierra Club and the Service Employees International Union also spent heavily for Newman. The plumbers and pipefitters trade union spent nearly $160,000 in support of Lipinski, with the National Association of Realtors and the bipartisan advocacy group No Labels also chipping in as well as the Susan B. Anthony List, an antiabortion group that typically backs Republicans. Whether or not Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders suspends his campaign for president in the coming days, he is not going to be the Democratic nominee for president in 2020. That began to become clear two weeks ago, on the night of Super Tuesday, when Sanders was bested by former Vice President Joe Biden in Virginia, Minnesota, Texas, and several other delegate-rich states. It became even more likely a week later, when Sanders lost Michigan and Missouri by sizable margins. But it turned into a near certainty on Tuesday night with Sanders' nearly 40-point loss to Biden in Florida and his less humiliating but still substantial 23- and 13-point defeats in Illinois and Arizona, respectively. Sanders' most fervent followers won't want to accept it. They'll say that the race is far from over. That plenty more states still need to vote. That even after Tuesday night's delegates are allocated, Biden will be hundreds away from clinching the nomination. That Sanders will only be a couple hundred or so behind. All of that will be true, but none of it will matter. That's because Bernie failed to win the nomination in 2016 while running a far more electorally formidable campaign than he has this time around. When we compare his performance in these two cycles, we see a straightforward story of electoral decline and diminishing political momentum. In 2016, Sanders prevailed in 23 contests in the primary season, winning a total of 43 percent of the vote. This time around, with more than half the states having voted, he's won eight. As for cumulative vote total, Sanders is currently at just under 31 percent 12 points behind his tally four years ago. In state after state, Sanders has underperformed in comparison with 2016. Four years ago, he won New Hampshire with 60.1 percent of the vote; this year he won it in a far more crowded field with just 25.6 percent. He won his home state of Vermont in 2016 with 85.7; this time he prevailed with 50.8. In 2016, he narrowly beat Hillary Clinton in Michigan with 49.7; this time he lost it to Joe Biden with 36.4. Last time he nearly won Missouri with 49.4 percent; this year he came up short with just 34.6. In 2016, Sanders lost Florida with 33.3 percent of the vote; Tuesday night he came in around 10 points behind that, with a little under 23 percent. In 2016, Sanders gave Clinton a run for her money in Illinois, coming in with 48.6 percent of the vote; this time he finished 11 points behind at roughly 36 percent. Story continues In nearly every contest, Sanders is doing substantially worse than he did four years ago when he nonetheless lost the race for the nomination. The question is what accounts for the decline. Why is Sanders falling so much shorter this time around? It may well be that the most significant factor in the answer is Hillary Clinton. Clinton was by no means universally loathed by Democratic voters, but she may have been strongly enough disliked by certain (working-class white) voters that they cast ballots for Sanders in the primaries as a kind of protest against the party's presumptive nominee. That could easily have been enough to raise Sanders' vote tally by 10 or so percentage points in comparison to this year, when his main competition (Biden) is much less widely disliked among the same demographic group that was repelled by Clinton. Then there's the electability argument and the likelihood that significant numbers of primary voters this time around simply can't imagine that an outspoken socialist proposing tens of trillions of dollars of new spending will be capable of beating President Trump in November. Finally, there's the gathering storm of the global pandemic that has turned American life upside down and inside out over the past two weeks. Any lingering chance of Sanders turning things around after Super Tuesday were almost certainly lost as epidemiological and economic fears have spread throughout the country, arousing a longing for the return of basic competence and a steady hand at the helm a longing that a mainstream, veteran pol like Biden is perfectly situated to fulfill. Sanders and his most passionate supporters may be ready to fold the astonishing events of recent days into their narrative of a political, economic, and health-care system in need of revolution, but most Democrats (like most Americans) are not. Sanders is and has always been a factional candidate of the left who isn't really a Democrat at all. That he performed as well as he did in the Democratic primaries two cycles in a row is a tribute to his skills as a politician and the appeal of his message to a certain segment of (overwhelmingly younger) voters. It was just possible to imagine that in a deeply divided field he might have reproduced Trump's hostile takeover of the Republican Party four years ago. But that would have required the near-perfect alignment of competing variables. For a brief period after the New Hampshire primary, and especially following the Nevada caucuses, it seemed like Sanders just might pull it off. But that fleeting moment is now long gone. Things have returned to something close to political normal at a moment that is anything but. A life-long Democrat who's served as a senator for 35 years and vice president for eight is going to be the party's nominee. And the socialist insurgent is going to lose regardless of whether he does the sensible thing and quickly bows out in response to reality. Want more essential commentary and analysis like this delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for The Week's "Today's best articles" newsletter here. More stories from theweek.com Bernie Sanders is focused on the 'f---ing global crisis' COVID-19 hit South Korea and the U.S. on the same day. Here's what Korea did right. Trump clarifies he's not using emergency powers to ramp up coronavirus supplies just yet Patrick Pacious, president and chief executive officer, Choice Hotels, said, "The safety and well-being of guests, franchisees and associates is our top priority during these challenging and unprecedented times. We are working closely with our hotel owners and operators in managing difficulties posed by COVID-19 and helping mitigate the impact on their business by providing best-in-class franchisee resources and implementing timely changes to policies and procedures aimed at extending relief and minimizing disruptions. Concurrently, we remain committed to serving guests and the communities across the world where our hotels operate." "We are not able to precisely quantify the impact on our projected results at this time, given the uncertainty surrounding the impact of COVID-19 on the global hospitality industry and specifically on the U.S. travel market, where the majority of our franchised hotels are located as well as the rapidly changing circumstances impacting our hospitality franchising business, directly and indirectly. Consequently, we are withdrawing the guidance we previously issued on February 18, 2020. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and expect to provide an update during our first quarter earnings call based on the best information then available." "We are confident in the continued resiliency of our asset-light franchise business model, the strength of our proven brands, and our ability to navigate through these trying times. We are deeply proud of Choice Hotels' contributions to the hotel industry and the foundation that we've built over the course of our more than 80-year history, all of which position the company for continued, long-term success." About Choice Hotels Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) is one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world. With more than 7,000 hotels, representing over 590,000 rooms, in over 40 countries and territories as of December 31, 2019, the Choice family of hotel brands provide business and leisure travelers with a range of high-quality lodging options from limited service to full-service hotels in the upscale, midscale, extended-stay and economy segments. The award-winning Choice Privileges loyalty program offers members benefits ranging from everyday rewards to exceptional experiences. For more information, visit www.choicehotels.com. Forward-Looking Statements Certain matters discussed in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Generally, our use of words such as "expect," "estimate," "believe," "anticipate," "should," "will," "forecast," "plan," "project," "assume," or similar words of futurity identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current beliefs, assumptions, and expectations regarding future events, which, in turn, are based on information currently available to management. Such statements may relate to projections of the company's revenue, earnings, and other financial and operational measures, our liquidity, our ability to assist franchisees through relief or other financial measures, our ability to minimize or manage disruptions posed by COVID-19, and the impact of COVID-19 and economic conditions on our future operations, among other matters. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements do not guarantee future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors. Several factors could cause actual results, performance, or achievements of the company to differ materially from those expressed in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Such risks include, but are not limited to, continuation or worsening of COVID-19 pandemic; changes in consumer demand; the impact of COVID-19 on the global hospitality industry, particularly in the U.S. travel market, changes to general, domestic, and foreign economic conditions, including as a result of COVID-19; future global outbreaks of pandemics or contagious diseases or fear of such outbreaks; foreign currency fluctuations; operating risks common in the lodging and franchising industries; impairments or losses relating to acquired businesses, changes to the desirability of our brands as viewed by hotel operators and customers; changes to the terms or termination of our contracts with franchisees; our ability to keep pace with improvements in technology utilized for marketing and reservations systems and other operating systems; our ability to grow our franchise system; exposure to risks related to our hotel-development, ownership and financing activities; fluctuations in the supply and demand for hotels rooms; our ability to realize anticipated benefits from acquired businesses; the level of acceptance of alternative growth strategies we may implement; operating risks associated with our international operations, especially in areas currently most affected by COVID-19; the outcome of litigation; and our ability to manage our indebtedness. These and other risk factors are discussed in detail in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our annual report on Form 10-K and our quarterly reports filed on Form 10-Q. Except as may be required by law, we undertake no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. 2020 Choice Hotels International, Inc. All rights reserved. SOURCE Choice Hotels International, Inc. Related Links http://www.choicehotels.com Facebook and Twitter say they have removed numerous false social media accounts linked to Russia that targeted the American public. Facebook said in a statement that the network of accounts appeared to be in the process of building up a following of U.S.-based users. The network was operated by people in Ghana and Nigeria for individuals in Russia. Facebook said its investigation found that the accounts had ties to individuals linked to past activity by Russias Internet Research Agency. U.S. officials have accused that group of leading a major disinformation campaign online in an attempt to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election. In some cases, the removed accounts claimed to be nongovernmental organizations or personal blogs. The accounts on Facebook and on the companys Instagram service attempted to gain users by posting about issues like black history, fashion, and news about famous Americans. In total, Facebook removed 49 accounts, 69 Facebook pages and 85 Instagram accounts. Twitter removed 71 accounts. Facebook said the accounts did not appear to center on elections. They also did not include support or criticism of individual political candidates. Facebooks statement said that while the company is making progress in identifying and stopping such abuses, the problem represents an ongoing challenge it is dealing with. That means building better technology, hiring more people and working more closely with law enforcement, security experts and other companies, the statement said. Twitter said the accounts it removed dealt mainly with social issues such as race and civil rights, without favoring any candidate or political ideas. The latest removals follow a recent report that found Russias campaign of election interference has not reduced since 2016 -- and appears to be getting more difficult to discover. Young Mie Kim, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison created the recent report. She found that Russia-linked social media accounts were posting about many of the same issues as during the 2016 elections. These include race relations, gun laws and immigration. Facebook has since removed those accounts, too. Last month, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Christopher Wray, warned that Russia was still involved in a campaign of information warfare that uses false social media accounts to spread disinformation. Russia has repeatedly denied interfering in U.S. elections. Im Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from The Associated Press, Reuters and Facebook. Ashley Thompson was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story account n. an arrangement in which a person uses internet or service of a particular company network n. a system or group of connected parts blog n. a regularly updated website or web page, usually run by an individual or small groups fashion n. the most popular style of clothes, appearance or behavior at a particular time challenge n. a difficult task that tests a persons abilities Since the end of the Cold War, it has become commonplace to view Americas relationship with India through the prism of China. But a new book by the Brookings Institution scholar Tanvi Madan argues that Chinas centrality to U.S.-India relations is hardly a product of the past few decades. Tanvis new book, Fateful Triangle: How China Shaped U.S.-India Relations during the Cold War, offers a historically grounded yet readable guide to the ways in which China has influenced the trajectory of U.S.-India ties--directly and indirectly--since Indias independence in 1947. This week on the show, Milan Vaishnav (Director of the South Asia programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) and Tanvi discuss the twists and turns in the U.S.-India relationship over the decades, what Indias policy of non-alignment really meant, and whether nature and nurture are finally converging to forge a common American and Indian view on China. Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar on Wednesday met the Director-General of Police in Bengaluru and demanded police protection for Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs and the removal of BJP workers from the hotel in Bengaluru, where the legislators are currently lodged. "The (Madhya Pradesh) legislators have come here and have requested police protection, that is all. Let the police give them protection, our candidate (Digvijaya Singh) has come, let him meet the legislators. Why are BJP workers protecting them? We know that they are under threat and hence we need to vacate them (BJP workers)," Shivakumar told reporters here after the meeting. "We will give protection to our men and that is why we are telling them they cannot stop us. They should be in a free and fair position. I have communicated to DGP that BJP needs to vacate," he added. Earlier today, Congress' Rajya Sabha candidate from Madhya Pradesh and former chief minister Digvijaya Singh was placed under preventive arrest after he sat on a dharna near Ramada Hotel here, allegedly for not being allowed by police to meet the 21 Congress rebel MLAs lodged in a hotel. "I am a Rajya Sabha candidate from Madhya Pradesh, voting is scheduled for March 26. My MLAs have been kept here, they want to speak to me, their phones have been snatched, the police is not letting me speak to them saying there is a security threat to MLAs," Singh told reporters. Singh who sat on the dharna with a face mask on said: "We were expecting them to come back, but when we saw they're being held back, messages came from their families...I personally spoke to five MLAs, they said they're captive, phones snatched away, there is Police in front of every room. They're being followed 24/7," Singh said. The development comes amid the political crisis in Madhya Pradesh after the exit of Jyotiraditya Scindia from the Congress party. Scindia's departure was followed by 22 Congress MLAs resigning from the party as well as from the state legislative Assembly. The resignation of these MLAs has left the Kamal Nath government below the majority mark. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The World Health Organization urged Middle Eastern governments Wednesday to be more forthcoming with information about new coronavirus infections in order to effectively combat the global pandemic. "We can only control this disease if we have access to information that allows us to understand its dynamic in the region" Ahmed al-Mandhari, WHO's Eastern Mediterranean director, told an online press conference from Cairo. "We have an opportunity to contain this pandemic in our region," he added. Confirmed COVID-19 cases have reached over 18,000 across the Middle East, with more than 1,000 deaths recorded in seven countries, mostly in Iran. Meanwhile Jean Jabbour, WHO's Egypt director, explained how two deaths in a village in Daqahliya governorate, 150 kilometres north of Cairo in the Nile Delta, prompted Egyptian authorities to swiftly place 300 families in isolation this week. "At the beginning when they started contracting the first cases in the village and died, (it) was (because of) a gathering in a wedding. Immediately the ministry took the measures in containing and quarantining the people inside the village, which is around 19,000 inhabitants," Jabbour added. Comparing it to Italy, he said the village had "an Italian flavour". Italy has become the epicentre of the pandemic in Europe, with more than 2,500 people dying from the virus. Egypt's health minister Hala Zayed said on Monday "cleansing procedures" were underway to prevent further infections. "Now we have more families under quarantine and measures are being so strict in that area in order to avoid the spread to other communities," Jabbour said, without specifying the total number of people in isolation beyond the 300 families. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Sagnerigu Youth Parliament (SYP) on Saturday March 14,2020 held a public sitting at Zagyuri, a community in the Sagnerigu Municipality of the Northern region The sitting was on the theme " Sanitation, a way to healthy life" and was aimed at educating the public especially, the residents in the community about the importance of sanitation. The sitting was supported by YEfL-Ghana with funding from the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung. Members of the SYP made up of Majority and Minority used the opportunity to advised the residents to adopt both personal and environmental hygiene to chase away diseases that comes from unhygienic conditions They also called on the residents to adhere to advises giving by the World Health Organization and other health institutions to be saved from the deadly corona virus disease In his submission, the Northern Regional Director of the National Youth Authority (NYA) E.B.Gyan Ansah lauded the idea by SYP to hold public sittings in communities And encouraged them to organize more of such fora as it was one of the many ways the youth can add their voices and also contribute to the development of their communities and the nation at large He also advised them to do away from partisan politics since it could affect their contributions to the nation development. The Representative from Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Mr. Dominic Amoah in his submission said the Foundation would continue to support the Youth Parliament agenda to help promote Youth participation in national issues. Mr Amoah described poor sanitation as cancerous that is eating deep into the fabrics of the nation's health "It is glad to see these young people having the nation at heart and discussing an issue that is very very important to every single Ghanaian and every single person living in this world thus Sanitation, the way to healthy life. Whichever way, being it flooding, being it how we dispose our refuse, sanitation has been a very cancerous thing that is eating into fabrics of this country. Many are the attempts and proposals and solutions and all that, but they seem to be no proper improvement when it comes to the issue of sanitation" he said He encouraged the Youth to be interested in what happens in their communities as it affects them directly or indirectly. The Speaker for the Sagnerigu Youth Parliament Rt. Hon. Issahaku Abdul-Latif in an interview said the reasons why they chose the Zagyuri community was because the community was faced with sanitation challenge, which SYP was seeking to address. He also said the SYP as part of its parliamentary business for the year would be embarking on several activities including; educative campaign on dangers and causes of substance abuse among students in Senior High Schools within the Municipality And encouraged his colleagues to put in their best so that, they can achieve their objectives The Youth Parliament project is initiated to empower the youth to be able to engage with duty bearers in their communities to advocate for development, positive social change and progress and to ensure accountability and transparency. It is basically aimed at providing the platform to mobilize the youth for action through providing accountability, transparency and equitable society for the ready youth. Present at the forum were; residents of the community, representative from the Sagnarigu Municipal Assembly, Department of environmental health at the municipal assembly, Representative from the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, students, YEFL-Ghana, the traditional leaders in the community, NYA, media and the general public. Reuters By Tina Bellon (Reuters) - 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 company's 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 Uber's revenue, but pooled rides make up only a small share of all bookings, data by U.S. cities showed. Lyft, Uber's 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 Lyft's rides are shared compared to Uber's, 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. (Reporting by Tina Bellon in New York; editing by Richard Pullin and Grant McCool) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. US President Donald Trump has said he was not happy over the expulsion of American journalists by China. "I'm not happy to see it," Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday when asked about the decision of the Chinese government to expel American journalists from The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Washington Post. "I have my own disputes with all three of those media groups. I think you know that very well, but I don't like seeing that at all. I'm not happy about that at all," Trump said. China on Wednesday had defended its decision to expel about 13 American journalists from three major US newspapers, saying it was "compelled" to take countermeasures after Washington classified Chinese state media outlets as "foreign missions". Senator Dianne Feinstein said she is deeply concerned by China's decision to expel the US journalists. "This is clearly an attempt to intimidate US media outlets and restrict their ability to report on events in China. Such retaliation against journalists sets a dangerous precedent that threatens the freedom of the press worldwide," she said. "Some of the reporters being expelled provided early coverage of the coronavirus, helping us understand the threat we faced even as China tried to downplay the outbreak. We need rigorous reporting on vital stories like this," the Senator said. Steven Butler, CPJ's Asia program coordinator, said China's expulsion of US journalists may enhance its ability to "block" investigative reporting into human right abuses in Xinjiang or its earlier "mishandling" of the coronavirus crisis. "It is unfortunate that the US moves to restrict Chinese media operations gave China the perfect cover to suppress reporting that it has always complained about, under the phony banner of taking 'reciprocal' measures," Butler said in Washington DC. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that the expelled journalists would not be able to report from the special administrative regions of Hong Kong or Macao. The Foreign Correspondents Club of Hong Kong, in a statement, said it was "concerned by reports that they will be banned from working as journalists in Hong Kong, given that Hong Kong has its own system under which press freedom is a right according to the law". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Artists say they are increasingly facing censorship as films, a book and art exhibitions stalled by security agents. Karachi, Pakistan In the last six months, three Pakistani artists have had their work either stolen or blocked from public access in an apparent tightening on public expression and art by the Pakistani state. A public art installation depicting extrajudicial killings targeting the marginalised Pashtun community in Pakistan was destroyed and stolen from a public space in the port city of Karachi. Newly translated copies of an award-winning novel, A Case of Exploding Mangoes, were seized and confiscated by security agents from bookstores across the country. And a celebrated film director received death threats for making a film that asked questions about societal moral policing his film, postponed indefinitely. What makes these artistic contributions so dangerous in the eyes of those who so violently censor them? In late October, the Karachi Biennale, a public art festival in Pakistans largest city, came alive across the metropolis. One of its venues was Frere Hall, a colonial-era town hall in the heart of the city, and the site of an exhibit by renowned artist Adeela Suleman. The installation titled, The Killing Fields of Karachi, consisted of 444 gravestones, each topped with an eerie, wilted metal flower. It built commentary on the extrajudicial killings allegedly perpetrated by one of the citys most notorious police officers, Rao Anwar. Anwar denies the charges, and his trial in a high-profile extrajudicial killing case is ongoing. The exhibit, which drew from publicly available information and police enquiries, was violently erased in events that unfolded only a few hours after its opening. First, a portion of her exhibit was padlocked and blocked from public access. As news of this spread, artists and activists from across the city began to gather around the remaining gravestones to hold a protest and question who had sealed the gallery. Afaq Mirza, a civil administration official, soon arrived to break up the gathering. Speaking to the press, he ascribed the censorship to the Pakistani armys Fifth Corps, a unit based in Karachi Pakistans military did not offer comment on the incident when contacted by Al Jazeera. Artists and activists protested against closing of an art insltallation The Killing Fields of Karachi [File: Adeela Suleman/Al Jazeera] In the days that followed, the gravestones were reduced to rubble. Artists and students rebuilt the installation and staged a lie-in among the gravestones as a sign of protest. When they left, the gravestones were once again demolished. After they were rebuilt for a second time, they disappeared from the site. For Suleman, the motive behind the censorship of her piece was clear. They have their own narrative, the State, she says. Censorship of art in todays Pakistan targets anything which would try to change the general opinion of the masses. For ISPR [Inter Services Public Relations Pakistan the militarys press wing], I would say that culture is as important as the atomic bomb. According to the artist, ISPR creates content on television and through other media that is geared to garner support for causes prioritised by the State. By directly challenging the power of a senior police officer who remains out on bail as his trial on charges of murdering innocent citizens is ongoing, Sulemans installation evoked emotions that were not state-sanctioned. Anything that goes against religion or the army will be censored both will be termed blasphemous, she says drily. Pakistan removed its last military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, in 2008, replacing him with civilians elected through general elections. The 2018 elections, however, were marred by widespread allegations that the countrys powerful military which has directly ruled Pakistan for roughly half of its 73-year history engineered results. When we were growing up in Zias time we knew what we could say and couldnt say, which was almost better, she says, referring to the 11 years Pakistan was ruled by military ruler General Zia-ul-Haq from 1977. Now, theres this false facade of democracy. The state has gone berserk Zia-ul-Haq and his form of dictatorship are the subject of the book, A Case of Exploding Mangoes, a celebrated work of fiction by writer Mohammad Hanif. The installation 444 gravestones, each topped with an eerily wilted metal flower had been set up in a colonial-era town hall in the heart of Karachi, Frere Hall [File: Humayun Memon/Al Jazeera] First published in 2008, the book is a satirical take on the life and death of Haq, depicting his final weeks in power before his death in a military plane crash in 1988, which is the subject of myriad conspiracy theories. Hanif satirises the military dictator, celebrated by many for Islamising Pakistan, as a deeply paranoid man who wakes up every morning questioning who may be trying to kill him that day. The book, first penned in English, won the Commonwealth Book Prize in 2009, was shortlisted for the Guardian First Book award in 2008, and longlisted for the prestigious Man Booker Prize the same year. Eleven years after it was published, it was translated into Urdu and re-released in Pakistan in November last year. Days later, Hanif says copies of the translated work were confiscated from his publishers offices by men in plainclothes claiming to belong to the countrys powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency. Hanif, a seasoned journalist who has reported on multiple military dictatorships and was previously the head of the BBCs Urdu language service in London, says the state has gone berserk when it comes to censoring art and literature. My book has been around for a decade, he said. My publisher has lived through two and a half military dictatorships, and this has never happened before. What were seeing is quite unprecedented in terms of censorship in Pakistan. If you question any of their even their past, then youre not a good citizen. Youre being paid by some foreign power [according to them], he asserts, as he describes the states definition of good citizenship, a category which, when thus defined, leaves no space for artistic voices like his and Sulemans. Film content Three years ago, Pakistani filmmaker Sarmad Khoosat was awarded the governments Pride of Performance award, conferred by the presidency to celebrate Pakistanis who have made outstanding contributions in the fields of literature, arts, sports, science or medicine. Today, he faces death threats. Mohammed Hanifs book A Case of Exploding Mangoes won the Commonwealth Book Prize in 2009 [File: Aamir Qureshi/AFP] Khoosat, a critically acclaimed film and television series director, has spent the last two years and all his career earnings making Zindagi Tamasha, a film that explores questions of class, religiosity, moral policing and gender constructs, by following the story of a pious man who is ostracised by his community after being seen dancing at a wedding celebration. The film had been reviewed and approved on two separate occasions by the countrys Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC), as well as by two provincial censor boards. However, a week before the films release in late January, a far-right religious group publicly objected to the films content, alleging it was blasphemous and denigrated religious people. The Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party has held widespread demonstrations in the past on the issue of alleged blasphemy, forcing the government to fire a federal minister in 2017 over a change to an electoral law they deemed to be sympathetic towards a sect the group considers apostates. The film, twice approved by the CBFC will now be reviewed by the Senate Committee on Human Rights. If deemed objectionable by them, it will be sent to the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), a constitutional body tasked with advising the government on Islamic issues, to be reviewed, in a historic first. This is not going to become common practice, says Daniyal Gilani, who heads the CBFC. And yet, despite this assurance, there is an undeniable pattern emerging of talented and celebrated Pakistani artists having their work barred and disappeared from public sites. In an open letter to a former teacher published a month ago, Khoosat wrote: Sir, I hope you are reading this and are not too disappointed in me. I am rather happy that I am not sitting in some office where my hands are tied and, despite being in a position to rectify things lawfully and dutifully, am staying quiet about blatant bullying and harassment of a citizen of Pakistan. Instead, I am freely (and responsibly) making some art that does matter. At least sometimes it does, or when it sees the daylight, it does. A sense of fear A common theme among the works of art that have faced censorship appears to be their questioning of official narratives, speaking truth to power, or problematising social and political structures. That such works are considered unacceptable by Pakistans state, begs the question of what acceptable art is. As Suleman mentioned, the media wing of the Pakistani military, ISPR, puts great stock in cultural production, meaning their productions are a good indication of state-endorsed good art. When asked what kind of stories theyre interested in producing, and why they consider these stories to be meaningful cultural investments, ISPR declined to comment. A cursory glance at some of their recent work, however, reveals a privileging of narratives that antagonise neighbouring India, weaving together ideas of hypermasculinity with hypernationalism. A recent ISPR-produced television series, Ehd-e-Wafa (Promise of the Loyal), was, in fact, subject to a petition that sought to ban it. Muhammad Zeeshan, the petitioner, declared that the TV series hurt his sentiments as it glorified the armed forces while negatively portraying other pillars of the state. While the petition was ultimately dismissed by the courts, it serves as one of the many instances of ISPRs culture politics resulting in a public outcry. In October, the then-chief of ISPR, Major-General Asif Ghafoor, took to Twitter to justify the inclusion of a misogynistic dance sequence in an ISPR-funded film. The item song is by an Indian girl in the movie as per her role, you may watch movie to know the context, he said, seemingly implying that the womans citizenship was a measure of the respect she deserved. So how does one understand the Pakistani states culture politics? For Hanif, the current spate of censorship is an attempt to kill the art of resistance before its conception. The idea is to create a sense of fear, so that even when an artist sits to think about the kind of art they want to create, theyre scared of the state, he says. Artists will begin to question, is this even worth trying? Will I be safe after Ive created it? Fishermen in the Philippines allowed to sail by Raymond Carl Dela Cruz March 18,2020 | Source: PNA Small and commercial fishing vessels have been exempted from the Luzon-wide maritime travel ban but would be under strict monitoring by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). In an advisory on Tuesday, the PCG said fishing vessels may continue their business as usual but must follow stringent health and safety measures, as well as obey when signaled to stop and follow directions when boarded for a thermal checkup. The PCG advised fishing boat captains to prevent workers, who exhibit flu-like symptoms, from boarding the vessel or isolate and restrict them to a cabin if symptoms appear while onboard. Report to the PCG or return to port upon discovery of a sick crew. Deny sick crew access to cargo holds, gears, and catch as much as possible, the advisory read. For small-time fisherfolk, the PCG advised to postpone fishing when not feeling well, especially when symptoms of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) become apparent. On Saturday, the PCG released a no sail policy that would ban the operations of all domestic passenger vessels and private watercraft. According to the policy, cargo vessels, fishing boats, tugboats, and government vessels may be allowed to sail, provided that crew members onboard shall be subjected to health protocols. 2020 Philippine News Agency Theme(s): Fishing Craft, Gear and Fishing Methods. Desperate travelers choked European border crossings on Wednesday after nations implemented strict controls in an attempt to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, creating traffic jams miles long and slowing the passage of trucks carrying critical supplies. The number of people infected worldwide crested the 200,000 mark and deaths topped 8,000, with the number of people now recovered at more than 82,000, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. In an attempt to alleviate some of the pressure from eastern Europeans stuck in Austria trying to return home, Hungary overnight opened its borders in phases. Bulgarian citizens were first allowed to cross in carefully controlled convoys, then Romanians had a turn. But by early Wednesday on the Austrian side of the border, trucks were backed up for 28 kilometers (17 miles) and cars for 14 kilometers (nearly 9 miles) as rules allowing only Hungarians or transport trucks through the countrys borders kicked back in. Also read | Coronavirus stays infective in air for hours, on surfaces for days European Union leaders have been working on how to make sure that food, medical supplies and other essential goods keep flowing but so far borders have been clogged. Looking ahead, theyre also trying to figure out ways to allow seasonal agricultural workers, needed to keep the production of food going, to travel back and forth across essentially closed borders. Nations around the world were facing the same issues, with the U.S. and Canada working on a mutual ban on nonessential travel between the two countries. In Southeast Asia, the causeway between Malaysia and the financial hub of Singapore was eerily quiet after Malaysia shut its borders, while the Philippines backed down on an order giving foreigners 72 hours to leave from a large part of its main island. President Donald Trumps administration was considering a plan to immediately return to Mexico all people who cross Americas southern border illegally, according to two officials who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the plan hasnt been finalized. The coronavirus is now present in every U.S. state after West Virginia reported an infection. In far-flung Hawaii, the governor encouraged travelers to postpone their island vacations for at least the next 30 days, while the governor of Nevada home to Las Vegas ordered a monthlong closure of the states casinos. Also read | Kolkatas first coronavirus carrier and his mother, a senior bureaucrat, moved freely for two days Increasingly worried about the economic fallout of the global shutdown, the U.S., Britain and the Netherlands announced rescue packages totaling hundreds of billions of dollars, while longtime International Monetary Fund critic Venezuela asked the institution for a $5 billion loan. Major Asian stock markets fell back Wednesday after early gains after Wall Street jumped on Trumps promise of aid. In Brussels, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said there had been a unanimous and united approach to the decision to prohibit most foreigners from entering the EU for 30 days. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said European leaders agreed in a conference call to the commissions proposal for an entry ban to the bloc along with Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Britain with very, very limited exceptions. Germany will implement the decision immediately. But so far, EU efforts to smooth the transition have failed. On Wednesday, thousands of trucks remained backed up in Lithuania on roads into Poland, after Warsaw ordered strict measures that include testing every driver for COVID-19 symptoms. The line of trucks was 60 kilometers (37 miles) long on Tuesday night. The Polish and Lithuanian governments have opened a second crossing, but that did not help much, said border police spokesman Rokas Pukinsas. Also read | Mild, undocumented coronavirus cases fuelled spread in China, says new study Elsewhere, droves of Malaysians endured hours long traffic jams as they sought to get into Singapore before the border closure. More than 300,000 people commute daily to Singapore to work and many have chosen to stay there during the lockdown. Malaysias restricted movement order came after a sharp spike in coronavirus cases to 673, making it the worst-affected country in Southeast Asia. The self-governing island of Taiwan said Wednesday that it too would ban foreigners from entry and Taiwanese would have to self-quarantine at home for 14 days. In Thailand, Bangkoks notorious red light districts were due to go dark Wednesday after a government order closing bars, schools, movie theaters and many other venues. Even tourists on Ecuadors iconic Galapagos islands 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) off the South American mainland have been affected. Canadian Jessy Lamontaine and her family were stuck on the island when flights were suspended and they missed the last trip out. 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. Galapagos Gov. Norman Wray said the 2,000 foreigners who remain on the archipelago in the next week may be able to leave on charter or government-approved flights. So far, 81,000 people have recovered from the virus, mostly in China. 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. In Italy, the hardest hit nation after China, infections jumped to 27,980 on Tuesday. With 2,503 deaths, Italy accounts for a third of the global death toll. Spain, the fourth-most infected country, saw its cases soar by more than 2,000 in one day to 11,178. Virus-related deaths jumped to 491, a toll that included 17 elderly residents of a Madrid nursing home. Among them was the 86-year-old diabetic grandmother of Ainhoa Ruiz. We feel totally helpless and devastated because my grandma spent her last week only with her husband and caretakers but no other relatives, Ruiz said. 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 for a second straight day Wednesday. In the U.S., the death toll surpassed 100, and officials urged older Americans and those with health problems to stay home. They also recommended all gatherings be capped at 10 people. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned that residents should be prepared for the possibility of a shelter-in-place order within days. A shelter-in-place order in the San Francisco Bay Area, requiring most residents to leave their homes only for food, medicine or exercise for three weeks, is the most sweeping lockdown in the U.S. Janitor Miguel Aguirre, his wife and two children were the only people on a normally bustling street near City Hall. He showed up to work because he needed the money but his supervisor texted him to leave. He brought his two daughters because schools had closed. He already lost his second job at a hotel when tourism conferences were canceled. If we dont work, we dont eat, said Aguirre. Iran said its novel coronavirus death toll surpassed 1,000 on Wednesday as President Hassan Rouhani defended the response of his administration, which has yet to impose a lockdown. The COVID-19 outbreak in sanctions-hit Iran is one of the deadliest outside China, where the disease originated. Rouhani's government says the virus has killed 1,135 people out of 17,161 cases of infections since it first emerged in the Islamic republic a month ago. "Some ask why the government isn't intervening, but I think we have intervened significantly," the president said. "Great things have been done (including) measures no other country has taken," he said in televised remarks after a weekly meeting of his cabinet. "We will get past these hard days," added Rouhani, who was flanked by ministers wearing face masks. The health ministry said 5,710 people have overcome the virus. One person who recovered was a 103-year-old woman, state media reported, despite overwhelming evidence that the elderly are the most at risk. The unnamed woman had been hospitalised in the central city of Semnan for about a week, IRNA agency said. But she was "discharged after making a complete recovery", Semnan University of Medical Sciences head Navid Danayi was quoted as saying. The report did not say how she was treated. Iran is yet to impose any lockdowns but officials have repeatedly called on the public to stay home for the approaching Iranian New Year holidays. Since it announced its first two deaths in the holy Shiite city of Qom on February 19, Iran has taken a series of steps to contain the virus. It has closed schools and universities until early April and also four key Shiite pilgrimage sites, including the Fatima Masumeh shrine in Qom. Iran has also discouraged travel for the country's New Year holidays starting this week, cancelled the main weekly Friday prayers and temporarily closed parliament. Few officials have directly commented on why a lockdown has not been imposed. But Tehran's mayor has said the economy may not be able to handle the cost of doing so, especially while it is under crippling US sanctions. "In a normal situation and a good economy, we could have imposed a lockdown," Pirouz Hanachi was quoted as saying by Mehr agency. "But what comes next, like providing necessary goods or compensating for losses across Iran, is not possible, so a complete lockdown cannot be done," he added. The United States withdrew from a landmark nuclear deal and began reimposing punishing sanctions on Iran in 2018, blocking banking transactions and oil sales, among other sectors. An Iranian health official said the outbreak could last longer than two more months if people keep travelling, especially during the holidays. "Now everyone knows about this disease, and what is very strange is that some don't take it seriously," Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi said. "If people help, we can control it, and if not, then expect it to last more than two months." The deputy minister complained that in Tehran "bazaars are busy" and that people travel in their cars despite warnings not to do so. "Just be patient for these two weeks so that, God willing, we can overcome this virus," Raisi said. The New Year holidays start on March 20 this year and will last until early April. Many Iranians traditionally travel to popular spots such as the northern provinces of Mazandaran and Gilan, which are two of the worst-hit with coronavirus. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the final seat to be decided from the election, Dr. Brown last night held a 4827 primary vote lead over Senator Bell. The environment campaigner Dr. Bob Brown is set to enter Federal Parliament after the Democrats' Senator Robert Bell yesterday conceded defeat in the battle for the last Senate position in Tasmania. But Dr. Brown, who would be the first Australian Greens candidate to win a federal seat, still refused to claim victory. "I've seen bigger upsets." he said. "I've been telling quite a few people to go and have a cold shower." Senator Bell said he could not see how preferences would save the seat for him. "I will be cut up and that will elect Bob Brown. It is a concession by me." he said. The slim chance that a third Labor candidate might come through in Tasmania was virtually ruled out by the state ALP's Senate scrutineer, Mr. Jody Fassins. "It would take a minor miracle," he said. "I don't have any real doubt that Bob Brown will win, probably by 3000 or 4000 votes in the end." Australian Greens leader and Tasmanian Senate hopeful, Bob Brown. Credit:Bruce Miller Should Dr. Brown win, the numbers in the Senate would be: coalition 37 seats, Labor 29, Democrats 7, West Australian Greens I, Australian Greens I, plus one independent, Senator Brian Harradine. BOISE - The Idaho Department of Labor has recently released some of the most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) from employers regarding unemployment insurance in Idaho and how COVID-19 plays into that. Those FAQ's can be read below: Will workers qualify for unemployment benefits if the coronavirus (COVID-19) causes an employer to temporarily or permanently shut down operations? Unemployment insurance (UI) benefits are available to individuals who are unemployed through no fault of their own. If an employer must shut down operations and no work is available, individuals may be eligible for unemployment benefits. Click here for more information. How do workers file for UI? They can file online at labor.idaho.gov/claimantportal. If they require assistance or do not have access to a computer, they may call our claims center at (208) 332-8942. Click here for filing information. If an employee receives unemployment benefits as a result of a coronavirus-related business shutdown, could it impact the employers unemployment taxes? Yes. There are no provisions to waive charge requirements as a result of the coronavirus. Is the coronavirus considered a disaster, and can I receive Disaster Unemployment Assistance? The president of the United States has declared the coronavirus a national disaster, but at this time there has been no Disaster Unemployment Assistance declaration. If there is a separation due to the coronavirus, am I required to pay accrued vacation/PTO or sick pay? It depends. Idaho law does not require the payment of vacation, holiday or sick pay. These items are agreed upon between the employer and the employee. If there is any change in a policy, the employee must be notified prior to the change. Wednesday, March 18, 2020 by Jim Martin, Chairman Imagine returning home from China at the height of the coronavirus outbreak, only to face a bone-chilling reality: You're beginning to fall ill. This terrifying experience is precisely the situation Miami native Osmel Martinez Azcue found himself in just last month. Following a work trip to the illness-riddled region, Azcue started developing flu-like symptoms many of which are shared between the common flu and COVID-19, better known as the coronavirus. Azcue had the presence of mind to do the right thing. He checked into Jackson Memorial Hospital and alerted the medical staff that he could potentially be infected with the coronavirus. There, he was quarantined, tested and forced to wait for the results. The blood test, thankfully, provided good news. Azcue didn't have the coronavirus; he would just have to battle the flu. But unfortunately, he wasn't yet out of the woods. Two weeks following his coronavirus scare, Azcue received more bad news in the form of a surprise medical bill totaling $3,270. His insurance agreed to cover a portion of the cost, but only if he could provide three years of health records to prove his flu didn't stem from a preexisting condition. Despite already paying a sizable $180 per month for health insurance, Azcue was still on the hook for $1,400 in unexpected medical expenses. The worst part? Azcue's run-in with surprise medical billing isn't unique, and according to reports, soon his coronavirus scare won't be, either. Surprise medical bills are a devastating and growing trend in the United States. Most often occurring after an individual inadvertently receives emergency health care from a provider outside their insurance network, they can cripple a person's finances by saddling them with enormous expenses. Often, these bills total hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in unexpected liabilities. With the rise of the coronavirus, the situation is only bound to get worse. On March 10, the White House announced that some insurance companies would waive their co-pays for coronavirus testing; however, many others have failed to make such a pledge. While the executive branch has taken steps to mitigate the situation, only Congress can rectify it entirely. Just like the coronavirus itself, surprise medical billing is threatening to become a pandemic. But unlike the apparent inevitability of COVID-19, the surprise medical billing crisis can be stopped with the right solution. The Lower Health Care Costs Act would attempt to solve the crisis by instituting federally mandated price controls at the insurance lobby's behest. These "benchmarks" would cap all out-of-network rates for health-care services at their comparable median in-network rate forcing medical facilities to charge insurance companies less. Price caps might sound like a plausible solution, but there's a reason why we oppose them: They never work. Rather than solve the surprise medical billing crisis, the risk is this approach will lead to fewer doctors, fewer hospitals and lower quality of care overall. Many insurers particularly United Healthcare, the nation's largest private insurer have come under fire recently for canceling many of their in-network contracts. Despite this practice already becoming a concerning trend, the Lower Health Care Costs Act would incentivize insurers to continue cutting the pricier doctors from their rolls in order to decrease the "median in-network" rate they'd be forced to pay. As a result, they would make more money, but their customers' health-care coverage would become increasingly scarce. Rather than impose price controls that let the insurance lobby dictate the terms, Sens. Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand, and the rest of the legislative branch can instead let an independent arbiter look at each case situationally. The arbiter could then determine which entities hospitals, insurers, and other relevant parties should be responsible for financing each surprise medical bill on a case-by-case basis. This solution has worked tremendously well for the state of New York, reducing costs by 34%, per the National Bureau of Economic Research. The federal government would be wise follow suit. Regardless of what solution it decides on, to prevent the story of Osmel Martinez Azcue from becoming the norm, the United States must address its medical billing crisis and it must do so in a way that puts consumers first. The Chinese government and local companies are stepping up efforts to stabilize the global supply chain despite the impact brought by the novel coronavirus epidemic. COSCO Shipping Aries, which can carry 20,000 containers, departs from Ningbo port in east Chinas Zhejiang province on March 2. (Photo/China COSCO Shipping Corporation) The governments policies aimed at facilitating foreign trade are paying off as Chinese foreign trade companies speed up the recovery of their business operations. Nearly all major foreign firms in provincial regions, including Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Shanghai, have resumed production, said Li Xingqian, director of the foreign trade department under the Ministry of Commerce, on March 13. China will continue to work with its trade partners to ensure stability in the global industrial chain and supply chain, and encourage cooperation between Chinese firms and companies across the world, Li added. East Chinas Shandong province is home to about 90 percent of South Korean-funded manufacturers of wire harnesses, which occupy an important position in the global automobile supply chain. The province has made great efforts to help these companies resume production. Recently, the province received a letter of thanks from South Korea, praising the 32 manufacturers of wire harnesses in the province that had all resumed production by Feb. 15. Meanwhile, action has also been taken to ensure smooth logistics operations. More than 90 percent of China-Europe freight trains have resumed operations, according to the National Development and Reform Commission on March 8. Over 1,000 subsidiaries of China COSCO Shipping Corporation have gone back to work since Feb. 10 to help maintain normal international trade. In the first two months of this year, COSCO Shipping secured a transport volume of 190 million tons. The corporations data shows that imports and exports by Chinese companies, including Haier, Hisense and Midea, are underway. Carrying 20,000 containers, COSCO Shippings container vessel Aries sails into major European ports from Chinese ports every week, carrying exports of electronic products, clothes and furniture, among others, to Europe. ASSA ABLOY Automatic Door System (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. in Suzhou, east Chinas Jiangsu province, brought production back to normal capacity on Feb. 19. The company exports 90 percent of its products to Europe, America and Southeast Asia. We have received more overseas orders compared with last year, said Jin Ming, head of the company. Its growth in real terms, as we only arrange production after the orders are placed. Sales are expected to soar 50 percent in March compared to the same period last year, Jin added. Expecting mums are switching to home birthing to avoid being in hospital amid coronavirus fears. Hospitals around Australia have been preparing themselves for the coronavirus pandemic and implementing measures to adequately cope with an influx of patients. Mothers have expressed their concerns about giving birth in a hospital holding people who are infected by the deadly disease. Expecting mums are switching to home births to avoid being in hospital during the coronavirus outbreak (stock image) Expectant mothers are taking precautions to protect themselves from the virus (stock image) 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. There are no reported deaths of pregnant women from coronavirus at the moment. If you are pregnant you are more vulnerable to getting infections than a woman who is not pregnant. If you have an underlying condition, such as asthma or diabetes, you may be more unwell if you have coronavirus because it 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 Former president of the Australian Midwives Association and Managing Director of My Midwives Liz Wilkes told The Courier Mail she has been inundated with expecting mothers making quick plans to have a private home birth. 'Birthing is already an area of high anxiety, but I have been shocked by the reaction to the virus in the last few days,' she said. There are more than 530 cases of coronavirus in Australia and anxious mothers are taking every precaution they can to keep themselves and their newborns safe during the outbreak. Ms Wilkes said giving birth away from hospital could be helpful for medical staff to allocate beds for other patients. 'It would make great sense to help free up beds and staff in hospitals at a time when resources are going to be desperately overstretched,' she said. 'Medicare rebates for home births would make it a viable option for many more women.' A home birth with a private midwife is more expensive for mothers and last minute changes to birth plans can cause a multitude of unwanted stress before giving birth. There is no evidence the disease can spread through in-utero transmission, while antibodies to the virus have been found in breast milk. Queensland Minister for Health Steven Miles recommended mothers stick with their original birth plans. 'Maternity wards remain the best place to give birth,' he said. Church buildings left empty on Sunday as Trump, thousands of worshipers move online Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment President Donald Trump was among hundreds of thousands of Christians who attended church online across the nation Sunday after he leaned heavily on Scripture on Saturday to declare a National Day of Prayer in the wake of the new coronavirus pandemic. The online shift comes as many churches responded to a call from public health and other local and federal government officials to abandon physical gatherings to help stem the spread of the virus that has already infected nearly 4,000 people and killed 69 of them in the United States. As of Monday morning, more than 169,000 people were infected globally and more than 6,500 of them have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. President Trump announced on Twitter on Sunday morning that he had tuned in to the online worship service of Jentezen Franklin, senior pastor of the multi-campus Free Chapel Church in Gainesville, Georgia, who is also one of his evangelical advisers. I am watching a great and beautiful service by Pastor Jentezen Franklin. Thank you! @Jentezen, Trump tweeted. I am watching a great and beautiful service by Pastor Jentezen Franklin. Thank you! @Jentezen Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 15, 2020 Franklin acknowledged the presidents online presence at the top of his message for the day, which he titled Choose Faith Over Fear and delivered inside the empty auditorium at the headquarters of his megachurch. I want to welcome all of you today to a very, very special service, we welcome you from wherever youre watching this. As you know today, we have been experiencing some things in this nation like weve never seen before, uncharted waters. And Im standing today in our auditorium in Gainesville, Georgia, and theyre going to show you that its just a bunch of empty seats and like thousands and thousands of places of worship and synagogues, churches and all kinds of places where people are worshiping theyre not there, Franklin said. The people are not here. Franklin made it clear that despite the shift in circumstances, the church is still in operation. All thats here are empty seats because the building and the seats are not the church. The people are the church. In the Old Testament, God had a temple for His people. But in the New Testament God has a people for his temple. He said Ill live in you and your body will be my temple, he said, before assuring his online audience that God is still in control. If youve been panicked, if youve been worried, if youve been disturbed, if you feel like the world is spinning out of control, I assure you its not. In Job 38, the Bible said God came in a whirlwind. The whirlwind is a tornado. A tornado is something out of control. Now listen to me carefully, when God shows up in something that seems like its out of control its to show that Hes in total control and hes God. And when Hes near, the fear is dispelled in our lives. And today, theres no need for panic. But we must make a choice. You have to choose faith over fear and so today I believe that were here by divine assignment, he said. In his acknowledgment of the presidents online presence, Franklin said his church was undergirding Trumps family and administration with prayer. Im delighted today that the president was kind enough to tweet out and he mentioned that he would be joining us in this service today. President Trump and Melania and all of the family, all of the administration and the people in D.C., we are praying for you. We are undergirding you. We are holding you up and we know that God has given you wisdom and given you help, and we believe that angels are being released on behalf of the world really. As America leads, the world is affected, Franklin explained before reading from the presidents proclamation of the "National Day of Prayer for all Americans Affected by the Coronavirus Pandemic and for our National Response Efforts." In his proclamation, President Trump cited three different Scriptures in calling the nation to prayer as they seek to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. As your President, I ask you to pray for the health and well-being of your fellow Americans and to remember that no problem is too big for God to handle. We should all take to heart the holy words found in 1 Peter 5:7: Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. Let us pray that all those affected by the virus will feel the presence of our Lords protection and love during this time. With Gods help, we will overcome this threat, Trump said. Trump also highlighted an excerpt from Psalm 91. As we come to our Father in prayer, we remember the words found in Psalm 91: He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust. And in ending his call for prayer, the president leaned further in Scripture from Luke. As we unite in prayer, we are reminded that there is no burden too heavy for God to lift or for this country to bear with His help. Luke 1:37 promises that For with God nothing shall be impossible, and those words are just as true today as they have ever been. As one Nation under God, we are greater than the hardships we face, and through prayer and acts of compassion and love, we will rise to this challenge and emerge stronger and more united than ever before. May God bless each of you, and may God bless the United States of America, the president said. All Kiwis overseas who wish to return home are being urged to jump on a flight ASAP. International border restrictions are leading to a massive reduction in passenger numbers, Safe Travel warns, meaning many airlines will not remain commercially viable for long. "The options for New Zealanders to get home are reducing dramatically." "We are therefore urging New Zealanders travelling overseas to consider returning home as soon as possible. "Travelling New Zealanders should work with their travel agents and airlines to discuss options for returning home." You can find out more about getting home at the Safe Travel website. Everyone returning or travelling to New Zealand (excluding from the Pacific Islands) is required to self-isolate for the 14 day quarantine period. New Zealand citizens and permanent residents are requested to register with Healthline upon arrival and undertake two weeks of self-isolation starting from their date of departure. The 14 day self-isolation period also applies to all overseas visitors. Source: Newshub Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 01:38:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The following is the full text of a joint statement released by China and Pakistan on Tuesday: Deepening Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the People's Republic of China Joint Statement March 2020 At the invitation of H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, H.E. Dr. Arif Alvi, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, visited China from 16-17 March 2020. The President was accompanied by the Foreign Minister, Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives, and senior officials. During the visit, President Dr. Arif Alvi met with President Xi Jinping. Premier Li Keqiang and Chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee Li Zhanshu also met President Dr. Arif Alvi. Given the depth and breadth of Pakistan-China ties and the finest traditions of both countries to always stand by each other particularly in challenging times, President Dr. Arif Alvi's first visit to Beijing was a singular expression of Pakistan's solidarity with its "iron brother." The visit was undertaken at a time while China was engaged in a massive national struggle to contain the Covid-19. President Dr. Alvi praised the relentless efforts undertaken by China for containing and controlling the virus, and was confident that the Chinese people under the leadership of President Xi Jinping will emerge stronger and victorious in the aftermath of Covid-19. President Dr. Arif Alvi also appreciated China's keen resolve to look after Pakistan's nationals during this difficult time. The Chinese leadership had assured that it was taking the best possible measures to ensure the safety, health and well-being of Pakistani nationals, including the students. President Xi thanked President Alvi for visiting China at a critical time and expressed profound gratitude for Pakistan's gesture of support and solidarity. The Chinese leadership stressed that since the outbreak, the Chinese Communist Party and government have given top priority to people's life and health. On the basis of nation-wide mobilization, China adopted the most comprehensive, rigorous and thorough measures in little time to contain the virus. Chinese side emphasized that China has made major progress in prevention and control of the virus and will win "People's War" against Covid-19. Both China and Pakistan underlined that Covid-19 is a common challenge for humanity and all countries should unite and cooperate to overcome this challenge together. President Alvi spoke highly of China's major progress in battling the epidemic, and acknowledged that China's efforts have won time and set a model for the rest of the world to combat the epidemic, and have made contribution to safeguarding global public health security. Leaders of the two countries took the opportunity to exchange views on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest. The exchange was marked by the exceptional warmth, convergence of views, and strategic trust that characterize the China-Pakistan "All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership." Stressing that the close and strategic ties, and deep-rooted friendship between Pakistan and China served the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples, and contributed to peace, stability and development in the region, the two sides underscored that the enduring partnership between Pakistan and China remains unaffected by the vicissitudes of the regional and international developments and continues to move from strength to strength. The two sides reaffirmed their resolve to further strengthen China-Pakistan All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership aimed at building a Community of Shared Future in the New Era. Both sides reaffirmed their support on issues concerning each other's core national interests. The Chinese side reiterated solidarity with Pakistan in safeguarding its territorial sovereignty, independence and security. The Pakistan side reaffirmed its commitment to the One-China Policy and underscored that affairs related to Hong Kong and Taiwan were China's internal affairs. The Pakistan side underlined that due to the developmental measures undertaken by Government of China, Xinjiang was on the path to overall social stability and economic development. Pakistan underscored that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a signature project of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), was transformational. A CPEC Authority was established to oversee the expeditious implementation of CPEC projects. Both sides maintained that the new phase of high-quality development of CPEC will promote industrialization and socio-economic development in Pakistan. 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. Both sides stressed that the economic and social impact of CPEC on the region will be substantial and beneficial and hoped that the international community will support such efforts that underpin economic development. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. China recognized measures taken by Pakistan to combat terrorism financing and appreciated the resolve with which Pakistan implemented the Action Plan of FATF. Both sides expressed satisfaction over the close cooperation at multilateral fora and resolved to deepen strategic coordination, consultation and communication. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and support for multilateralism and win-win cooperation. 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. 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. Both Pakistan and China welcomed the signing of the Peace Agreement between the U.S. and Taliban and hoped that the intra-Afghan negotiations would be the next logical step. The two sides agreed that all Afghan parties must seize this historic opportunity and work together constructively to secure durable peace and stability in Afghanistan. The two sides further emphasized the need for the international community to help establish peace as well as extend support for post-conflict reconstruction and economic development in Afghanistan. Pakistan underscored the need to assist the Afghan government in creating an enabling environment and instituting "pull" factors to enable the Afghan refugees to return to their homeland with dignity and honour. Both sides maintained that they will continue to support a peaceful, stable, united, sovereign, democratic and prosperous Afghanistan, at peace with its neighbors. During the visit, President Dr. Arif Alvi and President Xi Jinping witnessed signing of various Agreements/MoUs. President Dr. Arif Alvi thanked the leadership and people of China for their gracious hospitality and invited the Chinese leadership to visit Pakistan at a mutually convenient time. Both sides agreed to maintain high-level exchanges and mutual contacts. Beijing 17 March 2020 Election officer AP Singh on Tuesday cleared the nomination papers of Rajya Sabha nominees and Sumer Singh Solanki after rejecting the written objections against them. The development came as a booster for the rebels and weakened Chief Minister Kamal Nath's position in the ongoing tussle for power in Madhya Pradesh. If Scindia's papers were not found in order and he had fallen out of race, the rebels could have been left rudderless. now stares at an imminent defeat in the floor test, whenever it is held. "I had asked the representatives of both the candidates to come to my office at 10 a.m. to give replies to the written objections," A.P. Singh, returning officer for the Rajya Sabha elections, said. Singh, who is the Principal Secretary in the state, said that nominees Digvijaya Singh and Phool Singh Baraiya had on Monday filed written objections against the candidates and their former colleague and Sumer Singh Solanki, seeking rejection of their nomination papers. ALSO READ: MP politics LIVE On the date of scrutiny of nominations on Monday, Digvijaya Singh petitioned that Scindia did not furnish the details of cases pending against him, Congress leader and advocate J.P. Dhanopia said. "Neither Scindia's affidavit, nor his nomination papers mention the cases pending against him," Dhanopia had said. Similarly, Congress nominee Phool Singh Baraiya had raised objection over Solanki's nomination as his resignation was accepted a day after he filed his papers on March 13. Solanki, who was an assistant professor (history) at the Shaheed Bheema Nayak Government Postgraduate College, Barwani, resigned from his government job on March 12, Dhanopia said. Three Rajya Sabha seats from Madhya Pradesh, currently held by Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh and BJP leaders Prabhat Jha and Satyanarayan Jatiya, are falling vacant next month. The Congress has re-nominated Digvijaya Singh. The last date for withdrawal of nomination papers is Wednesday. The Rajya Sabha polls will be held on March 26. The Egyptian authorities are not excluding the possibility of a fully-fledged lockdown should it become necessary to reduce the chances of a significant increase in the cases of coronavirus infections in Egypt. On Monday, Minister of State for Information Osama Heikal said that this was not a choice that the authorities would immediately opt for unless there was no other way to ensure that people restricted their movements. I think there is disappointment that the public is not getting the message beyond the decision of the government to close schools and universities for two weeks. The government does not wish to impose a lockdown, but it might find it inevitable, a government source said on Monday. We are taking one step at a time and acting in a measured way that is proactive but not over-reactive. Before opting for a lockdown, the source said, there might be other steps like significantly reducing working hours or imposing a limited curfew from 6pm to 6am. Heikal on Monday warned of a disastrous situation if the public does not act responsibly by reducing social interactions to the minimum. He spoke hours after Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli announced that Egypt would suspend international flights as of today, 19 March, until 31 March. The prime minister said the decision was part of plans to counter the threat of the Covid-19 virus. Ahmed, who works for a tourism company in Cairo, said the decision to suspend international flights was putting incredible pressure on everyone to make sure visitors in Egypt get back home safely. We had already started sending people back to their countries before the shutdown of their local airports, but now things are much more pressing, he said. On Tuesday, 24 hours after the announcement, Ahmed was still trying hard to bring tourists back from resorts in Egypt and help them to get home. In his Monday press conference, Madbouli appealed to the public to opt for social distancing and not to take matters lightly so that Egypt could avoid the kind of spread of the Covid-19 virus that other countries are facing. The decision to suspend international flights came 48 hours after a decision announced on Saturday to suspend schools and universities. On Tuesday, Egypt recorded a total of 196 cases of the new coronavirus. The first cases were diagnosed earlier this month among foreign tourists aboard a Nile cruiser and Egyptians working on the ship. Since then, Egypt has officially recorded six deaths from the virus. On Monday evening, the Ministry of Health announced the forced quarantine on 300 families in a Delta town who had all mingled with two of the deceased. Quarantines were also enforced in villages in Luxor and Minya, the two other governorates with diagnosed cases. Almost all the diagnosed cases have been put under medical quarantine. According to the Ministry of Health, 26 cases have already recovered fully, while 34 have tested negative after having earlier been thought to have tested positive. With several cases of tourists testing positive for Covid-19 after arriving in their countries after visiting Egypt, there has been speculation on the spread of the virus in Egypt. This week, a UK daily newspaper carried comments by a Western researcher who suggested that the cases of the virus in Egypt could be in the thousands rather than the announced figures. On Monday, Minister of Health Hala Zayed shrugged off this assessment and insisted that Egypt was being transparent in its announcements on recorded cases of Covid-19. We are not hiding anything, Zayed said. There is always a gap between the actual cases and what gets recorded because if someone is young and healthy he could well recover without needing to be hospitalised, the government medical source said. Given that tests for Covid-19 are administered only in government medical labs it would be impossible, the same source said, for any cases to be proven positive and not to be recorded. The source added that all countries were obliged to inform the World Health Organisation (WHO) of recorded cases and there had been no complaints about Egypts compliance. According to the source, there was awareness in government bodies that things could get worse. However, he added there was also hope that things could be contained with the measures being taken. Covid-19 was essentially a winter virus and it tends to be more harmful to older than younger people, with the latter being the largest segment of the Egyptian population, he said. We certainly might move into the hundreds of cases in the coming weeks, especially if people continue to refrain from social distancing. But hopefully by the beginning of summer things will get better, the source said. A peak in the infection rate is inevitable before the decline starts hopefully around late May or early June, he said. On Saturday, Madbouli said that President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi had allocated close to $6 million (LE100 million) to an emergency plan to combat the new coronavirus. The Ministry of Health has been stepping up measures to provide increased testing and treatment facilities to all suspected cases of Covid-19. In parallel, the Ministry of Supply has been revising stocks of essential commodities to face up to possible panic shopping that has already been monitored over the weekend in the wake of the announcement of the second death reported in the Delta. On Monday, Madbouli appealed to the public to be reassured about the stocks of supplies and to refrain from excessive shopping. Some supermarket chains have already announced plans to allocate special hours for shopping by senior citizens or to set up special hotlines for elderly people and citizens with special needs. We are thinking about what we will do if there is a crisis situation, but so far things seem to be under control, said Hani, the director of a branch of a supermarket chain. We have to keep refilling on sanitisers, detergents, and tissues, but otherwise things are under control, he added. There has been stress on pharmacies, however. Several pharmacists in Cairo, Giza, Tanta and Alexandria said they were coming under pressure to provide medical sanitisers, masks, and common cold medication, as well as a range of medicines used for high blood pressure and diabetes. People panic out of fears that pharmacies could be closed, and they are overbuying out of fears that they could run short on essential needs, said Hoda, a pharmacist in Nasr City. Meanwhile, the pharmacists agreed that they were actually short on supplies of masks and sanitisers due to the sudden excessive demand. We are hoping that the closure of the schools will reduce demand because a good part of the sales was to parents keen to provide their children with sanitisers and masks. We are hoping that when people start to stay at home things will get better, said Mamdouh, a pharmacist in a leading chain in Dokki. Meanwhile, stores of IT devices, home appliances, and spare parts for cars have been worried that supply chains could be disrupted because of the closing of factories in China. Images of panicked shopping in Egyptian cities have been much less significant than those coming from other cities around the world, especially in Europe and the US. On Monday, chief of the WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus appealed to governments to do more to test suspected cases and to quarantine others to contain the spread of the virus. Since the beginning of the outbreak until this week, worldwide diagnosed cases of the new coronavirus had surpassed 200,000 while deaths had surpassed 6,000. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed this week for all countries to work together to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. We are facing a health threat unlike any other in our lifetimes, Guterres said. We must act together to slow the spread of the virus and to look after each other. *A version of this article appears in print in the 19 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: Another letter sent last week by 57 House Democrats led by Representative Andy Levin of Michigan made similar points: During World War II, our country adapted to the demands of the time to produce mass quantities of bombers, tanks, and many smaller items needed to save democracy and freedom in the world. We know what the demands of this time are, and we must act now to meet these demands. Senator Jack Reed, Democrat of Rhode Island, said that Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper told him on Tuesday that the Pentagon would provide federal health workers with five million respirator masks and 2,000 specialized ventilators. The American public is on wartime footing in terms of battling the spread of this disease, and the Pentagon has to be part of the effort to help protect the health and safety of the American people, Mr. Reed said. But Mr. Trump said on Tuesday that he was not ready to invoke the Defense Production Act. Were able to do that if we have to, he told reporters. Right now, we havent had to, but its certainly ready. If I want it, we can do it very quickly. Weve studied it very closely over two weeks ago, actually. Well make that decision pretty quickly if we need it. We hope we dont need it. Its a big step. Passed in 1950 shortly after American troops went to war defending South Korea against an invasion from North Korea, the Defense Production Act was based on powers used during World War II and authorized the president to require businesses to prioritize and accept contracts necessary for national defense. Over the years, its scope has been expanded to include domestic preparedness and national emergencies. A president can make direct loans or loan guarantees and purchase commitments, subsidies or other incentives to influence industry to help in times of crisis. Other key decisions outlined as options for the president include distributing medical supplies and equipment from the Strategic National Stockpile, providing money to states to help them meet demands caused by the coronavirus outbreak and prioritizing the distribution of essential resources to focus on areas most in need. The spread and severity of Covid-19 will be difficult to forecast and characterize, the government plan said. It warned of significant shortages for government, private sector, and individual U.S. consumers. UPPER THUMB While there have been no confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Thumb area, the effects of the coronavirus threat can certainly be felt throughout our communities. Here is the latest news on what is happening in and around Huron County Tuesday: Huron County announces closure of county buildings In response to the threat of the coronavirus, Huron County was set to close its buildings to the public Tuesday evening. They will remain closed until at least March 24, when the next county meeting is scheduled to be held. While the buildings are closed, employees are still expected to come into work and county business will still be conducted. Huron County Courts announce closure of all aspects of court system Chief Judge David B. Herrington made the decision to close the county court system until April 6. This included the closure of the Friend of the Court and the Juvenile Office. Jurors scheduled for March jury panels have been dismissed and April jurors are being asked to contact the courts for further instructions. Bad Axe City Hall closed to public use The city of Bad Axe announced it was closing City Hall and the Bad Axe Police Department to public use Tuesday due to concerns over the coronavirus. The offices will be closed until at least April 6. As with the county, regular business will still be conducted. Huron health department says no known local cases The Huron County Health Department told the Tribune Tuesday that there had been no known cases of COVID-19 reported in Huron County. The health department suggested that if people think they have COVID-19 and are looking to get medical care, they contact the facility before they arrive so health officials can prepare in advance. If someone does test positive for COVID-19 locally, the health department said it would issue a press release and inform all local media. Kids find a way to have fun despite coronavirus concerns Even though many may be worried about what the coronavirus pandemic might bring in the upcoming days and weeks, some area students, enjoying their first day of an extended break due to the virus, found some time to have fun and enjoy the outdoors while they played in a park in Bad Axe Monday afternoon. US governors expand shutdowns Governors in states across the country ordered additional shutdowns Monday in an attempt to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Residents in San Francisco were told to stay in their homes for the next three weeks, only being allowed to venture out for necessities. The Trump administration recommended Monday that people avoid groups of more than 10 people, educate their children at home and avoid discretionary travel over the next 15 days. Tribune spreads the word on changing plans With the sweeping changes that have gripped our area over the past several days, many events have been canceled or postponed, businesses have closed their doors and some have changed the services they offer. As a result, the Tribune is hoping to help get the word out about cancellations and changes by giving businesses and local organizations a form they can fill out to let us know. We will publish those changes each day in the newspaper and online. Sign up for our daily newsletter that's delivered to your email inbox and follow us on Facebook. Governor Gretchen Whitmers executive order to close all K-12 schools for several weeks in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic left families across the state scrambling with how to replace the morning and afternoon meals schools provided for children. Many schools are hosting meal give aways, and the locations and schedules of those events here: How to find free lunch for Michigan kids with schools shut down However the closing of schools also activated the Michigan Department of Educations program, The Unanticipated School Closure Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), a sponsor-driven meal giveaway that operates like the Summer Food Service Program, when school is normally out of session. There are hundreds of SFSP locations across the state that offer up to two meals per day to all children ages 0-18. This includes students with disabilities ages 18-26 with an active individual education program (IEP). To help locate these spots, The Michigan Department of Education has released an interactive map which can be found here. The map will be updated twice a day, and the program will run from March 16 - April 5, 2020. 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 5.6k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard President Donald Trump has used a racist term several times in as many days three times on Wednesday alone in place of the name of the current pandemic disease sweeping across the nation. While the nation struggles to deal with the health and economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis, Trump has made a not-so-veiled attempted to rebrand the name of the disease, calling it the Chinese Virus on at least five occasions in the past three days on Twitter, according to the Trump Twitter Archive. On Wednesday morning, he used the decidedly racist term on three occasions. In one tweet, for example, Trump promised aid for those in the service industry, slipping the wording in toward the end of his statement. For the people that are now out of work because of the important and necessary containment policies, for instance the shutting down of hotels, bars and restaurants, money will soon be coming to you. The onslaught of the Chinese Virus is not your fault! Will be stronger than ever! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2020 For the people that are now out of work because of the important and necessary containment policies, for instance the shutting down of hotels, bars and restaurants, money will soon be coming to you, Trump wrote. The onslaught of the Chinese Virus is not your fault! In another tweet a half-hour later, Trump announced he would be holding a news conference to discuss very important news from the FDA concerning the Chinese Virus. Finally, in his most recent tweet using the racist term (as of press time), Trump used the term to defend himself against accusations that he had not taken seriously the gravity of the situation surrounding the coronavirus global pandemic. I always treated the Chinese Virus very seriously, and have done a very good job from the beginning, including my very early decision to close the borders from China against the wishes of almost all. Many lives were saved. The Fake News new narrative is disgraceful & false! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2020 I always treated the Chinese Virus very seriously, and have done a very good job from the beginning, Trump said, in spite of overwhelming evidence of the opposite being true including describing Democrats criticisms of his nonchalant way of handling the disease last month as a hoax. Diseases and other ailments do not, of course, have nationalities and describing coronavirus as Chinese is an inappropriate thing to do, according to standards from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Fear and anxiety can lead to social stigma, for example, towards Chinese or other Asian Americans or people who were in quarantine, the CDC wrote in a statement. Stigma is discrimination, the CDC adds, warning that Stigma hurts everyone by creating more fear or anger towards ordinary people instead of the disease that is causing the problem. So why might Trump be using the term so frequently? It may be that he wants to put the blame for his poor response to the disease elsewhere. Early polling data from last month actually found a majority of Americans happy with his response, but recent numbers demonstrate the country is split, with a plurality saying they are not happy with his job performance as of late with regards to the spread of COVID-19. The Anti-Defamation League has been tracking racist memes and online activity directed toward Asian communities in reaction to the outbreak. https://t.co/HPQENS7ao4 The New Yorker (@NewYorker) March 18, 2020 That being the case, Trump may believe it behooves him to find another way to make the spread of coronavirus not seem like its the fault of his mismanagement, but rather the fault of the country it supposedly originated from. Whether there is an ulterior motive to Trumps use of the term or not, calling coronavirus the Chinese Virus is wrong and dangerous as evidenced by a rise in the number of hate crimes against Asian Americans across the country. For this money, the Ministry of Infrastructure will be able to evacuate more than 35,000 Ukrainian citizens Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers 24 Channel Ukraines Cabinet of Ministers plans to allocate 4.162 million dollars for the evacuation of Ukrainians who cannot return home through quarantine. This was announced at a government meeting that was broadcasted by 112 Ukraine TV Channel. The Ministry of Infrastructure has calculated the funding needed in order to evacuate Ukrainians by air. "For the transportation of air transport on an irregular basis, passengers who intend to return to Ukraine and need evacuation, it is recommended to allocate appropriations from the state budget reserve fund for the amount of 4.162 million dollars," the Minister of Infrastructure Vladyslav Krykliy stated. For this money, it will be possible to evacuate 35,479 thousand Ukrainians and make 175 flights. As we reported earlier, on March 18, a flight from Austria will bring Ukrainians back home as they could not leave the country previously. It is also worth noting that Ukrainian citizens, who could not leave Sri Lanka, will be returned home on the same day. AFP Yes Bank is all set to be back with full banking facilities starting at 6 pm today. This gives a clear indication to its troubled depositors to make withdrawals without any problems or restrictions. Full banking services will resume from 18:00 hours IST on March 18, 2020#YESForYOU pic.twitter.com/q5GMmW4wr4 YES BANK (@YESBANK) March 18, 2020 The Reserve Bank of India earlier suspended Yes Banks board and had imposed a moratorium on the private sector bank which allowed customers to withdraw a certain amount only. Private and public sector financial institutions including the countrys largest lender by assets, The State Bank of India have come and infused capital into Yes Bank to help it stabilise as part of the RBI backed rescue plan. On Monday Yes Bank used social media to inform its customers about the notification, they posted, We will resume full banking services from Wed, Mar 18, 2020, 18:00 hrs. Visit any of our 1,132 branches from Mar 19, 2020, post commencement of banking hrs to experience our suite of services. You will also be able to access all our digital services & platforms We will resume full banking services from Wed, Mar 18, 2020, 18:00 hrs. Visit any of our 1,132 branches from Mar 19, 2020, post commencement of banking hrs to experience our suite of services. You will also be able to access all our digital services & platforms@RBI @FinMinIndia YES BANK (@YESBANK) March 16, 2020 Yes Bank CEO-designate Prashant Kumar on Tuesday said "there is absolutely no worries on the liquidity front and that complete operational normalcy would be restored from 6 pm on Wednesday." Kumar further added, " We have taken adequate precautions. All ATMs of Yes Bank are full with cash. All the branches have adequate supply of cash. So, from Yes Bank side, there is absolutely no issue on the liquidity front," Kumar told reporters, in a press briefing on Tuesday." St. Joseph Hospital, where some COVID-19 patients are being treated, in Orange, Calif. (Jamie Joseph/The Epoch Times) Orange County Bans Nearly All Public Gatherings SANTA ANA, Calif. (CNS)Orange Countys chief health officer banned nearly all social gatherings and events Tuesday in a sweeping response to the worsening coronavirus pandemic. Dr. Nichole Quick unveiled the plan during an emergency meeting of the county Board of Supervisors, saying she felt it was necessary to prohibit all gatherings and community events, and she recommended that all seniors stay home. The prohibition applies to all professional, social, and community gatherings, regardless of their sponsor, that are not engaged in essential activities, according to the order, which is in place until 11:59 p.m. on March 31. Essential activities include those involving government work, healthcare, first responders to emergencies, grocery stores and other businesses that sell necessities. It also includes news media services, other professionals such as plumbers, banks, transportation companies. Childcare companies are mostly exempted, but services must be carried out in stable groups, and the children shall not change from one group to another. Groups of children should be separated in different rooms and should not mix with one another and their supervisors must remain with only one group. So far, 396 people have been tested with 29 diagnosed with the coronavirus in Orange County. Orange County CEO Frank Kim said three are hospitalized. Nineteen are men, 10 are women. Of those, 14 are 18 to 49 years old, nine are 50 to 64 years old and six are 65 and older. Fifteen cases were contracted while traveling, five got the virus from person-to-person spread, eight fell under the community acquired category, meaning officials are not certain how the patient got it. One case was listed as under investigation. Among other things, the order prohibits dine-in service at restaurants, leaving them open to pickup and delivery, and also closes down bars that do not serve food. Similar restaurant and bar closure orders have already been issued in Los Angeles, Riverside and San Diego counties. Food services for the needy must be pick up only. Kim said his office is working with officials in the grocery industry to issue a public statement assuring residents there is no issue with the food supply and no one should feel like they need to stock up on food. Quick has the legal authority to issue the orders regulating restaurant and bar operations, and the mandate could be enforced by a fine or even criminal prosecution. Supervisor Lisa Bartlett noted that some bars and restaurants were still holding St. Patricks Day festivities on Tuesday, so putting this in effect today is critical. Supervisor Don Wagner questioned whether a closure of restaurants for dine-in business would lead some residents to panic that grocery stores will be closed next. Supervisor Andrew Do responded that transitory contact in stores is less risky than longer contact in enclosed spaces such as restaurants. What we do know is how it is transmitted its person to person, so theres an effort to reduce person-to-person contact as much as possible, Orange County Health Care Agency Director Richard Sanchez said. But we still need utilities and water I hear what youre saying, but I do believe the effort youre seeing at federal and state level goes to that exact concept. Board Chairwoman Michelle Steel asked, How are we going to help those people financially, who work in service industries such as restaurants and other small businesses. This is going to be really impacting so many business people in Orange County, she said. Sanchez said, This is no longer just a healthcare issue, and added that county officials must focus on myriad issues, including how to help businesses get through the pandemic and how to deliver other government services to residents. Health officials said they have enough test kits to handle high- priority cases. The county has enough supplies to test 1,045 people. Sanchez said the county has requested more test kits, but he noted theyre in a long line with every other county in the country requesting test kits. But county officials do not know how many test kits private health care providers have. Anyone with mild illness is being advised to stay home until youre better and not seek testing, Quick said. Call the doctor first instead of showing up, Quick said. A primary care physician can direct someone to get testing. County officials were unaware of any drive-through testing sites, which essentially serve as specimen collection points where patients provide samples that are sent to a laboratory. One is operating in Yorba Linda, but officials were not aware of it. Do prodded Quick to push health care providers to provide information on how many test kits they have available and where drive-through collection sites are being established. Health care providers are required by law to alert county officials when a test is positive for the virus, Sanchez said. We are under a declaration of emergency so Dr. Quick has more police power than under normal circumstances, Do said. Bartlett emphasized that under the countys emergency declaration, small businesses can apply for loans from the federal government with 3.75 percent rates and 2.5 percent rates for nonprofits. They can be payable back in 30 years, she added. Its all well and good to get the loan, but if you dont have any income to service the debt the loan wont do you any good, Wagner said, adding that all needs (of businesses) need to be addressed at the appropriate time. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said he has been in discussions with law enforcement on cracking down on price gouging during the emergency. Jacking up prices on necessities such as flashlights, batteries and water is against the law, Spitzer said. As much as we would like to not create panic, we have to understand theres a lot of panic out there, Spitzer said. Thats going to be inevitable, but we are ready, willing and able to prosecute anyone who crosses over the line. Spitzer said law enforcement is on the alert for break-ins at closed businesses. Spitzer said discussions are ongoing to take care of constitutionally required legal proceedings in court for more violent crimes while the countys courthouses are closed. No one is going to be let out of jail, who has committed a serious violent crime, Spitzer said. The countys top prosecutor, however, said he was concerned about criminal crackdowns on restaurants or bars. Are we going to rush in with billy clubs and riot gear, and am I going to be prosecuting 30 people in the next two days? Spitzer asked. I dont want to see that happen, he said. That would be horrible. We should have a much bigger conservation about that. Do replied, This is not the venue to discuss this. I dont want to put out the optic that were not serious. This is not the time. Spitzer said there were civil and licensing remedies for violations. There doesnt have to be incarceration. Do said, Nobody said there would be incarceration in every case. Wagner said, Discretion is always open to our prosecutors. Do said after the meeting that county officials were everything with our power and control to help the public and stem the spread of this disease. Do rejected suggestions from critics that he and Steel were milking this for publicity. He added, Those statements are baseless. Spitzer told the supervisors that they and the county staff were doing an amazing job Dont even think for one second about the criticism out there. Meanwhile, the Diocese of Orange announced Tuesday that all daily and Sunday masses are temporarily canceled, but churches will remain open for parishioners who wish to pray and seek spiritual guidance. In the meantime, Sunday masses may be viewed live-streamed on Facebook.com/ChristCathedralCA. Birx said the science discovering how long the virus can be transmissible on hard surfaces helped prompt the administrations tightening of recommendations on social distancing. None of us really understood the level of surface piece," she said. Were still working out how much is it by human-human transmission and how much is it by surface. She said: "Dont exposure yourself to surfaces outside the home. * 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%. Story continues 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) A stripped back House of Commons met at lunchtime today for PMQs as MPs were told to stay away unless they were asking a question in a desperate bid to stop the spread of coronavirus in Westminster. Parliament attempted to set an example to the nation as MPs were told to comply with the government's social distancing recommendations as best they could. Those who did attend were asked to make sure they sat as far away as possible from their colleagues. The move to limit the number of MPs in the Commons chamber came after Boris Johnson told the nation to avoid all non-essential social contact. Parliamentary authorities and the government are adamant that the Commons and the House of Lords must continue to function during the crisis. But today's edition of PMQs - potentially the last one featuring Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader as he prepares to step down on April 4 - illustrated the growing impact of coronavirus on daily life in the heart of British democracy. MPs were told not to attend PMQs today unless they were going to ask a question as parliament continued to be affected by the coronavirus outbreak Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle said the decision to reduce the number of MPs in the chamber had been taken to ensure 'maximum safety' An estimated two dozen MPs are now in self-isolation after either coming into contact with someone with coronavirus or after developing symptoms. Speaking before PMQs got under way, Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle said viewers would notice attendance was 'significantly below the normal numbers'. He said the number of MPs will be limited during debates going forward in order to promote 'maximum safety'. Addressing a sparsely populated Commons chamber, Mr Johnson started the session by praising NHS staff 'for the way they are coping in this extremely difficult time'. The PM reiterated his repeated vow to 'do whatever it takes' in the weeks and months ahead to help the NHS and wider society endure the impact of coronavirus. Meanwhile, Mr Corbyn praised Parliament for the 'responsible approach' taken regarding the number of MPs taking part in proceedings. He also welcomed the fact MPs were 'sitting a suitable distance apart to avoid cross fertilisation of this horrible disease'. MPs and peers over the age of 70 and those with underlying health problems have been told to heed government advice and consider staying at home to reduce their chances of infection. Mr Corbyn, who is 70, has said he intends to continue to work as normal because he was 'accepting the responsibilities that I have in this position' as leader of the opposition. A statement sent to Tory MPs by deputy chief whip Stuart Andrew before Parliament sat today said: 'In order to ensure that we follow the advice being given to the public, it has been decided that only people on the Order Paper should be in the Chamber for both Northern Ireland and Prime Minister's Questions. 'We respectfully ask you to adhere to this message.' A similar message was also sent to to Labour MPs by the party's whips. It said: 'The Government are trying to avoid crowding the chamber at question time on the Conservative side. 'Can we do the same. If you are not on the order paper or seeking to get called could you please not come into the chamber. 'If you are in the chamber could you please space yourselves out. 'This applies to the frontbench and backbenches. Thank you for your cooperation.' The decision to limit access in the Commons prompted one MP to tell HuffPost: 'That's it. We might as well go home. 'No point being here to just walk around the corridors.' There is growing speculation that Parliament could rise for recess next week, earlier than the planned date of March 31. Parliament has taken steps to limit the number of people on the estate by banning visitors earlier this week. Boris Johnson attended the Commons to answer MPs' questions this afternoon as the coronavirus outbreak continues to rock the country All non-essential access to the Palace of Westminster has been halted with only passholders and people on 'essential Parliamentary business' now be allowed in. Meanwhile, MPs and members of the House of Lords who are over the age of 70 or those with underlying health problems have been urged to heed government advice and consider staying at home. A spokesman for the UK Parliament said in a statement issued on Monday: 'In line with the latest government advice and guidance from Public Health England, all visitor access to the Parliamentary Estate will stop from tomorrow. 'Access will be restricted to passholders and those on essential Parliamentary business. 'The viewing galleries, used by visitors to watch proceedings in the Chambers, will be closed, and democratic access tours of Parliament will cease, along with commercial tours. The Education Centre will be closed, and school tours will also pause.' Panic shopping sparked by the coronavirus had caused a hygienic crisis at the Somerset Retirement and Assisted Living in Longview. The facility, which is home to about 130 residents, was struggling to replenish its supply of toilet paper. So administrator Mariisa Jimenez turned to Three Rivers Christian School on Monday to be included in its prayer list. Instead, she came to work Tuesday morning to a dozen packs of donated toilet paper and a flurry of phone calls from the community offering help. As of Wednesday morning, Jimenez estimated the home had received 700 rolls of toilet paper, which she expects to last about two weeks. I never dreamed that the general public would step up and help out like that, she said Wednesday. It was so unexpected but so loved and appreciated. Jimenez said she normally purchases toilet paper for the homes at Costco. With massive demand for toilet paper across the country, however, the grocery outlet has limited customers to one or two packages at a time, she said. And other stores are on backorder for weeks. She said she is working with local paper producers to ensure the retirement home can maintain its supply of toilet paper, but that could be a couple weeks down the road. In the meantime, she reached out to Three Rivers Christian School. The school posted on Facebook Monday night about the homes shortage. Within two hours, the post was shared more than 450 times. As of mid-day Wednesday, that number had grown to more than 870. Typical posts are shared about 50 to 75 times, Director of Student Services Rachell Coffee said. Coffee said she was amazed at how the post exploded. In a time of lots of confusion and just kind of a scary time, it was a tangible way for the community to help out their neighbor and somebody in need, especially a vulnerable population that cant easily access toilet paper, Coffee said. Jimenez said she was dumbstruck by the reaction and started crying when she saw the donations. Its an eye-opener when people realize that seniors are protecting in place and people trying to care for them cant do basic care because they cant get access to supplies because hoarding is going on, she said. People are feeling helpless, and I think it was something they could do to help, be useful and fight back against something we dont understand and have no control over. She encouraged the community to look out for their elderly neighbors and support other local retirement homes and their residents. Just give them a call and say What do you need? she said. Boots on the ground is very helpful right now. Jimenez said she currently is looking for a couple more iPads that staff can use to help residents FaceTime their family members while sheltering in place. Canterbury Park and Monticello Park probably have similar requests, she added. Christine Smith, who lives near Somerset, said she and her 8-year-old daughter, Lilliana Ashford, already were planning to stop by the retirement home when they saw the Facebook post. They had a couple rolls of toilet paper to spare, so they brought some with them. Were all worried right now but those are the people who shouldnt be worried over something as simple as toiletry, Smith said Wednesday. The people at the front desk were so appreciative that Lilliana wanted to do more. She was pretty proud of herself yesterday, Smith said of her daughter. She said, Is there anywhere else we can drop something off today? John Moore/Getty Images Texas is taking steps to expedite unemployment benefits during the coronavirus crisis. Here's how to apply. Those seeking to apply for Unemployment Benefits will need to submit an application online at apps.twc.state.tx.us/UBS. Sonam Kapoor and her husband Anand Ahuja, who returned to Delhi from London on Tuesday, have quarantined themselves due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. However, she has found an innovative way to have a conversation with her mother-in-law Priya Ahuja, without putting her at risk. Anand took to his Instagram stories to share a video of Sonam standing at the window of the first floor of their home and talking to Priya, who was on the ground floor. Quarantine times, he captioned it. On Tuesday, Sonam shared her experience of flying from London to Delhi amid the coronavirus outbreak. She shared in videos posted on her Instagram stories that her experience back home was very smooth. In fact, when we leaving London, there was no screening, there was nothing. Anand and I were in massive shock that there wasnt, she said. Sonam shared that she and Anand were asked to fill a form and give details of their recent travel history upon their arrival at the Delhi airport, before they cleared immigration. She also lauded the governments efforts to deal with the coronavirus crisis. Also see: Tusshar Kapoor gives son Laksshya a piggyback ride amid coronavirus lockdown I just want to say that it is incredible the way the authorities are handling the situation. Its very commendable and laudable. We went to immigration; they again rechecked where we had been on our passports, which was extremely responsible. Then, Anand and I, had our gloves on and our masks on. Everybody also had their gloves and masks on. We got our luggage and we went through, the actor said. Meanwhile, at least 147 people have tested positive for coronavirus in India. Of these, 122 are Indian nationals and 25 are foreign nationals. Until now, the deadly virus has claimed three lives in the country one in Karnataka, Delhi and Maharashtra. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) will continue in operation under additional strict protocols. This decision is motivated by the need to maintain employment and incomes for people working in the industry, and on the basis of being able to achieve and maintain all HSE advice and instructions. Since last Friday, five race meetings in Ireland have been held behind closed doors with access to the racecourse limited to a number of key personnel such as stable staff, jockeys and trainers, and strict protocols around social distancing and sanitisation. These meetings were subsequently reviewed by the HRI board and more measures have been implemented in response. These new measures include: There will be no evening meetings and no double meetings - this will reduce the draw on medical resources, a principal concern for larger racing jurisdictions with multiple meetings every day. A maximum of one meeting per day to reduce impact on resources.# Jockeys weights to increase by 2lb from Friday, on the Flat and in National Hunt - all racecourse saunas are closed. No owners permitted to attend race meetings. No overseas runners will be permitted for the time being in Irish races. A maximum of 30-minute intervals between races to assist social distancing. Nicky Hartery, Chairman of Horse Racing Ireland outlined that these are unprecedented and sombre times and we are seeking the best ways to support the racing community and industry throughout what lies ahead. Health and welfare of employees and industry participants is the prime consideration and within that context, we have introduced protocols which can allow racing to continue and thousands of families who rely on the sector to maintain a livelihood. This will be kept under review on a daily basis and we are also planning measures for reprogramming fixtures as it becomes required. Changes to the programme will be separately announced." All previously outlined measures are still in place as HRI will continue to comply with the government issued directives surrounding social distancing and HSE health and welfare guidelines. Crews work on upgrades to the Santee Cooper Regional Water System treatment plant in February 2017 in Moncks Corner. An alleged burglar taken to hospital after plunging from a roof may have been faking unconsciousness, the High Court in Belfast has heard. Declan McNally was caught by police before he hit the ground at offices in south Belfast where he is accused of staging a break-in last month. Prosecutor Fiona O'Kane said the 35-year-old was then brought to the Royal Victoria Hospital, where a nurse suspected his unresponsive state was being feigned. "When pressure was applied to the appropriate point he became immediately conscious, irate and spat at a police officer," Mrs O'Kane claimed. McNally, whose address was given as HMP Magilligan, faces charges of burglary and assault on police. He was arrested in the early hours of February 9 at business premises on the Donegall Road were a number of community groups are based. The court heard an intruder broke a window and entered into the Sure Start offices. When police arrived McNally had allegedly climbed out onto a first floor balcony and refused to come down. Mrs O'Kane contended: "He appeared to collapse and rolled off the roof, causing officers to catch him before he hit the ground." She added that damage had been caused inside the building, including to Christian Fellowship facilities housed there. Barry Gibson, defending, said McNally will accept trespassing, but denies any intent to burgle the premises. Referring to his client's ongoing battle with alcohol, the barrister claimed the incident occurred during a relapse. "This was a cry for help, he was attempting to throw himself off the building," Mr Gibson submitted. "It was only due to the good fortune of police catching him that he didn't cause real harm to himself." Granting bail to live at an address in Belgast, Mr Justice Scoffield banned McNally from entering the Donegall Road. He told the accused: "You're getting the benefit of the doubt here, I hope the trust reposed in you will not be abused." Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 11:01:13|Editor: zh Video Player Close KINSHASA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Health Ministry of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Tuesday evening announced three new COVID-19 cases in the country, bringing its confirmed total to seven. Health Minister Eteni Longondo said the three new patients diagnosed at an laboratory in the capital Kinshasa are Congolese, and one of them stayed in France recently. All the patients are currently being treated in isolation with appropriate care, the minister added. Also on Tuesday, President Felix Tshisekedi led an emergency meeting on the coronavirus epidemic with cabinet members. The president is expected to deliver a special message on Wednesday on how to respond to COVID-19. According to the country's minister of communication and government spokesperson, several measures will be announced on access to the territory, the gathering of people, and the care of the infected people, among others. The DRC confirmed its first COVID-19 case on March 10. A coronavirus response action plan compiled by the United States task force warned lawmakers on Friday that the pandemic is expected to last 18 months or longer with waves of illnesses striking the American public. The pandemic will strain the country's healthcare system, resulting in significant shortages for the government, the private sector and individuals, it predicted. A copy of the 'U.S. Government COVID-19 Response Plan' was acquired by the New York Times on Tuesday, revealing that the coronavirus task force, headed up by Vice President Mike Pence, released a report on Friday outlining the long-term impact of the outbreak in the U.S., the same day that President Donald Trump declared a national emergency. The announcement marked a change in tone for Trump who had previously described the country's coronavirus outbreak as an issue that would fade away, downplaying its seriousness. The president continued to downplay how long his administration thinks the crisis could last during a press conference Wednesday. When quizzed about the time frame outlined in the report and about officials' assessment that the pandemic could last longer than 18 months, he responded 'No, were not seeing that at all'. President Donald Trump announced he would invoke the Defense Production Act in a press conference Wednesday. It was advised in a report from the federal response task force A patient wears a protective face mask as she is unloaded from an ambulance at The Brooklyn Hospital Center emergency room on Wednesday. A federal report predicts that there will be a significant shortage in supplies and strain on hospitals during an 18-month pandemic A student loads his surfboard in a truck at San Diego State University in San Diego where theer rest of the semester has been canceled. A report from the federal coronavirus task force has predicted that the pandemic could stretch over another academic year, lasting over 18 months The report predicts that the pandemic could last another year and a half The report also suggests that the public and government will experience significant shortages The 100-page report presents a grim prediction, however, of 'multiple waves' of the virus straining the healthcare system and significantly impacting the supply chain and transportation resulting in shortages across the country. The report also outlined a government response including President Trump invoking the Defense Production Act of 1950, which he announced during Wednesday's press conference. The act is a Korean War-era law that allows President Trump extraordinary action to increase American production of critical equipment such as ventilators and respirators. Doctors have already voiced their concern about the lack of ventilators available with a hospital in Washington State already running out. The act will also force further production of protective gear for health workers amid an acknowledged shortage on masks and other protective wear. Several hospitals have spoken of the low number of face masks still available to staff with some nurses being forced to wash their mask and reuse it. Among those hospitals with a shortage is the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, one of the country's top cancer hospitals, where it was revealed there is just one week's supply of masks left after eight patients and staff members were diagnosed with the coronavirus. 'Shortages of products may occur, impacting health care, emergency services, and other elements of critical infrastructure,' the plan warned. 'This includes potentially critical shortages of diagnostics, medical supplies (including PPE and pharmaceuticals), and staffing in some locations,' it added, referring to medical staff's lack of personal protective equipment (PPE). The increase in coronavirus cases in the United States from January until March 18 'State and local governments, as well as critical infrastructure and communications channels, will be stressed and potentially less reliable,' it continued. 'These stresses may also increase the challenges of getting updated messages and coordinating guidance to these jurisdictions directly.' The report made the assumption that a 'pandemic will last 18 months or longer and could include multiple waves of illness'. It added that the 'spread and severity of COVID -19 will be difficult to forecast and characterize' adding to the response pressures as the outbreak worsens. The report also predicted that there will be further hospitalizations among at-risk individuals and that this will place a severe strain on the healthcare system. 'Supply chain and transportation impacts due to ongoing COVID - 19 outbreak will likely result in significant shortages for government , private sector, and individual U.S. consumers,' it concluded. The federal report also sets out a plan of action to respond to the pandemic, several points of which have already come into play including the closure of schools and the cancellation of large events. The invocation of the Defense Production Act as outlined in the report was also rolled out by President Trump on Wednesday after significant pressure from lawmakers to use its power to boost American production to make up for the shortages predicted. Last week, 57 Democrats sent a letter to the presdent in which they compared the current pandemic in the U.S. to the World War II. The same comparison was drawn by Trump on Wednesday when announcing his decision to invoke the act as her referred to himself as a war-time president. The act was first passed in 1950 after American troops went to war to defend South Korea and was based on powers used during World War II. It allows the president to require businesses to prioritize and accept contracts that are deemed necessary for the country's defense and was later expanded to include domestic preparedness and national emergencies such as the current pandemic. 'I view it -- in a sense as a wartime president,' Trump said Wednesday, saying that he would employ the act as needed to steer industrial output and overcome shortages of face masks, ventilators and other supplies needed against the expected onslaught of cases. 'It's a war,' Trump said, likening the anti-coronavirus efforts to measures taken during World War II and warning of national sacrifices. The 18-month pandemic prediction described in the federal government's report is similar to the claim made by the Imperial College London that widespread shutdowns may need to continue for 18 months until a vaccine is available. In their study released on Monday, Imperial College issued the stark recommendation, as the US and UK governments began planning for dramatic and long-term shutdowns. If the US and UK did nothing, they estimate that 81 percent of each population would become infected, and 2.2 million Americans would die, along with 510,000 Britons. But keeping people away from each other could cut US deaths down to some 200,000, Mother Jones estimated. So far, more than 120 Americans have died since the coronavirus emerged in China in December. However, an academic paper published on Tuesday by the New England Complex Systems Institute argues that Imperial College's model ignores other key interventions that could be deployed after a lockdown ends. In essence, the authors argue that a lockdown of several weeks could be sufficient to stamp out the virus, as long as travel restrictions, widespread testing capabilites, and contact tracing protocols are in place to limit any subsequent outbreaks. Karl-Karlsen CCSO Booking Photo View Photo San Andreas, CA A former Murphys resident will spend the rest of his life behind bars for intentionally trapping his wife inside their home and setting it ablaze. Calaveras County District Attorney Barbara Yook shares that this morning Karl Karlsen was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for the January 1, 1991 murder of Christina Karlsen. The sentence is consecutive to the 15-years-to-life prison time he began serving in New York following his 2013 conviction in connection with the 2008 death of his son Levi. The DA adds that he was also mandated to pay restitution to his wifes heirs for the insurance money, other economic losses, and counseling costs. In early January, Karlsen was extradited by deputies to Calaveras County from New York and after a nearly two-week jury trial, he was found guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of Christina, who was left trapped in a bathroom at the familys residence on Pennsylvania Gulch Road while Karl and their three children escaped. The jury also found that two special circumstances alleged in the case were true: the defendant murdered her for financial gain and that he was previously convicted of murder. At the time of the house fire, the incident was deemed accidental even with admittedly suspicious circumstances in play such as the boarded-up bathroom window and Karlsens apparent lack of emotion in the aftermath. He later received $200,000 from a life insurance policy due to her death. Following his sons death, Karlsen collected a $700,000 life insurance policy for which he was the sole beneficiary. Five years after that murder and one day before he was set to be tried, Karlsen admitted to kicking out a jack holding up a truck that Levi was working underneath, thereby crushing him to death, and pled guilty to second-degree homicide. Yook comments, We are extremely pleased with the jurys decision in this case. The jury worked very hard and we are grateful for their time, attention, and verdict. Chinas state oil company Sinochem Corp is rejecting any crude cargo "from or related to" Russias state oil major Rosneft before U.S. sanctions on a Rosneft unit take effect in May, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. In February, Washington ramped up pressure on Venezuela, by sanctioning Rosneft Trading SA, the Geneva-based trading unit of Rosneft, that President Donald Trumps administration said provides a financial lifeline to President Nicolas Maduros government. The U.S. Treasury has set a May 20 deadline for companies to wind down operations with the firm. Sinochems move to avoid Rosnefts oil highlights the impact that U.S. sanctions have had on global commodity markets despite close relations between China and Russia, especially as Moscow is embroiled in an oil market share war with Saudi Arabia. "It looks like a political game: U.S. and (Saudi) Aramco want to punish Russia and now China cant help them," said one of the sources. Sinochem, in a crude purchase tender issued on Monday, highlighted in yellow newly imposed restrictions that any crude oil offers shall not come from or related to Rosneft Oil Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates." The tender is to buy crude for Sinochems refinery in Quanzhou, in southeastern Chinas Fujian province, with cargoes to be delivered between May 20 and June 10, the document showed. Sinochem excluded Rosnefts cargoes in its latest tender because of concerns that Washington may unexpectedly widen sanctions to other parts of Rosneft before the cargoes arrive in China and ahead of the oils payment, the sources said. New Delhi: The Madhya Pradesh Congress on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that a probe is needed on the resignation letters of its rebel MLAs submitted by BJP leaders to the Speaker of the state Assembly. The Congress Party alleged before a bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta that resignations of its rebel MLAs in Madhya Pradesh were extracted by force and coercion and they did not act as per their free will. Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for the Congress, said its rebel MLAs were taken away in chartered flights and are currently incommunicado in a resort arranged by the BJP. Dave also said the Governor has no business to send messages at night asking the Chief Minister or Speaker to hold floor test. "The Speaker is the ultimate master and the Madhya Pradesh Governor is overriding him," Dave said. In the letter, AEPC Chairman A. Sakthivel said: "Recognizing the volatility in the global apparel markets and order postponements/cancellations, our apparel sector needs full support of the financial institutions in managing financial viability of the organisations." New Delhi: The Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) on Tuesday wrote to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman requesting her immediate intervention to maintain the viability of the country's apparel exporters due to the uncertainty in the global markets. Apprising about the situation due to coronavirus pandemic, he said that many members of the council were facing serious concerns in terms of working capital, inventory pile up, postponement of orders, credit rating and export realisations. "We believe the current situation in the sector is extremely grave which warrants urgent remedies and support from your end," Sakthivel wrote, adding that in absence of such relief measures, bad loans may increase, impacting the sectors overall credit ratings. The AEPC chief further said that 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 noted. Anticipating an adverse impact on the MSME sector, the industry body listed suggested faster clearance of banking and packing credit, extension of packing credit period from 270 days to 360 days, extension of bill realisation period by the Reserve Bank of India from nine months to one year, and delay in declaring companies accounts as non-performing assets (NPAs). Other requests include, exemption of exporters from caution listing for at least a year, enhancing existing limits for advances of exporters by 25 per cent, asking commercial banks to enhance collateral-free lending up to Rs 2 crore and capping of collateral requirement at 35-40 per cent for lending beyond Rs 2 crore, and extending the enhanced 5 per cent interest equalisation scheme for MSMEs to all apparel exporters. "The Interest Equalisation Scheme may kindly be extended for a period of 2 years up to 31 March 2022," the letter said. The AEPC wrote a similar letters to RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das and chiefs of public and private banks on behalf of the more than 8,000 apparel exporters in the country. Press Release March 18, 2020 De Lima commends health workers, frontliners vs COVID-19 outbreak Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has commended the courage and heroic sacrifices of health workers and frontliners who are risking their lives and safety to combat and contain the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) across the country. De Lima, who chairs the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, said she salutes the health workers and experts in the public and private sectors who show courage and dedication in fulfilling their duties. "Sa ating mga manggagawang pangkalusugan, mga siyentista, mga kawani ng pamahalaan, at mga pribadong indibidwal na nasa frontline ngayon ng ating laban sa COVID-19, pagpupugay sa inyong matapang at taos-pusong paglilingkod sa bayan," she said in her recent Dispatch from Crame 736. "Despite the risks, you remain steadfast in our fight against this dreadful virus. Sa kabila ng mga kakulangan sa ating sistemang pangkalusugan, nananatiling buo ang serbisyong iniaalay niyo sa mga nangangailangan," she added. To date, some 14 individuals have already died due to coronavirus infection while 187 others have reportedly confirmed to be infected, one of which is a 27-year-old doctor who contracted the virus while attending to a COVID-19 patient. Local health authorities have also reported that at least 39 doctors, nurses and staff at the Philippine Health Center in Quezon City have been placed under quarantine after they were exposed to a patient who died of the coronavirus. The lady Senator from Bicol expressed gratitude to the health workers in the public and private sectors as she offered her prayers for their safety and their respective families during this time of national public health crisis. "Patuloy kaming mananalangin para sa inyong maayos na kalusugan, pati na ng inyong pamilya na malayo sa inyo sa panahong ito. At kapag dumating ang panahong kayo naman ang mangangailangan, maaasahan niyo kami," she said. "Maraming salamat, walang hanggang pasasalamat. Tunay kayong ipinagmamalaki ng sambayanang Pilipino," she added. In the 18th Congress, De Lima has filed Senate Bill (SB) 185 instituting the "Magna Carta for Barangay Health Workers," granting them proper compensation and incentives for their sacrifices and tireless efforts in keeping local communities healthy. De Lima's proposed measure will make barangay health workers (BHWs) an appointee of the Municipal or City Mayor, entitling them to allowances and other benefits being received by other appointed barangay officials. It also aims to mandate the appointment of least five BHWs in each barangay to ensure that communities have sufficient number of skilled health care providers. The measure also seeks to professionalize BHWs by requiring them to undergo accreditation and competency assessment and a Mandatory Continuing Community-based Health Education every three years to guarantee that they are well-equipped in addressing the health needs of the more than 42,000 barangays in the country. Under the measure, De Lima wants BHWs to receive additional benefits, such as 6,000.00-worth of honorarium, compulsory Philhealth coverage, and transportation allowance, among others. The Irish Water Crisis Management Team has been meeting over the past number of weeks to prepare for and deal with any issues arising from the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. Irish Waters aim is to ensure the safety and well-being of staff and to secure the consistent quality and supply of drinking water and to maintain wastewater services on the public network. Irish Water is following HSE, Department of Health and Government guidance for the existing situation and we are continually monitoring developments. Irish Water is also following advice and updates from the European Centre on Disease Control and the World Health Organisation. Business Continuity teams in Irish Water will continue to convene regularly and will refresh and adapt contingency plans in line with the evolving situation. Irish Water is in regular contact with Local Authorities and other partners to ensure that: Staff welfare is protected; Sufficient chemicals for water and wastewater treatment are and will continue to be available; Plans for remote working and reduced staffing are in place and tested; Service is maintained at our customer contact centre; Appropriate Personal Protection Equipment is available, and; That plans are in place to ensure that essential services can be maintained if an area should be restricted or critical staff are unavailable. Irish Water is asking the public, both householders and businesses to help us in maintaining vital water and wastewater services by conserving water where possible. In particular, we are asking non-domestic customers to turn off all non-essential water in buildings which are not going to be in use for a period of time, including, for example, the automatic flushing of urinals. Irish Water is also appealing to the public to check for and report leaks to 1850 278 278. Irish Water is also conscious that there may be an increased usage of antiseptic wipes at this time. We would ask that these are disposed of in a bin as the flushing of wipes can cause blockages on the network. Speaking about the evolving situation, the MD of Irish Water Niall Gleeson said: Irish Waters absolute priority is the safety and well-being of our staff and the maintenance of water and wastewater services. As the situation evolves our plans will be amended and adapted to meet all of the emerging challenges. We are confident that we have the capacity and capability to maintain critical services for the country. I would like to thank our staff and our local authority partners who have shown great leadership and flexibility in the face of this crisis. GEORGETOWN, Guyana - A court in Guyana has issued a temporary injunction blocking a vote recount in the disputed general election that has paralyzed government operations amid an oil boom in the South American country. The injunction led the 15-nation Caribbean Community trade group to withdraw a special team of electoral officials that had been given the task of recounting nearly 450,000 ballots from the March 2 election. It is clear that there are forces that dont want the votes to be recounted, said Caricoms leader, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley. Any government which is sworn in without a credible and fully transparent vote count process would lack legitimacy. The U.S. government and groups including the Organization of American States have called for a recount and hinted at sanctions if any president is sworn in with no resolution of the dispute. The election is considered the most important one since Guyana became independent from Britain in 1966, given the recent discovery of major oil and gas deposits near the country of some 750,000 people. Guyanas Supreme Court is scheduled to hold a full hearing Friday on the recount-blocking injunction sought by supporters of a multiparty coalition that has been in power since 2015 and led by President David Granger, who is seeking a second five-year term. Both the governing coalition and the opposition Peoples Progressive Party, which led Guyana for 23 years until 2015, have claimed victory at the polls. Government agencies have been barely functioning since Parliament was dissolved in December, and some stores and banks have remained closed as the governing and opposition parties appeal for calm. Anthea Turner has brought some light relief to the coronavirus pandemic as she joked her pal Lizzie Cundy is struggling to deal with Boris Johnson's social distancing instructions. In a funny post shared to Instagram on Wednesday, the former Blue Peter presenter, 59, coined the term 'Cundyvirus' after her friend, which she has described as 'the unthinkable fear' of staying indoors amid the global crisis. The host went to great lengths to amuse her followers as she shared a snap of a red carpet - highlighting the 50-year-old's frequent appearances at industry events - as well as the caption: 'Please give a thought to LIZZIE CUNDY'. [sic] 'Cundyvirus has hit shores': Anthea Turner has brought some light relief to the coronavirus crisis as she joked Lizzie Cundy is struggling to deal with social distancing (pictured in 2019) Anthea explained alongside the image: 'Sadly I have to inform you that Cundyvirus has hit our shores. 'Named after Socialite, WAG and Showbiz Reporter @lizziecundy its the deadly unthinkable fear of Staying In Help lines are being set up and Ill keep you in touch with developments. 'In the meantime if you see Lizzie wandering the streets looking in carpet shops wearing not many clothes and clutching a bottle of Champagne please contact me.' The dynamic duo have been close pals for many years, with media personality Lizzie set to serve as a bridesmaid at Anthea's wedding after setting her up with fiance Mark Armstrong. 'The unthinkable fear of staying in': In a funny post shared to Instagram on Wednesday, the former Blue Peter presenter, 59, coined the term 'Cundyvirus' after her friend Hot on the social scene: The host highlighted the 50-year-old's love for partying in the hilarious upload (pictured in March last year) Loose Women star Denise Welch also joined in on the fun, with the panellist commenting: 'Omg Anthea I texted her last night. Does she know how to make tea? Does she own a track suit? Flat shoes? I couldnt sleep for worrying!!' [sic] Social distancing, advised by WHO, involves maintaining at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who coughs or sneezes, as the small liquid droplets sprayed could contain the virus. The measure also includes staying at home if you have a cough or fever even if you have not travelled and 'cocooning' elderly people suspected of being more vulnerable to the infection. 'Does she know how to make tea?' Loose Women star Denise Welch also joined in on the fun They go way back! The dynamic duo have been close pals for many years, with the pair living it up at Soho Farmhouse earlier this month (pictured) Coronavirus was classed a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) last week, leading countries such as Italy, Spain and China to implement nationwide lockdowns. Sporting events, music festival and other social gatherings have been either cancelled or postponed due to the crisis. Nearly 200,000 people around the world have been infected and almost 8,000 have died since the outbreak began last December. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 10:47:38|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese regulator has greenlighted a new national asset management company (AMC), the first approval since 1999 when the country set up four AMCs to deal with distressed assets of state-owned banks. Beijing-based Jiantou Citic Asset Management Co., Ltd. will be transformed into a financial AMC and renamed as China Galaxy Asset Management Co., Ltd., according to a statement by the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission. The transformation needs to be completed within six months of the approval, which was dated March 5, the statement said. Financial businesses are not allowed during the transition period. Currently, state-owned investment company Central Huijin Investment Ltd. is the largest shareholder, owning 70 percent of Jiantou Citic, while Citic Securities Co., Ltd. owns the remaining 30 percent. In 1999, China set up four asset management companies, Cinda, Huarong, Great Wall and Orient, to deal with the toxic assets of the country's four big state-owned banks in a bid to help them transform into market-oriented financial institutions. The four companies finished the state-assigned task of dealing with the toxic assets in 2006, and have since developed into financial groups involving fields including banking, trusts and insurance. The U.S. Capitol dome and U.S. Senate (R) in Washington, on Aug. 2, 2011. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) Trump Signs CCP Virus Aid Bill, Hours After Senate Passage President Donald Trump has signed off on the Houses emergency aid package passed hours earlier in the Senate on Wednesday in an effort to deal with the economic fallout stemming from the pandemic and widespread disruptions to everyday life. The emergency aid package will provide paid sick and family leave for a number of Americans, offer free CCP virus testing, and bolster unemployment insurance. Its the second such aid package this month. 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 mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. The bill passed 90-8, with eight Republican senators voting against the measure. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, however, backed the House bill. It is a well-intentioned bipartisan product assembled by House Democrats and President Trumps team that tries to stand up and expand some new relief measures for American workers, McConnell (R-Ky.) said of the House measure on the floor of the Senate. McConnell noted that while the bill isnt perfect and has serious flaws, I do not believe we should let perfection be the enemy of something that will help even a subset of workers amid the pandemic. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) praised the bills plan to address the outbreak. People wear masks near Times Square, New York, on March 11, 2020. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times) It allows, for instance, for free testing and treatment, Schumer said on the floor. We can send this bill to the president and begin work on the next phase, phase three. McConnell and Senate Republicans said the chamber wont go on an extended recess until a third economic relief plan is passed. A third bill is expected to include financial assistance for small businesses, families, and industriesand it may include cash payments to Americans. The eight to vote against it are Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), and Ben Sasse (R-Neb.). There is a herd mentality around this building right now where a lot of normally smart people are literally saying things like: The most important thing is to be fast, even if the ideas that are being advocated for are not really ready for prime time and cant really withstand the scrutiny of debate. That is a really dumb idea, Sasse said on the floor. On Wednesday, Trump said he was invoking the Defense Production Act to directly order firms to produce critical goods in response to the outbreak, allowing for the hastening of production of medical supplies like ventilators, masks, and test kits. Trump also directed the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to suspend evictions. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will deliver payments to people through a direct deposit and is attempting to provide payment in other ways electronically, said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. That is money that we can get to hard-working Americans right away, Mnuchin told CNBC. WASHINGTON - Canada and the United States are working out the details of a proposed mutual ban on non-essential travel between the two countries, a federal government source in Ottawa says. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 17/3/2020 (665 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A border walks by a closed gate at the in Thousand Islands border, near Gananqoue, Ont., on Monday March 16, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg WASHINGTON - Canada and the United States are working out the details of a proposed mutual ban on non-essential travel between the two countries, a federal government source in Ottawa says. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to disclose details of talks that are still ongoing, was responding to a CNN report Tuesday that said the two countries are currently working on a joint statement that would be issued within the next 24 to 48 hours. Both countries are anxious to arrest the spread of COVID-19 without choking off the essential flow of trade and commerce in both directions over the Canada-U.S. border, particularly at a time when the economic impact of the global pandemic is expected to be severe. To that end, the official said the two sides are discussing which essential workers might be exempted a group that could include mission-critical truck drivers, airline crew members and health-care workers who live and work on opposite sides of the border. Snowbirds who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents but who winter in the southern U.S. would also be exempted in order to give them time to get home, the source added. At a news conference earlier Tuesday in Ottawa, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland made it clear that the government, which has for the moment exempted U.S. citizens from its own ban on foreign nationals, is preoccupied with finding a mutually agreeable solution to the border conundrum. "Nearly 200,000 people cross that border every day and that border and that traffic that goes across that border is literally a lifeline for both the Canadians and the Americans on both sides of that border," Freeland said. "We get our groceries thanks to truckers who drive back and forth across that border. Very urgently needed medical supplies and medicines go back and forth across that border. And essential workers go back and forth across that border every day. So it is a unique relationship for Canada and it's important for us in handling our situation on the border to be sure that we act to get things right." Health Minister Patty Hajdu, whose Thunder Bay-Superior North riding in Ontario is near the Minnesota border, cited a number of examples of what the government would consider non-essential travel, such as shopping trips by residents of border communities "things that people have taken for granted in a border town for a very long time." President Donald Trump, asked about the prospect of closing the northern border at his own White House news conference earlier in the day, signalled that talks were in progress. "I don't want to say that, but we are discussing things with Canada, and we are discussing things with Mexico, quite honestly. The relationship is outstanding with both outstanding," Trump said, citing in particular the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which Canada finally approved late last week before temporarily shutting down Parliament. "We're working very closely with Canada. Canada has closed (its border) to the world, but they have not closed it to the United States." Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Dan Ujczo, a trade lawyer in Columbus, Ohio, who specializes in Canada-U.S. issues, said business and trade interests in the two countries, along with governments at every level, have been working on solutions ever since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 exposed the absence of suitable contingency plans. Since then, so-called "trusted trader" programs like Free and Secure Trade and Partners in Protection have advanced the idea that whatever the circumstances, cross-border commerce must be allowed to continue, he said. "Companies enrolled in these programs likely will have continued access to ensure cross-border trade." Citing Trump administration sources, the New York Times reported Tuesday that asylum-seekers and others trying to cross the southern border illegally would be turned away immediately in an effort to protect border agents and keep COVID-19 out of U.S. detention facilities. U.S. citizens and green-card holders would still be allowed to enter the country, the Times said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 17, 2020. Follow James McCarten on Twitter @CdnPressStyle Police have described an attack by a gang of masked men on the occupant of a house in Rasharkin, Co Antrim, as 'barbaric'. The aggravated burglary took place at a house in the Lisheegan Road area of the village on Tuesday, March 17. A group of up to six masked men entered the house at around 11:45pm armed with sledgehammers and other items, and attacked the male occupant. The victim, aged in his 20s, sustained a number of fractures and puncture wounds to his arms and legs and a collapsed lung, and is currently receiving treatment in hospital. A female occupant, aged in her 50s, was held down on the floor by the intruders throughout the attack and was left with bruising to her face following the ordeal. A PSNI spokesman said: This attack, which bears all the hallmarks of a paramilitary-style assault, was absolutely barbaric and has left a young man in hospital with horrendous injuries today. "The physical injuries will hopefully heal with time but this incident will likely affect both victims for a very long time. There is no place in our society for such attacks and we are now working to establish a motive and to find those responsible." Anyone with any information about this incident is asked to contact detectives in Coleraine on 101 quoting reference number 1731 17/03/20. Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime. New Delhi, March 18 : In wake of the prevailing coronavirus outbreak, the Tihar Jail on Wednesday barred the meeting of prisoners with their family members. "In view of the prevailing threat of coronavirus, the family/visitor mulaqat of prisoners (normally twice in a week) shall remain suspended from tomorrow i.e. 19.3.2020 upto 31.3.2020," said Sandeep Goyal, Director General, Tihar Cental Jail. Meetings of the prisoners with their advocates and legal aides would go on. "The mulaqat with their legal counsels will however continue," Goyal added. The said changes won't affect the system of calls between the inmates and their families. As per the rules of the Tihar Jail, an inmate is allowed to speak to their family members on two pre-declared numbers daily for 5 minutes. Of the total 152 confirmed cases reported from India, 14 people have been cured and discharged from the hospital while three lost their lives. Tidal Flow jumps the first in the Read The aidan-coleman.com Blog Novices' Chase at Stratford's season opener. Photo: David Pratt / dwprattracingphotography HORSE RACING AFTER 24 hours of fast-moving developments, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) announced yesterday, Tuesday, that racing had been suspended until the end of April, writes David Hucker. The story began on Monday when the BHA said that it was coming into line with the decision taken the previous week in Ireland and France for racing to take place behind closed doors. The meetings at Taunton and Wetherby on Tuesday were to be the first in England to be held without the public, following Kelso's voluntary shutting of the doors that day. The measure was expected to last until the end of this month. However, by the evening, the picture had changed with, firstly, France confirming that it had gone a step further with all meetings being cancelled until 15th April and then the Prime Minister's announcement of increased measures to combat the coronavirus, prompting The Jockey Club, owners of Aintree, to call off next month's three-day Randox Health Grand National meeting, one of the jewels in the racing crown. Then, on Tuesday, came another announcement from the BHA signalling the cessation of racing in Great Britain until the end of April. This is a national emergency, the like of which most of us have never seen before, said BHA chief executive Nick Rust. 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 4billion industry. Whether the beginning of May sees the resumption of racing is a matter of some debate in the industry. Speaking on Sunday when racing behind closed doors was being mooted, Martin Cruddace, boss of ARC, the biggest racetrack operator, said that the worst case scenario would see the situation last until the end of June. Locally, both Warwick (Thursday) and Stratford (Saturday) were scheduled to hold meetings next week. Now, both of these will be lost, together with the April fixtures which would have seen Warwick race on the 14th and 23rd and Stratfords first Sunday meeting on the 19th. But, if Cruddace is right and there is no racing until the end of June, then both courses will lose valuable revenue from some of their major fixtures, including Warwicks increasingly popular May Racing Carnival, due to kick-off with Victory In Europe Raceday on Bank Holiday Friday, and Stratfords Hunter Chase Evening on 29th May. The service was the first visit to Dublin by this aircraft, which is specially-painted as the flagship of the Etihad Greenliner Programme, an initiative by the airline to help make aviation more sustainable. As well, as a parting gesture on National Day, the departing flight was operated mainly by Irish crew, originally from Dublin, Tipperary, Monaghan, Leixlip, Boyle and Belfast, Northern Ireland. The airline said: Yesterdays initiative was a positive and productive action by Etihad and a range of industry partners in the midst of the Covid-19 virus pandemic, which is heavily impacting the global air transport industry. Boeing is a foundation partner of the Etihad Greenliner Programme, through which the airline is working on a range of initiatives, including testing new technologies, procedures and initiatives designed to help advance sustainable air services. Another key partner is GE Aviation, which manufactures the engines powering Etihads Boeing 787 and 777 fleets, and discussions are progressing with other entities including airports and research organisations to help improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact. Inside Hook While the U.S. is still lagging behind other countries in its response to the coronavirus outbreak, some cities are imposing their own drastic measures. At the time of writing, the Bay Area has issued shelter-in-place orders for seven counties, according to the Los Angeles Times, with residents advised to stay home. Despite the order, Teslas electric vehicle factory in Fremont that employs roughly 10,000 workers has been labeled an essential business and will stay open, reports the Times. The move is drawing criticism both because the Bay Area is experiencing the highest number of Covid-19 cases in California and because it comes alongside controversial statements from Tesla CEO Elon Musk. While Musk reportedly sent an email to Tesla employees on Monday night telling them they should not feel obligated to work if they feel the slightest bit ill or even uncomfortable, he also wrote, according to Electrek, that the harm from the coronavirus panic far exceeds that of the virus itself and he even estimated that confirmed COVID-19 (this specific form of the common cold) cases will not exceed 0.1% of the US population) despite not being a medical professional himself. The BBC has announced a raft of programming changes for the coronavirus crisis, including health advice on The One Show and virtual church services. The broadcaster, which has suspended filming of Eastenders and other top dramas, will also add boxsets to the iPlayer including Spooks, The Missing and French and Saunders. BBC director general Tony Hall said the national broadcaster had a 'special role to play at this time of national need.' The One Show will be 'a consumer programme show for all aspects of the crisis,' including 'health and wellbeing advice, keeping fit and healthy eating tips' Box sets to be made available include Spooks (pictured), The Missing, Waking the Dead, French and Saunders, Wallander and The Honourable Woman Newsround bulletins for children will remain throughout the day on CBBC, and there will be a new iPlayer section for kids Major news shows like Breakfast, the News at One, Six and Ten, are to be maintained as much as possible and there will be a prime time COVID-19 bulletin every Wednesday. Lord Hall added: 'We need to pull together to get through this. That's why the BBC will be using all of its resources - channels, stations and output - to help keep the nation informed, educated and entertained.' The One Show will be 'a consumer programme show for all aspects of the crisis,' including 'health and wellbeing advice, keeping fit and healthy eating tips'. Health Check UK Live, on BBC One daytime, will 'directly address the concerns of viewers who are in isolation, offering tips on how to keep healthy and happy at home'. The Queen Vic pub on the Eastenders set. The corporation said, in a statement on EastEnders, that 'in light of the spread of Covid-19, after much consideration, it has been decided that filming on EastEnders will be postponed until further notice. Question Time will move to an 8pm slot on BBC One and will proceed without a studio audience The BBC will also launch 'a virtual church service on Sunday mornings across local radio in England, led initially by the Archbishop of Canterbury'. The BBC also aims to broadcast a 'weekly Sunday morning Church service on BBC One, and explore how to support other religions and denominations'. 'We will work with partners to get older-age-group exercise routines, and other fitness programming, into people's homes on TV or radio,' it said. Culture In Quarantine 'will keep the arts alive in people's homes,' and be focused across 'Radio 3, Radio 4, BBC Two, BBC Four, Sounds, iPlayer and digital platforms'. The corporation said, in a statement on EastEnders, that 'in light of the spread of Covid-19, after much consideration, it has been decided that filming on EastEnders will be postponed until further notice. 'The decision was made after the latest Government update. 'We will continue to follow the latest news and advice from the World Health Organisation and Public Health England,' it said. 'We have also taken the decision to reduce the amount of episodes we broadcast each week to two, so that we can ensure the audience can continue to enjoy EastEnders in their homes for as long as possible.' It said that 'filming on all BBC Studios continuing dramas will be postponed until further notice.' It is thought that EastEnders, which will air on Mondays at 8pm and Tuesday at 7.30pm, has already stopped filming. ITV announced a change to the scheduling pattern for Coronation Street and Emmerdale. From March 30, Emmerdale will air Monday to Friday at 7pm. Coronation Street currently broadcasts two episodes on some nights, but it will drop its 8.30pm episode to broadcast only at 7.30pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. 'The continued transmission of both soaps is a priority to all of us at ITV and to our audiences who enjoy the show,' it said. 'Whilst carefully adhering to the latest health advice from the Government and Public Health England, our production teams are continuing to film episodes in Manchester and Leeds. 'With this change of transmission pattern it will ensure we have great new soap episodes coming to air every weekday night until at least the early summer.' BBC chief Lord Hall said 'there will be disruption to our output along the way' but the broadcaster said BBC Breakfast, the One, Six and Ten (O'Clock news) are a priority. In January, the BBC announced cuts to Newsnight, 5Live and other news output, leading to around 450 job losses. Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe In a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Governor Gavin Newsom offered some practical -- if difficult -- guidance for parents. "Don't anticipate schools are going to open up in a week," he said. "Don't anticipate in a few weeks... I would plan and assume that it's unlikely that many of these schools -- few, if any -- will open before the summer break." Under the banner of practicing common sense -- the theme of Newsom's Tuesday briefing -- the governor encouraged California residents to "absorb" the current moment in "a very rational way." He urged all residents aged 65 and older to shelter in place, regardless of where they live. He encouraged all other Californians to be safe and stay indoors. He also predicted that the shelter-in-place dictum being enforced in the Bay Area will eventually make its way to other counties. However, Newsom urged level-headedness. Shelter in place "doesn't mean within your own social set, within your own family, you can't have a barbeque," he said. "People you are used to being with, you should be with." MORE ON CORONAVIRUS: icon DON'T MISS ANY L.A. CORONAVIRUS NEWS Get our daily newsletter for the latest on COVID-19 and other top local headlines. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy In response to the coronavirus outbreak, courts in Montgomery County announced Tuesday changes in operations, delaying some proceedings for weeks or months. The five county precinct justice of the peace courts are shuttering their doors to the public. Phone calls will be answered during regular business hours and electronic filings will continue. This will remain in effect until the state instructs differently, according to Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Wayne Mack. The justice courts are the highest volume courts in Texas. We want to be proactive and protect our citizens and follow what the federal government and state, local government tell us to do, Mack said. Litigants, including for traffic violations or Class C misdemeanor citations, will be notified of their new court dates. There will be no warrants for failure to appear in court. Any cases related to public safety and health will continue, Mack said in an interview urging people to continue to contact their justice of the peace courts. District courts Presiding Judge Phil Grants 9th District Court and presiding Judge Patty Maginnis 435th District Court have officially pushed jury trial to May 4 and May 18, respectively. Jury summons before those dates should be disregarded, the judges said Tuesday in statements. Grant and Maginnis said their statements that unless there is a plea, a request for bond or there is new evidence or facts to a case, most issues will be addressed by phone or video conferencing. Grant and Maginnis explained their staffs would be in contact with attorneys and litigants about new dates, asking for those with issues in their cases that cannot be resolved through phone or video conferencing to contact their court with arrangements made. Staff at two other Montgomery County district courts on Tuesday afternoon confirmed jury trials have been delayed to mid-to-late April, with video conferencing for hearings with defendants being held at the Montgomery County Jail. Typically, inmates are brought into the courthouse to face judges with legal representation present. During these hearings, defendants out on bond are also present. We are doing off-docket resets as much as possible at this point, because we have not been ordered to not have court, said Susan Mitchell, coordinator for presiding Judge Kathleen Hamiltons 359th District Court. Until we are told not to have dockets at all, we will be open to defendants. Mitchell explained the number of criminal cases being reviewed before Judge Hamilton on Tuesday was reduced from 60 to two. Attorneys were updated by email, Mitchell said. An online solicitation of a minor jury trial set to start March 30 has been postponed. A trial set to start next week where a guilty plea was expected has been canceled for now, she added, noting an April 20 trial has not been moved yet. Presiding Judge Lisa Michaulks 359th District Court is postponing jury trials until April 13, according to assistant court coordinator Katrina Blunk. Well reasess from there, Blunk said, adding defendants without an attorney are expected to appear in court. Municipal court The Conroe Municipal Court is pushing back court hearings by 60 days. Due dates for payment plans, deferred orders, community service and compliance dismissals, will be pushed back by 30 days as requested, according to a press release. We all consider the safety of our staff and the public as our top priority, Judge Michael Davis said in a statement. Davis urged those with citations to avoid the municipal courthouse and review options on the back of their citations or visit the website at cityofconroe.org or call 936-522-3380. Catherine Dominguez contributed to this report. jose.gonzalez@chron.com twitter.com/jrgzztx 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 Rio de Janeiro: Rio de Janeiro's Christ the Redeemer statue, atop the Corcovado mountain, has withstood the worst of what the elements could muster for nearly nine decades. Now it, too, is succumbing to the outbreak of the new coronavirus. The 38-metre-tall statue, which last year saw almost 2 million visitors, closed at day-end on Tuesday, local time, and won't reopen for at least a week. To contain the virus' spread, Brazil's Chico Mendes Institute ordered the closure of all national parks it oversees, including the one that's home to the Christ. A tourist takes a selfie with the Christ the Redeemer. The tourist attraction has been closed due to coronavirus. Credit:AP At the foot of the statue throughout the overcast afternoon, the last selfie-snapping tourists were still allowed to gather on the lookout that offers a panoramic view out over the so-called Marvellous City. Rio seems less marvellous by the day with the creep of the new virus. Firemen began blaring recordings that urge beach goers to stay home on Monday, one day before Rio's Governor Wilson Witzel decreed a state of emergency. They did the same on Tuesday, though it was hardly a beach day. [March 18, 2020] UAV Turbines, Inc. Demonstrates its Microturbine Engine Operating with Environmentally Friendly Natural Gas UAV Turbines, Inc. (UAVT), a pioneer of microturbine technology, today announced that its Monarch 5 turboshaft engine can now run on natural gas, signifying an unmatched level of fuel flexibility. Previously shown to run efficiently on all types of heavy fuels including jet fuel, the addition of natural gas extends this technology beyond flight and into ground emergency and standby power generation for both onsite and remote application areas. This fuel flexibility coupled with Monarch 5's lightweight, portable, and reliable power generation capacity makes this engine a game-changer for the industry. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005083/en/ UAV Turbines today announced that its Monarch 5 turboshaft engine can now run on natural gas, signifying an unmatched level of fuel flexibility. (Photo: Business Wire) Fred Frigerio, UAV Turbines' Senior Vice President of Engineering, commented, "A major feature of our gas turbine engines is that they operate with safe-to-handle heavy fuel such as Jet A and a wide variety of other fuels. With minor engineering changes, the Monarch 5 engine can adapt to several different clean energy fuel sources such as natural gas and hydrogen. Both are clean-burning fuels,with little or no output of greenhouse gases. Sustainable and clean energy sources are becoming more important for applications in various environments served by UAV Turbines' new micro-turbogenerator product line." UAV Turbines' miniaturized microturbine technology creates a vast new universe of opportunities for integration into systems powering hard-to-access remote weather stations, oil fields, telecom towers, construction sites, emergency field teams, stationary first responders and military vehicle communications. A very portable micro-turbogenerator system running on natural gas or diesel fuel will benefit these users by offering them the flexibility of running with various available fuels while allowing the user to select based on cost, availability, or quality. Kirk Warshaw, CEO of UAV Turbines added, "Most recently, UAV Turbines emerged from a decade of stealth and privately funded research and development to make public demonstrations of its breakthrough propulsion and power generation technology platforms. Since the successful demonstration of the Monarch 5 in Group 3 UAV flight, UAV Turbines has demonstrated its Monarch Hybrid Range Extender (HREX) configuration and prototypes of its turbogenerator system for ground-power applications in the 3-40 kW range." UAV Turbines is currently curating a select group of launch customers with innovative design needs for engine orders being driven by emerging and high growth markets such as unmanned aircraft, military combat, urban air mobility and industrial, commercial and residential compact, efficient power sources. To find out more about UAV Turbines, visit www.uavturbines.com. Click here for media assets. About UAV Turbines, Inc. UAV Turbines is the creator of the world's first reliable, lightweight and fuel-efficient propulsion and power generating microturbine engines. Pioneer of microturbine technology, the company's Monarch microturbine systems increase performance while reducing the total cost of ownership beyond what current engine systems offer. UAV Turbines has demonstrated its engine's power and reliability through a successful unmanned flight of its Monarch 5 in 2019, its ability to deliver on demand electrical power with its Monarch Hybrid Range Extender (HREX) and its versatility in offering compact ground power with its portable Micro-Turbogenerator System. Designed by UAV Turbines' team of world-class engineers and protected by multiple patents and trade secrets, the Monarch line of microturbines is lightweight and quiet, with an unmatched level of fuel flexibility. In 2018, the company entered into a Technical Investment Agreement with the U.S. Military for the development of a more efficient propulsion system, the key advancement to the success of future UAVs. Privately owned, UAV Turbines is headquartered in Miami, Florida. To learn more, visit uavturbines.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005083/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The nomination of former CJI Ranjan Gogoi to Rajya Sabha is likely to fuel the political narrative the BJP is trying to weave around citizenship and NRC in India Much to the woes of the Opposition, the nomination of former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to the Upper House of the Parliament is likely to fuel the political narrative the BJP is trying to weave around citizenship in India. It is noteworthy that the former CJI's nomination coincides with that of the Assam Rajya Sabha Election, in which, the Opposition has fielded fire-brand Assamese sub-nationalist leader Ajit Kumar Bhuyan as its common candidate. By now everyone should be convinced that the CAA and the NRC are likely to remain the focal issues for the BJP in the times to come in the very same way the Ram Janambhoomi issue was for the saffron party. In fact, the new narrative has proven to be equally polarising, hence helpful for the BJP in further consolidating its support base. Though the BJP seems to be willing to keep the narrative on CAA and NRC alive till 2024, its longevity is mostly dependent on the results of the Assam Assembly election to be held in 2021. If the BJP happens to lose the 2021 Assembly polls in Assam, a state which is seen as the fountainhead of the new narrative around citizenship, then the saffron party may have to push the debate around citizenship to the back burner. The debate over citizenship has proven to be a great distractor at a time when the health indices of the economy are hitting new lows every now and then. The best strategy for the BJP at this moment seems to be to keep fuelling the debate. The nomination of former CJI Ranjan Gogoi, the man who brought the debate to the nations imagination by ordering the updation of the NRC in Assam, seems to be the best bet. It is also noteworthy that the BJP came to power in Assam in the year 2016 on the backdrop of a bloody riot in Kokrajhar between immigrant Muslims and Bodo tribal groups. The riot was stretched over a rather long period of over two years. The saffron partys anti-immigrant tirade in the run-up to the 2016 Assembly polls, which saw it declaring Badaruddin Ajmal, a prominent leader among the immigrant Muslims, as the enemy produced a desired polarising effect, resulting in a massive victory for the party. The BJP requires a similar polarising and emotionally charged environment to repeat the 2016 mandate. It is also required to be seen on the right side of the debate. Here, the politically right side is the side of the indigenous Assamese, the community that actually controls the states political discourse. The nomination of Ranjan Gogoi, the poster boy of Assamese ethnonationalism, serves that purpose. After the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill in the Parliament, the saffron partys credibility in Assam is in tatters. For, in Assam, an illegal immigrant has no face and religion. The demand among the masses has always been -- any person who immigrated illegally has to leave. The CAA which grants special remission to illegal immigrants of certain religious denominations is seen as a document of betrayal by a major section of the indigenous citizens. Moreover, it is also seen as a violation of the Assam Accord which bars granting citizenship to any illegal immigrant who entered Assam after 25 March 1971. Taking advantage of the newly emerged situation, the Congress and Maulana Badaruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF have jointly fielded firebrand Assamese sub-nationalist journalist Ajit Kumar Bhuyan as a common candidate in the Rajya Sabha Election slated on 26 March. It's likely that Congress and AIUDF have fielded a person of Bhuyan's stature to neutralise the attempts to polarise the society ahead of the Assembly polls in Assam. As for the BJP, it needed someone with a higher calibre, mettle, and credibility than Bhuyan in the Upper House of the Parliament. Ranjan Gogoi fits the bill. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal Journal Staff Writer Mexican gray wolf numbers are up in New Mexico and Arizona, according to a new report by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. There are 163 of the endangered wolves in the wild, compared with 131 last year. The count shows we have more wolves, more breeding pairs and more pups born in the wild than ever before, said Amy Lueders, Southwest regional director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Albuquerque. The new numbers for the Mexican gray wolf recovery program show 87 wild wolves in New Mexico and 76 in Arizona. Last year, there were 67 in New Mexico and 64 in Arizona. Lueders credited the teams science-based, on-the-ground management efforts for another year of population increases. The current recovery plan has a goal of 320 wild wolves. Bryan Bird, Southwest program director for Defenders of Wildlife, said he is encouraged by the increase and applauded the teams dedication. Defenders of Wildlife works with the agencies and ranchers to promote coexistence between landowners and wolves. We still have the challenges of genetic diversity and coexistence, Bird told the Journal. Ranching is not an easy business. We offer tools and training for people who live and work in wolf country to adapt to having wolves back on the landscape. Were all trying to find solutions. We also bring down ranchers from areas like the northern Rockies to show that it is possible to have success when it comes to coexisting with wolves. New Mexico had 126 confirmed livestock kills by wolves and 10 probable wolf depredations in 2019. Arizona had 58 confirmed wolf depredation incidents and one probable livestock kill. Defenders of Wildlife pays for range-riders to patrol areas on horseback and act as a human presence to scare away wolves. That funding is matched by the states and the federal government. The group also pays for fences lined with fladry, bright strips of fabric that move in the wind and deter wolves from entering the property. Landowners are encouraged to dispose of carcasses, and adjust when and where calving operations take place. Still, the challenge remains for New Mexico ranchers as wild wolf populations grow. Laura Schneberger, who runs a cow-calf ranch near the Gila National Forest, told the Journal last year that wolves have just mowed through livestock on her property. Fish and Wildlife works with Arizona Game and Fish, the U.S. Forest Service, USDA Wildlife Services, the White Mountain Apache Tribe and New Mexico Game and Fish on its annual wolf count from November through January. The crew captures and re-releases wild wolves to repair tracking collars and collect blood samples to better understand each packs genetics. There are 103 collared wild wolves. The new numbers show 42 wolf packs and 10 individuals. The reintroduction program started in 1998 with seven captive wolves. Fish and Wildlife uses cross-fostering taking captive pups that are less than 10 days old and placing them in wild dens in areas where wolves already live. In 2019, the team placed 12 captive-born wolf pups into five wild dens. This year, New Mexico and Arizona have not placed a limit on the number of cross-fostered pups, according to Aislinn Maestas, spokeswoman for the agencys Southwestern region. Michael Robinson, advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity, said that the population increase is good news but that genetic diversity is still lacking in the wild wolves. In October, the center joined 80 conservation groups and scientists in writing a letter to Fish and Wildlife, asking the agency to change its management approach to the endangered animal. There are significantly more wolves on the ground, which reduces the vulnerability of the population, Robinson said. But its worrisome that each generation of wolves are more inbred than the previous year. The agencies should release well-bonded male and female pairs with pups. The programs last release of a wolf family into the wild was in 2006. Wednesdays report shows that about 90 pups were born in 2019 and that 52 pups survived to the end of the year. Thats a 58% survival rate, compared with the average 50% survival rate of Mexican wolf pups. The team reported 14 mortalities of wild adult wolves in 2019, compared with 21 in 2018. Theresa Davis is a Report for America corps member covering water and the environment for the Albuquerque Journal. March 17, 2020 Transcipt Adm. Charles Richard Holds a Press Briefing on the Efforts of U.S. Strategic Command During the COVID-19 Outbreak Admiral Charles A. Richard, Commander, U.S. Strategic Command STAFF: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for joining us today for this press briefing via telephone. On the line with us today is Admiral Charles A. Richard, the commander of U.S. Strategic Command. Today, Admiral Richard will speak about the efforts of U.S. Strategic Command during the COVID-19 outbreak. Following his opening statement, we will take questions from those in the room and those dialed in. Today's remarks will be on the record. And with that, Admiral Richard, sir, over to you. CAPTAIN BILL CLINTON: Real quick, Uriah, this is Captain Bill Clinton, the PAO for STRATCOM. Also in the room I -- I have our J3, Major General S.L. Davis, and also, our command surgeon, Colonel John Cotton. At the end of this if we have any follow-on questions, please call my office and we'll -- we can give you more information, if need be. At this time, Admiral Richard will start taking questions. Thanks. Sir? ADMIRAL CHARLES A. RICHARD: All right, good morning, everyone, and thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. As -- as previously mentioned, I'm Chas Richard, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska. First and foremost, what I would want to assure everyone on the line here, as well as the American people and our allies, is our strategic nuclear forces remain ready to execute the nation's strategic deterrence mission. And to date, to point, to this point, we have had no -- no impact to our ability to accomplish our mission. That said, this pandemic has our full attention, and we are taking all necessary steps, fully implementing the department's guidance, in particular, how we do it with strategic forces, in order to ensure the safety, security, and effectiveness of our forces. So in addition to following Centers of Disease Control and Department of Defense guidance, we're constantly looking at the environment, working with our subordinate commands. I'd like to compliment Air Force, Navy, Army, in terms of the way they have turned to, to -- to attack this to ensure the health and safety of our members 24/7 as our operations continue. This -- you know, we in STRATCOM, we in the Department of Defense, the potential for a contagious pandemic like this is not novel to us. We had plans in place that we have updated and are executing. So with that, I'm ready to take your questions. Over. STAFF: Thank you, sir. For the media on the line, as a reminder, please keep your phones muted until you are called upon for your question. And for the media, please identify yourself and your outlet. And we'll start with Tara. Q: Thank you. Sir, Tara Copp with McClatchy. As part of your strategic plans in advance for some sort of pandemic, do you have on hand how many ventilators you have? And we have heard reports that there are companies out there who are trying to provide the Department of Defense ventilators at DOD's request. Could you please let us know what your role is in making sure that this strategic supply is safe? And then, I have a few other questions. ADM. RICHARD: With regard to medical supplies specifically and medical more generally, I am a supported commander. I am a customer of the Department of Defense's medical establishment. And so I don't have a role in the supply side of that. I will tell you that, both here at headquarters and at my components, we have had no issues in any respects, receiving sufficient medical support for us or our dependents to this point. It's probably useful to note that right now, both at headquarters in Strategic Command as well as in the components, we don't have any confirmed cases of COVID-19 and only a very small single-digit handful of people that are even in a protective cell quarantine at this point. Impacts have been very minimal. It is just that we are watching to make sure we understand the trajectory of where this goes and being ready for whatever path it may take. Over. Q: And then a quick follow-up, do you have tests on hand? Are you having to rely on the local community to provide those tests for you? ADM. RICHARD: Again, I am the customer. The people that provide that are the Department of Defense's medical community establishment, the clinics. And to date, we have had no issues getting any tests that we require to accomplish our mission. Over. STAFF: Okay, we'll go to Bob. Q: Hi, this is Bob Burns, Admiral, from A.P. A question for you about your personnel who are securing and operating the force, I understand that your personnel in the missile fields, for example, are being quote/unquote isolated, and I'm wondering if you can spell out exactly that that means. Are they being kept in the field for, like, two weeks at a time or -- as opposed to one day? Or how are you accomplishing that? ADM. RICHARD: So in general, across all elements of the triad, we're thinking through very carefully how we make sure we maintain maximum mission capability. So that includes not only the people that are required to accomplish those missions, as well as the command centers and all the places we have to operate, and so we are simply executing plans. Remember, my organization is designed to be able to operate, isolated for long periods of time. And so, we are taking prudent steps to make sure that our personnel will be available. I'd rather not go into -- it would be best for me not to go into any specific details in terms of how we're accomplishing that. Note that I also have great confidence in my subordinate commanders to take the particular threats that they face at their particular installations and modify their operations accordingly. Q: A quick follow-up from Bob Burns again. Let me ask that a slightly different way. For example, missileers normally do 24 hours at a time and then return. Is that no longer the case, are they doing longer-terms? ADM. RICHARD: It -- Bob, it would be better if I didn't get into specifics. Again, in terms of how we're operating, you can obviously see the advantages to other people if they knew that. Know that, while what you described isn't a normal mechanism of operation, we have a number of different strategies that we have available to us depending upon what we think the threat is. Over. STAFF: Okay, we'll go to Idrees with Reuters. Q: Idrees from Reuters here. Part of your job is -- is to look at the strategic forces of other countries. What you are seeing in terms of the missile forces of Iran and North Korea and the impact coronavirus has had on them? ADM. RICHARD: So you're -- you are correct, and that's an important point that the strategic deterrence is not a static mission. That is something that we look at every single day for every single potential threat to this nation. To date, we have not seen anything beyond what I would describe as normal or day-to-day operations by anyone. Over. STAFF: Okay, and we'll go out to the phone line. We'll go to Amanda Macias from CNBC. Amanda, do you have a question for us today? Q: Can you hear me? Amanda from CNBC. STAFF: We got you. Q: Okay, I just wanted to ask if there was anything -- based off of yesterday with Mr. Hoffman saying that DepSecDef and SecDef were going to be separated, I wanted to know if that was being sort of a directive within STRATCOM of doing teleconferences between staff. STAFF: STRATCOM, did you hear that one? ADM. RICHARD: Not at all. I hate to turn this into a military net, but can I get a relay? Over. STAFF: Yes, sir. So the question was, here in the building that the secretary and the deputy secretary have separated themselves to do VTC meetings and things like that, the question was whether similar actions have been taken at STRATCOM. ADM. RICHARD: Well, again, the answer is yes. And again, an organization that is designed to go into combat, that's why I have a deputy commander to begin with. And so we have taken steps internal to the command to separate -- the nuclear forces, both people and equipment, have tremendous redundancy and reliability. We have taken full advantage of that. In fact, one thing I'm excited about here is the possibility that we may find some better ways of operating day-to-day, utilizing some of this incredible communications capability that we have. That may take us to a new normal where we find more efficient ways of accomplishing our business. Over. STAFF: Thank you, sir. We'll go to Barbara in the room. Q: Barbara Starr from CNN. Admiral, I -- I hate to keep pressing you, but I do want to go back to Bob Burns' question. If you want the public to be reassured that all of your strategic assets are ready to go and uninterrupted, I don't really -- I guess I don't understand what the concern would be about some adversary knowing that any of -- any of the particulars what knowledge that could give any adversary. Is there any one example you could give us of what you are doing to protect the force? Or can you better explain why it's such a concern to you that you couldn't communicate any of that to the public? ADM. RICHARD: Well, I mean, I can, Barbara, give you an example. And the strategies are pretty similar. One is, you look across and you -- we're kind of hyping or jumping on the I.C. fields. But it's -- I mean, you could do the same example here in my headquarters, in terms of the way that we have minimized contact on critical watch bases, we're not doing tours down on them anymore, we're looking to see to make sure that we minimize the cross-section for exposure. You go into pre-screens on your people that are going in. You have contingency plans to pre-quarantine or separate out people, pre-isolate them to make sure that they have minimum risk of infection. And then you make sure that you can continue to execute those off the long term. So that in general are some of the things that we either have done or are ready to go do. We look through logistically to make sure that we have all the places and stuff necessary to do that. So it is -- again, I have confidence in what we're doing here in the headquarters down those lines. I've checked on it personally myself. And again, I've got component commanders at the four-star level who are taking equal measures that are specific to that particular platform or that particular leg of the triad. Q: Couldn't you also -- just a quick follow-up. Can you say -- you said, I think, you had a handful of people in protective self-quarantine. I wasn't sure if that was across all your components, across the entire command, just at headquarters. Can you give us any better numbers on how many people in self-quarantine? And within STRATCOM, have you had anyone test positive? ADM. RICHARD: Yeah, so we have zero people in STRATCOM headquarters or in the components that have tested positive, so I have no cases of COVID -- COVID right now. I have less than 10 in headquarters, and we are very cautious in the way -- very leaning forward in terms of the protective self-quarantines. And in each of the components right now -- Air Force and Navy -- it's less than 20. Over. Q: Is that -- sorry, is that 20 each, 20 together? And what is it that led these people to need self-quarantine? Was it contact? What led to this? ADM. RICHARD: Yeah, it's less than 20 each, so Air Force and Navy. For my components, I'd respectfully ask you to talk to the services about that. Headquarters is just where you looked at somebody coming back off of travel or something like that, where you wanted to just be in an abundance of caution, making sure that you gave them a chance to see if they would go symptomatic. Over. STAFF: Sir, we'll -- we'll take one more from the phone line. Dan Leone with Defense Daily? Q: Yeah, hey, everybody. Thanks for adding the call here. Just real quick, what changes have STRATCOM made to the way you all are interfacing with your civilian partners at the National Nuclear Security Administration while you guys cycle weapons in and out of DOP custody during routine repairs, other modernization programs? STAFF: Did you hear that question? If not I can relay. ADM. RICHARD: Yeah go ahead and relay it, please. STAFF: Yes, sir. So the question was, what steps are you taking to protect the civilian workforce that you're interacting with, be it at NSA -- NNSA as you're doing weapons custody transfers and things like that? ADM. RICHARD: Yeah, operationally, we have not had a need to modify anything, so our operations continue normally. Kind of take me back down more of an administrative line, right? So there have been some meetings that have been canceled, where we're doing them over VTC right now. But those are much -- you know, longer-term things, impact, really, I -- as it manifests itself. Anyway, operationally, we've had no issues with that. STAFF: Okay, and we'll take one more question from the phone. Aaron Mehta with Defense News? Q: Yeah, thanks very much for doing this. So a couple weeks ago, on the Hill you testified, that any delays to NNSA or the Pentagon delivering modernization efforts could lead to gaps down the road in the nuclear capabilities. So how concerned are you going forward over the next months, weeks, whatever, about work stoppages and how that might cause delays, given that you said there's basically no margin for error in the schedule already? ADM. RICHARD: Well, and I think I'm pretty much out of time here. I would just like to, again, thank everyone for asking these. These are very good questions. We'd want to make sure that everyone has confidence. I certainly have confidence that the forces are -- are ready to execute their strategic deterrence mission. We are -- you know, full attention on this thing. We have plans in place, and I'm confident that no matter what trajectory it takes, we have thought through what we need to do to be able to accomplish our mission. Thank you all very much. STAFF: Thank you, sir, for your time. And thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Aaron, we'll get back to you on that question. Q: All right, thanks. https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2115149/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address About one-third of Mahurangi College students are expected to walk out of classrooms on Friday, April 3, to demand more action on climate change. The students will head to central Auckland to join others in a mass School Strike 4 Climate (SS4C) rally a global movement inspired by 17-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. The walkout has been organised by an environmental group within the school SS4C Mahu led by head boy Robbie Ennis and senior student Jowan Nute. Most students will travel to Auckland via chartered buses, but a committed group of about 30 will walk from Albany on Thursday evening to cut down on the use of fossil fuels for the journey. They will be joined by students from other high schools they pass as they head south. The students are hoping to secure offers of lifts on sailing boats to complete the last leg of their journey from Devonport into the central city. Robbie says the strikes are not about radically opposing the Government or causing havoc for the sake of it. It is a peaceful demonstration of the thousands of people asking the Government to take the environmental crisis that is global warming seriously so that youth and future generations have a planet to call home, he says. It is anticipated the Auckland rally will encourage all generations to attend not just students and numbers will likely exceed the 80,000 who participated last year. Robbie says students have advised the Mahurangi College Board of Trustees of the planned strike and although the board has not officially endorsed the strike, they have not tried to stand in the students way. He says the strike is the first step in a year-long plan to transform Mahurangi College into a sustainable school that cares for its environment. Initiatives proposed include establishing an effective compost system within the college and running workshops to educate students on living sustainable lifestyles. My Favorite Quotes Recent Quotes Portfolio Summary Your most recently viewed tickers will automatically show up here if you type a ticker in the Get Quotes box on the top of the page. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Geng Shuang answers a question during a briefing in Beijing on Nov. 28, 2019. (Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images) China to Bar US Reporters From Hong Kong BEIJINGThe Chinese regime defended its decision on March 18 to expel American journalists from three U.S. newspapers and bar them from working in Hong Kong, saying the measure falls within the central governments purview over diplomatic affairs. In the early hours of Wednesday, Beijing announced the expulsion of the journalists as retaliation for U.S. actions against Chinese media organizations, sharply escalating a tit-for-tat between Beijing and Washington over press freedom. The decision also raised questions about Hong Kongs autonomy under a one country, two systems agreement that sets out the former British colonys autonomy from the mainland. But under Hong Kongs Basic Law, as its mini constitution is known, Beijing is ultimately responsible for foreign affairs and defense in Hong Kong. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the expulsions were in response to U.S. actions and that the decision to oust the journalists, and block them from Hong Kong, fell under Beijings diplomatic authority. China said it would expel U.S. correspondents with the New York Times, News Corps Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post whose credentials expire by the end of 2020, and those affected would also not be allowed to work as journalists in Hong Kong. In the past, foreign journalists kicked out of, or barred from, China were allowed to work in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The expulsion is expected to affect at least 13 journalists, according to the Foreign Correspondents Club of China, which said it deplores Chinas decision. Geng declined to say how many journalists were affected by the decision. The dispute has spiraled quickly. Last month, Washington forced Chinese state media firms to register as foreign embassies. Beijing then expelled three Wall Street Journal correspondentstwo Americans and an Australianfollowing an opinion column by the newspaper that called China the real sick man of Asia. The United States then slashed the number of journalists allowed to work there at four major Chinese state-owned media outlets to 100, from 160 previously. It cited a deepening crackdown on independent reporting in China. The Foreign Correspondents Club in Hong Kong said it was alarmed at the decision to expel the journalists and even more concerned that they would be banned from working as journalists in Hong Kong. It said Hong Kong officials must provide assurances that foreign journalists working in Hong Kong and those applying to work in the city would continue to be issued employment visas without interference from the Chinese regime. Independent journalist Afgan Mukhtarli was released after three years in arbitrary detention in Azerbaijan. The International and European Federation of Journalists (IFJ and EFJ) welcome his release while urging the national authorities to release all the journalists who remain in prison for doing their job. Independent journalist Afgan Mukhtarli was abducted by special services on 29 May 2017 in Tbilisi, Georgia, and secretly taken to Baku prison in Azerbaijan. On 12 January 2018 Azerbaijan`s Balakan District Court sentenced Afgan Mukhtarli to 6 years in prison for illegal border crossing, smuggling and violent resistance to public officials. On 18 September 2018, the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan upheld the District Court sentence. A judge ruled Mukhtarli 's release on Tuesday 17 March and fled the country on the same day. He took a flight to Berlin, Germany, where his wife, journalist Leyla Mustafayeva, lives in exile. She and their daughter Nuray are being currently supported by ECPMFs Journalists-in-Residence Programme (JiR). IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said: "We welcome Mukhtarli's release and wish him and his family a happy and safe future in Germany. We recall on the Azerbaijan authorities to prosecute those involved in Mukhtarlis abduction and unlawful imprisonment and to release all the media workers that remain in jail for simply doing their job". Five other journalists are still behind bars for doing their job in Azerbaijan: Araz Guliyev, Elchin Ismayilli, Ikram Rahimov, Ziya Asadli, Polad Aslanov. There are currently 102 journalists in prison in Europe. The IFJ and EFJ call for their immediate release. New Delhi, March 18 : In a big boost to 'Make-in-India', the Ministry of Defence paved the way for procurement of 83 indigenous Light Combat Aircraft 'Tejas' for the Indian Air Force on Wednesday. The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved procurement of 83 Tejas fighters for the IAF. The proposal will now be placed for consideration of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). The DAC has also approved for acquisition of indigenous defence equipment for about Rs 1,300 crore. The proposals were for procurement of Aerial Fuses and Twin-Dome Simulators for Hawk Mk32 aircraft for the IAF. The first meeting of Acquisition Wing of DAC after separation of duties between Department of Defence (DoD) and Department of Military Affairs (DMA) was held on Wednesday. The Acquisition Wing being the secretariat of the DAC would be overall charge of the capital acquisition process. Light Combat Aircraft 'Tejas' is indigenously designed by Aircraft Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). While orders of 40 Tejas aircraft had been placed with HAL in initial configurations, the council paved the way for procurement of 83 of the more advanced Mk1A version of the aircraft from HAL by finalising contractual and other issues. "This procurement will be a major boost to 'Make in India' as the aircraft is indigenously designed, developed and manufactured with participation of several local vendors apart from HAL," the Ministry of Defence said. "The DAC also approved an amendment to the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) 2016 to enable review by a costing committee of bids submitted by joint ventures of Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs)/Ordnance Factory Board (OFB)/DRDO," the ministry said. This will bring about more transparency in costs and compress the timelines for negotiation of the contract, the ministry added. Those that rise to the level of a formal complaint have been investigated by the commission and deemed serious enough for public proceedings. Eight judges in Montana have faced formal complaints since 1990. Retired District Judge Russell Fagg, who is serving as Haradas attorney, issued a statement from Harada saying it was important to remember that the complainants supported and donated to Haradas opponent in the race, Juli Pierce. After they did not achieve the results they wanted at the ballot box, they took the highly unusual step of filing complaints and asking for her to be removed from office, the statement said. Despite a thorough investigation by the (Judicial Standards Commission), the complainants are still unsatisfied with the outcome and are now taking the highly unusual step of intervening directly with the Supreme Court. Harada said she has taken responsibility for her actions and looks forward to continuing to serve Yellowstone County. NEW YORK, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- EV powertrain market in North America is expected to grow from US$ 4.40 Bn in 2018 to US$ 9.71 Bn by the year 2027. This represents a CAGR of 9.3% from the year 2019 to 2027. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05875898/?utm_source=PRN The EV powertrain market is primarily driven by government initiatives for reducing the carbon footprint by the adoption of electric vehicles and technological advancements in conventional engines.However, the high cost of electric vehicles might hinder the growth of the EV powertrain market. The automotive industry is experiencing a significant shift from traditional vehicles to electric vehicles.Governments in various countries are taking initiatives to drive the adoption of electric vehicles. For instance, the Government of Canada invested US$ 182.5 million to develop a fast-charging network for electric vehicles. Also, in December 2017, the Federal Government of Canada released its Greening Government Strategy, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. Also, according to Clean Energy Canada, the Canadian government invested US$ 1 billion in 2017 for the production of EVs. In 2019, more than 40 models of electric vehicles were available in the Canadian market due to increasing production and demand. Therefore, a strong focus of the government in North America towards reducing greenhouse emission is expected to drive the growth of the EV powertrain market. Key players in the automotive market are focusing on investing in the production of electric vehicles.There have been prominent collaborations in recent years between automakers and tech companies to develop technologically advanced electric vehicles. For instance, in December 2019, Fiat Chrysler planned a merger with the French automaker PSA Group to focus on the development of electric vehicles.As the market is moving toward EV adaptation, due to changing business strategy in order to innovate, the ICE vehicle manufacturers are shifting their focus towards EVs. This factor is creating lucrative business market opportunities in the EV powertrain market. The EV powertrain market by product type is segmented into series hybrid powertrain, battery electric vehicle powertrain, series-parallel hybrid powertrain, mild-hybrid powertrain, and a parallel hybrid powertrain.Hybrid EV vehicles merge internal combustion engines with EV motors, which then offer improved fuel efficiency over cars that operate on fossil fuels only. The batteries are usually recharged from regenerative braking technology or inbuilt generator.Any vehicle that consists of more than one power source is known as hybrid electric. In the hybrid electric vehicles, the fuel consuming engines are replaced with electric motors, which, in turn, reduces dependency on fossil fuel and ultimately generating less harmful emissions. The overall North America EV powertrain market size has been derived using both primary and secondary sources.The research process begins with exhaustive secondary research using internal and external sources to obtain qualitative and quantitative information related to the North America EV powertrain market. It also provides an overview and forecast for the North America EV powertrain market based on all the segmentation provided with respect to the North America region.Also, primary interviews were conducted with industry participants and commentators in order to validate data and analysis. The participants who typically take part in such a process include industry experts such as VPs, business development managers, market intelligence managers, and national sales managers, and external consultants such as valuation experts, research analysts, and key opinion leaders specializing in the North America EV powertrain industry. Some of the players present in the EV powertrain market are Continental AG, Cummins Inc., Dana Limited, Magna International, Mahle GmbH, Maxim Integrated, Robert Bosch GmbH, Tata Elxsi, Valeo SA, and ZF Friedrichshafen AG. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05875898/?utm_source=PRN About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker Related Links www.reportlinker.com Ryan Bourne: The upside-world of virus economics. And why we free marketeers must adapt our usual ways of thinking. Ryan Bourne holds the R Evan Scharf Chair in Public Understanding of Economics at the Cato Institute. Governments are certainly taking action in the face of a likely coronavirus recession. Emmanuel Macron has committed the French state to protecting every company from bankruptcy. Steve Mnuchin, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, has announced that Donald Trumps government willmail cheques to Americans within two weeks. And Rishi Sunak yesterday unveiled a huge package of UK measures: 330 billion worth of zero-interest loans and loan guarantees for businesses, business rates relief and cash grants for retail, hospitality, and leisure companies, 10,000 cash grants to all small businesses, and a three month mortgage holiday for those in distress. More Government action, so we are told, will come with employment support. Thats on top of 12 billion coronavirus-related spending in last weeks budget. Many will question the specifics of the Treasurys measures. Is there enough there to tide over restaurants and hotels seeing complete demand collapses? Will the offer of loans be enough for manufacturing firms suffering from delayed demand, given the crisis duration is unknown? If mortgage holders are worthy of support, why not renters? And is the existing generosity, eligibility, and administrative capacity of the welfare system broad enough to support households seeing job losses or falling self-employment income in the coming weeks? The answer is probably not, but the Chancellors assured tone screamed that more was to come. Whatever it takes was his message, repeated five times. If such questions seem weird coming from a free-market economist, its because we are in unprecedented times. As I outlined yesterday, the upside-down world of coronavirus economics means that employees not engaging in on-site work is, today, largely a virtue, not a sin. Short-term GDP boosts and pumping up consumption are not desirable given the health consequences. We dont want fiscal stimulus. In fact, economic activity will shrink precisely because of the social distancing and containment policies we need to curb the virus. Our key economic challenge is to avoid this necessary, short-term, pandemic from inducing economic contagion. We dont want a temporary and partial shutdown of the economy to lead to otherwise viable businesses collapsing, with destructive losses of capital, worker-employer relationships, and resulting unemployment. Whereas ordinary recessions bring creative destruction among firms, few would suggest your local Indian restaurants could feasibly have foreseen a global pandemic eliminating months of its business income. The theoretical aim of policy then should be bridging over what is hopefully a short pause in activity, eliminating near-term distress for households and businesses to allow a V- or Nike-tick shaped recovery once the viral tsunami passes. In this light, Sunaks approach recognises the nature of the business problem. Big on direct payments and loans, the Chancellor in effect has Government mimicking a missing insurance market, with cash payments and low cost loans available such that good firms remain tied over through this year, with further unspecified support to ensure they maintain employment too. The thought process is that most large companies can access credit or investment capital if they have long-term viability. Given current sentiment though, Government loans on more favourable terms may ease the pressure given any credit crunch. Smaller businesses are more likely to be credit constrained, and such will be the hit to activity in areas such as restaurants and hospitality, big loan repayments short-term may end up making businesses unviable anyway. Hence the cash grants announced yesterday. Now, from a free-market perspective, this all throws up some obvious concerns, not least taxpayers being on the hook for large loan losses. Timing is another worry. We still talk under the assumption that this pause in activity will last a few months. But if the Imperial College modelling suggesting that coronavirus suppression might require 18 months of containment is correct, then bridging wont work, despite the Governments best efforts. As the OBRs Sir Charles Bean said yesterday, the longer this runs, the less likely loan, even on favourable terms, can plug firms budget shortfalls without endangering insolvency. So the Government would have to turn to taxpayer grants. But a less palatable truth is that the longer it goes on, the more market activity and the structure of the economy will change, and the less continuing support would be beneficial for any rebound. Already, understandably, more resources are flowing into the production of ventilators. Amazon is hiring more staff at higher wages. If we are holed up for a year or more, our spending habits will change, perhaps irrevocably. New enterprises will prioritise delivery. More shops would move to online only. The nature of firms and teleworking would change, and probably our interests and tastes too. At that stage, considering this an economic pause, aiming to return to where we left off, will just not be infeasible but undesirable. Of course, we arent there yet. But its worth bearing in mind. For Sunak yesterday fixated on big fiscal measures, no doubt considering stock market reaction. But, in fact, governments should also be considering regulatory changes and adjustments to their own spending that might make this period and any future adjustment easier. Just yesterday, for example, Robert Jenrick announced that cafes, restaurants and pubs will, from now on, automatically become takeaways and food delivery companies. Why there was a requirement to obtain permission through planning laws for this already is a mystery. But this is just the sort of innovative thinking that will give businesses and workers some breathing space, easing future change. With the crisis pressing, the government should think carefully about other steps that could both ease the immediate challenge and provide new ways of working. Why not relax licensing requirements and child-staff ratios for childminders? Why not ease overtime, agency worker rules and Sunday trading regulations to generate more income opportunities and allow smoothing of supermarket visits? Rather than seeking work, why not encourage jobseekers to do helpful tasks on Mechanical Turk? The possibilities for innovative thinking are endless. Then theres the Government itself. For now, the coronavirus is being treated as an add-on to existing activity, requiring new funding. As businesses adjust, government as yet is not curbing its own activity by, say, delaying infrastructure projects. But if this crisis continues, might it change the Governments outlook? If a fall-out from all this is greater remote working, how does that affect the levelling up agenda? Or undermine the business case for HS2? Sunak yesterday was firefighting a crisis and setting out his view of the macroeconomics. His answers have a clear coherent rationale: protect jobs while mothballing certain activity to contain the virus by providing bridging support to the recovery. But he must keep one eye on more uncomfortable possibilities, and keep other economic levers to make this less destructive under constant review. ALBANY An Albany County deputy assigned to the team that transports prisoners tested positive for COVID-19 this week, raising fears that the virus could soon be in the county jail. Sheriff Craig Apple said he was taking extra precautions and modifying 50 cells into makeshift isolation cells to add to the more than 50 existing isolation cells within the jail in an attempt to prevent any new inmates from bringing in the virus. "We knew this was coming, we didn't know it was coming this fast," Apple said during a news conference Wednesday with County Executive Daniel McCoy and County Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen. All new inmates will be quarantined for 14 days before being allowed to move among the general population, Apple said. I cant keeping putting them in with everyone else or were restarting the clock every time, he said. The infected deputy is recovering and has minor symptoms, Apple said. But the positive diagnosis forced the county to quarantine nine other deputies and one civilian employee, putting a staffing strain on the department as the outbreak infects a constantly increasing number of Americans. Apple said 100 inmates with compromised immune systems or who showed signs of various illnesses were separated from other prisoners. Three inmates were being tested on Wednesday for COVID-19 after coming into contact with the sick deputy. Latest coronavirus-related cancellations, postponements The latest coronavirus numbers in NY Sign up for the Times Union coronavirus newsletter Full coronavirus coverage Jails and prisons are considered particularly susceptible to the virus because many inmates have compromised immune systems and it is difficult to practice recommended cleaning behaviors in a jail. Earlier this month all local jails in the area banned visitors amid fear of the virus' spread. Prisoners can use free video feeds to communicate with loved ones. Other local sheriffs said no deputies or inmates have test positive. They were taking precautions. Rensselaer County Sheriff Patrick Russo said he warned deputies who work highway and road patrol to limit the traffic stops and "unnecessary arrests" to avoid exposure. "All we try to do is basically contain our environment down there to be as safe as possible," Russo said of his jail. Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo said the jail has a plan if they need to quarantine prisoners. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Its important that I keep my staff healthy, including the correction officers, communications officers and the road patrols Zurlo said. We have lengthy plans in place in case, God forbid, (an outbreak) happens. The restrictions are complicating matters for local defense attorneys. Attorneys are allowed to visit clients only after completing a screening process conducted by medical staff at local jails. The meetings themselves are non-contact. Defense attorney Lee Kindlon said he already had one client, whom he declined to identify, request a bail hearing to get out of jail during the COVID-19 outbreak because he feared other inmates were getting sick. Were all trying to figure out how to deal with it, he said. Attorney Bill Roberts said he already had one bail hearing for a weapons charge case in Rensselaer County denied because it was not a high enough priority at the moment. If the virus got into one of the local jails, it would be decimated, he said. Roberts said that the Albany County Judicial Center was closed after the sheriff's deputy tested positive and all cases were being transfered to Rensselaer County. Meanwhile, cases were moving forward Kindlon said, adding that he had received two discovery packets from prosecutors in recent days. We do this job because we feel very deeply about the criminal justice system, he said. Were all trying to figure out how to make the criminal justice system work in this new paradigm. Reporters Massarah Mikati and Wendy Liberatore contributed to this report. The 80m concert and event centre proposed for Cork has cleared its final planning hurdle following the rejection of an appeal. An Bord Pleanala has upheld the decision made in October by Cork City Council to grant permission for the long-stalled project. However, a separate legal case challenging the 50m State funding package is still before the courts. In 2018, construction firm BAM lodged fresh plans for a 6,000-capacity events centre on the southern end of the former Beamish & Crawford brewery site. Cork City Council subsequently asked BAM to modify its proposal as it had serious concerns about the extent of dead frontage arising from the lack of live uses on South Main St. Following the submission of revised drawings, planners granted permission for the development. However, that decision was appealed to An Bord Pleanala by a third party who said the scale of the planned event centre was out of character for the city and would represent overdevelopment of the historic core of Cork. Bam has also appealed one of the conditions which directs it to make a special contribution of almost 1.7m towards the cost of two pedestrian bridges It has argued that the bridge at Crosses Green was already included in the city councils development plan. However, An Bord Pleanalas planning inspector disagreed. It is my view that the payment of a special contribution towards the construction of two pedestrian bridges from the site to Frenchs Quay and Crosses Green and public realm improvements at the western landings of both bridges and on South Main Street would be appropriate, they said. The planning inspector also said the event centre would not have a negative impact on the archaeological history of the site. The planning board granted permission for the development in line with the inspectors report. While planning permission is now in place, there remains a legal challenge to the States planned 50m investment in the project. Gleneagle Hotel (Killarney) Ltd, the owners of the Irish National Event Centre (INEC) in Killarney have sought court orders suspending the decision of Cork City Council to award the contract to Bam Contractors Ltd. They also want an order declaring the decision of the council was unlawful. Central to the case is the 50m in public funds now to be ploughed into the project. Cork City Council rejects all the allegations. The case is due to come before the Commercial Court in May. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden, who circled the moon alone in 1971 while his two crewmates test-drove the first lunar rover, died Wednesday at age 88. Worden died in his sleep at a rehab center in Houston following treatment for an infection, said friend and colleague Tom Kallman. Al was an American hero whose achievements in space and on Earth will never be forgotten, said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine in a statement. He also praised Worden for his appearances on Mister Rogers Neighborhood to explain his moon mission to children. Worden flew to the moon in 1971 along with David Scott and Jim Irwin. As command module pilot, Worden remained in lunar orbit aboard the Endeavour while Scott and Irwin descended to the surface and tried out NASAs first moon buggy. Scott is one of four moonwalkers still alive. Irwin died in 1991. Line of Grey, Be Thou at Peace! Godspeed Al, tweeted Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin, borrowing from their West Point alma mater. Once his moonwalking crewmates were back on board and headed home, Worden performed the first deep-space spacewalk nearly 200,000 miles (322,000 kilometers) from Earth. He inspected the service modules science instrument bay and retrieved film. His foray outside lasted just 38 minutes. Worden said of the mission: Now I know why Im here. Not for a closer look at the Moon, but to look back at our home, the Earth. Apollo 15 was Wordens only spaceflight. He was in NASAs fifth astronaut class, chosen in 1966. He retired from NASA in 1975 and went to work for a few aerospace companies. Of the 24 men who flew to the moon from 1968 through 1972, only 11 are still alive. Born and raised on a farm in Jackson, Michigan, Worden graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1955 and was commissioned in the Air Force. He attended test pilot school. As I was growing up, aviation was not really something that was foremost in my mind, Worden said in a 2000 oral history for NASA. From the age of 12 on, I basically ran the farm, did all the field work, milked the cows, did all that until I left for college. While in the Air Force, I began to realize that flying was kind of my game. It was a thing that I was very attuned to. Going to the moon was like flying an airplane, Worden said in the NASA oral history. Its a skill that you learn. It takes some knowledge. It takes some analytical ability if something goes wrong, but outside of that its like driving a car. Working as a senior aerospace scientist at NASAs Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California, after the flight was more intellectually stimulating, he noted. In his 2011 book Falling to Earth: An Apollo 15 Astronauts Journey to the Moon, Worden wrote that NASA was leery about young children watching a rocket launch and so he called Fred Rogers in Pittsburgh. Worden, the father of three daughters, ended up doing a special show. It was so outside of what most astronauts did, many thought I was crazy. Astronauts liked to think they were super jocks who hunted, fished, drank, and chased girls. We didnt do kiddies shows. A list of childrens questions eventually led to Wordens 1974 book for children I Want to Know about a Flight to the Moon. After returning from the moon, all three Apollo 15 astronauts became embroiled in a controversy over a few hundred stamped postal covers that flew with them to the moon. The astronauts planned to sell them to help pay for their childrens education, Worden said in the NASA oral history. Worden said he assumed the stamped covers were on the official flight manifest, but wasnt sure now that they ever were. All this resulted in quite a flap. None of the three ever flew in space again. He blamed NASA management. Some senator or some congressman asked the question, and they caved under right away and tried to get rid of us, he said in the oral history. Nobody stood up for us. Nobody. Worden sued the U.S. government in 1983 and got his covers back. We probably didnt do the smartest thing in the world, but we didnt do anything that was illegal, he said. We didnt do anything that anybody else hadnt done, but the consequences were rather severe to us. Worden most recently worked with Kallman, a New Jersey businessman, on promoting science, engineering and math education, as well as providing scholarships for international young people to attend Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. That foundation lives on and he lives on through it as well, Kallman said. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Correction: Saint Vincent Hospital did not run out of tests Wednesday. At a news conference, Dr. Hirsh incorrectly stated Saint Vincent Hospital ran out of tests. --------------------- The city of Worcester now has a fourth case of COVID-19, officials announced Wednesday. City Manager Edward Agustus Jr. said that a fourth person has been diagnosed, marking one additional case since Wednesday. COVID-19 is a respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus. Across Massachusetts, there are 256 cases. Worcester County has 10 cases, the state Department of Health said earlier Wednesday. There are two people who work in Worcester but live in other communities who have tested positive, Augustus said. Were just in the early phase of this in Worcester, said Director of Public Health Dr. Michael Hirsh on Wednesday, noting that he expects the number of cases the city is reporting each day to rise. Hirsh said there is a lag time between the time a test is collected and when the result is reported. I think the cases are already here we just havent necessarily gotten the testing to document it, he said. Both UMass Memorial Medical Center and Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester are now using drive-up testing for some patients, said Hirsh, who is a UMass Memorial physician. Saint Vincent Hospital verified that it did not run out of tests on Wednesday. At a press conference earlier Wednesday, Hirsh incorrectly said the hospital had run out of tests. However, a limited supply of test kits has been a concern in communities across the state. Now that were accessing private labs, I think the access is going to be better but its not perfect, Hirsh said. Saint Vincent is using an outside lab and I think what they were very surprised about was the amount of people that came in today. The community will likely continue to see shortages of testing, Hirsh said. Thats one of the highest priority things that the Mass. Department of Public Health and the CDC are going to try to do is get us the kind of consignments of these tests that will reduce those drastically, he said. Earlier Wednesday, Gov. Charlie Baker announced that daycares will be closed as of Monday. Hirsh said that was a timely decision. The data thats coming out of Italy and Spain seems to show that although the children, fortunately, are not getting sick with this virus, they are casting the virus through their feces, so the diaper changes that young parents are doing are exposing the millennials and slightly older folk to the virus, he said. I think thats really why we want to kind of limit the traffic through these daycare centers and the amount of exposure. Related Content: Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 17, 2020 | LYON COUNTY By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 17, 2020 | 09:19 PM | LYON COUNTY A Princeton man was arrested on drug and other charges after officers responded to a trespassing complaint in Lyon County. On Monday, the Lyon County Sheriff's Office responded to a trespassing complaint off of KY 93 about 11 miles south of Eddyville. The property owner led deputies to the suspect, who was digging on the property. The suspect, 37-year-old Joshua Issac Fowler of Princeton, reportedly told deputies that he was digging up an earthquake fault line. Deputies said Fowler appeared to be under the influence of an intoxicating substance and did not have permission to be on the property. He was initially placed under arrest for trespassing. A search allegedly revealed a bag of suspected methamphetamine in his clothing. Fowler was charged with third degree criminal trespassing, first degree possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine), and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was lodged in the Christian County Jail. At the time of his arrest, Fowler was out of jail on bond for two felony cases and one misdemeanor out of Caldwell County. In view of the novel coronavirus outbreak, IIT Bombay has announced a virtual shutdown of its campus at Powai here till March 31. In the Tuesday night decision, the IIT-B decided to ask students to vacate hostels by March 20 evening. "An emergency meeting of all heads of departments and other academic and administrative units was called on Tuesday to take stock of the situation on the campus, arising out of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country. "This was particularly needed in view of the increasingly stringent measures being taken by MCGM (Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai) and the state administration, to control the spread of the virus," said an official statement issued by Subhasis Chaudhuri, Director, Indian Institute of Technology B. An IIT-B official said while the total intake of students is 11,000, many of them have already left the campus for various reasons. "All academic activities of the Institute including research will be effectively closed till March 31," he said. The statement said that since all departments will remain closed, students will not be allowed to enter the departments and academic areas. "All laboratories and the Central Library will also remain closed," the director said, adding that nobody will be allowed to enter or exit the premises from March 21 onwards. However, the institute has made some exemptions. "Students in special circumstances because of which they cannot proceed home (international students and students having medical and other emergencies) must take special permission from the Dean (SA) to continue to remain in the hostel. Limited messing facilitates may be available for such students whose stay is approved," Chaudhari added. Maharashtra has reported total 42 COVID-19 cases as on Wednesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The USNS Comfort hospital ship, which has 1,000 beds on board, is sailing to New York harbour to help the state treat Covid-19 patients. New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced the news at his daily press conference on Wednesday, saying it would go some way to addressing the lack of hospital beds available for coronavirus cases. Its literally a floating hospital, Mr Cuomo said, calling it an "extraordinary step". Besides the 1,000 hospital beds, the ship also includes 12 fully-equipped operating rooms, a pharmacy, medical laboratory, and helicopter decks for transport. The move comes as many cities and states across the US have raised concerns about the impact of the coronavirus on healthcare facilities. Mr Cuomo said New York anticipates it will need another 50,000 hospital beds in order to properly treat those who will become infected. The governor is also working with the federal government to create mobile hospitals across the state, he said. The Army Corps of Engineers is expected to build field hospitals in select locations. New York state currently has 53,000 hospital beds and 3,000 ICU beds. The number of coronavirus cases in New York is anticipated to peak in 45 days, at which point an estimated 55,000 to 110,000 patients could be hospitalised and 18,600 to 37,200 could need an ICU bed in the state alone, according to experts. There is also an issue with the number of ventilators currently available across the state. New York has 3,000 ventilators at the moment, but it will require an estimated 37,000 to meet demand. Coronavirus cases rose in the US to over 7,000 confirmed and 117 dead, as of Wednesday morning. 18.03.2020 LISTEN Some past residents of Commonwealth Hall at the University of Ghana have demanded that the Appeals Committee of the NPP overturns the disqualification of Bernard Oduro Takyi. The group, describing Mr Oduros disqualification as "mafia, barbaric, cruel, barbarous and uncivilised" claim the vetting committee in the Bono Region gave no reason for disqualifying him. The Vandals said in a statement that the disgruntled aspirant in the Sunyani West Constituency met all criteria set by the NPP to run for as parliamentary candidate on the partys ticket. The aspirant, according to the Vandals he has served the party in various capacities including a being a Polling Agent for the NPP for 2008, 2012 and 2016 Elections, a Polling Station Chairman from 2012-2017, a Zonal Executive from 2012 till date (Kwatire-Adantia Zone). He was also the Lead Petitioner and Plaintiff for the NPP Assemblymember caucus court case in 2015. Bernard Oduro Takyi popularly known as Bernardo has over the year serve the NPP in his fullest capacity, the Vandals claim. The unhappy Vandals are demanding an urgent justice be given to one of their own so he can contest in the upcoming primaries and for the Committee to allow free and fairgrounds for the Primaries at Sunyani West and across the country. The Vandals say they would among others proceed to demonstrate at Sunyani West Constituency against the NPP candidate that will be presented, should their demand be ignored. We will also close all our doors for all NPP activities within and outside Commonwealth Hall, University of Ghana, they wrote. The NPP primaries, is meanwhile, scheduled to come off in April. TORRINGTON The Northwest Connecticut Arts Council is working in collaboration with the Connecticut Office of the Arts and Americans for the Arts, to collect data on the economic impact of the COVID-19 virus on arts and cultural organizations, according to a statement. The data, officials say, will help the arts council advocate for stimulus funding. Steph Burr, the newly appointed executive director, said she is taking a proactive approach. In terms of AOK Cabaret, We serve the nonprofit community so theyre all cancelling their events, which is what we do for them, Feldman reported. And our biggest fundraiser of this half of the fiscal year is supposed to be next month. It will probably have to get cancelled or at least postponed and thats going to present a bit of a cash shortage for us. Were a tiny organization with a tiny budget so every little bit of interruption in our cash flow hurts. Armenian News - NEWS.am presents a daily digest of top news as of 18.03.2020: The number of coronavirus cases climbed to 102 in Armenia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during an interview with Shant television. Meantime, Armenian PM noted on Wednesday that 444 people are quarantined in Armenia, and we have urged 799 people to self-quarantine. By the way, 500 people working at sewing company self-isolated after one of the workers tested positive for coronavirus, epidemiologist of the health ministry Lusine Paronyan said on Tuesday. All people who were in contact with the patients with coronavirus are either in Tsakhkadzor or in Dilijan, she said. A patient has died in Yerevan who was diagnosed with pulmonary edema, double pneumonia, respiratory insufficiency, Armenian health ministry spokesperson Alina Nikoghosyan wrote on her Facebook. According to her, the patient has tested negative for coronavirus. As the PM, in his turn, noted the patient aged 49 and given the current situation it is necessary to state that the death of the person has nothing to do with coronavirus. Meanwhile, the Artsakh health ministry informs that no case of coronavirus infection has been reported so far in the republic. Test samples were taken from 13 Artsakh citizens, and all the results were negative. By the way, over 200,000 coronavirus cases have been reported globally as of Wednesday. The death toll is over 8,000. The lawyer of the Armenian 2nd president Robert Kocharyan, Aram Orbelyan, has filed a lawsuit against the country's PM Nikol Pashinyan. Sedrak Asatryan, the director of the Concern Dialogue CJSC, said that the reason was the unverified statements made by Pashinyan at a meeting with the YES campaign in Kajaran against the company's senior partner, lawyer Aram Orbelyan. According to Pashinyan, the lawyer allegedly was in the Constitutional Court several times when the CC was considering the case on March 1. Aram Orbelyan appealed to the court with a demand to refute the statement and to compensate for moral damage. World-renowned musician and composer Serj Tankian has called out New Zealand FM Winston Peters reported appeasement of denialist Turkey. The FM, who also serves as the countrys Deputy PM, released a letter to MPs reiterating New Zealands position on the Armenian Genocide, which was defining it as a tragedy rather than genocide. "There are dances around the word genocide because Turkey does not want nations to use that word, Tankian has earlier told New Zealands Newshub. F or the first time in its 64 year history, the Eurovision Song Contest has been cancelled. The 2020 competition, which was meant to take place in Rotterdam in May, has now been postponed until 2021. News of the songs contest cancellation first came from an Israeli news station, before an official announcement was released by the European Broadcasting Union today. "It is with deep regret that we have to announce the cancellation of the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam," the statement reads. Cancelled: James Newman was meant to represent the UK in Rotterdam for 2020 / Victor Frankowski / Eurovision "Over the past few weeks we have explored many alternative options to allow the Eurovision Song Contest to go ahead. "However, with the uncertainty created by the spread of Covid-19 throughout Europe - and the restrictions put in place by the governments of the participating broadcasters and the Dutch authorities - means the European Broadcasting Union has taken the difficult decision that it is impossible to continue with the live event as planned. "We would ask people to bear with us while we work through the ramifications of this unprecedented position and patiently await any further news in the coming days and weeks." Songwriter James Newman was meant to represent the United Kingdom in Eurovision 2020 with his ballad My Last Breath. The news comes after coronavirus cases soared worldwide, with Europe being called the epicentre of the outbreak. Currently, the UK has 1950 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 71 patients having died from the disease. Eurovision: Past Winners - In pictures 1 /14 Eurovision: Past Winners - In pictures 2019 Duncan Laurence of the Netherlands AP 2018 Netta Barzilai, Israel AFP/Getty Images 2017 Salvador Sobral, Portugal Getty Images 2016 Jamala, Ukraine AFP/Getty Images 2015 Mans Zelmerloew, Sweden Getty Images 2014 Conchita Wurst, Austria Getty Images 2013 Emmelie de Forest, Denmark Getty Images 2012 Loreen, Sweden Getty Images 2011 Ell and Nikki, Azerbaijan Getty Images 2010 Lena, Germany Getty Images 2019 Alexander Rybak, Sweden Getty Images Prime Minister Boris Johnson has now warned against mass gatherings, asking the public to avoid pubs, clubs and theatres in a bid to curb the outbreak. Downing Street is now having daily televised briefings to keep the UK public informed about the next steps at battling coronavirus. Several showbiz events have now been cancelled or postponed following the rapid outbreak of Covid-19. A series of television programmes have seen production suspended for the foreseeable future, while a number of blockbusters, such as No Time to Die, Mulan and New Mutants all being delayed until at least Autumn. The second choice in the betting, Buttermilk Hanover clung to a narrow victory in the $10,500 Fillies and Mares Preferred 2 Pace at The Raceway at Western Fair District on Tuesday (March 17), a night where the evenings total handle reached near-record levels. Landing on the front past a :28.1 first quarter, Buttermilk Hanover endured slight first-over pressure from Top Royal heading to a :58.1 half and through three-quarters in 1:26.4. Casimir Swamp Girl meanwhile raced from the pocket, waiting for room moving into the stretch. Buttermilk Hanover began to drift from the pegs approaching the finish, giving Casimir Swamp Girl an opening to dash through as Top Royal faltered from contention. At the finish Buttermilk Hanover kept a head in front of Casimir Swamp Girl in a 1:56.2 mile while Top Royal and Sirius Star hit the line together to finish third in a dead heat. A seven-year-old mare by Badlands Hanover, Buttermilk Hanover won her fifth race from 10 starts this season and her 28th from 136 overall, earning $351,065. Melissa Lamoureux conditions the $4.50 winner for owners 8113564 Canada Ltd. And Jeffrey Boyd. Robert Shepherd sat in the sulky. Wagering on the Tuesday program totaled $770,494 through 10 races. The figure comes shy of the handle record set on Dec. 31, 2019 when wagering totaled $795,590. However wagering on the Tuesday card topped the previous handle record set on Dec. 23, 2016 when wagering totaled $765,685 through 16 races. The heightened handle also comes at a time when several racetracks have closed their meets temporarily as a precautionary measure against the spreading of the novel coronavirus. Dover Downs, The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and Yonkers Raceway were among the regularly-racing tracks suspended. Only Pompano Park and Northfield Park ran their race cards on Tuesday evening. In the evenings co-feature, a $9,400 Fillies and Mares Preferred 3 Pace, Cousin Mary cruised to the lead late to score as the favourite in 2:05.2 going an added distance. Away fourth through a :27.4 first quarter, Cousin Mary angled off the pylons to follow cover from Alyssa Marie moving to a :58.4 half. Alyssa Marie advanced towards pacesetter Maddys Credit heading towards three-quarters in 1:27.3 and took a slight lead turning into the stretch, but Cousin Mary began to charge off the helmet. Through the stretch Cousin Mary grabbed an clung to the lead as Insincerity rallied from fifth to snag second, finishing three-quarter lengths off the winner. Pocket-sitter Casino Classic took third. Owned by trainer Jeffrey Williamson, Cousin Mary won her second race from nine starts this season and her 31st from 121 overall, earning $436,663. Daryl Thiessen sat behind the seven-year-old Camluck mare who paid $4.50 to win. To view Tuesday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Tuesday Results - Western Fair Raceway. The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has held its Inaugural Joseph Siaw Agyepong Distinguished Lecture on Public Health in Africa. This is in honour of the Founder and Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong for his initiatives, contributions to, and impact on the Public Health Sector in Ghana. The inaugural lecture was delivered by Dr. John Nkengasong, Director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under the African Union, with a call on African leaders and health experts for a new public Health order in Africa, that looks at the totality of the dynamics of the Public Health Delivery in Africa. He said a new order in Public in Africa calls for the Strengthening Systems for Health and Health Systems, through the strengthening of African Public Health Institutions and the capacity of African Public Health workforce as well as encouraging local manufacturing of essential drugs that makes medication cheaper and easily accessible to citizens of the continent. Dr Nkengasong who also served as the acting deputy principal director of the Center for Global Health, United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Chief of the International Laboratory Branch, Division of Global HIV and TB of the same institution, called for an enhanced Culture of Data through Acquisition, Warehousing, Use, and Sharing of such data. He also called for the Development of Public Private Philanthropic Partnership in the sector to provide more investment in national Public Health institutions to proffer lasting and sustainable solutions to Africas Public Health problems. Dr Nkengasong, hinted on some of the measures being put in place by the Centres for Disease control and other health institutions in preparation to contain the looming dangers of the Covid 19 pandemic on the continent including a Multi-Sectoral Enhanced Surveillance Training as well as Risk Communication among others. In his introductory remarks, Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong expressed his appreciation to the Harvard Center for African Studies which initiated the lectures through the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the Harvard Medical School to provide a platform for dedicated health experts from many disciplines to share their work and experience in the field. There is a strong correlation between public health and economic development. In other words, a countrys economic development depends on the health of its peopleIf we dont take the health of the people seriously, we jeopardize the development of the country. It is no secret that using sanitation alone to predict life expectancy has about 77% accuracy, Dr Siaw Agyapong remarked. He enumerated some of the interventions his companies have made in ensuring the prevention of sanitation related diseases and improving air quality mainly in Ghana and other parts of African. These include solid and liquid waste collection and treatment, as well as the dredging of major drains in Ghana which has gone a long way to resolved age-old environmental sanitation problems and improved the quality of life in the affected communities. Dr Agyepong commended the President of the Republic of Ghana H. E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his commitment to Environmental Sanitation and for creating the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources to deal with Sanitation issues and subsequently improve Public Health. It is my passion for public health that drove me to endow this lecture series on public health in Africa, it is my firm beilief that this lecture and subsequent ones, will educate new generations of global health leaders, and contribute to finding lasting and sustainable solutions to improve the health and wellbeing of Africans. Professor Emmanuel Akyeampong, the Oppenheimer Director of the Harvard University Center for African Studies commended Dr. Joseph Agyepong for being a strong supporter of the Center for African Studies and the work you do in Ghana that influences public health as well as supporting this lecture, which will bring great thought leaders on the topic of public health in Africa and ensuring that Africa is at the front and center of global public health conversations taking place at the university. Professor Michelle A. Williams, Dean of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health noted that while great strides have been made in prevention, detection, and containment of existing and emerging diseases, we know that our health care systems are still alarmingly vulnerable. Thats true in the wealthiest and most developed places on earthand even more so in places with limited, disjointed, or overburdened health care systems. Recent pandemics underscore the urgent imperative of a sweeping, coordinated response between governments, international organizations, NGOs, and the broader public health community. That means building stronger public health systems that can detect and contain diseases. It also means better coordination across local governmentsand national ones too. And it will mean accelerating research and development into diagnostic tools, vaccines, and treatments, she added. HARVARD UNIVERSITY HONOURS DR JOSEPH SIAW AGYEPONG In another development the Harvard University presented a Veritas Key to Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong inducting him into the Veritas Society. The Veritas Society is a group of Harvards most generous alumni and friends. Dr. Margot Gill, the University Marshal on behalf of Harvard University presented him with a silver key inspired by the original set of keys given to Harvard in 1846 and designed exclusively for the members of the Veritas Society. She said it is a unique keepsake that I hope will allow you to fondly reflect on your Harvard experience and feel proud of the important role you play in ensuring that Harvard continues to be a place of discovery for people leading positive change in the world and in Africa. Earlier, Dr. Agyepong signed the official Visitation Book at the office of the University Marshal, a book signed by sitting Presidents and Distinguished visitors to the School. 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 On Tuesday afternoon, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters that city residents should prepare themselves for a shelter in place order within the next 48 hours. The order couldve included only being allowed to leave your home for necessary trips, like getting groceries or going to the doctor, or limiting commuting to essential workers. It would be a much more drastic approach to curbing the spread of COVID-19 in the city, where schools, museums, gyms and bars have already been closed. New Yorkers should be prepared right now for the possibility of a shelter in place order, de Blasio said during a press conference. Its gotten to the point where a decision has to be made very soon. The mayor said that the consideration of this extreme measure came after the citys number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 814 on Tuesday. By Wednesday afternoon that number climbed up to 1,339. However, Gov. Andrew Cuomo quickly responded to de Blasios announcement during an appearance on NY1 on Tuesday, saying that only he could enact such an order and that he is not considering that option at this time. Theres not going to be any quarantines where we contain people in an area or block people from an area, Cuomo said. Theres not going to be any you must stay in your house rule, because again that will just cause people to go somewhere else and that would be counterproductive. Its true that only Cuomo has the ability to enact a shelter in place order. Thanks to legislation passed on March 3 that expanded his executive powers, Cuomo can make any directive, or order, that he wants during the current state of emergency. The bills language states that Cuomo can override any local law, ordinance, order, rule or regulation that he deems necessary. On Wednesday morning, Cuomo reiterated that the state will not be approving any shelter in place orders during an appearance on The New York Times The Daily podcast. That is not going to happen, shelter in place, for New York City, the governor said. For 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. On Wednesday morning, de Blasio also acknowledged that the state would have the final say in the matter, during an appearance on the radio show Ebro in the Morning. However, the mayor also said, We have to take shelter in place very seriously as an option because this disease is bearing down on us. Confining the citys 8.6 million residents to their homes would be quite an undertaking, and its unclear what restrictions would be placed on the citys residents as of now. However, the city and state can look to San Francisco, which announced a shelter in place order on Monday, as a model of what they could do in the future. San Franciscos order states that its residents should not leave their homes unless it is absolutely essential. This includes outings to pick up groceries, see a doctor, pick up medicine or other necessary errands. However, San Franciscans are allowed to go outside for exercise as long as they stay 6 feet away from other people. Residents that work for the city, as well as health care workers, will be able to go to work as normal. With this order in place, you will still be able to get food, care for relatives, run necessary errands and conduct the essential parts of your life, Dr. Grant Colfax, director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health said. You will still be able to walk your dog or go on a hike alone or with someone you live with or even with another person as long as you keep 6 feet between you. Nonessential businesses, such as bars, gyms and retail shops, will also be forced to close, and restaurants will only be able to offer takeout or delivery. And any violation of the order could result in a misdemeanor charge. Kathmandu [Nepal], Mar 18 (ANI): Nepal on Wednesday imposed restriction on the entry of all arrivals and transit flights from Europe, West Asia, and the Middle East in a bid to contain the rapid spread of the coronavirus pandemic. A high-level committee formed under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister Ishwor Pokhrel pondered over implementing measures to prevent the killer bug from infecting more people in the Himalayan nation. "All the passengers from European nations, East Asia and Middle East countries, such as Iran, Turkey, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and those having transit in them (nations) from wherever their flight originates would be prohibited entry starting from mid-night of 20th March, 2020 to 15th April, 2020. Information regarding it will be disseminated by the Nepali missions and other concerned bodies abroad," the Committee said. The Government of Nepal has already announced the closure of venues including theaters, fitness centers, and sporting grounds, which draws a large number of people till April 30 to prevent possible infection. Nepal, so far, has confirmed only one case of infection in January who has been completely cured of the infection. At least 7,529 people globally have died from COVID-19, as the illness is officially known, while more than 180,000 infections have been confirmed in at least 150 countries and territories, according to the World Health Organization. (ANI) Rishi Sunak announces USD 400 billion package to help UK businesses battle COVID-19 Finance minister Rishi Sunak with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Photo courtesy: Facebook/Rishi Sunak Indian-origin finance minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak on Tuesday unveiled a USD 400 billion package of loans for virus-hit businesses in the nation. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that Britain needed to act "like any wartime government". The announcement follows the previous declaration of 30 billion pound in state aid for firms and individuals affected by the COVID-19 outbreak at last week's budget. Sunak said the new measures were equivalent to 15 percent of the GDP and were available to "any business that needs access to cash". Also read: UK cracks down with enhanced measures to fight COVID-19 The minister also announced extended business rates relief for all firms in the hospitality sector and funding grants of between GBP 10,000 and GBP 25,000 for small businesses. Mortgage lenders will also offer a three-month holiday for people in financial difficulty due to the virus. Johnson also announced in Parliament on Wednesday that his government would put forward measures to help protect private renters from eviction. He added that the government will avoid "pass(ing) on the problem" by "taking steps to protect other actors in the economy". Limits on grocery store purchases Supermarkets in the UK are introducing limits on purchases to help prevent panic buying and stockpiling. Like most retailers, we've seen a heightened demand for products in stores and online. From today, customers will ONLY be able to buy up to three of any product across all food items, toiletries and cleaning products. Find out more: https://t.co/5HbDu3eYn9 pic.twitter.com/s69KuL9HzX Asda (@asda) March 18, 2020 Sainsbury's and Asda have both reportedly said that each shopper can only buy three of any particular food item. Sainsbury's has also said it will prioritise vulnerable and elderly people for online deliveries. We have listened to feedback from you and from Sainsburys colleagues across the country and wanted to share some of the extra steps we are taking to make sure everyone has access to the items that they need pic.twitter.com/jRoCLm6CXt Sainsbury's (@sainsburys) March 18, 2020 Asda has said the purchase limit will also apply to cleaning and toiletry products. Aldi has limited purchases to four items per shopper on all products. Morrisons has said it will expand its online delivery service. Tesco and Boots have set limits on popular items like pasta, tissues and hand sanitiser. Warren County officials announced Wednesday evening the second positive case of the growing coronavirus pandemic. The 49-year-old male from Lopatcong Township was treated by his private physician, and is recuperating at home, the county said in a new release. The countys first COVID-19 patient was revealed earlier Wednesday to be a 56-year-old Mansfield Township man who had traveled overseas three weeks ago. That patient, too, was recuperating at home and said to be doing well. The Warren County Health Department is diligently working to respond to this statewide outbreak, and we want our residents to know the health and wellbeing of Warren County residents is our top priority, Pete Summers, Warren County's health officer, says in the release. New Jersey officials on Wednesday reported at least 427 cases of the coronavirus as the states death toll from the virus increased to five. The Lehigh Valley on Wednesday was reported to have Pennsylvanias first death from the virus that began spreading in December in Wuhan, China, and is now a global threat. Carmine Fusco, 55, was being treated in Northampton County and is the second person from one New Jersey family to have died after being infected with the coronavirus, the familys attorney confirmed Wednesday. He was a horse racing trainer from New Jersey. Pennsylvania on Wednesday reported 37 new positive tests for the COVID-19 illness, putting the state at 133 total cases. The Warren County Health Department is encouraging residents to practice social distancing, which includes avoiding crowded public places, maintaining about 6 feet of distance from others when possible and practicing hand washing. People at higher risk of getting sick from COVID-19 include adults over 60 years old, and people who have serious medical conditions including heart or lung disease, diabetes, cancer or who may be immunocompromised. If you are at higher risk of getting sick, you can take the following precautions: Stay home as much as possible, avoid unnecessary events and gatherings. Stock up on food and medication. Be sure to have at least two weeks of household items and groceries on hand so that you will be prepared to stay home for an extended period of time. Take everyday precautions. Stay home when you are sick. Avoid close contact with those who are sick. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Cover your coughs or sneezes with a tissue or into your sleeve. Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. Patients with COVID-19 have reported mild to severe symptoms which may occur two to 14 days after being exposed. The symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath. If you are sick, or think you have been exposed to COVID-19, call your doctor before visiting so that they can protect themselves and other patients from the spread of disease. Be sure to mention any recent travel history. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email him. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. But, as we understand life better, we figure out that no one can really love someone just enough, nor cry but not too often, nor play but not too rough. (Im not touching the tender distance line right now.) Thats because we can never predict what lies ahead for us, or how we will change, or how life will change us. This is a song that understands the crucial role of humility and vulnerability in love, maybe better than any song ever written. Description GIS 18 March 2020: The first Ministerial meeting of the Task Force for the celebrations of the festivals of Shab-E-Barat and Ramadan 2020, was held, yesterday afternoon, at the Lunch Room of the National Assembly, in Port Louis. The meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister Minister of Defence, Home Affairs and External Communications, Minister for Rodrigues, Outer Islands and Territorial Integrity, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth. The Task Force aims at ensuring the smooth running of the festivals and that these take place in the best possible conditions. In addition, the different representatives from government bodies and those from different sociocultural associations were given a platform to share their propositions to that end. Around 200 participants coming from 90 Muslim sociocultural associations as well as representatives from the CEB, CWA, RDA, and the Police Force, were present. In a statement after the meeting, the Prime Minister, remarked that Government is receptive to proposals made by sociocultural associations and that the authorities will prioritise issues raised and bring in improvement so that these festivals are held effortlessly. Speaking about the novel Coronavirus, Prime Minister Jugnauth stated that the Covid-19 is an inevitable virus, and, representatives of sociocultural associations have demonstrated their goodwill to collaborate in raising awareness among the population with regards to preventive measures to be adopted to counter its propagation. In addition, he observed, these associations have a far reach and have many members, and thus, it is easier for them to communicate to citizens in terms of good habits to espouse as well as pay heed to health-related advice. The Prime Minister moreover expressed satisfaction that Mauritians are becoming aware of the gravity of the situation with regards to Covid-19. Shab-E-Barat or Barat Night, is a Muslim holiday celebrated on the 14th night of the month of Sha'aban, the eighth month of the Islamic calendar. It commemorates the entry of the Prophet Muhammad into the city of Mecca. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community. The fast begins at dawn and ends at sunset. Government Information Service, Prime Ministers Office, Level 6, New Government Centre, Port Louis, Mauritius. Email: gis@govmu.org Website: http://gis.govmu.org Mobile App: Search Gov Canadian officials are asking passengers who flew on Delta Airlines flight 4212, which landed at the Upper Peninsulas Chippewa County International Airport on March 15, to self-isolate for 14 days after a woman tested positive for the coronavirus. According to Algoma Public Health, a woman in her 50s who returned to Algoma on March 15, developed respiratory symptoms and notified Algoma Public Health on March 16. APH facilitated EMS transportation to Sault Area Hospital for testing the same day. Following testing, the patient was discharged home where she remains in self-isolation, following public health guidance and monitoring, APH reports. RELATED: Trump says U.S.-Canada border will be shut down to all non-essential crossings Given the transmission of the virus around the world, having a confirmed case in our region is not unexpected, said Dr. Jennifer Loo, Associate Medical Officer of Health. Across Algoma communities, our health professionals and partners across all sectors have been preparing for COVID-19. Now, more than ever, we are asking all Algoma citizens to help prevent the spread of this virus, especially through the use of social distancing measures. Any Algoma resident who flew on Delta 4212 into Chippewa County International Airport on March 15, at approximately 10:45 p.m., are asked to contact Algoma Public Health or their local public health authority. 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: Trump tells Treasury Secretary to send checks to Americans, We have to do this now White House to propose $850B stimulus with tax cut for workers to combat coronavirus economic effects Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus Coronavirus worries close Social Security offices across Michigan These U.S. retailers temporarily closed to impede spread of coronavirus Detroit buses stop running when drivers dont show up over coronavirus concerns Timeline of coronavirus in Michigan: How did we get here? Karnataka to undertake Triaging: What does it mean and how do you pronounce it India's total coronavirus cases reaches 147; nearly 8,000 deaths globally India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Mar 18: In the first case of the coronavirus in the Indian Army, a 34-year-old soldier has tested positive for the infection in Leh, army sources said on Wednesday as the the total number of cases in India rose to 147. Meanwhile, the global death toll due to the coronavirus reached over 7,400, while the total number of infected people across the globe crosses 1,79,000 mark. The soldier, a resident of Chuhot village in Leh, came in contact with his father, who had returned from a pilgrimage in Iran by an Air India flight on February 20 and tested positive for COVID-19. He is currently in quarantine at the Ladakh Heart Foundation since February 29. Before being quarantined, the soldier's father had met the family members. World is at war with coronavirus and we will win: Donald Trump The soldier was on leave from February 25 and rejoined duty on March 2, sources said, adding he was quarantined on March 7 and tested positive on March 16. Even the soldier's brother has tested positive, sources said. The soldier has been isolated at the Sonam Nurboo Memorial (SNM) Hospital. His sister, wife and two children are also quarantined at SNM Heart Foundation. "Even though the soldier had rejoined duty, he was helping his family during his father's quarantine period and stayed at Chuchot village for some time," they said. Sources said all those who have come in contact with the soldier have been quaratined but did not give the exact numbers immediately. According to health officials, the total number of novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 147 with 10 fresh cases reported from various parts of the country. The cases include 25 foreign nationals and the three persons who died in Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra, officials. 34-year-old Army jawan in Leh tests positive for coronavirus, say sources In India, Maharashtra tops the list with 42 confirmed cases and one death so far, while in Kerala, the number of confirmed cases reached 29, including 3 people who were cured for the COVID-19. The first confirmed case was also reported in Haryana, where a 29-year-old woman in 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. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 18, 2020, 10:59 [IST] 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. FALLS CHURCH, Va., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- GTL, a leader in transformative corrections technology that improves outcomes for inmates and facilities, today announced that the Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is leveraging technology for the benefit of its incarcerated population and making it easier for inmates to participate in education courses and instruction. "Our facility offers a variety of programs to help inmates improve their situations and hopefully see better outcomes upon release," said Chief Ralph Fernandez. "Our partnership with GTL was the next logical step in providing increased opportunities for the inmates housed at our facility. Through GTL tablets, they can access the courses of their choosing, at no cost, and learn at their own pace. Once they finish a course, they earn a certificate to show their completion. With such a wide variety of topics and applications available, inmates can easily move from basic skills to GED prep to job qualifications." Bernalillo County implemented a variety of educational programs, including courses focused on both personal and professional development. Inmates can complete courses in math, literacy, social studies, and other educational disciplines, or instead focus on personal development with courses such as "Interpersonal Communication: Communicating with Confidence" and "Self-improvement for Lifelong Success." Inmates also have access to the Peace Education Program from The Prem Rawat Foundation, which helps participants discover a renewed sense of purpose, including how to use their own inner resources and lead more fulfilling lives. "Rehabilitation doesn't happen just because of education or just because of personal development," continued Fernandez. "The combination of both personal and professional development programs allows inmates to gain the basic knowledge they need to succeed out in the world and hold down a job while also improving their attitudes and outlook." Inmates will have access to the secure CareerOneStop ReEntry app through the tablets, which will provide a full range of job tools, resources, and information to help inmates map out their post-incarceration lives. CareerOneStop helps identify the jobs that are best suited to a person's skills and interests and provides information on the job, required training and education, and expected wages. The app also identifies any work restrictions that an inmate might have due to their conviction. "GTL believes preparing individuals for reentry begins the moment they enter the facility," said Matthew Caesar, GTL Executive Vice President, Customer Solutions. "Our mission is to connect incarcerated individuals with the necessary resources and tools to positively impact and fuel successful reentry. Offering access to free educational programs is one way that we do that. We also made the decision late last year to add eBooks to the educational and workforce development content that is available at no charge because these items have a positive impact on rehabilitation. Bernalillo County is paving a progressive path in order to achieve better outcomes for their incarcerated individuals, and GTL is honored to be part of it." About GTL GTL leads the fields of corrections technology, education, and intelligence, as well as government payment services, with visionary solutions that integrate seamlessly to deliver security, financial value, and operational efficiencies while aiding inmate rehabilitation. As a trusted industry leader, GTL provides services to over 1.6 million inmates in more than 2,300 correctional facilities in the United States and Canada, including 29 U.S. departments of corrections, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons. GTL is headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, with an employee presence throughout North America. To learn more about GTL, please visit www.gtl.net or social media sites on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Press Contact: Randy Brown 703-215-5383 [email protected] SOURCE GTL Related Links http://www.gtl.net Update: A third man has been arrested by gardai investigating a robbery and the death of a woman in south Dublin last week. In a statement, gardai said: "The man in his 20s is currently detained at Dundrum Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984." Earlier: Two men have been arrested after a robbery and the death of a woman in south Dublin last week. She was hit by a car being used as a getaway vehicle. On March 10, an armed robbery took place at a shop in Barnhill Road in Dalkey. The raiders threatened staff and made off with the contents of the till. Three men fled the scene and, when making their escape, they knocked down two women in Avondale Road, Killiney. 54-year-old Jacqueline McGovern died. She was a Special Needs Assistant at a Dun Laoghaire school. The other woman, aged 51, was brought to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Today, gardai arrested two men in their 20s as part of the investigation. They are being held in Garda stations in south Dublin where they can be detained for up to 12 hours. UP: Elections not won on exit polls basis, results will be surprising: Kamal Nath Will go to Bengaluru if needed: Kamal Nath on rebel MLAs India pti-PTI Bhopal, Mar 18: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister is mulling to go to Bengaluru to meet 16 rebel MLAs currently staying at a resort there, as his government is on a shaky ground following the resignation of these and six more legislators. Talking to reporters here in response to a query, Nath said, 'If needed I will also go to Bengaluru.' Nath's party colleague Digvijaya Singh on Wednesday failed to meet the rebel MLAs in Bengaluru. High drama unfolded as Singh staged a protest near the resort in Bengaluru, where the legislators are staying. He accused the police of not allowing him to meet the MLAs. A source close to Kamal Nath said that he (CM) had already tried to contact Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa over phone to visit Bengaluru, but could not get through. Twenty-two legislators have revolted against the Congress-led government in the state and put in their papers last week. Of them, the resignation of six legislators has been accepted. Congress spokesperson Bhupendra Gupta alleged that the saffron party has held their MLAs hostages in Bengaluru in a bid to pull down the MP government. 'They are not allowing our leaders to meet the MLAs. Our minister, Jitu Patwari, had also gone there, but he was manhandled,' he alleged. The BJP has sought to distance itself from the revolt in the Congress saying that it was the fallout of the infighting within the party's rival factions in th state. State BJP chief, V D Sharma, said his party had nothing to do with the rebels in the Congress. The Kamal Nath government plunged into crisis after Jyotiraditya Scindia quit the Congress, after which 22 MLAs loyal to him resigned in Madhya Pradesh last week. Buoyed by the revolt in the Congress, the BJP has been vociferously seeking a floor test in the assembly. The Speaker has so far accepted resignations of six of the 22 MLAs, bringing down the effective strength of the House to 222 and the new majority mark at 112. The opposition BJP has 107 MLAs. After the MP assembly was adjourned on Monday till March 26, the BJP petitioned the Supreme Court seeking a direction from it for an early floor test. One of Australia's biggest packaging companies, Pact Group, is converting production lines at three of its Sydney plants as it starts making hand sanitiser for the first time. The ASX-listed company will switch over from products such as industrial cleaners to hand sanitiser in response to the surging demand for the product because of the escalating coronavirus outbreak. Supermarket, chemist and hardware store shelves have been stripped of hand sanitiser in recent weeks as families, companies and other organisations turn to the product en-masse. The ASX-listed packaging company Pact Group is converting three of its plants in order to make hand sanitiser for the first time. Credit:iStock "This is right in our wheelhouse," said the chief executive officer of Pact contract manufacturing, Greg Beilby. The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that some information about coronavirus cases was being "insufficiently communicated" by Middle East states. Ahmed Al-Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said there were "uneven" approaches across the region in fighting coronavirus and that "much more needs to be done". Search Keywords: Short link: Dear SE Governors, I was constrained to write you this letter after carefully watching Nigerias political developments over the years as they daily unfolded. Many of us, Igbo sons and daughters who were forced by situations in Nigeria to migrate to Europe, America and elsewhere are worried sore that the security of life and property, especially in the northern parts and by extension the entire country, has continued to pose serious challenges to our political leaders that seem to defy solution. We are worried about the inability of our political leaders to fix the national economy and appreciate naira value. We are concerned about the seeming unwillingness of our political leaders to fully integrate Nigerians socially, for instance, by making the study of the three major languages, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba compulsory at the primary school level in all schools across the country. In such a way, the bridge would have been built across tribal sentiments and in less than two generations, Nigeria would be on its way to achieving true nationalism. We are concerned that general uneasiness in the country is being manifested in several ways, despite governments intervention efforts, and it is worrying. As the political leaders of the Igbo nation, I do not need to remind you that all Igbo at home and in the Diaspora are looking up to you to salvage them from the circumstances that have sandwiched and trapped them in the enclave they call their country. Progressively going forward in the spirit of one united and prosperous nation has become a herculean task for them because the low or no value some people in the northern parts of the country have determined to place on human life, the lives of fellow Nigerians, is at great variance with the values and aspirations of the Igbo, and going back is just impossible. They are stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea. Sadly, some of the simple ways the federal government should have addressed these issues were lost to tribal politics and our people have continued to suffer as a result. These issues are captured in the first and second volumes of my book The Presidential Years: From Dr. Jonathan to Gen. Buhari, published by Austin Macauley of London, and can be purchased online from Amazon, eBay and other major online bookshops. As the political leaders of the South East Zone of Nigeria, I hasten to remind you that when the founding members of the South East Governors Forum, Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu, Chinwoke Mbadinuju of Anambra, Achike Udenwa of Imo, Sam Egwu of Ebonyi and Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia sat for the first time, they pledged to work together, irrespective of their political leanings, for the interest of the larger segment of South East communities. At that time, critics of the Forum alleged that the governors were not doing enough to develop the zone. They failed to attract the attention of the federal government to the deplorable condition of infrastructure in the zone, especially the roads. Even as we speak, most of the federal roads in the South East have remained nothing but death traps and many people are worried about why their South East governors have not deemed it necessary to go beyond rhetoric to, at least, embark on the repair or modernization of these roads themselves and get a refund from the federal government if there are provisions in the law to that effect. Even judging from the now moribund joint economic ventures in the South East zone, such as the Cooperative and Commerce Bank (CCB), the African Continental Bank (ACB), the Nkalagu Cement Factory, the Anambra Motor Manufacturing Company (ANAMCO) and the Emene Floor Mills, among others, most Igbo at home and in the Diaspora are of the opinion that their governors need to be more proactive in their quest to improve the lot of the South Easterners they represent by reactivating some of these unifying ventures or building new ones. What they expect is that a strong debate on the review of the Nigerian constitution of 1999 which was drafted by the military purely for the benefit of the north should keep resurfacing until something tangible is done to abrogate it completely and a working constitution drafted by civilians, the elected representatives of the people, is in place. It has indeed become necessary for the leaderships of the Nigerian government to consider returning to the letters of the constitutional document which Nigerian leaders negotiated with the British government between 1957 and 1959 that granted Nigeria independence. It was on the basis of that constitution that the three regions agreed to acquire independence as one united country. It was the foundation of what came to be known as a united Nigeria. It was a negotiated constitution. If the three regions had disagreed on the contents of the constitution, there would have been no Nigeria as it was at independence. In 1966, the military invaded the political growth of Nigeria and aborted its democratic evolution. They discarded the negotiated constitution and introduced one that was not only un-negotiated but one they insisted was un-negotiable, and still expected Nigeria to remain united possibly by force because they had the gun, and that was important or so it seemed at the time! The negotiated constitution gave considerable autonomy to each of the three regions. Each region collected its own revenue and contributed an agreed percentage of its gross earnings to the central government. Each region was in charge of its roads, education, medical services and rural infrastructure. But when the military came into the political arena, they turned the table upside down, weakened the regions economically and strengthened the centre. Like the one party system that the army is, all authority flowed from Abuja, in terms of finance and in terms of security. The imposition of its constitution on Nigerians by the military would have been unacceptable to the leaders of the three regions at the time Sir Ahmadu Bello, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief Obafemi Awolowo and many well meaning Nigerians would agree with this. The current constitution was drafted by the military under General Abacha and was skewed to favour the north. Before then, the regions were federating units. There were four different constitutions the federal constitution, the eastern constitution, the northern constitution and the western constitution. That was to the extent the regions were autonomous at independence. Each region had its own ambassador in London. He was known as the Agent-General while the federal ambassador was known as the High Commissioner. M. T. Mbu was Nigerias High Commissioner in London at independence. The ambassador for Eastern Nigeria was Mr. Jonah Achara. That of Western Nigeria was Mr. Omolodun. And for Northern Nigeria, it was Alhaji Abdulmalik. These were the four men who were regarded as ambassadors of Nigeria in the UK by the time the country had independence in 1960. But now states have been created in place of regions. And even though that seems to have complicated issues more, the creation of zones by Gen. Ibrahim Babangida provides an escape route from that stranglehold that was the 1999 constitution. My take is that we can still manage to come by something close to the regions. Each of the zones General Babangida created during his tenure as military president can now be regarded as a region so that instead of the four regions the country had at independence there will now be six regions. The same level of autonomy can be given to them as was given to the regions before and after independence in 1960. The north can then carry on with their northernisation or Arewanization policy. The East can embark on their Eastern or is it Biafranization policy and the West on their Westernization or Oduduwanization policy. They meet at the centre. They meet at the centre to agree on their democratic norms and values in the knowledge that true democracy must be negotiated by the federating units. Anything short of that is military imposition and it is not generally acceptable to many knowledgeable Africans. What the Igbo expect is that the second Niger Bridge should be in place before the termination of the Buhari tenure. What they expect is that their SE governors can liaise with foreign investors to get light railway trains shuttling between and connecting the major cities of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states. What they expect is that when the Igbo say they are the best in business they should prove themselves right. If the Igbo are known to develop other communities, other countries, why are they unable to develop theirs? That is not something to be proud of, and it is down to the political leaderships of the SE to turn around the vision and focus of the Igbo to begin to look inwards. I am being emphatic here about railway transportation between Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo and the intra-links between their cities like Owerri, Okigwe and Orlu in Imo, for example. Our SE governors should map this in their head and see what the zone would look like with these facilities in place. All eyes of Igbo elites at home and in the Diaspora are on you governors. They expect you to buttress the role the National Assembly would play especially in the struggle to decentralize authority from Abuja and give zones a financial autonomy that would synchronize with the original documents that gave independence to Nigeria. It is against this background that the governors of the South East zone should decide to pursue issues affecting their people through regional integration. This calls for an honest pooling together of resources. You can arrange for any country or business enterprise to partner with you on transportation. Our people need a network of railways that would connect major cities in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo with their state capitals, even if they are light railways. It is unnecessary to keep agitating for a break-up of Nigeria if our people can develop their communities on their own. They would have literally broken up without breaking up which is the best policy for South East in their circumstances since the end of the Nigerian civil war. Take a look at Great Britain today. There are four nations that make Britain great: England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Each of them has complete autonomy. They have their currencies. They have their parliaments. They have their flags. They run their systems on their own. And they all subscribe to a central government and that is what makes them great. South East governors can insist on that pattern of relationship in Nigeria. Then, the Igbo will not see themselves as living in bondage any more. Freedom comes in many ways. 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 The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike. We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve. According to the Ministry, those who spread fakes in such conditions aim to spread panic and destabilize the situation The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine asks citizens to use only official messages from the authorities. This was reported on the Ministrys official website. "We are forced to say that cyber police departments are now reporting a dramatic increase in the number of cases of rumors and misinformation spread in relation to the introduction of a quarantine regime in the country in order to combat a particularly dangerous coronavirus infection," the statement said. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, those who spread fakes in such conditions aim to spread panic and destabilize the situation. "Fakes, rumors and blatant lies are diverse: ranging from fakes about helicopter spraying at night over downtown metropolitan areas, ending with a ban on walking with children on the streets of Kyiv under threat of administrative and criminal responsibility," the Ministry added. The Ministry of Internal Affairs asks to inform the Cyber Police Department about their distribution. As we reported earlier, as of March 17, Ukraine's Healthcare Ministry reported 14 officially confirmed cases of Covid-19; two of 14 patients deceased. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. US (18-march-2020) Online pharmacies are very popular these days to buy all kinds of medicines in just a few clicks. People get several benefits by ordering on online drug stores. A majority of people use online pharmacies just because there is no need to wait in the queue to buy the medicines. 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For more additional reading details about Maryland Cannabis Dispensary in Cambridge please click here or check our official website Website : https://sunburstpharm.com/dispensaries/md/cambridge/ Advertisement All schools in England will close on Friday along with those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as coronavirus continues to wreak havoc in the UK. Boris Johnson announced the bombshell move this evening and said that when school gates shut at the end of the week they will not reopen for the foreseeable future. However, a skeleton operation will be kept in place across the country so that the children of key workers - including NHS staff, police officers and supermarket delivery drivers - can be looked after and enable their parents to continue to work. There was confusion this evening over which professions will be classed as key workers with a full list expected to be published tomorrow and over how they will prove their status to schools. As Mr Johnson finally announced schools would shut after a number of European countries including France had already sent pupils home, the PM also said GCSE and A Level exams planned for May and June will be cancelled while nurseries and private schools have also been told to close. Mr Johnson's announcement - confirmed by Education Secretary Gavin Williamson in a statement to the House of Commons at the same time as the PM's daily coronavirus press conference - came after the other three Home Nations had already committed to closures. The number of positive tests for coronavirus in the UK today hit 2,626 while the death toll jumped overnight by 33 to a total of 104. Boris Johnson inside Number 10 tonight announcing that all schools in England are to be closed as of Friday, following the lead of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland The Welsh government had said earlier all of its schools will close on Friday while Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, said her country would be doing the same amid claims up to 20 per cent of teachers are in self-isolation. Ms Sturgeon had already suggested parents are in for the long haul on school closures as she said she could not 'promise that they will reopen before the summer holidays'. News of Northern Ireland shutting its schools emerged immediately before Mr Williamson and Mr Johnson announced their plans for education provision in England. Mr Johnson was under huge pressure to follow the lead of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and he said this evening it was now the 'right moment' for English schools to shut 'for the vast majority of pupils until further notice' and that the 'objective is to slow the spread of the virus'. 'But of course we also need to keep the NHS going and to treat the rising number of cases so we need health workers who are also parents to continue to go to work and we need other critical workers with children to keep doing their jobs too,' he said. The PM committed to providing children who receive free school meals with food vouchers to ensure families are not left struggling while on the exam issue, he said tests will 'not take place as planned' but pupils 'will get the qualifications they need and deserve'. It was not immediately clear this evening how pupils affected by the exam cancellations will have their academic performance assessed. As well as fears about an impact on staff levels in key services, the government had also been reluctant to proceed with school closures because of concerns shutting classrooms could lead to elderly grandparents being asked to look after grandchildren while parents continue to work. The over-70s are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus and have been urged to avoid all non-essential social contact. Mr Johnson was unequivocal on the matter as he said 'children should not be left with older grandparents, or older relatives, who may be particularly vulnerable or fall into some of the vulnerable groups'. The move to close schools came as the government vowed to increase coronavirus testing in NHS hospitals in order to get a better picture of the scale of the outbreak. Meanwhile, leading supermarkets introduced forms of rationing to try to stop unnecessary panic buying. There are now calls for ministers to impose a single policy on all stores. Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary, set out the bombshell plans to the House of Commons at the same time as Mr Johnson addressed the nation during his now daily coronavirus press conference Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, said she could not make any promises about when schools will be able to reopen On another day of major developments in the coronavirus outbreak: The number of confirmed cases of the disease worldwide hit 200,000 while the death toll stood at an estimated 8,000. In the UK some 56,221 people have been tested with 53,595 negative and 2,626 positive. The UK death toll currently stands at 104 after an increase of 33 overnight. Mr Johnson said the number of daily tests in NHS hospitals will increase from 5,000 to 25,000 and staff will be prioritised. Sainsbury's announced customers will only be able to buy a maximum of three of any grocery products and two of the most popular products like toilet paper. Boris Johnson finally steps up UK testing for coronavirus Boris Johnson finally vowed a dramatic escalation of the UK's coronavirus testing capacity today amid fury at his attempts to fight the epidemic 'blindfolded'. After days of intense pressure, the PM said the number of tests carried out per day will be increased from the current level of around 5,000 to 25,000, and NHS staff will be prioritised. However, the full 'surge capacity' might not be ready for another four weeks - by which time the deadly crisis could be at its peak. The government is also still only planning to test patients in hospitals, although Mr Johnson has pleaded with medical companies to help 'rapidly' develop a swab test that can be used in the community. The announcement came amid mounting alarm about the low level of screening, with anger that NHS workers are being forced to self-isolate because they are unsure whether they have the disease or not. Routine testing of suspected coronavirus sufferers was abandoned last week, when the government said it was no longer possible to 'contain' the spread. Instead those with symptoms are merely being urged to stay at home for a fortnight. Advertisement Education is a devolved matter in the UK which means devolved administrations have the final say on what happens to schools within their borders. Minister for Education in the devolved Welsh government Kirsty Williams announced this afternoon that closures in Wales would go ahead. She said: 'Today, I can announce we are bringing forward the Easter break for schools in Wales. Schools across Wales will close for statutory provision of education at the latest on 20 March 2020. 'I have been clear up to now that the continuity of education and the wellbeing of our learners has been at the heart of my decision making. This will always be the case. 'From next week, schools will have a new purpose. They will help support those most in need, including people involved in the immediate response to the coronavirus outbreak. I am working with my colleagues in the Cabinet, with government officials and our partners in local government to develop and finalise these plans.' She said those plans would focus on 'supporting and safeguarding the vulnerable and ensuring continuity of learning'. Ms Williams said that 'childcare settings are expected to remain open until we have definitive advice from the Chief Medical Officer and from Public Health Wales that any closures are required'. Ms Sturgeon said schools in Scotland had now lost too many staff through self-isolation to continue functioning as normal. She said: 'My view is that it is now inevitable that we will close schools and nurseries and my planning assumption now is that schools will close to pupils at the end of this week. I wanted today to give parents notice of that now.' She added: 'We have the reality on the ground as people do the right thing and follow the advice to self-isolate or to isolate as a household, more and more schools are approaching the point where they have lost too many staff to continue as normal.' The Scottish First Minister said measures would be put in place to try to ensure doctors, nurses and other critical staff who have children can still work. 'Lives are on the line if they cannot,' she said. Meanwhile, Ms Sturgeon said she did not know when schools in Scotland would be able to reopen. 'On the question that I know parents and the wider public will have of how long this will last, the clearest guidance I can give now is that people should not assume that schools and nurseries will reopen after the Easter break,' she said. 'We will of course only keep them closed for as long as we absolutely have to but at this stage I cannot promise that they will reopen before the summer holidays.' Mr Johnson had told MPs during PMQs earlier today that decisions on education provision in England would be taken 'imminently' in a clear hint towards this evening's announcement. He said: 'We will do everything we can to remove burdens on schools and Ofsted is one in particular we can address. A petition calling on the government to close schools across the UK had surged in recent days to more than 672,000 signatures UK coronavirus death toll rises to 104 Britain's coronavirus death toll has today risen to 104 after the number of new daily fatalities doubled in the space of just 24 hours. Officials today announced 33 more deaths from the life-threatening infection in the UK up from 16 yesterday and 20 on Monday, amid fears the outbreak in Britain is spiralling out of control. In preparation for an inevitable influx of deaths, a mortuary in Westminster today revealed it was having to double its capacity from 102 corpses to more than 200, in case the crisis continues to escalate as predicted. It comes as the number of confirmed cases in the UK today rose by almost 700, with 2,626 patients known to have been infected across the home nations but the true toll is being masked by officials. Health chiefs only currently swab patients in hospital, a highly controversial decision that prompted the wrath of the World Health Organisation who urged countries to 'test, test, test'. The Government has asked medical companies to help 'rapidly' develop a test to be used in the community not just hospitals, as it desperately seeks to get a grip of the unfolding crisis. Advertisement 'The House should expect further decisions to be taken imminently on schools and how to make sure we square the circle both of making sure we stop the spread of the disease but also making sure we relieve, as much as we can, pressure on our NHS.' The announcements came after it emerged that pupils in some parts of the country were apparently sitting in empty classrooms while others were believed to be 'faking coughs' to stay home amid parents' fury that schools were still open. A petition demanding all schools and colleges be shut down for an 'appropriate amount of time' has been surging in recent days. Before the school closure announcements were made, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, Geoff Barton, had warned many schools would not be able to remain open past the end of the week. He said roughly 10 to 20 per cent of teachers were self-isolating but the number was 'rapidly rising'. Concerned teachers have also claimed as the outbreak has worsened they were unable to keep classrooms clean enough around the clock. Alderman White School in Bramcote, near Nottingham, had this morning asked parents to keep their children at home today, if they could provide childcare. It was also announced today that Marlborough College in Wiltshire would move to an 'online learning environment' and Eton College - Mr Johnson's old stomping ground - would also close to pupils. Winchester College is stopping all lessons and sending boys home at 9pm tomorrow evening. Boris Johnson's old stomping ground Eton College (pictured above) near Windsor, is to shut down in order to combat the coronavirus pandemic Marlborough College (pictured) in Wiltshire also said it was moving to an 'online learning environment' from 1pm today Supermarkets impose strict rationing to combat panic buying Tesco has become the latest supermarket to impose strict rationing measures on items like loo roll, soap and UHT milk to curb coronavirus panic-buying. Customers stocking up across the country is intensifying today as supermarkets under mounting pressure are taking drastic rationing action in a bid to deal with the unprecedented demand for goods. Tesco, the UK's biggest supermarket, will impose restrictions on all customers to buying a maximum of three products per line from Thursday, as it copes with the high demand from the coronavirus pandemic, the company has announced. Britain's grocery industry has struggled for over a week to keep shelves stocked in the face of stockpiling, which worsened on Tuesday despite weekend appeals for calm from supermarket bosses and politicians. But experts have asked why supermarkets have introduced different limits on certain goods, creating confusion for customers and competition among rivals. Sainsbury's today announced it is closing its in-store bakeries, meat, fish and pizza counters and cafes from tomorrow to free up lorry and warehouse capacity, and to free up more staff to stack shelves. The supermarket will restrict people to only buying three of any single grocery item, with a two-item limit on the most popular goods such as toilet paper and long-life milk. From March 23, disabled customers and those over 70 will take priority for online delivery slots. Advertisement Eton - which has fees of over 14,000 per term - decided to send pupils home this afternoon. One member of staff at the school, who did not want to be named, said: 'I don't think it's much of a secret. We're sending the boys home at lunch today.' A spokesman for Marlborough College said staff wanted to do their best to implement social distancing guidelines set out by the government. They said: 'Marlborough College is moving to a virtual school environment from 1pm on 18th March. 'This decision will enable the College to continue to operate, given the increasing numbers of pupils and staff taking precautionary measures to self-isolate or to preempt further global travel restrictions which is making it impossible for the College to provide effective full boarding 24/7 residential care. 'The College will continue to deliver its timetabled academic lessons, pastoral support and co-curricular provision to pupils remotely, utilising a number of online platforms and delivery methods. 'The College has no confirmed case of COVID-19 and the campus will not be closed. All members of staff will continue with their duties until the end of term'. Parents have suggested some children have tried to capitalise on the outbreak in order to avoid going to school. One said children 'were not stupid' and added: 'Get Boris to close schools! All the children are making up a cough to come home anyway 40 sent home yesterday from one school yesterday and there's probably nothing wrong with them yet!' Meanwhile, some schools have reportedly been incorporating cleaning into lesson plans, asking pupils to help keep classrooms as hygienic as possible. What happens to YOUR children when the schools close? Boris Johnson promises GCSE & A-level pupils will get their qualifications - but how? And will there be teaching online? Boris Johnson has promised that pupils will get their qualifications despite schools in England closing at the end of the week amid the continued coronavirus pandemic. The Prime Minister announced the bombshell move earlier today and stated that the school gates would should on Friday and would not reopen for the foreseeable future. The closure means that A-Level and GCSE examinations planned for May and June have been cancelled but Mr Johnson insists that qualifications will still be 'administered' fairly. Mr Johnson's announcement - confirmed by Education Secretary Gavin Williamson in a statement to the House of Commons at the same time as the PM's daily coronavirus press conference - came after the other three Home Nations had already committed to closures. Announcing the closures of schools and nurseries, the Prime Minister said: 'Of course this does mean that exams will not take place as planned in May and June. 'Though we will make sure that pupils get the qualifications they need and deserve for their academic career.' He added that the qualifications would be 'administered' fairly and in order to protect pupils' interests but has not yet detailed how and when this would happen. Boris Johnson has promised that pupils will get their qualifications despite schools in England closing at the end of the week amid the continued coronavirus pandemic (stock image) It is now thought that teacher assessment and mock results will form the basis of grades but it was unclear how this would work in practice. Echoing the Prime Minister's sentiment, Mr Williamson said: 'We recognise that there are no easy choices but we have agreed that the best way forward is not to proceed with summer exam series. 'Learners due to sit their GCSEs and A levels this summer will be awarded a fair grade to recognise their work, drawing on the range of information that is available. 'We will be working with the sector to announce further details shortly but wanted to give this early certainty.' He added: 'I did not want to be the Education Secretary who was the one to cancel all exams. We will work... to ensure that children get the qualifications that they need.' But scores of pupils have already turned to social media to protest, claiming that mock results did not reflect the progress they made in revision. One student wrote: 'How can we possibly get awarded A-level grades when we can't sit our exams and prove what we're worthy of getting. Mocks don't reflect our capabilities and I think most Year 13s are devastated right now.' Mr Williamson went on to say said a 'means of redress' will be put in place for GCSE and A-Level students if they are unhappy with their allotted grades. Teaching unions backed the decision to shut down the increasing 'chaos' in schools and promised to make sure 'qualifications are awarded fairly and consistently in lieu of exams'. Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association Of School And College Leaders, said: 'The cancellation of GCSE and A-level exams will inevitably cause anxiety to students, and we will work closely with Ofqual on ensuring that qualifications are awarded fairly and consistently in lieu of exams. 'We would reassure the public that schools have already prepared learning resources for pupils who are sent home and will communicate with families through the normal channels.' The official measures that the Government intend to put place are expected to be announced over the coming days. The only pupils expected to still attend school will be those considered vulnerable, such as those in care, alongside the children of key workers including NHS staff, police, social care workers and supermarket delivery drivers so they can continue to work. These 'skeleton' schools, which will cater for around 10 per cent of pupils, will continue to operate during the Easter holidays. Mr Williamson also announced that educational programmes will be screened by the BBC to help children learn at home while their schools are closed as individual schools work out what they can offer using technology. No national performance league tables will be published this year. ANN ARBOR, MI With performing arts centers, venues, stores and agencies shutting down to fight the spread of the new coronavirus, the Ann Arbor-area creative community is seeking help. The Art Alliance in Ann Arbor has created an emergency fund called Creative Washtenaw Aid 2020, to support local artists and creative professionals. Nothing exists in our community that focuses on the sector, said Polich. We have no arts commission that is publicly funded, and we have no foundations that are focused on arts and cultural entities and artists and creatives. The state has ordered the closure of public schools, bars, restaurants, and other public venues, also banning meetings of 50 people or more to slow the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. Health officials advise against even small social gatherings. The state on Tuesday, March 17 announced the number of Michigan cases of COVID-19 has risen to 65. With many businesses shut down, many artists and creatives have found themselves unemployed and seeking help, Polich said. Donations are accepted on the Art Alliance website. The fund will support people in the following fields: performing arts, science and nature centers, visual arts, advertising and promotion, research and development, art therapy, creative technology, culture and heritage, film, audio and broadcasting, literature, music and museums. Art schools, teachers and agents will also be supported through Creative Washtenaw Aid 2020. Applicants for aid funds must either a representative of a business in Washtenaw County or an independent artist or creative. The Arts Alliance is an advocacy organization for arts and creatives in Washtenaw County. It provides education, assess needs, conduct studies, administer grants, presenting awards and manage projects. MORE CORONAVIRUS NEWS: Somber St. Patricks Day feels surreal to University of Michigan, Michigan State students Michigan State University offering students more than $1,000 to move out early University of Michigan, Michigan State students petition for credit/no-credit classes University of Michigan giving employees 2 weeks paid time off due to coronavirus concerns Depart for the US immediately; Michigan State University tells all study abroad students to come back to US Ann Arbor agencies aim to continue food-security programs amid coronavirus outbreak Federal courts in eastern Michigan postponing nearly all court hearings amid coronavirus concerns Ann Arbor Film Festival in-person events canceled due to coronavirus concerns Michigan Flyer suspends bus services to Detroit Metro Airport through April 15 Big Ten puts Michigan State football spring practice on hold, Spartans pro day canceled 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 Cambodian Health Ministry confirmed Wednesday morning a total of 35 coronavirus cases in the country, the tally almost tripling in the last 48 hours. This morning, Health Ministry spokesperson Or Vandine said there were two news cases, both Malaysian nationals. With this, the tally of positive cases increased from 12 cases Sunday evening to 35 as of Wednesday morning. Those people's health is fine. There is no noticeable worry, said Or Vandine. Late Tuesday evening, the ministry had reported nine cases of the respiratory disease, of which six were Cambodians who had returned from a religious conference in Malaysia earlier this month. The three others who tested positive were Malaysia nationals. Or Vandine added that Cambodia had so far tested 1,112 and the ministry was working to expand its testing capabilities. On Tuesday, the government issued a flurry of instructions ordering the closure of karaoke bars, movie halls, public concerts and religious events. The Ministry of Education had ordered the shutting of all educational institutions on Monday, with the ministry also asking its officials to restrict meetings to maximum 15 people. The World Customs Organization (WCO), with the financial support of CCF-China, in collaboration with the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), hosted a side meeting at the occasion of the 11st Session of the Capacity Building Committee on March 6, 2020, to present the Strategic Plan 2019/2023 for the Conference of CPLP Customs Directors General to the donors community. The meeting was attended by CPLP Customs representatives from Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Portugal and Timor Leste, and the donors side by European Union (EU) and the Customs Cooperation Funds. In a highly interactive session, the CPLP representatives presented an overview of the Organization, the CPLP Customs Strategic Plan objectives, vision, goals and values and the strategic map comprising the eleven (11) projects identified and with each designated CPLPs Member Country responsible. The community seeks funds to be able to operationalize its projects and makes its strategic plan effective and turns it into reality. It was a very informative meeting from which fruitful discussions took place and the participants acknowledge even more the way forward for the Community and the reason why the ocean separates the nine (9) countries apart but their common objectives unite them all. In light of the international trade challenges, this instrument will allow the visualization of the situation and therefore drive concerted actions that will allow the CPLP Customs Administrations to adopt harmonized measures to implement the international best practices, strengthening cooperation and allowing a clearer communication and, therefore, a greater understanding and synergy between the organization, target audience, officials and different stakeholders. For more information about this activity, please contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org After being involved in a collision with a truck on Sunday, Eric Bs daughter Erica Barrier died on Monday. Barrier was 28-years-old and since the news of her passing many artists in the hip-hop community have shown support for Eric B, of hip-hop group Eric B and Rakim. News of Sundays crash, and her Monday passing, was first reported by the Instagram account Therealsister2sister2.0 with Eric B giving a statement saying She fought a valiant fight, however, we TRUST GOD & HIS ultimate decision to bring her home. Please continue to keep our family in prayer as we now prepare to lay Erica to rest. Tragedy: Hip-Hop legend Eric B. is reeling from the death of his 28-year-old daughter Erica, on Monday Eric B, 56, also told the Instagram account Therealsister2sister2.0 We want to sincerely thank everyone from around the world for the outpouring of support and love during this difficult time. Again, we accept GODs will and want to sincerely thank the good samaritans, first responders and impeccable medical staff who cared for our daughter at Hartford Hospital. The producer (born Louis Eric Barrier) also extended thoughts to the other driver, a 28-year-old male, after the accident and made clear there was no ill will. He said: This was an unfortunate vehicular accident that claimed her life, however, and its also crucial that we pray for the other driver involved. Our hearts also go out to him and his family as we hold no ill will in our hearts for those involved. Ericas Mini Cooper stopped in the center lane of I-91 in Connecticut just after midnight on Sunday morning, when a truck was unable to stop and crashed into the back of her vehicle, People reported. Gods plan: In a statement to Instagram account Sister2Sister2.0 he said She fought a valiant fight, however, we TRUST GOD & HIS ultimate decision to bring her home. Please continue to keep our family in prayer as we now prepare to lay Erica to rest Accident: Erica was in extreme critical condition following a crash just after midnight on Sunday and passed on Monday with her family at her bedside Remembering Erica: Early on Tuesday, Eric B shared a video, simply captioned with a heart, from a concert in which he brought his daughter on stage and went on to share several photos of her in his Instagram Stories. He also thanked fans for the well wishes alongside a photo with Erica. Erica was initially reported to be in extreme critical condition following the accident after sustaining serious injuries from the crash with her family at her bedside. The other drive was said to be unharmed in the accident that is still under investigation, according to the magazine. Early on Tuesday, Eric B shared a video, simply captioned with a heart, from a concert in which he brought his daughter on stage and went on to share several photos of her in his Instagram Stories. He also thanked fans for the well wishes alongside a photo with Erica. On stage, they shared a hug as he introduced her to the audience saying She thinks shes my twin and my boss. Support: LL Cool J shared a throwback photo of Eric. B and Erica from her childhood and wrote My love and condolences to you @therealdjericb, Ericas Mother and the rest of your family & Friends. May your daughter rest peacefully. LL Cool J shared a throwback photo of Eric. B and Erica from her childhood and wrote My love and condolences to you @therealdjericb, Ericas Mother and the rest of your family & Friends. May your daughter rest peacefully. Sharing the same photo, Russel Simmons wrote Rest in power Erica, everyone please send thoughts and prayers to Eric Bs family. There are no words for my sorrow, Simmons continued. Believe that the passing of a child before his or her Parent is the most painful experience one can endure m. My prayers go out to Eric B and his family RIP: Sharing the same photo, Russel Simmons wrote Rest in power Erica, everyone please send thoughts and prayers to Eric Bs family. Eric B and Rakim formed the group in 1986 and became an acclaimed duo, with Eric B also now producing. Their albums -- Paid In Full and Follow The Leader -- are considered among the greatest in hip-hop history. They would go on to release two more albums, ending with 1992's Don't Sweat The Technique, before splitting up, in part, over a court case involving their former record label. The duo, who were announced as one of the 15 finalists to the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2011, eventually reunited for a world tour in 2017. The center prefers that recipients of the carryout meals be 60 or over. But people younger than 60 who want to pick up a meal are charged $7. Unfortunately, people who take carryout meals dont have access to the salad bar thats normally offered at the senior center. They love the salad bar, said Theresa Engelhardt, executive director of Senior Citizens Industries, which operates the Grand Generation Center. Even though Tuesdays entree was liver and onions, Engelhardt said many people are fond of the senior center version. Kitchen manager Evelyne Rice serves it with a peppered gravy. The carryout program will continue as long as the center is shut down. If youd like to pick up a meal, call (308) 385-5308 the day before you wish to receive it. The deadline to call for the next day is 11 a.m. For regular users of the senior center, its sad that the facility is closed, Engelhardt said. Many senior citizens play pool, cards and bingo each week. They also exercise and use the library. In addition to activities, users also enjoy socializing at the senior center. New Jersey is issuing 13 subpoenas and sending more than 80 warning letters to businesses suspected of illegally raising prices amid the coronavirus pandemic, the state attorney generals office announced Tuesday. We are taking an all-hands-on-deck approach to consumer complaints about price gouging and other abuses, state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said in a statement. Protecting residents from businesses who seek to prey on them financially was the top priority, said Paul Rodriguez, acting director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. The department has received 619 complaints so far, more than double the total less than a week ago. Most have rolled in since March 4, officials said, days before the governor declared a state of emergency. Sellers may not raise their prices more than 10% during an emergency, and face fines up to $10,000 the first time they do. The spread of COVID-19 has led consumers to empty shelves around the state, and residents reported that masks, hand sanitizer, food, water and other in-demand items were unfairly marked up. The hundreds of complaints represented a much smaller number of identifiable businesses," authorities said, but none were named. Investigators have finished at least 159 inspections, according to a news release. The 13 subpoenas demanded additional information from some companies. Officials also warned residents about scams. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees are not knocking on doors, nor are they calling to ask for donations for quarantined animals, officials said. Dont fall for fake cures, authorities added in a news release. No cure or preventative medicine has been approved for sale. Last week, a 7-Eleven owner was charged with child endangerment for selling a homemade spray sanitizer that burned four boys. Officials asked residents to call 973-504-6240 to report price gouging, or to fill out an online form. At least 267 people have tested positive for the virus in New Jersey. Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey: If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter. Blake Nelson can be reached at bnelson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BCunninghamN. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Vietnam has been consulting ASEAN member nations and partners about the possibility of postponing the 36th ASEAN Summit and related meetings in early April as scheduled due to complicated developments of the COVID-19 epidemic. Spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang 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./. VNA US carriers on Monday asked the federal government for more than $50 billion in rescue aid as the coronavirus outbreak continues to wreak havoc on the economy, said a report. 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, said a report in BNA, citing a media report. Airlines in the US 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, the report said. 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 US flights and led to a long slump in domestic travel. the report said. Without help, the carriers could run out of money in the second half of this year, according to their trade group Airlines for America. We are going to back the airlines 100 per cent. Its not their fault, Trump said during a press conference in the White House, adding that airlines were having a record season before the virus outbreak. Meanwhile, airlines continued to outline drastic plans to slash flights, hunker down and wait for the outbreak to pass. 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, the report said. Late Sunday night, United Airlines announced that it would slash 50 per cent 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 per cent to 30 per cent full at best, and March revenue will be down by $1.5 billion. American Airlines on Monday suspended about 75 per cent 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 US by 20 per cent in April and 30 per cent in May, it said. Americans CEO, Doug Parker, said last week that the coronavirus crisis will test the industrys ability to withstand the types of shock that we have never been able to withstand before. Ukraine's Cabinet imposes special duty on electricity, coal imports from Russia 14:40, 18.03.20 2132 The duty comes into effect on April 1, 2020. LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / MCTC Holdings, Inc. (OTC PINK:MCTC), a cannabinoid and hemp extract science forward company developing infusion and delivery technologies announces today the completion of its research and development phase for its Hemp You Can Feel line of sweeteners and coffee creamers. The product line will feature two low-calorie sweeteners, two organic natural sweeteners and three powdered non-dairy creamers. Each product will feature the Company's patent pending Hemp You Can Feel technology, based on all-natural hemp infusions. "This is an exciting and unique product line, not only because it features our revolutionary Hemp You Can Feel technology, but also because the products in the line up utilize 100% natural infusions of hemp, "commented Arman Tabatabaei, CEO of MCTC Holdings. "With our technology, chemical surfactants, emulsifiers and processing agents are not needed. Consumers can now simply and easily add these sweeteners and non-dairy creamers to beverages for easy flavorings." The Company will be utilizing its new ultra-low dose form of Hemp You Can Feel infusions in the new product line. With natural true water solubility, and sub-milligram levels of hemp extracts and natural terpenes, this version of the technology measures at less than one milligram of CBD per serving, yet provides an effect vastly superior to much larger concentrations contained in other technologies. The launch of the sweetener and non-dairy creamer line comes on the heels of the Company releasing its Hemp You Can Feel CBD and hemp extract coffee line in single-serving pods. All of the products within the new product line are easily dissolvable in cold or warm beverages with zero noticeable hemp taste. The Company plans initial product form factors in single-serving portions at the five, ten and twenty pounds sizes in the near future. Single serving portion samples will be made available to the industry over the next 30 days. MCTC plans to offer consumer sized packaging of these new products on its website at www.HempYouCanFeel and additionally plans to provide larger unit sizes to food manufacturers and processors. Included in the initial product launch will be the following in single-serving packaging: Hemp You Can Feel Sugar - Organic sources sugar with Hemp You Can Feel Infusion Hemp You Can Feel Sucralose - Sucralose and maltodextrin blend with Hemp You Can Feel Infusion Hemp You Can Feel Stevia Blend - Stevia extract (Rebiana) with Hemp You Can Feel Infusion Hemp You Can Feel Monk Fruit Sweetener - Monk Fruit Extract and Erythritol with Hemp You Can Feel Infusion Hemp You Can Feel Non-Dairy Creamer - A non-dairy creamer blend with Hemp You Can Feel infusion Hemp You Can Feel French Vanilla Non-Dairy Creamer - A non-dairy creamer blend with Hemp You Can Feel infusion Hemp You Can Feel Non-Dairy Creamy Chocolate Creamer - A non-dairy creamer blend with Hemp You Can Feel infusion MCTC has recently filed for patent protection of its unique Hemp You Can Feel infusion technologies. In total, the Company has recently filed six patents on hemp extract technologies and delivery systems. MCTC is currently working with patent counsel to protect various other aspects of its other new technologies. As previously announced, the Company plans to continue other areas of delivery systems research including its programs pertaining to cannabinoid glycosides, polymeric cannabinoid nanoparticles and nanofibers, and its hemp extract-based alcohol replacement technologies. The Hemp You Can Feel products being announced today are non-nanotechnology based. Hemp You Can Feel is a registered trademark of MCTC Holdings, inc. About MCTC Holdings, Inc. MCTC Holdings, Inc. (d/b/a: Cannabis Global) is a Delaware registered, fully reporting and audited publicly-traded company. With the hemp and cannabis industries moving very quickly and with a growing number of market entrants, MCTC plans to concentrate its efforts on the middle portions of the hemp and cannabis value chain. The Company plans to actively pursue R&D programs and productization for exotic cannabinoid isolation, bioenhancement of cannabinoids and polymeric solid nanoparticles and nanofibers for addition into consumer products and for dermal application. The Company was reorganized during June of 2019 and announced its intent to enter the fast-growing cannabis sector and its intent to change its corporate identity to Cannabis Global. The Company is headed and managed by a group of highly experienced cannabis industry pioneers and entrepreneurs. More information on the Company can be viewed at www.CannabisGlobalinc.com. For more information, please contact: Arman Tabatabaei IR@cannabisglobalinc.com Forward-looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" which are not purely historical and may include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the development, costs and results of new business opportunities and words such as "anticipate", "seek", intend", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "project", "plan", or similar phrases may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects, the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company's reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of cannabis-based products. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-k, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information, please visit www.sec.gov. SOURCE: MCTC Holdings, Inc View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/581218/MCTC-to-Launch-Hemp-You-Can-FeelTM-Sweetener-and-Coffee-Creamer-Product-Line As India looks to scale up its capability multifold to test suspected cases of novel corona virus (COVID-19) infections in the eventuality of a community outbreak, its current strategy of conducting diagnostic tests free of cost will come under immense strain. The major stumbling block in the ongoing negotiations with private diagnostic laboratories and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to offer COVID-19 tests through private networks in addition to the government facilities where it is done today will also be the ICMR clause that reliable test should be offered free of cost by private labs. Industry sources say that that unless government finds a way to help private sector laboratories meet their cost, the collaboration may not work. Every COVID-19 test carried out by laboratories in the ICMR network and other government labs costs around Rs 4,500 (Rs 1,500 for the first step screening assay and Rs 3,000 for confirmatory assays) today. A similar test, using diagnostic kit supplied by the same company - ICMR tests are known to be carried out by using kits supplied by US firm Thermo Fisher Scientific - is likely to cost the same for private players too. In addition to Thermo Fisher, Swiss firm Roche Diagnostics is also offering COVID-19 tests. Both the tests are known to have been cleared by the Indian drug regulator - Drugs Controller General of India. Incidentally, a home grown company Trivitron Healthcare, claims to be just weeks away from developing a highly economical COVID-19 test kit. "The prototype is ready and we are doing the lab validation now. It will be sent for external non-clinical validation by next week, hopefully to National Institute of Virology," G S K Velu, CMD Trivitron, says. According to him, post validation, it will take maximum three weeks to be ready for commercial launch. "It can then be sold to either government labs or private labs. We are targeting to see that a single test costs as low as Rs 500." the Trivitron CMD says. Velu says his company's Chinese joint venture partner has already got its COVID-19 test kit approved in China and their support and expertise helped Trivitron develop its COVID-19 testing kit before any other Indian firm. "We can do up to 700,000 tests per day in our factory in Chennai. I mean those are number of the patient sample test kits that we can supply in a day. Volume will not be a problem". As Indian players offer cost effective solutions, the question before ICMR will be to see which one it wants to choose, and whether it can get private diagnostic labs agree to carry out tests based on the platforms developed by Indian firms. On March 17, ICMR issued guidelines for private sector laboratories intending to initiate COVID-19 testing. It said that laboratory test should be only offered when prescribed by a qualified physician as per ICMR guidance for testing. Another condition was that since the guidance evolves periodically, the latest revised version should be followed by the laboratories. ICMR is also to share the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for laboratory testing and provide positive controls for establishing the test as soon as the concerned private laboratory has procured the primers, probes and reagents as per SOPs. Adoption of commercial kits for testing should be based on validations conducted by ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, it said. The need for appropriate biosafety and biosecurity precautions while collecting samples from a suspect patient was stressed. The guideline also called for the creation of a disease specific separate collection site. The private testing laboratories will also have to ensure immediate/ real-time reporting to the state officials of IDSP (Integrated Disease Surveillance Program of Govt. of India) and ICMR for timely initiation of contact tracing and research activities, the guideline said. Labs seem to be willing to go by all other conditions except the first - that calls for free of cost tests. AirAisa flight on Wednesday arrived at Visakhapatnam airport carrying 185 students who were stranded in Kuala Lumpur as Covid-19 cases surged in South Asia. "One Air Asia flight landed at Visakhapatnam airport today, after evacuating 185 students from Kuala Lumpur," M Raj Kishore, Director, Visakhapatnam International Airport, Andhra Pradesh told media. All these passengers will be house quarantined for the next 28 days, he said. Earlier, Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had appreciated the difficult situation of Indian students and other passengers waiting in transit at Kuala Lumpur airport. This development came after Malaysian Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced some of the most far-reaching measures including locking down all travel in or out of the country in an effort to stem infections of COVID-19. A total of 151 positive cases of COVID-19 have been reported in India so far, as per the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) South Africa: Government departments urged to take precaution The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) has called on government departments to ensure that all necessary precautions are taken to prevent the spread of Coronavirus among public servants and citizens at frontline service delivery points. Public Service and Administration Director-General Yoliswa Makhasi has issued Circular No 07 of 2020, outlining the guidelines for the containment and management of COVID-19 in the Public Service. This is in line with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA, 1993), Regulation 53. DPSA urges departments to ensure, among others, that all health and safety precautions -- in line with the protocols issued by the National Department of Health (NDoH) and World Health Organisation (WHO) -- are followed by all public officials, and that awareness programmes are conducted regularly in order to remain healthy, and to manage any exposure to COVID-19 within their workspaces, the DPSA said in a statement. The department further called on government departments that provide frontline services, which require officials to have direct contact with members of the public, to develop internal protocols and communication strategies to manage the interactions to ensure continuation of service delivery. In addition, the DPSA urges all departments to ensure that there is equipment for temperature screening of employees on a daily basis, sufficient disinfectants, hand sanitisers, soap and tissue, and that quarantine rooms are created to respond to cases detected in the workplace. The following precautionary measures for frontline officials should be implemented: Provide frontline employees with the necessary protective equipment, such as latex gloves, to handle documents and assist citizens. Provide frontline employees with sufficient training to assist them to identify the risks and mitigate them sufficiently. Ensure the workspaces of frontline employees have sufficient facilities for them to wash their hands. Ensure the cleaning of hard surfaces e.g. workstations, countertops, and doorknobs on an hourly basis. The cleaning of the surfaces must be recorded on a two-hourly basis Ensure frontline employees are conversant with the protocols pertaining to COVID-19 in order to respond timeously to identify risks. Prevention of close or physical contact in the workplace, such as shaking hands. In order to mitigate transmission and spread of the virus at service points and to ensure citizens are served in a safe and secure service delivery environment, departments should: Ensure cleaning of the waiting area for members of the public on a two-hourly basis. Provision of hand sanitisers at strategic places for members of the public. Ensure the numbers of members of the public allowed in the venue is consistent with the protocols and guidelines of the department and management of crowds in waiting areas or/and queues. Installation of scanners and ensure each and every member of the public is checked before entering the facility Guide and direct members of the public displaying symptoms consistent with COVID-19 to a medical professional. Avail awareness material on COVID-19 to members of the public. Ensure posters on COVID-19 are placed in strategic locations, where members of the public can be informed. In instances where some services can be deferred or re-directed to better manage gatherings, departments are advised to classify their services in terms of direct, indirect, back-end and transversal, and inform citizens of which key services they will make available during this period. Where online services are provided, people are encouraged to use these services to lessen physical interaction. Public employees are also advised to report any suspected case of exposure or positive test to the dedicated email address: COVID-19@dpsa.gov.za. The DPSA also calls for calm and cooperation from Public Service employees during this period. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-03-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Kolkata: An 18-year-old man, who recently returned from England, tested positive for novel coronavirus on Tuesday, making it the first confirmed case in West Bengal, a senior official of the state government said. He started showing symptoms of COVID-19 since morning, following which he was admitted to the isolation ward of the Beliaghata ID hospital here, they said. The man, who had gone to the UK for higher studies, had returned on Sunday. "His swabs were collected and sent for examination. The reports revealed he contracted novel coronavirus," the official said. The man's mother, who is a senior state government official, his father and their driver have been quarantined at a newly-set up facilty in Rajarhat area, he said. "We are now trying to trace all the people who came in contact with him. We will also disinfect his vehicle," the official added. Meanwhile, a woman in Pune tested positive for coronavirus taking the cases in Maharashtra to 42. A 28-year-old woman from Pune with a travel history to France and the Netherlands has tested positive for COVID-19, a senior official said on Wednesday. Confirming the case, District Collector, Naval Kishore Ram said, "The woman returned India on March 15. She was admitted to hospitalhere on March 17". A total of 147 cases of covid19 cases have been reported so far. A tray of childhood vaccines. Health officials urge parents to get their children vaccinated against measles if they have not been. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times) The person credited with saving the most lives ever is Edward Jenner, inventor of the smallpox vaccine. The disease had a much higher mortality rate than the novel coronavirus that is confining many people to their homes right now; about 80% of children and 60% of adults who contracted smallpox died of it. In the 20th century alone, it killed more than 300 million people before the vaccine eradicated it worldwide in 1979. The polio vaccine is estimated to have saved 10 million people from paralysis just since 1988, and prevented 500,000 deaths, according to the World Health Organization. A global vaccination campaign for measles that began in 2000 prevented an estimated 23 million deaths by 2018, the organization reported. But despite these extraordinary victories of science over disease, too many people have forgotten or are unaware of the havoc that certain diseases visited on the world before vaccines became available to fight them. This collective amnesia has allowed for the rise of the anti-vaccine movement, whose irresponsible adherents believe vaccines exist to line the pockets of Big Pharma. They ignore the fact that the smallpox vaccine was so overwhelmingly successful at eradicating the disease that it no longer is routinely given. Then there are the wild claims that autism is linked to vaccines, based on a fraudulent study that was long ago debunked. Are anti-vaxxers ready to start believing in vaccines again? As social distancing and other efforts to rein in the spread of COVID-19 are ramped up, people are understandably hoping for an Edward Jenner-like miracle in the form of a vaccine that would protect against the virus. When a scourge is upon us, immunization starts looking pretty good. Theres encouraging news on this score, and discouraging news as well. This week, people have seen what seems like a bright promise in the darkness: a volunteer in Seattle receiving the first dose of an experimental vaccine against the novel coronavirus. It was developed by a Massachusetts company called Moderna, one of dozens of companies searching for a vaccine across the world. Israeli officials recently announced that a group of research scientists there were on the verge of offering a new vaccine candidate, as well. A San Diego biotech company is also working on the problem. Story continues The speed of development has been made possible in part through the help of Chinese scientists who worked on sequencing the genetic material of the virus that causes COVID-19. But as fast as all this sounds, dont expect a coronavirus vaccine clinic to be opening near you anytime soon. Despite the claims of the anti-vaccine crowd that vaccines arent tested thoroughly enough before coming to market, they actually go through a longer and tougher process than most other drugs. Without fast-tracking, it usually takes 10 to 15 years for them to gain final approval in the United States. The experimental vaccine injected this week isnt being tested for effectiveness yet; its in the first phase of testing, which looks only at its safety for humans. At least two more phases generally follow; they look at whether a vaccine works and what the optimal dose levels are, in addition to continuing to check for safety. Its worth noting that many proposed vaccines never make it all the way to approval; what looks promising at first often proves disappointing when subjected to thorough testing. In urgent situations, vaccines can be fast-tracked, but fast is a relative term. Public health officials have warned that even if these first vaccines continue to look good, a fast-tracked vaccine wont be available for 18 months, perhaps a little bit sooner. And the vaccine approach used by Moderna, using genetic material called messenger RNA, has not in the past resulted in any vaccine being brought to market, although that doesnt mean it couldnt work. Even in dire situations, testing is critical. An ineffective vaccine could do more harm than good by giving people the false impression that theyre protected. But the United States and governments around the world should be supporting these vaccine-development efforts in every way possible, and fast-tracking those that appear safe and effective. COVID-19 is upending our lives and our economy; of course we want a vaccine to stop it in its tracks as soon as possible. But come the time when may it only happen vaccines have rendered COVID-19 just a memory, it's frightening to think that future generations who did not live through it may think of the vaccine as more problematic than the disease. Texas will waive certain requirements for unemployment benefits, a move that will increase the speed at which the state can disperse checks to workers whose jobs were impacted by the coronavirus. Governor Greg Abbott instructed the Texas Workforce Commission to waive the waiting week, which usually prevents the state from paying for the first week of an individual's unemployment claim until the claimant received twice their weekly benefit amount and returns to work full time, or has exhausted their benefits. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 22:36:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BISHKEK, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Kyrgyzstan's President Sooronbai Jeenbekov on Wednesday urged citizens not to panic after the first three cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the Central Asian country. "Together with the world community, we fell on the test to fight against coronavirus," he said in a televised address, while urging the Kyrgyz people not to panic, and to take precautions as advised. Meanwhile, he noted that the country's coronavirus situation is currently fully under control. The first infections in Kyrgyzstan were from three Kyrgyz men living in the Suzak district in the western Jalal-Abad Region, who had returned home from a Islamic pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. Jeenbekov urged the Kyrgyz people to take necessary personal hygiene measures as required to protect their health, stay home as much as possible and maintain social distancing, while warning of punishments for ignoring and failing to comply with the requirements. The Kyrgyz president added that the country has no shortage of food nor medical supplies. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall issued an opinion today that Gov. Kay Ivey has the authority to postpone the March 31 primary runoff because of the coronavirus pandemic. Marshall issued the opinion in response to a request from Secretary of State John Merrill. Marshall said the governor has the authority under the Alabama Emergency Management Act. Ivey declared a state of public health emergency on Friday. Ivey press secretary Gina Maiola said a decision is in the works. The governor appreciates the attention to this matter by both the attorney general and secretary of state, Maiola said in a text. She is in the process of thoroughly reviewing all factors surrounding moving Alabamas upcoming runoff election. Marshall wrote in his opinion that he concurred with an assertion by Merrill that the runoff should not be postponed until later than July 14 to avoid interfering with the general election in November. The opinion comes after some local officials urged postponement to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 among voters and to poll workers, who tend to be older than the general population, putting them at higher risk of severe illness from the virus. Merrill had said there was no explicit authority in the law to postpone an election but sought the opinion from Marshall because of the increasingly strict guidelines from federal and state officials discouraging large gatherings and urging people to practice social distancing, or staying at least six feet away from others in public settings. Louisiana and Georgia postponed their primaries, and Ohio made a late decision to postpone its primary that was scheduled for today. Here are our live updates on the public health crisis in Alabama. You can find all of our coronavirus stories here. Edited at 5:31 p.m., to say that other states postponed their primaries, not runoffs. The Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte gives a speech in which he discusses the current situation regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) THE HAGUE (Reuters) - The Netherlands will bar all non-EU travellers from entering the country, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told national broadcaster NOS after a video conference with other European Union leaders amid the worldwide coronavirus outbreak. In a separate move the Dutch foreign minister advised all Dutch nationals against travel abroad unless it was strictly necessary. (Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg; Editing by Sandra Maler) New figures show percentage of infected health workers is almost double number registered in China throughout epidemic. Rome, Italy As coronavirus cases jump and deaths surge in Italy, new figures show an enormous level of contagion among the countrys medical personnel. At least 2,629 health workers have been infected by coronavirus since the onset of the outbreak in February, representing 8.3 percent of total cases, according to a report published on Wednesday by Gruppo Italiano per la Medicina Basata sulle Evidenze or GIMBE Italys Group for Evidence-based Medicine. The data has sent shock waves through the countrys already strained healthcare system. We extracted this number from data provided by the National Health Institute, GIMBE Director Nino Cartabellotta, a public health expert, told Al Jazeera. Figures regarding the contagion among doctors, nurses and general health professionals have started being disclosed only on March 11. Hundreds of new cases have been daily recorded since then. But medical personnel on the front line should be the first to be protected. Cartabellotta said the actual number was likely to be higher because healthcare workers are not always tested and protection measures at hospitals were inadequate. Many who tend to coronavirus patients are still only using surgical face masks with no proper protective filters to shield them from contagion. The percentage of health workers infected in Italy is almost double the number registered throughout the epidemic in China, during which a total of more than 3,200 people died. According to figures published in JAMA Network Open, an online medical site from the Journal of the American Medical Association, infected medical staff in China made up 3.8 percent of the total cases, with only five deaths. Over 60 percent of the medical staff who were infected were registered in the epicentres outbreak, Wuhan. Italy is the worst-hit country after China. On Wednesday, Italy announced that over the preceeding 24 hours, the number of deaths had risen by 475 to 2,978, an increase of 19 percent, as cases jumped to a total 35,713. There are no official figures on the number of medical personnel who have died of coronavirus in Italy. According to Italian daily Corriere della Sera, a general practitioner from the province of Lodi died on Wednesday. This raised the death toll of family doctors in the area to four. Other regions have also registered losses among medical staff. A lack of equipment, resources and personnel has piled pressure on Italys health system. Italy does not produce masks. With the pandemic spreading, some of its closest neighbours have been reluctant to export supplies they may need soon. The problem right now is the supply of the protective gear, Cartabellotta said. The government should have thought of this some time ago. It is logical that following the global explosion of the pandemic, countries producing masks and other protective devices are now keeping them to themselves and stopped their exports. We already have a limited number of doctors and nurses. Under extreme circumstances, we could even ask them to keep working even if [they] tested positive for coronavirus. Still, they should be equipped with protective devices to avoid spreading the virus further. An emergency decree presented by the government on Monday allocated 3.5 billion euros ($3.8bn) towards the ailing health system. We are importing medical personnel from abroad and throwing new young healthcare professionals without licenses into the fray, Cartabellotta said. If we dont provide them with adequate protection, it will end up like in a war where soldiers dont die while fighting on the battlefield, but because of lack of equipment. The more medical personnel is infected, the weaker the responsiveness of the healthcare system. The president-prepared bill on the reform of Ukraine's prosecution agencies was adopted in September 2019. Fifty Ukrainian lawmakers have lodged a motion with the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, asking to check whether the bill on the reform of prosecution authorities is in line with the country's Constitution. The point at issue is the bill on amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine regarding priority measures for the reform of the prosecutor's offices dated September 19, 2019, the Constitutional Court's press service said. Read alsoNew Prosecutor General: Who is Iryna Venediktova The lawmakers insist that the adoption of the bill in question "has narrowed the content and scope of citizens' existing rights, introduced dualism of the legal foundation for the prosecution in Ukraine, prosecutors' status," it said. As UNIAN reported earlier, the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, on September 19, 2019, adopted the presidential bill amending certain legislative acts of Ukraine regarding priority measures for reforming the prosecutor's offices. The bill on the prosecutor's office stipulates that a citizen of Ukraine who has a law degree and at least 10 years' experience in law (may have higher education and experience in the field of law or experience in legislative and/or law enforcement agency for at least five years) is eligible to be appointed a prosecutor general. It also foresees that Ukraine's prosecution system consists of the Prosecutor General's Office; regional prosecutor's offices; district prosecutors (formerly local prosecutors); the specialized anti-corruption prosecutor's office. Yet, military prosecutors are not part of the system. Two college students have amassed a 1,700-strong ground of young and healthy volunteers to help deliver fresh groceries and medicine to vulnerable New Yorkers amid the coronavirus outbreak. Liam Elkind, a junior at Yale, and friend, Simone Policano, do not only drop of salad fixings and oranges to the like of 83-year-old Carol Sterling but they take the time to socialize with people in need of communication amid the social distancing rules and recommendations put in place around the country. Leading the initiative in NYC and New Jersey with the help of friends Mimi and Healy, the group gathered the first 1,300 volunteers in just 72 hours after they launched on Facebook Thursday. Now they've launched a website, InvisibleHandsDeliver.com. In this March 17, 2020, photo, Liam Elkind, 20, selects a bag of oranges at the Associated Supermarket. Elkind, a junior at Yale,runs a group called Invisible Hands In this March 17 photo, Liam Elkind, 20, disinfects a paper bag full of groceries delivered to 83-year-old Carol Sterling, who is self-quarantined in her apartment in New York due to the coronavirus outbreak. Elkind continues to practice social distancing as he and Sterling make conversation in the hallway of her apartment The junior at Yale, and friend, Simone Policano (left), amassed 1,300 volunteers in 72 hours to deliver groceries and medicine (right) Above figures show the confirmed number of cases in the US as of Wednesday and how the 'It's been inspiring to see people trying to pull together in the current state of affairs which feels like is trying to pull us all apart,' Elkind told NY1.com. 'People are feeling lonely right now. We have all of our volunteers engage with these people. Talk to them. A lot of them have been cooped up in their houses all day and haven't talked to people. So, we ask, "Hey how's your day going?"' HOW INVISIBLE HANDS DELIVERY WORKS Fill out the Request a Delivery form on InvisibleHandsDeliver.com. Youll get a phone call from a volunteer in your neighborhood who will be completing your delivery, so you can confirm for them exactly what you need and where you need it from. Those in need can fill out a form and pay in advance or after delivery You can choose to pay in one of three ways: Call the store in advance to place the order and pay with your credit card over the phone, letting them know someone else will be picking it up on your behalf Provide your volunteer with cash before they complete the order Reimburse the volunteer after they pick up your items Whatever payment method you select, your volunteer will include your receipt in the delivery bag and leave the bag at your doorstep, ringing your bell so you know its arrived. Advertisement Policano added: 'Especially in New York where people are very much head down, got to get to work, we have a reputation for being more brusque and not as friendly, per se.' But she continued that her spread sheet 'would prove you wrong'. Sterling is a name on the spreadsheet that might agree. The retired arts administrator has been sheltering at home during the coronavirus outbreak, unable to shop for herself. Yearning for some fresh food, she found the 20-year-old through their synagogue. On delivery day Tuesday, Elkind and Sterling met for the first time over her paper bag of groceries outside her 15th-floor apartment on the Upper West Side. It was a moment of 'tikkun olam' between the two congregants of the progressive and service-minded Steven Wise Free Synagogue. The Hebrew for 'world repair' is a phrase synonymous with the notion of social action. 'It's neighbor to neighbor,' Sterling said. 'A crisis like this often brings out the very best.' Elkind, the son of a doctor, has watched his father and other caregivers working tirelessly in crisis. 'I figured, OK, I can go buy some groceries. That I can do.' Life has changed radically for Sterling, a widow who lives alone. She's a people person, a puppeteer who clearly misses human interaction as she busies herself at home with online classes through 'something called Zoom, which I had never heard of.' She was supposed to be in Vietnam and Bali attending a conference and teaching children and educators about puppetry. The outbreak dashed her plans. With her two children and other family far away, the usually busy Sterling has a new friend in Elkind. In this March 17, 2020, photo, Liam Elkind, 20, leaves the Associated Supermarket with a bag of groceries including salad ingredients and fresh produce They hope to expand the chat and drop-off service to Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington and London soon 'People are scared, and people are lonely,' he said. 'We're all so separated, and one of the things we need is that social cohesiveness. This is one opportunity to get them that social connection they're looking for.' For most people, the virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover. Elkind and his fellow volunteers take the name of their project from their vigilance in maintaining social distance from the people they serve, and their meticulous care while shopping and delivering. Grocery and pharmacy orders are placed on the Invisible Hands website. Shoppers must not have traveled out of the country for the virus' 14-day incubation period, have any symptoms of COVID-19 or have come in contact with anybody who has tested positive. They must pledge that they have practiced social distancing and other safety measures in their own lives before signing on. They wear gloves while shopping, wipe down bags they're delivering and use self-checkout when possible. Bags of goods are left at doors, and cash can be exchanged the same way, or directly to a store or through a digital transaction. Volunteers make a point to pause and chat as they deliver. Carol Sterling, 83, gives a thumbs-up to Liam Elkind after he delivers groceries to her apartment as part of a newly formed volunteer group he cofounded, Invisible Hands The effort started on Facebook. Policano, also a New Yorker, put out a call for volunteers. Word spread quickly as they built a website and distributed flyers in seven languages. WHAT ARE THE CORONAVIRUS SYMPTOMS? The virus, called COVID-19, is transmitted from person to person via droplets when an infected person breathes out, coughs or sneezes. It can also spread via contaminated surfaces such as door handles or railings. Coronavirus infections have a wide range of symptoms, including fever, coughing, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. Mild cases can cause cold-like symptoms including a sore throat, headache, fever, cough or trouble breathing. Severe cases can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory illness, kidney failure and death. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure. Advertisement 'It's gone from extremely casual to extremely operational very quickly,' Elkind said. 'This is one of those times when I remember that New York is such a small town, and people are willing to look out for one another and have each other's back.' Now, Elkind said, volunteers have offered to extend Invisible Hands to Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington and London. 'It's been really exciting just to see that amount of interest and how many people there are in this world who want to do good and are looking for ways to do that,' he said. 'This is a 24-7 operation right now. It's overwhelming in the best way possible.' Elkind is on spring break at the moment. After that, his school goes to remote learning. Unless told by officials to stop, Invisible Hands will press on. It was unclear what would happen to the efforts if New York is put under a shelter-in-place order, as Mayor Bill de Blasio has proposed. Such a measure could force residents to stay home except for strictly limited activities like buying food or medicine or getting exercise. Sterling was more than a little grateful, for the food and for Elkind and his colleagues of all ages. 'When we look back ... a lot of good things are going to come out of this,' she said of the crisis. 'This will bring everybody together.' If Eggener had his way, he would not even call it cancer for men who are given a Gleason score of 6 or lower, because it fails to meet the clinical definition of cancer: the ability to cause symptoms, metastasize or lead to death, he wrote in an email. Removing the cancer label has been done in other cancers, most notably a subtype of thyroid and bladder cancers. I predict this will eventually happen for Gleason 6 prostate cancer, and in my opinion will be reason for celebration. Rome mayor calls for greater checks on those arriving into capital's train stations. Payment will no longer be required for parking in Rome's 'strisce blu' - the city's blue-striped parking spaces which are normally subject to an hourly rate - from 19 March until 3 April. The temporary measure follows the opening of Rome's city's ZTL, or limited parking zone, in recent days. Separately Rome's mayor Virginia Raggi has called for more controls on those arriving into the city's main train stations, adopting measures already in force at the airports, including the taking of temperatures. "Too many people are arriving into Rome on trains into the two main stations of the capital, Termini and Tiburtina, without adequate checks," said Raggi. "At the moment the controls being carried out on arrival are limited to checking the self-certification form required by the government in the event of travel." BarcelonaThe Spanish governments announcement of a 200bn bailout plan to save the economy is reminiscent of an older model that was applied in a very different context. Readers might recall the Juncker plan, a European Commission project whereby Brussels guaranteed part of the business loans offered by banks to companies. In order to benefit from the scheme, companies had to submit a business plan and, once it was reviewed, the European Commission would decide whether to endorse the project or not. The system chosen by the Spanish PM resembles the Juncker plan (in both cases banks and the administration worked together), but there is an important difference: the Juncker plan was intended to finance infrastructure and viable business projects. In contrast, Pedro Sanchez is asking banks to loan cash to companies that would likely go under otherwise. Out of the total amount of the bailout announced by Sanchez (200bn), the State has earmarked 17bn for a range of welfare measures (unemployment benefit, self-employed workers, helping out families with dependants in their care and so forth). In other words, so far we know that the State will be spending only 17bn. This expense will have an impact on the public deficit, but it will be a moderate one: about 1.5 per cent. Banks will fork out the remaining 183bn in the form of business and personal loans. About 55 per cent of that sum (100bn) will be backed by the State through the ICO [Instituto de Credito Oficial or Official Loans Institute, a state-owned bank]. This means that the remainder (83bn) will be lent by banks without the States backing and, therefore, they will be exposed to defaults. Will banks agree to it? A Finance Ministry spokesman has confirmed that banks will contribute 100 per cent of the cash and the ICO will guarantee some of it. This means that the ICO wont necessarily be spending that amount because it will merely act as a guarantor and when a company manages to pay their loan back, the State wont need to spend a penny. As a result, Spains public deficit will only rise to the extent that businesses default on loans guaranteed by the ICO. Banks believe it is a given that they wont be lending the full sum that was announced today (183bn). Actually, the 100bn that the ICO is willing to guarantee is a very respectable figure, roughly equivalent to 10 per cent of Spains GDP. They also claim that today it was important to send the message that the Spanish authorities are willing to spend as much as it takes in order to protect the economy. Nevertheless, the big question is what will banks do if loan applications exceed the total amount that the State is willing to guarantee (100bn)? A source in the finance sector points out that without the States guarantee, bad debt will surge for banks. Someone in the administration who is familiar with the management of EU funds points out that banks will lend if they are forced to or if the State is willing to guarantee the whole operation. Banks might not have a choice because the government could find ways to force their hand, but one thing is for sure: they arent looking forward to it because theyve been having trouble for years. As a matter of fact, Spains finance sector has been struggling for quite some time, which is why regulators have been pressuring banks to engage in further mergers that would allow them to streamline and become more profitable. The same source warns that if they are forced to take greater risks, banks may also wobble and then we could be facing a banking crisis. With summer travel season fast approaching, the Lake Geneva tourism industry already is experiencing cancellations because of fears of the coronavirus. Industry leaders are holding out hope that the virus episode runs its course and that life returns to normal before the tourism season kicks off on Memorial Day. Were hoping it diminishes quickly, and the threat is over before tourism season begins, said Kathy Seeburg, executive director of the Walworth County Visitors Bureau. The coronavirus pandemic has already canceled one big event in the Lake Geneva region. Gary Con, a yearly gathering of fans of the Dungeons and Dragons games, has canceled its event planned for March 26 to March 29 at the Grand Geneva Resort. It would have been the conventions 12th year in the region. In announcing the cancellation, organizers said on their website that they were making the decision to put the health and safety of their members and supporters first. I know this is very disappointing to all of you, as it is to us, organizer Luke Gygax wrote. We have invested hundreds of hours into bringing this celebration to life, and we will not see all of you at the Grand Geneva with smiles on your faces. The public health outbreak that has shut down schools, museums and churches throughout Wisconsin and the nation is not expected to leave the tourism and visitor sector unscathed. Stephanie Klett, president of the VISIT Lake Geneva tourism promotion group, said although it was too early to predict how the coronavirus will affect summer tourism, she already was advising would-be visitors to the area to heed public health warnings. The safety of our visitors, employees and residents is always the number-one priority, Klett said. Lake Geneva is a leading tourism destination in the state and the region, and our visitors place their trust in us. She added: We cant speculate on what it may mean for travel to our area. Some individual local tourist attractions are taking steps to respond to the coronavirus threat. Officials at the Belfry Music Theatre near Williams Bay announced that they are asking patrons not to attend one of the theaters shows if they are feeling ill, and that a full refund would be issued to any ticket holders who choose not to attend. The Belfry Music Theater has scheduled more than 30 live musical performances starting in early June. In their announcement on Facebook, Belfry officials said they are not cancelling any shows, but they will change plans if necessary because of the coronavirus. We will continue to monitor the virus as it evolves, they said. We will base our decisions on scientific information from health care industry officials and experts. Owners of Sopra Bistro, an upscale restaurant in downtown Lake Geneva, announced that the restaurant was closing until March 31 to protect customers and employees from the virus threat. We believe shutting down temporarily and doing our part to reduce density is our team and community, according to a statement on the restaurants Facebook page. No one can anticipate exactly how this virus will impact all of us. Seeburg said she was aware of other events that are being cancelled, and area hotels that have reported customers cancelling their room reservations to the visit the area. Seeburg said she hopes people exercise caution if they feel the need to travel. I hope people stay safe, wash their hands and limit social interaction, she said. I hope they follow guidelines that are sent out. Tammie Carstensen, general manager for Harbor Shores hotel in Lake Geneva, said she has not suffered many cancellations, and she has her staff working extra hard to keep her hotel clean and sanitary. Staff at Harbor Shores are cleaning every hour to make sure the hotel is safe for guests, wiping down elevators, doorknobs, room keys and elsewhere, said Carstensen, who also is chairwoman of the Lake Geneva Tourism Commission. My staff is doing what needs to be done, she said. Its business as usual. Tourism promoters hope local businesses do not get hit too hard with virus fears. If people do not want to sit inside a restaurant, Klett said, she hopes they will consider instead supporting local establishments by placing a to-go order or pick-up order or by purchasing a gift card to visit at a later time. Once these troubling times fade and longed-for normalcy returns, joining together with family and friends over a meal at a favorite restaurant will take on a significance we could have never imagined just a few short weeks ago, she said. VISIT Lake Geneva plans to go forward with its Lake Geneva Restaurant Week promotion, scheduled for April 25 to May 3. But as the promotion draws closer, plans might be reconsidered. Klett said she believes the local tourism industry will rebound once the coronavirus threat diminishes. This is a resilient community thats been in the tourism business for generations, she said. And a joint effort toward tourism recovery is on our radar. Carstensen agreed. I feel everything will be OK, she said. If this was during the summer, it might be a bigger issue.(tncms-asset)9a07263a-449b-11ea-a6ca-00163ec2aa77[0](/tncms-asset) Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. 2.5k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard After a rout of losses on Tuesday evening to former Vice President Joe Biden, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is reportedly questioning his next moves in the Democratic Partys primary contests to determine a nominee for president. Biden won in all three states up for grabs Tuesday, including Florida, Illinois, and Arizona. His total delegate count right now sits at 1,153, while 861 delegates are pledged to Sanders at this time. To win the nomination outright on the first ballot, a candidate must get 1,991 delegates, a simple majority of the total that are allocated. Its possible that Biden wont reach that number, but could wind up with the plurality win. BREAKING: Joe Biden wins the Arizona Democratic Primary, NBC News projects. https://t.co/TsrS2ICMQI pic.twitter.com/LTWJY1Agg5 NBC News (@NBCNews) March 18, 2020 Previously, when Sanders had a temporary lead in the delegate count, he said that whoever wound up with the plurality win should also win the nomination. To his credit, when he lost that lead, he stood by his previous comments. Many have been calling for Sanders to drop out, especially in light of the current coronavirus outbreak. Sanders campaign manager, Faiz Shakir, said the candidate had plenty of time to think things over. With remaining Democratic primaries likely to be diminished by coronavirus, Bernie Sanders should drop out to grant Joe Biden a clean victory and clearer path to ousting President Trump, the Sun-Times Editorial Board writes. https://t.co/jKxjTbonRk Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) March 12, 2020 The next primary contest is at least three weeks away. Sen. Sanders is going to be having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign, Shakir said in a statement. The next contests to take place will happen on Saturday, April 4. They will involve primaries in Alaska, Hawaii, and Wyoming. Louisiana, which was also slated to have a primary election on that date, has canceled the event to address coronavirus fears. The following Tuesday, a primary election will also take place in Wisconsin. Also on Tuesday, primary challengers to President Donald Trump were dealt a campaign-ending setback, as the commander-in-chief reached the delegate threshold necessary in order to clinch the nomination for president from the Republican Party. She won the inaugural season of Love Island Australia. And on Tuesday, Tayla Damir, 23, proved she was as glamorous as ever when she attended a Bangn Body first birthday luncheon in Melbourne. The reality star chose to highlight her trim pins in a stunning black monogrammed Louis Vuitton mini-skirt at the event. Oh my! Love Island winner Tayla Damir, 23, (pictured) showcased her trim pins in a Louis Vuitton monogram mini-skirt as she led arrivals at Bangn Body in Melbourne on Tuesday The part-time model paired the skirt with a white crew neck T-shirt along with a white blazer and kitten heels. The beauty finished her outfit with a white Louis Vuitton handbag, which she wore elegantly slung over her shoulder. Tayla kept her raven tresses down and parted in the middle. She opted to wear minimal makeup for the occasion. Fashion forward! Love Island winner Tayla was joined by Bachelor in Paradise star Keira Maguire, 33, (L) who wore a black and yellow plaid jumpsuit Joining Tayla at the event was Bachelor in Paradise star Keira Maguire, who chose to wear a black and yellow plaid jumpsuit. The former Bachelor in Paradise star kept the outfit chic with a quilted Balenciaga handbag along with a pair of semi-transparent heels. She wore her trademark blonde tresses down past her shoulders. While she kept her makeup minimal and completed it with a matte lipstick. Green with envy! Florence Moerenhout, 30, (L) flaunted her toned midriff in a long sleeve button down top, which she paired with acid wash jeans. (R) Priscilla Hajiantoni Keira was joined by fellow Bachelor in Paradise alum Florence Moerenhout, 30, who flaunted her toned midriff in a green button down. The Netherlands-born beauty paired the eye-catching top with a pair of faded acid wash jeans which sat on her hips. Florence finished her look with a pair of semi-transparent heels. Denim delight! Model Tegan Martin, 27, (pictured) wore an all-white denim ensemble, which included a knotted denim top and jeans frayed at the ankle Model Tegan Martin kept her look stylish in an all-white denim ensemble, showing-off the beauty's flat stomach. The beauty wore her tight white jeans on her hips, and paired it with white jeans which were frayed at the ankles. Tegan finished her look with a pair of nude heels along with circular sunglasses. Trio: Later, Florence and Keira were joined by a friend at the upscale event She posed with the founder of Bangn Body, Priscilla Hajiantoni. Priscilla showed off her own curves in an elegant long sleeve dress with a drop neck, which she paired with a material belt. She finished her simple yet chic outfit with a pair of nude-hued strappy sandals. We are spinning our own fates, good or evil, and never to be undone. Every smallest stroke of virtue or of vice leaves its never so little scar. William James, The Principles of Psychology By March 16, Cheng Jianghao had been working in the Wuhan Fourth Hospital for 50 days. Although he finishes his day at 8 p.m. it isnt until 10 p.m. that he is able to return to the hotel to have dinner. The next day, he goes back to work for another night shift. Born in 1996, Cheng is a male nurse from the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University in Zhengzhou city, central Chinas Henan province. Young and brave, he is one of the first Henan medical workers sent to aid Wuhan, a vital part of the line of defense against the virus at a crucial time. Varying working times and irregular eating patterns have already become a daily routine for this 24-year-old. Despite the painstaking efforts needed in the fight against the coronavirus, Cheng regarded it as the most precious experience in his life. No hesitation On January 25, the first day of Chinese New Year, Cheng received a notice from the hospital after a night shift: the hospital planned to send medical staff to Wuhan to assist in virus control efforts. Cheng did not have a moments hesitation about taking the task. His parents, though worried about his safety, supported his decision, saying that a qualified medical worker should never step back during a testing time like this. I have an older sister who is taking care of my parents. Im single without children, so I have fewer concerns, Cheng said. As a result, after one day of preparation and training, Cheng left for Wuhan to help in the battle against COVID-19. Among the 28 medics from Chengs hospital sent to Wuhan, nearly 40 percent were born in the 1990s. Cheng was the youngest member of the team. Seeing patients as friends Distributing medicine, feeding patients and processing medical waste material are just some of the tasks that make up a shift in the insolation wards in Wuhan Fourth Hospital. Although a shift usually lasts 4 hours, it often takes over 8 hours for Cheng to complete due to the complex precautions and disinfection procedures that have to be undertaken before and after work. He recalled the first time he entered the isolation ward: fog covered his goggles as soon as he entered, and his protective suit was completely soaked in half an hour. But now, Cheng has managed to adapt to these working conditions. As there is no specific drug that kills the coronavirus, it is essential to provide patients with humanistic care in addition to medical treatment. Cheng believes that psychological intervention is very effective in easing the stress and anxiety caused by the disease. In Chengs eyes, the patients are also his friends and even family members, and he sometimes learnt to speak Wuhan dialect from them. I like Wuhan dialect. It sounds warm and friendly, he said. When Cheng learnt that there was an elderly patient in her 80s who was suffering from Alzheimers disease and often missed her family, he told her, Grandma, just look at me as your grandson. Ill take care of you. Every time Cheng was on duty, he would look after her carefully and chat with her. To everyones delight, the elderly patient was cured in early March. Before being discharged, she gave Cheng a piece of her favorite cookie. Unspoken love When he first arrived in Wuhan, Cheng said, the total number of patients in Wuhan was very large, with many in severe condition. After days of round-the-clock efforts by all the medics, more and more patients were cured and discharged. Im happy to see more and more patients being discharged from the hospital, and those who are still under treatment are becoming positive and optimistic. Our job involves a lot of hard work, but its worth it. As of March 15, Hubei had seen no newly confirmed COVID-19 cases for 11 consecutive days in its 16 cities and prefectures outside Wuhan. The city of Wuhan has also seen single-digit daily increases for five days. I am very grateful to have such a period of time in my life, which lets me better understand the meaning of life as a nurse and makes me cherish everything around me. Thats why Wuhan has become a city with special meaning for me." Cheng hopes for the epidemic to end soon and for he and his colleagues to return home safely. In addition, he made a special decision that after the epidemic, he would confess his love to his favorite girl. Theres a girl I love, but I dont have the courage to tell her yet. When I return home safely after the outbreak, I will confess my love to her and ask her to be my girlfriend. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 18, 2020) --- Getty Music is set to debut Christ Our Hope in Life and Death, written by five critically acclaimed songwriters, Keith Getty, Matt Papa, Jordan Kauflin, Matt Boswell, and Matt Merker. This is the first song that the writers have written together as a team. Keith Getty states, We wrote this song over a period of two years with a number of our team of writers, and Kristyn recorded it with Matt Papa. It is so timely in how it speaks to us and our children. The hymn is inspired by the Heidelberg Catechism of 1563, which begins with the profound question, What is your only comfort in life and in death? For centuries, believers have learned the Christian faith beginning with that question. Why start there? Because death is the one statistic we all can be sure of. Less than 3% of modern songs sing of death, in contrast to many of the classic hymns, liturgies, and catechisms. Christianity that does not cultivate a constant awareness of our resurrection hope in the face of death is not authentic Christianity. We need to love those around us enough to sing about death. The only comfort we will truly find this season is to know we can face death by trusting Christ, who conquered the grave. Stream and purchase the single on iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, and the Getty Music Store at www.gettymusic.com/christ-our-hope Watch the lyric video here: www.gettymusic.com/christ-our-hope Click below to see the story "Behind the Song" from Getty Music ABOUT THE SONGWRITERS: Keith Getty along with his wife Kristyn Getty are pre-eminent modern hymn writers in the world today, known for hymns such as In Christ Alone." Born in Northern Ireland, the award-winning artists became the first musicians of the modern era to be given the OBE from Queen Elizabeth II for service to music and hymn writing. As ambassadors of hymns they have also founded the Sing Conference which welcomes over 15,000 people in Nashville as well as founding a publishing company, record label, touring company, online learning and foundation. Keith and Kristyn live between Northern Ireland and Nashville with their four daughters. Matt Boswell is the founding pastor of The Trails Church in Prosper, TX. Matt has been involved in church planting and pastoral ministry since 1998, and is also an author and hymn writer, known for songs including "His Mercy Is More" and "Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery." Matt is a Ph.D. candidate at Southern Seminary with an emphasis in Christian Worship and Biblical Spirituality. Matt and his wife Jamie have four children. Jordan Kauflin has been involved in leading worship and writing songs for corporate worship since he was a teenager. His songs include "I Will Wait for You (Psalm 130)" and "All I Have Is Christ." He has served as a pastor for over a decade and enjoys training the next generation of worship leaders. Jordan and his wife Tali have five children. Matt Merker is Director of Creative Resources & Training for Getty Music. Matt has contributed to several modern hymns, including He Will Hold Me Fast. He is the author of the forthcoming book Corporate Worship: The Church Gathers as God's People. Matt and his wife Erica are members of Trinity Church and live in Nashville, TN with their two children. Matt Papa is a songwriter, worship leader, and author whose heart longs to see people from every corner of the world set ablaze by the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. He serves as the Worship & Arts Director at Christ Covenant Church in Atlanta, GA. His latest project, "His Mercy Is More," showcases over a dozen songs co-written with frequent collaborator Matt Boswell. Matt and his wife Lauren have five children. ABOUT KEITH & KRISTYN GETTY: Keith and Kristyn Getty are pre-eminent modern hymn writers in the world today, known for titles such as In Christ Alone." Born in Northern Ireland, they are multi award-winning artists with Keith becoming the first musician of the modern era to be given the OBE from Queen Elizabeth II for service to music and hymn writing. According to CCLI, they have written over 30 of the top 500 sung songs in USA & UK today and Integrity music estimate 100 million people in the world today in all forms of churches use their music. As ambassadors for hymns they have performed as a duo for Presidents and Prime Ministers, as well as an annual national hymns tour and Christmas tour including sell out shows each year at Carnegie Hall and Kennedy Center. They wrote the Sing book and founded the Sing Conference which now welcomes over 15,000 people to Nashville each year. The Getty Music Group, based in Nashville, is now gone to a publishing company, record label, touring company, online learning and foundation, speaheaded by the couple. Keith and Kristyn live between Northern Ireland and Nashville with their four daughters. ### As well as causing death, injury, displacement destruction and fear, a year of intense fighting in Syrias northwest province has put education, and the future, of one and a half million children under severe attack. By Linda Bordoni The international charity Save the Children has revealed that more than half the schools in Idlib - 570 out of 1,062 - are damaged, destroyed or in areas too dangerous for children to access. Another 74 schools are currently used as shelters for families fleeing the conflict. In a report released this week, it notes that for all children to attend school, each functioning classroom in Idlib would need to accommodate 240 students. Education under attack On 25 February 2020, eight schools and two kindergartens were hit by attacks, the highest number in a single day in Idlib since the beginning of 2019. Most of these bombings took place during classes. In response to the danger for their children, parents have requested that certain areas be off-limits because they are afraid of attracting more violence. Instead, they are asking that classes be held in hidden places, such as caves and basements, or in mobile structures that are more difficult to strike. The normalization of violence Save the Children notes that the concept of "child safety" in Syria has been forgotten and the normalisation of violence has become a daily reality for children, who do not understand how most of their peers in other countries experience daily life or their days at school. Schools in buses To stop the conflict robbing children of their education, Save the Children and its partner organizations have turned four buses into brightly painted mobile classrooms, bringing school to some 575,000 displaced children. The mobile classrooms teach basic subjects such as Arabic and maths, provide structured emotional and psychosocial support and offer activities to help the children recover from their traumatic experiences. Each mobile school supports about 80 children at a time. The escalation of violence in Idlib province has caused hundreds of thousands to flee increasingly inhumane conditions. In the first two months of 2020, at least 30 children were killed and over 550,000 people were displaced. All this, Save the Children says, is forcing children to live under the constant threat of violence. MIDDLETOWN Carrie Carella was forced Monday night to make one of the most difficult decisions shes made so far as a business owner. She closed the NoRA Cupcake Co. location in New London for the day and laid off 14 workers between two shops. Middletowns 700 Main St. location, now owner-run to save money, is open from noon to 6 p.m. She also eliminated four seasonal positions. Carella suspected this situation would arise. Theres no way to plan for it. Its no ones fault. Its just hard to navigate because theres no precursor. Its not like a storm or hurricane. The New London location is surrounded by restaurants, which have seen reduced patronage. Im trying to salvage what I can and keep the lights on. Im kind of frozen right now, hoping that money comes in, and Ill pay off the necessary things as it happens, Carella said. Several eateries that served St. Patricks Day menus in the past made the decision to close Tuesday. Herd Restaurant co-owner Jonathan Shapiro is following the governors mandate that all businesses serving food only be open for takeout. Hes also worried about letting staff go. The problem is, a lot of people live paycheck to paycheck. If theyre not working, theyre not going to have disposable income to support a business in that way. Its going to be about putting food on the table, he explained. Most of his employees are part-time. Shapiro is coming to the realization that laying off staff so they can collect unemployment may be better. Monday was a normal day at NoRA Cupcake, Carella said, so she stocked her bakery with pastries Tuesday. We might be visiting some shelters at the end of the day with the excess. NoRA also has a food truck and booming catering and wedding business. Carella had hoped to soon open a bar serving small bites, but that plan is on hold. For now, her birthday party orders remain. In an effort to not only remain productive, but help other struggling individuals, Carella has been reaching out to friends, offering any help she can, including one who co-owns Ripe Bar Juice in New Haven. Theyre laying off everyone, too. Hes back to squeezing juice and delivering, said Carella, who offered her cold storage as a pickup point for deliveries. You have to be creative and think outside the box, and what do you have that might help somebody else. Shes leaned on other business owners in the North of Rapallo Avenue district. Everyone has to make the decision thats right for their plan and business model. The shop and employees are close to Carellas heart. Not sure how long this will last or how long NoRA Cupcake Company will be able to weather the storm, but shes part of my family along with those ... employees, so I will fight as long as I can to keep the family together. Pamela Steele, chairwoman of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce Central Business Bureau, has been seeing one or two customers a day coming in to her knitting shop, Pamela Roose at 88 Court St. I definitely have seen a turndown in business. In light of little foot traffic, Steele is catching up on paperwork and other tasks. She is encouraging knitters and anyone interested in learning the craft to consider ordering items, which shell mail, hand out curbside or deliver if requested. One fortunate thing is you dont need to worry about crowds being here, said Steele, who is disinfecting surfaces once each customer leaves. A few have stocked up on needles and yarn since theyre mostly confined to home and enjoying extra free time. Steeles boom season runs from October until March or April. Steele, who is retired from her career, is concerned about sales flattening much earlier than expected. The one saving grace is I dont have to go through the heartbreak of laying any people off. I cant even imagine what small business owners are saying to employees. The sad part is were not going to be able to recoup our losses, she said. Once you lose business, youre not going to get it back. It will get better. It will get back to normal, but you wont recoup anything, she said. Mary Ellen Shuckerow, executive director of the St. Vincent de Paul Middletown soup kitchen, is urging the public not to drop off food or to stand outside handing out items, although she appreciates the effort. It will continue to offer meals to walk-ups from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. daily. The dining room is closed, but takeout meals will be distributed out front, with sandwiches to take home, as well. The Amazing Grace food pantry has reduced its hours to Wednesday and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Items picked up at the 16 Stack St. location will be prepackaged in boxes for shoppers to take home based on family size. The warming center has moved to the former Green Street Teaching and Learning Center at 51 Green St. Middlesex Health has a limited number of tests and physicians are focused on evaluating patients accordingly, spokeswoman Amanda Falcone said. If patients come to the emergency department with symptoms on the advice of their doctor, they can be evaluated. However, they are not promised a test. We are testing a very specific population right now, based on guidelines from the DPH, she said. Middlesex Health placed a trailer and will soon have a tent in front of the Middletown emergency department on Crescent Street. We are still working out the details and need to secure the necessary approvals, but this setup should ultimately allow us to evaluate patients outdoors who may have COVID-19. Evaluating outdoors is better for all, Falcone said. The nonprofit is further restricting visitors to one person at all service locations. Each must be healthy and over 18. Anyone who is sick, especially those with flu-like symptoms or symptoms of coronavirus, shouldnt visit or accompany patients, the release said. Restrictions apply to all Middlesex Health facilities, including Middlesex Hospital, two satellite emergency departments in Westbrook and Marlborough, and the outpatient surgical center on Saybrook Road in Middletown. One MacDonough Place, an assisted living community in Middletown owned by Middlesex Health, is closed to all visitors except for medically necessary visits. Across town, South Fire District is closed to the public until further notice. The special commissioners election March 31 is postponed. Anyone who believes they were exposed to the coronavirus should call their medical provider before heading to an emergency department, urgent care center or other medical office. For information, visit MiddlesexHealth.org/Ready. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 00:54:53|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- China will raise export rebate rates for 1,464 types of products starting March 20, authorities said Tuesday. The rebate rate for 1,084 products including ceramic sanitary ware will be increased to 13 percent, and that for 380 goods including plant growth regulators will be increased to 9 percent, according to the Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration. Higher export rebate rates will facilitate foreign trade by lowering operating costs and easing cash shortages for manufacturers, said Li Xuhong, a professor of the Beijing National Accounting Institute. Google this week issued a recommendation for all Washington State employees to work remotely, citing growing fears around the spread of COVID-19. A spokesperson confirmed the recommendation in an email with TechCrunch. The move comes after a consultation with local health officials. The software giant has not closed the offices outright, nor is it planning to make an official statement regarding the recommendation, but the news certainly points to broader trend of serious precautions around the novel coronavirus outbreak. The move follows a similar decision by Lyft, which sent home employees in its San Francisco office. Google maintains a number of different offices throughout the state. Washington has become a major concentration for the spread of the virus in the U.S. Seventy cases have been reported, resulting in 10 deaths. The majority have been in King County, which includes both Seattle and Kirkland both homes to Google offices. The decision seems likely to be the first of many, as COVID-19 continues to spread to other major cities that serve as technology hubs. Earlier this week, the company announced that it was closing down the in-person element of its developer conference, I/O, over similar concerns. I/O is only one of several tech conferences that have been sidetracked by the disease, beginning with Mobile World Congress last month. Her doctor gave her a flu test, which turned out negative. The physician also sent her to the emergency room with an order to be tested for COVID-19. Choiniere had seen instructions to call ahead, so she did. She said she was told by ER staff that no test kits were available. She called the Virginia Department of Health and went through a triage process, explaining that shed already been evaluated by a doctor. A health department official contacted the hospital for her and said she could go get the test. According to Choiniere, she was immediately shown to a room, had her vitals taken and waited. The doctor she saw said he believed something else was going on, such as a blood clot and heart issues and wanted to test for those. Choiniere explained shed been told by her doctor to seek COVID-19 testingand that shed just had a checkup three weeks earlier. She said shed been healthy until the symptoms surfaced, although she does have several other underlying conditions, such as back and pelvic pain and weakness from nerve damage. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that each person, be it a VVIP or VIP, coming from abroad needs to get a fitness certificate, in the wake of coronavirus scare. "I request all people who are coming from abroad, be it a VVIP or VIP, need to get their test for coronavirus done and they also need to show a fitness certificate," Banerjee said. She also said that people need to maintain distance from each other while speaking. "From March 19, the state government employees can leave at 4 pm to avoid overcrowding in buses," she added. The Chief Minister also said, "We are putting advertisements on prevention and precautions that need to be taken to avoid the spread of coronavirus. If somebody deliberately does not adheres to the norms then the police will take action against the person." The number of positive cases of coronavirus has climbed to 153, including 25 foreign nationals. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 02:47:24|Editor: yhy Video Player Close Photo taken on March 17, 2020 shows U.S. dollar banknotes in Washington D.C., the United States. The Trump administration on Tuesday expressed its intent to offer cash payments for working Americans as part of an economic stimulus package amid coronavirus fallout. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) WASHINGTON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Trump administration on Tuesday expressed its intent to offer cash payments for working Americans as part of an economic stimulus package amid coronavirus fallout. "We're looking at sending checks to Americans immediately," U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said at a White House press briefing. "And I mean now, in the next two weeks." When asked how much the cash payments could be, Mnuchin told reporters that he is meeting with lawmakers on the issue, adding that "they may be a little bit bigger than what's in the press." In an attempt to further lessen financial stress for Americans, Mnuchin said individual taxpayers can delay paying taxes of up to 1 million dollars and companies can defer tax payments of up to 10 million dollars. This could provide 300 billion dollars of liquidity to the economy, compared with 200 billion dollars proposed last week, he said. The U.S. treasury secretary noted that the expected economic stimulus package will support small businesses, airlines and hotels. "We are going to use all the tools we have, if we don't have them, we'll go to Congress," said Mnuchin. "There is wide range of bipartisan support." Mnuchin also reiterated President Donald Trump's interest in seeking a payroll tax, which, however, has sparked backlash from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. Despite stock market volatility in recent days, Mnuchin said the administration believes in keeping the markets open and that Americans need to know they have access to their money. He added that "we may get to a point where we may shorten the hours." Earlier in the day, Bloomberg reported that Mnuchin is negotiating with lawmakers on an 850-billion-dollar stimulus plan to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak, citing people familiar with the matter. In the latest step in his effort to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Ned Lamont has ordered the indoor portions of large retail shopping malls, amusement parks and bowling alleys to close by 8 p.m. Thursday. Lamont made the announcement Wednesday along with the governors of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. This is a fast moving and quickly evolving public health emergency, and making these kinds of important decisions as a region makes more sense than a patchwork approach, Lamont said. We will combat this virus by working together and remaining consistent across our borders and Im proud to work with my fellow governors in this effort. The order came the day after officials at the Connecticut Post Mall in Milford announced that it would close on Thursday, while other malls in the region were debating their next move. The Milford mall made the announcement Tuesday in a statement, claiming the shopping center tentatively plans to re-open on April 1. We will continue to monitor the status of COVID-19 in our area and at-large, and we will reopen when health authorities have reduced social cautions, and we know it will be safe for you to shop and spend time with us again, read a statement from the mall. Trumbull First Selectman Vicki Tesoro said the Westfield Trumbull Mall would close Thursday. Its Target store will remain open, she said. In addition to the Trumbull mall, Danbury Fair, The SoNo Collection and Stamford Town Center also remained open on Wednesday. Representatives from those malls have not responded to requests for comment. A spokeswoman for The SoNo Collection declined Hearst Connecticut Medias request on Wednesday to photograph shoppers inside that mall. On its web site, The SoNo Collection posted: In accordance with the order, any stores, pharmacies, restaurants or other establishments, which are located within or connected to the Mall and maintain external entrances separate from a general Mall entrance, may remain open for operating hours and for off-premises consumption of food and beverages. All entrances and exits to the Malls indoor common areas must remain closed to the public. We expect all tenants to comply. Meanwhile, law enforcement were trying to cope with the new state mandates that limit gatherings to 50 people or less and the call for the closing of certain businesses, such as recreational facilities, and restrict food service to delivery or takeout. The owners or managers of establishments who dont follow the governors executive order to only serve takeout can face a class D felony for violating, obstructing or interfering with a civil preparedness activity, said Brian Foley, executive aide to the commissioner of the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, which oversees the state police. Troopers and police officers will have discretion and those who are arrested for the charge will be released on a promise to appear. Officers and troopers will weigh any complaints with public health and protection, Foley said. Our hope is that everyone respects the emergency declaration and behaves responsibly, Foley said. In Bridgeport, Emergency Management Director Scott Appleby said the Bridgeport Health Department used Medical Reserve Corp volunteers Monday to call businesses about the new guidelines. In addition, Bridgeport DPH inspectors came in (Tuesday) morning to distribute copies of the governors order throughout the five districts to the various businesses, Appleby said. The Bridgeport Police Department has been alerted to the orders as well and will alert establishments in the event of non-compliance in person, if needed. Trumbull police spokesman Brian Weir said that department was taking a wait-and-see approach. Many of the businesses are handling these matters on their own, and there has not been a need for police intervention, he said. We are all doing our part to get through this, and will assist as best as needed. Don Eng and Lisa Backus contributed to this report. A man with advanced dementia who was moved by court order earlier this month from his home to a community nursing unit because of concerns for his health and safety is to be transferred to a nursing home. Doctors had decided, for reasons including the coronavirus crisis and issues related to the man's health, he should not attend the recent wedding of a close family member, High Court president Mr Justice Peter Kelly was told today. The HSE on March 6th sought court protection for the man, aged in his fifties, over concerns including he had been found wandering the roads in a dishevelled state, eating soil and dog faeces, and had once gone missing from his home overnight. He was diagnosed with dementia in 2018 and his siblings, neighbours and GP raised concerns last year for his safety and well being, the court heard. He was said to have gone missing from his home on one occasion from about 6pm to 5.30am when he was found about 10kms away. On other occasions, he was seen wandering the roads sometimes 10-15 kms from his home, had almost been hit by a bus once and was seen eating soil and dog faeces. His personal hygiene and living conditions were described as poor and his GP and psychiatrist considered he lacks capacity and requires 24-hour care and supervision. Mr Justice Kelly granted orders on March 6 for the man's removal from his home, where he lives with his wife, to a community nursing unit. This was a distressing case and the evidence was the mans wife seemed to have no insight into the severity of his condition and has effectively disengaged from the HSE and mental health services, the judge said. When the case returned before the court today, Catherine Duggan BL, for the HSE, said the man, with the assistance of gardai, had been placed in the community nursing unit. That transfer went smoothly but issues had since arisen including about aggression and agitated episodes. There have been meetings with doctors, nursing unit staff and the man's wife and other family members to discuss his needs and the fair deal scheme and it was proposed he be moved to a nursing home with dementia specific facilities, counsel said. An assessment concerning whether he could attend the wedding of a family member and it was considered, for health and safety reasons and in light of the coronavirus criss, he should not and he had not done so, counsel said. A guardian ad litem appointed to represent the man's interests supported the nursing home proposal, the court heard. Mr Justice Kelly said, based on the uncontroverted medical evidence before the court, he would make orders for the man's move to the nursing home, to be effected when his treating team consider that is appropriate. In the interim, he continued orders that the man remain in the nursing unit and receive all appropriate care and treatment. The judge adjourned the matter to late May for further review but said, if the coronavirus situation is continuing then, that date could be vacated, on application by email to the wards of court registrar, with the orders continuing. Four other matters in the court's wardship list today were dealt with remotely, by consent. The Nigerian government on Wednesday placed a travel ban on countries that have recorded over 1000 cases of coronavirus. Such countries include China, the United States, Italy, Iran and South Korea. Also Read: Coronavirus: Italian Patient Still Contagious Lagos Health Commissioner The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha made this known to newsmen on Wednesday. The SGF also revealed that those who arrived into the country in the last 15 days from the 13 countries, would be subjected to supervised 14 days self-isolation. Mustapha, who was accompanied by the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehinare, explained that the ban on the 13 countries became necessary because of their high-risk status in terms of the spread of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The travel ban is set to take effect on March 21. Lack of information about what happens to those in quarantine is keeping the general public from coming forward for testing. (PTI) Hyderabad: People who have travelled to Covid-19 affected countries recently are visiting general practitioners and lung specialists as soon as they develop symptoms of cold, cough and fever, but many refuse to go to Gandhi Hospital, which is the nodal hospital for the disease. This has been noted in small and big hospitals and its worrying that these patients are opting for private doctors. Many are not willing to disclose their travel history for fear of being quarantined. With more cases in the state now coming to the fore as symptoms have developed, some people want their samples to be taken only from home. Covid-19 disease suffers from social stigma and the mental trauma of quarantine. There is much fear of the disease and also fear of what will be done to you in quarantine. Too much of misinformation is floating around. People are scared. This is leading to this kind of behaviour. - Dr G Srinivas, general physician Since not enough information has been provided about what happens when one is quarantined, people dont know what to expect. They are worried about being kept far away from their families and being unable to communicate with them, which is not the case. The proper information will give people confidence about coming to centres that have facilities for testing and also isolation wards. Private and government hospitals have to be on the same page and it must not be that a paying patient gets better treatment while those unable to pay are sent to government hospitals which have never had a good reputation. It is also necessary to know that only those patients are kept in isolation in the hospital who need care, said a doctor. If the numbers rise, only serious patients must be allowed. The mild ones have to self-quarantine at home, he said. To have the discipline to self quarantine, that is, go out as little as possible, is an effective way to slow down the spread of the coronavirus. Pakistan sees sharp rise in Covid-19 cases, total infections at 195 Saudi Press Agency Tuesday 1441/7/22 - 2020/03/17 Islamabad, March 17, 2020, SPA -- Pakistan's Covid-19 infections rose sharply on Tuesday, with more than 140 new cases appearing over the course of 36 hours, dpa reported. There were now at least 195 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the country, said Sajid Shah, a spokesperson for the health ministry. The majority stem from the border town of Taftan, where hundreds of Pakistanis were quarantined after returning from Iran. --SPA 16:10 LOCAL TIME 13:10 GMT 0019 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address RTHK: Trump unhappy with expulsion of US journalists President Donald Trump on Wednesday criticised China's decision to expel American journalists from three major US newspapers, as the rival nations also spar over the coronavirus outbreak. All US journalists from The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal -- about 13 people -- have been told to hand back their credentials to Chinese authorities within 10 days. "I'm not happy to see it. I have my own disputes with all three of those media groups -- I think you know that very well -- but I don't like seeing that at all," Trump told reporters at the White House. Relations between US and China have been strained by Beijing's crackdown on the foreign press, escalating a bitter row over media freedoms. The executive editor of The Washington Post, Marty Baron, said the move was "particularly regrettable because it comes in the midst of an unprecedented global crisis." Trump has provocatively branded the coronavirus pandemic the "Chinese virus." Beijing said the expulsions were in retaliation to Washington's decision to cut the number of Chinese nationals allowed to work for its state-run media on American soil. China also ordered the papers, as well as Voice of America and Time magazine, to declare in writing their staff, finances, operations and real estate in China -- rules similar to those recently imposed on Chinese state media by Washington. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2020-03-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. 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. Story continues 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 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 Sen. Marco Rubio told CNBC on Wednesday he wants to use a network of lenders for an existing program to help small business employers and employees weather the economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis. "We need to start thinking about not just small business, obviously, but the people who work for them," said the Florida Republican, chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. "We are trying to figure out the most effective way to get cash into the hands of small businesses so that they can maintain payroll for at least a six-week period." Rubio said on "Squawk Box" that lenders across the nation, including big banks and hundreds of community banks and credit unions, could deliver "what would be initially considered a loan to the full amount of the payroll." However, if companies were to use the money solely to keeping paying workers, they would not have to pay the loan back, Rubio said. He added that any portion of money used for other purposes could be returned "or then convert a year from now into a loan." Rubio is sponsoring Senate legislation to match President Donald Trump's call for $50 billion in loans from the Small Business Administration, through the SBA's traditional 7(a) loan non-disaster program. The first coronavirus relief package approved on Capitol Hill included $7 billion in disaster loan authority for small businesses, and there are expected to be multiple pieces of legislation across which more loan relief is made available through the SBA. The continued threat of the spreading coronavirus has forced the closing of Pennsylvania schools and many non-essential businesses such as restaurants and bars, which leaves many scrambling for resources in the wake of lost work, child care or other vital support. If you are struggling with loss of income due to the coronavirus shutdowns of schools and businesses, or just need assistance in these new trying times, here are some resources that may help. Unemployment compensation If youre losing shifts at work, you might be eligible for unemployment compensation in Pennsylvania. You can apply for UC benefits if you meet any of the following: Your employer temporarily closes or goes out of business because of COVID-19 Your employer reduces your hours because of COVID-19 You have been told not to work because your employer feels you might get or spread COVID-19 You have been told to quarantine or self-isolate, or live/work in a county under government-recommended mitigation efforts The best way to apply is to do so online through the Pennsylvania Office of Unemployment website. You can click here to be taken directly to the application. The one-week waiting period for unemployment benefits has been suspended, which means that approved applicants will be getting help that much sooner. Similarly, work search and work registration requirements have been waived. Keep in mind that the Office of Unemployment is going to be very busy at the moment, and there may be a lot of wait times if you call. Also, benefits will not extend beyond 26 weeks. Workers Compensation If you have been exposed to COVID-19 through your workplace, there is a chance you will be eligible for the states Workers Compensation benefits. More information to file for either a disease-as-injury claim or an occupational disease claim can be found on the Office of Unemployment website. Rent and eviction Those confined to their homes or unable to work may be having a difficult time paying their rent. While no official plans are in place yet, there is a petition circulating online to ask Governor Wolf to freeze rents and place a moratorium on evictions until the crisis ends. Click here to view the petition. The United Way of the Capital Region can provide assistance to those struggling to make rent payments. Call 211 for more information. And regardless of Pennsylvanias decision on the subject, President Trump has announced he will sign an order suspending all foreclosures and evictions in the United States until May. Utilities The Salvation Army helps to coordinate with UGIs Customer Assistance Program to give qualified low income customers help with their monthly energy bills. The criteria requires applicants to be at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. For more info, click here. Energy provider PECO has announced that they will be suspending service disconnections and waiting new late payment charges through at least May 1, as well as remind customers of bill assistance resources and energy assistance programs. PECO customers can contact the company at 800-494-4000 for assistance, or visit peco.com/help and peco.com/gift online. Energy provider PPL has announced they will not cut off service to any customers for unpaid bills until further notice and will reconnect service to any recently disconnected customers. For more information, visit their website. Food and meals Pennsylvanias Department of Human Services offers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, to help low-income households get more food. Applications can be submitted online by clicking here, or filed in person at your county assistance office. You can click here to download an application to fill it out in advance. For additional information and resources, visit the Department of Human Services website. The United Way of the Capital Region can help people get in touch with groups or services that provide assistance for meeting basic needs, such as helping those with food insecurity. Call 211 for more information. The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank helps to direct food to food pantries and meal centers in our region. Click here to use their website to find one of their partner organizations near you. They also offer a Food Stamp Help Line to provide assistance to those applying for SNAP. Click here for details. The Salvation Army provides emergency food assistance and weekday breakfasts as part of their family programs. To sign up or get more information, call 717-233-6755 or email Melissa.Snyder@use.salvationarmy.org. Many schools are still providing free breakfasts and lunches to children despite closing under Governor Wolfs orders. You can check out our story on continued school meal programs by clicking here. Banks Several banks are taking action to assist their customer, including such benefits as waived service fees or programs for those suffering financial hardship. More info can be found here. Military assistance Members of the United States Armed Forces can apply for emergency COVID-19 financial relief through various branches. For more details, click here. Bankruptcy If you have applied for bankruptcy recently through the mail, or are planning to, be aware that the Office of Unemployment is suffering from a slowdown to their mail collection due to COVID-19. Your best bet is to apply online through RA-OUCB-BPC@pa.gov, and to attach a copy of any bankruptcy paperwork to the email if possible. If not, include your name, bankruptcy number, and the last four digits of your Social Security if you are able. More coronavirus coverage: 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. Following the outbreak of novel coronavirus, the month-long agitation at Washermanpet in Chennai against the Citizenship Amendment Act, the National Register of Citizens and the National Population Register was temporarily called off by the protesters on Wednesday. Photograph: A Ganesh Nadar/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Wpmen protesters at Washermanpet in Chennai. "Due to coronavirus spread and to support the state and the central government to contain the same, we have called off our protest," said Latheef, an organizer of Shaheen Bagh Vannarapattai anti-CAA NRC-NPR protest. Tamil Nadu chief secretary K Shanmugam on March 14 met with representatives from the Muslim community at the state secretariat and urged them to call off the protests. Scores of people including women had been sitting in protest against the CAA for the last 33 days in the area that is being called Chennai's Shaheen Bagh, which is modeled on the Shaheen Bagh protests in Delhi. Such protests have also been going on, in other parts of Tamil Nadu. One hundred forty seven people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in India while three persons have died due to the infection. According to the World Health Organization's latest estimates, there are over 184,976 cases globally of novel coronavirus with at least 7,529 deaths. 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. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Concern about the spreading coronavirus have led to the shutdown of several American cities, with employees working remotelyor not at all. Here, labor law expert Professor William Gould discusses the challenges facing workers during this time of national crisisand the gaps in America's safety net leaving many vulnerable. The House passed sweeping measures in the early hours of the morning last Saturday to help American workers forced to stop working during the corona virus outbreak, including two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical leave, enhanced unemployment benefits, free virus testing including for those who lack insurance, additional food aid and federal funds for Medicaid. Does this proposal go far enough for most salaried American workers? Speaker Pelosi's landmark legislation represents an important first step forward in addressing the perilous circumstances in which millions of workers now find themselves. This is a down payment, a Band-Aid, the enactment of which dramatizes the enormous gaps in America's inadequate social safety net. Has this crisis exposed holes in the safety net? Well, 27 years after President Clinton signed into law family leave legislation, which provided for the federal guarantee of unpaid leave, America stands alone amongst all industrialized nations in its refusal to enact a comprehensive statute providing for paid leave for illness and family matters. While this long delayed legislationa scandalous vacuum of enormous proportionsisn't likely to be part of the next round of legislation, filling in the exclusions for big (more than 500 work force) employers and some of the smaller ones must be part of that. There is no reason why it can't get done in 2020. And extended and more generous unemployment compensation is vital. The enhancement of Obamacare, alongside a public option, as advocated by some presidential candidates, is the sine qua non for a new safety net, which has languished under attack for too long. The bill offers a tax credit to "gig" workers. Is that sufficient for lost wages? The tax credit for "gig" workers is inadequate. For too long such workers, sometimes working at 2 or 3 jobs, have been unprotected by all labor laws: anti-discrimination law, workers and unemployment legislation, minimum wage and collective bargaining law. Some of this is now being changed by the California Supreme Court Dynamex ruling and Assembly Bill 5, which follows in its wake. But similar laws must be put in place nationally so that such workers receive the same protection due all workers. Much more than a tax credit is necessary. Can you talk about gig workers nationallythe percent of the workforce without guaranteed benefits and how a crisis like this will hit them? Precise US Department of Labor statistics do not yet reveal the number of all contract and independent workersbut the looming omnipresence of influential and well financed companies like Uber, Lyft, and others and the sub minimum wage standards enjoyed by so many of their drivers along with their decimation of the taxi industry, dramatize vividly their place in our ever-expanding inequality. This crisis places greater economic burdens upon many of them. What additional measures would you suggest Congress takefor both the short and long term? Some of the most important are: (a) federal legislation that creates the kind of presumption we have in California that many gig and contract workers are entitled to all employee benefits; (b) the above mentioned enhancement of Obamacare with a public Medicare option; (c) sweeping reforms of the National Labor Relations Act, along the lines long promised in the '70's and '90's, which would promote true freedom of association among workers and greater participation in the collective bargaining process, a vital ingredient to monitor the enforcement of the above described employment law and diminish inequality between the haves and have nots. Explore further Does lack of paid sick time make US susceptible to global health crisis? The Nigerian government on Monday lost a bid to postpone a massive claim against oil giants, Eni and Shell, in a London court. Royal Dutch Shell and Enis bid to block a $1.1 billion civil claim over corruption allegations in Nigeria will go ahead next month, Mark Pelling, a judge in a London court ruled on Monday. The court ruled that it should not wait for a connected Italian ruling. Nigeria wanted the April court date postponed until January 2021, when a connected criminal case in Milan will have concluded. The oil companies and former and current executives face corruption charges linked to the Malabu scandal, a 2011 deal involving a Nigerian oil block known as OPL 245. Officials affected in the scandal have denied wrongdoing. Scandal The controversial Malabu deal was struck in 2011 under former President Goodluck Jonathan. The arrangement saw the Nigerian government stand as a negotiator in the controversial sale of the oil block in offshore Nigerian waters. Two international oil firms, Shell and Eni, paid out about $1.1 billion to Nigerian government accounts in the UK which then transferred most of the money to Malabu, a company then controlled by Nigerias former petroleum minister, Dan Etete. It was Mr Etetes Malabu that transferred the over $500 million to accounts controlled by Abubakar Aiyu, who is also being prosecuted in Nigeria for his role in the scandal. The payout immediately became a subject of cross-border investigation spanning over six countries. Several Nigerian government officials were believed to have received several millions of dollars in bribes for the enabling roles they played. A larger trial including Shell, Eni and 13 other defendants is ongoing in Italy. Those on trial include Enis current CEO, Claudio Descalzi; former CEO Paolo Scaroni, and Chief Operations and Technology Officer Roberto Casula alongside four former Royal Dutch Shell staff members including Malcolm Brinded, former Executive Director for Shells Upstream International operations, and two former MI6 agents employed by Shell. Since 2012 when it first denied all allegations to PREMIUM TIMES, Shell had insisted that it only paid the Nigerian government for the OPL 245 oil block and did not know Mr Etete was the recipient or that he was an ex-convict. But in 2017, Shell admitted to The Times that it negotiated with Mr Etete who as petroleum minister in 1998 awarded the OPL 245 oil block to Malabu, a company he partly owned. The case against Eni and Shell brought by the Milan public prosecutor alleges that $520 million from the deal was converted into cash and intended to be paid to Mr Jonathan, members of the government and other Nigerian officials. The prosecutors further allege that part of the money was also channelled to Eni and Shell executives with $50 million in cash delivered to the home of Enis Roberto Casula. Brickwall On Monday, the Nigerian government met a brick wall in its demand at the London court. The case involving the oil firms had been due to finish around now, but delays mean an oral ruling is not expected until July, and a written decision is not due until October. Any verdict is likely be subject to appeals which could take years to conclude. Nigeria has victim status in the Italian proceedings and could potentially claim billions of dollars in damages if the companies are found guilty of bribery. The British judge ruled that the London hearing should proceed in April, adding that it would be wrong if the defendants were delayed in hearing their fates due to a case-management decision in Italy. Advertisements He said: Its frankly deplorable the notion that a jurisdictional challenge should take two years to resolve, he said. The London claim centers on the licensing rights for OPL 245 block, for which the oil majors purchased extraction rights in 2011. It is alleged that of the $1.1 billion the companies paid for the block, only $210 million ended up in Nigerian government coffers, while the rest was used for bribes and kickbacks to government officials. Reports said Shell had been happy for the London hearing to be postponed, but Eni was keen for it to go ahead. The oil companies are expected to argue that the London courts have no jurisdiction over the claim. PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the hearing, expected to last five days, will start on April 21. Human remains discovered in Sydney's south in 2007 have been formally identified as those of missing cocaine dealer and former male model Mark Johnston. Homicide detectives revealed the breakthrough 34 years after Mr Johnston was last seen farewelling friends at a Paddington pub, and more than 20 years since a coronial inquest found he had died in 1986. Mark Johnston went missing after a night out at The Bellevue Hotel in Paddington in 1986. Credit:Greg White, Peter Morris Once the face of KFC and Ford Lasers on television commercials around Australia, Mr Johnston was also a professional punter, a keen surfer and a traveller. He lived life in the fast lane, dealing in cocaine and moving between his unit at Broadbeach on the Gold Coast and the homes of friends in Sydney, regularly drinking at pubs in Sydney's east. Turkeys national public broadcaster has registered as a foreign agent, according to new lobbying filings with the Justice Department. According to the filings, TRT the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation is engaged in "political activities" as defined by the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) through its "preparation and dissemination of informational materials" via its English-language TRT World channel. TRT launched TRT World in 2015 to provide a 24-hour Turkish perspective on world affairs. It is based in Istanbul and has broadcast centers in Washington, London and Singapore. The companys Washington bureau chief, Tuncay Yurekli, is the sole foreign agent on the account. The filings state that TRT is funded by fees on the Turkish public and via advertising, but does not receive government funding. It operates as an autonomous legal entity with its own board of governors. Nevertheless, TRT has faced criticism in recent years for being too cozy with the Turkish government. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in turn has praised the channel for offering a unique point of view. TRT World's mission is admirable in a time where international media are basically identical, Erdogan said at a gala celebrating the outlet in November 2016. TRT World's mission [is] to retell stories in a new language, to offer the microphone to those who aren't allowed to speak, to turn the camera on voices which aren't seen. TRTs registration follows a push under the Donald Trump administration to force certain foreign-funded media entities to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The Kremlin-backed TV station RT America was the first to do so in November 2017. TRTs decision leaves Doha-based Al Jazeera further exposed as it faces a pressure campaign from both right-wing politicians and United Arab Emirates lobbyists to register as a foreign agent of Qatar. Al Jazeera paid DLA Piper more than $1 million in the second half of 2019 to defend itself against attacks. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney speaks at the Rideau Club in Ottawa on March 12, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick) Kenney Decries Foreign Interference in Albertas Energy Sector Price war between Russians and Saudis creating a perfect storm for vulnerable province News Analysis OTTAWAAlberta premier Jason Kenney warned of foreign interference impacting the provinces already reeling energy sector in his bid to secure federal aid. He said Canada needs a healthy Alberta to get through challenging times marred by a triple whammythe CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as novel coronavirus, the latest crash in oil prices, and an already fragile provincial economy. Theres no doubt about foreign interference, Kenney told reporters after his presentation hosted by the C.D. Howe Institute in Ottawa on March 12. Both Russia and Saudi Arabia would like to suppress and, optimally for them, eliminate production from North America. That would be both U.S. shale and the Permian Basin, and Canadian oilsands. Kenney said theres no doubt that this is an opportunity for the Saudis and Russians to inflict maximum damage on North American producers and gain global market share. Theyre trying to effectively burn down the house of North American energy production. I dont think thats good for the world, the global environment for us, if we end up losing a fight for global market share on energy products with Vladimir Putins Russia and to the King of Saudi Arabia, he said. Axe to Grind Foreign interference is perpetrated by offending states aiming to protect their own regimes and economic interests. Russia and China were singled out in the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians 2019 annual report tabled March 12. Canada was deemed a good target for exploitation due to the openness of its society. The types of insidious activitiessuch as coercionthat the Russians and Chinese were engaging in, as described in the report, targeted politicians, academia, electoral processes, and the media to manipulate and influence for their own national interests. With oil prices, the antagonism is out in the open. Its the ideal time for the Russians to engage in the oil price war, said Peter Tertzakian, executive director of the ARC Energy Research Inst. in Calgary, on the institutes March 10 podcast. When your opponent is down, and youve got an axe to grind, it is the time to strike, he said, adding that the high debt levels of companies in the Permian Basin and lack of refinancing options make them vulnerable. Its a three-way price war between the United States, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. And the background of waning demand due to the global economy slowing from the CCP virus threat makes the price wars impact all the more painful. Kenney and others have also, in the past, singled out interference from American foundations bankrolled by wealthy left-leaning individuals that want to landlock Alberta oil and gas for environmental reasons. With the production of American shale increasing supply, geopolitics had taken on a diminished role in influencing the price of oil. But the Russians and Saudis not cutting supply, as had been hoped, is them taking advantage of a systemic drop in demand. Geopolitics in oil is back, though not in the usual sense. We usually talk about geopolitics in a way that it can increase the oil price, but youre seeing geopolitics play out in a way that its decreasing the price, said Jackie Forrest, ARC Energys senior director, on the podcast. Make a Bad Situation Worse Financial markets opened deep in the red on Monday, March 9, to reflect the oil price war that started over that weekend. From the close of business on Friday, March 6, to the close of business on March 17, West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the U.S. oil benchmark, is down 35 percent to below US$27much heavier losses than the U.S. S&P 500 (15 percent) and Toronto Stock Exchange (21.5 percent). In March 18 trading, WTI fell below US$23 a barrel. In the last 20 years, US$30 has roughly been a bottom for WTI. But in the sell-off, that level was decisively breached. Because of the Saudis and Russians, oil is thus facing a demand shock and a supply shock simultaneously. Expect bankruptcies for U.S. frackers, says Kevin Book, managing director of Clearview Energy Partners, a Washington, D.C.-based research and advisory firm. In a March 13 interview with BNN Bloomberg, he said he doesnt expect Russia or Saudi Arabia to give in any time soon, calling it a race to the bottom if everyone keeps faith. But U.S. companies are getting some support from the government, which announced on March 13 that it will buy tens of millions of barrels of crude to increase its strategic oil reserves. However, theres no such demand for Canadian oil. A new wave of capital spending cutbacks is underway in the Canadian energy sector, and along with it are dividend cutbacks. These drops in business investment severely hurt the Canadian economy in the aftermath of the oil price crash that began in late-2014. And this is all coming after Teck withdrew its application for the $20.6 billion Frontier oilsands mine for reasons not related to the price of oil. Opportunity Lost Kenney touted the Canadian oilsands for its higher environmental standards, support for labour and human rights, and transparent governance. For him, its about being given a platform to compete and displace conflict oil that comes from some of the worlds worst regimes. Do we want to transfer jobs, prosperity, and government revenues that could fund health care and education to Russia and OPEC by allowing them to destroy the energy sector that has done so much for this country? I hope that the government of Canada will join me in saying no, Kenney said. 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 mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. The court declared that the first-instance compensation ordered from Grab was reasonable Photo: Le Toan Nguyen Thai Hai Van, CEO of Grab Vietnam said, Today is a sad day for technology and innovation in Vietnam. We are saddened that the panel has agreed to the first judgment, despite the strong arguments by Grab. The Peoples Procuracy and the Supreme Peoples Procuracy in Ho Chi Minh City have confirmed that there is no evidence proving that the damage claimed by Vinasun was caused by Grabs business activities. As previously reported by VIR, Vinasun filed a lawsuit against Grab in 2017, claiming that the latters illegal activities were causing more than half of the VND76 billion ($3.25 million) losses it had suffered in 2016 and the first half of 2017. At last weeks hearing, the court dismissed the previous appeals of both companies and upheld the first-instance judgment from December. The court stated that Vinasuns loss of earnings were partially due to Grabs operations in Vietnam. Thus, Grab has to pay VND4.8 billion ($208,000) in damages incurred from idle vehicles to Vinasun. According to the court, the slump in Vinasuns earnings was attributable to several factors such as management, service quality, and changing customer demand. Therefore, the appellate adjudication panel did not accept Vinasuns claim in full. Commenting on the ruling, Truong Dinh Quy, deputy director-general of Vinasun said, The court did not accept our appeal, in which we seek VND42 billion ($1.8 million) in compensation. However, we are very happy with the results of the appellate adjudication as it reflects Grabs illegal activities and the damage it has caused. Meanwhile, Nguyen Thai Hai Van commented, Notwithstanding the decision, we will continue to strongly protect our brand and reputation against the baseless allegations that were made by Vinasun against us at court. With this in mind, we will seek recourse to ensure our right to a fair trial and that due process is served. According to industry insiders, the unprecedented case between the two firms reflects the mindset of Vietnams judicial system towards new business trends and innovation, and a legal fight between the new and the old, and between short-sighted protectionism and competition. However, the battle between traditional taxi companies and platforms such as Grab is not unique to Vietnam. Many other countries, including the US where the model was developed first through Uber, had to resolve this legislation ambiguity. The major question in these battles is how to ensure that traditional taxi companies can still maintain a decent level of activity while allowing other companies to innovate in order to offer better value for money to consumers. In an effort to regulate ride-hailing firms, Vietnam has officially legalised ride-hailing businesses, after a four-year pilot programme. Decree No.10/2020/ND-CP, which will come into force on April 1, stipulates that technology-based ride-sharing companies have to attach a contract car sign on their partners vehicles. Meanwhile, taxi operators are granted the option of either installing lightboxes or using taxi decals on the windshield. The Vinasun-Grab case highlights the challenge behind disruptive businesses that are using technology and follow a completely new economic model which does not typically fit into the legislative framework, according to Julien Brun, managing partner of CEL Consulting. Whether the framework should evolve or companies should try to fit in what has been defined in the past remains open. Politically, it is about the balance between the favouring innovation and ensuring compliance. Brun added that new competition also requires taxi companies to innovate in order to remain attractive. However, fair competition also requires clear rules, and the issue here is whether these companies are comparable and whether they should follow the same rules. Whether these fair competition rules are clear enough is the main question. If they are not clear enough, then penalising a company for not following unclear rules will set a precedent that could impede the trust and confidence of companies and their chance of being successful in the Vietnamese market, he noted. The outcome of this trial is interesting to observe and, whether Grab deserves to be penalised or not, the message it will convey is the most important part. Regardless of the business model, the rules need to be respected, provided that they are clear, Brun added. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 07:20:19|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close DUBLIN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar Tuesday called on the public to be fully prepared for a prolonged impact of the coronavirus outbreak in the country and promised that his government will do whatever it requires to do in the battle against the disease. In a national televised speech, Varadkar said Ireland is "in the midst of a global and national emergency -- a pandemic, the likes of which none of us has seen before." "So far the number of cases in Ireland has been relatively small. However, we believe that number will rise to 15,000 cases or more by the end of the month and rise further in the weeks thereafter," he warned. He further noted that "this emergency is likely to go on well beyond March 29. It could go on for months into the summer." On March 12, the Irish government announced a number of measures in a bid to stem the spread of the coronavirus in the country, including shutdown of all the schools and state-run cultural institutions across the country and a nationwide ban on any indoor gatherings of more than 100 people and outdoor gatherings of more than 500 people. On March 15, the government further ordered the closure of all the pubs and bars across Ireland. All the above-mentioned measures will remain in place until at least March 29. To date, there are altogether 292 confirmed cases of COVID and two COVID-19-related deaths in Ireland, according to the figures released by the Irish health department on Tuesday evening. Patient readers, in my workflow, I collect too many links and then cut back. Unfortunately, given time contraints, my curation is a bit lax today. I didnt have time to do a short links, so I did a long one! lambert Why Birds Are the Worlds Best Engineers NYT. I wonder if the dinosaurs built nests. Some did! Coronavirus latest: Government bonds drop as investors seek to raise cash in market turmoil FT Saudis to Hike Oil Export to Record 10 Million Barrels a Day Bloomberg Syraqistan US warns Iraq it will not tolerate attacks on Americans Agence France Presse. Idea: Just leave, like the Iraqis asked. Europe Spain Is Suddenly Shy About Stimulus With Virus Out of Control Bloomberg. The [S]ocialist economy minister is trying to stop the deficit blowing out. Whatever, in a sane world, socialist might mean, this is not it. Spain has nationalized all of its private hospitals as the country goes into coronavirus lockdown Business Insider Millions of elderly and most vulnerable will need to shield themselves from social contact and stay at home for THREE months from this weekend Daily Mail In Chile, student blinded by police says protests wont end until president steps down NBC Chile does not need a constituent process FT Copper price sinks as China faces first GDP drop since 1976 Mining.com #COVID-19 The science: Higher temperatures affect survival of new coronavirus, pathologist says AccuWeather. A good summary of expert views. Here is the original study on COVID-19 and latitude (and see chart here; not sure if space, or time, is the issue, however). Substantial undocumented infection facilitates the rapid dissemination of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV2) Science (MR). These findings explain the rapid geographic spread of SARS-CoV2 and indicate containment of this virus will be particularly challenging. * * * Potential treatment: Coronavirus Australia: Queensland researchers find cure, want drug trial News.com.au. Clinical trials of [an] HIV drug, which has been superseded by newer generation HIV drugs, and the other is an anti-malaria drug called chloroquine which is rarely used and kept on the shelf now due to resistance to malaria. More on hydroxychloroquine. Thread: 1/OK let#39;s talk about Plaquenil. Plaquenil is the brand name for hydroxychloroquine, a drug that may help fight coronavirus. It is commonly used to fight malaria and rheumatoid arthritis.https://t.co/TwQtoYC72U mdash; We need 70k tests a day (@Noahpinion) March 17, 2020 Breadth of concomitant immune responses prior to patient recovery: a case report of non-severe COVID-19 Nature. From the abstract: Her management was intravenous fluid rehydration without supplemental oxygenation. No antibiotics, steroids or antiviral agents were administered. Press release: COVID-19: The immune system can fight back Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne China gives go-ahead for human trials of potential COVID-19 vaccine CNA * * * Spread: Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to reduce COVID19 mortality and healthcare demand (PDF) Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team. This is the report that finally got the Trump administrations attention, per one of the White House task force leaders, Dr. Deborah Birx. What the U.S. Needs to do Today to Follow South Koreas Model for Fighting Coronavirus Time Data centres are warm and designed to move air very efficiently. Are they safe to visit during the pandemic? The Register. This is a good suggestion: He also suggested using hygiene training products to help identify places your people congregate. Such products are powders or creams that, after application to surfaces or hands, spread wherever users place their hands. The resulting smears are visible under ultra-violet light and help to show where your people are getting handsy. You can find these products, often a kit comprising product and UV torch, on Amazon and direct from other suppliers. One Australian supplier called Giltterbug currently warns that it is experiencing very strong demand and has run out of UV torches, perhaps making it one of the few businesses to be benefiting from the pandemic. I wonder if you could get a nice UV lamp from your local head shop. (Amazon has inserted itself as a key supplier of medical supplies, and has also built a marketplace that cannot control fraud. Yay.) * * * Materiel shortages: COVID-19 Has Caused A Shortage Of Face Masks. But Theyre Surprisingly Hard To Make NPR. Why? Both the masks made for medical personnel and for consumer purchase require a once-obscure material called melt-blown fabric. Its an extremely fine mesh of synthetic polymer fibers that forms the critical inner filtration layer of a mask, allowing the wearer to breath while reducing the inflow of possible infectious particles. Were talking about fibers where one filament has a diameter of less than one micron, so we are in the nano area, said Markus Muller, the sales director at German company Reicofil, a major provider of melt-blown machine lines. And theres now a global shortage of melt-blown fabric due to the increased demand for masks and the difficulty in producing this material. Just spitballing here, but see Plant-Derived Nanostructures: Types and Applications Reza Mohammadinejad, Reza Mohammadinejad, Reza Mohammadinejad, and Rajender S Varma Green Chemistry (2015). Coronavirus: US hospital uses five months worth of supplies in six days as shortages hit Independent (MR). 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. But if there arent enough raw materials at the end of the supply chain, wherever that may be? * * * Testing: Why Mass Testing Is Crucial: the US Should Study the Veneto Model to Fight Covid-19 Pro-Market What Went Wrong with Coronavirus Testing in the U.S. The New Yorker. Actual reporting on the CDC debacle. About those reagents, from the article: The C.D.C. notified the F.D.A. about the reagent problems on February 10th. According to an agency official, the C.D.C. told the F.D.A. that the contractor who had manufactured the faulty test kits would soon have a new batch of reagents ready for a suite of enhanced quality-control measures. If the reagents worked, then testing at the public-health labs would be able to begin in a few days. By Friday, February 21st, however, Nancy Messonnier, at the C.D.C., told reporters that the problems with the test kits were still not resolved. So whos the contractor? Then theres this: As for the delay in scaling up covid-19 testing capacity during those crucial weeks in February, [Keith Jerome, University of Washington Virology Lab Director] told me that the underlying problem had far less to do with the faulty tests produced by the C.D.C. than it did with a system that could not contemplate, let alone manage, the possibility that the C.D.C. might end up producing faulty tests. The F.D.A.s exclusive authorization to the C.D.C. to conduct covid-19 tests ended up creating what youd think of as an agriculture monoculture. If something went wrong, it was going to shut everything down, and thats what happened. The CDC as a single point of failure was a disaster waiting to happen, which happened. That said, shutting down the N.S.C. directorate on pandemic preparedness (hat tip, John Bolton, although it was clearly Trumps job to know what Bolton was doing) seems to have kicked the props out from under the entire rickety structure. There was nobody to wrangle the CDC/FDA processes. * * * Capacity: These Places Could Run Out of Hospital Beds as Coronavirus Spreads NYT. With maps. Volunteers 3D-Print Unobtainable $11,000 Valve For $1 To Keep Covid-19 Patients Alive; Original Manufacturer Threatens To Sue TechDirt. One 3-D printers reaction (dk): Okay: #1 Fuck this #2 Fuck them #3 Give me any life-saving CAD files you want released #4 They can come sue me in China #5 I will live-stream that shit in overalls, pigtails and big watery eyes from local courthttps://t.co/hf0dhXkoLn mdash; Naomi Wu (@RealSexyCyborg) March 18, 2020 Esper: Pentagon to give respirator masks, ventilators to HHS AP. Terms and conditions apply. (To be fair, the ventilators are built for military use.) * * * Economic effects: Sex workers face ruin amid virus fears, brothel closures AP * * * Political response: After Dems Scale Back Paid-Leave Provision, House Sends Multi-Billion Dollar Coronavirus Package To Senate KHN. The measure would still provide two weeks of sick leave to a wide swath of workers affected by the pandemic, but for the next 10 weeks, paid leave would be limited only to workers caring for a child whose school or day care had been shut. Thats our Democrats! U.S. delays April 15 tax payment deadline by 90 days for millions Los Angeles Times. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced Tuesday that his department was pushing back the April 15 deadline to pay taxes owed, giving individuals and many businesses 90 extra days to send checks to the government. IANAL, especially a tax lawyer, so you may wish to check your own individual situation. Federal government in talks with tech groups to use phone location data to track coronavirus: report The Hill Notification of Enforcement Discretion for telehealth remote communications during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency HHS PATRICK LAWRENCE: The US National Emergency Consortium News * * * Corporate response: Amazon is banning its warehouses from stocking nonessential items during the coronavirus pandemic Recode. Commercial entities managing rationing. What could go wrong? Amazons Supply Chain Is Breaking and Small Businesses Are Screwed Vice * * * Social Media: Coronavirus and the emergency in content moderation The Interface. Facebook furloughs its moderators (contractors, who it will continue to pay) and bets on AI. Facebooks Misinformation Problem Goes Deeper Than You Think The Verge. Boost first, moderate later. Well worth a read. * * * Remedies and ameliorations: Gun sales surge as coronavirus grips US The Hill 2,500 Museums You Can Now Visit Virtually HyperAllergic Personal Testimony (1): My elderly neighbor is self-isolating. So the neighbor kids are playing her a cello concert from her patio. pic.twitter.com/g6Nr2HNVho mdash; Jackie Borchardt (@JMBorchardt) March 16, 2020 Personal testimony (2): Been homeschooling a 6-year old and 8-year old for one hour and 11 minutes. Teachers deserve to make a billion dollars a year. Or a week. mdash; shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) March 16, 2020 Coronavirus Has Shut Down Westchester County. Heres How These Teens Are Coping. Teen Vogue The government has advised work from home for the private sector, but has not yet implemented it in any ministry. This is something you get to hear often these days in the sanitised corridors of the government. The fact that the establishment hasnt allowed work from home does not mean it sees COVID-19 as a passing threat. On the contrary, its the biggest health emergency in a lifetime, as officials across ministries agree. Many are talking about the Spanish flu of 1918 and even referring to The Great Influenza, the epic story of the deadly pandemic in human history by ... Alabama is surrounded to the north, east and south by states that have more confirmed COVID-19 cases. Mississippi, whose governor recently returned from Spain and is under self-quarantine in the governors mansion, is not far behind Alabama in the number of confirmed cases. Here are some updates on whats going on in neighboring states: Florida Florida had 314 cases and 7 deaths as of Wednesday, March 18. Six of those deaths were diagnosed and isolated out-of-state, according to the Florida Department of Public Health. The department broke it down into residents and non-residents, with 289 cases confirmed among Florida residents and 25 cases identified in non-Florida residents. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis chastised spring break partiers for disobeying guidelines for social distancing. The universities with the spring break a lot of students have just been congregating at the universities and going out and doing things there, and thats not something we want, DeSantis said on Tuesday. Georgia Georgia had 197 cases and one death as of Wednesday. The concentration of cases is of course in the heavily populated Atlanta metro area. Fulton County had 49 cases, Cobb County 28, Bartow 19 and DeKalb 18. All other counties were still in single digits Wednesday. Gov. Brian Kemp held an online media briefing Tuesday as a safety precaution. A lot of creative people in our state are coming up with ways to incorporate social distancing in their establishments, Kemp said. This is unlike anything weve ever seen. Were just going to have to work through it. Kemp said the states testing capacity is expected to double by the end of this week to 200 per day. Tennessee Tennessee had 98 cases and no reported deaths as of Wednesday. Cases were concentrated in the Nashville area, with 58 in Davidson County and 24 in Williamson County. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Monday asked schools to close through March 31 and urged people to avoid crowded bars. We believe the more Tennesseans are reminded of their individual role, the more likely it is that we can slow the spread of this disease, Lee said. Peoples lives are depending on it, their livelihoods are depending on it and I encourage Tennesseans to pray for our state. Schools were closed through March 31. Mississippi Mississippi reported 34 cases as of Wednesday. Hinds County, the states most populous, had six cases. Jackson is in Hinds County. Gov. Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency on March 14 and asked that all school districts close for at least a week. Reeves recently returned from a trip to Spain and will work from the governors mansion for 14 days. "We're trying to slow the growth," said Reeves, who announced a state of emergency last week. No action that we have taken as a state government has been taken lightly." Alabama By comparison, Alabama had 51 cases as of Wednesday, 25 of which were in Jefferson County. That was updated to 68 total cases by Thursday morning, with 31 in Jefferson County. Mayor Bill de Blasio urged the citizens of New York on Tuesday to prepare in case a shelter-in-place order is implemented in the next 48 hours. Shelter-in-place is an emergency management plan where citizens will be asked to find a safe location indoors where they can hunker down until authorities give the "all clear." The procedure is usually done when there is a tornado or an active shooter. New York City has seen 814 confirmed cases as of Tuesday, and a total of seven deaths. New testing capabilities will be rolled out in the coming days. It is expected more than 5,000 patients will be tested daily in the city. De Blasio said a lot of New Yorkers will lose their job under a shelter-in-place order. He is also expecting the number of cases to increase rapidly as more test results are released. He also called out the federal government for not taking enough actions to help New Yorkers. "We need the federal government to play a much bigger role, and we do not have evidence of that yet. We do not see massive federal stimulus yet but we do see a lot of market volatility." New York Governor Andrew Cuomo denied the possibility of a shelter-in-place order. He said lockdown measures that resemble protocols taken in Italy and China. Check out more coronavirus updates here: Gov. Cuomo makes the case for using the Army Corps of Engineers to build more hospital capacity and explains why we don't have extra already built into the U.S. health system. pic.twitter.com/o58sbFBe3d Maddow Blog (@MaddowBlog) March 17, 2020 Governor Cuomo said Tuesday his attentions are focused on the lack of beds and hospital space for the sick in New York City. He called out for support in getting as many as 110,000 beds to accommodate the sick by the end of the month. There are currently 53,000 hospital beds statewide which includes a mere 3,000 in the ICU. Health officials predict the state would need 100,000 more beds within the next month, especially after coronavirus testing has ramped up. Andrew Cuomo said state officials were now in talks with hospitals about expanding their capacity should the Department of Health waiver rules. The governor also said health officials are also looking into an increase in staffing to deal with the continuous waves of coronavirus cases. Retired doctors and nurses have been called to pitch in in times of crisis. Medical students may also be asked to render their services. Cuomo said they are now drawing plans to build temporary medical facilities to deal with the influx of new COVID-19 patients. Governor Cuomo said if the cases in New York do not reduce to a sustainable level, additional measures and restrictions may be observed in the future. New York City, along with other tri-state areas, has banned all mass gatherings with 50 or more people. New York also closed all public schools in hopes of slowing the spread of the virus. Coronavirus has infected more than 5,000 people and killed at least 92 in the United States since China confirmed its existence three months ago. The Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday postponed the municipal elections in the state for six weeks in wake of coronavirus threats. Notification for the municipal elections was scheduled to be issued on March 19. The elections were scheduled to be held on April 5. Rajasthan government on Tuesday imposed section 2 of the Rajasthan Epidemic Disease Act, 1957 in the state which prohibits the gathering of more than 50 people in public places till March 31. Rajasthan High Court on Sunday issued some instructions to its subordinate courts, including avoiding public gatherings and giving remand of prisoners through video conferencing, as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus. COVID-19 cases in India have now reached 152. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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. As government orders shut down many aspects of daily life in the Charleston area, police and sheriff's deputies face an unprecedented task of enforcing Gov. Henry McMaster's ban on gatherings of more than 50 people and the closure of all dine-in services at restaurants and bars. Violating an order that's part of a state of emergency in South Carolina is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $100 in fines or 30 days in jail. It's a magistrate-level offense that would be investigated and prosecuted at the local level, according to Robert Kittle, spokesman for the S.C. Attorney General's Office. According to guidance from the State Law Enforcement Division, if any officer encounters a violation, the officer should inform everyone involved that they are violating the state's order and instruct them to stop. If the non-compliance continues, the offending party can be cited with the misdemeanor charge. An establishment with a liquor license could have that license suspended or revoked as well. That directive was sent out late Wednesday afternoon, according to a spokesman from the governor's office. Throughout Wednesday, agencies differed on whether responsibility lay at the state or local level to enforce McMaster's orders, which began at midnight. Some restaurants have pushed back against the order. Early Wednesday, the city of North Charleston's Twitter account showed a Facebook post from a restaurant that called the situation "overblown" and promised their scheduled events would still take place. "An example of a restaurant that will be getting a visit from NCPD," North Charleston wrote in a tweet that has since been deleted. "Coronavirus is serious." North Charleston tweeted a few hours later that the restaurant would now only offer take-out. On the restaurant's Facebook page, managers acknowledged the change but continued to criticize McMaster's order, which the poster characterized as "feel-good, ineffective crap." The department did not respond to questions on how they would enforce the orders if restaurants or bars refused to comply. The Charleston Police Department said their goal was ensuring voluntary compliance with the order. They plan to closely monitor gatherings, restaurants and bars with the help of the Fire Marshal's Office and the city's Livability and Tourism division, spokesman Charles Francis said. So far, business owners have been receptive and understanding of the order, he said. During a public safety committee meeting Wednesday, Chief Luther Reynolds said the penalty in Charleston is up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine. He did not say if they had issued any of those citations so far, but they will issue them if necessary, Francis said. Reynolds said Tuesday nights are typically quiet, and last night was especially so in the city. On Tuesday, a number of people were out on Charlestons Upper King Street taking advantage of the last night of bars and restaurants being open for in-house dining. Several establishments had only a handful of people bellied up to the bar, but for some restaurants, business was bustling. The city said Monday that gatherings of more than 50 people were banned, including in restaurants, but many establishments seemed to ignore that order. While police and sheriff's deputies are on the lookout for rule-breakers, responsibility for enforcement mainly falls on the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control and the S.C. Department of Revenue, Capt. Roger Antonio, spokesman for the Charleston County Sheriff's Office, said. A few hours later, Antonio said instructions had changed, and the Sheriff's Office had been informed to instead report any violations to SLED and the Department of Revenue. He said deputies have been told to issue multiple warnings before informing state agencies. Gatherings or restaurants that aren't in compliance won't be immediately shut down by deputies, according to Antonio. "We want to work with these establishments, we know it's a difficult time for them," he said. The Dorchester County Sheriff's Office plans to focus on educating restaurants and bars rather than issuing citations. It'll be handled on a case-by-case basis, spokesman Lt. Rick Carson said. Berkeley County hasn't seen any issues so far, Chief Deputy Jeremy Baker said. He said if an issue does arise, deputies would have authority to shut down any gatherings or restaurants not complying with the order. "The common sense approach so far seems to be working," Baker said. Andy Shain, Mikaela Porter and Glenn Smith contributed to this report. Egypts interior ministry said it is suspending the issuing of drivers licenses at all of its traffic offices from Thursday till 16 April to stem the spread of the coronavirus epidemic. In a statement, the interior ministry said it will also suspend the issuance and renewal of vehicle licences during the same period, and asked those with non-valid licenses to pay their renewal fees at electronic Fawry outlets or post offices. Egypt has put in place a number of measures to combat the spread of the virus, including suspending international flights from 19 to 31 March, shutting down schools and universities, and banning large gatherings. Search Keywords: Short link: 'If we cannot handle an epidemic of that strata, (causing that kind) of excessive calamity, then we really have to prevent it.' 'If we become complacent in even preventing it, then we are in for a disaster.' IMAGE: A volunteer holds a placard to create awareness about COVID-19 at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai. Photograph: Sahil Salvi Dr Trupti Gilada is an infectious disease specialist at the Unison Medicare and Research Centre, south Mumbai. She consults at the Prince Aly Khan hospital at south central Mumbai. She trained at the KEM and Nair hospitals in Mumbai and spent three years doing her fellowship in infectious disease at Harvard. Dr Gilada has won a global award for HIV research. "We aren't extremely well prepared for the epidemic. We are only saying that because we're still at (low fatality) numbers," Dr Gilada tells Rediff.com's Vaihayasi Pande Daniel about COVID-19 and the necessary steps required in India to prevent its spread. The first of a two-part interview: What exactly is the community spread of a viral pandemic like COVID-19? Has India reached that stage yet? The coronavirus epidemic, or for that matter any epidemic, that spreads from one country to the other, goes through different stages. Stage One of the epidemic is when the cases are found only among people who travelled to that country (that had the viral outbreak). Stage Two is when we find cases amongst contacts of these travellers. And Stage Three is when the disease has come into the community, which means that it's not just in the travellers or their contacts. It's also now in the general community, which means that now, if we were to screen only those who were travellers or contacts, we would miss a lot of cases. So at this point, we (in India) are just between (Stages) Two and Three, because all the recent cases, that we have found, have only been in travellers or in their contacts. But we also know that what we find is probably just part of the cases. Let me just backtrack to again understand the definition of community spread. If there's a traveller, and he has given it to his family, so when the family gives it to their neighbour, that still is not community spread? So once the neighbour has acquired it, it is community spread. But I am told the community spread means when some case presents itself, where the person doesn't know where he's got it from. So you're saying it's both? That's true. In a lot of cases, you will be able to just go back and see that: 'Oh so this person got it from the neighbour's house and the neighbour was in touch with this person'. But once we skip, when three or four steps have gone (missing), and there is no way to go and say where did that happen from? And once that happens, that is the point where -- if you've seen the graph of any epidemic -- that is the time when the graph starts rising ie when it's community spread. So you are saying in India now we are between Stage Two and Stage Three? We are. Even now, they have always been able to track down the contacts and who these cases have been in touch with. But we know that is not going to be like this for another one week. We know it is going to spill out into the community a bit. But nobody's talking about community spread yet? The whole thing of social distancing is because we anticipate community spread. If we were not anticipating community spread, there was no need of social distancing. Then just screening travellers and quarantining them and asking them to get self-isolated would have been enough. The entire fact that we are all really, really urging on social distancing means that we anticipate that there is going to be community spread. The way the leadership of a country deals with an epidemic and how it communicates a message to its people is critical at these times. One has been watching how different national leaders are tackling the crisis across the world. The prime minister addressed the nation when demonetisation happened. But not for this. We haven't heard anything from the health minister. Do you think the leadership is stepping up to the task? So in a lot of ways, we are slow. We still want to think that we are doing everything up to the mark. And we are extremely well prepared for the epidemic -- which isn't true. We aren't extremely well prepared for the epidemic. We are only saying that because we're still at (low fatality) numbers. So many government officials have been announcing that we are well prepared. And because of that people feel it is not going be that bad. It is a good thing to think that way and say it in the papers. They know that they are not well prepared. At least in MCGM (the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai), and or in Bombay, we know that they are really taking a lot of proactive steps and are already planning for weeks ahead. Like they are coming up with plans that if this epidemic really blows up, what will be the other labs that will be open for testing, and what will be the other hospitals that will be utilised. But we also know, it's not just about getting the infrastructure ready. It's also about retraining a lot of manpower to handle this epidemic in the right way. So we really need to accept that we are in for a disaster in the next two weeks if we really don't do what a lot of other countries did in a very, very regulated and a strict manner. Like if you see what happened in Wuhan, they really, really had a very bad peak with the epidemic. But if you see the rest of China they were beautiful in what they did. They did see huge numbers and they did see a lot of deaths. But they were able to do that they were able to curve that epidemic in a span of one-and-a-half to two months. Will we be able to do that if the epidemic comes to our country? We know the answer is no. If we really cannot handle an epidemic of that strata, (causing that kind) of excessive calamity, then we really have to prevent it. Then if we become complacent in even preventing it, then we are actually in for a disaster. People really worship politicians in India. They really worship (Prime Minister) Narendra (Damodardas) Modi and they worship some chief ministers. So I think this is the time, that if they really come out and say that Narendra Modi is going to address the people of India at 8 pm tonight, it's like a big thing. And if he tells people to: 'Please stay at home and this is what we really want you to follow', we know it will make a big impact. But this is not the first time. We know that health and education really doesn't receive that kind of priority or attention or response from politicians the way it should. I hope at this point, some good sense will prevail. Let me ask a kind of bald question. I'm holding my cell phone and I feel for sure that a few COVID-9 viruses are on it. How do I kill them? How do I know or am absolutely sure they are dead? How do you know coronavirus is on your cell phone? Just an example. There is no way to say where coronavirus is at this point in time. You should just assume that coronavirus is on surfaces that are being touched by several people, door handles, cabs and whatever. So how do I kill it? You know, in our in sub-conscious mind, we just need to keep thinking that this virus is everywhere, which will really make us follow hand hygiene religiously. But how do you kill it? It's not that difficult to kill the virus. Any disinfectant which is either alcohol- or bleach-based is enough to disinfect surfaces. So like even like when you are washing things in the kitchen, vegetables, milk packets? Soap, water, bleach. Sterillium that we use. You can take some sterillium on a tissue or cotton and clean your cellphone. Little things. That's enough. A lot of educated people one talks to don't believe that we are in a dangerous situation. And this particular virus is a little bit more dangerous than other viruses for various reasons. Why does this pandemic seem to be worse or maybe on par with previous pandemics? Why has it gotten more out of hand with this virus? Or is it just the nature of this virus, where people don't actually die and it quietly spreads.Is it more lethal than some of these other viruses like SARS, swine flu, Ebola, bird flu? Is this pandemic worse than other ones? What is your view? There are four qualities that decide how bad the disease is going to be. One is the mode of spread. So any disease that spreads through respiratory secretions always tends to spread faster. Because the virus is there in the cough and the sneeze, and it's extremely difficult to have 100 per cent hand hygiene or cough etiquette. The second is the infectiousness of the virus. And that is like an innate quality or that's like a personality of each virus. There is something called R0 (basic reproductive rate) which decides how infectious each virus is going to be. And that number technically means that during the disease period, in any patient, how many other people will this patient infect. So the R0 for coronavirus 19, the SARC-CoV2, is around three. Now, if you see a lot of other viral diseases, like for HIV, for that matter, the R0 for HIV is also three. So you will think what's so different? But the HIV positive person will infect three people in the course of the disease, which is an entire lifetime. In contrast, someone with COVID-19 will infect three people, in the course of the disease, which is only 10 days. That means it's such a short span of time, three people will keep getting infected. Now, if three people get infected, and each of these infects another three, that's nine, and then another three its 27. So it's like exponential. And because it's in such a short span of time, within like a matter of months, we've really crossed huge numbers. Now that is the infectiousness of the virus. And that's the reason why this entire concept of social distancing, because, we believe, that if someone who's infected with the virus actually doesn't come in contact with that many people, we are basically trying to bring down the R0. So instead of three people getting infected, we really want zero or one person to get infected, so that's the aim (with regard to) the infectiousness of the virus. And the third quality of the virus is the mortality rate or the case fatality rate. And the case fatality rate is out of hundred people who get infected with COVID-19, how many of them are going to succumb to COVID-19. And this case fatality rate, if you see, this number has changed from country to country like South Korea clearly has a very low case fatality rate. What China saw was between 2 to 4 per cent. The fatality rate in South Korea was 1 per cent. What we are actually seeing in Italy is around 6 per cent. Because of the higher population older people? Yes. So the case fatality rate also depends on a lot of things. It depends on what the age structure of the population is, how good your healthcare system is. Sometime the healthcare system will be great. But if it is over-challenged, so there are just too many people reaching the healthcare system beyond what the hospital can handle, then the entire system just collapses. So if I was to receive five people in the ICU, I can offer really good care to five. But instead of five if I start receiving 15 on the same day, then I know that the care will be compromised. And that's the reason why they really want to flatten the curve (COVID-19 case curve). That's the entire concept of flattening the curve -- you don't want that peak to be really high. The higher the peak, the more number of people who will reach the hospital and the more over-burdend the health system will be. Because of this infectiousness: So SARS was like an epidemic that spanned over six months. And even over six months, the cases were not as much as what corona saw just in a matter of one-and-a-half months. But at the same time, it hasn't killed, percentage wise, that many people. In Ebola the fatality rate was 50 per cent and some countries saw 70 and 80 per cent, which was dangerous. With COVID-19, we know that, at most, it has been 5 to 6 per cent. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has discussed with President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer the access to persons illegally detained in occupied Donbas, annexed Crimea and Russia. The interlocutors agreed on the importance of ensuring access for the ICRC staff to the places in Donbas, Crimea and the Russian Federation where detainees are kept, inter alia, following the Trilateral Contact Group meeting held on March 11, the press service of the Head of State reports. The ICRC President thanked the Ukrainian party for taking steps to ensure access to the detained persons for the ICRC representatives. He pledged to take personal control over the issue of access of the Red Cross staff members to the detainees, as agreed in the Normandy meeting. In turn, the President of Ukraine praised the ICRC's role as a neutral mediator in the transfer of citizens of our country detained in the Russian Federation, which took place on December 29, 2019. The interlocutors agreed to coordinate further efforts to exchange detained persons. The parties also discussed the importance of cooperation aimed to search for Ukrainians who have disappeared in the territory of ORDLO and occupied Crimea. The parties also discussed the security situation in Donbas. Peter Maurer praised Ukraine's efforts to achieve peace in the region, and Volodymyr Zelensky thanked for the humanitarian assistance provided to the people affected by war and to the internally displaced persons. "I thank the ICRC for its significant contribution to the humanitarian demining of the liberated territories," the President of Ukraine said. Peter Maurer announced the plans for further activities of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Ukraine, emphasizing that cooperation with our country is and will remain one of the priorities of the agenda of the organization he chairs. The parties agreed that the visit of the ICRC President to Ukraine, in particular for personal acquaintance with the humanitarian situation in Donbas, will take place as soon as possible. ol After public Saint Patricks Day festivities were cancelled in Ireland, one Irish grandmother decided she would not let coronavirus get in the way of celebrating with her grandchildren, even if that meant keeping a safe distance away from them. Molli Meaghan-Tresson shot this video of her 76-year-old grandmother, Esther Meaghan, outside their home in Wexford, Ireland on March 17. Meaghan-Tresson told Storyful her grandmother had not seen her grandkids in three or four days and they always spend Saint Patricks Day together. She thought shed surprise them but kept her social distance, she explained. After she finished with them, other neighbors opened their windows and joined in singing with her. President Michael D Higgins reminded the Irish in his St Patricks Day message to show solidarity and concern for our fellow citizens as an embodiment of the values of the countrys patron saint. Credit: Molli Meaghan-Tresson via Storyful President Donald Trump talks to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, August 9, 2019. Associated Press/Evan Vucci President Donald Trump defended his use of the term "Chinese virus" during a press briefing Tuesday. Trump said he decided "to call it where it came from" rather than argue with the Chinese government, a representative of which recently said without evidence that the US military might have brought the virus to China. "We urge the US to immediately correct its mistake and stop making unwarranted accusations on China," a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. President Donald Trump defended his use of the term "Chinese virus" during a press conference on Tuesday, calling it a response to a Chinese government spokesman's "false" accusation that the US military might have brought the coronavirus to Wuhan, the Chinese city where it first appeared. "China was putting out information, which was false, that our military gave this to them," the president said. "Rather than have an argument, I said I have to call it where it came from, and it did come from China. So I think it's a very accurate term," Trump added, referring to the term "Chinese virus," which he has used in some recent tweets. During the press briefing, the president called China "the source" of the virus. A biker passes by a wall of paintings of old shops in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province, March 4, 2020 Feature China/Barcroft Media via Getty Images While the coronavirus, which causes the illness COVID-19, first appeared in central China, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been deeply critical of assertions that the virus originated in China. "Some US political figures have recently been connecting the coronavirus with China. We express strong indignation and objection to such stigmatization," Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a briefing Tuesday. "We urge the US to immediately correct its mistake and stop making unwarranted accusations on China." Story continues Facing criticism, the Chinese government has been trying to shift the blame beyond its borders, to the US in particular. Last week, Zhao Lijian, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, suggested on Twitter that "it might be the US Army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan." Demanding transparency from the US, he said the "US owe us an explanation!" The US Department of State summoned the Chinese ambassador to protest the spokesman's remarks, and the Department of Defense issued a statement strongly condemning the Chinese government's decision to "promulgate false and absurd conspiracy theories about the origin of COVID-19 blaming U.S. service members. " "Our military did not give it to anybody," Trump said Tuesday. Critics have accused Trump of xenophobia and scapegoating through his use of the term "Chinese virus." Some have argued that he is creating an unnecessary stigma. "I think saying our military gave it to them creates a stigma," Trump countered during the briefing Tuesday afternoon. Read the original article on Business Insider The Sahel state of Burkina Faso has reportedly announced its first death from the novel coronavirus, which makes it the first known fatality in sub-Saharan Africa. The country declared that the coronavirus reached the region when two cases were detected at the beginning of March that were linked to France. Burkina's national coordinator for response to the virus, Professor Martial Ouedraogo, said in a Press conference that the country recorded the death from COVID-19 overnight. He said that the fatality was a female patient aged 62, who suffered from diabetes and was under medical supervision in the intensive care unit. Health Minister Claudine Lougue confirmed that the woman had returned from a high-risk European country, as per the reports. According to the reports, the governments of nearly all countries in the African continent have initiated strict health screening procedures across all points of entry, especially at the airports. Cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Senegal, and Nigeria. African airlines have cancelled scheduled flights to China except for Ethiopian Airlines, which is partially operating as of now. However, countries like Benin, Liberia, Tanzania; Eritrea have imposed a total travel ban. Benin, the ninth West African country to record COVID-19 case, has set aside 7 billion CFA for the preventive measures. . @NAkufoAddo - Public gatherings including conferences, sporting events, funerals and religious gatherings suspended for the next four weeks... pic.twitter.com/QRImBUAbpU Juliet Bawuah (@julietbawuah) March 15, 2020 Read: Coronavirus Local Spread Beginning To Take Off In Africa Read: South African Cricketers Told To Self-isolate On Return From Aborted India Tour Government of Ghana urges lockdown The head of Liberias environmental protection agency has reportedly contracted the disease and has been recently quarantined. He is Liberias first imported case of the novel coronavirus. He tested positive after he returned from a trip to Switzerland as per the state agency report. President George Weah called for concerted efforts to combat the COVID-19 virus including observing good personal hygiene. He stressed that the government will do all it takes to ensure that citizens are safe. West Africa thus far has Sierra Leone, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, Mali, and Niger that have confirmed zero coronavirus cases as per media reports. Meanwhile, the government of Ghana announced a raft of containment measures in a statement, declaring that they might have to put the West African country on a total lockdown to stem the malignant pathogens spread. Ghana has reportedly confirmed six cases as of March 15. Read: The Latest: New Concerns In South Korea's Worst-hit City Read: South Korea Reports 374 New Cases Of Coronavirus, Total Cases Climbs To 5,186 Three more persons, including a woman, tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Maharashtra on Wednesday, taking the number of infections in the state to 45, said a state official. Medical reports of these three patients, including one each from Mumbai and Pune, have come positive, taking the total Covid-19 cases in the state to 45, one of them dead, said an official statement issued in the evening. Nineteen of these cases have been reported from Pune district alone. A 21-year-old man with travel history to Singapore, the Philippines and Colombo tested positive for the infection late in the evening, the official said. He is from Pimpri-Chinchwad area of Pune district, the state health official said. A Mumbai-based maid working with a family which had returned from the US recently has also tested positive, the official said. She is the 10th case in the state who has got the infection locally by transmission, he said. A 50-year-old man from Ratnagiri, who had returned from Dubai, also tested positive for the viral infection this evening, the official added. Since January 18, as many as 1,227 people have returned to the state from abroad, of whom 958 were isolated for showing symptoms similar to Covid-19, another official statement said. A 64-year-old man, who had tested positive for the infection, died in Mumbai on Tuesday. At 45, Maharashtra has the highest number of Covid-19 cases among states in the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lang withdrew his support of Kalish and sought a new candidate for the Niles Township Democrats to support because of the present vote on the pro-choice measure. Stoneback got the nod and entered the race Aug. 12. Olickal joined the campaign in December just before the primary filing deadline. Its a fun exercise to place video art in roughly the same category of cultural experience as music videos. They can be disastrously dull or as wonderfully experimental, visually brilliant and many-mooded as great pop songs. I often go from one kind to the other, enjoying both equally. Peter Gabriels Sledgehammer and Lady Gagas Bad Romance lead seamlessly into Arthur Jafas Love Is the Message, the Message Is Death (set to Kanye Wests Ultralight Beam) and Matthew Barneys epic Cremaster Cycle. Sometimes, compelling artists, such as the South African photographer Roger Ballen, collaborate with interesting hip-hop acts such as Die Antwoord, with results that will either thrill or repel you (probably not suitable for kids), or they use well-known music (in Alex Da Cortes case, Leonard Cohens Chelsea Hotel #2) to make utterly distinctive and original videos of their own. Former U.S. special counsel Robert Mueller testifies before the House Intelligence Committee about his report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election in Washington on July 24, 2019. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Prosecutors Drop Case Against Accused Funder of Russian Troll Farm Prosecutors have dropped the case against a company that allegedly funded a Russian troll farm that meddled in the 2016 presidential election. The Russian company, Concord Management and Consulting, had no intention of actually standing trial and facing prosecution, and was instead milking the U.S. government for documents related to the case, attempting to get the case dismissed, and trying generally to impugn the government, prosecutors argued in a March 16 motion. It has become increasingly apparent to the government that Concord seeks to selectively enjoy the benefits of the American criminal process without subjecting itself to the concomitant obligations, they said (pdf). The case was brought in February 2018 by then-special counsel Robert Mueller, who was probing, among other things, allegations that Russia had meddled in the 2016 U.S. elections. Mueller charged the Internet Research Agency (IRA), a Russian company, and some of its employees with conspiring to undermine the duties of the Federal Election Commission, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of State to prevent, disclose, and counteract improper foreign influence on U.S. elections and on the U.S. political system. They allegedly did so by running online ads and creating social media pages and posts aimed at stoking division in American society and undermining trust in the democratic system ahead of the elections. The charge was also aimed at Concord and its founder, Yevgeniy Prigozhin, alleging the company controlled funding, recommended personnel, and oversaw the IRA. As all the defendants were based in Russia, there was little chance any of them would ever stand trial. Concord, however, hired Eric Dubelier and Kate Seikaly of the Reed Smith law firm and through them volunteered to face the charges. Dubelier, himself a veteran prosecutor, time and again excoriated and ridiculed the prosecutors, leveling accusations of pettifoggery, saying Muellers people at one point sounded a lot like Tweety Bird, and that Mueller indicted the proverbial ham sandwich. When Muellers final report said that the IRAs work was part of Russias active measures campaign, Dubelier protested, saying the IRA indictment didnt even allege a connection to the Russian government and the U.S. government was prejudging the case. In response, one of the prosecutors said, The [Mueller] report itself does not state anywhere that the Russian government was behind the Internet Research Agency activity. (pdf) The report actually states, in part: In sum, the investigation established that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election through the active measures social media campaign carried out by the IRA, an organization funded by Prigozhin and companies that he controlled. (pdf) District Court Judge Dabney Friedrich, a Trump appointee based in Washington, said in May 2019 that it appears the government violated the courts rules. He banned the government from making any public statement that links the alleged conspiracy in the indictment to the Russian government or its agencies. (pdf) The prosecutors acknowledged they expended considerable taxpayer resources on the case, but argued there have been new developments that made them reconsider. One is their objections to Concords behavior before the court. Prosecutors said the defendant disregarded subpoenas and ignored a court order; Concords lawyers have vehemently denied that. They said they complied in a timely manner with every court order and it was the prosecutors fault the case dragged on because they waited until December to issue their first subpoena and repeatedly made overly broad demands for documents. Indeed, the judge twice told the prosecutors to narrow down their subpoenas. The prosecutors also argued that Concord, which already faces U.S. sanctions, is unlikely to suffer just punishment and the prosecution risks the exposure of law enforcements tools and techniques used in the case. Both of these arguments seem to have already applied two years ago. The prosecutors further said they can no longer use some of their evidence after it underwent classification review. Its not clear why the prosecutors failed to anticipate this issue. Problems with trying the case were immediately clear to observers after Concord first stepped forward. One thing you never want to do is to indict in a case that youre not prepared to try, former federal prosecutor Andrew McCarthy told The Daily Caller at the time. As part of discovery, a phase during which both parties give the other access to evidence, the government gave Concord millions of documents, mostly material obtained from social media companies, but also emails and sensitive, non-public documents. More than 1,000 of the documents were leaked online, the FBI found (pdf). On March 16, Friedrich granted the motion to dismiss the case with prejudice, which means it cant be brought back to court. The indictment against the other defendants, including the IRA and Prigozhin, still stands, but they wont stand trial unless they submit themselves to U.S. jurisdiction or are taken into custody in a country with a U.S extradition treaty. Russia isnt one of those. By Carl Golden The Democratic Party establishment got what it wanted -- a presidential nominee whos a charter member of the club knows the secret handshake, reveres the old school necktie and -- most importantly -- as president can be relied upon to consult with and seek the wisdom and counsel of the entrenched establishment leaders. Their relief is palpable now that former Vice President Joe Biden is a lock to emerge from the Milwaukee convention in July as the chosen one to take on President Donald Trump. Less than a month ago, the establishment was panic-stricken when Vermonts fire-breathing socialist Senator Bernie Sanders surged into the lead and posed an existential threat to the establishments survival. Biden performed poorly in candidates debates, rambling through often incoherent responses and raising grave doubts about his age-related intellectual agility. Forgetting what state he was in or who he shared the platform with was evidence, his opponents said, of a man in decline. He was battered into a fourth-place finish in the Iowa caucuses, fifth in the New Hampshire primary and teetered on the ragged edge of irrelevancy. In the face of this crisis, the establishment overcame its hand-wringing paralysis and closed ranks behind Biden. His outlook turned in the South Carolina primary and he went on to storm through 15 of the 20 subsequent primaries, devastating Sanders, piling up double-digit blowout victory margins and chasing the competition out of the race altogether. Suddenly, speculation about a brokered convention turned into speculation about vice presidential selection. Sanders was on the ropes and whatever glimmer of hope existed that he could climb back into contention was extinguished when the coronavirus epidemic forced a virtual shutdown of campaign activities. Any potential for a rebound has vanished. The packed arenas and auditoriums that fueled the energy and enthusiasm of his supporters have been foreclosed by the exigencies of dealing with the pandemic. Sanders and his dedicated army of supporters will leave the national convention as embittered as they were four years ago when they believed -- with some justification -- that the Democratic National Committee had rigged the primary process to favor Hillary Clinton and cheated him of the nomination. Added to their disappointment is the realization that this was Sanders last hurrah. He will reach his early 80s by 2024 and Americas voters will shrink from supporting a presidential candidate closer to 90 than to 70. The party establishment can breathe easier with Bidens nomination assured. Their immediate fear was that Sanders at the top of the ticket would result in election day disaster, that his unabashed socialism and far-left platform would be so unacceptable to Americans that the prospects of Trump carrying upwards of 40 states and an Electoral College landslide was real. The result would be an overwhelmingly Republican Congress and a Trump stranglehold on the national government for at least four years. Simply put the establishment argued that Biden is electable, Sanders is not. The former vice president provides comfort and eases fears on the part of the party leadership. Despite a leftward shift on some issues to deal with the demands of aggressive progressive elements of the party and blunt criticism leveled by Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, he can seamlessly slide back to the moderate center with little difficulty. Beyond that, however, and more critical to the establishment is their access to a Biden Administration would be preserved. Their telephone calls would be returned, lines of communication would remain open and their voices would be heard at the highest level of government. Sanders campaign pledged to drive the establishment out of the government temple, restricting, if not eliminating, access and eroding their influence. Theyd be replaced by a new and younger generation of activists and ideologues who viewed them with undisguised contempt and blamed them for all that was wrong with government. Whether Sanders supporters vent their frustrations on Biden come November by refusing to vote at all or skipping over the presidential contest remains to be seen. Theres little argument that Biden stands a better chance than Sanders against Trump, although underestimating the president can be risky. Just ask all those folks who spent October 2016 rehearsing the proper pronunciation of Madame President. The party establishment demonstrated that, when threatened, it can summon up its power, defend itself and turn aside a serious threat to its dominance. The Sanders army learned The Empire Strikes Back is more than a motion picture. Carl Golden is a senior contributing analyst with the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University. The Star-Ledger/NJ.com encourages submissions of opinion. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Srinagar, March 18 : District Magistrate Srinagar Shahid Iqbal Choudhary has ordered restricted entry of travellers from Leh and Kargil areas to Srinagar. The order states that only those travellers can enter Srinagar who have undergone quarantine for the specified two-week period immediately before the intending date of travel and certified and cleared by the competent medical authority in Ladakh. Travellers from the region who have undergone quarantine in their region will have to undergo quarantine in Srinagar before being allowed to proceed to their desired destinations. The order also applies to road travellers from the region. The ferrying of passengers in Indian Airforce aircrafts has been suspended altogether till further notice. Concerned authorities have been asked to ensure strict implementation of the order and all instructions therein and ensure that no exemptions are allowed. The order has been issued under section 34 of the National Disaster Management Act, 2005, and is aimed at preventing spread of coronavirus infection in Srinagar. These restrictions have been ordered after several confirmed cases of coronavirus surfaced in the Ladakh region and are aimed at preventing spread of the infection in Srinagar. A 23-year-old woman, who recently flew back from England, tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, making her the first confirmed case in the tricity. The patient, a resident of Chandigarhs Sector 21, had reported at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, earlier in the day, complaining that she had developed a cold and fever after landing at the Amritsar airport on March 15 (Sunday). The symptoms had later subsided. Her sample was sent to the testing centre at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), which returned positive results on late Wednesday night. Also Watch | Coronavirus | PM Modis speech, Goa hoax, India vaccine plan: Top 10 updates GMCH authorities said the patient, along with her mother, had been put under isolation and surveillance at the hospital, while her remaining family members had been quarantined at home. Chandigarhs state surveillance officer Dr Upendrajeet Singh Gill said, A young female, resident of Chandigarh with history of returning from England on Sunday morning, developed fever and cold on Monday. But the symptoms subsided and right now (she has) no symptoms at GMCH-32. She tested positive as per report received from PGIMERs department of virology. He said they were following all protocols regarding quarantine of people, who may have come in contact with her. TWO CASES TURN OUT NEGATIVE Two more women, admitted at Government Multi-Specialty College and Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, were tested for coronavirus on Wednesday. Their test results returned negative. Among the two patients were a young and an elderly female. After their isolation at GMSH, their samples were sent to PGIMER. While the young patient had recently travelled to Sharjah, the elderly woman had no travel history. HC IMPOSES FRESH RESTRICTIONS The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday put fresh restrictions on entry to the high court (HC) premises. It said all cases under adjudication will be adjourned by at least four weeks. Earlier, on March 16, the court had restricted its functioning to hearing urgent cases only. The court also designated seven benches where lawyers can bring pleas requiring urgent hearing in fresh as well as sub-judice cases. It reiterated that entry of litigants is prohibited, except in cases of personal appearance specifically ordered by the court. Also, the advocates have been asked to ensure that only one lawyer per case attends hearings. Entry of law interns has also been restricted. People in the Chinese government have come to believe that the Western media deliberately tried to undermine this narrative of a great Chinese victory in Wuhan, said Victor Shih, an associate professor at the University of California at San Diegos School of Global Policy and Strategy. This is a product of its own propaganda. She welcomed her first child, son Oscar Hamilton, just five weeks ago. And on Tuesday, Sylvia Jeffreys offered support to other young mums feeling 'isolated' at home amid the coronavirus pandemic. The journalist, 33, shared a photo to Instagram of herself cuddling her newborn as she reassured fans it's normal to feel anxious and confused in these troubled times. 'I just wanted to send some love and virtual hugs': Sylvia Jeffreys has offered support to other young mums feeling 'isolated' at home amid the coronavirus pandemic 'While it's a good time to be living in a little love bubble with nowhere to go, I'm conscious of the confusion and anxiety that many new mums might be feeling right now,' Sylvia wrote. 'Mother's groups - a social lifeline for many - have been cancelled, libraries closed, cafes are being avoided. 'So I just wanted to send some love and virtual hugs to other mamas out there who might be feeling extra-isolated.' Newborn: The journalist, 33, welcomed her first child, son Oscar Hamilton, just five weeks ago Sylvia encouraged young mums to 'drop a comment' below her post to connect with others in a similar situation. One follower replied: 'Thank you so much for reaching out. I have a 10-week-old baby boy and staying home is out best option at the moment. 'We do go for daily walks to get fresh air and mum to get some exercise. Hope you are enjoying motherhood just as much as me!' Staying connected: Sylvia encouraged young mums to 'drop a comment' below her post to connect with others in a similar situation Sunrise newsreader Edwina Bartholomew, who welcomed her first child just before Christmas, commented: 'Just lovely. I feel like I've already told you my stories.' As of Wednesday afternoon, there were 556 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia and six deaths. Sylvia and her husband, Peter Stefanovic, welcomed baby Oscar on February 5. A 34-year-old soldier has tested positive for novel coronavirus in Leh, becoming the first case in the Indian Army. The soldier, a resident of Chuhot village in Leh, came in contact with his father who had already contracted the infection. His father had returned from a pilgrimage in Iran by an Air India flight on February 27 and is in quarantine at the Ladakh Heart Foundation since February 29. The soldier had taken leave from February 25 to March 1, said Army officials and joined duties on March 2. But he continued to help his family during his fathers quarantine period and even stayed in the vilage for some time, said officials. Watch | Indian Army reports 1st Covid-19 case, soldier from Ladakh tests positive His father tested positive for coronavirus disease Covid-19 on March 6. The soldier was quarantined the next day and tested positive on March 16, they said. His sister, wife and two children are also quarantined in Sonam Nurboo Memorial (SNM) Hospital. India has so far recorded 147 coronavirus positive cases - 122 of them are Indians and 25 foreigners. India has restricted flights from a number of countries - most of them being coronavirus hotspots. Over 5,700 people, who had come in contact with these positive cases, are under rigorous surveillance, the ministry said. More than 11,500 people were infected with the novel coronavirus globally, bringing the total number of confirmed cases above 179,000, the World Health Organisation said in its latest coronavirus situation report on Tuesday. STAMFORD Three hours after a man walked into a High Ridge Road bank and passed a note saying he wanted to rob the place, police have arrested a suspect, who they said has confessed. Capt. Richard Conklin said police arrested Perry PJ Fabricatore, of Pamlynn Road, and charged him with criminal attempt at second-degree robbery. The 31-year-old is being held in lieu of a $50,000 court-appearance bond. Conklin said Fabricatore walked into the First County bank at 12:36 p.m. wearing a knit cap and large sunglasses in order to obscure his looks. Conklin said he passed a note to the teller saying he wanted money, but never displayed a weapon. A little time went by as the teller read the note and Fabricatore became nervous, turned and ran out the back door. No money was taken and no one was injured in the attempt, Conklin said. Police soon tracked Fabricatore to Baker Place and he was taken to police headquarters, where he confessed to trying to rob the bank, Conklin said. This was a very swift and successful investigation and a collaborative effort from uniformed officers and investigators from crimes against persons and Narcotics and Organized Crime officers. All these units worked very well together, the police captain said. This all took place in less than three hours. It was a very nice job by these officers. We have been very lucky with our bank robberies. We have had very few of them and we have been very successful in solving them. Police said the last bank robbery to have occurred in the city was on July 16, 2018 when Charles Redshirt walked into the First Greenwich Bank on Summer Street and robbed them of $1,000. He was caught moments later, sentenced to three years in prison and is due for release from the Garner Correctional Institution in Newtown at the end of June 2021. Four years earlier, First County Bank on High Ridge Road was robbed in May 2014. Police caught the perpetrator, Jeffrey Vanech, 12 hours later after finding a thumb print on the note he left behind. Police at the time said Jeffrey Vanechs scheme to get away with an undisclosed amount of money was doomed from the start by his sloppy preparations During that robbery, police could see on video that he was using his thumb to holding down the folded note. When Identification Officer Cory Caserta sprinkled magnetic powder on it, a clear thumbprint appeared. The print was so good, at first it had police worried it belonged to the teller. But the print came back to Vanech, a convicted sex offender for whom police already had an active arrest warrant. Investigators talked to taxi companies operating in the area and figured out he and another man took a cab to the South Norwalk train station. There, a camera showed two men get out of the Stamford cab and walked into the station. Then they quickly exited and caught a second taxi. That cabbie told police he had taken the two men to Bridgeport and dropped them off on Lenox Avenue, a place known for drug sales and drug use, police said at the time. After officers went to Lenox Avenue and showed pictures of Vanech, someone pointed them to a nearby rooming house. Police found Vanech there. After being sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to a second-degree robbery charge, Vanech is due to be released from the Robinson Correctional Institution in Enfield at the end of August. jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has convened a high-level emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss measures to be taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the state. For the meeting to be held at 2 pm in Pragati Bhavan, all district collectors, Police Commissioners, SPs have been told to be present. In the meeting, Medical and Health Minister Etela Rajender, Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao, Panchayat Raj Minister E Dayakar Rao, Ministers from Hyderabad, Mohammed Ali, Srinivas Yadav, Sabita Indrareddy, Malla Reddy, Deputy Speaker Padma Rao, Principal Secretaries of Medical and Health, Panchayat Raj, Municipal Administration, Commissioners will be present. The chief minister has urged people in the state to be on alert as people who travelled from Indonesia to Karimnagar have tested positive for the virus. Against this backdrop, preventive measures to be taken and regulations to be followed would be discussed and a fresh action plan will be chalked out. People are also advised to be on alert and inform the authorities about those coming from abroad. The CM has instructed the officials concerned to allow people coming from abroad to go home after they have completed their check-up. The state government had already implemented a 15-day action plan to prevent the spread of the virus. Zorion Medical will move into the Carr Workspaces located in the Convergence Center to Innovation and Collaboration, placing the medical device company at Purdue University and support potential research collaboration to advance Zorions technology. (Image provided by Carr Workspaces) Zorion Medical developing fully absorbable implant devices is increasing development work in collaboration with researchers at Purdue University WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Zorion Medical Inc., an innovative medical device company developing fully absorbable implants for use in treating peripheral vascular disease, coronary artery disease, orthopedics and other surgical applications, is opening a project development center with Carr Workplaces adjacent to the Purdue University campus in the Convergence Center for Innovation and Collaboration. The new project development center will place Zorion in the heart of the $1 billion-plus Purdue Discovery Park District, providing proximity and access to Purdue researchers, core labs and preclinical capabilities to advance the companys product applications through early-stage development. The company intends to maintain lab and pilot scale, clean room manufacturing operations in Indianapolis. As we expand our business operations, it is important to be close to our key collaborators at Purdue, said David Broecker, founder and executive chairman at Zorion. The Carr Workplaces solution is ideal because it provides us with both physical space and professional business support on campus. For an emerging medical device company, this is an ideal solution. Zorion is the perfect fit for the type of company that can benefit from being in Carr Workplaces, said Ethan Kingery, general manager for Carrs West Lafayette location. They want to be on campus to increase access to testing facilities and collaborative research activities with Purdue researchers. Our professional business support provides David and his team focus on building their company, while allowing us to provide the business support they need. Carr Workplaces is a leader in the co-working industry and will be opening more than 20,000 square feet of professional office, conference rooms and meeting spaces in the Convergence Center for Innovation and Collaboration. Opening in May, the Carr Workplaces operation in the Discovery Park District will be the first Carr location on a university campus. The space offers 68 private offices for companies and a range of professional services for companies that want proximity to Purdue students, researchers and facilities Broecker, who also is the chief innovation and collaboration officer for Purdue Research Foundation, said Carr Workplaces provides a new place for companies within the Purdue entrepreneurial community. I work with companies all the time and know the importance of having the types of support and amenities Carr Workplaces offers, Broecker said. We are pleased that Discovery Park District is the first university location for Carr Workplaces. About Zorion Medical Zorion Medical Inc. is an innovative platform technology company developing fully absorbable medical devices based on bio-metal alloys. The potential target opportunities for this technology include peripheral vascular disease, coronary artery disease, orthopedics, and a variety of surgical applications. The company works in collaboration with development and supply partners, including Fort Wayne Metals and Parkview Hospital in Indiana and Interplex Medical in Ohio. About Carr Workplaces Headquartered in Washington, D.C., Carr Workplaces is the premier provider of co-working space with 27 locations across the United States. Carr Workplaces delivers the same level of concierge service experienced at a luxury hotel but in a co-working, professional setting. Hospitality is what separates Carr Workplaces from its competition, as the company is driven by a passion to deliver for its clients, helping its members add to their bottom line. Carr Workplaces operates workspaces in key markets across the U.S., including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. About Discovery Park District The $1 billion-plus Discovery Park District is a Purdue Research Foundation entity adjacent to the Purdue University campus and is a transformational center of innovation. The more than 400-acre district offers a thriving, walkable, urban setting that provides a unique opportunity to collaborate with thought leaders, visionaries, researchers and students at Purdue University. The district plans include laboratories, advanced manufacturing facilities, offices, retail shops, restaurants, housing, green space and trails. Managed by the Purdue Research Foundation and its master plan partner Browning Investments LLC, the district already includes a public airport with a 7,000-foot runway, and international companies including Rolls-Royce, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories and Saab. For more information, visit Discovery Park District. Media Contact: Cynthia Sequin, casequin@prf.org Sources: David Broecker, dabroecker@prf.org Ethan Kingery Ethan.Kingery@carrworkplaces.com The prospect seems remote. But is National Government on its way? The Conservatives had a thumping majority in 1940. Yes, on paper the Government was a National Government. But it was in practice a Tory-dominated one, with the Conservatives having won 387 of the Governments 429 seats in 1935. None the less, the exigencies of war compelled a wartime coalition government, including Labour, headed by Winston Churchill. The Liberals were in a good position in 1915 in terms of Commons numbers, at any rate. The second general election of 1910 had left them with only one more seat than the Conservatives. But they were propped up in power by 70 or so Irish Nationalist MPs. However, war had weakened H.H.Asquiths administration, and he was compelled to turn to the Conservatives to form a wartime coalition. Readers will see where all this is going. Boris Johnson has a near-landslide majority of 80. Unlike Chamberlain in 1940 or Asquith in 1915, he has not held office for long and nor is his administration exhausted. Indeed, he won his near-landslide election victory only just over three months ago. But is it impossible to imagine, presumably after Keir Starmer (presumably) becomes Labour leader on April 4, that the Prime Minister will feel he must form some sort of all-party War Cabinet and a national administration? At present, co-operation between the two main parties is holding after a wobble last weekend. Labour front-benchers are being briefed on privy council terms. Cabinet members are consulting their shadow counterparts. The local elections have been cancelled and the party political temperature thereby cooled. If the death toll soars relentlessly; if NHS pressures becomes unbearable; if mass social distancing is not observed, and if there are problems with essential supplies and public order thats four big ifs is a next step unimaginable? One can conceive of Ministers seeking an all-party public front, and Labour objecting to responsibility with no power. Those wartime brief histories are in one sense not precedents. Britain is not at war. But the struggle against the Coronavirus is in some ways like one which is why so many are now using the metaphor. Indeed, the damage that it threatens to wreak on the economy, here and abroad, could in some respects be even more severe. To fall back on a figure of speech weve used before, the impact of the virus may be comparable to a mass attack of V2 rockets, taking out major sectors of the economy in our major cities and towns. From a Tory party political vantage, the argument potentially cuts either way. On the one hand, it looks like an elementary strategic error to help make Labour electorally respectable by allowing its leaders the respectability of office. On the other, if Ministers must take increasingly controversial decisions, it might be wise for the fingerprints of the Labour Party also to be on the steering wheel. And looming above both vantages is the national interest. If the crisis becomes existential, then its imaginable, one Cabinet member told ConHome. But I havent heard any talk of it and, after Decembers results, we are the national party representing all parts of the country. After the events of recent years, you cant rule anything out, said another, looking back to the EU referendum, the resignation of David Cameron, Theresa Mays leadership victory, the 2017 general election reverse, Parliamentary gridlock, over 40 Ministerial resignations, Change UK, Mays fall, Johnsons arrival, the Supreme Court rulingand last Decembers election. It is almost impossible to imagine Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell, with Len McLuskey and Seumas Milne in the wings, sharing space round the Cabinet table with Johnson and Rishi Sunak. (Though remember: May fell back on pleading with them to get her deal through one of the main causes of her downfall.) A Starmer-led Opposition with the likes of Yvette Cooper, Rachel Reeves and Hillary Benn back on board might be different. We raise the prospect not to recommend it, but to say: you read it here first. South Africa: COVID-19: SARS operations to continue with several changes The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has urged the public to rather make use of its eFiling platform rather than to visit branches as South Africa continues its efforts to stop the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The South African Revenue Service is balancing its responsibility to protect both our employees and our taxpayers as well as remain focussed and committed to serving the public and continue with our revenue collection, it said on Tuesday. In a letter addressed to taxpayers, the revenue service said that while it will continue with its operations, it has implemented several stringent measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19. This, it said, was in alignment with the address made to the nation by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday. In his address, President Ramaphosa declared COVID-19 as a national disaster. The President calls on all of us as South Africans for an extraordinary response and as SARS we are taking this opportunity at all times to provide clarity and certainty to our taxpayers in how we move forward in terms of our service offerings. As SARS, we have to balance the important work we do to collect revenue, facilitate service to taxpayers, travelers and traders, whilst at the same time taking reasonable measures to protect ourselves as SARS officials and yourselves as citizens of the Republic, said SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter in the letter. The revenue service will adhere to strict general hygiene as well as social distancing to reduce the spread of the COVID-19. SARS has implemented the following changes: Social distancing Taxpayers are discouraged to come into the branches and are advised to make use of online digital channels for all engagements. The majority of the business can be done on eFiling platform (www.sarsefiling.co.za ). SARS mobiApp in addition to Personal Income Tax functionality provides additional information which encourages users to download through the app store (Google Play or Apple Store). SARS website (www.sars.gov.za) will be regularly updated with news and announcements. Should taxpayers still require contact with SARS, they can phone the SARS Contact Centre on 0800 00 7277, instead of visiting a branch. If South Africans still required to visit a SARS Tax branch, strict adherence to social distancing and general hygiene practices will be applied. Within the guidelines as set out by the President, a maximum of 100 taxpayers will be allowed in the branches at any one point in time and will be managed firmly. SARS request that taxpayers watch branch visitor volumes and queue times on their website and the SARS mobiApp. This should help taxpayers to plan around needing to visit an alternate branch if really necessary. All SARS branches as well as ports of entry have been equipped with hand sanitizers and they expect taxpayers to make use of these ahead of engaging their staff. Additional SARS procedures have been put in place and will be utilized to ensure that work surfaces are regularly cleaned and sanitized. Staff have also been provided with additional protective gear such as gloves, and where required, additional protective equipment such as masks and suits. SARS request everyone to observe strict 1 meter distances and avoid person to person contact as far as possible. Service related matters A large part of the daily visitors to SARS Tax offices are individuals requesting a tax reference number for the purpose of employment. Until further notice, SARS will no longer issue these tax reference numbers for this category of request and individuals are requested not to visit their branches for this purpose. SARS will shortly provide a solution whereby their digital channels (eFiling, mobiApp) will cater for this requirement. SARS aim to have this solution operational in the next few weeks. In the meantime, employers need to request to register employees online with SARS. SARS have asked employers to assist them in this regard. There is no requirement to register with SARS ahead of looking for a job, and a prospective employer may register employees as well. If supporting documentation is required by SARS, people are encouraged to follow these guidelines: upload via eFiling, make use of the SARS mobiApp, drop off documents at a branch drop-box and if all else fails, SARS will provide a drop box in their branch offices. If taxpayers have an account related matter, please use the following channels: As a first port of call, please contact the contact centre. If taxpayers are unable to make a call to the contact centre, please use the following dedicated channels: account balances: Accounts@sars.gov.za; third party appointment queries: TPA@sars.gov.za; Journals: Journals@sars.gov.za; Statement of accounts: SOA@sars.gov.za; AA88s AA88@sars.gov.za Ports of entry If people need to visit, or pass through a port of entry, SARS customs officials will also follow similar hygiene practices and in addition: Physical contact with travellers will be avoided as far as possible. Non-intrusive detecting devices such as baggage scanners will be deployed. Where required, SARS staff will be issued with additional protective clothing and gear. During these times, please be assured that we aim to provide continuity of the necessary engagement with taxpayers and traders whilst balancing the risk of the Coronavirus from spreading through the various measures to protect our staff as well as yourselves. All our key stakeholders are being engaged and we are in collaboration to align and focus, said the Commissioner. Tax obligation With these measures in place, SARS reminded taxpayers of their obligation. With all of these measures in place, we need to however take cognisance of the fact that your duties as taxpayer remain and all outstanding tax returns are still due before the 31st of March 2020. As SARS we remain determined to safeguard the publics confidence in our tax administration system during these unprecedented times. Collectively, we will ensure that the tax administration system of our Republic remains operational. - SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-03-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Technavio has been monitoring the distance learning market and it is poised to grow by USD 90.37 bn during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of over 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 the latest free sample report of 2020-2024 This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005286/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Distance Learning Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire) The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation 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. Increasing number of distance learning enrolments for higher education has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. Distance Learning Market 2019-2023: Segmentation Distance Learning Market is segmented as below: Type Traditional Online Geographic Segmentation APAC Europe MEA North America South America 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=IRTNTR31263 Distance Learning 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 distance learning market report covers the following areas: Distance Learning Market Size Distance Learning Market Trends Distance Learning Market Industry Analysis This study identifies growing popularity of online microlearning as one of the prime reasons driving the distance learning market growth during the next few years. Distance Learning Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the distance learning market, including some of the vendors such as Arizona State University, Aston University, University of Exeter, University of Missouri System and University of Wisconsin System. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the distance learning 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 Distance Learning Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023 Detailed information on factors that will assist distance learning market growth during the next five years Estimation of the distance learning market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the distance learning market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of distance learning 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 Traditional Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Online Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by type PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison North America Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Europe Market size and forecast 2018-2023 APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023 MEA Market size and forecast 2018-2023 South America 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 popularity of online microlearning Emphasis on non-conventional credentials Content customization PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview Landscape disruption PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Arizona State University Aston University University of Exeter University of Missouri System University of Wisconsin System PART 14: APPENDIX Research methodology List of abbreviations Definition of vendors classification 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/20200318005286/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ The Committee for Public Education calls on all teachers and school workers in Australia to form Action Committees and develop the widest democratic discussion on the necessary measures to protect the health and wellbeing of education workers and students. We demand the immediate suspension of the education system, including primary and secondary schools, universities, tertiary education institutions and child-care centres, as an emergency step to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. Across Australia, as in the US, Europe and other regions, the official response to the coronavirus has been marked by delays, mixed messages, obvious incompetence, and, above all else, indifference to the safety and wellbeing of the working class. This was once again underlined by the announcement this morning that the federal government and all state and territory governments have agreed that schools will remain open. This malign neglect finds sharp expression within the Australian education system. Teachers and education workers are in one of the highest at-risk professions, yet they are being kept in the dark. They have been denied any opportunity to collectively discuss what is happening and are effectively being told that they must be prepared to sacrifice their own health for the good of the capitalist market. The teacher unionsincluding the Australian Education Union (AEU) and the New South Wales Teachers Federation (NSWTF)function as nothing but subservient messengers for government and education department officials. Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared last Sunday that schools should remain open, stating: As the British chief medical officer observed over the last couple of days, the issue of wide scale closure of schools, it may be anti-intuitive, but the advice is this could be a very negative thing in terms of impacting on how these [disease] curves operate. When you take children out of school and put them back in the broader community, the ability for them to potentially engage with others increases that risk. These are false, self-serving and dangerous arguments. Children would only be put back in the broader community, instead of being at school from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., because governments at all levels are refusing to implement a comprehensive plan to mitigate the pandemic. Such a plan must include providing full income compensation for all workers who need to stay at home to mind their children during school closures, and providing free and individualised child care for health and emergency workers who are courageously risking themselves by treating people affected by the pandemic. Daniel Andrews, the Labor premier of Australias second largest state, Victoria, declared more than a week ago, on March 10, that a school system shut down is inevitable. Teachers need to raise the question: if this is the case, why the wait? The real agenda is to maintain a stable workforce for as long as possible, so the corporate elite can extract maximum profits ahead of a national shutdown necessitated by the collapse of the underfunded national hospital system. And in the meantime, as far as the ruling class is concerned, school workers health be damned. While school systems in some other countries have been shut, those actions mirror the approach by every government to the pandemic as a wholead hoc, uncoordinated, country by country, state by state, school by school decisions, with no unified approach from the standpoint of the protection of teachers, students or the population as a whole. In Australia, some private, independent and sectors of the Catholic system are closing down against the recommendations of the government. The rich private and Catholic schools have the resources to do so, putting in place online learning activities and support measures for the families with vulnerable children. Australia has one of the most unequal education systems of all the advanced capitalist countries. Forty percent of all high school students now attend private schools, a consequence of policy measures enacted over decades by successive Labor and Liberal governments that have starved public schools of resources while pouring billions of dollars in public subsidies to private institutionsincluding elite institutions that charge up to $40,000 a year in tuition fees. The principal of Geelong Grammar, one of the richest private schools in Australia, stated last week that it was being intentionally proactive by closing down. There is no such proactive response in the public sector. Instead, teachers are being made responsible for the health of children under conditions in which decades of government funding cuts have left them without even the most basic resources. Teachers at numerous schools are reporting that there is not even soap for either staff or students, while cleaning is substandard. Some teachers have been told to buy the soap themselves and they will be reimbursed, sometime in the future. Wealthy families have the option of their children online-educating from homes equipped with the best internet access, high quality computer facilities, guaranteed decent meals and access to private doctors and hospitals when necessary. They can wait out the epidemic. For working-class families, on the other hand, weighed down with mortgages and general living costs, there is no choice but to send their children to school each day unless they do not go to work or ask grandparents or friends to look after them. Countless numbers of elderly people and those who are immune-compromised could be endangered as a result. Teachers have been systematically denied any real voice or input into issues of curriculum and pedagogical practice, with education departments determinedly seeking to force public school educators into functioning as unquestioning implementers of every official edict. Now the same pressure is being brought to bear with the coronavirus. On the Victorian Australian Education Union Facebook page, a purported update on the situation posted last Monday triggered more than 180 comments. Many respondents were angered by the initial responses of the AEU to different questions about teacher safety, including its insistence that teachers individually telephone the union to receive an answer. One educator wrote: Youve stood by as the government has made us out to be glorified babysitters. Not once have they come out and suggested that being in school is the right option as it provides normality, that their education is a priority, nope, instead youve stood by and not uttered a word as everyone says schools should remain open so businesses can continue [...] No consideration at all to teachers who you are meant to show some concern for, who spend more time looking after bankers and business peoples kids rather than their own. The status quo is both unsustainable and unacceptable. The Committee for Public Education insists that in the face of a public health emergency, the voices of teachers and education workers must be heard! This will certainly not emerge via the teacher unions. Anger is building over the unions failure to call for the closure of the schools or even insist on elementary measures to ensure the safety of their members. In some schools, teachers are calling meetings, passing resolutions and threatening to carry out mass resignations from the union if they fail to act. The health and safety of educators cannot be left in the hands of the government and unions. Teachers, academics and child-care workers need to act independently and form Action Committees in every school, university and every community! In the schools, parents and students in more senior levels must, of necessity, be included in all discussions and decisions. The CFPE proposes that the following demands be considered and voted on by Action Committees, which in the event of a school system closure should utilise online meetings to ensure teachers and educators are not isolated from one another or students and their parents. Action Committees should democratically discuss and decide on any other steps they consider necessary. * For as long as schools and universities remain open, they must become centres of mass coronavirus testing, for children, families, teachers, students, and school workers. * The closure of the countrys school system must be preceded by guarantees of 100 percent income protection for every person who is compelled to stay at home to mind their children. * Free and high quality computer and internet access must be guaranteed to every family, to ensure that accessibility to online learning provisions are not dependent on wealth. Any household without internet access or an individual computer for each student in the home must be provided with these basic rights immediately, without charge. * Publicly funded psychologists and other health professionals must be made available to children at risk from the disruption and potential trauma of their interrupted education. * Guaranteed income must be provided to all education workers during what could be an extended closure, including all graduate teachers without sick and long service leave, casual relief teachers, all education support staff, and contract staff. The guiding principle must be that the shutdown of the education system to minimise the spread of the coronavirus is not an individual or a family-based responsibility, but a social responsibility . The sweeping measures necessary will require tens of billions to sustain. Any claim there is no money is the self-interested lie of a wealthy corporate aristocracy and the Labor and Coalition governments that serve it. Two stimulus packages of more than $17 billion has been announced by the Coalition government, unashamedly to prop up business. The Committee for Public Education insists that funds be made available to meet the coronavirus crisis, through sharp increases in taxation on the income of the corporations and the wealthy, and the redirection of the billions of dollars allocated to defence, to pay for the measures needed to sustain the closure of the education system and for the desperately needed funds for the health system. Within the education system, the two-tier class system must be abolished, with free and high-quality public schooling made available to all, to allow the full flourishing of every individual childs intellectual, cultural, artistic and physical capacities. None of this is possible without the development of a political movement uniting the international working class against the capitalist system. We encourage all educators and school workers to contact the CFPE to develop this discussion and begin immediately forming Action Committees. Teachers and education workers can contact the CFPE via email at cfpe.aus@gmail.com or on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/commforpubliceducation/. The CFPE Twitter account is https://twitter.com/CFPE_Australia. With three fingers chopped off his left hand, Father Guy-Robert Mandro bears physical witness to a resurgence of violence in DR Congo that has gone widely unnoticed in a world fixated by the coronavirus pandemic. Since the start of the month, around 50 people have been killed in the eastern province of Ituri, 15 of them overnight Sunday alone, according to local sources. Bloodletting in this troubled region has already claimed some 700 lives since late 2017 a tale of trauma and sexual violence blamed on a little-known militia. Mandro, the parish priest in Fataki, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of the provincial capital Bunia, said he was attacked after mass about a week ago. A group of young people came up to me. They hit me about the head with machetes. I protected myself and thats how I lost three fingers, he said. The injured man was flown by helicopter to Bunia, where he underwent lengthy surgery. A local priest gave him a room on the bishops premises to convalesce, with both hands bandaged. Rape Valerie, a Fataki woman of 44 going by an assumed name for her safety, said she cowered beneath a parish building as the priest was assaulted. But the young men found her. Three of the attackers raped me, taking turns, she told AFP. One of Bunias many displaced people, Valerie spoke at the headquarters of the Sofepadi, a medical non-governmental organisation that repairs women victims of sexual violence. It is modelled on the famous Panzi clinic in Bukavu, in South Kivu province, managed by gynaecologist Denis Mukwege, the 2018 Nobel Peace laureate. The Bunia clinic, however, is so poorly equipped that it even lacks an operating theatre. Another rape victim, Tania, 34, said she gave birth on February 16, just a week after her eldest daughter Sofia, a schoolgirl of 17. Again the names have been changed. Tania said that she and her daughter were both made pregnant during a gang rape near Bunia. The assailants beheaded her nephew in front of their eyes. Sofia wanted to kill herself when she was told that she was pregnant, Tania said. The young girl recovered the strength to resume her last year in school and gave birth to a boy whom she looks after really well, said her mother, who has four other children. Tania does not remember the precise day of the attack, but places it in late May or early June 2019, during a long spell of violence that resumed in December 2017. In addition to more than 700 dead, thousands of people have been displaced in the region, according to the United Nations, which has condemned a potential crime against humanity. Bloody past The violence is being blamed on an armed group called the Cooperation for the Development of the Congo (Codeco), which claims to defend the Lendu, an ethnic group that mainly comprises farmers. Its militiamen roam in small groups, mainly targeting members of the Hema, a herder and trading community. But Codecos motives are obscure, and some say it wields religious power over its followers. The bishop has said its a religious sect, said Father Eric, a friend of the mutilated priest. An official in the territory of Djugu, the epicentre of the violence, said Codecos adherents worship every Monday and Thursday, when they do no farming. He added that they ban certain vegetables and pork. Thousands were killed when militias from the two communities took up arms between 1999 and 2003 part of the mosaic of conflict known as the Second Congo War that sucked in several foreign armies and created havoc in parts of the east. When the latest violence erupted, the Hema community did not revive its militias instead, it chose to defer to the authority of the state. Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi pledged last July to eliminate Codeco. On Saturday, the army said it had killed several more militiamen but this is hardly an announcement on a scale to reassure people, who continue to flee to the safety of Bunia. The militias are dispersed across the whole territory, said the official in Djugu. Atrocities are being committed everywhere. Britons today spoke movingly of their fears they would not be able to say a final goodbye to their elderly relatives as officials urged families to stay away from those in self-isolation amid the coronavirus pandemic. 'Lying awake at 4am thinking there's a high chance that I will lose one or both of my elderly parents to and then not being able to say goodbye to them before they go or even give them proper funerals afterwards,' wrote one Twitter user. It came as the daughters of two coronavirus victims spoke of their devastation at not being able to say goodbye to their mothers before they passed away from the virus while being kept in isolation inside their care homes. Today, NHS guidance said families of dying patients could be asked say goodbye to their relatives over Skype rather than go to their bedside in person and risk contracting the virus if the pandemic worsens. Meanwhile, a funeral director in York announced he would be offering free live-streams of cremations. It came as the number of confirmed British cases rose to 2,626, up from 1,950 yesterday, as Boris Johnson vowed to dramatically increase the number of tests. The death toll currently stands at 71. Britons today spoke of their fears at not being able to say goodbye to their elderly relatives if they became critically ill. Karen Jones, 47, (pictured) as unable to say goodbye to her dying father, Aubrey Sibley, because he was in a coronavirus isolation unit In moving comments on social media, people shared their fears for their parents and grandparents amid the pandemic With the government set to order all over-70s to self-isolate for at least 12 weeks this weekend in a radical new measure to fight the virus, people took to social media to share their concerns for elderly relatives. 'The feeling when you say goodbye to your elderly parent in the midst of an impending plague not knowing if she'll make it to the other side,' tweeted magazine editor Kathryn Pierce. Another wrote: 'I have three elderly grandparents (one is 96). Yesterday two of them called me. My grandpa told me that he loves me, and that he was proud of me. 'There was terror in his voice. It felt too much like a goodbye, and I could barely keep it together.' Iain Dawson tweeted: 'Last night, my son went to sleep asking if he'd ever see his grandparents again. He said he was sad that he didn't say 'goodbye'. 'He is only 3. Just because the young are at lower risk of symptoms, doesn't mean this crisis isn't deeply affecting them. #covid19UK.' And another user said: 'I have kept everyone who has been affected by this epidemic in my prayers. There's people who won't get to say goodbye to their elderly loved ones due to quarantines and lockdowns.' Autism campaigner Caroline Hopton (left) said she could not even hold the hand of her 'dearest' mother (right) before she died Today, NHS guidance said families of dying patients could be asked say goodbye to their relatives over Skype rather than go to their bedside in person and risk contracting the virus if the pandemic worsen Funeral director offers families free live-streams of cremations A funeral director is offering families free live streams of the loved one's cremations following the coronavirus crisis. Martin Rowley, who runs Rowley & Sons, in York, is offering to pay the 62 fee which York Crematorium usually charges for services to be broadcast online. Martin Rowley, who runs Rowley & Sons, with his wife, Elizabeth Mr Rowley, who has run his family business for the last seven years said it would help grieving relatives say goodbye to their loved ones even if they are self-isolating. Mr Rowley, said: 'We have decided to do this so that there's no need for families to have extra costs. 'There has been no increase in business as such although that will probably happen. 'The biggest impact on our businesses has been uncertainty from families who come to us and ask whether the funeral will go ahead or not or if there are restrictions. 'Anyone who is vulnerable or self-isolating can at least watch the service.' Advertisement It came as devastated daughter, Karen Jones, 47, said she was robbed of the chance to say a 'final goodbye' to her dying father because his care home was on coronavirus lock-down. Ms Jones raced to see her ailing father, Aubrey Sibley, as he received end-of-life care at Elm Tree Home in Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, but was turned away despite her desperate pleas and offers to wear protective gear. Wracked with guilt she was not at her 87-year-old father's bedside, Ms Jones has since turned on the care home, whose uncompromising ban she branded 'disgusting'. 'They wouldn't let me in but my father was dying,' she said. 'I was so upset because I wanted to be with him and I was absolutely fine - I wasn't ill at all and I just couldn't understand why they wouldn't let me in.' Meanwhile, autism campaigner Caroline Hopton, 57, lose her mother a day after she was put in a coronavirus isolation unit, meaning she was unable to say goodbye. Ms Hopton, the founder of The Coast to Coast Foundation For Autism, tweeted: 'Covid-19 stopped me holding my dearest mum's hand in her final moments last night. 'She died alone in isolation after being admitted early Saturday AM and was put in isolation ''just in case'. It made losing her even more devastating. How many other families will go through same?' The precise cause of her death is still not known. To avoid more tragic cases, the NHS could soon encourage families to use 'mobile devices and video calling' to speak to patients on their deathbeds if the outbreak is bad enough. In the guidance issued to UK hospitals, seen by The Daily Telegraph, doctors are told to 'restrict access to critical care areas for non-essential staff and any families or friends' during the outbreak. Leonard Gibson (pictured), 78, from Oughtibridge, near Sheffield, died on Tuesday morning from coronavirus after being diagnosed with the illness last week The pensioner's daughter's Lisa Broughton (left), 50, and Michelle Lenton (right), 51, NHS staff should also 'discuss using mobile devices and video-calling with the local Caldicott Guardian, particularly on compassionate grounds during end-of-life processes'. A Caldicott Guardian is the senior clinician responsible for protecting the confidentiality of sensitive healthcare information there is one in every NHS hospital. Dr Ron Daniels, an intensive care consultant, said the advice may 'be distasteful for some, but in many cases would be necessary'. He added: 'If, for example, you have the 90-year-old wife of an elderly man dying from coronavirus, you don't want to bring her into that environment.' It comes after it was suggested that funerals for coronavirus victims could be streamed online to halt the spread. The National Association of Funeral Directors said mourners could be encouraged to watch on the internet instead of attending services with bereaved relatives who may have caught the virus from their loved one. It came as a world-leading expert on infectious disease urged families to protect grandparents from their own grandchildren because people are most likely to contract coronavirus from their loved ones. In a stark message ahead of Mothering Sunday next weekend, Professor John Edmunds of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said it was wrong to assume that strangers pose the biggest risk of passing on the virus. He said: 'You are most likely to get infected from your household members and the next most risky bunch of people are your workmates. So if you've got elderly parents who are frail, and you've got children, you need to tell your parents they need to be careful about their grandchildren I know that sounds brutal and horrible, but that's the kind of thing that people need to start to thinking about.' Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 A woman and an 11-month-old boy have died in a horrific head-on collision between two cars. The 25-year-old driver and baby died when their Hyundai, carrying four passengers, hit a Holden Commodore being driven by a 40-year-old man on the Golden Highway at Dunedoo in central western New South Wales about 5pm on Wednesday. Police said a two-year-old girl was also in the Hyundai and airlifted to the Westmead Children's Hospital where she remains in a serious condition. A woman and a an 11-month-old baby boy have died in a horrific head-on collision on the Golden Highway (pictured) in central western New South Wales A two-year-old girl was also in the same car as the woman and the baby boy and was airlifted to the Westmead Children's Hospital where she remains in a serious condition (stock image) Another two passengers - two men aged 23 and 29 - were in the Hyundai i30 at the time of the crash as they travelled west towards Dubbo. The 23-year-old man was taken to Dubbo Base Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The 29-year-old was flown to Westmead Hospital and his injuries are unknown. The Holden driver was also airlifted to the western Sydney hospital, although his injuries are not thought to be life threatening. The crash is being investigated by officers from the Crash Investigation Unit. One more coronavirus case has been confirmed in Noida, taking the total to four. The latest case is a 26-year-old man with travel history to Indonesia, according to Anurag Bhargava, the Chief Medical Officer of Gautham Budh Nagar. "The sample of this person, who lives in Sector 41 of Noida, was taken four days ago and he has tested positive for coronavirus. He has been admitted to the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in Greater Noida for treatment," Bhargava said in a statement. He also said the infected person's home and locality are being sanitised. On Tuesday, two people in Noida had tested positive for coronavirus. According to reports, both persons had a travel history to France. One of these is a resident of Sector 78 while the other belongs to Sector 100. Two new cases were also confirmed in Bengaluru, Karnataka on Wednesday afternoon. A 56-year-old male from Bengaluru, who recently returned from the USA on March 6 and a 25-year-old female, who returned from Spain, were tested positive. Both the patients have been quarantined. The total number of COVID-19 positive cases have now crossed the 150-mark in India. With the addition of this case, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Uttar Pradesh has risen to 16. So far, three people in the country have died due to the deadly virus, a 64-year-old man in Maharashtra, 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 in any state in India with 42 confirmed cases. Kerala is the second highest with 25 cases of coronavirus confirmed thus far. Across the world, around 196,00 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed. Over 7,800 lives have already been lost due to the deadly virus. Also Read: Coronavirus in India Live Updates: Confirmed cases surge to 138; S&P lowers India's growth forecast to 5.2% Also Read: Coronavirus impact: Mukesh Ambani pads up to protect half a million Reliance employees CAIRO - When Dr. Ismail al-Mansouri goes to work in Yemens capital, he puts on one of the hospitals few pairs of medical gloves. Then he enters a cramped clinic teeming with listless patients, many malnourished, some vomiting, others with diarrhea. Al-Mansouri, a pediatrician, has been struggling for years to battle the rapid spread of otherwise preventable and treatable infections, such as cholera, that have surged in war-ravaged Yemen. Now as the coronavirus outbreak intensifies in the region, he is faced with a new threat, one he can only hope to ward off with a handful of masks. I cannot even speak about our preparedness for the coronavirus, he said, because we have none. Long-running wars and conflicts across the Middle East have wrecked potential defences against coronavirus outbreaks, leaving millions vulnerable in Yemen, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan, the Gaza Strip and elsewhere. Health care systems have been gutted; war has blasted key infrastructure. Several of the countries are carved up among rival claimant governments, factions or armed groups, snarling any attempt at nationwide protection programs. Hundreds of thousands of people driven from their homes by fighting are crowded in close quarters in tent camps or improper housing. We are becoming very worried, said John Nkengasong, director of Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as the virus reached conflict-ridden Iraq, Libya, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The impact will be magnified. Most patients who contract the new coronavirus develop only mild symptoms and recover after about two weeks. But the virus is highly contagious and can be spread by those with no visible symptoms. For older adults and people with underlying health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. So far Yemen, Libya, Syria and Gaza have not confirmed any infections. But doctors in many cases believe the virus has arrived and fear that a lack of disease surveillance systems shortages of tests, basic supplies and properly trained professionals is allowing an invisible pandemic to spawn. We dont have the testing capabilities, so we can only rely on symptoms and signs. But when I do see symptoms and try to report them, no one does anything. People go home, they go out, walk around, eat in restaurants, said Dr. Wejdan Sabri, an orthopedic doctor outside Libyas capital, Tripoli. I can say with certainty that those likely carrying the virus have continued their lives as normal, passing it to family members and others on the street. Sabri is one of two volunteer doctors tasked with infectious disease control for the 2.3 million people in Tripoli, which has been a battleground for warring militias. She said she has seen at least seven patients in the last few days with the signature symptoms of coronavirus. She could only advise them to stay home or visit the central lab in Tripoli, where Libyas few dozen tests can be found. Many of her patients shun testing, fearing quarantine. They think theyll go to an isolation unit and die. Protective gear across Libya is sparse. A trauma doctor at Tripoli central hospital said 15 surgeons on his night shift share one mask. The main respiratory diseases facility in the east, near the city of Benghazi, has only eight intensive care beds, 10 ventilators and a quarantine room for two. We are doing our best but of course it is not enough, said its director, Dr. Anas Albarghathy. Last weekend, doctors there found they didnt have the equipment to assemble tests for three patients who had just arrived from Iran, Egypt and Great Britain with fevers and dry cough. In Yemen, doctors fear that raging war and a humanitarian crisis will only exacerbate the difficulties of determining chains of infection and containing the virus. The country, divided between a rebel-held north and government-run south, has already struggled to stop repeated cholera outbreaks that have infected more than 2 million people and killed nearly 4,000 since 2016. In Taiz, one of the countrys largest cities, Dr. Abdul Rahman al-Azraqi estimated that 80% of the citys hospitals and clinics had been shattered by the war and ongoing siege. He described the situation in his hospital bluntly: There is no training. There is no quarantine. We do not have tests for patients we suspect. The World Health Organization has identified two facilities in the country of 29 million people for quarantine and diagnosis, which local director Atlaff Musani acknowledged would soon become grossly insufficient. One, in the rebel-held capital of Sanaa, has the capability to carry out only 200 tests; the other, in the southern city of Aden, can test roughly 300 specimens. People are scared because they know the government is not prepared, said Dr. Mohamed Rabid, deputy director of the Adens health office, lamenting that hospitals across the country are desperate for gloves, goggles, ventilators, medicines and other supplies. Concerns have compounded as the virus sweeps across poorly patrolled borders. Iran, which has emerged as the regional epicenter of the outbreak, frequently sends military advisers and Shiite religious pilgrims to Syria. All 21 confirmed cases in Afghanistan travelled from neighbouring Iran. Oil workers circulate between Libya and Italy, a major centre of contagion. Thousands of migrants cross Libyas southern frontier, which Elizabeth Hoff, the countrys World Health Organization representative, called a serious vulnerability that we cant really do anything about. In the Gaza Strip, medical infrastructure has been strangled by mismanagement by the Islamic militant Hamas rulers and a 13-year blockade imposed by Israel with Egypts help that has complicated the passage of key medical equipment and supplies. While Israel has closed its border crossing, it continues to allow serious medical cases through. Gazas testing capacity remains severely limited, with enough to process 150 samples. Israel has delivered an additional 200 tests. On Wednesday, Israeli officials said they have co-ordinated the delivery of hundreds of additional test kits, along with medical protection equipment, from the World Health Organization. Israeli officials say they are closely monitoring the situation in Gaza and ready to work with the international community if there is a widespread outbreak. In Syria, where nine years of devastating war have left infrastructure and health facilities in shambles, President Bashar Assads government has conducted 103 coronavirus tests thus far in the countrys sole laboratory, which came back negative. Social distancing proves a monumental task in unsanitary refugee camps jam-packed with hundreds of thousands of displaced Syrians. In Afghanistan, which shares a large border with Iran, Health Minister Ferozuddin Feroz described a growing capacity to test suspected cases at the countrys only functioning laboratory, with 30,000 more kits arriving soon. We are not in a normal situation, Faroz told reporters Monday. We are faced with a national threat. In Gaza and Benghazi, authorities scrambled to set up new hospitals to handle a possible influx of patients. In Tripoli, Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj announced the allocation of some $360 million to prevent the spread of the virus. Dr. Sabri, the Libyan orthopedic, says she wont get a full nights sleep for a while as she stages awareness campaigns and frantically trains inexperienced nurses in basic sanitation. Officials in Yemen and Libya offered reassurances this week that things were under control. But not everyone sees it that way. People are terrified, said al-Mansouri, the Yemeni pediatrician. May God protect us. ____ Associated Press writers Fares Akram in Gaza City, Gaza Strip; Zeina Karam in Beirut; and Rahim Faiez in Kabul, Afghanistan contributed to this report. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Wed, March 18, 2020 11:28 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b7ba3b 2 World Kyrgyzstan,Saudi-Arabia,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,COVID-19,SARS-CoV-2,pandemic,health Free Kyrgyzstan has confirmed its first coronavirus cases, as three citizens tested positive after arriving from Saudi Arabia, the healthcare minister said on Wednesday, a day after the Central Asian country closed its borders to all foreigners. Healthcare Minister Kosmosbek Cholponbayev delivered news that the pandemic had reached the landlocked nation of 6 million people at a news briefing. Kyrgyzstan borders China, where the outbreak first began in December, and two of its neighbors, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, also confirmed their first cases this month. All three countries and Tajikistan, another former Soviet central Asian republic, have moved to ban or limit public events and suspended Friday prayers at mosques. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have also closed their borders and the former is locking down two of its biggest cities to contain the outbreak. Little Fires Everywhere Seeds and All Season 1 Episode 2 Editors Rating 3 stars * * * Previous Next Photo: Hulu Theres a line you hear a lot from therapists, or in parenting classes and books. Its that sometimes being a good parent isnt about giving your kids what you want for them; its about giving them what they want, even if they dont know how to say it. This argument seems to be the thesis for the second episode of Little Fires Everywhere. Both Mia and Elena think they are good parents, but they are both pushing their daughters to become the kinds of young adults they want them to be and, ironically, sending their respective daughters running toward the other woman. Mia is insistent that Pearl not take anything from the Richardsons, even if it seems like it comes with no strings, like the bike Moody gave her in the last episode. She also waits until the last possible second before Pearl goes off to her first day at her new school to tell her that surprise! shell be working in her new friends home and will see her there after school. Pearl is not okay with this, and not just because of the awkwardness of having her mother around to spy on her. She craves stability and is acutely aware of the class dynamic that separates her from most of her classmates. This public school is so well-off that it has a planetarium! And a computer lab with dial-up internet! (To any youths reading this: Trust when I say that this is a huge deal for 1997.) It also comes with a racist guidance counselor who thinks that Pearl must be one of the kids who commute[s] here from Cleveland as part of an integration initiative. Because the Warrens have moved so much, he doesnt believe her when she says shes already taken geometry and wants to switch to Algebra II. His contempt is manifested even more when he learns theres no Dad in the picture and that Moms an artist. He then accurately assumes shell need forms to receive subsidized school lunches. All of this would make most any kid run to an adult for help. But Mia, who would have no problem emasculating this jerk with one stare, tells Pearl that she must advocate for herself which she does, by writing a letter demonstrating her cause and then asking Elena, a professional journalist, to read it and give her notes. Elena, flattered that at least one child she knows takes her job seriously, does Pearl one better and offers to talk to the counselor herself. That the camera lingers on Elenas actual daughters, Lexie and Izzy, during this exchange is telling. For Lexie, Pearls letter serves as an opportunity. Shes struggling to think of a hardship shes overcome that would be interesting enough for the essay portion of her Yale application and, as her mother recently stated at dinner the other night, her parents have worked too hard to prevent her from actually having any hardships that the administrative board would find noteworthy (a conversation they surely would never have had if Pearl or Mia were in the house). So, because shes never had to ask for anything in her life, she helps herself to the story; literally picking up the writing from where it was left on the kitchen counter. For Izzy, the matter is more complicated. Its clear something is bothering her and, as we learned from last weeks episode, its hard for Elena to know how to reach out to her. Now we get more details: LGBTQ acceptance was not as well-received in 1997 as many of us think or at least as TV teaches us. Kids at school are teasing Izzy that she might be queer, taping Ellen DeGeneres infamous Yep, Im Gay Time magazine cover inside her locker and whispering about her in orchestra class, to the point where she lashes out at the already-unpleasant teacher. Izzys conveniently led to the principals office just in time to see her mother emerge, all smiles from fixing another girls problems, from a meeting with the guidance counselor (whom, of course, Elena knows on a first-name basis). But its Mia who is waiting for Izzy at home after one of these attacks at school, supportively telling her that the drawings she found in her room are good and making her a snack. None of this really helps the simmering power dynamic between the two mothers. Mias initial unwillingness to appear overly grateful toward Elena for the apartment and the job opportunity continues at the beginning of episode two. She leaves her boss to clean up her own dishes and disregards her request for a brisket dinner in favor of making a meatloaf recipe thats superior to Elenas (the secrets in the Ritz Crackers). This changes when she learns that Elena has had Lou, the police officer who will eventually be asking her questions during the arson investigation, run a criminal background check on her. Mia switches gears and panders to Elenas need to feel like shes doing good in the world, telling her she lied on her rental application because most people wont rent to a single black mom but Elena did because shes a good person. Mia even goes so far as to cover for Elena when she stumbles over her discomfort in discussing The Vagina Monologues during book club. Of course Mia has read Eve Enslers play and can intellectually destroy any prudish thoughts on the subject. The two eventually bond over Ritz Crackers and Chardonnay, Elena showing her hurt that Izzy doesnt seem to love her like she did when she was little. Mia feels slightly superior that she has a good relationship with Pearl until a wine-happy Elena shares that she helped Pearl with the guidance counselor mess. The evening ends with a drunken, giggling Elena holding a hand mirror and standing with a foot on the Jacuzzi tub in her bathroom (an Emmy nomination clip if there ever was one). All of this math class drama isnt really because of Pearls quest for harder classes, anyway. Sure, shes happy to get stoned with Moody, writing poetry on his arm and discussing their parents views on sex. (The Richardson kids are aware of their parents planned Wednesday and Saturday night sexcapades; Mia has taught her daughter that sometimes sex is just sex, maybe explaining why this episode opens with a flashback to 1983, when a young Mia was enjoying relations with a man in her car until her daughter woke up.) But the Richardson son Pearls truly crushing on is Trip, whom shes now sitting next to in Algebra II. But Mia and Elena arent the only parents central to this story. While Mia left her daughter to fend for herself with the school administration, she was interested in helping Bebe, her fellow waitress at Lucky Palace. She immediately notices the other woman become distraught upon seeing a little girl in the restaurant and interrupts her meal with her own daughter to take over Bebes shift. Mia, who has a knack for knowing when and how to press people on their secrets, quickly realizes that Bebe has a troubled backstory. In the last scene, Mia learns that Bebe also had a daughter. As to what happened to her? Well have to wait until the next episode. Burning Embers Elena tells Pearl to get between the boys when shes taking first-day-of-school pictures. See what they did there? Its unclear why the episode opens with the flashback to 1983. Are we supposed to judge Mia for the car hookup because her daughter was there? Wonder if she is, or was, a sex worker? Just note that the camera catches the Statue of Liberty chain on the rearview mirror and that the same accessory is one of the items thats on fire in the opening credits? I would not have taken Lexie to be alternative enough to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but apparently she was into it and has a phone conversation about the second season premiere date. NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday (March 18, 2020) refused to meet the rebel Congress MLAs and deferred the hearing on former Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhans plea demanding floor test in the state assembly till Thursday. During the hearing, the ruling Congress said that a probe is required on the resignations submitted to Speaker NP Prajapati by the BJP leaders on behalf of rebel Congress MLAs. Appearing for the Congress party in the Supreme Court, advocate Dushyant Dave said that resignations of the ruling alliance MLAs were extracted by force and coercion and that they did not act as per their free will. Dave further argued that the public of Madhya Pradesh trusted Congress and the single largest party had won the vote of confidence that day. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Shivraj, offered to produce all 16 rebel MLAs in judges chamber. The court, however, categorically said no. Rohatgi then said Registrar General of Karnataka HC could go and meet rebel MLAs on Thursday and video record everything. But the top court refused to send the Registrar-General to meet rebel MLAs and deferred hearing for 10.30 am. The also refused to accept the offer of rebel Congress MLAs to meet them, saying it would not be appropriate. The bench was hearing cross petitions filed by former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Congress on the ongoing political crisis in the state after 22 rebel MLAs of the ruling combine purportedly offered to resign. The Madhya Pradesh Congress Legislature party (MPCLP) had on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking direction to the Centre and the BJP-led Karnataka government to grant it access to communicate with its rebel MLAs allegedly kept at Bengaluru. On Saturday night, 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. 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. New Delhi, March 18 : Amid the ongoing political upheaval in Madhya Pradesh, the Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to accept the offer of the 16 rebel Congress MLAs to meet them terming it inappropriate, and also refused to send the Registrar General of the Karnataka High Court to meet them. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the BJP, contended before the apex court that it could ask the Registrar General of the Karnataka High Court to meet the MLAs under the direction of the court. Senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the rebel MLAs, said MLAs are willing to appear before the Supreme Court. A bench headed by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and comprising Justice Hemant Gupta, turning down the offer to meet the MLAs, saying: "We see the reason why you are saying that, but it would not be appropriate." The apex court also refused to allocate any judicial officer to meet the MLAs. "We do not want to send our judicial officer into all this. The court is an institution. They will be exposed to unnecessary criticism," it said. Rohatgi responded: "I am saying make it (the meeting) live! Whether it is MLAs meeting the Registrar General of the Karnataka High Court or someone else, make it live." Justice Chandrachud reiterated the court wants to ensure these 16 MLAs are free to leave and free to travel anywhere. The top court has deferred the hearing on the matter for 10.30 a.m. on Thursday. In the hearing, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Chief Minister Kamal Nath, said that they (the rebels) are of the Congress and he (Nath) wants to meet them. Singh contested this argument saying the MLAs do not want to meet the CM and Justice Chandrachud told Sibal: "There is a problem with your plea for access; this is not custody of a child." Noting a recent apex court judgement asked the Speaker to decide quickly, the bench asked: "Tell us when you will decide." Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing MP Assembly Speaker N.P. Prajapati, said he could not curtail the discretion of the Speaker, and can get back on Thursday morning. Justice Chandrachud asked Singhvi that if MLAs appear before the Speaker and make a statement one way or the other, will the Speaker take a decision? "How does the Constitution decide on the genuineness of the resignation?" the court said. As Singhvi said that the MLAs are not willing to appear before the Speaker, the bench said: "Tell us when will you decide?" Singhvi insisted the due process has to be followed, which would consume a few days, as due to coronavirus scare, the Assembly is adjourned till March 26. Justice Gupta said the Speaker could reject the resignation of the MLAs. "Who stops you (from rejecting the resignation of the MLAs). You had budget session on March 16, you (government) postponed the Budget session, and how will the state function?" As Singhvi replied six state Assemblies have been adjourned due to coronavirus scare, the judge noted that the members met that day (Monday). As the top court emphasized that it is concerned about horse trading, Singhvi replied that they (rebel MLAs) are already in captivity. Rohatgi opposed these arguments claiming that the Speaker cannot talk like a representative of a political party. Detailing on the conspiracy behind the resignation, Sibak said all resignation letters were mirror images, there were three writers for 19 signatories, and these resignation letters were carried to the Speaker by a BJP member. "Till date they have not resigned from the party," he said. An extra 3,600 spaces per week have been confirmed for Irish calf exports to France, but the news comes as animal rights groups join forces to challenge the legality of the whole process. The IFA welcomed the official confirmation that Pignet's, the smaller of the two lairage facilities in Cherbourg, has been officially approved from next week to receive an extra 1,200 calves per sailing (3,600 per week). This will increase the total weekly capacity in Cherbourg to 16,800 per week. "IFA's ongoing contact with Pignet's and Qualivia over the last 13 months, our practical support, encouragement, and the help we provided in liaising between the French and Irish veterinary authorities and the operators themselves have been instrumental in securing a total of 1,600 extra spaces (4,800 calves per week) in the last year between the two facilities (400 more in 2019 at Qualivia, and 1,200 extra this week at Pignet's)," said IFA national dairy chairman Tom Phelan. "Weather permitting, three sailings a week take place with two ships between Dublin/Rosslare and Cherbourg - from next week, they will have an effective capacity of 16,800 calves per week when all sailings can depart. "This is a positive development which will effectively cater for peak, and minimise capacity pressure when storms prevent some sailings." However, the export of calves to continental Europe has come under a new attack by animal rights groups. In what will be seen as a concerning development by the Irish livestock sector, a letter was sent to Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, by three animal rights groups, calling into question the legality of live exports. Protection Compassion in World Farming, Ethical Farming Ireland and Eyes on Animals claimed that Ireland's export of unweaned calves to continental Europe is in breach of EU regulations on the protection of animals during transport. They also say calves exported from Ireland may be on a truck for some five hours before the ferry departs. "This time includes loading onto the truck, the journey to the port, and waiting at the port before the truck embarks on the ferry. "Moreover, it may be around three hours before loading onto the truck since the calves were last fed," they claimed. The groups also claimed in the letter that calves may go for 24 hours or more without feed (which in the case of unweaned calves is milk replacer) between the last feed before loading at the start of the journey and receiving feed at the lairage near Cherbourg. They have requested Irish officals to stop approving journey logs for the transport of unweaned calves to continental Europe. Residents of the upmarket Brooklyn Park Slope neighborhood have taken to using their balconies as a way to spread the coronavirus 'flatten the curve' and stay at home message. One man, who has not been identified, was caught on video as he chastised the people milling about on the sidewalks below. 'Flatten the curve, go home!' the man could be heard shouting and clapping to emphasize his point. This Brooklyn man was spotted standing on his balcony, chanting and clapping while telling passersby to 'flatten the curve' and 'go home' to ward off the spread of coronavirus Once he started up, other people off-screen, but near the person who recorded the video, could be heard joining in and also shouting 'go home.' The man is at least the second person in the borough to have used his balcony as a pedestal to share information about the need to prevent the spread of coronavirus. In another video, another unidentified man can be seen standing on a different balcony, explaining why passersby should be self-quarantining. 'We know people who do not show symptoms can still spread the disease,' the man said. So even if you feel perfectly healthy and not showing symptoms, you could be spreading the disease right now.' He also pointed out the particular danger the virus presents for the elderly or immuno-compromised. 'You can get people sick just by being out,' he added. Government officials are starting to use the term 'flattening the curve,' relating to decreasing or slowing down the spread of the virus. By lowering the rate of infection, the epidemic is then spread out over time - as opposed to peaking in a sharp spike - which creates less demand on the healthcare system, allowing for more patient care as cases are spread out across the outbreak, according to Our World in Data. Another man was spotted in Brooklyn, telling passersby about how easily coronavirus is spread while standing on his balcony The man warned passersby about the risks to the eldery and immuno-compromised A protester on the Brooklyn streets on Sunday, holding a sign urging people to cancel brunch Despite NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio warning Tuesday that city denizens should be prepared to shelter-in-place within the coming days, New York State governor Andrew Cuomo said that the city will not be going into lockdown. During a press conference Wednesday, Cuomo said that 'The fear, the panic is a bigger problem than the virus.' Cuomo also said 'I don't believe any policy works unless the geographic footprint is large enough. It can't just be New York City. 'Also shelter in place, you close down your health care system, you close down your food system, you close down your transportation system . And you close down businesses. That doesn't make sense to me because people need to eat travel etc.' A statement posted on the New York State's website noted that '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.' Despite Cuomo's latest statement, de Blasio said that he intends to continuing discussing the idea of locking down the city with the governor. As of Wednesday morning, 2,382 people had tested positive in New York State, up more than 800 since Tuesday. In New York City cases went up from 814 on Tuesday to 1,339 people testing positive by Wednesday. MANILA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has declared a state of national calamity for six months amid the rising number of coronavirus cases in the country. "I hereby declared a state of calamity throughout the Philippines for a period of six months, unless earlier lifted or extended as circumstances may warrant," said a proclamation signed by Duterte on Monday and released to the media on Tuesday. "All government agencies and local government units are enjoined to render full assistance to and cooperation with each other and mobilize the necessary resources to undertake critical, urgent, and appropriate disaster response aid and measures in a timely manner to curtail and eliminate the threat of COVID-19," the proclamation read. Duterte ordered all law enforcement agencies, with the support from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to undertake all necessary measures to ensure peace and order in affected areas, as may be necessary. The declaration will put into effect a price freeze on basic commodities. The Philippines now has 187 COVID-19 cases, including 12 deaths. Four patients have so far recovered from the viral disease. The Philippines on Sunday started implementing a 30-day lockdown in Metro Manila to limit the movement of people in the densely populated region. On Monday night, Duterte expanded the lockdown by placing the entire main Luzon island under "enhanced community quarantine" in a drastic bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease. "The idea here is to keep everybody on home quarantine," Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said after Duterte's announcement late Monday night, adding that public transportation is suspended. Travel restrictions are being strictly imposed, preventing people, especially those living outside of Matro Manila, from commuting to their offices in the capital. Only a few essential establishments are open, including supermarkets, pharmacies during the 30-day lockdown. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on Thursday (March 19) at 8 PM, during which he will talk about issues relating to COVID-19 and the efforts to combat it. The information about Prime Minister's address to the nation was given by PMO's twitter handle that said, "PM Shri @narendramodi will address the nation on 19th March 2020 at 8 PM, during which he will talk about issues relating to COVID-19 and the efforts to combat it." PM Shri @narendramodi will address the nation on 19th March 2020 at 8 PM, during which he will talk about issues relating to COVID-19 and the efforts to combat it. PMO India (@PMOIndia) March 18, 2020 Notably, the Prime Minister also chaired a high-level meeting today to review the ongoing efforts to contain COVID-19. He discussed the ways to further strengthen Indias preparedness, and this included enhancing testing facilities. According to PMO's statement, "Prime Minister emphasised on actively engaging with individuals, local communities and organisations in chalking our mechanisms to fight the COVID-19 menace. He also urged officials and technical experts to deliberate on the steps to be taken next." The Prime Minister also expressed gratitude to all those at the forefront of combating COVID-19 including the various state governments, medical fraternity, paramedical staff, armed and paramilitary forces, those associated with the aviation sector, municipal staff and others. Earlier in the day, Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said that India initiated its response to the coronavirus threat on January 8 while the World Health Organisation declared COVID-19 as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on January 30. "The states were addressed for initiating health sector preparedness on January 17. Point of entry -- ports, airports, and international border -- surveillance was initiated from January 17," the ministry said in a release. It further stated that as on March 17, a total of 12,726 flights have been screened covering 13,54,858 passengers. By the same date, 829 vessels and 29,058 passengers/crew have been screened at 12 major and 65 non-major seaports. The travel advisories have been issued from January 30 onwards in view of COVID-19. As of March 17, the number of passengers under screening is 69,436. 5,596 symptomatic cases have been identified amongst them. 652 passengers have been hospitalised with the maximum being from Kerala at 289. The ministry also stated that the number of positive cases of coronavirus has climbed to 151, including 25 foreign nationals, while three persons have died due to the infection so far in India. Meanwhile, the novel coronavirus epidemic is showing no signs of stopping as the number of confirmed cases across the world on Wednesday surpassed 200,000. The global death toll has increased to 8,779. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 10:03:49|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) meets with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Madrid, Spain, Nov. 28, 2018. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) "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. BEIJING, March 18 (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. An aircraft carrying medical aid from China to help Spain combat the COVID-19 arrives at Zaragoza airport in northern Spain on March 17, 2020. (Photo by Qiu Yijing/Xinhua) 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. A woman wearing a face mask walks in the street of Barcelona, Spain, March 14, 2020. (Photo by Zhou Zhe/Xinhua) "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. A cathedral is closed due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Barcelona, Spain, March 14, 2020. (Photo by Zhou Zhe/Xinhua) 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. The Panchkula MC on Wednesday wrote to police regarding irregularities in transferring of funds through RTGS from a bank account. The MC submitted that an account was opened in Punjab National Banks Sector-2 branch under national urban livelihood schemes integrated housing and slum development programme (IHSDP). As per the complaint, 1.01 crore was fraudulently transferred through various transactions in favour of unidentified persons, despite the fact that RTGS was not authorised by competent authorities. Police said the MC executive officer has intimated in writing that he never signed any RTGS transaction letter between October 30, 2019 and March 17, 2020. Signature mentioned on the stamp of the executive officer in the RTGS is forged, whereas clear-cut instructions were given to the bank to honour RTGS only on joint signatures of commissioner/executive officer and senior accounts officers, reads the complaint. Sector-5 SHO Lalit Kumar said, They have launched a probe. A case in this regard will be registered accordingly. As per the police, the MC has alleged that someone in connivance with officials of the bank has fraudulently misappropriated and drawn the public funds. Yesterday, it looked like Tesla's factory in Fremont, California, would remain open despite being in one of the California counties under a shelter in place order. Today, a spokeswoman for the Alameda County Sheriff's Office said otherwise. The factory has been deemed non-essential, and like other non-essential businesses in the area, it must shutdown all activity except minimum basic operations. Originally, Alameda County declared Tesla an essential business, a county spokesperson told The Los Angeles Times. But when asked what made automobile manufacturing essential during a pandemic, the spokesperson said, "that's a good question," and noted that we are in "uncharted waters right now." The factory employs more than 10,000 workers, and as of the end of December, it was producing 415,000 electric vehicles annually, Autoblog reports. The shelter-in-place order comes right as Tesla was beginning to deliver its Model Y crossover and ramp up production for more orders. The coronavirus outbreak already forced the company to shut down its $2 billion Shanghai-based Gigafactory for 10 days. Under the order from the Alameda sheriff's office, Tesla can maintain minimum basic operations, like providing security and processing payroll and employee benefits. Violating the order is punishable by fine, imprisonment or both. Before the sheriff's office deemed Tesla a non-essential business, Elon Musk told employees not to feel obligated to come to work if they felt ill or uncomfortable. "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 a memo shared with Reuters. Of course, Tesla will not be the only business disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak. Last month, Apple warned that the global iPhone supply will be "temporarily constrained" and that the downturn will hurt its bottom line. Engadget has reached out to Tesla for comment. A study from Omdia has pinpointed just how far Netflix has come in its ambition to become a Hollywood-style studio, launching in 2019 about nine times as much original programming as main video-streaming rival Amazon, reflecting the divergent business models of the two companies. According to the Omdia Original Online Production Report 2020, in 2019 Netflix released 2,701 hours worth of original programming, compared with 314 hours for Amazon Prime Video, and the SVOD leader offered a total of 657 first-run original titles in 2019, massively outstripping the 70 new titles from Amazon Prime Video. Compared with 2018, Netflix increased its hours and titles of original programming by 78% and 70% respectively in 2019. In contrast, Amazons hours declined by 18% and titles decreased by 5%.Rather than competing head-on, Netflix and Amazon are in very different businessesas illustrated by the original programming results from 2019, said Tim Westcott, research director, channels and programming, for Omdia.Netflix is a pure-play subscription streaming business that needs to fuel its continued international growth; Amazon is first and foremost a retailer, using video as an add-on to its Prime delivery business. In pursuit if its streaming strategy, Netflix is evolving into a Hollywood-style studio, building its defences against the likes of Apple and Disney+ by offering an increasing volume of original programmes.Looking at the types of content that was being generated, Omdia found that non-US productions were the main factor driving Netflixs programming increase in 2019, with 1,562 hours originating overseas, up from 578 hours in 2018. The 1,139 hours of production sourced from the US in 2019 were up 20% from 2018. The analyst also revealed that for the first time, most of Netflixs original content was produced outside the US in 2019, accounting for 58 percent of total hours. The companys non-US originals were up 175% while non-US subscriptions increased by 24%.Netflix sourced a majority of its original content outside the US in 2019, but there is more to this phenomenon than simply driving international growth, Westcott added. Of course, local productions help to drive international growth, but Netflix is a global platform seeking content that can appeal to audiences all over the world. Non-US productions tend to be a lot cheaper, giving Netflix a more cost-effective way to address audiences in the US and across the globe.Emphasising the point, the Omdia Original Online Production Report noted that Netflix is primarily a global platform, so its original series are designed to appeal to worldwide audiences rather than simply delivering an upside in a local market. It cited as a key example, La Casa de Papel (Money Heist), the Spanish-language series picked up by Netflix after the first season on national terrestrial TV in Spain WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Wednesday invoked a Korean War-era law as part of his response to the coronavirus pandemic, aiming to boost private industry production of supplies needed for the health crisis. The Defence Production Act of 1950 was signed by President Harry S. Truman amid concerns about supplies and equipment during that war. Its been invoked multiple times since then to help the federal government for a range of emergencies including war, hurricanes and terrorism prevention. Trump, referring to himself as a wartime president, said he would use the laws powers in case we need it as the country braces for an expected surge in the number of coronavirus cases and a strain on resources. A look at the Defence Production Act: WHAT IT DOES The act gives the federal government broad authority to direct private companies to meet the needs of the national defence. Over the decades, the laws powers have been understood to encompass not only times of war but also domestic emergency preparedness and recovery from terrorist attacks and natural disasters. The act authorizes the president to require companies to prioritize government contracts and orders seen as necessary for the national defence, with the goal of ensuring that the private sector is producing enough goods needed to meet a war effort or other national emergency. It also authorizes the president to use loans, direct purchases and other incentives to boost the production of critical goods and essential materials. Other provisions authorize the federal government to establish voluntary agreements with private industry and to block foreign mergers and acquisitions seen as harmful to national security. ___ WHY IT MIGHT MATTER HERE The number of cases is rapidly rising, creating an urgent need for additional medical supplies. Those could include masks for health care workers, ventilators, gloves and eye protectors. Even as the U.S. government rushes those products out to the states, its seeking the flexibility to order private industry to boost production and address shortcomings in the stockpile. Administration officials had signalled for weeks that they might turn to the Defence Production Act. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said as much late last month as the government acknowledged a significant gap between the number of masks it needed for health care workers and the number of masks it had actually stockpiled. We will use the Defence Production Act as necessary, Azar said at the time. So that is the authority that we have and we intend to use to acquire anything we need to acquire. Trump did not directly answer Wednesday when asked why it had taken the administration weeks to invoke the act, calling the pandemic a very unforeseen thing with a demand for resources and testing that exceed anticipation. We have tremendous numbers of ventilators, but theres never been an instance like this where no matter what you have its not enough, Trump said. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover 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 ___ NOT UNPRECEDENTED ... BUT ALSO RARE The current pandemic is without precedent in so many ways, but modern American history does include a number of instances in which the federal government has invoked the Defence Production Act. In 2001, for instance, the administrations of both President Bill Clinton and George W. Bush invoked it to ensure that electricity and natural gas shippers continued supplying California utilities to cope with an energy crisis there, according to a 2009 Congressional Research Service report. It was used again during the Iraq War to prioritize the supply of certain military equipment to British forces serving there, the CRS report said. More recently, it was used following the 2017 hurricane in Puerto Rico, when the Federal Emergency Management Agency sought to prioritize contracts for food, bottled water, manufactured housing units and the restoration of electrical systems. ___ Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP ___ 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. Former Cook County Circuit Court Judge Pat OBrien, who trounced Pfannkuche in Tuesdays Republican primary, will certainly hammer on the unanswered questions during the general election campaign. This will be particularly true if special prosecutor Dan Webb releases unflattering conclusions later this year about why Foxx abruptly halted the prosecution of TV actor Smollett on charges that he staged a hate crime against himself in January 2019. AUSTIN, Texas, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Veteran regenerative medicine industry leader Jodi Gurney, former Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer at Celularity, Inc., has become the new Chief Executive Officer of market-leading biologics producer Direct Biologics LLC. Gurney assumed her new role at Direct Biologics on January 14. She had served as a consultant for Direct Biologics since November 2019 before accepting the full-time role of CEO. "Jodi is truly a visionary when it comes to regenerative medicine and the development of advanced therapeutics,'' said Mark Adams, co-founder of Direct Biologics. "As we continue to expand our capabilities and biologic technologies, Jodi has the skills and deep experience to help us build our product portfolio and, importantly, to guide our company through the appropriate compliance and regulatory steps to move Direct Biologics forward.'' Joe Schmidt, co-founder of Direct Biologics, said: "Gurney has decades of experience in regenerative medicine including cellular immune therapies, biomaterials and tissue engineering. Her unique skill base and long history of being a science-based pharmaceutical and biologics innovator will ensure that Direct Biologics continues to lead the industry with best in class, cGMP Certified, high impact biologic therapies for years to come." Gurney was one of the founders of Celularity, a clinical stage cell therapeutics company spun out of Celgene Corporation. In her role as Chief Innovation Officer, she was key in the success of numerous programs across discovery, development, commercialization and acquisition in cancer immunotherapeutics, cell therapeutics and functional tissue regeneration. Previously, Gurney had an 18-year tenure at Celgene Corporation, where she led the organ and tissue therapeutics franchise and was responsible for both clinical research and development and medical affairs for Celgene Cellular Therapeutics and LifebankUSA while also leading efforts to identify, develop and implement internal and external research, clinical and commercial collaborations for the entire Celgene Cellular Therapeutics portfolio. Before Celgene, Gurney held positions in medical affairs for both Merck & Co./Ostex International and Parke-Davis. She holds Master of Science degrees in biochemistry and immunology and a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry from the University of Illinois. Gurney has authored and contributed to dozens of publications covering work in immunology, cellular therapies and technology, biomaterials and tissue engineering and holds multiple patents in these fields. About Direct Biologics Direct Biologics LLC, headquartered in Austin, Texas, with an R&D facility located at the University of California, San Diego, and an Operations and Order Fulfillment Center located in St. Louis, Missouri, is a market-leading innovator and science-based cGMP manufacturer of regenerative medical products, including a robust line of exosome biologic products. Direct Biologics was created to expand the science of cutting-edge biologic technologies through research and commercialization of naturally occurring products from allograft tissue compliant with FDA standards for 361 HCT/P. Current commercial biologic products include but are not limited to ExoFlo and XoFlo products. SOURCE Direct Biologics LLC : Tamil Nadu Health and Family Welfare Minister C Vijaya Baskar on Wednesday appealed to people not to take up travel to neighbouring states unless necessary as part of measures to control the spread of coronavirus. He said the department was having more than five lakh masks and an additional 25 lakh masks were in pipeline. After jointly reviewing the measures taken at a government bus terminus along with his cabinet colleague and and transport minister M R Vijayabhaskar, he said there was no necessity to wear the masks at this point of time. "If you look at us I am not wearing a mask nor the Minister (M R Vijayabhaskar) or any of us because the situation does not require it. However, people can cooperate by not taking up journeys unless necessary," he told reporters. The health minister said the government has declared holidays for institutions because people have been advised not to gather in large numbers. "It will be better for them if they avoid taking up travel to public places. We are also requesting them not to take up journeys to neighbouring states since screening of people at railway stations and airports will be easier," he said. Neighbouring Karnataka and Kerala have a majority of the positive coronavirus cases among the southern states. The number of the novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 147 on Wednesday, with 10 fresh cases reported from various parts of the country, according to the Union health ministry. With the state government declaring holidays for educational institutions till March 31 and directed closure of shopping malls and theatres, most of the arterial roads in city wore a deserted look for the second day. Most of large shopping malls located in the famous Pondy Bazaar area have been asked to shut temporarily. Transport minister M R Vijayabhaskar said managing directors of government transport undertakings and omni bus operators took part in the meeting. The transport corporations were directed to ensure disinfectants are sprayed at the bus terminals on a daily basis and drivers are asked to wear masks while on duty. "While buses from neighbouring states are cleaned at our bus terminals, we have requested the governments of neighbouring states to sanitise our buses upon their arrival to control spread of the virus," he said. To a query, he said issue of driving licences and learner's licences have been halted at regional transport offices till March 31. He said supply of blankets in air-conditioned buses have been temporarily withdrawn and appealed passengers to bring their own blankets. Meanwhile, Southern Railway said it was cancelling 16 trains including special trains due to poor patronage following the outbreak of coronavirus. Chennai Central-Tirupati Express trains were cancelled till March 31. The other special trains that have been cancelled are --Hyderabad-Ernakulam Junction Special Train, Hyderabad- Tiruchirappalli special train, Sambalpur-Banaswadi Special Train, Chennai Central-Secunderabad, Thiruvananthapuram-Dr MGR Chennai Central Special Train, Southern Railway said in a release. Ernakulam junction-Rameswaram special train and Villupuram-Secunderabad special train were also cancelled, the release said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Disclaimer: The writer is not a medical or epidemiological expert. All of these opinions are based on personal travel preferences and risk tolerance. They are not recommendations. As a travel writer and compulsive face-toucher, this has been a stressful time. A few weeks ago, everyone was asking, Should I use points to book summer travel? Now theyre asking,Will I ever be able to get on an airplane again? How long must we hunker down? When will it be safe to travel again? And why does trying not to touch ones face seemingly make one do it ever more? At this point, we dont know the answer to any of these questions, and we probably wont for some time. Does that mean we should all cancel our plans for the year? Not necessarily. The Hunker Games The Trump administrations ban on travel from Europe has made one thing clear to everyone: Its really not a good idea to travel right now. Not just because air travel increases the risk of exposure, which it certainly does, but because you might get stuck far away from home if another ban takes effect. That said, it is (paradoxically) an excellent time to plan travel. Most major airlines and hotel brands have announced generous flexible travel policies on new bookings. So you can (generally) book a hotel or flight now knowing that you can change or cancel it for free in the future. For example, I recently booked two flights in April, one in May, and another in July. I have no idea which (if any) of these flights I will actually be able or willing to take, but the stakes are low because I can cancel them for a full refund. However, make sure to do your research before following suit. Read the fine print Keep in mind that these flexible travel policies do not offer carte blanche to change or cancel your trip no matter what. Each has various restrictions on what you can and cant do with travel booked this month. Make sure to carefully check the policy before booking, and watch for these common features: You still have to pay the fare difference when changing flights. Airlines are waiving change fees for new bookings, but that does not include the difference in price between your original ticket and whatever you change it to. For example, if your original ticket cost $200 and you change it to one that costs $300, you will still have to pay that $100 fare difference. Many programs allow only a single change. Many airlines and hotels allow only a single free change on new bookings, so dont assume youre getting a fully flexible ticket. Cancellations can get tricky. Many airlines will refund a canceled ticket only in the form of credit with that airline. These cancellations are effectively ticket changes (you just have to buy a new ticket with the credit instead of changing the original). So dont buy a dozen tickets thinking you can get refunds for them all. Free the line Finally, I feel compelled to make a public service announcement on behalf of the poor, beleaguered customer service teams out there: If you can, minimize the number of times you call hotels and airlines in the next few weeks. Airline phone lines, in particular, have been jammed lately as everyone tries to change or cancel their tickets, and some customers (like those returning from Europe) need help much more urgently than others. Think of the airline phone lines like toilet paper: We all need some, but nobody should take more than their share, or it creates a crisis. Right? High-five! Oh, wait Feeling overwhelmed about how to use your points and miles? Im here to help. In this column, I answer your questions about the baffling world of travel rewards, cutting through the jargon to provide clear answers to real problems. Send your questions to skemmis@nerdwallet.com. More From NerdWallet Sam Kemmis is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: skemmis@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @samsambutdif. She doesnt have high mobility, so however she got it, it was brought to her, Richard Frieson said. The only thing she gets out for is funerals. She got out for a funeral a couple weeks ago. She doesnt really get out of the house much other than to go to church. Stepping up preventive measures to counter the coronavirus pandemic, the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation has started screening travellers coming from Pune, Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, a senior official said on Wednesday. A checkpost has been set up on the highway at the city's entry point and a team has been deployed there to screen private vehicles coming from Pune, Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, commissioner Astik Kumar Pandey said. "At least 114 outstation vehicles were screened till Tuesday afternoon and one traveller suffering from fever was sent to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH)," team coordinator Dr Geeta Malu told PTI. Meanwhile, the district authorities have completed a survey of residents living near the man, who tested positive for COVID-19 in the region. "The survey of residents living in the periphery of the person, who tested positive for coronavirus, was completed and 1,700 people were screened for this," corporation health officer Dr Neeta Padalkar said. As many as 41 people were found with cough and related symptoms during the survey, she said, adding that these people were advised to self-quarantine. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After the Michigan Department of Attorney General accused Menards of price gouging Tuesday, a spokesperson for the home improvement company said the price on bleach seems reasonable based on the current market and recent changes to the product. On Tuesday, 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. 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. Related coverage: Michigan Attorney General accuses Menards of coronavirus price gouging, calls price hikes on bleach, face masks unconscionable 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 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. 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 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. 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 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 Microsoft will hold an Office 365 press event on March 30. The event will be broadcast online only. The company made plans to switch the event to an online-only presentation With the world reeling from the coronavirus, it seems that major companies are still going through with their press events, although, slightly altered to online presentations. One of these companies is Microsoft. The company is looking to hold an Office 365 press event on March 30. Microsoft usually holds these kinds of events in New York City but with the Covid-19 outbreak, the software giant will now shift the presentation online. The digital event will take place at 8 AM Pacific Time/11 AM Eastern Time on March 30. From what we know and can surmise, Microsoft should be announcing more news regarding the future for Microsoft Office 356 as well as a few more apps that could be aimed at bringing about more productivity. According to a report from The Verge, Microsoft could bundle all this under the Life banner. The company has been hard at work working on a for life version of Microsoft Teams. These include features and options such as sending locations, document sharing, shared family calendars and more. In this day and age of the Coronavirus, these apps could see much more use. There isnt much thats known about new Surface hardware as yet but from earlier patters, Microsoft refreshes and announces new Surface hardware around this time of the year. But, according to the same report, there isnt any news popping out of the Surface house. The company has already revealed that it will shift its Build developers conference online. The conference was supposed to be held in Seattle but the virus outbreak has derailed major plans everywhere. Iran screens 14mn for COVID-19, gets foreign aid in anti-virus fight Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2020 11:06 AM Iran's Health Minister Saeed Namaki says 14 million people have been screened for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms as part of a national mobilization plan to curb the pandemic. Namaki said on Monday that a significant number of those people had been screened over the past four days via the Health Ministry's online platform salamat.gov.ir and the rest through phone calls, electronic health dossiers and two online health screening systems run by the ministry. "Out of the 14 million monitored for the coronavirus infection, some 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 noted. The screening process, he added, helped the ministry reduce hospital referrals by diagnosing and suitably addressing the cases of those vulnerable to infection, the individuals carrying the virus without symptoms and the people in contact with the infected. Namaki also expressed hope that the program would be extended to provide nationwide coverage in the coming days. In line with a range of measures taken so far to contain the coronavirus spread, Iran shut the holy shrines of the eighth Shia Imam, Ali ibn Musa al-Reza (PBUH), in Mashhad, his sister Hazrat Fatimah Masoumah in Qom and Shah Abdol-Azim in Tehran until further notice. Iran reports new cases, death toll The Iranian Health Ministry updated the latest number of infections and deaths caused by the viral infection in the country on Tuesday. With 1,178 new cases diagnosed in the past 24 hours, the total number of infections reached 16,169. Also, the fatality count increased to 988, with 135 news deaths. A total of 5,389 patients have fully recovered. Iran gets foreign aid amid US sanctions Also on Monday, the Islamic Republic received foreign aid as US sanctions have hampered the country's battle against the coronavirus and severely impacted the Iranians' access to life-saving medical supplies. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) sent its third aid consignment to Iran. Iran's Foreign Ministry said the UNICEF packages include hygiene items as well as guidelines in Persian language on how to protect children against the virus and create a safe place for them at home. The United Arab Emirates also dispatched two planes carrying 32 tons of medical supplies and relief equipment to support Iran's efforts. Emirati Minister of State for International Cooperation Affairs Reem Bint Ibrahim al-Hashemi said, "The UAE's support to Iran reflects the humanitarian principles on which our county was founded. Providing assistance to save the lives of those in distress is essential to serve the common human interest." In a video message on his Instagram page on Monday, UK Ambassador to Iran Rob Macaire said Britain, France and Germany had provided Iran with medical items and five million euros in aid. Additionally, Uzbekistan sent similar relief supplies to Iran. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi tweeted, "Tons of medical equipment just received from #Uzbekistan, #UAE & @UNICEF. My country is sincerely thankful for these humanitarian efforts and will never forget the way they stood with #Iran in hard times." 85k prisoners temporarily freed Iran's Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said 85,000 prisoners, including half of those serving time on security charges, had temporarily been freed following outbreak. "Some 50% of those released are security-related prisoners ... Also inside the jails, we have taken precautionary measures to confront the outbreak," he pointed out, without elaborating on when those released would have to return to jail. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Tom Hanks was mocked by Australians for spreading too much Vegemite on his toast while recovering from coronavirus on the Gold Coast on Sunday. And on Wednesday, the 63-year-old actor jokingly apologised for his very liberal use of the popular sandwich spread. In an Instagram update after leaving hospital, the Forrest Gump star said he had taken on the feedback and won't be making the same mistake again. Lesson learned! Tom Hanks (pictured with his wife, Rita Wilson) has apologised for using too much Vegemite on his toast while in hospital recovering from coronavirus 'Hey folks. Good News: One week after testing positive in self-isolation, the symptoms are much the same,' he wrote. 'No fever but the blahs. 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. 'But I have learned not to spread my Vegemite so thick. I travelled here with a typewriter, one I used to love. We are all in this together. Flatten the curve. Hanx.' Too much! The actor, 63, was mocked earlier this week for sharing this photo to Instagram of his excessively layered Vegemite on toast Tom's post comes days after he was mocked for sharing a photo to Instagram of his excessively layered Vegemite on toast. While the purpose of the post was thank his 'helpers' at Gold Coast University Hospital, all anyone could talk about was his overzealous spreading technique. Vegemite is a household staple in Australia, but most consumers use just a thin smattering across buttered bread. One fan tweeted: 'Imagine getting COVID-19 then being roasted on Twitter for using too much Vegemite!' Another added: 'Tom, I mean this with all the respect and love in the world, but that is too much Vegemite.' Oops! While the purpose of Tom's post was thank his 'helpers' at Gold Coast University Hospital, all anyone could talk about was his overzealous spreading technique Tom and Rita, who have been married since 1988, announced their COVID-19 diagnosis on Thursday. 'We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches. Rita had some chills that came and went. Slight fevers too,' the Oscar winner wrote on Instagram. '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 couple were released from hospital earlier this week and are in self-isolation in a rented home on the Gold Coast. Expedia Vice Chairman Tells Employees Its Time to Focus and Help Our Travel Partners In an internal letter to employees, Expedia Group Vice Chairman Peter Kern told staff to set aside any projects that dont contribute to meeting the companys immediate needs and exhorted employees to help travel partners find business anywhere they can. If youre wondering how we might help our travel partners survive all this, well, our travel partners need whatever business they can find, Kern wrote in a message to employees on Monday that was obtained by Skift. So if there is travel going on out there, we need to find it and book it for them. Although Kern advocates that Expedia staffers find travel to book for the benefit of travel partners, some destinations, such as Florida, are being criticized for not taking stronger action against travel. Kerns March 16 letter to employees, along with another one signed by Expedia Group Chairman and senior executive Barry Diller, Kern and the leadership team that went out to employees March 12 are embedded below. Kern acknowledged the depth of the coronavirus crisis, noting priorities include helping confused and scared customers who are swamping our call centers, and assisting travel partners in their quests to survive. How do we keep everyone safe? Kern wrote. And of course, how do we survive and come out stronger at the end than we were when this crisis started? Kern told employees if they are working on anything that cant be immediately deployed to assist the current effort, then raise your hand and tell your manager that you can help out elsewhere so we can find a way to use your talents for the greater good. He emphasized that the company would postpone our goal-setting exercise this quarter. The global economic recovery depends in part on travel coming back in a real way, Kern said. A letter a few days earlier from Diller, Kern and the leadership team, cited our recent reorganization and all those stresses. The reorganization, geared to generate up to $500 million in run rate cost reductions in 2020, included layoffs of around 12 percent of the workforce. Story continues Kern and Diller are essentially running Expedia Groups day-to-day operations after the board pushed out CEO Mark Okerstrom and Chief Financial Officer Alan Pickerill in early December. Of course well come out of this, and like any real crisis, we will be the better for it because of what weve learned and mastered in the process, the March 12 letter said. In the meantime, I hope you know you have the hard rock support of all of us. Like most stocks, particularly those in travel, Expedia shares have been hammered. Its shares are down 62 percent in the past month to close Wednesday at $45.65. Skift Senior Travel Tech Editor Sean ONeill contributed to this report. Download (PDF, 37KB) Download (PDF, 24KB) Subscribe to Skift newsletters for essential news about the business of travel. "Your country needs you." That was the message from Health Minister Simon Harris who called on everyone in Ireland to do their part to tackle the spread of coronavirus. Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Harris sought to alleviate financial fears over testing, announcing all patients in Ireland are now eligible to free consultations for Covid-19 testing. The decision was taken late on Monday night in order to ensure no disparity between medical card and non-medical card holders. Also decided at the meeting was a recruitment drive for any eligible medical professionals who wish to begin work in a hospital in order to tackle the pandemic. "Every newly graduated doctor in Ireland will be offered an internship here," Minister Simon Harris said. "As you know, usually we have a certain number of places that we offer, over 700. "This year we have what over a1,000 people looking for an internship. We're making the decision today that everybody who wants an internship here every graduate doctor, who wants a job will get one. "We want to hire everybody we can possibly find. "We want people who perhaps retired in recent years to come back if they're able to. "We want people who might be working part-time if they're able to work with us. We want student nurses, perhaps other students to take up roles in the health service even if they can't work as fully-fledged nurses. We need literally all hands on deck, everybody working for Ireland. "There will be no financial constraints, the health service can hire everybody and anybody that is suitably qualified to work in the Irish Public Health Service. I'm calling it 'On call for Ireland' because that's what it is. "It is a call for our medical professionals, health care workers, to come help their country." Anybody who applies online via the HSE website will be contacted and people will be interviewed over the phone in order to lessen social interactions. Ahead of Thursday's Dail session, the Minister added the government is looking at additional powers due to the pandemic, with legislation being finalised on Tuesday. These powers include the ability to detain those suspected of the virus, and the shutting down of events and gatherings. "The legislation is already pretty extensive," he said. "I should be clear is only for Covid-19, one is the power to actually shut down certain events and restrict certain travel if we really needed to. "It's important to have that provision because we don't know where this pandemic is going to bring us in the coming days and weeks. "The second one is anytime there's a public health emergency to detain the individual who has that infectious disease, it's very rarely used. "There is obviously an issue with this virus that you might be suspected of having it before it confirmed and therefore it's prudent from a legal point of view that those powers apply to somebody who's suspected rather than just someone who has a diagnosis." Mr Harris concluded that the pandemic would likely affect Ireland for months, and as a sociable people, it would be hard for people to be alone, and encouraged each person to have some community spirit while adhering to the health guidelines. I know people are worried," Mr Harris added. I want people to know people are moving hell and high water to help but this is a national effort, everyone has to put their shoulder to the wheel. [snippet1]987600[/snippet1] Canada and the United States on Wednesday are expected to announce the closure of their common border to non-essential travelers, several Canadian media reported. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should make an announcement during the day on the issue, Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said, without providing specifics. "What the prime minister is going to announce will reassure people," he said in an interview Wednesday morning with public broadcaster Radio-Canada. He promised new measures "proposed by both sides," noting that hundreds of thousands of people cross the border every day. On Monday, Trudeau announced that Canada was closing its borders to foreign travelers with the notable exception of Americans -- a position that drew criticism in Canada as the coronavirus epidemic intensified in the United States. According to Canadian media, Ottawa and Washington were finalizing an agreement that would bar tourists and shoppers from crossing the border, while still allowing the free movement of goods between the two countries. The agreement would limit the entry to Canada of Americans considered essential, like truck drivers and people employed in other vital sectors of the economy, according to the reports. The government had stressed on Monday that Americans were being exempted from the border restrictions because of the high level of integration of the US and Canadian economies. As of Tuesday evening, Canada had nearly 600 confirmed coronavirus cases and eight deaths from the disease, while the US death toll has surpassed 100 with nearly 6,500 confirmed cases. Travellers arrive at the Canada Customs booths in Sarnia, Ontario on March 16, 2020 An Indian Army soldier from Ladakh has been tested positive for novel coronavirus. This is the first COVID-19 positive case that has surfaced from the Indian Army. His father had returned from a pilgrimage in Iran on February 27. The jawan is being treated for the infection while his family, including sister and wife have been quarantined in Ladakh. "His father was quarantined from February 29 at Ladakh Heart Foundation and reported positive for COVID-19 on March 6 and was isolated at the local SNM Hospital," sources told PTI. Also Read: Coronavirus Live Updates: New COVID-19 cases take number to 147 in India The soldier is from the Ladakh Scouts, an infantry regiment of the Army known as the 'Snow Warriors', and is currently admitted in the S.N.M. hospital in Ladakh. The 34-year-old jawan had taken casual leave from February 25 to March 1 and reported back to duty on March 2. He was helping his family during the quarantine duration and was staying at his Chuchot village for some time as well. As his father tested positive for novel coronavirus, the soldier was also quarantined on March 7. He was tested positive and was put in isolation S.N.M hospital. In the meantime, an Indian Army officer and a woman have been put under self-quarantine in a military institute in Pune. They were showing symptoms of the virus. However, no tests have been recommended so far. "As an when needed, COVID-19 test could be carried out," sources said. Also Read: Coronavirus impact: Mukesh Ambani pads up to protect half a million Reliance employees The Congress on Wednesday slammed the government over media reports claiming that it was carrying out surveillance of citizens in transgression of the Right to Privacy and accused it of seeking to create a surveillance state. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari alleged that the BJP government was seeking to create an 'Orwellian state' by indulging in a "premeditated conspiracy" for which the Congress held it responsible and accountable. The issue was highlighted in the wake of media reports that claimed cellphone operators red-flagged 'surveillance' after government wanted call records of all users. Raising questions of surveillance and alleged violation of user privacy guidelines mandated by the Supreme Court, the government has been seeking call data records (CDRs) of all mobile subscribers across several pockets of the country for specific days over the past few months, the reports alleged on Wednesday. "The reports which have emerged in the public are extremely disturbing because the government has decided to carry out mass surveillance of citizens of India. A sinister, pre-meditated and orchestrated plot has been put in place in order to unleash a mass surveillance programme on the citizens, which is an absolute transgression of the Right to Privacy guaranteed by the SC in a 9-0 judgment," Tewari told reporters. "We strongly condemn and deprecate this assault on the fundamental freedom which have been provided in the Constitution and have been interpreted by the Supreme Court of India," he said. Tewari alleged that it is seeking to create an 'Orwellian state' and the Congress condemns the government. He said it was in violation and transgression of the rules, which were tightened by the then UPA government in 2013 with regard to obtaining call detail records (CDRs), and electronic interception of telephones and cyber communication. "Why and how are these things being violated with impunity on a daily basis," the Congress leader asked. On the government seeking the call records of mobile users on the grounds of national security, the Congress leader said national security cannot be the fig leaf in order to legitimise every crime. "You cannot do it on a blanket basis. It violates the rules under the Telegraph Act which were formulated post the PUCL Vs Union of India judgment delivered on December 18, 1996. It is in violation of the Indian Telegraph Act 1885 and of Section 69 of the Information Technology Act. It is also in violation of the updated guidelines put in place by the UPA Government in 2013. "What the government has done is the monstrous crime. It is an illegality which has been committed. It is an assault on the fundamental rights of citizens," he alleged. "Spying on their own citizens is not new to the BJP. Only an insecure govt would take such a step defying the Right to Privacy as declared by the Supreme Court. Do SC verdicts mean nothing to the BJP," asked the Congress on its official Twitter handle. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Brian Younker has been running a scholarship program annually to honor his sister. TINLEY PARK, IL / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / Brian Younker is proud and honored to announce the launch of the Cynthia Marie Younker Scholarship Program. Brian Younker has been holding the scholarship program annually in honor of his sister. Brian Younker is a serial entrepreneur and philanthropist. He regularly gives back to his community. The Cynthia Marie Younker Scholarship Program will offer one scholarship of $1,000 to a female graduating senior from Tinley Park High School. The award winner must enroll as a full-time student at a college, university, or trade or vocational school. The deadline for applications has moved to May 1st, 2020. The successful candidate must have played at least one sport at Tinley Park High School in order to be considered. The scholarship will be awarded based on the applicant's leadership, volunteerism, academic focus, participation in extracurricular activities, and recommendations from school representatives. Applicants will also be asked to fill out and submit a detailed application form. For more information, please visit http://brianyounker.com/. About Brian Younker Brian Younker is a serial entrepreneur and philanthropist from Tinley Park, Illinois. He is the founder and owner of Y&D Maintenance, a landscape management company, which has been operating since 1988. He is also the co-founder of Younker Media, which he launched with his late sister, Cynthia Marie Younker. The company performs a variety of services for clients, including mobile billboard trucks, search lights, and red carpet events. Brian Younker is also active within his community. He has been running the Cynthia Marie Scholarship Program for several years. As mentioned in the application, students should get in touch with Dr. Nolan, the principal at Tinley Park High School. Contact: Brian Younker brian@younkermedia.com SOURCE: Brian Younker View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/581337/Brian-Younker-Re-Launches-Scholarship-Program-and-Extends-Deadline EAST ALTON The St. Louis Regional Airport remains open and operating, according to its director Dave Miller. A moratorium on foreign nations coming into the U.S. remains in place, he said. The airports usage varies, up to 70 flights a day. Other than corporate aircraft utilizing WestStar Aviation which employs more than 500 people the airport also services privately-owned domestic aircraft. Some corporate jets come and go, and some I know are domestic, Miller said. Theres no moratorium on foreign aircraft leaving the airport to Egypt, or Malta, or wherever it may be going. The Federal Aviation Administration-controlled airport has no restriction for instrument approaches. Its control tower is manned by one controller at a time. While WestStar Aviation conducts maintenance of foreign and domestic aircraft, there is no customs operation at the airport in general. All incoming overseas aircraft must clear at an U.S. port of entry, such as Miami or Dallas, Miller said. These aircraft are checked at points of entry by personnel, including undergoing an agricultural inspection, before those even come to the airport in East Alton, Miller said. He said his greater concern now is how to hold in-person board meetings amid COVID-19 concerns. The airport board is maintaining its on-site meetings, including Thursdays public meeting at 4:30 p.m. in the airports administration building. Board chairman Wendell Ross one of three appointees by Madison County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler gave airport board members the option to use electronic media for Thursdays meeting. On Wednesday, officials reported a man in his 30s who had traveled out of the country was the first confirmed COVID-19 case in Madison County. Officials said the man self-quarantined himself when he noticed symptoms; authorities have not announced where he lives. Ross has told airport board members Thursdays meeting must be set up for 6 feet of space between people, with hand sanitizer available. The typical airport board meeting includes Miller, seven board members and the boards attorney sitting around a U-shaped table. Two recording personnel sit at a table more than 6 feet away, but near three rows of about 10 closely-spaced chairs for the public. Miller said an electronic media procedure will be set up for those leery of physically attending Thursdays meeting. On Monday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker suspended Illinois Open Meetings Act provision requiring members of a public body to be physically present through April 9. He also ordered bars and restaurants not to offer in-house dining. At the airport, that has forced the High Flyers Grille owned by Paul and Erin Ventimiglia to temporarily close. The couple also owns Tonys in Alton and the Charcoal House Tavern in Jerseyville. The biggest downfall that I see is with the restaurants closing, Miller said. That doesnt bode well with High Flyers. Servers and staff have no work to do, he said. So what are we going to for all those people when it comes to making money and they work for tips? Thatll be tough to take. Miller noted some aircraft coming to WestStar for repair or maintenance might be at the East Alton facility for just 24 to 48 hours. Other aircraft have been there for up to eight months. We are anticipating an FAA inspection sometime the first half of April, but they may declare for inspectors stay in, not to go out in public, Miller said. Were looking forward to that inspection, but it may not happen. In this Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013, file photo, a buyer moves between rows of Ram pickup trucks and Dart sedans at a Dodge dealership in Littleton, Colo. Chrysler says its U.S. sales rose 8 percent in January 2014, as it posted strong growth despite the frigid weather that gripped much of the nation. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File) General Motors, Ford to Suspend US Operations Over Pandemic General Motors and Ford both confirmed on Wednesday that it will initiate the suspension of all manufacturing operations in the United States, Mexico, and Canada over market conditions triggered by the ongoing pandemic. GM said it would deep clean facilities and attempt to protect its workers from potentially contracting the CCP virus, adding that the suspension of manufacturing at factories will last until at least March 30. 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 mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. GM and the UAW have always put the health and safety of the people entering GM plants first, and we have agreed to a systematic, orderly suspension of production to aid in fighting COVID-19/coronavirus, said GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra in a statement. We have been taking extraordinary precautions around the world to keep our plant environments safe and recent developments in North America make it clear this is the right thing to do now, she said. Ford Motor Company, meanwhile, said it would suspend production in North America. Were continuing to work closely with union leaders, especially the United Auto Workers, to find ways to help keep our workforce healthy and safeeven as we look at solutions for continuing to provide the vehicles customers really want and need, Kumar Galhotra, Fords president of North America, said in a news release. In these unprecedented times, were exploring unique and creative solutions to support our workforce, customers, dealers, suppliers and communities. According to local news reports, cases have been confirmed at a Fiat Chrysler assembly plant in Sterling Heights, Michigan, and another case was reported at Fords Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne. The United Auto Workers (UAW) president, Rory Gamble, encouraged GM to close its facilities. UAW members, their families and our communities will benefit from todays announcement with the certainty that we are doing all that we can to protect our health and safety during this pandemic, said UAW President Rory Gamble in a statement. This will give us time to review best practices and to prevent the spread of this disease. We appreciate General Motors actions today and will continue to work with them on health and safety plans to be implemented when we resume production. The move came as President Donald Trump moved on Wednesday to accelerate production of desperately needed medical equipment to battle the coronavirus pandemic and said an estimate that U.S. unemployment could conceivably reach 20 percent was a worst-case scenario. Were going to defeat the invisible enemy, said Trump, who said the unfolding crisis had basically made him a war-time president. Trump said he would invoke another law that would allow U.S. authorities to turn back migrants seeking to cross the southern border of the United States illegally. The border will not be closed, he said. No, were not going to close it, but we are invoking a certain provision that will allow us great latitude as to what we do, he said. Reuters contributed to this report. Texas received its first shipment of emergency medical supplies from a secret federal stockpile on Sunday, and the region is already running low on critical gear to fight the coronavirus outbreak, officials said. 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, said Darrell Pile, CEO of SETRAC. Pile said they will run out of masks to distribute tomorrow. The agency sent most of those masks to paramedics, EMTs and people caring for the elderly. Its woefully inadequate, he said. We had some ambulances that were down to only two or three days worth of masks left. This is the first of four shipments SETRAC expects from the federal stockpile. Texas has eight regional advisory committees that the Texas Department of State Health Services contracts with for disaster preparedness and response. Each shipment will be sent out in intervals decided by DSHS. In total, Pile expects about 80,000 masks, far less than he projects the region will need. The irony is that these things are usually easily restocked by importing them from China, but China got hit with COVID first, and then the world, Pile said. Pile said the region is also at risk of running out of gloves and protective gowns. The Strategic National Stockpile is a network of secret warehouses full of medical supplies and pharmaceuticals managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The locations of the stockpile warehouses, along with what exactly they contain, is secret. According to The Washington Post, the stockpile distributed 85 million N95 masks for the 2009 H1N1 outbreak, and its supply of masks has not been significantly replenished since. The stockpile currently holds 12 million of the N95 masks, Steven Adams, the acting director of the stockpile program, told NPR earlier this month. President Trump said Wednesday that he fashions himself a 'wartime president' as he goes into battle against the 'unseen enemy,' the coronavirus. Trump was asked by Fox News Channel's John Roberts if he considers the country to be on a 'wartime footing' to combat the pandemic. 'I do. I actually do,' the president answered from behind the podium in the White House briefing room. 'I'm looking at it that way.' He also said Wednesday he'd use the powers outlined in the Defense Production Act to ramp up production of medical equipment to treat Americans sickened by the virus. 'There's never been an instance like this where no matter what you have, it's not enough,' Trump said. 'If we need to use it, we'll be using it full speed ahead.' Later on Twitter he clarified that he was signing it as a precautionary measure. 'I only signed the Defense Production Act to combat the Chinese Virus should we need to invoke it in a worst case scenario in the future. Hopefully there will be no need, but we are all in this TOGETHER!' Trump wrote early evening Wednesday. President Trump told reporters Wednesday that he considered himself a 'wartime president' going against an 'unseen enemy' - the coronavirus President Trump continued to use battle-tinged rhetoric throughout the day Wednesday, as he called the coronavirus an 'invisible enemy' It was one of a series of measures Trump unveiled to grapple with a crisis which he met initially by claiming it was 'under control' and complaining was overblown by his Democratic enemies and the media he attacks. Those measures included: Mobilizing two hospital ships, one to New York and one on the west coast, although the Pentagon said it will reach Manhattan in weeks not days; Ordering more masks and ventilators as Mike Pence admitted to a desperate shortage; Tackling the cratering economy with a $1 trillion bailout plan, $500million of which will go in $2,000 checks to every American; Getting ready to sign the second emergency coronavirus bill which will give paid sick leave and free testing to sufferers; Saying that a prediction of 20 per cent unemployment, last seen in 1935, was an 'absolute, total worst case scenario' while his Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin pledged it would not happen. Just a day before, Trump said he wasn't ready to put the Defense Production Act - a Korean War-era law - into use. But on Wednesday, the president leaned fully in to the idea that he was leading Americans into battle. But his press conference and show of leadership did nothing to arrest a market in freefall with the Dow falling below the level it was when he entered office - meaning the 401k gains he boasted about for three years have now been entirely wiped out. Trump used twitter after his briefing to talk up his leadership credentials. 'I want all Americans to understand: we are at war with an invisible enemy, but that enemy is no match for the spirit and resolve of the American people,' Trump tweeted Wednesday afternoon. 'It cannot overcome the dedication of our doctors, nurses, and scientists and it cannot beat the LOVE, PATRIOTISM, and DETERMINATION of our citizens. Strong and United, WE WILL PREVAIL!' Discussing his evolution into being a war president Trump, again, gave himself credit for restricting travel from China, a decision he made in January, telling reporters the situation on the ground now in the United States would have been a lot worse. 'That really saved a lot of lives,' he said. 'I view it as a - in a sense, a wartime president, that's what we've been fighting,' he continued. 'It's a very tough situation here. We have to do things. We have to close parts of an economy that six weeks ago were the best they've ever been.' 'And then one day you have to close it down in order to defeat this enemy,' Trump said. With Americans across the nation instructed to practice 'social distancing' and told not to engage in non-essential travel, the hospitality industry - including the airlines, cruise ships, hotels, along with bars and restaurants - are being crushed. President Trump ordered the USNS Comfort to New York City to provide 1,000 additional hospital beds to sick New Yorkers sickened by the coronavirus 'The American people have been incredible,' the president added. Even before Trump made his 'wartime president' declaration, he's been speaking about the coronavirus as if it was a foil. 'I call it the unseen enemy,' he also said at Wednesday's press briefing. 'It snuck up on us,' he claimed. The president has also used the United States' military might to provide resources to those suffering from the virus. For example, he deployed the the Navy hospital ship, the USNS Comfort, to New York City to provide additional 1,000 additional beds for sick New Yorkers. 'It will be in New York City Harbor. This will be, it's an extraordinary step obviously, it's literally a floating hospital which will add capacity, and the president said he would dispatch that immediately,' said New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo early Wednesday. Later, the Navy said it could be weeks before the ship was able to be dispatched. WHAT EXACTLY IS THE DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT? The Defense Production Act of 1950 was signed by President Harry S. Truman amid concerns about manpower and equipment during that war. It's been invoked multiple times since to help the federa government during a range of emergencies including blackouts, war and hurricanes. Trump, referring to himself as a 'wartime president,' said he would use the law's powers 'in case we need it' as the country braces for an expected surge in the number of coronavirus cases and a strain on resources. A look at the Defense Production Act: WHAT IT DOES The act gives the federal government broad authority to direct private companies to meet the needs of the national defense. Over the decades, the law's powers have been understood to encompass not only times of war but also domestic emergency preparedness and recovery from terrorist attacks and natural disasters. The law allows the president to require companies to prioritize government contracts and orders seen as necessary for the national defense, and to allocate the distribution of materials. The goal is to ensure the private sector is producing enough goods needed to meet a war effort or other national emergency. The act also authorizes the president to use loans, direct purchases and other incentives to boost the production of critical goods. Other provisions authorize the federal government to establish voluntary agreements with private industry or block foreign mergers and acquisition seen as harmful to national security. WHY IT MIGHT MATTER HERE The number of cases is rapidly rising, creating an urgent need for medical supplies. Those could include masks for health care workers, ventilators, gloves and eye protectors. Even as the U.S. government rushes those products out to the states, it's seeking the flexibility to order private industry to boost production and address shortcomings in the stockpile. Administration officials had signaled for weeks that they might turn to the Defense Production Act. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said as much late last month, when the government acknowledged a significant gap between the number of masks it needed for health care workers and the number of masks it had actually stockpiled. 'We will use the Defense Production Act as necessary,' Azar said at the time. 'So that is the authority that we have and we intend to use to acquire anything we need to acquire.' Trump did not directly answer Wednesday when asked why it had taken the administration weeks to invoke the act, calling the pandemic a 'very unforeseen thing' with a demand for resources and testing beyond anticipation. 'We have tremendous numbers of ventilators but there's never been an instance like this where no matter what you have it's not enough,' Trump said. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover 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 ___ NOT UNPRECEDENTED ... BUT ALSO RARE The current pandemic is without precedent in so many ways, but modern American history does include a number of instances in which the federal government has invoked the Defense Production Act. In 2001, for instance, the administrations of both President Bill Clinton and George W. Bush invoked it to ensure that electricity and natural gas shippers continued supplying California utilities to cope with an energy crisis there, according to a 2009 Congressional Research Service report. It was used again during the Iraq War to prioritize the supply of certain military equipment to British forces serving there, the CRS report said. More recently, it was used following the 2017 hurricane in Puerto Rico, when the Federal Emergency Management Agency sought to prioritize contracts for food, bottled water, manufactured housing units and the restoration of electrical systems. ~ The Associated Press Advertisement Donald Trump says 20 per cent unemployment is 'an absolute, total, worst case scenario' as his Treasury Secretary pledges it will NOT reach 1935 levels and checks for all could be as much as $2,000 each Donald Trump said Wednesday that he doesn't agree with his Treasury secretary that unemployment rates could reach levels as high as 20 per cent. 'No, well I don't agree with that. No, I don't agree,' he insisted during a White House press briefing on coronavirus Wednesday afternoon. 'That's an absolute, total, worst case scenario,' he continued. 'But no, we don't look at that at all. We're nowhere near it.' In February, the unemployment rate was at 3.5 per cent and the highest in recorded U.S. history was during the Great Depression in the 1930s when rates reached nearly 25 per cent. The president's comments asserting those levels are highly unlikely came after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin floated the number during a meeting with GOP lawmakers on Tuesday. His comments are a departure from his Treasury Secretary, who said during a meeting with lawmakers Tuesday, according to reports, that unemployment rates could severely skyrocket in light of the coronavirus crisis Steven Mnuchin met with Republican senators at the Capitol on Tuesday, where he made the assertion but his office pushed back, claiming 'he never implied this would be the case' Trump promised in a tweet Wednesday morning that 'money will soon be coming' to relieve those who are unable to work due to the coronavirus crisis. 'For the people that are now out of work because of the important and necessary containment policies, for instance the shutting down of hotels, bars and restaurants, money will soon be coming to you,' he vowed in a tweet Wednesday morning. 'The onslaught of the Chinese Virus is not your fault! Will be stronger than ever!' he continued, again calling coronavirus the 'Chinese Virus.' He also promised in another tweet: 'I will totally protect your Medicare & Social Security!' Mnuchin warned Republican senators during the meeting at the Capitol Tuesday that the unemployment rate in American could reach 20 per cent. The head of the Treasury Department made the trek to the Hill Tuesday afternoon where he posed risks the economy could face if a coronavirus economic stimulus package is not passed fast, a person familiar with the closed-door meeting told Reuters. But Mnuchin's office pushed back on this claim. 'During the meeting with Senate Republicans today, Secretary Mnuchin used several mathematical examples for illustrative purposes, but he never implied this would be the case,' Treasury spokeswoman Monica Crowley said in a statement. Donald Trump vowed Wednesday that the federal government would be providing money and economic relief to those affected by the coronavirus outbreak. 'Money will soon be coming to you,' he tweeted Trump previewed at a White House briefing Tuesday that he wants to send cash directly to Americans in the wake of the coronavirus crisis He also promised to protect Medicare and Social Security in the financially turbulent time Mnuchin revealed at the briefing that Americans could receive checks larger than $1,000 in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak but he did not provide any further details other than claiming there would be an income cut-off Despite the recent record-low unemployment, thousands of Americans are already out of work as nonessential establishments in several states have shut down including restaurants, bars and clothing retailers. On Tuesday, San Francisco implemented a lockdown where all 7 million people in the Bay area were told to 'shelter in place' at their homes for the next three weeks. The markets have spiraled since the coronavirus outbreak rocked the nation earlier this month and an administration official claiming unemployment could reach new lows would likely rock investors even more. Unemployment rates have reached record lows under the Trump administration, which the president often touts when boasting of his economic achievements since taking office in 2017. Rates of joblessness hit a peak in October 2009 when the unemployment rate hit 10.2 per cent following the 2008 financial crisis. Some states are already reporting astounding numbers. On Monday, 15,000 people in New Jersey applied for unemployment benefits and in Connecticut, nearly 8,000 applications arrived over the weekend. Unemployment claims in Ohio went from 6,500 last week to 45,000 this week. Rhode Island officials also reported on Tuesday that a week-long rise in claims from the coronavirus outbreak brought their application number from 10 on March 11 to 6,282 on March 16. Several states have already seen major spikes in unemployment. Here people wait in a massive line for help with unemployment benefits in Las Vegas, Nevada Several non-essential businesses in states across the country have also been forced to shutter their doors leaving them without income and putting all their employees out of a job The Trump administration is proposing a phase three stimulus package before phase two has even made it through the Senate that would allocate at least another $850 billion in economic relief. Phase one included more than $8 billion in emergency funding and phase two proposes another $10 billion going toward relieving individuals who have to take off work or are unable to go to their jobs due to contracting coronavirus or quarantining. The nearly $1 trillion stimulus package would include sending cash directly to Americans within two weeks, would monetarily backup airlines and the hospitality industry and would likely include a big chunk of cash going toward Trump's desire payroll tax cut. Trump previewed during a coronavirus press briefing at the White House Tuesday that he wants to send more than $1,000 to Americans suffering economically from the coronavirus outbreak. 'We're going big,' Trump said of his administration's stimulus plans. 'We're looking to send checks to Americans immediately,' Mnuchin explained in the briefing, adding that a payroll tax holiday would get money to Americans but it would be over the next six to eight months. 'Americans needs cash now and the president wants to give cash now,' Mnuchin continued during Tuesday's briefing. 'And I mean now - in the next two weeks,' he added before leaving the briefing early to attend his meeting with GOP senators. Details of how the administration planned to provide direct cash to Americans was not announced at the press conference and he did not discuss who would be eligible. The only detail he gave was that it could top $1,000 and that there would be some income cut-offs. 'You don't need to send people who make a million dollars a year checks,' he chuckled. Markets saw their worst week since the 1980s last week, dropping a few thousand points with just a few moments of reprieve as hopes of a bipartisan economic stimulus package monopolized investors' interest. As of Wednesday morning, the U.S. has more than 6,500 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 115 people died after contracting the fast-spreading respiratory disease. Trump has begun calling coronavirus the 'Chinese Virus,' because he says he wants to make it clear where it originated. He also previewed that he would be participating in the now-daily coronavirus press briefing on Wednesday. 'I will be having a news conference today to discuss very important news from the FDA concerning the Chinese Virus!' the president tweeted Wednesday morning. Critics claim referring to the disease a 'Chinese virus' creates a stigma and some even claim it is a racist phrase. Trump disagrees, claiming the real stigma is Chinese officials claiming the virus was first brought to Wuhan by members of the U.S. military participating in the World Military Games there in October 2019. 'Millennials cannot keep having these large gatherings for people who are off work': Trump administration warns of 'very concerning' rise in children and young people catching coronavirus in Italy Children and young adults may not be as safe from coronavirus as previously thought, the Trump administration said on Wednesday. 'We have not seen any significant mortality in children but we are concerned about the reports coming out of Italy and France,' said coronavirus task force member Dr Deborah Birx during a press briefing. She didn't give specific numbers of children infected, nor does a JAMA report on Italian cases document any among people there under age 29. But more cases among children in China have come to light, suggesting kids broadly may be equally vulnerable to adults, and that those under age five may be at risk of falling seriously ill. Dr Birx also urged millennials to take their health and safety seriously amid the coronavirus, citing a rise in severe cases of coronavirus among young adults in China, Italy and South Korea. 'They don't realize that - they're feeling invincible,' said President Trump of young people. President Trump and Dr Deborah Birx, a member of his coronavirus task force, warned Wednesday that young people and children may not be safe from infection Two men wrestling each other in Pompano Beach on Tuesday as spring break revelers look on during the contest A group of spring break revelers pose for a photograph on the sand of Pompano Beach on Tuesday Cece Guida, 19, (top) of New York City, pushes on Sam Reddick, 20, of Evansville, Ind., as spring break revelers look on during a game of chicken fight on the beach on Tuesday 'But they don't realize that they could be carrying lots of bad things home to their grandmother and grandfather and even their parents. 'So, we want them to heed the advice ... and I do believe it's getting through.' Dr Birx echoed his concerns and elaborated with references outbreaks in other countries. 'We cannot have these large gatherings that continue to occur throughout the country for people who are off work, to then be socializing in large groups and spreading the virus,' Dr Birx said. Her staunch warning comes a day after President Trump warned would-be spring breakers to instead 'enjoy your living room.' 'I would say enjoy your home,' the president said. '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.' But it may be too late to stop the spread among some revelers. Spring breakers were spotted on Tuesday, St Patricks Day, gathering in throngs and chicken fighting in Florida's South Beach - despite Miami Mayor Dan Gelber's Monday declaration of a state of emergency and that spring break was 'canceled. In other parts of the world, the Trump administration claims coronavirus cases are already striking young people at rising rates, and with more dangerous effects than previously seen. 'There are concerning reports coming out of France and Italy about young people getting very seriously ill and getting very seriously ill in the ICU,' Dr Birx said. 'We think that part of it may be that people heeded the very early data coming out of...China and out of South Korea that elderly or people with pre-existing conditions are particularly vulnerable. Those reports may have seeded a false sense of security among younger people, she suggested. Sections of Miami's iconic South Beach was still bustling amid coronavirus pandemic. Stretches of white sands could be seen busy with holidaymakers despite advice from public health officials to limit gatherings to fewer than 10 people And emerging data is now indicating young adults are far from safe from coronavirus. 'It may [be] that the millennial generation...there may be disproportionate infections among that group, so that even if they are a rare occurrence, they may be seen more frequently in that group and be more evident now,' said Dr Birx. She also underscored that young people are the ones still going out to large gatherings - both abroad in hard-hit countries like Italy and in the US - meaning they are exposing themselves to more possible coronavirus carriers and prospectively bringing the disease home with them. The Trump administration's 15-day guidelines to stop coronavirus's spread urge all Americans - including millennials - to stop gathering in groups of more than 10, in the hopes of keeping all generations safer from the virus. Official data from Italy does not reflect an increase in cases among younger people - yet - but anecdotal reports do. 'The type of patient is changing,' Dr Luca Lorini, head of anesthesiology and intensive care at a hospital in Northern Italy told RaiNews24. 'They are a bit younger, between 40 and 45 years old and the cases are more complicated.' According to Statista.com, nearly a quarter of cases in Italy are among people between ages 19 and 50, and 1.1 percent of those sickened are younger than 19, although a JAMA report released Wednesday does not reflect that. In the US, data on he ages of those infected is sparse. But last week, when just 49 US deaths were confirmed (that number has now risen to 121), only one of the deceased was in their 40s, two were in their 50s and none were reported by ABC News among younger groups. Recent data from China suggests a disturbing rise in cases of coronavirus in children, including 125 who became severely ill and one who died. Pictured: a mother and her yougn child wear masks in Beijing However the most recent data coming out of China suggests worrisome trends among children who were previously thought to be fairly resilient agains the virus. A study published Tuesday in Pediatrics examined data on more than 2,000 coronavirus-stricken children there (a case load reported as of February 8). Nearly 40 percent of those became moderately ill, while about half only had mild symptoms. But at least one of the 125 children who became severely sick died. And the severely ill children accounted for six percent of all pediatric illnesses in China. It's a trend officials are now watching closely for in the US. The United States ambassador to Mexico disregarded the growing concerns over the coronavirus outbreak and advice to ignore large gatherings and shared pictures of himself and his family out for a trip to the museum and to eat churros. Christopher Landau shared a photo on his Twitter account in which he, his wife and two children were chowing down on $2 churros at a busy restaurant in the east-central city of Puebla, about 60 miles southeast of the government's embassy in Mexico City. 'Enjoying our family weekend in Puebla. Walking the center tonight, we saw a line in this churreria and we stayed there,' he wrote late Saturday after posting a family photo, a snap of his children enjoying the night out and an empty plate. 'Excellent decision! 13 churros / $ 50. You eat too well in Puebla,' added Landau, who was appointed ambassador in August 2019. SEE VIDEO BELOW U.S. ambassador to Mexico Christopher Landau was criticized by some of his Twitter followers after he posted images of his weekend family trip to the city of Puebla, where he, his wife and children ate churros and visited a museum. User of the social media network said he should have used better judgement considering the outbreak of the coronavirus in Mexico, whose health officials have confirmed 93 cases as of Wednesday after listing 41 last Friday Ambassador Christopher Landau's daughter (pictured) stands in front of a display at the Baroque International Museum in Puebla Mexico has 93 confirmed cases of coronavirus as of Wednesday after just reporting 41 last Friday. Health officials have also reported 206 suspected cases. People are seen wearing a protective mask as a preventive measurement against the spread of COVID-19 on March 17 The diplomat, Landau, who was born in Madrid and went to school in Paraguay for five years, also made sure to visit the International Baroque Museum in Puebla. Landau gushed about the Baroque art and architecture movement that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1740s. 'It is one of the best museums I have ever visited - and frankly I don't consider myself fond of Baroque art,' Landau wrote. 'The whole family enjoyed the interactive exhibits in a spectacular building. We didn't want to leave!' Landau was reprimanded for venturing out in public by some of his Twitter followers on Twitter, who felt he should have exerted better judgement considering that positive cases of the deadly coronavirus have doubled since last Friday, jumping from 41 to 93, as of Wednesday morning. The Mexican government has also reported 206 suspected cases. The United States ambassador to Mexico traveled from Mexico City to Puebla for a weekend mini vacation and visited the Baroque International Museum. 'It is one of the best museums I have ever visited - and frankly I don't consider myself fond of Baroque art,' he wrote on his Twitter account U.S. ambassador gushed about his visit to a local restaurant in Puebla where he and his family dined churros, 13 in all, for just $2 or 50 Mexican pesos 'Ambassador, it would be good if you [followed] prevention protocols by # COVID19mx take care of yourself, take care of your family and the people around you,' one Twitter user opined. Another user took Landau to task by asking: 'Mr. Ambassador, do you not think that it is necessary, in the face of the pandemic, to reduce activities where there are crowds of people? The USA government closed flights from Europe, in Mexico there are already infections, this should be serious, what do you think?' The Mexican government has been criticized over lack of measures it has taken to prevent further outbreak of the coronavirus. Over the weekend, it allowed organizers to stage a two-day rock festival headlined by Guns N' Roses in Mexico City that drew over 60,000 music fans an outdoor venue. At least 115 deaths have been reported due to the coronavirus outbreak in the United States President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador shared videos of a weekend visit to a rural town in southwestern Mexico where he was hugging and posing for pictures with the masses. But on Tuesday he finally moved to scale back the large-scale public appearances that appeared to contradict official admonishments for people to avoid large crowds to contain the spread of the new coronavirus. Lopez Obrador said at his morning news conference that he would attend a Saturday celebration for the birthday of revered former President Benito Juarez. But he urged people from outside the small Oaxaca state town of Guelatao, where Juarez was born, to stay away, saying he didn't want to open himself to criticism 'that the president is not setting an example.' Bracing for the virus to hit Mexico harder, authorities have been urging people to avoid large gatherings, to stop greeting each other with handshakes, hugs and kisses and to maintain a 'healthy distance' from each other. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador ignored coronavirus safety measures by hugging and shaking the hands of supporters at a weekend event in southwestern Mexico Once we began sharing what was happening to us with others, almost everyone we knew was aghast, horrified. They said theyd never heard of anything like this. But now I wonder how true that is. Think about so-called deepfakes, those womens faces being fastened on the bodies of porn stars and passed around. Think about the trolling and doxxing of women online. Our story is more akin to those tales than anything that has to do with Title IX. But because the narrative got started one way, it was hard for us, and even harder for academic institutions who must investigate all allegations of discrimination, harassment and retaliation, as an A.S.U. spokesman later told me to change direction. When I finally recognized that we were the ones being harassed, I wrote to Melanie and asked for help. She recommended that I contact the universitys victims advocate, who works with the police. I left a message explaining our situation and my fear. I never got a call back. We also asked our lawyer about a restraining order, but he said we needed proof that the person we thought was harassing us really was harassing us. And we didnt have that yet we were still waiting for the results of the subpoenas. Eventually, I wrote to the president of A.S.U. He had told us during our faculty orientation that we should always feel free to reach out directly to him, so I decided to take him at his word. I told him that someone had been using the universitys Title IX process to harass us, that this person had impersonated students and faculty members and had posted false statements about Marta on Reddit. I explained that there was no evidence that either Marta or I had done anything wrong, yet the Title IX office had told us that it could not close its investigation if emails kept coming in from this anonymous individual. We are strong believers in the importance of Title IX protections, I concluded, but we also feel like there has to be a system in place to protect faculty and students from outsiders who might use that system to defame and harass. That afternoon, I received a response from the vice provost, who assured me that investigators were being urged to move expeditiously. I know it can be frustrating to wait for findings, she added, but we are obligated to look into allegations that are brought to us. Two weeks passed. We met with Melanie and her supervisor and were told that, in the future, anonymous accusations would be fact-checked before new investigations were opened. Melanie told us she had started writing up her report, but she said she couldnt give us a timeline for its completion. I wrote again to the vice provost. She said the report was now with the provost, and we could expect an answer soon. The last weekend in April, we planned to drive up to the mountains again to camp with the girls. In the car that Friday evening, I checked my email from my phone and saw that the provost had written to us at 4:58 p.m. I read the email out loud to Marta as she drove. His determination letter found no credible evidence of a policy violation. Respondents 1 and 2 are both highly regarded in their respective departments and both received much praise and adoration in their course evaluations from students, the letter concluded. Both credibly denied all of the allegations against them. By Trend Azerbaijani students studying in Italy thanked the leadership of Azerbaijan for organizing charter flights for their evacuation back to Azerbaijan, Trend reports. Students who gathered at Rome airport before departure expressed appreciation for the conditions created for them. The evacuation of Azerbaijani students studying in various cities of Italy continues. According to the latest data, about 26,000 people in Italy have been infected with the coronavirus, and more than 2,500 people died from the disease. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz STOCKHOLM, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ElectReon has completed a test of dynamic wireless charging of a 40 ton long haul electric truck on the island of Gotland, Sweden. This marks the world's first truck operations on a public wireless electric road and is an important milestone for the Smartroad Gotland project and for electric mobility. The test verified that the road infrastructure successfully functions in real life conditions and that the system is not affected by snow or rain. The test was conducted on a public stretch of electric road, that was deployed in November 2019, between the airport and the town of Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland. It took place for a week and a half in winter conditions with rain and snow. Initially, the management unit was installed on the side of the road, connected to the electric grid and the coils under the road. Next, the communication with the coils was tested and then the static charging of the truck via its five receivers. Finally, the system was operated for dynamic charging of the truck on a 50 meter section at a speed of up to 30 km/h. The cloud based system was automatically operated and remotely monitored. The results of the test are satisfactory, the system operated while the truck was on the move and all the receivers functioned and transferred 45 kW to the truck's battery. During the coming months the transferred power and vehicle speed will be increased gradually in order to reach the goal of 125 kW and highway speed. Furthermore, additional electric road segments will be deployed and an electric bus will be in commercial operation as an airport shuttle. Oren Ezer, CEO of Electreon Wireless: "We are excited to wirelessly charge a long haul electric truck while driving on a public road for the first time ever. The results of the test are an important milestone for the project funded by the Swedish Transport Administration and for enabling electric mobility that is convenient, cost effective, and sustainable." About Smartroad Gotland Smartroad Gotland is the world's first wireless electric road for trucks and buses on public roads. Smartroad Gotland is supported and financed by the Swedish Transport Administration and is led by ElectReon AB, a Swedish subsidiary of the Israeli company ElectReon Wireless. The project's goal is to show that ElectReon's technology is ready for commercialization, and to give decision makers the knowledge needed for large-scale expansion of wireless electric roads. For more information about the project and the technology, visit our website: www.smartroadgotland.com More press images: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LYaCYWDcxTV0iFr5l26HtnchMfI6m_Cl?usp=sharing Communication related questions: Communication manager: Petra Carlenarson Matters Group +46-708-962555 smartroadgotland@electreon.com Technical questions: Project manager: Hakan Sundelin Electreon AB +46-730-278493 hakan@electron.com Business related questions: Business development manager: Stefan Tongur Electreon AB +46-704-182065 stefan@electreon.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/electreon-ab/r/successful-start-for-world-s-first-wireless-electric-road-for-trucks,c3062153 The following files are available for download: FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Converged Services' president, Leo Delgado, was recently featured in NAHMA's newsletter for National Affordable Housing Professionals (NAHP) Spring 2020 issue in an article titled Programs Help Residents Get Connected. Converged Services is a team of dedicated technology advisors committed to providing a solid foundation to add and integrate new technologies and services to communities and their residents. The following is reprinted with permission from NAHMA, Alexandria, VA, 703-683-8630, www.nahma.org, from NAHP Update by Jennifer Jones Spring 2020. All rights reserved. In today's world, having a computer, laptop or some sort of smart device is no longer a luxury. It is practically a necessity for things such as doing school work, seeking employment and accessing health or social services, just to name a few. However, for people living in affordable housing it is an expense that can be low on the priority list, if it makes the list at all. According to the Pew Research Center, "On one hand, Americansboth broadband users and those who do not have broadband are increasingly likely to view home broadband as a key tool for accessing information that is important to their lives. But at the same time, the monthly cost of broadband service is now cited by a plurality of non-adopters as the most important reason for not having a home broadband subscription ." In an effort to combat the digital divide, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and nonprofit partners EveryoneOn and US Ignite launched a pilot program in 2015, ConnectHomeUSA, which brings together stakeholders in the corporate and nonprofit sectors to offer HUD-assisted households free or low-cost internet access, computing devices and digital literacy training. Participating companies include AT&T, Best Buy, Comcast, Cox and T-Mobile, among others. Additionally, the Federal Communication's Commission offers the Lifeline program with its partner Universal Service Administration Company that provides discounts on phone and internet to qualified low-income consumers. According to the ConnectHomeUSA Playbook, "As of 2016, 46% of families living in public housing do not have high-speed internet at home or rely solely on smartphones. These Americans are missing out on the high-value educational, economic, and social impact of the internet, and are being left behind. Kids on the wrong side of the 'homework gap' lack the tools they need to do their coursework outside of school." Recently, Leo Delgado, president of Converged Services Inc. (CSI), spoke at a conference on the digital divide. He shared the stage with a previous NAHMA Educational Foundation scholarship winner who said she used to have to take the bus to the library each day so she could do her homework because her mom could not afford internet at home. "There are millions of people that don't have access to affordable internet and can't function in society without it," he said. While CSI provides technology to multifamily housing communities and community associations, Delgado said he is passionate about letting the residents know about the discounted programs that can help them in their individual homes. "There is a thinking out there that those in affordable housing don't have the means for connectivity. That's not true, they don't have the opportunity. They want these products," Delgado said. "To be able to buy high-speed internet for $9.95 a month is a great benefit." The discount programs vary in what they offer and have eligibility requirements, but for the most part, anyone receiving HUD housing assistance can qualify. Comcast's Internet Essentials, for example, provides 15 megabits per second download/2 megabits per second upload internet speeds for $9.95 per month plus tax, which includes in-home Wi-Fi at no cost. There is also an option to purchase a discounted computer for $149 and there is access to free online and in-person training classes and limited access to Xfinity Wi-Fi hot spots outside of the home. By contrast, AT&T Access provides tiered internet speeds and pricingranging from $5 to $10 per monthdepending on the speeds available where you live. In-home Wi-Fi and access to the AT&T Wi-Fi hot spot network are included. Delgado said it is important for management companies to make their residents aware of these discount programs. It is not just about playing games or watching movies. With internet connectivity, not only do students have the ability to do homeworkat home seniors can stay connect to loved ones, and people with disabilities can use technology to do everyday tasks. "The world we were in 10 years ago has dramatically changed," he said. AVAILABLE RESOURCES ConnectHomeUSA: https://connecthomeusa.org/ EveryoneOn: https://www.everyoneon.org/ FCC's Lifeline Program: https://www.fcc.gov/general/lifeline-programlow-income-consumers About Converged Services: Converged Services was founded in 1997 to advise and negotiate competitive telecommunications agreements. As the industry changes, Converged Services continues to focus on delivering solutions tailored to clients' needs to effectively reduce costs through smart home technology, creating operational efficiencies to simplify the lifecycle for residents and staff, and helping clients achieve the greatest competitive advantages and revenue streams. Converged Services provides local acumen in the provider and technology space with a national presence in the high-level decision making process. For more information, Converged Services visit convergedservicesinc.com. SOURCE Converged Services, Inc. Related Links http://convergedservicesinc.com/ A top staffer in Gov. Kate Browns administration on Wednesday issued a dire warning to lawmakers at the Oregon Capitol about the likely economic fallout from coronavirus related shutdowns. Nik Blosser, Browns chief of staff, said lawmakers should be cautious in how they spend money from the state budget because Oregon could be headed into a long and deep economic downturn. Unlike most states, Oregon does not have a sales tax and that means the government relies largely on income tax revenue to pay for a wide range of public services. Oregon will likely face a dramatic increase in demand for safety net services, at the same time income tax payments decline due to layoffs and business cutbacks. Blosser said its too early to know whether the economy is going into a deep recession or even a depression but the next revenue forecast in May will likely show a sea change from forecasts during the states lengthy economic rebound. "Today I am sounding the alarm, Blosser said in a telephone call with lawmakers on the Joint Special Committee on Coronavirus Response Wednesday morning. "Our need will far outweigh our resources and until we have a better picture of the situation, we need to be extremely careful with state resources. Blosser and other staffers in the governors office updated lawmakers tasked with identifying policies for the Legislature to consider in an upcoming special session. Those policies will address both the public health response to coronavirus and the economic fallout. The initial meeting of the Joint Special Committee on Coronavirus Response started at 10 a.m. Wednesday and lasted nearly five hours. Rep. Paul Holvey, a Eugene Democrat who is a co-chair of the committee, said lawmakers are looking to the governors staff for guidance about federal stimulus and recovery efforts so the Legislature knows how to best supplement that money without duplications ..." State lawmakers must also avoid taking any actions that could compromise the states ability to get federal help, Holvey said. Christian Gaston, the governors workforce and labor policy adviser, largely recapped information that has already been widely reported about Congress, the federal government and President Donald Trumps coronavirus spending plans. Gaston did not propose any state policies for lawmakers to consider. Sen. Kathleen Taylor, a Democrat from southeast Portland, asked the governors advisers to suggest the governor and Oregons congressional delegation push for Trumps 2017 tax overhaul to be scaled back. The hefty tax cuts for businesses and wealthy individuals now mean there will be less money available for the federal government to respond to the public health crisis and the nations economic needs, Taylor said. -- Hillary Borrud; hborrud@oregonian.com; @hborrud Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) is going the remote-work route. According to Reuters, citing a company email it accessed, the giant American bank is asking all of its managers to permit their employees to work from home. The initiative, it nearly goes without saying by now, is an effort to practice "social distancing" measures in the face of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus threat. The memo is an expansion of the company's similar efforts, launched late last week, to get employees who work in and near its headquarters in Manhattan to work remotely. It is also among a clutch of financial services companies trying to keep any workers able to do their jobs remotely away from the office. JPMorgan Chase has been directly affected by the coronavirus. Last Friday, the company said that two of its employees at that headquarters building had contracted it. A spokesman said that the two people had been at home since earlier that week, and were receiving medical attention with the "full support" of the big bank. Other prominent banks besides JPMorgan Chase have also reported possible or definite cases of infection in their offices in the New York metropolitan area, namely Barclays and Goldman Sachs and Bank of New York Mellon. In Goldman's case, a fitness center worker at its New Jersey office might have caught the coronavirus. The Barclays and Mellon cases concern Manhattan-situated employees. Separately, JPMorgan Chase isn't allowing the coronavirus crisis to halt its flow of dividends. The company's board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.90 per share of its common stock, matching the previous payout. The new distribution will be paid on April 30 to shareholders of record as of April 6. It would yield 3.8% at the current share price. University College Dublin (UCD) were crowned winners of the 5th Annual Great Agri-Food debate, organised by Dawn Meats and McDonalds Ireland in Queens University, Belfast earlier this month. Six third level colleges took part in the all-island event, hosted in Northern Ireland for the first time this year. Stephen Claxton from Offaly represented the winning UCD team which overcame WIT in a hotly-contested and well-informed final on the topic Global free trade, not subsidies, will deliver a sustainable future for European agriculture. The debates were moderated and judged by a range of representatives from the agrifood industry and beyond including Nina Prichard from McDonalds, HE Mrs Deike Potzel, German Ambassador to Ireland, Pamela Byrne CEO Food Safety Authority of Ireland, Niall Browne CEO Dawn Meats and Dunbia and Tara McCarthy CEO Bord Bia. The team from Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) has reached the final for the last two years running, taking home the title last year on their home turf. This year they overcame strong competition in the semifinal from DkIT to reach the final. Victors UCD, now four-time winners of the Great Agri Food Debate, vigorously opposed the motion, with captain Una Sinnott leading her team in arguments that spanned three pillars of environment, economy and society to make their case. Carefully making the distinction between global free trade and free trade agreements, they stressed the need to meet the needs of the present without compromising on the needs of the future, warning that global free trade would lead to a race to the bottom, not least with regard to environmental sustainability. Further they cautioned of the impact of global free trade on the fabric of rural communities and reminded the proposing team that we are the natural custodians of our land, and without subsidies, we will be the destroyers of our lands. In response, WIT, led by Danielle Mulligan in proposing the motion, maintained that via subsidies, loss making farm practices are being artificially sustained, with subsidies acting as a scaffolding mechanism. They firmly proposed that free trade is the only option for a sustainable future for farming, arguing that subsidies favour big business over farmers, and claiming that multi-billion-euro companies are receiving multi-million-euro CAP payments. They called for increased efforts to source new markets globally. Ministry of Health Reports 38 New Cases of COVID-19 Saudi Press Agency Tuesday 1441/7/22 - 2020/03/17 Riyadh, March 17, 2020, SPA -- The Ministry of Health today reported 38 new cases of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). The ministry cited that the first three cases were for a male citizen who was in contact with a previous case, a male citizen coming from Germany and Jordanian resident coming from Britain. They are isolated now at a health facility in Jeddah, the ministry said. The ministry added that the fourth and fifth cases are confirmed for Egyptian male and female residents coming from Egypt, adding that the sixth case is for a Turkish female resident coming from Turkey. They are isolated at a health facility in Makkah. The Ministry of Health disclosed that there are ten other cases, including six male citizens coming from Iraq, a male citizen coming from Italy, one male citizen who was in contact with a previous case and two cases which are under investigation. All ten cases are isolated at a health facility in Qatif. The ministry added that there are three cases for a male citizen coming from Spain and two male citizens who were in contact with a previous case. They are isolated at a health facility in Dhahran. The Health Ministry said that 13 cases are confirmed in Riyadh. The 13 cases are recorded for citizens coming from Jordan, Oman, India, Britain, Turkey, Switzerland and Austria in addition to a Jordanian resident coming from Spain and four cases for citizens and two Filipino residents who were in contact with previous cases. The 13 cases are isolated at a health facility in Riyadh. The Ministry of Health stated that the total number of registered cases of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Kingdom is 171 cases with the recovery of six cases while the rest of cases are currently isolated in health facilities. The Ministry of Health urged all to communicate with the Health Center (937) for any inquiries about COVID-19, warning from rumors about this virus. It is worth mentioning that COVID-19 reached 161 states amid local and global intensive efforts to prevent and eradicate the virus. --SPA 20:12 LOCAL TIME 17:12 GMT 0029 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / Compare-autoinsurance.org (https://compare-autoinsurance.org/) is a top auto insurance brokerage website, providing car insurance quotes online from trustworthy agencies all over the United States. This website offers car insurance info about different coverage types, available discounts, and money-saving tips. Driving an unsafe vehicle can be dangerous for drivers and passengers. Furthermore, drivers of unsafe vehicles are more likely to file a claim to their insurers. For this reason, car insurance companies are encouraging drivers to use safer cars by offering substantial discounts to those who are already using safer vehicles or are willing to install safety devices. There are some aftermarket safety devices that drivers can install in their vehicles to improve the safety of their cars and to lower their premiums. Some of the most common safety devices are: Adaptive cruise control . This system Is using sensors and radars to assist the drivers by setting a maximum speed for vehicles and automatically slowing the speed of the car when traffic is sensed in front of the vehicle. . This system Is using sensors and radars to assist the drivers by setting a maximum speed for vehicles and automatically slowing the speed of the car when traffic is sensed in front of the vehicle. Forward collision warning . Usually, this system is paired with adaptive cruise control and is used to alert the driver when it determines a potential collision in front of the car, such as with another vehicle or a cyclist. . Usually, this system is paired with adaptive cruise control and is used to alert the driver when it determines a potential collision in front of the car, such as with another vehicle or a cyclist. Automatic Emergency Braking. There advanced car brake systems use advanced computing to take large amounts of data from several sensors and cameras to assist the drivers to avoid or prevent an accident. Braking. There advanced car brake systems use advanced computing to take large amounts of data from several sensors and cameras to assist the drivers to avoid or prevent an accident. Blindspot warning . These systems will use either video data or radar in order to keep a careful watch over the areas drivers can't see from their rearview or side mirrors. They will detect if a car gets a little too close and it alerts the driver with a series of beeps or visual cues. . These systems will use either video data or radar in order to keep a careful watch over the areas drivers can't see from their rearview or side mirrors. They will detect if a car gets a little too close and it alerts the driver with a series of beeps or visual cues. GPS tracking systems. A GPS tracking system works by using satellite technology to store locational data as well as other information related to vehicle activity. This tracking data is then sent to off-site servers in real-time that allow for that data to be viewed from anywhere in the world where Internet connections are available. For additional info, money-saving tips and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/ Compare-autoinsurance.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "You can save money on car insurance if you have several safety features installed in your vehicle", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing Company Person for contact: Gurgu C Phone Number: (818) 359-3898 Email: cgurgu@internetmarketingcompany.biz Website: https://compare-autoinsurance.org/ SOURCE: Internet Marketing Company View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/581309/Safety-Devices-That-Will-Help-Drivers-Get-Cheaper-Car-Insurance Coronavirus - Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear isfear itself nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and of vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. And I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days.- Franklin D. Roosevelt March 4, 1933 Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke these words during his first inauguration at the depths of the Great Depression in 1933. The narrative taught in government schools is how FDRs words invigorated the nation and inspired the people to show courage in the face of adversity. His terminology was that of a general leading his troops into battle. What is not taught in government schools or proclaimed by the propaganda spewing fake news media were the dictatorial type actions taken by FDR over the next month after his inspirational speech. He was the first Democrat president to not let a crisis go to waste. The day after his inauguration, Roosevelt assembled a special session of Congress to declare a four-day bank holiday, and on March 9 signed the Emergency Banking Act. What the American people should have feared was the government taking control of every aspect of their lives and threatening them with imprisonment if their dictums were not followed. On March 6, taking advantage of a wartime statute that had not been repealed, he issued Presidential Proclamation 2039 that forbade the hoarding of gold or silver coin or bullion or currency, under penalty of $10,000 and/or up to five to ten years imprisonment. One month later, Roosevelt implemented Executive Order 6102 forbidding the hoarding of gold coin, gold bullion, and gold certificates within the continental United States. FDR, like every corrupt politician, overstepped his authority by invoking the Trading with the Enemy Act of 1917, to seize all the gold in the country. The fake reason for the order was that hard times had caused hoarding of gold, stalling economic growth and making the depression worse. As usual, the Federal Reserve created the Great Depression through their recklessly easy monetary policy during the 1920s, creating a stock market bubble and its inevitable crash. The false rationale behind the order was to remove the restriction on the Federal Reserve which prevented it from increasing the money supply during the depression; the Federal Reserve Act (1913) required 40% gold backing of Federal Reserve Notes issued. Excessive money printing by the Fed to benefit their Wall Street owners and the monied interests is a consistent theme since the Feds shameful conception in 1913. They catalyzed the Great Depression Fourth Turning in 1929 and seventy-nine years later created the current Greater Depression Fourth Turing in 2008. Americans should fear what they have done to our country. Roosevelt used the fears of the American people to elevate the Federal government as the savior and ultimate allocator of dispensations to the masses. This is how politicians used fear in the 1930s to implement more control over our lives. They used the 2008 Wall Street created financial collapse to further confiscate the nations resources, while screwing over the little guy. Now, we are in the midst of another manufactured crisis where government control of every aspect of our lives will be implemented through mandates, quarantines, and ultimately military force. There is nothing to fear but listening to politicians, government apparatchiks, and the hysteria inducing corporate media doing the bidding of their oligarch masters. The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder. Frederic Bastiat Ive followed this entire coronavirus outbreak with a skeptical eye since it first appeared on the radar in January. Knowing that Im lied to by virtually everyone has made it difficult to comprehend the truth about this ongoing crisis. We know China lied to the entire world about the outbreak in Wuhan. It wasnt until social media revealed the true extent of the virus and quarantine of a city larger than NYC, that the world began to understand this was serious. The fact that a military bio-lab in Wuhan somehow contributed to the initial outbreak has been downplayed by the propaganda media. The arrest of a Harvard chemistry professor and two Chinese nationals for trying to smuggle biological vials to China in January is also highly suspicious. A Canadian government scientist at the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg made at least five trips to China in 2017-18, including one to train scientists and technicians at Chinas newly certified Level 4 lab, which does research with deadly pathogens. All indications point to this virus being man made, for purposes of biological war. Whether it was released into the world by accident or on purpose is unknown. What we do know is it is now spreading rapidly in every country around the globe. I dont doubt it is highly contagious and will kill a large number of health compromised people. The growth rate goes exponential, based on what has happened in China, Italy and now countries across the globe. China reports that it has peaked and is in decline. Of course, they lie about everything, so these reports are suspect. If true, it can be attributed to their military lock down of cities and martial law ruthlessly implemented against its people. You can be sure our beloved leaders have noted the cold-blooded use of the military to implement their mandatory confinement. Obey or die. In the middle of 2019, something beneath the surface of our debt based financial system broke. Suddenly, the Fed began to cut interest rates. This was done when the economy was the best ever according to Trump. They cut three times during the second half of 2019. The repo market went berserk in September. The Fed began not QE in January as the wheels began to fall off. The Wall Street lemmings cheered and bought everything in sight, propelling the market to the most overvalued in history. The Wall Street titans encouraged the public to buy, buy, buy. The Fed balance sheet made a V like recovery, skyrocketing by $700 billion in a matter of months. The daily bailing out of Wall Street banks has continued at an increasing level. There was no fear exhibited by the likes of Dalio, Dimon or Shwarzman. The crash was inevitable. It just needed a catalyst. And that catalyst was the coronavirus. The more than 20% drop in less than two weeks was fastest in history. The Fed has attempted to capitalize on this crisis to further enrich their Wall Street benefactors. Trump was so exhilarated by the 7% bounce on Friday, he signed a stock chart for his sycophant ass kisser Lou Dobbs. Trump continued to badger his pussified Fed Chairman Powell to slash rates more. Powell cowered under the glare of Trump and his Wall Street puppeteers and went all in on Sunday, slashing rates to zero and officially launching QE5. He has zero bullets left in the chamber. If he cant reignite the stock market bubble with this recklessly outrageous conduct, then its game over and the Greater Depression will commence. In the past week, politicians, bureaucrats and bankers of all stripes have used this coronavirus crisis, to increase their control and power over our daily lives. They passed another stimulus package that was 300 pages and no one in Congress read before voting it through. Its filled with pork and corporate goodies. Manuchin, another Goldman vampire squid, is doing all he can to keep the net worth of his banker and corporate buddies headed north during this crisis. Bailouts for airlines, cruise lines, frackers, hotels, and any other favored industry is in the offing. The fact these fake capitalists borrowed at near zero rates and bought back hundreds of billions of their stock in order to boost their stock price and reward themselves with hundreds of millions in bonuses, is water under the bridge in our crony capitalist paradise. It is truly despicable and traitorous to bailout these scumbags after their ten year orgy on the nations wealth. Trump and his minions are following the exact playbook used in 2008/2009. Socialism for the corporate titans when they blow up the financial system, while average Americans lose their jobs and have their 401ks wiped out for the 3rd time in the last two decades. Every action being taken by politicians today is to save Wall Street and the mega-corporations who buy and sell them. Main Street will be fucked over once again. ZIRP throws senior citizens under the bus. The spreading of irrational fear about this virus by the propaganda media is designed to convince the ignorant masses to beg their government keepers to save their lives. What critical thinking Americans should conclude is how corrupt, incompetent and evil their elected and unelected leaders have proven to be. This Fourth Turning is really heating up. We have entered the phase where body counts will accelerate. No one knows whether the coronavirus will result in thousands of deaths or millions of deaths. Anyone telling you they know what is going to happen is a liar. If you think your Constitutional rights have been trashed through the mass surveillance being conducted by our government, you havent seen anything yet. Wait until they declare this coronavirus out of control requiring a countrywide quarantine enforced by the U.S. military. When military vehicles are patrolling your streets with the threat of arrest or death if you leave your home, youll know the Constitution has been tossed into the trash bin. After decades of government school indoctrination and mass media propaganda, the sheep will passively be led to slaughter. Our Himalayan mountain of debt is about to come tumbling down. The Federal Reserve has proven to be nothing but a whore for the Wall Street pimps. They have destroyed any semblance of credibility and independence they once had. The economic impact of this global pandemic will drive the entire world into recession. The likely outcome is a global depression as fear replaces greed and debts cant be repaid. Fiscal stimulus when the national debt is already $23 trillion is like injecting adrenaline into a cancer patient. Small businesses are going to fail and unemployment is going to rise. This farce of a debt ponzi scheme is over. Once economies across the world implode, with central bankers having failed epically, and citizens angry about how their political leaders have failed them, feckless politicians will do what they always do. They will create a foreign bogeyman enemy to redirect the ire of their citizens. Again, our leaders will exaggerate threats to induce fear into the masses. Will it be China or Russia or both? Some false flag will be utilized to launch another Fourth Turning war. Millions will be sent to their deaths by foolish egomaniacal leaders. These crisis periods follow the same dynamic, only the specific events and triggers change. The existing social order will be swept away. Fourth Turnings always separate the wheat from the chaff. 2020 is destined to go down in history as the year where decades of lies, corruption, thievery and corporate fascism came crashing down. Who picks up the pieces after the crash will determine our future. With the civic ethos now capable of producing civic deeds, a new dynamic of threat and response takes hold. Instead of downplaying problems, leaders start exaggerating them. Instead of deferring solutions, they accelerate them. Instead of tolerating diversity, they demand consensus. Instead of coaxing people with promises of minimal sacrifice, they summon them with warnings of maximal sacrifice. A new resolve about urgent public goals crowds out qualms about questionable public means. Strauss & Howe The Fourth Turning If you feel youve received some value from this article and this blog dedicated to free speech and truth in the face of lies, corruption and fake news, feel free to make a Donation to keep the lights on at The Burning Platform. By James Quinn quinnadvisors@comcast.net James Quinn is a senior director of strategic planning for a major university. James has held financial positions with a retailer, homebuilder and university in his 22-year career. Those positions included treasurer, controller, and head of strategic planning. He is married with three boys and is writing these articles because he cares about their future. He earned a BS in accounting from Drexel University and an MBA from Villanova University. He is a certified public accountant and a certified cash manager. These articles reflect the personal views of James Quinn. They do not necessarily represent the views of his employer, and are not sponsored or endorsed by his employer. 2019 Copyright James Quinn - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors. James Quinn Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. EKINOPS just announced the launch of a new software brand, Compose, which brings the companys network access and optical transport software products together. This past December, we broke the news on the companys new mid-range router which supports 10Gbps bidirectional WAN connectivity and SD-WAN. Philippe Mouin, Chief Operating Officer in charge of Access Products and Services at Ekinops The ONE3540 platform has been specifically designed to help operators transform the connectivity problem into a revenue opportunity, comments Philippe Mouin, Chief Operating Officer in charge of Access Products and Services at Ekinops said at the time. Compose enables operators to expand their service portfolio with software- defined network solutions compatible with both Ekinops and third-party platforms. Compose includes virtualization functions, SD-WAN and provides guaranteed compatibility with an Ekinops-certified ecosystem of over 30 of the most widely used VNFs on the market today. The new brand also includes the software elements of Ekinops existing Ekinops360 and OneAccess portfolios, the optical transport and network access platforms respectively. The Compose launch reflects Ekinops momentum in its software business following a near-doubling of its sales in 2019. Didier Bredy, CEO at Ekinops This is an important strategic move for Ekinops, comments Didier Bredy, CEO at Ekinops. To support enterprise digital transformation, networks are becoming increasingly software-defined. Compose is our answer. Our software offering helps service providers supplement their connectivity portfolio with new value-added services such as SD-WAN, security and quality of service. All, of course, tightly integrated with our connectivity products. Our Compose line stands on three pillars which, in a way, define Ekinops: simplicity, openness and affordability. Our approach enables our customers to stay in control of their migration to the software-defined world, while ensuring continued support for their vital legacy products and services. At the heart of Compose lies OneOS6, the modular software solution enabling a full range of built-in software services that can be activated remotely and on-demand. Fully open, supporting network automation and programmability, OneOS6 transforms any of Ekinops own and third-party hardware into a multi-service platform. Utilizing OneOS6, Ekinops has launched an SD-WAN solution directly extended from a market-proven routing function. SD-WAN Xpress is a truly multi-tier, multi-tenant, one-box solution, now available for any OneOS6-enabled hardware platform. Xpress provides a new, simplified mode of SD-WAN deployment together with a competitive pricing model. Perhaps what we find most impressive is EKINOPS customers deploying OneOS6 capable CPE devices can offer SD-WAN to their installed base through a simple license activation. It simplifies customer deployment, spares management, hardware qualification and the overall integration within its OSS/BSS. See the ONLY Contact Center, Tech and Communications companies that matter at the ITEXPO #TECHSUPERSHOW. This Event has been called the BEST SHOW in 5 YEARS and the Best TECHNOLOGY EVENT of 2020. 2020 participants included: Amazon, Cisco, Google, IBM, ClearlyIP, Avaya, Vonage, 88, Comcast Business, BlueJeans, CoreDial, Dell, Edify, Epygi, FreeSWITCH, Grandstream, Granite, Intrado, Frontier Business, Fujitsu, Jenne, West, Konftel, Intelisys, Martello, NetSapiens, OOMA, Oracle, OpenVox, Peerless Network, Phone Sentry, Phone.com, Poly, QuestBlue, RingByName, Sangoma, SingTel, SkySwitch, Spracht, Spectrum, Sprint, Tallac, Tech Data, Telarus, TCG, Teledynamics, Teli, Telinta, Telispire, Telstra, TransNexus, Unified Office, Vital PBX, VoIP Supply, Voxbone, VoIP.MS, Windstream, XCALY, XORCOM, Yealink, Yubox, and ZYCOO. Full List. Join 8K others with $25B+ in IT buying power who plan 2021 budgets! Including 3,500+ resellers! A unique experience with a collocated Future of Work Expo, SD-WAN Expo, and MSP Expo June 22-25, 2021, Miami Register now and you could win a Tesla on Feb 12th. Abdul Latif Jameel Energy, a leading service provider of operations and maintenance in the renewable energy sector, has announced that one of its units Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV), has signed an agreement with Snowy Hydro, a major electricity generation and retailing company in Australia, for supply of clean energy in the New South Wales. FRV is a leading global renewable development company in markets including Europe, Australia, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America. As per the agreement, FRV will deliver solar power that is generated from the 90MWac Sebastopol Solar Farm in the State of New South Wales, Australia. Located 16km south of Temora in New South Wales, the plant will connect to the national grid. Its generation will be enough to supply energy to over 40,000 Australian households and avoid the emission of approximately 77,600 tonnes of CO2 annually, the equivalent of taking about 27,700 cars off the road each year. This is the second PPA signed by FRV with Snowy Hydro following the successful bid for the 68.7 MWac Goonumbla Solar Farm as part of the Snowy Hydro Renewable Energy Procurement Program in 2018, and which is currently in the final stages of construction. Sebastopol Solar Farms construction and operation will contribute to the economic development of the area, with FRV projecting the creation of up to 150 jobs during the construction phase of the plant, and 2-3 operational staff for the entire life of the project. Maintenance contracts for jobs such as panel cleaning, fence repair, and road grading will also be required and will likely be met by local contractors or subcontractors, said the Saudi developer. In addition, the project is expected to have a direct benefit on business volumes for local services, materials and contracting such as accommodation, food and other retail businesses in the area. Fady Jameel, Deputy President & Vice Chairman of Abdul Latif Jameel, said this announcement marks a new milestone for FRV in Australia. "The devastating Australian bushfires have started 2020 off with a stark reminder of the reality of global warming, and the urgent need to address climate change," remarked Jameel. "Together with our partners, FRV and Snowy Hydro, Abdul Latif Jameel is committed to playing an active role in developing clean energy solutions and ultimately contributing to create a more sustainable future for the world," he added. Carlo Frigerio, FRV Managing Director Australia said, After the successful experience of Goonumbla, we are pleased to continue working with Snowy Hydro on a second project contributing to the ongoing diversification of the electricity generation resources in NSW and Australia." "This project will be our seventh Australian solar farm and will consolidate our leading position in the Australian renewable energy market," he noted. Snowy Hydros CEO, Paul Broad, said the company was constantly on the lookout for renewable energy offtake opportunities across the eastern-states. "Through our peaking generation assets we have the capacity to support and firm significant amounts of intermittent wind and solar. Following the timely development of Goonumbla, which Snowy Hydro supported through an offtake agreement signed in 2018, we are confident of the same success with Sebastopol," stated Broad. "Snowy Hydro has significant capacity to firm up and store intermittent renewable energy generation. Our flexible portfolio of fast-start assets allows us to supply our customers with 24/7 renewable energy, lowering prices and increasing energy security," he added.-TradeArabia News Service EU decides to fully close borders to contain coronavirus outbreak Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2020 6:21 PM The European Commission has announced plans to enact the full closure of borders across the 27-member European Union (EU) as part of efforts to contain the now-global coronavirus pandemic in Europe. Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the EU's executive arm, said she would ask European leaders on Tuesday to impose full border restrictions and ban all non-essential travel throughout Europe's Schengen free-travel zone in order to curb the spread of the deadly virus. The European Commission chief added that long-term residents, family members of EU nationals, and diplomats as well as cross-border and healthcare workers would be exempt. "The less travel, the more we can contain the virus," von der Leyen said in a video message, stressing that the measures would be in place for at least 30 days. The Schengen agreement allows the freedom of movement between almost all EU member states without any border control. Over the past week, individual European countries have fully or partially sealed their borders to non-nationals and implemented extra border checks over the pandemic. Von der Leyen made the comments ahead of a video-summit with EU leaders hosted by European Council chief, Charles Michel, in Brussels on Tuesday. France had already on Monday suspended all trips between European and non-European countries. The country went into lockdown to contain the virus spread as the death toll in neighboring Italy jumped to above 2,000. France announces 45bn in business aid French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire on Tuesday unveiled a 50-billion-dollar (45-billion-euro) aid package to help businesses and employees affected by the crisis. "We are going to mobilize 45 billion euros as our first immediate economic assistance to companies," Le Maire told French RTL radio. "We don't want bankruptcies." Warning that the country faced recession this year, the French finance minister said the government was also prepared to use all means to support big companies suffering in financial market turmoil due to the virus spread. Germany bans large gatherings Elsewhere in Europe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday that her country would undertake extraordinary measures by banning large gatherings nationwide, and advised people to cancel any domestic or foreign holiday travel. Media reports said public venues, including bars, leisure facilities, zoos, and playgrounds were closed, and restaurants would have to enforce a minimum distance between tables and work under restricted hours. German schools had already been closed across the country. "These are measures that have never been seen before in our country," Merkel said at a news conference in Berlin. "But they are necessary to reduce the number of illnesses and serious diseases and not to overburden our health system. The better everyone sticks to these rules, the faster we'll get through this phase." Merkel also vowed that the government would make every effort to minimize the economic impact of the outbreak in the European country. Germany has so far reported close to 7,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection, with 14 fatalities. Meanwhile, German media reported on Tuesday that a possible successor to the 65-year-old chancellor had contracted the new coronavirus and was now under quarantine. Friedrich Merz, one of the frontrunners to lead Merkel's center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), was reported by German magazine Der Spiegel to have tested positive for the virus. "A corona test I performed on Sunday is positive. I will be under quarantine at home by the end of next week," Merz was quoted by Der Spiegel as saying. "Fortunately, I have only mild to moderate symptoms. All appointments have been cancelled. I will strictly follow the instructions of the health department." Merz emerged as one of the three promising candidates to lead the CDU after Merkel's preferred successor, former minister of defense Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, resigned late last month. The EU has been ramping up its efforts to coordinate the fight against the virus across all its 27 member states as the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Friday that Europe was now the "epicenter" of the global coronavirus pandemic and was reporting more daily cases than China did at the height of its outbreak. The coronavirus, which causes a respiratory disease known as COVID-19, emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in Hubei Province late last year and is currently affecting more than 160 countries and territories across the globe. It has so far infected over 180,000 people and killed more than 7,400 others. WHO urges Europe to take 'boldest actions' In another development on Tuesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) called on all European countries to take the "boldest actions" against the pandemic. "Europe is the epicenter of the first pandemic of coronavirus and every country, with no exceptions, needs to take their boldest actions to stop or slow the virus spread," Hans Kluge, the WHO regional director for Europe, said during an online news briefing for the media. "These are unprecedented times," he added. "It is important that countries work together, learn from each other and harmonize the efforts." The regional WHO director also stressed that countries needed to assess their own situation in order to decide which measures should be employed, as the outbreak was progressing at different speeds in different countries. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Covid-2 hospital opens at Rome's Columbus hospital on 17 March. Rome has converted the small, private Columbus hospital into 'Covid-2', a centre for treating Coronavirus patients, the first of whom entered the new complex on 17 March, reports Italian news agency ANSA. Following the opening of the new facility, located on the grounds of Rome's Gemelli Policinico, the Lazio Region will open two other hubs to help in the battle against Coronavirus. The third hospital facility, Covid 3, is to open at a private nursing home in Casal Palocco in the south of the capital, while Covid-4 will open at Tor Vergata Policlinico, in the city's south-western suburbs, where an entire tower block will be emptied to accommodate the new hub. The multi-million conversion of Covid-2 was paid for by oil giant ENI, which has set up a 30 million fund to help Italy tackle the Coronavirus emergency. Foundations and entrepreneurs also helped to equip Covid-2: Italian businessman Luca di Montezemolo donated two respiratory machines while the Carla Fendi Foundation gave 100,000 for medical equipment. Lazio regional health councillor Alessio D'Amato said the three new facilities, in addition to the regional hub at Rome's Spallanzani hospital, will bring the total number of beds dedicated to treating Coronavirus throughout the Lazio region to 1,500. The Rome Covid hospitals have a combined total of 550 beds: Spallanzani - Covid-1 (257 beds); Columbus - Covid-2 (133 beds); Roma Sud - Covid-3 (80 beds); Tor Vergata Polyclinic - Covid-4 (80 beds). The move comes as the number of Coronavirus fatalities in Italy surpasses 2,500, with 345 deaths in the last day alone. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Photo: Cindy Ord, Staff / Getty Images Photo: Cindy Ord, Staff / Getty Images Here are 25 virtual destinations to visit from the comfort of your couch. Museums Childrens Museum Houston: Experiments, activities and exhibits will be shared on the museums social-media platforms and will follow a daily virtual-learning broadcast schedule. cmhouston.org Dali Theatre: Museum dedicated to the artist Salvador Dali in his hometown of Figueres, in Catalonia, Spain. salvador-dali.org/en/museums/dali-theatre-museum-in-figueres/visita-virtual National Gallery of Art: The Washington, D.C., museum offers video tours of current exhibitions, in-depth looks at highlights of the collection, online learning opportunities and audio and video recordings of lectures. nga.gov National Womens History Museum: An American history organization that researches, collects and exhibits the contributions of women to the social, cultural, economic and political life of the nation in a context of world history. womenshistory.org/womens-history/online-exhibits The Louvre Museum: The worlds largest art museum and a historic monument in Paris, France, offers virtual tours including Egyptian Antiquities, Remains of the Louvres Moat and Galerie dApollon. louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Museum located in New York City, aka the Met, is the largest art museum in the United States. Current online exhibitions include Sahel: Art and Empires on the Shores of the Sahara and Kent Monkman: mistikosiwak (Wooden Boat People) metmuseum.org Uffizi Gallery: Prominent art museum located adjacent to the Piazza della Signoria in the Historic Centre of Florence in the region of Tuscany, Italy. artsandculture.google.com/partner/uffizi-gallery Van Gogh Museum: The art museum located in Amsterdam is dedicated to the works of Vincent van Gogh and his contemporaries. artsandculture.google.com/partner/van-gogh-museum Zoos and aquariums Explore.org: Known for their live nature cams, wildlife photos and educational films, explore.org is the philanthropic multimedia division of the Annenberg Foundation. explore.org/livecams Georgia Aquarium: The aquariums webcams allow marine life enthusiasts to see live footage of beluga whales, African penguins and the Ocean Voyager, home to thousands of sea animals, including a green sea turtle. georgiaaquarium.org/webcam/ocean-voyager Houston Zoo: The zoos live feed broadcasts from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily and features Asian elephants, giraffes, rhinos and chimpanzees. houstonzoo.org/explore/webcams Monterey Bay Aquarium: Located in Monterey, Calif., viewers can watch penguins, sea otters, sharks, birds, sea turtles and many more ocean animals on exhibit. montereybayaquarium.org/animals-and-exhibits/live-web-cams Reid Park Zoo: The city-owned and operated nonprofit zoo located in Tucson, Az., features zoo cams of elephants, giraffes, lemurs, lions and grizzly bears. reidparkzoo.org/cameras/elephant-cam San Diego Zoo: Features live-streaming videos of the animals in the zoo. kids.sandiegozoo.org/videos Seattle Aquarium: The aquariums live web cams broadcast from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily and feature seals and otters. seattleaquarium.org/live-cams Smithsonians National Zoo: Washington, D.C.s, zoo, commonly known as the National Zoo, is one of the oldest zoos in the United States; their live cams feature naked mole rats, lions, giant pandas and elephants. nationalzoo.si.edu/webcams Zoo Atlanta: Broadcasts the daily lives of the zoos giant pandas. zooatlanta.org/panda-cam Learn about the world AirPano: Features thousands of panoramas and information of more than 300 places of the Earth, including the North Pole, the Antarctic, volcano eruptions and the stratosphere. airpano.com Fullscreen 360: Features 360-degree panoramas and information of iconic destinations around the world. fullscreen360.com Google Arts & Culture: Offers on-the-ground 360-degree views of historic sites from different countries. artsandculture.google.com Great Wall of China: thechinaguide.com/destination/great-wall-of-china NASAs Interactive Exoplanet Exploration: exoplanets.nasa.gov/alien-worlds/exoplanet-travel-bureau Statues in the World by AmazingViz: youtube.com/watch?v=WuLq8MTw-YY Virtual Field Trip to Ellis Island: teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/webcast.htm Yellowstone National Park: nps.gov/yell/learn/photosmultimedia/virtualtours.htm Wuhan eyes no new infections by the end of this week Global Times By Wan Lin Source:Global Times Published: 2020/3/17 20:46:18 Wuhan reported only one new case of coronavirus as of Monday after seeing six consecutive days of single-digit new cases, with top Chinese epidemiologists expecting the new infections in the city to be cleared around the end of the week. Meanwhile, the city continues defending against the coronavirus by requiring all overseas arrivals to Wuhan to undergo a 14-day quarantine at designated places starting Tuesday. Given the city's prospects of clearing the new cases within the border, and strict measures to ward off imported infection risks, Wuhan was described by netizens as the "safest place" in the world against the virus. Starting Tuesday, all overseas visitors and returning nationals to Wuhan will be sent to designated places for a 14-day quarantine, with expenses covered by themselves, according to a notification the Wuhan epidemic prevention and control group issued on Tuesday. The city is expected to ease the epidemic down to zero new infections around March 20, said Li Lanjuan, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and expert with the National Health Commission, in an interview with Chinanews on Monday. This expected date sounds sooner than the one Li noted a week ago, when she said Wuhan would reach zero new infections by the end of March. The promise of zero new infections in Wuhan, the city hit hardest by the coronavirus, seems to bring hope to Chinese netizens. "After going through a painful and tough war against COVID-19, Wuhan has now built an iron wall to guard against potential risks from the outside, with its battle-hardened people inside making efforts to curb the epidemic, which makes the city the safest place in the world," some netizens commented. The daily tally of new cases outside of China climbed to more than 13,000 on Monday. "Wuhan has the best medical resources; its people know more than anybody else about how to prevent and control the epidemic after so many lessons with sweat and tears. The government is now imposing strict measures to protect people from imported viral risks I cannot think of any place in the world that is safer than Wuhan now, even though it was once the most-stricken area," wrote a Wuhan-based netizen on Sina Weibo, China's Twitter-like social media. "The most dangerous place has turned into the safest place" was another typical comment on Wuhan's current situation on Sina Weibo. Despite the optimism of some people, experts maintained a cautious tone by saying it is too soon to jump to the conclusion that Wuhan is safe now. "The city is still under lockdown with thousands of patients in treatment. There is still a long way to go before reaching the"'safe' level," Yang Zhanqiu, deputy director of the Pathogen Biology Department at Wuhan University, told the Global Times on Tuesday. "Shifting from passive to active, Wuhan's current anti-epidemic situation looks more like a temporary victory. But whether the victory will last, we need more time and efforts to achieve that result," Yang said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address As many as 276 Indians have been infected with coronavirus abroad, including 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE and five in Italy, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said the total number of Indians infected by coronavirus is 276 -- 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE, five in Italy, and one each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda and Sri Lanka. 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. 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 detected. People wearing protective masks as a precaution against the spread of the new coronavirus travel on a bus in Caracas, Venezuela. AP Photo Caracas: The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday rejected economically devastated Venezuela's request for a $5 billion loan to help it cope with the onslaught of coronavirus on the country that an aid agency warned is as prepared as war-torn Syria. President Nicolas Maduro made the request earlier Tuesday but, in a statement hours later, the Washington-based institution indirectly cited a dispute over Maduro's leadership in denying his petition. In a letter to IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva, Maduro said a $5 billion loan from the IMF's Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) "will contribute significantly to strengthening our detection and response systems." It was the country's first loan request to the IMF since 2001. "Unfortunately, the Fund is not in a position to consider this request," because there is "no clarity" on international recognition of the country's government, the Washington-based institution said in a statement. "As we have mentioned before, IMF engagement with member countries is predicated on official government recognition by the international community, as reflected in the IMF's membership. There is no clarity on recognition at this time," the statement said. More than 50 countries including the United States have not recognized Maduro for more than a year, after switching allegiance to opposition leader Juan Guaido who declared himself acting president. Guaido branded Maduro a usurper over the president's 2018 re-election in polls widely seen as fraudulent. But US sanctions and other international pressures have failed to dislodge Maduro, who is backed by Venezuela's creditors China and Russia and retains the support of the powerful military. An Aloha High School student has tested positive for novel coronavirus, the Washington County Health Department announced Wednesday. The student, whose name and grade level were not released by the agency, attended class while sick during the week of March 9. Its the second confirmed instance of a student in Washington County contracting coronavirus since a middle schooler in Hillsboro was announced as one of the states first 14 cases. Beaverton district officials in a release said theyre working to track down close contacts of the student infected in Aloha. The students presence at school while sick is of greatest concern not because fellow teens are likely to fall seriously ill but because they could contract and carry the disease while showing little or no symptom. If that were the case, they could unknowingly spread it to close contacts. School officials have also expressed concerns about school employees older than 60 or with underlying medical conditions. The novel coronavirus pandemic has grounded much of Oregon to a halt, including schools. Gov. Kate Brown has ordered the states public schools to remain shuttered until April 28. Thats four weeks longer than an initial mandate that came after superintendents across Oregon relayed their troubles keeping buildings staffed as fears mounted among teachers and substitutes in vulnerable demographic groups. Brown also ordered the states restaurants to suspend dining room operations and only fulfill takeout and delivery orders and banned gatherings of 25 or more people. As of Tuesday night, three of the states confirmed cases in Washington County were children younger than 17. State officials on Wednesday said Oregon has 75 confirmed cases of coronavirus and three deaths. Paris, March 18, 2020 - The Fiscal 2020 1st half landing to be published on April 9, 2020 is expected to be in line with internal forecasts and aligned with the Fiscal 2020 annual guidance. The COVID-19 pandemic started to be a concern in the second half of January for our business in China, leading to a rapid deterioration worldwide in February, moving from region to region and generating more and more government precautionary measures to limit the spread of the virus. Sodexo is coordinating globally, regionally and locally to manage its business continuity and pandemic plans to support and protect its employees and consumers across all of its geographies. The health and safety of Sodexo employees and consumers is our utmost priority. Sodexo has reinforced the existing rules for food safety, personal hygiene and infection control. As the situation is an evolving one, Sodexo teams are adhering to guidelines of health advisories and local authorities and will continue to closely monitor the situation. Sodexo is also mobilized to ensure business continuity and results through a set of rigorous actions: Precise and proactive management of our workforce to adapt to the rapidly changing contexts; Strict management of our cash position (focusing on client receivables and delaying Capex spend); Close proximity to our supply chain to ensure business continuity and flexibility; Rigorous follow-up on the execution of our services with strong contract management; Strict management of our SG&A; Close monitoring of all possible relief from authorities on direct and indirect taxes, social charges and employee relief funds. The first half figures include a mild shortfall in revenues in China and Italy due to COVID-19 that we have been able to absorb. As much as we have the systems and granularity of reporting to identify with precision the impact of COVID-19 ex post, it is too early to assess the different situations and their impact moving forward. This is due to the variety of situations we are facing, decline in traffic, full or partial closure of sites, and variability between sites, countries and regions. Currently, On-Site Services are impacted as follows: Education segment, where we are experiencing government-imposed closures but also voluntary closures such as in the USA Business & Administrations segment Sports & Leisure where stadiums, cultural destinations, airline lounges and conference centers are experiencing severe scaling down or full closures; Corporate Services where we see many clients shutting down their plants or offices or asking their employees to work from home Energy & Resources and Government & Agencies have also been thus far only somewhat impacted even though we are experiencing a reduction in traffic due to fewer external visitors and home working. Healthcare and Seniors segment is currently impacted mildly in comparison to the others, and we are adapting rapidly to the demand of our clients in a very critical but stressful environment. As for Benefits & Rewards Services, it is too early to have any visibility on the effect of the crisis. At this stage, it is too early to determine the impact that these combined factors may have on the Group's second half results. Based on the last few weeks' observations in China, Italy, France and the USA we can see that for each 100M of revenue decline the impact on underlying operating profit is around -30% depending on the country and the segment. We are currently running a full bottom-up forecast exercise based on closures and revised traffic estimates and will provide an update on April 9th along with our H1 results. Currently, early estimates, given the many moving parts, could be for an impact of around 2 billion euro on annual revenues. While we remain confident on our strong market and financial position, and the midterm positive perspectives and potential of Sodexo, we have no other choice at this stage but to suspend our guidance confirmed in January until the situation stabilizes. About Sodexo Founded in Marseille in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo is the global leader in services that improve Quality of Life, an essential factor in individual and organizational performance. Operating in 67 countries, Sodexo serves 100 million consumers each day through its unique combination of On-site Services, Benefits and Rewards Services and Personal and Home Services. Sodexo provides clients an integrated offering developed over more than 50 years of experience: from foodservices, reception, maintenance and cleaning, to facilities and equipment management; from services and programs fostering employees' engagement to solutions that simplify and optimize their mobility and expenses management, to in-home assistance, child care centers and concierge services. Sodexo's success and performance are founded on its independence, its sustainable business model and its ability to continuously develop and engage its 470,000 employees throughout the world. Sodexo is included in the CAC 40, FTSE 4 Good and DJSI indices. Key figures (as of August 31, 2019) 22 billion euro in consolidated revenues 470,000 employees 19thlargest private employer worldwide 67 countries 100 million consumers served daily 7.7 billion euro in market capitalization (as of March 17, 2020) Contacts Investor Relations Media Virginia Jeanson Te. : +33 1 57 75 80 56 virginia.jeanson@sodexo.com (mailto:virginia.jeanson@sodexo.com) Mathieu Scaravetti Tel : +33 6 28 62 21 91 mathieu.scaravetti@sodexo.com (mailto:mathieu.scaravetti@sodexo.com) Attachment Sony will finally be revealing more details about the upcoming PlayStation 5 via a livestream later today. It is the first time since CES that Sony will be talking about the new console. Mark Cerny, the PS5s lead system architect is expected to explain the PS5s hardware in detail and how it will shape the future of games. The presentation was originally scheduled for Games Developer Conference, however, the event was cancelled due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Tomorrow at 9am Pacific Time, PS5 lead system architect Mark Cerny will provide a deep dive into PS5s system architecture, and how it will shape the future of games. Watch tomorrow at PlayStation Blog: https://t.co/bgP1rXMeC8 pic.twitter.com/BSYX9tOYhE PlayStation (@PlayStation) March 17, 2020 Sony: Youtube The livestream will begin at 9:00 AM PT/12:00PM ET on 18th March which is 9:30 PM IST tonight. The presentation will be live-streamed on the PlayStation Blog and will give us a first real look at the console and its capabilities. The move comes after Microsoft revealed almost everything about the Xbox Series X yesterday. Both consoles will use SSDs and are based on AMDs Zen 2 and RDNA 2 architectures. Sony is expected to focus on some features of the console including load times of games and high frame rate/resolution performance of games on the PlayStation 5. Cerny is also expected to show off more details about the consoles user interface and other features that have been previously unknown. Sony: Youtube A lot of the information on the PlayStation 5 is already known, thanks to leaks and rumours but theres still a fair amount we dont know of. For starters, we dont know what the console looks like and how much it will cost. We dont know any features of the controller and how many models Sony is planning to launch. Are you excited to know more about the console later today? Let us know in the comments what you think about the PlayStation 5 so far. London-based former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko, 40, has revealed she's 'feeling better' three days after announcing she had tested positive for coronavirus. The Quantum Of Solace star took to Instagram on Wednesday to give her 615K followers an update on her health, sharing that her 'fever has gone' just one day after she was refused a hospital bed with a temperature of 102F (38.9C). Posting a picture of herself wearing a green medical mask and a collection of vitamin bottles, she penned: 'Hello everyone! Im feeling better today. My fever is gone! I hear people cant figure out where I currently am. Im in London! Update: London-based former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko, 40, has revealed she's 'feeling better' three days after announcing she had tested positive for coronavirus 'How do I know its coronavirus and not just a flu? I did a test for coronavirus which came back positive. What are the medicines that doctors prescribed as treatment? NONE! 'I was told to take paracetamol in case my fever was too high and if I was in too much pain. However, I do take vitamins and supplements.' Olga went on to reveal she is taking pantothenic acid (B5), vitamin E, vitamin C, curcumin (turmeric) and zinc to help her immune system, although she stressed: 'Please note that these vitamins do NOT cure coronavirus.' The star also added that is using colloidal silver and cell food, but urged her 615K followers to be 'careful' before taking as they are not suitable for everyone. Bond girl: The Quantum Of Solace star took to Instagram on Wednesday to give her 615K followers an update on her health, sharing that her 'fever has gone' just one day after she was refused a hospital bed with a temperature of 102F (38.9C) (pictured in 2008 film still) It comes after Olga revealed on Monday that 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 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. The UK government is telling people with suspected virus symptoms to self-isolate at home, which Olga is now doing. Fever: It comes after Olga revealed on Monday that she was refused a hospital bed for coronavirus treatment because the wards are 'full' of patients 'struggling with life' A day after revealing her condition, the actress posted to Instagram on Monday 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 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 added that it was 'impossible to know' where she contracted coronavirus, but fears it may have been from a taxi door handle. Isolation: 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' (pictured) '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.' On Tuesday, 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. Scary: 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 (pictured in October) 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'. Olga 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. Stunning: The mother-of-one originally rose to fame as a model after being discovered in Moscow at the age 13 (pictured in October) Olga 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. Based on the latest evidence of the spread of Covid-19, the National Public Health Emergency Team recommended that Ireland move to the Delay Phase on Thursday, March 12. The delay phase is designed to interrupt the transmission of the Covid-19 virus, by advising reductions on social interactions. This phase requires a community effort, every citizen acting responsibly in order to protect our vulnerable and elderly members of society. We would like to assure you that the hospitals across the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group /RCSI Hospital Group /Ireland East Hospital Group and Community Healthcare CHO 7 and CHO 8 are working together to ensure that we are as prepared as possible to manage the current Covid-19 Crisis. The hospital and community services are implementing all of the advice provided by the National Public Health Emergency Team and the HSEs Covid-19 Oversight Group. The main objective in the current phase is to limit and slow down the spread of the virus, to keep the number of affected people to a minimum and reduce peak pressure on the health service. Dublin Midlands Hospital Group/RCSI Hospital Group/Ireland East Hospital Group We are working closely with the teams in Public Health, Microbiology and Infection Control and have the necessary plans in place to accommodate patients admitted with Covid-19 infection. We will continue to review and amend our plans as the situation evolves, in line with national guidance. All of the hospitals and community healthcare settings have introduced visiting restrictions in the interests of patient care and as an additional infection control measure. CORONAVIRUS UPDATE: What happened over the weekend #Covid19 To free up capacity in our hospitals, we will be reducing the number of inpatient, day case, outpatient and diagnostic appointments and procedures over the coming weeks. We will be contacting patients directly in relation to their appointment or procedure. Up to date information on hospital service disruptions and visiting restrictions (Covid-19) is available here. Community Healthcare At this time of crisis, Community Services are committed and engaged in supporting our Hospital Group partners and others within our communities and geographic areas. Staff across all disciplines are coming together to mobilise every community resource available to provide services as close to our service users as possible Right Care in the Right Place at the Right time. As from today, there are a number of Testing Centres established around the country. The testing is done by appointment only following referral by a GP or Public Health professional. The decision to be referred for a test is a clinical decision. There is no self-referral or walk-ins. The results of the tests will be provided as soon as possible but during this period you should continue to self-isolate. Realistically, the timeline from referral to testing to results will be two to three days but all parts of the HSE are committed to progressing this as soon as possible. National Update As of today, March 16, the total number of confirmed cases in the Republic of Ireland is 169. You will be aware that information relating to the precise location of these cases is not being released by the Department of Health in order to protect patient confidentiality; however the HSE rapidly works to identify any contacts the patients may have had, to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread. It is important throughout this situation that we ensure patient confidentiality is maintained as would be the case for any patient within a hospital setting. The Taoiseach last week announced a set of actions that the HSE will undertake. These include: Strengthening public health capacity for contact tracing and response. Freeing up as much space as possible in hospitals, and in particular ensuring maximum capacity in intensive care and high-dependency units. Developing and scaling community-based responses, such as home testing, remote management of mild to moderately ill patients at home and the provision of dedicated Covid-19 services outside hospitals. Continuing to build and galvanise community awareness and preventative actions. Increasing capacity in the health service, through increased staffing, overtime and redeployment. The opening of additional acute and critical care capacity and the restriction of elective capacity. Increasing the capacity of the National Ambulance Service. Centralised procurement of additional essential equipment, such as Personal Protective Equipment, ventilation equipment, dialysis equipment, portable radiography equipment and additional fleet for community care. Greater use of technology and telephone support. The HSE website (www.hse.ie) is updated daily with information that answers many of the questions the public may have. This includes: Symptoms, causes and treatment of coronavirus At-risk groups and coronavirus How to protect yourself and others Self-isolation and self-quarantine It is very important that everyone follows the advice provided by the HSE in relation to continuously observing good hand hygiene practice and respiratory etiquette when coughing or sneezing. Read also: HSE approved ways to protect yourself and others against the Coronavirus We are particularly aware that older people may have additional concerns and worries about the spread of this disease. To ensure they have access to the information they need, Alone has established an information helpline at 0818 222 024. To limit the spread of Covid19 people should; practice social distancing and avoid crowded places, wash their hands properly and often, cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when they cough or sneeze, clean and disinfect frequently touched surface, stay at home if they are sick to avoid spread of whatever infection they have. The public should go to the HSE website in the first instance if they are concerned about Covid-19. Comprehensive information about Coronavirus/ Covid-19 is available at www.hse.ie. Websites are being updated daily; for the latest information about Covid-19 please see: Photo credit: Getty Images From ELLE Five years after the breakdown of his ten-year marriage to Jennifer Garner, Ben Affleck indicated that he had moved on romantically in 2020. This wasn't the actor's first relationship since Garner - who is also the mother of his three children Violet, Seraphina and Samuel - but it was the first time we've seen him with another actress: Ana de Armas. However, a year later and it appears that the couple have called it quits, symbolised by a cardboard cut out of Armas left outside Affleck's home in the rubbish... Here's what we know: Have Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas broken up? On January 18, reports surfaced that after a year together Affleck and de Armas have gone their separate ways. According to People, the split is 'amicable' and 'mutual' with the couple seemingly wanted different things, with De Armas not wanting to be based in Los Angeles, where Affleck is partly due to the proximity to his three children. 'They are in different points in their lives; there is deep love and respect there,' a source added. Photo credit: BG004/Bauer-Griffin - Getty Images De Armas has been seen publicly once since the split was announced, appearing in a video call interview where she sported a very Pulp Fiction-esque choppy bob haircut. Shortly after the reports surfaced, the Mail Online then shared photos reportedly taken outside Affleck's home showing a cut-out of De Armas in the bin and some rubbish collectors struggling to dispose of the cardboard cut-out. Last summer, following a streak of paparazzi photos of the former couple, Affleck and De Armas appeared to troll photographers by using that very same cut out to stage it outside the Argo actor's LA home. Is this latest move part of another method to troll photographers with Affleck predicting the incoming media attention with news of the split? Who knows, but the symbolic picture certainly feels very meta. How Did Ben Affleck And Ana De Armas Meet? Ana Celia de Armas Caso, a 32-year-old actress of Cuban-Spanish heritage, has risen to prominence over the past few years successfully transitioning to Hollywood following her career beginnings on Spanish language films. The actress starred as the sympathetic healthcare worker in 2019's Knives Out with Daniel Craig, Chris Evans and Toni Collette (among other huge Hollywood names) and will appear in the upcoming James Bond movie, No Time To Die - which has been significantly delayed by the Coronavirus pandemic. Story continues Photo credit: Daniele Venturelli - Getty Images It is believed Affleck and De Armas met playing a married couple in the upcoming thriller film called Deep Water. The plot consists of 'a well-to-do husband who allows his wife to have affairs in order to avoid a divorce becomes a prime suspect in the disappearance of her lovers.' The film is expected to be released in 2021. Were Ben Affleck And Ana De Armas 'Official'? Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas went Instagram Official with a social media post to celebrate the Bond actor's 32nd birthday. The star shared several snaps from her big day with her boyfriend which appears to have been marked in a romantic desert retreat if the isolated location is anything to go by. In one picture, the actors wrap their arms around each other in the sunshine while another sees them cuddled up at sunset. Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes and love! Cheers to another great year, she captioned the selection of photos. On the day, it appears the Knives Out star was treated to a chocolate cake decorated with gold candles and a 3-2 candle, as well as received a Happy Birthday tiara from her boyfriend. The actress was also gifted balloons and banners, which were placed around the living room of their desert abode. She later shared a video of herself hitting a pinata with Affleck encouraging her, shouting 'yes' when she hit the papier mache container with force. Were They Been Seen Out On Many Dates? One of the first sightings of the pair came when they were spotted on a beach in Costa Rica. The Paparazzi captured them on an intimate stroll, with De Armas in a rust coloured halter dress an Affleck placing his arm affectionately around her hip. Photo credit: BACKGRID According to multiple sources, however, this was not the first holiday for the pair. Reportedly, the pair jetted off on a romantic getaway to Havana, Cuba, earlier in March. A source told People that they were spotted kissing in the airport, before hopping on a private jet bound for De Arnas' ancestral home. After returning from their aforementioned trip, De Armas shared a selection of pictures from her recent holiday including snaps of her paddling on the beach and a golden hour close up. In a comment on the photo - which was quickly screen-grabbed by the @commentsbycelebs Instagram account - Affleck seemingly confirmed his new status as an Instagram boyfriend by writing on the post: 'Photo credit pls [sic]'. Credit where credit is due, we guess? As mentioned, over the summer, the couple were seen out and about a lot, grabbing breakfast and drinks together, walking their dogs and with Affleck's three children. Photo credit: BG004/Bauer-Griffin - Getty Images Did Ana de Armas and Ben Affleck publicly speak about each other? Ana De Armas spoke publicly of her relationship with Ben Affleck, but it was more to congratulate him for his acting chops, rather than his skill at romance. In an interview that she gave to coincide with Vogue Spain's April cover, she spoke about her actor beau: 'The first time we read the scenes together, it became pretty clear he was going to do something exceptional with a very complex role. His character is the engine of the story and requires him to move between tragedy and irony or between realism and the most absurd comedy.' 'Not only does he know how to do it with ease, he also manages to surprise you in every shot. His talent is infinite.' Does Ben Affleck Have A Secret Instagram Account? Affleck and de Armas girlfriend might post regularly on their official Instagram accounts but little did we think the Fargo actor might have a secret account. On Thursday June 4, writer Kelsey Weekman shared a screenshot of an account that she believes is run by the Batman actor in addition to his official account, @benaffleck, which has more than 4.3 million followers. i found ben affleck's finsta pic.twitter.com/eYwXQ0AymD kelsey weekman (@kelsaywhat) June 4, 2020 According to the now not-so-secret page, the account which functions under the handle @positiveattitudehunting is followed by two celebrities including de Armas and his ex wife Jennifer Garner. The account has a third follower but it is unclear who might run that account. i was checking to see if he and ana de armas follow each other on Instagram and i found a suspicious account she's following under the name "ben" and there's just... no way this isn't him kelsey weekman (@kelsaywhat) June 4, 2020 The profile picture of Afflecks rumoured account is that of him and the James Bond actress kissing and the handle is believed to refer to his 1997 Oscar-winning film Good Will Hunting. Just a dad who sometimes makes movies, reads the accounts bio, along with the link to the non-profit organisation Eastern Congo Initiative, which the star is a supporter of. The find has many of his fans congratulating Weekman on her investigative skills. Kelsey !!!!!!! Brilliant investigative work Skye (@skyepayyyne) June 4, 2020 Thank you so much for this Carrie Wittmer (@carriesnotscary) June 4, 2020 Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox. SIGN UP You Might Also Like BURLEY Seeing two clowns outside your window might scare some people. But for residents at the Parke View Rehabilitation and Care Center who are locked down because of the COVID-19 outbreak, it was a welcome surprise on Monday, March 16. Alice and Wayne Schenk of Rupert were the clowns at least for the day. They dressed in multi-colored wigs and funky glasses in an attempt to uplift the spirits of Irene Myers, Alices 88-year-old mother, and other nursing home residents through their room windows. They jumped around, waved and smiled, while a staff member opened the blinds in the rooms. They looked like clowns, Myers said as she recounted the incident on Tuesday. Alice is always doing something fun. Myers said her friend, Betty, who lives across the hall from her, also saw them through a window. Myers is keeping busy during the restriction period, which includes keeping six feet away from other residents, by reading books, including her Bible. Im used to being alone, she said. But I hope this gets over quickly for all the other people. Corwin Lewis, executive director at the care center, told the Times-News in an email that anything community members can do that brings light and joy to the residents will be a great thing, like writing letters, drawing pictures, sending cards or posting videos. Alice Schenk said people need to realize that many items sent to the facility, even letters or cards, will be quarantined for a period of time before they are given to residents. Schenk, who teaches the College of Southern Idaho Over 60 & Getting Fit classes in Rupert, said she was notified that those classes are canceled at all locations until fall but she wasnt expecting the nursing home visitor restrictions. She said she feels grateful that she visited her mother last Thursday before the restrictions were placed. It caught me off guard, I dont know why, she said. I understand the residents are an at-risk population and it can be life-threatening. But the ripple effects are huge. The news, she said, was gut-wrenching. It made me so sad because these people so look forward to having company, she said. She got the idea of dressing like a clown after seeing a photo of someone else in Seattle who did a nursing home window visit. God is the ultimate creator, but weve also been given a measure of creativity, she said about her plan, which she dubbed Operation: Visit Mother. It blessed our hearts and was a fun way to encourage them, she said. Alice Schenk said Wayne, who is also a Minidoka County commissioner, joined her mission. He does a lot of fun things with me, she said. She enlisted the help of a staff member to make sure some of the residents had their blinds which are usually closed open at 4:30 p.m. She also sent flowers and cards to all the residents in her mothers wing at the center, which were put in quarantine until deemed safe. We do want to be cautious, Alice Schenk said. C laims that dolphins and swans have "returned" to the canals of Venice following the city's coronavirus lockdown are false. A viral tweet showing pictures of animals reclaiming the city's waterways, which are clearer than usual after a slowdown in boat traffic, have been found to be untrue. National Geographic reported that the original tweet, which has since hit one million likes, was posted Kaveri Ganapathy Ahuja who lives in New Delhi, India. She said when she posted the photos she was unaware that the swans were already regulars in Burano, a small island in the greater Venice metropolitan area. Footage of "Venetian" dolphins were actually filmed hundreds of miles away in Sardinia, National Geographic reported. Earlier this month, Italian Prime Minister Conte ordered a country-wide shutdown forbidding people to leave their homes except for work, health and emergency reasons. The popular tourist destination has also seen a drop in air pollution since early January. Footage from the European Space Agency shows a drop in nitrogen dioxide over the past two months, which it says coincides with the nationwide lockdown. 18.03.2020 LISTEN For the past few weeks, tensions have escalated, fears have taken hold of many of us. Universities are closing down, including top universities in the world. Social distancing has led to the cancellation of all social gatherings, including congregational church service. Churches that have not closed for centuries have been called to close down. We are almost living in an era of apocalyptic uncertainty. In response, technology has proven ambivalently helpful. While the virus has indeed gone viral because of advanced technology in traveling, technology has helped us to move from offline to online activities. Certainly, our transition from offline to online relations will have serious implications for our social and psychological health. But the times we live in demand such a transition to the virtual world. The world is undergoing intense stress that reveals that we are not in control. Unprecedented technological advancement in the twenty-first century had convinced the materialist and post-religious world that we were in control. When news about the virus broke, almost every leader calmed and quelled the fears of their citizens with the promise, "we are in control." In Cambridge, we were told that the university is fully prepared to handle the virus. But, we were/are not in control. We needed an invisible hand. But the rapacious spread of the virus, defying national boundaries and territorial spaces, has confirmed the fact that we are not in control. The ability of the virus to defy all that we know could stop its spread bespeaks the need for someone with a superior power to arrest and possibly kill the virus. At this point, many world leaders will gladly welcome a human hero or heroine who, with the fiat of a magic wand, can stop the virus. This reminds me of a magical expression a friend told my friend and me when we were studying for our MPhil degree in African Studies at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, in 2009. This friend, who was a driver of one of the professors at the Institute said to me and my colleague, Kofi Atsu Semanu Adzei that if we were ever late in catching a bus/trotro to anywhere, we should just repeatedly recite the words, On together. We will just find out that the bus/trotro will be held to a stop by a supernatural power until we get on board. Certainly, Atsu and I considered these magical words as part of the collective figment of imaginations to control the world that humans share. But since living in England and knowing the importance of time, I have sometimes unconsciously whispered On together whenever I was just about missing a bus or a train. Indeed, as humans, when we are faced with lifes vicissitudes, we are most likely going to appeal to the supernatural. The supernatural could be anything, including technology, which promises to provide an unimaginable answer. The fear that has shaped reports and discourse about the coronavirus is not so much about the potentials the virus is invested with as it is about our fear of the reality that we are not in control. As I have said above, the unprecedented advances in technology, through eugenics and Artificial intelligence, created the impression that we could exercise mimetic desire against God. In many cases, most of us became convinced that God was irrelevant in the world. We bracketed the world out of the control of God. Through the refraction of "modern" universities and its anthropocentric disciplines from archaeology to zoology, we propounded theories and concepts that demanded that we reason against revelation. Ethics was reshaped. We adopted postmodernism to relativize everything. We also encouraged poststructuralism to challenge conventions, including religious institution. But in our mimetic desire to be god, the coronavirus has just rubbed in our face that we are not God. We are simply mortal that cannot get out of the quagmire of the limitations that sin and the ultimate reality have imposed on us. But it is important to state that one of the greatest drivers of the fear about the virus is the fear of death. Yesterday, I had the unpleasant and reluctant duty of writing a tribute in memory of Mr. Japheth Roberts, an alumnus of the University of Cambridge - 2018, who was breathing with life, hope, and confidence in shaping the world. As a person with an unfettered interest in conservation, Japheth took a second masters degree in conversation studies in Cambridge. But, alas, God considered it worth to call him home. He left behind a wife, parents, and a sister. Just today, news reached me that my friend, Dr Ken Kafui, has also responded to the heavenly call. I got to know Dr Kafui in 2001 when, as a senior high graduate and teacher, I had the duty of helping the school (Hightech Preparatory School, Adjiringanor, East Legon-Accra) where I was teaching to organise a music concert for the pupils and teachers. I was captivated by his songs, which significantly contributed to choral music in Ghana. Later in 2003 when I worked temporarily as a photocopier at the Music Department of the University of Ghana, I usually sneaked in to watch students performing with his music. But if you are a Christian, do not dread death. Death is actually the worst thing that leads to the best thing that will ever happen to us. Paul was convinced that death was the necessary entry point into eternal bliss. We have a saviour who became the first fruit of resurrection and has assured us of eternal bliss. We do know that much as death is painful, because it leads to eternal social distancing, we have a saviour who has promised to redeem death to His glory. Death will lead us into eternal bliss. We are not without hope. We live every moment in life, knowing that death will only help us shed mortality (wrapped in conditional immortality) to take permanent immortality. We are not bothered by the threat of death that coronavirus would bring, because we are sure of the glory that death will bring to us. When we breathe our last breath on earth, we take our first and fresh breath in eternal bliss. When we shut our eyes on earth, we shall have our eyes restored as we behold Jesus Christ, whom we have always longed. But until the Lord's expresses His will in terms of how we exit this world, I propose the need for the disintegration of some binaries to deal with the COVID-19. These binaries are religion and politics, sacred and secular, and material and immaterial. Since the nineteenth centuries, humanistic and rationalistic inkling has deprived the world of the supernatural. We bracketed the world from the control of God. And even when we thought about God, we had a deistic perspective, where we conceived an image of a god who has withdrawn from his creation. With such an attitude and arrogance, we have reduced everything divine to the realm of stupidity. We make a mockery of God and treat any recourse to the ultimate reality in the face of the crisis with ridicule and contempt. But as Christians, we remain unfazed by all forms of ridicule and criticism. We are calling for the breaking of binaries to encourage the restoration of the union between reason and faith, science and theology to deal with the crisis at hand and any possible future crisis. We encourage our scientists to keep working hard, even as we call upon our spiritual leaders pastors, evangelists, prophets, and missionaries all over the world to lift a prayer unto the Lord. For hope is in sight. At this point, I wish to encourage any family that has lost a relative or dear one to the virus to remain hopeful in the Lord that death is simply an entry to the world of bliss to the Christian. Satyagraha Charles Prempeh ([email protected]), African University College of Communications, Accra All medical students at the University of Nebraska Medical Center have been suspended from participating in clinical activities, a university official said Wednesday. Dr. Kelly Caverzagie, UNMCs associate dean for educational strategy, announced the decision to medical faculty and students via email Tuesday evening. The decision came after a recommendation from the Association of American Medical Colleges. Clinical training and direct patient care are the foundations of medical education, Caverzagie said in a statement. Our suspension of this training is a serious matter and not something that we took lightly. The rapidly progressing pandemic and the effect it is having, and will continue to have, on the educational experience of students has been profound. According to Kaiser Health, the rationale is to protect both students and patients from getting sick and to reserve personal protective equipment, including masks, that may be in short supply. New Delhi, March 18 : Amid the spread of misinformation about COVID-19 on social media platforms, WhatsApp on Wednesday launched a Coronavirus Information Hub and announced a $1 million donation to the Poynter Institute's International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN). Launched in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and UNDP, the WhatsApp Coronavirus Information Hub is designed to provide simple, actionable guidance for health workers, educators, community leaders, nonprofits, local governments and local businesses that rely on WhatsApp to communicate. It will also offer general tips and resources for users around the world to reduce the spread of rumours. The Facebook-owned instant messaging platform now supports over two billion users globally. With over 400 million users, India is WhatsApp's biggest market. The $1 million grant to the IFCN will support fact-checking for the #CoronaVirusFacts Alliance, which spans more than 100 local organisations in at least 45 countries. "We know that our users are reaching out on WhatsApp more than ever at this time of crisis, whether it's to friends and loved ones, doctors to patients, or teachers to students. We wanted to provide a simple resource that can help connect people at this time," Will Cathcart, Head of WhatsApp, said in a statement. "We are also pleased to be able to partner with the Poynter Institute to help grow the amount of fact-checking organisations on WhatsApp and to support their life saving work to debunk rumours. We will also continue to work directly with health ministries around the world for them to provide updates right within WhatsApp," he added. WhatsApp said it is working with the WHO and UNICEF to provide messaging hotlines for people around the world to use directly. These hotlines will provide reliable information and will be listed on the WhatsApp Coronavirus Information Hub. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) The restrictions might be extended if it is necessary Ursula von der Leyen Open source The European Union plans to close the border for all minor travels due to the coronavirus pandemic. It will give priority for the transport necessary for the support of the economy as European Commission Head Ursula von der Leyen reported on Twitter. She stated that the European Commission wants to amend the border regime of the community and presented proper restrictions. Particularly, the priority at the EU borders will be given to the transport necessary for the support of the continuity of the economy. Moreover, the temporary restriction for minor travels to the EU is imposed for 30 days. According to von der Leyen, the restrictions might be extended if it is necessary. However, they will not spread on the long-term residents of the EU, members of the families of the EU citizens and diplomats. Besides, there are exceptions for doctors, nurses and experts who help to fight coronavirus. 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. A woman said it 'would be great' to work with Alex Salmond again - a year after she alleges he attempted to rape her, a court has heard. The former First Minister of Scotland, 65, faces allegations of 13 sexual offences against nine women, all of which he denies. Salmond claims he had a 'consensual sexual liaison' with one complainer, known as Woman H. But he denies attempting to rape her at the First Minister's official residence in Edinburgh, following a dinner in June 2014 - claiming he was not there. A businesswoman told the High Court in the Scottish capital today she did not recall seeing Woman H 'at any point during that evening'. The company director said she was not drinking at the event, but a bottle of wine was served to the table where she, Salmond, and another guest were sat. When Alex Prentice QC suggested the complainer had been at the dinner, the witness replied: 'I understand the police put that to me and I absolutely have no recollection of seeing (her) on that night.' The court heard the complainer had been one of Salmond's biggest 'cheerleaders' until he failed to help her with a political project and had been left 'annoyed'. Salmond faces allegations of 13 sexual offences against nine women, all of which he denies On Wednesday, jurors were shown a text message exchange between Woman H and former SNP MP Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh in a discussion about the project. Part of one message sent by the complainer in June 2015 - a year after the alleged attempted rape - read: 'Would be great to be working with him again.' The court also heard from Salmond's former principal private secretary, who described working with him as a 'privilege and a penance'. Karen Watt, who held the post between 2009 and 2012, said the former SNP leader had been a politician 'at the top of his game'. 'I have described my time working with him as a privilege and a penance. It was very exacting, very fast-paced, also very tough,' she said. 'You needed to be quite resilient.' She told the High Court: 'He could be very demanding, he would expect people to be on their mark, on top of their game. 'He could be quite fierce if things weren't as they should be.' Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh arrives for a hearing in Perth, January 2019. Texts exchanged between her and Woman H in June 2015 - one year after the alleged incident - were shown to jurors Salmond's lawyers previously lodged special defences of consent and alibi at the High Court (pictured, the former SNP leader arrives at the High Court in Edinburgh with supporters) Gordon Jackson QC and Shelagh McCall QC are representing Salmond at the High Court Salmond faces allegations of 13 sexual offences against nine women, all of which he denies Salmond's former chief of staff Geoff Aberdein also told the court he spoke with a complainer, who claims the accused sexually assaulted her. Mr Aberdein added she did not indicate she would be involved in proceedings against him. Another witness said the former SNP leader was a 'tactile, touchy-feely' kind of person, and 'old-fashioned' - but did not act inappropriately. Ex-deputy private secretary Lorraine Kay said she had been alone with Salmond a 'number of times' and was unaware of any policy that would prevent such a scenario. The court previously heard that female civil servants had been stopped from working with him in Bute House alone during the evening after two alleged sexual assaults. Alexander Anderson, who worked with Salmond for over a decade, said he had not seen him assault anyone at Stirling Castle in 2014 or Woman A in Glasgow in 2008. 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. The trial, before judge Lady Dorrian, continues. But other chains like TJX, the owner of T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, Kohls and Starbucks remained open as of Wednesday morning, putting their employees many of them relatively low-paid hourly workers at potential risk. Gap stores were also open, although they planned to close on Thursday. The retail industry has endured a recent raft of bankruptcies and closures, as well as the pressure of new tariffs in the past year. It makes the prospect of losing weeks of business to the coronavirus even more chilling for many stores. But staying open has also caused anxiety for their employees. Nevin Muni, who works part time at a T.J. Maxx in Queens, went to work on Tuesday in the stock room. She was given extra hours because a few other workers had called in sick, but the store was mostly empty. Many people are scared, Ms. Muni said. An employee who answered the phone early Wednesday afternoon said the store would be open until 8 p.m. TJX and Kohls did not respond to requests for comment. This crisis is really shining a light on inequality across our nation and economy, said Liz Dunn, the founder of Pro4ma, a retail analytics company. Even as some people gripe about working from home, she said, a lot of people cant, and its likely theyre a lot more vulnerable in terms of what an economic downtown will do to their ability to feed their family and keep themselves housed. A worker at Sing Sing Correctional Facility has tested positive for the coronavirus. Officials working at the jail are trying to trace who else came in contact with the employee at the maximum-security prison in Westchester County, north of New York City. Two others people in state custody have been tested for COVID-19 with the results still pending. An employee at the notorious Sing Sing state prison in Westchester County tested positive for the coronavirus, setting off fears the virus could spread The New York Corrections Department said it is following health protocols and guidelines. Sing Sing is a maximum-security prison housing about 1,300 inmates. Jermaine Archer, who is serving 22 years to life in Sing Sing for second-degree murder, spoke to NBC News by phone and spoke of fears over a possible outbreak at the jail. 'People are really worried. I haven't seen people,' Archer said. 'I was still in Sing Sing for 9/11, and I remember that, and people have the same looks on their faces when I walk by. 'It's more like concern and worry, like helplessness,' Archer continued. 'What can we do with someone else's mercy? The biggest concern, again, is what is the contingency plan?' The state Department of Corrections confirmed Tuesday night that the worker tested positive, but that no inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 'It's impossible, absolutely impossible, because right now there's no visitors, so we have to use the phones,' Archer said. 'You've got to wipe it down between every person. Guys have to use the kiosk machine to send out emails. Guys have to touch the trays in the mess halls to eat. Guys have to touch their cell bars. Guys have to hand their ID cards to staff.' 'This is going to be absolutely catastrophic inside prisons, particularly with the U.S. having an aging population,' said Bianca Tylek, executive director of Worth Rises, a nonprofit advocacy organization focused on prison labor. 'The circumstances for folks who are incarcerated are remarkably grave.' The Corrections Department has banned all visitations at New York correctional facilities until April 11 'to prevent additional spread of infectious viral transmission of COVID-19 in both correctional facilities and the community writ large.' 'I have pretty grave concerns,' Dr. Homer Venters said to NBC. 'Patients will get sick in these places and will not be adequately monitored.' Dr Venters was a former chief medical officer of New York City Correctional Health Services and noted that prisons contained a 'high level of filth and squalor'. 'Jails and prisons may actually drive this epidemic curve up,' he explained. 'These are places that can serve as reservoirs or accelerators of an outbreak.' Legal Aid Society's Tina Luongo said: '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.' 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 On Monday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva 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. '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. 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. '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.' TAMPA, Fla.Officials at Clips4Sale have issued a statement to content producers on the platform. The statement is as follows: In these times of uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, we wanted to update you on the status of Clips4Sale. To those who have concerns, Clips4Sale is running business as usual, and we anticipate very little to zero impact going forward. Payouts will be processed normally by the seventh of each month and support hours remain the same: 24/7, should you need assistance. Fortunately, in these circumstances, Clips4Sale as a company is staffed remotelymeaning the large majority of our staff work from home. Our staff have also been advised on how best to avoid contracting the virus, i.e. regular hand washing, social distancing, regular sterilization of surfaces etc. In terms of our attendance at trade shows, our schedule this year remains unchanged, with our first attendance scheduled for Exxxotica Washington, D.C., in June. We are monitoring the situation on a day to day, week by week basis, and we will let you know if anything changes. Clips4Sale would encourage everybody to listen to the advice of their public health officials, and to take common sense steps to avoid contracting and spreading this virus. For more information on the Coronavirus, please visit the CDC website and the WHO website. If you have questions or concerns please don't hesitate to contact our Studio Support department at Support.Clips4Sale.com, we are available 24 hours a day to assist you. The disease could go down several paths. One possibility, the least likely, is that it will just disappear. The most likely is that it will have seasonal impact, explains Devangshu Datta. IMAGE: Mother and child at Delhi airport. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters The coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease Covid-19, is much less lethal than earlier scourges like Nipah or Ebola. But it is lethal nonetheless, and has dealt a hard knock to the global economy. It has also infected global mindspace in appropriately viral fashion: Web sites dealing in the hardcore now feature videos of people making out in quarantine, wearing hazard suits and masks! China, where the first cases emerged, is the world's industrial hub and home to one-sixth of its population. Excellent transport linkages led to a quick spread and once China took emergency measures to self-quarantine, global supply chains started breaking down. China's lockdown has hit electronics, automobiles and, ironically, pharmaceuticals, since Hubei is a major global hub for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, or APIs. Three months down the line, there have been deaths in Iran, Italy (which normally has open borders with the rest of the EU) and in other First World countries like Japan, South Korea and USA. The count of the infected (probably understated) is around 180,000 and the number of deaths crossed 7,000. The World Health Organisation guesses that the mortality rate is around 3.4 per cent. This number is subject to change. Mortality may spike as the disease hits countries with poor public health systems, but we may also discover that far more people are infected, and the mortality rate is actually lower. Epidemiological studies suggest the infection rate (R0 or 'R nought' in the jargon) may be about 2.8, meaning 10 infected persons will infect 28 more. (Flu has an R0 of 1.3). The R0 is also subject to change as we get better stats. The best guess is an R0 of somewhere between 2 and 3. Worryingly, it seems that somebody who survives one bout of Covid-19 doesn't develop immunity -- people can be re-infected. The virus is zoonotic. It started in an animal and mutated to attack humans. It's likely to have originated in bats, since it shares a large proportion of DNA with the SARS virus, which originated in bats and caused many deaths between 2002 and 2004. But we don't know which animal transmitted it to humans, and how. IMAGE: Priests, wearing facemasks amid concerns over the spread of the coronavirus, at the Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai. Photograph: ANI We don't know how the infection propagates (is it aerial, or waterborne, for example) and there may be a long period when carriers have no symptoms. Infected persons can go for 14 days without symptoms. There are no medicines that work effectively, though candidate drugs like remdesivir are being tested. As the disease runs its course, somebody who's in poor health, or elderly, is at greater risk of dying. India is just waking up to the possibility of a Covid-19 epidemic. Dealing with an epidemic, or ideally preventing one, requires coordinated actions by multiple authorities. It can only be done where there's a good public health system, including sufficient quarantine capacity, enough labs, skilled testers and robust detection mechanisms. On paper, India has such systems. In practice, systems vary hugely in terms of efficiency between states. Kerala has an excellent public health system, which draws comparison with First World countries; but kids die in large numbers routinely in Uttar Pradesh. IMAGE: Railway workers spray disinfectant on the Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express train in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic at a railway yard in Kolkata. Photograph: Swapan Mahapatra/PTI Photo So what are India's institutional systems for handling epidemics? The legal justifications for imposing emergency measures like shutting down schools, retracting visas for travellers, screening and quarantining populations en masse, importing medicines, protective gear, scanners, reagents, et cetera, are based on the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897. The nodal agency for studying epidemic diseases is the National Centre for Disease Control, which issues advice. The National Institute of Virology in Pune is a key player when it comes to research. Various labs around the country have the requisite certification of BSL-2, or better, where samples of a disease such as this can be tested. According to a briefing by the health minister, India can test up to 25,000 samples a day and it is importing gear to protect about 350,000 healthcare professionals. Right now, 11 labs have the requisite capacity and BSL-2 certification to test for SARS-CoV-2. Another eight will be ramped up to test samples. Unfortunately, there is no easy one-shot blood test. Sputum testing requires PCR machines (also called thermal cyclers) to check for chemical reactions called PCR (Polymerase Chain Reactions) and RTPCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reactions), when reagents are introduced to samples. PCR machines, reagents and test kits are being imported. The test takes around four hours and the technician has to be well-trained. So, a potential victim must be quarantined, 'just in case', until a sample can be tested. Testing could be one bottleneck because there is likely to be a global shortage of supplies, and technicians must be trained. Quarantine facilities across the country could be another bottleneck, for obvious reasons. Tracking points of contact for a confirmed case and screening people at risk will be a monstrous task. Even China, with its utter disregard for fundamental rights and huge surveillance network, has struggled to do this. Developing a vaccine for a virus can take several years. While a lot of resources are being thrown into vaccine development, and tools for genomic studies have improved, there are no guarantees that there will be a vaccine this year, or the next, for that matter. India missed the bus in terms of genomic research capacities because it did not participate in the human genome project. So we will depend on global R&D is this regard. IMAGE: Officials distribute sanitisers to bus passengers in Surat. Photograph: PTI Photo The disease could go down several paths. One possibility, the least likely, is that it will just disappear. The most likely is that, like other coronaviruses, it will have seasonal impact. Many coronaviruses can't handle high temperatures well, though some can -- flu is more likely to occur in winter. In that case, infections will ease off once summer arrives and spiral up again next winter. Misinformation and panic are dangerous things. Unfortunately, the ministry of Ayush seems to have endorsed some homeopathic pills, which are useless. As social media jokes go, eating onion and garlic to keep people away will actually work better! One thing you can do is wash your hands a lot, and thoroughly, with soap. The virus is protected by a layer of protein which is removed by soap. This is about the best protective measure at the moment. Let's hope that summer helps burn the virus out. Concerned Kilkenny GAA clubs are planning to ramp up efforts within their community areas to help people during the coronavirus pandemic. City clubs OLoughlin Gaels, Dicksboro and James Stephens are holding a joint meeting this evening (Wednesday) to explore the possibility of having a coordinated approach to the help our community effort during the current crisis. And at least two rural clubs, Graigue-Ballycallan and the Rower-Inistioge, have self help schemes in motion whereby they respond to calls from people who may need assistance during this period of social distancing and in some cases isolation. Social distancing is the opposite to what Irish people like to do, but the rules are different now, suggested Graigue-Ballycallan chairman, David ONeill, when he confirmed the club has already responded to calls for help from people. We will follow the HSE guidelines all the way, added Mr ONeill, who said the club had set up a group of volunteers who would get groceries, fuel or whatever to people who were unable to get things for themselves. He added that in a worst case scenario the club would be there to help if a family or carer was forced into self isolation, leaving someone else vulnerable. We will do our best to be the back-up for people in the area who need help, he insisted. The Rower-Inistioge and the local Community Council have put together a joint group of volunteers. They have a Helpline (089-4525740) set up which people can call if they need shopping, medicines collected from the chemist or whatever. The phone line will be manned from 8am to 11pm, the People was told. The three city clubs are meeting with a Community Garda in the OLoughlin Gaels clubrooms this evening to explore the possibility of working as a team to help people in need. This is not about one club trying to be better than the other. This is about helping people, said OLoughlins chairman, Johnny Holohan, and his sentiments were echoed by Dicksboro chairman, Eddie Holohan, and James Stephens chairman, Paddy Neary. This is an opportunity for the club to help the community who help and support us week in and week out, Mr Holohan added. On Monday, OLoughlins listed 25 people, plus their mobile phone numbers, who had offered to act as volunteers. At the time of going to press last night, that list had swollen to over 50. The mobile number of Graigue-Ballycallan chairman, David ONeill is 086-0234350, if people need support from the club. A man carries a multi-package of facial tissues while shopping along with hundreds of others who filled a Costco store in Burnaby, B.C., on the morning of March 16, 2020, amid concerns about the spread of the novel coronavirus. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck) Asleep at the Switch in a Time of Crisis Commentary The federal government cant win with the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus. Canada is today where Italy was 10 days ago. The feds have bungled a perfect opportunity to demonstrate the best reasons why people might like big government: a coordinated response, bulk purchasing of necessary items, unified messaging, and national unity. For much of the crisis, Ottawa seems to have put all its focus on appearing calm and rationalso calm, in fact, that many of us have wondered whether our leaders were asleep at the switch. What could have been done better? The government could have coordinated a response to the CCP virus. That doesnt mean martial law, but at least they could have put a little more energy into screening travellers returning from areas of high risk. It would have reassured the public and emphasized later messages about strict social isolation. The first step in social isolation is to isolate ourselves from other countries. Using the governments own language, it would have flattened the curve on public panic and a run on groceries. We would not have bare shelves at grocery stores. All ministries of health should have been discussing resources. I thought the main argument for big, centralized governments was because they got such great deals on necessary things, which the provinces cant get on their own. Things such as hospital beds and ventilators. Some reports indicate that one in five infected patients over the age of 80 will need ventilator support in an intensive care unit. Even just the recovery from having been on a ventilator for a few days can be brutalif you manage to survive. This means that we need many more ventilators and beds than we have now, although no one knows exactly how many. There are only 1.4 acute beds per 1,000 population in Ontario, and an average of 2.58 beds per 1,000 across the whole country. Wuhan, ground zero of the virus outbreak in China, had 4.3 and needed to build two large emergency hospitals to house the hordes of infected patients. No wonder flatten the curve has been pushed so hard to avoid overloading the health-care system. We dont need to just flatten the curve; we cant handle the curve we have now. A unified message would have helped. To be fair, the feds did have a somewhat unified message, similar to the four-stage approach in a time of crisis outlined in the BBC political satire sitcom Yes Prime Minister: In stage one we say, Nothings going to happen. In stage two we say, Something might happen, but we should do nothing about it. In stage three we say, Maybe we should do something about it, but there is nothing we CAN do. And in stage four we say, Maybe theres something we could have done, but its too late now. A unified, practical message in early February would have gone a long way to prepare the public. Give people direction. Offer ideas. Let them know that there are actions they can take now. National unity grows on finding common cause, on demonstrating that we can all play a part to fight something bigger than ourselves. Instead, Canadians got a CBC version of the BBC four-stage approach. When the dust from this pandemic settles, voters should approach their members of Parliament with some questions: When did you first hear about this? When did you put plans in place to make sure Canadians had enough hospital beds, ventilators, and other necessary medical equipment? Why did you not try to offer more active messaging in an attempt to flatten the curve on public panic as people rushed to stockpile and socially isolate? It shouldnt require individual citizens to raise the alarm on social media, chat groups, and in email chains to become aware of the risks. I first learned about damage by the new, aggressive Wuhan virus from The Epoch Times. Kudos to ET for doing what we pay the departments of health billions of dollars to do. The spread of COVID-19 may slow down in the warmer months, as SARS and the Spanish flu did. However, the Spanish flu came roaring back the next fall. We could reasonably be in for 12-18-months of turmoil. It will shape a new normal. Infectious disease experts have been warning of the next big pandemic, as well as multi-drug resistant bacteria, for years. The federal government exists to protect the country from external threats. It exists for a time such as this. Lets hope we make it through relatively unscathed. 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 mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. Shawn Whatley is a physician, past president of the Ontario Medical Association, a blogger at ShawnWhatley.com, and a Munk Senior Fellow with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. He is the author of No More Lethal Waits, a guide to reducing wait times and increasing efficiency in hospital emergency departments. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Like Milan before it, New York Citys number of coronavirus cases is skyrocketing. Just 17 days ago, New York City confirmed its first case of coronavirus. Now, New York state has at least 1,374 cases, with the vast majority of those in New York City and its surrounding suburbs. Italy detected its first coronavirus case on Jan. 29. Within 20 days, the country had more than 12,000 confirmed cases and now has more than 31,000. Since the progression of the coronavirus in Italy is about 10 days ahead of where it is in the U.S., it is possible to analyze how the countrys hardest hit region, Lombardy, and its capital, Milan, have been impacted by the virus and what could happen in the weeks ahead in New York. Much like Milan and the rest of the Lombardy region, New York City has implemented increasingly stricter restrictions to curtail the spread of COVID-19, which is highly contagious and easily spread. If the city moves quickly enough and seriously enforces social distancing, restrictions that limit contact between people, theres a chance it could avoid some of the same mistakes Milan (and Italy as a whole) have made during this global crisis. After Italys first detected COVID-19 cases on Jan. 29, it wasnt until Feb. 21 that additional cases of coronavirus were detected in the Lombardy region that surrounds Milan. And on Feb. 23, two cases were detected in Milan. This led the Italian government to close all schools and universities, museums, libraries and theaters in Lombardy. But the governor of Lombardy referred to the virus as just a little more than normal flu on Feb. 25, and the next day relaxed restrictions on bars and restaurants. Some felt that the region was overreacting to the outbreak initially and making things out to be far worse than they appeared by enacting these strict measures. Many Milanese continued to go about their lives as usual, despite the closures. And on March 5, museums reopened in Milan as they are one of the citys major attractions with the guidance that all museum-goers stand at least one meter apart. On March 7, the Italian government shut down the entire Lombardy region, restricting its residents ability to travel and encouraging people to self-isolate as much as possible. On March 9, the entire country went into lockdown in an effort to combat the spread of the virus. While the Lombardy region did respond to the outbreak quickly, it did not begin implementing strict social distancing rules until about three weeks after its first coronavirus patient was confirmed. Although medical experts had no idea how contagious COVID-19 was when Italys first cases were discovered. The only thing we could have done is introducing the current lockdown on Jan. 30, a decision that was impossible and unthinkable at the time, Stefano Rusconi, an associate professor of infectious diseases at the University of Milan, told Wired. However, some cities located within the Lombardy region, such as Lodi and Bergamo, implemented social distancing before other cities, which resulted in far fewer positive COVID-19 cases. Lodi began enforcing social distancing rules on Feb. 23, while Bergamo began enforcing them on March 8, and Lodis number of positive cases were far lower than Bergamos. Possibly the single most important piece of research on #coronavirus so far Lodi adopted strict social distancing on Feb. 23. Bergamo waited until Mar. 8. Social distancing works #covid19 https://t.co/V1GGgT5bbR pic.twitter.com/FvaScICWs6 Patrick Galey (@patrickgaley) March 16, 2020 On March 1, New York City confirmed its first coronavirus patient. After the news broke, the city encouraged its residents to stay home if they felt sick, wash their hands more vigorously and to cover their mouths when they coughed or sneezed. We want New Yorkers to go about their daily lives, ride the subway, take the bus, go see your neighbors, New York City Health Commissioner Oxiris Barbot said at a press conference the next day. The important thing, as both the mayor and the governor have said, we want New Yorkers to lean even more into frequent hand-washing and covering their mouths and their noses. The city and states initial reaction to the emergence of positive COVID-19 cases were similar to the mayor of Milan. But things shifted considerably once a cluster of cases were detected in New Rochelle, a Westchester County suburb, soon after. Most private universities in the city, as well as SUNY and CUNY schools, began moving their classes online. And on March 12, Gov. Andrew Cuomo instituted a rule across the state on prohibiting gatherings of over 500 people, causing the citys biggest cultural attractions to shutter. On Sunday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that all city public schools will be closed until April 20. The mayor also signed an executive order on Monday limiting restaurants, bars and cafes to take-out and delivery only, and nightclubs, theaters, gyms and concert venues will also be forced to close. Gatherings of more than 50 people were also banned on Monday in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. While strict measures are now in place to encourage social distancing throughout New York City, not everyone is convinced that the mayor moved swiftly enough. De Blasio also came under fire on Monday after he spent the morning at his gym in Brooklyn, hours before his new executive order was to go into effect. He has been slow to act, not realizing the seriousness of the situation, a former de Blasio staffer told City & State. The next front against the coronavirus in New York City is ensuring that area hospitals dont become overwhelmed. In northern Italy, more than 80% of the regions 1,123 acute-care beds are dedicated to coronavirus patients, according to Bloomberg. Doctors there have also had to manage a shortage of ventilators, which are critical for the roughly 10% of coronavirus patients who may need help breathing to stay alive. On Monday, Cuomo issued an executive order allowing hospitals to increase their capacity. He also announced that the National Guard, building unions and private developers would work with the state to find existing facilities such as dormitories and former nursing homes that can most easily be converted to medical facilities. The goal: creating 9,000 more hospital beds across the state. The city is similarly scrambling to add more hospital beds and hopes to have an additional 1,200 within the next two weeks, after a nursing home and hospital are converted to facilitate coronavirus patients. Public and private hospitals are also hoping to add 7,000 new beds by pitching tents in parking lots and converting cafeterias into wards. The city has also rented 250 hotel rooms to house people who need to be quarantined. Were going to need massive medical capacity on a scale we have never seen in the history of New York City, de Blasio said at a press conference on Monday. This will be a race against time. However, in an op-ed for The New York Times, Cuomo explained that only the U.S. military has the ability to significantly ramp up the states hospital capacity, and without their assistance, things could quickly get worse. As of Tuesday, Cuomo expects the virus will peak in about 45 days, threatening to overwhelm the states public health care centers. According to Cuomo, the state would need 55,000-110,000 hospital beds and 18,600-37,000 intensive care beds, if that were to happen. But the state only has about 53,000 hospital beds and 3,000 intensive care beds, of which 80% are already occupied, according to Cuomo. The state may also need as many as 18,600 ventilators, according to a 2015 state task force study, but it only has a little over 2,000 ventilators available, not counting the ones already in use. In Italy, the widespread outbreak of COVID-19 is endangering the countrys health care system. The numbers have continued to grow. Were close to the moment where we will have no more intensive care beds, Lombardy governor Attilio Fontana told SkyTG24 television. It is a bleak projection of what New York City and state might face in the weeks ahead. Racing behind closed doors is set to continue in Ireland following a meeting of officials on Wednesday. Racing in Ireland has taken place without spectators since Friday due to the coronavirus pandemic, with two fixtures staged on Tuesday for St Patricks Day. However, the British Horseracing Authority announced that after the two meetings which took place behind closed doors in England on Tuesday, racing in the UK would be suspended until the end of April. Horse Racing Ireland considered whether it should also call a temporary halt to the action, but having examined the issue, it has opted to carry on racing, albeit with even more stringent controls. The new restrictions imposed include no runners from overseas and no evening meetings or double fixtures, with the latter measure aimed at reducing the draw on medical resources. Horse Racing Ireland said in a statement a sub-committee would continue to review the situation on a daily basis, while contingency planning for changes to race programming should Irish racing need to be cancelled entirely for a period of time was already under way. HRI said the decision to continue racing is motivated by the need to maintain employment and incomes for people working in the industry, and on the basis of being able to achieve and maintain all HSE (Health and Safety Executive) advice and instructions. Nicky Hartery, chairman of HRI, said: These are unprecedented and sombre times and we are seeking the best ways to support the racing community and industry throughout what lies ahead. Health and welfare of employees and industry participants is the prime consideration and within that context, we have introduced protocols which can allow racing to continue and thousands of families who rely on the sector to maintain a livelihood. This will be kept under review on a daily basis and we are also planning measures for reprogramming fixtures as it becomes required. Changes to the programme will be separately announced. We have consulted with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine throughout this process and we will continue to strictly adhere to the Government and HSE advice. We have made it clear at all times that our medical facilities and personnel will be available for the Government to use if necessary that will take precedence above any other consideration. In another change to protocols, jockeys weights will increase by 2lb from Friday, both on the Flat and in National Hunt races, with all racecourse saunas closed. No owner will be permitted to attend race meetings for the foreseeable future, while there will be a maximum of 30-minute intervals between races to assist social distancing. Brian Kavanagh, HRI chief executive, added: This is clearly a rapidly changing situation and Horse Racing Ireland will continue to liaise with the relevant Government Departments and with our health advisors. The executive sub-committee of Horse Racing Ireland and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board is meeting daily to assess the situation, and the Board of Horse Racing Ireland will continue to convene as required. Racecourses by their nature offer opportunities for social distancing that few other workplaces can. Nothing in Irish life is as it was a week ago, and in the same way, these are not race fixtures as we previously knew them, they are big open-air sites with very few people present and nobody on site if they are not involved: once a jockey or trainer has finished their business for the afternoon, they are required to leave. Furthermore, we have carried out risk assessments according to each individual racecourse facility, and some fixtures may be subject to greater restrictions and limitations to ensure social distancing is easily achievable and maintained. The Board paid tribute to the flexibility shown by stable staff, jockeys, trainers, owners and employees of the IHRB, HRI, the media and broadcasters. Strict measures were imposed on them almost immediately last Friday but their actions, care and vigilance have ensured that social distancing is being observed and racecourses continue to be a safe working environment. Fridays planned evening meeting at Dundalk will now be held in the afternoon, while the meeting scheduled for Naas on Sunday the first card of the new Flat season has been moved to Monday. Dundalks March 27 card has been brought forward to March 25 and becomes an afternoon fixture, with the meeting scheduled for Navan on March 28 now to be held a day earlier. The meeting scheduled for the Curragh on Sunday, March 29 is another fixture with a new date. It will now be held on Saturday, March 28. Trump claims that in using the phrase Chinese virus, hes just trying to be accurate in describing where its from. But there is a difference between saying the virus is from China and saying it is a Chinese virus. In a time of unease and uncertainty, such language stokes xenophobic panic and doesnt get us closer to eradicating this virus. Asian Americans have been assaulted or otherwise discriminated against because of such rhetoric. In New York, a man assaulted an Asian woman wearing a face mask and called her a diseased b---h. Also in New York, a man on the subway sprayed an Asian passenger with Febreze and verbally abused him. On the subway in Los Angeles, a man ranted at an Asian American woman, claiming Chinese people are putrid and responsible for all diseases. (The woman happened to be Thai American.) Third consecutive Customer Service Department of the Year award for the market-leading enterprise legal management company Wolters Kluwer's ELM Solutions, has won two Stevie Awards for Customer Service. The market-leading provider of enterprise legal spend and matter management, contract lifecycle management, and legal analytics solutions has won a Silver Award for Innovation in Customer Service and a Bronze Award for Front-Line Customer Service Team of the Year. The Stevie Awards for Sales Customer Service are the world's top honors for customer service, contact center, business development and sales professionals. More than 2,600 nominations from organizations in 48 nations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were evaluated in this year's competition. Stevie Award judges praised Wolters Kluwer's ELM Solutions proven ability to deliver significant customer value. The judges also applauded the company's significant improvements in customer response metrics, innovative use of technology and proactive approach to service. This is the third year in a row that the Stevie Awards has honored Wolters Kluwer's ELM Solutions in the Customer Service Department of the Year category. "We are honored that the Stevie Awards has again recognized us among leading companies across industries for our commitment to creating an optimal customer experience," said Jonah Paransky, Executive Vice President and General Manager for Wolters Kluwer's ELM Solutions. "This recognition reflects our dedication to providing exceptional customer service that delivers world-class business outcomes for our corporate legal and insurance claims department clients. We remain dedicated to innovation that improves the customer experience and deepens customer intimacy from the product development phase across every client engagement, even while serving a growing customer base." "Stevie Award winners from around the world should be very proud of their achievements. The judges were impressed with the vast range of nominations submitted for 2020 and have agreed that their accomplishments are worthy of public recognition," said Stevie Awards executive chairman, Michael Gallagher. Wolters Kluwer's ELM Solutions is the market-leading global provider of enterprise legal spend and matter management, contract lifecycle management and legal analytics solutions. We provide a comprehensive suite of tools that address the growing needs of corporate legal operations departments to increase operational efficiency and reduce costs. Corporate legal and insurance claims departments trust our innovative technology and end-to-end customer experience to drive world-class business outcomes. The award-winning products include Passport, the highest rated ELM solution in the latest Hyperion MarketViewLegal Market Intelligence Report; TyMetrix 360, the industry's leading SaaS-based e-billing and matter management solution; CLM Matrix, named a "strong performer" in the 2019 Q1 CLM Forrester Wave report; and the LegalVIEW portfolio of legal analytics solutions based upon the industry's largest and most comprehensive legal spend database, with more than $130 billion in invoices. About Wolters Kluwer Governance, Risk Compliance Governance, Risk Compliance (GRC) is a division of Wolters Kluwer, which provides legal and banking professionals with solutions to ensure compliance with ever-changing regulatory and legal obligations, manage risk, increase efficiency, and produce better business outcomes. GRC offers a portfolio of technology-enabled expert services and solutions focused on legal entity compliance, legal operations management, banking product compliance, and banking regulatory compliance. Wolters Kluwer (AEX: WKL) is a global leader in information services and solutions for professionals in the health, tax and accounting, risk and compliance, finance and legal sectors. Wolters Kluwer reported 2019 annual revenues of 4.6 billion. The company, headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands, serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries and employs 19,000 people worldwide. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005053/en/ Contacts: Erica Glass Director, Global Corporate Communications Legal Solutions Wolters Kluwer Governance, Risk Compliance Division 1-212-894-8425 Erica.glass@wolterskluwer.com Caprice has been taking the COVID-19 outbreak 'very seriously', enforcing strict measures on set during her latest photoshoot. The American model, 48, looks stunning in a series of behind-the-scenes images from her latest fashion shoot, posing up a storm in a pink velvet dress. A source told MailOnline the star had imposed a limit on the number of crew members present on set - and even told staff to test their temperatures before coming into contact with her. Safety first: Caprice has been taking the COVID-19 outbreak 'very seriously', enforcing strict measures on set during her latest photoshoot An insider told MailOnline: 'Due to the growing numbers of people being infected she felt it was wise to limit the amount of people on a photoshoot for a cover of an international magazine from seven down to only two people. 'She said she is doing everything in her power not to get the virus as you dont know what it will do to your long term immunity and the last thing Caprice wants to do is give it to someone who couldnt survive it. 'Caprice tested crew members' temperatures on arrival to check they were in the normal range before they came in. Strike a pose: The American model, 48, looks stunning in a series of behind-the-scenes images from her latest fashion shoot, posing up a storm in a pink velvet dress Keep away! A source told MailOnline the star had imposed a limit on the number of crew members present on set - and had even told staff to test their temperatures before coming into contact with her 'Everyone social distanced themselves on the shoot and there were lots of air kisses. 'Caprice also asked her personal make-up artist to wear gloves to avoid unnecessary skin contact. Everyone was really understanding.' The insider went on to say that Caprice would be going into social isolation this week now that her children's schools have closed. An insider said: 'Everyone social distanced themselves on the shoot and there were lots of air kisses. Caprice also asked her personal make-up artist to wear gloves to avoid unnecessary skin contact. Everyone was really understanding' Working it: Caprice looked incredible in a bright pink dress with a slit running down the front 'This is her last job and everything has been cancelled including her childrens schooling so she is now home schooling them', the source revealed. 'She is testing herself and her kids' temperatures four times a day. She is taking it very seriously.' Caprice looked incredible in a bright pink dress with a slit running down the front. She accessorised with a pair of dazzling, floral drop earrings and styled her locks in voluminous curls. The source said: 'Caprice tested crew members' temperatures on arrival to check they were in the normal range before they came in' Caprice's shoot comes after she found herself at loggerheads with a medical expert during an appearance on the Jeremy Vine Show on Monday, as they discussed coronavirus. The erstwhile Dancing On Ice contestant was seen debating with Dr. Sarah Jarvis on how best to curtail the pandemic's growth when she insisted the UK should be following Taiwan and Singapore's model with a two-week shutdown. As she shared her view, Caprice was told by Dr. Jarvis: 'No disrespect, but unless you have read every scientific paper and statistical modelling paper thats come out you cannot argue with me on that. You can have an opinion but its not a fact.' Row: Capricet (right) got into a row with medical expert Dr. Sarah Jarvis (left) during an appearance on the Jeremy Vine Show on Monday, as they discussed coronavirus Showing no signs of relenting, the star stood firm as she shot back: 'But I can, I have an opinion. Let me read you the facts: In Taiwan and Singapore early on everyone was wearing surgical masks' 'Which make no difference at all,' Dr. Jarvis boomed back at Caprice, who refused to back down as she said: 'Sorry, I let you so let me finish' Host Jeremy then interjected as he explained to Caprice: 'Alright, but Sarah is the expert, but go on.' Closed: Caprice said the UK should follow Taiwan and Singapore's model with a total shutdown 'This is from a newspaper! This is from somebody from WHO!' Caprice said, before the discussion was eventually brought back to Dr. Jarvis. Caprice drew the ire of Dr. Jarvis when she suggested that the UK goes into a total shutdown for two weeks - a model which she insisted had worked in Asia. The Channel 5 show was filmed without a live studio audience for the first time in its history, amid attempts to curb the spread of the deadly virus. However, a large number of viewers were aghast at what they saw, taking to Twitter in droves to ask why Caprice was even invited to debate such a topic on the show. Expert: Jeremy Vine interjected, telling Caprice: 'Alright, but Sarah is the expert, but go on' Wrote one viewer: 'No disrespect to Caprice. She has to earn a living and everything but seriously broadcasters stop putting ill informed people up against experts. This is life and death stuff and TV has a duty to inform.' 'At a time of national crisis why the hell @theJeremyVine would you have #Caprice on there giving out information from a newspaper,' queried another. 'Come on...we deserve better than this!!! For bl**dy shame on you! Give the airways over to professional people who can give the RIGHT information.' Stated a third: 'Caprice "debating" a qualified doctor about the coronavirus, is a crystallised version of everything wrong with our culture and general discourse.' Dom Joly also chimed in on the episode as he tweeted: 'This is just embarrassing stick to experts shouldn't even be having this kind of debate using people who've "read stuff in papers".' - The move is aimed at ensuring business people and Kenyans at large do not lack crucial goods and services imported from other countries - Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said no foreign passenger will be allowed except dignitaries from United Nations (UN) - Kenyan citizens who have their children abroad will also be allowed to have them travel back into the country Health CS Mutahi Kagwe has said the government will allow cargo planes from China and other countries that are Kenya's trade partners to land in the county. The move is aimed at ensuring business people and Kenyans at large do not lack crucial products that are usually imported from other countries, some of which have been affected by coronavirus and closed their borders. READ ALSO: Coronavirus: WHO confirms 2 cases of infection among its staff Health CS Mutahi Kagwe in a past press address. Photo: Ministry of Health Kenya. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Makachero wasema huenda mfanyabiashara Dafton Mwitiki alitekwa nyara Kagwe who was speaking during a press conference on Tuesday, March 17, said the government had held talks with Chinese ambassador in Kenya to facilitate the process of ferrying cargo from the Asian county to Kenya. "This is in line with the economic situation in the country- We will have Kenya after corona has gone, the world will still be there," said Kagwe. The CS insisted the two governments have agreed that only goods and services, not people, will be allowed into the country. "We have engaged the Chinese ambassador to Kenya and agreed that goods and services, not people will be allowed into our country. The crew on these planes and ships will strictly observe quarantine," added the CS. Further, Kagwe noted the government will allow key United Nations (UN) officials on crucial functions to jet in and out the country. "We host a lot of UN missions and thus have many diplomats who will be travelling in and out on very key issues thus cannot be restricted but must adhere to strict quarantine procedures," he said. Kenyan citizens who have their children abroad will also be allowed to have them travel back but ensure they comply with strict measures put in place to contain the spread of COVID-19. "There are Kenyan residents whose children are abroad- Their children can also not be barred from entering into the country, but strict quarantine measures must be applied," Kagwe stated. During the presser, the health official confirmed the fourth case of coronavirus in Kenya. The patient, a woman, had travelled from the UK on March 8 and landed in Kenya the following day. She tested positive after undergoing a series of tests at Kenyatta National Hospital. 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. God is punishing Kenyans with Corona Virus: Corona Virus in Kenya | Tuko TV. Source: TUKO.co.ke Overdrive The ongoing spread of the COVID-19 disease and the measures the government has announced to contain its spread has hit auto dealers looking to clear BSVI inventory hard. The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) has now appealed to the Supreme Court to consider extending the deadline for implementation of BSVI standards to 31 May. The dealer body had made a similar appeal in February but the Court had turned it down then. The current cut-off date for sale of BSIV vehicles is 1 April. FADA President Ashish Harsharaj Kale said, "Post our initial application, necessitated due to huge unsold BS-IV inventory and slowing sales, getting rejected by the Hon'ble apex court on 14th February'20, there has been a drastic change in circumstances in conducting business as usual. SARS-CoV-2 a.k.a Coronavirus (Covid-19) which emerged in Wuhan in the Hubei province of China has spread rapidly across the globe and also in India. Following this 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 the Virus. Counter sales has fallen by 60-70 percent across auto dealerships in these past few days. The situation has worsened in the past 3-4 days with partial lockdown situation in many towns and cities and few district magistrates have started issuing notices of closure of shops and establishments including auto dealerships to stop the spread of virus." In an earlier communication, FADA had said that its member dealers still have 10 to 15 days of BSIV inventory of passenger cars and 20 to 25 days of stock of two-wheelers. Showy peacock feathers, extravagant elk antlers and powerful crayfish claws are just a few examples of the ostentatious animal extremes used to compete for and attract mates, a process called sexual selection. Now, thanks to Arizona State University researcher Zackary Graham and his colleagues, we can add the "unicorn of the seas," the narwhal, to the list. "Broadly, I'm interested in sexual selection, which is responsible for creating some of the craziest traits in biology. As an evolutionary biologist, I try to understand why some animals have these bizarre traits, and why some don't," said Graham, a doctoral student at ASU's School of Life Sciences. "One way we try to understand these traits is by looking at the morphology, or the size and shape of them. I immediately became obsessed with trying to think of some interesting animals to study. I was Googling everything; maybe I can find a dinosaur in a museum. Eventually, I found the narwhal tusk." Graham is the lead author of a new study which demonstrates the best evidence to date that the narwhal tusk functions as a sexual trait, published in online in the journal Biology Letters DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2019.0950 or URL https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2019.0950 A tusk among us Like walruses and elephants, male narwhals (Monodon monoceros) grow tusks; these are modified teeth. In narwhals, the left tooth erupts from their head, reaching more than 8-feet-long in some individuals. The tusk grows out in a spiral pattern, giving the appearance of a sea-dwelling unicorn. Since narwhals spend most of their lives hidden under the Arctic ice, there has been much speculation on what exactly the tusk is used for: hunting, fighting or perhaps something more amorous in nature? Graham mentions that there have been reports of head scarring, broken tusks and tusks impaled in the sides of males, who may have been on the receiving end of some aggression. Other scattered observations include a behavior of "tusking," where two narwhals cross and rub their tusks together, suggests that the tusk is used for communication during intra- or intersexual interactions. Graham has studied sexual selection in all sorts of species, including the crayfish he studies for his PhD dissertation. He realized, that to demonstrate that the tusk is sexually selected, he could use the relationship between tusk size with body size to understand this mysterious trait. To do so, his team collected morphology data on 245 adult male narwhals over the course of 35 years. With colleagues Alexandre V. Palaoro of the LUTA do Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, UNIFESP, Brazil, and Mads Peter Heide-Jrgensen and Eva Garde, from the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, they created a large dataset from the carefully curated narwhal field data. When comparing individuals of the same age, sexually selected traits often exhibit disproportional growth --- that is, for a given body size, sexually selected traits are often larger than expected in the largest individuals. Importantly, they compared the growth (or scaling) of the tusk to the scaling relationship between body size and a trait that is unlikely to have sexual functions. To do so, they used the tail of the narwhals, called the fluke. "We also predicted that if the narwhal tusk is sexually selected, we expect greater variation in tusk length compared to the variation in fluke width," said Graham. This is because many sexual traits are highly sensitive to nutrient and body condition, such that only the biggest and strongest individuals can afford the energy to produce extremely large traits. According to Graham, they found that male tusks can have over 4-fold variation in tusk length (the same body size males can have tusks ranging from 1.5-feet to 8.2-feet) long. However, the fluke hardly varies at all, ranging from 1.5-feet to 3-feet long within individuals of the same body size. They also found disproportional growth in the tusk compared to the fluke. Based on the disproportional growth and large variation in tusk length they found, they have provided the best evidence to date that narwhal tusks are indeed sexually selected. "By combining our results on tusk scaling with known material properties of the tusk, we suggest that the narwhal tusk is a sexually selected signal that is used during the male-male tusking contests," said Graham. "The information that the tusk communicates is simple: "I am bigger than you."" And if only the highest quality males produce and adorn the largest tusks, then the tusk likely serves as an honest signal of quality to females or males. Under the Ice Graham hopes that future researchers will use aerial and aquatic drones to provide concrete evidence of the tusk function in nature and elucidate the tusks exact role as either an aggressive weapon, a sexual signal or both. Perhaps one day, we can look forward to a "Big Love: Narwhals Under the Ice" nature documentary coming to an IMAX near you. "Overall, our evidence supports the hypothesis that the tusk functions both as a sexually selected weapon and sexually selected signal during male-male contests," said Graham. "However, further evaluations of the narwhal's ecology are warranted." ### On Wednesday, March 18, Great Canadian Gaming Corporation announced the temporary suspension, until further notice, of the conduct of racing and training at its three racetracks that are currently active. This includes Flamboro Downs in Hamilton, Ontario, Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver, B.C., and Fraser Downs in Surrey, B.C. The suspension of racing and training activity is driven by the heightened concerns in both jurisdictions with the spread, and attempted containment, of the COVID-19 virus, and recent direction from provincial governments and health authorities in both provinces to significantly limit public gatherings of any kind. Great Canadian recently decided to conduct racing at all three tracks without spectators, but Great Canadian felt this more significant action was necessary to protect the health and well-being of Great Canadians team members, the industry participants that race and train at the racetracks, and the support personnel for the industry. This was a difficult decision for the company to make, especially considering a similar decision was made for Great Canadians gaming properties across the country just a few days ago, stated the companys COO, Matthew Anfinson. But as the circumstances changed in recent days in both B.C. and Ontario, we felt this was the only decision that addressed the current health concerns that are impacting so many other Canadians currently. Great Canadian will be working with the breed associations that represent the racing participants, as well as regulators, for the orderly shutdown of racing facilities at the three properties. In addition, Trot Insider has learned that the shutdown at Fraser Downs will cancel the remainder of the 2019-2020 meet at the Surrey, B.C. oval. Racing is set to return to Fraser Downs in the fall. (with files from Great Canadian Gaming Corporation) Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell attend de Grisogono Sponsors The 2005 Wall Street Concert Series Benefitting Wall Street Rising, with a Performance by Rod Stewart at Cipriani Wall Street on March 15, 2005 in New York City. Ghislaine Maxwell, a former girlfriend dead sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein, is suing the investor's estate over legal fees she claims were promised to help her defend multiple civil lawsuits alleging that she procured young women and girls to sexually service him. Maxwell's lawsuit, first reported by The New York Times, says she "had involvement in or knowledge of Epstein's alleged misconduct." But it also says Maxwell "has incurred significant legal fees, personal security costs and other expenses" because of her work for a number of Epstein's businesses from 1999 to 2006. Maxwell, daughter of the late fraudster and media mogul Robert Maxwell, and a friend of Britain's Prince Andrew, filed her suit in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Epstein owned private islands. The complaint says Epstein's estate has failed to make good on its pledge to honor Epstein's commitment to Maxwell before his death that he would cover her legal costs from lawsuits by his accusers. Maxwell's complaint joins a slew of other lawsuits that have been filed against Epstein's estate by women who accuse him of abusing them. Epstein's estate has been valued at close to $600 million. The executors of Epstein's estate are asking a Virgin Islands judge to approve a voluntary compensation program for victims of the financier. Maxwell, 58, long has been named by Epstein's accusers as a woman who recruited underage girls so that he could sexually abuse them under the pretext of getting massages at his luxurious properties in Manhattan, Palm Beach, Florida, and the Virgin Islands. Some accusers have also said Maxwell at times participated with Epstein in abusing them sexually. One employee of Epstein's called Maxwell the "lady of the house," referring to his Palm Beach mansion. Maxwell has repeatedly denied the accusers' allegations. In January, the government of the U.S. Virgin Islands sued Epstein's estate, alleging he raped and otherwise sexually abused young women and girls as young as 12 years old at his secluded private island getaways. The lawsuit seeks forfeit of those two islands, which are worth an estimated $86 million, as well as unspecified monetary damages and the breakup of corporate entities that Epstein allegedly used to provide him with girls who sexually serviced him three times each day. Epstein, 66, was arrested last July on federal child sex trafficking charges from a grand jury in Manhattan. Prosecutors said that from 2002 through 2006 he sexually abused dozens of underage girls at his luxurious properties in New York City and Florida, and that those girls were funneled to him with the assistance of unnamed conspirators. Epstein, who was a former friend of Presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, killed himself in August in a jail in Manhattan, where he was awaiting trial. He pleaded guilty in 2008 to Florida state charges, which included paying for sexual services from an underage girl. He had served 13 months in jail in that case, but was allowed out on work release for hours each day. BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Belt and Road journalist organizations cooperation platform called on journalist organizations of various countries to effectively protect the physical and mental health, as well as legitimate rights and interests, of journalists amid the novel coronavirus epidemic. The initiative, which was proposed by the platform's presidium on Tuesday, also urged good working conditions to be provided for journalists, according to the All-China Journalists Association. The platform also called on all member organizations and partners to guide the media and journalists to spread rational and scientific information and firmly oppose the spread of false information. All member organizations and partners were invited to introduce their positive measures and latest progress in fighting the epidemic through the platform, the initiative said. ECONOMIC TROUBLE AHEAD: Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe TD gives a press conference at Government Buildings last week FINANCE Minister Paschal Donohoe has said the country is now facing very significant job losses and will likely record a budget deficit this year. Mr Donohoe refused to be drawn on how many jobs could be lost in the coming months amid estimates that as many as 340,000 people could be made unemployed. However speaking in Government Buildings on Wednesday evening he said: "I can at this point confirm that we are facing into a period of significant job losses, they are very significant and this has already been felt most of the country. He said that he would have a clearer idea of the scale of the unemployment crisis facing the State towards the end of this week when Live Register figures for March become available. He said these figures are changing rapidly and that we are now in the middle of a very significant economic shock. Plans to deliver a budget surplus this year have been shelved and that we are very likely we will move into a situation where we have a deficit, he said. Mr Donohoe said: It is the case that those who were at work here with every expectation of continuing to be in work for many months, many years to come now find themselves in a situation in which they are not in work. They're worried about how they're going to pay the rent, they're worried about how they're going to pay their mortgage, in relation to their ability to pay their mortgage. Read More Mr Donohoe was speaking after meeting with the five main retail banks and the Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland where a series of measures to help people impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic were agreed. These include a three-month break on mortgage and loan repayments for those affected and an increase in contactless payments from 30 to 50. The flexibility on loans will be available to business and landlords. Mr Donohoe warned that any landlords availing of the break in loan repayments should not be evicting tenants. If a landlord availing of a buy-to-let mortgage and availing of flexibility announced today they cannot and they should not evict tenants and that is my clear message to them," he said. He admitted later however there was no way of forcing landlords not to evict tenants but said he would examine the matter with Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy. We are putting in place really significant measures to our banking system to help those who have loans and mortgages at a time of great risk. For any landlord then to you use that to treat their tenants in a way that is not fair to them, I believe, will not be accepted by broader society and will raise great concerns, he said. In response to call from Irish Property Owners Association looking for increases in the Housing Assistance Payment, Mr Donohoe said: "Let me make clear to them my expectation that the first people who should be providing flexibility to their tenants is landlords." Mr Donohoe said steps were being taken to ensure that the measures announced today from retail banks will also be applied to those whose mortgages and loans are with non-bank lenders. We do want to be in a position that the framework that is being offered here is also applicable to non-bank lenders as well. That will take further work because there is some work from a regulatory point of view that needs to be done before that assurance can be given," he said. Earlier, the chief executive of the BPFI Brian Hayes said the measures in place for people impacted by the crisis were not "a holiday" but a "break" and that their loan obligations will have to be met eventually. He said interest would still accrue on deferred loan repayments which would be "a very small sum of money" over a lifelong mortgage. "I hope today's announcement will give some relief to people," he said. Shares in FedEx surged as much as 5% before falling 0.5% to $94.50 in after-the-bell trading. Even so, the company reported quarterly revenue that beat market expectations as more businesses turned to its international express plane service to safeguard their supply chains as COVID-19 illnesses and deaths mount around the world. U.S. package delivery company FedEx suspended its 2020 profit outlook on Tuesday, citing the "significant impact" of the coronavirus, and said it would cut costs due to the uncertainty wrought by the pandemic. A woman walks past FedEx Corp. Ground vehicle parked in the Midtown neighborhood of New York, U.S., on Friday, Dec. 4, 2015. "The reaction to their release is a bit like driving looking through the rear-view window," said Trip Miller, managing partner at Memphis-based Gullane Capital Partners. "There wasn't much in there for me to feel positive about FedEx or anybody else in the next 60 days." FedEx joined Denmark's DSV Panalpina, a major transportation and logistics provider, in suspending profit forecasts due to unprecedented business disruption from the virus. FedEx, which benefited from President Donald Trump's corporate tax cut, submitted a request to the U.S. government for "liquidity support," Chief Financial Officer Alan Graf said on a conference call with analysts. The package delivery company's adjusted net income dropped 53.5% year-over-year to $371 million, or $1.41 per share, for the fiscal third quarter ended Feb. 29. Revenue rose about 3% to $17.5 billion. Analysts on average expected earnings of $1.41 per share and revenue of $16.89 billion, according to Refinitiv IBES data. The company whose rivals include United Parcel Service and Amazon's homegrown delivery operation was grappling with the integration of its TNT Express unit, higher costs related to launching Sunday home delivery, and the loss of Amazon.com as a customer before the deadly virus outbreak began. Executives see opportunity in surging e-commerce spending as governments in Europe and the United States urge people to hunker down at home to reduce the spread of the virus. Rampant international passenger flight cancellations already have been a boon for the lucrative express business at FedEx, they said. "It's like Christmas right now on the express side. They're moving all sorts of supplies and equipment," said Dean Maciuba, a director at Logistics Trends & Insights. FedEx is attacking costs by restructuring the company to move more express packages through its ground network, Maciuba said. But it still lags UPS, whose integrated express and ground network is more efficient. "I do believe it's a turnaround story, but it's going to take forever," said Maciuba, adding that it could take up to three years to get FedEx margins back to 7-8% from less than 3% today. Miller, of Gullane Capital, noted that FedEx's stock is trading at roughly the same level as 15 years ago. "The top 5 executives, plus the board, have made $870 million over the last 15 years, while shareholders have made nothing," he said. Larry Cohen, who heads a pro-Sanders nonprofit, saw a different benefit to staying in for the long haul: a slow and steady accrual of delegates to the national convention. In Cohens view, this will give the Sanders movement leverage against the Biden forces when it comes to forming key party panels and shaping the partys approach to health care and climate change. Zelensky agrees with ICRC on supplies of medical equipment, medication to fight covid-19 in Ukraine President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in a telephone talk with President of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer said about the importance of cooperation between Ukraine and ICRC counter coronavirus pandemic. "It was agreed with the International Committee of the Red Cross to provide Ukraine with an appropriate medical equipment and medication at the request of our state, formed on behalf of Volodymyr Zelensky," a press service of the President's Office reported. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) are calling on Senate and House leaders to "prioritize" student loan cancellation as part of the next coronavirus emergency funding package. "We need bold action now," Pressley tweeted on Tuesday. "A plan that will ensure that we do not repeat the mistakes of the 2008 financial crisis. Debt cancellation. Across the board. Immediately, the Secretary of Education must take over all monthly payments during this public health emergency." Warren tweeted in agreement, saying student loan debt cancellation would deliver "relief immediately to millions of families and remove a giant weight that's dragging down our economy. Senate and House progressives are in this fight all the way." The House has passed a relief measure, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on Tuesday the Senate will stay in session to approve the package. He also said they will then craft a "phase three" stimulus measure. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin spoke with Republican senators on Tuesday, proposing a $1 trillion coronavirus economic response package that would include sending $250 billion worth of checks to Americans, CNN reports. More stories from theweek.com Bernie Sanders is focused on the 'f---ing global crisis' Florida Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart is 1st member of Congress to test positive for coronavirus GM, Ford, Fiat Chrysler temporarily closing North American plants The United states have slammed China and Iran for running a disinformation campaign about the deadly Coronavirus after a prominent Chinese official suggested the US military brought the virus to Wuhan, China, when hundreds of military athletes were there for October's Military World Games.. The Coronavirus epidemic originated from Wuhan in China and has now spread round the world, with thousands now dead all over the world due to the virus. Trump was criticized for calling the virus 'the Chinese virus' over the weekend and now US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has now blasted the Chinese leaders for trying to change the narrative about the virus' origin while revealing a 'handful' of US State Department' officials had tested positive to the virus. Pompeo also said China could have alerted the world earlier when the virus started before it grew out of hand and spread round the world. ''They lied about the Wuhan virus for weeks, they are trying to avoid responsibility for their gross incompetence," Pompeo said, speaking to reporters at the State Department on Tuesday. "The disinformation campaign that they (Chinese leaders) are waging is designed to shift responsibility. Now is not the time for recrimination, now is the time to solve this global pandemic and work to take down risks to Americans and people all across the world." "Every nation has a responsibility to share all of their data, all of their information, in as timely and accurate a fashion as they have the ability to do not only because it is the right thing to do but it's also how you save lives for your own people as well," Pompeo said. "The Chinese Communist Party had a responsibility to do this, not only for Americans and Italians and South Koreans and Iranians who are now suffering, but for their own people as well." "Secretary Pompeo conveyed strong US objections to PRC efforts to shift blame for COVID-19 to the United States," the State Department spokesperson said in a statement Monday. "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." On Tuesday President Donald Trump during a White House press briefing defended his use of the term "China virus" to describe COVID-19 saying he uses the term because China tried to blame its spread on the American military. "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. 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 By Trend 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. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed he is finding it 'a big change' to be working from home amid the coronavirus pandemic after the social media giant closed off its offices. Zuckerberg, 35, lives with his wife Priscilla and their two daughters Maxima, four, and August, two, in a cozy $7million Palo Alto home. They also own a $59million Lake Tahoe compound as well as properties in Hawaii and San Francisco. He made the comment during a press call on Wednesday where Zuckerberg also announced that Facebook would be rolling out a 'coronavirus information center', a day after a bug in its anti-spam system blocked the publication of links to news stories about the coronavirus. In December 2019, Zuckerberg told CBS that he sometimes takes his daughters to work with him but that was not enough to prepare him for the prolonged time at home as the coronavirus outbreak in the United States worsens. Zuckerberg lives with his wife Priscilla and their two daughters Maxima, four, and August, two Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg: The Facebook CEO announced heis working at home amid the coronavirus pandemic and finding it difficult to balance his work and children Variety editor Todd Spangler confirmed Zuckerberg is working from home on Twitter Zuckerberg confirmed that he is 'definitely working from home' like all other Facebook employees, according to Variety digital editor Todd Spangler. 'Like everyone is experiencing, it's a big change to be working from home,' he said, adding that he was trying to balance his work with taking care of two children. In an interview with CBS host Gayle King in December 2019, Zuckerberg and Chan revealed that they do their best to separate work from home. 'I mean, work comes home. We care deeply about our work. And so we don't leave it at the door. But we are super careful about thinking about, "Is this the moment to talk about it",' Chan said. To keep their relationship strong the couple go on weekly date nights, which was Zuckerberg's idea, where work talk is banned. The Facebook founder, 35, met his wife, 34, in 2003 in line for the bathroom at a frat party while they were both undergrads at Harvard University. Zuckerbergs frat Alpha Epsilon Pi was hosting party and Chan, a sophomore at the time, attended the party. The couple tied the knot in May 2012. Zuckerberg told Gayle King in a 2019 interview, pictured, that he sometimes brings his daughters to work. They live in a Palo Alto home just ten minutes from Facebook offices The Facebook CEO with his wife Priscilla Chan and daughters Maxima and August King asked Chan how she handles the frenzy around Facebook while managing being a supportive wife and mother. 'I think it's hard. Like, the way your gut feels when your best friend comes home and it's like "Hard day. Not sure what needs to come next". Or waking up and night and being like he's still not in bed,' Chan said. 'I also see that we're still so fortunate. The touchstone of our family and ours kids and just knowing that we're okay,' she added. The couple said they give their children chores and take them to work with them. 'We also take them to work. Mark and I take both of them to work, to the office, to see sort of what we do, how we contribute,' Chan said. The couple is believed to have bought their lavish home in Palo Alto, California in 2011 for $7million. It is located just ten minutes away from the Facebook office at Menlo Park. The family also owns a $59million Lake Tahoe compound consisting of two neighboring estates known as Brushwood Estate and Carousel Estate, as well as properties in Hawaii and San Francisco. On Tuesday, Facebook committed thousands of dollars to helping its staff of 45,000 employees manage expenses during the coronavirus pandemic that is spreading across the globe. CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced full-time workers will be given their six-month bonuses, along with an additional $1,000 to help those working remotely who do not have access to their usual catered meals, gyms and other services provided by the firm. Contracted workers are not eligible for these funds, but will continued to be paid as they are also barred from entering the office. 'We recognize that many people are going to need more time away to care for children and their families,' Zuckerberg wrote in a memo, a copy of which was obtained by NBC News. 'We also know that many of you may have additional expenses as part of setting up your home to enable remote work and support your family. 'We're going to grant all employees an additional $1,000 to use for whatever you see fit to support yourself and your family in adapting during this period.' CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced full-time workers will be given their six-month bonuses, along with an additional $1,000 to help those working remotely during the shutdown A chart of how coronavirus cases in the United States have increased since January Facebook has mandated a work-from-home policy for a little over a week now. Other tech giants such as Twitter, Amazon, and Microsoft have also closed offices. The recent news surfaced shortly after Facebook's chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, announced that the firm would be investing $100 million to help small businesses in over 30 countries. The majority will be in cash grants and Facebook will disclose more details soon about how businesses will be able to apply for assistance. Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg said in a post Tuesday that the economic disruption poses a severe risk to small businesses. 'We've listened to small businesses to understand how we can best help them. We've heard loud and clear that financial support could enable them to keep the lights on and pay people who can't come to work,' Sandberg said, adding that Facebook is also going to make it easier for small businesses to get training and support from its teams. Guy Rosen, Facebook's vice president of integrity, took to Twitter Tuesday evening claiming that the company had fixed the issue following widespread outrage about posting Facebook says a bug in its anti-spam system was blocking the publication of links to news stories about the coronavirus on Tueday but it is now rectified On Wednesday during a press call, Zuckerberg also unveiled a 'coronavirus information center' and revealed that Facebook will make collaboration tools available to governments and emergency-response organizations for free for 12 months. The move came after Facebook's anti-spam system was found blocking the publication of links to news stories about the coronavirus. Guy Rosen, Facebook's vice president of integrity, took to Twitter Tuesday evening claiming that the company had fixed the issue following widespread outrage. 'We've restored all the posts that were incorrectly removed, which included posts on all topics - not just those related to COVID-19. This was an issue with an automated system that removes links to abusive websites, but incorrectly removed a lot of other posts too,' Rosen wrote. Facebook users had been complaining earlier Tuesday that their attempts to share information and articles about the virus was being blocked by the social media giant. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 22:04:12|Editor: zh Video Player Close A volunteer checks the body temperature for a girl at a railway station in Peshawar, Pakistan, on March 17, 2020. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan has reached 212 after the emergence of 29 new cases in east Punjab and south Sindh provinces on Tuesday, health officials said. (Photo by Umar Qayyum/Xinhua) ISLAMABAD, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan has reached 212 after the emergence of 29 new cases in east Punjab and south Sindh provinces on Tuesday, health officials said. Murtaza Wahab, spokesperson of the Sindh government, said they found 172 positive cases in the province including at least 134 pilgrims with travel history of Iran. The patients are being kept in isolation wards established by the government in hospitals and at isolated buildings in the province. The national command and control center in the Health Ministry said that Sindh was followed by northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in the number of patients, where 15 cases were reported. A total of 10 people tested positive for the disease in southwest Balochistan province, and Punjab reported eight COVID-19 patients with emergence of seven new cases on Tuesday, the center said, adding that Islamabad and northwest Gilgit-Baltistan region have three and four patients of COVID-19 respectively. Meeran Yousuf, media coordinator of the Sindh's health department, told Xinhua that two infected patients in provincial capital of Karachi were discharged after being declared virus-free, and most of the remaining patients are in stable condition. Two patients including a 51-year-old man and a 45-year-old woman have been discharged after they were cured in Islamabad's Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, the hospital's spokesperson Waseem Khawaja said, adding that a 31-year-old woman with a recent travel history to the United States is in critical condition at one of the isolation wards of the hospital. A large number of the COVID-19 patients in the country have a travel history to Iran where they went for pilgrimage. All provinces have allocated some vicinities to quarantine the infected patients including wards in hospitals and separate places in isolated areas. Special desks have been established at the three airports of the countries in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi to screen people coming from abroad, whereas international flight operation was suspended in other airports across the country. The government has imposed a ban on mass gatherings, and all educational institutes have been closed to avoid the spread of the pandemic. Several private offices have also tasked their employees to work at home, and the government is weighing on the option to follow the same step in some of the offices. WITH the #MeToo movement having been spectacularly vindicated by the jailing of Hollywood predator Harvey Weinstein, Philippa Lowthorpes latest film could hardly have been better timed. A rousing cheer for sisterhood and a nostalgic trip back to the Seventies, Misbehaviour is inspiring, entertaining and somehow distinctively British. Based on the early days of the womens liberation movement, the film is set in London in 1970, when the glitzy Miss World contest was famously invaded by feminist protesters. Keira Knightley stars as Sally Alexander, a spirited mature student whos increasingly frustrated by the sexism she encounters in academia. She goes to the very first meeting of what was to become the womens liberation movement and meets loud, proud Jo Robinson (Wild Roses Jessie Buckley), a rebellious activitist whos living in a liberal commune in north London. The women are appalled by the publicity around the Miss World contest in which women parade around in swimwear for male approval and they plot to infiltrate the event and make a stand. Fired with feminist fury, they vow to send a strong message to the world with a mixture of water pistols, spray paint and bravado. At the same time, we find ourselves backstage with Miss Grenada (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), who was to become the first woman of colour to win Miss World. The clever layering of the story in this way makes Misbehaviour a fascinating and funny glimpse behind the scenes, as it details the preparations of Miss World showrunners Julia and Eric Morley, played by Keeley Hawes and Rhys Ifans. With the BBC preparing to broadcast the event live, the couple have managed to persuade the legendary American comic Bob Hope to host. Greg Kinnear is on hilarious form as the clumsily flirtatious Hope, whose cheesy chat-up routines are barely tolerated by his long-suffering wife Dolores (Lesley Manville). Not only do these perfectly cast actors amuse, they also sport a fabulous array of Seventies outfits that colour their characters. Its all glitz and bright polyester one side of the stage and Afghan coats and flares on the other. In introducing us to the contestants themselves, the film offers an important insight into the political climate of the era. It is also a timely tribute to the impact that those pioneering womens lib campaigners had on our world today. Misbehaviour is showing at the Regal Picturehouse cinema from today (Friday). The confidence level of Hong Kong's exporters has fallen to its lowest-ever level in the face of a triple challenge - the COVID-19 outbreak, softening global demand and lingering trade tension between the United States and Mainland China. The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) announced the latest HKTDC Export Index today with a reading of 16 - down a further 2.8 points from the previous quarter's low - indicating that local exporters have become more pessimistic about the city's short-term export outlook across all industries and markets, especially jewellery. HKTDC Director of Research Nicholas Kwan announced the HKTDC Export Index for the first quarter of 2020 which hit its lowest-ever level of 16, indicating that Hong Kong exporters are pessimistic on the outlook for all sectors and markets, especially jewellery. The other speakers at the press conference were HKTDC Assistant Principal Economist (Asian and Emerging Markets) Wenda Ma, and HKTDC Economists Doris Fung and Poon Cheuk-hong. Close to 94 per cent of the 500 Hong Kong exporters surveyed said the COVID-19 outbreak has adversely affected their companies in areas such as arranging product deliveries (80.4 per cent), supply of labour following the Chinese New Year holiday (76.2 per cent), business contacts with overseas buyers or suppliers (60.5 per cent) and supply of raw materials (56.1 per cent). HKTDC Director of Research Nicholas Kwan said the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the global supply chain, leaving entire markets in a state of uncertainty, and may accelerate its transformation. "Since the Sino-US trade dispute surfaced, many manufacturers have set up production lines outside the mainland to avoid additional tariffs. Following the COVID-19 outbreak, operations in some factories in the mainland - and even in Japan and Korea - have been suspended or have yet to fully resume, putting a strain on the global supply chain. For example, the shortage of electronics components has affected the supply of consumer electronics in the market. Multinational corporations may begin to further diversify their investments and no longer rely on a single country for production." Kwan added that the pandemic has resulted in the global economy losing its growth momentum, leading to a decline in the demand for new orders. "Economic and business activity has been on the wane worldwide during the outbreak. A total of 15 of the HKTDC's locally held trade fairs and conferences have been postponed. However, industry players can make good use of the HKTDC's digital platform for promotion purposes, and access government funding programmes to enhance their competitiveness and diversify production and markets." The HKTDC Export Index highlights the city's current export outlook and its level reflects the positive or negative sentiment of exporters. HKTDC Economist Doris Fung said the figures in the latest export index are the lowest since its launch, across all industries, indicating that Hong Kong's exports are expected to stay in the doldrums in the coming months. Fung explained that consumer sentiment has been negatively affected by COVID-19, with a weakening in demand for luxury goods in particular. "The survey showed that exporters are most bearish on jewellery (8) and watches (13.9). The indexes for other industries are also well below the 50 watershed, including machinery (16.4), electronics (16.3), toys (14.9) and garments (14.2). The decline of the index for export markets was less severe. Companies are most positive about Japan (44.8) followed by the United States (40), Mainland China (37) and Europe (34)." Fung explained that just one-third of respondents said the phase-one trade deal between the world's two largest economies and the subsequent tariff cuts would benefit their exports. Rather, traders have shifted their attention from softening global demand (18.5 per cent) and Sino-US trade tensions (6.2 per cent) to the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, with 63.9 per cent of respondents viewing it as the biggest threat to their exports over the next six months. Compared with the last quarter of 2019 (56.5 per cent), fewer respondents (51.2 per cent) said they had been adversely affected by Sino-US trade tensions. Among the key issues affecting their businesses were reduced order size (70 per cent), price bargaining from buyers (54.9 per cent), sharing or bearing part of the tariff costs (16 per cent), or cancelled orders (10.9 per cent). In response to the trade issues, the local exporters surveyed had considered options such as developing in non-US markets (36.5 per cent), lowering unit prices (28.2 per cent), moving their production/sourcing base (23.1 per cent), increasing the added value of products (22.4 per cent) or even downsizing their companies (16 per cent). HKTDC Assistant Principal Economist (Asian and Emerging Markets) Wenda Ma expected that manufacturers will continue shifting or extending their supply chains from the mainland to other countries, including Vietnam. "While it has developed quickly as a manufacturing hub, Vietnam has become a victim of its own success, with growing issues such as congested ports and roads and the rising cost of land and labour." In response, the Vietnamese government has given a massive push to improve the country's infrastructure sector. Several key infrastructure projects in the northern part of the country have been completed and are now in operation, including the deep seaport of Hai Phong and two international airports in Cat Bi and Van Don, coupled with significant improvements in the region's road network and the supply of utilities such as electricity and water. "These improvements have helped to make Vietnam's northern provinces much more attractive to overseas investors, and an electronics cluster is now taking shape," Ma said. She added that with its proximity to China, northern Vietnam is particularly suitable for industries that rely on supplies of raw materials, parts and components from the mainland's southern provinces. Although wages in Vietnam are still substantially lower than in the mainland, low cost is no longer the country's most competitive factor, which may make it less attractive to labour-intensive industries. A study of consumer markets in the nine mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area found that close to 80 per cent of the middle-class consumers surveyed in these cities believe that both their income and expenditure will increase in the coming three years. On average, respondents said they spend 28 per cent of their monthly income on living expenses, 19 per cent on investment/wealth management and insurance, and 18 per cent on savings. HKTDC Economist Poon Cheuk-hong said these middle-class consumers value improvements in areas such as their personal image and smart living, with more spending in the past year on upmarket clothing and footwear (46 per cent), high-end skin-care products/cosmetics/perfumes (46 per cent), personal electronics products (45 per cent), fitness services (37 per cent) and beauty services (32 per cent). "Those surveyed said they are, on average, willing to pay a 29 per cent premium for made-to-order products, especially electronics products and jewellery items. In addition, Hong Kong companies can pay close attention to opportunities arising from the growing demand for personalised services, cultural performances and personalised image-enhancing services," Poon said. He explained that the middle-class consumers surveyed have a preference for the online-to-offline (O2O) consumption model, whereby they get product information and make the actual purchase online, while experiencing the products and services in physical stores. The study also found that e-tailing platforms, WeChat and video-sharing social networking platforms such as Douyin and Kuaishou are the most popular mobile apps in terms of influencing consumers' buying decisions. "The survey also revealed that middle-class consumers in the nine mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area agree that Hong Kong is a 'shopping paradise' as well as being the most international city in the region," Poon added. The survey was conducted in November 2019, interviewing 2,160 middle-class consumers from Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Zhuhai, Zhongshan, Foshan, Jiangmen, Huizhou and Zhaoqing through an online questionnaire. The interviewees' average monthly individual income was Rmb10,257 with a monthly household income of Rmb18,294. -- Tradearabia News Service Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 12:21:25|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on March 16, 2020 shows the White House Visitor Center in Washington D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) The smear campaign against China has shown that those zealous U.S. politicians have no qualms about inciting an ideological conflict by misinforming the public with willful lies. BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- As Washington's political crackdown on Chinese media outlets in the United States took effect on Friday, the two-faced nature of America's so-called freedom of the press is being fully exposed. The U.S. cap on the number of staffers for Chinese media based in America has also set a record for the mass expulsion of foreign journalists by a government in the history of journalism, leaving an indelible stain on Washington. The U.S. State Department's move against Chinese media has been long in the making and represents its latest step to engage in a smear campaign against the Chinese media. Journalists take photos of the first public hearing held by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., the United States, on Dec. 4, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) The U.S. side has taken discriminatory measures against Chinese journalists in America for a long time, as 21 journalists have been denied visa since 2018 with various excuses, according to data provided by the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Before drastically capping the number of Chinese reporters in America, the U.S. side had already listed the Chinese media as "foreign agents" and designated five media outlets as "foreign missions" on shaky grounds. Some U.S. politicians are so entrenched in the Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice that they deliberately turn a blind eye to the fact that Chinese journalists posted to America have been strictly abiding by U.S. laws and regulations and carrying out news reporting under the principle of objectivity, fairness, truthfulness and accuracy. Photo taken on March 16, 2020 shows the White House in Washington D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) In fact, senior U.S. State Department officials admitted in a briefing with reporters that the move was not a result of any reports the five affected Chinese media organizations have published or broadcast. For those China-bashers with a zero-sum mindset and an entrenched belief in U.S. hegemony, such as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a rising China has become unbearable. Driven by a lack of confidence in U.S. strength and system, those U.S. politicians are even succumbed to the paranoia of being "ideologically invaded" by other countries. The smear campaign against China has shown that those zealous U.S. politicians have no qualms about inciting an ideological conflict by misinforming the public with willful lies. Instead of solving any problems of U.S. own making, Washington's political crackdown on Chinese media sends a signal to the world that its so-called freedom of the press is nothing short of double standards and hegemonic bullying. For those U.S. politicians troubled by the outdated and dangerous Cold War mindset, their despicable ploys against China are doomed to backfire and end up being self-humiliating. The Bombay High Court on Wednesday sought a reply from the government over alleged lack of facilities including the Internet at hospitals in Nagpur, Yavatmal and Akola districts of Maharashtra where several suspected coronavirus patients have been quarantined. Justices Sunil Shukre and Avinash Gharote of the court's Nagpur bench also said that considering the rising number of coronavirus cases, testing facilities should be set up in these government hospitals in Vidarbha region. The bench was hearing a petition filed by Jairam Zanwar over the issue. The judges issued a notice to the secretary of the state health department and the hospitals seeking their response, and posted the matter for further hearing on March 23. Citing a newspaper report, the court said some of the patients had admitted themselves to quarantine as a precautionary measure, but they are not able to continue their office work as no Internet is available at the hospitals. In the past several directions were given over the issue of inadequate staff and paucity of funds for upgrading facilities at these hospitals, but the present situation requires a special response from the state machinery, it said. "The latest situation is of rise in number of patients afflicted with COVID-19 in Vidarbha region," the court said. "Newspaper reports indicate that some patients fled from the isolation wards because of lack of proper facilities and conditions where the patients (could) feel secure," the court said. It also said that considering the sharp rise in the number of coronavirus cases across the world, the authorities should create additional Viral Research Diagnostics Laboratories (VRDLs) at these government hospitals. Nagpur district has reported at least four confirmed cases of coronavirus so far. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi, March 18 : The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensuring full support in combating the novel coronavirus disease, as total number of cases in the country crosses 150 mark. The IMA wrote to the PM in response of his Tweet in which he lauded the efforts of the healthcare workers fighting against COVID-19, the fear of which looms large on the country. A letter addressing the Prime Minister, dated March 17, said "Greetings from Indian Medical Association. We represent the doctors of modern medicine in India. Thank you for the encouraging message tweeted by you regarding the services and sacrifice of doctors, nurses and Health care personnel." The IMA letter further read: "Thank you for the encouraging message tweeted by you regarding the services and sacrifice of doctors, nurses and Health care personnel. IMA will be happy to get involved in any of sensitisation and training programmes of Government of India to fight COVID 19 epidemic." "Assuring you of our fullest support and cooperation in fighting this war, we are also in close touch with the National Medical Associations of the neighbouring countries as well as those of other different regions of the world. This effort is to share vital information and the best practices across the globe," said Rajan Sharma, National President IMA in the letter. The IMA with its 28 states, five Union territorial branches and 1,765 local branches and 3,17,000 members and the IMA Medical Students Network with 288 medical college units place their services before the nation and ensured to work with the Government at state as well as centre to protect the people at such times of grave Health emergency, he said. The IMA has also initiated a 24 X 7 helpline in Hindi and English-9999672238 and 9999672239, functioning from its Headquarter in New Delhi. Manned by doctors over 200 calls were received from the country in the last 24 hours and the services are expected to intensify as the information regarding the helpline percolates further. R.V. Asokan, Honorary Secretary General, IMA, said some of the health workers lose their own life in saving others during such an epidemic situation. "It will be only appropriate that the Government provides both life and Health Insurance coverage for the above category of people irrespective of sectors for the COVID 19 epidemic. Though in itself this may not serve adequate for the loss of life or Health, this will certainly show the compassion and concern of the grateful nation," he said. In a series of tweets, on Monday PM Modi had shared people's experiences and replied to them individually. He said "Our doctors, nurses, healthcare workers are putting great efforts. They are out there helping people we will always cherish their contribution.#IndiaFightsCoronavirus" Of the total 152 confirmed cases reported from India, 14 people have been cured and discharged from the hospital while three lost their lives. There are at least 135 active cases of COVID-19 in India. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pacific Gas & Electric has won court approval to raise $23 billion to help pay its bills over destructive California wildfires after Gov. Gavin Newsom dropped his opposition to a financing package designed to help the nations largest utility get out of bankruptcy. The milestone reached Monday, during an unusual court hearing held by phone, moves PG&E closer to its goal of emerging from one of the nations most complex bankruptcy cases by June 30. Newsom has said he fears that P&E is taking on too much debt to be able to afford an estimated $40 billion in equipment upgrades needed to reduce the chances of its electricity grid igniting destructive wildfires in the future. The utilitys outdated system has been blamed for catastrophic wildfires in 2017 and 2018 that killed so many people and burned so many homes and businesses that the company had to file for bankruptcy early last year. But the recent volatility in the financial markets caused by the coronavirus pandemic apparently softened Newsoms stance after PG&E lined up commitments from investors promising to buy up to $12 billion in stock. Those guarantees are looming larger, given the turmoil that has caused the benchmark Standard & Poors 500 index to plunge by roughly 25% during the past three weeks. PG&Es stock has been hit even harder, with shares losing nearly half their value during the same stretch. Markets rebounded somewhat Tuesday, with PG&E closing up 3% at $9.22. PG&E lawyer Paul Zumbro told U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali that the commitments are critically important. A representative for Newsom said the governor agreed. Newsom has unusual leverage over PG&E because the company also needs state approval of its bankruptcy plan to qualify for coverage from a wildfire insurance fund that California created last summer. The governors office didnt immediately respond to requests for comment about Newsoms change of heart on PG&Es financing package or other aspects of his talks with the company. Among other demands that still havent been addressed, Newsom wants PG&E to replace its entire 14-member of board of directors to help ensure that the utility is better managed. The company so far has promised to reshuffle its board but has resisted sweeping out all the directors, including CEO Bill Johnson. Newsom has intensified his focus on the coronavirus outbreak during the past two weeks as the situation worsened in California, but that doesnt mean the Democratic governor isnt keeping a close watch on PG&E, said Jared Ellias, a UC Hastings professor who has been tracking the case. The long-term health of PG&E has to remain a top priority, because God forbid if this coronavirus remains a problem heading into wildfire season this summer, Ellias said. Besides issuing more stock, PG&E and its parent company will take on as much as $11 billion in additional debt while refinancing billions in existing loans. PG&E needs the cash to pay off $25.5 billion in claims as part of settlements reached with wildfire victims, insurers and government agencies. Montali conceded that the nuances of PG&Es financing package are beyond my understanding and put his faith in the parties who put it together that its now the best option available. The hearing had to be held by phone because the courthouse was closed to try to help limit the spread of the coronavirus. Michael Liedtke is an Associated Press writer. National Black Church Initiative urges all churchgoers over 60 to stay home until further notice Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The National Black Church Initiative, a coalition of 34,000 African American and Latino churches working to eradicate racial disparities, has urged leaders of churches in their network to respect the science of the new coronavirus and warn their at-risk congregants to stay home amid the pandemic. We must follow all of the CDCs guidelines pertaining to those who are at least 60, especially those with underlying health conditions and compromised immunities. We are taking this extraordinary action in light of the fact that we must show moral leadership here in order to get everyone singing the same song God will take care of us if we listen and obey those who he was empowered to help us protect ourselves, our families, and our communities, the Rev. Anthony Evans, president of the NBCI said in a recent statement. Churches in the coalition are comprised of 37 denominations and 26.7 million members with an additional 116,000 sister churches. The NBCI warning comes amid a lack of consensus among church leaders nationwide on whether churches should shutter their doors and meet remotely. 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. 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. Evans, in his statement, acknowledged that while not everyone will agree with his call to stay away from church, those who insist on attending church should practice social distancing. The Ministers are not doctors. I know that there are some churches and ministers who are going to defy this moral declaration. If you do so, you must be willing to institute the principles of social distancing as an extra measure to protect all those in your congregation, Evans said. The Bible is clear about using sound, moral judgment in light of our faith in Christ Jesus. In this case, both the scripture and God want us to heed the sound judgment of scientists, doctors, and government officials who are trying to keep us safe. Our faith in Christ relies not only on our faith in God, but also those individuals who God has empowered as scientists, doctors, and those who are in the government at this time, he continued. The Black community should step away from the politics of the hour and focus on those who are trying to keep us safe. Kim Ki-nam, vice chairman and CEO of Samsung Electronics' device solutions division, speaks during the company's annual general meeting in Suwon, Wednesday. / AP-Yonhap By Baek Byung-yeul Samsung Electronics forecasted the demand for semiconductors will grow, driven by the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and increased investment in data centers despite the ongoing uncertainties raised by the coronavirus outbreak, Kim Ki-nam, vice chairman of the tech giant, said Wednesday. "The external uncertainties are expected to continue this year, the demand for semiconductors is forecasted to grow on the back of the growth of AI technology and automotive semiconductor industries, increased investment from data center companies and expansion of fifth-generation (5G) networks," Kim said during the company's 51st general shareholders' meeting in Suwon, just south of Seoul. Kim added the memory chip market will be stabilized compared with last year when the entire chip industry struggled with falling demand and decreased prices. "Despite the poor market situation in the memory chip industry, we can post a solid performance thanks to the technology competitiveness as a leading company. We are solidifying our technological capability by developing third-generation 10-nanometer DRAM and sixth-generation V-NAND chips," Kim said. At the meeting, shareholders voted to add two new directors Han Jong-hee, president of the visual display business, and chief financial officer Choi Yoon-ho. Staff wearing face masks wait for shareholders of Samsung Electronics during the company's annual general meeting in Suwon, Wednesday. / AP-Yonhap 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... Veterans are also needed. Just drafting young blood will not help... This statement by former Shiv Sena MP and senior leader Chandrakant Khaire to the media signifies that all is not well in the party, which is in the throes of a generational transition. While the old guard versus young blood battle within the Congress recently saw Jyotiraditya Scindia quit the grand old party to join the BJP and an attempt to destabilise the Kamal Nath government, the Shiv Sena is in the throes of its own battle of generations. Shiv Sena veterans claim Khaire has reasons to be upset. Khaire, a veteran Shiv Sainik, lost the Lok Sabha elections from Aurangabad to Imtiaz Jaleel of the All India Majlis E Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) by a narrow margin. Khaire was a four-term MP from the saffron stronghold. In March, the Rajya Sabha term of the Shiv Senas Rajkumar Dhoot came to an end. Khaire and Priyanka Chaturvedi, a fresh inductee from the Congress, were in the fray for a nomination. However, Chaturvedi, who joins the long list of non-Maharashtrians to be nominated by the party to the Rajya Sabha, pipped Khaire. The former Congress spokesperson, who joined the Shiv Sena just last year, was said to have the support of Yuva Sena chief and Maharashtra environment minister Aaditya Thackeray. As a Rajya Sabha MP, Chaturvedi will be the face of the party in Delhi, and ease its interaction with the English and Hindi media in the national capital. Aaditya, the son of Shiv Sena chief and chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, who became the first from the Thackeray family to seek public office, is seen as being increasingly active in matters of the party organisation. The well-spoken and cosmopolitan Aaditya is seen as the man who can modernise the party and has chosen to promote younger, cosmopolitan blood. However, this is seen as standing in dissonance with the partys traditional votebase. The Shiv Sena was born out of the angst of the Marathi-speakers in Mumbai and surrounding areas, who felt left out of a fast-changing Mumbai, after the creation of seperate state of Maharashtra in 1960. The Sena took a shift towards hardline Hindutva in the decade of the late 1980s. With his suave ways, Aaditya does not fit the stereotype of an archetypal rough-and-ready Shiv Sainik. As the Shiv Senas rising star and heir apparent, Aaditya is seen as preferring the induction and promotion of a cosmopolitan bunch of leaders within the ranks and leadership as part of a larger image makeover. Many say this is perhaps because he identifies with them. The Yuva Sena chief has pitched members of his own team for positions within the party. Even before Aaditya took a plunge into electoral politics, there were murmurs of protest within the Shiv Sena at members of his esoteric team of associates, many of whom are not seen as professional politicians calling the shots when it came to party affairs. Even hard-bitten critics of the Shiv Sena admit that this makeover is much needed. The Shiv Senas target constituency of the Marathi manoos is shrinking within Mumbai and the surrounding areas, ironically under the partys watch, and it needs to expand its electoral catchment. The partys agenda also does not resonate with the upwardly mobile young Maharashtrians and first-time voters, who instead prefer the rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). To stay relevant and hold on to its control over Indias financial capital, the Sena needs to reach out to a fresh constituency to widen its electoral catchment. But, as Khaires outburst, which is rare in a monolithic party that puts a premium on loyalty and comes down hard on anyone breaking ranks, makes it clear, this transition is easier said than done. The unease within the Shiv Senas ranks over this change is apparent. In 2014, Khaire was photographed touching the feet of Aaditya, almost four decades his junior. However, now, Khaire has not minced his words in sarcastically criticising the high-command's choices, and also questioned the benefits for the Sena in getting election strategist Prashant Kishore on board during last years state assembly polls. However, Khaire has been quick to add that while he has offers from other parties, he will be loyal to the Shiv Sena till his end, unlike others whose political loyalties are fickle. This disgruntlement in the party has an important subtext. Previous attempts by Uddhav to liberalise the party have been stonewalled, making these competing undercurrents within the Shiv Sena obvious. Khaire, a Shiv Sainik of over 30-year standing, was from the first batch of Shiv Sena corporators to be elected to the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation in 1988. Outside its traditional Mumbai-Thanebelt, the Shiv Sena first struck roots in the Marathwada region, which Aurangabad falls in. The communally sensitive Marathwada was in the dominion of the Nizam of Hyderabad, and has a fairly high percentage of Muslims. The Shiv Senas expansion in Marathwada in the 1980s had a force multiplier in its shift to aggressive Hindutva. Aurangabad can hence be called as the petri dish of the Shiv Senas own experiments in Hindutva. After the Shiv Senas split from the BJP, and consequent dilution of its hardline agenda, the latter is trying to embarrass its erstwhile ally on the issue. The Aurangabad civic polls, due this year, are the best opportunity for the BJP to test the waters regarding the majoritarian, polarising agenda, that is the order of the day due to issueslike the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Registry of Citizens(NRC). In Aurangabad, the BJP is also trying to strike an understanding with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), which is led by Uddhavs estranged cousin Raj Thackeray. The MNS is trying to fill the vaccum created by the Senas apparent attempt to dilute its pro-Hindutva agenda as a consequence of its alliance with the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) for power. For the Shiv Sena, the obvious unease of Khaire, and many veteran leaders and Shiv Sainiks, may bring back a sense of deja vu. In 2003, Uddhav, who was then the working president of the Shiv Sena, and father Bal Thackerays heir apparent, launched an ambitious campaign named Mee Mumbaikar to attract non-Maharashtrians, especially Hindi-speaking North Indians to the party. The campaign, which reflected the changing demographic and political realities of the city, was poised precariously as it made overtures to North Indians, who competed with working class Maharashtrians for access to jobs and resources in the burgeoning unorganised sector. This stood the risk of the Sena drifting away from its core vote base. The campaign led to visible unease within the party. Later that year, activists from the Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena (BVS), which was then helmed by Raj, who had lost out to his elder cousin in the succession battle, attacked north Indians who had come for the railway recruitment examinations at Kalyan. The attack led to ripples within the north Indian communities in Mumbai, and in next years assembly polls, they decisively voted against the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance, leading to its defeat by the Congress and NCP. After Raj quit the Shiv Sena in 2005 to launch his MNS the next year, Uddhav renewed his outreach towards the north Indians through Bhojpuri Sammelans and Lai Chana programs. However, the anti-north Indian campaign by the MNS in 2008 put a spoke in the wheels as the Sena scrambled to safeguard its electoral catchment. Now, the Shiv Sena has to contend with fresh threats. The BJP, which wants to ride the wave of polarisation sweeping the country, and the MNS, which is looking at occupying the pro-Hindutva, hardline space that the Sena has apparently vacated. The old guard within the Shiv Sena is also uneasy as this generational shift with the inevitable organisational shake up. Will the Shiv Sena be able to take its proposed, creeping transformation to a logical end? Or will history repeat itself like in 2003 and 2008? The global coronavirus pandemic has infected nearly 200,000 people worldwide, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the new respiratory illness. Here's a roundup of developments in RFE/RL's broadcast countries. Iran Iran's death toll from the coronavirus has reached 1,135, with 147 deaths over the past 24 hours -- the highest 24-hour rise yet -- state TV reported on March 18, as President Hassan Rohani defended his government's response to the outbreak. Iran has been the hardest-hit country in the Middle East, with a total of 16,169 confirmed cases, roughly 90 percent of the region's cases. Iran has been accused of acting too slowly and of even covering up initial cases. But Rohani on March 18 rejected criticism of his government's response to the coronavirus outbreak, telling a government meeting that authorities have been straightforward" with the nation, and that it had announced the outbreak as soon as it learned about it on February 19. "We spoke to people in a honest way. We had no delay, Rohani said. Government officials pleaded for weeks with clerics to completely close crowded holy shrines to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The government finally shut down the shrines this week. It was difficult of course to shut down mosques and holy sites, but we did it. It was a religious duty to do it, Rohani said. The outbreak has cast a shadow over the Persian New Year, Norouz, that begins on March 20. Iran warned on March 17 that millions could die in the Islamic republic if people keep traveling and ignore health guidance. Moldova Moldova on March 18 reported its first death from coronavirus. "A first Moldovan citizen died of the coronavirus infection last night. This is a 61-year-old woman," Health, Labor, and Social Protection Minister Viorica Dumbraveanu said. The woman had recently returned from Italy and was suffering from several illnesses, Dumbraveanu said. The manager of the Chisinau hospital where the woman died told the media that the woman's village has been placed under quarantine. Moldova, a nation of 3.5 million sandwiched between EU member Romania and Ukraine, reported 30 confirmed coronavirus cases as of March 18. Moldova's parliament on March 17 imposed a 60-day state of emergency in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus. The country, one of the poorest in Europe, has already temporarily shut its borders and suspended all international flights from March 17. Hundreds of thousands of Moldovans have been working abroad, many of them in Italy and Spain, two of the countries most affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Separately, Moldova's breakaway region of Transdniester declared a state of emergency until April 5 in the wake of the outbreak. Transdniester declared independence in 1990 and fought a bloody war with Moldova two years later. It is unrecognized by the international community but is unofficially backed by Russia, which stations hundreds of troops in the region. Romania/Hungary Thousands of workers returning from Western Europe have arrived overnight at Hungary's border with Romania after traveling all night from Austria in a police-monitored column. The estimated 7,000 Romanians had been blocked for almost 24 hours at the border between Austria and Hungary after Budapest closed its border crossings to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Most of the delayed Romanians are returning from Italy and Spain, the world's second- and fourth-most affected countries by the virus. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government imposed sweeping restrictions just after at midnight on March 17, closing land crossings to foreigners and as well as border crossings at airports. Romanian media reports say more than 800 vehicles arrived in the early hours of March 18 at the Nagylak-Nadlac border crossing after Hungary's government agreed to open a one-off "humanitarian corridor" following a request from Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu. Aurescu said the blockage was caused by the lack of prior official notice from Hungary about its intention to close the borders. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto agreed to the request on condition the travelers take a designated transit route and be accompanied by police. A number of Bulgarians were also among the returning travelers. Hungary reported having 50 confirmed coronavirus infections on March 17, with one death. On March 18, Romania reported 29 more confirmed cases, bringing the total to 246, as well as 19 recovered cases. There have been no coronavirus deaths inside the country. Bulgaria Bulgaria announced it has entered into a fiscal deficit and Ukraine said it is seeking a bigger lending program from the International Monetary Fund beyond the $5.5 billion for which it was asking. Confirmed cases in Bulgaria, the EUs poorest but least indebted country, spiked by 30 percent on March 17 to 81. The government in Sofia banned all foreign and domestic holiday trips until April 13. Kosovo Kosovar President Hashim Thaci the same day asked the countrys parliament to declare a state of emergency, a vote that by law is required within 48 hours. As a president, I never thought that it would come to this moment, Thaci said at a news conference. The Balkan country has 19 registered cases of the virus and has closed all schools, borders, bars, and eateries, and canceled all flights, while keeping grocery stores and pharmacies open. Bosnia-Herzegovina Neighboring Bosnia-Herzegovina declared a state of emergency to enable coordination of activities between its two autonomous regions. "We are focusing in all ways on how to alleviate the consequences of the coronavirus," Prime Minister Zoran Tegeltija told reporters. Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan says it has confirmed its first three cases of the coronavirus in a group of travelers returning from Saudi Arabia. Kyrgyz Health Minister Kosmosbek Cholponbaev said on March 18 that the three Kyrgyz nationals who tested positive are from the southern Suzak district in the Jalal-Abad region. The travelers, who returned to the country on March 12, are 70, 62, and 43 years of age, he added. Authorities in the district have sealed off the villages of Blagoveshchenka, Boston, and Orta-Aziya and placed 19 checkpoints nearby, regional officials said. Deputy Foreign Minister Nurlan Abdrakhmanov said in a statement that as of March 18, all foreigners have been banned from entering Kyrgyzstan. Elsewhere In Central Asia In neighboring Kazakhstan, the Health Ministry said on March 18 that the number of coronavirus cases had reached 35, after two more were confirmed in the countrys largest city, Almaty. Kazakhstan has declared a state of emergency until April 15 and as of March 19 two major cities, Nur-Sultan, the capital, and Almaty, will be in lockdown. Another Central Asian country, Uzbekistan, confirmed on March 18 that its total number of confirmed cases had reached 13. So far, no coronavirus cases have been officially announced in two other Central Asian nations, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Meanwhile, in the Czech Republic, authorities said they seized nearly 700,000 face masks needed for the coronavirus outbreak from a company that sought a higher price for shipment. The EU country has reported 434 cases of the pathogen as of March 18. The virus has caused nearly 8,000 deaths across the world. European Union leaders on March 17 agreed to shut down the blocs external borders for 30 days. Very, very limited exceptions will be given to people allowed to enter the EU during the entry ban, according to German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Britain also agreed to the entry ban. Italy now accounts for one-third of the global death toll with 2,503 deaths and 27,980 infections. Spain, the fourth-most infected country, has 11,178 registered cases and 491 deaths. China, where the virus was first reported in December, has the most with 3,241. With reporting by AP, Reuters, Interfax, TASS, AFP, RFE/RL's Romanian and Moldovan services, hotnews.ro, digi24.ro, and g4media.ro 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 Anthony Parnther and the Schreiber bassoon that was stolen. (Anthony Parnther) Anthony Parnther was having a great year. He kicked off his inaugural season as music director of the San Bernardino Symphony in September, and as an in-demand session bassoonist he played on the scores for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and the upcoming Animaniacs reboot. Then his beloved bassoon was stolen. The instrument a Schreiber S91 Prestige, ripped off through a smashed car window isnt worth a lot in dollars. But to Parnther it is priceless. During a dark time when he was a junior in high school, a year after his family's house in Virginia burned down, his mother surprised him with the bassoon. The family was strapped for cash and there were months when they couldnt pay the electric bill, but Parnther's mother, Samalaulu, always made the monthly payments on the Schreiber. A young Anthony Parnther with the bassoon that his mother bought for him. (Anthony Parnther) It was just kind of like the light at the end of the tunnel, Parnther said of the instrument. So of course I just practiced the thing night and day, night and day. Samalaulu Parnther died of cancer, but her son went on to study at Northwestern and Yale, defying the odds against a black classical bassoonist performing with the Los Angeles Opera, the San Diego Symphony and the Joffrey Ballet. Always on that bassoon. You can hear the instrument in solos on Terence Blanchards BlacKkKlansman score or in the music for The Kominsky Method on Netflix. It has accompanied Beyonce, Jennifer Hudson, Rihanna and Snoop Dogg. Anthony Parnther, left, with Snoop Dogg and the bassoon that was stolen from Parnther last week. (Anthony Parnther) Parnthers peers, who tend to favor fancier brands like Heckel, are always surprised when they see it. Its kind of like showing up to the Tour de France with a tricycle, Parnther said with a laugh, but it's a very special tricycle. I have won a lot of races with my tricycle. So the theft which also claimed his Macbook, his batons and the score for Mozarts bassoon concerto is a very particular kind of pain. The feeling, he said, was "helplessness. It's just a symbol of where I came from, and the doors that I've been able to open a lot of them with that instrument, he said. I had hoped to play my entire career on that horn, and I don't know if that'll happen now. Story continues Anthony Parnther, third from left, with composer John Williams, left, and bassoonists Rose Corrigan and Damian Montano. (Anthony Parnther) The coronavirus has hit freelance musicians especially hard. All of Parnthers live concerts for the next month were wiped out, and the scoring stages for film and TV music have gone dark as well. Hes using his unanticipated free time to trawl pawn shops in the region and search online. He wonders if the thief even knows what this maple and metal contraption is. It has his name and contact information attached, should someone choose to return it. The instrument does have a serial number on it: 30456. It has a French whisper key, a low D-flat/E-flat trill key, a D/E-flat trill key and an articulated A-flat/B-flat trill key. It has a matte finish and an unusually large custom hand rest. The best outcome would be a reunion, although hes mentally preparing for that to never happen. The second-best outcome, Parnther said, would be for a young, would-be musician to end up with the bassoon. There's a part of me that feels sorry for the person who did this, he said, because, clearly, if their economic situation was better they wouldn't have to resort to breaking into people's vehicles. But sometimes people just don't realize what they've taken. He added: They've taken the most important thing that I possess away from me. calendar@latimes.com Cornavirus outbreak: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), informed Lok Sabha in a written reply that 276 Indians are infected with COVID-19 abroad. Out of these 255 are in Iran and 12 in UAE, five in Italy, and one each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda, and Sri Lanka. Another person in Noida has been tested positive for novel coronavirus on Wednesday. The man had recently returned from Indonesia and is a resident of sector-41.Two more novel coronavirus cases have also been reported in Bengaluru. With this the total number cases have risen to 13 in Karnataka. A 56-year-old male from Bengaluru, who recently returned from the USA on March 6 and a 25-year-old female, who returned from Spain have been quarantined. The total number of COVID-19 positive cases have now crossed the 150-mark in India. Check all the latest updates on coronavirus outbreak on BusinessToday.In live blog Also Read: Coronavirus update: Here's a list of 52 test centres for COVID-19 10.36 pm: PM Narendra Modi to address the nation PM Shri @narendramodi will address the nation on 19th March 2020 at 8 PM, during which he will talk about issues relating to COVID-19 and the efforts to combat it. PMO India (@PMOIndia) March 18, 2020 10.00 pm: Indian Navy sets up quarantine facility at Visakhapatnam Indian Navy has set up a quarantine camp at INS Vishwakarma, Visakhapatnam, in Eastern Naval Command (ENC) for Indian nationals being evacuated from COVID-19 affected countries. The quarantine camp is equipped to accommodate nearly 200 individuals with all suitable facilities and other arrangements. Evacuated Indians in the camp will be closely monitored to ensure social distancing and kept under medical supervision in accordance with the protocols laid down by the Department of Health & Family Welfare by a team of naval personnel and medical professional 10.00 pm: In view of the current situation, GoAir has been forced to terminate the contracts of expat pilots which is in line with the reduced international capacity, said a GoAir spokesperson. 8:10 pm: PM Modi hails those working to fight coronavirus, says teamwork important Prime Minister Narendra Modi has lauded those involved in fighting the coronavirus outbreak. To a doctor who posted a picture of himself with a message urging people to stay at home, Modi said, "Well said, Doctor! Also a shout-out to all those working to make our planet safer and healthier. No words will ever do justice to their exceptional efforts." Well said, Doctor! Also a shout-out to all those working to make our planet safer and healthier. No words will ever do justice to their exceptional efforts. #IndiaFightsCorona https://t.co/4ENZlehiwD Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 18, 2020 7:30 pm: In wake of coronavirus outbreak, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital have decided to cancel all elective surgeries in the hospital with immediate effect, until further orders. 7:20 pm: Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Wednesday visited Jaisalmer and reviewed the preparedness of Indian Army Wellness Centre there to tackle COVID-19 challenges. As many as 118 men and 171 women evacuated from Iran are undergoing mandatory quarantine period at this facility. 7.02 pm: Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal discussed measures to fight coronavirus with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. After the meeting, Baijal said that social distancing measures were deliberated which can be encouraged in government offices, public transport, public places. Another meeting with Chief Minister and senior officers to be held tomorrow to review the status, the LG further added. 6.47 pm: Bus services suspended between Indore and cities in Maharashtra from March 21 to March 31 due to coronavirus outbreak. 6.45 pm: Delhi government employees association demands closure of all government offices for a week in meeting with CM Arvind Kejriwal. 6.44 pm: A 68-year-old woman in Mumbai tests positive for coronavirus, reports PTI. 6.42 pm: Uttarakhand government allows goverment employees to work from home til March 25 amid coronavirus threat. "Only employees whose presence in offices is very necessary shall be called to office," the order reads. The order, however, does not apply to employees of health, police, transport, food and water supply, electricity and sanitation departments. The order does not apply to employees of health, police, transport, food & water supply, electricity and sanitation departments. https://t.co/FM0Xjda2zD ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 6.38 pm: 51 start-up founder and venture capitalists recommend strict two-week lockdown in presentation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 6.34 pm: Rajasthan High Court postpones municipal elections in the state for six weeks due to coronavirus threat. 6.25 pm: Union Health Ministry confirmed that as of March 17, quarantine facilities with a combined capacity of 59,587 beds have been set up across India. This includes 11,934 beds at central government facilities, 26,153 beds at state government facilities and 21,500 beds at Haj facilities, the Ministry stated. As of March 17, quarantine facilities with a combined capacity of 59,587 beds have been set up across India, including 11,934 beds at central govt facilities, 26,153 beds at state governments facilities and 21,500 beds at Haj facilities: Union Health Ministry #Coronavirus ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 6.03 pm: Second positive coronavirus case reported in Chennai, taking the total number of cases in India to 152. Chennai reports second positive case for #COVID19. The patient hails from Delhi, is in isolation & stable. He is under the observation of expert team: Tamil Nadu Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar pic.twitter.com/Qi1mdJmYrs ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 6.00 pm: Vistara suspends international operations till March 31. Vistara: We are temporarily suspending our international operations from March 20 to March 31. We have also temporarily adjusted domestic capacity for March & April in view of reduced demand. Customers booked on the affected flights will be fully refunded. #Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/fgcYaCeWt0 ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 5.50 pm: Passengers coming from Leh to Srinagar will be quarantined, says District Magistrate Shahid Choudhary. Shahid Choudhary, District Magistrate/Development Commissioner, Srinagar: A Srinagar bound AI flight was returned this morning deboarding 25 passengers in Leh, other 81 who landed later have been quarantined. Henceforth, passengers coming from Leh will be quarantined. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/le3G30DSKO ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 5.50 pm: TMC MP Mimi Chakraborty to be home quarantined for 14 days upon return from London. As per govt guidelines, Mimi Chakraborty will be home quarantined for 14 days as she returned from London today: Anirban Bhattacharya, Press Secretary of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mimi Chakraborty pic.twitter.com/MUyxza68Bd ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 5.50 pm: Number of coronavirus cases in India rises to 151. Maharashtra registered the highest number of cases at 41, followed by Kerala (27) and Haryana (17). 25 confirmed cases are foreign nationals. The number of positive cases of #coronavirus in India rises to 151 (including 25 foreign nationals) pic.twitter.com/vgU0D67007 ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 5.40 pm: Health Minister Harsh Vardhan to meet President Ram Nath Kovind over coronavirus outbreak in India. 5.30 pm: Coronavirus: Nagpur authorities shut liquor shops, restaurants, paan shops till March 31 All liquor shops, restaurants and paan shops will remain shut from Wednesday till March 31 to prevent and control the spread of novel coronavirus. 5.20 pm: Coronavirus in Delhi: Govt to take more measures, says L-G "Discussed measures to contain Covid-19 outbreak with Hon'ble CM, Delhi @ArvindKejriwal. Deliberated social distancing measures which can be encouraged in government offices, public transport, public places and in general. Meeting with Hon'ble CM and senior officers to be held tomorrow to review the status and take further measures," tweeted Delhi L-G. Discussed measures to contain Covid-19 outbreak with Hon'ble CM, Delhi @ArvindKejriwal. Deliberated social distancing measures which can be encouraged in government offices, public transport, public places & in general. #IndiaFightsCorona - LG Delhi (@LtGovDelhi) March 18, 2020 5.06 pm: Coronavirus India: No VIP, anyone coming from abroad will be quarantined: Mamata Banerjee "There is no VIP or LIP. Anyone who has come from an international flight has to be quarantined and has to follow all the rules," West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said. 5.00 pm: Coronavirus news: Rahul Gandhi attacks govt over rising COVID-19 cases in India Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday attacked the government over the mounting COVID-19 cases in India. "Quick aggressive action is the answer to tackling the #Coronavirus. India is going to pay an extremely heavy price for our government's inability to act decisively," Gandhi tweeted. Quick aggressive action is the answer to tackling the #Coronavirus . India is going to pay an extremely heavy price for our governments inability to act decisively. - Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 18, 2020 4.56 pm: Coronavirus in Kerala: 3-year-old tests negative; govt to run one more test The 3-year-old child in Kerala who was earlier tested positive for novel coronavirus has now tested negative for the infection. However, the state government is going to run one more test on the child before it declares him cured. The kid had returned from Italy with his parents and was tested positive for COVID-19 on March 9. His parents also tested positive for the coronavirus infection. 4.53 pm: coronavirus Pune: NDA suspends large gatherings, expeditions The National Defence Academy (NDA) in Pune has suspended all large social gatherings, expeditions, guest lectures and other group activities in the wake of novel coronavirus outbreak, a senior official said on Wednesday. He added that all educational tours and outdoor hikes have also been cancelled. 4.47 pm: Coronavirus latest news: Govt confirms 558 deaths, 13,700 infections The Spanish government has confirmed 558 deaths in the country with infections touching the 13,700-mark. 4.45 pm: Coronavirus Breaking news: Iran death toll reaches 1,135 Iran on Wednesday reported 1,135 deaths following 147 new COVID-19 positive cases. 4.43 pm: Coronavirus latest: Authorities suspend train services to and from Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Pathankot, New Delhi-Firozpur Cantt Norther Railway said on Wednesday that train services to and from Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Pathankot (from March 18 to March 30), New Delhi-Firozpur Cantt (from March 20 to March 29), Jabalpur-Atari (from March 21 to April 1) will remain suspended because of low occupancy in these trains. Northern Railway: Train services to & from Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Pathankot (from March 18 to March 30), New Delhi-Firozpur Cantt (from March 20 to March 29), Jabalpur-Atari (from March 21 to April 1) will remain suspended as occupancy in these trains has come down. #Coronavirus - ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 4.37 pm: Coronavirus in West Bengal: CM Mamata Banerjee says govt offices to close by 4 pm from Thursday West Bengal Chief Minister (CM) Mamata Banerjee has announced that all government offices in the state will close by 4 pm from Thursday in the wake of novel coronavirus. 4.34 pm: Coronavirus in Haryana: All anganwadi centres will remain shut till March 31 Haryana Woman and Child Development Minister Kamlesh Dhanda announced on Wednesday that all anganwadi centres will remain shut till March 31 as a precautionary measure to control and contain the spread of novel coronavirus in the state. 4.32 pm: Coronavirus news: Govt to shut all liquor bars in Puducherry from Thursday Puducherry Chief Minister (CM) V. Narayanasamy said on Wednesday that all liquor bars in the state will be closed from Thursday. Meanwhile, tourist spots, theatres and shopping malls have been shut from Wednesday. 4.28 pm: Coronavirus latest: COVID-19 positive cases in Pakistan surge to 249 Pakistan recorded an increase in novel coronavirus cases to 249. Here is the region-wise list: 181 in Sindh province 26 in Punjab 16 in Balochistan 19 in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa 05 in Gilgit Baltistan / Kashmir 02 in Islamabad 4.23 pm: Coronavirus India update: Section 144 imposed in Anantnag, J&K The Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) government has imposed section 144 in Anantnag district, to prevent peoples' gathering in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic. 4.18 pm: Coronavirus in Maharashtra: 4 Garib Rath passengers, with home quarantine stamps, deboarded at Palghar station Four passengers travelling in Garib Rath, with home quarantine stamps on their hands, have bee deboarded at the Palghar station. They were deboarded from coach number G4 and G5 of 12216 Garib Rath after other passengers in the train raised an alarm seeing the stamps on their hands. The four passengers had arrived in the country from Germany and were going to Surat, Gujarat. They were taken to a government hospital in Palghar. 4.10 pm: Coronavirus update: Oman Air CEO tests positive for COVID-19: Airline sources Oman Air Chief Operating Officer (CEO) Mark Breen has been tested positive for COVID-19, said the airline sources, adding that all colleagues who have interacted with him have also been quarantined for 14 days. 4.00 pm: Coronavirus update: UK asks nationals in India with COVID-19 symptoms to self-quarantine for 7 days The United Kingdom (UK) has advised its nationals in India to self-isolate for 7 days if they have novel coronavirus symptoms adding that they should immediately get in touch with the Indian government's helpline in case their condition worsens. UK's Acting High Commissioner to India Jan Thompson, in a video posted on Twitter, said that the current situation remains "fluid" and advised all British nationals to continuously monitor any advice on state-level restrictions and follow the directions of local authorities in India. 3.45 pm: Coronavirus: Delhi zoo shut till March 31 The Delhi Zoo administration on Wednesday closed the zoological garden till March 31 in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Delhi Zoo Director Suneesh Buxy said instructions have been issued to shut the zoo. Delhi: The National Zoological Park will remain closed till March 31, in view of #COVID19. - ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 3.29 pm: Coronavirus update: 255 Indians in Iran infected, govt tells Lok Sabha The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), informed Lok Sabha in a written reply that 276 Indians are infected with COVID-19 abroad. Out of these 255 are Iran and 12 in UAE, five in Italy, and one each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda, and Sri Lanka. Ministry of External Affairs in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha: 276 Indians are infected with #coronavirus abroad including 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE, 5 in Italy, and 1 each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda, and Sri Lanka. pic.twitter.com/Hk1GjJoXyT - ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 3.16 PM: ISKCON Temples (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) at Rajajinagar and Kanakpura Road in Bengaluru have been closed for public from today, till further notice. 3.05 PM: As many as 276 Indians are infected with coronavirus abroad including 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE, 5 in Italy, and 1 each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda, and Sri Lanka, says the government. 3.05 PM: The Supreme Court today decided to hold only four courts tomorrow in view of health hazards due to coronavirus. 2.45 PM: Telangana Health Ministry: Sixth positive case of COVID19 has been confirmed today in the state. The patient has travel history to the United Kingdom and is admitted to an isolation ward of a government hospital. 2.30 pm: Coronavirus update India: Lucknow doctor treating COVID-19 patients tests positive A Lucknow-based doctor has tested positive for novel coronavirus. The resident doctor at Lucknow's King George Medical University has been confirmed positive for COVID-19, the hospital spokesperson said on Wednesday. 2.15 pm: Coronavirus India: J&K administration suspends Vaishno Devi Yatra The Jammu and Kashmir administration has suspended from Wednesday. All inter-state bus services have also been temporarily shut in the union territory, ANI reported. 2.10 pm: Coronavirus cases: Two more COVID-19 positive cases in Karnataka Two more novel coronavirus cases have been reported in Bengaluru. With this the total number cases have risen to 13 in Karnataka. A 56-year-old male from Bengaluru, who recently returned from the USA on March 6 and a 25-year-old female, who returned from Spain have been quarantined. B Sriramulu, Karnataka Health Minister: 2 more #COVID19 cases have been registered in Bengaluru today, taking the total infected cases to 13. 56 year old male, resident of Bengaluru returned from USA on 6th March. Another, 25 yr old female, who has returned from Spain. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/YcrWVHAT2a - ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 2.03 pm: Coronavirus India: Noida reports another positive case Another person in Noida has been tested positive for novel coronavirus on Wednesday. The man had recently returned from Indonesia and is a resident of sector-41. 2.00 pm: Coronavirus: Only four SC courtrooms to operate from Thursday The Supreme Court (SC) has said that only four courts will be allowed to function from Thursday. The apex court took the decision to reduce staff at its building in New Delhi in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak. 1.55 pm: Coronavirus update: Delhi High Court expresses satisfaction with govt steps to rescue Indian students in Iran The Delhi High Court on Wednesday said that it is satisfied with central government's steps in rescuing Indian students stranded in Iran amid COVID-19 pandemic. The Centre's counsel informed Justice Navin Chawla that the 119 students who were stuck in Iran, and had moved the court through their parents, were tested for COVID-19 and that one student has tested positive for novel coronavirus and is undergoing treatment. 1.47 pm: Coronavirus update India: Suresh Prabhu goes into self-quarantine Former Union Minister and BJP MP Suresh Prabhu has gone into self-quarantine at his home for the next 14 days, as a precautionary measure after he returned from Saudi Arabia to attend a meeting on March 10. Sources told PTI that Prabhu has tested negative for the COVID-19. 1.38 pm: Coronavirus India: Anand Mahindra urges govt to allow private sector to begin testing facilities Industrialist Anand Mahindra on Wednesday appealed to the government to consider allowing private sector to begin testing facilities for novel coronavirus in India. Taking to Twitter, Mahindra said that although the country has taken preventive steps, India has done the least number of coronavirus tests among the impacted countries. "India has done a fine job, so far, of managing teh crisis. Preemptive measures for containment have been lauded teh world over. But our testing rate could be our Achilles heel. We need to allow teh pvt sector to begin testing & scale up our capacity dramatically," tweeted Mahindra. India has done a fine job, so far, of managing the crisis. Preemptive measures for containment have been lauded the world over. But our testing rate could be our Achilles heel. We need to allow the pvt sector to begin testing & scale up our capacity dramatically. @drharshvardhan pic.twitter.com/iNq0RWDX6O - anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) March 18, 2020 1.28 pm: Coronavirus update: Army officer attached to College of Military Engineering, Pune asked to self-quarantine An Army officer attached to the College of Military Engineering in Pune, has been asked to self-quarantine after he manifested flu like symptoms, sources said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the wife of another officer at the institute has also been asked to isolate herself. However, both of them are yet to be tested for COVID-19. 1.15 pm: Coronavirus in Kolkata: COVID-19 positive boy son of bureaucrat A Kolkata boy who has been tested positive for novel coronavirus is the son of a secretary level bureaucrat, who works in the home department of West Bengal. The boy had recently returned from the UK, sources say that the people he was staying with in the UK had also been tested positive. Meanwhile, the boy's family members have also been put in isolation. They boy had initially been asked to get admitted but ignored the advise for two days. He also did not stay at home, and instead travelled to four to five places in Kolkata. The police is now tracking the places he visited and people he met. 1.00 pm: Coronavirus in India news: Another COVID-19 positive case in Telangana Another novel coronavirus positive case has been reported from Telangana. The person had recently returned from the UK and has been admitted to Gandhi Medical College hospital in Hyderabad. With this, the total number of cases have reached six in the state. 12.56 pm: Coronavirus news: IT companies in Odisha asked to give details of employees returning from abroad The Odisha government has instructed all IT and software companies to compulsorily register names of their employees returning from foreign countries with the authorities. The measure is taken as a precautionary step to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. 12.45 pm: Coronavirus in Karnataka: CM BS Yediuyurappa calls emergency cabinet meet Karantaka Chief Minister B S Yediuyurappa called an emergency cabinet meet on Wednesday to deliberate on novel coronavirus outbreak. He also indicated that the lock down in the state will continue. "I have called an emergency cabinet meeting this afternoon; Speaker (of legislative assembly) has also called a meeting. We will discuss and will take what more stringent measures that needs to be taken," the Karnataka CM told reporters. , "...we need to take more stringent measures, when the US President has recommended avoiding gatherings ofmore than 10 people in his country. We will discuss in the cabinet and take all necessary measures," he added. 12.30 pm: Coronavirus in India: Indian army soldier from Ladakh tests positive for COVID-19 An Indian Army soldier from Ladakh has been tested positive for novel coronavirus. This is the first COVID-19 positive case that has surfaced from the Indian Army. His father had returned from a pilgrimage in Iran on February 27. The jawan is being treated for the infection while his family, including sister and wife have been quarantined in Ladakh. 12.18 pm: Coronavirus in Mumbai: Amitabh Bachchan gets a 'home quarantined' stamp on his hand Amitabh Bachchan took to Twitter on late Tuesday night and shared a picture of his hand with a 'home quarantined' stamp on it. 'Home Quarantined' stamp on it. "T 3473 - Stamping started on hands with voter ink, in Mumbai .. keep safe, be cautious, remain isolated if detected," he posted. T 3473 - Stamping started on hands with voter ink, in Mumbai .. keep safe , be cautious , remain isolated if detected .. pic.twitter.com/t71b5ehZ2H - Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) March 17, 2020 11.58 am: Coronavirus news India: Restaurants likely to be shut The restaurants across the country are likely to shut till March 31 as the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) has advised all its members to close dine-in operations as a preventive measure against the spread of COVID-19. Read more here: Coronavirus impact: Big dilemma for Indian restaurants - To shut shops or not! 11.48 am: Coronavirus in Ladakh: 2 tested positive for COVID-19 "We have received results of 34 samples, out of these 2 tested positive. They are relatives of the earlier positive cases and were under quarantine. They are in isolation ward now," said Rigzin Samphel, Commissioner Secretary, Ladakh. Rigzin Samphel, Commissioner Secretary, Ladakh: We have received results of 34 samples, out of these 2 tested positive. They are relatives of the earlier positive cases and were under quarantine. They are in isolation ward now. Total positive cases in Ladakh has risen to 8. pic.twitter.com/R213n8dSph - ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 11.33 am: Coronavirus update: South Africa confirms 85 COVID-19 positive cases South Africa has confirmed a rise in the novel coronavirus cases in the country from 23 to 85. Health Minister Zwelini Mkhize said that 8 cases of local transmission have come to light. 11.20 am: Coronavirus outbreak: 11 new 'imported' COVID-19 cases reported in Beijing Beijing has reported 11 new novel coronavirus cases as of noon on March 18, according to the city's Health Commission. The imported cases in China have outstripped local transmissions for the fifth straight day. Amongst the new positive imported cases, 5 are reported from Spain, 4 from the UK, 1 from Brazil, and 1 from Luxembourg, as per the commission. 11.15 am: Coronavirus in India: SC issues notice to state govts and union territories over non-availability of mid-day meals The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday took suo motu cognisance of non-availability of mid-day meals for children owing to the closure of schools amid the novel coronavirus outbreak. Supreme Court takes suo motu cognisance of non-availability of mid-day meals for children due to the closure of schools in the light of #Coronavirus. A Bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde issues notices to all state governments and union territories. pic.twitter.com/2KppMXVm7a - ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 10.56 am: Fake hand sanitiser racket busted in Hyderabad Hyderabad Police has busted a fake hand sanitiser manufacturing unit on the outskirts of the city. The manufacturing unit was busted at Charlapally area of the city. The police confiscated 25,000 units of 100 ml sanitisers and raw materials worth Rs 40 lakh. So far the accused have manufactured and sold 1 lakh bottles worth Rs 1,44,00,000. 10.45 AM: Government of Andhra Pradesh constitutes the following Inter-Departmental Coordination Committee with the Secretaries of Line Departments for concerted measurements to containment and surveillance of COVID-19. 10.44 AM: Sanitisation measures being taken at Ludhiana Railway Station as precautionary step to contain the spread of COVID-19. Ministry of External Affairs in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha: 276 Indians are infected with #coronavirus abroad including 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE, 5 in Italy, and 1 each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda, and Sri Lanka. pic.twitter.com/Hk1GjJoXyT ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 10.36 AM: Srikalahasti temple authorities in Chittoor have appealed to devotees to restrict their tours in view of coronavirus. Children below 12 yrs & senior citizens are advised to avoid visit. All paid services are cancelled. 'Laghu darsanam'(brief darsan) is allowed. - ANI 10.12 AM: Indian banks to appeal for relief The coronavirus pandemic has sparked concerns about a fresh surge in bad loans at India's lenders, and the industry body representing the banks plans to appeal to regulators to provide some reprieve in bad-debt classification, two sources told Reuters on Tuesday. "Discussions are on at this stage and we will make a representation to the regulator to see if we can get some relief regarding non-performing asset classification in the small and medium enterprises sector," one of the bankers said. - Reuters 10.05 AM: Here's what a visual history of pandemics looks like Government of Andhra Pradesh constitutes the following Inter-Departmental Coordination Committee with the Secretaries of Line Departments for concerted measurements to containment and surveillance of #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/S60l0IGaAe ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 10.00 AM: Australia declares emergency Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday declared a "human biosecurity emergency" and said the country's citizens should abandon all overseas travel because of the coronavirus epidemic. The formal declaration gives the government the power to close off cities or regions, impose curfews and order people to quarantine, if deemed necessary to contain the spread of the virus. The upgrade in official advice to an unprecedented "Level 4: Do not travel" to any country in the world, was accompanied by a ban on any non-essential indoor gatherings of more than 100 people. - Reuters 9.46 AM: One more person tested positive in Pune, says the district magistrate Naval Kishore Ram, District Magistrate of Pune, Maharashtra, says one more person has tested positive for coronavirus in the city. The person had recently travelled to France and the Netherlands. Total number of positive cases in the state has now touched 42, including 18 in Pune. 9.42 AM: Together we all can fight against COVID19, says Ravi Shankar Prasad Punjab: Sanitization measures being taken at Ludhiana Railway Station as precautionary step to contain the spread of COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/tFMS6DOswE ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 9.35 AM: BJP MP Suresh Prabhu has kept himself under isolation at his residence for the next 14 days, as a precautionary measure even after testing negative, following his return from a recent visit to Saudi Arabia to attend Second Sherpas' Meeting on 10th March 2020. - ANI 9.30 AM: Temperature of people are being checked with the help of thermometer gun at Parliament Gate as precautionary measure to contain the spread of coronavirus. 9.20 AM: Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru being sanitised with the spraying of disinfectants, as a precautionary measure against coronavirus. 9.15 AM: New COVID-19 cases in India Confirmed positive cases: 147 Deaths: 3 Foreign nationals: 25 Discharged: 14 9.00 AM: Global death toll touches 7,800 Global death toll due to the coronavirus outbreak has touched 7,800, with China and Italy contributing to maximum number of deaths. In India, Maharashtra and Kerala top the chart with 38 and 25 positive coronavirus cases. Uttar Pradesh has confirmed 15 confirmed cases so far. 8.46 AM: S&P lowers India's growth forecast S&P Global Ratings on Wednesday lowered India's economic growth forecast to 5.2 per cent for 2020, saying the global economy is entering a recession amid the coronavirus pandemic. The agency had earlier projected a growth rate of 5.7 per cent during the 2020 calendar. Asia-Pacific economic growth in 2020 will more than halve to less than 3 per cent as the "global economy enters a recession," S&P said in a statement. 8.37 AM: Boeing calls for $60 billion lifeline Boeing Co on Tuesday called for a $60 billion lifeline for the struggling US aerospace manufacturing industry, which faces huge losses from the coronavirus pandemic. Reuters first reported that Boeing was seeking "tens of billions of dollars" in U.S. government loan guarantees and other assistance as faces it a looming liquidity crunch due to the coronavirus' impact on the aviation sector, two people briefed on the matter told Reuters. 8.33 AM: Trump presses for $1 trillion stimulus as death toll touches 100 in US The Trump administration pressed on Tuesday for enactment of a $1 trillion stimulus package, possibly with $1,000 direct payments to individual Americans, to blunt the economic pain from a coronavirus outbreak that has killed over 100 people in the country. With cases of the respiratory illness reported in all 50 states and the total number of known U.S. infections surging past 6,400, millions of Americans hunkered down at home instead of commuting to work or going to school. - Reuters 8.29 AM: GoAir offers rotational leave to staff without pay Budget carrier GoAir on Tuesday announced suspending international operations and offering leave without pay programme for its staff on a rotational basis, amid "unprecedented" decline in air travel due to the coronavirus pandemic. Sources said the airline was also planning a 20 per cent pay cut for employees in a staggered manner. - PTI 8.26 AM: India works because countless Indians do: S Jaishankar "India works because countless Indians do. Night or day, rain or shine. Went tonight to meet our immigration, health, security and airport officials Delhi Airport who are responding to COVID challenge," says External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. As a responsible citizen, we all should play our role to protect ourselves and others from #COVID19. Together we all can fight against #COVID19.#IndiaFightsCorona pic.twitter.com/9FUdNteYH2 Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) March 18, 2020 8.22 AM: Human safety tests on experimental coronavirus vaccine starts China has given the go-ahead for researchers to begin human safety tests of an experimental coronavirus vaccine in the race to develop a shot against the COVID19 epidemic that has killed more than 7,000 people worldwide. - Reuters 8.17 AM: Doing everything possible: Indian embassy in Italy Embassy of India in Italy, in a statement, said it's doing everything possible within limited resources, despite the current lock-down, to support and assist more than 300 Indian students in Rome and nearby areas. "Their swab tests have been taken over the weekend and reports are awaited," it added. 8.16 AM: India's Ambassador to US, TS Sandhu, says in touch with shipping company and US authorities regarding welfare of Indian crew on Grand Princess. "They're required to undergo mandatory quarantine. We're extending necessary assistance and will facilitate their return on completion of quarantine." Delhi: Temperature of people are being checked with the help of thermometer gun at Parliament Gate as precautionary measure to contain the spread of #Coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/RT4cmHdLCd ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 8.12 AM: External Affairs Minister (EAM), Dr. S. Jaishankar met immigration, health, security, and airport officials of Delhi Airport tonight. Karnataka: Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru being sanitised with the spraying of disinfectants, as a precautionary measure against #Coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/QuPDPYN51y ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 8.07 AM: COVID-19 impact on Indian economy MoS Finance Anurag Thakur says in order to address the possibility of trade-induced adverse impact on the economy, the government is constantly engaging with export promotion councils and trade bodies, particularly in pharmaceutical, electronics and automobile sectors where the supply chains are sourcing imports from China. India works because countless Indians do. Night or day, rain or shine. Went tonight to meet our immigration, health, security and airport officials @DelhiAirport who are responding to #COVID challenge. pic.twitter.com/mfMb5wZGcG Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) March 17, 2020 8.03 AM: Vaishno Devi Shrine Board CEO appeals pilgrims to postpone visit In view of coronovirus outbreak across India, Ramesh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, reviewed all aspects related to yatra&the safety of pilgrims. He also appealed pilgrims to postpone their visit to the Shrine till normalisation of the situation. 8.00 AM: People with blood group 'A' may be more prone to coronavirus People with blood group 'A' may be more prone to the new coronavirus (COVID19) 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. - IANS 7.40 AM: Indian Army reports first COVID-19 case A jawan from Ladakh Scouts was tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. The jawan's father had recently returned from a pilgrimage in coronavirus-hit Iran. The jawan, his wife and sister have been quarantined. 7.35 AM: Over 1.5 lakh vendors to be hit govt orders closure of weekly markets Over 1.5 lakh vendors will likely be hit by the closure of weekly markets across the national capitals as the Delhi government has ordered to shut down weekly markets. The National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) said this would lead to a huge blow to their business. 7.30 AM: How to protect oneself from COVID-19? Is there a way to protect from COVID-19? Check out this video on social distancing and maintaining hygiene. MidMichigan Health is preparing for an influx of coronavirus cases, and it currently is operating under emergency preparedness protocol. In the next few weeks, MidMichigan Health will look to implement video calls with doctors, drive-through testing centers, and possibly purchasing its own coronavirus-testing equipment, as the state health department gets backlogged with more tests. As were seeing more patients needing our services, we are strategizing on how to accommodate what we need to do, said Lydia Watson, senior vice president and chief medical officer for MidMichigan Health. Coronavirus testing at MidMichigan Health Watson said at MidMichigan Health, they have been sending in one batch of coronavirus tests per day, from all the MidMichigan systems. Between last Wednesday and Sunday night, 65 specimens were sent to the state health department for testing. On Tuesday, 40 more tests were sent in from just Monday, systemwide. Watson said initially, test results were coming back in 24 hours if they were submitted before 10 a.m., however, due to an increased amount of people being tested in Michigan, results are now taking an extra day to come back, or 48 hours. The state right now they told us this morning they have only been able to run a maximum of 200 per day, but they are hoping that they will increase their capability by the end of the week to get up to that 300 to 400 range, Watson said Tuesday. Because the tests require special equipment to be processed, MidMichigan currently has no choice but to send out tests to the state. However, Watson said theyve begun to look at other options, such as working with private testing companies and/or even purchasing their own testing equipment. Most of us are starting to evaluate whether or not (to) purchase the equipment so that we can start to do our own testing, knowing that as we start screening more patients, we may need more testing ability, she said. But for us to get the equipment in place and have that validated would take us into about mid-April. So thats not a short-term answer for us. In the meantime, MidMichigan continues to screen and test patients. Before a person is ever tested for coronavirus, they are screened by medical professionals. They are asked questions about their symptoms, recent travel and then a medical professional will determine whether they should be tested. Even if a person believes they have symptoms, and comes in-person to a facility, they will still be asked to do a screening via the phone, Watson said. If you just decide to walk up to the tent outside of the (emergency department) because you want a test, youre going to be screened like you would have if you had been on the phone, she said. So, if you drive into the parking lot and walk into the ED entrance hoping to be tested, theres going to be that sign there that says if you have concerns to get back into your car and call us on the phone. And then once we screen you on the phone, then well decide whether you need to go into triage (to be) evaluated and possibly tested. This is done to minimize the amount of tests being exhausted. However, Watson said she spoke with MidMichigan Healths Lab Director, Dr. Randy Sosolik, who said they were expecting a shipment of 300 more tests Tuesday. Watson also mentioned that soon, many people will return from spring break vacation, which can shake things up. She said if an employer has directed employees returning from vacation to be tested, the employee should call their doctor for advice. If they dont have a primary doctor, they can call one of MidMichigans urgent care centers, emergency departments or the COVID-19 hotline. Not everybody needs to be tested and we arent able to test absolutely everybody, Watson said. We would run out supplies and then we wouldnt be able to test anybody. So, we're testing appropriately but not everyone. Emergency protocol As the number of confirmed cases rises in Michigan, MidMichigan Health is preparing for an influx of people who might need testing and treatment. Watson said MidMichigan Health is currently operating under its emergency preparedness protocol and has plans in place if/when the number of cases begins to rise. If we start to see that the influx of people requiring triage and testing has exceeded (capacity), we have plans in place to address that, she said. So, we can either bring in more people, or we are in the stages right now of being able to plan things like have drive-up testing and have other areas off-campus that would be able to help us triage those patients. In addition, this Thursday, MidMichigan Health will begin to pilot a telehub system to screen patients via video chat, Watson said. She said this will allow patients to video call doctors via Skype or Facetime, where the medical provider could then screen the person by asking questions, but also visually seeing them. Were hoping to do telehub video visits starting Thursday as a pilot, Watson said. Then once we get all the bugs worked out, were going to roll that out across the whole system. And then were hoping to have a drive-through testing center in the very near future at one of our urgent care centers. With this, Watson said staff are not asking about insurance providers at this time, for anyone who comes in to be tested. We treat everybody the same, she said. Advice from MidMichigan Health If someone has symptoms they should call ahead, before going on-site to a hospital. We really dont want you to come if you really dont need to be here, Watson said. But were very happy to give you advice over the phone based on the answers to the questions that we ask of you. If you have symptoms or have concerns about the coronavirus, call your primary health care provider. If you do not have a primary doctor, call the MidMichigan Health COVID-19 hotline at 800-445-7356 or 989-794-7600; one of the urgent care centers; or one of the emergency departments. To prevent contracting the virus, Watson urged the public to take social distancing seriously and wash hands often. Those are the two things that really can help us all prevent ourselves from getting the virus, she said. RELATED: MidMichigan Health restricting 'non-necessary' visitors per governor's order MidMichigan Health Emergency Departments set up testing tents in coronavirus response MidMichigan Health sets visitor restrictions, information hotline The death toll from the coronavirus in Italy has surged in the past 24 hours by 475 to 2,978 the biggest single-day jump in any country since the outbreak began. Officials on Wednesday announced the increase of 19 per cent at the same time as the total number of infections rose to 35,713 from a previous 31,506, up 13.35 per cent. The Italian government has threatened to ban all outdoor exercise as authorities frustration grows over the number of people defying a nationwide lockdown order. Sports minister Vincenzo Spadafora said: If the call to stay at home is not heeded, we will be forced to impose an absolute ban. Of confirmed infections in the country, 4,025 patients have fully recovered compared with 2,941 on Tuesday. Some 2,257 people were in intensive care against a previous 2,060. Italy, the worst-hit country outside China, was the first western country to impose severe restrictions on movement to contain the illness, but a week after the curbs were imposed, the disease is still spreading and hospitals in the north are at breaking point. The northern region of Lombardy has asked recently retired health workers to return to work and help colleagues overwhelmed by the crisis. I make a heartfelt appeal to all the doctors, nurses and medical personnel who have retired in the last two years... to help us in this emergency, regional governor Attilio Fontana said. The real number of deaths could be much higher than the official figure, after it emerged that fatalities in nursing homes where dozens of patients are dying each day are not being registered as coronavirus-related because none of the sick are being tested. Photographs have circulated on social media of public transport filling up in the financial capital Milan, suggesting that some people are going back to work. Every time you leave your home, you are putting yourself and others at risk, said Mr Fontana. Recommended Massive obituary columns in Italy show extent of coronavirus tragedy Lombardy, like many regions, is rushing to build makeshift hospitals to add badly needed intensive-care units. However, the move is being complicated by the fact that doctors, nurses and hospital porters are themselves falling sick. Additional reporting by agencies Patricia Escobar prays before having her lunch she bought from a vendor outside L.A. County-USC Medical Center on Tuesday. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) Outside Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, street vendors called out to passersby, trying to entice them with gorditas, tamales or pupusas. Many of them have sold there for years, side by side with food trucks, used to a steady flow of hospital patients and staff day and night. But after the coronavirus outbreak started, the L.A. County Department of Health Services began rescheduling all nonurgent appointments and postponing elective surgeries and procedures. Food vendors who made hundreds of dollars a week are now making only enough to cover their expenses. A customer gets her lunch Tuesday from a food truck outside County-USC Medical Center in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) Under a white tarp, three women sat nearly shoulder to shoulder Tuesday as Patricia Escobar prepared pupusas. They pulled down flimsy purple masks to speak. "We need to trust in God," Escobar told them, as she slapped the masa between her gloved hands. She and her husband, both Salvadoran, have sold pupusas there for a year and a half, choosing that spot because of the constant traffic. Now though, the streets were empty. "It's the panic," said customer Laura Bolanos, who had come to the hospital that morning with her teenage daughter for an appointment. It isn't so much the virus that worries Bolanos; it's the financial fallout. That week, her husband's boss at a Huntington Park car service told him they might have to shut down for two weeks. "The poorest," she pronounced, "are always the most screwed." Sidewalk sellers are already facing the strain of dwindling crowds and meager sales as Angelenos hunker down at home to avoid spreading the novel coronavirus. Now the city could also ramp up its enforcement on vendors. Julio Dominguez is a taquero at the Avenue 26 taco stand in Lincoln Heights. The manager says they have lost 50% of their business over this past week due to COVID-19. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) The L.A. City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to crack down on food vendors who lack health permits, a move that Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez argued was needed to protect Angelenos amid the pandemic. Rodriguez, who had initially proposed a blanket moratorium on vending, said she was worried about crowds gathering at vending sites. Story continues "If we can close restaurants, if we can close hotels, if we can close movie theaters because people gather there ... then we can also put a pause on street vending," Councilman Gil Cedillo said, calling it a "critical moment." Until now, L.A. had been enforcing some basic rules about where and how people can sell food or goods but not citing vendors for lacking city permits. The grace period, expected to last through the end of June, was supposed to give vendors time to learn about the rules and get permits under the new system set up by the city. The new push from the City Council would effectively terminate that grace period for food vendors, according to city officials. Few have gotten their permits: As of this week, only 29 food vendors had obtained permits from the city, whose requirements include having a health permit from the county, according to the Department of Public Works. "It's effectively a moratorium on vending because it has been so difficult for vendors to access the county health permit," said Doug Smith, supervising staff attorney at the pro bono law firm Public Counsel. Wilson Vanega, 42, his leg in a cast, eats at a food truck outside County-USC Medical Center in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) Porter Ranch resident David Lasher said the move was long overdue, citing concerns that vendors in the San Fernando Valley were using unsanitary practices and leaving propane tanks sitting out on the sidewalk. "A brick-and-mortar restaurant 50 feet away is subject to a thousand regulations these guys are skirting," said Lasher, who is a board member with the Porter Ranch Neighborhood Council but was not speaking on its behalf. "I don't know why they gave them a grace period." In a recent letter to council members, the Los Angeles Street Vendor Campaign complained that obtaining the health permit was extremely difficult and costly, with a $772 fee for an annual permit. To get the county permit, vendors "must navigate an incredibly opaque system and make multiple trips to Baldwin Park far from most vendors place of work and a difficult location for those without vehicles," the coalition wrote. In addition, the group complained that there is no existing cart available on the market that meets city, county and state requirements for selling hot food. That has affected which vendors have applied for permits. Public works spokeswoman Elena Stern said that so far, most of the food vendors who have gotten city permits are selling ice cream or pre-packaged food. Smith said he was puzzled that the city was pledging to crack down on vendors who lacked the county permit a county requirement that the county enforces. Rodriguez aides said the idea was for the city to enforce its own permit rules on food vendors, who must have the county permit before they can get the city permit. The push for a crackdown worried vendors and their advocates, who said many of these workers cannot apply for unemployment benefits or other benefits from the federal government because they are in the U.S. illegally. Food trucks outside County-USC Medical Center in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) "I don't want to suggest that vendors expect to operate business as usual we're all needing to take difficult steps," Smith said. "But how do we also support them and create opportunities so that folks who are already the most vulnerable don't slip through the cracks?" Smith pointed to Washington, D.C., where vendors are to become ad hoc public health ambassadors to curb the spread of the coronavirus. In exchange for distributing hand sanitizer and health information, vendors would earn a stipend to help with lost wages, according to the Washington Post. Vendor advocates have suggested grants or loans to help vendors who don't have paid sick leave weather the crisis. The City Council did vote Tuesday, at the urging of Councilman Jose Huizar, to look into refunding the permit fees already paid by sidewalk vendors. "Theres a big concern on our end of folks not having the cash, not having the resources they need," said Carla De Paz, director of organizing for the East L.A. Community Corp., which is part of the Los Angeles Street Vendor Campaign. "We dont want to push people into deeper economic crisis." Food vendors serve customers in shelters outside County-USC Medical Center in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) Along a Lincoln Heights side street, taqueros wearing blue gloves filled tortillas with carne asada, pastor or suadero on Tuesday night as they worked over an open-air grill. For the most part, it looked like any other night at the Avenue 26 taco stand, which has set up along this street for over a decade. But the customers waiting for dollar tacos kept a distance in line. Some have started using plastic before gripping tongs at the toppings bar. And there's no denying there are fewer people showing up. Over the last week, there's been a nearly 50% drop in sales, its manager said. The owners have talked to employees about potentially cutting hours, or pay. "Business has gone down," said Cesar Martinez, the manager. We thought it was the rain. But, yeah, a lot of people are talking about the pandemic ... it's affecting everyone. Throughout Tuesday night, customers lined up at the taco spot for the last night that workers would be cooking outside. They planned to shift operations to two taco trucks, for the safety of the customers and workers. Although there were fewer people showing up, some of the regulars made sure to come by. Were not letting this slow us down, said David Nordberg, as he held a bag of 16 tacos. Our friends still have to make a living, and I love the food." Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-19 05:13:47|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Senate on Wednesday passed a House bill to expand paid sick leave, enhance unemployment insurance, and ensure free testing in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The upper chamber approved the plan in a 90-8 vote, sending it to President Donald Trump, who is expected to sign it into law. Two Republican senators didn't vote as they are undergoing self quarantine after exposure to people tested positive for the virus. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said prior to the voting that he will support the House's proposal, though arguing that "it does not help enough Americans, and, crucially, it adds even more uncertainty for small businesses." The House bill, which was passed early Saturday, includes measures to make sure that businesses with fewer than 500 employees offer two weeks of paid sick leave to their workers, enhance unemployment insurance, boost funding for food assistance programs, as well as ensure free testing. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, said Tuesday that the bill was about many things but "first and foremost" testing, urging Senators to pass the legislation as soon as possible. Pelosi also called on large employers and corporations to "step up to the plate" and offer paid sick leave and paid family and medical leave to their workers, noting that she doesn't support U.S. taxpayer money subsidizing corporations on that. Calling the bill a "first step," McConnell said lawmakers are moving rapidly to roll out a broader stimulus package in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. At a White House news briefing Tuesday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he is working with lawmakers on a "significant" economic stimulus plan, which includes support measures for small businesses, airlines and hotels, as well as potential cash payments for working Americans. The Trump administration had proposed a total aid package of 850 billion dollars, but discussions later included spending as much as 1.2 trillion dollars, Bloomberg reported earlier, citing people familiar with the matter. Berlin Mass disruptions cascaded around the world Tuesday as governments struggled to slow the spread of the coronavirus while also trying to keep their economies afloat. European Union leaders, meanwhile, agreed to shut down the bloc's external borders for 30 days. Increasingly worried about the economic fallout of the global shutdown, the U.S., Britain and the Netherlands also announced rescue packages totaling hundreds of billions of dollars while Venezuela long a fierce critic of the International Monetary Fund asked the institution for a $5 billion loan. In Brussels, meanwhile, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said there had been "a unanimous and united approach" to the decision to prohibit most foreigners from entering the EU for 30 days. She said it's now up to individual countries to implement the blockade. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said European leaders had agreed in a conference call to the commission's proposal for an entry ban to the bloc along with Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Britain with "very, very limited exceptions." Germany will implement the decision immediately. But the countries also agreed on the need to ensure continued cross-border travel for commuters, she said. There will be "grave, very grave consequences" for European economies as a result of the outbreak, she said, and that was one reason to safeguard the flow of goods. Countries also agreed to coordinate the repatriation of EU citizens stranded outside the bloc, she said. On Monday, the EU issued guidelines aimed at facilitating the flow of critical goods like food and medicine, while helping individual nations restrict nonessential travel. But on Tuesday it was chaos on many borders, with traffic backed up for dozens of miles. "We are all desperate, cold and sleepless here for a third day," said Janina Stukiene, who was stuck in Lithuania on the border with Poland with her husband and son. "We just want to go home." Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. The line of cars and trucks in Lithuania was some 37 miles long after Poland closed its border, while similar traffic jams could be seen on the borders with Germany and the Czech Republic. French President Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, tightened internal guidelines, allowing people to leave home only to buy food, go to work or do essential tasks, saying, "We are at war." 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. A surge of patients in Madrid's hospitals has fueled worries in Europe and elsewhere of what lies ahead. 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. 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. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. From Wednesday 18 March, the medical centres will accommodate patients with symptoms of acute respiratory infection. This initiative is designed to remove such patients from emergency services and general medical practices in order to contain the spread of the pandemic. It will also allow on-site access to a sampling capacity for the diagnosis of infections by staff provided with the required protections. The country's 3 medical on-call centres will be open weekdays from 8am to 4pm. The objective of this new mode of operation of medical houses is to offer people suffering from acute respiratory infection a dedicated care circuit around three axes: reception and sorting of patients, medical consultation and sampling. Minister of Health Paulette Lenert said the separate flow for patients formed part of the government's efforts to curb the spread of the virus, explaining that time-saving is critical for an epidemic of this magnitude. Patients are advised to only attend these medical centres on doctors' instructions, to maintain the correct functioning of the centres. Three medical on-call centres are available across the country: Luxembourg City 59, rue Michel Welter, L-2730 Luxembourg Esch-sur-Alzette 70, rue Emile Mayrisch, L-4240 Esch / Alzette Ettelbruck 110, avenue Lucien Salentiny, L-9080 Ettelbruck Authorities are currently exploring options for setting up a similar medical facility in the east of the country. For more information, visit the official information website Abwaab Technologies, an Amman, Jordan-based online learning platform, closed a $2.4M pre-seed funding round. The round was kicked off by Adam Tech Ventures and joined by Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund (ISSF), a London-based investment fund. The startup plans to use this funding to develop its product and grow its team. Founded in September 2019 by Hamdi Tabbaa, former General Manager of Uber for the GCC & Levant, and AI expert Hussein Alsarabi, former director of technology & product development at Mawdoo3.com, Abwaab is an edtech startup whose mission is to improve the out-of-school learning experience for Arabic-speaking youth by making high-quality education accessible to each and every student regardless of socioeconomic background. The website, which launched in early February of this year, offers a comprehensive and engaging online learning experience for secondary school students with programs tailored to specific markets in the region. From concept-based video lessons taught by highly experienced teachers to various forms of assessment and performance-tracking features, students get the opportunity to learn at their own pace, assess themselves and track their progress anytime and anywhere. The startup, which has a freemium subscription model, has begun rolling out its content, starting with STEM subjects tailored to the Jordanian market and has produced nearly 1000 videos to date. FinSMEs 18/03/2020 Worship for many churches has been radically disrupted by the advent of COVID-19. Whereas some already make regular use of media such as IMAG (Image Magnification), livestreaming, and texting during a sermon, others are burdened by this change to more technology-dependent worship. For these latter churches, technological adaptations to accommodate necessary social distancing feel like a denial of their liturgical identity. The churchs relationship with new technologies in worship has long been marked by equal parts undiluted enthusiasm and visceral antipathy. Even the long-outmoded overhead projector I proudly ran for our church as a teenager felt threatening to many at the time. Yet it also may be helpful to see what could be done by Gods grace through a host of technology options to deepen our worship, even if we make use of them only until the coronavirus has run its course. While the following list of tips is not exhaustive, I hope it offers practical help to pastors and worship leaders who wish to provide liturgical and pastoral care to their congregations during these strange and demanding times. 1. Its a transposition, not a transference. The first time I taught an online course at Fuller Theological Seminary, I felt like an idiot. Having never taken a single online course in my 15 years of post-secondary education, I had no clue what to do, and I resented the work. I also made a rookie error: I taught my online class exactly the way I taught my residential classes. As I've learned from the experts in the field of online education, teaching online isnt about a direct transference of material from one medium, or modality, to another. It's about a transposition of the material. If I typically lecture for 40 minutes straight in the classroom, for example, I shouldnt record a 40-minute video lecture and expect my students to experience the content in the same way. Its the difference between embodied cognition and disembodied cognition, between a dialogue and a monologue, and between getting a feel for the room and sending a unidirectional message out into the internet. To put it in musical terms, how might we transpose what we normally do in corporate worship into the new key of technology? For instance, if youre accustomed to hearing your congregation shout Amen or Yes, Lord to something youve said, consider inviting your people to send texts or to use a chat function in real time to feel like theyre still with you. If you normally lead the congregation in prayer, invite your people to send their prayer requests in advance so you can include their up-to-date concerns and perhaps pray for people by name. You might also consider recording your sermon in advance and asking your congregation to listen to it before the Sunday service so you can spend time in a livestreaming session responding to questions they may have about it. This could make it a more dynamic experience. 2. Make it personal. A face-to-face encounter is what the faithful are promised in glory (1 Cor. 13:12) and what Paul wished he could have experienced with the saints at Corinth (2 Cor. 10:1). This is the ideal for worship. But since were faced with less-than-ideal circumstances, how might we encourage personal worship when much of it is mediated through a screen? If you livestream your service, give people an opportunity to interact with each other for one or two minuteswith family or friends watching the stream together in person, over a chat function online, or by text messageperhaps with a series of questions related to your sermon. You might also arrange for certain people in your community to pre-record a testimony of God's faithfulness in the middle of these trying times and to share it during the service. Or you could facilitate this exchange by creating hashtags for people to use when they share a story on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. Laura de Jong, pastor at Second Christian Reformed Church in Grand Haven, Michigan, offers this idea: What we'd love to do is have members record themselves reading parts of the liturgy that we send them ahead of time and we'll link to those videos within the liturgy. We realize not everyone will be techy enough to follow the links, but hopefully most people will be able to access it. This way our congregation is still able to lead each other in worship, and we see some of the faces we've been missing. 3. Let your ministry be ambulatory. The gift of reading church history is the gift of perspective. Liturgical scholar Aidan Kavanagh, in On Liturgical Theology,writes that before the era of the printing press, worship was chiefly heard and not read, active and not static, and far more dynamicmaybe even messierthan we may be used to in the modern era. Prior to the sixth century, for example, Christians met liturgically in tenements (tituli), forums, piazzi, welfare centers (diaconiae), streets, shrines, cemeteries, and cathedrals. Their worship spilled over into entire cities and their suburbs to become a movable feast which took most of the day. Consider how these strange times might become an opportunity to do worship on the go. You could take a one- or two-minute video each day on your iPhonewhether at your desk, in your backyard, or on the streetand send it out to your people. This could include a thought for the day from Scripture, a word of encouragement, or a brief story. Charles Spurgeon, while pastoring his congregation amid a major cholera outbreak in 1854 London, remarked, All day, and sometimes all night long, I went about from house to house and, oh, how glad they were to see my face! If its possible and safe, consider making household visitations, greeting people in their front yards, or blessing them through the windows. On March 15, Christ Church Anglican in Austin held a worship service in public parks all across the city. This allowed for both appropriate social distancing and small numbers to gather in praise and prayer. It also allowed for public worship to be truly public as it once was common in the early centuries of the medieval church. 4. Keep it lighthearted. Or in other words, it's okay to get it wrong the first few times you try out a new form of technology. Increasingly anxious people may be blessed by moments of levity and laughter. Ron Rienstra, professor of preaching and worship arts at Western Seminary, encourages us to let this moment become an opportunity for creativity and experimentation. Try new things without aiming at perfection. If you mess up on camera, don't try to hide it. If it gets awkward at a certain point, that's okay. Share moments of joy through funny videos or create your own lighthearted memes to share through social media. 5. Let's get physical. If our aim is to foster the full, conscious, and active participation of the laity in worship, then we should look for ways to get people actively, rather than passively, involved. How do we counter the spectator mode that sitting in front of a screen may engender in us? Get the body moving! We bring to worship healthy and whole bodies, or we bring broken and dispirited bodies. We worship God with bodies that have been scarred by touch and with bodies that have been starved of touch. What we do with our bodies matters. So if you sing during a livestreamed service, invite people to stand in their homes and sing along. If you pray, invite people to hold hands or to lay hands on one another at home. If your church kneels during confession in a typical service, encourage people to do the same at home. If people are feeling stir crazy at home, invite them to go on prayer walks in their neighborhoods and to attend to the beauty of Gods creation. If that doesnt feel safe, invite them to look out their windows at the small details of nature as a testament to Gods sovereign care. 6. Be present to the present. One of our fundamental human needs is presence, physical or otherwise. As Lester Ruth, professor of liturgical studies at Duke Divinity School, remarks, There is but one liturgical reality: Christ is present. It can and does take many modes. In light of that, I would double down on pastoral visitation even if it was by old-fashioned telephone calling or writing letters. Some contact is better than no contact. Consider using FaceTime to connect with the homebound or the Marco Polo app to send and receive video messages in real time. Get people to post pictures or to make short videos of their home life and to share them through on your church's social media channels to remain present to each other. Invite the artists in your community to make art that responds to our moment and to share it with the community as a way to provide a sense of meaning and comfort when so much of what we see in the news is evidence of fear, scarcity, and selfishness. This could include songs, poems, paintings, videos, or stories. And if its possible, pay them for their work. 7. Remember the little ones. If you're livestreaming your service, theres a good chance that many families are sitting at home surrounded by the sounds of interrupting children, whose bodies are wiggly and whose attention spans are short and fractured. Think of ways, then, that you might preach to these actual people in their actual circumstances. You could record your sermon and send it out early so people can hear it during the course of their week. Then during your normal worship time on Sunday, do something different, such as preaching a sermon geared to children full of props, stories, and concrete examples. Consider ways to enlist the creative folks in your community to generate material throughout the week for parents who, with the canceling of school, may find themselves becoming desperate for help managing the crazy on the home front. Invite children to take pictures of things in their homes that remind them of Gods love and to have their parents share them on the churchs social media channels. For our church in Austin, I recorded a video in which I pretended to be Mr. Rogers. I told the story of Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well from John 4 and used puppets to act it out. With no rehearsals and only two takesthe first was hilariously full of flubsit was a fun way to bring both joy and a lesson about the way Jesus can satisfy the thirsts of their hearts. 8. Remember the least of these. I've discovered recently that my prejudices against media technology reflect an embarrassing ignorance about how such technologies might serve the deaf, the elderly, the homebound, the sick and their caregivers, persecuted believers, those without transportation, the severely disabled, and those with a variety of learning styles. Consider, then, not how this season of experimentation will make people woefully dependent on disembodied technologies, but rather how it may bring to your attention the people in your community who will be blessed long-term by adjustments that you make to serve everyone in worship. As cranky and suspicious as I usually get about excessive uses of technology fighting against deeply embodied worship, I have found myself getting excited about the ways in which technology might deepen our praise of God and bind us together as the body of Christ during these strange times. Jesus offers us a chance to more intentionally connect to members of the global church, and to attend to their joys and sorrows too. He offers us an opportunity to understand what it means to be a church in exile, where our experiences of weakness become an occasion for the grace of God to shine brightly. And he offers us an occasion to feel empathy with minority communities whose powerlessness forces them to acknowledge more readily the power of God. Like the Sabbath, its important to remember that technology is made for humans, not humans for technology. Theres no one-size-fits-all approach. Its okay to get it wrong and to try again. And we get to learn from and depend on each other in a way that our often-comfortable life may preclude otherwise. W. David O. Taylor teaches theology at Fuller Theological Seminary and is the author of Open and Unafraid: The Psalms as a Guide to Life (Thomas Nelson) along with an accompanying set of illustrated psalms prayer cards. Qatar to ramp up shrimp, fish production Through its recently opened aquatic research centre at Ras Matbakh in Al Khor and Al Thakira Municipality, Qatar is looking forward to ramp up production of fish and shrimp. "The plan is to produce 15 million baby fish and shrimp during the first three years by making use of 180 ponds," the centre director Mohamed Mahmoud al-Abdullah said. In the long run, the goal is to produce 80 million baby fish and shrimp yearly. It was in January this year that the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) opened the centre as part of the efforts to increase fish production, preserve marine wealth and promote research. The director said that the centre is working on a programme to produce 2.5 million baby fishes of Hamour, yellowfin seabream (Al Shaam) and sparidentex hasta (Al Sobeiti) this year. There is an integrated unit for the production of algae at the centre. "It's not possible to produce all types of fish at the centre as each needs certain facilities. Hamour is a fish in huge demand in the local market and it's caught in a big way. One of the main goals of the centre is production and not commercial purposes. But, food security and reviving the marine environment are on its focus as it was assigned by the MME. The plan is to provide sufficient supply in the local market and export the surplus. The official explained that the centre is working on techniques that help the hatchery for production during February and March. "We are looking to produce baby fishes throughout the year. The centre also has plans to support the private sector to increase production. "After three years of the production of Hamour, Al Shaam, Al Sobeiti and local shrimp, there is a plan to focus on specific species in order to achieve self-sufficiency and meet the needs of the market," al-Abdullah added. Jacksonville Applebees, 1721 W. Morton Ave. Beginning May 1, curbside pickup: 217-243-3654. Arbys, 1117 W. Morton Ave. Drive-through 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Delivery through DoorDash at doordash.com. Bahans Tavern, 214 N. East St. Curbside pickup 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Saturday: 217-243-3099. Barneys, 218 W. Morton Ave. Delivery and curbside pickup: 217-245-1678. Buffalo Wild Wings, 1235 W. Morton Ave. Delivery and curbside hours of operation: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Sunday. Delivery through DoorDash at doordash.com. Curbside service: 217-866-1937. Burger Board, 2005 W. Morton Ave. Drive-through service. Burger King, 905 W. Morton Ave. Drive-through service. Caseys, 525 E. Morton Ave. Business as normal; limited menu. Charlies 19th Hole, 319 Holken Brink Dr. Curbside pickup: 217-473-7428. Dairy Queen, 1360 S. Main St Drive-through service. Dawg Haus, 700 S. Diamond St. Curbside pickup 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday: 217-883-2808. Dominos, 302 W. Morton Ave. Drive-through and delivery: 217-243-7541. Dons Place, 207 W. Morgan St. Curbside pickup for package liquor: 217-243-2112. Dunkin Donuts, 109 E. Morton Ave. Drive-through service. Elks Club, 231 W. Morgan St. Curbside pickup and delivery: 217-245-5215. Hamiltons Catering, 110 N. East St. Delivery and curbside pickup: 217-675-2720. Menu online at hamiltonscatering.com. Head West, 401 S. Main St. Delivery and curbside pickup: 217-271-1614. Fujiyama Japanese Steakhouse, 1233 W. Morton Ave. Curbside pickup: 217-243-8688. Jacksonville Country Club, 100 Country Club Road Curbside pickup: 217-245-2134 Just Good Trade, curbside pickup. 217-245-4544. KFC, 244 W. Morton Ave. Drive-through service. Kitchen 63 at Ks Creek, 1265 Sandusky Road Curbside pickup: 217-602-0533. KJBs Pint Haus, 222 E. State St. Curbside pickup for package liquor and frozen pizza: 5-7 p.m. or by appointment: Text-only 217-416-7637. Leos Pizza, 230 S. Main St. Delivery and curbside pickup: 217-243-3413. Little Mexico, 2001 W. Morton Ave. Delivery and curbside pickup: 217-271-1665. Los Rancheros, 1020 Lincoln Ave. Curbside pickup: 217-243-5612. Main Street Trading Co., delivery, curbside and pickup available. 217-243-5252. Mangia, 2210 W. Morton Ave. Delivery and curbside pickup: 217-243-0808. McDonalds, 520 W. Morton Ave. Drive-through service. No Regrets Cookies, 1111 W. Morton Ave., Suite 10 Curbside pickup: 217-248-4342 or noregretscookies.com Papa Johns, 940 W. Morton Ave. Delivery: 217-243-7744. Papa Murphys, 1119 W. Morton Ave. Drive-through service, call ahead: 217-245-6367. Pizza Hut, 818 W. Morton Ave. Delivery: 217-245-1575. SafeCo Donuts and Bakery Curbside pickup: 217-243-0000. Steak N Shake, 1960 W. Morton Ave. Drive-through service. Taco Bell, 837 W. Morton Ave. Drive-through service. Taco Gringo, 501 S. Main St. Drive-through service. The Fresh Press, 216 Mauvaisterre St. Curbside pickup 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday: 217-245-8085 or thefreshpress217.com. The Handlebar, 304 S. Main St. Curbside pickup or delivery 11 a.m.-8 p.m. : 217-245-7444. Menu online at handlebarpizzaandpub.com. Twyfords BBQ Food truck availability at twyfordsbbq.com. Wendys, 901 W. Morton Ave. Drive-through service. . Franklin The Green Wall, 204-206 Wyatt St. Curbside pickup: 217-627-7014 . Mount Sterling Hagel 1891, 115 E. Main St. Curbside pickup: 217-773-7038. . Virginia Depot Diner, 351 N. Main St. Drive-through hours, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. In-town deliveries 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-7 p.m.: 217-452-3212. Kesterson Good Times Curbside and pick up hours, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 5 to 8 p.m. Monday and Friday. Call ahead 217-371-5431. On Twitter, I asked fellow New Yorkers whether they were more scared after 9/11 or now. To my surprise, nearly everyone reported being more scared after 9/11. To me, the fear today is much worse. I was a few blocks north of the Twin Towers when they fell, and I well remember the grim, aching, heavy mood that settled over New York City afterward. Even six miles north of Ground Zero, where I lived and still do, the putrid burning-tire scent was unmistakable for weeks. And that almost literal cloud of death was matched by a dark cloud of mourning. Bars and restaurants were notably underpopulated. Parties were canceled. All over downtown Manhattan there were dizzying, heartbreaking handbills. People randomly pasted to walls and fences photographs of their missing loved ones, as though any survivors of the World Trade Center attacks would have failed to contact their families as soon as possible. I wasnt disoriented or even really redirected by fear, though. America immediately stiffened up antiterrorism measures at transportation hubs, so it seemed like a copycat attack would have been extremely difficult to pull off. And as for a smaller-scale assault, I didnt particularly fear that either. Call me blithe, but I thought it tremendously unlikely that a man in a suicide vest would show up in whatever restaurant or subway car I happened to be in at any given moment. What I felt after 9/11 was mourning and sadness, with only a manageable level of fear for the future beneath it. Theres a strong possibility that COVID-19 will kill far more than 3,000 New Yorkers, and it will certainly kill far more than 3,000 Americans. It seems likely to inflict more economic damage than 9/11 also. But these are measurable factors. How do you measure fear? Perhaps my memories have faded so much that theyre misleading me, but I believe I felt nothing like todays level of fear in the fall of 2001. Terrorism can be checked, sometimes even foiled. An invisible pathogen, potentially coming to claim more lives than al-Qaeda did on 9/11, cant be turned away by metal detectors or be shot by police; it doesnt have its bags checked at the door. Unlike a man in a suicide vest, a virus isnt an extreme rarity but a natural, ordinary life form. Unlike Mohammed Atta and Co., it can be and kill everywhere at once, and it doesnt have to die in the process. Story continues I was quite sure no one in my home wanted to kill me after 9/11. Today, I dont even know whether I myself am carrying the virus. A killer could be in my lungs right now. Even in its mild form, the virus could put me and everyone else in my household through a week or more of nasty illness. Even if I have no symptoms whatsoever, I could pass it along to a family member who could suffer. I could pass it to my daughter, who has asthma. I could pick up the virus from a park bench or a subway pole or a checkout counter at the grocery store. After 9/11, my mood was somber but my daily life was pretty much exactly the same as before, and except for a few days of disruption, New York City went on almost exactly as before. Today the city is all but shuttered. My family routines have been turned inside out. And none of us knows how long all of this disruption will last. More than 9/11, the virus brings to mind what will soon, I suppose, be a forgotten footnote to history: the bizarre bioterrorism campaign in which a series of anthrax-laced letters, sent through the mail, killed five people and sickened 17 others. Like the destruction of the World Trade Center, the anthrax scare was right in my face. Two of those injured in the attack worked at NBC and the New York Post, each of which were within a stones throw of my then-office in the Time-Life Building, and each of which got their mail from the same distribution hub underneath Rockefeller Center. At the time, I was the books editor of People magazine and was opening 50 packages a day. A woman in Connecticut, where my mother lived, was killed when she opened an envelope containing anthrax. A man at American Media, publisher of the National Enquirer, a common sight alongside People magazine in grocery stores, was also killed by mailed anthrax. Everyone who worked in the media in New York City and got mail seemed to have bullseyes on our foreheads. Five dead may be a rounding error in a country of 300 million, but the bizarre, random, unexplained nature of the attacks made them far scarier than ordinary murders. What did murdering a random 94-year-old woman in Connecticut have to do with any political ideology anyway? Its the most nebulous, unpredictable, uncertain dangers that are the most terrifying ones. Coronavirus 2020 feels like Anthrax 2001 except maybe times a million. Well be fortunate if, at some point in the not too distant future, we can look back on this month and say our fears were overblown and the steps we took to fight the virus were too draconian. For now, though, extreme measures certainly seem justified given the outcomes being projected by epidemiologists. If you arent particularly scared by the coronavirus, I congratulate you. But I am. More from National Review Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on Thursday evening on the situation arising out of coronavirus outbreak and the efforts to combat it, the Prime Minister's Office said on Wednesday. IMAGE: Security personnel wear mask in the wake of deadly coronavirus as they stand guard at India Gate, in New Delhi, on Wednesday. All ASI-protected monuments and central museums across the country will be shut till March 31 in view of the threat of coronavirus. Photograph: PTI Photo 'PM Shri @narendramodi will address the nation on 19th March 2020 at 8 PM, during which he will talk about issues relating to COVID-19 and the efforts to combat it,' the PMO tweeted. In another tweet, the PMO said Modi chaired a high-level meeting to review the ongoing efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus. 'Ways to further strengthen India's preparedness were discussed. This includes further enhancing testing facilities,' it said. The prime minister has emphasised on actively engaging with individuals, local communities and organisations in chalking out mechanisms to fight the coronavirus menace. He has also urged officials and technical experts to deliberate on the steps to be taken next. The prime minister has been regularly taking to social media, urging people to prepare themselves but not panic. He has supported the idea of avoiding non-essential travel and limiting gatherings to check the spread of the virus. Modi has also expressed gratitude to all those at the forefront of combating coronavirus including the various state governments, medical fraternity, paramedical staff, armed and paramilitary forces, those associated with aviation sector, municipal staff and others. Earlier this week, he participated in a video conference of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation leaders to prepare a joint strategy to tackle the pandemic. The total number of coronavirus cases rose to 151 in the country on Wednesday. The government had on Tuesday banned the entry of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia to India with immediate effect, according to an additional travel 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 the European Union countries, Turkey and the United Kingdom from March 18 till 31 to check the spread of the virus. Reliance Jio has opposed the suggestion of BSNL and MTNL to exempt telecom operators having less than 15 percent market share from minimum rates for phone calls and data services New Delhi: Reliance Jio has opposed the suggestion of BSNL and MTNL to exempt telecom operators having less than 15 percent 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 a restriction in offering free outgoing calls on the competitor's network. "We also oppose the BSNL/MTNL suggestion on the exemption from the floor when the market share based on VLR subscriber is less than 15 percent, 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 percent market share should be exempted from charging a minimum fixed price for call and data services. According to TRAI data for December 2019, BSNL has 10.26 percent and MTNL 0.29 percent market share in mobile services, while Jio leads the market with 32.14 percent 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 a 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 the 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. (Disclaimer: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd which publishes Firstpost) A man targeted in an apparently unprovoked attack suffered a bleed to his brain and had his jaw broken, police have said A man targeted in an apparently unprovoked attack suffered a bleed to his brain and had his jaw broken, police have said. The violent assault happened at Plantation View in Limavady on Sunday shortly after 2.40am. The PSNI only released details of the incident yesterday. Police arrested a 30-year-old man at the scene. He has since been released on bail. Detective Sergeant Wallace said: "Shortly after 2.40am, it was reported that a male had been pulled out of a taxi and violently assaulted by another male. "As a result of this seemingly unprovoked assault the victim in this case has suffered a bleed to the brain and a suspected broken jaw." Anyone who was in the area at the time or who witnessed anything suspicious is asked to contact the police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Approving the licence for the first private firm to conduct tests for COVID-19, cancelling all non-emergency leaves of paramilitary and Army personnel, and promoting government primary school students without exams are among the measures taken by various stakeholders to control the pandemic as the number of positive cases in the country rose to 151 on Wednesday. As the Indian Army reported its first case of the infection with a 34-year-old soldier testing positive in Leh, the Army said it has taken a series of precautionary measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus among the forces such as checking flu symptoms among soldiers on their return from leave and cancelling non-essential travel, conferences and recruitment drives. Officials said at some locations the Army has also placed soldiers under quarantine after their return from leave. The Air Force too has announced postponement of the recruitment exams which were scheduled later this week, according to officials. A four-page directive was issued by the Union home ministry asking the 10 lakh personnel-strong Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to cancel all non-emergency leaves of members of the paramilitary to minimise the risk of contracting coronavirus during travel. Paramilitary personnel were also asked by the government to get into "battle mode" to combat the pandemic by ensuring personal and public safety, as per the directive. Two fresh positive coronavirus cases were reported in Uttar Pradesh. In the first case, a 25-year-old junior resident doctor of the King George Medical University in Lucknow tested positive after coming in contact with two patients undergoing treatment for the disease at its premises, a hospital spokesperson said. In the second case, a Noida resident who recently returned from Indonesia tested positive for COVID-19 taking the total number of positive cases in the district to four, Gautam Buddh Nagar Chief Medical Officer Anurag Bhargava said. While the CBSE directed board examination centres to ensure sitting arrangements with adequate distance between students to contain the coronavirus spread, the Uttar Pradesh government announced that students of classes one to eight of all government primary schools in the state will get promoted without having to appear in examinations that have been cancelled in view of the coronavirus outbreak. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan held a review meeting on the containment and management of coronavirus, directing that teams be deputed to regularly inspect and monitor quarantine facilities. The meeting was attended by senior health ministry officials, the directors or medical superintendents of central government hospitals such as Safdurjung Hospital, RML Hospital and AIIMS-Delhi. Vardhan reviewed the preparedness of hospitals in terms of availability of testing kits, personal protective equipment, medicines and isolation wards. He directed hospitals to ensure adequate availability of protective gear for all healthcare workers. Swiss firm Roche Diagnostics India received the license for conducting coronavirus tests after approval from drug regulator DCGI, making it the first private firm to get such permission after the government decided to allow accredited private labs to test for COVID-19, a senior official said. In Parliament, the government informed the Lok Sabha that 276 Indians have been infected with coronavirus in other countries -- 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE, five in Italy and one each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda and Sri Lanka. Several MPs in the Lower House raised the issue of Indian students stranded in the Philippines and demanded that the government take necessary steps for their evacuation. Opposition Rajya Sabha MPs demanded curtailment of the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament in view of the spread of coronavirus but the Chairman said any decision on it will have to be taken by the government in consultation with stakeholders. However, when senior Congress leader P Chidambaram urged Naidu to allow MPs to decide on using protective gear depending on their perception of vulnerability, the chair agreed. Former Union minister and BJP MP Suresh Prabhu self quarantined himself at his residence for the next 14 days as a precautionary measure following his return from Saudi Arabia to attend a meeting on March 10. Sources said though Prabhu has tested negative for the coronavirus, he has decided to stay in isolation as a precaution. UK's Acting High Commissioner to India Jan Thompson, in a video posted on Twitter, advised British nationals in India that if they have symptoms of coronavirus they should self-isolate for seven days and contact the Government of India's helpline in case their condition worsens. In the national capital, the NDMC is sanitising major temples, churches and gurudwaras while the Delhi Zoo administration shut the zoological party till March 31 in view of the pandemic. The J&K administration announced closure of the Vaishno Devi yatra and banning of all inter-state buses as part of precautionary measures. The district administration in Udhampur suspended all modes of public transport, while two major parks in Jammu and all public parks in Poonch district have been closed till further orders, officials said. The BJP, meanwhile, decided not to hold any protest or demonstration for a month in view of the coronavirus outbreak, party president J P Nadda said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Yulia Savitri and A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil (The Jakarta Post) Palembang/Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 15:47 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b988e4 1 National Indonesia,law,environment,criminal-justice-system,activists,Environment-and-Forestry-Ministry,land-and-forest-fires,crime Free The Environment and Forestry Ministry has complained that a lack of certification in environmental matters among judges remains one of the biggest obstacles to law enforcement in environmental damage cases, including those involving land and forest fires. Since 2011 the Supreme Court has carried out annual training modules for judges to get environmental expertise certification, as concern for the environment grows. Gakkum Karhutla [the Land and Forest Fires Law Enforcement Division] was only formed in 2016. One of our biggest challenges to this day is our limited enforcement capacity, said Rasio Ridho Sani, the ministrys law enforcement division head, during a recent discussion in Palembang, South Sumatra. According to 2018 data from the Supreme Court, there are currently 3,846 active justices across the country. Court spokesperson Andi Samsan Nganro said that only 858 judges had environmental expertise certification, although he insisted more would come. Every year the Supreme Court education center [Pusdiklat] conducts training for environmental certification. In June this year we will train 80 more judges, Samsan told The Jakarta Post. Cases with an environmental component must be presided over by a judge certified by the Supreme Court, according to Chief Justice Decree No. 134/2011. But in the event a judge with the corresponding expertise is not available, court proceedings for environmental cases must be supervised and verdicts must be made by the head of the court, based on Decree No. 36/2015. The measures in place aim to cut down on the number of mistrials or wrongful convictions in environmental cases, which can often become politically charged. Rasio pointed to the example of a civil lawsuit that the ministry filed against PT Bumi Mekar Hijau (BMH) at the Palembang District Court relating to forest fires in the area in 2016. The district court acquitted the company but the Palembang High Court later nullified the verdict, forcing the company to pay Rp 78.5 billion (US$5.16 million) in damages to the government and this underscored the need for certified judges, he said. Between 2015 and 2020, the ministry filed 26 civil lawsuits on environmental matters, including four against South Sumatra-based corporations: PT BMH, PT Waringin Agro Jaya (WAJ), PT Waimusi Agroindah (WA) and PT Rambang Agro Jaya (RAJ). Of the four cases, three reached a final and binding decision (inkracht) in 2019, while one is still being heard in court. From the three inkracht verdicts, only one company has paid compensation, PT BMH. PT WAJ is supposed to pay Rp 466 billion and PT WA Rp 30 billion, but they havent, Rasio said. In spite of the evidence, activists said that having certified judges was just one aspect of law enforcement, and that judges tended to play a passive role in court, compared with plaintiffs and prosecutors. Improving the capacity to prosecute should be the priority, they claim. Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL) executive director Raynaldo Sembiring said that certified judges were often passive and dependent on the charges brought to court by plaintiffs or prosecutors. This is the same for both civil lawsuits by the ministry and criminal cases handled by the police. Raynaldo suggested that plaintiffs from the ministry ought to demand restorative arrangements in their demands in addition to monetary compensation, as it would help in the restoration of the environment itself and not provide compensation to state coffers. Quality must begin with the plaintiffs. They should use strong arguments with accurate restorative [demands], he said. Separately, Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI) study of law manager Boy Even Sembiring said that instead of focusing on the number of certified judges, the ministry should focus more on correcting what it felt was lacking in its own law-enforcement division. Even before there was certification, environmental cases were rarely taken seriously as a crime in this country, Boy told the Post on Tuesday. He noted that even Statistics Indonesias (BPS) annual statistics on crime still did not treat environmental crimes as a separate category. According to an estimate by the World Bank, losses caused by land and forest fires in Indonesia amounted to Rp 72.95 trillion in 2019. Canadas big six banks are offering immediate help for small businesses and consumers struggling with the financial fallout of the COVID-19 crisis. The assistance, announced by the Canadian Bankers Association late Tuesday, is unprecedented in scope, said a spokesperson, who compared the program to that offered after the devastating wildfires in Fort McMurray, AB., in 2016. There were few details available about the kind of help on offer. But bank clients will be able to defer mortgage payments for up to six months or negotiate longer amortization periods or special loans to cover living expenses, said Jean-Francois Cadieux of the National Bank of Canada. In the case of payment deferrals, the client doesnt have to make monthly minimum interest payments for the agreed-upon period, he said. The Bank of Montreal, CIBC, RBC, Scotiabank, TD and the National Bank are advising clients to contact them directly, saying that assistance will be determined on a case-by-case basis for those dealing with lost pay, child care expenses or illness. The announcement comes as many Canadians are experiencing unstable income and added expense from business shutdowns aimed at containing the spread of the virus. The banks are among those cutting back hours and closing some branches but customers are asked to call if they cant go into a branch. We are of course asking for our clients patience and understanding considering the current volume of demand, said Cadieux. The banks measures should prevent many bankruptcies in a time when households are saddled with record debt levels, said Jean-Paul Lam, a University of Waterloo economist. It will give breathing room to some cash-strapped households and small businesses as they try and cover their bills and payrolls, he said. Many people were struggling even before the COVID crisis. At the end of last year, Canadians owed $1.77 for every dollar of disposable household income. Now, Were in a situation that weve never been in globally, said Stacy Yanchuk Oleksy of the Credit Counselling Society. COVID-19 relief measures: Part 1 Here are key components of the government's massive stimulus package as they apply for individuals, families and children. Children $10 billion in funds for Emergency Child Care Benefit up to $900 bi-weekly for up to 15 weeks. Families $5.5 billion in funds into the economy after special top-up payment under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) credit. Workers $5 billion in funds toward Emergency Support Benefit for workers who are not eligible for EI and face unemployment Parents $2 billion in funds toward Canada Child Benefit payments. Taxes Extend the tax filing deadline for individuals to June 1, and allow all tax payers to defer payment until after August 31. Wages Provide eligible small businesses a 10 per cent wage subsidy for the next 0- days, up to a maximum of $1,375 per employee and $25,000 per employer. Mortgages Provide increased flexibility to lenders to defer mortgage payments on homeowner government-insured mortgage loans to borrowers. EI Waive mandatory one-week waiting period for EI sickness benefits. EI Waive requirement for medical certificate to access EI sickness benefits. Source: Toronto Star Ottawa Bureau COVID-19 relief measures: Part 2 Here are key components of the government's massive stimulus package as they apply for businesses. Income tax All businesses to defer the payment of income tax amounts until after August 31, 2020. Credit Increase credit available to small, medium and large Canadian businesses. Support Further expand Export Development Canada's ability to provide support to domestic businesses. Mortgages Launch an Insured Purchase Program to purchases up to $50 billion of insured mortgage pools through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Flexibility Provide flexibility on the Canada Account limit, allowing the government to provide additional support to Canadian businesses. Credit Augment credit available to farmers and the agri-food sector through Farm Credit Canada. Source: Toronto Star Ottawa Bureau A lot of Canadians are close to the bone, living pay cheque to pay cheque when theyre working. Then if you throw income insecurity into the mix you could easily throw a lot of Canadians into financial crisis very quickly, she said. She urged consumers in financial distress to take the banks up on their offer sooner rather than later, adding that financial stress has impacts on both physical and mental health. If you have lost your source of income and you dont know how youll pay your mortgage, utility or credit cards, Yanchuk Oleksy advises cutting any extra spending and getting in touch with creditors. Now is not the time to stick your head in the sand. Take a deep breath, give your creditors a call and let them know whats going on. Its easier to do that now than when youre three months down the road and youve missed three payments, she said. There are more income supports coming and consumers who need them should activate those immediately, said Yanchuk Oleksy. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has revived its crisis-era Insured Mortgage Purchase Program with the intention of buying back $50-billion in insured mortgage pools. Meantime, the Bank of Canada pledged to purchase billions in mortgages and mortgage-backed securities to bolster liquidity in the financial system. Banks are among those closing branches and curtailing their hours. Files by Bloomberg Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 23:01:15|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close RABAT, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The Moroccan authorities Wednesday called on citizens to restrict their movements amid the spread of coronavirus. Movements are limited to going out for shopping, medical care and work, said a joint statement by the ministries of health and interior. The authorities also asked people to comply with sanitary isolation rules as a precautionary measure against the spread of the deadly virus. Morocco confirmed five new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the total number to 49. With fear of infection rising among factory workers, and few customers shopping for cars, several automakers on Wednesday decided to idle their plants in the United States, Canada and Mexico for at least a week. The decisions will put tens of thousands of people out of work and add to the coronavirus outbreaks growing economic toll. The countrys largest automakers General Motors, Ford Motor and Fiat Chrysler decided to close plants after the United Auto Workers union pressured them to do so to protect workers. That pressure intensified after it was revealed on Wednesday that a worker at a Ford truck plant in Dearborn, Mich., had tested positive for the virus. In addition to G.M., Ford and Fiat Chrysler, Honda, Toyota and Nissan also said they would idle their North American factories. The shutdown of car plants will force hundreds of companies that produce parts and components to follow suit over the coming days. This is another big blow to the economy, said Patrick Anderson, president of Anderson Economic Group in East Lansing, Mich. The HSE have launched a massive recruitment drive across the Irish health serice as it prepares for the "surge" in Covid-19 cases. Minister for Health Simon Harris said that every newly graduated doctor will be offered an internship, with well over 1,000 people looking for one this year. A nurses recruitment call was issued along with the line: your country needs you. The call out goes to all health care professionals or healthcare workers to "come help their country." All skills will be required. Minister Harris said "We will hire everybody that we can to work in the Irish health service. He made a special plea to Irish healthcare workers abroad, to those working part-time and to medical students, saying we need you. More ICU beds have been ordered, he said that these efforts to bolster the health service wont be enough on its own to help stem the tide. He said it was possible that 3,000 people ill with the virus could need hospital treatment by the end of the month and added: Everything that can be done is being done. Harris also said they were examining childcare provisions for healthcare workers. He said there will be proposals on structured child care by the end of the week. If you think you have the skills/ experience or knowledge that could help sign up here: Hse.ie/oncall Also read: Leitrim GAA clubs reach out to the community during Covid-19 crisis Wyoming Legislature passes bill protecting babies born alive after abortion Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Legislators in Wyoming have passed a bill that requires abortion providers to provide medical assistance to a baby that survives the procedure. Senate File 97, also rendered SF0097, passed the Wyoming House last week in a vote of 44-16, having previously passed the state Senate. Michael Pearlman, communications director for the office of Governor Mark Gordon, told The Christian Post on Wednesday that the governor has not decided what action to take on the bill. The governor is still considering this bill, explained Pearlman. This bill was delivered to him after adjournment of the legislative session, which means he has 15 days to act on it. Also titled Born alive infant-means of care, the bill requires abortion providers to take steps to help a baby that survives an abortion procedure. The commonly accepted means of care that would be rendered to any other infant born alive shall be employed in the treatment of any viable infant aborted alive, reads SF0097. Any physician performing an abortion shall take medically appropriate and reasonable steps to preserve the life and health of an infant born alive. The measure also states that parents of an infant born alive shall not be held criminally or civilly liable for the actions of a physician under this section. Critics of the proposed legislation included the Wyoming chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, which argued that the bill was unnecessary in light of other state laws. Our state already has a law prohibiting abortions after viability (except to preserve a woman's life or health), stated the ACLU chapter. Wyoming physicians perform abortions only during the first trimester of pregnancy, no doctor has ever been charged with violating this law. Republican State Senator Cheri Steinmetz, sponsor of the bill, told the Cheyenne-based KGAB last month that she considered the legislation a clarification of existing law. Thats our job in the legislative session: we clarify law all the time, said Steinmetz. Thats what this bill seeks to do. Last month, the U.S. Senate failed to advance a similar bill introduced by Republican Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska known as the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. HILLSBOROUGH, N.C., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- College Consensus (https://www.collegeconsensus.com), a unique college rating website that aggregates publisher rankings and student reviews, has published three new rankings of online nursing degree programs: 25 Best Online RN to BSN for 2020 https://www.collegeconsensus.com/rankings/best-online-rn-to-bsn-programs/ 25 Best Online MSN Nursing Degrees for 2020 https://www.collegeconsensus.com/rankings/best-online-msn-nursing-degrees/ 25 Best Online DNP Nursing Degrees for 2020 https://www.collegeconsensus.com/rankings/best-online-dnp-nursing-degrees/ To identify the Best Online Nursing degree programs, College Consensus began exclusively with fully accredited, reputable institutions. From there, programs were ranked according to practical considerations, with an eye to programs that have a positive impact on graduate's careers: Cost (IPEDS data) Salary Potential (College Scorecard) Student Satisfaction (Niche) The top 3 online RN to BSN programs are: 1) University of Utah, 2) The Ohio State University, and 3) Indiana University of Pennsylvania. The top 3 online MSN programs are: 1) Texas A&M University, 2) University of Alabama, and 3) University of Cincinnati. The 3 best online DNP programs are: 1) University of Pittsburgh; 2) Vanderbilt University; 3) Johns Hopkins University. College Consensus congratulates the top 3 in each category, as well as all of the top engineering graduate schools! The full lists, in alphabetical order, can be found below. "There are many tiers of nursing degrees and subsequent career outcomes," College Consensus editors explain: "and the higher you go with your education, the more likely you are to land the job in the exact nursing field you want and have the most opportunities to make the salary you want also." There is always an incentive, in nursing, to go for the next degree up - from an ADN to a BSN to an MSN and even DNP. And with today's nursing shortage, nurses are being encouraged more than ever to differentiate and professionalize. With an online nursing degree, dedicated professionals can advance to leadership positions, add specializations, and earn higher income. College Consensus is a new approach to college rankings. We combine the latest results from the most respected college ranking systems with thousands of real student review scores. College Consensus also offers expert advice and guidance on all aspects of college life, from finding the perfect college, to getting accepted, paying for it, and finding your professional path after graduation. 25 Best Online RN to BSN Programs for 2020 American Public University System Arizona State University Drexel University Florida International University Goshen College Indiana University Loyola University Chicago Maryville University of St. Louis Northern Arizona University Ohio State University-Columbus Pennsylvania State University-World Campus Sam Houston State University Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania University of Alabama-Birmingham University of Arkansas University of Central Florida University of Cincinnati University of Illinois-Chicago University of Louisville University of Massachusetts-Amherst University of Missouri-St. Louis University of St. Francis (IN) University of Utah West Virginia University Western Illinois University 25 Best Online MSN Degrees for 2020 Ball State University Fort Hays State University George Washington University Georgia College & State University Johns Hopkins University Michigan State University Ohio State University Stony Brook University-SUNY Texas A&M University Health Science Center Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Troy University University of Alabama University of Alabama-Huntsville University of Arizona University of Central Florida University of Cincinnati University of Colorado University of Kansas University of Louisiana-Lafayette University of Massachusetts-Amherst University of Missouri-Kansas City University of Nevada-Las Vegas University of Pittsburgh University of South Carolina University of Southern Indiana 25 Best Online DNP Programs for 2020 Arizona State University Case Western Reserve University Duke University Emory University Johns Hopkins University Ohio State University Rutgers University-Newark University of Alabama at Birmingham University of Florida University of Massachusetts Amherst University of Miami University of Michigan-Ann Arbor University of Minnesota-Twin Cities University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Pittsburgh University of Rochester University of South Florida University of Texas at Austin University of Utah University of Virginia University of Washington University of Wisconsin-Madison Vanderbilt University Villanova University Yale University Carole Taylor Marketing, College Consensus [email protected] (512) 710-9901 http://www.collegeconsensus.com/ https://www.facebook.com/collegeconsensus/ TW: @CollegeConsens IG: @CollegeConsensus SOURCE College Consensus A doctor at a Covid-19 quarantine area of Da Nang General Hospital in Da Nang, January 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong. Vietnam is discussing with members and partners the advisability of delaying a high-level ASEAN meet and related events over the Covid-19 pandemic. As the bloc's chair his year, Vietnam is consulting with members and partners to reach a decision on organizing the 36th ASEAN Summit and other related meetings scheduled for April, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang said Tuesday. The summit has to be held April 6-9 in Vietnam's Da Nang City, which is treating four Covid-19 patients. Hang said the consultation was happening in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic "developing complicatedly inside the bloc and around the world," she said. "We will make a specific announcement after the matter is decided by top leaders," she added. ASEAN has ten members - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and eight partners - Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea and the U.S. The ASEAN Summit is a biannual meeting held to discuss economic, political, security and socio-cultural development of the bloc's members. It is a prominent regional and international conference, with world leaders attending its related summits and meetings to discuss various problems and global issues and strengthen cooperation in tackling them. So far, Covid-19 infections have been recorded in six ASEAN member nations - Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Malaysia has issued a two-week national lockdown after infections in the country spiked to the highest in Southeast Asia at over 600, along with two deaths. Vietnam has recorded 68 infections, 52 of whom have been detected since March 6, prior to which the nation had gone 22 days without a new case. The previous 16 patients have been discharged from hospitals. The Covid-19 pandemic has spread to 167 countries and territories, claiming nearly 8,000 lives. The police investigation into William Tyrrell's disappearance will continue, even though the inquest has been adjourned due to concerns about the coronavirus. Set to last the rest of the week, the hearing in Taree on the NSW Mid North Coast into what happened to the little boy was on Wednesday suspended. William Tyrrell disappeared in 2014. Credit:NSW Department of Justice "Theres no halt to that [investigation] in any way linked to what happens in the court today," counsel assisting the coroner Gerard Craddock, SC, said. William, 3, disappeared from the front yard of his foster-grandmother's property in Benaroon Drive, in Kendall on the Mid North Coast, in September 2014. As Covid19 becomes pandemic and has affected most countries worldwide, all nations have come up with a resolution to lockdown their territories in the hope to lessen the infection rate of their people. Many leaders have initiated to look for cure and treatment for the virus. And as many say that the virus is airborne and can be transmitted through air, doctors and the health organization does not yet confirm it. For now, only one thing is for sure, that the transmission of the virus so far is proven by exposing a person to an infected person. Air and land transportation has become limited and also access to enter other countries. Crossing boundaries requires intense precautions as it can also be the cause of the fast-spreading of the virus. The government advises all people to do self-quarantine if they are exposed to an infected person. Cities and states are also in total lockdown to prevent further complications with their hospitals and infirmaries. Especially in New Mexico, like any other leader, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has ordered all state employees to start working from home on Monday. All office work and any other works that are usually done outside their home or in an open field will be done at home. This is to prevent them from virus exposure and to lessen New Mexico's infection rate. All government agencies and employees will follow suit. The Governor realizes that it is a matter of life and death and must exert extreme precautionary measures to ensure that her people are safe and sound inside their homes at the same time they are still working. This is because if the people stop working, they will suffer more, for they cannot buy all of their necessities like food and sanitary essentials. Governor Grisham came up to this resolution because there are another four (4) residents that have tested positive of the Coronavirus, making it the tally to increase to a total of seventeen (17) infected New Mexicans. The infected have an age ranging between the twenties (20s) to forties (40s). The four newly infected residents have travel histories and are currently isolated and quarantined. Going to crowded places like restaurants, bars, parks, and other eating establishments have limited their occupancy to fifty percent (50%), right after the Department of Health Secretary Kathy Kunkel ordered it and to exercise social distance. Ski Santa Fe and Taos Ski Valley have announced that they are going to end their season. Also, other tourist attractions are closing, including their zoos. Even though the casinos located in tribal lands are not included in the Governor's resolution, the spokesperson Tripp Stilnicki told the press that Governor Grisham herself has communicated with tribal leaders to ask them to close temporarily. And many of them had agreed to close for at least two weeks. In addition to his statement, Grisham has also called all of the business and recreational leaders and companies to ask them to comply with the state's order to work at home. 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. The government on Wednesday admitted that 276 Indians have been infected by coronavirus abroad, with most of them in Iran where over 17,000 people have tested positive and above 1,100 died due to the pandemic. The Ministry of External Affairs in response to a question in the Lok Sabha revealed that 255 Indians in Iran, 12 in United Arab Emirates, five in Italy and one each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda and Sri Lanka have tested positive for COVID-19, which originated in Wuhan city of China. The government provided 15 tonnes of medical assistance comprising masks, gloves and other emergency medical equipment to China on February 26. The aid included one lakh surgical masks, five lakh pairs of surgical gloves, 75 infusion pumps, 30 enteral feeding pumps, 21 defibrillator 21 and 4000 N-95 masks. Since March 13, the government has suspended all existing visas, except those related to diplomatic, official, UN and international organizations, employment and projects till April 15. Visa free travel facility granted to OCI card holders is also suspended. OCI card holders already in India have been allowed to stay in India as long as they want. Visas of all foreigners already in India remain valid and can apply for an extension or conversion. In addition to visa restrictions, passengers traveling from or visited Italy or Republic of Korea, are required to provide a certificate of having tested negative for COVID-19 from the designated laboratories authorized by the health authorities of the two countries. The requirement has been in place since March 10, 2020 and will be lifted after cases of COVID-19 subside. All incoming travellers, including Indian nationals, arriving from or having visited China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain and Germany after February 15, are required to be quarantined for a minimum period of 14 days. This has come into effect from March 13 at the port of departure. All international passengers entering into India are required to furnish duly filled self-declaration form in duplicate including personal particulars i.e. phone number and address in India and undergo universal health screening at the designated health counters at all points of entry. Two scientists at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, revealed that drugs used for HIV and malaria patients are working on experimental patients with coronavirus and it seems to be wiping out the virus in those patients, according to the Daily Mail. The two drugs are Chloroquine, an anti-malarial drug, and HIV-suppressing combination lopinavir/ritonavir. The scientists caution that its early in the findings. 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. MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE Cops break up 2 large weddings for defying coronavirus rules Workers who self-quarantine for coronavirus can sue if theyre fired, law professor says Burger King offering free kids meals during coronavirus pandemic Want to help Onondaga County neighbors get through coronavirus? 'Please donate to this one fund Coronavirus: Stocks fall another 5%; investors dash for cash amid recession fears Soon after the (COVID-19) outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, the authorities were able to quickly set up new hospital facilities, complete with intensive care units, medical equipment rooms and quarantine wards. Huber & Ranner, a German designer and manufacturer of air handling systems, was assigned to deliver and install its HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning) systems for two in just a few days. But given the scale of the outbreak in Wuhan, sending Huber & Ranners technical staff to supervise the installation of the systems was a risk. This is where BlinkIN, a Bengaluru-based intelligent visual-assistance company, came in. Thanks to its technological support, Huber & Ranners service engineers were able to remotely install air ventilation systems in the two Huber & Ranner used 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 in Wuhan, says Dhiraj Choudhary, co-founder of BlinkIN. 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, 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 the Nasscom Centre of Excellence, BlinkIN enables support teams across the globe to deliver a visual customer experience remotely. This enhances the quality of the service, reduces field visits and hence costs, and decreases downtime. BlinkIN does not need any app or software. Customers or field engineers are able to securely connect and instantly share live video and photos of the issue with the remote experts. The experts can then guide them, using a live pointer and augmented reality (AR) screen annotations. This makes for a dramatic decrease in explanation time and a near-instant diagnosis of the problem. There are challenges with audio and video platforms, as you cannot point to something when you are giving guidance, says Choudhary. We are addressing this by providing intuitive communication. BlinkIN offers Scotty, an artificial intelligence (AI) and AR-powered live video calling system. The live pointers and AR screen annotations help to seamlessly transport human skills and knowledge to the location where and when they are needed. The company also offers Huston, an AI-enabled self-service system powered by a virtual agent. This helps a user leverage the expertise of senior engineers on their smartphone. Currently, BlinkIN is active in 43 countries. Choudhary says the platform has several applications, which can be of help to companies during the pandemic, especially when their employees work from home. But it is not just BlinkIn. Many other tech companies are trying to use their expertise to combat and contain the COVID-19 pandemic, which has already claimed nearly 6,000 lives. DeepMind, an AI company owned by Googles Alphabet, is using its existing work to help researchers fight COVID-19. The London-based lab 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. Though these structural predictions have not been experimentally verified, Deep Mind said that they might contribute to the scientific communitys investigation into how the virus functions. Tech giant IBM plans to work with medical institutions and practitioners to support the effort to develop drugs to fight the pandemic. The firm wants to use its IBM Clinical Development (ICD) system in this regard. ICD is a unified, SaaS-based data capture solution that provides end-to-end visibility and management capabilities for patients, sites and clinical trials. Microsoft Bing has launched a web portal to track 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. Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba claimed that its new AI-powered diagnosis system can identify infections with 96 per cent accuracy via computerised tomography scans. The diagnosis algorithm was created by Alibabas research institute, Damo Academy. Many tech start-ups are also contributing to the fight against the disease. In China, DJI drones are delivering health advice while the Little Peanut delivery robot is serving food to quarantined patients. Agritech firm XAG is providing large-scale disinfectant spray services. L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, shown in 2018, reported Monday he had reduced the jail population and taken other steps to defend against an outbreak of the coronavirus in the nation's largest jail system. (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press) Despite the worldwide consensus on the best measures people can take to protect themselves from the coronavirus, there are more than 2 million people in the United States who cannot practice social distancing, are prohibited from using or even possessing hand sanitizer and who cannot wash their hands without permission. As inmates in local jails and state and federal prisons, they are virtually defenseless against the virus. In jails especially where quarters are cramped, inmate turnover is high, and thousands of people are admitted each day it is only a matter of time before an infected person who does not yet show symptoms enters one of these locked institutions. And once the virus enters such a confined space, it will spread. Certainly this is a crisis for the inmate population, which is made up largely of people from socially and economically marginalized communities and suffers disproportionately from medical and mental health problems. And of course it is a crisis for their families, whom they will be rejoining. But it is a crisis as well for the rest of us for two distinct reasons: First, they are part of our community, and we as a society are responsible for their safety during the period in which we have locked them up with no ability to practice the protective measures that the rest of us do the distancing, the hand washing. And second, for those observers who might shrug over the fate of prisoners, it is important to remember that inmates are released every day to rejoin the rest of us. The average jail stay in Los Angeles County is around 10 days. An infected but symptom-free inmate could easily enter and leave jail, unknowingly spreading the virus to hundreds of others who also will be leaving within a week or two. No jail or prison in the U.S. tests every inmate either coming in or going out for the virus. There simply arent enough tests available. In China, a decline in new infections was quickly (although briefly) reversed because of rapid outbreaks in two prisons. In Italy, an atmosphere of fear and anxiety among prison inmates over the virus, together with an emergency ban on visitors, sparked deadly riots, escapes and a complete breakdown of authority. In Iran, officials saw the urgent need to temporarily defuse similar potential disasters by granting furloughs to tens of thousands of prisoners. Story continues Thankfully, a handful of county officials in the U.S. also see the wisdom of lowering the danger in jails and prisons from the virus by quickly reducing the number of inmates. Here in Los Angeles, Sheriff Alex Villanueva took a number of steps to trim the nations largest jail population. Inmates with 30 days or fewer left on their sentences have been released. The sheriff has asked police departments to limit arrests to only dangerous suspects, thereby decreasing new entries. Defendants awaiting trial who have bail set at $50,000 or less are cited and released. These are smart and responsible moves to reduce the threat of a coronavirus disaster in jails. But that still leaves more than 16,000 people behind bars. There is so much more that can and should be done in jails, where stays are short, as well as prisons, where they are much longer. Virtually no defendant should be admitted to jail during this emergency who does not pose a risk to public safety. By definition that includes anyone with bail set, whether they can pay it or not, and anyone subject to jail for a technical parole or probation violation. There are alternatives to incarceration that promote safety and fulfill the public's need to see justice done; now is the time to employ them. For those already in jail, Villanueva is right to let out people who would be leaving within a few weeks anyway. But a coalition of elected U.S. district attorneys has argued that anyone with six months or less to run of their sentence, and not just 30 days, should also be let out. In federal prisons, still filled with inmates from the 1990s war on drugs, the fastest-growing segment is prisoners age 55 and older. State prisons have large numbers of people with complex medical problems. Few at that age pose a risk to society, and most should be granted furloughs or compassionate early release when it is safe to do so. During this emergency, time is of the essence. Judges and prosecutors should understand the importance of reducing new jail and prison admittances. Sheriffs and wardens should see the wisdom in reducing their inmate populations to only those who need to be there for public safety. If they need statutory authority for releases, lawmakers should act swiftly to grant it. And then, when the crisis abates and we have caught our collective breath, we can ask ourselves why we lock up so many suspects, defendants and convicts in the first place, and whether they all need to be behind bars for us to be safe. Nearly 120 individuals are identified as close and secondary contacts of patients confirmed in the state. (AFP) Hyderabad: The number of Covid-19 positive cases in Telangana appears to be creeping up with the state government announcing Wednesday afternoon that a sixth patient suffering from the disease has been identified. According to preliminary information released by the Health Department, the patient is a man who arrived here recently from the United Kingdom. Of the total six Covid-19 patients so far, the first one reported, a 24-year-old techie, has been man cured and sent home from Gandhi Hospital, the primary treatment facility in Telangana for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Five others, including the latest patient declared as Covid-19 positive on Wednesday, are currently under treatment at Gandhi Hospital. Here are the Covid-19 cases reported in Telangana till Wednesday (March 18 afternoon): Patient 1: 24-yr-old techie from Hyderabad. Came from Dubai to Bengaluru and then took a bus to Hyderabad. Admitted to Gandhi Hospital on March 2. Discharged on March 13. Patient 2: A 24-year-old female medical student from Bhadadri-Kothagudem district. Admitted to Gandhi Hospital on March 11. Confirmed as coronavirus positive on March 14. She flew into the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) on March 7 and went home. On March 9, she visited a private hospital in Manuguru. Sent to Bhadrachalam Area Hospital on March 10 and then to Gandhi on March 11. Patient 3: A 48-year-old man from Hyderabad with travel history to the Netherlands. Admitted to Gandhi Hospital and confirmed Covid-19 positive on March 15. Patient 4: A 46-year-old man who arrived in Hyderabad on March 12 from Scotland. Announced as having contracted Covid19 on March 17. Patient 5: A 58-year-old Indonesian, part of a 10-member group of preachers, admitted to Gandhi Hospital after being brought from Karimnagar along with the rest of his group. Declared coronavirus positive on Tuesday, March 17. The group landed in New Delhi on March 9. After a stopover in Bhopal, came to Telangana before being identified as Covid19 susceptible in Karimnagar, which was their destination. Patient 6: A man who returned from United Kingdom was declared as Covid19 positive on Wednesday, March 18 by the Health Department. As of Tuesday evening, according to the Health Department, nearly 120 individuals, close and secondary contacts of patients 3 and 4, have been identified. The department is yet to release the number of contacts for the fifth patient as well as further details about the latest Covid19 case. Amaravati: N Ramesh Kumar, Andhra Pradesh state election commissioner (SEC), on Tuesday suggested to the state government to obtain a clearance from the National Task Force (NTF) on Coronavirus (Covid-19) to hold polls to local bodies immediately. Replying to chief secretary Nilam Sawhneys request to the SEC to reconsider the decision to defer polls, the SEC in a three-page letter, made it clear that it would restart the election process, which is assessed to be a high human contact scenario, only after being assured or advised by the NTF. Making things on this front complicated for chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, who was keen on completing the poll process before March 31 to avoid lapse of the 14th finance commission funds, the Centre officially announced that the country had entered the second stage of Covid-19. The centre has warned people against mass gatherings and advised strict adherence to moderate distancing (among people). The SEC described the postponement of polls as implementing the central advisory protocol on moderate distancing. Mr Kumar got a shot in the arm with State Election Commissions of West Bengal, Maharashtra and Odisha deferring polls in their respective states, a day after his move to do the same. Had the decision to postpone polls be announced along with other states, things would have been different, the SEC said in the letter, adding that the commission was being needlessly faulted for acting a day ahead. In this backdrop, the Supreme Court will take up the AP governments plea challenging the SEC decision on Wednesday. A bench comprising chief justice S A Bobde will take up the case. Mr Ramesh Kumar offered to work closely with the state government in the task of obtaining 14th Finance Commission funds. The SEC is prepared to support your efforts to access funds through any requisite documentation from our end, he said, adding that since Andhra Pradesh was not alone in the present situation, states in similar situation can make a common pleading. Defending his decision to release his letter to the media, the SEC said that the gist of the CS correspondence to him had already been appearing in press, and as such, he was compelled to release the letter to the media. I am genuinely saddened by several instances of ill-informed and vitriolic attacks directed against both the Commission and me personally, he lamented. The SEC sought to dismiss allegations that he took a unilateral decision without consulting the CS or state health secretary. He revealed, through the letter, that the CS met him on March 14 when he suggested to her to talk to the union health ministry. The health secretary did not provide any data though I have been in constant touch with him, he said, adding that conversations with state officials were initiated from his end. What happened Shares of German auto giant Volkswagen AG (OTC:VWAGY) were down sharply on Wednesday, a day after the company said it's shutting down its factories in Europe and warned that it can't yet forecast the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. As of 12:00 p.m. EDT, Volkswagen's American depositary receipts were trading down about 10.7% from Tuesday's closing price. So what CEO Herbert Diess told reporters on Tuesday that slipping sales, uncertainties with suppliers, and concerns about limiting the spread of the COVID-19 virus led to his decision to halt production at VW Group factories throughout Europe. By the end of this week, production will have been halted at VW plants in Spain, Portugal, and Slovakia, with the remainder of VW's European plants expected to follow next week. The factories of VW subsidiaries Lamborghini and Ducati, both in Italy, have already closed. Diess expects the closures to last for at least two weeks. Now what Officially, VW is standing by the 2020 guidance it issued in February, which calls for deliveries and profits to be roughly in line with its (good) 2019 results. But CFO Frank Witter was blunt at Tuesday's press conference: Right now, the company has no way to make a reliable forecast for the year, he said, given the uncertainties around sales and production in the midst of the virus pandemic. That's not comforting for auto investors, but it's an exceptionally uncomfortable time in the industry. Indian nationals at the ITBP quarantine facility for testing of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), at Chhawl on Sunday. PTI file photo New Delhi: Two people who returned from Italy this week and were staying at an ITBP quarantine facility tested positive for coronavirus, officials said on Tuesday. The two inmates have been shifted to Safdarjung hospital, they added. A total of 218 Indians, mostly students, were brought here from coronavirus-hit Italy on Sunday and taken to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police quarantine facility in southwest Delhi's Chhawla area. There are 154 males and 64 females in this group. ConocoPhillips on Wednesday rolled out a plan to slash spending by $2.2 billion, joining a growing number of oil companies cutting back amid historically low crude prices. The Houston-based company said it plans to cut its 2020 capital spending budget by more than 10 percent and reduce its stock repurchase program by $1.5 billion. We are choosing to take an approach that strikes a balance between the obvious urgency of the moment and uncertainty about how this situation plays out, ConocoPhillips CEO Ryan Lance said in a call with investors. We believe that todays actions are the right actions at the right time for us. Oil War: Seven shale drillers cut $7.6 billion from budgets as oil prices collapse ConocoPhillips said it would cut $700 million from a capital budget of $6.5 billion to $6.7 billion in response to "simultaneous supply and demand shocks." The company also will cut $500 million from a $750 million quarterly stock repurchase program beginning in the second quarter, saving an additional $1.5 billion. ConocoPhillips ended last year with more than $14 billion of cash and credit. Fuel Fix: Get daily energy news headlines in your inbox ConocoPhillips announced its savings plan as seven of the most prolific shale drillers in Texas cut a combined $7.6 billion from their budgets in response to rapidly falling oil prices. West Texas Intermediate crude oil was trading at $24.61 per barrel on Wednesday morning, a price not seen since March 2002. A showdown between Russia and Saudi Arabia has created a global supply glut just as the coronavirus outbreak has reduced global demand. Read the latest oil and gas news from HoustonChronicle.com WATERLOO -- The city of Waterloo closed multiple public buildings Wednesday to limit the spread of coronavirus. The Public Works Building at 625 Glenwood St. and Carnegie Library annex at 620 Mulberry St. have been closed with limited access to vendors, deliveries and contractors. The shutdowns follow a previous decision to close the Cedar Valley SportsPlex, Waterloo Public Library, Waterloo Center for the Arts, Young Arena and Leisure Services offices at Byrnes Park. The Public Works Building houses the sanitation, street, traffic, animal control and fleet management operations. Residents are encouraged to call the departments and mail in requests for services and payment. A locked drop box is available in the entryway during business hours from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. for bulk item pickup of 10 items for $10. The Carnegie building houses code enforcement, community development, housing, human rights and neighborhood services. Each of these departments will be taking appointments by phone. They are requesting all documents to be sent by email or regular mail, or through the drop box in the building. Meanwhile, the Waterloo Housing Authority will not accept Section 8 applications for the next 30 days, and inspections on new units will be completed. The Money Smart and Home Buyer Education classes scheduled for April have been cancelled. Code enforcement encourages residents to use the "report a problem" feature on the city website to report violations. City Hall, at 715 Mulberry St., has closed the city clerks, cable access studios, finance, human resources, legal and mayors office. The City Hall lobby to the Waterloo Police Department remains open. Second-floor counter service for engineering, planning and building departments is open, but Plexiglas barriers have been installed. City Council meetings, budget hearings, boards and commissions will continue as scheduled and are broadcast live on YouTube on the WaterlooCommunityTV channel. Those choosing not to attend meetings, can submit comments and questions to the City Clerk's office either by phone (319) 291-4323; by fax: (319) 291-4571; or email to Kelley.Felchle@Waterloo-IA.org. Waste Management Services at 3505 Easton Ave. is closed to the public with limited access. The Waterloo Regional Airport remains open. For more information see visit www.CityofWaterlooIowa.com/Covid-19 or call Wendy Bowman, communications director at (319) 291-4301. The world is at war with the invisible army of the new coronavirus, US President said here, and asserted that we will win. The president repeated the expression multiple times on Tuesday, telling the nation that he was using all available resources to combat the challenge posed by the virus that has so far killed at least 100 people in the US and over 7,000 globally. "The world is at war with a hidden enemy. WE WILL WIN!" Trump tweeted in the afternoon. "We have to get rid of this, we have to win this war and ideally quickly," he told reporters at a White House news conference. Trump referred to the fight against the COVID-19 as a "war" again at a meeting with CEOs of the tourism industry. "We have to help the airline industry. It wasn't their fault. So we are adding it up. It will be fine. It will come back very quickly once we are finished with our war with the virus," he said. "We know your industry is among the hardest hit by the economic impact of the virus. Our goal is to beat the virus and we will. We call it the hidden virus, the hidden enemy, with aggressive action now so that we can rebound stronger than ever before and that is what we are doing and everyone is cooperating," the President said. Earlier in the day, he told reporters at the White House: "We have to fight that invisible enemy, I guess unknown, but we are getting to know it a lot better." ALSO READ: Coronavirus LIVE Trump asserted that his administration would knock this enemy out. "We have to knock out this enemy. This is a really tough enemy. We have to knock out this, and we will have an economy--I actually think will have an economy like we've never had before. It's all pent-up," he said in response to a question. The city of New York has already described it as a warlike situation. "We're getting into a situation where the only analogy is war," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said last week. Trump is not the only world leader to declare this a warlike situation. French President Emanual Macron, in an address to the nation, said, "We are at war against coronavirus, an invisible enemy." "We are at war. With an enemy who is invisible, but not invincible," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a state address this week. Popular American television journalist Joe Scarborough from MSNBC said the pandemic is more like World War II than the 9/11 terror attacks. The Wall Street Journal said a generational war is brewing against the At the US Capitol, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for at least USD750 billion in federal funds to wage war against the LEBANON In the week since two residents were diagnosed with the new coronavirus, three of the four stand-alone buildings at the states veterans home here now have people sick with the infection. But in what is a milestone for the nursing home, the last remaining test results for residents found no new illnesses, officials said Wednesday. Thats a positive light in some grim-looking days," said Linn County Commissioner Will Tucker, who has been helping the home get the equipment it needs. Thats really great news. Thats half of the story, though. Out of about 225 employees at the Edward C. Allworth Veterans Home, coronavirus test results are back for just for one -- and the worker tested positive. It could take as long as five days to get back the results for the more than 200 others who submitted samples for testing, a state spokeswoman said. Thats most of the staff but its unclear if there are still some employees who havent been tested. Caregivers were providing samples as of Tuesday, with a white tent set up behind the nursing home at the employee parking lot with the help of the Oregon National Guard. A line of people -- some wearing gowns and masks and others in street clothes -- stood in a line behind the two center buildings. The nursing home remains on lockdown -- with only essential visitors allowed. Some residents have been keeping the blinds to their rooms closed to avoid the public gaze. Others have been talking to families via tablets and, in at least one case, family members visited a resident and talked on the phone while standing in front of the residents window, said Tyler Francke, a spokesman for the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs, which owns the home. None of the homes residents have died. Of the 151 veterans and veterans spouses, 14 have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and 137 have tested negative. The total of 15 cases -- including the employee -- linked to the home are the most tied to a single place in Oregon the nursing home is the epicenter of the states outbreak. "Our efforts remain laser focused on following established infectious disease prevention protocols and public health guidelines to keep our residents and staff safe and prevent the spread of this virus within our community, Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs Director Kelly Fitzpatrick said in a statement. The state department so far has released no information about the conditions of the people with coronavirus. Seven of the residents with coronavirus are over 90. Three of them are in their 80s, three are in their 70s and one is in the 60s. Most of the nursing homes residents are older than 70. About a third are older than 90. One of the patients is a woman, a veterans spouse. So far, all of the residents with coronavirus remain at the veterans home. Because the home is split into separate residential buildings what the nursing home calls the Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta neighborhoods the hope was that the infections would be contained to just one of them, but that hasnt played out. Tucker said the veterans home had been trying to isolate some of the sick people in the Bravo neighborhood where the men with the first two cases live. The Bravo building is connected to the complexs main lobby and community center, where the nursing home hosted a plastic modelers club event on March 7 a week after Oregons first coronavirus case and five days before the facilitys first cases. The Bravo building contains two separate homes that share a common wall and house a maximum of 14 residents each. The other neighborhood buildings have three homes with the same capacity. The nursing home also apparently is still scrambling to get protective gear for the workers, Tucker said, though the VA Department said it has the gear it needs. Over the weekend, the home got 1,000 gowns from the state to avoid running out. On Tuesday, veterans home officials asked Tucker for an urgent delivery of 1,000 masks, he said. The county commissioner said he pulled a few boxes of cloth masks with elastic bands and N95 masks about a few hundred total from the countys emergency supplies stored at the Sheriffs Office compound and delivered them to the nursing home himself. On Wednesday, he was working with the Oregon Health Authority to get the home more masks. Thats an ongoing excitement for me, Tucker said. He also said some of the veterans home staff have access to a three-bedroom apartment in Lebanon that can hold up to six people for those who dont want to go home and infect their families and friends. The VA Department said the apartment as a place for downtime for the staff. Employees work in 12-hour shifts and are providing staffing at the levels required by the state, the department spokesman said. At this time, we are meeting those ratios and have all of the staffing resources necessary to ensure the care needs of our residents are being met, Francke said. He also pointed to an outpouring of community support. He said an employee who manages activities at the home came in on a day off and helped a resident talk via Skype with family for a birthday. Many donations have come in, Girls Scouts have donated cookies to the workers and a health care staffing company provided 50 pizzas. A flower company delivered more than enough flowers for each resident to get one because one of our Bravo vets asked what the flowers looked like outside, Francke said. Each day brings new challenges to the nursing home and the small city of 17,000. Faith Rieke was out for a walk with her husband, heading down the sidewalk across the street from the veterans home. She was born and raised in Lebanon, and when the nursing home went up in 2014, she was thrilled. It often bustles with community activities, Rieke said. On Halloween a year ago, Rieke took four of her grandchildren there for trick-or-treating. The residents sat out in the halls and handed out candy, she said, and had games, like bean bag toss, for the kids to play. Even when no events are scheduled, Rieke said, people can stop by in the afternoon and buy a milkshake at the soda fountain at the home. Now she waits anxiously to find out whats next. We hear the staff is just working around the clock, Rieke said. -- Fedor Zarkhin fzarkhin@oregonian.com desk: 503-294-7674|cell: 971-373-2905|@fedorzarkhin Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. In her 30 years working as a researcher in Madagascar, CU Boulder Anthropology Professor Michelle Sauther has had a number of chance encounters with a strange forest creature: a wild, oversized cat with a characteristic tabby-like coloring. "When I first started working in Madagascar, I noticed that these cats all seemed to look the same," said Sauther, whose research focuses on primates. "They were big, and they were always the same color." Scientists had no idea where they came from -- the island nation has no native cats of its own. Now, in a study published in Conservation Genetics, Sauther and her colleagues have drawn on genetic data from dozens of these wild cats to narrow in on an answer. According to their findings, the animals may not be newcomers to Madagascar at all. Instead, the cats seemed to have hitched a ride to the island on trade ships from as far away as Kuwait hundreds or even more than 1,000 years ago. The results offer a first step toward better understanding the threat that these weird felines might pose to Madagascar's native species. They include the fossa, a forest predator that looks feline but is more closely related to the mongoose. The case of the forest cat also points to a global, and hairball-rich, phenomenon that Sauther calls the "cat diaspora." "Cats have essentially gone with us everywhere we've gone," Sauther said. "We can see that journey of humans and their pets going back pretty deep in time." advertisement Tracking cats That journey has brought pitfalls, too. Over the last century, hungry cats have run wild on islands around the world. They've even hunted local birds, mammals and reptiles to extinction in places like Hawaii, the West Indies and New Zealand. What's happening in Madagascar, however, is less clear. In part, that's because researchers don't know much about the island's forest cats. Many Malagasy are familiar with the beasts, which often sneak into their villages to eat their chickens. They call them "ampaha," "fitoaty" and "kary" among other names and distinguish them from the island's pet cat population. Still, Sauther said that she and other researchers have seen forest cats stalking lemurs, and that has her worried. She has a soft spot in her heart for these "underdogs" of the primate world, and many lemur populations are already in deep trouble in Madagascar. advertisement "The real worry is: What are these cats doing?" Sauther said. "Are they posing a threat to animals in Madagascar? Maybe they're just part of the local ecology." To find out, Sauther and her colleagues analyzed the DNA from 30 forest cats from sites in the north and south of Madagascar. And, to their surprise, the cats seemed to have traveled to the island from far away -- really far away. "They were probably part of the maritime ships that came to Madagascar along these Arab routes," Sauther said. Furry stowaways The team's DNA results identified the cats as belonging to Felis catus, the same domestic species that curls up on the laps of people worldwide. But the animals also seemed to have originated from the Arabian Sea region around modern-day Dubai, Oman and Kuwait. Sauther said that the cats may have stowed away on merchant ships following trade routes that have existed for more than 1,000 years. "They would come down along the East Coast of Africa. They would stop at the islands of Lamu and Pate, and then it's just barely a jump to go over to Madagascar," Sauther said. While the team can't pinpoint exactly when the cats arrived on the island, Sauther thinks they may have been residents for a while -- and have possibly become a normal part of the local forests. "That's not to say they're not a threat, but we need to understand their biology and their history to understand how we proceed in terms of conservation policy," Sauther said. For now, she's just happy to have the answer to a question that's bugged her for several decades. "This study has answered a mystery that not just me but a lot of researchers in Madagascar have wondered about," Sauther said. "We now know that these mysterious cats are domestic cats with a really interesting backstory." Coauthors of the new study include researchers from Iowa State University, Duke University, University of Porto, University of Missouri, University of Bologna, Lajuma Research Centre, Denver Zoo and the University of Toliara. [March 18, 2020] i2c Continues to Grow Market Share in Australia with Archa, a Neo Corporate Card Helping SMBs Optimize for Growth i2c Inc., a leading provider of global payment and open banking technology, and Archa, an Australian neo corporate card provider, announce a corporate credit program designed specifically for small and medium sized businesses (SMBs). The new corporate card program requires no personal guarantee and is designed to help companies with between two and 200 employees manage all facets of their business spend with a business credit card and suite of tools available through a sophisticated app. The Archa corporate credit card for SMBs follows another in-country announcement i2c made with Airwallex earlier this month and continues a long-standing commitment to Australian businesses and innovative programs that began when i2c partnered with the Australia Post three years ago. The Archa corporate card, powered by i2c technology, uses multiple data sources and AI/machine learning to streamline risk assessment, and enable instant lines of corporate credit and cards for employee expense accounts. Because the credit program integrates with a company's existing business software and practices, it provides a holistic view of money management across the company and greater control over the organization's total business spend. News - Alert) digital wallets. "Archa is changing how companies and their employees think about, access and manage money," said Oliver Kidd, CEO of Archa. "We selected i2c as our processor of choice because of their unique APIs and robust payments capabilities that allow us to deliver a differentiated credit solution to support the unique needs of startups and midsize companies. For the first time, smaller companies will have the same resources larger companies have to deliver a superior digital experience while retaining control over all aspects of their business spend, a single customer view across all relationships, actionable business intelligence in real-time and optimized cashflows to help them grow." "i2c has enjoyed great success in the Australian market as it develops and extends digital commerce solutions in the region and we're pleased to enable Archa to bring a robust set of business management features to a previously underserved market segment," said Jim McCarthy, President of i2c Inc. "Archa and i2c share a commitment to drive the success and growth of clients' business with solutions that deliver the utmost flexibility, reliability and control, as well as great customer experiences. We look forward to helping Archa expand this innovative program to other markets." About Archa Archa is an Australian fintech building neo corporate cards; digital accounts that offer small businesses instant credit, without a personal guarantee, on a functional platform that integrates with their existing business practices. Archa provides business owners a range of sophisticated tools to manage their spend in a way that works for them and their staff. Archa intends to bring to market a suite of tools for businesses and consumers to help them better manage their spend and make the most of their money. About i2c Inc. i2c Inc. drives innovation to the global digital payments and open banking industry with a multi-function platform built for endless possibilities. Advanced "building block" processing technology at its core provides a vast suite of credit, debit and prepaid solutions-all from a single global SaaS (News - Alert) platform. This enables clients to dynamically configure payment solutions with unparalleled flexibility, agility and performance while maintaining highly secure and reliable payments. Founded in 2001, and headquartered in Silicon Valley, i2c's next-generation technology helps organizations drive revenue growth, scale and adapt to change while supporting millions of users in more than 200 countries and territories and all time zones. Visit www.i2cinc.com and follow us at @i2cinc. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005045/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] To the editor: As the 2020 election approaches, the political left and the liberal mass media are doing their best to promote more socialism. This is especially clear with climate change (CC). The political left want us to believe CC is an existential threat to our survival on earth and that they can fix it by enslaving us with more socialism in the form of an economy-destroying Green New Deal and other wealth redistribution schemes. In their quest to accumulate more control over everyones lives, the political left strives to generate fear. Dr. Richard Lindzen has called the current CC alarmism nonsense. He says the earths climate is far more complex than man can currently model accurately, so the science is far from settled. Since China is the worlds largest CO2 emitter and has no plans to cut CO2 emissions for at least 10 years, why is the worlds liberal media so silent about Chinas response to the existential threat? Does China believe Lindzen? Or is the alarmism really just a leftist dirty trick to implement more socialism around the globe? I dont deny CC and I dont fear it. I believe that CC was, is, and may always be. CC isnt necessarily good or bad. As in the past, we cant control future CC but we can adapt to it as needed. One man-made thing I do fear is Marxist government (socialism, progressivism, and communism) because in the 20th century alone, they murdered millions of their own citizens (e.g., under Hitler, Lenin, Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot). To our shame, weve murdered millions of unborn babies in the US via legal abortion since 1973. Socialism recently destroyed the economy of Venezuela and it is destroying the US with our growing $23 trillion national debt and much higher unfunded liabilities for Social Security and Medicare. If you desire more freedom and prosperity for all, please vote for conservatives those who value all human life and will work to shrink government. DAVE TOMASZEWSKI Midland (@FahadShabbir) Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Belarus has the right for self-determination as Russia and Belarus are a union state, not a single nation SEVASTOPOL (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th March, 2020) Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Belarus has the right for self-determination as Russia and Belarus are a union state, not a single nation. "Belarus has the right [for self-determination], as it is a sovereign, independent state, despite the fact that we are building a union state, which is not a single nation, it is still two different subjects of international law," Putin said at a meeting with public representatives from Crimea and Sevastopol. "Belarus is an independent sovereign country and has the right to pursue the foreign policy that it considers appropriate and useful for itself," the president clarified. U.S. Rep. Scott Perry (R-10) announced a telephone town hall to discuss coronavirus and how local communities can work together to combat the pandemic, according to a statement released Tuesday evening. The town hall announcement came as Pennsylvania residents are trying to find answers for closures and restrictions that continue to change the look of daily life. We all have a critical role to play in stopping the spread of COVID-19, Perry said in a statement. Our federal, state, and local officials are working hard to provide resources and issue guidance that will protect the health and safety of our communities. The telephone town hall will be Wednesday at 1:45 p.m., and Perry will be joined by medical experts from WellSpan Health and Country Meadows Retirement Communities. They will be discussing how communities are working together to protect at-risk populations. Anyone wishing to participate in the town call must sign up through this link. Read more on PennLive: 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. President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday Iran has responded, and will respond, to America's assassination of Major-General Qassem Soleimani, the Revolutionary Guards commander killed in a US drone strike in Iraq in January. Rouhani was speaking following a Cabinet meeting that was broadcast on state television. Soleimani, leader of the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force, was instrumental in expanding Iran's military influence in the Middle East as the operative who handles clandestine operations outside Iran. The 62-year-old general was regarded as the second-most powerful figure in Iran after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "The Americans assassinated our great commander. We have responded to that terrorist act and will respond to it," Rouhani said in a televised speech. Search Keywords: Short link: The will hear on Wednesday a plea by Sara Abdullah Pilot, seeking release from detention of her brother and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister On March 5, the apex court had said that it will hear, after Holi break, the petition filed by Sara Pilot, challenging her brother's detention under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA), 1978. The matter was listed before a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra on March 5 but could not be taken up as Justice Arun Mishra was hearing a Constitution bench matter. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who appearing for Sara Pilot, had mentioned the matter before the bench, following which Justice Mishra had told him that the matter would not be taken up on March 5. Sibal requested the court to take up the matter as soon as possible as it is a habeas corpus case. The court had said that it will hear the matter post the Holi break. On March 2, the Jammu and Kashmir administration had told the that has been a "very vocal critic" of the abrogation of and his presence would pose an "imminent threat to public order". The administration also objected to the petition filed by Omar Abdullah's sister challenging his detention under the Jammu and Kashmir PSA, 1978. " has been a very vocal critic of any possible abrogation of prior to its abrogation in August 5, 2019, considering the very peculiar geopolitical position of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and its geographical proximity with Pakistan, the concept of 'public order' needs to be examined contextually," stated the affidavit submitted by Srinagar District Magistrate. Last week, Omar Abdullah's father Farooq Abdullah was released after being in detention for several months. University College Cork (UCC) has confirmed its second case of Covid-19. Students were informed via email that a student has contracted the virus and contact tracing is underway. They did not specify the department the student was in. They said anyone deemed to have had close contact with the student is being contacted directly by HSE Public Health and people do not need to make contact with them. They said: "HSE Public Health will have appropriate public health advice for those in close contact with the confirmed case." UCC had yesterday confirmed its first case which had been identified in a person who visited its Western Gateway Building in recent days. In an email sent today on behalf of the university's deputy president, Professor John OHalloran, the university said: "We acknowledge that this is a time of challenge and uncertainty and we will work together to protect the safety of our students and staff. "I thank you for your patience and understanding during this time." [snippet1]987600[/snippet1] KYODO NEWS - Mar 18, 2020 - 23:11 | All, Coronavirus, Japan Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido will lift on Thursday a state of emergency declared late last month following the rapid spread of the new coronavirus, its governor said. Hokkaido, a popular area for both Japanese and foreign tourists, has had the highest number of infections out of the country's prefectures, but there are signs the spread of the virus has been abating. However, Hokkaido will still request that people avoid going to high-risk areas. "There was no surge of infected patients that led to the collapse of the medical environment. We overcame without the fearful circumstances," Hokkaido Gov. Naomichi Suzuki said at a press conference. (Hokkaido Gov. Naomichi Suzuki) "We're now able to battle (the virus), as we've strengthened the test capability and bed capacity in hospitals," he said. Suzuki declared the state of emergency from Feb. 28 to March 19, which is not legally binding. He has asked residents to stay indoors on the weekend. As of Wednesday, a total of more than 150 people were found infected in Hokkaido, while the total number was around 900 nationwide excluding the Diamond Princess, the cruise ship that was quarantined near Tokyo. After the declaration, the newly infected numbers remained low compared with the peak which was 15 a day on Feb. 27. But, from March 6, the number started to rise in Sapporo, Hokkaido's capital. Following the declaration, the economic impact, including on the restaurants, was substantial due to the request that residents stay home, according to a survey by a federation of small and midsize companies. In the report, one company said, "Not only has the number of tourists decreased but local customers as well. There could be companies that go bankrupt." Related coverage: Japan has yet to hit peak in coronavirus infections: Kyodo study China reports 1 locally transmitted coronavirus case, 12 imported ones Malaysia lockdown over coronavirus spurs workers' rush to Singapore These are the instructions now, simple and bleak: Stay home if you can. Only essential personnel report for duty. Do not travel unless absolutely necessary. And here, on Tuesday, were the attendant questions, at least as grim: Are voters essential personnel in a pandemic? Is an election that grand replenishing of government, where the supply shelves can feel bare absolutely necessary under these conditions? Can staying home really be the civic duty this time? And what good is politics if thats true? There are no clean answers and, this week, no particularly consistent ones. The collision of social distancing and the social fabric seemed to threaten the aims of both, producing a Primary Day at once disjointed and borderline dystopian. Three states Florida, Illinois and Arizona pushed ahead with their elections amid public health guidelines to avoid large crowds, and the virus, if nothing else, often yielded an in-person electoral thinning that allowed many participants to conform. They marked their choices at times in the eerie quiet of polling places that smelled of disinfectant wipes or, more troubling, nothing at all. (Poll workers in Chicago complained about a dearth of proper cleaning supplies.) B ono has released new music for the first time in nearly three years after being inspired by Italians in coronavirus quarantine. Taking to U2's Instagram account, the 59-year-old posted Let Your Love Be Known and dedicated to those affected by the Covid-19 strain. For the Italians who inspired it for the Irish for ANYONE who this St Patricks Day is in a tight spot and still singing, he captioned the post. For the doctors, nurses, carers on the front line, its you were singing to. The lyrics describe Bono back in Dublin, walking through the deserted city as its residents abide by new rules on social distancing. However, the song then details the bravery and courage of the Italian residents in quarantine, where stories of them singing on their balconies made headline news across the globe. Sing as an act of resistance, sing though your heart is overthrown, the song ends. Let your love be known. U2s most recent album, Songs of Experience, was released in December 2017, with the band touring in 2018. Coronavirus has now swept across the world, with the World Health Organisation declaring the Covid-19 a pandemic. 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 Europe is considered to be the epicentre of the virus, having now outstripped China with the amount of confirmed cases. The UK has over 2626 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 72 people having died. Schools in Wales and Scotland have now closed to curb the spread of the virus. The Chhattisgarh government on Wednesday increased the financial aid given to the families of security personnel martyred in Naxal violencein the state to Rs 20 lakh from Rs 3 lakh, an official said. The state Home Department issued order in this regard on Wednesday, he said. "With the special efforts of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, the ex-gratia amount given to the families of the jawans (state police force and Central forces) martyred in Naxal violence has been increased from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 20 lakh," the official said. The state government has increased the aid as per the new Security Related Expenditure (SRE) guidelines of the Centre, after getting a proposal in this direction by the state police headquarters, he said. Chhattisgarh, particularly its Bastar division in the south, has been struggling with the Maoist menace since the last over three decades. The Bastar region has witnessed a string of Naxal attacks in the past, including the deadliest ones like the 2010 massacre that left 76 security personnel in Dantewada dead, the 2013 Jhiram valley attack wherein 29 people, including senior Congress leaders were killed in Bastar, and Burkapal attack in Sukma in 2017 in which 25 troopers lost their lives. On March this year, the Chhattisgarh government had informed the state assembly that 25 security personnel have lost their lives in Naxal violence in the state between January 2019 and February 15 this year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The moratorium on troubled private sector lender Yes Bank has finally been lifted. The bank will now resume its full range of services and the withdrawal cap of Rs 50,000 will also cease to exist. Our banking services are now operational. You can now experience the full suite of our services. Thank you for your patience and co-operation. #YESforYOU @RBI @FinMinIndia YES BANK (@YESBANK) March 18, 2020 "Our banking services are now operational. You can now experience the full suite of our services. Thank you for your patience and co-operation," the bank tweeted via its official handle. Customers can now access their deposits with the bank and avail NEFT/IMPS/RTGS services as well. Yes Bank's branches will open an hour earlier, at 8.30 am, from March 19 to March 21, with extension in banking hours for senior citizen customers, it said via a tweet. To serve you better, our branches will open one hour earlier at 08:30 hours from March 19 to 21, 2020. We have also extended banking hours across branches for our senior citizen customers, from March 19 to March 27, 2020, 16:30 hours to 17:30 hours. #YESforYOU@RBI @FinMinIndia YES BANK (@YESBANK) March 18, 2020 The bank's new Twitter bio reads as follows: "We start a new journey, backed by India's best. We've redefined YES and it's dedicated to YOU." Yes Bank was placed under moratorium earlier this month. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had superseded the private lender's board and withdrawals had been capped at Rs 50,000 per depositor for a month-long period. Also Read | Yes Bank crisis : With services set to resume today, here's what depositors need to know While net banking services are now operational, the bank's 1,132 branches across the country will be open during banking hours starting March 19. We will resume full banking services from Wed, Mar 18, 2020, 18:00 hrs. Visit any of our 1,132 branches from Mar 19, 2020, post commencement of banking hrs to experience our suite of services. You will also be able to access all our digital services & platforms@RBI @FinMinIndia YES BANK (@YESBANK) March 16, 2020 RBI Governor Shkatikanta Das, during a press conference earlier this week, had reassured customers of the safety of their deposits with Yes Bank. He had reiterated that there was no need for worry, and the depositors' money is safe. More than six million children in the largest US state of California are unlikely to return to school this academic year, Governor Gavin Newsom said Tuesday, urging families to expect a prolonged lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic. Currently 98.8 per cent of schools in the west-coast state are shut in a bid to slow the spread of the disease, with the remaining institutions in smaller rural districts expected to follow soon. "I would plan and assume that it's unlikely that many of these schools... few, if any will open up before the summer break," said Newsom, describing the situation as "very sobering." Schools in California typically return from the summer break in August or September. Emergency funds are being allocated to fund online learning from home, as well as free or discounted school meals for needy families, Newsom said. California has more than 470 confirmed novel coronavirus cases, including 12 deaths. Newsom's comments came as the governor of neighboring Nevada ordered all his state's casinos closed, including those in Las Vegas. Several major casinos on the gambling mecca's Strip had already shut their doors, including the MGM and Wynn resorts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shocked and dazed, Nidhi Chaphekar lay on the floor amid smoke so thick it was impossible to see beyond the reach of her own hands. The shock, daze and smoke all emanated from the same source two suicide bomb blasts that hit Brussels Zaventem Airport on March 22, 2016. Chaphekars photo, showing her slumped on an airport chair, her clothes in tatters, her footwear in shreds, blood dripping from her face, summed up the horror that hit the Brussels airport that day. Unbroken: The Brussels Terror Attack Survivor by Nidhi Chaphekar, pages 344, publisher Amaryllis. Terror attacks generate a lot of media attention. When bombs go off, people want to know where it happened, how many died, the number of those injured and who was responsible. There are stories of tragedy. There are stories of heroism too people who pulled themselves out, people who help others out. And then the world moves on. But long after bombs have gone off and the smoke that they trigger dissipates, people struggle to limp back to life as it once was. Unbroken: The Brussels Terror Attack Survivor is the tale of Nidhi Chaphekars life limping back to normalcy. And Nidhi Chaphekar, a flight attendant, tells the tale in her own words. Chaphekar was preparing for a routine flight to New Jersey the day the blasts happened. She had arrived in Brussels just the day before from Mumbai. The blasts changed her life forever and it first began with the photo. Chaphekars family saw her photo and panicked. Chaphekars family saw this photo and panicked. (Photo: Twitter) The panic was heightened because there was no way they could get in touch with her. She didnt have her phone and Jet Airways, the carrier she served, too could not trace her. The family went through endless agonising hours before they would know Chaphekar was alive. The next obvious question about how badly injured she was still had no answers. She was sent into medically induced coma because the doctors knew the pain would be too much to bear. When she got out of the coma, the pain was still unbearable. Aided by her family, friends and her own determination to be hale and hearty again for her children, Chaphekar fought hard. With bomb splinters stuck deep inside her body, Chaphekars fever would just not come down and it began to appear at one point, she may not make it. But she was determined to live. Her children, she writes, were too young to be brought up without a mother. Doctors and the medical staff in Belgium treated Chaphekar well. She was a terror attack survivor and Belgian authorities were extremely hospitable towards her. But Chaphekar wanted to be back in Mumbai with her children and extended family. She made it back to Mumbai. She made it back to life in style. But the book flounders in telling this tale. Chaphekar writes it like a daily diary but she doesnt have the full recollection of the initial trauma, partly because of the induced coma and partly because so much happened so quickly. The style is not a problem though. The problem lies in the book being too preachy about the goodness of the world, the power of God, the virtues of forgiveness. All good words. Just that there is an overdose of it in the book. Many told Chaphekar she could well become a motivational speaker. She did get into TEDx talks and other such programmes to tell people motivational stories, but the book fails to motivate. For a lot of people dealing with prolonged heath issues, involving multiple surgeries, in a country like India, whats needed more than motivation is money. Chaphekars story has no mention of it. Maybe it was not a care for her. Maybe it was, but she chose not to talk about it. And she is fair in doing so. Jet Airways was helpful and Chaphekars own family extremely supportive. Many people would turn pessimists even in such a situation. Chaphekar did not. Thats the positive to pick up from the book. But reading 344 pages to get to that conclusion is not advisable. It would have perhaps worked better as a long-form column in a newspaper or a magazine. To be fair to the writer, she admits in the beginning itself that she is no writer. She has a story and she wants to tell it. It doesnt make for a good read. Some good stories get lost in the way they are told. Unbroken: The Brussels Terror Attack Survivor is perhaps one such example. Also read: Tavleen Singhs Messiah Modi is a book for Modi For years that guy would tell you how much more productive youd be if you just tried Working From Home. With many companies now requiring their employees to do so, trying to stem the tide of COVID-19, its finally your chance to WFH. However, based on a quick perusal of Twitter you hate it. After just a few days at home youre stir crazy, youre kid crazy, and youre making us crazy with your tweets about how great the cookies are that you made (and are wolfing down as a coping mechanism). But before you consult the Twitter WFH experts, perhaps its a good reminder that much of the software you depend upon every single day some of the worlds most complex and important software is written by people who (gasp!) do not sit next to each other at work and (double gasp!) most likely dont even work for the same company. Yes, Im talking about open source developers, who invented much of our essential software infrastructure while (yes) WFH. If they can, well, perhaps you can, too? (But, no, none of this will watch your kids for you.) Much of the best and most widely used software we have started with a sometimes grumbly Finn named Linus Torvalds in his fairly pedestrian home office. Want a tour? Knock yourself out. In the beginning was the Linus Torvalds may be best known for inventing Linux, but his other innovation Git, a distributed version control system is arguably more impressive. Most people will never need to know what Git is, but rest assured, the developers writing the software we use are very familiar with it. Today Git is a near universal in development, according to studies compiled by analyst Lawrence Hecht. How near universal? Well, Stack Overflow surveys put it at 87 percent in 2018, while JetBrains data has it jumping from 79 percent (2017) to 90 percent (2019) adoption. Git makes it easy for developers to collaborate on code without interacting with each other in real life. Unlike previous version control systems like Subversion, Git stores data as a stream of snapshots, making it similar to a mini file system. It creates a highly local system that allows developers to work offline or off the network, maximizing productivity. Developers submit pull requests to alert others to changes that youve made to a Git repository (generally accessed on GitHub or GitLab). Its a highly efficient way for developers to collaborate, and we only have pale shades of similar tech like tracked changes in Microsoft Office, Google Docs, Quip, etc. for the non-developers among us. If only we could get Torvalds to turn his attention to sales and marketing tech? What hath Linus wrought? Git may be the single-best example of why open source development can thrive from home (and corporate) offices everywhere, but Linux arguably is the single-best proof that it works. Over a decade ago, the Linux Foundation estimated Linux to be worth $1.4 billion, and since that time the value (and code base) of Linux has continued to grow. In 2016 one estimate suggested 41,000 person years had gone into Linux development, tallying up to roughly $5 billion in free labor. Today Linux is easily worth tens (hundreds?) of billions of dollars, running behind-the-scenes to power much of the web, Android phones, all of the fastest supercomputers, and much more. Linux is the sort of thing a company would love to own, and yet no particular company contributes more than 11.5 percent of the Linux kernel, according to the most recent data. Depending on how you measure code contributions, no developer is responsible for more than 1.6 percent (changesets) or 3.6 percent (changed lines) in the latest Linux kernel release (5.5). Sure, many of those contributors get paid to sit in cubicles and write Linux drivers and other code. But for these critical contributors to Linux, exactly none of them would get fired if they decided theyd prefer to WFH and many of them already do. A new world of WFH Which brings us back to you. Writing in The Wall Street Journal, Matt Burr and Becca Endicott argue: Its very likely that the way we work at least for some of us isnt going to snap back to what it used to be. Chaotic times have a way of reordering reality and, in the process, opening doors to new opportunities and mind-sets. In the past month Americans broke a habit of almost a centurys standing: The office lost top billing as the place where white-collar work gets done. Hundreds of thousands of newly remote employees will soon begin to see that productivity, innovation, and creativity remain as strong, if not stronger, under new conditions. Of course this wont be true for everyone, but if youre a developer, this externally imposed exercise in WFH just might call into question why something as big as Linux can be developed by distributed teams but your billing app cant. And even if youre not a software engineer, and your Microsoft Office or Google Docs is not quite as magical as Git, your tools are pretty darn good and suggest that maybe, just maybe, you, too, can be as productive WFH as you used to be WFW. Tan Son Nhat Airport in Saigon is left deserted on March 13, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran. Vietnamese carriers could lose more than VND30 trillion ($1.3 billion) in revenues this year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the transport ministry estimates. With the Covid-19 pandemic hitting 165 countries and territories around the world, Vietnamese carriers have suspended operations on numerous routes and decreased the frequency of flights on others from late January onwards. All flights to China and South Korea, two countries hit hardest by the pandemic, were suspended while Vietnamese carriers cut 34 percent of their flights to Taiwan to just 99 flights a week compared 151 late last year. Flights to Hong Kong were cut by 92 percent and only Vietnam Airlines continues to operate four flights a week compared to a total of 47 late last year. Flights to Japan are still operating at 160 a week, but Vietnamese airlines are likely to decrease the frequency as anxieties continue to rise. National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines suspended all flights to and from France and Malaysia starting Wednesday. The only carrier in Vietnam with direct flights to European countries like England, Germany and France, Vietnam Airlines is set to reduce the number of weekly flights from Hanoi and Saigon to the continent by 14, starting March 25. However, the national flag carrier is also considering the possibility of suspending all flights to Europe if the E.U. decides to close all borders, including airspace. Vietnam Airlines has estimated that the number of passengers it carries could decline by 2.5 million this year, leading to a revenue fall of VND12 trillion ($519 million). The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has envisioned two Covid-19 impact scenarios for Vietnams aviation market in 2020. In the first scenario, where the pandemic is contained before April, carriers in the country would handle a total of 67 million passengers, down 15 percent year-on-year, said Dinh Viet Thang, director of CAAV. However, if the pandemic is only contained in June, the number of air passengers is predicted to fall 22 percent year-on-year to 61 million, including 10 million foreign visitors. As of Tuesday, Vietnam had recorded 66 Covid-19 infections, 50 of them since March 6, prior to which the nation had gone 22 days without a new case. The previous 16 patients have been discharged from hospitals. The Covid-19 outbreak has spread to 165 countries and territories, claiming more than 7,400 lives. Photo: Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images In a primary night marred by reduced turnout among voters fearing coronavirus exposure at the polls and one primary (Ohio) postponed at the last minute, Joe Biden won another sweep in three states spanning the country. He beat Bernie Sanders in every county in Florida and trounced him statewide by nearly 40 points. With over 80 percent of precincts reporting in Illinois, a state where Sanders supporters thought they might win an upset (a hope reinforced by the states relative dependence on Election Day balloting shunned by some older voters), Biden is leading by better than 20 points statewide, and is carrying all but one county (student-heavy Champaign County). And in Arizona, Biden leads by double-digits, with much of the large early vote counted. There was no traditional exit polling in these March 17 primaries thanks to a combination of heavy voting by mail and polling place social distancing guidelines. But late media polling suggests that in all three states Bernie Sanderss base was reduced to his core of younger voters, who indeed stuck with him, even in Florida. Sanders continued to lose ground among the African-Americans who seemed to be giving him an audition earlier in the cycle, and he lost Latinos in Florida, while failing to carry them convincingly in Arizona. In all three states, Biden beat him soundly among the white non-college-educated voters that Sanders won so often against Hillary Clinton in 2016. And turnout patterns did not favor his share of the electorate, despite the many factors that might have discouraged voting by the elderly. Turnout was indeed a big story today. In Illinois, the March 17 state with the lowest levels of early voting by mail, turnout dropped to just over half the level registered in the 2016 primary. Turnout was down marginally in Florida, where over a million Democrats voted early, and was actually up in vote-by-mail-heavy Arizona. But neither turnout patterns nor the demographic peculiarities of these relatively three diverse states helped Bernie Sanders overcome what is becoming a systemic shortfall against Biden. The former veep had another strong delegate harvest from Florida and Illinois (which will likely be increased when Arizonas vote is fully in), roughly doubling the 150 pledged-delegate lead he had before these primaries. Nate Silver summed it all up: Maybe Arizona wont be an enormous win for Biden, but it was one of Sanderss best remaining states given how well he did in Nevada and California. Sanders really isnt performing well anywhere at the moment. What makes these primaries significant (other than continuing Bidens recent winning streak) is that there may soon be a drought in returns thanks to states postponing primaries. Democratic National Committee chairman Tom Perez has criticized this trend and encouraged states to increase voting-by-mail opportunities and polling-place safety improvements instead. But the big question coming out of the March 17 primaries is whether Bidens increasing dominance over the race will convince Bernie Sanders to drop out even though primary postponements will make it harder for the front-runner to formally win a majority of pledged delegates in the near future. As time goes by, Biden is broadening his base of support even as Sanderss gradually shrinks. As the coronavirus makes voters increasingly risk-averse and security-conscious, its unclear what, if anything, could theoretically give the candidate promising a political revolution the kind of big comeback opportunity he needs to remain viable. "The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time," said Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey to a friend on the eve of Britain's entry into the First World War. Observing from afar as the coronavirus pandemic ravages the Old Continent, Grey's words return to mind. And as the Great War changed Europe forever, the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be changing the way European peoples see each other. "All for one and one for all!" These were the words by which "The Three Musketeers" of Alexandre Dumas lived their lives. This was the ideal upon which the EU and NATO were built. An attack against one is an attack against all. The Schengen Agreement by which citizens of Europe are as free to travel through the countries of their continent as Americans are to travel from Maryland to Virginia is rooted in that ideal. Yet, suddenly, all that seems to belong to yesterday. How the EU's nation-states are reacting to the coronavirus crisis brings to mind another phrase, a French phrase, "Sauve qui peut," a rough translation of which is, "Every man for himself." The New York Times has written of the new reality. In Sunday's top story, "Europe Locks Up and Faces Crisis as Virus Spread," the Times wrote: "While some European leaders, like President Emmanuel Macron of France, have called for intensifying cooperation across nations, others are trying to close their countries off. "From Denmark to Slovakia, governments went into aggressive virus-fighting mode with border closings." Describing a host of countries heeding the call of tribalism and nationalism, the Times laments Monday: "Today, Europeans are... erecting borders between countries, inside their cities and neighborhoods, around their homes -- to protect themselves from their neighbors, even from their own grandchildren." "Confronting a virus that knows no borders, this modern Europe without borders is building them everywhere." In a few days, the Europe of open borders has become history. "As the pandemic spreads from Italy to Spain, France, Germany," reports the Times, "there is a growing sense of the need for harsh, even authoritarian methods, many of them taken from China. "Europe has been terrified by Italy. Suddenly, many of the continent's countries are trying to lock down, to protect themselves and their citizens. The idea of European solidarity, and of a borderless Europe where citizens are free to travel and work, seems very far away." Italy, hardest-hit country after China, is on lockdown. Germany is closing its borders with Austria, Denmark, France, Luxembourg and Switzerland. The Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia have announced they will close borders to all foreigners. President Donald Trump has expanded his travel ban on Europe to include two of America's oldest friends, Britain and Ireland. Slovenia has closed its border with Italy. Norway is on lockdown. International travelers who arrive in Norway risk a mandatory 14-day quarantine, regardless of their health. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that Canada is barring entry to all travelers who are not citizens or permanent residents. The only exceptions are air crews, diplomats, and, "at this time," U.S. citizens. What we are witnessing is the clash of the claims of human nature and of ideology. Through history, most men have put attachments of family, tribe, faith, country, race and nation above the claims of liberal ideology. But while all citizens may have the same God-given right to life and constitutional right to "equal protection of the laws," all people do not have equal rights to our affections or concerns. For most men, the claims of the heart are superior to those of the mind. Foreign folks do not have the same claims upon us as our own. In a crisis, people put families, friends and country first. In the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson declares that, "all men are created equal." Yet, what truly seems to enrage him and to justify the rebellion against George III are the crimes the king had committed and that he had been "deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity." The king had violated the claims of our common blood while we Americans had not been "wanting in attentions to our British brethren." Closing borders is a grievous offense against liberalism that is supposedly rooted in the sin of xenophobia. But what governments in Europe are saying by closing their borders, what Americans are saying by banning travel from Europe, is that while all men may be created equal, we will always put our own people first, ahead of the rest. When a crisis comes, be it a war in which the survival of the nation is at stake or an epidemic where the health and survival of our people is at stake, we take care of our own first. This is human nature. This is the way the world works. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 The world is gripped by an unprecedented health crisis. The global economy is on the brink. And the relationship between Beijing and Washington has rarely looked worse. Amid all this, China announced Tuesday that it will expel about a dozen American journalists working for The Washington Post, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal in the country and force these outlets and two others to register as "foreign missions." China's move will almost certainly elicit a response from the United States, in a cycle of escalation at a particularly delicate moment. So why, many wonder, would China do this now? One answer: To show it can. China cast Tuesday's move as a matter of reciprocity: The Trump administration implemented new rules for Chinese state media operating in the United States, so China, its Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, would do the same. But the scope of Beijing's response was "unprecedented and extraordinary," said Jude Blanchette, head of China studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "The message is: We won't play by the old rules." For China, that messaging makes sense. The coronavirus outbreak, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has shaken China and rattled its leadership. In recent weeks, officials have waged a campaign to erase a deadly coverup and recast the crisis as a victory for the Chinese Communist Party and its leader, Xi Jinping. In this alternative version of history, being written in real time, the party moved quickly and decisively, marshaling technical prowess to vanquish the virus and diplomatic might to keep foreign critics in line. Silencing and discrediting reporters is part of this. In January, after a mysterious virus swept across the Chinese heartland, reporters traveled to Hubei province to cover the story, filing bracing reports from the ground. As the situation worsened, the authorities censored some pathbreaking Chinese reporting and tried to discount foreign coverage as an "anti-China" plot. This sensitivity to foreign coverage is not new. Over the past decade, Beijing has delayed approving or revoked press credentials to punish news outlets for coverage it does not like. But the pace of these revocations seems to be quickening, according to the Foreign Correspondents' Club of China, particularly in the aftermath of the outbreak in Wuhan. "People in the Chinese government have come to believe that the Western media deliberately tried to undermine this narrative of a great Chinese victory in Wuhan," said Victor Shih, an associate professor at the University of California at San Diego's School of Global Policy and Strategy. "This is a product of it own propaganda." The Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry is also going on the offensive. A spokesman for the department went so far as to float a conspiracy theory that the U.S. military brought the novel coronavirus to Wuhan. "This is a diversionary war," said Susan Shirk, chair of the 21st Century China Program at the University of California at San Diego. "You stimulate an international conflict to divert the public from your domestic failures." It is also part of a broader conflict between two superpowers that have clashed on trade and technology. China has targeted U.S. journalists for many years. Past U.S. administrations have been wary of responding in kind, fearful that taking aim at Chinese state media workers would send the wrong message on press freedom or put American journalists in China at risk. The changed in February, when the Trump administration decided to designate the U.S. operations of five Chinese state media outlets as "foreign missions," not newsrooms. The next day, China hit back, announcing that it would expel three Wall Street Journal reporters - two American, one Australian - over an Opinion section headline that referred to China as the "sick man of Asia." In early March, the Trump administration limited to 100 the number of Chinese nationals who can work in the United States for the five state-controlled Chinese news organizations, effectively forcing 60 Chinese citizens to leave the country. "We are in a downward spiral with two sides that are not looking for an off-ramp," said Blanchette of CSIS. "The U.S. will respond, Beijing will respond, and then the U.S. will respond to that," he continued. "Right now the politics are good for both administrations to look tough," he said. Still, Tuesday's expulsions caught the United States by surprise, according to a senior State Department official who spoke to reporters on background, as is customary, on Wednesday. The official implied that Washington would respond, but did not specify how or when. "We have a lot of other things we can do," the official said. Asked about the expulsions during the daily White House coronavirus task force briefing, Trump told reporters Wednesday that he was "not happy" to see American journalists banished from China, even if he does not think much of the affected newspapers. "I have my own disputes with all three of those media groups. I think you know that very well," he said. "But I don't like seeing that at all." The Washington Post's Carol Morello and Felicia Sonmez contributed to this report. A 60-year-old woman was killed while her three kin sustained bullet injuries when a group of armed assailants fired at them in Batala's Harchowal village, police said on Wednesday. Jasbir Kaur died on the spot while Partap Singh, his wife Narinder Kaur and brother Niranjan Singh were admitted to an Amritsar hospital in a critical condition, they said. Complainant Amarjit Singh said nearly 15 armed assailants attacked their house around 10 pm on Tuesday and fired several rounds for at least half an hour before fleeing from the scene, police said. SP Jasbir Singh Rai said as per preliminary investigation, the attack was the result of an old enmity between their children, Gursharan Singh and Sahil, both students of Class 10. Sahil's family allegedly attacked the Gurcharan's kin with arms and other weapons, police said. Police have booked Lakhwinder singh, alias Lakha; Malkiat Singh; Amritpal Singh; Sahil and six unidentified people on the charge of murder. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Foxx beat Bill Conway, a former assistant states attorney, Donna More, a former federal prosecutor, and Bob Fioretti, a former Chicago city councilman. All went hard after Foxxs management of the Smollett case. To what extent did the controversy shape this election? Recall that in 2012, incumbent States Attorney Anita Alvarez was unopposed. Foxx, by contrast, had to run hard to defeat Conway and the others. You may have discovered, in this first week of sheltering in place, that your family eats more than you thought, especially when cooped up and stressed out. My family of four needs a dozen meals a day, plus coffee and snacks and, because now is not the time to give up sugar, we need dessert, too. And, like most of you, Im trying to go to the grocery store as infrequently as possible. Youve probably already stocked up on some dry goods, and while you can live on pantry goods alone, things will be a lot more pleasant with some vegetables and fruit. Look for those that dont need to be refrigerated, since fridge space may be at a premium: Beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, cabbage, apples and citrus can all hang out at room temperature for a long time. Frozen vegetables are useful. Frozen fruit, too: mangoes, bananas and berries are perfect for smoothies, or a pie (pie will help). Hardy fresh herbs, such as parsley and rosemary, can pep up any pantry meal, as can garlic and lemon juice or zest. Once youre stocked up with the essentials, here are 25 ideas for what to make with what you have on hand. Pantry essentials Beans (dried or canned), lentils (dried), split chickpeas/chana dal (dried) Canned tomato products (diced tomatoes, whole tomatoes, marinara) Canned fish (tuna, sardines, anchovies) Pasta Rice Coffee, tea Olive oil, vegetable oil and/or coconut oil Vinegar Mustard and mayonnaise Peanut butter, tahini or miso Soy sauce (or tamari or coconut aminos) Fish sauce Thai curry paste Coconut milk Boxed chicken and vegetable stock Eggs Parmesan cheese Garlic, onions, lemons and hardy fresh herbs Frozen vegetables, frozen fruit Shelf-stable tofu Seaweed Something spicy: red pepper flakes, chile crunch, gochujang, hot sauce BEANS Getty Images / iStockphoto Canned white beans, drained and processed in the food processor with lots of olive oil, salt and pepper and some minced fresh rosemary: Instant sandwich spread or dip. Canned white beans, coarsely mashed with a can of tuna, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Add parsley or basil if you have it. Saute an onion and a clove of garlic in olive oil. Add a bit of ground cumin. Stir in a can of (undrained) black or pinto beans. Simmer until hot; mash some of the beans with the back of a fork if you want to make it creamier. Serve over rice or with tortillas or tortilla chips. Combine a few cans of garbanzo beans, a few crushed garlic cloves and a few cups of chicken stock in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then spoon into bowls and shower generously with Parmesan cheese and season with cracked pepper. Top with a poached egg, if you like. Saute some garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes in olive oil. Add broccoli (or kale, broccoli rabe or Swiss chard) and cook until its tender or wilted, then stir in a can of drained beans (white or garbanzo). Stir the whole mess into some cooked pasta. In a bowl, combine a few cans of drained beans or some cooked lentils. Add some crumbled cheese (feta, goat cheese, queso fresco) and whatever vegetables you have in your crisper: grated carrots, thinly sliced celery, scallions, cherry tomatoes. In a jar, combine a spoonful of mustard, 1 part vinegar and salt, then add 3 parts olive oil. Shake like hell, then pour over the salad. Add canned sardines or tuna, if you like. A can of drained white beans, a can of tomato sauce, some mozzarella, ricotta or Parmesan, and the broiler: Pizza beans! Add some sliced salami or pepperoni, if you have it. Combine 1 cup chana dal and 4 cups water in a medium saucepan. Stir in 1 teaspoon ground turmeric. Cover partially and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and saucy (but not soupy), for 40 to 50 minutes. Heat cup of vegetable oil or ghee in a frying pan. Add 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds and cook for 30 seconds, then add 1 diced onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is deeply browned, 20 minutes. Stir into the dal and season to taste with salt. RICE/GRAINS/PASTA Pandemic or not, fried rice is one of my favorite meals. Use day-old rice and whatever else you have on hand. Frozen peas and corn are good; chunks of hot dog or other bits of protein (like tofu, bacon, leftover chicken or steak) are nice; add a beaten egg and some scallions if youve got them, or a handful of spinach (fresh or frozen, drained and chopped) or mushrooms or grated carrot. Season with soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos. Rice pudding: Simmer together cup uncooked rice, cup sugar and 4 cups milk, half-and-half or coconut milk in a covered saucepan for 15 minutes. Uncover and cook 10 minutes more until the rice is tender. Stir in an egg yolk and return to a simmer until thickened; top with fruit (fresh or dried). Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Make risotto: Saute an onion in a couple tablespoons of butter. Add 1 cup arborio (or other short grain white) rice and cook a few minutes more. Add hot chicken stock (boxed is fine) by the ladleful, stirring after each addition until all the stock is absorbed (youll need about 6 cups). When the rice is tender and creamy, stir in some frozen peas or corn, a knob of butter, lots of salt and some grated cheese. Make jook: Boil a small amount (1 cup) of rice in a large amount (12 cups) of chicken stock (boxed is fine) with a few fat slices of fresh ginger until the rice is tender; season generously with salt to taste. Add slivered scallions, sesame oil, chopped peanuts and kimchi, if you have it. Top with a poached or soft-boiled egg (optional). Cook a lot of slivered garlic in oil until soft (but not brown); add a few anchovy fillets if you like them. Add a few pinches of red pepper flakes. Dump in some cooked pasta and toss to coat. Add minced parsley and breadcrumbs if you have them. You could add capers, if you want, or swap sardines for the anchovies. In a medium skillet, toast some coarsely ground black pepper in some butter until fragrant. Add cooked pasta to the skillet, a ladle of the starchy pasta cooking water, and a big handful of grated Pecorino Romano. Toss with tongs over low heat until the sauce coats the noodles; remove from the heat and add a big handful of Parmesan. Eat out of the pan. Cut up some pancetta or bacon and saute in a large skillet. Remove the browned meat and cook a diced onion in the fat. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, a can of tomato sauce and some cooked pasta and toss to coat. Cook instant ramen according to package instructions. Top with a slice of American cheese, some toasted sesame seeds and some chopped scallion (thanks, Roy Choi). In the blender whiz together peanut butter (or miso or tahini), minced ginger, minced garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar and rice vinegar; add hot water to thin to a saucelike consistency. Pour over cooked rice noodles, ramen noodles or soba noodles; add any sad vegetables in your crisper drawer. EGGS Heat up some marinara sauce in a skillet. Make a few indentations in the sauce with the back of your spoon, and crack an egg into each. Cover and simmer gently until the eggs are set; serve with bread. Make biscuits (Bisquick is fine if youve got it). Top with fried eggs and cheese (or braised brisket, see No. 25). Mirage C / Getty Images Got eggs and potatoes? Make a frittata or a Spanish tortilla. Serve the latter with mayonnaise gussied up with lemon juice and some minced garlic. Make a big pan of scrambled eggs. Pile them onto tortillas, season with hot sauce and add a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt if you have it. Beans (see No. 3) are optional. Whisk some miso into hot water until you have a strong, savory broth. Poach eggs in the liquid. Add some cubed (shelf-stable) tofu; garnish with seaweed or sliced scallions. MISCELLANEOUS Fry a few tablespoons of curry paste (red, yellow or green) in a few tablespoons of vegetable oil. Pour in canned coconut milk and a bit of boxed chicken or vegetable stock. Add whatever vegetables you have, starting with the hardy ones such as potatoes and carrots (along with any raw meat, if using, cut into small pieces), and adding more tender (or frozen) vegetables and tofu when the hardier ones are almost done. Serve with rice. Wrap a block of extra-firm tofu in several sheets of paper towels and place a heavy pan on it. Let stand for 20 minutes, then use your hands to tear it into pieces. Fry in coconut oil, vegetable or peanut oil until crispy. Drizzle with soy sauce and a squeeze of lime juice. Toss in some toasted coconut or chopped peanuts. Serve with rice. If youre a carnivore, now is the time to go big. Make a whole pork shoulder, braise an entire brisket, roast two chickens side by side. Then use the meat in salads, tacos, hash, soup. Freeze what you cant eat right away; youll be glad to have it in a few weeks. Jessica Battilana is a San Francisco freelance writer and the author of Repertoire: All the Recipes You Need. Email: food@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jbattilana Other federal agencies that interact with immigrants have implemented changes. As of Wednesday, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services suspended in-person interviews and appointments until at least April 1, according to an email from the federal agency. Among the type of applications USCIS handles includes those seeking a green card, those seeking naturalization and those seeking asylum in the U.S. Anyone who had an appointment scheduled in the next couple of weeks should receive a notice from the agency. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As the death toll from the coronavirus (COVID-19) surpassed 100 in the United States on Tuesday, West Virginia became the 50th state to report a confirmed case, the states health department announced. An interactive map from Johns Hopkins University which has tracked the virus extensively since its early stages shows that 105 deaths have been reported in the United States as a result of the coronavirus as of Tuesday evening, along with more than 6,200 confirmed cases. However, the actual number of cases in the United States is likely far higher, as lack of testing availability has made the picture of the extent of the virus unclear though improvements are being made. 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. Cuomo said the peak of the virus is expected to occur in approximately 45 days, and is expected to require between 55,000 and 110,000 hospital beds. Currently, New Yorks hospital bed capacity is about 53,000. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK *** 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. Globally, there are nearly 200,000 confirmed cases and there have been approximately 7,900 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. About 80,000 of the patients confirmed for the virus have recovered thus far. 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. MORE COVERAGE: Preventing coronavirus: How to properly clean your home ER doctor: Heres what to do if youre feeling ill Coughs, sneezes, surfaces. Heres how coronavirus is and isnt spread. 7 myths you should know about the coronavirus (COVID-19) Sold out: Here's how to make homemade hand sanitizer Hours-long lines, empty shelves: Staten Island stores chaotic amid coronavirus Coronavirus: FDA passes emergency act allowing city, state to process more tests It's beginning to feel like end days. Our hands are dry from constant sanitizing, social distancing is our new norm, and restaurants and bars and various other spots where we used to gather to take our minds off hard times are closing out of concerns over Covid-19. On Sunday, Governor Gavin Newsom called for the shuttering of all bars, breweries, wineries, and nightlife spots regardless of their size; restaurants remain open for now, but at half their usual capacity. Like many of you, we are in support of flattening the curve and encourage you all to stay home as much as possible and minimize contact with others, but you can still support the local restaurant industry by ordering takeout and delivery. Many restaurants are offering special menu items, and over at Prairie, chef Anthony Strong is going the extra mile, turning the restaurant into a general store where you can purchase cook-at-home meal kits as well as curated boxes of pantry items. Below is a list of San Francisco restaurants doing what they can to feed the people in as safe a way as possible. If you have suggestions for more, please leave us a comment on our Facebook page. If you're in self-quarantine and don't want to risk even takeout, consider purchasing a gift card or sending your own cash gift to your favorite restaurant to help them continue to pay the bills during this crisis so they'll be there to feed you when we reach the end of this tunnel. Be well out there. San Francisco Restaurants Offering Takeout & Delivery See on Instagram 4505 Burgers & BBQ When the whole tribe's at home, only a ribs, rolls, and all the fixins will do. 4505 is slangin' your favs in both SF and Oakland for takeout and delivery. Word is they're even hosting online trivia nights! // 3506 Macarthur Blvd. (Oakland) and 705 Divisadero (SF); 4505burgersandbbq.com Alexander's Steakhouse Keep your strength by stocking up on meat. Order cuts to cook yourself online from Alexander's butcher shop, or get takeout or delivery of the restaurant's prime rib family special ($295), which serves six with sides and dessert. Also available are a dry-aged steak duo ($199, serves 2-3); A5 Wagyu hot pot ($50); and 20 percent off the entire wine list for pickup. Gift cards are also available with a special 10 percent bonus value for dining in when the restaurant reopens. Plus, get half a fried chicken from sister restaurant ALX through this location. // Noon to 9:30pm daily; 448 Brannan St. (SoMa), (415) 495-1111, alexanderssteakhouse.com a Mano Get your comfort food in the form of fontina arancini, rigatoni pork sugo, and little gem salad from this Hayes Valley Italian spot, with is accepting phone orders and walk-ins for takeout, as well as delivery via Caviar. // 12pm - 8pm daily; 450 Hayes St. (Hayes Valley), (415) 506-7401, amanosf.com Atelier Crenn Chef Dominique Crenn is an ace in a crisisshe was consistently among the culinary world's first responders during our various wildfires. Now Crenn and her team have been putting together nutritious, delicious Crenn Kits, stocked with vegetable soup, vegetarian lasagna, dessert, and even a cheese course. As of March 24, these kits were sold out (you can join the waitlist), but there are still red, white, and mixed wine baskets to be had now ($75-$150). Add on a bottle of rose and 25% of the cost goes directly to their Emergency Relief Fund for former staff // Purchase on Tock; follow Dominique Crenn on Instagram for real-time updates. Azalina's Chef Azalina Eusope's unique Malaysian food (including her mamak fried chicken, laksa turmeric noodles, and that to-die-for date sticky pudding) is available to pickup at the Mid-Market restaurant via UberEats and Caviar. The eatery's sales have plummeted by 95 percent during the COVID-19 crisis; you can donate to help support their team at GoFundMe. // 11am-3pm, 1355 Market St (Mid-Market), azalinas.com Aziza & Mourad Sister restaurants Aziza and Mourad are both offering tasty Moroccan food for takeout and are promising delivery service coming soon. Aziza is now even selling farm-fresh vegetable baskets from Petaluma's County Line Harvest; place an order for curbside pickup by calling 415-682-4196; for Mourad, call 415-660-2500. // Aziza, 5580 Geary Blvd. (Outer Richmond), azizasf.com; Mourad, 140 New Montgomery St #1 (SoMa), mouradsf.com The Bird You know you want a Happier Meal? The fried chicken sando, curly fries, and beer combo is available, along with The Bird's signature offerings for takeout and Caviar delivery. // Open 10:30am to 6pm weekdays; 115 New Montgomery St (FiDi), (415)-872-9825, thebirdsf.com Burma Superstar Satisfy your yearning for that famous tea leaf saladplus samusas, dry-fried string beans, and coconut chicken noodle soupby ordering Burma Superstar (and from its collection of Burmese restaurants) for takeout and delivery in San Francisco, Alameda, and Oakland. // 309 Clement St. (SF); 4721 Telegraph Ave. (Oakland), 1345 Park St. (Alameda); burmainc.com Butter& Local cake shop Butter& is baking their way through this thing with specialty cakes sized to serve two to four people available by delivery. Order a quarantine cake for you and your fellow co-inhabitants, or send one to a friend you can't be with in person. Each cake can be customized with one of five CDC messages including "Wash Your Hands" and "Don't Touch Your Face." Order via butterand.com. Cassava Cassava is accepting to-go orders for both brunch and dinner. If you're looking for a to-go dinner spread to feed a family, they've put together a Family Meal for Four ($100) which will rotate daily. Call in to-go orders at 415-640-8990, or order the family meal on cassavasf.com. // 519 Balboa St. (Outer Richmond) Che Fico Alimentari On Sunday, Che Fico co-owner and chef David Nayfeld posted a video message to Instagram: Both restaurants will close for the safety of their team and guests. The Alimentari will continue to take to-go orders. // 843 Divisadero St. (NoPa), cheficoalimentari.com Chili House First 10 callers each day will receive a choice of chicken fried rice, chicken chow mein, broccoli beef, or basil chicken for pick-up and delivery via Caviar. Chili House SF is also serving 10 free lunch boxes daily to help feed the 60-plus crowd in the community. // Call (415) 387-2658 to reserve; 11:30am to 9pm daily (closed Tuesdays); 726 Clement St. chilihousesf.com China Live China Live got out ahead of Gov. Newsom's Sunday announcement requiring restaurants to reduce their capacity by 50 percent, bumping up the space between their tables to meet the six-feet of separation recommendation. They've also added additional menu options through their delivery partners and enabled a 100-foot zone in front of the restaurant for take-away orders with a 20 percent discount to pick up orders made online via chinalivesf.com. // 644 Broadway (Chinatown), chinalivesf.com Delarosa Feeding a family? Or maybe you're just emotional eating for one. No judgement. Satisfy the hunger with Delarosa pizzas (try the usually off-menu bartenders' favorite), meatballs, veggies, salads, and sidesas well a selection of prosecco, beer, and wine. The restaurant is accepting phone orders, walk-ins for takeout, and delivery via Caviar // Noon to 8pm; 2175 Chestnut St (Marina), (415) 673-7100, delarosasf.com Delfina Pizzeria All four Bay Area locations (two in SF plus Palo Alto and Burlingame) are slinging as many pizzas as possible for takeout from the restaurants and delivery via various online apps. You may have heard that Delfina restaurant has closed temporarily and Locanda is gone for good; there's no better time to support this beloved local restaurant group. // pizzeriadelfina.com Del Popolo Del Popolo was quick to remove tables from its dining room to make more space between guests before the mandate came to close all restaurant dining rooms. Now, you can order up that salami piccante pizza and a bottle of lambrusco fonline at Toast or get delivery (no wine, though) from their Hayes Valley truck via Caviar. You can also donate to support the restaurant's furloughed staff at GoFundMe. // 855 Bush St. (Nob Hill), delpopolosf.com El Sur El Sur is offering free delivery of 24-pack empanadas. Bake 'em straight away and enjoy, or freeze them for upcoming meals. Order via SquareUp. // 300 De Haro St #342 (Mission Bay), elsursf.com Hadough Bakery Even in the pandemic world, cake and coffee are considered essential. Get down with the German tradition of kaffee und kuchen and pick up some black forest cake, plump Berliner donuts, and flakey turnovers to go. // 9am till 3pm (or until they sell out), Wednesday through Sunday; 1221 Fell St. (Lower Haight), hahdough.com Flores Signature Mexican plates (think carnitas and chile-braised beef short ribs) and snacks are available for takeout at Flores and delivery via Caviar. // 2030 Union St. (Cow Hollow), 415-796-2926, floressf.com Francisca's Chef Manny Torres has always cooked from the hearthe first learned to make classic Venezuelan recipes from his grandmother. Now he's putting his heart into feeding the community during COVID-19. Order up two-for-one arepas ($15), snacks such as crispy yucca and fried plantains, or a four-course tasting menu ($39) for pickup at the Bernal restaurant or delivery via DoorDash. To-go orders can be placed on Tock. // 3047 Mission St. (Bernal Heights); 415-374-5747, franciscassf.com Gap Year at Nico French-style comfort meal kits are coming at you courtesy of Gap Year at Nico, which is offering multi-course brunch and dinner kits for omnivores and vegetarians as well as special occasion meal kits for birthdays, anniversaries, and Mother's Day. Indulgent dishes might include lamb shoulder stew with root vegetables; eggs cocette; caviar service; and chocolate chip sablee. Orders for pickup and delivery should be placed on Tock or Caviar; cocktails, wine, and Champagne are also available. // Gap Year at Nico, 710 Montgomery St. (Jackson Square), gapyearatnico.com Izakaya Rintaro What the world needs now is a dedicated bento hotline. Here you go! From 3pm to 9pm, Izakaya Rintaro is taking phone orders for bento boxesa few offerings might include wild California bigeye tuna, Baja yellowtail amberjack, konbu-cured San Francisco halibut, ribbon egg, courtyard kinome, and Half Moon Bay wasabi. The menu is currently available for pickup, with delivery coming soon. // Call 415-517-8539 to order; 82 14th St. (Mission), izakayarintaro.com Kasa Indian Indian food already makes the best takeout. Order all your favoritessamosas, pappadum, chutneyplus kati rolls, thali plates, yummy chai, and even vegan and GF options. Kasa is available for pickup at both the Castro and Polk Street locations in SF, and for delivery via Caviar and GrubHub. // 4001 18th St. (Castro), 1356 Polk St. (Tendernob); see the full menu at kasaindian.com. Lazy Bear At Lazy Bear, the extensive Camp Commissary menu feels like an elevated take on the country potluck, with everything from homey staples (pickles, hot sauce, cultured butter, pimento cheese, and take-and-bake cinnamon buns) to hearty breakfasts, soups and salads, and the "dinner kit w/ fixins" for two, complete with the likes of grilled sticky ribs, jerk chicken, or meatloaf. // 3416 19th St. (Mission), lazybearsf.com Le Marais Bakery The San Franciscobased French bakery is offerings its full menu of pastries, entrees, and coffee for delivery through Caviar, Postmates, and DoorDash, with free delivery plus coupons and discounts through Caviar, and $3 off your first order of $15 on Postmates. // To see the menu and find locations, go to lemaraisbakery.com. Little Star When the going gets tough, the tough eat a whole deep dish pizza from Little Starthat Classic pie...it's forever. Order for takeout and delivery via Caviar. // Noon to 9pm daily; 400 Valencia St. (Mission), littlestarvalencia.com Lord Stanley In the growing category of fine dining restaurants turned purveyors of elevated comfort takeout, Lord Stanley is turning out meal kits that satisfy our cravings for both hearty, soul-satisfying fare and night-out-at-a-restaurant cuisine. Nightly entrees include Wagyu beef short rib with cold spicy noodles, local seafood cioppino, and Liberty Farms duck cassoulet. Add-ons include loaves of bread, bottles of wine, and dessert. Order via Tock. // 2065 Polk St. (Nob Hill), lordstanleysf.com Michael Mina Mina Family Kitchen is offering comforting Mina restaurant favorites for delivery and pickup. The best part? All proceeds will go toward providing the restaurant's furloughed employees a daily hot family meal. // Delivery available noon to 8pm Monday through Saturday; michaelmina.net/delivery Mister Jiu's Chef/owner Brandon Jew is keeping busy during the pandemic. From his signature Chinatown restaurant, a new online concept called Jiu's Ho Ho! is stocked with readymade foodstuffs such as wontons, turnip cakes, and hot and sour soup; as well as pantry goods including nuts, oils, and vinegars; meats, eggs, produce; and spirits and bottled cocktails. In the fine dining category, Jew is also offering meal kits through a concept called Lord Jiu's, in collaboration with another SF restaurant, Lord Stanley. Order a five-course meal ($100); recent menu items included a watercress salad with apricots and golden beets; tuna tartare with potato emulsion; and roasted Berkshire pork loin with Bing cherries, turnips, and shitake mushroom. Donate to support Mister Jiu's staff at GoFundMe. // Order Lord Jiu's via Tock for pickup at Lord Stanley, 2065 Polk St. (Nob Hill). Shop Jiu's Ho Ho! at jiushohos.com. The Morris The Morris is open for biz with increased sanitation protocols, but if you want to enjoy your food at home, the full menu plus bottles of wine are available to pick up curbside. With a two-hour advance order, you can even get their signature smoked duck to go. To make a curbside order, email info@themorris-sf.com. // 2501 Mariposa St. (SoMa), themorris-sf.com Nari & Kin Khao Tantalizing Thai sister restaurant Kin Khao and the newer Nari are both now offering takeout menus. They are also still open for dining in, and the group gives all its employees three weeks of paid leave so you can feel safe in knowing the people there are care for and can stay home if they get sick. // Nari, 1625 Post St. (Japantown), narisf.com; Kin Khao, 55 Cyril Magnin St. (Union Square), kinkhao.com Nopalito The beloved artisan, organic Mexican eatery Nopalito is offering ready-to-heat-and-eat meal two-person kits for pick-up at the Broderick Street location. You can also pick up snacks for your pantry, bottles of wine, six-packs of Tecate, agua frescas, and horchata. Nopalito is also selling gift cards online through giftrocker.com. Buy one to gift to someone in need, or for yourself to use when you dine in later. // To place an order, email atering@nopalitosf.com, call (415) 300-0029, or place an order for delivery via Caviar. // 306 Broderick St. (Lower Haight), nopalitosf.com Palette Tea House The ultimate comfort food? Dim sum. Get your siu mai, fried rice, steam pork bao, and more via carry-out from the Ghirardelli Square restaurant or delivery via UberEats. // 11:30am to 7:30pm; 900 North Point St. (Marina), paletteteahouse.com Patxi's Pizza Patxi's locations across California are open for online orders. Get your bruschetta, chopped salads, and deep dish pies at patxispizza.com/catering; patxispizza.com/san-francisco. Prairie At Prairie, chef Anthony Strong and his team are turning the restaurant into a general store, offering dinner kits for pickup that can be stored in the fridge for up to five days and are easy to cook or reheat. This week's menu: creme fraiche pappardelle, spring chicories, wood oven duck leg confit, and more ($54, feeds 1-2). You can also pick up some tasty non-perishables in a curated Pantry Prepper Kit ($96) of 14 shelf-stable products like piquillo peppers, marcona almonds, pink pepper and quinoa crackers, spicy calabrese veggie spread, grilled-marinated artichokes, marinated chickpeas, Spanish dry chorizo, seafood conservas (sardines, clams, salmon). // 3431 19th St. (Mission); order online at prairiesf.com Presidio Social Club Presidio Social Club is temporarily reducing their hours and bumping up their takeaway menu options. Order for pick up or by delivery through Caviar. // 563 Ruger St. (Presidio), presidiosocialclub.com Rich Table Closed since the shelter in place order took effect, Rich Table reopened in early May with a new four-course Ready to Go menu ($55)think pimento cheese dip and fried saltines, baby lettuce salad, dry aged ribeye, and honey corn cakeplus market cocktails, some pantry staples, a vegetable farm box, and even the restaurant's cookbook. It's all available for pickup or local delivery via Caviar. // 199 Gough St. (Hayes Valley), richtablesf.com Saint Frank Coffee Stock up on your java by ordering 12-ounce bags of beans and sampler boxes online from Saint Frank. They're offering 30 percent off coffee orders so you can keep fueled up while working from home. // 2340 Polk St. (Russian Hill), saintfrankcoffee.com Spruce Have a hankering for that iconic Spruce burger and fries? You got it. Make it healthyish with a caesar salad, then treat yourself to a decadent giant chocolate chip cookie. // Takeout from 4pm to 8pm daily (phone orders taken from 11am), 3640 Sacramento St. (Presidio Heights); call 415-931-5100 or order in person at the adjacent cafe; sprucesf.com. SPQR Takeout dinners and wine ($25, $50, $75 and $100 per bottle) are to be had at SPQR, which promises oh-so-comforting housemade pastas, foccacia, and salads, as well as pizza slices in the afternoon (2-4pm only). You can also donate to the restaurant's GoFundMe to support furloughed employees. // Call 415.771.7779 to order between 4pm and 7pm for pickup between 5pm and 8pm; 1911 Fillmore St. (Pac Heights), spqrsf.com Starbelly Accepting phone orders, walk-in, Caviar coming soon // Noon to 8pm daily; 3583 16th St. (Castro), (415) 252-7500, starbellysf.com Super Duper Burgers Super Duper's 13 Bay Area locations are now delivery through Caviar; you can also get takeout of your usual faves including mini burgers, garlic fries with dips, and spiked shakes. // superduperburgers.com Sushi Nagai Chef Tomonori Nagai has rolled out a limited edition curbside pick-up menu featuring two special bento boxes and a la carte extras. // Text 415-527-8219 to order, 11am to 7pm, or email sushinagaiSF@gmail.com. Order pick up same day from noon to 8pm; 125 Ellis St., SushiNagaiSF.com Tartine Bakery and Manufactory Both Tartine bakeries and the Mission's Manufactory are open for takeout and delivery. Get your pastry and fresh-baked bread fix, as well as daily dinners for two (from Manufactory), by ordering for pickup online and delivery via Caviar. // Multiple locations; tartinebakery.com/san-francisco Tosca Cafe The latest reincarnation of North Beach's most iconic restaurant has reopened just in time to serve takeout and delivery only. Look out for eats from chef Nancy Oakes, including including family-style dinners for meat lovers as well as vegetarians, plus pantry staplesthink marinated olives, pastas, vodka-tomato saucebottles of wine, and a tequila grapefruit tonic cocktail kit. // Order online at Tock. Turner's Kitchen The popular sandwich shop near Dolores Park is shifting to takeaway or to-go orders only, with extra cleaning and sanitization in full effect. View their menu online and call in your orders at 415-621-3505. // 3505 17th St. (Mission), turnerskitchensf.com Uno Dos Tacos Get your burrito fix, plus veggie and pescado salads, at Uno Dos Tacos, which is accepting phone orders and walk-ins for takout, and delivery via Caviar. // 11am to 6pm weekdays; 595 Market St, (415) 974-6922, unodostacos.com Wayfare Tavern Tyler Florence's Wayfare Tavern serves a very civilized to-go dinnerthink English pea soup, king salmon with French green beans, and burrata whipped potatoes plus wines; the menu is also available for delivery via Caviar. Craving fried chicken? Follow the restaurant on Instagram to see where their fried chicken truck (which offers no-contact payment with Apple Pay and Square) will roll up next. // 558 Sacramento St., wayfaretavern.com Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen With the exception of its Contemporary Jewish Museum outpost, all Wise Sons locations in SF and Larkspur are open for takeout (order at wisesonsdeli.com) and delivery via DoorDash and Caviar. Wildseed Accepting phone orders, walk-in, Caviar coming soon. // 12pm - 8pm daily; 2000 Union St (Cow Hollow), (415) 872-7350, wildseedsf.com Z & Y Restaurant Z & Y's Chef Han has served foreign dignitaries, two Chinese presidents, and Barack Obama. Eat like Obama and order up Szechuan classics including noodles, chicken soup, beef pancake, and spicy shrimp for pick-up or delivery via Caviar. // 11:30am to 9pm daily; call (415) 981-8988 to pick up; 655 Jackson St.; zandyrestaurant.com Zuni Cafe San Francisco's most venerable culinary mainstay has officially entered the modern era, offering takeout, including its famous roast chicken, for the first time ever as of early May. Order up the bird plus a Caesar salad, dessert, and a bottle of Champagne. Takeout orders are accepted 2pm to 5pm Wednesday through Sunday for pickup between 5pm and 8pm. For same day pick-up only, call 415-552-2522 to order; next-day orders can be placed after 9pm on Tock. // 1658 Market St. (Civic Center), zunicafe.com Marin Restaurants Offering Takeout & Delivery See on Instagram Buckeye Roadhouse If you're heading out for a hike in Marin (and why not, what else do you have to do?!), stop by the beloved Buckeye Roadhouse for their popular burger...to go. They're offering a special takeout menu from noon to 7pm daily. // 15 Shoreline Hwy (Mill Valley), buckeyeroadhouse.com Cafe Del Soul Get takeout and no-contact delivery of Cafe Del Soul's organic so-called wonderful soups, gorgeous wraps, unbelievable nachos, beautiful salads, and more. // Locations in Mill Valley (415-388-1852) and San Rafael (415-457-5400), cafedelsoul.net Fish Restaurant Sustainably sourced seafood in sandwiches, chowders, and more, as well as organic eats such as salads and homemade pastas are yours for the taking in Sausalito, where Fish is offering both to-go and delivery through Caviar. // 350 Harbor Dr. (Sausalito); see the full menu and order for pickup at 331fish.com. Flores, Corte Madera Accepting phone orders, walk-in, Caviar // 12pm - 8pm daily; 301 Corte Madera Town Center (Corte Madera), floressf.com Flour Craft Bakery Marin County's first gluten-free bakery has pre-made mealsincluding veggie lasagna and a Sunday family brunchas well as grain-free sandwich bread, vegan walnut sourdough, and flourless mudslide cookies available for same-day pickup Tuesday through Sunday. // 129 Miller Ave. (Mill Valley), 415-384-8244, flourcraftbakery.com Guesthouse This chic Kentfield restaurant gets bonus points for delivering dinners free of charge to residents 65 and older. Limited menus will be posted online daily by noon; expect dishes such as kampachi crudo, grilled Castroville artichoke, housemade pastas, a market catch, and a prime New York strip. $50 minimum order for deliveries; gift certificates are currently 25 percent off. They have wine! // 850 College Ave. (Kentfield), guesthousemarin.com Hog Island Oyster Co. The iconic oyster company is moving forward with its Larkspur opening, doing only takeout and delivery for now. Warm up with clam chowder, shrimp linguine, mussels and fries, and more. Hog Island Farm in Marshall is also open for to-go orders. // 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday at 2401 Larkspur Landing Cir.; see the full menu and place orders through ChowNow. Marin Country Mart The food purveyors of Marin Country Mart are also on the takeout and delivery bandwagon. Farmshop's full catering menu is available for delivery through partner services. Rustic Bakery is open for pickup and delivery. Belcampo will have online ordering for select menu items. // 2257 Larkspur Landing Cir. (Larkspur), marincountrymart.com Stockhome Petaluma Sister restaurant to San Francisco's Plaj, Stockhome is open for takeout as well as delivery through the Petaluma Food Taxi. Take comfort in kebab plates, pita wraps, grilled proteins, and family meals including meatballs, gravlax, Swedish pancakes and more. Bonus points for half-priced bottles of cider! // Order online via square.site or call 707-981-8511; 220 Western Ave. (Petaluma), stockhomerestaurant.com Urban Remedy With locations in Mill Valley, Larkspur, Petaluma, and beyond, the purveyor of creative plant-based foods is loved for its wide variety of salads and bowls, juices and cleanses, delicious homemade protein bars, and refined-sugar-free desserts. Look for delivery via Caviar, or subscribe online for their meal plans, designed to boost metabolism and lower inflammation, which are available for shipping nationwide. // Various locations Bay Areawide; urbanremedy.com Wise Sons Bagelry Hop online and order ahead to pick up bagels, matzo ball soup, salads, corned beed sandos, and more from the Marin Country Mart locale (order at wisesonsdeli.com). // 2227 Larkspur Landing Circle (Larkspur), wisesonsdeli.com/location/larkspur South Bay Restaurants Offering Takeout & Delivery See on Instagram Alexander's Steakhouse Keep your strength by stocking up on meat. Order cuts to cook yourself online from Alexander's butcher shop, or get takeout or delivery of the restaurant's prime rib family special ($295), which serves six with sides and dessert. Also available are a dry-aged steak duo ($199, serves 2-3); A5 Wagyu hot pot ($50); and 20 percent off the entire wine list for pickup. Gift cards are also available with a special 10 percent bonus value for dining in when the restaurant reopens. // 11am to 8pm daily; 19379 Stevens Creek Blvd. (Cupertino); call 408-446-2222, alexanderssteakhouse.com Alexander's Patisserie Take comfort in Viennoiserie, chocolate pillows, opera cakes, macarons, and more by ordering delivery from the patisserie through GrubHub or takeout online. // Noon-8pm Tues-Sun; 209 Castro St. (Mountain View); call 650-864-9999, alexanderssteakhouse.com Bird Dog Relive that much-talked-about grilled avocado with takeout from Bird Dog, which also has fried chicken, a burger, and sides including swiss chard and smoked cashew carrots, as well as beers and wines. // 4-8:30pm, Mon-Sat; order by phone at 650.656.8180 for pickup, or delivery via DoorDash; birddogpa.com. Pizzeria Delfina Online ordering is now available for both the Burlingame and Palo Alto locations of Pizzeria Delfina, and for delivery via Caviar, DoorDash, and GrubHub. Get your salsiccia and arancini fix! // 1444 Burlingame Ave. (Burlingame) and 651 Emerson St. (Palo Alto), pizzeriadelfina.com Kasa Indian Indian food already makes the best takeout. Order all your favoritessamosas, pappadum, chutneyplus kati rolls, thali plates, yummy chai, and even vegan and GF options. Kasa is available for delivery via Caviar and GrubHub. // 2086 Broadway (Redwood City); for pickup, call (650) 362-4599; see the full menu at kasaindian.com. Mentone David Kinch's casual Aptos spot for pizzas, salads, and spritzes begins curbside takeout service on March 25th. Grab food, bottles of wine, and cocktails to go. Menu items, merch, and gift cards are available for pre-order. // 4pm till sold out, Wednesdays-Sundays; 174 Aptos Village Way, mentonerestaurant.com Sushi+Plus Our days of going out for sushi are on hiatus, but you can still get lunchtime bentos, sashimi, udon, and rolls by ordering online at Sushi+Plus. // 30 Woodside Plaza (Redwood City), sushiplus2012.com Nam Vietnamese Brasserie Doesn't a hot bowl of pho sound comforting right now? Order curbside takeout through Toast or request no-contact delivery through DoorDash at Nam Brasserie. // 917 Main St. (Redwood City), nambrasserie.com Patxi's Pizza Patxi's locations across California are open for online orders. Get your bruschetta, chopped salads, and deep dish pies at patxispizza.com/catering; patxispizza.com/south-bay. Grillbox Ok so it's not a restaurant, but Grillbox makes it easy to have restaurant-quality burgers at home thanks to daily on-demand delivery to all Silicon Valley cities of its ready-to-grill burger kits. All you have to do is crack open a cold one and light the fire. // 11am to 7pm (allow three hours to prep your delivery); grillbox.co The Sea by Alexander's Steakhouse Want a fancy surf-and-turf dinner at home? Order the four-course tasting menu ($65/person) with crab cake, miso cod, strip steak, and opera cake. Also get 20 percent off the entire wine list for pick up, and grab a gift certificate to use when the dining room reopens. // Noon to 8pm Mon-Sat; 4269 W. El Camino Real (Palo Alto); call 650-213-1111 for pickup or get delivery via DoorDash; alexanderssteakhouse.com. Town & Country Village: Meal Donation Delivery for Frontline Workers Palo Alto's shopping destination has launched a program that supports local restaurants while also sharing meals with workers fighting the pandemic including medical, hospital and public safety personnel; beneficiary organizations include Stanford Hospital and Palo Alto Fire Department. Those looking to donate meals to workers can purchase meals from Asian Box, Lulu's Mexican Food, and Kirk's Steakburgers, at tandcvillage.com. Manresa Ok, lasagna Bolognese and skirt steak with parker house rolls aren't exactly what you think of when you think of Manresa, but now's your chance to find out what a family-style meal from a three-Michelin-starred restaurant tastes like. Head over to Instagram where their Family Meal to Go ($40-$60/person approx) menu is posted dailyyou can even add a bottle of wine, Champagne, or beer for about $35-$59 per person. Order early, these menus are selling out. // 4:30-7:30pm Weds-Sun., 320 Village Ln. (Los Gatos); pre-order online at Tock; manresarestaurant.com. The Bywater We can't go to New Orleans right now, but we can still order up The Bywater's Nola-inspired fried chicken and biscuits with honey butter ($30/serves two). There is also a selection of beers, bottles of wine, and cocktails including sazeracs, negronis, and hurricanes. // 2-6pm Weds-Sun, 532 N. Santa Cruz Ave. (Los Gatos); call 408.560.9639 or order via Toast for pickup; thebywaterca.com. Selby's One hundred percent of the proceeds from orders of family meals here will benefit the staff of Selby's. The menu includes such comfort fare as lasagna Bolognese and a gluten-free za'atar spiced pork loin. Order delivery and pick-up through DoorDash. // 4pm to 8pm daily; 3001 El Camino Real, (Atherton), selbysrestaurant.com Mayfield Bakery & Cafe What the world needs now is pie, sweet pie. Expect a little something when you order a three-course family meal from Mayfield, available for delivery and pick-up through DoorDash. // 4pm to 8pm daily; 855 El Camino Real (Palo Alto), mayfieldbakery.com Cyclismo Order a variety of seasonal, farm-fresh and organic menu items that are locally sourced and delivered through GrubHub. A limited takeout menu is available via the website. // 871 Middlefield Rd. (Redwood City), 650-362-3970, cyclismocafe.com Coupa Cafe Coupa is family-owned business that provides an excellent cup of coffee as well as delicious dining options for curbside pickup and delivery through DoorDash. Right now, when you purchase a $100 gift card you get a $15 bonus. Download the app for ordering options and rewards. // Various locations in Redwood City, Los Altos, Palo Alto, Stanford; 650-322-0193 coupacafe.com Sandwich Spot Indulge in delicious sandwiches during your afternoon lunch break. Pickup and/or delivery are available on Menufy, Open Dining, DoorDash, UberEATS, GrubHub and Caviar between 10am and 3pm. // 2420 Broadway St. (Redwood City), 650-299-1300, thesandwichspotrwc.com Old Port Lobster Shack When the owner of a lobster shack hails from Boston and Maine, you know the food is going to be great. Old Port Lobster Shack is open for pickup by ordering online or delivery via DoorDash and UberEATS. // Locations in Redwood City, Woodside, and Portola Valley; 650-366-2400, oldportlobster.com La Viga Seafood A selection of vibrant tacos, ceviches, tapas, and entrees is available from La Viga Seafood. Order via the website or for pickup/delivery via Caviar. // 1772 Broadway St. (Redwood City), 650-679-8141, lavigaseafood.com Vesta Vesta sources ingredients from local farms and purveyors who support an organic and sustainable future for earth. Order wood-fired pizza and small bites for takeaway online or via DoorDash for delivery from 11:30am to 7:30pm daily. Gift cards are also available for purchase. // 2022 Broadway (Redwood City), 650-362-5052, vestarwc.com New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio meanwhile says hes almost to the point of recommending shelter-in-place order. New York will get a 1,000-room hospital ship that will dock in the citys harbour to fight coronavirus, state Governor Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday. Cuomo said US President Donald Trump would dispatch the USNS Comfort to Americas financial capital immediately. Its an extraordinary step. Its literally a floating hospital, which will add capacity, Cuomo told reporters. It has about a thousand rooms on it. It has operating rooms. Cuomo said he spoke to Trump on Wednesday morning and that the president was making arrangements to send the ship. Trump later confirmed the dispatch of the ship to New York, as well as an additional ship the West Coast. Were fighting a war, and this is a war, and were in the same trench, said Cuomo. As of Wednesday morning, Cuomo said New York City had more than 1,330 confirmed cases of COVID-19, hundreds more than the day before. New York state has more than 2,300 cases. Possible shelter in place New York Mayor Bill de Blasio meanwhile said that he was almost to the point of recommending the most populous US city adopt a shelter-in-place policy that would keep residents confined to their homes. De Blasio, speaking on NBCs Today show, said he planned to speak with Governor Andrew Cuomo about the matter later in the day. New York City had 923 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Tuesday evening. Cuomo has previously doubted such a measure would work. We are going to top 1,000 today undoubtedly. We are going to be at 10,000 not so long from now, the mayor said. We have a little bit more we have to make sense of how we are going to get people food and medicine, de Blasio said when asked how close he was to implementing the shelter-in-place policy in the city of more than eight million people. But I have to say, it has to be considered seriously starting today. Commuters ride the subway in New York City [Lucas Jackson/Reuters] New York, Washington state and California have the most cases of the virus that has now hit all 50 states after West Virginia reported its first case this week. Some 6.7 million people in the San Francisco Bay area have already been ordered to stay home for all but the most crucial outings until April 7. New York City officials acknowledged, on Tuesday, that they still did not have all the medical resources they were seeking and that they had been receiving protective equipment from the federal government that was past its expiry date. The city has already asked New Yorkers to stay home when they can and has closed schools and limited bars and restaurants to takeout or delivery. The quarantine flash mob began in D Major. The song was meant to be simple, something that every amateur musician could play along to: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. On Tuesday morning, more than 100 local schoolchildren took to the lawns of their southwest Houston neighborhood, their cellos and violas echoing across a street that was otherwise empty amid a global pandemic. A lawn crew stopped to listen. A few parents shed tears. The kids played with wide smiles, knowing this would be among the handful of times theyd have to perform with their longtime friends and classmates. They needed it, said Lisa Vosdoganes, the Parker Elementary School music teacher who planned the pop-up concert. They missed it. They missed playing with each other. On HoustonChronicle.com: Live updates on the virus in the Houston region As fears of COVID-19 continue to spread, shuttering restaurants, workplaces and businesses, many Houstonians have been prompted to charitable giving and neighborly love. Volunteerism and donations are on the rise. Free fish has been fried and groceries delivered to the elderly. In one Spring neighborhood, the quarantine has birthed a new, hybrid holiday tradition: A St. Patricks Day Treasure Hunt. Throughout the week, homes in the Klein neighborhood have been posting shamrocks on their windows with candy below them for local kids. It doesnt make a ton of sense, one resident said. But its been helpful for those with children who have largely been confined indoors. People just started running with it, said Brittney Garneau. Its so cute. Now Playing: A group of amazing HISD violin and cello students from Parker Elementary School formed a flash mob while keeping a safe social distance to bring a sense of peace to their community amidst the coronavirus outbreak. Video: Mark Mulligan & Annie Mulligan/Houston Chronicle Garneau said the neighborhood has been particularly helpful over the last few days. Some homes have also left gifts or food for Amazon delivery workers, and residents have been helping one another figure out the best times or places to get groceries. On Wednesday, the day after St. Patricks Day, Garneau said they made plans to expand the treasure hunt through next month. On HoustonChronicle.com: Coronavirus data and maps We all see it as were in this together so lets make the best of the situation kind of thing, Garneau said. The virus outbreak has already shaken the regional oil and gas sector, and the potential economic downturn comes just ahead of three major religious holidays that usually prompt increases in financial gifts. Last week, as the realities of prolonged business closures became increasingly real, some nonprofit leaders were concerned that they could see an uptick in service needs while donations and volunteers dwindled. Some of those fears subsided this week. Houstonians are rising to the occasion and donating, said Maria Magee, of Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, a nonprofit that oversees various programs such as Meals on Wheels. Magee said Interfaith doubled its goal during an online campaign last week. We had an overwhelming response, she said. They will, however, need sustained charity to continue supporting the elderly and vulnerable, she said, including refugees and others who have been financially impacted by business closures. Another nonprofit, the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, also announced on Wednesday that it will donate 10,000 books to Houston Independent School District. Some local business owners have also received gifts or experienced small acts of kindness. Brandon Alred and his wife opened a CrossFit gym two years ago as a way to help foster good practices and build a strong supportive community. Like others, the gym has closed indefinitely because of COVID-19. But Alred said some members have donated money or promised to continue paying for their memberships even though the gyms doors are locked. The response of our people has been overwhelming, he said. Alred said hes not sure if itll be enough to continue paying rent and bills for the facility. But hes nonetheless grateful. There are hundreds of these types of businesses in the city that will be affected, he said. And thankfully its not our sole source of income. Others are not as fortunate. He and others have taken some comfort in the outpouring of charity and goodwill theyve seen. On Tuesday, as video of the impromptu cello concert on Houstons southwest side spread across Facebook, Vosdoganes said friends in Germany, Oregon, California and Illinois each said theyll conduct similar pop-up concerts. Its spreading globally. And for the first time in a while, that sounds like a good thing. robert.downen@chron.com Her many friends in Kilkenny will be sad to hear of the passing of Fiona Jackson who lived for many years in the city and Ballyragget. The 64-year-old, quietly spoken photographer with a keen eye for a portrait shot was a familiar figure in the city for many years. She was buried in Deans Grange Cemetery, Dublin on Friday in a low-key ceremony with her half-sister and close family friends present. She worked in the Kilkenny Standard newspaper in the early 1980s, predominantly as a photographer but also took on journalistic assignments. When it closed, she set up Castle Studios in the centre of the city with fellow photographer, Michael Brophy. She was a great horsewoman and a member of the North Kilkenny Hunt. She specialised in equine shots and loved horse shows and race meetings. She was also the photographer for the Kilkenny Agricultural Show and the Kilkenny Greyhound Track for many years. Her father, Edward Hugo Milburn Jackson was the BBCs correspondent in Australia and led an extraordinary life. On his retirement, the family moved from Somerset in England to Killiney in Dublin and then to Ballyragget where he bought the old school house. He died in 1972. Fionas mother who passed away some years later was a member of the Power family, Grace Dieu, Waterford. Fiona moved to Ballyragget with her parents in the late 1960s and attended primary school in Durrow and afterwards, the secondary school at the Brigidine Convent, Abbeyleix. She graduated from the Crawford College of Art and Design in Cork city and chose to specialise in photography. She was extremely artistic and was much in demand for her photographs. MINNEAPOLIS President Donald Trump invoked emergency authority to marshal industry to fight the coronavirus, as the economic fallout from the pandemic mounted Wednesday with major U.S. auto manufacturers saying they are shutting down their North American factories. The announcements came hours before China said the former virus epicenter of Wuhan and its surrounding province had reported no new cases, a dramatic development in the city overwhelmed by thousands of new patients each day when the outbreak was peaking there last month. On a day of head-spinning developments: Stocks tumbled again on Wall Street on fears of a prolonged recession, falling so fast they triggered another automatic trading halt. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed more than 1,300 points, or over 6%, and has now lost nearly all of the big gains it had posted since Trumps inauguration. Oil dropped below $21 per barrel for the first time since 2002. More borders slammed shut across Europe and North America, with the U.S. and Canada closing their boundaries to all but essential travel and Trump saying he plans to assert extraordinary powers to immediately turn back to Mexico anyone who crosses over the southern border illegally. The White House pressed Congress to swiftly pass a potentially $1 trillion rescue package to prop up the economy and speed relief checks to Americans in a matter of weeks. Calling himself a wartime president, Trump invoked the Defense Production Act of 1950 to steer industrial output and overcome shortages of face masks, ventilators and other supplies as hospitals brace for an expected onslaught of cases. The Korean War-era law gives the president extraordinary authority to compel industries to expand production and turn out vital materials. It was most recently used after the 2017 Puerto Rico hurricane to speed up contracts for food and other necessities. Its a war, Trump said, likening the coronavirus fight to measures taken during World War II and warning of national sacrifices ahead. Chinas health ministry ministry said Thursday that all 34 of its new cases were in people arriving from abroad. Eight new deaths were reported, all in Wuhan, where the first cases of COVID-19 were reported in December and which remains under the quarantine control measures imposed weeks ago to stop its spread. The virus has since infected more than 217,000 people worldwide and killed over 8,700, mostly in China, Italy and Iran. The United Nations warned that the crisis could lead to the loss of nearly 25 million jobs around the world. Though China still has the largest number of cases, most of its patients have recovered. China even sent medical supplies to hard-hit France, returning a favor done by the French weeks ago. But in a grim illustration of the pandemics shift, deaths in Italy were nearing Chinas toll. Italy had more than 2,900 dead after a record one-day total of 475; Chinas overall toll was around 3,200. Iran has also been hit hard, with more than 1,100 deaths. More than 83,000 people overall have recovered from the virus, which causes only mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough in most cases. Severe illness is more likely in the elderly and those with existing health problems. Around the globe, governments took increasingly drastic measures to fight the epidemic and the threat of a recession, in some cases using emergency powers. Californias governor warned that martial law could be imposed. The mayor of New York said the citys 8.6 million residents should be prepared for a lockdown. The U.S. Census Bureau suspended field operations for two weeks, soon after it began its once-a-decade count of American people. Czech authorities used emergency powers to raid a warehouse and seize hundreds of thousands of face masks. And Hong Kong widened the use of electronic wristbands that monitor people under self-quarantine. Theodore Peck, who owns a Brooklyn coffee shop and bakery, was in quarantine at home as a precaution when New York City this week ordered all bars and restaurants to close except for takeout. He had to shut down his business and lay off all his workers. My lifes work is being you know, destroyed, like picked over, he said. Peck lamented that he didnt even get the chance to say goodbye to 22 of his employees. With a growing number of Americans thrown out of work by the near-shutdown of much of the U.S. economy, Trump also said the Housing and Urban Development Department will suspend foreclosures and evictions from public housing. The Trump administrations plan for issuing relief checks to Americans calls for the payment of $500 billion in two installments over the next two months. The amounts have yet to be decided but would be based on income and family size. Seattle-area tattoo artist Travis Tolin lost his only source of income when the shop he works for shut down. He took to Facebook to ask friends for moral support. Were all going to be struggling for a bit so all I ask is that you support small businesses if youre fortunate enough to still be working, buy prints, music, jewelry, anything they have available, Tolin said. We will all get through this!! Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler, along with Honda and Toyota, said they will shut all of their factories in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The closing of Detroits Big Three alone will idle about 150,000 workers, who are likely to receive supplemental pay in addition to unemployment benefits. At GMs pickup truck assembly plant in Flint, Michigan, workers have been fearful since the virus surfaced in the U.S., said Tommy Wolikow, who has two young daughters. Thats the thing that I was scared the most about, being the one to bring it home to them, he said. The U.S. reported more than 7,700 coronavirus cases and at least 138 deaths, about half of them in Washington state, where dozens of residents from a suburban Seattle nursing home have died. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida is the first known member of Congress to test positive for the virus. Other members of Congress have self-quarantined, but none have reported positive test results. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who last week announced he tested positive, is sharing his experience in a daily YouTube diary and on Twitter as he runs the city from home isolation. His wife and children are staying with relatives. The longer I live with COVID-19, the more I understand just how crucial social distancing is, Suarez wrote. Scientists have no doubt the true number of people infected is higher than reported because of the possibility that many mild cases have gone unrecognized or unrecorded, and because of the lag in large-scale testing in the U.S. In the first breakdown of its kind in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the nations coronavirus deaths so far mirror what has been reported in other countries, with about 4 out of 5 fatalities occurring in people 65 and older, and no deaths in children. Scientists in China reported disappointing results from the first study completed on a potential COVID-19 treatment. A combination of two antiviral drugs used now to treat HIV did not resolve symptoms quicker than usual care in a study of 199 hospitalized, severely ill patients. The findings were reported Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. ___ Associated Press reporters around the world 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 ___ The headline has been corrected to say 200,000 virus cases, not deaths. This is the third in a series of articles on the Berlin International Film Festival, the Berlinale, which recently took place February 20March 1. Part 1 was posted on February 28 and Part 2 on March 11. Curveball by German director Johannes Naber valuably turns a knife in a wound that many in the American and German intelligence communities and governments no doubt hoped had long since healedthe way in which the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 was based on entirely fraudulent and lying justifications. Naber has made a number of notable films, including the immigrant drama The Albanian (2009), Age of Cannibals (2013) and Heart of Stone (2019). Curveball At the premiere of Curveball in Berlin, a festival representative introduced the film, but said he could not read out its title. The film festival lists it merely as Untitled. The films name is currently the subject of a US lawsuit. After seeing Curveball, one can see why both the American and German intelligence agencies are exerting considerable influence to prevent its distribution. Nabers film is a political satire rooted firmly in factual evidence carefully researched by the director and his team. It begins in Iraq where German biologist Dr. Arndt Desert Fox Wolf (Sebastian Blomberg), a biological warfare specialist employed by the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), fails to find any evidence of Saddam Husseins alleged weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The head of the BND, Schatz (Thorsten Merten), is eager to outdo the CIA and be the first to prove that Iraq possesses dangerous nerve gas. An opportunity opens up when an Iraqi seeking asylum in Germany, Rafid Alwan (Dar Salim), claims he worked as a chemical engineer in Iraq and has inside knowledge of the countrys chemical weapons programme. Wolf is given the job of interrogating Curveball, the alias given to the Iraqi engineer. In exchange for revealing what he knows (in fact, a pack of lies), Alwan requests he be released from incarceration in a German asylum centre and given citizenship. After a series of interrogations, Alwan takes a hint from Wolf himself and reveals that the reason for the failure of all the intelligence services to find Iraqi WMD is the ingenious use by the Hussein regime of trucks and trains to move the huge chemical vats containing dangerous gases. Absurdly, the two men agree on a crude childish diagram drawn on a napkin purporting to show a truck mounted with the massive vats. Finally, the BND leadership have a scoop to present to their American cousinsand its champagne all round for those concerned. The German chancellor at the time, Gerhard Schroder, also sends his congratulations to the BND. Desperately seeking evidence to justify a US intervention in Iraq, the CIA is only too willing to accept the scraps from the BNDs table. It organises the kidnapping of Curveball in Germany in order to present him as its own source. Feeling some obligation to the Iraqi fraudster, BND asset Wolf attempts to rescue him in a hilarious escape scene. Wolf confronts the CIA agent responsible for the kidnap plan and argues in favour of reliable evidence. The CIA agent is unrepentant: The truth doesnt count, only justice matters. Wolf goes on to ask what gives the CIA the right to distort the facts. We make the facts, the female agent responds. Towards the end of Curveball, documentary footage is shown of US Secretary of State Colin Powells infamous presentation to the UN Security Council in February 2003 in which he regurgitated Curveballs lies to justify Americas subsequent attack on Iraq. In his report, Powell stated that Iraqs weapons programme included biological weapons factories on wheels and on rails, an extensive clandestine network to supply its deadly biological and chemical weapons programmes and the obtaining of sufficient fissile material to produce a nuclear explosion. All of this, according to the secretary of state, represented facts and conclusions based on solid intelligence. Powells presentation included a sketch of a truck loaded with chemical vats based on Curveballs original napkin drawing. According to one senior US official, Curveballs lies were the main pillar of Powells report to the UN. Sitting in the UN meeting is the German Green Party leader, Joschka Fischer, who listens quietly to Powells report. BND biologist (in the meantime made redundant) Wolf watches Fischer at home on television and asks, Why doesnt he say something? Sebastian Blomberg in Curveball Fischer was German foreign minister in the government headed by Schroder (Social Democratic Party, SPD). Schroders head of chancellery with responsibility for liaison with Germanys intelligence services was Frank-Walter Steinmeier (also SPD), currently the countrys president. Nabers Curveball graphically demonstrates the duplicity and criminality of Germanys role in the Iraq war. As chancellor, Schroder publicly declared the German government opposed a new war in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Germanys intelligence agency was providing the lies that Washington used to legitimise its assault on Iraq in the name of the war on terror. Naber wants to counter what the director declares to be a false portrayal here, an idealised idea of how we Germans operate in the world. It is important, he argues, to tell the truth and question the role of the secret services and politicians responsible at that time, such as Fischer, Schroder and Steinmeier: So that children at school can no longer be taught that we were the good ones when it came to the Iraq war. To heighten the comedic effect of his film, Naber presents the leading BND figures as provincial careerists in thrall to their American counterparts. In so doing, however, the director runs the risk of seriously underestimating the methods and character of the German ruling elite, which has been trying to achieve greater independence from the US since the reunification of Germany in 1989-1990 and is once again flexing its ruthless imperialist muscles. In that process, the ruling class draws upon the traditions of Nazism. The BND itself emerged from the Gehlen Organisation (1946-1956), named for Reinhard Gehlen, Hitlers chief intelligence officer on the Eastern Front in World War II. After the war, he was recruited by the CIA and headed German intelligence from 1956 to 1968 in close cooperation with the US intelligence agency. The US bombardment and invasion of Iraq war began a month after Powells testimony. Nabers film ends with statistics detailing the massive loss of Iraqi lives in the subsequent carnage, a mass murder for which Germany also bears direct responsibility. The end credits also note that The head of the state chancellery at that time is the current federal presidenti.e., the Social Democrat Steinmeier. This credit was greeted with loud applause from the Berlin audience who clearly approved of this unmasking of Germanys leading sanctimonious war-monger. Nabers film is due to open in German cinemas in September of this year as Film ohne Titel (Film Without a Title). Persian Lessons Another movie that uses black, bitter humour in its treatment of horrifically tragic events is Persian Lessons, directed by Vadim Perelman (House of Sand and Fog, 2003). The film is based on a short story by one of Germanys leading scriptwriters, Wolfgang Kohlhaase, and opens in occupied France in World War II with the transport of a group of Jews to a concentration camp. Nahuel Perez Biscayart and Lars Eidinger in Persian Lessons A young man in the back of the truck carrying the Jews begs another young man, Gilles (Nahuel Perez Biscayart), to accept a valuable book written in Farsi, or Persian, in exchange for some food. Gilles agrees. Shortly afterwards, the truck stops in a forest and the occupants are led off to be summarily shot by the German SA troops responsible for transport to the death camps. Facing imminent execution, Gilles pleads with the soldiers not to shoot himafter all, he argues, he is not Jewishhe is Persian and has a book to prove it. In a bizarre twist to the narrative, one of the soldiers declares he knows a commandant in the nearest camp who is keen to learn the Persian language, offering 10 cans of meat to anyone who can provide him with a teacher. In order to survive, Gilles has to invent a phony language that he can administer in daily doses to the camp commandant, Klaus Koch (Lars Eidinger). Given the task of recording new admissions to the camp, Gilles discovers a formula for memorising his inventory of fictitious words. For his part, the camp commandant practices his newfound tongue, proudly pronouncing snippets of the names of Jewish occupants of the camp, all of whom are eventually executed by their Nazi oppressors. The actors portraying the films two main protagonists, Biscayart as Gilles and Eidinger as Koch, are outstanding. There are moments of painfully absurdist humour in Persian Lessons in the exchanges between Gilles and the camp commandant, but we are not allowed for a moment to forget the tragic fate of the camps victims at the hands of their brutal captors. The directors juggling of humour and the tragic fate of the Jews under German occupation is reminiscent of the outstanding 1998 film by the Romanian-French director Radu Mihaileanu, Train de Vie (Train of Life). To be continued More than one in 10 people infected with the new coronavirus contracted it from someone not yet experiencing symptoms, according to a University of Texas-led study. The researchers, who also included scientists in France and Asia, looked at 450 infection case reports from 93 cities in China and found the strongest evidence yet that some percentage of people without symptoms must be transmitting the virus, a key consideration in making decisions about who to self-quarantine. This provides evidence that extensive control measures, including isolation, quarantine, school closures, travel restrictions and cancellation of mass gatherings, may be warranted, said Lauren Ancel Meyers, the studys principal investigator and a UT-Austin professor of integrative biology and the studys principal investigator. Asymptomatic transmission definitely makes containment more difficult. Transmission of the coronavirus by people still not exhibiting symptoms has been an unsettled issue in public health messaging. The possibility underlies the strategy to self-quarantine people whove been exposed to asymptomatic people, but leaders have also downplayed the risk to others in some situations, such as flights involving an individual not having symptoms at the time but later testing positive. In many contagious diseases, individuals must be experiencing symptoms to pass on the infection. The researchers analyzed cases reported by health departments in 18 Chinese provinces between Jan. 21 and Feb. 8. Some 12.1 percents of the reports showed the virus transmission occurred before the infected person had begun experiencing symptoms. CORONAVIRUS UPDATES: Stay informed with accurate reporting you can trust The study, to be published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, also found the average time for symptoms to appear in an individual after exposure to someone infected is four days. That short interval means emerging outbreaks of COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, grow quickly and can be difficult to stop, according to Meyers. The data suggest that this coronavirus may spread like the flu, said Meyers. That means we need to move quickly and aggressively to curb the emerging threat. Meyers cautioned that data could paint a different picture as more cases are reported, given such case reports are based on peoples memories of where they went and with whom they had contact. She added that if health officials move quickly to isolate patients, that may also skew the data. You can read an abstract of the study here. Though the journal hasnt yet published the study, its findings are being made public because of the urgency associated with the pandemic. todd.ackerman@chron.com TO VIEW MORE NEWS STORY, PLEASE CLICK ON NEWS TAB ON MAIN MENU BAR | By Mary T. Phelan Think of telework and it is hard not to think of pecking at the computer keyboard in ones PJs. But to be successful at working from home the new normal for many people these days look beyond the lounge pants and maintain your productivity. Working from home, also known as teleworking, was the focus of the second in a series of virtual town halls on Facebook Live on March 17 at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB). Dozens of questions were fielded during a virtual town hall on teleworking March 17. We want to help supervisors and employees get more comfortable with telework, so thats what this town hall is all about, said moderator Dawn M. Rhodes, MBA, chief business and finance officer and vice president, as she opened up the session and introduced panelists Matt Lasecki, SPHR, associate vice president of human resources; Vicky Hunter, MS, associate vice president, infrastructure services, Center for Information Technology Services (CITS); and Alana Kyriakakis, JD, University counsel. The panel gathered in a conference room in the Saratoga Building, sitting apart from one another to maintain social distancing. Many UMB employees have been navigating a new work environment their homes or apartments since March 12, when Interim President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, issued a teleworking policy as part of an effort to minimize health risks due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Teleworking may be something that employees will have to get used to for a while, Rhodes said. We do not have a tentative date when most employees will return to work on campus, she said. We know we will be out at least until April 5, and we will continue to assess that time frame. I would not be surprised if we are out longer than April 5. Questions during the virtual town hall ranged from how are classifications made to determine an employees essential or non-essential status, to what to do if someone has to take a break for a few hours while teleworking, to how to structure a typical day working from home to maximize productivity. Stay in touch. Set up regular interaction with your supervisor. Keep those lines of communication open so that we can make sure that we can be productive, Lasecki advised. Everyone should, as a take-home message, just know that we should be communicating with each other, supervisors and employees, so that everyone understands what expectations are, Kyriakakis added. Hunter encouraged anyone having technological issues at home to contact their CITS representative or call the UMB Help Desk at 410-706-HELP (4357). Numerous questions were received relating to the need for child care for young children now that schools are temporarily closed. We are really focused on trying to have as many people off campus as possible, Rhodes said. The governor said not to establish child care. Thats not something you can just put up and have a room and say, Kids come. You have to have a specific room in place and meet regulations Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to visit UMBs COVID-19 website, which is updated daily and is a repository for dozens of frequently asked questions. Watch the complete virtual town hall on telework in the video below. [March 18, 2020] Tiger Pistol Ranks in Top 100 on the Inc. 5000 List of Texas's Fastest Growing Private Companies AUSTIN, Texas, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. Magazine recently revealed that Tiger Pistol, the only social advertising platform that delivers local activation at global scale, is No. 59 on its inaugural Inc. 5000 Series: Texas list, and top 5 among advertising and marketing companies. The list encompasses the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing Texas-based private companies. Companies named to the list exhibit stunning rates of growth across all industries in Texas. The list's 250 private companies had an average growth rate of 294 percent. Companies based in the largest metro areasDallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antoniobrought in the highest revenue overall. "Tiger Pistol's innovations have sparked explosive growth and ongoing client loyalty, and recognition on this list validates our category leadership," said Paul Elliott, Tiger Pistol CEO. "Our unwavering focus on social advertising automation has yielded a unique, innovative, trusted, and results-oriented partnership with some of the largest global brands and resellers that realize the power of local activation at scale." 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. "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." "Tiger Pistol has developed the future of social advertising at scale across the Facebook family of apps," said Elliott. "While many others have tried to enter the market Tiger Pistol established, the company's continued focus on agile technology innovation, speed to market, social advertising expertise, deep partnerships with Facebook and our clients, and use of data to drive smarter automation and superior results, truly sets it apart." 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 . To learn more about Tiger Pistol's social advertising tools and how Tiger Pistol, the world's #1 social advertising automation platform for local, unlocks local activation at global scale for brands, resellers, and agencies visit www.tigerpistol.com . About Tiger Pistol Tiger Pistol is the world's #1 social advertising automation platform for local. For nearly a decade, the company has been obsessively focused on building the world's most effective social advertising platform for global brands, resellers, and agencies who realize the power of local activation at scale. As a preferred Facebook Marketing Partner and the largest third-party publisher of social advertising for local, Tiger Pistol creates, deploys, manages, and optimizes high-performance Facebook and Instagram ads at unprecedented scale, with over 800k Facebook and Instagram campaigns published to date. Tiger Pistol's first of its kind technology delivers meaningful and measurable business impact for brands, resellers, and agencies alike, helping to unlock value and efficiency through innovation-led social advertising automation. Tiger Pistol has been recognized by Digiday as the Best Social Media Marketing Platform , and by Street Fight for Best Social Media Campaign . To learn more, call (888) 400-8845, visit TigerPistol.com , or follow on Twitter , Facebook , or LinkedIn . 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 . CONTACT: Christina Morello Director, Marketing and Communications [email protected] (330) 354-0899 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tiger-pistol-ranks-in-top-100-on-the-inc-5000-list-of-texass-fastest-growing-private-companies-301025844.html SOURCE Tiger Pistol [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Steve Kilbey appears especially relaxed at tonight's performance. As audience members take their seats, he calls out to some by name: "Hi Israel we got Bundy Bear! All right." All the while, he draws ferociously on a very fat, crackling cigarette. Hang on, SK doesn't smoke cigarettes Welcome to the rock gig in the age of universal exile. Kilbey announced his live Instagram concert on a whim, 24 hours ago. As the world logs on, he puffs defiantly into the mobile phone camera perched in the half-dark of his Coogee Beach loungeroom. The Church frontman Steve Kilbey, pictured in 2014. Credit:James Brickwood "If you wanna, chuck some money to me at stevekilbey@gmail.com, Paypal," he says as he straps on his 12-stringed guitar. If not, whatever. This beats not working. And for the entrepreneurial frontman of iconic Australian rock band The Church, not working is suddenly the foreseeable future. A day later, he's still in a damn-the-torpedoes mood. "Entrepreneurial? That's just another word for desperate, isnt it?" he says with a laugh. The Instagram concert was "mildly profitable," he reports, with neither enthusiasm nor rancour. SAN FRANCISCOIt was just after 11 a.m. on March 11 when Jaime Maldonado, 51, pulled his rented Nissan into a parking lot outside San Francisco International Airport. He figured he had a long wait ahead of him about two hours before Lyft would ping him to pick up a passenger. Occasionally, jets roared overhead but not many, which meant not enough passengers for Maldonado, who said that before the coronavirus outbreak, he spent just 20 to 40 minutes waiting outside the airport before getting a customer. To kill time, Maldonado got out of his car, looping the mask he recently started wearing during rides around his wrist, and went to talk to other drivers who were also waiting for passengers. As the minutes ticked by, he wondered out loud, What am I going to do to pump gas and feed my kids tomorrow? His number of rides in a typical week had dropped to around 50 from 100 earlier in the month, he said, and his payout had plunged by half to about $600 a week, from which Lyft would subtract the rental fee for his car. The coronavirus pandemic is exposing the fragile situations of gig economy workers the Uber and Lyft drivers, food-delivery couriers and TaskRabbit furniture builders who are behind the convenience-as-a-service apps that are now part of everyday life. Classified as freelancers and not full-time employees, these workers have few protections like guaranteed wages, sick pay and health care, which are benefits that are critical in a crisis. While gig economy companies like Uber and DoorDash have promoted themselves as providing flexible work that can be lifelines to workers during economic downturns, interviews with 20 ride-hailing drivers and food delivery couriers in Europe and the United States over the past week showed that the services have been anything but that. Instead, as the fallout from the virus spreads, gig workers earnings have plummeted and many have become disgruntled about the lack of health care. Public health agencies have recommended social isolation to insulate people from the outbreak, but these workers must continue interacting with others to pay their bills. Theyve got no social insurance at all, said Sen. Mark Warner, who has proposed federal legislation to provide benefits for the estimated 15 million Americans who depend on gig-economy jobs as their primary source of income. A large swath of workers will be left with nothing. In recent weeks, some gig-economy companies have responded by offering basic sick leave provisions and cleaning products like hand sanitizer for drivers. Uber, Lyft, Instacart and DoorDash said that they would pay workers for 14 days of work if they have a coronavirus diagnosis and need to stay home. Uber and Lyft also said they would provide cleaning products, although they have struggled to place mass orders and distribute the products to drivers. Postmates, DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub have also introduced a no-contact delivery service so drivers can leave food orders on the front step of a customers address without interacting with them. Not every job can work from home and certainly that is the reality for our drivers and couriers who need to pay their bills, Andrew Macdonald, an Uber senior vice-president who oversees global operations, said in an interview. What were trying to do is make that experience as safe as possible. Uber has 30 people working full time on coronavirus issues, he said. On Sunday, the company introduced a website to help drivers request sick pay. Drivers, who would need documentation from a doctor or public health authority, could request assistance for 30 days after they became sick or were ordered to isolate, Uber said. Uber and Lyft have since also suspended their carpool services, and Uber has warned riders to only travel if necessary. We are working hard to support those who drive with Lyft and are co-ordinating with government officials on additional solutions, said Alexandra LaManna, a Lyft spokesperson. Gig workers in areas with some of the biggest clusters of coronavirus cases have been the most hard hit. In Milan, Italy, Giovanni Marra, 57, has continued to deliver burgers, sushi and other meals for one of the food-delivery apps that have been allowed to keep operating in Italy, Just Eat. Although Marra, a former butcher, said he was scared of contracting the virus that has infected more than 31,000 people in Italy, he said he made the devils bargain that the health risk was less than the financial peril of not working. This is my only source of income. I have rent and bills to pay at the end of the month, he said in a phone interview. I could be infected by the person who has prepared the food, by the person who picks it up, by the other riders who wait in groups outside the restaurants. Such risks became evident March 8, when Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York said that a 33-year-old Uber driver from Queens had been hospitalized with the virus. The man, who drove passengers in Long Island, was in stable condition, officials said. Uber said the driver would receive sick pay. Just Eat, a British company, said in a statement that it was following the advice of government and health authorities and had introduced contactless delivery. Feres Dabouze, an Uber driver in Amsterdam, said that since tourism had dropped sharply because of the virus, he was not making enough to cover his car expenses. The Netherlands has more than 1,700 confirmed coronavirus cases, including more than 40 deaths. Should I pay rent or should I pay the insurance for my car? I cant pay one, he said. Back in San Francisco, Maldonado said he too was worried about keeping up with his expenses. He had started driving for Lyft two years ago, after his family bakery shut down. He said the coronavirus began hurting business over the past week, as more flights were cancelled and commuter passengers disappeared after their employers encouraged them to work from home. At the waiting lot outside San Francisco International Airport that day, more than 200 cars were in Lyfts automated queue, which dispatches drivers to the airport in the order in which they arrive. As he was at the back of that line, Maldonado got out of his vehicle to chat with other drivers. Its like September 11th, said Wilton Nery, another ride-hailing driver. He said he had emigrated to the United States 34 years ago, first driving a cab, then an Uber, and now a Lyft. What are you going to do? Nery said with a shrug. Its tough. Leandro Lemos, another Lyft driver, leaned against a chain-link fence, fiddling with an unlit Marlboro and fretting about his declining earnings. They cancelled all the conventions, the Warriors games. All the big tech companies are telling their employees to stay home, Lemos said. His earnings have dropped to $150 a day from around $400 previously, he said, and he is worried about paying his bills as well as the lack of sanitizing supplies. Maldonado told Lemos he had some extra masks and invited him to come to his car, where he had them tucked away. Some drivers slept in their cars while they waited to move up the queue. Others swabbed down their car door handles with disinfectant wipes or talked about what other work they might find if the lack of rides continued. Lemos said he might get a commercial license so he could drive trucks. After an hour and a half, Maldonado was finally at the front of the queue. He picked up a passenger and drove her 14 miles north, into San Francisco. But an error occurred in the Lyft app and didnt record the full length of the ride, leaving him with a payment of $3.75 (U.S.). After 30 minutes of trying to reach Lyfts customer service, he was able to explain the situation to the company. The fare increased to $14. Over the afternoon, Maldonado developed a dry cough. He worried he could have the virus but did not want to stop driving. I have mortgage to pay, he texted later. I wont make it. On Thursday around 12:30 p.m., Maldonado was back at the airport lot, waiting. His last ride had been hours ago, at 9:30 a.m. Read more about: March 17, 2020 News By C. Todd Lopez Defense.gov DOD Poised to Provide Masks, Ventilators, Labs for Coronavirus Fight As part of the president's whole-of-government approach to fighting the coronavirus pandemic, the Defense Department has agreed to provide medical supplies and capabilities to the Department of Health and Human Services to help combat further infections, Defense Secretary Dr. Mark T. Esper said. The Defense Department will make available up to 5 million respirator masks and other personal protective equipment from its strategic reserves to the Department of Health and Human Services for distribution, Esper said during a news conference at the Pentagon today, adding that the first million masks would be made available immediately. Esper said some 2,000 deployable ventilators would also be made available to HHS. Those devices, he said, are different from civilian equivalents and will require special training for civilian users, so DOD personnel likely will provide that training. To help measure the spread of the coronavirus, the Defense Department has also made 14 certified testing labs available to test non-DOD personnel, and two labs would be added to that total, the secretary said. Additionally, Esper said, DOD officials are considering use of the National Guard, the Reserve components, and capabilities such as the Navy's hospital ships USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy. He said the Comfort is undergoing maintenance now and the Mercy is in port. "We've already given orders to the Navy, a few days ago, to lean forward in terms of getting them ready to deploy," Epser said. But while those ships and other DOD medical facilities such as hospitals and tent-based deployable medical facilities do provide capability, the secretary said, those capabilities are geared in many cases toward trauma care, rather than patients with COVID-19. "They don't necessarily have the space, the segregated space, you need to deal with infectious disease," he said. Still, he added, those facilities might be used to take loads off civilian medical facilities so those civilian facilities might treat COVID-19 cases. "One of the ways you could use the field hospitals, the hospital ships or things in between is to take the pressure off the civilian hospitals when it comes to trauma cases to open up civilian hospital rooms for infectious diseases," Esper said. He also pointed out that DOD medical facilities such as the Navy medical ships require staff, and getting that staff in place means pulling them from elsewhere. "All those doctors and nurses either come from our medical treatment facilities, or they come from the reserves, which means civilians," Esper said. "What we have to be very conscious of and careful of as we ... use them to support the states [is] that we aren't robbing Peter to pay Paul, so to speak. What I don't 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 they are needed." Esper spent the first part of the day today visiting some of the DOD doctors and scientists at Fort Detrick, Maryland, who are working on advancing vaccine and treatment efforts to combat the coronavirus. While there, he said, he visited both the Army Medical Research and Development Command and the Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases to learn about those efforts. "They have incredible capabilities," he said. "They're well-knitted, extremely well-knitted into the interagency efforts." Esper said he learned at Fort Detrick that the expectation is about 12 to 18 months for a vaccine, but that facilities there have the ability to help in vaccine production if a private-sector facility were to develop a vaccine earlier. He also said he was told Fort Detrick officials will soon increase their capacity to conduct virus testing with the purchase of new equipment. "In my conversations with governors and members of Congress about the DOD's resources, I've made it clear that we will continue to support the administration's comprehensive efforts and the country every step of the way, while ensuring our nation's security remains the top priority of the Department of Defense," Esper said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address [March 18, 2020] In Response to COVID-19 Impact on Education, Follett to Deliver Free At-Home Learning Content During Crisis Follett, a trusted partner to PreK-12 schools, public libraries, and college campuses for more than 145 years, is working with customers to ensure they can quickly and easily use the company's wide range of eLearning solutions and access to content as more students shift to learning from home due to the COVID-19 outbreak. "As we all navigate through these unprecedented times, we want educators and parents to know they're not alone," said Patrick Connolly, President and CEO of Follett Corporation. "Follett offers a variety of eLearning products for both PreK-12 and Higher Ed that can be quickly and easily accessed. These are solutions customers already have access to, and our goal is to ensure they know about all their options to help with the continuity of education." Here is a closer look at Follett's company-wide eLearning resources that are being made available at libraries, schools and universities in communities across North America affected by the COVID-19 virus: Follett School Solutions (PreK-12) Follett has created a resource page outlining the array of eLearning solutions, including Collections by Destiny, Follett Destiny Discover, WebPath Express, and more. Video tutorials, forums and instructions for accessing these solutions also are available. To help schools with eLearning during the closures, Follett announced March 11 it is waiving the cost for current Destiny customers through June 30 for its Classroom Ready Collections (CRC), which are standards-aligned, educator-curated Open Educational Resources (OER) that include lesson plans, activities, videos and worksheets. More than 2,300 free CRC licenses have been activated in less than a week. Follett Higher Education Group (FHEG) For public and private colleges and universities, Follett has the nationwide scale and capabilities to help institutions provide needed course materials through the company's technology platforms and content partnerships. During this period of crisis, Follett is providing the following support: Free access to ebooks. As part of its partnership with RedShelf, a leading ebook provder, FHEG will offer full free ebook access to students on Follett-managed college campuses in support of online learning, reaching as many as 8 million students through 2,700 physical and virtual locations. Students must have an ".edu" email address at a not-for-profit semester-system school, and there is a limit of seven ebook units per student. To access the free ebooks, visit www.Follett.com/RedShelf. Free online shipping. To facilitate better access to course materials and general merchandise, Follett will continue its free shipping of online orders to the U.S. and Canada from any of its 1,200 campus locations and 1,800 virtual sites. Despite campus closures, Follett's online operations for each campus location will remain open for orders. Visit efollett.com to find participating schools. To facilitate better access to course materials and general merchandise, Follett will continue its free shipping of online orders to the U.S. and Canada from any of its 1,200 campus locations and 1,800 virtual sites. Despite campus closures, Follett's online operations for each campus location will remain open for orders. Visit efollett.com to find participating schools. Free access to OER courseware. Follett partner Lumen Learning is offering free use of its courseware for classes transitioning to online delivery in the middle of the term and full support throughout the transition. Lumen's courseware is designed to remove barriers and improve success for at-risk students in digital environments, and its catalog includes more than 50 general education subjects. Visit the site to learn more and take advantage of this offer. Baker & Taylor Baker & Taylor enables public libraries to share digital collections with schools through its digital online platform called Community Share. Public libraries opt in to the Community Share program, allowing for a seamless integration between the local library's Axis (News - Alert) 360 ebook collection and Follett Destiny. This provides students with immediate access to an expanded selection of age and grade-appropriate content. Baker & Taylor also is working with its public library partners to place the company's innovative Pop Up Library boxes at grocery stores, pharmacies and hospitals to continue providing the best literature to people while social distancing is being encouraged. Pop Up Library is a small network device that creates instant access to a library's Axis 360 collection. All Follett customers are encouraged to contact their Follett representative with questions, support requests, and more details. About Follett Corporation | Follett.com Follett Corporation is the world's largest single source of educational materials, digital content, eCommerce, and multi-media for libraries, schools and institutions. Headquartered in Westchester, Illinois, Follett provides education technology, services and physical and digital content to millions of students at 70,000 schools, and more than 2,700 physical locations and campus eCommerce platforms in North America. Through Baker & Taylor, Follett's reach also extends to the public library markets. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005588/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Ministers have begun drawing up plans to cope with the impact if schools are forced to close as the coronavirus crisis develops. Boris Johnson said there were plans ready to go to help parents of children who will lose their free meals if schools are ordered to shut. The Government has so far insisted school closures are not justified as part of the effort to combat Covid-19 but the biggest teachers union has called for that step to be taken. 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. Use these trusted sources of information for the latest advice and guidance on #coronavirus Check your symptoms: https://t.co/uL9bBXzV0F Health guidance: https://t.co/47UIka9nis All information on coronavirus: https://t.co/kdHUGOW5he pic.twitter.com/vwKPJV2CII Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) March 17, 2020 The Prime Minister was asked at his daily press conference about the prospect of closures and the impact on free school meals. On free school meals, as we come to the decision on schools we will have obviously plans ready to go on that, Mr Johnson said. 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 Governments action plan for the pandemic and Number 10 sources said they had never shied away from the fact that might have to happen. 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. Today, the leadership of the National Education Union has written to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson, calling for the Government to close schools and colleges and protect vulnerable educators or those caring for at risk family members. Here is the text of the letter. pic.twitter.com/dQ19ij6FLL National Education Union (@NEUnion) March 17, 2020 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. But Mr Williamson said current medical and scientific guidance says schools and other educational settings should remain open. NEU joint general secretaries Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney said there was an apparent contradiction between banning mass gatherings and keeping schools open, in a letter to Mr Johnson on Tuesday. They referred to guidance that says pregnant women, people over the age of 70 and those with certain health conditions will be asked to stay at home in the coming days. (PA Graphics) Dr Bousted and Mr Courtney said: We intend to advise all our members in these categories or caring for people in them to stop attending schools and colleges from next Monday at the latest. Some will do so earlier. 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. Dr Bousted and Mr Courtney proposed that teachers and school leaders work on plans to open schools on a limited basis. This would allow care for pupils whose parents work in emergency services and distribution, as well as ensuring children in food poverty have access to free school meals, they said. Of course, this could not be a full opening and it would mean substantial changes from the way schools are normally run but we believe schools could be important community hubs. This in turn requires that Sats are abandoned and that you produce proposals on the inevitable widespread disruption to GCSE and A-level exams. Whitehall sources said officials had been talking to exam boards for weeks. We are committed to supporting schools to stay open at this difficult time. As part of our measures to help them, we are temporarily suspending routine Ofsted inspections. https://t.co/690QHNKDCi Gavin Williamson (@GavinWilliamson) March 17, 2020 In a video posted on Twitter, Mr Williamson said: The chief medical officer has said the impact of closing schools on childrens education will be substantial, but the benefit to public health would not be. We are following the advice of our medical and scientific community every step of the way. The NASUWT union said a lack of advice was creating chaos and confusion and placing intolerable pressure on school staff. Acting general secretary Chris Keates said: All of the announcements continue to be couched as guidance or advice, which is simply serving to increase anxiety and uncertainty. Our latest guidance on the Coronavirus can be found at https://t.co/LreYBc6z3f This covers issues including long & short term school closures, pay, implications for supply teachers & impact on exams. Our guidance will continue to be updated as the national situation develops. NASUWT (@NASUWT) March 17, 2020 London mayor Sadiq Khan told ITVs Good Morning Britain that advice on school closures could change in coming weeks. He said: 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. I wouldnt be surprised if, over the course of the two weeks before Easter, Government advice changes. Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Layla Moran said: The evidence the Government is following suggests that closing schools and universities is now a matter of when, not if. The Government must start adequately preparing schools. Saudi Arabia has called for a virtual summit of the Group of 20 (G20) next week to forge a coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussing the move with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Saudi Arabia is the current president of the G20, which includes the European Union and major economies such as China, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the US. India is set to assume the G20 presidency in 2022. The Saudi G20 Presidency is communicating with G20 countries to convene an extraordinary virtual G20 Leaders Summit next week to advance a coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its human and economic implications, said a statement issued on Tuesday. G20 Leaders will put forward a coordinated set of policies to protect people and safeguard the global economy, it said. The G20 will act along with international organisations to alleviate the impact of the pandemic, and the virtual summit will build on ongoing efforts by G20 finance ministers and central bank governors, senior health, trade, and foreign affairs officials to develop the precise requirements and actions needed, the statement said. The planned summit figured in a telephone conversation between Modi and the Crown Prince on Tuesday. The two leaders discussed the global situation related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Modi emphasised the need for coordinated efforts to address the global challenge that has impacted several hundred thousand people and threatens to adversely affect the economy in many parts of the world, said a statement from the external affairs ministry. Modi also mentioned Indias initiative of organising a video conference of leaders of the eight members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) to forge a joint regional response. During the conference, India said it would set up a $10-million emergency fund. 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, both for discussing 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. The coronavirus situation could continue into the summer, according to An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar who addressed the nation tonight. He referred to this St Patrick's Day as "a day we will never forget" but said that he hopes we will tell future generations that "when things were at their worst, we were at our best". We are "in the middle of a global and national emergency, the likes of which none of us have ever seen", he said but stressed that the vast majority of people who contract the virus will experience mild symptoms. It is, however, important to be mindful of the more vulnerable members if society who are at higher risk. "We cannot stop the virus, but working together we can push it back and stop it in its tracks," he said. Going forward, he said, it's important to take steps to reduce human contact, not just at public gatherings and in public places but also in our own homes. He said that choices to cancel events and weddings "will not be easy but they are necessary". "We will learn from the experiences of other countries affected by the virus before we were, what works and what doesn't," An Taoiseach explained. There are currently restrictions in place until March 29 but An Taoiseach has said that the virus is likely to be around into the summer months. Despite that, the full resources will be deployed to ensure that the supply chain stays open and shops are still in operation. A number of measures are recommended to prevent the spread of the virus, including adjusted opening hours, staggered breaks, phone calls and online conferences, working from home, as well as online shopping and delivery services. An Taoiseach added that it is "important that we come together as a nation by staying apart" and that handwashing and proper hygiene is essential. If you have a new cough that won't go away, it is important to contact your doctor who will be able to refer you for a coronavirus test if need be. "At a certain point we will advise the elderly to stay home for a number of weeks," he said, adding that this is called "cocooning" and "will save many lives". "Hard as it is, we need to keep our physical distance to stop the virus," he said. It is important to call your neighbours and check on anyone who is living alone, he added. Addressing the young people of the nation, he said that he understands how difficult it is to be at home and that, while young people are "bored and fed up" and eager to go out and see their friends, it is important to "wait a little longer" and to help their parents whenever they can. The Taoiseach also praised those on the front line - "not all heroes wear capes," he said - and asked that others support healthcare workers and emergency services and gardai wherever they can. "This is the calm before the storm... before the surge... and when it comes - and it will come - never will anybody ask so much of so few," he said. The Taoiseach noted that the virus is a cause of "huge stress and anxiety" across the nation "on top of the fear of the virus". Income support will be available as quickly and efficiently as possible, he said, but "everyone in our society must show solidarity at this time of national sacrifice". "We need to halt the spread of the virus, but also the spread of fear. Fear is a virus in itself," he added, stressing that people should follow information from trusted sources like the HSE, the WHO and the national media only, and ignore social media messages that are being spread. He asked people to take regular breaks from social media and the news and to avoid constantly checking updates and to look after their mental health instead. "We are in this together," he said in a message to the world. "To the people of China, Italy and Spain, we are with you. To all those who have lost someone to the virus, we are with you. "Tonight I send a message of hope from Ireland to everyone around the world." Columbia City Council unanimously passed a measure that institutes a citywide curfew amid rising concerns about the COVID-19 coronavirus. The curfew, set to go into effect Wednesday night, will be from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. The nightly curfew could last as long as 60 days, though Council could shorten that timeframe if the coronavirus crisis subsides. "I do think it is important for us to establish a citywide curfew," Mayor Steve Benjamin told Council. "The issue regarding public health concerns, combined with the fact that schools are out, we are going to have a lot of young people on the streets. We want to make sure we consider the epidemiological issues, as well as the public safety issue. I think it's a tool that the [police and fire] chiefs will need to make sure we maintain public health and public safety. "We need to discourage people from being out and about. ... We need to encourage people to social distance and do their very best to stay home." Benjamin said there would be a number of exemptions to the curfew, including people carrying out duties, such as police and fire, healthcare providers, active military, public works and utility workers, citizens seeking medical care or help with an emergency, or citizens going to and from work. The curfew applies to all citizens, not those of a certain age group. Councilman Howard Duvall made the motion to establish the curfew. He says taking decisive action on a measure that could promote social distancing and people staying at home could be critical. The experts, including [National Institutes of Health] Dr. [Anthony] Fauci, say you need to take actions at the local level that you think are extreme, because they will not be extreme enough to control this," Duvall said. "This is an opportunity to get out in front of the curve of this virus. If we are a little bit too draconian, thats better than not being enough draconian. Benjamin conceded instituting a curfew was not an easy call. This was a very difficult decision and not a measure we take lightly, the mayor said. To get through this current public health crisis and to save lives, it will have to be a collective effort between all of us. The city's decision came on the heels of Gov. Henry McMaster's executive order Tuesday afternoon in which he barred all dining-in at bars and restaurants in South Carolina beginning Wednesday. Citizens will be able to do take-out and delivery only from those establishments. City Council's decision also came as the state Department of Health and Environmental Control announced there were 14 new cases of COVID-19 in South Carolina, as of Tuesday, including the first case in Richland County. That lifts the total number of cases of the novel coronavirus to 47 statewide, in 13 counties. Nationwide the number of cases has crested 5,000, and the death toll across the U.S. has gone over 100. WASHINGTON D.C. -- Once again Wednesday, President Donald Trump and health officials warned Americans to stick to federal guidelines warning against gathering in crowds, eating at bars at restaurants and other measures design to slow the spread of coronavirus. The message changed in tone however when compared to similar briefings in recent days. At times Trump and Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response director appeared to be pleading with Americans, particularly younger Americans to stay home and to quit gathering. I hope they just listen to what weve been saying over the last period of time. We dont want them gathering, and I see that they do gather including on beaches, and including in restaurants, Trump said. Brix said that while preliminary data has shown younger people whove tested positive for coronavirus have a strong recovery rate, reports in Europe suggest more and more younger people are becoming severely ill. There are concerning reports coming out of France and Italy about some young people getting seriously ill and very seriously ill in the ICUs, Birx said. She went on to say fatality reports in children are not significant. However, the number of confirmed cases in younger Americans could rise as more of them continue to gather out of assumption they are not as at risk as older Americans. They dont realize that... theyre feeling invincible, I dont know if you felt invincible when you were young," Trump said while addressing a report. But they dont realize that they could be carrying lots of bad things home to their grandmother and grandfather and even their parents. So, we want them to heed the advice. 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 Wednesday, March 18: 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 The Connecticut State Board of Education has agreed to waive the 180 days of class requirement, in cases of unavoidable emergency, such as the Coronavirus outbreak. After several Fairfield County school districts closed amid coronavirus concerns, a group of superintendents wrote to the state to obtain credit for their e-learning lessons toward the 180-day requirement. The state Board of Education stipulates that a district must submit an application to get a waiver and a signed statement attesting that the town schools are offering distance learning which complies with employment laws, collective bargaining agreements, and special education. If a school district does not offer distance learning, it must supply a statement attesting that the district has exhausted all opportunities to provide 180 days of school, including extension of the school year to June 30, 2020, the statement reads. New Canaan, Darien, Westport, Wilton, Weston, and Greenwich schools announced prolonged closures on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, as the states third coronavirus case was confirmed and a potential large exposure was discovered stemming from a private party in Westport, now known to have been attended by at least 20 who tested positive. As of Wednesday, March 18, there were 68 confirmed coronavirus cases in Connecticut, 48 of which were in Fairfield County and Gov. Ned Lamont said Tuesday cases are accelerating across the state. In anticipation of the closures, 14 area superintendents had signed a letter to Lamont and Commissioner of Education Miguel Cardona to get credit for e-learning toward the mandated 180-day school year. New Canaan Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bryan Luizzi, as president of the Southern Fairfield County Superintendents Association, penned the letter because he said he did not receive enough direction on a call with Lamont and Cardona hours before he addressed the New Canaan Board of Education on Monday, March 9, 2020. In the letter, Luizzi wrote that administrators worked in close partnership with local unions, coordinated efforts district-wide with a focus on equity and access to programs, and considered special education students. At the meeting, Luizzi was not happy with the state guidelines. Today the Department of Education gave some guidance for districts to follow, he said at the school board meeting. The guidance in my estimation was vague and non-committal, not helpful enough for districts that have to work through what we are working through. The guidance issued by the state in advance, in my opinion, needs to be strong and clear and show leadership, Luizzi told the school board. He would like e-learning, which entails distance learning on the internet, to be handled similar to the way it is dealt with in New Jersey. Given the urgent need to stop community spread through non-pharmaceutical interventions such as school closures, we are writing to urge you to take a next, necessary step to protect our children and our schools, Luizzi wrote in the letter sent Tuesday. As the leaders of Connecticut and of our Department of Education, we implore you to follow New Jerseys lead by making swift and decisive action on behalf of Connecticuts children. Specifically, we urge you to publish guidance, similar to our neighbors in NJ. The letter was signed by 13 other superintendents, including Michael Testani, of Bridgeport, Charles Dumais, of Cooperative Education Services, Alan Addley of Darien, Thomas McMorran of Easton/Redding/Region 9, Mike Cummings of Fairfield, Toni Jones of Greenwich, Joseph Kobza of Monroe, Steven Adamowski of Norwalk, Beth Smith of Shelton, Janet Robinson of Stratford, William McKersie of Weston, David Abbey of Westport and Kevin Smith of Wilton. COVID-19 Waiver application forms for the 180-Day School Year Requirement must be submitted to the Commissioner of Education. All requests are subject to the final approval of the Connecticut State Board of Education, (CSBE). Our teachers and staff have been strong partners in these efforts on behalf of children; however, they are also asking important questions about the 180-day requirement and whether the expectations we are placing on them to provide substantive home instruction to every child, in all classrooms, covering the entire program, will be credited as days of instruction for our students and staff, the letter reads. In the letter Luizzi quoted New Jerseys decision, which in part read: Any day in which students are impacted by a public health-related closure have access to home instruction services provided consistent with the guidance in this memo will count as a day in which the board of education has provided public school facilities toward its compliance with the 180-day requirement. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Hanoi, Vietnam Wed, March 18, 2020 17:33 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b9ff09 2 News Vietnam,Vietjet-Air,Wuhan-coronavirus,ASEAN,COVID-19,flights,coronavirus,pandemic,health,SARS-CoV-2 Free Budget airline Vietjet Air said on Tuesday it will suspend its flights to major Southeast Asian destinations from Friday due to the coronavirus. The Vietnamese government on Monday introduced a mandatory quarantine for visitors from the United States, Europe, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. Weeks after announcing the recovery of all 16 of its coronavirus sufferers, Vietnam said it now has 68 infections - 52 of them detected since March 6. The sudden uptick was traced to a flight from London that landed on March 2, and a religious gathering in Malaysia, authorities said. There have been no deaths in the country. "The suspension is in line with the government's quarantine policy," VietJet Air said in a statement on its website. "Flights between Vietnam and Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Myanmar and Indonesia will be halted from March 20," it added. National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has also suspended all flights to and from France and Malaysia from Wednesday and is considering cutting down flights to other Southeast Asian destinations. Vietjet Air and Vietnam Airlines are two carriers in the country operating Southeast Asian routes, with multiple flights to different cities each day. [March 18, 2020] VyOS Additional Support Project for First Responders Sentrium's VyOS making the world a safer and a better place BARCELONA, Spain, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sentrium announces the launch of VyOS additional support project for first responders. Due to the responders' line of work demands access to reliable network infrastructure, VyOS is an open-source, community-driven project designed to become just that. Sentrium team hopes to make first responders day-to-day activities faster and simpler with customizable features for all network devices and the benefits of a premium subscription at their disposal and provide be less to worry about with OS on top of the network game. Reliable networking for emergency services It's only a wish to deliver a better voice, data, and networking solution to emergency services. Work safer in remote locations and stay connected despite network congestion with VyOS. Maintain a stable connection across all emergency service users, handheld equipment, operated vehicles, control rooms, and remote locations. Manage a single network for sharing data and imagery through a centralized Command Line Interface. Take advantage of an infrastructure designed for the successful adoption of web, mobile, and cloud applications. Save some of that tax-payer money with a transparent, open-source, cos-effective network OS. Connect own 4G sites and the ones shared by mobile operations in a centralized, responsive infrastructure. Why VyOS? VyOS is an enterprise-level networking solution backed by a passionate community. Continuous updates, constant improvements, and simple version control ensure efficient networking when and where it really matters. Routing: BGP, OSPF, RIP, and RIPng VPN: IPsec, VTI, VXLAN, LTPv3, PPTP, OpenVPN Firewall: Stateful, zone-based, NAT Network services: DHCP, IPv6 RA, TFTP server, DNS, PPPoE, QoS Is VyOS challenging in implementation? VyOS does not break existing ecosystems, but rather build upon them. The project is flexible and scalable with its internal APIs accessible to everyone. Learn more about VyOS support on the link. About VyOS VyOS is a fully open-source network OS that provides a wide range of features for any network, from a small business to an Internet service provider. It runs on commodity x86 hardware from desktop router boards to large servers, as well as a virtualized in all popular hypervisors and multiple cloud hosting platforms including VMware, KVM, Xen, Amazon EC2, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform and more. Its aim is to provide the reliability and user experience of traditional hardware routers, without getting tied to any specified hardware or software vendor. Unified command-line interface and HTTP API for all functions, built-in configuration versioning and archiving, and reversible image upgrades allow network admins to make configuration changes easily. VyOS project started in 2013 as a fork of Vyatta Core when the open-source Vyatta version was discontinued. https://sentrium.io https://vyos.io Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1135214/Sentrium_Vyos_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 20:26:33|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close A plane carrying medical materials from China arrives at the Liege airport, Belgium, on March 18, 2020. A batch of 1 million donated medical masks were flown in Belgium on Wednesday, en route to France. The medical supply was mobilized by two Chinese charities to help combat the spread of COVID-19. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) LIEGE, Belgium, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A batch of 1 million donated medical masks were flown in Belgium on Wednesday, en route to France. The medical supply was mobilized by two Chinese charities to help combat the spread of COVID-19. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Made Anthony Iswara (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 14:10 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b91aee 1 Business pre-employment-card,job-training,COVID-19,coronavirus,stimulus Free The government is advancing again the disbursement of preemployment cards for workers to Friday and is moving to prepare a third stimulus package in a broader effort to cushion the economy from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, an official has said "Honestly, this is the momentum or right timing, Office of the Coordinating Economic Minister secretary Susiwijono Moegiarso said in Jakarta on Tuesday. We are hoping that the preemployment card could become a solution for several sectors, like the tourist sector and its supporting sectors, which have started layoffs," he added. Read also: COVID-19: Well-prepared emergency status, lockdown keys to protecting economy, economists say The latest change is the third time the government has advanced the program's launch this year. The program was previously slated for launch in April in Greater Jakarta, which then changed to late March last week before the government advanced it to this week. The preemployment cards aim to aid job seekers and laid-off workers by granting them access and funding to a broad range of training. The government expects the program to address skill shortages, which have become a real problem in the countrys workforce, as the education system has fallen short of producing graduates with the skills needed by the industry. The program will initially be launched in three tourism-oriented regions, namely Manado in North Sulawesi, Bali and Riau Islands, where activities have been severely affected by the drastic drop in Chinese tourists amid the COVID-19 spread, Susiwijono said. It will then be brought to West Java, East Java and Jakarta, where the workforce size is relatively large. He said the government would put forth online classes amid social distancing efforts. On Sunday, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo called on people stay home to limit the novel coronavirus spread. The pneumonia-like illness has infected 172 people and killed seven in the country. Susiwijono also said the government was discussing a third stimulus package that would include policies to support social distancing efforts, among other things. Read also: Tax breaks, job training to combat virus impacts "There certainly will be several regulations that we will roll out. We are preparing them," he said, declining to elaborate on the plan. The government announced last Friday that it would allocate Rp 120 trillion (US$8.1 billion) from the state budget to stimulate the economy by providing tax incentives and subsidies for workers, businesses and families affected by the pandemic. It also announced a second stimulus package worth Rp 22.9 trillion, which includes individual and corporate tax breaks, as well as the relaxation of loan disbursements and restructuring requirements. The new measures add to the first Rp 10.3 trillion stimulus package announced on Feb. 25, which provided mortgage subsidies for low-income families and fiscal incentives for travel-related industries. Hospital employees attend to a patient at a temporary emergency structure set up outside the emergency department at the Brescia Hospital in Lombardy, Italy, on March 13, 2020. (Miguel Medina/ AFP) Italy to Deploy 10,000 Student Doctors as COVID-19 Deaths Mount Italy will rush 10,000 medical students into service, waiving their qualifying exams as the nation struggles to handle the COVID-19 outbreak, which has left 2,503 dead amid an unprecedented lockdown. Italy is the worst affected nation outside of China, with a total of 31,506 confirmed cases according to currently available data from Johns Hopkins University. Iran has the third-highest number of confirmed cases at 17,361. Hospitals in northern Italy, where the pandemic got its first toehold in Europe, have been pushed to the breaking point, as cases rise across the rest of the country, putting pressure on the national health system. To fill the shortfall, this years medical graduates will be rushed into practice eight to nine months early, with University Minister Gaetano Manfredi saying the government will waive their mandatory qualifying exams. 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, Manfredi said in a statement. Those graduates will be sent to general practitioners clinics and at retirement homes, leaving the more experienced doctors to handle the rapidly filling hospitals. The death toll in Italy has tripled during the imposition of a strict lockdown that came less than a week ago as the nation sought to contain the CCP virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus. The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus as the CCP virus, because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. Outside of China, Europe has become a secondary epicenter of the virus in the last week, with Spain, Germany, and France picking up more than 30,000 confirmed cases total. The number of new daily cases in Italy has been fairly stagnant in the last four days, sparking hopes that the restrictions may be bearing fruit. 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 Lombardy, which is Italys worst affected region. I do not know if the measures will be extended beyond April 3. We will make a decision based on the numbers and events. I cannot rule it out. We will see in the coming days, said Infrastructure Minister Paola De Micheli. The average age of those killed by the virus is 80.3, with the majority diagnosed with underlying health conditions, Silvio Brusaferro, the president of Italys Higher Institute of Health, said last week. The viral pathogen, SARS-CoV-2, is stable on surfaces for hours and can survive for up to three days on some, according to a recent study. The National Institutes of Health stated in a news release that a new study has provided key information about the stability of SARS-CoV-2. It concludes people may pick up the virus through the air and after touching contaminated objects. Tom Ozimek and Reuters contributed to this report. The opposition Grand Alliance in Bihar was on Wednesday left in throes of a fresh crisis with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and Hindustani Awam Morcha Jitan Ram Manjhi crossing swords and speaking of "favours" they owed to each other. The development took place a day after Manjhi caused a flutter when he met Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar late Tuesday, hours after giving an ultimatum to the RJD to heed the demand, by March 31,for setting up a coordination committee comprising representatives from all the five partners of the grouping. Yadav, who is RJD supremo Lalu Prasads political heir, mocked Manjhi a former Chief Minister himself when he was showered with questions about the demand at a press conference he had called, ostensibly, to launch an attack on the Nitish Kumar government over its alleged failures on many fronts. "He (Manjhi) seems to have forgotten that a coordination committee was, indeed, in place. How else did his son end up getting elected to the legislative council from the RJD quota", Yadav remarked. Notably, Manjhi who was earlier with the NDA had joined the Grand Alliance in March, 2018 when it was considerably weakened on account of Nitish Kumars abrupt exit and left with only the RJD and the Congress. The HAM founder, who is the sole MLA of his party, was rewarded with a berth in the state's upper house for his son Santosh Kumar Manjhi with the help of the RJD which was the single largest party in the assembly and had enough votes to spare. Yadav has been declared as the Chief Ministerial candidate for assembly elections due later this year much to the annoyance of coalition partners which feel slighted over the RJDs "unilateral" move. Yadav reminded Manjhi "we gave him three seats to contest in Lok Sabha polls and one in assembly by-elections. He should recall what was on offer for him in the NDA". About the HAM chiefs March 31 deadline an indication that Manjhi might review his continuance in the Grand Alliance if his voice was not heeded Yadav said dismissively "all are free to choose their own paths". An indignant Manjhi hit back by hurriedly convening a press conference. "I did not come to the RJD carrying an application seeking entry into the Grand Alliance. Tejashwi Yadav may not be aware of the course of events. He should ask his father Lalu Prasad. I was beseeched by the RJD leadership with no less than 50 telephonic talks to cross over, fumed Manjhi. The HAM president claimed that Prasad had implored him to join the Grand Alliance to bolster the RJDs prospects in by- elections to Araria Lok Sabha seat and Jehanabad assembly segment, both of which it retained by comprehensive margins in May, 2018. "An assembly segment wise break up of Araria by-elections shows that the RJD candidate had trailed in areas considered RJD strongholds. The party owed its victory to handsome leads in the remaining assembly segments where HAM had a strong presence", claimed Manjhi. He, however, denied that his meeting with Kumar on the previous day was indicative of intentions to return to the NDA. "I had approached him with a request to inaugurate some projects in my native village. He agreed and I am thankful to him for that", said Manjhi. Manjhi had floated his own outfit in 2015 when he quit JD(U) revolting against the partys diktat to step down and make way for the return, as Chief Minister, of Kumar who had resigned less than a year ago taking moral responsibility for the partys drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls of 2014. "My talks with Nitish Kumar was more of a personal nature. But, of course, when leaders of two parties meet, a bit of is also discussed", Manjhi said when pressed with further queries. The mercurial leader maintained that his March 31 deadline stands but added that a further course of action would be decided after a workers rally that his party intends to hold at Gandhi Maidan here in May. The 75-year-old also declared that in the event of his parting ways with the RJD, he would think big and try to build "a much bigger coalition, comprising the Congress, the RLSP, the VIP (all Grand Alliance partners) and other non-NDA parties including the Left". The Grand Alliance has been in tatters since the Lok Sabha elections last year when it lost but one of the 40 seats in the state. The once mighty RJD put up its worst-ever performance, drawing a blank. The Congress, which won Kishanganj, was the only non-NDA party to have registered a victory. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a rare display of disagreement, Sen. Joni Ernst politely took issue with her senior colleagues social media reference to the coronavirus as the Chinese virus. Others will call it what you want, Iowas junior senator said Wednesday, but we know what we call it its coronavirus. Ernst was asked about the terminology after her fellow Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley tweeted that he didnt understand why China gets upset bc we refer to the virus that originated there the Chinese virus Spain never got upset when we referred to the Spanish flu in 1918&1919. Although media have been attributing coronavirus to China for several weeks, the Trump administration and others who refer to it as a Chinese virus have been criticized for promoting xenophobia. Ernst rejected that label. We dont want to call it or I dont want to call it one thing or another. Its the coronavirus, she said. Were focused on COVID-19. So we can just call it that. A Grassley spokesperson said the senator was responding to the Chinese Communist government spreading false propaganda and absurd conspiracy theories blaming the U.S. military for the coronavirus. Citing several news sources, the spokesperson said China is attempting to shield itself from criticism of covering up the gravity of the coronavirus and silencing whistleblowers who tried to warn the world. Despite what the communist Chinese government may want, theres no hiding that the coronavirus originated in Wuhan, China. The tweet was part of Grassleys advocacy for increased transparency on the part of the Chinese government, which Tuesday expelled U.S. journalists from three major news organizations. Regardless of what others call the virus that causes COVID-19, Ernst said her priority is the very human element of this virus and the fact that it is affecting so many Iowans. I am focused on making sure that we are doing the right thing to protect our Iowa families, our small businesses and everyone thats going to be impacted by this horrible outbreak, she said. Also, the origin of the so-called Spanish flu has been traced to the state of Kansas. (Alliance News) - British American Tobacco PLC said Wednesday it has yet to see any harm to sales caused by the spread of the new coronavirus. Speaking at its Capital Markets Day, being held via webcast, the tobacco giant said Covid-19 is "developing rapidly" but has yet have a material impact on sales. "We are fortunate that our business is resilient and is supported by a geographically diversified supply chain from both a manufacturing and distribution standpoint," BAT said. The company has previously stated its New Category sales will struggle in the first half of 2020, and has postponed some product launches despite supply chains in China recovering. BAT is hoping, however, to make progress on its GBP5 billion New Category revenue target for 2024. "Although we have seen limited impact to date on consumer demand for cigarettes (outside the Duty Free channel, which is not material), we continue to monitor the situation closely," BAT added. "At present we are maintaining our expectations for 2020 global industry cigarette and THP volume to be down about 4% and, while year to date US industry volume contraction has been about 1% more benign than last year (YTD to February down about 4%), we retain our full year 2020 US industry volume decline forecast of about 5%, given the rapidly changing environment." Despite the "global uncertainty", BAT said it is performing well and has achieved close to 60% of the price increases it planned for 2020. "At this stage, we maintain our guidance for constant currency adjusted revenue growth of 3% to 5%, together with an improvement in operating margin, and are confident of another year of high single figure constant currency adjusted diluted EPS growth," BAT added. With strong operating cashflow, the tobacco firm is still committed to its 65% dividend pay-out ratio. Elsewhere, BAT said it will look to save GBP1 billion in efficiencies over the next three years, from an extended simplification programme. Chief Executive Jack Bowles said: "I am pleased that our organisation fully embraced the priorities I set out in early 2019 and has started to deliver against them. We are now challenging ourselves with a clear purpose to build A Better Tomorrow by reducing the health impact of our business through offering a greater choice of enjoyable and less risky products for our consumers." "Our ambition is to have 50 million non-combustible product consumers by 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, while bringing forward our existing 2030 environmental targets to 2025," he added. Shares in BAT were up 0.2% in London on Wednesday at 2,724.50 pence each. In Johannesburg, the shares were up 5.2% at ZAR550.90. By Paul McGowan; paulmcgowan@alliancenews.com Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. In a desperate move to contain the growing frustration within the government and party, Nath has appointed some of the Congress leaders to state commissions and in the Pradesh Congress Committee. Six Madhya Pradesh rebel ministers and 16 MLAs, who resigned from the Congress along with senior leader and former Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia on 10 March, have been harbouring various grievances for quite some time against the Kamal Nath government, which eventually led to their resignation. Former forest minister Umang Singhar, considered close to Scindia, had accused Congress MP and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh of blackmailing and called him a mafia of the liquor industry and mining in September 2019. The issue had then snowballed into a major public showdown forcing Congress president Sonia Gandhi to intervene. That was the beginning of a revolt within the Kamal Nath government. These MLAs reiterated the same and meant what minister Umang Singhar had said last year. He had termed Digvijay Singh as the de-facto CM who runs the government from behind the curtains and alleged Digvijayas involvement in transfers and postings in the government, ex-Congress spokesperson and a Scindia loyalist, Pankaj Chaturvedi told Firstpost. A similar opinion was shared by Madhya Pradesh BJP leader and spokesperson, Govind Maloo on the statement that Kamal Nath government is being run by mafias. The MLAs meant to say that its the sand, mining and liquor mafias whore apparently calling shots in Kamal Nath government. Their money and muscle power are being used to curb the voice of the opposition. Only those who are close to this lobby are able to get their work done. The MLAs who quit were exasperated, said Maloo. Five grouses of rebel ministers and MLAs Kamal Nath doesnt have time: A few rebel ministers and MLAs have alleged that the chief minister never had the time to meet his ministers and MLAs. The chief minister never gave us time. The brokers and the corrupt are getting importance in the government. The chief minister didnt allow us to speak in the cabinet meetings. He was only concerned about his constituency Chhindwara. If Im unable to get work done in my constituency, how am I going to face those who voted me to power, said Imarti Devi, a minister, who resigned along with Scindia. Ministers didnt listen to MLAs: A large section of MLAs has been complaining for quite some time against the ministers for not paying heed to their demands and grievances. As a result, it became difficult for the MLAs to function in their constituencies and face public. Digvijaya Singhs interference: Singhar and several MLAs have complained against the interference by Digvijaya Singh in administrative affairs. There were allegations that ministers and MLAs had to visit Digvijayas residence and take orders from him and he decided on transfers and postings of officials without any consultation. No action by Rahul Gandhi: The rebel MLAs have alleged that they had approached former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and apprised him with problems, including a demand to make Scindia state Congress president, but to no effect. Six-term Congress MLA and senior leader, Bisahulal Singh said, When I had met Rahulji, he showed my name in the list of ministers; but finally I wasnt made. He had admitted that I was cheated by the state Congress. Jyotiraditya Scindia ignored: The sidelining of Scindia and attempts to thwart his nomination to Rajya Sabha emerged as the final nail in the coffin. Everyone is aware of the crucial role played by Scindiaji in the formation of Congress government in the state. But even he has been ignored and sidelined, said Govind Singh Rajput, who was transport minister. Fire fighting by Kamal Nath In a desperate move to contain the growing frustration within the government and party, Nath has appointed some of the Congress leaders to state commissions and in the Pradesh Congress Committee. For instance, Congress leader Shobha Oza has been appointed as chairperson of Madhya Pradesh State Women Commission while the partys social media head Abhay Tiwari has been appointed as the chairperson of State Youth Commission and spokesperson JP Dhanopia as chairperson of State OBC Commission, to name a few. Even after one-and-a-half years of government formation in Madhya Pradesh, the top posts in state bodies are lying vacant. Many senior leaders in the party are disappointed as they werent considered. The BJP, in a quick move, has written to the governor to put a ban on these appointments, stating them to be unconstitutional. The chief minister has tried to appease the disgruntled leaders through these appointments. But these appointments are short-lived as the government would fall soon, remarked Chaturvedi. The Massachusetts Department of Correction issued a directive implementing a moratorium on suspensions and discipline for staff, citing the coronavirus pandemic as a reason for the decision. The directive, published on the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federal Unions website, states that the moratorium covers hearings and appeals at the central office and local level, as well as staff serving suspensions. The union represents roughly 4,000 correction officers in the state. Any situations that are of an egregious nature and require immediate action will be handled on a case by case basis, wrote Mass. DOC Deputy Commissioner Michael G. Grant. The Executive Office of Public Safety and Security declined to comment, referring MassLive to the Department of Correction. The agency did not respond to emails and calls seeking information. When asked about the directive, Baker said the DOC is taking guidance from public health officials as far as procedures for managing inmates and facilities but had no immediate comment about the directive itself. The directive raised questions from defense attorneys, advocates and some law enforcement officials after its publication Tuesday. Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins called the moratorium a decline to prosecute list for correction officers. Rollins own pledge to not prosecute low-level, non-violent crimes prosecutions that she said disproportionately targets working class and minority communities sparked controversy from law enforcement officials who suggested she wouldnt be sufficiently touch on crime. If theres a moratorium on discipline & suspensions for COs (and a recall even) isnt that just a decline to prosecute list for COs? Instead, lets stop all petty arrests; bail & pre-trial detention w/ no public safety threat; technical violations of parole & probation. pic.twitter.com/2YbRu4ZVTC DA Rachael Rollins (@DARollins) March 18, 2020 The directive comes as criminal justice advocates call on sheriffs to make hygiene products free and accessible to inmates and staff and urge police to stop arresting people for minor offenses, suggesting citations or summonses in certain cases so people can return home and practice social distancing. The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts spelled out several recommendations for police, prosecutors, sheriffs and probation officers to prevent inmates and staff from contracting the coronavirus. All aspects of the systemfrom policing and pretrial through sentencing, confinement, and releasemust be modified to combat this public health crisis, the letter states. There is no time to waste. Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, echoed the calls for modifications in response to the new directive. We are deeply concerned that the Department of Correction is limiting scrutiny of its own staff amid ongoing allegations of abuse and brutality by corrections officers at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center," Rose said in a statement. As the ACLU explains in our open letter to public officials, if the Department of Correction believes that people should face milder discipline due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it should start with the people in its custody, in addition to its staff. Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts >> Related Content: Travel & Self Isolation - What is being done at our Ports? Regulations are now in place making it law for anyone arriving in to the Isle of Man, to self isolate for 14 days due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. We asked the Isle of Man Government what they are doing at the Ports to ensure the law is complied with. A spokesperson for Government told Energy FM News that a range of measures are in place so people are aware of their responsibilities. They include: Leaflets, posters and banners at the Airport and Sea Terminal Leaflets on the ferries On board announcements on aircraft And all those checking in, leaving the Island will also be given a notice to make them of aware of the rules for any return journey. Earlier this week the Health Minister, David Ashford, said that anyone caught breaking the rules on self isolation may face prosecution. So far there are no confirmed cases of Covid-19 on the Island. (18/3/20 12:10) Stuart Malcolm, a doctor with the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic, speaks with homeless people about the CCP coronavirus in the Haight Ashbury area of San Francisco California on March 17, 2020. (Josh Edelso/AFP via Getty Images) New Rule Will Let Doctors Practice Across State Lines Amid CCP Virus Pandemic A rule coming soon from the federal government will allow doctors and medical professionals to practice across state lines amid the COVID-19 pandemic. At President Donald Trumps direction, the Department of Health and Human Services is issuing a regulation today that will allow all doctors and medical professionals to practice across state lines to meet the needs of hospitals that may arise in adjoining areas, Vice President Mike Pence told reporters on Wednesday. The announcement came after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday asked retired workers and medical students to sign up to care for patients ahead of an expected surge in patients infected with the CCP virus and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said the state would allow doctors with licenses from other states or expired licenses from Maryland to practice medicine in the state. The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes a disease called COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. The Trump administration has announced wide-ranging changes to healthcare, including lifting all restrictions on telehealth services covered by Medicare, to try to blunt the spread of the new disease. A medical professional, supported by New York Army National Guard members, collects swabs to test for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections in New Rochelle, New York, on March 15, 2020. (Senior Airman Sean Madden/U.S. Air National Guard/Handout via Reuters) From the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, President Trump has been knocking out every bureaucratic obstacle possible that stands in the way of a rapid and effective response, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in a statement. The White House is also supporting legislation that includes free testing for people showing symptoms of the virus as well as paid sick leave and family medical leave for workers affected by the illness. COVID-19 has prompted restrictions in nearly every state. Some governors have ordered the closure of bars, restaurants, and other businesses and barred gatherings above a certain size. The federal government is advising people not to gather in groups of 10 or more. The virus primarily spreads through close contact, defined as within six feet, or through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Ways to avoid contracting the illness include avoiding sick people, regularly cleaning objects and surfaces like doorknobs, and frequently washing hands, especially before eating and after visiting public places. Big Brother contestants in Germany have finally been told about the coronavirus pandemic, after entering the house on February 6 before the outbreak swept the globe. The 14 contestants, who are being housed in Cologne, were stunned into silence as they were informed about the worldwide crisis by host Jochen Schropp during a live televised episode, which aired ahead of its regular slot at 7pm on Tuesday evening. The group - who were some of the last people to be informed about the deadly virus - were also given the opportunity to ask questions to the show's resident doctor Dr Andreas Kaniewski, as well as to speak to their loved ones at home. Finally! Big Brother contestants in Germany were stunned into silence as they were told about the coronavirus pandemic, in a live episode which aired ahead of its regular slot on Tuesday Plans to keep the contestants in the dark unless a relative became ill were overturned following an uproar on social media over the decision. On Tuesday night, from behind a glass screen, host Jochen Schropp and Big Brother resident doctor Dr Andreas Kaniewski broke the news to the housemates. Speaking in German, Jochen said: 'There is currently a lot going on in world events since you entered the house. 'We'd like to inform you as to why we're here and why we're behind a glass screen.' Messengers: The 14 contestants were informed about the worldwide crisis by host Jochen Schropp while resident doctor Dr Andreas Kaniewski was on hand to answer questions Special circumstances: The group were also told that they would be allowed to speak to their loved ones at home The camera panned around the seating area as the housemates fell into stunned silence as they were brought up to speed on the coronavirus. 'COVID-19 has basically spread across the world in recent days, triggering a global pandemic. 'This is a disease similar to the flu, and is mainly dangerous for older people,' explained Jochen. Easing the contestants' fears, he added: 'We're going to allow you to speak to your families so you can rest easy. And you can communicate with them as they are all okay.' Safety first: Jochen and Dr Kaniewski sat behind a glass window as they delivered the news The producers initially defended their first 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 - 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. One wrote: '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!' Ignorance is bliss? Big Brother contestants in Germany hadn't known a thing about the coronavirus pandemic before Tuesday (contestants pictured on the show) 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?' 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.' 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 housemates are in total isolation in a purpose-built compound, which is understood to be well supplied with food and essentials. 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. Coronavirus was confirmed as a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11. They aren't told about major news events until after they've been eliminated, but an exception was made in this instance. Big Brother contests aren't the only people who were, until very recently, unaware of the pandemic. Jared Leto was left stunned after emerging from a 12-day desert retreat to discover the spread of coronavirus has now become a global crisis. 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. An American man residing in the central city of Da Nang has become Vietnams 68th patient of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) after his positive test result was confirmed by the Ministry of Health on Wednesday. The man, 41, is married to a local Vietnamese woman in Da Nang. He left Vietnam on February 11 and traveled through India, Morocco, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, and the Netherlands. He occupied seat 57H on board flight SQ323, operated by Singapore Airlines, from Amsterdam in the Netherlands to Singapore on March 13. He boarded SilkAirs flight MI632, occupying seat 15F, from Singapore that landed in Da Nang at 11:00 am on March 14. He declared his health condition upon his arrival at Da Nang International Airport and was temporarily isolated there before being transferred to a quarantine camp at Hospital 199, managed by the Ministry of Public Security, in the central city. The Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang in the namesake capital city of the south-central province of Khanh Hoa received the mans two test samples on Wednesday morning, one of which returned positive for the new coronavirus, according to the Ministry of Health. The man is currently being quarantined and treated at Hospital 199. The newly confirmed case has brought the number of COVID-19 patients in Vietnam to 68, and in Da Nang to four. Sixteen out of the 68 patients had fully recovered and been discharged from the hospital by February 26, while the other 52 cases are still active. Among the COVID-19 patients in treatment, one case has tested negative for the virus twice and three other cases have tested negative for the first time. The Southeast Asian country had gone three weeks without any new infection until March 6. Vietnam has decided to suspend its visa issuance to all foreigners for 30 days, starting from 00:00 Wednesday, to deal with the increasingly serious pandemic caused by COVID-19. The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 198,700 people and killed more than 7,900 globally as of Wednesday morning, according to Ministry of Health statistics. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! By Aisha Jabbarova Azerbaijans First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyev has said that the government has mobilized all forces to fight the coronavirus infection in the country. She also urged civic responsibility among the citizens to prevent the spread of the disease. Mehriban Aliyeva made the remarks in a statment publshed in media on March 18. All forces have been moblized in our country to prevent the worst development of the events. All state structures have been mobilized and are cooperating. We have been closely cooperating with the World Health Organization (WHO) since day one and take this organizations recommendations very seriously, Aliyeva said. Aliyeva said that citizens must show civic responsibility and that neglect is unacceptable". I urge all our compatriots to demonstrate civic responsibility and strictly adhere to the recommendations and requirements of the Operations Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers." She further called on Azerbaijani people to protect the elderly population as they are more propone to be infected with the virus. I ask you to protect your elderly! In the vast majority of infected people, the disease is mild and results in recovery. It is mostly representatives of the older generation, those who suffer from chronic illnesses and those with weaker immune system who are in a special risk group. We, the Azerbaijani people, have always treated our adults with special care and respect, and have protected them with sensitivity. I am sure that in this situation we will be more careful. Today, neglect is unacceptable. Mehriban Aliyeva thanked doctors, medical personnel, and staff of various government agencies who work to protect the citizens. The world was not ready for such a risk. Even the most developed countries, with billions in health care budgets, with enormous scientific and intellectual potential and advanced technologies, could not prevent the spread of the epidemic, first vice-president said. I believe and hope that our joint efforts will yield results. Mankind will be able to cope with this challenge and grow even stronger. I also hope that we will try to contemplate over and understand the simple truths. We are different, but our home is one. Pain and suffering have no border, Aliyeva noted. It should be noted that Azerbaijan has registered 27 coronavirus cases and one COVID-19 related death so far. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz MINNEAPOLIS - President Donald Trump on Wednesday invoked emergency authority to marshal industry to fight the coronavirus, as the economic fallout from the crisis mounted with word that nearly the entire U.S. auto industry is shutting down its North American factories to protect workers. On a day of head-spinning developments: Stocks tumbled again on Wall Street on fears of a prolonged recession, falling so fast they triggered another automatic trading halt. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed more than 1,300 points, or over 6 per cent, and has now lost nearly all of the big gains it had posted since Trumps inauguration. Oil dropped below $21 per barrel for the first time since 2002. More borders slammed shut across Europe and North America, with the U.S. and Canada closing their boundary to all but essential travel and Trump saying he plans to assert extraordinary powers to immediately turn back to Mexico anyone who crosses over the southern border illegally. The White House pressed Congress to swiftly pass a potentially $1 trillion rescue package to prop up the economy and speed relief checks to Americans in a matter of weeks. Calling himself a wartime president, Trump invoked the Defence Production Act of 1950 to steer industrial output and overcome shortages of face mask s, ventilators and other supplies as hospitals brace for an expected onslaught of cases. The Korean War-era law gives the president extraordinary authority to compel industries to expand production and turn out vital materials. It was most recently used after the 2017 Puerto Rico hurricane to speed up contracts for food and other necessities. Its a war, Trump said, likening the anti-coronavirus efforts to measures taken during World War II and warning of national sacrifices ahead. The virus has infected more than 200,000 people worldwide and killed over 8,700. The United Nations warned that the crisis could lead to the loss of nearly 25 million jobs around the world. Theodore Peck, who owns a Brooklyn coffee shop and bakery, was in quarantine at home as a precaution when New York City this week ordered all bars and restaurants to close except for takeout. He had to shut down his business and lay off all his workers. My lifes work is being ... you know, destroyed, like picked over, he said. He lamented that he didnt even get the chance to say goodbye to 22 of his employees. Around the globe, officials took increasingly drastic measures to fight the epidemic and the threat of a recession, in some cases using emergency powers. Californias governor warned that martial law could be imposed. The mayor of New York said the citys 8.6 million residents should be prepared for a lockdown. Czech authorities used emergency powers to raid a warehouse and seize hundreds of thousands of face masks. And Hong Kong widened the use of electronic wristbands that monitor people under self-quarantine. With a growing number of Americans thrown out of work by the near-shutdown of much of the U.S. economy, Trump also said the Housing and Urban Development Department will suspend foreclosures and evictions from public housing. The Trump administrations plan for issuing relief checks to Americans calls for the payment of $500 billion in two installments over the next two months. The amounts have yet to be decided but would be based on income and family size. Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler, along with Honda and Toyota, said they will shut down all of their factories in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The closing of Detroits Big Three alone will idle about 150,000 workers, who are likely to receive supplemental pay in addition to unemployment benefits. At GMs pickup truck assembly plant in Flint, Michigan, workers have been fearful since the virus surfaced in the U.S., said Tommy Wolikow, who has two young daughters. Thats the thing that I was scared the most about, being the one to bring it home to them, he said. The U.S. reported more than 7,700 coronavirus cases and at least 134 deaths, about half of them in Washington state, where dozens of residents from a suburban Seattle nursing home have died. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida announced that he was the first member of Congress with a known positive test for the coronavirus. Other members of Congress have self-quarantined, but none have reported positive test results. Out of concern for the health and safety of its workers and the public, the Census Bureau suspended field operations for two weeks, acting just a week after starting its 2020 count for most of the U.S. Some bright spots emerged: Wuhan, the locked-down Chinese city where the virus was first detected in late December, reported just one new case for a second straight day Wednesday. The situation had improved enough that China even sent medical supplies to hard-hit France, returning a favour done by the French weeks ago. But in a grim illustration of the epidemics shifting centre of gravity, the death toll in Italy was close to overtaking Chinas. Italy had more than 2,900 dead after a record one-day total of 475; Chinas overall toll was around 3,200. Iran has also been hit hard, with more than 17,000 cases and 1,100 deaths. In releasing the new global infection figure of over 200,000, Johns Hopkins University said more than 82,000 people have recovered from the virus, which causes only mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough in most cases, with severe illness more likely in the elderly and those with existing health problems. Scientists have no doubt the true number of people infected is higher than reported because of the possibility that many mild cases have gone unrecognized or unrecorded, and because of the lag in large-scale testing in the U.S., where the effort has been marked by bumbling and bureaucratic delay. In the first breakdown of its kind in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the nations coronavirus deaths so far mirror what has been reported in other countries, with about 4 out of 5 fatalities occurring in people 65 and older, and no deaths in children. The coronavirus is present in all 50 states after West Virginia reported its first infection. In far-flung Hawaii, the governor encouraged travellers to postpone their island vacations. Las Vegas casinos were closed for the time since President John F. Kennedys funeral in 1963. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio warned that residents should be prepared for the possibility of a shelter-in-place order within days a near-lockdown like the one covering almost 7 million people in the San Francisco Bay area. In the most sweeping measure of its kind in the U.S., they are allowed to leave their homes only for food, medicine or exercise. In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom put the National Guard on alert for humanitarian duties such as food distribution, as some grocery stores resorted to rationing to control panic buying. But he also said we have the ability to do martial law if necessary. Meanwhile, miles-long traffic jams spread at border crossings around Europe after leaders closed international boundaries to nonessential traffic. Tens of thousands of people across the continent struggled to return home amid the closed land crossings and dramatic cuts in airline flights. Scientists in China reported disappointing results from the first study completed on a potential COVID-19 treatment. A combination of two antiviral drugs that are used now to treat HIV did not resolve symptoms quicker than usual care in a study of 199 hospitalized, severely ill patients. The findings were reported Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. ___ The headline has been corrected to say 200,000 virus cases, not deaths. ___ AP reporters around the world 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 The states coronavirus testing capacity should rise to 15,000 to 20,000 kits per week by the end of this week, Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday. Abbott spoke at a news conference in Arlington on Wednesday, just moments after the state recorded its third death from the virus. The increased capacity projection was up from Monday when Abbott had said the number of tests available would ramp up to 10,000 tests weekly. As of Wednesday afternoon, 1,907 people had been tested in Texas, comprising 697 at public labs and 1,210 at private labs. The states official count is 83 confirmed cases of COVID-19, but Hearst Newspapers, which is tracking cases based on federal, state and local data and its own reporting, has identified 174 confirmed cases. For subscribers: Texas coronavirus map Department of State Health Services Commissioner and Dr. John Hellerstedt reiterated Wednesday that the state does not have the ability to test patients without COVID-19 symptoms. Its not a good use of that resource, no matter how plentiful that resource might be, Hellerstedt said, adding that the state still expects an increase in the thousands from private labs that are in the process of coming online. In deciding who gets tested, Hellerstedt said the two main considerations are whether a person has symptoms and whether he or she has some other risk factor, such as recent travel, exposure to a known case or serious illness with an undetermined cause. He said he hopes to eventually add the elderly and people with underlying medical conditions to that list. Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox Abbott, who has for days declined to mandate statewide bar and restaurant restrictions that have been implemented by governors in more than 20 states, also indicated Wednesday that he may be changing his tune. He said he would have an announcement Thursday once he has consulted with local officials, though he has previously said it was a decision that needed to be made on a case-by-case basis by cities and counties. I'm telling every local elected official in the state of Texas today, we need to hear from you today about your needs, your strategies, your thoughts and your input, Abbott said, and that will shape what I announce tomorrow. Drs. Gregory Toback, Rui Ma, and Marianne Urbanski Educate on Gum Disease in New London, CT We have found that after gum disease treatment, when a patient has a healthy mouth, they often feel healthier overall. Periodontists, Drs. Gregory Toback and Marianne Urbanski of Shoreline Periodontics, hosted the most recent Hygiene Study Club, Hands-On Instrument Sharpening, featuring guest speaker, Dr. Rui Ma. Attendees of the course gained hands-on experience and education on sharpening dental instruments and learned best treatment practices for gum disease. The Hygiene Study Club is a part of Dr. Toback and Urbanskis continuing education courses held regularly in New London, CT. The issue with gum disease is that it is a silent concern, with some patients reporting never feeling any pain or knowing they were affected. So, gum disease should not be taken lightly and should be detected early on. Otherwise, we find that patients come to us and there is nothing we can do other than extract affected teeth, says Dr. Urbanski. We have found that after gum disease treatment, when a patient has a healthy mouth, they often feel healthier overall. The Hygiene Study Club course, Hands-On Instrument Sharpening, was dedicated to providing a deeper look at the treatment of gum disease for dentists, periodontists, and their staff. Many treatment options for those affected by gum disease involve the use of small, sharp instruments that scrape away bacteria, tartar, and infection. These tools and instruments must be sharp in order to maximize their effectiveness and provide patients with quick treatment in as gentle a manner as possible. Dr. Ma discussed and participated with attendees on ways to sharpen and utilize these instruments and tools to maximize their effectiveness when treating patients. Common treatment methods for gum disease include scaling and root planing and osseous surgery. These procedures utilize fine tools that access areas below the gum line or surgically remove infected tissue. Periodontists use these procedures to cleanse the mouth, teeth, bone, and gums of disease and create a healthy environment again. In some cases, tissue must be removed, and bone reshaped, before the area can heal. Gum disease is a common concern that affects nearly half of all adults to some degree. When the teeth and gums are not cleaned properly or a patient does not receive routine dental appointments, they are susceptible to developing the condition. When affected, patients often experience bleeding gums, loose teeth, chronic bad breath, and eventual tooth loss. Shoreline Periodontics specializes in the treatment of gum disease, both mild and severe, through traditional surgical procedures and modern laser dentistry with a method called LANAP. Those in need of treatment for gum disease in New London, CT or Westerly, RI are encouraged to contact Shoreline Periodontics. With two locations to serve more patients, consultations and appointments can be made at either location by visiting their website at http://www.shorelineperio.com or by calling 860-443-2428 for the New London, CT location, or 401-596-0000 for the Westerly, RI office. About the Periodontists Shoreline Periodontics is a periodontal practice offering personalized dental care for patients since 1998 and is located in New London, CT and Westerly, RI. Leading board-certified periodontist, Dr. Gregory A. Toback, received his B.A. from St. Johns University and his Doctorate of Dental Medicine from the University of Connecticut. He also received advanced training in periodontics and dental implants at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Dr. Marianne Urbanski has been voted one of Connecticuts top dentists for more than seven years by Connecticut Magazine. Dr. Urbanski graduated cum laude from the College of Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts where she earned a Bachelors degree in Biology. She also received her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree and her Masters of Dental Science degree from the University of Connecticut Dental School. Dr. Urbanski and Dr. Toback pride themselves on offering caring, professional treatment to each patient. Dr. Toback and Dr. Urbanski focus on minimally invasive surgeries including LANAP laser gum surgery and are certified to offer the Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique for treatment of gum recession. To learn more about Shoreline Periodontics and their dental services visit their website at http://www.shorelineperio.com or call 860-443-2428 for the New London, CT location, or 401-596-0000 for the Westerly, RI office. S warms of coronavirus panic buyers descended on supermarkets the second they opened their doors this morning. Stores have seen issues across the nation, despite urging people to buy as usual, with limits having to be imposed on essentials such as toilet roll and soap. Images from across the UK have shown people with trolleys stacked high with dried foods, toilet paper and other items, sourced in fear of imminent self-isolation. Huge queues sprawled outside the Brent Cross Tesco store this morning, before ranks of shoppers pushed their way into the store. Panic buyers: Shoppers descended on Tesco in Brent Cross this morning / Jeremy Selwyn Photos showed them swiftly raid the aisles, pulling food from the shelves and stacking trolleys high. Business secretary Alok Sharma today, speaking on Sky, urged people: "Please shop as you normally would shop." Sainsbury's has put in measures to prioritise food deliveries for elderly shoppers, while people will be able to purchase a maximum of three of any grocery product and a maximum of two on the most popular items such as toilet roll, soap and UHT milk from Wednesday onward. Morrisons announced on Tuesday it is creating 3,500 jobs to meet surging demand for its home delivery service caused by the pandemic. JCB stops production due to unprecedented reduction in global demand This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Mar 18th, 2020 JCB is today stopping production at all of its UK manufacturing plants, including Wrexham, as disruption resulting from the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic causes an unprecedented reduction in global demand. The company is halting production for the rest of this week and the whole of next week at its nine manufacturing plants in Wrexham, Staffordshire, and Derbyshire. JCB say shop floor employees affected by the move will be paid in full during this period. No decision has yet been taken on what happens from the week commencing Monday, March 30th and beyond. Office staff will continue to work a 39-hour week, with many working from home, in support of the UK and Welsh Governments social distancing policy. JCB CEO Graeme Macdonald said: These measures are unprecedented in the history of JCB but are absolutely necessary to protect the business. As we continue to deal with the health implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become more challenging to maintain business continuity in this volatile economic climate. JCB is a global exporter and worldwide demand for our products has dropped sharply as customers cancel orders and defer deliveries. This is not just a UK issue, it is worldwide and with countries like France, Spain and Italy going into lock-down, those key markets for construction equipment disappear overnight. In light of this fast-changing situation, we need to re-plan our production and, as a result, manufacturing at all UK factories will cease for the rest of this week and all of next week. This will allow us to take stock of the situation, re-plan our order book, prioritise products that are definitely required by customers, and ensure parts and components are reassigned to support the production of these products. JCBs plant in Pudong, near Shanghai, ceased production last month as the impact of the pandemic initially took hold. After several weeks of disruption, the factory is now fully operational again. Every shutdown, every cancellation, has a singular goal: minimize the spread. Were all familiar with the flatten the curve mantra by now. The more proactive we are in paring down the opportunity for the contagion to cause new clusters of outbreak, the less of a chance our fate will look like that of the people of Italy, where more than 2,500 have died and the countrys health care system verges on collapse. The federal government on Wednesday announced the restrictions of entry into the country for travellers from 13 high-risk Covid-19 countries. The countries are China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, United States of America, Norway, United Kingdom, Netherlands & Switzerland. Each of the countries has over 1,000 cases of the disease, according to the Presidential Task Force on COVID19 which released a sttaement Wednesday morning. The 12-member committee is chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha. The new directive is coming less than 12 hours after the government banned all foreign travels for public officials in the country. Details of Ban Mr Mustapha provided details of restrictions in a statement sent to journalists. The Federal Government of Nigeria is restricting entry into the country for travellers from the following thirteen (13) countries; China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, Norway, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Switzerland. These are all countries with over 1,000 case domestically; All persons arriving in Nigeria who might have visited these countries, fifteen days prior to such arrival, will be subjected to supervised self-isolation and testing for 14 days; The Federal Government is temporarily suspending the issuance of all visas on arrival; The Federal Government is also counselling all Nigerians to cancel or postpone all non-essential travels to these countries; and The Federal Government urges Public Health Authorities of countries with high burden to conduct diligent departure screening of passengers and also endorse these travel advisories to their nationals to postpone travels to Nigeria. These restrictions will come into effect from Saturday, 21st March, 2020 for four (4) weeks subject to review, Mr Mustapha said indicating the restrictions will not commence immediately. The travel restriction is believed to have been made after the government confirmed five new cases of the disease, all in travellers from the UK and the U.S. This brings to eight the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Nigeria, although one of the earlier three has fully recovered. The health minister, Osagie Ehanire, confirmed the new cases at a press briefing in Abuja Wednesday morning. Two famous island resorts in the Eastern United States are trying to seal themselves off by barring all visitors, taking the extraordinary measures in an effort to prevent the coronavirus from coming ashore. One of the islands, North Haven off the coast of Maine, is known as the summer retreat for blue-blooded American dynasties including the Cabots, the Bushes, the Welds and the current governor of Connecticut, Ned Lamont. And in North Carolina, officials in Dare County, which includes much of the Outer Banks, announced Tuesday that they would be establishing checkpoints to the county and would turn away visitors. While there are currently no individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Dare County, officials weighed the potential benefits for community health along with the tremendous impacts these restrictions have on our community, the county said in a statement. With its hundreds of miles of Atlantic beaches, the Outer Banks draw millions of tourists every year, breaking records summer after summer. In Maine, community leaders on North Haven, 12 miles off the coast, voted this week to bar all outsiders. It was a highly unusual step for the 375 year-round residents to take, considering their economic dependence on the wealthy summer traffic, but residents noted that the island has extremely limited medical facilities. The barrier of water has often been considered insurance to stave off a disease, though some observers have expressed skepticism at the ability of islands to stop a rampantly spreading virus. Any seal is bound to be imperfect, they argue, and these measures are likely to 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 Sunday night that limits access to year-round residents but that it did not have the resources to handle even a few cases. Seventeen cases of the coronavirus have been reported in Maine, with none in North Haven. But residents expressed worry at an annual town meeting that seasonal residents and travellers could carry the virus to the island, which has a single clinic that is not licensed or operated as an emergency medical facility and a lone nurse practitioner. It takes one hour and 10 minutes to travel to the mainland, according to Kathleen Macy, a lifelong resident who serves as town clerk. It would take a minimum of three hours to get to a hospital, she added. People dont understand how fragile we are if something catastrophic happened because we dont have quick access, she said Tuesday. Were a pretty hardy bunch, but weve never had this situation before. Another resident noted that a summer family who chose to ride out the storm on the island volunteered to self-isolate for two weeks, while many year-round residents were travelling freely back-and-forth to the mainland where they could be exposed. It is unclear how the order would be enforced. The Maine Ferry Service has been operating its normal schedule to the island. County and state officials are also reviewing the order. A DMK member attacked the Union government on Wednesday, saying that it claims that the international community is visiting Jammu and Kashmir while it has not allowed Indian leaders to go there. Speaking during a discussion on the budget for the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, A Raja cited several adverse reports about visits of foreign delegation to the Valley and asked "what type of democracy are we maintaining here?" He asked External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who was present in the House, as to how the Kashmir situation is being viewed internationally. "How are the actions of the government being weighed by the international community?" he asked. Raja noted that the Indian government had allowed a delegation of 27 Members of European Union on a private invitation of an NGO to visit Kashmir in October and said allegation was made that out of 27 members, 22 members were from "right-wing Islamophobic background and it was a guided tour to a five-star hotel in Srinagar". He said UK parliamentarian Chris Davis had stated that the invitation to him was revoked by the Indian government after he insisted that he expected a free exchange of interaction with the public in Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. "Is it not a shame on our part? You are saying that the international community is visiting but our own leaders are not at all allowed to visit Kashmir. What does it mean? What type of democracy are we maintaining here?" Raja asked. He asked the government to start the "hijacked" political process and release detained political leaders. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In response to current market volatility and COVID-19, law firm Schulte Roth Zabel (SRZ) has reconstituted its SRZ Market Conditions Working Group from the global financial crisis. The firm also opened its COVID-19 Resource Center at www.srz.com, and as of today, the lawyers have published more than 20 SRZ Client Alerts thus far this week on a range of crisis-related topics. Visit the SRZ COVID-19 Resource Center. SRZ has the largest practice globally serving alternative investment managers. Alternative investment management encompasses credit and direct lending funds, hedge funds, private equity and real estate funds, activist investing, CLOs and specialty finance. The Working Group consists of a core group of SRZ partners from several specialties and over 100 lawyers overall. The Working Group coordinates with regulators and trade groups on the latest governmental and regulatory actions, and shares market information in real time about the issues and opportunities fund managers are experiencing. "Our Working Group was incredibly effective during the 2008 global financial crisis," said Marc Elovitz, SRZ co-managing partner. "We were able to empower, in real time, over 100 of our lawyers and our entire client base with good information about how alternative investment managers could handle changes in law and current business challenges." "One of our biggest advantages historically is that our entire firm serves the alternative investment management industry, and we are highly integrated," said SRZ co-managing partner David Efron. "Clients trust us for the depth of our bench and advice that is viewed as market-setting." "Watching the market volatility and economic impact of COVID-19, we are preparing clients now to deal with potential liquidity problems and valuation challenges that seem likely to arise as we approach the end of the month," said David Nissenbaum, co-head of the Investment Management Group. "We have dusted off the playbook." "Equally, we are helping clients accelerate their efforts to take advantage of fundraising opportunities that the credit dislocations and market reset are presenting," said Stephanie Breslow, co-head of the Investment Management Group. "Our clients are incredibly nimble investors, and we have the resources ready to help them move quickly." With a great depth of practice, SRZ advises on the formation and operation of a wide array of funds with varying investment strategies, including hedge funds, private equity funds, credit funds, distressed funds, real estate funds, activist funds and hybrid funds, among others. SRZ is consistently placed in the top tiers in rankings, including in Chambers and The Legal 500. SRZ was named one of the "Asset Management Practice Groups of the Year" by Law360. SRZ lawyers provide advice on U.S. and U.K. law to a wide variety of funds and managers located worldwide. Notably, SRZ is one of only a few law firms with a dedicated regulatory and compliance practice within its private funds practice. The lawyers have specialized expertise on the issues private fund managers face in setting up, running and growing their businesses. Visit the COVID-19 Resource Center. About Schulte Roth Zabel Schulte Roth Zabel LLP (www.srz.com) is a full-service law firm with offices in New York, Washington, DC and London. As one of the leading law firms serving the financial services industry, the firm regularly advises clients on corporate and transactional matters and provides counsel on regulatory, compliance, enforcement and investigative issues. The firm's practices include: antitrust; bank regulatory; bankruptcy creditors' rights litigation; blockchain technology digital assets; broker-dealer regulatory enforcement; business reorganization; complex commercial litigation; cybersecurity data privacy; distressed debt claims trading; distressed investing; education law; employment employee benefits; energy; environmental; finance; financial institutions; hedge funds; individual client services; insurance; intellectual property, sourcing technology; investment management; litigation; litigation finance; mergers acquisitions; PIPEs; private equity; real estate; real estate capital markets REITs; real estate litigation; regulated funds; regulatory compliance; securities capital markets; securities enforcement; securities litigation; securitization; shareholder activism; structured finance derivatives; tax; and white collar defense government investigations. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005785/en/ Contacts: Schulte Roth Zabel LLP Sun Min sun.min@srz.com +1 212.610.7539 Group Gordon Inc. Lana Gersten lgersten@groupgordon.com +1 312.846.1655 Panaji, March 18 : Minutes after Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Wednesday confirmed Goa's first confirmed case of COVID-19, the Minister flip-flopped saying that his ministry was the victim of a mischievous hoax. "It was hoax news. People should not be doing such a hoax. People should not be doing this. Calling the hospital and saying the call is from a notified lab (is wrong). The final report is not yet come. We are waiting for the report," Rane told reporters. "We are trying to locate the number, of the person who tried to create panic in Goa," Rane also said. Minutes earlier, Rane had told reporters that a Norwegian national, with a travel history to Delhi, Agra, Assam and Meghalaya was the first confirmed coronavirus case reported in Goa. Rane had said, that the Norwegian national, who has been suffering from fever and cough, was in the process of being shifted to the isolation ward at the Goa Medical College. "The Norwegian patient reached India on February 6 and then to Delhi, Assam, Agra and Meghalaya before coming to Goa February 20. He had fever with cough from March 10. We will be putting him in isolation ward and all the necessary measures under the guidelines are being taken," Rane told reporters on Wednesday. "Goa government is taking all precautions that is required under the protocol," the Health Minister said. Goa is a renowned beach and nightlife tourism destination and attracts hundreds of thousands of foreign tourists every year. Rane also said, that the state government was mulling a lockdown of its road-borders connecting Maharashtra and Karnataka to prevent tourists from visiting the coastal state. "Parallely, the government is also issuing directives and moved a file for lockdown. Not to allow tourists to enter Goa from neighbouring Maharashtra and Karnataka," Rane said, adding that a lab to test coronavirus samples was being set up in Goa. Currently, COVID-19 samples of suspect coronavirus patients are sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for testing. On Sunday, the Goa government had ordered a partial lockdown of the state's public spaces. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) ANN ARBOR, MI St. Patricks Day is normally a time for college students to take a break, put on their best green outfit and have a drink. This year, however, there was a different feel around the University of Michigan and Michigan State University campuses. The few students who were out on campus at UM on Tuesday showed no signs of celebration. Many were walking around taking pictures in the Diag or in front of the Michigan Union, not knowing what the future holds. For seniors, it wasnt supposed to end like this leaving campus more than a month early due to a fearsome pandemic. They were supposed to graduate May 2, walking across the stage at the Big House to accept their degree. Now, due to concerns over the spread of the new coronavirus, that has been canceled, and students have been told to go home and finish their classes online. University of Michigan cancels spring commencements amid fight against coronavirus spread Lindsay Greenberg, when asked about her reaction to commencement ceremonies being canceled, simply frowned. I am devastated it actually hasnt kicked in, said Greenberg, a communications major from Chicago. Im trying to cope as best I can, but I think Im just in denial. Greenberg and her friend Blake Canowitz were taking their non-graduation photos at the Michigan Union sign. Greenberg said the mood around campus has been dead empty." She said she walked two blocks from the Union to The M-Den to get an outfit for her unofficial senior pictures, and saw just five people. With one coronavirus case on each campus, UM and MSU urge students to go home Greenberg also said she had a bucket list of things to do in Ann Arbor, which included visiting some bars around town. Now that she has to leave early, and with bars ordered by the state to shut down, she wont get to complete her list. The university has said it would look for ways to celebrate 2020 graduates in the future, Canowitz wondered if it would ever be possible to gather all seniors on campus again. Janine Meng, an economics major from Taiwan, was also taking pictures with some of her fellow seniors at the Diag. She said she hopes to stay in the United States, but some of her friends have already booked flights back to Taiwan now that the school is closing. Because everyones leaving, the campus is so empty and sad right now, Meng said. Were graduating. Commencements canceled. Everythings not how they should be, and its really sad to see all of this, like how our college life is ending this way. Sadness and emptiness surrounded local bars, too, which normally would be serving hundreds or even thousands on St. Patricks Day. Ashleys, an Irish pub on State Street, was closed until March 30. The Blue Leprechaun on University Avenue appeared to be completely empty. Traditional Irish pub Conor ONeills on Main Street was offering curbside service from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The quiet even extended to fraternity houses, where St. Patricks Day and approaching graduation would normal bring out the loud music and red Solo cups. Most of the activity along Washtenaw Avenue on Tuesday came from runners and dog walkers. The state has banned gatherings of more than 50 people and health officials have advised against even small social gatherings, urging isolation whenever possible. The Washtenaw County Sheriff has warned of intentions to enforce the ban. Instead of celebrating at bars or fraternity houses and taking a break from classes, students especially seniors are simply trying to finish the year and hope they graduate. Hopefully, (the university) is understanding of the circumstances and maybe will let people come back, but you just never know, Greenberg said. Michigan State University St. Patricks Day celebrations in East Lansing also looked vastly different from the norm Tuesday. There were no lines at the bars and the fraternity houses were mostly quiet. Its crazy to see, junior Chase McManaman said. Its really laid back. McManaman was celebrating the day with his roommates, drinking and playing beer pong outside in a small group. If any one of us gets sick, were all sick anyway, said his roommate Asher Lin, a senior. Across the street, there was a slightly larger party, with friends gathering to celebrate. Were trying to live business as usual, junior Josh Lucas said. Senior Caleb Dushan was sitting on his balcony, listening to an online lecture. He was considering visiting a friend for a small celebration after the online class. Its pretty quiet, he said. His friend, senior Brandon Rothenberg, was sitting on the balcony too. It was a weird St. Patricks Day for him. Theres just a huge damper, he Rothenberg. Its scary. The changes to graduation hadnt sunk in for him yet, he said. Students were expecting to walk across stages from May 1 to 3. He expects the changes to hit him some time in April, as the semester winds down. It feels surreal, he said. MORE CORONAVIRUS NEWS: University of Michigan, Michigan State students petition for credit/no-credit classes University of Michigan giving employees 2 weeks paid time off due to coronavirus concerns Depart for the US immediately; Michigan State University tells all study abroad students to come back to US Ann Arbor agencies aim to continue food-security programs amid coronavirus outbreak Federal courts in eastern Michigan postponing nearly all court hearings amid coronavirus concerns Ann Arbor Film Festival in-person events canceled due to coronavirus concerns Michigan Flyer suspends bus services to Detroit Metro Airport through April 15 Big Ten puts Michigan State football spring practice on hold, Spartans pro day canceled 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. Dubai Investments, a leading, diversified investment company listed on the Dubai Financial Market, has rolled out various initiatives across its head office in the Dubai Investments Park and subsidiary offices to help combat COVID-19. Dubai Investments believes in contributing and playing a meaningful role in supporting this global situation with the COVID- 19 outbreak. As we join efforts to combat this, the health and safety of our employees and customers remains our top priority. The work we do has an impact to people and companies, and were committed to being there when our customers and colleagues need us most. We are assessing and monitoring the situation closely on a weekly basis to ensure that the most ideal preventive measures are implemented to facilitate seamless operations without compromising on the health and the safety aspects," said Khalid Bin Kalban, managing director and CEO, Dubai Investments PJSC. "Our subsidiaries have joined us in this movement and we are trying to implement effective and timely steps supporting the UAE government initiatives," he said. Amongst the preliminary steps initiated by the group includes ensuring the implementation of unified health requirements across all labour camps. As part of the initiative, all workers within the industrial units and construction sites have been regularly monitored to ensure safety and well-being, limiting the spread across the camps. Taking the initiative a step further, Dubai Investments Real Estate Company (DIRC) has dedicated an entire building in Dubai Investments Park to serve as a quarantine facility for workers. Continuing adhering to the government guidelines and ensuring preventive measures for public health and safety, Dubai Investments Park (DIP) has announced rendering of its services remotely through alternate channels. Part of the initiatives cover disinfecting the common areas around the labour accommodations and distribution of awareness posters across the park to mitigate and minimise the impact of the outbreak. Regular educational posters and videos on COVID- 19, travel bans, provision of healthy working conditions form part of the initiatives implemented by Dubai Investments and its subsidiary offices in a bid to contribute efforts towards combatting COVID-19. The initiatives implemented have been extended to serve and support the communities forming part of the companys businesses. In addition to the awareness campaigns implemented, following the UAE government's decision to implement remote working policies, Dubai Investments has committed to the initiative by enabling remote working for a partial workforce. - TradeArabia News Service Google on Wednesday said it has appointed former IBM executive, Karan Bajwa as Managing Director of Google Cloud in India. He will be responsible for driving all revenue and go-to-market operations for Google Cloud's portfolio that includes Google Cloud Platform and G Suite, a statement said. Google Cloud's field sales, partner and customer engineering organisations in India will also report to him, it added. Bajwa will also work towards Google Cloud's engagement with the local developer ecosystem and India-based Global System Integrators (GSIs). Karan is a veteran in the industry with a proven track record of building and growing successful enterprise businesses," Rick Harshman, Managing Director of Google Cloud in Asia Pacific, said. Bajwa's experience will be a tremendous asset to Google Cloud's business, partners and customers as it embarks on this next phase of growth, Harshman added. Some of Google Cloud customers in India include Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Indiamart, Hero Motocorp, ICICI Prudential, L&T Finance, LIC HFL, Manipal Hospitals, OYO Hotels and Homes, Truecaller and Wipro. Earlier this month, the company announced its plans to expand presence in India by launching a cloud region in Delhi, adding to its Mumbai region which was opened in 2017. Bajwa joins Google Cloud from IBM where he served as managing director for India and South Asia. Prior to IBM, he worked with Microsoft for nine years, his last role being the managing director for the company's operations in India. He has also worked with Cisco Systems in India and Singapore. It's normal for expectant parents to worry about how well their baby is developing and growing. But could a newborn's birthweight serve as a red flag for risks to mom's future health, too? A new study, presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session Together with World Congress of Cardiology (ACC.20/WCC), suggests that giving birth to a baby under 5.5 pounds may be an independent risk factor for developing changes in heart function that can lead to heart failure, a condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood and oxygen to meet the body's needs. Recent data suggest adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preeclampsia, high blood pressure during pregnancy, pre-term birth (<37 weeks) and low birth rate, are on the rise. In fact, 1 out of every 3 women in this study reported one of these issues. Echocardiograms--a test showing pictures of the heart and how well it is pumping--in these women were more likely to show abnormal changes in the heart compared with women who did not experience complications. These changes often represent early signs of heart failure risk. Researchers said their findings are the first to examine early changes in heart function prior to a woman developing symptomatic heart failure and should raise concerns about the cardiovascular impact of adverse pregnancy complications. There is emerging evidence that what happens during pregnancy may be a window into a woman's future cardiovascular health, but there are still important knowledge gaps about the early trajectory following pregnancy complications and structural changes that happen before someone has an event, which may ultimately help us to identify targets for prevention. At 30 years of follow up, the women who had an adverse pregnancy outcome in our study had a lower absolute global longitudinal strain on their echocardiograms, which is an early marker of increased risk for heart failure. Clearly, the risk for heart disease doesn't go away when pregnancy ends, and these complications are a critical piece of a woman's past medical history that is not always routinely reported or asked about." Priya Mehta, MD, cardiology fellow at Northwestern University in Chicago and the study's lead author The study included 936 women from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study, a national, longitudinal cohort study that has followed people from a young age to examine the development of, and risk factors for, cardiovascular disease. Mehta said that, unlike previous studies that focused on a first or specific pregnancy, their study included women who had been followed for three decades after recruitment in 1985-86 and, therefore, was able to capture the woman's entire reproductive life course. Participants were 24 years old, on average, at the start of the study, and about half were black. Women who already had diabetes, high blood pressure or heart failure were excluded. Researchers collected and analyzed the number of pregnancies, pregnancy complications (preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, pre-term birth of <37 weeks gestation and birthweight <5.5 pounds), cardiovascular risk factors and findings on their echocardiogram at a 30-year follow-up. Mehta and the team looked specifically at changes in global longitudinal strain, which is a well-validated marker of the heart not pumping well and can predispose someone to heart failure. Of the women in the study, 330 (35%) reported at least one adverse pregnancy outcome over an average of two births during the study period. At their 30-year follow-up, women who had experienced an adverse pregnancy outcome had a nearly 1% lower (worse) absolute global longitudinal strain--a magnitude of difference that has been shown in other studies to be associated with an increased risk for incident heart failure. After adjusting for other known risk factors for heart disease, only low birthweight remained significantly associated with echocardiogram changes suggestive of increased risk for heart failure. For women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (preeclampsia or gestational hypertension) or pre-term birth, the risk for heart failure seemed to be explained, in part, by higher rates of high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity that developed in these women. Although more research is needed, Mehta said the findings underscore the need to be more intensive about managing the cardiovascular risks seen with these adverse pregnancy outcomes. "Women who experience adverse pregnancy outcomes have more risk factors for heart disease at younger ages and, ultimately, have a higher rate of [early] heart disease," Mehta said. "Even though pregnancy complications have been included in some cardiovascular disease prevention recommendations and are named as a risk enhancer in the ACC/AHA primary prevention guideline, there needs to be more intensive surveillance and screening. We are missing women at high cardiovascular risk if we don't make it routine practice to take adverse pregnancy outcomes into account when we inquire about patients' cardiovascular history." The other challenge, she said, is that clinicians must try to engage women at a time when they are focusing their energy on motherhood and their newborn, rather than remembering to prioritize self-care. This study is limited by its reliance on self-reported information about pregnancy history; future studies should validate with medical records and determine whether an echocardiogram could help identify women who need strategies to lower heart risks. Mehta plans to extend this research by exploring the mechanisms that lead to these women developing heart disease in order to identify strategies for prevention before, during and after pregnancy. Her future research will be supported through the ACC/Merck Research Fellowship Award, as one of two national recipients starting in July 2020. European Union leaders have agreed to close borders for 30 days except for essential travel. The ban aims to stop the spread of coronavirus, but also to combat the unilateral "every country for itself" attitude adopted by some member states. "The enemy is the virus and now we have to do our utmost to protect our people and to protect our economies," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Tuesday after a video conference summit. The travel restrictions, which were approved by European leaders on Tuesday within an hour, will be put in place for an initial period of 30 days and could be prolonged. Under the plan, visitors from non-EU states will not be allowed to enter the region unless they are long-term residents of the EU, family members of EU nationals, diplomats, cross-border commuters, or essential workers like doctors, nurses, and researchers, von der Leyen added. Companies transporting goods to the European Union will also be exempt from restrictions, as well as UK citizens who are still currently aligned to the single market until their exit on 31 January. Schengen in tatters The EU restrictions come after several member states have already taken matters into their own hands, unilaterally shutting out foreign nationals or partially closing their borders. The latest to do so was the EU's biggest state and founder-member Germany on Monday. Those decisions have left Schengen, a pillar of European free movement for 35 years, in tatters. "Our measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak will be effective only if we co-ordinate on the European level," von der Leyen insisted after talks Monday with leaders including France's Emmanuel Macron calling for a more coordinated response. The new measures were announced shortly after the French president said the country was "at war" against the pandemic, announcing further restrictions on family and social gatherings. France is not the only country imposing drastic measures to slow the spread of the disease, Italy, Spain, Austria, Republic of Ireland and Denmark are all on varying degrees of lockdown. FRANKFORT -- Craig and Elizabeth Jackson, of Frankfort, received their BaccaLOOPerate degree from America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association (AGLCA). The degree is given in recognition of completing one of the world's most unique adventures, America's Great Loop. Boaters doing the Great Loop are on a 6,000-mile journey that circumnavigates the eastern part of the U.S. and Canada, cruising up the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, through the New York State Canals, into the Great Lakes, down the inland river system, across the Gulf of Mexico, and around the southern tip of Florida. The couple completed the Great Loop aboard their 42-foot Grand Banks power boat, Contentment. In addition to facing the challenges inherent to long-distance cruising, the couple enjoyed unparalleled views of the U.S. and Canada from the distinct vantage point of the water's edge. "We are very proud to be flying our gold AGLCA burgee," Elizabeth said. "It took us 270 days to travel a total of 6,325 miles. We traveled through 20 states, two countries, and over 100 locks. We went through about 1,600 quarters doing laundry, approximately 3,000 gallons of diesel, accrued 760 engine hours, and met too many wonderful people to count. It was a day by day adventure, and we had to keep in mind daily a quote we saw on a sign at one of our loop stops that read 'Don't look back, you are not going that way.'" The Jacksons, who live at The Bluffs during the summer months, finished the trip on Valentine's day, which also happens to be their 28th wedding anniversary. They plan to dock at Hilton Head in South Carolina, where they will stay until returning to Frankfort in April. The Jacksons started the first leg of their trip in January 2017, withe their two dogs. They stopped in Hilton Head and spend over a year educating themselves and preparing for the next 6,000 miles of the trip. They left Hilton Head in April 2018. "Our travels on this leg took us up the East Coast via the Intracoastal Waterway and the Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay (took side-trip up the Potomac River to D.C.) onto Hudson River (cruising by the Statue of Liberty was a major highlight)," Elizabeth said. "We then went through Erie Canal (lots and lots of locks to go through) Lake Ontario (Canada) and the Trent-Severn Waterway(Canada). A highlight of Trent-Severn was going over The Big Chute Marine Railway, where we actually were lifted up and over a road while on the boat via a platform on rails." The also traveled through Georgian Bay,(Canada) Lake Huron, Straits of Mackinac and Lake Michigan where they stopped in Frankfort on July 12, 2018. "We were going to pick up and continue the rest of loop come September, but when it rolled around neither of us were quite ready, so spent a whole year in Frankfort," Elizabeth said. The Jacksons started the third and final leg of their loop from Frankfort in August. "We enjoyed stops at Pentwater, Grand Haven and South Haven on the way to Chicago," Elizabeth said. "Having grown up near Chicago, seeing the skyline from the water was quite a thrill. Cruising on our boat through downtown Chicago was quite an experience. We traveled down the Illinois River, Ohio River, Mississippi River, Tennessee River, Tombigbee River, Black Warrior River to Mobile, Alabama." The Jacksons then took the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway to Apalachicola, Florida, where they had to cross the Gulf of Mexico. "It was a 13 hour trip in very rough seas, five to six foot waves, during the trip to Steinhatchee, Florida," said Elizabeth. "I had opted out of the Gulf crossing (blamed it on the dogs), so my husband, Craig and his brother took on the adventure." Once across the Gulf, the Jacksons enjoyed the "Old Florida" feel of Steinhatchee, Tarpon Springs, Florida. They then traveled on Lake Okeechobee to cross over to the east side of Florida, where they spent time at Stuart and Vero Beach, Florida, before finally "crossing their wake" and completing their journey of a lifetime in Melbourne, Florida. "We met incredibly helpful and nice people along the way. There were definitely some challenges. I heard several times that 'looping ain't for sissies,' but it was worth every minute. My husband and I really learned the meaning of teamwork," said Elizabeth. Approximately 150 boats complete the Great Loop each year, making it a feat more unique than swimming the English Channel or Climbing Mount Everest. Throughout this trip of a lifetime, they relied on America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association to provide them with information and assistance vital to the successful completion of their journey. For more information on America's Great Loop, contact America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association, 500 Oakbrook Lane, Summerville, South Carolina, 29485, 877-GR8- LOOP (478-5667), www.GreatLoop.org., email info@greatloop.org Naples, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2020) - ZA Group, Inc. (OTC Pink: ZAAG) ("ZAAG" or the "Company"), an emerging holding company, releases details of it's Airportinformation.com internet technology platform. President Of ZA Group, John Morgan said, "AirportInformation.com is a unique platform that has a backend similar to other social media sites such as Facebook in that Airport managers or Airlines can go on the portal, log in and post new, information, jobs, notifications, pictures and videos and disseminate information to the masses quickly. This will help them post Jobs for the increased security, screening and sterilizing efforts of airports and airplanes in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak. Travelers or job seekers can then go online and View the information that is already there as well as see the information posted by individual airports as well as airport delays or closures as indicated by the airports due to any number of reasons including viruses and outbreaks such as the Corona Virus and Covid19. At this time, the service will be free to use and the company plans to make money off of advertising in the near future as traffic continues to drive to the website. ." About ZAAG ZA Group, Inc. is an emerging holding company, targeting the acquisition of undervalued, niche web based, internet, companies and technologies with high growth potential. ZAAG also owns the award-winning restaurant, Zen Asian BBQ ( https://www.eatatzen.com/ ), located in a Naples, Florida. ZAAG online internet technology platforms consists of www.coronaforecast.com, www.airportinformation.com, www.airlineinformation.com, www.etajobs.com, www.optional.tv and www.holysafari.com (coming soon). Contact: ZA Group, Inc. 10823 Tamiami Trail N Naples, FL 34108 Email: jm850fl@gmail.com Twitter: @ZAGroup_ SAFE HARBOR ACT: Forward-Looking Statements are included within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategy, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, including words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements and involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53542 When fellow playwright Ben Jonson called Shakespeare not for an age, but for all time, he was right. But only up to a point. Shakespeare has been a cultural and theatrical constant for four centuries, but different plays have waxed and waned in popularity. When Charles II was restored to the English throne, Nahum Tate rewrote King Lear to echo this new politics. The Victorians loved Cymbeline because its moral, resourceful heroine Imogen as performed by Ellen Terry seemed a perfect form of womanhood. We didnt know what to do with a play about a cynical and unwinnable conflict which no-one really understood, until the Vietnam War, when Troilus and Cressida found its voice. Here are the plays that speak to the early 21st century (and hardly a plague in sight). 1. Twelfth Night Twelfth Nights jaunty subtitle What you will is the keynote for its wry acceptance of human desires. It capitalised on the Renaissance frisson of male actors in female roles, turning it back on itself by depicting a female character who spends most of the play as a man. Its long been seen as a play that flirts with same-sex passions, and changing stage depictions of the erotically charged scenes between Orsino and Cesario, or Olivia and Viola, or Antonio and Sebastian, have charted changing societal attitudes to sexuality. For the 21st century, though, the focus is slightly different. Time to say goodbye to the old idea of a cross-dressed heroine, and, instead, to stop dead-naming Viola, to accept their (yes, their) chosen self-identity of Cesario, and to stop patronisingly assuming that Orsino is somehow confused about who hes coupled with at the end of the play. 2. Othello If Hamlets existential intellectual hero made him the poster-child for Victorian ideas of the tragic hero, and the unflinching cruelty of Passchendaele and Hiroshima made King Lear seem a parable for the sufferings of the 20th century, then the tragedy for the globalised 21st century must surely be Othello. As the plays location moves eastwards from Christian Venice to the more (and still) contested territory of Cyprus, its deep concern with forms of belonging and alienation are revealed. We used to understand the identity of Shakespeares Moor as primarily racial, but the word actually signalled to early modern audiences a religious category Muslim. Now that religious wars, discrimination and genocide reorganise the globe on sectarian grounds, this play strikes a bitter chord. As his final speech acknowledges, Othello is both Christian and Turk, both the defender of Venice and the enemy within. The tragedy is that his composite identity is seen as impossible and unsustainable in the world of the play. 3. Measure for Measure When Measure for Measure was dubbed one of Shakespeares problem plays, it wasnt entirely a compliment. But, like the taste for salted caramel, we now prefer our comedies less sickly sweet, with an unresolved edge. Perfect for the unhappily-ever-after mood, Measure for Measure gives a jaundiced view of sex, human commodification, and power. It speaks to #MeToo, but is not entirely on-message: Shakespeare writes the encounters between the hypocritical politician Angelo and the novice nun Isabella with an intensity and shared intelligence that is deeply troubling. She does not in any way welcome his sexual proposition, but their fraught interviews stand in for all the plays off-stage courtships, pillow-talk, and flirtation. No one else in the play troubles to engage Isabellas spiky, astute mind, even as that is, for Angelo, only a route to her body. Measure for Measure is a Shakespearean comedy for grown-ups. Paul Ready and Romola Garai performing in Measure for Measure at the Young Vic in 2015 (Keith Pattison) 4. King John This brilliantly sardonic and decentred history play shows us a country without proper leadership. Forget all that once-more-unto-the-breach heroism; forget the divine right of kings; forget Shakespeares poetry of feudalism this is a play about would-be Machiavels, contested sovereignty and a political assassination that is, really, a medieval clusterf***. We dont get as elsewhere the rightful king and the challenger, but something much messier. Its no accident that the central character is called Bastard a figure for triumphant personal and political illegitimacy. Ironic, unconvinced, at an oblique angle to the hopeless machinations of the politicians and merciless in stripping away their rhetorical self-justifications, the Bastard is this plays compromised hero. His final lines, often quoted out of context, echo with this caustic insight: Naught shall make us rue, If England to itself do rest but true. 5. Pericles Pericles is a dramatic gazetteer studded with place names Tyre, Pentapolis, Ephesus, Mytilene. To earlier generations with different preoccupations, this itinerary recalled the travels of St Paul and the locations of his New Testament correspondents. But for the 21st century, this dangerous criss-crossing of the Mediterranean recalls the desperate migrant passage from the Arab-speaking world to southern Europe, with Greece and Sicily as particular hotspots. Pericles voyaging is at once geographical and psychological: encountering a complex world, dealing with grief and loss, he is in flight from himself. Only reunion with his family can centre him and re-establish home as an emotional, rather than a spatial, location. The fairytale ending doesnt take away the real insights about human selfishness, fear, and the persistence of hope that structure Pericles maritime equivalent of a road movie. (And yes, there is a plague, but it only kills bad people.) This Is Shakespeare How to Read the Worlds Greatest Playwright is out on hardback now, and on paperback on 2 April A staff member at Clark University in Worcester has tested positive for coronavirus, the school confirmed on Wednesday. The university said the city health department has identified all close contacts of the staff member, and notified them, with the necessary quarantine instructions, according to the Telegram and Gazette. The university told the newspaper none of the close contacts are students. The city of Worcester has three confirmed cases of coronavirus, city officials announced Tuesday night. City Manager Ed Augustus Jr. also said at least two people have tested positive for the virus who work in Worcester but live elsewhere. Clark University canceled classes through March 22 last week. On March 23, classes are expected to resume but through online services and distance-learning formats. All Massachusetts K-12 schools are closed until April 6. Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts Related Content: 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 U.S. 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 semiautonomous territories of Hong Kong and Macao, the foreign ministry said. 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. 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 include the official Xinhua News Agency and China Global Television Network. Ken Moritsugu is an Associated Press writer. Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx won a sweeping victory in yesterday's Democratic primary. As of early this morning, with most precincts in, she had over 50 per cent of the vote, defeating a slew of challengers, including former prosecutor Bill Conway (who spent millions of dollars to get beaten by almost 20 points). In overwhelmingly Democratic Cook County, that means Foxx is just about assured of defeating her Republican rival in the general election and serving a second term. Her win sends a strong signal to all prosecutors and politicians that progressive criminal justice policies are practical and popular. The conventional wisdom that you can't lose running to the right on criminal justice issues has been decisively refuted. Foxx first ran for office in 2016 on a criminal justice reform platform. Her rival, Anita Alvarez, had made herself hugely unpopular by dragging her heels in the prosecution of police officer Jason Van Dyke. Dyke shot 17-year-old African-American Laquan MacDonald 16 times, nine of them in the back, and some as he lay on the ground. The shooting was captured on video, and the backlash swept Foxx into office with a mandate to address police brutality and the toll of harsh law enforcement policies on black and brown communities in the county. Foxx has taken that mandate seriously. She declined to prosecute thousands of cases of shoplifting and low-level drug offenses which would have been pursued by her predecessor, according to the Marshall Project. She's also embraced bail reform, recommending that people arrested for non-violent crimes simply be released pre-trial without bail. She expunged more than 1,000 cannabis convictions following the states legalization of marijuana. And she's appointed special prosecutors to investigate police misconduct, rather than relying on attorneys in her office who work regularly with police. All of Foxx's good work, though, has been overshadowed in the national media by her handling of one case. In early 2019, Jussie Smollett claimed he was attacked in Chicago by MAGA hat-wearing assailants who insulted him with racist and homophobic slurs. After investigation, police believed Smollett had arranged the attack himself, and they charged him with filing a false police report. Foxx's office, however, dropped the charges, saying they had made a deal with Smollett to perform community service and forfeit his bond. Joe Magats, Foxx's top deputy, said that the decision was in line with the office's decision to prioritize violent crime and to dismiss cases where the perpetrator was not a threat to public safety. (Smollett denied he had made a deal with the office.) Foxx's primary challengers accused her of giving Smollett special treatment. A Cook County judge named a special prosecutor to look into Foxx's office, and to reevaluate the charges against Smollett; a grand jury indicted him in February. Going by conventional wisdom on criminal justice in politics, the Smollett case should have been the end of Foxx's career. Politicians and DAs have long been terrified that progressive criminal justice policies will leave them vulnerable if someone under their jurisdiction commits a high profile crime. In 1988, George H W Bush ran an ad accusing Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis of allowing a man named Willie Horton to commit murder and rape while out of prison on a weekend release program. The Horton ad was widely credited with Dukakis' defeat, and helped create a bipartisan consensus around tough-on-crime policies which lasted for decades. The Horton ad played on racist fears of black criminal violence. The Smollett case backlash was arguably fueled in part by similar racist fears and anger. To some on the right, Smollett's allegedly staged hate crime showed that all accusations of racism against Trump were false. A black attorney dismissing charges against Smollett could be framed as an attack on, or betrayal of, white people, and a sign that more tough-on-crime policies were necessary to punish black criminals like Smollett. But those arguments didn't work in Cook County. Instead, the city's electorate voted overwhelmingly against fear, and overwhelmingly in favor of a continuation of Foxx's progressive stands. Politicians are not a courageous lot. They are typically worried about reelection. If they think that criminal justice reform policies will make them vulnerable, they won't pursue criminal justice reform. But in defeating Alvarez, Foxx showed that tough-on-crime policies have a huge downside. Alvarez's refusal to address police violence lost her a safe seat. More, in winning reelection, Foxx showed that voters will not turn on a prosecutor the moment she fails to seek the harshest possible penalties in a high-profile case. Tough-on-crime policies remain popular in many jurisdictions; change continues to be slow and difficult. But Foxx's victory lets politicians know that reform can be politically popular. You can make a career by committing to policing less. Hopefully, following Foxx's example, more prosecutors will. 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 daughter's birthday party. The ex-Marine's attorneys had asked for most or part of his sentence be spent in home confinement, citing his military service fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, and his nearly six terms in Congress. Hunter, 43, resigned from Congress in January after representing one of Southern California's 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 Tuesday's sentencing submitted 87 pages to the judge that showed a corrupt congressman who intentionally and repeatedly stole from his campaign funds for a decade. 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 wife's 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. Each faced up to five years in prison. His wife, not present Tuesday, is scheduled to be sentenced April 7. The norms will act for three months after the publication of the law The official parliamentary newspaper Holos Ukrayiny has published the law, aiming for the prevention of coronavirus spread. The law provides the administrative responsibility for the violation of the quarantine rule in the form of the fines in the sum from 17,000 up to 34,000 hryvnia ($637-1,274) and for officials in the sum of 34-170,000 hryvnia ($1,274-6,373). The violation of the health standards and rules on the prevention of the infections diseases will be punished by the fines in the sum from 17,000 up to 51,000 hryvnia ($637-1,912) or arrest up to six months/ restriction of liberty or arrest up to three years/ restriction of liberty. If such actions lead to the death of a person or other serious consequences, the guilty will face from five up to eight years of the arrest. The law provides the population with the possibility to work remotely in terms of the quarantine or go on vacation. The document provides additional allowances for the medical staff and other employees who work on the liquidation of the coronavirus epidemic. Moreover, the law provides the operational procurement of goods, work and services necessary for the liquidation and non-admission of the coronavirus epidemic through the negotiation procedure shortened up to one day. It is banned to stop the provision of the housing services to the Ukrainians in the case of their non-payment and hold forcible expulsion from the accommodation during the quarantine and 30 days after its end. The norms will act for three months after the publication of the law. As we reported, 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. Reed Hastings, co-founder and CEO of Netflix, attends a meeting with France's President Emmanuel Macron during the "Choose France" summit, at the Chateau de Versailles, outside Paris, France, January 20, 2020. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings spoke with EU Internal Market and Services Commissioner Thierry Breton by phone to discuss how to keep the internet running smoothly as the coronavirus pandemic forces more daily activities to move online. Breton disclosed the conversation in a tweet Wednesday, suggesting users "#SwitchToStandard definition when HD is not necessary." Tweet As attempts to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus shuts down more and more cities and move work online, a speedy internet connection feels more precious than ever. A Commission official told Politico that Breton and Hastings discussed ways to prevent internet congestion, such as creating a temporary feature that would automatically switch users to standard definition streaming during high traffic hours. Breton and Hastings will speak again in the coming days, according to Politico. "Streaming platforms, telecom operators and users, we all have a joint responsibility to take steps to ensure the smooth functioning of the internet during the battle against the virus propagation," Breton said in a statement to Politico. Representatives for Breton and Netflix did not immediately respond to CNBC's requests for comment. In the U.S., telecommunications companies and the Federal Communications Commission have taken steps to try to secure internet service and keep consumers from paying high costs during the crisis. Several companies, including the four major telecom services, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint, took the FCC's "Keep Americans Connected Pledge." These companies have agreed that for 60 days from last Friday, they will not to end service for individual or small business customers who aren't able to pay due to the coronavirus, they will waive late fees incurred because of the pandemic and open Wi-Fi hotspots to Americans in need. WATCH: Here's why Netflix's stock may not be 'coronavirus-proof' Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang's Regular Press Conference on March 18, 2020 2020/03/19 According to the latest figures from the NHC this morning, March 17 saw 922 patients cured and discharged from hospital in China's mainland, bringing the tally to 69,601. On the night of March 19 Beijing time, China will hold a video conference with government officials and health specialists from over 10 European countries to share information and experience on COVID-19. we will release more information in due course. Since the outbreak, European countries and regional organizations have lent strong support and assistance to China. Now as the situation is getting more severe in Europe, with the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, China will share its experience and provide its utmost assistance for those European countries in need. Q: As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads all over the world, many countries have requested help from China. Can you share any information on China's medical assistance to other countries? Any specific numbers or categories, perhaps? A: The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly spread to multiple countries. While making all-out efforts to combat it at home, China is actively engaging in international cooperation and providing as much help as possible to other countries and international organizations. This is how we fulfill our international responsibilities and consolidate earlier medical progress. As I know, the Chinese government has delivered medical supplies to Pakistan, Laos, Thailand, Iran, the ROK, Japan and the African Union, donated $20 million to the WHO, and announced assistance to be delivered to dozens of countries including Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Serbia, the EU, Cambodia, the Philippines, Egypt, South Africa, Iraq, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Cuba and Chile. We also support countries' procurement of medical supplies made in China. Our local governments, enterprises and civil institutions also made donations to other countries. Besides, China is sharing our medical know-how with the world by sending healthcare professionals to Iran, Iraq, Italy and other countries, and holding video conferences with other countries and international organizations. "You throw a peach to me, and I give you a white jade for friendship." It is China's traditional virtue to repay goodwill with greater kindness. We will never forget the political support from the international community during our hardest times, as well as the medical supplies we received from 79 countries and 10 international organizations. We will strengthen cooperation with other countries in response to the COVID-19 challenge and together build a community with a shared future for mankind. Q: China announced restrictive measures on several US media agencies in China in response to US oppression against Chinese media outlets in the US. I wonder on what basis did China choose these media agencies? And how do you view the impact of such tit-for-tat restrictions on China-US relations? A: We are compelled to take these countermeasures because the unwarranted political oppression the US-based Chinese media have suffered necessitates them. We are not the reason and the responsible party for the current situation. If any US media agency has any problems with it, they should raise them to the US government. As for how China-US relations will be affected, I want to briefly tell you that more than 40 years have passed since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the US. Both sides have benefited immensely from the thriving interactions and cooperation in people-to-people exchange and cultural sectors. The truth is that the Chinese media has for so many years played a significant role in helping the Chinese people understand the US better and in nurturing a friendly feeling towards the US. We urge the US to drop its ideological bias, let go of the Cold War mentality and zero-sum game mindset, and do something to improve mutual trust and cooperation between the two sides. We do not wish to make trouble, but if trouble comes, we won't shy away. China urges the US to immediately stop its oppression on Chinese media. Otherwise, the US has more to lose. Q: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said yesterday that the media agencies they identified as foreign missions a few weeks back were part of Chinese propaganda outlets. These aren't apples to apples, because the US media China's countermeasures target are those criticized by US government and president and they're not part of US government agencies. So I wonder in what sense are these countermeasures taken by China reciprocal? Since China accuses the US of unwarranted restrictions, then on what ground does China target these specific media agencies? A: I need to stress that China is committed to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. It is the same when it comes to the media sector. Chinese media stick to the Constitution and laws when carrying out their work. Chinese media working in the US also honor the US laws and abide by the ethics of journalism. The US should not judge other countries' media according to their own standards and preferences based on ideological prejudice, let alone oppress Chinese media for unfounded reasons. Some US media, despite their misdeeds, have been backed up and emboldened by the US government. If we follow the logic of those in the US, then can we assume that these US media are actually working for the US government? What are their connection with the US government and interest groups? Q: In the statement it issued today China demands that journalists working with the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post hand back their press cards within ten calendar days. Does that mean they have to leave China's territory in ten days? A: We ask them to notify the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within four days and hand back their press cards within ten days. As for when they will leave the country, we are dealing with it following Regulations of the People's Republic of China on News Coverage by Permanent Offices of Foreign Media Organizations and Foreign Journalists (Decree 537 of the State Council) and relevant Chinese laws and regulations on border entry and exit. We also take into consideration the situation on the ground, including the COVID-19 epidemic. By contrast, the US asked 60 Chinese journalists to leave by March 13. We talked to the US many times for some flexibility and a grace period considering the epidemic and the fact that it was very hard to book airline tickets at that time. However, no leeway or flexibility was given. But China will be more reasonable and will handle their exit in a more humane way. Q: Why is it specially noted that relevant journalists will not be allowed to continue working as journalists in China's Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions? Is it against the "one country, two systems" principle? If they do their job in these regions, will the central government demand the government of the Hong Kong and Macao SAR to take measures against them? Will they be deported? A: In taking these countermeasures against the US, the Central Government is exercising its diplomatic authority in accordance with the "one country, two systems" principle and the Basic Law. This is a professional, authoritative answer. Q: When up to the ten-day period the journalists hand back their press cards, how long do they then have to leave the country? Can they hang around in China for the rest of the year, work in a cafe or something? A: I'm afraid they cannot. Like I just said to CNN, we are following Regulations of the People's Republic of China on News Coverage by Permanent Offices of Foreign Media Organizations and Foreign Journalists (Decree 537 of the State Council), and relevant Chinese laws and regulations on border entry and exit. We also take into consideration the situation on the ground, especially the unfolding epidemic. Q: Utah State Legislature passed a concurrent resolution, celebrating friendly ties with China and expressing the legislature and governor's support to the Chinese people and their efforts to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. Do you have any comment? A: We commend this resolution passed by Utah Senate and House of Representatives in support of Chinese people's fight against COVID-19. You may have watched the online video of elementary school students in Utah singing to cheer on China and Wuhan, which is widely applauded. All this is a touching display of friendship cherished by the Utah people towards the Chinese people. Since the epidemic broke out, US states and cities including California, Indiana, Nebraska, Massachusetts, Maryland, Utah, Connecticut, Oklahoma, Georgia, Hawaii, New York, Boston, Los Angeles have expressed sympathies and support for Chinese provinces and cities. American businesses, institutions and people have also donated money and supplies to China. Now as the pandemic is spreading in the US, in the same vein, Chinese businesses and civil societies are also supporting American people's epidemic response. Pandemic respects no borders and calls for a concerted response. We will continue to work with the international community, including the United States, to strengthen communication and cooperation and jointly address the challenges with all-out efforts to safeguard global public health security. Q: Can you tell us how many American journalists will be affected by China's countermeasures? How many are there in China altogether and how many Chinese nationals have a journalist work permit in the US? A: Today I am not here to talk about such details as who and how many. I am here to talk about principle. I must stress that we are compelled to take these countermeasures in response to the unreasonable oppression the Chinese media organizations have experienced in the US. They are legitimate and justified self-defense in every sense. This is a matter of principle. Q: Does the timing of this have anything at all to do with President Trump's comments about the "Chinese Virus"? A: Please read our statement again. As I said, these measures are necessary countermeasures against the political oppression and unwarranted restrictions by the US side on the US-based Chinese media. Q: Last night, President Trump referred to the coronavirus as the "Chinese Virus". He said it was in direct response to China saying about US military personnel spreading the virus to Wuhan. Do you have anything to say to that? A: I stated China's position very clearly yesterday. We firmly oppose the US deliberately linking the coronavirus with China, which is an act of stigmatization. Like we said repeatedly, the origin of the coronavirus is a matter of science that requires professional, science-based assessment. The WHO and the international community oppose stigmatizing linkage between the virus and specific countries and regions. We urge the US to respect facts and the fair judgment of the international community, correct its mistake and stop its slanders against China at once. As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads all over the world, it is urgent for countries to cooperate. Shifting the blame to China will not help combat the epidemic in the US. The US should get its domestic issues handled first. In the meantime, we hope it will make constructive efforts in international cooperation to safeguard global public health security. Q: COVID-19 has spread to more than 160 countries and regions. The number of confirmed cases worldwide has surpassed 180,000. All 27 members of the EU have succumbed to it. More than 20 African countries have seen confirmed cases. The situation is really very dire around the world. In your view, how should we cope with the challenge that this pandemic is now posing to the global public health security? A: COVID-19 is spreading at such a fast speed that the situation now is alarming. It is no longer the battle of one country or one city. It is now a battle for all with global public health security, mankind's health and well-being and world development and prosperity at stake. There is simply no second to be wasted any more. The urgency of the matter impels the international community to take up responsibility, jump into action, forge strong lines of defense, and fight together to protect global and regional public health security. First, we need to follow the concept of building a community of a shared future for mankind. Healthy lives for all is a common aspiration, which should also be an important part of the collective efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind. A global public health crisis reveals more than anything that our future is intertwined and interdependent, and global cooperation against this pandemic has demonstrated vividly that the human society is making the right choice by building a community of a shared future for mankind to cope with this crisis. Faced with global threats such as a communicable disease, ensuring the health of people in one country is in itself a contribution to global public health security, and helping others is in a way helping yourself. All countries should choose solidarity, reason and action over disagreement, prejudice and procrastination, and work together to tide over the tough times. Second, we need to implement the health-related goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In translating these commitments into practical actions and thus achieving these health targets, governments have the primary responsibility. They should work on strengthening the prevention and treatment of major communicable diseases, ensuring fair and accessible health care services, and realizing health coverage for all. Meanwhile, the international community should help prop up those countries with severe infections or fragile health systems, developing countries in particular, and plug the loopholes in the regional public health security networks, thus making the global networks stronger and more secure. Developed countries should lead such actions and make concrete contributions in this regard. Third, we need to strengthen global public health governance. The COVID-19 outbreak has laid bare inadequacies in the global public health governance and highlighted the urgency to buttress the system. We support the core role of the UN and WHO in responding to public health emergencies and in improving global public health governance mechanism and putting public health issues at a more prominent place on the international agenda. We call on the international community to work together to build a global prevention and control system to ensure public health security, improve epidemic monitoring, early warning, information sharing and emergency responding mechanisms, implement major international health projects, and make positive efforts to build a health Silk Road. We hope this pandemic can bring us greater solidarity, trust, international health cooperation and better global governance in the public health sector. China will continue to cooperate with the international community and contribute the Chinese wisdom and strength to better addressing global challenges and promoting the health and well-being of all mankind. Q: By asking the five American media agencies to declare in written form the information about their staff, finance, operation and real estate in China, do you mean that the Chinese government treats the five media agencies as foreign missions? A: I believe I made my point clear that our measures, including asking the five media agencies to declare information, are necessary countermeasures in response to the US listing five Chinese media agencies as "foreign missions" and unreasonable oppression on Chinese media agencies in the US. Follow-up: So you mean they are treated as foreign missions, right? A: Like I said, these are countermeasures in response to the US unreasonable oppression on Chinese media agencies in the US. According to our demand, they should declare the information to the Chinese side. I believe we made it clear in the statement. Q: Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on May 16 that his country had sent a military jet to carry back COVID-19 test kits they purchased from China. Can you confirm that? A: China follows closely the situation of COVID-19 in the Czech Republic and relates to the difficulties faced by the Czech government and people. At the critical moment when China was challenged by the epidemic, President Milos Zeman called on the Czech people to donate money and supplies, and the Czech government specially sent emergency medical supplies to China by military plane. When the Czech people are facing difficulties, China also provides our utmost assistance and support. With the full support of the Chinese foreign ministry and other departments, the Czech military aircraft loaded with testing kits left China for the Czech Republic last night. China is ready to further strengthen communication and cooperation with the Czech side, work together to combat the epidemic in the next stage and safeguard public health security of the two countries and the world at large. Q: With regard to China's countermeasures, does that affect the journalists working in Taiwan? A: The details are all there in our statement. You may read it more carefully. Q: If the US is going to take further actions, is China also prepared to take more countermeasures? A: Our position is very clear. We urge the US to immediately change course, correct its mistake, and stop its political oppression and arbitrary restrictions on Chinese media organizations. Should the US choose to go further down the wrong path, it could expect more countermeasures from China. The US side said all options are on the table. Well, today I'd like to tell them that all options are on our table, too. Q: Alibaba and other Chinese companies are sending assistance to the US. Under current circumstances, do you think it is still a good idea for Chinese companies to help the US in fighting the virus? A: You may have noticed that Mr. Jack Ma has posted information of assistance to the US on his social media account. Like we said repeatedly, virus knows no borders. After COVID-19 broke out, many American companies, civil groups and people made donations to China, for which we thank them. Now as the disease spreads, Chinese local governments and civil institutions are helping the US, too. Faced with the pandemic, it is important for China, the US and the international community to make collective response and safeguard global public health security as well as the interests and wellbeing of all. Q: The Chinese side recently suggested the virus was brought to China by the US military. Is there research or more evidence for that statement? A: This question has been asked too frequently. My brief answer: the origin of the coronavirus is a matter of science that requires professional, science-based assessment. We firmly oppose certain high-level US officials and congress members using it to smear China and the epidemic prevention efforts and progress made by the Chinese government and people. Q: You said the journalists "expelled" will not be allowed to work in Hong Kong because it's a part of foreign policy. Would this also be the case for journalists currently working in Hong Kong or future journalists who want to work in Hong Kong? Would that also be decided by the foreign ministry in Beijing? A: These journalists' work is affected because of our necessary countermeasures, which China is compelled to take in response to the unreasonable oppression the Chinese media organizations have experienced in the US. The countermeasures are within the central government's diplomatic authority in accordance with the "one country, two systems" principle and the Basic Law. The explanation is applicable to the countermeasures we take this time. Follow-up: Does that affect foreign journalists working in Hong Kong now? A: As I said, it only affects journalists working in those media agencies involved in our countermeasures. Q: Article 35 of the Constitution of the PRC guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of the press. If journalists' press credentials are being revoked because of actions of their government, is their press freedom still guaranteed? A: Freedom of speech is fully guaranteed by our Constitution. As a journalist stationed in our country, I think you are well aware if journalists enjoy such freedom here. If foreign media and journalists do not have freedom of speech and the press in China, where do those large amounts of diversified, China-related articles in foreign media come from? Didn't you write them? Don't you enjoy the freedom? As I said, our measures are entirely necessary countermeasures that China is compelled to take in response to the unreasonable oppression the Chinese media organizations have experienced in the US. They are legitimate and justified self-defense in every sense. Q: A lot of countries aside from the US are looking at China at the moment for what lessons they could learn about outbreak prevention from the Chinese government. Are you concerned at all that this move to expel many American journalists who have been writing about China's epidemic response will undermine the transparency of the Chinese government about the epidemic? A: Since the outbreak, in an open, transparent and responsible spirit, China has taken the most comprehensive, rigorous and thorough measures of prevention and control to fight an all-out war against the epidemic. We are also in close communication and cooperation with WHO and relevant countries and regions to share information. The speed and scale of our action are unprecedented and have achieved notable results. We have bought precious time for the international community and made important contributions to the global fight against the epidemic. The international community knows this fully well and has made its fair judgment. It is simply absurd to say that China is attempting to hamper the outbound information flow about the epidemic. If that's true, did the US, by expelling 60 Chinese journalists last month, try to prevent China and other countries from learning about the spread of the virus on the ground? Can it be assumed that they were trying to hide something? The American people and the international community have a fair judgment on the US response as well as their level of openness and transparency. Q: I would like to ask about the 17+1 Summit, because you still communicate with CEE countries on this. Considering the spreading pandemic, will you call off the summit? A: As the COVID-19 spreads in Europe and other parts of the world, the urgent task for all countries is to focus on epidemic response. China will continue working with CEE countries and supporting each other in this area. We are keeping in contact with other countries on the timing of the China-CEEC Summit this year. Q: When the world is combating COVID-19, China and the US are expelling journalists and blaming each other for the origin of the virus. For the rest of the world, we are looking at the two major powers on this planet, needing cooperation, instead it seems to be going the other way, descending, spiraling into this mud-slinging fest. Is there some way out of this? A: This question is deep. I can give you my answer, and I suggest your colleague in Washington ask the US side for theirs. Here's my answer. Both China and the US are important countries, and keeping a sound, stable China-US relationship serves the interests of both and the common aspiration of the international community. After the COVID-19 broke out, China has been in communication and cooperation with the US. We would like to work with the international community, including the US, to deal with the pandemic together and jointly safeguard international public health security. But what are we seeing here? We are seeing unwarranted accusations from certain US officials and congress members, triggering indignation among the Chinese people. We are seeing unreasonable restrictions and political oppression against Chinese media agencies in the US. China is compelled to make such countermeasures. It is the US who started it and is therefore responsible for the whole thing. Let me repeat this. We hope the US will act in a responsible manner, work with China to manage differences on the basis of mutual respect and expand cooperation with mutual benefit, and jointly move forward China-US relations featuring coordination, cooperation and stability. This is my answer for this question. You may also seek an answer from the US side. Q: There are about a hundred employees from Chinese state media in the US and we see here now that there are fewer and fewer American journalists in China. Three publications have to effectively shut down their operations because they don't have enough people left after two weeks. Is that indeed a proportionate response? Have you considered a more de-escalating response? A: I'd like to repeat my position that our measures are entirely necessary countermeasures that China is compelled to take in response to the unreasonable oppression the Chinese media organizations have experienced in the US. China is not responsible for and didn't cause this situation. We urge the US to immediately change course, correct its mistake, and stop its political oppression and arbitrary restrictions on Chinese media organizations. Q: Pakistani President Arif Alvi visited China on March 16 and 17. How does China comment on this visit and its impact on bilateral relations? A: This is President Alvi's first visit to China after taking office. It also comes at a special moment when the Chinese government and people are striving for the final victory in fighting against COVID-19, which once again demonstrates the special iron-clad friendship between China and Pakistan. China attaches great importance to this visit. President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Li Zhanshu held talks and meetings with President Alvi respectively, on which readouts were released. The two sides also issued a joint statement to demonstrate the consensus reached by the two sides. I would like to stress the following points. First, this visit fully showcases China and Pakistan's relationship as iron-clad friends. President Alvi told the Chinese leadership that Pakistan considers its relationship with China a very special one. The more difficult the situation is, the more Pakistan should stand firmly with China. Pakistani leaders and people all support President Alvi's visit to China at this time. The main purpose is to demonstrate their support and confidence for Chinese friends, to show the international community the notable progress China has made in fighting the epidemic, and to showcase China's positive contribution to global public health security. Second, this visit demonstrates the fine tradition of mutual assistance between China and Pakistan. Right after the epidemic broke out, Pakistan mobilized the whole nation to provide assistance to China, which we will never forget. "Receiving drips of water when in need, and I shall return the kindness with a spring." Reciprocating an act of kindness is our nation's fine tradition. Now the situation in China is getting better and the number of confirmed cases in Pakistan has increased. The Chinese leadership has made it clear that we will do all we can to support our Pakistani friends. Following the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, we will continue to provide full assistance and support to the Pakistani people in response to the epidemic, the locust plague and other challenges. Third, this visit has deepened strategic mutual trust and consolidated practical cooperation between China and Pakistan. The two leaders exchanged in-depth views on the experience of epidemic prevention and control, coordination of epidemic response and socio-economic development, response to external economic and financial risks and deepening of major cooperation including on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The two sides also signed an MOU on the establishment of working groups specialized in science and technology as well as agriculture under the CPEC Joint Cooperation Committee, and agreed to expand cooperation in related areas under the CPEC framework. A series of strategic consensuses reached during this visit will surely further deepen China-Pakistan all-round cooperation. Although the visit is short in duration, it is paid at a special time and of great significance, and has effectively enhanced China-Pakistan traditional friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation. In the course of jointly tackling COVID-19 and the plague of locusts, China and Pakistan have stood together and helped each other and there have been many touching stories. It is this friendship deeply cherished in people's hearts that provides the most solid foundation for China-Pakistan relations and sets an example for the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. It is believed that tested by the epidemics and other challenges, the iron-clad friendship between China and Pakistan will grow stronger and deeper, which will inject even stronger impetus into the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries. Q: Aren't you worried that by also expelling these journalists from Hong Kong, this will damage the world's trust in "one country, two systems"? A: Since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the principles of "one country, two systems" and Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy have been faithfully implemented. The international community has a clear consensus on that and highly applauds that. Q: The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post journalists being effectively banned from working in China are very accomplished in their field. Between them they have decades of experience reporting in China. During this critical time amid a global pandemic, I wonder if China is worried that the international community may have a worse sense of what's going on in China and China's policies after the expulsion of these journalists? A: If the US media have any complaints, I suggest they raise these complaints to their government. Our measures are entirely necessary countermeasures that China is compelled to take in response to the unreasonable oppression the Chinese media organizations have experienced in the US. As for if China's worried about the world's understanding of China after these journalists leave, I'd like to reiterate that China's basic state policy of opening-up hasn't changed and will remain unchanged. We welcome foreign media and journalists committed to reporting news in China according to law and regulation, and we will continue providing convenience and assistance. What we oppose is ideological bias towards China, fake news in the name of press freedom, and violation of professional ethics. We hope foreign media and journalists will play a positive role in enhancing the mutual understanding between China and the world, and we will continue supporting their news coverage in China. Q: When you mentioned fake news in the name of press freedom, are you saying these particular journalists being expelled are guilty of that? A: What I said is a principle. Any country and individual should reject fake news. This is something indisputable. Q: I feel my question has not been really answered. Has China considered deescalating the conflict when taking countermeasures? A: Like I said, the cause and responsibility for the situation doesn't lie with the Chinese side. We urge the US to immediately change its wrong course, correct its mistake and stop political oppression and unreasonable restrictions on Chinese media. Q: Can you tell us how many journalists will have to leave the country or submit their press cards? A: Like I said, today at this press conference we're not getting into specifics like who or how many. What we talk about here is principle. Q: You mentioned that all options were on China's table. Can you give us an example of what those might be? A: Perhaps we'd better get away from assumption or conjecture. We hope the US will immediately rectify its wrongdoing. Q: In the beginning you mentioned a video conference tomorrow night between China and some European countries. Can you tell us which countries will be participating? A: I have a list here, but let's save it for later, because there are going to be some updates. We will make that public after the press conference and you may know it then. Against a backdrop of coronavirus concerns, early signs from across the six states voting in Tuesday's primaries showed a high volume of voters turning to absentee options. Yet several state and party officials who ABC spoke with pushed back against the notion that turnout would be affected. Washington Washington, which is vote-by-mail only, is the state with the most confirmed cases of COVID-19. But Kylee Zabel, the communications director in the secretary of states office, said they havent heard of any concerns that people have expressed regarding the coronavirus. As Washington uses only mail-in ballots, a tweet last week instructed voters, Whether healthy or sick, please dont lick! after state health officials recommended voters seal ballots using alternative methods like a sponge. The secretary of states office said it recommended that ballot counters use gloves, but in King County -- which includes Seattle -- Elections Division Chief of Staff Kendall Hodson told ABC News that the practice is mandatory. PHOTO: Election worker Sharon Welsh opens vote-by-mail ballots for the presidential primary at King County Elections in Renton, Washington, March 10, 2020. (Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images) Hodson also said that there were regular hand-washing breaks for ballot counters, and at the six vote centers in the county where people can do same-day registration, there was extra hand sanitizer available. The Elections Division was also asking people who were feeling sick to contact them so they could try to accommodate them. As of 8 p.m. ET Monday, there were 1,817,547 ballots received, according to Zabel. Of these, 1,158,718 were Democratic ballots, and 592,430 were Republican. "We typically see about half of the ballots we will receive for the whole primary on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of election week, with about the same number of ballots received Wednesday that well receive today," Zabel said. A majority of ballots will be processed statewide by Friday, Zabel said. Washington held a caucus in 2016 -- so it's not apples to apples regarding turnout -- but only about 230,000 people participated in the state's Democratic caucuses in 2016. Story continues Michigan Michigan had record absentee ballots cast this year, after they implemented a new election law in 2018 to allow for no-excuse absentee voting, which is being used for the first time this cycle. On Tuesday, officials said a total of 821,124 absentee ballots had been returned to the secretary of state for all voters across both major parties, representing a 55% increase from 2016. "This is more absentee ballots than weve ever had in a presidential primary election, and we are close to the numbers we had in the 2016 general presidential election," a spokesperson from the secretary of state's office told ABC News. PHOTO: Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders greets supporters outside of a polling station in Dearborn Heights, Mich., March 10, 2020. (Lucas Jackson/Reuters) But officials said the increase was likely due more to the new election law than it was due to coronavirus concerns. "It's a huge spike in absentee voting, but we're not sure if that's even indicative of much higher turnout, frankly, so I would point more to that new law than any kind of coronavirus scares," a spokesperson for the Michigan Democratic Party told ABC News. Voters could have started submitting their absentee ballots 45 days before election day. As of Tuesday, 36,574 voters in Michigan had "spoiled" their ballots -- meaning they asked for their absentee ballot to essentially be nullified and were given a new one. Michigan is the only state that allows voters to spoil their ballots and re-cast them for another candidate. North Dakota In North Dakota, where there is a party-run primary, a North Dakota Democratic Party official stopped by the Bismarck polling location Tuesday, telling ABC News, "There's a line, but people are in good spirits and enthusiastic about voting. What we're seeing so far this morning is exciting, and we're hopeful for especially high turnout." Regarding concerns over the coronavirus, the official said that the state party is "in touch with the North Dakota Department of Health," which as of Tuesday morning had reported no coronavirus cases in the state. PHOTO: A hand sanitizer station is setup for election workers sorting vote-by-mail ballots for the presidential primary at King County Elections in Renton, Wash., March 10, 2020. (Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images) State party officials said they were "following their guidance, and we urge everyone else to do so as well. We do not expect it to depress turnout." North Dakota, for the first time this cycle, added an early voting mail-in program in addition to their "firehouse caucus." Mail-in ballots had to be postmarked by March 5 to be counted. More than 3,100 people requested ballots, compared to the 3,348 total people who caucused in-person in 2016. State party officials said that was a major indicator that turnout would be high. Idaho Since the Democratic Party hasnt held a primary over a caucus in the meaningful past according to the secretary of state's office, state officials said it was difficult to predict what turnout would look like. There hasnt been a confirmed case of COVID-19 in Idaho. Our position has been, Yes, we understand that its a concern nationwide, Chad Houck, the chief deputy secretary in the secretary of states office, told ABC News. As a result, it is prudent that we take cautionary measures and adopt the best CDC practices. At this point in time we arent recommending any additional measures, Houck said. Missouri Though state officials were hesitant to say how turnout would look statewide, St. Louis County board of election officials told ABC News that turnout looks relatively light. It doesnt look like we will equal turnout for 2016, which was 45%, Eric Fey, the board of elections Democratic director, told ABC News. Fey said that his office hadn't heard any concerns about COVID-19 from voters. On the other hand, in Kansas City, Board of Elections Director Shawn Kieffer told ABC News that Jackson County has seen at least 10% of its poll workers quit over concerns of COVID-19. (MORE: Sanders, Biden face the first major test as voters head to the polls in newly two-person race) Monday and Friday we lost 77 poll workers, Kieffer said. We lost more today. Of course it was important to keep everyone as safe as possible. We sent out wipes and things to clean the machines off. We sent off Purell, we sent out everything we could possibly get our hands on, and we completely depleted our supplies, Kieffer said. Officials there also dont expect to match 2016s turnout, telling ABC News around 5:30 p.m. ET Tuesday that they are in the upper 20s while in 2016 they hit 32% of the population. I imagine we will probably hit 27 or 28%, Kieffer said. I know a lot of people who had supported candidates who are no longer in contention. Mississippi Mississippi officials said Tuesday that the state was far is outpacing its 2016 absentee ballot return. As of Tuesday morning, 21,932 absentee ballots had been returned, compared to 18,467 in 2016. All ballots had to be returned by 5 p.m. local time Tuesday. The secretary of states office was quick to highlight that there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Mississippi. In regards to all coronavirus inquiries, our office has advised all counties to supply disinfecting spray and sanitizing materials at polling places. We also provided county election officials with a document listing the best practices for cleaning and sanitizing our touch-screen voting devices, the secretary of states office said in a release. Primaries show high volume of absentee voting as states grapple with coronavirus originally appeared on abcnews.go.com The senate has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to address Nigerians on the coronavirus pandemic. The senate made the request afte... The senate has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to address Nigerians on the coronavirus pandemic. The senate made the request after debating a matter of urgent public importance at Wednesdays plenary session. Nigeria currently has eight confirmed cases of the virus. The president is yet to address citizens since the outbreak, even though the country recorded its first case of the infection three weeks ago. The upper legislative chamber also asked for the establishment of testing centres in all the 36 states and the federal capital territory (FCT). It also sought mandatory quarantine for travellers from high-risk countries and restriction of flights from such countries. The federal government on Wednesday banned travellers from 13 countries with at least 1,000 confirmed cases of the virus, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Italy. An Irish man living in China watched first hand as the country has managed to beat back the coronavirus and is confident Ireland can do the same. Karl Long (39), from Greystones, in Co Wicklow, has been living in the Chinese city of Dongguan since 2002. Long before the first case of Covid-19 had arrived in Ireland, he had watched the epidemic spill across China, prompting the government to impose a nationwide lockdown. But with very few new cases of coronavirus breaking out throughout the country, Mr Long said he is starting to notice a return to normality. "Dongguan, which has a population of 10 million, is now getting back to normal after being on lockdown for about six weeks," he told Independent.ie. "There were mandatory social distancing and isolation rules, and schools, bars and restaurants were ordered to close. "Only one person per household was allowed go to the shops and your temperature was checked before you entered anywhere. Now anyone who travels to China must go into self-quarantine for 14 days regardless of whether they have symptoms or not. "It's been a really crazy couple of weeks, but thankfully these measures seem to be working. In the province where I live there have been no cases of Covid-19 in about 10 days," he said. Read More "Life is getting back to normal and I can imagine schools and universities will reopen soon as well." Mr Long, who manages a bubblegum factory in the southern Chinese city, said Ireland can also curb the spread of the virus if everyone plays their part. "China has proven that this virus can be curtailed providing that strict restrictions are put in place. "I know the majority of Irish people are following the Government's guidelines. However, I believe stronger restrictions need to be put in place, like ordering cafes and restaurants to close instead of just advising them to. "What we have seen in China is just one infected person can do a lot of damage and if people are allowed to go about their usual business it will be very hard to get it under control." As the coronavirus has developed over the course of the past months, weeks, and days, our plans have changed and so have our lives. And it appears this will be the norm for a while. In this series (duration: a few weeks tonot sure?), well share the stories of people who have confronted the unexpected in interesting ways. First, we have the story of Ana Monroe, who married her now-husband Scott on Saturday, March 14th. Inside a storefront in L.A., but also on Zoom. Mallory I proposed to Scott. I knew I wanted to marry him if he would have me, so last June I started asking my friendsall the dudeshow they did it. Everyone was like, Have a plan, this and that. We were living in D.C. at the time, and I went down to my parents house in Georgia under the pretense that I wanted to miss all the D.C. 4th of July stuff because it can make the city quite crazybut really, I was going down to get rings. I went down there and picked a ring and went back and abandoned my plan completely the next morning and just proposed to him in bed. Id had this plan to go on a hike and get Chinese food, and then I was like, No, Im just going to do it right here. It wasnt a huge leap, you know? He was like, I wanted to propose to you, but I didnt know how. And I was like, Well, I did! I never dreamt of my wedding, ever. Like I said, I come from Georgia, and I come from a pretty rural part of it, and I left when I was 18 because I didnt fit in. I remember very vividly as a little girl being told that I wouldnt become a lady because of the way that I acted, and I remember saying Well, I dont want to be a lady. So all the things associated with being a lady I never wanted to doand that included a wedding. The only thing I knew I wanted when we started planning the wedding was that I didnt want to do any of those things. We planned the wedding for March because my brother is a college professor, and we essentially chose the first day of spring break because we needed him to be there. We planned it so that the ceremony was mostly about my husbands familys traditions, and the party was mostly about my familys traditions. We were like, How can we make this really beautiful, visually and sensorially, for our guests? My husband and I both go to Quaker Meeting. Theres no leadership and no hierarchy. Even in the 1600s when the Quakers started, they allowed women to have a voice in the community, so its very much my vibe. [The plan was that] the ceremony would be a ceremony, the reception would be a partythere would be no cake, no white dress, certainly no garter throwing or first dances. None of that. Theres no officiant in the Quaker tradition and there would certainly be no one giving me away to anyone except myself. Were both designers, so we were like, How can we make this really beautiful, visually and sensorially, for our guests? We moved out to L.A. in November. We were supposed to have a beach brunch and a seagazing party on Friday. I told my friends that I just wanted to have all the bagels I can never haveI said, Just gluten-free bagels and lox and Ill be so happy! (I have celiac disease, so I can never have bagels.) So we bought all this food, and we were going to go out to Malibubut the other wrinkle was that Los Angeles was under a multi-day rain event. So that plan was ruined. Everything about the wedding was outside, because its Los Angeles. The ceremony was going to be in Griffith Park in the Cedar Grove. Whenever you see movies filmed in L.A. and theyre running through a forest, its almost always filmed in the Cedar Grove. Scott and I had gone there and, like, gridded out the place like little designers, with numbers for where wed put blankets down for our guests that wed bought in Mexico City. All of that went out the window. Ten days before the wedding, we decided we had to send an email to everyone who had RSVPd. We knew the virus was spreadingthe cases in Italy were snowballing, and one case had appeared in L.A. County. So we sent an email saying Hey, were monitoring the situation, and well make a decision by Friday evening Pacific Time. We figured we needed to give people a week. We got a bunch of emails that were like, Are you really thinking of canceling? Whats going on? This is so stressful. We were like, Yeah, it is stressful. Planning a wedding is a loteven a non-traditional wedding thats not going to have all the things. We had this colorful, huge ideathe clothing direction for the event was Wear your brightest clothes, that lime-green dress you never get to take for a spin, nows the time, purple suede shoes, yes! All the stripes, all the dots, all the plaids. We wanted it to be super-bright and fun and happyand the Coronavirus is the opposite of super-bright and fun and happy. By Friday, we decided to go through with it. It seemed like we might outrun it. Then the news kept getting worse and worse. My parents arrived in L.A. from Georgia the Sunday before, and when your parents arrive for your wedding, youre kind of like, Okay, this wedding is totally happening. My parents are great and super-strong and not at all people who scare easily, so we kept going forward. I think the hardest part was that we refused to make a decision for anyone. Thats something Im proud of, but it was also really stressful. I had to tell a few people, You know, I have access to the same information that you have. I dont have more information than you have. This has to be your decision. People would call or email us and wed say, Were going to have the wedding, we dont want to sway you either way, its your decision. That was really hard because people wanted, I realized, to be given directionand I just couldnt make that decision. So, ultimately, at the last minute, we decided to have a Zoom link. On the day of the wedding, we moved everything inside the space where wed planned to have the party. It was raining bucketsit was as gray as London. I actually got into my wedding dress by myselfI had this really long, gold dress that my friend and I designed and made togethershes a costume designerand I got into my dress from the bottom by myself because there was no one else around. I did my eyeliner in the little bathroom mirror, and then my now-husband arrived with all of the AV equipment that he had figured out. He set up the Zoom link, and people arrived. In the end, maybe 20 people attended in person and I think we had 34 people on the Zoom meeting. People really appreciated it! I was surprised. I was like, Nobodys going to want to join a Zoom meeting on their Saturday. But I guess thats because Im always in Zoom meetings? So it was really sweet. In a Quaker wedding, you sit together for a term, and youre invited to deliver messages. In [a regular] meeting, you deliver messages [to the group], which are kind of like notes from the universe, but in a wedding you deliver messages about the couple. People spokeeven my friends who dont know what Quakerism isand it was really, really moving. Im glad we went ahead and did it, but I seriously was almost crushed. I have a friend whos very eloquent, so I guess thats why I remember her note really well. We met on a film set and weve been friends for a very long time. This friend delivered a message from New Yorkthis is embarrassing because its about me, so sorry if it sounds like Im braggingand she said that I was so creative that I was like an electric eel in a pond of goldfish. And that might be one of the nicest things anyones ever said to me. I never quite realized how weird I was until my wedding day. Nobody called me nice [laughs]. Nobody said Shes the nicest person youll ever meet. I knew I was slightly odd, but I didnt know I was so odd. We ended up getting so many wonderful notes from people saying how much they appreciated the Zoom link. I have a friend who emailed me and said, After all the craziness of this week, I think that was really meaningful. So Im glad we went ahead and did it, but I seriously was almost crushed. I was so close to just being like, I cant do this. I dont know what it would have been like, if wed had the wedding wed planned. There were supposed to be, like, 81 people in a wooded area of Griffith Park under the shining California sunand instead there were about 20 people in a storefront in Boyle Heights under the sodden skies of L.A. But I think the Zoom meeting really made it feel like people were attending with intention. I found the people who attended to be so exciting and the people who came by Zoom also to be exciting for completely opposite reasons. The people who attended in person had done their own risk calculation, and the people who attended via Zoom had also done their risk calculationand came out with the opposite answer. But they all decided to attend. I cant say anybody made a right or wrong decisionbut I can say that having Zoom did really help people be present. I never thought Id be sentimental about a Zoom meeting, but its meaningful to see a persons face. The MR Thoughtline is here! Starting this week, well be sending out three daily text messages to light up your phone and consequently your day. You can think of it like a review with your manager, if your manager was actually your therapist, your therapist was actually your friend, your friend was actually one of us and one of us was actually you. What? Click here to learn more and subscribe. Ttysoon! The Chinese government has one of the most extensive propaganda networks in the world inside the country, but it also aggressively works to influence how its perceived outside its borders. Good morning, President Xi! China has invested billions into bolstering its image abroad. Its state-run news outlets push out messages in English around the clock Youre watching CGTN. Live in Beijing. From Nairobi. Washington, D.C. and its diplomats have flocked to Twitter in the last year. But what happens when this massive P.R. apparatus has to do major damage control? We analyzed thousands of tweets from Chinese state media and official accounts and found three dominant messages China wants to project to the world. Heres what we learned. A novel coronavirus hit the Chinese city of Wuhan in January. Early whistleblowers were silenced. People were angry about a government cover-up. But in the majority of tweets we analyzed, state-owned publications pushed a much more optimistic view, promoting what they said was an effective response. They are sharing videos like this. The Chinese Communist Party refers to this as positive energy, only focusing on the bright side of an issue. China did take drastic measures to try and stem the outbreak, but thats the only story China wants the world to see. And state media is eager to run praise from foreign experts to back up Chinas successes. One tweet from state media that did reveal Chinese citizens discontent it was quickly deleted. Once the virus spread across the world, China started positioning itself as being at the forefront of fighting the pandemic. It presented itself as a partner, a grateful recipient, and more recently a selfless leader, highlighting large donations from Chinese companies and the government. China hasnt typically disparaged other countries responses to the virus, with one exception the United States. President Donald Trump has been accused of denying, downplaying and outright rejecting the concerns over the Covid-19 outbreak. Another thing we noticed are Chinese outlets disputing the origin of the virus. It all started in late February with a renowned Chinese epidemiologist. Around the same time, the C.D.C. reported the first case in the United States with an unknown origin. A screenshot of the announcement incorrectly translated in Chinese began to trend online and was untouched by Chinese government censors. And a high-ranking government spokesperson actively pushed disinformation about where the virus came from. A government giving an optimistic spin to bad news is not unique. We want to go big, go solid. The country is very strong. Weve never been so strong. But the scale of the Chinese propaganda machine is, and its clear that its being deployed to try and tell the world a new story about the coronavirus pandemic. Parents throughout the U.S. are being encouraged to practice social distancing, avoiding travel and group social situations to help reduce the chance of catching and spreading coronavirus. But for parents who are divorced and move their kids between two households as part of a custody arrangement, deciding how to proceed with quarantines related to COVID-19 can be challenging. Rachelle Dunlevy, a mom of two from Indialantic, Florida, says since her ex-husband lives nearby, they have agreed to stick with their current custody schedule, for now. Rachelle Dunlevy and her children, Hannah, 14, and Dylan, 12. (Rachelle Dunlevy) "We are keeping everything the same so far," Dunlevy, whose kids are 14 and 12, told TODAY Parents. "If he or his girlfriend gets sick, I'll keep the kids at my house." Megan O'Connor, whose daughter is about to turn three, has been divorced for almost a year, and says she and her ex-husband are doing the same. "My ex is a public health professional, so he is aware of social distancing, but also of the importance of our daughter having access to both of her parents during such a fragile time," said O'Connor, who lives in Kensington, Maryland. "Currently, we are both in town so we are maintaining our current schedule. We've decided to do that because we view ourselves as a family unit though we are no longer together romantically, our daughter is intrinsically a part of each parent." Megan O'Connor and her daughter, Hazel, almost 3. (Megan O'Connor) But what do parents do when there's conflict over whether or not to pause a custody arrangement during the pandemic? Family law attorneys Kelly Frawley and Emily Pollock, who practice at Kasowitz Benson Torres in New York City, handle family and custodial matters every day, and say when it comes to making decisions about coronavirus and custody, communication is key. "The first and foremost concern should be the health of your family," said Frawley. "It is important to be cooperative with any schedule changes, even if it results in less parenting time for you and more parenting time for the other parent." Story continues "Understand that you and your co-parent may have different views about how to approach this pandemic and neither of you may be wrong or right, so it's important to be calm," Frawley continued. "Your child is also navigating a pandemic and a change in their everyday routine and you do not want to add to their stress and anxiety a united front between the parents is best." Rachel Sobel with her daughters, Ava, 11, and Sienna, 3. (Defalco Design) Florida mom of two Rachel Sobel, who blogs at Whine and Cheez-Its, says since she and her ex-husband have little control over what their kids' routines look like right now, they also decided to maintain their current custody schedule amidst the spread of coronavirus. "I think families have to do what works for them and their dynamic," said Sobel. "Our number one priority should always be the well-being of our children and there's no rule book for divorce logistics according to COVID-19." Suzanne Hayes, who also contributes to the TODAY Parenting Team and lives in Simsbury, Connecticut with her kids, who range in age from 9 to 16, says she and her ex-husband follow a 50/50 custody schedule and have agreed to maintain it for now, unless the coronavirus makes an appearance in their families. "We agreed that if one parent gets sick, the other would take the kids for as long as needed," said Hayes, who has been divorced for nine years. "If we both get sick, there is no option and we have no plan. We will have to roll with the punches." Suzanne Hayes with her children, Molly, 16, Nora, 12, and Emmet, 9. (Suzanne Hayes) Hayes says they've also discussed splitting the kids among houses if some get sick and some do not, adding that things would be challenging since they would not be able to rely on grandparents since they are vulnerable to the virus. "We are taking it day by day and hoping for the best," said Hayes. "Having been divorced for so long, we have all been through similar circumstances. My best advice to others is to do whatever you can to be your best self for your kids in any given moment. Now is not the time to argue with an ex or get caught up in the intricacies of divorce whose night it is, who owes money for what...The kids need their parents to be calm, present and as agreeable as possible to help with their world that was literally flipped upside down overnight," Hayes said. So what should parents who are struggling to come to a peaceful agreement do? Pollock says it's all about being transparent about your concerns, but guided by what is ultimately best for your children. "Try to be creative and work out arrangements where if one party has more time now because you want to minimize transitions, you agree that when we return to a normal schedule, the party who didn't get to see the children for as much time has make-up time," said Pollock. "Also, make sure the children have regular phone, FaceTime, email or text contact with the other parent because this time is likely to be very anxiety-provoking for the child and having this contact can allay concerns about the other parent's well-being." OTTAWA Manitoba Hydro is trying to prevent COVID-19 from reaching the 1,300 people working at the northern Keeyask generating station megaproject, though the nearest First Nation wants the site closed. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 17/3/2020 (665 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA Manitoba Hydro is trying to prevent COVID-19 from reaching the 1,300 people working at the northern Keeyask generating station megaproject, though the nearest First Nation wants the site closed. "Were trying to protect our community," said Nathan Neckoway, a councillor at Tataskweyak Cree Nation, 725 kilometres (by road) north of Winnipeg. "Its about lives." The multibillion-dollar project employs scores of American contractors, as well as locals from four nearby First Nations. As of Tuesday, Hydro has flown at least five symptomatic employees or contractors south on isolated flights "as a precautionary measure," in order to be tested for the novel coronavirus. TCN Chief Doreen Spence said that has stoked fears, as many locals working on the Keeyask site are immunocompromised. On Monday, camp managers closed its theatre and lounge, cancelled sports, and started shifting food service to take-out. "The safety of our staff, contractors, and local communities in the area is of paramount importance to Manitoba Hydro as we deal with COVID-19," wrote spokesman Scott Powell, who said Hydro activated its pandemic plan on the site last week. As of March 12, Powell said workers who were abroad have had to isolate for two weeks. He said anyone who shows coronavirus symptoms is isolated in a special dorm, before being flown out. Its unclear whether any of the airlifted workers tested positive. "Whether these individuals receive a COVID test will be up to medical staff in their home cities," Powell said. York Landing First Nation Chief Leroy Constant said his band hopes Hydro can contain the site. York Landing shares a contract for security and catering in the camp. Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "The next step, just for everybodys safety, is to look at potentially shutting the camp down," he said. "Were willing to work with whatever Manitoba Hydro is proposing." Spence said she raised her concerns directly by text message with Minister of Indigenous and Northern Relations Eileen Clarke; her office declined an interview Tuesday. In a conference call Tuesday, Hydro told the four First Nations if Keeyask construction ceased, the site would still need 200 people to keep things running safely. That same day, provincial officials asked Manitobans to cancel any gatherings of more than 50 people. Weeks-long delays would likely cost taxpayers millions, as the province renewed construction contracts. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca ALBANY Anxiety is mounting among many state employees who are still being required to report to crowded offices, even as Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has mandated businesses across the state to reduce non-essential staff by at least 50 percent. Employees at the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance said they are still coming to the office and no social distancing protocols have been put in place. Employees at some OTDA offices are being considered essential, the source said, while those who work in New York City have been told to work from home. "They deemed our entire department essential," said an employee speaking on condition of anonymity. "They have not put a safety plan in place and currently have 185 of us sitting on the ninth floor of One Commerce Plaza in Albany. ... Again, no safety measures in place." OTDA also has offices in New York City, Binghamton and Buffalo. The New York City office was shut down, they said, because of the high number of COVID-19 cases in that area, but the three other state offices remain open with at least 150 employees in each. "However, when you take into account population, Albany County and (New York City) have about the same percentage infected," the employee said. Leaders of the affected workers' union, the Public Employees Federation, have met with management and raised concerns. OTDA officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Wayne Spence, PEF's president, could not be reached for comment. On Tuesday, the Governor's Office of Employee Relations (GOER) warned PEF that 10 parole officers who called in sick at an office in New Rochelle could be cited for possible violations of the Taylor Act, which prohibits strikes or walkouts by government workers in some situations. Michael N. Volforte, director of GOER, and a spokesman for the office, Jian Paolucci, declined to respond to questions about the New Rochelle parole office. Parole officers in the greater New York City region have raised concerns about keeping their offices open and asking parolees to report to those locations. The Times Union reported Saturday that the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision had not made a decision on a request from parole offices to suspend office visits by parolees for up to 30 days at New York City-area facilities, in addition to parole offices in Nassau and Suffolk counties and New Rochelle. Labor leaders for parole officers also asked DOCCS to shut down those locations until they are sanitized, along with the vehicles used by parole officers. Earlier: Complete coronavirus coverage Telecommuting deal for state workers faces privacy concerns Parole officers in New Rochelle coronavirus hotspot call in sick Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. A group of more than 40 current and former probation and parole executives, as well as the National Association of Probation Executives, issued a statement Tuesday recommending immediately limiting office visits for people on parole and probation. They also called for suspending or reducing technical violations for those on supervised release and reducing the terms to "only as long as necessary to achieve the goals of supervision." "These recommendations are a great, common-sense first step in ensuring the health and well-being of individuals ensnared in the criminal legal system, while also taking steps to ensure that the criminal legal system does not exacerbate the current crisis," said Seth J. Prins, assistant professor of Epidemiology and Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University. Cuomo on Monday asked local governments to limit their workforce to 50 percent capacity in an effort to flatten the curve on the novel coronavirus pandemic. But on Wednesday, he said an executive order would be issued mandating all "non-essential" businesses to follow the directive. He had said state agencies would be doing the same, directing "non-essential" employees to work from home. But those classified as essential varies by department, and in some cases depends on the contract services a consultant has with a state agency. Typically, essential employees are emergency responders, health care workers and those who do road work, but some state departments tailor the definition to fit their specific needs. For example, the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities also considers high-level supervisors, fiscal and business workers, cooks and cleaning staff to be essential. While Cuomo has ordered private-sector employers to have employees work from home and directed that workforce capacity in offices and other gathering spaces be kept to 50 percent or less, those same measures are more murky in state agencies. Tens of thousands of state employees are represented by unions, which have separate contracts with different provisions on telecommuting. PEF recently reached agreement with Cuomo's administration on telecommuting provisions, but employees must receive approval to work from home and training is required prior to working remotely. Then there are those who are contracted by the state serving in a consultant capacity, but do the exact same work a state employee may be tasked with. In the state's Office of Information Technology Services, a consultant's ability to telecommute "is governed by the terms of their contract." "However, ITS is exercising discretion in determining whether it is appropriate, feasible or necessary to have a consultant telecommute or work on-site during the COVID-19 outbreak," said a senior advisor in the office. "ITS has instructed supervisors and managers to allow those who can work from home to do so." A Portland man was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday, after he was convicted in February of stabbing and killing his father in December 2017. Tyler Nees, 33, faces a minimum confinement of 25 years without the possibility of parole, the Multnomah County District Attorneys Office said. The sentencing comes after a jury unanimously found Nees guilty of murder constituting domestic violence and unlawful use of a weapon. In December 2017, Nees father Brian Nees knocked at the door of a pub and collapsed, bleeding from a stab wound in his back. In his dying moments, court documents say, Brian Nees told police officers as they arrived that his son had stabbed him. Tyler Nees was arrested nearly two weeks later. KOIN News reported from the courtroom that during closing arguments, Tyler Nees told the judge that his brother killed their father. But documents show that DNA evidence, as well as 911 calls, pointed to Tyler Nees. KOIN also Nees, who acted as his own attorney, had several previous lawyers in the case and threatened to kill one of them. Court documents describe the stabbing, and the actions leading up to it, as the culmination of family conflict. Witnesses saw a man run down the street shouting Child molester! moments after the stabbing, according to court records. Police and the state Department of Human Services reports have documented Tyler Nees history of calling male family members whom he wishes to offend child molester, prosecutors said a statement. According to a June 2018 court document, Tyler Nees had a conversation with family members in 2009 in which he threatened to kill his father. He accused his father of molesting him and his brother. He burst into the room where his father was sleeping and started punching him. In at least two other incidents, court documents say, Nees reported his brother to the Department of Human Services. Court documents say those reports were false. According to documents, Nees DNA was on the knife handle at the scene of the stabbing. In June 2018, before a bail-setting hearing, the attorney representing Nees at the time provided a statement to the court in support of a motion to exclude other acts. Defense attorney Rachel Philips wrote that Nees brother Forrest Nees told police that his brother asked him to slit his wrists, and went into the kitchen and grabbed a knife. But Philips said the state was characterizing Tyler Nees as being hostile and angry. Philips also referenced the fight from 2009, in which Nees had allegedly threatened to kill his father. Phillips said a fight from eight years before Brian Nees death neither constituted a plan nor a motive on Tyler Nees part. Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Queensland's upcoming council elections and two state government by-elections are likely to have the lowest ever voter turnout because of the coronavirus crisis, says a leading political analyst. Griffith University's Paul Williams said voters will be more concerned about their health and what lies ahead in their personal lives than turning up at a polling booth on March 28. Elections for all Queensland councils are scheduled for March 28. Credit:Michelle Smith "We may see a record low attendance at booths," he said. "There's also a general malaise. People don't want to think about politics. They either couldn't be stuffed voting because it's only local government or they're frightened of getting coronavirus." The Congress and Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) have given adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday over the demand to discuss the coronavirus outbreak in the country. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India has reached 147, including 122 Indians and 25 foreign nationals, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday. Maharashtra is the worst-hit state with 38 cases, followed by Kerala, with 25 cases and Uttar Pradesh with 15. Karnataka has 11 confirmed cases; Delhi has reported nine, including a foreign The Union Territory of Ladakh reported eight cases while Jammu and Kashmir reported three. Odisha reported its first case on Monday. A total of 14 people have been discharged from hospitals after being treated for the disease. Globally, the virus has infected more than 184,000 people and killed more than 7500, as per the data available on the World Health Organisation website. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Aisha Jabbarova Azerbaijan confirmed six new cases of coronavirus on March 17, bringing the total infections to 27, according the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers. On March 18, the Cabinet of Ministers reported that four coronavirus patients recovered from the infectious disease in the country. The country registered its only coronavirus death on March 12. In the meantime, Azerbaijan and its northern neighbour Russia suspended mutual visits of citizens effective March 18 to curb the spread of coronavirus. The decision on travel restriction was made during a telephone conversation between Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov and his Russian counterpart Mikhail Mishustin on March 16. The travel restriction makes an exception for truck drivers. Charter flights will be arranged for the return of Azerbaijani citizens in Russia. It should be noted that Azerbaijan suspended all means of transportation with Georgia on March 14. The country also closed its borders and suspend air and land travel with Iran on February 29 and with Turkey on March 15. In the meantime, Azerbaijan Airlines carried out charters to return Azerbaijani citizens in Turkey and Italy on March 16 and March 17 respectively. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev allocated 10 million manats ($5.8m) for fight against the spread of coronavirus in the country on March 3. The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. The government has announced emergency legislation to prevent private and social renters from being evicted from their homes during the coronavirus crisis. Boris Johnson had been coming under intense pressure to help tenants after chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a three-month mortgage holiday for home-owners on Tuesday. Under the new legislation, all new evictions will be suspended and no new possession proceedings will be permitted during the period of national emergency. To protect landlords, the mortgage repayment holiday will be extended to Buy-to-Let mortgages. It comes as ministers were poised to introduce emergency legislation to combat the coronavirus outbreak, including sweeping powers for police to temporarily detain people suspected of carrying the virus. Recommended UK schools closed indefinitely from Friday and exams cancelled The prime minister confirmed renters would be protected during a press conference at Downing Street, where he vowed that people would not be penalised for "doing the right thing" by staying at home during the outbreak. Mr Johnson said: "We will want to protect people who face difficulties through no fault of their own. "We cannot penalise people for doing the right thing, nor can we penalise people when you have an economic upset which is a direct result of the governments actions, the governments advice, which are intended to protect the public. "Everybody who experiences that kind of dislocation, that kind of disruption, is entitled to protection and support. Labour has been pressing the government to protect lower-paid workers likely to be hit hardest by the coronavirus shut down, including renters who face being made homeless if they fall behind on their payments. Announcing the move, Robert Jenrick, the housing secretary, said: "The government is clear no renter who has lost income due to coronavirus will be forced out of their home, nor will any landlord face unmanageable debts. 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 These are extraordinary times and renters and landlords alike are of course worried about paying their rent and mortgage. "Which is why we are urgently introducing emergency legislation to protect tenants in social and private accommodation from an eviction process being started. The news was welcomed by homelessness campaigners, who urged the government to ensure people were not left facing eviction notices once the pandemic is over. Matt Downie, director of policy and external affairs at Crisis, said: We appreciate that this needs to be a workable solution for renters and landlords, but would stress that any repayment plan must be affordable for tenants. "If someone loses their job because of the outbreak and has no income coming in, they cannot be faced with intolerable levels of debt once these emergency measures are lifted. Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords association, said: Landlord groups welcomes government support. "We recognise the exceptional circumstances and we will work collaboratively with government to ensure these measures protect both landlords and tenants." Journalists attend the daily press briefing of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing on March 18, 2020. (Thomas Peter/Reuters) US Hits Back at Chinese Communist Regime After Beijing Expels American Journalists The Trump administration rebuked the Chinese regime on March 17 after Beijing said it would expel U.S. journalists based in China who work for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. The Chinese regime said its move was retaliation for the United States recent actions targeting Chinese state-run media outlets in the country. The development came amid growing efforts by the Chinese regime to cast doubt on the origins of the CCP virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, by even suggesting that it may have come from the United States. The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus 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 Chinese Communist Partys decision to expel journalists from China and Hong Kong is yet another step toward depriving the Chinese people and the world of access to true information about China, the White House National Security Council said in a tweet. The United States calls on Chinas leaders to refocus their efforts from expelling journalists and spreading disinformation to joining all nations in stopping the Wuhan coronavirus. The Chinese regime in a statement claimed the restrictions were imposed in response to the U.S. State Departments decision to designate 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 earlier this month. 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. A spokesperson from Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the United States of subjecting Chinese reporters to growing discrimination and politically-motivated oppression, and of purposely making things difficult for them. The ministry announced that it would require China-based branches of Voice of America, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and Time magazine to report information about their staff, finances, operations, and real estate in China. It said it would require all journalists of U.S. citizenship employed at The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The 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 new restrictions also came as Beijing lashed out at the United States after President Donald Trump called the virus the Chinese virus in a Twitter post. 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 posted on Monday. Trump explained the following day at a press conference that his choice of words was based on Beijing putting out information that was false, [saying] that our military gave this [virus] to them. Rather than having an argument, I had to call it where it came from. Its a very accurate term, he said. Beginning late February, Chinese media outlets promoted the narrative that the virus originated in the United States, after Chinas top epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan said that there was a possibility the virus 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. The first cases of the CCP virus were recorded in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. I didnt appreciate the fact that China was saying that our military gave it to them, Trump said. Our military did not give it to anybody. The president said the term doesnt create a stigma against China and described the term as accurate. Cathy He and Nicole Hao contributed to this report. South Korea's vice health minister has gone into self-quarantine after having contact with a virus patient, the country's health authorities said Wednesday. Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip held a meeting with the head of a general hospital south of Seoul and other health-related officials on Friday. So far, a total of 29 virus patients, including two doctors, have been traced to the general hospital, Bundang Jesaeng Hospital, since its first virus outbreak on March 5. The hospital chief was diagnosed with COVID-19 infection earlier in the day. "Clinical reviews are ongoing to determine the degree of contact made by the vice minister and others at the gathering," Yoon Tae-ho, who is in charge of quarantine operations at the country's disaster control headquarters, said in a daily briefing. The vice minister has not been ordered to go into quarantine at present, and eight other health ministry officials who were present at the meeting have gone home to wait for clinical test results. South Korea reported less than 100 new COVID-19 cases in each of the last four days. As of midnight, the country has identified 8,413 confirmed cases since its first outbreak in the country on Jan. 20. (Yonhap) INDIANAPOLIS, IN / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / Noble Roman's, Inc. (NROM), the Indianapolis based franchisor and operator of Noble Roman's Pizza and Noble Roman's Craft Pizza & Pub announced today the various steps it has already implemented to deal with the challenges presented by the Covid-19 coronavirus epidemic. According to Scott Mobley, President of Noble Roman's, "The Covid-19 pandemic is presenting unparalleled challenges to the foodservice industry, particularly those whose primary focus has been on the dine-in segment. It is our primary concern to responsibly promote the health and safety of our guests and employees. After that, we are charged with being as creative as possible under the circumstances to maximize pizza sales, curb expenses and decrease cash outflows. Fortunately, we have a great team with an entrepreneurial and responsive culture that has allowed us to move in quick and innovative ways on both objectives. Nonetheless, it is a uniquely challenging environment, the likes of which are unprecedented in the history of the company." According to Mobley, the non-traditional venue is currently facing fewer governmental shutdowns and restrictions across the country versus the traditional restaurant venue. In convenience stores, the company's most numerous type of non-traditional unit, food service appears to be largely permitted as usual. In some locales, convenience store foodservice may be the only or most accessible source for away-from-home food. Additional company staff has been diverted to a phone campaign in order to educate operators on the current status and allowability of their foodservice. Additionally, phone campaigns are targeting both franchise owners and on-the-site managers so that reader boards, banners and other materials may message to the public that the Noble Roman's Pizza operating inside is open for business. However, despite the ability to continue offering foodservice, the numbers of people traveling and commuting have substantially decreased, which impacts the customer counts at convenience stores. Story continues Traditional restaurants and bars are falling under governmental restrictions in various states across the country. In Indiana, where all of the company- and franchisee-owned Craft Pizza & Pubs are located, the governor has used executive authority to close all dine-in facilities effective immediately this past Monday, March 16th, with local boards of health restricting all access to dining room and bar areas. The order is to last until at least the end of March, but the company anticipates the likelihood of restrictions beyond that date. Fortunately, the company's Craft Pizza & Pubs had previously developed and implemented the novel "Pizza Valet" service, which allows guests to call or order online for delivery to their vehicle upon arrival to the restaurant's parking lot. Having foreseen the likelihood of the dining room restrictions based on virus trends in foreign countries and the US northwest, the company was immediately able to extend the hours of Pizza Valet service from 4:30-8 daily to all day, every day. The Craft Pizza & Pub website as well as the company's online ordering system was fully updated within the same time frame. In anticipation of the probable limitations that are now in place, the company began filming video the previous week to produce a 15-second promotional piece which will be aired on a social media campaign designed to reach several hundred thousand people across the range of the company's Craft Pizza & Pub markets. The video features and promotes the company's Pizza Valet curbside service and begins airing today. Additional specials and promotion of the Pizza Valet service are running through the Craft Pizza & Pub email club system. Banners have been produced to promote the service street-side, and brochures are being distributed door-to-door and office-to-office as scheduling permits. The company is also initiating a public awareness campaign through social media alerting the public to the availability of Craft Pizza & Pub through the third-party delivery services, DoorDash and Grub Hub. Though the company has utilized these services for some time, it has avoided publicizing that fact until now, seeking only to make it known to those customers who source their off-premise consumption purchases through these ecospheres. Given the current conditions, Craft Pizza & Pub will take more steps to advertise the availability of these services. In the meantime, the company is undertaking to analyze the economics of initiating in-house delivery, on a temporary basis only, versus the third-party delivery service, taking into account the added management complexity as well as the direct cost. A determination will be made in the coming days whether this is a viable alternative course of temporary action. The company has also completed applications to extend its beer and wine licenses to include the ability to sell bottles for carry-out through its Pizza Valet curb-side service. The company has requested expedited review and approval and anticipates that it will be successful in obtaining these permits within a few business days, though the timing and approval cannot be guaranteed. Restaurant management and certain other employees already have the necessary permit to serve, and the company will move to permit pizza valets as well. Noble Roman's Craft Pizza & Pub has, since its inception, always taken a very progressive approach to health and safety in its restaurants. One of the primary steps it has always undertaken in company-operated units is to perform a nightly 51-point sanitation cleanse of customer and employee touch points throughout the restaurant utilizing a special hospital grade sanitizing solution. In another example, each unit has a designated Director of Health & Safety whose responsibility it is to monitor compliance with all health and safety standards, to complete a weekly inspection report and to report shortcomings to all restaurant management on a weekly basis. As a final example, all company-owned units perform a pre-shift health check with all arriving employees prior to the start of their shift so that any employees who are ill may return home before working. A more complete discussion of health and safety steps being undertaken during the coronavirus outbreak are available on the Craft Pizza & Pub website at https://www.nrpizzapub.com/news . Noble Roman's Craft Pizza & Pub franchisees have been kept abreast of efforts underway at the company-owned restaurants and are implementing similar systems. From a cost control standpoint at the company-owned Craft Pizza & Pub locations, all landlords have been put on notice that due to the governmental force majeure actions substantially decreasing the usability of the premises, rent will not be paid during the emergency actions of the government. The company has also already eliminated costs associated with running dining rooms, such as satellite TV, music services, heating and air conditioning and linen services. The company has laid off some management personnel and cut back on staff hours to align with current, short-term projections. Steps have also been taken to reduce staffing expenses at the corporate level. Since the company already runs very tight controls on corporate personnel staffing, and since the company is attempting to mitigate the impact on its experienced staff, it has elected to implement temporary salary cuts of 20% rather than layoffs. The company will restore salaries to their previous level as soon as the emergency orders are lifted by the government and trends normalize to pre-pandemic levels. Said Mobley, "This is a period of significant unpredictability, but we have acted swiftly to respond to the current coronavirus-induced emergency. Bold steps have been taken and very difficult steps have been taken. Hopefully the situation will resolve as quickly as possible without further action becoming necessary, though we remain prepared to do so. We are deeply concerned about the communities we serve, the guests that expect the highest standards from our operations and the well-being of our employees. I am pleased to report that our staff has more than risen to the occasion and I am very proud of their efforts and sacrifices. In the end, we are all being called to contribute to the national effort to contain and moderate the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic." The statements contained in this press release concerning the company's future revenues, profitability, financial resources, market demand and product development are forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) relating to the company that are based on the beliefs of the management of the company, as well as assumptions and estimates made by and information currently available to the company's management. The company's actual results in the future may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties that exist in the company's operations and business environment, including, but not limited to, the uncertainties surrounding the current coronavirus pandemic, competitive factors and pricing pressures, non-renewal of franchise agreements, shifts in market demand, the success of new franchise programs, including the new Noble Roman's Craft Pizza & Pub format, the company's ability to successfully operate an increased number of company-owned restaurants, general economic conditions, the ability of the company to maintain various covenants with its lender, further changes in purchases of or demand for the company's products, licenses or franchises, the success or failure of individual franchisees and licensees, changes in prices or supplies of food ingredients and labor, and dependence on continued involvement of current management. The current coronavirus pandemic remains disruptive and unpredictable, and further government or consumer action could have a substantially adverse impact on the company's business. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions or estimates prove incorrect, actual results may differ materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated, expected or intended. The company undertakes no obligations to update the information in this press release for subsequent events. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTACT: Media Information - Scott Mobley, President & CEO: smobley@nobleromans.com Investor Relations - Paul Mobley, Executive Chairman: pmobley@nobleromans.com SOURCE: Noble Romans, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/581477/Noble-Romans-Responds-to-Covid-19-Pandemic Supercomputer designer freed from detention, put under house arrest in fraud case RAPSI, Eugeny Varlamov 18:03 18/03/2020 MOSCOW, March 18 (RAPSI) Russias Business Ombudsman Boris Titov welcomes a decision of the Moscow City Court, which has relaxed the preventive measures in a procurement fraud case against AO T-Platform CEO and shareholder Vsevolod Opanasenko, freeing him from detention and putting him under house arrest on Wednesday, the Business Rights Commissioners press-service informs RAPSI. The decision became a new step in implementation of a new practice relating to pre-trial restrictive measures with respect to entrepreneurs, Titov notes. Nevertheless, he observed that there remains much to be done in this respect, and expressed hope that the Supreme Court is to play a more active role in promotion of bail as a preventive measure in cases involving businesspersons. Moreover, the Business Ombudsman holds to an opinion that Opanasenko committed no crime, as he had no opportunity to influence the results of auctions held in electronic form, performed all his obligations under the governmental contract and the parties put forward no claims. Earlier, Titov turned to President Vladimir Putin asking his instruction to let him examine the Opanasenko case. Titov was of an opinion that investigators had wrongly charged the defendant under provisions of criminal law developed with respect to those holding state posts, not businesspersons. Therefore, the Business Ombudsman noted, Opanasenko should have been freed from detention. The court dismissed a move of investigators seeking to extend the detention of Opanasenko and another defendant in the case Alexander Aleksandrov. The men are to stay under house arrest until June 24, 2020. Initially, the defendants had been charged with abetment of abuse of office. Later, the charges were altered: Opanasenko and Aleksandrov were accused of fraud. Investigators believe that Opanasenko intended to take an advantage in making a government contract amounting to over 357 million rubles (about $4.6 million at the current exchange rate) for supply of several thousands of computer workstations to Russias Interior Ministry and encouraged Aleksandrov to commit the crime. It is alleged that Aleksandrov knew that the equipment to be supplied to the Ministry did not answer its requirements. AO T-Platform is a Russian company established in 2002 for designing supercomputers and delivery of a wide range of solutions and services for high-performance computations, as well as manufacturing of computers on the basis of locally produced processors. COVID-19 cases surpassed 200,000 worldwide on Wednesday as the new coronavirus continues to spread outside of China, the original epicenter of the outbreak. The total number of cases now stands at 201,436 as of 7:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday, according to data compiled by John Hopkins. The virus emerged in Wuhan, China in December. It has since spread to most countries around the world, according to the World Health Organization. The virus has now killed more than 8,000 people around the world, according to JHU, but more than 82,000 people have recovered from the virus. Almost half of all cases in the world are in China, but the virus, known as COVID-19, has quickly spread across borders. Last week, the WHO declared that Europe had become the new epicenter of the virus. "More cases are now being reported [in Europe] every day than were reported in China at the height of its epidemic," WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. Italy, where officials have implemented a nationwide lockdown, has reported more than 31,000 cases, according to JHU, and over 2,500 deaths. The virus has infected more than 16,000 people in Iran, JHU's data shows, and over 13,000 in Spain. On Jan. 20, four countries, China, Thailand, Japan and South Korea, had reported a total of 282 cases, most of which were in China, according to the WHO. The total number of infections across the world hovered around 100,000 on March 6, the WHO's data shows. 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 A Qantas Airways passenger bus drives near a Qantas Boeing 737-800 plane (top, R) at the Sydney domestic terminal, Australia, November 12, 2015. REUTERS/David Gray Australia issued its highest travel warning on Wednesday, advising citizens not to travel overseas to any country. The level four warning states that the health and safety of those who choose to travel "is at extreme risk," according to the government. "Regardless of your destination, age or health, our advice is do not travel at this time," the government's travel advisory website states. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Australia issued its highest travel warning on Wednesday, advising citizens not to travel overseas to any country. The country announced the new travel measure Wednesday morning level four which means the health and safety of those who choose to travel "is at extreme risk," according to the government. "Regardless of your destination, age or health, our advice is do not travel at this time," the government's travel advisory website states. "If you do travel, get professional security advice. Your travel insurance policy might be void. The Australian Government may not be able to help you." The new coronavirus, which causes a disease call COVID-19, has already spread to over 110 countries. As of Wednesday, there have been 375 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia and five deaths across all states and territories except Northern Territory. "If you are already overseas and wish to return to Australia, we recommend you do so as soon as possible by commercial means," the website adds. The government explained its decision, saying that as more countries implement strict travel measures to stop the coronavirus spread, people may be stuck overseas. "As more countries close their borders or introduce travel restrictions, overseas travel is becoming more complex and difficult. You may not be able to return to Australia when you had planned to. Consider whether you have access to health care and support systems if you get sick while overseas." Story continues "If you are overseas and cannot, or do not want to, return to Australia, follow the advice of local authorities," it added. Citizens and foreigners returning to Australia will now be required to self-isolate for 14 days. Travellers in need of urgent consular assistance can contact the following numbers: +61 2 6261 3305 from overseas 1300 555 135 from within Australia +61 421 269 080 from SMS Read the original article on Business Insider Beijing: China on Wednesday announced it would expel American journalists from three major US newspapers in one of the communist government's biggest crackdowns on the foreign press, escalating a bitter row over media freedoms. The move against The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal came as the superpowers also feuded over the coronavirus pandemic, with US President Donald Trump provocatively branding it the "Chinese virus". Beijing said the expulsions were in retaliation to Washington's decision to cut the number of Chinese nationals allowed to work for its state-run media on American soil. "They are legitimate and justified self-defense in every sense," the foreign ministry said of the expulsions. It said the journalists at the three newspapers must hand back their credentials within 10 days, and highlighted they would also not be able to work in the semi-autonomous cities of Hong Kong and Macau. The Foreign Correspondents' Club of China (FCCC) said the move means at least 13 American journalists currently working in the country would be expelled. Beijing also ordered the papers, as well as Voice of America and Time magazine, to declare in writing their staff, finances, operations and real estate in China -- rules similar to those recently imposed on Chinese state media by Washington. The foreign ministry said these were "entirely necessary and reciprocal" moves that China was "compelled to take in response to the unreasonable oppression the Chinese media organizations experience in the US". The row was ignited last month after China expelled three other Wall Street Journal reporters -- two Americans and one Australian -- over what it deemed a racist headline in the newspaper. The headline, "China is the Real Sick Man of Asia", was on an opinion piece that the three journalists were not involved in writing. Those were the first outright expulsions by China of a foreign journalist since 1998, according to the FCCC. The row escalated as the US reclassified Chinese state-run media operating in the United States as foreign missions. On Wednesday, the FCCC said it "deplores" the measure and warned: "There are no winners in the use of journalists as diplomatic pawns by the world's two pre-eminent economic powers." PR-Inside.com: 2020-03-17 23:01:07 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 446 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 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 contactKimberly Limkimberly@ cubicfarms.com Phone: +1-236-858-6491SOURCE: CubicFarm Systems Corp. by Thanh Thuy Infected people live in 13 of the countrys 63 provinces. COVID-19 is highly infectious. The Church has called on the faithful to engage in responsible behaviour and respect government orders. Priests will be able to return to celebrate penitential rites and collective confessions starting next 29 March. Ho Chi Minh City (AsiaNews) Vietnams Health Ministry confirmed a new case of coronavirus infection this morning, bringing the number of infected people to 67 in 13 of the countrys 63 provinces. Yesterday, the government suspended new visas for foreign nationals to curb the spread of the coronavirus. For their part, Catholic communities have joined the efforts of the authorities but continue to observe Lent and prepare for Easter despite the emergency. Some dioceses have taken some effective measures to protect the health of the faithful, requiring them to wear protective masks and sit at a distance from each other during Mass. The COVID-19 pandemic, which began in the Chinese city of Wuhan, stands out for its high level of infection. In just one week, a patient identified as D infected six people in Binh Thuan province. In the same coastal region in south-eastern Vietnam, patient N 34 passed the virus to nine other people; but the number is expected to increase due to the number of people who had contacts with this person. Health authorities have identified two cases of super infectors. One is a woman identified as NTD, who returned to Vietnam on 17 January after two months in Wuhan on a training course. Since the early days of the coronavirus emergency, the Church has called on Catholics to engage in socially responsible behaviour and follow the instructions of the authorities. In the parishes, pastors have urged the faithful to stay at home if they show flu symptoms or came into contact with people suspected of infection. The Vietnamese clergy appealed for responsible self-isolation. The faithful are not required to attend Sunday Mass, but they can still take part in spiritual communion with prayers and works of charity from their homes. In order to avoid gatherings, collective penitential rites are not recommended. Families and individuals are invited to spend Lent praying and fasting at home. In case of utmost necessity, priests can confess people in private, taking the following precautions: priest and parishioner must wear protective masks, confessionals must have safety curtains, and, alternatively, the faithful can confess their sins by writing them on paper. Recently, Archbishop Giuse (Joseph) Nguyen Nang of Ho Chi Minh City (ex-Saigon), said that Catholics can follow Eucharistic celebrations online, as aid to being close to the spirit of the liturgy. At the same time, the Episcopal Office explained that watching the Mass online can never replace personal liturgical participation. The bishop also asked priests to explain the concept clearly to the laity, to avoid misunderstandings and equivocal thoughts (tu tuong anh ong). Priests will be able to return to celebrate penitential rites and collective confessions as of 29 March. The coronavirus lockdown in Spain has exposed the plight of some of the country's most vulnerable workers - members of the so-called gig economy who only get paid if work comes their way. Bikers delivering takeaway meals amid the lockdown say they fear for their health, but can't afford to stop working. While most people stay off the streets of Barcelona, dozens of bikers were waiting outside restaurants by the Sagrada Familia cathedral on Tuesday night. Many were waiting for a food delivery order to come up on their phones. 23-year-old Guillermo, from Colombia, who declined to give his last name fearing reprisal by the delivery app he works with, spoke about his precarious working conditions. Guillermo always wears a surgical mask and gloves, but still fears getting infected with the new coronavirus as he delivers food to residents hunkered at home under a state of emergency. Riders usually charge between four aper order, but must pay taxes as autonomous workers, an insurance required by the delivery platforms and maintenance of the vehicles they use to deliver, usually a motorbike, bicycle or scooter. While some customers track Guillermo's movements through the Deliveroo app and wait for him outside their buildings so he doens't have to enter their homes, many do not. Guillermo is now using his elbows to ring door bells and call elevators. He also tries to drop the meals a meter away from his clients, but he still risks catching the virus while working. The food delivery business is not as profitable as he expected it to be in a city under lockdown, and Guillermo wonders if he is risking too much for little in return. Despite being allowed to keep their kitchens open for delivery orders only, the majority of restaurants in Barcelona have shut down completely, limiting orders on popular food apps like Glovo, Uber Eats and Deliveroo. But if Guillermo were to stay at home for a few days, the company's app algorithm would register his absence and put him at the end of the queue of riders waiting to get deliveries assigned. Despite working through the lockdown, Guillermo said the money he is making on Deliveroo these days barely covers the costs that come with being an autonomous worker in Spain. "I don't know how this will end," he said before riding off on his bike to another restaurant in the hope of getting an order. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister is mulling to go to Bengaluru to meet 16 rebel MLAs currently staying at a resort there, as his government is on a shaky ground following the resignation of these and six more legislators. Talking to reporters here in response to a query, Nath said, "If needed I will also go to Bengaluru." Nath's party colleague Digvijaya Singh on Wednesday failed to meet the rebel MLAs in Bengaluru. High drama unfolded as Singh staged a protest near the resort in Bengaluru, where the legislators are staying. He accused the police of not allowing him to meet the MLAs. A source close to Kamal Nath said that he (CM) had already tried to contact Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa over phone to visit Bengaluru, but could not get through. Twenty-two legislators have revolted against the Congress-led government in the state and put in their papers last week. Of them, the resignation of six legislators has been accepted. Congress spokesperson Bhupendra Gupta alleged that the saffron party has held their MLAs hostages in Bengaluru in a bid to pull down the MP government. "They are not allowing our leaders to meet the MLAs. Our minister, Jitu Patwari, had also gone there, but he was manhandled," he alleged. The BJP has sought to distance itself from the revolt in the Congress saying that it was the fallout of the infighting within the party's rival factions in th state. State BJP chief, V D Sharma, said his party had nothing to do with the rebels in the Congress. The Kamal Nath government plunged into crisis after Jyotiraditya Scindia quit the Congress, after which 22 MLAs loyal to him resigned in Madhya Pradesh last week. Buoyed by the revolt in the Congress, the BJP has been vociferously seeking a floor test in the assembly. The Speaker has so far accepted resignations of six of the 22 MLAs, bringing down the effective strength of the House to 222 and the new majority mark at 112. The opposition BJP has 107 MLAs. After the MP assembly was adjourned on Monday till March 26, the BJP petitioned the Supreme Court seeking a direction from it for an early floor test. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Milk Bank is closely monitoring developments related to the outbreak of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus and taking all necessary steps to protect both the milk supply and milk donors. Increased donations are needed now to prepare for possible spikes in demand associated with COVID-19. Executive Director, Freedom Kolb, notes, Now is a particularly difficult time for the medically fragile infants we serve as well as the health care partners providing them with exceptional care. The Milk Banks supply of milk remains stable; however, we are proactively dedicated to supporting the lifesaving work of regional hospitals and NICUs. While much is still unknown, the virus has not been detected in breast milk. As research specific to COVID-19 continues to evolve, characteristics of similar viruses such as SARS and MERS can inform practice. In fact, studies have documented complete heat inactivation of these genetically similar viruses. Kolb continues, All milk dispensed by The Milk Bank undergoes heat treatment using the Holder pasteurization method. Additionally, strict safeguards informed by both the CDC and FDA ensure the integrity of every bottle through comprehensive donor screening and third-party microbiological analysis. In times of crisis, it is critical to rely on the most current and accurate information and to mobilize efforts to support public health. You can help vulnerable infants during this time in the following ways: Encourage healthy moms to donate milk to The Milk Bank, even milk that has been frozen and stored. Donor moms can visit http://www.themilkbank.org to determine eligibility and begin the screening process. Reinforce that The Milk Bank can providing shipping materials and supplies if donor mothers are unable to bring milk to a depot. Practice social distancing, but reach out by phone, text or email to friends with young children. It can be a frightening and confusing time for families and typical resources may become less accessible. Share details about support services that remain open such as free telephonic and online lactation consulting with The Milk Bank. Making a financial investment to The Milk Bank at http://www.themilkbank.org and join our efforts to combat infant mortality and promote public health. Be familiar with CDC guidance specifically for breastfeeding and pregnant women diagnosis with COVID-19. About The Milk Bank (TMB): Research has consistently demonstrated that breastmilk provides significant immunological, nutritional, physiological and psychological benefits that protect babies against many illnesses and last well beyond infancy. TMB was established to improve health outcomes for premature and ill infants, foster better health for children and decrease health care expenditures. TM is dedicated to public health by providing a reliable supply of pasteurized donor human milk to infants in need. TMB is an independent, 501c3 non-profit accredited by The Human Milk Banking Association of North America. For more information about TMB, visit http://www.themilkbank.org or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIN. ### Jenny Pemberton The Milk Bank 317-536-1670 jpemberton@themilkbank.org BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 17 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. 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. Search Keywords: Short link: Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, says an American citizen who came into Lagos through the Benin Republic border is among the new co... Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, says an American citizen who came into Lagos through the Benin Republic border is among the new confirmed case of the coronavirus. On Tuesday, the country recorded the third case of the virus through a 30-year-old Nigerian who came into the country on March 13 through a British Airways flight. Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Osagie confirmed five new cases of the coronavirus in the country. He said the patients had a travel history to the United Kingdom and the United States. An American citizen who came into Lagos through Benin republic border on 13th March, 2020, the minister said. Another Nigerian who returned to Lagos from London on 13th March, 2020 via Virgin Atlantic Flight number VS411. We have a mother and child (Nigerian) who arrived Lagos on 13th March, 2020 from California on Virgin Atlantic flight number VS411. The outbreak has led to several decisions by governments in the form of measures to limit the spread of the disease. The federal government has placed a travel ban on 13 countries, including China, the UK and the US. According to The Spectator Index, the number of cases of the disease is now hitting high above 200,000 worldwide. Tuesday, March 17, was another primary day, this time in Florida, Illinois, and Arizona. Showing that Bernie's momentum is completely stalled, Joe Biden won significantly in both Florida and Illinois. However, Trump was the candidate who walked away with the highest number of votes in Florida despite his being an incumbent and the negative media drumbeat since they sank their teeth into the coronavirus outbreak. The energy has gone out of Bernie's campaign. Bernie and his supporters presumably hoped Joe Biden would have another bad night during the Democrat primary debate on Sunday. If that happened, even though the momentum seemed to be moving in Biden's direction, voters might have looked at a mentally incompetent Biden and, reluctantly or not, cast their vote for the morally incompetent Bernie in the remaining primaries. As it happened, though, Biden and Bernie were pretty much neck-and-neck in the Sunday debate. Both were old men endlessly repeating their messages: Biden's was "I've already done all that before (but don't blame me for any of the problems America has), and I can do it again." Bernie's was "I hate America and want to fix it by turning it into Cuba." Both stumbled a bit on words, but nobody could hold that against either of them. The important thing was that, merely by appearing not to be senile, Biden won. Given Biden's Sunday victory, his Tuesday-night victory in the Illinois and Florida primaries was pretty much a foregone conclusion. As of this writing, Biden's leading in Arizona, but with fewer than 5% of votes counted, that could change. With 98.68% of votes counted in Florida, Biden had received 1,070,826 votes, and Bernie received only 395,834. Showing the damaging effects of early voting, Michael Bloomberg received 147,594 votes, which were presumably siphoned off from Biden. Bernie's poor showing in Florida was almost a foregone conclusion. His manifest love for Fidel Castro alienated the Cuban population, while his equally manifest love for every two-bit anti-Semite and his hatred for Israel alienated the Jewish community. Both of those blocs vote, and they weren't going to vote for Bernie. What was staggering about the Florida vote, though, was the number of votes cast for Donald Trump. In a field of four Republican primary candidates (with Bill Weld, Joe Walsh, and Roque De La Fuente being the primary candidates no one remembers), Trump got 1,160,192 votes. What this means is that, despite running virtually unopposed as the incumbent president, Trump managed to get almost 100,000 more votes than Joe Biden did and that was in an election that Biden dominated on the Democrat side of the aisle. It's true that, if early voting hadn't siphoned off Bloomberg votes, Biden probably would have received more votes. Likewise, in the final election, many Bernie voters may consolidate behind Biden. Nevertheless, it's striking that 1,160,192 people roused themselves during a time of coronavirus to vote for an incumbent candidate who is under nonstop attack from the media. It speaks to a significant level of support. Florida's twenty-nine Electoral College votes are among the most important in a presidential election. In 2012, Obama squeaked into a victory by a margin of only 0.88%. Four years later, Trump beat Hillary by 1.2%. And as many remember, back in 2000, Bush won Florida and the White House when he received 0.01 percent more of the vote than Gore did. Florida is a critical state, and it's anybody's bet which way it's going to go. I wouldn't dare to predict what will happen this November, but it's certainly worth noting the enthusiasm for Donald Trump in this challenging March. Five persons were killed when their car collided with a dumper in Ajmer district of Rajasthan on Wednesday, police said. The incident occurred on Jaipur road in Rupangarh town. The victims were heading towards Haryana, they said. The deceased have been identified as Sanjay Sharma, Amit, Surendra, Manoj and Sandeep Poonia, all aged around 30-32 years. The bodies were sent for post-mortem and their family members informed, the police added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Arundhati Bhattacharya previously headed the State Bank of India (SBI), the countrys 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. New Delhi/Mumbai: US cloud-based service provider Salesforce.com Inc has hired Arundhati Bhattacharya, one of Indias 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 countrys 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 one of its fastest-growing regions. In January, Salesforce co-founder Parker Harris met Indias trade minister in New Delhi and briefed him on the companys 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. Reporting by Aditya Kalra and N Concerns have been flagged about emergency legislation set to be implemented to tackle Coronavirus. The cabinet has signed off on a raft of measures which will see changes in social welfare as well as the ability to detain those suspected of having the virus and banning mass gatherings. The new legislation is to be debated and voted on in the Dail on Thursday. The Irish Council of Civil Liberties (ICCL) says more must be done to ensure restrictions on rights remain temporary. "There's no doubt that the government's intention bringing forward this legislation is good in the short term, but we need to strong guarantees to make sure that that is the case," Liam Herrick, Executive Director of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) said. "We need guarantees that these measures would only be short term. "We have very strong constitutional protection of freedom of assembly, freedom of movement and liberty, and what's being proposed here, particularly with regard to freedom of assembly is quite severe. "That a minister of government can ban meetings and events taking place with a pretty broad discretion. "It's absolutely essential right in any democracy, the right to peaceful protest, the right to the right to peaceful assembly, it's essential that we return to strong protection of constitutional rights as quickly as possible after this." Liam Herrick, Executive Director of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) The bill states that these powers will only be enforced until the ninth of May, however, the government will be able to extend beyond that. ICCL suggests an alternative safeguard would be that the Dail would have to vote for any extension, placing power with the Oireachtas. The group point to Ireland's history of extending emergency measures beyond emergency times, including the Special Criminal Court and the Offences Against the State Act both, formed part of the States response to the Troubles, which, in the years since the Troubles have ended, has seen their remit extended. "Another safeguard would be that each extension can only be for a limited period of time," Mr Herrick added. "We have a history of short term measures becoming long term. We can never guarantee what a future government might do. "There may be people that might argue in the future that it's important to retain these extreme powers. "I think that it would be I think a lot of comfort to the public to know that these extreme measures, and that's what they are, will only be in place for the minimum period of time and that there are strong guarantees to ensure that that's the case." Likewise, Independent TD Denis Naughten has called for a "sunset clause" to ensure rights are protected: These are very powerful legal provisions which must only be used to specifically deal with the current national health crisis, and we must be able to have the law repealed after this threat has abated.'' Both Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty and Minister for Health Simon Harris have said they hope the government will not need to enact the powers to monitor mass gatherings or treat those affected by the virus, but who refuse to self-isolate. Congress workers staged a protest outside the Madhya Pradesh BJP office here on Wednesday after their senior leader Digvijaya Singh was barred from meeting his party's rebel MLAs in Bengaluru. The BJP claimed protesters hurled stones at its office and attacked its members with lathis, a charge refuted by the ruling Congress whose government in the state is facing crisis after 22 party MLAs rebelled and resigned. Some of the protesters were detained, but no one was hurt during the demonstration, police officials said. "The Congress government's exit is imminent in Madhya Pradesh, which is why they attacked our office. We were sitting quietly when protesters hurled stones and rained lathis on us," BJP state spokesman Rahul Kothari alleged. Refuting Kothari's claims, state Congress spokesman Bhupendra Gupta said his party workers did go there (BJP office), but were detained by the police. "They went to protest against the BJP-led Karnataka government for not allowing our leader Digvijaya to meet our MLAs in Bengaluru," he said. The BJP is cooking up stories and creating drama over a peaceful protest, Gupta alleged. Instead of levelling baseless allegations, they (the BJP) should show the person who was hurt in the peaceful protest, he added. Meanwhile, inspector Rakesh Shrivastava of the Habibganj police station said no one was hurt during the protest and the police had not received any report of violence. High drama unfolded on Wednesday morning when Singh staged a protest near the resort in Bengaluru where rebel Congress MLAs are staying, accusing the police of not allowing him to meet the legislators. The senior Congress leader, who was detained by the police, accused the BJP of holding the MLAs captive and threatened to go on a "hunger strike". The BJP has consistently denied holding the rebel Congress MLAs in captivity and claimed they are in the Karnataka capital on their own accord. 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 collapse. Of these, the speaker has accepted the resignations of six MLAs. Japan's Sharp sues Tesla for patent infringement over network gear: source A logo of Sharp Corp is pictured at the CEATEC JAPAN 2017 in Chiba TOKYO (Reuters) - Sharp Corp has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against the Japanese unit of Tesla Inc, seeking an injunction to halt imports of some electric vehicles (EV) to Japan, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. The lawsuit, filed in Tokyo, alleges that mobile communications equipment installed in some Tesla models violate patents owned by Sharp, said the source, who declined to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the issue. Kyodo News, which first reported the move, said Tesla's Model S, Model 3 sedans and Model X sport-utility vehicle are subject to the lawsuit. A Sharp spokesman declined to comment, while Tesla didn't immediately respond to Reuters' emailed request for comment. Sharp, a unit of Taiwan's Foxconn, has been actively filing patent infringement cases in recent months, accusing U.S. TV brand Vizio Inc and Chinese smartphone maker OPPO. (Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki, editing by Louise Heavens) The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts urged Gov. Charlie Baker to release inmates from state prisons who are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus and have short sentences. The organization, in a letter to public officials in the commonwealth, also called on police to stop arresting individuals on minor offenses and instead issue citations or summonses to reduce the number of people in the criminal legal system system during the outbreak of the respiratory infection known as COVID-19. Public health experts recognize that there is a heightened risk of infection for people who are involved in the criminal system, and that downsizing the footprint of the criminal system should be a part of the COVID-19 public health response, Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, said in a statement. Rose and Legal Director Matthew Segal in their letter also urged prosecutors to avoid cash bail requests and move for release instead. They encouraged courts to reduce the number of cases involving incarcerated or detained persons, sheriffs to ensure correction facilities are as empty and safe as possible and parole boards expedite release opportunities for prisoners. The ACLU of Massachusetts also demanded Baker grant commutations to anyone whose sentence ends in the next year, anyone identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 and whose sentence ends within the next two years and anyone being incarcerated for a technical supervision violation. As an initial matter, the DOC and sheriffs should assess detained and incarcerated populations and maximize the number of people - with a heightened focus on populations identified by the CDC as particularly vulnerable - who can be immediately released or stepped down to Community Corrections Centers or other community-based settings, including people who are scheduled to be released within the next sixty days, Rose and Segal wrote in their letter. Individuals particularly vulnerable to the virus include the elderly and people with pre-existing medical conditions. The New York Board of Correction on Tuesday already urged New York Citys jails to start releasing prisoners who are at high risk of contracting the coronavirus in an effort to decrease the prison population, the New York Daily News reported. The organizations demands follow the commonwealths Executive Office of Public Safetys announcement Tuesday that it would be placing a moratorium on disciplining staff and halting employees suspensions until further notice due to the pandemic. The agency oversees Massachusetts State Police and the Department of Correction. Any situations that are of an egregious nature and require immediate action will be handled on a case by case basis, EOPSS Deputy Commissioner Michael Grant wrote in the directive. Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins, an advocate for less harsh prosecutions of non-violent offenders, criticized the agencys move. As the rest of the world is looking at ways to get non-violent people OUT of jails and prisons, our @MACorrections is bulking up its staff with its disgraced, previously disciplined, & suspended guards, the prosecutor tweeted. Rollins added, They have just issued an invitation to harm, punish and violate prisoners. Remember, prisons are mini-police departments but completely out of our sight. There are no cellphones; no members of the public to record what is happening; no body cameras in prisons and jails. EOPSS referred MassLive to DOC for a comment, but the agency did not respond. Related Content: Loading The federal ministers contacted the bishop on Wednesday morning. Soon afterwards, Bishop Fisher wrote to NSW Catholic School bosses backing the governments' stance, and saying the federal ministers had been "very disappointed" by decisions by some of the non-Catholic independent schools to pre-emptively close. "And, by implication, [disappointed] with some of the actions or public statements of some in our own sector," he wrote in a letter obtained by the Herald. "The government asks us to work together, collectively to seek the best medical advice, to help preserve calm, and to help it in its best efforts to address this public health emergency. "It is the view of bishops presently here in Sydney for a meeting of the permanent committee that we should not break ranks with our Commonwealth and state governments and their chief medical officers on this." In a press conference after his call to Bishop Fisher, Mr Morrison warned the impact of school closures on the economy and productivity would be severe. "What do I mean by severe? Tens of thousands of jobs could be lost, if not more," he said. A Manitoba court has upheld the provincial government's decision to quash a drafted deal with the Manitoba Metis Federation surrounding a hydroelectric line to Minnesota. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 17/3/2020 (665 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A Manitoba court has upheld the provincial government's decision to quash a drafted deal with the Manitoba Metis Federation surrounding a hydroelectric line to Minnesota. The Progressive Conservative governments Manitoba Hydro board resigned en masse in March 2018, after Premier Brian Pallister refused to approve the compensation agreement for the MMF. The $67.5-million deal would have had the MMF not contesting some of the Crown corporations projects, including a transmission line to Minnesota now nearing completion. At the time, Pallister called the deal "hush money," as it wasnt compensation for lost land or specific damages. The agreement built on a deal signed by the previous NDP government. Premier Brian Pallister said the court ruling validates his governments handling of Hydro projects. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press files) MMF president David Chartrand argued the drafted deal was the best way to avoid a lengthy court process to define Metis land rights in the Red River Valley, especially pertaining to future projects around Winnipeg. In court, the MMF argued pulling out of the agreement violated the Crowns duty to negotiate with Indigenous people in good faith. Yet, a Monday ruling in the Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench found the provincial cabinet was within its rights to oversee Crown corporation decisions, including those regarding spending and Indigenous relations. Chief Justice Glenn Joyal cited those reasons in saying an early 2018 directive, used later that year to kibosh the drafted deal, was lawful. "It is in fact a lawful exercise of cabinets statutory authority to enforce its stewardship role over Hydro," Joyal wrote. MMF President David Chartrand said his organization would appeal the ruling. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press files) He also ruled the case did not put in jeopardy "the honour of the Crown," which is the duty of governments to negotiate in good faith with Indigenous people. Joyal ruled the original deal wasnt about Aboriginal rights, nor was it a modern-day treaty. The court did not opine on the Hydro board resignations. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Pallister said Tuesday the court ruling validates his governments handling of Hydro projects, which he said includes hearing local concerns. "We don't engage in the purchase of the rights of Metis children yet unborn," Pallister said, arguing the former NDP government was "using Manitoba Hydro as an ATM to buy friends." Chartrand rejected the characterization. "We're appealing it, for sure," he told the Free Press. "We're going through (the ruling) and I'm bringing in a bunch of lawyers." with files from Larry Kusch dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / Mota Ventures Corp. (MOTA.CN)(1WZ1.F)(PEMTF) (the "Company") announces that First Class CBD has launched a new "immune support" product that has generated significant demand since it was released. This is the first of a number of new CBD products aimed at promoting personal immune health that First Class is developing. One of our primary competitive advantages as a business is our ability to adapt to market changes. With the immense demand in the market for products to promote personal immune system health, we launched a First Class immune product; during the first four days, we acquired over 1,000 customers and will be scaling rapidly. Next week we will be launching a complete line of immunity products, including a CBD oil plus B-vitamins, Vitamin C and Zinc. Our mission is to provide pure and efficacious products to our customers that depend upon us throughout the United States and Europe. Our supply chain is functioning uninterrupted. The Company has personally met with suppliers in the United States and are confident in its ability to continue to meet the demands of the current sales volume, and new product lines for March 2020 and beyond. "I am extremely pleased with the success of our launch of our new product line. Our ability to adapt and innovate is stronger than ever. Demand for our new immune category has been exceptional and I believe this will be a significant driver to revenue in 2020," stated Ryan Hoggan, CEO of the Company. About Mota Ventures Corp. Mota 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 is looking to establish sales channels and a distribution network internationally through the acquisition of the Sativida and First Class CBD brands. Low cost production, coupled with international, direct to customer sales channels will provide the foundation for the success of Mota. Story continues ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MOTA VENTURES CORP. Ryan Hoggan Chief Executive Officer For further information, readers are encouraged to contact the President of the Company, Joel Shacker, 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 business prospects of First Class CBD and its new product lines, its plans to become a vertically integrated global CBD brand, its plans to cultivate and extract cannabis to produce CBD and high-quality value added CBD products in Latin America for distribution domestically and internationally. 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/581431/Mota-Ventures-Announces-Successful-Launch-of-New-Immune-Support-Product President Donald Trump walks up to speak to the media before departing from the White House in Washington on Feb. 3, 2020. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Trump Secures Republican Presidential Nomination With primary victories in every state voting on March 17, President Donald Trump secured the Republican Partys presidential nomination. Trump became the GOPs presumptive nominee for 2020, the party stated on March 17. Our party is united, our grassroots movement is fired up, and we are ready for FOUR MORE YEARS! Republican Party Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel wrote on Twitter. Brad Parscale, Trumps campaign manager, said that the campaign has been seeing record vote totals, unprecedented enthusiasm, and a unified party. Trumps wins in Florida and Illinois pushed him over the 1,276 delegate threshold to secure the Republican nomination. He has won all but one delegate in the 2020 race. Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld won the single delegate in the Iowa caucuses. President Donald Trump speaks at his administrations daily coronavirus briefing at the White House in Washington on March 17, 2020. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) Trump faced little opposition in securing the nomination. Two other candidatesformer Congress members Joe Walsh and Mark Sanforddropped out before the Iowa caucuses. Some state Republican parties canceled primaries, citing the costs involved and the desire to support the president as he fights for another four years in office. Trump has remained highly popular among Republicans, with support hovering around 90 percent for years. The GOP touted high vote totals in the primaries, producing a chart that showed Trump earned more votes in 10 states than either Barack Obama or George W. Bush when they were running for reelection. Heading into 2020, President Trump is leaps and bounds ahead of where the past two successful reelection campaigns were. The party is united and enthusiasm is on our side, Steve Guest, a rapid response director for the party, wrote in a blog post containing the chart. Former Vice President Joe Biden, meanwhile, moved closer to clinching the Democrat Party nomination with wins in Florida, Illinois, and Arizona. Ohio postponed its March 17 primary because of the CCP virus. 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 mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. BERLIN Desperate travelers choked European border crossings Wednesday after countries implemented strict controls to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus, which has now infected more than 200,000 people worldwide and killed more than 8,000. In releasing the new figures, Johns Hopkins University also said more than 82,000 people recovered from the virus, which causes only mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough for most people, although severe illness is more likely in the elderly and those with existing health problems. European leaders have closed borders to nonessential traffic, while leaving many open to cross-border workers and trucks carrying critical goods like food and medicine. That has led to massive backups of travelers and trucks alike. To try to alleviate some of the pressure from eastern Europeans stuck in Austria trying to return home, Hungary overnight opened its borders in phases. Bulgarian citizens were first allowed to cross in carefully controlled convoys, then Romanians had a turn. But by early Wednesday on the Austrian side, trucks were backed up for 17 miles and cars for nearly 9 miles as rules allowing only Hungarians or cargo trucks to cross kicked back in. In a second attempt, Hungary again opened the borders Wednesday through Thursday morning to allow Romanians, Bulgarians and Serbians to transit. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic expressed outrage as his citizens returned, claiming that 40,000 coming from jobs abroad had largely ignored orders to go into self-isolation at home, putting others in the country at risk. Italy has been the second hardest hit country with more than 31,000 cases, behind more than 81,000 in China. But German health authorities warned it was just a matter of time before the numbers spike unless people heed warnings to avoid contact. Lothar Wieler, head of the Germany's disease control institute, warned that unless social contacts are effectively reduced there could be up to 10 million infected people in Germany in two to three months. He said measures taken now could sharply reduce the spread and help ensure that those who do need medical help can be treated. We are at the start of the epidemic," he said. "We are 1-2 weeks behind Italy. " Around the world, nations faced the same issue of trying to slow the spread, with the U.S. and Canada working on a mutual ban on nonessential travel between the two countries. In Southeast Asia, the causeway between Malaysia and the financial hub of Singapore was eerily quiet after Malaysia shut its borders, while the Philippines backed down on an order giving foreigners 72 hours to leave from a large part of its main island. President Donald Trump's administration was considering a plan to immediately return to Mexico all people who cross America's southern border illegally, according to two officials who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the plan hasnt been finalized. The coronavirus is present in every U.S. state after West Virginia reported an infection. In far-flung Hawaii, the governor encouraged travelers to postpone their island vacations for at least the next 30 days, while the governor of Nevada ordered a monthlong closure of the state's casinos. Cairo, March 18 : Egypt on Wednesday reported two more coronavirus deaths taking its toll to six, as virus cases began to be reported across Africa, which has so far been spared the brunt of the disease, reports said. Egypt currently has 196 confirmed cases, the BBC reported. Tunisia, which has 24 cases and over 2,000 recent travellers in self-quarantine, has imposed a curfew 12 hours a day to try to curb the disease's spread. In South Africa, where there are 116 cases so far, over 1,700 people are confined in a cruise ship of Cape Town after six people with symptoms were taken ashore for testing. Kenya confirmed three more cases of coronavirus, bringing the total to seven. Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe said all the cases are people who arrived from outside. Tanzania's Zanzibar has confirmed its first case of coronavirus, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said. The East African country currently has reported three cases. Burkina Faso, which has 26 confirmed cases, has announced its first death from Covid-19, with authorities identifying the deceased as a diabetic woman aged 62. It was later announced that the woman was Rose Marie Compaore, a Vice President in the National Assembly. The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Ghana has increased to seven, but authorities said that all were recovering. Nigeria has placed a travel ban on people coming from 13 countries worst affected by coronavirus as five new cases were recorded in the continent's most-populous nation. With warnings that their strained public health systems could easily become overwhelmed, various governments are taking steps which they hope will slow the pace of infection. Many countries, such as Kenya, have closed schools at an earlier stage than in much of Europe. Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma, who has sent medical supplies to the US and promised to distribute face masks in coronavirus-battered Europe, has announced he would donate thousands of testing kits, masks and protective suits to each African country to help the fight against the killer disease. "Africa can be one step ahead of the coronavirus. 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..." he said in a tweet. The Chinese billionaire said that the supplies - 1.1 million testing kits, six million masks and 60, medical use protective suits and face shields - would be delivered to Ethiopia's capital, and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed would oversee their distribution across the continent. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) (Photo : Screenshot from: Pexels Official Website) Thanks to the Coronavirus, you must be bored out of your mind now, eh? Well, fret not! NASA, Adobe, and Good Old Games got you covered with these free things you can do while you are stuck at home doing absolutely nothing. Read Also: Is Your Home Office Tech Ready While Coronavirus Confines You? Check These Must-Haves As You Work From Home! Adobe is giving out free access to Creative Cloud Students and teachers can now use Adobe's Creative Cloud for free, but only temporarily. This aims to help students be productive while they stay at home during this difficult time with the novel Coronavirus. The Creative Cloud can only be accessed when the University's Information Technology Administrator personally contacts Adobe regarding this offer via this form that has been handed out. Adobe will then inform the applicants on whether or not they have been approved to avail of this offer. Universities around the world have opted to close down their campuses as a response to the virus. They have also asked their fellow employees to work from instead. Though, other tech companies have been helping the public by making their products free, convenient and accessible to educational academies. NASA's website is full activities for kids and adults NASA has been helping children and adults pass their time while learning and enjoying some new fun and free stuff on their website. From astronomy to spaceflights, you can now continue learning about space exploration while lacking things to do at the moment. Here is the list of some of the fun things to do: SPOT THE STATION This is an interactive tracking tool wherein it allows users to search for their location and find out when, where and how they can see the Internation Space Station or the ISS from where they currently are. Users will have to sign up for email alerts and texts whenever the ISS will appear in the sky like a bright shining star or that is passing by. SLOOH'S LIVE ASTRONOMY LESSON Aside from the worldwide live telescope view, SLOOH will have their astronomy lessons as well on Thursday, March 19. This aims towards K-12 students who are all staying at home. They have stated that "Slooh's live lesson will be educational, inspiring and soothing. 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." This will start at 4:30 pm EDT. LISTEN TO PODCASTS NASA Podcasts will help the public catch up and learn at the same time just by listening to the devices. These podcasts include Welcome to the Rocket Ranch, The Invisible Network, NASA Explorers: Apollo and Houston, We Have A Podcast. These podcasts focus on human spaceflights, moon exploration, behind-the-scenes and profiling activists. GOG Spring Sale Hands out Free Witcher Goodies For streamers and gamers, after claiming the offer, The Witcher Goodies Pack can now be accessed in their account's game collection. The goodies pack include art books, original art, soundtracks, printable templates, and Witcher comics. This is a 4.35 GB file to download which hints players how much of a colossal free content is being given by GOG. Read Also: [Twitter Tips] Hilarious Ways to Work at Home 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Plans have been submitted for a 2m expansion to the former Lidl warehouse in Newbridge where US multinational Keurig Dr Pepper is basing a manufacturing hub. The US company behind brands such as Dr Pepper and 7up announced earlier this month that it is hiring for 50 positions immediately at the facility off Great Connell Road. The firm, which has 25,000 employees worldwide, said it is expanding and diversifying its supply chain by opening a manufacturing facility in Newbridge later this year. Keurig Dr Pepper is the parent company of over 100 brands that also includes Snapple, Canada Dry and Sunkist. Plans have now been lodged with Kildare Co Council to convert the vacant building to beverage manufacturing use. The gross floor area of the premises will increase from 31,986 sq m to 34,191 sq m, an increase of 2,205 sq m. The car park is also proposed to extend to 209 car parking spaces and 40 bicycle spaces. Other planned additions are an external chiller and condensing units and a wastewater treatment plant. The estimated total construction cost of the development is 2m. No one in the West Piedmont Health District has tested positive for COVID-19, the Virginia Department of Health reported Wednesday. VDH West Piedmont District Population Health Manager Nancy Bell forwarded this statement from VDH Epidemiologist Sharon Ortiz-Garcia: No persons are under investigation at this time in the West Piedmont Health District. West Piedmont includes Martinsville and Henry and Patrick counties, and Bell said that officials dont know how many people in the district have been tested. She said that information should be available soon. Hospitals and doctors offices are not required to report when they test, but all test results are reported to VDH, Bell wrote in an email. They are working on a by locality breakdown, which may be available as early as next week. COVID-19 test kits are in short supply across the country, in Virginia and in the West Piedmont Health District, Bell wrote. VDH is recommending that only people with COVID-19 symptoms and medical personnel who have been in contact with people who have tested positive for COVID-19 be tested. Screening for COVID-19 is done by hospitals and doctors offices, Bell said. The health departments role is to provide guidance to be sure people meet the case definition to be considered for testing. The VDH has lifted restrictions on testing labs, now allowing hospitals to use any commercial lab for testing, Ortiz-Garcia stated in Bells email. Kelly Fitzgerald, the spokesperson for Sovah Health in Martinsville, wrote by email that the hospital has not yet had a patient test positive for COVID-19. Her email did not answer other questions, including about the hospitals access to test kits, what type of test kits the hospital is using and how many patients have been tested for COVID-19. To those questions, the hospital replied with a prepared statement that included: We are continuing to work closely with our local health department and the Virginia Department of Health and are following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to evaluate patients for novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Neither Sovah CEO Dale Alward nor Chief Operating Officer Tory Shepherd has responded to requests for updates on the hospitals COVID-19 plans and dealings, and the hospital has not responded to repeated questions of who is the head of the hospitals COVID-19 preparation and response team. The health department will track and investigate cases, Bell said, including how a person came into contact with the virus and informing people who may have been exposed to people who have tested positive for COVID-19. The department collects data to identify outbreaks, which is where two or more people got the virus from a single source. The health department answers policy-and-procedure questions from the public and from medical professionals, she said. It also works with local EMS and medical providers to respond to health crises as they arise. VDH is implementing an incident command structure and will work with districts and partners to implement, as needed, throughout the crisis. We also can request masks and other protective equipment from the national stockpile for use by local medical personnel at hospitals, EMS, etc., Bell wrote. The Virginia Department of Health guidelines for testing for COVID-19 require a certain level of criteria before it approves state testing. Patients who do not qualify at that level should go through a private laboratory for testing, according to the guidelines posted on its website. In order to get a state-lab test, the patient must: Have had close contact with a laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patient within 14 days of onset and fever and/or signs of a lower respiratory illness. Have fever and pneumonia requiring hospitalization and already have tested negatively for influenza and other respiratory pathogens and have no alternative diagnosis. Live in a nursing home or long-term care facility and have fever and signs of a lower respiratory illness and already have tested negative on influenza and other pathogens and have no alternative diagnosis. The CDC defines close contact as being within 6 feet of a COVID-19 case for a prolonged period of time while not wearing personal protective equipment or having direct contact with infection secretions (such as from coughs) of a COVID-19 case. VDHs approval is not needed for testing at private labs, the guidelines state. Holly Kozelsky is a writer for the Martinsville Bulletin; contact her at 276-638-8801 ext. 243. Holly Kozelsky is a writer for the Martinsville Bulletin; contact her at 276-638-8801 ext. 243. 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: Several health experts have opined that chronic smokers and those working in brick kilns are more vulnerable to severe coronavirus infections. Although there are not too many studies investigating the link, there is enough evidence to establish that smoking suppresses immune function in the lungs and triggers inflammation. Long-term smokers are at a heightened risk of developing chronic lung conditions, which have been associated with more severe cases of COVID-19. "Scientifically, any amount of exposure to tobacco smoke is damaging to the lung's mucus membrane. It may not be adequately big to be diagnosed, but the damage is there. If someone is a chronic smoker, then she/he is continuously damaging their lungs. "A damaged mucus membrane is more susceptible to severe infection arising out of coronavirus than a healthy membrane. Not just smokers, those exposed to large amounts of smoke are at a higher risk of being infected," said Dr Arun Sharma, Director Professor at University College of Medical Sciences. A study, which has been published online in the Chinese Medical Journal, involved 78 patients with COVID-19 and found that those with a history of smoking had a 14 per cent higher risk of developing pneumonia. "The immunity of the lungs is damaged due to smoke arising out of tobacco and any bio-mass fuel," added Sharma, suggesting greater risks involved with novel coronavirus. According to health experts, during a respiratory infection in the lungs, there tends to be an influx of white blood cells called neutrophils the first responders that start killing the pathogen followed by an influx of lymphocytes which are responsible for clearing the infection. I think once you start perturbing this sequence of events in any which way or direction, thats when things can go awry, said Ray Pickles, an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of North Carolina in a report by Scientific American. Apart from triggering pneumonia, smoking is also a risk factor for influenza. "Anything that weakens the lungs is a problem. Smoking is definitely one of the primary reasons," said Sunita Narain, Director General at the Centre for Science and Environment and a prominent environmentalist. Meanwhile, with most cities under partial lockdown, migrant labourers, most of who work in brick kilns and construction sites, are returning to their villages. A case in point is Odisha's Balangir where it is estimated that around 50,000 people from the district alone work in metro cities. Besides, around one lakh people work in brick kilns. A research paper published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information in 2018 states that brick manufacturing workers are continuously exposed occupationally to high levels of dust and toxic fumes at their workplace. "These workers were found to have both obstructive as well as restrictive patterns of pulmonary dysfunction," said the report. Balangir Collector Arindam Dakua said the administration is alert and labourers returning to their villages are being advised to stay in isolation in their homes. In another district, Koraput, the district administration has directed all panchayat-level officials to isolate people, migrant workers, in particular, returning to the district from coronavirus-affected states. Police and labour department officials have been asked to monitor inflow of labourers at different railway stations and bus stands. Private bus owners have been directed to inform the administration about labourers being taken outside the district by agents. India, which is the second-biggest brick producer in the world with output at nearly 250 billion bricks annually, has an estimated 2,00,000 brick kilns. Though it is not possible to ascertain the exact number of workers because of the unorganised nature of the industry, some estimates say that there are close to 12 million brick kiln workers in the country. A good part of the brick-making process remains manual as it is a cheaper option to machines. "Any profession that has exposure to respiratory distress of any kind are definitely at a higher risk. Brick kiln workers are anyway made to operate in really bad working conditions. Also, because of the unorganised nature of the industry, if one person in infected, it will very difficult to contain the spread," said health economist Ravi Duggal. Several experts also attributed air pollution as one of the reasons for the spread of coronavirus. However, it may be too early to come to a conclusion in this regard. Dr Arun Sharma, Director Professor at University College at Medical Sciences explained why. "Whatever air pollution level we have, it is not affecting our lungs on an urgent basis. People who are exposed to it for close to 15-20 years may develop lung diseases like chronic bronchitis. Once the person is in that diseased condition, the chances of him or her getting severely infected by novel coronavirus is very high. However, it will be wrong to deduce that fall in air pollution will definitely reduce the chances of being infected by coronavirus," he said. "For example, if we close down all industries and impose a strict lockdown and pollution levels come down by say more than 50 per cent, will it reduce the chances of coronavirus, we don't know. There is no scientific evidence," he added. He, however, said pollutants act as a medium for the virus to piggyback on and get deposited in different places. Therefore, with more pollutants, the chances of spreading of the virus go up. By Jonathan Landay and Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad said on Wednesday the coronavirus pandemic adds urgency to prisoner releases agreed by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's government and the Taliban and that they should begin "as soon as possible." "No prisoners have been released to date despite the commitment to do so expressed by both sides," Khalilzad said on Twitter. Khalilzad's comments illustrated how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting one of U.S. President Donald Trump's top foreign policy priorities. The prisoner releases were slated to have started last week as part of a U.S.-led effort to end America's longest war and bring peace to Afghanistan after decades of strife. But the releases were stalled by disagreements over the numbers of detainees to be freed and guarantees they would not return to fighting. "The United States would like to see prisoner releases begin as soon as possible in line with the U.S.-Taliban agreement," Khalilzad wrote in a Twitter thread, referring to a Feb. 29 deal he signed with the insurgents for a phased U.S. troop withdrawal. "Coronavirus makes prisoner releases urgent; time is of the essence," he continued, adding that the United States understood from consultations with both sides that they could "work together and focus on technical steps" for freeing detainees. While face-to-face are meetings are preferable, "Coronavirus and the resulting travel restrictions likely requires virtual engagement now," he said, and urged both sides "to avoid provocative media statements." The U.S.-Taliban deal committed Kabul to releasing up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners by March 10, when intra-Afghan peace talks were to have begun. The Taliban were to free up to 1,000 detainees. Kabul, however, was not a party to the deal and initially balked. Ghani then agreed to free 1,500 prisoners last weekend with plans to release the rest after peace talks began and violence subsided. Kabul also demanded guarantees that the prisoners would not return to fighting. Story continues The Taliban said the deal with Washington required Ghani to free all 5,000 prisoners without pre-conditions. "The Taliban commit that released prisoners will abide by the commitments made in the peace agreement and not return to the battlefield," Khalilzad tweeted. "A violation will undermine the peace process." Afghanistan has at least 22 confirmed coronavirus cases. But there are fears the number will grow, especially with thousands of Afghans returning from Iran, one of the worst-affected nations. (Reporting by Jonathan Landay and Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Richard Chang) Lycee, a bilingual school at 1929 W. Wilson Ave. that offers courses in French, stopped classes March 13 and announced it would remain closed through March 27, or longer if necessary. The decision to close was made prior to any confirmed cases but with community members showing related symptoms. Google has been rolling out major updates for its apps lately. Joining this growing list is Google Translate app for Android, that will now be able to give users a transcription of a foreign language in realtime. The new live transcription feature will allow Google Translate users to communicate with those not sharing the same language as theirs. Users can use the feature to get a live transcription of whatever the other person is saying in the language of their own preference. Google Live Transcribe (Image: Google) As of now, the new live transcription feature supports eight different languages including Hindi, English, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Thai. The feature will be available with the latest update of the app. To use it, users can simply download the Google Translate app from the Play Store on their Android devices, or update the app if they have it already. They can then tap on the Transcribe option on the Google Translates home screen. Note that the Live Transcribe function cannot be used with pre-recorded audios. Representative Image: Google The feature is very similar to the Voice function on the Google Translate app that essentially does the same thing, translate spoken words to text in the preferred language. A Google spokesperson clears this confusion, saying that part of the app wasnt well suited to listen to a longer translated discussion at a conference, a classroom lecture or a video of a lecture, a story from a grandparent, etc, as per a report by The Verge. Google will start rolling out the Transcribe feature starting March 17. So as and when it gets to your device, make sure to check out the cool new tech feature and have your own personal translator in pocket the next time you see a distant friend. UK will never recognize Crimea's annexation - Ambassador Simmons about Putin's trip to peninsula The UK has not and will not recognize the annexation of Crimea by Russia, said British Ambassador to Ukraine Melinda Simmons. "Crimea has a visitor coming today. So now feels like a good time for a reminder that Russia unlawfully annexed Crimea from Ukraine six years ago. And the UK does not, and will not, recognize this illegal act," she wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the Kremlin's press service announced that the Russian president would make a working trip to the Crimean peninsula. Security First Bank in Rapid City learned Monday evening that a vendor who was providing training at their Fifth Street location on March 11 has tested positive for COVID-19 in his home state of New York. The vendor notified us the morning of the 12th that he would not be able to complete training due to illness" said Marnie Herrmann, Chief Banking Officer for Security First. "At that time, out of an abundance of caution, we identified the employees who had close contact with this individual and sent them home to self quarantine until we had further information. They remain quarantined at this time. We extensively sanitized the room they were using for training, along with all bathrooms, doorways, railings and flat surfaces in the building." "This sanitation routine was in place prior to the 11th, and continues today. Herrmann continued. We have been in contact with State of South Dakota health officials and they have indicated we followed the proper protocols to limit further exposure to other employees and customers. The bank closed their lobbies to foot traffic effective Tuesday before the start of business. Drive-through lanes are open. ATMs, which accept deposits and dispense cash, are available, and customers needing to meet with their banker may do so by appointment. WATERLOO Black Hawk County has reported its first case of COVID-19, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. The IDPH Tuesday night announced six additional positive cases of Iowans with COVID-19 for a total of 29 cases. Three individuals are residents of Johnson County; the other three are residents of Adair, Black Hawk and Dallas Counties. Black Hawk County Emergency Management Agency will hold a press conference at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Emergency Operations Center, 1925 Newell St., with details about the newly confirmed case. The Black Hawk County Health Department is fully aware of the situation, said County Public Health Director Nafissa Cisse Egbuonye. The case is travel related. We are currently working to determine who this individual was in contact with, she said. Because of privacy concerns, no other information about the patient such as age or occupation was provided. Egbuonye urges residents to stay calm and really implement preventive measures such as frequent hand washing, covering your cough, avoiding touching your face and social distancing. Because we know there is community spread in Iowa social distancing is very important, especially for the elderly and those with underlying conditions, Egbuonye said. The news came as Gov. Kim Reynolds on Tuesday ordered restaurants, bars, fitness centers, theaters and casinos to close for two weeks as part of a public health emergency plan designed to reduce the community spread of the coronavirus. Reynolds proclamation prohibits social, community, spiritual, religious, recreational, leisure and sporting gatherings. It also bans events of more than 10 people including parades, festivals, conventions and fundraisers, in line with federal recommendations. Senior citizen centers and adult day care facilities were closed. These are unprecedented times and the state of Iowa will do whatever is necessary to address this public health disaster, Reynolds said in a statement. 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. For most people, the COVID-19 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. Most people recover from the virus. Johnson County Public Health director Dave Koch confirmed Tuesday that an Iowa City man who works as a DJ and karaoke operator at bars and events in the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids area is among those who have tested positive. Koch said officials have contacted venues where he performed in recent weeks. Customers who came in contact with the man should monitor their symptoms and seek treatment if necessary. This is just unique, that the individual visited so many locations with so many people involved, Koch said. Cedar Rapids Mayor Brad Hart praised bar owners who voluntarily followed his request to close their establishments for St. Patricks Day on Tuesday. They chose to serve the public by not putting people and their own employees at further risk of contracting the virus, Hart said. Reynolds indicated Monday she would not order bars to close, before reversing course abruptly Tuesday morning with her sweeping executive order. Although the closures are intended to last through March 31, the emergency declaration will last for 30 days, allowing Reynolds to mobilize public health response teams to help overburdened local medical and public health personnel, hospitals and resources. She ordered state agencies to coordinate in developing plans to mitigate the economic impact of the closings, including potential financial support, regulatory relief, and other executive actions. Government agencies around the state announced they were closing their buildings to the public. Earlier Tuesday, Iowa legislators suspended the legislative session for 30 days, passing a resolution that halts meeting until April 15. Among hastily passed measures during the session, one waived the requirement for Iowa schools to reschedule days canceled following Reynolds recommendation to recess for four weeks. Lawmakers also approved spending measures to continue the current budget year past the July 1 beginning of the next fiscal year if needed, since the Legislature had not yet approved next years budget. The measure includes an additional $99 million to school districts, $525,000 for additional COVID-19 testing at a state laboratory and $91.8 million for Medicaid and related programs. Lawmakers gave the governor increased authority to transfer money between budget line items and tap emergency funds if needed. A small group of legislative leaders may authorize an additional $196 million to fight the virus without full legislative approval. House Speaker Pat Grassley said the legislation ensures that Reynolds can effectively manage a rapidly changing situation. The last thing we want to do is put the public, press, staff or legislators at risk, Grassley said. A woman has revealed how she was left in tears when she received a message from her landlord to reassure her that she won't have to worry about rent in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak. Comedian Amy Gledhill from Edinburgh took to Twitter to reveal that her landlord, Chris, had sent her a message saying that they could 'work something out' if her circumstances change. It prompted a flood of praise from commenters, who said that everyone should 'be more like Landlord Chris'. As the UK reaches 1,543 confirmed cases and 55 deaths, the British Chambers of Commerce have warned that coronavirus will further weaken the British economy, as more and more people are left unable to attend work. A landlord from Edinburgh and another from New Mexico were praised online after they reached out to their tenants assuring them they would not have to worry about rent during the coronavirus pandemic (pictured: a happy tenant, stock picture) Explaining the message, Amy wrote on Twitter: 'My landlord just text me this and I'm sobbing. 'LANDLORDS, TAKE NOTE. If you're in a position to say this to someone, please do. When we can't rely on the government, we've got to help each other.. The message from Chris read: 'I wanted to let you know what whatever happens with your work I want you to feel secure in the house,' it read. 'We can work something out if your circumstances change and I hope you know we're approachable. 'We're living in a crazy time so take care of yourself and your family,' it concluded. Around the globe, other landlords have extended a hand to their tenants during the pandemic. A landlord from Edinburgh named Chris reassured his landlord Amy that she did not have to worry about rent for now Another tenant from New Mexico shared an email they had received, which read: 'Dear tenants, with the epidemic closing down commerce so suddenly, we realize that some of you who rely on private sector jobs may lose income that you depend on to pay your rent. 'If that is happening to any of you, please don't hesitate to call us,' it added. 'We can talk about your situation and make temporary adjustments to keep you in your apartment during the crisis,' it concluded. People applauded the landlord's decision to be compassionate towards their tenants during the pandemic People applauded these compassionate landlords online:' 'Chris Landlord is a b***** decent human being. Be like Chris Landlord,' one wrote. 'I have tenants too.... any decent human being would do the same,' said another tenant. Renters living on precarious jobs in service industries such as restaurants or pubs are worried they might lose their jobs due to low demand. So far, no official measures have been taken to alleviate the stress of renting in the scenario where people would lose their jobs because of the outbreak. However, experts have advised landlords to be compassionate of their tenants in these uncertain times. Another landlord located in New Mexico sent a similar message to its tenants, saying they would work out specific arrangements if needed to insure everyone kept their apartments Some companies have already been forced to close their doors in the wake of the outbreak. Yesterday, Vauxhall announced it was closing its two UK factories employing 2,560 staff after the vehicle manufacturer PSA Group, of which Vauxhall is a part of, announced the closure of all its European plants until March 27. PSA Group said in a statement: 'Due to the acceleration observed in recent days of serious Covid-19 cases close to certain production sites, supply disruptions from major suppliers, as well as the sudden decline in the automobile markets, the chairman of the executive board with the members of the crisis unit decided the principle of the closure of the vehicle production sites.' The Vauxhall factories, located in Ellesmere Port and Luton, leave 2,560 without a job. Last week, the World Travel and Tourism Council warned that 50 million people could lose their jobs globally due to the pandemic. The Prime Minister (pictured) advised against going out in restaurants, pubs and theatres during a press conference yesterday, as a way to slow the spread of the coronavirus The British Chambers of Commerce have estimated that the pandemic would further weaken the British economy. Adam Marshall, the director General of the British Chambers of Commerce said in a statement: 'Coronavirus could further weaken an already stagnant UK economy, as many businesses are starting to report an impact on their cashflow and growth prospects.' 'The Chancellor and the Bank of England have responded to the immediate challenge with measures to help firms hit by Coronavirus, and they must now ensure this support gets to businesses as quickly as possible,' he added. 'More will need to be done later in the year to boost business confidence and tackle prolonged economic stagnation. 'Securing new trading arrangements, taking real action to reduce the high upfront costs of doing business and putting spades in the ground on long-overdue infrastructure projects must be prioritised in order to secure our long-term economic prospects.' During a press conference yesterday, Prime Minister announced people should stop socialising, work from home, avoid travelling and that entire households should quarantine if one family members falls ill. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-19 01:39:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- China stands firmly with the European Union (EU) and supports its anti-epidemic efforts, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Wednesday in a phone conversation with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. In the early days of China's fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, EU agencies offered sympathies and coordinated multiple batches of supplies to China, Li said. As the epidemic is spreading in EU countries, China empathizes with the EU which is in the epidemic situation and facing difficulties, Li said, adding that epidemic prevention and control have no borders. Under the current circumstances, China stands firmly with the European side, supports its anti-epidemic efforts, and facilitates its procurement of medical supplies through commercial channels, he said, adding that China is also ready to actively carry out international cooperation to jointly protect the health of the humankind. Li also expressed hope that the EU will attach importance to ensuring the safety of and bringing convenience to life of Chinese citizens, including overseas students, in EU countries. He pointed out that China attaches great importance to its relations with the EU and is willing to push forward negotiations on the China-EU investment agreement and cooperation in various fields to keep the healthy and steady development of bilateral ties. He expressed the belief that the friendship between China and the EU will be further deepened and bilateral cooperation be further expanded after overcoming the epidemic. Noting that the coronavirus has been continuously spreading in Europe, von der Leyen said that the EU side, which is grateful for China's support in its fight against the coronavirus, has an urgent procurement demand for anti-epidemic supplies and expressed hope that China will continue to make coordinations and provide support. She stressed that the two sides' joining efforts to fight COVID-19 and tide over the hard time demonstrate their good friendship and cooperation. The EU is willing to maintain the development momentum of its relations with China, proactively advance the investment agreement negotiations, and deepen cooperation in economy, trade and other fields, said von der Leyen. The EU is willing to provide necessary guarantee and convenience for the Chinese nationals including overseas Chinese students in EU countries. AC Milan's evergreen star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic said Wednesday he had launched a fundraiser for Italian hospitals battling the coronavirus pandemic. "Italy has always given me so much and, in this dramatic moment, I want to give back even more to this country that I love," the former Swedish international wrote on Instagram. "I count on the generosity of my colleagues, of all professional athletes and of those who want to make a small or large donation according to their possibilities, to kick this virus away," he said Globally 200,680 people have been infected by the virus and 8,092 have died, according to the latest AFP tally. After China, Italy is the hardest hit country, with 2,503 deaths from 31,506 cases. "Together we can really help hospitals and doctors and nurses who selflessly work every day to save our lives," said the player. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) We will not be bullied is the message Senator Kevin Cramer would like President Donald Trump to send to Saudi Arabia and Russia about the unsettled oil markets that the two nations, along with the UAE are presently flooding. The Republican Senator from North Dakota issued a letter to the President on Wednesday, calling for an embargo for crude oil from Russia, Saudi Arabia, and other OPEC nations. The letter requests that an immediate signal be sent, saying that The United States will not be bullied or taken for granted, according to the Senators Twitter feed. Foreign nations are now using the environment of the worldwide spread of COVID-19 to flood the market and cripple our domestic energy producers. Senator Cramer takes an additional dig at Russias actions: these bullying tactics by Russia have become the norm, adding that Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, has been our partner, making its actions particularly concerning. Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the UAE have all vowed to ramp up oil production as of April 1 when the current OPEC agreement to curb oil production is set to expire, and Saudi Arabia has already prepared to unleash a flood of cheap crude on the market next month. Of the 284.3 million barrels of oil the United States imported in December last year, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the United States imported an average of 43.7 million barrels of oil from OPEC nations (14.5 million of which came from Saudi Arabia), and 21.5 million barrels from Russia. Embargoing oil from Saudi Arabia, Russia, alone would mean a loss of 1.166 million barrels per day (bpd) using December import rates. This compares to 4.784 million bpd from Canada, or 641,000 bpd from Mexico. WTI was trading down 17.64% on the day at the time of writing. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The Apple store on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Andrew Burton/Getty Images Apple may keep all its retail stores bar those in China shut for longer than expected. As first reported by 9to5Mac, a notice has appeared on the Apple.com homepage that reads: "Our retail stores are closed until further notice." The tech giant had previously said it would be closing its non-Chinese stores until March 27, as part of its efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Having reopened all of its Chinese stores last week, Apple's apparent actions mirror the pandemic's gradual shift away from China and towards other parts of the world, particularly western Europe. Apple did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Apple looks set to close all its retail stores outside China for an indefinite period of time. As first reported by 9to5Mac, a notice has appeared on the Apple.com homepage that reads: "Our retail stores are closed until further notice." The multinational tech giant had previously said it would be closing its non-Chinese stores until March 27, as part of its broader efforts to contain the coronavirus. A notice on Apple.com had made this clear to customers, but the updated banner suggests the firm is preparing to keep stores shut for longer. Apple store closure notice Shona Ghosh/Business Insider Apple shut all its China offices and retail stores at the beginning of February, but by March 13 had reopened all 42 of its retail outlets in the country. Its suppliers have also reopened factories in China. Apple's actions mirror the pandemic's gradual shift away from China and towards other parts of the world. Last week, World Health Organization chief Tedros Ghebreyesus described Europe as the "epicenter" of the global coronavirus pandemic, while urging countries in the region not to "let this fire burn." Multiple virus-hit countries in densely-populated western Europe have enforced nationwide lockdowns of their citizens, including Italy, France, and Spain. Story continues Over 100,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported outside China to date, according to tracking data from Johns Hopkins University, meaning the majority of reported infections have now taken place in other countries. Apple did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Business Insider The nomination of former chief justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi as a Rajya Sabha member by President Ram Nath Kovind gives it the colour of a political appointment and casts a shadow of doubt on the credibility of the judgments delivered by the Supreme Court under Gogoi, a petition filed in the apex court by social activist Madhu Purnima Kishwar argued. Kishwar prayed that CJI Gogois appointment to the Rajya Sabha be put on hold and restrictions contained in Section 8 of the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013, barring retired chairpersons and members of the Lokpal from employment in any other office of profit under the central government or state governments, be applied to retired judges of the Supreme Court and high courts as well. Kishwar pointed out that justice Gogoi, during his tenure as a judge of the Supreme Court, and especially after he became CJI, delivered several historic judgments, some of which had the potential to create widespread unrest. These included the case over alleged procedural flaws in the procurement of Rafale aircraft, 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 that granted the disputed land to Hindu claimants, paving the way for the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, a key objective of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Kishwar said. Gogoi, during his term both as a judge and then CJI, was actively involved in pushing the National Register of Citizen process in Assam, the petitioner said. Kishwar told the top court that all sections of society had accepted those verdicts despite their personal convictions, but his nomination as a Rajya Sabha member by the President had cast a shadow of doubt on the credibility of those judgments. It has given a handle to the external enemies of India as well as Break Up India Forces within the country to defame and cast aspersions on the highest judiciary of India. This is amply evident from the adverse coverage of this appointment in the national and international media, she argued. President Kovind nominated justice Gogoi to the Rajya Sabha on March 16, four months after his retirement in November 2019. Justice Gogois nomination to the Rajya Sabha has not found favour with retired Supreme Court judges like justices Madan Lokur, AK Patnaik and Kurian Joseph who have spoken out against it. Justice Gogoi has defended his nomination, saying that he accepted the offer because of his conviction that the legislature and judiciary must 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. Sinn Fein TD for Kildare North, Reada Cronin has said that it is vital that all supports are put in place for workers, families and businesses in the wake of the Covid-19 emergency. The Mandate trade union has said that the 203 Covid payments falls short of what it required. Deputy Cronin said it is vital that workers, families and businesses are given all the support they need at this time. "Those who have had the misfortune of losing their jobs, those that have had their hours cut and those that have been forced out of employment to care for children must be supported, and whilst changes that have been announced to the social welfare system are welcome, other changes may be required in the time ahead to ensure that economic hardship is averted, she said. Calling for a mortgage holiday she said families and workers must also be protected from rent increases and evictions at this very difficult time. She also said there should be a suspension of utility disconnections by all providers. SEE ALSO: Celbridge team scoops top Kildare Student Enterprise Award Deputy Cronin said childcare providers and workers must also be supported through this period of emergency closure and a package of measures including income supports must be clearly outlined as a matter of priority. Other businesses also need urgent interventions, including a deferral of VAT payments. "It is vital that we pull together at this time as a community and as a country. Together we can get through this and while our local offices are closed, Sinn Fein representatives are at hand to assist those impacted by measures introduced to combat Covid-19 in any way we can, concluded Deputy Cronin. SEE ALSO: more Kildare stories Meanwhile, Mandate Trade Union has today called on the Government to immediately implement measures to protect at least the net take home pay of all workers who have been temporarily laid off by employers at this time. The retail sector has been severely hit with temporary lay-offs as foot fall to non-food outlets reduces to a trickle in many cases and as customers begin to heed warnings and reduce their social interaction. We have already seen temporary closures of many household retail names adding to the shock faced by 50,000 bar workers following the closures of bars last week. John Douglas, Mandate General Secretary said the Government now needs to prioritise not only the health of workers, but also their ability to survive on a daily basis for their families. Frankly the 203 Euro COVID-19 payment falls far short of what is required to sustain most families, employers with the assistance of Government funding should be instructed to pay all impacted workers the equivalent of their normal net take home pay." Mr Douglas said the announcement by Brown Thomas and Arnotts that they will be closing at 5.00pm today is regrettable but welcomed management's commitment to pay all workers their contracted rostered hours for the foreseeable future: "This is the benchmark for other retailers. Where possible, workers should have their incomes protected and Mandate welcomes the commitment of Brown Thomas and Arnotts to put their staff first in this difficult situation." Mandate Trade Union is also calling on Government to introduce the following emergency measures: all mortgage repayments and rent payments be suspended with immediate effect; bank loans and repayments for businesses and personal customers alike should also be suspended Mr Douglas added: "With the exception of essential food retailers, it is more than likely as this crisis deepens that more and more department stores and non- food outlets will be forced to close. This also will have a knock-on impact on the suppliers of goods and services to these stores. The tsunami of temporary job lay-offs should not be allowed to swamp already stressed-out workers and their families. "We call on the parties to the Labour Market Stakeholder Group (ICTU, IBEC, ISME, and Government) to take the above mentioned actions without further delay," concluded Mr Douglas. 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. GP's across Ireland have agreed to help those affected by Covid-19, even if they are not a registered with their practice. This new protocol has been issued in order to facilitate the growing numbers of inquiries and to make coronavirus testing more widely available. Also read: Parties are irresponsible to those being careful, says Longford's Jillian McNulty As the number of confirmed cases in Ireland have grown to 292 in the Republic, 29 of which are males and 40 of which are females. These cases were scattered across the nation, however the highest number was located in the east of the country The crisis is expected to rapidly worsen in the coming weeks, with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar addressing the nation on Match 17, 2020 outlining that Irish citizens will request a lot from a small cohort of medical staff. GP's are expected to make a general assessment over the phone which clients will no longer be charged the consultation fee for, however anyone who is presenting symptoms are required to immediately self isolate from both work and other household members. People must make this step before contacting a GP. Also read: Local GPs now able to refer patients for Covid-19 testing, says Longford doctor PR-Inside.com: 2020-03-18 13:36:21 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 533 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 ATLANTA, GA / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / Are retirement investors on track? That was the central question in a recent post at the American IRA blog. American IRA, a Self-Directed IRA administration firm based in North Carolina, often posts informational articles about Self-Directed IRAs. The most recent post centered on the question of whether retirement investors are on track for actually retiring-and what to do if they found that they were not.The post noted that there are numerous strategies for retiring. One such strategy is using a Self-Directed IRA to broaden one's investments and diversifying across multiple asset classes. Because the IRS only outlines which types of retirement investments an investor cannot make, that leaves a tremendous amount of freedom within an IRA. And Self-Directing an IRA allows investors to utilize their experience in different aspects of investing-for example, with real estate.The post also talked about some of the most important retirement age questions that investors have to ask themselves. Gauging whether someone is on the right track for retirement can be a bit like gauging the angle at which a plane comes in for landing. The good news for retirement investors is that they only have to hit a minimum number if they want to retire, as it never hurts to have more saved for retirement than they originally planned."With this post, we wanted people to get an accurate view of where they were in their retirement investment life," said Jim Hitt, CEO of American IRA. "The idea is that investors should be able to take a snapshot of their current financial situation, couple that with their retirement goals, and ultimately, come to a conclusion about whether they're on the right track or not. We have a few links to important retirement calculators on American IRA to make sure people know what they're doing to save for retirement." The post, along with the retirement calculators, can be found at American IRA's website at www.AmericanIRA.com . Interested parties may also call the Self-Directed IRA administration firm by dialing 866-7500-IRA."About:American IRA, LLC was established in 2004 by Jim Hitt, CEO in Asheville, NC.The mission of American IRA is to provide the highest level of customer service in the self-directed retirement industry. Jim Hitt and his team have grown the company to over $400 million in assets under administration by educating the public that their Self-Directed IRA account can invest in a variety of assets such as real estate, private lending, limited liability companies, precious metals and much more.As a Self-Directed IRA administrator, they are a neutral third party. They do not make any recommendations to any person or entity associated with investments of any type (including financial representatives, investment promoters or companies, or employees, agents or representatives associated with these firms). They are not responsible for and are not bound by any statements, representations, warranties or agreements made by any such person or entity and do not provide any recommendation on the quality profitability or reputability of any investment, individual or company. The term "they" refers to American IRA, located in Asheville and Charlotte, NC and Atlanta, GA." SOURCE: American IRA, LLC The rapid spread of has jolted the But this is no routine jolt and this time it appears the is headed for something similar to what we experienced in 2001 and 2008 - a global Analysts fear that the impact this time would be deeper than that of the 8-month long economic downturn in 2001 and the one in early 1990s Here's what top brokerages say about global recession: Just a day after US President conceded the US slump alone is set to be a bad one, economists declared global for the first time since the Morgan Stanleys team, led by Chetan Ahya, said a worldwide is now its base case, with growth expected to fall to 0.9 per cent this year. Heres what she said in a report, co-authored with Derrick Y Kam, Nora Wassermann and Frank Zhao. Assuming this outlook of Covid-19, we expect 2020 global growth to dip to 0.9 per cent, the lowest since the global (GFC). The global recession this year would be deeper than in 2001. We expect global growth to contract by 0.3 per cent in the first quarter (January March) of 2020 (Q1-20) and 0.6 per cent in 2Q20. Meanwhile, credit rating agency S&P Global believes that the initial data from China suggests a deeper cut in the economy than projected, though a tentative stabilisation has begun. Following China, Europe and the US are increasing restrictions on person-to-person contacts presaging a demand collapse which will take activity sharply lower in the second quarter before a recovery begins later in the year. They are expecting that growth would range between 1 per cent to 1.5 per cent. But at Goldman, the prediction is 1.25 per cent. While such a slump would be less jolting than the 0.8 per cent contraction of 2009, as measured by the International Monetary Fund, it would be worse than the downturns of 2001 and the early 1990s. Both and anticipate a rebound in the second half, but warn that there is risk of even greater economic pain. The projections will put further pressure on policy makers to do more to limit the health emergency and to deliver stimuli that help companies and consumers through the shock and then drive a rebound in demand afterward. Securities' Fund Manager Survey (FMS) for March suggests... To know more, listen to this podcast Berlin Mass disruptions cascaded around the world Tuesday as governments struggled to slow the spread of the coronavirus while also trying to keep their economies afloat. European Union leaders, meanwhile, agreed to shut down the bloc's external borders for 30 days. Increasingly worried about the economic fallout of the global shutdown, the U.S., Britain and the Netherlands also announced rescue packages totaling hundreds of billions of dollars while Venezuela long a fierce critic of the International Monetary Fund asked the institution for a $5 billion loan. In Brussels, meanwhile, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said there had been "a unanimous and united approach" to the decision to prohibit most foreigners from entering the EU for 30 days. She said it's now up to individual countries to implement the blockade. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said European leaders had agreed in a conference call to the commission's proposal for an entry ban to the bloc along with Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Britain with "very, very limited exceptions." Germany will implement the decision immediately. But the countries also agreed on the need to ensure continued cross-border travel for commuters, she said. There will be "grave, very grave consequences" for European economies as a result of the outbreak, she said, and that was one reason to safeguard the flow of goods. Countries also agreed to coordinate the repatriation of EU citizens stranded outside the bloc, she said. On Monday, the EU issued guidelines aimed at facilitating the flow of critical goods like food and medicine, while helping individual nations restrict nonessential travel. But on Tuesday it was chaos on many borders, with traffic backed up for dozens of miles. "We are all desperate, cold and sleepless here for a third day," said Janina Stukiene, who was stuck in Lithuania on the border with Poland with her husband and son. "We just want to go home." The line of cars and trucks in Lithuania was some 37 miles long after Poland closed its border, while similar traffic jams could be seen on the borders with Germany and the Czech Republic. French President Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, tightened internal guidelines, allowing people to leave home only to buy food, go to work or do essential tasks, saying, "We are at war." 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. A surge of patients in Madrid's hospitals has fueled worries in Europe and elsewhere of what lies ahead. 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. Dramatic footage has emerged from the moment members of the public run for cover in the street as a gunman opens fire, killing one person and injuring four others. The video, filmed by witnesses in Wyong on the New South Wales Central coast on Tuesday, shows people sheltering behind cars as gunshot ring out. A group of three people can be seen running down the street in the clip - one person is carrying a girl in their arms as what looks to be a teenage boy runs beside them. In another part of the clip, two women can be seen crouching on the ground as they try to move away from the direction of the gunshots. Police arrived on the scene in force - with an armoured police van and officers in armoured vests and helmets visible in the video. The video, filmed by witnesses in Wyong on the New South Wales Central coast on Tuesday, shows people running for cover and sheltering behind cars as gunshot ring out A man was arrested more than an hour after the incident, which unfolded on Cutler Drive in Wyong early on Tuesday evening. 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 can be seen 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. A man was was eventually arrested and charged at 7.30pm, after a stand off which lasted more than an hour. A spokeswoman for NSW Police told Daily Mail Australia the alleged shooter had been arrested, but stressed they were urging people to avoid the area on Tuesday. In different 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'. In this article we are going to estimate the intrinsic value of China Jinmao Holdings Group Limited (HKG:817) by taking the foreast future cash flows of the company and discounting them back to today's value. I will use the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. It may sound complicated, but actually it is quite simple! Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model. View our latest analysis for China Jinmao Holdings Group Step by step through the calculation We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, and so the sum of these future cash flows is then discounted to today's value: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 Levered FCF (CN, Millions) CN8.39b CN9.22b CN7.50b CN6.56b CN6.01b CN5.69b CN5.50b CN5.40b CN5.36b CN5.35b Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x4 Analyst x3 Est @ -18.6% Est @ -12.56% Est @ -8.33% Est @ -5.36% Est @ -3.29% Est @ -1.84% Est @ -0.82% Est @ -0.11% Present Value (CN, Millions) Discounted @ 13% CN7.5k CN7.3k CN5.3k CN4.1k CN3.3k CN2.8k CN2.4k CN2.1k CN1.8k CN1.6k ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = CN38b Story continues After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the intial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 10-year government bond rate (1.6%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 13%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2029 (1 + g) (r g) = CN5.4b (1 + 1.6%) 13% 1.6%) = CN49b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= CN49b ( 1 + 13%)10= CN15b The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is CN53b. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of HK$5.0, the company appears about fair value at a 1.6% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind. SEHK:817 Intrinsic value, March 18th 2020 The assumptions The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at China Jinmao Holdings Group as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 13%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.814. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. Next Steps: Whilst important, DCF calculation shouldnt be the only metric you look at when researching a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. For China Jinmao Holdings Group, We've compiled three relevant aspects you should look at: Risks: Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 5 warning signs with China Jinmao Holdings Group (at least 1 which is concerning) , and understanding these should be part of your investment process. Future Earnings: How does 817's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered! PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every HK stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here. 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. Greek authorities have unveiled plans to restrict the movement of migrants living in overcrowded camps on its islands in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. Over the next 30 days, people living in camps such as Lesbos will be allowed to temporarily exit the facilities only in small groups, every hour between 7am and 7pm, in order to obtain food and supplies from nearby towns and villages. The restrictions, which will also mean only one person from each family will be able to leave the camps, comes as the number of coronavirus-related deaths in the country rose to five. The latest move comes after Greece banned new arrivals coming to migrant camps at the start of this month. Greece will restrict the movement of migrants living in its camps to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Pictured: Refugees and migrants gather in the Moria camp on the island of Lesbos, Greece The move, which will see those living in camps only be allowed to temporarily exit the facilities in small groups, comes as the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus rose to 418. Pictured: New migrants wait at Moria camp in Lesbos The plans will mean migrants will be able to leave camp every hour between 7am and 7pm in order to obtain food and supplies. Pictured: Migrants are examined by medics in Malakasa, Greece Migrants who reached its shores after March 1 will be transferred to the mainland in the coming days. Visitors are not allowed in either, the ministry said. In addition to the five deaths it has registered, Greece has confirmed 418 cases of COVID-19, including one on the island of Lesbos, where the overcrowded Moria camp operates. There have been no infection cases at any of the camps, the ministry said. Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi said: 'Protecting public health at any cost, for the benefit of residents on the islands and in camps, is our priority.' On Tuesday, Greece's migration ministry also announced they would be placing migrant camps on a two-week shutdown to visitors in a bid to slow down the progression of the pandemic. A statement by the ministry read: 'Visits (to camps) by individuals and organisations are suspended for at least 14 days. 'Entry will be allowed only to staff and there will be a compulsory temperature check for new arrivals.' The plans come after authorities banned new migrants coming to camps at the start of March. Pictured: Migrants gather in Moria refugee camp This week, Greek authorities announced that they would be placing migrant camps on a two-week shutdown to visitors. Pictured: Migrants gather in Moria refugee camp in Lesbos Pictured: A young boy walks through a migrant camp on the island of Lesbos, a Greek island off the coast of Turkey More than 40,000 asylum-seekers are living in migrant centres at five Aegean islands. The conservative government, which came to power in July on promises to be tougher on migration, wants to replace all existing camps on the islands with new detention centres. Camps on the islands of Leros and Kos will be turned immediately into closed-type facilities, where entry and exit will be limited, the ministry said. The new centre on the island of Samos will be smaller in size than initially planned, it added, in order to speed up its construction. Last week, medical charity Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) urged Greece to immediately evacuate migrants from the camps due to a high risk of the coronavirus spreading swiftly among people living in squalid conditions. On Wednesday, police on Greece's border were seen using tear gas and water cannons to push back the hundreds of migrants clustered on the Turkish side who attempted to break down a border fence to enter Greece near the Kastanies border crossing. The conservative Greek government has promised to be tougher on migration since it came to power in July. Pictured: Refugees and migrants gather as riot police guard a gate in Moria refugee camp Pictured: A migrant child stand next to tents next to the Moria camp, on the island of Lesbos, Greece Pictured: A woman wears a protective face mask as she walks through a street in Athens Greek police said Turkish authorities also fired tear gas at Greek forces, and migrants later lit fires on the Turkish side of the fence. Similar clashes occurred before dawn Wednesday, lasting for about two hours. An estimated 2,000 migrants are still camped out on the Greek-Turkish border, weeks after Turkey declared its borders to Europe open and encouraged migrants and refugees living in the country to try crossing into European Union member Greece. Ford Temporarily Suspends European Production in Response to Chinese Virus Vehicle and engine production suspended at Fords main manufacturing sites in continental Europe from Thursday, March 19 Temporary suspension of production expected to last for a number of weeks depending on pandemic situation, national restrictions, supplier constraints and dealer stock requirements Action taken as national governments restrict all but essential travel and personal contact, and with vehicle sales and component suppliers affected across the continent COLOGNE - March 17, 2020: Ford is temporarily suspending vehicle and engine production at its manufacturing sites in continental Europe in response to the growing impact of the Coronavirus. Effective from Thursday, March 19, it is expected that this action will continue for a number of weeks. The action follows the World Health Organizations designation of Europe as the new epicentre of the coronavirus epidemic with the number of reported cases growing significantly in recent days and expected to continue to rise rapidly. Fords decision to temporarily halt production also will contribute towards the efforts to contain the virus spread. While the impact of coronavirus at our facilities so far has been limited thankfully, its effects on our employees, dealers, suppliers and customers, as well as European society as a whole, is unprecedented, said Stuart Rowley, president, Ford of Europe. Due to the dramatic impact this ongoing crisis is having on the European market and the supplier industry together with the recent actions by countries to restrict all but essential travel and personal contact we are temporarily halting production at our main continental Europe manufacturing sites. Component supplies to Ford manufacturing sites in Europe have been increasingly interrupted, while sales of vehicles across the industry have declined with dealerships required to temporarily close their sales operations in some countries. However, the servicing of vehicles is regarded as an important societal need and Ford dealerships are continuing to provide essential maintenance and service across the continent. The Ford vehicle manufacturing sites in Cologne and Saarlouis in Germany, together with the Craiova facility in Romania, will temporarily halt production from Thursday, March 19. Fords Valencia assembly and engine facility in Spain already temporarily halted production from Monday, March 16, after three workers were confirmed with coronavirus over the past weekend. Only essential work, such as maintenance and security, will continue onsite. Impacted employees in Europe are being contacted by their supervisors with more information about their specific site details. While it is hoped this action will only be required for a short period, the exact duration depends on a number of factors. These include the spread of the coronavirus; national government and European Union restrictions on movement, including across borders; the supplier industrys ability to supply components; and the return of customers to dealerships, many of which are now closed as part of the measures taken at a national level. The measures announced today follow actions announced last week requiring all employees to work remotely unless they are performing a business-critical job that requires being onsite. The working remotely policy will continue, until further notice, in a continued effort to help contain the virus. Precautionary measures are being taken to protect the safety of the small number of employees who are unable to work from home. It is at difficult times like these when we must stand united and put people first, added Rowley. We at Ford will play our part in the weeks ahead to help get through this crisis, reduce its spread and alleviate its effects wherever we can. A cougar sits over its kill site in northeastern Washington. The photo was captured using a wildlife camera. Credit: Melia Devivo/Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife In many parts of the world, there is an imbalance in the food chain. Without top predators such as wolves and grizzly bears, smaller meat-eating animals like coyotes and foxes or grazers such as deer and elk can balloon in population, unchecked. This can initiate more deer-vehicle collisions, scavenging by urban coyotes and other unnatural human-animal interactions. University of Washington researchers have discovered that large predators play a key yet unexpected role in keeping smaller predators and deer in check. Their "fatal attraction" theory finds that smaller predators are drawn to the kill sites of large predators by the promise of leftover scraps, but the scavengers may be killed themselves if their larger kin return for seconds. The study, published March 18 in the journal Ecology Letters, is the first to examine carnivore killing and scavenging activities in relation to each other across dozens of landscapes around the world. Patterns that emerged from their analysis could be used to make important management decisions about large carnivores worldwide, the authors said. "I hope this paper will spur researchers to think more holistically about these killing and scavenging interactions, because currently we're not really getting a full understanding of how carnivore communities function by examining them separately," said senior author Laura Prugh, a wildlife ecologist and associate professor in the UW School of Environmental and Forest Sciences. Large carnivores such as cougars, wolves and grizzly bears have disappeared from many regions, allowing some smaller carnivorescoyotes, foxes and bobcats, for exampleto increase in population. The absence of large carnivores, especially on the East Coast, also has ignited populations of deer and other prey, creating an imbalance in many areas. A gray wolf in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska, shown on a wildlife camera. Wolves and cougars are the top predators in most western landscapes. Credit: Kaija Klauder/University of Washington But in regions where top carnivores are present, such as the western U.S., their relationship with smaller predators is complex. When they kill deer and other prey, they often leave scraps for smaller predators to scavenge. But larger predators also are known to kill smaller carnivores. With these dynamics in mind, the researchers wanted to test whether large carnivores serve as an overall net benefit to smaller predators by providing more food supply, especially when other food is scare due to drought, wildfires or particularly harsh winters. The team analyzed more than 250 earlier papers, looking globally at patterns of killing and scavenging to quantify the positive and negative interactions among top and smaller predators. Overall, they found that large predators generally suppress smaller predators, even though they provide a significant amount of food in the form of leftover prey. "We initially thought maybe smaller carnivores are scavenging the wolf kills and benefiting," explained Prugh, referencing one of the top predators, wolves, examined in the study. "But then we realized that at these scavenging sites, they might be running into the wolves and getting killed. The scavenging, instead of providing a benefit, could actually be functioning as a trap that's drawing in the smaller carnivores." The researchers thus developed their fatal attraction theory, which proposes that even though large predators are helpful providers of food, their kill sites ultimately are dangerous for smaller predators, which can then become prey themselves when the top predator returns. As populations of deer and small carnivores like coyotes have surged in areas without top predators, research has posited that humans might be able to take over the role of large carnivores through hunting activities. But though hunters sometimes leave gut piles after they kill a deer, they certainly don't return to the kill site to hunt smaller predators. The research shows this behavior, not replicated by human hunters, could be an important way that smaller carnivores' populations are kept in check. A coyote in Zion National Park. Coyotes are drawn to the kill sites of cougars and wolves, where they can then be ambushed and killed when these top predators return. Credit: National Park Service "If scavenging increases the risk of mortality of smaller carnivores, that might explain why it appears to be very hard for humans to replace the role of large carnivores in a landscape," Prugh explained. "This link between scavenging and mortality might be one of the mechanisms that make large carnivores so effective in controlling smaller carnivores." From their analysis, the researchers noted these additional findings: In areas where there were at least three larger predators, smaller predators had more than twice the mortality rates as their counterparts in areas with only two larger predators. This shows that each predator leverages its unique hunting strategysuch as outrunning or stalking preyand that more predators with different ways of hunting made it much harder for their target, smaller prey, to survive. Having a diversity of larger predators is a good strategy for keeping smaller carnivore populations in check, the authors said. Large cats such as cougars were "equal opportunity killers," meaning they were just as likely to kill smaller animals in the cat, dog or mustelid families. But large animals in the dog family such as wolves were five times more likely to kill smaller dogs than animals in other families. Big picture, this means that large cats might have a more widespread impact on smaller carnivores, compared with large dogs that mostly target smaller dogs. "This finding shows that it really is a dog-eat-dog world out there," Prugh said. Explore further Can multiple carnivores coexist in cities? Cookie Preferences Cookie List Cookie List A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website when visited by a user asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting for our advertising and marketing efforts. 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The world will suffer a global economic recession because of the coronavirus pandemic, credit rating agency S&P Global has warned, with Australia's unemployment likely to push to its highest level since 1998. The agency said new data out of China, which showed industrial production collapsing by 12.3 per cent through January and February, pointed to the economic impact that would flow to other countries as they responded to the coronavirus. It believes the global economy will grow by between 1 and 1.5 per cent this year, below global population growth. America was facing a year of either zero growth or a fall of 0.5 per cent, while China's economy would likely only grow by 3.2 per cent. S&P chief economist Paul Gruenwald said it was clear that as countries were forced to close down their economies to deal with the virus, the financial impact would be severe. When director Kunle Afolayan released The Figurine, a mystery drama persuasively blending an invented myth with art connoisseurship in a cutthroat world of business, in 2009, the film was judged a Nollywood game-changer largely from the look of it. The cinematography bathed the narrative in bright but controlled colour planning, a balance of cultural depth and an approach to melodrama that yanked the genre from the industrys lethargic grip. With this second film, Afolayan quickly established himself as a director of note, the pan-Nigerian consciousness of his work blooming confidently from grounding in a Yoruba flowerbed. This is a short decade from his appearance as the pimply-faced character, Arese, in Saworoide (1999), by his mentor, Tunde Kelani. Before October 1st, Afolayans fourth film, went to theaters in 2014, Kelani said, He is one of my success stories. October 1st dramatizes a story set in the two weeks before Nigerias formal independence celebrations on October 1, 1960. Inspector Danladi Waziri (Sadiq Daba) is called in by his boss, the colonial chief of police, to investigate the mystery of brutal murders in Akote, a small town in the Western Region. An unknown killer has left the bodies of womenraped, then strangled, and marked with X carved into their necksin the bush above the town, and the boss does not want the development to soil his planned handover celebrations. On the day of Waziris arrival, Aderopo, the prince (Obajinmi Ayorinde), returns to Akote from Ibadan, preparatory to further studies in Britain. As Waziri investigates, so does the king implore his priest (Yemi Elebuibon) to inquire of Ifa. The oracles provisional verdict is that the killer is troubled and will not stop until ten murders have been committed. When a girl, Bisi, is murdered, the focus of investigation turns to Sumonu (Ibrahim Chatta), a palace guard who meets with her secretly. With Sumonu in custody, news of another murder, Chidinma, despite the new curfew, brings all emotion to a boil. A traveling Hausa man, Usman Dangari, is apprehended but killed out of passion by Chidinmas father (Kanayo O. Kanayo) as the police prepare to take him to another prison in Ibadan. However, he leaves a clue (the whistling sound of the God Save the Queen he heard from a man in the bush) that would be helpful to Waziri as he gets closer to the truth. This crime thriller hones closely to the sense of anticipation going with the independence celebrations. In the last hour of the film, the action accelerates daily, with intertitles appearing from September 24, 25, and so on, to further tie the plot to the momentous event. Political figures, their legends, images, or broadcasts (Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Adunni Oluwole, Obafemi Awolowo, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa) make appearances, and are cleverly blended into the narrative. For example, the reason the government would not prosecute the final suspect (caught in the act) is because he is the son of a king who is an ally of the Premier of the Western Region. As do ethnicity and cultural belief: Waziris right-hand man, Sergeant Afonja (Kayode Olaiya) refuses the order to arrest the Ifa priest on the grounds that it is taboo, and he is suspended for insubordination, while the aggrieved Igbo residents suspect that Waziri would let Dangari off because the suspect is a fellow Hausa. But none of these detracts from the films generic focus as a thriller, mixing mystery and action, and keeping scrupulously away from anything that does not add to the suspense. Daba as a detective is one of the films highlights. His sinewy appearance goes well with the shrewd demeanor of sleuth able to see through any and all bullshit, displaying the professionalism becoming of his calling by keeping personal and cultural preferences under seal. His sharp exchange with his boss, in one climactic scene, has a subtle political tone. The whites are no longer in charge at this moment, but as the half-sympathetic officer tells him, they are merely passing the baton of class preferences to their Nigerian successors. Colonial rule is over, but politics-as-usual is not. In this film, Afolayan polishes off some of his signature skills. The sequences with the white administrators reveal a significant move in Nollywoodthe conception of casting that goes beyond Nigeria. It is also striking to see a generation of professional actors with such self-assurance as to make the idea of a consolidated Nigerian film industry more than a wishful thinking, three decades on. There are plausible moments of tragedy, like the murder of the promising and dutiful Corporal Omolodun, and the fate of the expendable Dangari. In those moments, Tunde Babalolas screenplay comes beautifully alive. When the echoes of historic explosion marking the dawn of independence reaches Akote, Afolayan constructs a stunning montage of a party attended by the townsfolk and other dignitaries, and through this joyous dance, both the cops and the culprit meander their way to their targets, with fresh, unbeknownst victims. The film would have had a firmer, more realistic scene-setting by showing the town on its own, away from the filter of the curfew. Unknown to all but Agbekoya and Aderopo, Reverend Dowlings charity is anything but, so a provisional reflection on this predatory behaviour would have served as a fitting foil to Canon Kuforijis virtue-signaling during his meeting with Waziri. The actor playing Miss Tawa (Kehinde Bankole) does an excellent job in speecheffortlessly in Yoruba and Englishand action, with her incredibly fastidious task of teaching pupils to switch from God Save the Queen to Nigeria, We Hail Thee. According to the data, SIP contribution in February stood at Rs 8,513 crore, which was higher than Rs 8,095 crore clocked in the same month last year. New Delhi: The mutual fund industry garnered over Rs 8,500 crore through systematic investment plans (SIPs) in February, a rise of 5.2 percent from the year-ago period, even as the broader market witnessed heavy volatility amid concerns over the impact of coronavirus pandemic. With this, the total SIP contribution in the first 11 months of the current financial year rose to Rs 91,443 crore as compared with Rs 84,638 crore in April-February 2018-19, according to the latest data from the Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi). SIP continued to be the preferred route for retail investors to invest in mutual funds as it helps them reduce market timing risk, the industry body noted. According to the data, SIP contribution in February stood at Rs 8,513 crore, which was higher than Rs 8,095 crore clocked in the same month last year. However, the 44-player mutual fund industry, which mainly depends on SIPs for inflows in equity funds, saw a marginal drop in SIP investments as compared to the preceding month. In January this year, the industry collected Rs 8,532 crore, while the SIP contribution in December stood at Rs 8,518 crore and Rs 8,273 crore in November. Inflows into SIPs have averaged over Rs 8,200 crore for the 12 months till February. Strong inflows through SIP route have also helped in raising investment in equity mutual funds to 11-month high of Rs 10,730 crore in February. This is the highest investment since March 2019, when equity schemes attracted an inflow to the tune of Rs 11,756 crore. As the spread of coronavirus pandemic scared global equities, Indian stock market too found itself in the grip and registered a fall of almost 6.5 percent (for S&P BSE 100) last month. Market experts believe that positive inflow indicates building up of a positive investment trend. We expect continued buoyancy in SIP flows in March too, though a few institutional investors may reassess their investment strategy, given the deep correction in markets, Amfi Chief Executive NS Venkatesh said. ''Individual investors continue to repose trust in the equity market, investing through mutual funds via the SIP route and I am happy to note that SIP monthly contributions have breached the Rs 8,000 crore mark for the 15th consecutive month, he added. In the past few years, investment through SIPs has been rising as an inflow of Rs 92,693 crore through the mode was seen in 2018-19, over Rs 67,000 crore in 2017-18 and more than Rs 43,900 crore in 2016-17. Currently, mutual funds have 3.09 crore SIP accounts through which investors regularly invest in Indian mutual fund schemes. The industry, on an average, added 9.95 lakh SIP accounts each month during the current financial year, with an average ticket size of Rs 2,750. SIP is an investment vehicle that allows investors to invest in small amount periodically instead of lump sum payment. The frequency of investment is usually weekly, monthly or quarterly. It is similar to a recurring deposit where investors deposit a fixed amount every month. Overall, mutual fund schemes witnessed an outflow of Rs 1,985 crore last month across all segments, mainly owing to withdrawal from liquid or money market segments. The outflow has pulled down the asset base of the mutual fund sector to Rs 27.23 lakh crore at February-end from Rs 27.86 lakh crore at the end of January. [Editor's note: The social shielding policy has now started in the UK. All those contacted by the NHS should be staying at home for a period of 12 weeks. The updated list can be found here]. In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, Boris Johnson introduced unprecedented peacetime measures to help prevent Covid-19 from spreading. The guidelines, which were introduced on 23 March, included the closure of pubs, restaurants and theatres, while people across the country were told they could only leave their homes for reasons such as going to the supermarket or exercise. During the daily televised press conferences, government officials have discussed a number of restrictions for different groups of people, including social distancing and self-isolation. However, the updates have also introduced a new term to the coronavirus glossary which has left a number of people confused: social shielding. The restriction is seen as an important technique to help protect the wider public from coronavirus. But what does social shielding mean and who needs to be doing it? Heres everything you need to know. What is social shielding? The concept means that people with the most significant problems will be shielded from social contact for 12 weeks. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has said anyone it applies to will be contacted by the NHS. Who needs to be shielded? The DHSC has said that those who fall into this group include: People who have received an organ transplant and remain on ongoing immunosuppression medication People with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radiotherapy People with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia who are at any stage of treatment People with severe chest conditions such as cystic fibrosis or severe asthma requiring hospital admissions or courses of steroid tablets People with severe diseases of body systems, such as severe kidney disease (dialysis). The department added that the need for shielding is not defined by age. When did shielding come into force? Shielding commenced across the UK on Saturday 21 March. As we take these steps we should be focusing on the most vulnerable, Johnson 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 And again the reason for doing this in the next few days, rather than earlier or later, is that this is going to be very disruptive for people who have such conditions, and difficult for them, but, I believe, its now necessary. The prime ministers sentiments were echoed by Matt Hancock, the secretary for health and social care, who said the government would need to go even further to ensure that the most vulnerable are shielded. We want to ensure that this period of maximum shielding coincides with the peak of maximum transmission, Hancock added. Has the update on lockdown measures impacted shielding? On Monday, the government shared its Covid-19 recovery strategy to help clarify the steps being taken to ease lockdown restrictions, which were first announced by Boris Johnson on 11 May. The document states that people who have. received a letter telling them to stay at home are "extremley vulnerable" and should continue to shield themselves while the virus continues to circulate. "Those in the clinically extremely vulnerable cohort will continue to be advised to shield themselves for some time yet, and the government recognises the difficulties this brings for those affected," the document states. "Over the coming weeks, the government will continue to introduce more support and assistance for these individuals so that they have the help they need as they stay shielded." How is it different to self-isolation and social distancing? Social shielding applies to people with underlying health conditions, whether or not they are showing symptoms of the coronavirus. This differs to self-isolation which only applies to people with potential coronavirus symptoms and those living in the same household. [Updated government advice now says everyone should be self-isolating at home]. The official guidance says that anyone who has a new continuous cough and/or a high temperature should stay at home for seven days from when their symptoms start. If you live with others and one person develops these symptoms, everyone must stay at home for 14 days, to reduce the risk of infecting others. During the daily press conference on Monday 16 March, Johnson said that now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel. This means people must start working from home where possible and avoid large gatherings, as well as gatherings in smaller public spaces such as pubs, cinemas, restaurants, theatres, bars and clubs. On Monday 23 March, Johnson announced the country had been placed in lockdown, with people only being allowed to leave their homes for reasons such as going to the supermarket or doing one form of daily outdoor exercise. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Regulated Solutions Group (RSG) and The Restaurant People (TRP) have agreed to postpone CannaFest, scheduled for May 2nd, as well as their CBD Dinner Series scheduled for April 2nd and 3rd, due to coronavirus concerns. In a joint statement, RSG and TRP stated "With the uncertainty of how the virus will be impacting the Florida community over the next few months, we have decided to postpone CannaFest to a later date. We take the safety and health of our guests, staff, brand partners and the Florida community very seriously so feel this is the right decision. We look forward to bringing CannaFest to South Florida in the near future and will take our direction from the medical community on the right time to do so." CannaFest, hosted at TRP's venue Township in FT. Lauderdale, brings together CBD and Hemp brands, Cannabis medical treatment centers and over 1,000 consumers for a day of education, interactive experiences, food, cocktails, and live music. ABOUT REGULATED SOLUTIONS GROUP RSG puts compliance into action, working with Brands and Venues to create Cannabis, CBD and Hemp experiences that inspire and connect with consumers. RSG brings decades of experience in the event and experiential marketing industry with expertise in regulated categories. They have licensed, planned, and executed thousands of events nationwide for clients that include the largest regulated multi-national companies in the world. Regulated Solutions works with its clients to navigate complex and evolving cannabis and hemp regulations, understand their objectives, and build compliant, customized solutions to effectively reach their target consumers. RSG's services include Cannabis/Hemp Regulatory Consulting, Compliance and Consumer Engagement Strategy, Event Experience Design & Execution, and Research and Procurement of Licenses needed for category compliance. For more information email [email protected] or visit www.regulatedsolutions.com. THE RESTAURANT PEOPLE (TRP) Founded in 1997, The Restaurant People (TRP) has developed, managed, and operated more than 70 restaurants since its inception, delivering ground-breaking culinary and hospitality experiences that engage South Floridians and continuously exceed expectation. The premier Fort Lauderdale-based hospitality group has conceptualized and brought to life some of the most in-demand restaurants and nightlife venues in the market for over two decades, including YOLO and O Lounge, S3, Boatyard, Spatch Grilled Peri-Peri Chicken, Rooftop @1WLO and TRP Taste, and most recently, Java & Jam. TRP's Executive Team is comprised of Tim Petrillo, co-founder/CEO; Executive Chef Peter Boulukos, co-founder/culinary director; Alan Hooper, co-founder/construction development manager; and Aaron Abramoff, director of operations. Together, this dynamic foursome has helped breathe life back into the Fort Lauderdale culinary and nightlife scene for more than 20 years. TRP's corporate headquarters is located at 221 S. Andrews Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, FL. For more information, visit therestaurantpeople.com. Contact: Leia Bosco Susan Penrod PR (SPPR) Cell: 954.815.7412 [email protected] SOURCE Regulated Solutions Related Links http://www.regulatedsolutions.com Airlines around the world said they would make more drastic cuts to their flying schedules, shed jobs and seek government aid after countries further tightened border restrictions because of the fast-spreading coronavirus. The owner of British Airways that it would cut flying capacity by at least three quarters in April and May and that its outgoing boss, Willie Walsh, would defer his retirement as the carrier tries to survive the fallout of the virus. International Consolidated Airlines Group, the parent company that also owns Iberia and Aer Lingus, said it would also ground flights, freeze discretionary spending, reduce working hours and temporarily suspend employment contracts. United Airlines Holdings Inc, one of the three largest US airlines, booked $1.5 billion less revenue in March than during the same time last year and warned employees that planes could be flying nearly empty into the summer, even after severe flight cuts. United said 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. "This crisis is moving really quickly," United Chief Executive Oscar Munoz and President Scott Kirby said in a memo to employees on Sunday. Things worsened over the weekend as Spain declared a state of emergency, the Trump administration added Britain and Ireland to its list of countries facing travel curbs, and Australia and New Zealand said all travellers would have to self-isolate for 14 days. "We call on Congress and the White House to take all measures available to protect the health and payroll of American workers," said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents 50,000 US flight attendants at 20 airlines, including United. CAPA Centre for Aviation, an airline analysis and consulting firm, said most airlines globally will be bankrupt by the end of May without coordinated government and industry action to avoid such a catastrophe. "Demand is drying up in ways that are completely unprecedented," CAPA said in a report. "Normality is not yet on the horizon." UK airlines called on the British government to help ensure their survival, while Germany's Tui AG and Scandinavian carrier SAS said they would suspend the vast majority of operations due to the COVID-19 outbreak and apply for government support. Finnair on Monday 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 per cent of its normal capacity from the beginning of April. The Finnish airline also dropped its dividend. EasyJet, Europe's fourth-biggest airline, said it could ground the majority of its fleet, while Icelandair Group has said it was cutting capacity and working with labour unions to reduce its salary cost "significantly". Air New Zealand Ltd said job losses would be necessary as it cut long-haul capacity by 85 per cent over the coming months. "We are now accepting that for the coming months at least Air New Zealand will be a smaller airline requiring fewer resources, including people," Air New Zealand Chief Executive Greg Foran said in a statement. The airline has halted trading in its shares until Wednesday. Qantas Airways Ltd said it would be making fresh cuts to its flying schedule beyond the 25 per cent reduction in international capacity announced last week due to the new travel restrictions. UBS analysts said the latest travel restrictions would have a significant effect on Qantas' international traffic, which historically accounted for around 45 per cent of revenue and 25 per cent of earnings before interest and tax. "A downside scenario where international traffic is down 50 per cent for a whole year and domestic down 30 per cent could result in a cash burn of up to A$200 million ($123.60 million) per month after incorporating changes to the business," UBS said of Qantas. Smaller rival Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd, which has a weaker balance sheet but a heavier domestic focus, said it was assessing its response to the new travel restrictions. S&P Global Ratings downgraded its credit rating on Virgin to B- and placed it on credit watch negative due to rapidly deteriorating industry conditions spreading from the international market to the domestic market. "Rating stability will increasingly rely on the company continuing to adjust its cost base to offset potential further material revenue erosion and limit cash outflows if the reduction in demand continues beyond the next few months," S&P said. [March 17, 2020] Akos Virtual Medical Care Limits Exposure to COVID-19 According to the guidelines outlined by the Centers for Disease Prevention (CDC) regarding COVID-19, the best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus. In order to limit exposure, the CDC is recommending avoiding close contact with people who are sick and staying home if sick. With these guidelines, patients may be uncertain what course of action to take in the case of a routine illness or medical need, such as the stomach flu, a sprained ankle, a topical allergic reaction, or a urinary tract infection. Allowing patients to get the treatment they need, while limiting exposure, Akos offers affordable, virtual healthcare with board certified providers. Telemedicine, as recently praised by President Trump, is an integral resource in helping to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. "With the growing concern of Coronavirus, those who are sick with other illnesses may not seek medical care, as they are afraid to venture out of their homes," said Kishlay Anand, MD, president of Akos. "Akos' virtual medical services have long provided convenient, quick and comprehensive healthcare to consumers in the comfort of their homes. Today, with COVID-19 spreading so rapidly, it has become even more important for patients and their families to avoid public places, especially crowded healthcare centers." Eliminating the need for an in-person doctor visit, Akos' telemedicine options give patients with non-emergent medical conditions a safer alternative to visiting a crowded medical facility. Additionally, Akos' providers can answers questions and concerns regarding COVID-19. Help is just a video chat away or a quick trip to a neighborhood Safeway store. Akos provides virtual medicine via a home care app, called Akos, available to download on Google Play and iTunes. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, the app allows patients to connect with a board certified healthcare provider via a mobile device, while staying in the safety of their home. For those without access to a mobile device or those needing more thorough medical diagnostics, Akos also has 14 Med Clinics located inside Safeway stores throughout Arizona and Idaho. With no appointment necessary, these clinics provide a virtual connection to a healthcare provider via artificial intelligence. The visits are comprehensive, but brief, and allow patients to be in a room with just a medical assistant and a kiosk, limiting exposure to others. Utilizing easy-to-use, FDA-approved medical devices, patients are guided via augmented reality to collect data, such as weight, temperature, blood pressure, and other vitals to form a diagnostic impression. A complete patient work-up is sent electronically to an Akos healthcare provider and through a video consultation, the provider meets with the patient to verify the diagnosis and present a treatment plan. Akos accepts most major healthcare plans and also has affordable pricing for those without insurance. New patients without insurance pay $49 for the first consultation and $75 for any subsequent consultation. For more information, visit www.akosmd.com. About Akos: Developed by a team of leading physicians, Akos launched its revolutionary telehealth platform in 2016. Akos powers a new type of virtual practice, offering a fully integrated HIPAA-compliant healthcare solution for patients, physicians, employers and medical centers across the United States. By combining smart technology, seamless design, a patient-centric approach, grassroots strategy and the collective power of a preferred provider network, Akos is reinventing the traditional healthcare model one virtual call at a time. Available 24/7, 365 days a year, Akos gives patients unparalleled access to licensed healthcare providers, allowing care for a wide range of non-emergent conditions via a smartphone or tablet. Follow Akos on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005865/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] San Francisco based tour operator who gave sensitive information to China as well as facilitated the operations of Chinese double agents on the US soil was sentenced to four years in prison for spying on March 17. Edward Peng Xuehua worked for the Beijing's Ministry of State Security resided in the US as a tour operator, international media reported. Xuehua was arrested in 2019 Xuehua, a neutralized US citizen was arrested in September 2019 in Hayward, California for reportedly arranging transfers of money and SD cards loaded with stolen classified information in different locations across the US on behalf of Chinas premier intelligence body. According to the court filings, Xuehua was exposed by the US' double agent operation targeting MSS. The operation led them to the Chinese spy who, in 2015 was first seen picking up SD cards with US secrets from a hotel which the double agents, with instructions of his handlers, had left inside a book in Newark, California. A few months later, he was seen at the same hotel picking up an information loaded SD card that was hidden inside another book. He then went to Beijing, where he reportedly handled the SD card to MSS officials. Read: Spying On The Virus: Israel Secret Service To Track Patients According to reports, the FBI, between 2016 and 2018 saw him either picking up sensitive information or leaving money for Chinese double agents across the San Fransico and Columbus area in Georgia. Following his capture, Xengua pleaded guilty in a federal court in Oakland, California to charges of "illegally acting as an unregistered agent for a foreign government." The judge sentenced him to 48 months in prison and a $30,000 fine, short of the 10 years and $250,000 fine allowed. According to reports, the 56-year-old first came to the US in 2001 and stayed there as a non-immigrant worker. In 2006, he married and acquired permanent citizenship. He had a registered business named, US Tours and travels which served Chinese students coming to the US. Read: Special NIA Court Convicts Sri Lankan For Espionage At Pak Behest Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John Demers, in a statement, said, "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. He added that Xengua "is now being held accountable for his criminal actions and his betrayal of his oath of citizenship," Read: Dave Bautista Says His 'My Spy' Co-star Chloe Coleman Is Special In Many Ways Read: Iran Drops Espionage Charges Against France's Po University Academic Oprah Winfrey has been forced to deny rumours that she has been arrested for sex trafficking after fake news reports emerged online. The presenters name has been trending on Twitter since the seemingly baseless rumours began, and now Winfrey has reassured fans she is just sanitising and self distancing with the rest of the world amid the coronavirus pandemic. She wrote on Twitter: Just got a phone call that my name is trending. And being trolled for some awful FAKE thing. Its NOT TRUE. Havent been raided, or arrested. Just sanitising and self distancing with the rest of the world. Stay safe everybody. An unverified post that appeared to spark the rumour claimed Winfreys house in Boca Raton, Florida, had been raided by the authorities. MailOnline reports the claim is linked to the QAnon, a conspiracy theory claiming there is a "deep state" working against Donald Trump. A producer on Ellen DeGeneres talk show, Andy Lassner, was among those who tried to point out the post was false when it went viral, saying: The staggering amount of people believing a 100 per cent fake story about Oprah doesnt make me feel good about the chances of society continuing. Idris Elba is the latest high profile celebrity to be diagnosed with coronavirus. The actor revealed the news on Twitter, telling fans: Dont freak out. Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson also tested positive. They left hospital and are now under quarantine in Australia. The City of Sydney has closed gyms, swimming pools and libraries as events and face-to-face meetings are cancelled indefinitely to stop the spread of coronavirus. In Sydney, 267 people of the 565 people nation-wide have been infected with COVID-19. Five of the country's six deaths were in Australia's largest city. The City on Wednesday made a historic decision in a bid to curb the spread of the virus. Three women wearing face masks use their mobile phones during a work break in Neutral Bay on March 18 A woman wearing a face mask in an attempt to avoid contracting COVID-19 on March 18 in Sydney CBD 'Over the past two months, the City has been working closely with NSW Health to ensure we respond urgently,' Lord Mayor Clover Moore said in a statement. 'We have not come to the decision to cancel events or close facilities lightly, but we believe it's best for the community that we do so.' She also announced City of Sydney libraries would be closed from March 19 to 31. Aquatic and fitness centres will be shut from March 20 to April 3. Non-essential community events, in-person meetings and conferences have either been cancelled or will be postponed until further notice. Women wear protective face masks amidst fears of COVID-19 coronavirus in Sydney A man wearing a protective mask walks past an official medical advice advertisement by the Australian Federal Government regarding coronavirus in Pitt Street Mall, Sydney 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 It comes as Scott Morrison announced a ban on indoor gatherings with more than 100 people. 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. Mr Morrison warned the drastic measures could be in place for up to six months, as Australia implements 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. 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. In Sydney, 267 people of the 565 people nation-wide have been infected with COVID-19 Sydney's CBD is seeing a dramatic reduction in workers and shoppers on the streets to prevent the spread of coronavirus 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. 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. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 20:33:41|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close MOGADISHU, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Somali government said it has allocated 5 million U.S. dollars to combat COVID-19 after authorities confirmed one case. Hassan Ali Khaire, the prime minister of Somalia also announced the shutdown of educational institutions for the next two weeks effective Wednesday as authorities intensify efforts to contain COVID-19 in the horn of African nation. "The Somali government has set aside 5 million U.S. dollars to mitigate the COVID-19 infections across the country and all educational institutions have been closed for 15 days," Khaire said on Tuesday evening. He also banned meetings and large social gatherings to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Khaire said the government has been working tirelessly to complete the construction of isolation facilities to ensure all persons with suspected COVID-19 cases are quarantined. Khaire called on all Somalis to unite, prevent infection, and follow the government guidelines to stay safe. The Health Ministry of Somalia said on Monday that the patient, a Somali citizen, is among the four persons who had been quarantined after returning to the country last week. At least 19 residents of a senior home in Madrid have died from an outbreak of the new coronavirus, center managers confirmed on Tuesday. The deaths at the Monte Hermoso care home were first reported by the news agency Europa Press, citing relatives who spoke with workers there. Its likely that more people are going to die, a healthcare source familiar with the situation told EL PAIS. Until Tuesday of this week, ill residents were not being taken to hospital, and were dying inside the senior living center. Late on Tuesday, over 12 hours after the story broke, it was still impossible to ascertain the exact number of victims at the facility, which has room for 130 residents. We need everyones efforts, and help from God Monte Hermoso senior residence worker At noon on Tuesday, a center spokesperson admitted that the figure was at least 19. Later, Madrid regional officials lowered it to 17 deaths since Friday of last week. Workers and relatives disagreed with this figure, and said there were suspicious deaths much earlier than that. But confirming the cause of death has been difficult as the victims were never tested for coronavirus. Some of the deaths have been classified as possible Covid-19. A total of 75 people, including staff and residents of Monte Hermoso, have tested positive for coronavirus, said Enrique Ruiz Escudero, head of the Madrid regional health department, in an interview on the radio station SER. We need information from residences in order to act. His statement seemed to suggest that managers at Monte Hermoso had not reported the cases to the authorities. News of the outbreak at Monte Hermoso confirmed fears about the heightened risk posed by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus for the more than 400 senior homes operating in the Madrid region. Two weeks ago, another outbreak was reported at the public senior residence La Paz, where a 99-year-old woman died and at least 10 other residents were infected. The Madrid region is the epicenter of the coronavirus crisis in Spain. On Tuesday morning, officials announced 706 new cases in the last 24 hours, for a total of 4,871 since the beginning of the epidemic. According to Health Ministry figures, 43% of positive cases and 72% of coronavirus deaths in Spain have occurred in Madrid. Criteria On Saturday morning, a center worker requested an ambulance for Ana Ruizs mother, 86-year-old Ana Maria Artola, after the latter developed a fever of 39C. The staff suspected she had Covid-19, but the hospital refused to help because she did not meet the criteria, a center worker and the victims doctor both told Ana Ruiz. Ana Maria Artola died at noon on Monday, and Ruiz says nobody has been able to explain which criteria her mother did not meet. Located near the Casa de Campo, in the west of the capital, Monte Hermoso is a privately run senior residence that also works as a daycare center. On March 8, relatives were prohibited from accessing the center to prevent contagion. Until then, visitors had been walking in without any protective gear. A resident looks out of a window at the Monte Hermoso senior home, where visits have been banned since March 8. David Exposito The deaths started speeding up in the last 48 hours, said sources familiar with the situation. Some staff members who spoke on condition of anonymity said the first suspicious death took place two weeks ago. On Sunday there were 10 bodies in the basement awaiting collection by the funeral home, according to several eye witnesses. A Monte Hermoso spokesperson said that employees were doing everything possible to save lives. On Tuesday, the center received oxygen equipment from regional health authorities, ill residents were transferred to hospitals, and workers from the San Carlos Clinical Hospital were sent in to help the staff. Yolanda Cumia was informed of her fathers death through a telephone call placed before dawn on Tuesday. Yolanda, your father has died of a respiratory insufficiency, she was told by a staff member at 2.30am. Juan Cumia was 87 years old, and one of the healthiest residents at the center. Every Tuesday he would go out with friends to eat at Gaztelu, a Basque restaurant on the east side of Madrid. His daughter was in shock at news of his sudden death. Yolanda Cumia said the worker confessed that the situation at the center was dramatic and that a lot of seniors were dying, while apparently nothing was being done about it. Theyre dropping like flies, said Cumia. Some of the workers talked about the chaos of the last few days. On Tuesday, with ambulances constantly coming and going, a nurse walked out with a slip of paper confirming that she had just quit her job. Its awful in there, she said. Im not going back. Another worker who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the situation inside is dramatic. We need everyones efforts, and help from God. More senior deaths in Vitoria On Wednesday it emerged that eight seniors living in a residency in Vitoria, the capital city of the Basque Country region, had died in the last 12 days due to the coronavirus. The residents were transferred to area hospitals, where they passed away three of them in the last two days, EL PAIS has learned. English version by Susana Urra. Technavio has been monitoring the cold-pressed juices market and it is poised to grow by USD 275.5 mn during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of almost 8% 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/20200318005219/en/ Technavio has published a latest market research report titled Global Cold-pressed Juices Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire) The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation 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. Health benefits of cold-pressed juice over traditional juice has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. Cold-pressed Juices Market 2019-2023: Segmentation Cold-pressed Juices Market is segmented as below: Type Cold-pressed Fruit and Vegetable Blend Juices Cold-pressed Fruit Juices Cold-pressed Vegetable Juices Geographic Segmentation APAC Europe MEA North America South America 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=IRTNTR30974 Cold-pressed Juices 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 cold-pressed juices market report covers the following areas: Cold-pressed Juices Market Size Cold-pressed Juices Market Trends Cold-pressed Juices Market Industry Analysis This study identifies growing preference for clean-labeled cold-presses juices as one of the prime reasons driving the cold-pressed juices market growth during the next few years. Cold-pressed Juices Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the cold-pressed juices market, including some of the vendors such as Hain Celestial, MOJU LTD, PepsiCo, Starbucks Coffee Company and Suja Life, LLC. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the cold-pressed juices 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 Cold-pressed Juices Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023 Detailed information on factors that will assist cold-pressed juices market growth during the next five years Estimation of the cold-pressed juices market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the cold-pressed juices market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of cold-pressed juices 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 PRODUCT Market segmentation by product Comparison by product Organic cold-pressed juices Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Conventional cold-pressed juices Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by product PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 08: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY TYPE Market segmentation by type Comparison by type Cold-pressed fruit and vegetable blend juices Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Cold-pressed fruit juices Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Cold-pressed vegetable juices Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by type PART 09: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison North America Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Europe Market size and forecast 2018-2023 APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023 South America Market size and forecast 2018-2023 MEA 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 Increasing number of mergers and acquisitions Rising popularity of cold-pressed juice shots Growing preference for clean-labeled cold-pressed juices PART 13: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview Landscape disruption PART 14: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Hain Celestial MOJU LTD PepsiCo Starbucks Coffee Company Suja Life, LLC 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/20200318005219/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ The City of Humble will continue to remain open but will limit in-person public meetings to 10 people through April 5 amid the efforts to control the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. Council meetings will be limited to 10 people in the room, as the city follows guidelines issued by the Governor and Centers for Disease Prevention and Control. It will fulfill the Open Meetings Act by providing a call-in option for residents interested in listening or commenting. Numbers for the call-in option will be published with meeting notices. The city intends to publish video recordings of council meetings on their website in the future. Related: Humble ISD schools closed until at least April 10 to prevent spread of coronavirus, COVID-19 The Humble Civic Center, the Charles Bender Performing Arts Center, the Senior Center and anything at City of Humble public facilities with over 10 people has been or will be canceled or rescheduled, according to Humble City Manager Jason Stuebe. As first responders will likely be the first to come into contact with any COVID-19 cases, the city has also made protocols to protect them. We also have very specific protocols that have been put into place for fire, EMS and PD, as they are susceptible to having contact most likely, Stuebe said. If theres someone that were going to have come into contact with a case, its likely going to be a case from our first responders. So they have added protocols. Meanwhile, City Hall and other city facilities will remain open for now. The municipal court cleared its docket through April 24th, according to Stuebe, and all non-public, safety-related capital purchases or projects not currently underway will be suspended. Additionally, non-public safety open positions will be suspended until further notice unless authorized by Stuebe. Stuebe said city employees are taking precautionary measures by cleaning surfaces and person stations frequently and following recommendations from the CDC to limit the spread of viruses. They have also restricted business-related travel and training through May 3 for employees of the city, during which time personal travel must be reported and restrictions will apply for some out of state travel for their employees only. The city employee picnic has been canceled as well. Our employees are constantly being advised to follow CDC guidance for general hygiene and social distancing, Stuebe said. ...Were implementing several protocols to limit their exposure through, like I said, travel and training. Top hits: Get Houston Chronicle stories sent directly to your inbox According to Stuebe, the city is practicing polite enforcement of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgos order to close bars, clubs and arcades in addition to limiting restaurants to take out, pick up or drive-through only service for the next 15 days, as reported on chron.com. The City of Humble will wave Tent Permits for food establishments only, according to an email from Stuebe. Although this will have an economic impact on the city, Stuebe said they recognize these precautions are more important at this time. Obviously there is going to be an economic impact, especially on the city center side, Stuebe said. I mean, were losing rental income on a daily basis. We dont have an exact figure on that, we are working to get that number. savannah.mehrtens@chron.com [March 18, 2020] Novus Health Acquires Near Threat Analytics at a Crucial Moment in History TORONTO, March 18, 2020 /CNW/ - Health Care Services International Inc., operating as Novus Health, "Novus", is pleased to announce their acquisition of global threat monitoring company, Near Threat Analytics Corp., "Near Threat". Financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed. The move significantly enhances Novus' 360 Navigator offering which includes the Novus Health and Travel Navigator platforms. "We are thrilled about this partnership as it comes at a critical time when people and enterprises need reliable, real-time information and tools to stay up to date on what's going on around the world. Two months ago, people weren't sure how travel, health and risk warnings fit together," says Robin Ingle, CEO of Novus, "No one is asking that question now." The immediate focus will be integrating Near Threat's advanced artificial intelligence and global threat and alert management technologies into the 360 Navigator to offer a cohesive platform and allowing users to manage risk in their daily life at home and abroad. "This offering is applicable across many verticals," points out Paul Methot, CEO of Near Threat. "We are all looking to mitigate the risk to ourselves, our loved ones and our businesses, especially now that we realize how interconncted the world is." The Near Threat leadership team consisting of CEO, Paul Methot, CTO, Dr. Richard Bennett, and COO, Megan Rideout, will join the Novus executive team, adding strength in artificial intelligence, big data, corporate travel and consumer engagement to the already deep expertise at Novus in security, global risk management and group insurance. Omar Ahmad, a co-founder of Expedia.ca, has also joined the Board of Directors in an advisory capacity, bringing his wealth of experience in travel and loyalty to the team. These products combined are specifically designed to be the primary source to educate, engage, equip and most importantly protect your employees. They have been purpose built with the needs of Chief Risk Officers, Travel Managers, Human Resources and Duty of Care specialists in mind. For specific inquiries about how our products and services can be prioritized to support your organization, please contact Megan Rideout at [email protected]. About Novus Health Novus Health is an information and technology-enabled health services provider. The leader in health navigation and wellness solutions, Novus Health helps organizations make health care more accessible, understandable, and effective for their members and clients. The Novus Health offering includes the Travel Navigator application for traveller tracking and alerts. Novus Health has offices located in Toronto and Montreal, Canada with partners and representatives worldwide. About Travel Navigator, a division of Novus Health Travel Navigator is an award-winning multimodal Duty of Care application providing tracking, local information and resources, as well as emergency support to mitigate risks and keep travellers safe. For more details, visit travelnavigator.io. About Near Threat Near Threat is a web-based service designed to provide consolidated, real-time information on the status of a broad range of threat types around the globe. Our cutting-edge A.I. sifts through billions of points of data everyday to give you the critical information you need in a single interface designed for your needs. Near Threat offers solutions for home and travel use to help identify and mitigate risk for you, your family and your business. For more information, visit nearthreat.com. SOURCE Novus Health [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Automakers have resisted closing factories largely because they book revenue when vehicles are shipped from factories to dealerships. So without production, revenue dries up. Each company has other reasons to stay open as well. Ford, for instance, is building up F-150 pickup inventory because its plants will have to go out of service later this year to be retooled for an all-new model. The European Medicines Agency said on Wednesday that there is no scientific evidence showing that the widely used anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen worsens the effects of coronavirus. In a statement, the agency said it wanted to dispel incorrect information circulating on social media. "There is currently no scientific evidence establishing a link between ibuprofen and worsening of COVID-19," the agency said, referring to the disease caused by the new coronavirus. "When starting treatment for fever or pain in COVID-19, patients and healthcare professionals should consider all available treatment options" including ibuprofen and related drugs, as well as paracetamol, the most widely used painkiller. Pharmacies and grocery stores in the Netherlands have begun limiting sales of paracetamol due to shortages caused by stockpiling. Search Keywords: Short link: With the coronavirus pandemic spreading unabatedly across the globe, contactless delivery services are now well poised to gain traction. So far, the pandemic has infected at least 170,000 people and claimed more than 6,500 lives, worldwide. The COVID-19-led lockdowns have disrupted businesses, particularly which are people-oriented, like retail, restaurants, online deliveries, etc. Countries on Lockdowns as Coronavirus Spirals Out of Control To contain the rapidly-spreading COVID-19 pandemic, governments around the world are undertaking several measures, including travel bans, guiding companies to allow employees to work from their homes, and imposing lockdowns. In Europe, countries like Italy, Spain, and France have announced lockdowns. In the United States too, President Trump has urged people to avoid traveling, attending schools in person, frequenting bars and restaurants, and limit public gatherings to less than 10. The U.S. government is leaving no stone unturned to curb the spread of coronavirus, which has already infected 3,487 people and claimed 68 lives in the country. Hence, this global quarantine situation is disrupting the entire demand-and supply-chain across all sectors. People are avoiding public places to avoid human touch, which is the main cause of the virus transmission. As a result, a recessionary situation is emerging globally. Reportedly, several Amazon AMZN sellers are running low on inventory, and factory closures in China and other parts of the globe will not allow them to restock products. This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company recently noted that it is running out of household-staple products, as more and more people are shopping online due to the coronavirus outbreak. Contactless Deliveries Gaining Traction People are even hesitating in availing door-to-door delivery services, as they fear the person bringing deliveries might have been infected with COVID-19. This has prompted several online delivery operators in the United States to start contactless-delivery services, in order to prevent transmission of the virus between delivery drivers and customers. Further, the service will aid these operators to lure customers on growing hygiene awareness. Story continues Postmates is the first company to roll out contactless delivery. The food and grocery delivery company has created a separate Leave order at my door option on its website and app. Similarly, grocery chain retailer Instacart has added a Leave at My Door Deliver option for contactless delivery. Meanwhile, Uber Eats, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Uber Technologies UBER, a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock, is providing customers the options to leave a note to drivers for a delivery to be left outside their homes or delivery places. Other notable online delivery providers like Seamless and Grubhub GRUB are reportedly following the same practice. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Moreover, pizza giants, Dominos DPZ and YUM! Brands YUM owned PizzaHut are encouraging customers to provide instructions while placing orders. Another pizza chain operator, Little Caesars, is offering two contactless methods. Customers can either put instructions for drivers for home deliveries or pickup their pizzas from in-store heated compartments. Drone & Automated Delivery Best Options to Curb Coronavirus Transmission? Several online delivery operators have come out with contactless solutions to survive in this turbulent market. However, if the virus lingers for a longer period, the lack of delivery personnel will be a key headwind. Notably, Trump yesterday noted that the COVID-19-led social unrest might last well beyond August. Therefore, we believe if the crisis stretches to the second half of this year, Internet-based delivery operators will resort to drones and automated delivery options. Remarkably, companies like FedEx FDX and United Parcel Service UPS are already testing their drones and automated delivery channels. Since October 2019, FedEx has been testing its drone-delivery capabilities in Virginia, in collaboration with Alphabets GOOGL Google Wing, another Zacks #3 Ranked stock. Furthermore, the company forayed in the autonomous delivery market last year by introducing its Roxo SameDay Delivery Bot for last-mile deliveries. These apart, United Parcel Service has also received consent from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration for drone deliveries. The company made its first drone delivery to WakeMeds hospital last September. Also, the logistics giant has collaborated with autonomous tech start-up, TuSimple, and is testing self-driving trucks in Arizona. Conclusion The massive business disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak is expected to open up solid growth opportunities for contactless-delivery providers, particularly in the retail and e-commerce space. Chinese companies, including Meituan Dianping, JD.com, and Ele.me, have ramped up their deployment of robots to deliver orders, in a bid to contain further spreading of COVID-19. We believe the U.S. companies will follow suit, and deploy more autonomous and drone deliveries in the days to come. In addition, the current crisis will compel logistics and delivery-service companies to invest more in autonomous and drone deliveries, in order to reduce human dependence. This will also have a long-term impact in significant cost-savings for the companies. 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 >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Domino's Pizza Inc (DPZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) : Free Stock Analysis Report FedEx Corporation (FDX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Yum! Brands, Inc. (YUM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Grubhub Inc. (GRUB) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Uber Technologies, Inc. (UBER) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research People not registered with a GP are being told no doctor will turn them away if they phone in to ask about Covid-19 symptoms. It is thought thousands of people are not registered with any GP with up to 70% of practices too busy to accept new patients in recent years. Consultancy fees have been waived for people phoning in to ask about symptoms but clinics are extremely busy. Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) president Dr Mary Favier says they want to reassure people who do not already have a relationship with a doctor they will get help. "The types of patients we are most concerned about here are those who are often new to an area. "They might be migrants to Ireland, they may have moved away from home and no longer have their family GP, their GP may have died, retired, closed their practice. "Sometimes it is younger people who want to change GP and then lose contact with a general practitioner." Dr Favier's own clinic has been too busy to accept new patients for almost five years and she says that 70% of GPs are not taking new patients - or were not until this week. However, she says that they will work as hard as they can as long as they can for this crisis. "These are exceptional times so we are going to need exceptional measures. "I would be confident that GPs will step up to this role." Meanwhile, the HSE are once again asking people not to share false information regarding Covid-19 on WhatsApp. The HSE's chief clinical officer Dr Colm Henry says they are not helping anyone. "I can't make an appeal to the people who put these stories out because I can't understand their mindset. "But I would appeal to anyone else not to copy these on." He said that those looking for information should visit hse.ie. [snippet1]987600[/snippet1] The Minister for Social Protection, Regina Doherty, has announced that Revenue will implement the system to refund employers who continue to pay their laid-off staff 203 per week during the Covid-19 outbreak. It comes as the Department reveals it has got more than 50,000 claims for Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payments since they were announced at the start of the week. Minister Doherty said: The measures taken already are extraordinary but this is an extraordinary time. There is great uncertainty and much anxiety about what lies ahead. "The loss of a job and an income increases this anxiety and stress. We are doing all we can to help people through this anxiety. "The new payment we introduced is just one measure and it means that we can get people into payment as quickly as possible. Hopefully this will provide some measure of reassurance to people unfortunate to be laid-off. We are also calling on banks, landlords, utility providers and others to exercise forbearance with regard to payments of mortgages, rent and utility bills. The Minister said Revenue administering the payments will help speed up the refund process and reduce the need for employers to rely on short-term finance. Under the arrangement, employers who have to temporarily lay-off staff and who are not in a position to pay them their full wages, are asked to keep their employees on the payroll and pay them an amount of 203 - the equivalent of the Covid-19 Support Payment. When employers then submit payroll returns to Revenue, Revenue will refund the employer the 203. The Minister said: This is a significant departure from our normal approach but meets a critical and immediate demand to address instant income needs of workers who have been temporarily laid off while also allowing them to stay on the employer payroll a reassurance that they will, in all likelihood, have a job to return to. "We are very appreciative of the work not just of Revenue but of the cooperation of employers and their payroll providers. Any workers with children and adult dependents are asked to apply for Jobseekers Benefit online at www.mywelfare.ie in order to get their full entitlements. [snippet1]987600[/snippet1] Coronavirus in New Jersey is taking a toll on the states economy and its workers. While many employees are working from home, others are losing their jobs as businesses cut back hours and services or shut down completely. That puts tens of thousands of job seekers in the market for employment, with special interest in remote jobs so they can make money at home as coronavirus runs its course. As we see a large wave of new job hunters, scammers will step forward to meet the demand. There have always been job scams out there, preying on vulnerable people desperate for work. Thats only going to grow in the coming weeks. Here are the kinds of job offers that should raise a red flag. FAKE CHECK SCAMS Fake check scams are one of the most popular scams out there. You might see a job posting that offers quick cash. It could be a paperwork job, telemarketing or just about anything. The red flag is that the employer needs you to buy supplies to do the job, so they will send you a hefty check. Maybe the employer sends you $2,500. Your first bonus or salary amount would be taken out of that check, and the rest will be used to buy the needed supplies from the employers vendor. After you deposit the check it will probably clear in a day or two the employer tells you to wire money to the vendor. But within a few days or even weeks later, your bank will discover the $2,500 check you deposited was a fake. It bounces. Your checking account will be in the negative, youll be responsible for the overdraft and the scammy employer is nowhere to be found. To protect yourself, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says you should never use money from a check to wire funds or send gift cards or money orders to strangers or someone you just met. MYSTERY SHOPPER SCAMS It might be hard to imagine mystery shopper scams could come up during the coronavirus outbreak. But they can. Retailers do indeed use mystery shoppers to go into their stores and report back on customer service, cleanliness and more. While many shops will be closed or offer limited services because of the virus, others, like supermarkets and drugstores, will remain open. Scammers may offer you a job to see how those operations are running under these trying conditions. The FTC said the first assignment often given to hopeful mystery shoppers is to evaluate a money transfer service like Western Union or MoneyGram. After you receive a check, youd deposit it, take out the cash and then youd wire it to a third party who of course is the scammer. When the check bounces, and it will, youll be responsible for the negative balance in your bank account. To see if a mystery shopping offer is the real thing, visit the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) website. GOVERNMENT GRANT/LOAN SCAMS As federal and state governments work on stimulus packages to help Americans get through this difficult time, scammers will take advantage. Were going to see lots of new programs to help employees and small businesses, so make sure any program you consider is legit. For starters, no government agency is going to call or email to offer you a grant or loan to keep your business afloat, or even to start a new business. Delete any emails that make these offers, and dont click on any links. And if you get a phone call, just hang up. If you dont, the scammers will try to trick you into handing over your personal information. That could lead to identity fraud. To see what programs are going to be offered to individuals and businesses, only rely on government websites and news stories from respected organizations. RED FLAGS The FTC recommends you watch out for these red flags when you look for a job. You need to pay to get the job: The fake employer or headhunter may say theyve got a job waiting, or guarantee to place you in a job, if you just pay a fee for certification, training materials or their expenses placing you with a company, the FTC said. But after you pay, the job vanishes. Employers and employment firms shouldnt ask you to pay for the promise of a job. You need to supply your credit card or bank account information: Never give out your credit card or bank account information over the phone or through email unless you know who youre talking to, the FTC said. If you share the info with the wrong people, you could become a victim of identity theft. Watch out for ads for previously undisclosed federal government jobs: Scammers might tempt you to pay for exclusive job postings, but the FTC said information about available federal jobs is free. All federal positions can be found on Scammers might tempt you to pay for exclusive job postings, but the FTC said information about available federal jobs is free. All federal positions can be found on usajobs.gov And beware of any job that wants to send you a check that youd have to deposit in order to do the job. If you come across a fake job listing, report it to the FTC and file a complaint with IC3, a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center. 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: 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. 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. 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. Viewers tuning in to the local franchise were met with the network's red logo on a blank screen as it announced it would be off-air for at least 24 hours. "CNN Philippines will temporarily stop broadcasting on Wednesday after a COVID-19 case was confirmed in the building (in Manila) where the company is located," the franchise said on its website. "As a result, CNN Philippines will be off the air for at least 24 hours," it added, stressing the infection occurred at another company in the building. It said it would continue to provide news on its website and social media accounts. "We have prepared for this emergency. For more than two weeks, many of our colleagues have been isolated and working from home already," a company statement said. Other Philippine broadcast networks have earlier banned live audiences from their talk, reality, variety and game shows. The Philippines has reported just a fraction of the infections seen in hotspots such as China and Italy, with 187 confirmed cases and 14 deaths. U.S. oil plunges to 18-year low as lockdowns trigger market meltdown Pump jacks operate at sunset in Midland By Jessica Resnick-Ault NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices plunged on Wednesday, with U.S. crude futures hitting an 18-year low, as governments worldwide accelerated lockdowns to counter the coronavirus pandemic. Oil futures have lost more than half their value in the past 10 days as schools have closed, businesses have shuttered and governments worldwide have urged residents to limit gatherings. The decline in the U.S. market in the last 10 days is the largest ever for the contract since it was introduced in 1983. "The market is cascading. It's trying to search for a bottom and it doesn't seem able to find one," said Gene McGillian, vice president of research at Tradition Energy in Stamford, Connecticut. "There are fears of an economic collapse because of what this virus represents, globally." Global oil demand by the end of March could fall as much as 8 million to 9 million barrels per day (bpd), Goldman Sachs said. Investors broadly fled risky assets again on Wednesday. U.S. stocks slumped, with the S&P 500 dropping 7%, while copper futures fell 6.9%. U.S. crude fell $6.58, or 24.4%, to settle at $20.37 a barrel. U.S. crude futures have lost 56% over last 10 days. Brent crude settled down $3.85, or 13.4%, at $24.88 a barrel after dropping as low as $24.52, its weakest since 2003. The oil market was already reeling after Saudi Arabia decided this month to dramatically increase supply since it and Russia could not agree to cut output in anticipation of weaker demand. Saudi Arabia has ignored entreaties to act to balance the market, reiterating plans to maintain production at more than 12 million barrels per day, which would be a record. U.S. crude futures fell even after weekly U.S. data showed notable declines in gasoline and diesel inventories. Crude stocks rose by 2 million barrels, while gasoline and distillate inventories fell by 6.2 million and 2.9 million barrels, respectively. Story continues Goldman forecast a fall in Brent prices to as low as $20 in the second quarter. Rystad Energy projects a year-on-year decline in demand of 2.8 million bpd, or 2.8%, this year. PHYSICAL MARKETS FREEZE Analysts noted that the sharp fall in U.S. crude prices when compared with the international benchmark Brent reflected an increasingly dire outlook in physical markets. Traders believe the increased activity from Saudi Arabia will limit U.S. exports in coming weeks, and they anticipate storage filling rapidly as well as refiners cut runs, boxing in U.S. producers. "Physical markets are virtually bidless," said Scott Shelton, energy salesperson from United ICAP. "It tells me prices are going lower until either OPEC comes back to the table, or the U.S. E&Ps start announcing cuts to production." Iraq's oil minister pleaded for an emergency meeting between members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC producers to discuss immediate action to support the market. The Kremlin said that Russia would like to see the oil price higher. Saudi Arabia's energy ministry, however, said it had directed national oil company Aramco to continue to supply crude oil at a record high 12.3 million bpd over the coming months. "With the Saudis and Russians in a fierce battle for market share, it is difficult to see any quick resolution on this front," ING said of Iraq's request. Japan's trade bureau said crude imports into the world's third-biggest economy in February were down 9% from a year earlier. The world's richest nations are preparing to unleash trillions of dollars of spending to reduce the economic fallout from the coronavirus, as businesses curtail operations in an effort to keep most workers at home. Honda Motor Co <7267.T> said on Wednesday it is halting production in North America for six days because of the anticipated decline in auto sales and will reduce production by about 40,000 vehicles. (Additional reporting by Aaron Sheldrick in Tokyo and Ahmad Ghaddar in London and Scott DiSavino in New York; Editing by David Gregorio, Tom Brown and Sonya Hepinstall) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Sudibyo M. Wiradji (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, March 19 2020 Immunity matters: A jamu (herbal drink) seller serves a drink to customers at BSD Modern Market, South Tangerang, Banten. Triggered by COVID-19, demand for jamu has increased. Many drink jamu to keep their immune system strong. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan.) To prevent the further spread of COVID-19, the government has issued policies, which include calling on people to practice social distancing and avoid crowds. Maintaining a strong immune system can reduce the possibility of being infected by COVID- 19. The term immunity refers to the bodys ability to fight external threats, including various micro-organisms and toxins, as well as internal threats that may come from autoimmune responses or the growth of abnormal cells. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Recruiters say there is a high demand for qualified drivers and competition is fierce to hire them first. This is because drivers often talk to multiple carriers at the same time once they make the decision to leave their current trucking company. A 2019 survey by Glassdoor found that nearly 60% of job seekers use their smartphones to search for jobs on their site. However, the survey discovered that number is even higher around 63% for job seekers in the transportation industry. To get a leg up on the competition, recruiters are turning to Tenstreet, a software-as-a-service company based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to help them expedite the onboarding process through automation. The company states on its website that it is a "one-stop shop for driver onboarding." The company's trucking-specific platform connects carriers and drivers and allows recruiters to stay in constant communication with drivers throughout its transparent onboarding process, said Leah Kelly, Marketing Content and Communications Manager of Tenstreet. Over the past decade, 2,000-plus motor carriers and private fleets have used Tenstreet web-based tools to help market, recruit, hire, and manage drivers. And 3.8 million drivers have used its platform to find their next trucking jobs. Tenstreet's transparent onboarding process helps recruiters and drivers build a relationship, according to Michael Coble, Vice President of Recruiting for Robert Heath Trucking Inc. of Dallas. "What Tenstreet does, is it allows us to communicate with the drivers throughout the process, which is key," Coble said. "As drivers upload their documents, it alerts our recruiters and if we have any questions or need more information, the app notifies the drivers. This allows the driver and recruiter to engage with each other and speeds up the hiring process tremendously." Robert Heath Trucking, which was founded in 1939, now has around 300 drivers and power units, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) SAFER website. Story continues Coble was an early adopter of Tenstreet's technology, which has helped streamline their onboarding process. Since joining Robert Heath nearly two years ago, Coble said, he has helped grow the refrigerated truckload fleet of around 100 trucks to its current size using Tenstreet's platform. According to Tenstreet's website, its orientation tools allow drivers to fill out forms and view training videos, and the app sends updates to carriers on how far along drivers are in the onboarding process. This process also shortens drivers' classroom time, which allows them to hit the road faster and start making money. Tenstreet's Document uploader tool lets applicants use their smartphone to take photos of any document, such as their commercial driver's license, Social Security card and TWIC card information, which shortens the onboarding process tremendously. Tenstreet's recruiting platform has shortened the process of hiring quality drivers by 10 to 15 days at Great Plains Transport, according to Joe Richey, Talent Placement Specialist at the Mapleton, North Dakota-based company. "In the old days, we would have to go to different platforms or agencies just to order a driver's report, which could take around two weeks," Richey said. "Now, using Tenstreet's tools, everything is in one place, so when we get a quality hire, we can actually have them approved and an offer on the table within 45 to 60 minutes on average if everything checks out properly." Great Plains has 150 drivers and 170 trucks, according to the FMCSA. It hauls general freight and has a refrigerated division that hauls fresh produce and meat. Richey said Great Plains has saved a lot of money by advertising open positions using Tenstreet's Job Store tool, which is free for its customers. Tenstreet partners with industry job boards and posts openings using its portal, the company said. "For drivers familiar with Tenstreet, once they have filled out an application for a job, the software saves it, so drivers don't have to go through the incumbent process of doing another full application," Richey said. "It makes the process of getting those drivers qualified so much faster." A rarity among today's carriers is that Great Plains doesn't really have a turnover problem, Richey said. "We may have anywhere from two to five drivers go through our orientation process on a weekly basis," he said. "We are looking for quality and safe drivers, who haven't jumped from job to job. Tenstreet's Driver Pulse app helps us find those experienced drivers." Tenstreet also allows carriers to order and track Greyhound bus tickets through its Xpress dashboard and forwards ticket information directly to new hires through the Driver Pulse app, the company said. Additionally, carriers can customize some features within the Pulse app, including a driver referral program. "I've got a really aggressive driver referral program and using Tenstreet's Pulse app, when they are talking to a driver at a truck stop, they can log in to the app, put in the driver's name and it is sent to one of my recruiters," Coble said. "I had a driver that made $27,000 last year with that program," he said. Pulse MD allows recruiters to select available drug-testing facilities for a specific date, ZIP code and radius. Drug test results are directly entered into a driver's record using Tenstreet's Xpress tool. "This allows us to see the results in a timely manner to help us decide whether to proceed with a driver or not," Coble said. Image Sourced from Pixabay See more from Benzinga 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Burma Myanmars Military Ditches Irrawaddy and Reuters Lawsuits The Irrawaddys Burmese edition editor, U Ye Ni. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy Yangon Myanmars military has withdrawn its lawsuits against The Irrawaddys Burmese edition and Reuters News Agency after an intervention by the Myanmar Press Council. The Yangon Region Command filed cases against the Irrawaddys Burmese edition editor U Ye Ni on April 12 last year over coverage of clashes between the military and the Arakan Army (AA). I am happy the lawsuits against us have been dropped by the military. I also deeply welcome the militarys reasons for withdrawing the cases, said U Ye Ni. He was sued under Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law over reporting of fighting in the historic town of Mrauk-U in Rakhine State in 2019. Last Monday, the militarys lawsuit against The Irrawaddys editor was accepted by a Yangon court after being stalled for nearly a year. Another Article 66(d) lawsuit was filed against Reuters and a lawmaker over coverage of civilians killed by artillery shelling in Rakhine State. The military said the lawsuit against the lawmaker had not been removed. In a letter to the Myanmar Press Council, the military said the legal action was taken because of misleading news reports which undermined the dignity and image of the armed forces. But it said it would drop the legal action against the two media groups and was looking forward to establishing a new relationship with the press. The Myanmar Press Council welcomed the withdrawal of the cases. It called on organizations to report any grievances over news coverage to the council before taking legal action. Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, the militarys spokesman, said: I urge the media to avoid bias and to avoid defaming the Tatmadaw [military] as it carries out security operations. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Military Helicopter Crashes Carrying Foreign Military Attaches: No Deaths Myanmars AA Rebel Group Cannot Guarantee Safety of Detainees in Its Custody Committee to Protect Journalists Urges Military to Drop Case Against The Irrawaddy State officials do not plan to accelerate the review process for the early release of prisoners in light of the spread of coronavirus. By law, the Oregon Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision may consider releasing inmates before the end of their sentences only if they fall under a limited set of circumstances: They must have a severe medical condition, including terminal illness, or be elderly and permanently incapacitated. Regardless of a persons medical status, age or disability, prisoners serving mandatory minimum sentences under Oregons Measure 11 law are not eligible for early release. Nationally, criminal justice reform groups have begun pressing states to consider early release for elderly or medically compromised inmates because they are particularly vulnerable to coronavirus. No inmate or prison employee in Oregon has tested positive for the disease. In Oregon, the Oregon Justice Resource Center said it would ask Gov. Kate Brown, the Oregon Department of Corrections and the parole board to create a process for releasing some inmates from prison into community supervision. The organization said the state should consider early release for people nearing the end of their sentences and those older than 60 or whose health or immune systems are compromised as long as they are not a public safety threat. The Oregon Department of Corrections this week said it does not know how many prisoners meet the qualifications to be considered for early release. An agency spokeswoman, Jennifer Black, added that corrections officials are following existing protocol for any early release." The Oregon Justice Resource Center also wants Brown to commute the sentences of people in county jails with three to six months left to serve to community supervision. Browns office did to respond to an email seeking comment on whether the governor is considering any steps to lower the prison and jail population. Some jails around the country, including the Washington County Jail, have already begun to lower populations by releasing some people in custody and encouraging local police to cite and release suspects accused of non-violent offenses instead of arresting them and booking them into jail. Bobbin Singh, the executive director of Oregon Justice Resource Center, said the state should look holistically at how it can limit the spread of coronavirus in prisons and jails, environments vulnerable to the spread of the disease. Singh said public health recommendations for social distancing pose a challenge in prisons and jails, where people live in close quarters and, studies show, the population in general tends to be sicker. Oregon is also home to an aging prison population; the prison system houses the ninth largest population of elderly prisoners in the country, according to a 2012 study by the American Civil Liberties Union. What they are recommending cannot be physically accomplished in prisons and jails, said Singh. That is a reality and a fact we have to accept so if we accept that reality, the real question is how do we mitigate the harms that are going to be experienced by people in custody? Dylan Arthur, executive director of the Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision, said only a small percentage of people in Oregons prisons are eligible for early release under the law. He said the board has not seen an uptick of applications since the emergence of the coronavirus as a public health threat. In determining whether a person should be released, Arthur said the board must consider whether the community is equipped to address their medical needs. That complicates the boards decision given the scarcity of medical resources to address the virus. What they also have to weigh is if there is a viable option in the community and as we know all medical resources in the community are being taxed so that is a factor that the board has to consider, Arthur said. What we dont want to do and what would be incredibly uncompassionate is to release someone who is terminally ill to the street with no resources and onto an already taxed medical system that is struggling to keep up with what they have, he said. He said board business continues with hearings being held via telephone or video conference since prisons are essentially closed. -- Noelle Crombie; ncrombie@oregonian.com; 503-276-7184; @noellecrombie Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Republican U.S. Sen. Tim Scott voted against a $100 billion stimulus package to blunt the economic impact of the coronavirus that has sent the American economy into a free fall. The Senate overwhelmingly passed the measure with a 90-8 vote Wednesday, sending it to President Donald Trump who later signed the package. Though the legislation provides free testing, expands unemployment benefits and provides paid sick leave to some displaced workers due to the COVID-19 virus emergency, Scott, the junior senator from South Carolina, was one of eight Republicans to vote against it. In a statement released after the vote, Scott said the "well-meaning" legislation would have a "disastrous effects for South Carolina's small businesses." Scott initially gave no specifics about what concerned him and those businesses about the legislation, which passed the U.S. House last week. Later Wednesday night he issued an updated response. "The provisions in the bill as it relates to paid leave place a mandate on small businesses without a corresponding immediate cash flow," he said. "We all agree that paid leave needs to play a significant role in relief packages, but to mandate paid leave and then tell businesses they will get it back in a tax credit, is not a good path ...," he added. Another of the points Scott expanded upon was that the bill did not address the revenue shortfalls business are beginning to experience now, "instead imposing a new administrative and financial burden on them, with back-end assurances." He added, "creating a new obligation for struggling businesses and promising, through a complex system, to reimburse that new obligation on the back end creates yet another hurdle for businesses in desperate need of financial support." Scott said one of the goals in the next round of relief "is to ensure immediate cash flow, instead of a tax credit with an unclear structure and timeline." The most vocal opponent of the bill was U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky. Paul, a widely regarded fiscal hawk, urged members to stop spending money elsewhere in the budget so they could shift resources to address the impact of the virus instead. "Stop being a rubber stamp for wasteful spending. Do your jobs and prioritize our precious resources. It is our job and our responsibility to conserve our resources," he said. Paul warned that printing or borrowing the money now could set up a future in which people will not be able to "borrow their way out of a crisis." The Republican senators who joined Scott and Paul in voting against the bill were: Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Scott Lankford of Oklahoma, Mike Lee of Utah and Ben Sasse of Nebraska. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina's senior Republican senator, voted for the bill. He took to Twitter to applaud the efforts happening in Washington, D.C. "In the War Against Coronavirus, ALL of us are key players. We are ALL soldiers in the fight!" Graham posted. The vote comes as senators are already beginning work on a "phase three" of coronavirus relief funding, which is expected to include help for small businesses and major industries impacted by the virus, as well as assistance for families. Direct cash payments for Americans is one idea being discussed in Washington. Graham has already voiced his opposition to that idea. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Wed, March 18, 2020 10:09 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b70ee2 2 News Google,Google-Maps,travel,augmented-reality Free Google is reportedly experimenting with a floating action button (FAB) that will allow for faster and easier access to the "Live View" function in its Maps application, reports specialist website 9to5Google. Launched in 2019, the Live View function makes it easier to find your way around on foot in cities using augmented reality. The direction for the route you need to follow is displayed directly on the screen over live images of the surrounding street from the camera of your smartphone. News of the improvement follows on from Google's pledge to develop the new tool. Read also: Google Maps now speaks place names so you don't have to In its most recent beta, Google Maps makes it easy to use Live View technology, which is made accessible via a floating action button in the center of the screen, whenever you search for a specific address. When you tap the button, the phone's display shows the distance to the destination as well as arrows indicating the direction to follow over live video from your phone's camera. This new particularly intuitive tool promises to immediately help you find your bearings when you visit a new address for the first time. By Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi and Oliver Hirt ZURICH (Reuters) - Credit Suisse 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) A Queensland mother jailed for killing her four-year-old son will be re-sentenced after the High Court upheld her appeal. Heidi Strbak was sentenced to nine years' jail in 2017 after she pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of her son Tyrell Cobb on the Gold Coast. Tyrell died an agonising death in May 2009 after Strbak and her then de facto husband Matthew Scown failed to seek timely medical treatment for the sick boy. He had been vomiting bile for two days following a blow to his abdomen, which cut open his small intestine and caused him to bleed internally. Tyrell Cobb (pictured with mother Heidi Strbak) died an agonising death in May 2009 after Strbak and her then de facto husband Matthew Scown failed to seek timely medical treatment for the sick boy Tyrell had been vomiting bile for two days following a blow to his abdomen, which cut open his small intestine and caused him to bleed internally An autopsy revealed 70 bruises and abrasions, including a cigarette lighter burn on his ankle. Scown was also convicted of Tyrell's manslaughter and received a four-year sentence after the court found while he also failed to seek medical help, he was not responsible for the injuries. Strbak previously appealed her sentence in the Queensland Court of Appeal on the grounds she did not inflict the blunt force injuries to Tyrell. She called for a three-year reduction to the sentence but this was dismissed by the court. The appeal court found there was no error in the sentencing judge's conclusion that Strbak was likely to have punched Tyrell in the stomach and then struck him again when he vomited before his eventual death. Scown testified at that hearing, saying he'd seen Strbak abuse the boy, particularly when she was unable to obtain marijuana. Matthew Scown leaving the Supreme Court in Brisbane after being released from jail for Tyrell's manslaughter But the High Court of Australia on Wednesday granted Strbak's appeal against the sentence after it found the sentencing judge had erred. Strbak argued the judge should not have concluded that she delivered the fatal blow to her child. Her defence barrister Saul Holt said the judge made an incorrect assessment of facts after Strbak gave no evidence at her sentencing. 'It cannot be said that the findings respecting the appellants callous failure to seek prompt treatment for Tyrells arm injury and instances in which she subjected him to physical violence were not material to the ultimate conclusion that she inflicted the fatal injuries,' the court judgement read, as reported by The Courier Mail. Strbak will be re-sentenced in the Queensland Supreme Court at a date to be fixed. What's the difference between prosperity theology and the Gospel? Pastors weigh in Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Two Christian leaders recently highlighted some of the key differences between Gospel benefits and prosperity theology, stressing that Jesus is not simply a delivery system of blessing but that He is the very blessing every person desires. In a video posted on the Gospel Coalition website, Glen Scrivener, director of the evangelistic ministry Speak Life, said the underlying problem with prosperity theology is that it treats Jesus as though He is the delivery system for a bunch of blessings. I think the problem [with prosperity theology] is whenever you unpack the Gospel as giving you a package of blessings at the end of all things, as though Jesus is the root toward what you really want, as though Hes the mechanism, Hes the delivery system that actually gives you what you want, Scrivener said. One type of prosperity theology promises that if an individual gets Jesus, they have access to benefits such as better skin, better teeth, a boyfriend or a girlfriend. But the other, more insidious type of prosperity theology says, Get Jesus, and then youll get eternal fire insurance. The real problem is, once again, treating Jesus as though He is the delivery system for a bunch of blessings that are apart from Him, he said. Scrivener referenced Sinclair Fergusons book, The Whole Christ, which says that the problem with our Gospel presentations is that we talk about every blessing through Jesus when we should preach every blessing in Jesus. So offering Christ Himself to people, Scrivener explained. Therefore, youre not promised health and wealth and prosperity. What you are promised is Jesus Himself. We really need to have a good doctrine of union with Christ and be far more Christ-centered in what we offer. Were not just offering health and wealth, and were not just offering fire insurance. Were offering Jesus Himself, he stressed. Evangelist and author Sam Chan added that Christians should focus on union with Jesus not earthly benefits when sharing the Gospel. When we preach it that way, theres this incredible prosperity in knowing Jesus, he said. The climactic blessing is shalom; its peace. On one side, Christians have a tendency to shortchange the Gospel, Chan said. Yet, on the other side, because of our reaction against prosperity theology, were too scared to say 'theres a blessing in knowing Jesus. Chan referenced John Stotts book The Cross of Christ. In the book, Stott says, Union with Christ is the foundational blessing. Justification and forgiveness of sins, thats the center blessing. But the cream on top of the pudding is adoption, its relationship, its shalom. By and large, life works better with Jesus, he said, adding that the book of Proverbs has advice for a better marriage, friendships, finances, and health. So by and large, Christians will have a wisdom, he said. Maybe what we should promise isnt prosperity blessings on health, wealth, and whatever, but youll have wisdom, youll have a way of life that just works. The prosperity gospel teaches in part that believers have a right to the blessings of health and wealth. Such blessings can be obtained through positive confessions of faith and the "sowing of seeds" through the faithful payments of tithes and offerings. A 2018 study from LifeWay Research found that about a third of Protestant churchgoers say their congregation teaches that God will bless them if they donate money. Additionally, two-thirds say God wants them to prosper. One in four say they have to do something for God to receive material blessings in return. Costi Hinn, nephew of famous prosperity teacher and faith-healer Benny Hinn, warned that two natural outcomes of the prosperity gospel are false hope and fear. False hope and fear are probably the two biggest products, he said. You got the false hope part, we all understand that when it comes to the prosperity gospel, but the other one, the fear of God or fear is, you know, even if Im waiting on getting my miracle, Im staying under the anointed umbrella and the protection of this anointed man or woman of God, by submitting to them and giving my money. The pastor, who famously rejected the teaching of his "Uncle Benny" after working alongside him for years, likened the prosperity gospel to a Ponzi scheme, adding: Either way, whether youre just wanting a miracle, or youre just wanting to stay protected while you wait for your miracle, you got to pay to play. While millions of ignorant people are deceived by the health and wealth theology, others eagerly latch onto the message of comfort because its comfortable, Costi Hinn said. A message that says, Im going to be blessed, and my kids arent going to have cancer, and nobodys going to be sick. I mean, that is something that every person wants, we naturally seek comfort. We dont want pain, he said. Watch the full video below: In a new study published in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters, a team of researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego provides new estimates for the thermodynamics of magnetic field generation within the liquid portion of the early Earths mantle and show how long that field was available. Their research coincides with two other studies that expand on the teams concept and apply it in new ways. Currently we have no grand unifying theory for how Earth has evolved thermally. We dont have this conceptual framework for understanding the planets evolution. This is one viable hypothesis, said Dr. Dave Stegman, co-author of the study. It has been a bedrock tenet of geophysics that Earths liquid outer core has always been the source of the dynamo that generates its magnetic field. Magnetic fields form on Earth and other planets that have liquid, metallic cores, rotate rapidly, and experience conditions that make the convection of heat possible. In 2007, researchers in France proposed a radical departure from the long-held assumption that the Earths mantle has remained entirely solid since the very beginnings of the planet. They argued that during the first half of the planets 4.5-billion-year history, the bottom third of Earths mantle would have had to have been molten, which they call the basal magma ocean. Six years later, Dr. Stegman and his colleague, Dr. Leah Ziegler, expanded upon that idea, publishing the first work showing how this once-liquid portion of the lower mantle, rather than the core, could have exceeded the thresholds needed to create Earths magnetic field during that time. The Earths mantle is made of silicate material that is normally a very poor electrical conductor. Therefore, even if the lowermost mantle were liquid for billions of years, rapid fluid motions inside it wouldnt produce large electrical currents needed for magnetic field generation, similar to how Earths dynamo currently works in the core. The researchers asserted the liquid silicate might actually be more electrically conductive than what was generally believed. Ziegler and Stegman first proposed the idea of a silicate dynamo for the early Earth, said Dr. Lars Stixrude, a geophysicist at the University of California, Los Angeles and University College London and lead author of a paper published in the journal Nature Communications. The idea was met with skepticism because their early results showed that a silicate dynamo was only possible if the electrical conductivity of silicate liquid was remarkably high, much higher than had been measured in silicate liquids at low pressure and temperature. Dr. Stixrude and colleagues used quantum-mechanical computations to predict the conductivity of silicate liquid at basal magma ocean conditions for the first time. We found very large values of the electrical conductivity, large enough to sustain a silicate dynamo, he said. In another study, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, Dr. Joseph ORourke from the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University applied Dr. Stegman teams concept to consider whether its possible that Venus might have at one point generated a magnetic field within a molten mantle. These new studies are signs that the premise is starting to take hold, but is still far from being widely accepted. No one is going to believe it until they do it themselves and now two other highly esteemed scientists have done it themselves, Dr. Stegman said. The pioneering studies of Dave Stegman and his collaborators directly inspired my work on Venus, Dr. ORourke said. Their recent paper helps answer a question that vexed scientists for many years: How has Earths magnetic field survived for billions of years? If Dr. Stegmans premise is correct, it would mean the mantle could have provided the young planets first magnetic shield against cosmic radiation. It could also underpin studies of how tectonics evolved on the planet later in history. If the magnetic field was generated in the molten lower mantle above the core, then Earth had protection from the very beginning and that might have made life on Earth possible sooner, Dr. Stegman said. Ultimately, our papers are complementary because they demonstrate that basal magma oceans are important to the evolution of terrestrial planets. Earths basal magma ocean has solidified but was key to the longevity of our magnetic field, Dr. ORourke said. _____ Nicolas A. Blanc et al. 2020. Thermal and magnetic evolution of a crystallizing basal magma ocean in Earths mantle. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 534: 116085; doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116085 L. Stixrude et al. 2020. A silicate dynamo in the early Earth. Nat Commun 11, 935; doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-14773-4 J.G. ORourke. 2020. Venus: A Thick Basal Magma Ocean May Exist Today. Geophysical Research Letters 47 (4); doi: 10.1029/2019GL086126 RAPID CITY, S.D., March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Hills Corp. (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. Story continues 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. (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 Small businesses affected by the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic are being given extra time to make tax payments to the Michigan Department of Treasury. State officials acknowledged the ongoing response to prevent the coronavirus from spreading is disrupting normal business operations, particularly after Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered the temporary closure of restaurants and several other types of establishments. Monthly tax payments due on March 20 are being pushed back to April 20 for business owners that file paperwork with the state. READ MORE: Michigan confirms new coronavirus cases, raising total to 65 The past week has been hard for small business owners across the state as we work to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, Whitmer said in a statement. Allowing them more time to pay their monthly tax payments will help us provide some much-needed assistance. I will continue doing everything I can to ensure our small businesses have the support they need during this time. We will get through this together. The new deadline applies to businesses that paid less than $720,000 in sales and use taxes in 2019, according to Michigan Treasury. The Michigan Treasury will waive all penalties and interest for 30 days. The waiver is not available for accelerated sales, use or withholding tax filers. Business owners with additional questions should call the Michigan Department of Treasury at (517) 636-6925. Brian Calley, president of the Small Business Association of Michigan, said the extended tax deadline will help the businesses weather the loss of revenue amid forced closures and health guidelines keeping consumers in their homes. Calley asked the Whitmer administration to delay the Friday deadline for tax collection. Its just dealing with the fact that a lot of companies are trying to figure out how to survive the next few weeks, Calley said. Anything the government can do to help with immediate cash flow needs is important. State and federal officials expressed a need to support businesses during the pandemic. Were giving relief to affected industries and small businesses, and were ensuring that we emerge from this challenge with a prosperous and growing economy because thats whats going to happen, President Donald Trump said during a Tuesday press conference. The federal government is postponing the April 15 tax payment, giving Americans an additional 90 days to pay their 2019 income taxes. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin advised Americans to file their taxes on time if they are able, so they receive their refund sooner. Mnuchin announced during a Tuesday White House briefing that the IRS will waive interest and penalty charges. This applies to individuals and businesses. Its not clear whether state officials are planning to give Michigan residents extra time to file their state income taxes. Sorry, but your browser does not support frames. Insurance companies do not cover businesses impacted by pandemics or government actions, Calley said, leaving companies without protection from losses caused by the coronavirus. The Small Business Administration is offering businesses up to $2 million in federal disaster loans to help them stay afloat during the pandemic. Calley said the loans wont be as helpful for businesses that are facing immediate closure. For companies that are confident they are going to make it through and see the other side of this, that might be a great option, he said. There are some businesses that are going to be helped a lot by disaster relief fund, but there are many businesses where their needs cant be solved with bridging cash flow. The first case of a Michigan resident being infected with the coronavirus was found on March 10. The total number of cases quickly rose to 65 one week later. To learn more about Michigans taxes, go to www.michigan.gov/taxes or follow the state Treasury Department on Twitter at @MITreasury. Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus. Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/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: Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus Lawmakers say lack of paid sick time puts Michigan behind during coronavirus pandemic CDC urges halting events with 50 or more people due to coronavirus outbreak Michigans governor orders all bars, restaurants, entertainment venues, more to close amid coronavirus outbreak Monday, March 16: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan Timeline of coronavirus in Michigan: How did we get here? 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 Ground crew members assigned to a regiment under the PLA Naval Aviation University perform pre-flight inspections on a JH-7 fighter bomber prior to a night flight training course on March 10, 2020. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Xu Yinglong and Shang Lingqiang) A ground crew member assigned to a regiment under the PLA Naval Aviation University signals pilot cadets to taxi out their JH-7 fighter bomber onto the runway before takeoff for a night flight training course on March 10, 2020. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Xu Yinglong and Shang Lingqiang) By Lee Kyung-min Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) said in recent reports that it recommends investors vote against a term extension for the two scandal-ridden chairmen of Shinhan and Woori financial groups. The reports by the global proxy advisory services company came a week ahead of the two groups' shareholders meeting next week. The meeting for Woori is scheduled for March 25 and Shinhan March 26. ISS has over 2,000 institutional investors as members in more than 110 countries, and foreign investors often refer to the firm's advice when exercising their vote. Currently, foreign ownership in Shinhan and Woori hovers around 65 percent and 30 percent, respectively. ISS said a vote against Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Cho Yong-byoung is warranted as his criminal conviction raises serious concerns involving his executive accountability. The conviction of Cho, who is seeking a second three-year term, is "clear evidence of malpractice reprimanded by the relevant authorities," the report on Shinhan said. Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Cho Yong-byoung The Seoul Eastern District Court sentenced Cho to six months in prison suspended for two years, following a conviction over recruitment malpractice. The guilty verdict came over a year after he was indicted without physical detention in October 2018 on charges of interfering in the hiring practices at Shinhan Bank, the group's key subsidiary. He faced allegations that he favored children of executives and high-ranking government officials while serving as the bank CEO between 2015 and 2016. He was cleared of charges of violating the Equal Employment Opportunity act by favoring male applicants over female ones but the case is pending at the Supreme Court. The group said the recommendation would not have a significant impact on the decision of its key foreign shareholders. "We have maintained a close relationship with our key foreign stakeholders and made them understand the recommendation is not at all binding. The company board views the conviction-related management risks are largely cleared, and the investors are aware of that," a Shinhan official said. Woori Financial Group Chairman Son Tae-seung The NHS is facing growing pressure to use experimental drugs to help patients diagnosed with the coronavirus. An online petition has been launched calling on authorities to start trials of an anti-malarial drug called chloroquine which has shown promising results in China. Doctors and scientists around the world are scrambling to find a way to treat the deadly illness using existing drugs which won't need lengthy safety testing. And the Government's medicines regulator has banned companies from exporting three specific drugs used to treat HIV and malaria including chloroquine in a bid to shore up supplies in the UK. It comes as doctors in China and the US have already reported some success treating patients with them, but for which there is little scientific evidence. A flu drug which is common in Japan, called favipiravir, has also reportedly sped up recovery and reduced lung damage in patients in China. There is currently no known cure for the coronavirus and patients are expected to recover with bed rest, while the more severely ill or those with life-threatening conditions can get treatment for their symptoms in hospital. A petition has launched urging the Government to start using chloroquine on coronavirus patients after Chinese doctors claimed it treats the virus. The drug is available as an antimalarial at travel clinics for just pennies per pill At least half a dozen drugs are already going into clinical trials to see if they work and more could be in the pipeline. But British officials won't confirm whether experimental medicines are yet being used on patients in NHS hospitals. Government advisers in the UK said the social distancing measures that have been put in place in Britain could last until a vaccine or a treatment is found; a process which will take months at the least and potentially more than a year. A change.org petition has been launched titled 'Start an Immediate UK trial for Chloroquine as a treatment for Covid-19 (Coronavirus)'. It reads: 'This treatment is readily available, cheap to produce, and is patent-free. 'We need to start testing this treatment immediately in patients who have developed Covid-19 associated pneumonia.' THE GLOBAL RACE TO MAKE A CORONAVIRUS VACCINE IS ON HOW IS IT DONE? Many institutions and scientists across the world are rushing to develop a vaccine for COVID-19. However, most vaccines must go through the same process before they are ready for use on the public and can be mass-produced. Here's an insight into how vaccines work and how they're made: Vaccines harmlessly expose viruses or bacteria to the body's immune system, causing it to recognise them as dangerous and learn how to resist them. This means that if the body comes across the infection, it knows how to defend itself. They are given to healthy people, and mainly children, so the level of acceptable risk is much lower than with other medicines. First, there has to be laboratory testing and development which involves 'in vitro' testing test tube experiments and 'in vivo' testing, usually in animals, often mice. After researchers put the vaccine through rigorous tests and can demonstrate that it works in animals, they can move on to an initial trial in a small number of humans. This makes sure the vaccine has no major safety concerns, and allows scientists to work out an effective dose in humans. The next phase is a trial in a larger group of people - several hundred - looking at whether a vaccine works consistently, and whether it generates an immune response. Potential side effects are also looked at. A third phase sees the vaccine tested in a much larger group of people - potentially thousands - and allows statistically significant data to be gathered on the safety of the potential vaccine and how well it works. If all goes well, the next stage involves an expert review of all trial data by the regulators such as the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) or the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The regulators check the trials show that the product meets the necessary efficacy and safety levels. They also make sure that, for most people, its advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. Post-marketing analysis is also conducted to monitor the effects of the vaccine after it has been used in the population. All of these stages mean it can take years for an effective vaccine to be developed and ready for market. Researchers said that because the vaccines do not contain the virus, there is no chance of participants getting infected. However, even if everything goes well, a vaccine is not expected to be ready for widespread use for at least a year. Source: Press Association Advertisement Chloroquine is an anti-malarial drug which works by stopping parasites from replicating inside the body, and could stop the coronavirus by making the inside of a cell too dangerous for a virus to enter. Two versions of it chloroquine phosphate and hydroxychloroquine were on a list of drugs which the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has banned companies from buying with the intention of exporting them. Meanwhile the Wuhan Institute of Virology in the city where the crisis began claimed the drug was 'highly effective' in petri dish tests. One report has claimed officials in the Netherlands already suggest treating critically-ill patients with the drug, and doctors in South Korea and China both say the drug is an 'effective' antiviral treatment against the disease, according to a report by US virologists. The drug is cheap, safe and readily available to buy over the counter in the UK as travel medicine a two-week supply costs just 3.22 from Boots. Professor Robin May, an infectious disease expert at the University of Birmingham, said: 'Chloroquine is a drug that has a long history of use against malaria, essentially because it diffuses into red blood cells, making the environment within the cell less suitable for the parasite to live in. 'Since it has a long history of clinical use, the safety profile of chloroquine is well-established and it is cheap and relatively easy to manufacture, so it would theoretically be fairly easy to accelerate into clinical trials and, if successful, eventually into treatment.' Twenty-three clinical trials of the drug are already under way on patients in China, and one is planned in the US and another in South Korea. University of Minnesota experts are planning to test whether the drug sometimes given to treat lupus and arthritis prevents the progression of COVID-19. A number of other existing medications are also going into clinical trials to see if they could stop the coronavirus. A HIV drug combination called lopinavir/ritonavir has also been banned from being exported by the MHRA. This medication, marketed under the brand names Kaletra and Aluvia, is essentially able to stick to an enzyme on a virus which is vital to the virus reproducing. By doing this it blocks the process the virus would normally use to clone itself and spread the infection further. In a clinical trial application submitted in the US from Asan Medical Center, in Seoul, South Korea, scientists said: 'In vitro [laboratory] studies revealed that lopinavir/ritonavir [has] antiviral activity against Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).' Chinese media reported that the drug was successfully used to cure patients with the coronavirus, but the reports have not been scientifically proven. Other drugs which have claimed but unproven benefits for coronavirus patients include flu medication favipiravir; remdesivir, a drug created to try and beat Ebola; and sarilumab, which calms the immune system in rheumatoid arthritis patients. The successful discovery of a treatment or a vaccine for the coronavirus could be what it takes for countries to be able to return to life as normal. When the UK announced it was telling people to stop travelling, socialising, or going into the office earlier this week, Government advisers said it could last until a cure was found. From anti-malaria drugs to a HIV medication: The promising therapies being tested on coronavirus patients around the world to see if they fight the deadly infection Here, are some of the drugs that experts believe have potential: Chloroquine phosphate (Malaria) One drug being used by doctors fighting the coronavirus outbreak is chloroquine phosphate, an anti-malarial medication. The drug sold under the brand name Arlan kills malaria parasites in the blood, stopping the tropical disease in its tracks. But tests of the drug which has been used for 70 years on COVID-19 patients in China show it has potential in fighting the life-threatening virus. One drug being used by doctors fighting the coronavirus outbreak is chloroquine phosphate, an anti-malarial medication. It is sold under the brand name Arlan Chinese officials claimed the drug 'demonstrated efficacy and acceptable safety in treating COVID-19 associated pneumonia'. Experts at the University of Palermo in Italy, as well as a team in Israel, collated the research on the drug in treating the coronavirus. In their report, they claimed officials in the Netherlands already suggest treating critically-ill patients with the drug. South Korea and China both say the drug is an 'effective' antiviral treatment against the disease, according to a report by US virologists. WHAT IS THE UK GOVERNMENT'S 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 The Wuhan Institute of Virology in the city where the crisis began claimed the drug was 'highly effective' in petri dish tests. Tests by those researchers, as well as others, showed it has the power to stop the virus replicating in cells, and taking hold in the body. Twenty-three clinical trials on the drug are already underway on patients in China, and one is planned in the US and another in South Korea. University of Minnesota experts are planning to test whether the drug sometimes given to treat lupus and arthritis prevents the progression of COVID-19. Chloroquine was prescribed around 46,000 times in 2018 in the UK but it is also available over-the-counter from pharmacies without a prescription. Professor Robin May, an infectious disease specialist at Birmingham University, said the safety profile of the drug is 'well-established'. He added: 'It is cheap and relatively easy to manufacture, so it would be fairly easy to accelerate into clinical trials and, if successful, eventually into treatment.' Professor May suggested chloroquine may work by altering the acidity of the area of cells that it attacks, making it harder for the virus to replicate. Hydroxychloroquine (Malaria) Chinese scientists investigating the other form of chloroquine penned a letter to a prestigious journal saying its 'less toxic' derivative may also help. In the comment to Cell Discovery owned by publisher Nature, they said it shares similar chemical structures and mechanisms. The team of experts added: 'It is easy to conjure up the idea that hydroxychloroquine may be a potent candidate to treat infection by SARS-CoV-2.' But the Wuhan Institute of Virology scientists admitted they are still lacking evidence to prove it is as effective as chloroquine phosphate. Wuhan Institute of Virology scientists admitted they are still lacking evidence to prove hydroxychloroquine is as effective as chloroquine phosphate Hydroxychloroquine, sold under the brand name Plaquenil, causes side effects such as skin rashes, nausea, diarrhoea and headaches. Drug giant Sanofi carried out a study on 24 patients, which the French government described as 'promising'. Results showed three quarters of patients treated with the drug were cleared of the virus within six days. None of the placebo group were treated. French health officials are now planning on a larger trial of the drug, which is used on the NHS to treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis as well as malaria. Lopinavir/ritonavir (HIV) Lopinavir/ritonavir, marketed as Kaletra and Aluvia, is an anti-HIV medicine given to people living with the virus to prevent it developing into AIDS. Lopinavir/ritonavir, marketed under the brand names Kaletra and Aluvia, is an anti-HIV medicine The drug has shown promise as a way of tackling coronavirus, scientists say, because it is able to bind to the outside of the coronavirus. It is a class of drug called a protease inhibitor, which essentially stick to an enzyme on a virus which is vital to the virus reproducing. By doing this it blocks the process the virus would normally use to clone itself and spread the infection further. In a clinical trial application submitted in the US from Asan Medical Center, in Seoul, South Korea, scientists said: 'In vitro [laboratory] studies revealed that lopinavir/ritonavir [has] antiviral activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).' Chinese media reported that the drug was successfully used to cure patients with the coronavirus, but the reports have not been scientifically proven. US-based manufacturer AbbVie has donated free supplies of Kaletra to health authorities in China, the US and Europe it is not clear whether the UK is included. The drug is available on the NHS and was prescribed around 1,400 times in 2018, either as Kaletra or ritonavir on its own. Favipiravir (flu) Favipiravir is the active ingredient in a flu drug called Avigan which is sold in Japan. Doctors in China have claimed it was 'clearly effective' in patients with the coronavirus after they gave it to 80 people in the cities of Wuhan and Shenzen. Favipiravir is the active ingredient in a flu drug called Avigan which is sold in Japan They said it sped up patients' recovery, reduced lung damage and did not cause any obvious side effects. It is also used to treat yellow fever and foot-and-mouth. According to local media, patients who were given the medicine in Shenzhen had negative results for the coronavirus an average of four days after being diagnosed. This compared with 11 days for those who were not treated with the drug. It is not clear what the results were of the trials in Wuhan, the worst-hit part of China. The drug is an anti-viral medication which neutralises a vital enzyme that viruses use to reproduce. It is called a RNA polymerase inhibitor. It is not used by the NHS. It's produced by the Japanese company Fujifilm Toyama Chemical. Remdesivir (Ebola) Remdesivir is an anti-viral drug that works in essentially the same way as favipiravir by crippling the RNA polymerase enzyme, stopping a virus from reproducing. It was developed around 10 years ago by the pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences with the intention of it destroying the Ebola virus. It was pushed aside, however, when other, better candidates emerged. Remdesivir is an anti-viral drug that works in essentially the same way as favipiravir by crippling the RNA polymerase enzyme, stopping a virus from reproducing But it remained an anti-viral drug with the ability to destroy various viruses in lab tests, scientists said. Doctors in the US tried it on three hospitalised coronavirus patients but results were mixed. The drug is now being trialled on coronavirus patients in China and at the University of Nebraska, CNN reports. Doctors writing in a study led by the Wuhan Institute of Virology, published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature last month, said: 'Our findings reveal that remdesivir [is] highly effective in the control of 2019-nCoV infection in vitro.' They added that, since the drug is proven to be safe in humans, it 'should be assessed in human patients suffering from the novel coronavirus disease'. Remdesivir is not prescribed on the NHS. Sarilumab (Rheumatoid arthritis) Sarilumab, a rheumatoid arthritis drug which is marketed as Kevzara in the US, is set to be trialled on patients in the US Sarilumab, a rheumatoid arthritis drug which is marketed as Kevzara in the US, is set to be trialled on patients in the US. Pharmaceutical companies Sanofi and Regeneron plan to give the medication to people with the coronavirus to see if it can help calm their immune response. The drug works by blocking part of the immune system which can cause inflammation, or swelling, which is overactive in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Inflammation is the body's natural response to infection but, in patients with coronavirus, it can get out of control, making symptoms significantly worse and even trigger multiple organ failure. Regeneron, which makes the drug, said Chinese doctors say it has worked for their patients, the Financial Times reported. He said the drug could provide 'temporary support' by reducing the severity of patients' symptoms to help hospitals to cope. John Reed, from Sanofi, told the FT: 'We expect to rapidly initiate trials outside the US in the coming weeks, including areas most affected by the pandemic such as Italy'. German automaker BMW (OTC:BAMXF) (OTC:BMWYY) said that it will shut down its factories in Europe and South Africa until April 19, in response to lower demand and the need to help reduce the risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus. The company also said that it expects sales and profit to drop significantly in 2020 as the coronavirus spreads through Europe and North America. But, it said, it thinks that the worst effects will happen in the first half of the year, with improvement later on. The statements came at BMW's annual accounts press conference, at which it presented its full-year results for 2019 and gave what guidance it could for the uncertain year that lies ahead. What BMW's CEO said about coronavirus response CEO Oliver Zipse said that the company began to shut down production at its plants in Europe, as well as its factory in Rosslyn, South Africa, on Tuesday. All will be closed by the end of this week. As of now, the production halt is expected to run for four weeks, until April 19, he said. The Rolls-Royce factory in Goodwood, England, will suspend production for two weeks, starting next Monday, the company said. Some BMW dealers in Europe have also closed, Zipse said. The company is also allowing employees who can work from home to do so, and has instituted more flexible work-time rules, he said. Zipse said that while the need to keep employees healthy is a high priority, the factory shutdowns will also help the company match supply to demand. Auto sales in western Europe are already falling sharply as measures to slow the spread of coronavirus take hold. (We don't have detailed March sales numbers for Europe yet, but auto investors should note that passenger-vehicle sales in China fell 80% in February, when anti-virus measures peaked in that country.) What BMW's CFO said about the year ahead CFO Nicolas Peter said that while it's hard to predict exactly how the coronavirus pandemic will play out, he was willing to give some rough guidance for the year ahead. "Our original planning called for an EBIT [earnings before interest and taxes] margin of between 6 and 8% in the automotive segment for 2020," Peter said. "Due to the deterioration in the sales situation in China and an already visible similar development in other world regions, we anticipate a debiting effect especially in the first half year." Specifically, for the full year, Peter said that investors should now expect: Automotive EBIT margin in the range of 2% to 4%. (Earlier guidance: between 6% and 8%.) Free cash flow to be "positive." (Earlier guidance: more than 3 billion euros.) Motorcycles' EBIT margin between 6% and 8%, with a "slight decrease" in deliveries from 2019. A "slight decrease" in return on equity in BMW's financial services unit, mainly due to higher provisions for risk. Peter said that investors should expect further updates from the company as the pandemic situation unfolds. About BMW's 2019 earnings BMW's earnings presentation was old news, to some extent, as the company had already released the key numbers from its fourth-quarter and full-year 2019 results last week. In a nutshell: BMW's fourth-quarter operating income rose 32% from the same period in 2018, to 2.33 billion euros ($2.56 billion), on strong sales of higher-profit luxury models including Rolls-Royces and the BMW 8 Series. Despite the good quarter, the company's full-year operating income was down 18% from 2018, because of higher research and development costs and fines paid earlier in the year to settle European Union antitrust charges. But on balance, the result was good enough for the management team to propose a dividend of 2.50 euros per share of common stock, down from 3.50 euros last year. If it's approved by shareholders in May, the dividend payout will total 1.65 billion euros, for a payout ratio of 32.8% -- within, but near the lower end of, BMW's longtime target range. BMW earnings: The raw numbers All financial figures below are shown in euros. As of March 18, 1 euro = about $1.10. Beijing reopens SARS hospital to receive imported COVID-19 cases EditorChen Zhuo Time2020-03-18 10:09:20 Beijing has reopened Xiaotangshan Hospital, which housed SARS patients in 2003, to receive international arrivals for further screening, quarantine, and treatment of mild cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The renovated Xiaotangshan Hospital in Beijing, China. /Beijing Daily The hospital, located in northern Beijing, has been under extensive renovation during the COVID-19 outbreak in China, but the decision to reopen it was made this Monday as the city is facing an increasing risk of imported coronavirus cases. The interior of Xiaotangshan Hospital in Beijing, China. /Beijing Daily More than 1,000 beds are available in the hospital and the laboratory testing, medical image examination, disinfection and firefighting equipment have all been approved before being put into service. Hundreds of medical personnel from hospitals across the city have completed training for receiving suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19. Beijing's municipal government on Sunday said all international arrivals to Beijing must undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine no matter with or without suspected symptoms. A poster seen at Beijing Capital International Airport reminds passengers to declare their bill of health and undergo a body temperature check when entering Beijing through the airport in Beijing, China. /BCIA International arrivals to Beijing have to fill out a bill of health and have their temperature measured when arriving at Terminal 3 of Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA), where areas have been designated for all international arrivals, including some international flights previously shifted to the new Daxing airport. Arrivals who show suspected symptoms like fever or cough will be transferred to northern Beijing's Xiaotangshan Hospital for further screening and quarantine. A passenger from southern Guangdong Province registers with the help of local staff after landing in Beijing, March 14, 2020. /Xinhua Passengers who have no fever, cough or other symptoms will be transported to the China International Exhibition Center, around 10 kilometers from the airport, where they will be registered, tested before being sent to designated isolation sites. Staff and medics register passengers from international flights at the China International Exhibition Center, where international arrivals with no symptoms are transported for further isolation. /Xinhua A total of 23 volunteers have been on duty at the convention center to service international passengers. As of March 16, the Chinese capital city had 40 imported cases of COVID-19. At a press conference the same day, the municipal government announced that international flights are required to measure the body temperature of passengers before boarding and passengers who have shown symptoms are not allowed to board. A worker disinfects a metro train car in Beijing. /Beijing Subway The Beijing Center of Disease Control and Prevention has also carried out testing on public facilities at shopping malls, supermarkets and mass transportation centers, with all results found negative. The city's health authority has called on residents to avoid visiting countries with high levels of infection. 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. 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 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. Trade continues to flow normally across eight ports of entry in South Texas along the Texas-Mexico border, according to officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The CBP Laredo Field Office held a conference call Tuesday to update the impact of the coronavirus on trade. "The flow of trade is continuing at all our eight ports of entry. Nothing has changed," said Armando Taboada, assistant director of field operations at the Laredo Field Office. "Northbound traffic, southbound traffic, we're all doing well." Taboada said no customs personnel have been moved around because of the coronavirus pandemic. "We do have all of the officers inside the, as an example, World Trade Bridge [in Laredo]; we have a number of officers there. We still have the same number of officers at the merchandise enforcement dock, the same officers at the export docks," Taboado said. "Nothing has changed. We are taking more precautions like everybody else is doing." Port Laredo sees around 16,000 trucks cross its bridges daily. Wait times in Laredo (WAIT.LRD) for commercial trucks was around 148 minutes, according to FreightWaves SONAR Wait Times Index. Wait times in minutes are up across the U.S. with freight volumes spiking due in part to panic buying at supermarkets across the country. Image: FreightWaves SONAR In addition to the Laredo port of entry, the CBP Laredo Field Office oversees U.S. ports of entry along the Mexican border in the cities of Roma, Del Rio, Brownsville, Eagle Pass, Hidalgo, Rio Grande City and Progreso. Mexico was the U.S.'s largest trading partner in 2019, with more than $614 billion in two-way trade, according to census data compiled by WorldCity Inc. The majority of Mexico trade passed through Texas, with the ports of Laredo and El Paso topping $227.4 billion and $76.8 billion, respectively. The ports of Pharr, Eagle Pass, Brownsville and Houston were also in the top 10. Story continues Taboada said there are no plans to close any of the ports along the U.S.-Mexico border and CBP will "stay open and have personnel manning our cargo facilities." "We technically don't close the border; we are always available," Taboada said. "Sometimes you see traffic not flowing. That could be because maybe on the Mexican side they decided to close some Mexican customs offices down." Taboada asked carriers and brokers to be proactive about checking and reacting to drivers who may seem ill or have the coronavirus. "If you have drivers that are sick, it's the same rules that we would follow for our family members and also for our co-workers: Please advise the driver not to show up because the last thing we want to do is for this to spread or create a little panic about people getting sick and then creating an impact," Taboada said. In addition to land ports and international bridges, the CBP Laredo Field Office oversees seven international airports, three international rail bridges and the Brownsville Seaport. Image Sourced from Pixabay See more from Benzinga 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You should upgrade or use an You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser Vanessa Hudgens did not help her fellow millennials when she complained about having to isolate during the coronavirus scare in a dismally awful Instagram post shared this week, for which she has since apologized. But another young star made up for it the next day with a sensible post shared to her 166M Instagram followers, many of whom are young and may not think they are at risk for spreading the virus that has claimed the lives of 100 Americans so far. Kylie Jenner, 22, urged her fans to 'self quarantine' adding that we all need to pull together to not 'endanger' ourselves or others. Be safe: Kylie Jenner, 22, urged her fans to 'self quarantine' adding that we all need to pull together to not 'endanger' ourselves or others; seen last week on social media Good note: The cosmetics mogul who is worth $1B shared her post on an orange background adding a white heart. 'I hope everyone is feeling well!' began the Kylie Cosmetics guru. 'It's so important right now to self quarantine to ensure we aren't endangering ourselves or anyone who can't handle this virus' The cosmetics mogul who is worth $1B shared her post on a red and orange background adding a white heart. 'I hope everyone is feeling well!' began the Kylie Cosmetics guru. 'It's so important right now to self quarantine to ensure we aren't endangering ourselves or anyone who can't handle this virus.' Family ties: Kylie has people that are very high risk in her own family. Her grandmother MJ is in her 80s and mom Kris is 64. Kris and MK seen with Kim Kardashian Kylie has people that are very high risk in her own family. Her grandmother MJ is 85-years-old and mom Kris is 64. The star has seemed to be in hiding herself at her Hidden Hills, California mansion with her baby Stormi and her beau Travis Scott. She has not been seen in pubic in over a week and her selfies have slowed down to a halt. The beauty seems to have been running her KC empire from home as she takes care of her brood. The Coronavirus grows more serious every day. The Surgeon General warned on Wednesday that it could take longer than 15 days to slow the spread of coronavirus but that Americans must 'pitch in' and do their part now to stay home and self-isolate if they want the deadly disease to die. Yikes: Vanessa Hudgens did not help her fellow millennials when she complained about having to isolate in a dismally awful Instagram post shared this week, for which she has since apologized. This move is out of the norm for the star who is normally very aware Jerome Adams appeared on Today to make the plea, a day after President Trump issued a 15-day set of guidelines to people to work from home where possible and practice social distancing. Millions have heeded the advice and are avoiding going out. Some, like in cities where the pandemic spreading the quickest, are calling for harsher action, like a two-week national shutdown to force people indoors. There has not been a clear cut answer on how long Americans will have to continue living in this current state of crisis. Smart model: Meanwhile, Kylie's friend Gigi Hadid also shared a note to social media about not hoarding masks New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has said the current state of crisis could last nine months, whereas experts overseas say it could even longer. On Wednesday morning, Adams said that the practical advice for Americans was to stay at home for the next 15 days and avoid social gatherings but it would 'likely' take longer to stunt the spread of the virus. 'If we can get America to pitch in for the next 15 days, we can flatten the curve. 'Fifteen days is likely not going to be enough to get us all the way through, but we need to lean into it now to bend the curve over the next 15 days and at that point we will reassess. 'What you're talking about is our 15 days to stop the spread.' Meanwhile, Kylie's friend Gigi Hadid also shared a note to social media about not hoarding masks. And her pal Adriana Lima showed how she was home schooling her child. From Japan to Iraq, Spain to Peru, it has sent medical assistance and donated money. Leaders like Serbias president are looking to China, and sometimes not their own neighbors, for guidance and help. Its a remarkable turn for a country that just weeks ago was accepting donations of masks and supplies, and is still facing online criticism for its initial response. But now, China has stepped into a role once dominated by the U.S., showcasing its model after failures in European and American responses. China is now trying to repair its severely damaged international image due to its mishandling of the outbreak in Wuhan in early January, a government professor in California said. Here are the latest updates and maps of the outbreak. In other developments: President Trump announced that the border between Canada and the U.S., the worlds longest, was closing to all but essential traffic, and that hospital ships would head to New York and the West Coast. Doctors in Britain fear hospitals are ill-equipped to cope with an imminent surge in coronavirus cases. The limited supply of ventilators (a problem the U.S. faces as well) puts doctors in the position of deciding which patients to treat and which ones to let die. Belgium began a lockdown at noon Wednesday, and a 30-day European Union ban on all nonessential travel to its territory went into effect, causing chaos. The U.S. commander in Afghanistan is stopping most U.S. and allied troops from entering and leaving the country for the next month to protect them from the coronavirus, which has spread there in recent days. Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is invoking the coronavirus crisis to shut down courts and to order the government to monitor cellphones, leading some to question whether hes endangering the countrys democracy. Markets: Global markets fell sharply on Wednesday, and U.S. stocks plunged so much that they set off an automatic halt in trading the fourth in two weeks. Heres the latest. What to know: If youre quarantined, here are some ways to help your furry, four-legged roommates. Also, The Times is providing free access to much of our coverage, and our Coronavirus Briefing newsletter like all of our newsletters is free. Please consider supporting our journalism with a subscription. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- WKYCs 3News at 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. will look a bit different starting Wednesday. Sara Shookman will anchor both newscasts from home during the coronavirus crisis. Shookman, who is pregnant, told viewers the decision was made in an abundance of caution. As a precaution, @SaraShookman will be co-anchoring from home amid the coronavirus pandemic. She explained the decision tonight on #3WhatsNext. Read more: https://t.co/3tMnL6tz40 pic.twitter.com/udWC70S32m WKYC 3News (@wkyc) March 18, 2020 These are such unprecedented times for all of us. Theyve changed your lives so much, theyve changed ours and the way we work at the moment, she said. We really all need to do our part to flatten the curve and protect those that are vulnerable because it will make a difference. Shookman, who is due in May, added she is feeling great. The CDC says it doesnt know if pregnent women are more susceptible to COVID-19, but they are generally more at risk for some infections. Shookmans co-anchors, Jim Donovan at 7 p.m. and Russ Mitchell at 11 p.m., will remain in studio. She isnt the only news personality anchoring from home. Savannah Guthrie hosted NBCs Today from her basement Wednesday after showing some cold symptoms. Fox & Friends on Fox News is also practicing increased social distancing by having the shows three hosts report from three separate parts of the studio. Flash Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks on Tuesday with visiting Pakistani President Arif Alvi in Beijing. "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. More clips and summary of conversation below the cutWhoopi is consulting with her doctor. She feels fine but after last years health scare, shes being safe.St Patricks Day events cancelled but some in NYC kept a 250 yr tradition alive. US cases jumped 1,000 in a day. More strict guidelines. T45 is the worst, sick of having to write about his sht. Plays clip. latest poll 60% have little or no trust, then 37% are dumb and should be banished. Idk about the other 3%. SH only trusts doctors. Sunny says hes having all these press conferences where he lies and nobody trusts him. Oz speaks about the doctors, says other things.Meghan has a really long rant about millennials not taking it seriously and that dumb girl who licked a toilet for c-virus challenge. Dystopian landscape.. She gets super worked up. Oz says were two weeks behind Italy. Compares South Korea and Italy. Looking at worst case scenario, its ugly. Meghan rants some more. SH is wondering why we arent under a full shutdown. Sunny talks about Governors who are taking local decisions. Cuomo has done a great job for NY.Judge rejected Dewine attempt to stop the Primary. Governor defied the judge, did it anyway. Says his Director of Public Health gave him advice. 35K poll workers were potentially impacted. Wants to have absentee voting extended, early voting, those votes are frozen. Quotes stats of diagnosed. Says he didnt defy the court order. Local elections in addition to Potus primary. Talks about flattening the curve, avoid what happened in Italy.Meghan says Georgia, Louisiana, Kentucky have delayed primaries. Dewine says Ohio cant have large gatherings, poll workers for 13 hours. SH says there is possibility of 100k diagnosed in Ohio. Dewine says theyve had productive conversations with WH. Hes making decisions on behalf of his state. Oz lists all the things Ohio has done, asks if there should be a nationwide quarantine. Dewine says areas are seeing progression at different rates. He has to look after his states, and rely on his DPH.People are binge watching reality shows, having virtual cocktail parties. SH says now is the time to use dating apps and get to know people from a distance. Oz says theyre doing treasure hunts and having conversations with their family over dinner which they hadnt done in a long time. Meghan tweeted her 15 favorite political films. Says blah blah complains about others not taking it seriously. SH reminds people are watching doomsday films like. Oz says the virus looks similar to a virus found in a bat. Tells an analogy about bats and animals having babies and something. Were seeing the worst in people, but were also seeing wonderful things in humanity. Some grocery chains are opening early just for seniors.Meghan says she isnt handling this well. Shes on 11 right now. Talks about WH contradicting guidelines with their own behaviors. Oz says WH response hasnt been fast enough. He wouldve gone faster, says people need time to buy into decisions being made. Respectful of political realities but happy were on the same page. Thinks we need a national level response, instead of states handling each on their own. Sunny talks about the economic side. 59% people live paycheck to paycheck. House passed a bill but WH hasnt signed it yet. They talk about the reality of people who wont admit they have symptoms because they have to work to support themselves and their family. This is what our tax dollars are for [if only all those tax cuts hadnt been given to the uber wealthy /s]. Oz thinks we need 6-8 weeks, thats potentially the finish line. SH asks if we should follow San Fran by sheltering in place, whats the difference in arbitrary numbers <10 or <50 people.Meghan and Oz talk more about social distancing. Staying 6 feet apart. Airborne virus, imagine cloud between you and another person. More discussion about how to wash your hands, like a surgeon. Dont worry about anti-bacterial, any soap will do. He literally gives a visual explanation how to wash hands. Also exercise because working up a good sweat is good for your immune system, and also eat healthy. SH asks about children. Oz says no instance yet of any child under 10 years dying from virus. Woman gave birth, child was not sick. Sunny says her bf in her head Idris Elba doesnt have symptoms but he has it. Oz thinks 2 weeks quarantine is the right timeframe for now. Oz talks about vaccine which takes 18 mos. Theyre taking existing drugs for other diseases and trying them as well. If we can stall the spread.Source links are below each video or section The United States airline industry, reeling from travel bans and lockdowns, joined voices in a collective chorus this week to ask for help from the American government. Apparently the airlines had President Trump at please, who gushed reassuringly: Were going to back the airlines 100 per cent its not their fault. For the waitresses, bartenders, small business owners, dentists, chiropractors, construction workers and basically anyone else whose income has been put on indefinite hold by virtue of COVID-19 and social distancing, this statement must have sounded odd. For surely the financial ruin they are facing is not their fault either. Airlines for America, whose members include traditional carriers such as American Airlines and cargo carriers UPS and Federal Express, have a particularly brazen wish list. Specifically, they are looking for $25 billion (U.S.) in grants and $25 billion in low- or zero-interest loans. At this point, Air Canada appears to be planning to weather the storm by cutting flights, laying off staff and taking advantage of lower fuel costs. But if they or other large Canadian employers come calling, what should Canadian policymakers do? Left to their own devices, employers will simply lay off workers. This is definitely a concern, but in the absence of job security guarantees, there is no certainty that employees will not be cut anyway. While no business would lobby for a government handout and then fire workers immediately, nobody is guaranteed lifetime employment, which means governments need to ask how much bang theyre getting for their buck. For example, during the 2008-09 financial crisis, the federal and Ontario governments wrote cheques totalling $13.7 billion to GM and Chrysler. Some of the money was repaid, and the governments accounting is opaque. But when the final writeoff came last summer, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation estimated Canadian taxpayers lost an estimated $3.7 billion on the deal. By that time, GM had announced massive cuts to its North American workforce and plans to shutter its Oshawa plant, while Fiat Chrysler announced it would cut another 1,500 jobs at its Windsor plant. Retaining jobs is certainly a laudable goal for any government, but without asking how many jobs, for how long, and at what cost, the project is doomed at the outset. Another important question is the terms of financial assistance. The airlines are essentially asking for free money rather than an actual investment that would provide the U.S. Treasury with a financial return commensurate with the risk involved. Why should highly indebted governments so readily give money away when they could instead be compensated for their support or spend elsewhere? Put simply, what makes airlines so special? As Tim Wu has noted, the major U.S. carriers spent nearly all their available cash during the past several years buying back their own stock while simultaneously gorging on debt. This bit of financial engineering may have propped up share prices, but it left an industry known for its ups and downs dangerously exposed at the first sign of a rainy day. The U.S. airlines also became particularly adept at abusing their market power and making themselves thoroughly despised by their customers via shrinking seats, baggage fees, involuntary bumping, rampant delays, and a generally terrible travel experience. As it turns out, not only is the current mess partially the airlines fault, they are also not the most sympathetic victims. Having not offered up a passenger bill of rights, job guarantees or even a return on investment, the airlines have raised the prospect of their bankruptcy as a reason to pay up. The average person might imagine that bankruptcy means a business dies; however, both United Airlines and Air Canada went bankrupt in the past 20 years. They continued to operate while bankrupt and remained viable businesses after emerging from protection. What is usually at stake in bankruptcy is whether shareholders keep their money or debt holders capture all of the value. In an era of global financial markets, it is far from obvious that policymakers should make it their business to preserve shareholder value. COVID-19 is already creating enormous financial chaos for Canadians and will spawn no shortage of requests for government financial support. Whether it is the major airlines that come knocking or someone else, policymakers will need to have a very clear understanding of the public benefits before opening up their chequebooks. If those benefits are not abundantly clear, they need to evaluate the request like any other investor on the basis of pure financial merit. Canada and its highly indebted provinces cannot afford a repeat of the auto bailout fiasco. Ian Cooper is a Toronto-based media and technology lawyer. Read more about: In an undated image provided by Christoph Piecha, Sibylle Ehringhaus, a provenance researcher. The researcher stopped working for a German museum after she says she lost faith in its commitment to return works with tainted provenances. (Christoph Piecha via The New York Times) Catherine Hickley BERLIN For three years, Sibylle Ehringhaus, a veteran provenance researcher, worked with the Georg Schafer Museum in northern Bavaria to examine the ownership history of its 1,000 oil paintings and several thousand drawings, prints and watercolours. Georg Schafer, the industrialist whose collection is displayed there, had bought much of the art in the 1950s in Munich, then a hub for dealers who had had relationships with the Nazis. Among those from whom he purchased works was Adolf Hitlers personal photographer. Ehringhaus job was, in part, to determine just how much of the collection had a tainted provenance. But last year, she said, she began to ask herself why the city of Schweinfurt, which manages the museum, had bothered to hire her. After she had identified several plundered works, she said, no one seemed to have any plans to return them to the heirs of the original Jewish owners. Increasingly, she said, she began to feel her work was unwelcome. She was denied access to historical documents vital for her research, she said and forbidden to contact colleagues at another museum with a research inquiry. So in December, she rejected an offer to extend her contract for another year. I got the impression they didnt want me there they really made things difficult for me, Ehringhaus, 60, said at a meeting in a Berlin cafe. They needed me for appearances. I felt as though I was being used as a fig leaf. The owners of the museum collection, a private foundation run by the Schafer family, said they are aware of restitution claims for some of the works but believe that it is the German government, not collectors, who are responsible for addressing it. The museum itself has denied trying to hinder Ehringhaus work. Germany has made progress of late in addressing critics who say it has not done enough to accelerate the return of art looted by the Third Reich. Earlier this year, for example, the Culture Ministry set up an office staffed by an art historian to help heirs seeking Nazi-looted art to navigate the German bureaucracy. But this case is a bit different. Although the museum occupies a building owned by the state of Bavaria and is run by the city, the art itself is on loan from the private foundation set up by Schafer, who made his fortune in roller bearings and died in 1975. The Georg Schafer Foundation says that the art was bought legally and in good faith and that compensating victims of the Nazis is a state function, to be undertaken by the German government. The private foundation is not bound by the internationally endorsed 1998 Washington Principles on the restitution of art looted by the Nazis because the guidelines only apply to public collections. Returning art would violate laws that ban foundations from divesting assets, it says. In a statement, the foundation said: the German federal government as the legal successor of the Third Reich is responsible for compensating for the crimes of the Third Reich. The statement called for a German restitution law that would include government compensation for private entities that return Nazi-looted art. The German culture minister, Monika Grutters, has disputed the view that the government alone is responsible for compensating the heirs of victims of Nazi looting. The historical and moral responsibility to redress Nazi art plunder does not lie solely with the state, she said in a speech at a conference on the Washington Principles in 2018. We can and should expect much more engagement by private art collectors and the art trade. But there is little she can do about the foundations refusal to hand back looted art, according to Walter Schmidt, a spokesman for the minister. The federal government has no power to act in this concrete case, he wrote in an email because the issue is outside its sphere of direct influence. The heirs of Jewish collectors have laid claim to about 20 works in the museum. Ehringhaus said she found many of them to be justified but said that under the terms of her contract she could not address specific cases. One request is for the return of a portrait of Martha Liebermann, painted by her husband, Max Liebermann. The painter, a Jewish Berliner, was chased out of his position as honorary chairman of the Academy of Arts in Berlin after the Nazis seized power in 1933. He created it before his death in 1935. Liebermanns daughter Kathe Riezler escaped to the United States with her husband and daughter, but Martha Liebermann never managed to follow. The portrait hung in her Berlin apartment where, after a visit by the police, she committed suicide by taking poison at the age of 85 to avoid being deported to a Nazi death camp. 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, 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 favour good-faith buyers of stolen items. Claimants trying to recover stolen property are reliant on the goodwill 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 and food products, which has so far given back seven works to the heirs of collectors who had been persecuted by the Nazis. Like the federal government, the state of Bavaria said it could not simply direct that works be returned. The Bavarian culture minister, Bernd Sibler, said in an email that while the goal of the provenance research is to give back artworks lost due to persecution or to find fair solutions for compensation, the state has no legal means to exert influence over the Georg Schafer Foundation in terms of implementing the Washington Principles. Similarly, the city of Schweinfurt is only the manager of the museum, the mayor, Sebastian Remele, said. We are aware that this is a politically sensitive matter but we have no power to act. Remele said the museum has withdrawn the disputed objects from the exhibition galleries, except for one, which is displayed with detailed information about its provenance. Wolf Eiermann, the director of the museum, rejected Ehringhaus complaint that the museum had prevented her from exchanging information with colleagues, saying he had in just one instance requested her to refrain from contacting a researcher at another museum. She took part in several symposiums, and there was never any kind of ban on her exchanging information with colleagues, he said. The city put out a statement in January, after Ehringhaus left, saying that the provenance research would continue but only after a digital inventory of the museums drawings and prints was completed. Ehringhaus departure was covered by the German press, and the mayor seemed to show some fatigue earlier this month when asked to address her view that not enough effort was being made to ensure the works were returned. The issue of restitution is not what should be occupying Ehringhaus, Remele said. Political moralizing is not her job. Her job was to research the history of the artworks. Ehringhaus, who has done the research for the British Museum and the German Historical Museum, among others, said she wishes the foundation, city and state of Bavaria had agreed on a restitution process before she was hired. Theres no point in having a provenance researcher if this is not resolved, she said. No one wanted any hassle, she said. Everyone had an interest in keeping the status quo. No one showed any empathy for the human stories behind these artworks. I kept wondering do you really want to keep hold of these works belonging to people who were persecuted so horribly and suffered so much? c.2020 The New York Times Company By Express News Service HYDERABAD: While the Telangana state government states that it has recorded the fifth positive case of Coronavirus, the Union Ministry has claimed that there are six positive cases in Telangana, including two foreign nationals. However, State Health Minister Eatala Rajender said that the only foreign national to test positive in the State is an Indonesian national. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Eatala said: There is no local transmission of Coronavirus in the State yet. All the cases are from foreign countries. One patient, who arrived on March 1, is also from Dubai. The second patient came from Italy and the third one was from the Netherlands and the fourth one was from Scotland. The fifth one is an Indonesian national. We have screened over 66,182 at the airport. Of the 464 people who were symptomatic, only five of them tested positive. COVID-19 LIVE | West Bengal confirms its first positive case, India tally mounts to 139 The Minister added, We will be quarantining those arriving from UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait along with the people returning from China, Iran, Italy, Germany, Korea, France and Spain, from tomorrow. Dr G Srinivas Rao, Director of Public Health, stated that they will mostly be quarantined somewhere near Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. Eatala said the government was contemplating quarantining people in their own districts. Some of the people have requested to be quarantined in their own homes. We are discussing what can be done with regards to this. So far, a total of 221 people are in quarantine centres. The Minister consistently stressed on the point that there was no local transmission in the State. Patient 1 came from Dubai and met 88 people. Patient 2 met 42 people. Patient 3 met 69 primary contacts. All of these primary contacts have tested negative. Patient four met 11 contacts, whose results are awaited. Patient 5 also met 11 people who are currently undergoing tests. Additionally, the State is ready to test over 450 samples a day as five testing labs, each of which can test 90 samples, have been readied in Telangana. Test results in Hyderabad itself In a welcome move, the State Health Department will not have to rely on National Institute of Virology, Pune for reconfirmation of cases, as the State has been permitted to announce positive cases after testing in Telangana itself. Government orders deferral of elective surgeries The TS government has directed rescheduling of all elective surgeries from March 18 till March 25, in teaching and speciality hospitals under the control of the Director of Medical Education, to prevent the spread of Coronavirus through medical and health workers who are at high risk of contracting Coronavirus. Elective surgery or elective procedure is that which is scheduled in advance and not an emergency. Fifth patient came by train Patient 5 is a religious preacher and arrived in TS from Delhi by train. The no. of people he was in contact with, may rise now, Australia and Taiwan joined governments offering financial aid to airlines as coronavirus and stricter travel controls forced carriers to deepen cuts to capacity and staffing. U.S. airlines have asked Washington for $50 billion in grants and loans, plus tens of billions in tax relief. Sector executives are due to speak with U.S. President Donald Trump by phone on Wednesday. Planemaker Boeing Co has called on the U.S. government to provide at least $60 billion in access to liquidity, including loan guarantees, for the aerospace manufacturing industry as airlines halt deliveries and new orders to conserve cash. Airbus has also signalled some government support may be needed if the coronavirus crisis lasts for several months, three people familiar with the matter said. The Australian government said it would refund and waive charges to airlines such as domestic air traffic control fees worth A$715 million ($430 million), including A$159 million upfront, as it advised citizens against all foreign travel. Taiwan's civil aviation regulator said late on Tuesday that its airlines could apply for subsidies and loans backdated to Jan. 15. Sweden and Denmark on Tuesday announced $300 million in loan guarantees for Scandinavian carrier SAS. El Al Israel Airlines on Wednesday said it had sent 5,500 of its 6,000 workers on unpaid leave until May 31 after it slashed its flight schedule. The outbreak of the flu-like virus has wiped 41%, or $157 billion, off the share value of the world's 116 listed airlines, with many using up their cash so fast they can now cover less than two months of expenses, a Reuters analysis showed. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) representing the sector said $200 billion in government support could be needed worldwide. Trump said on Tuesday that travel restrictions within the United States are being considered, which would be a further blow to its domestic carriers. "You can do a national lockdown. Hopefully, we're not going to need that," Trump said. "It's a very big step." U.S. airlines are seeking to quickly reduce their workforces through unpaid leave of up to 12 months with medical benefits or early retirement packages in a sign carriers do not expect a quick rebound. Global passenger numbers are expected to fall by as much as 30% this year with a full recovery not likely until 2022 or 2023, S&P Global Ratings said. "At the risk of being alarmist, the airline industry is on the brink of collapse as governments are quarantining large portions of their populations and closing off borders," Cowen analyst Helane Becker told clients. CUTS GET DEEPER The situation has worsened for airlines this week as governments have tightened travel restrictions. United Airlines Holdings Inc said it would cut 60% of its capacity in April, including 85% of its international flights. Air New Zealand Ltd on Wednesday suspended trading for another two days to assess the financial implications of deep capacity cuts announced on Monday. "This is going to be quite tough as we forecast the volumes that we are looking at over the next few months," CEO Greg Foran said in a video sent to reporters. Up to 30% of the airline's 12,500 staff will not be required, he said, adding that the carrier would offer leave without pay and voluntary redundancies before moving to job cuts. Qatar Airways laid off around 200 employees, all Filipino nationals based in Qatar, Philippine Labour Secretary Silvestre Bello told Reuters. VOLUMES PLUNGE Auckland International Airport Ltd said international passenger volumes on Monday were 44% lower than a year ago. Australia's Qantas Airways Ltd on Tuesday announced plans to cut 90% of international capacity and its Singapore-based low-cost airline Jetstar Asia said it would stop flying altogether for three weeks from March 23 to April 15. Australia's No. 2 carrier, Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd , said it would suspend all international flying from March 30 to June 14 and cut its domestic capacity in half, in a move that could lead to job losses. Singapore Airlines Ltd plans to halve its capacity through the end of April, with further cuts possible as it braces for a "prolonged" period of difficulty. "Make no mistake we expect the pace of this deterioration to accelerate," CEO Goh Choon Phong said in a statement on Tuesday. Search Keywords: Short link: Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 01:54:30|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WUHAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Here are the latest developments on the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in China: -- China on Tuesday evening issued a travel alert urging its tourists to keep themselves updated about the novel coronavirus epidemic situation abroad and avoid travel to countries hit hard by the virus. -- About 96.37 percent of the COVID-19 patients outside Hubei, the hardest-hit province, and 91.05 percent in Hubei have received TCM treatment which has proved to be effective. -- Some COVID-19 vaccines developed by Chinese higher education institutions are expected to enter clinical trials or provided for emergency use as soon as possible. -- China has disposed of 159,000 tonnes of medical waste since late January, with a disposal capacity reaching 6,058.8 tonnes per day, up from 4,902.8 tonnes each day before the epidemic outbreak. -- Over 90 percent of the major industrial enterprises in China's provincial-level regions except for certain areas including Hubei have resumed work and production, with regions like Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Shandong, Guangxi and Chongqing almost saw nearly 100 percent of their enterprises back in production. -- Starting from Tuesday, people coming to Wuhan from outside the Chinese mainland will be quarantined for 14 days at designated places at their own expense. -- About half of the 1,961 COVID-19 patients admitted to Wuhan's field hospital Leishenshan had been discharged, with 942 patients still undergoing treatment. -- 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. WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 17: U.S. President Donald Trump (C) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (R), joined by members of the Coronavirus Task Force, field questions about the coronavirus outbreak in the press briefing room at the White House on March 17, 2020 in Washington, DC. The Trump administration is considering an $850 billion stimulus package to counter the economic fallout as the coronavirus spreads. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images): WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 17: U.S. President Donald Trump (C) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (R), joined by members of the Coronavirus Task Force, field questions about the coronavirus outbreak in the press briefing room at the White House on March 17 The stock market has suffered yet another historic day of losses as the Dow Jones reportedly lost the entirety of economic gains seen under Donald Trumps presidency amid increasing anxieties over the global coronavirus pandemic. The US Centre for Disease Control meanwhile released a grim outlook for a worst-case scenario surrounding the pandemic, in which 214 million people would be impacted and nearly two million would die as a result of the outbreak. The Trump administration released its own plan-of-action while seeking a nearly $1 trillion economic relief package that could include sending checks to all Americans in the coming weeks to help battle back against the economic downturn. The number of total cases in the US surpassed 7,000 on Wednesday, according to the latest data, as the death toll rose to at least 117. Experts have said the true rate of infections is likely far higher nationwide, citing a lack in testing. Please a moment for out liveblog to load Boca Raton, Florida:--- In response to the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) Cost-U-Less has undertaken a series of key actions to ensure the health and safety of our employees, customers and communities and to ensure continuity of the essential services we provide on a daily basis. As part of this action, we are monitoring the spread of the coronavirus and consulting with governmental authorities and health organizations on a frequent basis to ensure that our response is coordinated with local directives and priorities. Our Store Environment Our Cost-U-Less stores are committed to being a safe and reliable source of essential products and services throughout this period. Store cleanliness and sanitation standards are being elevated and include an increased frequency of sanitizing all check-outs and shopping carts. Other surface are being cleaned several times during the day with extensive wipe downs during closed hours. All stores are following recommendations from health authorities to help provide a safe working and shopping experience to the best of our ability. Product Supply Over the past several weeks Cost-U-Less has increased orders of essential food and other grocery products to ensure we have adequate supply for our customers. Going forward, we expect to continue to be able to meet the everyday shopping needs of our customers by working closely with our suppliers, transportation partners and government officials to prepare for possible disruptions. To assure customers further, prices will be frozen for 30 days unless they relate to increases beyond our control. Travel and Other Workplaces We have stopped all non-essential travel to and from the communities we serve and any approved travel is subject to health prescreening. Where our employees have traveled to high risk areas, we are following the recommended health practices. Our offices are set up to accommodate our staff in compliance with CDC and WHO practices while other accommodations are made for employees that require special circumstances. We have urged employees, vendors and business partners to utilize safe hygiene to reduce risk during this time and to meet via video and teleconference rather than traveling for face-to-face meetings or attending large events to avoid potential exposure to the virus. Contingency Planning All business teams have been developing plans for alternative operations, should they become necessary, as part of the companyas business continuity plans. In mid-February, the State Department designated five Chinese state news outlets operating in the USXinhua, CGTN, China Radio, China Daily, and the Peoples Dailyas missions of a foreign government. The move, officials said, wouldnt entail restrictions on the outlets journalism, but would require them to report personnel and other details to the US government. The following day, China expelled three reporters from the Wall Street Journala step that the paper called unprecedented in the post-Mao era. Ostensibly, China was punishing the Journal for a headline, in its opinion section, dubbing the country the real sick man of Asia. Many observersincluding dozens of staffers at the Journalagreed that the headline was offensive, but as Joel Simon, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, wrote afterward for CJR, the timing of the expulsions, so soon after the State Department designation, seemed like more than a coincidence. Simon criticized the Trump administrations decision; as a result, he warned, more American journalists in China risked facing restrictions which, among other things, would hinder valuable ongoing reporting on the coronavirus, which originated in the country. US officials didnt heed his words. In early March, they capped the number of Chinese citizens allowed to work at the same state-run outlets in the US. Roughly 60 of their staffers were affected by the order. The State Department denied that it was expelling journalists, but in effect, it was. Yesterday, we saw the retaliation to that retaliation. The Chinese government effectively expelled American journalists working for the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Journal; banned their employers from reassigning them to Hong Kong or Macao, despite the supposed autonomy of those territories; and designated all three papers, as well as Time magazine and Voice of America, which is funded by the US government, as foreign missions. (For now, at least, it doesnt look like Time, VoA, or any other US outlet will face staffing restrictions in China.) Announcing the clampdown, Chinas foreign ministry accused the outlets in question of making fake news through the so-called freedom of the press. Related: How journalists around the world are covering the coronavirus In the US, backlash was swift. Secretary of State Mike Pompeowho hardly has a glowing recent record on the so-called freedom of the presssaid China had further foreclosed the worlds ability to conduct free-press operations that, frankly, would be really good for the Chinese people. Dean Baquet, Marty Baron, and Matt Murraythe editors of the Times, the Post, and the Journal, respectivelyall condemned Chinas decision, as did the editorial boards of the Times and the Post; that of the Times wrote that the move was an unfortunate echo of the Cold War, and it couldnt come at a worse time. (Both boards suggested, contra Simon, that the State Department was justified in regulating Chinese state media operations in the US.) Gerry Shih, a Post reporter affected by the expulsions, tweeted a story about them, adding the caption, Great Beijing sublet available with sweeping views. Shih said hell continue to cover China from afar. Thinking back, reporting conditions have become so difficult that much of the China stories Im most proud of were in fact reported outside, he wrote. China is now a huge sprawling international story. It can cut off access inside the country to limit scrutiny, and maybe one day it can even shut down critical reporting all over the world. But that day isnt here yet. China has an atrocious record on press freedom, and has, in recent weeks, applied its past form to vital, fact-based reporting on the coronavirus. The New York Times is not the same as the Peoples Daily; as Simon noted last month, Chinese state media operations in the US certainly do propaganda and, it seems likely, espionage, too. Nonetheless, Simons warningthat the US crackdown on Chinese media would turn journalists into diplomatic pawns and provide a framework that favors Chinese censors who are already seeking to control the work of the international mediahas proven prescient. Sign up for CJR 's daily email The free flow of information is (mostly) a moral goodespecially right now. China bears far more blame than the US for curbing it, but diplomatic tit-for-tat always has two sides, and the State Departments cavalier recent moves have caught outstanding American journalists in their crossfire. And, as Simon noted, its a deeply counterproductive fight to have picked. I keep coming back to my last trip, to Wuhan, where people were so willing to talk, Amy Qin, of the New York Times, tweeted yesterday of her impending expulsion from China. They wanted the world to know what was happening to them and to hold their government accountable. Below, more on the coronavirus: Other notable stories: ICYMI: Why did Matt Drudge turn on Donald Trump? Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop. Jill Biden listens to a speech being given by her husband, former Vice President Joe Biden, in Denison, Iowa in November 2019. Reuters Joe Biden has been projected to win the 2020 presidential election, defeating President Trump. His wife, Dr. Jill Biden, has emerged as one of his most forceful surrogates. She has campaigned tirelessly alongside him throughout his 2020 election and has been his anchor throughout his decades-long political career. She is a committed educator, who has continued teaching English throughout Joe Biden's tenure as Vice President and plans to keep her job after moving into the White House. Scroll down to learn more about First Lady-elect, Jill Biden. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Dr. Jill Biden became the First Lady-elect after her husband, Joe, became the projected winner of the 2020 presidential election on Saturday. She has not only campaigned tirelessly alongside him throughout the victorious race but has also supported Joe throughout his decades-long political career. Though Jill is a passionate supporter of her husband, she is also fiercely independent. She worked as an English teacher throughout Joe's tenure as Vice President from 2009 to 2017, becoming the first known Second Lady to work full time while serving alongside her husband. The Bidens, married for 43 years, have endured a series of highs and lows from his vice presidency to the 2015 death of her stepson Beau Biden from brain cancer. Here is a look inside the life of First Lady-elect, Jill Biden. Jill Tracy Jacobs was born in Hammonton, New Jersey, on June 3, 1951. Her father was a bank teller while her mother stayed home full time to care for the family's five daughters. Jill Biden in Chicago, Illinois, in November 1987. Getty Images Source: Vogue While growing up, Jill moved around a lot, eventually settling in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. She spent most of her childhood there and adopted a slight Philly accent as well as a lifelong love for local sports teams. Google Maps Source: Washington Post When she was 15, she started her first job as a waitress. "From an early age, I knew I wanted my own money, my own identity, my own career," she told Vogue in 2008. Story continues Jill Biden speaks during a stop on Joe Biden's "No Malarkey!" campaign bus tour in Mason City, Iowa, on December 3, 2019. Reuters Source: Vogue Four years later, in 1971, Jill married Bill Stevenson, a former college football player whom she met the summer before graduating high school. Jill Biden watching as Joe Biden announces his bid for 1988 Democratic presidential nomination at the Wilmington train station in June 1987. Steve Liss/The LIFE Images Collection/ Getty Images Source: Vogue That year she also started college at the University of Delaware, majoring in English. Jill Biden arrives for the start of the final round of the National Spelling Bee in Washington in May 2009. Jim Young/Reuters In 1972, she and Stevenson opened the Stone Balloon Tavern and Concert Hall by the University of Delaware. It would go on to become one of the country's most successful college bars. Google Streetview Playboy magazine once listed the bar and concert hall as "one of the 100 Top College Bars in America," according to its website The bar hosted iconic American artists, including Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Source: Vogue This wasn't the only job Jill did in her college years. She also modeled for a local agency, but she insists she "wasn't a model." Jill Biden speaks during Joe Biden's rally in Lee's Summit, Missouri, in November 2008. Christina Jamison/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images "I might've done five jobs where you get paid, like, 20 bucks," she told Vogue in 2008. "But I wasn't a model." By 1975, she and Stevenson had drifted apart and filed for divorce that year. She was in her junior year at the time, and decided to take the year off: "Things were a little too rough, too emotional. But I knew I would finish," she said. Biden visiting a school in Pavas near San Jose, March 30, 2009. Monica Quesada/Reuters She would go on to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Delaware in 1975, according to the university. Source: Vogue Later that year, she was set up on a blind date with Joe Biden by Joe's brother, Frank. When Joe showed up at her front door, 24-year-old Jill recalled thinking: "Thank God it's only one date." Former Vice President Joe Biden hugs his wife Jill, with his granddaughter Finnegan looking on in the background, at the Nevada Caucus on February 21, 2020. Reuters "The guys I had dated had bell bottoms and clogs. When Joe showed up at my door, I took one look at his perfect suit and his leather loafers and I thought: 'Thank God it's only one date,'" she was quoted as saying in The New York Times. But when the date was over, she had changed her mind drastically, telling her mother: "Mom, I finally met a gentleman," Vogue reported. At the time, Joe Biden was a 33-year-old Delaware senator, widowed after a horrific car accident three years prior killed his wife Neilia and one-year-old daughter, Naomi. Then Senator-elect Joe Biden, Neilia, and their sons Hunter and Beau cut his 30th birthday cake in Wilmington, Delaware, on November 20, 1972. Bettmann/Getty Images A few weeks after the 1972 December election, Neilia's station wagon was hit by a tractor-trailer as she pulled out from an intersection. Joe and Neilia's sons Hunter and Beau, who were sitting in the backseat with their sister Naomi, survived the accident with minor injuries. Naomi didn't. Source: San Francisco Chronicle Despite the fact that Joe Biden was nine years older and had two children, he and Jill had an instant connection and fell in love quickly. Joe and Jill Biden after he announced his bid for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination in June 1987. Getty Images Still, it took five marriage proposals for Jill Biden to say yes. The Biden family standing at the back of a train, campaigning for Joe to be the Democratic presidential nominee, in June 1987. Getty Images Source: Vogue "By that time, of course, I had fallen in love with the boys, and I really felt that this marriage had to work. Because they had lost their mom, and I couldn't have them lose another mother," Jill told Vogue of the time. Joe and Jill Biden arrive at the Human Rights Campaign dinner in Washington, DC, on September 15, 2018. Reuters Source: Vogue Eventually, she said yes, and they married in an intimate ceremony in New York on June 17, 1977. The couple took the Biden sons on their honeymoon. Joe and Jill Biden dance at the Convention Center in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2009 the day of then-President Barack Obama's inauguration. Getty Images The entire family was "all marrying each other," Vogue reported, paraphrasing Joe and Jill. Despite her husband's very public life, Jill was always wary of the spotlight, didn't like politics, and wanted to make sure that she could still focus on her own ambitions. Joe Biden announcing his withdrawal from the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination on September 23, 1987, with Jill standing behind him. Source: Politico As Joe built his political career, Jill completed a master's degree in education and worked as a teacher all while pregnant. Jill Biden at Miami Dade College in Florida in May 2019. Getty Images Meanwhile, Joe Biden was going to work and commuting from Washington, DC, to Wilmington, Delaware on Amtrak nightly, according to the New York Times. In 1987, Jill Biden earned a second Master of Arts degree in English from Villanova University, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. The couple gave birth to Ashley Blazer Biden on June 8, 1981, and Jill decided to stop working for two years to look after Ashley, Beau, and Hunter. Joe and Jill Biden with their daughter Ashley and son-in-law Dr. Howard Krein walking through the Singapore Botanic Gardens on July 26, 2013. Tim Chong/Reuters Despite her husband's 1988 bid for the presidency which he eventually dropped out of Jill still wasn't very involved in politics. The Biden family at Joe Biden's announcement of his candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination in Wilmington, Delaware, in 1987. Keith Meyers/AP Source: Vogue But this changed in 2004 when President George W. Bush was reelected. Then Jill urged Joe to run for president again because she was "so against" the 2003 Iraq war. Former president George W. Bush speaks at his first news conference at the White House after his re-election in November 2004. Alex Wong/Getty Images "I literally wore black for a week. I just could not believe that he won, because I felt that things were already so bad. I was so against the Iraq War. And I said to Joe: 'You've got to change this, you have to change this,'" she was quoted as saying in The Washington Post. Meanwhile, at the age of 55, she earned a doctorate in education under her maiden name Jill Jacobs at the University of Delaware in 2007. Jill Biden visiting Fort Belvoir Elementary School in Virginia in June 2009. Getty Images Source: Los Angeles Times While Jill rarely campaigned for her husband in previous years, she took on a more public role in his 2008 race, holding a series of events with Michelle Obama. Michelle Obama and Jill Biden at Barack Obama's victory speech at his election party in Chicago, Illinois, on November 4, 2008. Getty Images Source: Politico But she still continued to teach, only joining her husband on the campaign trail on the weekends. Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Jill Biden, and Joe Biden at a campaign event at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois, in August 2008. Jim Young/Reuters "My wife, Jill, who you'll meet soon, who's drop-dead gorgeous," Joe Biden told a crowd in Springfield, Illinois, on the day he was announced as Barack Obama's running mate, according to Politico. "My wife, Jill, she also has a doctorate degree, which is a problem," he added jokingly. She even continued to teach English at Northern Virginia Community College during Joe's two terms as vice president, becoming the first known Second Lady to work while in the role. Barack and Michelle Obama, and Jill and Joe Biden wave after Obama's presidential acceptance speech in Chicago n November 2008. AP Photo/Morry Gash Source: The New York Times While working as a teacher, she deliberately distanced herself from her famous husband. Some of her students didn't even know she was Joe Biden's wife, calling her only by her preferred name, "Dr. B." Jill Biden hugging a campaign worker in Springfield, Missouri, in October 2008. Getty Images While she had pictures of her children and grandchildren at work, she never put one up of her husband. According to Politico, she also tried to get her accompanying secret service agents to dress so they wouldn't be noticeable. "My standard line when students ask me if I am married to the VP is to say that I am one of his relatives. That usually quiets them," she once told The New York Times. Source: USA Today Meanwhile, she still attended to her duties as Second Lady, including supporting military families, attending the Invictus Games in London, and raising awareness on the value of community colleges. Former Vice President Joe Biden, Jill Biden, President Barack Obama, and Prince Harry watching a a wheelchair basketball event at the Invictus Games in Toronto, Canada, in September 2017. Reuters Source: Agence France-Presse But during Joe's vice presidency the Bidens were faced with another tragedy: Beau, Jill's stepson, and Joe's son, died of brain cancer in May 2015. Beau Biden at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, in September 2012. Jason Reed/Reuters The loss was devastating for Jill, who said later: "My life changed in an instant. All during his illness, I truly believed he was going to live, up until the moment that he closed his eyes, and I just never gave up hope." Jill and Joe Biden leaving the funeral for Beau Biden at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Wilmington, Delaware, in June 2015. Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Reuters Source: USA Today Beau's death led Joe to announce that he wasn't going to run for the 2016 presidential election. Jill stood by his side when he made that announcement at the White House in October 2015. From left to right: Beau Biden's brother Hunter, son Robert, widow Hallie, father Joe, daughter Natalie, and stepmother Jill Biden at his funeral mass at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Wilmington, Delaware, in June 2015. Bryan Woolston/Reuters But when he decided to run in 2020, it was much to do with Jill. According to The New York Times, she was "enthusiastically" in favor of his decision. Joe and Jill Biden arrive at a campaign event in Manchester, New Hampshire, on February 10, 2020. Reuters Source: The New York Times During the election race, Jill tirelessly campaigned for her husband, even pulling out of her teaching responsibilities temporarily to do so. Jill and Joe Biden at his South Carolina primary night rally in Columbia, South Carolina, on February 29, 2020. Jim Urquhart/Reuters Source: The New York Times She took on a public role as a vocal surrogate for her husband, as well as acted privately as a trusted confidante for him. Joe and Jill Biden arrive to speak to supporters at his party after the Nevada Caucus in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. February 22, 2020. Patrick T. Fallon/Reuters Source: The New York Times "She's like the adviser in chief. Kind of like the relationship [Joe Biden] had with Obama, he'd be the last person in the room that's Jill", a long-time friend and former senator, Ted Kaufman said of her. Jill Biden addressing the Human Rights Campaign dinner in Washington, DC, in September 2018. Yuri Gripas/Reuters Source: The New York Times Her appearance on the campaign trail has also led to some bizarre moments. Joe Biden laughs while being introduced by Jill Biden in Council Bluffs, Iowa, in November 2019. Reuters/Brian Snyder Source: The New York Times At a campaign event in Iowa last November, Joe went off script and nibbled on his wife's finger while she was speaking at an event. She seemed to laugh it off. Democratic presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden bites the finger of his wife Jill Biden as she introduces him during a campaign event on November 30, 2019 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Getty Images/Joshua Lott Source: Business Insider She also jumped up to protect her husband from a protester who stormed the stage at his Super Tuesday victory speech in Los Angeles in March. The moment quickly became a meme, and she was hailed "a hero" online. Jill Biden leaping up to protect her husband during his speech in Los Angeles, California, on March 3. Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP Source: Business Insider Throughout the race, the Bidens demonstrated a united front, and Joe looked to his wife to keep him going. "The happiest times I've seen him have been when Jill is doing something," Sen. Kaufmann said. Joe and Jill Biden hug after a primary night speech at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on March 10, 2020. Brendan McDermid/Reuters Source: The New York Times Jill became First Lady-elect on November 7 after Joe won the 2020 presidential race, beating President Donald Trump. She was by his side when he gave his victory speech in their home state Delaware. President-elect Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, wave to supporters after addressing the nation from the Chase Center November 07, 2020, in Wilmington, Delaware. Andrew Harnik-Pool/Getty Images Jill plans on keeping her day job after she moves into the White House but has also said she will put education and advocating for military families and cancer awareness on her agenda. President-elect Joe Biden and family watch fireworks from stage after Biden's address to the nation from the Chase Center November 07, 2020, in Wilmington, Delaware. Win McNamee/Getty Images These are all causes she pursued as the second lady as well. Source: USA Today Read the original article on Business Insider KEVIN STEEN: THE CANADIAN WARRIOR PPV REPORT: KEVIN OWENS' CZW ADVENTURES KEVIN STEEN: THE CANADIAN WARRIOR Currently available on PPV, satellite and VOD outlets Kevin Steen: The Canadian Warrior is the latest in a new series of PPVs featuring current day WWE stars during their time in Combat Zone Wrestling. The shows are distributed by Steve Karel's Stonecutter Media LLC with a new PPV episode every month. Following a graphic introducing us to the event, we go right to the first match... Kevin Steen vs. Nate "Spyder" Webb This is from CZW in Philadelphia on 9/10/15 at the 2300 Arena. Steen at the time was the CZW Iron Man Champion. Webb pulled out some Hacksaw Duggan-esque shenanigans early on. Steen then followed suit. They finally locked up and began going back and forth, exchanging holds and working over the other's arms. Steen was caught in a crossarm breaker but made it the ropes. Webb teased he was going to do some marial arts, backing Steen off. Steen was caught with a series of armdrags before being sent into the ropes. Webb dropped his head too soon, allowing Steen to drop him with an elbow across the back. Steen pulverished Webb, including a big clothesine and scored several near falls. Steen continued the beating with chops and forearms, scoring near falls. Steen was caught with a jawbreaker and was drilled into Webb's knees. Webb nailed several clotheslines but Steen absorbed them and came back with a big boot. Steen used a straitjacket chinlock and stomped across the back of Webb. Steeb rebounded off the ropes with a knee to the head, then drilled him with a neckbreaker for a two count. Announcers Eric Gargiulo and Eddie Kingston noted he was setting up for the package piledriver. Steen told the cameras to take a good look as he smashed Webb in the corner, then pulled him out for a chokeslam attempt. Webb elbowed his way out but was caught with a back suplex for a two count. Webb went for a head scissors takedown but was caught and dropped across the top rope with a Stun Gun. Steen then hit a hell of a catapult, driving Webb's throat into the bottom rope. Steen continued beating him but was caught with a shot to the jaw, cutting off his momentum. Steen peppered him with forearms but was caught with a leaping forearm as he rebounded off the ropes. Webb went for a move but was caught and drilled with a sidewinder suplex. Steen ascended to the top rope but Webb dove at the ropes, causing the Canadian star to crotch himself. Webb attempted to leap to the top but was shoved off. Steen hit a double stomp off the ropes but missed a top rope moonsault. Webb came back with several kicks but Steen survived and kicked up at two. Steen caught him with a suplex, twisting Webb and driving him over Steen's knee for a two count. Steen went for his finisher, the Package Piledriver, but Webb blocked it. Steen fought Webb off and drilled him with the package piledriver for the pin. Your winner, Kevin Steen! A fun match that started with some silliness as they played to the crowd, then some solid wrestling before revving into a good back and forth match as they tried to come up with the right big move to take the other down for good. Webb worked really hard here and at the time, was a cult favorite in CZW and IWA Mid-South. Listening to the commentary, I really missed Eric Gargiulo as an announcer. We go to footage of DJ Hyde entering the ring and taking his suit jacket off. I can't escape DJ Hyde no matter what, can I? He began cutting a promo, but Kevin Steen, my hero, hopped the rail and nailed a package piledriver on Hyde to a huge pop. Some fans even threw streamers. The crowd chanted, "Welcome back." Steen said he came to do three things tonight. Shut DJ Hyde's face before he ruins another show. Two, sell t-shirts and make money on Hyde's show, whether he likes it or not. He stomped Hyde. He decided to hit another package piledriver. It was a beautiful sight. This all leads to.... Kevin Steen vs. DJ Hyde This is from April 2014 in Rhode Island. Of COURSE, DJ Hyde has the mic. Of course he does. He insults the fans in Rhode Island. Steen hit the ring and attacked Hyde. They brawled in the ring. Steen was whipped into the corner but avoided Hyde and began lighting him up with chops. They spit in each other's face. UGH. This PPV was post-produced and put to bed months ago, so we can't hold that against them, no matter how tone death this comes across this week. Unlike the first match, this was a new commentary voiceover from Maven Bentley. They battle. Hyde gets dumped. Steen goes for a dive but Hyde avoids it. He nails Steen as he exits the ring and sends him into the ring post. They battled through the building, making their way to the front of a stage and then back to the ringside area. Hyde blocks taking a ring post, but Steen is having none of it and nailed him into it. Hyde stumbled away and grabbed a trash can but Steen intercepted it and placed it atop over Hyde's head. Head tosed it off and stumbled around the building. Steen charges and nailed him with a clothesline. Hyde stumbles towards a wall. He nailed Steen, who grabbed him and ran him towards the stage, tossing him onto the stage. He asked a fan for a boost up, which was hilarious. The fan agreed but by the time Steen made it up there, Hyde nailed him with a chair. Steen survived and gained control, beating Hyde over and over with chairs and then hitting a running back senton splash on the stage. Steen sat down in a chair waiting for DJ to get up (shut up?) but when Hyde recovered, they battled back and forth on the stage. Hyde went for a slam but Steen blocked it. Steen was nailed with a headbutt and almost fell off the stage but jumped down instead to save himself. He caught Hyde with a clothesline as Hyde followed, but a whip was reversed and Steen hit the ring post hard. The outside of the ring brawling was fun. Back in the ring, Steen avoided an Avalanche in the corner and nailed a cannonball of his own. He covered Hyde for a two count. Hyde locked on a sleeper. Steen fought his way out but was nailed with a running kneelift for a two count as Steen grabbed the ropes. The crowd rallied Steen and given it was small, intimate crowd, it was a fun atmosphere that made the match better. Steen started to mount a comeback but was rake in the eye. Hyde jawjacked with fans after placing Steen on the top. Steen fought him off, biting Hyde on the nose. Hyde crashed down to the mat. Steen nailed the swanton bomb from the top but Hyde still kicked up. Steen grabbed him for the package piledriver. Hyde escaped and went for a DVDR. Steen blocked but was hit with a RKO and a lariat for a CLOSE two count. Hyde called for the lariat. Maven Bentley compared him to Stan Hansen. Come on. Steen nailed a stunner and a F5. He set up for the package piledriver but was unable to do so. That was weird. Steen small packaged him for the pin. Your winner, Kevin Steen! The brawl on the outside was the highlight here but you could easily see the growth of Steen as a performer and personality from the first match to the second. Steen took the ring mic and said there are a lot of independent promotions run by scumbags. Last night in Toronto, some wrestlers got screwed when the promoter left before the show ended and didn't pay some of the talents. The wrestlers still went out there and performed because they are not scumbags. His point was that a lot can be said about DJ Hyde and he has said a lot of it behind his back like a real man. He said that DJ cares about this place. He had come back a few weeks ago and was genuinely impressed by what he saw. Steen asked that everyone keeps supporting independent wrestling companies, because without the fans, there are no "us", meaning pro wrestling. Steen joked that Hyde must have put on some weight over the last two weeks because Steen couldnt pin him, so he nailed a low blow and a small package and "we have a winner!" He joked that he was going to sell "Small Package Everyone" shirts and that you can call DJ Hyde "Mr. No Package." Steen thanked everyone for coming, then thanked the referee before low blowing Kevin Keenan and hitting the Package Piledriver on him. THAT was funny! Super Dragon and Excalibur vs. Kevin Steen and El Generico i This is from Cage of Death VI. The second half of this, especially the last five or so minutes are absolutely fun and great. Yes, Excalibur is the AEW announcer. Generico (Sami Zayn) gets worked over for quite a bit as Steen is dying for the tag. He finally gets it and goes to work on Excalibur, nailing a spinning heel kick and drilling him with a powerslam before knocking Super Dragon off the apron. Generico drilled Dragon with a dive to the outside. Excalibur gets dumped and Steen hits a flip dive to the outside. Generico drills a Yakuza Kick on Excalibur and almost scores the pinfall. Generico goes for a moonsault but is caught on Excalibur's knees. Dragon begins demolishing him with suplex variations. Steen hits the ring and brawls with Dragon, finally nailing several kicks and begins hitting Dragon's trademark maneuvers on him, including a Curb Stomp, which was a big deal back at the time. Excalibur cuts off Steen and nailed a tombstone. He ascends to the top but Generico intercepts him. He goes for a move but Dragon nails the Psycho Driver on him. Steen makes the save and goes for the package piledriver. Now it's Excalibur who interjects and goes for a Tiger Driver but Generico stops that and nails a Dragon Suplex of his own. Lots of fast paced spots here. Steen drills Dragon with a DDT and goes to the top but Excalbur tosses him off with a suplex, leaving himself hanging upside down on the buckles in the process. That legs Generico drill him with a missile dropkick and a brainbuster across the top turnbuckle. Super Dragon wipes out Generico but Steen cuts him off, nails a Gutbuster and drill him with a moonsault from the top tope. They battle back and forth with some fun sequences and near falls before Generico eats a curb stomp and a Psycho Driver and is pinned by Dragon. Your winners, Super Dragon & Excalibur! Steen helped his longtime partner to his feet, then kneed him and nailed a package piledriver. He went to continue the assault but Super Dragon grabbed a chair and Steen retreated to the floor. Dragon and Excalibur then attacked and laid out That was it for the show. They could easily do a sequel with some Steen vs. Generico bouts! Overall, a fun look back that showed how far Steen has come and really, some of the origins of the style that ROH/NXT/AEW use on a much grander scale than CZW ever did. The one hour show flew by. The next PPV in this series will feature Drew Gulak. If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here! Israel closed off Palestinian-administered areas of the occupied West Bank on Wednesday to limit the spread of the coronavirus, officials from both sides said. "From today, a closure has taken place in the West Bank," said Yotam Shefer, who heads the international department of COGAT, the Israeli military body responsible for civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories. He told journalists the decision had been taken in conjunction with the Palestinian government, based in Ramallah. The border crossing with the Gaza Strip has been closed in recent days and will remain so, Shefer added. Palestinian government spokesman Ibrahim Melhim said all Palestinians would be affected, though goods would still be allowed to pass. He said Palestinian police would establish checkpoints on the outskirts of cities. "All this is in full coordination with the Israeli side," he told AFP. "There is a joint operation room for coordination on the corona issue at the highest level." Israel occupied the West Bank in the Six-Day War of 1967 and exrcises full control over access to the territory, which Palestinians regard as a vital part of their future state. The Palestinian government has limited autonomy in the territory's main Palestinian population centres, apart from Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem. Around 70,000 Palestinians in the West Bank work in Israel, crossing back and forth each day. On Tuesday, they were given three days to either stay in Israel for the coming months or remain in the West Bank. Thousands crossed into Israel on Wednesday morning, many carrying large rucksacks, an AFP photographer at the border reported. Palestinians suffering from serious illnesses would still be allowed to enter Israel for treatment, Shefer said. Foreigners living in Israel would no longer be able to cross into the West Bank, he added. Around 400,000 Israelis live in settlements in the West Bank, communities considered illegal under international law. Thousands of Palestinians are employed in them and Shefer said they would still be allowed to to enter and leave daily. But Melhim said he wanted such work to stop to stem the spread of the coronavirus. "We warned and asked workers not to go to settlements because they have become virus centres," he said. Israel has imposed tough restrictions to restrict the spread of the virus. People have been ordered to stay at home unless going to buy food or medicine, seeking medical attention or travelling to workplaces where no more than 10 people are present. So far, 427 Israelis and 44 Palestinians have been infected, but no deaths have yet been registered. Many Palestinian day labourers have decided to continue working in Israel at the expense of an extended stay rather than go without work in the occupied West Bank with their familes The Infrastructure Ministry of Ukraine has estimated the financing necessary for the evacuation of Ukrainians from abroad by air. "For the evacuation of Ukrainian citizens via transportation of passengers, who want to return to Ukraine and need to be evacuated, by air transport on a regular basis, it is recommended to allocated $4.162 million from the reserve fund of the national budget," Infrastructure Minister of Ukraine Vladyslav Krykliy has said during a meeting of the government on Wednesday. By Jun Ji-hye Andaz launches Mini Break, Mighty Breakfast promotion Andaz Seoul Gangnam presents the Mini Break, Mighty Breakfast promotion until May 31 for guests planning a spring vacation. The promotion is an upgrade to the bed and breakfast package by adding an extra 10,000 won ($8) per adult based on the hotel's daily rate. The existing breakfast fee is 44,000 won per person. Due to the COVID-19 situation, the buffet-style breakfast has been changed to a set menu or a la carte breakfast, and menu choices will be served direct to the guest's table. Guests who have opted for the full breakfast package can order unlimited breakfast items from the menu. Package guests can enjoy a comfortable one-night stay in rooms equipped with Simmons Beautyrest Label mattresses and air purifiers. Also, guests can enjoy the indoor heated pool, jacuzzi, sauna and a 24-hour fitness center. The promotion is available through the official website of Andaz Seoul Gangnam, and advance reservations are required. The prices start from 305,000 won for two persons based on standard rooms. The 10 percent sales tax will be added on the above amount. Cornerstone at Park Hyatt Seoul unveils Weekend Brunch Table Cornerstone, the Italian restaurant at Park Hyatt Seoul, presents Weekend Brunch Table, a new dining experience served every Saturday and Sunday until May 31. The unique weekend brunch features dishes cooked freshly to order and served at the table, ensuring unmatched freshness and ideal temperature. The menu includes a seafood platter with lobster, king crab and abalone, a variety of Italian salads, egg dishes and soups, and an epicurean selection of mains and desserts. Drinks include a choice of one glass of a homemade beverage or unlimited servings of wine. Weekend Brunch Table is available on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., priced at 105,000 won per person including tax. Inquiries and reservations can be made at Cornerstone. The brunch menu is subject to change according to availability of fresh ingredients each day. Weekend Brunch Table begins with a selection of appetizers, including an assorted seafood platter featuring lobster, king crab and abalone. A range of fresh vegetable appetizers is served with tangy Korean-style chojang (red chili paste with vinegar) and eggplant and bell pepper dipping sauce. Classic brunch follows, with a choice of one each from a variety of salads, egg dishes and soups. Seafood salad, made with sustainably-cultivated shrimp and abalone, and egg dishes crafted from certified free-range eggs, which not only taste delicious but testify to Park Hyatt Seoul's ongoing commitment to sourcing healthy ingredients and celebrating their natural flavors. Classic brunch items are complemented by a variety of side dishes served at the table by Cornerstone chefs, including Italian-style barbecued porketta with apple chutney, a selection of cheeses and hams and homemade pickles. As for main dishes, grilled Lobster features Canadian lobster grilled with a topping of brioche crumbs. Black Angus Steak brings Australian beef seared under a grill, then grilled again in an oak-fired oven for even greater depth of flavor and served with black garlic and cauliflower puree. Grilled halibut is topped with soft and aromatic saffron cream sauce, complementing the delicate texture of the fish. The wide dessert selection includes dessert assortment served with fresh seasonal fruit on a two-tier tray, and apple tart crafted from sweet apple compote enveloped in crispy pastry. Weekend Brunch Table includes a choice of one glass of homemade beverage or juice, or unlimited servings of sparkling, white and red wine. Brunch is followed by tea and coffee. JW Marriott celebrates seasonal flavors with Taste of Spring Menu Coronavirus: Malta closes airspace starting Friday night Personnel informed with statement. The darkest day, unions (ANSAmed) - VALLETTA, MARCH 18 - The Maltese government will close its airspace starting at 11:59 on Friday. Starting on Saturday the international airport of Luga, the only one in Malta, will remain open only for cargo flights, humanitarian aid and repatriations, airport authorities told personnel, according to local media reports. Local media published a statement released by unions that called it ''the darkest day'' in the history of aviation. Air Malta has already announced the immediate suspension of all passenger flights. Over the past few weeks air carriers had already spontaneously cancelled 278 connections with Malta.(ANSAmed). Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 18) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday allowed electronic prescriptions for individuals vulnerable to COVID-19 during the Luzon-wide quarantine period. Citing challenges posed by the pandemic, FDA has authorized licensed physicians to issue e-prescriptions to select individuals via email, Messenger, Viber, or other modes considered electronic document, in place of a written prescription. This alternative would make sure of continuous access to prescription and maintenance drugs of senior citizens, persons with disability (PWDs), with chronic illness or those with low immunity. A large percentage of recorded fatalities came from this group of individuals, hence the need for them to stay indoors and to avoid unnecessary contact with others, read the FDA circular titled Guidelines in the Implementation of the Use of Electronic Means of Prescription for Drugs for the Benefits of Individuals Vulnerable to Covid-19. For an e-prescription to be valid, it must contain the patients complete name, name of medicines and/or drug prescribed, dosage, doctors signature, doctors license number, and if applicable, the doctors professional tax receipt. The adopted measure also requires drugstores, pharmacies, and similar outlets to honor e-prescriptions. All drug-dispensing establishments shall not require physical presence of person vulnerable to COVID-19 before dispensing drugs. An authorized representative may purchase the drugs on their behalf, FDA said. For senior citizen or PWD patients, a representative must bring a letter of authorization signed by the concerned individual along with an identification card of the senior citizen or PWD. A separate e-prescription is required, however, for all antibiotics, anti-infectives, and/or anti-viral preparations. Prescriptions shall be valid for one week after issuance. Kahit may kasalukuyan tayong mga hamong pangkalusugan, hindi natin hahayaan na mawalan ang ating mga pasyente ng paraan na makabili at makakuha ng kanilang mga gamot, FDA Director General Eric Domingo said. [Translation: Even if were in the middle of a public health crisis, we will ensure that our patients are still able to purchase and obtain their medicines.] He added that drug-dispensing establishments shall be responsible in checking the legitimacy of e-prescriptions. According to the circular, the measure shall be automatically lifted once the quarantine ends. Hindi nito layunin na palitan ang nararapat na pagkonsulta sa doktor, standard na pagbibigay ng reseta, at pagbenta ng mga gamot, sa halip nais natin na masiguro ang pagpapaabot ng mga mahahalagang gamot sa ating mga pasyente, Domingo said. [Translation: Thid does not do away with the required doctor consultation, standard of issuing a precription, and sale of drugs. Instead, we would like to make sure patients will have access to important drugs.] President Rodrigo Duterte announced on Monday an enhanced community quarantine, further restricting movement in the entire island group of Luzon. Residents are directed to stay on home quarantine while mass transportation has been suspended. There are at least 202 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country with 1 deaths as of March 18. Ten patients have recovered. Workers pour molten iron into a mould at a workshop in Hangzhou, Jiangsu By Enrico Dela Cruz MANILA (Reuters) - China's iron ore futures rose on Wednesday on further policy support for an economy battered by the coronavirus pandemic, before closing well off the session's peak that was the highest in more than seven months. Steel futures, however, succumbed to heavy sell-offs in global markets as investors panicked over the deepening public health crisis and its economic fallout. The Dalian Commodity Exchange's most-traded iron ore contract, with May expiry, rose 4.1% to 692 yuan ($98.56) a tonne, the highest since Aug. 5, 2019, before closing up just 1.7%. Iron ore futures on the Singapore Exchange were 1.2% higher in afternoon trade. Prices of the steelmaking ingredient in the physical market were near three-week highs, partly underpinned by falling inventories at China's ports. With all ports in China having returned to normal operations, according to the government, seaborne trade activities should improve further, said Helen Lau, a metals and mining analyst at Argonaut Securities in Hong Kong. She said top steel producer China has also provided additional policy support to exporters, citing an increase in steel export tax rebates. China will increase export tax rebates on almost 1,500 products from March 20, the finance ministry said on Tuesday, as the government looks to ease the pressure on companies hit hard by the virus outbreak. "We take the view that increasing exports rebates will allow Chinese steel makers to churn out more steel products, likely in preparation for a possible demand recovery outside China under fiscal stimulus policies," Lau wrote in a note. She said more than 40% of China's exports are shipped to Asian markets, a region - excluding China - that has so far seen less infections than the United States and Europe. FUNDAMENTALS * Construction steel rebar on the Shanghai Futures Exchange trimmed early gains to end just 0.1% higher and hot-rolled coil, used in cars and home appliances, gained 0.5%, while stainless steel shed 1%. * Coking coal and coke erased early gains to finish both down 1%. Story continues * The world's richest nations prepared more costly measures on Tuesday to combat the global fallout of the coronavirus that has sent economies spinning toward recession. * Industry benchmark 62% iron ore's spot price stood at $92 a tonne on Tuesday, the highest since Feb. 24, based on data from SteelHome consultancy. (Reporting by Enrico dela Cruz; Editing by Aditya Soni and Subhranshu Sahu) The health department has decided to carry out a week-long door-to-door survey from Thursday on the lines of a pulse polio drive to detect suspected coronavirus (Covid-19) cases among people with recent foreign travel history. The department swung into action after 167 people, who have recent foreign travel history, are still untraceable. We have shared two lists with the police. The first list consists of 119 people with foreign travel history, of which 17 have been tracked down. The second list has 77 people and 12 of them have been traced so far. The Union ministry of external affairs is sending such lists to us on a daily basis. We are tracking down each and every person who have recently returned from abroad to ascertain if any one of them is suffering from flu-like symptoms, said Dr Rajesh Bagga , the citys civil surgeon. Follow live updates on coronavirus here. A bulk of the people with foreign travel history are still untraceable because of either wrong address in their passports or erroneous telephone numbers, he said. The health officials will visit each and every household in Ludhiana district and ask the occupants to submit a declaration about the people living in the house and whether anyone from their family travelled abroad recently. If any family member has travelled abroad recently, then that person will be asked to fill a second form, said Dr Bagga. The person with recent foreign travel history will be separated from the rest of h/his family members and a report will be sent to the health departments rapid response team. The samples of the people, who have recently come back from abroad and are showing flu-like symptoms, would be sent for tests. Integrated child development services programme employees, multi-purpose health paramedical staff and teachers and accredited social health activists will conduct the survey, Dr Bagga said. On Tuesday, the Punjab government ordered the closure of malls, shopping complexes, and kisan mandies till March 31 across the state. Deputy Commissioner of Ludhiana Pradeep Aggrawal said the orders will be strictly implemented Thursday onwards. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Bengaluru, March 18 : Karnataka Health Minister B. Sriramulu on Wednesday confirmed two more positive coronavirus cases in the state, raising the total to 13. "Two more COVID-19 cases have been registered in Bengaluru on Wednesday, taking the total infected cases to 13," tweeted Sriramulu. He said the two new cases included a 56-year-old city-based man who returned from USA on March 6 and a 25-year-old woman who returned from Spain. "Both are admitted in designated isolated hospital," Sriramulu added. Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa held an emergency cabinet meeting on measures to contain the COVID-19 fallout at the state secretariat. In the assembly, the Chief Minister said in Kannada, "Situation will go out of control if coronavirus spread is not contained. Tough measures are being taken to control the situation. He also reviewed the steps taken to tackle H1N1, Swine flu and Bird flu in some parts of the state. In a related development, 62 passengers arriving from Germany and Dubai were taken to Aakash Hospital for screening near the airport. On Tuesday, a 67-year-old woman tested positive for coronavirus, she returned to the city from Dubai via Goa on March 9. Earlier on the same day, two persons, including a young woman in Bengaluru, tested positive for the infection. The new cases were of a 20-year-old woman who travelled from the UK and a 63-year-old doctor who treated the 76-year-old patient (since deceased) in Kalaburagi early this month. "Both are admitted in the isolation wards in designated hospitals in Bengaluru and Kalaburagi," said Sriramulu. City civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Vidhan Soudha have imposed restricted on visitors. "To check the spread of COVID-19, BBMP will permit visitors to the head office only between 3-5 p.m. on all working days till further notice," said the civic body Commissioner B. H. Anil Kumar. On Wednesday, BBMP health officers and zonal joint commissioners visited several BBMP and government hospitals to check on hygiene and preparedness of staff in the light of communicable diseases in some parts the city. Similarly, BBMP Solid Waste Management Special Commissioner D. Randeep has said KR Market and surrounding areas were sprayed with disinfectants and vendors were educated about cleanliness. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Author and former prosecutor Linda Fairstein has sued Netflix and Ava DuVernay over her protrayal in "When They See Us." (Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images) Linda Fairstein, whose office oversaw the prosecution of the 1989 Central Park Five assault case, on Wednesday sued Netflix and director Ava DuVernay over her portrayal in the acclaimed miniseries "When They See Us." Fairstein was the head of the Manhattan District Attorneys sex crimes unit during the case in which five young black and brown men were convicted of the rape and beating of a New York jogger. The convictions were vacated in 2002, and the five received a $41 million settlement from the city more than a decade later. The Emmy-winning "When They See Us," directed by DuVernay, was released on Netflix in May. The former prosecutor's lawsuit accuses Netflix and DuVernay of multiple counts of defamation, saying Fairstein was wrongly depicted as a racist and unethical villain. The 119-page complaint was filed in U.S. district court in Florida, where Fairstein is a resident, according to the document. The suit also named "When They See Us" co-writer and producer Attica Locke as a defendant. "'When They See Us' portrays Ms. Fairstein in a false and defamatory manner in nearly every scene in the three episodes in which she appears," the complaint said. "In the film series, which defendants have marketed and promoted as a true story, defendants depict Ms. Fairstein using her true name as a racist, unethical villain who is determined to jail innocent children of color at any cost." The lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages, including punitive damages, as well as injunctive relief against further alleged defamation by DuVernay and the other defendants. Los Gatos-based Netflix, in a statement, blasted the lawsuit as "frivolous" and vowed to defend against it. "Linda Fairsteins frivolous lawsuit is without merit," the company said. "We intend to vigorously defend 'When They See Us' and Ava DuVernay and Attica Locke, the incredible team behind the series." Story continues This is not the first time Fairstein has attacked the series, in which she was played by Felicity Huffman. Last year, the prosecutor-turned-crime novelist defended her office's prosecution of the five young men in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal. In the piece, she disputed the notion that the five were "innocent of all charges brought against them." Four of the five men confessed to the crime, but later retracted their confessions, saying they were coerced. All five were found guilty, but their convictions were vacated after an imprisoned rapist and murderer confessed to the crime. After the series debuted, Fairstein was dropped by her publishers in the U.S. and Britain, as well as her literary and film agency, ICM Partners. The moves followed public calls to boycott her books over her role in the case. Fairstein's complaint says she'd also lost business from canceled speaking engagements and legal consulting jobs because of the fallout from the series. Her attorney, New York-based Andrew Miltenberg of Nesenoff & Miltenberg LLP, said the intent of the suit was not to "re-litigate the guilt or innocence" of the exonerated men Korey Wise, Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam and Antron McCray. Fairstein's career, he said, has been "irreparably damaged" by "When They See Us," which won two Emmys, including actor in a limited series for Jharrel Jerome, who played Wise. Most glaringly, the film series falsely portrays Ms. Fairstein as in charge of the investigation and prosecution of the case against The Five, including the development of the prosecutions theory of the case," Miltenberg said in an emailed statement. "In truth, and as detailed in the lawsuit, Ms. Fairstein was responsible for neither aspect of the case." The lawsuit was a rare public movement by Ms. Maxwell, who has kept a low profile since Mr. Epsteins death last August in federal custody. She remains a central figure in the investigation by federal prosecutors in Manhattan who are looking into associates of Mr. Epstein. Investigators are trying to determine who may have assisted him in recruiting young girls and women to be sexually abused and who may have moved money to further his efforts. Ms. Maxwell, whose father was the British media mogul Robert Maxwell, has hired a team of lawyers from New York, Colorado and California to monitor the criminal investigation and defend her in lawsuits filed by Mr. Epsteins accusers. In her complaint, Ms. Maxwell, 58, alludes to the once-intimate relationship she had with Mr. Epstein, describing herself as a longtime employee who formed a legal and special relationship with him. But the complaint said Ms. Maxwell had no involvement in or knowledge of Epsteins alleged misconduct. The suit says she has incurred significant legal fees, personal security costs and other expenses because of her work for a number of Mr. Epsteins businesses from 1999 to 2006. Among those tasks, the lawsuit said, was managing Mr. Epstein's homes in the Virgin Islands, New York, Paris, Florida and New Mexico. The suit says she also worked for his C.O.U.Q. Foundation. Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. European Union leaders agreed to restrict most travel into the continent in an unprecedented move aimed at slowing down the spread of a deadly coronavirus and mitigating its effects on the bloc. The restrictions will apply to all non-EU citizens and last for an initial 30 days, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters after a video conference with her fellow leaders. Merkel said that the group expressed a great readiness to do whatever is necessary to contain the outbreak and was braced for a very serious economic impact. Banning all travel to foreign nationals adds to a series of restrictive measures that would have been unthinkable in western democracies only a few weeks ago. Several EU member states have imposed curfews and lockdowns, shutting shops, bars, schools, and restaurants in a last-ditch effort to stop the disease from overwhelming the continents healthcare systems. For the U.K., which has left the EU, the question becomes how this will affect its travelers. From the EU perspective, the ban does not extend to them but in practice, everyone is being told to stay put given that the U.K. has advised its citizens to avoid non-essential travel anywhere in the world. With flights canceled, crossings between the U.K. and the continent has become impossible. While the moves are deemed essential by many epidemiologists, they are bound to deal a severe blow to the European and global economies. EU governments officially acknowledge the bloc is heading to a recession this year -- the first since the sovereign debt crisis. The sealing of Europes external border is 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. Its unclear, however, whether the internal border checks will be phased out following the latest decision, given the fear of many governments about virus transmissions from visitors, European or otherwise. (Photo : Spying Messages of Other Persons) Messages are used extensively as a proof at courts in both civil and criminal matters. It's up to you for what purpose you spy on the text messages on the other person's phone. Whether you do it for your own security or do it on your employees for checking whether they leak business information or not. Most probably parents want to spy on their kid's phone for keeping them safe from any misshape or misuse of the latest technology. While spying on someone's phone you must keep in mind that there might be the negative impact of this thing on your relationship with that person. Before spying someone's text messages be sure that you have the knowledge of the rules and regulations. Most of the parents spy on their children's to keep them safe and track their activities. They can use several methods which I am going to discuss. 1: Spy Remotely: If you don't want to take the cell phone from again and again from the person and don't want him to know that you take his phone to spy on his messages and other activities. You can do it remotely by the help of some application software's like "SMS SPY tracker" which can be found here http://smstrackers.com/how-to-track-text-messages-with-sms-tracker/ Spying remotely can give you the access of the system of the person you want to Spy whether the person is near you or not. Using the SMS SPY tracker you can check out the inbox of the person to whom he talks. You can also view images and browser's history of that person through the software applications. The benefits of spying remotely is that once you installed the application on the targeted person's phone or system it won't be visible for him and you can check on his activities on daily basis. In remotely spying you can also view the live activities that a person is performing on his system. Even you can check which keys he is pressing and what is he viewing on the screen of his system. 2: Spying In Person: Never judge your child what other people says about him. Or never take a decision on others judgment. First of all try the alternative for spying. Talk to your child and teach him the Pros and Cons of the technology. Don't feel shy to set the limits on him that when he can use cell phone or internet. There is nothing wrong about knowing what your kid do on internet or what kind of friends he has to whom he talks. Make your trust on your child so that he can share anything with you. Fix a time and sit with your kid and talk to him. This will help you and you don't have to spy on him. 3: Ask for Passwords: First of all, take your kids in confidence so that they don't put password on their Phone or if they have their phone password protected and don't want to tell you the password. You have to play a trick if you want to check their phone. Ask the kid suddenly for the phone to a make so that he got no time to delete anything make your call and you can also check his phone whether he is using it for a wrong purpose or not. Secondly if the phone is not password protected you can check the phone while the person is busy in some other work or is distracted in a kind of task which takes a lot of time. 4. Ask for a Cell phone record: If you had an issue with the person and you think he had done something wrong with you. You can talk to your lawyer and ask him to get the information of that person from the company on your behalf. But the company may only provide you the call and SMS records only if you have the legal warrant from the court. Using these techniques you can spy on the messages and other things like call log, web history, GPS tracking of your kid or the person you want to spy on. 'Dr Abdullah is the oldest and tallest leader in our current political landscape and it was very kind of him to come and see us.' Also in the photograph: Molly Abdullah, Dr Abdullah's wife, left, and Safiya Abdullah Khan, centre, between her father and brother. Photograph: Umar Ghani for Rediff.com IMAGE: Dr Farooq Abdullah met his son Omar Abdullah on Saturday, March 14, a day after he was released from detention Also in the photograph: Molly Abdullah, Dr Abdullah's wife, left, and Safiya Abdullah Khan, centre, between her father and brother. Late on Tuesday, March 17, night, PTI reported: 'In a goodwill gesture, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday met Peoples Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti and her family and spent nearly an hour with them.' Iltija Mufti reveals what occurred at the nearly two hour-long meeting in a conversation Archana Masih/Rediff.com. Were you surprised with Dr Farooq Abdullah's visit to your home after he was released from detention? I was a little surprised, but it was a great gesture. We may be political rivals, but we are human beings going through the same emotions. I had never met him before and this was the first time I did. He came alone, there was nobody from the family or his secretary. It was just him, my grandmother and me. We sat down in our lawn and spoke for nearly two hours. We served him the nunchai -- the Kashmiri tea -- and cornflour rotis. Dr Abdullah is the oldest and tallest leader in our current political landscape and it was very kind of him to come and see us. He was concerned about my grandmother who has been home all of these 8 months, visiting my mother while she has been jailed. It was a great gesture because people in the state look up to him as a guide in such distressing times. It was a courtesy visit and politics wasn't discussed that much. My personal opinion is it is time for political parties to come together and fight on the same platform. What did your grandmother feel about the meeting? They are the same age group. My grandmother is close to 80 and Farooqsahab is 83. Their conversation is about anecdotes and they are a repository of history, especially Farooqsahab. While my grandmother with Muftisahab (Iltija's grandfather and the late Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed) has seen politics since the '60-'70s which was a different political era, so they have a lot of stories to share. It was very nice because we have always been such bitter political rivals that at a time when everything is just upside down it was a great gesture that he came to visit us. Has Dr Abdullah come to your home before? I think he came two years ago when my grandfather passed away. Since we have been arch political rivals, it is not very normal for each other to drop into each other's homes though we have no personal animosity. My mother had gone to Farooqsahab's house on August 4 with other political leaders where they signed the Gupkar Agreement (to resist the abrogation of Article 370. It was abrogated the next day). Even though it was a courtesy visit, Farooqsahab feels that everyone should unite, regardless of their political affiliations in the valley and stand up to the onslaught (of the central government). What did he say to you since you were meeting him for the first time? I found it interesting that he has been in politics for so long and has so many stories to share. These are not stories you will hear, he is a walking-talking encyclopaedia of history and of Kashmir. It was fascinating to speak to him. I was listening, rather than talking, because someone like him has so much to share. I told him that he should write a book because his experiences should be recorded in history. I asked him how he was because he has had two surgeries, but in spirit he is very strong. Imprisonment is not alien to him because his father was detained for 22 years. Their family has been through a turbulent time and for a change it was about forgoing political differences and what was said in the past and that is always nice. By virtue of Dr Abdullah being a MP, do you think there was more pressure to release him compared to the other two chief ministers -- Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah -- in detention? I dont think so because this is the third session of Parliament that he has missed. This government does not have any legal or moral constraints. A three-time CM, multiple times MP should never have been slapped under the PSA (J&K's draconian Public Safety Act)in the first place. In Parliament, Opposition parties have asked about his detention, even foreign envoys have asked if things are normal, then why are political leaders in detention? Do you expect your mother to be released soon? Honestly no. I feel they have been harsh on my mother. I have spoken out in the past six months so they know what her stand is and what it will be when she is out. The government is encouraging political formations that tow their line. If you don't, then they will not give you space. They know when she is released she will speak out against what they have done. In today's India dissent is sedition. The definition of sedition has been convoluted to such an extent by the BJP. Mentally, my family is prepared that we are in it for the long haul. This is the eighth month of her detention. What has been your mother's reaction to Dr Abdullah's release? My mother is very happy. She is relatively younger, but somebody like Dr Abdullah, who is much older, should not have been detained in the first place. She is very relieved that he is released. In fact, in all my interviews I have been asking for his release more than my mother's. Do you think this will enable the coming together of rival parties on a common platform? If you see what is happening in the rest of the country -- the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress coming together (in Maharashtra) -- you can see there is no way of taking on the BJP besides uniting and coming on a common platform. But that is my personal opinion. Farooqsahab also said as part of the conversation that all political parties in the valley will have to unite and fight for their identity. Did he say anything about Omar Abdullah? He said Omar is fine and in high spirits. Did he say how he spent his time in detention? I was touched when he told me that he got a lot of strength from the Quran, which is true even for my mother who reads a lot of the Quran. Like an elder figure, he was telling me that I should be thankful to Allah for whatever you have. I think being jailed makes you kinder and patient -- I see that even in my mother. It gives you a different perspective. He was very kind and treated me like I was his grand-daughter. The only silver lining of this entire experience is that maybe it has removed those barriers that we created by being in different political camps. I feel overwhelmed that he came home to see us. Day after Trump concedes US slump could be a bad one, economists rethink calls that the world can avoid recession. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Morgan Stanley economists joined the rush on Wall Street to declare that the coronavirus has triggered a global recession, with the debate now focusing on its likely length and depth. A day after President Donald Trump conceded the U.S. slump alone is set to be a bad one, economists threw away their forecasts that the world could avoid tumbling into recession for the first time since the financial crisis. Behind the rethink: The viruss spread to Europe and the U.S., as well as new evidence that China the first to be hit by what is now a pandemic experienced a harder hit to its economy than originally projected. Morgan Stanleys team, led by Chetan Ahya, said a worldwide recession is now its base case, with growth expected to fall to 0.9% this year. At Goldman Sachs, Jan Hatzius and colleagues predict a weakening of growth to 1.25%. S&P Global added its voice to the chorus with a report expecting that growth would range 1% to 1.5%. Such slumps would not be as painful as the 0.8% contraction of 2009, as measured by the International Monetary Fund, but they would be worse than the downturns of 2001 and the early 1990s. Both Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs anticipate a rebound in the second half, but warn that the risk remains of even greater economic pain. The projections will apply further pressure on policy makers to do more to limit the health emergency and to deliver stimulus that helps companies and consumers through the shock and then drives a rebound in demand afterward. Data already show the viruss effects: Investor confidence in the German economy plummeted to levels last seen during the European debt crisis, while U.S. retail sales fell the most in a year in February even before coronavirus containment measures began rippling through the economy. American jobless claims for the week ending March 14, due for release Thursday, will probably jump to the second-highest level this year, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey, and are likely to rise further in coming weeks. Although the Federal Reserve and fellow central banks have been active in loosening monetary policy, most governments have been slower to respond and are only now crafting fiscal packages that may still fail to pacify worried investors. While the policy response will provide downside protection, the underlying damage from both Covid-19s impact and tighter financial conditions will deliver a material shock to the global economy, Morgan Stanleys economists said. The outlook could darken even further if the virus lasts longer than anticipated, or wields greater economic pain given factories, schools, restaurants and shops are closing around the world. A freezing up of markets or a continued sluggishness by governments to act are also regarded as threats. Elsewhere on Wall Street, strategists are laying out what governments should be doing. At JPMorgan Chase & Co., John Normand advocated developed economies repeating their handiwork of the crisis when they delivered fiscal stimulus worth 1% to 2% of gross domestic product. George Saravelos, a currency strategist at Deutsche Bank AG, said governments may also need to step in to guarantee support for households and companies. In Washington, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the administration is pushing to send direct payments to Americans within two weeks, sending stocks higher at midday. He also said individual taxpayers can get a deadline extension. S&P Global also said Tuesday that the severity of the blow from the outbreak means the worlds largest economy is entering recession, if not already in one. The hit to consumer spending and business investment, plus the oil price damage to energy infrastructure investment likely means a 1% contraction in first quarter and 6% contraction in the second, U.S. Chief Economist Beth Ann Bovino said in a note. Predictions for the U.S. still vary wildly, with some guessing activity could even decline as much 10% on an annualized basis in the three months through June. Goldman Sachs is penciling in a 5% dive after zero growth in the first quarter. March 18 (Reuters) - Japanese stocks advanced on Wednesday after Wall Street staged a strong rebound as policymakers across the world cobbled together packages to counter the severe restrictions on various regular activities aiming at slowing the spread of the coronavirus. The overall sentiment, however, was still fragile as lockdowns in Europe and the United States fanned concerns about the widening epidemic and whether policy support would be adequate enough to contain the economic fallout. The benchmark Nikkei average rose 1.7% to 17,308.33 by the midday break, moving off a 3-1/2-year low touched on Tuesday. The Nikkei's volatility index, a measure of investors' volatility expectations based on option pricing and considered to be a fear gauge, dropped 0.6% to 56.32, but was still not far from Monday's nine-year peak of 60.86. Adding to the wariness were U.S. stock futures, which slid as much as 3.5% in Asian trade, a day after the S&P 500 climbed 6.0% and the Dow gained 5.2%. Shares in Japan's Fujifilm Holdings Corp jumped 14.7% after a Chinese official said the company's Avigan anti-flu drug appeared to help coronavirus patients recover. The broader Topix rose 2.7% to 1,302.39 by the midday recess, moving further away from a near four-year trough touched on Tuesday. All but three of the 33 sector sub-indexes on the Tokyo Stock Exchange traded higher, with chemicals, sea transport and precision machinery being the top three performing sectors. Hopes that the Bank of Japan will buy Exchanged Traded Funds (ETFs) more aggressively supported the market broadly, traders said. The BOJ bought a record 120 billion yen ($1.12 billion) of Japanese stock ETFs on Tuesday, even though the broader market index rose in the morning. ($1 = 107.2800 yen) (Reporting by Tomo Uetake; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu) Kim Foxx. Photo: Kiichiro Sato/AP/Shutterstock/Kiichiro Sato/AP/Shutterstock Jussie Smollett wasnt enough. Incoming returns point to Kim Foxx winning a narrow majority of votes in the Cook County, Illinois, Democratic primary. The states attorney has 50.2 percent as of this writing, making her the presumptive favorite to win reelection in November. Her opponents tried to make the race a referendum on her handling of Smolletts case last year; the former Empire actor claimed falsely, according to the Chicago police that hed been assaulted by Trump supporters. Foxxs office declined to file charges against him for lying. The incumbents top challenger, billionaire scion Bill Conway, conceded on Tuesday with 31.3 percent of the vote, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. It was a convincing if not overwhelming margin. (Foxx won her first primary election with a more dominant 58 percent in 2016.) Foxx is viewed as part of a vanguard of more progressive prosecutors whove eschewed tough on crime orthodoxy for measures like declining to prosecute certain crimes and pursuing alternatives to imprisonment, and Conway ran to her right, casting her as too lenient. But his pitch wasnt compelling enough, either on its own merits, those of its vessel, or due to the fields breadth: Conways professional career has been largely in the private sector, specifically finance; his fellow challengers, Donna More and Bob Fioretti, split the anti-Foxx vote too much for it to consolidate behind one candidate. Still, it wasnt a smooth race. Over the last year the Smollett case has become a culture-war hobbyhorse for many conservatives. The refusal of Foxxs office to charge the actor smacked of black privilege and leftist privilege, some claimed at the time, whereby the black SA was ushering in a regime of racial cronyism to protect the black and famous. In fact, shed ushered in a prosecutorial ethos that de-prioritized nonviolent crimes. Smollett was more standard beneficiary than dramatic outlier. And critics have yet to explain convincingly how throwing the book at him wouldve advanced public safety. Meanwhile, Foxxs tenure has overseen drops in both overall crime and incarceration rates. Her expansion of diversion programs and establishment of prosecutorial units dedicated to gun violence have delivered on campaign promises to be less punitive and make the public safer at the same time. Smollett was, for many detractors, reason enough to dash these gains. The right-leaning Chicago Tribune hosted an hour-long debate in January featuring Foxx and her challengers. A full 30 minutes was dedicated to grilling her over her handling of Smollett. Now, barring the unlikely, Foxx will have at least four more years to continue her agenda. Her success on Tuesday speaks to the inability of her challengers to turn one unpopular decision into an election-determining scandal. But it does little to quell concerns about the resistance shell likely face moving forward. Aside from the negative attacks shes faced during the primary campaign, shes been protested by police unions and decried by pundits and pols, including President Trump. Her second term will be conspicuously devoid of goodwill from factions that regularly claim to privilege public safety above all else. Fortunately for her and for many of the most vulnerable Chicagoans shes delivering the results she promised. Smollett is still being summoned to court to face the citys ongoing ire; a special prosecutor recently filed many of the same charges against him that were originally dropped. But it looks very much like hes no longer Foxxs reelection year problem. Cook County should be as glad about that as she is. The next time you eat a bowl of rice you might appreciate the fact that the rice paddy fields that produced the rice might have allowed an inland migratory bird to fuel by feeding on insects during its monumental journey covering thousands of kilometers across oceans. Scientists in Japan set out to track the journey of migratory birds with the use of GPS tracking devices, allowing for detailed data on their routes. The little ringed plover (Charadrius dubius) is an inland freshwater wader. This particular group of plover's migration routes is East Asian-Australasian, but little ringed plovers can be found in many parts of the world including Europe. Their flyway had not been studied in-depth, unlike other species of migratory birds who are coastal. The research group lead by Satoe Kasahara of Shinshu University began their study of the birds at the gravel ground bank of the Chikuma River in Nagano City in the early summer of 2017. This location happens to be very close to the location of the Shinkansen bullet trains that got submerged in water during typhoon Hagibis in October of 2019. In 2017, at the time of the study, the river had also flooded (to a lesser extent) which shortened the breeding period of the little ringed plover. Despite the unfavorable odds, uncertainties and obstacles, the research team successfully completed this research which relied on the return of the birds a year later to the same site, a likelihood that is said to be 30%. "I have nothing but gratitude for the plovers," Assistant Professor Kasahara reiterated; without them, the researchers could not have elucidated the routes and habitat of plovers. By understanding their favored grounds and annual life cycle activities, conservation efforts and breeding could be more successful. The team was lucky some of the birds returned the following year, allowing Assistant Professor Kasahara to let out a big sigh of relief upon their serendipitous reunion. Her team diligently recaptured 3 males and 3 females at the same breeding site along the Chikuma River in Nagano. Two birds returned with complete data sets. This included the wintering site and autumn and spring migration routes. Two had incomplete spring migration data because the GPS stopped working. The remaining two birds only had migration data until mid or late October, also because the GPS stopped working or the antenna for position fixing was lost. All were healthy, uninjured and released after data retrieval. The birds travelled 3108 to 4226 kilometers over 32 to 136 days to their wintering sites. To put this into perspective, a flight from New York to Los Angeles is a little less than 4000km. A flight from New York to London is 5600km. Wintering areas were defined as the place where plovers stayed for more than 2 months without long-distance flight (more than 50km). The accuracy of the data points allowed the researchers to learn that rice paddy fields were the plover's preferred place to stay. The researchers noticed the plovers used rice paddies more in the non-breeding season when the birds are in the southern nations such as Taiwan and the Philippines. These locations have rice cultivation year-round allowing for the birds to have dependable access to insects in wet locations. In the spring, the plovers travelled faster northbound, perhaps eager to increase the success of their breeding. Little ringed plovers breed in open gravel grounds. If open gravel grounds near freshwater are maintained in Japan, plovers will likely continue to breed successfully due to their ingrained tendency to return to previously occupied sites. Migratory birds are on the decline world-wide with an increase in human activity and habitats decreasing. It is crucial for their conservation that we understand how these migratory wading birds live. The change in management of rice paddy fields may have negatively impacted the reliance of wading birds on rice paddy fields where new drainage systems decreased the availability of insects. The Kochi-dori, as the plovers are called in Japan are truly amazing birds, displaying a range of intriguing characteristic behaviors such as injury feigning and the rodent run, which mimics the way small rodents run to confuse potential predators. Assistant Professor Kasahara hopes to continue the study of the little ringed plover whose routes may differ according to different breeding sites. Through studying birds of different breeding sites, new crucial habitats may be elucidated. Floods halted the breeding season prematurely in 2017. If this had not occurred, the plovers may have stayed longer in Japan. Assistant Professor Kasahara hopes to continue research to elucidate differences according to year. ### This research was conducted with legal permission from local and national governments. This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI grant (JP 17K00643). Two people associated with Wayne State University have tested positive for the coronavirus COVID-19, the first confirmed cases of COVID-19 at WSU. The two individuals are under the care of trained clinicians and will be in isolation off campus, said the letter from Wayne State President Roy Wilson. Health authorities are reaching out to students, faculty and staff who may have had direct contact with the two, the letter said. Those individuals will be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days, monitor their symptoms, and call their personal care providers or the Campus Health Center if they experience symptoms consistent with COVID-19, the letter said. I know this announcement causes you concern, and this is understandable, Wilson said in the letter. This is serious, and as a medical doctor with a background in epidemiology, I share your concern. Please know that the university has been active in our preparations for this event since well before the coronavirus became a pandemic, and we will continue to do all we can to minimize the risk to our campus community. Wilson also reminded the college community to take precautions, such as hand-washing and staying away from others if they are feeling ill. This virus is very contagious now is not the time for this sort of heroism," Wilson said, adding that people with symptoms -- fever, dry cough and/or shortness of breath -- should call the Campus Health Center or their primary care provider for evaluation. Wayne State is maintaining a COVID-19 website is to provide updates. Eighty cases of coronavirus had been confirmed in Michigan as of March 17, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer today said there are at least 30 more cases. Most of the cases have been reported in metro Detroit. Wayne State is based in Detroit. 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 In total, 24 people have been hospitalized with suspected coronavirus in Lviv region. Six people with suspected coronavirus have been admitted to the Lviv Regional Infectious Clinical Hospital. All patients earlier returned from trips to countries where coronavirus cases had been recorded, as reported by the press service of Lviv Regional State Administration. According to the acting chief of the local administration's health department, Andriy Vasko, all patients are now in stable condition and undergoing physicals. Their test samples for COVID-19 are yet to be examined in a specialized lab in Kyiv Read alsoCOVID-19 in Ukraine: 14, incl. two babies, test positive; second death confirmed In total, 24 people have been hospitalized in Lviv region with suspected coronavirus, of whom 12 persons are young people who had recently returned from abroad. As UNIAN reported earlier, fourteen Ukrainians tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to the Ukrainian Health Ministry's Public Health Center. Two of the confirmed cases were lethal (in Chernivtsi and Zhytomyr regions). The defence ministry on Wednesday gave a green light to the purchase of 83 Light Combat Aircraft Mk-1A advanced Tejas jets from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and the proposal would be sent to the Cabinet Committee on Security for final approval soon, a ministry spokesperson said. The deal, expected to be worth 38,000 crore, is critical for HAL to prevent a complete halt of production at its facilities. HT reported on January 11 that HALs order books are empty beyond 2021-22 and new orders from the armed forces --- especially for the 83 jets --- are critical for continuity in production. While orders of 40 Tejas aircraft had been placed with HAL in initial configurations, the Defence Acquisition Council paved the way for procurement of 83 of the more advanced Mk-1A version of the aircraft from HAL by finalising the contractual and other issues, the spokesperson said after a DAC meeting. He said the purchase would provide a significant boost to the Make in India initiative. The deal for the 83 Mk-1A jets will take the total number of Tejas variants ordered to 123. The 40 LCAs already ordered by the IAF are in the initial operational clearance (IOC) and the more advanced final operational clearance (FOC) configurations. The LCA Mk-1A will come with additional improvements over the FOC aircraft, making it the most advanced Tejas variant so far. The Mk-1A variant is expected to come with digital radar warning receivers, external self-protection jammer pods, active electronically scanned array radar, advanced beyond-visual-range missiles and significantly improved maintainability. HAL is expected to deliver the first Mk-1A jet to the IAF three years after the deal is signed. The deal was earlier expected to be worth around 50,000 crore but it turned out to be cheaper as the air force reduced its requirements for spares and support facilities for the fighter jets. The Mk-1A jets will form the bulk of the IAFs combat squadrons as it attempts to make up the shortfall in its fighter fleet, said Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retd), additional director general, Centre for Air Power Studies. The Mk-1A jets will also serve as a stepping stone for the Tejas Mk-2 fighters on which the IAF has placed high hopes, Bahadur added. The IAF is struggling with a shortage of warplanes. Compared to an optimum strength of 42-plus units required to fight a two-front war, the count of the IAFs fighter squadrons has shrunk to 31. In a report tabled in Parliament in December 2019, the Parliamentary standing committee on defence said all-out steps should be taken to ensure that the order book position of defence public sector units such as HAL improved in the coming years and the ministry should extend full cooperation to achieve that. The DAC, headed by defence minister Rajnath Singh, also approved the acquisition of indigenous military hardware worth 1,300 crore including aerial fuses and twin-dome simulators for the IAFs Hawk trainer aircraft. The council also approved an amendment to the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP)-2016 to enable review by a costing committee of bids submitted by joint ventures of defence public sector undertakings/Ordnance Factory Board /Defence Research and Development Organisation from whom purchases are made on a nomination basis. This will bring about more transparency in costs and compress the timelines for negotiation of the contract, the spokesperson added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON EU approves 30-day travel ban as coronavirus spreads Many EU states have reintroduced border controls or completely closed the borders to prevent the spread of the virus which severely disrupts the EUs internal market. The European Union on Tuesday approved a 30-day ban for non-essential travel to its 27 member states for people from non-member nations, in a bid to stem the spread of coronavirus. The EU heads of state and government held a three-hour videoconference to discuss the blocs further steps against the spread of the virus and preventing the economic fallout. "EU NATIONALS WILL RECEIVE HELP TO RETURN HOME" The travel to the EU for non-EU citizens will be restricted for 30 days, which can be extended. All EU nationals will receive help to return home, the European Councils President Charles Michel announced at a news conference. UK nationals still can enter the EUs territory, as they are considered as EU nationals during the post-Brexit transition period till the end of this year, the European Commissions President Ursula von der Leyen clarified at the same news conference. Citizens of the European countries that are members of the Schengen zone can also enter the EU. EU leaders also welcomed the European Commissions proposals on economic measures and reassuring the provision of goods between European states by creating special green lanes at borders for lorries carrying food and healthcare equipment, von der Leyen said. EU leaders also agreed to hold a videoconference every week to discuss the latest developments as part of its the fight against the virus. Market Tries To Rebound Amidst Growing Number Of Coronavirus Cases Yesterday, S&P 500 finished the day with an almost 12% loss. This was one of the worst days in the market history. Today, the U.S. stock market will try to gain some ground as bargain hunters will step in to initate positions in beaten stocks. It remains to be seen whether such a rebound attempt would be successful since the situation on the coronavirus front continues to worsen. Currently, there are 27,980 cases in Italy, 14,991 in Iran, 9,942 in Spain, 8,320 in Korea, 7,272 in Germany, 6,633 in France and 4,667 in the U.S. So far, only China and Korea managed to contain the spread of the virus so that the quantity of new cases in these countries is low. Others see a rapid increase in the number of new patients everyday, prompting increasingly tough restrictive measures to combat the spread of coronavirus. Officials Do Not Hope For A Quick Resolution Of The Current Situation Typically, government officials sound rather optimistic as they try to prevent people and markets from panic. The current situation is different. German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier expects that the coronavirus crisis may last until the end of May, while U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the crisis could last till August. The stock market participants agree with this view as any material rebound during the current downturn has been sold. The main problem right now is the uncertainty since neither government officials nor investors have the tools to assess the true cost of coronavirus-containment measures and the duration of the crisis. The market never likes uncertainty. In fact, bad news are better than uncertainty, so investors and traders should expect continued volatility in the coming days and weeks. Beaten Stocks In Spotlight Energy majors, like Exxon Mobil, BP, and Total, will attract a lot of attention today after the yesterdays sell-off. This year, big energy companies have lost more than 50% of their market capitalization. In order for the market panic to stop, these big names need to attract investor support at their new levels. Story continues As the coronavirus-related measures are implemeted at an increasingly larger scale, leading banks like Bank of America or Citigroup will also find themselves under investors lens as their portfolio could quickly deteriorate if the crisis drags on for a long time. This article was originally posted on FX Empire More From FXEMPIRE: Most people feel a little frustrated if a stock they own goes down in price. But in the short term the market is a voting machine, and the share price movements may not reflect the underlying business performance. The China Construction Bank Corporation (HKG:939) is down 12% over a year, but the total shareholder return is -7.5% once you include the dividend. That's better than the market which returned -21% over the last year. However, the longer term returns haven't been so bad, with the stock down 4.6% in the last three years. Unhappily, the share price slid 3.3% in the last week. View our latest analysis for China Construction Bank 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 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 China Construction Bank share price fell, it actually saw its earnings per share (EPS) improve by 1.9%. Of course, the situation might betray previous over-optimism about growth. By glancing at these numbers, we'd posit that the the market had expectations of much higher growth, last year. But other metrics might shed some light on why the share price is down. We don't see any weakness in the China Construction Bank's dividend so the steady payout can't really explain the share price drop. From what we can see, revenue is pretty flat, so that doesn't really explain the share price drop. Unless, of course, the market was expecting a revenue uptick. You can see how earnings and revenue have changed over time in the image below (click on the chart to see the exact values). SEHK:939 Income Statement, March 18th 2020 China Construction Bank is well known by investors, and plenty of clever analysts have tried to predict the future profit levels. So we recommend checking out this free report showing consensus forecasts Story continues What About Dividends? As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). The TSR incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. It's fair to say that the TSR gives a more complete picture for stocks that pay a dividend. As it happens, China Construction Bank's TSR for the last year was -7.5%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. And there's no prize for guessing that the dividend payments largely explain the divergence! A Different Perspective While it's certainly disappointing to see that China Construction Bank shares lost 7.5% throughout the year, that wasn't as bad as the market loss of 21%. Of course, the long term returns are far more important and the good news is that over five years, the stock has returned 4.9% for each year. It could be that the business is just facing some short term problems, but shareholders should keep a close eye on the fundamentals. 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. Case in point: We've spotted 1 warning sign for China Construction Bank you should be aware of. If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of companies that have proven they can grow earnings. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on HK exchanges. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading. BERLIN - Germany has not faced a challenge like the new coronavirus outbreak since World War II and every person in the country must help protect those most vulnerable to illness, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday night in her first direct televised address to the nation other than her annual New Years speech, Merkel, a physicist by training, who has led Germany for over 14 years, said that while researchers are racing to develop a vaccine to prevent infections and medications to treat COID-19, slowing the spread of the virus is currently the only way to minimize the number of people who get sick. Let me tell you: This is serious. Take it seriously ,too, Merkel said in a speech aired by several public and private TV stations. Germany has an excellent health system, perhaps one of the best in the world, she said. But our hospitals, too, would be completely overwhelmed if too many patients would be delivered in too short a time. Germany had 11,973 confirmed virus cases as of Wednesday evening, the fifth-highest number in the world, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. Among all the people with the virus in the country, 28 have died, the universitys tally said. Those patients are not just abstract statistics but, a father or a grandfather, a mother or a grandmother, a partner. They are human beings, the chancellor said. And we are a community in which every life, every human being, counts. While updating worldwide infections to more than 214,000 since the new virus emerged, Johns Hopkins University said more than 82,000 people have recovered. COVID-19 respiratory illness causes only mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough in most people, with severe cases more likely in the elderly and those with existing health problems. Earlier Wednesday, the German government said it had arranged in co-ordination with state officials to increase hospital capacities, especially for patients requiring intensive care. The government also directed hospitals to check if discarded beds and medical devices could be put back into service, saying experts were predicting the number of cases to rise quickly in coming weeks. In her speech, Merkel called on everyone in the country of 83 million to stay home and to practice social distancing when they must go out despite the natural instinct to want to come together during times of worry. I appeal to you: Please obey the rules, which will now be valid for the coming times, Merkel said. We as a government will constantly check what needs to be corrected but also, what perhaps still needs to be done. Germanys Interior Ministry said Wednesday night that restrictions on entering the country were being immediately expanded to include checks of passengers flying in from Italy, Austria, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Denmark and Switzerland. Cross-border commuters will need to carry forms documenting their need to travel for work, and others should avoid coming to Germany, the Interior Ministry said. The German government previously closed schools, universities, clubs and movie theatres but has refrained from strictly limiting the populations movements and locking down the entire country like Italy, Spain and France have in response to the worldwide pandemic. ___ ___ Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak ___ 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. Death toll in Europes hardest-hit nation surges again with the biggest daily jump since the contagion came to light. Hard-hit Italy reported an additional 475 deaths from the virus on Wednesday, and France imposed a draconian lockdown unseen during peacetime. In the United States, the virus has now spread to all 50 states. The coronavirus has now infected more than 200,000 people and killed more than 8,000 globally, with over 83,000 people having recovered from the infection, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for more aggressive action to curb coronavirus in Southeast Asia after the European Union, now at the epicentre of the pandemic, moved to seal off its borders. Here are all the latest updates: Wednesday, March 18 20:58 GMT Second coronavirus death in Turkey confirmed Turkey on Wednesday confirmed its second death from coronavirus. We have lost a 61-year-old male patient. I wish Allahs mercy upon him, said the countrys Health Minister Dr Fahrettin Koca in a tweet. Meanwhile, 93 new cases were confirmed, raising the tally to 191 in the country, Koca said. The confirmation of the second death comes after Koca said on Tuesday that an 89-year-old man had died the first fatality from the virus in Turkey. 20:50 GMT Trump invokes act to marshal private sector against virus Managing dual health and economic crises, President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he would invoke a federal provision that allows the United States government to marshal the private sector in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Trump, appearing in the White House briefing room for the third day in a row, said he would sign the Defense Production Act in case we need it as the government bolsters resources for an expected surge in cases of the virus. Read more here. 20:40 GMT Irans supreme leader to pardon 10,000 prisoners, political ones too Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will pardon 10,000 prisoners including political ones in honour of the Iranian new year on Friday, state TV reported. Those who will be pardoned will not return to jail almost half of those security-related prisoners will be pardoned as well, judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili told state TV. 20:27 GMT Oil prices plummet 24 percent on recession fears Oil prices had another jaw-dropping skid Wednesday, sending the price of US crude oil below $21 a barrel for the first time since 2002. Benchmark US oil lost $6.58, or 24.4 percent, to settle at $20.37 a barrel. Brent, the international standard, dropped $2.85, or 13.4 percent, to close at $24.88. Investors are betting that demand for oil will be down sharply as factories close and as people have put off holidays and business trips in order to stay home and minimise the risk of spreading the coronavirus. Read more here. 20:18 GMT Rising number of medical staff infected with coronavirus in Italy As coronavirus cases jump and deaths surge in Italy, new figures show an enormous level of contagion among the countrys medical personnel. At least 2,629 health workers have been infected by coronavirus since the onset of the outbreak in February, representing more than 8 percent of total cases, according to a report published on Wednesday by Gruppo Italiano per la Medicina Basata sulle Evidenze or GIMBE Italys Group for Evidence-based Medicine. Read more here. Many who tend to coronavirus patients are still only using surgical face masks with no proper protective filters to shield them from contagion [Reuters] 19:57 GMT Dutch minister for medical care collapses during coronavirus debate The Dutch Minister for Medical Care Bruno Bruins collapsed briefly during a debate in parliament on the coronavirus because of what he called exhaustion from weeks of intense work. Bruins, 56, fell behind the speakers lectern while taking questions and was helped up by fellow ministers. He took a sip of water and was seen leaving the room unassisted. 19:43 Bernie Sanders calls for lifting US sanctions against Iran amid pandemic US Senator and Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders has called for the lifting of US sanctions against Iran as the Middle East nation struggles with the coronavirus pandemic. Iran has over 17,000 coronavirus cases and 1,135 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. Iran is facing a catastrophic toll from the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. sanctions should not be contributing to this humanitarian disaster. As a caring nation, we must lift any sanctions hurting Irans ability to address this crisis, including financial sanctions. https://t.co/OBjff1nsxz Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) March 18, 2020 19:36 GMT WHO chief calls COVID-19 enemy against humanity The chief of the World Health Organization said the new coronavirus was an enemy against humanity, as the number of people infected in the pandemic soared past 200,000. This coronavirus is presenting us with an unprecedented threat, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told journalists in a virtual news conference, stressing that it was an unprecedented opportunity to come together as one against a common enemy: an enemy against humanity. 19:21 GMT EU calls on streaming platforms to ease pressure on internet capacity European Union Industry Chief Thierry Breton called on streaming platforms to take measures to prevent internet congestion caused by thousands of people teleworking due to the coronavirus outbreak. Streaming platforms, telecom operators and users, we all have a joint responsibility to take steps to ensure the smooth functioning of the Internet during the battle against the virus propagation, Breton said in a statement. 19:11 GMT First virus death in Sub-Saharan Africa as WHO warns prepare for worst Sub-Saharan Africa recorded its first coronavirus death, a high-ranking politician in Burkina Faso, as the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) urged the continent to prepare for the worst. Africa should wake up, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference in Geneva, pointing out that in other countries, we have seen how the virus actually accelerates after a certain tipping point. Africa has lagged behind the global curve for coronavirus infections and deaths, but in the past few days has seen a significant rise in cases. 19:06 GMT Indian Corona shop gains selfie fame amid virus pandemic A clothing store named Corona in a small town in India has become a hotspot for selfies as the deadly new coronavirus pandemic sweeps the world. The shop owner, who gave his name as Pareed, said people were flocking to his store in the southern state of Kerala, many take photos in front of the outdoor sign and ask him questions about the name. 19:02 GMT M edical facilities will soon be unable to help new cases: Lombardy governor Lombardy President Attilio Fontana said medical facilities will soon be unable to help new coronavirus cases, urging Italians to stay at home, Italys local media outlet ANSA reported. Unfortunately the numbers of the contagion are not falling, they continue to be high, Fontana said. We will soon be unable to give a response to those who fall ill. Stay at home: if you dont understand that well have to be more aggressive, he added. 18:58 GMT Merkel calls coronavirus biggest challenge since WWII Germany is facing its biggest challenge since the Second World War in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a television address urging citizens to heed sweeping confinement measures. In her dramatic appeal, Merkel urged everyone to play a part in slowing down a virus that has raced across the globe and triggered unprecedented peace-time lockdowns. The situation is serious. Take it seriously. Not since German reunification, no, not since the Second World War has our country faced a challenge that depends so much on our collective solidarity, she said. 18:55 GMT Germany expands entry restrictions to flights from several EU countries Germany expanded entry restrictions to include flights from Italy, Spain, Austria, France, Luxembourg, Denmark and Switzerland, the interior ministry said on Wednesday as authorities are racing to slow the spread of the coronavirus. An interior ministry spokesman said the new entry restrictions also apply to sea transport from Denmark. 18:53 GMT Bosnia minister calls for confining migrants due to virus Bosnias security minister called for confining migrants to tents surround by barbed wire to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, as the pandemic throws up new obstacles for refugees trying to reach a locked-down Europe. While Bosnia has only detected some 40 infections of COVID-19 so far, authorities are fearful of a major outbreak that could cripple the countrys healthcare systems. 18:46 GMT France reports 89 new coronavirus deaths in last 24 hours: official The coronavirus outbreak has caused 89 new deaths across France over the last 24 hours bringing the total death toll in the country to 264, a top French health official said. We have an epidemic that is rapidly becoming more serious, Jerome Salomon told reporters, adding that France now had 9,134 confirmed cases, 3,626 of whom were in hospital. 18:42 GMT Zara owner offers to make scrubs for Spains coronavirus-stretched hospitals Zara retail store owner Inditex may soon be stitching hospital scrubs, helping its home country Spain fight the coronavirus epidemic, the company said. Inditex, which earlier said the epidemic had shut nearly half its stores around the world, said it was studying converting part of its textile manufacturing capacity in Spain to produce hospital gowns. 18:37 GMT US nursing homes warn of looming shortage of masks and gowns Many nursing homes risk running out of protective masks and gowns by next week because of the coronavirus, and at least one facility already had to resort to using plastic garbage bags to make gowns, an industry group warned. We really need to take drastic action to conserve masks and gowns going forward, said Dr David Gifford, chief medical officer at the American Health Care Association, one of the main trade groups representing the nations 15,600 nursing homes. 18:25 GMT Portugal moves to declare state of emergency to fight coronavirus Portugal is to declare a nationwide 15-day state of emergency to fight the spread of coronavirus, which will make it easier for the government to reduce peoples movements. Parliament will later vote on a draft decree calling for a state of emergency that allows for some constitutional rights and freedoms to be suspended, such as the freedom of movement and the right to protest. 17:49 GMT First two coronavirus deaths confirmed in Pakistan Pakistan State Minister of Health Zafar Mirza confirmed the first coronavirus death in the South Asian country, in the city of Mardan in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province. The patient was a 50-year-old man who had recently returned from Saudi Arabia. With deep regret I confirm the death of first Pakistani due to #coronavirus. A 50 yr old male from Mardan recently returned from Umra, developed fever, cough & breathing difficulty and tested +ve for corona virus. Contacts are being screened. Our condolences to the family. <262> Zafar Mirza (@zfrmrza) March 18, 2020 A second patient was pronounced dead in the province, in the city of Peshawar, KP Minister Taimur Jhagra posted in a tweet. The patient was a 36-year-old man from Hangu, KP. Sadly, a second patient in LRH Peshawar, a 36 yr old, from Hangu, has also passed away, from the Corona Virus. Taimur Khan Jhagra (@Jhagra) March 18, 2020 17:40 GMT Peruvian president announces nighttime curfew as coronavirus spreads Perus President Martin Vizcarra announced an immediate restriction on overnight movement across the country in a bid to halt the spread of coronavirus. Vizcarra said Peruvians should remain in their homes between 8pm local time (01:00 GMT) and 5am local time (10:00 GMT). The number infected by the coronavirus in the country rose to 145, from 117 reported on Tuesday, according to the Ministry of Health. 17:20 GMT Italy reports 475 new coronavirus deaths; toll reaches 2,978 The death toll from the outbreak of coronavirus in Italy surged in the last 24 hours by 475 to 2,978, an increase of 19 percent. It was the biggest jump in numerical terms since the contagion came to light last month. The total number of cases in Italy, the European country hardest hit by the virus, rose to 35,713 from a previous 31,506, up 13.35 percent, the Civil Protection Agency said. Of those originally infected, 4,025 had fully recovered compared to 2,941 the day before. Some 2,257 people were in intensive care against a previous 2,060. 17:15 GMT WHO chief says COVID-19 enemy against humanity The head of the World Health Organization said the new coronavirus was an enemy against humanity as the number of people infected in the pandemic soared past 200,000. This coronavirus is presenting us with an unprecedented threat, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told journalists in a virtual news conference, stressing it was an unprecedented opportunity to come together as one against a common enemy: an enemy against humanity. 17:08 GMT Donald Trump likens himself to a wartime president The US leader said he saw himself as a wartime president as the United States further stepped up its emergency efforts to battle the coronavirus outbreak.I view (myself) as a, in a sense, a wartime president. I mean, thats what were fighting. I mean, its a very tough situation here, he told reporters at the White House. 17:00 GMT US worried coronavirus could hit young adults Younger people in France and Italy are falling seriously ill from coronavirus, a worrying development that suggests young adults are more susceptible to becoming sick than earlier thought, a White House official said. There are concerning reports coming out of France and Italy about young people getting very seriously ill, White House coronavirus task force coordinator Deborah Birx said at a White House briefing. It may have been that the millennial generation our largest generation, our future generation that will carry us through for the next multiple decades there may be a disproportional number of infections among that group, she said. 16:41 GMT Turkish plane not allowed to fly to Khartoum Sudanese passengers on a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Khartoum scheduled for Tuesday were transferred to a hotel after the flight was grounded amid the Sudanese governments decision to close its borders over the coronavirus fears. In a statement sent to Al Jazeera, Turkish officials said they discussed with the Sudanese government to make an exception for the aircraft and allow it in. But the Sudanese government refused. Upon reports that there were passengers who do not want to get off the plane, Turkish officials contacted the Sudan Consulate General. Following these talks, the passengers still refused to get off the plane, the statement said. The next day around 09:00 GMT, the passengers agreed to evacuate the plane and transfer to a hotel free of charge. Claims by some social media accounts linked to Saudi Arabia that said Sudanese passengers were beaten or assaulted were untrue, the statement said. Were going to sleep here until you depart us to Sudan. Passengers on board a flight from Istanbul to Khartoum were left in limbo after Sudan closed its borders due to the coronavirus outbreak. pic.twitter.com/qOfBHbbR5D Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 17, 2020 16:33 GMT Pharma giant Bayer to donate potential virus drug to US The German pharmaceutical company Bayer is expected to make a large donation to the United States government of a drug that has shown some potential in helping patients suffering from the new coronavirus, according to a senior Health and Human Services official and another source who has direct knowledge, media outlet Axios reported. 16:13 GMT Sanders to assess campaign after Biden sweeps latest primaries, coronavirus fears Leftist Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders was reviewing the future of his campaign for the White House Wednesday after Democratic rival Joe Biden soundly defeated him in the latest primaries and took a strong lead toward winning the Democratic presidential nomination. With the global coronavirus epidemic forcing more states to postpone primaries and both candidates to halt public rallies and turn to virtual campaigning, former frontrunner Sanders was under pressure to bow out of the race and let Biden focus on the November election fight against President Donald Trump. The next primary contest is at least three weeks away, said Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir in a statement. 15:59 GMT Information on Mideast cases insufficiently shared: WHO The World Health Organization said on Wednesday that information on the coronavirus cases in the Middle East is insufficiently communicated by countries to WHO. In a virtual press conference, the WHO warned against the lack of information saying it wont be able to control this disease, without full access to data. 15:43 GMT No evidence ibuprofen worsens coronavirus: EU drugs watchdog The European Unions healthcare regulator has said there currently is no evidence which links anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen with the worsening of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said, on Wednesday, that it was monitoring the situation, adding that patients and healthcare professionals should consider all treatment options including paracetamol and anti-inflammatory drugs to treat fever or pain in patients with COVID-19. Read more here. 15:33 GMT Canada announces Can$82 bln coronavirus aid package Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Can$27 billion in direct aid Wednesday to help workers and businesses cope with the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. He said tax payments worth an estimated Can$55 billion could also be deferred until August. The combined amount equals 3 percent of this G7 nations gross domestic product (GDP). This wide-ranging support will help ensure Canadians can pay for rent and groceries, and help businesses continue to pay their employees and their bills during this time of uncertainty, said a statement. 15:22 GMT Virus fears grip Wall Street again, Dow falls over 1,000 points Uncertainty is gaining the upper hand on Wall Street again, with stocks opening sharply lower as coronavirus fears continue to inject unprecedented volatility into the market. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell more than 1,000 points at the opening bell on Wall Street or 4 percent. The index continued to head downwards to dip below 20,000. Read more here. 15:19 GMT Turkey to close borders with Greece, Bulgaria: report Turkey will close its rail and land border with Bulgaria and Greece from midnight over the new coronavirus outbreak, after Ankara opened the gates for refugees heading to Europe. The land and rail border gates will be closed to exits and entries from 2100 GMT today (Wednesday) as ordered by a circular issued by the interior ministry, the private Dogan news agency reported. 15:00 GMT Coronavirus outbreak could destroy up to 25 million jobs: UN The coronavirus pandemic could trigger a global economic crisis and destroy up to 25 million jobs around the world if governments do not act fast to shield workers from the impact, the International Labour Organization (ILO) said. However, if we see an internationally coordinated policy response, as happened in the global financial crisis of 2008/9, then the impact on global unemployment could be significantly lower, ILO said. The organisation called for urgent, large-scale and coordinated measures to protect workers in the workplace, stimulate the economy and support jobs and incomes. 14:40 GMT UAE bans citizens from travelling abroad over coronavirus The United Arab Emirates said it had banned its citizens from travelling abroad until further notice over coronavirus fears, the state news agency WAM reported. 13:56 GMT Pound dives to more than 3-decade lows as selloff intensifies The British pound plunged to its lowest levels in more than three decades barring a flash crash in October 2016 as concerns about the economic impact of the coronavirus overshadowed any stimulus efforts by policymakers so far. While the British currency has been under selling pressure since last week after it hit a two-month high above $1.31, the selloff accelerated on Wednesday as traders dumped positions across the board. 13:47 GMT US-Canada border to close to nonessential travel: Trump The United States and Canada border will close to nonessential traffic, US President Donald Trump tweeted, saying details on the move would be announced later but that it would not affect trade between the two countries. We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected. Details to follow! Trump wrote. We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected. Details to follow! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2020 13:37 GMT Dow takes another tumble Wall Streets main indexes tumbled once again at the open on Wednesday as growing signs of coronavirus damage to corporate America overshadowed optimism about sweeping official moves to protect the economy. The Dow fell 1,100 points, or 5.4%, at the open to 20,188.69, while the broad-based S&P 500 slumped 4.9 percent to 2,404.96, and the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index tumbled 4.5 percent to 7,003.31, The broad-based S&P 500 slumped 4.9 percent to 2,404.96, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index tumbled 4.5 percent to 7,003.31.at the opening bell. 13:20 GMT Coronavirus doom means boom for pasta makers It may be all doom and gloom as the coronavirus outbreak completely upends the world we knew but pasta makers may never have had it so good as panic-stricken shoppers stock up on a basic food to survive the crisis. Scenes of mayhem in supermarkets around the world typically hone in on pasta shelves stripped bare in a matter of minutes, sending manufacturers into overdrive to try and keep up with demand. We are now 90 percent up in our sales over the past three weeks and more recently, up more than 100 percent, Xavier Riescher, head of Frances top agri-food company the Panzani group, told AFP news agency. Riescher, who is also head of the French pasta makers industry association, said his factories normally did not operate over the weekend but that has all changed now and they are on the go night and day. This is Usaid Siddiqui taking over from my colleague Mersiha Gadzo. 12:36 GMT Decisions on UK schools to be taken imminently: PM Johnson British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the government will take further decisions imminently on the possible closure of schools. The pressure is mounting on the government to formally shut schools as many across the UK struggle to stay open, with some forced to partially or fully close due to rising staff and student absences due to the virus. Johnson also said the UK is stepping up testing for coronavirus to 25,000 a day. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said pressure on the National Health Service needs to be relieved [Reuters] 12:30 GMT Austria to prove 38 billion euro aid package Austria will help with up to 38 billion euros ($42bn) to secure jobs and make sure coronavirus hit companies remain liquid, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said. With the clear goal, no matter what it takes, we try to support the people in our country, said Kurz. Austria will also provide another nine billion euros in guarantees and warranties, 15 billion euros in emergency aid and 10 billion euros in tax deferrals, he said. 12:00 GMT No evidence ibuprofen worsens COVID-19: EU drugs agency The European Unions healthcare regulator said there currently is no evidence which links anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen with the worsening of COVID-19. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it was monitoring the situation and said patients and healthcare professionals should consider all treatment options including paracetamol and anti-inflammatory drugs to treat fever or pain in patients with COVID-19. 11:20 GMT Al Jazeera urges Egypt to release jailed reporter Al Jazeera has called on the Egyptian government to release Mahmoud Hussein, an Al Jazeera journalist held in Egypt for more than three years, citing deep concerns about his health amid the coronavirus outbreak. Read more here. Al Jazeeras Mahmoud Hussein has been held in Egypt for more than 1,200 days [Al Jazeera] 11:05 GMT Infections could reach 10 million if Germans do not act: Official Germany could be dealing with 10 million coronavirus infections in the coming months if its citizens do not adhere to measures aimed at slowing the spread of the virus, the countrys top disease control official said. We have an exponential development in the epidemic, Lothar Wieler, president of the Robert Koch Institute, said in Berlin. He appealed to Germanys 80 million people to limit contact with others. 11:00 GMT Iran reports spike in deaths Iran reported 147 more deaths from the coronavirus, its single biggest jump. The 15 percent spike raised the death toll to 1,135 people nationwide. The rise in deaths comes as the number of infections continues to grow each day, with some 17,361 people infected, according to Irans deputy health minister, Alireza Raisi. Bank employees wear protective face masks and clothes at work in Tehran [Ali Khara /WANA via Reuters] 10:40 GMT Coronavirus can survive on some surfaces for days: Study The coronavirus can survive up to four hours on copper, a day on cardboard and up to three days on plastic and stainless steel, according to research published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Read more about it here. 10:30 GMT Indonesia reports 55 new cases, biggest daily rise Indonesia announced 55 new coronavirus cases, taking the total to 227, marking the biggest daily rise in positive cases. Achmad Yurianto, a health ministry official, also told a news conference that the number of deaths from the disease rose to 19, with deaths recorded in seven different provinces, while 11 patients had recovered. Cleaning staff wearing protective mask disinfect a seat screen of an Emirates Airbus A380 in Dubai [Reuters] 10:15 GMT Pakistan PM: Cannot afford to shut down cities Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has called upon his countrymen not to panic amid a spike in coronavirus cases in the country, warning that the spread of COVID-19 was inevitable and that Pakistan could not afford the economic cost of shutting down its cities. Read more here. 10:07 GMT 276 Indians abroad have tested positive to date: Minister A total of 276 Indians abroad have tested positive for coronavirus to date, an Indian government minister said. The vast majority, 255, tested positive in Iran, with others in the United Arab Emirates, Italy, Kuwait, Sri Lanka, Rwanda and Hong Kong, Indias minister of state for external affairs, said in a written reply to a question in Parliament. 09:15 GMT In Pictures: How Qatar is coping with the pandemic With more than 400 confirmed cases, Qatar has implemented a series of measures to help contain the outbreak. View our photo essay here. On Sunday, Qatar announced a financial package that will provide incentives amounting to 75 billion Qatari riyals ($23bn) [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera] 09:05 GMT Malta to stop all incoming flights from Saturday Malta will stop all incoming passenger flights on Saturday and allow only cargo, humanitarian and repatriation flights to land to stop the spread of coronavirus. The Mediterranean island, which depends heavily on tourism, has reported 38 cases, of which 32 were people who had caught the disease abroad. 08:57 GMT Qatar Airways lays off around 200 staff Qatar Airways laid off about 200 employees, all Filipino nationals based in Qatar, according to the Philippine labour secretary. Silvestre Bello told Reuters news agency they were unexpectedly laid off by the airline. 08:50 GMT Philippines confirms 15 new cases The Philippines health ministry confirmed 15 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases to 202. 08:45 GMT Nigerian footballer Obi Mikel quits Turkish club Former Chelsea footballer John Obi Mikel has parted ways with his Turkish Super Lig club Trabzonspor after he refused to play due to the coronavirus pandemic. The players two-year contract was cancelled on Tuesday following his social media post confirming he was not comfortable playing until the coronavirus outbreak was over. Read more here. In an Instagram post, Mikel called for the cancellation of the league, saying there is more to life than football [Getty Images] 08:40 GMT Some US embassies to suspend routine visa services A number of US embassies worldwide will suspend routine visa services, the US embassy in South Korea said. The suspension will affect visa services at embassies in countries with a US State Department travel advisory level of 2, 3, or 4, the statement said. According to the US State Department website, as of Wednesday, the list included nearly 100 countries. 08:23 GMT France hopes for slowdown in eight to 12 days France could hope to see the number of coronavirus infections to slow down in about eight to 12 days following the governments decision to lock down the country, Health Minister Olivier Veran said. We will intervene where necessary to make sure people respect the confinement. When I look outside my window, I see that gradually people are getting the message, Veran told LCI TV. 08:15 GMT Indias poor testing rate may mask coronavirus cases Indian authorities have said they will not expand coronavirus testing, as most affected nations are doing, despite criticism that limited testing could leave COVID-19 cases undetected in the worlds second-most populous country. The WHO has urged countries to test as widely 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. Read more here. Indians waiting at a railway station wear protective masks in Mumbai, India [Rajanish Kakade/AP] 08:07 GMT Poland to receive gear, tests from China Poland will receive thousands of test kits and other protective items, such as masks, goggles and shoe covers, from China to help tackle the coronavirus outbreak, Polands Foreign Ministry said in a statement. China will send 20,000 masks, 5,000 protective suits, 5,000 medical goggles, 10,000 single-use medical gloves and 10,000 shoe covers to Poland, the statement said. 07:40 GMT Moldova reports first death Moldova reported its first death from coronavirus, the countrys health ministry said. The Eastern European country of 3.5 million has confirmed 30 cases of coronavirus so far. Customs officers check cars of passengers arriving at the Leuseni Custom, Moldova [Dumitru Doru/EPA] 07:11 GMT Malaysia shuts border with Singapore Malaysia shut its borders with Singapore, beginning a 14-day partial lockdown after coronavirus infections in the country spiked to the highest in Southeast Asia. Malaysia now has 673 confirmed cases of coronavirus. Vehicles form a long queue to enter a checkpoint in Singapore from across the causeway of the southern Malaysian state of Johor [Catherine LAI/ AFP] 07:07 GMT South African airlines SA Express suspends operations South African state-owned airline SA Express said it would suspend operations from Wednesday until further notice because of recent developments including the impact from the coronavirus pandemic. SA Express entered a form of bankruptcy protection earlier this year and flies to domestic and regional destinations. 06:55 GMT South Africas confirmed cases rise to 116 South Africas health ministry reported that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases has risen by 31 since Tuesday to 116. As government rolls out drastic measures, South Africans have begun to come to terms with life amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more about it here. _____________________________________________________________________________ This is Mersiha Gadzo in Doha taking over from my colleague Kate Mayberry in Kuala Lumpur. 05:30 GMT Canada and US to partially close borders: Globe and Mail Canada and the US will announce a deal to partially close their borders on Wednesday, the Globe and Mail reported, citing sources. The agreement will close the borders to non-essential travel but allow the transfer of medical supplies, food and other goods, the report said, citing an unnamed official. Canada closed its borders to all foreign nationals except US citizens and permanent residents on Monday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is under quarantine after his wife Sophie tested positive for the virus, earlier urged people to stay at home and restrict contact with others. 04:30 GMT Vietnam confirms second case linked to Malaysia mosque event Vietnam has confirmed an additional case of coronavirus linked to an event at a mosque in Malaysia that attracted more than 16,000 people. The latest known patient, a 36-year-old man, returned to Vietnam on March 4 on VietJet flight VJ826 from Kuala Lumpur, the health ministry said. Vietnam now has 67 cases of coronavirus. 04:25 GMT WHO calls on Southeast Asia to take aggressive action on virus The WHO has called on Southeast Asia to take aggressive action to combat the coronavirus, warning that some countries were heading towards community transmission, which could overwhelm already weak public healthcare systems. We need to immediately scale up all efforts to prevent the virus from infecting more people, said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHOs regional director. 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, she said. 03:25 GMT New Zealand confirms new cases, all from overseas New Zealand has confirmed eight new cases, all related to people who had recently travelled overseas, the health ministry said in a news conference on Wednesday. This takes the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country to 20. New Zealand implemented tough border restrictions on Saturday, asking everyone arriving in the country to self-isolate, and has banned big public gatherings. 03:15 GMT Hong Kong to order all international arrivals into quarantine Hong Kong will start issuing orders for 14-day compulsory quarantine to all people arriving in Hong Kong from overseas, regardless of whether they are Hong Kong residents. The measure comes into effect on March 19. 03:10 GMT Colombia turns to mass home isolation for the elderly Colombia will enforce mass home isolation for the elderly, President Ivan Duque said on Tuesday. The measure will come into effect on Friday. The United Kingdom has also been considering whether to ask the elderly, who are more at risk, to stay at home. 03:05 GMT Brazil seeking state of emergency to tackle virus Brazil will seek authorisation for a state of emergency to allow it to scrap fiscal targets and free up funds to combat the coronavirus crisis, the government said on Tuesday, as President Jair Bolsonaro announced his second COVID-19 test was negative. In a statement from the presidency, the government said it will ask Congress to authorise emergency measures until December 31. Brazil reported the countrys first confirmed death from the outbreak on Tuesday. In view of the need to increase public spending to protect the health and jobs of Brazilians and the prospect of falling revenues, the Federal Government will request the National Congress to recognize the state of emergency, the statement from the presidents office said. 02:55 GMT Human biosecurity emergency: Australia PM Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has declared a human biosecurity emergency, giving the government the power to close off cities or regions, impose curfews and order people to quarantine if seen as necessary to contain the spread of the virus. Official travel advice, as we reported earlier, has been raised to an unprecedented Level 4: Do not travel to any country in the world. Any non-essential indoor gatherings of more than 100 people have also been banned. Life is changing in Australia, Morrison said during a televised news conference. Life is going to continue to change, as we deal with the global coronavirus. This is a once-in-a-hundred-year-type event. Australia has recorded approximately 425 coronavirus infections and five deaths. See the latest coronavirus (#COVID19) announcement from the Prime Minister about: gatherings, travel and transport, bulk purchasing, aged care, schools and social distancing https://t.co/A6YOJvix5G pic.twitter.com/RcxIWkJwQm Australian Government Department of Health (@healthgovau) March 18, 2020 02:35 GMT The body fights back: Australian researchers track immune system response Researchers at Australias Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity have mapped the immune system response of one of the first people to get COVID-19 in Australia, to find out more about the way in which the body fights the infection. They took samples from an otherwise healthy woman in her 40s who had been diagnosed with a mild-to-moderate case of the disease, to track her bodys response over time. Three days after the patient was admitted, we saw large populations of several immune cells often a sign of recovery during seasonal influenza infection, so we predicted that the patient would recover in three days, which is what happened, said University of Melbourne Research Fellow Oanh Nguyen. We showed that 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, added Katherine Kedzierska, a professor at the University of Melbourne. The paper has been published in NatureMedicine, a medical journal. 02:05 GMT Contact tracing, self-isolation crucial: Diamond Princess report Researchers from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Tokyo have released a preliminary investigation into the coronavirus outbreak on board the Diamond Princess. The cruise ship, with 3,700 passengers and crew, was quarantined off the port of Yokohama for a month from February 3 after a passenger who got off in Hong Kong was confirmed with COVID-19. The report focuses on the 20 cases confirmed among the crew, finding that transmission from passengers to staff had started before the ship was put into quarantine. Most of those who got the infection worked in food service for the crew and also passed it on to those who shared their cabin. The reports authors said the findings indicated the need for swift investigation as soon as a COVID-19 case is detected in a place where large groups of people gather and the importance of self-isolation for close contacts. The Diamond Princess was quarantined at a port in Yokohama for a month [File: Eugene Hoshiko/AP Photo] 01:50 GMT South Korea reports 93 new cases South Korea has given an update on its numbers, with the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention saying there were 93 new cases on Wednesday, bringing total infections to 8,413. While slightly higher than the 84 recorded on Tuesday, this is still the fourth day in a row that the country has reported fewer than 100 new infections. 01:43 GMT China reports 13 new cases and 11 deaths Chinas National Health Commission has released its latest data on the outbreak there 13 new confirmed cases were reported on Tuesday, down from 21 cases the day before. That brings the total number of confirmed cases in mainland China to 80,894, the health authority said in a statement. The death toll from the outbreak in mainland China had reached 3,237 as of the end of Tuesday after 11 people died the previous day. Those deaths were all in the central province of Hubei, with the provincial capital Wuhan accounting for 10 of the fatalities. The number of imported cases of the virus in mainland China reached 155 as of Tuesday, up 12 from a day earlier. 00:50 GMT Australia advises citizens not to travel Australia has urged its citizens not to travel, given the risks from the coronavirus as it spreads around the world and heightened border controls that are forcing airlines to cancel flights. It urged anyone already outside the country to return. There may be a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 overseas. You may come in contact with more people than usual, including during long-haul flights and in crowded airports, the government said in upgrading the advice. Healthcare systems in some countries may come under strain and may not be as well-equipped as Australias or have the capacity to support foreigners. Im Kate Mayberry in Kuala Lumpur with Al Jazeeras continuing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. For all the updates from yesterday (March 17) please click here. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that the Republic of Ireland expects to have 15,000 cases of coronavirus by the end of the month. Mr Varadkar said the Republic of Ireland is currently experiencing the "calm before the storm, before the surge" in relation to the COVID-19 crisis. Speaking in a rare televised ministerial address on Tuesday, he said that those who are elderly and seriously ill will be asked to stay home for several weeks. "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." "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. Mr Varadkar announced older people will soon be asked to self-isolate for several weeks. 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. He said the government said will ensure people who are asked to cocoon will be checked in on and have food supplies delivered. 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." 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 the Republic of Ireland. As things stand, it is difficult for people to know if their cough and sore throat is coronavirus that requires treatment, or just the end of a winter cold. (Yui Mok/PA) After Monday's draconian proposals to safeguard the health of the nation came yesterday's plans to safeguard the health of the economy with wartime-sized investment by the government in mitigation measures. The Chancellor announced an astounding 330bn package of loans to help businesses ride out the storm as well as business rates relief and mortgage holidays for householders who find themselves in financial difficulties because of the impact of coronavirus. Most of the money will go to England, with 3.5bn being shared out among the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, a clear indicator of where the economic powerhouse of the UK resides. It seems the financial aid is not a moment too soon. The hospitality group of which the Merchant Hotel in Belfast is the flagship development announced yesterday it was laying off 800 staff and MJM Marine, a big employer based in Newry, said laying off large numbers of workers was unavoidable. Stormont Finance Minister Conor Murphy announced an emergency 100m rates package to help business with none having to pay rates for the next three months. Generous as that is, it pales in comparison to the situation in England, where many businesses will enjoy a 12-month rates holiday. Domestic rates will also be deferred from April to June, which will be a boon to many hard-pressed families as the coronavirus continues to bite into the economy. These are very worrying times, not only as regards health but also jobs. Businesses which are entirely viable in normal circumstances could be forced to the wall. The only mitigation possible in many cases is to close down, putting people out of work, and hoping to ride out the storm and resume again when the virus recedes. Northern Ireland's reliance on the public sector should shelter many people from the worst of the inevitable economic downturn, but the high number of SMEs in the private sector makes it especially vulnerable. It is hardly an exaggeration to say only health workers are sure of continued employment. There was a broad indication of just how serious officials are taking the spread of the virus, particularly in England, with the news that all non-emergency procedures are being postponed from mid-April to free up 30,000 beds. With some predictions already putting the number of people infected in the UK at 40,000, perhaps 1,000 of them in Northern Ireland, it is clear that this contagion is not expected to be contained and reversed for some time and that the advice to avoid contact where possible, with at-risk groups self-isolating even from family members, should be followed to the letter. As has already been noted but should be emphasised again, Northern Ireland people are showing great resilience in the face of adversity and are aware of their responsibility to the most vulnerable in society. There are many examples of good deeds being done and of offers to help those confined to their homes. That is vital because it is impossible for charities and statutory bodies to ensure the safety of all. There is certainly merit in the suggestion of more testing for the virus, especially since testing kits are being manufactured in Northern Ireland. As things stand, it is difficult for people to know if their cough and sore throat is coronavirus that requires treatment, or just the end of a winter cold. New Delhi: If media reports are to be believed, actor Shahid Kapoor's gym in Mumbai's Bandra has been sealed after he and his wife Mira Rajput were spotted working out there on Sunday despite government guidelines to shut all cinema halls, gyms, swimming pools and parks across the state till March 31. However, the star couple was apparently allowed to workout at the gym. According to Mumbai Mirror, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has now taken a strict action against the gym owner for not following the rules and has sealed the gym. The municipal body has also called out the gym owner and Shahid for their "irresponsible behaviour". "It was wrong on the part of the gym to remain open, even for one patron. If gymnasiums don't follow state directives, they will be booked under relevant sections and licenses will be revoked," the assistant municipal commissioner of the area was quoted by Mumbai Mirror as saying. Meanwhile, the gym owner dismissed claims that the gym has been sealed. He added that they are following the government guidelines and Shahid, who is his close friend, was just spending time with them. He further stated that Shahid had returned Mumbai from Chandigarh and has asked him to get some equipment. Shahid was shooting for 'Jersey' in Chandigarh but stopped filming as cine bodies ordered to halt all shoots from March 19 to 31. Shahid even tweeted, "At a time like this it is our social responsibility to do everything in our capacity to curb the spread of this virus. Team #Jersey is suspending shoot so as to enable all unit members to be with their families and in the safety of their homes. Be responsible. Stay safe." At a time like this it is our social responsibility to do everything in our capacity to curb the spread of this virus. Team #Jersey is suspending shoot so as to enable all unit members to be with their families and in the safety of their homes. Be responsible. Stay safe. Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) March 14, 2020 India has reported 137 positive coronavirus cases. So far, three people - one each in Karnataka, Delhi and Maharashtra - have died after getting infected with the virus. TRUMBULL - Firefighters, EMTs and police were busy Tuesday night after vehicles crashed into a utility police and a tree. Crews from the Trumbull Volunteer Fire Co. responded to Reservoir Avenue Tuesday night after an SUV crashed into a utility pole. Upon arrival, units secured the scene, EMS took care of the patient and police began their investigation. United Illuminating crews arrived shorty after to begin the work of repairing the two poles that had been damaged by the vehicle. At around 9:50 p.m., Long Hill firefighters along with Trumbull EMS were dispatched to Canoe Brook and Lantern Hill roads for a reported motor vehicle accident. The first arriving company found a single vehicle into a tree with heavy damage. Crews secured all hazards and applied speedy dry absorbent to a small fluid spill while EMS tended to the injured patient. Units operated on scene for approximately 1 hour. I thank you for what I consider to be a great honour to say a few words on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on the occasion of his birth centenary. It's a matter of coincidence that Sheikh Mujib's origins and the descent of the paternal side of my family are from the same sub-division now a district, namely Gopalganj. Sheikh Mujib hailed from Tungipara. My ancestors were based in Ulpur. The distance between the two are a mere 27 kilometres. I vividly remember that towards the end of 1970, Sheikh Mujib's party the Awami League won a majority of seats in elections to the National Assembly of Pakistan. However, in March 1971 General Yahya Khan, Pakistan's dictator, cancelled the scheduled session of the National Assembly to deny Awami League office and Sheikh Mujib the prime ministership of Pakistan. On the 25th of March the Pakistani military embarked on a brutal crackdown on Bengalis in East Pakistan. The following day -- the 26th of March -- Sheikh Mujib declared East Pakistan as independent Bangladesh. In that month of March, if I recall correctly, he uttered the stirring words: "Aamader dabaya rakhte parba na" or "You cannot suppress us". He was immediately arrested and whisked away to a prison in West Pakistan. In August and September of 1971, the Pakistani military held a clandestine trial of Sheikh Mujib and sentenced him to death. In Sheikh Mujib's absence, a Bangladesh government was formed, with him as president, but with Syed Nazrul Islam as acting president and Tajuddin Ahmed as prime minister. They operated out of Kolkata. I know the building on Theatre Road, now known as Shakespeare Sarani, in Kolkata, which became the nerve centre of activities of the Bangladesh government-in-waiting. Those were heady days for us in Kolkata. People of every generation waited and willed victory for fellow Bengalis across the border. Night after night India's Akashbani radio would broadcast commentary in Bengali to keep people in East Pakistan informed of developments and to keep up their spirits. When it became imperative that India would have to come to the assistance of the Mukti Bahini -- the liberation force of Bangladesh -- General Sam Manekshaw, the Indian chief of army staff, advised Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to be patient, so that a campaign against the Pakistani army could be planned impeccably and with a guarantee of success. In December 1971 the Pakistani air force bombed 11 Indian airbases. This gave India the justification it was looking for to retaliate. Indian armed forces now openly joined hands with the Mukti Bahini. The decisive phase lasted a mere 13 days -- from the 3rd of December to the 16th December. 93,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered to the Indian army. Under immense international pressure, Pakistan was forced to unconditionally release Sheikh Mujib on the 8th of January 1972. He was flown to London. From here he went to Delhi -- where he met Indira Gandhi -- before arriving in Dhaka on the 10th of January. I can still visualise the video of countless people greeting him in Dhaka. The following month, on 6 February to be precise, Sheikh Mujib undertook his first foreign tour as head of Bangladesh's government. It was to Kolkata. I was among more than one million people at the Brigade Parade Ground to listen to his thundering address. He said: "Aamra kamiyap hote partam na, jodi Bharater janasadharon, Bharater sarkar, aegiye na aasto." ("We would not have been successful had the people of India, the government of India not come forward.") He continued: "Aamar debar moto kichu nai...ache shudhu bhalobasha, deelam shudhu tai." ("I have nothing much to give you. All I have is affection; and this I give you.") Finally, he outlined the Bangladesh of his vision: "Bangladesh charte sthomber upor chalbe. Jatiotabad, samajtantro, gonotantro, dharmaniropekhyo rashtra." ("Bangladesh will operate on four pillars. Nationalism, Socialism, Democracy, a Secular State.") Needless to mention, Sheikh Mujib's assassination in 1975 was an unspeakable crime. It shocked Indians beyond words. But one thing is certain, with Bangladesh's GDP growth today at over 8 per cent, as compared to Pakistan's GDP growth of 3 per cent, the divorce from Pakistan, which Sheikh Mujib spearheaded, stands fully justified. I thank you once again for inviting me to speak. (Ashis Ray is an author. He was invited to speak at the Bangladesh High Commission in London on the occasion of the late Bangladesh leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's birth centenary on March 17. This is the text of his speech) ASHEVILLE, NC / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / For many Americans, retirement is simple. They put aside some money into stocks every month and hope up that it all adds up at the end. But according to a recent post at American IRA, a Self-Directed IRA administration firm based in North Carolina, there may be more to the story that investors need to heed. For starters, argues the post, the traditional retirement strategy doesn't always work for everyone. Americans across the U.S. on average don't have a lot of retirement money saved up, which to American IRA means that not enough investors are excited about the prospect of retirement investing. What does that mean for retirement investors? It means that not only are they uninspired, but they're often not engaged in the process of putting aside money for retirement. American IRA believes that the Self-Directed IRA is one avenue for reinvigorating one's love for investing. By giving retirement investors more options for retirement, the arrangement can allow for investors to choose the assets that they most enjoy investing in, such as real estate. For experienced real estate investors, for example, the Self-Directed IRA is a way to protect those funds while still indulging what they might consider a hobby. But the Self-Directed IRA's benefits go beyond that, according to the post. American IRA contends that a traditional retirement strategy is often too dependent on stock market returns when it makes more sense to diversify risk across asset classes. That, in turn, gives investors the confidence needed to continue investing with a "buy low" strategy. According to the post, investors have multiple options, and there's not necessarily an either/or choice that needs to be made. For more information on how a Self-Directed IRA might fit into a more traditional retirement strategy, visit the post at www.AmericanIRA.com or call 866-7500-IRA. About: American IRA, LLC was established in 2004 by Jim Hitt, CEO in Asheville, NC. The mission of American IRA is to provide the highest level of customer service in the self-directed retirement industry. Jim Hitt and his team have grown the company to over $400 million in assets under administration by educating the public that their Self-Directed IRA account can invest in a variety of assets such as real estate, private lending, limited liability companies, precious metals and much more. As a Self-Directed IRA administrator, they are a neutral third party. They do not make any recommendations to any person or entity associated with investments of any type (including financial representatives, investment promoters or companies, or employees, agents or representatives associated with these firms). They are not responsible for and are not bound by any statements, representations, warranties or agreements made by any such person or entity and do not provide any recommendation on the quality profitability or reputability of any investment, individual or company. The term "they" refers to American IRA, located in Asheville and Charlotte, NC and Atlanta, GA. SOURCE: American IRA, LLC View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/581328/American-IRA-Discusses-How-Does-a-Self-Directed-IRA-Fit-into-a-Traditional-Retirement-Strategy Coronavirus cases in NSW have jumped to almost 270 while a fifth person in the state and sixth nationwide has died of the illness. Health authorities on Wednesday also admitted the number of COVID-19 cases in NSW with no known source of transmission was increasing. NSW Health on Wednesday afternoon confirmed an 86-year-old man previously confirmed to have COVID-19 died on Tuesday night in a Sydney hospital. NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant earlier said there were 267 confirmed coronavirus cases in the state, up from 210 on Tuesday. More than 25,000 tests have been conducted. Chant attributes the rise to an influx of Australians returning from overseas as citizens around the world return to their home countries. What weve been seeing is increasing cases in returning travellers from Europe and also America adding to those previous countries weve hadthe original ones, Chant told reporters in Sydney. The outbreak has changed and evolved. NSW schools will remain open but therell be no assemblies and strict bans on sick students and teachers. Regular hand washing will be enforced. Premier Gladys Berejiklian this week announced a $2.3 billion economic package including $700 million for health care and $1.6 billion for job creation and tax relief. Berejiklian on Wednesday reiterated her confidence NSW would pull through the crisis. When we stick together, all the states and the national government working hand in hand, with good people advising us on a daily basis good, sound decisions will be made, the NSW Liberal leader told reporters. Universities are suspending face-to-face classes, businesses are urging staff to avoid the office and a string of major events have been cancelled in an attempt to keep the coronavirus in check. The University of Technology Sydney has said 27 students and one teacher are in self-isolation after a confirmed coronavirus case on campus. Macquarie University has also suspended classes after a student was infected while the University of Sydney will deliver all classes online from March 23. Residents flouting a ban on mass gatherings can be fined $11,000 or jailed for up to six months while NSW Police is halting major roadside drug and alcohol testing operations due to hygiene concerns. Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys on Wednesday said officers would continue to conduct mobile random breath testing and thered be an increased police presence around shopping centres and hospitals. NSW Opposition leader Jodi McKay wants more COVID-19 testing with fast-tracked results. The Labor leader said anyone showing symptoms not solely those returning from overseas or in contact with confirmed cases should be tested. In South Korea theyre testing 15,000 people a day and theyre getting the tests the next day, McKay told reporters on Wednesday. Here we know of people who are waiting up to a week to get their test results. These test results must be given immediately and everyone who seeks a COVID-19 test must be given one. Music festival Splendour in the Grass has been postponed until October while Groovin the Moo was cancelled outright. Australia on Wednesday upgraded its international travel advice to the highest level with citizens told not to travel overseasthe first ever ban like this for the country. We are upgrading the travel ban on Australians to level four for the entire world. That is the first time that has ever happened in Australias history, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said at a news conference Wednesday morning. The travel advice to every Australian is Do not travel abroad. Do not go overseas. That is very clear, that instruction. Regardless of your destination, age or health, our advice is do not travel at this time, the advice on the Smart Traveller website says. As more countries close their borders or introduce travel restrictions, overseas travel is becoming more complex and difficult. Peasants' body Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) on Wednesday alleged that the state government was digging out old cases against Akhil Gogoi in a "vindictive manner" despite the special NIA court giving him bail. Addressing a press conference here, KMSS president Bhasco De Saikia said Gogoi has again been arrested on Wednesday morning in a case registered at Sivasagar police station so that he is not released even after the bail order. Gogoi was granted bail on Tuesday by the special NIA court after the investigating agency failed to file a charge sheet against him within the specified time of 90 days. "We all thought that after the bail, he will be released. But Sarbananda Sonowal's government is still filing cases after cases with a nasty conspiracy to not free him. Strangely, neither Gogoi nor his lawyers were informed about these cases earlier," Saikia said. After a local court in Sivasagar district took Gogoi's statement through video conferencing inside the jail in Guwahati, the police took him to custody for four days, Saikia said. The KMSS leader said cases were filed at various police stations, including Sivasagar, under different stringent sections. Saikia claimed that the BJP government's attitude is "totally vindictive" because they know if Gogoi is released, the movement against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act will get a fresh lease of life. "Akhil Gogoi is the first person to get bail in an NIA case within 90 days. It proves that the case was false, crafted and vindictive," he claimed. In the midst of the intense anti-CAA movement, Gogoi was arrested on December 12 last year from Jorhat as a "preventive measure" in view of the deteriorating law and order situation in the state and his colleagues were taken into custody the next day. Later, the Assam Police registered an FIR at Chandmari police station, which included charges under the stringent UA (P)A. The case was handed over to the NIA with the issuance of an order by the Union Home Ministry on December 14. Along with Gogoi, three more KMSS leaders -- Dhairjya Konwar, Bittu Sonowal and Manash Konwar -- were arrested by the NIA in the same case and are currently lodged in jail. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Almost a dozen calls with five health care providers over five hours. Two hours of hold music. Two hours in a hospital. Four days of anxiously checking an online portal for results. And lots of confusion. Thats the winding path through bureaucracy that took me from placing my first phone call last Wednesday to getting my positive coronavirus test results on Monday night. Five days in limbo. Im 33 years old and healthy without any existing respiratory conditions, so the illness itself is perfectly manageable. It feels like a medium-grade flu, with some extra coughing and chest pain. But the process to get me here was a maze of inefficiency, and Im one of the fortunate ones. Enormous numbers of people across the country even those who have severe symptoms or who are especially vulnerable are facing roadblock after roadblock as they try to get answers. MADISON The Grove School student who tested positive for COVID-19 began showing serious symptoms sometime between late Tuesday, March 10, and early Wednesday, March 11, according to Peter Chorney, executive director of the Madison-based boarding school. Officials quickly isolated the student, and the school began sending students home that same Wednesday, Chorney said. The towns response to the potential case began around the same time, according to town Health Director Trent Joseph, who said town advised the school March 11 to close early for spring break. The students family was able to transport him back to the New York area via private ambulance, said Chorney. The student was hospitalized but is recovering, he said. Meanwhile, the school looked to Joseph for guidelines on how to handle the possibility that students and staff had been exposed to the coronavirus, Chorney said. Although Grove School students were scheduled to go home March 21 for spring break, staff closed early and managed to get all students off campus by March 13, according to Chorney. Joseph advised that any staff or students who had contact with the student who tested positive for COVID-19 from March 8 until the time they left campus be quarantined, and that all staff and students practice social distancing and monitor themselves for symptoms, he wrote in an email to the Register. He also advised that anyone with symptoms immediately contact their primary care provider, Joseph said. Were certainly monitoring anyone who has anything health-wise, Chorney said. Weve advised all the folks in our community to take this really seriously. About 130 students attend the Grove School, including boarders, day students and those in a transition program, according to Chorney. As of midday Wednesday, the school did not know of any other student or staff member who had shown significant symptoms, Chorney said. First Selectwoman Peggy Lyons announced in a release Tuesday that the student had tested positive for COVID-19. Although the student who tested positive is not a Connecticut resident, Lyons called the case a reminder that the virus has reached the community spread stage. She urged people to limit physical contact with non-family members and cautioned them not to congregate in groups of more than 10, even outdoors. Chorney hopes the Grove School will be able to reopen April 6, when students are supposed to return from spring break, he said. Administrators have left the schedule as-is but are constantly reevaluating the situation based on how the coronavirus crisis progresses, he said. meghan.friedmann@hearstmediact.com; 781-346-5236 Credit: Matthew Wilkins Elizabeth Scordato, an assistant professor of biological sciences, is the lead author of a study that found the evolution of barn swallows in Asia is shaped by the Tibetan Plateau. The results, published in the journal Ecology Letters, provide the most convincing evidence yet for the long-held hypothesis that the plateau is an important factor maintaining the vast diversity of birds found in Asia. "The formation of a species requires the cutting off of interbreeding. Once genes stop moving from one group to another, we can get a new species," said Scordato. "Our goal was to find out why two of these subspecies of swallows interbreed a lot over a huge region, but two other subspecies pairs barely interbreed despite being incredibly closely related to each other genetically and occurring in the same location." Over three years, she and her research partners traversed Russia, a mountain range in western Mongolia, and a river valley in northern China, catching and sampling 1,288 birds from three closely related subspecies of swallows. They discovered two narrow hybrid zones geographic regions where different subspecies of swallow came into contact with each other but showed only limited interbreeding. The narrow hybrid zones occurred in central Siberia and in western China, directly to the north of the Tibetan Plateau. They also found a region in northeastern China and eastern Siberia, far from the Plateau, where a different pair of subspecies came into contact but interbred extensively. Because barn swallows nest only in human structures, the team traveled from village to village and town to town talking to local residents as they looked for the birds. "We had to explain to people who we were, what we were doing and ask if we could go into their houses and catch their birds. So, the project would not have been possible without really amazing local collaborators," said Scordato. They collected blood samples, a tail feather (to determine the carbon isotope value) and noted the color on the breast and throat, the length of tail feathers, and the length, pointedness and curvature of wings to establish which subspecies they were handling. Barn swallows migrate south for the winter, and the isotope value provides clues to where the bird might have gone. The information from those samples provided confirmation of a migratory divide in the narrow hybrid zones: a geographic region where birds that breed in the same location during the summer fly to different locations for the winter. When the researchers looked at the carbon isotope values, they found that birds on the western side of both hybrid zones spent the winter in Africa, whereas birds to the east spent the winter in Asia. Birds with different overwintering grounds were genetically distinct from each other. By contrast, the birds in the region of east Asia with extensive interbreeding all spent the winter in similar locations in Asia. To further determine whether different migratory routes were reducing interbreeding between subspecies, the team examined samples from mated pairs of birds across the two narrow hybrid zones. By looking at the association between color, genetics, and where the birds spent the winter, they found the most important correlation was where the birds overwinter. If the birds spent the winter in the same location, they were much more likely to pair with each other than with birds that spent the winter in different locations. While this isn't evidence that the birds actively avoid the inhospitable plateau, it does suggest that this large geographic barrier helps to keep them genetically distinct. "Barn swallows are really sort of the perfect test case, but we think this is good evidence that the Tibetan Plateau is a general barrier that affects a lot of different bird species," said Scordato. The study was conducted as part of a grant from the National Science Foundation to Dr. Rebecca Safran at the University of Colorado, Boulder, where Scordato was a postdoctoral researcher. Explore further Combining techniques provides new insight into bird migration More information: Elizabeth S. C. Scordato et al. Migratory divides coincide with reproductive barriers across replicated avian hybrid zones above the Tibetan Plateau, Ecology Letters (2019). Journal information: Ecology Letters Elizabeth S. C. Scordato et al. Migratory divides coincide with reproductive barriers across replicated avian hybrid zones above the Tibetan Plateau,(2019). DOI: 10.1111/ele.13420 CLEVELAND, Ohio Clevelands government isnt shutting down as it closes some offices completely and offers greatly limited services in others. The citys decision, which also closed all of Clevelands recreation centers, is meant to protect employees and the public, in compliance with recommendations on social distancing. Now its up to departments to find ways to keep operating. Yes, theres going to be some inconveniences," City Council President Kevin Kelley said Tuesday morning in an interview with cleveland.com. I dont consider it a shutdown of government. Im in City Hall now. Theres limited services in City Hall. City departments will just have to find ways to adjust if the need for social distancing continues, Kelley said. City Hall is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for only limited public services but the offices themselves are not open to the public. A handful of city offices will still be able to provide limited services principally via telephone, online or through use of drop boxes. But more than a dozen of the government offices will closed to the public, and employees are seeking ways to work remotely. Related story: In late-night coronavirus announcement, Cleveland says it will shutter rec centers, limit services and access to City Hall Mayor Frank Jacksons administration had limited comment on the changes Tuesday. It has focused on public briefing statements. But Kelley confirmed that the measures were taken not just to keep hundreds of City Hall employees from interacting with the public, but also to keep them from interacting with each other in large crowded offices. Until some alternate solutions are worked out, the closing of offices will have an impact on the public. Heres some of the services that, at least for the time being, are unavailable. Design review and approval from the Planning Commission, needed to obtain building permits. Building permits for construction and remodeling. Housing inspections. City help organizing block clubs and community meetings as part of improving community relations. Architectural design work and drawings for the citys capital improvement projects. Grants to homeowners for sidewalk repairs and replacements. Access to the Community Development Departments programs that provide paint and informal inspections to maintain housing stock. Hearings for individuals seeking to appeal city decisions on zoning issues and be granted variances. Kelley said his biggest concerns are the limited services available through offices like the Aging Department, Public Health Department and the Public Utilities offices. While the city issued a moratorium on utility shutoffs, customers still will have billing questions, he said. The health and aging offices provide several programs that interact with the public, such as the Aging Departments Fifty and Fit program. Would we rather they be open five days a week? Of course, Kelley said. And some workarounds will have to be found, too, if the concerns over social distancing continue for a long period. Theres got to be a solution at some point where we can have planning commission meetings; where we can hear complaints at the board of zoning appeals, Kelley said. This is uncharted territory and we have to find our way through it. Related coronavirus coverage Coronavirus update: Virus could live up to 24 hours on cardboard, 3 days on plastic and steel, study says Cleveland-area musicians offer virtual concerts to fill live-music gap during coronavirus crisis Getting food to stores is not a problem despite the empty shelves brought on by coronavirus fears Technical issues stall Cleveland Clinic health care screenings, testing for coronavirus MetroHealth Dr. Amy Ray offers helpful coronavirus advice in video Dont miss out! Get insider texts about Cleveland City Hall on your phone from Robert Higgs. Communicate directly with cleveland.coms City Hall reporter, just like you would with your friends. Sign up here and give it a try. Its just $3.99 a month, which works out to about 13 cents a day. Guwahati/Aizawl/Agartala, March 18 : Budget carrier GoAir has suspended its operations for 28 days in some northeastern states in view of coronavirus scare and ensuing travel restrictions, officials said on Wednesday. The airline has suspended operation for 28 days effective Thursday (March 19) on the Aizawl-Kolkata-Guwahati-Imphal route as a preventive measure, Mizoram government's principal consultant for civil aviation, Wing Commander J. Lalhmingliana, told the media in Aizawl. "The proposed flight between Delhi and Aizawl, which was announced to be introduced by the GoAir authority from March 29, has been put off and would be re-scheduled once the situation is normal," the official said in Aizawl. He said that the state government has not yet received any communication from the authorities of Air India and IndiGo, which also operate flights from Aizawl, about possible suspension of operations. GoAir, which operates flights to Dammam, Kuwait, Muscat, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bangkok, Phuket and Male, has suspended all its international operations from Tuesday till April 15. Mizoram Health Department officials said in Aizawl that 153 people were quarantined at their homes across the northeastern state, of which eight have since been discharged on completion of 14-day observation period. Meanwhile, Airport Authority of India Regional Executive Director (NER) Sanjeev Jindal said in Guwahati on Wednesday that screening of passengers -- including by infrared thermometers -- was undertaken at the Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport and at 12 other airports in the northeastern states. The Bordoloi airport in Guwahati is the only one in northeast to operate flights to Singapore and Bhutan. He told IANS that following the standard operating procedure (SOP) received from the central government, special screening and testing counters have been functioning at all northeast airports for the past several weeks. Tripura Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar said in Agartala that even though no positive Covid-19 case has surfaced in eight northeastern states so far, a close vigil was maintained in border areas in the region. He said that despite two advisories, public gatherings are still being held in Tripura. "The District Magistrates have been instructed to issue appropriate orders under Section 144 of the CrPC to restrict gatherings of people," he told the media. Most educational institutions, swimming pools, anganwadi centres, cinemas, and gymnasiums have been ordered closed in most northeastern states until March 31. State authorities and NGOs have launched a public awareness campaign on precautionary measures against the dreaded coronavirus. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) A national organization that represents nursing homes and assisted-living facilities said Wednesday that there already are sporadic shortages of protective equipment for staff and that 20% of facilities say they could run out of masks and gowns next week. Another 20% would run out the week after that, according to the American Health Care Association. The group is calling for people who do not currently need protective equipment to share their inventories with medical providers, and lauded dentists in Ohio for doing so. It also said it has talked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about stretching supplies during the coronavirus pandemic by doing things like wearing masks and safety goggles for a longer period of time. We need to really take drastic action to conserve masks and gowns going forward, said David Gifford, the organizations chief medical director. He said he knew of one place where staff members were using trash bags as gowns and making their own masks. He discouraged looking up how to make your own mask on the internet and hoped the CDC would provide information about that. In guidance issued Wednesday, the CDC said that facilities that have run out masks could consider homemade masks, such as scarves or bandannas, as a last resort but that their ability to protect health care workers is unknown. Ideally, the agency said, such masks should be used with shields that cover the entire front of the face. During severe resource limitations, the CDC said, facilities should consider excluding older workers and those with chronic medical considerations from care of patients with confirmed or suspected coronavirus infection. Based on news reports, Gifford said he was aware of 20 to 30 facilities that have had cases of the new disease. He said facilities should assume its in your community and take action now. AHCA and the CDC have released guidance on restricting visitors to communities that serve the elderly, limiting activities, and spreading residents out as much as possible. Death rates are highest in people over age 80, the most populous group in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities. Mark Parkinson, the organizations president and CEO, compared efforts to combat the threat of the novel coronavirus to sacrifices Americans had to make during World War II. The reaction of the public over the next 30 to 60 days and how it manages this will literally decide whether thousands and possibly tens of thousands of older people who live in our facilities live or die, he said. Gifford said shortages stem from a perfect storm of disruption of the supply chain along with increased demand because the virus is circulating at the same time as flu and other respiratory viruses with similar symptoms. It would be very hard to have predicted that a virus would attack in the very community that makes the majority of gowns and masks that supply America, he said, referring to China. Shayna Varner, director of communications for the Pennsylvania Health Care Association, said none of its providers had run out of protective equipment Wednesday, but supplies were running low and staffs are conserving what they have. She said the Pennsylvania Department of Health has notified the group that its providers can only receive emergency supplies of protective gear if they have an active case of COVID-19 in the facility. Parkinson called for federal support to help nursing homes and assisted-living facilities hire extra workers to deal with the virus. Gifford said that while many workers have been home sick with seasonal viruses, he has not heard of workers refusing to come to work because of the virus. On the contrary, he said, many were eager to care for people they consider family. David Owsiany, executive director of the Ohio Dental Association, said his state has told dentists to see emergency patients only, which reduces their need for masks and gloves. On Monday, the governor asked dentists to donate any protective equipment they could spare to their local emergency management agency, a request the association supports. Owsiany said he has heard from dentists in Toledo and Belmont County who are spearheading drives to collect the equipment. Its not going to solve the problem at all, but every little bit helps is our message, he said. For now, dentists are not being paid for the supplies. Owsiany said that one of them joked, If I give them enough masks, can I get some toilet paper? The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has decided to impose a special duty upon Russian electricity and coal, except for anthracite and coking coal. The relevant resolution was presented by Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture Ihor Petrashko at a government meeting on March 18, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "It is proposed to introduce a special duty on certain goods from the Russian Federation that are imported into the customs territory of Ukraine, namely on electricity according to codes and all types of coal, except for anthracite and coking coal, in the amount of 65% from April 1, 2020," Petrashko said. In October 2019, the Cabinet of Ministers set a 2% duty on imports of Russian electricity. On October 1, 2019, Ukraine resumed commercial imports of electricity from the Russian Federation. ish ITS always great to be part of the Laurel Hill Fashion Show which has been running for years. This years show was so special as the school itself celebrated 200 years. It was a great evening of celebration, fashion and glamour. Laurel Hill Fashion Show saw 40 students from 5th year join the models from the Holman Lee Agency on the catwalk. The students modelled evening wear from Pamela Scott, Be Fabulous, Danis Closet and Virginias. Other boutiques and fashion houses included Sineads boutique, Catherine McCormack, Lady Penelope, Zip Yard, Earls and Pearls and Divas and Dudes. A number of teachers modelled fashions from Sextons menswear. Catherine Hickey makeup, Bellissimo and Niall Colgan did an amazing job for models and students. The door prize was sponsored by Keanes Jewellers. The show raises much needed funds for the benefit of present and future generations of Laurel Hill Secondary School and Laurel Hill Colaiste school students. New boutique I WAS delighted to attend the official opening and cutting of the ribbon at White Feather Boutique on Denmark Street. Laura Walsh, proprietor told me that it has always been her passion to open her own boutique. She realised that there was a gap in the market for a really smart city centre boutique that catered for casual, dressy and smart / casual looks. White Feather is a beautiful boutique in the heart of the city. Laura has just launched her website www.whitefeather.ie with fabulous brands from Paris, Italy and Madrid in store and online. On the day I noticed that the price point on the fashion and accessories was excellent and very affordable. Why not say hello to this lovely lady, Laura, with this wonderful new boutique in the heart of the city. Open source President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky asks Ukrainians to write statements to the police against those employers who, during quarantine, demand that workers resign on their own free will. He said this in his video message. We have information that at many enterprises, managers force employees to write a letter of resignation of their own free will. Its illegal. People, no one can force you to leave voluntarily if you dont have such a desire. If the manager puts pressure on you, report to the police," he said. As for state and municipal enterprises, in such structures a conversation was held with the leaders, and they were warned of responsibility for pressure on workers. In addition, the president turned to the leaders of private companies and asked them not only not to break the law, but, above all, to remain people. "The coronavirus will pass. The crisis will also pass. The profits will return. But honor and respect will not be returned," Volodymyr Zelensky summed up. As we reported before, Today, March 18, 57 flights are carried out, with which 11.5 thousand citizens will be returned to Ukraine. The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated this. Out of the 41 Covid-19 (coronavirus) positive cases in Maharashtra as of March 17, most of them are asymptomatic, showing no symptoms of being infected with the virus. State health officials said of the 41 cases, almost 32 patients have shown no symptoms while the remaining carry mild signs, including fever. The data released by the state authorities show that most Covid-19 positive cases are asymptomatic despite being tested positive for the virus. State health director Archana Patil said, All patients are getting treatment on the basis of the symptoms for asymptomatic patients. We are only keeping a check on them without any treatment until theyre in quarantine. Rajesh Tope, state health minister, said, Out of the 42 cases in the state, almost 50 per cent are from the Dubai group itself and only 9 out of 42 are those who came in first contact. Dr Sudhir Patsute, superintendent at Pune Municipal Corporations Naidu Infectious Diseases Hospital, the primary centre for institutional quarantine, said, Despite being infected with the virus, not all show symptoms often. Out of the two people who were the first to be tested positive in the state, one did not show any symptoms. A Pune-based couple that returned from their Dubai trip to the city was the states first reported Covid-19 positive case. Most of the patients, although asymptomatic, have tested positive and so will have to complete the 14 days quarantine period. In the absence of symptoms, those who have returned from any foreign country, especially the ten high risk countries, including China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, France, Germany, Spain, the US, Dubai and Saudi Arabia, may seem to be under the false impression that they are not infected. Patsute said, Usually the treatment given is based on symptoms and it is only supportive in nature. If all goes well. the bodys immune system will overcome the virus in around two weeks. Divisional commissioner Deepak Mhaisekar said that often asymptomatic patients find it difficult to stay inside the quarantine facility and try to escape. Desperate travellers choked European border crossings on Wednesday after nations implemented strict controls in an attempt to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, creating traffic jams miles long and slowing the passage of trucks carrying critical supplies. The number of people infected worldwide crested the 200,000 mark and deaths topped 8,000, with the number of people now recovered at more than 82,000, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. In an attempt to alleviate some of the pressure from eastern Europeans stuck in Austria trying to return home, Hungary overnight opened its borders in phases. Bulgarian citizens were first allowed to cross in carefully controlled convoys, then Romanians had a turn. But by early Wednesday on the Austrian side of the border, trucks were backed up for 28 kilometers (17 miles) and cars for 14 kilometers (nearly 9 miles) as rules allowing only Hungarians or transport trucks through the country's borders kicked back in. European Union leaders have been working on how to make sure that food, medical supplies and other essential goods keep flowing but so far borders have been clogged. Looking ahead, they're also trying to figure out ways to allow seasonal agricultural workers, needed to keep the production of food going, to travel back and forth across essentially closed borders. Nations around the world were facing the same issues, with the U.S. and Canada working on a mutual ban on nonessential travel between the two countries. In Southeast Asia, the causeway between Malaysia and the financial hub of Singapore was eerily quiet after Malaysia shut its borders, while the Philippines backed down on an order giving foreigners 72 hours to leave from a large part of its main island. President Donald Trump's administration was considering a plan to immediately return to Mexico all people who cross America's southern border illegally, according to two officials who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the plan hasn't been finalized. The is now present in every U.S. state after West Virginia reported an infection. In far-flung Hawaii, the governor encouraged travelers to postpone their island vacations for at least the next 30 days, while the governor of Nevada home to Las Vegas ordered a monthlong closure of the state's casinos. Increasingly worried about the economic fallout of the global shutdown, the U.S., Britain and the Netherlands announced rescue packages totaling hundreds of billions of dollars, while longtime Monetary Fund critic Venezuela asked the institution for a $5 billion loan. Major Asian stock markets fell back Wednesday after early gains after Wall Street jumped on Trump's promise of aid. In Brussels, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said there had been "a unanimous and united approach to the decision to prohibit most foreigners from entering the EU for 30 days. German Chancellor said European leaders agreed in a conference call to the commission's proposal for an entry ban to the bloc along with Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Britain with "very, very limited exceptions." Germany will implement the decision immediately. But so far, EU efforts to smooth the transition have failed. On Wednesday, thousands of trucks remained backed up in Lithuania on roads into Poland, after Warsaw ordered strict measures that include testing every driver for COVID-19 symptoms. The line of trucks was 60 kilometers (37 miles) long on Tuesday night. The Polish and Lithuanian governments have opened a second crossing, but that did not help much, said border police spokesman Rokas Pukinsas. Elsewhere, droves of Malaysians endured hourslong traffic jams as they sought to get into Singapore before the border closure. More than 300,000 people commute daily to Singapore to work and many have chosen to stay there during the lockdown. Malaysia's restricted movement order came after a sharp spike in cases to 673, making it the worst-affected country in Southeast Asia. The self-governing island of Taiwan said Wednesday that it too would ban foreigners from entry and Taiwanese would have to self-quarantine at home for 14 days. In Thailand, Bangkok's notorious red light districts were due to go dark Wednesday after a government order closing bars, schools, movie theaters and many other venues. Even tourists on Ecuador's iconic Galapagos islands 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) off the South American mainland have been affected. Canadian Jessy Lamontaine and her family were stuck on the island when flights were suspended and they missed the last trip out. I was in tears this morning, Lamontaine said. I couldn't get any answers from the airline. I had no money and didn't know whether I was going to keep my job. Galapagos Gov. Norman Wray said the 2,000 foreigners who remain on the archipelago in the next week may be able to leave on charter or government-approved flights. So far, 81,000 people have recovered from the virus, mostly in China. 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. In Italy, the hardest hit nation after China, infections jumped to 27,980 on Tuesday. With 2,503 deaths, Italy accounts for a third of the global death toll. Spain, the fourth-most infected country, saw its cases soar by more than 2,000 in one day to 11,178. Virus-related deaths jumped to 491, a toll that included 17 elderly residents of a Madrid nursing home. Among them was the 86-year-old diabetic grandmother of Ainhoa Ruiz. New Delhi, March 18 : The Union Home Ministry on Wednesday said no chanting of inciting slogans, violence and assault were noticed at the North Gate of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on January 5 when a mob of masked people barged into the campus. In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs, G. Kishan Reddy on Wednesday said the Delhi Police have reported that on the receipt of the request from the Vice Chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), on January 5, police personnel were deployed inside the Campus to control the violent situation. "Professors, injured students and security guards have been examined and CCTV footages have been obtained for analysis to identify the rioters," Reddy said in the reply to a question by Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. The Congress MP had asked whether it is a fact that on January 5, "Delhi Police had closed the JNU North Gate and a group of people assembled outside the gate and they chanted slogans inciting violence and assaulted and manhandled many other individuals including eminent citizens who were present there." Raddy said as per the Delhi Police, the JNU North Gate was closed and there was a proper deployment of police personnel to ensure that there is no unauthorized entry of any outsider inside the University. "The gathering of the general public outside the North Gate was dispersed. No chanting of inciting slogans, violence and assault was noticed there," the Home Ministry added. On January 5, several masked individuals thrashed students and teachers inside the campus with wooden and metal rods. As many as 28 students and a teacher were injured in the attack, after which they were rushed to AIIMS and Safdarjung hospitals. Australia's live export cattle price hits record US$4 per kilo A northern cattle industry veteran's forecast came true this week when a line of feeder steers from Darwin bound for Indonesia sold for a record high of US$4 per kilogramme. Five years ago, Ross Ainsworth made the bold prediction that live export prices would reach US$4 per kilogrammeand that he would "shout the bar" at the NT Cattlemen's Conference if it did not happen. With the national cattle herd at its lowest point in more than 20 years because of the drought, supply across northern Australia is tight. This reduced supply, coupled with access issues for many properties during the northern wet season, means exporters are having to fork out high prices to draw cattle onto the market. While ABC Rural is aware of at least one exporter who has paid US$4 per kilogram for feeder steers to top up a ship, official quotes are for US$3.85 per kilogram. Exporters are paying US$3.50 per kilogram for feeder heifers to Indonesia ex-Darwin and for slaughter steers to Vietnam ex-Townsville. Consolidated Pastoral Company, which runs one of the biggest cattle herds in Australia, mainly targeted at live export, is also a part-owner of two feedlots in Indonesia. Chief executive Troy Setter said while the high live export price was great for cattle producers, it created tough conditions for South-East Asian importers. "Some of the higher prices are causing some slowdown in volume to key markets such as Indonesia and Vietnam," he said. "We're not sure yet how coronavirus will impactif it does or if it doesn'ton consumer demand in some of our destination countries. But there is certainly going to be a margin squeeze and some red numbers for the importers, but we are certainly seeing some good black numbers for cattle producers." NT Livestock Exporters Association CEO Will Evans said strong demand from South East Asia over the past two years produced solid prices for cattle producers, but exporters had started to suffer. "With the summer rains this year across the north and east coast, we've seen market conditions shift heavily in favour of producers," Evans said. "How sustainable this is in the current environment, with the challenges we have coming down the pipeline, remains to be seen. We're rapidly approaching a point where a price correction is going to become necessary, as current levels mean we're not competitive in our export markets." Paulus Hadi Subroto, who manages a feedlot in North Sumatra that imports and fattens Australian cattle, said the skyrocketing price was hurting his business. He said his feedlot was only half full, and that once those cattle were sold to the meatworks, he was not sure whether he could afford more. "We're afraid that if we continue buying cattle from Australia, then nobody will buy [the beef] in Indonesia because the price is too high. "The price [we are paying] for cattle from Australia is about US$3.60 a kg (AUD5.83), so we will have to think twice about buying cattle from Australia, because we don't think we can keep this situation going. Subroto said his business normally employed about 100 people but that he had laid off nearly half of his workforce. He said cattle importers in Indonesia were facing pressure, not just from high Australian prices, but also from the increasing amount of cheaper imports of frozen Indian buffalo meat and frozen Brazilian beef. By Trend In Georgia, testing of the entire population for coronavirus may be carried out, Georgian Minister of Health Ekaterina Tikaradze told reporters, Trend reports citing Georgian media. The testing can reveal many coronavirus cases at an early stage, the minister said. Tikaradze named Korea as a good example for coronavirus testing. She added that the government is in talks with Korea and China regarding the attraction of specialists on this issue. The minister expects Georgia will conduct the tests by the end of the week. As of today, Georgia has 38 confirmed cases of Covid-19. Amid the new coronavirus outbreak, Georgia has suspended direct flights with China, Iran and Italy, which are currently the largest centers of the outbreak. The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019. The symptoms include cough, headache, fatigue, fever, aching and difficulty breathing. It is primarily spread through airborne contact or contact with contaminated objects. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) is mentioned in some information disseminated on social networks in connection with the detention of Head of Palmali Group of Companies Mubariz Mansimov in Turkey, Trend reports referring to SOCAR. The detention of Mubariz Mansimov by the Turkish law enforcement agencies has nothing to do with the arbitration processes to be held in London and Dubai against SOCAR, the company said. The detention of Mubariz Mansimov cant serve SOCARs commercial interest. His detention could not be in the commercial interests of SOCAR. The detention of Mubariz Mansimov in Turkey, on the contrary, by hindering his participation in the arbitration proceedings in London and Dubai, may cause delays in fulfilling his financial obligations. The delay in the arbitration proceedings initiated in 2018 by SOCAR against Palmali may have a negative impact on the financial balance of SOCAR, on property and non-property interests, and therefore cannot be in commercial interests, the source in the company said. SOCAR believes in the effectiveness of the Turkish justice system and unequivocally rejects the possibility of interference in judicial process. Earlier, SOCAR and Palmali have collaborated. However, partners never set up joint ventures. As a result of default by Palmali, the companies belonging to the SOCAR group began arbitration proceedings against the subsidiaries of Palmali and Mubariz Mansimov in 2018. In general, three arbitration proceedings are planned in London and Dubai. The arbitration proceedings, which have been going on for about two years, were canceled precisely because of Palmali," the information says. British actor, Idris Elba has reacted to the heavy backlash he received for allowing his wife, Sabrina stay by his side while announcing his coronavirus status. Information Nigeria recalls the actor revealed that he tested positive for the disease on Monday. The actors wife could be seen staying close to him as he broke the sad news. Many opined that he should have been isolated immediately and his wife should have distanced herself from him since she had not been tested at that time. Taking to Twitter, the actor gave an update on the situation and explained why Sabrina was with him. Elba said; Yesterday was good and bad. Bad because I tested positive, but it was also good because it opened up a lot of conversation around it. I think it made it a lot more real for some people. Definitely made it more real for me and my family. There was so many positive responses to, you know, me talking about it. Some negative too. But there were some definite positive ones. I certainly feltmy wife and I felt like it was the right thing to do, to share it with you guys. Right now though, I am feeling okay. Woke up this morning, didnt have any symptoms. My voice is a little tiredchecking my fever twice a day. Feel good, feel okay. Been doing a lot of reading about it. You know, asymptomatic is what comes up. Reacting to the backlash, the actor said; Sabrinas good too. Sabrina today finally managed to get a test, and were thankful for that. Generally, Sabrinas fine. Nervous of course. Worried. Just for clarification, Sabrina wanted to be by my side. We calculated that risk and decided to be together. Hope you guys can understand that. Read Also: Katsina Records First Suspected Coronavirus Case Watch the video below: By Barani Krishnan Investing.com - The final vestiges of any support for oil appeared to have vanished, with the market in full lurch towards the $20 per barrel price analysts at Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) and elsewhere have warned about. West Texas Intermediate, the New York-traded benchmark for U.S. crude prices, tumbled $5.27, or 19.3%, at $22.06 per barrel by 1:49 PM ET (1749: GMT). The session low was $21.10, the lowest since Feb 2002, when WTI went down to $19.09. Brent, the London-traded global benchmark for crude, slumped $3.25, or 11.1%, to $25.46. Analysts at Goldman on Tuesday forecast that WTI and Brent would both average $20 per barrel in the second quarter the first time the two have been forecast at parity with Jeffrey Currie, its global head of commodities research, citing demand losses across the complex (that) are now unprecedented. But some analysts have suggested that crude could go even lower than $20. Oil prices not back yet to when I started in this industry, tweeted Olivier Jakob, founder at Zug, Switzerland-based consultancy Petromatrix. Abhi Rajendran, director of research at New York-based Energy Intelligence, has said that oil prices in the teens was possible next. The main driver is for, a week or two, we could have global market oversupply of over 10 million barrels per day (bpd), said Rajendran, adding that it was insane and unprecedented. Crude prices are headed for historic losses on the year, with WTI down 63% for 2020 and Brent 62%. Oil is facing a perfect storm of demand destruction caused by the coronavirus pandemic and massive production hikes planned by both Saudi Arabia and Russia in a fight for share of a market increasingly shrinking by the day. Earlier on Wednesday, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that crude stockpiles in the country rose for an eighth-straight week, growing by nearly 2 million barrels last week although by less than the 3.2 million barrels expected by analysts. Story continues Related Articles U.S. crude plunges to 18-year low as lockdowns spread Gold Prices Fall Below $1,500 Again Despite Imminent Flood of Govt Debt Breaking: Oil Inventories Rose by 1.9M Barrels Last Week: EIA (Clarifies services of Air Antwerp) BRUSSELS, March 18 (Reuters) - The Belgian government held talks with representatives from the country's airline and travel industries on Wednesday as they seek state support to help with their fight for survival in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. The government said it met a delegation that included Brussels Airlines, Brussels airport and travel operator TUI on Wednesday morning to discuss the impact on the sectors. Belgian business daily De Tijd earlier reported that Brussels Airlines had written to the government with an urgent request for 200 million euros ($219 million). The airline is winding down operations ahead of a full suspension of flights for four weeks from Saturday. The airline, a subsidiary of Germany's Lufthansa, confirmed it was requesting support from the government but declined to specify the amount. "We can confirm that we have sought support, but there is no question of the airline going bankrupt," a spokeswoman said. Fellow Belgian airline Air Antwerp, which runs services to London City Airport and via a codeshare from Amsterdam to other British aiports, also announced on Wednesday that it would be suspending flights from Sunday until April 10. ($1 = 0.9114 euros) (Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop and Ilona Wissenbach Editing by David Goodman) 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. Prominent agricultural shows across the UK have been cancelled or delayed due to the restrictions brought on by the coronavirus outbreak. The Royal Highland Show, Scotlands largest outdoor event attracting up to 200,000 people each year, has been cancelled. The decision was taken by the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) directors, who met virtually on Tuesday (17 March). It is in line with the Scottish and UK governments policy and guidance on gatherings and social distancing. Commenting on the decision, RHASS Chairman, Bill Gray said: It is with deep regret and huge personal disappointment that I confirm the cancellation of the 2020 Royal Highland Show. "Plans for the 180th Show are at an advanced stage but given recent and ongoing developments, the directors and I have taken the only course of action open to us." He added: Thankfully, the sector is nothing but resilient and while this will no doubt test us, I am confident that some good will come from what is a bleak and worrying time for us all. "To that end, we are calling on the industry and wider partners to work with us to support each other to ensure we weather the storm. RHASS confirmed that exhibitors and sponsors will be communicated with over the coming weeks and ticket holders should contact the RHS ticketing partner Ticketmaster for a refund. RHASS Chief Executive, Alan Laidlaw said it would be naive to underestimate the massive impact the cancellation will have on the charity. But he added: "With the industrys support, I have little doubt that we can, and we will, get through this. "In these unprecedented times we must focus on the wider issue, support the vulnerable in our communities and ensure that Scottish agriculture plays its essential part in achieving this." Elsewhere, the directors of three major events in the south west - Devon County Show, the Royal Bath & West Show and the Royal Cornwall Show - have announced the postponement of their events. They said the decision is the 'most responsible action' to protect their visitors, traders and exhibitors from the spread of the virus. The three shows, all of which were scheduled to take place in spring, will be postponed: The Royal Bath & West Show will now take place on 31 July 1, and 2 August; Devon County Show 28, 29 and 30 August; Royal Cornwall Show 10, 11 and 12 September. The agricultural show sector is represented by the Association of Show & Agricultural Organisations (ASAO) which is monitoring the situation in the hope that the show season can be maintained while continuing to recognise the importance of managing public health. Rupert Cox, the chief executive of the Royal Bath & West Show said: Obviously we are very disappointed to have to postpone our ever-popular Royal Bath & West Show. "We hope that our visitors, traders and exhibitors will understand we are in unprecedented circumstances and that we have a civic responsibility to act with caution." The National Beef Association's Beef Expo event, due to take place in Darlington on 28 May, has been postponed until later in the summer. "We are in consultation with our event partners, and continue to monitor the situation closely. We will advise the rescheduled date in the near future," the body said. Other prominent shows cancelled due to the virus include the British Pig and Poultry Fair and the Grassland & Muck Event, which were due to take place 12 May and 20 May respectively. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Deirdre Hipwell (Bloomberg) Wed, March 18, 2020 09:03 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b68657 2 Lifestyle shopping,online-shopping,retailer,environment,emission Free Shopping online in some cases may be better for the environment. Large online retailers in the US produce 17 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than traditional stores, according to a report from Generation Investment Management LLP, the sustainable fund manager set up by former Vice President Al Gore and David Blood, the ex-CEO of Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Generation said its research found that e-commerce was more carbon-efficient than brick-and-mortar retailing, but usually only with businesses operating on a global scale, such as Walmart Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. Smaller online companies can be even more emissions-intensive than the traditional shops, particularly if their warehousing isnt energy efficient. The findings, generated using a new modeling tool created by Carnegie Mellon University and the University of California, Davis, show the complexity of accurately determining the levels of emissions from the retail industrys use of transport, buildings, data and packaging. Our base-case model suggests that e-commerce has the edge, even when compared with highly efficient bricks-and-mortar operations, said Nick Kukrika, partner at Generation. However, there are several factors, not least scale, timing and customer behavior that can tip the scales in the other direction. Read also: Indonesian K-pop fans fume over tariff on e-commerce imports e-commerce rises Global e-commerce sales rose from $2 trillion to $3.5 trillion between 2016 and 2019, according to Digital Commerce 360. In the U.S., theyve jumped to 10% of overall retail sales as of 2018 from less than 1% in 2000. The coronavirus pandemic is fueling additional online purchases, particularly of groceries as consumers stockpile essential items. Bruno Monteyne, an analyst at Bernstein, has said this shift is likely to be permanent as consumers change their habits. Some of the worlds largest retailers have already made commitments on climate change. Tesco Plc and J Sainsbury Plc, Britains two biggest grocers, have pledged to hit net-zero targets by 2050 and 2040, respectively. Walmart has said it will source 50% of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2025, and Amazon has also set a net-zero emissions target for 2040. We want to see all of them set science-based targets for emission reductions, said Felix Preston, director at Generation. (Newser) The Italian town of Vo Euganeo, near Venice, was at the center of Italy's coronavirus outbreakone of the first clusters in the country appeared there, and per the Straits Times, it was the site of Italy's first death from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. But the town took extreme measures to contain the outbreak right at the startand so far, they're working. The town immediately went on a two-week lockdown, isolating all of its 3,300 residents and testing them all. It found that about 3% of the populationmore than officials expectedwas positive, RFI reports. But more than half of them were asymptomatic, per Reuters. After two weeks of isolation they tested again; there was a 90% drop in the rate of positive results. As of Friday, the town hasn't seen any new infections at all, Sky News reports. More on this development: What does it mean? An infectious disease expert at Imperial College London who was involved in the experiment explains how it could apply to the wider population: "It is clear that you cannot test all Italiansbut you can test people close to those who are asymptomatic. We must use asymptomatic cases as an alarm bell to widen our action." story continues below 'Test, test, test.' The experiment echoes the message from WHO's director-general this week: "We have a simple message to all countriestest, test, test," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. "All countries should be able to test all suspected cases. They cannot fight this pandemic blindfolded." The experiment echoes the message from WHO's director-general this week: "We have a simple message to all countriestest, test, test," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. "All countries should be able to test all suspected cases. They cannot fight this pandemic blindfolded." Iceland follows suit: BuzzFeed reports that Iceland has decided to aggressively test, including asymptomatic people. So far the country is testing at a rate of 10,405 per million people living there; South Korea, whose testing strategy has also been hailed, is testing at a rate of about 5,203 per million. Ultimately, all of the country's 364,000 people can get tested. BuzzFeed reports that Iceland has decided to aggressively test, including asymptomatic people. So far the country is testing at a rate of 10,405 per million people living there; South Korea, whose testing strategy has also been hailed, is testing at a rate of about 5,203 per million. Ultimately, all of the country's 364,000 people can get tested. Iceland's results: So far, Iceland is seeing similar statistics as Vo Euganeo in that a low proportion of the population has tested positive, and about half of those who did had no symptoms. The other half reported mild symptoms similar to a cold. So far, Iceland is seeing similar statistics as Vo Euganeo in that a low proportion of the population has tested positive, and about half of those who did had no symptoms. The other half reported mild symptoms similar to a cold. Takeaway from Iceland: While BuzzFeed acknowledges mass testing isn't feasible in countries much larger than Iceland, "the testing has provided evidence revealing that a significant portion of those who catch the disease do so with no or mild symptomsand confirmed multiple pieces of research that have shown that asymptomatic individuals contribute to the transmission of the disease in great numbers." While BuzzFeed acknowledges mass testing isn't feasible in countries much larger than Iceland, "the testing has provided evidence revealing that a significant portion of those who catch the disease do so with no or mild symptomsand confirmed multiple pieces of research that have shown that asymptomatic individuals contribute to the transmission of the disease in great numbers." Meanwhile, in the rest of the world: The virus is present in every single European country now; on Tuesday it also hit all 50 US states. But in Wuhan, where the first cases broke out, there have been two consecutive days now with just one new case reported per day, ABC News reports. There are now more than 200,000 confirmed cases across the globe and more than 8,000 have died. The virus is present in every single European country now; on Tuesday it also hit all 50 US states. But in Wuhan, where the first cases broke out, there have been two consecutive days now with just one new case reported per day, ABC News reports. There are now more than 200,000 confirmed cases across the globe and more than 8,000 have died. But one person doesn't have it: Texas authorities arrested a man who falsely claimed on social media to have tested positive for COVID-19, Fox News reports. He has been charged with a misdemeanor count of making a false report. (Read more coronavirus stories.) Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer and fixer, risks catching coronavirus while serving his three-year prison sentence, justifying his release into home confinement, Cohen's attorney said on Tuesday. In a letter to U.S. District Judge William Pauley in Manhattan, Cohen's lawyer Roger Adler accused the Federal Bureau of Prisons of being 'demonstrably incapable' of safeguarding inmates who live in close quarters and face an 'enhanced risk' of catching coronavirus. Adler urged Pauley 'to consider my client's exposure to the coronavirus,' and act 'thoughtfully and decisively' given the 'absence of Presidential leadership' in protecting federal prisoners from COVID-19. Michael Cohen, U.S. President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer and fixer, risks catching coronavirus while serving his three-year prison sentence, according to his lawyer A spokesman for U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman in Manhattan declined to comment. Cohen, 53, has lived since last May at a minimum-security camp in Otisville, New York, which like all federal prisons has suspended visits to help protect inmates from coronavirus. He pleaded guilty in August 2018 to campaign finance and other crimes, including directing hush money before the 2016 election to two women who claimed to have had sexual encounters with Trump, which the president has denied. Cohen's attorney is asking for his client to serve the rest of his sentence at home. File photo from February 2019 Cohen asked Pauley last December 11 to shorten his sentence to a year and a day or allow home confinement, citing his cooperation with former Special Counsel Robert Mueller and other investigators concerning Trump. Mueller had examined Russian interference in the 2016 election. In a December 19 letter opposing Cohen's release, Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said Cohen was not a 'credible witness,' citing statements in which she said he minimized his acceptance of responsibility for conduct underlying his guilty plea. Tracy Wood covering a 1973 speech by former South Vietnamese Pres. Nguyen Van Thieu. (Wood family) Tracy Wood, a hard-charging reporter who broke through the male-dominated press corps to cover the Vietnam War and later helped The Times win a Pulitzer for its coverage of the L.A. riots, has died at her home in Fullerton. Wood, who had been living with cancer, died March 12 from complications of the disease, her brother Scott said. She was 76. A wartime correspondent, a hardened investigative reporter and a nurturing editor later in life, Wood had a long career as a journalist, from her first stint as a reporter at City News Service in Los Angeles to her pioneering efforts as a founding member of the editorial staff at the Voice of OC, a nonprofit digital news startup. In between, she covered conflict abroad, racial tensions in intercity Los Angeles and looked into suspect politicians and corrupt career bureaucrats. "Few reporters could get the respect of both rival reporters and politicians, but that was Tracy," said Gustavo Arellano, a Times staff writer who competed with Wood as editor of the OC Weekly. "She was tough and fair, pioneering but always working everything a reporter should ever want to be." Born Aug. 21, 1943 in Monmouth Junction, N.J., Wood attended the University of Missouri before landing in L.A. as a cub reporter at City News Service and then United Press International, first working at the wire service's Sacramento bureau and then in New York. Times political columnist George Skelton, who was Wood's editor in Sacramento, recalled the young reporter demanding to be allowed to enter a swanky all-male club frequented by lobbyists and political heavyweights to cover a speech by then-Gov. Ronald Reagan. Turned away at the door, Wood refused to leave the Sutter Club and instead called Skelton, who in return called Reagan's press secretary and told him that UPI, which fed stories to hundreds of media outlets at the time, would refuse to cover the event unless Wood was allowed inside. Story continues Stuck, the club relented. "Tracy could dig out any story," Skelton said. "I've never worked with a better reporter." Tracy Wood covering the release of U.S. POWs at at Hanoi's Gia Lam airport in March 1973. (Wood family) Over the objections of her editors in New York and counter to the prevailing media mindset that only men should be on the front lines during wartime, Wood landed in Saigon in 1972 as the war was grinding on. Wood was there when American prisoners were released in 1974 and a year earlier had watched as future Sen. John McCain was released from the Hanoi Hilton, used by the North Vietnamese to house, torture and interrogate captured servicemen. Her experiences were later chronicled in "War Torn," a compilation of stories from women who covered the war. Wood later worked in the UPI's Hong Kong bureau before coming to The Times, where she worked in Los Angeles and Orange County. She shared in the paper's Pulitzer in 1993 for its coverage of the riots following the acquittal of four officers charged in the beating of Rodney King. Later, she helped lead the Orange County Register's investigative team and then helped launch the Voice of OC, leading investigative efforts and civic coverage. "Tracy was the toughest journalist I've ever known," said Norberto Santana Jr., publisher and editor in chief of the news site. "She really took seriously a reporters job to protect our freedoms at home, and get all sides of a story, saw it as an extension of what so many men and women died to protect on distant battlefields." Wood is survived by her brother. SACRAMENTO While governors across the country issue mandatory orders cutting back on social activity to stop the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom is relying on policy guidelines and an expectation that Californians will voluntarily follow them. In the past two weeks, Newsom has published recommendations on when schools should close, called for the cancellation of gatherings larger than 250 people and urged all bars and nightclubs to shut down. On Monday night, he gave local governments authority to temporarily halt evictions for people or businesses that cannot pay their rent because of the virus outbreak something several cities were already moving to do. But Newsom has made none of those actions mandatory, and has resisted as advocacy groups urged him to respond more forcefully. To date we havent needed to do that. Weve set out guidance. That guidance has been met in every circumstance, Newsom said Sunday during a news conference in which he asked Californians age 65 or older to isolate at home. If you want to establish a framework of martial law, which is ultimate authority and enforcement, we have the capacity to do that, but we are not at this moment feeling that is a necessity. Newsom said the size and diversity of the state means different communities have different circumstances, and he has crafted his policies to provide flexibility. While it may be fanciful and comforting by perception standards for some to have one size fits all, thats not the world, he said. Now Playing: Here is what you need to know about the coronavirus. Video: Manjula Varghese But at a news conference Tuesday, the governor said, We reserve the right to go farther if we dont think the local efforts are meeting the moment. The rapid changes to daily life in California are not markedly different from other places where children have also been sent home from school for several weeks and restaurants are offering only takeout. But in states like Ohio, Kentucky, Washington and New York, those decisions have been mandated by the governor rather than local health officials and school districts. Newsoms approach has disappointed some, including tenant-rights groups that were pushing him to adopt a statewide moratorium on evictions, foreclosures and utility shutoffs, rather than simply granting cities and counties that right via executive order. This is one area where that doesnt make as much sense, said Sasha Harnden, a policy advocate with the Western Center on Law and Poverty. It really leaves things up to local governments who are already overwhelmed dealing with things on the ground. He said Newsoms order fell short of providing meaningful protection to Californians fighting eviction, because it would force them to leave their homes and appear in court to prove their loss of income was related to the coronavirus. Tenants in jurisdictions that do not adopt a moratorium would not benefit at all. But state Sen. Richard Pan, D-Sacramento, said the governor is taking the right approach by trying to get buy-in from the public and encouraging people to take ownership of their crisis response. If people dont understand and theyre just doing it because theyre being told to, oftentimes people find ways around it. You have to bring everybody along, he said. Pan, a pediatrician, said the state may need to move to mandatory orders if people ignore the guidelines and efforts to contain the outbreak suffer. However, people are being asked to do hard things like take their children out of school and close their businesses, Pan said. Giving them a chance to go along with other changes voluntarily makes the state seem less coercive and reduces the chances of backlash, he said. Generally, Americans dont like being forced to do things. And I think it actually undermines your ability to take the next step, because people will resist that, Pan said. Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, said she understood the challenge of striking a balance between reassuring people and doing what is in the best interest of their health. Thats the million-dollar question, and youre getting different answers from different leaders. And I think that speaks to the difficulty of the situation were in, she said. I dont know where you draw the line. The Legislature faced its own decision Monday when it considered whether to suspend its session. Lawmakers ultimately voted to recess until April 13, though some work may continue remotely. It is the first time since Sacramento flooded in 1862 that there has been an emergency break, according to Alex Vassar, who wrote a book about the history of the Legislature. It took hours of deliberation to reach that decision Monday, because some members felt it wasnt needed and sent the wrong message that the government was shutting down. But Atkins said warnings from public health experts that the United States is on the same trajectory as Italy, where the health care system has been swamped by coronavirus patients, heightened the urgency to send lawmakers and their staffs home. About two dozen of the current 119 members are 65 or older. It is up to all of us to try to drive home and be the example that we need to go home. We need to follow these guidelines, Atkins said. You cannot let fear keep you from doing what you need to do. Alexei Koseff is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @akoseff As the deadly coronavirus threatens to overwhelm San Franciscos emergency rooms in the coming weeks, Mayor London Breed issued an emergency measure Tuesday to radically speed up the hiring of public health care workers. The measure is meant to address the shortages of nurses and other critical health care staff in the city. The order, effective immediately, will allow the Department of Public Health to bypass regular hiring guidelines for public health care workers. Typically, it takes the city six months or more to hire a nurse. Under the new rule, some medical professionals can be hired on the spot and start working in as little as a week. Our health workers are at the front lines of this public health emergency and as the situation evolves, we need to make sure we have enough nurses available to care for people who need medical care, said Breed said in a statement. Even before the pandemic was declared, San Francisco General Hospitals emergency room was already understaffed and overwhelmed. The public hospital has long been ground zero for the citys homelessness crisis, and front-line staff have struggled with the surge in mentally ill and drug-addicted patients coming off the streets. Emergency room visits increased to a peak of 820,000 in 2018, up from 68,000 in 2015. In January, San Francisco General Hospital was actively trying to fill 75 vacancies in its staff of about 900 full-time registered nurses, according to the hospital. About 14 of those full-time positions were in the emergency room alone, but several nurses at the time still worried that wouldn't be enough to handle the demand. On Tuesday, three emergency room nurses interviewed by The Chronicle said they were overwhelmed at the prospect of dealing with COVID-19 amid the hospitals current challenges. One emergency room nurse who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation said she was starting to see an increase in patients with COVID-19 related symptoms, such as respiratory issues, coughs and fevers. Even though the hospital has yet to experience a dramatic surge in COVID-19 patients, she said the department is already scrambling to handle the current numbers. Were literally standing and looking at a pandemic on the world stage, and we are already behind with so many problems, she said. In accordance with its policy, The Chronicle agreed not to name the nurse. The Department of Public Health was already working on making changes to the protocol to hire nurses in 45 days or less. On Tuesday, The Board of Supervisors also passed a resolution written by Supervisor Ahsha Safai to expedite the hiring process to less than 90-days from the day they receive an application. Breeds declaration temporarily waives provisions of Civil Service Commission Rules and provisions of the Charter regarding hiring. The new rules will be in effect for 30 days and can be extended for another 30 days through an executive order. If the local emergency is rescinded at any point, the declaration will no longer be in effect. Department of Public Health officials have begun contacting candidates who have already applied to the department to see if they are still interested in the job. If so, the candidate will be issued a conditional offer letter of employment and invited to an invite only nurse hiring fair at San Francisco General Hospital this weekend, where they will complete the onboarding process. Officials will conduct background checks at the hiring fair, which include fingerprints, and medical screenings will be conducted. Qualified candidates may be able to start work the following week, pending clearances, according to the mayors office. The hiring fair is not open to the public and attendees will be staggered to ensure proper social distancing. Being fully staffed and prepared with critical front line nurses is one of the most critical aspects of dealing with this impending health crisis, Safai said in a statement. While Christa Duran, an emergency room nurse, said she is happy that the city is paying attention to this need, she worries what kind of experience level the new nurses will have. If they are less experienced, she said, that could actually put more of a strain on the experienced nurses who will need to assist them. It is not their fault, they are learning, she said. But they are going to be in for a surprise. More Information Inside the Newsroom Anonymous sources: The Chronicle strives to attribute all information we report to credible, reliable, identifiable sources. Presenting information from an anonymous source occurs extremely rarely, and only when that information is considered crucially important and all other on-the-record options have been exhausted. In such cases, The Chronicle has complete knowledge of the unnamed person's identity and of how that person is in position to know the information. The Chronicle's detailed policy governing the use of such sources, including the use of pseudonyms, is available on sfchronicle.com. See More Collapse Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani WETHERSFIELD Civil rights advocates are decrying the exoneration of a Wethersfield officer who shot and killed a Hartford teen during a traffic stop in April 2019. The death of 18-year-old Anthony Jose Chulo Vega Cruz prompted changes in state law that now prohibit police officers from placing themselves in front of a moving vehicle and firing into a fleeing car except under certain circumstances. But Hartford States Attorney Gail Hardy who investigated the fatal shooting announced Wednesday that Wethersfield officer Layau Eulizier, Jr. was justified in firing on Vega Cruz who was trying to flee a traffic stop. He will not face any criminal charges in the shooting. We are outraged that the officer will not face charges, but we remain hopeful that we will help the Cruz family find justice in civil court, said civil rights Attorney Ben Crump who is representing Vega Cruzs family. We intend to pursue civil lawsuits against the officer and the Wethersfield Police Department. This execution-style killing was senseless - a traffic violation should not carry a death sentence. At least one advocacy group questioned the timing of the release of the report - during the coronavirus pandemic which has prompted mass closures and a need for people to remain home. Vega Cruzs death came within a week of a Hamden officer and a Yale University officer firing on an unarmed man who was mistakenly believed to be an armed robbery suspect. Hamden officer Devin Eaton fired 13 shots at the vehicle driven by Paul Witherspoon, striking the 21-year-old drivers passenger, Stephanie Washington. Eaton was later arrested in the shooting. Both shootings prompted protests and a last minute bid within the state legislature to make police more accountable and the investigations into the deadly use of force more transparent. On the final day of the legislative session in early June 2019, both the state Senate and House of Representatives passed a bill listing changes in state law including prohibiting officers from placing themselves in front of a vehicle. After a nearly year-long investigation, Hardy determined that Eulizier was justified in firing into Vega-Cruzs vehicle. One of the shots hit the 18-year-old in the head, Hardys report said. Wethersfield police were trying to stop the car on a technical violation, Hardy said. It appeared that the vehicle was displaying plates that belonged on another car. Eulizier was one of the officers who responded to the scene and wound up bumping his cruiser into Vega Cruzs Infiniti as he arrived on the scene, the report said. Eulizier got out of the cruiser and positioned himself in front of Vega Cruzs car yelling for the driver to show his hands, the report said. He then fired two shots into the car, the report said. His dash camera showed the incident, including the officers maneuver placing himself in front of the car which was still trying to flee. Eulizier had joined the Wethersfield Police Department eight months before. He had been previously exonerated for his role in a fatal police-involve shooting in Bolton in 2015 while he was with the Manchester Police Department. The one round he fired during that incident did not hit the suspect, Hardy said. Eulizier had been cited by Manchester Police Chief Marc Montminy for conduct unbecoming an employee in January of 2018 after an investigation determined that he had used unsafe techniques as he attempted to take a suspect out of a vehicle while simultaneously pointing his service firearm at the man. Montminy recommended remedial training for Eulizier who he said demonstrated poor performance during incidents where he appears to be under stress. He also received written instruction by Wethersfield commanders about one month after his hiring for violating the departments pursuit policy, Hardy said. She ultimately concluded however that Eulizier was justified since he was in fear that the operator was about to run him over and that he would lose his own life. His belief that deadly force was needed to defend himself and others from the use or imminent use of deadly physical force was objectively reasonable and therefore justified, Hardy said. Once again, a Connecticut prosecutor has decided not to pursue justice for a young man of color who was killed by police, said David McGuire, executive director of the Connecticut American Civil Liberties Union, which has championed police accountability and a change in the standards for determining justified police-involved shootings. Anthony Jose Chulo Vega Cruz should still be alive today, McGuire said. It is shameful and unconscionable that States Attorney Hardy and the Division of Criminal Justice chose to release this news in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing people to choose between protecting their health and protesting and mourning the states choice not to pursue justice for Chulo. Toilet paper isnt the only item that shoppers are stocking up on during the coronavirus pandemic. Maple syrup buyers are requesting rush shipments of their orders from Quebec, the worlds largest producer. The accelerated delivery is being fuelled by concerns that shipping could become difficult in the coming months, said Daniel Dufour, head of the Maple Industry Council. We dont know whats going to be the situation in two, three, four months from now, Dufour said by phone from Quebec City. They want us to rush now, ship faster. The U.S. is the biggest buyer of syrup, followed by Germany and Japan, he said. Canadas maple syrup is sold as a pure ingredient for use at home and in restaurants and in other food products, such as maple butter and maple smoked bacon. The good news for pancake lovers is that theres no shortage of syrup. The Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers has a strategic reserve filled with 100 million pounds (more than 45 million kilograms) of syrup in case of a shortfall. Read more about: McLennan County Sheriffs Office officials are crediting Sgt. Michael Graham and patrol deputies Steven Strahl and Colt Braziel for saving a mans life last week after his leg was caught in a wood chipper at a work site near Gholson. The trio of deputies applied a tourniquet to the 24-year-old mans leg and helped pull him from the wood chipper, ensuring a medical crew had time to transport him to Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center by helicopter, Sheriff Parnell McNamara said. We are very proud of the work they did and how fast they reacted, McNamara said. That is just a part of our oath, to serve and protect, for many things. And all law enforcement protects from criminals, disasters, weather and accidents, so these guys more than likely saved that mans life. Graham, Braziel and Strahl responded to a man down call at about 2 p.m. March 10 at a site on Mary Ware Drive near Gholson, where subcontractors for an electric company were clearing brush away from power lines, Graham said. Basically his right leg was caught in the wood chipper almost up to his knee, Braziel said. Luckily he was able to pull the emergency bar himself and stop the chipper. The same day COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, Ontario woman Emily Spanton boarded a plane at Pearson International Airport and flew to Paris. The travel wasnt for leisure or business Spanton is the key witness in one of the highest-profile criminal trials in France in recent memory. In 2014, Spanton, 40, made explosive allegations that she was gang-raped by at least two French police officers inside 36 Quai des Orfevres, the celebrated former police headquarters. Last year, the two accused officers were convicted of rape and sentenced to seven years in jail then they quickly appealed, launching a retrial process. Their new trial was scheduled to begin in the Paris suburb of Creteil on Tuesday. But as France grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic on Monday, President Emmanuel Macron said the country was at war with the virus and ordered residents to stay at home for up to 15 days the retrial has been cancelled until further notice. Im disappointed that the end is no longer visible, Spanton told the Star from Paris. My life continues to be on hold. For now, though, Spanton has more immediate concerns. She is among the untold number of Canadians clamouring to get back home after the federal government urged nationals to return from abroad as soon as possible. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it would not be possible to expect that all Canadians who are currently abroad will be able to come home immediately. Global Affairs Canada announced a $5,000 emergency loan for people who need help getting home. Still, as the severity of the situation was becoming apparent over the weekend, Spanton was stuck in limbo, waiting on the status of her trial at a critical time. On Friday, Spantons lawyer told her the trial might not go ahead, so she began speaking with the Canadian consulate in Paris. But she was advised not to change any plans until the case was officially cancelled. The order postponing the trial came Monday, approximately one hour before Trudeau announced that international flights would be limited to four Canadian airports at which point flights were fully booked, she said. With no flights available until next week, she is staying put in her rented apartment in Paris 20th arrondissement, a densely populated neighbourhood on the east end of the city. The grocery stores are open, though there are empty shelves, and she is well equipped, she said her apartment has a microwave, hot plate and laundry. And she is also not alone: A friend came with her from Canada to support her during the trial. We dont feel travel home is safer than staying put, isolating in our apartment, Spanton said. We feel we are safer here for a few days while things die down. The Guardian reported Monday that Paris alone had nearly 600 hospitalized cases of COVID-19, with more than 120 in intensive care. In the five days since she arrived in France, Spanton has observed a noticeable difference in Parisians behaviour since late last week. On Tuesday morning she went to the store to pick up necessities, snapping photos of near-empty streets. The mood is starting to change from the complete ignorance of Saturday to one of caution, though I would definitely not describe it as panicked, Spanton said. Normally, the city is loud with the commotion of daily life. Now, I hear a multitude of birds. Its actually quite beautiful. Spanton, who is the daughter of a former Toronto police officer, opted to waive her right to anonymity and first revealed her identity to the Star in 2016, so that she could speak openly about her allegations and about sexual assault and consent more generally. The Star does not identify victims of sexual assault unless they choose to be named. Spantons lawyer, Sophie Obadia, could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Pascal-Pierre Garbarini, lawyer for one of the two accused men, confirmed to the Star Tuesday that the trial was postponed indefinitely, noting the current health crisis is upsetting our daily life and the judicial agenda. Spanton alleges that while she was visiting Paris in 2014, she met a group of off-duty cops at an Irish bar and accepted an invitation to tour police headquarters across the street. Once inside, she alleges she was raped by at least two officers. The allegations spawned an expansive, two-year probe that included a French investigative judge travelling to Canada to interview Spantons family and ex-husband. Later, Paris police took DNA samples from more than 100 officers in an attempt to identify the cops involved, before Frances public prosecution office sent the two officers to trial. The two officers have maintained their innocence throughout. I should never have brought Emily Spanton to the BRI offices. All my life Ive had good relationships with women. I never, never, never assaulted, attacked or raped Emily Spanton, one of the men said in a statement to the court shortly before sentencing, according to French media. Lawyers representing the officers did not respond to requests for comment from the Star. Anne-Laure Compoint, lawyer for the other officer, said during the 2019 trial that it wasnt possible to prove, beyond doubt, that there had been a lack of consent, according to Agence France-Press. Sebastien Schapira, the lawyer representing the first officer during the 2019 trial, told the Associated Press last year that the verdict was a shock because both officers are innocent. We will fight this and win because in France there is justice, he said. 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 Read more about: The Pakistani government has confirmed the country's first fatality from coronavirus in the northwest province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The South Asian country had a total of 260 confirmed cases of the infection as of late March 18, including 19 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. "With deep regret I confirm the death of first Pakistani due to coronavirus. A 50-year-old male from Mardan city recently returned from Saudi Arabia. He developed fever, cough and breathing difficulty and tested positive for the COVID-19, Health Minister Zafar Mirza tweeted. A 36-year-old man from Hangu district also died of the respiratory disease after returning from Turkey to Islamabad via Dubai, according to a spokesperson for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government. Thousands of Pakistanis, mostly pilgrims, have been placed into quarantine in recent weeks at the Taftan border crossing in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan after returning from Iran, one of the world's worst affected countries. Amid the steep rise in known cases, Pakistani authorities have moved to discourage crowds and gatherings. Islamabad on March 17 announced that all gyms, swimming pools, religious shrines, and children's parks would remain closed for three weeks. Health officials in Punjab, Pakistan's largest province, urged the public to avoid unnecessary social contacts or traveling and to stay indoors. Governments around the world continue to take sweeping measures to try to slow the spread of coronavirus, which has now infected more than 201,000 people and killed over 8,000. With reporting by Reuters and AFP Diocese leaders in Newark and Camden on Wednesday canceled all daily and Sunday Masses joining other dioceses to effectively cancel most Roman Catholic services in New Jersey in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak. Earlier this week, the Dioceses of Metuchen, Trenton and Paterson announced they were suspending most services until further notice. All of the institutions have cited the coronavirus outbreak as the reason for the suspensions. This decision comes after exhaustive discussion and with an especially heavy heart, Newark Archbishop Joseph Tobin said in a statement. It is critical that all comply with (Gov. Phil Murphys) directive to protect the health of all throughout the archdiocese and beyond. In Camden, Bishop Dennis Sullivan said canceling services was a response to Gov. Phil Murphys decision to limit much of the activity in our state. The directives suspend most services, including confirmations, communions and weddings. Exceptions are baptisms, funerals and burial services, and previously scheduled weddings. However, public weekday Masses are not to be held even if attendance is fewer than 50 since, generally speaking, it is the older faithful who are most vulnerable that usually attend, Sullivan said. Services in all of the dioceses are suspended indefinitely, with some suggesting they may be able to resume in two or more weeks. Easter Sunday this year falls on April 12. 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: Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. The world is plagued with a raging deadly pandemic, the novel Coronavirus which is fast spreading like a wild fire and claiming lives in a proportion ever witnessed, this has left many countries on their knees and grappling for a solution. In order to minimize the spread of this virus in Ghana, the president, Nana Akufo Addo announced some measures to that effect. In the wake of this, the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology under its hardworking Minister, Professor Frimpong Boateng, has instituted some enhanced preventive measures to ensure the safety of the staff Being a medical professional himself, Professor Frimpong Boateng educated the staff on the need to adhere strictly to personal hygiene as well as measures put in place by the Ministry He further stated the need to use hand sanitizers frequently as well as washing once hands with running water before and after using washrooms The safety and health preventive measures instituted by the Minister includes provision of hand gloves for the security personnel at the entrance, checking of temperature of everybody who enters the building, Veronica bucket mounted at various points for easy access to wash once hands, sanitizers mounted on the walls on all the floors amongst other things The Minister assured that with these measures and its strict adherrance, the staff of the Ministry would be working under a very safe conditions without any fear. Interestingly and not so surprising, our checks indicated that the instrument being used to checking temperature was provided by Professor Frimpong Boateng without a charge Such a show of patriotism is what is required from all in times like this 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 (Natural News) Thanks to a coordinated right-wing media disinformation campaign that has spread bad ideas faster than the Wuhan coronavirus itself, we have now arrived at a point in America where many prominent pro-Trump publishers, pundits and thought leaders have devolved into something resembling a suicide cult of mathematically illiterate Flat Earth deniers of biological reality. Its truly horrifying to watch. All over conservative media the last day or two, we hear prominent voices calling the coronavirus a hoax (Ron Paul), a sham (Joe Hoft, The Gateway Pundit), a no worse than the flu scenario (Rush Limbaugh), a false flag operation or a fake science event thats rooted only in mass hysteria and nothing else. Joe Hoft, a guest on InfoWars earlier today, claims that the coronavirus has a lower fatality rate than the regular flu, and he says the whole thing is a sham. (Ive dismantled his bad math in this article.) Showcasing their science illiteracy, conservative commentators like Rush Limbaugh claim the entire coronavirus hysteria is nothing but left-wing media hype engineered to harm Trump. Rush Limbaugh is the same radio host who claims that Leftists are morons for thinking that biology isnt real, thanks to their transgenderism beliefs. But when Rush doesnt want a virus to be real, he wishes it away in precisely the same twisted fashion. Biology is only real when it serves his political purposes, it seems. In other words, its selective biological realism, not universal biological realism. Meanwhile, celebrity doctor Dr. Drew continues to claim the coronavirus pandemic is no worse than the flu. Yes, seriously, people are still saying that, but only in America. Nowhere else in the world are large portions of the population dumbed down enough to think the coronavirus is some sort of elaborate global hoax. Just remember: Even if you manage to survive the pandemic, you still have to survive the STUPID. By the way, even the New York Times can do basic math, and this graphic from their site shows that if just 30% of the American people get infected with the coronavirus, a 2% case fatality rate results in two million deaths: But apparently thats all fake, according to many conservative publishers. After all, its the New York Times, they say, so it must be fake even if its just straight up multiplication of numbers. I suppose if the NYT printed 2+2=4, conservative publishers would turn around and insist that 2+2=7 just to disagree. Denialism running rampant across the conservative landscape, thanks to conservative publishers pushing FAKE news While various Fox News hosts tell their audience the coronavirus is nothing to worry about, a wave of independent media writers and commentators currently claim coronavirus testing doesnt work and that all the positive tests are false positives. ALL the testing is fake, they say, and then they claim the real death rate is only 0.1%, a number they derive from nowhere. Dealing with these people is like trying to debate the acceleration of gravity with Flat Earthers, with whom you cant even agree on the basic construct of physics in order to have an informed discussion in the first place. To even talk about infectious disease with someone, you first have to agree that viruses exist, yet even that is now bizarrely denied by a surprisingly large number of conservatives, including people I know personally that Ive had to now block from spamming my mobile phone with a bizarre, maddening stream of lunatic rantings that claim Im misleading people for accepting the false theory that viruses exist. (Seriously, Im about to build a time machine so I can zap these people back to the 1830s, where they belong) I havent even told them yet that we just put in an order for some Thermo-Fisher gene sequencing PCR hardware for my lab. Imagine how furious theyre going to be when they find out Im using genetic sequencing to conduct food safety testing. I can already see the incoming complaints: How dare you scan food samples for the genetic fingerprint of dangerous microorganisms! Apparently, I am not only blackballed from mainstream science for conducting ICP-MS heavy metals tests on vaccines, but now Im blackballed from alternative science for believing in the existence of viruses. In other words, anyone who engages in actual science will be banned everywhere, since no legitimate science is allowed anywhere. (Seriously, folks, I almost wrote another article with the title: Note to all conservatives, if you are scientifically illiterate and cant do math, shut the f##k up about the coronavirus but then thought that might sound too harsh, so I canned the idea.) No wait, its a grand global coordinated conspiracy involving 100 countries to fake thousands of deaths and crash their own economies just to fool us for some reason And then come the global false flag theories, which are so far beyond bizarre that they make me cringe, and I seriously believe Building 7 was brought down by explosive charges. Right now, a significant portion of the pro-Trump, conservative movement quite literally believes that 100+ nations are conspiring to stage thousands of fake deaths along with a fake economic collapse designed to fool everybody for some reason. Remember that book called Nobody Died at Sandy Hook? Amazon banned it. It spurred lawsuits and major negative press against Alex Jones (who wasnt the author, by the way, even though the fake news media claimed he was). Well soon, Id imagine, were going to have conservative publishers churning out a whole new volume called, Nobody died from the coronavirus, and it will have chapters with titles like, Theres no such thing as a virus and How China faked its own economic collapse to fool Trump. Dont forget the concluding chapter, called, Linear thinking in an exponential world. The last time I witnessed something this perplexing was when several people approached me at a restaurant and tried to convince me to promote their flat Earth theories. They had an entire mental model for why the Earth was flat, and why gravity doesnt exist, and why the sun and moon are flat discs in the sky, and other entertaining mental models that would blow your mind. (For example, they believe tides are caused by the sun and moon emitting electromagnetic force fields that shove the water around, since gravity isnt a universal force that exists in their model of the universe.) But now, its conservative publishers who have gone full flat Earth on the coronavirus! None of this is real, they say, so you can ignore the following map of coronavirus infections in America. Merely wishing for it to go away solves the whole problem! Wildly misleading, dangerously inaccurate information from conservatives will end up getting potential Trump voters KILLED before November We are literally watching prominent members of the pro-Trump, conservative movement self-destruct right in front of our very eyes. If Trump loses in November, it will surely be because unknown thousands of potential Trump voters were killed off by the coronavirus after becoming complacent from reading all the wildly misleading disinformation coming out of conservative publishers right now. According to the Washington Times, Wapos Jennifer Rubin just said that a lot more Republicans will die from the coronavirus than Democrats, since they believe Fox News which has basically gone into flat Earth mode on all this, too. Via the Washington Times: There is a particular cruelty, irony that it is their core viewers, the Republican older viewers, who are the most at risk, Ms. Rubin, a self-described conservative and former Republican, said during a panel discussion Sunday morning on MSNBCs AM Joy. As much as its a horrible thought to agree with anything coming out of the fake news Washington Post, Jennifer Rubin isnt wrong. What we are witnessing right now is a suicide cult implosion of the Republican masses across America, many of whom devoutly refuse to take precautions against the coronavirus and will therefore become infected, hospitalized and buried. Denial syrup isnt an anti-viral herbal remedy, it turns out. Youd be far better off drinking elderberry juice. Fortunately, Trump himself is far better informed about all this than many of his own followers, which is why Trump is pleading with America to practice strong social isolation habits so that the spread of the virus is slowed. If Trump is to survive the stunning ignorance of many of his own followers, hes going to have to convince them to self-isolate so they dont all kill each other in the largest suicide cult extravaganza weve seen since the Jonestown massacre of 1978. So what do we do now? #FlattenTheCurve #StayTheFuckHome And read Pandemic.news if you want to live. An Army officer attached to the College of Military Engineering in Pune has been asked to self-quarantine after he showed symptoms of flu, sources said on Wednesday. The wife of another officer at the institute has also been asked to self-quarantine. Both of them are yet to be tested for coronavirus, they said. Officials said that as a precautionary measure, at some places officers are being quarantined after returning from leave while at other locations body temperature is being checked to see whether they are have any symptom of infection. The Army has already asked its officers to avoid non-urgent travel to contain spread of coronavirus infection within the forces. In the first case of the coronavirus in the Indian Army, a 34-year-old soldier has tested positive for the infection in Leh, Army sources said on Wednesday as the the total number of cases in India rose to 147. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The widow of a man who died after testing positive for coronavirus has hit out at the 'low life' person who set up a bogus fundraising page for him. Retired police officer Nick Matthews died in Bristol Royal Infirmary at the weekend, after testing positive for COVID-19. The 59-year-old, who had underlying health conditions, is believed to be one of the youngest people in the UK to die after contracting the virus. His wife Mary posted on her Facebook page to advise them to get tested if they had been in contact with her husband, who she described as her 'soul mate' and 'best friend'. Just days after his death, a bogus Go Get Funding page 'Nick Matthews Fund' was set up with a target of raising 5,000. Nick Matthews, 59, from Nailsea was a former CID office. He died in Bristol Royal Infirmary after testing positive for COVID-19 at the weekend. (Pictured right with his wife Mary left) Mrs Matthews confirmed the page was not set up by her and urged people not to donate. Mrs Matthews said: 'Firstly I would like to thank everyone for their lovely messages and support following the death of Nick. 'However some low life has set up a fake profile in my name and set up a Nick Matthews go get funding page. 'This is not me! Please do not send any money.' The page has now been taken down. A spokesman for Go Get Funding said: 'It is very common across all crowdfunding platforms, not just ours for fake or copycat campaigns to be created by fraudsters. 'They will usually use campaigns that are highly emotive such as funerals and memorials or animal cruelty where donors may not be as guarded regarding donating as they may not even consider someone would be heartless enough to create such an account. Mrs Matthews confirmed the page was not set up by her and urged people not to donate 'We have a number of measures in place to try to minimise such campaigns appearing on our site, but it is incredibly difficult to identify all fake campaigns. 'We are incredibly grateful for the immense support we get from our crowdfunding community and also the families and friends who are extremely vigilant and will notify us often within hours of a fake campaign appearing and in almost all cases before any donations have been made. 'If donations have been made (in most cases the first few donations are made by the fraudster themselves to try and make the campaign look genuine), we provide the guidance and support needed to ensure the donors are able to retrieve any donations that have been made via the various payment processors we use. 'When donating to a crowdfunding campaign, donors should always ask this whether they were referred to the project by a friend or family member? 'If not, was the link found via a reputable source such as a newspaper, TV programme or well established social media page.' Actor Idris Elba has shared updates about his health after being tested positive for the coronavirus earlier this week. Elba conducted a live video interaction on Twitter, in which he spoke about his progress. Its been a mad 24 hours, he said, and added, Yesterday was good and bad. It was bad because obviously I tested positive, but it was also good because I think it opened up a lot of conversation. It made it a lot real for some people. Definitely made it more real for me and my family. Speaking about his wife Sabrina Dhowres decision to stay with him, Idris added, Sabrina wanted to be by my side, as much as we talked about her not coming to where I am, she did, and wanted to. I love her even more for it and I would do the same for her. So, we calculated that risk and decided to be together... I hope you guys can understand it. Also Watch | Idris Elba tests positive for coronavirus, says time for social distancing Days before announcing that he had tested positive for the coronavirus, Elba met with Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus wife, Sophie, who has also been diagnosed with the illness. Elba on Monday announced on social media that he had tested positive for Covid-19, as the global tally of infections neared the 200000 mark. Elba attended the Wembley Arena We Day event on March 4, where he met Sophie Trudeau and posed for photographs. On Monday, he said on Twitter, This morning I tested positive Covid-19. I feel okay, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus. 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 He added, This is serious. Now is the time to really think about social distancing, washing your hands. 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. Sophie Trudeaus diagnosis was made public last week. Both she and her husband would remain in quarantine for 14 days, it was announced. She experienced symptoms while in the UK. The Prime Minister is in good health with no symptoms. As a precautionary measure and following the advice of doctors, he will be in isolation for a planned period of 14 days, his office said, according to CNN. Sophie Trudeau in a statement said, Although Im experiencing uncomfortable symptoms of the virus, I will be back on my feet soon, she said. Being in quarantine at home is nothing compared to other Canadian families who might be going through this and for those facing more serious health concerns. In his live video, Elba hinted that Sophie Trudeau might have infected him. He said, So, Im here because of my production, and the doctor and medic team for the production were contacted because someone that I was in contact with, who is also in the public eye, tested positive. So, it became an issue. Therefore they got me a test immediately. Also read: Australian presenter suspects Tom Hanks wife Rita Wilson gave him the coronavirus Elba joined a growing list of celebrities that includes actor Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, actor Kristofer Hivju and former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko who have made their condition public. Follow @htshowbiz for more The Federal Government has banned all public officials and workers from travelling abroad aspart of measures to contain the spread of coronavirus. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha announced the ban after a meeting held by the presidential task force on coronavirus in Abuja on Tuesday. The SGF also advised the general public to cancel all travels abroad especially to all high risk countries. Mustapha said: After due consideration and the trend of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the subsequent declaration as pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the committee has decided that we upscale our health emergency system to the highest level and put in measures to curb further spread of the disease. So far we have three cases two have tested positive, one negative. We will want to ensure that this does not go beyond this minor figure for now. On the part of government, we have decided that it has become necessary to advise all public officials in the Ministries, Department and Agencies and the parastatals that government has banned all forms of travel out of the country for whatever reasons, bilateral, multilateral, conferences, seminars, workshops, negotiations, presentations and any form of other ceremonies. This ban will remain in place till further notice and until the situation of the coronavirus abets. By this notice, any prior approval to travel abroad for official assignments during this period is accordingly rescinded. With regards to the general public, we want to advise strongly that citizens in their own interest should cancel or postpone all non-essential travel abroad including business and vacation trips. This is especially for travels to countries known to be seriously affected by COVID-19, Mustapha said. The SGF listed the high risk countries as China, Iran, South Korea, Germany, Italy, USA, UK, Switzerland, Norway, Netherlands, Spain, France and Japan. He also urged anyone returning from any of the listed countries to strictly self-isolate for 14 days in their homes. Mustapha said the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) has released guidelines for self-isolation and that the government will ensure that those guidelines are widely publicized. Thirdly, all people returning from countries with high community transmission rate especially countries that have recorded a 1,000 cumulative cases and above, will be actively followed up for 14 days by the health authorities. We want to put on notice that the Nigerian government supports the measures taken by the government of other countries particularly high burden countries who have urged their residence to stay home and avoid non-essential travels particularly and inclusive to Nigeria. We want to urge the Nigerian people to continue to maintain high level of sanitation and hygiene and respiratory etiquette which has been repeatedly advised. Maintaining social distance and avoiding crowded areas should begin to become our lifestyle, the SGF added. Meanwhile, the Senate has called on the FG to place a travel ban on high-risk countries such as China, Italy, UK, US and others over the deadly coronavirus. The call came just few hours after Nigeria confirmed the third case of coronavirus in Lagos State. The Lagos State Ministry of Health said the infected, a 30-year-old Nigerian female who returned from the UK on Friday, observed self-isolation, developed symptoms and tested positive for the virus. Clear message: Tuam Mart had new hygiene and other measures in place yesterday as part of the effort to halt the spread of Covid-19. Photo: Ray Ryan The statement issued by the Department of Agriculture on Covid-19 on Thursday emphasises the importance of "keeping supply lines open" so that "producers and processors can continue to operate effectively" This announcement was followed very swiftly by statements from the Associated Livestock Marts and ICOS that brought clarity and a clear plan of action to the table, in relation to how the mart system should proceed to continue to operate at this time. Speaking with mart managers over the weekend there can be little doubt that those involved with the live cattle trade have taken on board the advice given in relation to actions to be taken to limit the potential spread of Covid 19 through the mart system. Hand sanitisers are being widely used with some patrons wearing gloves. Patrons are also reported as being respectful of keeping their distance, while the advice given 'to only attend if you actually have business to do' also appears to be being well heeded. Some marts as well as providing sanitisers have also erected protective screens in their offices to protect both staff and patrons. The restrictions on numbers attending are also being widely adhered to as both sellers and buyers adjust their practices. While most mart managements are to be commended on the speed with which they have set new practices in motion, any that have not introduced new protocols need to do so immediately. It is very obvious from the numerous reports I received that as the week progressed there are the beginnings of very serious level of commitment and co-operation being shown by the majority to do their utmost at this difficult time. Assessing the current uncertainty, Sean Ryan of Sixmilebridge commented: "The trade needs a more concrete reassurance from the Minister that sales will continue. There is a danger that uncertainty could see panic selling, while shutting the marts will only create a chronic animal welfare issue." It is very clear from speaking with mart managers and from the hard fact that last week's Ringside returns shows a general decline in prices across almost the entire table that those buying have eased back. There can be no doubt that the uncertainty around how trade will proceed for the next number of months because of the Covid 19 outbreak is the sole cause. Overall, average prices on the bullock table slipped by between 8-18c/kg. The worst effected were those lighter bullocks in the 300-399kg section with prices here averaging 18c/kg less overall driven by the fact that your lesser bullock at this weight collapsed by 26c/kg. The irony is that it was only last week that I reported that confidence in the trade was to some degree stemming from the fact that as we headed into the spring these longer keep animals were being viewed by the trade as desirable. Heifer prices were the least effected, with averaged falls of between 1-9c/kg depending on quality. Indeed the 400-499kg and 500-599kg heifer both bucked the down ward trend posting overall average increases of 1-4c/kg. If the marts do have to close, we must remember that the trade survived their closure because of foot and mouth in 2001 and it will survive this. In the know Gortatlea Maurice Brosnan reported a surge in numbers last week with his figures showing a 35pc increase on the same week last year. On the prices front Maurice told me that the good Angus bullock that ticks all the boxes is now averaging 2.20/kg. The best of the Friesians made around the 1.80/kg mark, with continentals making up to 2.40/kg. Beef held its own, while the cull cow trade was slightly easier. Trade overall was steady with no exceptional prices, he said. Delvin Thomas Potterton saw a good entry of cattle with the store trade continuing strong as 400-500kg bullocks averaged of 1.95/kg, with a 405kg Limousin setting the top bar at 2.37/kg. Did the two 485kg Friesians that averaged 1.94/kg indicate a hardening in the price of your basic grass animal? Averages in the 550-600kg bullock section settled at 1.97/kg, a full 13c/kg stronger than last years figure for March of 1.84/kg. Thats up over 70/hd in 12 months, Thomas commented. Thats meaningful money. Sixmilebridge Everyone is taking it very seriously, manager Sean Ryan said abut how his clientele reacted to new Covid-19 mart procedures. Numbers, while not overly big following last weeks show and sale, were still stronger than this time last year. Continental bullocks sold from 2.00-2.30/kg, with Hereford and Angus types averaging around the 1.95/kg mark. Hereford and Angus heifers made something similar. Prices for weanling bulls and heifers operated from 1.90-2.60/hd, while cull cows sold from 1.50-2.00/kg. Balla The restrictions imposed on access etc were also reported to have worked well at Balla Mart. Trade was good with 300-400kg bullocks averaging 2.44/kg, while those from 400-500kg averaged 2.27/kg. In the 500kg+ class the average was 2.10/kg, with the standout sale being a 735kg Limousin that saw the hammer at 2.18/kg or 1,600. A big sale of heifers saw those under 400kg average 2.47/kg, with the 400-500kg heifer averaging 2.35/kg. Heavier heifers averaged 2.32/kg. Tullow As elsewhere management here also moved quickly last week to implement new operating and hygiene practices. A large sale saw Hereford and Angus store bullocks average around the 1.80/kg mark, with the tops seeing 2.05/kg. Beef and forward types made from 1.70-2.10/kg. Continental stores saw the majority average 2.20-2.50/kg, with the tops heading for 3/kg. Beef and forward Angus and Hereford heifers made 1.95-2.20/kg, with light continentals generally selling for 2.15-2.45/kg and exceptional lots seeing up to 2.80/kg. Donegal In relation to the current situation Eimear McGuinness made a very valid point: Marts can only do what they can do and if the farming community dont co-operate there is very little either I or my staff can do. On the trade side last weeks weanling sale here saw a great trade with 300-400kg bulls averaging very strongly with 3/kg and more paid. Meanwhile, 350-450kg weanling heifers sold from 2.60-2.80/kg. Ballinasloe Average bullock prices here ranged from 2.18-2.54/kg, with heifers making from 2.16-2.84/kg. The top price on the bullock side was achieved by a 422kg Limousin, while among the heifers the bar was also set by a Limousin weighting 405kg. Prices among the cull cows ranged from 505-1,490/hd. [March 18, 2020] Hyosung Chairman Cho Hyun-joon Strengthens Management Transparency Through Shareholder-friendly Policies Hyosung (KRX:004800) is strengthening shareholder-friendly policies under Chairman Cho Hyun-joon's push to enhance management transparency and share as much information as possible with markets. Cho has urged employees to "increase communication with markets and concentrate on transparent management to build up corporate and shareholder values." Hyosung has steadily increased dividends since 2013, gaining recognition as one of the nation's best dividend stocks. It has paid out a dividend of 5,000 won per share since 2016. Its dividend yield hit a record high of 8.4% in 2018. Hyosung created and upgraded systems for transparent management. In 2017, it formed the Management Transparency Committee under the board of directors and also replaced Chairman Cho as chairperson of the Outside Director Candidate Recommendation Committee with Kim Myung-ja, an outside director The Management Transparency Committee consisting of three outside and one inside director conducts a preliminary review of internal transactions between affiliates to give a huge amount of work to each other and important management issues such as M&A in a bid to check if the management makes rational decisions to serve the interests of shareholders. Hyosung discloses the activities of the Management Transparency Committee each quarter in its business report. Hyosung has also tightened its internal accounting surveillance. It has increased the number of evaluations by the Audit Committee of the operation of internal accounting management systems from once a year to twice a year. In an effort to improve the competence of its accounting employees, Hyosung trains them in "transparency for compliance with accounting standards." Hyosung is credited with improving its governance structure in 2018 by converting it into a holding company system. It was a move to maximize management efficiency and corporate value by simplifying its governance framework and then establishing responsible management systems around specialized affiliates. Hyosung has since strengthened communication with markets. It invited institutional investors to 'Corporate Day', where chief executives and other senior officials of related affiliates presented their major business plans personally. Last year, it held three Non-Deal Roadshows for foreign institutional investors in Hong Kong and Singapore. A Non-Deal Roadshow is a roadshow that does not accompany investment deals. These shareholder-friendly practices are spreading across the Hyosung Group. For the first time among Hyosung's affiliates, Hyosung ITX is scheduled to introduce a "quarterly dividend payout system" in March this year. Under the system, dividends are paid out at a maximum of four times a year. The quarterly dividend payout will enable Hyosung to expand communication with markets and also increase shareholder value in a low-interest-rate environment. Besides, Hyosung ITX is trying hard to evolve a shareholder-centric management culture by increasing its dividends 30 percent, buying back its stocks and utilizing the electronic voting systems more widely. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005220/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] By Akbar Mammadov Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov, Presidential Aide, head of the Military Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Maharram Aliyev and the leadership of the ministry who are in the frontline zone under presidential instructions, have visited a number of military units stationed in the front line, Ministry of Defense told local media on March 18. The officials visited military personnel of military units in the frontline zone, inspected headquarter buildings, soldiers' barracks, medical points and other military facilities, as well as combat armoured vehicles, air squadrons and other military equipment of the units. The meeting addressed issues of improving the social conditions of servicemen. Furthermore, Zakir Hasanov and Maharram Aliyev met with civilian personnel working in the military unit, inquired about the provision of military personnel. After familiarizing themselves with the conditions created for the servicemen, Colonel General Z. Hasanov and Colonel General M. Aliyev conveyed congratulations of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief on the occasion of the Novruz holiday to the servicemen. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz TOPEKA, Kan. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly ordered K-12 schools closed for the rest of the academic year Tuesday as the state continued to escalate its response to the coronavirus a decision that will lead to massive upheaval for thousands of students and their families. The reality of this pandemic is that it cannot be controlled statewide if school buildings return to normal operations or if they respond inconsistently within our local communities, Kelly said at a late-afternoon news conference. Unprecedented circumstances threaten the safety of our students and the professionals who work with them every day. The Democratic governor and top education officials vowed to continue the task of educating the state's children, though they acknowledged they're now in a situation without precedent. A task force of education experts is developing a plan for the months ahead, and will present their recommendations Wednesday, the governor said. Education Commissioner Randy Watson said the panel was working to produce lesson plans and other guidance for schools "on how we may have some semblance of learning going on in these times." Closing classrooms and moving to this continuous learning plan can in no way replicate the great learning that goes on in our world-class schools, Watson said. In addition to instruction, the task force is working to find solutions related to meals and child care, with an emphasis on the children of emergency workers. Watson said the Kansas State Department of Education has obtained permission to allow districts to continue offering breakfast and lunch to any community that applies for a waiver. Kelly described the plan as offering strategies to build a bridge back to the world-class learning our students benefit from today. Districts across the state moved swiftly following Kelly's announcement to reach parents and students. In an email to parents, Wichita Public Schools said it "is important for you to understand that while school will look different, learning will continue in some form." Wichita school board President Sheril Logan said the district the state's largest with 50,000 students had expected an executive order would close schools for some period of time. But she said the closure for the rest of the year went beyond what the district anticipated. "Obviously we will do what the governor has asked us to do," Logan said. "The administrative team is working as we speak to put together the plan for how we help continue education and how we provide food and answer people's questions. "There's still a lot of unknowns." In Johnson County, Olathe Public Schools Superintendent John Allison offered his support for the decision. "We are in an unprecedented time," Allison said in a statement. "It requires all of us to work together in support of our community. We know that everyone is looking for answers and we are looking to provide guidance for our students and community as best we can." Allison said the district would work to keep parents informed as it addresses "the numerous issues that are before us." It appeared likely that some students will go at least several weeks without formal instruction. Goddard Public Schools said in a statement that it does not plan to provide any type of instruction prior to March 30. Other critical questions such as how high school seniors would graduate and what services would be available to at-risk students didn't appear to have immediate answers. Watson said "our first intention" is to ensure students graduate on time. "One of the major concerns are students of poverty, students of disability, students of color that do not have equal access" to all kinds of learning environments outside school, Watson said. School district administrative offices may remain open "for limited purposes," Kelly said, noting that school officials will have to consult with state and local authorities. She said that some buildings may reopen after being sanitized to small groups of school personnel implementing "continuous learning" plans. Kelly's order appeared to go beyond the school closures announced by most states so far. The majority of states have closed schools until the end of March or early April. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has ordered schools closed for six weeks, while New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has ordered schools shuttered indefinitely. But as of Tuesday afternoon, Kelly appeared to be the only governor order closure through the remainder of the school year. Kelly also announced that beginning on Monday, most state employees would be put on paid leave for two weeks in an effort to help contain the spread of the virus. The governor's order applies only to agencies under her control, such as the Kansas Department for Children and Families and the Department of Administration. But independent agencies appeared likely to follow suit. Jonathan Shorman of The Kansas City Star wrote this story. McClatchy reporters Steve Vockrodt, Bryan Lowry, Dion Lefler and Jason Tidd contributed to this report.) 2020 The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Mo.) Visit The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Mo.) at www.kansascity.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. -- 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. Brymbo heritage site awarded granted 4.1 million to tell its 300 million year story This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Mar 18th, 2020 The former Brymbo Iron and Steelworks is set to be transformed into a new visitor attraction, community hub and business space thanks to a grant of 4,147,200 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The five-year project will deliver new facilities, jobs, training and apprenticeships for the area, as well as protect and open up to visitors the internationally important 300 million year old fossil forest that was discovered during open cast coal mining in 2003. Expected to attract up to 37,000 visitors per year, the restored site will see the restoration and re-purpose of the machine shop as a visitor centre, which will include a heritage exhibition, shop and coffee shop, rentable office/workshop spaces and a flexible space for learning and meetings. Works will also include the creation of a covered, protected environment for the excavation and presentation of the Fossil Forest, enabling visitors to take a chronological trip through the story of Brymbo from fossils to coal, iron to steel, closure to renewal. This will be alongside the refurbishment of the Grade II* listed Agents House, and undertake repairs and conservation works to the Blast Colliery and a series of ironworks buildings including the Foundry, Cast House and Blast Furnace, as well as other important historic structures. Nick Amyes, Chair of Brymbo Heritage Trust, said: Brymbos coal was medal winning, its iron fuelled the expansion of steam and the railways, and its steel was at the heart of Britains engineering prowess. Its a place that should feel proud. Yet our community lives in the shadow of the loss of its industry in 1990. Following the sites closure thirty years ago, its historic core stood empty for many years. Since 2014 the Trust has been delivering a range of temporary activities at the still derelict site, building awareness, enthusiasm and momentum, and countering the vandalism, arson and anti-social behaviour that had started to set in. Weve been successful in attracting investment already, but most of it has been dependent on securing this final piece of major funding. This massive boost from National Lottery players will enable us to give this former major industrial site a new lease of life; we will use Brymbo to help build a new sense of pride, hope and cooperation for the local community, while helping put Wrexham ever more firmly on the map for visitors to North Wales. The Brymbo works was founded by industrialist John Iron Mad Wilkinson (17281808) who made his fortune pioneering the manufacture of cast iron goods. Following his successful iron smelting business and the invention of new technologies, steel production began on site from 1885, and business boomed over the following decades. However, following the decline of industry in the 1970s and 1980s, Brymbo suffered heavily and eventually ceased production in 1990, leaving the site largely abandoned and the local community devastated with the loss of 1,125 jobs. Baroness Kay Andrews, Trustee and Chair of the National Lottery Heritage Fund in Wales, said: This hugely exciting project will re-invent Brymbo for todays community, and thanks to National Lottery players the site will now have potential to once again play a key role in the development and economic regeneration of the area. This will offer Brymbo a new chapter in its history which, as we know, dates back far beyond the industrial revolution of the 18th century. The incredibly rare 300 million year old fossil forest lying just hidden beneath the ground the only one in Wales and the best example of its type in the world will be preserved and opened up to the public and will be used to help people see the connections between the geology and the industry that came millions of years later. The news has also been welcomed by local politicians, who say the development will benefit both Wrexham and the wider region. Clwyd South Assembly Member Ken Skates, said: This is fantastic news, not only for the project itself but for North Wales as whole. The story of Brymbo and its rich heritage is one that should be shared widely and has the potential to be a magnet for tourists and locals alike, boosting the local economy in the process. I very much look forward to seeing its redevelopment, thanks to the support of National Lottery players. Local councillor Paul Rogers added: The news that 4.1 million has been secured from the National Lottery Heritage Fund in Wales is fantastic news for Brymbo. Partner organisations have worked together over many years to secure the future of this historic industrial site and the recently discovered fossilised forest. Wrexham Council have played a significant part in this project to date and I am delighted that they have recognised the significance of this project. Going forward it is vital that the community remain at the heart of this project and I look forward as county councillor for Brymbo to working with everyone involved Opinion banner Business Insider American Airlines AP US airlines are seeking at least $54 billion from the government to deal with the economic havoc caused by the coronavirus pandemic. These same airlines have also received a huge tax cut and spent heavily on stock buybacks in recent years. Therefore, any bailout should come with some terms. This is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Hello, US airlines! We, the American people, thank you for your recent bailout request. We understand that you would like us to provide you with at least $54 billion so that you can avoid bankruptcy. We value your service to us. We also value the Americans you employ, and the salaries and benefits you compensate them with. You and your employees spend money on other products and services other American companies and workers provide. We want to help your employees, so we will help you. Please see our terms below. Before we begin, let us say that we sympathize with the bad luck you are experiencing. The coronavirus pandemic has been a terrible blow for all of us. We understand that it has been particularly hard on you. Your request You estimate that you will burn through $23 billion to $53 billion of cash by the end of the year, and that, without assistance, you may soon go bankrupt, perhaps as early as May or June. You are therefore requesting a $54+ billion bailout, structured as follows: $29 billion of "grants" $25 billion of loans Forgiveness of taxes on tickets, cargo, and fuel for two years Our terms First, some context. Please understand that times are tough for us, too. Lots of us are getting hammered. Also, two years ago, our government enacted a corporate tax cut that saved you and other US companies hundreds of billions of dollars. This tax cut benefited you and your shareholders, but it also ballooned our annual government deficit to more than $1 trillion a year. With the coronavirus now plunging our economy into recession, our tax revenue will tank, and our deficit will skyrocket even more, perhaps to $2 trillion or $3 trillion per year. So we're not as flush as we should have been. Story continues Second, over the past decade, you raked in tens of billions of dollars of profit and, instead of saving it, gave it to your shareholders. As you know well and as you point out in your financial filings your business is cyclical. So cyclical, in fact, that many of you have already gone bankrupt in the past. So you could have saved this cash for a rainy day. But you didn't. Instead, according to Bloomberg, you used a startling 96% of your cash flow to buy back your own stock. The buybacks of one of your members alone, American Airlines, totaled more than $15 billion in the past six years. ($15 billion! American, if you had just kept that cash, you might not need a bailout!) Third, although the coronavirus pandemic is bad luck, it was not unforeseeable. In fact, at least one of your members, American Airlines, explicitly foresaw it. In recent financial filings, American cited "outbreaks of diseases that affect travel behavior" as a major risk to its business. American went on to say the following: "In particular, an outbreak of a contagious disease such as the Ebola virus, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, H1N1 influenza virus, avian flu, Zika virus or any other similar illness, if it were to become associated with air travel or persist for an extended period, could materially affect the airline industry and us by reducing revenues and adversely impacting our operations and passengers' travel behavior." American sure got that right! But, despite this and roughly 45 other explicit risks to its business described in its financial filings, American still chose to spend over$15 billion of precious cash on stock buybacks. So, while we sympathize with your plight, please understand that we're not going to just "grant" you the money. The philosophy of our economic system is not "shareholders and executives take the gains and taxpayers take the losses." You and your shareholders and lenders knew the risks you were taking, and, for more than a decade, you enjoyed the rewards. Also, you aren't the only ones who need our help. Just ask the cruise lines, hotel companies, and restaurants, bars, gyms, and other establishments in so many of our American communities that have been forced to close altogether as well as the millions of Americans who will soon be laid off. So, your $54+ billion bailout will be structured as follows: A senior, secured credit line that will allow you to borrow the money you need to operate and pay your taxes while you figure out how to survive. This credit line will pay interest at a rate that compensates taxpayers for the use of our money and the risks we are taking. The use of this credit line will also require you to issue equity to taxpayers to allow us to share in your recoveries, if any. Yes, this equity issuance will dilute your shareholders and cause your stock prices to drop. But not as much as they will if you go bust. Our credit line, moreover, will be senior to all of your other debt and secured by your airplanes and other assets. If, despite our help, you fail, we will sell your airplanes and recoup 100 cents on our dollars before any of your other lenders get a penny. To be clear, we are not in the investment business. We are the "lender of last resort." We do not think all or even most of you will survive this crisis, and we do not expect to make money on this transaction. We are angry that you did not conserve your cash for this rainy day, and if we did not have an economy to save and millions of Americans to help, we would just let you fail. If you think you can get better terms from another investor, we encourage you to get them. We are offering you this lifeline because we benefit from having an airline industry and the jobs and services it provides. In this time of national crisis, we also do not think it is in our interests to let all of you go bankrupt at once. Thank you again for your request. We look forward to working with you. Sincerely, The American people Read the original article on Business Insider Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Belseran Christ and A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil (The Jakarta Post) Maluku/Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 A wave of prosecutions of indigenous people who regard themselves as defending their rights continues as local governments and law enforcement authorities fail to contextualize the habits and traditions of indigenous people amid an absence of laws protecting their rights, activists claim. A court in Eastern Seram regency in Maluku recently rejected a pretrial motion filed by two members of Sabuai customary village against the polices decision to name them suspects for damaging heavy equipment belonging to a logging company operating in the forest. They are two of 26 people detained in mid-February after a protest against logging company Sumber Berkat Makmurs activities turned into a riot. The protesters say that they were trying to protect the Mount Ahwale forest in Sabuai, which they consider part of their customary forest. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login The Maharashtra government on Wednesday decided to keep government offices functional with 50 per cent attendance and reduce passenger load on public transport services, including suburban trains, by 50 per cent as part of efforts to enforce social distancing and contain spread of the After chairing a review meeting here in the evening, Chief Minister said half of the staff in government offices will work in rotation and come to work on alternate days. "To tackle the outbreak, the need of the hour is to control crowding," he told reporters. Suburban trains, the Mumbai's lifeline, state-run buses and private ones will run only with 50 per cent of their seating capacity, Thackeray said. In buses operated by Mumbai's civic transport undertaking BEST, commuters will not be allowed to stand while instructions will be given to them to sit at a distance from each other, Thackeray said. In another step to avoid crowding and mingling of large numbers of people, the Chief Minister said timings of shops will be decided in such a way that they remain open by turn from morning to evening. Timings of markets during which they will be allowed to remain open will also be decided, he said. Thackeray gave instructions to officials to ensure necessary medical equipment are available in clinics, medical colleges and health centres. Adequate isolation and quarantinewards have been kept ready to deal with the situation, the CM said. Safety of medical staff treating patients is being taken care of, he said, adding citizens who are in home quarantine should not venture out. "The government is keeping a watch on these persons and if people with the home quarantined stamp are found in public, they will be forciblyadmitted to hospital," Thackeray warned. The Chief Minister appealed to people not to hoard essential commodities in the prevailing situation. Maharashtra currently has 43 coronavirus positive cases, the highest for any state. GREELEY, Colo. Health officials in northern Colorado said Tuesday a man in his 70s has died from the new coronavirus. The Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment did not release any other information about the man, whose death is the second reported in the state related to the virus. Colorados first coronavirus death, which was reported Friday, was an El Paso County woman in her 80s who had underlying health conditions. Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner said Tuesday he has decided to self-quarantine after a meeting at his Washington, D.C., office with a constituent who later tested positive. While I am not showing any symptoms at this time, I have made the decision to self-quarantine out of an abundance of caution with an effective date of March 11th, the Colorado Republican said. Health officials say they expect to see an increase in positive cases over the next few days as the state works through a backlog of test results. About 1,800 people have been tested across the state, and at least 183 have the virus, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment. 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. Sue Cunningham, president and CEO of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), has just published an essay in Inside Higher Ed that argues against the recent initiatives by the United States government to require greater transparency about the gifts that foreign donors provide to American universities. Cunningham praises foreign donors for their public-spirited gifts of approximately $50 billion dollars to American universities. She argues that, At a time when our educational institutions are more reliant than ever on philanthropic support, it is crucial that the U.S. Department of Education and Congress do not take actions that ultimately discourage anyone who wants to make a difference by making legitimate charitable gifts to educational institutions. Cunningham does not directly address the reason why the government has launched this crackdown because foreign governments have used these gifts to acquire unaccountable, undisclosed, and corrupting influence over Americas universities. The National Association of Scholars has detailed the effects on higher education of Chinas Confucius Institutes, and Chinas Thousand Talents Program has also come under scrutiny in institutions ranging from Harvard to West Virginia University for its use as a means to purloin Americas scientific research. The National Association of Scholars applauds the Foreign Influence Transparency Act, as the minimum effective means by which to discover what foreign powers have provided funding for which American universities. We do not mean to cast aspersions on the truly public-spirited foreign donors who have provided money for American universities. But no such donor will be discouraged by a requirement that his gift, and its conditions, be disclosed to the American government. The only donors who will be discouraged are those with questionable intent. Nor do we think such transparency should only go in one direction. China has every right to require transparency of American gifts to its higher education sector. So too do Hungary, Israel, and every nation. Every country has the right to make sure that its higher education system serves its own national interests. Mutual transparency regarding foreign philanthropy seems a reasonable model for a world composed of independent states, for whom friendliness to the outside world need not require naivete about the possibility that foreign actors will seek to exercise influence by means of their gifts. Moreover, Cunninghams enthusiasm for philanthropy, full stop, gives pause. As Christopher Caldwell ably points out in The Age of Entitlement, liberal plutocrats increasingly use philanthropy as a means to substitute elite governance for popular government. (Jim Sleepers liberal polemic against plutocrats such as private equity titan Stephen Schwarzman is half-right he just fails to see how much plutocracy underwrites liberalism.) Plutocratic funding of our universities has transformed them with a toxic blend of illiberalism, progressive ideology, and managerialism. Our academic administrators can scarcely detect the corrupting influence of (for example) Chinese funding because they have already the Chinese model of authoritarian bureaucracy. Our federal and state legislators may respond by choosing to fund our universities less generously than higher education bureaucrats desire. They may require those bureaucrats to say precisely how much of our birthright they have sold for a mess of foreign pottage. Our legislators represent the people, and the people possesses the prerogative to tax and spend as they see fit. Philanthropic civil society is one of Americas fairest features, but republican self-government is its heart. We are no republic if we let the plutocrats and the bureaucrats manage our colleges for us, as they have done, to Americas detriment, for far too long. Photo: Nicholas Johansen Notices outside the Kelowna courthouse ask those experiencing symptoms to stay away. In an attempt to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, most court cases in B.C. have been postponed. On Wednesday, Supreme Court of BC Chief Justice Christopher Hinkson announced that "all but urgent matters" will be suspended until at least the end of April, while a similar directive was made for provincial court cases Tuesday. B.C.'s provincial court put out a notice to lawyers across the province that all criminal files where the accused is not in custody must be adjourned to June, to limit the number of people inside courthouses. This measure is expected to slow the transmission of the virus. Cases considered urgent, those where the accused is in custody, will be proceeding as normal, but lawyers are being encouraged to call in to hearings, or use video conferencing. The sentencing hearing of arsonist Jesse Pearce took place in Kelowna court Tuesday, but the majority of cases are being adjourned. Details on the Supreme Court closure will be announced later today. This is uncharted waters. I've never seen anything like it, said Gavin Jones, a defence lawyer who's been practising law in Kelowna for 14 years. It's quiet here. Nobody's here, and I think it's going to get less and less. Last week, all jury trials that were scheduled through to the end of May were postponed. In Kelowna, Kevin Costin's murder trial, scheduled to begin in mid-April, will be impacted. It's unclear how the new announcement will impact the judge-only murder trial for Tejwant Danjou that began in Supreme Court in late February. The trial is currently on a week break. Most family law cases and small claim civil cases scheduled between now and May 4 will also be pushed back. Jones said the court registry has been labelling all recent adjournments as a COVID adjournment. While a 2016 Supreme Court of Canada ruling has set time limits for the Crown to secure convictions, Jones doesn't believe the COVID adjournments will impact that timeline, calling it a special unforeseen circumstance. While Okanagan courthouses remains open for now, courts in Campbell River, Chilliwack, Nanaimo and Vancouver have been closed entirely. 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. Hotels, restaurants and offices around Oregon are shutting down to guard against the coronavirus outbreak, leaving much of the state feeling abandoned and empty. But not Brandon Sweany. He spends his day surrounded by swarms of people, working as assistant produce manager at the Safeway in Forest Grove. Im exhausted, he said. Its just been insanely busy. As the doors open each morning, fevered shoppers rush to buy all the toilet paper the store will allow, then move around snapping up everything they can find. Panic buying has been one of the signature images of the outbreak, stripping store shelves bare and feeding more anxious shopping among people who fear a grocery apocalypse. From people on the front lines like Sweany to Oregons food producers, though, theres a broad consensus the states grocery supply is adequate. Shelves may be barren each evening, they say, but theyre usually restocked every morning and at some point people will run out of space in their pantries for all the canned soup and rice theyve been stockpiling. And while theres definitely a measure of fear among shoppers, Sweany said theres also an enormous level of gratitude that clerks, stockers and managers keep showing up every day, despite the health risk, to keep food on the shelves. Customers have been thanking of us for our service, like were in the military or something, Sweany said. Its a little weird. Tens of thousands of people working in Oregons restaurants and bars have lost their jobs over the past several days, and Mondays order from Gov. Kate Brown mandated that those establishments must close. But she specified that supermarkets can, and must, say open. So while other businesses are laying off workers, supermarkets and food producers are hiring all they can. Bobs Red Mill said Tuesday its facing a dire need for employees to fulfill orders. Safeway and Albertsons (theyre the same company) want to hire 1,000 employees immediately. Amazon is hiring up to 100,000 nationwide. Fred Meyer has pages and pages of open Oregon jobs, hoping to hire enough workers to keep up with demand. Were looking for everything. And were using people wherever we can, said Jeffery Temple, a Fred Meyer spokesman. The surge in buying has certainly overwhelmed the grocery supply chain, Temple acknowledged. But he said the biggest issue isnt a lack of supply its the physical challenge of moving all those products into stores. We have no indication that were going to be running out of food, Temple said. Indeed, Oregon dairy provider Tillamook says it has 95 million pounds of cheese in storage. And CEO Patrick Criteser said the cooperative is filling 98% of its orders, on par with its usual level. Consumers really shouldnt have a high degree of concern about the food systems ability to keep up, Criteser said. Sales in Oregon were as much as five times higher than their usual level last week, according to Criteser. But he said that pace wont endure because coronavirus fears cause people to stock up, not eat more. Tillamook talks daily with other food industry suppliers, its grocery customers, with the governors office and many others, according to Criteser. He said theres a lot of discussion about how to move products rapidly from one place to another but not concern about whether theres enough food to go around. Customers stopping by their neighborhood market in the evenings may see many shelves empty, Criteser said. But he said that reflects the surge in demand, not problems with the supply. If you go back tomorrow its probably going to be back on the shelf, he said. I think that should give everyone some confidence. Jennifer Nolfi, director of Portland State Universitys Center for Retail Leadership, said supermarkets often plan for surges in demand around Thanksgiving or the Super Bowl, for example. And she said theyre equipped to respond to a winter snowstorm. But theres been nothing like the coronavirus outbreak in recent memory and few saw it coming. So Nolfi said the stores are having to adapt on the fly, ramping up staffing and supplies as quickly as they can to meet the surge in demand. They dont have the employees in the store to stock the shelves and serve the customers the way they would when theyve planned for something, Nolfi said. Fred Meyer, New Seasons and many other chains have limited their evening hours since the outbreak began to give employees more time to restock the shelves. Walking into a store and seeing empty shelves is scary and a huge disruption in the way people are accustomed to living. We take so much for granted in being able to go to the store and get whatever we want, when we want it, Nolfi said. No big Oregon retailer has reported an infection among its employees yet and grocery chains have been reluctant to talk about how they will respond when that does happen. But Nolfi said its possible some stores will close, perhaps for an extended period, if its workers are sick or quarantined because of exposure to the coronavirus. Under those circumstances, Nolfi said she anticipates stores would move to online orders maintaining pickup and delivery service the way some restaurants are. Im confident we will get through this, she said. Im just not sure what that timeframe looks like. So for the time being, shoppers may have to adjust their plans. They may not be able to have just the meal they planned each night, but Nolfi said shes confident theyll have something to choose. Our reality is changing, she said. We need to adapt to that new reality and do the best we can to be healthy, mindful, treat people with kindness and maintain the social isolation theyre asking us to do. -- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699 Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. The coronavirus pandemic seemingly touches on every aspect of our lives. Precautionary measures to slow its spread include school shutdowns, business closures, service curtailments and a host of prudent actions taken to protect the health and lives of the most vulnerable in our community. Unfortunately, COVID-19 fears have also caused some hoarding of food, medicine and cleaning supplies. As this situation continues to unwind over the coming weeks, its as important as ever to ensure that all actions, from the government to the individual, are based on good information. Its too easy, in this day of instant online communication, to spread false rumors and incite unnecessary panic. The Missoulian is doing its part to relay the most timely updates from health experts and keep readers informed of important developments in our community. All our reporting on the coronavirus outbreak is easily accessible and free at Missoulian.com. As Missoula weathers this public health emergency, the value of good information is increasingly apparent. So too is the value of a caring community. In a matter of days, following news of the virus appearance in Montana, neighborhoods and social media groups were organizing to ensure no one is overlooked. One group, Missoula COVID-19 Mutual Aid Community, is organizing local needs and response, and can be found on Facebook. A social networking service called Nextdoor allows entire neighborhoods to share updates on local happenings. At last glance, several of these were flooded with offers of help for elderly or immunocompromised neighbors. Thats the spirit that will see Missoula through these difficult times. In that same spirit, and in addition to following basic hygiene procedures and the recommendations of health experts, here are five simple things Missoulians can consider doing to help our community: 1. Donate to the Missoula Food Bank or other local nonprofit. If you were going to attend an event that's been canceled, consider donating the ticket price to the host or organizer. 2. Buy a gift card at a local small business. 3. Share supplies, if you have extras. Theres no reason anyone should go without a roll of toilet paper or bag of rice when others have plenty to spare. 4. Offer to help elderly or immunocompromised neighbors clean and disinfect their houses, or pick up groceries. 5. Swap puzzles, games and books with families that have children at home who are growing bored and cant spend all day watching Netflix. And remember, were all in this together. This editorial represents the views of the Missoulian editorial board: Publisher Jim Strauss, Editor Gwen Florio and Opinion Editor Tyler Christensen. With most shoots and films being postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak, Bollywood stars Deepika Padukone and Kareena Kapoor Khan are using the unexpected break to enjoy their most-loved cheat meals. While Deepika is bingeing on cheese and pizza, Kareena is savouring carrot porridge. Kareena shared funny pictures of herself enjoying spoonfuls of the porridge on her Insta stories. She is seen wearing a printed top and is clearly posing for the cameras with the bowl and spoon. The captions for her pictures said, Dessert doesnt go in the stomach, it goes to the heart. And I clearly have a big heart. As her mouth opens wider with each picture, the caption reads, Really big, trust me. The final picture is a bowl with one bite of carrot porridge left and she wrote, Hence proved. Meanwhile, Deepika was either enjoying pizza with lots of cheese or simply thinking about the mouth-watering stuff. She posted a meme with the text, Pizza toppings ranked. And it listed three toppings - cheese, cheese and more cheese. Both Deepika and Kareena are under self quarantine owing to the coronavirus lockdown. Deepika even had to cancel her Paris trip earlier this month. She was supposed to attend the Paris Fashion Week. Also read: Roadies season 1 director says show originally aimed at nation building, slams makers for abusive anchors Kareena was recently seen in a guest role in Irrfan Khan-starrer Angrezi Medium in which she essayed the role of a cop and one with a single, ageing mother who seeks her attention and time - something she is not willing to give. Despite the shutdown of cinema halls and government advising people to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary to step out, the Homi Adajania film managed to earn Rs 9.5 crore in three days of the release. Follow @htshowbiz for more A message is seen on the doors of a CVS pharmacy announces that the store is out of hand sanitizer and gloves in Washington on March 17, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) States Crack Down on Price Gouging Amid Coronavirus Outbreak A 40 oz. bottle of hand sanitizer is selling at $80. And a 19 oz. bottle of disinfectant spray is priced at $15. These are some examples of price gouging New York Attorney General Letitia James is working hard to crack down on amid the coronavirus outbreak. James has so far issued dozens of cease and desist letters to merchants demanding that they stop charging consumer excessive prices on vital products such as hand sanitizers and disinfectant sprays. New York, like many states, is asking residents to look out for retailers that are attempting to profit off the fear of the pandemic and report any suspicion of price gouging to the state attorney general office. Price gouging is when vendors raise prices of goods and services to levels much higher than what is deemed fair and reasonable, and is widely viewed as exploitative. The New York attorney general office told The Epoch Times that it has so far received dozens of complaints mainly about face masks, hand sanitizers, and disinfectant sprays. These complaints are being assessed to see whether the states price gouging law applies. Under New York law, vendors are prohibited from taking unfair advantage of consumers by selling goods or services that are vital to the health, safety or welfare of consumers for unconscionably excessive prices during a time period of market disruption or a state of emergency. The state declared a state of emergency on March 7. While hand sanitizer and disinfectant sprays are considered vital and necessary for the health and safety of consumers, face masks do not fall under that category under the law, according to the attorney general office. Federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do not recommend the general public to wear face masks or an N95 respirator, saying that there is no added health benefit in wearing such devices at this time. Instead, they advise that the best way to prevent the illness is by hand washing and other preventive actions. The New York State Department of Health has provided similar advice, saying that people who are not sick do not need to wear a face mask, so that the masks can be reserved for the health care system. Meanwhile, on March 17, New York Citys Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Lorelei Salas announced an emergency rule that makes price gouging illegal for any personal or household good or any service that is needed to prevent or limit the spread of or treat new coronavirus. The rule will make it illegal for any vendors to increase prices by 10 percent or more. These items include face masks, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant wipes, which are currently in short supply in the city. A bottle of hand-sanitizer is seen in Union Square in New York City on March 9, 2020. There are now 20 confirmed coronavirus cases in the city including a 7-year-old girl in the Bronx. (Jeenah Moon/Getty Images) Now is the time for us to come together, not take advantage of each other for a profit, but we continue to hear about and see empty shelves and price gouging, said DCWP Commissioner Lorelei Salas said in a statement. The emergency rule came into effect on March 16 and will be in effect for 60 days with an option for extension. Like New York, other state attorneys general are taking similar measures to protect consumers from unfair business practices. In California, Attorney General Xavier Becerra issued a price-gouging alert following a state public health emergency declaration in response to the coronavirus. Californians shouldnt have to worry about being cheated while dealing with the effects of coronavirus. Our states price gouging law protects people impacted by an emergency from illegal price gouging on medical supplies, food, gas, and other essential supplies, Becerra said in a statement. Under Californian law, vendors are prohibited from charging a price that exceeds, by more than 10 percent, the price of an item after a state or local declaration of emergency. These items include emergency supplies, medicine, and medical supplies, and food and drink. Violators of the states price gouging law are subjected to criminal prosecution that could land them in prison for a year or be fined up to $10,000. The Californian attorney general office told The Epoch Times that it has not announced any legal actions so far. However, not all states have specific price gouging laws to protect consumers from price gouging. According to FindLaw, only two-third of states across the United States have laws that specifically prohibit the act of price gouging. But that does not mean states without separate price gouging laws will not take enforcement action against price gouging. Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson told CNBC in an interview they will be relying on their states Consumer Protection Act to go after businesses that engage such unfair business practices. He said that in his view, increasing the price of common items during a public health crisis constitutes an unfair business practice under the law. Ferguson said his office is currently taking formal actions such as subpoenaing for information to investigate complaints about price gouging in the state, including from online vendors. Online Vendors eCommerce markets such as Amazon and eBay have taken a number of steps to ensure their vendors comply with state price-gouging laws and have cracked down on vendors who are trying to profit from the fear amid the coronavirus. Amazon said it has removed more than 1 million products for misleading claims and tens of thousands of items for price gouging. 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 company said in a statement. A sign is posted outside of the eBay headquarters in San Jose, Calif., on Feb. 24, 2010. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) eBay has taken similar measures by removing listings of face masks and hand sanitizers due to concerns that the inflated prices may violate applicable laws or regulations. The company has also employed a combination of digital and manual surveillance tools to remove products marketed with the term coronavirus and encourage consumers to report listings that are concerning. Like so many companies, we have been closely monitoring the coronavirus issue as it continues to develop, an eBay spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement. As always, our first priority is to ensure the safety of our employees and customers around the world. eBay is taking significant measures to block or quickly remove items on our marketplace that make false health claims. We are making every effort to ensure that anyone who sells on our platform follows local laws and eBay policies. Retailers Meanwhile, President of the New York Association of Convenience Stores, Jim Calvin, said the increased prices for certain household products are partly caused by the unprecedented demand for those products, which has driven wholesale prices sharply higher. He said a vast majority of the New York retailers have proportionately passed on these higher costs to consumers. They know the ground rules during an emergency, and they act responsibly, Calvin told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement. It appears, however, that a small number of irresponsible shopkeepers exploited the situation. He said he has reminded members of his association, which consists of about 100 companies that operate more than 1,600 store locations across New York State, about pricing restraints and the importance of documenting price changes. Federal Response The Justice Department is also warning businesses wanting to take advantage of the public panic caused by the virus, citing antitrust violations. The department has 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, U.S. Attorney General William Barr said in a statement on March 10. 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. In a memo on March 16, he instructed U.S. attorneys across the country to prioritize prosecutions and investigations of scammers and fraudsters who seek to take advantage of the public fear during the crisis. Some of these individuals and businesses are trying to sell fake cures for COVID-19, the disease the virus causes, online and are engaging in other forms of fraud including using phishing emails while posing as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the World Health Organization, Barr said. The pandemic is dangerous enough without wrongdoers seeking to profit from public panic, and this sort of conduct cannot be tolerated, Barr wrote. Every U.S. attorneys office is thus hereby directed to prioritize the detection, investigation, and prosecution of all criminal conduct related to the current pandemic. Some states such as New York have 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. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 15:25:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A staff member unloads the fast test kits for COVID-19 donated by China at the Phnom Penh International Airport in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, March 17, 2020. China has donated 2,016 fast test kits for COVID-19 to Cambodia in a bid to help the country fight the virus, Cambodia's Ministry of Health Spokeswoman Or Vandine said here on Wednesday. The items arrived at the Phnom Penh International Airport Tuesday night, she said. (China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited/Handout via Xinhua) PHNOM PENH, March 18 (Xinhua) -- China has donated 2,016 fast test kits for COVID-19 to Cambodia in a bid to help the country fight the virus, Cambodia's Ministry of Health Spokeswoman Or Vandine said here on Wednesday. The items arrived at the Phnom Penh International Airport Tuesday night, she said. "Last night, we received 2,016 test kits," she told reporters. "They are very important for us at this time to use for the fight against the COVID-19." She said a friend in need is a friend indeed, and expressed her sincere thanks to China for the assistance. The spokeswoman said other China-donated items such as protective suits, medical face masks and medical equipment will arrive in Cambodia later. According to Vandine, Cambodia has so far recorded a total of 35 confirmed cases of the COVID-19. She said the patients are in different nationalities, including a Chinese man, three British nationals, five Malaysians, two French nationals, a Canadian man, a Belgian man and 22 Cambodian people. The Chinese patient had recovered and returned to China, as the rest have been placed in isolation rooms at designated hospitals for treatment, she added. American workers suddenly faced with unemployment as a result of the large-scale shutdown of businesses because of the national coronavirus emergency are facing another hurdle as state unemployment websites crash. High traffic has caused frustration and anger for the newly unemployed as they try to register for unemployment benefits through state systems that are failing under the weight of new applicants. The problem has been highlighted in New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Ohio, Washington D.C. and Kentucky, with some states being forced to stagger applicants by last name to break up the large numbers applying. Thousands of Americans are already out of work as nonessential establishments in several states have shut down including restaurants, bars and clothing retailers. Some states are reporting astounding numbers of new applicants for unemployment benefits as lawmakers are warned the unemployment rate could rise to 20 percent. This figure was dismissed by President Donald Trump in a press conference Wednesday saying 'we're no way near it'. People wait in line for help with unemployment benefits at the One-Stop Career Center in Nevada, hit hard by the closure of its gambling industry because of the coronavirus On Monday, 15,000 people in New Jersey applied for unemployment benefits and in Connecticut, nearly 8,000 applications arrived over the weekend. Unemployment claims in Ohio went from 6,500 last week to 78,000 this week. Rhode Island officials also reported on Tuesday that a week-long rise in claims from the coronavirus outbreak brought their application number from 10 on March 11 to 6,282 on March 16. In Pennsylvania on Monday, the state received 50,000 claims. In the entire first week of March it has only received 12,000 claims. Frustrated workers took to social media to voice their concerns about the delays with websites crashing and phone lines jammed. In Ohio, one user posted: 'Can barely file for unemployment because the website can only handle about 3 people at a time apparently.' Even more complaints were made about the New York website, where Governor Andrew Cuomo had already waived the seven-day period applicants must generally wait until applying for unemployment benefit. 'Unemployment website is down for #nyc. They are waiving 7 day waiting period but there is no way to apply. Job well done @NYGovCuomo,' said one Twitter user. The filing system being used in New York is not helping applicants with difficulties The site crashed briefly on Monday after it was announced that all bars and restaurants would be closing to take-out only from Tuesday morning. The problems continued throughout Tuesday and Wednesday, however, even after the New York Department of Labor designated certain days of the week for people to file online or on the phone based on their last names. 'If you are filing a new Unemployment Insurance claim via phone or web, the day you should file is based on the first letter of your last name,' the agency said Tuesday. 'Filing later in the week will NOT delay your payments or affect the date of your claim, since all claims are effective on the Monday of the week in which they are filed.' On Wednesday, worried people were still trying to apply and faced long waits on the phone before being cut off without even speaking to a representative. 'I called 28 times today...28 and every single time I have been told to call back due to the volume. I try to file online and that tells you the system is down,' one user wrote. 'I realize this is overwhelming but 28 calls from 8:30-4:30 and never got to talk to a person. Frustrating.' 'I tried filing on my day, Tuesday, but could not get through via phone or website,' said another. 'When I finally get through at some point, whenever that is, I expect the filing date to be correct even if you have to back date it. I am unemployed as of this past Monday.' Many spoke about how 'infuriating' the system was and how the lack of ability to properly process an application was due to continued system crashing. 'I tried over the phone yesterday. Got half way through and then was told to hold for a representative,' said one poster. 'Then it ended because everyone was busy. Tried for hours to get someone else. Site kept crashing. So infuriating.' 'This site is beyond infuriating!' another added. 'You would think if the state is forcing our employers to close their doors your website would be ready for the flood of people who now have to file. 2 days of "error'"and "session timed out" messages. The same filing system is also being used in Kentucky but the phone line and website were not fully functioning through Monday and Tuesday. The errors came amid a massive spike in applicants in the state. There is generally an average of 2,000 claims as week in Kentucky but that jumped to 9,000 claims on Tuesday alone this week. Kentucky is also asking unemployed to file according to their last name 'If you have experienced job loss, we want to make sure you get the services you need,' Lt. Governor of Kentucky and Secretary of the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet Jacqueline Coleman said on Wednesday. 'In order to serve you well, we are asking you to file your Unemployment Insurance claim on a specific day this week.' The office has also increased its staff by 45 people and is setting up an alternative online application system to deal with the added pressure, said Josh Benton, deputy secretary of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. 'We're doing everything that we can to fix it putting new procedures in place so that individuals who lost their job this week can make sure that they file claims on time,' he said in a press conference Tuesday, adding that Kentucky will also be waiving the one-week wait before people can apply for unemployment benefits. 'We know the steps we are taking are going to cause people to lose their jobs,' Beshear said. 'We want you to be able to qualify for unemployment and we don't want to create impediments that keep you from being able to get through this. We are going to make sure we get through this together. 'We are building up as fast as we can. We've never seen anything like this, just like you haven't.' A chart of how coronavirus cases in the United States have increased since January The same problems exist in New Jersey and Washington D.C. where websites failed to bring applicants successfully through the process. 'My partner is a massage therapist who has recently become unemployed since all massage places in DC are forced to close,' said one person of the D.C. site. 'He just showed me that the the DC unemployment website just sends you in a closed loop of 3 pages if you try to file for unemployment there. Totally broken.' Residents in New Jersey called on Governor Phil Murphy to fix the state's unemployment website 'for all the thousands of your citizens whose jobs you've just shut down'. Gov. Murphy held a press conference on Tuesday in which he revealed that the state saw a 'record number of unemployment applications' on Monday, which has led to a system crash. He added that the website had now been restored. New Jersey's labor commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo also asked the state's residents for patience as there was such as high number of new applicants. 'Applying online is easy and will save you precious time in receiving your benefits,' he said at Tuesday's press conference. 'But please know if you can't get through over the phone or online, your claim will be backdated. So you won't lose a day's benefits that are due to you.' Oregon's unemployment site also briefly crashed on Monday after Governor Kate Brown announced that she was implementing the same restrictions as New York with bars and restaurants cut down to carry-out and delivery service only for four weeks. 'Anyone experiencing difficulty can also call the agency's contact center where @ORemployment online claim system can also call the agency's contact centers, where Employment Department staff can help with starting a claim for unemployment benefits,' the department said in a tweet. 'Due to an increase in unemployment claims, our call centers are experiencing longer wait times. We are aware of this and appreciate your patience,' they later added. It is unknown how many Oregonians attempted to apply since Monday. The Oregon Employment Department website crashed on Monday Nevada has seen a massive spike in their unemployment after Democrat Steve Sisolak ordered a month-long freeze on gambling, shutting down everything from the famous casino resorts to slot machines found in convenience stores on Tuesday and cutting off an industry that fuels the state's tourism and hospitality-powered economy. State officials have not yet released any numbers of how many people have filed claims for unemployment benefits over the past few days. Sisolak said over the weekend that the state was in 'relatively good shape' to pay unemployment claims but it cannot last forever and the state was working to get some additional assistance from the federal government. Some states are not seeing the same delays. Despite 78,000 claims in the state in the last three days, up 25 percent from last week, wait times online are just 13 minutes but over 45 minutes if applying on the phone. The high number of unemployment seekers comes as it was estimated that the United States unemployment rate could reach as high as 20 percent amid the national emergency. Donald Trump promised Wednesday morning that 'money will soon be coming' to relieve those who are unable to work due to the coronavirus crisis. Donald Trump vowed Wednesday that the federal government would be providing money and economic relief to those affected by unemployment because of the coronavirus outbreak He also promised to protect Medicare and Social Security in the financially turbulent time 'For the people that are now out of work because of the important and necessary containment policies, for instance the shutting down of hotels, bars and restaurants, money will soon be coming to you,' he vowed in a tweet Wednesday morning. 'The onslaught of the Chinese Virus is not your fault! Will be stronger than ever!' he continued, again calling coronavirus the 'Chinese Virus'. He also promised in another tweet: 'I will totally protect your Medicare & Social Security!' The president's promise came as his Treasury secretary warned lawmakers on Tuesday that the unemployment rate in American could drop to 20 per cent. Steven Mnuchin met with Republican senators at the Capitol Tuesday afternoon where he posed risks the economy could face if a coronavirus economic stimulus package is not passed fast, a person familiar with the closed-door meeting told Reuters. But Mnuchin's office pushed back on this claim. 'During the meeting with Senate Republicans today, Secretary Mnuchin used several mathematical examples for illustrative purposes, but he never implied this would be the case,' Treasury spokeswoman Monica Crowley said in a statement. On Wednesday Trump dismissed the 20 percent claims, at least in the short term. That's an 'absolute total worst case scenario,' Trump said. 'We're no way near it.' As of February, the unemployment rate in America is at 3.5 per cent. The markets have spiraled since the coronavirus outbreak rocked the nation earlier this month and an administration official claiming unemployment could reach new lows would likely rock investors even more. Unemployment rates have reached record lows under the Trump administration, which the president often touts when boasting of his economic achievements since taking office in 2017. Rates of joblessness hit a peak in October 2009 when the unemployment rate hit 10.2 per cent following the 2008 financial crisis. The Trump administration is proposing a phase three stimulus package that will aid the unemplyed before phase two has even made it through the Senate that would allocate at least another $850 billion in economic relief. Phase one included more than $8 billion in emergency funding and phase two proposes another $10 billion going toward relieving individuals who have to take off work or are unable to go to their jobs due to contracting coronavirus or quarantining. Several non-essential businesses in states across the country have also been forced to shutter their doors leaving them without income and putting all their employees out of a job The nearly $1 trillion stimulus package would include sending cash directly to Americans within two weeks, would monetarily backup airlines and the hospitality industry and would likely include a big chunk of cash going toward Trump's desire payroll tax cut. Trump previewed during a coronavirus press briefing at the White House Tuesday that he wants to send more than $1,000 to Americans suffering economically from the coronavirus outbreak. 'We're going big,' Trump said of his administration's stimulus plans. 'We're looking to send checks to Americans immediately,' Mnuchin explained in the briefing, adding that a payroll tax holiday would get money to Americans but it would be over the next six to eight months. 'Americans needs cash now and the president wants to give cash now,' Mnuchin continued during Tuesday's briefing. 'And I mean now - in the next two weeks,' he added before leaving the briefing early to attend his meeting with GOP senators. Trump announced Wednesday that he will invoke a federal provision that allows the government to marshal the private sector in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Trump, now describing himself as a 'wartime president', said he would sign the Defense Production Act "'in case we need it' as the government bolsters resources for an expected surge in cases of the virus. The president also said the Housing and Urban Development Department will suspend foreclosures and evictions through April as a growing number of Americans face losing jobs and missing rent and mortgage payments. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 18) The Department of Finance has heeded calls to extend the deadline for tax filings and would be finding ways to allow late payments, Senate President Tito Sotto said Wednesday. Sotto said he called Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III to ask the Bureau of Internal Revenue to accept income tax returns beyond the April 15 deadline. He said he will act on it ASAP, Sotto said in a message to reporters. He (Dominguez) said he is calling a meeting right away to formulate the extension, Sotto added. The Finance chief went on self-quarantine after learning that he came in contact with someone who eventually tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Dominguez tested negative for COVID-19. BIR offices, like all other government agencies and business establishments, have temporarily closed after President Rodrigo Duterte placed the entire Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine. Mass transportation has been shut down, while only those working in critical sectors like healthcare, food production, groceries, banks, and media are allowed to report for duty. The shutdown will be in place until April 13, leaving just two days before the payment deadline. Dominguez earlier said that the agency cannot extend the deadline for income tax returns as it was by law. However, the BIR is looking at how it can accept late tax payments without interest, subject to certain conditions. Employees, the self-employed, and companies usually flock to the BIRs district offices leading up to the mid-April due date, even if payments are being accepted as early as January. Bureau officials earlier appealed to taxpayers to settle their accounts ahead of the deadline to avoid huge crowds, in keeping with the social distancing protocol amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. This involves staying about a meter away from other people to contain the spread of the disease. The BIR has been promoting e-filing, or using its online portal for tax returns. Payments can also be done through bank transfers and e-wallet transactions through Land Bank of the Philippines, Development Bank of the Philippines, PayMaya, and GCash. WASHINGTON As a general rule, the nations capital is not a work from home kind of town, even though theoretically it could be. Its not as if a lot of essential goods are created here in some physical plant or factory not cars, or microprocessors, or beer or, on most days, legislation. We can make it work in a pandemic by conference call, Skype or Slack, but that is not the point of Washington. The city runs on relationships and convincing others that you have a certain juice about you. It prizes backslapping, glad-handing and now, in this time of coronavirus, awkward fist-bumps, elbow-taps or whatever else you cannot do remotely. It relies, for the most part, on showing up. And not in your pajamas. So much of what we do is just looking someone in the eye, said Tiernan Sittenfeld, the senior vice president for government affairs at the League of Conservation Voters. When you can see a facial expression or body language, you get a much better sense if youre making your case. It can be much more challenging to convey urgency remotely. H-E-B shoppers will notice a difference at checkout lanes starting soon as the grocer begins to install protective partitions in its stores to ensure social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. In recent weeks, H-E-B has experienced an influx of shoppers worried about the virus. Houston stores were the first to have the shields installed, and the protective measure will be rolled out in all stores in the coming days to keep customers and employees safe during transactions, H-E-B told mySA.com. MOSCOW -- The former head of the Moscow branch of Russia's Investigative Committee, Aleksandr Drymanov, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for accepting a bribe from a notorious crime boss. The Moscow City Court on March 18 found Drymanov guilty of taking $1 million from Zakhary Kalashov, known among organized criminal groups as Shakro Molodoi, in exchange for the release of one of Kalashov's associates from custody. The court also deprived Drymanov of the rank of police general and his For Service to the Fatherland medal. Drymanov's two co-defendants in the case, two former subordinates, were sentenced to 10 years and 14 years in prison, respectively. Drymanov was arrested in July 2018, weeks after he resigned from his post. Kalashov is known as a "thief by law," a title traditionally given among criminal groups in former Soviet republics to kingpins. He was sentenced in March 2018 to 9 years and 10 months in prison on extortion charges. Born on March 19, 1933, Philip Roth won the Pulitzer Prize for his 1997 novel American Pastoral. The author, well-known for his explorations of American identity, first came into the limelight through his 1959 novella Goodbye, Columbus and soon became one of the most well-received authors of his generation. The man behind works like Letting Go, When She Was Good and Sabbaths Theater, most of his novels are semi-autobiographical with themes that draw allusions between his real life and his fictive world. This is perhaps best exemplified by the character Philip Roth who appears in The Plot Against America and Operation Shylock. He had learned the worst lesson that life can teach - that it makes no sense, Philip Roth had written in the book American Pastoral. And much like his views on life, the author spoke on human nature, pleasure and a host of other topics. Heres listing a few of his thoughts on various subjects: You put too much stock in human intelligence, it doesnt annihilate human nature. The pleasure isnt in owning the person. The pleasure is this. Having another contender in the room with you. Stop worrying about growing old. And think about growing up. Literature takes a habit of mind that has disappeared. It requires silence, some form of isolation, and sustained concentration in the presence of an enigmatic thing. How easy life is when its easy, and how hard when its hard. Roths works, which are replete with autobiographical influences, also incorporate social commentary and political satire in a postwar American setting. His novels can be best categorised into five groups, based on the protagonists they portrayed or the situation or genre they were written in. They are the Zuckerman novels, the Roth novels and memoirs, a short series of Kepesh novels, the Nemeses novels and a group of other works with separate protagonists. American Pastoral: Published in 1997, the book starts in media res, with Roths most famed alter ego Nathan Zuckerman attending a high school reunion where a former classmate describes to him the tragic life of his older brother Seymour Levov. Levov was an upper middle class successful Jewish American businessman from New Jersey whose life is turned topsy turvy during the social and political turmoil of the 1960s. The novel goes on to see Zuckerman trace together the life of Levov through Jerrys revelation, newspaper clippings and his own impressions. The novel won Roth the Pulitzer Prize. Operation Shylock: The 1993 novel follows narrator Philip Roth on a journey to Israel to attend the trials of war criminal John Demjanjuk. However, the narrator himself becomes involved in an intelligence mission named Operation Shylock. Operation Shylock is best known for the stark blurring of lines between art and life through an almost similar version of the author as a protagonist who is part of an almost plausible story. The Dying Animal: The short work of fiction by the author speaks about a senior literature professor David Kepesh who is ruined due to his inability towards emotional commitment. The book is actually the third and final in the Kepesh series and is preceded by the 1972 title The Breast and the 1977 book The Professor of Desire. The Dying Animal itself was published in 2001. Everyman: The first in the Nemeses series, and the third of Roths works to win the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, the book begins with the funeral of the unnamed protagonist and then goes on to take a melancholy look back at the various episodes from his life till his death. Interestingly, the unnamed protagonist has a lot in common with the author, with both being born in 1933, growing up in Elizabeth, which was near Roths birthplace. Letting Go: The first full-fledged novel by Roth, Letting Go is divided into seven sections. One of the basic themes of the novel is the conflict between the protagonists and the societal constraints of the 1950s. Apart from that, social class and sexual promiscuity also are prominent themes. Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter School auditoriums, church halls and state properties in San Francisco are being looked at as potential shelters as the city scrambles during the coronavirus crisis to temporarily house people who are either homeless or live in tight quarters such as residential hotels, officials said Tuesday. The effort is being mirrored across the Bay Area and California at the direction of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who said Sunday that he would like to see all 108,000 of the states unsheltered homeless people under roofs while the COVID-19 danger persists. The Legislature approved a funding package late Monday that includes millions of dollars aimed toward Newsoms goal and already the state has leased two hotels in Oakland with 400 rooms for that purpose, plus two hotels in San Mateo County. Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, who co-chairs Newsoms homelessness task force, said the goal of sheltering most of the states homeless population is reachable. He called the governors call for shelter a silver lining, even though its hard to see it as that because we are in the midst of a crisis in ways that are very serious. But the drive to bring people indoors is even more paramount now than it was two weeks ago, Steinberg said. And it was always paramount. So this presents an opportunity to really shelter people. As head of San Franciscos Human Services Agency, Trent Rhorer is in charge of the citys emergency housing effort, and he said he is looking at large facilities that can be quickly turned into shelters for at least a few weeks. The goal, he said, is to house at least 3,500 people who are either unsheltered or who live in congregant settings where they have to share bathrooms and kitchens and cannot self-quarantine. With the school district shut down, campuses are one likely place to put people, Rhorer said. Churches around the city are being asked to open their halls as well. San Francisco Unified School District spokeswoman Gentle Blythe said the district is working with the city on options. So far Rhorer has secured about 500 hotel rooms. Now he has to coordinate with other departments to set up case managers, drug rehabilitation and other counselors all the services that come with a typical homeless shelter. Regular shelters will probably have to be reconfigured, perhaps cutting their capacities in half to allow for more social distancing space, he said. That will then necessitate the creation of other emergency spots. Its not like just setting up an emergency shelter in an earthquake, Rhorer said. But we can do this. We dont have a cash flow issue in this city, so we can move fast. He said the goal is to start filling beds this week, with priority for anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 and needs to be quarantined. Whether the effort has to continue for weeks or months is unknown, he said, but it will all probably cost tens of millions of dollars. You brace for the worst and hope for the best, Rhorer said. Newsom said he hopes to scale up the number of available hotel rooms around the state to thousands in the coming weeks. We will overwhelm ourselves if we dont move with real urgency in this space, he said. The coronavirus crisis shoved the state into a near-warlike footing. The governors declaration of a state of emergency loosened regulations to transform state properties such as fairgrounds into quarantine centers and shelters, and cities and counties are being funded to take emergency actions. Steinbergs state task force has asked for a measure to be placed on the November ballot mandating that Californias localities make every effort to house their homeless populations. For a long time one of the compelling arguments for creating a legally enforceable mandate for shelter was the potential spread of communicable diseases among the homeless. And now we have that very situation before us, Steinberg said. 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. Longtime homeless advocate Paul Boden said the governors goal was good, but that he doubts it can be reached given what he called a slow response to the effect the crisis is having on homeless people. This isnt like an earthquake where you cant see it coming. Theyve had a month to plan for this, both locally and statewide, and theyre just now paying attention, said Boden, head of the Western Regional Advocacy Project, which works on homelessness issues. You need to be putting out tents for people, putting a moratorium on sweeping camps, putting out hand sanitizer and sanitation facilities everywhere, Boden said. Maybe get the Army Corps of Engineers on it. Apply the same standards and provisions for health and safety that you do for housed people. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said she was more interested in leasing hotels or expanding the citys homeless cabin settlements than in using auditoriums, because of the need for social distancing. She has increased hygiene efforts at homeless camps, and said a big challenge of adding shelter spaces is providing the services to go with them. We will need more state funding to do that, she said. San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Jill Tucker contributed to this report. Kevin Fagan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kfagan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KevinChron The package of measures aims to boost both local and foreign investment in Egypts economy Egypts Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait has said that a Stock Exchange catalyst package that the prime minister announced Tuesday will be submitted to parliament soon for approval. In a statement released Wednesday, Maait said that the ministry is ready to stimulate domestic and foreign investment in Egypts financial market. Maait also revealed that the investment ministers decree No 231 for 2008, which sets brokerage commissions, financial market listing fees, and fees of bourse operations, will be amended, reducing those fees by 17 percent. The statement noted that the economic cluster in the Egyptian cabinet had agreed, also, on amending the investment minister's decree No 27 for 2016, which controls fees introduced by Misr for Central Clearing, Depository & Registry Company, decreasing those fees by 20 percent with maximum of EGP 5,000, or equivalent in hard currency. It also approved amendments to the prime ministers decree No 2339 for 2019, which controls traders protection from non-commercial risks of trading, reducing subscription fees by 50 percent, to five per 100,000 of the trading worth. Maait pointed out that the ministry was eager to open channels of dialogue with all concerned parties in the domestic market for the sake of bolstering investments in the stock exchange to enhance Egypts economy, taking in consideration recommendations submitted by the Egyptian Capital Market Association (ECMA) as the professional body that represents operating enterprises in the domestic market. Egypts cabinet has approved a package to boost Egypts Stock Exchange, including reducing the stamp tax for foreign investors from EGP 1.5 to EGP 1.25 per EGP 1,000, until the implementation of a capital gains tax starting 2022. It has also exempted immediate stock transactions from any stamp tax, to boost trading, and exempted foreign investors from the capital gains tax, postponing their implementation for local investors to January 2022. Search Keywords: Short link: Sara Ali Khan was dressed in a tracksuit while adorning a mask boarded a flight from Mumbai to Varanasi. At a time when the entire world is choosing to stay at home, Sara was seen roaming around the streets of Varanasi, clearly breaking protocol and avoiding all heath advisory, risking not only herself but millions of others. But that's not the only problem with her visit to temple Kashi Vishwanath. The Kashi Vikas Samiti has raised an objection stating that they did not approve of her visit as she is a non-Hindu. Chandra Shekhar Kapoor, the secretary of the Samiti, said, "The actor's visit to the temple is against traditions and established norms. It also raises questions on the security of the temple when there is a signboard clearly stating that the entry of ''non-Hindus'' is prohibited." Not just the Kashi Vikas Samiti but the local pandits are totally enraged at how Sara Ali Khan herself could come to visit the temple. "Though we appreciate her interest in the Hindu religion but the fact remains that she is a Muslim and should not have participated in the rituals. For her, all this could be ''interesting and exciting'' but for us, it is a matter of religious piety," said Rakesh Mishra, a priest told IANS. He concluded by saying that Sara would be known by the religion of her father, Saif Ali Khan, who is a Muslim. Do you think these objections are justified considering Sara Ali Khan's mother, Amrita Singh is a devout Hindu? We'll have to wait for a statement from Sara to these objections herself. The federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Tuesday, progressed in their negotiations to end the ongoing two weeks warning strike by the lecturers. However, the strike continues as ASUU said it would have to take the proposals to its members for review and possible approval. Neither party provided elaborate details of the agreement. However, the labour minister, Chris Ngige, said the government had tabled a new proposal regarding the agreement on the Integrated Payroll Personal Information System (IPPIS). The meeting which started 3:30 p.m. ended at about 11:01 pm. The two-week warning strike which the union declared would elapse on Monday next week. ASUU declared the strike over the non-payment of salaries of their members who failed to enrol into the federal governments IPPIS, a payroll software mandated for all public officials. The government last Thursday also reached an interim agreement with striking university lecturers to integrate the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) into the 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 lecturers union then developed its own UTAS which it wants the government to adopt for universities. Speaking after the meeting, Mr Ngige said the issues discussed ranged from funding, revitalisation of public universities, earned academic allowances and salaries shortfalls. Issue of IPPIS was also discussed and options and solutions were advanced. Government has a proposal which had been given to ASUU. ASUU will take these issues that are outstanding back to its National Executive Council for them to be on the same page before they get back to the government. We have agreed that a tentative date to get back to the government is before the weekend runs out. We expect ASUU to write government before then to see if there will be a need for a further meeting, he said. According to Mr Ngige, they also addressed payment of earned academic allowances to the University of Ilorin. On the Nigerian University Pension Management Company (NUPEMCO), a certificate was issued last year but operational certificate had not been issued because we do not have a permanent PENCOM board in place, he said. He said the government has made a proposal on how the NUPEMCO board will be able to fulfil its obligation especially in terms of preparation of annual audit reports. Issue of visitation panel to the universities has been on the table since last year. Government side made progress in that approval has been gotten and we are waiting for the gazette of the membership of the visitation panels, he said. Also speaking, the ASUU President, Biodun Ogunyemi, said both parties have improved on where they stopped in the previous meeting. He said the government has made concrete proposals to our members but as we usually say, those of us here cannot make a final pronouncement on any of the proposals. We have assured the government team that we will report to our principals and get back. We want to assure Nigerians that we are concerned with going back to our work because that is where we are happiest. We are not happy staying outside the classrooms, laboratories and laboratories. We will do our best to ensure that all concerned have the maximum benefit from this action because it is of national interest. If academics dont defend the universities, who will defend the academics? Trend In the 19 years since Nigeria returned to civil rule after years of military dictatorship, university teachers in the country have embarked on strike 14 times that saw them stay away from work for about 40 months. The last strike by the teachers was in November 2018. ASUU has been locked in a protracted dispute with the Nigerian government over issues of poor funding of public universities. Every time the dispute boiled over to strike by the teachers, negotiations between the two parties always produced agreements. Advertisements However, the governments failure to meet the teachers expectations within the context of the agreements have been a primary reason ASUU has been on strike almost every year since 1999 Matthew McConaughey is urging the world to unite against the coronavirus. The actor posted an inspirational message onto his social media accounts Tuesday, where he encouraged solidarity amid the battle against COVID-19. 'Hey everybody, McConaughey here, just want to say that in these crazy times that we're in with the coronavirus, let's take care of ourselves and each other,' Matthew, 50, told fans in the video. 'There is a green light on the other side': Matthew McConaughey posted an inspirational message Tuesday onto his social media accounts, where he encouraged everyone to remain strong amid the battle against COVID-19 'Let's not go to the lowest common denominator and get paranoid. Let's do our due diligence, take the precautions we need to take care of ourselves and those of us around us. 'Right now, more than ever before, we're all more dependent on each other than we ever have been. We have an enemy in coronavirus that is faceless, that is raceless, sexless, non-denominational and bipartisan, and it's an enemy that we all agree we want to beat. We want to beat and we're going to beat. 'So, in this time when people are going to move on, the economy is going to be in shambles for who knows how long, there is a green light on the other side of this red light that we're in right now. 'I believe that green light is going to be built upon the values that we can enact right now. Values of fairness, kindness, accountability, resilience, respect, courage. 'Fairness, kindness, accountability': McConaughey listed off the values he believed the upcoming 'green light' would hold Unite! Matthew boosted morale with his inspirational video message 'If we practice those things right now, when we get out of this, this virus, this time might be the one time that brings us all together and unifies us like we have not been in a long time. 'So, yes, let's see if we can make some lemonade out of this lemon that we're living in the middle of. Turn a red light into a green light and just keep living.' So far, the global coronavirus pandemic has reached over 200,00 confirmed cases and over 8,222 deaths. Hope: The Dallas Buyers Club actor tweeted, 'because every red light eventually turns green' Domestically, there have been 7,323 confirmed cases in the US with 115 deaths. Matthew rose to fame after appearing in the beloved comedy Dazed In Confused in 1993, eventually winning the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2014 for Dallas Buyers Club. The actor has been married since 2012 to model Camila Alves, and together they share sons Levi, 11, Livingston, seven, and daughter Vida, 10. Hamilton, Bermuda March 18, 2020 Dear Shareholders, As informed shareholders yesterday, we are in an extraordinarily strong tanker market with tanker rates ranging from USD 65,000 to USD 100,000 for individual contracts. The financial position of NAT is solid. NAT has an increasing cash flow. In view of the above main factors, the NAT Board has decided to establish a share buy-back program. The program opens for NAT to buy its own stock. It may commence when NAT sees it fit. The program shall be in place the next 24 months as from March 19, 2020. It is a sound commercial undertaking to be able to buy back stock from time to time. NAT may discontinue the share buy-back programme at any time. All aspects associated with such a program follow the rules of NYSE, SEC and other relevant agencies. Best regards, Herbjrn Hansson Chairman & CEO Nordic American Tankers Ltd. www.nat.bm CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "plan," "potential," "will," "may," "should," "expect," "pending" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, our management's examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although we believe that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand in the tanker market, as a result of changes in OPEC's petroleum production levels and worldwide oil consumption and storage, changes in our operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for our vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, vessels breakdowns and instances of off-hires and other important factors described from time to time in the reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the prospectus and related prospectus supplement, our Annual Report on Form 20-F, and our reports on Form 6-K. Setting a record of being the first BJP chief minister to complete three straight years in office in Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath said on Wednesday that his government has succeeded in changing people's perception of the state and took in on the path of development, trust and good governance. Citing "improvement" in law-and-order as one of the achievement, he claimed that no riot has taken place in the state and the crime rate was on the decline. Mentioning closure of illegal slaughter house and setting up anti-romeo squads for women security as its achievements, Adityanath observed that his government has turned challenges into opportunities. The chief minister also asserted that the state was number one in implementation of central schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Swachh Bharat Mission, Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana and Saubhagya. "In the past three years, the BJP government in the state has succeeded in changing the perception of the state. We have taken the state on the path of development, trust and good governance due to guidance and support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Adityanath said at a press conference here. He also mentioned the successful organisation of Kumbh Mela, in which 24.56 crore people participated and "set example as unique event for world". About the law-and-order situation in Uttar Pradesh, the chief minister said, "In this biggest state of the country, the government has succeeded in maintaining law and order which was in a very poor state during previous regimes. There is no riot in the state and crime is on the decline." "I am glad to tell you that in areas where the state was did not figure in the past, is now number one due to efforts of our government," he said. About road connectivity, the chief minister told the press conference that 40 per cent work on the Purvanchal expressway has been completed and is expected to be opened for public by the end of this year. "Work on Bundelkhand expressway has started and will be completed by end of next year. Work on Ganga Expressway from Meerut to Allahabad is also underway. All the three expressways will give new heights to the Indian economy," the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) When Doug Ford stepped up to the microphone on Tuesday morning to declare a state of emergency in Ontario because of the coronavirus outbreak, he did so in a manner he hasnt displayed since becoming premier almost two years ago: He looked like and acted like a real leader. Ford was decisive and looked to be in charge, considerate, compassionate, understanding of the issues and the consequences. Gone was his normal bombast, his political cheap-shots, ego-fuelled bragging and personal attacks on critics and the media. Were facing an unprecedented time in our history. This is a decision that was not made lightly. COVID-19 constitutes a danger of major proportions, Ford said in a serious tone that suggested he now understands the gravity of this health crisis and is acting accordingly, with forced closures of restaurants, bars, schools, recreation centres and more. What a difference from how President Donald Trump has acted throughout the COVID-19 crisis! Indeed, this crisis may sink Trump and save Ford. It may also be Fords best and only chance to redeem himself in the eyes of Ontario voters, many of whom now openly boo and mock him at public events. Its been easy to be critical of Ford for most of his term as premier. But in recent days the premier has performed surprisingly well in handling his governments response to the coronavirus crisis even to the point of looking downright leaderly. Almost from the day he was sworn in, Ford has been a disaster as premier. Hes run personal vendettas against former political foes, allowed a wave of stunning patronage appointments for friends and allies, approved huge spending cuts aimed at vulnerable residents, intimidated his own cabinet ministers and overseen a government so incompetent it cant even replace licence plates without scandal. And Ford has done it all with his bull-in-a-china-shop style of governing that sees him attacking anyone who dares criticize him while at the same time ludicrously bragging about how great his government is doing despite clear evidence to the contrary. Now, though, Ford is a different leader albeit possibly temporarily As the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak finally dawned on him, Ford has taken decisive and necessary action, culminating Tuesday in the declaration of a state of emergency and the announcement that his government is setting aside $304 million to help the health-care system with an extra 75 critical-care beds, 500 post-acute care beds and another 25 COVID-19 assessment centres at hospitals around the province. True, like Trump, Ford took a long time coming to the realization that COVID-19 posed a real and serious threat. Earlier this month in Kitchener, Ford joked about hand sanitizers, advising a crowd to look for the stuff with high-alcohol content. If its the cheap stuff, it doesnt work, he said. It was the same Ford who later told Ontarians not to worry about the virus and go ahead with March Break vacation trips and have a good time just two days before his own government started to close schools and advise against travelling to the U.S. or elsewhere abroad. In recent days, though, Ford appears to be trying his best to deal with a tough situation. Hes been calling business leaders to solicit their views on how to proceed. Hes listening to the advice from health-care experts. Hes met with the Ontarios other political party leaders. Hes come across as reasonable, going so far as to praise Ottawa lately for its handling of the crisis after initially criticizing the Trudeau government for not doing enough. Importantly, he has shown a willingness to spend money to deal with COVID-19 despite his normal mantra about being a deficit slayer. We will spare no expense to help Ontarians, he says. While Trumps refusal to see the outbreak as serious until thousands of Americans were affected could spell his political demise, Fords performance lately may offer him some hope for re-election in 2022. Still, Ford is not out of the woods. Theres lots of time for him to revert to his old blustery, flip-flopping self. But, for now, hes finally a leader. Read more about: Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 20:34 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206baddd8 1 Business COVID-19,COVID-19-Indonesian-patients,COVID-19-test,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus-in-Indonesia,SOEMinistry,State-owned-Enterprises-Ministry Free State-owned diversified manufacturer PT Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia (RNI) is waiting for the green light from the Health Ministry to import 500,000 COVID-19 rapid testing kits from China as Indonesia scrambles to curb the spread of the coronavirus. RNI submitted the import request to the Health Ministry on March 10, State-Owned Enterprises Ministry spokesman Arya Sinulingga said on Wednesday. If the process is completed, we will immediately send a Garuda [Indonesia airplane] to Hangzhou to pick up the kits. The logistical process will only take two days, he said. Once the test kits arrive, Arya said state-owned enterprises would distribute them to hospitals across the country so that authorities could do more tests and gain a clearer view of the spread of COVID-19 in Indonesia. Reports of patients in referral hospitals having to wait a long time to get tests or treatment for possible infections have surfaced recently, as hospitals face increasing strain as they attempt to handle the virus. Read also: Think you have COVID-19? Here's how to get tested in Indonesia Indonesia had identified 227 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 19 deaths as of Wednesday. Globally, the pneumonia-like illness has infected more than 200,000 people and killed at least 8,007, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The rapid testing kits will only need 15 minutes to three hours to show the results. If theres a sign that someone is infected, they can go to the doctor for further tests, Arya said. RNI has imported raw materials from India to manufacture medical masks while seeking to also import materials from France, China and Japan. According to RNIs report, [the raw materials] from India have arrived. We also sought to import them from Japan but they have a limited stock and we couldnt import from France as theyre in a total lockdown, he said. Two million medical masks will be produced by RNI and other mask manufacturers in the country. The masks will be distributed by state-owned pharmaceutical company Kimia Farma and provincial and local administrations. (mpr) First: Dont send Jeff Bezos money. Amazon shares are taking a beating, but Bezos (pbuh) is, I am confident, going to be fine. So are Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg. And moving just a few rungs down the income ladder, so am I and other people like me. Congresss plan to send everybody a check for $1,000 as a stimulus measure may have some merit as a one-time thing, and as a simple measure it appeals to the simple people who govern us. But if we are looking at months of economic disruption and it is likely that we are then we are going to have to prioritize, and the first thing we should do is send lower-income people money. Lower-income people are less likely to have savings or additional resources to help tide them over when they are out of work, as many of them already are. Businesses that can afford to keep paying furloughed workers for a time should do so, and Congress should help those businesses in turn, perhaps by allowing them to treat wages paid to furloughed workers during this crisis like a tax loss that can be carried forward. About 25 million Americans make $11 an hour or less. By redirecting something on the order of 8 percent of federal spending, we could, if necessary, fund all of their paychecks, indefinitely. Thats a big chunk of money, but it would not be impossible to do. But the fact is, we dont need to cover them all: Lots of those hourly workers are going to stay employed as companies ranging from grocers and distributors to manufacturers of medical devices ramp up production. We might not need to do this at all, but we need to act now to get the facility in place to do it. A one-time check is just a check. A commitment to help throughout the episode is something else. However this crisis shakes out, there is no scenario in which having millions of people who cant pay their rent or buy food makes it easier to manage. Ill be the first one saying Get a job! when the epidemic has abated. Until then, write those checks. Story continues Second: Start looking for weaknesses in the supply chain now, especially where food, pharmaceuticals, and basic consumer goods are concerned. (As Claire Berlinski reports, France is in the middle of this right now.) From the farms to the food-processing centers to the distribution centers to the retailer warehouses to the store shelves, much can go wrong. The toilet-paper shortage is a good joke. Persistently empty shelves in the grocery stores will cause civic disorder. We already have store-imposed rationing at grocery stores on canned goods and certain other items. The perception of shortages encourages panic buying, which can make those perceptions a reality. State and local governments and corporate managements should be war-gaming out worst-case scenarios right now. (Some of them already are.) We should be looking at what happens if 10 percent or 15 percent of the workforce either does not or cannot show up for work. It does not matter that there is plenty of food in the country. It matters where it is and whether people can get to it. Third: Get ready for non-coronavirus trouble: Crises beget crises. For example, we are not that far away from the beginning of hurricane season. The disruption caused by this epidemic could make an ordinary pre-storm evacuation in Florida or Louisiana a much more complicated affair. Hurricane Harvey inundated Houston but it also left gasoline pumps empty in North Texas and points beyond. The usual minor emergencies that are an ordinary part of life are not going to stop because theres an epidemic under way. Stocking up on food is usually the first thing on peoples minds during a situation like this, but water, electricity, fuel, transportation, communication, banking all of these have vulnerabilities that may be heightened or aggravated by the social and economic disruption that already is under way with more to come. Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, says this is not the time to worry about the deficit. Correct, replied Rory Cooper. The time to worry about it was when times were good. But nobody did that, either. Cooper is, of course, correct. It would be better if we were going into this crisis with a better fiscal position. And that, too, is a weakness that this epidemic could leave painfully exposed. We are going to learn some lessons. Let us hope that the learning is not too painful. More from National Review NAVAL Service vessels are being deployed to Dublin, Cork and Galway as 'one-stop-shops' to support Covid-19 testing. The vessels will act as support bases for onshore testing centres - with Covid-19 testing staff supported by electricity supplies, accommodation, food preparation, water supplies and even equipment storage on the berthed vessels. LE Samuel Beckett has been assigned to Dublin, LE William Butler Yeats has been assigned to Galway and an as-yet-unknown vessel will be deployed to Cork's upper docks. Haulbowline Naval Base is only one hour steaming distance from Cork's upper docks and it remains unclear whether an active fleet vessel will be deployed or whether LE Eithne, which has been docked and out of service since last year, will be designated. The deployment is part of the Defence Forces aid to the civilian power - and aims to assist the Health Service Executive (HSE) with the provision of easy-to-access testing centres. Health Service Executive (HSE) Paul Reid said they were very grateful for the Naval Service offer of support - and he said the experience their personnel boasts of humanitarian missions and the medical needs involved will be potentially very useful. Covid-19 testing will not be conducted on board the berthed ships. Rather, the vessels will act as floating resource bases for health officials. "They will effectively act as floating one-stop-shops if required by health officials," one source said. Health officials have inspected two of the vessels and the dockland sites involved. The deployment is part of the massive effort in Ireland to increase testing for the virus and to support contact-tracing. Health officials stressed that stringent testing and contact-tracing of all those who contract the virus is central to slowing the spread of the virus and ensuring the health system is able to better cope with the epidemic. The Government has warned that 15,000 people in Ireland could contract the virus within weeks. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday hit out at the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, saying its report card on the completion of its three years is "filled with lies". Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a press conference on the occasion of the BJP government in the state completing three years and announced the achievement of his dispensation. "The BJP government of UP is releasing its report card. In this report card filled with lies, big claims have been made about women's safety. But after the horrific Unnao incident, the incident in Lakhimpur today exposed the claims of women safety. When will the government wake up?" Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet. According to media reports, a minor was raped in Lakhimpur district and her nose was slit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lloyds of London must defend a merchant against a lawsuit that accused it of violating a California privacy law by selling information about its customers, a federal appellate court ruled, reversing a lower court. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that District Court Judge John F. Walter in Los Angeles erred by ruling Lloyds of London had no duty to defend Brighton Collectibles in a lawsuit because the underlying allegations were not a privacy law violation that would trigger coverage under the policy. The appellate court said it didnt matter whether Lida Yeheskel is likely to win her lawsuit when deciding whether Lloyds has to defend against it. Under California law, an insurer has a duty to defend its insured unless there is no potential for coverage,' the court said. To trigger this duty, the insured need only show that the underlying claim may fall within policy coverage.' The decision in Brighton v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyds was not published, meaning it holds no precedential value. Yeheskel filed a lawsuit in the Ventura County Superior Court alleging that Brighton Collectibles violated Californias Song-Beverly Credit Card Act when an employee at its Thousand Oaks store asked for her full name, email address, residence address and telephone number when she purchased an item with her credit card. She alleged either that Brighton sells the personal information to third-parties or collects the information for its own marketing purposes. Either use of the data would be a violation of California law, according to the suit. Brighton asked Lloyds to defend it from the lawsuit under a business owners liability policy that provided coverage for a personal injury caused by the business or an advertising injury. Lloyds denied the claim. The insurer argued that the policy clearly excluded any publication, broadcasting or telecasting done by Brighton itself. An attorney for Lloyds, Tami Kay Lee of West Covina, told the 9th Circuit panel during oral arguments that although the policy provided coverage for violations of privacy law, it was intended to cover only actions of third-parties, such as by hackers who breached the companys computer security. The 9th Circuit panel rejected that argument. Such a reading would exclude coverage for virtually any publication over which Brighton might realistically be sued, rendering the policies express coverage for publications that violate privacy rights practically meaningless,' the opinion says. The court reversed Judge Walters decision and remanded the case back to the district court for further proceedings. Pune The Sindhi community of Pimpri has cancelled the celebrations of Cheti Chand, their new year, over Covid-19 (coronavirus) spread fears. This is the first time the community has decided to not hold their new year festivities since they settled in Pimpri post the 1949 partition. Manohar Jetwani, Sindhu Seva Sangams cultural secretary, said, The decision was taken at the community meeting held at Baba Chaturam Mandir in Pimpri camp. It was decided to cancel the celebrations of Lilashah Jayanti (March 19), Cheti Chand ustav (March 25) and cultural programmes (April 7). Nearly 30,000 Sindhis living in Pimpri celebrate these festivals every year. The Pimpri camp merchants also decided to close down their shops from Wednesday. A 44-year-old Gurgaon resident has tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Haryana, an official said on Wednesday. In Haryana, there are 17 cases, which include 14 foreigners, according to Union health ministry data. "A resident of Gurgaon has tested positive for the coronavirus," said state Director General of Health Suraj Bhan Kamboj on Wednesday evening. The man's samples were collected at Safdarjung hospital in Delhi and they were found positive for the coronavirus infection. The patient was admitted at the hospital on March 9, he said. The 44-year-old man is the second confirmed case of coronavirus from Haryana, Kamboj said. Earlier, a 29-year old woman from Gurgaon had tested positive for the novel coronavirus and her condition is stable. So far, samples of 91 persons have been taken in Haryana, out of which reports of 68 have tested negative so far, according to a media bulletin issued by the Haryana government. The bulletin said so far, a total of 3,589 patients have been put under home isolation, and 43 isolated at hospitals. The state government has already ordered closure of all schools, colleges and universities in the state till March 31. TheHaryana government on Wednesday decided to close anganwadi centres across the state with immediate effect till March 31. During this period, the anganwadi workers and helpers will come to the centres to perform record maintenance, cleaning and create awareness through home visits about maintaining hygiene to tackle the virus, said a government statement. In Punjab, samples of 117 persons have been taken so far, out of which, 112 tested negative. There is one positive case for coronavirus infection in the state, the media bulletin said. It said a total of 1,298 persons have been put under home surveillance and eight under hospital surveillance. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two big-box retailers are shuttering their stores because of the coronavirus, while Citadel Mall has closed completely. Charlotte-based Belk is now closed through March 30 while Texas-based J.C. Penney will darken all of its stores starting Thursday with tentative plans to reopen April 2. Both companies said they would continue to monitor guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and other government officials and make adjustments as necessary. Online shopping is not affected, they said. "We understand this development can greatly impact our store associates, and we've taken steps to support them and their families during this time," Belk CEO Lisa Harper said. "We're provided benefits and compensation to our impacted workforce during this two-week temporary closure." At J.C. Penney, CEO Jill Soltau said, "With the effects of the outbreak being felt more each day, our primary concern and area of focus is and has been on the health and safety of our associates, our customers and our communities. We know this is a critical, unprecedented time and our thoughts are with those who have been impacted. Belk operates four stores in the Charleston region, while J.C. Penney has one store in the area in Northwoods Mall in North Charleston. Citadel Mall posted the following notice on its website Wednesday, "In response to the direction of local and national government, we are closing the property until further notice." Northwoods Mall and Mount Pleasant Towne Centre remained open at mid-afternoon Wednesday though some businesses are closed or have shortened hours of operation, according to their websites. Additionally, AT&T is closing 40 percent of its company-owned stores nationwide. All shops will be closed on Sundays. New store hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Also, Second Sunday on King Street has been canceled for April 12. San Jose firefighters used to battling fires are now facing the daunting prospect of COVID-19 in their ranks as they save others. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) When it comes to the front line for the coronavirus, the San Jose firefighters are experiencing what officials fear will become a common problem among first responders. So far, 10 firefighters have tested positive for COVID-19 and 50 others are in self-isolation. There have been a scattering of other cases of first responders testing positive, including a Los Angeles Police Department officer and an L.A. firefighter. The number of San Jose firefighters with the disease caused by the coronavirus grew this week from four to 10 and scores have been quarantined, according to the San Jose firefighters union. As the virus sweeps across the Silicon Valley, firefighters are treating every call as though it is a COVID-19 call, firefighters union leaders say. "Our members are assuming on all their calls the person is positive. One person is entering in full mask, goggles and gown to determine the patient's condition. Others are only going in where necessary," said Sean Lovens, spokesman for San Jose Fire Fighters, IAFF Local 230. "Afterward the firefighters are decontaminating themselves, their apparatus." The change in response comes as the department saw the number of firefighters infected swell among the ranks of 664 line firefighters. "We have one firefighter receiving treatment in the hospital. They have mild to more significant pneumonia but all are expected to make a full recovery," Lovens said. He said speculation and rumors of a firefighter in grave life-threatening condition is false. Across Santa Clara County, five people have died and 155 have tested positive. In response, health officials have declared a state of emergency and imposed a shelter-in-place order. Officials hope those actions will help to stem the spread of the highly infectious virus. San Jose officials confirmed 10 firefighters have tested positive, while an additional 57 have been in contact with people confirmed to have the illness, and are being monitored. Those numbers have not increased since Tuesday evening. Story continues As many as 80 firefighters at one time or another in the last few weeks have been self-quarantined more than 10% of the department. About 30 of those firefighters have returned to their fire stations to work. Typically, San Jose firefighters will answer more than 90,000 calls in a year. The illnesses and quarantines have taken a toll on the families of first responders, officials say. "Our sick firefighters also have multiple family members who have tested COVID-19 positive, and other family members with symptoms of the virus awaiting test results," Lovens said. San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said Tuesday, "the reality is there's no simple fix." The mayor has already set aside additional budget funds to deal with the virus. Despite the challenges, firefighters across the city continue to roll on call after call. As firefighters, we commit our careers and lives to serving the public in their time of need," said Sean Kaldor, president of the San Jose Fire Fighters, IAFF Local 230. "Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic as it grows among our residents is an unprecedented challenge, and we are up to that challenge. But it is also taking a tremendous toll on us as we fall ill and support our ill family members." The union and fire department are following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to limit exposure and manage firefighters who have been exposed. City officials say that fire stations have been disinfected and that the cleaning of trucks and other fire apparatus is at an all-time high. In the event that a firefighter is known to have been exposed to COVID-19, that firefighter is removed from serving the public for 14 days as their condition is actively monitored. In cases where a station is suspected of being contaminated, firefighters are relocated and the station receives a deeper level of cleaning and disinfecting. RACINE COUNTY The number of people tested for COVID-19 has surpassed 1,000 in Wisconsin as testing efforts speed up and self-quarantining expands. There are now 72 confirmed cases in the state, but still only one in Racine County, according to numbers posted by the state as of 2 p.m. Tuesday. As the situation continued to develop, local governments ramped up announcements about government building closures and meeting cancellations. Starting Wednesday, all Racine County governmental buildings will be closed to the public except for essential functions. The City of Racine also made several key announcements about services: City of Racine buses continue to operate regularly and are being cleaned thoroughly every day. Walk-in service at Racine City Hall has been suspended with the exception of the Clerks Office. City workers are still working, but not opening offices to the public to curtail the spread of COVID-19. The city also is suspending all public meetings of the City Council and city boards, committees, and commissions until at least April 20. The city also announced that it does not and will not shut off your water, and that We Energies has committed to not cutting off utilities during this time. Gateway goes entirely online Gateway Technical College announced Tuesday it will close its facilities to the public, staff and students starting Wednesday, and will move its academic and work operations to an online format until April 5. The college will continue to operate and employees will work, but in an online delivery format. Theres nothing more important than the safety of our staff, our students and our community, said Bryan Albrecht, Gateway Technical College president and CEO. The decision to close the campus is intended to make sure that people have an opportunity to protect themselves by working from home in a virtual environment, while providing the support services that we know students need while they are off-campus as well. All Gateway students will receive communication from their instructors or academic dean detailing how they should proceed in their coursework for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester. Students should monitor their Gateway student email and Blackboard for updates from their dean and instructors. Gateway is about two-thirds through its Spring 2020 semester. All Gateway public events during this time frame have also been cancelled. Union Grove buildings closed Also on Tuesday, the Union Grove Municipal Center, which serves the villages of Union Grove and Yorkville, as well as the Greater Union Grove Area Chamber of Commerce, was closed for walk-in business until further notice. The Graham Public Library in Union Grove was to close to the public on Wednesday, Village Administrator Michael Hawes said. Drive-up testing The biggest increase in confirmed cases came in the state came in Milwaukee County, which had seven confirmed cases on Sunday, 13 on Monday and 24 as of 2 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Department of Health Services. Kenosha County, after having zero confirmed cases Sunday, had four as of Tuesday. There is evidence of community spread in Milwaukee, Dane and Kenosha counties, according to the office of Gov. Tony Evers. As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, no information had been released about a drive-up testing site in Racine County. A drive-up testing site has been established in Kenosha County at the Froedtert South Pleasant Prairie Clinic, 10256 Old Green Bay Road, Pleasant Prairie. Available by doctors orders only, the testing facility was arranged to prevent patients who might have COVID-19 from spreading the illness inside hospital facilities, said Ric Schmidt, president and CEO of Froedtert South. At least one person has recovered from COVID-19 in Wisconsin. In the DHS daily updates, the department no longer includes the number of people who have recovered. Journal Times reporters Christina Lieffring and Pete Wicklund contributed to this report. 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. Veteran actress Kate Henshaw has hit back at AGN President Emeka Rollas Ejezie after he went on a TV interview to defend the appointment of Elisha Abbo months after he slapped a nursing mother in a sex toy shop. Not stopping there, Emeka dragged Kate and Hilda Dokubo saying both are probably not members of the AG. Read Also: ;We Dont Want To Be Slapped Kate Henshaw Reacts To Appointment Of Elisha Abbo As Patron Of Actors Guild Upon Elisha Abbo being appointed as the patron of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Hilda Dokubo released a video questioning the decision of the AGN President, Emeka Rollas (read here). Kate followed suit telling Rollas that the women in the guild do not want to be slapped and that Abbo is no role model (read here). In a recent interview with Plus TV, Rollas responded to their criticisms by stating that theres no man without a past adding that Abbo was not convicted of any crime and that he has apologized for being abusive. Rollas also added that the victim did not reject the apology while adding that Kate and Hilda who called him out were probably not AGN members. Well, Kate has now reacted to that. She shared screenshots of a mail Emeka Rollas sent to her less than a month ago, telling her that the AGN is nominating her as Veteran Actor of Nigeria. The mail reads: It is my pleasure to inform you that the Board of Trustees and entire members of AGN have found you worthy and very deserving of this Veteran Actor of Nigeria (VAN) Award. It continues: We will officially decorate you with the medal of honor. She pointed out to him that he is not a president unto himself, therefore, he cannot appoint a patron whom other members of the AGN do not approve of. In the 7-minute video, Kate captioned: #NoToElishaAbboAsAGNPatron I do not need a crowd to speak up about the things that matter. You are NOT a president unto yourself. I abhor people who speak out of both sides of their mouth.. Be guided on this macabre dance that you have undertaken. They are clapping for you..keep dancing., she said; The Foreign Residents Department in Nerja has sent out a reminder to residents and tourists who are apparently still unaware of the restrictions of movement imposed in Spain following last weekend's declaration of a State of Alarm. The decree obliges all residents to stay at home unless they have to go out for very specific reasons to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus. "Many tourists and foreigners are going to the Balcon de Europa, to the beaches and parks, walking around the town, jogging or doing sport activities. This is not permitted and the Police are stopping and telling them to stay at home," said the Department in a statement on Wednesday. Residents are also reminded that gatherings are not permitted and that all bars, restaurants, shops, offices and other businesses are closed to the public, throughout Spain. The only places still open are those providing basic essentials, such as supermarkets and grocery stores, greengrocers, bakeries, pharmacies, banks, petrol stations, laundrettes and tobacconists. People should go individually to these shops, warns the statement, adding that exceptions will be made if a child or invalid cannot be left alone. Some establishments are limiting the number people inside the premises at any one time. Apart from shopping for essentials, residents are also permitted to be in the street if they are going to work, although employees are encouraged to work from home wherever possible. Dogs can be taken out but only for the minimum time necessary and a short distance. Restaurants can continue to run home delivery services. General advice includes regular hand-washing and keeping at least 1.5 metres from another person, especially in queues. It's only natural for us to concentrate on the coronavirus and the U.S. Nevertheless, other countries are counting their cases and hoping they can handle it. One good example is Venezuela, a country that had hospital shortages before we ever heard of the virus. This is from The Guardian: Venezuela will implement a nationwide quarantine after detecting 16 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Monday, President Nicolas Maduro said, adding that the total number of cases in the South American country has risen to 33. "It is necessary, it is indispensable, it is the response," Maduro said in an address on state television. "The crude crisis, crisis, crisis is just starting." The country on Monday had begun a quarantine in a handful of states, which Maduro said had been successful. But many across the economic crisis-stricken nation went out anyway, saying they could not afford not to work as the once-prosperous OPEC nation suffers a crippling economic crisis. Maduro added that the country would be receiving shipments of medicine from Cuba and protective gear and "thousands" of test kits from China. He said the government would be announcing benefits for citizens, without providing details. The collapse of oil prices in the past week, due to a drop in demand related to coronavirus as well as a price war between top producers Saudi Arabia and Russia, threatens to aggravate the six-year recession in Venezuela's oil-dependent economy. Last night, I had a WhatsApp chat with a friend in central Venezuela. He is not a Maduro-supporter, but his comments need to be heard outside the country: 1. My friend believes that Maduro is understating the number of cases. Obviously, it does not help that there is no free press to challenge the government. 2. Venezuela has a horrible lack of physicians because so many have left. And last but not least: 3. Hospital shelves have been empty for months. We hope for the best everywhere, but socialism is not working in Venezuela, and Cuba's problems are already making the news. PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. Though scientists are still scrambling to understand new and its likely impact, experts are warning it could kill millions globally unless widespread and prolonged social distancing measures are adopted. While models predicting new COVID-19 cases are still operating on several preliminary assumptions -- including its mortality and transmissibility -- the figures quickly get scary. A bombshell study from a team of infectious disease experts at Imperial College London this week predicted that without intervention the disease could lead to 510,000 deaths in Britain and 2.2 million in the United States. Using the best estimates of current COVID-19 infections rates, they hypothesised that over 80 percent of the populations of both countries would get the disease. However, it specified that taking measures to prevent unnecessary transmissions -- including radical "social distancing" such as closing schools and businesses -- could drastically decrease the death toll by managing the strain on health services. So while the worst case scenario is unlikely given containment measures, it can help form vital decisions from governments. Respected public health expert Anthony Fauci told CNN on Sunday that it was "possible" hundreds of thousands of Americans could die. "We have to be realistic and honest: yes, it is possible (and) our job... is to try and make that not happen," he said. The Imperial study looked at the effects of two containment methods: mitigation, which seeks to slow the spread of the virus; and suppression, which aims to reverse epidemic growth and maintaining that indefinitely. It found that even strict mitigation measures would still see British and American intensive care capacity overwhelmed and lead to hundreds of thousands of deaths. "For countries able to achieve it, this leaves suppression as the preferred policy option," it said. The team said such a strategy would require "social distancing of the entire population" and quarantine for families of confirmed cases. It also warned that cases would spike whenever social distancing measures are eased. Overall, COVID-19 suppression efforts would come at "significant" social and economic cost, and would need to last as long as it takes to come up with a widely-available vaccine -- as long as 18 months. The study forced the British government to switch up its tactics, advising citizens to stay home when possible. In France, the government has implemented an unprecedented lockdown, shuttering all non-essential businesses, closing schools and requiring residents to carry a document declaring why they have left the house. For weeks, the British government pursued a path of minimum intervention seeking to manage new infections and eventually gain "herd immunity" against the virus. The Imperial study offered some sobering perspective on this approach: 250,000 dead in Britain and 1.1 million in the US if replicated there. The scientific body advising the French government's on its response warned that unmitigated spread could infect 50 percent of the population and lead to "hundreds of thousands of deaths in France". Save from advising citizens to wash their hands and not touch their faces, every policy decision to limit the virus' impact must also be balanced against social and economic interests. "We need to know what works -- what level of containment actually makes a difference to block transmission. That is still unclear," Sharon Lewin, head of the world-leading Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity at the University of Melbourne. "Do you need to go Wuhan-style to completely stop it?," she told AFP, referring to stringent lockdown measures imposed in the Chinese city where the outbreak emerged in December. One of the biggest barriers to accurate COVID-19 modelling is the lack of available tests. Preliminary evidence suggests a large proportion of patients display only mild symptoms and may get the disease and recover without being tested. This would have a knock-on effect on the disease's mortality rate, and it is likely that positive tests trend towards the more serious, heavily symptomatic cases. This can only be widely known once tests for COVID-19 antibodies -- for example those patients who had it and recovered -- are established. "Once we have that we will have a far better idea of the severity of the illness, and in which age groups," said Cecile Viboud, an epidemiologist at the US National Institutes of Health. The global death toll of coronavirus has risen to more than 8,000. Meanwhile, the number of confirmed cases has surpassed 200,000, according to new figures from Johns Hopkins University. Their international tally found that more than 82,000 people who had been diagnosed with coronavirus a flu-like disease that can turn into pneumonia have recovered so far. The Johns Hopkins Centre for Systems Science and Engineering found that the countries with the most confirmed cases were China, Italy, Iran, Spain and Germany with the first four joining France in having the greatest number of coronavirus patient deaths. Covid-19 a flu-like disease which can turn into pneumonia was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation last week. Since the outbreak started towards the end of last year, people have been diagnosed with coronavirus in more than 160 countries and territories. The rate of infections in China where the virus originated in the central city of Wuhan is slowing down, with 99.9 per cent of new cases in the last week being reported elsewhere in the world, according to a Reuters tally. Some countries have gone into lockdown as they work to combat the spread of the disease, including Italy Europes worst-hit country and Spain. People in the UK have been urged to avoid all non-essential travel, going into the office and to stay away from pubs, clubs and theatres in the fight against the outbreak. The number of confirmed cases in Britain stands at nearly 2,000, according to figures released on Tuesday. Seventy-one people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in the UK to date. Additional reporting by agencies A Vietnam Airlines aircraft at Sheremetyevo Alexander S. Pushkin International Airport in Moscow, Russia. Photo by Shutterstock/fifg. Vietnam Airlines will suspend all flights to and from Russia and Taiwan starting Thursday in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The national flag carrier said in a statement Wednesday that the VN570 flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Taipei on Wednesday will also be canceled. Flights to Russia and Taiwan will resume when authorities consider it is safe to do so. Also Wednesday, the carrier suspended all flights to and from France and Malaysia. Budget carrier Vietjet has also announced it will halt all flights from Vietnam to Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Myanmar and Indonesia starting Friday. Vietnam stopped issuing new visas to all foreigners starting Wednesday. Vietnam has recorded 68 Covid-19 infections so far, 52 of them detected since March 6, prior to which the nation had gone 22 days without a new case. The previous 16 patients have been discharged from hospitals. Cyclic molecules are everywhere, and everything around us stems from the way they are assembled: not just taste, colour and smell but also (for example) pharmaceutical drugs. Nature by itself forms molecular rings of different sizes and chains of rings of varying lengths that scientists are able to reproduce artificially. Chemists from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have now devised a new technique for creating these chains of molecular rings that do not use standard chemical interactions but contact with large molecular surfaces that are electron-poor and do not exist in nature. Unlike with standard procedures, this new technique works by autocatalysis - the rarest, but also the most ambitious, type of transformation that exists in chemistry. The results of this research, published in the journal Angewandte Chemie, open up new prospects for molecular cyclization and also provide the first part of the answer to an old contradiction in classical chemistry. The molecules that surround us are often arranged in the shape of cycles, forming steroids, sugars, perfumes or also drugs, for example. In organic chemistry, these molecular rings can be created using the technique of catalysis: the selected molecule, called a substrate, is placed in contact with the molecule that realizes the transformation - the catalyst - usually through hydrogen bonds. But with this single method of interaction, the creative possibilities are reduced. Incorporating new ways of interaction would convert them differently, thereby creating new materials with the potential to solve scientific and societal problems that are intractable with conventional methods. Stefan Matile is a professor in the Department of Organic Chemistry in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry of UNIGE's Faculty of Sciences. He is also a member of the NCCR Chemical Biology and the NCCR Molecular Systems Engineering. "Our laboratory has specialised in implementing new contacts between molecules, one of them based on very large molecular surfaces, known as aromatics, which are poor in highly-delocalised electrons." Professor Matile adds that contacts with these large, empty molecular plains, which are absent in nature, seemed promising for the cyclization of molecular rings that are chained to each other. But what are the consequences? Chains of molecular rings produced by autocatalysis The aims of the Geneva chemists were: to reproduce cycles of different sizes, i.e. consisting of a number of defined atoms (steroids, for instance, are formed from three cycles of six atoms plus one of five); and to link several cycles together without using the hydrogen bonds but a molecular surface low in delocalised electrons (known as anion- interactions). "The main characteristic of this molecular plain is the empty space it provides for molecules to assemble", says Miguel Paraja, a researcher in UNIGE's Department of Organic Chemistry. On contact with this new, spacious and electron-deficient surface, the molecules formed cycles of different sizes (4 to 8 atoms) and various sequences. "But the big news was the way the transformations occurred!" adds the Geneva-based chemist. All these cyclizations took place autocatalytically. "With a conventional catalyst, the cyclizations are fast at the start, and then - since there is less and less substrate - they increasingly slow down, explains Xiaoyu Hao, a researcher in the same laboratory. But with autocatalysis, it's the very opposite that happens!" Indeed, the molecular transformations accelerate on a massive scale. "Although this autocatalysis is a very rare transformation phenomenon in chemistry, it is also the most astonishing, says professor Matile. "It's based on mutual aid between molecules: the first molecules transformed help the next to transform, which isn't the case during normal catalysis, which decelerates rather than accelerates." The first step in answering an old contradiction of classical chemistry This discovery helps answer one of the oldest contradictions in classical chemistry. "There is a very well-known chain of molecular rings, called a brevetoxin, which is found in the red tide and which has the effect of killing fish", explains professor Matile. It was discovered by a towering figure in organic chemistry, Koji Nakanishi, who put forward an explanation for the possible construction of this extraordinary chain formed from eleven consecutive molecular rings in a single reaction. But this hypothesis did not agree with Jack Baldwin, a famous chemist who produced the rules explaining the formation of cycles that are now accepted as the basis of classical chemistry. The "Nakanishi hypothesis" violates these rules for every of the eleven rings. "Our rings can be formed according to Baldwin's rules if we want them to, reports Paraja. More importantly, we can also break the Baldwin rules on demand with our new catalysts and create those forbidden rings that Koji Nakanishi dreamed of." "The key to success, explains Hao, is the large empty space offered by our new catalysts." Professor Matile continues that: "With the discovery of autocatalysis in forming cyclic molecules, our anion- contacts have helped us understand the most subtle way to transform the molecules that exists in chemistry. And this will help us create new chains of molecular rings." The chemists will be able to influence and direct the nature of the transformation of the next substrate, creating new materials, one of the main objectives also of the NCCR Molecular Systems Engineering. "Most solutions to scientific problems, be they about food, medicine or environment, involve molecules and new contacts that can be created among them", says the Geneva-based chemist. ### By Laman Ismayilova First Vice-President of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva has made an Instagram post on the occasion of the the 80th birthday of jazz legend Vagif Mustafazade. In the post, Mehriban Aliyeva stressed that the jazzman enriched the world music treasury with unique jazz-mugham, a music style based on a brilliant synthesis of jazz music and Azerbaijani mugham that has deep roots. "The beautiful melodies and rhythms created by him, exciting the hearts of people, enriched our national musical heritage even more and widely popularized it around the world," the message said. Mehriban Aliyeva emphasized that the name and works of Vagif Mustafazade, whose 80th birthday is being celebrated now are timeless and immortal. Notably, Heydar Aliyev Foundation released a music album about prominent musician in 2012. Moreover, Children's Art School named after Vagif Mustafazade will open soon after the major reconstruction Founder of Azerbaijani jazz mugham has captivated hearts of millions. The musician left behind many works that are still revered by many jazz lovers across the world. The jazz musician composed numerous jazz compositions, including fugues, preludes, ballads and scherzos, many of them written in the 1970s. In total, Vagif Mustafazade released eight albums which gained a massive success among music lovers. His works and performance were praised by internationally known leading world musicians, such as Willis Conover and B.B. King. Once when King shared the same stage with Mustafazade, he heard him playing the blues piano and said that nobody could play the blues like him, saying: "People call me the king of the blues, but if I could play the piano like you do, I would call myself God". Aziza Mustafazade, the daughter of legendary jazzman, continued her father's footsteps. After spectacular concert at Queen Elizabeth Hall, she was named "The Queen of Jazz". Today she successfully performs at the best world stages. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Burkina Faso on Wednesday announced its first death due to the dreaded coronavirus. This is the first confirmed death from COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa. Martial Ouedraogo, Burkinas national coordinator of coronavirus announced, we recorded the death overnight of a female patient aged 62, who suffered from diabetes and was in intensive care. The identity of the patient who passed away Tuesday night at Tengandogo University Hospital in Ouagadougou according to Panapress is Marie Rose Compaore/ Konditamde the second vice president of the Burkinabe Parliament and co-founder of the opposition Union for Progress and Change (UPC). Burkina Faso has a total of 20 confirmed cases and one death. Globally, there are over 200,000 confirmed cases, 8,000 deaths, and 82,000 recoveries according to Worldometer. South Africa Meanwhile, South Africas health ministry on Wednesday said the total number of cases in the country has increased to 116. Over the past 24 hours there was an increase of 31 new cases, a statement issued by the ministry read. The statement added that the majority of cases are found in Guateng province, Johannesburg and Pretoria, the capital. Most cases of COVID-19 recorded in South Africa are imported, especially from Europe. The health minister, Zweli Mkhize, said over 100 South Africans recently repatriated from Chinas Wuhan city and quarantined at a resort in the northern Limpopo province have all tested negative. South Africa has also confirmed local transmission cases which include four under-five children. Sky News reported that according to the countrys health ministry, the children have never travelled abroad. Mr Mhkize also said we will continue to keep them in quarantine for the prescribed period and will thereafter initiate the process of reunifying them with the community. Despite the increase in confirmed cases, there have been no reported deaths as a result of the virus in the country. In the hopes of curbing the spread of the virus, several measures have been implemented by the government. Schools have been closed, travellers from badly affected countries have been stopped from visiting South Africa, and gatherings of over 100 persons have been prohibited. New Delhi, March 18 : The Lt. Governor of Delhi, Anil Baijal, on Wednesday discussed the measures to check the spread of coronavirus in the national capital with Cheif Minister Arvind Kejriwal and called for a review meeting on the same on Thursday. In a series of tweets, Baijal said that he discussed the measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak with Kejriwal on Wednesday. "Discussed measures to contain Covid-19 outbreak with CM, Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal. Deliberated on social distancing measures which can be encouraged in government offices, public transports, public places and in general," the LG tweeted. Baijal also said that a meeting with the Chief Minister and the senior officials will be held on Thursday to review the situation and take further measures. Delhi has shut all schools, colleges, cinema halls, public swimming polls and gyms, besides barring gathering of more than 50 people. Eight positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in Delhi so far, including one death. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) 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). L.A. County Sheriff Deputy Michael Tadrous talks with Shawn Troncozo, 24, about how to prevent becoming infected with the novel coronavirus during an outreach effort in El Monte last week. (Gina Ferazzi/Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times) The federal judge who forced the opening of new homeless shelters in a landmark Orange County case has called for an emergency hearing in Los Angeles this week, citing the risk of people living on the streets during the coronavirus outbreak. The hearing, set for Thursday, is on a case filed last week alleging that the city and county of L.A. have failed in their duty to protect public health and safety and to provide shelter to people living on the streets. Citing the havoc that COVID-19, the disease caused by the rapidly spreading virus, could cause in homeless encampments, District Judge David O. Carter called for the emergency status conference. Carter requested that a host of city and county officials attend, including Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore, Los Angeles Fire Chief Ralph M. Terrazas, Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey, Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer, Los Angeles Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles Public Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis, Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez and Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority interim executive director Heidi Marston. The Los Angeles case was filed on behalf of a group named the L.A. Alliance for Human Rights which, according to its website, was formed last summer by downtown residents and property owners to press for solutions to what they say are unsafe and inhumane conditions in spreading homeless encampments. Led by longtime Central City East Association general counsel Don Steier, the group recruited members from around L.A. including nonprofits and service providers according to its website, and raised funds for legal fees and research into the issue. The group says it supports a legally enforceable right to shelter and provision of services for every person on the streets. Concluding that ideological battles and legal challenges have been responsible for preventing progress, the L.A. Alliance sued on March 10. That was just as cases of the novel coronavirus were beginning to spread in California. As of Tuesday, there were nearly 150 cases confirmed in L.A. County and many more in the Bay Area. Story continues Gov. Gavin Newsom this week urged state and local officials to make homeless people a priority in their efforts to try to curb the spread of the virus, which experts agree could prove devastating to the already vulnerable community. And on Tuesday, three members of the L.A. City Council called on the city to urgently reevaluate its policies for dealing with homeless encampments, including putting a temporary stop to removing tents during the day and to confiscating the possessions of homeless Angelenos unless those items are deemed to be hazardous. The 92-page lawsuit from the L.A. Alliance cites state and federal law in 14 allegations, among them accusing the city and county of breaching their duty to abate a nuisance, reducing property value without compensation, wasting public funds and violating the state environmental act and state and federal acts protecting people with disabilities. The eight plaintiffs include downtown property owners, business owners and residents, and one Westside business owner. The suit alleges loss of business, deterioration of property values and inability to use sidewalks or safely leave their homes. The plaintiffs are seeking injunctive relief and unspecified compensatory damages. "What we are proposing is long-term solution that can be rolled out in a matter of months," said Attorney Elizabeth A. Mitchell of Spertus, Landes & Umhofer, the law firm retained by the L.A. Alliance. Mitchell, a former Los Angeles Deputy City Attorney, added that the claims for damages are negotiable. The lawsuit did not suggest what powers might be needed to clean up encampments if adequate beds were available. "I'm not talking about forcing anybody to go into a shelter," Mitchell said, but she believes that most would seek shelter, allowing more focused attention to those who resist or need more intensive health or mental care. "We're hoping to peel back the first layer," she said. A spokesman for Feuer said the city would have no comment. A spokesman for Los Angeles County also declined to comment. The decision to have Carter preside over the case has given the proceeding a character not usually seen in the staid federal courts in Los Angeles. Carter, who sits in Orange County, was brought in as a substitute on the case, which was originally assigned to Los Angeles-based Judge Stephen V. Wilson, after the plaintiffs filed a motion identifying the Orange County case as related. Carter has a reputation as a caring jurist who has immersed himself in the complexities of the laws governing homeless people and has has made personal visits to homeless camps and demanded that local authorities do more. Under his prodding, the opposing parties in the Orange County case struck an agreement that allowed officials to clean out a homeless encampment along the Santa Ana River with the county being required to give out temporary motel vouchers, expand shelters and retrofit properties in Orange and Santa Ana to provide temporary housing. Several south Orange County cities balked during the proceedings. At one point, Carter warned them, "If you dont step up, then you put the court in writing a position, and I can solve that very easily for you. You dont want me to do that." A judge reviewing the cities' complaint found that a reasonable observer would find that "the District Judge is not unbiased." New Delhi, March 18 : In the wake of coronavirus pandemic, Bharatiya Janata Party has issued a strong advisory to its members putting a stop on any kind of mass gathering. BJP national President J.P. Nadda on Wednesday asked his party workers to avoid sit-ins and protests for at least a month. A meeting of BJP Parliamentary Board was held on Tuesday at the Parliament premises in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi had urged the party members and workers to play a role in combating the coronavirus. Thereafter, Nadda issued the advisory on Wednesday. In a message to worker, Nadda said: "The party will not take a part in any kind of protest for next one month. If there is any serious problem then two to four members will hand over the memorandum to concerned officer as a delegation". Hence, in non-BJP-ruling state the party will not stage any protest or take part in any protest for the next one month. A former MMA fighter has been charged with killing his ex-girlfriend 11 years ago in Minnesota following a confession from his current wife. Cedric Joseph Marks, 45, and Kellee Kristine Sorensen, 34, were both charged with second-degree murder on Tuesday in the death of April Pease, the mother of his son. The charges were filed by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office in Minnesota. Police said Marks killed Pease to get custody of his son. Marks, an MMA fighter with a 31-27-1 record who hadn't fought since 2018, became a person of interest in the cold case after being arrested on an unrelated murder charge last year in Texas. Cedric Joseph Marks, 45, is a former MMA fighter who is accused of killing the mother of his son, and in a separate incident, a former girlfriend and her boyfriend Marks escaped custody in February when police transporting him to jail stopped at a McDonald's in Houston Kellee Sorensen was also arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection Pease's death A police report from 2009 shows that Marks physically abused Pease, while they lived in Washington state. Pease then picked up and moved to a battered women's shelter with her then four-year-old son. After Marks found Pease at the shelter, she moved out of state to Minnesota. When Sorenson was arrested in March 2019, she told police she helped Marks track Pease down to another women's shelter in Bloomington, Minnesota. Once the two arrived, they saw Pease getting out of her car. Then Marks approached her, punched her in the face and dragged her into his car, authorities said. April Pease, the mother of Marks's son, was said to have had her teeth removed and hands chopped off by Marks to prevent her from being identified After the alleged beating, Sorenson escorted the four-year-old back to the shelter. The two then drove to another area, where Marks took Pease out of the car and put her into a chokehold, police said. He and Sorensen allegedly left her body for dead. After returning to the scene where he allegedly killed Pease, Marks removed her teeth and cut off her hands so no one could identify the body, police said. Pease's body was never recovered. 'Our thoughts are with her family as they reflect back on the 11 painful years since she went missing,' read a statement from Bloomington Police. The statement continued, 'We would like to thank all the local, state and federal law enforcement agencies that assisted with this homicide case that spanned over four different states.' Marks' current wife, Ginell McDonough, confessed to police that Marks killed Pease to get custody of his son. McDonough recalls watching a CD that Marks made for his son to watch on his 18th birthday. In the video, Marks says he was 'about to go and do something that could either get him locked away for the rest of his life or get him killed,' the police report read. In August 2019, police say he broke into the Temple, Texas home of another ex-girlfriend named Jenna Scott and threatened her. By this January, Scott and her friend Michael Swearingin had come up missing. Their bodies were found two weeks later in Oklahoma. Following claims of physical abuse, Scott in July had filed a protective order against Marks, according to KCEN. She said he bragged about being able to get away with murder. 'I believe he is a pathological liar. I believe he is a psychopath,' Scott said in a document filed to the Bell County court, KCEN reported. The Associated Press reported that her protective order was denied. Marks was initially picked up in Michigan on an outstanding burglary warrant for the break-in. He was later extradited back to Bell County, Texas on suspicion of the double murder of Scott and Swearingin. While police from Conroe, Texas were transporting Marks to jail in connection with the burglary, they stopped at a McDonald's in Houston, where Marks escaped custody. While he was on the run, police issued murder warrants. After a nine-hour manhunt, police found Marks in a 55-gallon trash bin, according to the Washington Post. Marks is in custody in Texas, and Sorensen is being held in Washington state. Refineries that usually rejoice at falls in the price of crude as a way to boost profits are instead contemplating extensive maintenance and slowing output as demand is destroyed by travel restrictions in response to the coronavirus pandemic. In Asia, margins for producing transport fuels plunged to multi-year or multi-month lows this week after more countries imposed international travel restrictions and curbed domestic movement as part of measures to slow the spread of the virus. Airlines and airports are facing a huge shock as they battle a cash crunch while gasoline demand in ... Drivers for Uber and Lyft are asking a judge to order the ride-hailing companies to pay them sick leave as employees, not contractors to protect both their customers and the public from possible exposure to the coronavirus. Without paid leave, drivers will need to work while sick to make ends meet, a lawyer for Lyft drivers in California said in a filing late Tuesday in San Francisco Superior Court. I cant self-quarantine because not working is not an option, an unnamed Lyft driver was quoted as saying in a court declaration. If I dont make enough money, I cant feed my children for the next six weeks. Im not stopping, fever or no fever. After Uber drivers made a similar filing, Uber moved to transfer the case from the state Superior Court to federal court. Attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan said Wednesday she would ask a federal judge for a prompt hearing on an injunction that would require the companies to treat the drivers as employees for the purposes of sick-leave benefits. This is an extreme case that requires immediate court action, Liss-Riordan wrote. In light of the COVID-19 outbreak and the state of emergency declared in both the state and the nation, she said, the companies conduct poses a significant, imminent risk to ... employees and the general public. In response, Uber and Lyft both noted that they have agreed to sick-leave pay for drivers who have been diagnosed with the virus or placed under quarantine. Uber also makes payments to drivers who have been removed from work because of medical symptoms, or because public health officials said they had been exposed to someone with symptoms of the virus. Julie Wood, a spokeswoman for Lyft, also said that the vast majority of people who earn by driving on our (service) use Lyft to supplement existing income from other jobs. But Liss-Riordan said the benefits paid by both companies are less generous, and less reliable, than sick leave that state law requires for employees. In her court filing, she asserted that the company should not get to decide what level of compliance with workplace protections it deems sufficient. For most workers, California requires employers to providethree days of paid sick leave per year for full-time employees. Employees can gain credit for up to six days of paid leave in a year, but can be limited to three days off with pay in a given year. Uber and Lyft classify their thousands of drivers as independent contractors who are ineligible for the benefits state law mandates for employees, including minimum wages, overtime, pad leave and reimbursement for work expenses, such as fuel costs. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes AB5, a California law that took effect this year, classifies workers as employees if they are in the same business as the companies they work for. Uber and Lyft contend their business is not transportation, but merely connecting drivers and passengers, an assessment rejected by several federal judges most recently U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg of San Francisco, who said in an Uber case last Friday that the companys description strains credulity, given the company advertises itself as a transportation system. But no judge has yet decided whether AB5 applies to Uber and Lyft. The companies are investing millions in a proposed November ballot initiative that would exempt them from the law. Both companies have also contended their drivers contracts require any workplace disputes to be resolved by arbitrators, not judges. In Tuesdays filing, Liss-Riordan contended the public-interest injunction she seeks is legally exempt from arbitration, and that the federal law mandating arbitration in such cases does not apply to transportation workers. Correction: When first published, this article misstated Californias limits on paid sick leave. State law allows employers in most cases to limit employees to three days of paid sick leave per year, and allows employees to accrue up to six days that they can use in future years. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko The Canadian Press LOS ANGELES (AP) Robert Durst, the wealthy New York real estate heir and failed fugitive dogged for decades with suspicion in the disappearance and deaths of those around him before he was convicted last year of killing his best friend, has died. He was 78. Durst died of natural causes Monday in a hospital outside the California prison where he was serving a life sentence, according to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Durst had been held in a hospital lockup in Stockton due to However, both hospitals are accepting all tests ordered by doctors, according to a spokesperson. Additionally, tests will be administered only to patients with doctor referrals. Monday, her doctor decided her symptoms were severe enough to warrant a test, as other causes for her symptoms seemed to be ruled out. Despite that, doctors will still be testing for a host of other illnesses and then waiting for those results before testing for COVID-19. They rechecked for the flu test, and if that comes back negative theyll check for a whole host of respiratory illnesses and after that theyd send in for a coronavirus test, Restad said. It was clear you could get all the way through the exam and not be tested and told to go home. Restad was also diagnosed with pneumonia on Monday during her time at the triage center. She's grateful shell eventually know whether she tests positive for COVID-19. Ive been sick for nine days, and Ive been waiting for answers this whole time, Restad said. To finally have a test done and know an answer is coming is better than not knowing anything. She was catapulted into the limelight after appearing on Love Island in 2017. And, Chloe Crowhurst commanded attention in a raunchy outfit as she arrived at a friend's fancy dress themed birthday bash at a private house party in Chelmsford, Essex, on Tuesday night, amid social distancing warnings. The Love island star risked a wardrobe malfunction as she opted to go braless beneath her dominatrix-style dress. Wow! Chloe Crowhurst commanded attention in a raunchy outfit as she arrived at a friend's fancy dress themed birthday bash at a private house party in Chelmsford, Essex, on Tuesday Chloe oozed sex appeal in her leather-look mini dress, which featured multiple straps held together by a choker. The harness style top half of her ensemble left little to the imagination since it barely covered her chest, while the lower half comprised a short flared skirt. She teamed the scanty dress with a pair of black barely-there stilettos and kept the attention on her thigh-grazing number by forgoing any accessorises. The reality star wore her blonde tresses in big bouncy curls and opted for a typically thick layer of make-up, including lashings of mascara and a plump nude pout Risky! The Love island star risked a wardrobe malfunction as she opted to go braless beneath her dominatrix-style dress, choosing to party amid social distancing warnings Chloe's outing 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. 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'. Raunchy: Chloe oozed sex appeal in her leather-look mini dress, which featured multiple straps held together by a choker Chloe has built up her loyal empire of 331k Instagram followers following her brief stint on Love Island in 2017 alongside stars including Olivia Attwood and Amber Davies. The dumped islander failed to find love on the show and she eventually returned to the arms of her ex-love Jon following her exit from series three. However, it wasn't meant to be as the former flames went their separate ways once again in November. The model's journey on the show came to an end at the hand of her fellow Islanders, as she was booted off the series for being in the 'least compatible' couple, as voted by the others. At the time she was coupled with Sam Gowland - with the pair agreeing their relationship was purely platonic - who later returned to the villa and coupled up with Georgia Harrison. During her time on the show, scandal arose as season one Islander turned TOWIE star Jon Clark, claimed she had dumped him to appear on the series. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal An Albuquerque cannabis dispensary employee has been charged in federal court with making internet threats to kill Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham after she announced the closing of all schools and a ban on large public gatherings because of the threat posed by the coronavirus. Daniel Logan Mock, 33, had his initial appearance in federal court Wednesday on two counts of interstate communication of threats. According to a criminal complaint filed by FBI agents, New Mexico State Police notified them of threats posted on a Facebook page operated by Lujan Grishams office. Time to pick up your rifles and kill this governor so we can re-establish the constitution as law of New Mexico. Im done with corrupt government. They will serve the people or die, was one comment the FBI said Mock posted on the governors Facebook page on March 13. According to the complaint, Mock also posted another comment the same day threatening to kill all police and government officials who are in violation of the constitution. All officers who respond will be executed for Tyranny. So ask yourself is violating my rights worth your life? Cause I have no fear of killing bad men and dying for the people. Earlier in the month, Mock posted a comment on the governors Facebook page that said, There is never going to be a case. Focus your energy on more important things like tickets for the police who violated traffic and parking laws. That is why we are going to execute you. According to the complaint, the FBI spent days tracking down the ownership of the account holder, the phone on which the threats were made and where they were made from. They finally located Mock at a Downtown Albuquerque medical cannabis shop where he worked. State Police officers contacted Mocks girlfriend, who told them Mock had posted the comments on the governors Facebook account but that he was only blowing off steam. The complaint states that Mock had tried to buy firearms in 2014 and 2016 but was denied by licensed firearms dealers. In June 2019, the FBI received information about Mock when he posted on Oath Keepers Facebook page praising Brian Isaack Clyde, 22, who was shot and killed by law enforcement after Clyde opened fire at the federal courthouse in Dallas, Texas. Clyde was the only person to die in that shooting. Mock called him a hero in his Facebook post and called on more people to attack government targets. Tagesspiegel's newsletter Checkpoint runs from Monday till Saturday and brings you the latest news at 6am (learn more about the German edition here). Due to the current Corona Crisis, a translation for Berlin's English speaking community will be provided regularly. Translation: Kathleen Wachter, Lily Coates, Jakob Schlandt What are you grateful for? Are you usually aware what it is youre hoping? Would you like the absolute memory? And: Do you consider yourself a good friend? In his Diary 1966-1971 Swiss writer Max Frisch composed a series of questions so universal that they can (and should) be answered by every human being. So in view of the Corona stay-at-home-time we thought: how about a Berlin re-edit of this? We ask for your questions from the year 2020 via Email to checkpoint@tagesspiegel.de. Well publish the result here in our newsletter. And the answers, well - they can be sought by each and everyone ourselves And now to the Coronavirus News of the day The Coronavirus has the world both turning faster and standing still. On Tuesday evening, the European Union imposed a travel ban (starting for a period of 30 days). In Germany the number of those infected increased to about 9000 people; Berlin currently counts 383. To be prepared for possible shortages, the Berlin Senate plans to turn the grounds of the Berlin Fair into a Covid-19-hospital, fitting up to 1000 patients. All culture and sport activities will be suspended until mid-April. Hotels and all other accommodation services are not allowed for tourist purposes. A majority of shops will be closed as of today, Wednesday, with exceptions for supermarkets and pharmacies, banks, hairdressers, newspaper and bookshops, hardware stores, tradesmen, technicians and funeral homes. Berlin Will Lift its Sunday Trading Prohibition On a regular basis, supermarkets will be open on Sundays. Restaurants are allowed to remain open daily from 6am to 6pm, provided a minimum distance of 1.5 meters between diners is guaranteed. Pick up and delivery services will continue. Metrobusses and Metrotrams run every 10 minutes, all other busses and trams every 20 minutes. As of the coming Monday, the subway will run every 10 minutes. The U55 line will most likely be suspended. The Coronavirus Knows No Borders - With One Exception The Coronavirus knows no borders, including those between states, therefore a largely harmonised and consistent approach is the aim, said health senator Dilek Kalayci (SPD) on Tuesday. However, she then defended the Berlin decision to keep 1900 playgrounds open across the city - against the federal governments recommendation and against most other states in the country that are obeying the closure. Der Spielplatz im Schlosspark Charlottenburg ist abgesperrt. Foto: Lars Spannagel I think you can explain to children, said Kalayci. But you cant explain to a virus. And those who were outside on Tuesday could observe: the playgrounds were packed. Except in Mitte, where they are closed. On Wednesday, several other districts followed its example: Reinickendorf, Marzahn-Hellersdorf, Steglitz-Zehlendorf and Spandau also closed their playgrounds, while Pankow, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg and Lichtenberg intend to keep them open. It would be desirable to have a harmonised and consistent approach in place - in the states as much as federally. Corona Virus as a threat: petition to evacuate refugees in greek camps It is only a matter of time before the virus hits the refugee camp in Moria. There is a threat that these people will be infected, that they will have no humanitarian care and will be left to alone their fate. If the epidemic breaks out in such a camp, it will be almost impossible to break the chain of infection, write the petitions initiators at #LeaveNoOneBehind (German). They demand evacuation of the overcrowded camp and to make available safe accommodation where people are protected from the virus. German activists, artists and celebrities have signed the petition, amongst them Joko Winterscheidt, Liv Lisa Fries, Carolin Emcke, Igor Levit and Max Czollek. More space for humanity. The Occupational Union of German Anaesthetists is calling for aid Meanwhile, the Robert-Koch-Institut has rated the current situation of threat as high and advised all hospitals to double their number of beds in intensive care. Alexander Schleppers, director of the Occupational Union of German Anaesthetists appealed to registered, retired and freelance medical practitioners and colleagues to support the fight against the virus. The coming weeks will challenge our health system - especially in acute and intensive medical care. Even though most hospitals () have been preparing over recent weeks, there may be shortages in some sectors of medical treatment, foremost in the area of intensive medicine, reads an email shared with Checkpoint. The Union is therefore calling upon all members who are not active in the inpatient sector or indispensably bound, to contact the head physicians of nearby hospitals. Getting in contact early and making arrangements in advance of a further spread of the crisis is key. Were thanking you in advance. Young People, 20 to 29 Years of Age Stay At Home! The best information about which section of the population is infecting itself (and others) the most is currently provided by South Korea and it shows: 30 percent of infections precisely 2.300 of 8.100 infections apply to 20 to 29 year olds - more than any other age group. Indeed, young people dont fall ill from the virus as frequently as the elderly, but because their level of social contacts is high, theyre contributing heavily to the spread of the virus. Without knowing it, they could be the driving force of the pandemic. Therefore this call goes to all people of my generation: Stay at home. Parties only via webcam. Berlins biggest party in your living room The perfect party offering already exists: Berlins nightlife and clubs are uniting to bring to your home the biggest digital club in the world on www.unitedwestream.berlin! No waiting in line, no dresscodes, no rejection at the door - and most importantly: no virus. Instead, daily DJ-set livestreams and other performances from different clubs. For some, the chance to finally get in, for others an opportunity to finally stay home (and party in Pyjamas). And for the local club scene, a chance to collect donations for venues, employees and artists who all are effected by the forced closures currently in place. Show Some Solidarity Solidarity exists everywhere. Berlin is currently giving its best. The welfare organisation Karuna has started a fundraiser for homeless people effected by the pandemic. https://www.betterplace.org/de/projects/77963-taglich-5-euro-fur-jeden-obdachlosen-berlins-corona-soforthilfe The initiative Kiezhelden is calling for support of all small Berlin businesses and presents these local shops on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kiezhelden.berlin/ that are open to their customers despite the current constraints. A group created by Berlin entrepreneur Karsten Kossatz has started a spontaneous help platform to support restaurants, bars, cafes, clubs, shops, hotels, museums etc. [Going local - have you heard about our weekly newsletters, one for each of Berlin's twelve districts? Of course, they cover the way how your neighbourhood deals with the virus and its consequences. Get them here for free, but in German: leute.tagesspiegel.de] The idea: regulars can buy vouchers and help their favourite places to remain solvent. Those vouchers can be redeemed later. Affected businesses are invited to register via bitte@helfen.berlin or on the website. A real community thrives in good times, and reveals its true value in bad times. What to do for those stuck at home together Couple therapist Hergen von Huchting has a tip for those who are forced to stay at home together: The best thing is to arrange for actual retreat spaces early on. So if things are heating up or escalating, one can simply remove oneself to another room, or in an emergency even lock the kitchen door, he says. And when things are smoother again: Each gets a card with a number on it, 10 or 15. And when one feels like it he or she can give the card to the partner, and with that, the gift of time. So the partner gets 15 minutes time to talk about him/herself. The donor sits, listens and says thank you in the end. There is no discussing, no justifying. Nothing to fight or argue about. The following day, swap! Then the other one gets the time to say whats on his/her mind. And a tip for those who are alone For all those who feel lonely or overwhelmed to cope with their sorrows: The Berlin Archbishop and Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg-Schlesische Oberlausitz have opened their help lines. Professional counselling (in German) is available from 8am to 6pm at 030/403665885. Stay Informed! And lastly: As the virus spreads across Germany (and beyond), so does a lot of fake information about Covid-19. Were keeping you informed in two Liveblogs (at the moment in German only) on all current developments both from a) Berlin and Brandenburg and b) Germany and the world. And sometimes its the small things Last night, a small Thank You echoed through Berlin. In Moabit for example, in Grunau and Kreuzberg. People stood on their balconies at 9pm sharp and - inspired by the Italians - clapped their hands for a 1 minute applause sending their gratitude to all the caretakers, doctors, nurses and health personnel and all the heroes and heroines who are working to provide health and safety for all. Perhaps there will be more today. Would be nice. Show your heart, Berlin. Worries about the coronavirus COVID 19 are growing in the city, after schools, theatres, universities, bars and clubs will close. Foto: imago images/Emmanuele Contini Hotlines and Contact Points: Immediate Help in Case of Infection Berlin Health Senator Kalayci has set up a central corona hotline. It can be reached daily from 8 to 20 o'clock and the phone number is 030/90282828 (it is 0049/30/90282828 in case you call from a line abroad). Because several hundred calls were recently received daily, the hotline staff has been reinforced. Nevertheless, there are still long waiting times in some cases. If you have slight cold symptoms, it is best to contact a local general practitioner by telephone - recently it has also become possible to take sick leave for up to seven days, the regulation is valid until 5 April. The sick note is then sent by post. For parents of sick children, there's rules too In the case of an upper respiratory tract illness, the doctor can certify that the parents are unable to work. Prerequisite: In the last 14 days there must have been demonstrable contact with persons who have fallen ill with the coronavirus or have been in a risk area. The Senate recommends in principle to be particularly vigilant in the following cases: Anyone who has had contact with a confirmed corona patient in the past two weeks should stay at home and contact the responsible health authority. This also applies if you have been in one of the risk areas defined by the the German epidemic authority RKI in the past weeks (here is an overview) especially if you have (even slight) symptoms. Comprehensive information from the Senate Health Administration can be found here. Public health insurance companies have also set up telephone hotlines for enquiries Barmer, one of the biggest, for example can be reached by calling 0800/8484111 (again, dont forget to first dial the German country code 0049 and leave out the first 0 in case you call from abroad). DAK, another big insurer, has provided the number 040/325325800 (call at local rate) around the clock. There, doctors and hygiene experts can answer the questions of worried callers. Those insured with other health insurance companies may also contact the two health insurance companies. Immobile patients The fire department and the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KV) Berlin started a joint transport service on Wednesday. Between 7 and 22 o'clock this service will take care of patients with severe colds who need a doctor at home or in nursing homes. This service can be reached at 116117 from all German areas.These are the six contact points at hospitals in Berlin. The following six contact points are open: Charite site Virchow in Wedding (Mittelallee 1; open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) (Mittelallee 1; open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Havelhohe in Spandau (House 16, Kladower Damm 221, open Mon-Fri 9-20 h) in (House 16, Kladower Damm 221, open Mon-Fri 9-20 h) Vivantes Clinic in Prenzlauer Berg (Diesterwegstrae, Mon-Fri 10-19 h, Sat/Sun 10-17 h) (Diesterwegstrae, Mon-Fri 10-19 h, Sat/Sun 10-17 h) Vivantes-Wenckebach-Klinikum in Tempelhof (Albrechtstrae, Mo-Fr 10-19 Uhr, Sa/So 10-17 Uhr) in (Albrechtstrae, Mo-Fr 10-19 Uhr, Sa/So 10-17 Uhr) Protestant Hospital Queen Elisabeth Herzberge in Lichtenberg (House 19, Herzbergstrae 79, Mon-Fri: 10-19 h, Sat/Sun 10-17 h), Website (House 19, Herzbergstrae 79, Mon-Fri: 10-19 h, Sat/Sun 10-17 h), Website DRK-Klinikum Westend in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf (House 10, Spandauer Damm 130, Mon-Fri: 9-15 o'clock) The following applies to all clinics: Please do not go there just like that, but contact us by telephone first. In the case of the Charite, the two Vivantes Clinics, the Herzberge Clinic and the Westend Clinic, people who suspect an infection should contact the hotline of the Senate Health Administration (Tel. 030/90282828, daily 8-8 o'clock) to find out whether testing for the coronavirus is advisable before visiting. Anyone wishing to visit the outpatient clinic at the Havelhohe Hospital is requested to first call the clinic's hotline on Tel. 030/36501-7222. A little patience may be necessary. The hotline is practically "permanently manned", a spokeswoman said on Monday. Covid-19 has everyone on high alert but for the likes of Jillian McNulty, this level of caution and personal hygiene is nothing new. Jillian, who has cystic fibrosis, spent a good portion of the Christmas season in intensive care and ten days in a coma, which left her weak and fighting for her life. The Longford woman was interviewed via Skype last week for the Tonight Show on Virgin Media One, where she told presenters Matt Cooper and Ivan Yates: I havent fought for almost 45 years tooth and nail, every day of my life, to survive cystic fibrosis and to be wiped out by a virus like this because my government doesnt care about me. WATCH | Longford's Jillian McNulty: 'I haven't fought tooth and nail, every day of my life, to survive cystic fibrosis and to be wiped out by coronavirus' Since then, there have been a large number of new cases of Covid-19 coronavirus confirmed, panic-buying frenzies, government restrictions put in place and thousands of people returning from abroad as travel bans come into effect. This is the norm for me. Ive always been on high alert, always avoiding anything thats going, Jillian told the Longford Leader this week. Coronavirus has me a little bit more panicky, given the seriousness, but Im self-isolating as much as possible. If I need to go to the shop, I wear my mask to protect myself. As the situation continues to escalate in Ireland, more people are starting to take it seriously, but there are still those who brush it off as just a flu or take risks because theyre young and healthy. Read also: Longford response group to be set up to counter Covid-19 outbreak I think some people will never get it, Jillian explained. I know of people still going to house parties, etc, which is absolutely irresponsible to everyone who is being careful. Its great now, that healthy people are becoming aware of the dangers and using precautions. I just hope once this is over, it continues and people continue to practice hand hygiene and coughing etiquette. The most important thing now is that people need to look out for others, if not themselves. While you might be young and healthy, there is still the risk that you could carry the virus to someone who is not equipped with an immune system that will fight it off. I cant stress enough that people need to pay heed to advice and stay away from people, parties; kids shouldnt be socialising together. Its a few weeks to prevent hundreds of deaths. POLL | Should University and State Examinations be cancelled due to coronavirus? This refers to Plagued by Trumpism (March 18). One wonders why the US, the most developed country as they call it, could not emulate the small Indian state of Kerala, in fighting epidemics and building up its own sustainable preventive system. As Joseph Stiglitz has rightly pointed out, the spread of diseases is one of the negative side effects of globalisation that has made the world small. Governance, or the lack of it, in the US is now mocking at the helplessness of the average American. In such situations, governments must take the lead role in mitigation and global ... Should the worst happen and you're struck down with a severe case of the novel coronavirus, consider yourself fortunate if you live in the Kansas City area. Chances are good that there will be space for you in the intensive care units at most area hospitals and there will be a ventilator available to help you breathe. A warning notice at a border point between Canada and the United States. (Photo: Makaristos/WikiCommons) Image Source: Sandeep Mahankal/IANS New York, March 18 : US and Canada will be closing their borders temporarily because of the coronavirus pandemic, President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday. However, he said that trade will not be affected. "We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic," he said. The 8,840-kilometre border is longest between two countries and not heavily protected or patrolled. Earlier public media outlet, Canada Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), reported that according to its sources, the border would be closed to shoppers and tourists but allow commercial traffic to keep the supply chains intact. Many people living in either country work on the other side of the border and for many Canadians, it is cheaper to shop on the American side for some items. "Nearly 200,000 people cross that border every day and that border and that traffic that goes across that border is literally a lifeline for both the Canadians and the Americans on both sides of that border," CBC quoted Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland as saying on Tuesday. "Very urgently needed medical supplies and medicines go back and forth across that border. And essential workers go back and forth across that border every day," she added. Canada had earlier barred the entry of everyone but citizens, permanent residents and Americans to the country. Canada has 598 cases of Covid-19, according to the Johns Hopkins University (JHU), which has been collecting data on the pandemic. With a population more than nine times the size of Canada, the US has 6,519 cases. The US is also tightening controls at its southern border with Mexico, where only 93 cases have been reported according to JHU. As a first step, US is returning anyone caught crossing the border illegally immediately back to Mexico without detaining them. So far, the border is open for citizens and others with legal documents. (Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis) Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) 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 , 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 , 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) 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. Panaji, March 18 : Former Tourism Minister and Opposition politician Francisco alias Mickky Pacheco on Wednesday alleged, that the BJP-led coalition government was targeting him and trying to quarantine him to dissuade him from campaigning against the ruling party ahead of the March 22 Zilla Panchayat polls. Speaking to IANS Pacheco said, that three teams from the state Health Department had landed at his residence in Betalbatim village in South Goa to escort him to the quarantine centre, but he had refused to co-operate with them on account of the alleged political vendetta. "I will not go to quarantine because there is no reason for it. This is political vendetta because I am campaigning against the BJP candidates in the Zilla Panchayat elections," Pacheco said. Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane had created a stir on Wednesday, when he told a press conference, that there were "prominent people" including a politician, who was travelling in a flight from Dubai to Goa enroute Bengaluru, along with a Bengaluru-based 67-year-old lady a" among other passengers a" who was eventually tested positive in the Karnataka capital. "Around her, there were prominent people, who were there. A team has gone to trace and quarantine them. It is important to quarantine them. Everybody is equal. It is to do with the lives of the people," Rane had said. The comment triggered a speculation in the political circles about the identity of the politician. When Pacheco was contacted for comment, he confirmed that he was onboard the same flight which left Dubai on March 8 and reached Goa on March 9 enroute Bengaluru, but said, that there was no one seated in the four rows of seats near him. "I was seated in the fourth row on the AI-994 from Dubai to Goa enroute Bengaluru. But there was no one the five rows behind me. Then how can I contract coronavirus. This is being done to harass me in front of my supporters and family," Pacheco said. The former Minister also said, that he had ordered three government medical teams who had landed at his residence to take him to a quarantine centre, out of his house. The motto Keep Calm and Carry On is not only a motivational phrase in the UK. It is also a reflection of the famous British stiff upper lip attitude in the face of adversity. This motivational motto was produced by the British government in 1939 in preparation for World War II, with the aim of raising the morale of the British public. So, when the Covid-10 coronavirus pandemic hit the world, the British governments reaction was also restrained and measured. So far, schools, universities and most businesses are still open in Britain. But this is now changing in a rapid way. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson declared on Monday night that now is the time for everyone to stop non-essential contact with others and to stop all unnecessary travel. He said that you should avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues at a news conference alongside his chief medical and scientific advisers. He emphasised that people with the most serious health conditions should be shielded from social contacts for 12 weeks, starting this weekend. The government also unveiled on Tuesday more financial plans to help the economy during the coronavirus outbreak after firms warned restrictions could put them out of business. The new financial plans come less than a week after Finance Minister Rishi Sunak published his budget, which included 12 billion pounds specifically targeted at measures to get the country through the outbreak. So far, the number of people who have died of the virus in the UK has reached 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. Sir Patrick Vallance, the UKs chief scientific adviser, said the UK was now three weeks behind Italy. The worst-affected nation outside China where the virus originated, Italy now has more than 25,000 recorded cases and has suffered more than 2,000 deaths. The UK had previously resisted taking some of the tough measures seen in other European countries, which have banned large events and mass gatherings, shut schools and closed their borders to slow the spread of the virus. But the British governments plan has shifted because the scientific modelling had showed that the UK was on course for a catastrophic epidemic. A strategy of just slowing the spread of the virus, but not trying to stop it, would have overwhelmed intensive care units, according to various experts. The modelling by Imperial College London about the spread rate in the UK has been heavily informed by the experience in Italy and is influencing decisions at the heart of government. Its calculations predicted 260,000 deaths in the UK, and the new measures seek to drive down the number of cases to very low levels. Johnson said the number of UK cases was starting to rise rapidly, and without drastic action they could double every five or six days. The British authorities now say that if anyone in a household has a fever or persistent cough, everyone there should stay at home for 14 days. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as a fever and a cough, and most people recover. The worldwide outbreak has sickened over 179,000 people and left more than 7,000 dead. Over 78,000 people have recovered, most of them in China. Johnson also said the government would no longer give emergency-services support to large gatherings, though he did not ban them outright. But unlike schools in most other European countries, those in Britain remain open. We think that, on balance, it is best to keep schools open, but we appreciate that this is something we need to keep under review, Johnson said. Britain lags behind countries such as Italy, Germany and France in the number of infections, and the governments scientific advisers have said that implementing draconian measures too early will make them harder to sustain as the outbreak peaks in two or three months. All of Londons West End theatres said on Monday that they would close in the wake of the government announcement. The Society of London Theatre, which represents scores of venues, said it was not a decision that is taken lightly and that going dark would affect 290,000 workers. UK Hospitality, which represents pubs, coffee shops, nightclubs and other leisure venues, said the governments announcement would be catastrophic for businesses and jobs. 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, Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said. UK airports may shut down within weeks without government intervention, according to the Airport Operators Association which represents companies running British hubs. The trade bodys Chief Executive Karen Dee said on Tuesday that 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. She called for measures including emergency financing as a measure of last resort, requiring banks to temporarily not enforce financial performance-based banking covenants and suspending business rates and other government and local government rates and taxes. According to the UKs Office for Budget Responsibility, an independent budget think tank, Britain also faces a wartime scenario for its public finances as it seeks to offset the coronavirus hit to companies through higher public spending and borrowing. Robert Chote, head of the office, told a parliamentary committee that Britains budget deficit had hit 20 per cent of economic output during World War II and now was not the time for the government to be squeamish about higher debt. The outbreak has already had a huge effect on everyday life in Britain. Passengers on trains and the London Underground are down by a fifth as some businesses ask staff to work from home, and universities are moving classes online. Supermarkets have been stripped of staples including toilet paper, pasta and rice as shoppers ignore government appeals not to hoard supplies. Johnson said the measures he had announced were unprecedented in peacetime. We have to accept that it is a very considerable psychological, behavioural change that were asking you, were asking the public, the nation to do, he said. But I have absolutely no doubt that we can do it, that we can do it together. Amid growing criticisms of the government, opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn met Johnson on Monday evening and demanded support for the self-employed and those who cannot get statutory sick pay. He described the governments communication strategy as worse than inadequate, adding that it had not shared the science behind its decisions with the public. *A version of this article appears in print in the 19 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: As COVID-19 spreads through the state, the New Mexico governor cautioned against continuing to burn through (testing equipment) in ways that are not as organized as (state officials) want it to be. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and other health officials said during a public briefing that the state has a growing capacity to test for the virus that is capable of meeting the states needs. But she stressed that only those with symptoms should get tested. The governor said the 28 confirmed cases in the state represent a small fraction of the 2,354 tests that have been processed in New Mexico. Capacity will soon increase, she said, because the state is working to get FDA-approval to start using machines that will significantly increase how many samples can be tested in a day. Thats critical. So its not labor intensive. We want to use all the technology, Lujan Grisham said. Are we doing more to expand testing capacity? The answer is yes. Currently, a maximum of 700 samples can be processed in a day between both a health department lab and TriCore Reference Industries, said Jodi McGinnis Porter, a spokeswoman for the Human Services Department. Health officials stressed Wednesday that not everyone needs to be tested. Those with a fever, a cough or shortness of breath should call the state hotline to be screened to see if a test is appropriate. The CDC was reporting that as of Monday there were fewer than 32,000 completed tests nationwide, though that number has surely grown in recent days. Testing for the virus is done in a lab after samples are collected from patients at hospitals and clinics. Presbyterian Healthcare Service and Lovelace Medical Center last weekend launched drive-through COVID-19 sites in Albuquerque, where people afraid they had the virus could give a nasal swab that was then tested. Quickly, lines of cars formed outside the clinics, and Lovelace had to stop services temporarily because of a lack of supplies. Lovelace officials couldnt be reached for comment on Wednesday. Taking samples requires a deep nasal swab that can cause the patient to cough, so health care workers have to wear protective equipment to complete the test. Officials want to preserve that equipment by only testing those who meet certain criteria, like being sick or having contacted with people with the virus. Department of Health Cabinet Secretary Kathy Kunkel said at the briefing that there are currently six sites where people can give samples to be tested for the virus without leaving their car: Presbyterian in Albuquerque, Presbyterian Espanola. Christus St. Vincent in Santa Fe, Holy Cross Hospital in Taos, San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington and Gallup Regional Medical Center. A swab sample can also be taken by an individuals provider, local area hospital, or at clinics throughout the state, McGinnis Porter said. But she said people should call ahead and give the clinic a warning before going in. Melanie Mozes, a spokeswoman for Presbyterian, said that the hospital is still taking samples at its PresNow location on Coors. Of the approximately 1,800 visits to our PresNow screen-and-test clinic in the past three days, 890 of the individuals screened met criteria for a test, She said in an email. We want to continue encouraging the community to get screened before coming for a test which they can do either through the state hotline or through the free online and video screenings we are offering for the entire community. Kunkel said hospitals as of yesterday have standardized the screening process for who can be tested. The health department is also launching five drive-through testing sites in Roswell, Las Vegas, Las Cruces, Taos and for Albuquerque at the West Side shelter. Who should be going to these sites to get a test? We do not want the walking well (going), Lujan Grisham said. I know people are nervous. I know you are. Its hay-fever season. And in this environment that feels scary and is intimidating. Mumbai, March 18 : Over four dozen Indian tourists, including at least 39 from Maharashtra and dozen-odd from Gujarat, on Wednesday sought the help of Maharashtra Minister Jayant Patil for their evacuation from Uzbekistan. Water Resources Minister Patil said he would raise the issue of stuck tourists with Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar to further take the matter up with the Centre. "We will make all efforts to ensure your return at the earliest possible," Patil assured them. In a video-call to Patil, the tourists - mostly from western Maharashtra - said that they had undertaken a weeklong group tour on March 10 and were scheduled to fly back home from Uzbekistan shortly after midnight (local time) on Wednesday (early morning of March 18 in India). However, at the last minute, the Uzbekistan Airways cancelled the flight, leaving them stuck in the Central Asian country that has reported one suspected case of COVID-19, one of the stranded persons said. Efforts to get help from the Indian Embassy in Tashkent did not fructify, the tourists claimed from an undisclosed location, probably a hotel room. The stranded tourists from Maharasthra hail from Pune, Sangli, Nashik, Solapur, and Kolhapur. Comedian Celeste Barber was at the centre of a viral hashtag #CelesteforPM earlier this year after her Herculean fundraising effort. Now the 37-year-old has set the record straight about her political ambitions, confirming she won't be headed for parliament. Speaking in the latest issue of InStyle magazine, Celeste jokingly said: 'I'm the Australian Oprah now', before calling herself a non-political person. 'I'm the Australian Oprah now': Celeste Barber, 37, (pictured) sets the record straight about her political ambitions in the April issue of InStyle magazine 'Oprah had a very good point when she said she has more power not in power, because she has no one to answer to,' Celeste told the publication. 'I'm not a political comedian. Not because I don't think it is important; I've just always treated my social media platform to entertain.' Celeste added she has been asked to do a number of political events for climate awareness, but hinted she turned them down. Inspiring: 'Oprah had a very good point when she said she has more power not in power, because she has no one to answer to,' she said. Here: LA, Feb 2020 'I am not the face of the bushfires, nor am I the face of climate change. Because I don't know what I am talking about,' she said. She went on to say she was not the 'next Greta Thunberg' but instead wanted to be more like actress Melissa McCarthy. Celeste has gained a loyal following of nearly seven million people on Instagram, after recreating photos of supermodels like Bella Hadid and Candice Swanepoel. Powerhouse: Celeste raised $52 million for bushfire relief on Facebook earlier this year, in what has become an incredible achievement on social media Celeste raised an astonishing $52 million for bushfire relief on Facebook earlier this year, in what has become a record-setting achievement on social media. Her campaign became the largest ever fundraiser in Facebook's history, with more than 1.3million people donating to it. Later, she went on to host the Australian bushfire relief concert Fire Fight Australia, which raised a further $9.5million for the relief effort. Committed: Later Celeste went on to host the Australian bushfire relief concert, which raised another $9.5million for the relief effort. Here: Fire Fight Australia concert in Sydney The interview comes after Celeste was forced to fire back at detractors earlier this week, after concerns about legal hurdles for the funds. Speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald, Celeste said: 'I would have kept it going and just kept raising more money, I'd do it again and again, as if you wouldn't?' 'No person would go,''no actually I probably wouldn't raise $52million again because I got backlash''. I didn't really get backlash and I would 100 per cent do it again.' Fame: Celeste has gained a loyal following re-creating iconic pictures of supermodels like Bella Hadid (L) and Candice Swanepoel The Australian comedian launched her NSW RFS bushfire fundraiser in January, with the goal of raising $30,000 after her family home was threatened in the township of Eden on the NSW south coast. Once the large amounts of money started rolling in, Celeste decided to change the fundraiser to support other states affected by the bushfires. Legal issues have arose because the money was being donated to the NSW RFS Donations Trust account, who by law can't give the funds to other charities. The NSW RFS are able to use the funds to update equipment including trucks and face masks, but they legally can't give funds to volunteer firefighters or the victims. However, none of the money raised has been given to victims of the bushfire crisis due to legal issues regarding how the funds can be distributed. To stop the spread of the coronavirus, state and local governments have shut down as much of communal life as possible. People are also social distancing, staying out of public spaces to slow transmission of the disease. But this has destroyed demand for goods and services, putting the United States on the path to a recession that could easily become an outright depression. Washington is, finally, working toward a response. But even the most ambitious proposals are nowhere near powerful enough to actually stop the coronavirus from destroying the economy. To do that, policymakers have to go beyond stimulus or bailouts for select industries. They have to take responsibility for economic life on a scale not seen since the New Deal. Nothing has been passed into law yet, but politicians have begun to float ideas and propose legislation. On Friday, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would offer free testing for all Americans as well as sick days and paid emergency leave for a small subset of working people. On Monday, Senator Mitt Romney of Utah called for sending $1,000 to every America, a one-time grant to pump cash into the economy. On Tuesday, Steven Mnuchin, the treasury secretary, called for more than $850 billion in economic stimulus, including $58 billion in airline bailouts, $250 billion in small business loans and $500 billion in payroll tax cuts. Some of these ideas are good and necessary, if not sufficient. Millions of Americans need to pay for housing, medicine and groceries now and immediate cash disbursals are the only way to make that happen. To its credit, the White House has moved away from the payroll tax cut which would only help workers still employed, not those who have been laid off, furloughed or who work for tips and embraced cash payments, although theyll only amount to an average of two weeks of pay for most workers and wont go out until the end of April. Update 19 March, 1pm: Ciaran Dillon has been located safe and well. Update 18 March: Gardai are appealing for help in locating a teenager missing from Dublin. Ciaran Dillon, 18, has been missing from the Tallaght area since March 16. He is described as being 6ft in height, with brown hair, a slim build and brown eyes. Gardai said they are very concerned for Ciaran's welfare and would urge him to make contact with gardai or his family. Anyone with information on his whereabouts are asked to contact Gardai in Tallaght on 01 666 6000 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111. UPDATE: Fusco family loses its third member to coronavirus Wednesday night after matriarch dies. A second person from the same New Jersey family has died after being infected with the coronavirus, the familys attorney confirmed Wednesday. Carmine Fusco, a New York- and New Jersey-based horse racing trainer, died Wednesday morning, Roseann Paradiso Fodera, a cousin and the lawyer representing the Fusco family, confirmed to NJ Advance Media. His sister Rita-Fusco Jackson died last Friday and later tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the states second victim. The deaths of Fusco and Fusco-Jackson are connected to the death of John Brennan, a horse trainer who lived in Little Ferry. Brennan was the first New Jersey resident to die after testing positive for COVID-19. Fusco, 55, was one of six members of the same family hospitalized for coronavirus after they attended a family gathering. He died at St. Lukes University Hospital-Bethlehem Campus, in Fountain Hill, Pennsylvania. Four family members remain in critical condition. Nineteen other family members, including spouses and children, have also been tested, according to Elizabeth Fusco, a sibling who is not hospitalized said Tuesday. This has been devastating for all of us, Elizabeth Fusco, 42, of Freehold said Tuesday before her brother died. Our hearts are broken over losing our sister, Rita. We just need help in saving our family members with life-saving medication. Fusco-Jackson, who died Friday, 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 Freehold church said. Rita Fusco-Jackson, 55, of Freehold, died on Friday, March 13, 2020, and then later tested positive for coronavirus. If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. 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. (ANSAmed) - ROME, MARCH 18 - The NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans said Wednesday it has been forced to halt its migrant rescue operations at sea due to the coronavirus emergency. "Between January and February, Mediterranea obtained the release from seizure of the ship Mare Jonio and the sailboat Alex," it said. "We were ready to start again, with the same tenacity and determination as always, ships ready, crews ready. But the development of the pandemic in which we are immersed and the sacrosanct measures adopted to try to contain the contagion and try to save the most fragile and exposed people forces us today to freeze operational activity at sea," it said. "The effects of this obligatory choice cause us to suffer, because at sea there are those who risk death every day," it said. "After three weeks of bad weather, departures have inevitably resumed. The only relief is the possible, we hope, operative presence in the Central Mediterranean in this period of other civil society assets, those that we call the 'Civil Fleet', to which we will give all possible support," it said.(ANSAmed). COSHOCTON, Ohio A 15-month-old child was in critical condition Tuesday night at an Akron hospital after he fell from the inside of a pickup truck onto a road, then was struck by a second vehicle, according to reports. Two people are now facing criminal charges in connection to the incident, which occurred Monday morning on a county road near Coshocton, the Coshocton Tribune reports. Fransy Espinnoza Caballero, 19, of Ruston, Louisiana, is charged with aggravated vehicular assault, while Angel M. Simpson, 23, of Coshocton, was charged with endangering children, the Tribune reports. Both are being held in jail. The Coshocton County Sheriffs Office tells WCMH Channel 4 that a pickup truck driven by Caballero was trying to make a left turn into a driveway from County Road 271 when the child was thrown from a rear passenger area in the truck. A Jeep behind the truck was unable to avoid the young boy and struck the child, WCMH reports. The boy was flown by helicopter to Akron Childrens Hospital. The incident remains under investigation and more charges are possible, the Tribune reports. More crime-related content on cleveland.com: North Olmsted soccer coach pleads guilty to having sex with 14-year-old boy Coventry Township man ran over woman, barricaded himself and her in home, authorities say 15-year-old boy charged in fatal shooting of Cleveland teen who was tossed onto street Body found in burning car in Akron, police say Man charged in slaying of Cleveland man shot 12 times in store parking lot The country is now entering uncharted territory. Cafes, pubs, and restaurants could shut for months, and our once bustling High Streets and offices are soon likely to be left deserted. Flights, trains, sporting events, concerts, and even family gatherings, are all being called off as society stays at home to stop the spread of coronavirus. The lockdown is now threatening to kill off many businesses, and millions of workers will fear for their jobs and the income they rely on to pay their mortgages and bills. Worries: The corona lockdown is now threatening to kill off many businesses, and millions of workers will fear for their jobs and the income they rely on to pay their mortgages and bills The unprecedented restrictions are also leaving millions more facing uncertainty. Many employees will be forced to work from home for the first time, while others might be worried they have no alternative but to travel in to the office. Today, Money Mail is here to help. Here we will tell you where you stand. From the financial help now available to those struggling to get by, to support for those forced to stay inside for months. Will you still get paid if you need to self-isolate for 14 days? Can you claim back the cost of equipment you've purchased to work from home? And what happens if your children's school closes, forcing you to take time off work to look after them? Here is Money Mail's must-read guide to your rights in the Covid-19 crisis. Will I still be paid if I need to self-isolate? You'll receive at least statutory sick pay (SSP) of 94.25 a week if you are off work with coronavirus but some companies will offer more, depending on their individual sick pay policies. You must earn at least 118 a week to be eligible. Statutory sick pay is paid for up to 28 weeks. This will now be paid from the first day you are ill, rather than day four, in line with new legislation announced in the Budget last week. Danielle Parsons, an employment lawyer at Slater and Gordon, says: 'Usually you cannot qualify for SSP unless you are ill and unable to work, but last week (with effect from March 12, 2020) the Government introduced new legislation which means that if you are an employee/worker and you are not able to work because you are self-isolating then you can claim SSP. 'If you are a zero hours worker or lf-employed and you don't qualify for SSP then you may be able to claim universal credit or other benefits.' What if my firm refuses to pay? If you are not eligible for sick pay your employer must fill out an SSP1 form stating why. This could be because you have not reached the earnings threshold or because you have already claimed 28 weeks sick pay in a year, for example. This form will then support your claim for other benefits. If your employer refuses to pay where you are eligible, it is breaking the law. The Government has made much of the point that workers are not to be penalised in the current crisis so it is a serious issue if companies do not abide by good practice. Speak to your company and discuss with them why you are not being paid sick pay in the first instance and if the matter is not resolved then seek legal advice immediately. Workers already live hand-to-mouth - they need help now Wine merchant Amanda Thomson employs eight workers at Thomson & Scott, in Clerkenwell, Central London Wine merchant Amanda Thomson is relieved the Government recognised 'the severity of the economic crisis' by announcing rescue packages yesterday. But she is still concerned about how businesses will repay the loans on offer, and whether she is eligible for business rate relief, as she is technically in the food and beverage sector. Amanda employs eight workers at Thomson & Scott, in Clerkenwell, Central London, a company that specialises in alcohol-free sparkling wine. She has already asked three workers if they can take voluntary pay cuts to help reduce costs during the crisis. She hopes to compensate them with either shares in the company or a bonus once the economy has recovered. Amanda, 48, says that while she has 'future-proofed' her business by adding a consumer arm, she is 'petrified' for her partners in the hospitality sector across the country. 'These are dangerous times in hospitality,' she says. 'It's going to lead to a lot of additional poverty because a lot of hospitality workers are on minimum wages and living handto-mouth anyway. Each day that goes by you will see really good businesses run into the ground. There is so much confusion.' The Government should compel banks to help small businesses, she says, adding that Germany has pledged unlimited cash to support its businesses. What if I am self-employed? Self-employed workers do not qualify for statutory sick pay however, if you have to take time off work you may be entitled to benefits. Stephen Woodhouse , an employment solicitor at Stephensons Solicitors, says you may also be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance if you have made enough National Insurance contributions. If you do regular freelance work for a business, it is worth asking if they will help. Should I get wage protection? Income protection typically pays out when you are too unwell to work, or if you have an accident. Workers have rushed to buy income protection policies in the wake of the pandemic the comparison site Comparethemarket says it has seen a 'significant' increase in quotes given in the past few days. However, experts warn a number of insurers are already beginning to introduce exclusions in new policies that will mean claims for coronavirus will not be paid. Those that already have cover in place should be able to claim on their policies if they get ill but only once the waiting period is over, which is typically 30 days after being off work. You will also have to be signed off by a doctor. Ben Heffer, from ratings firm Defaqto, says those who are not working because they have to self-isolate will not be paid the benefit. Tax relief on home work gear? You may be able to claim back tax relief for things you must buy for your job that you only use for work, such as tools or equipment. If your employer reimburses you for the items bought you will not be eligible. If you are eligible, you will need to fill out a P87 form. You must have paid tax in the year. And what you get back is based on what you've spent and your tax rate. For example, if you spent 60 on stationery that you can prove you use purely for work, and you pay tax at 20 per cent, then you can claim 12. In the recent Budget, the Chancellor increased the flat rate tax deduction to cover additional expenses incurred such as phone calls and energy bills from 4 to 6 a week from April 6. The Budget, the rate cut and the coronavirus market crash The past week has had a Budget, a 0.5 per cent base rate cut and stock markets going haywire thanks to coronavirus. On the This is Money podcast, Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost, dissect what has been one of the most turbulent weeks in living memory. They discuss what was in the Budget, how to protect yourself against falling shares - and spot an opportunity - and what coronavirus means for travel insurance, your refund rights to events and personal finances. Press play above or listen (and please subscribe if you like the podcast) at Apple Podcasts, Acast, Spotify and Audioboom or visit our This is Money Podcast page. What if my child's school closes? You have the right to 'reasonable' time off to deal with emergencies involving dependants such as your children. However, your employer does not have to pay you for it. The standard procedure is usually outlined in your staff handbook. A mother helps her children with their schoolwork at home after the French government closed schools Mr Woodhouse says: 'The reasonable time-frame will be dependent on the situation. If your child is unwell and there is no one to take care of them, you are typically allowed a few days off to do so, or a week or two to make long-term arrangements. But we are in new territory so this is not a normal situation.' Could I be asked to take holiday? An employer can instruct any employee to take some or all of their annual leave as long as they give them twice the notice of the same length as leave to be taken. For example, if they want you to take a day off, they have to give two days' notice. A zero-hours contract worker could use this to their advantage. Jemma Fairclough-Haynes, an employment law specialist at Orchard Employment Law, says: 'Zero-hour contract workers do accrue holiday, so your employer could ask you if you want to use some of your holiday.' This means that if the lack of work is temporary, you will continue to be paid during the time you are taking as holiday. What will happen if I am made redundant? If you have a part-time or full-time contract with a company you can be made redundant. It is important to remember that redundancy is about a lack of work for a certain role, it is not the same as being dismissed for other reasons such as 'gross misconduct'. Employers need to consult with you before making you redundant. If fewer than 20 employees are being made redundant, there is no minimum time frame between the initial consultation and the dismissal. If your employer lets you know you are being considered for redundancy, you can ask who else in your role is also being considered. You may also want to have a discussion with your employer to suggest other alternatives, such as moving into another role within the company. Zero-hour contract workers do not have these rights as there is no obligation for the employer to provide you with work. First the floods... and now this Mark Davies had just finished clearing the debris from his flooded B&B when Boris Johnson took to the airwaves on Monday. Mark, 59, listened in horror to the Prime Minister's warning that people should avoid 'pubs, clubs' and 'other such social venues' for the foreseeable future. He employs 75 staff across three businesses in Shrewsbury. As well as a B&B, which was devastated by floods last month, he has a bar and restaurant. Mark Davies had just finished clearing the debris from his flooded B&B when Boris Johnson took to the airwaves on Monday. He employs 75 staff in Shrewsbury He says it was 'irresponsible' of the Prime Minister to make such an announcement without offering immediate support for British businesses. 'I have suppliers who will need to be paid by the end of the month, and 75 members of staff at the end of the week,' he says. 'That is going to cause an implosion of the business. From what I'm hearing, this is the issue across the entire industry.' Mark says the expansion of business rate relief announced yesterday means all of his businesses are now exempt, whereas previously only his B&B was. 'That saves around 70,000 and that's great,' he adds. But he warns that the Government is essentially asking him to take out a loan to pay his staff. 'I can't see how that's going to work,' he says. 'Why am I going to put myself in debt to accommodate the closure of my business?' What if my firm's changed owners? Your redundancy pay will be calculated from when you began working for the original company, not limited to the time you have worked for the new owner. How long will my notice be? The statutory minimum notice period for redundancy is one week for every year you have been employed at the company, up to 12 weeks. Your contract may give you more than this, but it cannot give you less. Will I qualify for redundancy pay? Again, you will need to be a part-time or full-time employee to qualify for redundancy pay. A zero-hours contract worker is not legally entitled to it. Some firms may offer different redundancy packages but if you've worked for your company for at least two years there is statutory redundancy of a week's wages for every year you have worked for employers, for those aged 22 to 40. It increases to a week-and-a-half's wages once you are 41 or older. If you are working between the ages of 18 and 22, you will be paid half a week's pay for these years. You'll receive your normal weekly rate, up to a cap of 525 per week. The maximum amount of statutory redundancy pay you can be entitled to overall is 15,750, while the length of service you'll be paid for is capped at 20 years. Redundancy pay is not taxable under 30,000. Will I get paid for holiday time? When you leave your job you should receive your final wage, as well as payment for any holiday you've accrued. Zero-hours contract workers can also accrue holiday, so this should be paid to you as well. However, this will be taxed. I've slashed workers' hours by half Cafe owner Inci Malik has already had to halve staff working hours as she seeks to avoid redundancies. Inci says footfall is reducing every day at Aromas cafe in Weybridge, Surrey, and she fears for how businesses such as hers will survive. The 43-year-old has six full-time staff, but has already asked them to rotate on a weekly basis, so that only three are working at any one time. Any weeks spent not working are taken as unpaid leave. Inci says her team agrees that this practice is preferable to losing members of staff, but she is calling on the Government to step in before it's too late. 'We can't let people lose their jobs,' she says. 'We need to make sure people are still in the economy. 'These guys have rent to pay, they have to buy food, they have to survive. 'It's all about survival now it's not about luxury. We have to get through this together.' Inci welcomes the 25,000 cash grant that her business will now be eligible for under the Government's new plans announced yesterday. But she is cautious about having to repay loans. 'The Government is showing an interest that it wants to support local businesses,' she adds. 'But we have to be careful with our borrowing.' What happens if I am laid off? If your contract says your employer can lay you off or put you on short-time working, then they're legally allowed to cut your hours and pay. A 'lay-off' is when your employer asks you to stay at home or take unpaid leave as there is not enough work for you. There's no limit to how long you can be laid off, but you can apply for redundancy or claim redundancy pay if it's been four weeks in a row or six weeks over a 13-week period. If your contract allows unpaid or reduced pay lay-offs, you will still be entitled to statutory guarantee pay (where an employer must pay employees for days when they are available to work, even when there is no work for them to do) if you have been working for the employer for at least a month. The maximum you can get is 29 a day for five days in any three-month period. If you usually get less than 29 a day you will get your daily rate. What happens in EU Countries? France has launched an 'exceptional and massive' mechanism to pay workers who are temporarily laid off by crisis-stricken businesses. The support payments are expected to be the most costly of the country's economic rescue measures. Italy is expected to announce oneoff payments of 500 euros (454) for the self-employed, a freeze on worker lay-offs, support for companies making redundancy payments to staff, and a cash bonus for those still working during the lockdown. Germany has expanded a scheme it launched in 2008 to compensate workers sent home by employers during an economic crisis. And Denmark is planning to pay private sector employees 75 per cent of their salary if they can't work because of coronavirus As many of our readers will be well aware, Avro Lancaster B.VII NX611 Just Jane is under restoration to airworthy condition with the Lincoln Aviation Heritage Center at former RAF East Kirkby in Lincolnshire, England. We have been reporting on their progress periodically, and we thought that our readers might like to see their most recent report, reproduced here with permission The Rivet Club Newsletter 101 by Andrew Panton This week we have dismantled the number four propeller and rebuilt the number three propeller. The old number three prop will replace number four, as it has its five year Airworthiness Directive check. A prop overhaul shop will handle the latter task. We had a great meeting with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) team regarding their structural work in the coming months and years, updating them about our work; just another part of our close working relationship. One of the team made the long road trip back up to Cumbria to collect the wing tip extrusion. This item had been undergoing heat treatment to T511 standard at Capalex. Now that the extrusions are back with us, the set for the BBMF will be collected by ARCo from Duxford. We can copy drill them from the originals to build up the web and the basis of the wingtip rebuild. Once the extrusions are drilled, the chords and web will be offered up to the wing to make sure they fit properly before the whole wingtip is built and buttoned up. Our team driver has also been back down to Mark Cole and Simone Cunningham on the south coast to collect parts for the starboard wingtip. They also dropped off a skin for the rear fuselage which has a complex curve needing Simones skills to wheel it. Indeed, the other skin for the rear section took five hours to wheel! The shaped stringers are among some of the parts returned following Simones handiwork; you can see one of these in a photo further below. When you see the amount of curve in the stringer, it really illustrates how much curve there is to the wingtips. When seen mounted in place on the wing, its hard to realize the amount of curvature there is in this relatively simple structure. The port wing tip is continuing through the rebuild stage. As it is built up with original parts, new parts are swapped in and drilled off for refitting. Its a very time-consuming job, but ensures that the structure does not change shape. Weve had another batch of parts go through the paint shop with Martin and Keith. This includes many of the skins for the starboard wingtip and the stringers, and requires the reinforcing strip be riveted in before it can go back into the main structure. Next week should see many of the brackets in the port wingtip structure drilled off, and a lot of the structure ready for paint. Jack has been progressing the rear fuselage with all of the new intercostals trial-fitted and drilled off. The new former has been trial fitted and drilled, off and the bulkhead has been offered up ready to be drilled off next week. Very shortly, the rear fuselage parts will be ready to be removed and painted ready to be final-fitted to the rear fuselage. Once the rear structure is riveted in place, Jack can move on to reconstructing the bottom of the turret section and refitting the hoop that the turret sits in. Were still waiting on the new turret ring, which is spun steel, but it hopefully wont be too long before it has been produced and can be trial-fitted to the hoop and copy-drilled from the original. It was mentioned in the previous Rivet Club email that we are in need of a bunch more Cleco pins. The response to this has been remarkable, with five donors contributing to the costs, and one supporter covering the cost of the pins entirely. We are extremely grateful to all those who have helped with this extra expense. The money donated over and above what was required for the Cleco pins has enabled us to purchase a Linisher, a piece of equipment which will make the trimming and filing of skins and structure much quicker saving the project time and money in the future. We have just received notification from Aircraft Extrusions in the USA that our order is complete. This goes back to the order for fuselage stringers (the whole reason we had to change the plan for this winter to rebuild the wingtips instead of the rear fuselage section) and the fin spars. So, very shortly, we are going to have a 7,500 invoice to pay an added expense this winter that was not factored into the original budgeting. If anyone would like to support the stringer and fin post costs with a further donation, then we would be extremely grateful of the support. If you were to make a donation HERE, then it would be great to see you adding in the comments section that it is for stringers/posts just so we can keep track of progress more easily. Its good to know we will be one step ahead of the curve for next winter when we tackle the rear fuselage. If youre enjoying these newsletters but there is something in particular you would like me to cover or something more you would like me to focus on then please do get in touch to enquiries@lincsaviation.co.uk Thanks for your support! Andrew Panton P.S. Dont forget to checkout our new RAF Blue/Grey Rivet Club t-shirts on the links below. We have changed the colour from the khaki green to try and offer some variation. I could see no better colour than RAF Blue/Grey! BRAND NEW Rivet Club t-shirts are available to pre-order from our website shop HERE Rivet Club car stickers are also available HERE. Thats all for this particular update. We hope that you have enjoyed reading it. As can be seen, a lot of work remains to be done, but the aircraft is well on the way back to flying condition. It is being done in a methodical and careful manner in order to keep the aircraft available for ground-running operations during the summer months. For those interested in helping support this important project, please click HERE Be sure to check out their store HERE as well There are many cool items to buy which will help get Just Jane back in the air! Amid growing restrictions over the global coronavirus outbreak, Joe Biden racked up primary wins over Bernie Sanders in Arizona, Florida and Illinois on Tuesday, making his delegate lead for the Democratic presidential nomination all but insurmountable before the partys scheduled convention in July. As polls closed at 8 p.m. ET in Florida, the former vice president was declared the winner by the Associated Press. Ahead by nearly 40 points with 77 percent of the votes counted in a state that awards 219 delegates proportionally, Biden was sure to pad his overall delegate lead over Sanders, the senator from Vermont. Biden was also declared the winner in Illinois, a state that awards 101 delegates, some 30 minutes later. Addressing the nation in a somber tone, given the severity of the the coronavirus outbreak, Biden spoke from his home in Delaware and took pains to avoid celebrating his victories in a way that was out of sync with the moment facing the country. 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, Biden said. Weve moved 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. Biden also reached out to supporters of Sanders, saying that he and the senator from Vermont share a common vision on issues like providing affordable healthcare and tackling the existential threat of our time, climate change. Sen. 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, Biden said. So let me say, especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Sen. Sanders: I hear you. I know whats at stake. I know what we have to do. Hours after Biden spoke, the AP declared him the winner in Arizona, giving him a clean sweep in the states that cast in-person votes on Tuesday. With those impressive wins, Biden built on his delegate lead to the point where Sanders now has no real chance of catching him. Story continues Democratic front-runner Joe Biden. (Cory Morse/Grand Rapids Press via AP) As Biden continued his march toward the Democratic nomination, President Trump won enough delegates in the Illinois Republican primary to secure the GOP presidential nomination, the AP projected. Rather than give a speech about the election results, Sanders held a live stream on the coronavirus outbreak before the polls in Florida and Illinois had closed. He detailed proposals including mobilizing the U.S. Army and National Guard to construct makeshift hospitals and providing funds for workers who lose their employment for what he said would need to be a massive government effort to counter the pandemic and its economic fallout. This will require an unprecedented amount of money, and my own guess is that well be spending at least $2 trillion in funding to prevent deaths, job losses and to avoid an economic catastrophe, Sanders said. He also said he would introduce his suggestions to the Democratic leadership in the coming days and directed his viewers to read about them further on his website. Not once during his remarks did Sanders mention Tuesdays primaries or the state of the Democratic presidential race. We can address this crisis, and we can minimize the pain, Sanders said. Thanks to the rapid spread of the coronavirus, Ohio postponed its elections until June 2, and cast a shadow of uncertainty over the status of future in-person primary voting. Its Republican governor, Mike DeWine, who has taken the lead on school closures and social distancing measures, announced Monday that he was recommending that Ohio delay in-person voting in the primary. We cannot conduct this election tomorrow, he said. As of Tuesday morning, Ohio had reported 67 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus pathogen. Florida had reported 160 cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday, and four deaths. Illinois had tallied 105 cases and Arizona had reported another 18. The rapid rise in the spread of the coronavirus in the United States has mirrored the curve experienced in Italy, where more than 27,980 cases have been confirmed and 2,503 people have died. John Davis, a polling judge volunteer, sanitizes an electronic voting machine screen in Chicago amid concerns over the coronavirus. (Charles Rex Arbogast/AP) Hours before residents in Illinois, Florida and Arizona headed to the polls, despite guidance from the CDC to avoid gatherings of 10 people or more, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said he was leaving the decision on whether to postpone elections up to the state governors. Republican and Democratic governors have made that judgment that they can do that. I dont think its for me to second-guess those judgements, Perez said in an interview with MSNBC. But two DNC co-chairs sent a memo last week warning that states faced the prospect of penalties for pushing back primaries beyond June 9. If a state violates the rule on timing, or any other rule, they could be subject to penalties as prescribed in Rule 21, including at least a 50% reduction in delegates, which will need to be reviewed by the RBC [Rules and Bylaws Committee], the memo, obtained by the Guardian, stated. So far, Louisiana is the only state that may run afoul of the DNC, having postponed its April 4 primary until June 20. Georgia, which was scheduled to hold its primary on March 24, has suspended its election until May 19. While Perez urged voters to stay safe Tuesday, he did not discourage them from showing up at polling places. At the same time, however, he said the coronavirus outbreak showed that the nation needed to figure out ways to make sure citizens could cast their votes without traveling to polling places. This crisis is a stark reminder of the need to expand early voting, vote by mail, and no-excuse absentee voting. We ought to be making it easier for folks to vote especially in situations like this not harder. Tom Perez (@TomPerez) March 17, 2020 In his remarks from Delaware, Biden thanked those who had turned out to support him, as well as those who volunteered to work at the polls. Americans in three states went to the polls today. I want to thank all the public officials and the poll workers who worked closely with the public health authorities to assure safe opportunities for voting, to clean and disinfect voting booths, and to make sure the voters can cast their ballots, while maintaining a distance from one another that was safe, Biden said. Puerto Rico is scheduled to hold the next Democratic primary, on March 29. On April 4, Hawaii, Alaska and Wyoming are set to have their primaries. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Adding another layer of antiviral measures and challenges for parents Gov. Tony Evers on Wednesday placed restrictions on child-care center capacity as part of a statewide response to the spread of COVID-19, which now tops 100 cases statewide. Evers also officially requested federal disaster loans, underscoring the devastating impact the order to close schools, restaurants, retail establishments and other businesses is expected to have on owners and employees in an effort to slow the spread of the respiratory disease. Social distancing and self-isolation are critical steps in reducing and preventing the spread of this virus in our communities, but it comes at an economic cost to our local businesses, Evers said in a statement. Under Evers latest order, which takes effect at 8 a.m. Thursday, child-care centers will not be allowed to operate with more than 10 staff members or more than 50 children present at a time. The order remains in effect for the duration of the public health emergency Evers declared last week. The order will limit the availability of child-care services statewide, so providers are asked to give priority to families of health care and essential service providers, Evers said in the statement. Those who can keep their children at home are asked to do so. I know many Wisconsinites are looking for ways to help during this crisis, Evers said in the statement. If you are able, keeping your kids at home is one of the actions you can take to have the most impact. Of the 4,500 child-care providers in the state, Department of Children and Families Secretary Emilie Amundson said 1,244 are licensed to serve more than 50 children at a time. Amundson added that its difficult to say how many centers already have closed their doors due to the new coronavirus. The department will try to connect parents who need child care with services and explore ways of expanding child-care offerings statewide, Amundson said. Providers can still close if they wish. Many have already made the decision to do so, but many have not, Amundson said. So were working actively to keep our finger firmly on the pulse of the folks in both camps and help support the folks who are seeking to continue to provide these vital services. As of Wednesday, the state reported 106 cases of COVID-19, including 23 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. SBA loans Evers on Wednesday also asked the federal Small Business Administration for loan assistance for businesses and private, nonprofit organizations in each of Wisconsins 72 counties. If approved by the SBA, businesses can begin submitting loan applications. Applicants can seek up to $2 million per business to assist with overcoming a temporary loss of revenue. The loan assistance from SBA will help alleviate some of the financial burden and stress on our small businesses during this public health crisis, Evers said. We will continue to work with our federal partners, state officials, and stakeholders to ensure we are improving public safety and health while protecting our state economy. In a web conference with state business leaders and owners Wednesday, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. Secretary Missy Hughes said she expects the SBA will open applications within the next 48 hours or so but said she expects the SBA will be inundated with applications. These types of loans typically come after regional disasters, such as floods or hurricanes, affecting a much smaller group of businesses. I think we all need to recognize theres going to be a lot of inundation and to be patient as best we can as those loans come through, Hughes said. Hughes said several business groups, such as various chambers of commerce and small business development groups, will be working with the state and SBA to manage those applications and loan distribution. Business grants The WEDC Board on Tuesday approved a $5 million grant program to help employers meet 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 conceded the grant program is a drop in the bucket for 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. In the web conference, Department of Health Services Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk said businesses likely dont have to close just because one employee gets sick from the coronavirus. Local public health departments will inform businesses if one of their employees tests positive for the virus and will isolate other employees who were in close and regular contact with the sick employee. If one person in an office or one person on a factory floor tests positive for this disease, it does not mean you have to close the whole operation down, Willems Van Dijk said. Evers on Tuesday ordered all bars and restaurants in the state to close and banned gatherings of 10 or more people. 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. As a result, one Madison restaurant group, Food Fight, announced it was furloughing 750 employees. Unemployment benefits Also on Tuesday, Evers called on state lawmakers to pass emergency amendments to expedite Wisconsins unemployment benefits. Evers said he will issue an executive order asking the Legislature to repeal Wisconsins one-week waiting period for unemployment compensation insurance. He also plans to ask lawmakers to waive requirements that recipients look for work and make other modifications to speed unemployment benefits to those unable to work during the crisis. With businesses shuttering, Caleb Frostman, secretary of the Department of Workforce Development, said in a statement the department is seeing increased applications for unemployment insurance and employment, although specific numbers were not available Wednesday. DWD plans to keep most job centers open across the state to assist job seekers and employers. During this time of economic uncertainty, it is important that the public know our staff are available to assist them as employment situations are quickly changing, Frostman said in a statement. Despite a rocky relationship at times between the governor and Republican leaders in the Assembly and Senate, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos released a joint statement noting they had a productive discussion with Evers on Wednesday regarding the states future response to the virus. State officials plan to hold daily conversations to discuss future action related to coronavirus. State Journal reporter Shelley K. Mesch contributed to this report. Illinois Democratic congressman Dan Lipinski, who has served since 2005, has been defeated by a progressive primary challenger in a stunning victory for the partys left wing. Mr Lipinski, representative for Illinoiss third congressional district a safe Democratic seat was defeated by Marie Newman, an entrepreneur and nonprofit founder who supports progressive proposals such as Medicare for All and a $15-per-hour minimum wage. With nearly 99 per cent of the vote counted, she led Mr Lipinski by some 2,365 votes. Ms Newmans victory echoes the rise of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, now a progressive hero, who defeated senior Democrat Joe Crowley in her districts primary in 2018. She has this year started a political action committee to support left-wing candidates across the country Ms Newman among them. Progressive Democrats have long taken a dim view of Mr Lipinski, who has spoken out against LGBT+ rights and voted against Obamacare. Most of all, they take exception to his voting record on abortion rights: he has voted to de-fund Planned Parenthood and to ban abortions at 20 weeks or more, and served as chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus. With the Supreme Court tilting right thanks to Donald Trumps two appointees, pivotal cases are increasing the likelihood that Roe vs Wade could be all but overturned. In this climate, the Democratic Party is less inclined than ever to put up with pro-life voting among its members of Congress. Tweeting her joy at the result, Ms Newman promised to press on with the progressive agenda that has gathered steam in the party in the last few years. I am bursting with pride and gratitude for the amazing coalition that helped bring about much needed change in our district. We are going to work together to lower health care costs, to fight climate change, and to build an economy that works for everyone. Ms Newman won her insurgent victory on the same night as the Illinois presidential primary, in which Joe Biden triumphed over Bernie Sanders by 23 points. Mr Biden is now essentially guaranteed to be the Democratic nominee. Illinois voted along with Arizona and Florida, both of which Mr Biden carried as well. All three voted under the shadow of the coronavirus emergency; Ohio was due to vote too, but its primary was postponed out of concern for public health. [March 18, 2020] SciBite Announced as Fastest-growing Company in Pharma Fast 50 CAMBRIDGE, England, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SciBite today announced being named the fastest-growing company identified in this year's Alantra Pharma Fast 50, an annual ranking of privately-owned pharmaceutical businesses in the UK based on growth speed. Securing contracts with three-quarters of the world's largest pharma companies, SciBite topped the chart having delivered compound annualised growth of 76% over the past two years, and now boasts a workforce of 50+ scientific experts servicing more than 50 clients worldwide. SciBite's software technology combines the latest developments in machine learning with its ontology-led approach, providing an infrastructure that understands the complexities of scientific data. It gives customers the ability to build their data foundation with standardisation, harmonisation and acceleration. "This is a great accolade for us to receive and it's as a result of our amazing team and amazing custmer base that achievements like this one are possible," says CEO and President Rob Greenwood. "When SciBite's journey began we could see that there was a real change in the market with pharma realising the value of their data and recognising that they needed help to understand and analyse it. We've grown rapidly since bringing our cutting-edge technology to the market and built a continually growing team who share a common passion for helping our customers make their data better." In their upcoming webinar Head of Ontologies Jane Lomax will explain how SciBite is working with customers to embrace FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data standards. They believe this need for FAIR is never more acutely felt than with the increasing investment in areas such as training deep learning models, as well as in search and big data integration. Join the webinar on 2nd April: https://scibite.info/webinar-FAIRdata. You can also keep up-to-date with SciBite's monthly webinars: https://www.scibite.com/events/ Read more about SciBite's Pharma Fast 50 win: https://scibite.info/PharmaFast50 About SciBite SciBite provides an enterprise-ready semantic software infrastructure to standardise and transform scientific information silos into clean, interoperable data. Supporting the top 20 pharma with use cases across life sciences, SciBite is headquartered in the UK with additional sites in the US and Japan. Find out more at www.scibite.com. Press contact: Lauren Barham, Marketing Manager [email protected] +44 (0)1223 786 129 Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/617446/SciBite_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 20:12:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A girl wearing face mask walks on a street in downtown Tehran, Iran, on March 18, 2020. The death toll from COVID-19 on Wednesday soared to 1,135 in Iran, where the raging pandemic showed no signs of easing, as the total number of confirmed cases surged to 17,361. (Photo by Ahmad Halabisaz/Xinhua) TEHRAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education on Wednesday announced the death of 1,135 people out of 17,361 infections with the novel coronavirus, according to official IRNA news agency. A total of 5,710 people have recovered, Kianush Jahanpur, head of Public Relations and Information Center of the ministry, was quoted as saying by IRNA news agency. The health ministry urged people to avoid unnecessary travels during the Iranian new year Nowruz holidays which start on Friday. If people do not heed the calls of the authorities to avoid staying at homes, the country may wrestle with the disease for long time, a deputy health minister was quoted as saying. Iran is among the countries which have been severely hit by the outbreak of novel coronavirus. Facing the outbreak of the epidemic in the country, China sent a five-member expert team on Feb. 29 to Tehran to help control and prevent the spread of the virus in the Islamic republic. BERLINTaiwans successful handling of the COVID-19 outbreak is thanks to the island nations mistrust of the Chinese Communist Party, Taiwan representative to Germany Jhy-Wey Shieh explained. While much of the world is on lockdown in an effort to contain the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, daily life in Taiwan continues almost as normal with hardly any restrictions. The fact that Taiwan has fared much better than most countries in handling the CCP virus pandemic has stunned some experts. So far, Taiwan has had only 100 confirmed cases and one death. The odds were stacked against Taiwan to be hit hard with the CCP virus. Its in close proximity to mainland China, millions of Taiwanese travel to and from China each year, and it has been excluded from almost all international organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), due to pressure from Beijing. In an exclusive interview with The Epoch Times, NTDs sister media, Shieh said that being left out has made Taiwan stronger amid the crisis. This exclusion has taught usand this is saving livesthat we need to rely on ourselves first and foremost, he said. Shieh said Taiwan learned how to deal with the CCP during an epidemic the hard way. During the SARS outbreak in 2002 and 2003, Beijing blocked the WHO from assisting Taiwan and the CCP gave Taiwan incorrect information on the outbreak. This cost 73 Taiwanese lives, he said. Any information you get from Beijing must be verified before you can say it is true or not true, he said. This is an authoritarian, if not dictatorial, system and it is characteristic of such a regime that stability goes before truth. When the CCP first reported on the virus, Taiwan early on sent a medical team to Wuhan, where the virus first appeared, for a fact-finding mission. While the CCP said that theres no human-human transmission, Taiwan didnt buy it and started preparing for an epidemic. Taiwan was the first country to control all flights from Wuhan, tracking each passenger and testing for the virus, Shieh said. Taiwan also ensured early on the country has the protective gear it needs by issuing an export stop and ramping up production. Always be on your guard. According to a Chinese sayingthis means that the definition of danger is broad, very broad, Shieh said. Since almost all infections are imported cases, on Wednesday, Taiwan banned entry to almost all foreigners. NTD refers to the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19, as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. Erik Rusch of Epoch Times Germany contributed to this report. Moves to unlock the full potential of Japans offshore wind industry are underway with the announcement of a task force set up to accelerate the sectors development. Ambitions are to see the countrys renewables share increase from 16 percent to 24 percent by 2030 through a mixture of methods hydropower being the most sizeable at 9.2 percent and wind coming in at 1.7 percent. The International Energy Agency said last year that by 2040 offshore wind power alone has the potential to meet Japans total power demand by over ninefold and the worlds total electricity demand by elevenfold. Further development of floating turbines could become the worlds mainstay power supply. Marubeni Corporation is preparing to launch Japans first large-scale offshore wind power generation business. Traditionally wind farms in Japan have been small-scale operations but this 100-billion-yen ($894.4m) project will see around 33 turbines at the ports in Akita and Noshiro and be operational by the end of 2022. The two wind farms will have a combined capacity of 140MW and will comprise wind turbines installed on bottom-fixed foundations, and onshore substations. Ultimately its hoped the electricity generated by the wind farm will support around 47,000 homes. About 20-30 organizations are signing up, with the Japan Wind Association president Jin Kato proclaiming that 2020 will be a turning point for the countrys offshore energy production. It follows last years legislation which permitted the first tenders to take place this year. This is an important project as it can serve as a template in the development of the sector going forward, says Daniel Mallo, managing director and head of natural resources and infrastructure for Asia-Pacific at Societe Generale CIB, which acted as a senior lender in the transaction. The project also demonstrates the spread of offshore wind farming is beginning to happen across the region. Related: Saudi Arabias Oil War Could Bankrupt The Kingdom The barriers to driving the sector such as securing local consent for projects have been criticized by industry sources, who say it prevents them from achieving the potential that Japan has to offer. Yoshinori Ueda, a Japan Wind Energy Association board member said, Taiwan decided to work on offshore wind after the Fukushima nuclear disaster and quickly surpassed Japan. Japan is slow. No other country spends as long as five years on environmental assessments. We are requesting that the government take a central role for spearheading offshore wind like in Europe, so that the private companies would only need to build turbines. The floating wind farm sector is expected to be worth between 32bn by 2030, and interest in developing the technologies is high. The Scottish Government recently funded a 1m competition, run by the Carbon Trusts Floating Wind Joint Industry Project to kickstart work to commercialize the sector. One of the eight companies that shared the prize was Dublin Offshore. Its load reduction device sits partway up the mooring line and pivots in the water to reduce the movement of floating platforms during wave events. Director Darren Hayes told NCE: "Floating Offshore Wind allows new regions the opportunity to take advantage of the benefits of offshore wind energy and is on the cusp of enormous growth which will contribute significantly to the decarbonization of our energy system". By Precise Consultants More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Grant of US patent covering the use of PTH containing matrices for spinal fusion Grant of US patent covering osteoinductive materials made by certain methods Further strengthens Kuross position as a leader in the field of orthobiologics SCHLIEREN (ZURICH), Switzerland, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kuros Biosciences (SIX: KURN) today announced that its subsidiary, Kuros Biosurgery AG, has been granted the US patent, US 10589001, entitled Pharmaceutical formulation for use in spinal fusion. This patent covers the use of parathyroid hormone (PTH) containing matrices for spinal fusion. The granting of this patent strengthens Kuros proprietary position on the use of PTH containing matrices in spinal fusion, the primary indication of Kuros Fibrin-PTH development program. Kuross intellectual property portfolio in orthobiologics, its primary area of activity, has also been further strengthened by its Dutch subsidiary, Kuros Biosciences BV, recently being granted the US patent, US 10561683, entitled Method for producing an osteoinductive calcium phosphate and products thus obtained by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). This patent covers certain osteoinductive materials produced by Kuross proprietary production processes and further expands the patent portfolio relating to Kuross MagnetOs product line. The granting of this patent follows the granting, in the second half of last year, of other patents related to the MagnetOs product family, specifically, Japanese patent 6559665, and Australian patent 2016229595. Joost de Bruijn, Chief Executive Officer of Kuros, said: The granting of these patents both strengthens our position as a leader in this field and our ability to exploit that leadership for the benefit of our shareholders, our customers and their patients. For further information, please contact: Kuros Biosciences AG Michael Grau Chief Financial Officer Tel +41 44 733 47 47 michael.grau@kurosbio.com Media & Investors Hans Herklots LifeSci Advisors +41 79 598 7149 hherklots@lifesciadvisors.com About Kuros Biosciences AG Kuros Biosciences (SIX:KURN) is focused on the development of innovative products for tissue repair and regeneration and is located in Schlieren (Zurich), Switzerland, Bilthoven, The Netherlands and Burlington, MA, U.S. The Company is listed according to the International Financial Reporting Standard on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the symbol KURN. Visit www.kurosbio.com for additional information on Kuros, its people, science and product pipeline. About Fibrin-PTH Fibrin-PTH (KUR-113) consists of a natural fibrin-based healing matrix with an immobilized targeted bone growth factor (truncated human parathyroid hormone (PTH) analog). Fibrin-PTH (KUR-113) is designed to be applied directly into and around an intervertebral body fusion device as a gel, where it polymerizes in situ. Fibrin-PTH (KUR-113) functions via the well-established mechanism of action of parathyroid hormone; has been demonstrated in animal models of spinal fusion to be comparable to rhBMP-2; and has been shown in preclinical studies to be easy to use and ideal for open or minimally invasive techniques. Fibrin PTH (KUR-113) is an investigational drug/biologic combination product candidate. Fibrin PTH (KUR-113) has been evaluated in animals for use in lumbar interbody fusion. The safety & efficacy of Fibrin PTH (KUR-113) has not yet been evaluated for spinal fusion in humans. About MagnetOs MagnetOs bone graft has an advanced submicron surface topography that leads to the formation of bone, rather than scar tissue, following implantation. In preclinical models, MagnetOs preferentially directs early wound healing toward the bone-forming pathway, meaning that bone can be formed even in soft tissues without the need for added cells or growth factors, resulting in an osteoinductive claim in Europe. MagnetOs promotes local bone formation equivalent to current gold standard, autograft. A substantial number of clinically relevant and predictive studies have demonstrated its equivalence to the current gold standard (patients own bone, which may not be available in sufficient quantities and/or involves morbidity, costs and pain associated with its harvesting from another healthy site of the patients body). MagnetOs is now supported by over two years clinical experience since its launch in the United Kingdom in May 2017. For more information, see: www.magnetosbonegraft.com Forward Looking Statements This media release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to be materially different from historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. You are urged to consider statements that include the words will or expect or the negative of those words or other similar words to be uncertain and forward-looking. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements include scientific, business, economic and financial factors, Against the background of these uncertainties, readers should not rely on forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no responsibility for updating forward-looking statements or adapting them to future events or developments. Russian writer and opposition leader Eduard Limonov speaks during an opposition rally in central Moscow in 2014. (Dmitry Serebryakov / AFP/Getty Images) Eduard Limonov, a Russian author and political activist known for his poignant and controversial writings, died Tuesday in a Moscow hospital. He was 77. Limonov's death was announced by the Other Russia political group, of which he was a member. No other details were released. Limonov emigrated from the Soviet Union in 1974 and moved to New York and later Paris. He became famous after the publication of his first and best-known autobiographical novel, "It's Me, Eddie," colorfully describing his depression and his escapades living in New York. The book was shunned by publishers for several years because of its graphic language and crude sexual scenes until it was finally printed in Paris. Limonov's political views evolved from anti-Soviet to gradual leftist, and after his return to Russia in 1991 he founded the National Bolshevik Party, a virulently nationalistic leftist group opposing the Kremlin. In the early 1990s, Limonov traveled to the Balkans where he supported the Serbs during the war in Bosnia. He also visited areas of separatist conflicts in the former Soviet nations, backing the separatists. In 2001, he was accused of plotting a separatist coup in ex-Soviet Kazakhstan intended to carve out an independent state for ethnic Russians living in the Central Asian nation. He was given a four-year sentence and served more than two years in jail before being paroled. Limonov didn't end his political activism after his release, and his Neo-Bolshevik Party remained a thorn in the Kremlin's side and a Moscow court eventually banned it as extremist. Dozens of its members received jail sentences. Limonov joined the Other Russia coalition of opposition groups that helped organize protests against President Vladimir Putin. He took part in numerous rallies and was repeatedly arrested. But when Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014, Limonov supported the move and toned down his criticism of the Russian leader. Amid his political activities, Limonov has published numerous novels, political pamphlets and other writings. Chinese FM slams Trump for using term 'Chinese Virus' on Twitter Global Times Source:Global Times Published: 2020/3/17 16:53:39 China's Foreign Ministry slammed a tweet by US President Donald Trump in which he used the term "Chinese Virus" amid a surge in infections in the US, which provoked a huge backlash by netizens around the world. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a press briefing Tuesday afternoon that Trump's act stigmatizes China, which China strongly condemns. "The World Health Organization and the international community are clearly opposed to linking viruses to specific countries and regions and to stigmatizing them," Geng said. "We urge the US side to immediately correct its mistakes and stop making groundless accusations against China." Geng said that the outbreak of coronavirus is spreading in many parts of the world. It is a matter of urgency that the international community makes concerted efforts to carry out anti-epidemic cooperation. The United States should first carry out the right actions, and try to play a constructive role in international cooperation against the epidemic and safeguard global public health, Geng said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The education system of Armenia is switching to distance learning because of school closures conditioned by the novel coronavirus pandemic, according to a government official. Arayik Harutiunian, who heads the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, said on Wednesday that the new system will be trialed in the country during the next couple of weeks. All schools, universities and kindergartens in Armenia were closed on March 13 when the number of new coronavirus cases began to increase in the country rapidly, leading to the declaration of a national emergency. Under the state-of-emergency rule, all educational establishments are to remain closed at least until April 14. In the meantime, the government of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian declared that the new challenge also presents a good opportunity to pilot a long-advocated distance learning program in the country. Minister Harutiunian told reporters today that if successful, the distance learning system may become an efficient tool for Armenias education system beyond the emergency period. The minister cited one of the points of the state-of-emergency decree that leaves an option for organizing classes in a remote mode. In terms of the higher education system we have been able to find solutions due to cooperation with universities and as a result of our consultations. A situation has emerged when higher schools have confirmed that they have undertaken various means to ensure distance learning during this period and have already begun to implement distance learning, the minister said. According to Harutiunian, the ministry is monitoring the process in universities to understand the integrity of distance learning. As far as general education institutions are concerned, we see a lot of enthusiasm here. Without our interference some educational institutions in some cases classrooms, in some cases teachers have started using online platforms to ensure the continuity of the educational process. And I welcome those professionals, those heads of educational establishments and organizers, and I say that you are our partners, and we are your partners, and together we ought to go through this stage and help all those educational institutions that have not had this opportunity or lacked such tools so far to provide them with such tools for organizing distance learning, Harutiunian said. The minister said that the emergency measures will thus become a national pilot project of sorts in the field of distance learning. He added that under the government program, introduction of a distance learning system was originally planned in Armenia for December 2021. The minister reported that an online portal (https://heravar.armedu.am) has been created to gather information about platforms for implementing such programs. Teachers will receive training so that they can acquire the knowledge and experience needed for distance education, the minister added. Harutiunian emphasized that distance learning is not about education away from schools, it is about organizing the learning process through technical means. As students across Armenia have to stay at their homes, Armenias Public Television is going to broadcast classes every morning for more than two hours. Besides, a private telecommunications company, Ucom, will provide a separate channel broadcasting classes around the clock. Also, the Ministry of Education will have its own YouTube channel where training videos will be posted. Ucom has said its customers will be enabled to watch this channel without paying for the internet traffic it takes. A supermarket night fill worker has told of the back-breaking work and long hours staff have put in only to be abused by the customers they support. The worker took to Reddit on Tuesday to shed light on the myth that supermarkets had been making minimal efforts to keep supplies in stock. They said the amount of stock being trucked into the store had doubled due to panic buying surrounding COVID-19 with staff forced to work long and difficult hours. A supermarket night fill worker has told of working long hours and days off to try and keep stocks supplied while also being abused by customers (stock image) 'Trust me when I say that we're killing ourselves to make sure there's stock on the shelf,' they said. 'We're coming in on our days off, on Sundays, earlier and staying back later just to put stuff on the shelves. 'My back hurts, my fingers are swollen, my knees are in bits and I haven't had a meal with my family since this whole thing started two weeks ago,' they said. The worker said abuse from customers was constant and asked everyone to be 'kinder to each other. Pictured is a man being held down after allegedly beating a Coles worker with a stick But the work became even harder during the day when staff also have to contend with unruly and often abusive customers. 'We have to try and do our jobs whilst also getting abused by our customers,' they said. 'People think they're entitled to take more than the limits. People are sitting in the aisle waiting for stock and blocking us from actually doing our job. 'My back hurts, my fingers are swollen, my knees are in bits and I haven't had a meal with my family since this whole thing started two weeks ago,' the supermarket worker said The worker said customers often did not understand that supermarkets do not have a storeroom with extra stock and reminded people to be 'kinder to each other' in general. The post received thousands of views with many people expressing their appreciation for the hard work the night fill workers had been putting in. 'I appreciate your hard work in really trying circumstances. My kid works night fill at our local Woolies and he is exhausted,' a person said. 'I've made it a habit to walk past shelf stackers and just say "thank you" and move on. It might help their day for three seconds,' said another. The post received thousands of views with many people expressing their appreciation for the hard work the night-fill workers had been putting in It comes as supermarkets across the country banded together in a campaign asking customers to stop abusing staff as shoppers become frustrated with product shortages and long queues. The call made in newspaper advertisements across the country on Wednesday followed a series of incidents of customers verbally attacking retail staff. Aldi, Coles, IGA and Woolworths said they were doing everything they could to get as much produce on the shelves as possible, often under difficult circumstances. On Monday a customer had to be pinned down by a staff after a man allegedly started beating a Coles worker with a stick after an argument broke out between the pair. 'Some guy just started beating a Coles staff member at Barkly Square with a large stick and was then pinned down by a bunch of customers,' a witness tweeted. SpaceX is launching its latest Starlink mission today, with a takeoff time of 8:16 AM EDT (5:16 AM PDT) currently scheduled to take place at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch will carry 60 more Starlink broadband internet satellites to their low Earth orbit destination, using a Falcon 9 rocket with a booster that flew four times previously, including twice in 2018 and twice last year, most recently in November for another Starlink mission. This is the second launch attempt for this mission, after a scrubbed attempt on Sunday due to an engine power issue, and there's a backup launch opportunity set for Thursday at 7:56 AM EDT should this try encounter any issues or weather delays. SpaceX is proceeding with this launch despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which late on Tuesday prompted NASA to move to a 'Stage 3' condition across all of their facilities, which mandates telework for all agency employees except for those whose presence on site are mission critical for operations. This launch will include a landing attempt for the Falcon 9 booster, meaning if all goes well SpaceX could recover it for a fifth time for an attempt at refurbishment and re-use. Five flights of a Falcon 9 booster would be a record for SpaceX and the booster that it's attempting this mission with is already a record-holder, since it achieved SpaceX's existing high-water mark for re-use with its last November launch. The primary mission is to deliver the sixth batch of 60 of SpaceX's Starlink satellites to space, which will grow the total constellation size to 360. SpaceX plans to begin commercial operation of the constellation later this year if all goes well, providing high-speed, reliable broadband internet to customers in North America, with lower latency and better speeds than are available using existing satellite internet service, which depend on larger, geosynchronous satellites placed much farther out from Earth. SpaceX will also be aiming to recover the two fairing halves used to protect the satellite cargo on this launch, using two ships stationed at sea that have large nets strung across struts extending from their surface. SpaceX has been attempting these recoveries in order to further increase the reusability (and reduce the cost) of launch but so far it hasn't had much consistency in its success, catching three fairings in total. The fairing being used today flew before, too during the May 2019 Starlink satellite launch. The broadcast of the launch will begin above around 15 minutes prior to the target takeoff time, so at around 8:01 AM EDT (5:01 AM PDT). MUNICH (dpa-AFX) - German luxury carmaker BMW AG (BMW.L, BAMXF.PK, BAMXY.PK) on Wednesday said it expects fiscal 2020 Group profit before tax significantly lower than in 2019, due to the global spread of coronavirus or Covid-19. The company expects the spread of coronavirus and the required containment measures would have a negative impact on delivery volumes in all major markets. The company said it is adjusting production volumes at an early stage in its response to the foreseeable development in demand on the global automobile markets. The company will also make full use of the broad range of instruments available to it to maximise flexibility. BMW further said it plans over 30 billion euros on future-oriented technologies up to 2025. Regarding its outlook for the financial year 2020, BMW said it is difficult to provide an accurate forecast due to the current uncertainty regarding the coronavirus. Automotive segment deliveries to customers worldwide in 2020 are now expected to be significantly below the previous year's level. This would have a negative impact on Automotive segment earnings, particularly in the first half of 2020. A negative effect on the EBIT margin of the Automotive segment for the full year is expected to be in the region of 4 percentage point. The EBIT margin of the Automotive segment would lie within a range of between 2 and 4 percent. Manfred Schoch, General Works Council Chairman, said the Council has agreed three important tools to navigate the staff safely through the corona crisis. These include flexible BMW working time accounts, the option of working from home, and the latest company regulation on short-time work. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Sounds good until you realize that one of Trump s proposals in his stimulus package is to suspend the payroll tax which funds Social Security. Even in the face of a national health and economic emergency, opportunistic Trump seeks to cripple Social Security. by John Stanton Our fundamental responsibility is to protect the American people, the homeland, and the American way of life. National Security Strategy of the United States, 2017 (President Donald Trump) The United States government has no greater responsibility than protecting the American people. National Security Strategy, 2015 (President Barack Obama) National Security Strategy, 2015 (President Barack Obama) At home our most important priority is to protect the homeland for the American people. The National Security Strategy of the United States of Americas, 2002 (President George W. Bush) The National Security Strategy of the United States of Americas, 2002 (President George W. Bush) The United States National Security Strategy is based on foundational Instruments of National Power (INP). The INP consists of Diplomacy, Informational, Military, Economic, Financial, Law Enforcement, Information. Combined with the INP s support, they combine to protect an economy and society that has an annual Gross Domestic Product of nearly $20 trillion (USD) and a per capita income of almost $60 thousand according to the CIA World Factbook . In that publication, the CIA notes that US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers, pharmaceuticals, and medical, aerospace, and military equipment This incredible wealth and power, and the mythical status of America s technologies, could not stop three disastrous events; two of which could have been prevented (911 and great recession), and the third mitigated (COVID-19). Over the last 19 years, the American people have been exposed to a deadly virus (COVID-19), a brutal economic recession in 2008, and terrorist attacks in 2001 on two symbols of American power. And in each case, the response of the US government was to first pump trillions of dollars into Wall Street s coffers through bailouts and quantitative easing, while, in comparison, main street got billions of pennies tossed their way. The national security strategies pushed out by three American presidents (two Republicans and one Democrat) claim the number one priority of the US government is to protect the American people. But as the three shock and awe events of the last 19 years demonstrate, the American people that are protected by the national security strategy are the wealthy and powerful classes and institutions that run the country from their perches on Wall Street, in the White House and Congress, and the Pentagon. The middle and lower class workers are an afterthought. Wall Street Mafia Wall Street is, in fact, a threat to the country. Its focus on increasing return on investment for shareholders has crippled investment in the real economy (infrastructure, retooling, etc.). A better description of Wall Street would be the Wall Street Mafia. An extortion racket if there ever was one. Consider Harvard Business Review s, The Price of Wall Street s Power Scholars and executives alike have criticized Wall Street not only for promoting short-term thinking but for sacrificing the interests of employees and customers to benefit shareholders and for encouraging dishonesty from executives who feel they re being asked to meet impossible demands. The financial sector s influence on management has become so powerful that a recent survey of chief financial officers showed that 78% would give up economic value and 55% would cancel a project with a positive net present valuethat is, willingly harm their companies to meet Wall Street s targets and fulfill its desire for smooth earnings. Executives often explain their deference to Wall Street by saying they have a fiduciary duty to maximize shareholder returns. That s been an article of faith since 1970, when Milton Friedman wrote in the New York Times that executives only responsibility was maximizing profits. The problem, however, is that it s not true. Whatever your beliefs about the moral responsibilities of executives, a fiduciary duty is a specific legal obligation, and law professor Lynn Stout has shown that as a matter of law American executives simply do not face any such requirement. From 1998 through 2013 the finance, insurance, and real estate industries spent almost $6 billion on lobbying; the only sector to spend more was health care. In the wake of the 2008 crisis, the financial sector actually intensified its pressure on the government. Look at the 20132014 election cycle: As of March 2014 finance, insurance, and real estate had spent almost $485 million on lobbyingmore than any other industryand had donated almost $149 million to the campaigns of federal candidates, nearly three times as much as health care had donated. Representatives and lobbyists of the financial sector are so entwined with the agencies that are supposed to regulate it that Washingtonians collectively refer to them as The Blob. This is reflected in the resumes of current and former government officials. The White House and Congress: Self-Quarantine for 10 Years, Please President Trump s la-dee-da attitude during the initial spread of COVID-19 should have come as no surprise. A virus himself, Trump s preference would probably have been to let COVID-19 cull the human herd by not instituting mass testing of the American populace. A dark reading of that thinking being that people infected would continue to travel around the United States passing along COVID-19 to others. Vox reported that Politico reporter Dan Diamond told NPR [National Public Radio] host Terry Gross that, based on his own reporting, Trump did not push to do aggressive additional testing in recent weeks, and that s partly because more testing might have led to more cases being discovered of coronavirus outbreak, and the president had made clear the lower the numbers on coronavirus, the better for the president, the better for his potential re-election this fall. Trump s response to the COVID-19 pandemic brings to mind a scene in the movie classic Total Recall (1990 version) where the sinister character Victor Cohagen (played by Ronnie Cox) is told by an engineer that if he cuts off oxygen supply to one of the city sectors, inhabitants there will die. Cohagen : Yes, what is it? Underling: Sir, the oxygen level is bottoming out in sector G - what do you want me to do about it? Cohagen : Don't do anything. Underling: But they won't last an hour sir. Cohagen : Fuck 'em. In the US senate, conservative ideology takes precedent over the suffering of the American people. The plebes are being slow-rolled. According to USA Today Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., who chairs the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, objected to fast-tracking the legislation. He acknowledged workers are struggling but said businesses are also struggling and that an expensive federal mandate wouldn t help them . The general public might have the impression that the US government had no plan of action for the invasion of the COVID-19 organism. In 2006, President George W. Bush laid down a template for dealing with a pandemic that should have been implemented as China (fast forward to 2020), and subsequently, the rest of the world, coped with the spread of COVID-19. Though the Bush strategy was focused on influenza, all the core steps the US government had to take immediately were well articulated. the Federal Government will use all instruments of national power to address the pandemic threat. The Strategy provides a high-level overview of the approach that the Federal Government will take to prepare for and respond to a pandemic, and articulates expectations of non-Federal entities to prepare themselves and their communities. The Strategy contains three pillars: (1) preparedness and communication; (2) surveillance and detection; and (3) response and containment. Preparedness for a pandemic requires the establishment of infrastructure and capacity, a process that can take years. For this reason, significant steps must be taken now. The Strategy affirms thatto address the pandemic threat. Up, Up and Away, in My Beautiful Military-Intelligence Balloon The combined US National Security budget (uniform services, contractors, nuclear weapons development at the Department of Energy, operations, etc.) is roughly $1.25 trillion per year, according to an analysis by the Project for Government Oversight (POGO) and the Center for Defense Information conducted in 2019. That is a staggering $1.25 trillion in 2019 and you can bet that going forward that yearly figure is likely to rise. It is the White House and US Congress that sign off on that amount year after year. Our final annual tally for war, preparations for war, and the impact of war comes to more than $1.25 trillionmore than double the Pentagon s base budget. If the average taxpayer were aware that this amount was being spent in the name of national defensewith much of it wasted, misguided, or simply counterproductiveit might be far harder for the national security state to consume ever-growing sums with minimal public pushback. For now, however, the gravy train is running full speed ahead and its main beneficiariesLockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and their cohortsare laughing all the way to the bank. And what about the costs for wars on terror, Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan and its effects on America s economy? The War on Terror is a military campaign launched by President George W. Bush in response to the al-Qaida 9/11 terrorist attacks. The War on Terror includes the Afghanistan War and the War in Iraq. It added $2.4 trillion to the debt as of the FY 2020 budget. The War in Afghanistan has lasted longer than the Vietnam War. The War in Iraq killed 4,419 U.S. soldiers and wounded 31,994 more.59 Taxpayers have spent more than $1.52 trillion on the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. The real cost of the War on Terror is not just what it has added to the debt. It's also the lost jobs that those funds could have created. By some estimates, every $1 billion spent on defense creates 8,555 jobs and adds $565 million to the economy.61 That same $1 billion given to you as a tax cut would have stimulated enough demand to create 10,779 jobs and put $505 million into the economy as retail spending. And $1 billion in education spending adds $1.3 billion to the economy and creates 17,687 jobs. Using this model, the $2.4 trillion spent on the War on Terror created 20 million jobs and added $1.4 trillion to the economy. But if it had gone toward education instead, it would have created almost 42 million jobs. It would have added $3.1 trillion to the economy. That may have helped end the recession sooner. Trump s Stimulus Package Trump has proposed about $850 billion in economic stimulus (in addition to the billions in the House of Representatives aid package lingering in the Senate). So that s a one time shot of about $1 trillion for America s suffering plebeians. Sounds good until you realize that one of Trump s proposals in his stimulus package is to suspend the payroll tax which funds Social Security. Even in the face of a national health and economic emergency, opportunistic Trump seeks to cripple Social Security. According to the Motley Fool, Social Security collected more than $885 billion in payroll tax contributions in 2018, the most recent year for which the Social Security trustees have made information available. That represented the vast majority of the roughly $1 trillion in revenue that Social Security received, and it was enough to pay almost 90% of all the benefits that Social Security recipients got that year.If Social Security stopped receiving that $885 billion, the impact would be immediate. Benefits would have to get funded almost entirely by trust fund balances. With asset levels of about $2.9 trillion, the program could only go for four years before using up its entire savings. Even if a payroll tax cut lasted only for the last nine months of 2020, the roughly $660 billion hit would dramatically accelerate the time at which the trust funds would be empty. In 1972, President Richard Nixon compared the average American to a young child in a family. Nothing has changed in 2020. Wall Street, the White House, the US Congress and the Pentagon treat the American people as children. The lyrics to Woody Guthrie s song, This Land is Your Land ring true in 2020 just as they did in the original version in 1940:: As I went walking, I saw a sign there, And on the sign there, it said Private Property. But on the other side, it didn't say nothing! That side was made for you and me. In the squares of the city, in the shadow of a steeple, By the relief office, I'd seen my people. As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking, Is this land made for you and me? (Woody Guthrie) Social distancing near me: How COVID-19 is affecting Humble, Huffman ISDs Humble ISD Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Fagen is impressed by the efforts of the teachers, staff, and community during the everchanging situation with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Our staff, our community, they have been incredible with these announcements, Fagen said. Everybody is being supportive and contributing in every way that they can for the greater good. There is so much positive stuff all over Twitter from our staff. That piece of it is really impressive. According to Fagen, community partners have also stepped up to the plate to help fill needs of the students during this time. Comcast has offered two months free of internet basic to low income families so that they can be connected, Fagen said. Ive seen authors who have given permission for their books to be read online. Ive seen a lot of different software platforms offer the software free for the remainder of the year. Everybody is stepping up in the way that they can towards this collaborative effort. Its really making positive out of a challenging situation. COVID -19 hitting close to home has prompted precautions to be put in place to prevent the spreading of this virus across Houston Metropolitan area including Humble ISD and Huffman ISD. The virus has taken the world by storm, quickly spreading across multiple continents and countries over the past month. As of March 16, the virus has been confirmed in 140 countries around the globe according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the United States, 4,226 cases had been confirmed as of March 17. The Harris County Texas website reports that 110 confirmed cases have been reported within the state of Texas and 11 of those specifically within Harris County. Humble ISD, with a total enrollment of 45,381 students, released on Monday that schools within the district, will be closed, with all events and activities canceled, through Friday, April 10. This is part of the ongoing effort to support our nations need to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Houston area continues to see an increasing number of confirmed cases of COVID-19. Health officials report that this number is expected to continue to increase as more testing is made available. According to Fagen, The health and safety of the community has to be our top priority right now and is one of the reasons behind of the decision to suspend attending school on campuses. Along with that, Fagen continued, we want to provide distance learning opportunities to the students. We want to make sure that the children have food. And we want to partner in supporting our healthcare system so that we can flatten the curve as they say. Were really committed to focusing on those items and doing our part as a school district. Fagen encourages parents to stay connected directly with teachers for specific information about their child and their learning. For information about food being offered and things like that, I would encourage them to go to the district website. For information about having your children at home or anything like that, I really encourage our parents to get on Twitter and follow their teacher, follow the district, follow the school leaders. Theres a lot of information being shared there. According to the statement released by Humble ISD Chief Communications Officer Jamie Mount, the district has designated locations for meals to be served to children within the community from ages 1-18. The current schedule lists meals available for breakfast and lunch through March 20. According to the website, There will be no charge for the meals. Families can drive through the car rider line or walk up to obtain a carry-out meal Wednesday through Friday. Breakfast will be available from 8 to 10 a.m. and lunch will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Meals may be picked up at Elm Grove Elementary School, Oaks Elementary School, Ridge Creek Elementary School, River Pines Elementary School, Humble Middle School, or Ross Sterling Middle School. Children should be present on site to receive the meal. No child will be turned away. Meals are available to children beginning at age 1. Reservations are not required but are greatly appreciated to help us have correct quantity at each location on the first day that we provide meals: The statement also said, Families will receive an email from their school later this week about learning opportunities while campuses are closed. During Spring Break, Humble ISD stated schools would email parents information tonight. However, principals and teachers are now readjusting plans to best serve students over a longer period of time. Please watch your email for information from your childs school. Though campuses are closed for learning, some facilities on the grounds will remain open to the public at the moment. Please note, the statement continues, Throughout Humble ISD, high school campuses are closed; this includes all outside facilities. Middle school tracks remain open to the public at this time. Elementary school playgrounds remain open to the public at this time, and playground equipment will be cleaned daily. Despite daily cleaning, families should be aware that the coronavirus can live on hard surfaces for days. Health officials recommend frequent hand washing and social distancing. As far as the public school board meeting that is usually held the first Tuesday of the month, Mount said, It is the goal to hold the next school board meeting Tuesday, March 24. The district is working on plans that would allow the meeting to occur while maintaining social distancing. The meeting notice will be posted on www.humbleisd.net. According to Fagen, communication between school districts across the state and local regions is happening on a regular basis to help come up with the best plans for moving moving forward. Superintendents across the state are on calls with the TEA [Texas Educators Association] nearly daily, Fagen explained. And superintendents across region four, which is the Houston area, are also on calls almost daily. So, there is constant collaboration, sharing of ideas. We are sharing the best of our ideas with one another. Huffman ISD also released that the district will be closing operations until April 10. According to the statement, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has outlined the need for all communities to implement a social distancing protocol. The President has publicly shared that the community should not gather in groups larger than 10 people. 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. Please continue to monitor your email and visit the District website and social media channels for more information on plans to deliver instruction and information on our feeding program. The health of Huffman ISD students, staff and community is the District's top priority, and District leaders are working to ensure the community has the most current information available. Huffman ISD teachers are expected to reach out to parents about distance education opportunities during the closures, and according to the statement, 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. Rajya Sabha proceedings were on Wednesday adjourned minutes after the start of the Question Hour after Congress members created an uproar over detention of one of their senior MPs in Bengaluru. Congress MPS wanted to raise the issue in the upper house and sought a reply from the government, but Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu did not allow them, saying no member has given a notice in this regard. Unrelenting Congress members continued to raise slogans and later trooped into the well, forcing the Chairman to adjourn the House till 2 PM. Congress members were on their feet at the fag end of Zero Hour, but the Chairman said the issue cannot be raised as no notice has been given. He said a decision on the issue can be taken only after a notice is received from the opposition. "Few people are trying to disrupt the House. Nobody has given notice to the chair. I will not adjourn the House," the chairman said and announced the start of Question Hour. As Congress members trooped into the well while raising slogans, Naidu asked them to return to their seats and allow the Question Hour to proceed. "Do not take away the opportunity of other members," he told protesting members. Amid continued sloganeering, Naidu adjourned proceedings saying "tanashahi nahin chalegi" in the House, taking a swipe at protesting Congress members who were raising this slogan against the government. Congress leader Digvijay Singh was detained by the police in Bengaluru after he sat on a dharna when denied a meeting with rebel party MLAs from Madhya Pradesh who are lodged in Karnataka. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India Shuts Down Taj Mahal, Ramps Up Measures to Control Coronavirus Outbreak By Anjana Pasricha March 17, 2020 India has closed the iconic Taj Mahal, one of the world's most visited tourist sites, as it battles the spread of coronavirus. The Culture Ministry said Tuesday it was "imperative" that people keep away from the monument in the city of Agra, whose allure has apparently not been dimmed by the coronavirus scare. Each day, about 20,000 Indian and foreign tourists visit the Taj Mahal, a number that usually doubles on weekends. Harsh Singh, who traveled with his family from New Delhi, said there were huge crowds when he visited the monument on Saturday. "The line for tickets was really long," he said. Dozens of other monuments that are popular with tourists have also been shut. The closure of top tourist sites comes as states across much of India shut down schools, colleges, shopping malls, theaters and cancel sporting events in a bid to halt the outbreak of the respiratory disease. India's tally of confirmed coronavirus cases stands at 130 and the death toll at three. Health experts say those numbers may not fully reflect the extent of the disease's spread in the world's second-most populous nation due to limited testing done so far. About 6,000 people have been tested in the country of 1.3 billion people, focusing mainly on those who came from abroad and the people who had contact with them. Amid calls to ramp up testing, Indian officials announced Tuesday that they are increasing the number of laboratories and ordering more testing kits. Health experts warn that India has entered a critical phase in which it needs to halt community transmissions. Authorities have begun tightening restrictions as cases increase. In the financial hub of Mumbai, officials said they will stamp "Home Quarantined" in indelible ink on the wrists of all those who have been ordered to self-isolate. It has been a challenge to keep people quarantined as many do not take the instructions seriously. In a Mumbai suburb, local media reported that 11 people, who had been isolated after returning from Dubai, fled a hospital, leading to a manhunt for them. Cities like Mumbai, where hundreds of thousands live in overcrowded slums and travel on packed transport networks, pose the greatest challenge in controlling the outbreak in India. India was among the first countries to introduce screening at airports. Last week, it also imposed some of the world's toughest border measures, suspending most visas and shutting down most land borders. The nation is also trying to reach out to people living in its vast rural areas and in crowded slums through mobile phones, television and social media - all mobile calls begin with a recorded health message. Still, there is wide concern that all this may not be enough. The Times of India newspaper, in an editorial on Tuesday, advised that India "lock down now," saying it should learn from countries like Italy and Spain where the numbers rose exponentially after crossing the 100-person tally. "Given decrepit health care and densely concentrated urban populations, catastrophe awaits if authorities don't act quickly and decisively," it said. While the number of cases in South Asian countries such as India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan remains relatively small, there are fears that the populous region will not be able to cope if the pandemic takes hold. On Sunday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a video conference with other South Asian leaders, offered $10 million to set up an emergency regional fund to tackle the coronavirus outbreak. "Any of us can use the fund to meet the cost of immediate actions," Modi said. He also offered rapid response teams and other expertise to deal with the crisis to smaller countries in the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The composition of this hand sanitizer is 70 per cent isopropanol with glycerol, polypropylene glycol Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad Researchers have developed their own hand sanitizer, in line with the standards recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a Federal Health Agency in the U.S, for the Institute Community. Around ten liters of this hand sanitizer have already been deployed in the campus for the benefit of the students, staff and faculty at locations such as faculty lounge, Shiru Cafe, meeting halls and laboratories, among other areas. This makes it more likely that people will use it and this will help stop the spread of germs and promote good health and hygiene. This has been developed by Dr. Shivakalyani Adepu, who was a Research Scholar at the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering, IIT Hyderabad along with Dr. Mudrika Khandelwal, Associate Professor, Department of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering, IIT Hyderabad. Speaking about their effort, by Dr. Mudrika Khandelwal said, My research group has always believed in doing scientific research and outreach for the benefit of society. This is our small contribution at the time of need. I am glad we would make this happen and hope to make similar contributions in the future. The composition of this hand sanitizer is 70 per cent isopropanol with glycerol, polypropylene glycol to increase the viscosity and reduce the volatility so that the sanitizer stays on skin to allow action, as well as lemongrass oil for antimicrobial activity and therapeutic aroma. The 70 per cent IPA solution penetrates the cell wall, coagulates all proteins, and therefore the microorganism dies. Adding on, Dr. Shivakalyani Adepu said, This was done purely to support the community at this time when it is critical to adopt safe and hygienic practices. We have not thought of commercialization. Our motto is to help people around us. We can assure that these are as safe as any commercial sanitizer, and possibly more effective. Our laboratory conducts a lot of microbiological studies and we have tested these kinds of materials before and have been using the same for several years now. Its efficacy is well known and has been reported. According to WHO and CDC, hands account for transmitting nearly 80 per cent of the infections due to frequent touching of eyes, nose, mouth and ears which leads to the entry of germs. Nearly one in five people do not regularly wash their hands. Of those who do, 70 per cent do not use soap. The alcohol-based hand sanitizers kill most bacteria, and fungi, and stop some viruses, present on hands within 30 seconds of application. If 70 percent of alcohol is poured to a single-celled organism, the diluted alcohol also coagulates the protein, but at a slower rate, so that it penetrates all the way through the cell before coagulation can block it. Then the entire cell is coagulated and the organism dies. While the world is battling pandemic, President Xi Jinping, in a diplomatic message to India, has said that China will always stand by Pakistan regardless of pressure. "No matter how the 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 told Pakistani President Arif Alvi who was visiting Beijing on Tuesday. The statement assumes significance in view of the fact that China sees India, as an extension of its arch rival, US ever since Washington and New Delhi have strengthened their strategic partnership under the leadership of President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The recent grand reception of President Trump in India during his two day trip, is being considered as a new and decisive chapter in the world order. The ongoing US-China blame game over the outbreak is playing out, accordingly. Beijing has accused the US army of bringing the COVID-19 to China and deliberately infect its population. US President Donald Trump in a strong rebuttal, has now begun to refer COVID-19 as the 'Chinese virus'. While over 3200 have died and around 81,000 people have been infected by in China, over 110 are dead and over 6500 people are infected in the US. Relatively, Pakistan and India are still safer with only 247 and 148 people who have tested positive for the infection, respectively. Three people have died due to the infection in India. While most state heads in the world have canceled their foreign trips, President Alvi along with foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and minister for planning and development Asad Umar went ahead with their visit to Beijing. Against this backdrop, during his talks with President Alvi on Tuesday, said, "special friendship between Pakistan and China was choice of the history as it had deep roots in the hearts of people of the two countries." He said President Alvi's presence in China was "expression of a firm support to us and this speaks volumes of profound friendship towards the Chinese people and the emphasis he put on our bilateral ties". China has planned to donate 300,000 face masks, 10,000 protective suits and 4 million US dollars to Pakistan to fight coronavirus. reiterated his commitment to build the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into a model of high-quality development within the Belt and Road Initiative. The two countries signed memoranda of understanding (MoU) on establishing joint technology and agriculture working groups in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Joint Cooperation Committee and strengthening of cooperation on pest and disease control. PITTSBURGH The Steelers wouldve had to offer Zach Banner more. The backup tackle wouldve been owed $2,133,000 on a one-year, restricted free agent tender. Instead, hes returning to the team on a one-year, $1.75 million deal, according to Steelers Depot. The original round tender wouldve allowed other teams to make offers to Banner, but Pittsburgh wouldve been allowed to match any of those offer sheets. Banner announced his return on the eve of free agency with an edited video, featuring Maurkice Pouncey, Chukwuma Okorafor and Alejandro Villanueva. Banner was the teams third choice at right tackle in 2019. But he was the teams go-to blocking tight end, endearing him to a Heinz Field crowd that got very used to needing everything it could get up front to run the ball last season. He never did get thrown to, though he did go out for passes on at least two occasions. Banner has repeatedly stated his desire to stay in Pittsburgh. The former fourth-round pick was all but out of the league after falling out of favor with the Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers before the Steelers signed him midway through training camp in 2018. He made the team, but didnt play. In 2019 he filled a specialist role. And with Ramon Foster retired, B.J. Finney hitting free agency and Matt Feiler, who can play guard, able to be retained on a restricted free agent deal, Banner could find himself battling Okorafor for the first-choice right tackle job come August. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Tuesday that the military will provide five million respiratory masks and 2,000 portable ventilators to the states in the fight against the novel coronavirus. But he urged caution on the deployment of field hospitals, something suggested earlier by the White House. At a Pentagon news conference, Esper outlined the medical and logistical support the Pentagon is prepared to offer, with the first priority being to make available to the states five million N95 surgical masks, which have been in short supply in some areas as the pandemic has escalated. The first million masks from the Defense Department's strategic reserves will go out immediately, with the rest distributed in the coming days, he said. In addition, the DoD will provide the Department of Health and Human Services with "up to 2,000 deployable ventilators" for distribution to the states as needed to cope with the expected surge in coronavirus patients and the predicted shortage of the devices in intensive-care units nationwide. Esper cautioned that the deployable ventilators are different than those used in the civilian sector and will require training in their use by military personnel at local hospitals. "Yes, these require some special training," he said. Related: The Return of M*A*S*H: Army Corps on Standby to Build Tent Hospitals, White House Says Fourteen military labs will be made available to process coronavirus tests for the states, he added. "We hope this provides excess capacity to the civilian population." Esper also said that mobilization of the Army Corps of Engineers to renovate empty buildings would probably not be the best and quickest way to expand the capacity of local hospitals to deal with a surge of COVID-19 patients requiring isolation rooms. The Corps of Engineers could provide oversight of renovation projects, he said, but its mission is not to do the work itself. Instead, it contracts out for projects with private construction companies, and renovating buildings might be accomplished faster on the local level, he said. Air Force Gen. John Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist are his main contacts with the White House task force on coronavirus, Esper said, and more consultation with them might be necessary before decisions are made. He said field hospitals and the doctors who staff them deal with combat trauma. "They don't necessarily have the segregated space" to deal with coronavirus patients needing isolation, he added. However, the field hospitals could "take the pressure off civilian hospitals" by taking on their trauma cases to open up space for the treatment of coronavirus, Esper said. Overall, the military doesn't want to be put in the position of "robbing Peter to pay Paul," he said. The doctors and nurses to staff the tent hospitals would be drawn from the Reserves and possibly be taken away from their civilian jobs, in which they might already be working to ease the coronavirus crisis, he said. "We have to be very conscious of that," Esper said. "As I've talked to a couple of governors today, we talked about that, and I think people are beginning to understand what that trade-off means." The same considerations must be taken into account on the deployment of the hospital ships USNS Comfort on the East Coast and USNS Mercy on the West Coast, he said. The Comfort, which recently deployed to South America, is currently undergoing maintenance at its home station in Norfolk, Virginia. The Mercy, whose home station is San Diego, is deployable but would have to be staffed first with doctors and nurses drawn from the civilian sector, Esper said. He said the DoD is prepared to do all it can in the fight against coronavirus, but added that the active-duty military should be considered a "last resort" in providing resources and personnel. Esper said he had not monitored the earlier White House news conference at which President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence discussed preparations underway for the deployment of DoD tent hospitals and the Army Corps of Engineers, but said the pluses and minuses should be weighed first. "I'm more than willing to send the Corps of Engineers out to work with states. If we can be useful, if we can help, we're certainly willing to provide that service," Esper said. But it might be quicker to have the states and localities contract for building renovations, he said. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Read more: More COVID-19 coverage Leo Varadkar during his live TV address to the nation Taoiseach Leo Varadkar issued a historic rallying call as the country braces itself for worst impacts of the deadly coronavirus. In a televised state of the nation address, he called for calm and community spirit but warned that the worst has yet to come. The Taoiseach said we are experiencing "the calm before the storm" and predicted 15,000 people will have the disease before the end of the month. "We can't stop the virus, but working together, we can slow it in its tracks and push it back," he added. He said the strict social distancing measure put in place to fight the virus could be extended into the summer months. This will soon include asking older and vulnerable people to "cocoon" in their homes for weeks on end. "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 Taoiseach said he understood it will be difficult for older people to stay away from their loved ones, but urged them to use Skype or Facetime to keep in contact with their families. He said the Government will ensure those who are asked to cocoon will be have food delivered. Truth The Taoiseach acknowledge the virus is causing "huge stress and anxiety" for people who lost their jobs. He said the Government will provide them with welfare supports. He added that people should avoid unnecessary journeys, shop online from local businesses and get goods delivered. He thanked health workers, saying: "Not all superheroes wear capes, some wear scrubs and gowns." He said the "truth is" the Government does not know when the crisis will end. "We went into this crisis with a strong economy and the public finances in good order. We have the capacity and credit rating to borrow billions if we need to. I'm confident our economy will bounce back, but the damage will be significant and lasting," he said. The Government is preparing to introduce emergency legislation in the Dail. The bill will give medical officials the power to order people to be detained and isolated if they believe they could spread the virus. The Government will be able to order people to stay in their homes. It will have the power to close down mass gatherings. The emergency legislation will provide for welfare benefits for people who have not been able to work. The Dail will reconvene today to vote on the emergency measures. By Kang Seung-woo Sunny Park, founder of U.S.-based janitorial service company General Building Maintenance, has endowed a scholarship of $220,000 (273 million won) to Berry College in Georgia, which will fund two American students to study in Korea, a move to promote better cultural understanding. Sunny Park, president of the American Korean Friendship Society / Korea Times file Iran reported its single biggest jump in deaths from the CCP virus on March 18 as another 147 people died, raising the countrys overall death toll to 1,135. The nearly 15 percent spike in deathsamid a total of 17,361 confirmed cases in Iranmarks the biggest 24-hour rise in fatalities since officials first acknowledged cases of the CCP virus in Iran in mid-February. The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. Still, even as the number of cases continues to grow each day, food markets were still packed with shoppers on Wednesday and highways were crowded with traffic as families traveled between cities ahead of the Persian New Year, Nowruz, on Friday. Irans deputy health minister, Alireza Raisi, urged the public to avoid travel and crowded places. In a statement on state TV, Raisi told Iranians the coming period represented two golden weeks to try to curb the virus from spreading further. He criticized people for not adhering to the warnings to stay home, saying the virus is very serious. This is not a good situation at all, he said. Irans President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday defended his governments response to the CCP virus outbreak in the face of widespread criticism that officials acted too slowly and may have even covered up initial cases before infections rapidly spread across the country. In a speech to his Cabinet, Rouhani said the government was straightforward with the nation, saying it announced the outbreak as soon as it learned about it on Feb. 19. We spoke to people in a honest way. We had no delay, he added. The government has come under heavy criticism for what has been seen as a slow and inadequate response. For weeks, government officials implored clerics to shut down crowded holy shrines to stymie the spread of the CCP virus. The government finally closed the shrines this week. It was difficult of course to shut down mosques and holy sites, but we did it. It was a religious duty to do it, Rouhani said. Iran also announced it would close mosques for communal Friday prayers for a third consecutive week. Other Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates have also canceled Friday prayers in mosques. The CCP virus has infected hundreds of thousands of people around the world and killed thousands. For most people, it 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 CCP virus. World Health Organization director for the Eastern Mediterranean region, Ahmed Al-Mandhari, told reporters in Cairo via a virtual press conference that the many travel restrictions, imposed by various countries, are hurting efforts to combat the virus. They delay both the deployment of public health experts to countries that need support and the delivery of urgently needed medical supplies, he said. In Israel, meanwhile, the Health Ministry said 90 more people had tested positive, bringing the countrys overall number to 427, a day after authorities issued a new series of guidelines that put Israelis in near-shutdown mode. Israel has ordered tens of thousands into home quarantine, turned hotels into hospitals, and is setting up drive-thru testing centers. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of catastrophic consequences if people dont follow safety instructions. This is a huge crisis. We are only at the start of the campaign, he said in a televised address Tuesday evening. Most controversially, the Israeli government has instructed the shadowy Shin Bet internal security service to start deploying the agencys phone surveillance technology to help curb the spread of the virus in Israel by tracking the moves of the infected. In Iraq, a week-long curfew went into effect in Baghdad. Only pedestrians were allowed on the streets to buy necessary foodstuffs and medicine. Armed Iraqi police were seen patrolling the city and setting up roadblocks. Still, some pilgrims in Iraq defied the curfew to observe the annual Shiite Muslim commemoration of the death of Imam Mousa al-Kazim. Thousands typically make the journey on foot to the revered imams shrine in the Khadimiya area outside of Baghdad. Several men, women, and children walked solemnly down Baghdads Saadoun Street on Wednesday, determined to complete the journey to the shrine. Police stationed nearby did not intervene to stop them. Demonstrators in Tahrir Square, the hub of Iraqs anti-government protest movement, issued a collective statement that they were suspending protest activities to help stop the spread of the CCP virus. Iraq has had 11 deaths among 154 confirmed cases of the CCP virus, which causes the COVID-19 illness. In Egypt, coffee shops and restaurants were shuttered on Wednesday. Plain-clothed security forces urged people to go home in Cairo, a city of over 20 million. I am financially ruined, how can I earn my living now, said Mohammed Gamal, a worker in a coffee shop that was shut down by authorities. Egypt, which has reported nearly 200 cases and six deaths from the CCP virus, has suspended flights, closed schools, is quarantining more than 300 families in a Nile Delta village, and imposed a lockdown in the Red Sea resort town of Hurghada. As global stock markets remain volatile, the United Arab Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority announced that local exchanges would only be able to fluctuate 5 percent, rather than 10 percent, before trading is suspended. Meanwhile, the leaders of the worlds 20 biggest economies may hold an extraordinary virtual meeting next week about advancing a coordinated response to the pandemic. Saudi Arabia, which currently leads the G20 presidency, said it is communicating with countries to convene the virtual meeting of leaders. In Pakistan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who this week visited China along with the countrys president Arif Alvi, said he is protectively quarantining himself on his physicians advice. By Nasser Karimi and Aya Batrawy The Epoch Times staff contributed to this report. Latest News Sydney property prices might not drop yet, as planning problems persist NSW planning approvals have fallen off a cliff since October, showing that the supply crisis might yet continue The key trends for property investment in 2022 analysed The key trends for property investment in 2022 analysed, with rentvesting and borderless investing likely to surge A non-bank lender and wealth manager has announced a hardship assistance program to help small business customers weather the financial fallout of the the spread of COVID-19. La Trobe Financial has designed the package to assist all small business customers, whether tourism operators, farmers, exporters of fresh produce or groups reliant on imports. Customers may be eligible to arrange: A deferral of scheduled loan repayments The waiving of fees and charges Temporary interest-only periods to assist with cashflow Debt consolidation to make repayments more manageable La Trobe is encouraging any customer experiencing financial hardship, regardless of their circumstances, to get in touch and will handle each request on a case-by-case basis. Cory Bannister, chief lending officer at La Trobe Financial, reiterated the groups dedication to supporting its customers through the rocky start of 2020. We recently announced a $1 million bushfire relief package to help people affected by the devastating bushfires across Australia, he said. Today, we are looking out for our customers who have been impacted by the spread of COVID-19. As always, we remain committed to helping our customers through these challenging times. A 125-acre livestock and amenity farm with development potential is now up for sale in the picturesque Loch Lomond National Park in Scotland. Old Kirk Farm's land is currently all down to pasture and predominantly rated grade 3.2 by the James Hutton Institute. The land is divided into a series of enclosures and benefits from good access for farm vehicles. The farmhouse is located in the centre of the landholding, and is now requiring complete modernisation and refurbishment. (Photo: Galbraiths) It benefits from an attractive outlook with traditional stone exteriors under a slate roof. In addition, a range of traditional farm buildings, are situated adjacent to the farmhouse and there is a yard area to the rear of the steading. Duncan Barrie, of property agency Galbraiths, said: This sale represents an excellent opportunity for the right person to reinstate the farmhouse and create a wonderful home to their own specifications. (Photo: Galbraiths) There are a good number of traditional farm buildings, which may offer further development or alternative use opportunities subject to obtaining the necessary building and planning consents. "The property benefits from a sufficient area of farmland which would cater for a number of livestock or equestrian purposes, and the farm is situated in a private position with lovely views over this picturesque area of Scotland. Old Kirk Farm is being sold as a whole or in three lots, as follows: Lot 1 Offers Over 265,000; Lot 2 Offers Over 200,000; Lot 3 Offers Over 30,000; As a whole: Offers Over 495,000. A local animal shelter is urging people who are working from home during the coronavirus pandemic to adopt a pet to keep them company. Olivia Schneider, public relations and promotions manager for San Antonio Pets Alive!, said Tuesday the shelter is in urgent need of 40 new fosters, adding that the number will increase during the pandemic. SAPA! also dropped its adoption fee to $10 until this Sunday. "In times of uncertainty, the intake of animals will increase but adoptions will drop," Schneider said. "We want to clear our shelters as much as possible because these times are unpredictable and anything can happen." At Spay-Neuter-Inject-Protect San Antonio, or SNIPSA, foster coordinator Carolynn Ekbaeck said more foster applications are being submitted, however, she said there are still animals in the rescue center that need placement. READ ALSO: San Antonio schools extending spring break due to coronavirus "Fostering can help keep the kids busy if they are still on break and the pets can also bring some comfort during these stressful times," Ekbaeck said. San Antonio Animal Care Services also wrote on its Facebook account Wednesday that it needs fosters more than ever as space is filling up quickly. To foster at the local organizations, visit their website at sanantoniopetsalive.org, snipsa.org and sanantonio.gov. All are accepting applications for adoptions. "We really need the foster community to step up and help save the lives of the most vulnerable animals in the community," Schneider said. "Don't work from home alone." The Animal Defense League of Texas in San Antonio is still open to the public as its adoption process is conducted in an open-air environment as of Tuesday. The San Antonio Humane Society announced on Monday that its locations are closed to the public until further notice. Priscilla Aguirre is a breaking news reporter and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | priscilla.aguirre@express-news.net | @CillaAguirre VICTORIA - British Columbia declared a public health emergency Tuesday after reporting three new COVID-19 deaths and 83 more cases of the virus. The province now has had seven fatalities during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Dr. Bonnie Henry, the provincial health officer, ordered the immediate closure of bars and nightclubs, saying they cant meet social distancing requirements needed to fight the community spread of the novel coronavirus. Restaurants and cafes that cant adapt to social distancing must also close or switch to take-out service only, she said. Henry, who called social distancing a second line of defence, estimated the actual distance from the nearest person as between one metre and two metres. She described it as a fingertip to fingertip distance from the closest person. We have taken the extra step of declaring a public health emergency, she said at a news conference. This is the tool that we need now. This declaration of an emergency enables me to be faster, more streamlined and nimble in the things we need to do. Health Minister Adrian Dix said the declaration gives Henry powers to make immediate verbal orders. The provincial health officer can also compel any and all peace officers to enforce her verbal orders, said Dix. As health minister, Dix said the declaration also allows him to amend regulations without the consent of the cabinet and make changes to the Public Health Act without the legislatures approval. The public health emergency comes less than 24 hours after B.C. cancelled thousands of elective and scheduled surgeries to increase hospital space for acute care patients. Dix offered condolences to the seven families who have lost loved ones to the pandemic. We, along with everyone else, grieve with these families, he said. This is truly another sombre day. Henry said six of the deaths stem from the Lynn Valley Care Centre in North Vancouver. A man in his 80s also died on Monday in hospital in the Fraser Health region. The province took steps to try to prevent the spread of the virus on Tuesday, announcing that school is out indefinitely. And Premier John Horgan promised help for businesses and workers affected by the pandemic. We have to take action today to protect our students and staff, Fleming told a news conference with Horgan and Finance Minister Carole James. Education Minister Rob Fleming said his ministry is working with school districts and teachers on a plan to continue learning for students from kindergarten to Grade 12, but not in classrooms. Fleming said the suspension of classes will not affect students who are scheduled to graduate this spring. He said all students who are on course to graduate from Grade 12, and those progressing to the next grade, will do so. It isnt known when students will return to school, Fleming added. Were in a fast moving situation. We will return to regular school life down the road. Horgan said a provincial relief plan will be finalized in the next day or two to help companies and workers deal with COVID-19. He said financial security, the education system and co-operation among governments are three top concerns for people as the pandemic response unfolds. Its a go big or go home environment, Horgan said. It seems to me this is a crisis situation and we need an appropriate response. He said the province is waiting for the final details of the federal governments plan expected on Wednesday before it releases its approach. The premier said there will be financial support for businesses and changes to the Employment Standards Act to prevent workers from being laid off if they are required to stay at home to self-isolate. We want to make sure that no one loses their job by doing the right thing, Horgan said. Horgan also pressed the federal government to ensure it changes employment insurance regulations to help workers, especially the self-employed and people working in the service industry. Finance Minister Carole James, who introduced a surplus budget last month, said COVID-19 will hit B.C.s bottom line. It is likely we will have a deficit, she said. Theres no question about that. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 17, 2020 Ayyappanum Koshiyum, the action thriller that features Prithviraj Sukumaran and Biju Menon in the lead roles, is one of the most-loved Malayalam films of recent past. The movie, which is written and directed by Sachy, has equally impressed the cine-goes outside Kerala. The remake rights of Ayyappanum Koshiyum are now in high demand. As per the latest reports, the Telugu remake rights of the Prithviraj Sukumaran-Biju Menon starrer are now sold. The Telugu remake rights are bagged by the producer of the recently released Allu Arjun starring blockbuster Ala Vaikunthapurramloo, Suryadevara Naga Vamsi. The makers of Ayyappanum Koshiyum confirmed the reports through the official social media pages of the movie, recently. Even though the team is yet to finalise the director and lead cast of the Telugu remake, the rumour mills suggest that some highly popular actors of Telugu cinema are approached to reprise the roles of Prithviraj and Biju Menon. More details regarding the Telugu remake are expected to be revealed soon. Recently, the Tamil remake rights of the Prithviraj Sukumaran-Biju Menon were bagged by the S Kathiresan, the producer of the blockbuster Tamil movies Aadukalam and Jigarthanda. The netizens, who are highly excited about the Tamil remake, have been suggesting several popular names including Vijay Sethupathi and Jayam Ravi, for the lead roles. Ayyappanum Koshiyum, which marked Prithviraj and Biju Menon's collaboration with writer-director Sachy after the great success of Anarkali, was released on February 7, 2020. The movie, which is made with a moderate budget, has reportedly made a total business of over 50 Crores and emerged as one of the all-time highest-grossing films of the Malayalam cinema industry. The acclaimed film is currently streaming on the popular OTT platform Amazon Prime. Also Read: Best Malayalam Movies & Web Series To Watch Online After Theaters Shutdown! Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 09:13:14|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close A passenger walks at the departure area of Sydney Airport, in Sydney, Australia, March 18, 2020. Virgin Australia airline announced Wednesday it would temporarily suspend all international flights as well as 50 percent of domestic services, in another blow to the industry by COVID-19. Australia's national carrier Qantas on Tuesday cancelled 90 percent of its international flights as well as 60 percent of its domestic capacity. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei) SYDNEY, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Virgin Australia airline announced Wednesday it would temporarily suspend all international flights as well as 50 percent of domestic services, in another blow to the industry by COVID-19. "We have responded by making tough decisions which include reducing our domestic capacity and phasing in the temporary suspension of international flying for a period of two and a half months," Virgin Australia CEO Paul Scurrah said in a statement. The news comes as Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison officially advised against all overseas travel in an unprecedented move in the nation's history. "We are upgrading the travel ban on Australians to level 4 for the entire world," Morrison told reporters on Wednesday. "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." National carrier Qantas on Tuesday cancelled 90 percent of its international flights as well as 60 percent of its domestic capacity. Both airlines said that customers with existing bookings would be able to reschedule. What are the only two things everyone has been saying these past few days? Wash your hands and avoid crowded places. And honestly, it's simple enough and the least people can do during this pandemic. Self-isolation and social distancing is becoming the norm throughout the world but of course, Indians have something else in mind. Right now, the condition in India is still controlled to an extent and we need to keep it that way because just looking at the huge amount of people in this country, the death toll due to coronavirus if it spreads like it did in China and Italy would be devastating. Reuters But, apparently UP government really doesn't care about people since they're still going ahead with the Ram Navami Mela in Ayodhya which is going to be held from March 25 to April 2. The mela every year attracts a huge number of devotees but it seems like this year, it's even more special to people since the Supreme Court verdict gave the disputed land for the construction of Ram Mandir. Reportedly, the chief medical officer of Ayodhya, Ghanshyam Singh, expressed concerns about the event and said, "We simply do not have the necessary resources to screen such a large number of people." Reuters However, the district administration claims that the CMO never made such comments and they have made "all the necessary arrangements." Mahant Paramhans, an Ayodhya based saint, said, "It can not be stopped...it will hurt the sentiments of millions of Hindus....and this year it is more important...for the first time Lord Rama is free." He added, "Ramji will make sure that no harm comes to the devotees." Of course, everyone should be free to practise their religion however they want, but during the time of a pandemic, ten lakh people should not be gathered together at one place. The entire Covid-19 situation will quickly get out of hand in India if the mela goes on as planned. Reuters People online are obviously angry about how the well-being of the entire population is being compromised for one mela. Absolutely nothing. More than 1 million people from all over the country will be in this mela between March 25 - April 2 What could go wrong? https://t.co/y4PgSfB6Bg Dhruv Rathee (@dhruv_rathee) March 18, 2020 When bigots and idiots come together it becomes suicidal! https://t.co/PsJGxf6acF @deccanherald Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) March 17, 2020 Why is nobody shouting about Ram Navami Mela in Ayodhya. Shaheen bagh with many fewer people is being portrayed as a public health threat but hindu pilgrims infecting the whole country is a great idea!! N S (@nandinisundar) March 18, 2020 Cults usually indulge in mass self-harm in their final days. https://t.co/UdB1lpaoSs Sasidharan Pazhoor (@inquestioner) March 18, 2020 Ayodhya to hold Ram Navami mela despite #COVID19 fears This, if true, is criminally irresponsible of @myogiadityanath. The UP Govt will be responsible for the single largest transmission of #coronavirusindia#CoronavirusOutbreak https://t.co/PgRu2Jw5rS @deccanherald Kavita Krishnan (@kavita_krishnan) March 17, 2020 So, large gatherings have been banned in UP but Ram Navami Mela in #Ayodhya is on schedule from 25 March. Over 10 lakh pilgrims expected to attend. Adityanath govt must cancel this. Surely, Lord Ram would also think of people's safety first. #COVID19Indiahttps://t.co/9fC92m2Y6O Ruchira Chaturvedi (@RuchiraC) March 18, 2020 Ram Navmi is coming, and Lakhs of people would want to go to Ayodhya as this Ram Navmi is a little special. But in the wake of Coronavirus, we urge UP CM to cancel the Mela or make it an isolated affair this time.@myogiadityanath pic.twitter.com/gIJ93dlcql Aaj Ki Taza Khabar (youtube channel) (@AKTKadmin) March 18, 2020 With bottles of cow urine at the ready? LIBERATUM (@LiberatumGlobal) March 18, 2020 The Adityanath government has banned large gatherings due to #coronavirus, except in the holy city where over 10 lakh people are expected for the Ram Navami Mela later this month. #covidindia https://t.co/7RdexC0da1 Meghnad (@Memeghnad) March 17, 2020 Hmm.Hmm part two.Ouch.It needs to get cancelled.Exactly.Yes please.Won't be surprised.Sad and ironic. Telangana health ministry on Wednesday confirmed the sixth positive case of coronavirus in the state. The patient is a male and has a recent history of travel to the United Kingdom. According to reports, the patient is currently admitted to an isolation ward at a government hospital. The total number of coronavirus cases in the country has jumped to 147. With 41 Covid-19 cases, Maharashtra has the highest number of people who have tested positive for coronavirus. Kerala has reported as many as 27 cases of Covid-19 so far. Telangana Health Ministry: Sixth positive case of #COVID19 has been confirmed today in the state. The patient has travel history to the United Kingdom and is admitted to an isolation ward of a government hospital. ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 Three coronavirus deaths have been reported in India from Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra. 14 people have recovered from the infection. In a bid to fight coronavirus, the government has stepped up efforts. From installing hand sanitizers and thermal scanners to disabling biometric attendance and conducting meetings through video conferencing, the department of personnel and training (DoPT) has issued a detailed advisory to the government employees. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has asked all paramilitary forces to get into battle mode and plan ahead to combat the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected almost 200,000 and killed nearly 8,000 people worldwide. The guidelines come in the wake of an Indian Army trooper from Ladakh testing positive for the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) on Wednesday. Covid-19 has infected over 180,000 people across the globe and has claimed over 7,000 lives. The virus was first reported in Chinas Wuhan which soon became the epicentre of the outbreak. At present, China is reporting a decline in new cases and the rate of fatalities. The epicentre has now shifted from China to Europe where countries like Italy and Spain are grappling to contain the spread of coronavirus. EUSA Pharma, a global biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology and rare disease, today announced the initiation of the Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital sponsored study of siltuximab, an interleukin (IL)-6 targeted monoclonal antibody, for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 who have developed serious respiratory complications (Siltuximab In Serious COVID-19; SISCO Study). Ergomed plc (LSE: ERGO), a company focused on providing specialized services to the pharmaceutical industry, is providing clinical research services for the study. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005218/en/ Professor Alessandro Rambaldi, MD, PhD, Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital, Bergamo, Italy, Study Sponsor-Investigator and Director of the Hematology Unit and Department of Oncology and Hematology, said: "The team at Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital are thankful to EUSA Pharma for the supply of siltuximab for compassionate use in patients with serious complications of COVID-19 and the opportunity to generate data to understand the potential for IL-6 blockade in these patients. The SISCO Study will allow us to generate credible data as evidence to guide future treatment and research decisions and we look forward to publication of these data as quickly as possible. The Hospital is in a very difficult emergency situation and rapid collection and analysis of data by way of a case-control study will provide much needed information to help address this critical situation and appropriately guide the use of medicines in an off-label situation." Lee Morley, Chief Executive Officer, EUSA Pharma, said: "We are delighted to support this study to investigate the potential for siltuximab to help patients severely ill as a result of COVID-19. Following the release of initial data from China suggesting a role of IL-6 in the development of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome as a result of COVID-19, EUSA Pharma was pleased to assist Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital with the supply of siltuximab under compassionate use and to support the collection, analysis and publication of initial outcome data from this series of patients. We look forward to working further with the Hospital as well as Italian and Worldwide Regulatory Authorities, and other research bodies to fully understand the potential of siltuximab at this critical time in the global pandemic." About the SISCO Study Sponsored by the Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital, the SISCO Study is an observational case-control trial of siltuximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody targeting human interleukin (IL)-6, for the treatment of patients infected with COVID-19 who develop serious respiratory complications. The study represents the data collection and analysis of a series of patients treated under an ongoing emergency compassionate use protocol. The study will investigate two cohorts retrospectively, hospitalised patients prior to admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) or patients already requiring intensive care, and will compare to matched controls. Primary endpoints are reduction in the need of invasive ventilation, time spent in ICU or 30-day mortality. Emerging evidence suggests that exacerbated production of the inflammatory cytokine IL-6 is associated with the severity of COVID-19 related pulmonary pathology associated with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Therefore, direct targeting of this cytokine may improve clinical outcomes in these critically ill patients. This study will provide important data to inform future clinical studies, discussions on which are ongoing, to further investigate the efficacy of siltuximab in patients with COVID-19 who develop serious respiratory complications. Initial data are expected in late March 2020. ENDS# About siltuximab Siltuximab is a monoclonal antibody that blocks the action of interleukin (IL)-6, a multifunctional cytokine detected at elevated levels in multiple inflammatory conditions. It is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) under the brand name of SYLVANTfor the treatment of patients with multicentric Castleman disease (MCD) who are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) negative and human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) negative (idiopathic MCD; iMCD). iMCD is a rare, life-threatening and debilitating lymphoproliferative disorder, which causes abnormal overgrowth of immune cells and shares many symptomatic and histological features with lymphoma. EUSA Pharma has exclusive rights to SYLVANT globally. EUSA Pharma has granted BeiGene, Ltd., exclusive development and commercialization rights to SYLVANT in Greater China. Indications and Usage of SYLVANTSee full Prescribing Information for additional information. SYLVANT (siltuximab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with multicentric Castleman disease (MCD) who are HIV negative and HHV-8 negative. Limitations of Use: SYLVANT was not studied in patients with MCD who are HIV positive or HHV-8 positive because SYLVANT did not bind to virally produced IL-6 in a nonclinical study. Contraindications: Severe hypersensitivity reaction to siltuximab or any of the excipients in SYLVANT Dosage and Administration Administer SYLVANT 11 mg/kg over 1 hour as an intravenous infusion every 3 weeks until failure. Perform hematology laboratory tests prior to each dose of SYLVANT therapy for the first 12 months and every 3 dosing cycles thereafter. If treatment criteria outlined in the Prescribing Information are not met, consider delaying treatment with SYLVANT. Do not reduce dose. Do not administer SYLVANT to patients with severe infections until the infection resolves. Discontinue SYLVANT in patients with severe infusion related reactions, anaphylaxis, severe allergic reactions, or cytokine release syndromes. Do not reinstitute treatment. About EUSA Pharma Founded in March 2015, EUSA Pharma is a world-class biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology and rare disease. The company has extensive commercial operations in the United States and Europe, alongside a direct presence in select other markets across the globe. EUSA Pharma is led by an experienced management team with a strong record of building successful pharmaceutical companies, and is supported by significant funding raised from leading life science investor EW Healthcare Partners. For more information please visit: www.eusapharma.com. About Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital is one of the biggest hospitals in Lombardy, covering 320 thousand square meters in total and comprising more than 900 beds. Among the areas of excellence, an important role is covered by the Cancer Center that brings patients from the whole national territory and also from foreign countries. The Hospital is playing a leading role in the Italian response to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005218/en/ Contacts: Lee Morley Chief Executive EUSA Pharma Tel: +44 (0)330 5001140 Barney Mayles Associate Director OPEN Health Mobile: +44 (0)7936 768568 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Nations around the world risk wasting $640 billion by continuing to prop up the coal industry rather than investing in less expensive and environmentally friendlier wind and solar power initiatives. In a report issued Thursday, financial think tank Carbon Tracker said 60 percent of the world's coal power plants are generating electricity at a higher cost than renewable energy alternatives would offer. As green initiatives have made inroads in recent years, investors have abandoned their century-old reliance on coal. But due largely to political pressures, governments continue to fund the coal industry. The Carbon Tracker report warns against such a practice. "Renewables are out-competing coal around the world and proposed coal investments risk becoming stranded assets which could lock in high-cost coal power for decades," said Matt Gray, Carbon Tracker co-head of power and utilities and co-author of the report. "The market is driving the low-carbon energy transition, but governments aren't listening." According to Carbon Tracker senior analyst Sriya Sundaresan, "Investors should be wary of relying on continued government support for coal when a phase-out will save their voters billions and make their economies more competitive." In order to cap global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of this century, according to goals set by the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, global reliance on coal power would need to be significantly cut before the year 2030. Specifically, by that target date, an 80 percent reduction from 2010 coal levels needs to be achieved. Furthermore, according to the Carbon Tracker report, one coal plant has to close down every day until 2040 to meet the 1.5 degree Celsius global warming cap. The report, titled "How to Waste Over half a Trillion Dollars," said the threat of climate change and clear environmental and economic benefits make immediate action necessary. It found almost 500 gigawatts of new coal power is planned or under construction globally. "It makes economic sense for governments to cancel new coal projects immediately and progressively phase out existing plants," the report stated. The report noted that China faces especially urgent choices. Half the world's coal energy is produced there, with seven in 10 plants costing the Chinese more than solar and wind farms would. With the tremendous hit their economy took as a result of COVID-19, which appears to be easing up in China in recent days, they nevertheless would benefit by rethinking their tremendous reliance on coal and resisting efforts to allocate economic stimulus funds to a dying industry. Carbon Tracker urged China to "avoid investing in coal power, which is economically redundant and environmentally disastrous." Globally, a more environmentally aware populace is showing growing support for energy alternatives such as solar, wind, hydro, tidal, geothermal and biomass sources. "Policymakers need to stop new investments in coal power immediately and redesign power market regulation to minimize stranded asset risk and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy," the report concluded. Explore further China adds coal power despite climate pledge: report 2020 Science X Network Coffee is a favorite drink of Algerians, with each person consuming an average of over 3kg of coffee a year. Annually, Algeria imports about 130,000 tonnes of coffee beans of different types worth US$300 million. Vietnam is a major coffee exporter to Algeria, alongside the Ivory Coast, Indonesia, Brazil and Italy. For many years, coffee has been Vietnams leading export item to the North African country. Vietnams coffee market share has been maintained at the highest level, over 50%. In 2019, Vietnam exported 69,405 tonnes of coffee to Algeria, raking in revenue of US$110.65 million. The trade mission has evaluated that Algeria is still a potent market for Vietnamese coffee, and in the future, coffee will remain Vietnams key export product to this market. Apart from raw coffee, Vietnamese businesses can boost exports of processed and soluble coffee which boast higher added value. In addition, Algeria does not produce rice itself, so it is almost 100% imported by the country. Specifically, Algeria imports about 100,000 tonnes of rice a year, accounting for more than 1% of its food consumption structure. Last year, Vietnams rice exports to Algeria reached 16,394 tonnes (about 16% of the total volume), with a turnover of US$6.28 million, up 20.8% year on year. Given this fact, the Vietnamese trade mission believes that Algeria still remains a promising market for Vietnamese rice as people there are used to consuming it. Besides this, the number of Asian workers, especially Chinese, in Algeria is increasing. Particularly, more than 1,000 Vietnamese employees are working for Chinese, Japanese, French and local contractors, which is expected to raise the demand for Vietnamese rice in the Algerian market. Algerias demand for importing spices, especially pepper, is quite high, with its pepper import spend reaching around US$30 million in 2018. Last year, Vietnam only exported 992 tonnes of pepper to the North African country with a value of US$2.16 million, which was mainly due to lower prices, Algerian importers abandoning and refusing to take the goods at the destination port, and fierce competition from Indian and Pakistani products. However, the outlook for Vietnams pepper exports to Algeria is predicted to improve in the years ahead thanks to increasing demand and the fact that pepper is outside the list of goods subject to safeguarding duties. Vietnams fruit exports (mainly cashew nuts) to Algeria saw a more than twofold increase from US$1.1 million in 2018 to US$2.5 million in 2019. So far, items such as dragon fruit, longan and litchi from Vietnam and other countries have not been present in this market due to the distance involved as well as differences in consumer tastes. Therefore, fruit exports to Algeria are also a potential area that could be further targeted by Vietnamese firms in the near future. (Bloomberg) -- The Pentagon expressed caution about its ability to provide swift medical assistance in the U.S. effort to treat the coronavirus outbreak after former Vice President Joe Biden called for a mobilization using military hospitals and tents. The Defense Departments 36 hospitals in the U.S. are better-suited to treating battlefield traumas than contagious diseases and are designed to meet the immediate needs of service members and their families, Air Force Brigadier General Paul Friedrichs, the surgeon who advises the Joint Staff, told reporters at the Pentagon on Monday. He said the same is true for deployable hospitals. We do not have any 500-bed hospitals designed for infectious disease outbreaks, Friedrichs said. That does not exist in the inventory. What were trying to be very careful of is not over-promising. The remarks came after Biden, the leading Democratic presidential candidate, said in his debate with Bernie Sanders on Sunday night that the U.S. military should be called upon to do more to help respond to the spread of the virus. The answer is I would call out the military, Biden said. They have the capacity to provide this surge, help that hospitals need -- and that is needed across the nation. They have the capacity to build 500-bed hospitals and tents that are completely safe and secure, and provide the help to get it done to anybody. Even if the military sets up medical tents, the limiting factor would be personnel, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said. We have not seen huge demand signals, coming to the Defense Department, Friedrichs said. While the Defense Department often underscores that it must focus its resources on its core military mission, Defense Secretary Mark Esper has fully endorsed President Donald Trumps actions to divert military personnel to the U.S. southern border and military funds to help build his border wall. Separating Leaders Hoffman also disclosed that Esper and his deputy, David Norquist, are working separately as the Pentagon tries to minimize the risk of contagion among its senior leaders. Story continues At the latest count, the U.S. military has 37 reported coronavirus cases, including 18 military personnel, 13 dependents, three contractors and three civilians, Hoffman said. The Defense Department has tested 495 personnel worldwide and has no reported cases in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Friedrichs. A sailor assigned to the USS Boxer tested positive for the new coronavirus, the Navy said on Sunday in an emailed statement. Its the first case for a sailor on board a Navy ship and sailor is currently quarantined at home and personnel that the individual had close contact with are in self-isolation at their residences, the Navy said. --With assistance from Tony Capaccio. To contact the reporters on this story: Glen Carey in Washington at gcarey8@bloomberg.net;Roxana Tiron in Washington at rtiron@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Bill Faries at wfaries@bloomberg.net, Larry Liebert 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. Supermarkets have been packed with people buying in bulk, and restaurants have been ordered to halt dine-in services due to coronavirus, so leaving the house to get groceries or food is complicated. There are, however, food delivery services, either through stores, apps or online-delivery platforms that are still taking orders. Heres a list of stores and online-delivery platforms that are still offering food delivery: Amazon Fresh (Ross. D. Franklin | AP Photo)AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File Find deals on produce, meat, seafood, dairy, eggs, frozen foods, packaged foods, Whole Foods 365 products and household items by shopping with Amazons grocery service. Prime Now and Prime Pantry also offer food delivery at select locations. To shop and get free grocery delivery, you must be a Prime member. Amazon has announced inventory and delivery may be temporarily unavailable due to high demand, so make sure to confirm availability at checkout. Blue Apron Like cooking, but dont want to deal with a grocery store order? Blue Apron, a food delivery service that ships all ingredients needed for recipes, is still delivering. You can find a weekly menu here. Door Dash This online and mobile delivery service is now offering no-contact delivery, which you can request in the delivery instructions. The company also announced gloves and hand sanitizer are now being distributed to its employees for extra precaution. FreshDirect The grocery delivery service ships to the following counties: Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, Somerset and Union. goPuff This snack and pantry essentials delivery service is now offering Non-Contact Delivery, where you provide additional instructions for your delivery driver at checkout. This service is currently only available in New Brunswick. GrubHub (Mark Lennihan | AP Photo)AP The online and mobile food-ordering service is still offering delivery for restaurants, both big and small. Instacart With Instacart, you can shop Acme, ALDI, BJs, Costco, CVS, Foodtown, H Mart, Petco, Sams Club, ShopRite, Target and Wegmans products depending on your location. Based on the increased demand, Instacart now has Leave at My Door Delivery available to all customers. There have, however, been some outages recently, so be sure to check the service is functional before ordering. Peapod Operated by Stop & Shop, Peapod delivers most grocery store items. Select locations even deliver alcohol. Stop & Shop announced customers can now request an unattended delivery, which means the delivery driver will ring your door bell, drop your order at your doorstep, then depart. This can be requested under special instructions at checkout or by e-mailing Peapod. You can also place an order on behalf of someone with the contact-free delivery option. You will be notified by text or email when the driver arrives, and they will leave the bags on the doorstep or building entry. Due to extremely high demand lately, delivery times and website load time may be delayed, so be sure to check the service is functional before ordering. Postmates This service delivers food from various restaurants like Applebees, Carrabbas Italian Grill and Au Bon Pain depending on location. All of Postmates merchants can be found here. To see if your town is eligible for delivery, go here. Seamless The popular food-delivery service is still taking orders, and announced its suspending commissions they take from restaurants at this time. Shipt Shipt is a membership-based grocery marketplace, both online and through an app. Food and essentials can be delivered from stores like Acme, CVS, Petco and Target, depending on location. An annual plan costs $8.25/month and a monthly plans costs $14. To sign up, click here. ShopRite (NJ Advance Media)NJ.com file photo ShopRite has implemented drop at your door service for all delivery orders. The delivery driver will call or text you when they are on their way, and your groceries will be left at your door unattended. Orders that exceed item limits will be modified. All limited items can be found here. Uber Eats Uber Eats is still offering delivery from tons of local restaurants and chains like KFC, McDonalds and Popeyes. Click here to see which restaurants are offering delivery near you. Users can now request deliveries to be left on doorsteps. The company announced Monday it shared CDC guidance to restaurants to ensure all orders are sealed in tamper-evident packaging. Uber Eats has also waived delivery fees for more than 100,000 independent restaurants across United States and Canada due to the coronavirus outbreak. Walmart Walmarts grocery service currently delivers to 19 towns in New Jersey. The company also announced store managers have been authorized to manage inventory, including the discretion to limit sales quantities on items that have been in unusually high demand due to the coronavirus outbreak. Whole Foods The Amazon-owned grocer announced it is working to expand capacity to service more Prime Members with free, two-hour grocery delivery and door drop service from Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market in more than 2,000 cities and towns. 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: Nicolette Accardi can be reached at naccardi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter: @N_Accardi. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips MORE RETAIL AND SHOPPING COVERAGE: Amazons popular tablet for kids is 40% off, if parents need ways to entertain children Supermarkets, pharmacies placing limits on what you can buy. Heres what you need to know. Retail store closings 2020: A list of chains that have closed stores this year People with Type A blood are significantly more likely to catch coronavirus than those with Type O, Chinese academics have found. The study in Wuhan - the epicentre of the disease - also found those with Type A blood are more likely to die from COVID-19. In the general population Type O blood (34%) is more common than A (32%). However, among COVID-19 patients, people with Type O accounted for just 25%, whereas Type A made up 41%. People with Type O blood made up a quarter (25 per cent) of deaths in the research. Normally, Type O people make up 32 per cent of people in Wuhan. The controversial correlation has yet to be scrutinised by other academics in peer review and the researchers are unable to explain why infection varies by blood type. Researchers in China assessed 2,173 people who had been diagnosed with the coronavirus, including 206 people who died after contracting the virus, from three hospitals in Hubei. Academics compared the data of the infected Wuhan patients with 3,694 non-infected people in the same region. Of the 206 patients in the study who died, 85 had type A blood, equivalent to 41 per cent of all deaths. In the healthy Wuhan population, a city of 11 million people, 34 per cent of people are type A. In the study cohort, 52 of the people who died were type O, making up a quarter of all deaths. Under normal conditions just 32 per cent of people are type O. The figures for all infections, not just deaths, are 26 per cent and 38 per cent for type O and type A, respectively. The researchers point out that a larger study group would make the figures more reliable. The coronavirus pandemic has infected almost 200,000 people and killed more than 7,800 worldwide. More than 3,000 deaths were in China, the disease's ground-zero. The researchers write: 'Blood group O was associated with a lower risk of death compared with non-O groups. To the contrary, blood group A was associated with a higher risk of death compared with non-A groups.' Source: Dailymail.co.uk 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 Shopkeepers, miners and housewives in Wallace, Idaho, had been complaining about the smoke for most of the summer of 1910. It had rained little since spring, and the tinder-dry forest on the surrounding slopes had spawned numerous small blazes. The smoke, at times verging on a fog, enveloped town. The fledgling U.S. Forest Service was struggling to keep up with the fires. In mid-August ranger Ed Pulaski, one of the services few experienced men, ventured out with a crew to fight fires near the west fork of Placer Creek, about 5 miles south of town, while fellow ranger Henry Kottkey and his men battled a blaze on Loop Creek. The fires blowing up, Kottkey soon reported to supervisors. Im worried. He was also concerned about wife Bertha, who had entered Providence Hospital in Wallace to give birth to the couples third child. Others were growing anxious, too. In Taft, Mont., which the Chicago Tribune had recently labeled the wickedest city in America, and in other rough settlements in the northern Rocky MountainsSaltese in Montana, and Mullan, Avery and Grand Forks in Idahosaloonkeepers, railroad workers and prostitutes kept an eye on the burning hills. On Little Beaver Creek, north of Thompson Falls, Mont., 3-year-old Lily Cunningham had watched in fascination as glowing plumes of orange smoke drifted across the night sky. She could tell her mother was frightened, as shed been crying. But Lily found the orange clouds beautiful. The country has been wiped clean, one survivor recalled of the stark landscape left in the fires wake Other residents of the northern Rockies, especially those with memories of earlier fires, began plotting their escape and planning what they might take with them on horseback, in wagons or on the train. Some buried sewing machines, tools and trunks filled with personal possessions and family keepsakes for later retrieval. Within days winds swept down from the low hills of the Palouse region of southeastern Washington, fanning the flames and merging the thousands of small fires into a single massive blaze. Dubbed the Big Burn or Big Blowup, the resulting firestorm remains the largest wildfire known to have hit the United States and, as one historian wrote, possibly the biggest ever in North American history. It scorched some 3 million acres of virgin forest, mainly in northern Idaho and western Montana, and killed dozens of people, mostly firefighters. The country has been wiped clean, one survivor recalled of the stark landscape left in the fires wake. The first report of fire in the northern Rockies that season had come in on April 29, earlier than usual, from the newly declared Blackfeet National Forest of northwestern Montana. As spring yielded to an unusually dry, hot summer, reports flooded in of hundreds of small blazes, many sparked by lightning, others by cinders thrown off by steam locomotives or through the careless actions of miners and even inexperienced forest rangers. A strong lightning storm over the Bitterroots on the night of July 26 exacerbated the situation by igniting a flurry of fires that stretched the Forest Service lines and began to get out of hand. For every fire we put out, one service member told a Missoula, Mont., newspaper, a new one is reported. By early August an estimated 3,000 fires were burning across Idaho, Montana and Washington, including the Bean Creek fire, the Lakeview and Loop Creek fires, the Mineral County fires, the Placer Creek fire, the Trout Creek fire and countless others with no name. The Forest Service was battling them earnestly but was short of supplies and staff. Pressed for manpower, it had resorted to recruiting immigrants fresh off the train and prisoners from area jails. In desperation the Forest Service appealed for federal aid to President William Howard Taft, who on August 7 authorized the dispatch of Army troops to help with firefighting efforts. Twenty-five hundred soldiers eventually joined the fire lines. Most were buffalo soldiers of the 25th U.S. Infantry from Fort George Wright, north of Spokane. Unfortunately, like the newly recruited immigrants, the corralled jail inmates and the Forest Service neophytes, these black soldiers had little or no experience fighting forest fires. Regardless, they did what they could, even trying to induce rain. Beginning in mid-August, on direction from their officers, the buffalo soldiers spent 60 straight hours firing cannons and dynamite charges into the sky. Their efforts were prompted by the timeworn observation that rain often followed major military battles involving cannon fire. This time the tactic failedno rain came. In Wallace and Taft, Saltese and Avery, concerns mounted. The regions longtime miners and shopkeepers were no strangers to fire. Wallace, founded in 1884 when namesake Colonel William R. Wallace built a cabin on the promising townsite, had grown as fortune seekers came after gold and silver ore in the surrounding hills. By 1890 it was thriving. That July, however, a residential fire fueled by strong winds devastated the business district, destroying 19 saloons and hotels, three livery stables, a bank, a theater, the newspaper office, doctors and lawyers offices, stores and shops. Now wildfire threatened. Burning embers had drifted down into town and set afire a couple of canvas awnings. Though alert townspeople had quickly put out those blazes, on August 19 local insurance companies, noting with alarm the rapidly encroaching flames, stopped issuing fire insurance policies. As the glowing orange clouds that had so fascinated 3-year-old Lily Cunningham approached the family home on Little Beaver Creek, her parents released livestock, secured belongings from the cabin, piled whatever fit into their root cellar and fled to a neighbors house. Put to bed with the neighbors small children, Lily watched through the window as the adults and older children carved out a fire line and doused any embers landing in the farmyard. On August 20 the winds came. [That] Saturday afternoon, historian Tim Egan wrote in his 2009 book The Big Burn, atmospheric conditions gave birth to a Palouser that lifted the red dirt of the hills and slammed into the forestsnot as a gust or an episodic blow, but as a battering ram of forced air. When the wind hit the downslopes, it accelerated, flattening out the flames and incinerating everything in its path. Hydrocarbons in the resinous sap of the predominant Western white pines boiled out of the trees, releasing highly flammable gas that spread across hundreds of square miles and detonated spontaneously as it heated. In a matter of hours, the Forest Service noted, fires became firestorms, and trees by the millions became exploding candles. Millions more treessucked from the ground, roots and allbecame flying blowtorches. It was dark by 4 in the afternoon, save for wind-powered fireballs that rolled from ridgetop to ridgetop at 70 miles an hour. They leaped canyons a half-mile wide in one fluid motion. Entire mountainsides ignited in an instant. By noon on August 21 roiling clouds of smoke had blacked out the sky as far south as Denver and as far north as the town of Saskatoon in Saskatchewan, Canada. People claimed to have seen night-flying bats at midday. Smoke from the fire, the Forest Service reported, turned the sun an eerie copper color in Boston. Soot fell on the ice in Greenland. As the fire grew, people in upstate New York, some 2,000 miles east of Wallace, could smell smoke on the wind, and ships in the Pacific Ocean to the west had trouble navigating by the stars due to the smoke obscuring the night sky. The windblown firestorm persisted a full 48 hours. For pure physical force, Egan says, we havent seen anything like it since. Ranger Edward G. Stahl recalled flames hundreds of feet high, swooping to earth in great darting curves, truly a veritable red demon from hell. Ranger Edward G. Stahl recalled flames hundreds of feet high, swooping to earth in great darting curves, truly a veritable red demon from hell In Wallace fear reached a fever pitch. Authorities ordered trains to evacuate the towns women and children. On August 19 Bertha Kottkey had given birth to a son, naming him after his father. As the fires threatened town, Bertha and Henry Jr. joined other patients and staff from Providence Hospital evacuating by eastbound train. They just made it. Immediately after the caboose crossed a trestle on the outskirts of town, the charred structure collapsed. Arriving safely in St. Regis. Mont., the patients and staff transferred to a train bound for Montanas capital, Helena, where they caught still another to Missoula. They had no way of knowing it at the time, but Providence Hospital would be one of the few buildings in the fire-stricken east end of Wallace to survive. Meanwhile, back in town men had been ordered to the fire lines, and authorities had released prisoners from the city jail to help. (Only two, an accused murderer and a bank robber, were kept in handcuffs.) Ashes fell like snow. That evening a large ember came down amid buckets of press grease and solvent-soaked rags beside the Wallace Times building. The resulting blaze ignited the newspaper office, then spread quickly to an adjoining mill, a boardinghouse, two hotels and the railroad depot. As the fire spread, an elderly man named John Boyd, whose son happened to be a Wallace fire captain, finally headed for the depot to board one of the waiting trains. Suddenly remembering his beloved pet parrot, he turned back toward home to retrieve the bird. Searchers later found their bodies side by side in the street. Master and bird had died of smoke inhalation. Beyond the city limits a vast swath of the northern Rockies was ablaze. One Mullan resident likened it to being inside a deep bowl which is completely lined with seething flames. Railroad bridges burned and collapsed. Wherever possible, trains took refuge in tunnels. Grand Forks, a canvas-and-wood town on the Idaho-Washington border, simply disappeared when the firestorm swept through. The whole horizon to the west was aflame, one ranger reported. Amid the blazing hills the understaffed Forest Service did what it could with its ragtag force of rangers, hasty recruits and buffalo soldiers. As the fires spun out of control, Henry Kottkey and crew abandoned the line on Loop Creek and hurriedly sought shelter in the cooler air of a large railroad culvert. To the east ranger Ed Pulaski led his 45-man crew and its two horses into a mineshaft. There the men shrouded the tunnel entrance with blankets, soaked them with standing water from the shaft and finally dropped to the floor where the air was breathable. The buffalo soldiers kept fighting. In Wallace and other places they worked through the night hauling water buckets and setting backfires. Not a man in the lot knew what a yellow streak was, one Avery resident recalled. They never complained. They were never afraid. Pulaski and crew finally emerged after five hours face down in the mud of the mineshaft, the fire having burned past them. But five men and the two horses lay dead, and the others were in varying states of distress. Pulaski himself was in dire shape. Burned on his hands, head and face, he was blind in one eye and afraid he might lose the other. Though the soles of their shoes were burned through, the crew headed down the smoldering mountainside. Leading the way, Pulaski tried his best to follow a familiar path now obscured amid the charred remnants of the forest. The ragged group finally stumbled across a group of women searching the burned-out woods on Placer Creek for survivors. The rescuers greeted the men with coffee and whiskey. They had made it. Kottkey and crew had also survived, and the exhausted buffalo soldiers soon returned to their post north of Spokane. By the evening of August 21 the winds that had fueled the firestorm had moved east, and storm clouds began rolling in from Washington. Then it rained, a steady drenching rain, a gully washer that smothered the fires, leaving a moonscape of damp ash and ghostly snags. At its height the Big Burn had covered an area the size of Connecticut. It razed more than 3 million acres of virgin forest through Idaho, Montana, Washington, Oregon and British Columbia, including 2.6 million acres of national forest and 521,184 acres of private land. Timber losses approached a billion dollars. The fire killed at least 87 people, 78 of whom were firefighters. (Fifty-four of the latter are interred at the St. Maries 1910 Fire Memorial, marked by a 6-foot granite slab at the cemetery in that Idaho town.) An exact count of civilian casualties could not be established due to scanty records kept at the time. Furthermore, those fleeing the fire had scattered throughout the wilderness. Some were entirely consumed by the flames, including those in the vanished settlements of Grand Forks and Taft. A third of Wallace, the entire east end of town, lay in ashes. A magazine described the region as a graveyard, random clumps of fried and half-burned trunks, a forest no more. With the passing of the welcome rains the roads opened, the trains began running again and evacuees trickled back in to dig up their buried sewing machines and family keepsakes. After a lengthy recovery Pulaski returned to work for the Forest Service. In 1931, just shy of his 65th birthday, he died from complications of his injuries at home in Coeur dAlene, Idaho. While Kottkey and his men had emerged unscathed from the culvert in which theyd sheltered, Henry and Berthas home in Falcon, south of Wallace, had been destroyed. The couple and their three children moved to Florida. Eventually, as the bad memories faded, they moved back and raised five more children. Son Henry Jr. later joined the Forest Service. Three-year-old Lily Cunningham and family had survived their ordeal, as had all but one of the family cows her parents had released before the fire. Their only remaining belongings were the clothes on their back and a cherished rocking chair, family photos and other items theyd stored in the root cellar. Yet the family stayed in the region and rebuilt. Lily lived long enough to be recognized as the last known survivor of the Big Burn. In the aftermath of the fire the Forest Service gained in stature and received the increased funding and manpower it needed to implement a new fire suppression policy, one that held every blaze was to be extinguished wherever and whenever it occurred at whatever cost. In the decades that followed the hard-line policy seemingly bore fruit, as rangers were quick to spot, attack and extinguish most wildfires. There were no more Big Burns, no more destroyed towns. But the policy had an unintended consequence. Over time, Idaho forest ecologist Ryan Haugo explains, the exclusion of fire from forested landscapes resulted in accumulating and dried-out fuels; denser, less diverse forests; and a recipe for catastrophic blazes once more. Add in a changing climatewith longer, hotter, drier summersand its clear that the fight at all costs approach to wildfire couldnt be sustained. It had in fact left tracts of forestland vulnerable to bigger and more damaging fires, a fact forest ecologists didnt recognize until the 1970s and the Forest Service itself didnt fully accept until the 1990s. Ultimately backing away from the decades-old fire suppression strategy spawned by the Big Burn, Forest Service Chief Jack Ward Thomas declared its rangers would battle certain fires, while allowing others to burn. Fire is neither good nor bad, Thomas said. It just is. WW Wild West contributor and onetime newspaperman Chuck Lyons is a freelance writer based in Rochester, N.Y. For further reading he suggests The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire That Saved America, by Timothy Egan; The Big Burn: The Northwests Great Forest Fire of 1910, by Don Miller and Stan Cohen; and Year of the Fires, by Stephen J. Pyne. Hyderabad: The number of patients infected with Coronavirus is increasing all over the country. A new case of corona has been reported in Telangana, after which the number of patients has increased to 149 across the country. Meanwhile, preparations are being made to shift 10 thousand employees of Infosys from Mysuru. A new case of coronavirus has surfaced in Telangana on Wednesday. Why did CM Gehlot hold meeting with religious leaders? The infected person returned to India after a visit to the United Kingdom. He is undergoing treatment at Gandhi Medical College, Hyderabad. So far, 6 cases of corona have been registered in Telangana, one of which has gone right and gone home. In view of the increasing cases of Corona, preparations are being made to shift about 10 thousand employees of Infosys from Mysuru to different areas. For this, Karnataka Transport Corporation has decided to open 5 information centers and advance booking counters at Mysuru Infosys Training Center. Four corona patients found in Indore? Message going viral Employees will be taken to various cities in South India. From Wednesday morning till now 10 new cases of corona have been recorded. The total number of corona cases in the country has increased to 149. Maharashtra has the highest number of 42 cases. Kerala has 27 cases, while Uttar Pradesh and Haryana have 16-16 cases. Out of 149, three people have died, while 14 people have returned home after recovering. BSNL: Union Minister Ravi Shankar makes big disclosure about company This is the moment fed-up shop staff pushed an elderly customer out of their busy store, as coronavirus panic buying chaos continues to grip supermarkets across the country. Several workers at an Iceland store in east London were caught on video having a loud argument with the shopper by the till, where customers are piling items including toilet paper onto the conveyor belt. The older man appears to be holding up the queue on the other side of the cashier and staff can be repeatedly heard loudly telling him to 'get out'. The customer accuses the male worker of pushing him, and the quarrel then quickly escalates, as a female employee suddenly intervenes. In the dramatic 45-second clip, she can be seen shoving the man's arm, before he turns around and retaliates. He then pleads 'I'm going now,' but barely a second later, the young woman's male colleague grabs the man by his clothes and manhandles him towards the door. A female employee at the Iceland store, pictured left, can be seen shoving the man's arm, before her male colleague, pictured right, grabs him by his clothes and manhandles him towards the door The incident took place at the frozen food giant's store in Gants Hill, Ilford, and is believed to have been filmed on Tuesday. The footage comes amid growing demands for rationing, as shoppers were pictured queuing outside an Asda supermarket at 6am, and stripping the shelves bare within an hour. Customers are seen piling items including toilet paper onto the conveyor belt as the argument breaks out at the store in Ilford, east London Meanwhile a number of franchises, including Iceland, are offering a 'silver hour' for elderly and vulnerable shoppers only, in an effort to allow them to collect their essentials without being disturbed by panic buyers. Iceland has been approached for comment. CALGARY, Alberta, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Condor Petroleum Inc. (Condor or the Company) (TSX: CPI), a Canadian based oil and gas company focused on exploration and production activities in Turkey and Kazakhstan, is pleased to announce the release of its Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2019, together with the related Managements Discussion and Analysis. These documents will be made available under Condors profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Condor website at www.condorpetroleum.com. Readers are invited to review the latest corporate presentation available on the Condor website. All financial amounts in this news release are presented in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise stated. 2019 Highlights In September 2019 the Companys wholly owned subsidiary, Falcon Oil & Gas Ltd (Falcon) entered into a binding agreement to sell Falcons 100% interests in the Shoba and Taskuduk production contracts and associated field equipment in Kazakhstan for USD 24.6 million (Sale Proceeds). To date, USD 22.5 million of the Sale Proceeds have been received and the remaining USD 2.1 million is due within ten business days following the signing of the addendums to the Shoba and Taskuduk production contracts by the Government of Kazakhstan. In January 2020 Condor fully repaid its non-revolving credit facility (Credit Facility) and subsequently the Company has positive working capital and no long term debt. On November 12, 2019 Condor signed a Heads of Agreement with the Ministry of Energy of the Government of Uzbekistan (Uzbekistan Ministry) which provided the Company a 120 day window to negotiate a definitive production sharing agreement (PSA) with the Uzbekistan Ministry. An application to extend the Heads of Agreement has been submitted. On February 27, 2020, the Company received the 630 day extension to the Zharkamys West 1 exploration contract (Zharkamys Contract) from the Government of Kazakhstan and holds a 100% working interest in the contract area. The Company is in discussions for a farm-in to drill the Yakamoz prospect in Turkey. The intent is to drill the Yakamoz side-track well in 2020. The reference natural gas sales prices in Turkey set by BOTAS, the state owned pipeline transportation company, were increased in both July and August of 2019 and the Canadian Dollar equivalent price is $9.54 per Mscf as of March 1, 2020. For continuing operations, production decreased to an average of 266 boepd for the year ended December 31, 2019 from 739 boepd in 2018, sales decreased to $5.2 million for 2019 from $11.7 million in 2018 and the net loss decreased to $10.1 million for 2019 from $14.1 million in 2018. Shoba and Taskuduk Sale On September 23, 2019, Falcon entered into a binding agreement to sell Falcons 100% interests in the Shoba production contract, Taskuduk production contract and associated field equipment for United States dollars (USD) 24.6 million (Sale Agreement). The buyer (Buyer) paid the USD 3.8 million deposit within ten business days of signing the Sale Agreement. In January 2020 certain terms of the Sale Agreement were amended and instead of using an escrow account for the remaining USD 20.8 million to be released upon closing the transaction (Closing), the Buyer paid USD 18.7 million in January 2020 and the remaining USD 2.1 million is due upon Closing. Falcon remains the oilfield owner and operator until Closing occurs. Upon Closing, the net revenues less operating costs generated from the production and sale of crude oil from the oilfields will be attributed to the Buyer from the effective date of December 25, 2019 until the Closing date as an adjustment to the purchase consideration. The various Government of Kazakhstan consents and confirmations required for Closing have been received and all commercial conditions have been satisfied by Falcon and the Buyer. The respective addendums to the Shoba and Taskuduk production contracts have been signed by Falcon and the Buyer and submitted to the Government of Kazakhstan for final processing and execution. As per the Sale Agreement, Closing is scheduled to occur within ten business days from the receipt of the signed addendums. Heads of Agreement with the Government of Uzbekistan On November 12, 2019 Condor signed a Heads of Agreement with the Uzbekistan Ministry which provided the Company a 120 day window to negotiate a definitive PSA with the Uzbekistan Ministry. An application to extend the Heads of Agreement has been submitted. If executed, the PSA is expected to include five producing gas fields and associated gathering pipelines and gas treatment infrastructure along with the right to explore and develop certain exploration areas surrounding the current producing gas fields. The fiscal and operating terms expected to be defined in the PSA include royalty rates, cost recovery, profit splits, gas marketing and pricing, governance and steering committee structures and baseline production levels and reimbursement methodology. The Company recently submitted a detailed feasibility study for the five producing gas fields to the Uzbekistan Ministry and an independent reserves evaluation is underway. The Company also submitted an economic analysis and discussions related to the fiscal terms are continuing. Zharkamys Contract On February 27, 2020, the Company received the 630 day extension to the Zharkamys Contract from the Government of Kazakhstan and holds a 100% working interest in the contract area. The extension period carries additional work commitments of $4.0 million for the first twelve months and is comprised mainly of drilling two exploration wells. The Company has been having farm-in discussions for this program which have been temporarily deferred due to recent travel restrictions. Continuing and discontinued operations classification Following the execution of the agreement for the Sale Transaction, as of September 30, 2019 the related Shoba and Taskuduk net assets and liabilities have been reclassified to assets and liabilities held for sale and the respective results of operations are presented as discontinued operations for all current and prior periods throughout this news release. For further information relating to discontinued operations, please refer to the Companys Financial Statements. Continuing operations The Company produces natural gas and associated condensate in Turkey. The Company produced 97,074 boe in Turkey or an average of 266 boepd and received an operating netback1 of $30.84 per boe for the full year 2019 (full year 2018: produced 269,498 boe or an average of 739 boepd and an operating netback1 of $31.34 per boe). A study is underway to identify stimulation workover alternatives that could increase Poyraz Ridge production rates for the lower permeability reservoirs. Cash used in continuing operations decreased to $3.6 million for the full year 2019 versus cash from continuing operations of $3.6 million for the same period in 2018. Subsurface characterization continued on the Yakamoz sub-thrust fold prospect that included reprocessing seismic data and incorporating additional 2D seismic information into a revised geological model. These efforts identified up-dip targets in both the proven Miocene and Upper Eocene reservoirs, in addition to the deeper Middle to lower Eocene reservoirs, which have not yet been tested. The Company previously drilled Yakamoz 1 and encountered numerous gas shows while drilling. A successful Yakamoz 1 side-track well would be tied 2km into the existing Poyraz Ridge gas plant for processing and onward sales. The non-binding letter of intent and term sheet signed during the second quarter of 2019 with a potential farm-in partner to drill the Yakamoz 1 side-track well and a subsequent appraisal well in Turkey has expired. The Company is discussing the farm-in with another interested party. The intent is to drill the side-track well in 2020. Selected Financial Results of Continuing Operations As at, and for the year ended December 31 ($000s except per share amounts) 2019 2018 2017 Natural gas and condensate sales 5,169 11,675 340 Cash from (used in) continuing operations (3,570 ) 3,638 (11,155 ) Net loss from continuing operations (13,870 ) (11,658 ) (69,752 ) Net loss from continuing operations per share (basic and diluted) (0.31 ) (0.26 ) (1.61 ) Total assets 45,485 55,455 77,630 Total non-current financial liabilities - 7,675 7,672 Capital expenditures 152 2,004 19,249 RESULTS OF CONTINUING OPERATIONS Sales and operating netback1 for the year ended December 31 ($000s) Gas 2019 Condensate Total Gas 2018 Condensate Total Sales 5,006 163 5,169 11,204 471 11,675 Royalties (625 ) (22 ) (647 ) (1,354 ) (53 ) (1,407 ) Production costs (1,204 ) (21 ) (1,225 ) (1,469 ) (22 ) (1,491 ) Transportation and selling (410 ) (35 ) (445 ) (512 ) (103 ) (615 ) Operating netback1 2,767 85 2,852 7,869 293 8,162 ($/boe) Sales 55.16 93.46 55.88 43.77 106.15 44.83 Royalties (6.89 ) (12.61 ) (6.99 ) (5.29 ) (11.95 ) (5.40 ) Production costs (13.27 ) (12.04 ) (13.24 ) (5.74 ) (4.96 ) (5.73 ) Transportation and selling (4.52 ) (20.07 ) (4.81 ) (2.00 ) (23.21 ) (2.36 ) Operating netback1 30.48 48.74 30.84 30.74 66.03 31.34 Sales volume (boe) 90,751 1,744 92,495 255,993 4,437 260,430 1 Operating netback is a non-GAAP measure and is a term with no standardized meaning as prescribed by GAAP and may not be comparable with similar measures presented by other issuers. See Non-GAAP Financial Measures in this news release. The calculation of operating netback is aligned with the definition found in the Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluation Handbook. Results of Discontinued Operations As noted above, the Companys subsidiary Falcon entered into a binding agreement to sell Falcons 100% interests in the Shoba and Taskuduk production contracts and associated field equipment in Kazakhstan and accordingly the related activities are presented as discontinued operations. Upon Closing, the net revenues less operating costs generated from the production and sale of crude oil from the oilfields will be attributed to the Buyer from the effective date of December 25, 2019 until the Closing date as an adjustment to the purchase consideration. Kazakhstan oil production increased 47% to 217,813 barrels or an average of 597 bopd for 2019 as compared to 2018 in which the Company produced 147,788 barrels or an average of 405 bopd. Crude oil sales increased to $2.0 million on 55,682 bbl or $36.56 per bbl for the three months ended December 31, 2019 (2018: $1.6 million on 40,707 bbl or $39.23 per bbl) and to $8.0 million on 216,560 bbl or $36.92 per bbl for the year ended December 31, 2019 (2018: $5.8 million on 146,454 bbl or $39.74 per bbl) due mainly to the higher production and sales volumes. Overall production costs decreased to $7.00 per bbl for the three months and to $8.48 per bbl for the year ended December 31, 2019 from $11.10 per bbl for the three months and $11.02 per bbl for the year ended December 31, 2018 mainly due to the increase in oil production volumes. NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES The Company refers to operating netback in this news release, a term with no standardized meaning as prescribed by GAAP and which may not be comparable with similar measures presented by other issuers. This additional information should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Operating netback is calculated as sales less royalties, production costs and transportation and selling on a dollar basis and divided by the sales volume for the period on a per barrel of oil equivalent basis. The reconciliation of this non-GAAP measure is presented in the Financial Results section of this news release. This non-GAAP measure is commonly used in the oil and gas industry to assist in measuring operating performance against prior periods on a comparable basis and has been presented in order to provide an additional measure to analyze the Companys sales on a per barrel of oil equivalent basis and ability to generate funds. OTHER HEALTH RISKS Condor has offices, activities and operations in various municipalities and rural areas in Canada, the Netherlands, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Company personnel are working, stationed and travel to and from these locations on a regular basis. Such personnel are exposed to various concentrated groups of people and locations within and outside the Company for varying lengths of time. Any personnel or visitor becoming infected with a serious illness that has the potential to spread rapidly could place the personnel and the operations of the Company at risk. The 2020 outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is one example of such an illness. Although the Company takes every precaution to strictly follow industrial hygiene and occupational health guidelines, there can be no assurance that COVID-19 or other infectious illnesses will not negatively impact Condors personnel or its operations. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain statements in this news release constitute forward-looking statements under applicable securities legislation. Such statements are generally identifiable by the terminology used, such as anticipate, appear, believe, intend, expect, plan, estimate, budget, outlook, scheduled, may, will, should, could, would, in the process of or other similar wording. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, information concerning: the timing and ability to obtain the signed production contract addendums, the timing and ability to receive the remaining amount due at Closing and the timing and ability to complete the Closing of the Shoba and Taskuduk Sale Agreement; the timing and ability to pursue other growth opportunities; the timing and ability to increase natural gas production and realize commercial gas flow rates for the lower permeability reservoirs; the timing and ability to extend the Heads of Agreement with the Uzbekistan Ministry; the timing and ability to execute a PSA with the Uzbekistan Ministry under favorable terms, or at all; the fields and exploration area to be included in the PSA; the terms and conditions of the PSA including but not limited to royalty rates, cost recovery, profit splits, gas marketing and pricing, governance, baseline production levels and reimbursement methodology; the timing and ability to drill new wells and the ability of the drilled wells to become producing wells; projections and timing with respect to crude oil, natural gas and condensate production; expected markets, prices costs and operating netbacks for future oil, gas and condensate sales; the timing and ability to obtain various approvals and conduct the Companys planned exploration and development activities; the timing and ability to access oil and gas pipelines; the timing and ability to access domestic and export sales markets; anticipated capital expenditures; sources and availability of financing for potential budgeting shortfalls; the timing and ability to obtain future funding on favorable terms, if at all; general business strategies and objectives; the timing and ability to obtain exploration contract, production contract and operating license extensions; the timing and ability to obtain a farm-in partner for the Zharkamys Contract; the timing and ability to obtain a farm-in partner for Yakamoz; the timing and ability to tie the Yakamoz field into the Companys existing gas plant; the potential for additional contractual work commitments; the ability to meet and fund the contractual work commitments; the satisfaction of the work commitments; the results of non-fulfillment of work commitments; and treatment under governmental regulatory regimes and tax laws. By its very nature, such forward-looking information requires Condor to make assumptions that may not materialize or that may not be accurate. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, levels of activity and achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such information. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: regulatory changes; the timing of regulatory approvals; the risk that actual minimum work programs will exceed the initially estimated amounts; the results of exploration and development drilling and related activities; imprecision of reserves estimates and ultimate recovery of reserves; historical production and testing rates may not be indicative of future production rates, capabilities or ultimate recovery; the historical composition and quality of oil and gas may not be indicative of future composition and quality; general economic, market and business conditions; industry capacity; uncertainty related to marketing and transportation; competitive action by other companies; fluctuations in oil and natural gas prices; the effects of weather and climate conditions; fluctuation in interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates; the ability of suppliers to meet commitments; actions by governmental authorities, including increases in taxes; decisions or approvals of administrative tribunals and the possibility that government policies or laws may change or government approvals may be delayed or withheld; changes in environmental and other regulations; risks associated with oil and gas operations, both domestic and international; international political events; and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Condor. Capital expenditures may be affected by cost pressures associated with new capital projects, including labor and material supply, project management, drilling rig rates and availability, and seismic costs. These risk factors are discussed in greater detail in filings made by Condor with Canadian securities regulatory authorities including the Companys Annual Information Form, which may be accessed through the SEDAR website (www.sedar.com). Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of important factors affecting forward-looking information is not exhaustive. The forward-looking information contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and, except as required by applicable law, Condor does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. ABBREVIATIONS The following is a summary of abbreviations used in this news release: bbl Barrels of oil bopd Barrels of oil per day boe Barrels of oil equivalent * boepd Barrels of oil equivalent per day Mscf Thousand standard cubic feet * Barrels of oil equivalent (boe) are derived by converting gas to oil in the ratio of six thousand standard cubic feet (Mscf) of gas to one barrel of oil based on an energy conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. Given the value ratio based on the current price of crude oil as compared to natural gas is significantly different from the energy equivalency of 6 Mscf to 1 barrel, utilizing a conversion ratio at 6 Mscf to 1 barrel may be misleading as an indication of value, particularly if used in isolation. The TSX does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. For further information, please contact Don Streu, President and CEO or Sandy Quilty, Vice President of Finance and CFO at 403-201-9694. End Times Fun, a state-of-the-nation special, is his most ambitious production, sometimes to a fault, veering from reflective to raunchy, covering everything from the anti-vaccination and #MeToo movements to evangelical politics. Some of his premises, about the shadiness of Trump or the sexuality of Pence, are too familiar. What stands out is his anchoring theme: a skepticism of unshakable belief of any kind. Speaking in a deadpan that gets raspier the longer the sentence goes, Maron, who wears jeans, a vest and a bushy beard, has left his old anger behind. He sounds more seen-it-all weary, impatient with anyone who thinks they have answers, including his fellow podcaster Joe Rogan, whom he needles for selling health supplements before saying hell get some flak about it online from the monoculture of freethinkers, a salvo that seems aimed at the class of commentators and comics reflexively at war with political correctness. Maron describes himself as 85 percent woke, the other 15 percent I keep to myself. He singles out three major American religions: Fox News, Christianity and the Marvel Universe. He spends the least time with Fox, while he is quick to point out that Marvel and Christianity were both created in Jewish writers rooms. In Jewish comedy, pride has always hidden right underneath self-hatred, a paradox Maron examines (and inhabits) as well as anyone. After three and a half decades in comedy, Maron has evolved into a sneakily clever joke mechanic. Smuggling punch lines into asides or seeming tangents, he attempts to approximate more of a conversation than a setup-and-punch line structure, one full of Socratic dialogues, short stories and barroom theories. Sometimes he seems more interested in a literary flourish than a belly laugh. His final joke is not hilarious but it calls back to no fewer than four different ones from the previous hour. In earlier specials, he almost fetishized spontaneity, but his work now is more overtly writerly, intricate and structured. Over the years, Maron has been on several comedy vanguards, from the birth of the alt scene in the 1990s to the podcast revolution more than a decade ago, but with age and success, he has become firmly part of the establishment, a television star whose podcast is as likely to feature Brad Pitt gushing over the hosts self-titled IFC show as a scrappy comic talking shop. (Full disclosure: I have appeared on it, and on a recent episode, he discussed me reviewing his special, the first time I have received a review invite by podcast.) Maron is now the old guard. Its not uncommon to hear young comics poke fun at him. Its part of the price you pay for a decade of nostalgizing in public as well as the inevitable hypocrisies you engage in if you live long enough. Maron hates comic-book culture, but of course he appeared in the movie Joker. A group of Sikh volunteers have started a free home delivery service amid the coronavirus crisis. The volunteers announced that they would be delivering free food to self-isolated people in Melbourne's south-east for the next two weeks. One of the charity's founders, Jaswinder Singh, said they were expecting 300 orders for their first round of deliveries tonight. A volunteer group of Sikhs (pictured) have established a coronavirus food delivery service that will provide self-isolated people in Melbourne's south-east with free meals The non-profit organisation was founded in 2017 and has a team of 103 members who work regular jobs alongside their volunteering. 'We provide free food normally for suburbs in the area twice a week. Last time we extended our regular service for the bushfires and we're doing it again now for the virus,' Mr Singh explained. He said that the Facebook notice for the service had amassed over 200 orders since it was posted yesterday. 'Some of those ordering are sick or disabled and we have had a few messages from people who are stressed and have quarantined themselves,' Mr Signh said. Mr Singh noted the service provided vegetarian food and that customers could 'decide whatever they need from the menu on our Facebook page.' The Facebook advertisement said that deliveries would be made between 6pm and 8pm and that orders must be placed by 12pm. The service announcement (pictured) was posted to the Sikh volunteer group's Facebook page and they expected to hand out 300 orders on their first round of deliveries tonight The Sikh volunteers are already renowned in the community for their selfless actions co-operating with a local business owner during the bushfire crisis in Victoria. Mr Singh said the volunteer group worked alongside a Sikh couple who owned an Indian restaurant, Kanwaljit Singh and his wife Kamaljit Kaur, to provide free meals to impacted people. 'We went down to Bairnsdale the first day and as we didn't have established site they give us their restaurant backyard,' he explained. The Sikh volunteer group then handed out thousands of curry and rice dishes to Victorians who were living in temporary shelters. Grateful community members shared their praise for the services provided by the group. One person wrote: 'They are such amazing people these Sikh volunteers! Thank-you for all you do for others.' 'Great kindness in troubled times from wonderful people. Thank you,' said another. With the government issuing advisories that social distancing measures be practiced as a preventive strategy to combat the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, outbreak, those working out of co-working offices have decided to work from home, impacting footfalls. If the situation prolongs, there is a danger that growth targets of this segment may dip, say real estate experts. Currently, investors are asking employees to work from home for the next 15-days, but if things worsen both co-working and co-living segments will feel the heat and there may be a general slowdown in shared spaces, they warned. If the coronavirus impact gets prolonged and threat perception around public places persists, growth targets of the co-working segment may fall by 40-50 percent, impacting overall business sentiment. Onboarding of new clients is also likely to get impacted, said Anckur Srivasttava of GenReal Advisers. Co-working offices are likely to see a temporary increase in vacancies, particularly in cities that are most vulnerable to a large scale 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 However, Aashish Agarwal, Senior Director & Head- Consulting Services at Colliers International India, feels this disruption might actually help flexible workspace operators demonstrate the value of their offering and come back stronger as the economy recovers. Even providers in the co-working space agree that most clients have started working from home and that clients have started delaying decisions. While we have not seen much of an impact, if the situation prolongs we may see an impact on new opportunities with clients deciding to delay decisions. We are in the wait and watch mode for now, Puneet Chandra, Founder, Skootr Global Pvt, said. Ashish Goenka, Director, Redbrick Offices, said 32 percent of its clients have chosen to work from home. We do not expect any further drop, unless the situation worsens significantly, or if, the government/ authorities step in to issue closure and stricter isolation notice, he added. But companies are fighting back. Awfis is extending IT support to employees of those companies that are choosing to work from home 'for a seamless experience', its Founder & CEO Amit Ramani said. Buoyed by technology adoption, increased occupancy rates and growing investments, 2019 saw co-working space leasing touching 10.8 million square feet in 2019. Among the key markets, Bengaluru and Hyderabad accounted for about half of the flexible space take-up in India, CBRE South Asia Pvt said in a report titled 'India Flexible Space Digest 2019'. While demand is up at a few Cowlitz County gun stores in the wake of government action to slow the spread of COVID-19, customers dont seem to be panic-buying, store owners say. People are pretty chill, said Cassondra Rosales, who is a co-owner of Slapshot USA, a Longview gun store that opened in the fall. People are pretty smart. You get some people panicking, buying ridiculous amounts of toilet paper. But as far as this kind of stuff goes, a lot of the gun people you tend to meet are already kind of preppers. ... I wouldnt say theres any panic, but people are definitely more aware of other people. Sales were down the first week of March at Slapshot, but they spiked up last week, she said. Its even inspired a few first-time gun owners to do some research and come visit, Rosales said. Handguns and shotguns are selling quickly, Rosales said, along with older rifles, which can be cheaper and more reliable. Requests for ammo, especially 9mm and bulk ammo, are way up, too. We got in 4,000 rounds in bulk ammo on Tuesday, and it was gone by Friday, Rosales said. I think people are expecting not to be able to buy (bulk ammo) if they need to. The family micro-manufactures its own ammo in town and works with a manufacturing plant in Georgia, so if Slapshot starts facing delivery shortages, theyll still able to keep ammo on the shelves, she said. Because of a surge in nationwide demand, everything from shipments of new stock to background checks has slowed down in the last few weeks, Rosales said. Background checks have gone from an average three-day wait period to about 10 days. Over-the-phone FBI NICS checks, which used to take about 10 minutes, can take an hour or longer. To stay safe and hygienic Rosales lives with a few high risk family members Slapshot is taking orders by appointment only and asking customers to browse and buy online. Im not at high risk, so Im here running it. Rosales said. Im trying to mitigate it, control how many people are coming in, when theyre coming in. With passer-by traffic reduced, Rosales said theyve started upping their radio, newspaper and online advertising. A steady stream of customers was visiting Gators Custom Guns in Kelso on Tuesday morning, where owner Wally Wentz said sales have spiked. Wentz said hes sold about 3,000 AR-15 magazines in the last three weeks. A cashier said their sales have been on par with Black Friday for multiple days. Ammo and standard capacity magazines are some of the top sellers, Wentz said. And customers who were thinking about buying firearms affected by recent state gun control laws have started putting those orders in. People are under the impression that theyre going to be restricted from the ability to traverse their own town, and buy what theyre used to buying ... so theyre buying it now in case someone actually presses that button, Wentz said. Theyre not letting the clock tick anymore. If they were on the fence, theyre off the frickin fence, and theyre burning their credit cards. ... Everyone Saturday and today has asked educated questions, so it tells me theyre doing research before they come here. As far as the coronavirus, Wentz is still shaking hands. He said hes staying informed on how the virus develops, but hes not joining the freakout. Were washing our hands before we eat. We got limes in the fridge to go with the Corona. Itll be just fine. And if nothing else, the outbreak is a chance for Americans to improve their long-term survival skills, he said. Gary Hunter, owner of The Pawn Shop and More in Longview, said sales had been high at the store in general as tax season comes around the corner. But the coronavirus outbreak has slowed things down, he said. There arent any particular products that are selling better at the store, he said, including guns and ammunition. But he said they have been getting a lot of calls inquiring about ammo, which the store normally sells quickly anyway. There are fewer shoppers but seemingly more pawners at the store, he said. Nobodys relaxed, but shoppers generally arent panicking. At least two to three times an hour, he and his staff are donning gloves and disinfecting counters and surfaces in the store. Hunter said hes absolutely worried about what the virus and government restrictions will do to business. Its scary, Hunter said. I mean, if people arent working, people arent getting paychecks, and people arent getting their stuff out of pawn or buying anything in my store. 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. South Dakota courts are delaying trials, excusing no-shows, attempting to reduce jail populations and taking other measures to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The Centers for Disease Control and White House have recommended people avoid crowds and close contact with others, which are often impossible to do in crowded courtrooms and jails housing hundreds of people. The states seven judicial circuits have all released detailed COVID-19 procedures after the South Dakota Supreme Court declared a judicial emergency on March 13 and ordered presiding judges to create such policies. Guidance from public health officials suggests that one of the most effective ways to protect against the spread of this disease is to limit exposure, particular to persons at higher risk of developing serious COVID-19 illness, Chief Justice David Gilbertson wrote in his order. During this time, it may become necessary for courts in counties across the state of South Dakota to close, relocate or otherwise significantly modify their regular operations, he said. One major change impacting all criminal defendants is that they no longer have the right for their case to be resolved within 180 days after Gilbertson suspended the state's speedy trial law. Black Hills courts The 7th Circuit Court which includes Pennington, Custer, Fall River and Oglala Lakota counties is taking several steps that will help release people from jail while also preventing new bookings. Jailed defendants cases will be prioritized, and inmates who are quarantined within jail must appear via video conference, Judge Craig Pfeifle wrote in his order. The Jail Population Review Team must review bond for all non-violent offenders and recommend release conditions for judges. Defendants who dont appear in court are sometimes arrested and jailed, but Pfeifle said those who fail to show up for misdemeanor and non-violent felony charges will be excused for public health. People on probation are also sometimes jailed or required to appear in court for violating conditions. But probation officers can now consider delaying sanctions, Pfeifle wrote. Officers can also find ways to communicate and monitor sobriety beyond in-person visits. Anyone with a court date who is part of an at-risk population, has coronavirus symptoms or has been exposed to the virus should call the clerk of courts to reschedule, the circuit said in an earlier news release. People who need to fill out paperwork or pay fines should consider using online resources at ujs.sd.gov. Those who need to visit the courthouse should try to stay away from others. Pfeifle also delayed all civil trials and criminal trials for non-jailed defendants for at least 30 days. Trials for jailed defendants will continue unless they test positive for COVID-19. Jurors who are part of an at-risk population, self-quarantining or have cornavirus symptoms will be excused from service, and the court will make sure jurors sit at a distance from each other during trial. DUI, drug and other specialty courts are allowed to make their own decisions on whether they delay court meetings and limit in-person visits outside of court. Other courts The 4th Circuit Court that oversees eight counties including Butte, Lawrence and Meade in the Northern Hills area is encouraging all hearings to be conducted by video and phone if allowed under the law. The court is following the same trial and probation rules as the 7th Circuit Court and encouraging social distancing and reducing spectators in courtrooms. The largest circuit in the state, the 2nd Circuit Court which oversees Minnehaha and Lincoln counties, is following the same probation rules as the two other courts. People who are required to test at 24/7 drug and alcohol centers may be allowed to be tested through other means or be removed from testing altogether. Anyone who is under the age of 10, traveled to high-risk countries, are self-quarantining, have been diagnosed with or has symptoms of COVID-19, or have been exposed to others with the virus cant enter the court. Defendants, lawyers, probationers and jurors who fall into those categories or are part of a high-risk population should contact their attorneys, judges/court administration, court services or the jury manager, respectively. Contact Arielle Zionts at arielle.zionts@rapidcityjournal.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. Bhubaneswar: At a time when the efforts are being taken at war-footing to further prevent the spread of novel coronavirus, an IAS officer in Odisha has shown exemplary courage by returning back to work just 24 hours after his fathers death due to the deadly virus. IAS officer Nikunja Dhal, who is currently serving as Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department in Odisha, is being hailed as a perfect role model since he chose not to falter in times of grief and put duty above ones need. All this happened at a time when the Naveen Patnaik-led government cancelled the leaves of all government employees as they were needed to combat COVID-19 which has so far infected 1,81,584 people worldwide. The deadly virus has infected as many as 148 cases and claimed three lives in India. So far, one coronavirus case has been reported in Odisha. The 1993-batch IAS officer could have taken leave on personal grounds but he was back to work within 24 hours after completing the necessary rituals. The selfless act of the officer is being lauded by the public for leading by example and imparting the lesson of taking responsibility. Y Combinator's Demo Day was a bit different this time around. As concerns grew over the spread of COVID-19, Y Combinator shifted the event format away from the two-day gathering in San Francisco we've gotten used to, instead opting to have its entire class debut to invited investors and media via YC's Demo Day website simultaneously. In a bit of a surprise twist, YC also moved Demo Day forward one week citing accelerated pacing from investors. Alas, this meant switching up its plan for each company to have a recorded pitch on the Demo Day website; instead, each company pitched via slides, a few paragraphs outlining what they're doing and the traction they're seeing, and team bios. It's unclear so far how this new format in combination with the rapidly evolving investment climate will impact this class. As we do with each class, we've collected our notes on each company based on information gathered from their pitches, websites, and, in some cases, our earlier coverage of them. To make things a bit easier to read, we've split things up by category rather than have it be one huge wall of text. These are the B2B companies those that primarily focus on selling to other businesses. You can find the other categories (such as hardware, AI, and consumer) here. See which companies the TechCrunch staff liked the most over on Extra Crunch. B2B Companies: Alude: Property tech in Brazil is a hot market, with startups like Loft and unicorn QuintoAndar raising mega growth stage rounds. Alude wants to control the distribution channel with its simplified home leasing/buying process. Its system automates the process of background checks, document collection, insurance purchasing and online signing. This modernized tech is free for brokers, and the company plans to monetize by selling mortgage and insurance to customers. Vori: Vori wants to be the operating system for the American grocery supply chain. Even in 2020, supermarkets still have an old school paper and pen ordering process with wholesale distributors. Vori acts as a B2B marketplace for supermarkets and distributors, helping stores produce inventory from vendors in a more efficient way. It says it has 24 active stores using its tech, and is also supporting over 150 distributors in Northern California. Vori acts also as a product discovery engine for supermarkets, helping them stay competitive with Whole Foods and Amazon. Story continues Linkana: Linkana is compliance-driven procurement software in Latin America. There are 40,000 companies in Latin America that spend $60,000 yearly in procurement solutions, creating a $2.5 billion market opportunity. The four-person co-founding team has members who have worked together for nearly a decade. Weav: Interviewing new candidates at work can be a time suck, and there isn't a great way to organize and synthesize feedback from the team. Weav records and transcribes interviews for hiring teams so that companies can reach decisions faster and conduct fewer interviews. Led be an ex-Apple/Google/Microsoft team, Weav says it's building state of the art NLP tools that leverage information retrieval, topic modeling and entity recognition. ElectroNeek RPA: Everyone agrees that robots are the future of automation, but actually deploying the technology often requires a great deal of expertise. ElectroNeek is building a desktop and cloud-based interface designed to help streamline the automation process for IT employees and business professionals without a robotics background. Reaktive: Aimed at creative professionals like animators, video editors and engineers, Reaktive is designed to replace desktop hardware with cloud-based solutions. The company claims its offering is 100x faster than traditional solutions, greatly reducing things like an eight-hour rendering job down to 45 seconds. The company has already closed $2.2 million in purchase orders from studios. Handl: An API for turning paper documents including handwritten ones into structured data ready to be plunked into a database or CRM. While the company says that around 85% of its processing is handled by their AI, it's backed by humans to validate data when the AI's confidence is low. Nine months after launch, the company is seeing an ARR of $0.9 million. Eze: Eze is building a used smartphone market that functions like a commodities exchange. The system will update in real time with the fluctuating price of a wide range of different mobile devices. Devices will be sold to wholesalers in bulk, who turn around and sell them to retailers. Oda: Aggregates real estate data from listing services and government records into a unified API. The company says it's currently working with 4 pilot companies. Okay: Hooks into tools like JIRA, GitHub, GCal, and Pagerduty to give engineering managers a dashboard to better understand how their teams are working and improve efficiency (by, for example, reducing meetings that might break up productivity). Charges $350 per manager. Tajir: A marketplace to help small stores in Pakistan get inventory. The company says that currently nearly all distribution to "mom-and-pop" shops in Pakistan is done offline; Tajir brings the process into a mobile app with free next day delivery. GuruHotel: A website and property management/booking system for hotels. Eight months after launch, they're working with 26 hotels and seeing $20k a month in revenue. The base plan provides a basic hosting/booking engine in exchange for a 5% booking commission, while premium plans introduce other features, such as property management tools, for $350 to $499 a month in addition to commission. Riot Security: An anti-phishing tool that automatically tests your employees with faux-phishing emails based on the most recently discovered phishing techniques. It starts at $200 a month for companies with under 50 employees, with the price shifting to custom scaling after that. The tool is currently in pilot tests with six companies, with an MRR of $1,000. Find our previous coverage of Riot Security here. LabGrid: A project-tracking and collaboration tool meant to help biotech companies and labs communicate more efficiently than they might over email. Trimwire: Hooks into a company's bank accounts and credit cards to automatically reduce monthly costs by flagging anomalies and hunting for potential savings on recurring expenses (such as forgotten subscriptions). Upflow: Aiming to be the "Venmo of B2B," Upflow focuses on getting unpaid invoices paid. It automatically sends customized emails and registered letters to unpaid accounts, updates designated team members when account status changes, and handles payments. They charge $50 per month for companies with fewer than 30 invoices per month, scaling it up to $225 per month for companies doing less than $3M annually. Find our previous coverage of Upflow here. Explo: Explo is meant to let non-technical employees analyze large amounts of data without having to know how to write/run SQL queries, instead providing them with a point/click interface for generating reports. The team says it has over 400 companies on its waitlist. Workbench: Workbench is developing a platform purpose-built for hardware companies for sourcing suppliers and storing information/specs about the components they use. Jet Admin: A drag-and-drop tool for building internal tools without code, hopefully freeing up dev team resources. Connects to databases and services like Stripe/Google Analytics/Salesforce and allows teams to piece together tools by way of pre-built widgets. Free for indie developers, or $19 per user for teams with up to 10 members. Battlecard: Trains your sales team on what to say to unhappy customers through simulation (complete with synthesized unhappy customer voice). Teams collaborate to write their "playbook" of responses for different situations, sharing the answers/phrasing they've found to work best. Roughly a month after launching, the company says it has already booked over $35k in annual recurring revenue. SnackThis: Is a collaborative, browser-based tool for motion design. Imagine a remote team fine-tuning moving typography in a video, or the way an app moves from screen to screen. One of the co-founders previously sold his motion design-heavy company to GoPro for $80M. Zeo Auto: Fleet management and tracking for companies with automative fleets in India, allowing them to do things like view current vehicle position, replay past trips, calculate fuel costs, etc. Compatible with over 50 different GPS devices. The company says it has onboarded 2,000 fleet owners, bringing 30,000 vehicles onto the platform. Savvy: Built for companies unable to offer group insurance plans, Savvy lets them instead give employees a tax-free stipend to put toward an individual health plan of their choosing. The company says that it's working with over 30 companies after launching two months ago, accounting for roughly $100K in ARR. Flowdash: "Human-in-the-loop" operations are those that require a human at some point in a process to make a final call think claims processing, or moderating user-flagged content. Flowdash helps human-in-the-loop teams build new tools with minimal coding, allowing them to integrate them into services like Slack or Gmail. Their base plan starts at $25 per user per month, increasing if you need things like analytics or on-prem deployment. Dropee: Dropee helps independent retailers in Southeast Asia buy things in bulk from large brands, charging said brands $8 per store for insight on what is or isn't selling. The company says it's seeing over $40K in monthly revenue. NUMI: Helps retailers and marketplaces in Africa import U.S. goods, handling the challenges involved with freight and customs. Currently in a pilot program with Carrefour, which they expect to account for over $500K per year in sales. Pilot: Pilot handles payroll, benefits and compliance for hiring remote contractors. Companies pay $60 per contractor per month for Pilot to help treat contractors like full-time employees by offering benefits, stock options and expense reimbursements. With COVID-19 quarantines familiarizing more companies with remote work, there could be a big market for ensuring their retention and productivity by making them feel like part of the team. SEND: SEND is a digital freight forwarder and customs broker for Africa that manages cargo shipping by air, truck, and sea. SEND optimizes routing for faster, more reliable deliveries by bringing documentation online and letting clients just deal with the one company instead of up to a dozen shipping vendors. SEND's founders are brothers, and see an opportunity to be the Flexport of Africa by conquering the market before that $3.2 billion valuation startup can reach the continent. Brokrete: Brokrete, a delivery marketplace app, was developed to connect contractors with available concrete suppliers with the most competitive price. The startups founders are aiming to capture a piece of what they describe as a $120 billion market opportunity. Theyve already made some headway, by first demoing the app with contractors and then launching its product in December. The company began in the Canadian marketplace and is expanding to Houston this spring. Paneau: The founders of Paneau are aiming to create a new way for businesses to advertise to ride-hailing customers by placing interactive tablets inside Uber and Lyft vehicles. The tablet can be used by riders to make purchases and even re-route the car. Paneau is already generating revenue some $11,000 a month by charging $0.96 cents per trip. Bego: Bego has created an app focused on the Latam market that uses machine learning to predict future locations of cargo delivery and helps match truckers to customers in an effort to reduce the number of empty miles. For now, the startup has one route Mexico City to Nuevo Laredo where 42% of all cargo in Mexico is moved. 99minutos: This Latam startup is focused on last-mile delivery for e-commerce purchases. The startup has a wide geographic footprint of 19 cities across two countries with 15,000 deliveries daily and plans to expand to Colombia and Peru later this year. 99Minutos is now launching delivery with electric vehicles and in Mexico is the last-mile delivery partner for Amazon, MercadoLibre and Walmart. Farm Theory: Farm theory buys the ugly yet fresh and fit-for-consumption vegetables from Indian farmers and then sells and delivers the produce directly to restaurants in India. The vegetable delivery service says it can save restaurants up to 30%. HYPHY: As advertising matures alongside user-generated social media content, HYPHY is aiming to create a market for consumers to sell their photos and videos directly to brands. The marketplace is a way for brands to source media more quickly for advertising or marketing campaigns. Zaam: Zaam is building a platform to simplify B2B onboarding, reducing complexity and pushing customers through the tiring process of data and document requests through automating as much as possible. The startup says they have hit $120K ARR in the past two months. HireSweet: HireSweet is building a hiring platform that pushes recruiters towards ideal candidates that may not explicitly be looking for a new job. The platform analyzes behavior like who is updating their LinkedIn, adding to open source projects on Github, or nearing a vesting cliff. The team earned $150K in MRR last month. Find our previous coverage of HireSweet here. Stryve: Stryve wants the hiring process to pivot to video, replacing phone screeners with video chat questionnaires. The team bills the platform to cut down on endless scheduling back-and-forths and boost turnaround. Paragon: Paragon is a low-code API builder, helping speed up the time to build APIs, API-based interactions and integrations Syndetic: "Shopify for data," Syndetic is a platform that lets organizations make their static datasets more dynamic and useful Cadence: Cadence is a platform for meetings that should have been emails. The early access platform is focused on eliminating meetings related to sharing project updates. It does this by integrating with task management tools and letting employees easily share on Slack what theyve been working on, who theyve been working with, and whats on the docket. Zynq: Zynq is building an enterprise calendar tool that helps companies schedule meetings more efficiently across the board. The service helps slot meetings to appropriately sized meeting rooms at opportune times so that companies dont feel like theyre outgrowing their offices too quickly. Castodia: Castodia hooks your databases into Google Sheets, ensuring that the information there is always up to date and users aren't stuck manually importing CSV files time and time again. Onetool: Onetool is building an all-in-one platform that allows startups to subscribe and save, paying for a single subscription while using a variety of vendors to meet their needs. The company hopes its platform can boost discoverability of new SaaS tools and simplify the lives of founders who are having to manage so many subscription services. Dashworks: Dashworks is aiming to build a search tool that bring together all of the information from your various collaboration tools and databases. The platform relies on deep integrations across a wide variety of tools including JIRA, Slack, and Google Drive. Laserfocus: Laserfocus is creating an app that layers onto your CRM and allows salespeople to quickly work their way through calls, emails and meetings with potential clients. The app wants to re-bundle the tasks currently separated across a handful of apps and cut down on distractions for salespeople who are eager to gather information about potential clients. TrueNorth: To help fix inefficiencies in the fragmented trucking industry, TrueNorth offers a software solution for independent truckers. Think of it as an operating system, but for trucks, to help with everything from fuel and maintenance, to route optimization and load tracking. Taiv: Taiv wants to help your local neighborhood sports bar better monetize the commercials you see on those in-bar TVs. Charging $4,200 a year per location, Taiv lets businesses replace live commercials with business advertisements about specials or deals. Find our previous coverage of Taiv here. Humanly: Humanly wants to automate job candidate screening for companies that typically receive a high volume of applications. The company says its tech helps keep screening consistent, while removing bias. Customers include Farmers Insurance, Feather and Grin. BuildPlane: BuildPlane has designed a next generation toolkit for commercial construction management. The company's software tracks document requests, manages change orders, handles subcontractor billing and payments, and requests for quotes and pricing. It's an industry category that has already produced billion-dollar businesses like Procore and PlanGrid. SINAI: SINAI Technologies is a next generation software platform that lets organizations plan their carbon emissions strategy: it tracks different departments and processes within a company and then gives recommendations on where to reduce carbon emissions to meet internal and external goals. Find our previous coverage of SINAI here. Logarithm Labs: Logarithm Labs is a project management service for chip designers covering data pipelines, scripting interfaces, and portals and dashboards to parse, structure, and analyze data generated in chip design work Snapboard: Snapboard provides software tools to create dashboards, visualizations, and applications without code. Find our previous coverage of Snapboard here. Slingshow: Slingshow is a download-free video recording and delivery application for customer service and complaint resolution. All a customer has to do is take a video of their problem with an explanation and send it off via Slingshow to explain a problem and get help. Pulley: Pulley is a next generation cap table management tool. Private companies can use it to issue employee & investor equity and maintain ownership records as a company scales. Like Carta, it has a free tier for smaller startups. Unlike Carta, its focus is first (and currently only) on serving founders rather than investors. The founder is a repeat entrepreneur who sold a previous company to Microsoft. Rosebud AI: Welcome to the dystopian future of corporate spokesmodeling campaigns. Rosebud.ai creates digital avatars and models for any occasion. Companies can filter by demographic, age, and style. Termii: Termii is a multi-channel marketing and communications service, providing APIs for SMS and user verification for African businesses. Able Jobs: Able Jobs trains candidates in India on the skillsets companies need most so that businesses can hire better candidates more quickly. They did 130 placements in February Skypher: Skypher automates the security questionnaire development-and-response process. Terusama: Taking logistics management all the way to the dockside, Terusama provides scheduling software for freight pickup and digital sign ins for haulers. Mistro: Mistro lets employers provide benefits and perks to remote teams in over 200 countries. They can offer health insurance, co-working space, development classes, food, IT equipment and more that workers pay for through a Mistro credit card. Teams around the world are embracing remote work due to coronavirus. That trend could last, creating a big market for whoever can help companies attract the best work-from-homers. [Note, 6/8: We've corrected a typo regarding Zaam's ARR] A number of coronavirus testing sites have already started operating at various spots throughout New Jersey, with at least two more set to be established later this week and into next week. State Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said Wednesday that a testing site at Bergen County Community College will be up and running on Friday, and will have the capacity to collect 2,500 specimens each week. Another testing site for at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel is anticipated to be established by next week, or a matter of days within Bergen opening on Friday, Gov. Phil Murphy said Wednesday. Who can get tested in New Jersey? In an interview with New York radio station WINS 1010-AM on Thursday, Gov. Phil Murphy says people will need to show symptoms at the two government-run testing sites (Bergen Community College and PNC Bank Arts Center) in order to be tested. People would not need to get a recommendation from a doctor, Murphy says. Some privately-run testing sites like Riverside Medical Groups drive-thru site have a pre-screening process. Patients have to call in to be screened by an expert at Riverside, and the tests are for Riverside patients only. The CDC recommends seeking medical attention immediately if a person exhibits the following symptoms: Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath Persistent pain or pressure in the chest New confusion or inability to arouse Bluish lips or face FEMA is helping set up sites The Federal Emergency Management Agency will help the state set up these large-scale testing sites, and as such each will be the first major public testing centers run by the state and the federal government in New Jersey. New Jersey is one of 12 states identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a priority state that will have testing sites supported by the federal agency, Murphy previously said. In addition to these sites, two drive-through facilities have already opened in Secaucus, the first at the Riverside Medical Groups command center last Thursday, and the second at the Hudson Regional Hospital on Tuesday. Testing is also being conducted at various state laboratories, hospitals and private companies, as well as at the Hackensack Meridian Hospital and the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. Murphy announced 162 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, increasing the statewide total to 427 positive tests, and five deaths. Two positive tests previously included in the states count were confirmed on Wednesday to be out-of-state residents, and were removed from the total number of cases. If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter. 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. Have a tip? Tell us.nj.com/tips. Reporter Tennyson Coleman contributed to this article. Caroline Fassett can be reached at cfassett@njadvancemedia.com. Chinese and Korean expats in Europe are fleeing to their home countries as the coronavirus epidemic spreads quickly on the continent. Reservations on flights from Paris to Incheon this week have been fully booked. Plane tickets sold out as Korean residents in Italy and Spain flock to Paris to fly home since direct flights from those two countries have been stopped. The Korean Embassy in France has asked Asiana Airlines to resume flights to Paris after they were temporarily halted until next month, while asking Korean Air to send an Airbus A-380 jumbo plane to ferry Korean residents back home. But the two carriers are bristling at the request. It is unclear if even the remaining flights can continue, with the French government halting all incoming flights from non-EU countries from Tuesday. Adding to the confusion, the French government has not decided whether to allow Koreans from third countries to transfer through airports in Paris to return to Korea. Korean residents in Italy are considering asking the government here to send chartered planes to airlift them back home. Thousands of New Jerseyans saw their work time disappear this week as industries ground to a halt. No one knows what the full economic toll of the coronavirus outbreak will be, though U.S. Treasury Secretary reportedly warned that unemployment could soar to 20 percent without government intervention, according to Bloomberg News. For comparison, unemployment during the Great Depression peaked at nearly 25 percent and at a hair under 10 percent during the Great Recession. On Monday alone, at least 15,000 New Jersey workers submitted unemployment applications, overwhelming and crashing the states Department of Labor and Workforce Development intake system. We are back up and actively taking claims, but are seeing unprecedented volume, spokeswomen Angela Delli-Santi said. As of January, the states jobless rate was 3.8 percent and was adding jobs. Data for February wont be available until next week, though that wont capture the job losses the state has been seeing over the past two weeks. Delli-Santi urged workers to apply for benefits online the Labor Department has closed all of its career centers. She also recommended they review guidance issued in response to the coronavirus on who qualifies for unemployment insurance. More on that below. Workers need to know that the NJ Labor Department is working diligently to serve all customers, she said. Because of these unprecedented circumstances, we are experience record demand. Hang in! We will get through this crisis together. Heres what you need to know: If you cant work because your childs school or daycare closed: You can use your paid sick leave. If you cant work because your employer voluntarily closed: You may be eligible for unemployment compensation. If you cant work because your employer was ordered to close: You can use your sick leave and then apply for unemployment compensation. If you still have a job but are losing hours because of the coronavirus: You may qualify for partial unemployment benefits. If you wont work because a health care provider has deemed you high-risk: You can use your sick leave and you may qualify for temporary disability insurance. If you have the novel coronavirus or symptoms and cant work: You would have to tap your own accrued sick leave. If you burn through all of your sick leave, you may be able to apply for temporary disability insurance. And if you contracted it at work, you may be able to apply for workers compensation. If you were exposed to the coronavirus through your work and were told to self-quarantine: You may be able to use your sick leave or apply for workers compensation. If you were exposed to the coronavirus outside of work and were told to self-quarantine: You can use sick leave. If you cant work because you have to care for a relative who has the coronavirus or symptoms: You can use sick leave and then apply for family leave insurance, which allows you to care for an ill member of your family or someone you consider family. Source: New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development If your job has been directly impacted by #COVID19, HELP IS AVAILABLE. We have some of the nations strongest and best guaranteed paid sick leave and paid family leave laws for situations like this. For more information: https://t.co/Fls5v5MDsd pic.twitter.com/Too0Fh6wg7 Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) March 18, 2020 I Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey: 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. Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter@samanthamarcus. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said the rebel MLAs are staying in Bengaluru at their own will and their lives would be in danger if they come to Madhya Pradesh. "Today the former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh who destroyed the state reached Bengaluru with his rowdy men. After the results were out, we would have tried to form the government but we did not want this. Digvijaya Singh wants to save the government. He wants to meet MLAs, who are in Bengaluru. They said they ran away because of him and did not want to meet him," said Chouhan at a press conference here. "If the rebel MLAs come to the state (Madhya Pradesh), their lives would be in danger. The government did not want them to reach the Assembly. There was an attack on Scindia's vehicle. Do they come here without thinking about their lives? They have said that they can appear before the Supreme Court. They are there at their own will because of this government," he said. The BJP leader reiterated his demand for the floor test in Madhya Pradesh Assembly. Former Chief Minister Singh who landed in Bengaluru early on Wednesday was placed under preventive arrest after he sat on a dharna near Ramada Hotel here, allegedly for not being allowed by the police to meet the 21 Congress rebel MLAs lodged in a hotel. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UK has advised British nationals in India that if they have symptoms of coronavirus they should self-isolate for seven days and contact the Government of India's helpline in case their condition worsens. UK's Acting High Commissioner to India Jan Thompson, in a video posted on Twitter, also said the situation remains "fluid" and it is recommended that all British nationals should continue to monitor any advice on state-level restrictions and follow the instructions of local authorities in India. "Given the current circumstances, we understand that many people currently in India may want to return to the UK sooner than planned. Provided you are not subject to quarantine, anyone who wishes to do so should contact their airline or travel provider in order to arrange for their journey home," Thompson said. "We are working closely with Indian authorities to monitor developments," she said. Thompson said the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has advised against all but essential travel to India. This follows the Indian government's announcement that passengers from the UK, the EU and Turkey will be prohibited from entering India. Airlines will not permit passengers from these countries to board planes from 1200 GMT on March 18, 2020, she said. Thompson asked British nationals due to travel between the UK and India after March 18 to contact their airline or travel provider as soon as possible. "If you are currently in India and suffering from symptoms associated with coronavirus then you should self isolate for seven days. If you feel the symptoms worsening contact government of India's 24/7 helpline," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Patriot Growth Insurance Service LLC (Patriot), a national insurance agency headquartered in Fort Washington, Penn., has added Omaha, Neb.-based The Olson Group (Olson) to the Patriot platform. The partnership with Olson significantly strengthens Patriots existing employee benefits capabilities and further supports the companys strategic geographic expansion. Olson is a comprehensive employee benefits consulting firm with a focus on retirement planning and group insurance plans. With more than 500 employee benefits programs in place covering more than 20,000 employees, the firm is known for its unparalleled customer service and extensive knowledge of the Affordable Care Act. Olson advises clients on compliance initiatives, wellness plans, risk management strategies, retirement plans and more. Founded by industry veteran Tim Olson, the firm helps companies navigate the rapidly changing healthcare landscape and improve their bottom line by implementing state-of-the-art employee benefits programs. CEO Julie Nelson leads a team of 26 professionals with an average of 25 years experience in the industry working to ensure the best benefit outcomes for individuals and families. Founded in 2019, Patriot is a growth-focused national insurance services firm that partners with employee benefits and property/ casualty agencies across the United States. It has over 500 professionals operating in 48 locations across 13 states. Source: Patriot Growth Insurance Service LLC Topics Nebraska Channel Nine has confirmed filming for the new season of The Block will continue amid the coronavirus outbreak. In a statement released on nine.com.au on Wednesday, the network announced that production is going to continue but the site will be closed to anyone 'not essential' to the show. The network also said producers are going to 'unprecedented levels to make the site safe for everyone' and are giving briefings to the contestants. Still going: Channel Nine has confirmed filming for new season of The Block will continue amid the coronavirus outbreak. Pictured The Block host Scott Cam The executive Producer and creator of The Block, Julian Cress, said: 'We are going to follow all of the practices and all of the advice that has been given, we are practising social distancing, we are putting into effect everything that has been suggested.' He said producers have also offered to fly the families of three couples, on the show who have children, to Melbourne where filming is currently underway. Julian explained that no contestant has said 'they want to give up and go home' and the Network will continue filming for as long as possible. Restrictions: The network said that production is going to continue but the site will be closed to anyone 'not essential' to the show 'The contestants want to see this thing to the very end and they have made that very clear to us, our job is to help them do that,' he said. 'We have also in the past 48 hours spoken to every one of our suppliers, we've looked into their supply chain issues, delivery schedules [and] with their help we have been able to pre-order everything we need to finish this job,' he said. The decision comes after Prime Minister Scott Morrison banned indoor gatherings of more than 100 people and warned Australians to not travel abroad on Wednesday. 'We are going to follow all of the practices': Nine revealed producers are going to 'make the site safe for everyone' and are giving briefings to the contestants. Pictured co-hosts Scott Cam and Shelley Craft He also encouraged people to practice social distancing, and to maintain a 1.5 metre distance when possible. The news comes one week after The Block's hosts Scott Cam and Shelley Craft were pictured filming with the latest batch of contestants in Melbourne's Brighton. It is believed that filming began on February 22 and will continue until May, with five homes to be renovated on a building site purchased for $15million. (Bloomberg Opinion) -- Europes desire for strategic autonomy from the U.S. is being tested on the outskirts of Tripoli. It is not going well. A ceasefire between the opposing sides in Libyas civil war, agreed in Berlin last month under the supervision of Chancellor Angela Merkel, has been repeatedly breached. The forces of Khalifa Haftar, the strongman supported by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Russia, have kept up sporadic attacks against positions held by the internationally-recognized government in Tripoli, which is backed by Turkey. The deal brokered by the chancellor was never more than a gentlemens bargain between rogues, and the passage of time has made a complete mockery of Merkels assertion that the ceasefire was a comprehensive plan forward. It is a wonder Haftar was able to keep a straight face last week during visits to Paris and Berlin, where first French President Emmanuel Macron and then Merkel lectured him on the pointlessness of violence and the importance of a negotiated settlement with his opposite number, Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj. More embarrassing for the Europeans, their commitment to enforcing a United Nations arms embargo on both belligerents has been exposed as hollow. Although the European Union agreed to deploy warships off the Libyan coast, as well as aerial and satellite assets, to prevent the shipment of arms, Haftars Libyan National Army and Sarrajs Government of National Accord have been able to stock up on military supplies from their respective patrons. The Europeans seem more concerned about preventing their ships from being caught up in saving boatloads of refugees than in enforcing the blockade. Stephanie Williams, the UN deputy special envoy for Libya, has conceded that the embargo has become a joke. More tellingly, her boss, Ghassan Salame, has quit, pleading poor health after three years of fruitless effort. The mobilization of military assets to block arms shipments was meant to demonstrate Europes determination to play a major role in tackling international crises, independent of the U.S. Choosing Libya as the test of this resolve made sense: The Trump administration has little interest in resolving the crisis; American forces were withdrawn from Libya nearly a year ago, as Haftars forces marched toward the capital. Story continues The Europeans have overlapping interests in Libya. French and Italian companies dominate its petroleum industry, and the EU is terrified that the civil war will send fresh waves of refugees across the Mediterranean. There have been several European efforts to end the fighting; Macron has been especially energetic. They have all come to naught. The trouble is that Europe is unwilling to use military force in Libya, or economic leverage against the countries that support Haftar and Sarraj. The EUs members even disagree over what would constitute a good outcome: France has tended to back Haftar, whereas Italy is on Sarrajs side. For now, it suits Haftar to string the Europeans along with promises of a nonviolent resolution to the conflict. But the Sarraj government seems to have given up on the EU. Fathi Bashagha, Libyas interior minister, has called on the U.S. to set up a military base there, ostensibly to check Russias expanding influence in North Africa. The GNA is also seeking British backing against Haftar. These are signs of desperation. American troops are unlikely to return to Libya Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has made it clear he wants a smaller American footprint in Africa. Britain is unlikely to be tempted by promises of reconstruction contracts in exchange for military support. The only thing forestalling the final conflagration of the Libyan civil war is Haftars lack of sufficient firepower to storm Tripoli. Meanwhile, Sarraj doesnt have the resources to push the warlord back. For all the bold talk of EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell that Europe must develop an appetite for power, it can only watch, divided and impotent, from the sidelines. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg LP and its owners. Bobby Ghosh is a columnist and member of the Bloomberg Opinion editorial board. He writes on foreign affairs, with a special focus on the Middle East and the wider Islamic world. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. Iran says the new coronavirus has killed 147 more people, a nearly 15 per cent spike that raises the death toll to 1,135 people amid 17,361 infections in the country. That is the biggest 24-hour rise in deaths yet recorded by Iran's Health Ministry since the virus first appeared in Iran in mid-February. Iran's deputy health minister, Alireza Raisi, announced the new tolls at a televized press conference on Wednesday. The death toll's continued sharp increase worries experts that the outbreak in the Islamic Republic is far from being contained. Meanwhile, Friday will mark the Persian New Year, Nowruz, raising fears of people traveling and further spreading the virus. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Last checked: 16/11/2021 Air passenger rights Travel and coronavirus EU air passenger rights apply: If your flight is within the EU and is operated either by an EU or a non-EU airline and is operated either If your flight arrives in the EU from outside the EU and is operated by an EU airline from outside the EU and is operated If your flight departs from the EU to a non-EU country operated by an EU or a non-EU airline to a non-EU country operated If you have not already received benefits (compensation, re-routing, assistance from the airline) for flight related problems for this journey under the relevant law of a non-EU country. Travelling from the UK to an EU country From 1 January 2021, EU rules on air passenger rights do not apply to cases of denied boarding, cancellations or delays to flights from the UK to the EU if your flight was operated by a UK carrier or another non-EU carrier, even if you booked your flight before this date. However, EU rules continue to apply from 1 January 2021 if your flight from the UK to the EU was operated by an EU carrier, unless you have already received compensation or benefits under UK law. EU means the 27 EU countries, including Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Reunion Island, Mayotte, Saint-Martin (French Antilles), the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands (but not the Faeroe Islands). EU rules also apply to flights to and from Iceland , Norway and Switzerland. Warning The outbound and return flights are always considered as two separate flights even if they were booked as part of one reservation. In some cases the airline operating the flight (also known as the operating air carrier) may not be the same as the one from which you bought your ticket. In case of any difficulties only the airline which operates the flight can be held responsible. In cases where an airline hires (under a wet lease) an aircraft including crew from another airline, the airline which hires the aircraft has operational responsibility for the flight and is regarded as the operating airline under EU rules (specifically Regulation 261/2004). What went wrong? How to claim your rights? Claim your rights! Denied boarding You may be denied boarding by the airline: For safety, security or health reasons (for example if you did not inform the airline in advance of any severe infectious diseases or allergies) or if you don't have the correct travel documents (more information on documents you need for travel in Europe) If you didn't take the outbound flight of a reservation which included a return flight If you didn't take the other flight(s) included in a reservation with consecutive flights If you don't have the relevant documentation for your pet when it is travelling with you If you have presented yourself on time for check-in with a valid flight reservation and travel documentation and you're denied boarding by the airline due to overbooking or for operational reasons, and you don't voluntarily give up your seat, you are entitled to: Travelling from the UK to an EU country From 1 January 2021, EU rules on air passenger rights do not apply to cases of denied boarding, cancellations or delays to flights from the UK to the EU if your flight was operated by a UK carrier or another non-EU carrier, even if you booked your flight before this date. However, EU rules continue to apply from 1 January 2021 if your flight from the UK to the EU was operated by an EU carrier, unless you have already received compensation or benefits under UK law. Warning A printed or electronic notice informing you of your EU air passenger rights must be clearly displayed at the airport check-in desk, at check-in kiosks and on-line. If you were denied boarding, your flight was cancelled, you experienced a delay of more than 2 hours at departure or you arrive with a long delay at your final destination, the airline must give you a written notice setting out the rules for compensation and assistance. Cancelled flight Cancellation occurs when: your original flight schedule is abandoned and you are transferred to another scheduled flight the aircraft took off but, was forced to return to the airport of departure and you were transferred to another flight your flight arrives at an airport which is not the final destination indicated on your ticket, unless : You accepted re-routing (under comparable transport conditions at the earliest opportunity) to the airport of your original final destination or to any other destination agreed by you. In this case it is considered as a delay and not a cancellation. The airport of arrival and the airport of the original final destination serve the same town, city or region. In this case it is considered as a delay and not a cancellation. : If your flight is cancelled you have the right to choose between reimbursement, re-routing or return. You are also entitled to assistance at the airport. If you were informed of the cancellation less than 14 days prior to the scheduled departure date, you have a right to compensation. The airline has the obligation to prove if and when you were personally informed that the flight was cancelled. If this is not the case you can contact your national authority for further assistance. However, compensation is not due if the carrier can prove that the cancellation is caused by extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. The airline has to prove this by providing, for example, extracts from logbooks or incident reports. The air carrier should give this evidence to the relevant national enforcement body as well as to the passengers concerned in line with national provisions on access to documents. Travelling from the UK to an EU country From 1 January 2021, EU rules on air passenger rights do not apply to cases of denied boarding, cancellations or delays to flights from the UK to the EU if your flight was operated by a UK carrier or another non-EU carrier, even if you booked your flight before this date. However, EU rules continue to apply from 1 January 2021 if your flight from the UK to the EU was operated by an EU carrier, unless you have already received compensation or benefits under UK law. Warning A printed or electronic notice informing you of your EU air passenger rights must be clearly displayed at the airport check-in desk, at check-in kiosks and on-line. If you were denied boarding, your flight was cancelled, you experienced a delay of more than 2 hours at departure or you arrive with a long delay at your final destination, the airline must give you a written notice setting out the rules for compensation and assistance. Delay If your flight is delayed at departure, you have the right to assistance, to reimbursement and a return flight, depending on the duration of the delay and the distance of the flight. If you arrived at your final destination with a delay of more than 3 hours, you are entitled to compensation, unless the delay was due to extraordinary circumstances. The airline has to prove this by providing, for example, extracts from logbooks or incident reports. The air carrier should give this evidence to the relevant national enforcement body as well as to the passengers concerned in line with national provisions on access to documents. Travelling from the UK to an EU country From 1 January 2021, EU rules on air passenger rights do not apply to cases of denied boarding, cancellations or delays to flights from the UK to the EU if your flight was operated by a UK carrier or another non-EU carrier, even if you booked your flight before this date. However, EU rules continue to apply from 1 January 2021 if your flight from the UK to the EU was operated by an EU carrier, unless you have already received compensation or benefits under UK law. Warning A printed or electronic notice informing you of your EU air passenger rights must be clearly displayed at the airport check-in desk, at check-in kiosks and on-line. If you were denied boarding, your flight was cancelled, you experienced a delay of more than 2 hours at departure or you arrive with a long delay at your final destination, the airline must give you a written notice setting out the rules for compensation and assistance. Your flight was overbooked If you have presented yourself on time for the check-in with a valid flight reservation and travel documentation and you're denied boarding due to overbooking or for operational reasons, and you don't voluntarily give up your seat, you are entitled to: Travelling from the UK to an EU country From 1 January 2021, EU rules on air passenger rights do not apply to cases of denied boarding, cancellations or delays to flights from the UK to the EU if your flight was operated by a UK carrier or another non-EU carrier, even if you booked your flight before this date. However, EU rules continue to apply from 1 January 2021 if your flight from the UK to the EU was operated by an EU carrier, unless you have already received compensation or benefits under UK law. Warning A printed or electronic notice informing you of your EU air passenger rights must be clearly displayed at the airport check-in desk, at check-in kiosks and on-line. If you were denied boarding, your flight was cancelled, you experienced a delay of more than 2 hours at departure or you arrive with a long delay at your final destination, the airline must give you a written notice setting out the rules for compensation and assistance. Upgrading or downgrading If you are upgraded, the airline can't request any additional payment. If you are downgraded, you are entitled to reimbursement of a percentage of the price of your ticket, depending on the flight distance as follows: a) 30% - flights of 1 500 km or less b) 50% - flights within the EU of more than 1 500 km (except flights between the EU and French overseas departments), and all other flights between 1 500 and 3 500 km c) 75% - flights not falling under (a) or (b), including flights between the EU and French overseas departments. If you have 2 or more connecting flights included in a single ticket, you can only be reimbursed for the flight which was downgraded and not for the entire journey. The reimbursement should be paid within 7 days. Travelling from the UK to an EU country From 1 January 2021, EU rules on air passenger rights do not apply to cases of denied boarding, cancellations or delays to flights from the UK to the EU if your flight was operated by a UK carrier or another non-EU carrier, even if you booked your flight before this date. However, EU rules continue to apply from 1 January 2021 if your flight from the UK to the EU was operated by an EU carrier, unless you have already received compensation or benefits under UK law. Claim your rights! You missed your connecting flight Connecting flights are journeys where you have to take more than one flight to get to your final destination. If you miss a connecting flight, and arrive at your final destination with a delay of more than 3 hours, you are entitled to compensation. This compensation is calculated according to the length of the delay and the distance to your final destination. You have a right to compensation if: your flights were booked as part of a single reservation and EU air passenger rights apply and the delay to your arrival time was not caused by extraordinary circumstances Travelling from the UK to an EU country From 1 January 2021, EU rules on air passenger rights do not apply to cases of denied boarding, cancellations or delays to flights from the UK to the EU if your flight was operated by a UK carrier or another non-EU carrier, even if you booked your flight before this date. However, EU rules continue to apply from 1 January 2021 if your flight from the UK to the EU was operated by an EU carrier, unless you have already received compensation or benefits under UK law. Warning You are not entitled to compensation if you miss your connecting flight due to delays at security checks or if you did not respect the boarding time of your flight at the airport of transfer. Claim your rights! Lost, damaged or delayed luggage Checked-in luggage If your checked-in luggage is lost, damaged or delayed, the airline is liable and you're entitled to compensation up to an amount of approximately EUR 1 300. However if the damage was caused by an inherent defect in the baggage itself, you're not entitled to any compensation. Hand luggage If your hand luggage is damaged the airline is liable if it was responsible for the damage. Travel insurance To ensure you have sufficient coverage when travelling with expensive items it's advisable to take out private insurance. If you do not wish to do so you can for a fee request a higher compensation limit (in excess of EUR 1 300) from the airline you are travelling with. This must be done in advance and at the latest when you check-in. How to complain If you want to file a claim for lost or damaged luggage, you should do it in writing to the airline within 7 days, or within 21 days of receiving your luggage if it was delayed. There is no standard EU-wide form. Compensation - denied boarding Amount in EUR Distance 250 1 500 km or less 400 More than 1 500 km within the EU and all other flights between 1 500 and 3 500 km 600 More than 3 500 km If you arrived on time for checkin, you should always receive compensation if you're denied boarding. The only exception is if there were reasonable grounds to deny you boarding, such as health, safety or security concerns. Or if you did not have the required travel documents. Even in cases where such grounds exist, airlines might still offer you compensation depending on the specific terms and conditions attached to your ticket. Connecting flight one reservation with a single check-in If you are denied boarding because the airline operating the connecting flight deemed that you would arrive too late to board this flight (as your first flight was delayed) compensation is due. Warning If the airline has offered you re-routing and you reach your final destination with a delay of 2, 3 or 4 hours the compensation may be reduced by 50%. Claim your rights! Compensation - cancellation Amount in EUR Distance 250 1 500 km or less 400 More than 1 500 km within the EU and all other flights between 1 500 and 3 500 km 600 More than 3 500 km If your flight is cancelled, the airline must offer you, on a one off basis, a choice between: the reimbursement of your ticket and, if you have a connecting flight, a return flight to the airport of departure at the earliest opportunity re-routing to your final destination at the earliest opportunity or, re-routing at a later date at your convenience under comparable transport conditions, subject to the availability of seats. As soon as you have chosen one of these three options, you no longer have rights in relation to the other two options. However, the airline carrier may still have to provide compensation if you choose to have your ticket reimbursed the compensation will depend on the type of flight if you choose re-routing compensation will depend on the type of flight and the delay in reaching your final destination, past the original scheduled arrival time. You're not entitled to compensation: if you are informed more than 14 days in advance in advance if you are informed between 2 weeks and 7 days before the scheduled departure and you are offered re-routing which would allow you: to depart no more than 2 hours before the original scheduled time of departure and to reach your final destination less than 4 hours after the original scheduled time of arrival before the scheduled departure and you are offered which would allow you: if you are informed less than 7 days before the scheduled departure and are offered re-routing which would allow you: to depart no more than 1 hour before the original scheduled time of departure and to reach your final destination less than 2 hours after the original scheduled time of arrival. before the scheduled departure and are offered which would allow you: Warning If the airline has offered you re-routing and you reach your final destination with a delay of 2, 3 or 4 hours the compensation may be reduced by 50%. A printed or electronic notice informing you of your EU air passenger rights must be clearly displayed at the airport check-in desk, at check-in kiosks and on-line. If you were denied boarding, your flight was cancelled, you experienced a delay of more than 2 hours at departure or you arrive with a long delay at your final destination, the airline must give you a written notice setting out the rules for compensation and assistance. You are not entitled to compensation in case of extraordinary circumstances which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Claim your rights! Compensation - delay at arrival Amount in EUR Distance 250 1 500 km or less 400 More than 1 500 km within the EU and all other flights between 1 500 and 3 500 km 600 More than 3 500 km If you reach your final destination with a delay of 3 hours or more you are entitled to compensation if the delay is not caused by extraordinary circumstances. you are entitled to compensation if the delay is not caused by extraordinary circumstances. If you miss a connecting flight travelling within the EU or outside the EU on a flight originating from an EU country, you should be entitled to compensation, if you arrive at your final destination with a delay of more than 3 hours . It is not relevant if the carrier operating the connecting flights is an EU or non-EU airline. . It is not relevant if the carrier operating the connecting flights is an EU or non-EU airline. If you depart from a non-EU country to your final destination in an EU country, with connecting flights operated successively by non-EU and EU airlines or by EU airlines only, only the flights operated by EU airlines are taken into consideration for the right to compensation in case of a long delay on arrival at the final destination. are taken into consideration for the in case of a long delay on arrival at the final destination. You are not entitled to compensation if you miss connecting flights due to delays at security checks or if you did not respect the boarding time of your flight at the airport of transfer. if you miss connecting flights due to delays at security checks or if of your flight at the airport of transfer. If you accept a flight to a different airport from the one in the original booking and it arrives late, you're entitled to compensation. The time of arrival used for calculating the delay is the time of arrival at the airport mentioned in the original booking or the destination agreed upon with the airline. Transport costs between the alternative airport and the one in the original booking or agreed destination should be borne by the airline. Warning If the airline has offered you re-routing and you reach your final destination with a delay of 2, 3 or 4 hours, your compensation may be reduced by 50%. Claim your rights! Compensation - denied boarding due to overbooking Amount in EUR Distance 250 1 500 km or less 400 More than 1 500 km within the EU and all other flights between 1 500 and 3 500 km 600 More than 3 500 km You should always receive compensation if you're denied boarding. Connecting flight one reservation with a single check-in. If you are denied boarding because the airline operating the connecting flight deemed that you would arrive too late to board this flight (as your first flight was delayed) compensation is due. Warning If the airline has offered you re-routing and you reach your final destination with a delay of 2, 3 or 4 hours, your compensation may be reduced by 50%. Claim your rights! Assistance in the event of denied boarding Airlines should provide assistance free of charge while you wait. In the event of travel disruption, you should make yourself known to the airline, to avoid a situation where you have to make your own arrangements. Airlines should also ensure, where available, that accommodation is accessible for people with disabilities and their service dogs. The assistance to be provided includes: Refreshments Food Accommodation (if you are rebooked to travel the next day) Transport to your accommodation and return to the airport 2 telephone calls, telex, fax messages or emails If assistance is not offered and you paid for any of the above items out of your own pocket, the airline should reimburse you, provided the expenses were necessary, reasonable and appropriate. You should keep all receipts for this purpose. You only have the right to assistance as long as you have to wait for re-routing, under comparable transport conditions, to your final destination at the earliest opportunity or a return flight. In exceptional cases, the airline may decide to limit or decline assistance if it would cause further delay to passengers waiting for an alternative or a delayed flight. Warning Unless the terms and conditions of your ticket specify otherwise, you are not entitled to assistance if: you were denied boarding on reasonable health, safety or security grounds you did not have the required travel documents Claim your rights! Assistance in the event of cancellation Airlines should offer you and provide assistance free of charge while you wait. In the event of travel disruption, you should make yourself known to the airline, to avoid a situation where you have to make your own arrangements. Airlines should also ensure, where available, that accommodation is accessible for people with disabilities and their service dogs. The assistance to be provided includes: Refreshments Food Accommodation (if you are rebooked to travel the next day) Transport to your accommodation and return to the airport 2 telephone calls, telex, fax messages or emails If assistance is not offered and you paid for your own meals and refreshments etc., the airline should reimburse you, provided the expenses were necessary, reasonable and appropriate. You should keep all receipts for this purpose. You only have the right to assistance as long as you have to wait for re-routing, under comparable transport conditions, to your final destination at the earliest opportunity or a return flight. In exceptional cases, the airline may decide to limit or decline assistance if it would cause further delay to passengers waiting for an alternative or a delayed flight. Claim your rights! Assistance in the event of delay at departure If an airline expects that your flight will be delayed beyond the scheduled departure time, you are entitled to meals and refreshments, in proportion to the waiting time, and 2 free telephone calls, emails or faxes. The point at which you are entitled to these rights depends on the length of the delay and distance of your flight as follows: a delay of two hours or more for flights of 1,500km or less a delay of three hours or more for intra-Community flights of more than 1,500km and for all other flights between 1,500 and 3,000km a delay of four hours or more for all other flights Where the new expected departure time is at least the day after the initially scheduled departure time, you are entitled to hotel accommodation and transport to and from the airport and your accommodation (if you need to stay overnight). Airlines should offer you and provide assistance free of charge while you wait. In the event of travel disruption, you should make yourself known to the airline, to avoid a situation where you have to make your own arrangements. Airlines should also ensure, where available, that accommodation is accessible for people with disabilities and their service dogs. If assistance is not offered and you paid for your own meals and refreshments, the airline should reimburse you, provided the expenses were necessary, reasonable and appropriate. You should keep all receipts for this purpose. You only have the right to assistance as long as you have to wait for re-routing, under comparable transport conditions, to your final destination at the earliest opportunity or a return flight. In exceptional cases, the airline may decide to limit or decline assistance if it would cause further delay to passengers waiting for an alternative or a delayed flight. Claim your rights! Assistance in the event of denied boarding due to overbooking Airlines should offer you and provide assistance free of charge while you wait. In the event of travel disruption, you should make yourself known to the airline, to avoid a situation where you have to make your own arrangements. Airlines should also ensure, where available, that accommodation is accessible for people with disabilities and their service dogs. The assistance to be provided includes: Refreshments Food Accommodation (if you are rebooked to travel the next day) Transport to your accommodation and return to the airport 2 telephone calls, telex, fax messages or emails If assistance is not offered and you paid for your own meals and refreshments etc., the airline should reimburse you, provided the expenses were necessary, reasonable and appropriate. You should keep all receipts for this purpose. You only have the right to assistance as long as you have to wait for re-routing, under comparable transport conditions, to your final destination at the earliest opportunity or a return flight. In exceptional cases, the airline may decide to limit or decline assistance if it would cause further delay to passengers waiting for an alternative or a delayed flight. Claim your rights! Reimbursement, re-routing or rebooking in the event of denied boarding The airline must offer you, on a oneoff basis, a choice between: the reimbursement of your ticket and, if you have a connecting flight, a return flight to the airport of departure at the earliest opportunity re-routing to your final destination at the earliest opportunity or, re-routing at a later date at your convenience under comparable transport conditions (i.e. rebooking'), subject to the availability of seats. As soon as you have chosen one of these three options, you no longer have rights in relation to the other two options. However, the airline may still have to provide compensation depending on the distance of your flight and the length of the delay past your original planned arrival time. If the airline does not comply with its obligation to offer re-routing or return under comparable transport conditions at the earliest opportunity, it has to reimburse your flight costs . to offer re-routing or return under comparable transport conditions at the earliest opportunity, it has to . If the airline does not offer you the choice between reimbursement and re-routing but decides unilaterally to reimburse your original ticket, you are entitled to an additional reimbursement of the price difference with the new ticket (under comparable transport conditions). you the choice between reimbursement and re-routing but decides unilaterally to reimburse your original ticket, you are entitled to an of the price difference with the new ticket (under comparable transport conditions). If you booked an outbound and a return flight separately with different airlines and the outbound flight is cancelled, reimbursement is only due for the cancelled flight. However, if the outbound and return flights are operated by different airlines, but were part of a single reservation, in the event that the outbound flight was cancelled, you have the following rights: Compensation A choice between the reimbursement of your entire ticket (outbound and return flights) or re-routing on another flight for the outbound flight Warning Unless the terms and conditions of your ticket specify otherwise, you are not entitled to reimbursement or rererouting if: you were denied boarding on reasonable health, safety or security grounds you did not have the required travel documents Claim your rights! Reimbursement, re-routing or rebooking in the event of cancellation The airline must offer you, on a one off basis, a choice between: the reimbursement of your ticket and, if you have a connecting flight, a return flight to the airport of departure at the earliest opportunity re-routing to your final destination at the earliest opportunity or, re-routing at a later date at your convenience under comparable transport conditions, subject to the availability of seats. Warning Because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, carriers are issuing vouchers you can redeem later as an alternative to reimbursement. In this case, as a passenger, you must always be given the choice between a cash reimbursement and a voucher. As soon as you have chosen one of these three options, you no longer have rights in relation to the other two options. However, the airline may still have to provide compensation depending on the distance of your flight and the length of the delay past your original planned arrival time. If the airline does not comply with its obligation to offer re-routing or return under comparable transport conditions at the earliest opportunity, it has to reimburse your flight costs . to offer re-routing or return under comparable transport conditions at the earliest opportunity, it has to . If the airline does not offer you the choice between reimbursement and re-routing but decides unilaterally to reimburse your original ticket, you are entitled to an additional reimbursement of the price difference with the new ticket (under comparable transport conditions). you the choice between reimbursement and re-routing but decides unilaterally to reimburse your original ticket, you are entitled to an of the price difference with the new ticket (under comparable transport conditions). If you booked an outbound and a return flight separately with different airlines and the outbound flight is cancelled, reimbursement is only due for the cancelled flight. If the outbound and return flights are operated by different airlines, but were part of a single reservation, in the event that the outbound flight was cancelled, you have the following rights: Compensation A choice between the reimbursement of your entire ticket (outbound and return flights) or re-routing on another flight for the outbound flight Claim your rights! Reimbursement and a return flight in the event of a long delay (5 hours or more) at departure If your flight is delayed at least 5 hours at departure, the airline must reimburse your ticket and, if you have a connecting flight, offer a return to the airport of departure at the earliest opportunity. Claim your rights! Reimbursement, re-routing or rebooking in the event of denied boarding due to overbooking The airline must offer you, on a one off basis, a choice between: the reimbursement of your ticket and, if you have a connecting flight, a return flight to the airport of departure at the earliest opportunity re-routing to your final destination at the earliest opportunity or, re-routing at a later date at your convenience under comparable transport conditions, subject to the availability of seats. As soon as you have chosen one of these three options, you no longer have rights in relation to the other two options. However, the airline may still have to provide compensation depending on the distance of your flight and the length of the delay past your original planned arrival time. If the airline does not comply with its obligation to offer re-routing or return under comparable transport conditions at the earliest opportunity, it has to reimburse your flight costs . to offer re-routing or return under comparable transport conditions at the earliest opportunity, it has to . If the airline does not offer you the choice between reimbursement and re-routing but decides unilaterally to reimburse your original ticket, you are entitled to an additional reimbursement of the price difference with the new ticket (under comparable transport conditions). you the choice between reimbursement and re-routing but decides unilaterally to reimburse your original ticket, you are entitled to an of the price difference with the new ticket (under comparable transport conditions). If you booked an outbound and a return flight separately with different airlines and the outbound flight is cancelled, reimbursement is only due for the cancelled flight. However, if the outbound and return flights are operated by different airlines, but were part of a single reservation, in the event that the outbound flight was cancelled, you have the following rights: Compensation A choice between the reimbursement of your entire ticket (outbound and return flights) or re-routing on another flight for the outbound flight Claim your rights! Extraordinary circumstances - Cancellation Extraordinary circumstances can lead to more than one cancellation or delay at the final destination. Examples of events defined as extraordinary circumstances are air traffic management decisions, political instability, adverse weather conditions and security risks. Situations which are not considered as extraordinary circumstances include: most technical problems which come to light during aircraft maintenance or are caused by failure to maintain an aircraft which come to light during aircraft maintenance or are caused by failure to maintain an aircraft collision of mobile boarding stairs with an aircraft Any strike that affects the operation of the airline may be considered as extraordinary circumstances. However, to be exempted from paying compensation, the airline must prove that: i) there is a link between the extraordinary circumstances and the delay or the cancellation, and ii) the delay or cancellation could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. If the airline does not provide you with a satisfactory explanation, you can contact your national authority for further assistance. Extraordinary circumstances - Delay Extraordinary circumstances can lead to more than one cancellation or delay at the final destination. Examples of events defined as extraordinary circumstances are air traffic management decisions, political instability, adverse weather conditions and security risks. Situations which are not considered as extraordinary circumstances include: most technical problems which come to light during aircraft maintenance or are caused by failure to maintain an aircraft which come to light during aircraft maintenance or are caused by failure to maintain an aircraft collision of mobile boarding stairs with an aircraft Any strike that affects the operation of the airline may be considered as extraordinary circumstances. However, to be exempted from paying compensation, the airline must prove that: i) there is a link between the extraordinary circumstances and the delay or the cancellation, and ii) the delay or cancellation could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. If the airline does not provide you with a satisfactory explanation, you can contact your national authority for further assistance. Claim your rights If you think your rights have not been respected, there are several forms of redress you can can use. However you should always send your complaint to the airline first. You can also consult your local European Consumer Centre for help and advice on problems related to air passenger rights. Complain to the airline You should always send your complaint to the airline first using either the complaint form provided by the airline or the EU air passenger rights form . Complain to national authorities If you don't receive a reply from the airline within 2 months or if you are not satisfied with the reply, you can lodge a complaint with the relevant national authority in the country where the incident took place, within a reasonable timeframe. The national authority should provide you with a non-binding legal opinion on how to proceed with your claim. Use Alternative Dispute Resolution Entities (ADR) / Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) You can also try to resolve your dispute using out-of-court procedures or an Alternative Dispute Resolution entity (ADR). If you bought your ticket online, you can submit your complaint via the Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform. ADR and ODR are only available to EU residents. Going to court You may wish to resort to formal legal action and present a claim for compensation under EU rules using the European Small Claims procedure. For flights operated by an EU airline, you can submit your claim either at the place of arrival or departure. The same rule applies to connecting flights, which are part of a single reservation, but which may be operated by different air carriers. You may also bring the matter before the courts in the country where the airline is registered. If the airline is not registered in an EU country, you can submit your case to the courts in the EU country where your flight arrived, departed or connected. The time limits for bringing an action against an airline in a national court are defined in accordance with national rules on the limitation of actions in each EU country. [March 18, 2020] HealthCare.com Ranks No. 74 On The Inaugural 2020 Inc. 5000 Series: Florida With Two-Year Revenue Growth of 171% Inc. magazine today revealed that HealthCare.com ranked No. 74 on its inaugural Inc. 5000 Series: Florida list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing Florida-based private companies. Born of the annual Inc. 5000 franchise, this regional list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the Florida economy's most dynamic segment-its independent small businesses. "We are proud to be a growing part of the Miami area tech-ecosystem, we have built and expanded the company here because of the amazing talent pool and vibrant business community," said Jose Vargas, co-founder and president of HealthCare.com. "We are honored to be named to the Inc. 5000 series and thankful to our employees and community for their support." The companies on this list show stunning rates of growth across all industries in Florida. Between 2016 and 2018, these 250 private companies had an average growth rate of 302 percent and, in 2018 alone, they employed more than 56,000 people and added $12.6 billion to the Florida economy. Companies based in the Tampa, Miami, and Naples metro areas brought in the highest revenue overall. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 Series: Florida, 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-florida-2020 starting March 18, 2020. "The companies on this list demonstrate just how much the small-business sector impacts Florida'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." About HealthCare.com HealthCare.com is an online health insurance company providing a data-driven shopping platform that helps American consumers enroll in individual health insurance and Medicare plans. HealthCare.com also develops and markets a portfolio of proprietary, direct-to-consumer health insurance and supplemental insurance products under the name Pivot Health. Founded in 2014, the company is headquartered in New York City and is backed by PeopleFund and individual investors including current and former executives of Booking.com and Priceline. HealthCare.com is a 4-time honoree of the Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest-growing companies. For more info, visit www.healthcare.com. 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 source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005550/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] On Wednesday, the Memorial Villages Police and Fire Departments, along with Village Officials, created a function to their V-Linc system so residents can register anyone in their household who is considered high-risk: individuals over the age of 65 with underlying health conditions. If registered, Village officials hope to assist any residents who may need additional help in the event of a self, or doctor ordered quarantine and if they require assistance in obtaining medications, groceries and/or supplies, and emergency transportation in order to avoid unnecessary community exposure. Jeddah, March 19 : The last batch of Indian Umrah pilgrims were flown back to India on Wednesday, completing the total evacuation of over 3,000 pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia following the suspension of all flights due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the Indian Consulate General here said. "With departure of 185 Indian Umrah pilgrims from Jeddah to Mumbai through a special Indigo aircraft at 1435 hrs today, the final phase of evacuation of 3,035 Indian Umrah pilgrims culminated today," the Indian Consulate General said in a post on its Facebook page. It said while arrival of all Umrah pilgrims to Saudi Arabia has been suspended from February 27, all international flights to the country were suspended from March 15, and hence special flights had to be arranged for taking back the Indian pilgrims. The pilgrims conveyed their thanks to the Indian Government for helping in their return home, the Consulate General said, and thanked all airlines, the Indian Civil Aviation Ministry and Saudi government officials for their timely support. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Ukraine's Cabinet creates stabilization fund to deal with coronavirus effects 15:20, 18.03.20 870 The government also plans to allocate money for additional payments to health care workers and representatives of other specialties involved in countering the spread of coronavirus. In 2002, Russian filmmaker Alexander Sokurov made cinema history with Russian Ark, which dramatizes a wide swath of his homelands history in a single, unbroken 96-minute shot. Whats more, he and his collaborators shot it all in a single location, one both rich with historical resonance and not exactly wide-open to movie shoots: St Petersburgs State Hermitage Museum, whose complex includes the former Winter Palace, official residence of Russias emperors from 1732 to until the 1917 revolution. What viewer could forget Russian Arks breathtaking final scene, which opens as the camera floats into the midst of a grand ball set in 1913 taking place in the very hall it would have in 1913? Now, at least in terms of duration, Apple has gone to the Hermitage and done Sokurov one better: its new advertisement for the iPhone 11 Pro is a five-hour journey through the entire museum, shot by filmmaker Axinya Gog in one continuous take all, of course, on the phone itself. Like Russian Ark, it constitutes a cinematic achievement not possible before recent technological advances. Sokurov demonstrated the new possibilities of digital video camera that could capture film-like images; Gog demonstrates the new possibilities of a camera-phone with not only the battery life to shoot five straight hours of video, but at a resolution that looks at least as good as the cutting-edge digital video of 2002. Just above appears the trailer for the ad, which hints that what the full production might lack in storytelling ambitions compared to a film like Russian Ark, it makes up for in not just duration but other human elements. Gogs camera or rather, iPhone captures a Hermitage Museum without the usual crowds, striking enough in itself, but also with the addition of skilled dancers and musicians (even beyond those who recorded the videos score). This in addition to no fewer than 588 works of art spread across 43 galleries, including paintings by Rembrandt, Raphael, Caravaggio, and Rubens. The deeper you go, the more youll realize that, even if youve spent serious time in the Hermitage yourself, youve never had this kind of aesthetic experience there before. It may sound excessive to say watch to the end, but if any five-hour video has ever merited that insistence, here it is. via Colossal Related Content: The Romanovs Last Spectacular Ball Brought to Life in Color Photographs (1903) Russian History & Literature Come to Life in Wonderfully Colorized Portraits: See Photos of Tolstoy, Chekhov, the Romanovs & More The British Museum Is Now Open To Everyone: Take a Virtual Tour and See 4,737 Artifacts, Including the Rosetta Stone Take a Virtual Tour of Brazils National Museum & Its Artifacts: Google Digitized the Museums Collection Before the Fateful Fire Take a Virtual Tour of The Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the World-Famous Collection of Renaissance Art Based in Seoul, Colin Marshall writes and broadcasts on cities, language, and culture. His projects include the book The Stateless City: a Walk through 21st-Century Los Angeles and the video series The City in Cinema. Follow him on Twitter at @colinmarshall or on Facebook. In a big boost to 'Make in India' initiative, Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has paved way for procurement of 83 indigenous Tejas fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF). The first meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was held on Wednesday. "Consequent to the separation of duties between Department of Defence (DoD) and Department of Military Affairs (DMA), the first meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) under the chairmanship of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh was held with the Acquisition Wing being the Secretariat of the DAC. This would lead to better coordination and faster processing of cases with the Acquisition wing being in the overall charge of the Capital acquisition process," read a release from the Ministry of Defence. The ministry said that the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas indigenously-designed by Aircraft Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is going to be the backbone of Indian Air Force in future. "While orders of 40 Tejas aircraft had been placed with HAL in initial configurations, DAC paved the way for procurement of 83 of the more advanced Mk1A version of the aircraft from HAL by finalising the contractual and other issues. The proposal will now be placed for consideration of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). This procurement will be a major boost to 'Make in India' as the aircraft is indigenously designed, developed and manufactured with participation of several local vendors apart from HAL," the release said. The ministry said that the Defence Acquisition Council also accorded approval for the acquisition of indigenous defence equipment for about Rs 1,300 crore. "The proposals were for procurement of Aerial Fuses and Twin-Dome Simulators for Hawk Mk32 aircraft for the Indian Air Force," the ministry said. The DAC also approved an amendment to the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) 2016 to enable review by a Costing Committee of bids submitted by Joint Ventures of Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs)/Ordnance Factory Board (OFB)/DRDO from whom procurement of Defence items is undertaken on a nomination basis. "This will bring about more transparency in costs and compress the timelines for negotiation of the contract," the release said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mandel Ngan/Getty Joe Biden went into Primary Day with two things: confidence and considerably more delegates than Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). By Tuesday evening, he left with more of both. After sweeping the primaries in Florida, Illinois, and Arizona, the former vice president had a nearly insurmountable lead needed to win the Democratic nomination, crossing over halfway to 1,991 delegates. Americans in three states went to the polls today, Biden said in his remarks after two contests had been called in his favor. Today, it looks like once again, in Florida and Illinois, our campaign has had a very good night. A moment later, he addressed Sanders, who now can only realistically deny Biden a majority of delegates as opposed to winning the contest outright. Sen. Sanders and I may disagree on tactics, but we share a common vision, he said, adding that his supporters have brought a remarkable passion for progressive issues to the national discourse. To Sanders young supporters he said, I hear you. I know whats at stake. I know what we have to do. His goal, according to his post-election remarks, is to unify the Democratic party first, and then the country. But what he didnt have yet was a race all to himself. The real work to bring the party together will begin when theres not two candidates in the race, Steve Schale, the head of the pro-Biden super PAC Unite The Country, told The Daily Beast. Families coming together, he said. Thats how the healing begins. That didnt happen on Tuesday night. Sanders made no mention of dropping out as he spoke to supporters during his own live streamed address before any states were called. Instead, he outlined a series of policy ideas targeted at the impact of the new coronavirus on everyday life. Workers need to continue getting a paycheck even when businesses are shut down, Sanders said, and he called for a $2,000 cash payment to every American household each month until the crisis is over. Story continues Like Biden, the historical significance seemed to weigh on Sanders as he spoke. What this country is experiencing right now is something that we have never experienced in the modern history of this country, he said. Chaos and Confusion: Voters Cast Ballots in Virus Shadow But as one candidate suffered a devastating electoral blow, the other had been preparing for another series of blowout victories for weeks. In a call with reporters on Sunday night, Symone Sanders, a senior Biden adviser, said they were going to wait to see how the tea leaves shake out before making any major predictions. Still, she indicated she was feeling very confident. That confidence rippled throughout the campaign. Before any results came in, officials released a memo stating they expect to emerge tonight with a bigger delegate lead than they previously had heading into voting, adding, it would take a drastic, historically-incomparable swing for Senator Sanders to win more delegates than Biden today or to close the delegate differential. While voter turnout on Election Day itself may be lower due to COVID-19 concerns, we believe that, with early vote and vote by mail, 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, the memo states. We have seen record-high early voting. With Illinois, Florida, and Arizona in his favor, Biden moved significantly closer to becoming the likely Democratic nominee. Before that happened, three other states, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Georgia, had already announced they would push back their primaries that were set to be held in the coming weeks. Maryland, set to vote April 28, joined that movement during a Tuesday morning press conference. A Sanders campaign official said in a statement Tuesday that traditional get-out-the-vote moves were not being used in the March 17 primary states. And some in Sanders orbit were venting frustration over what was playing out in the states that went forward with their Tuesday contests. Bidens campaign has lied repeatedly about the safety of going to the polls, Sanders national press secretary Briahna Joy Gray tweeted Tuesday. Bernie Sanders is putting the health and safety of the country first. Well before polls closed, at least one prominent Sanders supporter tweeted out a Chicago Sun-Times story and bemoaned what Tuesday had become. Suppressed voter turnout. Closed polls. No hand sanitizer. News that #COVID19 actually hangs in the air up to 3 hours. NONE of this had to happen, tweeted Michelle Deatrick, a Democratic National Committee member from Michigan who is backing Sanders. Earlier in the day, Deatrick had tweeted that COVID-19 can survive in the air for up to THREE hours. Holding in-person voting today in three states is putting people's lives at risk. As the results came in, Sanders surrogate, former presidential candidate, and anti-vaxxer Marianne Williamson said Tuesdays primaries should be nullified. Good luck Tom, getting everybody to feel all unified and good about voting in November. she tweeted. This is not what the Democratic Party should be. Pandemic Election Days are a Recipe for Disaster Still, with only two major contenders left in the 2020 race, delegate estimates still show Biden a ways away from clinching the majority he needs to become the nominee. While that may encourage some of Sanders more ardent supporters, its also incredibly difficult for the 78-year-old senator to overtake Bidens substantial lead based on how the party allocates delegates once states have voted. But interest in Sanders remains high. The coronavirus pandemic has played into his longstanding calls to pass Medicare for All, and his campaign announced that a trio of digital events the campaign held from Saturday to Monday had already hit 5.3 million views. The events ranged from a low-key fireside chat with Sanders and his campaign manager to a digital rally where musical performers like Neil Young were mixed together with Sanders and his surrogates championing his cause. Biden, for his part, has held his own tele-town halls to discuss a variety of campaign issues with voters, and has generally ramped up efforts as the Democratic frontrunner. Leaning on unifying rhetoric to console Americans concerned about the unknown impact of pandemic,, the former vice president held his last public appearance in his native Delaware on Tuesday, before going all digital. No president can promise to prevent future outbreaks but I can promise you this: when Im president, we will be better prepared, respond better and recover better. We will lead with science, Biden said in Wilmington, in a speech that was intended to sound presidential in tone and substance. In the following days, he reiterated similar remarks in a series of events, only occasionally evoking President Donald Trumps name to make a point of contrast to what a possible Biden administration could offer. Downplaying it, being overly dismissive, or spreading misinformation is only going to hurt us, he added. For nearly a year, Bidens campaign has made an explicit electability pitch as the candidate best suited to take on Trump in a general election matchup. That electability argument has been brushed off by Sanders in recent days. We've changed the political dialogue in this country, Sanders said during a Monday night virtual rally. We are winning overwhelmingly the support of young people. Now the problem we're running into politically, let me be honest with you, is that for a variety of reasons which I won't go into now, most people think that Joe Biden is the more electable candidate in terms of defeating Donald Trump. I honestly don't believe that. To be sure, Sanders path to the Democratic nomination was quickly closing ahead of Tuesdays contests. The Vermont Independent is now expected to face added pressure to exit the 2020 race, not only to prevent Democrats from suffering through another lengthy primary process, but also to help address safety concerns about heading to the polls. We've never had to have voting in memory that takes place (under) the umbrella of a pandemic like this, said Irwin Redlener, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University. Redlener, who is also a member of Biden's Public Health Advisory Committee, described the current climate of voting and health as a very significant clash of values and missions, as voting went on Tuesday. The best solution of all, he said Tuesday afternoon, would be if Sanders conceded. Right now. Today, Redlener said when asked about voting and health concerns. So we don't need any more primaries. That would be the most effective public health measure I could imagine. Speaking about Sanders after Bidens Florida win, Democratic strategist David Axelrod said on CNN: We know how this is going to end, we just dont know when. He needs to consider these factors. But delegate math seemed far from Sanders' thoughts as he spoke Tuesday night, consumed once again with how the country should be fighting the pandemic. Finger occasionally wagging at the camera, he focused on healthcare and policy ideas. In this moment of crisis, it is imperative that we stand together, Sanders said. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The largest airport in Arkansas could see up to half of its passenger traffic reduced over the next two months as people limit travelling because of the coronavirus outbreak, a top official said. Bryan Malinowski, executive director of the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport, said Tuesday that parking revenue has dropped by 21% in March compared with the same time last year, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported. He added that the Little Rock airports concession earnings have dropped by 25%. At the moment, I dont have any permanent (flight) cancellations, Malinowski told members of the citys Municipal Airport Commission at their monthly meeting. But as this spools up, well see numbers that easily reach into 40% or 50% level over the next couple of months. The airport, also called Adams Field, served about 2.1 million passengers in 2019. Malinowski noted that leisure travel accounts for up to 70% of Clinton Nationals passenger traffic, which is why it can expect to see a considerable decline. The first thing people are doing is staying home and not travelling at all, Malinowski said. Were seeing a lot of people just outright cancelling their flights. Malinowski ruled out layoffs for now, pointing out that the airport is financially stable and expressing optimism that the traffic reduction would be short-term. Our financials are very strong and our financial situation is such (that) we could operate the airport for a couple of years without having to consider that, he said. U.S. airlines, which on Monday asked the federal government for $50 billion in rescue aid, have seen international travel dissipate as countries tighten their borders in an effort to slow the spread of the disease. The global pandemic to all airport flying schedules have our (airline) network planning officers working in pure survival mode right now, said Rachel Bader, air service development manager for Clinton National. The coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 210,000 people and killed more than 8,700. The illness caused by the virus, COVID-19, causes mild or moderate symptoms in most people, but severe symptoms are more likely in the elderly or those with existing health problems. More than 81,000 people have recovered so far, mostly in China. The rapid spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus is, among many other things, a test of Americas system of government. In particular, a crisis like this challenges the federal executive. Decision, activity, and dispatch are the watchwords of the presidency, as Alexander Hamilton argued in Federalist No. 70: The Congress sets frameworks for the future action of the government, the judiciary reviews and assesses past actions, but the president acts in the present, and in response to events. So how is the executive branch doing in responding to the crisis? The easy answer is that it seems to be struggling and overwhelmed. But it is worth thinking through just what ought to seriously trouble us about the failures of mobilization against the pandemic so far, and what would be better understood as an unavoidable consequence of the sheer immensity of the problemwhich, after all, the president didnt cause. Disaster response confronts modern, liberal societies with a profound challenge. On the one hand, the core promise of Enlightenment, liberal civilization is that it will build systemsscientific, technological, and politicalthat will protect us from the ravages of nature and keep us safe, healthy, and prosperous. When nature threatens to overwhelm our defenses, we expect and demand that these systems will mobilize to respond. However immense and unexpected the danger, we treat failures to answer it swiftly and effectively as instances of gross incompetence. On the other hand, the same liberal framework also promises us a great deal of personal freedom. And that sort of freedom requires constraints on what government can do to us, and even for us. To foster an environment friendly to liberty, competition, and dynamism, government will, we expect, mostly enforce uniform rules, address unmet needs, and let a hundred flowers bloom. But a government friendly to freedom in these ways will have real trouble responding to massive, unexpected dangers on our behalf. It wont be able to instantly mobilize so as to flawlessly evacuate millions from the path of a terrible storm or to swiftly rescue earthquake victims, or to stop an aggressive pandemic in its tracks. We wouldnt really want a government that could do all that at the drop of a hatafter all, what would that government do with all that power the rest of the time? The callous brutality of Chinas regime offers a clue. And Chinas own bungled early response to COVID-19 suggests that even a government with the capacity for instant mobilization will have a hard time with many unforeseen crises because it will tend to be rigid, dishonest, and impervious to bad news. Story continues What we should want, therefore, is a government that may be overwhelmed by a vast, unforeseen problem at first but will then be able to quickly mobilize, learn from mistakes as it goes, and in relatively little time work itself toward massive and effective action. Such a government could capitalize on the advantages of freedom to deliver on the promise of keeping us safe. This is a lot to ask, but it has been the general pattern of successful American government responses to crisesbe they wars, economic calamities, or natural disasters. This is the standard against which to measure our response now. That our lives are disrupted is not a failure of government. That it takes time to gear up is not the presidents fault. The question to ask is not what our very way of life prevents us from doing, but what we should be good at that we arent doing well. It is nearly impossible to achieve the perspective necessary to focus on this question early in the effort to mobilize, when everything seems to be going wrong. In any response to a major unanticipated crisis, good choices will mean trouble averted (and so will be hard to notice), while bad choices will create bottlenecks in the way of mobilization and so will draw intense attention and criticism. Mistakes that were far from obvious in the moment can soon look like wild and inexplicable misjudgments. The question isnt whether such bottleneck errors will arise; they always do. The question is how our government responds to them and how it then prepares for foreseeable further problems. In the case of the COVID-19 pandemic, the early bottleneck error has clearly been the approach of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to testing for the virus. It is easy now to say that this should have been obvious, but it was no more obvious than the many other judgments that public-health officials made as the virus sprinted across the globe. It was an error, and the governments response to it could have been more swift and flexible. It is only now being made rightlate, but still, it seems, effectively. The question we face is whether some lessons have been drawn that might inform the way key officials make decisions about the next difficult phase of the outbreak. Some of these lessons would have to be drawn at a systemic levelat the very highest reaches of our government. This can sometimes make the difference between a rough but effective mobilization on the fly and a colossal rolling failure. And it is here that real criticism seems to be warranted. The problem is not that our government wasnt fully prepared for the swift global spread of a novel virus, or even that it has made some serious mistakes as a result. The problem is that its upper reaches now appear to remain overwhelmed by choice. Learning from mistakes in a crisis and making needed adjustments requires a structure of information flow and decision-making. It requires a system, preferably built in advance, for deliberation, the processing of criticism and competing views, and the formulation of complex problems as discrete choices. It demands that any such choices that can responsibly be made below the highest level should bewith the aid of clear general guidance from aboveand that decisions that require the presidents own authority be brought to him in clear and concrete terms and then addressed decisively. The Trump administration has never been prepared for crisis decision-making of this sort. Warning signs about that lack of preparation have been abundant from the start. The staffing structure around the president has always been too flat and chaotic. Crucial positions throughout the chain of command have remained vacant or filled by temporary appointees. In key moments, senior officials have ignored clear instructions from the president in an ad hoc way when they have judged them inappropriateperhaps averting some disasters (as the Mueller report made clear) but undermining confidence in the decision-making process at the highest levels of our government. Advisers resist offering bad news, contrary views, or criticism to the president, knowing they would be ignored or worse. And Trumps own inexperience and blinding narcissism have left him unwilling or unable to do better. This decisional dysfunction has had some bad consequences. But not until this crisis has it become truly dangerous. The president seems still not to have come to terms with the mistakes involved in the administrations mishandling of the testing challenge, and the White House now seems unprepared to learn, adapt, and lead as America contemplates the prospect that hospitals and health systems around the country could soon be overwhelmed by intensive-care patients. In a crisis like this, not every decision falls to the federal government or its chief executive. But precisely because massive mobilization is involved, some crucial choices simply do. In particular, the president is called on to make hard choices about the deployment of resources and to convey hard truths to the public in a way that yields resolve and understanding. The absence of any real capacity to do this increasingly looks like the real bottleneck failure in this crisis. That means that those who will take further steps toward mobilization need to take this absence into account and work around it. Senior officials throughout the federal government need to find ways to deliberate together and take necessary actions without elevating them to the level of presidential decisions. Governors have to be ready to make hard judgments on their own, as many have clearly been doing already, and to pressure federal agencies into playing their parts without enough help from above. All this can be done. Our system really is good at mobilizing in a crisis and learning quickly how to manage unfamiliar terrain. But learning to manage a crisis without the full participation of the White House will call upon some muscles that have not been stretched in quite some time. We have seen some of this around the early steps toward social distancing in different places. It may be odd to suggest that aggressively shutting things down is an example of our prowess for mobilization. But given our way of life, the willingness and the ability to radically constrain our activities and choices is actually a show of strength. In a free society, austerity is a form of mobilization. And it has taken shape largely from the bottom up, in school districts, in the business world, and then increasingly with prods from state and local leaders. The president largely resisted the trend at first, and as late as mid March had still not spoken in ways that might prepare the country for whats coming and thereby explain the drastic measures being taken everywhere. But those measures have come regardless. And in similar ways, resources up and down our government and across our society may be deployed to help the health system gird itself a little better for the awful effort to come. We are still very much in the thick of this crisis, and real perspective on our governments performance is impossible. But at this stage, at least, it seems that many key officials are doing many important things right yet also that they have to work around some serious decisional dysfunction at the top. That, more than any particular misjudgment and more than the sheer fact of disruption in our lives, is what appears to require attention, criticism, and correction. Until that improves, the response we mount will not be as well organized or clearly articulated as it could be. But we can be grateful that in our society not everything has to be coordinated from above. And we can be grateful for the countless men and women, in every corner of our country and in every facet of its life, who are rising to this grave and sudden challenge with compassion, creativity, and courage. This article appears in the April 6, 2020, issue of National Review. More from National Review A small commercial laboratory in Georgia has been selling do-it-yourself coronavirus testing kits, despite the fact that the US Food and Drug Administration has not approved at-home testing for people worried theyve been infected in the global pandemic. A physician at the health clinic working with the Georgia lab says there is no time to waste on federal bureaucracy. Were behind the eight ball. We need to start testing more people, said David Williams, the chief executive of Southside Medical Centre in Atlanta. It doesnt bother me that they havent given approval because that doesnt mean it doesnt work. That doesnt mean the test is not accurate. Its an illustration of the growing desperation among Americans for confirmation about whether theyve been sickened by a virus that has spread to all 50 states, causing more than 5,800 cases, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University, and 100 deaths. The push to accelerate coronavirus testing nationwide made significant advances this week, from the Pacific Northwest to the Northeast. On Tuesday Admiral Brett Giroir said that a total of nearly 59,000 had been done, with commercial labs administering 8,200 on Monday alone. A handful of drive-through testing operations have been set up in both large and small cities: Giroir said a total of 47 would start up in a dozen states over the next few days. But the US still lags behind other countries and the apparent demand for at-home testing shows that government and industry officials are still struggling to launch widespread testing needed to curb the pandemics spread. And with all 50 states tackling the pandemic in varying ways, Americans are experiencing uneven access to care. If you get large scale testing such that everyone could do it, we could have a much better sense of the scale of the problem, said Bill Hanage, an epidemiologist at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, in an interview. LifeHope Labs, which began selling the at-home kits last week, had processed about 100 tests by Friday and more than 300 as of Tuesday afternoon, according to Tim Allen, the chief operating officer. Initially, the company charged $240 (199) per test. Now, the price has dropped to $150 (124), including shipping and handling. LifeHope is equipped to handle 846 samples a day and is now ramping up to double that number this week. For people who want to get tested, we just want to be able to give them a way to get tested, said Mr Allen, whose lab is federally certified and has been running the coronavirus test developed by CDC. After Georgia officials warned that such direct-to-consumer testing was not allowed, Allen said, LifeHope partnered with physicians who can order the tests to be mailed after a telemedicine appointment - still without FDA approval. LifeHope ships kits overnight to individuals who swab their own noses with a long cotton swab and then ship the sample back to Life Hope on ice. Tom Inglesby, director of the Centre for Health Security of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said such nasal swabs can be uncomfortable and difficult for an untrained person to perform effectively, raising the risk of false-negative results. Its more complicated than spitting in a cup, he said. People are swabbed at a similar drive-thru coronavirus testing station in Wolverhampton in the UK (Adam Hughes / SWNS) Another company Zymo Research Corp. of Irvine, California has also developed an at-home kit that it hopes to get into the hands of first-responders and companies so they can test employees. The kit consists of a pair of latex gloves, a cotton swab for collecting a sample from the back of the throat and a liquid medium in a plastic tube to preserve the sample. Zymo acts as a middle man, passing the sample to Pangea Laboratory in Costa Mesa, California, said Marc Van Eden, a Zymo vice president. The lab can process results in 24 hours, he said, but is waiting for FDA approval before going to market. With access to traditional testing still limited, the Trump administration has said priority will be given to health care workers and people older than 65, who are at higher risk for complications. On the ground floor of a parking garage at the University of Washington Medical Centre Northwest on Monday, cars moved at a measured clip as four nurses wearing scrubs, gloves, surgical masks, and clear plastic eye shields tested health care workers for the Covid-19 virus. Traffic cones marked the site, which was flanked by three white tents, biohazard disposal bins, a hand washing station, and heat lamps that warmed up the chilly garage. Alex Greninger, assistant director of the virology division at the University of Washington Medical Centre in Seattle, said his lab now has enough capacity to test about 1,800 people per day. But having received more than 2,300 specimens in one day last week, he has had to figure out how to triage. We are communicating with our clients people who send tests to us to prioritise inpatients, first responders, health care workers, vulnerable populations, he said in a phone interview, adding they dont want requests from outside the hospital to delay tests for patients. That is the real worry here. In the District of Columbia, George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates are limiting nearly all their tests to patients with obvious symptoms consistent with the virus to conserve their limited supply of kits and protective gear. Healthcare systems in the US and around the world are inundated with testing requests (Getty) (AFP/Getty) We would like to be able to test as many people as possible, said William Borden, the groups chief quality and population health officer, in an interview. Right now we have several hundred test kits. Were trying to be judicious, that were using them for people who have a high likelihood of being positive. Ryan Westergaard, chief medical officer for Wisconsins Bureau of Communicable Diseases, told reporters on Monday that state officials are optimistic they will expand their testing capacity but are not there yet. The state public health lab, where most coronavirus testing currently is taking place, has been running seven days a week and currently can process about 400 tests per day. He estimated that a handful of other hospitals and private labs in the state, which had 46 active cases of Covid-19 as of Monday, can collectively test up to another several hundred prospective cases a day. At the present moment, theres not enough capacity to test every person or even every person with respiratory symptoms, Mr Westergaard said. The FDA announced Monday that states could approve tests developed in laboratories in their states without getting the agencys authorization, in an effort to speed their development. But even as major lab supply firms are ramping up production and the Trump administration says the effort will scale up quickly, laboratories are constrained by limitations. Thermo Fisher Scientific, a lab supply giant, has 1.5 million tests ready to ship this week and expects to increase quickly to 2 million tests per week. But hospital labs still need time to set up a process for administering them. Thermo Fisher spokesman Ron OBrien, whose company is initially distributing its tests to 200 labs in the US, said that could take a few days to a week. The tests must run on a specific laboratory instrument, which can process up to 846 tests per machine per day if it is testing around the clock. Thermo Fisher hopes to be able to ship 5 million tests per week by April, but it will depend the availability of raw materials, including reagents used to extract the genetic material from samples. Nurses spend their days in car parks to test as many people as they can in the drive-thru testing sites (Getty) Roche, a pharmaceutical giant, can supply about 3.5 million tests per month, but these tests also must run on specific instruments in limited supply. There are fewer than 830 of these machines across the globe. As testing ramps up, some laboratory industry officials are worried about a shortage of supplies such as the swabs health care workers use to collect the samples from patients. Carmen Wiley, president of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry, said that the FDA requires swabs made by a single manufacturer and that some labs are running low. Wiley also said there remains a shortage of RNA extraction kits, which are used by laboratories to extract the virus genetic material from the swabs. An FDA official said the agency has provided additional flexibility in using both kinds of supplies. But some industry officials say even those looser requirements wont solve the problem. The shortage of testing kits from the federal government has triggered a race to come up with new techniques to detect coronavirus. More than 60 researchers at Yale University and nearby private firm called Homodeus are developing a test that people could administer at home, similar to a home pregnancy test. Recommended Question Time axes studio audience as BBC cuts back over coronavirus So you can spit into a tube. And get results. No lab. No technician. No expensive machines. No wait, said Jonathan Rothberg, an entrepreneur and genetics researcher leading a team at Yale Universitys medical school. Results would be available within half an hour. But Mr Rothberg, who noted that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is also working on a mail-in kit, says even his groups high-speed efforts could only be scaled up if they were clinically validated. On Tuesday White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Deborah Birx said experts were exploring innovative solutions, like self-swabbing, but did not have enough data yet. In some parts of America, people are already getting better access to tests. Tony Dunn and his wife, both in their 60s, started showing symptoms last week and were initially unable to get tested because they had not travelled internationally nor been in contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus. On Monday, their doctor told them that drive-through testing for flu and coronavirus had just opened near their home in Flat Rock, North Carolina. They arrived an hour after the station opened to find 15 cars in line, Mr Dunn said. Their coronavirus test results are due Friday. Considering that we live in a small town in western North Carolina, Im fairly impressed by how quickly they got their act together. The Washington Post Coronavirus: Prime Minister Narendra Modi would address nation on Thursday at 8 pm to share update of covid 19 situation in India. PM Modi has been breifed by the Health Ministry officials on the situation and preparations. In view to rapidly spreading novel Corona virus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would address the nation on Thursday, March 19 at 8 pm. Reports said PM Modi would share update on the current situation after meeting Health Ministry officials. In a series of tweets, Prime Ministers Office (PMO) said PM Modi expressed gratitude to all those at the forefront of combating COVID-19 including the various State Governments, medical fraternity, paramedical staff, armed and paramilitary forces, those associated with aviation sector, municipal staff and others. In the meeting, several ways to curb spreading of virus were discussed and Prime Minister emphasised on actively engaging with individuals, local communities and organisations in chalking out mechanisms to fight the COVID-19 menace. He also urged officials and technical experts to deliberate on the steps to be taken next. Earlier today, report from Health Ministry confirmed over 150 cases in India including 3 who lost their lives. Most of the positive cases have travel histories from infection hit countries. Globally, Covid-19 has infected more than 1,20,000 people and claimed 5,000 lives. As precautions, the Centre and state governments have prepared several check up centres to detect and quarantine people. Schools, colleges, malls, Cinema halls, gyms and other public places have been shut will March 31. Also most of the offices have been detected to allocate work from home to their employees. Several temples including Shirdis Sai Baba Temple, Mumabais SidhiVinayak, Jammu and Kashmirs Mata Vaishno Devi Temple, Amritsars Golden Temple and others have been closed till the situation gets normal. Ministry of Health and Welfare has advised people to avoid public transports, gatherings, use sanitizers and face masks to curb the spread. For all the latest National News, download NewsX App STAMFORD As early-rising dog-walkers in winter clothing marched by, Fernando Ramirez, in protective suit, mask and goggles, directed cars in and out of a lot on Bedford Street. Drivers of the cars, which idled in a line at least 18 long by 7:15 a.m. Wednesday, were waiting to get tested for the novel coronavirus by members of a private practice, Murphy Medical Associates, a group operating drive-thru testing sites in Stamford and Stratford. The operation is trying to expand despite early growing pains. Some would-be customers have been frustrated by scheduling mix-ups. A Greenwich location shut down after neighbors complained about staffers outside in hazmat suits, The same happened in Darien, where testing was due to start Thursday. Testing still is to begin in New Canaan on Friday. The Stamford location, which moved from the Murphy office space on Buxton Road to the lot at 589 Bedford last week, is open from 6 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. daily. People first need a prescription and to set up a time before they can be tested. At the new Stamford location, the biggest logistical problem is traffic, caused by the set up of the space: a lot with one way in and one way out. We need better lots, Ramirez said. We need volunteers to guide traffic, and make sure we are changing suits with every test. Drivers wait in the right-most lane of one-way Bedford, and are directed one at a time into the grassy lot, where they park and wait again for their turn to get into a make-shift drive-thru, where they get swabbed. Then Ramirez directs them back onto Bedford Street. The city of Stamford was not a part of making arrangements for the group to conduct the testing, he said. A doctor offered the lot because he liked what we are doing, he said. Were not getting a lot of help, Ramirez said. Were just trying to do our best. Some aware of the testing effort have been supportive, and donated supplies, such as the protective gowns Ramirez and his fellow staff members wear, but more hands on deck would help, Ramirez said. He had been up since 5 a.m. preparing for the testing. The group is also working to avoid more problems like those that have frustrated some as the operation has gotten going. Since publishing the announcement that the testing would be offered, Hearst Connecticut Media has received a handful of responses from people detailing their struggles with scheduling appointments, getting someone on the phone and receiving misleading confirmations. Murphy said about 75 people received confusing emails because his staff could not edit automatic messages that were sent out. They are working with the website platform to fix the problem, he said. You do not have an appointment until we call you, he said. In Stamford, Benny Sun lives in the apartment complex right next door to the lot. He is working from home, and has watched the drive-thru operation since Saturday. Im really up for it, he said. People have to have a place to get tested. But Sun said he is one of many neighbors he has spoken with who do not like that the testing, with the healthcare workers in hazmat suits and the long lines of potentially sick people, is happening a little too close to home. Its too tight, he said. In New York, they do it in huge, open lots. More Information Murphy Medical Associates offers drive-thru testing at these sites: Stamford: From 6 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. daily in the parking lot at 589 Bedford St. New Canaan: From 9 a.m. to noon on Fridays only at Saxe Middle School, 468 South Ave. Stratford: From 9 a.m. to noon daily in the vacant lot at 1000 Main Street. See More Collapse He suggested one of the industrial lots in Stamford, or a school that has been closed. The lot is a stones throw from the new Stamford Police Department headquarters, but inside, a spokesperson for the department said police have only directed traffic caused by the drive-thru testing once. Officers also have been dispatched to conduct traffic control at Stamford Hospitals testing location. There have been adjustments at the Stratford location as well. That city helped Murphy Medical Associates secure a new location away from concerned people and from the landlord, chief of staff for the mayor Michael Downes said Tuesday. They didnt have the right to use the parking lot the way they are intending to, he said. We just helped them find the lot. jo.kroeker@hearstmediact.com Home Four wheelers Volkswagens European Operations Suspended As Coronavirus Threat Looms Large oi-Rahul Jaswal German auto giant, Volkswagen, is readying itself to halt production until further notice across Europe as the region is struggling heavily to contain the Coronavirus pandemic. The company announced that operations at production facilities at Spain, Portugal, and Slovakia will be suspended this week. {photo-feature} Most Viewed Videos Newsfrom Japan Nagoya, March 18 (Jiji Press)--Toyota Motor Corp. <7203> has announced the closure of its automobile assembly plant in France from Wednesday through the end of this month, amid the spreading coronavirus contagion in Europe. The leading Japanese automaker has also decided to suspend operations at its assembly plant in Portugal for two weeks from Monday this week. In 2019, Toyota manufactured 224,000 units of its Yaris compact car at the French plant. The Portuguese plant has capacity to annually produce 9,800 units of the Land Cruiser SUV. The French plant closure came after the French government announced Monday a ban on leaving home for nonessential reasons. The European market accounts for about 11 pct of Toyota's global sales of new automobiles. Its hybrid vehicles, among others, have been enjoying solid demand there. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Despite years of claiming innocence, Houston pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell pleaded guilty to multimillion-dollar fraud involving the elderly. According to Christianity Today, Caldwell joins Gregory A. Smith, a Shreveport investment adviser, who also pleaded guilty to the scheme. These defendants used their positions as religious leaders and investment advisers to defraud Louisiana residentsmany of whom are elderly and retired, said US Attorney David C. Joseph in a statement. In doing so, the defendants abused the trust and respect of their victims for the sole purpose of stealing their money. This type of deceit can be devastating for victims, especially when life savings are lost. My office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who use confidence schemes to prey upon the elderly and people of faith. As senior pastor of Windsor Villagean 18,000-member African American United Methodist churchCaldwell retained his innocence when charges were first aimed at him two years ago. Prosecutors believed he had sold $3.5 million in worthless Chinese bonds to the elderly. His attorney, Dan Cogdell, released a statement after Smiths guilty plea asserting Caldwells ignorance of the bad bonds, according to Channel 2. At all times, Pastor Caldwell believed in the legitimacy of the transactions he was involved with. Simply put, at no time did Kirbyjon Caldwell ever intend on defrauding anyone. We look forward to our day in court for the full truth to come out. With his guilty plea, Caldwell will pay nearly $2 million as restitution before his sentencing in July. He may also be sentenced to 5-7 years in prison and a fine of up to a quarter-million dollars. The UMC will also discipline the pastor. I am deeply saddened by this admission of guilt, said Texas Conference Bishop Scott Jones. 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 conflict. Caldwells hearing is set for July 22 in Louisiana. Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Dragana991 Mikaela Mathews is a freelance writer and editor based in Dallas, TX. She was the editor of a local magazine and a contributing writer for the Galveston Daily News and Spirit Magazine. Like walruses and elephants, male narwhals (Monodon monoceros) grow tusks; these are modified teeth. In narwhals, the left tooth erupts from their head, reaching more than 8-feet-long in some individuals. The tusk grows out in a spiral pattern, giving the appearance of a sea-dwelling unicorn. Credit: Zack Graham, Arizona State University Showy peacock feathers, extravagant elk antlers and powerful crayfish claws are just a few examples of the ostentatious animal extremes used to compete for and attract mates, a process called sexual selection. Now, thanks to Arizona State University researcher Zackary Graham and his colleagues, we can add the "unicorn of the seas," the narwhal, to the list. "Broadly, I'm interested in sexual selection, which is responsible for creating some of the craziest traits in biology. As an evolutionary biologist, I try to understand why some animals have these bizarre traits, and why some don't," said Graham, a doctoral student at ASU's School of Life Sciences. "One way we try to understand these traits is by looking at the morphology, or the size and shape of them. I immediately became obsessed with trying to think of some interesting animals to study. I was Googling everything; maybe I can find a dinosaur in a museum. Eventually, I found the narwhal tusk." Graham is the lead author of a new study which demonstrates the best evidence to date that the narwhal tusk functions as a sexual trait, published in online in the journal Biology Letters. A tusk among us Like walruses and elephants, male narwhals (Monodon monoceros) grow tusks; these are modified teeth. In narwhals, the left tooth erupts from their head, reaching more than 8-feet-long in some individuals. The tusk grows out in a spiral pattern, giving the appearance of a sea-dwelling unicorn. Ostentatious animal extremes are often used to compete for and attract mates, a process called sexual selection. Now, thanks to Arizona State University researcher Zackary Graham and his colleagues, we can add the "unicorn of the seas," the narwhal, to the list. They found that male tusks can have over 4-fold variation in tusk length (the same body size males can have tusks ranging from 1.5-feet to 8.2-feet) long. If the highest quality males produce and adorn the largest tusks, then the tusk likely serves as an honest signal of quality to females or males. Credit: Alex Cabrera, Arizona State University Since narwhals spend most of their lives hidden under the Arctic ice, there has been much speculation on what exactly the tusk is used for: hunting, fighting or perhaps something more amorous in nature? Graham mentions that there have been reports of head scarring, broken tusks and tusks impaled in the sides of males, who may have been on the receiving end of some aggression. Other scattered observations include a behavior of "tusking," where two narwhals cross and rub their tusks together, suggests that the tusk is used for communication during intra- or intersexual interactions. Graham has studied sexual selection in all sorts of species, including the crayfish he studies for his Ph.D. dissertation. He realized, that to demonstrate that the tusk is sexually selected, he could use the relationship between tusk size with body size to understand this mysterious trait. To do so, his team collected morphology data on 245 adult male narwhals over the course of 35 years. With colleagues Alexandre V. Palaoro of the LUTA do Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, UNIFESP, Brazil, and Mads Peter Heide-Jrgensen and Eva Garde, from the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, they created a large dataset from the carefully curated narwhal field data. When comparing individuals of the same age, sexually selected traits often exhibit disproportional growth - that is, for a given body size, sexually selected traits are often larger than expected in the largest individuals. Importantly, they compared the growth (or scaling) of the tusk to the scaling relationship between body size and a trait that is unlikely to have sexual functions. To do so, they used the tail of the narwhals, called the fluke. "We also predicted that if the narwhal tusk is sexually selected, we expect greater variation in tusk length compared to the variation in fluke width," said Graham. This is because many sexual traits are highly sensitive to nutrient and body condition, such that only the biggest and strongest individuals can afford the energy to produce extremely large traits. According to Graham, they found that male tusks can have over 4-fold variation in tusk length (the same body size males can have tusks ranging from 1.5-feet to 8.2-feet) long. However, the fluke hardly varies at all, ranging from 1.5-feet to 3-feet long within individuals of the same body size. They also found disproportional growth in the tusk compared to the fluke. Based on the disproportional growth and large variation in tusk length they found, they have provided the best evidence to date that narwhal tusks are indeed sexually selected. A group of narwhals is called a blessing. Males (with tusks) and females are found in the Arctic seas. Credit: Zack Graham, Arizona State University "By combining our results on tusk scaling with known material properties of the tusk, we suggest that the narwhal tusk is a sexually selected signal that is used during the male-male tusking contests," said Graham. "The information that the tusk communicates is simple: "I am bigger than you."" And if only the highest quality males produce and adorn the largest tusks, then the tusk likely serves as an honest signal of quality to females or males. Under the Ice Graham hopes that future researchers will use aerial and aquatic drones to provide concrete evidence of the tusk function in nature and elucidate the tusks exact role as either an aggressive weapon, a sexual signal or both. Perhaps one day, we can look forward to a "Big Love: Narwhals Under the Ice" nature documentary coming to an IMAX near you. "Overall, our evidence supports the hypothesis that the tusk functions both as a sexually selected weapon and sexually selected signal during male-male contests," said Graham. "However, further evaluations of the narwhal's ecology are warranted." More information: The longer the better: evidence that narwhal tusks are sexually selected, Biology Letters, royalsocietypublishing.org/doi .1098/rsbl.2019.0950 Journal information: Biology Letters The longer the better: evidence that narwhal tusks are sexually selected, 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) The gold market continued to see losses Wednesday afternoon as the S&P 500 dropped 7% and halted trading for 15 minutes after triggering the circuit breaker. Gold prices were down more than 2% on the day with April Comex gold futures last at $1,486.00 an ounce. Another chaotic day in the markets saw U.S.-Canada border closed to non-essential travel after both U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau both announced the new measures on Wednesday morning. We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected, Trump wrote. The Trump administration said it will be invoking the Defense Production Act, which will allow the U.S. government to speed up production of medical equipment, including masks, respirators, and ventilators. Were going to defeat the invisible enemy, said Trump on Wednesday afternoon. Reuters also reported that Trump has asked Congress to approve $500 billion in cash payments to taxpayers, citing a document seen by the agency. The money would be approved in two rounds and launched on April 6. Also, $50 billion will be dedicated in secured loans to U.S. airlines to help them deal with the shutdowns related with the coronavirus outbreak, Reuters said. Trudeau also announced new extraordinary measures, introducing a C$27 billion ($18.6 billion) in stimulus that will go directly to Canadian families and businesses struggling due to the coronavirus outbreak. Another C$55 billion will be dedicated to help businesses and households via tax deferrals. Hedge fund manager Bill Ackman spoke out on Wednesday, telling Trump on Twitter to shut down the U.S. for 30 days to help contain the virus. Mr. President, the only answer is to shut down the country for the next 30 days and close the borders. Tell all Americans that you are putting us on an extended Spring Break at home with family, Ackman wrote on Twitter. Highlights Microsoft closes all retail store globally amid Coronavirus pandemic. There is no given date as for when these Microsoft stores will re-open. Software giant Microsoft will host its upcoming event digitally on March 30. The tech company Microsoft closes its retail stores globally because of Coronavirus outbreak. In order to minimize the risk of virus spreading, Microsoft announced the closing of all its stores late Monday. In a statement, the company said: "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 took this step to avoid person-to-person encounters in retail stores. After all, touching different objects is one thing we all need to avoid at this time amid the virus spread. "We know families, remote workers and businesses are under unique pressure at this time, and we are still here to serve you online at microsoft.com, the company said in a statement. The Software giant, Microsoft has more than 70 retail stores in the US, seven in Canada, and one each in Puerto Rico, Australia, and England. As all these stores will shut down for a while, there is no given date as for when they will re-open. Microsoft has its headquarters in Redmond, Washington. The city Redmond is just 6-to-7Kms away from Kirkland, where the Life Care Center nursing facility is reporting a large number of infections. Thus we know that Microsoft is taking precautions like closing its retail stores specifically due to COVID-19 health concerns. Just to tell you, Microsoft was one of the first companies to give Work From Home permission to its employees as the coronavirus began spreading in the Seattle area. Many other companies have also closed stores because of the same reasons and Apple is one of them. Last Friday, Apple also shut down all its retail stores outside of Greater China until March 27. On a related note, since Washington state has banned gatherings of more than 50 people, Microsoft is hosting an online-only event on March 30. The purpose of the event is still not known, but we are expecting it to be a Office-related digital event. Microsoft could announce updates for Office along with new apps and services that will focus on productivity. SALINA, N.Y. -- Three people from Syracuse were arrested Friday after state police say they found a gun, marijuana and synthetic marijuana in a car. Shawn R. Aldamuy, 28, Aaron A. Hudson, 31, and an unidentified 18-year-old boy from Syracuse face charges related to the stop, according to New York State Police. At 11:30 p.m. on Friday, police staffing a 7th North Street off-ramp DWI checkpoint stopped a Chevrolet Equinox, according to police. Troopers could smell marijuana coming from the car as they spoke to Aldamuy, the driver, police said. They found the marijuana in the center console and an open bottle of alcohol in a front cup holder, according to police. Everyone in the car was asked to get out of the SUV and troopers found a .45-caliber gun, eleven plastic bags with marijuana and eleven plastic bags with synthetic marijuana, police said. The three were charged with the following: Shawn Aldamuy: second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and first-degree unlawful possession of marijuana Aaron A. Hudson: second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance 18-year-old boy: second-degree criminal possession of a weapon The three were taken to the Onondaga County Justice Center for centralized arraignment, police said. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact Chris Libonati via the Signal app for encrypted messaging at 585-290-0718, by phone at the same number, by email or on Twitter. Thanks for visiting Syracuse.com. Quality local journalism has never been more important, and your subscription matters. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Yes Bank share price rose 50 percent in early trade on March 18 as the moratorium on the bank will end at 6 pm today, much before the earlier scheduled date of April 6, 2020 and all operations will resume as usual from today evening. However, it has erased all its intra-day gains and trading with marginal gains as the sell-off seen the market. The moratorium on Yes Bank will finally be lifted on March 18 at 6 pm, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das said in the press conference on March 16. However, the new board will assume the position on March 26. Also read - Prashant Kumar's biggest test will be regaining confidence of customers, say experts The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)-appointed administrator for Yes Bank Prashant Kumar reassured depositors during a press conference held on March 17 "Further to our email dated, March 10, we are happy to apprise you that Yes Bank will resume full banking services from 18:00 hours IST on Wednesday, March 18. We invite you to any of our 1,132 branches across India from March 19, post commencement of banking hours to experience our full suite of services," Prashant Kumar, Yes Bank administrator and the next MD and CEO of the bank's newly constituted board, told depositors in a letter. Also Read - ICICI Bank gets 7.97% stake in Yes Bank Meanwhile, the share price jumped 1,484 percent from its record low of Rs 5.55 tested on 06 March, 2020 on the BSE. At 15:14 hrs Yes Bank was quoting at Rs 59.70, up Rs 1.05, or 1.79 percent on the BSE. The Trump Administration is Looking Into Sending Cash Directly to Americans The White House announced on Tuesday its plans to deliver over $250 billion worth of checks to Americans as the US fights against COVID-19 and recession. The cash payments are a part of an $850 stimulus proposal the treasury secretary discussed with Republicans on Tuesday. President Donald Trump said the new measure would provide immediate economic support than the payroll tax cut holiday he has previously promoted. The direct payments will reportedly cover two weeks of pay and will be sent by the end of April. Additional checks will be discussed. Mr. Trump also allowed deferment of income tax payments for 90 days. The deferment could help cushion the blow of lost wages and customers. Read More: Nationwide Lockdown Declarations Around the World to Combat COVID-19 COVID-19 Pandemic: Will the US Overcome the Strains? 'Shelter-In-Place': New Yorkers Urged To Prepare For A Stricter Lockdown Scientists Test Drugs Used On Cats to Treat COVID-19 Researchers are now testing to see if Retromad1, a drug used to treat leukemia and coronavirus in cats, can work on humans. Biovalence Technologies developed the drug to fight the feline infectious peritonitis virus which resembles COVID-19. Veterinary clinics in Singapore use the drug on animal patients. The drug was originally meant to treat herpes in humans but was never tested for possible side effects on humans. Biovalence Technologies is now looking into starting a human trial to observe for possible side effects as well as its capability to protect healthy individuals from the virus. Health officials in Singapore reported success in using Retromad1 as a treatment option for HIV and AIDS. COVID-19: People with Blood Type A May Be More Vulnerable Chinese health officials released their findings from a preliminary study of patients who were infected with the coronavirus. Medical researchers found that patients with blood type A often developed more severe symptoms than patients with other blood types. They emphasized the study was only preliminary but urged health officials to consider blood type differences when treating patients infected with Sars-CoV-2. Lead researcher Wang Xinghuan said patients with blood group A might need strengthened protection to reduce the chances of infection. Infected patients would need vigilant surveillance and more aggressive treatment plans. The study also discovered blood group O to have a significantly lower risk for the infection. All findings from the preliminary study were published on medrxiv.org. Japanese Flu Drug Effective on Coronavirus Patients Medical authorities in China said a Japanese drug used to combat flu appeared to be effective on coronavirus patients. Favipiravir, a drug developed Fujifilm Toyama Chemical, reportedly produced encouraging outcomes in clinical trials performed in Wuhan. Patients who were given the drug tested negative for the virus four days after they were confirmed positive. Those who were not given the drug recovered after 11 days. X-rays also showed improvements in lung condition on almost all of the patients treated with favipiravir. Japanese health officials said the drug did not produce the same results on patients with more severe symptoms. The same result was found after scientists tried a combination of the flu drug with HIV antiretroviral drugs. Fujifilm Toyama Chemical, the developer of the drug, refused to comment on the claims. Study Shows COVID-19 Can Survive in the Air A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Tuesday showed the new coronavirus can live on some surfaces for three days. Experts say the virus can become suspended in droplets can stay suspended for half an hour before drifting down and settling on surfaces like plastic and steel. The study also showed the virus surviving 24 hours on cardboard packages. The finding is inconsistent with a previous claim that the virus cannot be transported by air. Another study published in the online journal Pediatrics found a small percentage of babies and preschoolers can become seriously ill if infected with the coronavirus. Findings were reported after researchers conducted a study involving 2,000 ill children in China. The scientists urge governments to use the study as a factor in implementing school closure policies, hospital preparedness, and deployment of treatment and vaccines. Chennai, March 18 : Heeding to the plea of the community leaders and the Tamil Nadu government to prevent spread of coronavirus, the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) stir is being called off temporarily in the state, according to a Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ) senior leader, here on Wednesday. "We don't want to trouble people. The Chief Minister recently requested us to call off the protest as a precautionary measure to prevent spread of coronavirus," P. Abdul Rahman, TNTJ Vice-President, told IANS after holding the 'fill the jail' stir. "A large number of Muslims, including women, participated in the protest held in 36 districts despite the coronavirus risk," Rahman said. While the state police declined to arrest protestors, TNTJ members too didn't press. The agitation was announced long back, he said and added, to avoid inconvenience to the people, the protest time was reduced to one hour. On Monday, K.M. Kader Mohideen, National President of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), had urged people to stop the 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 TN Muslims to call protests off. On Tuesday, actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan had appealed the community members to stop their protest and safeguard themselves against the coronavirus outbreak. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) A resident of Noida, who recently returned from Indonesia, has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, Gautam Buddh Nagar health officials said on Wednesday. The total number of positive cases for the COVID-19 in the district now stands at four, Chief Medical Officer Anurag Bhargava said. "The sample of this person, who lives in Sector 41 of Noida, was taken four days ago and he has tested positive for coronavirus. He has been admitted to the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in Greater Noida for treatment," Bhargava said in a statement. He said the infected person's house and nearby areas are being sanitised. On Tuesday, two persons residents of Noida's Sector 78 and Sector 100 who recently returned from France had tested positive for coronavirus, according to officials. Officials said one resident of Delhi had earlier tested positive for coronavirus in Noida. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon sent a letter to Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati in the early hours of Wednesday, praising him for taking an 'impartial and courageous' decision in accepting the resignations of six ministers Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon sent a letter to Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati in the early hours of Wednesday, praising him for taking an "impartial and courageous" decision in accepting the resignations of six ministers. 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 collapse. Of these, the speaker has accepted resignations of six MLAs. "I can appreciate your concern for the security of the missing MLAs in view of their absence from the House as mentioned in your letter dated 17 March 2020. I can also guess the kind of pain you are undergoing since last 8-10 days in view of the above," Tandon wrote, referring to a letter sent to him by the Speaker. "Although there is no mention of efforts made by you to know about these members, I believe that you must have taken adequate efforts for it," he said. "As far as accepting the resignation of honorable members is concerned, I can praise your impartial and courageous decision to accept the resignation of six out of 22 members very soon. As the Speaker, you must be well aware of the legal procedure to accept the resignation of any member or what action needed to be taken when the members are absent without any information despite knowing about the session," the governor wrote. "However, I can also feel your dilemma in disposing of these MLAs' resignation," he added. Regarding the missing MLAs, Tandon said they have been constantly writing to him and the Speaker but in none of their letters have they mentioned where they are at present. They have not mentioned any problems on their own, he added. "Their letters and videos are also constantly getting highlighted in newspapers, electronic and social media and now they have also reached the Supreme Court," Tandon said. "In the last paragraph of your letter, you have demanded security for the MLAs. It is the duty of the executive to ensure the security of each and every citizen of the state and I am sure, you also wanted the same from it only, but, it appears that you have erroneously sent it to me," the governor wrote. Tandon also requested the Speaker to send a copy of the rules of the House regarding some questions and their answers that the latter had sought on the issue. 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 2,503 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. The crisis has pushed hospitals to breaking point at the epicenter of the contagion in northern Italy and left other regions scrambling to strengthen their own health systems as the number of infected rises nationwide. Lombardy is on the point of collapse. All the intensive care beds and respirators are being used, said Matteo Salvini, head of the League party which governs the wealthy region. A potentially dangerous development is the rise in cases in the province of Milan, up by 343 in the last 24 hours to 2,326. The 17% rise compares with a much smaller increase of 11% in Lombardy as a whole. The epidemic has so far taken a relatively light toll on Italys main cities, but there are now 964 confirmed cases in the densely populated financial capital which numbers 1.4 million residents. Lombardys health chief said it was vital that the Milanese strictly observe all the curbs on movement laid down by the government to prevent the contagion growing much more strongly in a very populous area like Milan. University Minister Gaetano Manfredi said the government would let this years 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. Intensive care crisis 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. Former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi said on Tuesday he would donate 10 million euros ($11 million) to help equip the new center, joining a growing list of wealthy Italians offering funds. In Rome, oil major ENI has paid for the multi-million euro conversion of the small, private Columbus hospital into a center for treating coronavirus patients, with the first sufferers being stretchered into the unit on Monday. In Genoa, authorities are transforming a ferry into a hospital boat that they hope will be ready by Thursday. Looking to map the spread of the illness, the head of the northern Veneto region announced that he would ramp up the number of tests done daily to some 11,300 from 3,000 at present. Even if we find just one positive case, it means we will have 10 less infections, said Luca Zaia. I dont really care about the budget. It is less important than the lives of our citizens. The government last week ordered the blanket, nationwide closure of restaurants, bars and almost all shops except for food stores and chemists, telling Italians to stay home except for emergencies. Looking to enforce the order, the police have increased their checks, with some 172,720 people stopped on Monday and questioned about why they were outside - a jump of 50% on Sunday. Of those 7,890 were booked for breaking the law. An SWG poll showed just 3% of people thought the lockdown was excessive, while 50% thought more could be done to stop the contagion. There was also anxiety for the future, with just over 50% of people fearing they would lose their jobs. ($1 = 0.9069 euros) Even for those elected officials who are not steeped in policy intricacies, there are historic moments when people look to them for courage, leadership and foresight. COVID 19 has extracted none of these from Donald Trump. As Americans sift through the strata of a global pandemic, the president has spent most of the last three months dismissing this upheaval with pure cynicism treating it as a nuisance and calling it as a hoax, lying about it being under control, blaming his predecessor, telling sick people to go to work, contradicting public health experts, marinating in self-praise, and wretchedly failing to give this crisis the respect or vigor that it demanded. He seemed to turn a small corner Monday at least rhetorically and the country whispered a silent amen as his usual prattle of worthless predictions were preempted by a sober discussion of how Americans should approach our uncertain future. But presidents are judged more by actions than by words, and the blunders made by this one will be marked in history as recklessly myopic: America does not have a unit responsible for coordinating international pandemic response, because Trump disbanded it two years ago. In May of 2018, he closed the National Security Councils office for Global Health Security and Biodefense, which was set up by President Obama after the 2014-16 Ebola outbreak. That same day, a new Ebola outbreak was declared in Congo. In such a sprawling government, leadership must be centralized to respond to a crisis, and this office was tasked with galvanizing resources to coordinate the domestic and international response. As Dr. Anthony Fauci, our leading infectious disease expert, told Congress, It would be nice if the office was still there. But its not. We do, however, have Space Force. When Trump was asked whether he took responsibility for disbanding the unit Friday, he called it a nasty question and said he didnt know anything about it. Trump delayed testing for coronavirus for at least two crucial months. In early February, the Trump administration rejected tests that the World Health Organization was already sending out to 60 countries, ostensibly so that the US could develop its own. Moreover, we are only getting started on infrastructure such as drive-through testing sites. The delay caused incalculable damage: Testing is one of our best tools against an outbreak, because it identifies sick people and allows us to isolate them. The failure to deliver tests prevents the chances of identifying infections before they are passed on. I get the sense that this is not only the low point of the Trump presidency but the low point of the American presidency ever. Has any president ever been this overmatched by a crisis? David Brooks (@nytdavidbrooks) March 13, 2020 So four months after the first outbreak in China, we are still flying blind because we do not know where to target resources, how to mobilize efforts, or who to quarantine. Entering last weekend, only 15,000 Americans had been tested. South Korea tests 10,000 people daily. Ron Klain, who coordinated the US response to Ebola in 2014, says we need 30 million tests to get a handle on this epidemic. Trump wasted time by spreading misinformation that was repeated by his surrogates at unfathomable cost. Any other president would have collected his team and insisted on a blunt analysis of the suffering on the horizon, and then moved mountains to abate it. Trump had no such team. So instead of preparing the country for a medical catastrophe and drastic social disruption, Americans were told Were very close to a vaccine and Anyone who wants a test can get one. Everything in this tweet is a lie. What a disgrace. https://t.co/agtUjMoosT Susan Rice (@AmbassadorRice) March 15, 2020 His remarks have ranged from indifferent to petulant to harmful, and refashioned by people like former Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, who 17 days ago at the CPAC convention called the crisis a media hoax of the day that was being used to bring down the president. By now, Trump has accelerated that process with assertions such as No one saw this coming. As Harvard epidemiologist William Hanage wrote last Friday, We were not outwitted, outpaced or outflanked. We knew what was coming. We just twiddled our thumbs as the coronavirus waltzed in. This is going to get much worse before it gets better, because of a failure of leadership from an overmatched man with a severe attention deficit. Trump will likely change his tone now, let Congress take the lead in alleviating the suffering, and eventually will retreat into campaign mode by blaming China, Europe, and Democrats. But Americans know when we need leadership, and theyre getting it only from our mayors and governors. This presidency began with I alone can fix it, and four days ago it imploded with I dont take responsibility at all. Somewhere in between, the economy crashed, schools were shuttered, people were frightened, lives were lost, public events were cancelled, and the country shut down. We are in the dark place without a beacon. This is a perfect spot. Run this over and over through November. pic.twitter.com/M0Kt43mDf5 The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) March 18, 2020 Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey: 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. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. The Senate approved a $105 billion-plus coronavirus aid package, sending it to President Donald Trump's desk as the administration pushes for a third, $1 trillion plan. Trump is expected to sign the bill into law. Wednesday's measure includes safety-net programs such as paid sick leave and provides free testing for the highly contagious coronavirus, which has killed at least 118 people across the United States. Lawmakers practiced social distancing as they voted. The amount of time to vote was doubled to 30 minutes to spread out the entry of senators into the chamber. Additionally, senators were told not to linger on the floor and chat in groups as they tend to do during votes. 'SOCIAL DISTANCE' read the sign on the clerk of the Senate's desk, in a helpful reminder to lawmakers. The Senate approved a $105 billion-plus coronavirus aid package and it goes to President Trump for his signature Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urged senators to not linger on the Senate floor after they voted to help prevent any possible spread of the coronavirus Passage came as President Trump downplayed reports that Secretary Stephen Mnuchin told senators the previous day that unemployment in the U.S. might hit 20 per cent. 'No, well I don't agree with that. No, I don't agree,' he insisted during a White House press briefing on coronavirus Wednesday afternoon. 'That's an absolute, total, worst case scenario,' he continued. 'But no, we don't look at that at all. We're nowhere near it.' In February, the unemployment rate was at 3.5 per cent and the highest in recorded U.S. history was during the Great Depression in the 1930s when rates reached nearly 25 per cent. Markets tanked again on Wednesday with the Dow down almost 2,000 points. The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives passed the package by an overwhelming bipartisan margin on Saturday. The exact cost has not been tallied, but the congressional Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that the sick leave and family leave provisions alone would cost $105 billion. Lawmakers are simultaneously trying to craft another emergency package that could cost $1.3 trillion - far more than the mammoth recession-fighting packages that Congress passed in 2008 and 2009. That package could include two rounds of direct payments to Americans, totaling $250 billion each, according to a Treasury Department proposal. Trump suggested on Tuesday these checks could amount to up to $1,000 each. Payments would be tiered based on income and family size. 'People want to go big,' he said at his Wednesday press briefing. The plan also would provide $300 billion for small businesses, $50 billion in loans for cash-strapped airlines and $150 billion for loan guarantees to other distressed economic sectors. Senate Republicans could unveil their own version as soon as Wednesday evening, Republican Senator Richard Shelby said. Mindful of lingering voter anger over the 2008 bank bailout, lawmakers said any industry-specific aid should come in the form of loans that must be paid back. 'I'm not in favor of just handing over billions in taxpayer dollars to the airlines or others,' Republican Senator Josh Hawley told reporters. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said expanded unemployment benefits would provide more robust benefits for a longer period than one-off checks. 'This is not a time for small measures,' Schumer said on the Senate floor. 'This is a time to be bold, to be aggressive.' Eight senators voted against the $105 billion House-passed bill on Wednesday. Some Republicans worried that the sick-leave provisions could heap costs on small businesses. Senator Rand Paul, a conservative Republican, proposed paying for some of the new spending by ending U.S. involvement in Afghanistan. The Senate rejected that idea. Senators practiced social distancing as they voted - they did not stay on the floor after voting and kept distance between them Senators came onto the floor to vote and then left in an effort to practice safe social distancing in the time of the coronavirus Medical personnel in protective clothing work at a coronavirus testing location at Jones Beach State Park in Hempstead, New York Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin privately warned this week that unemployment could hit 20% if Congress does not act. Separately, the Trump administration also asked Congress for another $45.8 billion to shore up U.S. government agencies responding to the outbreak. It would also give extra funds to help beef up sanitation efforts at airports, provide protective gear to federal agents, bolster cybersecurity protections, improve teleworking capabilities, and shore up the Amtrak passenger rail service, which has seen a steep drop in ridership. House Democrats had concerns that the bill might also enable the Homeland Security Department to deport more illegal immigrants, according to an aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Early this month, Congress approved a first $8.3 billion package to boost the medical response to the pandemic. Health officials have advised Americans to avoid non-essential travel and large gatherings in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus. In a step aimed at limiting the spread of the virus among the lawmakers themselves, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell said he planned to double the amount of time to vote to limit the number of members in the chamber at any one time. On Wednesday, he warned his fellow senators not to linger during votes, as they normally do. 'Come in and vote and leave,' McConnell said. Reacting to coronavirus concerns, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly ordered the closing of every K-12 school in that state for the rest of the school year and other governors may soon follow suit. Wichita School Board President Sheril Logan told The Wichita Eagle that students in that Kansas school district would soon be given meaningful at home work to continue their education. Arizona lawmakers plan to announce a plan Wednesday, which would include the possibility that students complete lesson plans at home through the end of May, according to KNXV-TV, ABC15, in Phoenix. California Gov. Gavin Newsom is warning families not to plan for 6 million students to return to school before the summer due to the coronavirus. This is a very sobering thing to say, Newsom told KGTV, ABC10, in San Diego. I dont want to mislead you. In Florida, all remaining testing for students K-12 have been canceled and there will be no grades calculated for the rest of the year, Gov. Ron DeSantis said. Requirements for graduation and promotion and final course grades will be evaluated as though those assessments did not exist, DeSantis told reporters at a news conference on Tuesday. In Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker has ordered schools closed through at least April 6. Baker has said that staff should be planning on how to provide learning opportunities during this period and beyond. Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts Related content: The lawyer of the Armenian second president Robert Kocharyan, Aram Orbelyan, has filed a lawsuit against the country's PM Nikol Pashinyan. Sedrak Asatryan, the director of the Concern Dialogue CJSC, said that the reason was the unverified statements made by Pashinyan at a meeting with the YES campaign in Kajaran against the company's senior partner, lawyer Aram Orbelyan. According to Pashinyan, the lawyer allegedly was in the Constitutional Court several times when the CC was considering the case on March 1. The lawyer Aram Orbelyan appealed to the court with a demand to refute the statement and to compensate for moral damage. The lawyer already filed a similar claim on February 29 in connection with similar statements made on January 30. He has also appealed to the NSS and the television stations directorate with a request to provide information that served as the basis for such allegations. The TV channel did not respond to the request, while the NSS noted the criminal case will not be initiated amid the absence of corpus delicti in the actions of the police. Stuck at home and working? You don't have to dress as if you're going to the office. Fashion experts say stick to what makes you feel comfortable at home. (Jiaqi Wang / For The Times) In my house, we ask that you kindly take off your shoes before entering. We also invite you to take off your pants. The shoes are a requirement. In the age of the coronavirus , theres no need to be tracking in more dirt and bacteria. (According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , coronaviruses can remain infectious on some surfaces for up to nine days at room temperature. So no thanks to your footwear in my house.) The pants are for pure comfort. Dont worry. If you decide to go pantsless, well hand you some cozy bottoms because being comfortable is what an at-home look should be all about. Shedding the day upon entering your home (or mine) is a tradition that surely goes back to the dawn of time. At the very least, we know it goes back to the 1970s, when Fred Rogers, host of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," would get home and take off his jacket, exchanging it for a cardigan, before sitting down to take off his outdoor shoes and replacing them with his comfortable house kicks. It was a ritual for Mr. Rogers. And its a way to signal to yourself, "This is where I can be comfortable." Fred Rogers was the host of the popular long-running public television children's show "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." In the opening of his show, Rogers switched from his street clothes to a more relaxed look including a cardigan. (Deborah Feingold / Corbis via Getty Images) It's also a way of ridding yourself of the person you feel like you need to project and replacing that person with the person you truly are. This is thanks to your unique home uniform. It's a fashion idea all you newly minted work-from-home people need to explore further. Asked about her take on the home uniform, Jillian Clark, an L.A. costume designer and owner of sustainable clothing line Roboro , says with a laugh, I love things that dont have a waistband." Clark says her in-house look consists of a nice pair of comfortable pants, a crisp white T-shirt and hard-sole slippers just in case she has to run out. Her recommended home uniform flies in the face of the advice given by outlets including NPR, which said, "Dress up, do your hair whatever you'd normally do" to feel as if youre at the office. Instead, Clark says, home is a place to create a new look entirely for yourself. Story continues Put on your favorite sweater, robe or concert tee. L.A. costume designer Jillian Clark says home is a place to create a new look entirely for yourself. (Groceries) However, if you think a home uniform simply means your old college sweatshirt and some stained pants, you need to think again. Take a look back at the history of leisurewear for reference. You have this item, the banyan, which was worn by men in the 17th century onward, says Amber Butchart , a fashion historian in the United Kingdom, of an early iteration of the home uniform. It is essentially what we think of today as a fancy dressing gown. Joseph Sherburne depicted wearing a banyan (circa 1767-70) by artist John Singleton Copley. The banyan was worn by the English as a status symbol. (Heritage Images / Getty Images) The banyan, Butchart says, was inspired by the opulent leisurewear found in Asia, including Japan, China and India, and adopted by the English as the ultimate status symbol. Because if you had time to be leisurely and own leisurewear at all, that also meant you were rolling in cash. If we're thinking about the history of leisurewear, we have to think about the history of leisure, she says, noting the banyan was associated with the idea of the gentleman at home. Maybe he's at home writing. Maybe he's at home reading, Butchart says. Theres a certain sort of intellectualism that goes alongside this particular item. Perhaps that look is too fancy for you. So why not try some beach pajamas instead? A group of women wearing beach pajamas, circa 1934. Designer Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel introduced the cozy beachwear by the 1920s. (Hulton Archive / Getty Images) Coco Chanel was the first to create the beach pajamas, Clark says. Which was loungewear, originally like men's nightwear, that women adopted as their resortwear. She explains that post-World War I fashion became looser and more practical, especially for women who could finally lose the corset and breathe a little easier. Chanels 1920s beach pajamas, made of loose, flowing fabric, were the perfect answer. This look also showed off peoples fancier side because if you could own beach pajamas, that meant you had time to relax on the beach. Evelyn Holt stands on the beach at Blackpool, England, wearing a silk pajama bathing suit, after her day's work filming "The Three Kings," circa 1927. (Topical Press Agency / Getty Images) Each decade thereafter saw more change in leisurewear. There was Bruce Lee rocking colorful tracksuits and jumpsuits, Sylvester Stallone popularizing the now-ubiquitous gray sweatpants in the "Rocky" franchise and Run-D.M.C. adopting a relaxed look while making matching Adidas tracksuits an instant classic. Each version solidified the notion that comfortable fashion meant for inside the home was now OK as everyday wear. Bruce Lee in a scene from "Game of Death" by director Robert Clouse. Lee was known for wearing tracksuits and jumpsuits during his career. (Golden Harvest / Paragon / Kobal / Shutterstock) And, of course, there are yoga pants. Love them or hate them, those stretchy pants signify youre fancier than you think as well. Yoga pants are aspirational for all of these different socioeconomic reasons, Butchart says. Again, you're signifying you have leisure time. If you're walking around in Lululemon clothing, then clearly you have the money to afford it, which itself is reasonably expensive, and you have the money and the time to go to yoga classes. Dont buy into the idea that wearing uncomfortable clothing, whether its jeans or suits, somehow makes you more productive and more presentable to the world. Youre working out of your house right now. Its time to get cozy. Therefore, take home-uniform fashion advice from Rogers, who made Sperry's shoes fresh, or Chanel, who famously said, It is always better to be slightly underdressed. That's the best way to look at home. Want to build your perfect home uniform with Los Angeles brands? Clark and Butchart have a few suggestions. Sweatpants: All Things Fabulous The Venice-based company sells some of the softest bottoms around in cuts that go far beyond normal sweats. That includes classic joggers, sailor pants, fleece drop-crotch bottoms and more. loveallthingsfabulous.com T-Shirts: Alternative Apparel Women's pullover crewneck top from Alternative Apparel. (Alternative Apparel) Located on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice, Alternative Apparel is here to satisfy all your comfortable T-shirt needs. Best of all, the company uses upcycled cotton for many of its goods, meaning it's super soft and ultra sustainable. alternativeapparel.com Cardigans and sweatshirts: Groceries Apparel A men's crewneck sweatshirt from Groceries. (Groceries) Groceries Apparel, located in downtown Los Angeles, specializes in locally made goods. The company sources and manufactures locally and ensures its employees are paid fairly and its sustainable goods are built to last. Level up your home uniform with a comfortable cardigan for women or classic hoodie for men. groceriesapparel.com Robes: Decades A robe from Decades. (Decades Inc.) Everything old is new again, especially when it comes to leisurewear. For robes, Butchart suggests shopping vintage. This way youll find something truly one-of-a-kind. Try a shop like Decades on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles that specialize in high-end designers for an investment piece in your home uniform wardrobe. decadesinc.com Weve been seeing Elon Musk's lax attitude towards the COVID-19 outbreak that has shaken the entire world. So much so, that it had been running its Tesla car factories in Fremont, LA, even after authorities had mandated people to stay at home to prevent spreading and contraction of the novel coronavirus. AFP However, this didnt go for long, as on Tuesday, the Alameda County Sheriff Sgt. Ray Kelly ordered Tesla to shut its full-scale operations and carry out minimum-basic operations. According to laws in the US, it is up to businesses to determine if they fall under the category of essential. And Elon thought its factories making electric cars very well fit in this category, putting thousands of its employees at risk. According to Shawn Wilson, chief of staff to Scott Haggerty, the Alameda County supervisor, Businesses are asked to comply. And while there are some businesses that require to run despite the condition -- banks, grocery stores, police, court etc. However, some businesses try to find loopholes, and that can be problematic. According to the order, Tesla is asked to shut its full-scale operations for next three weeks. his shutdown order came at a really wrong time for Tesla when its stock prices came from $900 in February to at an all-time low of $430. Recently it made its 1 millionth car and sold 4000 cars last month -- especially at a time when the automotive industry is trying to keep up. Reuters Even though Musk had been very vocal about COVID-19 and how the panic is dumb, he hasnt given any public statement with respect to the stay-at-home order. Tesla has also not revealed why its factories were open on Tuesday or whether theyll be paying their workers who didnt come in. Whatever the case may be, looks like Tesla has no option but to comply with this order. Failure in compliance is a misdemeanour, punishable by fine and imprisonment. Reuters MOSCOW (Reuters) - One of Russia's top bankers wants online alcohol sales legalised to help people who are self-isolating because of the coronavirus. German Gref, the chief executive of Sberbank, has started a mandatory two weeks in self-isolation after returning from abroad. But during a videoconference news briefing on Tuesday, he said he believed medicines that are available over-the-counter and alcohol should be made available for purchase online to help people self-isolating avoid going out to shops or pharmacies. "I hope this will be decided soon and that people will not have to go to shops and pharmacies," he said. Shortly after Gref spoke, President Vladimir Putin announced that over-the-counter medication would be made available for online purchases but made no mention of alcohol. Russia has recorded 114 coronavirus cases and foreign nationals have been banned from entering the country until May to try to prevent the virus spreading. Heavy drinking was long considered one of the main factors driving mortality in Russia, especially among men of working age. Russia's alcohol consumption has fallen sharply over the last few years but authorities have yet to lift restrictions on sales online. (Reporting by Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber and Tatiana Voronova; editing by Timothy Heritage) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Court still awaiting additional evidence in speedboat collision case PHUKET: Police have confirmed they are still collecting evidence to support the case of the speedboat collision that killed two Russian children and injured 19 others last month. accidentsmarinedeathtourism By Khunanya Wanchanwet Wednesday 18 March 2020, 12:47PM The boats involved in the deadly collision last month. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The collision, between tour speedboat ALP 111 and tour speedboat Payan 5, occurred in the channel linking Phuket Boat Lagoon and Royal Phuket Marina to Phang Nga Bay at about 8am on Feb 10. Russian boy Lysxi Iaroslav, age 12, and girl Lysaia Mirasalavr, age 9, were killed in the collision. 19 tourists were rushed to hospital for immediate treatment of injuries and later all released. Phuket City Police Deputy Chief Lt Col Chana Suthimas told The Phuket News yesterday (Mar 17) that at this stage the case has not yet been finalised as the court is still reviewing and awaiting additional evidence. We are awaiting the results of fingerprint scanning to understand whether either boat driver has any criminal history record, Col Chana explained. Also we require conclusive reports on the extent of damage to boat boats although I do not know when we will receive this he added. Col Chana did confirm that Atsarawut Suden, who was driving the ALP 111, and Anusorn Duangkiet, 33, who was driving the Payan 5, have both had their license revoked and been charged with reckless driving causing death and injury. (See story here). I can confirm that both Atsarawut and Anusorn have been charged with section 291 of the Thai penal code which states whoever, doing the act by negligence and that act causing the other person to death, shall be imprisoned not more of ten years or fined not more of 20,000 baht, he stated. Both boat captains were bailed out from Phuket Provincial Court on their first day of arrest, the day immediately following the incident, Col Chana added. The conditions of bail state that both of them have to report themselves to the court every 12 days but no more than seven times, or 84 days. The 84 day limit has not yet been reached, he concluded. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Adrian Wail Akhlas (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 13:27 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b8ccb8 1 Business Indonesia,state-revenue,tax,tax-return,deadline,stimulus,tax-ratio Free "FILE YOUR TAX RETURNS." As if once is not enough, this message is repeated three times in gigantic lettering on billboards across Indonesia. It projects the dire need for taxpayers to file their annual tax returns (SPT) so the government can secure the funds needed to stimulate the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Tax office spokesperson Hestu Yoga Saksama said the authority targeted for at least 80 percent of 19 million individual taxpayers to file their SPTs, adding that the tax office had several strategies in place to ensure taxpayers filed their SPTs. People need to file their tax returns to help the country amid the coronavirus outbreak that has had severe impacts, such as lowering oil prices and disrupting the manufacturing and tourism sectors, Hestu told The Jakarta Post in a phone interview on Friday. The tax office is encouraging individuals to file their SPTs online as it has suspended direct face-to-face services in compliance with the government's social distancing policy to help limit the spread of COVID-19. The tax office has also taken to social media including YouTube to remind people to file their SPTs online. President Joko Jokowi Widodo called on all citizens on Sunday to practice social distancing to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in the country, urging people to work, study and worship at home. We will go door-to-door if the taxpayers have yet to file their tax returns after the deadline, he said, adding that the tax office would deploy officials and volunteers to visit non-compliant taxpayers. The tax office has also extended the deadline to file tax returns from March 31 to April 30, to make things easier and provide certainty for individual taxpayers, it said in a statement on Sunday. According to tax office data, 7.5 million taxpayers had filed their annual tax returns as of Monday, an increase from 6.9 million in the same period last year. A total of 306,464 taxpayers have filed their tax returns face-to-face this year, compared to last year's figure of 407,044. A tax office official shows taxpayers how to file their annual tax returns at the Taxation Directorate General office in Sudirman, Jakarta, March 3, 2020. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan) Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has also taken to social media to communicate the tax office's new policies. "We ask taxpayers to file their tax returns online or through the post office, and to avoid face-to-face interactions to minimize the potential for transmission. By Monday, the government had announced 117 confirmed cases, including five deaths from the pneumonia-like illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Globally, the pneumonia-like illness has infected more than 182,000 people and taken at least 7,100 lives. Yustinus Prastowo, the executive director of the Center of Indonesian Taxation Analysis (CITA), said the government could afford to widen its budget-deficit-to-GDP ratio to its self-imposed threshold of 3 percent to provide fiscal room to contain any potential shocks stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Right now, economic growth needs to be prioritized at the cost of tax revenue, but state budget credibility needs to continue to be maintained because its important, Yustinus said, projecting that tax revenue would reach around 75 percent of the state budget target during the pandemic. The government should consider revising down the tax revenue target because the deficit could widen and thus make the state budget not credible, said Yustinus, adding that the government should halt its long-term spending including on infrastructure projects to focus its attention on COVID-19 mitigation. Read also: Indonesia can afford the coronavirus battle, but... The government announced on Friday that it would allocate Rp 120 trillion (US$8.1 billion) from the state budget to stimulate the economy by providing tax incentives and subsidies for workers, businesses and families affected by the pandemic. It has also announced a second stimulus package, worth Rp 22.9 trillion, which includes individual and corporate tax breaks, as well as a relaxation of loan disbursement and restructuring requirements. The new measures add to the first Rp 10.3 trillion stimulus package announced on Feb. 25, which provided mortgage subsidies for low-income families and fiscal incentives for travel-related industries. The government will also speed up the disbursement of social spending in the first quarter and subsidies for the preemployment card program this month. Read also: Indonesias 2019 budget deficit widens to 2.2 percent amid tax revenue short fall The government collected Rp 103.7 trillion in state revenue in January, down 4.6 percent from the same month last year. Of the total, about Rp 84.7 trillion came from taxes, down 6 percent from the same period last year. Meanwhile, government spending reached Rp 139.8 trillion, down 9.1 percent from the same period last year. This resulted in a budget deficit of Rp 36.1 trillion, 0.21 percent of GDP in January. Indian students in the UK are desperate to return to India and have flooded the Indian High Commission here with queries about when they are likely to get back home and be with their families, as New Delhi bans travellers from Britain starting on Wednesday due to the fast-spreading coronavirus 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 coronavirus virus that has claimed three lives so far and infected nearly 150 people. Britain's death toll from the COVID-19 has risen to 71 and the number of infection cases have gone up to nearly 1,950. Universities and student associations in the UK are putting out advisories to try and calm some of the panic among the students, many of whom are on visas that are close to expiry and others who simply want to be with their loved ones as all face-to-face classes begin to be cancelled. Many were booked on flights later this month as the annual Easter break was to kick in soon but are now stranded at least until March 31 under India's travel ban in response to the coronavirus pandemic. "High Commission is working with both the Indian and UK authorities to address concerns of the Indian citizens living in the UK," the Indian High Commission in London said. "All Indian citizens may register with us so that updates may be shared by email," it said, in reference to an online registration system it has created for Indian citizens in the UK to be kept informed. The mission said that its regular Public Response Unit was unavailable due to "technical reasons" and Indians in the UK can connect via social media or email at info.london@mea.gov.in. "I registered. Kindly allow us a few days (3-4 days) so that we can return. Please understand the plight of us students who booked return tickets over the coming weekend and suddenly, we cannot return anymore," said one student, who has been unable to meet the Wednesday travel deadline. "I am a student in the University of Warwick. Please urgently help me return to Bangalore to my family. The university has cancelled all face to face classes and exams for the third term," said another. The National Indian Students and Alumni Union UK (NISAU-UK), a representative body for Indian students in the UK, has been fielding calls and urging students to stay calm and support each other through the crisis. "Please do not panic, support each other and take necessary precautions to be safe," it said in its latest advisory for students. "Any students due to commence studies after March 2020 and concerned about the situation due to coronavirus, please discuss your concerns with your university in the first instance," it adds. Most universities have cancelled all physical presence in classrooms and the University of Oxford is considering an online examination system for the first time as a result of the pandemic. The UK Home Office, meanwhile, has 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 of work visas. "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 coronavirus," its guidance notes. "Sponsors do not need to report student or employee absences related to coronavirus which they have authorised," it said. The Home Office said it recognised the current situation was "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. The outbreak, which first emerged in China's Wuhan city last year, has infected 198,006 people and killed 7,948, according to a tracker maintained by the Johns Hopkins University. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Some angry delegates in the Dome Kwabenya Constituency have sent a strong warning to the Majority Leader of Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu to stay away from their internal elections or face wrath. According to them, his involvement does not have any positive effect on the constituents likewise the electoral process. According to Polling Station Chairman at the Apostolic Church Ayigbe Town Down, Frederick Gyebi-Donkor, he said "Hon Adwoa Safo knows that she has failed and will not win the upcoming elections. As a result, she is trying to use the same strategy by again inviting Majority Leader and CEO of the Forestry Commission to come and sweet talk delegates for her to win again" He, however, noted that the delegates have learnt lessons from their previous mistakes and are ready to kick out the current Member of Parliament out of office since she has failed to deliver as promised. The angry delegate also noted that his colleagues are disappointed in the Majority Leader for choosing to side with an Aspirant when he was supposed to have been neutral. "No one can stop them from coming to the Constituency. The waters look dirty and we don't need them to come and muddy the water" he added. The delegates say they are confident when the mantle is given to Ghana's High Commissioner to India, Dr. Mike Oquaye Jnr, he will ensure Dome Kwabenya Constituency rises again. "What makes you think Hon Mensah-Bonsu can help you from Sinking in this Parliamentary Elections? Did you inform Mensah-Bonsu that, you ignored Delegates of the 2000 jobs?" he quizzed. He also revealed that due to greed, Hon. Adwoa Safo deliberately refused to give Educational Scholarships to some Delegates. He noted that the current MP will do the Constituency and party a great deal of harm if given another chance. He dared the MP to prove her innocence if indeed she never deliberately fought against the Constituency Chairman, Robert Bonsu from getting job of the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE). The delegates believe that when the mantle is given the Dr Mike Oquaye Jnr, he will save the sinking ship of Dome Kwabenya Constituency from drowning. Background The Majority Leader of Ghana's Parliament, Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu weeks ago has charged delegates in the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency to retain his able Deputy Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo in the august house of Parliament as their Member of Parliament (MP).He mentioned that his deputy remains the only candidate who can help the party maintain its dominance and maximise votes in the Constituency in the crucial 2020 election looking at the trajectory of votes since she was first elected in 2012.Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu declared his support for Hon. Adwoa Safo to be retained due to the experience she has garnered in Parliament over the last 8years and for which will be wasted if she is not retained in Parliament. He stated that "but for the vigilant work done by Hon Adwoa Safo in Dome-Kwabenya in 2012 by uncovering the rigging machinery of the NDC which led to the Infamous election petition, the NPP probably may never have won the 2016 election." Thieves are offering to do shopping for elderly people confined to their homes because of coronavirus and then keeping the money, police have warned. In the latest scam related to the deadly pandemic, people are posing as good Samaritans to prey on the vulnerable. It follows a warning from Action Fraud over financial scams related to coronavirus, which have caused losses of more than 800,000 so far. The Metropolitan Police said they had received reports of the thefts in Camden borough. We have recently received a small number of reports of individuals offering to go shopping for the elderly within our community as a means to then keep their money, a tweet said. As ever, please ensure you or those more vulnerable in your circles treat such invitations with caution. The government has released official advice telling over-70s and those at increased risk from coronavirus to use stringent social distancing measures. Ask family, friends and neighbours to support you and use online services, the advice states. If this is not possible, then the public sector, business, charities, and the general public are gearing up to help those advised to stay at home. Action Fraud had received 21 reports of coronavirus-related scams by 6 March, including 10 made by people who attempted to purchase protective face masks from fraudulent sellers. One victim lost more than 15,000 when they purchased face masks that were never delivered. Coronavirus: Chancellor announces 330 billion in government-backed loans to help businesses We have also received multiple reports about coronavirus-themed phishing emails attempting to trick people into opening malicious attachments or revealing sensitive personal and financial information, Action Fraud said. Reporting numbers are expected to rise as the virus continues to spread across the world. Some of the emails claimed to be from research organisations affiliated to the World Health Organization (WHO) and US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They offered recipients a list of infected people in their area, causing them to click on a link leading to a malicious website. Coronavirus also caused a spate of hate crimes directed at people of Asian appearance, when the outbreak was centred on China. One man was beaten on Oxford Street by a group of men who shouted about the virus and told him: I dont want your coronavirus in my country. In another incident, the owner of a Chinese takeaway was spat at by a teenage boy in Hertfordshire who demanded to know if he had coronavirus. The National Police Chiefs Council said that overall hate crime had remained at a consistent volume. 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 But a spokesperson told The Independent: We do of course acknowledge that isolated pockets of hate crime relating to this outbreak have occurred and affected communities are being assisted by their police forces. We will continue to monitor any trends that arise, and will be supporting affected communities with translated information on how they can report issues to the police and get appropriate support. We encourage anyone who has fallen victim to hate crime to report it to the police. Leaders have also been monitoring other potential crime trends relating to coronavirus, including a spate of hand sanitiser thefts from hospitals that sparked emotional pleas from health workers. There are concerns that domestic abuse could increase as couples and families are forced to stay in their homes. Frontline service providers told The Independent self-isolation can be a dangerous time for women trapped inside with their abuser, whose behaviour may be aggravated by the chaos and uncertainty unleashed by coronavirus. The government has announced emergency laws that will give the police powers to arrest and isolate people with suspected coronavirus in order to protect public health. New criminal trials will not be starting in England and Wales unless they are expected to last for under four days, following complaints that juries and lawyers were being put at risk. The public have been told to avoid all non-essential contact and travel, while the elderly and those with underlying conditions were told they would have to stay at home much more. Experts believe around 55,000 people in the UK may have coronavirus but only 1,950 cases have been confirmed by testing; 71 people with the virus have died. Sir Patrick Vallance, the governments chief scientific adviser, told MPs on Tuesday it is hoped the death toll can be kept to less than 20,000. By Ofeliya Afandiyeva Azerbaijans exports of non-oil products in January 2020 increased by 2.5 percent in actual prices compared to January 2019, and in real terms fell by 5.8 percent to $140.8 million, local media reported on March 17. According to the Azerbaijani State Statistics Committees data, 53.6 percent of exports fell on Italy, 8.5 percent - Israel, 5.8 percent - Turkey, 4.4 percent - Tunisia, 4.0 percent - Ukraine, 3.1 percent the Czech Republic, 2.8 percent - Portugal, 2.4 percent - Germany, 2.3 percent Russia, both Austria, and Spain 2.2 percent, both France and Croatia 1.9 percent, Greece 1.8 percent and 3.1 percent of the exports accounted for other countries. In addition, in the export value of Azerbaijani non-oil products, the share of goods was as follows: Russia (34.3 percent), Turkey (23.5 percent), Switzerland (12.1 percent), Georgia (6.0 percent), China (4.2 percent), Italy (2.9 percent), Ukraine (2.2 percent), Brazil (2.2 percent), Germany (1.6 percent), Kazakhstan (1.3 percent), Greece (1.2 percent) and Iran (1 percent). As for the variety of Azerbaijans exported products, it should be mentioned that in January 2020, the export of the following most important sorts of products increased compared to January 2019. Vegetable oil 9.3 times, canned fruit and vegetable 1.8 times, fruit and vegetable juice - 1.7 times, margarine and other mixtures useful for food - 3.9 times, potatoes - 17.3 percent, polyethylene - 1.6 times, raw aluminum - 5.1 percent, cotton yarn - 3.7 times, pipeline (black metallurgy) - 25.3 percent, bentonite clay - 18.4 percent. Along with it, the decline was recorded in the export of fresh fruit - by 22.7 percent, fresh vegetables - by 17.0 percent, sugar - by 44.5 percent, tobacco - by 67.1 percent, tea - by 56.6 percent, natural grape wine and grape must by 87.3 percent, cotton fiber - by 11.7 percent. Note that in 2019, Azerbaijan's non-oil exports exceeded $1.9 billion. According to government estimates, the volume of non-oil exports should exceed $3 billion by 2024. Earlier, the government informed that it plans to allocate $11.8 million to promote the country's non-oil exports in 2020. Azerbaijans non-oil industry is expected to demonstrate an 8.8 percent growth in 2020. The five major countries that import Azerbaijani non-oil products include Russia, Turkey, Switzerland, Georgia, and Italy. A major part of the non-oil products export accounts for Russia. The steps made for diversification of the economy and the state program Socio-economic development of regions of Azerbaijan in 2014-2018 made a huge contribution to the non-oil sector, because the main potential for production of non-oil products is concentrated in the countrys regions. In addition, the opening of Azerbaijani trade houses abroad and organizing export missions to foreign countries to promote the Made in Azerbaijan brand in foreign markets have further developed the share of non-oil products in the structure of the countrys exports. In addition, the increasing number of plants operating in the non-oil sector promises very good prospects for Azerbaijan to diversify its economy, reduce oil and gas dependency and increase the inflow of foreign currency into the country. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Elvira Betty Juarez passed away peacefully on March 11, 2020 inside the same house on S. Leroux St., Flagstaff, in which she was born 86 years ago. Betty was the youngest of 11 children born to Trinidad and Paulita (Prieto) Juarez. They are: Erlinda (Sr. Mary Magdalene), Soledad (Chole), Consuelo (Connie), Helen, Nick, Anita, Ralph, Carmen, Theresa (Sr. Pauline Therese), Alicia and Elvira; only Alicia remains. Betty never married but throughout her life in her role as Aunt Betty, she lovingly influenced and mentored many of her 52 nieces and nephews. Called to the teaching profession, she built a firm foundation for it by earning both Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Education from ASC/NAU. She started her teaching career at BIA schools and for years, taught in Leupp and Kayenta AZ before returning to Flagstaff to teach at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School and South Beaver Elementary, where she remained for the remainder of her teaching career. Betty was extremely capable and fiercely independent, living life to the fullest yet always opening her heart to family members. She was a traveler imbued with a spirit of adventure, bringing young nieces or nephews along to take in national parks and man-made wonders, visit her sisters in their cloistered convents, driving to interesting, faraway places. With her good friend Jean, she ventured often to Mexico, and to Europe, visiting Medjugorje and other religious sites. Betty loved the outdoors, enjoyed hiking and riding horses. She invariably showed up in a different car and owned unique ones, such as a two-door '53 Nash Rambler, a 60s-era Oldsmobile 4-4-2 muscle car. Betty enjoyed investing in properties and in her later years, graciously opened up her time-share in Sedona to family and friends, a marvelous place to enjoy reunions, celebrate birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries. A devout Catholic, Betty had a special devotion to the Blessed Mother along with a strong dedication to preserving Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, now a chapel. Her father helped build it, siblings and their children were married there, baptized there, had their funeral Masses celebrated there, and it's where her funeral will be celebrated this week. A viewing will take place from 3:00 to 5:00 pm on Wednesday, March 18th at Norvel Owens Mortuary Chapel, 914 E. Route 66. Barring interruption from the corona virus or a winter storm, on Thursday, March 19, 2020, Our Lady of Guadalupe chapel at 224 S. Kendrick will host her Rosary beginning at 9:30 a.m. followed by her Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. Following Mass, her remains will be interred in a graveside ceremony at near-by Calvary Cemetery where she will join her father, two sisters and her brothers in eternal rest. Afterwards, please join us back at Our Lady of Guadalupe chapel for a luncheon in her honor. Condolences and memories can be shared at www.norvelowensmortuary.com. Governors in the northwest region have shut down schools for 30 days amid the outbreak of coronavirus. Nigeria currently has eight... Governors in the northwest region have shut down schools for 30 days amid the outbreak of coronavirus. Nigeria currently has eight confirmed cases of the virus but none has been recorded in the north though some patients underwent test which proved negative. Addressing journalists at the end of a regional meeting in Kaduna on Wednesday, Aminu Masari, governor of Katsina and chairman of the North-West Governors Forum, said the decision was taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the region. Masari said the closure will take effect from Monday, March 23, 2020. The governor also said there would be sensitisation campaigns to discourage large gatherings until further notice. States will continue to wage aggressive campaigns to encourage citizens to uphold personal hygiene, including hand washing and environmental sanitation, he said. The northwest governors as well well as their colleagues in Niger and Kwara states which share boundaries with the zone, also resolved to jointly fund security operations aimed at conclusively addressing the security challenges bedeviling their various states. Present at the meeting were Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna) Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Bello Matawalle (Zamfara) and Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger). The governor of Kwara State joined the meeting by telephone. Lagos had earlier announced the move to suspend services in churches and mosques to check the spread of the virus. There are currently eight cases of coronavirus in Nigeria. REGINASaskatchewan declared a provincial state of emergency Wednesday as the number of COVID-19 cases in the province doubled to 16. Premier Scott Moe said its a critical time for the province to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus. We will get through this and we will get through this together, Moe said during a news conference. But we all have the responsibility and we all have to take that personal responsibility seriously. We have to self-isolate. Health officials reported that 15 of the 16 people infected were well enough to self-isolate at home. One was in hospital for reasons not related to the positive COVID-19 test. Two of the cases have been confirmed at the national laboratory in Winnipeg. Our cases have doubled in a day, said Dr. Saqib Shahab, the provinces chief medical officer of health. He said all the cases are still travel-related, but warned its going to get more difficult to prevent community transmission as people return from holidays. We are going to see a lot of people coming back, he said. Its essential now that anyone who comes back self-isolate for two weeks, because we want to minimize any chance of community transmission. We will see community transmission and we will try to control that as best we can. Shahab said Saskatchewan residents need to ensure they are practising social distancing and stay home whenever possible. Its a time to hunker down and calm everything down for a while, he said. Hopefully that will slow any risk of this taking off more quickly than it should. Moe said the state of emergency will give the government broad powers to bring in measures such as limiting travel to or from a community or region or directing that equipment be deployed. The government, with Shahabs advice, also made a number of new orders to reduce the risk to residents. The orders include prohibiting public gatherings larger than 50 people, including in bars and restaurants, which must maintain a social distance of one to two metres between customers. Shahab said the 50-people limit is a guideline and that residents should consider restricting their group interactions to even fewer. Retail spaces, which include grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations, are exempt. Gyms, fitness centres, casinos and bingo halls are also to close until further notice. Moe said daycare centres should also prepare for further restrictions, and that bars and restaurants may close completely. Residents are asked to limit non-essential travel outside Saskatchewan, with the exception of people who live in border communities and are commuting for work. In addition, Saskatchewans health authority will be discontinuing all non-urgent and elective surgeries, procedures and diagnostics starting Monday. Officials said that will allow nurses and other staff to be redeployed and ensure that medical supplies and personal protective equipment are available when needed. It will also reduce risk of further exposure to care providers and patients. Cancer, urgent and emergency surgeries are to continue. Moe stressed that people might be endangering the lives of others by visiting with their neighbours or elderly family members. I know this is completely counterintuitive, especially in our province, he said. In times of crisis, we are a community and we pull together as one. Weve shown that so many times. But today, pulling together means we need to stay apart. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on March 18, 2020 By Colette Derworiz in Edmonton Photograph: Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images Testing for Covid-19 in the US has seen a lot of setbacks in the past few weeks thanks to a seemingly endless list of problems and few solutions from the White House. As the virus has no cure or vaccine, the lag in testing has led to health departments suggesting that anyone who is experiencing symptoms should self-isolate rather than seek testing, unless they meet specific requirements. But as the virus spreads rapidly, the need for quick and accurate testing has become clearer each day. Here is what we know about testing in the US so far. How many people in the US are being tested for Covid-19? A precise number of people who have been tested in the US has not been made available. Every day, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publicly reports the number of specimens collected by CDC labs and public health labs, using numbers from state health departments some of which only report positive cases. The most accurate publicly available data on testing in the US is being provided by a volunteer-run data collaboration project called the Covid Tracking Project. The project collects data directly from all US states and territories and breaks down the number of tests by positive, negative and pending cases. As of Wednesday morning, the project said 56,590 people had been tested, with about 2,000 cases pending. Is there a shortage of tests? For the last few weeks, public health experts have been raising serious concerns about the availability of testing. In a four-day period from 8 March to the morning of 11 March, only 77 people in the country were tested. Related: Coronavirus drive-through testing station to open in New York Within the last few days, however, the US testing capacity has slowly started to increase. Earlier this month, the CDC said labs were conducting about 2,500 tests per day. On 16 March, the number rose to 8,200. To put things into perspective, South Korea which has been hailed for its rapid testing of its population that is about one-sixth of the USs tests about 20,000 people a day. Story continues The uptick can be attributed to the ability of more labs to process tests and the rollout of equipment that makes processing quicker. Though the US is starting to see more tests being processed, Deborah Birx, a top official in the US team responding to coronavirus, warned hospitals and labs on Sunday that there would be a pent-up demand for testing and advised that they stock up on their equipment. With this demand, it will probably be a while until testing is available for all those who are showing symptoms. Who is getting tested in the US? Decisions about who is getting tested are being made at the county and state level. Broadly, CDC guidelines to healthcare professionals say that those tested must be showing symptoms, and priority is given to those who are in hospital, are at risk for the viruss most deadly effects (elderly people and those with chronic medical conditions or weakened immune systems) or had known contact with a person who tested positive as priorities for testing. The CDC also says those who have a history of travel from affected geographic areas China, Iran, South Korea and parts of Europe should be prioritized. But there appears to be no guarantee of a test. Over the past few weeks, there has been a flood of stories of people who are symptomatic and should be prioritized by testing, but were not: for example, the elderly husband of a coronavirus patient who died from the illness, healthcare workers who may have been exposed to the virus and countless numbers of symptomatic travelers to countries with known outbreaks. Those who have been tested have often described frustrating experiences of being sent from one place to another seeking a test. Fueling the frustration are stories of high-profile figures who have managed to get tested. The NBA got 58 tests within six hours for players of the Utah Jazz, though it is unclear how many players were actually showing symptoms. A fashion influencer who had body aches and a fever was tested with the help of a friend, after other doctors she spoke with told her she did not qualify for testing in New York state. Where are people being tested? The CDC says public health labs in all US states and most territories are currently processing tests. People who have been able to get a test have mostly been tested in hospitals and urgent care centers, but many places are now moving to mobile testing sites with the goal of making sure symptomatic people do not further spread the illness. Dozens of drive-through testing sites have begun popping up across the country, though many require an appointment to be tested. The mobile sites are meant to be places where people can get samples taken essentially a swab up the nose and then their samples are taken to a lab for processing. What should a person do if they are showing symptoms? Broad recommendations from the CDC and local health department recommend calling a primary healthcare provider or the local health department if experiencing symptoms associated with the virus, such as fever and coughing. Those who experience severe symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath are advised to seek medical attention immediately. 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 the reality is that when a company loses money each year, for long enough, its investors will usually take their share of those losses. In contrast to all that, I prefer to spend time on companies like China Suntien Green Energy (HKG:956), which has not only revenues, but also profits. While profit is not necessarily a social good, it's easy to admire a business that can consistently produce it. While a well funded company may sustain losses for years, unless its owners have an endless appetite for subsidizing the customer, it will need to generate a profit eventually, or else breathe its last breath. View our latest analysis for China Suntien Green Energy How Fast Is China Suntien Green Energy Growing? If a company can keep growing earnings per share (EPS) long enough, its share price will eventually follow. That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. Who among us would not applaud China Suntien Green Energy's stratospheric annual EPS growth of 51%, compound, over the last three years? While that sort of growth rate isn't sustainable for long, it certainly catches my attention; like a crow with a sparkly stone. Careful consideration of revenue growth and earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margins can help inform a view on the sustainability of the recent profit growth. While China Suntien Green Energy did well to grow revenue over the last year, EBIT margins were dampened at the same time. So it seems the future my hold further growth, especially if EBIT margins can stabilize. The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart. SEHK:956 Income Statement, March 18th 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 China Suntien Green Energy EPS 100% free. Story continues Are China Suntien Green Energy Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders? Like that fresh smell in the air when the rains are coming, insider buying fills me with optimistic anticipation. This view is based on the possibility that stock purchases signal bullishness on behalf of the buyer. However, small purchases are not always indicative of conviction, and insiders don't always get it right. One positive for China Suntien Green Energy, is that company insiders paid CN216k for shares in the last year. While this isn't much, we also note an absence of sales. It's me that China Suntien Green Energy insiders are buying the stock, but that's not the only reason to think leader are fair to shareholders. Specifically, the CEO is paid quite reasonably for a company of this size. For companies with market capitalizations between CN2.8b and CN11b, like China Suntien Green Energy, the median CEO pay is around CN3.4m. The China Suntien Green Energy CEO received total compensation of just CN1.1m in the year to . That looks like modest pay to me, and may hint at a certain respect for the interests of shareholders. While the level of CEO compensation isn't a huge factor in my view of the company, modest remuneration is a positive, because it suggests that the board keeps shareholder interests in mind. It can also be a sign of good governance, more generally. Should You Add China Suntien Green Energy To Your Watchlist? China Suntien Green Energy's earnings per share have taken off like a rocket aimed right at the moon. Better yet, we can observe insider buying and the chief executive pay looks reasonable. It could be that China Suntien Green Energy is at an inflection point, given the EPS growth. If so, then it the potential for further gains probably merit a spot on your watchlist. You still need to take note of risks, for example - China Suntien Green Energy has 3 warning signs (and 1 which is a bit unpleasant) we think you should know about. There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. So if you like the sound of China Suntien Green Energy, you'll probably love this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. 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. New York, March 18 : Describing himself as a "wartime President", Donald Trump announced he is invoking emergency powers that means private sector muscle can be used to respond to the coronavirus pandemic roiling the US. Trump said he is invoking the Defense Production Act "in case we need it" as the country braces for a sharp spike in Covid-19 caseload. "It's a war. It's a very tough situation," he said, briefing reporters at the White House on Wednesday. In the US, the caseload has crossed 6,500 and 116 people have died from Covid-19. Cases of the virus spread have been confirmed in all 50 states. Trump said he is sending a Navy hospital ship to New York City, which has the largest cluster of cases in the US. The US government has also decided to "suspend foreclosures and evictions" in April as the threat of large scale unemployment looms over millions of Americans. Earlier the same day, Trump and Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced closing the US-Canada border, except for the bare essential personnel and for trade. Multiple developments unfolded as the combination of financial and medical urgency spirals and redefines life and work for Americans. The Trump administration is pushing forward its economic relief plan which proposes direct cash payments to Americans within two weeks, pending Congress approval. Trump has not specified exactly who all are eligible and what the amount is although a $1,000 number is doing the rounds. Deborah Birx, who is coordinating the White House coronavirus response, said the number of people diagnosed is likely to increase dramatically in the next few days as testing capacity ramps up. Birx underlined a relatively new theme in what we know about the virus - its transmission from hard surfaces. "We're still working out how much is by human to human transmission and how much from surfaces," she said. "Don't expose yourself to surfaces outside the home," she urged Americans. Johns Hopkins University said more than 82,000 people have recovered from the virus worldwide. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Another aspect of the testing regime is ensuring that tests are quick and easy to access. Drive through testing sites are quickly popping up throughout the country. At these sites, medical staff lean into the car of an individual to gather samples for testing; those being tested do not leave the car at any point. Results of these tests are available in about 10 minutes. This process minimizes contact with people at the testing facility who may have the virus, and ensures cases can be diagnosed rapidly. Because of these measures, South Korea is able to test around 10,000 per day and has tested more than 200,000 people. Meanwhile, the United States has only tested around 10,000 people since February. While testing tens of thousands people a day may not be necessary in the United States, increasing the ability and access to testing for those who need it can provide better, more up-to-date information about how the virus is spreading throughout the country. The worldwide compilation of coronavirus cases surpassed 200,000 on Wednesday, as countries across the world impose travel restrictions in a bid to contain the deadly disease. Incidents relating to Covid19 an infectious disease caused by coronavirus peaked at 201,000 confirmed cases and 8,000 deaths on Wednesday afternoon, according to Johns Hopkins University. China, where the virus was suspected to have broken out, has the highest cases at 81,000, while Italy maintains second with 31,500 cases as of Wednesday afternoon, Johns Hopkins data said. Of the 8,000 plus deaths so far recorded from the outbreak, 3,100 occurred in China, while Italy followed again with 2,500 deaths, the public health institutions tracker found. More than 82,000 people who caught the virus have recovered worldwide, following treatments. It was unclear how many people have actually been infected, as many countries continue to report inadequate testing kits for potential patients of the virus. Medical experts and scientists have also warned that the virus worst was yet to come, urging countries to brace themselves for more infections in the coming weeks. Countries have raced to enforce containment policies within their boundaries. The United States and European countries have shut borders against foreigners, while some imposed curfews with an advisory that citizens should practice social distancing. Although Africa has not been racked by the virus-like other parts of the world in both economic and human toll, the continent has also begun seeing a worrisome uptick in reported cases. Nigeria has eight cases as of Wednesday afternoon, up six cases from Monday when only two people were said to be in quarantine for the past two weeks. No one has died of the virus in Nigeria, where reported cases are lower in comparison South Africa with 116 confirmed cases as of Wednesday morning. Amidst public pressure, the Buhari administration announced scattered restrictions on countries with more than 1,000 cases of coronavirus. The countries include China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, Norway, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Switzerland. The administration has also raised a task force on the virus that would give updates and recommend policy directives on containing the virus. K im Jong-un wielded a shovel as he joined in a ground-breaking ceremony for a new hospital to be built in the capital Pyongyang. The North Korean leader said he wants the hospital finished by October to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the countrys ruling Workers Party. He said it being built had already been agreed at a meeting months ago. North Korea claims it has no cases of Covid-19 and Kim did not wear a mask. 7 Million in San Francisco Area Wake up to Empty Streets SAN FRANCISCOAbout 7 million people in the San Francisco Bay Area woke up on March 17 to nearly empty highways, shuttered stores, and vacant streets after officials issued an order for residents to stay at home and only leave for essential reasons, in a desperate attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Miguel Aguirre, 38, his wife, and two children were the only ones along a street near San Franciscos City Hall, an area normally bustling with office workers and commuters. On the morning of March 17, only two coffee shops were open, and they were empty. Aguirre and his wife are janitors at the Boys and Girls Club, and he said they heard on television of the shelter-in-place order but decided to show up to work anyway because they need the money. His supervisor texted that he should go home. Its really a scary situation for us because if we dont work, we dont eat, said Aguirre, of Oakland, who brought his two daughters with him because schools were shuttered. He already lost his second job at the Hotel St. Francis when tourism conferences began canceling a month ago. There been days when I want to cry, but I have to keep going. This is a very difficult situation, Aguirre said. The measures are the strictest in the United States, mimicking orders in place across Europe, and theyve raised new questions. What exactly is an essential need to leave home? What happens if you go out for a non-essential reason? No one has a clear interpretation as to whats going to happen economically or the trickle-down effect that local businesses are experiencing because of this, said John McClinton of Oakland. Under the order, supermarkets, pharmacies, banks, and gas stations remain open, along with other essential government functions and businesses. Restaurants are open only for takeout, gyms and bars were closed. Outdoor exercise is fine, as long as people practice social distancing. The nations top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said over the weekend he would like to see aggressive measures such as a 14-day national shutdown that would require Americans to hunker down. President Donald Trump said on March 16 he was currently not considering a nationwide lockdown. The new order in California applies to about 7 million people. It includes the cities of San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland. History will not forgive us for waiting an hour more, said San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, whose city is the epicenter of the areas outbreak. This is our generations great test, our moment to stand together as a community. Across California, and the nation, the scene at supermarkets has been chaotic, with lines forming before stores open in the morning with restocked shelves. Once open, shoppers jam the aisles and clear out the stock of toilet paper and other paper goods, canned beans, pasta, and rice. I saw the headline and got this pit in my stomach, Caroline Park said as she put on plastic gloves before pushing a shopping cart into the Berkeley Bowl grocery store on March 16. Californias national and state parks remained open, but many shut indoor spaces. The state has confirmed nearly 500 cases of the virus and 11 deaths. The virus usually causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, but can be deadly for older people and those with underlying health conditions. The order came a day after Gov. Gavin Newsom told all residents ages 65 or older to stay at home and also called for all bars, wineries, nightclubs, and brewpubs to close. Newsom upgraded the orders with more force on March 16. In Los Angeles and San Diego countiesthe states largest, with a combined 13.4 million peopleordered bars to close and restaurants to stay open only for pickup, drive-thru, or delivery orders. San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said violating the order is technically a misdemeanor punishable by a fine or jail time, but authorities will take a compassionate, common-sense approach to enforcement. At San Franciscos infamous Alcatraz, the shutdown closed tours of the shuttered island prison until further notice. Tour guide Manuel Gomez, 49, who supports a wife and two children, said he hadnt yet come up with another plan to make money. Its devastating, Gomez said. We only have enough savings to last us for 10 days. Elsewhere, the city of Beverly Hills ordered the closure of all non-essential retail businesses, including those on the famed fashion destination, Rodeo Drive, except for pickup, delivery and certain transactions by appointment. In Orange County, Costa Mesas fashionable South Coast Plaza, the largest mall on the West Coast, began a 14-day closure. The Los Angeles Unified School District abandoned plans to open 40 centers intended to provide a range of services from meals to childcare while classes are suspended. Instead, it will open 60 grab and go locations for quick pickup of boxed meals. The Los Angeles Police Department assigned 50 percent of detectives into uniform for high-visibility patrols, including at stores with large crowds. The station front desks were closed. The American Red Cross Southern California Blood Services Region put out an urgent call for donors because of a severe shortage. After initially giving Catholics dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles suspended public Masses altogether. By Jocelyn Gecker & Janie Har The Government may have to introduce measures to support people who are unable to pay rent because they are not able to work amid the Covid-19 outbreak, Regina Doherty has said. The Minister for Social Protection called on landlords to acknowledge that we are all in this together. Up to 150,000 people have lost their jobs due to the outbreak and the figure is set to rise in the weeks ahead. There are 292 confirmed cases in the Republic of Ireland. Ten new cases were announced in Northern Ireland on Tuesday, bringing the total number there to 62. Were in this together. Somebody who doesnt have anything more than 203 quid a week, theyre going to buy food, Ms Doherty said. On Tuesday night, in an address to the nation, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that everyone in our society must show solidarity in this time of national sacrifice. Everybody needs to be mindful and cognisant that we will get through this and come out the other endRegina Doherty Ms Doherty said she understood the new Pandemic Unemployment Payment of 203 euro per week to help people who have lost their job may not be high enough for those paying rent. She called on landlords to have some understanding during this time. Ms Doherty said: If people cant afford to pay their rents, theyre not going to be able to magic up some money between now and the end of the month, the end of next month. Everybody needs to be mindful and cognisant that we will get through this and come out the other end. Meanwhile, people who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19 and are unable to pay their mortgage need a simple solution from the Government, Michael McGrath said. For information on the new #COVID2019 Pandemic Unemployment Payment, click here: https://t.co/tekI7ziKjX Please do not visit your local Intreo Centre if at all possible Our dedicated phone line for #COVID19 queries is open from 9am - 5pm today: 01-2481398, 1890-800-024 pic.twitter.com/EQnw6PIQGA Department of Social Protection (@welfare_ie) March 18, 2020 The Fianna Fail finance spokesman said thousands of people will be unable to make their repayments in the weeks ahead, and they need simplicity and speed. Speaking to RTE radio, he said there are thousands of Irish people who pay their mortgages to vulture funds instead of banks and will require help in the weeks ahead. Mr McGrath: Increasingly over the the last number of years, the banks have been selling on loan portfolios to non-bank loan owners, including vulture funds. They now own well in excess of 100,000 mortgages in Ireland. They too need to be spoken to and the people whose loans have been sold need an assurance that they too will be treated with respect and will be afforded the time and space to get through this difficult period. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe is to meet the chief executives of the major banks on Wednesday afternoon to discuss a joint plan to provide support for customers affected by Covid-19. A man wearing a protective facemask walks past a Bank of Ireland branch in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA) The five main banks include Bank of Ireland, AIB, Permanent TSB, KBC and Ulster Bank. Ms Doherty said the banks will make an announcement of supports to homes and businesses later on Wednesday afternoon. It comes as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar warned issues related to the outbreak of Covid-19 in Ireland could go on for a number of months. Will Waldron Albany County District Attorney David Soares, citing the characteristics of grand jury proceedings, said he is asking Gov. Andrew Cuomo to issue an executive order amid the COVID-19 outbreak to suspend the statutory time limits under the speedy trial rules, "as the safety of our community members, victims, witnesses, law enforcement and first responder personnel, and the accused parties themselves, would be threatened under the current model." In New York, grand juries are comprised of 23 people, and in Albany County, three separate grand juries come to the courthouse once a week to hear case presentations and vote on them, Soares noted. The "tightly-packed" Grand Jury room at the Judicial Center does not allow for the social distancing measures recommended by health professionals at this time, he noted. Africa Should Prepare for the Worst with Virus, WHO Says JOHANNESBURG (AP) Africa should prepare for the worst as the coronavirus begins to spread locally, the World Health Organizations director-general said Wednesday, while South Africa became the continents new focus of concern as cases nearly doubled to 116 from two days before. South Africas health minister, Zweli Mkhize, this week called that kind of rate explosive in the country with the most cases in sub-Saharan Africa. Fourteen of the latest cases were from local transmission and six were in children under 10. ADVERTISEMENT Though the pandemic is in its early days on the continent, health experts have warned that even facilities in Africas richest nation could be overwhelmed by the virus spread. I think Africa should wake up. My continent should wake up, said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who comes from Ethiopia. Crowded conditions in poor areas could lead to even faster transmission, experts say. Countless South Africans continue to pack into commuter trains and minivan taxis. But the annual pilgrimage of the Zion Christian Church, which attracts about 3 million people, was cancelled. We have low-income workers who cannot afford to self-isolate or take time off work, said public health expert Dr. Atiya Mosam, who also worried about the large population without clean water or sanitation or vulnerable from HIV or tuberculosis. Others asked how a person can self-quarantine in a crowded slum. The continent has several of the worlds fastest-growing cities. Despite widespread calls for social distancing, a cashier at a popular pharmacy in Johannesburg confided that some customers found it rude when she suggested they swipe their payment cards themselves to limit contact. Elsewhere in the store a shopper determinedly filled a cardboard box with anti-germ soap, and hand sanitizer was out of stock despite calls to stop panic buying. ADVERTISEMENT Also Wednesday, sub-Saharan Africa saw its second death from COVID-19, in Burkina Faso, which has one of the continents highest number of cases but has not imposed measures such as closing borders or banning religious services. Sudan previously reported a death. In Kenya, police said a man accused of having the coronavirus was beaten to death. A police report obtained by The Associated Press said the man was returning home from a night out Wednesday when a group of youth approached and took advantage of his drunkenness. In Ethiopia, the U.S. Embassy noted a rise in anti-foreigner sentiment after cases emerged there. Reports indicate that foreigners have been attacked with stones, denied transportation services, being spat on, chased on foot, and been accused of being infected with COVID-19, a security alert said. Africas most populous country, Nigeria, announced restrictions on the entry of travelers from countries with more than 1,000 coronavirus cases, including China and the U.S., and suspended visas on arrival for their citizens. Nigeria has had eight cases of the virus, all in people recently arrived from abroad one of the latest a 6-week-old baby. The country said one of the new patients, an American, had entered via a land border, a first. Three other African nations announced their first virus cases: Gambia, Zambia and Djibouti. Thirty-three of Africas 54 countries now have cases, with a total of at least 529 midday Wednesday. Somalia, which announced its first case this week, closed schools and universities for two weeks and warned against public gatherings as the country with one of Africas weakest health systems tries to stop the virus spread. This is really a very scary moment, said Hassan Kafi, a medical student in the capital, Mogadishu. The country has suffered from nearly three decades of conflict. Uganda, which has no cases, banned travel to the worst-affected countries. It also suspended religious gatherings and restricted the number of people at weddings to 10 in a country known for mass ceremonies. Health experts from some 20 African nations participated in a video conference with doctors in China on how to contain the virus. This is an extremely important step in terms of knowledge share, said Kenyas cabinet health secretary, Mutahi Kagwe. The 58-year-old man is among at least four other cases of the coronavirus confirmed among Egyptians in Italy An Egyptian national in Italy has died of the coronavirus, becoming the first Egyptian to die in Europe's hardest-hit country, a non-profit association said on Wednesday. Ahmed El-Far, 58, died Tuesday night in a hospital in the city of Bergamo, northeast of the financial capital Milan, where he was being treated, Mohamed El-Abd, the head of the Egyptian-Italian Association, told Ahram Online. The Milan-based association only knew about the victim's infection after his death, El-Abd said. "The [Egyptian] consulate is directly following up on the matter with us. No other deaths [among Egyptians] have been registered," El-Abd said. The Egyptian was married to an Italian Woman. He hailed from the southern governorate of Beni Suef and used to reside in the Nile Delta city of Mansoura. Italy is the worst-hit country by the fast-spreading coronavirus outside China, where the virus originated late last year. The country's death toll rose to over 2,500 on Tuesday, while the total number of confirmed cases reached 31,506. At least three other Egyptians in Italy have tested positive for the flue-like virus, El-Abd said. These include a husband and a wife in the northern city of Piacenza; the man has recovered and was discharged from hospital while the wife is still receiving treatment. Another case detected in Milan earlier this month has since recovered and was released from hospital. "There are no other cases until this moment," El-Abd said. The union has provided an emergency number for the Egyptian community in Italy to track down confirmed cases and receive information about any deaths. Search Keywords: Short link: Illustrative image (Photo: AFP) Passengers planning to fly abroad from airports on Luzon will be allowed to travel for a period of 72 hours from the effectivity of the enhanced community quarantine on March 17th night. A day earlier, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte asked all citizens on Luzon, including capital Manila, to stay at home for 30 days, amid the rising number of COVID-19 infection cases in the country. On March 17th, the Philippines confirmed 45 more infection cases, bringing the total number to 187./. Online Learning UC Irvine Launches Online Learning Research Center The University of California, Irvine School of Education has created a new research center that will aim to provide "evidence-based resources, materials and guidelines for teachers and students to improve academic achievement and equity in online learning." The Online Learning Research Center (OLRC) will offer information both for instructors helping them "improve their online courses to better meet the needs of online students" and for students to learn how to succeed online, according to a news announcement. The center will be co-directed by UCI professors Di Xu and Mark Warschauer, whose research on online learning will inform its offerings. The researchers have identified challenges inherent to online learning environments, such as the need for self-directed learning skills and the lack of interpersonal interaction. "Because most students have been prepared for the traditional classroom format that allows for the dissemination of knowledge and control of the activity by an instructor, they need additional support, investment, and scaffolding to move toward successful online learning that reflects self-directed philosophies," the announcement explained. "Our research suggests that learners may not be equally predisposed to engage in online learning that requires high levels of self-direction and younger students, academically under-prepared students, and racial minority students have been found to struggle the most in online environments," noted Xu in a statement. "That is why we devised resources for instructors and students to better address and overcome these challenges. Without sufficient levels of support, the current online expansion may widen the performance gaps." "The Online Learning Research Center is designed by leading experts in online learning and is firmly based on research evidence on how to improve online learning for diverse students," said Richard Arum, dean and professor of the UCI School of Education. "We hope this center can prove beneficial to universities across the world as we all confront the challenges presented by the coronavirus - we must be deliberate in setting up online learning environments so to avoid exacerbating the gaps in learning outcomes." For more information, visit the OLRC site. Member of Parliament for Awayaso West Wuguon, Hon Lydia Seyram Alhassan has reached out to her Constituency by giving out hand sanitizers, soaps and other essential detergents to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The kind gesture is due to the current outbreak of the Coronavirus Pandemic in other to create awareness and to help her constituency curb the spread of the disease. About 7,000 bottles of hand sanitizers, 10,000 pieces of carbonic soap, Veronica containers, tripod stands with ancillaries and 5,000 bottles of detergents were distributed to taxi drivers, Legon market women across the constituency. She also together with experts and professionals educated the community on all the precautionary measures that needed to be adhered to ensure safety. Madam Lydia Alhassan also held a meeting with the Managing Director of Ghana Water Company Limited, Mr. Clifford Braimah, making a passionate appeal to him to ensure constant supply of water to Legon and its constituents at the time people are expected to be at home adding "conducive environment must be created to ensure people stay at home." 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 I asked Lipinski to what extent concerns about coronavirus might have impacted the outcome of the contest and whether Tuesdays election should have proceeded. Turnout was low amid reports that some voters walked away from crowded polling places. Ohio and Georgia are among states that have postponed elections, and some have criticized Illinois officials for holding the election. San Francisco Mayor London Breed. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images The San Francisco Bay Area has ordered its residents to "shelter in place" until April 7 in an attempt to contain the coronavirus outbreak, requiring people stay indoors except for essential tasks like paying a visit to the grocery store. While not complying with the rules will be considered a "misdemeanor" punishable by fines or imprisonment, the city of San Francisco has stressed that it is relying on the public's "voluntary compliance" to go through with the rules. "We are not interested in using a criminal justice approach for a public health challenge," a spokesperson from the San Francisco police department told Business Insider. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Enforcement of the San Francisco Bay Area's extraordinary new public health order instructing residents to "shelter in place" to contain the coronavirus outbreak began Monday night at midnight, as the San Francisco Police Department announced that police would be ensuring the city's nightlife was closed. "At midnight, #SFPD will begin checking bars and clubs for compliance with our city's public health order aimed at slowing the spread of #COVID19," the SFPD department tweeted. Although San Francisco has said that violating the "shelter in space" order is a "misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both," San Francisco's law enforcement has stressed that the city's rules are depending on "voluntary compliance" to help them push through an unprecedented public health crisis. In an email to Business Insider, a spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department described the situation that the city was facing as "uncharted territory." While police patrols will continue to go around the city, the SFPD spokesperson stressed that enforcing "shelter in place" through fines or imprisonment was a last resort. Story continues "From a public safety perspective, we will continue to have officers on the streets and responding to calls for service. As it has always been, our priorities are violent crimes and crimes in progress. We will be doing passing calls to throughout the city to reinforce public safety," the SFPD spokesperson said. "We are not interested in using a criminal justice approach for a public health challenge," the spokesperson added. It's worth noting that each of San Francisco's six Bay Area counties can define which businesses qualify as "essential" and not. Small businesses like dispensaries are being closed in San Francisco but left open in San Jose. And Tesla's vehicle assembly plant, which employs about 10,000 workers in Fremont, will remain open because Alameda County has declared the automobile manufacturing facility to be an "essential business." Read the original article on Business Insider Chinese expert team delivers medical aid to Iraq to fight COVID-19 Global Times Source:Xinhua Published: 2020/3/17 8:37:35 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address For the second consecutive year, the grassy fields on the site of the Battle of San Jacinto will be silent on a day that would have been filled with booming cannons, hundreds of uniformed re-enactors and tens of thousands of visitors marking the 1836 event that resulted in Texas independence. The San Jacinto Day Festival, which had been set for April 18 was canceled to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Also canceled was what would have been an inaugural School Day for students from local school districts on April 17 at the site in La Porte. THE LATEST: Event cancellations around Houston due to the coronavirus outbreak The fact that we were having so many people coming out from around the state, including actors, and having 1,000 students on-site and traveling in buses, it was going to be difficult for us to provide any sort of effective containment, said Gina Manlove, media coordinator for the San Jacinto Monument and Museum of History. Organizers of the festival are following in the steps of numerous other Houston-area events, gatherings and businesses that have canceled. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Plastic surgery and private jets: How some of Houstons rich are weathering coronavirus Kristin Edwards, public relations/marketing specialist for the city of Deer Park, said the festival has always been an economic boost for the area. The estimated economic loss due the cancellation is unknown. The importance of the festival cannot be overstated, as it allows new and returning guests to experience the history and beauty of the entire site, Edwards said. A tough one Keeping the community safe was the driving force behind the decision to cancel, Manlove said. Its a tough one and a sad one for us since its the second year in a row weve had to cancel, she said. It was a decision that simply had to be made. Last years event was canceled due to health-related concerns about effects from a fire at the Intercontinental Terminals Co. chemical plant in Deer Park. ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: San Jacinto: 18-minute battle that changed Texas forever Its just another hurdle well have to jump, Manlove said. I dont have any final determination from leadership on how were going to move forward, but for now were focused on keeping people safe. In the meantime, the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site and the San Jacinto Museum of History will remain open to the public. Frequently touched surfaces and objects will be cleaned more regularly, and hand sanitizers are available throughout the museum. Decades-long tradition For more than three decades, people have enjoyed the San Jacinto Festival that celebrates Texas gaining independence from Mexico in April 1836. The event includes historical presentations with actors dressed in period costumes along with the ever-popular re-enactment of the Battle of San Jacinto. Fought on April 21, 1836, the battle saw Gen. Sam Houstons Texian army surprise and destroy a force under Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Houston forced Santa Anna to sign a treaty recognizing Texas independence. Larry Spasic, president of the San Jacinto Museum, said hes been coming to the San Jacinto Day Festival with his parents since he was a child. People travel quite far to be a part of the festival, he said, adding that its Texas unique history that draws in so many visitors. Not too many states have the type of history that we have with some wonderfully historic sites, Spasic said. Our museum has guests from all 50 states and all of American territories, plus from 60 foreign nations and 500 different Texas communities. Sharing that history has always been the purpose of the festival and leaders had planned to add a special event on April 17 for school-age children only. Living history presentations, hands-on activities and actors dressed in costumes were included in the now-canceled field trip. Cait Johnson, lead educator and interpreter with the Texas Historical Commission, said canceling that event was a hard but right decision to protect the health of the students. Johnson said organizers are planning to host the School Day next year. The San Jacinto Festival is a regular annual event, and our plan is for the School Day to be an annual event as well, Johnson said. We're so excited about the School Day's potential, and we plan to take everything we learned developing it this year and making it even better. In addition, the Official State of Texas Ceremony commemorating the 184th Anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto planned to take place on Tuesday, April 21, has been canceled. A San Jacinto Day Dinner scheduled for April 21 will be rescheduled for Sept. 22. Those interested can also take virtual tours of Texas History timelines and events online at https://www.sanjacinto-museum.org/. A High Court challenge has been brought aimed at securing suitable accommodation for a young girl, who is confined to a wheelchair, with severe and complex medical needs. The girl, who has sued through her mother and cannot be identified for legal reasons, has been residing in various properties, with housing support from the local authority in the area they have been living for some years. None of the properties were suitable, it is claimed. The mother and daughter have been living at their current address since 2017 which cannot be adapted to be made suitable for her needs, despite the fact the mother has spent 10,000 to improve the property. Despite being told by their local Council in 2018 that it is looking for alternative suitable accommodation for the girl, the child and her mother remain at the property. The girl, who is six years of age, and has a rare medical condition which has left her profoundly disabled, with minimal head control, low muscle tone as well as having a severe learning disability. She also has a history of epileptic seizures and requires to be fed by a PEG. She requires a lot of medication and has been admitted to hospital on many occasions. She requires full time assistance in all activities of her daily living. Represented by Feichin McDonagh SC instructed by solicitor Eileen McCabe, the court heard that the girl's medical condition is such she is deemed at risk from Covid-19 and she and her mother have been self isolating since early March. The girl cannot get her wheelchair into the bathroom or the shower as it is too small, and her mother has to wash her in the living room, counsel said. The house is too small for all the specialist equipment the girl requires. Some respite care is provided by nurses, however counsel said that there are concerns over the mother's physical health due to her having to manually lift her daughter with a hoist on a regular basis. Suggestions about possible alternative accommodation, that allow wheelchair access to a bathroom, have been made to the council, but have not been responded to. As a result of a failure to provide the girl with a transfer to another property the mother claims her daughter's urgent needs are not being met by the local authority. While there are plans for a new development in the area, which is allegedly ideal for the girl's needs, that facility may be years away from being completed and does not meet her needs. In proceedings against their local Council the girl seeks orders compelling the local authority to consider her application to be transferred to another house. She also seeks damages, and aggravated damages arising out of the local authorities alleged breach of the girl's rights. The action is being brought on grounds that the council's failure to meet the child's housing needs, and consider their application in a timely matter amounts to an error in law, and is unreasonable and unconscionable. Permission to bring the challenge was granted, on an ex-parte basis by Mr. Justice Charles Meenan. The judge made the matter returnable to a date in May. Intel Ireland continues to work on a relatively normal basis, the company said today. It also said that one Intel employee had recently tested positive for COVID-19. Asked how the company, which employs thousands of people at it Kildare plant in Leixlip, was dealing with the current situation, Intel spokesperson, Sarah Sexton said: Our top priority in managing the coronavirus situation is protecting the health and well-being of employees while keeping the business running for our customers. Although the coronavirus outbreak remains a developing situation, we continue to operate on a relatively normal basis around the world, including manufacturing-related operations here in Ireland. SEE ALSO: Some silver linings during the COVID-19 outbreak Ms Sexton said that as a precaution, Intel have limited nonessential travel, restricted attendance at off-campus events and meetings, recommended its employees work-from-home, if their roles allow, and implemented a number of social distancing measures. We continue to monitor the situation closely and are working to ensure that our employees have the information and resources they need to stay safe. SEE ALSO: more Kildare stories She said one Intel employee has recently tested positive for COVID-19. We wish our employee a speedy recovery. We will act in close cooperation with the Health Service Executive as needed and were working to ensure that all our personnel have the resources and information they need to say safe. The race for more pixels is back and Samsung is once again on the forefront. Following the launch of the first 108-megapixel image sensor for smartphones, the South Korean company is now working to further increase the pixel count. According to a new report from Korea, Samsung is working on a 150-megapixel sensor for smartphones. The 150-megapixel sensor has been requested by Chinese phone makers Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo. Apparently, the companies had initially asked for a 200-megapixel sensor from Samsung. The Chinese trio had made the request in December last year. However, technical difficulties with production yield mean Samsung was not able to deliver this on time. The companies eventually settled on 150 million pixels. It seems one can easily expect a 200-megapixel image sensor from Samsung by the end of next year. Advertisement Xiaomi plans to utilize the 150-megapixel shooter in one of its flagships coming out in Q4 2020. Oppo and Vivo, meanwhile, are looking to employ this next-gen camera in the first quarter of 2021. The new sensor will reportedly be paired with the unannounced Qualcomm Snapdragon 875 chipset. Samsung develops 150-megapixel image sensor Samsungs upcoming 150-megapixel image sensor uses the same Nonacell technology that can be found on the Galaxy S20 Ultras ISOCELL Bright HM1 sensor. It combines nine neighboring pixels to create a large pixel to achieve higher light absorption. This way, the camera produces high-resolution images even in low-light conditions. The Galaxy S20 Ultras 108-megapixel sensor delivers 12-megapixel shots in resolution. Going by this, the 150-megapixel sensor should produce 16-megapixel images using pixel binning. However, thanks to the Nonacell tech, the photos taken by these sensors benefit from much higher light absorption. Advertisement The 108-megapixel ISOCELL Bright HM1 sensor has a footprint of around 0.76 inches. The addition of a few million more pixels means the new sensor will be nearly 1-inch in size. Samsung might be creating this sensor for its clients in China, but that doesnt mean it will not use the sensor in one of its future phones. If not the exact same, a variation of it will likely make way into a Samsung flagship as well. Xiaomis Mi Note 10 was the worlds first smartphone to feature Samsungs 108-megapixel image sensor. That phone launched in Q4 2019. Samsung eventually launched the Galaxy S20 Ultra as its first 108-megapixel camera phone. Advertisement Going by this timeline, we might see Samsung launch the Galaxy S21 next year with the new 150-megapixel image sensor. The Galaxy Note 20 will most likely keep the S20 Ultras 108-megapixel module. 18.03.2020 LISTEN The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority has suspended all port tours by schools and organizations following the number of coronavirus cases recorded in the country. The Ghana Health Service yesterday [Wednesday, March 17] confirmed an additional case of the virus, making a total of seven cases in Ghana. A statement issued by the Authority said, the Port Authority is liaising with shipping agents to identify all high-risk vessels that may be coming into the country for the necessary precautionary action to be taken. Already, the Authority, in consultation with agents of cruise vessels has advised the postponement of all cruise ships scheduled to take berth at the Ports of Tema and Takoradi respectively and assures the general public that all other high-risk vessels will be treated with the same urgency. The Port Authority would also like to take this opportunity to inform all prospective students who wish to undertake their internship with the Port Authority that, this window is suspended until further notice and advises students to avoid coming to the offices seeking such opportunities for health and safety reasons, the statement added. GPHA further urged the public to follow the precautionary measures as they play their part in sensitizing port users and all stakeholders. Click here to read the full statement. Coronavirus cases in Ghana Ghana has seven confirmed cases in the country as of Tuesday, March 17, 2020. The seventh case was confirmed by the Ghana Health Service on Tuesday. The person is a 35-year-old Ghanaian who returned from France. Health officials say 350 contacts had been traced to the first six coronavirus cases. Meanwhile, the GHS says all patients who have tested positive for the novel Coronavirus are getting better. Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, the Director-General of the Service in an interview on Eyewitness News on Tuesday said the patients are recovering and will be discharged once they are cleared. He said none of the patients had deteriorated since they were isolated and started receiving treatment. ---citinewsroom REDDING, Calif. - The Redding City Council voted unanimously on March 17 to declare of state of emergency due to coronavirus concerns. This allows the city to apply for federal and state relief. This declaration also allows City Manager Barry Tippin to oversee planning and response efforts. "It gives us a lot more flexibility in dealing with this issue and ables us to react quickly to help keep people safe and healthy in our community," says Mayor Adam McElvain. Council members say they made the decision to declare the emergency on Monday. CONTINUING CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Yudith Ho and Faris Mokhtar (Bloomberg) Singapore Wed, March 18, 2020 14:01 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b8728d 2 World Malaysia,lockdown,religious-gathering,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,COVID-19,pandemic,SARS-CoV-2,health Free The struggle to contain infections linked to a religious gathering has led Malaysia to resort to sweeping restrictions on peoples movement, underscoring the challenge of upholding religious rights in fighting a pandemic. More than half of the countrys 673 confirmed cases, the most in Southeast Asia, were linked to an event that ran from Feb. 27 to March 1 attended by about 16,000 people at a mosque near Kuala Lumpur. Neighboring countries Singapore and Brunei have also reported cases that could be traced back to the gathering. A 34-year-old Malaysian man who attended the event died on Tuesday, one of only two fatalities in the country. Amid a global pandemic where social distancing is a key tool in the fight against its spread, the avoidance of large gatherings is challenging attitudes to religious and other freedoms. While Singapore immediately shut all mosques for cleaning, Malaysia was slower. The Muslim majority country had to secure a series of approvals from Islamic leaders and navigate the authority wielded by its 13 states. Health authorities also struggled to track down those who were at the gathering, echoing the challenge faced by South Korean authorities. A National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) officer wearing a hazardous materials suit walks through a health screening area of the Air Disaster Unit (ADA) at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang, Malaysia, on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. (Bloomberg/Samsul Said) Religion and race are closely linked in Malaysia where one must profess to be Muslim to belong to the Malay majority. Both issues play a central role in the nations politics, with the latest power struggle pitting former premier Mahathir Mohamads multiracial coalition against Malay Muslim-majority parties backing Muhyiddin Yassin, who insisted that he is prime minister to all in his first televised speech. The country maintains a range of preferential policies, including housing and education quotas, for Malays and indigenous people. Malaysias handling of the outbreak has been complicated by the political upheaval in late February. While former leader Mahathir is a veteran with more than two decades spent as prime minister in two stints, Muhyiddin is only weeks into the role with a cabinet composed of many first-time ministers including for the health portfolio. Representatives for the prime ministers office and the health ministry werent immediately available for comment. People line-up buy a ticket at the Terminal Bersepadu Selatan in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Tuesday, March. 17, 2020. (Bloomberg/Samsul Said) Border closures Political sensitivities surrounding closure of places of worship starts to fade as the outbreak becomes a global concern, said Awang Azman Awang Pawi, an associate professor who studies socio-culture in University of Malaya. More important is whether the new government is successful in its measures within these two weeks, he said. If it fails, it will be blamed for having a weak strategy to counter the virus. When Singapore closed its mosques on Thursday, Malaysia stopped short of canceling mass Friday prayers. Mosques were instead asked to shorten sermons and provide face masks while those with symptoms of the illness were exempt, instead of banned, from attending prayers. It was only on Sunday, after the number of cases surged by 80%, that the government held a special meeting with Islamic leaders. They agreed to call off all activities at mosques for 10 days, then had to seek the approval of Malaysias king before announcing the decision the following day. The order was effective immediately in the countrys federal territories, which includes the capital Kuala Lumpur and offshore financial hub Labuan, but religious leaders in each of the nations 13 states retained the prerogative to decide on the implementation. Late on Monday, Muhyiddin announced sweeping bans on incoming visitors and Malaysians traveling overseas, as well as widespread closures of shops, schools, some public services and all places of worship -- except for mosques and prayer houses known as surau, which must follow the Sunday agreement of Islamic leaders. Vehicles line up to enter Singapore from Johor on the Woodlands Causeway, hours before Malaysia imposes a lockdown on travel due to the coronavirus outbreak March 17, 2020. (REUTERS/Edgar Su) On Tuesday evening, hours before the border closures, thousands of its citizens drove across the causeway to neighboring Singapore, where many commute to work each day. Across the country, people rushed to take buses and trains to return to their hometowns after the police said it would require special permits for interstate travel -- an order it rescinded hours later. Three Crowns Park resident Steve Warner, 78, re-enters the assisted living facility after talking with news media about having learned that two residents have contracted COVID-19, or coronavirus, on March 18, 2020, in Evanston. The two residents were transported to an area hospital on Monday and have not returned to their residences because Three Crowns Park does not have the personal protective equipment and supplies to safely bring them back into their spaces, according to executive director Phil Hemmer, not pictured. "We're 48 hours in, and we have not had a single test (administered)," Hemmer said. "We're getting no help whatsoever." (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Roxanne Liu and Makiko Yamazaki (Reuters) Tokyo, Japan/Beijing, China Wed, March 18, 2020 15:51 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b98ca7 2 Business Fujifilm,China,coronavirus,medicine,COVID-19,pandemic,health Free Shares in Japan's Fujifilm Holdings Corp surged 15% on Wednesday after a Chinese official said an active ingredient of the company's Avigan anti-flu drug appeared to help coronavirus patients recover. Avigan, also known as Favipiravir, is manufactured by a subsidiary of Fujifilm, which has a healthcare arm although it is better known for its cameras. The drug was approved for use in Japan in 2014. Favipiravir has been effective, with no obvious side-effects, in helping coronavirus patients recover, Zhang Xinmin, an official at China's Science and Technology Ministry, told reporters at a news conference on Tuesday. But a Fujifilm spokesman said the company expects no direct earnings impact from potential sales growth of Favipiravir in China, at least for now, as its license for the key ingredient in the country already expired last year. In Japan, Fujifilm manufactures Avigan only on receiving orders from the government and has no sales target for the drug, she said. Fujifilm shares closed Wednesday up 15.4% at their daily limit high of 5,238 yen. Fujifilm's company logo (top) is seen at its exhibition hall nearby the headquarters of Fujifilm Holdings Corp in Tokyo, Japan June 12, 2017. (REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon) In a clinical trial in Shenzhen involving 80 participants, patients who took Favipiravir showed greater chest improvement and took less time to test negative for the genomic trace of the virus, compared with patients not given the drug, Zhang said. First developed by Fujifilm Toyama Chemical Co Ltd, the drug has been approved for manufacturing in China by Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical Co Ltd for use against new or recurring influenza in adults, the Chinese drugmaker said in a filing last month. In 2016, the Japanese government supplied Favipiravir as an emergency aid to counter the Ebola virus outbreak in Guinea. This is a difficult time in our community and country addressing the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. However, we are a resilient community and we will emerge strong. My heart goes out to all those who have been affected by this. Thank you to all health care and community care providers for their continued work. As we follow announcements and precautions taken by all levels of government, my entire team and I have been working diligently to assist constituents dealing with many different situations, including many of our residents who are out of country at the moment. We are here to serve and help with your questions, so please be sure to reach out if you need assistance. We will continue to reassess when we are able to have face to face meetings again as time goes on, so for now, please call or email us. You can reach us seven days a week at 250-470-5075, or by email at [email protected] If we all do our part, we can lessen the severity and spread of this Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This is most important in our community for our seniors and people with compromised immunity. To help minimize social isolation during this time give your neighbours and family a call. Panic buying will create more challenges in the long run, so please be reasonable. As well, it will be more important than ever to support our local businesses. The most recent announcements from the federal government include that our borders will be closed for those who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents and airlines will ban travelers presenting symptoms. All international travel will be routed through four Canadian airports with the exception of flights coming in from the United States, Mexico, Caribbean, or St. Pierre-et-Miquelon. Things are changing quickly, so it is important to follow recommendations by the Public Health Agency of Canada and local Provincial Health Authorities. Here are some websites and contact information which may be helpful: Health and Travel information from the Government of Canada Coronavirus Hotline: 1-833-784-6151 Register as a Canadian Abroad For emergency travel assistance email: [email protected] Health information from the Province of BC Federal business loan information Loan inquiry questions: 1-877-232-2269 24/7 Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa: By phone: 1-613-996-8885 (collect calls are accepted where possible) My primary focus is to help constituents during this unprecedented time. Tracy Gray, Member of Parliament (Kelowna-Lake Country) President Donald J. Trump speaks with his coronavirus task force in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic during a briefing in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 in Washington, DC. The Trump administration's proposed stimulus package to combat economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic will include two rounds of direct payments to taxpayers totaling $500 billion, according to a document obtained by NBC. The White House hopes to send out its first round of checks on April 6, and the second on May 18. It will base payments on income level and family size, according to the document. Beyond direct payments, the government is looking to set aside $50 billion for the ailing airline industry, as well as $150 billion for "other distressed sectors." It was not immediately clear which industries would be covered, but the tourism and hotel industries are among those that have also asked the government for relief. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw answers questions outside the Police Administration Building during a news conference on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, to discuss police response to the coronavirus pandemic. In dark coat is District Attorney Larry Krasner. Read more As coronavirus concerns continued to grip the Philadelphia region Wednesday, law-enforcement officials emphasized that public safety was their priority while seeking to keep citizens, victims, and police officers safe and healthy. The department is not turning a blind eye to crime, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw told reporters. Even if they are not jailed, alleged offenders in some nonviolent crimes will be detained at the scene to be fingerprinted and identified, and police will submit paperwork for charges to be filed later. No one will escape accountability for the crimes that they commit, she said. Officers will use discretion when classifying offenses as nonviolent, and will determine with a supervisor whether the person poses a threat to public safety, Outlaw said. Officers will also consider the severity of the incident, and the suspects criminal record and demeanor. The commissioner also said the department is reassigning officers from plainclothes units to patrol duty to increase police visibility and deter crime. She said newly appointed Deputy Commissioner Melvin Singleton will oversee patrol operations. Attendees at the news conference included District Attorney Larry Krasner, Chief Public Defender Keir Bradford-Grey, Deputy Managing Director for Criminal Justice and Public Safety Vanessa Garrett Harley, and Prisons Commissioner Blanche Carney. Before Outlaw spoke, a police officer cleaned her lectern with a sanitizing spray. Her statements came after The Inquirer on Tuesday obtained a copy of an internal police memo outlining changes to arrest procedures. She called the leak of the memo disrespectful, and said it created undue fear and alarm in a time of crisis and was a huge distraction for our ability to work around the clock. The new measures are necessary to address other changes in the criminal-justice system, she said. Right now, frankly, this is triage, she said. We had to conduct triage to determine how we best prioritize the use of our officers. At a news conference later Wednesday, Managing Director Brian Abernathy warned that any criminal who believes there will be no consequences for criminal behavior will be sadly mistaken, and said arrests will be made on the street based on probable cause. The Philadelphia court system this week announced that all city courts would close until April 1, with exceptions such as accepting bail and emergency protection-from-abuse orders. Municipal Court ordered a stay through April 1 of all short-term and weekend jail sentences for misdemeanors. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court widened that mandate Wednesday and ordered all county courthouses closed to the public until April 3. Some court functions such as preliminary arraignments, bail hearings, and emergency civil proceedings will continue, but members of the public will be barred. The courts justices acknowledged the extreme nature of that step given the presumption that the legal system should be open to public scrutiny, but they cited a request from Gov. Tom Wolf and the states Department of Health. The regions federal courts have also suspended trials. At Philadelphias federal courthouse, U.S. Magistrate Judge David Strawbridge still processed defendants Wednesday for initial court appearances on drug crimes, bank robberies, and other offenses, although the hearings were moved to a larger room and security staff permitted only 10 people to enter at a time. Leigh Skipper, the chief federal defender, said his office would work to secure sentencing dates for clients who could receive time-served or minimal prison terms. And Chief U.S. District Judge Juan R. Sanchez further restricted the courts operations in an order Wednesday sharply curtailing deadlines for grand jury indictments, postponing them until April 13, though he noted that deadlines for grand jury subpoenas still remain in effect. Still, said U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain, that doesnt mean that arrests wont be made and investigations wont proceed. Were not going to be emptying the federal prisons because of this crisis. In the suburbs In the counties surrounding Philadelphia, law enforcement officials stressed that the coronavirus response has not disrupted how they confront crime. Departments across Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, and Delaware Counties said dispatchers would handle by phone minor incidents not in progress, such as reports of thefts. Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said officers had discretion to issue summonses instead of jailing people for minor offenses. But, Weintraub said, if someone is a violent offender and is a risk to others, they still have authority to make the arrest. In Delaware County, District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said police departments were closely monitoring the George W. Hill Correctional Facility, which has had to quarantine inmates and staff after two employees tested positive for the virus. Unless someone who is arrested during this emergency presents some threat to the community, theyre given bail and released, said Stollsteimer, noting how the virus had prompted an abrupt change in the offices focus. We had all these plans for proactive measures, meeting with people to discuss cases and other events. A lot of that is stopping for us as we switch to being reactive. In New Jersey New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal asked all county prosecutors and police chiefs to consider delaying the filing of criminal charges in cases that do not imminently effect public safety. He also urged them to consider whether pretrial detention is necessary, but noted that the safety of a victim and the public must remain the priority. Camden County Police Chief Joseph Wysocki, in a message on the departments Facebook page, said officers will continue to patrol our citys neighborhoods, proactively address crime and public safety issues, and respond to calls for assistance from residents, but will need new safety measures. Wysocki said grocery stores in Camden would have an increased police presence. Other departments in South Jersey, including Atlantic City, also said they would immediately begin to change how they handle service calls. Staff writers Anna Orso and Amy S. Rosenberg contributed to this article. Advertisement Spring breakers have been partying in Miami and still hanging out on South Beach despite curfews curbing large gatherings due to coronavirus. Sections of South Beach were still bustling with holidaymakers on Tuesday despite the pandemic and advice from public health officials to limit gatherings to fewer than 10 people. Over the weekend, Florida officials implemented new restrictions in the area to try and halt the spread of the virus. So far there have been 192 known cases of the infection and six deaths in the state. In South Beach - the most popular part of Miami Beach where thousands flock to spend spring break - an 11pm curfew was introduced and crowds were limited to no more than 250 people. On Saturday Miami Beach City Manager, Jimmy Morales, enacted emergency measures to curb spring breakers from crowding in South Beach with the help of police and civilian ambassadors. But spring breakers yesterday were partying by the hundreds on some beaches, while police have been sweeping others, ordering people away through loud speakers. Revelers hit the sand on Saint Patrick's Day in Miami even though the mayor had said spring break was 'cancelled' Spring breakers were partying by the hundreds on some beaches, while police have been sweeping others, ordering people away through loud speakers to stop large gatherings College students still hit the beaches in Miami yesterday despite emergency measures to curb spring breakers from crowding in South Beach Spring breakers enjoyed the sun in Miami despite the closure of sections of the famous South Beach - the epicenter of Spring Break partying A group of spring break revelers pose for a photograph on the sand of Pompano Beach on Tuesday Cece Guida, 19, (top) of New York City, pushes on Sam Reddick, 20, of Evansville, Ind., as spring break revelers look on during a game of chicken fight on the beach on Tuesday Sections of Miami's iconic South Beach was still bustling amid coronavirus pandemic. Stretches of white sands could be seen busy with holidaymakers despite advice from public health officials to limit gatherings to fewer than 10 people St. Patrick Day parties and parades, that would have been held on Tuesday, were cancelled around the world. Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber, said on Monday that due to the outbreak and orders issued by the White House, that spring break was 'canceled' and declared a state of emergency. He said: 'Our measures are intended to send a clear message that spring break is canceled and that everyone, even young people home from school, need to embrace these health and safety concerns.' The federal government on Monday urged Americans not to gather in groups of 10 or more and asked older people to stay home, as the number of infections in the US climbed to more than 6,400, with at least 114 deaths. But hard rules have been left up to the states, creating what New York Govenor Andrew Cuomo derided as a 'hodgepodge'. In South Beach bars, cafes, restaurants and beaches stayed open on Saturday, leading to federal health officials to greet sunbathers with a floating sign warning them to keep their distance from people with symptoms. Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber, said on Monday that due to the virus outbreak that spring break was 'canceled' and declared a state of emergency, but on Tuesday revelers were seen flouting public health officials' advice Sunseekers still went for a dip in the sea in Miami despite some sections of the famous beaches being closed and a curfew in place after 11pm Two spring breakers enjoying the sun in Miami on Tuesday. In South Beach bars, cafes, restaurants and beaches stayed open on Saturday but will be closed from midnight on Tuesday Two spring break revelers hug while partying in a large crowd on Pompano Beach on Tuesday Two men wrestling each other in Pompano Beach on Tuesday as spring break revelers look on during the contest From 5th Street to 15th Street the famous South Beach was closed on Tuesday, pushing sunseekers to less popular areas that remained open Spring breakers flouted advice advising avoiding gatherings of more than 10 people to hit the beaches in Miami on Tuesday As many cities across the US went into lockdown, sunseekers in Miaimi still flocked to the beach to catch some rays Miami Beach Code Compliance officers walking along Ocean Drive on Tuesday to enforce new orders enacted by officials An area of South Beach popular with college spring breakers was closed on Tuesday, pushing sunseekers to other areas By early Saturday evening, Miami Beach police began deterring large groups from Lummus Park and clearing the most popular stretches of South Beach, which because of school closings and extended spring breaks had seen more visitors soaking up the rays. Yesterday Florida Governor Ron DeSantis 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 per cent but left further beach restrictions up to local authorities, and Miami Beach officials enacted a beach closures along a section of the most popular beaches and an 11pm curfew. From 5th Street to 15th Street the famous South Beach was closed on Tuesday, pushing sunseekers to less popular areas that remained open. An empty length of the beach could be seen on Tuesday, as cops closed off the stretch at Ocean Drive, which is usually the epicenter of spring break partying. Young people enjoying the Miami sun during spring break on Tuesday A group taking a selfie on a section of South Beach, Miami, that remained open on Tuesday. Officials had shut the most popular areas to try and prevent large gatherings On Tuesday Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ordered the shutdown of all bars in the state for at least 30 days and limited beach gatherings to no more than 10 people A group of spring breakers enjoying the sun in Miami on Tuesday Two revelers enjoying the sun and sand in Miami on Tuesday as the rest of the city, and much of the US, went into lockdown Despite warnings to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people, many still visited the golden sands of Miami on Tuesday Miami's iconic South Beach was still bustling amid the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday as many bars and cafes remained open, however these will be closed from midnight Despite fears of the spread of coronavirus, many spring breakers in Miami still took to the beach on Tuesday People eating at a restaurant along Ocean Drive in Miami on Tuesday. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered all Florida restaurants statewide to reduce their capacity by 50 per cent Other tourist hotspots, such as the Santa Monica Pier (pictured) were closed in response to the coronovirus outbreak But young people continued to flout the new guidelines which advised against partying in large groups or gathering in bars and public places. Public areas including playgrounds and portions of the beach boardwalk were closed off as part of the orders. From midnight on Tuesday all bars and restaurants will be closed in Miami Beach following an order from the city's mayor. The famous Duck Tour bus was still operating along Ocean Drive, albeit with markedly fewer passengers as of yesterday. Elsewhere in America, large swathes of major cities looked like ghost towns as sweeping lockdowns were imposed. Officials in six San Francisco Bay Area counties issued a shelter-in-place mandate on Monday affecting nearly 7 million people, ordering residents to stay at home and go outside only for food, medicine and outings that are absolutely essential. The order says residents must stay inside and venture out only for necessities for three weeks. It affects the counties of San Francisco, Marin, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Contra Costa and Alameda, which includes the cities of Berkeley and Oakland. To the annoyance of some shareholders, Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (NYSE:LH) shares are down a considerable 36% in the last month. The recent drop has obliterated the annual return, with the share price now down 19% over that longer period. 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 implies that investors have high expectations of what a company can achieve compared to a company with a low P/E ratio. View our latest analysis for Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings Does Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry? We can tell from its P/E ratio of 14.79 that sentiment around Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings isn't particularly high. If you look at the image below, you can see Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings has a lower P/E than the average (17.6) in the healthcare industry classification. NYSE:LH Price Estimation Relative to Market, March 18th 2020 Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings'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 P/E ratios primarily reflect market expectations around earnings growth rates. When earnings grow, the 'E' increases, over time. 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 Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings saw earnings per share decrease by 3.4% last year. But EPS is up 6.9% over the last 5 years. A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank Don't forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. That means it doesn't take debt or cash into account. In theory, a company can lower its future P/E ratio by using cash or debt to invest in growth. Spending on growth might be good or bad a few years later, but the point is that the P/E ratio does not account for the option (or lack thereof). Is Debt Impacting Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings's P/E? Net debt is 48% of Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings's market cap. You'd want to be aware of this fact, but it doesn't bother us. The Bottom Line On Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings's P/E Ratio Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings's P/E is 14.8 which is above average (12.8) in its market. With a bit of debt, but a lack of recent growth, it's safe to say the market is expecting improved profit performance from the company, in the next few years. Given Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings's P/E ratio has declined from 23.2 to 14.8 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 don't like to trade against momentum, that could be a warning sign, but a contrarian investor might want to take a closer look. Investors have an opportunity when market expectations about a stock are wrong. If the reality for a company is better than it expects, you can make money by buying and holding for the long term. So this free visualization of the analyst consensus on future earnings could help you make the right decision about whether to buy, sell, or hold. But note: Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings 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. An Uber sticker is seen on Margaret Bordelon's car in Lafayette, Louisiana By Tina Bellon (Reuters) - 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. Uber also said it has suspended its shared rides services in London and Paris. 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 company's 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 Uber's revenue, but pooled rides make up only a small share of all bookings, data by U.S. cities showed. Lyft, Uber's 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 we're dedicated to doing what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19," the company said. A larger share of Lyft's rides are shared compared to Uber's, 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 United States 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. Story continues 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. (Reporting by Tina Bellon in New York; editing by Richard Pullin and Grant McCool) Financiere de Tubize SA/NV Allee de la Recherche 60 1070 Brussels BE 0403.216.429 www.financiere-tubize.be CONVENING OF THE ORDINARY AND EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS OF 22 APRIL 2020 The shareholders are invited to attend the ordinary and extraordinary general meetings, which will take place on Wednesday 22 April 2020 at respectively 11:00AM and 12:00AM in the EEBIC business center located in 1070 Brussels (Anderlecht), Allee de la Recherche 12 (Metro: Erasme - Erasme public parking nearby). AGENDA OF THE ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OJ 22 APRIL 2020 Report of the board of directors on the financial year ended 31 December 2019 Commentary : the board report discusses all the items referred to in article 3:6 of the Company and Associations code. Remunerations report on the financial year ended 31 December 2019 Proposed decision : approve the remunerations report on the financial year ended 31 December 2019. Statutory auditor's report on the annual accounts as at 31 December 2019 Commentary : this report has been prepared in accordance with the articles 3:74 and 3:75 of the Company and Associations code. Annual accounts as at 31 December 2019 - Result appropriation Proposed decision : approve the annual accounts as at 31 December 2019, including the distribution of a gross dividend of 0,62 per share. EU-IFRS financial statements as at 31 December 2019 Commentary : to provide a useful and complete set of information to the market, the Company prepares, in addition to the annul accounts in accordance with the Company code and Belgian accounting law (BE GAAP), financial statements in accordance with international financial reporting standards as adopted by the European Union (EU-IFRS), with equity accounting of UCB. Discharge of the directors for the financial year ended 31 December 2019 Proposed decision : by special vote, discharge each of the directors for the execution of their respective mandate during the financial year ended 31 December 2019 Discharge of the statutory auditor for the financial year ended 31 December 2019 Proposed decision : discharge the statutory auditor for the execution of his mandate during the financial year ended 31 December 2019 Board of Directors - Renewal - Appointment Comment : The mandate of Mr. Francois Tesch, administrator, expires at the end of this ordinary general meeting. Not fulfilling the conditions to remain independent anymore, he does not apply for a new term. Proposed decision : approve the appointment of Mr Bruno Holthof as a director for a period of four years ending at the end of the ordinary general meeting to be held in 2024 Proposed decision : Confirm that Mr Bruno Holthof is appointed as independent director, responding to the independence criteria laid down in article 526ter of the Company and Associations code and the 2020 Governance code. AGENDA OF THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF 22 APRIL 2020 Modification of the date of the ordinary general meeting. Proposed decision : The assembly decides to change the date of the ordinary general assembly and to fix it on the last Friday of April at eleven o'clock. Recognition of the company's submission to the provisions of the Companies and Associations Code. Proposed decision : In accordance with article 39 1 of the Companies and Associations Code, the assembly notes that after January 1, 2020, the company must bring its articles of association into conformity with the provisions of the Companies and Associations Code when its articles of association have to be modified for the first time. Adoption of a new text of the articles of association, in particular in order to bring them into line with the Code of Companies and Associations. Proposed decision: Following the foregoing resolution, the assembly decides to adopt a new text of the articles of association in accordance with the Companies and Associations Code, without modifying the purpose, the capital, the closing date of the financial year, whose the full coordinated version can be consulted on the company's website: www.financiere-tubize.be under the ordinary and extraordinary general meetings section of April 22, 2020, "Documents intended to be presented to the general meeting": In all of the articles of associations: . deletion of the word social, except: the second paragraph of Article 6 paragraph 5; the title of Title VII; section 36. . The words "Code des Societes" are replaced by the words "Code des Societes et Associations". Article 1 : the last sentence of the article is replaced by the following: Elle est une societe cotee au sens de l'article 1.11 du Code des societes et associations. Article 2 : this article is replaced by the following : Le siege social est etabli en Region de Bruxelles-Capitale. Il peut etre transfere en tout endroit de la Region de Bruxelles-Capitale ou de la region de langue francaise de Belgique, par simple decision de l'organe d'administration qui a tous pouvoirs aux fins de faire constater authentiquement la modification statutaire eventuelle qui en resulte, sans que cela ne puisse entrainer une modification de la langue des statuts. La societe peut etablir, par simple decision du conseil d'administration, des sieges administratifs, succursales, agences et comptoirs en Belgique et a l'etranger. Le site internet de la societe est: http://www.financiere-tubize.be Article 3 : this article is replaced by the following : La societe a une duree illimitee Article 6 : this article is modified as following : . The two first paragraphes of this article are replaced by the following: Le capital peut etre augmente ou reduit en une ou plusieurs fois, par decision de l'assemblee generale des actionnaires statuant dans les conditions requises pour les modifications aux statuts. En cas d'augmentation du capital contre especes, les titulaires des actions existantes ont un droit de souscription preferentiel au prorata du nombre de leurs titres. . The third paragraphe is suppressed; . In the seventh paragraphe, the words lettres recommandees are replaced by courrier ordinaire ; . In the eight paragraphe, the words signifie par lettre recommandee are suppressed ; . The last paragraphe of this article is suppressed. Article 9 : The word integralement is inserted between non and liberees . Article 10 : This article is replaced by the following : La societe peut emettre des obligations par decision du conseil d'administration. Celui-ci determine le type, le taux d'interet et le prix d'emission, le mode et l'epoque de l'amortissement et du remboursement des obligations, ainsi que toutes autres conditions de leur emission. L'emission d'obligations convertibles et de droits de souscription sera decidee par une assemblee generale convoquee et deliberant comme en matiere de modifications aux statuts et avec faculte de supprimer ou limiter le droit de preference des actionnaires existants. La societe ne peut acquerir ses propres actions par voie d'achat ou d'echange, directement ou par une personne agissant en son nom propre mais pour le compte de la societe, qu'a la suite d'une decision d'une assemblee generale deliberant comme en matiere de modifications aux statuts, qui fixe notamment le nombre maximum d'actions a acquerir, la duree pour laquelle l'autorisation est accordee, qui ne peut exceder cinq ans a dater de la publication, ainsi que les contre valeurs minimales et maximales. Cette autorisation peut etre prorogee une ou plusieurs fois. L'assemblee generale du 25 avril 2018 a octroye au conseil d'administration, pour une periode de cinq ans a compter de la date de ladite assemblee, l'autorisation d'acquerir dans les conditions prevues par la loi, des actions de la societe. Le pair comptable des actions rachetees ne peut depasser 20% du capital souscrit. Les acquisitions pourront se realiser a un cours compris entre 1 euro et 200 euros. Le conseil d'administration est autorise, le cas echeant, a constater le nombre d'actions a annuler et a adapter l'article 5 des statuts en fonction du nombre d'actions annulees. Le conseil d'administration peut, par ailleurs, aliener les actions propres de la societe, en bourse ou de toute autre maniere. L'assemblee generale du 24 avril 2019 a egalement octroye au conseil d'administration l'autorisation d'acquerir des actions de la societe afin d'eviter un dommage grave et imminent, pour une duree de trois ans a dater de la publication de la modification des statuts decidee par l'assemblee precitee. Lorsqu'il s'agit d'eviter a la societe un dommage grave et imminent, le conseil d'administration est autorise a aliener toutes actions en bourse ou a la suite d'une offre en vente faite aux memes conditions a tous les actionnaires. Article 12: This article is replaced by the following : Les administrateurs sont nommes par l'assemblee generale des actionnaires qui fixe leur nombre. Les administrateurs sont nommes pour un terme de quatre ans. L'assemblee generale peut mettre un terme a tout moment, avec effet immediat et sans motif au mandat de chaque administrateur. L'assemblee generale ne peut fixer de delai de preavis ni d'indemnite de depart. Les administrateurs sortants sont reeligibles. Les mandats venus a expiration cessent apres l'assemblee generale ordinaire qui ne les a pas renouveles. En cas de vacance d'une place d'administrateur, les administrateurs restants ont le droit de coopter un nouvel administrateur. L'assemblee generale, a sa plus prochaine reunion, confirme le mandat de l'administrateur coopte. En cas de confirmation, l'administrateur coopte termine le mandat de son predecesseur, sauf si l'assemblee generale en decide autrement. Article 14 : This article is modified as following : . The words imputables sur les frais generaux are suppressed in the first alinea; . The words es qualites are suppressed in the second paragraphe. Article 17 : This article is modified as following : . The words simple lettre ou procuration are replaced by ecrit ; . The last paragraphe is replaced by the following : Les decisions du conseil d'administration peuvent etre prises par consentement unanime des administrateurs exprime par ecrit, a l'exception de celles qui doivent etre recues dans un acte authentique. Article 18 : The words (dont celui qui preside la reunion) are added at the send of the second paragraphe of this article. Article 19 : This article is modified as following : . In the first paragraphe, the words ou les statuts reservent are replaced by reserve ; . The third paragraphe is suppressed. Article 21 : This article is modified as following : . The words de l'Institut are suppressed ; . The words ou parmi les cabinets d'audit enregistres are added after des Reviseurs d'Entreprises . Article 23 : this article is suppressed and the articles of associations are renumbered consequently. Article 24 (nouvel article 23) : the last paragraphe is suppressed. Article 27 (nouvel article 26) : this article is replaced as following : Les emoluments des commissaires consistent en une somme fixe etablie au debut et pour la duree du mandat par l'assemblee generale dans chaque cas particulier. Ils peuvent etre modifies avec l'accord des parties. Article 28 (new article 27) : this article is replaced as following : . The words et les presents statuts are suppressed; . The words incapables et les dissidents are replaced by ou opposants . Article 31 (new article 30) : the words , a condition que toutes les formalites d'admission a l'assemblee soient accomplies are added at the end of the first sentence. Article 32 (new article 31) : this article is replaced as following : Les assemblees generales se reunissent au siege social ou dans la Region de Bruxelles-Capitale, au lieu designe par le conseil d'administration. L'assemblee generale ordinaire se tient le dernier vendredi du mois d'avril a onze heures. L'assemblee peut en outre etre convoquee extraordinairement chaque fois que l'interet de la societe l'exige. L'assemblee peut etre convoquee extraordinairement en tout temps par le conseil d'administration ou le(s) commissaire(s). Ils doivent la convoquer sur demande ecrite d'actionnaires justifiant de la propriete du dixieme des actions. Article 35 (new article 34): this article is modified as following : . The words ou de toute autre d'une are replaced by d'une habilitation au conseil d'administration pour proceder a des acquisitions ou alienations d'actions propres ou de toute ; . The last paragraphe is replaced by the following: La decision de l'assemblee n'est adoptee que si elle reunit les trois quarts des voix, au moins, sauf dans les cas ou la loi prevoit une majorite plus stricte. Article 38 (new article 37) : this article is modified as following : . The third paragraphe is suppressed ; . The fourth paragraphe is replaced by the following: Les comptes annuels et les autres documents enumeres par la loi sont mis a la disposition des actionnaires trente jours au moins avant l'assemblee. Article 39 (new article 38) : this article is modified as following : . The words ce benefice are replaced by le benefice net ; . The word prelevement is replaced by prelevements ; . In the fifth paragraphe, the words , ou, si ce montant est superieur, du capital appele are added after the words capital libere ; . In the last paragraphe, the word dette is replaced by , dettes et , sauf cas exceptionnels a mentionner et a justifier dans l'annexe aux comptes annuels, des montants encore non amortis des frais d'etablissement et des frais de recherche et de developpement. Article 41 (new article 40) : this article is modified as following : . The words , ou sur le benefice de l'exercice precedent si les comptes annuels de cet exercice n'ont pas encore ete approuves, are inserted between l'exercice en cours and et fixer la date de leur paiement ; . The last two paragraphes are suppressed. Article 43 (new article 42) : this article is modified as following : . The first sentence is replaced by the following: Dans tous les cas de dissolution de la societe, l'assemblee generale designera le ou les liquidateurs et determinera leur remuneration eventuelle. A defaut de decision prise a cet egard par l'assemblee, la liquidation s'operera par les soins des administrateurs en fonction, formant un college. . The following text is added as second paragraphe: Le(s) liquidateur(s) aura(ont) les pouvoirs d'accomplir tous les actes necessaires ou utiles a la liquidation de la societe prevus par la loi. Article 45 (new article 44) : this article is modified as following : . The first paragraphe is replaced by the following: Sous reserve de ce qui est prevu a l'alinea suivant, tout actionnaire, obligataire, administrateur, commissaire ou liquidateur non domicilie en Belgique sera tenu d'y elire domicile pour tout ce qui se rattache a l'execution des presents statuts. . The following text is added as last paragraphe: Tout actionnaire, obligataire, administrateur, commissaire ou liquidateur peut communiquer a la societe une adresse electronique a laquelle toute communication sera reputee etre valablement intervenue. Confirmation of the headquarters address. Proposed decision : The assembly confirms that the headquarters address is maintained in the Brussels-Capital Region, namely at 1070 Anderlecht, allee de la Recherche 60. Mention of the internet addres Proposed decision : The assembly declares that the internet address of tje company is http://www.financiere-tubize.be Assign the powers to execute the resolutions that have been made Proposal for decision : The assembly decides to confer all powers, with the power to sub-delegate, to the board of directors for the implementation of the above resolutions. Assign the powers to execute the above-mentioned decisions: Proposed decision : assign powers, with possibility of sub-delegation, to the board of directors for the execution of the above-mentioned decisions, and to Madame Stephanie Ernaelsteen and Madame Anne-Catherine Guiot, each acting separately, to prepare the consolidated text of the Articles of Association. Formalities to attend the general meeting To attend or be represented at the general meeting and exercise her/his voting right, a shareholder must have carried out the accounting registration of his/her shares on the fourteenth day before the general meeting at 24:00h Belgian time (being Wednesday 8 April 2020, the "Registration Date"), either by registering them in the Company's register of nominative shares, or by registering them in the accounts of a licensed account holder or a settlement institution, the number of shares held on the day of the meetings being disregarded. The shareholder must also inform the Company of her/his desire to attend the general meeting. A holder of nominative shares should send to the Company the duly signed attendance notice, this form being appended to the invitation to attend. A holder of dematerialized shares should send to the Company the attestations issued by the licensed account holder or by the settlement institution, certifying the number of shares that are registered in the accounts of the account holder or settlement institution on the name of the shareholder at the Registration Date and for which the shareholder has declared he/she wants to participate in the general meeting. The attendance notices or the attestations should reach the Company, at the e-mail address aspijcke@icloud.com , no later than six days before the date of the general meeting (being Thursday 16 April 2020). Voting by proxy Shareholders may be represented by a proxy, in conformity with the articles 7:142 to 7:145 of the Company and Associations code. The proxies must be executed in writing on the basis of the form drawn up by the board of directors and must be signed by the shareholder. For the nominative shareholders, the form is appended to their invitation to attend. Holders of dematerialized shares can retrieve the form from the Company's website www.financiere-tubize.be . The proxy must reach the Company, at the e-mail address aspijcke@icloud.com , no later than six days before the date of the meeting (being Thursday 16 April 2020). Adding items to the agenda and submitting proposed decisions One or more shareholders collectively holding at least 3% of the share capital may request that items be added to the agenda of the meetings and submit proposed decisions concerning original and/or added matters on the agenda. Requests should be made in writing and include the text of items to be added with corresponding proposed decisions or of proposed decisions relating to original agenda items. They should state the e-mail address to which the Company can send an acknowledgement of receipt within 48 hours. Requests should reach the Company no later than twenty-two days before the date of the general meeting. Shareholders intending to exercise this right should prove, on the date of their request, that they hold at least 3 % of the share capital, either through a certificate stating that the corresponding shares are registered in the Company's register of nominative shares, or through a certificate drawn up by a licensed account holder or settlement institution certifying the number of corresponding dematerialised shares registered in accounts on the name of the shareholders. They should also perform the accounting registration for at least 3 % of the capital. If shareholders exercise this right, the Company shall publish a supplemented agenda for the general meetings according to the same terms as the original agenda and no later than fifteen days before the date of the general meetings (being Tuesday 7 April 2020). Simultaneously, the Company will make amended forms for voting by proxy available to its shareholders through its website. Right to ask questions to the directors and the auditor Each shareholder who has satisfied the formalities for admission to the meeting has the right, as from the publication of the invitation to attend, to ask questions in writing about the directors' and the statutory auditor's reports, as well as about any other items indicated on the agenda of the general meeting, to which will be responded, as the case may be, by the directors or the statutory auditor, as long as the disclosure of data or facts does not harm the Company's commercial interests and does not violate the confidentiality agreements binding the Company, its directors or the statutory auditor. These questions should be sent electronically to aspijcke @icloud.com , no later than the sixth day before the date of the meeting (being Thursday 16 April 2020). Information on the website The following information can be consulted on the Company's website www.financiere-tubize.be.: Present convening Proxy form Total number of shares and voting rights at the date of the present convening All documents intended to be presented to the ordinary general meeting Holders of nominative shares receive a copy of all documents together with the invitation to attend. Other shareholders may obtain a free copy of the documents by sending a request to aspijcke@icloud.com . Please note that, on the day of the meetings, shareholders and proxy holders will be invited to prove their identity, and representatives of legal entities must prove their representation power. For this reason and for a smooth functioning of the meeting, participants are invited to arrive as from 10h00 onwards. Brussels, 18th March 2020 The board of directors HAMPTON, N.H., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Planet Fitness, Inc. (NYSE: PLNT), one of the largest and fastest-growing global franchisors and operators of fitness centers with more members than any other fitness brand, today announced updates to its business operations. In response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, and with the majority of stores system-wide temporarily closed as of yesterday, Planet Fitness has made the decision to close the remainder of its corporate stores effective Tuesday, March 17th, at 10pm ET through March 31st and is strongly urging its franchisees to do the same. The Company will reevaluate the timing of reopening on an ongoing basis. "As one of the largest operators in the Fitness industry, with the most members, we believe it is our civic duty to take this necessary action in order to protect our members, team members and the communities where our stores are located," said Chris Rondeau, Chief Executive Officer. As a reminder, Planet Fitness recently enhanced the functionality of its mobile app to include access to fitness content and over 500 exercises for in-home workouts. The company is encouraging members to utilize this amenity during this time of social distancing. Additionally, the company is offering "Home Work-Ins" a series of free fitness classes for the general public that began streaming live daily Monday Friday beginning on Monday, March 16 on the Planet Fitness Facebook Page. The workouts will be led by Planet Fitness certified trainers as well as special guests. Undrawn Variable Funding Note ("The Financing Facility") As previously disclosed in Company filings with the Securities & Exchange Commission, the Company has access to $75 million through a variable funding note which expires in September 2023. Suspension of Share Repurchase Program Planet Fitness also announced it is halting share repurchases for the time being. This action will help ensure the Company can use its strong levels of liquidity to fund ongoing operating expenses. Rondeau concluded, "We are very focused on managing this evolving situation. Based on our cash positon of $436 million at the end of 2019 combined with cash flow generated from operations year-to-date and availability under our financing facility, we believe we have sufficient liquidity to carry us well beyond the end of this year." About Planet Fitness Founded in 1992 in Dover, NH, Planet Fitness is one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers in the United States by number of members and locations. As of December 31, 2019, Planet Fitness had approximately 14.4 million members and 2,001 stores in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Mexico and Australia. The Company's mission is to enhance people's lives by providing a high-quality fitness experience in a welcoming, non-intimidating environment, which we call the Judgement Free Zone. More than 95% of Planet Fitness stores are owned and operated by independent business men and women. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws, which involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "goal," plan," "will," "prospects," "future," "strategy" and similar references to future periods, although not all forward-looking statements include these identifying words. Forward-looking statements are not assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on the Company's current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of the business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of the Company's control. Actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially include risks and uncertainties associated with competition in the fitness industry, the Company's and franchisees' ability to attract and retain new members, the Company's and franchisees' ability to identify and secure suitable sites for new franchise stores, changes in consumer demand, changes in equipment costs, the Company's ability to expand into new markets domestically and internationally, operating costs for the Company and franchisees generally, availability and cost of capital for franchisees, acquisition activity, developments and changes in laws and regulations, our substantial increased indebtedness as a result of our refinancing and securitization transactions and our ability to incur additional indebtedness or refinance that indebtedness in the future, our future financial performance and our ability to pay principal and interest on our indebtedness, our corporate structure and tax receivable agreements, failures, interruptions or security breaches of the Company's information systems or technology, general economic conditions and the other factors described in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 and, once available, the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, as well as the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In light of the significant risks and uncertainties inherent in forward-looking statements, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect the Company's views only as of the date of this press release. Except as required by law, neither the Company nor any of its affiliates or representatives undertake any obligation to provide additional information or to correct or update any information set forth in this release, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. SOURCE Planet Fitness, Inc. Political leaders "underestimated" the magnitude of the danger posed by the coronavirus, the president of the European Commission admitted Wednesday, as the EU shut its borders. "I think that all of us who are not experts initially underestimated the coronavirus," Ursula von der Leyen told Germany's Bild newspaper in an interview published Wednesday. "But now it is clear that this is a virus that will keep us busy for a long time yet." "We understand that measures that seemed drastic two or three weeks ago, need to be taken now," she added. The coronavirus outbreak, which first emerged in China late last year, has quickly marched across the globe, infecting nearly 200,000 people and killing 7,900 as governments scramble to contain it. But von der Leyen rejected the language of French president Emmanuel Macron, who likened the outbreak to war this week, and ordered almost the entire population to stay at home for at least two weeks. "I will not personally use that term but I understand the motivation of the French president as the coronavirus is a worrying enemy." Germany's economy minister Peter Altmaier said the United States under Donald Trump had taken the threat of the virus even more lightly. "The outbreak of the crisis was probably underestimated even more so in the US than in some countries in Europe," Peter Altmaier told Germany's regional press group Funke. "That is the reason we very much hope that the US will manage to control the situation, also in our own interest," he added. "No-one hopes that the US economy would fall into an uncontrolled recession. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Biden wins 3 more states; Sanders will assess his campaign Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Former Vice President Joe Biden won three more Democratic state primaries on Tuesday, increasing his lead in the race to become the presidential nominee. Voters in Arizona, Florida, and Illinois on Tuesday chose Biden, with some attributing the wins to Bidens strong support among African-Americans, senior citizens and party moderates. Ohio was originally scheduled to hold their primary on Tuesday. However, concerns over the novel coronavirus led officials to postpone it until June. The decision to delay was opposed by the Ohio Democratic Party, which opted to sue Ohios Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose over the postponement. From his home in Delaware, Biden thanked supporters via livestream for the primary victories, emphasizing the need for unity in advance of the November election. Our campaign has had a very good night, stated Biden on Tuesday, as reported by CNN. 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. Biden also commended the Sanders campaign, saying that they brought a remarkable passion and tenacity to various public policy issues. So let me say especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Sen. Sanders, I hear you. I know what to stake, he added. I know what we have to do. Our goal is as a campaign, and my goal as a candidate for president is to unify this party, and then to unify the nation. As of Wednesday morning, Biden has secured 1,147 delegates, putting him more than halfway to the minimum 1,991 delegates needed to become the Democratic presidential nominee. In second place is Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont with 861 delegates and in a distant third is Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii with two delegates. Regarding the latest losses, Sanders Campaign Manager Faiz Shakir said in a statement on Wednesday that the senator was going to talk with supporters about the future of his campaign. Sen. Sanders is going to be having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign, stated Shakir, as reported by NBC News. In the immediate term, however, he is focused on the government response to the coronavirus outbreak and ensuring that we take care of working people and the most vulnerable. SAN FRANCISCO (dpa-AFX) - Retailer Gap Inc. (GPS) on Wednesday announced that it will temporarily close all its stores in North America effective March 19, as a result of the escalating COVID-19 pandemic. The company will close its Old Navy, Athleta, Banana Republic, Gap, Janie and Jack and Intermix stores. Meanwhile, all of the portfolio's brands continue to be available for customers through the respective e-commerce channels. Sonia Syngal, incoming CEO, Gap said, 'To assist the efforts underway to slow the spread of the coronavirus, we are closing all stores in North America for the next two weeks. . We will provide our impacted store employees with pay continuity and benefits during this two-week period.' Gap on Monday announced that it had temporarily reduced store hours for all of its stores across the US and Canada. 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. The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Shelby County firefighter Paul Zachary Moss received sufficient notice of the reasons for his termination to satisfy constitutional due process requirements. While off duty from his job as a firefighter, Moss went to a political rally after consuming alcohol, got into a fight with two men, pointed a gun at them, and threatened to kill them. He was arrested at the scene and later indicted on two counts of aggravated assault. Moss entered an Alford guilty plea to one count of aggravated assault and the other count was dismissed. By entering an Alford plea, Moss pleaded guilty but did not admit to committing the criminal act. He was placed on judicial diversion. The Shelby County Fire Department gave Moss written notice that he was facing possible termination because he had violated two fire department rules by failing to report his arrest and for being convicted of a felony. Moss was given an opportunity to attend a meeting with fire department officials to present reasons why he should not be disciplined. At the meeting, fire department officials asked Moss about his conduct at the rally and about a previous unreported arrest and assault complaint against him. The day after the meeting, Moss was fired for reasons that included his violation of fire department rules; his aggressive, reckless and irresponsible conduct at the rally; and his untruthfulness during the meeting. Moss appealed and the Shelby County Civil Service Merit Board upheld the termination. Moss then appealed to the Shelby County Chancery Court, which affirmed the Boards decision. Moss then took the case to the Court of Appeals, which reversed the chancery courts judgment, finding that Moss had not received adequate notice of the grounds for his termination. The Tennessee Supreme Court accepted review of the case at the request of the Shelby County Civil Service Merit Board. The Supreme Court explained that Moss had the right to notice of the charges against him and an opportunity for a hearing before he was fired from his job. Moss should have received sufficient notice to allow him an opportunity to prepare for the hearing. To determine whether an employee received sufficient notice, a court reviews both the pre-termination and post-termination procedures that were used. Here, prior to Mosss hearing before the Board, the fire department had sent Moss a letter advising him of his possible termination for violating two rules; the fire department conducted a meeting when Moss was asked about the fight at the rally, a previous arrest, and a police report about an alleged assault; and the fire department gave Moss a termination letter detailing the facts that supported the decision to fire him which included his misconduct at the rally and his untruthfulness at the meeting. In a unanimous opinion written by Justice Sharon G. Lee, the Supreme Court ruled that based on the pre-termination and post-termination procedures, Moss had received sufficient notice of the reasons for his termination and had an opportunity to prepare for and participate in a hearing. The Supreme Court reversed the Court of Appeals decision and sent the case back to the Court of Appeals to resolve the remaining issues on appeal. To read the unanimous opinion of the Court in Paul Zachary Moss v. Shelby County Civil Service Merit Board, authored by Justice Sharon G. Lee, please visit the Opinions section of tncourts.gov. The infected deputy recently visited the EU. On March 17, Member of Parliament in Ukraine, Serhiy Shakhov, confirmed his Covid-19 coronavirus tests returned positive. The deputy confirmed to TSN earlier reports released in Ukrainian media alleging that he had been infected. "Today I am isolated, engaged in disinfection. I haven't contacted other people. My temperature has dropped, I feel okay, I hope everything will be fine. I don't know why there's such panic around this ..." said Serhiy Shakhov. "A call came from the clinic today. and they said that 'most likely you have a coronavirus diagnosis'. " Read alsoUkraine reports new COVID-19 case in Kyiv region: patient in home isolation It is noted that in his earlier comment to Strana.ua, Shakhov denied having contracted coronavirus. According to him, he had a fever, but it was allegedly caused by a regular respiratory infection. The infected deputy recently visited the EU, a source has told UNIAN. 'It is perplexing to see the leader of the First World with a first rate medical infrastructure come up short on its foresight to handle the pandemic,' notes Group Captain Murli Menon (retd). IMAGE: United States President Donald J Trump and Ireland's Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar greet each other with a namaste at the White House, March 12, 2020. Photograph: Leah Millis/Reuters My yearly visit to the Big Apple appears to hold some dangerous portends this time around. Last Sunday's presser by President Trump, after he goofed up serially on his initial reaction to the coronavirus threat, clearly showed a shaken leader who finds himself out of depth to handle the national emergency. He perhaps finds that 'his rule by tweet' approach to governance has misfired this time around. This was evident in his handing over the mic midway to Vice President Mike Pence and the belated attempts to firefight. The drastic hacking of the Fed rate to zero perhaps achieved the opposite in terms of even more jittery markets. It is perplexing to see the leader of the First World with a first rate medical infrastructure come up short on its foresight to handle the pandemic. IMAGE: A worker mops inside an empty restaurant in New Rochelle, New York. Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters As I write, New York, the 24/7 city, is a desolate locale indeed, with the general panic levels amongst average citizens sky high, supermarket shelves empty, restaurants and theatres shut and business activity near minimal. Small professionals like taxi drivers and daily wagers appear to be really taking a hit. My trader son-in-law, who ought to be rejoicing normally under abnormal market conditions, finds the situation unnerving. Comparatively, my banker son in Singapore appears to be in a more comfortable space, with the efficient State system taking charge effectively to reverse the coronavirus cycle. Singapore has just ordered a internal lockdown of its citizens. From what I read about India, it does definitely appear to have faced up to the trying times with credit so far. The SAARC initiative by the prime minister and the outreach to countries like Israel and Iran would go a long way in upgrading India's stock in the comity of nations once this challenge is effectively behind us . IMAGE: The Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California, March 13, 2020. Walt Disney Co shut its theme parks in California and Florida and its resort in Paris from last weekend through the end of the month due to the global outbreak of coronavirus. Photograph: Mario Anzuoni/Reuters And to think that the cognoscenti by far expected India to fare poorly, given its inadequate per capita medical facilities and generally unsatisfactory (or perceived to be so) state of public health networks. Perhaps those very challenges in our country are what makes us better prepared to handle such natural and health related calamities. India's handling of the pneumonic plague epidemic in Surat in 1994 by the effective public health response of the local health authorities and the manner in which the pestilence was kept confined to one city and what is more, using the window of opportunity to make Surat one of India's cleanest cities now, earned worldwide appreciation. Then again the tsunami challenge over the Andaman and Nicobar islands showed how the country could address such natural calamities even in remote locations. Handling of the earthquakes in places like Latur in 1993 and the innumerable floods all over the country including the particularly grim one in Kerala last year and the efficacy of the newly established National Disaster Management Authority are matters that warms the cockles of the average citizen's heart. It is generally believed that our much maligned city government hospitals are capable of handling medical situations and exigencies well beyond their ken. A country like the USA may have plenty of resources in terms of funds, but money is not everything. We must have done something right with our medical collegiate education to have handled multiple emergent situations nationwide with aplomb. IMAGE: A healthcare worker tests a person at a drive-through testing station run by the Colorado health department for people who suspect they have coronavirus in Denver. Photograph: Jim Urquhart/Reuters The next few weeks would cement the positive world opinion about our historic country. President Trump was all praise for India's culture during his recent visit to our country. How ironic that he finds himself in the midst of his presidency's greatest challenge, that too coming in the thick of the presidential election season. All the supposed good things his government did so far in his tenure could get wiped out in a jiffy by his inept handling of the coronavirus threat. In his nationwide address this week he insinuated about something happening to him 'a couple of months down the line'. What he meant is unclear. Was he hinting at some coronavirus driven health emergency or was he hinting at expected reverses electorally? Notwithstanding any of these, the entire political map of the world is slated to be altered dramatically in the aftermath of the coronavirus emergency. Analysts have predicted that besides Trump, the political fortunes of several leaders like Germany's Angela Merkel and Britain's Boris Johnson could be at stake. What will happen to China's Xi Jinping is uncertain. The leadership of France, Italy and Spain would also be called to account by their electorates, especially if the story turns out sour like in the case of Italy. Iran, which is another badly affected country, may once again find its government being spared thanks to its Islamic moorings and likelihood of attribution to providence. Though they apparently gave birth to it, China's subsequent handling of the crisis has been with credit. Whether it was thanks to its authoritarian system of governance or indeed good leadership is difficult to say. But other countrries like South Korea and Singapore which came out tops during the crisis would reap political benefits too. If India maintains its effective tack during these difficult days, the ruling dispensation is bound to reap rewards down the line. It is ironical that British psychic Sylvia Browne had predicted the onset of a pneumonia-like viral disease in the year 2020. Let us hope that the global handling of the malaise is also what the same psychic said in her book End of the Days -- an end to the pandemic within this year, with minimally more casualties than what the toll has been so far. British health authorities feel the disease will prevail up to next year spring. India would benefit from the prolonged summer season which would take its toll hopefully on the coronavirus. The women werent used to finding the trailhead full on a weekday afternoon. Its definitely weird, Dianne Smith, 61, observed at North Cheyenne Canon Park. Yet she was unsurprised on this recent day of blue skies. As was her dear friend, Darlene Foster, as she approached the dirt path with her hiking poles, the bum knee be damned. Its gonna be hard to keep people inside, she said. People here in Colorado Springs and across the nation are being tested. The coronavirus pandemic has left restaurants and bars closed for sit-in business. Sporting events and concerts have been postponed or canceled. Perhaps more than ever, people are afraid, and more than ever, theyre struggling to find places for comfort. Even their places of prayer have closed. But the great outdoors remains open. This makes me feel really close to heaven, Foster said along the trail, surrounded by waving evergreens and birdsong, the canyon walls soaring all around. This just brings me peace, Smith said. This is everything to me right now. Its been hard down in the city. Smith joined the masses in Walmart one day and witnessed the mania. I had to stop, she said. I just stood there and cried. Now she felt far removed from that. After all, Foster said, mountain folks are different from city folks. On the trail, here they were smiling at each other, remarking on the weather, wishing each other a good hike, a good day. Its basically therapy, said Laura Berry, here with a couple of college-aged friends. Its staying part of a community when community is being disconnected. As they are everywhere in public, health officials are advising social distancing on trails 6 feet apart from other groups and individuals. Nathan Brown, a communications specialist for the state Department of Public Health, recognized guidance is changing at breakneck speed. But while Gov. Jared Polis has ordered all of Colorados ski areas to close COVID-19 cases have clustered around Vail and Aspen he has so far encouraged stressed residents to seek fresh air. Brown recently visited a busy Staunton State Park west of Denver and found hikers joyful while rightly distanced. It was awesome to see, he said. Its such a Colorado thing to go outside and hit the trail in difficult times. Colorado Parks and Wildlife is expecting an influx of visitors across the state parks. A feared wave in Estes Park prompted officials to close the gates at Rocky Mountain National Park. But while events have been canceled and visitor centers closed, and while guests may pay machines rather than rangers for passes, the parks themselves will stay open, said CPW spokeswoman Rebecca Ferrell. She added: This is a great time to be outside, but its also a time to be cautious and responsible and safe out there. Ferrell referenced a callout by the Colorado Search and Rescue Board, which worries responses could be delayed amid an anticipated surge of people bound for the wild. The uptick is clear in the Springs, judging from overflowing parking lots at city preserves. A lot of us in the recreation business understand what the outdoors can do for people, said Scott Abbott, the citys parks, trails and open space manager. This is a pretty unfortunate way, but its nonetheless a way to recognize the high value of fresh air and sunshine. Long before these unprecedented times, great thinkers extolled the benefits. A life lived in the present can only be achieved by walking outside, Henry David Thoreau suggested in his essay, Walking. Walk, Friedrich Nietzsche advised, especially when bad thoughts threaten. All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking, he wrote. Beethoven walked to conjure up masterpieces. Walk and be happy, Charles Dickens said. More recently, in her sweeping 2017 book The Nature Fix, Florence Williams reported on findings by scientists around the world. Cortisol, the stress hormone, was found to be reduced in subjects who spent just 15 minutes in the woods. Patterns in nature such as raindrops and leaves were found to create alpha waves in brains the neural resonance of relaxation. In England, researchers found green spaces to help bridge income-related mental health disparities. In Japan, trees were found to lower blood pressure. Experiencing awe in nature could lead to greater generosity in people, another study found. Nature, it turns out, is good for civilization, Williams wrote. So it seemed to a pair of friends roaming North Cheyenne Canon. As they went, they talked about technology, about how people seem to be going so fast, as Smith put it. Howd that song go? she asked Foster. You got to stop and smell the roses ... Usually its Foster, the bird lover, spotting the birds. But now it was Smith pointing out a passing blue jay. Thats the thing about all of this, Smith said. Its making us all take a moment. The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] India's fastest woman Dutee Chand is wary of missing out of the Olympics after she was deprived of her training-cum-competition stint in Germany due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected her plans to qualify for the Olympics. The 24-year-old Dutee was to train and take part in Olympic qualifying events in Germany from March 2 but despite getting the visa and sponsorship, she could not make it there as Europe has now turned into an epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak. "I was to go for a training-cum-competition stint in Germany from March 2. I was planning to run in some quality competitions in Europe and hoping to qualify for the Olympics. But all my plans fell apart due to this coronavirus," Dutee told PTI from Patiala where she is taking part in the first leg of the Indian Grand Prix series on Friday. "I have got the visa and other travel documents and was ready to go to Germany. But suddenly I got the message from the training base in Germany that I should not come due to the spread of coronavirus. I am very disappointed," said the national record holder 100m sprinter. Asked how confident she is about qualifying for Tokyo Olympics scheduled for July-August, Dutee, who won a silver each in both 100m and 200m in 2018 Asian Games, said, "I don't know. I am worried that I may not qualify for the Olympics. "It is very tough to qualify for the Olympics, the qualification mark is 11.15 seconds. You get good competitors in Europe and that pushes up your timing. Here only five athletes are taking part in 100m (in Indian GP). Competition is not much here," said Dutee, who has a personal best of 11.22 secs. She is still hoping that the situation caused by the virus improves in the days to come and she gets some quality competitions in Europe. "I know the situation is bad and I may not get any race in Europe. But I am still hoping. Now I have these Indian GP series and the Federation Cup (in Patiala next month) to try and qualify for Olympics. Let us see." Talking about the threat of coronavirus wrecking havoc in many countries in the world, she said, "The situation is bad. I am not going out other than for training, not doing any other non-essential things as you can get the virus. I am training hard also as I cannot stop doing that whether there is coronavirus or not. "I am maintaining good hygiene, not having outside food, washing hands frequently. But I cannot use sanitisers all the time while training. Hope this situation is over fast in India and in the world. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Merkel calls support for refugees in Idlib German Chancellor praised the March 5 agreement between Turkey and Russia to restore a fragile cease-fire in Idlib, after weeks-long clashes between the conflict parties. Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday pledged support for refugees in Idlib and underlined the need for a sustainable cease-fire and a political solution to the conflict in Syria. "WE WELCOME TEMPORARY CEASEFIRE" Speaking to reporters in Berlin, following a teleconference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Borris Johnson, Merkel said they had a very useful discussion on the recent developments and humanitarian situation in northwestern Syria. Germany has earmarked 25 million [$27,498] plus 100 million [$109,994] for humanitarian assistance, and this must now quickly reach to the people, she said, referring to millions of displaced Syrians who moved near Turkish border due to intense attacks by the Assad regime in recent months. We very much welcome a temporary ceasefire, Merkel said, but she also underlined the need for a sustainable cease-fire, and steps to revive the talks for a political solution to the conflict. Merkel said the leaders have also discussed the migration issues and the 2016 EU-Turkey refugee agreement, during the video conference call. We have expressed our willingness to offer more financial support if necessary, she said, adding that they were also aware of Ankaras expectations for upgrading the EU-Turkey Customs Union. "However, parts of the country such as vulnerable Indigenous communities should be avoided to limit the spread of this virus," Ms Palaszczuk said. The Premier said schools would remain open based on health advice that suggested the virus operates differently in children. Annastacia Palaszczuk repeated calls for shoppers to only buy what they need: "We are living in a different world to the world we knew just last week." Credit:AAP/Dan Peled "But if your child appears to be ill, keep them at home, dont send them to school," she said. "If you are a teacher or a cleaner in a school and you are unwell, stay at home. "We cannot disrupt our schools for what will be at least six months that would be catastrophic and, as I said, this decision is based on the best possible health advice." Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles said the state would double the number of public laboratories able to test for COVID-19 from Wednesday. Currently samples collected throughout the state are transported to either Brisbane or Townsville, he said. Queensland Health will be expanding the capability of the Pathology Queensland Laboratories at Toowoomba Hospital, Rockhampton Hospital and the Sunshine Coast University Hospital to test for COVID-19. "The additional instruments will dramatically improve turnaround time, it will allow us to do more tests faster." He said private and public labs had tested 24,018 Queenslanders since the start of the outbreak. "In fact, roughly 30 per cent of all tests done in Australia were in Queensland," Mr Miles said. Ms Palaszczuk said strict restrictions would now be put in place at aged care homes. Loading Visitors who have returned from overseas in the past 14 days as well as those who have not been vaccinated against influenza or who have come into contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case should stay away. Aged care homes must limit visits to a maximum of two people at one time, each day, "Children aged 16 years or less should be visiting only by exception, as they generally won't necessarily follow the hygiene measures all the time like adults will and children can be asymptomatic," Ms Palaszczuk said. "In cases of end of life, very tough decisions will have to be made and rules will have to be done on a facility-by-facility basis." Ms Palaszczuk repeated calls for shoppers to only buy what they need. "We are living in a different world to the world we knew just last week. It is a rapidly changing world and we need to be prepared for that," she said. "That means helping each other, supporting each other and respecting each other. BOARD APPROVES THE 2019 ACCOUNTS. SALES 1,481.8 MILLION (+9.6%), EBITDA 544.0 MILLION (+9.0%). 2019 DIVIDEND 1.00 (+8.7%). Consolidated revenues 1,481.8 million, +9.6%. EBITDA (1) 544.0 million, +9,0%. 544.0 million, +9,0%. Operating income 465.3 million, +5.2%. Net income 368.9 million, +18.1%, includes an extraordinary tax benefit of 27.0 million from the so-called "patent box" agreed with the Italian tax authorities in December 2019. Excluding this benefit net income would have been 341.9 million, +9.4%. Net financial position (2) : net debt of 902.7 million. : net debt of 902.7 million. Subsequent events: Isturisa (osilodrostat) approved in EU in January 2020 for Cushing's syndrome and in the USA in March 2020 for Cushing's disease. Dividend for 2019 1.00 per share,of which 0.48 already paid. Resignation of Chairman Mr Flemming rnskov and of the Board members Mr Sren Vestergaard-Poulsen and Mr Francisco Javier de Jaime Guijarro, effective as from the next Shareholders' Meeting, due to increased professional commitments. Appointment of the manager responsible for preparing the Company's financial reports. Annual Meeting of Shareholders convened for 29 April 2020, the sole convocation date. Milan, 18 March 2020 - Recordati's Board of Directors approved the consolidated financial statements for the year 2019 as well as Recordati S.p.A.'s accounts and the 2019 corporate governance and ownership report as required by art. 123bis of the Consolidated Law on Financial Intermediation. The financial statements at, and for the year ended, 31 December 2019 and the aforesaid report as well as the reports issued by the independent and by the statutory Auditors will be made available, within the terms of the law, at the company's head office and published on the company's website www.recordati.com and can also be viewed on the authorized storage system 1Info (www.1Info.it). The Board of Directors also approved the consolidated non financial information disclosure, pursuant to Legislative Decree n. 254, dated 31 December 2019 which will be made available in the same manner. Financial highlights Consolidated revenues in 2019 are 1,481.8 million, up by 9.6% compared to the preceding year. International sales grow by 10.7%. in 2019 are 1,481.8 million, up by 9.6% compared to the preceding year. International sales grow by 10.7%. EBITDA (1) , at 36.7% of sales, is 544.0 million, an increase of 9.0% over 2018. , at 36.7% of sales, is 544.0 million, an increase of 9.0% over 2018. Operating income , at 31.4% of sales, is 465.3 million, an increase of 5.2% over the preceding year. , at 31.4% of sales, is 465.3 million, an increase of 5.2% over the preceding year. Net income, at 24.9% of sales, is 368.9 million, a significant increase of 18.1% over 2018, due to operating income growth and to the tax benefit from the so-called "patent box" agreed with the Italian tax authorities in December 2019. The total benefit amounts to 35.3 million of which 27.0 million from previous years and 8.3 million related to 2019. Excluding benefit related to prior years net income would have been 341.9 million, up 9.4% and 23.1% of sales. at 24.9% of sales, is 368.9 million, a significant increase of 18.1% over 2018, due to operating income growth and to the tax benefit from the so-called "patent box" agreed with the Italian tax authorities in December 2019. The total benefit amounts to 35.3 million of which 27.0 million from previous years and 8.3 million related to 2019. Excluding benefit related to prior years net income would have been 341.9 million, up 9.4% and 23.1% of sales. Net financial position (2) at 31 December 2019 records a net debt of 902.7 million compared to net debt of 588.4 million at 31 December 2018 reflecting dividends distributed for an amount of 190.9 million and payments for an important acquisition, milestones and licenses for a total of 425 million. (1) Net income before net interest, provision for taxes, depreciation, amortization and write down of both property, plant and equipment and intangible assets. (2) Cash and short-term financial investments less bank overdrafts and loans which include the measurement at fair value of hedging derivatives. Business development news In February, Recordati signed a license agreement with Aegerion Pharmaceuticals Inc., a subsidiary of Novelion Therapeutics Inc., for the exclusive rights to commercialize Juxtapid, currently approved for the treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH), in Japan. The agreement includes a right of first negotiation for product commercialization in Japan of any potential new indications that may be developed by Aegerion. Upon signing of the agreement an upfront payment of $ 25 million was paid to Aegerion and a milestone of $ 5 million was paid in June. The agreement includes commercial milestones and royalty payments. In 2018 sales of the product in Japan were of $ 10.8 million. The addition of Juxtapid to our portfolio of rare disease products in Japan is very important for the development of our recently established subsidiary in this country, given its potential for significant growth. Recordati Rare Diseases, a worldwide leader in rare diseases and orphan drugs, recently announced that its strategy aimed at establishing a direct presence in the key markets across all continents has been successfully executed. Local Recordati Rare Diseases companies are now active in North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific. Several companies formerly operating under the name of Orphan Europe were recently renamed Recordati Rare Diseases, which is today the global brand of Recordati's organization dedicated to treatments for rare diseases and orphan drugs. Orphan Europe, founded in 1990, pioneered the development of orphan drugs in Europe and became part of Recordati in 2007. On 12 July 2019 an agreement was signed with Novartis for the acquisition of worldwide rights to Signifor and Signifor LAR for the treatment of Cushing's disease and acromegaly in adult patients for whom surgery is not an option or for whom surgery has failed. Worldwide sales of Signifor in 2019 were $ 75 million. The agreement also covers the acquisition of worldwide rights to Isturisa (osilodrostat), an investigational innovative drug for the treatment of endogenous Cushing's syndrome, for which marketing authorization was granted by the European Commission in January 2020 and approval obtained in the USA in March 2020. The transaction was completed on 23 October 2019 and a consideration of $ 390 million, funded by existing liquidity and new debt facilities, was paid to Novartis. Subsequently, additional milestone payments contingent upon the approval and market access of Isturisa as well as royalties on sales of this new product, will be due. Cushing's syndrome includes Cushing's disease, a severe endocrine disease caused by a pituitary adenoma which results in over-production of cortisol by the adrenal glands and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Acromegaly is caused by an overexposure to growth hormone consequent to a pituitary adenoma. Signifor contains the active substance pasireotide, a somatostatin analogue that helps to control the over-production of cortisol and improve the symptoms of Cushing's disease. The active ingredient in Isturisa, osilodrostat, orally administered, inhibits the final step of cortisol synthesis in the adrenal cortex. This new drug for endogenous Cushing's syndrome is expected to represent an effective new treatment option for patients. Business outlook On 14 February 2020 the company announced the following financial targets for 2020: sales ranging from 1,550 million to 1,580 million, an EBITDA of between 580 and 590 million, EBIT of between 490 and 500 million and net income of between 360 and 370 million. Group consolidated sales during the first two months of 2020 are in line with our expectations. In the face of the epidemiologic emergency due to the COVID-19 virus, the Group is implementing all possible measures and initiatives to guarantee the supply of medicines to its patients and the safety of its employees. Given the complex and constantly evolving situation it is not possible to predict possible future impacts at this time. Dividend Based on the results obtained, the Board of Directors of the parent company will propose to the shareholders a dividend of 0.52 per share, in full balance of the interim 2019 dividend of 0.48, to be paid to all shares outstanding at ex-dividend date, excluding those in treasury stock, as from 20 May 2020 (record date 19 May 2020), with ex-dividend on 18 May 2020 (against presentation of coupon no. 25). The full 2019 dividend is therefore of 1.00 per share ( 0.92 per share in 2018). Resignation of Chairman Mr Flemming rnskov and of the Board members Mr Sren Vestergaard-Poulsen and Mr Francisco Javier de Jaime Guijarro, effective as from the next Shareholders' Meeting The Company, today, 18 March 2020, received notice of the resignation of Mr Flemming rnskov as Chairman and member of the Company's Board of Directors as well as that of Mr Sren Vestergaard-Poulsen and Mr Francisco Javier de Jaime Guijarro as members of the Board of Directors, effective as from the next Shareholders' Meeting, due to increased professional commitments. In light of the resignation of Mr Flemming rnskov, the Board of Directors intends to appoint, as soon as Mr rnskov's resignation becomes effective, Mr Alfredo Altavilla as new Chairman of the Board of Directors. FIMEI S.p.A. (Recordati's majority shareholder) has communicated to the Company that, in view of possible resignations of members of the Board, it has already selected a limited number of high profile candidates to the Board that will be proposed to the next Shareholders' Meeting of the Company in order to further strengthen the composition of the Board also in terms of specific pharmaceutical market experience. Mr Flemming rnskov is Chairman and non executive member of the Board; Mr Sren Vestergaard-Poulsen and Mr Francisco Javier de Jaime Guijarro are qualified as executive members of the Board as per the Code of Corporate Governance as they have management roles in companies belonging to the majority shareholder's group which also involve the Company, but do not have individual operational delegations. Mr Flemming rnskov, Mr Sren Vestergaard-Poulsen and Mr Francisco Javier de Jaime Guijarro are not shareholders in the Company. The Chief Executive Officer, on behalf of the Board of Directors, thanks Mr Flemming rnskov, Mr Sren Vestergaard-Poulsen and Mr Francisco Javier de Jaime Guijarro for their contributions while members of the Board. Appointment of the Manager responsible for preparing the Company's financial reports Following the appointment of Mr Luigi La Corte as Group Chief Financial Officer on 1 November 2019, already announced on 31 October 2019, and the approval of Recordati's 2019 financial accounts and of this press release by the Board of Directors today, the latter resolved, with the prior favourable opinion of the Statutory Auditors and of the Internal Control, Risk and Sustainability Committee, to nominate, with immediate effect, Mr Luigi La Corte as Manager responsible for preparing the company's financial reports pursuant to paragraph 2 of Article 154-bis of the Consolidated Law on Finance, in substitution of Mr Fritz Squindo, who resigned from this role on the same date. Mr Fritz Squindo, member of the Board of Directors, remains Group General Manager. Further Board resolutions The Board of Directors approved the following further deliberation proposals to be submitted to the Annual Shareholders Meeting: Integration of the Board of Directors following the re-determination of the number of Board members and relative and consequent resolutions: Determination of the number of members of the Board of Directors; Appointment of the members of the Board of Directors and integration of the current Board; Determination of the remuneration and integration of the resolutions made by the 5 th February 2019 Shareholders' Meeting; Exemption of the Board members from the non-compete obligations pursuant to art. 2390 of the Civil Code. appointment of the Statutory Auditors, whose mandate ends with the Shareholders' Meeting being called; appointment of the external auditors for the years 2020-2028 and determination of their remuneration; approval of the report on remuneration policies and payments made pursuant to article 123ter of Legislative Decree 58/1998: Binding resolution on the first section relative to remuneration policy; Non binding resolution on the second section relative to 2019 payments made. renewal of the authorization to buy back and dispose of Recordati shares until the Annual Shareholders' Meeting which will approve the 2020 financial statements; Following the resignations of Chairman Mr Flemming rnskov and of the Board members Mr Sren Vestergaard-Poulsen and Mr Francisco Javier de Jaime Guijarro, effective from the next Shareholders' Meeting, the Board of Directors resolved to propose to the Assembly the integration of the Board of Directors after having determined the number of Board members. In this regard, the Board resolved to formulate, in the report of the Board to the Assembly on this point, guidance to the Shareholders aimed at reinforcing the composition of the Board in terms of specific pharmaceutical market experience and increasing the proportion of independent directors. It should be noted that, for the appointment of the new directors, since the majority of the directors appointed by the Shareholders' Meeting remains in office, it is not necessary to present slates and, therefore, the appointment of the new directors completing the Board in office shall take place through a resolution passed with a majority vote. The appointment of the Statutory Auditors will be made in compliance with regulations on gender balance, based on lists and the necessary percentage of share ownership for the presentation of a list is 1% of the share capital with voting rights at the General Assembly. The objective of the proposal to renew the authorization to buy back and dispose of Recordati shares until the Annual Shareholders' Meeting which will approve the 2020 financial statements is, as in previous years, to grant the Board the possibility of: (i) fulfilling the obligations arising from the stock option plans already adopted by the Company and other stock option plans which might be approved in future; (ii) carrying out industrial initiatives, since the authorization to purchase treasury stock will allow transactions such as the sale, contribution and exchange of treasury stock in order to acquire stakes in companies and/or to reach agreements with strategic partners within the Group's expansion objectives; (iii) supporting the Recordati shares' liquidity, in order to promote the regular course of the shares' negotiations and avoid price fluctuations inconsistent with the market trend. The company would be allowed to purchase up to 5,000,000 shares, keeping in mind however, that the nominal value of treasury stock held by the Company must never exceed one fifth of the share capital, taking into account shares which could be held by subsidiaries, for a maximum cash outlay of 200,000,000. The purchase price must be at least equal to the shares' nominal value ( 0.125) and must not exceed the average official Stock Exchange price recorded over the 5 trading days prior to the transaction, plus 5%. Possible purchases may be made by appointing specialized intermediaries and must be made in compliance with applicable legislation and can be done in line with the market practice approved by Consob according to art. 13 Reg. EU 596/2014 where applicable. At 17 March 2020 the company has 4,210,619 shares in Treasury stock which amounts to 2.0134% of the current share capital. Call to an Annual Shareholders' Meeting and documentation The Board of Directors resolved to convene the Annual Shareholders' Meeting to be held at the company's offices on 29 April 2020 at 9.30 am, the sole convocation date, with the following agenda: Board of Directors' Review of Operations; Report of the Board of Statutory Auditors; Financial Statements as at and for the financial year ended 31st December 2019; relative and consequent resolutions: Financial Statements as at and for the financial year ended 31st December 2019; Allocation of 2019 net income. Integration of the Board of Directors following the re-determination of the number of Board members and relative and consequent resolutions: Determination of the number of members of the Board of Directors; Appointment of the members of the Board of Directors and integration of the current Board; Determination of the remuneration and integration of resolutions taken by the 5th February 2019 Shareholders' Meeting. Exemption of the Board members from the non-compete obligations pursuant to art. 2390 of the Civil Code. Appointment of the Statutory Auditors: Appointment of the members of the Statutory Auditors and their Chairman; Determination of their remuneration. Appointment of the external auditors for the years 2020-2028 and determination of the relative remuneration. Report on remuneration policies and payments made in accordance with article 123-ter of Legislative Decree No. 58 of 24th February 1998: Binding resolution on the first section relative to remuneration policies; Non binding resolution on the second section relative to payments made in 2019. Proposal to authorise the purchase and utilisation of treasury stock; relative and consequent resolutions. The entire notice of call of an Ordinary Shareholders' Meeting will be made publicly according to the terms set out in the applicable provisions on the company's website www.recordati.com and on the authorized storage system 1Info (www.1Info.it). It should be noted that, pursuant to art. 106, comma 4, Legislative Decree 17 March 2020 n. 18, participation in the Assembly by those entitled to vote is allowed exclusively through the representative appointed by the Company pursuant to art. 135-undecies of the Legislative Decree 58/98, to which delegation must be conferred, under the terms and conditions indicated in the notice of convocation. Delegations or sub-delegations may be conferred to the abovementioned appointed representative pursuant to art. 135-novies of Legislative Decree 58 dated 24 February 1998, in derogation of art. 135-undecies, comma 4, of the same decree. Within the terms prescribed by current laws and regulations, the Directors' reports on the points of the Shareholders' Meeting agenda and any other documents relative to the Shareholders' Meeting agenda will be made available on the company website and on the authorized storage system 1Info (www.1Info.it). Recordati, established in 1926, is an international pharmaceutical group, listed on the Italian Stock Exchange (Reuters RECI.MI, Bloomberg REC IM, ISIN IT 0003828271), with a total staff of more than 4,100, dedicated to the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceuticals. Headquartered in Milan, Italy, Recordati has operations throughout the whole of Europe, including Russia, Turkey, North Africa, the United States of America, Canada, Mexico, some South American countries, Japan and Australia. An efficient field force of medical representatives promotes a wide range of innovative pharmaceuticals, both proprietary and under license, in a number of therapeutic areas including a specialized business dedicated to treatments for rare diseases. Recordati is a partner of choice for new product licenses for its territories. Recordati is committed to the research and development of new specialties with a focus on treatments for rare diseases. Consolidated revenue for 2019 was 1,481.8 million, operating income was 465.3 million and net income was 368.9 million. For further information: Recordati website: www.recordati.com Investor Relations Media Relations Marianne Tatschke Studio Noris Morano (39)0248787393 (39)0276004736, (39)0276004745 e-mail: investorelations@recordati.it e-mail: norismorano@studionorismorano.com Statements contained in this release, other than historical facts, are "forward-looking statements" (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). These statements are based on currently available information, on current best estimates, and on assumptions believed to be reasonable. This information, these estimates and assumptions may prove to be incomplete or erroneous, and involve numerous risks and uncertainties, beyond the Company's control. Hence, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All mentions and descriptions of Recordati products are intended solely as information on the general nature of the company's activities and are not intended to indicate the advisability of administering any product in any particular instance. RECORDATI GROUP Summary of consolidated results prepared in accordance with the International Accounting Standards and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) (thousands of ) INCOME STATEMENT 2019 2018* Change % REVENUE 1,481,848 1,352,235 9.6 Cost of sales (436,901) (395,569) 10.4 GROSS PROFIT 1,044,947 956,666 9.2 Selling expenses (372,803) (333,497) 11.8 Research and development expenses (129,681) (109,693) 18.2 General & administrative expenses (72,783) (67,722) 7.5 Other income (expenses), net (4,414) (3,535) 24.9 OPERATING INCOME 465,266 442,219 5.2 Financial income (expenses), net (21,122) (24,284) (13.0) PRE-TAX INCOME 444,144 417,935 6.3 Provision for income taxes** (75,278) (105,513) (28.7) NET INCOME 368,866 312,422 18.1 Attributable to: Equity holders of the parent 368,825 312,376 18.1 Minority interests 41 46 (10.9) * The Group has initially applied IFRS 16 at 1 January 2019, using the modified retrospective approach. Under this approach, comparative information is not restated and the possible cumulative effect of initially applying IFRS 16, not significant for the Group, is recognised in retained earnings at the date of initial application. **Provision for income taxes in 2019 includes a non-recurring tax benefit provided by the so-called "patent box": 27.0 million relative to previous years and 8.3 million related to 2019. EARNINGS PER SHARE 2019 2018 Change % Basic 1.800 1.529 17.7 Diluted 1.764 1.494 18.1 Earnings per share (EPS) are based on average shares outstanding during each year, 204,959,193 in 2019 and 204,379,165 in 2018, net of average treasury stock which amounted to 4,165,963 shares in 2019 and 4,745,991 shares in 2018. Diluted earnings per share is calculated taking into account stock options granted to company personnel. COMPOSITION OF REVENUE 2019 2018 Change % Total revenue 1,481,848 1,352,235 9.6 Italy 287,289 273,197 5.2 International 1,194,559 1,079,038 10.7 Pending completion of independent and statutory audits. RECORDATI GROUP Summary of consolidated results prepared in accordance with the International Accounting Standards and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) (thousands of ) ASSETS 31.12.2019 31.12.2018* Property, plant and equipment 133,342 103,582 Intangible assets 1,161,760 672,106 ** Goodwill 577,973 577,786 ** Equity investments 38,566 20,773 Non-current receivables 16,426 5,860 Deferred tax assets 71,513 81,227 ** TOTAL NON-CURRENT ASSETS 1,999,580 1,461,334 Inventories 226,885 206,084 Trade receivables 296,961 245,742 Other receivables 79,949 38,462 Other current assets 7,683 5,193 Fair value of hedging derivatives (cash flow hedge) 9,949 6,414 Short-term financial investments, cash and cash equivalents 187,923 198,036 TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 809,350 699,931 TOTAL ASSETS 2,808,930 2,161,265 *The Group has initially applied IFRS 16 at 1 January 2019, using the modified retrospective approach. Under this approach, comparative information is not restated and the possible cumulative effect of initially applying IFRS 16, not significant for the Group, is recognised in retained earnings at the date of initial application. ** Restated amounts following the change in the allocation of the price paid for the acquisition of Tonipharm S.a.s. Pending completion of independent and statutory audits. RECORDATI GROUP Summary of consolidated results prepared in accordance with the International Accounting Standards and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) (thousands of ) EQUITY AND LIABILITIES 31.12.2019 31.12.2018* Share capital 26,141 26,141 Capital in excess of par value 83,719 83,719 Treasury stock (93,480) (145,608) Hedging reserve (5,357) (8,399) Translation reserve (146,866) (154,146) Other reserves 64,651 43,081 Retained earnings 999,708 897,990 Net income for the period 368,825 312,376 Interim dividend (98,764) (91,761) Equity attributable to the holders of the Parent 1,198,577 963,393 Non-controlling interests 234 193 TOTAL EQUITY 1,198,811 963,586 Loans due after one year 937,344 640,647 Employees' termination pay 20,557 19,547 Deferred tax liabilities 43,172 43,486 ** Other non-current liabilities 22,292 3,257 TOTAL NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES 1,023,365 706,937 Trade payables 175,481 165,020 Other payables 185,706 85,534 Tax liabilities 21,094 42,149 Other current liabilities 12,543 19,359 Provisions 17,933 21,446 Fair value of hedging derivatives (cash flow hedge) 10,788 9,746 Loans due within one year 149,817 130,583 Bank overdrafts and short-term loans 13,392 16,905 TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES 586,754 490,742 TOTAL EQUITY AND LIABILITIES 2,808,930 2,161,265 *The Group has initially applied IFRS 16 at 1 January 2019, using the modified retrospective approach. Under this approach, comparative information is not restated and the possible cumulative effect of initially applying IFRS 16, not significant for the Group, is recognised in retained earnings at the date of initial application. ** Restated amounts following the change in the allocation of the price paid for the acquisition of Tonipharm S.a.s. Pending completion of independent and statutory audits. RECORDATI S.P.A. Summary of consolidated results prepared in accordance with the International Accounting Standards and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) (thousands of ) 2019 2018 Change % Revenue 446,883 450,741 (0.9) Operating income 132,065 152,175 (13.2) Pre-tax income 240,781 263,896 (8.8) Net income 241,092 217,330 10.9 31.12.2019 31.12.2018 Non-current assets 1,597,320 1,253,889 Current assets 391,986 310,340 TOTAL ASSETS 1,989,306 1,564,229 Shareholders' equity 435,426 336,058 Non-current liabilities 991,794 707,431 Current liabilities 562,086 520,740 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY 1,989,306 1,564,229 Pending completion of independent and statutory audits. DECLARATION BY THE MANAGER RESPONSIBLE FOR PREPARING THE COMPANY'S FINANCIAL REPORTS The manager responsible for preparing the company's financial reports Fritz Squindo declares, pursuant to paragraph 2 of Article 154-bis of the Consolidated Law on Finance, that the accounting information contained in this press release corresponds to the document results, books and accounting records. Attachment Technavio has been monitoring the online tutoring market and it is poised to grow by USD 112.14 bn during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of over 15% 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/20200318005266/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Online Tutoring Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire) The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation 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. Growing importance of stem education has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. Online Tutoring Market 2019-2023: Segmentation Online Tutoring Market is segmented as below: Course Stem Courses Language Courses Other Courses Geographic segmentation APAC Europe MEA North America South America 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=IRTNTR31863 Online Tutoring 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 online tutoring market report covers the following areas: Online Tutoring Market size Online Tutoring Market trends Online Tutoring Market industry analysis This study identifies growing popularity of online microlearning as one of the prime reasons driving the online tutoring market growth during the next few years. Online Tutoring Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the online tutoring market, including some of the vendors such as Ambow Education Holding Ltd., China Distance Education Holdings Ltd., iTutorGroup, TAL Education Group and Vedantu Innovations Pvt. Ltd. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the online tutoring 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 Online Tutoring Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023 Detailed information on factors that will assist online tutoring market growth during the next five years Estimation of the online tutoring market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the online tutoring market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of online tutoring 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: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 07: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Europe Market size and forecast 2018-2023 North America Market size and forecast 2018-2023 South America Market size and forecast 2018-2023 MEA Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Key leading countries Market opportunity PART 08: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY COURSE Market segmentation by course Comparison by course STEM courses Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Language courses Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Other courses Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by course PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES Market drivers Market challenges PART 11: MARKET TRENDS Apps and wearables for online tutoring Growing popularity of online microlearning Standardization of tests PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview Landscape disruption Competitive scenario PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Ambow Education Holding Ltd. China Distance Education Holdings Ltd. iTutorGroup TAL Education Group Vedantu Innovations Pvt. Ltd. PART 14: APPENDIX Research methodology List of abbreviations Definition of market positioning of vendors 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/20200318005266/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ Huawei has showcased the innovative CloudLink Enterprise Meeting Solution to H.E. Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana at the maiden edition of the Mobile Technology for Development Conference (MT4D). The Vice President experienced Huaweis innovative CloudLink Meeting Solution when he visited the Huawei stand at the exhibition pavilion during the event. During the visit, the Southern Africa Regional Director for the Financial Services Industry (FSI), at Huawei, Mr. Chen ZhenTao explained that In the digital era, innovation drives the development of enterprises, with smooth communication and collaboration being a key factor behind business success. CloudLink is an integrated, open, and intelligent new-generation enterprise communications solution developed by Huawei, which features Interactive Collaboration, Intelligent Conferencing, and Ultra HD Audio and Video. It can move the conference from the sphere of traditional video to interactive telepresence, thus making communications more efficient based on cloud services and team collaboration. Mr. ZhenTao added that CloudLink is derived from Huawei's own digital transformation practices. As a global company with operations in more than 170 countries, Huawei has 190,000 employees and 1023 office locations. After years of internal practice, CloudLink can support any device, anytime and anywhere, while satisfying the needs of various industries in most business scenarios. The Huawei CloudLink Meeting Solution helps corporations achieve seamless business activities in this era of globalization where most companies are expanding overseas. Enterprises are able to gather team and collaborate with anyone anytime, anywhere by securely sending messages, making calls, or holding conferences thereby improving agility and team collaboration. This he said would reduce travel costs and time thus saving organizations money while ensuring more efficient and effective use of time. The Vice President was excited about the prospects of the solution and commended the innovation. He also called for further demonstrations of the solution and other technologies that would be relevant to Ghanas digitization roadmap. The Communications Minister, Hon. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful who accompanied the Vice President during the visit to the Huawei exhibition booth, also praised Huawei Ghana for their support and innovation while urging them to continue delivering such hi-tech solutions to serve the good people of Ghana. Huaweis participation in the Mobile Technology for Development Conference comes against the backdrop of the companys avid innovations and technological advancement in the areas of Enterprise Solutions, Core Banking and Mobile Money services platform to help deliver basic business and digital banking with a focus on developing economies. 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 Two Passaic County men were arrested Wednesday on accusations they robbed separate banks at gunpoint last month, authorities said Wednesday. Nicholas Ortiz, 37, of Paterson, and Jose Soto, 49, of Passaic, were each charged with one count of bank robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit bank robbery in connection with the Feb. 27 armed holdup at a Valley National Bank in Little Falls, where they swiped $45,000, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Craig Carpenito said in a statement. Soto was also charged with a count of bank robbery for a holdup at a PNC Bank in Passaic early February, where the take was $35,000, the statement said. Both men were scheduled to appear in federal court in Newark Wednesday via telephonic conference. Authorities say the robbers donned dark clothing in each crime, wore masks in one and burst in wielding handguns and coordinated the robbery: one did crowd control while the other would ransack the banks cash drawers. On Feb. 27 in Little Falls, two gunmen with their faces wrapped in dark scarves and wearing gloves arrived at the Valley National Bank and began shouting at bank employees to be quiet and comply, according to the criminal complaint. "Shut up and do what I say, one said. One brandished a silver and black handgun and pointed it at customers and employees while the other suspect vaulted over a counter and began rifling through drawers, the complaint said. At gunpoint, the duo then forced employees to open the bank vault, bringing them more cash. The duo then corralled the employees into the bank vault before fleeing through a back door. Three weeks earlier, two suspects wearing black ski masks and holding umbrellas came into a PNC Bank in Passaic, yelling at everyone to get down on the floor. Once again, while one suspect held employees and customers at gunpoint, the other jumped over the teller counter, demanding that the bank teller turn over the cash drawers. At one point, one of the suspects shouted, that the money was insured, and not to worry about it and dont get shot, the complaint said. It was unclear which of the two men were brandishing the handgun during either of the robberies. During their investigation, authorities were able to identify Soto as the owner of the getaway car from the Passaic bank robbery. Authorities were also able to pinpoint Sotos phone in the area of the bank on the day of the robbery. Authorities pegged Ortiz as the owner of the getaway car used in the Little Falls bank robbery, while both Ortiz and Sotos phones were placed in the area of the bank on the day of the robbery. Rodrigo Torrejon may be reached at rtorrejon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rodrigotorrejon. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. A cancer survivor who fled London for his native France has said he refuses to be Boris Johnsons guinea pig amid anger at the governments coronavirus response. Gwenael Pilorget said a herd immunity strategy would put him at risk and he feared being admitted to an overwhelmed NHS hospital as an emergency case were he to test positive for Covid-19. The 31-year-old, who has been working in London for more than three years, described the prime minister as the Titanic captain. With a low immune system already, following treatment for leukaemia, he said he could not afford to take any chances, adding: I dont want to be Boris Johnsons guinea pig. Englands chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said last week that a herd immunity approach where a large portion of the public are exposed to the disease could be beneficial, as Mr Johnson warned: Many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time. Our aim is to try and reduce the peak, broaden the peak, not suppress it completely, Sir Patrick told the BBCs Today on Friday. Also, because the vast majority of people get a mild illness, to build up some kind of herd immunity so more people are immune to this disease and we reduce the transmission. At the same time we protect those who are most vulnerable to it. Health secretary Matt Hancock later denied that was the governments policy, describing herd immunity as a scientific concept, not a goal or strategy. The approach had been criticised by a group of scientists from UK universities, who said it risks many more lives than necessary, and was called into question by the World Health Organisation. The prime minister has since urged citizens to work from home, avoid all non-essential contact and travel, and has told over-70s and those at greater risk to self-isolate for 12 weeks. Despite granting police powers to detain infected individuals deemed to pose a risk to public health, Mr Johnson has stopped short of enforcing closures of schools, businesses and public places. Mr Pilorget said the latest British government guidance issued less than 24 hours after he left London did not go far enough. Encouraging people not to go to the pub and telling people its best working from home is clearly not enough, said Mr Pilorget, who is self-isolating at his family home in Brittany, near his oncologist. I understand you cant stop an entire country all of a sudden without any bad outcome on the economy but I really have the feeling Boris is the Titanic captain. Mr Pilorget said there was a noticeable difference in the mood between London and Paris, where he arrived on the Eurostar on Sunday night. Its a ghost town, he said. Everything is closed. People are not going out. French president Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday imposed restrictions to the effect that citizens may only leave home to buy food, go to work or do essential tasks. The French president has declared we are at war against an invisible enemy. Theres a tension in the air, something heavy, said Mr Pilorget, who is currently still able to work remotely in his sales role. He said he feels it is taking time for the seriousness of the situation to sink in for people in the UK, as it did in France. I feel like it takes a lot of time for people to realise whats happening. Two months ago, we were just watching the news thinking this would never happen here, he said. It took time for French people to realise what was happening in Italy, and it is taking time for people in the UK to realise whats happening in Europe at the moment. Additional reporting by PA It is a challenging time to be the parent of a high school junior and college freshman. As concerns about COVID-19 prompt school and campus closures, including my childrens, I stress about the impact this disruption will have on their academic experiences. Will my junior be able to learn the material he needs to do well on his AP and SAT subject tests? Will those tests even go forward? What about the Promposal he was planning, with the mix of nerves and excitement that are so typical of the teen social scene? Will there even be a Junior Prom? And what about the college visits we were planning for the April break? Campus visits have been suspended until fall, so we will take virtual tours, but will that give my child the feel of the place we were hoping these visits would provide? Will my college freshman be able to complete classes remotely? How does one even take a lab course remotely? A pre-med student, will he be able to volunteer at a city hospital this summer as he thought he might? I realize these disruptions could be worse. My elder son has asthma and my spouse and I are admittedly middle-aged, but otherwise my family is not especially at risk. My college students campus is a several-hour drive from our home, but at least it is not a plane trip away. Still, I find myself exhausted from these worries. So I have thrown myself at a project that the forced quarantine has created time for sorting through the personal papers, letters and photos belonging to my parents that I moved to my house after the recent sale of my childhood home. My mother passed away in 2013, after declining for several years with dementia. My father passed away last year at age 92, after a very brief illness. It feels strange to be grateful that he died when he did, but I am. My parents were born in 1926, and lived long, healthy and productive lives. By the time I was born in 1968 (also a year of disruption!), World War II was something of a distant memory, a generation removed. But as I sift through the mementos my parents held on to, in photo albums, cigar boxes, even old Army ammunition boxes, it is clear that the war years were not a footnote in their lives. My mother graduated high school in 1943. Even as she recorded in her journals the fun and gay memories that populate early adulthood, she, her siblings and my grandparents had to be strong not knowing the fate of my mothers older brother, an Army Air Force tail gunner based in England. My father graduated high school in 1944, and was told not to make plans, that he would certainly be drafted. He dutifully sat for entrance tests, and ended up training to be a radio operator with the Great Lakes Naval Station. His college entrance was delayed until 1946, but at least he was able to enter college with an ROTC scholarship, though it did not pay for much beyond basic boarding costs. He transferred from a junior college to Clarkson Memorial Institute of Technology (todays Clarkson University) and took on a demanding course load so he could graduate in 1950 with a civil engineering degree. Then again, as he was starting to put together his professional career, first with the U.S. Geological Survey and then with Hughes Aircraft, his plans were disrupted and he was sent to Korea for two years as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. As I look back at my childhood through the lens of an adult, it is notable that none of the adults in that childhood complained about the disruption the war years imposed. I know they were stressful years, no one called them happy years, but when they were referenced they were called formative years. I never heard a first-hand account of my uncles wartime experience until my wedding. My husband and I were living in Brussels at the time, and my uncle remarked that he had been to Brussels and remembered seeing the Mannekin Pis. To my stunned ears, he shared that he was in Brussels because he and his bomber crew had been shot down over Belgium and had managed to connect with a local cell of the Resistance, which heroically found them a plane that did not have a functioning radio. So they flew back to England not knowing if they would be shot down again possibly by friendly fire and upon landing were committed to two weeks of isolation to treat their PTSD. In comparison my households quarantine seems like a vacation. It is a testament to my parents generation that they graduated from the war years stronger for the experience, the way metal is made stronger by fire. Veterans entered college in unprecedented numbers. When my uncle started at Cornell University in the fall of 1946, there were so many GIs entering college there were not enough dorm rooms to house them and they started the year in tents on the Arts Quad. The nation, concerned about war readiness, created the Interstate Highway System, which bolstered the American economy, even if that was an unintended consequence. The current State of Emergency prompted by COVID-19 may not compare with the disruption and trauma of World War II. That is for individuals and history to decide. But we are certainly capable of using this disruption to make our world a better place. That is not unprecedented. Janet Stone McGuigan is an Old Greenwich resident. U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (Democrat-New Jersey) has criticized Russia for what he called "serious human rights" abuses in Crimea during the six years since Russia's "illegal occupation and annexation" of the peninsula from Ukraine. "Today, as it was six years ago, Crimea remains Ukrainian territory. Period," Menendez, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said on March 18. "On this somber day, I stand in solidarity with the Crimean people, who continue to face serious human rights abuses at the hand of their occupiers, including torture, arbitrary arrests, and the erosion of basic freedoms of expression and association," Menendez said. Menendez's criticism came as Russian President Vladimir Putin began a two-day visit to Crimea, which Moscow seized in 2014. Moscow deployed military forces across Crimea and secured control of key government buildings in February 2014. The following month, it carried out a hastily organized referendum on Crimea's status that is considered illegitimate by more than 100 countries. In a statement, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry criticized Putin's visit and denounced Russia's "cynical" disrespect for international law. The visit coincided with Russian military exercises at a training range in Crimea. Russia's Defense Ministry said the drills involved 600 airborne troops In his statement, Menendez noted that Congress "has made clear" in several pieces of legislation that "the United States should never recognize Russia's illegal occupation of Crimea." U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on February 26 said Washington "does not and will not ever recognize" Moscow's annexation of Crimea. On January 29, the U.S. Treasury Department joined the European Union and Canada in imposing fresh sanctions against Russia in response to Moscow's "continued aggression toward Ukraine and attempted occupation of Crimea." Menendez urged other countries around the world to "adopt a policy of nonrecognition of Crimea as Russian territory." "When world leaders do not speak out against Putin's use of violence to alter national borders, it only emboldens future illegal aggression," he said. On March 16, the European Union said all 27 members of the bloc remained committed to "fully implementing" a nonrecognition policy, including through the use of sanctions, until Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity are restored. With reporting by Interfax A graduate of River Dell High School in Bergen County died Monday after being hospitalized with medical issues he suffered in Maryland. Nick Myers, 18, was attending Loyola University. He was hospitalized earlier this month after suffering a brain abscess and stroke, the university said in a statement. Myers, who was from River Edge, played lacrosse and was captain of the River Dell Hawks swim team. He was also involved with the Boy Scouts of America and worked as a lifeguard at the River Edge Swim Club, the statement said. He will be missed by the many students, faculty, and staff who knew and loved him, the university said. A memorial service is planned at Loyolas Alumni Memorial Chapel after students return to campus, the university said. Plans for local services had not been announced by early Wednesday. Correction: The above article was edited to correct Nick Myers age. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. A cancer survivor who fled London at the weekend for his native France over concerns the UK is not doing enough in the fight against coronavirus has described Boris Johnson as the Titanic captain. Gwenael Pilorget said that a herd immunity strategy would have put him at risk and told of his fear at having to be admitted to an overwhelmed NHS hospital as an emergency case should he test positive for Covid-19. The 31-year-old, who has been working in London for more than three years, told the PA news agency that, with a low immunity already following his treatment for leukaemia, he could not afford to take any chances. He said: I dont want to be Boris Johnsons guinea pig. Gwenael Pilorget decided to leave London and work remotely from France (Agathe Lefevre/PA) Englands chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said last week that a herd immunity approach where a large portion of the public are exposed to the disease could be beneficial, but Health Secretary Matt Hancock denied that was the Governments policy, describing it as a scientific concept. The approach had been criticised by a group of scientists from UK universities, who said it risks many more lives than necessary, and was called into question by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Mr Pilorget, who is now in self-isolation at his family home in Brittany near his oncologist, said the latest British Government guidance, which was issued less than 24 hours after he left London and included avoiding all non-essential contact and travel, did not go far enough. He said: Encouraging people not to go to the pub and telling people its best working from home is clearly not enough. I understand you cant stop an entire country all of a sudden without any bad outcome on the economy but I really have the feeling Boris is the Titanic captain. Arriving on the Eurostar in Paris on Sunday night, the mood was in stark contrast to the capital city Mr Pilorget had just left. Story continues He said: Its a ghost town. Everything is closed. People are not going out. On Tuesday, French president Emmanuel Macron imposed restrictions which allow people to leave home only to buy food, go to work or do essential tasks. Mr Pilorget, who is currently still able to work remotely in his sales role from France, said: The French president has declared we are at war against an invisible enemy. Theres a tension in the air, something heavy. Mr Pilorget said he feels it is taking time for the seriousness of the situation to sink in for people in the UK, as it did in France. He said: I feel like it takes a lot of time for people to realise whats happening. Two months ago, we were just watching the news thinking this would never happen here. It took time for French people to realise what was happening in Italy, and it is taking time for people in the UK to realise whats happening in Europe at the moment. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-19 00:29:45|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Two bushfires that broke out Wednesday in Beijing's northern suburbs of Yanqing and Pinggu have been put out, with cleanup work currently underway, local authorities said. The first fire broke out at 4:33 p.m. Wednesday on a mountain in Yanqing. More than 600 firefighters rushed to the scene to fight the blaze, and as of 8:30 p.m., the fire was put out and the site was brought under control. In the city's northeastern suburb of Pinggu, some 300 firefighting personnel and 37 fire engines were sent by the municipal fire corps after another forest fire broke out at around 7:40 p.m. Wednesday. The fire had been brought under control as of 10:40 p.m. No casualties been reported in the two fires. Janet Yellen, former Chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve, right, has been nominated by President-elect Joe Biden to serve as Treasury Secretary. Former Federal Reserve chairs Ben Bernanke and Janet Yellen are recommending that the central bank continue trying to shore up the economy against the coronavirus threat, even suggesting that it go beyond the powers it now has. In a Financial Times essay, the two say the Fed should look for more authority that would give it the power to purchase corporate bonds on top of the Treasurys and mortgage-backed securities it already plans to buy. "The Fed's intervention could help restart that part of the corporate debt market, which is under significant stress," Bernanke and Yellen wrote. "Such a program would have to be carefully calibrated to minimize the credit risk taken by the Fed while still providing needed liquidity to an essential market." Yellen and Bernanke served during the financial crisis, the latter as chairman and the former as head of the San Francisco Fed. Back then, they helped roll out a number of innovative programs aimed at recapitalizing the banking industry and getting money flowing through the financial system again to businesses and households. The Fed already has deployed several of those tools, moving Tuesday into credit operations for commercial paper and another for primary dealers that buy Treasurys directly from the government and use the liquidity to fund credit for businesses and households. That's on top of a $1 trillion a day foray into the overnight repo markets where banks go for short-term funding and longer-term bond purchases. Getting into corporate debt and its higher levels of risk, though, requires congressional approval. The two former chairs recommend that the Fed buy "limited amounts of investment-grade corporate debt" and pointed out that other global central banks already have that authority. Bernanke and Yellen are not the first to recommend that the Fed go further out on the risk curve some have suggested it buy into the equity market through exchange-traded funds but the idea does seem to be gaining steam as the coronavirus crisis worsens. Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren in a recent speech suggested doing so. "To avoid permanent damage from the virus-induced downturn, it is important to ensure that credit is available for otherwise sound borrowers who face a temporary period of low income or revenues," Bernanke and Yellen wrote. Though they said the Fed has done much so far, "there is more that the central bank should consider doing as it helps Congress reduce the long-run effects of the downturn." University of Nebraska employees who are able to work from home should start March 23, President Ted Carter told the university system's 14,000 faculty, staff and 10,000 student workers Wednesday. "One of the most effective ways to mitigate the spread of the virus is through social distancing," he said. Wherever possible, Carter wrote in a message to the university's three chancellors, supervisors are to "create as much flexibility as possible for their teams" to work remotely amid the global coronavirus pandemic. Carter previously said NU employees were eligible to receive up to 80 hours of paid emergency leave if they fell ill with COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, or if they needed to care for family members. Wednesday's announcement went beyond previous guidance issued by NU's top leader, but with some caveats. "However, I recognize that not all jobs can be performed at home," he wrote. "Supervisors, working with system or campus leadership, will determine which jobs can be performed remotely and which require a presence on campus." At GWU, officials said the new tent would limit exposure to the virus by separating coronavirus cases from the larger population. Patients can be triaged and tested there, and those who are well enough to be sent home will be. Bruno Petinaux, the hospitals chief medical officer, said 80 percent of patients infected with the virus have been able to recuperate at home. Critical cases will be admitted to the hospital. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Wednesday issued guidelines for the rest of the board examinations in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Each centre superintendent should ensure that candidates are seated at a distance of one metre from each other and masks are provided to candidates who cough or sneeze," the CBSE said in a release. The Ministry of Health on Wednesday said that the number of positive cases of coronavirus has climbed to 151, including 25 foreign nationals. Globally, the virus has infected nearly 185,000 people and killed more than 7500, as per the latest data available on the World Health Organisation website. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Regulatory News: The three countries in which Carmila (Paris:CARM) operates, France, Spain and Italy, are now subject to restrictions whereby only essential businesses are to remain open. As convenience shopping malls throughout its footprint, Carmila's shopping centres are an essential component for the population in this period of crisis: Carmila's shopping centres are all anchored by Carrefour hypermarkets which remain accessible to the public, and the shops in the shopping centre authorized to operate are also open. Non-essential businesses are closed in accordance with the regulatory provisions specific to each country. Carmila and Carrefour Property teams keep managing the sites locally; whether their shop is open or closed, the dialogue and assistance with tenants are permanent. In order to support the tenants during this period, Carmila differs the payment of the next rental and charges invoicing until the end of April. Carmila has decided on all three geographies and for the whole of the second quarter of 2020, to adapt the invoicing of the rents and charges by dividing them into 3 monthly installments due at the end-of-period. This measure aims to protect tenants' cash while awaiting the implementation of the public aids announced. Furthermore, the Carmila group stresses that it has a strong financial profile, with undrawn credit lines and excess cash enabling it to face serenely and ensure liquidity during this health crisis even if it were to last several months. In its three countries, the group has positive cash positions and the capacity to rapidly reinforce them: to date, the max 600 million commercial paper program is used up to 13% and to secure its cash needs, the Group has just exercised its rights in the amount of 200 million on its undrawn line of credit of 750 million. Measures have been taken to delay non-essential investments and to strengthen further the company's cash position. Next events and publications: 23 April 2020 (after market close)Q1 2020 activity 14 May 2020 (9:00am Paris time)Shareholders' Annual General Meeting 29 July 2020 (after market close)2020 Half-Year Results 30 July 2020 (2:30pm Paris time)Investors' and Analysts' Meeting About Carmila Carmila was founded by Carrefour and large institutional investors in order to develop the value of shopping centers anchored by Carrefour stores in France, Spain and Italy. As at 31 December 2019, its consists of 215 shopping centers in France, Spain and Italy, mostly leaders in their catchment areas, and was valued at Euro 6.4 bn. Inspired by a genuine retail culture, Carmila's teams include all of the expertise dedicated to retail attractiveness: leasing, digital marketing, specialty leasing, shopping centre management and portfolio management. Carmila is listed on compartment A of Euronext-Paris market under the ticker CARM and benefits from the "SIIC" real estate investment trust (REIT) tax status. On September 18, 2017, Carmila joined the FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Global Real Estate (EMEA Region) indices. On September 24, 2018, Carmila joined Euronext CAC Small, CAC Mid Small and CAC All-tradable indices. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005673/en/ Contacts: Investors and analysts contact Marie-Flore Bachelier General Secretary marie_flore_bachelier@carmila.com +33 6 20 91 67 79 Press contact Morgan Lavielle Head of Corporate Communication morgan_lavielle@carmila.com +33 6 87 77 48 80 An Australian firefighter has used his annual leave to buy and deliver groceries to elderly people struggling to make it to the shops during the coronavirus pandemic. Todd Boaden, a firefighter for Fire and Rescue New South Wales, and his sister Hannah have volunteered to shop for their elderly neighbours in Rockdale, in Sydney's south, over the next month. 'We're finding struggling pensioners and elderly down at the supermarkets to help out with sourcing essentials and packing and delivering,' Mr Boaden told Daily Mail Australia. 'We need to all band together and help out as much as possible in this very scary and trying times.' The 31-year-old, who fought blazes at the blue mountains and Sussex inlet during the bushfire crisis, will pay for the groceries with a donated Coles voucher. He has also vowed to use his own money towards the shopping haul if the voucher doesn't cover the cost. Todd Boaden, a firefighter for Fire and Rescue New South Wales, and his sister Hannah (pictured) will spend the next month shopping for their vulnerable neighbours in Rockdale, in Sydney's south. Pictured with their grandfather Mr Boaden has paid for the groceries with a donated Coles voucher, but will also put his own money towards the shopping haul The firefighter of seven years took to Facebook to advertise the initiative, encouraging people to spread his offer to their elderly relatives. 'If you have a mum or dad, nana or grandpa or know if anyone elderly and struggling can you please tag them of let me know where they are and what they need help with,' he wrote. 'I'm a patriotic Aussie and will probably never be called into war like my father or forefathers but what I know about Australians is this: we are a proud and resilient people and we do anything and everything in our power to help out our mates.' Mr Boaden said he will continue to volunteer for as long as the pandemic lasts. 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 'These elderly people struggling right now fought wars for us and have helped raise and mould us,' he said. 'They once were willing to give their all and the least young Aussies can do is give a little back.' Mr Boaden has also been delivering much-needed necessities to his grandfather, who lives at St Brigid's Green aged care centre in Maroubra, as well has his parents and some of their friends. His initiative comes just days after Woolworths and Coles introduced a dedicated shopping hour for the elderly and disabled to stock up without being overwhelmed by the panic buying chaos. The issue has caused stress and frustration among elderly shoppers, many of which find it difficult to make frequent visits to supermarkets for essential goods. Panic-buying sparked by the spread of coronavirus in Australia has seen supermarkets stripped of toilet paper, pasta, rice and frozen food, as well as tinned and other dried goods. Mr Boaden (left) has also been delivering much-needed necessities to his grandfather (right), who lives at St Brigid's Green aged care centre in Maroubra, as well has his parents and some of their friends '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. The supermarket giants will be closing their doors at 8pm each night to give staff a chance to restock and clean. Doors will open again at 7am for elderly customers and people with diabilities, before opening for the general public again at 8am. '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.' Coles on Wednesday held its first 'community hour' for seniors and pension card holders from 7-8am at its stores nationwide, before opening to everyone else. People with government-issued concession cards on Tuesday flocked to Woolworths, which implemented a similar measure, and IGA is considering whether to roll out the same. It comes as Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced stringent new measures to the aged care sector to prevent COVID-19 transmission. Aged care facilities will limit visits to a short duration and to a maximum of two visitors at one time per day. 'These may be immediate social supports, family members, close friends, or professional service or advocacy workers,' Mr Morrison told reporters on Wednesday morning. Woolworths and Coles have introduced a dedicated shopping hour for the elderly and disabled to stock up without being overwhelmed by the panic buying chaos Panic-buying has caused stress among elderly shoppers. Pictured: People are seen waiting for the opening of Woolworths supermarket in Balmain '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.' The Prime Minister also advised against all overseas travel, marking 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 their flights are cancelled and they are stranded overseas. 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.' Prime Minister Scott Morrison advised against all overseas travel and banned gatherings of more than 100 people as the country battles the coronavirus outbreak. Pictured at a press conference on Wednesday morning The Prime Minister also banned non-essential gatherings of more 100 people indoors and 500 people outdoors. 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. 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. Hundreds of protestors including members of the Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ), a non-political Islamic organisation, gathered near the Madras High Court here on Wednesday to demand revocation of the Citizenship Ammendment Act (CAA) and against the Population Registrar (NPR). The 'jail bharo' protest is being held near the high court at Parry's Corner here. Meanwhile, earlier today protestors at Washermanpet, who had been sitting in protest against the Citizenship Ammendment Act (CAA) for over a month now, temporarily called off their agitation. The Tamil Nadu state government had ordered a shutdown of all educational institutions, malls, supermarkets, theatres, pubs, swimming pools, gyms and other places of mass gathering until March 31. The government also advised people to avoid mass gathering at places of worship and said that screening of people should take place at places of worship. People in the state have also been advised to avoid travelling to other states for the next 15 days. Tamil Nadu has so far reported one positive coronavirus case according to official data. The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in India has gone up to 147 according to government data. There are a total of 3 deaths reported in the coutnry from the infection. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hannah Brown's younger brother has revealed he spent two days on a ventilator following an overdose earlier this month. Patrick Brown took to Instagram on Tuesday to share his deeply personal struggles, along with a poignant black-and-white snap of himself gazing towards a body of water. 'I have been very hesitant to post this because of my pride and ego but God has been weighing on my heart lately to share,' he captioned the photo. Inner turmoil: Hannah Brown's younger brother has revealed he spent two days on a ventilator following an overdose earlier this month 'As some people know On March 1st I overdosed, I ended up spending 2 days on a ventilator and I am so grateful to be here to share this with everyone. I am not posting this for pity or what not but to thank everyone who has checked up on me. 'Y'all are the reason I fully intend to take my story and share it to hopefully save another loved ones to not have to go through waiting by the bedside hoping they wake up.' 'Rather then being mad at myself for this I am thankful this happened. I have grown so much closer to God, healing my heart, and finding out who has my best interest at heart. This is my second chance and I intend to make the best out of it and can't wait to share where my testimony goes from here! 'Tomorrow isn't promised, so live it for the king, hold your loved ones a little harder everyday and check in on them. Things like this don't happen suddenly, it happens in the dark and slowly. Sometimes all it takes is a simple text or phone call to show someone you care.' Seeking help: Patrick tagged the post at Soba Recovery Texas, a luxury drug and alcohol treatment center based in San Antonio Looking for love! Hannah skyrocketed to fame after starring on The Bachelorette Fan favorite: Tyler Cameron was a runner-up on Hannah's season of The Bachelorette Patrick tagged the location of the photo at Soba Recovery Texas, a luxury drug and alcohol treatment center based in San Antonio. Patrick is the younger brother of pageant queen Hannah Brown, who rose to fame after appearing on both The Bachelor and Bachelorette. The reality star accepted a proposal from Jed Wyatt after turning down fan favorite Tyler Cameron at the end of The Bachelorette. Though her relationship with Jed was ill-fated, her friendship with Tyler continued. Ray of sunshine! The pair got fans talking once again after they were seen enjoying a little sun and sand together in Florida over the weekend The pair got fans talking once again after they were seen enjoying a little sun and sand together in Florida over the weekend. The getaway appeared to be a nice distraction for Tyler, who recently lost his mother. Tyler's mother Andrea died at age 55 from a brain aneurysm on February 29, one day before Patrick's overdose. Legal publisher Fastcase and the American Bar Association (ABA) today announced that select titles from the ABAs leading sections are now available in the Fastcase legal research platform. The ABA, a leading national publisher of legal treatises, books, and practice guides across all market segments and practice areas of law, has contributed 87 books to the Fastcase library. These are available for individual purchase by all Fastcase subscribers more than three-quarters of all lawyers across the nation. Interested Fastcase users can access the titles by signing up for a la carte annual subscriptions, with unlimited access to book updates as they become available. Fastcase and the ABA announced their partnership in the spring of 2019. With this partnership, Fastcase continues to advance its mission of making the law more accessible to more people and bolsters the companys efforts to give law firms, law schools, and law libraries access to unique, must-have expert commentary published in consumer-friendly media formats. When traditional legal publishers were ramping down their book divisions, the state bars and the ABA stepped up and kept legal book publishing vibrant, said Steve Errick, Fastcases Chief Operating Officer. Fastcase is a long-standing partner of bar associations and is working hand in hand with state, local, and specialty bar associations, as well as national publishers like Wolters Kluwer, James Publishing, and Littler Mendelson, to make sure our subscribers have access to leading expert secondary content and our publishing partners have wide distribution. The trust the ABA has placed in making its publications available in Fastcase speaks to the long-term value of a shared vision to enrich the legal research experience for the wider legal community. Fastcase subscribers, as well as members of bar associations that provide access to Fastcases online law library as a member benefit, will receive unrestricted access to any individual or practice section publication through individual and special bundled retail pricing for annual subscriptions. Law schools, large firms, and government organizations will also be able to subscribe to the collection as part of their Fastcase access. We are excited to partner the ABAs highly regarded book content with Fastcases dynamic platform, said Bryan Kay, Director of Editorial and Licensing for ABA Publishing. We share Fastcases vision to provide lawyers with the secondary content they need to excel in their work and advance the Rule of Law; and are pleased to join Fastcase in its commitment to grow creative, expert, sensible content written by lawyers for lawyers. The titles are available for purchase in conjunction with Fastcases other publishing partners, as well as its own publishing imprint, Full Court Press. Fastcase users can search the new treatises within the Fastcase legal research platform immediately. For assistance with accessing the new secondary materials, users can contact customer support at 1-866-77-FASTCASE (866.773.2782). Those without a Fastcase subscription can try the new integration by signing up for a free trial at http://www.fastcase.com. About Fastcase Fastcase is a leading legal publisher that democratizes the law, making it more accessible to more people. Fastcase is a comprehensive research suite of primary law, treatises, legal blogs, analytics, workflow tools, and legal news. Founded in 1999, the service has more than 900,000 subscribers from around the world. Fastcase is an American company based in Washington, D.C. For more information, follow Fastcase on Twitter at @Fastcase or visit fastcase.com. About the ABA The American Bar Association is one of the largest voluntary professional membership organizations in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law. View our privacy statement online. Follow the latest ABA news at http://www.americanbar.org/news and on Twitter @ABANews. In the first day of voting amid near-lockdowns over the COVID-19 outbreak across the country, Joe Biden beat Bernie Sanders in Florida on Tuesday, a crucial primary victory and delegate haul that could help pave the way for the Democratic presidential nomination. The Associated Press projected Biden would win the Sunshine State just after polls closed at 8 p.m. The former vice president will pick up the bigger share of Floridas 219 delegates in the run up to the Democratic National Convention in July. Senator Sanders, the Vermont progressive whose fiery grassroots campaign picked up wins in the first few states in the 2020 season, could not stem the tide of surging support for Biden as the former Delaware senator won a string of decisive victories and the primary field narrowed over the last few weeks. After Biden took South Carolina, won 10 states on Super Tuesday and the key state of Michigan last week, he led Sanders in pledged delegates 898 to 745. He headed into Tuesdays contests in Florida, Illinois and Arizona as the heavy favorite according to multiple polls. Ohio health officials agreed with Gov. Mike Dewine and kept polls closed to help prevent the spread of the deadly string of coronavirus, which has killed 100 nationwide and prompted schools, businesses and public buildings to shutter. Sanders has said he would back whomever the Democratic nominee is, but consistently argued that his progressive movement built around the working class, Medicare for All and combatting climate change gave Democrats the best chance against President Donald Trump. But Biden, at Sundays CNN debate in Washington, D.C., argued the genuine movement was behind him, with voters handing him victories in a host of states where he did not campaign as hard as other candidates, including Sanders. Related Content: There are kids in this country killing themselves because theyre trans and they dont see a light at the end of the tunnel. They dont see respect. They dont see themselves portrayed as being people, not ordinary people, of course, because nobodys ordinary, but they dont see how great they can be," Quinn said. So I think its important for them to see that you can survive, you can prosper, you can go to school, you can study hard. You can make your way, and you can be a judge." A Los Angeles International Airport worker stands near an empty TSA line in Terminal 7 on Saturday. (Los Angeles Times) To the editor: The airline industry's trade group is calling on the federal government to provide about $58 billion in loans, grants and tax breaks. Other industries are sure to follow; they will say they need the money to preserve jobs, maintain vital infrastructure and stimulate the economy. These are all myths intended to obscure the fact that bailouts benefit some of the richest people in America. The first myth is that bailouts preserve jobs. Airlines will continue to cancel flights, idle planes and furlough employees as long as demand for their services continues to fall. Bailout money will go to the bottom line. The second myth is that bailouts protect infrastructure. Our air transportation infrastructure is endangered neither by the coronavirus nor airline bankruptcy, which wipes out current shareholders and allows a company to be reorganized. As travel demand recovers, the infrastructure will be put back to work. Only the shareholders benefit from a bailout. The third myth is that bailouts stimulate the economy. Corporate bailouts will be used primarily to preserve the assets of shareholders, not to stimulate consumption spending. To stimulate the economy, bail out people, not corporations. Michael M. Murphy, La Canada Flintridge The writer is a visiting professor of business and economics at Forman Christian College in Lahore, Pakistan. .. To the editor: If the airlines want a bailout, here are the terms we taxpayers are laying out: You have nickeled and dimed passengers for years, adding tremendously to your bottom line. Therefore, for the next five years, beginning with this bailout, you will not be allowed to charge for checked baggage, pillows or blankets. Thank you for listening. The deadline for replying is March 20. Bernadine Bednarz, Los Angeles .. To the editor: Up until the coronavirus crisis began, the airlines seeking a massive bailout from the federal government were together making billions of dollars in profit. Why would the government rush to bail these companies out with taxpayer money? Story continues These airlines should first use the huge profits they've made to pay their idled employees during the coming months when the demand is reduced for airline travel. Any financial support that our government decides to give these companies should be in the form of loans made with a scheduled plan for repayment and should include government oversight and supervision of how the money will be used. Carol J. Smith, Cerritos How mass pilgrimage at Malaysian mosque became coronavirus hotspot A "No Entry" sign is seen outside Seri Petaling Mosque, which has emerged as a source of hundreds of new coronavirus disease infections spanning across Southeast Asia, in Kuala Lumpur By A. Ananthalakshmi and Joseph Sipalan KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Worshippers slept in packed tents outside the golden-domed mosque, waking before dawn to kneel on rows of prayer mats laid out in its cavernous central hall. All the while, the coronavirus was passing unnoticed among the guests. The Muslim gathering held at the end of last month at a sprawling mosque complex on the outskirts of Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur has emerged as a source of hundreds of new coronavirus infections spanning Southeast Asia. A 34-year-old Malaysian man who attended the event died on Tuesday, Malaysia's Minister of Health Adham Baba said, the first death linked to the Feb. 27-March 1 event at the Sri Petaling mosque compound. It was attended by 16,000 people, including 1,500 foreigners. Out of Malaysia's 673 confirmed coronavirus cases, nearly two-thirds are linked to the four-day meeting, Adham said. It is not clear who brought the virus there in the first place. Reuters spoke to six attendees and reviewed pictures and posts on social media, and the accounts and evidence showed several ways in which the outbreak could have spread. The hosts, the Islamic missionary movement Tablighi Jama'at, which traces its roots back to India a century ago, on Monday suspended missionary activities but did not comment directly on the Malaysian event. Tablighi Jama'at did not respond to a request for further comment. The mosque where the event was held was closed on Tuesday and a guest said he was one of dozens of worshippers still there under quarantine. Calls to the mosque went unanswered. Malaysia plans to shut its borders, restrict internal movement and close schools, universities and most businesses, as it seeks to control its coronavirus outbreak. All mosques will be closed for two weeks. "I was very surprised actually that it went ahead," said Surachet Wae-asae, a former Thai lawmaker who attended the event but has since tested negative for the coronavirus after returning home. Story continues "But in Malaysia God is very important. The belief is strong." The prime minister's office and the health ministry declined to comment further about the event. HOLDING HANDS, SHARING PLATES The packed gathering, where guests had to take shuttle buses to sleep at other venues, was attended by nationals from dozens of countries, including Canada, Nigeria, India and Australia, according to an attendee list posted on social media. There were also citizens of China and South Korea - two countries with high rates of coronavirus infections. Social media posts show hundreds of worshippers praying shoulder-to-shoulder inside the mosque, while some guests posted selfies as they shared food. It was not clear how many guests were residents of Malaysia, but cases linked to the gathering are popping up daily across Southeast Asia. "We sat close to each other," a 30-year-old Cambodian man who attended the event told Reuters from a hospital in Cambodia's Battambang province, where he was being treated after testing positive for the coronavirus on Monday. "Holding hands at the religious ceremony was done with people of many countries. When I met people, I held hands, it was normal. I don't know who I was infected by," he said, asking not to be named due to fears of discrimination at his mosque. None of the event leaders talked about washing hands, the coronavirus or health precautions during the event, but most guests washed their hands regularly, two guests said. Washing hands among other parts of the body is part of Muslim worship. Another attendee from Cambodia said guests from different countries shared plates when meals were served. Only half of the Malaysian participants who attended have come forward for testing, the health minister has said, raising fears that the outbreak from the mosque could be more far-reaching. Brunei has confirmed 50 cases linked to the mosque gathering, out of a total of 56 cases. Singapore has announced five linked to the event, Cambodia 13 and Thailand at least two. Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia, which had nearly 700 of its citizens attend, are all investigating. That a large religious pilgrimage should have gone ahead, at a time when the epidemic had killed 2,700 people and was spreading from Italy to Iran, has drawn criticism. More than 182,000 people have now been infected by the coronavirus globally and 7,165 have died. 'IRRESPONSIBLE' "That Tablighi event in KL (Kuala Lumpur) ... could also cause a regional spike and it was irresponsible for the authorities to have allowed it to be held," Singapore diplomat Bilahari Kausikan said on his Facebook page. It is not the only religious event to spread the virus on a mass scale. Thousands of cases in South Korea are linked to services of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the city of Daegu. At the time of the event in Malaysia, the country was in political turmoil. The country had a one-man government in the 94-year-old interim prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, who had quit and was temporarily re-appointed the same day. Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin was sworn in as the new premier on March 1 and banned mass gatherings on March 13. Prior to that, there was only advice from the health ministry to minimize public exposure. Some attendees defended the event, saying that at the time the situation in Malaysia - which had announced 25 known cases by Feb. 28 - was not severe. "We were not worried then as the COVID-19 situation at the time appeared under control," said Khuzaifah Kamazlan, a 34-year-old religious teacher based in Kuala Lumpur who attended the event but has tested negative for the coronavirus. Khuzaifah said some of the worshippers who attended the event have since refused to be tested for coronavirus, preferring to rely on God to protect them. Karim, a 44-year-old Malaysian who attended the gathering and was later tested positive for coronavirus, says the government should have canceled the event. "We are a bit disappointed that this outbreak has been blamed entirely on us. That view is unfair. There was no ban on our gathering," said Karim, who gave only his first name. "Now I am concerned because I am positive. Please pray for me." (Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi and Joseph Sipalan in Kuala Lumpur; Additional reporting by Rozanna Latiff, Krishna N. Das and Liz Lee in Kuala Lumpur, Prak Chan Thul in Phnom Penh, Panu Wongcha-um and Kay Johnson in Bangkok, Agustinus Beo Da Costa in Jakarta, Neil Jerome Morales in Manila and Fathin Ungku in Singapore; Writing by Joe Brock; Editing by Mike Collett-White) Highlights Xiaomi hints at launching the Mi 10 flagship in the Indian market soon. The Mi 10 comes with a 108-megapixel main camera at the back. Xiaomi also says the Mi 10 could be more expensive to buy in India than China. It has been four months since Xiaomi changed its Twitter handle to #108MPisComing but there seems to be something happening on this front finally. Xiaomi India's Manu Kumar Jain has just confirmed that the company will be bringing its flagship phone experience with a 108-megapixel camera. While the name of the phone hasn't been shared yet, it is not difficult to figure out that Xiaomi is talking about the Mi 10 flagship that was launched in China last month. In a series of Twitter posts, Xiaomi's VP Manu Kumar Jain has confirmed that the company will be announcing a phone with a 108-megapixel camera. The name of the device hasn't been disclosed yet but based on the hints, it appears to be the Xiaomi Mi 10. The Mi 10 is the most advanced phone (second the Mi MIX Alpha) Xiaomi makes and it will mark Xiaomi's presence in the premium smartphone space this year. However, before you assume that Xiaomi's Mi 10 will be replacing the Redmi K20 Pro in India, you need to read this. Jain stressed on the fact that the Mi 10 will be completely imported from China and that could drive up the costs of the product in India. Moreover, the higher GST rate along with a depreciating value of Indian Rupees means that Mi 10 will have completely different pricing in India than what it has in China. The Mi 10's China pricing starts at approximately Rs 40,000 and if the import taxes along with new GST charges are applied, then the Mi 10 could easily climb up to the ranks of Samsung's Galaxy S20 series phones in India. Hence, Xiaomi's return to the flagship segment with its Mi series flagship could be a lot more expensive than it is in China. In another tweet, Amazon India hints that the Mi 10 will sell in India exclusively via its online store. Amazon could end up being the sole third-party seller of the Mi 10 in India apart from Xiaomi's own Mi.com. It is worthwhile to note that OnePlus also sells its phones via Amazon in India. As of now, Jain says Xiaomi will keep on updating people about the pricing of the phone. However, the Mi 10 is bound to arrive in India at a premium that may put it up with the upcoming OnePlus 8 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S20 series. In an earlier tweet, Manu Jain said that Mi 10 requires state-of-art manufacturing facilities and India currently has none to support local production. A couple of highlights on the Mi 10 include a 108-megapixel main camera at the back, a Snapdragon 865 chipset powering the phone and 30W fast wireless charging system. 09:20 | Lima, Mar. 18. To that end, the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) will provide all facilities to said flights, which will be coordinated through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to the Supreme Decree No. 045-2020-PCM , published in El Peruano official gazette, authorization is granted only at the request of the Foreign Affairs Ministry with the official list of Peruvian and foreign nationals travelling in said flights. Amid rising cases of COVID-19 in the national capital, the AIIMS administration will urge its OPD patients to postpone their appointments at the hospital if it is not urgent in nature. The Safdarjung Hospital has also decided to cancel all elective surgeries with immediate effect and until further orders. AIIMS director Randeep Guleria held a meeting to discuss measures to tackle the impending COVID-19 outbreak, an official order said. "It was decided that an advisory would be sent to OPD patients on their registered cell phone numbers through SMS to the following effect: In view of the increasing threat of coronavirus infection, you are requested to postpone your appointment at AIIMS if it is not urgent in nature. This is for your safety and good health,"it said. The message will be sent to all appointments booked for the next one month, the order said. The Safdarjung Hospital administration, in an order, said, "In view of the outbreak of coronavirus in the country, it has been decided to cancel all elective surgeries in the hospital with immediate effect and until further orders." The order was issued to all Heads of Departments of the hospital. The total number of coronavirus cases in Delhi has risen to 10, which includes one foreign national, the Union health ministry said on Wednesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Advertisement The Army has put 20,000 troops on standby as Boris Johnson hints London could face a total lockdown within days amid fears the 'superspreader city' is the engine of the UK's coronavirus outbreak after the daily death rate doubled to 33 in 24 hours. The Prime Minister refused to rule out the possibility of further and faster measures to control the spread of the virus on the busy streets of the capital, where the epidemic is running ahead of the rest of the country. He said ruthless enforcement of so-called social distancing measures such as working from home and avoiding social gatherings in pubs, cinemas and restaurants was needed. Some 953 people have been diagnosed with coronavirus in London more than a third of the UK total of 2,626. A draconian lockdown could be implemented as early as this weekend in the capital, populated by 9million, which officials believe has become a 'city of superspreaders', according to The Daily Telegraph. It comes as military chiefs are putting up to 20,000 troops on standby to be deployed to Britains streets, hospitals and other key sites to help tackle the pandemic. It is thought that many are undergoing fast-track training on how to drive oxygen tankers around the country in order to supply hospitals. Helicopters are also being readied to transport supplies. As part of a package of support, thousands of troops will be mobilised or flown home from overseas programmes and put at high readiness to move as part of a new Covid Support Force. At a press conference in Downing Street tonight, Boris Johnson announced new restrictions for the capital after the death toll across the country spiked to 104 - up by 33 in a single day A commuter wears a mask whilst walking across London Bridge into the City of London during the morning rush hour today Fake News: An image showing military vehicles parked on a motorway at an unknown location has been posted today. Some people have claimed this is on motorways near London or Glasgow, but the vehicles are parked on the wrong side of the road indicating this is not from the UK In the centre of the capital streets are largely empty as people stay away amid the spread of coronavirus. Pictured is Parliament Square The statue of former British PM Winston Churchill was spotted wearing a face mask in his old constituency of Woodford Green in London on Wednesday morning London Tube shutdown begins today as up to 40 stations will close due to coronavirus while Waterloo and City line and night services stop tomorrow Transport for London said the below stations 'could be closed' from today - and urged passengers to check their website for live updates. Bakerloo Line: Lambeth North, Regents Park, Warwick Avenue, Kilburn Park, Charing Cross Central Line: Holland Park, Queensway, Lancaster Gate, Chancery Lane, Redbridge Circle Line: Bayswater, Great Portland Street, Barbican District Line: Bow Road, Gloucester Road, Mansion House, Stepney Green, Temple, St James's Park Jubilee Line: Bermondsey, Swiss Cottage, St John's Wood, Southwark Northern Line: Chalk Farm, Mornington Crescent, Goodge Street, Borough, Tuffnell Park, Clapham South, Hampstead, Tooting Bec, South Wimbledon, Piccadilly Line: Arsenal, Bounds Green, Covent Garden, Caledonian Road, Hyde Park Corner, Manor House Victoria Line: Blackhorse Road, Pimlico Advertisement The most vital personnel are likely to be put in quarantine in UK bases until they are needed and all those overseas will have their holiday time cancelled. At the same time, thousands of reservists will be put on a wartime-style footing to boost numbers. Mr Johnson last night said people who chose to ignore the official advice could put others at risk. Anecdotal evidence suggests some Londoners do not appear to be following Government advice to socially distance themselves, and have been attending pubs, clubs and restaurants and continuing to travel to work. As a result, London could follow the example of other cities around the world which have been hit by the virus and go into so-called lockdown. However, police are said to be concerned that the measures would be unenforceable and could even lead to public disorder. This comes as Tube stations on the London Underground network are facing closure today to battle the outbreak of Covid-19. Up to 40 stations which do not interchange with other lines could be closed, while the Waterloo and City line and Night Tube services will not run from Friday. Buses in the capital will be reduced and people are being urged 'not to use public transport for anything other than essential journeys'. This morning London stations Arsenal, Barbican, Borough, Bounds Green, Bow Road, Covent Garden, Goodge Street, Hampstead and Manor House have been closed so far. TfL said it would also be gradually reducing the frequency of services across the network from Monday, 'to provide a service for critical workers to get to where they need to ensuring that remaining services are not overcrowded'. London Overground, TfL Rail, the DLR and London Trams will also be running fewer services from next week. Asked about the prospect yesterday, the Prime Minister said: The more closely, the more strictly, the more ruthlessly we can enforce upon ourselves, our families, the advice we are getting about avoiding unnecessary gatherings about staying at home when we have symptoms, then the better we will be able to protect the NHS, the fewer deaths we will have and the less suffering there will be in the UK population, and the faster we will get through this. This is strong, strong advice and we absolutely do not rule out taking further and faster measures in due course. The Governments chief scientific officer, Sir Patrick Vallance, said the measures would work only if they were followed by a very high proportion of the population. Sir Patrick, who will advise the PM on whether a further lockdown is needed, added: The moment we say, its not for me, its for someone else, the less effective it will be. When we dont adhere to this, we are putting the sickest patients at risk. 'It is crucial that this is not taken as soft advice but a really clear instruction to do this. Internet rumour mill goes into overdrive as Army are seen on UK streets - but MOD insists it is 'normal training' and all of Britain is NOT being put into coronavirus lockdown The internet rumour mill has gone into overdrive today as Brits shared pictures on social media of the army on UK streets. One image that went viral on Facebook shows what appears to be soldiers in fatigues walking in Clapham, south London, with people hurriedly speculating they were being moved into place as part of a rumoured imminent lockdown in the capital city. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said the image shows cadets from the Motivational Preparation College for Training, which has a base in nearby Battersea. Fake News: One image that went viral on Facebook shows what appears to be soldiers in fatigues walking near Clapham, in south London, with people hurriedly speculating they are being moved into place as part of a rumoured imminent lockdown in the capital city The college provides a military-style education for 16-19 year old's and can help prepare students for a career in the armed forces. The fatigue-clad figures from the image circulating online are cadets training, not front line soldiers. Another picture that sent the internet-haywire today shows military vehicles parked on a motorway, with some claiming it was snapped in Glasgow and others saying it was taken on the outskirts on London. Fake News: An image showing military vehicles parked on a motorway at an unknown location has been posted today. Some people have claimed this is on motorways near London or Glasgow, but the vehicles are parked on the wrong side of the road indicating this is not from the UK The image has been circulating for days, and has been attributed to being from both France and Russia. However it could not be from the UK because the vehicles are on the wrong side of the road. A video has also gone viral showing what appears to be two military vehicles being transported down a motorway. Social media users concluded the vehicles must be heading for London, but it is not clear when the video was taken. Additionally the dashboard shows the time as 7.13pm and the temperature as 14 degrees, which is high for mid-March. Advertisement The Chief Medical Officer also refused to rule out total lockdowns of the UK, as is happening in France, Spain and Italy. Professor Chris Whitty said: What weve said at the beginning is that as the epidemic progresses, we will do more things at the right time. But each of the things were doing are very disruptive to peoples lives and were very keen to do them at the right time but not before the right time. He told BBC 5 Live: There may well be, as this epidemic starts to take off, significant other things the Prime Minister may wish to do. There are fears that as the virus outbreak escalates, vital emergency service workers will need military back-up to deliver basic needs. A total of 150 personnel will begin urgent training from Monday so they are able to drive oxygen tankers to the NHS if a gap emerges. Announcing the plans last night, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: The unique flexibility and dedication of the services means that we are able to provide assistance across the whole of society in this time of need. Major General Charlie Stickland, Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff, added: Putting more personnel at a higher state of readiness and having our Reserves on standby gives us greater flexibility to support public services as and when they require our assistance. The Covid Support Force, potentially drawing upon our highly skilled scientists or oxygen tanker drivers, will form part of a whole force effort to support the country. The Army will also backfill key areas, including replacing police officers, border guards, prison officers and medics under plans codenamed Operation Broadshare. The military is preparing for all scenarios, as it would do in any emergency. In a most-likely scenario, thousands of military medics, including doctors, nurses and combat medics, will be deployed to help hospitals. But the military could also be used to help expand hospital bed capacity. This could see troops using hotels, barracks, or erecting Army field hospitals near key locations to help cope with the rising numbers of infected people. One option that has not been ruled out is using a navy hospital ship which supported operations to curb the Ebola outbreak. At any one time, there are some 10,000 troops on standby in the UK to help with a crisis. But the number of those at high readiness will be increased to between 15,000 and 20,000 so there are more personnel available to support public services. Measures have been taken to enable the call out of reservists, should they be required to join the response effort to help deliver public services. Defence scientists at Porton Down are also working to understand the virus and help tackle its spread. The military is also helping with ongoing repatriation flights from countries overseas. On top of this, the Ministry of Defence is looking to supply the NHS with as many of its 35 ventilators as possible. Mr Johnsons remarks came after Nicola Sturgeon, Scotlands first minister, claimed the UK Government was about to announce more stringent measures for London. Asked how far the UK was from a complete lockdown, she said the capital might see tougher measures first because it was further ahead on the curve of the outbreak. Mrs Sturgeon is fully briefed on UK-wide coronavirus measures as she attends the Governments emergency Cobra meetings. A source at Londons City Hall said last night that No 10 had not informed them of any lockdown plans so far. Another source said: All options are on the table. No decision has been made yet. We will take whatever steps necessary but no time scale has been decided upon. Elderly shoppers take advantage of the two hours' special shopping arrangement, during the coronavirus outbreak, at Iceland in Gloucester City centre There has been speculation about police and the Army shutting down the streets completely. It is physically impossible London is too big and there arent enough officers. It is unenforceable. It is understood that the military will initially be deployed to hospitals and to protect the transport network, although travel may be limited to key workers. Though it not clear what exactly the stricter measures would look like, a lockdown could entail travel restrictions for all but key workers, which will include NHS staff on the frontline. All businesses could be forced to close, with only pharmacies and supermarkets allowed to stay open, as has been seen in other European cities. On another brutal day as Britain is gripped by the coronavirus crisis: The government has announced a shutdown of schools from Friday afternoon, despite Mr Johnson insisting last week that there was no scientific reason for them to be closed. Scotland and Wales have already declared closures today, falling in line with similar action across much of Europe; Nurseries and private schools will be asked to follow suit, with the shutdown lasting 'until further notice'. Exams will not take place in May and June; A Welsh minister has warned that mass burials might be needed if the worst case scenario for the disease comes to pass; Businesses have demanded Chancellor Rishi Sunak goes further than the 350billion bailout he announced last night, with calls for VAT to be axed, national insurance to be cancelled, and workers' wage bills to be footed by the state; The government has been accused of failing to act to help renters and the self-employed in the emergency package; Economists have warned that the UK economy could shrink by a fifth and a million people could lose their jobs as the 'social distancing' measures take effect; The Pound has fallen to its lowest level against the US dollar since 1985, in what appears to be a damning verdict on the government's response; WHAT TEST IS THE UK CURRENTLY USING TO SWAB PATIENTS FOR CORONAVIRUS? Public Health England has not revealed which tests it is using to swab thousands of patients for the killer coronavirus. But in a blog on its website, it suggests it just uses one which takes a sample from a suspected patient's nose and throat. It says PHE's diagnostic test was rolled out to 12 laboratories across the UK, who all increased their working output to analyse samples for 12 hours every day of the week. But patients are left in limbo for between 24 and 72 hours waiting for their test results to come back. But health officials revealed last week that NHS hospital laboratories would soon start testing people to ease the strain on PHE, allowing them to conduct tests on-site without having to send samples away. The Government yesterday ordered thousands of testing kits from the French-based firm Novacyt, in a deal worth 3.7million. But it is understood they are for hospital use only even though NHS staff across the UK have already warned that facilities are swamped. The company was an early mover in developing a test and is now supplying more than 60 countries. MailOnline has asked PHE to clarify which tests it uses. Last week US health bosses granted the emergency use of two tests in a desperate attempt to keep track of America's escalating crisis. One of the diagnostic tools was made by Massachusetts-based firm Thermo Fisher Scientific. It can give results in four hours. Two men wearing suits were pictured carrying a box from ThermoFisher outside Downing Street yesterday. It is understood they were going in to demonstrate the kit at a meeting. Advertisement The testing announcement came amid mounting alarm about the low level of screening, with anger that NHS workers are being forced to self-isolate because they are unsure whether they have the disease or not. Routine testing of suspected coronavirus sufferers was abandoned last week, when the government said it was no longer possible to 'contain' the spread. Instead those with symptoms are merely being urged to stay at home for a fortnight. One doctor who is currently prevented from working today accused ministers of failing to 'learn the lessons' of the Ebola crisis in West Africa. Meanwhile, there are claims that celebrities have been paying for kits to check themselves at home. The developments came as the UK death toll soared by around a third to 104. The number of people positively diagnosed hit 2,626, up from 1,950 yesterday. A total of 56,221 people now have been tested. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed that 219,00 cases have been detected globally, with more than 8,000 dead. Representatives from US firm ThermoFisher were seen entering Downing Street last night carrying a box with a testing kit. It is understood they were giving a demonstration of how the four-hour test, which has been approved in the US, works. Roche, Boots, and Amazon were also at the meeting with Mr Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock in No10, as well as Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Advisor Sir Patrick Vallance. At PMQs in the Commons, Mr Johnson insisted that the UK was already carrying out more tests that other 'comparable' countries. 'This country is actually far ahead of many other comparable countries. We are increasing our tests from 5,000 to 10,000 a day,' he said. He added later: 'We are moving up to 25,000 a day.' However, Jeremy Corbyn demanded an increase on an 'industrial scale' - pointing to the advice from WHO, which has been highly critical of the move to tell people with symptoms to isolate at home, without being diagnosed. The government has come under heavy fire over the speed with which the testing regime has been bolstered. The number of checks per day is not expected to hit 10,000 until next week. But ministers believe that a radical expansion could soon see the total number exceed that in China, which has carried out more than 220,000 altogether. Another MP tests positive for coronavirus Another MP has reported testing positive for Covid-19 after waiting six days for his results. Lloyd Russell-Moyle made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon and said the coronavirus was 'the greatest test our NHS has ever faced'. He called for Britain to follow World Health Organisation advice and 'test, test, test'. The Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven MP said he first felt symptoms last Wednesday and immediately put himself in self-isolation and called 111. Mr Russell-Moyle said: 'After a six-day wait for results, I have just been informed I have tested positive to Covid-19. 'I was tested on the last day the NHS was still conducting community testing. 'If we are to beat this, then we need to take the @WHO advice and 'Test, Test, Test'.' He called on the Government to make coronavirus testing for healthcare workers their 'priority'. He said: 'Our priority must be testing our healthcare workers, who are currently needing to self-isolate for 14 days when someone in their house shows a symptom, taking them away from their life-saving work. 'This is the greatest test our NHS has ever faced, an NHS that was already under strain. 'I have every confidence that we have the skills and resources to beat this virus, but only if we take radical steps to reorganise and re-prioritise our system.' He called on the public to follow the Government's official advice and to undertake social distancing. In November 2018, Mr Russell-Moyle became the first sitting MP to announce he was HIV positive. Advertisement Mr Hancock said: 'Public safety is my top priority, and radically ramping up testing for coronavirus is a key part of our plan to protect lives. We are already among the best in the world for coronavirus testing and today we are launching a national effort to increase our testing capability even further. 'Our aim is to protect life, protect the most vulnerable, and relieve pressure on our NHS so it is right that we prioritise testing for those most at risk of severe illness. We will always do the right thing at the right time, based on the best scientific advice, and will do whatever it takes to protect life.' An announcement on closing schools in England is expected 'imminently' - probably at a 5pm press conference being held by Mr Johnson. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced today that all schools will close for an early Easter break by Friday at the latest. The Welsh authorities have said they are doing the same, amid claims up to 20 per cent of teachers are in self-isolation. Mr Johnson has already been forced to follow the example of other nations by effectively barring large public gatherings this week, despite resisting for a number of days. The change of stance over 'social distancing' on Monday came after modelling by a team of government advisers at Imperial College London warned that what was previously thought to be the 'worst case' scenario of 250,000 days was actually the most likely outcome. Ministers hope that the new approach can limit coronavirus deaths to around 20,000. The current toll stands at 71. The Government's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance admitted yesterday that the tests must be 'ramped up'. 'That clearly is not going to be enough going forward,' he told MPs. 'We really do need to get our testing in the right place to ensure we can monitor this effectively... 'There is a very big effort going on to try to ramp that up.' It is not clear the extent to which the number of tests is an issue, or whether the issue is the capacity of Public Health England (PHE) to carry them out. Two men wearing suits were pictured carrying a box from ThermoFisher which makes coronavirus tests that give results in four hours outside Downing Street last night The Government has been at pains to say that it is testing more people than the majority of other states with coronavirus. But it is still far below the number being tested by nations like South Korea. Last night men carrying a box from ThermoFisher which makes coronavirus tests that give results in four hours were pictured in Downing Street. Celebrities and big businesses have begun paying out for a 375-a-time home-testing kit being sold by a private clinic, according to the Telegraph. PrivateHarleyStreetClinic.com says it can get a test to your home within 48 hours, boasting: At present, the NHS is only offering testing for coronavirus to hospitalised patients. 'We have been inundated with requests to provide a private test. 'We can now confirm we are able to offer paid tests, via a postal courier service on a maximum 3 day turnaround service to private individuals and organisations. 'Most importantly, this is the only test in the world that can identify the lethal Covid-19 virus and differentiate between 9 other non lethal viruses with the same symptoms.' Shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth said: 'Our NHS staff are battling to protect us, government must protect them: From goggles, gowns, gloves, masks and thermometers we need adequate PPE for all staff across secondary & primary care. 'Testing must be scaled up urgently for staff.' Mr Ashworth added: 'This is a national effort and all of us must pull together. 'We have to urgently ramp up testing especially for our NHS staff. 'If this Harley Street clinic has testing capacity then government needs to get hold of it for NHS staff.' At PMQs, Mr Corbyn said: 'The World Health Organisation said test, test, test and we should be testing, I believe, on an industrial scale.' Testing stopped virus in Italian town Italian authorities have managed to contain the killer coronavirus outbreak in a small town near Venice through a rigorous testing strategy. Health bosses in Vo 45miles (72km) east of the tourist hotspot have had no new cases for 48 hours. Officials conducted an experiment in the town, which is home to 3,300 people, to test and re-test all inhabitants. The Financial Times reports the strategy meant everyone would be tested even if they showed no symptoms. Andrea Crisanti, an infectious disease specialist taking part in the experiment, told the newspaper the method allowed officials to get the clearest picture about the size of the outbreak. The experiment began at the end of February, and the initial roll-out of tests showed around three per cent of patients were infected. This dropped ten-fold when the second testing round was carried out 10 days later, after quarantining all of the infected and their contacts. Professor Crisanti, who is on a sabbatical at the University of Padua, said: 'In the UK, there are a whole lot of infections that are completely ignored. 'We were able to contain the outbreak [in Vo] because we identified and eliminated the 'submerged' infections and isolated them. This is what makes the difference. Advertisement He said 10,000 tests per day is 'nowhere near even the number of people working in the NHS and the care sector' and demanded a 'greater sense of urgency'. Mr Johnson replied: 'Well in point of fact, we are prioritising testing of NHS staff for the obvious reason that we want them to be able to look after everybody else with confidence that they're not transmitting the disease and this country is actually far ahead of many other comparable countries in testing huge numbers of people.' Mr Johnson rejected the criticism, and stressed the importance of a separate test for whether people have previously been infected with coronavirus. 'We are getting much closer to having a generally available test which will determine whether or not you have had the disease and that will truly be of huge benefit to this country in tackling the outbreak,' he said. Labour MP Rosena Allin-Khan, an A&E doctor, demanded to know why 'mass testing' was taking so long. 'We are in unprecedented times. I would like to know where was the forward-planning for PPE for our NHS and care staff? Where is the testing for medics? Why are we waiting so long for mass testing? And why are social distancing measures merely just suggestions?' she said. Mr Johnson thanked the Tooting MP for her work in the health service, adding: 'We have stockpiles of PPE equipment and we're proceeding in accordance with the best scientific advice. 'It is the timeliness of those measures that is absolutely vital in combating the spread of the epidemic. That is how you save lives.' Around 86 per cent of coronavirus patients go undetected because their symptoms are so mild, a study warned last night. Scientists at Columbia University in New York analysed the spread of the infection in China, before the outbreak spiralled out of control. The researchers found the thousands of undocumented infections drove the spread of the crisis, which saw most of China locked down. Italian authorities have managed to contain the killer coronavirus outbreak in a small town near Venice through a rigorous testing strategy. Health bosses in Vo 45miles (72km) east of the tourist hotspot have had no new cases for 48 hours. Officials conducted an experiment in the town, which is home to 3,300 people, to test and re-test all inhabitants. The Financial Times reports the strategy meant everyone would be tested even if they showed no symptoms. WHO warns lack of tests means fighting disease 'blindfolded' Earlier this week the World Health Organisation criticised countries that have given up on routinely testing all suspected coronavirus patients. The UN agency's director-general, Dr Tedros Adhanom, warned the pandemic won't be stopped if officials don't know who is infected. In a startling warning to the UK which only tests patients in hospital and through routine surveillance by GPs, he added: 'You cannot fight a fire blindfolded.' Almost 175,000 cases of the coronavirus have been identified worldwide, with 6,500 deaths recorded on every continent except Antarctica. Advertisement Andrea Crisanti, an infectious disease specialist taking part in the experiment, told the newspaper the method allowed officials to get the clearest picture about the size of the outbreak. The experiment began at the end of February, and the initial roll-out of tests showed around three per cent of patients were infected. This dropped ten-fold when the second testing round was carried out 10 days later, after quarantining all of the infected and their contacts. Professor Crisanti, who is on a sabbatical at the University of Padua, said: 'In the UK, there are a whole lot of infections that are completely ignored. 'We were able to contain the outbreak [in Vo] because we identified and eliminated the 'submerged' infections and isolated them. This is what makes the difference. It comes after Sir Patrick suggested around 70,000 Britons - or roughly one in every 1,000 out of the 68million population - could unknowingly be infected with the virus. He claimed for every death in Britain 71 have been announced so far there is likely to be 1,000 positive cases. Addressing MPs yesterday he said the UK needed 'a big increase in testing' because 4,000 a day was 'clearly not going to be enough'. 'We simply don't have the mass testing available for the population now,' he told the Health Select Committee. 'There is a big effort going on to get that in place as quickly as possible.' Doctor says lessons not learnt from Ebola crisis A frontline NHS doctor who worked for the government in West Africa during the Ebola crisis has warned lessons learned there are being 'completely ignored'. The anonymous doctor is currently in self-isolation for seven to 14 days because they have displayed symptoms of the virus but cannot be tested - as current Government policy states only the most serious cases are being followed up. They told the PA news agency they did not understand the lack of testing and described personal protective equipment (PPE) provided to healthcare workers as 'inappropriate'. They added that the stream of information provided by the Government is good, but can be contradictory and 'confusing to the public'. 'As a doctor I'm unwell quite often - hundreds and hundreds of us are being taken out of action until our symptoms pass,' they said. 'I'm unsure why the Government is not testing us. It goes against their own information and logic, which is what they were doing in West Africa which was test, test, test.' Advertisement In stinging criticism, a frontline NHS doctor who worked for the government in West Africa during the Ebola crisis has warned lessons learned there are being 'completely ignored'. The anonymous doctor is currently in self-isolation for seven to 14 days because they have displayed symptoms of the virus but cannot be tested - as current Government policy states only the most serious cases are being followed up. They told the PA news agency they did not understand the lack of testing and described personal protective equipment (PPE) provided to healthcare workers as 'inappropriate'. They added that the stream of information provided by the Government is good, but can be contradictory and 'confusing to the public'. 'As a doctor I'm unwell quite often - hundreds and hundreds of us are being taken out of action until our symptoms pass,' they said. 'I'm unsure why the Government is not testing us. It goes against their own information and logic, which is what they were doing in West Africa which was test, test, test. 'After the crisis in West Africa there was comprehensive after-action reports on what to do... they're now deciding to go against all that advice and they're acting incredibly slowly compared to other nations. 'It seems like all the lessons learnt from that are being completely ignored higher up.' Mr. Johnson said this week that Britain would begin testing health care workers. On Tuesday, the government said it would also provide hotel rooms to doctors and nurses who would otherwise be forced to self-isolate for 14 days because a family member at home had symptoms of the virus. But widespread testing has not yet begun, and the health service has yet to set out the criteria or procedures. Doctors are also suspicious of downward revisions in the level of protective gear that the government had recommended. Health officials initially advised workers to wear a full-body suit including an airtight mask, visor and double gloves. But the service now says most health care workers handling coronavirus patients need only a standard face mask, gloves and an apron. Theyre saying its evidence-based, but I think its also quite pragmatic, said Dr. Gardiner of St Marys Hospital. Theyre running out of protective equipment. For now, doctors said they were largely trying to keep their fears to themselves. We are frightened, said Roshana Mehdian, a trauma and orthopedic surgeon in London. But at the same time we have to keep up a stern resolve. People are looking to the N.H.S. in hope, and we dont want to feed into the panic. Tariq Panja contributed reporting. THESSALONIKI, Greece Police on Greeces border with Turkey used tear gas and water cannons Wednesday to repel hundreds of migrants clustered on the Turkish side who attempted to break down a border fence and enter Greece. The evening clashes took place near the Kastanies border crossing. Greek police said Turkish authorities also fired tear gas at Greek forces, and migrants later lit fires on the Turkish side of the fence. Similar clashes occurred before dawn Wednesday, lasting for about two hours. An estimated 2,000 migrants are still camped out on the Greek-Turkish border, weeks after Turkey declared its borders to Europe open and encouraged migrants and refugees living in the country to try crossing into European Union member Greece. Tens of thousands of people headed to the frontier despite Greeces insistence that its eastern border, which is also the EUs external border, was shut. The move came after months of threats by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he would allow millions of refugees into Europe unless the EU provided more support for refugee care in Turkey. The EU says it is adhering to a 2016 deal with Turkey under which it provides billions of euros in funds in return for Turkey caring for more than 3.5 million refugees from neighboring Syria. On Wednesday, Turkey declared that it was closing down its six land and sea border crossings with Greece and Bulgaria in an effort to contain the spread of the new coronavirus. But a senior Turkish official said that the measure did not amount to an end of Ankaras policy of not preventing migrants from leaving Turkey. The borders were sealed to people and not the transportation of goods, the official added. Costas Kantouris is an Associated Press writer. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 19:05:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NANNING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of flat-bed and container trucks queued along a border bridge in Dongxing, a city in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, waiting for customs clearance, a scene that signifies the recovery of trade on the China-Vietnam border from the COVID-19 epidemic. Pham Van Tan, a 31-year-old Vietnamese, was driving a truck loaded with about 20 tonnes of dragon fruit produced in Vietnam's Da Nang. Once passing the customs checkpoints, the goods will soon be seen in the markets of cities such as Shanghai and Beijing. Pham has been in the logistics business for over four years. His main duty is to transport goods including fruit, seafood and farm produce from Vietnam to Chinese border provinces such as Guangxi and Yunnan. Among the bordering cities Pham has visited, Dongxing, which is separated from Vietnam's northeastern economic hub Mong Cai by a narrow river, serves as a gateway to ASEAN countries. "During the COVID-19 outbreak, many Vietnamese farmers and drivers became very anxious after customs clearance was suspended in both countries," he said. In February, the prices of Vietnamese products such as lobster, catfish and watermelon slumped, he added. Vietnam stopped issuing visas for Chinese tourists in early February and partially closed the Sino-Vietnam border to prevent the spread of the virus. "The epidemic has affected us seriously," another Vietnamese driver said. "Vietnam has taken a lot of strict prevention and control measures. Many of our trucks lined up. The agricultural products planned to be exported to China became unsalable." During the outbreak, Guangxi local authorities held several rounds of negotiations with four neighboring provinces in northern Vietnam, enabling the application of more convenient clearance procedures in both countries, said Jiang Liansheng, director of the department of commerce in Guangxi. To further facilitate Vietnamese products entering the Chinese market, Dongxing Customs continued to refurbish border-check infrastructure. A set of high-tech checking facilities have recently been put into use, reducing the screening time to 30 minutes per vehicle, said Lei Keqiang of Dongxing Customs. "The newly built cross-border bridge, called Beilun II, resumed freight clearance service after the prolonged Chinese Spring Festival holiday," said Chen Xiao, director of Dongxing Port Service Center. By March 10, the daily average number of import and export vehicles has exceeded that of last year, said Chen. At Pingxiang, China's largest land border port for fruit import and export, all customs officials were seen wearing face masks and some Vietnamese truck drivers wore protective gear when crossing the border, just as in Dongxing. "The situation is getting better and better now as customs clearance carries on as normal," said Liu Lishu, manager of a local Chinese electronics company. "More than 70 percent of our products are exported to ASEAN countries through Vietnam. Production had been reduced in the first two months due to the outbreak, but we are ramping up to get it back in March," Liu said. ASEAN has become China's biggest trade partner in the first two months, with the combined trade volume rising 2 percent to 594.1 billion yuan (about 85.68 billion U.S. dollars), official data showed. China has been Vietnam's largest trading partner for many years while Vietnam is China's largest trading partner in ASEAN. Two-way trade has exceeded 100 billion U.S. dollars for two consecutive years. Tran Dai Nghia, chairman of Vietnam VCI Logistics Joint Stock Company, has been running a cross-border business for over 20 years. He said China is a central manufacturing hub and its market remains strong and is crucial for global economies including Vietnam. Mutual cross-border trade has been developing stably, thus creating a concrete driving force for economic activities, including trade, services and investment, and improving the living standards of residents in both sides' border areas, Tran noted. "We are full of confidence in trade with Vietnam this year. Vietnam workers are still unable to come, but we are working on it," said Liu. The impact of the virus on us will be temporary and business will return on track soon, Tran added. China's rapid economic development since the country's opening up and reform in the late 1970s has formed a complete supply chain, which is important for the whole world, said Sun Xiaoying, a senior research fellow with the Guangxi Academy of Social Science. A large number of economies including Vietnam are suffering supply chain issues. As the outbreak in China has been effectively controlled and the resumption of work is proceeding smoothly, the recovery of the supply chain will accelerate, Sun added. "Business with China is extremely important to thousands of Vietnamese drivers. I can earn nearly 900 U.S. dollars a month, which is well above the average in Vietnam," Pham said. "I hope both Vietnam and China can overcome the epidemic as soon as possible." The director of the first season of the popular reality show Roadies, Nivedith Alva has slammed the current version of the show, saying that bad language, abusive anchors and violence were never a part of the show. Nivedith was the director of the first season of the show in 2003. Nivedith wrote in a series of tweets, The MTV Roadies format was created by my brother Nikhil Alva @njalva and was meant to be a show that inspired & united the youth of India to do good and get involved with nation building. It sickens me to see what has been done to the Roadies format over time. Backstabbing, bad language, abusive anchors, violence and in-your-face-sexuality were never a part of the format. The show has degenerated over time to the point where it is an embarrassment to brand MTV & to any advertiser associated with it. In the end,these young participants have to go back into the real world. It is worth considering the long term damage being done to them,for ratings, he added. The tweets come just days after Roadies Revolution mentor Neha Dhupia was trolled massively for her comment that having five boyfriends at a time is a womans choice. The trolls labelled her as a fake feminist when she blasted a man auditioning for the show, who said that he slapped his girlfriend for cheating on him. She said that it was the womans choice to be with five men at the same time, and that he had no right to raise his hand on her. Kashish Thakur Pundir, the winner of an earlier season of Roadies, defended Neha by sharing an old video where the actor is seen lashing out at a female contestant named Iram Khan for raising her hand on him. You have no right, no matter what happens, to use your hand, Neha shouts in the video as she refuses to listen to any apologies from Iram. Nobody, whether you are a man or woman, has a right to hit another person. No matter what happens. This is not being empowered. Using your hand on a man just because you know that a man cant slap you back is not empowerment, Neha adds. Responding to the trolling, Neha said in a statement issued on social media, Roadies is a show that I have been a part of for five years and enjoyed every bit of it. It takes me all over India and gives me the opportunity to team up with absolute rock stars from all parts of the country. What I do not like or accept is what is happening for more than two weeks now! Recently during one of the episodes that aired, I took a stand against violence. A guy talked about his partner who cheated on him (allegedly) and in retaliation, he hit her by his own admission. What the girl did is a choice she made which is a moral choice regardless of someone, man or woman... adultery is a moral choice. Cheating is not something I stand for, and it is unfortunate that I have been misrepresented for the same... but what I do stand for is womens safety. Also read: Divyanka Tripathi apologises after calling coronavirus an opportunity to quickly complete metro, bridges, smooth roads She also revealed her family was attacked by the troll army. What a man or a woman does in a relationship is their choice and moral choices are always ambiguous. But no matter what they are, they cannot lead to physical abuse. I stand by the fact that NO MATTER WHAT ... physical abuse or assault is not acceptable. Obviously, a mans physical strength is a lot more than girls and gender-based violence against women is a huge problem in our country and across the world... I urge people, whether a man or woman, to educate themselves about domestic violence... If youre a victim of abuse, please stand up for yourself. You are not alone, she said. Follow @htshowbiz for more All the six candidates for the biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu including AIADMK's M Thambidurai, a former Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker and DMK leader Tiruchi Siva, incumbent Upper House member were on Wednesday declared elected unopposed. The AIADMK's other candidate, a former Minister and senior leader K P Munusamy and the ruling party's ally, Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) chief G K Vasan were elected. Vasan was a former Congress leader and Union Minister. The main opposition DMK's N R Elango and P Selvarasu besides Tiruchi Siva were elected as well, according to an official release from the Legislative Assembly Secretariat. While Elango is a senior advocate, Selvarasu, popularly known as 'Andhiyur' Selvaraj was a former State Minister. On March 16, the day of scrutiny, nominations of all the six nominees were declared valid and the papers of three individuals were rejected. All the six candidates, three from DMK, two from AIADMK and one from TMC (M) were declared duly elected on Wednesday after the deadline for withdrawal of candidature ended. The term of office of six incumbent members -Tiruchi Siva, T K Rangarajan (CPI-M), Sasikala Pushpa (AIADMK, later expelled and recently joined the BJP), the ruling party's Vijila Sathyananth, S Muthukaruppan and A K Selvaraj will end on April 2. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Technavio has been monitoring the test preparation market in the US and it is poised to grow by USD 8.17 bn during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of almost 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 of 2020-2024 This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005214/en/ Technavio has published a latest market research report titled Test Preparation Market in the US 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire) The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation 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. Growing adoption of analytical tools has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. Test Preparation Market in the US 2019-2023: Segmentation Test Preparation Market in the US is segmented as below: Product University Exams Certification Exams High School Exams Elementary Exams Other Exams End-User Higher Education K-12 Learning Model Blended Online 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=IRTNTR30650 Test Preparation Market in the US 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 test preparation market in the us report covers the following areas: Test Preparation Market in the US Size Test Preparation Market in the US Trends Test Preparation Market in the US Industry Analysis This study identifies rising emphasis on private tutoring as one of the prime reasons driving the test preparation market in the US growth during the next few years. Test Preparation Market in the US 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the test preparation market in the US, including some of the vendors such as ArborBridge, Club Z!, Kaplan, Pearson and TPR Education IP Holdings. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the test preparation market in the US 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 Test Preparation Market in the US 2019-2023: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023 Detailed information on factors that will assist test preparation market in the US growth during the next five years Estimation of the test preparation market in the US size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the test preparation market in the US Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of test preparation market in the US 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 PRODUCT Market segmentation by product Comparison by product University exams Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Certification exams Market size and forecast 2018-2023 High school exams Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Elementary exams Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Other exams Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by product PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 08: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY END-USER Market segmentation by end-user Comparison by end-user Higher education Market size and forecast 2018-2023 K-12 Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by end-user PART 09: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY LEARNING MODEL Market segmentation by learning model Comparison by learning model Blended Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Online Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by learning model PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES Market drivers Market challenges PART 11: MARKET TRENDS Technological advances in test preparation services Rising emphasis on private tutoring Increase in M&A activities and number of startups PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview Landscape disruption Competitive scenario PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors ArborBridge Club Z! Kaplan Pearson TPR Education IP Holdings 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. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005214/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ In a goodwill gesture, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah met Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mehbooba Mufti and her family here and spent nearly an hour with them. The meeting comes two days after he had asked all political parties of Jammu and Kashmir to jointly appeal to the Centre to bring back all detainees lodged outside the Union Territory. The 82-year-old Abdullah drove to 'Fairview' residence of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, where he met her mother Gulshan Ara and daughter Iltija Mufti. "It was a nice gesture from such a senior leader of the state to have spent time with us," Iltija Mufti told PTI. This was termed by the leaders of both sides as a courtesy call to the residence of Mehbooba Mufti, the arch political rival, who is presently under detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA). Abdullah, a former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister himself, was released on Friday after his PSA was revoked while his son and former chief minister Omar Abdullah continues to be under PSA detention since August 5 last year when the Centre abrogated provisions of Article 370 and bifurcated the erstwhile state into union territories. After his release, Abdullah had visited the graveyard of his father and NC founder Sheikh Mohammad Adullah, and also visited his detained son on March 14 for the first time in the past seven months. On Sunday, Abdullah in his first statement after his release, asked all political parties of Jammu and Kashmir to jointly appeal to the Centre to bring back all detainees lodged outside the union territory on "humanitarian" grounds. The NC chief said while he advocated for a "free and frank exchange" of political views in order to take stock of the "momentous changes" that Jammu and Kashmir has seen since August 5, "we are still some way away from an environment where such political discourse will be possible. This is especially so considering the number of people detained in August last year who remain in jails outside J-K". He had said, "We allow politics to divide us, I appeal to all political leaders in the state to unite behind the call to the Union government to bring back all detainees from Jammu and Kashmir from prisons outside the Union territory pending their release. Passengers have been allowed to disembark a cruise ship in Darwin and fly home, thanks to an exemption from the newly-announced 30-day ban on cruises entering Australia during the coronavirus pandemic. The Silver Spirit, which docked in Darwin on Wednesday, is not covered by the Australian government's 30-day ban on cruise arrivals because it had already left its port for Australia when the announcement was made. The ship docked at Darwin having left its port at Langkawi in Malaysia on March 8. The government is requiring all travellers arriving from overseas to self-isolate for 14 days. But hundreds of holidaymakers, who were boarding flights home from Darwin on Wednesday, will only need to self-isolate for four days because they have been at sea for 10 days already. Christian groups urge court to uphold ruling allowing religious student clubs to choose their leaders Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Several religious organizations have filed an amicus brief on behalf of a Christian student group at the University of Iowa that wants to only have Christian leaders. At issue is InterVaristy Christian Fellowships lawsuit against the University of Iowa over the schools Human Rights Policy, which prohibited religious student groups from requiring their leaders to live by the beliefs and standards of the group. Chi Alpha Campus Ministries, the Christian Medical & Dental Associations, Parkview Evangelical Free Church, and Ratio Christi filed the brief on Tuesday before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Each party in the amicus brief says they have a student group chapter awaiting approval from the University of Iowa pending the results of the InterVarsity lawsuit. Like InterVarsity, argued the brief, the groups welcome everyone to their meetings, activities, and events, however, they could not accomplish their respective missions without ensuring that their leaders embody their core religious beliefs. The brief argued that until 2017, the university maintained an antidiscrimination policy that respected the rights of religious student groups to choose their own leaders based on their beliefs. In 2017, all this started to changebut only for religious groups. Suddenly, the University began systematically derecognizingi.e., effectively banishing from campusany religious organization that used religious-belief requirements for their leadership, read the amicus brief in part. Once enjoined, the University did not change its ways. Rather, it doubled down, expanding its discrimination by derecognizing even more religious groups, including InterVarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship, and defying the district courts injunctions against enforcement of this policy. The groups filing the brief were represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative law firm that has argued First Amendment cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. No group should be forced to accept leaders who dont even agree with the groups mission, said ADF Legal Counsel Michael Ross in a statement released Tuesday. A public university is supposed to be a marketplace of ideas, but that marketplace cant function if officials will not let groups elect leaders who agree with the groups reason for being. Since 2017, the university has been the subject of litigation from multiple religious student groups over the implementation of its human rights policy. Last September, U.S. District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose issued a ruling allowing InterVarsity to choose leaders based on their parameters rather than the Human Rights Policy. university nondiscrimination policies are not viewpoint neutral if they are selectively applied to restrict the leadership and/or membership requirements of some student groups but not others, wrote Rose. Some groups, such as Love Works, Zeta Beta Tau, and Pi Kappa Phi, can express their views on religion. This disparate treatment constitutes viewpoint discrimination against InterVarsity. After the September ruling, the university released a statement claiming that they had revised their standards for student organizations to permit student organizations to require their leaders to agree to and support the organizations beliefs. The University of Iowa has always respected the right of students, faculty, and staff to practice the religion of their choice, stated the university. The case involving Business Leaders in Christ and later InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA and InterVarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship presented a difficult issue for a public university as administrators tried to balance the rights of all individuals on campus. The university also stated that it acted in good faith as they attempted to navigate the complicated interplay between the First Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment and the direct conflict with the Iowa Civil Rights Act. In February of last year, Rose ruled that the policy could not be enforced against the student group Business Leaders in Christ when they did not allow a homosexual student to become a leader over his opposition to the groups views on marriage and sexuality. Fracture liaison service improves care for patients with fragility fractures March 18, 2020 - For patients with fragility fractures related to underlying bone weakness, a dedicated fracture liaison service (FLS) can lower the risk of subsequent fractures, suggests a study in the March 18, 2020 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio in partnership with Wolters Kluwer. Patients receiving FLS care have high rates of evaluation and treatment for osteoporosis, leading to improved bone quality and function, according to the follow-up study by Julio C. Fernandes, MD, FRCSC, PhD, MBA, and colleagues of Universite de Montreal. "These results suggest that an intensive FLS model of care, with a systematic longitudinal follow-up, is effective," the researchers write. New Data on Two-Year Outcomes of FLS Care for Fragility Fractures Fragility fractures are those resulting from minimal trauma, such as a fall from standing height or less, and commonly occur in the hip, spine, or wrist. The FLS approach has emerged as a means to improve the identification and care of fragility fractures, including those related to osteoporosis. Dr. Fernandes and colleagues report on their experience with FLS care in 532 patients. The average patient age was 63 years, and 86 percent were women. Rates of recommended evaluation and management of fragility fractures were analyzed, along with subsequent fractures and other key outcomes after a two-year follow-up. Patients managed with use of FLS had high rates of recommended care. Eighty-nine percent of patients underwent measurement of bone mineral density, and 87 percent were started on treatment for osteoporosis. Overall, 84 percent of patients made at least one follow-up visit. A total of 23 subsequent fractures occurred in 21 patients over nearly 900 person-years, with a rate of 2.6 percent per 100 person-years. That rate was lower than those suggested by past studies of patients with fragility fractures in the general population, which have ranged from 4 to 10 per 100 person-years. Laboratory tests showed significant improvements bone metabolism during FLS care, including a slower rate of bone turnover. Standard measures of functional capacity and disability improved, while pain scores decreased. Despite its growing popularity, there are still limited data on the effectiveness of the FLS approach. While previous "real world" studies of FLS care have reported high rates of testing and treatment, this new study is one of the first to include the results of systematic follow-up, including subsequent fracture rates. The results suggest real benefits of FLS care for patients with fragility fractures, including testing, treatment, and follow-up participation rates over 80 percent. This study also suggests that FLS care is associated with a low rate of subsequent fractures, with reduced bone turnover and improved functional capacity. Although this new analysis doesn't include a comparison group of patients not receiving FLS care, historical data from previous studies support their findings. "A randomized controlled trial with a larger sample and a longer follow-up period would better quantify the yield of improvement over the usual care," Dr. Fernandes and colleagues conclude. ### Click here to read "Performance of a Fracture Liaison Service in an Orthopaedic Setting." DOI: 10.2106/JBJS.19.00185 About The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (JBJS) has been the most valued source of information for orthopaedic surgeons and researchers for over 125 years and is the gold standard in peer-reviewed scientific information in the field. A core journal and essential reading for general as well as specialist orthopaedic surgeons worldwide, The Journal publishes evidence-based research to enhance the quality of care for orthopaedic patients. Standards of excellence and high quality are maintained in everything we do, from the science of the content published to the customer service we provide. JBJS is an independent, non-profit journal. About Wolters Kluwer Wolters Kluwer (WKL) is a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services for the clinicians, nurses, accountants, lawyers, and tax, finance, audit, risk, compliance, and regulatory sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with advanced technology and services. Wolters Kluwer reported 2018 annual revenues of 4.3 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 18,600 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. Wolters Kluwer provides trusted clinical technology and evidence-based solutions that engage clinicians, patients, researchers and students with advanced clinical decision support, learning and research and clinical intelligence. For more information about our solutions, visit http://healthclarity.wolterskluwer.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @WKHealth. For more information, visit http://www. wolterskluwer. com , follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. This story has been published on: 2020-03-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. People hospitalized with severe symptoms from the coronavirus are given medicine to bring down the fever and fluids to keep them hydrated, generally by intravenous tube. Some patients are connected to a ventilator: a mechanical device that helps them breathe. This menu of treatments is called supportive care, and despite the lukewarm-sounding name, there is no question that it saves lives. But as for waging a direct attack against this virus, and most other viruses, there are no drugs. The human immune system is on its own. The reasons involve biology and, to a lesser extent, money. Drug companies have developed treatments for a handful of viruses in the last few decades, such as HIV and the flu, but the arsenal is minimal when compared with all the antibiotics we have for treating bacteria. Remember that viruses are not bacteria, so antibiotics are no help. The main difficulty is that viruses are technically not alive, instead depending on the machinery inside human cells to reproduce, said Zachary A. Klase, associate professor of biology at the University of the Sciences. So a drug that targets any part of that parasitic cycle could harm the patient in the process. You want something that targets the sickness and not you, he said. You need to look for the special things that only the virus is doing." A few of the enzymes used by various viruses are distinct enough from their human counterparts that they can be targeted without harming the patient, said Megan Culler Freeman, a fellow in the pediatrics department at the University of Pittsburgh. That is how antiviral drugs work against HIV, for example. But even then, such drugs do not eliminate the virus, but instead keep it under control, she said. Another reason viruses are so hard to treat with drugs is their wide variety, Klase said. Like cars and boats Bacteria all are related to each other, at least distantly, and share some common characteristics, such as having a cell wall. So a drug that works against one kind of bacteria, say, by disrupting that cell wall, often works against another. (That is what is meant by broad-spectrum antibiotics, though lately, those tried-and-true weapons have been overused, leading certain bacteria to develop resistance.) READ MORE: How the coronavirus 'jumped' to humans is a story as old as evolution Certain classes of viruses, on the other hand, are fundamentally different from each other. Some use RNA as their genetic code, for example, while others use DNA. Some are surrounded by an envelope, others not. A good analogy is to imagine that bacteria are about as similar to each other as various kinds of cars, Klase said. Various classes of viruses, on the other hand, can be as distinct from each other as cars and boats. Thats where the money issue comes in. Developing a new drug for each unrelated virus requires a fresh commitment of time and resources. A drug company would rather have one drug thatll cure everything than to have to have 100 drugs that theyre going to have to sell a bit of at a time for each different problem," Klase said. That has not kept pharmaceutical companies from testing drugs for one virus to see whether they work against another. With the new coronavirus, for example, scientists have been testing a drug called remdesivir, which was originally developed to treat Ebola. But it did not work very well against Ebola, and results so far against the coronavirus are unclear. The interest in a coronavirus treatment is so keen that misinformation has a way of spreading much like the microbe itself. Earlier this week, Johnson & Johnson issued a statement to dispel rumors that one of its antiviral drugs showed promise. The company said that it was screening a variety of antiviral compounds against the coronavirus, but that so far there is no evidence that darunavir, the drug that sparked the rumors, has any effect. In fairness to the scientists, they have not been at this problem for very long. Bacteria were first observed under a microscope in 1683. The existence of viruses, which can be less than one-tenth the size of bacteria, was not verified until more than 200 years later. And even then, scientists could not see them. In 1892, Russian scientist Dmitri Ivanovsky reported he had extracted fluid from a diseased tobacco plant and run it through a type of filter that was known to remove bacteria. He then demonstrated that the filtered fluid could be used to infect healthy plants. Some invisible agent which would not be seen until the advent of electron microscopes a few decades later was somehow transmitting disease. The care cure Effective antibiotics have been around for close to a century. Antiviral drugs have come along only in the last few decades, and only for a handful of serious threats. And they do not always help. Timing is important. Antiviral drugs can lessen the duration of the flu, for example, but only if given early in the course of the disease. By the time a person develops severe symptoms, antiviral drugs are of little use, said Freeman, the Pitt physician. That might also hold true for the new coronavirus, but more research is sorely needed, said Freeman, who studied the biology of a different coronavirus, SARS, while a Ph.D. student at Vanderbilt. Its important to be able to learn these things ahead of a disaster so well have tools in our toolbox, Freeman said. Multiple teams of researchers also are at work on vaccines for the new coronavirus, teaching the human immune system to make its own medicine: antibodies. The first stages of safety testing already are underway, but it will be at least a year before such a vaccine is approved for widespread use, experts predict. For now, that leaves supportive care. But as University of Pennsylvania medical historian David Barnes has found, nurses and doctors have been making that concept work for a long time. At the Lazaretto Quarantine Station, a hospital on the Delaware River used to treat immigrants with yellow fever in the early 19th century, patients were more likely to survive the illness than were many in the general population, he said. The regimen was straightforward: clean bedding, rest, adequate food and drink, and palliative medicines to ease the worst symptoms, said Barnes, who is writing a book on the topic. There are actually plenty of cures for viral illnesses," he said. We just dont think of them as cures. Were still kind of myopically fixated on finding a cure, when what we really should be doing is getting adequate basic nursing care for all patients. That may yet prove to be a challenge in the coronavirus outbreak. The nations hospitals have fewer than 70,000 adult intensive-care beds, while epidemiologists say the number of U.S. coronavirus patients with severe symptoms could reach the hundreds of thousands. If they all get sick during a short period of time, then even what Barnes calls the care cure may be in short supply. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18 Trend: Four more patients have been discharged in Azerbaijan after recovering from coronavirus, the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers told Trend. Currently, 23 patients with active coronavirus continue to receive the relevant treatment in special hospitals. Taking into account that the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared coronavirus the global pandemic and that the virus is spreading rapidly, the authorities urge the citizens to follow the recommendations and demands of WHO and the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers. TDs and senators have been told they will not be able to vote in Leinster House for the forthcoming Seanad election. Members of the Oireachtas generally cast their votes in front of an authorised officer in a room within Leinster House. However, due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus, Oireachtas officials have asked TDs and senators to cast their vote in their closest local authority. The decision was made over concerns for the authorised officers - the clerk and deputy clerk of the Seanad as they will also serve as the returning officers for the election. Read More If they were struck down by the virus they could miss the day of the count and counting may have to be postponed. Fine Gael parliamentary party members were told the decision was taken in the interests of not compromising the health of the senior Oireachtas officials because they cannot delegate their functions. TDs and senators have been given a timetable for when they can cast their votes in their local city or county council. Votes will be counted as usual in Leinster House on March 30. The Seanad comprises 60 members - 43 who are elected from panels of candidates representing various interests groups, six members are elected by university graduates and 11 are nominated by the Taoiseach. An acting Taoiseach is not entitled to appoint nominees and the final 11 senators will be announced once a government if formed. Facebook says a bug in its anti-spam system was blocking the publication of links to news stories about the coronavirus. Guy Rosen, Facebook's vice president of integrity, took to Twitter Tuesday evening claiming that the company had fixed the issue following widespread outrage. 'We've restored all the posts that were incorrectly removed, which included posts on all topics - not just those related to COVID-19. This was an issue with an automated system that removes links to abusive websites, but incorrectly removed a lot of other posts too,' Rosen wrote. Facebook users has been complaining earlier Tuesday that their attempts to share information and articles about the virus was being blocked by the social media giant. One user took to Twitter to share a screenshot which showed a failed attempt to post a Times of Israel article to his Facebook friends about the coronavirus. Rather than successfully posting the link, the user was instead met with a message from Facebook which read: 'This goes against our Community Standards on spam'. Facebook says a bug in its anti-spam system was blocking the publication of links to news stories about the coronavirus Guy Rosen, Facebook's vice president of integrity, took to Twitter Tuesday evening claiming that the company had fixed the issue following widespread outrage 'Facebook decided that my posting of this Times of Israel article is spam. (It's not spam.)' the user angrily wrote on Twitter. Meanwhile, another claimed that Facebook has blocked them from sharing an Associated Press article. 'They busted [blocked] my @AP share, too. Several friends sharing resources and emergency info have also been marked as spam,' the person wrote. Elsewhere, an employee at Stanford University's Cyber Policy Centre stated: 'It looks like an anti-spam rule at FB is going haywire. Facebook sent home content moderators yesterday, who generally can't WFH (work from home) due to privacy commitments the company has made. We might be seeing the start of the ML going nuts with less human oversight'. Another claimed that Facebook has blocked them from sharing an Associated Press article Facebook users have been eager to share news about COVID-19 as the outbreak worsens. A person is pictured taking a coronavirus test in Louisiana on Tuesday Facebook says a bug in its anti-spam system was blocking the publication of links to news stories about the coronavirus (file photo) However, Rosen replied claiming the issue was unrelated to any staffing changes that Facebook was going through due to the coronavirus. 'This is a bug in an anti-spam system, unrelated to any changes in our content moderator workforce,' he wrote. The company reportedly sent its human moderators home this week. A representative for Facebook did not immediately respond to questions on the status of Facebook's content moderators, many of whom do not work directly for the company and are not always able to work from home. Facebook has committed thousands of dollars to helping its staff of 45,000 employees manage expenses during the coronavirus pandemic that is spreading across the globe. CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced full-time workers will be given their six-month bonuses, along with an additional $1,000 to help those working remotely CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced full-time workers will be given their six-month bonuses, along with an additional $1,000 to help those working remotely who do not have access to their usual catered meals, gyms and other services provided by the firm. Contracted workers are not eligible for these funds, but will continued to be paid as they are also barred from entering the office, The Information reported. 'We recognize that many people are going to need more time away to care for children and their families,' Zuckerberg wrote in a memo, a copy of which was obtained by NBC News. As of Tuesday afternoon, there are more than 197,000 cases and over 7,000 deaths confirmed worldwide. Facebook has mandated a work-from-home policy for a little over a week now at all its US offices. Anxious Victorians are lying about their travel history and defying strict quarantine measures ordering them to self-isolate for 14 days so they can be seen by GPs, putting the lives of doctors and patients at risk. Some patients, who are displaying symptoms of respiratory illness and have been told to self-isolate as a precautionary measure by doctors, have been observed not to be heeding medical advice and walking around the community, said Melbourne GP Anita Munoz. Hospital staff assist people waiting in line to be screened for COVID-19 outside the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Credit:Getty Images "We are screening people and asking them questions over the phone before they come in and the most concerning thing is that some people are not aware of the need to disclose the full extent of their symptoms or they are concerned that disclosing their symptoms will prevent them from accessing care," Dr Munoz said. "They're denying possible COVID-19 exposure or travel history so they can see a general practitioner faster. When they get to the clinic, they are telling their doctor they've been overseas and they're worried they've got coronavirus. It's becomes a major public health issue when they put other patients and doctors at risk." Three Girl Scouts have found a touching way to put a smile on the faces of medical workers who are on the front lines helping those most affected by the novel coronavirus. When three Virginia Beach-based sisters, Sylvie, 14, Julia, 9, and Piper, 6, realized it wouldn't be the best idea to set up their usual booth outside a local Walmart or Kroger because of the many coronavirus-related shutdowns, their mom, Kacey Farrell, a co-leader of two of the local troops, told "Good Morning America" that "we knew we had to get creative." "Between our three different troops, we were looking at an inventory of around 600 boxes," Farrell said. That led to the decision to create a virtual cookie booth. "I started looking online through some private Facebook Girl Scout groups and read that someone had once done a Facebook Live cookie telethon," Farrell said. "I loved that idea and started talking about similar possibilities with my girls." From there, her teenage daughter, Sylvie, was able to shoot and direct a video of her younger sisters introducing their online Girl Scout cookie booth. "As you all know, the coronavirus is everywhere right now," Julia says at the beginning of the video. Piper chimes in, "We're not allowed to leave our house." They both go on to explain how they would like to donate the $4 boxes of cookies to medical first responders, and donations can be sent via Farrell's PayPal account. (MORE: Broadway stars raise money for furloughed actors in viral hand-washing challenge) On March 13, Kacey further promoted the digital cookie booth on social media to help get the word out. "I decided to post it on my personal Facebook page and figured, 'Well, I bet the girls' grandparents will think this is cute and hopefully they'll share it with their friends, too,'" Farrell said. "Right away, people started liking it and sharing it, and that first night just blew me away." Story continues "Donations came in from our friends and family from all over the world," she continued. "Friends of friends started donating boxes. We even got donations from other local Girl Scout leaders who I know are facing the same exact situation with their own troop inventories." PHOTO: Virginia Beach-based girl scouts create a virtual cookie booth to donate cookies to local hospitals. (Courtesy Kacey Farrell) Since posting on Facebook, the sisters' video had received over 1,800 views. "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." On the official Girl Scouts blog, there's a recommendation to suspend all cookie booths based on CDC and World Health Organization guidance. "We applaud our young cookie entrepreneurs for their enterprising spirit and willingness to lead during this time of uncertainty," GSUSA shared in a statement with "GMA." "These Girl Scouts are truly tomorrow's business leaders, and they're showing today's executives what savvy looks like." PHOTO: Virginia Beach-based girl scouts create a virtual cookie booth to donate cookies to local hospitals. (Courtesy Kacey Farrell) Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast CEO Tracy Keller also gave kudos to the girls for their creative efforts during this time. "Our goal is to build girls of courage, confidence and character who can handle tough situations and who are eager to help their communities. This is a perfect example," she said. "We applaud these girls and the thousands of others throughout the country who are running their own cookie businesses and finding ways to make a difference." "Girl Scouts has offered a digital cookie platform for a while now, but this was our first time ever doing an online video booth and fundraiser," Farrell said. "The feedback has been great," she excitingly added. "So many messages saying that it was exactly the cute little burst of happiness people needed right now. The girls are so happy, and I am just so proud of them. This was a truly girl-led adventure for them, from setting up the rainbow cookie boxes in the video to making the hand-drawn signs to deciding to have a little dance party on the table. ... At one point, Sylvie asked me to leave the room because I was 'distracting them.' I was happy to turn it over to them, and they did a great job." Girl Scouts set up digital cookie booth to donate boxes to hospital workers amid coronavirus outbreak originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com Add to that the fact that many wounded warriors are already in the heightened-risk category for contracting COVID-19, which puts everyone in the family on edge, especially when a member brings home the common cold. Injured veterans often undergo multiple surgeries or procedures and treatments that require frequent hospital or doctor visits. They understand what it's like to be constricted in the house, and their caregivers are familiar with the need to be prepared for the unexpected or the sudden inability to leave the home. "I approach everything as if it's a worst-case scenario, and my brother has lived the worst-case scenario, says Mackinday. Most combat vets, especially with hidden injuries like PTSD, have been practicing social distancing for years." Triggers to past trauma When resources are scarce and fear and panic exist, past trauma related to the war may be triggered. Our veterans feel more helpless when they can't get out there and protect everyone, not just their families, explains Melissa Comeau, a military caregiver, whose husband was injured in Iraq, and the author of Sleeping with the War. "There is a call to service that does not go away with wounds, illness or injury. And this virus is an enemy that you cannot see or fight with a gun. Comeau points out that military caregivers are already accustomed to managing multiple crises at once, staying stocked with supplies and finding numerous ways to distract the kids in times of peace and crisis. In short, the mindset and lifestyle of someone who has recovered or is living with a serious combat wound are that of someone already living a scaled-down life, Comeau says. And it's a sacrifice for everyone in the family. But you add to that the fact that schools are being canceled and it's one more challenge." And then, as for caregivers everywhere, the threat is heightened for those requiring home health care aids or therapists. These families are struggling with hard decisions about whom to let inside their home and how to trust that people from outside their family are being equally cautious. Many caregivers for vets have created rooms in their home to quarantine loved ones, due to constant worries about infected IV lines and the threat of airborne transmission. This is particularly hard for those with younger children and older relatives. Wounded veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan are part of the sandwich generation, being cared for by a spouse while at home with younger children, or perhaps living in their childhood home with an aging parent who is more vulnerable to infection. Roxana Delgado, an epidemiologist in San Antonio and caregiver for her combat-wounded husband, Victor, describes the strain of being told that they should not come into the hospital or doctor's office until May, in order to limit exposure to infection. Daniel Hannan is a writer and columnist. He was a Conservative MEP from 1999 to 2020, and is now President of the Initiative for Free Trade. In a crisis, we reach for whatever feels most comforting. As the Titanic sank, its band leader, Wallace Hartley, played the hymn his father had introduced to the chapel where he had sung as a boy, Nearer my God to Thee. More prosaically, a thousand pundits and politicians have responded to the COVID-19 outbreak by saying, in effect, This just goes to show that we need to do whatever I happened to be banging on about before. Anti-globalisers say that it proves we are too reliant on international trade. China hawks say we must ban Huawei. The GMB rails against the use of private hospital beds. Jeremy Corbyn blames Boris Johnson. There was an eco-activist on the radio yesterday saying it proved the urgency of cutting carbon emissions though Im pretty sure that is already happening. Anti-Brexiteers demand an extension of the transition period. People who dislike capitalism argue that we mustnt waste a good crisis. The EU, too, has reverted to its most elemental impulses. In an extraordinary video clip, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, insisted that the Single Market be preserved while at the same time (and evidently oblivious to any contradiction) announcing an export ban on some forms of medical equipment. Were all in this together; but only if were in the EU. A visibly shaken Aleksandar Vucic, the President of Serbia, responded to Ms von der Leyens announcement with a televised statement in which he told his countrymen that China was their true friend. The EU, he said, having for years set conditions that effectively forced Serbia to bid for European rather than non-European contracts, had now thrown his country over. Only the Chinese would send medical equipment. Now it is possible that Vucic, too, is reverting to his primal instincts. He started out as a hardline nationalist, though he is now a goody-goody EPP member. And it is equally possible that I am doing the same, identifying what I see as a clear case of EU hypocrisy but others might see as a justified response. All human beings suffer from confirmation biases. There is nothing we can do about our neural wiring; but we can at least try to identify and allow for the various cognitive glitches that become especially pronounced when there is an elevated stress level. For example, our instincts are likelier to push us into over-reacting than the reverse. When the UK government, acting in line with advice, responded in a phased and measured way to the outbreak, there was a general demand that it do more. I was reminded of a line from Harold Nicolsons diary at the height of the 1938 Czech crisis: Several people ring me up begging me to do something. They have no idea what they want me to do, but they are getting hysterical, and it is some relief to them to bother others on the phone. For phone, these days, read social media. One of the most dangerous sequences in politics goes like this. Something must be done. Heres something. Lets do it. It leads to all manner of needless and counterproductive decisions. For example, it is hard to see any medical case for countries banning international travel, as the EU has just done especially from places with infection rates similar to or less than their own. Nor can I see much rationale for closing schools and sending children, who seem mercifully to be the least at risk from the disease, into the care of their grandparents. But, as always in a crisis, people want action big, visible, dramatic action. So my guess (and, I could, as I say, be subject to cognitive bias) is that governments the world over are doing more rather than less than is strictly demanded by the science. What of the disease itself? Is it likely to be better or worse than the forecasts suggest? Obviously, it is impossible to know. When even my friend Matt Ridley the brilliant Matt, who has made a career out of wisely and successfully debunking scare stories says that this is the big one, there is plainly a genuine menace. Still, it is worth noting that the forecasts for both bird flu and swine flu were far too pessimistic. When I say forecasts, I mean the predictions of WHO officials, the Chief Medical Officer and the US government the headlines, naturally, were even more wildly out. Our pessimism has a solid evolutionary basis. Trusting and cheerful early hominids tended not to have as many surviving offspring as their suspicious kindred, and we carry the gloomy genes of the survivors. Pessimism has its uses; but we should be aware of how our instincts can mislead us. It is at least possible that we will avoid some or most of the predicted catastrophes. The WHO says the illness has peaked in parts of East Asia, and the Chinese President has visited Wuhan without protective clothing. We need to think, not just about getting through the coming weeks, but about what comes afterwards. It is inevitable that we will emerge from the crisis poorer, more indebted, with many businesses destroyed and with something close to a wartime command economy. But how high those costs are is at least partly discretionary. We or at least our leaders can dial them up or down. It is a hard thing, in politics, to act proportionately when public opinion demands drastic action. But doing so is the essence of statecraft. Schools across England will be shut down from Friday until further notice as the coronavirus crisis deteriorates, the government has announced. The move was unveiled by education secretary Gavin Williamson and it mirrors Scotland and Wales, where Friday will be the last day of normal lessons. However, powers in emergency legislation to be passed by the Commons within days will allow ministers to force some schools to remain open for the children of key workers. It means some youngsters will go to different schools, if their own has been shut down, relieving their parents of childcare responsibilities if they are needed to fight the outbreak. A government source told The Independent: The definition of key workers will be broader than just people working in the NHS. The prime minister fuelled the expectation that school closures were just days away when he told the House of Commons that a policy change would be announced imminently. He is expected to promise that steps will be taken to ensure the poorest children can still receive free daily meals after warnings they will otherwise go hungry. Schools in Northern Ireland will close to pupils from 5pm on Wednesday, although teachers will attend for another two days, Stormont sources have said. The Welsh government has announced plans to close its schools by Friday amid the outbreak. And first minister Nicola Sturgeon has said schools in Scotland will shut their doors to pupils later this week. It comes after a growing number of schools had already decided to close fully or partially amid staff shortages. A school in north London closed its doors to all children except those of key workers on Tuesday. Meanwhile, a number of top private schools across the country also decided to shut amid the coronavirus outbreak. Headteachers have warned that keeping schools open has become "increasingly untenable" as staff are self-isolating. The National Education Union (NEU) has called for school closures at least for some time and at least in some areas. Speaking to The Independent, Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: Schools are mostly closing partially. But in some areas of London, schools are closed fully. One school in Camden is closed because there are too many staff in the high-risk groups and the virus has broken out among the children. So it is not a safe environment for those teachers to be there. On leaders' decisions to partially close, she added: We are hearing that some schools are keeping open for key workers children, but also children on free school meals and children who they feel are vulnerable. It has really ramped up in the last couple of days. A lot of parents in London have also been keeping their children off school this week and Dr Bousted described the school drop-off on Wednesday morning as being like a ghost town. Dr Bousted said she thinks it is "unlikely" that most GCSE exams will be able to take place in the summer term. "You have to ask the question whether parents, which might be the peak of the virus, are going to be prepared to let their children sit in a hall with 200 other children doing 35 hours of exam or more." Fiona Boulton, chair of the Headmasters and Headmistresses Conference (HMC), which represents the most prestigious private schools, said: This virus knows no boundaries and independent schools are struggling alongside their colleagues in the state sector to keep open for as long as possible. This is becoming increasingly difficult as staff are obliged to self-isolate or look after family members, and boarding school pupils with symptoms have to be separated from other children. Ms Boulton, head of Guildford High School, added: Heads who have had to close their schools have done so with a heavy heart because normal operations have become unsustainable and their pupils are better served by moving to online learning. Some will be able to keep their doors open to key workers, according to their resource. After two years of litigation, Apple has agreed to pay up to US$500 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging it slowed down older iPhones in order to push consumers into buying its later, more expensive models. The devices covered in the agreement are iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus, and iPhone SE models that ran iOS 10.2.1 or later, and iPhone 7 and 7 Plus models that ran iOS 11.2 or later before Dec. 21, 2017. Consumers complained that their iPhones performance suffered after they installed the Apple software updates. This misled them into believing their phones were near the end of their lifecycles, requiring replacements or new batteries. Apple blamed the problems on temperature changes, high usage and other issues, and claimed its engineers worked quickly and successfully to address the problems. In December 2017 it slashed the price of iPhone replacement batteries from $79 to $29. It had planned to make the new pricing applicable in January but apparently in response to customer outrage, it moved up the date to December. The program ended Dec. 31, 2018. What the Settlement Entails The settlement, based upon a mediators proposal, was reached after extensive aggressive litigation and prolonged, well-informed and extensive arms-length negotiations, including several in-person mediation sessions and additional negotiations between experienced and knowledgeable counsel facilitated by mediator Judge Layn R. Phillips (Ret.) of Philips ADR. It provides for a non-reversionary minimum class settlement amount of $310 million in cash for the settlement class. Non-reversionary means excess funds will not revert back to Apple. The maximum class settlement amount is pegged at $500 million cash. The proposed settlement class consists of all former or current iPhone owners in the United States. Settlement class members could receive $25 for each iPhone owned. The actual amount they receive will depend on the amount of any attorneys fees and expenses, named plaintiff service awards, notice expenses, and the aggregate value of approved claims. If the $25 payout plus the cost of the other fees, expenses and awards does not come up to $310 million, the excess will be allocated according to the stipulation, including pro rata increased payments to settlement class members up to $500. If the payouts, expenses and costs exceed $500 million, however, the cash payment for each iPhone will be reduced on a pro rata basis. Class counsel will seek up to 30 percent of the minimum settlement amount, or $93 million, for attorneys fees, and up to $1.5 million for expenses. Named plaintiffs also will seek service awards ranging from $1,500 to $3,500 each. A D V E R T I S E M E N T The proposed settlement requires approval by Judge Edward Davila of the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California in San Jose. Apple has denied wrongdoing, and has agreed to settle to avoid the burdens and costs of litigation. Views on the Proposed Settlement Good to see Apple correcting their wrong after denying it for a long time, said Holger Mueller, principal analyst at Constellation Research. However, the settlement comes cheap for Apple, as most customers bought new iPhones due to the throttling, he told TechNewsWorld. Loyalty in the Apple user base remains high no matter what the issues, none of which Apple has dealt with in an honest fashion, Mueller said. One can only hope Apple will be more upfront and honest with its customer base moving forward. That adherence to Apples products really is based on OS dependence, maintained Liz Miller, principal analyst at Constellation. Their households are connected through the OS from work to home to the sound bar someones husband just installed, she told TechNewsWorld. So they overlook the B.S. caused by operating system dependence. The mere thought of switching off iMessage sends shockwaves through my family and we know better. Loyalists are frustrated by the lack of transparency stemming from Apples arrogance, Miller said. It isnt the act of throttling thats the issue. Its the utter lack of authenticity and transparency that flies in the face of what people perceive to be the Apple brand. Milking the Cash Cow Apple treats its base like an owned asset to be mined for money, and this behavior is consistent with that, said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. Recall they also throttled the Qualcomm-based versions of their phones to conceal the fact that the Intel-based versions were underperforming, he told TechNewsWorld. A D V E R T I S E M E N T Apples days of innovation appear to be over, along with their days of out-marketing everyone else, and their efforts appear to be mostly focused on driving down costs and finding ways to mine customers for more and more money, Enderle said. This isnt indefinitely sustainable, as IBM discovered in the 1980s when they almost went under. The Art of Control Apple has always taken a highly managed approach to contractors, customers and its supply chain, said Ray Wang, principal analyst at Constellation Research. Consumers choose Apple for its user interface, operating system and apps store ecosystem, he told TechNewsWorld. On the corporate side, most surveys show that existing companies are wary of switching, Wang said. They have too much invested in the iOS ecosystem. The ecosystem is at the root of Apples difficulties, according to Larry Chiagouris, professor of marketing at Pace University. As Apple broadened its offerings from personal computers to smartphones to music content to tablets and now on to a wide variety of all kinds of content, the challenge to deliver to its loyal customer base has become more difficult, he told TechNewsWorld. Its customer base has broadened considerably on the one hand, and its competitive set has also broadened as well, noted Chiagouris. Clouds in the Future Apple has been fined in France and Italy for throttling iPhones. Meanwhile, Huawei, Xiaomi and Samsung are challenging its dominance fiercely in overseas markets. Apple remains king of the hill, but many others are now shooting at them from several vantage points, and its hold on its leadership is now threatened more than ever before, remarked Chiagouris. Given that Apple uses a lock-in model, Enderle said, it will take a considerable effort by competitors or visible excess by Apple against its customers to induce significant numbers of them to consider other vendors smartphones. The Department of Health has confirmed that as of Monday morning South Africa now has 62 confirmed and verified cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19). It added that there are more cases but these are yet to be verified. The department reported that Limpopo now has its first confirmed case, 29 year-old male who had travelled to France and Netherlands. We also wish to mention that there are two cases of local transmission which have been presented to the NICD. These are under investigation. We are in the process of conducting confirmation tests and establish their direct contacts and those whom they have subsequently come into contact with. All the patients have been advised and contact tracing is underway, said the department in its statement. There are seven new cases in Gauteng: A 33 year-old male who had travelled to Spain A 68 year-old female who had travelled to Austria A 30 year-old male who had travelled to India A 39 year-old male who had travelled to the US A 43 year-old female who had travelled to the US A 50 year-old male who had travelled to France and the UK A 37 year-old male who had travelled to the US, Dubai and Mexico Two new cases in the Western Cape: A 39 year-old male who had travelled to Canada A 15 year-old male who had travel travelled to France One case in Mpumalanga is a 55 year-old male who had travelled to France. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) at the weekend announced that doctors no longer need to contact the NICD for approval to test for COVID-19 as long as they apply the case definition before testing. The NICD will test the submitted samples as long as the required supporting documents accompany the sample which is available on the NICD website. SA News Chancellor Rishi Sunak announces new stimulus measures on Tuesday. (Matt Dunham/pool via Reuters) Stocks fell across the world on Wednesday even after governments in the UK, France, Spain, and the United States announced a series of new stimulus measures designed to curb the economic impact of the spiralling coronavirus pandemic. Stocks in the US, which rose on Tuesday, suffered broad declines. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) was down by more than 4.7%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) fell by 5.5%, while shares on the Nasdaq (^IXIC) were down by around 4%. The pan-European STOXX 600 index (^STOXX) fell by more than 2.7% on Wednesday, while Londons FTSE 100 (^FTSE) declined by more than 3.3%, erasing all of Tuesdays gains. Germanys DAX (^GDAXI) fell by around 3.9% and Frances CAC 40 (^FCHI) was around 4.2% in the red. Read more: UK releases 'unprecedented' financial measures worth 15% of GDP Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey on Wednesday suggested that the central bank was considering printing money and giving it directly to UK households. Bailey also said that there was no limit on the amount of commercial paper that the bank could snap up as part of a new facilitythat aims to help businesses across a range of sectors to pay wages and suppliers. His comments came after UK chancellor Rishi Runak on Tuesday announced 330bn ($390bn) in state-backed loans to coronavirus-hit businesses, equivalent to 15% of GDP. Sunak also pledged a further 20bn in stimulus measures, including the suspension of business rates for swathes of firms. The announcement came after a series of measures were announced by the French and Spanish governments. Later on Tuesday, the Trump administration announced a stimulus package of measures pending congressional approval that could end up amounting to $1tn (800bn), alongside $300bn in deferred tax payments. Faced with the prospect of meeting the costs of massive welfare bills, and the prospect of multiple business failures, politicians from Europe, the UK and the US announced a series of measures designed to help steer their respective economies through the uncharted waters of an economic shock of a yet unspecified magnitude, said Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets. Story continues Read more: Morrisons promises staff coronavirus pay and expands Amazon home delivery The widespread and whole-scale economic shutdowns being announced in the last few days have the potential to plunge millions of people into huge financial difficulties as governments take high stakes steps to beat back the invisible enemy of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hewson said. The decline in US and European stocks followed a weak trading session in Asia. Chinas SSE Composite Index (^SSEC) fell by 1.8% on Wednesday, while the Hang Seng (^HSI) was down more than 4.1% in Hong Kong at market close. Japans Nikkei (^N225) fell by more than 1.6%. The KOSPI Composite Index (^KOSPI) in South Korea closed almost 4.9% in the red. Alcohol, Caffeine, Exercise, Lack of Sleep Are Most Common, UCSF Study Finds By Scott Maier A personal survey of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), one of the most important causes of irregular heartbeats, has found that the majority of triggers for the condition are easily modifiable lifestyle choices, including alcohol, caffeine, exercise and lack of sleep. The findings, identified by researchers at UC San Francisco in collaboration with patients and advocates, indicate potential ways to prevent and reduce AF episodes. The study appears online Feb. 14, 2019, in the journal HeartRhythm. Almost all AF studies have to do with risk factors for the initial development of the disease, said senior author Gregory Marcus, MD, MAS, a UCSF Health cardiologist and associate chief of cardiology for research in the UCSF Division of Cardiology. This study focuses on specific exposures that cause an individual episode to occur. In AF, electrical impulses in the upper chambers of the heart are chaotic, causing the atrial walls to quiver, rather than contracting normally in moving blood to the lower chambers. As a result, blood clots may form. One in four adults over age 40 is at risk for AF, with a projection of nearly 6 million people in the nation having the condition by 2050. AF is one of the leading causes of stroke, but often has no symptoms and can remain undetected until a stroke actually occurs. Earlier detection would enable the use of anticoagulation therapy to mitigate the risk of stroke and other complications, such as dementia, chronic kidney disease and heart attack. Previous research has focused on determining predictors of AF development, which are known to include being older, male and white; having multiple cardiovascular comorbidities; and lifestyle factors such as alcohol and smoking. Little is known about acute exposures influencing specific episodes. According to Marcus, the idea for this study arose from a group of AF patients, including author Mellanie True Hills, chief executive officer of the patient advocacy non-profit StopAfib.org, and another, Debbe McCall, who has a Twitter following of thousands of fellow patients. They are part of the Health eHeart Alliance, a patient-powered research network involved in the design, conduct, oversight and results dissemination of cardiovascular-focused research projects and supported by the UCSF-led Health eHeart Study. In the HeartRhythm study, the researchers surveyed 1,295 AF patients from the Health eHeart Study and StopAfib.org, asking them whether they had experienced an AF episode triggered by one of 11 potential triggers that had been identified by an AF patient review board. Participants also could write in their own triggers. Nearly 74 percent (957) reported AF triggers. The most common were alcohol (35 percent), caffeine (28 percent), exercise (23 percent) and lack of sleep (21 percent). Younger patients, women and those with AF family history were more likely to report experiencing irregular heartbeats after triggers. On average, patients reported experiencing reactions to two different triggers. Women, Hispanics, those with obstructive sleep apnea and patients with an AF family history reported a greater number of triggers. Patients with AF triggers had a 71 percent lower odds of congestive heart failure and more than a two-fold greater odds of AF family history compared to those without triggers, based on Health eHeart Study data. Marcus said the study revealed a need to explore the impact of these common exposures on a broad range of AF patients, including a possible connection to underlying genetic differences. Better understanding of individual-level triggers may help empower patients and represents a novel approach to improving quality of life and reducing health care use for AF, said Marcus, holder of the Endowed Professorship of AF research in the UCSF School of Medicine. For those with an AF family history, understanding gene-environment interactions may reveal novel mechanisms and, ultimately, help to counsel patients regarding the best lifestyle interventions. The next step, Marcus said, is to launch an app-based study to anyone with intermittent (paroxysmal) AF and a smartphone to systemically test their triggers. Called I-STOP-AF (Individualized Studies of Triggers of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation) and funded by PCORI (Patient-Centered Research Outcomes Institute), the six-week study will include periods of trigger exposure and elimination in about 500 participants and ask them to track AF symptoms along with their exposures. Marcus expects to launch the study this year. Co-Authors: Lead author Christopher Groh, Madelaine Faulkner, Shiffen Getabecha, Victoria Taffe, Mark Pletcher, Jeffrey Olgin and Gregory Nah, from UCSF. Kathi Sigona, Debbe McCall, Mallanie True Hills and Katherine Sciarappa, of the Health eHeart Alliance. Funding: The study was supported by PCORI. The Health eHeart Alliance is a Patient-Powered Research Network in PCORnet, the National Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network, a PCORI-funded initiative. The Health eHeart Alliances participation in the development of PCORnet was partially funded through PCORI award 137480. Disclosures: Marcus receives research funding from Medtronic and Jawbone and is a consultant for and holds equity in InCarda. Olgin receives research funding from ZOLL, Myia and iBeat, is a consultant for Novartis and VivaLink, and holds equity in Context AI. McCall receives speakers bureau support from Janssen, SentreHeart and the CardioVascular Clinical Trialists Forum and serves as a patient principal investigator on PCORI and AHRQ funded grants. Taffe previously was a part-time employee for the American Heart Association, Western States Affiliate. UC San Francisco (UCSF) is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. It includes top-ranked graduate schools of dentistry, medicine, nursing and pharmacy; a graduate division with nationally renowned programs in basic, biomedical, translational and population sciences; and a preeminent biomedical research enterprise. It also includes UCSF Health, which comprises three top-ranked hospitals UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Benioff Childrens Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland as well as Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital and Clinics, UCSF Benioff Childrens Physicians and the UCSF Faculty Practice. UCSF Health has affiliations with hospitals and health organizations throughout the Bay Area. UCSF faculty also provide all physician care at the public Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, and the SF VA Medical Center. The UCSF Fresno Medical Education Program is a major branch of the University of California, San Franciscos School of Medicine. University of California San Francisco Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 15:22:01|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close WASHINGTON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is expanding his lead over Vermont's Senator Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary on Tuesday. Biden will win Arizona, Illinois, and Florida, all of the three states holding a Democratic primary on Tuesday, according to projections by multiple U.S. media outlets. The race in Florida, a battleground state for the 2020 presidential election, was a blowout for Biden. With about 93 percent of precincts reporting, he led Sanders by nearly 40 percentage points, according to CNN. Speaking to supporters via livestream from Wilmington, Delaware, Biden said his campaign has "had a very good night." "We 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," Biden said. After a victory in Florida's GOP primary on Tuesday, sitting president Donald Trump has become the party's presumptive nominee for the 2020 presidential race, the Republican National Committee tweeted. With Florida's 122 delegates to the Republican National Convention awarded to Trump, the incumbent has 1,330 delegates, above the 1,276 needed to win the Republican nomination, according to his reelection campaign. Trump, who also won the Illinois GOP primary, is expected to formally become the Republican nominee at the party's national convention in Charlotte, North Carolina in August. Arizona's Republican Party has canceled its caucuses so as to back Trump's re-election bid. The primaries took place amid great concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic and growing public attention to the disease, which has left 108 people out of 6,362 confirmed cases dead in the United States as of Tuesday night and is disrupting the U.S. economy. COVID-19 "will have a major impact on the election because it is likely to push America into a recession," Darrell West, director of governance studies at Brookings Institution, a Washington D.C.-based think tank, told Xinhua. "Trump's major claim always has been the strong economy and it looks like he will lose that talking point," West added. Ohio was scheduled to vote on Tuesday, but the day before, the state's health director ordered the closure of all polls due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Four other states, including Maryland and Georgia, have also postponed their 2020 presidential primaries. The Democratic National Committee said Tuesday that it urged "the remaining primary states to make voting easier and safer for both voters and election officials." "The simplest way to ensure this is to make vote by mail available to all registered voters," the organization said. "We will continue to monitor the situation and work with the state parties to allow for flexibility around how states elect their delegates to the national convention once delegates are allocated based on primary or caucus results." To win the Democratic presidential nomination, a candidate must receive support from a majority of the 3,979 pledged delegates on the first ballot of the Democratic National Convention, which election officials say must be at least 1,991 delegates. As of Tuesday night, Biden had 1,121 delegates, compared to Sanders' 839, according to the Associated Press. David Axelrod, director of the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics, said Tuesday night that it may be difficult for Sanders to catch up with Biden. "At this point in 2008, Barack Obama was (ahead) of Hillary Clinton by 100 delegates. At the end of tonight, Joe Biden's lead will be 3X that," Axelrod tweeted. "No Dem has ever come back from anything like this deficit." While most U.S. airlines are cutting flights to historically low numbers because of the coronavirus pandemic, three mainland Chinese carriers plan to resume non-stop flights to San Francisco International Airport this month, a move SFO officials said marks a hopeful change in direction. The resumption of flights is one of several early signs that the worst could be over in China, meaning the crisis will eventually come to an end here, too. China Eastern will resume a daily non-stop flight this month between its hub in Shanghai and San Francisco using a Boeing 777-300ER jet. Flights are expected to start on Saturday, March 28 Strangely, flights were not yet available for booking at the time of this writing on the airlines North America website. Air China plans to resume non-stop flights between Beijing and San Francisco this Saturday with flights operating on a limited schedule, and on sporadic days throughout the week. Economy class fares are selling for north of $3,000, a staggering price tag considering round-trip fares on this route were typically sub-$600 before the coronavirus crisis. Air China did not entirely stop serving SFO during the peak of the outbreak in China. It flew flights four times a week to Los Angeles. After a 90-minute stop at LAX, those flights continued north to SFO. The Chinese carrier had a similar arrangement on the U.S. East Coast: flights flew from Beijing to New Yorks Kennedy Airport and then onwards to Washington-Dulles Airport and vice versa. China Southern intends to resume its non-stop flight from Guangzhou to San Francisco on March 29. It will operate four times a week, on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays using Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner jets. This flight had originally included a stop in Wuhan, where the outbreak began, but this resumption will not include a stop in that city. Fares on this route arent cheap either, running on average for a round-trip flight in the $2,500 range in economy class. These high price tags underscore the scarcity (definitely not the demand) in non-stop flights between the U.S. and China. In the weeks following the outbreak, and with the onset of Trump administration travel restrictions, U.S. carriers hastily suspended all their flights to China. Those restrictions still remain in place, and have expanded to include the U.K., Ireland, and European countries in the Schengen area. Foreign nationals who have been in mainland China for the last 14 days are banned from entering the United States. U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents are allowed to return home, but must quarantine for 14 days after their arrival. So who might book these flights? Undoubtedly, it will be the people who urgently need to travel intercontinentally. Perhaps its the Americans who have been in China for the past two months there are many who split their time between family in the mainland and Northern California or the foreign nationals here on the West Coast who have been unable to return home until now. And of course, those big jets have big cargo holds, and there is plenty of pent-up demand for U.S. and Chinese products on both sides of the Pacific. All three airlines are majority owned by the Chinese government (Air China is the national flag carrier), so operating these flights at near-empty loads and at a financial loss should not be much of a concern for each carrier. The likelihood is these flights will be mostly empty, and that's okay when you have the deep pockets of the Chinese government to finance these flights. With China slowly turning the corner as it relates to the pandemic, it may be the safest place to be in the months ahead as countries elsewhere grapple with the terrible consequences of this virus. Read all recent TravelSkills posts here. Chris McGinnis is SFGATE's senior travel correspondent. You can reach him via email or follow him on Twitter or Facebook. Don't miss a shred of important travel news by signing up for his FREE biweekly email updates! SFGATE participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Missoula County officials on Wednesday limited the intake of new inmates at the county jail in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Missoula County Board of Commissioners and Missoula County Sheriff T.J. McDermott on Wednesday signed a resolution stating "effective immediately," the jail will no longer take those charged with nonviolent misdemeanor offenses, nor those arrested for failing to appear in court. Missoula County Sheriff's office spokesperson Brenda Bassett said with the resolution in place, intake of new inmates remains on a case-by-case basis. Earlier this week, officials at the jail closed off all public visitation. "That's to protect civilians, inmates and detention staff," she said. "I think people understand why we need to start taking these actions when you have hundreds of people in one space." The changes come amid unprecedented closures of bars, gyms and theaters, limitations on restaurant services and restrictions on social gatherings as officials try to rein in the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Gallatin County adopted similar measures on jail intake. The Gallatin County Sheriff's Office told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle on Wednesday it had also asked law enforcement in the county to cite and release people for nonviolent misdemeanors rather than bring them to jail. Missoula County Justice of the Peace Alex Beal said the resolution is in line with the "big picture" efforts to keep the jail population limited, while establishing good policy during a public health crisis. "As best as you can group them and predict them, this should do a good job of picking out the people who are a real, immediate public safety risk and letting go of the folks who are not," Beal said. "We will deal with those issues, but they are not the critical public safety risk at the moment." The ACLU of Montana on Wednesday also called on state officials to take such measures, such as reducing the number of people in jails, prisons and other detention facilities; ensuring jail populations have access to hygiene products and information; maintain publicly available data on infection and prevention in prisons and jails; and releasing vulnerable populations like the elderly and those with high-risk health conditions. SK Rossi, ACLU of Montana's director of policy and advocacy, called directly on Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and director of the Montana Department of Corrections Reginald Michael to stem the flow of people into prisons and jails and to "immediately release a vast number of those already detained." "This is life or death," Rossi said in Wednesday's release. "We're going to continue broadening our response and communicating with state leaders and stakeholders until something is done." At the Missoula County jail, which also houses state inmates, Bassett said staff has cranked up cleaning measures and intake screening. "We're just being hyper-vigilant in terms of looking at inmates, with every new inmate that comes in," Bassett said. "We're screening them for temperatures, seeing if they have any symptoms." Bassett said that screening process has yet uncover any symptomatic cases, and said any inmate showing symptoms would be isolated for review. "If we had a confirmed case they would go into (permanent) isolation, and we would look to the experts in the health department to help us triage that isolation," Bassett said. In Broadwater County, where another case has been confirmed, Sheriff Wynn Meehan told the Missoulian on Wednesday he began restricting public access to inmates last week. Like Missoula County, the Broadwater County Sheriff's Office has also stopped fingerprinting services, shut down concealed weapons permitting and limiting in-person responses. "I told them, 'I don't want you guys out having contact with people because of a taillight out. If there's something that's a safety risk to the public, stop them and deal with it. If it's a property crime or something where its people on the street corner being loud and disruptive, cite and release,'" Meehan said. Meehan said Wednesday he expects sheriffs across the state to begin announcing similar measures in a matter of time. In a more rural county like Broadwater, his facilities and staff are not typically flush with resources, he said. "Some people get frustrated with us because they think we might be causing the hysteria, but we've got peoples' lives in our hands," Meehan said, adding he is looking out for the safety of inmates as well as his deputies and citizens. "Right now I am short-staffed, not at full capacity for staffing and I can't afford to have one of my officers sick and fall out." Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Tuesday warned Republican senators that the nation could see 20 percent unemployment if an economic stimulus package is not passed to offset the effects of the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic. By comparison, in 2009 the Great Recession saw 10 percent unemployment at its height in the U.S., while in 1933 during the Great Depression unemployment hit 23 percent. However, the Treasury Department clarified that an economic stimulus would prevent unemployment from reaching such high levels. Mnuchin used some mathematical examples to illustrate potential risk if there were no intervention, but because they are doing the right things and proposing additional action, [20 unemployment] would not be the case, a Treasury Department official told CNN. The Trump administration is currently pushing for a $1 trillion stimulus package. The Treasury Secretary acknowledged the large price tag of the stimulus, but said it was justified given the circumstances of the economy. This is not like a normal economic situation, Mnuchin said. The government has requested that parts of this economy shut down. The stimulus package reportedly includes about $50 million for the airline industry, which Mnuchin described as experiencing a greater crisis than in the period after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, as well as around $500 billion in relief to Americans through payroll tax cuts or direct cash payments. Americans need cash now and the president wants to get cash now. And I mean now, in the next two weeks, Mnuchin said at a press conference on Tuesday. Several Republican senators, including Mitt Romney of Utah, Josh Hawley of Missouri, and Tom Cotton of Arkansas, have expressed support for direct payments to Americans to help offset the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak. More from National Review Boeing Co on Tuesday called for a $60 billion lifeline for the struggling U.S. aerospace manufacturing industry, which faces huge losses from the coronavirus pandemic. Reuters first reported that Boeing was seeking "tens of billions of dollars" in U.S. government loan guarantees and other assistance as faces it a looming liquidity crunch due to the coronavirus' impact on the aviation sector, two people briefed on the matter told Reuters. Boeing spokesman Gordon Johndroe subsequently said the company "supports a minimum of $60 billion (49.6 billion pounds) in access to public and private liquidity, including loan guarantees, for the aerospace manufacturing industry." Boeing declined to say how much of that would be for the planemaker versus loan guarantees for its suppliers; it was also unclear if U.S. banks would loan any of the more than $60 billion without government backing. The U.S. planemaker has told lawmakers it needs significant government support to meet liquidity needs and it cannot raise that in current market conditions, the people said. Boeing confirmed Monday it was in talks with the administration about short-term support, while U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday the U.S. government would provide support. Boeing has noted that typically 70% of its revenue flows to its 17,000 suppliers and has told lawmakers that without significant assistance the entire U.S. aviation manufacturing sector could collapse. "This will be one of the most important ways for airlines, airports, suppliers and manufacturers to bridge to recovery. Funds would support the health of the broader aviation industry, because much of any liquidity support to Boeing will be used for payments to suppliers to maintain the health of the supply chain," Johndroe said. The amount of aid Boeing needs remains in flux based on market conditions and how long the crisis lasts. Congressional officials are reviewing Boeing's cash needs as Congress considers a stimulus and rescue package that could top $1 trillion. "Boeing got hit hard in many different ways," Trump said at a press conference Tuesday. He said he would also help suppliers like engine maker General Electric Co . "We have to protect Boeing... We'll be helping Boeing." Boeing's stock has been plummeting. After falling 24% on Monday, it fell another 4.4% Tuesday to close at $123.92. Boeing is down more than 60% over the last month as the coronavirus pandemic slashed travel demand worldwide. S&P Global downgraded Boeing's credit rating on Monday and lowered its free cash flow expectations for the company. Boeing has been struggling to win approval from regulators for its 737 MAX to return to service after two fatal crashes in five months. The plane has been grounded since March 2019. 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 have sought $10 billion. Boeing confirmed on Tuesday that it had completed the drawdown of the rest of a $13.8 billion line of credit it had secured last month. Boeing's total debt nearly doubled to $27.3 billion in 2019, as it compensated airlines and grappled with additional production costs for the 737 MAX even as the grounding prevented it from delivering the aircraft to buyers. Reuters on Tuesday reported Airbus has about 16 billion euros ($17.60 billion) in cash and needs some 5.5 billion euros a month, a person familiar with Monday's discussions said. Industry sources said that even before the coronavirus crisis squeezed its finances, Boeing had been providing financial support to a number of suppliers to help them ride out the shutdown of 737 MAX production as well as paying airlines compensation for the delay in delivering MAX planes. The focus on design problems as a key factor leading up to two fatal crashes that led to the grounding has left the planemaker exposed to potential shareholder lawsuits from partners and airlines at risk from the MAX shutdown. WASHINGTON, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Leadership 18, comprised of the nation's largest social services nonprofits, today joined with a national collaboration of charities to issue a letter to Congress requesting a $60 billion infusion of support to help the nonprofit charitable sector continue to serve vulnerable families and communities in the wake of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. "The 12 million workers in America's charities are on the frontlines of the coronavirus response, and the financial impact of the crisis has put the very survival of many essential service providers at risk," noted Steven C. Preston, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. "Charities are our society's shock absorber when crisis hits. Our workers provide essential immediate support such as food and shelter, and are being called on to care for people whose lives have been disrupted by closures, job loss and sickness, and we help people get back on their feet when it's time to recover." Everywhere in America, charitable organizations are already in place serving the needs of residents. Every dollar granted, donated or earned goes back into the community immediately to address clear and present problems. In the letter, which was signed by 21 members of Leadership 18, they noted: "America's charities are frontline responders providing food, shelter, medical services and other critical services to those in need in their communities. At this crucial time when the American people and governments will depend even more on charitable nonprofits, contributions are likely to decrease as happened following the 2008 recession. Without dramatic and immediate financial and programmatic backstop from government, America's charitable nonprofits and the people we serve face a precipitous decline in mission services at a time when our efforts are needed like never before by the most vulnerable in our communities." The request to Congress includes an immediate infusion of $60 billion in capital to help nonprofits maintain operations, expand scope to address increasing demands, and stabilize losses from closures throughout the country. Specific recommendations for assistance to help the nonprofit sector stay engaged serving the American people include: As 10% of U.S.GDP, we employ 12 million workers. We need funding to retain them. Nonprofits are on the frontlines serving people, especially those in need. We need business continuity relief. Give nonprofit payroll tax credit relief as this is the most significant tax we pay. Provide an "above-the-line" or universal charitable deduction for contributions through the end of 2021. Some of the specific policy fixes requested include: To address employment issues (America's charities employ more than 12 million people, with payrolls exceeding those of most other U.S. industries, including construction, transportation and finance), they request that any additional employment-focused relief or stimulus legislation must expressly apply to employment at tax-exempt organizations. To achieve this, tax credits and deductions must be applicable not just to income taxes, but to the taxes nonprofits pay, such as payroll taxes. Further, Congress should also ensure that relief and stimulus legislation designed to assist for-profit businesses in the areas of unemployment insurance, employee retention, and risk insurance must also address the unique challenges and realities that nonprofits face. With millions of jobs in America's charitable sector at risk, America's charitable nonprofits request $60 billion in emergency stimulus funding aimed at helping adversely affected national and local organizations. These funds can be distributed quickly through multiple funding streams, including, but not limited to, expansion of the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program for nonprofit employers, emergency grants to nonprofits operating under grants from federal, state, local, or other pass-through entities, and others to ensure the continued flow of charitable donations. With millions of jobs in America's charitable sector at risk, America's charitable nonprofits request in emergency stimulus funding aimed at helping adversely affected national and local organizations. These funds can be distributed quickly through multiple funding streams, including, but not limited to, expansion of the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program for nonprofit employers, emergency grants to nonprofits operating under grants from federal, state, local, or other pass-through entities, and others to ensure the continued flow of charitable donations. To incentivize all Americans to support the vital work of America's charities, we call on Congress to enact an "above-the-line" or universal charitable deduction for contributions through the end of 2021. Further, to help those who step forward to help America's charitable organizations immediately assist the most vulnerable, Congress should permit taxpayers to donate today at the height of the pandemic and claim the benefit from these deductions on 2019 tax returns. Every charity in America that provides paid family and medical leave, regardless of size, should receive a tax credit the organization can use. We applaud the HR 6201 approach to provide a payroll tax credit to all employers of a certain size (including charities and other nonprofits) providing emergency paid family leave and sick time pay for care related to the coronavirus. Congress should provide payroll tax credits to all charities, regardless of size, that provide such paid family leave and sick time pay as a result of the coronavirus. The Leadership 18 members who signed the letter include: Alliance for Strong Families and Communities, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Red Cross, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Catholic Charities USA, City Year, Girl Scouts USA, Girls Inc., Goodwill Industries International, Habitat for Humanity International, Jewish Federations of North America, Lutheran Services in America, Mental Health America, National Council on Aging, The Salvation Army, United Way Worldwide, Volunteers of America, YMCA of the USA, and YWCA USA. About Leadership 18 Collectively, the members of Leadership 18 serve 87 million people with more than 5.6 million staff and volunteers. All of our member organizations share a specific mission to improve human development through deep community relationships. SOURCE Leadership 18 In this article: Donald Trump wants a one trillion dollar stimulus package. Governments around the world are ramping up spending plans. None of it seems to reassure markets though, or not for long. Though U.S. stocks ended Tuesday (March 17) with big gains, the optimism didn't last into Wednesday (March 18). Stocks around Asia closed lower. Australia's ASX index shed over six percent, giving up the previous day's gains. Hong Kong's Hang Seng sank to more than three-year lows. Europe's top indexes all then lost four percent or more from the open. After the recent pain for airlines, the focus is now shifting to the companies that supply them. Planemaker Airbus was off over 13% in early trade. Engine maker Rolls-Royce was down over 14%. Not helping the mood in Europe, talk that the European Central Bank has run out of firepower to help. That was the suggestion from Austria's central bank chief, though he soon retracted the claim, after a public rebuttal by the ECB. The growing crisis even has German government bonds - normally seen as a safe haven - on the slide. That as traders bet euro zone countries are about to splurge on debt. Italy's government has called for joint European 'coronavirus bonds' to finance stimulus. When asked, German chancellor Angela Merkel said she couldn't rule it out. 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. FRANKFURT Volkswagen Group, the world's biggest carmaker, is suspending production at factories across Europe as the coronavirus pandemic hits sales and disrupts supply chains, the company said on Tuesday. The German carmaker, which owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Ducati, Lamborghini, Porsche, Seat and Skoda brands, also said that uncertainty about the fallout from coronavirus meant it was impossible to give forecasts for its performance this year. "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," Chief Executive Herbert Diess said on Tuesday. Volkswagen's powerful works council concluded it was not possible for workers to maintain a safe distance from each other to prevent contagion and recommended a suspension of production at its factories from Friday. Production will be halted at VW's Spanish plants, in Setubal in Portugal, Bratislava in Slovakia and at the Lamborghini and Ducati plants in Italy before the end of this week, Diess said. Most of its other German and European factories will prepare to suspend production, probably for two to three weeks, while Audi said separately it would halt output at its plants in Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Mexico. Volkswagen's vast factories in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in Puebla, Mexico, and plants in Brazil were not affected, but that would depend on how the coronavirus spreads, VW said. Volkswagen has 124 production sites worldwide of which 72 are in Europe, with 28 in Germany alone. "2020 will be a very difficult year. The coronavirus pandemic presents us with unknown operational and financial challenges. At the same time, there are concerns about sustained economic impacts," Diess said. Production in China resumes Volkswagen Group sold 10.96 million vehicles last year, putting it ahead of Toyota based on the latest figures from the Japanese carmaker. Globally, VW employs 671,000 people and it delivered 4.86 million vehicles to European customers in 2019. Story continues Only last month the car and truck maker based in Wolfsburg, Germany, predicted that vehicle deliveries this year would match 2019 sales and forecast an operating return on sales in the range of 6.5% to 7.5%. "The spread of coronavirus is currently impacting the global economy. It is uncertain how severely or for how long this will also affect the Volkswagen Group. Currently, it is almost impossible to make a reliable forecast," Chief Financial Officer Frank Witter said. Sales in January and February were down about 15% and earnings before interest and taxes in the first three months of the year were expected to at least halve compared with the same period a year earlier, Witter said. While VW was preparing to suspend production in Europe, manufacturing has resumed in China, with the exception of plants in Changsha and Urumqi, and the company still plans to boost its operations in the country where the coronavirus first emerged. "We are looking at ways in which we can strengthen our position in China," CEO Diess said. VW has joint ventures with Chinese automakers FAW and SAIC. Volkswagen Group also said its operating profit rose 22% to 16.9 billion euros ($18.5 bln) in 2019 thanks to strong sales of higher-margin cars and lower diesel charges, defying an industry downturn that has hurt rivals. Earnings were driven by higher profits at its VW, Porsche, Seat and Skoda brands, and a return to profitability for its luxury sportscar brand Bentley. Improvements in the mix and price positioning in particular compensated for lower sales of Volkswagen passenger cars, launch costs and the impact of exchange rates, VW said. Philippe Houchois, automotive analyst at Jeffries, said the results were impressive. "Very solid quality numbers with strong free cashflow coming in part from working capital." Limonov expressed support for Putin after the Kremlin's 2014 military seizure and annexation of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. Russian writer Eduard Limonov, founder of a radical nationalist political party called The Other Russia, has died in Moscow at the age of 77. The Other Russia announced Limonov's death on its website on March 17, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported. Read alsoPro-Putin right-wingers from EU behind arson attempt at Hungarians Union building in Zakarpattia Governor It did not reveal the cause of his death. Limonov also co-founded Russia's oldest radical youth organization, the banned National Bolshevik Party (NBP), in 1994 together with Eurasianism ideologue Aleksandr Dugin, rock musicians Yegor Letov and Sergei Kurikhin, and other counterculture personalities. However, Dugin and his allies split with Limonov in 1998 and left the NBP. According to Russia's Mash on Telegram, Limonov died from complications after surgery. According to the publication, on March 17 he "underwent two operations at once. He had problems with the throat followed by inflammation." Limonov had an extremely negative attitude towards the independence of Ukraine, considering Ukrainian statehood to be "unnatural." In 1999, he was declared persona non grata by the SBU Security Service after calls threatening the territorial integrity of Ukraine. But in 2007, the ban on his entry into Ukraine was lifted. Limonov expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin after the Kremlin's 2014 military seizure and annexation of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. Mumbai/New Delhi, March 18 : Essel Group chairman Subhash Chandra and former Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal on Wednesday skipped the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons for questioning in connection with the money laundering probe involving arrested Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor. A senior ED official related to the probe in Delhi told IANS: "Chandra did not appear before the ED for questioning citing ongoing Budget session in Parliament. He has asked for another date for questioning after the Budget session." Chandra is a BJP Rajya Sabha MP from Haryana. On Monday, after the ED summoned Chandra, the Essel Group in a statement said the central financial probe agency has requested 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 cooperation 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. Meanwhile another official related to the probe in Mumbai said that Goyal also did not appear for questioning in connection with the case and asked for another date. He, however, did not reveal the reason given by Goyal for skipping the ED summons. On Tuesday, DHFL chief Kapil Wadhawan also skipped the ED summons for questioning in connection with the case. According to ED sources, promoters of crisis-hit DHFL, Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan, cited COVID-19 threat for their non-appearance in connection with money laundering probe against Kapoor. The ED 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. 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. The ED also registered a fresh case of money laundering against Kapoor and his wife on Tuesday. Australians will face up to six months of restrictions on their everyday lives - the likes of which have not been seen since World War 2 - as the country hunkers down to battle the coronavirus. Stringent limits on where you can go, when you can leave your home and which events you can attend were being introduced as the country suffered its sixth fatality from Covid-19. Australians were warned to expect at least six months of disruption: indoor gatherings of more than 100 people are banned, many public services and buildings have shut, most office staff are being told to work from home, and families are being urged to stay away from elderly relatives. Those were just the official measures. As Prime Minister Scott Morrison addressed the nation about new restrictions, Australians were already making their own changes to routine, with gyms and train stations eerily empty as the public practiced 'safe distancing'. Patrons have a drink in a near empty pub in Melbourne's CBD on Wednesday (pictured), as the government effectively banned more than 100 people being in the same room The Fitness First in Sydney's Clarence Street, usually full of people working out on their lunch breaks, which completely empty on Wednesday (pictured) Usually bustling with excited families, Dreamworld on the Gold Coast looked like a ghost town on Tuesday (pictured) Pictures showed usually busy gyms with no customers on Wednesday lunchtime, with even theme parks across the Gold Coast were near empty. Theatres, including all performances at the Sydney Opera House, were putting all productions on hold indefinitely - with some unlikely to reopen for months. The award-winning Harry Potter the Cursed Child play at Melbourne's celebrated Princess Theatre suspended performances. On the Gold Coast, Dreamworld and WhiteWater World are staying open for the time being, but were already quiet on Wednesday as families stayed home as health authorities said the greatest threat of spreading the illness remained people returning or visiting from overseas. St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney (pictured, right) is having to turn away tourists to ensure worshipers can attend. Staff are even counting the number of patrons (left) Newly-made signs at St Mary's Catherdral warn visitors on Wednesday that only 100 people - including staff, ministers and clergy, can enter (pictured) At St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney, staff were seen holding clickers to count visitors as they went in - ensuring no more than 100 people were in the place of worship at any given time. Tourists were turned away, while people hoping to attend mass were counted at the door. Were asking people to spread out because of the coronavirus, a worker at the church said. Because of the new laws we can only have 100 people inside, including the clergy and staff. Health officials have said that 'social distancing' is the best way to fight the killer virus, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Sydney's usually bustling harbour was empty on Wednesday (pictured) after Scott Morrison banned all mass gatherings to combat the coronavirus The usually standing-room-only Wollstonecraft to Wynyard train was nearly empty at 7.50am on Wednesday morning (pictured) The closures and cutbacks were likely to leave Australians without any access to concerts, museums or other cultural events for months. With the number of confirmed cases of the disease growing exponentially, Mr Morrison also strongly advised against all overseas travel while stopping short of banning it outright. So Australians' standard winter holidays skiing in New Zealand or getting a warm break in Bali will have to be foregone in 2020. In a speech on Wednesday morning, Mr Morrison warned Australia 'won't look like it normally does' for some time. Supermarkets, such as this one in Sydney's Marrickville on Tuesday (pictured), will be left open - but are already struggling to cope with stock-piling shoppers At lunchtime on Wednesday, Damien Smith took this picture of a usually busy road in Lidcombe (pictured) almost empty, as thousands of Australians opt to stay at home An almost deserted George Street in Sydney's CBD (pictured) is seen at 9am on Wednesday morning 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 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. While there will be significant changes to Australians' lives, the restrictions will not go as far as countries like France, Spain and Italy where people are prohibited from leaving their homes unless making an essential journey for food or medical help and supplies. State schools will remain open, with medical advice to government being that children were the least likely group to suffer severe illness due to the virus and the cost of parents having to stay home to look after them was too severe. '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. Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said a total lockdown would not help. The usually busy Flinders Street train station in Melbourne (pictured on Wednesday) has also seen a huge decline in passengers '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. The sweeping changes to Australian society come as officials announced that a 86-year-old man died overnight in hospital in New South Wales - the fifth person to die from the virus in the state. A NSW Health spokesperson said the organisation's 'condolences are with his family and friends at this time'. An extra 57 cases of coronavirus have been diagnosed since 11am on Monday. The man's death comes after a Queensland woman from Noosaville on the Sunshine Coast died after arriving in Sydney last Friday. Cases of coronavirus soared on Wednesday Gyms in Sydney's CBD stood empty on Wednesday (pictured) and are usually bustling at lunchtime. Thousands of workers are already staying at home, with more likely to follow Empty tables are seen at bars outside the Sydney Opera House (pictured) on Tuesday, with such venues now likely to close entirely A 90-year-old woman - a resident of Sydney's Dorothy Henderson Lodge who was confirmed to have COVID-19 - also died on Saturday. On March 1, a 78-year-old man from Western Australia died in Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital after contracting the virus. He was among 163 Australians evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan. On March 4, a 95-year-old woman died at a Sydney hospital after developing a respiratory illness from the coronavirus, bringing the death toll to two. Then on March 8, an 82-year-old man died after contracting the coronavirus from an infected aged care worker at BaptistCare's Dorothy Henderson Lodge in his Sydney. Usually full of tourists coming to admire street art, Melbourne's Hosier Lane sat empty on Wednesday afternoon (pictured) 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 As of Wednesday evening, a total of 565 Australians have been infected by coronavirus since the deadly virus began to spread in January. Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said the sudden jump in coronavirus cases comes after 'high rates of testing' was conducted. 'That is a very pleasing thing from my perspective because it means we are able to detect cases in the community, identify those contacts and obviously contain them and self-isolate them because we know we are seeing a number of cases in the contacts of cases,' she told reporters on Wednesday afternoon. 'We are also tracking down links and chains of transmission, to block any further community transition. The Sydney Opera House (pictured virtually empty on Tuesday) will also be forced to close under drastic new coronavirus measures 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 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 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. 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.' View of a nearly deserted Bourke Street, a shopping district in Melbourne, on Wednesday afternoon (pictured) Paul Biya archives Cameroons Head of State, President Paul Biya has called on Cameroonians to respect the guidelines rolled out by the World Health Organisation, WHO, in the face of the Coronavirus Outbreak. The president of the central African country took to twitter Tuesday afternoon as Cameroon has now confirmed 10 cases of the Coronavirus COVID-19 in Yaounde, the seat of state institutions. Dear compatriots, the world is facing a serious and unprecedented health crisis. It will affect our daily lives and economy, Biya tweeted. I urge you to strictly respect the guidelines of the Government and WHO. Together, let's bar the spread of the coronavirus. I count on your citizenship and sense of responsibility. Chief Dr. Dion Ngute Joseph, Cameroons Prime Minister, Head of Government chaired a crisis meeting Tuesday, March 17, 2020 as the number of known Coronavirus Cases in the central African country jumped to 10. Even before the Prime Ministers meeting rose, the Minister of Public Health Manaouda Malachie took to twitter to announce that the number of known coronavirus cases had moved from five to 10 over the last couple of hours. Unfortunately, I would like to announce the registration of 5 additional cases in Yaounde in Cameroon, thus bringing to 10 patients in our country. Each of us can stop the circulation of this virus by taking prescribed distancing measures, said Malachie. It was only yesterday that the Public Health Minister announced the confirmation of a fifth case of the now dreaded Coronavirus, COVID-19 in Yaounde, raising fears that the numbers could increase in a rate as to pose a crisis for the country. His recent announcement of a geometric increase in the number of new cases has set the country into panic. Minister Manaouda Malachie said he has since Tuesday been consulting various professional orders and other learned associations, on the question of the fight against the coronavirus, to solicit their effective implication in the management of the pandemic. During todays crisis meeting at the Star Building, Minister Manaouda Malachie was given the opportunity to present Cameroons response plan against the coronavirus as it has been implemented since the start of this pandemic. Details of the five new cases remain to be established but the 5th confirmed case was a person returning from France. The fourth case of the coronavirus confirmed late on Saturday had jetted into the Yaounde Nsimalen International Airport on board an SN Brussels flight from RCDG. The third case of COVID-19 confirmed early on Saturday is a 56-year-old Cameroonian citizen living in the city of Polverara in the Veneto Region of Italy who arrived the country on March 7, 2020 passing through Paris. The second case of the COVID-19 in the country involved a Cameroonian who had been in close contact with the first confirmed case a French citizen, aged 58, who arrived in Yaounde on 24 February. The Minister of Public Health has thus urged all those coming into the country to quarantine themselves for a period of 14 days. We call on all people coming from countries at risk and their respective families, to take more responsibility, to facilitate our work and protect others. It is essential to observe a quarantine of 14 days before any activity and contact with others. - Bishop Augustine Akubeze has admonished Nigerian Christians to study Muslim holy scripture, the Qur'an - The Edo bishop claimed no knowledge is wasted as studying of the Qur'an will contribute extensively to their knowledge repertoire - Akubeze, who is the Catholic bishop of Benin Metropolitan Diocese, however, said what Christianity is up against is fetish practices It was a mild drama in Edo state as the chairman of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Augustine Akubeze, urged Christians to study the Muslims holy book, Qur'an, in order to broaden their knowledge repertoire. Speaking during the inauguration of the new executive of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Edo chapter on Tuesday, March 17, Akubeze said Christians need to read the books of their religious counterpart because 'no knowledge is wasted'. Akubeze, who was represented by Rev. Fr. David Ogun, the Parish Priest of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Benin said Christianity accommodates and respects the belief of other people, Daily Trust reports. The Catholic bishop of Benin Metropolitan Diocese, however, said what Christianity is up against is fetish practices. Bishop urges Christians to study Qur'an, saying no knowledge is wasted. Source: UGC "By the way, some of us who are Christians should also go and study Islam to know what they know; no knowledge is wasted," Akubeze noted. The bishop also called for all Christians to unite against conflict-provoking differences, adding that the unity of Christians is a testimony that God's mercy is present. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that in a move to expand the tentacles of catholicism in Nigeria, Pope Francis has created Ekwulobia diocese and appointed Bishop Peter Ebere Okpaleke its first bishop. The development appears to have sent a delight into the hearts of the Catholic faithful after Bishop of Awka Diocese, Paulinus Ezeokafor, read the letter from the Vatican city to a congregation at St Patricks Catholic Cathedral. Ekwulobia diocese, which was created out of Diocese of Awka, will now cover communities including Akpu, Ekwulobia and Achina regions. Father Ezeokafor thanked the Pope for the consideration and added that the creation came in with a big relief on the catholic leaders of the state. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service! Buhari's successor is not a pastor, he's inside Aso Rock - Prophetess| Legit TV Source: Legit.ng 258 Shares Share Necessity is the mother of invention, and in no time is invention more necessary than during a global pandemic. Starting with the drive-through testing clinics pioneered overseas that spread to the United States (big shout-out to the University of Washington for putting step-by-step instructions for how to start your own drive-through clinic on their COVID-19 resource site, to the telephone booth testing facilities in South Korea, there has never been a more critical time to innovate. This morning, I awoke to a story about a Northern Italian hospital that ran out of a valve needed for their low-flow oxygen masks and reached out to local labs for help. The response? Cristian Fracassi, founder and CEO of a local 3D printing company, was able to redesign and produce the needed valve using a 3D printer in a matter of hours. The next story I read was an urgent plea from physicians running out of N95 masks. After sending a tweet to my meager Twitter following inquiring about 3D printing and N95 masks, I received an immediate reply from the U.K. with lists of people with 3D printers who are ready to help, as well as designs to make such masks, and a new hashtag to use to request help (#3DvsCOVID19). While I do not believe that 3D printing is a cure-all for all the supply chain issues currently plaguing our health care system, I do believe this crisis will continue to fuel innovation. As a pathologist, in addition to seeing innovation in where tests are performed not to mention the tremendous job many of my colleagues have done in quickly developing tests for COVID-19 at their own institutions I also see innovation in how tests are performed. As limited as our testing capacity still is in the United States, we are not dealing with a lack of electricity or lack of means of transporting specimens to a reference laboratory that other countries must contend with. In Senegal, scientists are working with U.K.-based laboratory Mologic to develop a hand-held point-of-care test that can provide results in minutes rather than hours or days. Beyond testing, several health care start-ups, including Breath Research and Aidar Health, are developing physiologic testing methods and in the case of Breath Research combining measurements with artificial intelligence to track and monitor infected and high-risk patients and support remote monitoring. While the technological applications of innovation sound futuristic to many, innovation certainly does not require tech-savviness. Medical students at UCSF sidelined by the pandemic are crowdsourcing babysitting and other services needed by front-line health care professionals while their medical education is on temporary hold. Rather than spending their time away from the hospital drowning their sorrows in beer and binge-watching Netflix, they are selflessly volunteering to help any way they can. Other medical students are sharing guides on Twitter for health care workers with key phrases to use to communicate with patients about coronavirus in Spanish and Creole. As COVID-19 continues to spread across the United States and elsewhere, innovation will continue to abound in ways many of us could have never even dreamed of. We will also continue to see expressions of altruism and empathy that elevate our spirits in these days of social distancing. In this time of uncertainty, may we find new ways to connect remotely and by social media to foster innovation and share stories of hope and inspiration. Amy Baruch is a pathologist and can be reached on Twitter @amybaruch. Image credit: Shutterstock.com Typically, Beds Plus has from 70 to 75 beds available at each overnight shelter, but to abide with the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for organizations that serve the homeless, only 50 guests will be allowed. Investigation raises questions about whether grand jury system in Harris County favors police The scene was dramatic: An armed man confronts a police officer during a carjacking. The robber suddenly points his pistol at the officer, who shoots the suspect. Such portrayals of police shootings are displayed on a firearms training simulator as part of orientation that new grand jurors receive from the Harris County District Attorneys Office. Grand jurors, whose duties include reviewing police shootings, play the role of police officer in the simulations by using a modified gun to shoot a beam at the screen. The use of the shooting simulator, which was not widely known until a Houston Chronicle investigation, has prompted questions among defense attorneys and civil rights activists about whether it could prejudice grand juries. Harris County grand juries have cleared HPD officers in shootings 288 consecutive times. The Chronicle investigation also found that most judges in Harris County use a system to empanel grand juries that is discarded by nearly all other states because it can result in grand juries that are not diverse. In addition, the person who oversaw the review of police shootings for the DAs office during most of the years covered by the Chronicles investigation Clint Greenwood was a licensed peace officer. Greenwood served for nearly two decades as a reserve officer with the Harris County Precinct 4 Constables Office, and after leaving the DAs office in January, he was hired as a major at the Harris County Sheriffs Office. He also has had a successful practice as a private attorney defending police officers in lawsuits over shootings. Greenwood said his experience as an officer helped him see both sides of a police shooting case. The DAs office, which began using the simulator in 2003, contends it helps grand jurors understand pressures of police work and the split-second decisions officers must make. Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson said the simulations educate jurors about situations when self-defense claims are legitimate not just for police officers but for all residents. Its made very clear at the orientation that self-defense applies to citizens as well as police officers, so it applies to both types of cases, Anderson said. This wasnt a primer on police shootings, it was a primer on self-defense in Texas. Terri Burke, director of the American Civil Liberties Union in Texas, said grand juries should serve as a check on abusive police practices. This seems to be a brainwashing that all but guarantees immunity for the cops, Burke said about the simulator. It really seems outrageous and holds the potential of tainting the jury. The reality that police have been nearly immune from criminal charges in shootings concerns the most senior Harris County criminal judge, who noted that grand juries indict a much higher number of defendants in other types of cases. The big void on indictments of police officers is certainly alarming, and I just hope each grand jury had decided those cases based on the facts independently of what the district attorney wants them to do, said 209th District Judge Mike McSpadden. The newspapers investigation showed that more than a quarter of the 121 civilians Houston Police Department officers have shot in the last five years were unarmed. The last time a Harris County grand jury charged an HPD officer in a shooting was in 2004. Since then, only three other officers from other departments have been charged in shootings in Harris County. Rare in other cities Charges in police shootings also are rare in other large cities. In Dallas, only one police officer was indicted from 2008 to 2012, after grand juries reviewed 81 shootings involving 175 officers. The most recent Chicago police officer to be charged in an on-duty shooting was in 2007. Ray Hunt, president of the Houston Police Officers Union, said grand jurors empathize with police officers who face life-and-death situations, even if the suspect who is shot does not display a weapon. The low number of indictments against HPD officers, Hunt believes, is because they are well-trained and act only when there is some threat of deadly force. I dont think a grand jury is likely to indict someone if they put themselves in that officers shoes and they say, You know what, I probably would have done the same thing, Hunt said. Harris County prosecutor Julian Ramirez addresses the media during a press conference to demonstrate the police shooting simulator new grand jurors use during orientations. Photo by Mayra Beltran Empathy for police Grand jurors empathizing with police officers is at the heart of questions raised about the shooting simulator. Julian Ramirez, who is head of the DAs civil rights unit, said the training simulator uses scenarios including school shootings, a domestic violence call, the scene of a sexual assault and traffic stops. Ramirez said the simulator gives grand jurors a better understanding of the police officers experience when he goes on some of these calls. The DAs office began inviting the news media and defense attorneys to use the simulator after the Chronicle began asking about the practice. The devices use was not previously known by some local defense attorneys. Damn, Ive never heard of that, said Danny Easterling, who has spent 32 years as a defense attorney and is a past president of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association. That does raise concerns the neutrality of it could be questioned. It seems to be a bias towards the police. Harris County criminal district judges David Mendoza, Jan Krocker and Katherine Cabaniss said they also were not aware of the simulators use. Im surprised. Ive never heard of that occurring or that procedure, said Mendoza, judge for the 178th court. Susan Brown, the administrative judge for felony courts in Harris County, would not say if the orientations with the simulator were proper. Thats something the district attorneys office has, Brown said. Were not involved in that. Roy Grant, a retired Houston pipefitter who served on a grand jury panel earlier this year, said he took part in the training simulator during his orientation. The 73-year-old said the use of the simulator contributes to grand juries clearing so many officers in civilian shootings. I dont think that needs to be shown, said Grant, who added he was the only black member of the grand jury. I think it persuades a grand juror which way to vote when a police officer is involved. Thats not the view of Tom Kennedy, a retired journalist who edits the Houston Police Officers Union publication and served as foreman of a grand jury. Kennedy, who is a grand jury commissioner for Judge McSpadden, said he abstained on the only police shooting case brought before the grand jury. Kennedy considers the shooting simulation for grand jurors as extremely beneficial. It gives you an idea and an educated experience of what a law enforcement officer goes through, and the split second he or she needs to make sometimes a life or death decision, Kennedy said. At no time do they say this is the conclusive, do-all, end-all training that will put you in the shoes of a police officer. Ramirez, head of the DAs civil rights unit, said grand juror orientations are not limited to the sessions with the simulator or presentations from prosecutors. A member of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association provides a session on state law. And this year, prosecutors have added a Power Point presentation explaining the law that governs the use of deadly force and self-defense. Of Texas five largest counties outside of Harris, only one employs a shooting simulator during grand jury orientations. Prosecutors in Bexar County send grand jurors to the San Antonio Police Department training academy to use the simulator, while the district attorneys in Dallas, Tarrant, El Paso and Travis counties said they do not use such a device. Two ways to choose In Texas, state law allows two choices for seating grand juries: random selection as in jury trials and a system using commissioners. The latter approach allows a district judge to appoint between three and five commissioners, who in turn select qualified people in the community to serve on the grand jury. After a criminal background check, the potential jurors are brought back to the judge empaneling the grand jury. That judge questions the jurors and selects 12 with two alternates. Those picked are likely to be people the commissioners know, work with or are recommended by others. Two Harris County district judges acknowledged the commissioner system tends to produce grand juries that are not diverse and are mostly elderly, since retirees are likely to have time to attend the twice-a-week sessions for three months. Generally, what you get is the elite members of the community, someone who knows someone, said veteran 208th District Judge Denise Collins, who three years ago began selecting grand jurors from those chosen at random to serve on trial juries. That was the same reason Judge Krocker, with the 184th court, switched to a random system. Its difficult to find commissioners who know people who have enough time to serve, and will they have enough diversity? the judge said. I found its easier to satisfy those requirements in a jury pool. University of Houston assistant professor of criminal justice Larry Karson conducted a 2004 study that found more than half of the 129 grand jury commissioners selected in Harris County in a two-year span had close ties to the legal system. They included judges, attorneys, court employees, bail bond agents, probation officers and law enforcement officers. Civil rights activist Johnny Mata, with the Greater Houston Coalition for Justice, said little has changed since Karsons study. That is a selection process that is antiquated and needs to be abolished, Mata said. Its stacked, because the selection is done for a judge by a commissioner, and he or she select peers, people of their way of thinking. Its an unfair practice, its subjective, encourages bias in the selection process. In Harris County, 12 of 21 criminal district courts use the commissioner approach to empanel a grand jury, while another seven courts employ the random system. One of the remaining courts uses a combination of random jurors and people who volunteer on their own to serve on grand juries. One court relies exclusively on those who volunteer or already have served on grand juries. The commissioner system remains in use only in California and Texas, said Paula Hannaford-Agor, director of the Center for Jury Studies at the nonprofit National Center for State Courts. The commissioner system is in use in Travis, Dallas, Tarrant and Collin counties, although courts in Bexar and El Paso counties have switched to the random system, officials there confirmed. Although the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the use of the commissioner method in Texas, justices warned in a 1977 opinion that it is susceptible to abuse. In California, the commissioner approach is no longer used in the largest counties because of the difficulty seating diverse panels, said Michael Roddy, clerk of the San Diego County Superior Court. Although the use of grand juries in California is limited to high-profile cases, when a grand jury is needed its members are drawn from a regular jury panel selected randomly, Roddy said. Brown, administrative judge for felony courts, defended the commissioner method. I think if you look, we have a good cross section of the community, she said. If you look at who has served on the grand jury theres a big effort made to make sure everyone is represented. Judge McSpadden, who has been on the bench for 31 years, is also a supporter of using commissioners to search out qualified grand jurors. He said it was wrong for fellow judges to select grand jurors at random by drawing from those who report for regular jury duty. Theyre going to wind up with some very chaotic grand jurors who would not be independent and would not be intelligent enough to follow some of these cases, McSpadden said. Were not talking just about the police officer shootings, but we receive a lot of cases that are pretty complicated to follow and to investigate. Click a picture for larger view and for cutlines Justice, not prejudice From January 2009 to mid-January of this year Clint Greenwood led the unit of the DAs office responsible for investigating officers and presenting the cases to grand juries. Greenwood has been a licensed law enforcement officer for more than 20 years. Greenwood, who now supervises the internal affairs division of the Harris County Sheriffs Office, acknowledges hes heard accusations that as a prosecutor he was biased in favor of police. What do grand juries do? In Texas, grand juries screen criminal charges before the case can proceed to trial. A dozen grand jurors, who are usually volunteers from the community, meet with prosecutors behind closed doors to make sure there is enough evidence to file a formal charge an indictment. When suspects have already been arrested and charged, grand juries overwhelmingly choose to indict, and the case moves to a court docket for trial. Grand juries, which are allowed to do independent secret investigations, are sometimes also asked to review allegations to determine if there is enough evidence for a criminal charge such as in police shootings. When prosecutors ask a grand jury to decide if a person should be indicted, it is generally because reasonable minds could differ on whether a crime was committed and the prosecutor wants to gauge community sentiment. I pretty much consider people with that position buffoons, he said. I absolutely know how things work, and I dont miss anything, on a scene (of a shooting), or presenting a case, or defending a case. Ive seen both sides. I know what to look for no matter what Im doing. Asked if his long tenure as a licensed officer might give the impression of favoring law enforcement, Greenwood replied: People can slant the appearance one way or another my mission as an assistant district attorney was to see that justice was done, that the law was applied fairly to anyone and everyone. During his tenure at the DAs office, Greenwoods unit prosecuted police officers for excessive force, extortion, sexual assault and other offenses, and he led the prosecution of a Bellaire police sergeant who shot an unarmed motorist. Greenwoods twin roles raised ethical questions for associate professor Clete Snell, who chaired the criminal justice department at the University of Houston-Downtown from 2008 to 2012. He said Greenwoods extensive police experience arguably could be helpful with the DAs review of police shootings. Its an ethical dilemma to be sure, Snell said. Even if he is completely impartial, the appearance of it might make many people question the integrity of the decisions when somebody is holding two different positions like that, being a police officer and a prosecutor. He added: I would be concerned about the integrity of the investigations if I was a family member of a victim of a police shooting. Remaining neutral Ramirez said prosecutors take a neutral position in all police shooting investigations. They do not tell grand jurors whether they believe laws were broken. In some police shooting cases, the only facts grand jurors consider are those provided by the internal affairs departments of agencies whose officers took part in the shootings as well as the investigation by his unit, said Ramirez. In other cases, the grand jury may subpoena witnesses. We want the grand jury to make its independent judgment on the facts, and come to its own conclusion, Ramirez said. Well give them the benefit of the entire investigation. Well tell them what the law is, and well leave the room and let them make a decision. The agenda that we have is simply to fairly and objectively present all the evidence. james.pinkerton@chron.com INTERACTIVES Click on a location in our interactive map or search our interactive database below to find out details about a shooting involving an HPD officer. You can search general information in the drop-downs below or enter a name of a specific officer or civilian. Sorry, but your browser does not support frames. WASHINGTON Even Texas Republicans are jumping on board with calls to send checks directly to some Americans as the coronavirus bears down on the nation, threatening to cripple the economy. I just think this is an extraordinary emergency, and we ought to consider everything that would solve the problem, including things I wouldn't ordinarily agree to doing, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said on Wednesday, as the Senate prepared to vote on a multi-billion-dollar package offering free coronavirus testing, paid sick leave, unemployment insurance and more, and as lawmakers work on another massive stimulus package that could cost up to $1 trillion. The Trump administration and many in Congress are calling for that package to include a stipend from the federal government, given directly to some Americans. Nearly all agree its the next step, as entire industries shut down and social distancing sets in. Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox This is about promoting the general welfare, and it is something thats constitutional and its expected in a time of crisis like this, U.S. Rep. Al Green, a Houston Democrat, said. This is what the government is for. The proposal has received a warm reception even from conservative Texas Republicans, including U.S. Reps. Chip Roy of San Antonio and Dan Crenshaw of Houston. Who gets those checks and how much they might be is another matter. The White House has floated sending as much as $2,000 to many Americans, depending on their income. Republicans have stressed the payments need to be targeted. For subscribers: Economists see frightening days, even years, ahead from coronavirus crisis There is a real need to inject money into the economy. That being said, many people with a steady income do not need a $1,000 check, including myself, Crenshaw tweeted. We must target resources to our most vulnerable populations low to middle income Americans who cant work & cant pay bills. This is not a blank check, Cornyn said. I think it should have conditions, and it should get the money to people who are not receiving income now. Im certainly not going to support cash payments to millionaires or billionaires, so there would certainly have to be some sort of means testing, Cornyn said. Members of Congress shouldn't get cash just because we happen to be adults. ben.wermund@chron.com Calif. church shutters: Member dies of coronavirus, several others test positive Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A church in Sacramento, California, announced that it will stay closed until at least early April after one of their beloved members died from the new coronavirus and several others tested positive. An ABC10 report said Gayle Alexis, a Sacramento substitute teacher who died Sunday from the coronavirus, was one of five parishioners from Faith Presbyterian Church Sacramento who tested positive for the virus. In a statement on their coronavirus mitigation efforts, church officials explained that as soon as they learned members were displaying symptoms last Thursday, they quickly closed the church. On March 12, Faith Presbyterian Church staff discovered that a small number of church members were displaying symptoms potentially associated with COVID-19. That evening, the church leadership met and made the immediate decision to close the church facility on Florin Road to prevent spread of the virus in our congregation and community, the church said. To date, there have been a small number of confirmed positive cases in the congregation. Sadly, one of those has died. Faith Presbyterian Churchs pastor, Jeff Chapman, addressed Alexis passing in a video posted on YouTube Monday in which he asked for prayers for her family. I want you to know that you all are in my prayers We are certainly grieving the loss of Gayle Alexis yesterday and ask you to continue to pray particularly for her family at this time and for her life group and for those who knew and loved her most and best, along with all those not just in our church but in our whole city, our country, the world who are suffering and are struggling and who are afraid, Chapman said. Remember, we want to continue to emphasize the things were hearing from our public health officials. We as a community want to honor those. Scripture says in Romans that we should listen to the governing authorities and so lets be careful to do what they asked us to do to practice social distancing, keep washing your hands. Those of you who are older you need to stay home. We are trying to abide by those rules and those boundaries not just for ourselves but for the whole community." Alexis was identified as a substitute teacher in The Sacramento City Unified School District, according to ABC10. "Today the Sacramento City Unified School District was deeply saddened to learn that the individual who worked as a temporary volunteer and a substitute teacher in our district has passed away," SCUSD Superintendent Jorge Aguilar said. "We join the family, friends, colleagues and students in grieving this tragic loss. This death underscores the seriousness of this current public health emergency. Sac City Unified will continue to implement any and all measures recommended by public health leaders to protect the health and safety of our students, our staff, and our community." Alexis longtime friend, Carolyn Tillman, told KCRA3 she was an active member at Faith Presbyterian Church in Sacramento's Pocket neighborhood. The minister sent out an email Sunday evening," Tillman said. She was cheerful, upbeat, loved children a joy to be around and will just really be missed because of her positive attitude about life and the fact that she helped me with a childrens choir for quite a few years, [which] was just a real positive thing for me." She said they knew each other for more than 20 years at church and explained that Alexis retired from Matsuyama Elementary in Sacramento and continued as a substitute teacher because of her love for the children, not because she needed money. Faith Presbyterian Church said they have appointed a task force of three members of the congregation who have expertise in public health, infectious diseases and medicine to help guide all their decisions. The leadership of Faith continues to meet via video-chat daily and is in constant communication to discern how we as a congregation can continue to worship and fellowship remotely, care for one another during this crisis, and reach beyond ourselves to care for others in our community who are experiencing hardship as well. Our mission statement guides our life together, even in (and especially during) this difficult season: A community loving Christ, building disciples, serving all, the church said. Police officials set up a police line in front of a nursing hospital in Daegu, Wednesday, to restrict visitor access as dozens of people there were confirmed to have been infected with coronavirus the previous day. / Yonhap Tata Sons, the promoter of all Tata Group Companies, purchased equity shares of Tata Power Company, Tata Steel, Indian Hotels Company and Tata Motors DVR last week via bulk deals. As per bulk deal data, Tata Sons purchased 1.38 crore equity shares of Tata Power Company on Thursday, 12 March 2020 at Rs 38.72 per share on National Stock Exchange (NSE). Tata Sons purchased 77.40 lakh equity shares of Tata Steel on Thursday, 12 March 2020 at Rs 287.44 per share and 77.94 lakh equity shares on Friday, 13 March 2020 at Rs 300.56 per share on NSE. Tata Sons also purchased 1.65 crore equity shares of Indian Hotels Company on Thursday, 12 March 2020 at Rs 107.40 per share on NSE. Tata Sons purchased 1.84 equity shares of Tata Motors DVR on Thursday, 12 March 2020 at Rs 43.15 per share on NSE. It again purchased 82.29 lakh equity shares of Tata Motors DVR on Friday, 13 March 2020 at Rs 46.97 per share on NSE. Meanwhile, Tata Power Company dropped 8.60% to Rs 35.60, Tata Steel rose 0.96% to Rs 285, Indian Hotels Company tumbled 9.70% to Rs 89.85 and Tata Motors DVR declined 2.18% to Rs 38.20. As of 31 December 2019, Tata Sons held 34.26% stake in Tata Power Company, 31.64% stake in Tata Steel and 36.43% stake in Indian Hotels Company. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Today A mix of clouds and sun. Not as harsh by the afternoon. Tonight Partly cloudy. Tomorrow Mostly cloudy and not as cold. There might be a passing rain or snow shower, mainly north or west. The coronavirus has triggered a badly needed alliance in East Jerusalem. Al-Tajamu al-Maqdisi (the Jerusalem Alliance) was launched March 15 to confront the novel coronavirus by volunteers and Jerusalem-based nongovernmental organizations with the aim of raising awareness and providing emergency needs for the citys 350,000 Palestinians. Ahmad Budeiri, the coordinator of the alliance, told Al-Monitor that the group is made up of 36 Jerusalem-based organizations and volunteers and is not a political entity. We are dealing with the issue of the coronavirus strictly from a humanitarian point of view and we are basing all our efforts on sound advice from professionals, especially the World Health Organization [WHO], which is part of our alliance, he added. A number of international NGOs are part of the alliance. The alliance divides East Jerusalem into three sections: north, which includes Shufat and Beit Hanina; center, which includes the Old City and Silwan; and south, which includes Jabal Mukabar, Im Toba Sawahre and other neighborhoods to the south of East Jerusalem. Budeiri said that three committees were established to support the effort against COVID-19. We have an IT [information technology] committee, a social media committee and a volunteer committee each working in their area of expertise and all their work is vetted by professionals who are experts in their fields. No one is getting paid, but some organizations have dedicated a staff person to work on the alliance without charging it [the alliance]. The alliance organized the cleaning and disinfecting of public locations, including Al-Aqsa Mosque. Wasfi Kailani, director of the Hashemite Fund for the Restoration of Al-Aqsa, told Al-Monitor that the coordinators of the alliance reached pragmatic solutions for the issue of prayer at the holy mosque. Working with them, the Jerusalem [Islamic] Waqf agreed to keep all prayers in outdoor locations after the disinfection and to ensure worshippers keep distances from each other, Kailani said. He said the decision allowed Palestinians in Jerusalem to keep their spiritual connection with the holy shrine without endangering worshippers. Palestinians of Jerusalem were able to make this pragmatic compromise that ensured both their ability to worship and to keep people safe, he said. Meanwhile, 12 Palestinians who were involved in the disinfection of the mosque area were reported to have been arrested by Israeli security March 16. Mahdi Abdul Hadi, head of the Jerusalem-based PASSIA think tank and member of the Islamic Waqf Council in Jerusalem, told Al-Monitor that the Israeli reaction is aimed at fighting every Palestinian community effort. This is a home-grown movement of Jerusalemites concerning their community and wanting to serve their people, Hadi said. Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told Al-Monitor, Ten suspects were arrested for being involved in illegal activity in Jerusalem. All of the suspects are from East Jerusalem. Eight of them were released under house arrest. Police operations are continuing and units will prevent any illegal activity in Jerusalem from taking place." Dimitri Diliani, president of the Jerusalem-based National Christian Coalition, told Al-Monitor that the alliance is a positive effort in support of volunteerism in Jerusalem. The work of committees and volunteers to raise awareness of the coronavirus and disinfecting public space exposes the failure of the [Israeli] occupiers in protecting Jerusalemites and at the same time, it shows the high level of communal cooperation in the occupied city of Jerusalem. Still, the alliance's effort was not without critics. What we should be doing is having lawyers go to court and sue the Israeli municipality for their lack of attention to the Palestinian neighborhoods in the city, said a Jerusalem member of the Islamic Waqf Council who asked not to be identified. These are haphazard efforts by amateurs who dont have the skills or expertise to deal with something as large as this coronavirus, the official said. But Budeiri pointed out that all the work being done is vetted by experts and is based on the advice of the WHO, which is a member of our alliance. Budeiri agreed that Israel should take responsibility, but said that the issue can be dealt with by others who are focusing on the legal and political side of things. Our goal is humanitarian and we refuse to be sucked into the political cycle, he stressed. The initiatives by Jerusalemites are the latest expression of the political leadership vacuum that exists in a place with 350,000 Palestinian residents whom Israel and lately Americans refuse to allow to express their Palestinian nationalism while the Palestinian leadership is not allowed to connect with them. Palestinians in East Jerusalem are using their most powerful tool, their community unity, to thwart these efforts and to focus on their No. 1 goal of staying put in their city despite the pressures. Members of a medical team spray disinfectant to sanitize indoor place of Imam Reza's holy shrine, following the coronavirus outbreak, in Mashhad, Iran February 27, 2020. Picture taken February 27, 2020. WANA (West Asia News Agency) via 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. On Tuesday, the husband of jailed British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe said she had been temporarily released in Iran for two weeks. (Reuters) Lawmakers voted on Wednesday to liberalize New Zealands abortion law and allow unrestricted access during the first half of pregnancy, ending the countrys status as one of the few wealthy nations to limit the grounds for abortion during that period. Members of Parliament also greatly loosened restrictions on abortions in the latter half of pregnancy, with language that opponents say amounts to no meaningful limitations until the moment of birth. Lawmakers voted 68 to 51 to approve the bill, which would take effect a day after receiving assent from the governor-general, Queen Elizabeth IIs representative in New Zealand, which is considered a formality. New Zealands existing law on abortion, adopted in 1977 and amended a few times, treats termination, even early in pregnancy, as a crime, though officials say that no one has ever been prosecuted for it. The new law would remove it from the criminal statutes, and provides no penalties for violation. anatakti The Erdogan regime is sending tens of thousands of immigrants to the Greek border with the falsepromise that they will be able to cross to Europe. There are reports of violent attacks from fascist groups in Turkey against immigrants who dont want to follow Erdogans orders. His regime has organized mass population movements and actively encourages them to illegally cross state borders and enter Greece. By doing so, Ankara puts the lives of hundreds of thousands in danger. To move this mass of people quickly, the government is collaborating with para-state illegal networks of human traffickers. The financial profits from this inhumane, illegal activity are great both for smugglers and corrupt Turkish bureaucrats.The EU will soon be faced with uncontrolled mass currents of illegal migrant flows, among them many jihadist terrorists and others who have been recently released from Turkish prisons and promptly sent to Greeces border. This will continue to happen, unless the EU takes serious initiatives to prevent the Erdogan regime from this action.Unfortunately, Germany took steps that exacerbated the problem: instead of containing the Erdogan regime, Berlin chose to provide money, legitimacy, and the sale of weapons to Ankara. Instead of supporting crisis-ridden Greece to deal with the migrant challenge, Germany implemented policies that turned Greece into a buffer zone to prevent refugees from reaching northern Europe.We are very worried about the new immigrant crisis triggered by Turkeys president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who threatens peace and stability in the eastern Mediterranean. Erdogan has not been alone in this. His regime has been collaborating closely with Iran in deliberately pushing hundreds of thousands of immigrants across their borders, to reach Europe. By weaponizing thousands of immigrants, these two regimes blackmail Europe to consent to their authoritarian and expansionist agendas. If their blackmail succeeds, the whole region will explode.Demographic EngineeringThe Turkish government, by refusing to control its own borders and by encouraging masses of immigrants to illegally enter Greece, breaks international law and undermines its own legitimacy as a recognized state entity. It also plants the seeds for extensive demographic engineering in the northwestern European part of Turkey, in a historic region called eastern Thrace, at the land borders with Greece. The reason the car crossed the road was not known, police said. They said they did not think either speed or alcohol played a role. The crash remained under investigation, police said. "We're not going anywhere as long as we feel we can help mitigate the crisis," added Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, the top Republican on the Appropriations Committee. With the coronavirus outbreak shutting down everything from bars to borders, some Democratic senators are wondering why not. Older adults are at higher risk for serious illness from the coronavirus, and the average House member is nearly 58 years old, while the average senator is nearly 63, according to a recent Congressional Research Service report. "You have to take seriously the prospect of if this goes on longer and becomes worse, that we need to be able to keep working as a Senate on a possible package, without all of us being here," said Sen. Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat. One Democratic senator asked whether it's appropriate for senators to be on the chamber floor while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges avoiding groups of more than 10 people. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will continue its ongoing two-week strike, despite the federal governments new propos... The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will continue its ongoing two-week strike, despite the federal governments new proposals to the lecturers. The union commenced the warning strike on March 9, 2020 after disagreement with the government over issues of revitalization of universities, earned academic allowance. Others are visitation panel, mainstreaming and most importantly the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and also other issues relating to university funding. According to NAN, the federal government offered fresh proposals to ASUU during a meeting between delegates from both camps on Tuesday. Chris Ngige, minister of labour, said both parties had fruitful deliberations on contentious issues, especially the issue of IPPIS. The meeting was longer than anticipated because we had to look at all the issues that were in our 2019 Memorandum of Actions, especially those that had not been fully addressed. We made new proposal on behalf of FG to ASUU, he said. These issues range from funding, revitalization of public universities, earned academic allowances, salary shortfalls in Federal University of Akure and the issue of state universities. The minister said the federal government would be expecting the response of ASUU after meeting with its executives. We have agreed on tentative date to get back to government is before the weekend runs out. We expect ASUU to write the government before then to see if there will be need for further meeting, he said. Biodun Ogunyemi, ASUU president, also confirmed that the federal government had made new proposals as regards issues raised by the union. He said the meeting was an improvement over the previous one the union had with the government, adding that ASUU would discuss the decisions reached at the meeting with its members. But as we usually say, those of us here cannot give the final pronouncements on any of the proposals and we have assured the government that we will report faithfully to our principals and get back to government accordingly, he said. This is the second meeting between ASUU and the federal government. During their first meeting in Abuja, both parties were said to have reached a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to merge UTAS and IPPIS. Some financial institutions have assured their customers of the necessary steps being taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and ensure their safety as well as staff on their premises. The assurance have come in the form of text messages and alerts. The institutions have gone a step ahead by providing tips on COVID-19 virus to their customers. The GNA has cited a message of National Investment Bank (NIB) which reads: Valued Customer, in response to the outbreak of the Corona Virus, NIB is staking the necessary steps to ensure the safety of our customers. In the case of the Agriculture Development Bank, (adb), the bank has provided tips on the COVID-19, such as keep distance from someone showing symptoms, avoid touching your nose, eyes and mouth with your hands. Consolidated Bank of Ghana said; With the breaking news of COVID-19 in Ghana, CBG assures you that we are putting in place measures to ensure your health and safety in all our branches/ATMS. At the GCB Bank on the High street, the bank has placed water and soap at vantage points. In addition to that, the bank has also placed hand sanitizers near the ATMs. Customers were directed by security men at post to wash their hands. The Banks message alert read: Your bank has put in place measures at all our branches, offices and other contact points to safeguard your health and safety against Coronavirus, Visit our websites and social media pages for more safety tips. Ghana has recorded six COVID-19 cases as at March 15. Government in a directive has encouraged institutions and individuals to take precautionary measures to curb the spread of the pandemic. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video South Africa: Minister confirms 85 new cases of COVID-19 The Minister of Health, Zweli Mkhize, has announced that the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in South Africa has increased by 23. There are now 85 cases of the Coronavirus which has been declared a national disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Globally, there are now 184 976 confirmed cases if COVID-19, and 7 529 deaths. The virus has spread to 159 countries/territories. Among the new cases in the country is a 2-year-old boy from the Western Cape who has not travelled internationally. This is the youngest confirmed case. It is notable that there are eight cases of local transmission, said the Minister in a statement. There are 14 new cases in Gauteng: -A 45 year-old male who had travelled to Belgium, UK, France and the US -A 37 year-old male who had travelled to the UK -A 54 year-old female who had travelled to the USA -A 52 year-old male who had travelled to the UK -A 25 year-old male who travelled to the UK -A 52 year-old female who had travelled to Italy -A 59 year-old male who travelled to the UK and Dubai -A 57 year-old male who travelled to the USA -A 60 year-old male who travelled to the USA -A 37 year-old female who travelled to Italy and Dubai -A 21 year-old female with no travel history -A 34 year-old male with no international travel history -A 26 year-old female with no international travel history -A 32 year-old female with no international travel history There are four new cases in KwaZulu-Natal: -A 48 year-old male who travelled to Dubai -A 59 year-old female with no international travel history -A 5 year-old male with no international travel history -A 3 year-old male with no international travel history There are five new cases in the Western Cape: -A 3 year-old male who travelled to the UK -A 58 year-old male who travelled to the UK and Austria -A 2 year-old male with no international travel -A 62 year-old female who travelled to the UK and Ethiopia -A 71 year-old female who travelled to the UK The Minister said there was a debate with clinicians, epidemiologists, virologists on when government must release results to the public. These experts raised an issue of an ethical obligation to immediately alert patients as soon as the results become available. This therefore means that by the time a confirmation test is conducted in public laboratories, patients would have been notified of their initial results. This clarification is important because as government, we had announced to the public that all positive results will be verified through our public laboratories and the NICD, explained the Minister. He said in an effort to ensure transparency, government had decided to release results as they are submitted by both public and private labs. In instances where our confirmation tests give contrary results, we will inform the public, make reference to that specific result previously announced and give the outcome of the confirmation results. Whilst we respect that private laboratories have the capacity to test and on their own issue results, our intention and approach is to ensure that there is credibility in the information and results given to the public. Whilst we appreciate the importance of being transparent with South Africans, we will not do so irresponsibly and not take into account all clinical and any other broader implications of the information we give to you, he said. Repatriated South Africans Mkhize further announced that the South Africans who were repatriated from Wuhan City, in China have tested negative for COVID-19. The group arrived in South Africa on Saturday and are in quarantine at The Ranch Hotel in Limpopo. It gives us great pleasure to also announce to South Africans that all the citizens from Wuhan were tested and their results came back negative for COVID-19. We continue to keep them in quarantine for the prescribed period and will thereafter initiate the process of reunifying them with the community, said the Minister. For more information and resources on COVID-19 go to: https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/coronavirus-101. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-03-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. The industry leading providers of fruit for brewing have released a new Lemon Puree. Salem, Oregon-based Oregon Fruit Products LLC's new Oregon Fruit Lemon Puree is pale yellow in color and features a smooth consistency with a sharp and bright flavor that can enhance a variety of fermented and distilled beverages such as beer, cider, mead, spirits, wine, sodas, and kombucha. It's also aseptic, meaning it can be added directly to fermentation without the risk of contamination by bacteria or yeast. More from a press release: The release of Oregon Fruit Lemon Puree is expected to be particularly appealing as craft brewers begin their seasonal spring and summertime offerings. Shelf-stable and packaged aseptically, the puree saves beverage makers time spent sourcing, prepping and juicing fruit. According to Chris Hodge, director of sales for fermentation at Oregon Fruit Products, developing a lemon puree was a no brainer after the success of previous citrus offerings like key lime, grapefruit, tangerine, and blood orange. I expect the Lemon Puree to be ideally suited to styles like sours, lagers, pilsners, Hefeweizen, and Kolsch, as it provides a nice hit of citrus without overwhelming the flavor profile, says Hodge. I also anticipate our customers taking advantage of the purees low viscosity and use it as a blending agent with darker, sweeter fruits to balance out the acidity in their drinks, much like they did with our popular Key Lime Puree last year. Like all Oregon Fruit Purees, Lemon Puree has no added sugar or preservatives, and is minimally processed to ensure the best fresh fruit flavor and color. Most aseptic purees have a shelf life of 18 months in ambient temperature. More tips for brewing with Oregon Fruit Products Fruit for Fermentation are available here. Oregon Fruit Lemon Puree is now available in 42 lb. bag-in-box. The product is certified kosher, made in the U.S.A., non-GMO, gluten-free and vegetarian. Oregon Fruit Products does not use, nor does it allow, any of the eight major allergens (milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat) in the products or processing areas. Oregon Fruit Products LLC Founded in 1935, Oregon Fruit Products offers a complete line of canned, frozen and shelf-stable premium fruit for consumers, foodservice operators and ingredient sales. The company is located in Salem, Oregon and can be found on the web at www.oregonfruit.com and shop.fruitforbrewing.com. British government changes course on COVID-19 containment strategy Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2020 3:59 PM Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has been abruptly forced to abandon his so-called "herd immunity" strategy against the coronavirus outbreak after a new report concluded it would lead to deaths on a massive scale. It is being widely reported in the British and international media that the government only realized "in the last few days" mitigation (as opposed to the suppression) of the coronavirus outbreak would backfire disastrously. A leading journalist even accused the British government of basing its entire mitigation strategy on "false analysis". The government has now radically changed course to embrace the virus suppression strategy adopted by most countries around the world, particularly in hard-hit European states like Italy, France and Spain. It appears that a report produced by the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team has partly influenced the government's decision to change course on the issue. The report was compiled with the input of government scientific advisers, including key people involved in the fight against COVID-19. Playing catch-up Whilst the Tory government's U-turn has come as welcome relief to the British public and the international community, this is tempered by the growing realization the government is playing catch-up with the spread of the deadly COVID-19 disease. The BBC's political editor, Laura Kuenssberg, quotes a senior government source as saying: "The government is about to involve itself in the lives of millions of people in ways we haven't seen since the war". Kuenssberg, who is widely perceived to be sympathetic to the Tories, concurs with her source's assessment that the coronovirus pandemic is "rapidly" turning into the "biggest peacetime task" any modern British government has faced. Latest measures As part of the measures the British government is belatedly undertaking to stem the tide of the coronavirus outbreak, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is now advising against all but essential travel abroad. In the latest development, the government has given strong indications it is planning ahead in relation to the National Health Service's (NHS) management of the pandemic. To that end, it has just been announced that NHS England will postpone all "non-urgent operations" from April 15 to free up to 30,000 beds for patients afflicted by the COVID-19 disease. It is being widely reported that the emergency policy will be in place for at least three months. To underscore the UK's grim situation, the government's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, has said it would be a "good outcome" if "20,000" or fewer people, died of the COVID-19 disease in Britain. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In Illinois last night, abortion-rights advocate Marie Newman unseated pro-life representative Dan Lipinski in the Democratic primary for the third congressional district. Based on ratings from anti-abortion groups, Lipinski was the last remaining stalwart pro-lifer among Democratic politicians in Congress. It is a symbolic end to an era that really ended a long time ago, a time when Democratic politicians could vote against taxpayer-funded abortion and in favor of abortion restrictions without being ousted from their seats, and when the partys leadership acknowledged and welcomed pro-life voters whose views on other issues aligned them with the party. With Lipinskis loss, there is no longer even the slightest bit of room for Democrats to give themselves cover on this issue, and they appear not to mind. The Democratic Party is, at the national level, filled with politicians who support abortion on demand, at any stage of pregnancy, for any reason, funded by the U.S. taxpayer. This is dramatically out of step with most Americans, only 13 percent of whom favor allowing elective abortion in the last three months of pregnancy and nearly three-quarters of whom would limit abortion to the first three months or to cases of rape or incest, or not permit it at all. It is also out of step with most Democrats, only 18 percent of whom would allow third-trimester abortion. A full 30 percent of Democrats call themselves pro-life. Instead of being accommodated or reassured, these Democrats are explicitly told by the politicians seeking to represent them that their views have no place in their own party a curious election strategy. In 2017, Democratic leaders derided Bernie Sanders when he endorsed Heath Mello for mayor of Omaha, Neb., after abortion-advocacy groups dubbed Mello anti-choice for having backed a law requiring doctors to give women the option to view a fetal ultrasound prior to abortion (hardly a stringent anti-abortion law, though it is revealing that abortion supporters opposed it). Story continues A lot can change in three years. Last month, Sanders declared during a town hall that being pro-choice is an essential part of being a Democrat. Former presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg made the same assessment in January, telling Kristen Day, director of the beleaguered Democrats for Life, that he would not budge an inch on the issue. (Day, for the record, did not ask Buttigieg to change his position on abortion but rather to support more-moderate platform language . . . to ensure that the party of diversity, of inclusion really does include everybody. It took him several minutes to get around to saying, in essence, Keep dreaming.) What, then, is a pro-life Democrat to do? And what happened to the party that used to feature men like Dan Lipinski and his pro-life Democratic father Bill, one or the other of whom has represented the third congressional district in Illinois since 1983? Here an anecdote might be helpful. In 1992, Pennsylvanias Democratic governor, Bob Casey Sr., was slated to speak at the partys national convention in New York City but in the end was not permitted to do so. Though Democrats have since contended that this was because he had not endorsed the presidential ticket, contemporaneous reporting shows that it was in fact because he intended to speak about his opposition to abortion, at a time when the party was beginning more uniformly to embrace abortion rights. It was Casey who went to the Supreme Court in 1992 to defend his states regulations on abortion clinics, losing in the landmark case Planned Parenthood v. Casey that currently governs abortion jurisprudence. Today, Caseys son, Bob Casey Jr., serves as a Democratic senator from Pennsylvania, and in recent years has received a 100 percent score from NARAL Pro-Choice America for his voting record on abortion rights. The Democratic Party has been on this trajectory for a long time, driven in no small part by its desire for the financial backing and public-relations acclaim of powerful actors such as NARAL, Planned Parenthood, and the conglomerate of womens media groups that writer and former editor of Ladies Home Journal Myrna Blyth christened the Spin Sisters. Reproductive rights is the issue that all women must care and agree about, Blyth wrote in her 2004 book Spin Sisters of these publications and their ability to drive public opinion. To keep the support of the Spin Sisters, politicians may not stray even a hair from the Planned Parenthood position. Though the Democratic allegiance to unlimited legal abortion surely has something to do with the millions of campaign dollars that flow from abortion-advocacy groups, it has perhaps even more to do with the optics of the issue, with the fact that Planned Parenthood and its media allies could sound the death knell for a campaign by deeming a Democrat anti-choice for doing something as anodyne as supporting a womans right to be offered the chance to view an ultrasound. (It was, for instance, primarily these groups that funded and championed Newmans campaign to unseat Lipinski.) State politics confirm this theory, where pro-life Democrats continue to reelect pro-life Democratic politicians who enact anti-abortion laws, out of reach of the national abortion-advocacy apparatus. In Louisiana, Democratic legislator Katrina Jackson sponsored a bill, currently facing a challenge at the Supreme Court, to extend existing safety measures to abortion clinics. That bill, along with a heartbeat bill banning abortion after six weeks gestation, was signed into law by the states Democratic governor, John Bel Edwards. In West Virginia earlier this month, Democratic lawmakers helped to pass a born-alive bill, requiring doctors to care for newborn infants who survive an abortion procedure. These proposals have no hope of passing Congress, where the consistent leftward shift of the Democratic Party has left pro-life liberals like Dan Lipinski, and all the voters who valued his leadership, without a home. More from National Review Hundreds of families displaced by the worst dam collapse in Laos in decades are no longer receiving aid, and are living in substandard conditions in temporary shelters, nearly two years after the accident, according to representatives of the community. On July 23, 2018, water poured over a saddle dam in Attapeu provinces Sanamxay district at the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy (PNPC) hydropower project following heavy rains, inundating 12 villages and killing at least 40 people in Attapeu and neighboring Champassak province. Laos Ministry of Energy and Mines blamed the collapse of the auxiliary dam, which displaced about 7,000 people, on substandard construction, prompting calls by Lao officials for the projects main developerSouth Koreas SK Engineering and Constructionto be held accountable. But since the beginning of the year, more than 880 families in Attapeus Sanamxay district comprised of 2,570 people, who were among those worst affected by the collapse, are no longer receiving a living allowance or foodstuffs from PNPC, as promised by the government, and are housed in shelters that lack running water and toilets. We are still in the shelters, but we live hard lives because many people sharing them, said one resident of the site set up for displaced villagers, who spoke to RFAs Lao Service on condition of anonymity. It is very hot [and cramped]. In addition, the toilets dont work because they are full, but the officials dont empty them. So people have to go to the bathroom in the jungle. Though each villager had been provided 44 pounds of rice per month and 5,000 kip (U.S. $0.56) daily living allowance, the resident said that the living allowance had been shut off since January. We have informed district and provincial authorities, but they have done nothing, he said. Residents are unable to cultivate rice on their own land because officials have yet to clear it for them. Even when they were receiving a daily allowance, villagers were forced to catch fish in the river and collect forest products to earn a living because what was provided did not meet their daily expenses and basic needs, the resident added. Another resident, who also declined to be named, told RFA that a shortage of water at the shelters often leads to arguments within the community. The water supply installed by the dam company and authorities doesnt supply enough water to meet the needs of people in the shelters, so they sometimes fight with one another over it, she said. We have no option but to live in the shelters, no matter how hot the weather is. We dont know when the officials will compensate us for losses of property and crops. We havent received a living allowance since January and we dont have enough food. Official pledges Bounhome Phommasane, the chief of Sanamxay district, told RFA that PNPC is working with the government to prepare compensation, but I have no idea about the date it will be provided. The handover of compensation will be done publicly, he said. Additionally, the government will clear the agriculture land for people whose fields were damaged in the flooding. Bounhome promised to supply good quality rice to those displaced that will meet their demand, while the living allowance for January will be paid to them soon, and the February and March allowances will be made available later. As for the issue of the toilets, I see the officials have been trying to fix them as soon as possible, but it is difficult to respond to the demands of everyone, he said. A civil society official, who asked to remain anonymous, told RFA that when he visited the shelters last month he saw people living in terrible conditions. I dont know exactly when these people will be able to return to the lives that they once led, but it appears that they will be forced to endure these conditions for the long term, he said. Regional production Laos has built dozens of hydropower dams on the Mekong and its tributaries in its quest to become the battery of Southeast Asia, exporting the electricity they generate to other countries in the region, and is preparing to build scores more dams in the years ahead. Though the Lao government sees power generation as a way to boost the countrys economy, the projects are controversial because of their environmental impact, displacement of villagers, and questionable financial arrangements. Reports of the difficulties endured by those who survived the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy collapse came as neighboring Cambodia said it plans to suspend development of hydropower dams on its section of the Mekong River for the next 10 years, as it investigates options for generating power from coal, natural gas, and solar. Reuters news agency cited Victor Jona, the director general of energy at Cambodia's Ministry of Mines and Energy, as saying that he decision followed a study done by a Japanese consultant that recommended Cambodia seek energy elsewhere. The suspension of mainstream dams in Cambodia means that Laos, which has opened two new dams on the Mekong in the past six months, is the only country in the Lower Mekong Basin planning hydropower projects on the river. Reported and translated by Ounkeo Souksavanh for RFAs Lao Service. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. The Indian high commission reached out to Indian citizens stranded in the UK after New Delhis ban on all travel to the country took effect from 12 noon GMT on Wednesday, as Indian students at various universities faced uncertainty over teaching and stay. The mission, which fielded several queries from Indian citizens and Overseas Citizens of India in recent days, said: Indian citizens, including students stranded in the UK due to non-availability of flights or closure of hotels who have nowhere to stay may reach us on info.london@mea.gov.in giving their details such as flight bookings, etc. India on Monday announced a ban until March 31 of travel from UK and the European Union. Indian officials have been in constant touch with the Home Office for assurances on visa-related issues of citizens who are in the UK. The mission said: UK authorities are working on guidance for Indians in the UK whose visas are due to expire but are currently unable to leave. On campuses across the UK, thousands of Indian students face uncertainty as universities switch to online teaching and scramble to deal with the implications of the coronavirus challenge, with some managing to leave for India, but others stuck in the UK. The uncertainty has been heightened in universities that asked students to leave campus and go home during Easter vacations. Nicole M Joseph, a student from Bengaluru at the University of Cambridge, said: I could not go to India. We are not sure what will happen when the next term begins on April 21. I hope they wont kick us out. My family has been too stressed about me being alone here. Colleges in Cambridge have come under much criticism for sending allegedly conflicting messages to students; some asked them to leave rooms by Thursday, while others offered accommodation on an exceptional basis if they cannot go to their home countries. Sanjan Das of the Cambridge University India Society said he could not leave after India suspended those holding Overseas Citizen of India status: We tried to get emergency visa, but was told that was available only for deaths and similar situations. Now no one can go. Since student visas are linked to attendance at lectures and other academic engagements, the Home Office has relaxed norms, so that those unable to do so are not penalised. The University and College Union (UCU) petitioned the University of Cambridge about growing concern among international students being asked to leave, alleging that its colleges had provoked wide-scale panic with their messages. We are extremely concerned that the invitation to leave the country at such short notice, when most countries are closing their borders, will dramatically affect the most economically and socially vulnerable members of the college community who cannot afford to leave the UK at the last minute, who do not have healthcare coverage in their country of origin, who simply have nowhere else to go, and do not have clear instructions on how leaving will impact their visa status, UCU said. Universities UK (UUK), the umbrella body representing all UK universities, said Indian and other international students stranded in the UK should be able to continue to stay in university accommodation (halls). A UUK spokesperson said: A students halls are generally their main home for much of the year and universities will support those who cannot or do not want to go home. We are seeking specific advice for student accommodation providers from the government on the issue of any student who needs to self-isolate in student accommodation. The focus for universities who have students in this situation would be to ensure every possible measure is being taken to support them during self-isolation, to ensure this is effective but also that their needs are met. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, Manitobas three top judges said Tuesday, as they outlined court efforts to address the growing coronavirus pandemic. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 17/3/2020 (665 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, Manitobas three top judges said Tuesday, as they outlined court efforts to address the growing coronavirus pandemic. "We have tried to balance what we have to do with the goals of stemming this rising menace we are all trying to face," Manitoba Court of Queens Bench Justice Glenn Joyal said at a hastily-convened news conference at the Winnipeg Law Courts. The measures effectively amount to adjourning most out-of-custody matters at least a month, prioritizing which in-custody cases should be heard and when, and taking every step to reduce person-to-person contact. "We are well-aware we have to balance our institutional obligations with the broader public health concerns," said Manitoba Court of Appeal Chief Justice Richard Chartier. For the Court of Appeal, that means all non-urgent custody matters will either be suspended or heard by way of paper appeal or teleconference. "I know this is an unprecedented step," Chartier said. "We will anticipate that a number of our appeals will proceed in one of those two fashions." In Court of Queens Bench, all jury trials have been suspended, and all judge-alone trials have been adjourned a month from their original sitting date. "We are keeping all of those matters on a short leash, as it were, and if necessary, as is probable that they have to be put over again, we will do that while keeping a close watch on what is going on," Joyal said. Non-jury criminal trials where an accused is in custody will "likely" proceed, but with a new requirement trial judges and counsel discuss whether the case is urgent or can be tried at a later date, Joyal said. "In some cases, the person in custody may be in custody on other charges that dont relate to the prosecution or trial that is proceeding," Joyal said. "If that is the case, what was an urgent in-custody trial may be degraded somewhat in urgency. "Thats not to say that were happy somebody is left in custody without closure, but the custody state may not be related to the charges that otherwise would proceed to trial." In provincial court, the busiest court branch, out-of-custody appearances have been cancelled until May 1, as have all circuit court hearings throughout the province. In-custody matters, including bails, sentencings, and trials will continue to be heard at the provinces six major court centres, with a focus on teleconferencing and appearances by video, where available. "We are living in an unbelievable period of time dealing with these issues," said provincial court Chief Judge Margaret Wiebe. "In this situation, communication and co-operation between all the players in the system is absolutely key. The situation is changing rapidly and we expect that will remain the case moving forward." Meanwhile, adjourning cases en masse will create an inevitable bottleneck that will only get larger the longer the coronavirus pandemic endures. "That is a concern," Wiebe said. "It is going to take a lot of effort to prioritize the matters that have to be heard... (It is) going to slow down matters potentially for several months to come and we are going to have to figure out how to deal with that." In northern remote centres, where access to timely court proceedings are already an issue, things will get only slower, Wiebe conceded. Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "Once things return to a more regular situation, we will work very hard to do what we can to get back in there. Perhaps adding special sittings and extra sittings where we can and where we have the capacity to deal with these matters as quickly as we can," Wiebe said. These adjustments could conceivably open the court up to challenges for delay. Under the Supreme Courts Jordan decision, courts are expected to meet strict timelines in bringing criminal trials to completion. The courts focus now is on public health, not a legal test, Joyal said. "We have every confidence that where crisis situations have taken place... We have to balance that concern with trying to level the curve to prevent the spread of something that could get much more serious." For updates on how Manitoba courts are responding to the pandemic, visit manitobacourts.mb.ca or @MBCourts on Twitter. dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca Authorities have publicly identified a man they say fatally shot himself during an encounter with police Thursday night in Camas. Camas and Washougal police contacted Edwin L. Glessner, 32, after responding to "a disturbance involving a weapon in the Northeast Second Avenue and Joy Street area, according to Vancouver police. Glessner, who had a handgun, was initially non-compliant, police said. Glessner and a Camas officer, Steven Forgette, fired their weapons at some point during the encounter, according to police. Glessner was given medical aid at the scene and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said. Police didnt say whether the officers gunfire also hit him. Forgette, 28, is on critical incident leave, as is standard procedure after police shootings. He was hired by Camas police in 2015, is assigned to its patrol division and serves as a member of a regional SWAT team. A regional major crimes team continues to investigate. Help available National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Multnomah County: 503-988-4888 or 1-800-716-9769 Clackamas County: 503-655-8585 Washington County: 503-291-9111 Southwest Washington: 1-800-626-8137 or 866-835-2755 -- Jim Ryan; jryan@oregonian.com; 503-221-8005; @Jimryan015 Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Donald Trump has defended using the term China virus to refer to the coronavirus, insisting it is not racist. The president and a number of his senior officials, including Mike Pompeo, the secretary of state, have repeatedly referred to Covid-19, the first human cases of which were detected last year in China, as the Chinese virus. They have done that despite recommendations of health officials, who have pointed out the disease has become a global pandemic. Why do you keep calling this the Chinese virus a lot of people say its racist, he was asked. Mr Trump replied: Because it comes from China, its not racist at all. It comes from China. I want to be accurate. 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 Mr Trump was asked about comments from Republican congressman Tom Cotton who has claimed China should be held accountable for failing to do more to stop the virus spreading overseas. I have every confidence America will once again marshal the resolve, toughness, and genius of our people to overcome the serious threat to our health and well-being posed by the Wuhan coronavirus, Mr Cotton said in a statement last week. We will emerge stronger from this challenge, we will hold accountable those who inflicted it on the world, and we will prosper in the new day. Mr Trump said he had great respect for Mr Cotton and said we will see what happens. Coronavirus in numbers He was asked he thought China deserved to be punished for inflicting the disease. I dont think they inflected it, he said. But I think they could have given us notice a lot earlier. The COVID-19 pandemic will push millions more into unemployment, underemployment and working poverty, the United Nations said on Wednesday, warning that workers globally stood to lose up to USD 3.4 trillion in income this year alone. "Falls in employment... mean large income losses for workers," the International Labour Organisation said, releasing a report showing workers stand to lose between USD 860 billion and USD 3.4 trillion by the end of 2020. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18 By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend: Kazakhstan started evacuation of its tourists from 13 countries worldwide, Trend reports with reference to association of tourism operators of Kazakhstan. The association said that due to the emergency situation in the world, the association in cooperation with Tourism and Sport Committee of Kazakhstan made a decision to start evacuation of all tourists back to Kazakhstan. The overall number of flights which are to be implemented to return tourists from 13 countries is 17 flights. First flight was implemented on March 17, 2020, which was to return tourists from Goa, the report said. The association recommends tourists to submit applications on www.fondkamkor.kz website or call + 7 (7172) 27 91 12 (WhatsApp: +7701 534 0580). On March 15, 2020, Kazakhstans President Kassym Jomart Tokayev signed a decree introducing an emergency state in Kazakhstan due to coronavirus outbreak, which will be relevant from 08:00 (GMT +6) on March 16 till 08:00 on April 15, 2020. By a decision of State Commission on Provision of Emergency State under the president of Kazakhstan quarantine regime is being introduced at 00:00 (GMT +6) on March 19, 2020 in Kazakhstans Nur-Sultan and Almaty cities due to coronavirus outbreak. On March 13, 2020, first two cases of coronavirus infection were detected in Kazakhstan among those who arrived in Almaty city from Germany. The latest data said that the overall number of coronavirus cases identified in Kazakhstan is 35 people. 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) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11. --- Technavio has been monitoring the automotive fuse boxes market and it is poised to grow by USD 540 mn during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of over 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 the latest free sample report of 2020-2024 This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005765/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Automotive Fuse Boxes Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire). The market is moderately concentrated, and the degree of moderately concentration 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. Growth of automotive electronic has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. Automotive Fuse Boxes Market 2019-2023: Segmentation Automotive Fuse Boxes Market is segmented as below: End-User Ice Vehicle Electric Vehicle 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=IRTNTR30097 Automotive Fuse Boxes 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 automotive fuse boxes market report covers the following areas: Automotive Fuse Boxes Market Size Automotive Fuse Boxes Market Trends Automotive Fuse Boxes Market Industry Analysis This study identifies extensive product development for electric vehicles as one of the prime reasons driving the automotive fuse boxes market growth during the next few years. Automotive Fuse Boxes Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the automotive fuse boxes market, including some of the vendors such as Eaton, HELLA, LEONI, Littlefuse and MERSEN. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the automotive fuse boxes 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 Automotive Fuse Boxes Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023 Detailed information on factors that will assist automotive fuse boxes market growth during the next five years Estimation of the automotive fuse boxes market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the automotive fuse boxes market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of automotive fuse boxes 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 END-USER Market segmentation by end-user Comparison by end-user ICE vehicle Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Electric vehicle Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by end-user PART 07: SEGMENTATION BY SALES CHANNEL OEMs Aftermarket PART 08: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 09: 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 10: DECISION FRAMEWORK PART 11: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES Market drivers Market challenges PART 12: MARKET TRENDS PART 13: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview Landscape disruption Competitive scenario PART 14: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Eaton HELLA LEONI Littlefuse MERSEN 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/20200317005765/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ Pictured: Good Samaritan Helena Ellis A photo of an elderly man staring at an empty shelf of bread offers a tragic insight into the impact coronavirus panic-buying is having on older Australians. Sydney-based DJ Helena Ellis shared the 'heartbreaking' photo with her followers on Monday as she urged people to consider the elderly before they clear supermarket shelves. While visiting a south Hurstville IGA in Sydney's south, Ms Ellis came across a man who she believed was 'at least 84'. He had 'an empty trolley [and was] staring at empty shelves of bread,' she said. 'My heart broke.' Ms Ellis had picked up the last two packets of hot dog buns, so decided to give him one out of her own trolley. The small act of kindness was enough to make the man smile, which Ms Ellis said was the best outcome she could've hoped for. Ms Ellis shared this photo of an elderly man staring at an empty bread shelf after it was cleaned out by coronavirus panic buyers The local Sydney DJ offered the man one of her packets of hot dog buns when she realised there was no other bread for him to take Panic buying due to the threat of coronavirus has stripped shelves bare in supermarkets throughout the nation. Company bosses have repeatedly assured consumers there is no manufacturing shortage, but said staff are struggling to keep shelves stocked of toilet paper, bread, non-perishables like pasta and hand sanitiser. Ms Ellis suggested communities work together to protect elderly people and ensure they've got everything they need during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'If you see an old person, please stop and ask them if they need anything... give them something from your trolley that is no longer on the shelves,' she said. At least 568 people in Australia have been diagnosed with coronavirus - but that number is predicted to rise Pictured: A man trying to buy toilet paper in an Australian supermarket after panic buying due to the COVID-19 pandemic The performer reminded her followers that for most people, ducking to the store is no more than a minor inconvenience. But for some of the nation's most vulnerable, it might be considered a major task. 'You could easily come back and get [items] tomorrow,' she said. 'Who knows where they came from or how long it took them to get to the shop... only to get there and find empty shelves. 'In a time of complete and utter madness and chaos, please don't forget to look out for each other and look out for those who need it most.' Ms Ellis urged people not to be 'consumed by greed' during the crisis. Ms Ellis has previously attended the ARIA awards (left) and was spotted at a recent Pretty Little Thing party (right) Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged Australians to stop hoarding food and other essential supplies. 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. 'Stop hoarding. I can't be more blunt about it. Stop it,' Mr Morrison said as he addressed the nation on Wednesday. 'That is not who we are as a people. It is not necessary. It is not something that people should be doing. '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.' Mr Morrison reassured the public the government was putting in place 'scalable and sustainable measures' and bulk-buying was unnecessary. He also asked people to stop 'abusing staff' after footage emerged online of customers verbally attacking supermarket employees because they couldn't locate goods. More than 200,000 people have been infected with COVID-19 across 167 countries, including 565 cases in Australia. So far, 8,229 people have died from complications relating to the disease. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 15:12 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b95431 1 Entertainment Rachel-Vennya,Nikita-Mirzani,coronavirus,COVID-19,outbreak,fund-raising,donation,kitabisa-com Free Several Indonesian celebrities are raising funds and donating money to support those affected by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country. Social media influencer Rachel Vennya started an online fundraising campaign on Kitabisa.com on Tuesday. According to her fundraising page, Rachels concerns grew as she heard about the increasing number of confirmed cases in Indonesia. She specifically mentioned people who had been unable to work from home, especially those working in the healthcare and informal sectors, such as hospital staff and vendors at traditional markets. Rachel hoped to collect Rp 500 million (US$32.771) in 76 days. In five hours, she had collected more than Rp 414 million. Since then, Rachel has increased the target to Rp 2 billion and, as of the writing of this article, she had gathered more than Rp 2.2 billion in funds from 55,048 donors. Ive already started the campaign; I hope other people will also do the same, she wrote on Instagram. Its because were working together to fight against the disease. The money will be used to provide face masks, hand sanitizer, rubber gloves and other protective items for those who work in healthcare and informal sectors. On her Instagram stories, Rachel has shared updates about the campaign. She said she would donate the money to Persahabatan General Hospital in East Jakarta, Fatmawati General Hospital in South Jakarta and Cengkareng General Hospital in West Jakarta. Read also: COVID-19: The twists and turns of working from home On Tuesday, actress Nikita Mirzani announced on Instagram that she would donate Rp 100 million to help prevent the spread of the pandemic. The donation is part of her celebration of her 34th birthday, which fell on March 17. I hope the disease can be contained and that people will be able to return to their normal activities, said Nikita before encouraging other celebrities to follow her path in helping those affected by the virus. As of Wednesday, the number of coronavirus cases in Indonesia had reached 172. A number of museums, offices and schools in the country have been closed to contain the spread of the disease. (wir/wng) The European Union is sealing its borders and banning the entry of all foreign travellers for 30 days as the COVID-19 situation worsens, said a report. The measure is expected to apply to 26 EU states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. UK citizens will be unaffected, said a report in the BBC The ban came as deaths continued to soar in Italy and Spain, and France began a strict lockdown. Europe has been badly hit by the virus, which has killed 7,500 globally, the report said. The travel ban will affect all non-EU nationals from visiting the bloc, except long-term residents, family members of EU nationals and diplomats, cross-border and healthcare workers, and people transporting goods. The number of confirmed cases in Spain has soared by 2,000 to 11,178. Authorities there are maintaining a partial lockdown on 47 million people. It is now the European country worst-affected after Italy. Italy, which has registered the most cases outside China at more than 31,500, announced another surge in deaths on Tuesday, from 2,150 to 2,503. The country remains in lockdown, the report said. Iran remains the world's third-worst-affected nation, after China and Italy. More than 16,000 people are confirmed as infected and 988 have died, although some analysts believe the figures are far higher than officially reported, it said. Employees will also get an automatic exceeds expectations rating on their performance review Chennai: Facebook employees will be paid a one-time bonus of USD 1,000 to help them work remotely, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in an internal memo on Tuesday, as many of its offices around the world shut down and staff begin working from home. The company will also give every employee an exceeds expectations rating in their performance review for the first half of this year, to ensure that all employees receive their biannual bonuses, the Wall Street Journal reported. Presumably the extra USD 1,000, which they will receive along with their March salaries, would pay for unforeseen expenses such as childcare as day care centres and schools shut down to contain the spread of COVID-19. Facebook has 44,900 employees worldwide, and thousands more contracted through companies such as Accenture to which work is outsourced. However, the USD 1,000 bonus will apply only to workers employed directly with Facebook, and not contract staff. The USD 1,000 is for full time employees who are working from home, a Facebook spokesperson was quoted as saying by The Intercept. For contract workers, we are sending them home and paying them in full even if they are unable to work which as you can imagine is much more meaningful than a one off payment. Several of the companys contracted staff work for hourly wages worldwide to review sexually disturbing and graphically violent content among other tasks and have to two or three jobs to make ends meet, Intercept reported. However, the social media giant is awarding USD 100 million in grants and ad credits to assist small businesses, CNet reported. Meanwhile, Twitter said that it would reimburse employees cost of childcare and setting up office equipment to work from home. Google and Apple have not announced any such financial assistance for its staff. There were reports of how Apple workers were finding it hard to work from home due to the secrecy protocols that the company followed. Kim Foxx, the Chicago prosecutor who faced intense criticism for her handling of the case of Jussie Smollett, the actor charged with staging a racist and homophobic attack, took a major step toward re-election on Tuesday with a victory in the Democratic primary. Ms. Foxxs closest rival, Bill Conway, a former prosecutor, conceded the race for states attorney in Cook County, Ill., which includes Chicago, in a call to the incumbent late Tuesday. With 82 percent of precincts reporting, Ms. Foxx had 48 percent of the vote, according to unofficial totals, and The Associated Press declared her the winner. Two other candidates were running well behind. She will face a Republican opponent in November, Pat OBrien, a former prosecutor and judge. But the county is heavily Democratic, and the partys nominee typically wins countywide elections. Ms. Foxx was elected Chicagos chief prosecutor in 2016 with promises to change the criminal justice system, defeating her predecessor, who had come under heavy criticism for delaying prosecution of a white police officer in the death of a black teenager. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-19 00:30:16|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia and China should strengthen exchanges and cooperation to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on Wednesday. Containing the COVID-19 outbreak is the biggest challenge faced by the Malaysian government at the moment, said Muhyiddin when receiving a courtesy call by Chinese ambassador Bai Tian, adding that Malaysia has taken a series of measures in a bid to contain the spread of the virus and beat the outbreak, according to a statement released by the Chinese embassy. China's success in containing the outbreak within two months is admirable, said Muhyiddin. The two countries should strengthen joint efforts to contain the outbreak, he said. For his part, Bai briefed Muhyiddin on the measures taken by China in containing the outbreak, expressing appreciation for the support rendered by Malaysia when China went through a difficult time in fighting the epidemic. China will spare no effort to support Malaysia in defeating the COVID-19 outbreak, including sharing knowledge on COVID-19 containment and therapy, providing possible technical and material support, and offering convenience to Malaysia on the import of protective gears and medical equipment from China, said Bai. Muhyiddin, who was sworn in as Malaysia's Prime Minister on March 1, pointed out the long-standing friendship between Malaysia and China, saying he is willing to push for greater development of the bilateral relations between the two countries. The prime minister said he is looking forward to greater cooperation with China in areas including investment, trade, infrastructure, technology, security for the mutual benefit of the two peoples. Register with JOC.com and receive 5 free pieces of content for the first thirty days. After thirty days, you will receive 3 pieces of content and after sixty days you will receive 1 piece of content. To receive full access, Subscribe Today . You can also subscribe to our daily newsletter. Register Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 19:03:17|Editor: zyl Video Player Close Staff members perform disinfection operations at a quarantine area in Istanbul, Turkey, March 18, 2020. A total of 2,807 Turkish citizens evacuating from nine European countries were under quarantine in northwestern Turkey on Wednesday amid concerns of the outbreak of COVID-19. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua) ISTANBUL, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A total of 2,807 Turkish citizens evacuating from nine European countries were under quarantine in northwestern Turkey on Wednesday amid concerns of the outbreak of COVID-19. Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay tweeted that the evacuation of the Turkish nationals who wanted to return to the country was completed early in the morning. "Our citizens were placed in dormitories in Istanbul and Kocaeli provinces," he said in the tweet, noting that they will be hosted there for 14 days. As part of the efforts to contain coronavirus, Turkey has so far suspended flights to and from 20 countries in total, including Germany, France, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Austria, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Britain. On Tuesday night, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced Turkey's first death from the novel coronavirus, noting that the total number of the confirmed cases reached 98. The first picture of a British property developer charged with murdering his wife and stabbing his next-door neighbour to death on her doorstep has emerged. Tamer Moustafa, 40, is alleged to have knifed 43-year-old Nelly Moustafa at their four-bed home in Birmingham, West Midlands on Monday. The property developer then allegedly killed his neighbour, Zahida Bi, 52. Locals say the mother was reportedly knifed on her doorstep after answering the door to her attacker. A young family member was said to have witnessed the horror. Moustafa appeared before Birmingham Magistrates today charged with double murder. He will appear at Crown Court on Friday. Tamer Moustafa, pictured, a 40-year-old property developer, is charged with murdering his wife at their Birmingham home and his next-door neighbour Moustafa is alleged to have knifed 43-year-old Nelly Moustafa, pictured, at their four-bed home in the West Midlands on Monday Locals said the Moustafas had lived at the address in quiet residential street Belle Walk, in the well-heeled Moseley suburb, for three years. One said: 'The police came from nowhere. I thought it was an anti-terror raid at first. 'I've lived here for 25 years and I've never seen anything like this before. 'I just feel enormously for both families. Children have been left without a mum.' Eyewitnesses claim that the mother was knifed on her doorstep after answering the door to her attacker Footage showed a man being arrested on suspicion of a double murder in Birmingham. West Midlands Police confirmed Moustafa will appear at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday Moustafa is charged with double murder, to appear at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday Detectives yesterday searched a nearby industrial unit linked to ALS Trade computer wholesalers, which papers reveal Moustafa was a director of until last August. He was formerly the director of Black Rock Property Development. His position at the company was terminated in August last year, according to Companies House. Moustafa's son Ibrahaem, 19, is now listed as the sole director of ALS Trade. West Midlands Police confirmed that Moustafa is charged with two counts of murder, and will appear at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday. A spokesperson added that post-mortem examinations are being carried out today. Three of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case moved a court here on Wednesday seeking stay on their death penalty, saying the second mercy plea of one of them is still pending. Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana issued notices to the Tihar jail authorities and the police on the plea and said he will hear it tomorrow. On March 5, a trial court had issued fresh death 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 Singh (31). The warrants, which were issued for the first time on January 7, have been deferred four times earlier on the ground that they were yet to exhaust all the legal remedies. Convict Akshay Singh on Tuesday filed a second mercy petition before President Ram Nath Kovind. The same day, another convict Pawan Gupta also moved the Supreme Court with a curative petition against the dismissal of his review plea rejecting his juvenility claim. Special Public Prosecutor Rajeev Mohan opposed the plea saying it was not maintainable. The judge then asked advocate A P Singh, appearing for the three convicts, as to why he was filing the application at the end of the working day when he knew there was only one day left for the hanging. To this, Singh said he was busy with work as numerous petitions filed by the convicts were pending in different courts. The plea said the review mercy petitions filed by Akshay and Pawan were pending before the President. The plea was filed on behalf of Akshay, Vinay and Pawan. The plea said that the stay would apply to the fourth convict Mukesh also since they cannot be separately hanged. It also said that the divorce petition filed by Akshay's wife was pending before a local court in Bihar. The plea said that the applications would require time for consideration and hence the present execution date of March 20 was unsustainable and should be set aside. 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 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. The death warrant of the four convicts was deferred for the first time on January 17. The court issued death warrants again with execution date as February 1, 6 am. On January 31, the court again postponed the execution of the black warrants till further order. On February 17 it issued fresh death warrants for March 3. On March 2, it deferred hanging of the death row convicts till further order and on March 5 it fixed March 20, 5:30 am as the fresh date of execution of the convicts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three years later, Bubber teamed with like-minded members of her profession to launch 100 Brokers Who Care, a nonprofit that unites Canadas mortgage broker community into a force of philanthropic altruism. And while the group has outgrown its name Bubber cited 150 broker members it has retained the focus of asking each member to donate $100 per quarter, with the funds channeled into quarterly financial gifts of $10,000 to a household or a cause in need of monetary assistance. Each quarter, the groups board of directors reviews nominations for assistance. Bubber stated they receive anywhere from three to 15 nominations per voting period, and then the board will narrow it down to a reasonable number that would be on the final vote that gets sent out to the entire group. All 150 would get a list of everybody that's eligible to receive the funds and there is a voting system where they vote on their first choice. When 100 Brokers Who Care raises more funds than expected, it allocates additional financial gifts to other households. We'll go to the first family with the $10,000 maximum donation and then, whatever surplus we have, we'll go to the second, she added. And we're also looking at adding a third family component. For the first quarter of this year, 100 Brokers Who Care provided a $10,000 gift to Saving Savanna, a fundraiser on behalf of a 22-month-old girl fighting Stage 4 Neuroblastoma cancer, and $2,000 to Todd Pachauer, a Vancouver resident raising three young children following the death of his wife from complications related to ALS. Indonesia blocks building of Baptist church amid protests Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Local authorities are not allowing a Baptist church in the Central Java province of Indonesia to complete the construction of its house of worship, which has the required permit, due to opposition from Muslim residents in the area, according to a persecution watchdog. The construction of Indonesian Baptist Church in the Tlogosari area in the city of Semarang has halted for six months, the U.S.-based group International Christian Concern reported. Last August, the local government asked the church to collect more than 60 signatures from local residents, and the church got 84 signatures. However, community groups continued to pressure the government to block the churchs construction. In the Southeast Asian archipelago of Indonesia, home to the worlds largest Muslim population, churches often face opposition from local groups that typically question the authenticity of the signatures to obstruct the construction of non-Muslim houses of worship. The church said it will take legal action to resolve the dispute. We are ready to take legal channels to fight against the peoples refusal, the churchs attorney, Zainal Arifin, was quoted as saying. The reasons for the rejection are changing, starting from falsified signatures, expired IMBs (permits) until finally, the residents refusal does not touch the issue of principle permits. The churchs pastor, identified only as Wahyudi, said, We will continue to fight for this because if left unchecked it will set a bad precedent for freedom of religion and worship in Semarang. Last year, the permit for a Pentecostal church in Indonesias special region of Yogyakarta was revoked by the Bantul district chief following protests and threats from radical Muslim groups in the area. The official justified the reasoning by contending that the permit issued to the church at the beginning of that year did not meet requirements established by a 2006 joint ministerial decree regulating houses of worship. The decree is one that hundreds of religious leaders have called for an end to, saying it is misused to block the construction of churches and other worship buildings. The churchs pastor, Tigor Yunus Sitorus, told UCAN at the time that he asked members to attend services at other churches. He did not want to issue a statement in order to avoid worsening the atmosphere for the communitys Christians. While Indonesian Muslims are seen as tolerant and moderate, radical Islamic groups seek to promote a violent version of Islam. Most problems for believers and churches come from confrontations with radical Islamic groups that continue to exert significant influence, says the 2020 report of Open Doors World Watch List. In certain hot spots like West Java or Aceh, churches that evangelize often become targets of these groups. In May 2018, a court in Tangerang, Java, sentenced a Protestant pastor, the Rev. Abraham Ben Moses, a well-known former Muslim apologist, to four years in prison and slapped him with a fine of $3,565 because he shared his faith with a taxi driver. A video was widely circulated that showed him sharing his faith with a Muslim taxi driver. As a result, Muhammadiyah, one of Indonesias largest Islamic organizations, filed a blasphemy complaint against Moses. The first dog in the world to catch coronavirus has died in Hong Kong after it was declared disease-free and returned home to its owner. The 17-year-old Pomeranian, whose owner contracted COVID-19 last month, had been quarantined at a government facility but returned home over the weekend. A spokesman for Hong Kong's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) told the South China Morning Post: 'The department learned from the dog's owner that it had passed away on March 16. The owner said she was not willing to [allow] an autopsy to examine the cause of death.' The canine had tested 'weak positive' in five nasal and oral analyses last month. However, in two tests taken on March 12 and 13 the pet tested negative and had been allowed to return home. The dog's owner has been named locally as 60-year-old businesswoman Yvonne Chow Hau Yee. She was infected at the end of February and hospitalised. She recovered and returned home on March 8. Hongkonger Yvonne Chow Hau Yee, pictured in an undated photo, is believed to be the owner of the dog that has contracted the virus The AFCD previously stated that the genetic make-up of the virus found in Ms Chow Hau Yee and the dog was highly similar. 'The [gene] sequence results indicate that the virus likely spread from the infected persons and subsequently infected the dog,' the department said in a statement. The World Health Organization said previously that the dog is the only known canine to have contracted the killer disease. The WHO said: 'While there has been one instance of a dog being infected in Hong Kong, to date, there is no evidence that a dog, cat or any pet can transmit COVID-19. 'COVID-19 is mainly spread through droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks. To protect yourself, clean your hands frequently and thoroughly.' A man takes photos of dogs wearing masks in a stroller in Shanghai. All pets of people in Hong Kong infected with the coronavirus will be quarantined for 14 days, starting Friday. Two dogs are already in isolation However, a number of other dogs were earlier this month quarantined by authorities in Hong Kong, as owners have been seen putting masks over their pets faces in China. The other dog in quarantine belongs to a second coronavirus patient that tested negative for the virus once and will be tested again before its release. Authorities said it will continue to closely monitor the Pomeranian and return it to its owner when it tests negative for the disease. The financial hub has confirmed 167 cases of the new coronavirus in humans, and a total of four deaths. Boris Johnsons most senior aide is facing fresh allegations he flouted lockdown rules by taking a sightseeing trip on Easter Sunday. The prime minister is facing mounting calls to sack Dominic Cummings amid claims he made several trips to see his family in County Durham, while the country was being told to stay at home. Ministers vociferously defended Mr Cummings after it emerged he had made the 260-mile journey, insisting he had obeyed the rules by staying in one place while there. However, an eyewitness told The Observer and the Sunday Mirror he had seen Mr Cummings on 12 April, 30 miles from Durham in Barnard Castle. Another eyewitness said they saw the prime ministers most trusted aide in Durham on 19 April, days after he had been photographed returning to Downing Street. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 30 December 2021 Sunrise at Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland PA UK news in pictures 29 December 2021 The Very Revd Dr Robert Willis, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, looks at Becket, a six month old red-billed chough as he visits Wildwood Wildlife Park in Kent on the anniversary of the murder of Thomas Becket PA UK news in pictures 28 December 2021 Troops of the Household Cavalry are seen reflected in a puddle during the changing of the Queens Life Guard, on Horse Guards Parade, in central London PA UK news in pictures 27 December 2021 A pedestrian walks past a winter sale sign outside a John Lewis store on Oxford street in London Getty UK news in pictures 26 December 2021 Riders take their bikes through the snow near Castleside, County Durham PA UK news in pictures 25 December 2021 Patrick Corkery wears a santa hat and beard as waves crash over him at Forty Foot near Dublin during a Christmas Day dip PA UK news in pictures 24 December 2021 People stand inside Kings Cross Station on Christmas Eve in London Reuters UK news in pictures 23 December 2021 Christmas shoppers fill the car park at Fosse Shopping Park in Leicester PA UK news in pictures 22 December 2021 The sun rises behind the stones as people gather for the winter solstice at Stonehenge. Getty UK news in pictures 21 December 2021 People take part in a winter solstice swim at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh to mark the solstice and to witness the dawn after the longest night of the year PA UK news in pictures 20 December 2021 An auction employee displays poultry to buyers and sellers attending the Christmas Poultry Sale at York Auction Centre in Murton PA UK news in pictures 19 December 2021 Joao Moutinho of Wolverhampton Wanderers looks on during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea at Molineux Getty Images UK news in pictures 18 December 2021 Freight lorries queuing at the port of Dover in Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 December 2021 Newly elected Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan, bursts 'Boris' bubble' held by colleague Tim Farron, as she celebrates following her victory in the North Shropshire by-election PA UK news in pictures 16 December 2021 Brussels sprouts are harvested by workers as they prepare for the busy Christmas period near Boston in Lincolnshire PA UK news in pictures 15 December 2021 Lewis Hamilton is made a Knight Bachelor by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 14 December 2021 The Royal Liver Buildings surrounded by early morning fog in Liverpool PA UK news in pictures 13 December 2021 People queue outside a walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centre at St Thomas's Hospital in Westminster Getty Images UK news in pictures 12 December 2021 People take part in the Big Leeds Santa Dash in Roundhay Park, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 11 December 2021 People arrive at a Covid-19 vaccination centre at Elland Road in Leeds, PA UK news in pictures 10 December 2021 Stella Moris speaks to the media after the US Government won its High Court bid to overturn a judges decision not to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange PA UK news in pictures 9 December 2021 Camels are lead around Salisbury Cathedral during a rehearsal for the Christmas Eve Service PA UK news in pictures 8 December 2021 Margaret Keenan and Nurse May Parsons, a year after Margaret was the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer vaccine PA UK news in pictures 7 December 2021 Snowfall in Leadhills, South Lanarkshire as Storm Barra hits the UK with disruptive winds, heavy rain and snow PA UK news in pictures 6 December 2021 A person tries to avoid sea spray on New Brighton promenade in Wallasey as the UK readies for the arrival of Storm Barra Getty UK news in pictures 5 December 2021 People release balloons during a tribute to six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes outside Emma Tustin's former address in Solihull, West Midlands, where he was murdered by his stepmother PA UK news in pictures 4 December 2021 People walk through a Christmas market in Trafalgar Square Reuters UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 2 December 2021 Duchess of Cambridge inspects a Faberge egg at the Victoria and Albert Museum Getty UK news in pictures 1 December 2021 Meerkats at London Zoo with an advent calendar PA UK news in pictures 30 November 2021 Workers put the finishing touches to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree ahead of the lighting ceremony later in the week PA UK news in pictures 29 November 2021 Home Secretary Priti Patel is greeted by a police dog at a special memorial service for Met Police Sergeant Matiu Ratana Getty UK news in pictures 28 November 2021 Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City battles for possession with Aaron Cresswell of West Ham United during a match at the Etihad during snow Manchester City/Getty UK news in pictures 27 November 2021 Residents clear branches from a fallen tree in Birkenhead, north west England as Storm Arwen triggered a rare red weather warning AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 An aerial picture shows a worker using a quad bike and trailer to transport freshly harvested trees at Pimms Christmas Tree farm in Matfield, southeast England AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 26 November 2021 A shopper browses Christmas trees for sale at Pines and Needles in Dulwich, London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 November 2021 A murmuration of hundreds of thousands of starlings fly over a field at dusk in Cumbria, close to the Scottish border PA UK news in pictures 3 December 2021 A pedestrian carries a dog as they dodge shoppers on Oxford Street in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 24 November 2021 Migrants are helped ashore from a RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) lifeboat at a beach in Dungeness, on the south-east coast of England, on November 24, 2021, after being rescued while crossing the English Channel. AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 23 November 2021 The coffin of Sir David Amess is carried past politicians, including former Prime Ministers Sir John Major, David Cameron and Theresa May, Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Home Secretary Priti Patel and Prime Minister Boris Johnson during the requiem mass for the MP at Westminster Cathedral, central London PA UK news in pictures 22 November 2021 The scene in Dragon Rise, Norton Fitzwarren, Somerset where police have launched a murder probe after two people were found dead Tom Wren/SWNS UK news in pictures 21 November 2021 London-based midwife Sarah Muggleton, 27, takes part in a 'March with Midwives' in central London to highlight the crisis in maternity services PA UK news in pictures 20 November 2021 Police officers monitor as climate change activists sit down and block traffic during a protest action in solidarity with activists from the Insulate Britain group who received prison terms for blocking roads, on Lambeth Bridge in central London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 19 November 2021 A giant installation of Prime Minister Boris Johnson made from recycled clothing goes on display at Manchester Central, as part of Manchester Art Fair, in a 'wake-up call for the Prime Minister to tackle textile waste' PA UK news in pictures 18 November 2021 The scene at a recycling centre in Stert, near Devizes in Wiltshire after a large blaze was brought under control. The fire broke out on Wednesday night the fire service has said and local residents were advised to keep windows and doors shut due to large amounts of smoke PA UK news in pictures 17 November 2021 The sun rises over South Shields Lighthouse, on the North East coast of England PA UK news in pictures 16 November 2021 ancer Maithili Vijayakumar at the launch of 2021 Diwali celebrations at St Andrew Square in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 15 November 2021 Forensic officers work outside Liverpool Women's Hospital, following a car blast, in Liverpool Reuters UK news in pictures 14 November 2021 Wreaths by the Cenotaph after the Remembrance Sunday service in Whitehall, London PA UK news in pictures 13 November 2021 Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of detainee Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, is ending his hunger strike in central London after almost three weeks. Ratcliffe has spent 21 days camped outside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in London without food. He began his demonstration on 24 October after his wife lost her latest appeal in Iran, saying his family was caught in a dispute between two states PA Earlier, Downing Street had described the first trip as essential, saying Mr Cummings needed his familys help to care for his young son because his wife was sick with coronavirus and he feared he was next. Cabinet ministers lined up to defend Mr Cummings, saying he had put his family first and accused critics of trying to politicise the issue. Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, used the daily Downing Street press conference to suggest that Mr Cummings had not broken lockdown rules because he had stayed put upon arrival in Durham. But Robin Lees, 70, a retired chemistry teacher, told the papers he had seen Mr Cummings in Barnard Castle on Easter Sunday. Mr Lees compared him to Catherine Calderwood, Scotlands former chief medical officer, who stood down after visiting her second home twice during lockdown. Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP have written to Sir Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary, calling for an inquiry into Mr Cummingss decision to travel from London to Durham. They want the probe to include when the prime minister was made aware Mr Cummings had left the capital. Senior Tories also expressed concern that Mr Cummings's behaviour could encourage others to flout the rules, jeopardising the governments plans to gradually lift the lockdown. The Independent can reveal that senior MPs are set to question Mr Johnson over Mr Cummings later this week, as pressure grows on the prime minister to explain what he knew about the trip under lockdown. Parliament is in recess until June, meaning Mr Johnson will not have to face MPs at Prime Ministers Questions. But members of the Commons Liaison Committee, which is made up of the chairs of other select committees, said they expected Mr Johnson to be questioned about Mr Cummings when he makes his first appearance before them later this week. Pete Wishart, an SNP MP who sits on the committee and is a member of the "quad" which organises its business, said: If nothing has changed and Dominic Cummings is still in post by Wednesday, it would be very surprising if this was an issue that was not raised. Another member of the committee said: Im sure one of my colleagues will crowbar the Cummings question in. In a statement defending Mr Cummings, Downing Street said his trip had been essential to ensure his young son was properly cared for. After an offer of help from his sister and nieces, he travelled to a house near to but separate from his extended family. A spokesperson for No 10, said: "Yesterday [Friday] the Mirror and Guardian wrote inaccurate stories about Mr Cummings. Today [Saturday] they are writing more inaccurate stories including claims that Mr Cummings returned to Durham after returning to work in Downing Street on 14 April. We will not waste our time answering a stream of false allegations about Mr Cummings from campaigning newspapers." There was confusion about the involvement of police, however. No 10 also said that at no stage was Mr Cummings or his family spoken to by the police. On Saturday night Durham Police took the unusual step of confirming they had spoken to Mr Cummingss father. Steve White, the police and crime commissioner for Durham Police, a former head of the Police Federation in England and Wales, said it was "most unwise" for Mr Cummings to have travelled when "known to be infected". The SNP accused No 10 of a "cover up" after reports some in Downing Street knew Mr Cummings had made the 260-mile journey during lockdown. Former Tory cabinet minister David Lidington, Theresa Mays de facto deputy prime minister, told Newsnight: "There's clearly serious questions that No 10 are going to have to address, not least because the readiness of members of the public to follow government guidance more generally is going to be affected by this sort of story." Professor Neil Ferguson, the epidemiologist whose modelling prompted the lockdown, quit as a government adviser for flouting the rules when he was visited at this home by his lover. At the time Mr Hancock, the health secretary, said he was "speechless" and that he backed any police action against Mr Ferguson. Sir Ed Davey, acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, called for Mr Cummings to quit over the allegations, while a spokesperson for Labour said: "The British people do not expect there to be one rule for them and another rule for Dominic Cummings." Asked by reporters on Saturday if he had considered his position, Mr Cummings said "obviously not". The ultra-rich are hoping to escape the coronavirus pandemic by fleeing to summer homes on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, drawing fury from locals who fear they will decimate supplies and bring the infection with them. Although the summer busy season doesn't start until May, year-round residents say that the ferries are now packed with cars with New York and Connecticut, and private jets have been pouring into the airports, the Boston Globe reports. Full-time residents are incensed at the wealthy 'virus refugees,' warning that their own supply of groceries and essential goods is limited, and has to be brought to the islands ferry. 'If you don't need to be here, if you don't have a reason to be here, it doesn't make sense for you to be here.' Gordon Healy, an assistant manager at a Martha's Vineyard animal shelter, told the Globe. 'I don't speak for everyone on the island, but I think it's a pretty common belief.' A ferry to Nantucket is seen in a file photo. The ultra-rich are hoping to escape the coronavirus pandemic by fleeing to summer homes on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Among those flocking to the island was Rufus Gifford, a reality TV star and former U.S. ambassador to Denmark for the Obama administration Among those flocking to the island was Rufus Gifford, a former U.S. ambassador to Denmark for the Obama administration. 'Packed up the car with everything I need,' Gifford tweeted on Tuesday along with a photo of his dogs and spouse Stephen DeVincent. 'Heading to Nantucket to ride this out.' The Obama family owns a home on Martha's Vineyard, but its unclear whether they have any plans to use it during the pandemic crisis. Nantucket Cottage Hospital, the island's only hospital, has warned that it 'is not built for a global pandemic.' 'We do not have an intensive care unit at Nantucket Cottage Hospital and we have limited number of ventilators,' the hospital said in a statement. 'We are working with limited medical resources and personnel on our small island.' Officials with the Town of Nantucket (above) said they have contacted the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency to request limitations on passenger service to the island The Nantucket-Hyannis ferry enters the Nantucket harbor in a file photo Furious officials with the Town of Nantucket said they have contacted the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency to request limitations on passenger service to the island, which is run by private entities. 'The town's request is being taken into consideration,' the town posted on its website Tuesday. 'Transportation over the waters of Nantucket Sound is exclusively regulated by the state and federal governments. Additionally, jurisdiction of the United States is exclusive, meaning that there is no authority for a local jurisdiction such as the town to restrict the ability of individuals or cargo from accessing the island by ferry or airplane,' the town posted. Year-round residents say that while they are capable of handling an influx during the summer vacation, they are not prepared to do so now, in particular while grappling with the pandemic. However, a Nantucket caretaker told the Enquirer and Mirror that interest in coming to to the island appeared to taper off after Governor Charlie Baker on Sunday ordered all bars and restaurants across the state closed. The Jacksonville District 117 school board is scheduled to meet in regular session at 7 p.m. today in the district office, 211 W. State St. Among the items on the agenda are: Batelco, Bahrain's leading telecom provider, has announced that it is enabling free unlimited usage for all fixed internet users. Batelco CEO Mikkel Vinter said: We are proud to be part of Team Bahrain and in these extraordinary times, Batelco is committed to stand with the government and the community. We remain focussed on our vision to empower people, enable businesses and enrich society. Therefore, we have enabled unlimited usage for all our fixed Internet users, so they can continue their daily lives with minimum inconvenience and interruptions. The efforts made by Team Bahrain are admirable and it is inspiring to see how all communities are uniting. The measures taken by the leadership of the Kingdom of Bahrain have been impressive in taking control of the situation and looking after all inhabitants. Being national is embedded in our identity and we are committed to playing our part, he added. Batelco has recognised that with students studying from home and employees working remotely and encouraged to stay home, there will be more dependency on the internet to complete transactions online, conduct virtual meetings and e-learning sessions. Therefore, unlimited usage will be a great support for all, the company said. All Batelcos fixed Broadband users will automatically benefit from the unlimited usage starting from March 19 until the end of May. - TradeArabia News Service Easter is a Christian holiday with celebrations honoring Christs resurrection from the dead. In America, Easter traditions include treats delivered by the Easter Bunny and Easter Egg Hunts. Though the same holiday is celebrated around the globe, the ceremonies and customs vary from country to country. Take a look at some of the unique ways Easter is celebrated around the world from Fertility Stick Spankings to Death Dances, many rituals will provide a newfound appreciation for our cottontail visitor. Sweden Children's Easter Parade in Vaxholm, Sweden in 2011. Image credit: Bengt Nyman/Flickr.com Children in the Scandinavian country of Sweden celebrate the holiday by gathering up old clothing and dressing up as witches. The ritual could easily be confused with Halloween as the costumed youngsters travel house to house carrying a copper teapot to collect their treats. Many will give artwork and drawings in exchange for candy. Haiti Easter celebrations in Haiti reflect a fusion of traditional African and Christian beliefs. Image credit: LombinodrAlfonso Lomba/Wikimedia.org Maracas, drums, and bamboo trumpets are all a part of the Easter festivities in Haiti. This country's traditions are an eclectic mix of Catholicism and Voodoo beliefs with festivities that include colorful parades, music, and chanting. Voodoo believers bring sacrificial offerings to appease the spirits in ceremonies in Souvenance Village, Haiti. France The Giant Omlette Festival. Image credit: Elitereaders.net/ In France, the Easter bunny is replaced by church bells. According to tradition, when the church bells stop ringing from Good Friday to Easter Sunday, the bells sprout wings enabling them to fly throughout the cities delivering sweet treats to children. The south of France has its own tradition on Easter Monday with a giant omelet served in the towns square. The tradition dates back to a time when Napoleon and his army traveled through the area, stopping at the village of Haux, where they were served omelets. Napoleon was so pleased with the breakfast dish, he ordered the villagers to collect all their eggs to make a giant omelet big enough to feed an army - literally. Poland Smigus-dyngus celebrations. Image credit: Opusztaszer/Wikimedia.org Cold temperatures dont deter the people of Poland in their quest to maintain their Easter tradition of drenching one another with buckets full of water. The tradition dates back over 1,500 years. Originally the ceremony was a representation of baptismal water but, today, the tradition more recreational. Czech Republic Easter whip in Czech Republic. Image credit: Martin Strachon/Wikimedia.org An Easter Monday spanking probably doesnt seem like a pleasant way to celebrate a holiday, but citizens of the Czech Republic still honor the tradition. Long sticks are decorated with colorful ribbons used as whips as they playfully tap women walking by. The idea is to transfer the fertility of the sticks to the women. Spain Death Dance in France. Image credit: Blog.friendlyrentals.com In Spain, the Easter festivities take on a somber tone in the town of Verges with a Death Dance taking place on Holy Thursday. In a nighttime procession, participants march the streets dressed up in skeleton costumes and reenact scenes from The Passion of Christ. Those at the end of the parade carry a box of aches. In other parts of Spain, straw effigies of famous people are placed around the cities before being torn apart and pieces thrown into the air. Greece Easter Eggs in Greece. Image credit: Tony Esopi/Wikimedia.org The island of Corfu holds an unusual Easter tradition on Holy Saturday involving clay pots. Fittingly named Pot Throwing, the ceremony is known for its tradition of earthenware being thrown out of windows. The practice is symbolic of the new crops that will be gathered in the newly purchased pots. Red dyed eggs are another well-known Greek Easter tradition. The red dye is representative of the blood of Christ. Following midnight mass, an egg-cracking game is played where each person cracks their egg on top of another persons egg. The last person with their egg still intact wins. The winner is said to have good luck all year long. Italy A 350-year-old Easter ritual continues to this day in Florence, Italy. The Explosion of the Cart, known as Scoppio del Carro, is meant to ensure a bountiful harvest in the coming Spring. An ornamental cart full of fireworks is paraded around the streets by participants dressed in 15th-century costumes. The procession ends outside the Duomo as the Archbishop of Florence ignites the fuse during Easter mass. When the lit fuse reaches the cart, a festive fireworks display is showcased for spectators to enjoy. Norway Detective books of Agatha Christie. Jour/Wikimedia.org The Norwegians take on Easter has an Agatha Christie type feel. Easter Crime, or as they call it Paaskekrim, is a tradition where the Norwegians read mystery novels or watch detective shows on television. During Easter week, most Norwegians head to the mountains for a ski holiday and some family time playing board games. Australia Easter lunch in Australia. Image credit: Unlike many of Europes Easter celebrations, Australias Easter tradition is rather recent in history. The tradition began in 1991, with a modern update to a tradition already in existence. Up until 1991, Easter treats were delivered by the Easter Bunny. In 1991, a campaign was waged to replace the Easter bunny with the Easter Bilby. The reason for the change? Rabbits are considered pests that destroy the country's crops. Easter baskets once full of Easter bunnies are now full of chocolate bilbies. Chocolate makers donate a portion of their proceeds to funds for endangered animals. Description GIS - 18 March, 2020: Three cases of Covid-19 have been registered in Mauritius, following tests conducted for which they have been reported positive. It concerns three Mauritian nationals who have travelled back to Mauritius recently aged 21, 25 and 59 years respectively. Two have worked on cruise ships and one is from the United Kingdom. This was announced by the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, this evening, during a press conference at the Treasury Building in Port-Louis whereby he added that all three Mauritians are in isolation at the Souillac Hospital. Moreover, he pointed out that the tests have been sent to South Africa for further confirmation. The Prime Minister also announced that as from tomorrow, Thursday 19 March 2020, at 06:00 GMT, that is at 10 00 hours local time, access to Mauritius for all passengers including Mauritian nationals at the airport will be denied for the next 15 days. All passengers coming into the country before 10 00 hours will be automatically quarantined. Similarly, all cruise ships will not be authorised to enter the Port. Prime Minister Jugnauth made an appeal to the population to remain vigilant in the wake of the pandemic. He called upon each and everyone to demonstrate a sense of responsibility vis-a-vis this difficult situation and to take all precautionary measures by abiding strictly to the sanitary instructions as set by the different authorities. Reassuring the population that Government is closely monitoring the situation while at the same accelerating its sensitisation campaign, he stressed that further actions will be taken ultimately in respect of the evolution of the pandemic. Closure of all academic institutions Moreover, following the reported cases of COVID-19, the Ministry of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology has proclaimed as from tomorrow, Thursday 19 March 2020, a lockdown of all academic institutions that is pre-primary, primary, secondary schools; technical and professional training centres; and tertiary institutions as a preventive measure until further notice. Government Information Service, Prime Ministers Office, Level 6, New Government Centre, Port Louis, Mauritius. Email: gis@govmu.org Website: http://gis.govmu.org Mobile App: Search Gov Cyber criminals are already seeking to profit from the global chaos created by coronavirus with the emergence of several fake websites that purport to offer public information about the pandemic, but secretly access private details. Malware has also been sent via emails and SMS messages that claim to provide updates on the spread of COVID-19, but harvest confidential information such as usernames and passwords. One website that claims to be associated with a medical agency in the US offers a "list of new cases around your city" and includes a corrupted link that allows the malware to enter servers. Other phishing emails ask for bitcoin donations to assist with the development of a vaccine. A phishing email purporting to provide information on coronavirus. "All our research groups have been working around the clock to find a vaccine. Please kindly find our bitcoin account detail below for your donation and support," the fake email states. With the Spanish (and global) economy in freefall, the coronavirus pandemic still spreading, and citizens in Spain on lockdown in their houses, Spains political parties including the opposition opted on Monday to close ranks around Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. The leader of the conservative Popular Party (PP), Pablo Casado, stated yesterday that he would support all of the measures that the Socialist Party (PSOE) and Unidas Podemos coalition government is taking, and avoided criticizing the actions of the executive, which declared a state of alarm in the country on Saturday, giving it greater powers to combat the ongoing health crisis. The latest figures for the coronavirus outbreak in Spain show a total of 9,191 infections, and 329 deaths The leader of far-right party Vox, Santiago Abascal who has confirmed that he is infected with the coronavirus also committed on Monday to supporting the government, after having been highly critical of the its handling of the situation. He did, however, call for the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo, and Fernando Simon, the director of the Health Ministrys Coordination Center for Health Alerts, and one of the most visible faces of the government during the crisis. The latest figures for the coronavirus outbreak in Spain show a total of 9,191 infections, and 329 deaths. A government minister on Monday suggested that the state of alarm would have to be extended from the initial 15 days that have been decreed, and later in the day the interior minister announced that Spain would close its land borders at midnight, with the exception of residents and others who cite reasons of force majeure. Video conference meetings are happening apace in La Moncloa prime ministerial palace, both with Spanish and European political leaders, after Spain yesterday became the second country in the world in terms of new daily infections, only behind Italy. Spain is the fourth country in the world in terms of total infections, behind China, South Korea and Italy. The former two countries are beginning to get the situation under control, but Italy and Spain are still far from that point. The PP and far-right Vox have until now slammed the executive for its lack of action, in particular for not canceling the 8-M Womens Day marches Given the outlook, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has been seeking political support. The PSOE leader has spoken twice with Casado in the last 10 days. He has also held a round of talks with the spokespersons from all Spanish parties to inform them that he would be speaking on Wednesday in Congress, and to call for unity. There have been calls for this congressional session to be held entirely via videoconference, but the regulations governing the lower house of parliament do not include such an option. The government and Congress were yesterday trying to iron out these legal issues. The session will be the first chance that the opposition will have to directly convey to the government its criticism of the handling of the situation. The PP and far-right Vox have until now slammed the executive for its lack of action, in particular for not canceling the 8-M Womens Day marches that took place on Sunday March 8 across the country, and which included the participation of many high-profile PSOE and Unidas Podemos politicians. Just the next day, the decision was taken to close all schools and universities in the Madrid region in a bid to slow coronavirus infections, sending 1.5 million students home. But on Monday Pablo Casado made a significant change in direction. On Saturday he accused the government of negligence and argued that the delay in taking decisions was facilitating the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. On Monday, after speaking to the prime minister, the PP leader offered his support for all measures necessary to combat the virus. He also conveyed a message of unity, in contrast to the four statements he had made previously. Now every minute counts in human lives, and that is why it is important that we all row in the same direction, he said. We are all in this together. Casado called on the government to assist Spains regions in the supply of protective equipment for its health workers. And he told Sanchez that he would support the governments measures so that the economic crisis does not turn into a social crisis. The PP leader also called for a 100 billion fund to help companies and the self-employed to deal with the consequences of the state of alarm. There are many options on the table for the economic measures the government can take, from direct financial assistance and special measures covering unemployment benefits, to a suspension of mortgage and rental payments for those who will struggle to pay them. But there are also intense discussions among the partners in government as to the size of the financial package, its cost and its possible financing, given that the Spanish state has very little room for manoeuvre in fiscal terms and will need European Union support. English version by Simon Hunter. In the midst of her pregnancy and social distancing from fellow American Idol judges, Katy Perry can rest a bit more easily: the pop star has won an appeal in a $2.8 million plagiarism lawsuit regarding her 2013 hit, "Dark Horse." Los Angeles judge Christina Snyder reversed a previous jury decision that sided with Christian rapper Marcus Gray (aka Flame) and songwriters Emanuel Lambert and Chike Ojukwu who sued Perry in July 2014. In their original suit, the trio accused Perry of plagiarizing their 2009 song, "Joyful Noise." Perry and her team defended themselves, saying they had never heard the track. Last July, Perry and five associates, including Capitol Records, Dr. Luke, Max Martin and Juicy J, were ordered to pay $2.8 million to Gray, Lambert and Ojukwu for damages, with Perry having been ordered to pay $500,000 herself. This past October, Perry and her associates filed an appeal seeking to overturn or retry the ruling. Snyder wrote that the eight-note ostinato, or repeated musical phrase, in question was not a "particularly unique or rare" combination: "It is undisputed in this case, even viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to plaintiffs, that the signature elements of the eight-note ostinato in 'Joyful Noise' is not a particularly unique or rare combination." The verdict comes a week after a lawsuit involving Led Zeppelin and the 1971 classic "Stairway to Heaven" made headlines, showing how complicated creativity and copyright can be in music, when beats, melodies and rhythms can often sound like others. Subtle similarities between tracks have also been the subject of lawsuits involving Lana Del Rey and Radiohead, Robin Thicke and Marvin Gaye, and others in recent years. The Madhya Pradesh Congress Legislature Party (CLP) on Wednesday passed a resolution strongly condemning detention and alleged misbehaviour with senior leader and former chief minister Digvijay Singh and other ministers at Bengaluru by the Karnataka police. The incident took place at the behest of the BJP, the CLP said. The Congress has claimed some of its rebel MLAs have been kept "captive" by the BJP in a hotel in Bengaluru, a charge denied by the saffron outfit. Addressing the CLP meeting, Chief Minister Kamal Nath said, The entire country has witnessed the ill-treatment meted out to Congress leaders in Bengaluru, especially preventing the partys Rajya Sabha candidate (Singh) from meeting captive MLAs, with more than 500 Karnataka policemen detaining them. The CLP strongly condemns the ill-treatment meted out to Singh and others," the resolution moved by Legislative Affairs Minister Govind Singh said. It termed the incident as "undemocratic and immoral". The meeting took place at the official residence of the chief minister. Nath reiterated that till the captive Congress MLAs are freed, holding a floor test in the assembly will have no meaning. Holding a floor test in the assembly in such a situation will be undemocratic", he said. The chief minister said, My government has full faith in courts and the party will get justice from them. We are united and that is our strength. The conspiracy of the BJP will end soon. The CLP also passed a resolution thanking the Congress unit in Karnataka for extending all possible help to party leaders from Madhya Pradesh, especially in getting them released from detention. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Karnataka cabinet has decided to earmark Rs 200 crore to combat the spread of coronavirus in the state, Chief Minister Yediyurappa said on Wednesday. The restrictions that have been imposed in the state for a week from March 14 have been extended till March 31, he announced in the Legislative Assembly after a special cabinet meeting to discuss the impact of COVID-19. The cabinet also decided to constitute a taskforce consisting of Medical Education Minister Sudhakar K, Deputy Chief Minister Ashwath Narayan C N, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, and Health Minister B Sriramulu. Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar would serve as a member of the taskforce, which would be headed by Sriramulu. Officials said the taskforce would meet daily, review reports on the outbreak and the measures to contain the spread of the virus. "For immediate expenses (to contain the spread of the virus), about Rs 200 crore will be earmarked," Yediyurappa said. The Chief Minister said all passengers coming by international flights would be tested and placed under quarantine for 15-16 days. Stating that strict measures will be taken not to allow members of the public to the Vidhana Soudha and Vikasa Soudha, the seat of state legislature and secretariat, he said "public events and programmes should not be held, fairs, marriages and other events should be limited, no large-scale events should be held." It has also been decided to take special measures to contain the spread of bird flu, swine flu and monkey fever in parts of the State. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Trump administration is planning to immediately deport any illegal immigrants caught crossing the U.S.-Mexico border during the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic, theA New York Times reported Tuesday. Administration officials said the Border Patrol cannot risk an outbreak of coronavirus in its detention facilities. Mexico has reported just 82 cases of coronavirus and the illness is not known to have spread widely through Latin America, however illegal immigrants and asylum seekers who cross the border often dont have sufficient medical documentation, and the coronavirus is moving at a rapid pace throughout the U.S. New rules for deportation of illegal immigrants are expected to be announced within the next 48 hours. According to the rules, illegal immigrants will be deported to Mexico immediately upon arrest, without any detention at Border Patrol facilities. U.S. citizens and foreigners with residency permits or other proper documentation will be allowed into the country at legal crossing points. President Trump has made a crackdown on illegal immigration a centerpiece of his agenda, repeatedly pushing to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border and enacting various policies, including the Remain in Mexico rules, aimed at discouraging illegal immigration. The Wuhan coronavirus pandemic has caused various countries to implement border closures and restrictions. The Trump administration on Friday implemented a ban on foreigners from the European Unions Schengen zone from entering the U.S., while E.U. nations have closed their borders and implemented lockdowns to slow the spread of the illness. More from National Review (Newser) A Kentucky man diagnosed with the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 refused to stay insideso now deputies are stationed outside his Nelson County home. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Saturday that authorities had to "force a self-isolation," per WDRB. "It's a step I hoped that I never had to take, but we can't allow one personwho we know has this virusto refuse to protect their neighbors," he said at the time, noting that officials worked with county judges to enforce the order. story continues below "We're going to be out here 24/7 for two weeks," Nelson County Sheriff Ramon Pineiroa told the Kentucky Standard that same day. Authorities have since said the 53-year-old man, who sources say got tested at a Louisville hospital Friday and then left against medical advice, is now cooperating with the quarantine, but deputies will remain outside his home. (Read more coronavirus stories.) UW Health Sciences Alumni Take Multidisciplinary Approach to Pharmacy Patient Care From left are Scot and Amy Schmidt, owners of North Star Pharmacy and Infusion in Cheyenne, and Kem Krueger, dean of the UW School of Pharmacy. The Schmidts presented a lecture March 6 to students from the School of Pharmacy that focused on entrepreneurship training. (UW Photo) Scot and Amy Schmidt, both University of Wyoming graduates, were fully prepared to begin their career paths as health care professionals. That all changed when the two became owners of North Star Pharmacy and Infusion in Cheyenne. Starting in 2007, as North Star Infusion Inc., the pharmacys initial focus was specializing in home infusion, a therapy involving intravenous or subcutaneous administration of drugs to patients at home. Realizing a need for a more expanded, multidisciplinary team approach to patient care with other health care providers, North Star Pharmacy joined the Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Network in Wyoming (CPESN-WY), with Scot and Amy serving in leadership roles. The two provide guidance and assistance for a network of participating pharmacies. Merging our health care educations together allows us to care for the patient as a whole, says Amy Schmidt, who graduated from UW in 1999 with a masters degree in social work. Patients are not just a drug or a hip or a knee. They are a whole person, and we are working hard to care for the patient over time as a whole. CPESN-WY is a network of high-performing pharmacies with a goal of increasing the quality of patient care and reducing overall health care costs. Participating pharmacies in Wyoming include North Star Pharmacy and Infusion in Cheyenne; Pole Mountain Pharmacy in Laramie; South Street Pharmacy in Wheatland; Register Cliff Pharmacy in Guernsey; City Drug in Evanston; Medicap in Casper; and Corner Stone Pharmacy and Buffalo Prescription Shop, both in Buffalo. The CPESN-WY network already has received three opportunities, with another in the works, for value-based payment of the services that these pharmacies provide, as opposed to fee-for-service-based payment. Nearly 75 percent of the pharmacies in the CPESN-WY network are operated by UW School of Pharmacy alumni, says Kem Krueger, dean of the UW School of Pharmacy. We are very proud of the accomplishments of our pharmacy graduates and all alumni from the University of Wyoming College of Health Sciences. North Star Pharmacy and Infusion also is participating in a two-year national grant program -- housed in CPESN-WY -- called Flip the Pharmacy. Although Flip the Pharmacy has grant funding, CPESN-WY did not receive the initial funding. That did not prevent the Schmidts from seeing the benefit of participating in this practice transformation opportunity. They chose to fund the program with their own money. Flip the Pharmacys mission is moving beyond filling prescriptions at a moment in time to caring for the patient over time. Key factors in implementing the Flip the Pharmacy program include leveraging the appointment-based model; improving patient follow-up and monitoring; developing new roles for non-pharmacy support staff; optimizing the utilization of technology and the electronic care plan; establishing working relationships with other care team members; developing the business model; and expressing value. Pharmacies in rural areas, like those here in Wyoming, serve both as critical access points to our health care system as well as the last review for a patients encounter with the health care system, Krueger says. The CPESN-WY network and the Flip the Pharmacy program, specifically, are building on this to transform pharmacy practice in exciting ways. North Star Pharmacy and Infusion has recently built a new location that meets new national requirements to raise the standard of care that we provide to our patients, says Scot Schmidt, who graduated from UW in 2006 with a pharmacy degree. On average, patients see their primary care providers 3.5 times a year and their pharmacists 35 times a year. Pharmacists have been trained to be key providers on the health care team, and we can have a positive impact in caring for the health of our patients. Services provided by the CPESN-WY pharmacies should lead to better continuity of care and improved outcomes for the citizens of Wyoming, and offer rewarding practice opportunities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians across the state. Patient benefits of CPESN-WY pharmacies include medication reconciliation, clinical medication synchronization, immunizations, comprehensive medication reviews, personal medication records and face-to-face access to a pharmacist. Independent pharmacies are in a position where they can provide enhanced services to patients that meet needs that far exceed the dispensing of medications, Amy Schmidt says. With these enhanced services in our pharmacies, we can be a health care destination for our patients and a valuable resource on the multidisciplinary health care team. Growing our CPESN-WY network with more high-performing pharmacies throughout the state will strengthen our network; allow pharmacists to contract with payers to receive payment for their knowledge; and allow more residents in the state of Wyoming to benefit from this enhanced form of pharmacy care, she adds. The UW School of Pharmacy is partnering with CPESN-WY and Jack Mason, professor of practice in the UW College of Engineering and Applied Science, to increase entrepreneurship training for pharmacy students. In addition to guest lectures from CPESN-WY members, pharmacists from 15 pharmacies across the state are working with groups of second- and third-year pharmacy students to create business canvases, or mini-business plans, for a potential new patient service. The third-year students then have the opportunity to work with these pharmacies to implement the new services during their fourth-year clinical rotations. Participating pharmacies include Medicap Pharmacy in Casper; Shatto's Frontier Drug in Douglas; Pioneer Pharmacy in Riverton; Vicklund Pharmacy in Thermopolis; Weston County Health Services Pharmacy in Newcastle; Hospital Pharmacy West in Sheridan; Altitude Drug in Pinedale; Greybull Drug in Greybull; Powell Drug Store in Powell; North Star Pharmacy and Infusion in Cheyenne; Pole Mountain Pharmacy in Laramie; Medicap Pharmacy in Casper; Community Drug in Torrington; and City Drug in Evanston. Partnerships such as these have tremendous potential to enhance student learning, expand pharmacy services and improve the care provided to Wyoming citizens, Krueger says. LONDON, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Simple, cost-effective technologies that optimize cleaning and occupancy awareness can drastically reduce infection risk in commercial real estate, hospitals and health care facilities. Microshare Ltd., a global leader in Internet of Things (IoT) deployments in the commercial real estate sector, will host a free webinar onMonday, March 23 at 1400 GMT / 7 AM Pacific) to discuss how its predictive cleaning and other IoT based solutions have proven invaluable in reducing infection rates at large facilities across the world. The webinar will feature Microshare CEO Ron Rock, a digital innovator with decades of experience in leveraging technology to bring new efficiencies to Fortune 500 companies, and Michael Moran, a veteran risk consultant who serves as Microshare's Chief Sustainability Officer. The 45-minute webinar will be followed by a 15-minute Q&A session. The two will report back on IoT deployments that have shown great promise in reducing infection risk at large facilities, including hospitals, clinics and large office buildings, and offer some best practice advice in assessing and mitigating such risks. "Obviously, we're living though a particularly fraught moment right now, one that has long-term implications for commercial real estate," says Rock. "In an era of antibiotic resistance and global viral threats, we should be reaching for every tool to control infection and keep tenants, staff and the public safe." Microshare's breakthrough in infection reduction and efficiency is featured in a new white paper sponsored by software giant Microsoft and authored by UK Authority. Beyond infection risk reduction, the paper reports on productivity and cost savings produced by Microshare's secure IoT deployment in a large hospital in the north of England - gains which accrue to any facility adopting Microshare's preventative cleaning, asset tracking and other IoT solutions. "The underlying factor is that the [Microshare] technology can automatically provide a sustainability officer with all the data they would otherwise spend a lot of time collecting, freeing them up to focus on the strategic elements of the role," the paper notes. Register for Free at www.microshare.io/webinar Media Contact: Michael Moran mmoran@microshare.io A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1e01dc2c-2952-4a2b-832f-7f9ce40e02c4 The largest farming group in the country is to coordinate a national response to cover for farmers who fall ill or have to self-isolate during the coronavirus pandemic. The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) hopes to launch a WhatsApp messaging service this week in which farmers who are incapacitated can ask for assistance, with that then coordinated by local branches and the work carried out by volunteers. It came as another farming organisation, the Beef Plan Movement, called on people laid off due to the Covid-19 pandemic to consider assisting farmers. IFA president Tim Cullinan said county chairpersons and development officers will be contacting members on the ground in a huge coordinated effort to ensure farm cover for those affected by coronavirus. Referring to various contact points, he said the IFA will work through its 12 national offices and 944 branches. We have the structure to do this, he said. We are going to physically make the call to our older and vulnerable members. They can get a direct call [regarding assistance] and it is about reassuring members. Mr Cullinan, recently elected as IFA president, said it was also vital that marts continued to function, and that those working, buying, and selling there adhere strictly to public health guidelines on social distancing and hygiene. IFA president Tim Cullinan Marts have already put restrictions in place. For example, the Cork Marts group outlined new sale protocols which will see calf sellers operating a drop and go system, while cattle sellers unload and have access to the auctioneer only for their own lots. Buyers must pre-register in the office for access to the sales ring and limits will be placed on numbers. The national chairman of the Beef Plan Movement, Patrick Rooney, urged those who can offer extra assistance to do so. For those that are being laid off and being made redundant, please answer the call to enrol and to help, he said. [snippet1]987600[/snippet1] ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Rolando Rodriguez can carry a tune. Music and his health are always at the top of his mind. Today, he's taking a screening test for HIV. "It is an epidemic," Rodriguez said. "I mean, it is something that could threaten your life and your health." The Insti test is simple and quick. The process starts with a finger prick. A few drops of blood go into a solution and about 60 seconds later, a patient knows if he's infected with HIV. "This is groundbreaking for us," said Shirlene Manuel, a prevention and sexual health specialist. Manuel has been testing for HIV since the 80s. It used to take weeks to get results. She thinks speeding up the process could slow down the spread of infection. "It has made a difference in the amount of tests that we see come into the office now and the amount of testing that we are doing out in the community," Manuel explained. This rapid result test is in line with President Trump's HIV initiative to end the epidemic by 2030. "If we can reach those people that are at high risk quicker, we can get that epidemic really down where it should be," Brian Bailey, Metro Inclusive Health's vice president of marketing and communications. Rodriguez's test came back negative, giving him peace of mind and something to sing about. Experts said there is one thing for patients to consider. Very recent HIV infection might not be picked up by the Insti test since the body might not have produced enough detectable antibodies. Doctors suggest patients ask their health care providers if they should consider getting retested in three to six months. By Akbar Mammadov The Armenian media is circulating disinformation about the Azerbaijan Army to distract attention from domestic problems in Armenia, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry and State Border Service told ordu.az on March 17. The ministry and the border service denied as groundless Armenian media reports that allegedly there are coronavirus cases among Azerbaijani soldier. Such allegations are aimed at distracting attention from social and political problems in Armenia, the report said. It should be noted that the number of people infected with coronavirus has increased by more than 80 in Armenia. In Azerbaijan, the infection cases are 27. Baku and Yerevan are locked in a conflict over 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 Number of white nationalist groups in US increased in 2019, while overall number of hate groups declines, SPLC finds. A new report on hate groups in the United States detailed an increase in the number of white nationalist groups even as the overall number of hate groups declined slightly in 2019. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) report, titled, Year in Hate and Extremism, documents 155 active white nationalist hate groups, a 55 percent increase in such groups over 2018. Overall, the number of hate groups fell to 940 in 2019, down from a record high of 1,020 in 2018. Over half of this decline was due to a drop in the number of neo-Nazi groups, as two main factions collapsed, the SPLC said. Lecia Brooks, SPLC spokesperson, said in a press call on Wednesday that the drop was a marginal decline as surging white nationalist movements continued as a rising threat to our democracy. White nationalist threat The SPLC is a nonprofit organisation that advocates for civil rights, particularly of minority groups. The organisation defines a hate group as any whose statements or principles or practices endeavour to attack or malign an entire group of people. Brooks noted that the administration of US President Donald Trump has encouraged far-right hate groups since his 2016 campaign for president energised whited nationalists. The total number of hate groups rose to 1,020 in 2018, up about 7 percent from 2017. White nationalist groups grew by nearly 50 percent in 2018, from 100 chapters in 2017 to 148 in 2018, the SPLC said in its previous report. While the overall numbers dropped in 2019, there are other indicators that show hate is still a great problem in this country, Brooks said. Brooks said that many are organising online instead of joining formal hate groups theyre using the internet to network, fundraise and recruit. The shooting at mosques in New Zealand that killed at least 50 Muslim worshippers and was streamed on social media in March 2019 was a key example of the spread of online hate. Madihha Ahussain, special counsel for Anti-Muslim Bigotry, Muslim Advocates, a national civil rights organisation to halt bigotry, echoed these concerns. Ahussain said the way in which groups have been able to organise actual real-world demonstrations via social media, sometimes with weapons at places of worship, was of particular concern. Anti-immigrant groups continue to rise White nationalist groups were not the only grouping to see an increase. The report detailed an 18 percent increase in anti-immigrant groups. While much of anti-immigrant rhetoric is aimed at people of colour, the SPLC distinctly categorises anti-immigrant and white nationalist groups. Central American migrants continue to face serious threats to their wellbeing as they venture to the US [Eric Gay/AP Photo] Many anti-immigrant groups stop short of espousing white supremacist, or white nationalist ideology. Still, the Trump administration has encouraged these groups through its white nationalist immigration policies, according to Erika Pinheiro, litigation and policy director of Al Otro Lado, a social justice legal assistance group that serves deportees and others. The government itself has used hate language when referring to non-white immigrants and has made sweeping changes to the law to restrict non-white immigration to the US, Pinheiro said during the call. These include measures to block low-income migration, policies that keep asylum seekers in Mexico, among others that contravene US law and does not provide humane conditions for migrants, Pinheiro claimed. With the government continuing to keep detained migrants in camps along the US border a policy that has drawn widespread criticism and legal challenges as the coronavirus spreads we can expect that many immigrants will die, Pinheiro said. Coronavirus inflaming rhetoric With the spread of the coronavirus, many have noted an increase in attacks against Asians. Eric Ward, executive director of the Western States Center, a rights groups based in the US Pacific Northwest noted an increase in white nationalist rhetoric in regard to the coronavirus linking [Asians] to the coronavirus pandemic. Ward said the US could fully anticipate a rise in anti-Asian violence as the coronavirus crisis continues. Trump and his administration have come under fire for repeatedly calling the novel coronavirus the Chinese virus. Trump has increasingly targeted China, noting that the virus was first reported in the city of Wuhan in 2019. Critics have accused Trump of fuelling bigotry and putting Asian Americans in harms way with his rhetoric. No slowdown Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said there was an explosion in the number of groups across the country that are targeting LGBT people. The number of those groups rose from 29 in 2018 to 70 last year, Minter said. But the shocking and cruel policies of the Trump administration, such as recent measures to block transgender people from being housed in shelters, could put those already-threatened deeper in danger during the coronavirus pandemic. Furthermore, an increase in proposed bills across the US that would block transgender people from activities like obtaining new identification that matches their gender could affect access to healthcare and benefits. The Trump administration, for its part, has denied racist motivations. Trump has claimed to be a friend of the LGBT community, though many individuals and organisations disagree. While there have been positive steps in the past year, including Facebooks decision to ban white nationalist rhetoric, there is still reason to be concerned. The internet continues to be a viable means of spreading hateful ideology that some fear is being echoed in the halls of power. Brooks concluded by saying that hate shows no signs of slowing down in the US. The coronavirus pandemic is dominating headlines around the world. Europe has overtaken China as the epicenter of the disease, with first-tier powers such as Italy, the United Kingdom and France already straining under the impact of the virus. The countries of North Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya and Sudan are bracing themselves. At the time of writing, confirmed cases within the region are relatively low, with Libya claiming no infections at all. Nevertheless, likely aware of the fragility of their health care systems, countries across North Africa are increasingly isolating themselves from Europe. Restrictions on entry are growing and flights are diminishing. North Africa is effectively preparing to self-quarantine. The limited number of flights from the rest of the world to Africa has likely slowed the rate of infection, said Tolbert Nyenswah, a senior research associate at Johns Hopkins University and a specialist in the containment of communicable diseases. There is also some evidence from China though its important to stress that it hasnt been peer reviewed so is not conclusive that the warmer temperatures may also be slowing the spread of the virus. Across the continent, the lessons of the 2014 Ebola outbreak which Nyenswah was instrumental in helping push back appear to have been heeded with prayer gatherings, key transmission points in the Ebola outbreak, being cancelled or suspended in many North African states. Furthermore, while agencies such as the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention have become active in introducing preventative measures, fundamental weaknesses remain. Health systems are generally quite weak, Nyenswah said. There is a general lack of medical supplies and the personal protective equipment used to isolate health workers is also in short supply. North Africas health sector remains a critical area of vulnerability. Public and private health care systems are present in all North African countries, Theo Wye, MENA analyst at the London-based risk consultancy S-RM, told Al-Monitor in emailed comments. Ease of access and treatment options firmly favour the latter. Furthermore, the effectiveness of treatment and diagnosis of COVID-19 will likely differ between rural and urban areas, making the true spread of the virus very difficult to assess. Those differences between town and country as well as ingrained poverty levels across North Africa are also likely to shape the spread of the virus. In Europe, while self-isolation measures have caused disruptions, imposing the same restrictions upon many low-paid workers within North Africa could prove almost impossible. Freelancers I know in Berlin whove been hit by this are already looking for government support, Edna Bonhomme, postdoctoral fellow at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, told Al-Monitor. "In Egypt and Tunisia, for instance, I dont really know how low-paid workers [such as taxi drivers, waiters and agricultural workers] will cope without help. For many, it just isnt really an option, she said. With infected individuals unable to self-isolate, North Africa risks duplicating the experience of China, with initial infections spreading primarily through family networks. The first hints came from in Algeria, with 16 members of the same family from Blida province all falling ill after they hosted a French visitor and his daughter in February. So many people are living paycheck to paycheck," Bonhomme continued. Without government support or even help with child care, I dont know how theyll manage. How much support governments will be able to provide for their citizens in the face of the pandemic is unclear. Tunisia and Morocco have already seen their tourism sectors, key employment areas, battered by travel bans. It's impossible to predict how long those restrictions will continue. In North Africa, as in the rest of the world, the economic outlook is grim. At present the situation around the COVID-19 is evolving and it is difficult to reliably judge what the exact impact will be on specific economies, wrote Cvete Koneska, head of analysis at S-RM. What we can confidently say is that the global economy will be adversely affected, and North African economies are unlikely to be immune to a global downturn. She went on, How badly affected specific North African economies will be will depend on their resilience and capacity to withstand disruptions to global supply chains, travel and trade restrictions, and labour shortages. Ironically given their dependence upon tourism, it may be that the more diverse economies of Tunisia and Morocco that are best positioned to weather the storm, Koneska explained. However, there is limited precedent for gauging the impact of global pandemics on national economies, so we might see a different economic recovery pattern emerge to previous external shocks, she concluded. Across North Africa, public concern is growing with calls for stronger responses from governments growing in urgency. In Tunisia, one of the region's only democracies, civil society groups and politicians have petitioned the president to impose a curfew and deploy the army measures, ironically, that more authoritarian governments would be better positioned to carry out. Authoritarianism can actually be beneficial for managing a societys health and well-being in the short term, Bonhomme explained. Governments such as that in Cairo have the capacity to impose draconian measures and restrict freedoms. However, we need to look at this holistically. If were to really protect against disease, we need better housing, health care and living conditions. No one knows how the coronavirus may spread in North Africa. The disease is too new and its emergence too recent to make any confident predictions. All we can really say with any certainty is that it is here. CORNELIUS, N.C., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Bright Path Laboratories, Inc (the "Company" or "BPL"), a leader in continuous flow reactor technology, was recently accepted into the FDA's Emerging Technology Program paving the way for the Company to bring its unique low-cost and scalable technology to the domestic API manufacturing sector. The Emerging Technology Program was created to help promote the adoption of innovative approaches to pharmaceutical product design and manufacturing and allows private companies the opportunity to discuss, identify, and resolve potential technical and regulatory issues regarding the development and implementation of novel technology. "We are thrilled that our technology was so well received by the Emerging Technology Team," said Charles W. Gray, Jr., Ph.D., Head of Regulatory Affairs, "as well as their willingness to support our efforts to bring this innovative and exciting technology online as quickly as possible." As has been reported extensively in the press lately, millions of Americans, including military members, rely on drug products to stay healthy, yet the United States imports over 80% of its APIs used in domestic pharmaceutical production from foreign nations predominantly China. An overreliance on API imports raises national security, supply chain and public health risks. Retired Brigadier General John Adams told NBC News recently, "Basically we've outsourced our entire industry to China. That is a strategic vulnerability." The most commonly cited factors for the significant increase in offshoring of API production primarily have to do with the fact that traditional drug production processes require a large factory site, have worker safety and environmental liabilities, and can utilize a low-cost labor force. In fact, according to Dr. Janet Woodcock of the FDA, "A U.S.-based company could never offset the labor and other cost advantages that China enjoys simply by achieving higher productivity when using traditional pharmaceutical manufacturing techniques." In contrast to traditional batch manufacturing techniques used in API production, BPL's scalable continuous manufacturing technology is designed to be able to send starting materials through an uninterrupted process until the final API product is complete. Although regulators have been in support of continuous pharmaceutical manufacturing for years, industry has been slow to adopt it, due to large sunk costs, and entrenched business models built upon batch processing techniques, as well as scalability challenges with existing continuous flow technologies. "As a younger company, we are not burdened with older facilities or equipment. Additionally, scalability is not an issue for our technology, since the parameters that control the (chemical) reactions don't change as the size of the reactors are increased. This means we are better positioned (than traditional batch technology) to help put cutting edge (small molecule) therapies into the hands of patients more rapidly and cost effectively," said CEO, Tony Quinones. As mentioned by Senator Marco Rubio on March 12th on Fox News, "China has tremendous leverage over the United States with respect to our medical supply chain. We need to invest and make available investments into rebuilding this capacity, which is good for American jobs, national security, and economic security." "We agree with Senator Rubio and are actively looking for additional financial partners to help expand our production capacity as well as pharmaceutical companies who might have an interest in licensing our technology," said Quinones. "We have also been developing a robust pipeline of clients who are seeking a domestic development and manufacturing partner for either key starting materials and/or their API needs." About Bright Path Laboratories, Inc BPL was created for the purpose of becoming a market leader in the manufacture of APIs and related pharmaceutical precursors. The company's mission is to bring its disruptive advanced manufacturing technology to industries where its unique chemical production techniques can have a significant impact in helping to solve real world problems (e.g., affordability of medicine, access to rare/orphan disease treatments, precision guided medicine/nutrition, etc.) Over the last decade, Bright Path leadership has gained significant scientific and technical expertise in the areas of chemical reaction design and intensification, green chemistry, green engineering and process evaluation. This includes the successful development of dozens of chemistry/API methods with BPL's Spinning-Tube-in-Tube ("STT") technology spanning commodity and specialty organic chemicals, flavors and fragrances, pharmaceuticals, electronic applications, and nanotechnology. SOURCE Bright Path Laboratories Related Links https://brightpathlabs.com/ Major car brands are suspending dealership operations in Luzon to comply with the new memorandum released by Malacanang restricting public transportation on land, air and sea, among other guidelines designed to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the country. Auto companies that have announced closing their dealerships in Luzon beginning March 17, 2020 include: Chevrolet Philippines Ford Philippines Honda Cars Philippines Lexus Manila Maxus Philippines MG Philippines Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Motor Image Pilipinas (Subaru) PGA Cars (Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, Porsche) Toyota Motor Philippines Volkswagen Philippines All Chevrolet dealerships in Luzon, including Metro Manila, will temporarily suspend their operations starting March 17, 2020 until further notice. We remain committed to helping you in any way we can. Should you have any inquiry regarding your Chevrolet vehicle, you may contact your Chevrolet Customer Care Team at 5328-2438 or email at customercare@chevyhelpdesk.com, Chevrolet PH relayed in a Facebook post. Below is the official statement from PGA Cars concerning their announcement suspend operations of showrooms, service centers, offices, and other facilities. Pga Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) would like to maintain a safe and healthy community, and in support of the national governments directives to fight the spread of COVID-19, all Mitsubishi dealerships in the entire Luzon area (including Metro Manila) will be temporarily closed starting March 17, 2020 until April 12, 2020, said Mitsubishi Philippines on Facebook. Some car brands have announced that Vis-Min dealership operations will continue throughout the quarantine, some have announced shortened hours. The enhanced community quarantine, which takes effect from 12:00 am of March 17, 2020 until 12:00 am of April 13, 2020, calls for the strict home quarantine in all households, suspension transportation, regulation food and essential health services, and heightening of uniformed personnels presence to enforce quarantine procedures. Media vehicles and reporters shall be allowed to travel within the community quarantine area, provided that they secure a special media pass from the PCOO. The enhanced quarantine measures also require only one person per household to go outside their homes to buy basic necessities. Use of private vehicles for this purpose shall be allowed. Sunday, March 15, marked the beginning of the month-long lockdown implemented by the Philippine Government to curb the spread of the dreaded disease from China. Also Read: Shareholders wearing face masks of Samsung Electronics Co. attend the company's annual general meeting in Suwon, South Korea, Wednesday. AP-Yonhap By Kim Yoo-chul Leading exporters here are expected to carry out more share buybacks due to the impact of COVID -19 to buoy up their share prices. The move follows the government easing of restrictions on buybacks, according to a report by investment bank Morgan Stanley, Wednesday. After it adopted a stewardship code, the National Pension Service (NPS) has been pushing companies with large cash-holdings and good liquidity to boost their dividend payouts. The NPS adopted the code in July 2018 and since then has become more engaged in the management of companies in which it holds a stake. Morgan Stanley believes South Korean companies have become more vigilant about keeping up dividends. Despite lower earnings, Korean companies have sought to increase dividend payments from either a dividend per share (DPS) or capital return yield standpoint. It noted that share buybacks have been a weak point for companies here in terms of capital management as their value fell to 3.5 trillion won last year from 5.4 trillion won in 2018. By the end of last month, 34 companies had bought back 500 billion won worth of shares, and at the current rate the investment bank forecast buybacks for this year will be lower than last. "We expect more companies to carry out share buybacks to buoy up share prices. The government is planning to ease rules on share buybacks, which should facilitate more buybacks, in our view," the investment bank told clients. Share buybacks and cancellations, which are more beneficial to retail and institutional shareholders than those without cancellations, have declined "notably" since 2017. The bulk of the cancellations dropped off mainly due to Samsung Electronics as the country's top conglomerate has been less active in share buybacks in recent years. But signs of improvement in terms of corporate governance and shareholder action are attracting institutional investors to put more money inro leading South Korean exporters. Morgan Stanley stressed that key areas of improvement were the diversity of boards, including an increase in female and foreign directors for global companies. The bank said it has seen some large conglomerates' affiliates, such as those from Samsung, SK and LG Group, showing progress on this front. "Visible efforts are being made by companies and if the NPS and institutional investors continue to pressure companies to boost capital returns, we expect to see positive results in terms of keeping dividends up rather than disappointing investors," the report said. The technology sector has "considerable room" to boost capital returns as policies set by the sector are important considering its "market cap share" here. The sector accounted for 50 percent of total KOSPI earnings in 2018 but cash dividends were just 35 percent of payouts by listed firms. "The upside of the financial and consumer sectors will depend on how earnings play out; but there is also the regulatory aspect in the case of financials. Especially for the financial sector, the situation is quite different to other industries as capital management is somewhat limited by regulatory limitations. Banks and insurers are more stringently regulated on capital compared to non-financial companies," Morgan Stanley said. The test will involve a nose swab collected by a healthcare worker, and the sample will be processed and sent to a lab, Citronberg said. After they are tested, patients will be told to self-quarantine at home until the results of the tests are communicated to them by a doctor, Advocate said on its website. FLINT, MI -- General Motors has confirmed its shutting down manufacturing operations in North America due to market conditions and to deep-clean its facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company announced the action Wednesday, March 18, just hours after saying it would provide extra measures to protect workers from coronavirus at plants across Michigan. GM has factories in Ohio, New York, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, Missouri, Indiana and Kansas, but its operations are most concentrated in Michigan, where the company has plants in Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Saginaw, Bay City, Orion, Brownstown Township, Romulus, Warren and Lansing. At the time of the UAWs strike against the company last year, GM had more than 49,000 workers, including more than 14,000 in Michigan. Those numbers dont reflect the number of employees at supplier plants GM and the UAW have always put the health and safety of the people entering GM plants first, and we have agreed to a systematic, orderly suspension of production to aid in fighting COVID-19/coronavirus, GM President and Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra said in a prepared statement issued by the company. "We have been taking extraordinary precautions around the world to keep our plant environments safe and recent developments in North America make it clear this is the right thing to do now. I appreciate the teamwork of UAW President Rory Gamble, UAW Vice President Terry Dittes and local leadership as we take this unprecedented step. Gamble, who told union members in an email earlier this week that attempts by the UAW to shut down plants sooner were unsuccessful, said Wednesdays announcement will benefit UAW members, their families and our communities. This will give us time to review best practices and to prevent the spread of this disease," Gamble said in a statement released by GM. "We appreciate General Motors actions today and will continue to work with them on health and safety plans to be implemented when we resume production. GM said that to ensure that production stops in a safe and orderly fashion, plants will suspend operations in a cadence, with each facility receiving specific instructions from manufacturing leadership. A company spokesman said facility-specific closing information was not immediately available but information was being shared with workers as soon as possible. UAW officials in Flint said earlier Wednesday that they were still waiting for specific shutdown information for each plant. But a posting on the Facebook page of UAW Local 598, which represents employees at Flint Assembly, says the truck plant is operating as regularly scheduled through second shift on March 25. Thats next Wednesday?! The national govt wants large groups shut down ... and this is what Barra decides on? Can she come in and walk the floor and high-five everyone since the plant is so safe ? one person posted in response to the news. Earlier this week, employees who asked not to be identified because they said they feared retribution complained in messages to MLive-The Flint Journal that their safety didnt appear to be a concern. Flint Assembly is a plant with over 5000 workers. I read online a task force is put together to help keep us safe ...THIS IS RIDICULOUS people are losing there lives over this virus and all GM FORD AND THE AUTO INDUSTRY IS WORRIED ABOUT IS $$$$..., one employee said in an email. Why is this being allowed why are we being told (company officials) all are working from home. What makes their lives more important? We all have families ... we are inches away from others working. We are scared ... Now is when people should be home with loved ones. Automakers, UAW form task force to deal with coronavirus GM tells visitors to stay out of plants if theyve had cold or flu-like symptoms UAW advises local unions to cancel meetings due to coronavirus New Delhi: The Madhya Pradesh Congress sought in the Supreme Court on Wednesday that the trust vote in the state assembly be deferred till bypolls for the vacant seats are concluded, saying "heavens are not going to fall" if its government led by Kamal Nath is allowed to remain in office till then. A bench, comprising Justices DY Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta, was hearing cross petitions filed by former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan and MP Congress on the ongoing political crisis in the state after 22 rebel MLAs of the ruling combine purportedly offered to resign. Heavens are not going to fall if Congress government is allowed to continue till bypolls and the Shivraj Singh Chouhan's government must not be saddled on the people, said senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for Congress. Let them face re-elections and then hold trust vote... You (BJP) have engineered it. My petition raises the frontal attack that you have launched a conspiracy," he said. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Chouhan, vociferously opposed the submission saying that the party which killed the democracy by imposing emergency in 1975 is now referring to "lofty ideals" of BR Ambedkar. He said after the resignations of 22 Congress MLAs, out of which six resignations have been accepted, the state government should not be allowed to continue even for a day. "It is lust of power because of which all these lofty arguments are being made. "It is unheard of that a person who had lost majority says that he wants to continue for six months and there should be re-election before the trust vote. Rohatgi said the Kamal Nath government wanted to stay in power by hook or crook. Earlier in the day, the Madhya Pradesh Congress told the bench that a probe is needed on the resignation letters of its rebel MLAs that have been submitted by BJP leaders to the Speaker of the state Assembly. Dave said the Governor has no business to send messages at night asking the Chief Minister or Speaker to hold floor test. The Speaker is the ultimate master and the Madhya Pradesh Governor is overriding him," he said. The party alleged that resignations of its rebel MLAs were extracted by force and coercion and they did not act as per their free will. It also said that its rebel MLAs were taken away in chartered flights and are currently incommunicado in a resort arranged by the BJP. The Madhya Pradesh Congress Legislature party (MPCLP) had Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking direction to the Centre and the BJP-led Karnataka government to grant it access to communicate with its rebel MLAs allegedly kept at Bengaluru. Earlier on Tuesday, the court had asked 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 MLAs in Bengaluru. The plea, filed through senior lawyer Devdutt Kamat, said the trust vote would be a "sham" if 22 MLAs did not take part in it as almost 10 per cent of constituencies go unrepresented. The plea filed by Chouhan and nine BJP lawmakers was moved in the top court just after the Speaker cited coronavirus concerns and adjourned the House till March 26 without taking the floor test apparently defying the directions of Governor Lalji Tandon. The plea alleged that the Speaker, the Chief Minister and the Principal Secretary of the Assembly have "flagrantly violated the constitutional principles and have deliberately and wilfully defied the directions" issued by the governor asking the government to prove the majority on the floor of the house on March 16 when the budget session was to commence. On Saturday night, 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. 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. (With PTI inputs) President Donald Trump has clinched the Republican Party nomination, surpassing the necessary delegate threshold. Trump, who had only token opposition, now has more than the 1,276 delegates needed after winning Tuesdays Florida and Illinois primaries, according to The Associated Press' delegate count. That makes Trump the undisputed Republican nominee as Democrats continue to wage a contested primary contest between former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. When it comes to the race itself, President Trump appears to lead both former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders in hypothetical head-to-head match-ups in Florida, according to a new poll. President Trump officially clinched the GOP nomination on Tuesday night after raking in wins in the Florida and Illinois primaries Univision found 48% of voters in Florida said they would vote for Trump over Biden, while 45% would go for the former vice president. Should Sanders be the nominee, the poll suggested that Trump would again secure victory in the Sunshine State with 49% of the vote while Sanders would draw in just 42%. In terms of Trump's nomination, it is the earliest the delegate calendar permits a Republican to clinch the nomination. 'It shows the enthusiasm behind President Trump, it shows how unified Republicans are behind President Trump and how intense their support for him is,' said Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh, who noted Trump has set record vote tallies, even in largely uncontested contests. A poll by Univision found 48% of voters in Florida said they would vote for Trump over Biden. 45% would go for the former vice president while 42% would vote for Sanders given the choice 'Republicans and President Trump's supporters have been just itching to get involved in the process that will end with his reelection in November,' Murtaugh said. Trump had 1,141 delegates going into Tuesdays Florida and Illinois primaries (Arizona was not holding a Republican primary) and he needed 135 more to win. The wins in Florida and Illinois were big because their primaries awarded all delegates to the winner. Regardless of the order of the race calls, Trump's campaign intended to credit Florida for putting him over the top as it tries to highlight a state that was crucial to Trump's 2016 victory and will likely be required for him to win again in 2020. Trump has secured the Republican nomination as new poll shows him leading both Biden and Bernie in the state of Florida The president had accumulated all but one of the available delegates this primary season, with former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld winning a single delegate in the Iowa caucuses. That lone Weld delegate can now vote for Trump if he is the only candidate nominated, according to GOP rules. Trumps re-nomination came much faster than in 2016, when he passed the magic number in late May in North Dakota. Trump marked the occasion with a news conference in Bismarck, during which he shook hands with the two delegates who had carried him over the threshold. Trump has more than 1,276 delegates, the necessary threshold for nomination. His re-nomination came much faster than in 2016, when he passed the magic number in late May Besides the lack of big-name opponents, Trump was bolstered by rules changes in the Republican nominating process that the White House had aggressively pushed, including canceled primaries and caucuses long before the coronavirus pandemic, higher thresholds to get delegates and more winner-take-all contests. 'The rules were tweaked in a big number of states to make it much harder for the also-rans for the nomination to compete in any meaningful way,' said delegate expert and political scientist Josh Putnam of Frontloading HQ. But it also 'speaks to something we kind of knew going into this,' Putnam said. 'The party, at least the folks opting to turn out to vote, were unifying behind their president.' Trump is deeply popular within the Republican Party despite his overall low job approval numbers, and his campaign has been in general election mode since Trump filed for reelection back in January 2017. The results come as Biden and Sanders continue their fight for the Democratic nomination, despite Biden's commanding lead. While securing the nomination before his eventual Democratic rival 'in regular times would be a decent advantage' for Trump, the novel coronavirus pandemic that has upended American life could change that, Putnam said. Trump can no longer hold the signature mass rallies that have fueled his campaign and the economy is now in free fall. But Murtaugh argued his team is better equipped than Democrats' for a virtual campaign thanks to a data advantage fueled, in part, but years worth of rallies that serve as voter information collection powerhouses. 'The amount of work that we can do digitally and virtually can't be matched by the other side,' Murtaugh said. The Democrat understands that a pub in Dundalk stayed open on Monday night, in spite of a Government call on Sunday for all public houses and bars to close from that evening, until at least 29th March. It is understood Gardai called to the premises, but were told that as there was no legislation, they could not be made close. Both the Licensed Vintners Association (LVA) and the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) said in a statement on Sunday, that they supported the Government's decision to call on pubs and bars to close, and urged all their members to close in line with the Governments request. The Democrat contacted the pub in question but no one was available to confirm or comment on the matter at that time. The Democrat have also contacted An Garda Siochana in relation to the matter. In a statement to the Democrat it said: "The Governments request was for licensed premises to close voluntarily by close of business Sunday 15 March 2020. "An Garda Siochana has carried out and continues to visit licensed premises, if observed open, to remind businesses of their social responsibility to implementing the guidelines issued by the Government and HSE in order to minimise the impact of COVID-19 on our community as a whole. "An Garda Siochana reminds all businesses and individuals that the Government and HSE has recommended that Indoor mass gatherings of 100 people or more and outdoor mass gatherings of more than 500 people should be cancelled People should reduce their social interactions Keep a distance of 2m between you and other people Do not shake hands or make close contact where possible" An Garda Siochana currently has no legislative basis on which to enforce business closures in breach of the Government guidance to close pubs, but it is understood that Government is considering bringing forward legislation to deal with this. The Event Horizon Telescope captured this image of the supermassive black hole and its shadow that's in the center of the galaxy M87. Black-hole photography could be even more powerful and revelatory than scientists had thought. Last April, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) project unveiled the first-ever imagery of a black hole , laying bare the supermassive monster at the heart of the galaxy M87. The landmark photos have opened new doors, allowing scientists to probe exotic space-time realms like never before. And that probing may go much deeper still in the not-too-distant future. The most prominent feature in the EHT imagery, a bright but unresolved ring around M87's supermassive black hole , likely contains a thin "photon ring" that is composed of an infinite sequence of subrings, a new study reports. Related: Historic first images of a black hole show Einstein was right (again) The intricate structure of this photon ring holds a treasure trove of information about the black hole information that scientists can access by extending the EHT's reach a bit, study team members said. "Black holes are giving us this gift, this signal unlike anything that's been studied in astronomy," said lead author Michael Johnson, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "It's not just some cheap picture of, 'We understand black holes better,'" Johnson told Space.com. "It's actually enabling a whole new way to measure them." Put a ring on it The EHT is a network of eight radio telescopes around the world, which are linked to form a virtual instrument the size of Earth a technique known as very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI). This megascope has been observing two supermassive black holes. One is the M87 beast, which lies 53.5 million light-years from Earth and is about 6.5 billion times more massive than Earth's sun . The other is the Milky Way's central black hole, known as Sagittarius A*, which is 26,000 light-years away and harbors "only" 4.3 million solar masses. The EHT team looked first at M87's black hole, which is a bit easier to resolve because it's less variable over short timescales. The project hopes to get imagery of Sagittarius A* soon as well, EHT team members have said. Such imagery doesn't depict the interior of a black hole, of course; that's impossible to pull off without being inside a black hole, because these objects gobble up light. Rather, the EHT provides a silhouette of the black hole, mapping out its event horizon , the point of no return beyond which nothing can escape. The EHT imagery shows that the silhouette of the M87 black hole is surrounded by a bright ring of emission photons shot out by the hot, fast-moving plasma swirling around the supermassive object. In the new study, Johnson and his colleagues suggest that this ring is a rich resource for astronomers to mine. Einstein's theory of general relativity predicts that embedded within the emission halo is a "photon ring," which itself consists of a complex nest of infinite subrings, the researchers determined. "Together, the set of subrings are akin to the frames of a movie, capturing the history of the visible universe as seen from the black hole," Johnson and his colleagues wrote in the new paper, which was published online today (March 18) in the journal Science Advances . Watching that "movie" could reveal key but elusive insights about black holes and the nature of gravity, the researchers said. For example, characterizing the subrings in detail could help scientists nail down a black hole's mass and spin, the two properties that define these exotic objects. "Once you know these two parameters about the system, we think you know everything there is to know about the black hole," Johnson said. EHT observations currently allow calculation of black hole masses within 10% or so of the actual value, he added, and they don't reveal much about spin. But taking the project off Earth could change things significantly. Related: Images: Black holes of the universe A telescope bigger than Earth The EHT consortium, an international team of about 200 researchers, has long planned to push the array into the final frontier eventually, provided their funding will allow it. After all, bigger telescopes, including those linked via VLBI, are more powerful. But this prospect has long seemed daunting, as calculations have indicated it would take at least half a dozen space-based components to appreciably improve the EHT's resolving power, Johnson said. The new study, however, suggests that reading the subrings won't require such a significant outlay of resources. The researchers determined that even a single satellite or just one properly designed instrument aboard a parent spacecraft would likely do the trick, provided it extended the EHT's footprint far enough out into space. "Even, say, at geosynchronous orbit that's a big resolution improvement for the EHT," Johnson said, referring to the swath of space about 22,200 miles (35,730 kilometers) above Earth's surface. "And then, certainly, once you get out to the moon that's where I think we would really be looking at entirely new science." The subring signatures should be quite easy for a properly extended EHT to measure, he added. "They seem almost magical," Johnson said. "We went from this situation where it was sort of unimaginable to even increase the resolution of EHT images by a factor of two. And now we're thinking, by adding a single space-based line that's very long, we might be able to increase EHT resolution by a factor of 100." This potential milestone isn't just around the corner, but it may not be too far off, either; Johnson said that the EHT could get a space component within 10 years or so, if everything breaks the project's way. Mike Wall is the author of " Out There " (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate ), a book about the search for alien life. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall . Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook . OTTAWAPrime Minister Justin Trudeau says the partial closure of the Canada-U.S. border wont halt transportation of essential goods and medical supplies as the two countries attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19. Trudeau told reporters Wednesday that his government and the Trump administration are trying to ensure trade is not disrupted as the two countries temporarily halt non-essential travel across the border. Trudeau said he spoke to President Donald Trump on Wednesday morning to ensure the smooth flow of goods and essential materials and medication across the border. We will work in close collaboration in an ongoing basis to make sure that continues, Trudeau said. These measures will last in place as long as we feel that they need to last. Trudeau said Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence spoke directly Tuesday, and that by Wednesday morning both countries felt comfortable with taking the extraordinary step as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. The border closure will apply to all non-essential traffic, although details were still scarce early Wednesday as to how that would be defined and the travel ban enforced. After CNN reported Tuesday night that the two countries were in talks to close the border, Trump himself confirmed the decision on Twitter Wednesday morning. We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our northern border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected, Trump said on Twitter Wednesday morning. The Canadian government closed the border to all international visitors except U.S. citizens Monday, but federal and provincial authorities encouraged citizens of both countries to avoid non-essential travel Tuesday. In 2019, some 15 million Americans visited Canada in 2019, according to Statistics Canada. In January alone, Canadas imports and exports with the U.S. totalled nearly $70 billion. This update from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was filmed March 16, 2020. Yet leaving the border open to Americans sparked worries it was encouraging the spread of COVID-19, particularly in British Columbia, where neighbouring Washington state is one of the hardest hit places in the U.S. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said the border issue was being discussed in great detail at a special COVID-19 cabinet committee meeting in Ottawa on Tuesday. We are talking with business, we are talking with labour, we are talking with the provinces, Freeland said, noting that any action on the Canada-U.S. border would require great care given the volume of two-way trade. Particular care needs to be taken just because that border is a lifeline, Freeland told reporters. We get our groceries thanks to truckers who drive back and forth across that border. Very urgently needed medical supplies and medicines go back and forth across that border. And essential workers go across that border every day. Read more about: What The Study Did: Nontrauma center hospitals were the nearest hospitals to most of the mass shootings (five or more people injured or killed by a gun) that happened in the U.S. in 2019. This study examined distances to trauma centers and nontrauma center hospitals for 187 mass shootings. Authors: Michael L. Nance, M.D., of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, is the corresponding author. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2020.0095) Editor's Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the articles for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflicts of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support. ### Media advisory: The full study is linked to this news release. Embed this link to provide your readers free access to the full-text article This link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/10.1001/jamasurg.2020.0095?guestAccessKey=90324cf0-130e-42a2-a5d1-a08cf38089b4&utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=031820 The World Health Organization states on its website that eating garlic will not prevent coronavirus infection./ Screen capture from www.who.int By Kim Se-jeong The coronavirus pandemic is seeing health-conscious people fall for inaccurate information on social media and the internet. One popular message that went viral on Kakao Talk encourages people to eat more curry powder: "The reason why not many Indians have contracted the coronavirus is that they eat curry powder a lot. Don't rely on government guidelines alone but try to eat more curry to protect yourself." Spraying salt water was another popular piece of information that is inaccurate; and an outbreak at a local church proved this. A non-denominational church in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province sprayed salt water in the mouths of each arriving member on March 1 and 8 and saw tens of its members contract the virus later in the month. So far, 54 people church members, their families and acquaintances have been infected. "What happened in the non-denominational church is a good example of how wrong information can increase infection risks," said Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip during a press briefing Tuesday. "Please don't trust information spread through the internet and social media outlets. Please follow government guidelines thoroughly." The government is not alone in this fight. The World Health Organization (WHO) is also fighting against misinformation. On its website, the WHO states that eating garlic, using a hand dryer or an ultraviolet disinfectant lamp and taking a hot bath will not prevent infection. "Garlic is a healthy food that may have some antimicrobial properties. However, there is no evidence from the current outbreak that eating garlic has protected people from the new coronavirus," it said. An infectious disease expert, Kim Woo-joo, from the Korea University Guro Hospital said people have always fallen blindly for wrong information during a public health crisis. "Whenever there's an infectious disease outbreak, people talk about immunity boosting and some produce misinformation and people go crazy for it. And the misinformation spreads faster than real information." Note: This is a first installment. Ellen Wilkowe plans to give us updates on school life at home as the coronavirus pandemic continues to shutter schools. By Ellen Wilkowe On Sunday night, I prepared for the first day of school, post coronavirus shut down. I bust out the study schedule for the week ahead for my 10-year-old daughter, Cora, and at first glance, it looks like something she would have received on the first day of school and in a way it is. As a stay at home mom and freelance writer, I got very accustomed to my space and freedom. But that was life in what I now refer to as B.C. or before coronavirus. Now I find myself under somewhat of a house arrest in close quarters with my loved ones in the new A.C., "after coronavirus. Coras school district, Allamuchy Township School, a kindergarten through eighth-grade district tucked away in the hills of Northwest New Jersey, shut along with dozens of others on Monday. By today, Wednesday, every single school in the state will be closed. That means 1.4 million students will be still tucked in bed, or sitting at their kitchen table or stretched out their sofa this morning, just like Cora. And the 115,000 teachers will be home, too, though many will likely be writing lesson plans or checking online lessons at some point during the day. So, as I embark on this homeschooling mission, I will take it day by day, assignment by assignment and wash my hands frequently. Having zero experience in commanding a classroom, I will look to the clock to lead the way for my student body of one. Since theres no rush to catch a bus theres no need to get dressed. Cora and I have decided that school will start shortly after she rolls out of bed and the teacher yours truly is properly caffeinated. Cora, a fouth-grader, told me she even wanted me to run school from home as if she was in school. No, I will not dress up as her teacher but I will do morning announcements, which is exactly how I made my debut Monday morning, around 9 a.m., complete with the lunch menu. I put on my best announcers voice and switch on the amp in the living room. Good morning Allamuchy Township students, I announce. Today is the first day of homeschool and I hope you are all staying safe and washing your hands frequently. For lunch today we have a choice of deli-cut roast beef or leftover pizza. She watched with amusement from the couch where she would spend the remainder of what would unravel into a very abbreviated school day attended in pajamas and a blanket. The first task was math. I set up my MacBook Air and she accessed the lesson online courtesy of ixl.com, which she also used over the summer for math assignments. She would log on with her special username and password and proceed to tackle a skills review of rounding up numbers. 10-year-old Cora Sharkey's books Other assignments were on Google classroom, including a video message from her homeroom teacher explaining how the various teachers will post their assignments. She looks like she just woke up. Dont we all? Well-versed in assisting with homework, I am hoping to enter somewhat chartered territory atop the warming bench until I am called on. It also helps that my daughter is ambitious about school. But will it continue at home? After math, she tackled a language arts assignment in the form of a spelling test that I delivered. Awkard. Strawberry. Pouch. Then it was back to Google classroom to check on more subjects. Theres no science or social studies, she said. Was that disappointment I detected? Teachers in our district promised to be available by email from 8 a.m.- 2 p.m. and the responses, at least to this inquiry, were prompt. We would also receive emails from individual teachers checking in and even tips on how to stay active from her physical education teacher. Within five minutes of contacting her science and social studies teacher, she emailed me back. Apparently, she would post assignments on Tuesdays and Fridays so Cora was off the hook on those subjects for now. I have to give a shout out to the Allamuchy Township school district. The superintendent has been transparent via e-mail from Day One and the teachers have gone above and beyond in preparing a learning packet mapped out for two weeks, which we picked up last Friday. After parents completed a survey regarding computer and Internet access, the district devised a hybrid plan of paper and online assignments. On her own accord, Cora decided to go outside for gym, which involved 10 minutes on her hoverboard. I prompted her to stay longer, given the brisk and sunny weather. Besides, I truly believe that the outdoors is one of the best places for social distancing as well as a good dose of mindfulness. Its only 12:30 p.m. and her school day was done. Math, language arts and a self-initiated art class as evidenced in the Leprechaun trap she constructed. I rewarded both of us with a Pink Drink from Starbucks. Meanwhile, I glance at the schedule for the next two days and depend on Google classroom to fill in the blanks and our time. I suspect that we will have lots of it. Time, that is. And hopefully toilet paper, too. 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. The Star-Ledger/NJ.com encourages submissions of opinion. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. As more people are working at home to help limit the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Australias telcos are making plans to cope with the expected surge in residential broadband traffic that will result. Computerworld surveyed the plans from the major Australian telcos: NBN, Vodafone, Telstra, Optus, and Aussie Broadband. NBNs plans for a broadband surge With many businesses closing down offices or suggesting staff work from home due to COVID-19, NBN Co has been studying data usage shifts in other countries to prepare for a possible higher demand in residential data. NBN Co said its engineering teams have been planning and strengthening the network in preparation to meet residential data demand that is likely to surge at different times of the day and night. The plan is to incrementally increase data capacity allocation to retailers and it is requesting they place their orders for CVC (Connectivity Virtual Circuit) normally, and NBN Co will increase capacity as required to meet demand. Stephen Rue, NBN Cos CEO, said the company will work with the industry to find the best solution regarding additional CVC. NBN Co also said it will not charge retail carriers for up to 40 per cent of additional capacity for at least three months to help them enable COVID-19 social distancing measures. NBN Cos price relief offer comes into effect on Monday 23 March, giving retailers up to 40 per cent more CVC capacity as needed at no additional cost. The actions were announced after NBN Co recorded a five per cent increase in network traffic on Saturday 14 March. Its peak throughput occurs usually around 9pm while network traffic during standard business hours of 9am-5pm is usually around half that of the evening peak. The national broadband network is dimensioned to exceed the nightly peak busy hour throughput requirements from our customers, NBN Co said in a statement. NBN Co also routinely plans for days of exceptionally high traffic and is working with our European colleagues to understand the potential impacts of isolation events on broadband capacity. NBN Co is instructing customers to check if their plans are sufficient to cope with the different needs triggered from a working from home environment such as uploading images or joining online video calls. NBN Co will limit non-essential maintenance to minimise planned outages in the upcoming weeks. Vodafones plans for a broadband surge From Friday March 27, Vodafone will offer postpaid customers on limited plans an additional 5GB of maximum speed data to use in the next month. It will also give all prepaid customers a one 3GB top up on their next recharge. Vodafone Australia has told Computerworld both its mobile and fixed networks are well-equipped to manage additional traffic. While more customers are using their mobiles during work hours where they live, fewer are using their mobile phones during the typical peak commute times, a spokesperson said. Vodafone said its NBN usage and peak throughput are broadly in line with expected growth and it is monitoring the network performance. Telstras plans for a broadband surge As of today, Telstra is providing consumer and small businesses home broadband customers with unlimited data at no extra cost until 30 April. Its also offered an extra 25GB of data for month to consumer and small business mobile customers. Telstra has been doing a range of tests and working on business continuity plans for its business and network operations and management, saying it is confident its network capacity can respond to the shift in numbers of people working from home. The telco said it has resilient networks to respond to increase in demand however, depending on what is to come, services could be slower than usual at times. We are in ongoing engagement with NBN Co as part of our day-to-day network capacity management for NBN-related services. We regularly adjust our provisioning to adapt to changing customer demand and will continue to do so as the current situation with coronavirus develops, a spokesperson told Computerworld. Telstra also ensured it can prioritise critical communications including to emergency services if required. The telecommunications provider had already announced it was giving extra data to mobile pots- and pre-paid customers. Optuss plans for a broadband surge Optus has offered eligible Postpaid mobile customers 20GB of additional data during April 2020. Prepaid customers who recharge with $40 or more during April will receive 10GB of extra data. Optus said it understands the importance of connectivity and will be managing our network capacity to maintain connectivity, the telco VP of regulatory and public affairs Andrew Sheridan told Computerworld through a statement. Aussie Broadbands plans for a broadband surge Aussie Broadband said its network is already provisioned to meet the highest levels of traffic as experienced on the nights of Sunday 15 March and Monday 16 March. We will upgrade as necessary if we see peaks beyond our normal high range, but we believe we are reasonably well set-up to cope, according to a company spokesperson. Aussie Broadband is working on contingency plans across the business both for its networks and customer service. It has also been working with the industry and NBN Co to predict demand increase. It has enabled customers on 12/1 speed plans to change onto to a 25/5, put a temporary halt on all internet suspensions due to late payment and is offering unmetered data usage between 6am and 6pm for all customers on limited data NBN and ADSL plans. Liam Tung contributed to this report. Burma Myanmars Military MPs Accuse NLD of Smear Campaign After Constitutional Amendment Failure Military lawmaker Lt-Col Myot Htet Win speaks to the media on March 17. / Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy Naypyitaw A military lawmaker in Myanmars Union Parliament has called for negotiations as a precondition for any constitutional amendments while calling the National League for Democracy (NLD) efforts at reform an attempt to incite enmity towards the armed forces. Rather than parties pushing for their proposed amendments, my view is that we need common agreement over what must be amended based on the situation in the country, Lieutenant Colonel Myo Htet Win told The Irrawaddy. Otherwise, nothing will change as one side will oppose the changes the other side wanted to make, and the other side will do the same, he added. He accused the NLD of inciting enmity between the military and the people, saying that it is wrong of the NLD to view those who oppose the 114 amendments it had proposed as the enemy. The colonel warned that the NLDs approach could be dangerous, without giving further details. I would like to urge the people not to blindly trust such an organization in a democracy. [The NLD] should not create misunderstanding and incite enmity between us and the people, by pointing a finger at us for failed charter amendments. As the Union Parliament began voting on proposed amendments to the 2008 Constitution, none of the key amendments proposed by the NLD, the military and its proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) were passed. The NLD could have chosen to submit a charter amendment bill by itself since such a bill can be submitted with the approval of 20 percent of lawmakers. But the NLD chose to form a joint charter amendment committee to reach a consensus, said NLD lawmaker U Aung Kyi Nyunt. Only after the joint committee was formed, [the military and USDP] submitted their own charter amendment bills, and they did not participate in committee discussions. Everyone knows that there were opportunities for negotiations, he said. Brigadier General Maung Maung, who leads the military lawmakers in the Parliament, said the NLD used smear tactics by saying it was surprised by the failure to amend the Constitution. NLD lawmaker Dr. Myat Nyana Soe said he was taken aback that its amendments were rejected. Some lawmakers have used smear tactics, saying that they were taken aback that some provisions could not be amended though they thought they would be passed and that [voting] was like the staging a play to keep it unchanged. A lawmaker who knows the real situation should not make such remarks, said Brig-Gen Maung Maung. He condemned the sharing of photos of nationalists visiting military lawmakers in Naypyitaw and military personnel dancing to traditional drums on social media. Facebook users criticized the military for celebrating the failure of the amendment attempts after photos of personnel dancing went viral. Brig-Gen Maung Maung said the photos were taken when a Monywa-based battalion returned from operations, were unrelated to any events in Naypyitaw and were used to criticise the military on social media. Lower House lawmaker U Pe Than said there was no likelihood of charter amendment under this Parliament and the process had been a waste of time as the two sides only engaged in a war of words. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko You may also like these stories: Myanmars Opposition Threatens Action Over Pro-NLD Campaign Stickers A Tale of 3 Constitutions How Does the NLDs Push to Amend Myanmars Constitution Differ From the USDPs? The first case of the coronavirus has been reported in Cape May County. The Cape May County Department of Health announced Wednesday a 30-year-old New York City man had tested positive for the coronavirus. County officials said the man, who was visiting the county, went to a local health care facility where he was tested for the illness. A county spokesman said the man was not hospitalized and self-isolating in Cape May while being monitored by the countys health department. Cape May County Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton made a plea Tuesday, asking people who did not live in the county to stay away and wait out the end of the virus elsewhere. The Freeholder Director said Tuesday there were 11 people in the county who were being tested for the virus, but he had not received any news that the tests had come back positive. Now is not the time to travel, but to remain vigilant in following recommendations for social distancing and isolation, the county said in a statement about the positive coronavirus test Wednesday. The announcement came after state officials announced Wednesday afternoon that there were 427 reported cases across the state, resulting in five fatalities. The case in Cape May County may not count toward the state total, since the person is not a New Jersey resident. State officials said Wednesday they reclassified two cases who were originally counted, but are not residents of New Jersey. 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: Chris Franklin can be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @cfranklinnews or on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips. If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter. YouTube star Danny Duncan makes Virginity Rocks fashionable Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Among the 50 most unique items left behind in Uber vehicles in 2019 is a lanyard that says Virginity Rocks. And thanks to Danny Duncan, a young, irreverent, YouTube star from California, the phrase is now a fashionable statement American teenagers are wearing on their clothes. Duncan, 27, began wearing Virginity Rocks T-shirts in his videos as something of a joke in 2017, according to The New York Times. Now, his fashion statement has caught on among teenagers who might or might not be sincere about being proud of their virginity. I have sex, obviously, but I want people to do whatever they want to do and not be pressured into anything, Duncan told the Times about his Virginity Rocks fashion trend. I sell Practice Safe Sex, too, which could be funny but is also a positive message at the end of the day. Duncan boasts just over 3.6 million subscribers on his YouTube channel where his videos have racked up millions of views that help promote his branded tours where he gets to meet his fans and sell merchandise. The brand is now so popular, last year Duncan began a partnership with teen retailer Zumiez to sell his merchandise in 700 locations in the United States. The lanyards are sold for $12, bucket hats and slide sandals are $40 each, while hoodies go for $55 and he has done millions of dollars in online sales. Were doing these meet and greets for Zumiez and thousands of kids show up and the whole mall is covered in Virginity Rocks, Stefan Toler, Duncans manager, told the Times. It started as more of a joke, but now its an actual brand where were outselling Thrasher, Nike, Adidas and all these brands in Zumiez, and were like, What the hell? Even Zumiez is like, Whats happening? Toler says he believes the teenagers who have been endorsing Duncans message are split between his fans who also wear the brand in jest and those who sincerely support the message which has made virginity cool. Im 32, so back when I was in high school you would not say that, but hes made it cool with his fans in general, Mr. Toler said. If Dannys fans are virgins, theyre psyched to be virgins. Some school administrators in Oregon, Wisconsin and Missouri have suspended teenagers for wearing the brand, which has outraged some parents, the Times reported. Can someone explain to me why Fletcher got sent home from RHS today to change his shirt? Im not sure why the Principal thought this shirt was offensive being worn by a 17 year old boy... Im listening if anyone knows something about this that I dont...," Linda Jacobson, the grandmother of a Oregon student Fletcher Case, asked on Facebook after her grandson was penalized for wearing a Virginity Rocks T-shirt. Roseburg School District Superintendent Gerry Washburn told The News-Review if Case had been allowed to wear the T-shirt it would have been disruptive in class. He noted it had nothing to do with religion. We would have made the same decision if the student had been wearing a T-shirt that said sex rocks or smoke more pot, he said. Panaji, March 18 : Minutes after state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Wednesday confirmed Goa's first positive coronavirus (Covid-19) case, the minister flip-flopped by saying that his ministry was the victim of a mischievous hoax. The Congress has called for the resignation of Rane over the gaffe. "It was hoax news. People should not be spreading such a hoax. Calling the hospital and saying the call is from a notified lab (is wrong). The final report has not yet come. We are waiting for the report," Rane told reporters. "We are trying to locate the number of the person who tried to create panic in Goa," Rane added. Minutes earlier, Rane had told reporters that a Norwegian national, with a travel history to Delhi, Agra, Assam and Meghalaya, was the first confirmed coronavirus case reported in Goa. Rane had said that the Norwegian national, who has been suffering from fever and cough, was in the process of being shifted to the isolation ward at the Goa Medical College. "The Norwegian patient reached India on February 6 and then went to Delhi, Assam, Agra and Meghalaya before coming to Goa on February 20. He had fever with cough from March 10. We will be putting him in an isolation ward and all the necessary measures under the guidelines are being taken," Rane told reporters on Wednesday. "The Goa government is taking all precautions required under the protocol," the Health Minister said. Goa is a renowned beach and nightlife tourism destination and attracts thousands of foreign tourists every year. Meanwhile, the Congress has called for Rane's resignation for creating panic in Goa over the coronavirus issue. "The very fact that the Health Minister himself makes the annoucement of detection of the first confirmed case of Covid-19 in Goa without any verification and later takes back his statement proves that the so called arrangements made by the government to control the spread of coronavirus in Goa is a hoax," state Congress president Girish Chodankar told reporters. "This is not the first time that Viswajit Rane has created artificial panic in the minds of the people," Chodankar said, adding that if Rane is not sacked, he would convert Goa, a top tourism destination, into a "Corona destination". Meanwhile, the Health Minister also maintained that the state government was mulling a lockdown of its road-borders connecting Maharashtra and Karnataka to prevent tourists from visiting the coastal state. "Parallelly, the government is issuing directives and has moved a file for a lockdown to prevent tourists from neighbouring Maharashtra and Karnataka from entering Goa," Rane said, adding that a lab to test coronavirus samples was being set up in Goa. Currently, Covid-19 samples of suspect cases are sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for testing. Last Sunday, the Goa government had ordered a partial lockdown of the state's public spaces. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty has said she hopes that the government will not need to enact powers to monitor mass gatherings or treat those affected by the virus, but who refuse to self-isolate. Liam Herrick, the executive director of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has described new powers the government is said to be planning to introduce in response to the coronavirus outbreak as invasive. Such powers need to be proportionate, he told RTE radios Morning Ireland. The Oireachtas will be charged with an onerous task of introducing legislation that the Government feels is necessary, but that also gets the balance of rights correct, Mr Herrick said. What's being proposed at present is that a medical officer may make a decision that somebody is to be detained. "The conditions are that the person is a potential source of infection and a potential risk to public health. "Under human rights law, that is a reasonable necessity, there is a standard there. It may be useful for the Oireachtas to have reference to other legislation, particularly in regard to mental health detention he said. The Oireachtas could examine if there are elements of safeguards in that legislation that could be appropriately translated. In the broad framework of what's being proposed the powers are reasonable, and it's understandable why they may be necessary. But we need to ensure that the technical aspects of safeguards are correct. Dr Margaret Harris, spokesperson for the World Health Organisation has said that people need to accept a new way of living. Dr Harris said everyone needs to think about what they can do to halt the spread of the coronavirus. China has shown the world how important it was to take the virus very seriously and the situation there was now looking very good and they were not rushing back into everything, she said. Changing how we live, thats the secret. Its not easy but its doable, she told Newstalk Breakfast. Were in it for the long haul. We have to accept a new way of living. "Were all connected, there is a closer world community, but it does have its down sides. However, Dr Harris, said there were ground for optimism. [snippet1]987600[/snippet1] - Vice President Yemi Osinbajo's daughter Kiki is celebrating her birthday - The young lady clocked 27 years old this Wednesday, March 18 - Kiki shared a beautiful photo of herself to celebrate the special day Vice President Yemi Osinbajo's daughter, Kiki, has become a year older this Wednesday, March 18. The young lady took to social media to celebrate the special day she was born into the Osinbajo family. The vice president's daughter shared a beautiful photo of herself on her Instagram page. In the photo, she was spotted rocking off-shoulder long sleeve white top paired with blue jeans and ankara scarf. In the Instagram post, the young lady wished herself a happy birthday and thanked God for another year in her life. PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app Kiki noted that there is so much for her to be grateful to God for. She also added that God has been faithful and merciful to her since her first day on earth. PAY ATTENTION: Do you have news to share? Contact Legit.ng instantly A post celebrating Kiki on her special day was also shared on Instagram by the personal photographer to the vice president, Tolani Alli. Alli shared a photo of Kiki with her dad and said a father is always his daughter's first love. Recall that Kiki's father also clocked a new age some days ago. The vice president celebrated his 63rd birthday on Sunday, March 8. Delta state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, sent warm greetings to Osinbajo, wishing him well on his special day. In a statement by his spokesman, Olisa Ifeajika, the Delta governor praised the vice president for his contribution to the restoration of peace in the Niger Delta. He remarked that the vice president deserved some commendation for his leadership role in improving the nation's economy as chairman of the National Economic Council (NEC). In a congratulatory message to Osinbajo, deputy Senate president, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege described him as one of the prime figures driving the All Progressives Congress and President Muhammadu Buharis change agenda. The deputy Senate president also noted that the robust stature of the vice presidents intellectual presence and his pragmatic actions in the area of public sector reforms have their roots in noble antecedents. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better Armed Forces Remembrance: Buhari, Osinbajo celebrate fallen heroes - on Legit TV Source: Legit.ng The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Governments across southeastern Europe have been introducing strict measures in an effort to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Serbia has introduced a nighttime curfew and canceled elections, while Bosnia has declared a state of emergency. [March 18, 2020] Golden Matrix Projects "No Adverse Effect" to Company's Business Due to Coronavirus LAS VEGAS, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Golden Matrix Group Inc. (GMGI), a developer and licenser of social gaming platforms, systems and gaming content, today said that the mounting coronavirus pandemic -- which has thus far this year had severe effects on the casino gambling market in Asia -- will have no adverse effect upon the companys business going forward. After an analysis of several factors, including the ongoing improvement in the Asia Pacific region over the health effects of coronavirus, the concomitant boost in overall consumer sentiment toward online gaming in the region, and key revenue, earnings and margin indices within the company during the past two months, Golden Matrix CEO Brian Goodman said the company is in prime position to continue its significant top and bottom line growth for the remainder of fiscal 2020 and beyond. We empathize with all those being detrimentally affected by the coronavirus; however, millions of people under lockdown are now turning to digital means to continue with their daily life, said Mr. Goodman. I think we are likely to see continued growth, perhaps even a significant escalation of online gaming, primarily as a response to the limitations posed by the current worldwide health situation and closure of land-based gaming facilities around the world. Also, there is growing consensus among retail casino establishments that it is absolutely essential for them to have an online presence in all world markets afflicted by the virus and, in the longer term, to protect themselves agaist future threats. Mr. Goodman said he expects to update investors on company progress in the very near future. About Golden Matrix Golden Matrix Group, based in Las Vegas NV, is an established gaming technology company that develops and owns online gaming IP and builds configurable and scalable white-label social gaming platforms for its international customers, located primarily in the Asia Pacific region. The gaming IP includes tools for marketing, acquisition, retention and monetization of users. The company's platform can be accessed through both desktop and mobile applications. Our sophisticated software automatically declines any gaming or redemption requests from within the United States, in strict compliance with current US law. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, such as statements relating to financial results and plans for future development activities and are thus prospective. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding intent, belief or current expectations of the Company, its directors or its officers. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements are risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's business and finances in general, including the ability to continue and manage its growth, competition, global economic conditions and other factors discussed in detail in the Company's periodic filings with the Security and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. Connect with us: Twitter - https://twitter.com/GMGI_Group Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/goldenmatrixgroup/ Golden Matrix Group [email protected] Tel: (702) 318-7548 www.goldenmatrix.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Congress leader Digvijay Singh's detention by police in Bengaluru is display of "dictatorship and Hitlarshahi" by the BJP, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath said here on Wednesday. Singh staged a protest near a Bengaluru resort this morning where rebel MLAs of Madhya Pradesh Congress are staying, and demanded that he be allowed to meet them. Singh, who has been detained by the police, accused the BJP of holding the MLAs captive and said that he would go on a "hunger strike". Reacting to this, Nath said if the need arises he would also go to the Karnataka capital. "Preventing Congress Rajya Sabha candidate and other ministers from meeting MLAs, misbehave with them, forcibly taken them into custody is totally a dictatorship and hitlershahi (sic)," Nath said in a tweet. "Entire country is watching how an elected government is being made unstable and how BJP is murdering democratic values," Nath said. "Why they are not allowing them to meet MLAs. What BJP is afraid of. BJP is playing a dirty political game in the state," the chief minister tweeted. Demanding immediate release of detained Congress leaders, Nath said that democratic norms and Constitutional values are being stifled. Later speaking to reporters, the CM said, "Why the BJP is afraid of presenting 16 MLAs here (Bhopal)? What is the problem in one person (Singh) meeting with 16 legislators?" Nath reiterated that his government had proven majority on floor of the House in the last 15 months since coming to power. Amid political uncertainty in Madhya Pradesh, the state Congress Legislature Party on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking direction to the Centre and the BJP-led Karnataka government to grant it access to communicate with its rebel MLAs staying in Bengaluru. The apex court had also directed the Kamal Nath government to respond by Wednesday to a plea by senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan seeking immediate floor test in the Assembly. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Jung Min-ho Suspects in a 2015 contract killing case in the Philippines have denied charges of hiring a hitman to murder a Korean businessman. Speaking to a judge Tuesday before the official trial, lawyers for the two suspects, identified only by their surnames Kwon and Kim, said their clients had no motive for killing the victim, surnamed Park, who ran a hotel at Angeles in the northern Philippines. Park died after a man shot him several times at his office about noon on Sept. 17, 2015. The man escaped in a waiting car. According to the prosecution, Kwon hired the man by using his local connections after taking money from Kim, a big investor in Park's hotel. Kim allegedly harbored a grudge against Park after Kim did not give him the investment returns he promised. After years of hard work by Korea Desk officials in the Philippines National Police, Kwon was apprehended on Jan. 23 and extradited to Korea, where he has been indicted with Kim, who was arrested later in Korea, for aiding and abetting a murder. Investigators are still looking for the killer. The date of the first hearing is expected to be determined later this month. BOISE Catholic and Episcopalian leaders in Idaho have suspended worship services for their respective denominations until at least Palm Sunday. Bishop Peter Christensen of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise announced Tuesday a suspension of all public Masses beginning Saturday and continuing through April 5. The bishop made the decision after reviewing the actions of neighboring dioceses as well as the announcement to suspend Masses by Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland, the Metropolitan bishop for the region. Christensen will determine later whether the diocese will be able to celebrate public Masses during Holy Week and thereafter. This was not an easy decision for me, but I make it out of great concern for the health and well-being of our faithful in the diocese, especially those who are most at risk from the Covid-19 virus, including those with chronic health conditions and those over the age of 60, Christensen said in a statement. Such individuals include not only many of our parishioners, but also a good number of our older priests. The bishop extended a dispensation to all Catholics from the obligation to participate in the Mass on Sunday. However, he is asking that all priests open their churches during certain hours each day for private prayer, devotion and confession, while being careful to follow protocols for proper hygiene conditions. We want to reassure the Catholic faithful of our diocese that the lights are on for them should they choose to come to our churches for private prayer or confession, he said. Priests will continue to celebrate the Eucharist privately, to pray for the Church, the world, our people, and for special intentions. A non-public Mass will also be livestreamed each Sunday from a location that will be announced later on catholicidaho.org. The bishop encouraged the states Catholics to follow the livestream or an EWTN telecast each Sunday in order to maintain their unity with the universal Church, and to be able to participate in the cycle of readings and prayers for the liturgical season. All Catholics in the Diocese, in a sign of our spiritual communion, are asked to accept this decision in the spirit of this Lenten season of sacrifice, the bishop said. We can use this opportunity to draw closer to the Lord, to unite our sufferings with His, to pray for all who are impacted by this virus and to be aware of opportunities to help our neighbors wherever needed. On Monday, Bishop Brian Thom of the Episcopal Diocese of Idaho also suspended public worship in Episcopal churches through April 5 and issued guidelines for public gatherings of the church to take action to protect our most vulnerable members and the communities in which we live, the diocese said in a statement. While we take precautions within our parishes and others within our home, this is a time for all to be mindful of the emotional, perhaps even spiritual, demands of such stringent actions. This pandemic will affect the lives of every Idahoan, he said in a letter to Idaho Episcipalians. This gives us, as disciples of Christ, an opportunity to creatively care for all those in our communities that will become sick, those who remain at risk through the run of the pandemic, and especially those who will face tremendous needs due to closed schools and drastic reduction in the service industries. Episcopal churches are located in the Magic Valley and Wood River cities of Twin Falls, Jerome, Buhl, Gooding, Burley/Rupert, Shoshone, Hailey, and Ketchum. Three men were sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday for raping a girl in Jharkhand's Bokaro and then blackmailing her. Special POCSO court judge Ranjit Kumar sentenced Mohammad Rashid, Mohammad Akbar and Mohammad Faizal to life in prison for raping the class IX student in August 2018, special public prosecutor Sanjay Kumar Jha said. The judge also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on each one of them, he added. Trial of the three other accused in the case, who are minors, is going on in the juvenile justice board, he said. The girl was returning home from tuition in the evening of August 3, 2018 when she was kidnapped and raped at an under-construction house, according to the investigation. They also beat her up, made a video of the whole incident and warned that if she told anybody about it, the clip would be posted online. The girl returned home later in the night and was taken to a hospital the next day after she complained of pain. A case was subsequently filed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It's official: Murray State becomes member of Missouri Valley Conference PR-Inside.com: 2020-03-18 16:10:31 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1009 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / So, you've just started your own business - congratulations! But your journey doesn't stop there. Now it's time to build your brand; to distinguish your own goods, services and ethos from your competitors (both current and would-be). It's time to start establishing the unique name and image of your business as the ultimate mark of quality in your chosen field or industry.It's time to get a trademark.A registered trademark () provides your startup with proprietary rights over its intellectual property (IP), safeguarding your brand from being copied or reappropriated.Things you can trademark include a single word (such as your business' brand name), a symbol or drawing (your logo, for instance), or a tune or sound (like the jingle that accompanies your startup's branding in TV or radio advertising).You can also acquire a trademark for colours, packaging even fragrances. The opportunities are endless, as are the benefits for businesses.Let's take the example of fast food giant McDonald's. The name, the branding (those golden arches are comfortably one of the most recognisable logos on the planet), and the slogan ("I'm lovin' it") are all examples of how crucial trademarks are to a company's image. Even McDonald's' iconic, almost Pavlovian jingle ba da ba ba baaa is enough to get mouths watering and wallets opening.Without a trademark for any of that, McDonald's would have been plagued by armies of copycat businesses, piggy-backing their way to a quick buck off the back of McDonald's' super sized success. Its menu would have been copied, along with its name, its branding, and its logo.Those fake McDonald's' would have eventually undermined public perceptions of the original, and it would've been over for the food chain goliath before you could say "large McChicken Sandwich with fries and a McFlurry, please".McDonald's is well aware of the importance of trademarks, too (just look at the vehemence of its legal pursuit of Irish restaurant chain "Supermacs" as all the evidence you need of that), as does any other business worth its salt.It's clear, then, that trademarks aren't to be taken lightly. Moreover, they're basically indispensable for businesses - especially those just starting out (even McDonald's was a startup once, after all). So, does your startup need a trademark?Yes. Yes it does. Here are five reasons why.1. It's easy to apply for and surprisingly affordableYou can apply for a trademark by filling in a form on the government's website. You'll need to provide full details of the name, slogan, or illustration you want to register, along with the trademark classes you want to register in.There are 45 classes of trademark - goods (1-34) and services (35-45), which you'll need to select one or more of, depending on the nature of what you sell. The application costs an initial fee of 170, and you'll pay an additional 50 for each additional class.There's even a service (Right Start') that lets you check whether your application meets the rules for registration before you choose to proceed - though it comes with an upfront cost of 100.2. It lasts for a decade...and that means it's one of the most enduring protections you can acquire for your startup. Your trademark won't expire after that decade, either - you'll just need to renew it, for a base cost of 200 and by filling out a short form (it's just over a page long).Ten years is also a relatively large amount of time, especially when compared to the longevity of other intellectual property protections in the UK. A registered design (such as a decoration, physical shape, or configuration) has to be renewed every five years, for instance.200 every ten years for full protection of your brand and reputation? It's a steal.3. It speaks your customer's languageUnlike words alone, brand names and logos have the rare power to traverse differences imposed by cultural, national, and territorial factors. In other words, they transcend the barriers of words and letters to speak your customer's language - even if you don't.That makes registering your trademark abroad (as well as in the UK) an absolute necessity - especially if your startup is looking to scale and internationalise.As a UK startup, you can apply for a trademark that's valid in the UK. You also have the option of filing for an EUTM (European Union Trademark), but this won't protect businesses in the UK as of January 1st, 2021 (you know why). It's still fairly straightforward to secure an international trademark abroad, though.Providing you've secured a trademark in the UK (your "Office of Origin"), you can then file for one in your choice of 122 participating countries.Still not convinced? Consider the cautionary tale of Burger King, which operates franchises in about 100 countries except Australia, where (though the food and branding is basically identical) Burger King must trade under the name "Hungry Jacks". The reason? The now-famous name of Burger King' was already trademarked by the owner of a small takeaway in Adelaide a royal inconvenience!4. If you don't, someone else willIt sounds a tad ominous, sure, but it's true. If your business becomes a success, it'll attract the interested gaze of many a potential copycat. Remember the example of the McDonald's knock-offs? If you don't trademark your own business, there's nothing from stopping a rip-off merchant from reappropriating your logo design or filching your brand name - and even trademarking it themselves!Sure, you get some basic rights as a merchant trading under your own sign. However, these laws are much more complex (and costly!) to enforce than the rights that trademark registration bestows on your intellectual property.5. It's the key to your business' futureAs your staff numbers, revenue, and reputation grow, so will the power of your trademarked brand. And, when it comes to growing your reach - whether that's creating a nationwide franchise or expanding beyond British borders - that power can unlock some seriously lucrative doors.A trademark with a track record of proven [March 18, 2020] Linx Announces Material Fact - Impacts of COVID-19 LINX S.A. (B3: LINX3) (NYSE: LINX) informs possible economic and financial impacts arising from the dissemination of the new Coronavirus (COVID-19) around the world. So far, Linx has not suffered any material impact caused by the spread of the virus. Due to uncertainties regarding the dynamics of the outbreak's evolution, the effects on the economic activities of our customers and suppliers and the measures to be adopted in Brazil and in other markets in which we operate, it is impossible to predict the total impact that the pandemic will have on the global economy as well as on our business. In the current scenario, Linx has a certain degree of protection in financial terms considering that around 80% of revenues are monthly fees generated by the use of management software and integrated services, besides being capitalized. The migration of solutions to the cloud environment in recent years also ofers resilience to the Company, since virtually all solutions can be accessed remotely. However, negative impacts on the economy may result in possible losses for Linx, temporary or not, starting in the second half of March. Such impacts may cover mainly, but not only, delinquency levels, new sales, projects implementation, store activation, revenue linked to the volume of transactions (mainly Linx Digital and Linx Pay) and churn resulting from store closures. A strong exchange rate devaluation can influence cost levels, especially those linked to the public cloud. In addition, it is not possible to measure impacts on the health of our Employees, even if all measures have been taken. On the other hand, there is the possibility of Linx contributing to its customers through initiatives related to retail digital transformation, such as e-commerce solutions, omnichannel (OMS) and delivery solutions to restaurants (Delivery App). Another opportunity is its strong presence in the verticals of Pharma, Gas Stations and convenience stores, segments that may eventually have increased demand. Linx continues to constantly assess impacts on operations and is committed to informing possible new scenarios and necessary measures. The Company continues to operate normally, reaffirming its commitment to the safety of its Employees ensuring services to Customers and Suppliers, and consequently, to the business. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005386/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The number of deaths due to the new coronavirus in the United States has reached 105, with the outbreak spreading to all 50 states, even as President Donald Trump mounted a war-like effort to contain the situation, including an economic stimulus package of $1 trillion. IMAGE: A health care worker tests a person at a drive-thru testing station run by the state health department for people who suspect they have novel coronavirus in Denver, Colorado, US. Photograph: Jim Urquhart/Reuters The first fatality from COVID-19 was reported from the Washington state on February 26. Less than a month later, the toll has crossed 100. As of March 17, the figure stood at 105 and the number of confirmed infections crossed 6,500. New York in the East Coast and Washington in the West are the two states that took major hits due to the coronavirus. The World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 a pandemic. President Donald Trump has said that the crisis in the US might continue till July and August. According to The Washington Post, most of the deaths have occurred in people over 70 and those with underlying conditions. "Public health experts believe the initial and ongoing testing problems mean that unknown numbers of cases have gone undetected, and they say the death toll will only continue to rise," Politico reported. President Trump has urged people to avoid gatherings of more than 10 persons. He asked them to stay indoors and work from home as much as possible. Schools, offices, bars, restaurants and many stores remain closed across the United States. In the Silicon Valley, more than seven million people have been asked to stay indoors. Curfew has been imposed in New Jersey. Several states and cities are considering taking similar measures. Trump spoke by telephone with the executives of industrial supply retailers and wholesalers about the national response to COVID-19. He thanked them for providing Americans the goods they rely on every day and asked them to extend his thanks to the incredible employees who are working tirelessly to keep store shelves well-stocked. The President also announced that Medicare telehealth services will be dramatically expanded. "Medicare patients can now visit any doctor by phone or videoconference, at no additional cost, including with commonly used services like FaceTime and Skype -- a historic breakthrough," he said. Several US senators wrote to Trump, urging him to use his authority to help address the widespread shortages of medical equipment caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. "There are widespread reports of shortages in personal protective equipment, ventilators, diagnostic test kits, and other medical supplies that require medical professionals to ration existing supplies," the Senators wrote. "The Department of Defense, in collaboration with governors and appropriate federal agencies, should immediately undertake a national assessment of the supply and anticipated needs for PPE, ventilators, diagnostic test kits, and other needed medical supplies to support the use of its DPA authorities, as well as determining the potential use of the Defense Logistics Agency to support the rapid deployment of needed equipment, including from existing reserves," the letter read. US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the military would provide up to five million respirator masks. He said the Pentagon will also provide items of personal protective equipment to safeguard front-line responders and up to 2,000 specialised ventilators. Pentagon would open up as many as 16 labs to test civilians for the virus and potentially call up more members of the National Guard and Reserve, Esper told reporters. By Staff staff@latinospost.com ) | First Posted: Mar 18, 2020 04:29 AM EDT (Photo : Pixabay) A clear majority of participants in a national survey about the zero-tolerance policy on the United States/Mexico border strongly opposed separating immigrant families and charging the parents as criminals, according to Baylor University research. Researchers analyzed data from the Public Religion Research Institute's June 2018 Immigration Survey, which included questions about respondents' views on how to restrict or accommodate immigrants or refugees -- such as build a border wall or pass a law to prevent refugees from entering the United States. The article is published in Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, a journal of The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues. "Whether one favors or opposes the policy or implementation, research shows that parent-child separation is harmful to children and family systems," said lead author Wade C. Rowatt, Ph.D., Baylor University professor of psychology and neuroscience. "Previous research shows that immigrant children separated from their mothers in the same detention centers report more emotional problems than the detained children who were not separated. In addition, the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder among detained immigrant children was higher than the lifetime prevalence among United States adolescents." Given those effects and the potential consequences for refugees, asylum seekers, and their families, researchers sought to identify and better understand factors associated with support for, or opposition to, a zero-tolerance policy, Rowatt said. The research included two studies. In the first, nearly three-fourths -- 73.3% -- of individuals opposed the policy. Participants from all 50 states numbered 1,018, ages 18 to 94, with 51% female, 64.6% white and 70.6% Christian. Political ideology was coded from 1 (very liberal) to 5 (very conservative). Respondents were asked to indicate their level of agreement with "an immigration border policy that separates children from their parents and charges parents as criminals when they enter the country without permission." Respondents were divided along political lines, with 53% of Republicans favoring the policy and 90% of Democrats opposing it. While age, gender, and Christian religious affiliation were only weakly associated with support for separating immigrant families, researchers found that Christians did not oppose the policy of family separation as much as non-Christian religious individuals or irreligious individuals (atheists, agnostics and those with no religious affiliation). In the second study, researchers analyzed data from two samples: 183 U.S. adults recruited from Amazon's Mechanical Turk, a crowdsourcing marketplace, and 144 undergraduate students at a private university in Central Texas. As with the first study, the majority opposed the family separation policy (62% of the college students, 70% of the MTurk sample), and conservative ideology was the strongest correlate among the minority who supported the policy. The second study also found that variability in support for the policy was correlated consistently with social dominance orientation, which sees a majority group as superior to minority groups; conservative political ideology; and dehumanization -- viewing immigrants as less than fully human. Researchers said more study is needed about attitudes toward immigrants to promote greater understanding and develop future policies. 2015 Latinos Post. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. New York Times Beijing bureau chief Steven Lee Myers (C) speaks with other journalists after the daily Foreign Ministry briefing in Beijing which announced China it would expel American journalists from three major US newspapers, on March 18, 2020. China is getting ready to expel at least 13 U.S. news correspondents working in the country amid growing bilateral tensions with Washington over press freedom and visas for journalists. The Foreign Correspondents Club of China was strongly critical of the announcement by the country's foreign ministry in the early hours of Wednesday local time that U.S. nationals working for three major U.S.newspapers in China would have to hand over their press credentials within 10 days. "The FCCC deplores the cancellation of reporting credentials for American journalists with three U.S. newspapers, an action that will affect at least 13 of our colleagues, a group of talented and dedicated professionals," the club said in a statement carried on its Twitter account. "The FCCC also deeply regrets that authorities in Beijing have taken the further step of banning affected journalists from reporting in Hong Kong and Macau." It said the total number of affected journalists at The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post could be higher, depending on how broadly the Chinese authorities implement the decision. "Their imminent banishment from journalism in China diminishes us in number and in spirit, though not in our commitment to vigorously cover China," the FCCC said, adding: "There are no winners in the use of journalists as diplomatic pawns by the worlds two pre-eminent economic powers." Dean Baquet, executive editor of the Times, 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 [the coronavirus] epidemic," he said, in comments reported by the Associated Press. Erosion of 'One Country, Two Systems' The Foreign Correspondents Club of Hong Kong said it is "alarmed" at the announcement that U.S. nationals at the three newspapers will be banned from working as journalists in Hong Kong, given that Hong Kong has its own system under which press freedom is a right according to the law. "Under the Basic Law, all decisions about employment visas for foreign nationals in Hong Kong, including journalists, have been made independently by the Immigration Department," the FCC said in a statement. "If that system has changed, it would represent a serious erosion of the One Country, Two Systems principle," it said, referring to the arrangement by which Hong Kong would maintain its traditional freedoms of expression and association, as well as judicial independence, following the 1997 handover to Chinese rule. "The Hong Kong government must immediately clarify the situation and must immediately and without reservation provide assurances that foreign journalists working in Hong Kong and those applying to work in Hong Kong will continue to be issued employment visas without interference from the Chinese government," the FCC said. Pro-democracy lawmakers in the city said the move could deal a death blow to Hong Kong's status as a separate entity from mainland China, upon which its international status as a separate trading port is based. "If Beijing is unabashedly banishing foreign journalists, then it is effectively announcing the death of One Country, Two Systems," Civic Party lawmaker Claudia Mo told reporters. "Immigration should be a matter for the Hong Kong government ... according to the Basic Law," Mo said, referring to Hong Kong's mini-constitution. "Now it is being subjected to direct orders from Beijing about who has to leave and who is to be allowed in." "In including Hong Kong in its retaliatory measures, Beijing is signaling to the whole world that it doesn't care about Hong Kong any more." Reuters quoted senior foreign diplomats and an opposition politician as saying that officers from the Peoples Armed Police, Chinas top internal security force, joined Hong Kong police on the frontlines to observe anti-government protests last year. The PAP presence in Hong Kong was increased to as many as 4,000 personnel, several diplomats told the new agency. Responding to questions from Reuters, the Chinese Defence Ministry said the PAP was not stationed in Hong Kong, while a Hong Kong police spokesman said they stress that there is no such visit or observation by any members of the mainland law enforcement agencies. Chinese officials did not respond. Harsher crackdown underway The recent announcement will see more foreign journalists expelled from China than in all the years since President Xi Jinping took power in 2013. Until now, nine journalists have been forced to leave the country because the authorities declined to renew their visas. But the FCCC said that there have been signs that a harsher crackdown on journalists is under way since the beginning of 2019, when the authorities began issuing visas of six months or less after decades of renewing them for a year at a time. It linked the move to a propaganda offensive by the ruling Chinese Communist Party under President Xi, who has pledged to tell "the China story" as written by his administration around the world. "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 FCCC said. Beijing is increasingly making its influence felt in European and North American countries, through the manipulation of information and foreign institutions, U.S. politicians and commentators have warned. According to the media watchdog Freedom House, the Chinese government in 2017 accelerated a decade-long expansion in the regimes ability to shape narratives about China around the world. Citing new and more brazen tactics by Chinese diplomats, state-owned news outlets, and organizations run by the Chinese Communist Party's United Front groups, the organization found that Chinese state media content now reaches hundreds of millions of television viewers, radio listeners, and social media users abroad, many of whom don't know where the content came from. Freedom House has also warned that journalists, news consumers, and advertisers around the world are increasingly being subjected to intimidation or censorship of political content that Beijing doesn't like. Meanwhile, foreign correspondents working in China are subject to surveillance and government pressure in an environment of extreme hostility toward the types of factual reporting Chinese authorities claim to welcome, the FCCC said. "Such conduct is as unacceptable as it is longstanding," it said. State media in focus Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang described the move as "necessary countermeasures that China is compelled to take in response to the unreasonable oppression the Chinese media organizations experience in the U.S." "If the United States insists on walking farther down the wrong path, China will be forced to take further countermeasures," Geng told a regular news briefing in Beijing. The expulsion of U.S. journalists comes after Washington designated five Chinese state-run media organizations as representatives of a foreign government, and was intended as a direct retaliation for that decision, the foreign ministry said. The U.S. State Department said it would now be regarding five Chinese state-run media organizations as foreign missions, meaning that they are representatives of their country's government. Xinhua News Agency, CCTV's global network CGTN, China Radio International (CRI), the China Daily's U.S. distribution arm and Hai Tian Development, which distributes Chinese Communist Party newspaper the People's Daily in the U.S had their status changed because they are directly under the control of the Chinese government, officials said at the time. Xinhua reports directly to China's cabinet, the State Council, while CGTN and CRI are part of a state-owned entity, the China Media Group. The China Daily is owned by the Chinese Communist Party's propaganda department, while the People's Daily is the official mouthpiece of China's ruling party. The organizations are now required under U.S. law to notify the authorities of all of their personnel on U.S. soil, and to update the Office of Foreign Missions of any personnel changes, similar to the requirements for embassies and consulates. Any property held by the organizations must also be reported. In response, Beijing imposed similar requirements on five U.S. media organizations: the Voice of America (VOA), The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and Time magazine, requiring them to provide information in writing about their staff, finances, operations and real estate held in China. The foreign ministry said U.S. journalists would now also be subjected to similar visa and other administrations placed on Chinese journalists in the U.S. Reported by Ng Yik-tung, Man Hoi-tsan, Tseng Yat-yiu and Sing Man for RFA's Cantonese and Mandarin Services. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Star Air, a regional commuter airline, which has grown fabulously in the very first year of its operations, recently added another feather to its cap. On March 16th; 2020, Star Air made history by becoming India's first airline to start direct flight services between Indore (Madhya Pradesh) and Kishangarh (Ajmer - Rajasthan) under the popular RCS-UDAN scheme. The airline scheduled a few mega launch events at both Indore and Kishangarh (Ajmer) airports, where scores of high-profile dignitaries had come. Aryama Sanyal - Airport Director -Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport, Indore inaugurated this historic Indore-Kishangarh(Ajmer) flight service at a grand ceremony held at the Indore airport on March 16th; 2020. Along with her, Bikar Singh - Chief Aerodrome Security Officer - CISF, Sunil Bansod - ATC In-charge, Shrivastav - Terminal In-charge, and many other senior dignitaries from the AAI were also present at this function. In another mega event conducted on the same day at the Kishangarh Airport, many senior dignitaries from all walks of life attended a grand launch ceremony. Ashok Kapoor -Airport Director (Kishangarh Airport), RK Meena - Commercial Head (Kishangarh Airport), and Anuradha - ATC In-charge (Kishangarh Airport) also came and graced this event with their distinguished presence. Officials from Sanjay Ghodawat Group and Star Air were also present. It is quite interesting that in a very limited time, the airline has not only made this route operational but also been successful in promoting this route. Star Air on February 18th; 2020 announced to launch this service and subsequently opened its sales. Since then, there has been immense euphoria amongst millions of people who aspired to see such service for decades. Increasing footprints; fulfilling aspirations Star Air has gained phenomenal success in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi-NCR, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh. And now connecting Rajasthan, also called as 'The Land of Colours'. Rajasthan is the seventh Indian state where Star Air is providing its flight services under the RCS-UDAN scheme. Interestingly, Indore and Kishangarh, which are almost 550 kilometres apart, had not been blessed with direct flight connectivity prior to Star Air's launch. People had to spend more than ten hours to cover this distance that too with much hassle and discomfort. But now they can cover this distance in just one hour. "Star Air is the first airline, which has fulfilled the aspirations of millions of people, by starting the first-ever direct flight services between Indore and Kishangarh (Ajmer)", said Shrenik Ghodawat, MD -Star Air. "For many decades, people of Belagavi, Karnataka also aspired to get benefitted from affordable and swift transportation services to Kishangarh (Ajmer). Considering people's demand, the management of Star Air further decided to extend the benefits of its Kishangarh service to a larger number of people living across the geography of Belagavi by providing flight services between Belagavi and Kishangarh (Ajmer) with one-stop (via Indore) from 16th March 2020 itself", added Ghodawat. It is expected that millions of people from South & West Maharashtra, North & West Karnataka, and from many districts adjacent to Indore would benefit from this service. Especially, districts from Maharashtra state like Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, and many districts from Karnataka state like Belagavi, Dharwad, Vijapur would get benefitted from this connectivity. A gift for travel enthusiasts and people This service will help travellers to a great extent as Kishangarh (Ajmer), is one of the most famous tourist destinations in India. This route is expected to make travel easy for tourists, who love to explore palaces, forts, and places of religious importance. With the commencement of this route, now people can fly easily to Kishangarh (Ajmer) and take a glimpse of the famous Ajmer Sharif Dargah (30 KM), Pushkar Lake (44 KM), Phool Mahal Palace (8 KM), Roopangarh Fort (27 KM), Brahmaji Temple (46 KM), etc., much comfortably than ever before. Travellers can also visit Salasar Balaji Dham Mandir in Sikar, which is the only temple of Lord Hanuman in entire India, where he is idolized in moustache and beard form. It is just 156 KM from Kishangarh. Also, businesspersons, who are in marble businesses, can immensely save their travel time with the launch of Indore-Kishangarh (Ajmer) and Belagavi-Kishangarh (Ajmer) (with one-stop via Indore) route. As this city, Kishangarh, known as the Marble City of India, is very popular for its exquisite marbles globally. This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Centric Software Launches Quick-Start Collaboration Packages for Fashion, Retail and Manufacturers to empower collaboration CAMPBELL, California, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Responding to the disruptions faced during the COVID-19 outbreak and requests from the market, Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) market leader Centric Software announces the launch of a new series of quick-start, online collaboration packages designed to get brands, retailers and manufacturers working remotely in only a few days. Centric Software provides the most innovative enterprise solutions to fashion, retail, footwear, outdoor, luxury and consumer goods companies to achieve strategic and operational digital transformation goals. Leveraging a combination of market-driven, technology innovations and industry best practices, brands, retailers and manufacturers can collaborate closely, continuing business-critical operations such as sample reviews, design reviews, buying and go-to-market meetings and more - all remotely. Adopting technology and best-practices also future-proof organizations while cutting time-to-market and streamlining costs. Three Centric 8 PLM Quick-Start Collaboration Packages are now available. Each is deployed in days, not weeks or months and can be deployed remotely. "Our customers are looking for ways to stay operational while respecting health guidelines on social distancing, remote working and travel," says Ron Watson, VP of Product at Centric Software. "In response, we have created packages that enable remote work for sample & fit reviews, vendor collaboration and buying sessions. These can be implemented in days so that businesses can be agile and proactive, gain critical oversight and alter strategies quickly." Each of the three packages was conceived for a different stage in a company's digital journey: For those new or unaccustomed to remote collaboration and digital work, a Sample and Quote Package digitalizes fit reviews, both physical and 3D materials, product sample reviews and vendor quote management. Leveraging innovations like cloud-based technologies, easy to use mobile apps and/or industry-leading 3D solutions as well as industry best-practices like guidance on holding online product/fit reviews, taking photos, etc., companies can take first steps into remote group collaboration built upon an intelligent structure for highly visual, data-driven decisions. For companies with Centric PLM but who are not yet fully collaborating with vendors remotely, a second Vendor Collaboration Package gets them up and running with industry-specific innovations for co-design, sample reviews, RFQ management, evaluation, finalization and assortment building. If challenged by holding online buying, Centric's digital board solution, Centric Visual Innovation Platform (CVIP), can be rapidly deployed using out-of-the-box configurations whether or not a company already has a PLM solution in place. With the Buying Session Package, develop global, regional and store assortments, get regional feedback, finalize product quantity commitments and more in a highly visual and fully digitalized manner regardless of where teams are based. "Most of our employees are still working from home," says Fanny Fan, from the merchandising department of Chinese fashion brand MAXRIENY. "Centric PLM greatly supports the normal operation of our business, and product development work has not been interrupted. Members of all departments can enter, view and share information online at any time using up-to-date data resources to ensure efficient collaboration. Our R&D teams can follow the progress of all samples in real time." Zoe Wang, a designer at Chinese womenswear brand GLORIA, says, "Fortunately, our design department has Centric PLM, so we can work at home. Unlike other systems that can only be operated on the company premises, we can easily log into Centric PLM online to check and update development progress anytime, anywhere. The color and material libraries enable us to understand the characteristics of colors, fabrics and accessories without physical objects. Because PLM contains detailed, up-to-date images and data, we can design, match and combine products without using physical samples." Centric Quick-Start Collaboration Packages are available now from Centric Software, and the Centric team is ready to respond to the emerging challenges of existing and new customers as market disruptions unfold. "External influences make the marketplace increasingly unpredictable," says Chris Groves, President and CEO of Centric Software. "Our new packages have been developed in response to requests from our customers to be hyper-responsive to change. Our team will get customers up and running quickly on an easy-to-use, 'single actionable source of the truth' digital platform that has been developed specifically to facilitate remote meetings and digital work. We are prepared to help our customers be ready to meet new challenges in the weeks, months and years ahead." Learn more. Centric Software (www.centricsoftware.com) Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1135211/Centric_Software_Launches_Quick_Start.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/770629/Centric_Software_Logo.jpg CLEVELAND, Ohio Every day, the guidance on how to get tested for the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, changes. How to get tested depends on which health care system you use. You do not need to be a Cuyahoga County resident, just a patient at one of these systems or providers. Cleveland Clinic The Cleveland Clinic announced it will reserve COVID-19 testing for only high-risk patients to preserve its supply of testing swabs. The hospital has an adequate supply, but didnt anticipate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, where the swabs are manufactured, the hospital system said in a statement Tuesday. High-risk patients include those who currently are hospitalized, as well as those who are 61 and older. These patients will continue to be tested at the Clinics drive-thru testing site: the W.O. Walker Building parking garage, at 10524 Euclid Ave. in Cleveland. Testing is only available with a Clinic doctors order. Patients under 60, who have a Clinic doctors order, are asked not to go to the W.O. Walker testing facility until the Clinic gives them further instructions. Patients with a fever over 100.4 and/or a cough are asked to self-quarantine, the Clinic said. If their condition worsens, these patients are instructed to contact their doctor or go to the emergency department. In the first four days of operating drive-thru testing sites, the Clinic tested more than 2,200 patients, and 2,100 patients are waiting to be tested, the health system said. There were a small number of positive test results for COVID-19, the Clinic said. Previously, the Clinic was providing drive-thru testing for patients both at its W.O. Walker site and at the University Hospitals Landerbrook site, but Clinic patients no longer are being tested at UH Landerbrook. University Hospitals UH is still offering coronavirus testing for anyone with a doctors order at the UH Landerbrook Health Center drive-through testing site in Mayfield Heights. There are no high-risk restrictions at UH. "If they have a doctor's order and they are a UH patient, they should go to the Landerbrook location only, and we will do our best to process as many patients as we can from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., said UH spokeswoman Jeannine Denholm. "Our policies are exactly the same." UH has not experienced any shortage of testing swabs thus far, she said. UH patients should not go to W.O. Walker for testing, Denholm said. Other providers Doctors who are not associated with UH or the Clinic are still able to test their patients and send the specimens to be tested by the Ohio Department of Health or other private labs, said ODH public information specialist Rachel Feeley. This is the same process from before the hospitals developed their own testing capabilities and will help ensure that patients do not fall through the cracks, Feeley said. A good first step is to call your doctor for an assessment, Feeley said. Patients with mild symptoms may not need a COVID-19 test, and will be told to self-quarantine by their healthcare provider. If symptoms are worse or a doctor decides testing is needed, the patient will receive instructions on how to get a test or medical care, Feeley said. Feeley added that testing at the ODH lab must be requested via the patients local health department, and approved by ODH prior to the specimen being submitted. MetroHealth MetroHealth will test non-Metro patients for COVID-19, a spokesman said. However, testing supplies are limited, and reserved for critically-ill hospitalized patients and those who have had direct contact with them, MetroHealth CEO Dr. Akram Boutros said in a statement. MetroHealth is working with its vendors to get the supplies needed to expand testing and make it more widely available. Another good first step is calling the MetroHealth System COVID-19 hotline at 440-59-COVID (440-592-6843). Anyone including those whose primary physician isnt at MetroHealth can call the hotline to be screened to determine if he or she needs to be tested, a spokesman said. A provider will ask questions, evaluate symptoms and give advice about whether to get tested, see a doctor or to stay at home. MetroHealth has received more than 1,100 calls since opening the COVID hotline Friday, the health system said. Nearly half of those calls resulted in a telehealth visit with a physician, and about 90% of patients who spoke with physicians were told to self-quarantine. MetroHealth can now test COVID-19 samples at its in-house laboratory, and results are available in two hours. The decision whether or not to administer a COVID-19 test lies with MetroHealths infection prevention doctors, a spokesman said. During his City Club speech last Thursday, Boutros said drive-thru testing would be available soon at his health system. But on Tuesday, a spokesman said the health system has no plans to implement drive-thru testing at this time. At the moment, we do not have the capacity for drive-thru testing. If that changes, we will re-evaluate and work with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, the spokesman said.COVID-19 is a respiratory illness with symptoms including fever, cough and shortness of breath. It has sickened thousands and killed 6,600 globally, according to the World Health Organization. There is not yet a vaccine for COVID-19, nor are there any medications approved to treat it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read more coronavirus coverage: Workers at highest risk Health care workers, whats it like handling coronavirus cases? Hudson mom shares brutal encounter with coronavirus Summit County woman is face of the coronavirus pandemic Ohioans adjust to coronavirus Cleveland Clinic identifies handful of positive coronavirus cases Coronavirus in Ohio nursing homes ASYLUM seekers were moving into the direct provision centre in Tullamore this morning (Wednesday, March 18). The arrival of about 40 people followed a tour of the facility at Marian Hostel on High Street by four members of Offaly County Council. It is understood that about 40 asylum seekers are arriving today and about 40 more in the next couple of days. Speaking after a tour of the premises, Cllr Declan Harvey described it as absolutely brilliant but said he had nonetheless asked for the provision of the accommodation to be deferred because of the coronavirus. Cllr Harvey said he sent a text to Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan on Tuesday asking for the deferral and received a reply this morning saying his concerns were noted and the Minister would be in touch. The Fianna Fail councillor said he now accepted that the provision of accommodation was not being deferred. It can't be deferred but I texted him on St Patrick's Day to ask him to consider deferring it because of the epidemic, he said. It's the people of Tullamore and Offaly I'm concerned about. Cllr Harvey said all of the questions he put to the management of the centre this morning were answered, apart from his query about Covid-19. I asked were they tested for Covid-19 and no-one could answer that, he said, adding his other concern was whether or not the asylum seekers were aware of the precautions they should take as they go around the town. My biggest fear is we have old and sick people in town. Every family is saying they're doing their bit, but do these people understand how serious it is? It was a question that was asked and they couldn't answer it. The councillor did say he presumed the new arrivals did understand the steps they should take to prevent the spread of the virus because he was told they were very educated and were up to speed on the issue. Cllr Harvey said he was very impressed with the accommodation and the facilities for the residents. The place is top-class, the bedrooms, the whole lot, it's like a mini-hotel. He said there was a range of accommodation being provided, with one-bed, two-bed and three-bed units, and everything he saw was excellent. The councillors viewed the bedrooms, the kitchen and cooking facilities, the shop, the launderette and toilets and showers. The Department of Justice says up to 168 people seeking international protection will be accommodated in the Marian Hostel, an adjacent building and two other buildings across the street. When the Tullamore Tribune called to the Marian Hostel this morning, a staff member said the press were not being admitted and preparations were continuing in advance of the arrival of the residents. Former Rep. Katie Hill has claimed that she was exposed to the coronavirus, is experiencing symptoms but cannot get tested. Hill, who resigned last year after DailyMail.com revealed that she had been in a relationship with a campaign aide, shared the news in a series of tweets on Monday. 'I was exposed to COVID-19,' Hill wrote. 'I have had a dry cough, shortness of breath, & a fever since Saturday. Hill said her father found out on Saturday that he'd 'spent a lot of time with a person who tested positive for COVID-19'. 'I was exposed to my dad, but I could have been way before that too... we will never know,' Hill tweeted, adding that she then followed the guidelines, 'called the hotline' and answered a series of questions. Former Rep. Katie Hill has claimed that she was exposed to the coronavirus, is experiencing symptoms but cannot get tested Hill, who resigned last year after DailyMail.com revealed that she had been in a relationship with a campaign aide, shared the news in a series of tweets on Monday 'Was told I needed to talk to a doc based on my symptoms, got a phone appt with my primary physician and stayed home in the meantime,' she shared. Hill said her doctor then told her that 'despite my symptoms, since I was not in DIRECT contact with the confirmed case, I wont get tested UNLESS IM HOSPITALIZED'. 'Because my dad ALSO still hasnt been tested and thus is not confirmed,' she tweeted. In several other tweets, Hill said she's lucky because she's young. 'I probably wont get too sick, & I can hang out in my apartment for two weeks. But my doctor told me yes, you almost certainly have it but nothing to do except quarantine myself & if it gets worse, like I literally CANNOT BREATHE, go to the hospital.' She also expressed her thoughts about the way the pandemic is being handled. '1) were not testing enough ppl to know how big this thing is; 2) if you think you're in the clear, you're not; 3) our healthcare system is about to be dangerously overloaded & only we can save it so #StayTheF**kHome. 'Despite what the administration is saying, tests are still in such short supply that public health departments are directing doctors to only test in very specific incidences. 'ERs around the country are warning about how they are already over capacity bc of the "worried well". They dont have tests (or nearly enough) in the ERs. If you go, youll expose yourself, transmit disease, and take up room from others. Unless you absolutely have to,' she tweeted. In several other tweets (pictured), Hill said she's lucky because she's young Hill continued: 'This is just me. One person. Dont know how long Ive been exposed, if I actually have it, how many people Ive in turn exposed. Never will. Will never be in the official numbers unless it gets bad enough so hopefully not. 'Now imagine how many people out there are like me and cant get tested, or who have the virus and are carrying it and infecting others and have no idea. Our numbers are way off, and likely will be for the foreseeable future 'So, dont expect a test, shut yourself in, PLEASE dont go to the hospital unless you ABSOLUTELY have to, and lets ride this thing out together.' There are more than 6,400 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the United States with more than 100 deaths. Globally, there are more than 197,000 confirmed cases and nearly 8,000 deaths. Health officials have been warning 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. 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 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 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. Several states have taken strident measures in a bid to curb the spread of the virus. States like New York, parts of California, Illinois, Ohio and others have closed bars and restaurants and limited customers to takeout or delivery options. Schools have closed, including the nation's largest public school system in New York City. A ground crew prepares to unload luggage from an arriving Delta Airlines flight at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on March 15, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. U.S. airline stocks plunged to new multi-year lows Wednesday as carriers further cut costs after coronavirus devastated demand for flights and they continue to plead for billions in government aid. Delta Air Lines said Wednesday that it plans to cut its flying by an unprecedented 70%, on a year-over-year basis, after March revenue fell nearly $2 billion short of the same month last year as bookings drop and cancellations pile up. The Atlanta-based carrier is also halting capital spending, including for new aircraft, and parking "at least" half of its fleet. April's revenue drop could be even worse, Delta warned. The reduced flying will last "until demand starts to recover," CEO Ed Bastian told employees. "Our international operation will take the largest reduction, with over 80% of flying reduced over the next two to three months," he said. The airline industry has been among the hardest-hit industries amid the rapid spread of COVID-19, as consumers stay home, scrapping vacations and lucrative business travel. United, American, JetBlue, Southwest and others are, like Delta, slashing their flying, asking employees to take unpaid leave, freezing hiring and parking hundreds of planes, a trend that is weighing heavily on aircraft makers like Boeing and Airbus. American, for example, it is offering workers up to 12 months of unpaid leave. Employees can also leave the company entirely and buy health insurance at the same premiums as staff if they have worked for the airline for 15 years or more. On Thursday, American said it secured a $1 billion delayed-draw loan to help shore up funds for the crisis and that it has $8.4 billion in available liquidity. But airlines say government support is needed to combat the drop in bookings. "These are extraordinary circumstances, and additional support is necessary to protect jobs and ensure that the flying public can continue to rely on our industry after the crisis ends," Nate Gatten, American's senior vice president for government affairs, wrote to employees late Wednesday. "The financial assistance we seek is to support our team members as we weather this unprecedented storm together." American's CEO Doug Parker traveled to Washington D.C. this week and has spoken with President Donald Trump, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and several lawmakers, Gatten said. Despite airlines' cost-cutting measures, executives signaled more pain is ahead as bookings drop precipitously. JetBlue said Wednesday that on an average March day the carrier takes in about $22 million from bookings and fees and that this month that's dropped to an average of less than $4 million a day. At the same time, the New York-based airline has been issuing credits of more than $20 million to customers who have cancelled their trips. "If you do the math, $4 million per day does not come anywhere close to covering our daily expenses," the airline's CEO Robin Hayes and COO Joanna Geraghty told crewmembers. "It is hard to predict how long these conditions will last and how much more challenging the environment may become." Several airlines Wednesday posted their largest one-day percentage declines on record and fell to new multi-year lows. Among them: American which dropped 25% to end at $11.65, Delta, which fell 26% to close at $23.49, and JetBlue, which lost nearly 20% to $7.660. United fell more than 30%, its second-biggest one-day percentage drop, to close at $21.38. As the current virus crisis proves yet again, there are few certainties in life. Income insecurity, however, does not have to be one of the uncertainties. The current crisis shows in sped-up video that if we do not eliminate income insecurity, the way we are all economically intertwined will mean income insecurity for some will lead inexorably to income insecurity for many. A universal basic income program (UBI) that ensures the essential economic well-being of all Canadians would solve this problem, now and forever. It would do so by making sure people have exactly the thing they do not have when they experience income insecurity: money, or at least an amount of it each month to meet basic needs. Basic income programs can work simply and one could be easily passed into law immediately. The most common designs have these two core features: 1. Every adult citizen receives a set monthly amount of money, deposited directly into their bank account. The amount should be set according to maintaining that adult at least above a relative poverty line, not one arbitrarily set, but one set against the middle-income bracket for Canadians. This is because poverty in any given society is relative to the income of that middle group. Furthermore, as that figure increases, so must the relative poverty line. 2. Each recipient gets to keep a percentage of every dollar they earn as an incentive to work and to reduce the overall cost of the program. There would be a break-even point at which the other part of each dollar earned through employment being clawed back by the government would pay for the individuals basic income. Traditional graduated taxation would take place on every dollar earned above the break-even point. Therefore, if someone doesnt actually need the money because they are earning about the break-even point, he or she would only notionally be receiving it. The program would replace all other government income replacement or supplement programs for those capable of working, resulting in a huge savings in administrative costs because of the elimination of these various inadequate programs. Most people can easily understand what an end to income insecurity would mean for Canada in normal times, including everything from giving people the economic freedom to start their own businesses to allowing them to turn down low-paying jobs and thus breaking the decades-old stagnation in wages. It would mean massive savings in health-care costs because of the end of poverty and the demons that torment the health of the poor: malnutrition and inadequate clothing and shelter. It is in times like this crisis, however, that a UBI program would be a true national salvation. Quarantines would not mean financial ruin. Even if most income-producing business ceases, the federal government would be able to use its unique ability to borrow on behalf of all of us to fund our income security through the UBI. Even more importantly, a UBI would allow us to cope with what is actually a far greater, ongoing and increasingly serious threat to Canadians: automation taking their jobs. It would make automation the harbinger of a far better quality of life for everyone, not of economic disaster for millions of us. Why must it be universal? Aside from the simplicity of administration, it would eliminate the crippling stigma of income insecurity: while everyone would get it, no one would know who really relied upon it. It would be something that we all share in the same way that we share the cost of our health care. It would be something else that would bind us together as a nation. If we are proud of taking care of each others health, imagine how proud we would be if we eliminated poverty, the one truly constant plague in human history? Now is the time to do it. The need has never been greater and it is in times of common suffering and its aftermath that we are most open to bold, empathetic social change. It is how we got unemployment insurance in the Great Depression and universal medicare after the Second World War. Let us do this new great thing for our nation. Beijing fumes at US attempt to link coronavirus to China Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2020 11:01 AM China has harshly hit back at US President Donald Trump over a tweet in which he referred to the new coronovirus as the "Chinese Virus," condemning it as stigmatization. In a tweet on Monday night, Trump said the US government would support those industries "particularly affected by the Chinese Virus." China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters on Tuesday that Beijing was "strongly indignant" at the phrase, condemning it as "a kind of stigmatization." Geng told reporters that the US had to "immediately stop its unjustified accusations against China." Trump's remarks also drew criticism from figures inside the US itself for inciting bigotry against the Asian-American community. "Our Asian-American communities -- people YOU serve -- are already suffering. They don't need you fueling more bigotry," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio whose state is one of the hardest-hit by the flu-like disease in the US wrote on Twitter, addressing Trump. The COVID-19 disease, caused by the new coronavirus, emerged in Wuhan, the capital of China's Hubei Province, late last year and is currently affecting 161 countries and territories across the globe. It has killed 7,165 people as of Monday night, according to Reuters tallies. The World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic. On Thursday, another Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, suggested that the US military might have brought the new coronavirus to Wuhan. "When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals? It might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation!" Zhao tweeted. The following day, the US administration summoned China's ambassador to Washington to protest Zhao's comments. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Former Labette County USD 506 superintendent and locally known hobby magician Dennis Wilson has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and is in critical condition in the AdventHealth ICU. His wife, Joanna, unable to be by his side, paced the floor at their home in Lenexa Monday as she was informed she would be subject to 14 days of quarantine. Friends of the family are praying that Wilson can perform some of his magic and pull good health out of his hat with a little help from a higher power. A return to good health could mean his return to perform at Katy Days, as he has done for many years. Right now, those are hopes of friends who can only reach out to support the Wilsons via social media and phone. Never in a million years would I ever have thought we would be in such a situation. Never, Joanna told her Facebook friends Monday evening. Dennis hasnt been feeling well for about a week with flu symptoms. Fever, chills, body aches, no appetite, up and down. She told friends that on Thursday that her husband went to an urgent care facility. No testing was done. He was told to go home, rest and drink plenty of fluids. On Friday evening we went to urgent care again, this time a KUMC (Kansas University Medical Center) urgent care. Same thing go home ... However, this time he was tested for influenza A and B, both of which were negative, Joanna Wilson said. Home we go and he did his best to rest and drink plenty of fluids. (Sunday) he began to feel better. Actually ate pretty well and more energy. But around 9 p.m. (he) complained about being short of breath. It got worse as the evening went on and we went to the AdventHealth hospital on Prairie Star in Lenexa at about midnight. His O2 level was very low and his chest X-ray showed severe bilateral pneumonia. The doctor suspected he had COVID-19. Although Wilson didnt meet the criteria for testing, the doctor was doing what he could to push testing through. With Wilsons condition worsening, the doctor wanted to admit him to ICU. At 4 a.m. Monday, they transferred Wilson, by then in critical condition, by ambulance to the main campus ICU of AdventHealth. I found out when I got there after him that I was banned from the hospital and forced to pace the floor at home quarantined for the next two weeks, Joanna Wilson said. I didnt even get to see him before they took him up to the floor. The doctor finally got permission to do the coronavirus test and then waited for the results. I tried to FaceTime with him a few times this morning and then he said he was going to rest a bit. Then he FaceTimed me again after that and told me they were going to intubate him and put him on a ventilator, she said. Without giving me time to find out what all was going on, he was gone and they did what they had to do. Late Monday night, the test results showed positive for COVID-19. Its killing me to not be able to be there to hold his hand, to advocate for him, to ask questions of the doctors and to just plain take care of him, Joanna style, Joanna Wilson wrote on her page. Please keep him in your prayers. Tuesday morning, her spirits lifted. I got a call from the patient advocate this morning and she said, How would you like to come see your husband? She met me in the parking lot with a mask and led me to him, Joanna Wilson reported on her Facebook page. They backed up his sedation enough so he can open his eyes, nod his head and he is responding to my voice. I hope this helps him heal. And Ive been reading him all your wonderful messages and comments. My heart is so full. Thank you all so much. Joanna Wilson has not responded to a Sun request for further information. Joanna Wilson served as administrator at Parsons Good Samaritan Center for 28 years, retiring in 2015, so both are well known in Parsons and surrounding towns, giving many in this area their first chance to connect a face to the impacts of this virus. Friends of the family are reaching out in support on Facebook, with hundreds offering prayers and sending long-distance hugs. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18 Trend: Azerbaijani students studying in Italy thanked the leadership of Azerbaijan for organizing charter flights for their evacuation back to Azerbaijan, Trend reports. Students who gathered at Rome airport before departure expressed appreciation for the conditions created for them. The evacuation of Azerbaijani students studying in various cities of Italy continues. According to the latest data, about 26,000 people in Italy have been infected with the coronavirus, and more than 2,500 people died from the disease. Contributing to the nationwide effort to "flatten the curve," GE Appliances recently announced that it will reduce shifts or suspend operations in four states: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. The last day of normal operations will be Thursday, March 19, and the revised schedule of shifts will last through Friday, April 3. The company didn't indicate that operations at its manufacturing facility in South Carolina would be affected. However, those who have been following news of the novel coronavirus know that things are changing rapidly, and it would be unsurprising if management decides to take more severe steps in the near future. While the company is reducing its manufacturing operations, it noted that customers can still obtain parts and inventory from distribution centers. According to the company, it "will continue delivery and service of appliances while taking precautionary measures to protect our employees and consumers while providing these critical services." The recently announced steps to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus build on other measures the company has taken. For example, on March 13, the company announced that it had restricted domestic and international travel, limited the number of visitors to its facilities, and encouraged employees to work from home. In an attempt to streamline its business, General Electric sold its appliances division to Haier, a Chinese appliances manufacturer, in 2016 for $5.4 billion. According to the terms of the deal, Haier has access to the GE brand name until 2056. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 10:06 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b70551 1 SE Asia Indonesia,Singapore,ASEAN,Malaysia,health,virus,COVID-19,regional-response,WHO-SEARO Free A regional response on the new coronavirus disease outbreak has come under the spotlight as Southeast Asia scrambles to prevent the wider transmission of COVID-19, which has reached eight out of 10 ASEAN member states. The World Health Organization on Tuesday called on countries in the Southeast Asia region to urgently scale up aggressive measures to combat COVID-19, as the number of cases continue to rise globally. The virus, which was first detected in China, spread rapidly to 152 countries and territories, infecting nearly 175,000 people and killing 7,019. "The situation is evolving rapidly. We need to immediately scale up all efforts to prevent the virus from infecting more people," said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director of the WHO Southeast Asia Region (WHO-SEARO). "Urgent and aggressive measures are the need of the hour. We need to act now," the WHO official said in a statement. Read also: COVID-19: Indonesia suspends visa-free policy, expands ban for people from worst-hit countries Eight of the 11 countries grouped under WHO-SEARO have confirmed cases of COVID-19, and numbers are increasing quickly Singh said. Thailand leads the SEARO area's confirmed cases count with 177, followed by Indonesia with 134. Meanwhile, in the WHO's West Pacific Region (WPRO), Malaysia has by far the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases at 552, followed by Singapore (243), the Philippines (142), Vietnam (57), Brunei (50) and Cambodia (12). ASEAN member states are split between the SEARO and WPRO branches of the WHO. The SEARO director's comments signaled much greater urgency than when WHO-WPRO director Takeshi Kasai said last month that it was "time for us to work together and focus not only what confronts us today, but plan for tomorrow". ASEAN mechanisms to respond to COVID-19 outbreak (JP/File) Concerns have grown following a spike of new cases originating from a mass religious event held from Feb. 27 to March 1 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which many other people from the region attended, especially from neighboring countries. The tabligh event, a large-scale Quranic recitation event often accompanied by preaching, was attended by some 14,500 Malaysians and about 1,500 foreigners, including 696 Indonesians, 215 Filipinos, 130 Vietnamese, 90 Singaporeans, 79 Cambodians and 74 Bruneians, The Straits Times reports. At least three Indonesians tested positive in Malaysia after attending the event. Meanwhile, Brunei's Health Ministry said that most of the countrys confirmed COVID-19 patients were linked to the gathering, while Cambodia reported Tuesday that 11 out of the 12 new infected cases had a history of travel to Malaysia. Authorities are also tracking Malaysians who attended the event, encouraging them to report themselves to the authorities in their respective states for testing, according to local reports. When asked recently about the possibility of hundreds of Indonesians being exposed to the virus in Malaysia, President Joko Jokowi Widodo said that his quick response team would investigate the new cluster. Our team will look into it and will be assisted by the [National Intelligence Agency], the National Police and the Indonesian Military, Jokowi said on the sidelines of a visit to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Friday. Read also: Pressures on for Jokowi to close cities Elsewhere, the battle to contain the virus among countries has been mired in unproductive quarrels among neighbors. Indonesia and Singapore have tussled about the sharing of information on imported COVID-19 cases and other logistics requirements, which began when a health official from the Indonesian side accused Singapore of withholding important information for tracing infected persons, which the city-state and other Indonesian officials refuted. Jokowi said on Monday that he had spoken with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, although he did not elaborate. Singapore has helped us a lot. I don't remember how much but it was quite a lot. So if they want to help, we will accept, the President said. A spokesperson for Singapores Foreign Ministry later revealed more details about the phone call, saying that the leaders agreed to further strengthen cooperation to counter the virus threat. Singapore has been in close touch with the relevant Indonesian ministries and agencies on the COVID-19 situation, including on the provision of medical equipment to Indonesia. The Singapore government has also contributed personal protective equipment to the Batam Health Office at its request, the spokesperson said. Read also: COVID-19: Indonesia should get grip on reality and work with Singapore And while Indonesia takes cautious steps to address the pandemic, Malaysia became the first country to announce a two-week lockdown of the country, days after the Philippines moved to shutter its capital Manila and later the entire island of Luzon. Laos has sealed its borders with China and Myanmar, while people in Brunei, Singapore and Thailand have been ordered to restrict their movements. These incidents, as well as the different policy decisions that ASEAN countries have made in response to the pandemic, have served to underline the discrepancy between neighboring countries and cast doubt on the feasibility of a united regional response, despite the group already having several response mechanisms in place. ASEAN countries met as early as January to prepare a region-wide response to the rapid spread of the new coronavirus disease and continue to meet to evaluate the regional response. The Indonesian Foreign Ministry's director general for ASEAN affairs, Jose Tavares, said the bloc had a communication hotline on COVID-19 in place that "could be initiated when necessary". According to the ASEAN post-2015 health development agenda, there are at least seven mechanisms designed to support regional preparedness and response by ASEAN and its Plus Three partners China, Japan and South Korea. According to a paper on ASEAN health sector preparedness and response actions to COVID-19 outbreak that was obtained by The Jakarta Post, the regional health sector was able to mobilize existing initiatives such as the Regional Public Health Laboratories Network (PHLN) and the ASEAN Emergency Operations Center Network (ASEAN EOC Network) for public health emergencies. As soon as the first report of clusters of unexplained pneumonia from [Chinas] focal point for the Senior Officials Meeting for Health Development (SOMHD) was received on Jan. 3, 2020, the ASEAN health sector together with counterparts from China, Japan and [South] Korea launched regional preparedness and response actions through the mobilization of existing regional health cooperation mechanisms, ASEAN officials stated in the paper. Meanwhile, other partners have also expressed an interest in sharing information and enacting cooperation through ASEAN, such as the European Union and the United States, Jose added. "I think we have used all the available channels," the official said on Tuesday. Indonesia will lead the regional response next month when the country takes up the chairmanship of the ASEAN SOMHD, which will fall under the purview of the Health Ministry. (tjs) Utah quake knocks trumpet from Moroni statue's hand at Salt Lake Mormon temple Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A 5.7-magnitude earthquake shook Utah Wednesday morning shortly after 7 a.m., dislodging the trumpet from the hand of the statue of the angel Moroni sitting atop the iconic Mormon temple in its capital city. Wednesday's quake, the largest since 1992 when a magnitude 5.9 temblor struck the St. George area of the western state, was centered approximately 10 miles of Salt Lake City, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. A series of aftershocks transpired in the minutes that followed ranging from 2.5 to 3.9 on the Richter scale and are to be likely to continue throughout the day, the Utah Division of Emergency Management said. By 9:25 a.m. the USGS had recorded 27 earthquakes and aftershocks. Reports indicate that multiple buildings sustained minimal damage, no injuries or deaths have been reported. Speaking before the press Wednesday, Governor Gary Herbert said that the state of Utah was "all in all, very fortunate." Most notably, the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City, which sits at the center of the city was impacted. The trumpet in the hand of statue of the angel Moroni who Mormonism's founder, Joseph Smith, claims assisted him in the translation of golden plates that ultimately resulted in The Book of Mormon was dislodged. "The Salt Lake Temple, which is undergoing a seismic upgrade, sustained some minor damage during Wednesday morning's earthquake. The trumpet on the Angel Moroni statue fell off, and there is minor displacement of some of the temple's smaller spire stones. No workers were injured. Crews on the job site have been sent home for the day, and a full assessment is underway to determine needs going forward. This event emphasizes why this project is so necessary to preserve this historic building and create a safer environment for all our patrons and visitors," a spokesman for the church said Wednesday. The Salt Lake Temple, which was dedicated in 1893, was the first temple topped with Angel Moroni, CNN reported; the copper and gold-leaf statue is 12-foot-5-inches tall on a ball atop a 210-foot central spire on the temple's east side. Tremors registering as 4.4 magnitude that occurred near Magna, Utah, just after 8 a.m. was classified as a separate quake and not an aftershock of the stronger quake that struck about an hour earlier. Tens of thousands of Utahns lost power. The earthquakes hit the state amid a global outbreak of the coronavirus, which has brought normal life to a halt in many places and has created widespread panic-buying of groceries and items like toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Gov. Herbert noted on Twitter that the state's coronavirus hotline as well as the department of health's laboratory were down after the quake. Classes were canceled at the University of Utah. Three more towns have declared states of emergency to help access federal funds to address the novel coronavirus pandemic. Leaders in Bethel, Kent and Southbury have deemed the outbreak an emergency, following previous declarations from Danbury, Redding and New Milford, in addition to the governor. There have been at least 68 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Connecticut, as of Tuesday evening. Bethels civil preparedness emergency declaration would make the town eligible for potential federal reimbursement for costs associated with the outbreak. Please be advised that signing this form does not mean the public is in any heightened level of danger due to the virus, First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker said in a message to the community. Kent First Selectman Jean Speck declared a state of emergency Wednesday morning, allowing her to assume and exercise the powers, functions and duties prescribed and provided by law to take such action as necessary to protect the public health and mitigate [the] emergency. Kents state of emergency will remain in effect until June 18, unless terminated sooner or extended by further order, the towns declaration states. Southbury declared a state of emergency on Tuesday and has shut down historical buildings and the library. The building department will be available for permit issuance between 1 to 4 p.m. through scheduled appointments only. Bethel parks remain open for hiking and nature walks, but families are asked not to use the playground equipment. The municipal center is open for appointments and visits to the tax collectors office only. The transfer station remains open, but staff are not permitted to help residents drop off their trash. Fees have been waived in light of this. No bulky items are allowed. Experts of the Union Hospital affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology have held a video conference with their peers in 14 hospitals in the Netherlands, sharing experience of COVID-19 prevention and treatment. Seven expert team members of the Wuhan hospital on Monday gave detailed answers to questions raised by six doctor representatives from the Netherlands concerning the basic symptoms, clinical diagnosis, prevention and treatment of the disease. Inge de Wit, head of the Dutch healthcare facility SJG Weert, said she appreciated China's good job in fighting the virus and the experience sharing, hoping to get further help from the Union Hospital when confronting difficulties in future treatment. "Medicine has no borders, and we're willing to answer questions and offer help," said Wang Hongbo, deputy Party chief of the Union Hospital. On Monday, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment announced that 278 more people tested positive for COVID-19, which brought the total of positive cases in the Netherlands to 1,413. Investing in Top Utility Stocks Utilities provide electricity, natural gas, and water and wastewater services to residential, commercial, industrial, and government customers. Utility stocks typically make stable investments. Demand for utility services tends to remain steady, even during a recession. Meanwhile, the rates they charge for delivering these services are either regulated (approved by a government entity) or contractually guaranteed (nonregulated). Because of that, utilities generate reliable earnings, enabling these companies to pay dividends with above-average yields. That combination of predictable profitability and income generation makes utility stocks lower-risk options for investors. As a result, theyre often ideal options for retirement income strategies. However, not all utility stocks deliver competitive investment returns. The best utilities share additional noteworthy characteristics that give them the power to outperform. With that in mind, here are some top utility stocks to buy and what to look for in a utility investment. 3 top utility stocks to buy The best utility investments are companies with a top-notch financial profile and visible growth prospects. Each of the companies below meets those criteria and has the potential to produce above-average total stock returns -- dividend yield plus stock price appreciation: 1. American Water Works American Water Works is the largest publicly traded water and wastewater utility in the U.S. It makes most of its money by providing regulated water and wastewater services, with the rest coming from less predictable market-based activities, including providing water-related services to homeowners and the military. American Water Works expects to increase its earnings per share (EPS) at a compound annual rate of 7% to 10% between 2021 and 2025, which would make it one of the fastest-growing utilities in the country. The main driver of its outlook is a multibillion-dollar investment program to expand its regulated operations. The water utility has the financial flexibility to support its expansion plan thanks to its top-tier financial profile. Credit rating agency S&P Global (NYSE:SPGI) has an A rating on its credit, making it one of the few utilities at that top level. Meanwhile, it has a very conservative dividend payout ratio (it has targeted an average between 50% to 60% of its adjusted EPS). That strong financial profile has led American Water Works to forecast dividend growth of 7% to 10% per year through 2025. 2. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Brookfield Infrastructure owns a diversified portfolio of utility-like infrastructure businesses, including: Regulated utilities: Regulated electric and natural gas transmission and distribution businesses and a port terminal. Regulated electric and natural gas transmission and distribution businesses and a port terminal. Transport: Railroads, toll roads, ports, and liquified natural gas (LNG) export operations supported by long-term contracts or regulated rates. Railroads, toll roads, ports, and liquified natural gas (LNG) export operations supported by long-term contracts or regulated rates. Energy: Oil and natural gas midstream assets backed by long-term contracts or regulated rates. Oil and natural gas midstream assets backed by long-term contracts or regulated rates. Data infrastructure: Data centers, cell towers, fiber-optic cables, and data transmission assets supported by long-term contracts with customers. Brookfield Infrastructure operates several utilities and utility-like businesses that generate predictable cash flow. It expects this portfolio to deliver 5% to 9% annual funds from operations (FFO) growth over the long term. On top of that organic growth, Brookfield anticipates that acquisitions could boost its FFO by up to 5% per year. Brookfield secured a large acquisition of an oil infrastructure company in Canada in 2021 that will likely generate utility-like cash flows and above-average growth for the company in the future. Supporting Brookfield Infrastructure's long-term growth outlook is its top-notch financial profile. It has historically targeted a payout ratio of 60% to 70% of its cash flow. Further, it has a high credit rating for a company in the utility sector. Because of those factors, the company believes it can increase its dividend by a 5% to 9% annual rate over the long term. 3. NextEra Energy NextEra Energy operates regulated electric utilities in Florida. It also owns and operates natural gas pipelines and renewable energy projects that generate predictable income backed by long-term fixed-rate contracts. NextEra expects these businesses to grow its EPS at a 6% to 8% compound annual rate through 2023. Thats faster than the EPS growth rate projections of its largest peers in the electric utilities sector, which are in the low- to mid-single digits. Powering that above-average growth is NextEras ability to fund high-return expansion opportunities, thanks to its strong financial profile. That profile includes one of the highest credit ratings among the large rate-regulated electric utility companies and a dividend payout ratio thats historically been below the sector average. Because of its lower payout ratio, NextEra plans to increase its dividend by roughly 10% per year through at least 2022. What makes a good utility stock investment? Utility infrastructure is costly to build and maintain. Because of that, a utility needs a strong financial profile to invest in maintaining and expanding its infrastructure while also paying an attractive dividend. Three metrics can help you gauge a utilitys financial strength. An investment-grade bond rating A bond rating or credit rating for a company is like a credit score for an individual. Companies with higher investment-grade bond ratings can borrow money at lower rates and on easier terms. That's important for utilities since they routinely need to borrow money to help fund maintenance and expansion projects. So, investors should seek out companies with high bond ratings since they can more easily finance their operations, which helps them increase their earnings and dividends. Low leverage metrics While utilities need to borrow money to finance their operations, too much debt limits their ability to grow. Because of that, investors should look for utilities with conservative leverage metrics for the sector. Two notable ones are debt to EBITDA (debt in relation to income) and debt to total capital (debt in relation to total value). Good targets for the sector are a debt-to-EBITDA ratio of less than 4.5 times and a debt-to-capital value of less than 60%. A conservative dividend payout ratio A dividend payout ratio is the percentage of a company's profits that it pays out to investors via its dividends. Utilities traditionally have higher dividend payout ratios than other companies. The average was more than 65% of earnings per share in 2021, well above the 40% average of higher-yielding stocks in the S&P 500. However, utilities with a relatively lower payout retain more cash to reinvest in expansion projects. Consequently, they don't need to borrow as much money (which would lower their credit rating) or issue as many new shares (which would dilute existing investors shares of their profits) in order to finance growth. Utilities with stronger financial profiles have greater flexibility to invest in expansion projects and make acquisitions, positioning them to expand their earnings at an above-average rate. The extra fiscal strength also gives them more power to increase their dividends. The best utility stocks offer above-average growth for less risk These utility companies all have top-tier financial profiles. As a result, they have the flexibility to invest in expanding their operations while also increasing their dividends. Those dual growth drivers should give these utilities the power to produce attractive total returns for investors over the long term, making them stand out as excellent utility stocks to buy. Related investing topics Electric Utility stocks These companies generate predictable revenue, which makes them attractive to low-risk investors. Natural Gas Stocks Learn more about investing in one of the oldest power sources in the United States Energy stocks The production and distribution of energy is a broad industry that is crucial to the economy. Tech Stocks Utility companies rely on the technology sector to continue to create efficiencies within the energy industry. FAQs The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan on Wednesday rose to 250 as fresh cases emerged in Sindh, Islamabad and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces with majority of them linked to pilgrims coming from Iran. Four new cases emerged in Islamabad, nine new cases in Sindh while the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government reported three new cases. The Sindh province is the worst-hit with 181 cases, followed by 26 in Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa reported 19 cases, Islamabad eight, Gilgit-Baltistan three, the Express Tribune reported. The Balochistan government's tally of total cases stands at 16 as opposed to federal government's 15. Majority of Pakistan's COVID-19 cases are linked to those who went on pilgrimage to Iran, one of the countries hardest-hit by the disease, while less than half a dozen are locally transmitted. Pakistan shares a 960-kilometre border with Iran, with the main crossing point at Taftan in Balochistan province. The Taftan border has been closed since March 16, but thousands of Pakistan Shi'ite pilgrims who were visiting religious sites in Iran have been allowed to return subject to two weeks' quarantine. Authorities in Pakistan have screened over 1,015,900 travellers since the virus was first detected in the country. At least 20,088 travellers have been screened in the last 24 hours. Sindh government has come out criticising Centre for lack of foresight in quarantine arrangements in Taftan where over 9,000 pilgrims returning from Iran had been quarantined by the Balochistan government in a tent city'. After completing the 14-day incubation period, the pilgrims were allowed to travel back to their cities. However, Sindh and K-P sent the pilgrims to isolation facilities in Sukkur and Dera Ismail Khan and tested them before allowing further travel. In its March 13 National Security Committee meeting, Centre formed a Novel Coronavirus Core Committee with daily meetings between federal and provincial authorities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Italy's coronavirus outbreak may be so devastating because it has such an old population and the elderly come into frequent contact with the young. A study by the University of Oxford has suggested that multiple generations living under the same roofs 'accelerated' the spread of the virus in rural Italy. More than 31,000 people have been diagnosed with the virus in the crisis-hit country and at least 2,503 people have died a death rate of almost one in 12. The country has the world's second oldest population after Japan 22 per cent of people are over 65 and people in that group are known to be more likely to die if infected. But it could be the movements of young people which triggered the disaster. It's 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. They may have been picking up the virus while travelling and brought it home without realising they were ill, the Oxford researchers said. Another study published this week suggested that 86 per cent of patients may have no idea they're ill in the early stages of a country's epidemic, raising the risk of this deadly spread going unnoticed. And the UK also has an ageing population there are 11.9million people over the age of 65 and people are living, on average, three years longer than they did in 2003 so the way the virus has spread in Italy could be a lesson for the British Government. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged people not to visit sick or elderly relatives as one of his dramatic measures announced this week to protect the UK. Italy is in the grip of the worst coronavirus epidemic outside of China 31,000 people have been diagnosed with the illness. Pictured, medical staff collect a patient in an isolation pod at a hospital in Rome Dead coronavirus patients are pictured alongside coffins at Ponte San Pietro Hospital in Bergamo, Italy. More than 2,500 people there have been killed by the virus Italy's devastating outbreak has been centred around Milan and the more rural areas surrounding it in the Lombardy and Veneto provinces. The whole country is in lockdown and all citizens have been banned from travelling and urged from going outside all tourists have been sent home. In their study, published in the journal Demographic Science, the researchers wrote: 'Even relatively few connections between communities can lead to a stark reduction in average network distances; the so-called small world phenomenon. 'Such community connecting individuals might be those young people around Milan that work in the city but reside in the most hard-hit villages in the surrounding with their parents and grandparents. 'Thus, intergenerational co-residence may have accelerated the outbreak by creating intercommunity connections that increase the proximity of elderly to the initial cases, an area for further study.' The coronavirus kills people by triggering pneumonia, an infection which essentially floods the lungs, and organ failure. Pictured are dead patients at an Italian hospital Two men wheel a coffin through a room filled with dead coronavirus patients at a hospital in Bergamo. Social distancing measures may limit the numbers of people who are allowed to attend funerals Paramedics are pictured outside a hospital in Rome yesterday, March 17 An intensive care ward is pictured inside one of Italy's purpose-built coronavirus hospitals in Rome The legendary canals of Venice now run clear as the entire of Italy is in lockdown and tourists have been ordered to leave by the Government. The city is one of the world's most visited places and is usually heaving with tourists WHAT ARE THE RULES OF ITALY'S QUARANTINE? THE SICK MUST STAY AT HOME Anyone with a fever or respiratory symptoms is urged to stay at home and limit social contact, including with their doctor. NO TRAVEL ACROSS ITALY Travel is only allowed for 'urgent, verifiable work situations and emergencies or health reasons'. Grocery shopping is considered a 'necessity' and still allowed. To avoid work-related travel, public and private companies have been urged to put their staff on leave. Flights, trains and public transport will continue but Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte says he wants as many people as possible to stay at home. People who do want to travel will need to fill in a document explaining their reasons for doing so and carry it with them. NO PUBLIC GATHERINGS 'All forms of gatherings in public places or sites open to the public' are banned, the decree says. Cinemas, museums, theatres, pubs, dance schools, betting shops and discos are all closed. Weddings and funerals are banned. Schools and universities will remain shut until April 3. Bars and restaurants were only allowed to open between 8am and 6pm, the decree said, and only if a distance of at least 3ft could be kept between customers. Sporting events of all levels and disciplines were cancelled - stopping play in the Serie A football league. Fixtures in international competitions can go ahead but will be played behind closed doors. Gyms, sports centres, swimming pools, spas and leisure centres must close. SHOPS MUST KEEP 3FT DISTANCE Shops can remain open but only if they can guarantee the 3ft safety distance for customers. Big and mid-sized shopping centres have to close at the weekend. Food stores are allowed to remain open at all hours. NO LEAVE FOR HEALTH WORKERS Leave for health workers is cancelled. People accompanying their friends or relatives to emergency units are not allowed to stay with them in the waiting rooms without express permission. Advertisement The danger of the lifestyle described in the study is that the city-goers interact with a lot of people, visit busy places and work or travel in more cramped conditions. They risk picking up the virus and spreading it without realising, either because they get such a mild illness, or because it is transmitted before they get sick. And through this route, the virus could make its way out of a city like Milan where travellers will have brought it in into smaller villages in the countryside. Italy has the biggest population of elderly people in Europe, and the second oldest in the world, with almost a quarter of people (22 per cent) aged 65 or older. And the median age the middle of the age range is 46.5 years old, according to the CIA the fifth highest in the world. For comparison, the UK's median age ranks 50th is 40.6 (18 per cent aged over 65) and the US's is 38.5 (17 per cent over 65). The older someone is, the more deadly catching the coronavirus can be. Age is known to be one of the biggest risk factors because the immune system and lungs are naturally weaker so the body is less able to fend off pneumonia, which the virus causes in severe cases. Older people are also more likely to have the types of long-term illnesses which raise the risk of coronavirus becoming fatal, such as diabetes or heart disease. Research has found that people aged 80 or over have a 14.8 per cent risk (one in seven) of dying if they develop COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. But one of the authors of the Oxford study, Dr Jennifer Dowd, said simply trying to shut off old people from the rest of the society would not be enough. The Government in the UK had spoken of trying to protect the elderly with a 'cocoon' strategy by keeping them inside care homes and their own homes. Officials came under fire last week for appearing to suggest they were hoping the virus would spread among healthy, young people, to build up a herd immunity which could protect the vulnerable by making the virus unable to spread through the population. Now, however, over-70s in Britain are being urged to stay home and avoid contact with other people to reduce their risk of getting infected. But Dr Dowd said: 'One of the points that we were trying to make is that it's not necessarily just about isolating the older population,' Wired reported. 'We are identifying that they're the most vulnerablebut the general social distancing that's being encouraged to flatten the curve.' 'Flattening the curve' is a phrase that refers to trying to prolong and outbreak and spread the cases out over a longer period to reduce the pressure on hospitals. 'I think our point was that's actually important when you have a higher fraction of your population that is vulnerable,' Dr Dowd added. Photo: Glacier Media UPDATE: 3:50 p.m. BC Hydro says it is modifying work activities on the Site C project near Fort St. John in response to escalation of the COVID-19 pandemic. "BC Hydros top priority is the health and safety of its employees, contractors and the public. Focusing only on essential work and critical milestones will help reduce the number of workers staying at the worker accommodation lodge and result in fewer workers travelling to and from Fort St. John and the Peace Region," the utility said in a press release Wednesday afternoon. Hydro said it will work with contractors and unions to safely scale back construction activities at the site. However, "one of the areas the project will continue to make a priority is work required to achieve river diversion in fall 2020," Hydro said. Other essential work, such as keeping the site secure and meeting environmental commitments will continue as planned. In addition, work will continue off-site, including realignment of Highway 29, work on the transmission line, and reservoir clearing, as the majority of these workers do not stay in the lodge. ORIGINAL: 1:15 p.m. The BC Building Trades Council is calling for work to be scaled down at major construction projects in the province, including Site C. LNG Canada has said it will be cutting its workforce by half this week amid concerns about the spread of COVID-19, and will cut its workforce further if necessary. The Council said it wants the same to be done at Site C. We are calling for remote-camp megaprojects in B.C. to be tooled down to all but essential or critical-path work, executive director Andrew Mercier said in a statement. We need to flatten the curve and alleviate pressure on the rural health care systems. There are currently an estimated 3,600 workers on the project. BC Hydro has said it expects 2020 to be its busiest construction year. Contractors are racing to complete the two tunnels needed to divert the Peace River and begin dam construction this fall and keep the $10.7-billion project on schedule. BC Hydro says it has been monitoring global COVID-19 developments since January, and measures are in place to limit its potential spread at the construction site and work camp. That includes restrictions on non-essential employee travel and the postponement of non-essential site tours, meetings, and on-site training. The camp gymnasium and theatre have also been closed, and self-serve dining stations have been eliminated. Safety of workers is critical, said Mercier. We need contractors to find those safe ways to keep operating so that critical services ? air travel, health care, construction of vital infrastructure ? can take place and support economic recovery in the months ahead. We realize that there will be a financial consequence to our members, but the health and safety of our workers is paramount. Once we get through this, we have no doubt that construction work will form part of the stimulus to get this province back on its feetbut we are going to need safe and healthy workers for that," Mercier said. He was spotted on Sunday stocking up on paper towels while at Gelson's supermarket in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Sherman Oaks. And two days later, Jon Voight took to his Twitter as he led a prayer to God to rid the world of the coronavirus, which is now a global pandemic. The Oscar-winning actor and spirited supporter of Donald Trump, 81, told fellow Americans that 'we will rid this virus' as he asked God to 'wipe away the curse that has taken us down with fear.' Prayers: Jon Voight took to his Twitter as he led a prayer to God to rid the world of the coronavirus, which is now a global pandemic Jon, who is the father of Angelina Jolie, also specifically said 'God bless this nation and the entire creation,' as well as specifically asking God to protect 'our president and his family.' He said in the Twitter video: 'This nation is under God with liberty. Joshua has lifted his arc and will show his kingdom that this virus will not wipe out his men. He will battle to the end and he will show Jesus the prayer.' Jon continued: 'Oh Mighty. Oh Lord bring us to our feet to love you more. Oh Lord, oh our Savior, teach us more but lift this veil over our heads. Wipe away the curse that has taken us down with fear. Oh Lord give us peace on our holy land, give us peace for our children and elders.' Adding: 'Oh Lord give us light to shine on our souls so we may strong to fight. Oh Lord, we are all one with you.' Speaking out: The Oscar-winning actor and spirited supporter of Donald Trump, 81, told fellow Americans that 'we will rid this virus' as he asked God to 'wipe away the curse that has taken us down with fear' Jon concluded with: 'My fellow Americans, we will rid this virus. We will be strong because we are the greatest gift to mankind. We are all God's children. God bless this nation and the entire creation and may God protect our president and his family. Love to you.' He tweeted out the clip with the caption: This Nation Is Under God.' On Sunday, Jon was snapped as he stocked up on paper towels at a local grocery store in Sherman Oaks amid the coronavirus pandemic that has shut down schools, businesses and more across the world. Focused: He was spotted on Sunday stocking up on paper towels while at Gelson's supermarket in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Sherman Oaks The global coronavirus pandemic has reached over 200,00 confirmed cases and over 8,222 deaths as of Wednesday afternoon. Domestically, there has been 7,323 confirmed cases in the US with 115 deaths, as of Wednesday afternoon. The risk of serious illness as a result of COVID-19 is particularly high for those in Jon's age group, as senior citizens and those with compromised immune systems are most susceptible to respiratory failure, as stated by the Centers for Disease Control. Jon is father to Angelina, 44, and also James Haven, 46; their mother was actress Marcheline Bertrand, to whom Jon was married from 1971 until 1980. Marcheline passed away in 2007 from ovarian and breast cancer at the age of 56. Why Was Ranbir Kapoor Missing On Alia Bhatt's Birthday? Amid the Coronavirus outbreak, Alia recently celebrated her birthday with her girl gang including her sister Shaheen Bhatt and best friend Akansha Ranjan Kapoor. She later, took to her Instagram page to share some glimpses from her intimate birthday celebrations. Wishes poured in for the birthday girl from her friends and colleagues in the film industry including her mother Soni Razdan and Ranbir's mother Neetu. However, as per a report in odishatv.in, there was no message or picture from Ranbir. All's Not Well Between 'Ralia' The report further stated that despite being in Mumbai, Ranbir chose to stay away while his lady love celebrated her special day with her girl gang. This led to speculations among their fans that all's not well between the lovebirds. The Viral Old Picture A day after Alia's birthday, Natasha Poonawalla took to Instagram to share an old picture where Ranbir is seen planting a kiss on a grinning Alia's cheek, even as Arjun Kapoor and Malaika Arora hug and kiss in the background. Meanwhile, no fresh evidence of Alia being with Ranbir on her birthday came to the forefront this year. This Isn't The First Time When Their Breakup Rumours Have Surfaced Last year, when reports about Ranbir-Alia's relationship hitting a rough patch grabbed headlines, the actress was quoted as saying, "I don't understand the need for everyone to discuss my wedding all the time. But then, I think to myself that it's a simple question and my answer remains the same. If I'm not getting married right now, that's what I'll say. I'm happy being in a relationship, but that doesn't mean I'm tying the knot just yet." The Cowpea and Beans Farmers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria has begun plans that will see Nigeria export quality beans to the European market, as the ban placed on the country is expected to be lifted by 2021. The National President of the association, Shittu Mohammed, disclosed this to PREMIUM TIMES in Abuja on Monday. Cowpea is a leguminous crop grown in Nigeria, mainly dried and stored for local consumption. it is also traded and exported to various countries around the world, especially the European Union. In January 2013, the European Union (EU) placed a temporary suspension of imports of dried beans from Nigeria for one year. The ban was over the excessive use of chemicals by Nigerian farmers to control a pest, Maruca vitrata, from damaging crops on the field. Farmers were also found to be excessively using chemicals and pesticides in preservation of beans, without regards to human health. However, again in mid-2015, the EU suspended the export of selected Nigerian agricultural produce into their member countries. The details are outlined in the EU regulation 2015/943 as amended by Regulation 2016/874. The ban was extended by three years from the June 2016 deadline due to the observation of non-compliances to pesticides and other chemicals minimum acceptable residue level of 0.01mg/kg. It was discovered that Nigerian dried beans still contained high pesticide residues considered dangerous to human health. Mr Mohammed said the ban will end by 2021. Ahead of that date, he said the association was already putting measures in place to raise the capacity of farmers in best agronomic practices. We are trying to get silo from the government for the 36 states, where we can store our beans. We are also working at setting up laboratories in the states where the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) can test the beans before export. This is to ensure that no beans go out of the country without properly been tested, Mr Mohammed said. We are also working to put farmers in clusters to enable them get proper training and access to mechanisation, inputs, improved varieties and all that they need to increase production, he said. Mr Mohammed explained that the EU ban extension was as a result of farmers excessively using chemicals and pesticides for the preservation of beans without regards to human health, a problem which he said is now being dealt with by the association. You see, the ban was because our farmers were using excess chemicals and pesticides on their dried beans without thinking of the effects on human health. He said the association was also trying to ensure that beans are included among produce on the Federal Government and Central Bank of Nigerias (CBN) Anchor Borrowers Programme. He said the inclusion of the commodity would benefit over 14,000 beans farmers across the nation during the 2020 planting season. He added that with the current production rate of three million metric tonnes annually, in no time Nigeria will bridge the 1.5 million metric tonnes gaps in local demands if more support is given to farmers. He urged the government to address the issues of funding and accessibility to market, which he said is responsible for the application of chemicals to preserve the harvests before the sale. He said infrastructural decay is also a major challenge to farming in Nigeria generally, which he said is detering higher productivity. Mr Mohammed also mentioned preservation, insurgency and insecurity as major problems the farmers are faced with, saying that most farmers have stopped going to the farm due to the lack of access roads and insecurity. Our farmers are now scared of going to their farmlands because of insecurity, he said. Government effort is not forthcoming, most of their efforts is just paperwork, nothing gets to the practical farmers. He urged the government to take practical measures to kick start the exportation of Nigerian beans across the globe. The number of novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 147 on Wednesday, with 10 fresh cases reported from various parts of the country, according to the Health Ministry. The cases include 25 foreign nationals and the three persons who died in Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Over 5,700 people, who had come in contact with these positive cases, are under rigorous surveillance, the Ministry said. Delhi has so far reported ten positive cases which includes one foreigner while Uttar Pradesh has recorded 16 cases, including one foreigner. Maharashtra has 41 cases, including 3 foreigners, while Kerala has recorded 27 cases which includes two foreign nationals. Karnataka has 11 coronavirus patients. The number of cases in Ladakh rose to 8 and Jammu and Kashmir three. Telangana has reported five cases which includes two foreigners. 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 Rajasthan has also reported four cases including that of two foreigners. Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Punjab have reported one case each. In Haryana, there are 16 cases, which include fourteen foreigners. According to the ministry's data, 14 people have been discharged so far, including the three patients from Kerala who were discharged last month. Three persons infected with the virus have died so far, the latest casualty being a 64-year-old man from Mumbai with a travel history to Dubai who succumbed on Tuesday. While a 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi who returned from Saudi Arabia died last Tuesday, 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 government on Tuesday banned the entry of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia to India with immediate effect, according to an additional travel advisory. This instruction is a temporary measure and shall be in force till March 31 and will be reviewed subsequently. With coronavirus cases swelling in the country, the government has also banned the entry of passengers from the European Union countries, Turkey and the UK from March 18 till March 31. WASHINGTON Vice President Mike Pence has canceled a $500 per ticket fundraiser here next week that would have benefited Reps. John Katko and Lee Zeldin, R-Long Island, Katkos campaign said Tuesday. Invitations to the March 23 reception were sent out last week before President Donald Trump warned Americans on Monday to avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 people to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. In addition, Washington, D.C., ordered all restaurants and bars on Monday to stop dine-in service. Pence heads the task force that is coordinating the U.S. response to the coronavirus pandemic. Those invited to the private fundraising reception with the vice president were offered a photo opportunity with Pence for $2,800 per person or $5,000 per political action committee. Money raised at the event would have benefited a joint campaign fund set up to benefit Katko, R-Camillus, and Zeldin, according to an invitation obtained by syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. Two Democrats, Dana Balter and Francis Conole, will face each other in a June 23 primary election in the 24th Congressional District. The winner will challenge Katko in November. Read More: Roger Misso ends Democratic campaign for Congress Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact Mark Weiner anytime by: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751 The scraggly little dog looked confused and afraid after having been abandoned in the lobby of the animal shelter. Clearly an elderly dog, he moved stiffly, his teeth and gums were a mess, and he was mostly blind from what appeared to be a chronic eye condition. Xavier, as he would later be named, had had a rough go of it. But his future was now in the hands of ACCT Philly the nonprofit organization with the animal care and control contract for the city of Philadelphia. ACCT takes in most of the regions strays, surrendered animals, and other animals in need whether they be furry, scaled, or hooved. Not too long ago, Xaviers story would likely have ended in euthanasia. But this time, ACCT found a rescue partner, City of Elderly Love, that specializes in older pets and was able to get him the medical care he needed. Today, hes in a loving foster home where hes finding his spunk again, has developed a fondness for back scratches, and even sings for his supper, standing up on his back legs to do so. His foster family is dedicated to caring for him until a forever home comes along. Second-chance stories like Xaviers play out every day across the Delaware Valley and especially in Philadelphia, which is closer than ever to achieving something that once seemed impossible: becoming a city in which all healthy, treatable, and adoptable pets find homes. While we have long been a pet-friendly city in terms of dog parks and cat cafes (not one, but two), for decades we trailed almost all other large U.S. cities in how well we treated our homeless pet population. That has changed dramatically as the number of pets coming into ACCT has plummeted and the percentage of pets leaving alive has reached levels that seemed unattainable a decade ago. From the time of ACCTs founding eight years ago to 2019, the number of animals entering the system has decreased almost by half from over 32,000 in 2012 to 17,000 last year. Addressing the root causes that land pets at the shelter in the first place has played a large role in this decrease. Not long ago, pet owners who were no longer able to care for their pets typically surrendered them to their local shelter. But now, instead of simply accepting each pet, shelters are trying to help owners keep their pets when possible. In Philadelphia, as of 2018, resources are being provided to help pet owners and their pets stay together through, most notably, the help desk at ACCT. The help desk is a program of Citizens for a No Kill Philadelphia, a member of the No Kill Philadelphia Coalition. The Coalition was formed by the citys three largest animal agencies - ACCT, the Pennsylvania SPCA, and the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) with the goal of ending the euthanasia of Philadelphias savable pets. Helping owners keep their pets is a central priority of the Coalition, and the CNKP help desk counsels owners who are considering pet surrender and assists them with alternatives that include support with medical care, training needs, and supplies. The result? Over 75% of those who were counseled in 2019 did not surrender their pets. While reducing intake has been critical to the effort to get pets out of the shelter alive, just as critical has been the help of shelters and rescues both within and beyond the citys borders in finding homes for the animals being taken in. Of the animals entering ACCT in 2012, only 62% made it out alive. Today, the live release rate has increased to 87%, higher than it has ever been, and close to the 90% goal many shelters around the country strive to meet or surpass. These days, when animals enter ACCT, the odds of being adopted or transferred to a rescue are strongly in their favor. Organizations like the PSPCA, PAWS, and Medias Providence Animal Center are perhaps the most recognizable advocates, but the 300-plus partners of ACCT consist of groups across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and beyond, and now also include rescues with a specific focus. Rescues like Tiny Paws Rescue, focused on small dogs, and Brick City Rescue, focused on pit bull-type dogs, are among many. There are even organizations whose entire mission is to support these efforts like Philadoptables, which focuses on supporting groups that help Phillys homeless pets, and Hand2Paw, which pairs at-risk youth with homeless pets via the PSPCA, with whom the teens work. Even pet shops are doing their part by hosting adoption events for rescues and shelters. Stores such as Doggie Style Pets and PetValu are making adoption convenient by housing available animals on their premises and donating adoption fees back to partnering rescue organizations. This tremendous progress is due in large part to a surge in community awareness and support. Whether its the thousands of hours donated every year by dedicated volunteers, the partnerships among organizations, or the broader understanding of the issues faced by companion animals in our community, weve made remarkable progress for the homeless pets of Philadelphia. While further progress needs to be made, the lives of more animals are being saved each year. And thats something in which we can all take tremendous pride. Marsha Perelman is a civic leader and local and national animal advocate. Germanys version of Big Brother has now told its housemates of the coronavirus pandemic in a live to air show. The current season began on Feb. 10, when most cases were still in China. Speaking from behind a glass wall, host Jochen Schropp and a doctor explained that a disease called Covid-19 had spread across the world and reached Europe. Contestants were then shown news clips of recent events, including footage of deserted streets in Italy and Germany. Most of the contestants watched in shocked silence. Several erupted into sobs. Wiping away tears, one contestant, identified as Michelle, 26, explained that because she works as a geriatric nurse, she was particularly worried about her patients. Another, who works as a bartender, expressed concern about what the virus might mean for the countrys economy. As of Tuesday afternoon, 8,009 cases have been reported in Germany, a majority in North Rhine-Westphalia, the region where Big Brother is filmed. The show had also reversed its position in not telling housemates of the pandemic. Producers Endemol Shine had instructed all productions to tell casts, with Australian housemates -currently in lockdown in Manly- told earlier this week. https://twitter.com/endemolshine/status/1239853982983520256 https://twitter.com/endemolshine/status/1239854104651980800 In 2001, the US version of the program informed its cast members about the September 11 attacks. One of the contestants, Monica Bailey, had a cousin who died during the attack. But one edition of the series in 2001 stupidly showed a distressed housemate the World Trade Center attacks during an eviction show. The footage never made it to air. German contestants now have access to a psychologist to help them cope and were shown video messages from their loved ones, all of whom urged the housemates not to leave the show. The partner of one contestant, Pat, urged him to stay in the house. It was, he added, the best quarantine that exists. Big Brother Germany is now playing housemates video messages from their family and friends addressing the coronavirus, which have lifted the mood a bit #BBDE #BigBrother pic.twitter.com/7EgSiAGkVw bbspy (@bbspy) March 17, 2020 Source: NY Times One of the UK's most prestigious schools will send pupils home despite official advice to keep classes up and running. Boris Johnson's old stomping ground Eton College near Windsor, is to shut down schools across the country in order to combat the coronavirus pandemic. This is while Marlborough College in Wiltshire also said it is moving to an 'online learning environment' from 1pm today, after it became 'impossible' for the college to provide effective boarding and residential care. The closures come just 24-hours after Harrow School closed due to an infected pupil. So far there have been 72 deaths from the disease in the UK and 2,626 confirmed cases. Globally there have been 8,222 deaths and 203,480 confirmed cases. Boris Johnson's old stomping ground Eton College (pictured above) near Windsor, is to shut down schools across the country in order to combat the coronavirus pandemic The closure comes despite Mr Johnson's stance that schools and colleges should be kept open This is while Marlborough College (pictured) in Wiltshire also said it is moving to an 'online learning environment' from 1pm today Eton - which has fees of over 14,000 per term - has decided to send pupils home. One member of staff at the school, who did not want to be named, said: 'I don't think it's much of a secret. We're sending the boys home at lunch today.' A teacher at Eton, who wanted to remain anonymous, declined to comment - but did confirm that students were being sent home today. A worker in the bursar's office at the world-famous college said: 'Thing's are all a bit hectic when you close a school down before the end of term.' Speaking to the MailOnline a spokesperson for Marlborough College said staff had wanted to do their best to implement social distancing guidelines set out by the government. A petition has garnered over 672,000 signatures, as many urge the government to close the schools What is the government's official advice on school closures? Despite the spread of the coronavirus across the UK schools and colleges have remained open. The official government advice is that schools 'should only close if they are specifically advised to do so'. The government has however advised schools to cancel or postpone any international school trips that were scheduled. The government's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, said that while it's 'true that there's some effect in closing schools' the effect is 'minimal'. He said that if schools were closed they would have to be shut for 13-16 weeks. It was also advised that parents needed to take the right measures, such as children no longer staying with grandparents. A Government spokesperson said: 'As the Chief Medical Officer has said, the impact of closing schools on both children's education and on the workforce will be substantial, but the benefit to public health may not be. 'Decisions on future advice to schools will be taken based on the latest and best scientific evidence, which at this stage suggests children are a lower risk group. 'The advice from Public Health England continues to be for schools to remain open, unless advised otherwise.' Education events across the country have also been cancelled. Advertisement In a statement a spokesperson said: 'Marlborough College is moving to a virtual school environment from 1pm on 18th March. 'This decision will enable the College to continue to operate, given the increasing numbers of pupils and staff taking precautionary measures to self-isolate or to preempt further global travel restrictions which is making it impossible for the College to provide effective full boarding 24/7 residential care. 'The College will continue to deliver its timetabled academic lessons, pastoral support and co-curricular provision to pupils remotely, utilising a number of online platforms and delivery methods. 'The College has no confirmed case of COVID-19 and the campus will not be closed. All members of staff will continue with their duties until the end of term'. Despite some private schools acting unilaterally to shut their doors, a spokesperson for the Department for Education said that, as things stand, the government would not be closing down schools - pointing to Mr Johnson's statement yesterday. At his daily coronavirus briefing, the prime minister hinted that school closures may be enforced soon, adding that the current policy was under 'continuous review'. Mr Johnson said: 'I understand completely where people are at with that, we're keeping it under continuous review.' An online petition launched by parents and teachers worried about coronavirus urging the government to close all schools is approaching 700,000 signatures, with many parents warning they will pull their kids out of school if action isn't taken quickly. It said: 'We would like the government to at least consider closing schools/colleges down in the coming weeks or as soon as possible, in addition to taking necessary actions to prevent further spread. 'We would like the Government or Parliament to enforce this action due to the growing fear among parents and students that attend school. 'The ability to focus or concentrate is affected in addition to the growing fears of the Coronavirus. In our view, the government and health officials around the world are more 'reactive' rather than 'proactive'. 'This will result in more spread as time is given for the virus to do so. We hope to come to an agreement as soon as possible in a timely manner.' MailOnline has contacted Eton College. Farce as pupils sit in empty classrooms after '20 per cent of teachers self-isolate' at home due to coronavirus while parents urge government to close schools NOW Pupils across the UK are sitting in empty classrooms while others 'fake coughs' to stay at home amid parents' fury that schools will remain open despite the coronavirus outbreak. Britain's schools could be forced to close by the 'end of the week' due to falling staff levels as many are forced to stay at home to look after their families. The general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, Geoff Barton said many schools would not be able to remain open past the end of the week. He said roughly 10 to 20 per cent of teachers were self-isolating but the number was 'rapidly rising'. Teachers have also claimed they can't keep classrooms clean enough around the clock. So far there have been 72 deaths from the disease in the UK and 2,626 confirmed cases. Globally there have been 8,222 deaths and 203,480 confirmed cases. In the UK 5,000 tests are being carried out a day and the government has been criticised over test times as well as its response to closing schools after Scotland and Wales announced it would close them on Friday. Many members of teaching staff have had to call in sick, leaving many institutions under resourced, despite the government's plan to keep classes open. Alderman White School in Bramcote, near Nottingham, has asked parents to keep their children at home today, if they can provide childcare. It was also announced today that Marlborough College in Wiltshire would move to an 'online learning environment' and that Eton College would also close. This is while pupils have taken to social media with one claiming their 'class was empty'. Children & parents/carers arrive at school in West London. Many schools remain open despite the coronavirus crisis. Coronavirus outbreak (pictured yesterday) One Twitter user said youngsters were making up coughs in order to stay off from school One youngster tweeted that their school was empty and urged the government to close them Alderman White School in Bramcote (pictured above), near Nottingham, has asked parents to keep their children at home today, if they can provide childcare. The headteacher of the secondary school, Annwen Mellors, said in an email to parents this morning: 'I am quickly realizing that it is impossible to implement strategies to stop the spread of COVID-19 within a school. We all repeatedly touch surfaces touched by others, and it is impossible to keep everyone over a metre apart. 'Every student that stays at home reduces the risk to us all especially staff and students who have to come into school. If you need us to supervise your child please send them to school as usual DO NOT ask older family members to look after them.' Teachers are preparing lessons, which will be available via Googe School and a school app. Parent Helen Smith, 50, sales manager, from Beeston, Nottingham, who has two children at the school, said: 'There has been a flurry of phone calls this morning as we all try to sort ourselves out, but people understand where the head teacher is coming from. 'What else can she do? I think it is a really sensible approach and to be honest, the school has done a good job keeping us updated all the way through. 'It's going to be hard for a lot of parents, but quite a few are already working from home, which makes it a little bit easier. 'And sooner or later the schools were going to close. It's just a bit sooner than we expected!' This is while one parent today claimed children 'were not stupid' and urged the Prime Minister to close schools. 'Get Boris to close schools! All the children are making up a cough to come home anyway 40 sent home yesterday from one school yesterday and there's probably nothing wrong with them yet! Children not stupid! Over 1000 children in my daughters school.' One school, Newburgh School made sure the environment was clean for the children by getting them involved in the cleaning of their class rooms. They were seen cleaning their plastic chairs and tidying up. This is while one teacher shared a photo of a picture one child had drawn, showing germs with the word 'coronavirus is bad'. Potters Green School in Coventry helped keep spirits up in their school and their teachers filmed them singing in lessons. This is while head teachers' leader this morning said that teachers have expressed their concerns surrounding the situation and have claimed they will 'not be able to cope much longer' with the current set up. The general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders said the trajectory cannot go anything other than downwards. Speaking to the BBC Geoff Barton said: 'Some very seasoned head teachers have been calling me to say they will not be able to manage much longer. 'One said he had 17 members of staff call in sick. And I think this will be replicated around the country. People are saying they will do well to get to the end of the week'. His comments come as teaching unions criticised the government's advice as confusing and said it had placed 'intolerable pressure' on staff members up and down the country. So far the UK government has not advised that schools close, but has said people should avoid pubs and restaurants, as well as mass gatherings. In the UK there have been 71 deaths from the disease as well as 1,950 confirmed cases. A petition have been launched by worried teachers and parents, urging the government to close schools. It has so far reached over 672,000 signatures. At his daily coronavirus briefing, the prime minister hinted that school closures may be enforced soon, adding that the current policy was under 'continuous review'. Mr Johnson said: 'I understand completely where people are at with that, we're keeping it under continuous review.' An online petition launched by parents and teachers worried about coronavirus urging the government to close all schools is approaching 700,000 signatures, with many parents warning they will pull their kids out of school if action isn't taken quickly. It said: 'We would like the government to at least consider closing schools/colleges down in the coming weeks or as soon as possible, in addition to taking necessary actions to prevent further spread. 'We would like the Government or Parliament to enforce this action due to the growing fear among parents and students that attend school. 'The ability to focus or concentrate is affected in addition to the growing fears of the Coronavirus. In our view, the government and health officials around the world are more 'reactive' rather than 'proactive'. 'This will result in more spread as time is given for the virus to do so. We hope to come to an agreement as soon as possible in a timely manner.' Parents took to social media this morning to blast the government's response, with some saying their schools had been like a 'ghost town' today. Others highlighted that adults also work in schools and they were 'being forgotten in all of this'. One user said: 'This is ridiculous! Yesterday, all the shops, restaurants, cafes etc I passed were empty. But today at rush hour the streets and cycle tracks are packed with people taking kids to school. Where they will spend hours in a petri dish before coming home. How does this help?' Another user said it was a 'disgrace that the schools were still open' and one urged Boris Johnson to 'close them now'. Despite this Good Morning Britain's resident doctor Hilary Jones, said it was important to look at the pros and cons of closing schools. 'This age group is not very much affected by this virus at all. They are highly resilient to this virus by and large up to the age of 10. Social media users commented today that the schools should not be open and urged Boris Johnson to close them 'So, the children themselves are not at higher risk because they are in close proximity with one another, the teachers are worried because there's a lot of children in one area. 'You've got to look at the pros and cons of closing schools too early - there may come a time when we do and it may be approaching quite soon, at the moment if we close schools you have to remember that a lot of those parents will be taken out of other jobs , many of which are in the health service.' Speaking on the show, he said the problem was the fact that there was not yet any facilities to manage the children of key responders. 'So there are children who need safeguarding in school, there are children who need free school meals in school, there are children who need education - if we take them out of school, they're going to congregate and play with their friends anyway. 'And if parents can't look after them at home when they're not at school, the grandparents probably will look after them, and they're the vulnerable group'. Piers Morgan claimed that it was difficult to see why the UK wasn't closing its schools after other places such as the US had closed. Dr Hilary said the US had acted later in trying to 'down the spread' and highlighted that no two countries have the same policies applied to the population. 'And just because other countries are doing it makes no more sense for us to do it, than it does for other people to see people buying lots of toilet roll and for us following suit'. A Government spokesperson said: 'As the Chief Medical Officer has said, the impact of closing schools on both children's education and on the workforce will be substantial, but the benefit to public health may not be. 'Decisions on future advice to schools will be taken based on the latest and best scientific evidence, which at this stage suggests children are a lower risk group. 'The advice from Public Health England continues to be for schools to remain open, unless advised otherwise.' Despite Prince Harry and Meghan Markles exit, there is plenty to look forward to in Princess Beatrices upcoming wedding. Beatrices union to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi might be exactly what the royals need to turn over a new leaf. But there is a chance that some of the wedding guests will be forced to follow strict rules especially when it comes to fashion for her big day. Princess Beatrice | Jonathan Brady WPA Pool/Getty Images Princess Beatrice set to exchange vows Beatrice, Princess of York, and Edoardo got engaged last fall and shared their exciting announcement on social media. The royal family remained silent on the issue for several months before confirming that the wedding will take place in May. The ceremony will be held inside The Royal Chapel in St. Jamess Palace. The venue can hold around 150 guests, so Beatrices wedding is not expected to be a grand affair. After the ceremony, Queen Elizabeth will host the reception at Buckingham Palace. Because the event is expected to be private, it is unclear how many photos we will actually see from the wedding. Princess Beatrice and Edoardo have not released an official guest list for her big day. Experts are fairly certain that Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, will make an appearance, though there has been some talk that Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, will also make it to the event. What rules will Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle follow? In the event that Kate and Meghan make it to the wedding, Express reports that the two might be forced to follow some strict fashion guidelines to prevent any missteps. For Kate, this might mean wearing a recycled outfit, a move that she has done frequently in the past. The Duchess of Cambridges past outfits have always been smart, structured and absolutely stunning, expert Anthony McGrath shared. Shes not afraid to recycle outfits wearing the same bright blue Catherine Walker coat for her friend Sophie Carters wedding that she previously wore during a royal tour of Germany. McGrath added that Kate might also choose to wear a coat dress. The Duchess of Cambridge has worn these outfits to previous weddings and has a penchant for floral designs. As far as Meghan is concerned, McGrath believes that she will likely go with a more muted appearance if she attends the ceremony at all. Meghan often appears in bold colors, but that will probably change now that she has stepped away from the royal spotlight. Meghans exit from the royal family will become official at the end of March, so she will no longer be an active royal when Princess Beatrices wedding rolls around. If she does attend the wedding, the royals might restrict her fashion choices to better represent her standing. Will Queen Elizabeth miss Princess Beatrices wedding? While fans wait to see what unfolds, there is a chance that Queen Elizabeth misses Beatrices wedding altogether. Her Majesty is expected to cancel a number of different royal engagements in the coming weeks amid growing concerns over the coronavirus. Queen Elizabeth turns 94 years old next month and is in the high-risk group for the coronavirus pandemic. To help decrease her chances of contracting the virus, Queen Elizabeth has officially left Buckingham Palace and will remain at Windsor Castle with her husband, Prince Philip. Princess Beatrice's royal wedding is facing some issues because of the coronavirus. Here's what we know: https://t.co/9hKnTb59Sw InStyle (@InStyle) March 16, 2020 There is no telling how long the coronavirus outbreak in the UK will last, but officials are preparing for the worst. If the coronavirus is not halted, then there is a chance that Queen Elizabeth skips out on Princess Beatrices big day. In fact, Beatrices wedding is scheduled to take place in 11 weeks, and if things continue as they have been, the UK could be dealing with the worst of the coronavirus at that time. There have also been rumors that the coronavirus will cause Princess Beatrice to have to postpone her wedding for the third time. Who will make up the wedding party? Although we do not know much about the guest list for Princess Beatrices wedding, there has been a slew of reports about who will make up the wedding party. Most royal experts agree that Beatrices sister, Princess Eugenie, will be her maid of honor. Beatrice did the same for Eugenie, Princess of York, when she tied the knot with Jack Brooksbank a few years ago. Kates children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, are also expected to play a part in the wedding, likely as page boys and flower girls, though nothing official has been confirmed. Princess Beatrice has not commented on the rumors surrounding Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton attending her wedding. As the coronavirus pandemic reaches Massachusetts, some health care providers in the state have started offering drive thru testing for COVID-19. However, the name can be misleading. The testing is far from a made-to-order process available to everyone, which customers normally associate with drive-thru in the fast-food industry. The protocols issued by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still pertain to the drive thru testing across the state. That means drive thru testing isnt for people looking to be tested randomly - even if theyre showing some symptoms. Patients need to follow steps prior to arriving at drive-thru testing facilities. We dont want people showing up saying, I just want to know if Im negative, Worcester Director of Public Health Dr. Michael Hirsh said. The protocols require patients to have symptoms of coronavirus and be in contact with a person who has coronavirus or traveling from a country where the outbreak has reached severe totals. In addition to that, some testing facilities require an appointment and a prescription from a persons primary care doctor. Two hospitals in Worcester now offer drive-thru testing. St. Vincents Hospital began the testing over the weekend, while UMass Memorial Medical Center started on Wednesday. At UMass, patients also have to have been identified by a UMass physician first. I wouldnt tell any person in Worcester to just drive up and say I need a test, Hirsh said. Hirsh said patients must show a fever higher than 100, symptoms of COVID-19 such as a dry cough for chest discomfort and exposure to a person who tested positive or being exposed to travel requirements. They dont have enough tests, Hirsh said. They still thus far are essentially rationing them. Im hoping that that situation will be fixed on a federal level, but for now, we have to be very judicious in who gets the testing and who doesnt. Middleton Family Medicine, a private medical practice in Middleton, offers COVID-19 testing for its patients, but has continually had to remind their patients that tests are only performed after a series of steps. For Middleton Family Medicine, the entire process occurs outside the office. When a patient contacts the office, a telemedicine call is set up. Through the practices mobile app, they can visit with a patient virtually to examine and diagnose symptoms. If a doctor believes the symptoms are coronavirus related, a drive-thru test is scheduled, but not for COVID-19 at first. Dr. Andrew Ting, the Director of Operations for Middleton Family Medicine, said the practice first performs on-site in-car tests for the flu, strep throat and other possible illnesses. The tests are conducted on-site and take about 15 minutes. Depending on those results, the physician will call the patient and advise them on whether a coronavirus test is needed. We want to be able to do it in a very controlled environment so people arent freaking out but also we try to do assessments, and if appropriate we will do the COVID testing, Ting said. A similar protocol is being followed in Cape Cod. Falmouth Hospital and Cape Cod Hospital are each conducting drive-thru testing, but anyone arriving at the sites without a doctors prescription or an appointment will be turned away without exception. Cape Cod Healthcare is the safety net for the entire community. We are working tirelessly to address the spread of COVID-19, which will require us to come together as a community to break down any possible barriers to care, President and CEO of Cape Cod Healthcare Michael Lauf said in a statement. In Boston, Atrius Health has tested 195 people. As of Wednesday, it had the capacity to test 180 per day. By the end of the week, that number could jump to 200 per day according to Sean Barwis, the Director of Urgent Care at Atrius Health. Still its not a true drive thru test. Patients must be triaged for COVID-19 testing then they can schedule an appointment for the in-car testing. In Middleton, Ting said in-car testing is conducted by medical staff in full personal protective equipment. Tests are administered every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in 15-minute intervals that are by appointment only for the private practices patients. Middleton Family Medicine uses Labcorp to confirm its coronavirus testing. Results normally come back in three to five days depending on where the samples are sent. Labcorp and Quest are the two national private testing agencies. Hirsch said Quest can take about three days for test results. On Monday, Gov. Charlie Baker said he would like to see Massachusetts test more. The state laboratory has conducted at least 1,367 tests as of Tuesday. Working with private companies like Labcorp and Quest should bolster the testing rate across the state. I think this is going to get better, Hirsh said. Were all unfortunately going to have more and more experience with this. The test kits are going to get faster and their availability is going to get more. Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts Related Content: The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought responses from Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath and speaker NP Prajapati on a petition by 10 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs seeking an immediate floor test while the Congress filed a separate plea saying the test could not be conducted as 16 lawmakers had been held captive in Bengaluru. The 22 Congress lawmakers from the state present in Bengaluru appeared before the media on Tuesday and said they were with BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia and had not been held captive. The MLAs said they were willing to return to Madhya Pradesh immediately if provided Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) security. The floor test can happen only when all the elected lawmakers are present in the assembly, the Congress party said in its petition. Also Watch | Digvijaya Singh stopped by cops from meeting MP rebel MLAs in Bengaluru Facing a constitutional crisis, the Kamal Nath-led Congress government did not hold a floor test in the state assembly on Tuesday despite governor Lalji Tandons suggestion to go for it. The governor asked the CM to seek a trust vote in the House on Monday. When that did not happen, the governor sent another letter to Nath on Monday to face a floor test by Tuesday, failing which, he warned, the CM would be considered to have lost his majority in the House. Governor Tandon could not be reached for comments. The Supreme Court gave liberty to the petitioners to serve a notice on the chief minister, the speaker and the state government through email considering the urgency of the situation in the state assembly and posted the case for further hearing at 10.30am on Wednesday. Issue notice in view of the urgency of the situation. Liberty granted to issue notice on email, the order said. The petitioners led by former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan had rushed to the Supreme Court seeking an immediate floor test after the state assembly was, on Monday, adjourned by the speaker till March 26 citing health concerns due to the coronavirus epidemic. The 10 MLAs submitted that the Nath government had lost its majority after the resignation of 22 MLAs and did not have the moral, legal or constitutional right to remain in office. 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 BJP MLAs submitted. During the hearing, the bench of justices DY Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta noted the concerns raised by senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the BJP MLAs, that the Congress was trying to buy time by not appearing in the case. This case shows travesty of justice. The other side deliberately did not appear, Rohatgi said. The court said it would have to issue a notice in the matter and hear the other side. The appropriate thing would be for us to issue a short notice and hear this tomorrow, justice Chandrachud said. The Congress petition contended that if 22 MLAs had resigned then a floor test could not be held with those seats vacant as the electorate of those constituencies, almost 10% of the total seats, would be unrepresented. Such a trust vote, it contended, would be a complete sham and antithetical to the principle of representative democracy. The Congress sought the intervention of the court to enable the party to communicate with its 16 MLAs in captivity. The actions of the respondents raise larger issues of Constitutional propriety and morality as to whether the union government and/or state government can use the official machinery of the centre as well as the states to foster the prospects of any political party, the petition said. It said while the 16 MLAs had resigned from the assembly, they had not done so from the primary membership of the Congress party. The petition filed by the Congress will be heard on Wednesday along with the one by the BJP MLAs. The Congress governments problems began last week after 22 MLAs resigned from the assembly in the wake of former Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia joining the BJP. The speaker later accepted the resignations 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. Notably, 17 of these 22 MLAs including the six ministers went incommunicado on March 9. They were later found staying in a resort in Bengaluru. Two Congress MLAs had already been staying there since March 3 while the others joined them later. Speaking to the media, former health minister Tulsiram Silavat said, The state assembly election in 2018 was contested by the Congress by projecting the face of senior leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia and Kamal Nath but party leadership made Kamal Nath chief minister. The moment Nath became CM his behaviour changed completely. He didnt have time to meet his ministers, not to speak of MLAs. The officers are more powerful than the ministers. Another former minister Govind Rajput said, In every cabinet meeting there was some proposal or the other for Chhindwara (CMs constituency). The CM behaved as if he was a CM of Chhindwara only, not entire Madhya Pradesh. We had to struggle for even insignificant work related to our constituencies. I could not help anyone in my constituency to have even a gun licence or in transfer matters. No development work was done in my constituency. Former minister Imrati Devi said all the MLAs were with Scindia and they will oppose Nath. We will decide on joining the BJP later after a discussion, she said. Congress MLA Rajvardhan Singh said, When the state cabinet was constituted there were at least 10 senior leaders among MLAs who deserved to be inducted in the cabinet but their merit and seniority were overlooked whereas in a blatant practice of nepotism Digvijaya Singhs son and nephew were made ministers. In reply to a question whether they would join the BJP, the MLAs said they would sit together and decide later. One of the 22 MLAs, Bisahulal Singh, said, I have already joined the BJP. Nath could not be reached for his comments. However, his media coordinator Narendra Saluja released a number of video clips on the six former ministers in which they were seen praising Naths leadership and thanking him for development work in their respective constituencies. Saluja said, The video clips of the former ministers are self-explanatory that the former ministers are telling a lie. The chief minister gave enough time to each of the MLAs and listened to them. He also sanctioned development projects for the entire state. And if they are levelling allegations of corruption in the government they should also make it clear were they also involved in the corrupt practices? Assembly speaker Prajapati wrote to the governor over the security of the MLAs. Talking to the media, he said, Given the circumstances there is doubt if MLAs submitted their resignations at will as neither they nor any of their kin submitted the resignations to me. None of them turned up before me to explain their stand in response to notices sent to them. They didnt attend the state assembly proceedings on March 16 either. Earlier, referring to the governors observation that the CM avoided a floor test, Nath said in his letter to the governor, I proved my majority in the House several times in the past 15 months. Since the 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 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 court. A delegation of BJP leaders called on the governor on Tuesday afternoon and complained that the Congress government was avoiding a floor test on some pretext or the other. 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 legal and moral authority to remain in power. Gov. Kate Brown reiterated Tuesday that Oregonians need to take action now to slow coronavirus transmissions in order to avoid "a higher strain on our medical system and greater loss of life to this disease. Brown and other public officials took sweeping actions to address the spread of the disease -- and the economic havoc it has caused. Here are six key developments to know Wednesday: SCHOOLS: The governor ordered Oregon schools to remain closed through April 28, extending her previously mandated closure period by four weeks. Students in Oregon will now remain out of school for at least six weeks. Even though schools are closed, day cares remain open. The state expanded child care subsidies for working parents who will rely on day cares to fill the place of schools. SURGE: State and county health officials announced Oregons biggest one-day spike in coronavirus cases Tuesday. Experts have warned that the virus will indeed spread, but the increase was also caused in part by the increased availability of tests. The rise came with tragic news of that a second Oregonian who had the disease had died. Two residents of Clark County, Washington -- a husband and wife in their 80s -- also died. RESPONSE: There remains uncertainty statewide about who can be tested for coronavirus and how patients can obtain those tests. On Tuesday, Browns administration provided mixed messages about when expanded testing will be available. Many rural counties still are sorting out when and how they will gain access to needed medical equipment. SENIORS: In addition to closing schools, Brown ordered nursing homes closed to visitors amid the coronavirus outbreak. State officials say they are monitoring people in 34 nursing homes and other long-term care centers in Oregon for because they believe the residents may have the new coronavirus, state officials said Tuesday. And the number of senior care homes on the watch list has more than doubled, from 16 Sunday to the current count. So far only residents at one such facility -- a Linn County veterans home -- have tested positive. STABILITY: Businesses forced to close in the wake of the coronavirus response have laid off thousands of workers in the Pacific Northwest. McMenamins alone has cut nearly 3,000 jobs. In response to such job cuts, Multnomah County and Portland city leaders issued emergency orders that ban eviction of tenants who fall behind on rent due to coronavirus-related challenges. NEXT STEPS: Some cities and countries are taking more extreme steps than Oregon to fight the exponential spread of the new coronavirus. The San Francisco metro area is covered by a shelter-in-place order. Has the time come in Oregon for a societal lockdown? What does it look like? And how long would it last? -- The Oregonian/OregonLive The Massachusetts Department of Correction commissioner reversed a memorandum that granted a moratorium on discipline and suspensions for prison staff, saying the directive had been drafted and distributed without her approval. Commissioner Carol Mici sent a letter to the extended leadership team Wednesday stating that the unauthorized memo authored by Deputy Commissioner Michael G. Grant would not be honored. In order to eliminate any confusion caused by that unauthorized memo, I would like to convey explicitly to all personnel that the Department of Corrections disciplinary policy has not changed and that standard operating procedure will continue, Mici wrote. The directive was first published Tuesday night on the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federal Unions website. The union represents about 4,000 correction officers across the state. Any situations that are of an egregious nature and require immediate action will be handled on a case by case basis, Grant wrote in the memo, which is now moot. The document sparked criticism from civil rights advocates and some law enforcement officials. Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, said the organization was deeply concerned by the memo. Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins called the memo a decline to prosecute list for correction officers. If theres a moratorium on discipline & suspensions for COs (and a recall even) isnt that just a decline to prosecute list for COs? Instead, lets stop all petty arrests; bail & pre-trial detention w/ no public safety threat; technical violations of parole & probation. pic.twitter.com/2YbRu4ZVTC DA Rachael Rollins (@DARollins) March 18, 2020 Gov. Charlie Baker did not comment on the memo when asked Wednesday afternoon, saying only that the DOC is generally taking guidance from public health officials on how to best manage facilities and the inmates detained in them. The Department of Correction responded Wednesday afternoon with an attachment containing the new memo. It is unclear what led to the unauthorized memo." The new memo does not explain what led to the drafting and circulation of the original document Tuesday night. The Department of Correction insists on the highest standards of professionalism, and the overwhelming majority of correction officers adhere to those standards every day, Mici wrote. We will continue to support these men and women who uphold our values even under difficult and dangerous circumstances, and we will continue to investigate and discipline conduct that does not comport with them. Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts >> Related Content: A growing number of Ontario universities and colleges are urging students in residence to return home, if possible, amidst concerns sparked by the COVID-19 outbreak. The University of Guelph, Wilfrid Laurier, York, Brock and McMaster, are among those that have issued directives to students living in residence a move that comes on the heels of schools provincewide suspending in-person classes. Emptying out residences can help flatten the curve of the outbreak, a key goal of public health agencies as they work to spread out new coronavirus cases over time and not overburden the health care system. Wilfrid Laurier, for instance, is requiring students move out of its residences by Wednesday night and only under exceptional circumstances can they remain this includes international students, those in self-isolation, and anyone whose home is out of province or more than five hours away. Similarly, at Brock University, where students are urgently advised to return to their family or permanent homes, residences will close Thursday evening again, except for those in exceptional circumstances. Student Sophie Johnston never imagined she would be moving back to Toronto more than a month before the scheduled end of the semester at Brock. Youve got to do what youve got to do, she said Tuesday, while packing up her belongings. Still, the first-year medical-sciences student looks forward to returning home early despite the circumstances. On Tuesday, the University of Toronto said it will keep providing residence for those who cannot return home at this point and is working on ways to support students who will not be able to return home when the term ends. We have emergency assistance grants or bursaries available for U of T domestic and international students impacted by COVID-19 and who need immediate short-term financial relief because of unexpected expenses, according to a university statement. Meanwhile, at Ryerson University, residence students in Pitman Hall, the Daphne Cockwell Complex and the International Living and Learning Centre were asked on Tuesday to leave as soon as possible. Students will be contacted by Student Housing and Community Care concerning move out shortly, said Ryerson president Mohamed Lachemi in a university posting. Arrangements will be made for students with exceptional circumstances. David Lindsay of the Council of Ontario Universities the voice of the provinces universities said schools are following the guidance of health authorities. Universities are responding in different ways to the pandemic based on the local recommendations, the nature of their facilities, needs of students and the societal need to help with efforts to flatten the curve, said Lindsay, the councils president and CEO. Our primary concern remains ensuring the safety and health of our students, staff and faculty. In recent days, colleges and universities have been following the advice of health authorities, whove been calling for increased social distancing measures, which means reducing in-person contact. Thats led schools to suspend in-person classes, moving them online. At this time, most university residences (in Canada) remain open, says Alison Evans, spokesperson for Universities Canada, the voice of universities nationwide. But many universities, in Ontario and Nova Scotia particularly, are strongly suggesting that students who can do so leave residence as soon as possible. These universities are keeping residences open for those who still need housing, including international students or out-of-province students who need more time to arrange to move. The provinces colleges are encouraging domestic students in residence but not international students to return home, said Don Lovisa, chair of Colleges Ontario, which advocates on behalf of the provinces publicly funded colleges. We really want to see a depopulation of our residences, said Lovisa, adding many colleges cant outright shut them down since some students depend on them. For instance, Lovisa, whos also president of Durham College, said residences there are on campus and students depend on the college for meals, security and other services. By comparison, other colleges, particularly in Toronto, also have off-campus apartment-style residences where students arent so reliant on such services. Linda Franklin, president and CEO of Colleges Ontario says, Things are changing hourly and college presidents and vice-presidents are on calls every day to monitor the situation across the system. With files from the St. Catharines Standard Read more about: The man who fatally shot his common-law wife before turning the hunting rifle onto himself had an active protective order filed against him by her, according to court records. READ MORE: Former Laredo BP agent facing murder charges tries again to remove counsel Iliana Lizbeth Estrada, 29, had filed the emergency protective order against Ubaldo Guajardo Quiroz, 41, after he allegedly assaulted her in January and accused her of cheating. Authorities arrested Guajardo Quiroz on Feb. 26 and charged him with assault of a family, household member by impeding breath, circulation. He had bonded out the same day, according to Webb County Jail records. The protective order was valid for 91 days. For that case, Estrada called police at about 6:16 p.m. Jan. 20 wanting to file a police report against Guajardo Quiroz. Police responded to Jett Bowl on 701 Gale St. for the assault report. Estrada stated that her common-law husband choked her. She stated she went home for lunch. There, Guajardo Quiroz brought up the past about a male friend and accused Estrada of cheating. She remained silent to prevent the situation from escalating, according to police. Guajardo Quiroz told Estrada to go to their bedroom to talk privately because their kids were present. Estrada complied and went to their bedroom. Guajardo Quiroz then pushed her onto the bed and began to choke her while impeding her breathing. Guajardo Quiroz stopped when Estradas daughter yelled at him to stop, authorities said. Then, Guajardo Quiroz and Estrada went to the living room. They both sat on the sofa. Guajardo Quiroz then attempted to kiss her but bit her lips instead, according to police. Estrada told police she had been in a relationship with Guajardo Quiroz for about 10 years. She told police they had one child in common. Suspected murder suicide The suspected murder suicide happened at about 9:37 p.m. Thursday in the 200 block of Gale Street, when officers responded to a shooting report. First officers on the scene said they encountered two bodies lying on the ground in front of a house on Gale. Authorities later identified the bodies as Estrada and Guajardo Quiroz. Both had gunshot wounds, according to LPD crimes against persons detectives. Investigators said they also found a bolt action hunting rifle near the two bodies. At this preliminary phase of the investigation, the case indicates the matter to be a murder-suicide. It is believed that Mr. Guajardo killed Ms. Estrada and then killed himself, police said in a statement. LPD said they recorded this incident as the first homicide this year. Priors Guajardo Quiroz had an assault, family violence case filed against him in 2014. The case was later dismissed, according to court documents. He, too, has convictions of a protective order violation and driving while intoxicated. READ MORE: Coronavirus hits Laredo: What you need to know Estrada was arrested and charged with two counts of intoxicated assault with a vehicle and driving while intoxicated on May 23, 2011. She pleaded guilty to one count of intoxication assault and successfully completed her probation, records show. The highly-anticipated seventh Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award ended on Saturday on a great note. It was a thrilling night of brilliant performances, surprise wins, striking acceptance speeches and remarkable achievements in all disciplines of filmmaking. From actor Jidekene Achufusi, aka Swanky JKA, scoring his first Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award as the 2020 AMVCA Trailblazer to Timini Egbusons well-deserved win, it was no doubt a great night for Nollywood starlets. Here are the five biggest AMVCA moments that we wont forget in a hurry. Swanky JKAs moment of glory Jidekene Achufusi aka Swanky JKA, scored his first Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award as the 2020 AMVCA Trailblazer on Saturday and it didnt come as a surprise. Despite being in the industry for four years, his lead role as Nnamdi in Living In Bondage shot his profile up in 2019. Bisola Aiyeola, who won the same award in 2018, handed him his award. BBNaija winner, Mercy Eke, snags her first award BB Naija winner, Mercy Eke, made a grand entrance into Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, venue of the AMVCA, looking every bit like a princess in a lovely Cinderella-inspired ball gown by Dona Matoshi. For her second outfit, she rocked a beautiful emerald green dress paired with the right accessories that accentuated her outfit. She won the best dressed at the 2020 AMVCA ceremony and received a plaque for her win. Funke Akindele emerged Nollywoods queen of comedy Funke Akindele won the award for Best Actress in a Comedy (MovieTV Series) for her performance in Mums at War Funke Akindele secured the Best Actress in a Comedy category for her role in Moms at War. It was a keenly contested category that saw Funke up against equally talented acts like Toyin Abraham, Bimbo Ademoye and Ebele Okaro. The elated actress reminded the excited crowd that she is winning in that category for the fourth time. Toyin Abrahams big night Toyin Abraham emerged winner in the Best Actress in a Drama MovieTV Series category for her role in the movie Elevator Baby The AMVCA Best Actress in a Drama (Movie/TV Series) was one of the major award categories this year. For Toyin Abraham, a win would be a game-changer in her career, especially as a cross-over actress. With the likes of Shola Shobowale and Zainab Balogun also nominated in the same category, Toyins fans, rose to the occasion. They voted en masse and their favourite emerged the winner. Living in Bondage clinches seven major awards. Living in Bondage: Breaking Free, a 2019 Nigerian drama thriller film produced by Charles Okpaleke and directed by Ramsey Nouah, won seven awards. It was adjudged the overall film of the year. The biggest winner of AMVCA was Nigerian thriller Living in Bondage, which walked home with seven awards including Best Overall Movie Among the awards the movie won are Best Overall Movie and Best Director for Ramsey Nouah and Steve Gukas. It is the first AMVCA win for Nouah who was absent at the event. The movie also earned a first-time win for Larry Gaaga who composed the soundtrack of the movie. Timini Egbusons well-deserved recognition Dakore Egbuson-Akande presented the award for Best Actor in a Drama (Movie or TV Series) to her younger brother, Timini Egbuson. It was an emotional moment for the siblings who are both stars in their own rights. Jidekene Achufusi aka Swanky JKA scored his first Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award as the 2020 AMVCA Trailblazer Timinis role as Oluwadamilare Williams in Elevator Baby earned him his first-ever AMVCA win. It was a tough category albeit a major one. A significant win, Timini was nominated alongside big names like Efa Iwara who was nominated for Seven, Swanky JKA for Living In Bondage, Gabriel Afolayan for his role in Coming From Insanity; and Ramsey Nouah for Levi. Researchers at Hungary's National Centre for Public Health (NNK) have become the first in the country to successfully isolate the new coronavirus that causes the Covid-19 disease, the chief medical officer said. The breakthrough will allow scientists to begin developing a vaccine against the virus and to test various therapies, Cecilia Muller told a press conference after a meeting of the operative board coordinating the epidemic response. The team at NNKs national security lab that isolated the virus was led by virologist Zoltan Kiss, she said, adding that it would provide live and non-live samples of the virus to both Hungarian and foreign researchers. Muller also said the number of coronavirus patients in Hungary is expected to reach the hundreds over the coming days, adding that the spread of the virus was in line with NNKs projections. She said that on average one infected patient communicated the virus with two to three other people. Health-care services are being adapted so that patients with possible complications can be treated, she said. Concerning the Covid-19 cases currently being treated in Hungarian hospitals, Muller said that two of them were in a serious condition, requiring ventilators. Photo: courtesy of Northfoto.com My mother messages from Italy with a tiny but telling anecdote that sums up the difficulty of the situation. The assistant manager of her local Carrefour Express in Turin (like Tesco Express, only with nicer wine), is being driven to distraction by little old ladies roaming endlessly around his supermarket. He keeps telling them to go home and stay home because its not safe, and that hes more than happy to deliver their groceries to them but still they come. One of them stayed for two hours the other day the place is tiny chatting with staff before buying two small items and finally going home. The poor man was squirting her with hand sanitiser, but still she refused to get the message. It seems that, for some at least, the ordeal of total isolation is far more gruesome than the prospect of catching the virus itself, writes Sarah Vine (file photo) Its the same story at the chemist. With all the bars, shops and restaurants closed, elderly people who live on their own have nowhere else to go for human contact. And it seems that, for some at least, the ordeal of total isolation is far more gruesome than the prospect of catching the virus itself. Governments are right to talk about this pandemic in terms of a war: the risk to life is very real. But unlike traditional wartime where people, however terrified, however exhausted or confused or demoralised, can come together to support each other, the nature of this current threat demands we do precisely the opposite. The terror of an invisible foe that lurks within each of us is the stuff of sci-fi horror. And yet that is what we are facing. An enemy that does not show itself but which hides in the fabric of everyday life. That can only be defeated if we do the exact opposite of what our instincts tell us to do, namely distance ourselves from our nearest and dearest, from the vulnerable, the weak and the old. You cant hold your loved ones close because the contact might kill you. A cold, Darwinian force that takes our greatest gift to each other as human beings love and twists it into a lethal weapon. It is that, I think, that goes to the heart of this crisis. And its also what makes it so difficult for politicians to calibrate their response. On the one hand, the disease modelling is telling them to limit human contact, to shut down interactions, to all but call a halt to life as we know it. On the other, they know that what theyre asking people to do is, quite simply, inhuman. In Britain, we are in the relatively early stages of this contagion. There is still a lot of defiance at the notion of self-isolating, especially among our feisty and independent older population. Indeed, the Prime Ministers own father, Stanley Johnson, said yesterday that he would still go to the pub if he needed to. And while I fully respect a man who considers a trip to the pub a necessity, it nevertheless shows the challenge the Government faces. That is why I think, on balance, they have little choice but to allow shops and businesses to continue trading, and to keep children going to school. Its not just a question of maintaining morale, keeping up a semblance of normality; its also a case of supporting business and jobs for as long as we possibly can. And all of us must also give serious consideration to behaviour that drink in the pub after work with friends, that Mothers Day lunch, that glass of wine with a girlfriend that previously wouldnt have merited a second thought. Let us pray that one day soon we can go back to taking our lives and our loved ones once again for granted. Seeing the chilling images of American citizens queuing round the block to buy guns, Ive never been more happy to live in a country where people do not have the right to bear arms. We may be fighting over loo roll, but at least were not shooting each other. Yet. At least we'll see a lot less of Kim I guess every cloud has its silver lining. The ridiculous Met Gala, aka Fashions Biggest Night Out, which was scheduled for next month, has been postponed. I for one wont miss the sight of Kim Kardashian picking her way up the stairs of New Yorks Metropolitan Museum of Art in yet another see-through thong. Especially since this year we would have had to suffer the addition of the newly liberated Meghan Markle, presumably with Prince Harry in tow. How ridiculous those two seem now in the light of what all of us are facing. Kim Kardashian wearing Thierry Mugler at the Met Gala celebrating the opening of Camp: Notes on Fashion at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, in May 2019 Whatever else happens over the coming weeks and months, the fact is all of us are going to have to get a lot better at entertaining ourselves within the confines of our own four walls. Personally, I love a clear-out, mainly because it allows me to exercise some element of control over my life, in a kind of the sky may be falling but at least all my pants are neatly folded sort of way. Others have more lofty aspirations. A friend tells me shes going to re-read the whole of Hilary Mantels Tudor trilogy. A dose of the plague, or more than 1,000 pages of Cromwellian gloom? Its a close call. Piers-ing my ears... Good Morning Britain presenter (and fellow Mail columnist) Susanna Reid has joined the growing list of celebrities including Idris Elba and Tom Hanks housebound by the virus. Although, in her case, I cannot help wondering: is it really Covid-19 thats keeping her away from the studio, or has the prospect of another morning being shouted over by her co-presenter Piers Morgan simply proved too much even for the saintly Susanna? Im a huge fan of Piers (as are we all in the Vine household), but even I cant help thinking hes lost the plot in recent days in his social media outbursts about how ministers are handling the crisis. Of course, hes right to challenge the Government. But theres a fine line between robust questioning and just shouting so loudly that everyone is forced to put their fingers in their ears. I adore Esther Rantzen anyway, but her suggestion that the over-70s occupy their time in quarantine by writing their own memoirs is pure genius. I know its anathema for that generation to indulge in too much navel-gazing, but the idea that we could emerge from this in three months time with a collective compendium of the shenanigans of the baby boomer generation is tantalising. It would be a huge bestseller. Is it not a tiny bit rich of Richard Branson to be asking for a Government bailout when hes so wealthy that he owns an entire island in the Caribbean and is resident offshore? Id rather see taxpayers money spent on a) someone who actually contributes to the Exchequer, and b) helping small businesses and workers on zero-hours contracts, all of whom are facing financial Armageddon. We are not a number My brother Ben, who is under house arrest in Madrid with his young son, took this photograph from the window of his apartment. Quite aside from the crumbling beauty of the setting, there is something so touching about it; a reminder that, amid all the statistics and scientific analysis around Covid-19, at the end of the day its about human beings and what all of us, as individuals and families, are going through. My brother Ben, who is under house arrest in Madrid with his young son, took this photograph from the window of his apartment. Quite aside from the crumbling beauty of the setting, there is something so touching about it Tech giants profits are set to go viral Every war has its winners and losers and its not hard to see that companies such as Amazon, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Microsoft, Apple and the like are going to do very well out of this crisis, as users trapped in their homes flock to their platforms to while away the boredom and communicate with loved ones. Already figures for February show a 15 per cent jump in Netflix subscriptions, and ingame purchases for Xbox are soaring. These tech companies have grown mighty, thanks to globalisation, and now that same globalisation has been a factor in the rapid spread of this pandemic, they stand to profit even more. And yet, in many cases, they remain shamefully reluctant to pay their fair share, adopting complex loopholes to avoid paying tax. Last year, for example, Amazon paid just 220 million on British revenue of 10.9 billion. Still, its better than 2017, when the company paid just 1.7 million on revenues of 2 billion and profits of 79 million. Jeff Bezos, Amazons founder, is the worlds richest man. Surely, its time he and his band of fellow tech cowboys did the right thing by governments struggling to shield their economies and their people from the devastating financial knock-on of Covid-19. Or will they, as they too often seem to, just sit back in their luxury mansions in Palo Alto and watch the money roll in? Newscity New Statewide Restrictions New restrictions on public gatherings were enacted this week by New Mexico Department of Health Cabinet Secretary Kathy Kunkel. On Monday, Kunkel issued an updated public health order that directed all restaurants, bars, breweries, eateries and other food establishments to operate at no higher than 50 percent seating capacity. Tables and booths at these establishments must be separated by at least six feetwith a limit of six patrons per boothand patrons cannot be seated at a bar or served while standing. We must limit public gatherings in order to limit the spread of this virus, Kunkel said. Bars and restaurants are no exception. We want New Mexicans to stay home to the greatest extent possible. That kind of social distancing is our best strategy for reducing the risks to New Mexico. The amended order also declared all mass gatherings of more than 100 people prohibited, but included specific exemptions for shelters, retail and grocery stores, courthouses, detention facilities and hospitals. It directs all casinos and horse racing facilities to close down until April 10but the rule does not apply to casinos operating on tribal land. The order also advises citizens to stay at home if at all possible, to avoid touching surfaces while in public, to avoid nonessential travel and to stay away from infected individuals. Citizens are also being reminded to thoroughly and regularly wash their hands. New Delhi A 25-year-old junior resident doctor of the King George Medical University in Lucknow tested positive for coronavirus after coming in contact with two patients undergoing treatment, a hospital spokesperson said on Wednesday, becoming the second doctor to contract the deadly infection. The doctor was kept in an isolation ward and is undergoing treatment, the spokesperson said. The junior resident doctor is being treated, and he is fine, said spokesperson Sudhir Singh. Two days ago, a 63-year-old doctor who treated Indias first coronavirus victim in Karnatakas Kalaburagi had also tested positive for the infection. The new infections and growing crowds outside government hospitals has made many health workers nervous and prompted authorities to take additional precautions to safeguard staff. Two Delhi government hospitals that have started receiving suspected Covid-19 cases have cut down on their outpatient registration timing to limit the number of people who walk in. They are also preparing to defer the pre-scheduled non-emergency surgeries. At Lok Nayak hospital, the registration timing was cut from the current four hours to 1.5 hours. Today, the hospital was crowded as usual. This may be because people were not aware of the restrictions. We might see a decline tomorrow onwards. If the numbers do not go down, we have to bring in more restrictions, said Dr Kishore Singh, medical director of Lok Nayak hospital. The All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) has also curbed outpatient timings while Safdarjung hospital has cut down on elective procedures. Such steps, experts say, is aimed at avoiding overcrowding and increasing capacity. To minimise exposure, we have created the isolation facility at superspeciality block where patients do not go right now. The staff doctors, nurses, paramedical and sanitation staff who work in the ward do not come to the other areas of the hospital, said Dr Balvinder Singh, medical director of Safdarjung hospital. At the time when doctors are recommend social distancing, government hospitals continue to remain crowded. If you go to a mall in Delhi now, it is almost empty. But there hasnt been a change in the number of people visiting an AIIMS or a Safdarjung, for example. The OPDs and hospital corridors continue to be crowded. Hospitals are essential but the government has to look at ways to cut down the crowd, said Dr MC Mishra, former director of AIIMS. He suggested patients who did not need emergency care stay at home and contact their doctors over the phone. People have to be made aware that they might catch the infection in the hospital. Doctors can provide consultation over WhatsApp or Facetime or something, said Mishra. Over 300 people reached the Covid-19 sample collection centre at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia hospital on Tuesday. Most of them did not need the test. A waiting hall with spaced out seating area should be created for people waiting to give their samples. Or a time-slot should be allotted so that too many people do not reach the centre all at once. And, someone should keep sending those not in need of the test backLetting people at high risk of having the infection sit with others will just lead to virus spread, Mishra said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON File image live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Not all depositors in India are as lucky as Yes Bank depositors. In another few hours, Yes Banks depositors will have full access to their money and all other banking services. In Yes Banks case, the operations are set to return to normalcy just 12 days after the Reserve Bank of India superseded its board (on 5 March). But that isnt the case with depositors of many scam-hit cooperative banks. I had Rs 107,000 deposited in Kharghar branch of Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank. They allowed me to withdraw Rs 50,000 some time ago. But for the remaining amount, the branch is insisting that I need to show the purpose in writing, said Shaukat Ali Basheer Ahmad Shaikh, an automobile mechanic who have been banking with PMC Bank for many years. After the RBI clamped down on PMC Bank last year, like many other depositors, Ali too found his money stuck in the bank. Only if there is a valid reason such as hospitalisation, they will give me that money. I dont have much hopes now, Ali said. The 37-year-old is only one among the many hundreds who have their money still stuck in the multistate cooperative bank in Mumbai. The RBI superseded the PMC Banks board in September last year after large scale fraud, financial irregularities including hiding and misreporting of loans given to HDIL. The PMC bank resolution is still an ongoing process even six months after the banks board was superseded by the RBI. The story of Chandrashekhar Gujare, who is an autorickshaw driver, isnt very different. Gujares mother has Rs 5,87,000 of deposits in the scam-hit Karnala Nagari Sahakari bank. The RBI had limited withdrawals to Rs 5,000 in the bank last year. We had deposited this amount which was the advance amount received for the sale of a property. Till now, the bank is unable to give the money back to us, he said. A fraud worth Rs 512 crore was detected in the bank and an investigation is on. Logically, the PMC Bank depositors arent as lucky as Yes Banks depositors. Yes Banks new management under RBI-appointed administrator has assured depositors can access their entire money in the bank from today evening onwards. The fate of depositors in many crisis-ridden cooperative banks remains uncertain. Some of them are in urgent need of their money but cant access due to deposit withdrawal restrictions. A few of them have approached the courts and the RBI seeking resolution. But, it is a guess at this stage when they will get their money back. The perils of dual regulation While the Yes Bank case was dealt with extreme urgency by the RBI (it was a commercial bank and there was political pressure on the government to act) and the government putting in place a bailout bank consortium to do the job, there are several cooperative banks that have been shut down over years, where depositors are still denied access to their money. These cooperative banks have long suffered from the perils of dual regulation. Regulation of urban cooperative banks is split between the RBI and the Registrar of Co-operative Societies, while that of smaller co-operative banks is divided between National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) and RCS. RCS reports to the central government. This dual regulation created lack of accountability in the monitoring of these banks paving way for large scale mismanagement and involvement of local politicians. Even the RBI (who primarily looks at urban cooperative banks) and the Nabard (the agency that works with rural cooperative banks) typically do not have even updated numbers of these banks. According to the available data on the RBI site, India has 1,551 urban co-operative banks (UCBs) which managed Rs 4.5 lakh crore deposits at end-March, 2018. In rural, there are three types of cooperative banks--primary credit co-operative banks, district-level cooperative banks and state-level cooperative banks. As on end-March, 2017, there were about 33 state co-operative banks with Rs 1.2 lakh crore deposits, 370 district central co-operative banks (Rs 3.3 lakh crore deposits) and 95,595 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (Rs 1.15 lakh crore deposits). In other words, if one looks at the quantum of deposits, the combined figure of rural co-operative banks is higher than that of UCBs. While rural co-operatives have a combined deposit base of Rs 5.65 lakh crore, UCBs have about Rs 4.45 lakh crore as per the latest available data on the RBI site. Only early this year, after learning from the PMC episode, the government decided to act and give more powers to the RBI to regulate UCBs (the larger cooperative banks). With this amendment, the RBI will have more power to audit the books of urban co-operate banks, appoint chief executive officers and audit co-operative banks. But even then, rural cooperative banks are still not included in this latest regulatory change. The question arises why rural co-operative banks have been left out of the regulatory overhaul. In fact, the problem of misgovernance and frauds is more in smaller co-operative banks since these entities are largely run by local politicians. Often, these banks dont follow processes and engage in dubious transactions. Double standard to cooperative bank depositors? At a press conference on Monday, the RBI governor seemingly avoided a question on PMC Bank saying that the Yes Bank and PMC cases were different. That reply wasnt something that could have inspired confidence among thousands of depositors in cooperative banks. Going ahead, with the RBI and the government focusing more on the cooperative banking sector, regulations and monitoring will improve. Also, there is an opinion that some of these banks can be converted to small finance banks, said Sanjay Agarwal, Head of BFSI and NBFC at Care rating. But these expected regulatory improvements could take a while to reach the customers doorsteps. For now, the fate of PMC depositors and that of many other crisis-ridden cooperative banks remain uncertain. Yes Bank depositors are luckier in that sense. 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. Health care facilities in the region are trying to conserve masks and other equipment that are already in short supply as the new coronavirus spreads. Theyve canceled elective procedures and routine medical appointments. Theyre using drive-through clinics to treat people with mild respiratory symptoms and keep them out of urgent-care centers and emergency rooms, so that if they do have the virus they dont infect others. Bay Area hospitals are not yet seeing a surge in patients with fevers and coughs who could be infected with coronavirus, but theyre taking actions now to prepare for what many anticipate is an inevitable swell. Even with a regional shelter-in-place order designed to slow spread of the disease, doctors, nurses and other frontline workers are fearful that theyll soon be overwhelmed with people seriously ill and in need of critical care. The attempts at flattening the curve are very laudable. Its correct to try to do that, otherwise we get this massive peak and overwhelm the hospital system, said Dr. Hallam Gugelmann, an emergency physician at the CPMC Mission Bernal campus in San Francisco. But I dont know how well it will work. I think its probably too late. I think there are probably a ton of cases out in the community. Thats what Im worried about. Gugelmann and other providers noted that if coronavirus is indeed already circulating widely, then its even more important that people comply with shelter-in-place orders which took effect in six Bay Area counties on Tuesday and stay home as much as they can. There could be a fine line between a bearable burden on the Bay Area health care system and a swell in cases that is overwhelming. The fear is that if hospitals get too many patients with COVID-19 the illness caused by coronavirus all at once, then there wont be enough ventilators and critical care beds for everyone who needs them. If the cases can be spread out over a longer period a phenomenon known as flattening the curve then hospitals have a better chance of keeping up. Ideally, this is all within very painful capacities, but we have to plan for the step when its beyond our usual capacity, said Dr. David Witt, national infectious disease leader for Kaiser Permanente. How do we get more ventilators than we normally stock? How do we expand the rooms that we can use ventilators? Weve been running as fast as we can for several weeks. All are working extraordinarily hard, everyone in the hospital. And we will work as hard as we have to, for as long as we have to, Witt added. Now Playing: Here is what you need to know about the coronavirus. Video: Manjula Varghese The Bay Area had more than 325 cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday afternoon, and six people had died with five of those deaths in Santa Clara County. Nearly half of the cases are in Santa Clara County, where 56 of 155 patients have been hospitalized, according to the Public Health Department. That doesnt mean that a third of people with coronavirus are seriously ill enough to need hospital care. Testing shortages nationwide mean that most people with symptoms are never tested, and there are certainly many hundreds of patients in the community with mild illness who have not been diagnosed with COVID-19, authorities say. Its impossible to know exactly how many people may be sick with COVID-19 now, but one marker is the national surveillance of individuals with flu-like symptoms which are very similar to coronavirus symptoms. Typically in the first weeks of March, the number of people reporting symptoms would be starting to fall as the flu season receded. But those reports have been picking up this year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At San Francisco General Hospital, spokesman Brent Andrew said the patient load seemed about normal for the time of year. We are checking several times a day to see if a surge is coming, he said. The hospital currently has two coronavirus patients and is using 10 ventilators, with more than five times that many in reserve. Andrew did not know if the coronavirus patients were on ventilators. Its not just equipment that could be an issue at San Francisco General. The hospital was already understaffed and overwhelmed before the pandemic was declared, and now the problems have only compounded, staff members say. In January, San Francisco General was actively trying to fill 75 vacancies in its staff of about 900 full-time registered nurses, according to the hospital. About 14 of those full-time positions were in the emergency room alone, but several nurses previously interviewed by The Chronicle worried that wouldnt be enough to handle the demand at the time. Now, the hospital needs even more nurses to handle the looming uptick from COVID-19, said Christa Duran, an emergency room nurse. Were more overwhelmed because, although we have the same amount of patients coming in, the patients are getting sicker, she said. So they are requiring more nurses and more resources to help them. In an attempt to alleviate the staffing shortages, Mayor London Breed announced an emergency declaration Tuesday to expedite the citys ability to hire nurses and other frontline health care workers. The Department of Public Health typically takes six months or more to hire a nurse. The change, effective immediately, will allow the city to hire qualified and licensed nurses on the spot, which means they will likely be able to start work a week after being hired, pending necessary clearances. The Department of Public Health has started contacting candidates who have already applied in the past, and officials will host an invitation-only nurse hiring fair at San Francisco General this weekend. 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. While Duran said she is thankful City Hall is taking dramatic steps to increase hiring, she is skeptical that officials will be able to get enough employees to meet demand given the shortages around the country. She is also worried that a surge in new nurses who need training could strain the more experienced nurses who will need to assist them. Another possible problem with staffing is the potential for doctors and nurses to become infected themselves, which would harm both the individuals and the hospitals that rely on them, if they are forced out of work for days or even weeks. Several nurses who treated a COVID-19 patient in a Vacaville hospital later tested positive for the virus, and about 100 people in total were placed in quarantine after the exposure. Two UCSF health care providers have tested positive. A San Francisco emergency physician published an essay online this week about being diagnosed with coronavirus; he does not believe he was infected while at work. In Daly City, Seton Hospital has seen a steady uptick in the number of patients with respiratory symptoms over the last three weeks from one at any given time a month ago, to 10 or 11 now, said Dr. Robert Perez, who oversees the physicians. He said the numbers likely will start growing exponentially next week. The hospital is scrambling to open up a second intensive care unit that will expand its capacity from 14 ICU beds, each with a ventilator, to 40 in the next week, Perez said. It is also adding 30 to 40 additional rooms for patients who may need to be quarantined and treated with IVs or oxygen. Nurses and doctors at hospitals around the Bay Area said staff already are running low on N95 masks, face shields, gowns and other protective gear, and in several places theyre being told to clean and re-use equipment that ordinarily would be tossed after one use. At some hospitals, nurses have to check out masks from a supervisor. Seton has canceled or postponed elective surgeries, in part to preserve medical supplies that may be needed for a surge in patients, Perez said. We dont know if the supply we get from China is going to start replenishing in two weeks, four weeks or two months, so we want to conserve what we have now, Perez said. Seton has treated one confirmed COVID-19 patient, but like many hospitals, it did not initially know the person had the virus, Perez said. One nurse there who asked to remain anonymous said there was concern among staff who treated the person that they had been exposed, and in turn may have exposed others. The hospital subsequently set up a triage tent for suspected coronavirus patients outside, where staff are dressed in protective gear, so that people who may have the virus are less likely to transmit the virus to nurses, doctors and other patients. Several hospitals have set up similar outdoor clinics. Sutter Health has drive-through respiratory clinics around the Bay Area, where patients on orders from a doctor can get checked out while sitting in their cars. That prevents potentially contagious people from entering the a hospital or office and exposing others, but it also helps nurses preserve their equipment, since they dont have to change masks or other items in between patients. Dr. Robert Nordgren, area CEO for Sutter Bay Medical Foundation in the Peninsula and San Francisco region, said 170 people were seen at one drive-through clinic on Sunday. Were making contingency plans so we could see many more patients at the clinics, Nordgren said. So if there is a volume surge we are able to meet that. I can confidently say, we do have the capacity to ramp up if we see that demand. Erin Allday, Trisha Thadani, Catherine Ho and Peter Fimrite are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: eallday@sfchronicle.com, tthadani@sfchronicle.com, cho@sfchronicle.com, pfimrite@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @erinallday, @TrishaThadani, @Cat_Ho, @pfimrite As World Health Organisation designated COVID-19 a pandemic, the deadly coronavirus continues to spread across the globe, infecting over 1,90,000 people and killing more than 7,900 worldwide. Here are few pictures to look at the ongoing situation around the world and how people are tackling the novel coronavirus. (Image: Reuters) Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with G7 leaders during a teleconference while under self-isolation after his wife Sophie Gregoire tested positive for novel coronavirus. (Image: Reuters) Judie Shape, 81, who tested positive for coronavirus, holds up some art supplies as her daughter Lori Spencer and husband Michael Spencer visit outside her room at Care Center of Kirkland. (Image: Reuters) A woman places an Italian flag that reads "everything will be alright" on her apartment balcony as part of a flashmob organised to raise morale during Italy's coronavirus crisis, in Milan. (Image: Reuters) A robot, developed by a start-up firm Asimov Robotics, distributes face masks and sanitizers and provides information about precautions after it was launched to spread awareness about the coronavirus, in Kochi, India. (Image: Reuters) Foreigners wearing masks sleep outside the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Paranaque, Metro Manila, amid fears of COVID-19 spreading in Philippines. (Image: Reuters) Municipal workers clean a sidewalk after Ecuador's government restricted travel within the country and declared a nighttime curfew as a response to curb the spread of the coronavirus. (Image: Reuters) A woman looks at empty shelves at a supermarket in Guatemala City, Guatemala. (Image: Reuters) Peruvian soldiers stand at the border between Peru and Bolivia after Peru's government's announcement of the border closure in a bid to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. (Image: Reuters) Medical workers in protective suits push an isolation stretcher in front of the Columbus Clinic, where patients suffering from coronavirus were moved from Spallanzani Hospital, in Rome, Italy. (Image: Reuters) South Korean soldiers spray disinfectants inside an apartment complex which is under cohort isolation after mass infection of COVID-19 reported in Daegu, South Korea. (Image: Reuters) Jordanian army members stand guard outside a hotel that was transformed into a quarantine station amid concerns over the coronavirus in Amman, Jordan. (Image: Reuters) A man looks at an information board at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang displaying cancelled flights after Malaysias government closed its borders due to the spread of the coronavirus. (Image: Reuters) Police officers wearing protective face masks check drivers' documents at a checkpoint after Honduras' government imposed a nationwide curfew for the seven-day period as part of the measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus. (Image: Reuters) Members of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) patrol during partial lockdown as part of a 15-day state of emergency to combat the coronavirus disease outbreak in Madrid, Spain. (Image: Reuters) Wars of the Fighting Sioux Have no fear, you readers who objected to special contributor Gregory Michnos take on frontiersmen Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett in the February 2020 Wild West. Were moving on. In the April issue we published a couple of the negative letters about his article Half Horse, Half Gator and All Hogwash, along with Michnos response. Arriving by email after deadline for that issue was this recommendation: Dont let Gregory Michno contribute another article. Thats all. Thank you. And thank you, sirwe do read and sincerely appreciate all reader comments. While it is my duty to inform you and all our other faithful readers that another Michno article appears in the issue you are now holding, Im confidentat least after you read his June 2020 feature Worst of the Sioux Warsthat you wont consider this decision unfortunate. For one thing, hes an expert on the subject. Among Michnos many well-researched books are Encyclopedia of Indian Wars: Western Battles and Skirmishes, 18501890 and Forgotten Fights: Little-Known Raids and Skirmishes on the Frontier, 1823 to 1890. His Sioux (Lakota) specific works include 1997s Lakota Noon: The Indian Narrative of Custers Defeat (published soon after his award-wining June 1996 Wild West article Lakota Noon at the Greasy Grass) and 2011s Dakota Dawn: The Decisive First Week of the Sioux Uprising, August 1724, 1862. In an August 2015 Wild West interview Michno mentioned that when he presented evidence that the 1864 Sand Creek conflict might be viewed as a battle instead of a massacre, he was accused of being too pro-white. Of course, he went on to say, when I showed the Lakota and Cheyenne point of view in Lakota Noon, I was considered too pro-Indian. Maybe if both sides find something to complain about, you are on to something. Michno recognizes that disagreements and controversy go with the territory when one writes honestly about history. You have to realize that everyones perspective is different, he says, adding that in both Dakota Dawn and Lakota Noon, I tried to pinpoint locations in time and space to provide more micro-scale detail.If I can make it understandable to me, I assume the reader will also benefit. One of the benefits of reading his article in this issue is an opportunity to bone up on and compare the various Sioux wars with the U.S. Army, beginning with the 185456 First Sioux War and ending with the Ghost Dance War of 189091 (featuring the infamous Wounded Knee battle turned massacre). The one most written about is the Great Sioux War of 187677, primarily because the big battle in that war pitted Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and the 7th U.S. Cavalry against Sitting Bulls Sioux and Plains Indian allies at the Little Bighorn River in Montana Territory. There shouldnt be too much controversy (except perhaps among readers who believe Custer is absolutely the most) when Michno writes that in sizing up the five Sioux wars, the one that rates as the deadliestand remains the most overlooked by historians and the publicis the second, the Dakota War of 1862. In August 1862 of that second war (aka the Sioux Uprising), according to Michno, The Dakotas in Minnesota erupted and killed as many as 800 white settlers within a week, depopulating 23 southwestern counties. Battles followed in Minnesota, and the fighting spilled over into Dakota Territory. On July 28, 1864, Brig. Gen. Alfred Sully attacked an Indian village at Killdeer Mountain (in present-day North Dakota) comprising more than 1,500 lodges and an estimated 8,000 Indians, making it even larger than the big village Custers 7th Cavalry attacked on the Little Bighorn. Sully had much better results than Custer did, however, recording just 15 soldier casualties against 150 Indian casualties. Those are just some of the facts Michno presents, though he once commented: There are no facts. There are only our interpretations of them, all filtered through individual lenses, bounced like a pinball through the synapses of our brains and true only for the one doing the filtering. Agree or disagree with him, the man can write. WW PR-Inside.com: 2020-03-18 21:24:02 Update on Rio Tinto Kennecott after SLC earthquake media.enquiries@riotinto.com riotinto.com Follow @RioTinto on Twitter Media Relations, United Kingdom Illtud Harri M +44 7920 503 600 David Outhwaite T +44 20 7781 1623 M +44 7787 597 493 Media Relations, Americas Matthew Klar T +1 514 608 4429 Media Relations, Asia Grant Donald T +65 6679 9290 M +65 9722 6028 Media Relations, Australia Jonathan Rose T +61 3 9283 3088 M +61 447 028 913 Matt Chambers T +61 3 9283 3087 M +61 433 525 739 Jesse Riseborough T +61 8 6211 6013 M +61 436 653 412 Investor Relations, United Kingdom Menno Sanderse T: +44 20 7781 1517 M: +44 7825 195 178 David Ovington T +44 20 7781 2051 M +44 7920 010 978 Investor Relations, Australia Natalie Worley T +61 3 9283 3063 M +61 409 210 462 Amar Jambaa T +61 3 9283 3627 M +61 472 865 948 Rio Tinto plc 6 St Jamess Square London SW1Y 4AD United Kingdom T +44 20 7781 2000 Registered in England No. 719885 Rio Tinto Limited Level 7, 360 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 Australia T +61 3 9283 3333 Registered in Australia ABN 96 004 458 404 Category: Kennecott Rio Tintos Kennecott mine near Salt Lake City (SLC), Utah, was today impacted as a result of a 5.7-magnitude earthquake close to the town of Magna. All employees have been safely accounted for and evacuated from the potential risk areas. At this stage we have identified limited damage to the operation or risk to the surrounding community. A detailed inspection of the complex is currently being conducted, in conjunction with the local emergency services and Utah Department of Transportation. As a precaution, all operations have been temporarily halted and, in line with standard procedures pre-agreed with the Utah Department of Transportation, State Road 201 has been temporarily closed while the inactive South (Magna) tailings storage facility is inspected. This is an inactive historic tailings storage facility that is stable and being actively monitored and managed, under a plan reviewed and endorsed by a panel of independent geotechnical experts and Utahs dam regulatory authorities. Rio Tinto Copper & Diamonds chief executive Arnaud Soirat said The safety of our employees and wider community is our first priority and having ensured that all our employees are safe and the operations are shut, we are now working with the local emergency services and regulators to ensure the asset is safe before resuming any operations. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005 Update on Rio Tinto Kennecott after SLC earthquake Another person in Cheyenne has tested positive for the coronavirus, the third patient to be diagnosed in the capital in less than 24 hours, the city announced Wednesday. The latest person tested positive Wednesday morning. Few details were immediately available. Up until now, all of the confirmed Wyoming cases had been announced by the state Department of Health; those releases have included the gender and general age of the patient. With the new Cheyenne case, there have been 16 confirmed COVID-19 patients in Wyoming as of early afternoon Wednesday. All 16 have been confirmed in the past seven days. Thirteen have been announced since Monday. "The Cheyenne Laramie County Health Department, Emergency Management, and all elected officials in the city and county are working together collaboratively to ensure the safety of public health," the announcement states. "More information regarding potential closures in the community will be shared as soon as they are available." Eight of the 16 cases have been linked to an assisted-living facility in Lander. Four more have been linked together in Sheridan County. It's unclear if any of the three Cheyenne patients are linked. Health Department spokeswoman Kim Deti said Wednesday afternoon that she didn't have any information about the latest Cheyenne case. She confirmed the patient was positive for COVID-19 and said that the test was processed through a private lab, rather than through the state facility. Deti said earlier Wednesday that she didn't think any of the cases announced Tuesday were hospitalized. A provider in Cheyenne said one of the cases there is a healthy woman in her 40s. The most recent announcement from the department, announced late Tuesday, involved a man and woman from Sheridan County, a woman from Laramie County, and a Park County woman. Late Monday night, the Wyoming Department of Health reported that seven new cases had been identified in Fremont County. All were tied to an earlier case involving a man living at a Lander assisted-living center. A health official in Fremont County said all were either residents or staff members at Showboat Retirement Center. As of Wednesday morning, the state has run more than 180 tests through its lab. Several more have been processed by private labs. COVID-19, which is the disease this new coronavirus causes, can result in respiratory issues. Symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Anyone who is concerned that they may have COVID-19 is asked not to immediately head to the emergency room unless theyre having significant breathing problems. Instead, theyre asked to call their health care provider and get guidance on how to move forward. Those with significant respiratory issues and those with trouble breathing should go to the emergency room, though they're asked to call ahead if they can. There is no vaccine for COVID-19. There are symptomatic treatments treatment for breathing problems and cough suppressants. But most people, those who dont require hospitalization, will self-isolate at home for a couple of weeks. More than 80 percent of patients will have mild symptoms from the disease. Officials have urged all residents to practice social distancing, which means minimizing close contact with others to cut down on the spread of the highly contagious 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. After two more cases of coronavirus surfaced in Uttar Pradesh's Noida, the concerned societies have banned the entry of outsiders in the premises. Screening is also being done of all the members residing in the societies. The new cases have been found in Sector 78 and 100, one in each. Both have a recent travel history of France and have been hospitalised. The Hyde Park society in Sector 78 has been closed and screening of all the members is being done. There are around 3,000 residents in the society. Atul, a member of the Apartment Owners Association, told IANS: "The entire building has been quarantined. The members of the society have been asked to leave the house only when needed. They have also been told that all the things they need will be delivered to their doorstep. "All the towers of the society are being sanitized. The administration has provided the goods and we are getting the buildings cleaned three times a day. We are receiving goods from all the delivery boys and vendors at the gate itself as a precautionary measure," he added. The CMO Noida told IANS, "We are following the entire process like sanitizing buildings and screening people." Noida SDM Rajeev Rai also took stock of the situation. Talking to IANS, he said, "We are adopting all precautionary measures so the corona infected person could not infect others. Our team is checking each and every person. If anyone is found with the symptoms he or she will immediately be taken for check-up". He said that the teams will go house to house and sensitize people about the symptoms of novel coronavirus and steps for its prevention. They will also find out and document any symptomatics in their area and also collect the travel history of all symptomatics. The SDM said that the symptomatic person should stay indoors, practice hand hygiene and cough hygiene, use a handkerchief while coughing and wash hands frequently. According to the precautionary measures, if a symptomatic traveller is found with a foreign travel history over the past 14 days or a history of contact with any of the positive patients, he will be isolated (at Isolation Hospital) immediately and his sample will be collected for testing. 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. Air Links Still in Doubt As Coronavirus Crisis Intensifies The Manx Government say there is no news yet on which airline will be providing the Islands future air links to Birmingham and Manchester. An announcement was due on Tuesday however since FlyBe ceased trading, the worlds aviation industry has been plunged in to turmoil due to the global coronavirus pandemic. The Centre for Aviation now predict that most airlines will be bankrupt by the end of May. It comes as Virgin Atlantic plan to axe most of its route network focusing only on core routes while British Airways has started parking up aircraft at regional airports around the UK. Easyjet and Ryanair have not ruled out grounding their entire fleets. Liverpool Airport has announced it will be making redundancies and temporary lay-offs due to the unprecedented impact of the virus. Loganair has reduced its services across the UK by 55% and say bookings are down by 75%. Loganair has been contracted by the Manx Government to provide the patient transfer service to Liverpool but the airline has said that lifeline services will be maintained. Meanwhile the holding company of Stobart Air, Connect Airways, has today fallen in to administration in the UK. Stobart Air operate the Aer Lingus Regional service between the Isle of Man and Dublin. It is yet to be seen what the impact will be on the Aer Lingus regional service. WESTPORT A middle-aged South African businessman says he attended a party in Westport days before he was diagnosed with the coronavirus. The man, who lives in Johannesburg, told the Sunday Times, South Africas largest Sunday newspaper, that he had attended a large private party in Westport following a trip to Dubai. "There were a lot of people at the party and there's no way of knowing who gave it or got it or had it I could speculate till the cows come home. People were coming in from all parts of America," the man told the Sunday Times. The mans comments come more than a week after Westport schools were shut down when more than a dozen people who attended a private party in town started suffering flu-like symptoms. Mark Cooper, director of health for Westport and Weston, said about 40 people attended the party, and one of the guests, who does not live in the U.S., had been diagnosed with the coronavirus after leaving the country. Last week, Westport reported its first confirmed case of the coronavirus. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Westport has now reached at least 20 nearly a quarter of the states total reported cases. All of Westports cases have been traced to the party that was held on March 5. The homeowners who hosted the party have declined to comment when reached by Hearst Connecticut Media. The South African man told the Sunday Times that he didnt experience any symptoms until his trip back home. At first, he didnt think much of the illness. "But in the back of the head, there's the thought that it [COVID-19] is possible," he said. When he returned home, he tested positive for the coronavirus and has since been in self-quarantine. "I don't believe I'm the problem anymore," he told the Sunday Times. "It seems that the real problem is now the people who are too scared to say anything. The problem is the ignorance of the public and the ostracism, which will ensue because of people being ignorant, and which will cause more people to stay silent about their infection." The ripple effect caused by the Westport party was also felt in neighboring communities. In Wilton, public schools were closed on March 11 after officials learned parents of school-aged children in that town had attended the Westport party. Fortunately, they acted responsibly and reported their exposure, which allowed us to take action in an effort to contain additional spreading of the virus, Wilton First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice said during a Facebook Q&A. The Westport party is a good example of spread, she added. One individual joined up with 39 other people. At the time, no one, including that individual, knew about the virus being present. Those other people then went out into several communities, Wilton, Weston, Westport, New York City and perhaps more, and potentially exposed additional people. Amir Shurush is one of Israels most successful actors. He plays the part of Ramzi in the sitcom Main Register, which was nominated for an Emmy award in 2019, as well as the role of Knesset member Ayman Odeh, chairman of the Joint List, in the countrys most popular political satire. Shurush, 35, is the son of an Arab father and a Jewish mother. In an interview with Haaretz Jan. 1, he said, The flag I wave is that I have no flag. In a country with over 9 million people, of whom 74% are Jews and 21% Arabs, mixed couples from different religions seem to be a natural and inevitable occurrence. No less complicated, and apparently no less inevitable, are relationships between Jews with different attitudes toward religious observance. Among the countrys Jewish population some 45% of people define themselves as secular, while about 30% range from very religious to ultra-Orthodox. Despite all the distinct differences between these sectors, it turns out that love wins, even when one partner is ultra-Orthodox and the other secular. Eran, 35, and Michal, 32, from Tel Aviv, are the parents of a one-year-old daughter. They are a mixed secular-religious family. Michal is secular, while Eran, who grew up in a traditional family, began the process of becoming more religious when he was in his 20s. They first met six years ago. After spending two years together, they decided to get married. It was not an easy journey. We knew the problems and limitations when we first met, Michal told Al-Monitor. We could not go out on Saturdays, because Eran doesn't drive on the Sabbath, not to mention going out to have fun. But I fell in love with him anyway. I realized who he is, and I accept him for that. The situation was similar for Eran. Of course, it was difficult, but since I was closer to a secular lifestyle in my previous life, it was easier for me to get used to her lifestyle, he said. Our parents had no problem with it. When my parents had Eran over for Friday night dinner, they bought a hot plate for the Sabbath and prepared kosher food for him, to make him feel at ease. As parents of an infant, they have managed to deal with the various difficulties so far. There is no problem in our day-to-day life. The problem is the weekend. Eran spends most of his time in the synagogue. There is no driving and no going out. Ill have to learn to deal with that when our daughter grows up, Michal said. Eran added, Since we make all of our decisions together, we engage in dialogue and speak openly to one another. I assume that we will come to an understanding about how to raise our daughter. Michal said that while she has no plans to become religious, over time she discovered all sorts of beautiful things about Erans world. I found a world rich in knowledge and information that I could adopt as a secular woman, she said. We are lucky that we are an accepting and accommodating couple with supportive families and surroundings. Without that and without our love and wonderful relationship it would be hard for our relationship to succeed. Unlike relationships where both partners are Jewish, relationships between Arabs and Jews in Israel are still considered more complicated and unconventional. In October 2018, the highly publicized wedding of journalist Lucy Aharish, who is of Muslim origin, and film and television actor Tzahi Halevy, who is Jewish, caused a major commotion. They had kept their relationship hidden for four years. Last year, Lucy burst into tears during a radio interview, as she described all the hatred she has since had to bear and all the verbal abuse coming her way. When Anat and Sami (not their real names), both 27, were neighbors in Haifa, they never imagined that their neighborly relationship would develop into a love story that went against all the odds. Anat, a Jew from Haifa, works in theater and dance. Sami is a Muslim from Ramallah, who works in a Haifa restaurant. They connected, and despite their initial fears, they started going out together. Soon they became a couple and decided to live together in Haifa. In an effort to hide their relationship, Sami spoke mostly Hebrew and told strangers that he was an American. He was afraid that people wouldnt accept him if they knew where he was from, Anat told Al-Monitor. At first we talked about avoiding a relationship since it bordered on the impossible, but what we had was stronger than just Sami and me, she recalled, her voice choked with emotion. Israel seemed to me like a safe place. I wanted to come here to find a life, and I found love, Sami said. At first I didnt know anyone here. I didnt speak the language, and I didnt know the way people live here. All I wanted was to make a living. As Sami and Anats relationship gained momentum, people started finding out about it. Sami was embraced warmly by her friends. The fact that Haifa is a mixed city and that there is greater openness between Arabs and Jews certainly helped the young couple at the start of their relationship. The hard part was telling their families. I was very scared about how my family would react, Anat said. It was only when we decided to move in together that I worked up the courage to tell my parents. It was hard. They didnt accept it and were very angry. I knew that I had to introduce Sami to my parents, because that way they would realize what a good person he is. It worked. Once they met, my father really connected with Sami and they have a good relationship now. My mother still has a hard time with it, while my extended family still doesnt know. My parents prefer to keep it a secret. Things are even more complicated for Sami. While his family knows about Anat, they do not know that he is planning to marry her. It wasnt easy to tell my family, he said. My mother and sister took it relatively well. Anat even spoke to them on the phone. But my father is elderly, which makes it harder for him. Anat believes that it takes patience and courage in dealing with family and friends. We knew that a relationship like ours would cause a fuss, but it became easier once we were sure of our choice, she said. I left a lot behind, but that was my choice, Sami added. As far as I am concerned, what matters is the person. When you find love like this, nothing can stop you. We will do everything to live here and start a family. Anat noted, Ultimately, the biggest problem is the bureaucracy. Sami is a [Palestinian] foreign worker. He faces all sorts of obstacles because he is a citizen of the Palestinian Authority. We really hope that at some point, we will be able to get permanent resident status for him. Even with the frequent talk of violence and war on the news, in their day-to-day lives, Anat and Sami refuse to let it impact their relationship. We live in a harsh reality, but beneath all the aggression are people who just want to live with mutual respect for one another, Anat said. I can sense that people have a hard time hearing that I am dating an Arab. They are worried about assimilation and think that Im rebelling in some way. Unfortunately what they dont understand is that beneath it all is humanity writ large. We fall in love with people, and not with their political opinions. You dont choose who you fall in love with. If you cant live with the person you truly love with all your heart and soul which is the most important thing of all you will never feel happy and whole. 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 March 17. 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 is a developing story] From supplications at places of worship to masks being produced by jail inmates, besides hectic activities at the biggest hospital, this north Bihar district is witnessing invocation of all powers, human and otherwise, to prevent the deadly COVID-19 from striking. Although nobody has so far tested positive for the dreaded virus in Bihar, where the state government has imposed a semi-lockdown as a preventive measure, Muzaffarpur which hit the headlines last year for losing close to 200 children to an outbreak of brain fever seems determined not to fall prey to yet another virulent affliction. At the Muzaffarpur Central Jail, about 50 prisoners are working overtime to produce facemasks, which is expected to provide protection to fellow inmates here and elsewhere. Deputy Superintendent of the jail Sunil Kumar Maurya said, "We have had a tradition of producing fabric at the Muzaffarpur Central Jail. An idea was floated why not use the skills acquired for producing masks which are in great demand but in short supply. "Of course, we have limited production capacity and the masks produced here will be for use only inside jail premises by inmates as well as prison department staff. But it would not be confined to Muzaffarpur jail. The produce will be shared with nine district and sub jails falling under Muzaffarpur Central Prison as well." The local administration seems impressed with the endeavour of the social outcasts to rise to a global challenge. "It is a welcome step. Despite all precautions, we never know who is going to catch the infection at which place. The efforts by prisoners to protect themselves and the staff manning their premises is laudable. Full assistance will be provided to Central Jail authorities in supply of the masks to other prisons," Sub Divisional Magistrate (East) Kundan Kumar said. A conservative town inhabited by a deeply religious citizenry, Muzaffarpur is also witnessing prayer congregations at temples and mosques in keeping with the tradition here of people of all faiths coming together when faced with a major challenge. The Garib Nath temple, a renowned shrine devoted to Lord Shiva which attracts devotees from far and wide, is witness to the power of faith trumping the biggest fears as the footfall seems to have increased since the outbreak. The temples mahant Vinay Pathak says, "faith can move mountains. People come here in search of strength to face a crisis which has caused worldwide scare. We advise the visitors to conduct regular 'havans' at their houses just like we have been performing here. The smoke emitted by burning of purified offerings cleanses the air and, who knows, could be an antidote as well." Chanting of 'Mahamrityunjay mantra', which the faith believe to be potent enough to dispel illness and untimely death, is taking place round the clock at the shrine in addition to 'havans', the mahant added. Just a few yards away stands the Chhata Chowk mosque where large number of devotees appear in skull-caps to offer namaz. "It is a pandemic threatening to engulf the entire world and dua (prayers) are needed as much as dawa (medicines). May God, who is one, listen to the common wish expressed by humanity in myriad ways," says Imtiaz Ahmed, a devout local resident. Meanwhile, the health authorities are busy with their own efforts, not leaving prevention and cure to divine intervention. District Medical Officer Shailesh Kumar Singh says a total of 42 people here who have come from abroad, have been tested but their results have been negative. "Nonetheless, a five-bed special ward has been set up at the Sadar Hospital, manned by medical staff armed with a special kit comprising medicines and other logistics required for primary care of those with suspected symptoms," he said. The SKMCH referral hospital, which bore the brunt of last years brain fever epidemic accounting for over 120 deaths is fully geared up to meet the latest challenge. SKMCH superintendent Sunil Shahi says "we have a 30- ward insulation ward ready. Samples of patients with suspected symptoms are being routinely sent to RMRI, Patna. We appeal to all to remain alert, but avoid panic. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Singapore denies claims of poultry import with bird flu Singapore does not import chilled or frozen poultry from farms in Pontian, Johor, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) stated on Monday, as rumours of bird flu surrounding these poultry farms swirled. Messages circulating on WhatsApp and social media claim that a poultry farm in Pontian has been affected by bird flu. One message also claims that the farm's poultry was slaughtered and sent to Singapore in two lorries. These claims are not true, said SFA. There is no poultry slaughterhouse in Pontian accredited by SFA to export chilled or frozen poultry to Singapore, the agency added. Only SFA-accredited slaughterhouses are allowed to export frozen poultry from Malaysia to Singapore. The frozen poultry must also be accompanied by valid health certificates issued by Malaysia's Department of Veterinary Services (DVS). Although live poultry can be imported from approved farms in Pontian, these imports must also be accompanied by valid health certificates issued by the DVS. They are also subject to border inspections by the National Parks Board's Animal and Veterinary Service to ensure the poultry is healthy before import. SFA will conduct sampling and testing as well. So far, no avian influenza has been detected in poultry from Malaysia, said SFA. 2.7k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard There are some who appear to be taking advantage of the spread of coronavirus across the country in order to gain from others hardships in a financial way. Some of these individuals are religious figures, including Paula White, the spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump. White, who heads the presidents Faith and Opportunity Initiative, recently published a video online asking for donations to her ministry based in Florida, using questionable wording in order to compel her followers to give. We are a hospital to the sick, White said. The spiritual leader was quick to add a caveat even though she just called her ministry a hospital and implied it was meant to help the sick, White explained in the same video message that she didnt mean that literally. We are a hospital for those who are soul-sick, those who are spiritually sick, she later said. Still, using such terms may cross ethical lines, and its possible that those giving to her in the heat of the moment after hearing her words may believe they will be healed somehow, or protected from the threat of COVID-19, if they give money to her. White implored her listeners to give $91 in reference to Psalm 91, a chapter in the Bible that is sometimes described as the Psalm of protection. Those who couldnt give that amount, White said, should send to her whatever God tells you to do. Stand with your pastor, she added. NEW: Paula White, a top official in the White House Office of Public Liaison, is scheduled to be the featured speaker at a fraudulent April conference promising "supernatural protection from the #coronavirus now" #Covid_19 https://t.co/1GXHGQ1ze9 pic.twitter.com/WouAYKXmJw Matthew Sheffield (@mattsheffield) March 13, 2020 White is not unfamiliar with controversy, especially as it relates to telling her congregants what to give to her in terms of financial donations. In February this year, she urged her followers to give tithings to her ministry, and made the argument that they should do so even before taking care of other financial obligations, including paying electric bills or home mortgages, Newsweek reported at the time. Photo: Kevin Zahara Police have charged a man after $3,100 worth of goods, including 180 kilograms of ground beef, were stolen from a food bank in western Alberta. RCMP say the thief also caused more than $700 in damage at the Edson Food Bank on the weekend. Some of the stolen items were thrown away nearby. Matthew Guthrie is charged with break and enter, theft, mischief, and possession of stolen property. Guthrie, who is 19, has been released from custody and is to appear in court on April 7. Panic-buying by shoppers in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to empty grocery store shelves and a lack of toilet paper in some areas. Scared by the prospect a coronavirus epidemic in parts of Afghanistan under their control, the Taliban have pledged their readiness to work with healthcare workers instead of killing them, as they have been accused of in the past. Back in September, the Taliban lifted a ban on the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Red Cross from operating in militant-held territory, having warned them off in April because of suspicions over polio vaccination campaigns. Whatever reservations the militants held over eradicating that crippling disease, they have clearly grasped the dangers posed by coronavirus pandemic sweeping the rest of the world. The Islamic Emirate via its Health Commission assures all international health organisations and WHO of its readiness to cooperate and coordinate with them in combating the coronavirus, said Suhail Shaheen, the Talibans spokesman, on Twitter, using the term the group uses to describe itself. In a report in December, the WHO refrained from naming the Taliban or any other militant group as it counted the human and social cost of targeted attacks on healthcare during 2019. At least 51 healthcare workers, patients and supportive staff were killed and 142 others wounded. As a result of the attacks 192 health facilities were closed, of which only 34 were reopened. The Taliban denied responsibility for the attacks that Afghan authorities have blamed on their fighters. Afghanistan currently has 22 confirmed coronavirus cases, with concerns growing particularly over the danger of infections among the thousands of Afghans crossing the border with Iran: one of the worst-affected nations. The countrys woefully inadequate health system would undoubtedly be overwhelmed if the virus were to take hold. Moreover, after 18 years of war the government only controls about half of the country. The rest is either controlled or contested by the insurgents, who have agreed a peace deal with the United States but have yet to open talks with the government. Communities in ethnic Pashtun rural areas where the Taliban hold sway could suffer from the loss of access to health support in their villages as a result of past militant action. Access can be even worse for women in these communities due to conservative Pashtun attitudes on gender. Rahila, a 31-year-old woman living in Takhar province, said that in her village in a Taliban-controlled area there was a health clinic with only male doctors. The statement comes as the Taliban are, yet again, accused of killing aid and health workers (EPA) (EPA/Jalil Rezayee) When we get sick we are not allowed to go to a doctor, instead our husbands bring medicine for us, Rahila said, asking not to publish her full name over safety concerns. Who will test the women? She added: What if a woman has a coronavirus? Everyone in our village will be affected. If magic happens and helps the Taliban, then the Taliban can prevent coronavirus in our village. Zabihullah Mujahid, another Taliban spokesman, said fighters were encouraging people to listen to health workers and messages broadcast by Mullahs, and would force anyone not obeying to comply. Our Mujahideen are helping the health workers to spread out the messages about the dangers of Covid-19 among the public in our controlled areas, he said. Religious scholars would also be consulted over whether gatherings in mosques should be suspended if the health scare intensified, he added. A Taliban commander in southern Helmand province said the group would provide what services it could for people who became infected, but added that they neither had adequate facilities nor trained personnel to deal with an epidemic. Along with two other commanders that Reuters spoke with, he said the Taliban had clinics where sick or wounded fighters were taken for treatment. Otherwise, some Afghan non-government organisations are operating in insurgency-prone areas. Waheed Omer, an aide to President Ashraf Ghani, said he was still seeing reports of Taliban harassing health workers in some areas. It should be stopped immediately, he Tweeted on Wednesday. Reuters ALBANY Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Wednesday said President Donald Trump will send a 1,000-bed Navy hospital ship and mobile hospitals that are capable of handling 200 or more patients to the state of New York. "Its an extraordinary step obviously," the governor said. "Its literally a floating hospital." The ship, USNS Comfort, also is equipped with operating rooms and will be moored in New York Harbor. The mobile hospitals will be positioned across the state. But Navy officials told Fox News the ship is in Norfolk, Va., undergoing repairs and will not arrive in New York until mid-April. Cuomo said he is also issuing an executive order that will require businesses to have no more than 50 percent of their workforce report to work outside of the home. "That is a mandatory requirement," Cuomo said, "that will exempt essential services." Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday joined Cuomo, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont in adopting a "regional" effort to combating COVID-19, including shutting down bars, restaurants, gyms, movie theaters and casinos. Bowling alleys and the indoor portions or retail malls were added to the list of mandated closures on Wednesday. Latest coronavirus-related cancellations, postponements The latest coronavirus numbers in NY Sign up for the Times Union coronavirus newsletter Full coronavirus coverage Bars and restaurants have remained open because they are allowed to sell takeout and delivery orders, and were granted a waiver for carry-out alcohol. In New York, 2,382 people have tested positive for novel coronavirus, and 20 people have died from COVID-19, the respiratory illness it causes. Nearly 23 percent of those infected 549 have been hospitalized. Counties reporting their first cases on Wednesday were Chenango, Essex, Hamilton and Washington. In the immediate Capital Region, as of early Wednesday evening, Albany County had 41 cases, while there were 16 in Saratoga, 14 in Schenectady and 5 in Rensselaer counties. If the number of people infected continues to climb, as expected, Cuomo said that it may be necessary to order 100 percent of non-essential workers to remain in their residence rather than report to work. "If it doesnt slow the spread then well reduce the number of workers even further," he said, adding, "I would never shut down food services, essential services." The governor again said that he has no plans to issue a "shelter-in-place" order, noting that it may not be effective if people simply travel outside that area to avoid it. He said it would also cause more unnecessary panic. People will be able to go to grocery stores, pharmacies and other essential businesses, and those will remain open. Cuomo reiterated this week that 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. The first New Yorker known to have contracted COVID-19 has recovered at home and since tested negative for the virus. "She was never hospitalized and recovered two weeks later," Cuomo said. "Worse than the virus is the fear that has spread ... I better stock up on groceries. That's not going to happen. Take a deep breath. ... The panic and the fear is wholly disconnected from the reality." He said people who test positive are usually sent home, and told to have "chicken soup and take care of yourself. ... There is no medicine. The body has to develop its own immunity to that virus." State Health Department Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said that once a person has been infected, they develop an immunity to the virus that could last years or a lifetime, so it's unlikely someone would be re-infected. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. More than 10,000 people have been tested statewide. 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 is increasing and will likely increase to around 20 percent. Most of those needing hospitalization are older individuals with underlying health issues, ranging from emphysema to cancer. Cuomo also said that all schools in the state were ordered to close Wednesday, but must develop plans for remote education, child care and meals for those in need. 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 and Wednesday to discuss New York's response to the coronavirus, as it is currently the state with the worst outbreak in the nation. "The president and I agree were fighting the same war and this is a war," Cuomo said, adding the president has pledged to help New York. "His actions demonstrate that he is doing that." Cuomo said he was scheduled to meet with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Wednesday afternoon. Cuomo, who led the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development during the Clinton administration, wants to use the Army Corps to help retrofit unused buildings, including now-vacant public college campuses and dorms, into hospital wards. Jim Urso, spokesman for the State University of New York system, oversees 64 public colleges and universities across the state, said officials are prepared to lend a hand if the health crisis requires. "SUNY and our campuses stand ready to do everything in our power to support the states public health system as it confronts this rapidly evolving health crisis," he said. Cuomo asked 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. Rachel Silberstein contributed reporting. Supermarkets in parts of Australia are set to stay open for 24 hours a day amid the coronavirus panic-buying frenzy. Many people have been left unable to buy essential items as crowds of shoppers have frantically stripped shelves bare. South Australian Premier Steven Marshall announced that shops in the state will be able to stay open around the clock for 30 days during weekdays. The deregulated shopping hours will begin on Monday, March 23. General view outside a Woolworths in Sunbury as people wait outside on Tuesday Under the new regulations shops in South Australia will be open all day from Monday to Friday, and will then be able to open from 12am to 9pm on Saturday and from 9am to 9pm on Sunday. South Australia Treasurer Rob Lucas said shops wouldn't be forced to open but he thought many business owners would extend their opening hours as the rules are relaxed. 'The Government has been horrified by some of the scenes we have seen in the last couple of weeks. We hope this will reduce some of that mayhem,' he told The Advertiser. Mr Marshall said the relaxing of opening hours was designed to keep the 'community protected'. Footage emerged on Tuesday of a Coles customer (right) allegedly abused a female employee (left) over he supermarket's toilet paper policy The move to protect elderly and disabled shoppers from the panic-buying chaos comes after numerous confrontations between customers. Two women were charged over this recent incident at a Woolworths in Chullora in Sydney's south-west This will give traders the opportunity to spread their customer load over a longer number of hours... we also anticipate this will help with jobs with more people needed to stock shelves,' he said. Trading regulations for Easter in South Australia will remain. Meanwhile, supermarkets have been forced to ramp up their security measures as coronavirus panic-buying reaches a fever pitch across the country. Police have been called to supervise long queues at grocery stores as shoppers rush to get their hands on what's left on the shelves amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The hysteria surrounding the deadly outbreak has seen shoppers break into fights over toilet paper and other goods at supermarket chains in recent days. Footage emerged on Wednesday of authorities standing guard as long lines formed outside a Coles at Broadway Shopping Centre, in Sydney's inner-west. In Western Australia, police officers were seen patrolling the aisles as the customers rushed in to stock up on groceries. A NSW Police spokesperson said officers are helping monitor the queues due to a large influx of customers and will be present where needed. Coles also confirmed it has increased its security measures in a bid to control chaos at its stores which have been overrun with customers clearing out shelves daily. '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,' they said in a statement on Wednesday. 'We are constantly reviewing security measures to manage the unprecedented levels of customer demand in our stores and have increased the presence of security in our stores nationally.' Woolworths has followed suit by doubling their security presence across the store network in the last couple of weeks. 'We're working closely with our security contractors to extend coverage even further,' a spokesperson said. Coles joined Woolworths, Aldi and IGA in a desperate plea to customers to be more considerate of workers during the stockpiling frenzy. The call made in newspaper advertisements across the country followed a series of incidents of customers verbally attacking retail staff. On Tuesday, shocking footage emerged of a shopper in a confrontation with a Coles worker during a heated dispute over toilet paper rationing. On Wednesday, Representative Mario Diaz-Balart, a Republican from South Florida, confirmed that he had tested positive for coronavirus after suffering from a fever and a headache over the weekend. He is the first member of Congress to test positive and said he was quarantining in his apartment in Washington. Later, on Wednesday evening, Rep. Ben McAdams of Utah tweeted that he had tested positive and was self-quarantined. Outside the nations capital, governments big and small, from village councils in Florida to the Massachusetts statehouse, were taking extraordinary measures to retrofit traditional and often recalcitrant ways of governing to the age of the coronavirus. Many statehouses have shut their doors to the public. Utah is looking to allow lawmakers to convene digitally. The Connecticut Legislature revised its rules to permit committees to vote by phone. Other states were also considering changes to rules that require members to be physically present to cast a vote. The State Legislature in Washington, which has seen the second-highest number of confirmed cases and highest number of deaths, adjourned its session last Thursday as scheduled. But the outbreak forced it to approve $200 million in virus-related spending and to scrap ambitious plans for new climate change and gun control laws. California lawmakers went into recess on Monday night until at least April 13, even as the San Francisco Bay Area fell under a shelter-in-place order, which sharply limits residents mobility. State senator Toni G. Atkins, the San Diego Democrat who leads Sacramentos upper chamber, said that the decision to recess gave lawmakers a chance to return to their districts to address mounting constituent concerns. I think we have a critical role to play whether in Sacramento or San Diego, she said. In Albany, New Yorks capital, lawmakers grappled with fears that the coronavirus could cripple the states finances and its progressive agenda. There were 2,382 positive cases in the state as of Wednesday, and 20 deaths linked to the disease. Few events have united people, communities, and countries across the world as the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19). There is still a lot that is not known about it how much it will spread; how many people may die; when it will subside. But there is one, clear, inescapable conclusion. Covid-19, besides testing health systems across the world, will severely contract the global economy. While the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has assessed that global growth could dip by 50 basis points, a recession cannot be ruled out. For India, this is bad news. Struggling with an economic slowdown, the virus will only deepen the crisis. The roots of the economic contraction are simple. There are a set of measures necessary to keep citizens healthy social distancing, reduced mobility, work from home mechanisms, closure of public spaces and offices, ban or restrictions on travel. But the same measures slow down the economic engine. Public health measures which must, of course, remain the top priority, and be followed meticulously and rigorously are crippling supply chains and reducing the ability of businesses to function. They are also having a direct impact on incomes and demand. Factory output will reduce; retail will shrink; services will suffer; unemployment will rise; spending will dip; some sectors, such as aviation, tourism, hospitality will be devastated; trading arrangements will get hit; productivity will decrease; markets will continue crashing; and, if, or when, the disease spreads to rural India, in case of community transmission, agriculture and allied activities will be affected. The problem is global. The United States, for instance, is preparing for a fiscal stimulus, and even considering, direct cash handouts. It has proposed a $850-billion stimulus package. In India, the problem is particularly acute, because a large section of the population operates in the informal economy. Daily wage workers have no financial cushion, especially given the weak or non-existent social security net. The government needs to, urgently, come up with a comprehensive coronavirus contingency economic plan to keep businesses viable including through tax relief and extension of deadlines on loan repayments, among other measures; and, provision of income support, if necessary, to the more marginalised segments of the population to meet their basic livelihood needs. The economy will get worse before it gets better. Be prepared. It was cruel when the Trump administration packed our jails with grandpas and pizza guys in its immigration raids, instead of focusing its efforts on dangerous criminals. Now it may be a death sentence. Imagine how fast a pandemic can spread in an enclosed space like a jail, where hundreds of immigrants are bunked together, dozens in the same big rooms. Its a feeding ground for the virus. Thats how the American Civil Liberties Union put it, when it filed suit in Washington on Monday against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, demanding it let these people out like a Jamaican woman with liver disease, or a Salvadoran man confined to a wheelchair with a colostomy bag and catheter. The Newark office of ICE, headed by John Tsoukaris, should let as many of them as possible out of our jails, too, before they become epicenters of this outbreak. The truth is, ICE doesnt have a way to safely detain them. It shouldnt take a lawsuit. Remember: These people are in civil, not criminal, detention, which is not meant to be punitive. Its just about ensuring that they show up to court, not that they suffer or die from a deadly virus. They should be let out with regular check-ins or ankle bracelets, which studies show are highly effective in getting immigrants to show up to court. Based on what were hearing from public health experts, well see an exponential rise in coronavirus cases in a matter of days. Our hospitals will be swamped with thousands more sick people than they are prepared for. Think about what will happen. Guards, cafeteria workers and other staffers will carry the virus into our jails, then back to their families and all the rest of us, after it inevitably explodes behind bars. Weve vacated schools, daycares, bars and restaurants for just this reason, to slow the spread of the virus. We must do the same with our crowded jails for immigrants. Stop arresting all but the most serious criminals, and release as many people as humanely possible. Jails and private detention centers could team up to do their part, too, by halting their intake of immigrants for the duration of the pandemic, as the ACLU of New Jersey has called for. Yet instead, ICE is marching in the opposite direction, continuing to make arrests and stuff ever more people into our jails. Those that hold immigrants, like Essex County Jail, say this is not their decision that if they refused new people, ICE wouldnt release them, but would simply shift them elsewhere, which is no help. Its definitely more on ICE than on the counties. When acting ICE director, Matthew Albence was asked at a congressional hearing last week if hed consider releasing those most at risk, like older people and the medically frail, all hed say was: The people that we have in detention are there because theyre public safety threats or flight risks. Fine, keep the serious criminals. But the bulk of these people, deemed flight risks by ICE, can be tracked with ankle bracelets or other monitoring and where thats been tried, the vast majority have shown up in court. This cruelty is pointless and dangerous to us all. ICE has the power to let these people out. It doesnt need to wait for immigration judges. And its assurance that Currently, there are no detainees in ICE custody with confirmed COVID-19 is downright Orwellian. Given the scarcity of tests in America, does anyone really believe that ICE is using them on the folks it wants to deport? The only person whos been tested in a New Jersey detention center, as far as we know, is one staffer in Elizabeth, who suddenly felt ill. A harbinger of what is to come. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 04:15:16|Editor: zh Video Player Close A policeman checks a pedestrian in Lille, France, March 17, 2020. France has detected 7,730 cases of coronavirus infection, and 175 people had died of the virus, Health General Director Jerome Salomon announced on Tuesday at a daily update. On Tuesday noon, France was put into lockdown for at least 15 days. Only really necessary journeys, such as for professional or health reasons or to buy foods, are allowed. (Photo by Sebastien Courdji/Xinhua) PARIS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- France has detected 7,730 cases of coronavirus infection, and 175 people had died of the virus, Health General Director Jerome Salomon announced on Tuesday at a daily update. In the last 24 hours, 1,097 more people were diagnosed with the COVID-19, which claimed 27 more deaths. A total of 2,579 patients were hospitalized, of which 699 in intensive care, up from 400 registered on Monday. Meanwhile, 602 infected individuals were cured and returned home at the weekend, Salomon said. "Mortality is relatively low but the epidemic is severe and rapid. Our priority is not to saturate our hospitals," he said, recalling the necessity to strictly respect barrier gestures and social distancing. Salomon said testing all the population "is not very important" while placing it under lockdown was "the best answer" to combat the coronavirus pandemic. "The strategy is to test all people with severe symptoms, hospitalized people and health professionals," he added. On Tuesday noon, France was put into lockdown for at least 15 days. Only really necessary journeys, such as for professional or health reasons or to buy foods, are allowed. Like hospitals around the country, UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester is trying to keep up with the demand of testing patients for COVID-19, a respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus. A lack of testing supplies, like swabs and vials, and a limited number of labs stand in the way of testing every patient who presents with symptoms of coronavirus, which can include flu-like symptoms like fever and a cough. Richard Ellison, an epidemiologist at UMass Memorial Medical Center, said the hospital is feeling the effects of a national shortage of coronavirus testing material. To collect samples to test, a medical professional swabs the back of a patients throat or nose and puts the swab into a vial filled with liquid. The medical center is now working on a partnership with UMass Medical School to utilize its research laboratory for coronavirus testing, Ellison said. A timeline for that process is not yet clear but Ellison said they are working to get the partnership online as quickly as possible. Ellison said Tuesday that 300 samples have been sent for testing from the UMass Memorial Health Care system. Wed like to be testing much more than that," Ellison said. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is able to test 400 patients per day. Across the state, 1,367 tests have been administered by the state lab, including repeat testing on some individuals, according to DPH. Outside laboratories LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics have administered 164 and 220 tests, respectively, as of Tuesday morning. UMass Memorial sends samples for testing to the DPH, Quest Diagnostics, and to Viracor. Adding testing at the UMass Medical School lab would help amp up resources. The medical school is working its way through a checklist to ensure it meets federal standards to begin testing, Ellison said. Such a process usually takes months of approval, but it has been sped up by the government to try and keep up with the outbreak, Ellison said. Before the medical school can begin testing at its lab, the process of testing and getting results back to the hospital has to be perfected to prevent any errors, Ellison said. While commercial laboratories do this kind of work full-time, the medical school is normally a research lab, Ellison said. UMass Medical School would need to catalog the availability of equipment. reagents, and staff who are trained, or who might have been certified, to perform tasks in a CLIA environment. CLIA stands for clinical laboratory improvement amendments, the regulations that govern clinical laboratory testing, medical school officials said. With those factors in play, there is currently no way to estimate when the medical school labs could start testing or to guess how many tests could be analyzed a day. Even if the medical school can begin testing, the problem circles back to the number of supplies. We can only do as many as we can actually collect, Ellison said. It would make things much easier and allow us to test more individuals if the supplies are made available ... we have a supply right now but its limiting how quickly we can expand doing testing." The swabs and vials to test for coronavirus are the same kinds used to test for the flu, which UMass Memorial obtains through standard medical suppliers. However, Ellison said that the supply dwindles at the end of the flu season. This is hitting just at the end of the flu season, Ellison said. Were hoping that suppliers and manufacturer are ramping up their inventory to supply. Ellison said that while there are concerns about the slow rollout of testing, many people who could become sick, like healthy people 50 and under, may not need to be tested. People in that category would be advised to stay at home, get plenty of rest and fluids and avoid exposing an illness to other people. A special concern for UMass Memorial Medical Center is in testing hospitalized patients and its own healthcare workers. Theres also a large concern about people who are more vulnerable to serious illness because of coronavirus, including people ages 60 and older and those with serious pre-existing medical conditions. Ellison said the hospital would like to have the capacity to test everyone who regularly interacts with people in that group, especially those who care for aging parents. At this point, there is not enough testing capacity in Massachusetts to test everyone in that situation, he said. Anyone who has been sick with a fever and cough for several days should consult with their doctor. Ellison said people who have shortness of breath or difficult breathing along with those symptoms are worrisome cases and people who should be considered for testing. Ellison said its too soon to know if people will be immune to COVID-19 after contracting the illness. While other coronaviruses and respiratory illnesses can only be contracted once, the flu changes enough every year that a person can become sick a second time. UMass Memorial Medical Center is working on a scheduled, drive-up COVID-19 testing tent. The tent is still in the process of being set up, officials said. At least one person who tested positive for the respiratory illness was treated at UMass Memorial Medical Center. The hospital has added visitor restrictions as the number of cases in Massachusetts grows. As of Tuesday afternoon, there are 218 cases of COVID-19 in the state. Of those cases, eight are in Worcester County, according to DPH. All presumptive positive cases will now be considered confirmed cases in Massachusetts, said DPH Commissioner Monica Bharel. Related Content: Improved deformable mirrors could help scientists detect new sources of gravitational waves from deep in space WASHINGTON -- Researchers have developed a new type of deformable mirror that could increase the sensitivity of ground-based gravitational wave detectors such as the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). Advanced LIGO measures faint ripples in space time called gravitational waves, which are caused by distant events such as collisions between black holes or neutron stars. "In addition to improving today's gravitational wave detectors, these new mirrors will also be useful for increasing sensitivity in next generation detectors and allow detection of new sources of gravitational waves," said research team leader Huy Tuong Cao from the University of Adelaide node of the Australian Center of Excellence for Gravitational Waves Discovery (OzGrav). Deformable mirrors, which are used to shape and control laser light, have a surface made of tiny mirrors that can each be moved, or actuated, to change the overall shape of the mirror. As detailed in The Optical Society's (OSA) journal Applied Optics, Cao and colleagues have, for the first time, made a deformable mirror based on the bimetallic effect in which a temperature change is used to achieve mechanical displacement. "Our new mirror provides a large actuation range with great precision," said Cao. "The simplicity of the design means it can turn commercially available optics into a deformable mirror without any complicated or expensive equipment. This makes it useful for any system where precise control of beam shape is crucial." The new technology was conceived by Cao and Aidan Brooks of LIGO as part of a visitor program between the University of Adelaide and LIGO Laboratory, funded by the Australian Research Council and National Science Foundation. Building a better mirror Ground-based gravitational wave detectors use laser light traveling back and forth down an interferometer's two arms to monitor the distance between mirrors at each arm's end. Gravitational waves cause a slight but detectable variation in the distance between the mirrors. Detecting this tiny change requires extremely precise laser beam steering and shaping, which is accomplished with a deformable mirror. "We are reaching a point where the precision needed to improve the sensitivity of gravitational wave detectors is beyond what can be accomplished with the fabrication techniques used to make deformable mirrors," said Cao. Most deformable mirrors use thin mirrors to induce large amount of actuation, but these thin mirrors can produce undesirable scattering because they are hard to polish. The researchers designed a new type of deformable mirror using the bimetallic effect by attaching a piece of metal to a glass mirror. When the two are heated together the metal expands more than the glass, causing the mirror to bend. The new design not only creates a large amount of precise actuation but is also compact and requires minimum modifications to existing systems. Both the fused silica mirrors and aluminum plates used to create the deformable mirror are commercially available. To attach the two layers, the researchers carefully selected a bonding adhesive that would maximize actuation. "Importantly, the new design has fewer optical surfaces for the laser beam to travel through, said Cao. "This reduces light loss caused by scattering or absorption of coatings." Precision characterization Creating a highly precise mirror requires precision characterization techniques. The researchers developed and built a highly sensitive Hartmann wave front sensor to measure how the mirror's deformations changed the shape of laser light. "This sensor was crucial to our experiment and is also used in gravitational detectors to measure minute changes in the core optics of the interferometer," said Cao. "We used it to characterize the performance of our mirrors and found that the mirrors were highly stable and have a very linear response to changes in temperature." The tests also showed that the adhesive is the main limiting factor for the mirrors' actuation range. The researchers are currently working to overcome the limitation caused by the adhesive and will perform more tests to verify compatibility before incorporating the mirrors into Advanced LIGO. ### Paper: H. T. Cao, A. Brooks, S. W. S. Ng, D. Ottaway, A. Perreca, J. W. Richardson, A. Chaderjian, P. J. Veitch, "A high dynamic-range thermally-actuated bimorph mirror for gravitational wave detectors," Applied Optics, 59, 9, 2784-2790 (2020). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.376764 About Applied Optics Applied Optics publishes in-depth peer-reviewed content about applications-centered research in optics. These articles cover research in optical technology, photonics, lasers, information processing, sensing and environmental optics. Applied Optics is published three times per month by The Optical Society and overseen by Editor-in-Chief Ronald Driggers, University of Central Florida, USA. For more information, visit 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 Commentary by Tom Flanagan The United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) was approved by the UN General Assembly in 2007. Its most controversial feature is a call for free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) by Indigenous peoples before economic development projects can take place on lands they inhabit or to which they may have a claim. Because UNDRIP is neither a convention nor a treaty, it is not legally binding unless it is adopted in legislation. Canada opposed UNDRIP at the UN because FPIC and similar sweeping provisions in the document are not consistent with Canadian constitutional law. The government of Stephen Harper adopted it in 2010 with the proviso that it was a statement of aspirations but not legally binding. The same position was taken by the United States, Australia and New Zealand. Since 2010, Indigenous advocates have made several attempts to enshrine UNDRIP in legislation, using ambiguous language about its legal impact. NDP MP Romeo Saganash authored two private members bills that ultimately failed to receive passage in Parliament. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised, in the recent Liberal campaign as well as in the December 2019 speech from the throne, to legislate on UNDRIP, though a draft bill has not yet been tabled. British Columbia has gone the farthest by passing Bill 41 in November 2019. This legislation again used ambiguous language, saying on the one hand that the government must take all necessary steps to ensure the laws of British Columbia are consistent with the Declaration, and on the other hand that nothing in this Act is to be construed as delaying the application of the Declaration to the laws of British Columbia. The province has said Bill 41 did not repeal existing laws to adjust for UNDRIP, but that, as other laws are amended or passed, they will be aligned with the UN Declaration. But in politics its not so much what you say as what other people hear. Many Indigenous advocates interpreted Bill 41 as having immediately made UNDRIP and FPIC the law in B.C. The adoption of Bill 41 led directly to the proliferation of blockades on Canadian National Railway lines and elsewhere. The traditional Wetsuweten chiefs who oppose the presence of the Coastal GasLink pipeline in their territory had already claimed a right to veto construction. Passage of Bill 41 led other Indigenous advocates as well as the United Nations Commission on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to chime in. When the RCMP took down the barricades put up by local supporters of the traditional Wetsuweten chiefs, other blockades sprang up across the country. The Wetsuweten episode illustrates the practical difficulties involved in trying to legislate UNDRP and FPIC. Some Indigenous advocates are not satisfied with ambiguous language; to them, FPIC means an immediate and absolute veto over economic development projects, even though these projects have passed all the tests of current Canadian constitutional law, including extensive consultations with affected First Nations and approval by elected band councils. Starting with the Haida Nation decision in 2004, Canadian courts have established an extensive body of constitutional law around the concept of they duty to consult First Nations about economic development projects on their lands. The Supreme Court of Canada has said several times, most recently in the TMX pipeline case, that the right to be consulted is not a right to veto. Attempting to layer UNDRIP and FPIC over this existing body of law will produce the kind of chaos we have witnessed recently over the Coastal GasLink project. But federal legislation will be worse, because it will affect the whole country, not just one province. Prime Minister Trudeau will be well advised to observe what has happened in the wake of B.C.s Bill 41 and reconsider his promise about legislating UNDRIP. Tom Flanagan is Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Distinguished Fellow, School of Public Policy, University of Calgary (Alliance News) - Russian gold miner Petropavlovsk PLC on Wednesday announced the sale of most of its stake in IRC Ltd. IRC is a Hong Kong-based iron ore miner which operates in the Russian Far East. Petropavlovsk currently holds 31.1% of IRC but has signed a preliminary agreement to sell 29.9% of this for USD10 million in cash. The buyer is Stocken Board AG, a Luxembourg-incorporated investment company. Petropavlovsk needs the consent of Gazprombank to sell the stake. The sale is conditional on GPB releasing Petropavlovsk from all loan guarantees under agreements signed between the lender and IRC in December 2018. Petropavlovsk confirmed it would hold an approximate 1.2% stake in IRC were the sale to Stocken to go ahead. Chief Executive Pavel Maslovsky said: "We are very pleased to announce that we have agreed to terms for what would be the first stage of a potential transaction which is one of a number of opportunities we have been exploring to relieve the company from the loans it currently guarantees on IRC's behalf, while realising a fair and reasonable value for our shareholding. "The guarantee has a negative impact on our credit rating which increases the cost of our debt. We expect the release from the guarantee would improve the company's credit profile and assist the ongoing momentum of Petropavlovsk's equity and debt re-rating." "As a result, we believe the USD10 million cash consideration proposed represents a fair and reasonable value for our holding in IRC given it would enable us to relinquish the guarantees and enable us to focus on the successful implementation of our strategy which is to consolidate our position as a leading Russian gold miner with the ability to process a wide range of refractory gold ores," Maslovsky continued. Shares were 1.3% higher in London on Wednesday morning at 15.79 pence each. On Tuesday, Petropavlovsk said Covid-19 has not yet had any impact on operations in the Amur region in the Far East of Russia. By George Collard; georgecollard@alliancenews.com Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. browser not support iframe. An American man who is living in the central city of Danang has tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, becoming 68th Covid-19 patient in Vietnam, the Ministry of Health announced late Wednesday morning. According to a report from the ministry, the 41-year-old man left Vietnam on February 11 and had gone through eight countries including India, Spain, Morocco, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Holland, and Singapore before returning to Danang International Airport on March 14. After seeing his health declarations, authorities at Danang Airport sent him to a local hospital for quarantine. His samples showed positive for the virus on the morning of March 18. As of March 18, Danang has reported four Covid-19 cases including two British tourists, a local saleswoman who came in close contact with the two tourists, and the American man. The Ministry of Health said that after 16 patients were discharged, there are now 52 Covid-19 cases being treated at local hospitals. Two of them including a British man and a Vietnamese woman are in serious condition as they have other diseases. Others are recovering, with five have showed negative for the virus at least once. A 36-year-old man, who recently went on a trip to Malaysia, washas been confirmed as the 67th infection of the SARS-CoV-2 in Vietnam. The Ministry of Health announced on March 18 morning that the patient resides in Van Lam 3 hamlet of Phuoc Nam commune, Thuan Nam district, the central province of Ninh Thuan. He and the 61st case of COVID-19 went to Malaysia on February 27 and returned to Vietnam on March 4 on Flight VJ826 from Malaysia to Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. The man is currently undergoing treatment at the General Hospital of Ninh Thuan province. The test result was provided by the Pasteur Institute of Nha Trang city. Samples of 16 other people who had close contact with the 61st case tested negative. As of March 18 morning, there have been 67 COVID-19 patients in Vietnam, including 16 who had been discharged from hospital. The 62nd patient is an 18-year-old Vietnamese students returning from the UK on March 16 on a flight of Vietnam Airlines which landed in Van Don airport, Quang Ninh province. Testing at the airport showed he was positive for SARS-CoV-2 and the result was confirmed later. He is now hospitalized at the Vietnam-Thuy Dien Uong Bi hospital in Quang Ninh, in stable health condition The 63rd case is also a Vietnamese student returning from the UK. After her flight landed in Noi Bai airport, Hanoi, on March 15, she was tested and confirmed to be positive for the coronavirus. The 20-year-old girl is in stable health condition and being treated at the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases No2. The 64th patient is a 34-year-old woman residing in Ho Chi Minh City. She travelled from Switzerland through Dubai to Vietnam on March 12, and was taken to a concentrated quarantine facility on March 16. She tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on March 17, but showed no symptoms. The 65th patient, who resides in Ho Chi Minh City, had contact with and worked together with the 45th and 48th patients on March 7 and 10. The 28-year-old woman was taken to a concentrated quarantine facility on March 13, and confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus on March 17. The 64th and 65th patients are now hospitalized in the Cu Chi acute respiratory disease hospital. They are both in stable health condition. The 66th case, also a resident in Ho Chi Minh City, flew from Pennsylvania, the US on March 14 to Toronto (Canada) then Taiwan (China) and arrived in Vietnam on March 16. Tests the same day confirmed the 21-year-old woman was infected with SARS-CoV-2. She has so far showed no symptom. Hai Phong quarantines all recent arrivals from abroad The northern port city of Hai Phong has moved to implement mandatory medical isolation on both local citizens and foreign nationals who have recently arrived from abroad, with the regulations including all countries, regardless of if theyve been hit by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic or not. This policy comes after the citys leaders requested that all district authorities, along with the management board of the Hai Phong Economic Zone, put in place measures to pick up all recent arrivals from other countries at Cat Bi International Airport before immediately transferring them to the citys centralised isolation areas. Previously, the Hai Phong Department of Health had reported that four Vietnamese citizens from pandemic hit countries, including Iran and Indonesia, had arrived on two separate flights from Ho Chi Minh City to the northern city on the evening of March 16. Signs of the virus were discovered when each of the cases recorded symptoms of fever with their respective temperatures being above 37.4 degrees Celsius. This change in regulation has led Hai Phong to collaborate with localities in a bid to strictly monitor any passengers who had been on either of these two flights, whilst ordering drastic measures to be taken in line with regulations set by the Ministry of Health to prevent the further spread of the disease. Positive news came out of the port city on March 17 when it was confirmed that four cases had tested negative for the COVID-19 for the first time, while an additional eight other suspected cases had also the tested negative for the virus. At present, a total of 158 out of 159 samples which have been taken from suspected cases have come back negative for the COVID-19. Foreign tourists suspected of carrying coronavirus isolated at resorts A corner of Hoi An Beach Resort in Hoi An City and Sam Grand Hotel in Danang City (inset) are being used as safe isolation accommodations for foreign tourists who are suspected of being infected with the coronavirus From March 16, Hoi An Beach Resort at No. 1, Cua Dai Street in Quang Nam Province's Hoi An City will be used as a safe isolation accommodation for foreign tourists in the central city who are suspected of being infected with coronavirus. This arrangement was made based on the agreement between the Quang Nam Province Steering Committee on Covid-19 Pandemic Prevention and Hoi An Tourism Service JSC, the resorts investor. The two sides have been working together on cleaning and disinfecting the resort, so that foreign guests in need can isolate themselves for 14 days based on Vietnamese regulations. Other guests at the resort have been encouraged to move to Hoi An Hotel at 10 Tran Hung Dao Street, Hoi An City. According to the steering committee, by 12 p.m. yesterday, 99 out of 101 foreign travelers in Quang Nam Province were asked to self-isolate at the Vietnamese Farmers Associations guest house or self-isolate at hotels around Hoi An City. Many of them were on the same flights as the 17th and 46th coronavirus patients. The remaining two are being isolated in Dien Ban District, Quang Nam Province. Meanwhile, Danang City authorities yesterday chose three-star Sam Grand Hotel at No. 7, Pham Van Dong Street, Son Tra District, Danang City, as an isolation site for foreign visitors. According to the latest announcement of the Danang City Steering Committee on Covid-19 Pandemic Prevention, this move is aimed at enhancing control over the pandemic and making foreign guests feel safer and more comfortable. The foreigners will be isolated for 14 days and tested regularly. According to the Prime Minister's directive, the isolation measure is still free of charge for everyone, said Hoang Khanh Hung, a member of the steering committee. He added that the Sam Grand hotel has agreed to support the city based on the cost sharing principle. Sam Grand Hotel has 150 rooms. The meeting rooms and lobby can also be utilized, if necessary. Some 14 foreigners are suspected of being infected with Covid-19 and have been hospitalized at Danang Hospital and Hospital 1999 by the Ministry of Public Security, apart from two British tourists under treatment who have twice tested negative. HCMC calls for health declarations from those attending worship service in Malaysia Air passengers submit their health declarations. The HCMC Center for Disease Control today, March 17, issued an urgent announcement asking those who had earlier attended a religious ceremony in Malaysias Kuala Lumpur to make health declarations - PHOTO: SGGP The HCMC Center for Disease Control today, March 17, issued an urgent announcement asking those who had earlier attended a religious ceremony in Malaysias Kuala Lumpur to make health declarations. The church service took place from February 27 to March 1, the local media reported. The Malaysian authority noted that the religious event was attended by 14,500 Malaysian citizens and 1,500 foreigners. After the event, several cases of coronavirus were found. Vietnams 61st coronavirus patient, residing in Thuan Nam District in the south-central province of Ninh Thuan, also attended this worship service. The 42-year-old man entered Malaysia on February 27 and returned to Vietnam on Flight VJ826, which landed at HCMC-based Tan Son Nhat International Airport on March 4. The patient is being treated at Ninh Thuan General Hospitals Department of Tropical Diseases. The citys Center for Disease Control announced that the participants in the worship service in Kuala Lumpur must isolate themselves at home and contact their local healthcare facilities or dial the Ministry of Healths hotline at 1900 9059 or 1900 3228 for guidance on coronavirus infection prevention measures, in line with regulations. Participants who live in HCMC are urged to contact the districts healthcare centers or the HCMC Center for Disease Control. Eight COVID-19 stations start work in Quang Ninh Checking peoples temperature with a remote measuring machine at the Mong Cai Border Gate in the northern province of Quang Ninh. Eight supervision stations for people and vehicles going in and out the northern province of Quang Ninh started work from Wednesday. Its part of the provinces efforts to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic from spreading. The eight stations are located in border areas with four neighbouring provinces and cities including Hai Phong, Hai Duong, Lang Son and Bac Giang. Workers at the stations are police, medical workers and transport inspectors. Each station has from six to nine people divided into three teams. They take turns working all day. They are responsible for checking foreigners and Vietnamese people coming in and out the province, checking peoples temperature and travel history, especially those from areas with confirmed COVID-19 cases. More flights with passengers contracting COVID-19 announced Passengers at Noi Bai International Airport The Ministry of Health on March 17 evening issued an urgent notice on flights with passengers on board contracting COVID-19. The flights comprise EK392 from Dubai to Ho Chi Minh City on March 12, and BR395 from Taiwan (China) to HCM City on March 16. The ministry asked all the passengers on the flights to contact disease control centres of cities and provinces for guidance on health monitoring. Airline ticket agents are responsible for notifying the passengers who bought tickets for those flights. Besides, passengers who were on flight TG917 from London to Bangkok on March 15 and took a transit flight to Vietnam will also need to contact the municipal and provincial disease control centres, the ministry said. Eight other flights with passengers on board contracting COVID-19 were announced by the ministry on March 16. The number of COVID-19 cases in Vietnam stands at 66 now, 16 of them have been discharged from hospital following their full recovery. VNA/VNN Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 17:11:56|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close JOHANNESBURG, March 18 (Xinhua) -- As Covid-19 cases increased, long queues and empty shelves in major retailers have been visible in recent days, resulting in retailers to urge buyers to stop overstocking products. Retailers said demand for products was higher than normal and this was disrupting supply chain. The largest retailer Shoprite appealed to customers to purchase the products they need. "The gaps which are now evident on our shelves and those of other supermarkets are because of the unprecedented demand as a result of fear of the effect of the coronavirus," said Shoprite in a statement. "The unprecedented demand has made it difficult but we are working tirelessly to fill those shelves from our warehouses." it said. Major retailers said there was no need for customers to buy groceries and other essentials in bulk. Some customers have been stocking up personal hygiene products. Some stocking up on food such as tins, rice and pasta. Some retailers have decided to limit shoppers on the number of items they could buy in an effort to prevent bulk buying. Officials at Tihar Jail, where the hanging is scheduled to take place, said Kumar filed the petition addressed to the President on Tuesday evening New Delhi: The 2012 Delhi gangrape and murder case convict Akshay Kumar Singh has filed a second mercy petition before President Ram Nath Kovind just three days before his scheduled hanging on 20 March. 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. On 5 March this year, a trial court had issued fresh warrants with 20 March, 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 was gang-raped and savagely assaulted in a moving bus in south Delhi on 16 December, 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. It has now dawned upon these lady ISIS operatives from Kerala that they are victims of Love Jihad India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 18: Before being taken to Afghanistan from Kerala to join the Islamic State, several girls were converted to Islam. While many cried foul and called these cases of Love Jihad, there were a good number of people who said otherwise. Now it has dawned upon some of these girls that there were indeed victims of Love Jihad. There are cries of despair, with many of them realising that the entire exercise had turned out to be a futile one. Leave alone a Caliphate, many in Afghanistan, who are part of their troop did not even visit Mosques or pray. Nimisha alias Farima and Ayesha alias Sonia Sebastin were both trapped and forcibly converted to Islam. They were then tricked into marriage and later taken to Afghanistan to join the Islamic State. It may be recalled that 21 had left for Afghanistan from Kerala in one batch. Tales of despair emerge as Kerala women who joined ISIS in Afghanistan speak out Some have been killed in airstrikes while others have surrendered. They are now seeking the help of the Indian government to return home. Farima during her questioning at a Kabul jail spoke about Love Jihad. She felt that it was a conspiracy that was backed by Pakistan to trap girls and convert them. The larger plan is to trap girls and then recruit them into the Islamic State. Fathima also 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. It may be recalled that Nimisha was converted to Islam three years ago. She then got married and when she was in the seventh month of her pregnancy, she left for Afghanistan. She was told that they would lead a truly Islamic life and every true Muslim must join hands in establishing the Caliphate. During her questioning she also said that, while it was told that they would lead a religious life, in reality, they were being urged to train for Jihad. Her mother back in Kerala has made an appeal to the Indian government to get her daughter back. The Indian government is however extremely cautious as there are enough reports and incidents to suggest that the silent returnees of the ISIS are extremely dangerous. Many go out train and return only to carry out attacks, set up modules and spread the ISIS propaganda. Take the case of Ayesha alias Sonia Sebastin. 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. Letting the Kerala operatives return from Afghanistan will just help ISIS realise its real plan I assume many people who want to come to the ISIS have the same expectations. I would suggest to them to think twice before takin 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. 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. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 18, 2020, 9:42 [IST] MONTREAL, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Elixxer Ltd. (the Corporation or Elixxer) (TSX-V: ELXR and OTC-QB: ELIXF) is pleased to announce that, following receipt of conditional approval from the TSX Venture Exchange, it has now closed its previously announced convertible loan transaction (the Loan) with international investors led by YA II PN, Ltd. (the Lenders) pursuant to which they have agreed to refinance the principal amount of $US1,183,000 which is outstanding under expiring convertible notes. The Corporation is not receiving any new cash pursuant to the Loan. The Loan has a maturity date of January 1, 2021 (the Maturity Date) and bears interest at the rate of 12% per annum. The principal amount of the Loan, up to a maximum of US$1,096,190, may be convertible into common shares of Elixxer (the Shares) at the option of the Lenders at a price per Share of CAD$0.05 for a maximum of 28,847,105 Shares. At closing, the Corporation has issued an aggregate of 14,200,000 common share purchase warrants (the Warrants) to the Lenders. Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire one Share at an exercise price of CAD$0.05 per Share until the Maturity Date. The securities issued by the Corporation at the closing of the transaction, upon conversion of the Loan or upon the exercise of the Warrants are subject to restrictions on resale for a period of four months and one day from the date of closing. The Corporation is at arms length to the Lenders. About Elixxer Ltd. (www.elixxer.com) Elixxer Ltd. is a leading cannabis investment firm with a focus on the legal global cannabis market. Through its growing portfolio of investment companies, ELXR is building a transversal integrated organization of interconnected legal cannabis companies with cultivation, processing and distribution in Australia, Jamaica, Switzerland, Italy, and Canada serving domestic and export markets. Elixxer Ltd. is a Canadian incorporated public company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (ELXR.V) and the US OTC-QB exchange (ELIXF). Story continues For further information please contact: President, John McMullen, +1-416-803-0698, john@elixxer.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. 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 Elixxers most recent Managements 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. Bengaluru's normally crowded K R Market wears a deserted look due to the coronavirus restrictions in force in the city. (Photo: Satish B) Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has extended the statewide coronavirus shutdown till March 31 as the number of positive cases rose to 14, of whom 11 are those who came in from foreign countries. In an emergency Cabinet meeting, the state government set up a task force of four ministers to lead the defence against the virus. This core team will have Rs 200 crore to orchestrate the combat. When chief minister B S Yediyurappa announced the shutdown last week, it was to be in force until March 21, but it was always unlikely that the Covid-19 scare would have waned by then. Several more restrictions were announced today. Quarantine will be mandatory for all passengers arriving from foreign countries. While schools, colleges and business establishments will continue to be closed, restrictions have been extended to marriages, fairs and social functions as well. Public entry to Vidhana Soudha, Vikas Soudha and the M.S. Building has been barred till March 31. While setting up the task force, the government has earmarked Rs 200 crore for the coronavirus campaign. The chief minister said there is no dearth of funds for fighting the virus. The task force will have deputy chief minister Ashwathnarayana, home minister Basavaraj Bommai, medical education minister Sudhakar, health and family welfare minister B Sreeramulu and chief secretary T M Vijaybhaskar. Sreeramulu will head the task force. The task force will monitor coronavirus cases on a daily basis and orchestrate the response of all stakeholders. It will issue a daily bulletin on the epidemic and also run awareness campaigns. With quarantine now mandatory for passengers coming in foreign countries, community centres, hotels, convention centres, resorts and even PGs will be rented to accommodate the new arrivals. The compulsory quarantine will be for 15 days. A quarantine stamp will be imprinted on the right hand of passengers coming in from foreign countries. Since the Centre has relaxed the rules for using SDRF funds, the state government will draw from it to contain the pandemic; therefore, there will be more funds available to all districts, chief minister B S Yediyurappa said in the Assembly. In further measures, all passengers and suspected Covid-19 cases will be tracked by their mobile phones. Primary stage We are in the first and second stages of the epidemic. The virus is still at a primary stage and has not spread to community level," medical education minister Sudhakar said in the Assembly. "It is important that we do not let the epidemic enter the third stage. It is possible if we implement stringent measures. People have responded positively to the state governments measures and are cooperating with our decisions," Sudhakar said. The UN Development Programme and the Partnership for Disaster Risk Reduction under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development signed an agreement on March 17 to support the Mekong Deltas response to drought and saltwater intrusion. The signing ceremony in Hanoi saw the presence of Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Hoang Hiep, head of the Partnership for Disaster Risk Reduction, and UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam Caitlin Wiesen. Amid severe drought and saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta and in response to the appeal by the Partnership for Disaster Risk Reduction, the UNDP has coordinated with the Vietnam Disaster Management Authority to send working groups to assess the situation in the region and provide information as a basis for other members in the Partnership to give support. The UNDP also presented an aid package worth 185,000 USD funded by the global emergency fund to the MARD to help the Mekong Delta cope with drought and saltwater intrusion. As part of its assistance, the UNDP has provided 300 water tanks for affected households in Ben Tre province and offered livelihood support for 176 others in Ca Mau province. It has also carried out assessment of drought impacts on locals livelihoods and access to freshwater, supported policy dialogue on disaster prevention and control, and helped with the application of mobile technology to keep updated on damage caused by natural disasters. Mekong Delta faces severe saltwater intrusion in March The Mekong Delta region has been badly hit by saltwater intrusion. Experts have warned that the region will have to suffer prolonged drought and saline intrusion during the rest of this years dry season. Hard-hit Italy reported an additional 475 deaths from the virus today, and France imposed a draconian lockdown unseen during peacetime. In the United States, the virus has now spread to all 50 states. The coronavirus has now infected more than 200,000 people and killed more than 8,000 globally, with over 83,000 people having recovered from the infection, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for more aggressive action to curb coronavirus in Southeast Asia after the European Union, now at the epicentre of the pandemic, moved to seal off its borders. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 11:14:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SHANGHAI, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Japanese cosmetics brand Shiseido will set up a new R&D facility in Shanghai for the development of eco-friendly beauty products to boost the health and beauty industry. According to a strategic cooperation agreement signed Tuesday between Shiseido and the city's Oriental Beauty Valley in Fengxian District, the company will carry out advanced research into eco-friendly technologies and prototype development of related cosmetics. Kentaro Fujiwara, China CEO of Shiseido, said the company is bullish on the prospects of the Chinese market and it is a win-win choice to settle in Shanghai's valley of beauty, which is becoming the high ground of industrial innovation in China and around the world. Shiseido's settlement will not only help the Japanese cosmetics firm grow bigger and stronger, but support the valley to speed up its pace of going global, said Xu Kunlin, deputy mayor of Shanghai. Oriental Beauty Valley, with a brand value exceeding 11 billion yuan (about 1.57 billion U.S. dollars), had attracted 131 major industrial enterprises by the end of 2019, with more than 3,000 brands of various types including 135 popular brands at home and abroad. A bar worker is suing pub owner Greene King for over 150,000 compensation after claiming she broke her finger when a fridge door was slammed on her hand. Ana Catarina Figueira, 31, claims she has been left 'disabled' but is being accused of lying and exaggerating in a 'fundamentally dishonest' damages bid. She claims she was grabbing hamburgers for hungry customers from the fridge at Wandsworth's Old Fields pub when a chef shut the giant metal door on her hand. The bar worker was left 'screaming and crying' with pain and, having fractured the digit, had to have tendons removed from her ankle and transplanted to her finger. Ms Figueira, who lives in Croydon, south London, is now suing Greene King for over 150,000 compensation at Central London County Court. She claims her recovery from the January 2016 incident was difficult and that she has been left her with a 'disability' which will impact her ability to earn. Ana Catarina Figueira claims she has been left 'disabled' but is being accused of lying and exaggerating in a 'fundamentally dishonest' damages bid But Greene King is fighting her, claiming their chef was not at fault and that Ms Figueira had caught her own hand in the door. Judge Simon Freeland was told that Ms Figueira - who is Portuguese - moved to the UK in 2014 and began working for the pub company in August 2015. Lawyer James Patience QC argued she was injured when the chef emerged from the walk-in fridge with ingredients to make sauce. He said the chef 'kicked, elbowed or somehow shut the door as she was entering', adding: 'The door to the fridge was open and she had to get some hamburgers. 'She went to enter the fridge and, as she was doing so, the chef was leaving. 'She attempted to grab the closing door with her right hand and, in doing so, she sustained injury, in that her hand was caught between the door frame and the door.' Giving evidence through an interpreter, Central London County Court heard how Ms Figueira she had immediately been in agony. 'I was in severe pain. The pain was very sharp. I was screaming and crying,' she said. Afterwards, she was taken to St George's Hospital, in Tooting, where she was treated for the fracture and tendon damage. The surgery included having to have tendons taken from her ankle and transplanted to the ring finger of her right hand. But lawyers for Greene King claimed that Ms Figueira is not telling the truth about what happened, claiming the chef was nowhere near the fridge. She claims she was grabbing hamburgers for hungry customers from the fridge at Wandsworth's Old Fields pub when a chef shut the giant metal door on her hand Ms Figueira, who lives in Croydon, south London, is now suing Greene King for over 150,000 compensation at Central London County Court They alleged that she had injured herself by catching her finger in the door latch - and that the chef had rescued her afterwards. Ms Figueira has denied that she was alone when she was hurt. 'He was going to collect the ingredients to make the sauce,' she claimed. 'He was going out and I was going in to get the hamburgers.' Her barrister told the judge that the evidence would have to be powerful for him to find Ms Figueira is lying, arguing: 'If Greene King's version of events is preferred, it follows that she is being dishonest in bringing this claim. 'When one is alleging fraud, especially of this serious nature, the evidence one must bring to court to prove that must be compelling,' said Mr Patience. The only evidence which Greene King had put forward to support its claim of dishonesty was the word of the chef himself, he added. The hearing continues. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form After Raveena Tandon corrected an International media publication when they called 'namaste', a 'prayer-like gesture', Kangana Ranaut's sister Rangoli Chandel took to her Twitter to slam a leading American newspaper based in New York for their article on India's Coronavirus situation. The article published on March 17 said, "India has reported around 125 cases of the coronavirus, and it is a bit of a mystery how the worlds second-most-populous nation, with 1.3 billion people, has remained relatively unscathed while the number of cases explodes to its east and west" [sic] Reacting to this, Rangoli remarked that she isn't able to understand why are they disappointed if the number of cases is low. She further adds that they should rather appreciate the government and people who are following the health advisory. NYT is rather disappointed why Corona not spreading in India, they can easily appreciate the government and people who follow precautions but they chose to make it a mystery maza aata hai jab inki jalti hai https://t.co/gkq8AqZ285 Rangoli Chandel (@Rangoli_A) March 18, 2020 The number of novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 151 on Wednesday after four more were reported from various parts of the country, according to the Health Ministry. The cases include 25 foreign nationals and the three persons who died in Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra. ALSO READ | Mimi Chakraborty announces 7-day self-quarantine after coming back from London Over 5,700 people, who had come in contact with these positive cases, are under rigorous surveillance, the Ministry said. According to the ministry's data, 14 people have been discharged so far, including the three patients from Kerala who were discharged last month. 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. This instruction is a temporary measure and shall be in force till March 31 and will be reviewed subsequently. With coronavirus cases swelling in the country, the government has also banned the entry of passengers from the European Union countries, Turkey and the UK from March 18 till March 31 I havent had a chance to let it all sink in, Martin said. The order is by 5 p.m. (March 17) you have to close, if youre a restaurant you can do takeout food and delivery, and thats it. Martin said she has not had a chance to get in touch with league members yet to determine which other restaurants will remain open. Its way too early to know whos going to or not, Martin said. I agree with the caution though, Martin said. The number one thing is to get rid of this virus. Ruth Metz, the owner of Ooga Brewing Company at 301 S. Spring St., Beaver Dam, said she was disappointed by the closure, but agreed that the safety of the community is the important part of everything. Every problem is an opportunity, Metz said. I havent figured out what the opportunity is yet. For the time being, Metz said they will continue to sell the 32 oz beers that they brew along with pizzas and other snacks that they sell there. People just cant sit in the bar and drink, Metz said. LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE IS MAY 5, 2020 NEW YORK, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP announces that a federal securities class action lawsuit has been filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California on behalf of purchasers of the securities of PharmaCielo Ltd. (OTC: PCLOF) between June 21, 2019 and March 2, 2020, inclusive (the "Class Period"). All investors who purchased shares of PharmaCielo Ltd. and incurred losses are urged to contact the firm immediately at classmember@whafh.com or (800) 575-0735 or (212) 545-4774. You may obtain additional information concerning the action or join the case on our website, www.whafh.com. If you have incurred losses in the shares of PharmaCielo Ltd., you may, no later than May 11, 2020, request that the Court appoint you lead plaintiff of the proposed class. Please contact Wolf Haldenstein to learn more about your rights as an investor in the shares of PharmaCielo Ltd. ## Follow the firm and learn about newly filed cases on Twitter and Facebook ## CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CASE According to the filed complaint, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: PharmaCielo engaged in an undisclosed related party transactions with General Extract LLC; PharmaCielo engaged in misleading transactions and loans with General Extract LLC and XPhyto Therapeutics Corp.; PharmaCielo's Research Technology and Processing Centre was never on-schedule and is delayed; The Rionegro facility is located on a floodplain and contaminated with mold and pesticides from its previous tenants; pesticides from its previous tenants; PharmaCielo's Cauca Department land has never been utilized by the Company and is idle; and As a result, Defendants' public statements were materially false and/or misleading at all relevant times. Wolf Haldenstein has extensive experience in the prosecution of securities class actions and derivative litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts across the country. The firm has attorneys in various practice areas; and offices in New York, Chicago and San Diego. The reputation and expertise of this firm in shareholder and other class litigation has been repeatedly recognized by the courts, which have appointed it to major positions in complex securities multi-district and consolidated litigation. If you wish to discuss this action or have any questions regarding your rights and interests in this case, please immediately contact Wolf Haldenstein by telephone at (800) 575-0735, via e-mail at classmember@whafh.com , or visit our website at www.whafh.com. Contact: Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP Kevin Cooper, Esq. Gregory Stone, Director of Case and Financial Analysis Email: gstone@whafh.com , kcooper@whafh.com or classmember@whafh.com Tel: (800) 575-0735 or (212) 545-4774 This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 18 By Ilkin Seyfaddini Trend: Two more Uzbek citizens have tested coronavirus-positive in the country, so the total number of people infected with coronavirus in Uzbekistan has reached 15, Trend reports citing the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan. The wife of a citizen, who was previously diagnosed with COVID-19, was diagnosed with coronavirus infection. According to the Ministry of Health, the mentioned citizen flew to Uzbekistan from Turkey. In addition, another Uzbek citizen tested coronavirus-positive, after arriving via the London-Tashkent flight. This is the fourth case of the virus detection for today in Uzbekistan. The first case of Coronavirus infection was detected on March 15 in the laboratory of the Research Institute of Virology - an Uzbek woman who had returned from France. The Ministry of Health later said that her son and daughter also tested coronavirus-positive. According to the Health Ministry, on March 16, 2020, husband and grandson of the first patient have been confirmed infected with COVID-19. In addition, the coronavirus was discovered during the medical check-up of Uzbeks who flew from London to Tashkent on March 14. he 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 7,900. Over 198,000 people have been confirmed as infected. Meanwhile, over 81,000 people have reportedly recovered. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019. Several countries are developing a vaccine against the new virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic. --- Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Photo: AP Photo/Matt Dunham, Pool The UK government just announced a radical package of measures aimed at protecting renters and landlords affected by coronavirus pandemic. The government confirmed in a statement that it has put emergency legislation in place to stop landlords being able to evict tenants out of social or private rented accommodation while this national emergency is taking place. The new set of measures also includes no new possession proceedings through applications to the court to start during the crisis. The government is clear no renter who has lost income due to coronavirus will be forced out of their home, nor will any landlord face unmanageable debts, said housing secretary Robert Jenrick MP. These are extraordinary times and renters and landlords alike are of course worried about paying their rent and mortgage. Which is why we are urgently introducing emergency legislation to protect tenants in social and private accommodation from an eviction process being started. These changes will protect all renters and private landlords ensuring everyone gets the support they need at this very difficult time. Pressure had built overnight (17 March) for the government to help protect those who dont own a home after Chancellor Rishi Sunak declared that all UK lenders would offer a three-month mortgage holiday for homeowners in financial difficulty. This includes landlords who have Buy-to-Let mortgages. He promised struggling mortgage borrowers would not have to make monthly payments while they get back on their feet as part of an enormous 330bn ($403bn) package of guarantees on Tuesday. But the opposition government criticised that the package did not contain support for tenants in private or social housing. However, with the new measures set out by the government, both the homeowner and their tenants will be protected for the three month period. At the end of the period, the government said landlords and tenants will be expected to work together to establish an affordable repayment plan, taking into account tenants individual circumstances. Landlord groups welcomes government support. We recognise the exceptional circumstances and we will work collaboratively with government to ensure these measures protect both landlords and tenants, said Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords association. The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has called on African governments to review their budgets to reprioritise spending towards mitigating the expected negative impact from the COVID-19 pandemic on their economies. As a safety net, the think tank is urging governments to provide incentives for food importers to quickly forward purchases to ensure sufficient food reserves in key basic foods items to cushion the economic effects of the pandemic. It warned that the unfolding coronavirus crisis could seriously dent Africas already stagnant growth with oil exporting nations losing up to US$ $65 billion in revenues as crude oil prices continue to tumble. In a release copied to the Ghana News Agency, Dr Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary, said having already strongly hit Africas major trading partner, China, COVID-19 was inevitably impacting Africas trade. She said although a few COVID-19 cases have been reported in some 26 African countries with 273 case confirmed so far, the crisis was set to deal African economies a severe blow. Africa may lose half of its GDP with growth falling from 3.2 per cent to about 2 per cent due to a number of reasons which include the disruption of global supply chains, said Dr Songwe, adding that the Continents interconnectedness to affected economies of the European Union, China and the United States was causing ripple effects. She said the continent would need up to US$ 10.6 billion in unanticipated increases in health spending to curtail the virus from spreading, while on the other hand revenue losses could lead to unsustainable debt adding COVID-19 could reduce Nigerias total exports of crude oil in 2020 by between US$ 14 billion and US$ 19 billion. The ECA estimates COVID-19 could lead to Africas export revenues from fuels falling at around US$ 101 billion in 2020. For instance, Nigeria is expected to export $42.7 Billion fuel, which constitutes 91.7 per cent of its share of total exports and constitutes 10.7 per cent share of gross domestic product (GDP) with Ghana on the other hand is expected to export $3.1 Billion, which represents 23.3 per cent of its share of total exports and 5.2per cent of share of GDP. She noted remittances and tourism are also being affected as the virus continues to spread worldwide, resulting in a decline in FDI flows; capital flight; domestic financial market tightening; and a slow-down in investments - hence job losses. Again, pharmaceuticals, imported largely from Europe and other COVID-19 affected partners from outside the continent, could see their prices increasing and availability reduced for Africans. With nearly two-thirds of African countries being net importers of basic food, shortages are feared to severely impact food availability and food security. Furthermore, negative consequences are expected to worsen, if COVID-19 develops into full scale pandemic in Africa. In addition, a decline in commodity prices could lead to fiscal pressures for Africas economic power houses such as South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt and Angola. Mr Stephen Karingi, Director of the ECAs Regional Integration and Trade Division, however said this presents an opportunity for the Continent to take advantage of as trading within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is set to commence this July. The intra-African market could help mitigate some of the negative effects of COVID-19 through limiting dependence on external partners, especially in the pharmaceuticals sector and basic food, said Mr Karingi, adding diversifying economies away from fuel-driven was vital beyond COVID-19. He said there is the need for the continent to urgently implement the AfCFTA and urged African countries who export drugs to prioritize selling them on the African market. Mr Karingi said fiscal stimulus packages are also crucial if the continent is to weather the COVID-19 storm which has now claimed over 5,000 lives globally and infected over 150,000 people. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Life under home quarantine, but not alone By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2020-03-18 12:10 At 4 pm on March 15, Anna, who is a teacher from the U.S., arrived at her residential community. At the gate, she was greeted by a community worker, who guided her to register her arrival in fluent English. In the following days, Anna and her family would undertake a 14-day home quarantine. She was informed that the community workers would help her solve any difficulties in her daily life, including body temperature checks, translation and some other errands like picking up deliveries and throwing away garbage. In the Green City International Community in Pudong, where Anna lives, a total of 88 expats who have just returned to Shanghai from countries hit hard by the COVID-19 epidemic are under home quarantine (as of March 15). Green City International Community in Jinqiao, Pudong, is one of Shanghais largest international communities, winning the appellation of a mini United Nations. With an area of 2.5 square kilometers, it houses 11,000 permanent residents and over 3,000 expats from over 60 countries and regions, including the US, UK, France, Germany, Australia, Spain, and Switzerland. Since the beginning of March, as the COVID-19 epidemic in China has turned into a worldwide pandemic, more people have been returning to Shanghai or other places in China via Shanghai. To strictly contain imported cases, community workers in Green City took the initiative to regulate the entrance management of the community. Security guards at the gate are equipped with protective outfits; posters in Korean, Japanese, Italian and Iranian languages are displayed to remind people to register their arrival; and a table is covered with health registration forms and notice letters in four languages. One hour after getting back home, Anna was visited by a team made up of a translation volunteer, a community doctor, a police officer and a community worker. With the help of the translator, the community doctor explained in detail how Anna should monitor her health condition during the home quarantine, the police guided her to sign a quarantine commitment letter, and the community worker handed a gift bag to Anna, in which there are 10 face masks, a bottle of disinfectant with 75% Ethanol, a bottle of hand sanitizing gel, and a note concerning home-quarantine in multiple languages. Before they left, they friended Anna on WeChat so that they could contact each other easily. In the WeChat group, people like Anna who are under quarantine can ask for help at any time. Many of them have nicknamed the WeChat group a cheering-up group, because community workers in the chat group always give the quarantined expats encouragement. Other expats in Green City are also cheering up each other during the epidemic. A resident named Senait initiated a campaign called Love Letter to China, calling on people to share what they want to say at this tough time by writing a letter instead of going outside. I wish to express my feelings to you. Despite the great anxiety caused by the epidemic, I am grateful that youve made Shanghai a second home for me and many other expats I know, said Senait, whose initiative has attracted many expats to express their own love for Shanghai and China. Eight Perfect Murders By Peter Swanson William Morrow. 288 pp. $27.99 Reviewed by Bruce DeSilva Its a cold, snowy winter in Boston, where Malcolm Kershaw, five years a widower, runs the Old Devils Bookstore, a well-ordered mystery bookshop on Beacon Hill. He is not a particularly social sort; his closest companion is Nero, the shop cat named after Rex Stouts eccentric detective, Nero Wolfe. One day, an FBI agent named Gwen Mulvey drops by. It is not a social call. She is investigating a series of mysterious deaths. On the face of it, there is nothing to connect them. It is not even clear that some of them are murders. But some years back, Malcolm had written a post for the stores blog listing his choices for the eight most foolproof murders in crime fiction. Among them: Agatha Christies The A.B.C. Murders, James M. Cains Double Indemnity, and Patricia Highsmiths Strangers on a Train. Mulvey has a gut feeling that someone is using Malcolms list as a script. If so, the killer might be someone Malcolm knows. Will he help her examine the similarities between the real and fictional deaths? He agrees. So begins Peter Swansons Eight Perfect Murders, an homage to classic mystery stories that offers both the charms of a puzzle mystery and the bleak atmosphere of a noir. As Malcolm and the agent work together sometimes going over the novels on the list, sometimes visiting crime scenes to look for clues the connections between the real and fictional murders grow clearer. Soon, the reader begins to suspect that Malcolm and his cat are not what they seem. The flawed main characters are well developed, the New England settings are vividly drawn, and the twists keep coming in this suspenseful, ingeniously plotted tale. DeSilva, winner of the Mystery Writers of Americas Edgar Award, is the author of the Mulligan crime novels including The Dread Line. He wrote this for the Associated Press. Inevitable step to prevent cluster infections among students The spring semester at all the country's kindergartens and elementary, middle and high schools will begin in April for the first time in history. The Ministry of Education said Tuesday that the start of the new school year would be postponed for another two weeks to prevent cluster infections in schools. The postponement, the third of its kind, will push back the start of the new academic year until April 6. The spring semester here usually begins in March. Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae said the date of school openings could be brought forward or delayed further, depending on how the coronavirus situation develops. The further delay of the new school year is an inevitable step to stop infections in schools from spilling over to households and local communities. As the spring semester is beginning five weeks later than normal, households and schools will face a host of problems. Working parents with preschool and earlier-grade schoolchildren are certainly finding it more difficult to look after their children. Schools also appear to be at a loss over shortened academic schedules and curricula. The importance of the government's role cannot be overemphasized in difficult times like these. The education ministry has yet to announce any delay to this year's college entrance exam scheduled for Nov. 19, but it's necessary to decide on that matter as quickly as possible to alleviate students' anxiety and reduce confusion. The ministry should also endeavor to ensure emergency childcare programs at kindergartens and elementary schools are running smoothly for working parents. Despite the government's guidance, more cram schools, known as hagwon, seem to be resuming operations. Given the desperate need for social distancing amid lingering concerns over mass infections, the government should encourage them to suspend operations voluntarily by promising emergency loans. No less important are schools' thorough disinfection measures, including rearranging desks and chairs to widen the distance between students, before the delayed new semester begins. New guidelines for Int'l travellers: From South Africa to Mauritius, here is a list of at-risk countries India slams, China-Pak for reference on Jammu and Kashmir India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 18: India has slammed China and Pakistan for their 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. Farooq Abdullahs detention revoked by Jammu and Kashmir govt after 7 months "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. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 18, 2020, 7:48 [IST] Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 22:54:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday that viruses respect no borders, and that it is the common responsibility of the international community to deal with and win the battle against viruses. Wang made the remarks when holding a phone conversation with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan at the latter's request. Under the strong leadership and personal guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping, China has mobilized the whole country to wage an arduous people's war of COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control, and the victory is now in sight, Wang said. China will strengthen planning and coordination to fully consolidate the hard-fought achievements in the country's fight against the epidemic, and take multiple measures to prevent the import of COVID-19 cases, he said. Meanwhile, China will push for the resumption of work and production and restore normal work and life order in a stepwise fashion, he added. Wang expressed the Chinese side's deep concern over the occurrences of COVID-19 in many sources and places across the globe, and its strong empathy for the difficulties and challenges facing some countries. In the spirit of openness and transparency in the first place, China has kept in contact with the World Health Organization and the international community, and made tremendous sacrifices to prevent the epidemic from spreading outward, which has bought precious time for various countries in the fight against COVID-19 and made significant contributions to the global public health cause, he added. Wang said China is willing to further strengthen cooperation with the international community and practice the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind proposed by President Xi. In a responsible manner, he said, China will actively share with various countries its experience in such aspects as prevention and control as well as diagnosis and treatment, send medical experts to countries in need, and provide medical supplies assistance within its capabilities. Wang added that China will also open up export channels for medical supplies, give full play to its capacity advantages, and help ease the procurement gap in relevant countries. China is willing to, together with Singapore, further strengthen coordination, explore the establishment of a joint prevention and control mechanism, and participate in and advocate international and regional cooperation, he said. Wang stressed that the international community needs to forge a consensus in fighting the epidemic in solidarity under current circumstances. Attempts to stigmatize China's fight against the epidemic are despicable, and will only split the international community, which is neither conducive to the joint efforts of all countries to fight the epidemic, nor helpful to their prevention and control of the spread of epidemic domestically, he added. China appreciates Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's repeated statement that the novel coronavirus should not be stigmatized, and his calls for all countries to join hands in the fight against the epidemic, Wang said, adding that China believes that Singapore will continue to uphold a fair stand in this regard. Balakrishnan, for his part, congratulated China on the successful control of the spread of the epidemic in the country in a short period of time, which has accumulated useful experience for the international community, saying that this is a remarkable achievement. He said that China has shared its anti-epidemic experience with the international community in a timely manner, generously dispatched medical expert teams and opened up export channels for medical supplies, which Singapore highly appreciates. Unfortunately, he added, some countries have failed to make full use of the precious time China has won, resulting in a global spread of the epidemic. Balakrishnan noted that the top priority for Singapore and China is to consolidate the achievements in the fight against the epidemic, guard against the import risk of COVID-19, and jointly deal with the long-term impact of the epidemic on public health and economy, politics and society, among other aspects. Epidemic prevention and control is a common challenge for the international community, he said, adding that Singapore has never subscribed to the stigmatization of specific countries, an act which is neither conducive to epidemic prevention and control in countries concerned, nor helpful to trust-building and cooperation among various countries. 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 Twitter Email 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 Twitter Email 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 Twitter Email 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 Twitter Email 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 Twitter Email 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. Read More 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 Twitter Email 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 Twitter Email 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. PHOENIX, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / The Colling Media market research team conducted a national Snapshot Study to understand how the coronavirus (COVID-19) is changing the way consumers are consuming media and advertising. The survey, conducted March 17, 2020, canvased 500 adults 18+ from throughout the United States. The purpose of the study was to reveal if social distancing, the closing of businesses, and people working from home are modifying how people are watching, listening, and absorbing differing media. Here are the top-level findings of this Colling Media Snapshot survey: 54.7% of consumers are watching more TV than they were this time last week. 16%.6 of consumers are listening to less radio (at home or in the car) than they were this time last week. 46% of consumers are looking at more social media (such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn) than they were this time last week. 35.4% of consumers are seeing less out-of-home advertising (such as billboards and bus shelter advertising) than they were this time last week 40% of consumers are using their desktop or laptop computers more than they were this time last week. 53.3% of consumers are consuming websites on their mobile/cell phones more than they were this time last week. Click here to view the full Snapshot study and accompanying charts: National Consumers are Dramatically Changing Media Consumption in Wake of Coronavirus "In many ways, the results of our survey aren't surprising, because we've seen shifts in consumer media consumption before during unusual times," says Brian Colling, CEO of Colling Media. "But these results are significantly amplified and different than what we've ever seen before. For advertisers, we suggest an immediate audit of where and how their target consumers are consuming media. This may mean immediate dialing back on some media, such as radio and out-of-home, and an increase in social media, TV and OTT spending, especially on mobile devices. That is what we're doing for our clients - advising them where they should be spending their advertising dollars for optimal results. Brands need to reach customers, even under unusual circumstances, so we must be vigilant in watching and responding immediately." About Colling Media Colling Media, based in Scottsdale, AZ, is a full-service national digital advertising and marketing agency specializing in advertising branding and strategy, digital and traditional advertising, media buying, paid search, lead generation, content marketing, and SEO. More information can be obtained at https://collingmedia.com and by following the company on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/colling-media?), Facebook, (https://www.facebook.com/collingmedia) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/collingmedia). Contact: Jordan Walsh jordan@collingmedia.com SOURCE: Colling Media View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/581416/National-Survey-Consumers-Are-Dramatically-Changing-Media-Consumption-in-Wake-of-Coronavirus Advice to stay at home to slow the spread of COVID-19 isnt of much help to homeless New Yorkers. Even if theyre in shelter, and not only if theyre out on the street, they are particularly vulnerable to a widespread health crisis. Medical experts say that the homeless are more likely to contract the virus because people in homeless shelters are often in close proximity to one another and unsheltered homeless people may lack regular access to soap and hand sanitizer. And because homeless people tend to face more challenges in obtaining medical care, it is likely they may get sicker or die more often if exposed to the coronavirus. That means questions that many New Yorkers have about the virus such as where to get tested become all the more daunting for people without permanent homes. New York City which has more than 60,000 homeless people in shelters and an estimated 3,600 on the street has released guidance for homeless shelter operators as well as outreach teams that communicate with the citys homeless on education about the new coronavirus and practices for cleaning facilities. Complying with guidance in shelters for single adults, which tend to have people sleeping in large groups in a dorm-like setting, is expected to be particularly challenging given that health experts recommend people keep at least six feet in distance between each other to avoid spreading the virus. So far, the city has managed to set aside isolated beds for people suspected of possibly having the coronavirus. In shelters for homeless families, the city has also set up a system to send those in quarantine meals in response to concerns that they may not have the funds or access to food at grocery stores. Security guards at shelters have recently raised the alarm however that they arent getting sufficient protective gear such as gloves and face masks. A spokesman with the city Department of Homeless Services told the New York Post in a statement that the agency is always prepared to connect clients and staff alike to any medical services they may need for any reason, including as relates to COVID-19. Catherine Trapani, executive director of Homeless Services United, which represents shelter providers, said for the most part the citys guidance on programmatic issues, such as identifying symptoms of the virus and setting up isolation beds, has been good. The main challenge for nonprofits is financial. Especially now that public schools are closed, organizations are having staffing challenges as employees navigate their approach to child care and will continue to pay extra for cleaning supplies. The problem is we were already in a sort of financially precarious place, she said. Christine Quinn, former New York City Council Speaker and head of the shelter and supportive housing provider WIN said her organization has gone over budget stocking up its food pantry for clients and cleaning supplies. Without that relief and reimbursement from the city, there will be service providers who go under, she said. Many organizations across the human services sector have echoed those concerns as they try to get flexibility with their existing city contracts. They dont expect to hit certain performance goals required in their contracts, because those programs are now closed because of the coronavirus or underutilized as people are encouraged to stay home. An additional challenge in New York City shelters is acclimating to the recent public school closures. About 114,000 city public school students are homeless and will have to now attend classes online. Most shelters dont have wireless internet access in their residential areas, which will be an obstacle as the city tries to make sure all students have internet available. Working parents in the shelter system will also face child care difficulties with kids out of schools. Normally, all our child care programs are geared toward obviously a functioning school system, Trapani said. For homeless people outside the shelter system, fewer services are now available to help them. Charities providing food, showers and other help to the homeless are either closing or cut down services to only offering to-go meals. The citys parks department has also closed its recreation centers, which many homeless people use to shower. Ive gotten a couple of texts this morning from people like, where do we go shower now? Josh Dean, executive director of Human.nyc, said. And theyre apparently just washing up in bathrooms using the sink, and thats not nearly the same, especially at a time like this. The city Department of Homeless Services has recently allowed outreach teams to start distributing socks and hand sanitizer to the citys homeless, overturning a previous rule that prevented outreach workers from giving supplies because officials argued it discouraged people from entering shelters. The rollout on that effort is just beginning now. But for some organizations like New York City Relief which has been providing meals and handwashing stations for the street homeless even just finding supplies for clients, staff and volunteers has been difficult. We literally called dozens and dozens of pharmacies, and all of them are sold out, until we found one that had a supply, Josiah Haken, vice president of outreach operations at the nonprofit, said about the process of finding the 95 face masks the organization is using for its staff and volunteers. The Socialist Equality Party (SEP), the Sri Lankan section of the International Committee of the Fourth International, will hold an online public meeting, live streamed on Facebook at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 22 local time, to launch its campaign for the forthcoming general elections. The SEP cancelled its previously announced March 21 public meeting at the Colombo Public Library Auditorium due to the coronavirus pandemic. The SEP is fielding 43 candidates for three districtsColombo, Jaffna and Nuwaraeliyain the April 25 general elections. The SEPs candidate lists are headed by Vilani Peiris, P. Sambandan and M. Thevarajah, senior party leaders who have dedicated their lives to the struggle for the perspective of international socialism. President Gotabhaya Rajapakse has called the elections in an attempt to win more seats for his ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). His aim is the establishment of a presidential dictatorship that would attempt to suppress the rising mass opposition of workers and the rural poor to its IMF-dictated austerity measures. The opposition partiesthe United National Party, its breakaway faction, the Samagi Jana Balavegaya, and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramunahave no differences with Rajapakses dictatorial plans and have expressed their readiness to work with him. The Tamil National Alliance and other Tamil bourgeois parties want to boost their parliamentary seats and preserve their privileges through a deal with Colombo that backs the geopolitical interests of the US and its regional ally India. Pseudo-left organisations, such as the Nava Sama Samaja Party, the United Socialist Party and the Frontline Socialist Party, are tirelessly working to prevent any independent mobilisation of the working class against the increasing authoritarian measures of the Sri Lankan ruling elite. Opposing all these parties, the SEP is fighting for the independent mobilisation of the working class for international socialism and against deepening social inequality, imperialist war and the threat of dictatorship. The inability of the capitalist system to meet the most basic social needs of the working class and the oppressed masses is starkly demonstrated by the unprecedented economic and social crisis provoked by the spread of the coronavirus pandemic around the world. This Sundays afternoon online meeting will be addressed by party speakers, including General Secretary Wije Dias and leading candidates, and will be live streamed through the Sri Lankan SEPs Facebook page. SEP speakers will elaborate on the international socialist program and perspective on which the partys election campaign is based. We invite workers, youths, intellectuals and WSWS readers to participate in this vital event. Companies are prohibited from laying off workers and rents are reduced under Italy's economic survival plan for life at the European epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte hailed his 25-billion-euro ($28-billion) programme as the "Italian model" that the rest of Europe could adopt as it imposes its own painful lockdowns. Italy's 2,503 official COVID-19 deaths account for more than half of those reported outside China. "When we talk about the Italian model, we are not only talking about health but also the economic response to the crisis," Conte said while unveiling his "Cura Italia" ("Italian Cure") plan at the start of the week. Other European countries will probably never take on all 127 points Conte -- a former law professor -- and his team of technocratic ministers drafted during Italy's gravest emergency since World War II. But here is a broad look at some of the measures outlined in the 72-page decree Italian President Sergio Mattarella signed on Tuesday night. Companies are prohibited from laying off workers for the next two months without "justified objective reasons". The self-employed and seasonal workers such as tour guides can expect a 600-euro (USD 680) payment for the month of March to help cushion the pain of lost business. The government will also cover 100-euro bonuses for low-wage employees. Families are issued 600-euro vouchers to cover the expense of having to hire baby sitters to look after kids that will be out of school at least until April 3. The Italian government said Wednesday that its month-long shutdown of everything from kindergartens to private universities might run well into next month. The self-employed who have to look after their kids will receive "parental leave" payments that cover half of their declared monthly incomes. These payments can also be calculated on a daily basis. Conte shut down all forms of business except for pharmacies and grocery stores for two weeks starting on March 12. The government is compensating shop owners by offering them tax credits to cover 60 per cent of their March rent payment. The self-employed and freelancers with home mortgages can ask to have their payments suspended for up to 18 months if they can prove that their incomes fell by a third. A variety of taxes and salary withholdings are being suspended for sectors and professions deemed most affected by the crisis. An existing list has been expanded to include everyone from truck drivers and hotel staff to cooks and clerks. The government expects to start collecting the taxes again in May. A variety of other measures affect issues ranging from prison to politics and sport. A planned national referendum to cut the number of parliament members has been postponed until the second half of the year. The government is sending 20 million euros to repair the damage caused to prisons by rioters who were anxious about the new disease. Italy's sport federations get four-month tax privileges and 130 million euros will go to support film and cinemas. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) WASHINGTON New Jersey has received just a fraction of the respirators, face masks and other equipment it has asked the federal government to provide, and that has state officials worried that they wont be able to deal with the coronavirus. The state through Friday received just 84,578 respirators of the 2.9 million requested, 201,479 of the 864,000 masks sought and 31,280 of the 864,000 surgical gowns asked for, federal lawmakers said. Theyve given us some of what we need, Gov. Phil Murphy said Tuesday on CNBC. We need a bigger slug of that. Murphy said he delivered that message Tuesday directly to Vice President Mike Pence, who is spearheading the federal governments response to the crisis. The governor also delivered it in a letter to President Donald Trump, when he formally asked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help set up temporary hospitals in the state. Even as we identify and secure additional facilities, those efforts will be futile unless we have the personal protective equipment needed to allow health care workers to operate and the ventilators that are needed to treat patients, Murphy said. Without enough beds and ventilators, New Jersey could find itself in the same situation as Italy, Murphy said. 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 to deny lifesaving care, including ventilators, to those in need of it, Murphy said. Several other states also have found their equipment orders unfulfilled, according to U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-9th Dist. Pascrell joined most of the states congressional delegation on a letter to Robert Kadlec, assistant secretary for preparedness and response at the U.S. Department of Heath and Human Services, urging him to deliver the requested equipment. New Jerseys presumptive positive case count continues to rise, stressing the health care system in our state, the lawmakers wrote. Additionally, New Jerseys proximity to New York City and Philadelphia creates a unique situation of overlap for our health systems. HHS officials did not respond to requests for comment. The Trump administration began taking steps to increase the needed supplies. Pence asked construction companies to donate their protective masks, which he said were perfectly acceptable for health care workers to be protected from a respiratory disease, to hospitals. And U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the Pentagon would provide as many as 5 million respirator masks and 2,000 ventilators. U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., asked Trump to go even further and use his powers under the Defense Production Act to speed up production of needed medical equipment. The act gives the president tools to get companies to manufacture respirators, masks and other equipment needed to fight the coronavirus. In the midst of a pandemic, state and local governments should not be left on their own scrambling to buy ventilators for patients, personal protective gear for health care workers on the frontlines, and other critical medical supplies, Menendez said on the Senate floor. If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter. NJ Advance Media staff writers Matt Arco and Brent Johnson contributed to this report. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Photograph: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images This Democratic race isnt pining for the fjords. It is no more. It has ceased to be. Its metabolic processes are now history. This is an ex-presidential contest. The only reason the news networks could not call the Florida primary as soon as the votes piled up for Joe Biden was because the states panhandle voters were still at the polls. Once those polls closed, the obvious was made official: it was a blowout for Biden. The last time we heard from Bernie Sanders after losing big in the last round of primaries, he said he wanted to debate the former vice-president head-to-head, one-on-one, to press his case directly and finally. Related: Bernie Sanders lost his last chance to take Joe Biden down | Nathan Robinson While our campaign has won the ideological debate, we are losing the debate over electability, Sanders said the day after his Super Tuesday defeats. Donald Trump must be defeated, and I will do everything in my power to make that happen. On Sunday night, in the first one-on-one debate of this campaign, the American people will have the opportunity to see which candidate is best positioned to accomplish that goal. Well the American people had that opportunity and they chose Joe Biden. If this is what winning the ideological debate looks like, Sanders should seriously consider debating another topic. The only topic the American people want to debate is the coronavirus pandemic and the severe recession that looks like the certain outcome of this quasi-national quarantine. Trumps treasury secretary, Steve Mnuchin, told Republican senators on Tuesday that unemployment could hit 20% if they didnt push through a huge economic stimulus as soon as possible. To put that into context, unemployment peaked at 10% after the financial collapse of 2008. It hit 24.9% in the Great Depression in 1933. Just one week ago, Bernie Sanders pledged to fight on, at a time when he was losing the delegate count by around 100 attendees of the Democratic convention. Judging from the projected vote counts on Tuesday, that delegate deficit just tripled. Story continues There is no reason for Sanders to stay in this race, no matter how fervent his fans and no matter how passionately he wants to advocate for his policies. He has spent the last four years advocating for those policies, pushing the Democratic party towards his ideas to remarkable effect. Back in the 2008 election and Barack Obamas first term, it was unthinkable to propose a public healthcare option: the defeat of Clintons healthcare proposals was still too raw, more than a decade after they had failed. Today all the Democratic contenders proposed a public option, and Joe Bidens healthcare policies are far to the left of Obamas. Mission accomplished? Apparently not. Bernies advisers say Biden hasnt done enough to unify the party, or generate voter enthusiasm. This is not a position supported by the primary results. Biden has won in the south and the north; the east coast and the north-west. When you win Florida by more than 60% of the vote, youve pretty much unified the party. When you drive record turnout in the middle of a pandemic which is frankly a reckless situation from a public health perspective then you have reasonably generated voter enthusiasm. By any measure, Biden can feel confident in turning towards the general election and, more importantly, beyond that: to the historic challenge of pulling this country, and the rest of the world, out of a pandemic and global recession. Its unlikely that he will agree to another debate with Sanders. The pandemic is only accelerating the process that was first set in train by South Carolinas Democrats. State by state, poll by poll, Democrats and voters in general are saying that Biden is best placed to handle a crisis, and to unify the country. Those are not small issues at a time of multiple, historic challenges. Biden himself addressed the nation via live-stream from his Delaware home, standing at a podium in front of two American flags. If it was indeed Bidens home, he has a strange taste in interior styling. Most of what Biden said was not a victory speech but the words of someone trying to reassure and rally a country being shaken to its core. Tackling this pandemic is a national emergency akin to fighting a war, Biden explained. 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 what happens. He praised the public officials who allowed the voting to take place while supposedly protecting public health. And he praised Bernies young voters for their enthusiasm and commitment, urging them to rally together with his campaign. I hear you, he told them. 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. He may not actually know what those young Sanders voters want or he may not be prepared to adopt their agenda in full. But he was prepared to strike a patriotic note of national unity. This is a moment for each of us to see and believe the best in every one of us, Biden said. To believe in one another. There will surely come a time for another, younger Sanders-like leader to press for a political revolution that overhauls Americas economy and social safety net. If this recession plays out like the last one, voters of all kinds will be hungrier than ever for radical change in four years time. That leader may already be well-known to American voters: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will have just turned 35 the constitutional minimum age of a president by the time of the next presidential election. Bernies ideas will live on long after his presidential campaign ends, which it should do within days, if he is serious about wanting the Democrats to defeat Donald Trump. Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe As coronavirus continues to upend our lives, there are some people who are rushing to buy toilet paper (unnecessarily) and rice. Others are trying to get a hold of essential medicines. And some are running to buy guns. At the root of every one of those reactions is the question: What do I need to be OK? For those buying weapons, the answer seems to be making sure you're armed. Crowded gun store in Culver City today... shopper there was told demand/traffic is being driven by #Coronavirus concerns pic.twitter.com/ZMavhczSSv Lauren Lyster (@LaurenLyster) March 14, 2020 Why might you need a gun? Last year we examined that question in the context of prepping for a San Andreas earthquake for our podcast The Big One: Your Survival Guide. You should listen -- especially to Episode 7 -- if you're invested in this prepping debate. I wanted to know why so many people [men, really] I talked to about getting ready for a big earthquake asked me if they needed a gun. At the time, my friend Brian argued that if it came down to it, he wanted to be able to defend himself. That if he didn't have a gun, he was really just prepping for his someone else, who could just come and take all his carefully curated supplies. icon DON'T MISS ANY L.A. CORONAVIRUS NEWS Get our daily newsletter for the latest on COVID-19 and other top local headlines. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Support our free, independent journalism today. Donate now.At the core of that argument is the belief that society is going to fail. Law enforcement is going to be ineffective. That your neighbors are going to turn against you. And that it's you and only you that can save yourself and that you need a weapon to do it. "It doesn't make sense. We're not going to fall apart," said Robyn Gershon, Clinical Professor at NYU school of public health, when I checked in with her this week. When we spoke with her last year she thought Brian's reaction was too extreme, given the event. This time around she feels the same about people who are rushing to buy guns. I don't think we're on a path towards society failing, either. You might disagree. Supply chains are going to catch up as people stop panic buying. At some point life here will resume. Even if it's much different than it was before. HOW WOULD YOU USE THE GUN? "If there's a 5, or 10%, or 15% chance that we're in a situation where a gun would come in handy, I don't see a reason why not to have a gun," Brian told me in the podcast. It's an understandable argument and in the show we went back and forth about it. Playing out what sort of interaction would lead him to use his weapon. I'd ask others to do the same: Say someone's stressed (as we all are), acting a little strange, and they come up to you asking for help. You say no. They get aggressive and you two argue. Do you pull your gun? Or, since many of us are self quarantining, how about if someone just comes onto your property asking for help? What do you do? Most people aren't trained to use weapons, period, much less in high stress situations. Ultimately that can have disastrous consequences. And even those who are trained can fail. If you've got a gun in the home you're more likely to do something unjustifiably bad with it than to use it properly in self defense, according to Harvard's School of Public Health. PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY GENERALLY GOOD And even if things do get tougher, as they very well could, people often forget that those around them are generally pretty good. That people don't react to disasters like in the movies. "We tend to come together as humans and work together and help each other and try to work towards the collective good," said Joseph Trainor, sociologist at the Disaster Research Center at the University of Delaware, during an interview for the podcast last year. A good example can be found in a paper Trainor co-wrote about people's responses following Hurricane Katrina, about guests stuck in a hotel as things went from bad to worse: "While they heard many of the rumors about widespread antisocial behavior all around them, in most hotels the guests helped one another and later reported feeling very positive about the hotel staff." Your mind might be going to what happened after Hurricane Katrine, which has been held up again and again, as a moment when civilized society collapsed under the weight of the stress from a natural disaster and government ineptitude. Over time, many of the stories of unchecked violence there were debunked -- often, myths rooted in racism. "The various social systems and the people in them rose to the demanding challenges of a catastrophe," Trainor and his co-authors concluded. "Equally as important, the behaviors that did appear were overwhelmingly prosocial, making the antisocial behavior seem relatively minor in terms of frequency and significance." Another example that I think is very telling: In the ShakeOut Report from the U.S. Geological Survey -- which lays out the impact of a major San Andreas quake -- the authors write that the vast majority of people in fallen buildings will likely be rescued by fellow victims. The experts who researched the report actually advocate for training the public on how to respond to situations like that because people will want to help each other. Emergency services will be overwhelmed in a major quake scenario. Our neighbors will be all we've got. We need to rely on each other to get through massive crisis like the one we're going through now. While there are certainly exceptions to the rule, the vast majority of people want to be good, even during hard times. I'm optimistic about our desire to keep our society functioning and to help each other out. Even Brian -- whom I messaged while writing this piece -- told me that he's against people panic buying guns in response to the global pandemic. He thinks that law enforcement will still be effective, that infrastructure will hold up, and that in the end, we'll all be OK. He and I still vehemently disagree about buying guns to prep for earthquakes. Just as concerning as what could happen outside the home, however, is what could potentially happen inside. "Buying guns is a bad idea," said L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, during a press conference on March 16. "Particularly now that you have a lot of people home. Normally they're not. Cabin fever sets in. You've got a crowded environment of people at home. Weapons are not a good mix." ANXIETY, DEPRESSION -- EVEN SUICIDE We've got to think about the downstream mental health effects of this pandemic, and why it might be best not to have firearms around. Anxiety, depression, existential dread and suicidal thoughts aren't going to be uncommon as things get worse. In this context, there are two particularly worrying aspects when it comes to the fallout from COVID-19 and mental health: the death of loved ones, and the long term economic implications. I want to warn you that this next sentence is alarming and is not meant to scare you, but to put things into context. A recent dire estimate that spurred White House response found as many as 2.2 million people could die from the virus if -- and this is an important caveat -- government and individuals fail to act. "It's normal for someone to grieve when they lose someone close to them," said Ronald Kessler, Professor of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School. "There's probably going to be some depression, particularly with people whose loved ones do die." As older people are more vulnerable, it could very well be our parents or grandparents who we lose. Many of us have dealt with grief over the loss of someone we loved. It can be heart wrenching and all but crippling. That grief can turn into depression. And depression has been linked to a higher risk of suicide. But let's be clear, getting help, helps. If You Need Help If you or someone you know is in crisis and need immediate help, call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or go here for online chat. For more help: Find 5 Action Steps for helping someone who may be suicidal, from the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Six questions to ask to help assess the severity of someone's suicide risk, from the Columbia Lighthouse Project. To prevent a future crisis, here's how to help someone make a safety plan. Another crisis that we're all likely going to be dealing with is a global recession. "The crisis of the pandemic generally is going to create a lot of anxiety and stress with people. And then on top of that, the economic effects, which will unfortunately be coming down the road, will only exacerbate that. And I think that does pose a mental health risk for a large number of people," said Aaron Reeves, sociologist at the University of Oxford, who examined suicide rates following the Great Recession. Though they were already increasing, the authors estimate that 4,750 additional deaths by suicide occurred in the three years following the downturn, as unemployment increased and the economy slowly recovered. Marcie Roth, CEO of the World Institute on Disability experienced the fallout firsthand, when her father killed himself with a gun after he lost his money as the stock market tanked. "He was the last person in the world that you would ever have thought would do something like that," she said. "It ... said a whole lot to me about what people value and how tied some people are to money. And that, in a very difficult money time, that some people would actually think that their lives are no longer worth living because they lost all of their money." "If he didn't have a gun, would he have found a different way to do it? I don't know. But, surely having a gun made that a whole lot easier," she said. As the economy continues to dive towards a potential recession, and jobs are lost, the echoes of 2008 can be heard. "The financial thing has the potential to have a long term devastating effect," said Kessler. "There's a lot of people who give up hope and say it's impossible. When the price of corn goes down, you see a lot of suicides in farm states. And when the auto industry gets into trouble, the suicide rate in states like Ohio, Michigan go up. That's why financial things are big." REDUCING THE RISK "Gun owners and their families are much more likely to kill themselves than are non-gun-owners," according to a special report by the Harvard School of Public Health, which also goes into the complicated reasons the two things are connected. A key approach recommended by the CDC to reducing the risk of suicide is by decreasing the number of lethal means in the home. Guns certainly qualify as lethal means. I know that some of you reading this vehemently disagree with me. I know there are plenty of responsible gun owners. To be clear, I'm not anti-hunting, anti-sport shooting or even anti-all guns. I just feel that there are serious considerations that need to be made about powerful weapons, especially during times of extreme stress, like what we're going through right now. Like what will continue. Please, whether or not you have a firearm, if you are feeling at all depressed or suicidal, don't hesitate to reach out for help. These are really hard times. If You Need Help If you or someone you know is in crisis and need immediate help, call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or go here for online chat. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS: The authority does not disclose the name of the patient; colleagues say it's Serhiy Shakhov Ukraine's Healthcare Ministry has officially confirmed that a lawmaker of the Ukrainian Parliament is diagnosed with the Chinese coronavirus. This particular case is among those 14 lab-confirmed in Ukraine. Currently, doctors conduct an epidemiological study into the case. The MP is now under self-isolation, he gets a due treatment. "According to the WHO recommendations, those sick with coronavirus infection may be treated outpatiently. The patient will be taken to a hospital if there's a need to do so", Healthcare Ministry reported. The MP was present on the session of conciliatory board on March 16, as well as on the urgent session of the Parliament on March 17. Healthcare Ministry does not disclose the name of the patient; colleagues say it's Serhiy Shakhov. Shakhov himself denies the information about his illness. As of March 17, Ukraine's Healthcare Ministry reported 14 officially confirmed cases of Covid-19; two of 14 patients deceased. The data is correct as of 8 p.m. Tuesday. Most of the cases are observed in Chernivtsi region, western Ukraine; one case was registered in Zhytomyr region, and one more in Kyiv region. Another two cases were observed in Kyiv. CNBC's Jim Cramer on Wednesday called on the federal government to follow through and provide assistance to Boeing and the aerospace industry as the coronavirus continues to upend the American economy. "It's not a plea for me. It's a plea for the 2 million workers who are in the supply chain," Cramer said on "Squawk on the Street." Boeing on Tuesday said it was seeking at least $60 billion to assist the aerospace industry as it struggles with declining demand due to the coronavirus. President Donald Trump said the same day that he would support Boeing, which also is a top U.S. defense contractor. Boeing has already been facing significant financial troubles due to the two fatal crashes of its 737 Max plane, which has been grounded worldwide for a year. But as airlines face steep declines in demand from travelers, they have in turn been cutting costs, including deferring orders for new aircraft. U.S. airlines also are seeking government aid to get through the pandemic-induced slowdown to the tune of more than $50 billion. Boeing has plans to borrow earlier than expected the full amount of a more than $13 billion loan it secured in January, CNBC reported last week. "Boeing will run out of money" if it doesn't receive government assistance, said Cramer, who has previously worried about how the company's problems with the 737 Max could spillover into the rest of the economy. "We must save Boeing so to speak, both from the side that the airlines are going to get money, but if you don't have maybe one of the, if not the most important, company in the country solvent, then I think a lot of things are going to go wrong," Cramer said. Shares of Boeing hit a 52-week low of $89 intraday Wednesday, putting them down nearly 70% year to date. The stock, which hit a 52-week high of $398 in April, closed the session down nearly 18% at $101.89. Chicago-based Boeing said any government funding it receives "will be used for payments to suppliers to maintain the health of the supply chain." It has around 17,000 suppliers. Cramer said the government should take stakes in the companies to which it provides financial assistance. That includes not just Boeing but also for airlines, he said. "I prefer investments. If not investments, then payments to the employees and then let the shareholders kind of scramble," Cramer said. If the government provided money to Boeing and received a 25% stake in the company, for example, once Boeing was able to stabilize and overcome its challenges, "then it's going to be the greatest investment the American government ever made." "You've got to be really creative here," he added. iciHaiti - Environment : Metropolitan citizen weekend The Permanent Coronavirus Information Center (CIPC) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30288-haiti-covid-19-launch-of-the-permanent-information-center-on-the-coronavirus.html received at the beginning of the week ten mayors members of the National Federation of Mayors of Haiti (FENAMH) to discuss a prevention campaign against Covid-19 in the metropolitan area and announce for Saturday March 21 the "metropolitan citizen weekend". Several mayors intervened, notably Youri Chevry (Port-au-Prince), Jude Edouard Pierre (Carrefour) and Wilson Jeudy (Delmas). This initiative, which will span 2 successive weekends, aims to clean up cities and raise awareness of the Covid-19 in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health. Joaceus Nader, the new Minister of Public Works confirmed that on instructions from the presidency, his teams from the Ministry were already mobilized for the sanitation of cities and the cleaning of canals and that he was ready to intervene with the mayors in the framework of this new initiative. IH/ iciHaiti The first recorded death from coronavirus in sub-Saharan Africa has been confirmed by Burkina Faso. The victim, 62-year-old Rose Marie Compaore was a vice president in Burkina Fasos national assembly and had diabetes. Experts are warning that already strained public health systems could easily become overwhelmed. So governments are taking steps which they hope will slow the pace of infection. Nigeria says that from Saturday, it will stop arrivals from any country where there are more than 1,000 cases of the virus. Many African countries have closed schools at an earlier stage than happened in much of Europe. Sub-Saharan Africas weeks-long reprieve from the fatal impact of the coronavirus came to an end on Wednesday as Burkina Faso announced the death of a 62-year-old woman who had been suffering from diabetes. Africa has lagged behind the global curve for coronavirus infections and deaths but in the past few days has seen a significant rise in cases. Experts have repeatedly warned about the perils for the continent, given its weak health infrastructure, poverty, conflicts, poor sanitation and urban crowding. South Africa, the continents most industrialised economy, reported a more than one-third jump in cases on Wednesday, with 31 new infections bringing its tally to 116.- Nearby Zambia also announced its first two confirmed cases a couple that returned to the capital Lusaka from a 10-day holiday excursion in France. The news came after the poor Sahel nation of Burkina Faso reported seven new infections, increasing its total to 27, as well as the womans death overnight. As of Wednesday, a tally of reported cases, compiled by AFP, stood at 576 for all of Africa. Of these, 15 cases have been fatal: six in Egypt, five in Algeria, two in Morocco, one in Sudan and one in Burkina Faso. Those figures are still comparatively small compared to the rest of world the global death toll has passed 8,000 with nearly 200,000 total infections. But there are fears in Africa and elsewhere that the real number of infections could be higher. Crackdown Watching from afar as disaster unfolds in Asia and Europe, some African countries have wasted little time in ordering drastic measures. Air traffic has been particularly hard hit, as many of Africas initial cases were people who had returned from highly-affected countries in Europe and the Middle East. Some countries, such as Somalia, Chad, Guinea-Bissau and, most recently, the island of Madagascar have moved to shut all airports and stop all flights into their countries. On Wednesday, Cape Verde a tropical archipelago off Africas west coast that is heavily dependent on tourism and the continents most populous nation, Nigeria, joined other nations in banning flights from the countries most affected by coronavirus. Burkina Faso has ordered the closure of all schools and barred all public and private gatherings until the end of April. Though Niger has not yet recorded an infection, the government on Tuesday closed borders and schools for two weeks. Senegal has the most confirmed cases in West Africa with 27, while in the east, 23 cases have been reported in six countries, including flight hubs Ethiopia and Kenya. South Africa, sub-Saharan Africas worst-hit country, has banned all cruise ships from its waters. More than 1,700 people are stranded on a liner off Cape Town over fears that some have the virus. It is just the latest blow to tourism across the continent, with coronavirus fears cancelling sporting, cultural and religious events. Disease hot spot belt A 2016 analysis by the Rand Corporation, a US thinktank, found that of the 25 countries in the world that were most vulnerable to infectious outbreaks, 22 were in Africa the others were Afghanistan, Yemen and Haiti. The report put the finger on a disease hot spot belt extending on a line of countries, running across the southern rim of the Sahara through the Sahel to the Horn of Africa, many of which are struggling with conflicts. Were a communicable disease to emerge within this chain of countries, it could easily spread across borders in all directions, abetted by high overall vulnerability and a string of weak national health systems along the way, the report warned. According to the World Bank, health spending amounted in 2016 to $78 per inhabitant in sub-Saharan Africa compared with a world average of $1,026, with a peak of $9,351 in North America and $3,846 in the European Union. On the plus side, the continent has unrivalled experience in dealing with outbreaks of contagious disease, from Ebola, malaria and measles to cholera and HIV. Our preparedness is better because of the lessons learned from the Ebola crisis, Mosoka P. Fallah, director general of Liberias National Institute of Public Health in Liberia, said this month, referring to an 2014-16 epidemic that claimed more than 11,000 lives in three West African nations. Nigeria says that from Saturday, it will stop arrivals from any country where there are more than 1,000 cases of the virus. Many African countries have closed schools at an earlier stage than happened in much of Europe. SOURCE: AFP KNOXVILLE, TN, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In more than 3 decades of senior marketing leadership, Per Ohstrom has used servant leadership in fashioning successful marketing teams and strategies and is now delivering this core philosophy to the small- and mid-market companies that call upon Chief Outsiders, the nations leading Executives-as-a-Service company of fractional chief marketers. At Chief Outsiders, Ohstrom will join more than 70 part-time CMOs who work to align companies with effective strategies on a per-need basis. Ohstrom joins Chief Outsiders after building brands in the manufacturing, construction equipment, equipment rental, MRO supplies, supply chain and specialty chemicals industries with the energy and go-to-market insights for sales success. As an example, Ohstrom took the reins of HTC, where he positioned a neglected North America business unit growing tool sales 30 percent year-over-year through better value propositions, targeting and sales training. In an earlier engagement as VP of Marketing and Business Development at Xylem, Ohstrom led the companys foray into new segments and boosted aftermarket sales yielding 20 percent revenue growth in just 16 months. Ohstrom also delivered outsized results during turns as Vice President of Marketing, RSC Equipment Rental; as Senior Vice President, Hagemeyer ; and as Director of Marketing, CHEP. Per delegates and empowers without losing focus on results, said Clay Spitz, Managing Partner of Chief Outsiders South Team. He deals comfortably with ambiguity, and is effective in matrix organizations." Ohstrom gained his MBA at Northwestern University's Kellogg School, and holds a B.S. in Economics and Industrial Marketing from Lulea University of Technology in Sweden. About Chief Outsiders Chief Outsiders, LLC is a nationwide "Executives-as-a-Service" firm, with 70 part-time, or fractional, Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) engaged from coast-to-coast. Unlike other strategic marketing and management consulting firms, each CMO has held the position of VP Marketing or higher at one or more operating companies. Chief Outsiders have served on the executive team of over 800 client companies to drive growth strategy and execution plans for a fraction of the cost of a full-time executive. Because of its market-based growth plans, quality of leadership, and experienced team, Chief Outsiders has been recognized for the past six years by Inc. Magazine as one of the 5,000 fastest growing privately held companies in the US, and was recognized in 2019 as a Forbes Small Giant. Chief Outsiders CEO Art Saxby and Principal Pete Hayes are the co-authors of The Growth Gears: Using a Market-Based Framework to Drive Business Success, an Amazon #1 best-seller for business owners and CEOs. For additional information about the companies who trust Chief Outsiders as their premier source for business growth acceleration, click here. Attachment When the coronavirus was mostly contained in China, the world watched on with apprehension but some hoped the global spread would be limited. With outbreaks in Italy, South Korea and Iran, that hope quickly turned into the realisation that all nations would face a formidable test in combating the virus Australia included. For many people that apprehension has turned to strong fear. This should not be discounted. Facing a once-in-a-lifetime crisis of this magnitude is not to be taken lightly. As the number of people infected rises in Australia, the unknowns of what is ahead are still considerable. Nations going into lockdown vividly illustrate worst-case scenarios. For many, trepidation has turned into a heightened need to prepare for the worst. A visit to any supermarket starkly shows the result. The need for the essentials of life takes on new meaning when there is heightened anxiety. Again, that should not be discounted. But people need to weigh up the emotional response against the reality. There is more than enough toilet paper for everyone. Australia is not going to run out of meat, or tissues, or pasta. Even in a full lockdown, supermarkets will stay open, supply lines will not break down, manufacturing of essentials will continue. Everyone has a role to play in ensuring that reality determines how we behave. It's time to pull in the sharp elbows at the supermarket. If you have overdone it, look after those who may have missed out. Business also has a role to play. Supermarkets limiting the purchase of certain items will help, but they need to expand the hours for those most vulnerable or unable to battle it out in the aisles. Before the outbreak of COVID-19, few residents of Western Europe likely ever expected to find themselves at the epicenter of a pandemic. In fact, just a few years ago, their concern about an outbreak of contagious disease took a relative back seat to all other issues Gallup asked them about. In all of the up to 14 countries surveyed in Western Europe in 2016, people at the time saw issues such as violence, terrorism and immigration as much more serious problems for their countries than an outbreak. Please tell me whether you think each of the following is a serious problem or not a serious problem in your country. % Serious problem Overall Highest Lowest % % % Domestic violence 79 Portugal - 98 Germany - 65 Sexual assault 74 Portugal - 95 Finland - 56 Gang violence 68 Portugal - 93 Finland - 35 International terror 65 France - 95 Ireland - 14 Homegrown terror 62 France - 94 Ireland - 14 Current level of immigration 53 Malta - 86 Iceland - 17 Outbreak of a contagious disease 50 Portugal - 84 Iceland - 21 Gallup World Poll, 2016 In 2016, the European migration crisis and several high-profile terrorist attacks in France left those issues more top of mind for Western Europeans than the spread of contagious disease. But fast forward four years, and today these countries are all experiencing the effects of COVID-19. Regardless of the degree of concern residents expressed in 2016, the reported cases are mounting, especially in France, where there was already substantial concern about an outbreak. Countries in Western Europe All Affected by COVID-19 Please tell me whether you think each of the following is a serious problem or not a serious problem in your country. Outbreak of contagious disease a serious problem in 2016 Current cases of coronavirus in 2020* % # Portugal 84 112 France 74 4,469 Belgium 53 689 Northern Cyprus 52 21 Netherlands 49 959 Denmark 49 827 Sweden 38 924 Switzerland 33 1,359 Finland 24 210 Iceland 21 138 * Cases as of March 17, 2020 Gallup World Poll, 2016 Older People, Women Saw Greater Threat From Disease Outbreak Across these countries, certain populations registered a higher degree of concern about the spread of contagious disease. There is a strong relationship between age and the perceived threat from an outbreak of contagious disease. This is especially relevant in Europe, where the proportion of the population 65 and older is substantial and is at greatest risk in the current pandemic. Those aged 65 and older were significantly more likely than people in any other age group to report the outbreak of contagious disease as a serious problem for their countries. Older Adults in Western Europe See Bigger Problem With Contagious Disease Percentage reporting a contagious disease as a serious problem in their country Serious problem % Age 15-24 47 25-34 45 35-44 45 45-54 50 55-64 54 65+ 60 Gallup World Poll, 2016 Women were also significantly more likely than men to report infectious disease outbreaks as a serious problem. However, women were more likely than men in general to worry about all of the issues they were asked about. Most Educated, Least Concerned People with the highest reported education were likely to report the lowest level of concern about contagious diseases, with just over a third saying these are a serious problem -- compared with nearly double the percentage of Europeans who had completed elementary education or less. Higher education was also associated with less concern on other issues Gallup asked about. Higher education tends to be associated with younger populations across the countries surveyed. Bottom Line Human beings naturally react strongly to the most direct threat. While terrorists killed hundreds of people across European countries in 2016, terrorism was still considered a less serious problem than issues of violence against women -- sexual assault and domestic violence, where substantially more people are injured and killed annually. It is only when people come in contact with a novel disease that the risks of a contagious outbreak are brought front and center as a serious concern. For many in parts of Europe, that time is now, and it may feel like it is too late. For complete methodology and specific survey dates, please review Gallup's Country Data Set details. Sen. Bernie Sanders and his advisers were weighing his next steps Wednesday morning after he lost primaries in three more states, with some Democrats growing increasingly vocal that he should consider exiting the race amid a national health emergency caused by the coronavirus. Hours after Joe Biden widened his delegate lead over Sanders with resounding victories in Florida, Illinois and Arizona on Tuesday Sanders campaign manager, Faiz Shakir, said the Vermont senator was assessing his options but suggested a decision on how to proceed was not imminent. The next primary contest is at least three weeks away, Shakir said in a statement. Senator Sanders is going to be having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign. In the immediate term, however, he is focused on the government response to the coronavirus outbreak and ensuring that we take care of working people and the most vulnerable. Some Sanders aides and supporters were beginning to acknowledge that his path to the Democratic nomination had become almost impossibly narrow. But there have been signs in recent days that Sanders wanted to forge ahead and make a case that he sees no one else making: That the coronavirus pandemic has brought new urgency to his calls for Medicare for all. On Tuesday night before most polls closed, he released a list of proposals to deal with the crisis, including that Medicare cover all medical bills and provide $2,000 cash payments to every American each month. Whether to stay in the race is a decision that ultimately rests with Sanders and his wife, Jane, but some of his aides and supporters see no real downside in sticking it out, at least in the short term. Many recognize that he is eager to continue pushing a message that he has championed for decades and that he is singularly focused on keeping his political movement alive. And after years of being excluded from what he sees as the partys establishment clique, he is also still determined to show that he is a superior candidate to Biden, whom he views as the establishments choice, some close to him say. As of Wednesday, the most conspicuous Sanders booster was President Donald Trump himself, who seemed to lament the imminent end of a fight he believed would advantage him. The DNC will have gotten their fondest wish and defeated Bernie Sanders, far ahead of schedule, Trump wrote on Twitter. Now they are doing everything possible to be nice to him in order to keep his supporters. Bernie has given up, just like he did last time. He will be dropping out soon! As the results came in Tuesday, some Democrats were declaring the race effectively over and openly calling for him to drop out, suggesting that Sanders would look out of step with the moment if he stayed in a race he had no chance of winning, especially when the country is contending with a deadly virus outbreak. Bernie is getting beat by 30 and 40 points; its over, said Rep. Don Beyer of Virginia. This is the adult thing to do knowing when it is time to disappear. Even some of his own allies were admitting that Biden would likely be the partys nominee. Tonight is a really good night for Joe Biden, and it looks like he will be the presumptive nominee, Alexandra Rojas, the executive director of the progressive group Justice Democrats, said on CNN on Tuesday night. But she suggested that forcing Sanders to drop out would shame his supporters and deprive them of their ability to vote for their preferred candidate. Officials close to Biden say they are keenly sensitive to not being perceived as pushing Sanders too hard although that is what many of them want to do. In a series of staff and surrogate calls over the past week, Biden aides have emphasized that point and increasingly pushed for an approach in which Biden begins to ignore Sanders altogether and instead tries to turn the race into a binary contest between himself and Trump, according to people familiar with the campaigns strategy. And Larry Cohen, a longtime Sanders confidant who is chairman of Our Revolution, the political organization that spun out of the 2016 Sanders campaign, said it was not in Sanders nature to drop out before all the primaries are over, but the pandemic and the current delegate count could lead to a different outcome. The delegate count speaks for itself, he said. Already, public health concerns have prevented Sanders from holding his signature rallies and relegated his supporters to phone banking rather than canvassing in person door-to-door. And Tuesday morning, his top spokesman, Mike Casca, said in a statement that the campaign was not conducting get out the vote outreach and was instead making clear to voters that we believe going to the polls amid the coronavirus outbreak is a personal decision. Ohio, Georgia, Louisiana, Kentucky and Maryland have postponed their primaries, and more states could follow, raising the possibility that a significant portion of the election season could stretch well into June. It is possible that Sanders could stay in the race to collect delegates in order to accumulate leverage and bolster progressive power in party reform while running what effectively amounts to an inactive campaign as he focuses on his legislative agenda around the coronavirus. So far Sanders has not yet been abandoned by a critical mass of his supporters. Robert Reich, the former labor secretary, said Monday that the time had come for Sanders to concede the nomination to Biden, but few other Sanders supporters have done so even while they acknowledge his motivation may be something different from winning the partys nomination. Sanders, in his career in public life has been committed to ideas and even when the ideas werent captivating the public, said Rep. Mark Takano of California, who endorsed Sanders last week. These next several primaries are about, I think, keeping those ideas in the forefront. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. By 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." -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz PUNE: The Bhima-Koregaon Judicial Inquiry Commission (JIC) has summoned Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar for questioning on April 4 in connection with the 2018 Bhima-Koregaon violence that erupted in Pune in 2018. The commission, which is inquiring into the reasons which led to the 2018 Bhima-Koregaon violence, had on Tuesday postponed all hearing in the case scheduled for the last week of March at Pune in view of the coronavirus pandemic. "In view of the coronavirus pandemic, Koregaon-Bhima Judicial Inquiry Commission has decided to postpone all hearing scheduled at Pune during last week of March," Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry Secretary VV Palnitkar said in a press note on Tuesday. The press note further said that the scheduled hearing, which was fixed at Pune is re-scheduled and will take place at the Mumbai office from March 30 to April 4, 2020. "Detailed schedule of the hearing will be notified at the Commission's office at Pune and Mumbai. All concerned are requested not to visit the office of Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry except for compelling reasons," it added. The commission, headed by former Calcutta High Court chief justice JN Patel, had earlier said that it will call NCP chief Sharad Pawar for deposition in the matter soon. The JIC was constituted by the Maharashtra government in February 2018 to find out the reasons which had led to the violence. On January 1, 2018, violence had erupted during the 200th-anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle. One person was killed and several others were injured in the incident. The police have filed 58 cases against 162 people in the matter. Hundreds of shoppers have ignored calls to stop panic buying and queued for hours outside a Sydney Costco store as the deadly coronavirus continues to spread. Police were called to help keep massive crowds of shoppers under control outside the Casula store in the city's south-west on Wednesday morning. Customers were already patiently lined up with their trolleys in single file in a long queue that snaked around the store and into the car park an hour before the store opened at 10am. Long queues outside Costco Casula at 1pm, three hours after the store opened on Wednesday 'Guess people are scared. But if you had to be tested and quarantined for stupidity. You wouldn't this. Can believe the number of customers lined up,' one man posted on Facebook. Footage showed staff members struggling to control the crowd via megaphone announcements with police on scene to provide back-up assistance if the crowds got out of hand. 'Good morning members, thank you very much for your patience,' a female employee is heard in the Seven News vision. 'We open the doors at 10am. Photos show there were still massive queues waiting to get into the doors three hours after the store opened. Shoppers lined up with trolleys outside the Casula store at 9am, an hour before doors opened Police remained on scene to help control the chaos. 'The cops shouldnt even be needed, waste of bloody resources. People need to call it out!! Its not that hard to call someone out without being aggressive or causing conflict, one man wrote on the Costco Casula Fans Facebook page. Costco managing Director Patrick Noone says the company is closely monitoring the changing situation, and complying with public health guidance. 'As the global effect of coronavirus continues to evolve, Costco is firmly committed to the health and safety of our members and employees, and serving our communities,' he said in a statement provided to Daily Mail Australia. 'As many of you have noticed, weve experienced a surge of business during this time. As a result, we continue to take steps to control the number of members in our warehouses and asked that members and employees practice social distancing.' The queue snaked around the warehouse and into the massive car park in Sydney's south-west Customers were spotted at the same store bulk buying as many as 200 rolls of toilet paper earlier this month before restrictions were enforced. The store ran out of toilet paper and bottled water within days. It costs Costco members $60 per year to shop at the multinational wholesaler established in 1976 in the US. As shoppers continued their panic-buying sprees across the nation, Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for calm as he addressed the nation on Wednesday. Staff were still relaying announcements via megaphone with the help of police at 1pm He described the widespread panic-buying craze as 'unAustralian'. 'Stop hoarding. I can't be more blunt about it. Stop it,' he said. It's not sensible, it's not helpful and I've got to say it's been one of the most disappointing things I've 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. 'There is no reason for people to be hoarding supplies in fear of a lockdown or anything like this.' Former Representative Richard L. Hanna, a moderate Republican from upstate New York who was so disenchanted with Donald J. Trump in 2016 that he broke with his party and endorsed the Democrat Hillary Clinton for president, died on Sunday at a hospital near Utica, N.Y. He was 69. His family said in a statement that the cause was cancer. Mr. Hanna, who had built a successful construction business before his election to Congress in 2010, represented a sprawling district that stretched from Lake Ontario to the Pennsylvania border. A quiet backbencher with an independent streak, he stood out for his moderate views at a time when the Republican Party had lurched to the right. He supported abortion rights, same-sex marriage and the Equal Rights Amendment. He opposed cutting federal funding for Planned Parenthood. After just three terms in Congress, he announced in December 2015 that he planned to retire, saying he wanted to spend more time with his wife and young children. 2020-03-18 02:14:51 The passengers are walking freely around the airport without being screened for coronavirus or wearing gloves and masks Sixty people on board a passenger plane from the UK are stranded at the Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos, after the Saudi-bound aircraft from London was forced to divert and land in Athens, following the refusal by the Saudi authorities to allow it to land in the Arabic state. The aircraft, after being denied landing in Saudi Arabia, headed for Athens, where it landed unexpectedly at Spata Airport at 9pm yesterday (Monday). Even though the 60 passengers, including children, are from the UK which has been designated a high-risk country for coronavirus, they were neither screened or examined and are moving freely among the rest of the public around the airport from Monday without wearing masks or gloves. According to sources, 26 of the passengers will reportedly depart with the Emirates after the UK embassy intervened, with the rest seeking to reach their destination. anatakti Outside Fox News, which isn't always so fond of Trump, either, the left-leaning mainstream media have been unified in their hatred for Trump. The media outlets that are vying for first place when it comes to Trump-hatred are CNN and MSNBC. It's gotten to the point where it seems that the only thing that constitutes news at those outlets is material that can be weaponized against Trump. The coronavirus, therefore, has been manna from Heaven for America's media. For that reason, it's a newsworthy, flying-pigs moment when someone in the drive-by media praises Trump. That's why it was news that, on Tuesday, Dana Bash, CNN's chief political correspondent, openly praised Trump for his recent responses to coronavirus's spread in the United States. Following Trump's press conference on Tuesday, Sanjay Gupta was complaining about Dr. Fauci and Donald Trump. Dana Bash, to everyone's surprise, disagreed and heaped praise on Trump's tone of leadership in the last couple of days: On CNN This was remarkable from the President of the United States...[President @realDonaldTrump] is being the kind of leader that people need. Again, on CNN. pic.twitter.com/10bUuivIp3 The Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) March 17, 2020 I hear what Sanjay is saying about Tony Fauci giving, you now, a little bit more wiggle room than others. But if you look at the big picture, this was remarkable by the President of the United States. This is a nonpartisan, this is an important thing to note and to applaud, from an American standpoint, from a human standpoint. He is being the kind of leader that people need, at least in tone, today and yesterday, in tone, that people need and want and yearn for in times of crises and uncertainty. Conservatives were stunned and pleased: Praise for Trump on CNN? Wow. Dana Bash: President Trump is being the kind of leader that people need.. in times of crisis and uncertainty. pic.twitter.com/1rEWoYh9lK Benny (@bennyjohnson) March 17, 2020 Wow: President Trump is leading America through this crisisso much so that even @CNNs Dana Bash recognizes it Credit where credit is due Maybe now the rest of the mainstream media can come together and help the president get us through this pic.twitter.com/nzJzVV4y3h Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) March 18, 2020 Leftists were stunned, too, and very angry that anyone would have the effrontery to praise Trump: CNN's Dana Bash is talking about how Trump is becoming the leader Americans lead because he isn't completely denying the existence of a pandemic, because he has "a tone of calm, and understand how dire this is." Dana Bash is evidently insane. The lowest possible bar. Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) March 17, 2020 For the media the bar is so sooo low. Its described as remarkable and there are calls to applaud the President being the kind of leader we needat least in tone. This kind of take is embarrassing and pathetic. Finally the President appears to be doing his job. https://t.co/kEjeRz9EVH Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) March 17, 2020 Stung by criticism from people who think Trump is Satan personified never mind that his policies have improved American lives and his governance has been well within the pre-Obama American norm Bash tried hard to explain her deviation from leftist received wisdom: As I said in the clip you posted below, this is a moment to be non-partisan, American and human - & the TONE the president set at today & yesterday's PRESSERS were remarkably different and welcomed. That's a fact. Let's all take a breath and remember we are all in this together. https://t.co/bx9uLuvkOI Dana Bash (@DanaBashCNN) March 17, 2020 To be clear .@SecretsBedard - I said what he did at his presser today and yesterday is the kind of leadership in tone people need. It is important to say that, just as it was important to call him out on the way he largely and dangerously downplayed it until yesterday. https://t.co/LYigsgndWH Dana Bash (@DanaBashCNN) March 17, 2020 Leftists were having none of that. You disagree with the party line at your peril. You won't be surprised, therefore, to learn that #FireDanaBash is a rising hashtag: I'm yearning for reporters who don't kiss the ass of a malignant narcissist. How about this? " Trump seems to have pivoted and is now supporting the recommendations of the experts." Or how about this? #firedanabash https://t.co/uosYCg4jBw Penny Dunster EdD (@THP1640) March 17, 2020 Dear media Stop trying to normalize trump Stop playing republican apologist Do your effing job Im not sure whos worse her or Maggie trump apologist Haberman#FireDanaBash https://t.co/6uJOh5KXff misterian (@MisterianZajac) March 18, 2020 A journalist's job is to hold those in power accountable. You have failed miserably. Trump's calling it a Chinese virus is racist and xenophobic and will foment hate. It's also been reported his family is benefiting monetarily from the test kits. DO YOUR JOB.#FireDanaBash ProgressNow (@ProgressNow00) March 17, 2020 The latest PragerU video on the left's extreme intolerance seems apropos right now: Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 15:16:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MANILA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank has earmarked a 100-million-U.S. dollar fast-track loan to help the Philippines fight COVID-19, the Philippine Department of Finance said. The fiance department said in a statement released on Wednesday the funds will enable the Department of Health (DOH) to procure personal protective equipment for health care workers, along with testing and laboratory materials, quarantine areas, isolation rooms and other essential equipment to contain the spread of the viral disease. The funds under the World Bank's Fast Track COVID-19 Facility can be made available to the DOH in a matter of weeks, the DOH said in the statement. The Philippines now has 193 confirmed coronavirus cases, including 14 deaths. The DOH said that seven patients have recovered from the viral disease. Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte's economic team unveiled a package of priority actions initially worth 27.1 billion pesos (roughly 529 million U.S. dollars) to help frontliners fight the pandemic and provide economic relief to people and sectors affected by the virus-induced slowdown in economic activity. The finance department said the package consists of government initiatives to better equip the health authorities in fighting COVID-19 and also for the relief and recovery efforts for infected people and the various sectors now reeling from the adverse impact of the lethal pathogen. Cancer treatment is being delayed as doctors are forced to make agonising decisions over the coronavirus crisis. Some patients have been advised not to have chemotherapy or radiotherapy because the risk of them coming to hospital and catching the contagion outweighs the chance of success. Cancer sufferers are vulnerable to coronavirus because their immune systems are severely weakened by tumours and then again through aggressive bursts of treatment. The Royal College of Radiologists, which represents 1,500 cancer doctors, said decisions were being made 'case by case' (file photo) Doctors have been told by NHS England to prepare for a 'disruption of services' in cancer units over the next few weeks due to staff sickness and shortages of drugs and equipment. They have been advised to group their patients into 'priority levels' according to how crucial or effective the treatment is likely to be. Anyone whose chemotherapy or radiotherapy is expected to save their life rather than just extend it or reduce symptoms should be a priority one or two. Patients needing emergency surgery will also be in these top two categories. But those whose chemotherapy or radiotherapy is being used to extend their lives or just reduce symptoms should be put in a priority level of four to six. Patients needing surgery but who can wait ten to 12 weeks with 'no predicted negative outcome' should be priority three. The cancer doctor who has to stay at home for 14 days because his wife has a cough A cancer consultant has been forced to stay at home for two weeks because his wife developed a bad cough. Toby Eyre has no idea if spouse Becky has contracted coronavirus because she is not sick enough to warrant being tested. But under government guidelines, he must self-isolate for 14 days just in case she has the virus and has passed it to him. He has no symptoms. Dr Eyre is a lymphoma consultant at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford and opted to stay away to protect patients. He is keen for health workers and their relatives to be tested as a matter of urgency so doctors can return to work if they are not carrying the virus. Dr Eyre tweeted: 'I am the ward attending lymphoma consultant in Oxford. My wife has a nasty cough. I am fine. 'I have to self-isolate, without a test at present, for 14 days from initiation of her symptoms. We must rapidly prioritize staff testing. 'None of us want our patients to die from Covid-19. But if [my wife] is negative then I'm straight back on the ward.' Advertisement They are below the emergency surgery cases but above those whose chemotherapy or radiotherapy is only extending their lives. The Royal College of Radiologists, which represents 1,500 cancer doctors, said decisions were being made 'case by case'. It urged concerned patients and families to contact their oncologists to discuss the best course of action. Only two days ago, NHS England insisted cancer treatment would not be affected when it announced plans to suspend all non-urgent surgery, including hip, knee and cataract treatment. Not all hospitals are having to make these difficult decisions about cancer patients as many have not yet seen a significant increase in coronavirus cases. But some cancer units in London, the South East and the North East are already advising patients to delay treatment. Although the drastic measures are largely intended to prevent patients catching the virus in hospital, they might also hinder survival chances. The longer the delay for any form of treatment surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy the greater the chance the tumour will grow and spread. And chemotherapy relies on administering aggressive doses of drugs over a short period of time. The guidance from NHS England, which was sent to doctors on Tuesday, states: 'Patients will want to discuss with their clinicians whether the risks of beginning or continuing their cancer treatment could outweigh the benefits, given that many patients receiving systemic therapies in particular are more at risk of becoming seriously unwell if they contract the coronavirus infection.' Martin Ledwick, Cancer Research UK's head information nurse, said: 'Your specialist might want to discuss the possibility of delaying treatment in some situations, if they felt the risks outweighed the benefits.' Heather Blake, of Prostate Cancer UK, said: 'Some men and their clinicians are having to make decisions about whether to delay or change prostate cancer treatments in order to reduce their risk from Covid-19 during treatment, and to maximise the resources available.' Dr Janet Ward, an independent scholar, said on social media: 'My husband has been told today that his chemotherapy treatment is being cancelled. He only goes once a month and had four months left. 'Reason is too vulnerable while under treatment. No choice given to us. I am distraught.' An NHS spokesman said: 'Hospitals have been told that cancer treatment and other clinically urgent care should continue to be prioritised.' Iran said Wednesday that the novel coronavirus has killed 147 more people, another single-day record in the virus-stricken country that raised the overall toll to 1,135. The Islamic republic is one of the worst-hit countries with the virus outside of China after announcing its first death on February 19. 'Now everyone knows about this disease, and what is very strange is that some don't take it seriously,' Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi said in a televised news conference. 'If people help, we can control it, and if not, then expect it to last more than two months.' A shopkeeper wearing a face mask to help protect against the new coronavirus, waits for customers at the Tehran's Grand Bazaar, Iran on Tuesday. Iran said Wednesday that the novel coronavirus has killed 147 more people, another single-day record in the virus-stricken country that raised the overall toll to 1,135 Shoppers walk through the mostly closed Tehran's Grand Bazaar, Iran on Tuesday evening Raisi said 1,192 new infections were confirmed in the past 24 hours, raising the total to 17,161. Tehran province had the highest number of new cases with 213. Isfahan in central Iran was second with 162, followed by East Azerbaijan in the northwest with 84. The deputy minister complained that in Tehran 'bazaars are busy' and that people travel in their cars despite warnings not to do so. Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi complained that in Tehran 'bazaars are busy' and that people travel in their cars despite warnings not to do so 'Just be patient for these two weeks so that, God willing, we can overcome this virus,' Raisi said. The country's New Year holidays start on March 20 this year and will last until early April, with many Iranians traditionally travelling to popular spots such as northern provinces. Iran is yet to impose any lockdowns but officials have repeatedly called on the public to stay home for the holidays. The regime on Monday closed four key Shiite pilgrimage sites. The holy shrines of Imam Reza in Mashhad, Fatima Masumeh in Qom and Shah Abdol-Azim in Tehran were shut until further notice. The country yesterday issued its most dire warning about coronavirus, suggesting 'millions' could die in the Islamic Republic if the public keeps ignoring health guidance. 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 People gather outside the closed doors of the Fatima Masumeh shrine in Iran's holy city of Qom on Monday night Iran closed four key Shiite pilgrimage sites across the Islamic republic on Monday, in line with measures to stop coronavirus 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 yesterday it has temporarily freed around 85,000 prisoners including political detainees in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus. 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. [March 18, 2020] Government of Canada partners with the telecommunications sector to ensure Canadians abroad receive text messages containing key Global Affairs Canada information during the COVID-19 outbreak OTTAWA, March 18, 2020 /CNW/ - The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and the Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister Foreign Affairs, would like to thank Canada's telecommunications service providers that have acted quickly to ensure the continuation of critical services in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak. A number of telecommunications service providers have agreed to a Government of Canada request to send text messages containing contact information for Global Affairs Canada consular support to devices belonging to Canadians living or travelling abroad. Beginning today, Rogers, Bell, Telus, Videotron, Freedom Mobile, Eastlink and SaskTel will be sending their subscribers currently living or travelling abroad text messages containing consular support information and key contact information. The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the health and safety of all Canadians, while contributing to the international response to COVID-19 and ensuring our economy weathers this difficult period. Since the outbreak began, the Government has proactively reached out to Canada's telecommunications service providers to work together in finding concrete solutions to continue helping Canadians, given the critical importance of telecommunications at this time. Canada's telecommunications system remains strong and is prepared to handle increased demand nationally, in part because of measures put in place related to COVID-19. The Government of Canada recognizes that telecommunications providers, including field workers who repair networks and staff at stores who repair phones and communications devices, are providing essential services to Canadians. The Government would like to thank employees in the telecommunications industry for their continued hard work to ensure that Canada's networks remain strong and resilient, enabling the work-from-home economy while we all do our part to flatten the curve of COVID19. Quotes "I am pleased that Canada's telecommunications service providers have acted quickly to help Canadians as they take steps to answer the call for social distancing The measure announced today builds on various steps already taken by Canada's telecommunications service providers to help consumers and ensure service remains uninterrupted. The Government is looking to help them now and will ensure Canadians abroad receive important Global Affairs Canada information directly to their devices during this critical period." "Canada is committed to providing all assistance possible to Canadians at home and abroad affected by COVID-19. Many Canadians abroad are currently relying on uninterrupted service from Canada's telecommunications service providers to access consular services. I am pleased that the measures announced today will contribute to the Government of Canada's ongoing efforts to assist Canadians abroad during this difficult and critical period." The Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Foreign Affairs Quick facts Canadians in need of emergency consular assistance from anywhere in the world can call the 24/7 Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa at +1 613-996-8885 (collect calls are accepted where available) or email [email protected] . at +1 613-996-8885 (collect calls are accepted where available) or email . Canada's telecommunications carriers have robust networks and network management capabilities for dealing with periods of congestion. telecommunications carriers have robust networks and network management capabilities for dealing with periods of congestion. On March 6, 2020 , the Government of Canada announced an investment of close to $27 million to support 47 researchers whose teams will focus on medical, social and policy countermeasures to tackle the spread of COVID-19 around the world. , the Government of announced an investment of close to to support 47 researchers whose teams will focus on medical, social and policy countermeasures to tackle the spread of COVID-19 around the world. On March 11, 2020 , the Prime Minister announced a $1 billion package to help Canadians cope with the COVID-19 outbreak, including $275 million for research and medical countermeasures. , the Prime Minister announced a package to help Canadians cope with the COVID-19 outbreak, including for research and medical countermeasures. On March 18, 2020 , the Prime Minister announced a new set of economic measures to help stabilize the economy during this challenging period. These measures, delivered as part of the Government of Canada's COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, will provide up to $27 billion in direct support to Canadian workers and businesses. , the Prime Minister announced a new set of economic measures to help stabilize the economy during this challenging period. These measures, delivered as part of the Government of COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, will provide up to in direct support to Canadian workers and businesses. Funding for the action plan will be delivered through Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada's Strategic Innovation Fund and Innovative Solutions Canada program and National Research Council Canada's Collaborative Science, Technology and Innovation Program and Industrial Research Assistance Program. Additional information on measures and supports can be found at Innovation.Canada.ca. Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on Twitter: @ISED_CA SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] 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 [] This refers to The curious case of an upset FM & an apologetic banker by Tamal Bandyopadhyay (March 18). The author has raised some pertinent questions in the piece. The ferocious tone and words used in the interaction appearing in the alleged video were surprising. The issue raised in the meeting in Assam was that a large number of accounts were not being made operational by the banks. These accounts are kept inactive due to Know Your Customer (KYC) formalities not being completed. The SBI cannot be faulted on this score. There have been cases in the past where some ... With COVID-19 doing the rounds, players in the healthcare sector are witnessing a watershed moment and are on the constant outlook for new formulations that can tackle the current situation. Though there is no certain cure at the moment, businesses in the healthcare sector have begun exploring new ways of patient care by offering telehealth services. Fortunately, the health care industry is in the midst of a megatrend in which growth in electronic medical records (EMRs) and administrative health claims systems together with advances in physician journey analysis and data integration methods have created data assets that are becoming the go-to source for answering questions of health care utilization as all stakeholders strive to achieve better outcomes. With physician journey analysis opening new doors for businesses looking to map the physicians' journey- right from addressing the institutional challenges to integrating data-driven insights into the decision-making approach, Quantzig's analytics experts suggest why its adoption is set to transform the healthcare landscape. 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. ORLEANS Townspeople remember the service of their military members every Memorial Day and Veterans Day at Academy Place, sometimes in such numbers that they spill out of the triangular piece of land at Route 28 and Main Street. Now theres a plan to reorganize the monuments that recognize those who served in the nations conflicts and create a space well suited for reflection on their sacrifices. Memorial and Veterans Day Committee Chairman Kevin Higgins won approval from the board of selectmen March 4 to pursue a plan to name the location Veterans Memorial Park at Academy Place, and to further investigate turning the World War I memorial and a new Korean War memorial so they face the World War II memorial rather than the street. Vietnam veterans, now remembered on the Korean stones, would get their own memorial. Higgins and his committee have plans as well for landscaping the site with a pathway lined with benches. Higgins said the name change would reduce confusion about the location of Memorial Day and Veterans Day observances. People who are told to go to Academy Place, he said, sometimes wind up at the Academy Playhouse instead. Selectman Kevin Galligan supported the name change and said its important that the Academy Place portion of the designation be preserved. This location did house a school that was called the Academy, he noted. This was also the site of the Snow Library before it was destroyed by fire in the 1950s. Town records, as excerpted in 4,000 Years of Life in Orleans by Russell R. Jalbert, show that Academy Place has a long history of hosting war memorials and that it was given a related name decades ago. In 1920, the town voted $3,000 for a suitable monument to the citizens who were engaged in the World War. Records from 1954 note that the town designated the former library lot for use as a public park and to name said property Memorial Park. In 1980, $2,500 was appropriated to erect a memorial for Korean and Vietnam veterans. A reorganization and reorientation of the memorial stones has been discussed by his committee, Higgins said. The World War I monument faces away from the World War II monument, he noted. I had a veteran ask me why the World War I veterans are turning their back to us. It appears the existing orientation was to make both the World War I and Korean War monuments accessible directly from the Main Street sidewalk, but Higgins said the site would be more cohesive if they were turned inward. If that were done, the chairman said, the town should consider creating new and separate Korean and Vietnam conflict memorials. Theyre two separate theaters of operation, two separate wars, he said. They really should be separated. Moving the two outward-facing memorials isnt as simple as it sounds. They dont seem to be particularly rugged. The World War I appears to have been struck by cars at some point and restored. Its concrete with brick inlay or marble. The Korean/Vietnam is made out of fireplace veneer brick thats falling off and needs to be replaced. One option includes new inward-facing Korean and Vietnam memorials in separate locations connected by a meandering pathway to the World War II and turned World War I memorials. There would be room to honor at some future date veterans of the Middle East conflicts of the last three decades, and to relocate the buoy bell that honors the service of the Coast Guard. With the changes, visitors would be within the park itself, Higgins said. Youd have the ability to approach and walk up to the monuments, or sit on a facing reflection bench. The committee would like to see a non-profit Friends of Veterans Memorial Park organization created to raise funds, perhaps through sales of memorial bricks on the proposed walkway. Higgins asked that anyone interested in setting up such a group send him an email at khiggins@town.orleans.ma.us. Community preservation funds could provide additional help, given the sites centuries of history. The transatlantic cable ran parallel to Academy Place, Higgins said of the means by which America learned of the invasion of France by Germany. And when the HMS Newcastle deposited a bunch of British Marines in Rock Harbor (during the War of 1812), they drove our militiamen right past that triangle. Not until we got everyone together did we drive them back to Rock Harbor. Academy Place has got a tremendous future, said Higgins. Anything we do now is here for generations to come. Wed like to make this the gem of Orleans. UPDATE: The Stripps made it home to New Jersey via London and were self-quarantining as of March 20. Daniel and Katie Stripp have been teaching at an international school in Ethiopia, so theyre comfortable being abroad. But now the couple from Camden County is desperate to get home after being stuck in Morocco, thanks to the coronavirus and the resulting decision by that country to cancel all flights and close its borders. In an email from his hotel room Casablanca where theyve been since Saturday Daniel said U.S. officials have been no help as he and his pregnant wife try to get home to Haddon Township. While we understand things like this take time to arrange it is the not knowing that is the hardest thing, the 34-year-old said. All of the information we are getting is hearsay from other Americans stuck here in similar situations. Its not clear how many Americans have been stranded abroad as countries tighten travel restrictions and ground planes in response to the pandemic, which has spread to over 200,000 worldwide. But some Senate Democrats said Wednesday that theyve been hearing from constituents who are stuck and cant get help from the embassies. In a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, nine Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee demanded the State Department help Americans get home from places like Peru, Tunisia, Honduras and Morocco. The letter also noted that a State Department staffer reportedly told a Bloomberg reporter that Americans should not rely on the department to get them home. My office has been overwhelmed with calls from American citizens who are stranded overseas during the #Coronavirus crisisa perfect storm of travel restrictions, commercial airline cancelations & in charter options or emergency flights provided by the U.S. govt. Senator Bob Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) March 18, 2020 Stripp said they were finally able to book seats on one of several rescue flights the United Kingdom arranged to get its citizens home from Morocco. If it doesnt get canceled, he said, they hope to be able to get a flight to Newark from there. He said the U.S. Embassy and Consulate left them high and dry no one at the Consulate would even speak to them and their best information came from fellow travelers. We would like to see the U.S.A. organize rescue flights of their own, just like the U.K. has been able to do, rather than suggesting we use those, he said. The flights were packed and first-come-first serve, so Stripp said they were advised to go wait in lines of hundreds of other travelers at the airport against all social distancing recommendations. He said the couple were headed home to New Jersey because their international school chose to shut down for five weeks, though Ethiopia only had one confirmed coronavirus case. They thought a stop in Morocco one week at the longest but maybe less would be safe, given that the country only had seven cases at that point. Their luggage arrived a day later than they did, and it wasnt until they went back to the airport to pick it up Sunday that they saw the chaos and heard the news. We realized then it was going to be difficult getting home since the airports were being closed for all incoming and outgoing flights, he said. Stripp said the lack of information and fears that the U.S. might up its travel ban to even include citizens have been weighing on him and his wife. He said it helped to know that the congressional offices they made contact with back in the U.S. were trying to assist, but they also had limited information. Lois DiTommaso, the Jersey Journal features editor, wrote about her experience getting on the last flight out of Morocco that Sunday night as well as the complete lack of health screening when she returned. Like DiTommaso, the Stripps are planning to self-quarantine just in case, whenever they make it back. Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey: If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter. 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. TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) The Tippecanoe County Health Department announced Wednesday there is one presumptive positive case of COVID-19 in a resident from Tippecanoe County. The health department said the person became symptomatic while in Florida and is currently being hospitalized there. They tested presumptive positive at the Florida Department of Health Laboratories. This mean the person tested psoitive but samples will be sent to the CDC for final confirmation. The person is in stable condition and will not be released from the hospital until they are cleared as safe. Dr. Jeremy Adler is the health officer at the Tippecanoe County Health Department. He said the person started feeling symptoms four days Into their trip to Florida. The Tippecanoe County Health Department will begin an investigation to ensure anyone in close contact to this individual who is in the county is being closely monitored. It is also trying to figure out when this person left Tippecanoe County. Dr. Adler could not tell us the persons gender or their age group. The health department is still monitoring the situation here in our county. Updates on News 18 at 5 and 6 and on our special report at 7 LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Versiti Blood Centers of Indiana has set up several opportunities for the Greater Lafayette community to donate blood amid the coronavirus outbreak. The center says more than 100 blood drives have canceled in the area due to COVID-19 fears. Giving blood does not pose any risk to infecting a donor with coronavirus. The organization even has extra safety steps in place to make sure donors are complying with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. -All donor-facing staff will have their temperature taken prior to beginning their work day -Donors temperatures will be taken at registration to ensure they are not elevated prior to entering donation areas -Donors will be asked if they are currently experiencing coughing or shortness of breath -Donors will be asked if they have recently traveled to high-risk countries as defined by the CDC -If any of the above is true, donors will be asked to self-defer -All donors are asked to make an appointment to lessen the amount of people waiting at our donor centers -Ensuring six feet of space between chairs in waiting areas and cafe -Ensuring six feet of space between donation chairs and/or separation with medical screens -If appointment registration congestion occurs, we will ask for your cell phone number and text when your appointment is ready -Equipment, beds, and other surfaces are cleaned after each donor finishes their donation -Changing gloves frequently and between donors is part of our normal practice -Maintaining sanitized pen bins, so donors are only using clean pens at sign-in Faith Church of Lafayette - East Campus Wednesday March 25, Multi-Purpose Gym, 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP TO DONATE Northend Community Center Wednesday April 1 and Thursday April 2, Bloodmobile parked in lot, 2:00-6:30 p.m. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR APRIL 1 CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR APRIL 2 Faith Church of Lafayette - East Campus Tuesday April 7, Multi-Purpose Gym, 10:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP TO DONATE Faith Church of Lafayette - West Campus Saturday April 11, Bloodmobile parked in lot, 2:00-7:00 p.m. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP TO DONATE The Navy is gearing up to send its hospital ships to areas hit hard by the quickly escalating novel coronavirus crisis, but the one heading to New York likely won't be ready to operate there for weeks, defense officials said. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the Navy's pair of hospital ships will soon be stationed on the East and West coasts to help relieve stress on American medical facilities. Doctors and experts have warned that U.S. hospitals could soon be overwhelmed by a sudden increase in coronavirus cases. Positive coronavirus cases in the U.S. have soared to more than 7,000. More than 110 Americans have died from the virus, named COVID-19, which can cause respiratory distress and attack organs. The Virginia-based Comfort will head to New York, which has more than 2,300 coronavirus cases. The San Diego-based Mercy will be sent to a yet-to-be-determined location along the West Coast. Trump said the hospital ships Mercy and Comfort are being prepared now and will be launched in the next week or so. Related: Thousands of US Marines Will Be Isolated for First Two Weeks of Rotation to Australia But the Comfort is currently undergoing maintenance in Norfolk, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said. Leaders are working to expedite the work, but it's likely to take weeks -- not days -- to complete, he said. "It's going to be a little while," Hoffman said. The Mercy, he added, will likely be ready to deploy somewhere along the West Coast within days. Once it's ready, they'll determine where to send it. Each ship has a dozen fully equipped operating rooms, can house 1,000 hospital beds, and has labs, pharmacies and oxygen-producing plants. "They're massive ships, the big white ships with the red cross on the sides," Trump said during Wednesday's coronavirus update. "... They are in tiptop shape; they soon will be." The military is assessing staffing levels for each ship, Air Force Brig. Gen. Paul Friedrichs, the Joint Staff surgeon, told reporters. The Pentagon is working with local leaders to assess their needs so the ships are staffed appropriately, he added. "Our understanding is that the intent is the ships will be used to take non-coronavirus patients, which is what our staff are best assigned and organized to do," the general said. "If that's the case, then we'll adjust the numbers and the mix of staff based on what we learn from the local leadership." The crews are likely to include active-duty personnel, Hoffman added, since they can be mobilized and deployed quickest. -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. Read more: The Military's Coronavirus Cases: The Latest Rundown ATLANTA - The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has released an official position statement concerning prior authorization for the approval of prescription medications, highlighting the significant burdens it creates for patients and rheumatology professionals. This process can result in a significant delay of care or treatments, treatment abandonment and potential harm to patients. "In addition to creating additional hoops for patients and providers to jump through, prior authorization diverts valuable time away from caring for patients and towards repetitive and time-consuming administrative tasks." said Virginia Reddy, MD the statement's lead author and member of the ACR's Committee on Rheumatologic Care (CORC). "For patients with complex conditions like rheumatic disease, these delays may last weeks or even months and can be the difference between successful treatment or permanent joint damage and disability." The ACR emphasizes the need to modernize and simplify the prior authorization process with these five key areas of improvement to ensure access to care for patients: Reduce the number of rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals subject to prior authorization requirements by not requiring prior authorizations if they are already meeting performance measures, adhering to evidence-based practices, and/or participating in a value-based agreement with a health insurance provider. Reduce the number of services and medications that require prior authorization by regularly reviewing and eliminating requirements that are no longer warranted. Improve transparency and channels of communication between health insurance providers, health care professionals and patients to minimize delays in care and ensure requests are reviewed by qualified personnel with specialty-specific credentials. Further, rationales for denials should be provided in a timely and transparent manner. Protect the continuity of care when there are changes in coverage, health insurance providers or prior authorization requirements. The goal is to ensure there is no interruption of care for patients who are on an ongoing, active treatment or a stable treatment regimen. Accelerate industry adoption of national electronic standards for prior authorization and improve transparency around formulary decisions and coverage restrictions at the point of care. Prior authorization is used by insurance companies to control plan members' access to specific pharmaceuticals and medical services. There is no uniformity in the prior authorization requirements between different insurers, and the process frequently involves manually filling out multi-page forms for each patient for whom the provider has -- via shared decision making with the patient -- determined that a particular pharmaceutical or service is the best treatment option. A national survey of over 1,000 practicing physicians conducted by the American Medical Association (AMA) found that 75 percent of physicians reported that prior authorization can lead to patients abandoning recommended therapy and 91 percent believed that the prior authorization process delayed patients' access to care. Further, the AMA survey revealed that 88 percent of physicians reported that the burden associated with prior authorization has increased in the last five years. According to an analysis of patient registry data conducted by the ACR, approximately 15 percent of patients in a typical rheumatology practice have rheumatoid arthritis and are treated with a medication requiring prior authorization. For each of these patients, a rheumatologist or rheumatology professional must go through the prior authorization process at least once per year due to insurance plan requirements that continuation of therapy be renewed annually. "It is crucial that these improvements be made with careful, deliberate attention to each targeted area so that patients can receive the treatment they need without unnecessary delays," Dr. Reddy added. "And in order to fully address the problems associated with prior authorization while minimizing the risk of unintended consequences, future reforms should include all of the ACR's targeted areas of improvement." Efforts to improve some elements of prior authorization are already underway in Congress. The ACR supports the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 3107), a bipartisan bill sponsored by Reps. Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Ami Bera (D-CA), Mike Kelly (R-PA) and Roger Marshall (R-KS), which would require the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to regulate the use of prior authorization by Medicare Advantage plans and establish a process to make 'real-time decisions' for services that are routinely approved. The legislation would also require plans to offer a process for electronic prior authorization and to report to CMS how extensively they use prior authorization and how often they approve or deny the relevant medications and services. ### The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is an international medical society representing over 8,500 rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals with a mission to empower rheumatology professionals to excel in their specialty. In doing so, the ACR offers education, research, advocacy and practice management support to help its members continue their innovative work and provide quality patient care. Rheumatologists are experts in the diagnosis, management and treatment of more than 100 different types of arthritis and rheumatic diseases. For more information, visit http://www.rheumatology.org. An environmental group objecting to Dairygold's Mogeely cheese plant expansion have likened the plans to burning peat. Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) director, Tony Lowes, who submitted the objection on behalf of the organisation, said the situation with the proposed Dairygold plant was 'analogous' to the burning of turf. "Just as a peat burning plant must assess the impact on the environment of peat extraction, so a cheese factory must assess the impact on the environment of their proposed milk production." Dairygold's new cheese production facility is a 120m development partnership between Dairygold and Norway's largest dairy processing co-operative, Tine. However, despite the project obtaining planning approval in 2019, FIE has objected to the project's draft EPA licence. It claimed Ireland's increasing greenhouse gas emissions from the expansion in the dairy herd must be assessed in any licence application for the production of cheese. In a submission to the EPA, FIE said the existing plant processes 120,000t of milk per annum. However, the new plant is proposed to bring this to 365,411t per annum, a tripling of the current milk feed source. Meanwhile, cheese production will rise from 12,000t to 37,000t per annum. In its objection, FIE cites the decision of High Court Justice Michael White in the Edenderry Peat Burning Power Plant decision. Mr Justice Michael White held that there was a "functional interdependence" between the peat extraction and the Edenderry Power Plant. "From any reasonable application of the objective facts of this project, there are possible indirect effects of the use of peat from these bogs on the environment," he stated in his judgment. Dairygold insists the Mogeely plant will operate to the highest environmental standards to produce Jarlsberg cheese from Irish milk which TINE will market across Europe. The Mogeely development will provide a Brexit-proof market for Irish dairy farmers, Dairygold Co-op claims. World Health Organization officials warned against calling COVID-19 the "Chinese virus" as President Donald Trump has done, saying that it could unintentionally lead to racial profiling. "Viruses know no borders and they don't care about your ethnicity, the color of your skin or how much money you have in the bank. So it's really important we be careful in the language we use lest it lead to the profiling of individuals associated with the virus," Dr. Mike Ryan, the executive director of WHO's emergencies program, said at a news conference Wednesday when asked about Trump's comments inciting violence against Asians. Since emerging from Wuhan, China, just over three months ago, the new coronavirus has spread to almost every country around the world, infecting more than 212,000 people and killing at least 8,727 as of Wednesday afternoon, according to data compiled by John's Hopkins University. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates agreed with Ryan, writing in an Ask Me Anything session on Reddit on Wednesday that "we should not call this the Chinese virus." Trump defended his characterization of the coronavirus at a White House news conference discussing the pandemic Wednesday. "It's not racist at all," Trump said, "No, not at all." Trump was asked about his persistent use of the term "Chinese virus" despite reports that dozens of incidents of bias against Chinese Americans who have been blamed for allegedly spreading the coronavirus. "Because it comes from China," Trump said to the reporter who asked him that question. "That's why." WHO officials intentionally gave the virus a generic name to avoid stigmatizing a country or particular group, choosing a name that doesn't refer to a geographical location, animals, an individual or a group of people. The CO stands for corona, the VI for virus and the D for disease. COVID-19 was first detected late last year. "Having a name matters to prevent the use of other names that can be inaccurate or stigmatizing," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said when the new name was announced Feb. 11. Ryan repeated WHO's calls for solidarity, saying that characterizing a virus in such a manner could result in xenophobic behavior and "I'm sure anyone would regret profiling a virus along those lines." "This is a time for solidarity, this is a time for facts, this is a time to move forward together, to fight this virus together. There is no blame in this," he said. "All we need now is to identify the things we need to do to move forward quickly, with speed and to avoid any indication of ethnic or other associations with this virus." -- CNBC's William Feuer, Jordan Novet and Dan Mangan contributed to this article. An entrepreneur's life can be daunting; business owners often wear multiple hats and have to focus on building their brand and business and keeping it afloat. Pursuing your own business can wear you thin, both mentally and physically. That is why mindset is everything when it comes to finding success and happiness as an entrepreneur. Jason Kulpa, successful entrepreneur, believes that our internal dialogue is the driving force behind our mindsets, and our mindsets are what feed into our behavior. When you are struggling as an entrepreneur, whether you have hit a wall of business issues or fallen into a perpetual mental rut, reflect on who you are and who you want to be as a person and a business owner. The first step towards taking your entrepreneurial journey head-on is changing your mindset to who you want to be, compared to who you are now. That's what an entrepreneurial mindset is all about: always striving to grow through conquering challenges, making confident decisions, and welcoming the outcome to any situation. Below, Mr. Kulpa shares five ways to alter your mindset in that very direction: 1. Stop focusing on the money Money is a crucial factor in any running business. However, money isn't everything. Have a clear financial goal to meet your needs, but focus more on the passion you have behind your business and its mission. You will find a longer-lasting and more fulfilling motivation there. 2. Take on a positive mindset Positivity, with a dose of reality, is essential when challenges come your way daily. You will be surprised that by focusing your mindset on the positive side of things, problems will slowly start to seem like open doors for opportunity. 3. Pretend you know what you are doing It is not uncommon for an entrepreneur to feel as if every day presents itself with a new learning curve. It is essential to educate yourself on your business continually, but at times when you convince yourself that you are uneducated and fall short due to a lack of self-assurance, pretend to know what you are doing. You will learn along the way and build the confidence an entrepreneur's mind needs. 4. Feel the fear, and do it anyways Fear can hold a human back from, well, anything. As an entrepreneur, fear will be present often if you allow it. Practice building a courageous mindset. It would help if you took on any challenge by feeling the fear and doing it anyway. 5. Stay inspired Inspiration is the key to staying motivated. Whether you choose to look up to a mentor or wake up daily to new motivational quotes, feeling inspired will only push you forward to grow, as well as your business. Never forget why you started your business in the first place, and where you dream of it to go. About Jason Kulpa Jason Kulpa is a serial entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of UE.co, San Diego's Fastest Growing Business multi-year award winner, and a Certified Great Place to Work multi-year winner. Mr. Kulpa is a San Diego's two-time winner of the Most Admired CEO Award of the San Diego Business Journal and also a semi-finalist for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur award. Under Mr. Kulpa's leadership, in 2018, his teams volunteered at over 24 events and worked side-by-side to improve the San Diego community. They hosted a gala dinner benefiting individuals with autism, cheered on Special Olympic athletes as they broke their records on the track, and brought school supplies and cold-weather gear to students impacted by homelessness. Jason's mission to bring awareness, support, and inclusion for special needs causes. Coronavirus: What you need to read Coronavirus maps: Cases and deaths in the U.S. | Cases and deaths worldwide Vaccines: Tracker by state | Booster shots | For kids 5 to 11 | Guidance for vaccinated people | How long does immunity last? | County-level vaccine data What you need to know: Omicron variant | Breakthrough infections | Symptoms guide | Masks FAQ | Delta variant | Other variants | Follow all of our coverage and sign up for our free newsletter Impact of the pandemic: Supply chain | Education | Housing Got a pandemic question? We answer one every day in our coronavirus newsletter The death of a 49-year-old patient hospitalized with pneumonia in Armenia on March 17 is not related to the novel coronavirus infection, according to health authorities. Alina Nikoghosian, a spokeswoman for Armenias Ministry of Health, said on Wednesday that doctors struggled to save the life of the patient who had been transported to Yerevans hospital for infectious diseases with a diagnosis of pulmonary edema, bilateral pneumonia and respiratory insufficiency, conducting all necessary cardiopulmonary resuscitation measures, but did not manage to save the persons life. According to the official, initially doctors suspected that the patient might have developed pneumonia due to COVID-19, a disease caused by the new coronavirus infection. Nikoghosian said that the sample taken from the person tested negative for the coronavirus. According to authorities, 84 coronavirus cases have been identified in Armenia as of March 18 morning. One patient is said to have been recovered and discharged from hospital. No deaths from COVID-19 have been registered in Armenia yet. It is reported that only two of the current patients have developed pneumonia, but according to officials, both are having it in a mild form. In a live broadcast on Facebook on Wednesday morning Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said that a majority of the patients do not even have fever or exhibit other coronavirus symptoms. Earlier, the prime minister said that Armenias first coronavirus patient, a 29-year-old man evacuated from Iran, did not require even symptomatic treatment while in hospital. To slow down and contain the further spread of the novel coronavirus the Armenian government declared a 30-day state of emergency on March 16. The UKs National Health Service says that people who have COVID-19 and are self-quarantined should rest and drink plenty of fluids. So far, so good. However, it goes on to advise that they take paracetamol or ibuprofen to keep down fever and pain. This has drawn disagreement from the French Health Minister, Olivier Veran, himself a neurologist. Veran said in a tweet on Saturday, The taking of anti-inflammatories [ibuprofen, cortisone ] could be a factor in aggravating the infection. In case of fever, take paracetamol. If you are already taking anti-inflammatory drugs, ask your doctors advice. #COVID19 | La prise d'anti-inflammatoires (ibuprofene, cortisone, ...) pourrait etre un facteur d'aggravation de linfection. En cas de fievre, prenez du paracetamol. Si vous etes deja sous anti-inflammatoires ou en cas de doute, demandez conseil a votre medecin. Olivier Veran (@olivierveran) March 14, 2020 Some physicians wonder if this was backed by any sound evidence from COVID-19 in particular, or just an offshoot of studies on the effects of NSAIDs on the immune system, in general. NSAIDs reduce immune function This advice is supported by virologist Ian Jones: Theres good scientific evidence for ibuprofen aggravating the condition or prolonging it. That recommendation needs to be updated. He gives as a reason the ability of ibuprofen to dampen the immune system, thus delaying recovery. In addition, it could lead to a worsening of pneumonia. He recommends the use of paracetamol to bring down the temperature in case of COVID-19 patients isolating themselves at home if they have a fever. Similarly, professor Paul Little says the French directive is sensible, because, There is now a sizeable literature from case-control studies in several countries that prolonged illness or the complications of respiratory infections may be more common when non-steroidal anti-inflammatories [NSAIDs] are used. Little explains that inflammation is a natural infection-fighting response, meant to enhance the bodys immune ability. However, there is no direct evidence that ibuprofen, in particular, is harmful in patients with COVID-19 specifically. Yet, if there is sufficient ground to suspect that it could be harmful, the NHS advice should be changed, he says. 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 Ibuprofen increases the risk of complications For instance, one trial by Little and his team, as published in the BMJ, reports that patients with respiratory infections and took ibuprofen rather than paracetamol were at a higher risk for severe illness or complications. Other studies indicate that anti-inflammatory drugs worsen pneumonia. Ian Jones explains this by pointing out the many common features of SARS and the novel coronavirus, which means this could also inhibit an essential enzyme responsible for electrolyte regulation, leading to fluid accumulation and pneumonia. This action is aggravated by ibuprofen but not paracetamol. According to the NHS, NSAIDs can cause stomach irritation, gastric ulcers, headaches, dizziness, allergic reactions, and liver and/or kidney problems, if taken over any length of time, according to the NHS. NSAIDs cause kidney injury Epidemiologist Charlotte Warren-Gash adds, 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 the infection. She also recommends taking paracetamol to relieve fever and sore throat unless the need is pressing, and there is no alternative. According to her, NSAIDS can aggravate some kidney and cardiovascular problems. For her, this provides reasonable grounds to avoid ibuprofen, since these are among the underlying health conditions that increase the chances of death among older people with COVID-19. Even otherwise, she says, people who are already suffering from one or more medical conditions should be prescribed such drugs only with great caution. She cites a 2017 study that reported an increase in the odds of a heart attack when patients with respiratory infection were treated with NSAIDs. A balanced view On the other hand, taking ibuprofen will not kill the patient immediately if a pill is taken at a time when there isnt any paracetamol available, and the person is struggling to sleep, for instance. But in other situations, when the need for paracetamol is not urgent, as with low-grade fever, it would be better to wait until one is able to get paracetamol. Public Health England defends the NHS guideline on the ground that there isnt enough evidence to show ibuprofen is harmful in this condition, either increasing the risk of acquiring the infection or worsening it. Also, the proof is lacking that ibuprofen may harm people with respiratory infections. On the other hand, the PHE statement says, Currently there is no published scientific evidence that ibuprofen increases the risk of catching Covid-19 or makes the illness worse. There is also no conclusive evidence that taking ibuprofen is harmful to other respiratory infections. It goes on to recommend the use of paracetamol or ibuprofen for fever, headache, and other aches provided the dosage advice is followed. The statement also advises, Patients who have been prescribed NSAIDs for long-term health problems should continue to take them as directed by their healthcare professional. Rupert Beale of the Francis Crick Institute also confirms the risk of worsening acute kidney injury by ibuprofen intake but insisted that there was no established reason for COVID-19 patients not to take this medication. Tom Wingfield, of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, says, In the UK, paracetamol would generally be preferred over non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) such as ibuprofen to relieve symptoms caused by infection such as fever. This is because, when taken according to the manufacturers instructions in terms of timing and maximum dosage, it is less likely to cause side effects. Simultaneously, Irish public health authorities quelled false rumors that four youngsters who had all been on NSAIDs had become very sick with COVID-19. Irelands health official Colm Henry said the Whatsapp message purportedly reporting this fact among parents groups was, in fact, complete lies and totally untrue. He also said that both paracetamol and ibuprofen could be taken together and that there was no evidence supporting the non-use of any medication at present. Another labour union has joined an increasing number of Canadians calling for a suspension of rent and mortgage payments until the COVID-19 pandemic is over. Last week, the British Columbia Government and Service Employees' Union urged federal and provincial officials to momentarily freeze payments as workers faced loss of income from the prospect of unpaid leaves. Now, United Steelworkers, one of the largest private sector unions in Canada, has called on increased protections and support for workers. In a statement, the union said that banks, landlords, credit card companies, and financial institutions should be instructed to extend and relax mortgage, rent and bill payment requirements, loan servicing obligations and other responsibilities facing consumers and households. Many of Americas national parks will remain open amid the coronavirus outbreak despite calls for closure from public health officials and former employees. The National Park Service (NPS) said on Tuesday said that outdoor spaces will remain open to the public but that they were heeding CDC advice on social distancing. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt said: The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners is the priority of the National Park Service. "Park superintendents are empowered to modify their operations, including closing facilities and cancelling programs, to address the spread of the coronavirus. Some highly trafficked and smaller sites the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island in New York, the Washington Monument in DC and Alcatraz Island off San Francisco have been closed. The vast expanses on offer at national parks may seem perfect for social distancing along with being among the last places to go now that many non-essential venues have shuttered. However, it is unclear what keeping parks open means for employees, in particular the hundreds of maintenance and public safety workers operating at ground level. Many employees not only work in the parks but also live there and as cases of coronavirus continue to rise, public health workers and interest groups have questioned the wisdom of keeping the parks open at all. One employee, who cleans public restrooms, wrote on social media: Its not a matter of if I get sick but when, according to the Guardian. Scott Taylor, of ABC 7, tweeted on Tuesday that a National Park Police officer was experiencing symptoms and was being tested for COVID-19 after being in contact with a Metro Transit Police Officer who was confirmed to have the virus. Nine National Park police employees were placed in quarantine as a result. On Monday, the Coalition to Protect Americas National Parks, which represents retirees from the park service, said that facilities which bring staff and visitors in close proximity should be closed. NPS did not respond to an email from the Independent to clarify which employees are continuing to work through the COVID-19 outbreak and what is being done to protect them. It was left to individual parks to make decisions and many have kept employees in place. The NPS has more than 20,000 employees working across 419 areas, totalling 85 million acres. Californias Yosemite National Park account tweeted on Tuesday that although visitor centers, museums, hotels, restaurants, and shuttles are closed, the park is open. "We have rangers and other employees working in the field," read one tweet. Biscayne National Park in Florida remained open but closed the visitor center until further notice. Great Basin National Park in Nevada has closed the visitor center and tours but kept on park rangers, according to 8 News. In the small city of Moab, Utah, which sits close to the Arches and Canyonlands national parks, the local hospital pleaded with tourists to stay away amid fears that the facility, which has only 17 beds, could become overwhelmed with coronavirus cases. In a letter to Utah Governor Gary Herbert, doctors from the Moab Regional Hospital implored him to shut down non-essential businesses and "if within your realm of influence, the National Parks". "Although the desert around Moab is vast, the town itself is small cruise ship small with similar isolation and limitations in resources. We are already concerned about how we will meet the needs of our own community in an epidemic," the letter reads. As of today, Arches and Canyonlands National Parks are open but some facilities have closed. In first case of its kind, the trial of 43-year-old father of two Stephen McKinney accused of murdering his wife during a boating holiday on Fermanagh's Lower Lough Erne nearly three years ago, has had to be aborted because of the coronavirus pandemic. On Wednesday morning, trial judge, Madam Justice McBride, who described the situations as "an unprecedented emergency", said that "social distancing clearly has serious implications in this trial". Her ladyship added that two members of the Dungannon Crown Court jury of seven men and five women had already been in touch with the court to say that they are considered medically to be "in the vulnerable group". Madam Justice McBridge said given that the trial had sometime to go, and in light of government recommendations, and in consultation with the Lord Chief Justice: "I consider this trial cannot realistically proceed and I am going to discharge this jury". The jury, who had been told not to attend court on Wednesday, had been expect to hear evidence from more witnesses in the trial, which was expected to last at least several more weeks. Expand Close Lu Na McKinney / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lu Na McKinney The trial, with a new jury will proceed in the future, but as yet when that will be is uncertain at this time. McKinney, originally from Strabane, but who lived with his 35-year-old wife Lu Na and children in Flaxfield, Convoy Co Donegal, now has an address in Castletown Square, Fintona, Co Tyrone, was released on continuing bail. The dismissal of the jury comes in the wake of statements on the running of the courts in light of the pandemic from both the Office of the Lord Chief Justice Declan Morgan, and from the Northern Ireland Bar Association, representing lawyers and QCs. The LCJ has already announced the suspension of any new criminal jury trials from March 18 until further notice. It was also reported that the Chief Justice had also advised Crown Court judges on what to do if a serving juror indicates they are experiencing possible symptoms of Covid-19. In the statement issued on behalf of CBA chairman Gavin Duffy QC, it said "no members should attend Court for the next two weeks (March 18 - April 1) unless the case qualified as an emergency .... An ongoing trial (subject to the review by the court)". Expand Close Devenish Island, where Lu Na McKinney died Ronan McGrade Photography 078 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Devenish Island, where Lu Na McKinney died During his three week trial, Mr McKinney, at one stage seen weeping while recordings of his 999 calls for help were played, was described as a "controlling husband, tired of his wife, but unwilling to accept the possibility of her divorcing him" and how he put her off the end of the cruiser hired to celebrate their up and coming 14th wedding anniversary. The jury were also told that when they had heard all of the evidence they would find "this was no tragic accident and you will be sure Srtephen McKinney killed his wife". And that Mrs McKinney was "incapacitated" by the sleeping drug Zopiclone, obtained online by her husband Stephen, who had "caused her to enter the water" while their children slept. Her body was recovered from the lough close to their cruiser moored by the western shore Devenish Island, within 40 minutes of her husband raising the alarm in the early hours of April 13, 2017. McKinney denies the murder charge. CLEVELAND, Ohio Former Vice President Joe Biden once again scored commanding victories over Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont in the Democratic presidential primary as three states swung his way on the day Ohio was supposed to hold its election. Tuesday was supposed to be a night Ohio Democrats contributed to the national election, dividing its 136 pledged delegates between the two presidential hopefuls. But the last-minute change from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Secretary of State Frank LaRose to close polling places and attempt to push the primary to June 2 amid the outbreak of coronavirus effectively rendered Ohios presidential primary vote moot. Bidens victories in Florida, Illinois and Arizona put him in the clear front-runner position and with votes in the Buckeye State not set to be tallied for 11 weeks, the nomination will almost surely be secured by then. News outlets called the race for Biden in Florida shortly after polls closed at 8 p.m. He was on pace for a resounding victory. Despite being plagued by long lines at polling places, which were switched as voting began this morning when poll workers failed to show up en masse, news outlets also called Illinois for Biden shortly after results started coming in around 8:30 p.m. Arizona, a state many thought Sanders might be able to perform well in thanks to a large Hispanic population, was also projected as a clear win for Biden. The wins put Biden on a significantly better course than Sanders to accumulate the 1,991 delegates necessary to secure the nomination at the Democratic National Convention in July. Calls for Sanders to drop out instead of prolonging the process were already starting to surface before Tuesday, and will only be amplified moving forward. In a cruel twist of fate for Ohio Democrats, the contest that once looked like it would be promising battleground territory for the primary likely wont play a factor in the Democratic nomination. The state appeared heavily trending toward Biden anyway, and likely would have further secured his claim as the party standard-bearer. The fate of Ohios Democratic primary is currently wrapped up in the courts. The Ohio Democratic Party filed a lawsuit challenging DeWines and LaRoses chosen date of June 2, instead pushing for a final date of April 28 with all voting by mail. Constitutional questions remain over whether the executive branch has the authority to unilaterally postpone the election because of a public health emergency. Read more cleveland.com politics coverage: Could Ohio conduct a mail-only election? Gov. Mike DeWine open to idea in dealing with coronavirus crisis U.S. government may issue coronavirus relief checks to workers Who is Richard Frye, the Franklin County judge who helped throw Ohios election into disarray amid coronavirus outbreak? Here are the new rules for voting in Ohios delayed primary election -- at least, for now On Monday, San Francisco teacher Mark Rosenberg was trying to ramp up remote learning for his third-grade class creating lesson plans for all subjects, translating assignments into two languages, putting them online and figuring out how to test students to see if they were learning the material. On Wednesday, all that was put on hold as district officials amended their message to teachers, telling them they couldnt require students to participate in any learning. At least for now. Teachers were encouraged to give students learning opportunities and to support them academically. That could mean providing reading suggestions, math activities or worksheets to practice math. Specifics at school sites were still being hashed out. Rosenberg, a third-grade teacher at Monroe Elementary in the Excelsior neighborhood, took the mixed messages in stride, sort of. As much as Im pulling my hair out, I have the grace to understand were all new to this, he said. That kind of patience is in short supply in school districts across California as officials struggled to get clarity from the state on what kind of instruction was required or even legal during the shutdown of schools. Those same officials were blindsided after Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday that he didnt think schools would reopen this school year, and then released vague and confusing guidelines on what districts should be doing to keep kids learning. The state documents provided no information on what to do about grading or required coursework. What that means so far is that there is no consistency across the state or even within districts in what teachers are teaching, if anything. Were kind of building the plane while flying now, said Troy Flint, spokesman for the California School Boards Association. But the reality of our situation is that whatever education occurs will be far different from what our students and families are used to. In Alameda County, superintendents from the 17 districts are figuring this out in real time, and it may not look the same in all places, said county Superintendent Karen Monroe. Some districts might continue with the course content and do grading, while others wont, she said. Its all up for grabs, she said. People are doing the best they can. The guidelines issued by the California Department of Education encouraged schools to do distance learning in various forms, including online, video, and/or paper packets of work that families could pick up or possibly print out. Yet district officials and teachers said the document offered little guidance on whether regular coursework should or must continue, whether students were required to participate, and if teachers could or should grade students on work submitted. State education officials told The Chronicle earlier this week they were seeking legal opinions on those questions, but as of Wednesday morning still had no answers. A conference call among local superintendents and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond also offered few specifics on what schools could, should or must do during the closures. Flint said Thurmond stressed that the priority was caring for students rather than assessing them during this time. What kind of learning goes on will vary greatly across the state, Flint said, given the differences in resources and access to technology. Not all students have access to computers or the internet at home, and therefore some cant participate in online learning. Albany Unified teachers, for example, were requiring course assignments to be completed, and grading them. In Oakland, schools were creating continuity of learning plans, said district spokesman John Sasaki. It is not school as normal, he said. It is a collection of educational activities that support previous learning. Our educational plan will not introduce new content. Students will not be graded or penalized on the work. COVID Resources Coronavirus Map Tracking COVID-19 cases across the Bay Area and California. In San Francisco, district officials said Wednesday that participation in any learning activities, online or otherwise, was completely optional. We understand that some teachers are providing students with learning options during this time, said Gentle Blythe, district spokeswoman. We also want to make it really clear to students and families that nothing is required and students wont be graded for any work they may or may not do while schools are closed right now. Despite the lack of required participation, San Francisco high school teacher Clarity Burke feared that any type of teaching would still leave many of her students even further behind. District and state officials are working on getting computers and internet access to all students, but issues like homelessness or rural areas still pose barriers. With libraries and other facilities closed, public broadband is not currently an option. SFUSD is expecting teachers to educate our students online for the rest of the semester, but so far has no plans to provide a laptop and internet access to every student the way other districts, such as New York City, have done, she said. At least half of my students at John OConnell High School do not have a computer at home and/or reliable internet access. At the same time, Argonne Elementary teacher Jennifer Partika said she would like to continue teaching her fourth- and fifth-grade combined class if possible, knowing that it will be tough to make up time and lost learning in the future. If students dont learn multiplication, for example, they cant do division next year without it, she said. Oh, my gosh, what holes am I going to be facing next year? she said, adding that she also doesnt want to leave any students out. Its hard to teach too much content if I dont have everybody doing the work, because then Im leaving a huge chunk of the kids behind. Rosenberg was more philosophical. Whatever happens over the next weeks wont be the same as teaching students in a classroom. That said, the situation is forcing teachers to embrace technology. The elementary school teacher participated in his first video conference ever on Tuesday, meeting with colleagues digitally. He and the district will come out the other side with greater technological prowess, he said. In the meantime, he said: I miss my kids. Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker LISBON (Reuters) - Volkswagen's Autoeuropa car assembly plant near Lisbon has reduced its daily output by 16% because of a shortage of workers after Portugal ordered all schools closed amid the coronavirus outbreak, the plant said on Monday in a statement. The plant, which produced 254,600 cars last year, will make 744 units per day, down from its usual output of 890, the firm said. Two shifts on Monday were canceled because of a lack of workers. The company also canceled visits to the plant and restricted meetings with external actors. Drivers bringing parts into the plant will have their temperatures taken at entry. Seven of Autoeuropa's 5,536 workers have been placed in isolation because of exposure to the virus, but there were no confirmed cases so far, it said. (Reporting by Victoria Waldersee, editing by Andrei Khalip) Photo: The Canadian Press New Volkswagen vehicles are storage in a car park at the Volkswagen plant in Zwickau, Germany, Monday, March 17, 2020. A person briefed on the matter says Detroit's three automakers have agreed to close all of their factories due to worker fears about the coronavirus. Automakers are expected to release details of the closure later today. The United Auto Workers union has been pushing for factories to close because workers are fearful of coming into contact with the virus. The person didn't want to be identified because the closures have not been formally announced. The decision reverses a deal worked out late Tuesday in which the automakers would cancel some shifts so they could thoroughly cleanse equipment and buildings. But workers, especially at some Fiat Chrysler factories, were still fearful and were pressuring the union to seek full closures. Honda Motor Co. announced Wednesday that it will temporarily close its North American factories for about one week starting on Monday. IsoEnergy Intersects 4.0m of 20.5% U3O8 in Drill Hole LE20-40 and Drills More Off-Scale Uranium Mineralization Posted by Publisher Internet IsoEnergy Ltd. (?IsoEnergy? or the ?Company?) (TSXV: ISO; OTCQX: ISENF -? https://www.commodity-tv.com/play/isoenergy-new-high-grade-drill-results-from-larocque-east-uranium-project/ ) ?is pleased to report additional results from the winter 2020 drilling program at the Hurricane zone.? The Hurricane zone is a new discovery of high-grade uranium mineralization on the Company?s 100% owned Larocque East property (the ?Property?) in the Eastern Athabasca Basin of Saskatchewan (Figure 1). Highlights: Assays received from previously reported drill hole LE20-40 average 20.5% U3O8 over 4.0m from 322.5 to 326.5m The last six drill holes at the Hurricane zone all intersected thick intervals (>7m) of strong uranium mineralization, including two with off-scale sub-intervals (>65,000CPS on the RS-125 hand-held spectrometer, the ?RS-125?) Assays from the final six drill holes at the Hurricane zone are still pending Craig Parry, Chief Executive Officer commented: ?I would like to congratulate our field crews on a very successful drilling program. The program was delivered safely and efficiently whilst generating many intersections of strong uranium mineralization.? Steve Blower, Vice President of Exploration commented: ?I am encouraged by the number of thick intersections of very strong uranium mineralization encountered in this drilling program. The potential for more of these intersections at the Hurricane zone remains very high, as most of the cross-sections are yet to be closed off.? Assays Received Drill Hole LE20-40 (Hurricane Section 4435E) Drill hole LE20-40 was completed on section with (and 8.5m south of) previously reported drill hole LE20-34 (8.5m @ 33.9% U3O8) to evaluate the extent of high-grade mineralization to the south of that drill hole.? It successfully intersected 4.0m of strong uranium mineralization that averages 20.5% U3O8 from 322.5 to 326.5m, including a sub-interval of very strong mineralization that averages 53.8% U3O8 over 1.5m.? Figure 2 shows the drill holes in plan-view.? Figure 3 shows the drill holes plotted on a cross-section.? Table 1 summarizes the assay and radioactivity results at the Hurricane zone. Drill holes LE20-36 and 38 (Hurricane Section 4460E) Drill holes LE20-36 and 38 were completed on section 4460E as follow-ups to the north and south, respectively, of mineralization previously reported in drill hole LE20-30 (5.5m @ 7.1% U3O8).? Radioactivity in these drill holes was reported previously.? Drill hole LE20-36 was completed 15m north of LE20-30 and it intersected 3.7% U3O8 over 1.0m from 332.5 to 333.5m, toward the northern margin of the Hurricane zone.? Drill hole LE20-38 was completed 14m south of LE20-30 and intersected 7.5m @ 2.0% U3O8 from 319.5 to 327.0m.? Figures 2 and 4 show the drill holes in plan and cross-section view, respectively. Drill holes LE20-42 and LE20-44 (Hurricane Sections 4410E and 4460E, respectively) Drill holes LE20-42 and 44 were completed 16m west and 36m east, respectively, of strongly mineralized drill hole LE20-34 (Figure 2).? Both drill holes intersected weak uranium mineralization averaging 0.4% U3O8 over 3.0m in LE20-42 (Figure 5) and 0.3% U3O8 over 1.5m in LE20-44 (Figure 4).? These drill holes are interpreted to be just north of the trend of higher-grade mineralization intersected in drill hole LE20-34. New Intersections of Radioactivity Drill Hole LE20-51 (Hurricane Section 4510E) Drilled on section with, and 8m south of drill hole LE20-32A, drill hole LE20-51 was designed to evaluate the potential for additional high-grade mineralization south of that drill hole.? LE20-51 successfully intersected a 7.5m thick zone of strong uranium mineralization from 322.5 to 330.0m that includes a 3.0m subinterval of continuous mineralization measuring >30,000CPS (RS-125) (Figures 2 and 6).? The subinterval contains abundant ?worm-rock? textured intergrowths of pitchblende and hematite along with common nickel mineralization.? A core photo is provided in Figure 7. Drill Hole LE20-52 (Hurricane Section 4435E) This drill hole was designed to evaluate the potential for additional high-grade mineralization to the south of drill holes LE20-40 and LE20-34.? It successfully intersected 7.5m of strong uranium mineralization from 318.5 to 326.0m, 7m south of drill hole LE20-40 (Figures 2 and 3).? The interval includes 1.5m of continuous off-scale radioactivity on the RS-125. Drill Hole LE20-53 (Hurricane Section 4410E) Completed 25m along-strike to the west of drill hole LE20-52, this drill hole successfully intersected 10.5m of strong uranium mineralization from 317.5 to 328.0m (Figures 2 and 5).? The intersection includes a 3.0m subinterval of very strong uranium mineralization measuring >20,000CPS (RS-125).? It also includes a 0.5m zone from 326.0 to 326.5m that is off-scale on the RS-125. Drill Holes LE20-46 and LE20-48 (Hurricane Section 4485E) These drill holes were designed to evaluate the potential for additional high-grade uranium mineralization to the north and south of drill hole LE19-12 (Figures 2 and 8).? Both of the drill holes intersected thick intervals of uranium mineralization.? Drill hole LE20-46 intersected 10m (from 318.0 to 328.0m) of strong uranium mineralization 6m north of LE19-12, including 2.0m that averages >20,000CPS (RS-125).? Drill hole LE20-48 intersected 11.5m (from 316.0-317.5m) of uranium mineralization 12m south of LE19-12, including 0.5m that averages >20,000 CPS (RS-125). Drill Hole LE20-49 (Hurricane Section 4510E) Drilled 15m north of drill hole LE20-32A, drill hole LE20-49 intersected 9m of uranium mineralization from 320.5 to 329.5m, including 1m that averages >10,000CPS (RS-125) (Figures 2 and 6). Drilling to the East of the Hurricane Zone Drill holes LE20-43, 45A, 47 and 50 were completed up to 1.6km east of the Hurricane zone.? Although no uranium mineralization was intersected, several important features were observed in the drill core that will require follow-up drilling in the area.? These include strong graphitic brittle faults in the basement and strong sandstone alteration zones similar to those associated with uranium mineralization at the Hurricane zone.? Geochemical analyses from the fault zones and alteration haloes are pending. Next Steps Winter drilling is now complete at the Larocque East property.? Assays for the final six drill holes completed at the Hurricane zone are pending.? Data compilation and interpretation are underway.? Plans for a summer drilling program that will continue to define the extent of the Hurricane zone are being developed. The Larocque East Property and the Hurricane Zone The 100% owned Larocque East property consists of 20 mineral claims totaling 8,371 ha and is not encumbered by any royalties or other interests.? Larocque East is immediately adjacent to the north end of IsoEnergy?s Geiger property and is 35 km northwest of Orano Canada?s McClean Lake uranium mine and mill.? Along with other target areas, the Property covers a 15-kilometre-long northeast extension of the Larocque Lake conductor system; a trend of graphitic metasedimentary basement rocks that is associated with significant uranium mineralization at the Hurricane zone, and in several occurrences on Cameco Corp.?s neighbouring property to the southwest of Larocque East.? The Hurricane zone was discovered in July, 2018 and was followed up with 29 drill holes in 2019.? Dimensions are currently 575m along-strike, 40m wide and up to 11m thick.? The zone is open for expansion along-strike to the east and on most sections.? Mineralization is polymetallic and commonly straddles the sub-Athabasca unconformity 320 m below surface.? The best intersection to date is 33.9% U3O8 over 8.5m in drill hole LE20-34.? Drilling at Cameco Corp.?s Larocque Lake zone on the neighbouring property to the southwest has returned historical intersections of up to 29.9% U3O8 over 7.0m in drill hole Q22-040.? Like the nearby Geiger property, Larocque East is located adjacent to the Wollaston-Mudjatik transition zone a major crustal suture related to most of the uranium deposits in the eastern Athabasca Basin.? Importantly, the sandstone cover on the Property is thin, ranging between 140m and 330m in previous drilling.? In addition to the Hurricane zone discovery, four historical drill holes have intersected weak uranium mineralization at other locations on the Property to date.? Qualified Person Statement The scientific and technical information contained in this news release was prepared by Andy Carmichael, P.Geo., IsoEnergy?s Senior Geologist, who is a ?Qualified Person? (as defined in NI 43-101 ? Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects).? Mr. Carmichael has verified the data disclosed. ?All radioactivity measurements reported herein are total gamma from an RS-125 hand-held spectrometer.? As mineralized drill holes at the Hurricane zone are oriented very steeply (-80 to -90 degrees) into a zone of mineralization that is interpreted to be horizontal, the true thickness of the intersections is expected to be greater than or equal to 90% of the core lengths.? This news release refers to properties other than those in which the Company has an interest. ?Mineralization on those other properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the Company?s properties. ?All chemical analyses are completed for the Company by SRC Geoanalytical Laboratories in Saskatoon, SK.? For additional information regarding the Company?s Larocque East Project, including its quality assurance and quality control procedures, please see the Technical Report dated effective May 15, 2019 on the Company?s profile at www.sedar.com. About IsoEnergy IsoEnergy is a well-funded uranium exploration and development company with a portfolio of prospective projects in the eastern Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan, Canada. ?The Company recently discovered the high-grade Hurricane Zone of uranium mineralization on its 100% owned Larocque East property in the Eastern Athabasca Basin.? IsoEnergy is led by a Board and Management team with a track record of success in uranium exploration, development and operations. ?The Company was founded and is supported by the team at its major shareholder, NexGen Energy Ltd. ? Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations 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 shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities referenced herein have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the ?U.S. Securities Act?), and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States absent registration under the U.S. Securities Act or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements thereunder. Forward-Looking Information The information contained herein contains ?forward-looking statements? within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and ?forward-looking information? within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. ?Forward-looking information? includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, without limitation, planned exploration activities. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as ?plans?, ?expects?, ?is expected?, ?budget?, ?scheduled?, ?estimates?, ?forecasts?, ?intends?, ?anticipates?, or ?believes? or the negative connotation thereof 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? or the negative connotation thereof. Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the price of uranium, the anticipated cost of planned exploration activities, 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, that third party contractors, equipment and supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct the Company?s planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual events or results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others: negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of additional financing, no known mineral reserves or resources, the limited operating history of the Company, the influence of a large shareholder,? alternative sources of energy and uranium prices, aboriginal title and consultation issues, reliance on key management and other personnel, actual results of exploration activities being different than anticipated, changes in exploration programs based upon results, availability of third party contractors, availability of equipment and supplies, failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry, environmental risks, changes in laws and regulations, community relations and delays in obtaining governmental or other approvals. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by 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 forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.? The Company undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws ? Gabriel Suswam, senator representing Benue east senatorial district, says Nigerian politicians should spend one or two days in priso... Gabriel Suswam, senator representing Benue east senatorial district, says Nigerian politicians should spend one or two days in prison to be proper leaders. The senator, a former governor of Benue, said this while contributing to a motion on prison decongestion by Uche Ekwunife, senator representing Anambra central. Suswam, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged N3.1 billion fraud, was once remanded in prison. He said based on his experience while in prison, it will be good for intending leaders to spend time in also be there to learn some lessons. I want to support this motion based on my experience. When I left priosn, I recommended that for people to be proper leaders in this country, at least each and everyone of us must spend one or two days in prison, he said. Lawan interjected and jokingly said: anyone who served as a governor? Yes and deputy governor probably, he added, before Suswan continued. The former governor said he was taken to the prison in the night and the following day in the morning, the entire prison knew I was there. I sat down there from morning till evening because there were a lot of young people there, he said. And it might interest you to know that what they spend years in prison for are demeanour you can easily dismiss. There was a young man who has spent 10 years there for just a problem of N10,000. Various individuals were there on very minor offences that the police can afford to correct them and send them home. The senate adopted the motion and asked its relevant committees to ensure a proper oversight of correctional centres in Nigeria. 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." Story continues 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 Flash U.S. State Department announced Tuesday that it will designate Amir Muhammad Sa'id Abdal-Rahman al-Mawla, the new head of the Islamic State (IS), as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. The department said in a statement that following the death of former IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, al-Mawla succeeded him as the leader of the terrorist group. The designated individual had been active in IS predecessor organization, al-Qaeda in Iraq, and directed global operations of the IS, the statement added. According to the designation, all of al-Mawla's property and interests in the United States have been blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him. The former IS leader al-Baghdadi was killed in a U.S. military operation in Syria last October. After a global outbreak, Coronavirus, aka COVID-19, has raised its ugly head in India and has spread across multiple states throughout the span of the country. At the time of writing, there were 147 reported cases of COVID-19. The increasing number of cases in India and other parts of the world has led to people searching and reading more about coronavirus. According to the latest Google Trends data, netizens searched for questions like What is coronavirus?, how did coronavirus start?, etc. Is coronavirus curable? and How many cases of coronavirus in India? were also among the list of most searched questions last week on Google. While the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Indian government are announcing various precautionary measures in the form of advisories, people also want to know how to prepare and protect themselves. How to prevent coronavirus? was the fourth most search query last week on Google. Recent incidents have also led to a spike in search of hand sanitisers and face masks. Health advisories include people washing their hands very frequently and covering their faces with an N95 mask if they show any symptoms or are taking care of someone who is suspected to being infected with COVID-19. Indians also searched for Hand Washing but the search interest was relatively low as compared to hand sanitisers and face masks, which are also mostly out of stock both online and offline. Further, due to travel ban and flight services being suspended from several countries, Indians searched for queries like Is it safe to travel to India now?, Is it safe to travel to Goa now?, Is it safe to travel to Delhi?, etc. Among the most searched travel query included Is it safe to travel to Dubai?, where several reported cases of COVID-19 have emerged. 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 search interest was relatively highest in Goa, followed by Maharashtra, which currently has the most number of reported cases of coronavirus. Karnataka, Sikkim, Nagaland followed next when it came to searching most about coronavirus last week. No, the coronavirus cannot be treated with a 20-minute sauna trip, nor can it be combatted with essential oils or colloidal silver. As the viral respiratory infection called COVID-19 continues to spread across the U.S. and the world, some are seeking to take advantage of peoples fears and propagate false information about the disease. Several public officials, from Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker to Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty, have urged people to get their news from reputable sources and avoid rumors. Everyone needs to get their news from legitimate places, not from their friends friends friends friend, Baker said during a press conference Sunday. State and federal authorities have also warned about an increased number of scams targeting those seeking products that claim to help combat the disease. However, a vaccine preventing the virus does not currently exist, and there is no medicine recommended to prevent or treat infection, according to the World Health Organization. Both the CDC and WHO started addressing myths surrounding COVID-19 earlier this year when it first started to spread internationally. Since then, misinformation about the respiratory infection has grown, and false advice is pervasive. Here is a guide to what is true and what is fake. Has a national or statewide shelter-in-place been declared? The National Security Council said in a tweet that rumors being shared via text message that a national quarantine has been issued are FAKE. A lockdown has not been issued for the U.S. or Massachusetts. Text message rumors of a national #quarantine are FAKE. There is no national lockdown. @CDCgov has and will continue to post the latest guidance on #COVID19. #coronavirus NSC (@WHNSC) March 16, 2020 Baker declared a state of emergency last week, though, and has ordered that educational programming conducted by private and public schools in the commonwealth be suspended for three weeks starting Tuesday. We are not planning any forced shelter-in-place orders, Baker said. This message, shared via email, falsely claims that the coronavirus can be washed down into the stomach by drinking liquids and that stomach acids will then kill the disease. A Massachusetts General Hospital doctor said COVID-19 does not travel in the GI tract at all. Does the coronavirus remain in ones throat before reaching the lungs? And can COVID-19 travel through the GI tract and be killed by stomach acid? Emails and images being circulated online claim that the coronavirus, before it reaches the lungs, remains in the throat for four days. During that time, one message alleges, a person can gargle warm water with salt or vinegar to eliminate COVID-19. Another being shared asserts without evidence that drinking liquids will wash the virus down through the throat and into the stomach, where digestive acid will kill it. Both of these claims are false. We dont have any information to suggest that," Dr. Katrina Armstrong, physician-in-chief of Massachusetts General Hospital, said about the assertions. That makes no medical sense. Disclaimer: The tweet pictured below contains false information. CORONA VIRUS , BEFORE IT REACHES THE LUNGS IT REMAINS THERE FOR 4 DAYS....... pic.twitter.com/czva0FnkKo Lyla Tabbara (@LylaTabbara) March 16, 2020 Although medical professionals do not exactly understand what makes some individuals more likely to to transmit the virus than others, doctors do have an idea about how patients catch the disease. People can contract the illness by inhaling droplets from an infected persons cough or sneeze. The virus does not linger in the throat before spreading to the lungs. COVID-19 goes directly to the lungs, according to Armstrong. People do not tend to show symptoms until five days after being infected, she added. Were learning very quickly about the time it takes for people to show symptoms, the doctor said. COVID-19 does not travel through the gastrointestinal tract either, so patients cannot wash pathogens down with liquids to have them be destroyed by stomach acid, the doctor added. Unfortunately, it does not appear to be true. Most of the virus, were inhaling into our lungs, Armstrong said. Thats not how people get infected right now. It doesnt start in the stomach, and it doesnt go through the GI tract. The doctor instead urged the public to take basic hygienic approaches to combat the spread of the coronavirus, including covering coughs, washing hands and engaging in social distancing by staying six or more feet away from other people. Can the coronavirus morph into a new deadly virus? A video with more than 22,000 views online misleadingly claims that due to the shape-shifting ability of coronaviruses," COVID-19 may mutate to become immune to any potential vaccine. Armstrong confirmed that viruses do have the capability to change, as the flu does every year, but there has been no substantial genetic mutation over the course of the current pandemic, according to the doctor. Shapeshifting is a fairly dramatic phrase," she said. Can COVID-19 be killed with hot air from a sauna or a hand-held hairdryer? The same video falsely claims that applying warm air to ones sinuses will help combat the coronavirus. The narrator asserts that going into a sauna for 20 minutes can kill more than 90% of most upper respiratory viruses. Armstrong called the advice incorrect and dangerous, as people should be self-isolating and not going into a tight spaces in public areas. They have no data to support that," she said about the videos claims. We have not done randomized, controlled trials of sauna use, but theres not a reasonable scientist who would suggest that. The doctor added, If theyre sweating in a sauna, theyre leaving stuff for other people." When asked whether people should blow warm air from a hand-held hair dryer onto their sinuses to combat the disease, as the video also suggests, Armstrong said, No. Most of the body is the same temperature, and theres no evidence to suggest its preferentially attacking the sinuses," she said. Do warmer temperatures kill viruses? It is not a universal rule that warmer temperatures kill all viruses, as another misleading social media post claims. Armstrong pointed to the fact that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can live in different temperatures. Some viruses, though, like the annual flu and the Spanish flu in the 1910s, may strike harder during colder months and go away when warmer temperatures arrive. It is a phenomenon that is not entirely understood by the medical community. Viruses differ in all of these things, and thats why so much effort is being put into understanding the transmission," she said. We are trying to understand why the warmth around us affects transmission. Can colloidal silver, essential oils, garlic or tea help treat the coronavirus? No evidence suggests that any of these items can help treat COVID-19, according to Armstrong. The Federal Trade Commission and the Food and Drug Administration also issued warning letters to several sellers of misbranded and unapproved products that alleged to be able to treat or prevent the coronavirus. The items include colloidal silver, essential oils and teas. The companies have no evidence to back up their claims as required by law. The FDA says there are no approved vaccines, drugs or investigational products currently available to treat or prevent the virus, the FTC said in a statement. Eating garlic does not protect people from the disease, according to WHO. However, consuming enough of the herb may make a person smelly enough to motivate others to distance themselves from that individual, Armstrong joked. If you ate enough and everybody stayed away from you, that would be good," she said. Related Content: MEXICO CITY Mexicos fastest-rising cartel, the Jalisco New Generation gang, has a reputation for ruthlessness and violence unlike any since the fall of the old Zetas cartel. In parts of the country it is fighting medieval-style battles, complete with fortified redoubts, to expand nationwide, from the outskirts of Mexico City, into the tourist resorts around Cancun, and along the northern border. Jalisco so likes violence and heavy armament that U.S. prosecutors said its operatives tried to buy belt-fed M-60 machine guns in the United States, and once brought down a Mexican military helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade. But Jalisco is also mounting a propaganda campaign, using videos and social media to threaten rivals while promising civilians that it wont prey on them with extortion and kidnappings. It is a promise that cartels in Mexico have long made, and always broken. But Jaliscos onslaught is so powerful that the cartel appears to have persuaded some Mexicans, especially those who are tired of local gangs, to accept control by one large, powerful cartel. It seems like the Jalisco New Generation group is taking over everywhere, said a priest in the western city of Apatzingan. It seems like they allow people to work, and they dont prey on civilians, they dont kidnap, they dont steal vehicles, they just go about their drug business. The priest, who is not being identified to prevent reprisals, would rather not have any gang in town. But one of his parishioners was recently kidnapped, raped and killed by members of a local gang, the Viagras, even after her family paid a ransom; locals are so sick of that gang theyd rather have anybody else move in. He is not the only one. A restaurant owner in the central state of Guanajuato says he would prefer that Jalisco take over, because of the local gangs chaotic ways. Things are quieter when Jalisco is around, said the restaurant owner, who also asked his name not be used. A woman who has lived for years under Jalisco cartel rule in a small town says she seeks out local Jalisco enforcers to solve common crime problems. If you have a problem, you go to them. They solve it quickly, she said. It is all a lie, albeit one that the cartel likes to repeat. Indeed, the reality of life under the Jalisco cartel is terrifying: The cartel has made the city of Guadalajara and surrounding suburbs into a giant clandestine gravesite. Mark Stevenson is an Associated Press writer. Main Phuket Town shrine robbed of B100k in cash donations PHUKET: Police are investigating a break-and-enter this morning (Mar 18) that saw an estimated B100,000 in cash donations stolen from an office at the popular Jui Tui Shrine in Phuket Town, which serves as one of the main Chinese shrines during Phukets annual Vegetarian Festival. crimepolice By Eakkapop Thongtub Wednesday 18 March 2020, 04:44PM Lt Col Sakol Krainara of the Phuket City Police was called to the shrine at around 9am. When he and other officers arrived, they were met by temple administrator Sanchai Sae-ong, 30, who explained that he had arrived to work this morning to find the door to one of the offices open. Mr Sanchai said that he rushed inside and found that one of three drawers in a filing cabinet had been forced open, and around B100,000 in cash donations kept in the drawer were missing, explained Lt Col Sakol. Sanchai said that pliers had been left his deck near the cabinet, but confirmed that no other valuables were missing, he added. The only CCTV camera in front of the office is broken. At this stage, police believe that the thief knew the office very well and had been to this office many times, Lt Col Sakol said. Police are continuing with their investigation and searching for the thief, he added. West Virginia has confirmed its first case of coronavirus after previously facing significant issues over a lack of testing, becoming the 50th state in the US to be forced to confront the deadly pandemic. Confirming the case in an announcement on Tuesday afternoon, Governor Jim Justice said about the spread of the virus: Well get through this. Well win. The governor also announced that all restaurants, bars and casinos throughout the state would be closed as testing continued to be rolled out to patients exhibiting symptoms associated with the illness, including respiratory issues, pneumonia and a mild fever, similar to those of the flu. Earlier in the day, Donald Trump praised West Virginia for not having any confirmed cases and said during a press briefing that Big Jim, the governor, must be doing a good job in handling the outbreak. The state was the last to become officially impacted by the pandemic after its senator, Joe Manchin, complained about the lack of testing in an interview with CNN on Monday. Weve only had 84 tests in my state, he said at the time. I have over 720,000 elderly. I've got over 220,000 that are critically ill under 60 years of age, he said. The senator added: If you put all this together, of the 1,800,000 people, I have over a million that could be absolutely, totally devastated by this virus if it hits." Mr Manchin also said he asked the vice president to help increase his states ability to test patients who believe they may have the virus. If we dont even have the tests to identify who is ill, who needs treatment what do we do? Mr Manchin told CNN. "I don't have the ventilators. I don't have the respirators. I don't have anything available to that many people that are that vulnerable." The number of cases nationwide have meanwhile surpassed more than 5,000, according to the latest reports, as the death toll rises to at least 94. Officials warned that official figures surrounding the pandemic were likely far higher, citing numerous states facing similar issues in receiving testing kits to West Virginia. "Our health officials came to me and said we do have our first positive in the Eastern panhandle," the state's governor said on Tuesday. We knew it was coming, weve prepared for this and we shouldnt panic. Mr Manchin also said on Tuesday the safety and well-being of every West Virginian must remain our top priority amid the pandemic. He added: We all share the responsibility to prevent further spread of this virus and exercise responsible choices which include social distancing. I support Governor Justices decision to close restaurants, bars, and casinos because we must do everything we can to slow this virus down." Earlier in the day, the governor's tone surrounding the virus was somewhat different. He encouraged people to go out and eat, saying: "If you want to go to Bob Evans and eat, go to Bob Evans and eat." Infowars founder and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was arrested in Texas on a charge of driving while intoxicated, the Travis County Sheriff's Office said. The deputy who stopped him early Tuesday was responding to a family disturbance call, according to an affidavit. The caller had said there was a "disturbance between her and her husband," and that he had driven off and was possibly drinking. When the deputy stopped the car driven by Jones, 46, and with the plate number given by the caller, he "detected a strong odor of alcohol," according to the affidavit. Jones told the deputy he had consumed a bottle of Sake wine while having dinner with his wife at a sushi restaurant at about 8 p.m. Monday, the affidavit said. After getting into an argument with his wife, Jones said he walked home, about three miles away, the document said. When the argument continued at home, he left to go to another of his residences "to get away from his wife." Jones was booked into Travis County Jail at 12:37 a.m. local time, and his bail was set at $3,000, according to Kristen Dark, senior public information officer at the Travis County Sheriff's Office. CNN has reached out an attorney who has represented Jones in the past. Jones claims he tested below the 0.08 legal limit and that a "countywide dragnet" was started because of a low number of DWI arrests in Travis County. In a statement Wednesday, Jones said: "In Travis County, if they believe they smell alcohol, they take you in to the jail for testing. Once I was tested, I was found to be under the legal limit, so not guilty of a DWI under the Texas statute. I have talked to counsel, and they believe it will be a mere formality to have the case dismissed." But a reading of 0.08 or above is not the only factor in arresting a motorist, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. "In Texas, a person is legally intoxicated and may be arrested and charged with Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) with a .08 BAC (blood or breath alcohol concentration)," the department says. "However, a person is also intoxicated if impaired due to alcohol or other drugs regardless of BAC." Jones tested at 0.076 and 0.079 and failed parts of the one-leg stand and walk and turn tests, according to the affidavit. Speaking about the experience on his show, Jones said: "It was quite the experience to see what was going on in this country and to experience it myself," the InfoWars website reported. Jones was released shortly after 4 a.m. Tuesday after bonding out on a personal recognizance bond, according to Dark. The DWI charge is a class B misdemeanor, according to the court document. A has been arrested for organising a consumption event in Kolkata, claiming that it will protect people from or cure those already infected, leading to a civic volunteer falling ill after drinking it, police said on Wednesday. He was arrested late Tuesday night following a complaint filed by the victim with the police, they said. According to police officials, 40-year-old Narayan Chatterjee, a local party worker of Jorasakho area in North Kolkata, had on Monday organised a cow-worship programme at a cowshed and distributed He vouched for its "miraculous" properties while offering gaumutra to others. A civic volunteer, who was on duty near the cow shed also consumed gaumutra and fell sick on Tuesday, following which he lodged a complaint with the police against Chatterjee. Reacting to the arrest, the state BJP leadership criticised the state government. "Chatterjee had distributed cow urine, but he didn't fool people in consuming it. When he distributed it he clearly said it was cow urine, he didn't force anyone to drink it. It has not been proved whether it is harmful or not. "So how can just police arrest him without any reason. This is completely undemocratic," state BJP General Secretary Sayantan Basu said. West Bengal BJP chief has said there is no harm in drinking and he has no qualms in admitting he consumes it. His party colleague and MP Locket Chatterjee, however, differed, terming it an "unscientific belief" that should be shunned. The cow urine distribution as a cure for had drawn sharp criticism from the ruling TMC and opposition Congress. 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. Los Angeles distillery Amass makes a 16-ounce alcohol-based botanic hand wash, $38. (Tiffany Chan / Amass) With hand sanitizers suddenly becoming hard to find globally, the unexpected demand for the product has shifted how brands from beauty labels to distilleries are doing business during the COVID-19 era. To combat a shortage of hand sanitizer in France, for example, luxury brand conglomerate LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton said Sunday that it would start manufacturing hydroalcoholic gel for as long as necessary in the production facilities of its perfumes and cosmetics division. The gel will be delivered free of charge to the French health authorities and as a priority from this Monday to the Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, the company said in a press statement, referring to the public hospital system. Susanne Kaufmann, 2.5-ounce Purif-i sanitizing hand spray, $24. (eShot AG / Susanne Kaufmann) In Austria, skin-care brand Susanne Kaufmann is doubling production of its Hand Spray Purif-i to 10,000 units to meet global demand, a representative said last week. The product, which has 62% alcohol content combined with hydrating glycerin and silk proteins, will be stocked locally at Violet Grey and Credo stores around April 1. Closer to home, family-owned, San Francisco-based EO Products has sold out of scented hand sanitizer sprays, gels and wipes from its two brands, Everyone and EO. Over just a one-week period in mid-February, we saw sanitizer orders increase 1,300% for the Everyone brand on our website alone not including our nationwide retailer presence, said Tom Feegel, EO Products president. Everyone 2-ounce hand sanitizers, $7.99 each. (EO Products) Feegel said the company has increased production of its 2-ounce hand sanitizers by more than 450% within the last month as demand has continued to increase. If youre currently in the market for hand sanitizer and want to support an L.A.-based business at the same time, there are options to consider that hit well above the 60% alcohol mark as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They smell good and are mostly affordable. (Keep in mind, hand sanitizers are meant to supplement the use of soap and water.) Story continues New to the market is a hand wash from master distiller Morgan McLachlan, co-founder and chief product officer of L.A. botanics-driven spirits company Amass, which produces gin and vodka infused with botanicals. (Amass is also working on an aperitif due out this summer.) Amass makes a 2-ounce alcohol-based botanic hand wash, $10. (Tiffany Chan / Ammas) I am in a more vulnerable position given the fact that I cant take a full breath at the moment, said McLachlan, who's expecting her first child in April. Alarmed to discover that cleaning products and sanitizers were selling out at grocery stores because of coronavirus fears, she whipped up a batch of hand sanitizer for herself. It was an easy task, given her experience formulating with high-proof alcohol and botanicals. After sharing the product with friends, family and co-workers, the reaction was so positive that McLachlan and her business partner decided to test the hand wash on the Amass site with an initial batch of 500 units. Sales have been swift. Im not much of a hustler, but I do like to be resourceful, you know? she said. "It's always good to have a desert island skill." Morgan McLachlan, co-founder and chief product officer at Los Angeles distillery Amass, has introduced a new hand sanitizer to the market. (Tiffany Chan / Amass) Amass makes an alcohol-based hand wash ($38 for 16 ounces; $10 for 2 ounces) that's crafted from medical-grade alcohol, aloe leaf juice, glycerin and a blend of cinnamon, allspice, clove and eucalyptus. I am starting with 96%, or 195-proof, alcohol, so it is easier to blend and have the alcohol level stay over 70%, McLachlan said. Sisters Jocelyn Levine, left, and Jennifer Edmonds added a scented hand sanitizer to their RX Los Angeles line a year and a half ago and are amping up production. (RX Los Angeles) Sisters Jennifer Edmonds and Jocelyn Levine co-founded their affordable, hand-blended fragrance oil company Rx Candles Los Angeles in 2013. Focused on vegan, phthalate-free essential oils and soy wax candles with subtle scents, the company has extended into diffusers, room sprays, fragrances, sachets and a hand sanitizer, which was added to the line 18 months ago after customers specifically asked for it. We had maybe sold 50 total units of the sanitizers since we released them. It wasnt a focus, Edmonds said. But four nights ago, we sold 700 units in one night to small businesses we had never worked with before on the wholesale marketplace Faire. There has also been a huge uptick in people finding our website just for the sanitizer. Rx Candles Los Angeles makes 2-ounce hand sanitizer spray that comes in five scents, $5.50. (RX Los Angeles) Rx Candles Los Angeles' hand sanitizers ($5.50 in Fresh Fig, Lavender Oak, White Tea, fruity Bora Bora or woodsy Homme scents) are available at rxcandles.com or directly picked up at the company warehouse in Alhambra at hours listed on the label's website. (The brand also has locations at Melrose Trading Post and Smorgasburg at Row DTLA. Both locations are temporarily closed because of the coronavirus guidelines.) Now the brand is transitioning from a 1-ounce 62% alcohol gel to a 2-ounce 70% alcohol spray because of huge price spikes in the alcohol and aloe vera gel base that the sisters buy from bulk wholesalers to mix with their scented blends. The Rx Candles Los Angeles formulation benefits from a higher alcohol concentrate, and the spray form is more versatile. You can spray your car down with it," Edmonds said. Data from OpenTable, one of the largest online reservation services in the world, shows in real time how people are responding to the pandemic and how its affecting small businesses. The data reveals a 76 per cent drop in diners in Toronto restaurants on March 16 this year compared to the same day a year before. A 66 per cent drop in diners in Montreal. A 73 per cent decrease in Calgary. The company, founded in San Francisco in 1998, is asking diners to support local restaurants through the crisis by ordering home delivery. Many operate on thin margins and fear staff layoffs and shut downs, Andrea Johnston, COO of OpenTable, wrote in a statement that accompanied the release of the data. The data also shows that in Montreal, as well as some cities around the world, people continued to congregate well into the second week of March, when diners began to drop off dramatically in nearly all cities where OpenTable is used. The first presumptive case of COVID-19 in Ontario had been confirmed about six weeks earlier. In New York and Dublin as of March 16, the number of people eating out fell 77 per cent and 71 per cent respectively from the same day a year before. The industry here will be hit even harder with the announcement Monday from the provincial government that eat-in restaurants should close. Its a pattern in cities across the world as businesses bare the brunt of declining consumer demand. Retail shopping fell 20 per cent in China since the crisis began there, according to news reports, and the industry will be hit here as stores including Nordstrom and Anthropologie close their doors temporarily. The federal and Ontario governments have instituted numerous measures to limit social interactions that will flatten the curve of new cases, which Brett House, Scotiabanks deputy chief economist, says is needed to contain the economys free fall. As well, federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced $10 billion in business loans and the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, which regulates banks, changed lending rules to free up cash. OSFI is essentially removing the requirement that banks have to hold additional security buffers of capital for a rainy day, says House. Its a declaration that rainy day is here and they want to ensure the banks are able to fully lend out the capital they have at their disposal to keep activity going. The federal government is expected to announce new fiscal measures that could also put much-needed cash in consumers pockets, which House says is vital for stabilizing the economy. He says those changes could include increasing tax credits such as the GST rebate or increasing the Canada child benefit, or letting small businesses defer their payroll taxes, says House. The focus needs to be on getting cash directly into the hands of people who need it who are living close to the edge, says House, who dont have a rainy-day fund, who need to pay rent, who need to pay mortgage payments, who need to pay grocery bills. The bank has recommended an additional fiscal stimulus of one percentage point of GDP, which is equivalent to around $20 billion. A recession looks inevitable, say experts. A recession is typically defined as two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth, says Wei Wang, an associate professor at the Smith School of Business at Queens University, noting were not there yet. I think we will be very likely in a recession soon if the virus cannot be contained. Some parts of demand are sort of destroyed, House says. An airplane flight that takes off, if no one sits in that seat, you cant get that seat back again, that value is lost. But he says the circumstances now are very different than 2008, when the crisis came out of the financial sector. There arent big parts of the economy that are broken, says House. Were shutting down activity to stop the spread of the virus but once we reach the point where outbreak is considered under control, some of the demand that is being deferred now will come back. And we should see that contribute to a bit of a rebound. The Conference Board of Canada released a statement Tuesday that the country teeters on the brink of recession but wrote encouragingly, given the historically tight labour markets and the short-term nature of the economic shocks, businesses are expected to retain workers as much as they can, and employment should recover along with the economy. Both Wang and House agree that increasing cash flow and deferring payments is key. Restaurants should make immediate adjustments, including cuts to inventory and material purchases, says Wang. They should negotiate with landlords and suppliers to delay payments, he says, and potentially lay off non-essential employees if necessary. Then, Wang said, restaurant owners should increase their lines of credit with their banks and take money out immediately to ensure they have a cash runway to see them through a few months. Right now, cash is king, Wang said, adding that he hopes the federal government will step in to guarantee the loans of essential businesses that are hit the hardest. House agrees. I think what markets are looking for is some kind of reassurance that the outbreak is being brought under control and that policy measures to ensure that businesses keep operating, that households are still able to keep meeting their expenses and that credit markets continue to function, are going to be put in place and are fully effective, says House. I think those two things are the things that are really critical to ensuring we minimize the economic impact over the remainder of the year. Five Democratic senators raised alarms about potential privacy and cybersecurity issues related to Google's efforts to help the White House manage the COVID-19 pandemic. The group of senators, Bob Menendez and Cory Booker of New Jersey, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Kamala Harris of California, signed letters addressed to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai and Vice President Mike Pence. In the letter to Pichai, the senators said they "appreciate the Administration's efforts to utilize Google's technology to disseminate up-to-date information about COVID-19" but feared neither had assessed all the implications of such a system. Google had reportedly been caught off guard when President Donald Trump announced in a news conference Friday that it was working on a website to help screen Americans for the virus and direct them to the appropriate resources. The project is being run by Verily, the life sciences company under Alphabet, Google's parent company. It launched a pilot of the website on Sunday in the San Francisco Bay Area. The site requires users to have a Google account and agree for some information to potentially be shared with the company in order to access the questionnaire that helps determine users' eligibility for the COVID-19 test. The unclear rollout of the website, which seems more limited in scope and in an earlier stage than what the president originally outlined, raises questions "about who will be responsible for the website and when it will be launched," the senators said. If Google is responsible, they added, "we have specific concerns in light of the company's 'Project Nightingale' initiative with Ascension Health which grants it access to millions of [Americans'] personal health data," referring to a partnership with the U.S. hospital network revealed late last year. "There are numerous privacy concerns about such an endeavor, including: whether people will be required to sign waivers forfeiting their privacy and personal data in order to access the questionnaire; whether Google or any of its subsidiaries will be prohibited from using data received through the website for commercial purposes; and whether Google and any of its subsidiaries will be prohibited from selling any data collected through the website to a third-party," the senators wrote to Pichai. "If Google and its subsidiaries fail to establish sufficient privacy safeguards, Americans who use the site will be more susceptible to identity theft, negative credit decisions, and employment discrimination," they wrote. The senators asked Google and Pence to respond to a list of questions about their work by March 30. The questions seek to nail down a time frame for a national launch of the website and better understand the nature of any formal agreements between the White House and Google on the matter. They also seek to understand whether the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency will be involved in securing the site and whether it will be compliant with laws safeguarding patient data. "Google is not collecting or retaining user information," a spokesperson for Verily said in a statement. "Verily is collecting the information needed to fulfill the purposes of the Baseline COVID-19 testing program, and uses Google infrastructure to safely store and protect health information. All the data provided by Baseline users for screening is stored separately and not linked to any of Google's products and services. Data will not be used for advertising purposes." Google's large data stores have become a source of scrutiny in Washington as antitrust authorities assess whether it has leveraged a dominant position in markets such as online advertising or search to gain an anticompetitive advantage. As that investigation is ongoing, officials are also assessing whether Google should be able to buy smartwatch maker Fitbit, granting it more health data that Google has said it would not monetize for ads. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. WATCH: How to download everything Google knows about you Amy Blouin, director of the Missouri Budget Project, which monitors state spending, said in the past two downturns in 2001 and 2008 state government saw revenue decrease by at least $800 million. She believes Missouri will see a similar drop this time. Missouris budget is financed by people paying income and sales taxes and businesses paying corporate taxes. As businesses close or curtail their hours to ward off the spread of COVID-19, they pay less money in taxes to the state. Individuals also spend less, driving down sales tax revenue. The state also counts on revenue it gets from gambling. On Tuesday, Parson ordered the closure of the states 13 casinos, potentially sucking $12 million in expected revenue out of the states coffers at the same time officials are ramping up spending on fighting the disease. At the beginning of the budgeting process, Parson based his $30.9 billion spending proposal on a growth in tax revenue of 1.9% in the fiscal year beginning July 1. Dubai, March 18 : A 7-year-old Indian national living in Ajman became richer by $1 million when his name was drawn at the Dubai Duty Free raffle. Kapilraj Kanakaraj held ticket 4234 in series 327, which was bought by his father on February 21. Kanakaraja, the father, hails from Tamil Nadu and has been an Ajman resident for 27 years, Khaleejtimes reported. "Words aren't enough to express how I feel today. My family and I are so thankful for this wonderful blessing. Part of the prize money will definitely go to our furniture shop business and for my son's future. Thank you so much Dubai Duty Free for this life changing win!" said Kanakaraj. The best bargains for conserving some of the world's most vulnerable salamanders and other vertebrate species can be found in Central Texas and the Appalachians, according to new conservation tools developed at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The study involves a suite of computer algorithms that surf across many different kinds of data to create maps of top priorities and projections of what species would benefit the most from increases in conservation dollars. An interdisciplinary team of computer programmers, biodiversity data scientists, conservation decision makers, economists, and others from around the globe convened at NIMBioS to develop the optimization tool, which was published in the journal Ecological Applications. Determining where the best protection payoffs are to be found has traditionally been a challenge for conservation, especially when budgets are stretched thin. "The challenge for conservation practitioners is how to best combine many really disparate kinds of data and do so in a way that lets them compare possible options for protection -- the goal being to find opportunities where conservation efforts offer the greatest bang for the buck," said the study's lead author, UT Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Paul Armsworth. The algorithm considers data including land acquisition costs, future development patterns, budget allocations for conservation, and the presence of threatened species. The new approach could prove valuable to conservation and natural resource managers looking to optimize conservation dollars. "It's basically a giant bargain-hunting formula for biodiversity conservation," said Joe Fargione, science director for the North American region at the Nature Conservancy, a leading conservation organization. "The authors are finding important bargains -- places where the most good for the most species can be done, sometimes at very low cost." When comparing many possible scenarios and models, the researchers found that some priority areas for protection arose repeatedly. In the United States, those appeared to be in counties around Austin, Texas, and parts of the southern Appalachians. The unique geology and complex groundwater systems around Austin provide habitats for highly specialized species. Many salamander species found there occur nowhere else in the world, with some receiving protection under the US Endangered Species Act because of their vulnerability to extinction. The ancient mountains of southern Appalachian Mountains provided a refuge for species through past Ice Ages. The rich topography and diversity of habitats in the region provide a global hotspot for many different groups of species. "Both areas offer very good deals if you only have a limited budget to work with and are trying to protect vulnerable species. Adding more protection into these places wouldn't be too expensive. And these habitats could be in trouble in the future if additional protection isn't undertaken," Armsworth said. The Central Administrative Tribunal on Tuesday endorsed the suspension of senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and former intelligence chief of Andhra Pradesh AB Venkateshwara Rao by the Jagan Reddy government for alleged irregularities in procurement of security equipment from an Israeli company during the previous Telugu Desam Party regime. The CAT bench at Hyderabad headed by Justice L Narasimha Reddy dismissed the petition of the 1989-batch IPS officer of Director General of Police (DGP) rank challenging his suspension by the Jagan Mohan Reddy government. The CAT directed that the state government could go ahead with its investigation into the charges against Rao. It asked the IPS officer to approach the Centre if he had any grievance. The YSRCP government suspended Rao on February 8 on the charges of misconduct. An official note from the chief ministers office said then that Rao had colluded with an Israeli defence equipment manufacturing firm RT Inflatables Pvt Ltd to illegally award critical Intelligence and surveillance contract to his son Chetan Sai Krishna, who is CEO of Akasam Advanced Systems Pvt Ltd. This proves a direct correlation between Rao and a foreign defence manufacturing firm, thereby establishing a direct breach of ethical code of conduct and All India service rules, the official note said, quoting the inquiry report. The inquiry further revealed that Rao had wilfully disclosed intelligence protocols and procedures of police to the foreign Defence manufacturing firm, which was a direct threat to national security as intelligence protocols are standard throughout the Indian Police Force. Rao challenged his suspension by filing a petition in the CAT on February 13. He contended that the suspension was politically motivated and was done based on frivolous grounds. He pointed out that he had been kept in waiting without being given any post since May 31 (a day after YSR Congress Party president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy took over as the chief minister) and was not being paid his salary since then. He requested that the CAT strike down his suspension orders and restore his job. On March 7, the Union ministry of home affairs also approved the suspension of Venkateshwara Rao. An MHA official said the state government could proceed with the investigation and file a charge sheet against the officer latest by April 7. The MHA official said the ministry had noted the allegations made against Rao in the preliminary inquiry report that he had committed irregularities in the procurement of aerostat and unmanned aerial vehicle at a cost of Rs 25.50 crore under the modernisation of police forces scheme during 2017-18. Rao, who was intelligence chief during the Chandrababu Naidu regime, was shifted from the post by the Election Commission of India following complaints from YSR Congress Party leaders during the general elections in April 2019. He was later posted as DGP of Anti-Corruption Bureau. However, after Jagan came to power in May 2019, Rao was attached to the headquarters without being given any posting. Rao could not be reached for his comments on CAT order. However, after the MHA order on March 7, he said there was nothing for him to worry, as the Centre had given time to file to the state to charge sheet till April 7, indicating that he would take a call on his future course of action after April 7. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Photo: CW2 Harting/Flickr Missed the most recent top news in Baltimore? Read on for everything you need to know. 7 people shot near elementary school in Baltimore: police Police commissioner Michael Harrison said five victims were transported to a local hospital in stable condition and two others walked in separately, local CBS affiliate WJW reported. Read the full story on New York Daily News. Tax deadline extended beyond April 15 Amid economic and health concerns over the new coronavirus, the state comptroller extended the filing period for Maryland taxpayers. Read the full story on Patch.com. Patterson Park resident rallies Baltimore to celebrate St. Patricks Day on rooftops while practicing social distancing The speakers were booming, the conversations carried and the beers were popping as Southeast Baltimore residents celebrated St. Patrick's Day while practicing social distancing. Read the full story on Baltimore Sun. 32-year-old shot at Crown Gas Station in SW Baltimore A 32-year-old man said he had been shot in his right shoulder. Read the full story on CBS Baltimore. Baltimore Soundstage offers space to livestream events, produce projects during coronavirus pandemic The Baltimore Soundstage is offering space for groups to livestream events and produce projects during the coronavirus pandemic. Read the full story on Baltimore Fishbowl. 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. According to this account of how it played out, the two men were polar opposites in every way. Edison was lightning in a beaker, while Westinghouse was a slow-burning strategist open to reason and the possibilities of negotiation. Theyre played here by Benedict Cumberbatch (Edison) and Michael Shannon (Westinghouse). This is not about the battle against the coronavirus or the struggle to get Donald Trump out of the White House. Its about the coming of electricity, writes reviewer Sandra Hall. Long before AC and DC were co-opted by a pop group, they were the flashpoints in a feud between the 19th century American tycoon George Westinghouse and the inventor Thomas Edison. In this round-up our reviewers critique movies released this week; from a 'big name' feature to independent and foreign films that deserve the spotlight. Which ones are worth the cost of a ticket? Theres another battle front involving the film itself. Five years ago, Eddie Redmayne was set to star in an adaptation of the best-selling novel The Last Days of Night, by Graham Moore, who wrote the screenplay for The Imitation Game. Redmayne was to play the young lawyer who acted for Westinghouse in the court case that punctuated the two mens long and complicated tussle over patents. But playwright Michael Mitnick had been mulling over the idea since 2008 and his script for The Current War got there first, despite delays caused by its Weinstein company origins. Its a much quieter take on the story than Moores, which paints Edison as an unrepentant bully with a relentless talent for self-aggrandisement. Maybe thats why the film, directed by the Mexican-born Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, has had such a tepid response from international critics who have been unfairly making it sound like the creakiest of museum pieces. It picks up the narrative shortly before hostilities begin. Edison has just staked his claim as the inventor of electricity by lighting up the night-time sky for the benefit of the press in a field near his New Jersey laboratory, Menlo Park. Westinghouse, who already has his own theories about this revolutionary form of power, is intrigued and invites him and his wife to dinner, but war is implicitly declared after Edison stands him up. When J.P. Morgan (Matthew Macfadyen, with a red nose gleaming like a light bulb) delights Edison by agreeing to become his financial backer, it looks as if he is on his way to victory. But Westinghouse takes the next round by proving that his system of alternating current is more efficient, able to power a much larger area than Edisons DC system. And when the brilliant but unstable Nikola Tesla (Nicholas Hoult) enters the picture, the plot takes another twist. Bankruptcy procedure against former Browder's firm extended for month flickr.com/Blogtrepreneur 11:11 18/03/2020 MOSCOW, March 18 (RAPSI) The Commercial Court of the Republic of Kalmykia has extended bankruptcy proceedings against a firm believed to be formerly controlled by William Browders Hermitage Capital Management for a month, according to court records. A procedure extension petition has been filed by Kirill Nogotkov, a bankruptcy manager of the former Browders company. In November 2019, the Sixteenth Commercial Court of Appeals upheld recovery of 388,400 rubles ($6,000) from HSBC Bank and HSBC Management in favor of Dalnaya Step, denying to grant its claim in full. Dalnaya Step therefore lost an appeal filed against a lower courts ruling of August 16 ordering the two companies to pay Dalnaya Step this sum instead of 125.3 million rubles (nearly $2 million) demanded by the claimant. According to Nogotkov, these costs accumulated during review of his claim on recovery of 1.2 billion rubles ($18 million at the current exchange rate) in debts of the Dalnaya Step from the HSBC Management and HSBC Bank (RR). In June 2017, the plaintiff filed a claim to collect funds totaling to 1.2 billion rubles, $255,500 and 1,800,000 from the defendants, who were formerly in control of the company. In August of that year, the Commercial Court of the Republic of Kalmykia granted the lawsuit. The Sixteenth Commercial Court of Appeals upheld the ruling in October 2017. However, in November, the North Caucasus District Commercial Court reduced the amount to be collected from the defendants in favor of Dalnaya Step by $255,500 and 1,800,000 respectively. On March 21, 2016, the court ruled to resume bankruptcy proceedings with regard to Dalnaya Step. According to an acting manager back then, proceedings were still in effect and there was a need to make former controllers of the company accountable. In 2015, the department of Russias Federal Tax Service (FTS) for the Republic of Kalmykia filed a motion with the court to declare void a decision made in October 2007 to complete the liquidation of Dalnaya Step. The FTS department said the reason for the petition was that Russias Interior Ministry was investigating Alexander Dolzhenko, a former bankruptcy manager at Dalnaya Step, on suspicion of premeditated bankruptcy. Criminal cases The conflict between Russian authorities and Hermitage Capital CEO William Browder is long-lasting. In December, Browder was arrested in absentia as part of a new criminal case over organizing a criminal network. Browder is to be detained for two months from the day of his potential arrest, extradition or deportation. The defendant did not show up for the hearing as he lives in Great Britain. The new case was launched against Hermitage Capital CEO on November 16. Browder is charged with organization of a criminal community and faces up to 20 years in prison. According to Russian law enforcement, the defendant is on the international wanted list and the damage he allegedly caused is estimated at 10.5 billion rubles ($153.2 million). Investigators believe that Browder created and leaded an organized criminal group to make grave crimes in Russia including tax evasion, fraud, deliberate bankruptcy, money laundering. In December 2017, a Moscow court sentenced Browder to 9 years in prison in absentia for deliberate bankruptcy and tax evasion. His business partner Ivan Cherkasov received 8 years in prison. The defendants were also fined 200,000 rubles (about $3,000) each. Moreover, Moscows Tverskoy District Court granted a civil lawsuit and recovered 4.3 billion rubles (about $65 million) from the defendants in favor of the Russian Federation. In June, the sentence was upheld. In 2013, a Russian court sentenced Browder in absentia to 9 years in a penal colony. It was found that between 1997 and 2002, Hermitage Capital auditor Sergey Magnitsky created and applied an illegal tax evasion scheme in the interests of Browder. Magnitsky worked for Firestone Duncan and represented Hermitage Capital, which the Russian authorities accused of tax evasion. Magnitsky was arrested on fraud charges in November 2008 and found dead in a Moscow detention center in November 2009. The lawyers death provoked an international outcry, including international sanctions against Russia. In July 2013, Moscows Tverskoy District Court found Magnitsky guilty of tax evasion and closed the case due to his death. According to the case materials, Magnitskys and Hermitage Capital director William Browders actions cost Russia over 500 million rubles (about $8 million). Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Reuters-Yonhap Facebook said Tuesday it will offer $100 million in grants to small businesses in dozens of countries that have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg said the funds are intended to support 30,000 small businesses in more than 30 nations where the social media company has employees. "Small businesses are the heartbeat of our communities, and many of the people who run these businesses are heavily affected by the crisis especially as more and more people sensibly stay home," she wrote in a Facebook post. "The longer the crisis goes on, the greater the risk to small businesses and to the livelihoods of their owners and employees." In addition to the grants, Sandberg said, Facebook is making its Business Hub open and available at no cost to everyone seeking training and support from the company. Facebook will offer virtual training to small businesses on how to operate during the crisis. Also Tuesday, Facebook said it's giving each of its employees a $1,000 bonus to help them deal with fallout from the epidemic. A company official told CNN the funds are to help employees set up home offices or pay for childcare. Facebook has about 45,000 employees across the globe. CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced last week that Facebook would match $20 million in donations to fight the spread of COVID-19. Of that, $10 million will go to the CDC Foundation, an independent non-profit created by Congress to support the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's connection to philanthropic efforts. Facebook created the COVID-19 Solidarity Fund with the United Nations Foundation and World Health Organization to prevent and detect the virus. As of Tuesday afternoon, $3.8 million had been raised of the $10 million goal. (UPI) Advertisement Richa Gupta, COO of the Rush University Medical Group, continues, pausing momentarily to shoot a glance of disapproval at a pair whispering loudly in a corner.At the front of the room a nurse-leader stands and briefs the audience on the status of COVID-19 cases across the country and in the State of Illinois; along with the number of PUIs (persons under investigation) we've seen at Rush and, for the first time, a confirmed positive.As she speaks, I look around the room. It's a sea of white coats - all intently focused on this first of two daily briefings; some are scribbling notes on a clipboard, others simply nodding in agreement. Across the room, everyone shares one habit however: all stop to periodically tap their mobile phones, respond to texts, and fire off impromptu emails. Everyone is constantly touching their phones.***Since the outbreak of COVID-19, a large public safety effort has focused on encouraging people to wash their hands. And this is for good reason; from what we know about the virus,But what if after all that diligent washing, you are constantly touching your phone? Which for some "extreme users" can be up to 5,000 times a day.In medicine, our phones are what we call a fomite - an object or material that is likely to carry an infection from one place to another. A simple example would be a stethoscope - which is why doctors are taught to wipe down its surface with alcohol swabs between patients. We need to exercise the same level of precaution with our phones - and that isn't just for doctors.Any time you enter a public area - like public transportation or a coffee shop - you are introduced to countless germs. Invariably, most people will touch their phones and then carry these devices into their homes, around the dinner table, and even in bed with them.As we come together as a nation to fight the threat of coronavirus, let's not forget the danger lurking within our very own pockets. I recommend cleaning your phone at least twice daily - once mid-day at peak contact time and once you have return home for the night. In between, be sure to wash your hands before eating, or touching your mouth or eyes.***Back in the command center, the meeting has adjourned and countless staff spill out of the room and back to a flurry of preparation activities. In the coming days, we will move the bulk of meeting participants to phone-based in order to minimize congregating. On the north side of Rush University Medical Center on a massive 130-foot size, "WASH YOUR HANDS," greets motorists on the Eisenhower Expressway as they enter downtown Chicago.As we look to minimize the spread of COVID-19 across the country, let's not forget the mobile devices - the fomites - we carry around with us every day. Yes, wash your hands, but just as importantly, clean your phones.Source: Newswise California Gov. Gavin Newsom give an update to the state's response to the coronavirus, at the Governor's Office of Emergency Services in Rancho Cordova Calif., March 17, 2020. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, Pool) California Governor: Most Schools Wont Reopen This Spring SACRAMENTO, Calif.Its likely few if any California schools will reopen before summer break, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday as he provided a stark assessment of the implications from the spreading coronavirus that threatens to overwhelm the states hospitals and drain its spending reserves. While urging Californians to stay united and promising we will get back to the life that we have lived, Newsom also acknowledged much is unknown and so the state is preparing for frightening worst-case scenarios. He put the California National Guard on alert for duties that include humanitarian missions like ensuring proper food distribution and public safety as some grocery stores resorted to rationing to control panic buying. He said the state is acquiring two vacant hospitals to beef up capacity as it faces the possibility of a surge of hospital patients. California also is negotiating with about 900 hotels to acquire tens of thousands of rooms that could be used for hospital patients and for the homeless, a group particularly susceptible to coronavirus, which is spread by coughs and sneezes. The virus is affecting every aspect of life in California and is devastating many of the states key industries. With the states reserves approaching $21 billion, Newsom said the state has more money in its savings account than ever before. But he warned that the magnitude of this moment may exceed those reserves. The state Legislature approved $1.1 billion in emergency spending Monday and then voted to suspend ts session in what is believed to be the first unexpected work stoppage in 158 years. Lawmakers went one step further Tuesday by closing both the Capitol and the Legislative Office Building to the public until further notice. Its all part of a rapidly escalating reaction that saw three more Northern California counties on Tuesday follow the example of those in the San Francisco Bay Area that told residents to stay at home and go outside only for food, medicine and other essential needs. At a news conference, Newsom did not announce a similar requirement statewide, but previously told bars, restaurants, movie theaters, fitness centers and other gathering places to shut their doors as the death toll crept to 12 and the number of confirmed cases neared 500. All people 65 and older and those with underlying health conditions have been told to stay indoors. In readying the National Guard for action, Newsoms office emphasized that its for duties routinely performed during natural disasters and other emergencies. But Newsom grimly added that we have the ability to do martial law if we feel the necessity. Imposing martial law would take the extraordinary step of replacing the usual laws with military authority, with the possible suspension of civil liberties like freedom of association and movement. U.S. and California health officials have repeatedly warned that the virus could have a devastating impact and that the timetable for controlling it isnt known. President Donald Trump on Monday said the crisis could last until August. Californias schools began announcing closures last week and now nearly 99% are shuttered for periods generally ranging from two to five weeks. Newsom, a father of four young children, said his family is among those that have started home schooling. It is unlikely that many of these schools, few if any, will open before the summer break, he said, urging the more than 6 million schoolchildren and their families to make long-term plans. The state has applied for a federal waiver that means children would not have to face academic tests once they eventually return to school, said Newsom, a first-term Democrat. We think it is totally inappropriate for kids to worry about coming back and being tested, he said. Newsom also shared a personal story that influenced his decision to tell the public to prepare for longer-than-expected closures. He said he returned home late Monday after a hectic day to find one of his two daughters, 6-year-old Brooklynn, in her room, her stuffed bunny and most of her bedding on the floor. She was crying and upset about her school being closed and not seeing her friends. I told her, Honey, I dont think the schools are going to open again,' Newsom said. If I can tell my daughter that and not tell your daughter then Im not being honest and true to the people of the state of California. Boy I hope Im wrong, but I believe that to be the case. California education and health officials late Tuesday offered guidelines for teachers to assist children with online learning, while offering free access to learning tools. It also offered guidelines for how to distribute free meals. Many of the shuttered schools may be used to provide meals to lower-income students and for child care, Newsom said. Providing child care at a time when residents are supposed to remain well separated to avoid spreading the disease brings its own challenges, Newsom said. Those caregivers will want to have personally protective gear, make sure social distancing is practiced, make sure that we not just secure the sites but make sure that theyre healthy, he said. He said some of the money approved by state lawmakers on Monday could go to help with that effort. By Adam Beam and Don Thompson Hagerty joined interim City Manager Erika Storlie and City Clerk Devon Reid as the three officials spread out across the dais. He started with a statement encouraging residents to keep their spirits up, but also to stay safe and prepare for hard times. Kolkata, March 18 : Amid speculation that the only confirmed coronavirus patient in West Bengal managed to delay his hospitalisation for being the son of a senior state government official, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday warned those holding influential positions against hiding the disease and advised the foreign returnees to get themselves tested at the earliest. Interacting with the media, Banerjee said that those returning from abroad should go into isolation if needed. "A disease is not individual specific. Anybody can catch a disease. Don't spread rumours. Don't be in denial about the disease just because you are influential," the Chief Minister said. Banerjee's remarks came a day after a student of Oxford University from Kolkata, the son of a senior West Bengal home department official, tested positive for the deadly virus. According to sources in the health department, the 18-year-old youth was advised hospitalisation on Monday itself, a day after he returned from the UK, after the authorities came to know that he had attended a birthday party abroad in which a number of invitees later contracted the disease. But he did not turn up, and instead his parents took him to the state-run M.R. Bangur Hospital where the nodal official and another care giver attended him without any protective gear. Both of them have now been asked not to come to the hospital. The youth's mother also attended her office at the state secretariat Nabanna on Monday and held meetings with top officials of her department. The youth was admitted to the ID Hospital in Beliaghata on Tuesday morning and the test results that came late in the evening declared him coronavirus positive. On Wednesday, there was virtual panic at Nabanna after it came to light that the youth had tested positive. The staff were seen using disinfectants, while a number of senior home department officials, including the top bureaucrats, skipped office and were believed to be under self-quarantine at home, awaiting the results of the tests conducted on the youth's mother. The results are likely to come on Wednesday night or Thursday morning. An angry Chief Minister said on Wednesday: "Nothing can be more irresponsible than hiding the disease. Those coming from abroad should get themselves tested. If need be, follow the World Health Organization protocol and remain in isolation." Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 00:24:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People work at the workshop of a vehicle door manufacturer in Yubei District of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, March 11, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao) Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Monday showed that a total of 1.08 million new urban jobs were created in the first two months this year. The surveyed urban unemployment rate in February stood at 6.2 percent, up by one percentage point from January. BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China will deepen the reform of government functions, foster new drivers of growth, cultivate new forms of industry in the digital economy and keep employment stable, the State Council's executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang decided on Tuesday. Li pointed out that the reform of government functions must be deepened, and the Internet Plus approach and the nationwide entrepreneurship and innovation initiative must be promoted to create more opportunities for business start-ups, job creation and flexible employment. Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Monday showed that a total of 1.08 million new urban jobs were created in the first two months this year. The surveyed urban unemployment rate in February stood at 6.2 percent, up by one percentage point from January. Workers manufacture suitcases at a foreign trade factory in Yaozhou District of Tongchuan City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, March 12, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Xiao) "Keeping employment stable is our top priority this year. And smaller firms are crucial in providing employment. Related departments must work in synergy to support these firms," Li said. It was urged at the meeting that unreasonable restrictions that hinder the resumption of work should be lifted to enable more people to return to work and resume their income at the earliest possible time, as the epidemic situation continues to ease. The meeting urged deepening the reform of government functions. Temporary control measures that are no longer necessary and arbitrary certification and fee requirements must be removed. The recent beneficial policies for businesses should be delivered in a straight-forward way, and the procedures be handled online as much as possible to deliver benefits to companies, especially micro, small and household businesses as soon as possible. "We must resolutely deepen the reform of government functions. Temporary control measures that are no longer necessary must be removed to clear the unreasonable impediments. The government needs to scale up support for Internet Plus and the platform economy, and related departments should have a keen grasp of their needs. We should fully recognize the vital role the platform economy has played in fighting the epidemic," Li said. A staff member of a hot pot restaurant delivers takeout food in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Feb. 15, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao) The meeting called for intensifying support for Internet Plus and the platform economy to cultivate new forms of industry in the digital economy and create new jobs and professions. Traditional industries should upgrade themselves faster by harnessing the industrial internet and developing online and cloud services. Integrated online and offline services will be promoted, focusing on elderly care, childcare and domestic services and other sectors with high potential of job creation. The platforms for employee sharing and employment security will be further developed to provide online employment and social security services for the flexibly-employed. The meeting called for harnessing the full power of the mass entrepreneurship and innovation initiative, using more market-oriented incentives to bolster employment and entrepreneurial activities among university graduates, rural migrant workers and other key groups. The entrepreneurship and innovation demonstration centers and incubators will receive greater support in order to create more opportunities for university students to find jobs or start businesses. Obstacles must be eliminated to facilitate diverse forms of business start-ups and flexible employment. The coverage of government guaranteed startup business loans will be expanded and the counter guarantee requirement exempted for high quality projects. This is aimed at alleviating the credit crunch facing small, micro and household businesses. Guidance on rent reduction or exemption of public properties for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises will be worked out without delay. "We must develop and introduce, as early as possible, support policies for business start-ups and innovation, and boost the market-driven employment of university graduates, rural migrant workers and other key groups of people," Li said. A person walks by a coffee shop in New York City on March 18, 2020. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images) New York Businesses Required to Have 50% of Employees Work From Home New York businesses that rely on in-office workers must decrease their in-office workforce by 50 percent, according to an executive order New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo planned to issue on Wednesday. We are announcing a mandatory, statewide requirement that no business can have more than 50 percent of their workforce report to work outside of their home, Cuomo said at a press conference in Albany. No more than 50 percent of the workforce can report for work outside of the home. That is a mandatory requirement. Im going to do that by executive order. Exemptions are being made for essential services such as food, pharmacies, shipping, and healthcare. Society has to function. People stay at home; people still need to be able to order food, etc.; they need to be able to shop, so you have to keep those essential services running, Cuomo said. New York officials reported 1,008 new cases of the CCP virus on Wednesday, bringing the total in the state to 2,382. The majority of the cases are in New York City, where the number of patients more than doubled in 24 hours. Dawn breaks over Manhattan as New York City struggles to contain the number of coronavirus cases, on March 18, 2020. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Medical personnel arrive to perform COVID-19 infection testing procedures at Glen Island Park in New Rochelle, New York, on March 13, 2020. (John Minchillo/AP Photo) Around 23 percent of patients are hospitalized while 108 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals. A U.S. Navy hospital ship was being sent to the state to help boost hospital bed capacity ahead of the expected peak of illnesses in New York. The Epoch Times refers to the COVID-19 coronavirus as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. The moves New York officials have made, including the pending order to business, will have an impact on the economy, Cuomo said. Were past that point as a nation. There is going to be an impact on the economy, not just here in New York but all across the country, and were going to have to deal with that crisis. But lets deal with the crisis at hand, he said. Once we get past that, then well deal with the economic crisis, he added, citing an old Italian expression that the wealthy have their health and everything else can be obtained. Later in the day, Cuomo said New York and three other statesPennsylvania, Connecticut, and New Jerseywill temporarily close all indoor portions of retail shopping malls, amusement parks and bowling alleys effective 8 p.m. on Thursday. Together we will reduce density and slow the spread of Coronavirus, he said in a statement. Military chiefs are putting up to 20,000 troops on standby to be deployed to Britains streets, hospitals and other key sites to help tackle the pandemic. As part of a package of support, thousands of troops will be mobilised or flown home from overseas programmes and put at high readiness to move as part of a new Covid Support Force. The most vital personnel are likely to be put in quarantine in UK bases until they are needed and all those overseas will have their holiday time cancelled. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace praised the service's 'unique flexibility' as up to 20,000 troops prepare to be deployed in Britain's streets, hospitals and other key sites. Mr Wallace is pictured arriving in Downing Street on Tuesday At the same time, thousands of reservists will be put on a wartime-style footing to boost numbers. There are fears that as the virus outbreak escalates, vital emergency service workers will need military back-up to deliver basic needs. A total of 150 personnel will begin urgent training from Monday so they are able to drive oxygen tankers to the NHS if a gap emerges. Announcing the plans last night, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: The unique flexibility and dedication of the services means that we are able to provide assistance across the whole of society in this time of need. Major General Charlie Stickland, Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff, added: Putting more personnel at a higher state of readiness and having our Reserves on standby gives us greater flexibility to support public services as and when they require our assistance. 'The Covid Support Force, potentially drawing upon our highly skilled scientists or oxygen tanker drivers, will form part of a whole force effort to support the country. The Army will also backfill key areas, including replacing police officers, border guards, prison officers and medics under plans code-named Operation Broadshare. The military is preparing for all scenarios, as it would do in any emergency. In a most-likely scenario, thousands of military medics, including doctors, nurses and combat medics, will be deployed to help hospitals. But the military could also be used to help expand hospital bed capacity. This could see troops using hotels, barracks, or erecting Army field hospitals near key locations to help cope with the rising numbers of infected people. One option that has not been ruled out is using a navy hospital ship which supported operations to curb the Ebola outbreak. At any one time there are some 10,000 troops on standby in the UK to help with a crisis. But the number of those at high readiness will be increased to between 15,000 and 20,000 so there are more personnel available to support public services. Measures have been taken to enable the call out of reservists, should they be required to join the response effort to help deliver public services. Defence scientists at Porton Down are also working to understand the virus and help tackle its spread. The military is also helping with ongoing repatriation flights from countries overseas. On top of this, the Ministry of Defence is looking to supply the NHS with as many of its 35 ventilators as possible. [March 18, 2020] Online Tutoring Market 2019-2023 | Growing Importance of Stem Education to Boost Growth | Technavio Technavio has been monitoring the online tutoring market and it is poised to grow by USD 112.14 bn during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of over 15% 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/20200318005266/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Online Tutoring Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire) The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation 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. Growing importance of stem education has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. Online Tutoring Market 2019-2023: Segmentation Online Tutoring Market is segmented as below: Course Stem Courses Language Courses Other Courses Geographic segmentation APAC Europe MEA North America South America 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=IRTNTR31863 Online Tutoring Market 2019-2023: Scope Technavio presents a detailed picture of themarket by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our online tutoring market report covers the following areas: Online Tutoring Market size Online Tutoring Market trends Online Tutoring Market industry analysis This study identifies growing popularity of online microlearning as one of the prime reasons driving the online tutoring market growth during the next few years. Online Tutoring Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the online tutoring market, including some of the vendors such as Ambow Education Holding Ltd., China Distance Education Holdings Ltd., iTutorGroup, TAL Education Group and Vedantu Innovations Pvt. Ltd. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the online tutoring 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 Online Tutoring Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023 Detailed information on factors that will assist online tutoring market growth during the next five years Estimation of the online tutoring market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the online tutoring market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of online tutoring 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: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 07: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison APAC - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Europe - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 North America - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 South America - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 MEA - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Key leading countries Market opportunity PART 08: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY COURSE Market segmentation by course Comparison by course STEM courses - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Language courses - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Other courses - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by course PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES Market drivers Market challenges PART 11: MARKET TRENDS Apps and wearables for online tutoring Growing popularity of online microlearning Standardization of tests PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview Landscape disruption Competitive scenario PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Ambow Education Holding Ltd. China Distance Education Holdings Ltd. iTutorGroup TAL Education Group Vedantu Innovations Pvt. Ltd. PART 14: APPENDIX Research methodology List of abbreviations Definition of market positioning of vendors 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/20200318005266/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] A binman and a car valeter were due to appear in court on Wednesday after a team of burglars smashed a large hole in the wall of a Currys PC World store before allegedly stealing up to 80,000 worth of electrical goods. Police were alerted to the break in after the burglars triggered an alarm in the early hours of Tuesday. It was discovered that four men, all wearing face coverings and gloves with hoods up, had broken into the premises and stole a large quantity of electrical stock, police confirmed. The Currys PC World store in Hove fell victim to the 80,000 electrical gods heist on Tuesday A spokesman for Sussex Police said: 'Officers arrived at the scene and discovered a large hole in the side of the building, which had been used to gain entry. 'Intelligence led to the arrest of two men who were stopped in a black Audi A4 on the M23. Items including mobile phones, tablets and laptops, with a combined value of 50,000 to 80,000, were seized from the vehicle. 'Marian Ghita, aged 44 years, a refuse worker, of Ivinghoe Road, Dagenham, east London and Cristian Rusu, aged 39 years, a car valeter, of Auckland Road, Ilford, Redbridge, east London, were both remanded in custody to appear before Brighton Magistrates' Court charged with burglary. 'Two further suspects remain outstanding,' the spokesman added. 'Anyone with any information about the incident, or anyone with dash cam or CCTV which may have captured the incident, is asked to report it online or call 101.' The deadline to submit lease proposals to the GSA is March 20. Local developer Joe Lemon said he met with Kent Pilcher, president of Estes Construction in Davenport, and discussed a possible partnership for renovating the historic courthouse. Estes served as general contractor during renovation of the federal courthouse in Davenport in 2005. "GSA posts these open bids, and people can respond to them," Lemon said. "I've had conversations with the GSA on repurposing the courthouse. Historic properties receive preference in the form of a 15% bonus. It's a way of incentivizing historic restoration, and there is a preference for Rock Island. "This is an open bidding process," he said. "I can submit an application to restore the historic courthouse." But the county would have to transfer ownership of the courthouse to Lemon in order for him to do that. County Administrator Jim Snider said that is unlikely to happen, especially since ownership was transferred to the Public Building Commission in July 2019, and county officials remain confident they will win the appeal, and demolition will proceed. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 09:40:03|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- As Washington's political crackdown on Chinese media outlets in the United States took effect on Friday, the two-faced nature of America's so-called freedom of the press is being fully exposed. The U.S. cap on the number of staffers for Chinese media based in America has also set a record for the mass expulsion of foreign journalists by a government in the history of journalism, leaving an indelible stain on Washington. The U.S. State Department's move against Chinese media has been long in the making and represents its latest step to engage in a smear campaign against the Chinese media. The U.S. side has taken discriminatory measures against Chinese journalists in America for a long time, as 21 journalists have been denied visa since 2018 with various excuses, according to data provided by the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Before drastically capping the number of Chinese reporters in America, the U.S. side had already listed the Chinese media as "foreign agents" and designated five media outlets as "foreign missions" on shaky grounds. Some U.S. politicians are so entrenched in the Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice that they deliberately turn a blind eye to the fact that Chinese journalists posted to America have been strictly abiding by U.S. laws and regulations and carrying out news reporting under the principle of objectivity, fairness, truthfulness and accuracy. In fact, senior U.S. State Department officials admitted in a briefing with reporters that the move was not a result of any reports the five affected Chinese media organizations have published or broadcast. For those China-bashers with a zero-sum mindset and an entrenched belief in U.S. hegemony, such as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a rising China has become unbearable. Driven by a lack of confidence in U.S. strength and system, those U.S. politicians are even succumbed to the paranoia of being "ideologically invaded" by other countries. The smear campaign against China has shown that those zealous U.S. politicians have no qualms about inciting an ideological conflict by misinforming the public with willful lies. Instead of solving any problems of U.S. own making, Washington's political crackdown on Chinese media sends a signal to the world that its so-called freedom of the press is nothing short of double standards and hegemonic bullying. For those U.S. politicians troubled by the outdated and dangerous Cold War mindset, their despicable ploys against China are doomed to backfire and end up being self-humiliating. A day after West Bengal recorded its first positive case of Covid-19, chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday ordered compulsory quarantine of those returning from abroad and warned of action for ignoring restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Criticising the role of the youth who on Tuesday evening was detected coronavirus infection, Banerjee said that the incident was an eye opener. He was asked to stay in isolation at home but I heard he kept travelling to places. This disease spreads with contact. Such negligence is unacceptable, she said at a government event in Kolkata. Each and everybody, irrespective of being a VIP or not, needs to maintain self-isolation for 15 to 27 days after returning from abroad. Nothing can be worse than a person having the symptoms of the disease moving around and meeting people, she said. Also read: Kolkatas first coronavirus carrier and his mother, a senior bureaucrat, moved freely for two days The 18-year-old had returned from London early Sunday and reportedly showed no symptoms during the thermal screening at the airport. However, he was advised to get himself admitted to the states nodal hospital for Covid-19, which he defied. His mother is a senior bureaucrat at the state secretariat. She is presently admitted at the isolation ward of Beleghata ID hospital, the states nodal hospital for Covid-19, along with her husband, their driver and two others. The state secretariat on Wednesday asked some of the colleagues of the bureaucrat to work from home. Her office has been sealed and the administration is trying to track down every person that the bureaucrat and her son came in contact with. Every room that the bureaucrat entered was sanitized on Wednesday. You return from abroad and go to visit a shopping mall or a park and spread the infection to others is just not acceptable. You do it because someone in my family is an influential person. No, I dont support this, Banerjee said without referring to the Covid-19 patient. The partys Jadavpur MP, Bengali film star Mimi Chakraborty who returned from London on Wednesday, has quarantined herself. Banerjee said that some people were spreading fake news and misinformation. None will be spared, she said. All of Asia, Europe covered by Taiwan's highest travel warning ROC Central News Agency 03/17/2020 06:20 PM Taipei, March 17 (CNA) Taiwan extended its highest Level 3 travel alert to more foreign countries Tuesday to cover virtually all of Asia and Europe and three states in the United States amid the global novel coronavirus pandemic. Following Tuesday's updated travel alert, 99 countries and regions have been given Level 3 alerts, meaning travelers who arrive in Taiwan after spending time in those places or transferring through them will be required to quarantine themselves for 14 days. All Asian countries along with Hong Kong and Macau and all European countries with the exception of the micro-states of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican, have been given Level 3 alerts. The highest warning level also covers the states of California, Washington and New York in the United States, and the northern African countries of Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. The CECC has advised that unnecessary trips to those countries and regions should be avoided. Meanwhile, the CECC issued a Level 2 travel alert for all U.S. states outside of California, New York and Washington, meaning that those who arrive in Taiwan from those 47 states will be subject to a self-health management protocol for 14 days. People required to manage their health must wear face masks wherever they go and take their temperatures twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. On Tuesday the CECC reported 10 more new confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection in Taiwan, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Taiwan to 77, with one death. Most the 10 cases were people who had traveled to Europe or the Middle East recently. Since the coronavirus disease outbreak emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, more than 179,000 cases have been reported from 145 countries and regions as of Tuesday, including over 7,000 deaths, mostly in China and Italy, according to CECC data. To prevent the highly contagious virus from spreading within Taiwan through infected travelers, COVID-19 tests will be conducted on people who returned from Europe between March 3 and 14 and have developed respiratory symptoms after arriving home, the CECC said. It reminded all those arriving from Europe in the period between March 3-14 to follow self-health management guidelines for 14 days and advised them to refrain from going to school or their workplaces for the time being. (By Elizabeth Hsu) Enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have branded the efforts to tackle the coronavirus epidemic 'as true a testament there is to the human spirit.' Taking to the Sussex Royal Instagram account, the Duke, 35, and Duchess of Sussex, 38, shared an inspirational quote alongside a long caption which began: 'These are uncertain times. And now, more than ever, we need each other.' 'We need each other for truth, for support, and to feel less alone during a time that can honestly feel quite scary.' As well as urging their 11.7 million-strong following to remain united, they also thanked those working tirelessly around the world to help fight. But the post sparked upset among some of their followers including @mimi72cracra who wrote: 'What about your dad Meghan?? What about her Majesty?? Shame on you Meghan!! You are so ridiculous!! You only think about you, you, you, you... and yourself!' Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 38, have taken to Sussex Royal Instagram and urged people to remain united in the current situation regarding the coronavirus epidemic. Pictured, attending the Commonwealth Day Service 2020 at Westminster Abbey on March 09, 2020 in London The royal couple shared a quote which read: 'This moment isas a true a testament there is to the human spirit' (pictured) Alongside the quote, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex penned: 'These are uncertain times. And now, more than ever, we need each other. We need each other for truth, for support, and to feel less alone during a time that can honestly feel quite scary' It comes as a close friend exclusively told DailyMail.com 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 catching coronavirus. It has also been revealed the UK coronavirus infections soared by 676 in a day as the government prepare to reveal the new death toll. The royal's post quickly racked up over 23, 000 likes - with many thanking the royal couple for their supportive words. 'Thank you for those kind, supportive words,' praised one, while a second commented: 'Such a wonderful platform to remind us of the good in the world.' In the post, the couple went on to say how there are many around the world who are in need of support - who are working to respond to this crisis behind the scenes, on the frontline, or at home. They wrote: 'Our willingness, as a people, to step up in the face of what we are all experiencing with COVID-19 is awe-inspiring. This moment is as true a testament there is to the human spirit. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attend a reception and dinner hosted by the President of Fiji at the Grand Pacific Hotel, Suva Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex tour of Fiji on 23 Oct 2018 'We often speak of compassion. All of our lives are in some way affected by this, uniting each of us globally.' The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also revealed that over the coming weeks they will be posting inspiring stories surrounding coronavirus, in addition to accurate information and facts that we should be aware of. The post concluded: 'We are all in this together, and as a global community we can support each other through this process and build a digital neighbourhood that feels safe for every one of us.' And royal fans from across the globe have praised Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for the positive use of their platform. 'Harry and Meghan will use their platform for good once again,' wrote one, while a second penned: 'Thanks for your uplifting Post.' 'Now is the time to reach out to everyone regardless of how much we view or feel about each other as the virus is not choosing who to attack. Keep safe everyone.' Unacademy, a Bengaluru, India-based learning platform provider, raised a Series E round of funding of $110M. Backers included new investors Facebook and General Atlantic, along with Sequoia India, Nexus Venture Partners, Steadview Capital, and Blume Ventures. Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO, Flipkart and Sujeet Kumar, co-founder, Udaan, also participated in this round. In addition to raising the funding, Unacademy also provided exits to some of its angel investors. The company plans to use the funds to further penetrate into the test preparation categories, launching more exam categories, acquiring top educators, and creating enhanced learning experiences for the learners through great content and product. Founded by Gaurav Munjal, Roman Saini and Hemesh Singh in 2015, Unacademy is an education technology platform that brings expert educators together with millions of students in need of quality education via brands such as Unacademy, Unacademy Subscription, Wifistudy, Chamomile Tea with Toppers, Lets Crack It. The company has a network of more than 10,000 registered educators creating videos and offering live interactive classes with access to more than 30 exam categories for the learners. Unacademy now has more than 1 million videos on its platform. In 2019, the company launched its subscription for various examinations which gives access to the learners throughout the country to top educators and structured learning. Within a span of one year, Unacademy has more than 90,000 active subscribers. FinSMEs 18/03/2020 Pune, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/18/2020 -- The Global Automotive Plastics Market size is prognosticated to reach USD 59.95 billion by 2026, with a CAGR of 5.6 % within the forecast period, 2019 to 2026. The market value was USD 38.80 Billion in 2018. List of best companies mentioned in Automotive Plastics Industry research report includes; - Arkema SA - BASF SE - Borealis AG - DuPont - DSM Engineering - Evonik Industries AG - ExxonMobil Corporation - LANXESS - LG Chem - LyondellBasell - SABIC - Covestro AG - Arkal Automotive - Other Players Request A PDF Sample Copy of Automotive Plastics Market Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/automotive-plastics-market-102023 As per a report published by Fortune Business Insights titled, "Automotive Plastics Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Type (Polypropylene, Polyurethane, Polyamide, Polyvinylchloride, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, Polycarbonate, Polyethylene, and Others), By Application (Interior, Exterior, and Under Bonnet), and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026", This is owing to the increasing demand for reducing the overall weight of automobiles for better efficiency of the vehicle. The report on the automotive polymers market is based on qualitative and quantitative analysis of the market. It mainly emphasizes on market dynamics such as growth drivers, restraints, key industry developments, interesting insights, and other Automotive Plastics Market trends. Besides this, the report provides additional information such as regulatory approvals, segmentation of the market and the names of leading segments. List of significant players and the key strategies adopted by them is also provided in the report that will not only help players compete for the top position in the market competition but also attract high Automotive Plastics Market revenue in the forthcoming years. Increasing Popularity of Polymer Paints to Driver Market The increasing demand for lightweight vehicles is a major factor promoting the Automotive Plastics Market growth. Lightweight vehicles will comprise of parts made out of plastic instead of metal or steel. Strict rules are imposed by governments of various nations to control greenhouse gas emissions, and this is anticipated to help increase the automotive polymers market size in the years to come. Besides this, the rise in the popularity of electric vehicles is expected to help increase the automotive polymers market size in the forecast period. The strong, flexible, and rigid nature of components made out of plastic is apt for use in automobiles. Thus, the rise in the use of polymers for manufacturing automotive parts is influencing the Automotive Plastics Market positively. This, coupled with the increasing demand for recyclable plastics from the packaging industry will help increase the overall Automotive Plastics Market size in the forecast duration. Furthermore, the rising popularity of automobile paints and dyes made out of plastic that guarantees resistance to abrasion is likely to attract high automotive polymers market revenue in the forecast duration. Order a Single User License Copy of Automotive Plastics Market Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/10202 Key industry developments: February 2018 New projects in Asia and the Netherlands were announced by SABIC for increasing the production of two materials namely ULTEM and NORYL. This new production facility of polyetherimide, located in Singapore, is prognosticated to start operations from the year 2021. Asia Pacific to Continue Dominance with Presence of Large Manufacturers Geographically, Asia Pacific held the largest automotive polymers market share in 2018 on account of the presence of the two largest automotive manufacturing nations namely India, and China. Besides this, raw materials required for producing automobile components are available at low rates and this increases the number of automobile production without any financial hurdles. The factor mentioned above is further anticipated to help this region continue dominating the market in the forecast period as well. On the other side, North America market will witness significant growth with the U.S. leading the region on account of surge in demand for automotive plastics. This is further attributed to the properties of polymers such as corrosion inhibition, low density, excellent heat resistance, and others. In 2018, this region generated USD 5.68 billion in automotive polymers market share. Companies Engaging in Joint Ventures to Stand Ahead of Market Competition Significant automotive polymers market manufacturers are adopting acquisition strategies, along with company collaborations, to make their mark in the world competition. Gain More Insights into the Automotive Plastics Market Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/automotive-plastics-market-102023 An employee at a cafe and bakery wears a facemask in Los Angeles, Calif., on March 17, 2020. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) Service Industry on Virus-Related Closings: My Income Went to Zero LOS ANGELESAttempts to contain the spread of the CCP virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, have resulted in a sudden disruption for an estimated 284,300 servers in Californias restaurant industry. The steep decline in business has impacted them instantlyin some cases, overnight. My income went to zero, Ken Peterka, 39, a server who has worked for nearly 20 years in the restaurant business, told The Epoch Times. And itll stay at zero until I find something else. California is blessed with the federal minimum wage, but when I dont go in to work, I dont get paid, he said. Before all this, I was looking for a corporate-style job, he said. Something in HR or training. Now Im looking for anything that pays me. I just need the work. I dont know if its too late, but Ill try. Peterka, who holds a masters degree in education, was splitting his time between working at a restaurant in Calabasas and training at another establishment in Porter Ranch. After three days, his training at the Porter Ranch restaurant was postponed because the restaurant switched from dine-in to takeout only. I got hired a few days before all the closures, he said. They ended up hiring me two weeks ago and it worked outuntil it didnt. Now Im waiting for them to open back up completely before training. His last shift was March 11, before all the quarantine shenanigans. The only noteworthy change in service at that time was more signs saying to wash our hands. Then, over the weekend, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared that restaurants must slash their capacity in half. For Peterka, that meant that servers at the Calabasas restaurant went from eight or nine on duty per shift to two or three. No one I know has experienced that kind of cutback in staffing [before], he said. Things change very quickly now. Sometimes, we have to react to these situations in an hour. Food and survival is not a worry, but just paying bills is, he said. Rent, car payments, credit cards, and student loans are the real worry for me right now. The velocity of this disruption has left service industry workers flummoxed. Working for a smaller, private-owned restaurant, were going into this blindlynot knowing whats going to happen next, Karina Kramer, 28, a bartender in Woodland Hills, told The Epoch Times. Do we even have a job at this point? Kramer, who has been working in the service industry since she was 15, was informed that her restaurant was closing the night before her next scheduled shift. Previously, we had a message that the shifts would be cut significantly in half, but last night we closed officially until further notice, she said. We were told that our work space would be limited and hours would be cut, so in my mind I thought I had a little bit of time to prepare. Luckily, I had some savings and I have a decent amount of groceries. But the first luckily went straight to bills. Kramer is currently looking into other possible jobs orworst case scenariounemployment. I honestly have no idea where to start, she said. Obviously my skill set is now limited for jobs that are available. I mean, what can you really do at this point? As of March 16, the California Department of Public Health had called for all bars, wineries, breweries, and pubs to be closed. Restaurants have been asked to close for in-restaurant seated dining but remain open for drive-through or other pick-up/delivery options. Rhonda Chavez, 45, has been working in the service industry since she was 17. But during the afternoon on March 17, when San Luis Obispo County followed the state recommendation for all restaurants to move toward a take-out model, her career changed immediately. Rhonda Chavez (L), with her colleagues at The Butterfly Grille in Nipomo, Calif. (Courtesy of Rhonda Chavez) I guess I made my last tips today, she told The Epoch Times, noting that her restaurant is in a predominantly senior development. We were open yesterday, but we got the feeling that a lot of people were afraid to come in. We were getting sent home early and and a dramatic reduction of customers meant no tips and less hours. My car payment is due, my phone bill is due, rent is due on the first. I dont know how we are going to make it. A server in the North Bay Area, who has been in the restaurant industry since 1979, has seen her weekly income drop from $600 per week to less than $200 in March. As a cancer survivor with asthma, she is concerned about being infected. I also assist with caring for my elderly mom who is in a very high-risk category, she told The Epoch Times. Its an impossible situation. Nevertheless, she sees herself as a survivor. I survived living 8 months with no electricity or running water after Hurricane Hugo, so Im pretty sure Ill manage this, she said. For now, on the days I work, Ill focus on income. No one wants a cranky, stressed waitress. On the days Im off, Ill focus on my health. And, of course, my moms. I love my job and want to get back to it when this is all over, if the country survives, she added. The world may be a very different place in six months. 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 mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. Virtual health platform assists employers in managing the needs of their remote workforce at no cost TORONTO, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - League Inc., North America's leading enterprise health OS, today announced that it will offer a complimentary trial of its Health Benefits Experience platform (HBXTM) to enterprises in need. The three-month program will help alleviate the current healthcare and administrative burden on HR teams during the COVID-19 crisis. "This is an incredibly challenging time in our communities, for individuals, families and businesses," says Mike Serbinis, Founder and CEO of League. "HR leaders in particular are facing unprecedented pressure to provide critical information and resources to their organization and ensure their employees are feeling supported during this tumultuous time. The League platform will help address these very real challenges so HR leaders can be the voice of calm in a sea of uncertainty." This platform will give employers the health and technology resources they need to provide enhanced healthcare navigation, access, and resources to newly-decentralized workforces during the rapidly-escalating situation. The complimentary version of the platform includes: A mobile-first communication channel for employers Health Concierge services that give employees real-time access to health professionals who can answer questions, help with care navigation, and connect them with resources Access to virtual preliminary COVID-19 screenings A centralized point of access that provides timely, accurate, and credible information about the pandemic with resources from the World Health Organization and Cleveland Clinic, League's Chief Medical Director An easily-accessible digital wallet to house EAP information and other employer-provided programs (e.g. spending account administration to fund work-from-home office setups and family support) A personalized health profile that enables data-driven recommendations and nudges to promote healthy behaviors Access to additional health-focused services and a wide variety of health programs, including stress and anxiety management programs The League platform, which meets HIPAA and SOC 2 Type II compliance requirements, plugs in easily into existing HR platforms like Workday, an investor in the company. Once employee information is supplied, enrollment can be done within 48 hours. Companies like Shopify, Uber, and Unilever are amongst the hundreds of enterprise organizations already using League to provide a best-in-class employee healthcare experience. "We are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to empower people with their health so we have made this trial program simple to implement and can have companies up and running in about a week," said Dan Leibu, Chief Operating Officer at League. "HBXTM is cloud-based and has minimal implementation requirements for HR teams. This, in addition to the comprehensive resource center that we have compiled, gives HR professionals the tools they need to help their teams stay healthy." League aims to help employers help their teams during this time of crisis and encourages employers to reach out directly at league.com/getstarted or through the network of brokers and advisors they work with. About League League is North America's leading enterprise health OS, a data-driven platform designed to provide a single access hub for employees to engage with their health, lifestyle and benefit programs through a category-defining Health Benefits Experience: HBX. This new "front door" to healthcare eliminates the current sea of point solutions through an integrated ecosystem of over 100 insurance carriers, healthcare partners and HRIS systems including Workday and Cleveland Clinic. Forward-thinking companies like Unilever, Uber, Shopify, and Lush Cosmetics are among hundreds of employers using League to revolutionize their employee experience, drive better benefits utilization and reduce costs. Follow League on Twitter and Linkedin . SOURCE League Inc. Related Links league.com Temple journalism professor George Miller's selfie with his dog Mookie as they take on another adventure. Read more Mookie and I walked from our home in Northern Liberties to Old City, stopping at Fourth and Florist Streets, just below the Ben Franklin Bridge. He knew the intersection well. He immediately sat down and stared west, toward the underground tunnel that opens at that spot, where he knew the sound of the PATCO train would start to rumble any second. As the moment approached, he got jittery, his front paws going up and down. He was ready to run. I kept whispering to him, Wheres the train? Wheres the train? I cant remember if anyone strolled past us that day, but people often did, as this was a regular stop in our walking route. Theyd try to engage my fluffy black-and-white Shih Tzu, but Mookie ignored them. In fact, when the train took too long to arrive, hed start barking at the tracks, the anticipation just too much. On that day, when the train emerged, we sprinted down the street, as usual, running below the tracks as it cha-chunked overhead toward New Jersey. I could barely keep up as my little man pulled on his leash, yapping with excitement. By the time we got to Third Street, the train was in the distance, I was out of breath, and Mookie was totally amped up. But as we made our way toward Race Street, he started wobbling. He slowed down, walked counterclockwise twice, and then collapsed on the concrete. I thought he was dead. I dropped to the ground and tried to rouse him. For a few seconds, he didnt move. His body was limp. And then he woke with the piercing howl of a dog who didnt know what was happening to him. He involuntarily peed, but then started coming back to life. Within a few seconds, he was back on his feet, shaking off the incident like he shook off snow. He wanted to keep walking, but I carried him all the way back to the home I shared with my then-girlfriend. That night, a cardiologist at the emergency veterinary hospital told us that Mookie had mitral valve disease. There was no cure, only pills that would buy him time. His days of chasing trains were over. No more running after Frisbees. No more long walks. He would be lucky if he lived another six months. I remember saying that I had just bought a new box of Greenies, Mookies favorite treats. The doctor said he would not need another box. We were devastated. Mookie was 9 years old. Prior to his diagnosis, Mookie had been my frequent public companion, and I was often good-naturedly ridiculed: What 6-foot-tall man dotes on a 13-pound ball of fur? Well, after his diagnosis, my doting got even more ridiculous. I took Mookie everywhere with me: restaurants, friends houses, the hair salon even Temple University, where I was a journalism professor. Hed sleep at my feet, behind the podium, while I taught. Sometimes, hed wake and roam the lecture hall, and Id hear shrieks of surprise and giggles when people saw his funny Ewok face. When I was invited to lecture off campus, Id get permission to bring him with me. Mook was a guest at Arcadia, St. Joes, and a few other colleges. He accompanied me to radio interviews and a bunch of concerts indoors and outdoors. The pills seemed to hold off further episodes, but we still had to check his pulse and respiration daily. We diligently recorded his numbers in a notebook. We had to be vigilant. We filled the notebook, then another, for the next seven years. Mookie resumed chasing trains, running after Frisbees, and pulling me on walks. But I remained fearful of losing him at any moment, so I was never that far from him. In May 2018, I accepted a position as an associate dean at Temples Japan campus. I had always wanted to move to Japan, where my mother was born and half of my family still lived. My girlfriend and I were no longer together, and I was excited to bring Mookie with me to Sasebo, my familys hometown, to meet my Japanese uncles, aunts, and cousins. It takes six months to clear pets for entry to Japan, but my job began sooner than that. So I temporarily left Mookie with my ex and headed overseas. After two months, I briefly visited Philadelphia, ostensibly for work, but really to see my pup. When it was finally time to bring Mookie to Japan, my ex called me, worried. Mooks health had deteriorated, she said. The 16-hour journey would be too much for him. So I left my boy in Philly and returned every two or three months to see him. Each time, I thought it might be the last. It was heartbreaking. Last August, my ex texted: Mookies end was near. I flew in to say goodbye. He died in my arms the next day. Six months later, Im still not over his death. But Im comforted that my fear of losing him made me take him places he never would have experienced otherwise. His life was a constant adventure, and he helped me see both new and mundane places with fresh eyes. To honor Mookie, Ive created an endowed scholarship in his name: the Mookie Miller Fund for Adventure in Education. It will allow qualified students in Temples Klein College of Media and Communication to expand their horizons through travel abroad to take adventures that my little man was never able to. The first recipient will be named this spring. My ex also established a fund that honors Mookie at Penn Vet. Their cardiology team will explore better ways to diagnose and treat mitral valve disease, which impacts 70% of dogs over the age of 10. The research will benefit humans, too, as the disease is common in people. My dog meant the world to me he was my constant companion, full of unconditional love. I am thrilled that, because of him, students will get to travel and discover what means the world to them, in Mookies name. WASHINGTON, D. C. - The U.S. Senate on Wednesday signed off on a coronavirus aid package that would expand emergency paid sick leave access to an estimated 87 million U.S. workers, as both of Ohios U.S. Senators argued for the federal government to provide even more assistance to those whose lives are disrupted by the pandemic. The package approved in a 90 to 8 vote with support from both Ohioans would grant two weeks of paid sick leave to workers at up to 100 percent of their regular salary, with a $511-per-day cap, and up to twelve weeks of paid family and medical leave at two thirds of their regular pay, with a $200-per-day cap, so workers could care for a sick family member or a child whose school is closed because of the disease. Employers would initially front the cost of the benefits and be reimbursed by the federal government through refundable payroll tax credits. The bill would also guarantee free coronavirus testing, provide $1 billion in emergency grants to help states process and pay unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, increase federal Medicaid funding, suspend work and training requirements for Supplemental Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries during the epidemic and provide extra money for food banks and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC). Its sick leave provisions apply only to firms with fewer than 500 workers, and it allows businesses with fewer than 50 employees to get an exemption if the Department of Labor decides providing the benefits would jeopardize the companys viability. House Democrats said the White House and congressional Republicans opposed including paid sick leave for everyone. They said that 89 percent of employees at companies with more than 500 workers already have access to paid sick leave, so the legislation would provide leave for those least likely to have it. Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman told reporters he backs much of the package approved on Wednesday, but felt it did not provide enough help to employers.. He said Congress should pass third bill that would include measures to keep small businesses from going bankrupt, provide general assistance to individuals in the economy, and help industries like airlines that were hit hard by coronavirus. He also said he thought the paid sick leave provisions in the bill approved Wednesday should also apply to companies that employ more than 500 workers because we have a lot of those workers in Ohio who will be negatively impacted. My hope is that these increased resources are going to give people some relief in the short term, but again, the key is to be sure we contain this virus," said Portman. Helping employees to know that if they have to stay home because of coronavirus, that they are going to be paid, encourages them not to go to work and perhaps to put their colleagues at work at some risk." Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown criticized Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for not immediately passing the bill after the House approved it, arguing that every day of delay provided workers with a choice between going to work and possibly infecting others, or missing a paycheck and not being able to pay their rent. He called it morally reprehensible to force people to make that decision. He called for passing additional legislation that would forbid foreclosures or evictions during the epidemic, expand unemployment benefits, help food banks and small businesses, and send checks of at least $2,000 to every man, woman and child in this country under a certain income level" that hasnt yet been determined, and then another $1,500 in the years second quarter if this is still as serious as it is now." The best thing we can do for our economy is to get this pandemic under control, said Brown. Second is, you dont do corporate bailouts, you invest in the dignity of work. A relief package has to be focused on keeping paychecks going to real people. No stock buybacks no sending jobs overseas, no outsourcing jobs to independent contractors. The measure passed the House of Representatives on Saturday in a 363 to 40 vote, with support from all Ohioans except for Republicans Jim Jordan of Champaign County and Warren Davidson of Troy. Both said they were upset that the bill was rushed to the House of Representatives floor with little time for review and debate. This package places the burden squarely on the small businesses who are facing a difficult time, said Jordan spokesman Ian Fury. "And voting on a Pelosi-negotiated bill with less than an hour to read and debate it is not how we should be doing business. Republican leaders in the House stressed that measures in the bill were sunsetted, so theyd be temporary steps to address a public health emergency, not permanent entitlements. While I voted in favor of this measure, more needs to be done to protect all Americans, especially those who are struggling to make ends meet," said a statement from Warrensville Heights Democratic Rep. Marcia Fudge. This public health crisis is likely going to get worse before it gets better, and communities across the country need to know they will not be left behind. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Democrats are trying to expand the emergency leave provisions in the next relief bill, including expanding refundable tax credits to provide support for self-employed workers, workers in the gig economy or other workers with non-traditional employment; and ensuring that first responders and health care workers on the frontlines of the coronavirus have access to the paid leave that they need. During negotiations, the Democratic House will continue to make clear to the Administration that any emergency response package must put Families First before any aid to corporate America is considered," said a statement from Pelosi. Earlier this month, Congress signed off on a separate $8.3 billion spending package to fight the spread of the coronavirus that included more than $3 billion to research and develop vaccines, diagnostics and treatments, $2.2 billion for public health prevention preparedness and response and nearly $1 billion for medical supplies, health care preparedness, Community Health Centers, and medical surge capacity. Ohio got more than $15 million of that money last week to fund state and local efforts to combat the virus. Other coronavirus coverage: Canadian border will be closed to non-essential traffic over coronavirus, Trump says U.S. government may issue coronavirus relief checks to workers Federal judge halts upcoming food stamp cut amid coronavirus concerns Sen. Sherrod Brown criticizes President Trump over pandemic office closure claim Sen. Sherrod Brown and Rep. Anthony Gonzalez close DC offices over coronavirus Ohio gets more than $15 million in federal money to fight coronavirus Does lack of paid sick days put Ohio at risk of coronavirus outbreak? Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown introducing bill to give workers sick days during public health emergencies like coronavirus Laurel School students self-quarantined after attending AIPAC conference in Washington D.C. Heres the latest list of coronavirus closings, for Tuesday, March 10 Three Ohioans, all from Cuyahoga County, have coronavirus, Gov. Mike DeWine says Could Ohio shut down travel for coronavirus quarantine? Summit County judge to return to courthouse on March 16 after self-quarantine due to coronavirus concerns A second Victorian primary school has been forced to shut after a staff member contracted coronavirus. Middle Park Primary, a public school in Melbournes inner-south, will close for a minimum of 24 hours from Thursday morning, as the health and education departments trace the staff members contacts and assess their next steps. Middle Park Primary is the second Victorian public school to shut. Credit:Louise Kennerley Staff and students may be required to go into self-quarantine, with an update on how long the school will remain shut expected later today. [Education department] staff are at the school this morning to advise parents who have not read communications about the closure, an education department spokeswoman said. Xelina Flores-Chasnoff Although the city of San Antonio hasn't mandated local bars to close, one popular Southtown spot has shut its doors temporarily during the coronavirus pandemic. Bar America announced Tuesday on Facebook that it was closed until further notice to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to its customers or employees. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 18:59:53|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close HANOI, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A Vietnamese man was arrested for transporting 6 kg of crystal methamphetamine and more than 3,000 pills of synthetic drugs in Vietnam's central province of Ha Tinh on Wednesday, Vietnam News Agency reported. The 24-year-old was stopped by the police while driving a motorbike without the plate in Huong Son district, Ha Tinh province on Wednesday morning. He tried to run away but was caught with 6 kg of crystal methamphetamine and more than 3,000 pills of synthetic drugs. According to the Vietnamese law, those convicted of smuggling over 600 grams of heroin or more than 2.5 kg of methamphetamine are punishable by death. Making or trading 100 grams of heroin or 300 grams of other illegal drugs also faces death penalty. India has temporarily banned entry of passengers from 36 countries while people travelling from 11 countries will be mandatorily quarantined in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the Home Ministry said on Wednesday. The ministry also said Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holders, except from the restricted countries, will be required to obtain fresh visa from the Indian mission and allowed to enter India. "No airline will bring any passenger from Australia, Belgium, Bulgeria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom effective 12 GMT March 12 at Port of departure," a home ministry spokesperson said. Airlines are barred from bringing passengers from Phillipines, Malaysia and Afghanistan with effect from March 17 at port of departure. The spokesperson said there will be no transit through these countries as no aircraft will board passengers for India in these countries. All passengers coming from/transiting through the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait after 12:00 GMT on March 18 (port of departure) will be quarantined. Those who have visited China, Republic of Korea, Iran, Italy, Spain, France and Germany on or after February 15 will be quarantined, the spokesperson said. Those Indians who are coming from the Republic of Korea or Italy, it is mandatory to get COVID-19 negative certificates. Passengers from Italy shall not be allowed with from March 18 (port of departure). Indians transiting through China, Korea, Iran, Italy, Spain and France will be quarantined on arrival in India. The spokesperson said Indians are strongly advised to avoid non-essential travel to the coronavirus affected countries. Foreigners who are currently in India can extend their visas and for that they should approach their jurisdiction of FRRO/ FRO online. Foreigners currently in India can go out of the country. However, they can return to India with fresh visa issues from mission only. The OCI card holders are required to obtain fresh visa from mission and allowed to enter India except from restricted countries. Infants/children who hold foreign passports with OCI cards will be required to get fresh visa from the Indian mission. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Priya Singh If youre spending around Rs 15,000 on a phone, would you seriously consider a phone other than a Redmi Note or maybe an equivalent Realme or Nokia device? It wasnt so long ago that Samsung was the default option here. And its not that Samsung doesnt still make great phones, its just that its budget phones have simply not been that exciting these past years. At least, not compared to the competition. Does the Galaxy M31 change anything? To answer this all-important question (for Samsungs sake, if nobody elses), keep reading. Samsung Galaxy M31 has a back made of 'Glasstic' material. Usability:1, Glamour: 0 Samsung has gone with glasstic for the back of the phone plastic that looks and feels like glass which is smart, because it gives the phone a premium finish while keeping the weight low. And weight could have been a problem given that Samsung shoved a monster 6,000 mAh battery into this thing. And don't let the "glass" in glasstic fool you, its still plastic and still prone to scratches, and its glossy, making the phone slippery to hold, especially for someone as butterfingered as I am. On the bright side, the phone doesnt look cheap, unlike its predecessor. The colour variant that I am using is Space Black, which is kinda boring for my taste, to be honest. Theres no gradient, its just plain. If you dont want black, your only other option is Ocean Blue. Despite the glasstic, the phone is still somewhat heavy at 191 grams, but you have to live with it if you want that 6,000 mAh battery. A little piece of advice, buy a phone case, because you will need one and Samsung isn't giving you any. The Galaxy M31 has a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED Infinity display that has a waterdrop notch at the top. The bezels and chin of the phone are thin and it has curved edges, but this is nothing we haven't seen already. The quad-camera setup packed in a rectangular camera module also isn't unique as Samsung has made this its signature design element on its 2020 lineup You can spot this in Galaxy S20 and S20 Plus, as well as on the recently launched Lite model Galaxy S phones. You will see a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor, and on the bottom edge, a headphone jack, Type-C port, and speaker grill. Overall, I like how the device looks, but I have to admit, its nothing special. Likeable daylight camera, but low light performance is awful Starting with the 32 MP front camera, the phone captures some really good images. In terms of details and colours, the phone lived up to my expectations. It won't over-enhance colours which many phones do these days. When I use portrait mode, or "live focus" as Samsung calls it, the phone takes a few seconds to adjust focus, but it will be worth your while as in terms of edge detection, clarity, and colours, it manages to score well. Moving on to the rear camera, which includes a 64 MP primary sensor, 8 MP wide-angle camera, 5 MP depth camera, and a 5 MP macro camera, images clicked in broad daylight are pretty impressive. The colours did seem to be washed out in some cases though. Detail and clarity was up to mark. The ultra-wide-angle shots were also decent. In some cases, I felt like the images captured were much warmer than the actual scene, but at least the picture wasnt ugly or unrealistic. I will personally not recommend using the macro mode because the camera takes forever to focus. Click here to look at a few camera samples clicked by Galaxy M31 I had high expectations from the camera since it captured superb daylight shots, but it failed miserably at night. If you use the camera at night or even in dimly lit areas, you will get nothing but hazy images. There was no clarity and far too much noise, I had to struggle to capture an image that didn't look like I was running while shooting. And if you think the night mode could help, then you think wrong. Except for brightening the images, it didnt do much. In my opinion, this is a red flag if you do a lot of low light photography. Smooth performance but not what a gamer expects The smartphone is powered by an Exynos 9611 chipset, which is the same as we saw in its predecessor and the Galaxy A51. The smartphone runs on the latest Android 10 and offers 6 GB RAM and up to 128 GB internal storage. You get an app drawer, and swapping between apps was pretty smooth. I did not see any lag while I used the phone. I played a few videos, games and music, and I didn't notice any lag or heating up while doing this. Clearly, the phone is perfectly fine for your daily tasks. Games are another matter. I played RoadRash on the phone and it didn't really perform smoothly. I wish Samsung had gone with a more powerful processor, something like the Snapdragon 730G chipset, which the Poco X2 offers at 15,999, for example. The Realme 6 and Redmi Note 9 Pro also pack in more capable hardware at this price. The battery is the one headline-grabbing feature of the phone 6,000 mAh is just amazing. I used the phone for a day and half and it didn't fully drain even then. One slight, (OK, its not that slight) compromise that you do have to make is with regard to charging time. You have to make do with a 15 W charger. If youre planning to stay out a while, youd just better get into zen mode as you wait for the phone to fully charge up. On the plus side, once its charged, you neednt worry about battery life for quite a while. The display and the single speaker are very nice, however, and I think this phone can be a great option for those who just consume a lot of videos. In fact, few phones offer an OLED display at this price, and if that matters to you, the M31 is a no-brainer. Paired with that massive battery, all-day Netflix binges can become your thing. Is it a phone worth buying? There are few reasons to buy this phone, but to be fair, they are good ones. The OLED display is fantastic, as is the battery life. Performance is adequate for day-to-day tasks, and as long as you dont intend to game much, theres really no reason not to pick up this phone, other than camera performance, that is. The reasons not to buy this phone are equally compelling, however. Phones like the Realme 6 Pro and Redmi Note 9 Pro Max are more powerful, more exciting, and offer better cameras. These phones also charge faster. To return to my original question: Does the Galaxy M31 change anything for Samsung? I dont think it does. LONDON, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- TheBusinessResearchCompany.com announces Hearing Aid Devices And Equipment Global Market Report 2020 is available in its database. Growing Popularity Of Customized 3D Printed Hearing Aid Devices Use of 3D printing is a trend that is prevalent in the global hearing aid devices & equipment market. 3D printing is a technology that produces 3D objects from 2D models which enable the manufacturing of better fitting, more comfortable, and customized hearing aid devices. 3D printing enables the shape of the ear shell to be customized according to a customer's individual ear canal and degree of hearing loss. For example, Sonova uses advanced 3D printing technology to produce customized hearing aid devices, especially suited for each customer's specific requirements. Examples of 3D hearing aid devices include EnvisionTEC's E-Shell 200 Series, E-Shell 300 3D Printer Material series, and EnvisionTEC E-Clear series. Read More On The Business Research Company's Hearing Aid Devices And Equipment Market Report: https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/hearing-aid-devices-and-equipment-global-market-report Hearing Aid Devices And Equipment Market Overview Hearing aids are devices and equipment designed and developed to improve hearing of people affected by hearing loss. Hearing aid devices and equipment Market are classified into hearing aid devices market and hearing implants market. Hearing aid devices and equipment include: Receiver-in-the-ear hearing aids, behind-the-ear hearing aids, canal hearing aids, and in-the-ear (ite) hearing aids; hearing implants include: cochlear implants and bone-anchored systems. Major players in the hearing aid devices and equipment market include Starkey, Sonova, Widex, Siemens, and GN ReSound. Hearing Aid Devices And Equipment Market Segments The hearing aid devices market is also segmented by distribution channel into audiology and ENT clinics, pharmacies, online sales, and others. By technology, the market is segmented as conventional hearing aid and digital hearing aid. By patient, the market is segmented as adults and pediatrics. By type of hearing loss, it is segmented as conductive hearing loss and sensorineural hearing loss. Request A Sample Of The Hearing Aid Devices And Equipment Market Report @ https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/sample.aspx?id=2428&type=smp Increasing Prevalence Of Hearing Disabilities Will Drive The Market The global hearing aid devices and equipment market was valued at about $4 billion in 2018 and is expected to grow to $4.68 billion at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.0% through 2022. Growing prevalence of hearing loss is a major driver of the hearing aid devices & equipment market growth. In the United States, more than 35 million children and adults have some degree of hearing loss. Also, around 900 million people across the globe are expected to suffer from hearing disabilities by 2050 due to rise in noise pollution levels, genetic factors, ear infections and other complications. High number of people suffering from hearing loss would result in huge demand for hearing aid devices across the globe. High Costs Associated With Hearing Aid Devices High cost of hearing aid devices is acting as a major restraint on the hearing aid devices and equipment market. Good quality hearing aids come at a high price and are not fully covered by insurance companies. About one-third of Americans above 55 years use hearing aid devices due to various reasons. Hearing aid devices range between $1500 to $3500 per piece, thus making it quite expensive. The average price is $2,300 per unit, according to the President's Council for Science & Technology. Thus, due to high cost, there has been low penetration of hearing aid devices in the market. Place a Direct Purchase Order Of Entire 150+ Pages Report (Individual License USD 4000) @ https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/purchaseoptions.aspx?id=2428 . Government Regulations In The Market As of today, hearing aids fall under the restricted devices category, the sales of which must comply with federal and state requirements. The US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approach to improve hearing aid accessibility may lead to the availability of these restricted devices as over-the-counter (OTC) devices. However, according to the FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017 (FDARA), the category of OTC hearing aids needs to be established and no manufacturer can label their devices as OTC unless a separate category is established. Thus, the introduction of these innovative and easily accessible OTC hearing aids may impact the growth of the hearing aid devices market positively in the forecast period. Here Is A List Of Similar Reports By The Business Research Company: Hearing Diagnostic Devices And Equipment Global Market Report 2020 Hearing Implants Global Market Report 2020 The World's Most Comprehensive Database The Business Research Company's Global Market Model analyzes all the above data and more. It is the world's most comprehensive database of integrated market information. This market intelligence platform covers various macroeconomic indicators and metrics across 60 geographies and 25 industries. Interested to know more about The Business Research Company? The Business Research Company has published over 1,000 industry reports, covering over 2,500 market segments and 60 geographies. The reports draw on 150,000 datasets, extensive secondary research, and exclusive insights from interviews with industry leaders. Contact Information The Business Research Company Europe: +44-207-1930-708 Asia: +91-8897263534 Americas: +1-315-623-0293 Email: [email protected] Follow us on LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/the-business-research-company Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/tbrc_Info SOURCE The Business Research Company Police investigate the scene where Philadelphia SWAT team officer Cpl. James O'Connor IV, 46, was fatally shot on the 1600 block of Bridge Street in the city's Frankford section on Friday, March 13, 2020. Read more Philadelphia prosecutors say Hassan Elliott fired more than 20 shots from behind a closed door at a SWAT team trying to serve a warrant in Frankford on Friday, fatally striking Police Cpl. James OConnor IV as he climbed the stairs to reach the second-floor apartment where Elliott wanted in a murder a year earlier had been staying. District Attorney Larry Krasner and two homicide prosecutors, Anthony Voci and Joanne Pescatore, said in an interview in Krasners Center City office Tuesday that they planned to charge Elliott with murder and a host of related counts in the killing of OConnor, the citys first fatal police shooting in five years. Three other men Khalif Sears, 18; Bilal Mitchell, 19; and Sherman Easterling, 24 were in the room with Elliott when he pulled the trigger, prosecutors said. Voci said an investigation into their respective roles was ongoing, with forensic analysis not yet complete on the 10 guns and eight cellphones found inside. Each remained in custody on other offenses. The details offered by Krasner and his assistants provided a clearer picture of the investigation into OConnors death. Still, Voci said that prosecutors are at the beginning of the road in their probe, and that although Elliott was the only person so far facing charges in OConnors death, nobody has been cleared. This investigation is not over. The room in which Elliott and his alleged associates were holed up was small, cramped, and dirty, law enforcement sources said, and Elliott allegedly stood directly behind the closed door before blasting through it with a series of bullets from a .22-caliber rifle as SWAT officers closed in on him around 5:50 a.m. Friday. He had been wanted in connection with the slaying of Tyree Tyrone in Frankford, around the corner from where police went to search for him Friday. After Elliott began firing at police, OConnor was struck in an arm and left shoulder, police have said. Officer Patrick Saba then returned fire through the closed door, striking Sears and a man who was in a separate bedroom at the front of the apartment, police said. OConnor, 46, was taken to Temple University Hospital and declared dead at 6:09 a.m. A married father of two, he was a son and father of city police officers, and his daughter is in the Air Force. The four men in the room, meanwhile, were taken into custody. Sears and the other wounded man who has not been identified were briefly hospitalized. Elliott, 21, was initially charged with the March 2019 murder of Tyrone. Sears had been wanted in connection with the same killing and was arraigned Monday on murder charges for that crime. Both men are now behind bars, court records show. Easterling was not legally permitted to be in a room full of guns due to a 2018 conviction for firearms crimes, Voci said, and was being held on a parole violation as the investigation continued. Mitchell, meanwhile, allegedly was found possessing crack cocaine after being taken into custody. He was arraigned Sunday on two drug counts, and court records show that he was being held on $1 million bail. Mitchell was already named in three open drug cases, according to court records, including two filed during two weeks last month. Records show that he was arraigned on drug and firearms offenses on Feb. 6 and released after posting 10% of $25,000 bail a day later. On Feb. 19, he was arraigned on three more drug counts, but posted 10% of $20,000 bail and again was released. Asked if prosecutors should have sought higher bail for Mitchell, who had been repeatedly arrested for similar crimes, Voci said he did not know what bail requests prosecutors had made. But he said: My recollection is that those bail amounts were within the guidelines. Earlier this week, Krasner was criticized by two frequent foes John McNesby, president of the police officers union, and U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain for withdrawing a drug prosecution against Elliott last year. The drug case was dropped on March 27, 2019, a day after Krasners office approved a murder warrant for Elliott for the killing of Tyrone. The homicide warrant was far more significant than the drug case, Krasner said, adding that Elliott did not show up for the drug trial on March 27 anyway. Krasner also said the drug prosecution had his office not dropped it likely would have failed for two reasons: The narcotics allegedly found on Elliott were seized in clear violation of the Fourth Amendment, and an officer involved in the case had extreme credibility issues issues that Krasner said were discovered and later memorialized in writing by officials in McSwains office. Krasners office said that federal prosecutors even referred the issue to his office for a possible perjury prosecution. McSwain, in a statement Tuesday evening, maintained that Krasner should have been more aggressive about seeking to put Elliott behind bars both in the drug case and for earlier parole violations, saying: Krasners radical decarceration policies led directly to the murder of Cpl. OConnor. In defending his offices decisions, Krasner called it sad that there are people who want to capitalize on [OConnors death] politically. The story here is really about a good cop and a good man who died, Krasner said. Staff writer Jeremy Roebuck contributed to this article. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton will order hospitals to delay elective surgeries during the states coronavirus threat. The order makes mandatory Gov. Mike DeWines recommendation Saturday that people postpone dental, veterinary, and possibly medical elective surgeries, in part because of a shortage of masks needed to protect medical professionals against coronavirus. There are now 67 confirmed coronavirus cases in Ohio. Then, what qualified as an elective surgery wasnt clearly defined, and hospitals didnt have to follow the recommendation. As of Monday morning, MetroHealth in Cleveland had postponed elective surgeries, according to a press release. A University Hospitals statement Tuesday evening said to comply with the state, the system will end non-essential surgeries at close of day Wednesday. UH representatives will call patients with postponed surgeries. Rather than defining elective surgeries, Dr. Andy Thomas from Ohio State Universitys Wexner Medical Center during the state briefing Tuesday shared the definition of a non-elective surgery. How could we provide guidance to be used uniformly across the state so that were not creating a new problem by solving one, Thomas said. Starting at the close of business Wednesday, the only surgeries allowed will be for: -- Threat to the patients life if surgery or procedure is not performed -- Threat of permanent dysfunction of an extremity or organ system -- Risk of metastasis or progression of staging -- Risk of rapidly worsening to severe symptoms The order is meant to save protective gowns and masks, which may be needed for doctors and nurses to care for coronavirus patients, as well as preserve hospital beds for severely ill coronavirus patients. The Ohio Hospital Association estimates that the amount of masks and gowns Ohio will need during the coronavirus pandemic is equal to the amount available nationally. By postponing elective hospital procedures that are safe to delay, we can protect patients and providers, said Gov. Mike DeWine. This will also help us preserve critically short supplies of PPE and preserve inpatient beds and other equipment for critically ill patients. In supporting the Governors declaration, UH will preserve the key elements of the physician-patient relationships and make the best decisions on a case-by-case basis, the statement reads. This will ensure the most compassionate and safest approach to protecting the health and wellbeing of all of our patients. This story has been updated with information from University Hospitals. Trump White House Airlines CEOs - LAX, UPS, United REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque The Trump administration has proposed $50 billion of emergency aid for airlines ravaged by widespread cancellations amid the coronavirus pandemic. But critics are deriding it as a bailout to an industry that made bad financial decisions. Resistance to the plan emerged among Democrats and even some Republicans. They're concerned that extra money will go straight to share buybacks, as they have in the past. Their pushback is reminiscent of past criticisms relating to how companies have spent excess capital. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. The Trump administration has responded to the airline industry's request and proposed a $50 billion bailout as part of its massive $1 trillion stimulus package. The ultimate goal is to jolt the American economy by flooding it with cash. Major airlines are reeling from massive wave of cancellations as Americans stay home and governments around the world implement travel bans to curb the spread of the coronavirus. "We cannot afford to wait long for assistance," the trade association Airlines for America said in a statement, warning that some companies could be bankrupt by June. Video: What It's Like to Travel During the Coronavirus Outbreak But there's a catch. Over the past decade, major airlines including Delta Airlines, United Airlines, and Southwest have used roughly 96% of their available cash on stock buybacks, according to Bloomberg. By reducing share count, these repurchases have pushed stock prices higher. In the process, they've drawn criticism for how they've boosted shareholder returns without directly helping businesses. The activity is central to a broader discussion about how companies use their cash and whether they should be doing something different. Read more: GOLDMAN SACHS: Buy these 13 stocks poised to dominate in a market where everyone is paralyzed by fear Some experts argue that these companies should have instead used those proceeds to build themselves a financial cushion or address labor issues. Tim Wu, a Columbia University professor, targeted American Airlines in a recent New York Times op-ed. Story continues "It could have stored up its cash reserves for a future crisis, knowing that airlines regularly cycle through booms and busts," Wu wrote. "It might have tried to decisively settle its continuing contract disputes with pilots, flight attendants and mechanics." He added: "It might have invested heavily in better service quality to try to repair its longstanding reputation as the worst of the major carriers." Read more: An investment chief whose ETF has surged 24% during the coronavirus meltdown details his strategy for profiting during stock-market crashes Going beyond academia, the prospect of an airline bailout also prompted a wave of criticism from prominent Democrats, such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. "96% of airline profits over the last decade went to buying up their own stocks to juice the price - not raising wages or other investments," Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Twitter. "If there is so much as a DIME of corporate bailout money in the next relief package, it should include a reinstated ban on stock buybacks." Even some Republicans came out against the idea of the government coming to the rescue of the battered airline industry. "I do not believe in the bailouts for the companies, period ... They are smart people and will figure it out," Florida Sen. Rick Scott said. A historical precedent for frustration Disdain for buybacks and companies' propensity to do them as much as possible is hardly a new phenomenon. Following the GOP tax plan that went into effect in 2018, corporations across all industries came under fire for how they spent their proceeds. Led by the tech and finance sectors, buybacks peaked to a record in 2018, according to a according to JPMorgan. For many, the takeaway was simple: These companies were electing to enrich shareholders, rather than invest in their businesses and labor forces. The pending airline bailout will also likely remind many of the financial relief provided to major Wall Street banks in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis. Congress' $700 billion legislative package was known as the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) and it set up a mechanism for the federal government to buy mortgage-backed securities that had gone bad. Read more: 'Practically stealing': Jefferies mapped out dozens of cheap stocks worth owning in a coronavirus-stricken market. Here are 10 of their top picks. TARP invested around $426.4 billion and ultimately recouped $441.7 billion, making a profit for taxpayers. But critics of the program argued it came with no strings attached and rewarded Wall Street for its bad behavior. Some current lawmakers are learning from the past and pushing for different bailout terms compared to a 12 years ago. Sen. Elizabeth Warren demanded tougher conditions on Tuesday, saying any bailout should require a company to maintain existing payrolls and refrain from buybacks, dividends, and executive bonuses for at least three years. There's ultimately a crucial distinction to consider, according to Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants union. "We won't let this to look like the bank bailout of 2008, nor can you compare the two," Nelson wrote on Twitter. "The airline industry didn't cause the pandemic and money should come with significant conditions to help workers and keep planes flying, not enrich shareholders or pad executive bonuses." Business Insider Deep inside the heart of a mysterious space in the Mission dubbed "Secret Alley," Chris Sequoia Bunting and Luke The Early Bird Spray count to three and sip their coffee, along with thousands of people listening at home. Then launch into two hours of riffing, moving seamlessly between suggesting listeners wash their hands while singing Mac Dres Thizzle Song to praising the grisly San Francisco history book Season of the Witch. The pair host the radio show Roll Over Easy, a mainstay of community internet station BFF.fm. For six years, every Thursday morning from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. they record the show live in a studio room the size of a large closet (during quarantine, they'll be broadcasting from home). The shows tagline from under the covers to after coffee sums up the vibe: casual meandering conversations that snowball into highly caffeinated rambling. Like the very best mornings, the show feels optimistic with a sense of excitement about engaging with the city. Its a joy to be able to really shine a spotlight on the people and things and initiatives that are really just making the best of this place. Theres no shortage of things that are positive in our communities right now, says Spray. And I think lifting them up is a joyful responsibility that we have the bad stuff still happens and we dont mean to ignore that, but it doesnt mean we cant focus on the good things. RELATED: Required reading: the book every SF newcomer should know A sense of history is part of what makes Roll Over Easy such a love letter to San Francisco. On the day of my visit (the week before San Francisco's shelter-in-place ordinance), Bunting and Spray shared their favorite Bay Area movies, music and books to remind listeners how much about the city they can enjoy from their own living rooms. Some of the picks are obvious, like recent hit The Last Black Man in San Francisco, but their conversation features plenty of deep cuts like the 24-minute documentary The Incredible San Francisco Artists Soapbox Derby and a live taping of Aretha Franklin performing at the Fillmore (both on YouTube). Ambient sound effects of a busy diner make you feel like you're listening in from a nearby booth at a neighborhood cafe, and it makes the chorus of people weighing in on Twitter feel like someone naturally jumping into the conversation. During this episode, readers tweeted recommendations of everything from S.F. poetry compilations to the 1974 Francis Ford Coppola film The Conversation known for a riveting surveillance scene set in Union Square (available on Amazon Prime and through the library). They typically receive a few hundred tweets per show, making the audience like a third host. The show is one part us, one part you, and a dash of coffee. And the one part you is so crucial to the show being at its best, says Spray. RELATED: Eating a sandwich with... KTVU anchor Frank Somerville Although Bunting and Spray steer the ship with help from their fans, they also host guests. Recent esteemed visitors to the Alley include real estate reporter Laura Waxmann talking local housing, Jewish Gen X rabbi Noa Kushner, and San Francisco Chronicle urban design critic John King. The guests offer perspectives on some of the citys most pressing topics, and the informal vibe of the show lets them unpack issues in a style that feels less like a lecture and more like a conversation at a bar. Cultural touchstones and topical guests aside, above all the show is an uplifting soundtrack to living in San Francisco, something thats necessary now more than ever. On my walk to through the Mission to their studio, I listened on headphones as they opened the show with a sunny rock tune by Sun Rai called San Francisco Street. After the 70s AM rock radio vibes fade out, they wander onto a topic that sums up the ethos of the show. Its probably the last thing that most people celebrate about San Francisco: the smell. You know whats blooming right now? All the jasmine. You dont need to look for jasmine, says Luke. Itll find you. Dan Gentile is a digital editor at SFGATE. Email: Dan.Gentile@sfgate.com | Twitter: @Dannosphere The number of coronavirus cases in Telangana reached 13 with a group of seven Indonesians and a youth, who returned from Scotland, testing positive for the virus on Wednesday. The number of COVID-19 cases in the state stood at six after the Scotland-returned youth tested positive for the virus. However, it went up to 13 after a special media bulletin on COVID-19 issued by the state government late on Wednesday night stated that seven Indonesians, who came for religious activity, tested positive. An Indonesian citizen, who is part of the group, had already positive for the virus on Tuesday. The Indonesians have been kept in isolation since March 16, the bulletin said. The Indonesians visited Karimnagar in the state and the administration has initiated measures to identify those who came in contact with them. With the number of positive cases climbing to 13, the state health department, led by the health minister, is preparing a plan of action to deal with the situation, official sources said. The 13 cases include the first positive case of a techie who has been discharged from hospital after recovery. Meanwhile, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao convened a "high-level, emergency meeting" on Thursday to discuss the measures to be taken to prevent the spread of the virus in the state, a release from his office said. The state government has already announced closure of all educational institutions (from primary school to university) till March 31 and the closure of cinema halls, bars, pubs for a week (from March 14), among other measures. All district collectors, police commissioners, superintendents of police are invited for the meeting convened by Rao. Rao urged people to be alert as the person who travelled from Indonesia to Karimnagar has tested positive for the virus, it said. Against this backdrop, preventive measures to be taken and regulations to be followed would be discussed in the meeting on Thursday, it said. Observing that the state government is already implementing one-week and 15-day action plan (comprising closure of educational institutions and others) to prevent spread of the virus, it said some more preventive measures would be declared in the Thursday meeting. The CM has urged the people to stay away from festivals and celebrations which witness participation of people in groups. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Harvey Weinstein has left the notorious Rikers Island prison and is finally being transferred to a state prison. The disgraced film mogul is being sent to the Downstate Correctional facility in Fishkill, New York. The site is about 60 miles north of New York City and is the processing center for new inmates. Weinstein could remain there or could be taken to another facility. However Fishkill was one of the two places that his lawyers requested he serve his 23 year sentence. Harvey Weinstein has left the Rikers Island prison and is finally being transferred to a state prison in New York, DailyMail.com can reveal The disgraced movie mogul is being sent to the Downstate Correctional facility in Fishkill, New York, about 60 miles north of New York City (pictured) Weinstein, 67, was found guilty of forcibly performing oral sex on former production assistant Mimi Haleyi and raping Jessica Mann, an aspiring actress. Since his conviction on February 24 Weinstein has shuttled between Rikers and Bellevue Hospital because he has been experiencing palpitations and had high blood pressure. He spent the last two days at Rikers before being taken to Fishkill, which houses 1,800 inmates. The other facility that Weinstein could be taken to is the Mohawk Correctional Facility in Rome. Weinstein won't be eligible for conditional release with good behavior until 2039, legal experts have said. He faces four separate charges of rape and sexual assault in Los Angeles where the district attorney has vowed to extradite him to face trial. Fishkill has a range of programs that may be of benefit to Weinstein such as counseling and anger management services. The prison is built on land originally bought for the construction of the Matteawan State Hospital for the Criminally Insane which was constructed in 1892 - some of the buildings are still in use. Weinstein likely chose it because it houses the Regional Medical Unit which can cater to his back problems, diabetes and eye issues for which he has to have regular injections. Harvey Weinstein is seen leaving a Manhattan courthouse last week after being sentenced to 23 years in prison for rape and sexual assault. He was later taken to hospital Weinstein, 67, was found guilty of forcibly performing oral sex on former production assistant Mimi Haleyi (left) and raping Jessica Mann (right), an aspiring actress Fishkill is also one of six prisons that takes part in the Puppies Behind Bars program, where inmates raise guide dogs and service dogs for wounded veterans. Weinstein has already been accused of getting special treatment and not everyone has been happy at the prospect of him getting a place in the medical unit. Jennifer Scaife, executive director of the nonprofit Correctional Association of New York, has said beds are usually for inmates recovering from surgery or about to die. She told the New York Post: 'If he's able to get placed directly into a regional unit, it will be frankly because of his wealth and influence'. Should Weinstein stay at Fishkill he will be in a facility that previous inmates have described as decrepit and dangerous. Prisoner advocates say it is a place where guards routinely abused inmates and in 2015 Samuel Harrell, 30, was killed in what an autopsy said was a homicide. Should Weinstein stay at Fishkill he will be in a facility that previous inmates have described as decrepit and dangerous Reports said that Harrell had been beaten by up to 20 guards known as the 'Beat Up Squad' before being thrown down a staircase. In 2013 another prisoner, Kevin Moore, was beaten so badly by guards that he took two months to recover. Ex inmate Daniel Genis wrote on Vice that Fishkill was a 'very easy place to get on 'chemical handcuffs'. He wrote that the 'compound was full of ''droolers'' - men visibly incapacitated by haldol or lithium'. Genis also talked about the 'Beat Up Squad' and said that they 'function as a platoon' and were used to taking down prisoners who had overdosed on synthetic drug K2, the use of which is rampant within the prison. Its unlikely many of Californias schools will reopen before the summer break, Gov. Newsom said Tuesday, sending shock waves across the state and jarring parents who are just a few days into the widespread closure of classrooms. The hope has been that schools can open in three weeks, maybe four, after spring break and when the current shelter-in-place policy in six Bay Area counties is scheduled to end. Newsom said the state should start preparing for what would be a worst-case scenario. Closures through the end of the school year would hit disadvantaged and struggling students particularly hard. This is a very sober thing to say, and I cant say this with certainty, but I can say this quite learnedly: Dont anticipate schools are going to open up in a week. Please dont anticipate in a few weeks, he said at an evening press conference. I dont want to mislead you. I would plan and assume that its unlikely that many of these schools few, if any will open before the summer break. If Newsom is right, it would mean a five-month break from a formal education for nearly six million students across the state. Nearly 99% of California students are now out of school, Newsom said, and he expects that a few small districts that remain open will likely soon close. Newsom also said he is seeking a federal waiver that would allow schools to forgo standardized testing for students when they do return. He said exams would be totally inappropriate. The closures have been a local decision across the state, made by school boards and superintendents, and currently that remains in place, said Scott Roark, spokesman for the California Department of Education. But those decisions are also made in conjunction with health officials and they could recommend a year-ending closure for schools in the future. Such a scenario is a radical departure from less than a week ago when most of the states 10,000 schools were still open. But this crisis has not been predictable and just when politicians or education leaders think they have a plan, new information or new cases have prompted officials to completely reverse course hours later. Schools will stay open, San Francisco district officials said last Wednesday. And then the next day: All schools will close, those same officials said. With each update increasing restrictions and closures, the situation has been more dire, so many families say they had already considered the fact that spring and summer breaks could stretch until the first day of school in the fall. This could go on for a really long time, said San Francisco parent Jennifer Butterfoss, who has two kids, ages 4 and 7. Ive been urging my fellow mom friends to prepare for the worst. In some cases, districts have already started pushing back expected reopening dates. Riverside County on Tuesday already extended the closure until April 30 after saying last week that schools would close until April 3. West Contra Costa Unified plans to open on April 13, a week later than previously announced. So far, local district officials say they are focused on getting through the next few weeks, organizing school meal pick-ups and ramping up distance learning opportunities. Most officials said they havent formally started thinking beyond that. And yet: It is totally dynamic and fluid and weve never seen anything like this and we have to be open to all possibilities, said San Francisco school board President Mark Sanchez. I think inside of us all we have a deep sense of foreboding. San Francisco schools are currently scheduled to reopen on April 3. Nick Otto / Special to The Chronicle The question is whether closing schools and nonessential businesses while requiring residents to shelter in place will work. The answer at least right now, health experts say, is no one knows. The current goal is to spread out the demand on the health care system. Is three weeks enough? Probably not, said Dr. George Rutherford, head of the division of infectious disease and epidemiology at UCSF. You dont know until you know. Everyone will be looking at Wuhan, China, Rutherford said, the site of the first outbreak and where residents are just now coming off shelter-in-place programs and school closures. The first cases were reported there at the end of December. Well see what happens when they take their foot off the brake, he said. In theory, closing schools for two or three weeks would be one full cycle of incubation, meaning those who have it would no longer be infecting others, said Dr. Robert Siegel, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Stanford University. Yet, there are holes in the system, which may allow the virus to continue circulating in the community until after schools open again. But to really know whether schools should open again, the system will need to have much more data on who has COVID-19 and on who already had it and developed antibodies or immunity to it. But there are no tests yet to identify people with antibodies. Even basic diagnostic testing of those who are actively ill has fallen far short of whats needed to determine how widely the virus has spread. Without solid data on how many people have been infected and whether cases are increasing or decreasing it will be hard to tell when closing schools and keeping people at home has worked, Siegel said. Theres a question of whether or not this will work. I cannot emphasize enough that testing is the key, the Stanford professor said. If they havent been infected and they go back, but the virus is still percolating in the community, there is a chance weve bought ourselves two additional weeks, but it may not turn the tide of the outbreak. That delay could be critical to helping officials prepare the health system for an onslaught, but it might not reduce the number of people who eventually get it. The outbreak in California could conceivably stretch into the summer, infectious disease experts say. Its like weve hit pause, Siegel said. What if all we did was push ourselves further back? Researchers are looking at China as well as South Korea and Italy, places where the virus first spiked, for some guidance on what might work to mitigate it. China implemented massive quarantines while South Korea went with massive testing programs. A combination of those policies might be the best course of action, Siegel said, and that means many hundreds of millions 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. We could make much better policy decisions if we had much better testing, he said. School officials say a long-term closure or one that lasts until fall would be devastating, especially for students who are the farthest behind academically or have the greatest needs, including special education students and those dealing with stress at home. There would be so many repercussions but in particular, with a focus on the role schools play, were concerned about learning loss for children whose parents arent able to support their continued learning, said Gentle Blythe, spokeswoman for San Francisco schools. Education officials want the schools to reopen, but the situation is evolving so fast, its hard to say what will happen tomorrow let alone in three weeks. There is new information and health guidance all the time, Blythe said. We are paying close attention and preparing for various scenarios. In San Francisco, Butterfoss has set up routines for her children. There is math time at 11:30 and a mid-morning recess, for example. While panic set in when she heard schools were shutting down, causing her hands to shake, she realized it was time to buckle in for the duration. This is our life now, she said. Lets get homeschooling. Yet Butterfoss, a former principal at Alvarado Elementary, said she worries for the students across San Francisco and the country who will only fall further behind because their parents are overwhelmed or working. Typically the kids of parents who are able to put in that time and are highly literate themselves, those kids tend to do just fine, she said. My heart is absolutely breaking for those communities that are going to be impacted from an educational standpoint. The gaps are already huge. Sanchez said superintendents from the six shelter-in-place counties are in communication to determine next steps and calibrate their actions as much as possible. But he fears that as testing increases, communities will see a big increase in coronavirus cases, which could significantly impact how long kids are out of class. I have no reason to believe we wont see some kind of spike, he said. If that were the case, then we are in for a long, horrible, school-less situation for our students. Chronicle staff writer Alexei Koseff contributed to this story. Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker LONDON Former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond denounced some of the sex-crimes charges against him as deliberate fabrications for a political purpose as he began giving evidence at his trial on Tuesday. Salmond told the High Court in Edinburgh on Tuesday that he had a consensual sexual liaison with a woman who alleges he tried to rape her. Salmond, 65, denies 13 sex-crime allegations against nine women. One charge by another woman was dropped Monday. A former Scottish government official, who is being referred to as Woman H, previously told the court she felt hunted by Salmond moments before an alleged attempted rape in the first ministers official residence, Bute House in Edinburgh, in June 2014. She also said she had been sexually assaulted by him the previous month when he allegedly kissed her face, neck and touched her legs. Salmond said no incidents took place during those months, but that there had been a sexual encounter in the previous year following a dinner and that one thing led to another. Salmond said the womans account of an alleged attempted rape in June 2014 was not true and she was not at Bute House on the night in question. He said Woman H was one of my biggest cheerleaders, but seemed annoyed after he didnt help her professionally in 2015. Salmond also told jurors that he has never had a non-consensual relationship with a woman in his life, but that he wished he had been more careful with personal space. Salmond led the pro-independence Scottish National Party for 20 years and headed Scotlands semi-autonomous government as its first minister from 2007 to 2014. New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) India has temporarily banned the entry of passengers from 36 countries while people traveling from 11 countries will be mandatorily quarantined in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the Home Ministry said on Wednesday. The ministry also said Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders, except the restricted countries, will be required to obtain fresh visa from the Indian mission and allowed to enter India. "No airline will bring any passenger from Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom effective 12 GMT March 12 at Port of departure," a home ministry spokesperson said. Airlines are barred from bringing passengers from the Philippines, Malaysia, and Afghanistan with effect from March 17 at the port of departure. The spokesperson said there will be no transit through these countries as no aircraft will board passengers for India in these countries. All passengers coming from/transiting through the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait after 12:00 GMT on March 18 (port of departure) will be quarantined. Those who have visited China, the Republic of Korea, Iran, Italy, Spain, France and Germany on or after February 15 will be quarantined, the spokesperson said. Those Indians who are coming from the Republic of Korea or Italy, it is mandatory to get COVID-19 negative certificates. Passengers from Italy shall not be allowed from March 18 (port of departure). Indians transiting through China, Korea, Iran, Italy, Spain, and France will be quarantined on arrival in India. The spokesperson said Indians are strongly advised to avoid non-essential travel to the coronavirus affected countries. Foreigners who are currently in India can extend their visas and for that, they should approach their jurisdiction of FRRO/ FRO online. Foreigners currently in India can go out of the country. However, they can return to India with fresh visa issues from mission only. The OCI card holders are required to obtain a fresh visa from mission and allowed to enter India except from restricted countries. Infants/children who hold foreign passports with OCI cards will be required to get fresh visa from the Indian mission. PTI ACB KJ KJ Dubai has issued a total of 2,523 new licences since the beginning of March, of which 58 per cent were professional (1,900), and 39.3 percent (590) commercial, and together, the licences helped create 6,713 jobs, said a report by the Business Registration and Licencing sector at Dubai Economy. The figures recorded by the "Business Map" digital platform of Dubai Economy confirm its effective support to reinforcing Dubai as a global centre of finance and business. Overall, 18,037 business registration and licencing transactions were recorded since the beginning of March, and 76 percent (13,629) of the total transactions were through the outsourced centres of Dubai Economy, which demonstrates their vital role in delivering value-added services to the public, it stated. Licence Renewal accounted for 6,672 transactions so far this month, while 3,367 (50 percent) transactions were related to Auto Renewal via text messages. Trade Name Reservation accounted for 3,343 transactions, and the number of Initial Approvals reached 2,989. The numbers point to Dubais growing appeal as a business centre, said the statement. The BRL sector issued 96 instant licences since the beginning of March 2020. The Instant Licence, which won the "Flag" of the Hamdan bin Mohammed Programme for Smart Government 2019, is issued in a single step without the need for either the Memorandum of Association or an existing location for the first year. On the other hand, the number of DED Trader licences, which allow conducting business activities on websites and social media channels, reached 179, it stated. According to the report, Deira accounted for the largest share (1,503) in terms of the location of the licences distributed, followed by Bur Dubai (1,019), and Hatta (1). The top sub-regions were Al Garhoud, Burj Khalifa, Oud Al Muteena 3, Al Nahda 1, Al Khabaisi, Oud Metha, Trade Centre 1, Umm Ramool, Al Fahidi, and Port Saeed. Real estate, leasing and business services accounted for 54.3 percent of the economic activities licenced since the beginning of March 2020, followed by trade and repair services (21.7 percent), building and construction (9.7 percent), community and personal services (6.3 percent), transport, storage and communications (3 percent), manufacturing (2.8 percent), hotels group (1.8 percent), financial brokerage (0.8 percent), contracting group (0.6 percent), education (0.3 percent), health and labour (0.3 percent), agriculture (0.3 percent) and electricity, gas and water (0.1 percent).-TradeArabia News Service Ten Montanans within the state's borders had tested positive for coronavirus by Wednesday afternoon, as the governor's office announced two new cases in Gallatin County, including one previously disclosed by the county the night before. The state public health laboratory has run tests for 509 people statewide, though that number does not include any tests health care providers sent to private labs. Local public health offices and the state Department of Public Health and Human Services are notified from private laboratories and health care providers about results from those tests. The two cases in Gallatin County are both men in their 20s. Cindi Spinelli, the county's Communicable Disease Program manager, said both self-isolated quickly and responsibly. One of the men traveled to Europe recently, though Spinelli would not say where specifically, and suspected that he had COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. He self-isolated then was tested. He was isolated the entire time he was symptomatic. The other man was notified in the middle of travel and got tested, and then self-isolated. He'd had close contact with a known case from someone else within the United States. The cases are not related, Spinelli said. "We just wanted to acknowledge the diligence both of these individuals practiced that prevented the spread and exposure to other people," Spinelli said. She added health care workers who came into contact with the men had proper personal protective equipment. Even with people following isolation or quarantine recommendations, Spinelli said Wednesday "These probably won't be the last cases in Gallatin or Montana and just to expect more in the future." Daily life in the state looks much different than it did a week ago, with public K-12 schools closed for at least the next two weeks, bars and gyms closed and restaurants offering take-out or delivery only in many cities and towns around the state and people dramatically altering their day-to-day routines to adhere to social distancing recommendations and suggested limits on gatherings of more than 10 people. The U.S. Census Bureau said Wednesday it would suspend field operations, which includes leaving questionnaires at homes and training enumerators, for two weeks. The deadline to respond to the census is July 31, and making sure as many people as possible in Montana fill out the questionnaire is critical to secure federal funding that's based on population, as well as to determine whether the state would pick up a second congressional seat. Josh Manning, media specialist with the Dallas Regional Census Office, said Wednesday in an email census employees in Montana are still reaching out to tribal, state, local government and other partners to work to promote turnout "during this choppy start to census field operations during a public health emergency." A study from the Center for Urban Research shows about 14% of Montanans would normally get hand-delivered census packets from the field work that's being paused for two weeks. While people can fill out the census online at my2020census.gov for the first time this year, not everyone in Montana has the internet and a portion of state residents rely on census forms left on their doors to respond. The census can also be done by phone at 1-844-330-2020. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock said Wednesday he would put into place measures to encourage access to health care over the phone or internet. That includes allowing patients and their doctors to communicate over phone or secure online systems, which is a change from current policy that only allows for tele-medicine through video chat. Bullock is also waiving a requirement that those on Medicaid establish face-to-face relationships with primary care providers, as well allowing Medicaid to pay for tele-medicine services even if a patient and provider are in the same community. Those changes begin March 20. Bullock encouraged private insurance providers to follow suit. The changes came after Bullock spoke with the Montana Hospital Association, the Montana Medical Association and the Montana Primary Care Association. Starting March 23, the state will pay for access to COVID-19 testing and treatment for the roughly 6% of the state's population who are uninsured, and made changes to hasten unemployment payments to those who lose their jobs because of the pandemic and aid to small businesses affected. On Wednesday, leaders of the states Emergency Coordination Center (SECC) and Joint Information Center (JIC) invited members of the media to tour their operations at Fort Harrison. About 46 people work at the JIC, seven days a week and roughly 11-12 hours a day. The center serves as a coordination hub for local emergency operation center at the local level. The SECC, which also coordinates responses to things like floods and wildfires, designates its response level on a scale of 1 to 5, with most day-do-day operations classified at a Level 5. It's at a Level 2 now. The design of a new 90/cow suckler scheme may signal a shift in direction by the Department of Agriculture away from the increasingly complex schemes of recent years, farm organisations have indicated. With funding of up to 35m, the new Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme (BEEP) scheme will see a higher level of payment on the first 10 cows - a measure it is hoped will attract traditional smaller producers. "This finally shows a change in direction by the Minister [Creed] away from cumbersome complicated interventions towards more simplified practical measures," said Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) president Colm O'Donnell. "This will no doubt see a better uptake by smaller extensive suckler farmers". IFA president Tim Cullinan said that the scheme is an important component in ensuring a stronger support structure for suckler cow farmers. However, he added that the IFA is determined to build on the supports now in place to ensure a targeted suckler payment of 300 per cow in the future. Suckler cow farmers, who complete all of the mandatory and optional actions under the scheme will receive payment of 90 per cow on the first 10 cows and 80 on the remainder, up to a limit of 100. The weighing aspect of the scheme is mandatory and will involve a payment of 50 per cow/calf on the first 10 and 40 on the remainder. An additional 30 will be paid for an animal welfare action, with an option of a pre-weaning meal feeding programme or vaccination. Another 10 is available for a faecal egg testing programme. ICSA suckler chair Ger O'Brien also welcomed the scheme. "All in all, these are sensible measures that will lead to less stress for calves at weaning time which in turn will benefit buyers including Irish finishers and live exporters. "Taking samples will assist in ensuring that dosing is much more targeted and will help counteract immunity from dosing products," he said. Read more, page 23 Following are the top stories at 12.30 pm: Top Stories: DEL5 CORONAVIRUS-CASESCoronavirus cases in country climb to 147New Delhi: The number of novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 147 on Wednesday, with 10 fresh cases reported from various parts of the country, according to the Health Ministry. DEL15 CORONAVIRUS-LD BJP-PROTEST BJP not to hold protest for 1 month in view of coronavirus outbreak: J P Nadda New Delhi: The BJP has decided not to hold any protest or demonstration for a month in view of the coronavirus outbreak, party president J P Nadda said on Wednesday. DEL12 CORONAVIRUS-LD ARMY COVID-19 : Army reports its first case; India's total coronavirus cases reach 147 New Delhi: In the first case of the coronavirus in the Indian Army, a 34-year-old soldier has tested positive for the infection in Leh, army sources said on Wednesday as the the total number of cases in India rose to 147. BOM4 MH-CORONAVIRUS-WOMAN Pune woman tests positive for COVID-19;Maha count climbs to 42 Pune: A 28-year-old woman from Pune with a travel history to France and the Netherlands has tested positive for COVID-19, a senior official said on Wednesday. BOM13 GA-CORONAVIRUS CASE Norway national tests positive for coronavirus in Goa Panaji: A Norwegian man on Wednesday tested positive for novel coronavirus infection in Goa, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said. BOM5 MH-CORONAVIRUS-IIT BOMBAY Coronavirus: IIT Bombay announces closure of activities Mumbai: In view of the novel coronavirus outbreak, IIT Bombay has announced a virtual shutdown of its campus at Powai here till March 31. MDS1 KA-CONG-MP-MLAS-DIGVIJAY Stopped from meeting rebel Cong MLAs Digvijay Singh protests outside Bengaluru resort, detained Bengaluru: High drama unfolded on Wednesday morning near the resort where rebel Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh are staying, as senior party leader Digvijay Singh staged a protest accusing the police of not allowing him to meet the legislators. BOM10 MP-DIGVIJAY-NATH Digvijay's detention in Bengaluru 'Hitlarshahi' by BJP: MP CM Bhopal: Congress leader Digvijay Singh's detention by police in Bengaluru is display of "dictatorship and Hitlarshahi" by the BJP, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath said here on Wednesday. BOM2 MP-GOVERNOR-LD LETTER I praise your impartial, courageous decision to accept resignations of 6 ministers: MP guv to Speaker Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon sent a letter to Assembly Speaker N P Prajapati in the early hours of Wednesday, praising him for taking an "impartial and courageous" decision in accepting the resignations of six ministers. LEGAL LGD30 SC-ABDULLAH SC asks Centre, J-K admn to inform by next week if it is releasing Omar Abdullah New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir administration to inform by next week if it is releasing former chief minister Omar Abdullah, who has been detained since the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year. LGD18 SC-TELECOM SC pulls up Centre, telecos for doing self-assessment of AGR dues fixed by court New Delhi: The Supreme Court Wednesday pulled up the Centre and telecom companies for doing self-assessment or reassessment of the Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) dues fixed by the apex court in its verdict given on October 24 last year. LGD3 SC-CORONAVIRUS-MIDDAY MEAL COVID-19: With schools shut & mid-day meals unavailable to children, SC issues notice to states, UTs New Delhi: The Supreme Court Wednesday took note of the non-availability of mid-day meals to children as schools in many parts of the country have been shut due to the coronavirus pandemic. FOREIGN FGN24 CORONAVIRUS-WORLD US leads huge economic fightback against virus, EU shuts borders Paris: The United States and Britain led a multi-billion-dollar global fightback against economic havoc wreaked by the coronavirus as the European Union shut its borders to travellers from outside for 30 days to stem the pandemic's ferocious spread. (AFP) FGN25 CORONAVIRUS-INDIANS-PHILIPPINES Distressed Indian students in the Philippines seek help to get back home Washington: Hundreds of distressed Indian students, stuck in the Philippines, are seeking help through video messages as they are unable to fly back home due to the travel restrictions imposed by India to contain the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus, according to friends and relatives of some of these students in the US. By Lalit K Jha FGN2 CORONAVIRUS-WORLD BANK World Bank increases COVID-19 response fund to USD14 Billion Washington: 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. By Lalit K Jha FGN26 US-BIDEN-LD PRIMARIES Biden sweeps three US states; steps closer to become presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Washington: Former vice president Joe Biden has claimed victory over rival Bernie Sanders by sweeping three key primaries in Florida, Illinois and Arizona, inching closer in the race to become the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee to face US President Donald Trump in November's election. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) [March 18, 2020] Intrado Digital Media and Adobe Collaborate to Improve Campaign Visibility and Measurement for Chief Marketing Officers and Chief Communications Officers OMAHA, Neb., March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intrado , a global leader in technology-enabled services, today announced a long-term relationship with Adobe to integrate Intrado Digital Media products with Adobe Experience Cloud . Marketing and public relations (PR) teams will be able to jointly track their efforts and measure campaign results across paid, earned, shared, and owned media. Communications campaign data is often reported in siloesmarketing in one dashboard and PR in anotherand theres no holistic way or single solution to review results against business outcomes, said Ben Chodor, President of Intrado Digital Media. Technology is integral to bridging the gap between marketing and PR. Our collaboration with Adobe will allow our customers to achieve a critical business goalseamless data integration across all media types to measure the results of any campaign. Intrado Digital Medias suite of solutions helps public relations, investor relations, corporate communications, and marketing professionals with key initiatives like brand awareness, product announcements, investor websites, employee town halls, and marketing webinars. The first phase of the partnership will give joint customers of Intrado Digital Media and Adobe Experience Cloud the ability to view marketing and public relations results in a single dashboard within Marketo Engage to facilitate and improve collaboration, visibility, and measurement. Press release metrics, like impressions and engagement, will be tracked alongside upticks in web traffic. Earned media coverage can correlate to an increase in social media mentions and ultimately demonstrate support for lead generation. By integrating our data into Marketo Engage, campaign reporting will become more comprehensive, effective, and accurate, continued Chodor. With additional product integrations planned in the months to come, long-term benefits of the partnership will include: Expanded view of the customer journey - insights that include both web analytics and earned media touchpoints - insights that include both web analytics and earned media touchpoints Earned media attribution - measurement of earned media campaigns alongside other marketing efforts like email and paid media, with attribution to show business impact - measurement of earned media campaigns alongside other marketing efforts like email and paid media, with attribution to show business impact Paid media amplification - the ability to intelligently target ad spend on audiences who have demonstrated intent based on the type of earned media they have consumed - the ability to intelligently target ad spend on audiences who have demonstrated intent based on the type of earned media they have consumed Expanded ability to personalize customer experience - the ability to leverage audience data to create personalized experiences for customers - the ability to leverage audience data to create personalized experiences for customers Update and trigger campaigns leveraging earned media data - lead score updating and triggered campaigns based on earned media or webcast interaction The ability to bring PR campaign data into Marketo Engage will ultimately lead to better audience engagement and customer experienceits a win for both marketing and public relations teams, said Cody Crnkovich, Head of Platform Partners and Strategy at Adobe. Were excited to add Intrado Digital Media as a partner and believe that our joint customers will greatly benefit from our combined data. To learn more about Intrado Digital Media, visit: www.intrado.com/digital-media To learn more about Adobe Experience Cloud, visit: www.adobe.com/experience-cloud About Intrado Corporation Intrado Corporation is an innovative, cloud-based, global technology partner to clients around the world. Our solutions connect people and organizations at the right time and in the right ways, making those mission-critical connections more relevant, engaging and actionable - turning Information to Insight. Intrado has sales and/or operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Latin America and South America. Intrado is controlled by affiliates of certain funds managed by Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE: APO). For more information, please call 1-800-841-9000 or visit www.intrado.com. About Adobe Experience Cloud In the experience economy, every business must be a digital business and Adobe Experience Cloud is the global leader for powering digital businesses. With solutions for data and insights, content and personalization, customer journey management, commerce and advertising, Adobe Experience Cloud is driving Customer Experience Management (CXM) across both B2B and B2C for companies of every size. Adobe Experience Platform the foundation of Adobe Experience Cloud is the industrys first purpose-built CXM platform, enabling personalized customer experiences in real-time at scale. Contact Dave Pleiss Investor and Public Relations [email protected] 402.716.6578 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] India on Tuesday (March 17) slammed China and Pakistan for their reference to Jammu and Kashmir in a joint statement released by them and asserted that other countries should respect India's sovereignty and refrain from commenting on its internal matters. The Kashmir issue was raised during a meeting between Pakistani President Arif Alvi and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jingping in Beijing on Tuesday during which Xi said that his government was keeping a close eye over the current situation in the region. "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 the joint statement, inistry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar remarked that both Islamabad and Beijing should keep this in mind that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and all issues related to it are the internal matter of India. "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 added. The MEA spokesperson also noted that India would also object and reiterate its concerns over the illegal 'China Pakistan Economic Corridor', which is in India's territory that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan since 1947. "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. 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 55-year-old woman 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 remains in critical condition at a Pennsylvania hospital, she added. 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 churchs 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. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. As the coronavirus crisis continues in Australia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said schools will not be shutting down at this stage. Speaking to media in a press conference on Wednesday morning, the PM said closing schools is not practical nor what official health advice suggests. Related... 35 Tweets About Parenting In The Age Of Coronavirus Self-Isolation Fines: The Penalties International Arrivals Face If They Dont Comply With Scott Morrisons Rules 2020 Tokyo Olympics: Australia Reveals Plans To Get Athletes To Japan 'Coronavirus Free' Historic Coronavirus Lockdown: Australia Bans Gatherings Of 100 People Or More Coronavirus: How To Get Tested In Australia Coronavirus Is Shutting Schools Down. Here's What Parents Need To Know. However, he did advise parents to be proactive in identifying whether their child is healthy enough to attend classes. Right now, schools should remain open. That is the clear and crystal health violence from the AHPPC (Australian Health Protection Principal Committee), and that is the clear and unified position of all the states and territories, Premiers, Chief Ministers and myself, he told reporters. Will schools in Australia shut down as the coronavirus crisis continues? (Photo: courtneyk via Getty Images) Morrison said Australia was following Singapores example, as the country has been one of the more successful nations in containing the virus, while keeping educational institutions up and running. Please know this - whatever we do we have to do for at least six months. That means the disruption that would occur from the closure of schools around this country, make no mistake, would be severe, he explained, citing the potential for thousands of job losses and a 30% impact on health workers. COVID-19 Affects Younger People Differently Australias Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said the manifestation of the virus is different in younger people, saying only 2.4% of cases reported in Chinas Hubei Province were in people under age 19. Children have very, very few instances of clinical disease, and if they do, of even more severe disease, he said. This is quite different to influenza and other respiratory diseases which have quite severe disease sometimes in children. We know that even in influenza, school closures are a controversial issue. Story continues Murphy said there may be school closures in a community where a big outbreak occurs, but overall the view is to keep schools opens. Minimising Classroom Transmission In terms of minimising transmission in the classroom, he said good hand hygiene and avoiding large assemblies at school is key. Children should be washing their hands regularly, particularly when theyre eating and particularly when theyre touching common areas. So it will be hard for schools, but it would be much, much, much harder for society if the schools were closed. If they were at home, we know that they probably wouldnt stay at home, they would probably congregate anyway and if transmission were occurring, it would happen. Or they may be looked after by vulnerable elderly relatives who are the people that were worried about. Dont Send Your Sick Child To School The PM said the onus is on parents to identify whether their kids are sick, and if so, do not send them to school. As parents, you are in the best position to know if your children are unwell. Dont leave it to the teacher to work that out when they arrive, or the school administrator or whoever is on drop-off, make sure, if your child is unwell, that you are taking action to keep your child out of school. That is your responsibility, he said. It was also advised that sick teachers should also not come to work. Teachers Concerns The governments advice on Wednesday came after many teachers across the country expressed concern about how to ensure social distancing measures and adequate hygiene within classrooms and the playground. Schools have been told to implement a range of social distancing measures which include keeping a distance of 1.5m between persons and minimising physical contact where possible, NSW Teachers Federation President Angelo Gavrielatos said in a statement. However, the design of many of our schools and the size of our classrooms make this impossible. The overcrowding of some schools also makes this impossible beyond the classroom. This is further amplified on wet days when children and their teachers have to remain in-doors. Murphys response on Wednesday was: We know also that its not really possible for children in a classroom to keep 1.5m apart from each other, and we know that weve got to be practical about that. But schools should practice very good hand hygiene, too. Very hard to do in a school, but we can trust our teachers to do it. At least 560 people in Australia have tested positive for COVID-19, while six people have died. The virus has killed more than 8,200 people worldwide with infections reaching 200,000 mark. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. STORY LINK Pound Japanese Yen (GBP/JPY) Exchange Rate Falls, JPY Soars on Safe-Haven Demand GBP/JPY Exchange Rate Fall as Investors Seek Japanese Yen Refuge Pound to Japanese Yen Exchange Rate Sinks as UK Economic Fears Rise Pound Japanese Yen Outlook: UK Coronavirus Response in Focus The Japanese Yen (JPY) looks set to hold onto its gains while the ongoing coronavirus crisis continues to unfold. However, any signs of a returning stability to global markets would lower risk-aversion and see JPY shed some of its gains against the Pound. Sterling is likely to remain under pressure this week as markets eye the British Governments response to Covid-19. Silvia DallAngelo, a Senior Economist at Hermes Investment Management, London, commented that Sterling is out of favour due to the UK being at odds with the responses weve seen in other European countries. Consequently, we could see the GBP/JPY exchange rate continue to dip. Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues: The Pound Japanese Yen (GBP/JPY) plummeted by 1% today as investors seek refuge in the safe-haven Japanese currency as Covid-19 fears wrack the global economy. The pairing currently trading around 128.75.Japanese Yen (JPY) investors are awaiting further developments over a stimulus package for the Japanese economy.The nations Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is due to partake in a panel of key economic ministers alongside the Bank of Japans Governor, Haruhiko Kurdoa, to discuss measures to alleviate Covid-19s impact on the economy.With concerns growing that Japans economy could see a recession in the near-term, investors are remaining wary of the Japanese Yen and flocking to the safe havens of the US Dollar and Swiss Franc instead.Waqas Adenwala, Asia analyst at The Economist Intelligence Unit, also commented that the 2020 Japanese Summer Olympics is the only economic silver lining Japan has right now.Mr Adenwala added:The Olympics is the only scenario we can expect some incoming of tourist arrivals, some spending there. It wouldnt have been a big lifesaver, but it wouldve been some sort of support rather than nothing being there.The Pound (GBP) traded in a narrow range after yesterday saw the UK Government announce a 350bn stimulus support package to aid the British economy throughout the coronavirus pandemic.Prime Minister Boris Johnson echoed Chancellor Rishi Sunaks statement, saying that Downing Street would do whatever it takes to support the economy.Mr Johnson also said, This a time to be bold, to have courage. We will support jobs, we will support incomes, we will support businesses ... We will do whatever it takes.However, some analysts believe the Pound (GBP) is yet to see lows that were only envisaged arriving from a hard Brexit.Sterling is expected to face further volatility as the Government is now expected to replicate the European Union and lock down its borders to abate the spread of the coronavirus.Richard Benson, the Co-Chief Investment Officer at Millennium Global Investments, comments:Everyone thought that Brexit was the big deal for Sterling this year but the currency has been completely overwhelmed by the coronavirus. International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements. TAGS: Japanese Yen Forecasts Pound Sterling Forecasts Pound Yen Forecasts Rush Limbaugh's replacement host has claimed that San Francisco has been ordered to shut down over coronavirus because 'it's a big gay town' with lots of immunocompromised people. Mark Steyn, who replaced Limbaugh after he announced he is suffering from advanced lung cancer, claimed the virus would cause mass deaths in the city unless the strict measures were put in place. California is one of the states that has been hardest-hit by the virus, with more than 700 confirmed cases, and the Bay Area is the worst-affected part of the state. Mark Steyn, the conservative commentator who replaced Rush Limbaugh, has suggested that San Francisco is the first city to go into coronavirus lockdown because its gay population has compromised immune systems Lomard Street in San Francisco, usually one of the city's busiest tourist attractions, is completely deserted amid the coronavirus lockdown Mounted officers patrol the area outside Pier 39 in San Francisco on day one of the shelter in place order Seven million people were ordered to 'shelter in place' in the Bay Area from Tuesday, barring them from leaving the house except to 'obtain or perform vital services' until at least April 7. Sara Cody, the health officer for Santa Clara County, said the move was designed to slow the rate of infection to avoid overwhelming the heath service - as has happened in hotspot countries such as Iran and Italy. While San Francisco is the only major city to have been hit with such an order so far, New York City mayor Bill de Blasio has raised the prospect of following suit. Giving his take on the issue, Steyn said: 'Why are they doing that? Why is San Francisco the first to do that? Because theyve got all the gay guys there. 'Its a big gay town, San Francisco, and theyre the ones with all the compromised immune systems from all the protease inhibitors and all the other stuff. 'And they dont want all the gays dropping dead on the San Francisco mayors watch. So thats why theyve got all that sheltering in place there.' There are now more than 6,500 cases in the US with 728 in Caliornia alone, alongside 115 confirmed deaths from the virus Shoppers at Walgreens in San Francisco which will remain open for 'essential business' during the shelter-in-place order Streets in San Francisco are seen after midnight as residents went home to begin the 3-week process of sheltering in place Protest inhibitors are a treatment for HIV which stops the virus reproducing, strengthening the body's immune system after an infection. Taken in combination with other medicines, it can reduce levels of the virus in a patient's system to undetectable levels. 'If there was a big gay apocalypse, you know, the way this thing is going now, it would be Trump who would get blamed for it anyway. 'He'd be... it would be his homophobia that would have struck down all these people in San Francisco. So that's why they've all been ordered to stay home,' he added. While the majority of coronavirus infections are mild, a significant minority can turn serious and a significant proportion of those cases require intensive care. Age and unerlying health conditions are known to play a part in causing infections to deteriorate, while people with compromised immune systems are also at risk. There are now almost 6,500 coronavirus cases in the US, though experts warn this is likely an under-estimate due to problems with testing. Meanwhile 114 people have died from the disease, which has officially reached every state after West Virginia declared its first case Tuesday night. Rush Limbaugh stepped away from his show after being diagnosed with advanced lung cancer After announcing his diagnosis, Limbaugh was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Donald Trump, with Melania placing it around his neck during the State of the Union address For the next two weeks, the Trump administration has asked that all Americans practice social distancing, which means avoiding gatherings of 10 or more people. Although it falls short of an order, the new guidelines ask that anyone with even mild symptoms stay home for those two weeks in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. Experts have widely agreed that the US as a whole has surpassed a tipping point in the coronavirus pandemic, and now the infection has spread to all 50 states in the US. As cases surged last week, Trump declared a national state of emergency and Tuesday announced additional measures to expand testing. Now, all US state scan make, validate and use their own tests rather than wait for the FDA's approval. The president also announced that telemedicine must now be covered at no additional costs to publicly insured Americans in an effort to lighten the burden on health care systems and reduce social contact and coronavirus transmission. Still, testing has lagged woefully in the US. As of Tuesday afternoon, less than 50,000 Americans had been tested for the infection, while South Korea and Italy are testing thousands and hundreds of people per every million in their respective populations. Health and state officials have widely blamed the testing shortage for the steep rise in US cases, saying it both delayed public knowledge of just how many cases there were and allowed the disease to continue to spread from unwitting carriers to their families, social contacts and health care workers. This live blog will be updated with many recent developments. For more coverage of the local response to the novel coronavirus pandemic, and for full write-ups of each day's news, check this round-up of previous coverage. The City of Charlottesville will now process orders for individual and business trash stickers by mail, for the duration of the local emergency. Eligible businesses may submit a Quarterly Decal Order Form. Individual trash stickers may be ordered by submitting the Trash Sticker Order Form or by visiting the various retailers listed on our website who sell individual stickers. Forms and more information about services can be found on the city's website: https://www.charlottesville.org/departments-and-services/departments-a-g/city-treasurer/trash-stickers. Large item collection will resume on Monday, April 13th and occur every other week, instead of every week, the city said. --------------------- Albemarle County said Friday that, beginning Saturday, park visitors will see Park Ambassadors in our high use parks at peak times. They will monitor parks and encourage visitors to observe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention social distancing guidelines. ---------------------- Tuesday, March 31 The City of Charlottesville Office of Economic Development and the Charlottesville Economic Development Authority are rolling out several new business assistance initiatives to support businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. For more information visit www.charlottesville.org/econdev These efforts are meant to help alleviate the immediate effects that closures and reduced operations are having on city businesses, according to a news release. City businesses are eligible to apply for more than one program and can apply for these in addition to the Small Business Administrations Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and $10,000 Emergency Grant, which are part of the federal governments Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The city's programs include the following: Building Resilience Among Charlottesville Entrepreneurs (BRACE) Grant will award up to $2,000 for city businesses and is focused on resiliency efforts, with some portion of the funding allowed for fixed costs. Business Equity Fund (BEF) Resiliency Loan will provide up to $5,000 for socially disadvantaged city businesses (i.e., those who have encountered racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias because of their identity as members of a group) and is focused on resiliency efforts and can be used for things such as rent, payroll, paying off existing debt, purchasing new software/inventory that will help the business pivot its model quickly, etc. Growing Opportunities (GO) Hire Grant will award grants in varied amounts for city businesses that can be used for wage subsidies and training a businesss existing workforce. Information about application processes, interest rates and other grant requirements can be found on the city's website. Thursday, March 27 Charlottesville and Albemarle County announced ongoing changes to local government operations and extended some closures of city offices into April. Charlottesville city officials said they would consider closing some city parks entirely if the public continues to congregate above safe public health recommendations. --------------------- In a mid-day update, the Thomas Jefferson Health District said that as of noon, there now are 36 confirmed COVID-19 cases & 4 clinically diagnosed cases: Albemarle: 18 (includes 2 clinically diagnosed) Charlottesville: 10 (includes 1 clinically diagnosed) Greene: 1 Fluvanna: 3 Louisa: 5 Nelson: 2 Outside: 1 clinically diagnosed (contact to a TJHD case) The Charlottesville Office of Elections and Voter Registration is now closed to the public. Beginning Monday, March 30, the office will be staffed to answer phones and email, Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Voter Registration Office has begun preparations for a June 9 dual primary for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, according to a Friday news release. Most voters may register to vote or submit an absentee ballot online at the Department of Elections website. Due to COVID-19, it is highly recommended that voters request a mailed absentee ballot using reason code 2A on the absentee ballot application. The department also will accept applications via regular mail, email (vote@charlottesville.org) and fax (434) 970-3249. The Voter Registration Office said it will provide more information about this election as deadlines approach and it receives further guidance from the Department of Elections. Thursday, March 26 updates The University's of Virginia's fundraising page has been updated with an option to contribute to a fund for students experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19. The "Student Life and Leadership Fund" is a longstanding rainy day fund for students hit with unexpected expenses, according to the university. UVa's Student Council also has set up a fund for students. Researchers at the University of Virginias Biocomplexity Institute have won a new $10 million, five-year Expeditions in Computing grant from the National Science Foundation to use innovative technological and scientific advancements to plan for, and respond to, epidemics and pandemics. The effort, which includes epidemiologists at UVa as well as at Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Virginia Tech and two national laboratories, is working with local, regional, national and international public health agencies and universities to apply and deploy new technologies many developed at the UVa Biocomplexity Institute to predict and manage current and future epidemics. The project is designed to improve epidemic planning and response by providing computational tools to epidemiologists worldwide; increasing surveillance of disease-spreading conditions; using weather and climate forecasting to likewise forecast epidemics; provide planning tools to policymakers to help in the allocation of resources such as vaccines and ventilators; and studying how social and political structures affect disease progression. Wednesday, March 25 updates A 4 p.m. update from the Thomas Jefferson Health District noted 22 lab confirmed cases of COVID-19 as well as three clinically diagnosed cases in the following list of localities: Albemarle - 9 Charlottesville -7 Fluvanna - 3 Greene - 0 Louisa - 4 Nelson - 1 Unknown (still determining address) - 1 The National Park Service Wednesday afternoon said it would close the popular Shenandoah National Park loops at Old Rag and Whiteoak Canyon due to overcrowding. The amount of motorists and hikers have made it difficult to follow social distancing guidelines, the service said. For more information about other changes in the park, go to the service's website. Other popular hikes in the Blue Ridge have been closing due to similar concerns. Check signs and postings before you go. Tuesday, March 24 The Thomas Jefferson Health District on Tuesday confirmed 14 presumptive positive cases in the district. There are three cases in the city of Charlottesville; six cases in Albemarle County; three cases in Louisa County; one case in Nelson County and one case in Fluvanna County, officials said. There are also two clinically diagnosed cases. One is in Charlottesville and one lives outside of the district but has had close contact with a confirmed positive person in the district, officials said. Clinically diagnosed cases are individuals who are not tested because they are very close contacts (like a spouse) to someone who is lab-confirmed COVID-19 positive and are experiencing symptoms. Due to their level of exposure and symptoms, the Virginia Department of Health considers clinically diagnosed cases positive without a COVID-19 lab test, the district said -- For example, a clinically diagnosed case could be the spouse of a lab confirmed COVID-19 case. Monday, March 23 Area grocery stores are now implementing senior hours, allowing senior citizens to get in and out of stores quickly. Between 9 and 10 a.m., Trader Joe's will maintain an additional line outside of the store for senior customers. "This will ensure that those customers in need will have an expedited entrance to the store to help make their experience a more positive one," a press release stated. At Target, the first hour of shopping on Wednesdays, 8 to 9 a.m., will be reserved for elderly customers, as well as people with underlying health concerns. Giant Food Stores will reserve 6 to 7 a.m. every day of the week for seniors and people with compromised immune systems to shop in-store. Guests of Whole Foods who are 60 or older can shop the store starting at 7 a.m., while the store opens to the general public at 8 a.m. Every Tuesday and Thursday from 8 to 9 a.m., members 60 and older can shop at Costco ahead of the general public. Those special hours begin Tuesday, March 24. Big Lots also has reserved the first operating hour of the day for senior customers and those with underlying health conditions, who are most vulnerable to the virus. The City of Charlottesville Neighborhood Development Services offices are now closed to the public. Staff will continue to process currently submitted applications remotely and send notice to applicants by email or phone. Modified inspections will continue. No new Development Review applications will be accepted at this time. Applications and fees for building mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire permits may be submitted through USPS. Forms are available online and those with questions on the application process, zoning issues and property maintenance code violations can contact the office during working hours at (434) 970-3182. The city's parks and trails remain open; however, playgrounds are closed and now tennis courts and basketball courts also are closed. The Charlottesville Skate Park and Meadowcreek Golf Course are closed and the public is asked to refrain from going to those locations. More information about city closures and adjustments is available here. --------------------------- Sunday, March 22 updates The University of Virginia said that most hospital patients now will be unable to receive visitors in order to limit the potential spread of COVID-19. Read the story. ----------------------------- Saturday, March 21 updates On Saturday afternoon, the Thomas Jefferson Health District announced there were 9 confirmed cases in the district, broken down as: Albemarle - 4 Charlottesville - 3 Fluvanna - 1 Greene - 0 Louisa - 1 Nelson - 0 The numbers mark an increase of one for Albemarle County and Louisa County's first case. County officials provided more information about the Louisa case Saturday. The district said it aims to provide updated numbers on its Facebook and Twitter by 6 p.m. every day. Friday, March 20 updates As the number of local confirmed cases in Central Virginia increased slightly Friday, Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital said two people have tested positively. It is not clear if either of those patients have been hospitalized, or just had tests conducted by hospital staff. A spokeswoman for the hospital said the employee health department works with any staff who may have had contact with the patient to provide further guidance on their individual situation. --------------------- Until further notice, Albemarle County playgrounds and pavilions are closed, the county said in a news release Friday afternoon. Instead, the county said, residents are encouraged to use trails and other open spaces while still encouraging Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and maintaining social distancing. The City of Charlottesville will postpone next week's City Council meetings related to the FY 2021 budget, a spokesman said in a news release Friday afternoon. This includes the community budget forum (March 24) and the Capital Improvement Program work session (March 26). Additional updates about the city's budget calendar and community input opportunities will be provided in the near future, according to the release. All other previously scheduled public meetings of City Boards and Commissions are also cancelled for the week of March 23rd. More information on changes to city operations can be found here. The United States Attorneys for the Western and Eastern Districts of Virginia, the FBI, and the Virginia State Police are working to protect the residents of Virginia from fraud and exploitation arising from the current coronavirus pandemic through the formation of the Virginia Coronavirus Task Force. The joint federal and state group will identify, investigate and prosecute fraud related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in Virginia. Some scams may include treatment scams selling fake cures; supply scams claiming to sell medical goods; provider scams by people pretending to be health care workers; charity scams; phishing; app scams designed to track the spread of COVID-19 that insert malware onto a device; or investment scams. To report fraud, please contact: Virginia Coronavirus Fraud Coordinator, Assistant United States Attorney Michael Baudinet, (540) 278-1494. FBI at: https://www.ic3.gov or (804) 261-1044. For continuing information on the COVID-19 virus and the federal response, check: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html. Virginia Department of Healths Thomas Jefferson Health District confirmed Friday the first case of coronavirus in Fluvanna County. Albemarle County's Chief of Police Ron Lantz said that one of his employees has tested positive. TJHD now has a total of seven positive COVID-19 cases, according to the release, including three in Charlottesville and one in Albemarle County. Thursday, March 19 updates The University of Virginia Medical Center will, starting at 7 a.m. Friday, restrict visitation to one designated visitor in the inpatient units at the medical center, including the emergency department, the UVa Outpatient Surgery Center and all UVa outpatient clinics. Visitation will be limited to 10 a.m. to noon and 6 to 8 p.m. daily. Visitation remains suspended at the UVa Transitional Care Hospital. The changes come amid other shifts and adjustments at the UVa hospital. More information is available at the medical center's website. Albemarle County has extended the deadline to apply for the real property tax exemption for elderly and disabled persons from April 1 to May 16. More information on qualifications and how to apply can be found at albemarle.org/finance under the real estate tax relief programs tab. Thursday morning, the Thomas Jefferson Health District announced three more people in Charlottesville have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Charlottesville's treasury office has suspended all collections for past-due taxes and fees, the city announced Thursday morning. Taxpayers who received a personal property tax supplement originally due on April 3, now will have a delayed due date of April 17. The assessment of past due penalty and interest on all local taxes has been suspended until May 31. Businesses responsible for remitting meals and lodging tax are encouraged to file timely returns and set up appropriate payment arrangements with the city. Taxpayers are encouraged to use alternative means of communication with the City during the duration of City Halls closure to the public such as drop boxes, online payments, and email and phone communication, the city said. The Jefferson-Madison Regional Library has announced a temporary e-library card program to help local readers who are self-quarantined. E-library resources includes access to books, magazines, movies, and databases through the use of providers like Overdrive/Libby, rbDigital, Freading, Kanopy, and more. To sign up for this card, please visit jmrl.org/librarycard. If a patron already has a JMRL library card, they do not need to sign up for a temporary e-library card. For links to JMRLs elibrary, please visit JMRLs blog at jmrlblog.com/2020/03/14/available-online-resources/. Wednesday, March 18 updates Albemarle County said Wednesday that turnaround times on some services may be reduced and some public access to buildings will be restricted. Visitor entrances at the McIntire Road County Office Building now are restricted to the main side visitors entrance and the Community Development North Wing Entrance. Visitors will only be permitted on first floor of the building. Front desk personnel will call the appropriate department to have personnel meet the visitor and conduct business in the lobby. Finance payments are strongly encouraged to be conducted online or by phone, self-service kiosk, or payment dropoff methods. At the Fire Rescue Administration building, the visitor's entrance will be shifted to badge-access only. At the 5th Street building, police and social service visitors will be restricted to the lobby, except with escort. At the elections office, business is encouraged by phone. If face-to-face interaction is required, an employee will meet the customer outside or in a well-ventilated room that allows social distancing. Many services, such as dog licenses, filing a police report and applying for benefits can be done online. Tuesday, March 17 updates The Charlottesville Police Department will modify its responses to non-emergency calls, the department said late Tuesday. CPD will continue to respond to emergency calls, according to a spokesman, but will expand its Telephone Reporting Unit, which will now answer calls 24/7. The following crimes can be reported online: annoying phone calls, credit card fraud, fraud-false pretenses, identity theft, wire fraud, larcenies, pocket picking, lost property, past suspicious activities, tows and vandalism. The telephone unit can take non-emergency reports at (434) 977-9041 or (434) 970-3280. Residents can report all of the above crimes, past assaults, harassment, landlord/tenant/non-physical disputes and evictions and previous trespassing. Non-emergency calls about the following incidents can be made to: (434) 977-9041. Residents can report animal complaints, traffic hazards, traffic complaints, parking violations with the exception of public safety hazards, open containers of alcohol, noise complaints and other non-emergency situations. When in doubt, though, residents should call 911. The City of Charlottesville announced several adjustments Tuesday, including staffing changes and the decision to make the Charlottesville Area Transit system fare-free for the duration of the local emergency. The city said it will only ask essential employees to report to work starting Wednesday, and will close most City Hall facilities to the public. This staffing plan will be in effect for at least the next two weeks and will be reevaluated on March 29, according to a news release. The public is encouraged to use all available online and telephonic options for conducting business at City Hall, as well as payment drop boxes at City Hall and the drive through drop box located between the City Hall Annex and the Key Recreation Center. The Neighborhood Development Services team will be accessible to the public needing to conduct essential business with that department and through the Market Street entrance to City Hall only. The office will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays (with permit intake until 11 a.m.). Customers can reach NDS at (434) 970-3182. There will be no one-on-one in person consultations at this time. In effort to maximize social distancing and provide an additional layer of protection for drivers, CAT will eliminate front-door access on all buses. All users will be able to enter the bus through the rear doors. City Manager Tarron Richardson has authorized a fare-free period until the state of emergency ends. More information about schedule changes and office closures can be found on the city's website, https://www.charlottesville.org/departments-and-services/departments-a-g/city-manager-s-office/communications/city-hall-updates-related-to-the-coronavirus-covid-19 Albemarle County schools will be closed at least through April 10, the end of spring break, the division announced Tuesday. Gov. Ralph Northam has ordered schools to close for at least two weeks until March 27 in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. The county schools decision to keep schools closed longer comes as states and communities are taking drastic steps to prevent the virus from spreading further and the Virginia Department of Education announced it was looking to cancel state SOL testing. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention said late last week that closing schools for two weeks wouldnt have much impact on containing a virus. We are continuing to closely monitor developments on the spread of COVID-19 and the most current health and safety guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and from the state Department of Health, Superintendent Matt Haas said in a news release. Based upon that information, it is clear that public meeting restrictions will not be lifted in the near future. Charlottesville City Schools has said it will be closed at least until March 27 and is following the governors guidance about school closures. Haas said in the release that he is extending the closure to assist with the school divisions planning on how to continue to deliver services to students and families at home and to provide as much advance notice to parents as possible so that they have as much time as possible to make necessary child care arrangements. The divisions spring break is scheduled to begin April 3. Haas told students that teachers will be reaching out about ways they can stay engaged with learning and shared a webpage with resources. The division also has extended its Wi-Fi access to the school parkings lots for students to use. In a message to students, Haas said he too was disappointed that spring school activities have been canceled or put on hold. I am sorry about that, and I hope we will have a chance to make it up to you, he wrote. He also encouraged students to write an email or card to a family member and friend and to get outside. If you dont already keep a journal, this time is a great opportunity to start one, he wrote. As I told a student last week, coronavirus now is a part of your lifes story and of our history. Graduation ceremonies for Virginias community colleges, including Piedmont Virginia Community College, are canceled, Glenn DuBois, chancellor of the community college system, announced Tuesday. DuBois made the decision following a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation to cancel or postpone gatherings of 50 or more people over the next eight weeks, a guideline Gov. Ralph Northam echoed Tuesday morning when he said the state would ban gatherings of more than 10 people. DuBois wrote in a letter that the colleges will honor the achievements of graduating students later when it it safe for students, families, faculty and staff. Whats difficult is that the very things that make these ceremonies meaningful also make them dangerous in this pandemic, he wrote. While its a celebration of individual achievements, its a community celebration. Many of the same family members who travel far and wide to attend are at particularly high risk with this virus. And the hugs and high-fives that come naturally to so many of us in that moment fly in the face of the social distancing practices we are asked to observe. PVCC decided last week to switch to online courses. UVa has said it will make a decision about graduation ceremonies by April 15. At the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA, staff members are still going to work but visitors are only allowed by appointment to limit the number of people entering the premises. The SPCA rummage store is closing for the next two weeks, effective Tuesday, and public spay/neuter services have been suspended, according to the organization Many people have reached out asking how they can help the animals in our care, said Angie Gunter, chief executive office of the CASPCA, in a news release. The most urgent need at the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA is for animals to get out through adoption or foster. The organization highlighted a World Health Organization statement that there is no evidence that dogs, cats or other companion animals spread the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. We hope that people will make an appointment to adopt or foster a pet to spend time with while they're at home, Gunter said. For more information on adopting or fostering, go to http://caspca.org/. The Jefferson Area Board for Aging is suspending operations at its community senior centers and the Charlottesville Adult Care Center as well as closing its Charlottesville office to visitors. The senior centers are stopping operations Tuesday along with meal operations. The adult care center will stop operations Friday. For those who relied on the senior centers for daily meals, JABA said in its announcement that it's working to arrange home delivery. For more information about JABAs operations and what older adults need to know about COVID-19, go to https://www.jabacares.org/covid-19-jaba-operations-update. The Charlottesville Police Department is suspending front counter services and is closing facilities to the public. In-person requests for police reports, fingerprinting services and taxi cab license registrations will be suspended until further notice, the department said Tuesday. Sex offender registrations and updates will continue. During this time, members of the public can request police reports and crash reports by emailing RecordsTeam@charlottesville.org, calling (434) 970-3280, faxing (434) 970-3233 or sending mail to 606 East Market Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902, ATTN: Records. Please call 911 to report an emergency, or (434) 977-9041 for non-emergency requests. Local Social Security offices, including the Charlottesville office in Pantops, will be closed starting Tuesday, but staff members will be available over the phone. This decision protects the population we serveolder Americans and people with underlying medical conditionsand our employees during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, officials with the Social Security Administration wrote in a news release. However, we are still able to provide critical services. For Social Security services, individuals can go online at socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices to apply for retirement, disability or other benefits and find more information. The local offices will be still conducting business over the phone. The administration's field office locator has information on how to get into touch with local staff members. Calls might come from a private number, and the news release notes that Social Security employees will not threaten individuals or ask for any form of payment. Starting Wednesday, Charlottesville Area Transits Downtown Transit Station will reduce its hours of operation in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. CAT buses will continue to run their regular routes, though CAT staff are using CDC-approved cleaning materials to disinfect all high-touch areas on buses and in facilities. The downtown station will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more updates, go to www.catchthecat.org. Many local businesses, events, organizations and offices are changing their hours and offerings amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Please check with a location before you visit for the most up-to-date information. 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. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan Wed, March 18, 2020 16:34 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b9bdbb 1 National COVID-19,coronavirus,outbreak,pandemic,UNESCO,Toba-Caldera-Geopark,geopark,North-Sumatra Free UNESCO has postponed its announcement of Toba Caldera Geopark in North Sumatra as a member of its Global Geoparks, as the United Nations cultural body postponed its 209th plenary session in Paris, which was to take place in April. Toba Caldera Geopark general manager Wan Hidayati confirmed the announcement postponement, saying she had received an email from Kristof Vandenberghe of UNESCOs International Geoscience and Geoparks Program. "The announcement of the Toba Caldera Geopark as a member of the UNESCO Global Geopark should have been delivered at the UNESCO plenary session next month. However, the plenary session was postponed to anticipate the spread of COVID-19, Wan told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday. As of Wednesday, there were 7,695 COVID-19 positive cases in France, 148 of which have died of the disease, according to data compiled by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering. Read also: Indonesia eyes UNESCO recognition for Belitung, Toba Caldera geoparks While the plenary session was postponed until further notice, Wan added that the plan to hand over the UNESCO Global Geopark placard to Toba Caldera Geopark management was still scheduled to take place in Jeju, South Korea in September. She hoped the placard handover would not be delayed too, as North Sumatra communities had been waiting for it. The establishment of the Global Geopark status was believed to increase foreign tourist visits and boost Lake Toba tourism. "We have been waiting for this geopark to be part of UNESCO Global Geopark for nine years, since we first proposed it to the UN in 2011. This has been a long wait, Wan said. The geopark, which includes Lake Toba, is one of the largest volcanic lakes in the world. There are 147 sites in 41 countries in the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network, according to the organizations official website. Four out of 15 national geoparks in Indonesia have been designated under the network as of 2018. (aly) The Uttarakhand government on Wednesday lifted a ban imposed in September last year on promotions in the state government jobs. The freeze on promotions in the state jobs was lifted by an order issued by Chief Secretary Utpal Kumar Singh. In his order, Singh said that the moratorium on promotion was being lifted in the light of a Supreme Court order last month which had set aside a high court ruling, which, in turn, had struck down a state government's decision dating back to September 2012 not to provide reservation in promotions. The government order lifts the stay on promotions in state government jobs, educational institutions, public undertakings and autonomous bodies, the chief secretary said in his order. Reservation in promotions was not a fundamental right, the Supreme Court had said. Citing the operative part of the apex court order to justify the move, Singh said the government order dated September 11, 2019 is revoked so that action on an earlier government order dated Sept 5, 2012 can be taken. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) - The World Bank donated the cash to the Kenyan government to aid in fighting COVID-19 soon after the virus hit home - The money was donated a day after two more cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Kenya - The president asked citizens to refrain from social gatherings such as weddings in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus The World Bank has donated KSh 6 billion to the Kenyan government to help fight the deadly coronavirus. The bank said KSh 10 billion was from the COVID-19 Financing Facility while KSH 50 billion was from the Contingency Emergency Response component of Transforming Health Systems for Universal Care Project. READ ALSO: Coronavirus is proof that God is supreme - Citam Bishop David Oginde The World Bank gave the Kenyan government the money to aid in the fight against coronavirus. Photo: Business daily. Source: UGC READ ALSO: KRA loses bid to overturn stay order stopping it from collecting KSh 9bn from Keroche The financial agency made the announcement on Twitter a day after Kenya confirmed two new cases of the deadly virus. "The World Bank has committed $60M (KSh 6.2 billion) to help the government of Kenya respond to COVID-19," said World Bank. In a statement from Harambee House, President Uhuru Kenyatta said the two patients had been in contact with the first patient. The president further announced a number of measures that would limit the spread of the virus. READ ALSO: Coronavirus: DCI yasitisha shughuli ya upeanaji wa vyeti vya nidhamu For starters, the head of state also ordered for the closure of learning institutions from Monday, March 16, for day primary and secondary schools whereas boarding schools were given up to Wednesday, March 18, to suspend learning. He further suspended flights from all countries that have confirmed cases of COVID-19 and said only Kenyan citizens and foreigners with valid passports would be allowed into the country after self-quarantining. Uhuru urged Kenyans to avoid social gatherings such as weddings, places of worship, shopping malls and public transport. He said where applicable, workers should be allowed to work from home. 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 The View is known for its heated debates, especially when it comes to politics. With the current panel of Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, and Meghan McCain, plenty of verbal sparring ensues particularly between Behar and McCain. While spirited verbal discourse has been a staple of the daytime talk show, contention reached a new level between former co-hosts Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Rosie ODonnell who once engaged in an argument on the air that became legendary. Rosie ODonnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck | Amy Sussman/Getty Images A fateful day in May In 2007, ODonnell held the position of moderator on The View alongside co-hosts Hasselbeck, Behar, and Sherri Shepherd. In May of that year, ODonnell had made some comments about the military that did not go over well with conservative viewers. Sixty-hundred-and-fifty-five-thousand Iraqi civilians dead. Who are the terrorists? ODonnell said, according to Good Housekeeping. If you were in Iraq and another country, the United States, the richest in the world, invaded your country and killed 655,000 of your citizens, what would you call us? Some critics saw this as ODonnell labeling the troops as terrorists. Several days later, the topic resurfaced when Hasselbeck asked ODonnell to clarify her statement. Though ODonnell didnt address her question at the time, the subject came up again days later. Heres how it gets spun in the media: Rosie, big fat lesbian loud Rosie, attacks innocent, pure Christian Elisabeth,' ODonnell said. Hasselbeck strongly defended herself at the accusation. I just dont understand why its my fault if people spin words that you put out there or phrases that suggest things, she said to ODonnell. And I gave you an opportunity two days ago to clarify the statement that got you in trouble on all those things. From there, things spun out of control with name-calling and show director Mark Gentile deciding to cash in on the ruckus with a split screen of the two co-hosts. Two days later, ODonnell announced she was leaving the show three weeks before her contract was up. Behars take on the argument and ODonnells take on Behar During the tumultuous exchange, Behar tried calling on her comedic skills. Is there no commercial on this show? she said at the time, hoping to lighten the moment. What are we on PBS? In Ramin Setoodahs book Ladies Who Punch: The Explosive Inside Story of The View, Behar revealed that she was not a fan of the 10-minute showdown. I didnt enjoy it, she said. I thought people were complicit in making it go on and on. And then the director put up a split screen, which made Rosie very angry. ODonnell was upset with those behind the camera and in front. It was like a girl fight from high school, she told Setoodah. And it hurt my feelings. Not just what Elisabeth did. What Mark Gentile did. What Joy Behar did. She brought up the topic and stoked the fire, and they went right to the split screen. The former co-host referenced Behars close relationship with the shows previous moderator, Meredith Vieira. She was very good friends with Meredith, ODonnell remembered. I think it was upsetting to Joy that I came in and got all this attention. Shepherd said no to interviews Shepherd recalled trying to talk to both co-hosts when they were off the air. After it ended, I said, Elisabeth Youve got to calm down, the former panelist said. Then I was with Rosie. She said, I cant take this. Im so tired of this. It was like watching your parents fight. With the verbal battle caught live on the air, news outlets began having a field day with the controversy, labeling it as a catfight. When I left, everybody in the world called me, Shepherd said. They wanted to know if they could fly me out to talk about it. I said, Its none of my business. And it would be a disservice, because I didnt know the behind the scenes. Former executive producer Bill Geddie vividly remembered the vehement exchange and its effect on the studio audience. People were talking about being in the audience like theyd witnessed a mass shooting, he told Setoodah. It was a horrible experience. I hope I never have to go through anything like that again I remember thinking we absolutely terrorized the audience that day. They didnt know where to look and where to turn and couldnt wait to get the hell out of there. While Behar and McCain will most likely continue their political squabbles, its doubtful there will be a repeat of the infamous ODonnell-Hasselbeck scuffle. When Linda Scruggs and her partner, Mike Rustici, booked a spring break trip to Peru, they began training for a four-day hike to Machu Picchu, an ancient city in the Andes Mountains. But after the couple went to bed early on the night of Sunday, March 15, to rest up for their journey, Peru President Martin Vizcarra announced that Peruvian borders would close at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, March 16 due to the spread of coronavirus. Linda Scruggs and her partner, Mike Rustici, touring Sacred Valley, Peru just hours before the announcement was made that the country was closing borders and going into lockdown due to coronavirus. (Linda Scruggs) Things got chaotic quickly, Scruggs said. "We got a knock on our hotel door that there was an emergency message for all hotel guests," Scruggs told TODAY Parents via email. "When we got up and went to the lobby, all of the guests were talking and frantically trying to call airlines, but I quickly realized it was pointless as all airlines were cancelling flights." The U.S. Embassy in Lima, Peru issued a statement on their website on March 16, warning that on the evening of March 15, the Peruvian government declared a state of emergency calling for 15 days of mandatory quarantine. The only exemptions for movement are to obtain food or medical care. "All borders (land, air, and maritime) will be closed as of 11:59 p.m. on March 16," the statement reads. "American Citizens with flights into or out of Peru should contact their airlines to discuss options for rescheduling. If travelers are unable to rebook their flights to the United States or another port of entry, they should make arrangements for lodging in Peru for the duration of the quarantine period." For Scruggs, who also writes and shares about parenting on social media as @unboxedmom, and the estimated hundreds of U.S. citizens who are now unable to leave Peru, the situation is complicated and, at times, feels unsafe. Scruggs said that the general manager of their hotel in Sacred Valley initially told guests they'd be able to remain at the hotel at no cost until they were able to get out of the country. Later, they were told they'd be sent away from the hotel in taxis. Story continues We are Americans now stuck in Peru. Airlines are cancelling flights before the travel ban at midnight. They gave less than 24 hours notice here to leave so many of us cannot get out. SOS @andersoncooper @NBCNews @ABC @NC5 Cant reach the US Embassy for any info. #COVID2019 Linda Scruggs, BSN, RN (@UnboxedMom) March 16, 2020 "They said the property was exposed to the mountains and was a target for groups with machetes who may try and come," explained Scruggs. "Obviously this was terrifying and all of us packed up quickly. We all tried reaching the U.S. Embassy, the hotel staff were trying to reach the embassy as well as their connections within the country and nobody could get in touch with anyone, much less get a response." Along with 25 other hotel guests, Scruggs and Rustici were transported by taxi to Cusco, a two-hour drive from their original hotel. Scruggs says the area was overcrowded, ill-prepared for the influx of travelers and had limited medical resources, so they decided to leave. Scruggs and Rustici have four children between them, and are desperate to get back to the U.S. with their families. (Linda Scruggs) "Mike and I were the only ones we know of from our group who were able to get on one of the last flights out of Cusco on Monday night to Lima before the midnight lockdown," said Scruggs, who lives in Nashville, Tennessee. "We arrived in Lima on Monday night at 11 p.m. and most of the airport was already shutting down police were outside in force and no taxis or Uber were available." The couple accepted a ride from an illegal taxi and arrived at their hotel in Lima just 10 minutes before the lockdown went into effect. We are #stuckinperu after their govt went into lockdown with less than 27 hours notice. There was no chance of getting out due to airline cancellations. There has been NO help or response from the US embassy. Help, hundreds of Americans are here. https://t.co/c7ML3hF1kT Linda Scruggs, BSN, RN (@UnboxedMom) March 17, 2020 Both Scruggs and Rustici are divorced and have two children each. Their kids, who range in age from 8 to 14, are all in the U.S. with their other parents. Scruggs says they decided to take the trip to Peru "knowing the kids were good and set" back at home. Now, Scruggs and Rustici just want to return to their families. "At the time, we feel like we made an informed decision, but now knowing the outcome, this has certainly been a learning experience," said Scruggs, who has been reassuring her own kids of her safety through FaceTime. "We realized this was a possibility, but we thought we would have a few days to get out at worst, and also assumed after registering with the embassy prior to our departure there would be some communication and warning so we could take action." The day before the president of Peru announced the border closure, Scruggs says they went zip-lining and had no indication that the mandatory quarantine was about to be put into place. (Linda Scruggs) Scruggs says she and other travelers have formed WhatsApp and Telegram groups for U.S. citizens stuck in Peru, and are trying to stay in touch and get attention and assistance from the U.S. by using the #stuckinperu hashtag on social media. "As parents, one of the concerns here is the safety not just for ourselves, but for young adults staying in hostels here who have limited access to food and supplies," said Scruggs. "Stores are closed, everything is shut down and people are being stopped by the police when they try to get to the grocery store that is open." Scruggs says in the days prior to the border closure, there was no indication that coronavirus had become so severe in Peru that a shutdown was on the horizon. "Everything was absolutely fine leading up to this and we were enjoying the Peruvian culture," said Scruggs. "Peruvian people we spoke with were appreciative that some tourists were there and no communication from our travel agent, our tour company for the Machu Picchu hike or our hotel indicated this right up until the moment it happened." Exactly this. We all tried to get out but lack of info, time restrictions, airline cancellations, and NO help from the US are making many Americans who have limited supplies quite nervous. #stuckinperu https://t.co/rQIiXTEBKX Linda Scruggs, BSN, RN (@UnboxedMom) March 17, 2020 The U.S. Embassy in Peru sent auto-reply email from the American Citizen Services division of the embassy when TODAY Parents reached out. "U.S. citizens in Peru who wish to return to the U.S. before March 30 should change your flights to depart today if possible," it reads. "Flights availability are extremely limited if not unavailable," the email reads. "Contact your air carrier to make changes immediately. If you are unable to change your flight, you will have to make arrangements for accommodations locally." "While the U.S. government has successfully evacuated many of our citizens in recent weeks, special 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," the email continues. "U.S. citizens should make plans using commercial travel options." Scruggs says her motto has always been "travel while you can," but now, as she waits to see how the coming days play out, her concern is getting home to her children and her aging mother, who had a stroke a year ago and is currently locked down in her nursing home facility in New York City. "As responsible parents, we realize this is a time of uncertainty everywhere, but this was an extreme measure taken so fast that Americans were never actually given a chance to get back home," Scruggs continued. "We are paying for our hotel, food and supplies, and many people are worried about what will happen if this continues to go on, or if security will become more of an issue here if things deteriorate." Taiwan, unencumbered by political obligations to China the self-governing island has a tense relationship with Beijing, which views Taiwan as its territory had the structure in place to cope. A year after SARS, Taiwan established a National Health Command Center that brought together all levels and branches of government, preparing for the possibility of another disease outbreak. Its interventions over the past two months have been decisive in keeping Taiwan ahead of the curve, said C. Jason Wang, director of the Center for Policy, Outcomes and Prevention at Stanford University. Update Wednesday, March 18, 2020: The Sheldon Park Senior Living resident in Eugene has tested negative for the coronavirus, and the assisted living home is back to regular visitor restrictions. *** People in 34 nursing homes and other long-term care centers in Oregon are suspected of having the new coronavirus, state officials said Tuesday. The people havent tested positive for the disease, but their conditions have prompted the state Department of Human Services to bar all but the most essential people from going into the facilities, said spokeswoman Elisa Williams. And the number of those senior care homes has more than doubled -- from 16 Sunday to the current count. So far, only seven homes have tested free and clear and one home -- the state veterans nursing home in Lebanon -- has tested positive for cases. The rest of the results are still out. A resident over 60 at Sheldon Park Senior Living in Eugene, for instance, was tested for the new coronavirus after he was hospitalized last Friday with a fever and tested negative for influenza, a Lane County spokesman said. As of Tuesday, the residents test results werent yet in, but the person was doing well, a spokeswoman for the assisted living facility said. The Eugene complex is one of an ever-changing number of elder care communities that are taking special precautions under order of the state to prevent the spread of COVID-19. About 45,000 people live in the facilities throughout Oregon. Some of the restrictions on assisted living centers and nursing homes with suspected COVID-19 cases have now been extended to all approximately 2,000 senior care facilities in Oregon, including adult foster homes, as well as group homes for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Among the restrictions: Family and friends are allowed only if a resident is dying. As before, visitors must be screened for risk for having COVID-19 -- including symptoms, travel to a hot spot or contact with a known coronavirus patient. If the visitor is at risk, they must wear protective equipment, stay in the residents room and must restrict physical contact with the resident, among things. For facilities with a suspected, presumptive or confirmed COVID-19 case, additional restrictions apply, such as a ban on all group events. Staff members at the Eugene assisted living home, for example, have been bringing food directly to residents apartments. Families who want to bring something to their loved ones must leave it outside for staff to pick up. Residents awaiting the results of their coronavirus test must be isolated in their rooms. Senior care homes are ideal grounds for coronavirus outbreaks. Elderly people and people with underlying health conditions are among the most vulnerable to the disease, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. The facilities provide the perfect environment for a virus to spread from one person to another. Staff go from room to room, interacting closely with residents, helping them with hygiene and serving them food. Until state restrictions, residents could mingle and eat in common areas. Its impossible to predict the likelihood that the residents now being tested for coronavirus actually have it. Department of Human Services officials believe that many of the illnesses are driven by Oregons continuing flu season and the just-beginning allergy season, Williams said. The state is exercising an abundance of caution with the restrictions, she said. If someone guesses wrong that a person with symptoms doesnt have the disease, Williams said, you cant take that back. If the disease has a chance to spread undetected inside a nursing home or assisted living center, the consequence could be an outbreak among the people most likely to have serious complications from the disease. The evidence exists in Oregon already. Cases in the state veterans home in Lebanon have been growing, with 14 residents and one staff member now testing positive for the coronavirus. In Washington, about 30 people associated with a nursing home have died of the coronavirus. Please contact me if you have any information about the home in Lebanon or questions about nursing home restrictions. -- Fedor Zarkhin fzarkhin@oregonian.com desk: 503-294-7674|cell: 971-373-2905|@fedorzarkhin Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. How to make the most of your quarantine 10 films to watch on Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hotstar The world is shutting down, one city after another, one country after another. Even though coronavirus hasnt as yet reached the community transmission stage in. India, offices around the country are encouraging its employees to work from home. Some are self-quarantining. All of this is a good thing because, at the moment, social distancing could well be our only hope to stop COVID-19 from spreading. But being at home neednt always be a complete wet blanket. Theres enough and more on Netlfix, Amazon Prime and Hotstar to keep you occupied. Conveniently weve zeroed in on ten for you: Yeh Ballet Netflix Ballet meet Gully Boy in this Netflix Original. Amiruddin Shah and Manish Chauhan play the two boys whose life changes when an eccentric ballet teacher comes to down to Mumbai. Directed by Sooni Taraporevala, Yeh Ballet is a fictionalised version of her documentary by the same name. Talvar Netflix Directed by Meghana Gulzar, this incredible retelling of the events around the 2008 Aarushi Talvar murder case stars Irrfan Khan in the lead as an investigator probing the case. Devil's Knot Netflix With Reese Witherspoon and Colin Firth in lead roles (its the rare, possibly the only time, Firth plays an American character), Devils Knot investigates the Memphis Three murders involving three teenagers accused of murdering three young boys in Arkansas, West Memphis. Queen Netflix The movie that catapulted Kangana Ranaut to the top of the pecking order is a coming-of-age movie of a young small-town girl who gets left at the altar. Rajkummar Rao plays the douchebag fiance while Ranaut is the eponymous Rani Mehra. Raazi Amazon Prime Video Inspired by the real-life story of an Indian woman who marries a Pakistan Army officer with the sole purpose of passing information back to RAW. Alia Bhatt stars as the mole to Vicky Kaushals army husband. Tanhaji Hotstar Two parts fact, three parts fiction, Tanhaji is a retelling of Shivajis commander assigned to recapture the strategically important fort of Kondhana (later renamed Sinhagad after Tanaji Malusare who is said to have fought like a lion) from Udaybhan Singh Rathore. Story continues Chhapak Hotstar Director Meghana Gulzar brings to screen the incredible real-life story of Lakshmi Agarwal. Deepika Padukone steps into the shoes of Lakshmi who became the face of acid attacks on women in India. Ocean's 8 Netflix The entire Oceans series is available on Netflix, including the 2018 spin-off starring Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Rihanna, Anne Hathaway, and Helena Bonham Carter among others. Need we say more? Maska Netflix Set to drop on March 27, Maska stars Manisha Koirala as the mother of a 19-year-old aspiring actor willing to sell his familys Irani Cafe to fuel his dreams. Javed Jaffrey plays the (presumably dead) father to Prit Kamanis Rumi in what promises to be a heart-warming tale of finding roots and taking flight. As the world shelters in place amid the COVID-19 crisis, some tech companies are stepping up and offering their products and services free of charge for a limited time. These offers will help organizations set up and protect remote employees faster. In some cases, vendors are also offering support services to help companies through the set-up and deployment processes. Keep in mind that most if not all these offers are extended free trials. At some point, you will be expected to pay for these products and services if you decide to continue using them. Even so, the vendors below are helping the global community better cope with the COVID-19 crisis at a time of very high demand for their offerings. CSO will add new free COVID-19-related services as we learn of them. Vendors offering help may contact CSO using this link. Application security Akamai will provide 60 days of free access to its Business Continuity Assistance Program, which includes it Enterprise Application Access solution. The program is designed to support remote workers and maintain business continuity. Cloudflare is offering small businesses free seats to its zero-trust application protection service through September 1. The company will also throw in a 30-minute onboarding session with one of its experts. FairWarning is offering it Turnkey Solution to protect remote Salesforce users free for 45 days. Venafi is offering its Cloud OutagePREDICT service free for six months. It will alert you to TLS certifications about to expire. Authentication 1Password is removing its 30-day free-trial limit on business accounts for its password management software. Companies can now use 1Password at no cost for six months to manage login credentials. Dashlane is providing three months of its Dashlane Premium or Dashlane Business password management product for free to individuals or businesses who don't already have the service. Identity Automation is offering free temporary MFA and SSO licenses to current and new customers along with installation training. Okta will provide its Okta Identity Cloud service for free to new customers for six months, possibly longer if the situation warrants it. The service includes Okta Single Sign-On (SSO) and Okta Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for up to five applications. Ping Identity is offering six months of free cloud-based SSO and MFA to companies that must support newly remote employees. Existing customers can receive six months of free MFA. RSA is offering its RSA SecurID Access product for multi-factor authentication to new customers free for six months. Existing customers can take advantage of RSA's Business Continuity Option to expand the number of users on RSA SecurID Access without increasing their budget. SecureAuth is offering its Intelligent Identity Cloud package, which includes MFA and single sign-on capabilities, for free until December 15, 2020. Wultra has waived the first six months of its license fee on its Wultra Mobile Security authentication technologies for banking and fintech apps. Email security GreatHorn is offering 60 days of free access to its GreatHorn Email Security threat detection and remediation platform to organizations facing disruptions due to the COVID-19 crisis. Trustifi is offering a free 90-day trial of its email security solutions to companies with 50 employees or more. Encryption Beachhead Solutions is offering free additional licenses to current managed service provider (MSP) customers of its SimplySecure service. This will allow them to support an increase in remote workers within their client bases. Beachhead offers cloud-managed PC and mobile device encryption, security and data access control. MSP customer must submit a request to support@beachheadsolutions.com and channelteam@beachheadsolutions.com with the number of licenses needed and for which clients. PreVeil is offering its encrypted email and file-sharing solutions for free to critical infrastructure organizations on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. This includes federal, state and local governments and agencies; first reponders and crisis management teams, and healthcare non-profits. VERA is offering its encryption and data security platform free for 90 days to companies supporting remote workers. Endpoint protection and Phishing Protection AppGuard is offering its AppGuard Solo endpoint protection solution free of charge for the next 90 days to business that need to support more remote workers. Baramundi Software has put together an Emergency UEM Package for IT Admins that's free for the duration of the crisis. It helps maintain endpoint security through patch management and vulnerability scans. Carbonite is extending free 60-day trials of Carbonite Endpoint Protection and Carbonite Backup for Microsoft Office 365 starting April 1. WatchGuard Technologies has created its WatchGuard Passport bundle of security services that are free for 120 for up to 250 users. Services include anti-phishing protection, web policy enforcement and authentication. Fraud protection The Authoriti Network is making its Permission Code-based payments fraud protection service available at no cost to state and local governments. Healthcare-specific offers Adelia Risk is offering its HIPAA Mail free for 60 days for all new US clients. It provides HIPAA-compliant Google apps such as Gmail and Google Drive, encrypted email, and spam and phishing protection. Awake Security is offering 60 days of free access to its network traffic analysis platform to hospitals and healthcare organizations to help identify ransomware and other cyber threats from slowing the COVID-19 response. Bitdefender is offering up to 12 months of free enterprise protection of devices for all healthcare organizations. Imprivata is making its Imprivata Confirm ID for Remote Access enterprise multi-factor authentication solution free for all users at healthcare organizations. Logsign is offering a free license for its Logsign SIEM support for hospitals during the COVID-19 crisis. LuxSci is offering its secure email service for free for the next two months for companies that need to send HIPAA-compliant health/safety-related email. It will send up to 25,000 emails per month, and might extend the two-month window if the crisis continues. NCC Group is making its threat intelligence services free to healthcare organizations. NTT will provide free consulting services for incident response and remediation to hospitals in North America, Europe, Australia and Singapore. Hospitals must contact NTT to pre-qualify. TigerConnect will provide its secure healthcare communications platform free of charge to US-based health systems and hospitals to support COVID-19 related communications. New customers can get up to six months of the TigerConnect secure texting service, while existing customers can expand their TigerConnect Essentials licenses for up to six months. Incident response Varonis has formed a COVID-19 Cyber Task Force that provides, among other things, help with incident response. Varonis is also offering a free evaluation licenses of its Data Security Platform for an unspecified amount of time. Network security AppGate is offering a free 90-day Software-Defined Perimeter Pilot to companies implementing work-at-home initiatives. Cisco Webex has expanded its free offerings to include security services for remote employees through July 1, 2020. Those services include Cisco Umbrella to protect users from malicious websites (now free for 90 days), Duo Security to verify users identities and establish device trust, and Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client to allow employees to work from anywhere. For the latter two, (existing customers can now exceed their user limit and new customers can get free access. Fortinet is making its FortiClient VPN solution free of charge for secure remote access. ZeroTier offers open-source SDKs and tools to set up software-defined networks that can support remote workers. There is no fee for most uses. Remote access Banyan Security is offering free usage of its Zero Trust Remote Access product for a limited time to new customers supporting remote workers. Block Armour is making the trial version of its Zero Trust remote access solution fully functional rather than a sandbox. It's also waiving the ost of the Block Armour Secure Shield controller. Cyberinc is offering its Isla browser isolation product for free for up to 50 users through August 31. Ericom is offering a free 60-day license of its Ericom Connect product, which gives browser-based access to business applications, and Ericom Shield Zero Trust for up to 100 employees. Sumo Logic has bundled a number of data analytics tools help ensure the reliability and security of business applications free for 90 days. The Work-From-Home solution includes tools to support SSO, remote access, endpoint security, and productivity apps. It is also offering its Continuous Intelligence Platform free to all educational insititutions to help provide disruption-free online learning. Risk assessment and management CyberGRX is offering up to five of its third-party risk assessments for free to companies transitioning to a remote workforce. Ground Labs is making remote data discovery tool Enterprise Recon NOW, a limited standalone version of its Enterprise Recon solution, free for 90 days. Illusive Networks is offering a free remote attack risk assessment to help identify vulnerabilities in networks reconfigured to support more remote workers. Security awareness and training Checkmarx is making its Codebashing application security awareness training tool available for free for 45 days to support organizations with work-at-home developers. Lucy Security has created a website with free videos, courses, checklists and guides to train work-at-home employees to identify phishing scams and other security threats. MediaPRO has a free course, Staying Secure When Working from Home. The SANS Security Awareness division of the SANS Institute has created the Securely Working from Home deployment kit. The free kit packages public and paid training SANS resources and is designed to give security awareness staff a step-by-step guide on how to rapidly deploy a training program for remote staff. Threat intelligence King & Union, ThreatConnect, and D3i have formed a coalition to provide a collaboration platform and threat intelligence services free for an indefinite time to commercial and government organizations shifting to a remote workforce. ReversingLabs has developed a COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Package and made it available for no cost to industries most affected by the crisis. The package helps organizations build their threat intelligence and response capabilities. Web security ImmuniWeb has added features from its paid product to its free community offering for web and mobile security testing. It is also offering free services and solutions to organizations that are migrating their workflows to the digital space and meet certain requirements. Netsparker is providing free team licenses of its web vulnerability scanning tool to certain organizations including government entities, medical equipment providers, news producers, vaccine and medical research facilities, patient care organizations, hospitals, first responders, and food delivery. Wireless protection Minim will provide four months of its Minim for Remote Workers home security and managed WiFi platform for free to individuals and companies. Minim claims its platform will protect against router attacks, ransomware, network intrusions and other common malware. Ian C. Ballon and Susan L. Heller, shareholders at global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, have been honored by the Daily Journal among its Top Intellectual Property Lawyers of California for 2020. Ballon and Heller are consistently selected for the prestigious annual award, which recognizes attorneys who provide innovative, creative, and winning strategies for clients intellectual property matters, according to the publication. We congratulate Susan and Ian on this honor, said Matthew B. Gorson, Greenberg Traurigs senior chairman. This recognition is a testament to their exceptional talent as attorneys, creative approach to intellectual property matters, and unbending commitment to clients. The Daily Journals Top Intellectual Property Lawyers are selected from among hundreds of nominees from law firms, public agencies, nonprofits, and universities, honoring attorneys on the cutting edge of intellectual property work. Ballon, who is based in the firms Silicon Valley and Los Angeles offices, is co-chair of Greenberg Traurigs global Intellectual Property & Technology Practice Group and represents clients in internet- and mobile- related intellectual property and technology litigation (including copyright, trademark and patent infringement litigation, trade secret and right of publicity litigation, and matters involving database protection, screen scraping and AI) and in the defense of data privacy and cybersecurity class action suits. He is also the author of the leading treatise on internet and mobile law, E-Commerce and Internet Law: Treatise with Forms 2d edition, the 5-volume set published by West (http://www.IanBallon.net), which includes extensive coverage of intellectual property law issues. In addition, he serves as Executive Director of Stanford University Law Schools Center for the Digital Economy, which hosts the annual Digital Economy Best Practices Conference where lawyers, scholars and judges are regularly featured and interact. See https://law.stanford.edu/center-for-digital-economy/#slsnav-contact Ballon was named the Lawyer of the Year for Information Technology Law in the 2020, 2019, 2018, 2016, and 2013 editions of Best Lawyers in America. For the past three years, he has been recognized as one of the Top 1,000 trademark attorneys in the world for his litigation practice by World Trademark Review. In addition, in 2019, he was named one of the top 20 Cybersecurity lawyers in California and, in 2018, one of the Top Cybersecurity/Artificial Intelligence lawyers in California by the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal. He received the 2017 Trailblazer Award, Intellectual Property from The National Law Journal and he has been recognized as a Groundbreaker in The Recorders 2017 Litigation Departments of the Year Awards. He was also the recipient of the California State Bar Intellectual Property Law section's Vanguard Award for significant contributions to the development of intellectual property law. He is an elected member of the American Law Institute and served as an advisor to its international intellectual property jurisdiction project. Heller, co-managing shareholder of Greenberg Traurigs Orange County office, chair of the Global Trademark & Brand Management Group, and co-chair of the global Greenberg Traurig Womens Initiative, is consistently recognized as having one of the preeminent international trademark practices in the country and for being a game-changer in the field. When the stakes are high and critical brands are at risk, Fortune 500 companies, world champion athletes, high-net-worth individuals, A-list celebrities, and highly visible pre-IPO companies turn to Heller for her strategic thought leadership and counsel, honed by three decades of experience. At the forefront of global strategic management and monetization of big name brands on a worldwide level, she is known for developing cutting-edge branding strategies, most notably in "bet-the-brand," high stakes trademark cases. Heller works directly with CEOs and senior executives, in and out of corporate boardrooms. Her practice has spanned over 30 years across virtually every industry and in most jurisdictions throughout the world. Heller serves on the Board of Visitors of UCI Law School, Deans Advisory Board of the UCI Merage School of Business, Executive Committee of the USC IP Institute, and Cornell Universitys President's Council of Cornell Women. She is also a board member of Orange Countys Human Options, an organization focused on breaking the cycle of domestic violence and on the Leadership Committee of 2020 Women on Boards. The National Diversity Council named Heller one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in the US and she was honored with the 2020 Client Choice Award for the Intellectual Property Trademarks Category in California (voted for exclusively by corporate counsel). Euromoney twice named her the winner of its Americas Women in Business Law Awards, Best in Trademark, and Best Lawyers in America named her Lawyer of the Year in Trademark Law for Los Angeles for two years. Heller was named Trade Marks Lawyer of the Year by Finance Monthly Global Awards, Lawyer of the Year for Intellectual Property by Lawyer Monthly, and a WIPR Leader by World Intellectual Property Review. She was also honored by her alma mater, Cornell University, which named her a Distinguished Classmate in 2019. About Greenberg Traurigs Intellectual Property & Technology Practice: With more than 200 intellectual property attorneys and agents in the United States, Asia, and Europe, Greenberg Traurig provides a broad range of patent, trademark and copyright protection and strategic counseling. Greenberg Traurig was named Law Firm of the Year for Trademark Law and a National Tier 1 Law Firm for IP Litigation, Patent Law and Litigation, Copyright Law, and Technology Law by U.S. News and Best Lawyers, 2020 Best Law Firms." About Greenberg Traurig, LLP: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has more than 2,200 attorneys in 41 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, diversity, and innovation, and is consistently among the largest firms in the U.S. on the Law360 400 and among the Top 20 on the Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law. More than two million face masks donated by China's richest man Jack Ma have reached Europe, the new centre of the coronavirus outbreak. The relief arrived as more people have died of the disease in Europe in the past month than those killed by the bug in China since December. Spain and Italy, two worst-hit European countries, received the supplies yesterday while another 1.5 million masks touched down in Belgium today, the 55-year-old tech tycoon announced through his charity foundation. A picture shared by Jack Ma Foundation on Twitter shows medical supplies donated by the billionaire arriving in Europe. Mr Ma, 55, has donated more than two million masks to Europe A worker from the Italian Red Cross is pictured unloading boxes of masks donated by the Chinese billionaire. Italy has been the worst-hit country by the coronavirus in Europe The 55-year-old tycoon has also promised to donate 100,000 masks to every African country The coronavirus has swept through Europe in the past month, killing at least 3,511 people. Meanwhile, the Chinese health authority has reported a total death toll of 3,237 in the country The Italian Red Cross collected the masks after they were sent from Hangzhou, eastern China, to Rome via Liege in Belgium, a tweet from the Jack Ma Foundation said. While the Ministry of Spain yesterday also confirmed the delivery of 500,000 masks posted by Mr Ma from Shanghai to Zaragoza. The resources that arrived today are due to be shared between France, Slovenia and Belgium. Mr Ma, the founder of e-commerce conglomerate Alibaba, has promised to provide more masks and test kits to Europe to help it curb the outbreak. Europe recorded its first known death from the coronavirus on February 15. The victim, an 80-year-old Chinese man, died in France after arriving in the country from Hubei, the then epicentre, on January 16. Since then, the contagion has swept through the continent, killing at least 3,511 people. The Chinese health authority has reported a total death toll of 3,237 in the country since the epidemic started in the central city of Wuhan in late December. A plane carrying more than 1.5 million face masks is pictured arriving in Liege, Belgium, on Wednesday. The resources are due to be shared between France, Slovenia and Belgium The pandemic has claimed more than 7,470 lives and infected at least 187,540 worldwide The number of infections in Europe, which stood at 80,670 as of writing, is just 224 less than the Chinese total. China has seen a sharp drop of coronavirus cases in the past month after Beijing imposed draconian measures to stop the spread. The country reported just one infection both today and yesterday. In the height of the epidemic in mid-February, up to 15,152 people were diagnosed with the disease in a day in China. Police officers check a pedestrian in Boulogne Billancourt, France, on Wednesday. French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday announced dramatic measures to stem the outbreak A cleaner worker cleans the pavement of Plaza Mayor square in Madrid, Spain, on Wednesday. More than 11,400 have been infected in the country and at least 499 have died of the disease Istituto Clinico Casalpalocco Covid 3 hospital Medical Director Antonio Marchesi wears a mask as he gives a tour for the media of ICU positions set up at the private clinic to tend to coronavirus patients, in Casalpalocco, on the outskirts of Rome, on Wednesday The worldwide infection toll for the killer coronavirus topped 200,000 today after doubling in less than two weeks. Cases of the highly contagious virus now exceed 203,000, according to data compiled by the John Hopkins University. The global toll reached six figures on March 7, more than two months after the outbreak first began in Wuhan, China, in late December. But another 100,000 people were infected in just 11 days since then, largely due to a surge in cases in Europe, sparking fears the crisis will only continue to get worse. At least 160 countries and territories around the world have reported cases in every continent except Antarctica. The John Hopkins University also recorded 8,006 deaths, suggesting around 4 per cent of patients who catch the virus die from it. Electronic Payments continues to deploy essential equipment and supplies to merchants nationwide during COVID-19 pandemic. If we can all take small steps to reduce the burdens on obtaining capital or waive certain fees and charges during this unprecedented experience, our entire economy will be better for it and SMBs can thrive once this crisis passes. Past News Releases RSS Leading innovator in payments and point of sale technologies, Electronic Payments, today announced they will temporarily suspend monthly TableTurn and Exatouch Point of Sale support costs and their related AppMarket fees to assist the most vulnerable business sector in the United States economy, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), during the coronavirus pandemic. The three-month billing suspension from March through May 2020 will help to alleviate the potential economic impact facing merchants due to COVID-19, including a decrease in sales and workforce capacity, facility remediation and clean-up costs, and unforeseen business closure. SMBs are the nations largest employer and have the greatest impact on their communities, and they are oftentimes family owned and operated. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are more than 30 Million SMBs employing more than 59 Million people. Many of these merchants use point of sale solutions, such as TableTurn and Exatouch, to manage business operations. By waiving standard support and AppMarket costs, Electronic Payments provides savings that empower merchants to respond more readily to market fluctuations, additional business expenditures, and potential cash flow reductions over the coming months. The suspension of wireless access fees benefits businesses that require remote payment processing. These merchants may not have access to WiFi connectivity due to the mobile nature of their businesses, such as restaurants that offer delivery or curbside pickup, taxi drivers, contractors, etc. Additionally, Electronic Payments is working with their various lending partners to streamline merchant access to capital, reduce lending and cash advance fees, and eliminate any commissions that the company may receive from these lending efforts. This ensures that SMBs obtain essential capital and cash flow at the best price on the market, and reaffirms that Electronic Payments is not capitalizing on the novel coronavirus pandemic. Electronic Payments processes in excess of $13 Billion in annual volume, more than $1 Billion each month for our core clients, SMBs all across the country, said Michael Nardy, Electronic Payments Founder and CEO. While we have business continuity and contingency plans in place for our staff, we are also thinking about our clients who are the lifeblood of our company and contribute to our success. Their business, literally, is our business. While merchants will still pay normal processing charges, other reductions in the cost of doing business will help. If we can all take small steps to reduce the burdens on obtaining capital or waive certain fees and charges during this unprecedented experience, our entire economy will be better for it and SMBs can thrive once this crisis passes. Other merchant cost reductions include the shipping and handling of terminal replacements and paper supplies. Every month, Electronic Payments ships thousands of packages from their warehouse in Calverton, New York. If a merchant experiences a broken terminal or depletes their inventory of receipt paper, Electronic Payments will ship supplies directly to the merchant at no additional shipping cost, guaranteeing merchants business continuity without extra charges. To learn more about Electronic Payments merchant services programs, products, and services, visit http://www.electronicpayments.com. Contact: Electronic Payments Amber Josi VP of Marketing Communications amber@electronicpayments.com (800) 966-5520, ext. 286 About Electronic Payments Continuously innovating with new technologies, Electronic Payments has distinguished itself as one of the most highly regarded payment and transaction processing companies in the United States. Electronic Payments currently serves businesses in all types of industries and acquires new merchants through a network of POS value-added resellers (VARS), agent banks, sales agents, and independent sales offices (ISOs). Visit http://www.electronicpayments.com for more information. The Detroit automakers have agreed to shut down their U.S. manufacturing facilities due to worker concerns about the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Associated Press (AP) has reported. The move is expected to idle roughly 150,000 workers. The decision represents a dramatic change of course for Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F), General Motors (NYSE:GM), and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (NYSE:FCAU), one that will have a major impact on their revenue and sales in the near term. As recently as this morning, the 3 automakers had planned to keep the plants open after agreeing to enhanced safety and cleaning measures in a meeting with United Auto Workers (UAW) union leaders on Tuesday night. But, as first reported by the AP, continued pressure from UAW leaders on Wednesday, and Honda Motor's (NYSE:HMC) decision on Wednesday morning to shut down all of its North American factories for at least six days, convinced the U.S. automakers to change course. In a statement, Ford said that it will close all of its manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico until March 30 to "thoroughly clean and sanitize" the plants to ensure workers safety. The plants will shut down after Thursday's work shifts. Ford said it has already closed one U.S. factory. The final assembly building at Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant, near Detroit, was shut down for cleaning and disinfection after an employee tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. The factory's production will remain halted through March 30, Ford said. GM said in a statement that it will begin a "systematic orderly suspension of manufacturing operations in North America due to market conditions and to deep clean facilities and continue to protect people." GM expects the shutdowns to last until "at least March 30," it said. It was not immediately clear how FCA planned to proceed. Have you ever met someone, listened to their story, and thought to yourself, "That person has all the luck"? That's a common reaction. But if we carefully analyze situations, we learn that luck has little to do with success. What matters most are the actions taken by that seemingly "lucky" person, as well as the behaviors they wisely chose to avoid. Through my research for my book "How to Create Your Own Luck," which involved over 50 interviews with business leaders and more than six months of writing and revisions, I discovered that while the lucky ones pay attention, work hard, and have a tremendous capacity to follow through and persevere, they also possess several of eight counterintuitive traits that allow them to solve problems and make the most of the opportunities that come their way. Here are eight things "lucky" people do that most others try to avoid: 1. They talk to strangers 2. They make small talk While many people might think that small talk is banal and not worth the effort, people who create their own luck see small talk as a bridge. Building a rapport with those introductory chats can lead to bigger conversations, relationships, and key information that they can parlay into truly game-changing opportunities. 3. They eavesdrop as well as listen While being an excellent listener serves people well, I've found that you can increase your opportunities by not actively engaging in conversation. Eavesdropping is something that those seemingly lucky people do. Sometimes you will overhear something a thought, a fact, or an idea that sparks an action, a revelation, or a question. Video by Courtney Stith 4. They name-drop While it is something we are taught not to do, don't be afraid to name drop. If a job at your dream company opens up, it means not being afraid to ask your old roommate, a former colleague, or your cousin if they can connect you to their friend who works there. Even if it doesn't work out the way you hope, you've still developed a valuable relationship. 5. They offer and ask for help Being able to do both is the foundation of savvy networking. Successful people don't just give support, they let others know they need help and what that help is. And they acknowledge the help and express their gratitude. When Sara Blakely first launched Spanx, big names like Neiman-Marcus, Bloomingdale's, and Saks agreed to sell her products. But still she needed help. So she went to her contacts and acquaintances and asked that they request Spanx specifically when they went shopping at those stores. She promised to send a check as a token of her appreciation. Over two decades later, she is still in business in part because she wasn't afraid to utilize her network. 6. They stray from the path Although they may have professional training, education, and experiences in one area, the lucky ones often decide to follow the road not taken. Take Jansen Chan, for example. He graduated from the UC Berkeley School of Architecture, but after two years as an architect, he decided he wanted to pursue his passion for creating and designing pastries. So he went to France to study, apprenticed with chefs, and was hired as the pastry chef at New York's Oceana. Today, he is the director of pastry operations at the International Culinary Center. He still uses his design skills, but now his creations are edible and delicious. Video by Courtney Stith 7. They don't burn bridges Whether leaving a job, a relationship, a career, or just a room, having a positive parting allows people to return, even briefly, without hard feelings, bitterness, or embarrassment. Make people feel seen and understood, and they will return the favor. 8. They say 'yes' often Columbia-Greene Media has recently teamed up with the US Postal Service to provide same-day delivery of your local newspaper with your mail. Our expanded daily delivery of your local news reaches into the following areas: The director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Balram Bhargava, said on Tuesday that the country's apex health research body had not discovered any evidence of community transmission of Covid-19 yet and that all 500 random samples had tested negative for coronavirus. "We at ICMR are regularly monitoring for community transmissions. Our labs are looking at random samples of patients who suffer from influenza like illnesses/ severe acute," he said. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor President Donald Trump. Evan Vucci/AP In the days before Donald Trump's inauguration, outgoing Obama administration officials trained his incoming administration on how to deal with a pandemic. Politico said it obtained documents from the meeting and spoke with more than a dozen people who attended the training, which was described as "weird" at best. One member of Trump's Cabinet, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, reportedly dozed off, and others questioned why they had to be there. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. When President Donald Trump visited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this month as coronavirus cases accelerated in the US, he said that "you can never really think" that something like this might happen. But it turns out the Obama administration did think this was something Trump could face in office and took steps to brief his appointees on how to respond to an outbreak before he took over in 2017. Politico reported on Monday that it obtained documents from that legally mandated training and spoke with more than a dozen attendees, from the Obama and Trump administration sides. Obama officials, they said, explained what the Trump administration would have to do when faced with a pandemic. The model scenario was similar to the coronavirus outbreak: an outbreak that crops up in Asia, spreads to the US, and exposes problems like shortages of ventilators and antiviral drugs. While most of the Trump administration officials paid attention, others tuned out and questioned why they had to be there, Politico's sources said. President Barack Obama shaking hands with Trump at Trump's inauguration in 2017. During the transition from the Obama administration to the Trump administration, a training was held to get the president-elect's appointees up to speed on how to respond to a pandemic. Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross was said to have dozed off at points during the three-hour training. A senior Obama administration official said Ross and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos were "especially dismissive in conversations on the sidelines of the session." (A representative for Ross denied that he fell asleep, saying he "found the meeting quite interesting and informative." DeVos' representative said that "this is nothing more than a hit piece with no basis in reality.") Story continues "There were people who were there who said, 'This is really stupid and why do we need to be here,'" the senior Obama administration told Politico. When asked whether any information from the session made its way to the president-elect, a former senior Trump administration official wasn't sure. But they told Politico that hypotheticals like that were not "the kind of thing that really interested the president very much." Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross is said to have dozed off at points during the three-hour pandemic training in 2017. Andrew Harnik/AP "He was never interested in things that might happen. He's totally focused on the stock market, the economy, and always bashing his predecessor and giving him no credit," the source said. "The possibility things were things he didn't spend much time on or show much interest in." The Trump administration has faced strong criticism for its handling of the outbreak, from a lack of testing kits to Trump's repeated misstatements at press conferences. As Politico pointed out, one of the challenges of the training was that Trump's appointees largely did not have government experience. "The problem is that they came in very arrogant and convinced that they knew more than the outgoing administration full swagger," another former Obama administration official told Politico. Another issue is that the administration's high turnover means that about two-thirds of the people who attended the training had left the White House by the time of the coronavirus outbreak. Read the original article on Business Insider Mario Falcone and his fiancee Becky Miesner have been forced to call off their Italian wedding amid the global coronavirus pandemic. The former TOWIE star, 32, and the make-up artist - who share son Parker, 16 months - were scheduled to tie the knot on May 28 in the hard-hit country following a nearly three-year engagement. Taking to Instagram on Tuesday evening, 'heartbroken' Becky told her social media followers: 'Thursday 28th May 2020 was going to be our wedding day in Italy but we have decided to cancel due to the current situation, heartbroken.' [sic] Unfortunate: Mario Falcone and his fiancee Becky Miesner have been forced to call off their Italian wedding amid the coronavirus pandemic (pictured with son Parker in December) The salon owner later insisted the crisis hasn't stopped the couple from getting on with everyday life, as she shared a snap of her immaculate kitchen with the caption: 'Coronavirus or not I do love a spotless house.' Media personality Mario - who is of Italian origin from his father's side - popped the question to his girlfriend in Santorini back in June 2017, with the couple welcoming their first child together in November 2018. The reality star has been in a happy relationship with Becky since late 2016, after his previous engagement to Lucy Mecklenburgh came to a memorably acrimonious end in 2012. Chaos: 'Heartbroken' Becky took to Instagram to inform her social media followers on the situation. The couple are yet to confirm a rescheduled date 'Heartbroken': The ex-TOWIE star, 32, and the make-up artist were scheduled to tie the knot on May 28 in the hard-hit country following a nearly three-year engagement (pictured in 2018) His ex Lucy, 28, has also moved on as the fitness enthusiast welcomed her first child, baby boy Roman Ravello, into the world last week with her fiance, actor Ryan Thomas, 35. Mario and Becky's difficult decision comes as there has been a total of 2,503 deaths out of 31,506 cases of coronavirus in the European country - the most anywhere outside of mainland China. Coronavirus was classed a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) last week, leading the Italian government to implement a nationwide lockdown. Just the three of us: The reality star has been in a happy relationship with Becky since late 2016 (pictured with their 16-month-old last month) Sporting events, music festival and other social gatherings have been either cancelled or postponed due to the crisis. Countries across the world are taking measures to halt the outbreak of coronavirus, with Italian automobile company Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announcing on Monday that it is suspending production across most of its European plants through to March 27. Nearly 200,000 people around the world have been infected and almost 8,000 have died since the outbreak began last December. (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Senate cleared an economic relief package that would provide paid sick leave, food assistance and financial help for virus testing. President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act, allowing the government to boost manufacturing of masks and protective equipment. The New York Stock Exchange will close its trading floors and go fully electronic. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo mandated that non-essential businesses have no more than half their workforce in the office. Europe surpassed China in the number of coronavirus infections. Schools in England will close. German Chancellor Angela Merkel signaled she may be open to joint European Union debt. Financial markets spasmed, sending U.S. stocks down more than 5% and Bloombergs dollar index to a record. Key Developments: Cases hit 205,883 worldwide, deaths exceed 8,205Trudeau unveils stimulus worth 3% of economyNew York gets hospital ship from NavyJapan Olympic committee still planning summer eventEurope cant stop pandemic from rocking its foundationsThe U.S. and Canada closed its border to non-essential traffic.Gap plans to close some stores, and U.K. supermarkets are rationing Subscribe to a daily update on the virus from Bloombergs Prognosis team here. Click VRUS on the terminal for news and data on the coronavirus and here for maps and charts. For analysis of the impact from Bloomberg Economics, click here. To see the impact on oil and commodities demand, click here. NYSE to Move to Fully Electronic Trading (4:55 p.m. NY) The New York Stock Exchange will temporarily close its equities and options trading floors, moving to all-electronic trading starting Monday. While we are taking the precautionary step of closing the trading floors, we continue to firmly believe the markets should remain open and accessible to investors, said NYSE President Stacey Cunningham. The markets will continue to operate under normal trading hours. Senate Passes Relief Bill, Plans for More Stimulus (4:25 p.m. NY) Story continues The Senate cleared the second major bill responding to the pandemic. The 90-8 vote, following House passage on Saturday, sends President Donald Trump a measure providing paid sick leave, food assistance for vulnerable populations and financial help for coronavirus testing. As the Senate voted, Republican and Democratic leaders were already working on the next proposal. I will not adjourn the Senate until we have passed a far bolder package that includes significant relief for small businesses, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the floor of the chamber. Read the full story here Navy Hospital Ship Weeks Away From NYC Deployment (3:13 p.m NY) The Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort will be dispatched to New York City as coronavirus cases almost doubled, Governor Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday. The floating hospital, which has previously been sent to disaster zones like Haiti and post-Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, can help free 1,000 beds when it arrives in a few weeks, the governor said. Another ship, the Mercy, will head to the West Coast. Defense Secretary Mark Esper told reporters on Tuesday that hospital ships arent equipped to handle infectious disease patients but could provide care for trauma victims, allowing more beds in hospitals on land to handle those with the coronavirus. Read full story here Gates Says Shutdowns Could Last 10 Weeks (2:20 p.m. NY) Bill Gates, who last week said hes stepping down from the board of Microsoft Corp. to devote more time to philanthropy, told Reddit users on Wednesday that the coronavirus shutdown could last as long as 10 weeks -- if things go well. If a country does a good job with testing and shut down then within 6-10 weeks they should see very few cases and be able to open back up, he said. Detroit Automakers to Temporarily Shut U.S. Plants (2:20 p.m. NY) General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co., and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV will temporarily shut down their U.S. plants. Ford will halt operations at all North American manufacturing facilities after Thursday evening shifts, according to a statement. GM and Fiat Chrysler also plan to idle their factories, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified ahead of official announcements. U.S. Mayors Request $250 Billion in Federal Aid (2:20 p.m. NY) The U.S. Conference of Mayors requested $250 billion from the federal government to aid local governments fighting the coronavirus outbreak. Cities are the front lines in addressing this public health crisis, according to the groups letter to U.S. House and Senate leaders on Wednesday. Johnson Closes Schools in England (1:30 p.m. NY) U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said schools will close from Friday, increasing restrictions on the British population as the country grapples with a spiraling coronavirus crisis. Johnsons announcement covers English schools, after administrators in Scotland and Wales earlier told schools in those regions to prepare to close from Friday. After schools shut their gates on Friday afternoon, they will remain closed for most pupils, the vast majority of pupils, until further notice, Johnson said. School sites will be kept open to provide care to the children of key workers, Johnson said. U.S. Allows Doctors to Work Across State Borders (12:59 p.m. NY) Doctors and medical professionals will soon be allowed to practice across state lines, Vice President Mike Pence said. The step may help health workers move to hotspots where the new coronavirus is spreading and in some cases infecting hospital staff. Pence said the Department of Health and Human Services will issue the regulation Wednesday. New Jersey Identifies Closed Hospital (12:50 p.m. NY) New Jersey has identified one closed hospital as a potentialacute care facility that could be brought back online to handlean expected surge in patients, said Donna Leusner, a statehealth department spokeswoman. It would not serve as a special facility for Covid-19 patients. Rather, all hospitals in the state need to be able to care for such patients, she said. Leusner declined to identify the hospital under consideration. U.S. Invokes Defense Production Act (12:19 p.m. NY) President Trump invoked the Defense Production Act, allowing the the government more latitude in emergencies to direct industrial manufacturing. He also said the Housing and Urban Development department will suspend foreclosures and evictions through the end of April. According to FEMAs website, the act allows for the president to expedite and expand the supply of resources from the U.S. industrial base to support military, energy, space, and homeland security programs. Navy to Send Hospital Ship to New York City (12:14 p.m. NY) The Navy hospital ship Comfort is being dispatched to New York City. The floating hospital, which has previously been sent to disaster zones such as Haiti and post-Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, can provide 1,000 beds. Schiphol Shuts Majority of Piers At Airport (12:08 p.m. NY) Schiphol Airport, Europes third largest by passenger traffic, will scale down operations to a core and shut five of its seven piers from March 24. Plane stands at shut concourses will be used as temporary parking spots for planes that will be grounded for a longer time. Italy May Ban Outdoor Recreation (10:30 a.m. NY) Italy may consider a complete ban on outdoor activities if people dont respect advice to stay at home during the nationwide lockdown to counter spread of coronavirus, Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora told RAI television. Eurovision Song Contest Canceled (9:40 a.m. NY) The European Broadcasting Union canceled the Eurovision Song Contest, one of the worlds most-watched televised events, which was due to be hosted in Rotterdam in about two months. The Netherlands earlier reported another 346 confirmed cases the biggest daily increase to 2,051, while deaths rose by more than a third to 58. Germany Stops Refugee Program (9:34 a.m. NY) Germany has stopped the resettlement program for refugees as part of the governments measures against the coronavirus, a spokesman for the interior ministry said on Wednesday. As part of the EU-Turkey agreement, Germany has taken in refugees from Syria and Turkey since 2012. JPMorgan Pledges $50 Million (9:12 a.m. NY) JPMorgan Chase & Co.s philanthropic plan is aimed at supporting people, communities and businesses impacted by the pandemic, according to statement Wednesday. Portugal Offers Credit Lines for Tourism (9:05 a.m. NY) Portuguese Economy Minister Pedro Siza Vieira announced new credit lines for businesses most affected by the outbreak, such as restaurants and the tourism sector. They will be guaranteed by the state, provided through the banking system and may be paid back over four years. Austria, Italy Start Using Mobile Data to Gauge Lockdown (8:22 a.m. NY) Officials in Austria and Italy are starting to use location data transmitted by mobile phones to determine the effectiveness of their coronavirus lockdowns. U.K. Pledges to Support Renters, Increase Testing (8:10 a.m. NY) In addition to measures announced on Tuesday to support homeowners through the crisis, the government is preparing legislation to protect from renters from eviction. Ministers are also preparing additional measures to help workers, after announcing a business support package. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the U.K. will ramp up to 25,000 the number of people they test daily for coronavirus and that scientists are much closer to getting a generally available test to see if people have had -- and already recovered from -- the virus. Johnson said further steps would be taken on schools. Some of the countrys most prestigious private schools are closing, even as the government is keeping its school system open. The pound fell to its lowest level against the dollar in over three decades on the shocks caused by the outbreak. Xi Says Pressure on Chinas Economy Is Intensifying (8:01 a.m. NY) The pressure on Chinas economy is mounting as the coronavirus spreads, President Xi Jinping said, in comments reported by CCTV. French Government May Seek to Declare Health Emergency (8 a.m. NY) French consumption could drop 2% this year and inflation could decline to 0.6%, AFP reported, citing an amended finance bill. The government will be allowed to use orders to support companies, according to the bill cited by AFP. Meanwhile Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said the government will do whatever it takes to prevent unemployment and liquidity squeezes, readying funds equivalent of 38 billion euros ($42 billion), or almost 10% of its economic output to limit the fallout of the crisis. Ackman Says U.S. Should Shut Down for 30 Days (7:50 a.m. NY) The only answer in the U.S.s fight against coronavirus is to shut down the country for 30 days and close the borders, hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman said in a series of posts on Twitter Wednesday, addressing Trump. All Americans should be put on an extended Spring Break, he added, which would lead to a plummeting infection rate and soaring markets. Former Chairs Urge Fed to Do More (7:45 a.m. NY) The U.S. Federal Reserve must limit the long-term effects of the coronavirus, Ben Bernanke and Janet Yellen write in an op-ed for the Financial Times. The former chairs said the Fed has a useful role to play and that fiscal policy will have to do more as the impact of the virus becomes apparent. The central bank must ensure that the economic damage from the pandemic is not long-lasting. It should also ensure that credit is available for otherwise sound borrowers, who face temporary issues, Bernanke and Yellen said. Gap to Temporarily Close North America Stores (7:40 a.m. NY) Gap will temporarily close its Old Navy, Athleta, Banana Republic, Gap, Janie and Jack and Intermix stores across North America, effective March 19. Poland Pledges Stimulus, Oman Ready to Add Liquidity (7:21 a.m. NY) Poland announced a rescue package designed to shield the economy that will cost around $52 billion, or roughly 9% of gross domestic product. Separately, Oman is prepared to add $20.8 billion in liquidity to provide relief from economic damages caused by the virus, its central bank said. Earlier, Icelands central bank made a second emergency interest rate cut in a week and injected fresh liquidity. Santander Portugal Unit Chairman Dies From Coronavirus (6:40 a.m. NY) Banco Santander Totta Chairman Antonio Vieira Monteiro has died after being infected with coronavirus, Portuguese newspaper Expresso reported on Wednesday, citing a source at Santander in Portugal. The 73-year-old Vieira Monteiro was CEO of Santanders Portuguese unit from 2012-2018 before becoming chairman. Vieira Monteiro is the second known death from coronavirus in Portugal. Moscow Police Tap Cameras to Track Violators (6:35 a.m. NY) Moscow police have used the citys massive camera network to nab over 200 people for violating quarantine required after returning from high-risk countries. The authorities say they are using one of the worlds most-comprehensive facial-recognition systems to monitor the more than 13,000 people in the Russian capital under mandatory self-isolation measures. People found to transmit coronavirus to someone else could face jail time in Russia, with a maximum sentence 5 years if the sick person dies. European Banks Get $130 Billion, Easing Dollar Stress (6:30 a.m. NY) Lenders from the euro zone borrowed the bulk of the money -- $112 billion in operations coordinated by the European Central Bank. Thats the biggest use of the crisis-era swap lines since the global financial meltdown more than a decade ago. U.K. lenders took $15.5 billion via the Bank of England, and Swiss institutions took $2.6 billion. Japan Adds Travel Curbs (6:05 a.m. NY) Japan will ban visitors from Italy and Spain from Thursday and impose voluntary quarantine of 14 days on visitors from 38 countries including Iran and nations in Europe. 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. The 2012 Nirbhaya case is nearing closure with the four men held guilty of the crime scheduled to be hanged on Friday, but the conviction rate for rape remains an abysmal 27.2 per cent due mainly to lapses in the criminal justice system, say experts. From sensitising police personnel to strengthening the investigating infrastructure, what is needed is a complete overhaul of the system to ensure speedy justice to victims and survivors of sexual assault, they said. "The low conviction rate shows that perpetrators of sexual violence enjoy a high degree of impunity, including being freed of charges," said Vani Subramanian from the women's empowerment group Saheli. Calling for an overhaul of the judicial system, former National Commission for Women (NCW) chief Lalitha Kumaramangalam said, "It took seven years (since 2012) to get justice and there are hundreds of cases which do not evoke this kind of a response (that the Nirbhaya case got). We must have a moratorium on time." According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 1,56,327 rape cases were on trial in 2018. Of these, trials were completed in 17,313 cases, resulting in conviction in only 4,708 cases. There were acquittals in 11,133 rape cases and discharge in 1,472 cases. A case can be discharged before charges are framed but acquittals only happen when the trial concludes. Moreover, 1,38,642 rape cases remained pending in 2018. "The case of the 23-year-old physiotherapy intern who was savagely gangraped on the night of December 16, 2012, and died a fortnight later, galvanising a movement for change in India's rape laws, is not an isolated one. "Sexual assault occurs with frightening regularity in this country. We need to evolve punishments that act as true deterrents to the very large number of men who commit these crimes," said Subramanian. Of the six convicted in the Nirbhaya case, one died during trial and another, a juvenile at the time of the offence, was set free after serving a three-year term in a reform facility The four remaining convicts in the case are scheduled to be hanged together at 5.30 am on March 20. The implementation of their death warrants may send a strong message across but that may not be enough. The situation could actually be getting worse rather than better. The 2018 conviction rate of 27.2 per cent was significantly less that in 2017 -- when a conviction rate of 32.2 per cent was recorded. There were convictions only in 5,822 of the 18,099 rape cases whose trials were completed during that year, the NCRB data showed. Annie Raja, women's rights activist and CPI leader, said increasing the number of fast track courts cannot be the only solution to the low conviction rate in cases of sexual violence. She was referring to the Centre's decision to set up 1,023 special courts for speedy trial of cases of sexual assault on women and children. "Cases come to courts after inquiries and witness report and only then does the court gives its verdict,' she said. "You need to sensitise the police. Even among Delhi Police personnel, you should ask how much is the awareness about the anti-rape law. That is why we are demanding complete overhauling and judicial reforms," she said. Raja suggested that more budgetary allocation is required in building infrastructure and facilities for rape cases. "Why do these cases have to wait long for forensic reports? Because we have very few forensic labs in the country. These are all systems that need to be in place to ensure time-bound justice. For that we need budgetary allocation, you need have political will and sensitivity," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The matriarch of a New Jersey family has become the third relative to die after she was hospitalized with the novel coronavirus. Grace Fusco, 73, died Wednesday night, just hours after her son, Carmine Fusco, passed away from COVID-19. Carmine, a horse racing trainer, died on Wednesday morning, Roseann Paradiso Fodera, a cousin and family attorney, told NJ Advance Media. His sister and Grace's daughter, Rita Fusco-Jackson, 55, died five days ago. She had also tested positive for the virus. Grace Fusco (center in white), 73, died Wednesday night, just hours after her son, Carmine Fusco, passed away from COVID-19 Grace (left) died after spending Wednesday 'gravely ill' and breathing with help from a ventilator. She also died without knowing her two oldest children had passed away before she did Carmine Fusco, a horse trainer (pictured), is the second person in a New Jersey family to die of coronavirus. He died on Wednesday at Luke's University Hospital-Bethlehem Campus, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Rita Fusco-Jackson, 55 (pictured), a religious education teacher who had been hospitalized at CentraState Medical Cneter was the first to die, on Friday. Five are still hospitalized there - four in critical condition Fodera said Grace died after spending Wednesday 'gravely ill' and breathing with help from a ventilator. Grace died without knowing her two oldest children had passed away before she did. Four other family members remain hospitalized at CentraState Medical Center in New Jersey, all with COVID-19 - the disease caused by the virus - and four in critical condition. Another 20 family members are quarantined at their homes. Fusco-Jackson's sister, Elizabeth Fusco, told told NJ Advance Media: 'This has been devastating for all of us. 'Our hearts are broken over losing our sister, Rita. We just need help in saving our family members with life-saving medication.' At the time of the interview, her brother, Carmine, was in critical condition at Luke's University Hospital-Bethlehem Campus in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, before dying on Wednesday morning. Fodera, the family attorney, said the situation is 'surreal'. The deaths are linked to 69-year-old John Brennan (pictured), a horse trainer who was the first New Jersey resident to die of coronavirus Worldwide, more than 218,000 people have been infected and more than 8,800 people have died. In the US, there are more than 9,400 confirmed cases in all 50 states and more than 150 deaths 'To imagine a week ago to get a phone call like this - if someone told me this story, I wouldn't believe it,' she told NJ Advance Media. 'It's inconceivable to me.' According to Elizabeth, the victims' sister, 19 spouses and children of the hospitalized family members are awaiting coronavirus test results. The deaths within the family are connected to John Brennan, 69, a horse trainer who lived in Little Ferry and was the first New Jersey resident to die after testing positive for the virus. Brennan had reportedly attended a recent Fusco family gathering, according to the state's health commissioner. Fodera told The New York Times that the gathering was a routine dinner on a Tuesday. That particular gathering is believed to be the source of the virus. Brennan was hospitalized at Hackensack University Medical Center before passing away, NJ Advance Media reported. He had multiple underlying health conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure and emphysema, putting him at higher risk of death. State officials says he was revived on March 9 after going into cardiac arrest, but died on March 10 after suffering a second cardiac arrest. Worldwide, more than 218,000 people have been infected and more than 8,800 people have died. In the US, there are more than 9,400 confirmed cases in all 50 states and more than 150 deaths. Tax havens are the global black holes designed specifically to hide the wealth of the rich and powerful of the world through tax avoidance (which is legal), tax evasion (which is illegal) and escape legal accountability by ensuring secrecy in their operations. They are spread across the world, a good number of which are tiny islands and political lightweights in themselves. Yet they hold so much financial and political muscle that for more than a decade of intense global spotlight on them, following the 2007-08 financial crisis which exposed their role in precipitating it, little harm has come to them. Their role is critical for global financial and political stability, including India, more than what is commonly realised or understood. But before getting into some of the important whys and hows, here is about who they are. Tax havens: Refuge for global wealth In one of the early studies on the subject, Tax Havens: How Globalization Really Works (2010), Prof Ronen Palan of the University of Birmingham and his co-authors, Richard Murphy and Christian Chavagneux, described tax havens as "jurisdictions that deliberately create legislation to ease transactions undertaken by people who are not resident in their domains with a purpose of avoiding taxation and/or regulations, which they facilitate by providing a legally backed veil of secrecy to obscure the beneficiaries of those transactions". The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) defines a tax haven in a classical sense as "a country which imposes a low or no tax and is used by corporations to avoid tax which otherwise would be payable in a high-tax country". It lists three essential characteristics of a tax haven: (a) no or only nominal taxes (b) lack of effective exchange of information and (c) lack of transparency in their legislative, legal or administrative provisions. Also Read: Taxing the untaxed: Why govt should tax agricultural income How many tax havens exist in the world? Palan et al presented "a list of lists" prepared over the previous 30 years, including those of the OECD and International Monetary Fund (IMF). It contained the names of 91 jurisdictions. Another authority on the subject, former McKinsey & Co chief economist James Henry put the number at more than 90 in 2016. When he first started looking at secret jurisdictions (another term for tax havens) in 1985, there were just 10-15 significant ones: in the Channel Islands, Caribbean and Switzerland - reflecting "the sheer, exuberant growth" of such jurisdictions. Some of the tax havens are familiar names: Switzerland, the Netherlands, Ireland, Singapore, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Cyprus, Mauritius, Panama, etc. On February 18, 2020, the Tax Justice Network (TJN), an international network which has done pioneering work and remains the most credible body in the field of research and advocacy regarding tax havens, released its latest Financial Secrecy Index (FSI2020). It contains the names of 133 jurisdictions. The Cayman Islands top the list, followed by the US, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Singapore and others. The FSI ranks countries/jurisdictions according to how their legal and financial regulations allow wealthy individuals and entities to "hide and launder money extracted from around the world" for more than a decade. It uses 'secrecy jurisdiction' as an alternate term for a tax haven to describe those "who use secrecy to attract illicit and illegitimate or abusive financial flows" by using a methodology developed by the IMF in 2007. Financial secrecy holds the key because tax advantage or arbitrage (since tax havens offer no-tax or low-tax) would not be available to individuals and corporations if secrecy does not protect them from being discovered. A caveat is called for. A higher rank on the FSI does not necessarily mean a jurisdiction is more secretive, rather "that the jurisdiction plays a bigger role globally in enabling secretive banking, anonymous shell company ownership, anonymous real estate ownership or other forms of financial secrecy, which in turn enable money laundering, tax evasion and huge offshore concentrations of untaxed wealth". Also Read: Taxing the untaxed II: Why India's smaller taxpayers bear heavier burden Financial secrecy up in US, UK and Cayman Islands The good news is that the FSI2020 saw an overall improvement in secrecy score over the FSI2018 because of "recent transparency reforms". On average, countries on the index reduced their contribution to global financial secrecy by 7%. Switzerland reduced its secrecy score by 12% and dropped to number 3, from number 1 in FSI2018. The bad news is that the US, the UK and Cayman Islands increased theirs: the US by 15% and retained its position at number 2; the UK by a whopping 26% and went up from number 23 to number 12 and Cayman Islands by 24% and went up from number 3 to number 1. From India's perspective, Singapore (rank 5), Mauritius (rank 51) and the Netherland (rank 8) are the top three destinations through which more than 50% of the country's FDI equity inflows and outflows (OFDI/ODI) are routed. Also Read: Taxing the untaxed III: Is govt oblivious to leakages in direct tax collection? How much wealth tax havens hide? Given the secrecy involved, it is tough to estimate. Nevertheless, one credible estimate exists. James Henry's 2010 study, The Price of Offshore Revisited, (written for the TJN), said about $21 to 31 trillion (or Rs 1,554-Rs 2,368 lakh crore at exchange rate of Rs 74) of unreported private financial wealth is located in various tax havens at the end of 2010. This estimation did not include real estate, yachts and other non-financial assets owned via offshore structures. Henry described the private wealth held in tax havens represented "a huge black hole in the world economy" at the time. The same estimate has been retained in the FSI2020 report. In 2019, the IMF-University of Copenhagen published a study, The Rise of Phantom Investment, saying that $15 trillion of the total $40 trillion FDI channelling around the globe was 'phantom' FDI structured to avoid corporation tax. The 'phantom' FDI is 37% of the total FDI and equals to the combined annual GDP of the economic powerhouses China and Germany. It further said that despite the OECD-G20 anti-tax avoidance action plan on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) the "phantom FDI keeps soaring, outpacing the growth of genuine FDI". A year earlier, in 2018, the same team had estimated 'phantom' FDI at $12 trillion. It identified 10 tax havens hosting the 'phantom' FDI - reproduced below. Luxembourg and the Netherlands accounted for about 50% and all of them put together more than 85%. Three of these tax havens figure prominently in India's FDI inflows and outflows - Singapore, the Netherlands and Mauritius. Also Read : Taxing the untaxed IV: All that's wrong with India's tax system, GST India's deep connections with tax havens An analysis of the data released by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DIPP) on FDI inflows, from April 2000 to December 2019, and the RBI on FDI outflows, from April 2012 to Mach 2018, show that the top three tax havens account for 59% of cumulative FDI inflows and 55% cumulative FDI outflows or Outward Direct Investment (ODI). Both FDI inflows and outflows relate to equity participation. If other tax havens are added to the list, their contribution to the total FDI flows to India will go up substantially. In fact, the top 10 jurisdictions from which India receives FDI inflows account for 87% of the total inflows between April 2000 and December 2019. Of these 10, nine jurisdictions are common to both the Palan et al's'list of lists' and the FSI2020. Japan figures only in one, in FSI2020, but not the other. Srinagar, March 18 : Passengers of an Air India flight from Leh to Srinagar, the passengers of which refused to undergo the mandatory 14-day long quarantine period, was diverted overhead to Leh airport on Wednesday. Sources here told IANS, the Air India flight carrying 106 passengers from Leh to Srinagar International Airport was diverted back to Leh after some of its passengers refused to undergo the mandatory quarantine period. "The flight was diverted overhead without landing at Srinagar airport after many passengers among the 106 on board refused to be quarantined. "The flight landed at Leh from where it carried back only 77 such passengers who agreed to be quarantined in Srinagar. "The remaining 29 disembarked at Leh airport," sources told IANS. With Wednesday's decision to impose mandatory quarantine on all people entering the Valley from the Ladakh region, it is now clear that even those who come her from Ladakh UT through the Leh-Srinagar National highway, which is likely to be thrown open for traffic by the end of this month, will have to be quarantined. It must be mentioned that eight people have so far tested positive in the Ladakh UT for coronavirus. This is an alarming number given the fact that the population of Ladakh region that includes Leh and Kargil districts is only 2.74 lakhs. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text India may consider temporarily withdraw some of its diplomats and other officials posted in its embassy and the consulates in Iran as about 15, 000 people in the Persian Gulf nation have already been infected by the coronavirus. Follow live updates of coronavirus cases here Apart from its embassy in Tehran, India has two consulates in Iran one in Zahedan and another in Bandar-e-Abbas. Sources in New Delhi said that the Government was keeping a close was on the evolving situation and might temporarily withdraw some of its diplomats and other officials in the West Asian nation if the situation worsened. No decision has been taken so far though, the sources added. The Embassy of India in Tehran and the Consulate General of India in Zahedan and Bandar-e-Abbas so far facilitated return of 389 Indian nationals from Iran in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak. Only the Indian nationals, who tested negative for COVID-19, were brought back home from Iran, but they too were quarantined for 14 days beginning from the day of arrival. The Government on Tuesday declined to confirm or deny if as many as 250 Indian citizens in Iran had been tested positive for COVID-19 and hence their return had not been facilitated. 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, Dammu Ravi, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs, said. Ravi has been assigned to coordinate on behalf of the MEA with other ministries to contain the pandemic in India. I cannot confirm that over 250 Indians in Iran have tested positive for coronavirus, he added. LONDON The already rocky relationship between the United States and China has taken a turbulent turn, with Beijing moving to expel American journalists from the country. After almost two years of on-off trade talks, tariffs, counter-tariffs and several disputes centered around national security concerns in the technology sector, the latest escalation comes as the coronavirus pandemic creates a fresh impasse between the worlds two largest economies. So at a moment when the world faces a threat that does not respect national boundaries or cultural differences, the free passage of crucial data and understanding seems to have become the latest casualty of the pandemic. On Wednesday, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said the decision to force an estimated 13 reporters from The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and The New York Times to leave China within a week or so was a "proportionate response" to previous U.S. government action placing limits on Chinese state-controlled news media organizations. "China didn't start it. China is not responsible for it either," said Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Geng Shuang at a briefing Wednesday. But The Washington Posts executive editor, Marty Baron, told NBC News that the decision was particularly regrettable because it comes in the midst of an unprecedented global crisis. Expelling reporters will limit the flow of clear and reliable information and only aggravates the situation, Baron said shortly after Beijings expulsions were announced on Tuesday. His counterpart at The New York Times, Dean Baquet, agreed with that assessment, telling NBC News that the move was especially irresponsible at a time when the world needs the free and open flow of credible information about the coronavirus pandemic. Baquet urged both the U.S. and Chinese governments to resolve the dispute, because the health of the global population depends on impartial reporting inside both countries, which are fighting the same virus. Story continues Academic observers in Beijing and Washington said this kind of tit-for-tat action has become part of an increasingly common pattern in recent years, as it grows ever more difficult to paper over the gaping structural fault lines in the Sino-American relationship. Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak Zha Daojiong, a professor of international politics at Peking University, said recent behavior by both sides was "a manifestation of a deeper problem, rather than just a response to the virus. The expulsions follow three years in which collaboration between the U.S. and China including in the field of health and pandemic prevention has more or less ground to a halt. All we have left is the political grievance, or diplomacy grievance impulse to score points, he said. And thats very sad. Senior officials in Beijing, including a top diplomat, recently joined a chorus of Chinese voices that have sought, without evidence, to publicly blame the U.S. for the coronavirus outbreak, which was first recognized in China and has killed thousands of its citizens before expanding on a devastatingly global scale. Image: Chinese Foreign Ministry new spokesman Zhao Lijian gestures as he speaks during a daily briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Beijing. (Andy Wong / AP file) It might be U.S. Army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Zhao Lijian, said in a tweet last week, referring to the Military World Games held in October in the city of Wuhan, which hundreds of American military athletes and staff attended. U.S. owe us an explanation, he added. Wuhan in Hubei province is at the center of the epidemic in China. The Trump administration reprimanded Chinas ambassador in Washington for Zhao's unfounded assertion. State Department spokesman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had strongly objected to Chinese efforts to pass the blame for COVID-19 onto the U.S. during a call with Chinas director of the Office of Foreign Affairs, Yang Jiechi. Pompeo had said that now was not the time to spread disinformation and outlandish rumours as countries around the world are working together to fight the pandemic, Ortagus said But such Chinese claims of a U.S. role in the virus spread did not arise in a vacuum, and instead came amid a barrage of public statements from senior White House officials, including President Donald Trump as well as Pompeo, that have emphasized the outbreaks ostensibly Chinese origins, despite World Health Organization requests to avoid such stigmatizations. Trump, whose administration has been widely criticized for its handling of the epidemic response, has referred to the Chinese virus in several tweets, including at least three on Wednesday alone. I always treated the Chinese Virus very seriously, and have done a very good job from the beginning, including my very early decision to close the borders from China - against the wishes of almost all. Many lives were saved. The Fake News new narrative is disgraceful & false! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2020 And Pompeo, who used the phrase Wuhan coronavirus several times during the early days of the outbreak, has blamed Chinese obfuscation for a delay in global awareness of the virus. Pompeo softened his tone at a briefing Tuesday, saying now is not the time for recrimination. He also called the Chinese Foreign Ministrys decision to revoke the press credentials of the reporters from The New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal unfortunate. Beijings move was not comparable to measures the Trump administration had taken last month, when several Chinese news agencies were officially designated as foreign missions, he added. It was not apples for apples, Pompeo said, because the Chinese personnel in question were not media that were acting here freely. Instead, he said, they were part of Chinese propaganda outlets. Solution not in sight Fundamentally the big problem on both sides is that you now have leadership which no longer considers having good bilateral relationships as a highest priority, said Victor Shih, a professor of politics at the University of California, San Diegos School of Global Policy and Strategy. He said the lack of willingness to improve those ties has been behind more intensive U.S. investigations into alleged Chinese espionage, sanctions on the Chinese technology giant Huawei and the extensive trade tariffs. Previous administrations should have pursued these issues, he said. But didnt because of a strong desire to maintain cooperation. After the SARS outbreak in the early 2000s, Chinese and American health experts worked together closely, sharing data, public surveillance and laboratory results, while publishing joint papers on vaccines, monitoring techniques and best practices. Chinas own capacity increased by a huge margin, Peking Universitys Zha said. It benefitted from the collaboration with the Americans. However, during the recent outbreak in Hubei province and the city of Wuhan, the World Health Organization was not granted immediate access to the region, and scholars point out that U.S. health authorities also faced similar obstructions. Our CDC doesnt get much cooperation from China, says David Lampton, a research scholar and fellow at the Asia Pacific Research Center at Stanford University. Partly because China is worried that we will use that information to embarrass them. Potentially embarrassing information could include the fact that the Chinese doctors who were among the first to raise the alarm about the new coronavirus were silenced, and in some cases punished, after speaking out. Lampton said both countries should look to rebuild trust in areas like health care, where cooperation has previously proven fruitful, though he acknowledges this will be challenging in the current circumstances. Weve moved from a relationship in which were trying to reassure each other, to one in which were trying to deter each other, he added. Chinese academics share this pessimism about the deterioration in relations, but diverge on the causes of it. Professor Shi Yinhong, who heads up the Center of American Studies at Beijings Renmin University of China and acts as an advisor to the Chinese cabinet known as the State Council puts it down to geopolitical rivalry, ideological antagonism and domestic political requirements on both sides. Possible solution is not in sight, he told NBC News in an email. Victor Gao, who earned two postgraduate degrees at Yale and was the official interpreter for Deng Xiaoping, the first Chinese leader to visit the United States, assigns the blame exclusively to the Trump administration. U.S. threats of disengagement from China and its constant labeling of China as an adversary or an enemy have eroded the fundamental goodwill for normal relations between China and the United States, said Gao, now a vice president at the Center for China and Globalization, a Beijing-based think tank. The impact of COVID-19 on small businesses requires the support of a nation...The site is a means for the millions of small businesses that employ more than half of all employees in America to continue making sales and to feel your commitment to their long-term success. Kabbage Inc., today launched http://www.helpsmallbusiness.com to support small businesses financially impacted by COVID-19. The initiative is a call-to-action across the U.S., enabling anyone to purchase an online gift certificate from participating small businesses to provide them with crucial financial support. Certificates can be redeemed in full after theyre issued or in the future when the crisis has subsided. All revenue generated from gift certificate sales will be deposited via Kabbage Payments as soon as the next business day to participating small businesses to aid their ability to withstand cash-flow gaps caused by COVID-19.* In minutes, U.S. small businesses can sign up for free on http://www.helpsmallbusiness.com to immediately seek financial support through gift certificate purchases from individuals throughout the U.S. Kabbage will also provide businesses a unique URL to easily share their personalized page with customers via text, email, web, social media or print. Consumers can purchase multiple certificates for any amount between $15 and $500. Once certificates are purchased, small businesses will get an immediate notification and can use free technology offered by Kabbage to scan, verify, track and fulfill gift certificates when redeemed. The impact of COVID-19 on small businesses requires the support of a nation, said Kabbage co-founder and CEO Rob Frohwein. If there is a local small business that you love, they need your patronage now more than ever. Many businesses are closing and others are seeing reduced demand. The site is a means for the millions of small businesses that employ more than half of all employees in America to continue making sales and to feel your commitment to their long-term success. We encourage everyone to think beyond consumer goods and consider all service providers such as local handymen, lawn care providers, dry cleaners and laundromats; they all need our support, said Kabbage co-founder and President Kathryn Petralia. Many weddings, birthdays and vacations are being postponed due to social distancing. Think about the small businesses you would have approached for those activities and purchase certificates to plan for future dates. Kabbage will not profit from its efforts to support small businesses during this challenging period, and it is actively working with organizations in the payments ecosystem to eliminate or significantly reduce any associated transaction fees. Kabbages goal is to provide small businesses with a unique solution to generate revenue during this extraordinary time. The site http://www.helpsmallbusiness.com will remain in operation until further notice. About Kabbage Kabbage, Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, is a data and technology company providing small businesses cash flow solutions. Its suite of products includes Kabbage Funding, providing access to flexible lines of credit in minutes; Kabbage Payments, helping small businesses get paid and access the money they earn faster; and Kabbage Insights, calculating small businesss real-time cash flow. To date, Kabbage has provided more than 225,000 U.S. small businesses access to over $9.5 billion of working capital. Kabbage is funded and backed by leading investors, including the SoftBank Vision Fund, BlueRun Ventures, Mohr Davidow Ventures and others. All Kabbage Funding U.S.-based loans, including custom loans, are issued by Celtic Bank, a Utah-Chartered Industrial Bank, Member FDIC, and are subject to credit approval. Kabbage Payments, LLC, a subsidiary of Kabbage, Inc., is a registered Payment Service Provider/Payment Facilitator sponsored by Fifth Third Bank, N.A., Cincinnati, OH. For more information, please visit http://www.kabbage.com. *Transactions that are processed by 5 p.m. ET will be deposited in the merchants bank account the following banking day. Any transactions that are processed after 5 p.m. ET will be deposited in the merchants bank account within two banking days. Settlements may be delayed if transactions are flagged for review. While the international media has focused most of its coverage of Covid-19 on the global north and China, in the global south we are also are dealing with the first cases of the virus. But its not the first time people here in Mexico have been exposed to potentially lethal imported illnesses. During the conquest of Mexico between 1519 and 1521, Spanish troops brought smallpox with them to the Americas, killing over two million indigenous people. In 1918, the Spanish flu killed between 300,000 and 500,000 people, here. More recently, between March and July 2009, there were over 12,000 reported cases of the A(H1N1) influenza virus in Mexico and 122 recorded deaths. And while I want to underscore the need for government and society to take coronavirus seriously by, this new virus is one of many major public health challenges we in the global south are facing. For instance, since the 1970s, the mosquito-borne dengue fever has presented a considerable strain on the public health system in 2018 alone, there were over 12,000 cases in Mexico. Then, theres the second leading cause of death in Mexico after heart disease: diabetes. In 2017, over 106,000 people died from the condition and its complications. Meanwhile, between nine and 10 women are killed daily in Mexico as a result of gender-based violence. Mexico is, in other words, inundated with major public health challenges. In the context of the current global pandemic, images from the global north and BRICS countries have dominated the news and social media coverage; people singing songs together from balconies while under quarantine, panic-buying in supermarkets, and despicable hate crimes committed against Chinese people being blamed for the public health crisis, just to name a few. But in many countries like Mexico where millions of people live in poverty we cant just meet the pandemic head-on even if we wanted to, because we have major socioeconomic issues that are inextricably linked to dealing with the virus. For instance, what will people who live below the poverty line do if forced into quarantine? There are tens of thousands of people in this country who live day-to-day with no social safety net. Fishermen, waiters, porters, parking attendants, street vendors, indigenous women selling their handicrafts on the street how do we tell them that they should stay home? For many in Mexico, the financial risks of staying at home are greater than the health risks of going to work. Social distancing is simply not an option. Of Mexicos nearly 120 million culturally and geographically diverse citizens, more than 57 million are economically active. Of those, over 50 per cent are part of the informal economy. While federal and state governments have been taking critical measures to stem the spread of coronavirus issuing radio and television announcements, closing schools for a month, cancelling large events demanding that such a large informal economy halt or significantly limit its activities is an impossible task. These measures have a generally positive effect on the population, regardless of socioeconomic status. So, just like in the global north, people in the global south must heed the recommendations of the World Health Organization as best we can. Yet at the same time, health officials must support those large segments of the population economically less able to minimise their exposure to the virus. Countries like Mexico are among the most vulnerable to Covid-19. Yet they are also the most used to managing health crises and I am confident we will get through this one, also. Dr Marcos Del Rosario-Santiago is a urologist in the Mexican Navy, and a writer. All views are his own and not those of the Mexican Navy. URBANA Illinois River flooding in 2019 was so extreme that residents of Calhoun County found themselves isolated during the worst of the event. With roads closed and the ferries that typically provide transportation not operational, travel in and out of the peninsula was impossible. For municipal leaders and community organizers across the state, 2019 flooding presented a host of challenges that tested the capabilities of their emergency response systems and the plans that support them. Municipal employees and community organizers interested in learning how to support families, businesses, and local organizations during weather- and climate-related events are invited to attend a free online webinar at noon Thursday, March 26. Preparing for Extreme Weather a webinar hosted by Illinois Extension's Local Government Education program, is intended to stimulate dialogue among municipal officials, community partners, and professionals across the state. Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford will discuss the science and impacts of climate change as they relate to water in Illinois. Additionally, Sally McConkey, Illinois State Water Survey engineer and hydrologist, will explain where to find floodplain information and how to interpret a floodplain map. Extreme weather events have a cascading impact on a community and the surrounding areas, says Carrie McKillip, a community and economic development educator for Illinois Extension and chair-elect of the Extension Disaster Education Network. There is an obvious immediate impact of something like a tornado or a flood, such as houses that are destroyed, businesses that cant open their doors, and school systems that have to manage altered schedules. But its the long-term recovery effort that tests the resiliency of a community and its residents. According to the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 2019 was the fifth consecutive year that the U.S. experienced ten or more extreme weather events where the economic impact of each exceeded 1 billion dollars. With a disproportionate number of those events impacting the Midwest region, it seems clear that time spent preparing for weather-related disasters improves a communitys ability to respond and recover from adverse events, says McKillip. Through its Community and Economic Development team, Illinois Extension maintains a commitment to helping Illinois communities develop both the capacity and capability of leading transformative planning and economic development efforts. While extreme weather events may not be frequent, their unexpected nature can cause a crippling impact. In the case of the flooding across the state in 2019, Illinois Extension brought agencies together to address the immediate needs of these Illinois residents. Extension provides both facilitation and education during weather-related events, says Duane Friend, Extension educator specializing in energy and environmental stewardship. In addition to coordinating agency responses, we educate families and businesses on next steps of dealing with safety and economic issues. To attend this free webinar, please register online at https://web.extension.illinois.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=21834. University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Nancy Ouedraogo at esarey@illinois.edu. For more information on University of Illinois Extension programming in Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Moultrie and Shelby counties, visit our website at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/ccdms/index.html or call us at 217-345-7034. The University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. If you need reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, please contact the extension office at 217-345-7034. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time for meeting your access needs. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Make your house a home For the holidays: Get inspiring home and gift ideas sign up now! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The full outbreak of coronavirus in India is not priced-in if we have Italy, China, and Korea type of a situation, said Pratik Gupta, CEO and co-head-institutional equities at Kotak Securities. The general assumption is that a couple of weeks later we will be back up and running. So from that perspective, the stock prices are down, the index is down about 25 percent in the last one month and individual stocks are down 30 to 60 percent. So, the selloff does seem overdone even if we take into account the cuts in earnings estimates for the next few quarters and therefore, for FY21 as a whole, he added. However, from a broader regional perspective India is down 25 percent in the last one month and thats in line with what we are seeing across Asian emerging market universe whether its Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia etc., said Gupta in an interview with CNBC-TV18. With regards to the market performance, he said, If we make an assumption that the outbreak in India will not be as bad as what we have seen in some of the other countries whether its because of the weather, our immunity or whatever and also keeping in mind the big oil price decline that we have seen which is hugely beneficial for India and does help offset, some of the impact of coronavirus that should result in India recovering a lot quicker. However, short-term, there is a lot of uncertainty but for fundamentally-oriented longer-term investors, we are saying that this is a good buying opportunity, stick to quality, he further added. 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 asked about banks, Gupta said, We need to be watchful of banks which have a very large exposure to SMEs, retail sector, airline, hotel, tourism, etc. These are all sectors which will significantly get impacted but it would be naive to assume that the authorities will not step in and do something like what they have done in the US and so on whether its forbearance on recognition of NPLs, direct subsidies or some kind of fiscal packages for the affected sectors and sector which got impacted because of lockdown due to coronavirus. Therefore, in general, we would stick to our view that this is a great opportunity to buy a long-term high-quality franchise, some of the top private banks have also come off 20-30 percent. So thats a good opportunity for long-term investors in our view, Gupta added. Source: CNBC-TV18 ISLAMABAD (AP) Pakistan's prime minister said Monday he fears the new coronavirus will devastate the economies of developing nations, and warned richer economies to prepare to write off the debts of the world's poorer countries. In an interview with The Associated Press, Imran Khan criticized recent comments by the president of neighboring Afghanistan, which appeared to reference accusations that Pakistan used militants to further its own goals in years past. Khan also raised concern over India's worst Hindu-Muslim violence in decades, saying the Indian prime minister's Hindu nationalist-led government threatens to disenfranchise hundreds of millions of people through a controversial new citizenship law. He further called for lifting sanctions against Iran, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East. Khan sat down with the AP at his office in the resplendent white-domed government headquarters in the capital of Islamabad. He'd spent much of his day meeting experts about the effect of the coronavirus outbreak in Pakistan, which has confirmed 183 cases so far. My worry is poverty and hunger," Khan said. "The world community has to think of some sort of a debt write-off for countries like us, which are very vulnerable, at least that will help us in coping with (the coronavirus). He said that if a serious outbreak happens in Pakistan, he's worried that his government's efforts to lift the ailing economy out of near-collapse would begin an unstoppable slide backward. Exports would fall off, unemployment would soar and an onerous national debt would become an impossible burden. Pakistan secured a $6 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund last year. The global virus pandemic presents the biggest test yet for Khan's populist leadership since he took office in 2018. He's mobilized Pakistan's young people, who are among his largest followers. His critics say he came to power with the help of the country's powerful military, and human rights groups say he's cracked down on critical media outlets. Story continues It's not just Pakistan. I would imagine the same in India, in the subcontinent, in African countries, he said, referring to the virus. If it spreads, we will all have problems with our health facilities. We just don't have that capability. We just don't have the resources. Most people who get the new coronavirus and the COVID-19 illness it causes 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. The pandemic comes just as a peace deal between the United States and the Taliban has given Afghanistan its best chance at ending its endless wars, and bringing U.S. troops home after nearly 19 years. But the Taliban have a long and complicated relationship with Pakistan's military and intelligence services. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani recently said the insurgents need to demonstrate their commitment to peace by extricating themselves from Pakistan's influence. Some Afghan officials refer to Pakistan particularly its military as the Taliban's masters. Khan called Ghani's comments disappointing," and said that since taking office, he's worked hard with the U.S. to help cobble together a pace deal in Afghanistan. "If anything, it should have been appreciation of the way Pakistan has gone about furthering the peace process, Khan said. "Pakistan is now a partner in peace for the U.S., which I always thought Pakistan should have been. Pakistan should never have been used as a sort of hired gun, which is the role which Pakistan was playing, he explained. He said he has always opposed his country's participation in the war on terror," calling it a waste of Pakistani lives and money. Khan said he's also warned about violent strife on the other side of his eastern border, amid the rise Hindu nationalism in India. The worst nightmare of the world has happened an extremist, racial party that believes in racial superiority has taken over a country of more than one billion people and has nuclear weapons, he said. That's when I went to the United Nations" to warn of the danger posed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis Hindu nationalist-led government, he said. A new citizenship law in India fast-tracks naturalization for foreign-born religious minorities of all major faiths in South Asia, except Islam. There are about 280 million Muslims there. Since the law's passing, India has been wracked by some of the worst sectarian violence in decades, as Hindus clashed with Muslims. There's some evidence of police aiding Hindu extremist attacks against Muslim neighborhoods, setting fire to a mosque. Islamabad and New Delhi have a long history of bitter relations since gaining independence from British colonial rule in 1947. Both sides claim the Himalayan region of Kashmir in its entirety, and the Indian-controlled portion is the only Muslim majority state in India. Tensions have been high there since last year after Modis government stripped the portion of Kashmir it controls of semi-autonomy and statehood. In a further call for action from the international community, Khan said it was time to end U.S. sanctions on Iran, where one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the world has unfolded. Iran has struggled to respond in part because of crippling sanctions imposed by the Trump administration. The outbreak in Iran has also hit close to home. Most of Pakistan's cases of the coronavirus and the COVID-19 illness it causes have been traced back to Iran, and all of the 21 Afghans who tested positive had traveled to Iran. Khan said Iran is a classic example of a place where the humanitarian imperative to contain the outbreak outweighs political rivalries or economic dogmas. Without a strong federal response to the COVID-19 outbreak thats shuttered businesses, schools and public buildings and inspired millions to stay home, unemployment could skyrocket up to 20%, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned Republican lawmakers on Tuesday. Bloomberg news reported that Mnuchin told Republican senators in a meeting that the economic fallout from the coronavirus could mean a spike in unemployment, prompting the Trump administration proposal to inject hundreds of billions into the economy and direct cash payments to Americans bracing for the full impacts of the disease. Mnuchin said the highest unemployment rate scenario would only happen if lawmakers didnt quickly boost the economy to help workers, small and medium-sized businesses bearing the brunt of consumers staying home to avoid spreading the disease, Bloomberg reported. Mnuchin warned it could be worse than the nations financial crisis in 2008. During the meeting with Senate Republicans today, Secretary Mnuchin used several mathematical examples for illustrative purposes, but he never implied this would be the case, Treasury Department spokeswoman Monica Crowley told Bloomberg. A Treasury Department official told CNN the example showed the potential risk if there were no intervention, but because they are doing the right things and proposing additional action, that would not be the case. Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts The Trump administration proposed an $850 billion stimulus package to the American worker and said funds could be sent to Americans within the next two weeks. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill Tuesday said the package could eventually be upwards of $1 trillion. Were looking at sending checks to Americans immediately, Mnuchin said at the press conference Tuesday. Americans need cash now. President Donald Trump, who last week said the coronavirus outbreak was not a financial crisis" but a temporary moment of time that the nation would overcome, has backed legislation that would boost the economy after several days of market crashes around the globe. The Enforcement Directorate has filed a fresh case of money laundering against Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor, his wife Bindu Kapoor and promoter of Avantha Realty Gautam Thapar. The case is in connection with the alleged suspicious deal between Avantha Realty and Kapoor and wife through Bliss Abode. Bindu Rana Kapoor is one of the directors of Bliss Abode. Through the deal, Bindu Kapoor allegedly acquired a bungalow at Amrita Shergil Marg for Rs 378 crore. The value of the property at the prime location is said to have been higher but was acquired by Bliss Abode for a cheaper amount and then mortgaged to Indiabulls Housing for Rs 685 crore. The agency has alleged that the bungalow was illegal gratification obtained by Kapoor who paid a smaller sum Avantha Realty and in turn allegedly gave relaxation in other existing loans to the realtor from Yes Bank. The ED believes that Kapoor also extended further loans to Avantha Realty during his tenure at the bank. The agency officials also pointed out to the PMLA court that even before the property was acquired by Bliss Abode, it was mortgaged with Indiabulls. Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh informed the court that before the acquisition of the bungalow in September 2017, Bliss Abode had borrowed Rs 90 crore loan from Indiabulls against the same property in July 2017. Rana Kapoor bought the bungalow eventually from Yes Bank through Bliss Abode. The property was initially mortgaged with ICICI Bank, then with Yes Bank. Around Rs 400 crore were borrowed from Yes bank and paid to ICICI Bank for the loan on the property. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had also on March 13 registered a fresh case against Kapoor, Gautam Thapar, Bindu Rana and unknown others for the same deal. The case by CBI was registered under sections 120 B and 420 of IPC and Section 7, 11 and 12 of PC Act, 1988. Also read: Yes Bank: No cap on withdrawal from 6 pm today; full banking services to be restored Also read: RBI digs into Yes Bank's past, questions auditor The simple solution to resolve the impending crisis is to enact a law for fixing a period of cooling off before a retired judge could take up any responsibility in the government or any other constitutional posts. Justice Ranjan Gogoi, ex-CJI, getting a Rajya Sabha berth has rekindled the debate about the cooling-off period for the judges of the higher judiciary before being given executive responsibility after their retirement. The primary objection being that it limits access to justice and erodes faith in the judiciary. His is not the first such instance of such a position being accorded to a judge of the Supreme Court. The Constitution of India incorporates several provisions which ensure the independence of the judiciary. Article 50 of the Indian Constitution speaks of the separation of judiciary from the executive. Article 121 says, no discussion shall take place in Parliament with respect to the conduct of any judge of the Supreme Court or of a High Court in the discharge of his duties except upon a motion for presenting an address to the President praying for the removal of the judge. Similarly, once appointed, the judges salary and other allowances cannot be altered to their disadvantage. In order to maintain the independence of the judiciary, the salary of judges is charged from the consolidated fund, which is independent of budgetary allocations. The provisions discussed above were made to insulate the judiciary from the influence of the legislature or the government. Justice Gogois is not the first appointment to the house of legislature. Justice KS Hedge who resigned from the apex court in 1973, joined Janata Party and was elected to Lok Sabha from Bangalore (South) and served as a Speaker from 1977 to 1980. In 1970 Justice M Hidayatullah, retired as CJI and in 1979 was chosen as an all-party candidate for the post of Vice-President of India. As the vice-president, he presided over the meetings of Rajya Sabha as the ex-officio chairman. Justice Baharul Islam who retired in January 1983 from apex court was nominated to the house of elders by Indira Gandhi in June, 1983. He was alleged to have given relief to the then Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra in the Patna Urban Cooperative Bank scam case. Justice Fathima Beevi, who retired in 1992 from the apex court, was made governor of Tamil Nadu in 1997. In her case, there was enough cooling period before she was anointed on a gubernatorial post. In 1998, ex-CJI Ranganath Misra as a Congress nominee entered Rajya Sabha but at this time Congress was in the opposition. But there were allegations against him that he gave a clean chit to the Congress party in the 1984 anti-Sikh massacre as he was the sole member of the Justice Ranganath Misra Commission of Inquiry. The other case prior to justice Gogois elevation was that of the ex-CJI P Sathasivam, who was made the governor of Kerala by the NDA government in 2014. All these appointments prove that Gogois is not an isolated case of people with judicial background occupying non-judicial posts, granted to them by a government that has authoritative power. The political parties, which got the chance of forming governments at the Centre, had meddled in the issues, which affected the independence of the judiciary. Congress twice had violated the seniority convention for the appointment of chief justice of India. In 1973, three seniormost judges of Supreme Court were superseded to appoint justice AN Ray, a junior judge, who was considered to be close to Indira Gandhi. Then again in 1977, Justice HR Khanna, who was seniormost judge, was ignored and Justice MH Beg was elevated to the office of CJI. In 1973, the Supreme Court in Kesavananda Bharati vs. State of Kerala held independence of judiciary as the basic structure of the Constitution. It means independence of the judiciary is so important that even a constitutional amendment cannot undo it. The Bhartiya Jan Sangh in the 1970s criticised the Congress government for eroding the independence of the judiciary. Whenever BJP was in opposition, it has stood for the independence of the judiciary. While in the opposition, Arun Jaitley in 2012, as the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha said, "There are two kinds of judges- those who know the law and those who know the law minister." He emphasised that we are the only country in the world where judges appoint judges. Even though there is a retirement age, judges are not willing to retire. Pre-retirement judgments are influenced by post-retirement jobs. He repeated his resolve again in 2012 while presiding over his partys legal cell. He observed that this clamour for post-retirement jobs is adversely affecting the impartiality of the judiciary of the country and time has come that it should come to an end. His government appointed ex-CJI P Sathasivam as governor of Kerala after it came to power in 2014. Similarly, there was no cooling-off period for Justice (retd) Adarsh Goel before he was chosen as the chairman of National Green Tribunal (the same day he stepped down from office on 6 July, 2018.) Congress leader Kapil Sibal and the rest of the opposition have termed Justice Gogoi's appointment as quid pro quo. Their argument being that he "encouraged sealed cover jurisprudence" and employed "delaying tactics" in hearing habeas corpus petitions following the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir. There were also questions asked about the "opaque functioning" of the collegium system and the seemingly arbitrary manner of allocation of cases to judges. Justice Gogoi did nothing when he himself became the master of the roaster. In addition, there were allegations of sexual harassment against him. The simple solution to resolve the impending crisis is to enact a law for fixing a period of cooling off before a retired judge could take up any responsibility in the government or any other constitutional posts. The cooling-off period will minimise the chances of judgments getting influenced by post-retirement allurements. This cooling-off period can be of six years and no judge should be appointed before completing this period. The period of six years is desirable as the governments tenure is of five years and after that, it has to face the people to acquire again the power to rule. This would ensure that no judge has any expectations from the powers that be. Since the government is the largest litigant, there is always a possibility that a judge may think of favouring the incumbent government in the hope of getting some post-retirement benefits. The period of six years is long enough to kill any ill-intentioned aspirations of the judge for post-retirement posts. There have been proposals from the leaders, who are at the helm of affairs in the present government. Nitin Gadkari, who is now Union minister in the Narendra Modi-led government, in 2012, while he was BJPs national president, proposed in a partys meeting that a two-year wait should be there before any judge is appointed to commissions or tribunals. He stated in the meeting that 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. Amendments must be made to those statutes, which provide that certain commissions and tribunals be chaired by retired judges. For instance, an amendment can be made in National Human Rights Commission Act to provide that a retired CJI or judge of Supreme Court may be appointed as NHRC chairman, provided that there should be a gap of six years between his retirement and the new assignment. When under Article 124(7), the judge of the Supreme Court cannot practice in any court within the territory of India, therefore, the restriction of six years for assuming new responsibilities in non-judicial areas may be a valid limitation. Sarvesh is an Assistant Professor of Sociology, Advanced Centre for Womens Studies, Aligarh Muslim University. Gandhi is an Assistant Professor of Law at Unity PG Degree and Law College, Lucknow. Donald Trump closed the northern U.S. border with Canada Wednesday, tweeting that 'non-essential' traffic would be banned. 'We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected. Details to follow!' he tweeted. How the ban will work and exactly when it takes effect was not immediately clear. The move came after Canada and the United States had worked out the details of a mutual ban on non-essential travel between the two countries amid the new coronavirus pandemic. Both countries are hoping to choke off the spread of the virus but also eager to continue the critical economic relationship. Canada relies on the U.S. for 75 percent of its exports. To curb the spread of the coronavirus, the United States and Canada are working on a ban of non-essential travel to either country Truckers and Canadians who live in the U.S. for the winter are expected to get exemptions from the ban Truck drivers and Canadian snowbirds, who live in the U.S. for part of the year, are among those expected to get an exemption. Completely closing the border would cause severe economic damage to both the U.S. and Canada as the two economies are integrated. Much of Canadas food supply comes from or via the U.S. and and 98 percent of its oil exports go to the U.S. About 18 percent of American exports go to Canada. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday he would close the country's borders to anyone not a citizen, an American or a permanent resident and even they have to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival - due to the coronavirus pandemic. Trudeau said an exemption for Americans, despite the rapid rise of cases in the U.S., would be due to 'the level of integration of our two economies.' Trudeau himself went into self-isolation after his wife Gregoire Trudeau tested positive for the virus. President Trump said the action was taken 'by mutual consent' and would not affect trade Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau himself went into self-isolation after his wife Gregoire Trudeau tested positive for the virus. President Trump said the agreement was reached through mutual consent with Canada The president said trade would not be affected by the border closing to most travelers 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 virus. Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said the border is vital to the daily life to people on both sides. 'Nearly 200,000 people cross that border every day and that border and that traffic that goes across that border is literally a lifeline for both the Canadians and the Americans on both sides of that border,'' Freeland said. 'We get our groceries thanks to truckers who drive back and forth across that border,' she said. 'Very urgently needed medical supplies and medicines go back and forth across that border. And essential workers go back and forth across that border every day. So it is a unique relationship for Canada and it's important for us in handling our situation on the border to be sure that we act to get things right.'' But many in Canada criticized the decision to give Americans an exemption. British Columbia Health Minister Adrian Dix said he vehemently disagreed with the American exemption given the surge in cases in neighboring Washington State. Trump has heralded the decision to shut off travel with China following the outbreak as critical to stemming the outbreak, even as U.S. cases have surged and deaths hit the 100-person landmark. Last week he announced the shut off of travel from Europe amid the outbreak there, later adding the U.K. to the list. The administration is now focused on measures to try to cut down on movements of people within the U.S. borders to try to slow the spread of the virus. The U.S. had surpassed 6,500 cases based on Johns Hopkins University data as of Wednesday. Canada, with its smaller population, was just shy of 600. Bhopal, March 18 : Rebels Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh, who are camping in Bengaluru, issued a video message on Wednesday, refusing to meet former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh and other Congress leaders who have gone to meet them and reiterated that they were there out of their own choice. "Have come to Bengaluru on our own. For the past one year, no work has been done. We have come here on our own. Request Digvijaya Singh and other leaders that they go back because we don't want to meet them," the MLAs said in the video message. Sources say that the rebel MLAs issued the video message to Digvijaya Singh after he was detained by the Bengaluru Police. Singh reached Bengaluru on Wednesday morning wanting to meet the rebel MLAs. Twenty-two Congress MLAs have resigned from the Assembly, the resignation of six has been accepted by the Speaker. Earlier, after being taken into preventive custody, Digvijaya Singh announced that he will start hunger strike as he was denied a meeting with the MLAs. [March 18, 2020] Global Government SaaS Leader Accela Partners with DWS Group to Enhance Customer Service and Expertise in Australia and New Zealand SAN RAMON, Calif., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Accela, the premier provider of cloud-based solutions for government, today announced a strategic partnership with the DWS Group (DWS), one of the world's leading providers of project management services, to expand operations and further enhance customer support in Australia and New Zealand. DWS, which has over 800 employees with offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Canberra, will become the exclusive services partner for Accela. The partnership enables both companies to focus on providing unparalleled technology solutions to meet the growing needs of federal, state and local governments in the Asia-Pacific market and highlights a milestone in Accela's commitment to the region as its longest-running international operation of over a decade. "Governments worldwide are turning to Accela's market-leading SaaS technology to transform the way they engage and serve their constituents," says Tom Nieto, COO at Accela. "With our new collaboration with DWS in Australia and New Zealand, we are able to continue to focus on deepening our presence in this critical region, which has made SaaS-first for any government procurement a priority. We are excited to be working with DWS, who is a leader in this market and has been helping government clients rapidly evolve to better serve their communities today and for the future." The global government cloud market is expected to reach $28.85 billion by 2022 , according to the Government Cloud Market Global Forecast, as governments increasingly harness the cloud to spur community development and meet evolving regulatory challenges. Asian-Pacific countries such as Singapore are mandating all departments to move databases to the cloud . Australia follows a Secure Cloud Strategy to quickly deploy new platforms, and New Zealand and Australia are two of the first countries in the world to adopt a Cloud-First policy for procuring technology to improve security and optimize costs. "We are delighted to be the strategic partner of Accela and to match our market-leading integration and project management capabilities with Accela's proven cloud-based solutions for government," says DWS CFO and Head of M&A, Stuart Whipp. "With both partners committed to the success of the partnership, existing and new clients will have access to an end-to-end solution that will provide cost effective and efficient management of government regulatory processes." The partnership furthers oth Groups' capabilities to better serve the market and provides much-needed technical consultants to increase the efficacy of project delivery. It underscores Accela's and DWS's commitments to the success of their customers and to helping governments embrace the digital transformation of vital citizen services. "Now with a larger, enhanced team of technical experts who can better serve customers in Australia and New Zealand, Accela's technology is able to scale at a much faster rate," says Accela Managing Director International Khaled Jaouni. "We are thrilled to be working with DWS's renowned consultants, who help equip our customers with the highest quality services for guaranteed long-term success." This partnership marks the latest example of Accela's international leadership as the company continues to drive impact with some of the world's most progressive governments to benefit 275 million citizens globally. Accela has helped Dubai become one of the first cities in the world to offer streamlined, customer-friendly, online short-term rental registration and launched its first international Center of Excellence in Amman, Jordan to enhance digital infrastructure and improve services for citizens in the region. Most recently, Dubai's Security Industry Regulatory Agency (SIRA) launched a new security regulation and licensing system powered by Accela technology. Today's announcement builds on Accela's record growth and investment in the success of its government customers, particularly with an emphasis on product development and customer support. Accela recently deepened integrations with fellow tech giants Microsoft and Esri to help governments leverage spatial data and cloud analytics to make more accurate, proactive decisions. In January, Accela announced the sale of Springbrook Software a provider of cloud-based finance, utility billing and payroll software solutions for small and medium-sized municipalities and utility districtsto Accel-KKR. The sale enables both companies to focus on their respective core solutions and customers, allowing Accela to continue to build momentum across the globe. To learn more about Accela Civic Solutions, please visit https://www.accela.com/solutions/ . About Accela Accela provides market-leading cloud solutions that empower the most innovative state and local governments around the world to build thriving communities, grow businesses and protect citizens. More than 275 million citizens globally benefit from Accela's solutions, which are powered by Microsoft Azure, for permitting, licensing, code enforcement and service request management. Accela's fast-to-implement Civic Applications, built on its robust and extensible Civic Platform, help agencies address specific needs today, while ensuring they are prepared for any emerging or complex challenges in the future. Accela is headquartered in San Ramon, California, with additional offices around the world. For more information, visit www.accela.com . About DWS Group DWS Limited, is an ASX listed, Australian group (ASX:DWS). Encompassing DWS, Symplicit, Phoenix & Projects Assured, the DWS Group provides a wide range of services including IT Consulting Services, Managed Application Services, Program & Project Management, Customer driven innovation, Digital Transformation, Data and Business Analytics, Strategic Advisory and Productivity and Robotic Process Automation. With offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Canberra, the DWS Group provides services to a broad range of blue-chip corporate clients, as well as Federal, State and Local Government agencies. The quality of DWS Group consultants enables organisations to design, develop, manage and maintain technology, business and customer centric solutions providing competitive advantage, streamlined operations, innovation and long-term success. For more information, visit www.dws.com.au . Contact: Kate Helete, (805) 458-5093, [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-government-saas-leader-accela-partners-with-dws-group-to-enhance-customer-service-and-expertise-in-australia-and-new-zealand-301026289.html SOURCE Accela ISLAMABAD/BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- As more countries have come together to fight the COVID-19 outbreak, a common enemy of mankind, Pakistani President Arif Alvi has visited China for the first time since he assumed office in 2018, showing the determination of the two all-weather friends to forge a closer community with a shared future. While Pakistani volunteers stayed in China to fight the novel coronavirus, a team of Chinese experts traveled to Pakistan to tackle a locust crisis. As Chinese President Xi Jinping told Alvi on Tuesday in Beijing, "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." 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) FIRM SUPPORT As Xi recalled, at the beginning of the epidemic, 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. In addition to the governmental support, during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, many Pakistanis have remained in China to help their "second hometown." "I knew in my heart that I had to stay here with my Chinese brothers and sisters, because throughout my life in China, I have received a lot of love from the Chinese, and it was the first chance in my life to make a little contribution to China," said Abdul Zahir Hamad, a Pakistani who studied medicine in China and later became a professional doctor. Pakistani Abdul Zahir Hamad (R) works at a highway exit checkpoint in Wenzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 8, 2020. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang) After the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, Hamad had a chance to return to Pakistan. However, he chose to stay with his Chinese colleagues and volunteered to help at a highway exit checkpoint in Wenzhou, a city in China's eastern Zhejiang Province, taking temperatures of drivers and passengers. "I grew up here, I completed my education and started my career here, and after spending more than a decade in China I feel it's my second home. It took care of me like a mother does," Hamad told Xinhua in a recent interview. The young Pakistani doctor's affection for China can be traced back to his father. "Friendship with China is incarnated in the soul of every Pakistani, even when our children are young, we tell them that China is our best friend," Hamad's father told Xinhua. "He made the right choice to stay and serve our dear friends who always stood up for our country and supported us whenever we needed them," the father said, despite his fears over the virus. Pakistani Abdul Zahir Hamad (R) makes preparation before getting into work at a highway exit checkpoint in Wenzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 8, 2020. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang) TRUE FRIENDSHIP In Alvi's words, Pakistan and China are ironclad brothers who can go through thick and thin together, and the two peoples feel deep amity toward each other and the bilateral friendship becomes even firmer as time goes by. China's assistance to Pakistan in handling its locust crisis is another stellar example. In Khushab, in the central Pakistani province of Punjab, Chinese entomologist Zhang Long kneeled on the sandy ground, carefully searching for desert locust eggs. Zhang, from China Agriculture University, together with other top Chinese experts on locust control, arrived in Pakistan last month to help the south Asian country to fight its worst desert locust attack in 27 years. Chinese expert Zhang Long searches for desert locust eggs in Khushab, Punjab province, Pakistan, March 2, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Tian) Zhang and his team traveled thousands of miles to conduct field surveys in the provinces of Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab, where swarms of desert locusts laid eggs, and worked out a comprehensive plan with their Pakistani counterparts to tackle the locust crisis. The locust swarms led to a 15-percent reduction in crop production in the affected areas, causing a loss of more than 100 billion Pakistani rupees (about 627.3 million U.S. dollars), according to Mubarak Ahmad, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations' national locust control coordinator in Pakistan. "We came here to help our Pakistani brothers control the locusts. Pakistan also extended a hand when we were suffering the epidemic," said Wang Fengle, chief expert of the Chinese team. Last week, the first batch of locust control supplies provided by the Chinese government, including 50,000 liters of malathion and 14 air-powered long-range sprayers, arrived in the Pakistani port city of Karachi. "Chinese experts have offered new hope to farmers, because they are confident that China's assistance will enable them to save their crop," said Syed Miran Muhammad Shah, president of Sindh Chamber of Agriculture. Chinese experts talk with local locust control staff in Tharparkar desert of Sindh province, Pakistan, Feb. 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Tian) SHARED FUTURE "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. During their talks, the Chinese president also called on the two sides to build the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into a model of high-quality development within the Belt and Road cooperation. In the past five years, the CPEC has completed its first phase of upgrading Pakistan's infrastructure, freeing the country from blackouts and connecting its north and south with modern highways. Photo taken on Nov. 18, 2019 shows the motorway section of the Karakoram Highway second phase project in northern Pakistan. (Xinhua/Liu Tian) Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing told Xinhua on Friday that amid the ongoing global pandemic, it is very necessary to enhance bilateral cooperation in the health sector within the framework of the CPEC, adding that China has planned to donate 300,000 face masks, 10,000 protective suits and 4 million U.S. dollars to Pakistan to fight the disease. It is a chance for the two countries' healthcare authorities to work together more closely, Shimail Daud Arain, head of Maryam Memorial Hospital of Pakistan, told Xinhua, adding that "China has already helped by providing testing tools, but I think it's time for technical experts to share their experiences." Photo taken on March 9, 2020 shows the first batch of China-aid locust control supplies arriving in Karachi, Pakistan. (Xinhua) Friendship is deeply rooted in the exchanges between China and Pakistan, especially when the two countries are in difficulties, Yao said, adding that with the Pakistani president's visit to China and after going through the epidemic, bilateral relations will move towards a closer community with a shared future. By Anna J. Park Kakao Bank, one of the nation's two internet-only banks, recorded its first annual surplus in 2019, since its launch in July 2017, on the back of solid growth in earnings from its loan business. The bank said that it posted a net profit of 13.7 billion won ($11.3 million) last year, a major turnaround from net losses of 21 billion won in 2018 and 104.5 billion won in 2017.? The lender's total assets reached 22.7 trillion won at the end of last year, up 86 percent from the previous year. The number of customers also increased to 11.28 million, over a fifth of South Korea's population. Kakao Bank, led by CEO Yun Ho-young, explained that part of the reason behind the bank's turnaround lies in the rise in its interest earnings from new loans. The mobile-based bank's credit balance stood at 14.8 trillion won at the end of last December, up 63 percent from the previous year. Non-interest profits, such as fees and charges, also contributed to the bank's surplus. The bank has allowed users to open a securities account on its mobile platform, after it partnered with Korea Investment & Securities and NH Investment & Securities. "Kakao Bank is becoming popular with customers, as the number surpassed the 10 million mark last year. Based on our various products and services, the bank achieved a surplus in less than three years since its founding," a Kakao Bank official told The Korea Times. He added that the bank aims to achieve further growth this year through innovative financial products and services. In contrast, K bank, which was launched in April 2017 as the nation's first internet only bank just three months before Kakao Bank, has suffered from ballooning losses and has virtually suspended the extension of new loans due to a lack of capital. The plan to expand its capital base fell through after the National Assembly recently voted down a revised bill on internet-only banks, which would have paved the way for telecommunications giant KT to become K bank's majority shareholder by injecting 500 billion won in new capital. The bank is trying to find a breakthrough to normalize its business by appointing new CEO Lee Mun-hwan last week for his expertise in digital finance. He previously served as CEO of BC Card. The new chief's two-year term will start, if his appointment is approved at a general shareholders meeting at the end of the month. C oronavirus is 'very likely' to lead to an increase in divorce in the UK, a leading lawyer has said. Long periods of self-isolation and time spent in quarantine in an effort to slow the spread of the virus would cause a spike in divorces, according to Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia, whose previous clients have included Sir Paul McCartney, the Prince of Wales, Madonna and Liam Gallagher. Speaking at the House of Lords, Lady Shackleton said: The prediction amongst divorce lawyers is that following self-imposed confinement it is very likely that the divorce rate will rise. Our peak times are after long exposure during the summer holidays and over Christmas. One only has to imagine what its going to be like when families are sealed in a property for a long period of time. Under government guidelines, whole households are required to self-isolate for a period of 14 days if anyone living in the property displays symptoms of coronavirus, for example a persistent cough or fever. Divorce lawyer Amanda Rimmer has also said that such confinement may bring 'simmering tensions' to the surface. The partner from Stephensons Solicitors said: For some, the prospect of being quarantined with their partner will be a welcome opportunity to spend time together, yet for others, it may force simmering tensions in their relationship to rise to the surface. Often when couples face serious and stressful situations it can lead some to re-evaluate their lives and what is important to them. The Northern Ireland Hospice has made a public plea for donations as it announced the postponement off all planned fundraising events due to the coronavirus pandemic. It comes following government advice issued on Monday on social distancing measures and avoiding large gatherings. The Northern Ireland Hospice and provides palliative care, specialist rehabilitation and respite care for more than 4,000 infants, children and adults each year. This care does, however, come at a cost - 15.5m annually. Around 4m of this is funded by the government with the remaining 11.5m raised through corporate support, shops and fundraising activities Last week, the charity's chief executive, Heather Weir, revealed that hospice shops have already seen an 11% reduction in revenue within the last week due to decreased footfall. Fundraising events planned for over the coming few weeks were also expected to raise 250,000. In a statement issued on Wednesday, a Northern Ireland Hospice spokesperson said: "The health and safety of our supporters, staff and the public is paramount and we will not risk a potential infection. We are not cancelling any of the events but will re-schedule when it is safe to do so. "We ask that you continue to help us and make sure that Hospice can continue to provide the vital care services for babies, children and adults across Northern Ireland especially in these uncertain times. "Over the next few weeks we will be appealing for your support in different ways. If you wish to help us now, please donate online at www.nihospice.org/donate or via Facebook." Heather Weir last week urged the government to consider the third sector and charities such as the Northern Ireland Hospice when it comes to the allocation of any additional funding. "We operate 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and we depend heavily on two sources of funding - from Government, and from our charity fundraising," she said. "Any reduction from either of those sources may hit our ability to deliver those services." The Supreme Court on Wednesday demanded to know from the Centre if it intends to release former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah from detention. In the event of the Centre not releasing him, the apex court said it will take up the plea by Omars sister against his detention. If you are releasing Omar Abdullah release him soon, or we will hear his sisters plea against his detention on merit, said the Supreme Court to Centre. The NC leader has been in detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA) since August 5 last year, when the Centre revoked the Jammu and Kashmirs special status and divided the state into two union territories. Terming the February 5 order under the PSA unconstitutional, Sara Pilot, Omars sister, said it violated fundamental rights and filed a Habeas Corpus petition. As Omar completed six months in custody, the state administration ordered his continued detention under the PSA that empowers authorities to hold any person for two more years. In her petition, Pilot argued that Omar Abdullah was a votary of peace and there was overwhelming evidence in the form of tweets and public statements to prove the same. Just last week, Omars father and NC president Farooq Abdullah walked out of his Gupkar residence, seven months after he was put under similar detention following the abrogation of Article 370 by the central government. The senior Abdullah said that he will not make any political statement till the time all the leaders are released. Immediately after his release, the NC issued a statement welcoming the decision and also urged the Union Territory administration to release other political leaders, including party vice president Omar Abdullah. The Jammu and Kashmir administration has defended Omars detention in the top court citing the leaders past conduct and possibility of such conduct being repeated on his release, which may prejudice the public order. BATROVCI, Serbia (Reuters) - Serbia's military deployed at the borders on Wednesday, for the first time in over a decade, as authorities imposed a state of emergency to try to curb the spread of coronavirus. At the Batrovci border crossing with Croatia, a European Union and a NATO member, a Serbian armored personnel carrier and soldiers, wearing surgical masks, gloves and goggles, stood near a long line of Serbians who were flocking home. In 2007 the Serbian military handed over control of the borders to police, as Belgrade sought to secure visa-free travels with the EU. On Tuesday Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced the elderly must stay indoors at all times. Authorities also imposed a night curfew on almost everyone else. Serbia, which is a candidate to join the EU, has already imposed an array of restrictions, including the closure of kindergartens, schools and universities, and a ban on entry to foreigners. It also postponed April 26 general elections. People from the crowd at the Batrovci border crossing said they first had to be registered by Serbian authorities and would then receive an instruction to stay in isolation for two weeks. "This (situation) is not pleasant, but I want to go to my home to my children. I'll be isolated, I'll respect that," said Desa, a woman from the northern city of Novi Sad. On Tuesday, Vucic sharply criticized ill-disciplined pensioners and Serbs living abroad for ignoring government's recommendations to stay indoors and avoid traveling home for the duration of the outbreak. On Wednesday, Serbia's Interior Ministry said that those who violate instructions by the health authorities or curfew will face criminal charges, fines or jail terms of up to three years. The Serbian army was also deployed in the capital Belgrade and other major cities, where it secured hospitals and state buildings. The army also took over guard of over a dozen of state-operated camps for migrants from Asia and the Middle East. (Reporting by Fedja Grulovic in Batrovci; Writing by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by William Maclean) In a procedural move, the Pasadena City Council recently extended the citys disaster declaration ahead of Gov. Greg Abbotts executive order that set limits on gatherings, closes bars and restricted restaurants. District E council member Cody Ray Wheeler said some residents are confused about the pandemic. (They) don't know what to make of the situation, he said. We are so early on into this pandemic it may not be hitting home for everyone, and they are questioning whether not the actions being taken are too severe. It is my belief they are not. We have to trust the experts and professionals in this field. As the coronavirus began to spread rapidly in the region, Mayor Jeff Wagner on March 13 declared that Pasadena was in a state of disaster. By law, that action had to be ratified by City Council within seven days, said Laura Branch Mireles, the citys spokesperson. The measure makes the municipality eligible for federal funding for Pasadenas efforts to respond to the public health crisis. That funding can include personal protective equipment such as masks, gowns and gloves, said Frank Bengochea, who heads up Pasadenas emergency management department. Passed with a 9-0 vote, the declaration will remain in effect until terminated by the mayor or by a council vote, Mireles said. Wagner ordered closure of Pasadena Convention Center and fairgrounds, both locations for the Pasadena Public Library, the Madison Jobe Senior Center and the citys municipal court. He also ordered closing of the citys Maintenance Services Department; the Verne Cox Adaptive Recreation Center; the ODell, Rusk, Golden Acres and Fogo youth recreation centers; and PAL Gymnasium. Wheeler said he was not pleased with the rate the city was moving to initiate action. Shutting down facilities that are nonvital is what needs to be done, he said. I feel the city has been slow to react and instead of being decisive in making decisions to protect its citizens has lagged behind neighboring cities, the county and even the state. I have yet to hear of any plans to bring (coronavirus) testing to Pasadena, he said. John DeLapp is a freelance writer. He can be contacted at texdelapp@gmail.com In this handout photo provided by the German Government Press Office , German Chancellor Angela Merkel addresses the nation via a video statement about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on March 18, 2020 in Berlin, Germany. Photo: Steffen Kugler/Bundesregierung via Getty Images German chancellor Angela Merkel made the first televised crisis address during her 15 years in office on Wednesday evening (March 18). Merkel, who normally only goes on television for her New Years message, appealed directly to the German people, saying she was reaching out to them in this unusual way in order to explain what the government was doing during the coronavirus pandemic. She urged every citizen to take the coronavirus seriously and to help to slow its spread. There has been no challenge to our country that depends so much on our joint solidarity since the Second World War, Merkel said on public broadcaster ZDF. We are not doomed to passively accept the spread of the virus, Merkel said. We have a remedy against it: we must keep our distance from each other out of respect." The chancellor did not announce a curfew, as president Emmanuel Macron has done in France. "We are a democracy, she said. We do not live by coercion, but by shared knowledge and participation." However, she added that the government could rethink and react with other measures at any time a strong indication that a curfew has not been ruled out. As COVID-19 cases in Germany have increased dramatically this month, Merkel has stressed repeatedly that people need to show solidarity with the vulnerable, elderly, and infirm, by staying at home. I know how difficult this is... in times of need we want to be close to each other, but at the moment the opposite is necessary, Merkel said tonight. She assured the nation that the food supply will be safe, and that if shop shelves are empty for a day, they will be replenished. She said that keeping food in stock has always been sensible, but within reason. Bulk-buying, however, was senseless and goes completely against solidarity. Merkel earlier described the coronavirus pandemic more extraordinary than the banking crisis of 2008, because this crisis is about saving lives as well as economic survival. Story continues On Monday (March 16), she announced a sweeping package of measures to try and slow the spread of the coronavirus, including shutting all non-essential shops and businesses. Police will start enforcing the restrictions as of today. READ MORE Coronavirus: Merkel announces sweeping shutdown in Germany The number of coronavirus infections in Germany now totals over 10,000, with 26 reported deaths. The Robert Koch Institute raised the risk level to high and warned that if people did not heed the government rules and stay at home, then up to 10 million people could be infected in the next two-to-three months. Merkel said that the Government is doing everything it can to cushion the economic impact - and above all to save jobs, noting that the situation is already difficult for shops, restaurants and freelancers and is set to get worse in the coming weeks. "We can and will do everything necessary to help our entrepreneurs and workers through this tough test," she said. The government announced a massive fiscal aid package last week, with a focus on tax relief and granting loans to prevent bankruptcies. READ MORE: Germany to offer companies unlimited credit to withstand coronavirus crisis Airlifts and entry bans 17 March 2020, Hessen, Frankfurt/Main: Three policemen walk through Terminal 1 at the airport. The spokesman for the federal police at the airport has announced an immediate entry ban for non-EU citizens at German airports due to the corona crisis. This regulation will be implemented on Tuesday evening. Photo: Andreas Arnold/dpa (Photo by Andreas Arnold/picture alliance via Getty Images) Germany, which has now shut land borders with all but two if its neighbouring countries, is also implementing the 30-day entry ban on non-EU citizens that was agreed by European Union leaders earlier this week. Authorities turned several hundred people away and back onto their planes in Frankfurt airport today. Foreign minister Heiko Maas said the government would spend 50m flying home tens of thousands of German tourists. Maas told Deutsche Welle yesterday that the repatriation would take a few days and that the government had chartered planes from airlines, mainly Lufthansa, to bring people home. Lufthansa told the Bild tabloid on Tuesday that is is preparing to use its planes for a potential airbridge (Luftbrucke) to bring in supplies to Germany. That last time an airbridge was needed in Germany was in 1948-1949, when the Allies flew emergency supplies into West Berlin to keep the population alive after it was sealed off by the Soviet army. Berlin is now planning to build an emergency medical facility in the large Messe exhibition grounds in the west of the capital, that would be able to handle 1,000 coronavirus patients. The coronavirus pandemic has thrown plans for Harris Countys Democratic and Republican conventions into disarray this week and sent party officials scrambling to decide how they should select delegates for their statewide conventions later this year. Both local parties are poised to hold their state Senate conventions Saturday, where members ordinarily would choose delegates and vote on resolutions that, if successful, would be added to the agenda at the state convention. The parties are taking similar approaches to follow U.S. Centers for Disease Control guidelines discouraging gatherings of more than 10 people: Most Senate conventions appear likely to meet Saturday and adjourn almost immediately, with plans to reconvene again in at least eight weeks the span for which the CDC has recommended that people avoid gathering. The elongated procedure will allow convention officials to abide by state and party rules that require the meetings to take place, while avoiding human-to-human contact or prolonged exposure to other people. Both state parties are stressing that delegates could be elected even if they do not attend their local conventions. The Texas Democratic Party is encouraging delegates to register online instead of showing up in person. Remember that the health and well-being of Texans is our top priority and many of our delegates fall into the most vulnerable categories for coronavirus complications, Texas GOP Chair James Dickey said Monday on a teleconference call regarding the conventions. The Republican Party of Texas will do our part to flatten the curve of the spread of this virus to the very best of our ability. The local conventions are organized by the county party in rural areas of Texas where Senate districts contain numerous counties, and by Senate district chairs in urban areas such as Harris County, which contains all or part of eight Senate districts. The structure is intended to align with both state parties executive committees, the governing bodies made up of committee members from each Senate district. The executive committee members are elected at each partys state convention. The plan for the Harris County Republican Party largely came into focus Tuesday, after Dickey revealed new details in the Monday evening call. On the call, he said the state party intends to reschedule its convention currently set for May 14 to 16 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston for July 13 to 18 at the same location, contingent on an executive committee vote next month. On the same call, Dickey urged county and Senate district chairs to postpone their meetings for at least eight weeks. Under a plan finalized Tuesday, seven of the eight Republican conventions in Harris County Senate districts will be postponed for at least eight weeks, though the meetings still are set to gavel in only to be swiftly adjourned. The lone exception, Senate District 6, intends to meet at the pavilion outside the Baytown Community Center, instead of inside as originally planned. The Harris County Democratic Party, meanwhile, had intended to hold a joint Senate convention involving seven of the eight local Senate districts. Members from those districts still are scheduled to meet at the George R. Brown Saturday for abridged conventions, where members will be allowed to register as delegates in person. The convention also will be streamed on Facebook, according to DJ Ybarra, executive director of the Harris County Democratic Party. "The idea was to have a big convention with all the Senate districts in Harris County coming together at the GRB, breaking out into separate rooms, making it more like a state or national convention," Ybarra said. "We were going to have some speakers come in, and all of that sort of stuff. All of that, obviously, went out the window with the health advisories and everything that's happened over the past few weeks." Potential delegates also may sign up online for 30 days after the convention. The state party is instructing counties and Senate districts that do not vote on resolutions to send the proposed resolutions to a state committee that will determine whether to put them on the statewide convention agenda. The Texas Democratic Party is scheduled to hold its convention June 4 to 6 in San Antonio. Abhi Rahman, a spokesman for the party, said the TDPs digital team is preparing to hold the biggest digital convention in the United States, instead of rescheduling, if the city of San Antonio extends its ban on large gatherings through the convention date. jasper.scherer@chron.com Hospital groups have been called on to stop doctors and nurses from being clamped. Pictures have emerged of nurses returning to their cars after long shifts to find their cars clamped. The actions by the companies involved have sparked anger, especially as medics will be among the main frontline staff fighting Covid-19. As well as calls to end clamping, there have also been calls for parking charges to be waived for medics. Fine Gael councillor James Geoghegan wrote to St Vincents Hospital chiefs requesting the charges be waived for healthcare workers. A partner of a nurse who works in St Vincents Hospital reached out to me over the weekend explaining her concern that the nurse was spending 15 a day in parking, he said. This was on top of the 36-hour shift that she had put in over three consecutive days. The Taoiseach captured the mood of the nation describing our health care staff as superheroes. In my view, superheroes should not have to pay for parking, he said. We need to do all we can to make the lives of the thousands of healthcare workers across Ireland that little bit easier. This is one small way in which it could be done in Vincents hospital and other hospitals around the country. He is to raise the issue with Dublin City Council. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation is also going to raise the matter with health chiefs. In a nutshell: Googles decision is proof positive that working remotely isnt ideal in all circumstances. While still technically possible thanks to the Internet and numerous collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams and Slack, there is undoubtedly some efficiency that gets lost in the process. Worse yet, imagine the headache Google would face if unanticipated bugs cropped up. Google on Wednesday announced it is pausing all upcoming Chrome browser and Chrome OS releases due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. The tech titan specifically cited adjusted work schedules as the reason for its decision but noted that they will continue to prioritize updates related to security. Chrome 81 was originally scheduled to launch on March 17 but the rollout was ultimately halted. Google, like many of its peers, has asked employees to work from home to help slow the spread of the virus. The search giant issued a soft deadline of April 10 for its recommendation although based on recent developments, this could be extended soon. Apple, for example, said last week that it was closing all of its retail stores outside of Greater China until March 27. Just days later, the Cupertino-based company said it would keep all stores closed until further notice. The best move with regard to software development during this trying time, it would seem, is to settle into a holding pattern. Masthead credit: Google by Benny Marty. Chrome by rafapress. One Oregon police department recently urged people not to dial 911 for toilet paper shortages but a second one received a report about a real toilet paper emergency this weekend. Eugene police said a resident filed an online report saying that overnight Saturday, a thief had smashed the rear window of their SUV and stole valuables including two 30-roll packs of toilet paper. The thief also took some business and personal items, according to Eugene police. Eugene Police Spokeswoman Melinda McLaughlin said its unclear if the thief broke the windows specifically to steal the toilet paper. There were other valuable items in there too, which they took, she said. But I dont know how often toilet paper gets stolen and this was a significant amount. Amid fears about the coronavirus spreading and in anticipation of quarantine, thousands of people are panic-shopping and hoarding many common supplies like hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, bottled water and of course, toilet paper. Eugene isnt the only place in the world where people have resorted to crime to get their hands on some toilet paper. According to a Hong Kong newspaper, two armed robbers stole 600 rolls of toilet paper last month amid coronavirus-buying panic. McLaughlin said so far, this is the only coronavirus-related crime Eugene police have seen. She said officers felt it was a good time to remind people about simple tips to prevent thefts from vehicles such as not leaving items of value where theyre visible to thieves. Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. The ELISE proposal has been selected to enter Grant Agreement Preparation with top scores awarded among all proposals for this round, which is testament to the fact that machine learning is at the core of modern AI research, and the main driver in this thriving research field. "The ELISE project proposal builds upon the ELLIS organization which is excellence-driven and open, as that is what Europe needs; we play for the 'team Europe'", says Samuel Kaski, director of the Finnish Center for Artificial Intelligence FCAI and professor at Aalto University, who is also the principal investigator of the proposal. ELISE (European Learning and Intelligent Systems Excellence), and was initiated by ELLIS (European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems). ELLIS was created in 2018 to develop a network of AI excellence, with Europe's top researchers in ML and related fields that can compete with the major AI hotspots in the US and China. "The strength of Europe is in its rich and diverse cultures and industries, from service to health to manufacturing. The ELLIS network of top-level AI institutes is the best way to inject excellent machine learning in European companies," says Barbara Caputo, Professor at Politecnico di Torino and a member of the ELLIS Board. ELLIS is actively advancing important technological and medical applications with fellowship programs on Robotics, Computer Vision or Health. "We believe that a diversity of approaches is the key, and we congratulate all of the other selected proposals. ELISE gives us the chance to implement the next steps towards the ELLIS vision, and we are happy to collaborate with others who help us achieve these goals", adds Professor Bernhard Scholkopf, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Tubingen, and member of the ELLIS Board. The goal of ELISE to make Europe competitive by setting up a "Powerhouse of AI " As part of its goals, ELLIS has set out to retain and attract the best talent. Machine learning has triggered the current revolution in AI, with an impact on all associated disciplines such as computer vision and sensory processing, data science, symbolic and rule-based reasoning, robotics, and human-computer interaction. The distinction between academic and industrial research is vanishing, with rapid and broad commercialization of results which has led to a need to strengthen European research excellence to remain competitive. The ELISE network is set up to be attractive to students and experienced researchers, to sustain itself at the highest level research in academia, and to spread its knowledge and methods in research, industry and society. While ELISE starts from machine learning as a key enabling technology of AI, the network addresses all ways of reasoning, considering all types of data. These are applicable for almost all sectors of science, industry, and society while being aware of data safety and security, and striving to provide explainable and trustworthy outcomes. ### Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States TORONTO, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PIMCO Canada Corp. (PIMCO Canada) today announced the first quarter 2020 cash distributions for the ETF series (ETF Series) of the PIMCO Canada mutual funds that distribute quarterly (Funds). Unitholders of record of the ETF Series, at the close of business on March 24, 2020, will receive a per-unit cash distribution payable on or about March 31, 2020. Details of the per-unit cash distribution amount are as follow: Fund Name Ticker Cash Distribution per Unit PIMCO Managed Conservative Bond Pool PCON $0.02446 PIMCO Managed Core Bond Pool PCOR $0.02355 The Manager, PIMCO Canada administers and manages the PIMCO Canada ETFs, and retains Pacific Investment Management Company, LLC, (PIMCO), to provide sub-advisory services to the Funds. About PIMCO PIMCO is one of the worlds premier fixed income investment managers. With our launch in 1971 in Newport Beach, California, PIMCO introduced investors to a total return approach to fixed income investing. In the 45+ years since, we have continued to bring innovation and expertise to our partnership with clients seeking the best investment solutions. Today we have offices across the globe and 2,150+ professionals united by a single purpose: creating opportunities for investors in every environment. PIMCO is owned by Allianz S.E., a leading global diversified financial services provider. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements included in this news release constitute forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, those identified by the expressions expect, intend, will and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Funds. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect the Funds, PIMCO Canadas and/or PIMCOs current expectations regarding future results or events. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations, including, but not limited to, market factors. Although the Funds, PIMCO Canada and/or PIMCO believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and, accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. The Funds, PIMCO Canada and/or PIMCO undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statement or information whether as a result of new information, future events or other factors which affect this information, except as required by law. Story continues Commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with an investment in the ETF Series Units. Please read the prospectus and ETF Facts carefully before investing. The ETF Series Units are not guaranteed, their value may change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. For a summary of the risks of an investment in the fund, please see the specific risks of mutual funds section of the prospectus. Units of ETF Series trade like stocks, fluctuate in market value and may trade at a discount to their net asset value, which may increase risk of loss. Distributions are not guaranteed and are subject to change and/or elimination. The products and services provided by PIMCO Canada may only be available in certain provinces or territories of Canada and only through dealers authorized for that purpose. PIMCO Canada has retained PIMCO LLC as sub-adviser. PIMCO Canada will remain responsible for any loss that arises out of the failure of its sub-adviser. Contact: Agnes Crane PIMCO Media Relations Phone: +212 597.1054 Email: agnes.crane@pimco.com While neither proposal would deliver much direct stimulus fiscal policy cant change the reality that much of the economy remains shut down Mr. Romneys temporary universal basic income measure would deliver more to those who needed help paying for essentials. That would help bolster households so they would be able to more rapidly resume their old spending patterns when businesses reopened. Adapt the social safety net in a pandemic. But even Mr. Romneys proposed checks would not be enough for those who will be hardest hit. Paid leave provides workers with valuable insurance against potential income loss. But its important to get the details right. Paid leave funded by employers simply transfers the pain from workers to their bosses. In ordinary times, when just a small fraction of a companys work force is out sick, thats not much of a burden. But when a pandemic forces the whole staff out, this obligation could easily push a business into mass layoffs or even closure. Thats why, in a pandemic, the federal government ought to be responsible, either by providing direct funding for paid leave or by offering tax credits to employers who do so. The government can also help mitigate income loss by expanding eligibility for unemployment insurance, which currently covers fewer than half of all workers. Independent contractors are completely shut out of the system, along with recent graduates looking for their first jobs and other workers with scant work histories. While unemployment insurance is provided by the states, the federal government can offer states extra funding if they cover more workers. Senator Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat, has also written a bill that would encourage work sharing rather than layoffs. His bill would provide opportunities for workers to receive unemployment insurance for the income they lost if their hours were cut. It would effectively encourage employers to share the burden of cutbacks, perhaps reducing payroll by cutting the hours of all workers a bit, rather than consigning an unlucky few to unemployment. Maintaining this continuity between workers and their jobs would help ease the transition to normality when the pandemic passes. Businesses need loans, not handouts. Businesses also need help, but its important that government aid doesnt just line the pockets of shareholders. A more appropriate goal ensuring that businesses can survive longer than the coronavirus saps cash flow can be achieved by providing loans. By 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. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Robin Williams' daughter Zelda unearthed a treasure when she decided to spring clean her house during self-isolation. The actress, 30, took to Twitter on Wednesday to share with fans she had discovered a polaroid snap reel of herself with the late actor. Zelda wrote: 'Isolation spring cleaning is turning up some fun old gems'. Hidden gem: Robin Williams' daughter Zelda unearthed a treasure when she decided to spring clean her house during self-isolation In the montage of photos the pair pulled a series of animated faces for the camera. Fans were quick to comment on the lovely post. One wrote: 'I bet he was the most fun dad ever. We all miss him like he was ours'. Another added: 'Your dad was a comet that only comes around once in a lifetime. Special human being.' Memories: The actress, 30, took to Twitter on Wednesday to share with fans that she had discovered a polaroid snap reel of herself with the late actor Zelda is the daughter of Robin and his second wife film producer Marsha Garces Williams. The actress was born 10 days after her father's 38th birthday. Robin stated he named her after Princess Zelda from The Legend of Zelda video game series. The Oscar-winning actor, who took his own life in 2014 at the age of 63, became a household name for his portrayal of Mork from Ork on the hit sitcom Happy Days and its spin-off Mork & Mindy. Family: Zelda is the daughter of Robin and his second wife film producer Marsha Garces Williams (pictured in 1993) He went on to star in countless critically-acclaimed films including, Good Morning Vietnam, Dead Poets Society, Mrs Doubtfire and Goodwill Hunting. His comedic talent, described as 'electric' by Billy Crystal and 'immeasurable' by Barack Obama, earned him a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame and a legendary 'National Treasure' status among the American public. Chris Columbus, who directed Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire, described watching him work as 'a magical and special privilege. His performances were unlike anything any of us had ever seen, they came from some spiritual and otherworldly place.' Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said quick and aggressive action was required to tackle coronavirus, warning India will pay "extremely heavy price" for the Centre's inability to act decisively. (File Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, March 18 : Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said quick and aggressive action was required to tackle coronavirus, warning India will pay "extremely heavy price" for the Centre's inability to act decisively. "Quick aggressive action is the answer to tackling the coronavirus. India is going to pay an extremely heavy price for our government's inability to act decisively," Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet. Even on February 12, he had made a similar statement when he said "coronavirus was an extremely serious threat to the people and the economy." "My sense is the government is not taking this threat seriously. Timely action is critical." On March 13, he added that he will keep repeating the statement adding that the government is in "a stupor". "Coronavirus is a huge problem. Ignoring the problem is a non-solution. The Indian economy will be destroyed if strong action is not taken." However, the Central government has refuted his claims. 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. Chinese electronics maker 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 uses on its 2020 products such as the upcoming 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. --IANS wh/rs/ (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.) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Emilio Parodi, Silvia Aloisi and Pamela Barbaglia (Reuters) Milan, Italy Wed, March 18, 2020 11:08 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b7a1ac 2 World Italy,coronavirus,pandemic,Europe,Wuhan-coronavirus,COVID-19,SARS-CoV-2,death-toll Free The fight against death pauses every day at 1 p.m. At that time, doctors in the intensive care unit of Policlinico San Donato phone relatives of the unit's 25 critically-ill coronavirus patients, all of whom are sedated and have tubes down their throats to breathe, to update the families. Lunchtime used to be for visiting hours at this Milan hospital. But now, as the country grapples with a coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than 2,000 people, no visitors are allowed in. And no one in Italy leaves their homes anymore. When the doctors make the calls, they try not to give false hope: They know that one out of two patients in intensive care with the disease caused by the virus is likely to die. As the COVID-19 epidemic expands and the disease progresses, these beds are in increasing demand, especially because of the breathing problems the illness can bring. Every time a bed comes free, two anesthesiologists consult with a specialist in resuscitation and an internal medicine physician to decide who will occupy it. Age and pre-existing medical conditions are important factors. So is having a family. "We have to take into account whether older patients have families who can take care of them once they leave the ICU, because they will need help," says Marco Resta, deputy head of Policlinico San Donato's Intensive Care Unit. Even if there is no chance, he says, you have to "look a patient in the face and say, 'All is well.' And this lie destroys you." The most devastating medical crisis in Italy since World War Two is forcing doctors, patients and their families to make decisions that Resta, a former military doctor, said he has not experienced even in war. As of Monday, 2,158 people had died and 27,980 been infected by coronavirus in Italy the second highest number of reported cases and deaths in the world behind China. Resta says that 50% of those with COVID-19 who are accepted into intensive care units in Italy are dying, compared with a usual mortality rate of 12% to 16% in such units nationwide. Medical workers in protective suits monitor a coronavirus patient who is being transferred in an ambulance from the intensive care unit of the Gemelli Hospital to the Columbus Covid Hospital, which has been assigned as one of the new coronavirus treatment hospitals in Rome, Italy, March 16, 2020. (REUTERS/Handout/Gemelli Policlinico) Doctors have warned that northern Italy where the universal healthcare system is ranked among the world's most efficient is a forerunner of crises that the disease is bringing around the world. The outbreak, which hit the northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto first, has crippled the local network of hospitals, putting their intensive care units under colossal strain. Over three weeks, 1,135 people have needed intensive care in Lombardy, but the region has only 800 intensive care beds, according to Giacomo Grasselli, head of the intensive care unit at Milan's Policlinico hospital, which is separate from San Donato. Grasselli coordinates all the state-run intensive care units across Lombardy. Such dilemmas are not new in the medical profession. When treating patients with breathing difficulties, intensive care doctors always evaluate their chance of recovery before intubation - an invasive procedure that involves inserting a tube into the mouth and down the throat and airway. But these high numbers mean doctors must choose more often, and more quickly, who deserves a greater chance of survival - a triage that is particularly wrenching in a Catholic country that does not allow assisted dying, and where the population is, according to statistics agency Eurostat, the oldest in Europe with nearly one person in four aged 65 or older. "We are not used to such drastic decisions," says Resta, a 48-year-old anesthesiologist. A priest blesses the Columbus Clinic, where patients suffering from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were moved from Spallanzani Hospital, in Rome, Italy March 16, 2020. (REUTERS/Remo Casilli) Take a chance Italian doctors say that so many elderly COVID-19 patients are showing up with breathing problems, they can't take a chance on those who have a slim hope of recovery. Alfredo Visioli was one such patient. When he was diagnosed, the 83-year old from Cremona was living a busy, active life, at home with a German shepherd, Holaf, that the family had given him. He cared for his 79-year-old wife, Ileana Scarpanti, who had suffered a stroke two years ago, said his granddaughter Marta Manfredi. At first, he only had intermittent fever, but two weeks after he was diagnosed with COVID-19, he developed pulmonary fibrosis - a disease resulting from lung tissue becoming damaged and scarred, which makes it harder and harder to breathe. Doctors in the hospital at Cremona, a town of about 73,000 in the Lombardy region, had to decide whether to intubate him to help him breathe. "They said there was no point," said Manfredi. She would have liked to hold her grandfather's hand, she said, while he was in a morphine-induced sleep before he died. Now Manfredi is worried about her grandmother. Ileana also caught COVID-19 and is now in the hospital, though she is responding well to a mouth respirator that is helping her breathe. No-one has told Ileana her husband is dead. Lombardy intensive care coordinator Grasselli said he believed that, so far, all patients with a reasonable chance of recovering and living an acceptable quality of life had been treated. But he added that this approach is under strain. "Previously, for some people we would have said, 'let's give them a chance for a few days.' Now we have to be more stringent." Medical workers in protective suits push an isolation stretcher in front of the Columbus Clinic, where patients suffering from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were moved from Spallanzani Hospital, in Rome, Italy March 16, 2020. (REUTERS/Remo Casilli) Reorganized hospitals This triage is happening outside of hospitals, too. On Friday, the mayor of Fidenza, a city just outside the Lombardy region, shut access to the local hospital for 19 hours. It was overcrowded with COVID-19 patients and hospital staff had worked 21 days without a break. While the closure was aimed at keeping the hospital going, it meant some people "died at home," said the mayor, Andrea Massari. The new coronavirus first appeared in Italy in January, but the outbreak took off in February in the small town of Codogno, around 60 km southeast of Milan. Some medical experts believe it may have been introduced by someone who travelled to Italy from Germany. Rome moved quickly to isolate the north of the country, at first locking down 10 towns in Lombardy and one in Veneto. But that didn't stop the virus. Within a week, 888 people had tested positive for the disease and 21 had died. Cases grew exponentially. Small towns were hit first, putting an immediate strain on small hospitals. Since last week, Italy has entered complete self-isolation. It has closed all schools, offices and services and ordered everyone without a compelling and authorized reason to stay home. The measures, which are being followed by other European countries, are aimed at stopping the spread of the virus. Italy's authorities are particularly anxious to slow its onset in southern Italy, which has a far less well-funded system than the north. Private hospitals are usually reserved for paying patients. But the government has ordered them to offer free medical care to COVID-19 sufferers. Policlinico San Donato, which is privately held but licensed to work with public sector clients, dispatched teams of anesthesiologists and other specialists to the worst-affected towns. Fourth and fifth-year medical students were called into hospitals to help. Cardiologists were enlisted to help in emergency rooms and COVID-19 wards. Now, nearly all operating rooms in the Lombardy region have been converted into intensive care units, said Grasselli, the intensive-care coordinator. Hospital staff work overtime. Some are substituting for infected colleagues. Patients are being transferred across regions. According to Grasselli, the ratio of nurses to patients in the region's intensive care units is normally one to two. Now, it's one nurse for every four or five patients. "We have totally reorganized our hospital system," he says. A patient is seen sitting inside the Spedali Civili hospital in Brescia, Italy March 13, 2020. ( REUTERS/Flavio Lo Scalzo) Greater life expectancy All infected people who arrive at a hospital struggling to breathe receive oxygen, Grasselli says. The issue is to what extent - and for how long - to keep them artificially respirated. Those with lighter breathing problems are connected to an external machine with a mask or, if the patient doesn't respond, a face-covering helmet. If their condition deteriorates, doctors must decide whether to admit them to intensive care, where they would be intubated. But there's a problem: Intubating can be taxing on the body, especially for older patients, says Grasselli. Even if elderly people survive, many can develop other problems, like trouble walking or cognitive difficulties. Even so in the past, doctors tended to try intubating even older patients, generally because they had the resources to do so, he said - adding that he would never intubate his 84-year old father. Before the coronavirus broke, "we more often had the luxury to try to intubate patients who were at the limit," said Mario Riccio, head of anesthesiology at the Oglio Po hospital near Cremona. Now that's changed. Italy's Association of Anesthesia, Analgesia, Resuscitation and Intensive Care published new guidelines on March 7. Because it expects a "huge imbalance" between the clinical needs of the population and intensive care resources over the next few weeks, it told those on the front lines: Give priority to those with "greater life expectancy." Men in protective masks transport a coffin of a person who died from coronavirus disease (COVID-19), into a cemetery in Bergamo, Italy March 16, 2020. (REUTERS/Flavio Lo Scalzo) Let me die at home Italy's mass quarantining of its population adds emotional stresses to the suffering. Family members are not allowed to travel in ambulances with relatives, and coronavirus units are closed off to anyone who is not a doctor or a patient. Some patients who are not at the point of needing intensive care feel imprisoned in overrun wards. "Take me away from here. Let me die at home. I want to see you one more time," Stefano Bollani, a 55-year-old warehouse worker texted his homemaker wife, Tiziana Salvi, from the pre-intensive care unit of Policlinico San Donato, where he is being treated for pneumonia after contracting the virus. The couple have not seen each other since she dropped him off in their car outside the Milan hospital nearly two weeks ago. All she knows, she says, is that his condition seems to have improved in recent days. "These are things a husband shouldn't (have to) write to a wife who is outside, who can't see him," she adds. And some older patients have resisted going to hospital. Carlo Bertolini, a 76-year-old agronomist in Cremona who had made a name for himself locally with a detailed history of the town's past vineyards and taverns, was initially very reluctant to seek help, his daughter said. Bertolini, who lived alone, started feeling sick at the beginning of March. Eventually, his best friend called an ambulance, which took him to the town hospital. When he spoke to his daughter on the phone from the hospital, he described the huge numbers of patients and the cacophony of the ward. "I feel like I'm in a war," he said, according to his daughter, Mara Bertolini. Carlo was then transferred to the intensive care unit of a bigger hospital in Milan. Mara and her sister were able to visit dressed in hazmat gear masks, gloves, white coat to look at him through the window of the intensive care unit. "They told us he was the one with the most serious condition in the ICU," she said. A man plays the guitar and sings from a balcony to raise morale on the sixth day of an unprecedented lockdown across of all Italy imposed to slow the outbreak of coronavirus in Milan, Italy March 15, 2020. ( REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo) Stay home The former military doctor Resta says the situation in Lombardy feels worse than the 1999 war in Kosovo, where he served in the air rescue team flying patients from Albania to Italy. Whenever a patient with coronavirus is accepted into his hospital, he says, the staff write an email to their relatives assuring them that their loved ones will be treated "like family." He says the hospital is trying to activate a system of video-conferencing, so that patients can see their relatives during the 1 p.m. call. A doctor, not a relative, is often inevitably the last person a dying COVID-19 patient will see. Loved ones can't even approach coffins for fear of catching the virus. The last Mara Bertolini heard of her father Carlo, the wine historian, was when someone from the morgue called another family member to say they had his body. She holds no grudge against the hard-worked doctors, she said. What struck her most about her father's last week of anguish was the look on the doctor's face when she met him. "I couldn't tell whether it was worry or sadness," she said. "All he said to us was, 'Stay home.'" As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. The S.C. House passed a state budget last week that included $128 million for income tax rebates that Gov. Henry McMaster had requested. The next day, the governor asked lawmakers to divert $45 million of the rebate money to the Department of Health and Environmental Control to help cover the costs of protecting the public from the coronavirus. +3 SC Senate gives DHEC $45M to respond to coronavirus State Senate delays passing measure that keeps government running past July 1 if legislators can't pass a budget before then. The fact that Mr. McMaster would ask lawmakers to cannibalize one of his priorities is testament to the need for the emergency funding. It also demonstrates how tax cuts should be prioritized: as something lawmakers deliver if there is money left after they meet their obligations. The Senate wisely complied on Tuesday, and the House is expected to do the same Thursday. Unfortunately, not all spending decisions will be so easy in the coming months. State economists had projected that the Legislature would have a record $1.1 billion in surplus money and $900 million in normal revenue growth to spend on the budget that takes effect July 1. That was before the COVID-19 pandemic changed life as we know it. Now, tourism one of the prime drivers of South Carolinas economy has ground to a halt, as public-health experts urge people the world over to stay home. Literally. Editorial: Why closing SC restaurants was a wise move and yet another wake-up call The difficult decision also places restaurants near the forefront as far as grappling with the economic fallout from the expanding coronavirus crisis. Restaurants were already starting to feel the pinch of parents working from home as they care for children who have no school to attend and others telecommuting to avoid exposure to colleagues who could be infected. Then the governor ordered them to stop all but take-out and delivery services. These changes will slash not just sales and hospitality tax revenue but also income tax revenue, as some workers in the tourism and hospitality industries see their hours cut back or their jobs eliminated. Theres reason to believe the public-health crisis could be over in a month or two, and we can hope the economy will quickly recover. Even if that happens, though, were still talking about a severe reduction in revenue from sales and income taxes, which provide the bulk of funding for state government. If the economy is back on pace by July 1, then only that $1.1 billion in surplus revenue will be at risk. If it lasts beyond that well, we dont know. Meantime, that $45 million in extra funding for DHEC is unlikely to be the last unanticipated expenditure to arise from COVID-19. The federal government likely will provide some help, but DHEC, MUSC and local hospitals and community health centers could need more funds to care for South Carolinians who are infected by the novel coronavirus. The state might need to spend more to keep our social safety net intact as the virus stretches it thin. Editorial: Shut down SC Legislature, local councils until coronavirus threat passes Livestreaming the SC Legislature is not an acceptable alternative to full public access, and inviting the public to gather for meetings is irresponsible during the coronavirus crisis. All routine business should be halted until it's safe to encourage full public participation. Fortunately, this crisis comes at a time when we have record revenue. The House budget includes nearly $250 million for tax rebates and cuts, $80 million more than the constitution requires for reserves, $100 million in extra road funding and $50 million for a new resiliency trust fund. All of that money could be redirected to cover a temporary slowdown in the economy. And of course theres nearly $900 million in new ongoing spending, much of which could be scaled back. Thats not what anyone wants to do, but then nobody wanted this pandemic. We should get a better feel with each passing day for how much tax revenue will drop and how much emergency expenditures will rise. Thats another reason beyond ensuring full public participation that the Legislature should take a month-long recess. In four weeks, senators can start work on a state budget that likely will need to look much different than the one the House passed. New York City's iconic busker The Naked Cowboy was seen ignoring concerns over the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday to carry on entertaining an almost empty Times Square. It was business as usual for the performer, except for him being a little less naked - having added a protective face mask to his signature barely-there attire. The Naked Cowboy, aka Robert John Burck, was pictured wearing the mask while posing for a photo with a fan on Tuesday. Neither Burck nor the woman - who wasn't wearing a mask - seemed too concerned about social distancing as the half-naked performer picked her up in his arms. New York City's iconic busker The Naked Cowboy was seen ignoring concerns over the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday, picking up a fan and posing for a photo in an almost empty Times Square The busker, aka Robert John Burck, has added a mask to his barely-there outfit but other than that it's business as usual The show must go on! The Ohio native has kept performing in Times Square despite the usually bustling area falling silent this week with bars and restaurants closing and people social distancing The Ohio native has been drawing in the crowds for more than two decades with his iconic outfit choice of cowboy hat, boots and tiny white briefs with 'Naked cowboy' painted on. He started out busking in 1997 at Venice Beach, California, before moving to his regular spot in Times Square the following year. Come rain or shine, 365 days a year, the busker braves the elements to sing and play guitar and is now one of New York's biggest tourist attractions. The Naked Cowboy has been drawing in the crowds for more than two decades with his iconic outfit choice of cowboy hat, boots and tiny white briefs with 'Naked cowboy' painted on He plays to crowds outside Trump Tower in October: He started out busking in 1997 at Venice Beach, California, before moving to his regular spot in Times Square the following year And he is clearly not about to let a little thing like a global pandemic stand in the way of him performing. However, it's unlikely he will be drawing in big crowds for some time, as New York officials rolled out new measures this week to try to slow the spread of coronavirus. The city that never sleeps turned into a ghost town on Monday night as all cafe, bars, restaurants and movie theaters shuttered from 8pm, after officials ordered the ban in a desperate effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. A nearly empty Times Square is pictured Tuesday: The city that never sleeps turned into a ghost town from Monday night as all cafe, bars, restaurants and movie theaters shuttered 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 for 'as long as necessary' along with casinos, gyms and movie theaters. The usually bustling Times Square has been almost deserted of tourists and residents as establishments shut up shop for the foreseeable future and people were told to practice social distancing. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo insisted Wednesday that the city will not go into total lockdown, but introduced a new order that employers keep 50 per cent of their workers at home. He also announced that a hospital ship, The Comfort, will be sent to New York City to help the cope with the rising number of cases. As of Wednesday morning, 2,382 people had tested positive in New York State, up more than 800 since Tuesday. In New York City cases went up from 814 on Tuesday to 1,339 people testing positive by Wednesday. Married At First Sight's Mishel Karen couldn't wait to welcome Steve Burley into her Brisbane home for 'homestay week' on Tuesday's episode. The 49-year-old police worker purchased the three-bedroom property for $490,000 in 2015, and it's now believed to be worth more than half a million dollars. Mishel lives there with her two children: Sam, 20, and Eva, 18. Welcome! Married At First Sight's Mishel Karen couldn't wait to welcome Steve Burley into her Brisbane home for 'homestay week' on Tuesday's episode The spacious home boasts three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a double garage. On the lower level, there's a huge open plan lounge, kitchen and dining room, which opens up onto a covered courtyard, perfect for alfresco dining. Upstairs, each bedroom has ceiling fans, air conditioning and plenty of space. Wow! The 49-year-old police worker purchased the three-bedroom property for $490,000 in 2015, and it's now believed to be worth more than half a million dollars Stunning: The spacious home boasts three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a double garage Mishel's master bedroom has its own walk-in wardrobe and an ensuite bathroom. 'Oh, wow! It's like I've just walked into heaven or something,' declared Steve when he entered Mishel's house for the first time. But he was less impressed when the guided tour moved to her bedroom. Family space! On the lower level, there's a huge open plan lounge, kitchen and dining room, which opens up onto a covered courtyard, perfect for alfresco dining Cosy: Upstairs, each bedroom has ceiling fans, air conditioning and plenty of space 'This week, I do want there to be more intimacy, like touching and hugging and holding each other,' a hopeful Mishel said. 'That's a bit concerning,' replied Steve after seeing her double bed. He later decided to sleep in a separate bedroom, which made Mishel doubt the future of their relationship. 'This week, I do want there to be more intimacy, like touching and hugging and holding each other,' Mishel said before welcoming Steve into her home The US could see an unemployment rate of 20 per cent because of coronavirus, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has warned. According to Bloomberg News, Mnuchin outlined the devastating economic impact in a closed-door meeting with Republican senators. He outlined the numbers as a worst-case scenario and urged lawmakers to take swift economic action to see it off. Several layoffs have already been made across the country as businesses have closed and society has near- shuttered in response to the global coronavirus pandemic. A Treasury Department spokeswoman told Bloomberg that Mnuchin used 'several mathematical examples in the meeting with senators 'but he never implied this would be the case'. His comments came as West Virginia confirmed its first case of coronavirus - becoming the 50th state in the US to be forced to confront the deadly pandemic. Confirming the case in an announcement on Tuesday afternoon, Governor Jim Justice said about the spread of the virus: Well get through this. Well win. The governor also announced that all restaurants, bars and casinos throughout the state would be closed as testing continued to be rolled out to patients exhibiting symptoms associated with the illness, including respiratory issues, pneumonia and a mild fever, similar to those of the flu. Earlier in the day, Donald Trump praised West Virginia for not having any confirmed cases and said during a press briefing that Big Jim, the governor, must be doing a good job in handling the outbreak. The state was the last to become officially impacted by the pandemic after its senator, Joe Manchin, complained about the lack of testing in an interview with CNN on Monday. Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/16/2020 -- Advance Market Analytics released a new market study on Global Bot Services 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 Bot Services Forecast till 2025*. Some are the key players taken under coverage for this study are Microsoft (United States), IBM (United States), Facebook (United States), Google (United States), Amazon Web Services (United States), Nuance Communications (United States), Aspect Software (United States), Inbenta Technologies (United States), Creative Virtual (United Kingdom), 24/7 Customer (United States), Cognicor Technologies (Spain) and Astute Solutions (United States) Bot Services also known as Chat bots are the automated robots, which are used to interact with human beings on variety of platforms. These bots can be used to simulate and examine human behavior with the help of set of questions in case of static chat bots and the customized questionnaires in case of AI enabled or other dynamic bot services. The bot services are primarily used to stimulate conversations, to increase consumer engagements, to promote products and services and many other applications. 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Following are list of players that are currently profiled in the report Microsoft (United States), IBM (United States), Facebook (United States), Google (United States), Amazon Web Services (United States), Nuance Communications (United States), Aspect Software (United States), Inbenta Technologies (United States), Creative Virtual (United Kingdom), 24/7 Customer (United States), Cognicor Technologies (Spain) and Astute Solutions (United States) ** 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? 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Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/enquiry-before-buy/36296-global-bot-services-market Market Drivers - Robust Increase in Social Media Users - Provides Fast and Accurate Solutions Market Trend - Introduction to artificially enabled as well as NLP tools - Upsurging User Engagement on Social Networks Restraints - Increasing Dependency on Deployment Platform - Limited Audience Opportunities - Provision of Personalized Chat Bots - Growing Digitalization and Internet Connectivity Challenges - Lack of Awareness in Underdeveloped Regions - Skilled Workforce is required for Bot Development To comprehend Global Bot Services market dynamics in the world mainly, the worldwide Bot Services 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. Get Reasonable Discount on This Premium Report @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/request-discount/36296-global-bot-services-market Try a limited scope research document specific to Country or Regional matching your objective. GET FULL COPY OF United States Global Bot Services market study @ --------- USD 2000 And, Europe Global Bot Services market study @ --------- USD 2500 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 Bot Services, by Market Segmentation and Geography (value, volume**) (2013-2018) ------ USD1400 Global Bot Services By Type: Framework, Platform Mode of Delivery :Text and Rich Media, Audio, Video End Use Industry :Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI), Retail and eCommerce, Healthcare, Government, Travel and Hospitality, Others Global Bot Services 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 Bot Services - 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 Bot Services, by Market Segmentation and Region (value, volume**) (2019-2024) ------ USD1400 ------ Sections same as Chapter Five ------ Chapter Eight: Company profiles / Competitive Landscape [12 Players] ------ USD1250 Chapter Nine: Methodology/Research Approach, Data Source, Disclaimer ** If applicable Actual Numbers & In-Depth Analysis, Business opportunities, Market Size Estimation Available in Full Report. AMA also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research according to clientele objectives. Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report like North America, Europe or Asia. About Advance Market Analytics Advance Market Analytics is Global leaders of Market Research Industry provides the quantified B2B research to Fortune 500 companies on high growth emerging opportunities which will impact more than 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Our Analyst is tracking high growth study with detailed statistical and in-depth analysis of market trends & dynamics that provide a complete overview of the industry. We follow an extensive research methodology coupled with critical insights related industry factors and market forces to generate the best value for our clients. We Provides reliable primary and secondary data sources, our analysts and consultants derive informative and usable data suited for our clients business needs. The research study enable clients to meet varied market objectives a from global footprint expansion to supply chain optimization and from competitor profiling to M&As. Contact Us: Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager) AMA Research & Media LLP Unit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJ New Jersey USA 08837 Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218 sales@advancemarketanalytics.com An A&E doctor has criticised the government for not providing enough protective equipment for health workers. (Getty) An A&E doctor has made a desperate plea to the government for more protective masks and equipment because he fears health workers will spread the coronavirus to patients. Dr Nishant Joshi, who works at Luton and Dunstable general hospital, said he didnt feel he was protecting himself, his patients or his family during the pandemic. He criticised politicians for sending out confusing messages regarding personal protective equipment (PPE) and said he feared the public may not be taking the pandemic seriously enough. In total 1,961 people in the UK have been infected, with 72 deaths and 66 recoveries, according to John Hopkins University. Read more: Number of global confirmed coronavirus cases reaches 200,000 A sign directs patients towards an NHS 111 coronavirus pod. (Getty) Dr Joshi told BBC Radio 5 Lives The Emma Barnett Show: The hospital feels eerie. There's a massive tidal wave, tsunami about to hit us and we're all just waiting for it. He said doctors across the country were mainly concerned about protective equipment. We are currently wearing flimsy aprons, he said. For some patients we're wearing surgical masks, for some patients we're not. It's chaos all over the country. If a patient coughs on me, I'm a potential vector for transmission. This should be a number one concern. 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 Local and national guidelines are telling us that it's OK to wear an apron, a surgical mask which is a flimsy piece of paper. Overnight I had a patient sneeze on me and cough on me, which happens on a daily basis. Where does that leave me? We are concerned about being vectors of transmission, we are concerned we are the super-spreaders, we are concerned that healthcare workers are spreading the infection. The reason we're concerned is because all the data from China, from Italy, from Iran, from other countries that have been affected by coronavirus is that healthcare workers can be vectors of transmission. Story continues Why is our strategy so different to other countries that have handled it successfully? (PA graphic) Dr Joshi said the UK had been in a good position to fight coronavirus because it was one of the last countries to be affected by the outbreak. He compared health workers to the band players on the Titanic before it sunk after seeing the iceberg from miles away. He added: It feels that right now were rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic, and for everyone who works in hospitals, it feels like we're the band playing on the Titanic. Dr Joshi said A&E and hospital bays across the country were open for business to coronavirus and that they were inviting infection by not having masks on patients. He said: Why is that across the country staff are being told there's not enough masks? This is the sort of thing we hear [about in] third world countries during epidemics. Why can't I wear a mask to keep myself safe, and the patient safe, and, when I come home, my family safe? Read more: Rudd urges Boris Johnson not to 'pack the women away' in coronavirus response He said stats showed between 8 and 12% of all hospitalised patients in Italy were doctors, and that if this happened in the UK it would leave a large hole in the NHS for the next few months. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: We are rightly taking every possible action to tackle this virus and have central stockpiles of a range of medical products to help ensure the uninterrupted supply to the NHS. We have well-established procedures to deal with supply issues, should they arise, by working closely with industry, the NHS and others in the supply chain to help prevent shortages and minimise any risks to patients. Helping Australians keep their jobs and remain in business is the focus of the federal government's second round of support in the wake of coronavirus. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says the package, which follows $17.6 billion worth of support announced last week, will be significant. It's set to be announced in coming days so it can be passed as law when parliament resumes next week. Senator Cormann said the economic hit from the coronavirus pandemic could last up to nine months, as countries move to shut their borders and industries suffer. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann (pictured) says the package, which follows $17.6 billion worth of support announced last week, will be significant 'The extent of the economic impact has been accelerating significantly,' he told Sky News on Wednesday. The government is aiming for measures that cushion the blow of the virus, so the economy can eventually bounce back. The Reserve Bank is expected to cut the cash rate to 0.25 per cent on Thursday afternoon. RBA governor Philip Lowe is due to deliver a speech online shortly after the announcement. The government's first stimulus package included $750 one-off payments for pensioners and welfare recipients, as well as grants of up to $25,000 for small business. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has recommended a range of measures for the second package, including help for businesses to keep employees as well as concessional loans to assist with cash flow restraints. Australia's small business and family enterprise ombudsman Kate Carnell has urged the government to include sole traders in its support package, as they can't access the grants on offer. Senior Labor figure Penny Wong (pictured) says the second package needs to be comprehensive and include help for casual workers Senior Labor figure Penny Wong says the second package needs to be comprehensive and include help for casual workers. '(They) face a dreadful decision if they are asked to isolate, of either doing the right thing by the community and public health, but not being able to put food on the table for their families,' she told ABC News. 'We should not put them in that position.' ALBANY (AP) - Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the first person to test positive for the coronavirus in New York has recovered. The 39-year-old Manhattan woman had returned in February with her husband from Iran. The unidentified health care worker had been recovering from home. New York state has more than 2,300 confirmed cases. Cuomo will order that businesses in New York state keep at least half their workforce at home. It's the latest in a series of restrictions to keep the virus from spreading. (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.) Washington, March 18 : The US has imposed sanctions on Syrian Defence Minister Ali Abdullah Ayoub for his alleged actions of ceasefire obstruction in northern Syria, US State Department said in a statement. The statement released on Tuesday accused Ayoub of preventing a ceasefire from taking hold in northern Syria since December 2019, adding that "this obstruction resulted in almost a million people being displaced", Xinhua reported. According to the designation, all of Ayoub's property and interests in the US have been blocked and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him. Russian-backed Syrian forces launched military offensives in December 2019 in its northwestern province of Idlib, the last stronghold of the Syrian rebels supported by Ankara. Three men were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly kidnapping and thrashing a relative who had eloped with his cousin in Rajsamand district of Rajasthan, police said. The accused persons were identified as Bhikhnath, Premnath and Prabhunath and they are said to have abducted Dilip Nath, who was also thrashed by them, according to Amet police station SHO Mukesh Chandra. They also cut his hair and shot a video of the incident that went viral on social media, he added. Dilip Nath had eloped with his cousin and was living in a village here for the last few days. The girl's family members traced them and took them to Kelwara area, a day before Holi. The accused cut Dilip's hair and shot a video, the SHO said. Dilip's mother lodged an FIR with Amet police station on March 14 alleging that his son was abducted and thrashed. The following day on March 15, the eloped woman lodged a rape case against Dilip in a police station of Pali district. The SHO said Dilip is absconding and the matter was being probed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. When the world is struggling to fight against coronavirus pandemic, Pakistan is embattled with another crisis due to swarm of locusts. According to a Bloomberg report, farmers in the village of Pakistan's vast and arid Balochistan province have lost crops worth hundreds of thousands of rupees. Farmers are worried that their children will starve if the thousands of eggs waiting to hatch destroy the crops. A delegation from China visited Pakistan in late February after the Islamabad sought help from Beijing to wipe out the insects. After China agreed to provide spraying equipment and 300 tons of pesticides, Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority said in a statement that Chinese technicians will train Pakistani plant protection staff to use the equipment. Horn of Africa worst-hit In February, Somalia declared a state of emergency due to the locust invasion and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization described the situation as worst in the last 25 years. FAO has warned that the rising numbers of Desert Locusts present an extremely alarming and unprecedented threat to food security and livelihoods in the Horn of Africa. FAO said that the situation could worsen with new breeding that will produce more locust infestations in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. "Locust swarms have started laying eggs and another generation of breeding will increase locust numbers. Urgent efforts must be made to stop them from increasing to protect the livelihoods of farmers and livestock holders," Keith Cressman, Senior Locust Forecasting Officer at FAO, said in a statement. Read: Pakistan To Sketch Anti-locust Plan Via Video Conference With 3 Countries The UN agency had said that it requires $70 million, of which they had mobilised $15.5 million till January 30, to support rapid control operations and measures to protect livelihoods and prevent deterioration of the food security situation. FAO Director-General QU Dongyu had warned that the locust upsurge threatens to provoke a humanitarian crisis. QU appealed for urgent funding to tackle the outbreak in order to protect livelihoods and food security and said that the needs will rise if the outbreak spreads to South Sudan and Uganda. Read: China May Face Locust Invasion, Authorities Urged To Prepare For Possible Arrival The Africa Solidarity Trust Fund (ASTF) has donated $1 million to the FAO to combat one of the most dangerous migratory pests. The ASTF arrived at the decision during a steering committee meeting at FAO headquarters in Rome on February 5. We have a window of opportunity before the next planting season. We must act now. Flexible funding, like that of the ASTF, helps us move fast," said Maria Helena Semedo, FAO's Deputy Director-General for Climate and Natural Resources, in a statement. Read: China To Send 'duck Army' To Assist Pakistan With Locust Infestation Read: Pakistan Declares National Emergency To Battle Locusts 1. Target to reserve hour of shopping for vulnerable customers, close stores early Starting Wednesday, the first hour of shopping every Wednesday will be reserved for vulnerable guests, according to a press release from the retail giant. Target stores will also be closing early, at 9 p.m. local time, so employees can clean and restock the stores. https://www.nbc4i.com/news/target-to-reserve-hour-of-shopping-for-vulnerable-customers-reduce-operating-hours-tmw/ 2. Facebook is giving $1,000 to all of its 45,000 employees Facebook is giving each of its employees a $1,000 bonus to help support them during the coronavirus outbreak. The bonus is meant to help employees who are working remotely with additional expenses, such as setting up home offices or spending on childcare, the company told CNN Business. 3. How to help your favorite small businesses survive the coronavirus crisis 4. White House expresses support for immediate cash payments to Americans as part of coronavirus stimulus package 5. Treasury and IRS to delay tax payment deadline by 90 days WASHINGTON D.C. -- The Trump Administration announced Wednesday that Americans will receive a 90-day extension to pay their tax bills this year as the government continues to adapt to the spread of COVID-19 and its impact on the economy. The extension means those who owe money to federal government for their 2020 taxes will be granted an additional 90 days to make payment. However, you will still have to make payments to your state on the required date of payment, unless states choose to offer an extension of their own. The extension also does not mean you dont have to file your taxes by April 15 as you will still be required to submit your taxes by that date or face penalties. The payment extension is available to anyone who owes less than $1 million or to corporations that owe less than $10 million, according to the Associated Press. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told the AP that only the super rich would be excluded from the extension. As is typically the case, tose who owe taxes can also apply for an additional six month period to pay their bill. It was unclear how the move will impact trusts or those who pay their taxes quarterly. For those who use the extension, no added fees or penalties will be assessed as long as you pay within the 90 days. Americans expecting a refund this year will not have to do anything differently and as of Wednesday, the IRS is still processing and issuing refund checks. 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 Wednesday, March 18: 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 Coronavirus has become a big threat to all countries in the world including world power, the United States of America, China and the United Kingdom. Legit.ng provides a live update of incidents and information on the deadly coronavirus. The World Health Organization (WHO) said that within two weeks, the number of cases of COVID-19 outside China increased 13-fold, and the number of affected countries has tripled. It also said that there are now more than 118,000 cases in 114 countries, and 4,291 people have lost their lives. The index case of coronavirus was discovered in Lagos on February 24, when an Italian who came on a business trip to Nigeria fell ill and was later tested positive of the disease. He was quarantined for proper treatment. The following day he travelled to neighbouring Ogun state and was in the country for nearly two full days before being isolated. The head of Nigeria's National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu, however, said the country is more than capable of dealing with coronavirus. Osagie Ehanire, the minister of health, said the second case of coronavirus had been in contact with the Italian man, who is a vendor working for cement company Lafarge Africa PLC and is being treated at a hospital in the Yaba district of Lagos. On Tuesday, March 17, Nigeria also confirmed its third case of coronavirus in Lagos as the deadly infection spreads more across African countries. The new Covid-19 case was disclosed by the commissioner of health in Lagos state, Professor Akin Abayomi via his official Twitter handle, @ProfAkinAbayomi, on Tuesday, March 17. Social distancing may have most of us locked away at home, but the generosity of many of Winnipegs businesses is on display in full force, especially when it comes to food. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 17/3/2020 (665 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Social distancing may have most of us locked away at home, but the generosity of many of Winnipegs businesses is on display in full force, especially when it comes to food. Many of the citys restaurants have shut down to help slow the spread of COVID-19, leaving them with fully-stocked refrigerators and many foods that will spoil during the shutdown. "Theres only so much food that you can freeze and save for an uncertain amount of time," says catering chef Ben Kramer. "I wanted to make sure that food didnt go to waste." On Monday, Kramer put a call out on Instagram for donations of perishable foods from restaurants that are reducing their hours or closing in response to the pandemic. "Theres only so much food that you can freeze and save for an uncertain amount of time. I wanted to make sure that food didnt go to waste." Chef Ben Kramer Since then, he has received donations of dairy from coffee shops, raw products that dont store well like lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, as well as some prepared products, such as potatoes that have been peeled and cut and are ready to be turned into hashbrowns. "Main Street Projects has a food bank, so anything thats kind of retail-friendly were going to just give them straight up small milk, whole fruit, things like that," he says. "And then anything that is left over were going to process and turn into soups and stews and salads. Stuff they can serve right away or freeze to build up their stock." Kramer will be doing all the food preparation at KitchenSync on Donald Street the space, which is often home to pop-up events, was donated for free by the owner. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Chef Ben Kramer put out a call to closing restaurants to donate unused food to be given to food banks or made into meals for local shelters. "Food for everybody is a priority, especially in a time of crisis when were trying to stay healthy and calm, but its particularly important for people who are in a vulnerable position," the chef says. "When those food stores dry up, theyre going to be the first people to suffer." The response to Kramers initial Instagram post far surpassed his expectations. "Its been overwhelming, to be honest," he says. "The generosity of people in the hospitality industry is pretty beautiful to see in a time of crisis." While many restaurants have donated food to Kramer, others are taking the initiative themselves. Its been overwhelming, to be honest. The generosity of people in the hospitality industry is pretty beautiful to see in a time of crisis. "Its a difficult time for many restaurants and for Winnipeggers and were just trying to do our part," says Benjamin Nasberg, president and CEO of Carbone Pizza, which has shut down operation owing to the pandemic. "All our fridges were full, so we figured we should provide the food to people in need." "Our whole team spent all day yesterday and today getting the food out," Nasberg says. They sent food provisions to Siloam Mission, Lighthouse Mission and to health-care workers at seniors homes. "Were just waiting it out," says Nasberg, who adds that the intention is for Carbones to re-open in the future for limited-contact pick-up and delivery orders. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Claire (right) and Bee Venevongsa cook in their Pad Thai kitchen, and are donating prepared dishes to health-care workers at Children's Hospital and Grace Hospital. "Supporting the community is always something we do, so this was kind of a no-brainer for us." Pad Thai, a family business that has been operating in St. James for 19 years, is also helping out health-care workers. Owner Claire Venevongsa is the parent of a child with serious allergies and has spent a lot of time at the Health Sciences Centre. She wanted to do her part to take care of the workers who have often taken care of her son. "I appreciate all the health professionals who helped me during past times," she says. "I want to show them our appreciation and give back to the community. Those nurses and doctors are also parents. They also have to support their families but they are on the front lines." Even her son is getting in on the generosity he has donated food from the restaurant to his favourite local fire station. Try our Dish The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney. Dish arrives in your inbox every other Friday. See sample. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "I read on the Winnipeg Free Press website that hospitals were already locked down," says Venevongsa. "I knew that meant health professionals will have a hard time to get food. My business partner and I decided to make lunch boxes and drop them off to those hospital locations." Locations where Pad Thai donated included Grace Hospital emergency, Childrens Hospital allergy clinic, Childrens Hospital emergency, Fire Station 11 and the Manitoba Teachers' Association. "We are thankful for those teachers still helping all the children to figure out everything during this difficult time," she says. "Winnipeg is a beautiful and warm city. I love it here. Together, we will help each other get through this difficult time." As of now, Pad Thai is still open for takeout and delivery. With files from Eva Wasney Twitter: @franceskoncan A passenger wears a face mask in Terminal 5 of Heathrow Airport, as Britons have been advised against non-essential travel to anywhere in the world as the coronavirus crisis closed borders around the globe. Photo: PA Europe's airports are facing a near total collapse of passenger traffic and need "extraordinary and urgent funding" to remain operational, industry body Airports Council International has warned the European Commission. Airline and passenger traffic has sharply fallen due to national and pan-European measures, including lockdowns, designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus. In response, ratings agency Moody's has placed Aer Lingus owner IAG's ratings on review for downgrade and has already downgraded easyJet's rating to Baa2 from Baa1. Airline industry groups said that the EU needed an urgent "comprehensive package of measures" to ensure that as many airlines as possible survive the crisis. A4E and ERA, whose members include the likes of Ryanair, Lufthansa, Aer Lingus owner IAG and others, said Europe "must preserve essential minimal connectivity". "Any restriction, in particular within the Schengen area, must therefore be based on a careful risk assessment and be proportionate to the public health risk," the organisations said in advance of a meeting of EU transport ministers today. The bodies have called for air traffic control charges and aviation taxes to be deferred across the EU. The European arm of Airports Council International (ACI) said preliminary figures showed that passenger traffic at EU, Swiss, UK and European Economic Area airports slumped an average of 54pc between March 9 and March 15. It tumbled 24pc the previous week. "We now estimate that these airports will collectively lose over 100 million passengers in the first quarter of this year compared to a business-as-usual scenario," ACI Europe president Jost Lammers told the European Commission and transport ministers in an open letter yesterday. "The unprecedented shock to their traffic and revenues means several airports are now facing cash flow issues," he added. "These cash flow problems risk becoming systemic for Europe's airports and raise issues of business continuity, which must be addressed by the EU." He urged the commission to provide funding and cash flow resources where needed, on a similar basis to what will be considered for airlines. Mr Lammers said that airports' economic and financial resilience must be preserved to allow them to return to normal operations as soon as possible and support the recovery of the wider economy. "Airports act as engines of local and regional economic growth and employment," he said. "Many of them are indeed the largest employment site in their region, and/or country." The ACI executive also pointed out that airports' ability to mitigate revenue losses tended to be limited compared with other businesses. He said airports needed to keep servicing their debt, with capital costs typically accounting for 30pc of their total costs. At the end of last year, the DAA, which operates Dublin and Cork airports, had a total of about 700m in debt. It has 400m of notes that mature in 2028. Dublin Airport is Ireland's largest airport, handling 32.9 million passengers last year. By Humeyra Pamuk and Arshad Mohammed WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States imposed fresh sanctions on Iran on Tuesday, keeping up its economic pressure campaign even as it offered to help Tehran cope with the coronavirus pandemic and called on the Islamic Republic to release detained Americans. Iran is considering freeing some U.S. citizens, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said at a news conference where he made clear Washington will maintain its maximum-pressure campaign to choke off Tehran's ability to export its oil. The campaign, instituted after President Donald Trump in 2018 unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal Iran struck with six major powers, aims to force Iran to limit its nuclear, missile and regional activities. Pompeo on Tuesday said the State Department is blacklisting nine entities based in South Africa, Hong Kong and China, as well as three Iranian individuals, for engaging in "significant transactions" to trade in Iranian petrochemicals. While he did not name them, Pompeo said the step included blacklisting Irans armed forces social security investment company and its director for investing in sanctioned entities. Separately, the Commerce Department said it will add six people - including five Iranian nuclear scientists - and 18 corporations to the U.S. "Entity List" for aiding Irans nuclear program, Pakistans unsafeguarded nuclear and missile programs, and Russian military modernization efforts. Without naming them, the Commerce Department said the move covers one company in Iran, two entities in China, nine in Pakistan, and five in the United Arab Emirates and will constrict the export of certain items to them. The Entity List names foreign parties that are barred from receiving some or all items subject to U.S. export regulations unless the exporter secures a license, according to the department. On Monday, sources familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue said the United States was unlikely to ease sanctions on Iran despite an appeal from China that it do so because of the pandemic. Story continues Pompeo urged Iran to free U.S. citizens it has detained as a humanitarian gesture because of coronavirus. Iran has reported 16,169 coronavirus cases and 988 deaths in one of the worst national outbreaks outside of China, where the pandemic originated. "We are aware that they are thinking about whether to release them or not," Pompeo told reporters. "We are urging them ... to release every American that is being wrongfully held there as a humanitarian gesture, given the risk that is posed." It is not clear exactly how many Americans Iran may hold, but they include father and son Baquer and Siamak Namazi; Michael White, a Navy veteran; and possibly Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent missing since 2007. (Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and Arshad Mohammed; Writing by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Jonathan Oatis) A Washington Post report claims that the US government is in active talks with tech giants such as Facebook, Apple and Google about obtaining location data from smartphones, which may public health experts in tracking coronavirus infections. The report notes Facebook executives have revealed the US government is keen on understanding how people are moving around, the data about which will be derived from users who allow Facebook to collect it. A few days ago, a BBC report revealed Facebook is working with a couple of researchers at the Harvard University in Boston, and a Taiwan-based university to keep a track of people's movement and map them using population density maps, albeit in an anonymous way. Google too had confirmed being in talks with the government. We're exploring ways that aggregated anonymized location information could help in the fight against COVID-19. One example could be helping health authorities determine the impact of social distancing, similar to the way we show popular restaurant times and traffic patterns in Google Maps, Google spokesperson Johnny Luu said in a statement to media. Though, there are privacy concerns. The US government, however, believes that it can utilise data with risking privacy of users. A White House official reportedly said that the location data could be extracted in an anonymous way and can be used to track from where the disease is spreading and whether people are following necessary social distancing or not. On a related note, the tech giants including Facebook, Google, Reddit, Youtube, Linkedin, and Microsoft had issued a joint statement announcing that they have joined forces to combat misinformation about coronavirus on social media. We 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. We invite other companies to join us as we work to keep our communities healthy and safe, the joint statement read. The US government is not alone in seeking data from smartphones, allegedly to track coronavirus infections. Recently, there were reports that the government in Israel had started using extremely thorough and pervasive surveillance tools to track coronavirus infections in the country. Earlier, these tools were only used for surveillance of terrorists. A man wearing protective mask is seen in silhouette as he looks at an information board at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, after Malaysias government closed its borders due to the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Sepang By Stanley Widianto and Ebrahim Harris JAKARTA/KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Coronavirus infections surged across Southeast Asia on Wednesday with Indonesia's death toll jumping from five to 19 and Malaysia warning of "a tsunami" of cases if people did not follow new restrictions on movement. The number of cases across the region has risen more than 10-fold this month to at least 1,900, driven in part by hundreds of infections stemming from a mass Muslim gathering in Malaysia just over two weeks ago. "We beg you to stay at home and protect yourself and your family. Please," Malaysia's health ministry posted on Twitter. Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous country with more than 260 million people, only announced its first two cases of the virus on March 2 despite widespread suspicions that a lack of testing concealed a bigger problem. Its death toll jumped to the highest in the region on Wednesday, while the Philippines also recorded a rise of three fatalities to 17. Indonesia recorded its biggest daily jump in confirmed infections, by 55 to 227 cases. Achmad Yurianto, an Indonesian health ministry official, said the number of cases was likely to rise further but authorities hoped to contain the outbreak in April. However, Halik Malik, a spokesman for the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI), described the increase as "extraordinary" and said "management now needs to be pandemic management, it can't be half-hearted like it has been". There has been criticism of the pace of testing in Indonesia with only 1,372 people tested by Wednesday - far below that of much smaller neighbors. The World Health Organization called on Southeast Asian countries on Tuesday to "urgently scale-up aggressive measures to combat COVID-19". Singapore, which has won global plaudits for measures to contain the virus, announced its biggest daily jump - up 47 cases, most of them people coming from abroad. All visitors will face 14 days in self-quarantine, it said. Story continues As Malaysia imposed two-weeks of restrictions on movement, it also announced a further 117 infections. That brought it to 790 cases, although it has so far had only two deaths. "We have a slim chance to break the chain of COVID-19 infections," Noor Hisham Abdullah, director-general of Health Malaysia, said in a Facebook post. "Failure is not an option here. If not, we may face a third wave of this virus, which would be greater than a tsunami, if we maintain a "so what" attitude." MOSQUE EVENT Nearly two-thirds of the infections in Malaysia stem from a mosque event in Kuala Lumpur from Feb. 27 to March 1 attended by pilgrims from Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia and elsewhere. Thousands of Muslim pilgrims from across Asia gathered in Indonesia on Wednesday for a similar event scheduled for this week despite fears it could also spread the virus. "We are more afraid of God," one of the organizers, Mustari Bahranuddin, told Reuters, when asked about the risk of participants spreading the virus at the event in Gowa in Indonesia's province of South Sulawesi. "Because everyone's human, we fear illnesses, death," he said. "But there's something more than the body, which is our soul." Malaysia has now shut its borders for travelers, restricted internal movement, closed schools and universities and ordered non-essential businesses to stay shut for two weeks. Hours before the restrictions began in Malaysia, thousands of people queued at bus stations to return to their home towns. Hordes of Malaysians who commute daily to Singapore for work crossed the border to spend the next two weeks in Singapore. "Mass gatherings at bus terminals and then folks going all over the country from the active COVID-19 area - are we not potentially spreading it nationwide?" Malaysian physician Christopher Lee asked on Twitter. The Malaysian restrictions are among the toughest in Southeast Asia, although the Philippines has quarantined about half its 107 million population Thailand has announced the closure of schools, bars, cinemas, cockfighting arenas and other entertainment centers. Indonesian police have ordered retailers to ration purchases of staple foods to contain panic buying. Tracking global spread of coronavirus (open in an external browser) https://tmsnrt.rs/3aIRuz7 (Additional reporting by Rozanna Latiff, Liz Lee and Joseph Sipalan in Kuala Lumpur; Agustinus Beo Da Costa, Maikel Jefriando and Aradhana Bernadette Christina Munthe in Jakarta; Fathin Ungku and Aradhana Aravinda in Singapore; Writing by Matthew Tostevin; Editing by Gareth Jones and Nick Macfie) Lydia Alvisures waits in line at the United Local 11 food bank Tuesday March 17. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) With more coronavirus testing, the number of cases in Los Angeles County continues to grow rapidly. L.A. County now has more than 144 cases as of Tuesday, an increase of 50. Officials have said the public should assume there are coronavirus patients in their neighborhood, some of whom might not know theyre sick. Here is the latest: SCHOOLS: The Los Angeles school district on Tuesday was ramping up grab and go food services to help feed more than half a million children displaced by the closing of schools due to the coronavirus outbreak. Starting on Wednesday, parents and students can pick up food at 60 sites scattered throughout the nations second-largest school district. A complete list and map of locations in Los Angeles and information about other resources have been published on the district website. CITY COUNCIL: A Los Angeles City Council meeting was held with new measures meant to curb the spread of COVID-19: Amid the unprecedented shutdown of Los Angeles businesses and schools, city officials erected a tent outside City Hall so the public could watch the meeting on a video screen and comment remotely to the citys 15 council members. Several speakers complained about the setup, arguing it was unfair and disenfranchising. BLOOD SUPPLY: Officials said theres been a decline in blood donations. Nearly 160 blood drives have recently been canceled, resulting in 5,500 fewer blood donations. Officials are asking those who are healthy to continue to make a donation, which has a shelf-life of roughly 42 days. STAY HOME IF SICK: Los Angeles County Public Health director Dr. Barbara Ferrer stressed the need for people to stay home, especially anyone who is sick. If youre sick and youre an essential worker, please dont come to work, she said. We cannot have people that are sick, even with mild illness, going about their business. Here is general guidance from the county: Coronavirus: How the UK drinks trade is responding As the coronavirus pandemic escalates, the drinks industry is stepping in to support local communities and businesses. One of the major contributions being made by the industry so far is the use of leftover or waste alcohol to make hand sanitiser something which is in desperately short supply in supermarkets and pharmacies amid the rapid spread of Covid-19. Here are some of the companies making hand sanitiser, and making other efforts, to help the world through the coronavirus outbreak: French luxury brands conglomerate LVMH, which owns whisky makers including Glenmorangie and Ardbeg, is using its perfume and cosmetics production lines to make hand sanitiser. The factories ordinarily make perfumes and cosmetics for the likes of Christian Dior and Givenchy, but have been repurposed following the shortage of hand sanitiser which has gripped Europe in light of the outbreak. The company said: "LVMH will continue to honour this commitment for as long as necessary, in connection with the French health authorities." Scotland's Deeside Distillery, maker of the world's strongest gin, is shifting some of its production to hand sanitiser. It is mixing its 87% ABV Still River Uncut Gin with aloe vera and vegetable oil to make 4,000 bottles of sanitiser that it is handing out to local schools and foodbanks. Other UK distilleries making the move to sanitiser production include Daftmill in Fife (pictured), Fen Spirits in Cambridgeshire, Psychopomp in Bristol and the Isle of Wight Distillery (which has named its sanitiser Wight Wash). Distilleries in the US are also using their production lines to make hand sanitiser. Among them are: Cardinal Spirits in Indiana, which has made its hand sanitiser available to distillery visitors and groups in need including offices and health care visitors as well as issuing hand sanitiser recipes online; Durham Distillery in South Carolina, which is giving away 2 litres of sanitiser to any business which makes an appointment to pick it up; Eight Oaks Farm Distillery in Pennsylvania, which is planning to scale up sanitiser production to give more away to local charities and farmers' markets; and New York Distilling Company, which has used its Perry's Tot Navy Strength Gin to make sanitiser that it was giving away to NYC's restaurants and bars before they were forced to close. Drinks producer and marketer Distell has committed to producing 100,000 litres of alcohol to make hand sanitisers and other hygiene and disinfectant products. These will be distributed to vulnerable communities in its home country of South Africa, which it will identify with help from the government. Pernod Ricard UK has pledged to donate 250,000 to support The Drinks Trust as it helps industry workers affected by the outbreak, while sister company Chivas Brothers has pledged to supply 100,000 litres of ethanol to UK manufacturers of hand sanitiser to help combat the national shortage. Rum maker Dictador has pledged to donate 15,000 litres of alcohol from its Destileria Colombiana for use in hand sanitiser production in Colombia. In non-sanitser-related news, Guinness is pledging a total of 1 million to support bartenders across the UK alongside a similar scheme in the Republic of Ireland, through which pub and bar owners will be able to claim funds to help them pay staff's wages. The brand's owner, Diageo, is also offering people working in the drinks trade the chance to take a complimentary Diageo Bar Academy training course online, providing practical advice and handy tips. Diageo is also giving more flexibility to its smaller customers to help them access products more easily and manage their cash flow as the crisis continues. From Monday 23 March, the drinks group will also be operating an information phone line to help licenced business owners - both on and off-trade - who want to access commercial support from the government; the line, provided by professional services group Grant Thornton, is 0207 728 2556. In the US, Luxco, the producer of Everclear Grain Alcohol, has donated $100,000 to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy Covid-19 Response Fund. The fund is focused on supporting non-profit organisations working directly with communities that are most vulnerable to the health and economic impacts of the pandemic. London-based gin distiller Sipsmith is supporting the UK's beleaguered pub and bar trade through a partnership with The Drinks Trust (formerly The Benevolent), which offers wellbeing support to drinks industry workers. Those who pledge 20 or more to Sipsmith's Go Fund Me page (100 per cent of the donation will go to The Drinks Trust) will receive a code to order 12 complimentary cans of Light Sipsmith G&T from its website, including free delivery. Ramsbury Single Estate Distillery has pledged to help the spirits industry with its new Ramsbury & Friends 'Virtual Tip Jar'. Buy a voucher for your favourite drinks venue - be that pub, restaurant or bar - and Ramsbury will match every pound you spend, donating it to the business as a tip. Vouchers bought through the scheme are valid until the end of 2020. Budweiser Brewing Group's UK and Ireland arm has done something similar through its Save Pub Life campaign; the scheme allows people to purchase gift cards to be used in their favourite pub when it reopens, and the AB InBev subsidiary has pledged to matchfund donations up to a total of 1 million. London's Camden Town Brewery is joining in with the trend for digital social engagements by opening a virtual pub: the Camden Bre.www.ery Bar. It's collecting 'tips' through JustGiving for Hospitality Action's Covid-19 Emergency Fund, which is giving one-off grants to eligible workers in the sector facing sudden hardship due to the pandemic. Wemyss Malts is offering a 10 Uber Eats vouchers with any purchase on its website worth more than 40. The company says it will issue vouchers via email within 24 hours of the order being placed. The offer, which started on 18 March, is a bid by Wemyss Malts to help both customers and smaller, local businesses which sell through Uber Eats; it has also offered to promote small independent traders through its emails to customers and its social media channels (email info@wemyssmalts.com for more details). Jameson and Powers whiskey maker Irish Distillers has joined forces with Mervue Laboratories in Cork to start mass production of hand sanitiser. The companies say that together, they have the necessary products and supply chain to go into large-scale sanitiser production. Irish Distillers has had conversations with the UK's Department of Health and the Health Service Executive (HSE) to discuss the free supply of its sanitiser, which will be distributed by the HSE to hospitals and other healthcare facilities. The company said: "We are committed to maintaining supply to the maximum levels possible for as long as possible." Suffolk brewer and distiller Adnams is working with health and social care teams at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, Norfolk, providing alcohol from its distillery for a hand sanitiser programme which will support the NHS and local organisations in need. Fergus Fitzgerald, head brewer at Adnams, said: "It's important that we all do what we can to help one another." Silent Pool gin distillery began producing its own hand sanitiser at the start of the crisis, and has been supplying this to those most in need in the local community, including key workers and NHS staff. Initially the plan was to give away 50 bottles a day to those in need, but Silent Pool has gradually increased production and has now given away more than 2,000 bottles to charities, hospitals and the police service. This sanitiser is also avilable to purchase through the distillery website. On-trade venues around the world are expected to take a significant hit from the coronavirus outbreak amid social distancing measures, self-isolation and enforced closures. Several American cities and European countries, including Italy, Spain and Ireland, have forced pubs, bars, restaurants and clubs to shut. However, governments are taking measures to support their hospitality and leisures sectors through the disruption. 5 May 2020 - Bethany Whymark The faculty of Clark Atlanta University, one of the historically black colleges that make up the Atlanta University Center, converged recently on campus for an in-depth meeting and training on how to cope during the coronavirus crisis. It was not an optional meeting. Professors were told their attendance was mandatory and that not being present could jeopardize their jobs. The directive illuminated how seriously the school is taking the potential spread of the virus and its commitment to protecting its staff and students. It illustrates how the nations 101 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are coping with the pandemic that has crippled Italy, parts of Spain and other countries and is now spreading daily throughout the United States with more than 6,000 reported cases. Concerns and questions abounded about whether HBCUs would be able to adjust on the fly when the threat of the coronavirus hit America. But reports indicate they have responded with aplomb, clearing campuses and switching to online courses in a relatively seamless fashion. Although none of the cities where the HBCUs are located are in so-called hot spots, the administrations of the colleges are taking no chances. Clark has required all students to retrieve their belongings from on-campus housing and return home starting this week. The campus will be empty as students complete the semester via online portals, most from home. We had an empty nest thats not empty anymore, said Mychael Turner, whose son attends Alabama A&M and whose spring break begins March 30. Students began clearing out residences halls March 13 and started online courses Monday through the remainder of the semester. Wasnt what we expected and definitely not what we wanted, Turner said. We love him, welcome him, but we have to make the adjustment to have him back. So this creates adjustments for everyone. All in all, its the right thing to do to send the students home. We all have to adjust and adapt to whatever comes next until we can get past this and return to normalcy. Story continues Founder's Library at Howard University to be renovated (Evelyn Hockstein / The Washington Post via Getty Images file) Howard University President Wayne A.I. Frederick announced that the schools commencement program was canceled. He wrote a letter saying, A guest who attended the Howard University Charter Day Dinner has tested positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus). Out of an abundance of caution, we are asking all March 7 dinner participants to monitor and report to your doctor if you begin exhibiting flu-like symptoms. The DC Department of Health is investigating the case, locating and counseling relevant contacts in accordance with the latest national guidance and protocols. At Paul Quinn College in Dallas, students have been evacuated. The schools student government association president, Ayanna Watkins, issued a joint statement with the administration that indicated students who did not have access to a laptop or a computer could borrow one from the school to participate in the mandatory online classes. Quinn also is offering meals to students on a carryout basis only in the schools cafeteria. Norfolk State University extended spring break for students through March 22 an extra week. The residence quarters will reopen to students that day, but all classes will be delivered online starting March 23. All classes this week are canceled at Virginia State University to give faculty adequate time to convert classes to an off campus format, its website said. Students were evacuated from campus March 12, although there are no known people who have contracted the virus, and they will not return this semester. VSU will convert to all remote instruction (online/distance education) classes for the remainder of the Spring 2020 academic year. In North Carolina, there are 15 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, but none on the North Carolina A&T campus. The school will go with alternative means, starting March 23. All events of 50 or more people have been canceled, per the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions recommendation, including the April 2 Honors Convocation and Founders Day activities. Not all HBCUs have gone the route of emptying the campus for the semester -- yet. At Delaware State, for example, the school remains open but students who are on spring break are not required to return to campus until April 5. Administrators said they will make announcements about moving forward online or returning to the classrooms after the break based on CDC, World Health Organization and government recommendations. Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Willowbrook, California, hasnt canceled classes. In an online letter, President David M. Carlisle told students these are unprecedented times. The university transitioned from in-class instruction to online learning on March 12 and moved from normal business operations to telecommuting temporarily on March 17. One decision we have already made, in order to take a responsible leadership position on this issue, is to cancel this years Spring Gala, he said. We feel this is a small sacrifice for the greater public health good. There will be additional communications on this topic as the situation proceeds. South Africa on Wednesday recorded its highest 24-hour increase in coronavirus infections, with 31 new cases taking the country's tally up to 116, government announced. Africa's most industrialised economy has the highest toll in sub-Saharan Africa and the second highest on the continent after Egypt, which has recorded 196 cases. The country's first coronavirus infection, confirmed on March 5, was detected in a man who had arrived from Italy -- the new centre of a pandemic that has infected more than 200,000 people worldwide and killed more than 8,000. "As of this morning, 18 March 2020, South Africa now has 116 confirmed cases of COVID-19," Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said in a statement. Of the new cases announced this week, six were children aged five or under. Most of the people who have tested positive in South Africa had travelled to highly-affected countries in Europe and the Middle East. But at least 14 internal transmissions were detected this week, raising fears the virus could spread into overcrowded townships where sanitation is poor and there is little scope for self-isolation. "Now we are seeing transmission between people in South Africa," said Lynn Morris, a senior executive at the country's National Institute for Communicable Diseases. "What we are trying to avoid is seeing those clusters spreading into the community," she explained on local radio, adding that the "true rate of transmission" was still unknown. President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a state of national disaster after numbers more than tripled over the weekend. "It is spreading, so it is necessary that we close ranks as we stand together," Ramaphosa told reporters after meeting with opposition political party leaders on Wednesday. Yet he warned that the impact on the economy would be "quite devastating" and described the situation as "unprecedented". South African Airways (SAA) -- the country's debt-ridden national carrier -- cancelled 162 flights scheduled to depart this month in response to low demand for air travel. Its subsidiary and budget airline, SA Express, announced overnight that it was suspending operations starting Wednesday until further notice. In nearby Zambia, the government on Wednesday announced the country's first two cases -- a couple that returned to Lusaka on Sunday from a 10-day holiday in France. Sub-Saharan Africa has been several weeks behind the Middle East and Europe in the spread of the virus. Many African governments have already imposed restriction on flights and public gatherings and shuttered schools. Imran Khan has called upon his countrymen not to panic amid a spike in coronavirus cases in the country. Islamabad, Pakistan Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has called upon his countrymen not to panic amid a spike in coronavirus cases in the country, warning that the spread of COVID-19 was inevitable and that Pakistan cannot currently afford the economic cost of shutting down its cities. As of Wednesday, Pakistan has recorded at least 243 cases of the highly contagious coronavirus, most linked to travellers who have returned home from neighbouring Iran, according to government data. It is the highest number of confirmed cases in South Asia, compared with 147 in India, 44 in Sri Lanka, and 22 in Afghanistan. Citing an ongoing economic slowdown that has seen GDP growth projections drop to less than 3 percent, Khan said enforcing a shutdown of cities could create an unmanageable economic shock. We thought that if we shut down our cities, then people are already suffering, if we save them from corona[virus] on the one side, on the other side theyll die of hunger, he said in a televised address to the nation late on Tuesday. We did consider shutting down cities when we were at 20 cases but I want to tell you all that Pakistan does not have the conditions that are in the United States or Europe. Our country has poverty. In an interview to the Associated Press news agency earlier this week, Khan called for the international community to consider a debt write-off for vulnerable countries that are dealing with the outbreak. On Wednesday, the provincial government in Sindh province where more than 70 percent of Pakistans cases are located issued orders to partially shut public spaces in Karachi, the countrys largest city, banning gatherings, shutting down public parks and government offices and requiring all restaurants to move to takeaway and delivery only. Khan said he fears the new coronavirus will devastate developing nations economies, and warned richer economies to prepare to write off poorer countries debts [BK Bangash/AP Photo] Essential shops and pharmacies would remain open, government spokesman Murtaza Wahab said. Separately, the countrys Civil Aviation Authority issued a notice to airlines on Tuesday, requiring all travellers arriving in Pakistan from Saturday onwards to have paperwork certifying that they have tested negative for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. We have to try our best More than 60 percent of Pakistans cases can be traced to a quarantine camp established in the town of Taftan, on the Pakistan-Iran border in Balochistan province. At least 149 people have tested positive after being released following a 14-day quarantine at that facility, according to government data. Those in quarantine at the Taftan camp told Al Jazeera their symptoms were not being adequately monitored, and they were not being screened. Prime Minister Khan, however, defended the performance of the provincial government in Balochistan, saying the area was very remote and setting up adequate facilities had been a challenge. It is such an area that is very remote, so the logistics, getting doctors there was very difficult, he said, lauding the efforts of the provincial authorities and the military, who helped set up the camp. More than 800 Sindh residents who are due to be released after a 14-day quarantine in Taftan will be put directly into a provincial quarantine camp, the provincial health ministry said. Pakistan has, so far, only officially reported one case of secondary contact spread of the coronavirus, with officials saying cases have so far been limited to those with a travel history to countries where the virus has been detected. On Tuesday, PM Khan said the government had ordered additional ventilators for hospitals to deal with an expected influx of patients as the virus spreads. This virus will spread. Please keep this in your mind, that we have to try our best, he said. The way we are seeing in the world, countries with better medical systems, hospitals and strong institutions, it is spreading fast there. So know that it will spread here as well. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) Following the closure of marijuana dispensaries and delivery services in San Francisco per the regionwide shelter-in-place order that began Tuesday in response to the novel coronavirus, city officials announced the businesses could reopen. "The Department of Public Health today clarified that since marijuana has medical uses, dispensaries will be allowed to operate as essential businesses just as pharmacies are allowed to do," Mayor London Breed said during a news conference at City Hall late Tuesday. The health department initially ordered dispensaries and delivery services closed Monday night. Under the three-week stay-at-home order, grocery stores and pharmacies, among other businesses, were listed as essential businesses that could stay open, but the order didn't identify cannabis dispensaries. Advocates with San Francisco-based cannabis advocacy organization Cal NORML called for their reopening Tuesday morning, citing severely ill patients who needed access to medication. "SFDPH has reversed their position," Supervisor Matt Haney said on Twitter in response to the reopening. Haney had earlier voiced support for the reopening of cannabis businesses. "We know cannabis has medicinal value for so many people and should remain open. They'll be open for delivery and pick up," he 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. See Full Image Gallery >> American pickup builders love celebrating the Southwest, and Ram is taking its latest stab at the "Texans love trucks" trope with the 2020 Ram 1500 Laramie Southwest Edition. This is essentially an appearance and popular equipment package. Outside, the truck gets a body-colored grille surround, bumpers and mirror caps. A restrained smattering of chrome accents rounds out the look, adding a touch of class without getting too glare-heavy. Inside, it's essentially a Laramie. Standard equipment includes a 12-inch touchscreen with the latest Uconnect infotainment suite, a panoramic sunroof, remote tailgate release, rain-sensing wipers and an electric trailer brake controller. For nearly 20 years, Ram has recognized that Texas and Americas Southwest are the center of the truck universe, said Mike Koval, Ad Interim Head of Ram Brand, FCA - North America. Ram was the first manufacturer to offer a Texas-exclusive model, and the Lone Star edition remains our most popular truck in Texas. Our new Ram Laramie Southwest Edition adds the segments best combination of performance, capability, luxury and technology. Ram says the Southwest Edition can be had with any of the Laramie's existing powertrain configurations, in both Quad- and Crew Cab bodies, and with both the 5'7" and 6'4" bed lengths. The starting price is $47,075 including destination. The 2020 Ram 1500 Laramie Southwest Edition is a "Texas Edition" by another name, and will be sold exclusively in the Lone Star State and its immediate neighbors. Look for the first models to arrive in dealers in the coming months, as FCA will put it into production in the second quarter. You Might Also Like Bexar County commissioners extended a countywide emergency declaration for 90 days Wednesday and a new drive-through testing station was opened at Freeman Coliseum as local officials stepped up efforts to prevent a major outbreak of novel coronavirus. County leaders also announced a wide range of efforts to ease pressure on the public, from $5 million in loans and grants for small businesses affected by health restrictions to deferral of fines for traffic tickets. On ExpressNews.com: New normal: coronavirus restrictions tighten Meanwhile, the county and local courts are using videoconferencing to conduct high-priority magistration, public safety calls and court proceedings to minimize person-to person contact. Were trying to handle as many calls by phone and online as we can, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said, as he detailed efforts to prevent spread of the virus to deputies and to inmates at the Bexar County Jail. Officials said the drive-through testing station will only test people who have a doctors authorization based on symptoms and other key factors that indicate possible exposure. People who dont have a personal physician and have questions should call the Metro Health coronavirus hotline, 210-207-5779. On ExpressNews.com: Local coronavirus cases jump to 11 Officials are discouraging people from going to a hospital emergency room unless they are having severe difficulty breathing. Those who are showing symptoms should go to their personal physician or an urgent care clinic, health care officials have said. The primary means of transmission of the virus are exposure to airborne droplets through coughing or sneezing, and contact on surfaces, where the virus can live for two hours or more, Berggren said. Scott Huddleston covers Bexar County government and the Alamo for the San Antonio Express-News. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | shuddleston@express-news.net | Twitter: @shuddlestonSA Liberty U stays open; most residential classes go online Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A major evangelical university is remaining open amid ongoing concern about the coronavirus pandemic but most of its courses occurring on campus are being held online. In an announcement posted to its website Monday, Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, said that given the state governor's emergency ban on public gatherings consisting of more than 100 people, most of the residential classes will be transferred to an online digital format beginning Monday. We originally believed it was safest to return our students following their spring break instead of having them return following greater exposure opportunities from leaving them in different parts of the country for longer periods," said Jerry Falwell Jr., president of Liberty University. "But, the Governors recent decision to limit certain gatherings has left us no practical choice because we have so many classes of more than 100 students. We want to provide for the continuity of our students education while doing what makes sense to help slow the spread of the coronavirus to our university family and local community, he said. Should residential students opt to return to campus most will be able to stay where they are and complete their courses online, the announcement explained. Except for certain programs like aviation, osteopathic medicine and nursing, and particular performance classes, such as labs, the rest of the courses offered will be completed digitally throughout the spring term. The announcement comes after a petition, signed by approximately 10,000 people asking the university administration to extend spring break and move classes online, was generated in response to some of Falwell's earlier comments. Falwell previously expressed that he thought people were overreacting to the scope of the virus and suggested that the extensive press coverage on the subject was an attempt to undermine President Donald Trump politically, likening it to the recent impeachment and the Mueller report. I dont want to become one of these college presidents who are pushing this problem off on someone else by sending 20 year olds with near zero mortality risk to sit at home for the rest of the semester, often with grandparents in the house who truly are at risk, Falwell tweeted on Sunday. A concerned parent reply-tweeted back: "So in 7 weeks, you'll send the thousands of students, who now have a HIGHER risk of carrying it, back to their grandparents to get it. I'm as right wing as they get, bud. But as a parent of three of your students, I think this is crazy, irresponsible and seems like a money grab." Falwell replied, "Nope, then they'll go off to summer jobs or internships dummy." Regent University, another evangelical university in Virginia, has also transitioned to online classes in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. No known cases of the virus have been found on the Virginia Beach campus. University housing is closing this Friday and students are being asked to remove their personal belongings as soon as possible. "Please keep the elderly and the others at high risk with this virus in your prayers, Falwell added in the LU Monday statement. Liberty is taking into account the sometimes conflicting orders and guidance of government officials and public health experts regarding higher education and our unique population. As this dynamic situation changes again, the university will continue to reassess. Whether the commencement ceremony will take place in early May has yet to be determined. Joe Biden's gaffes, plagiarism, fantasies, brain farts, inchoate gibberings, and meltdowns about himself are well known, but there's also his propensity to lie about others calmly, matter-of-factly, and quite outrageously. He's using that creepy ability to lie repeatedly on the campaign trail, spreading a string of false information about President Trump. Based on his recent behavior, Biden wouldn't have any trouble telling us the sky is yellow or water is dry, given the size of his whoppers. It's most obvious in his nakedly false claims around the coronavirus crisis, something whose supposed nonpartisanship is something Biden makes a mockery of. According to PJMedia's Tyler O'Neil: During the Democratic debate on Sunday, Democratic frontrunner and former Vice President Joe Biden accused President Donald Trump of refusing coronavirus test kits from the World Health Organization (WHO). This accusation was flat-out false, but it was not the first time Biden has lied to politicize the coronavirus crisis. "No, look, the World Health Organization offered offered the testing kits that they have available and to give it to us now. We refused them. We did not want to buy them," Biden said. "We did not want to get them from them. We wanted to make sure we had our own. I think he said something like we have the best scientists in America, or something to that effect." Much in the press was made of how supposedly presidential Biden sounded when he made such remarks or how he nakedly plagiarized Trump, which is what was seen in the conservative presses. But the statement itself that he would have you believe about President Trump is an utter lie. He claims that President Trump turned away WHO-branded tests, presumably because he doesn't care or doesn't believe there is a crisis. In this regard, he was playing on the media reports that there are not enough tests, which might be true, and yes, President Trump was overly optimistic in one statement about the availability of them earlier. But what Biden didn't say is that WHO never offered such tests to the U.S. in the first place. Those tests are strictly for third-world hellholes with weak health care systems. Even PolitiFact, a leftist "fact-checking" outfit, noticed a problem there: "No discussions occurred between WHO and CDC about WHO providing COVID-19 tests to the United States," WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris told PolitiFact. "This is consistent with experience since the United States does not ordinarily rely on WHO for reagents or diagnostic tests because of sufficient domestic capacity." PJMedia says Biden also lied about the provenance of the tests which are German contractorsupplied, not WHO-branded tests, as if the WHO were some kind of global benchmark of excellence instead of a useless third-world bureaucracy. Now Biden's saying the U.S. "refused them," when in fact they were never offered. That comes on top of Biden's mendacious claim that President Trump called the Chinese virus itself "a hoax," something Democrats had been spreading around, given that Trump's criticism of them was what was called the hoax. Biden repeated that falsehood, too. There are also problems noticed elsewhere coming from him. Here's what Trump's own website noted: Joe Biden just earned Four (4!) Pinocchios from The Washington Post Fact Checker for spreading "manipulated video" of President Trump on social media. It was just a few days ago that the Biden campaign called this exact thing a "national crisis." "But the Biden campaign isnt shy about playing the same game of video trickery," The Washington Post found, calling out the Biden ad for "two separate and distinctly different examples of manipulated video." The video the Biden campaign posted on Facebook and Twitter "is a clear example of deceptive editing," according to the Fact Checker. Of course, the Biden campaign's spokesman, "Baghdad Bates," defended the deceptive video. Apparently, Biden will say anything, including lies, if it gives him an edge over his rival. (Mister Catholic forgot the commandment about not bearing false witness against his neighbor.) And since he's been in politics since the early 1970s, he's been doing it long enough to know he doesn't have to be scrupulous about telling the truth, because he's gotten away with it every time. It also tells us he doesn't have anything useful that's truthful to work with from President Trump, so he substitutes lies instead. This is the making of a monster. The Trump people have obviously noticed the problem, given his dishonesty about Trump's record, but their response so far hasn't been as strong as it should be. Biden's lies get traction as truth every time he utters them based on a pliant media establishment that never asks questions. It's one thing to see him lie about himself, which is usually gag-worthy. But for him to lie about others is despicable and perfect proof of his unfitness for higher office. Image credit: Doug Jones for Senate Committee, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo illustration by Monica Showalter with use of image from Doug Jones for Senate Committee, CC BY-SA 4.0. - The 13 Chinese citizens reportedly landed in Tanzania on Wednesday, March 4, from China - The foreigners who were in the company of three Tanzanians claimed they were heading to Bamburi Cement Company Limited - They were, however, denied entry and instead escorted back to Horohoro, Tanzania, and told to quarantine themselves for 14 days - As of Tuesday, March 17, the number of coronavirus cases in Kenya had increased to four At least 16 foreigners, 13 Chinese and three Tanzanian nationals, were on Tuesday, March 17, denied entry into the country amid increasing cases of coronavirus in Kenya. Police said they were denied entry after the immigration department at Lunga Lunga border confirmed the visitors travelled from China, the epicentre of the virus on Wednesday, March 4. READ ALSO: Makau Mutua says prayers won't combat coronavirus. "Let's turn to Science" The Holili border post on the Kenya-Tanzania border. Photo: Daily Nation. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Ohangla queen Lady Maureen wants to praise God in new song after leaving hospital Police said the Chinese were technicians while the three Tanzanian nationals were drivers and were heading to Bamburi Cement Ltd. "It was reported by one Murage in-charge of port health and Mr Kiambati in-charge of immigration at Lungalunga border point that 13 Chinese and three Tanzanian immigrants have reported through Tanzanian border for clearance to Kenya. On interrogation, they said they were going for special assignment at Mombasa Bamburi cement company limited," police said in a statement. Health CS Mutahi Kagwe has outlined a raft of preventive measures to combat coronavirus. Photo: KMPDU. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Virusi vya Corona: Jinsi ya kuepuka maambukizi kwa haraka It was further established that the foreigners had not met COVID-19 guideline of 14 days of self quarantine in the country of origin since they arrived in Tanzania from China on Wednesday, March 4. "All of them have been denied entry into the country on observation of the COVID-19 prevention guidelines and escorted back to Tanzanian point of entry at Horohoro," police said. A file photo of Chinese nationals working on the SGR project in Kenya. Photo: SGR kenya. Source: Facebook TUKO.co.ke understands that since the first case of the pandemic was confirmed in Wuhan, China, some Chinese working in Kenya have been facing hostility from a section of the Kenyan citizens. They claimed they were being stereotyped by being nicknamed corona yet they have been happily leaving with Kenyans for years now. "We are being called corona. It hurts since majority of us have been working with Kenyans in harmony. We have nothing to do because when we try to defend ourselves, nobody will come to our rescue,one of the Chinese working on a construction site along Ngong road told Tuko.co.ke. This comes at a time when the government has suspended all flights to the most affected countries hit by the disease, which has killed over 7,900 people globally. To further reduce spread of COVID-19, President Uhuru Kenyatta on Sunday, March 15, suspended all learning activities, public gatherings as well as requesting people who recently travelled or came into contact with affected ones to exercise self quarantine for 14 days. According to Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, the number of confirmed cases in Kenya have increased to four. Story by Enock Ndayala, TUKO correspondent 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. Middle class Kenyans on 'self quarantine' and 'work from home' government directive | Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke Five people have been arrested for pelting stones at a pregnant woman who had married against the wishes of her parents in Rasulpur village here, police said. The incident took place in the village falling under Mirapur police station limits of the district on Tuesday, they said. Trouble started when the woman had come to the village, where she belongs to, with her husband that supposedly angered her family members. Few months ago, she had eloped with the youth and married despite objections from her family. While she was walking on the streets, five people from her family attacked her but she managed to escape unhurt. Later, police reached the spot and arrested Naushad, Abdul, Naeem, Mehboob and Shahnawaz, who are all relatives of the woman, for attacking her. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden, who circled the moon alone in 1971 while his two crewmates test-drove the first lunar rover, died Wednesday at age 88. Worden died in his sleep at a rehab centre in Houston following treatment for an infection, said friend and colleague Tom Kallman. Al was an American hero whose achievements in space and on Earth will never be forgotten, said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine in a statement. He also praised Worden for his appearances on Mister Rogers Neighborhood to explain his moon mission to children. Worden flew to the moon in 1971 along with David Scott and Jim Irwin. As command module pilot, Worden remained in lunar orbit aboard the Endeavour while Scott and Irwin descended to the surface and tried out NASAs first moon buggy. Scott is one of four moonwalkers still alive. Irwin died in 1991. Line of Grey, Be Thou at Peace! Godspeed Al, tweeted Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin, borrowing from their West Point alma mater. Once his moonwalking crewmates were back on board and headed home, Worden performed the first deep-space spacewalk nearly 200,000 miles (322,000 kilometres) from Earth. He inspected the service modules science instrument bay and retrieved film. His foray outside lasted just 38 minutes. Worden said of the mission: Now I know why Im here. Not for a closer look at the Moon, but to look back at our home, the Earth. Apollo 15 was Wordens only spaceflight. He was in NASAs fifth astronaut class, chosen in 1966. He retired from NASA in 1975 and went to work for a few aerospace companies. Of the 24 men who flew to the moon from 1968 through 1972, only 11 are still alive. Born and raised on a farm in Jackson, Michigan, Worden graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1955 and was commissioned in the Air Force. He attended test pilot school. As I was growing up, aviation was not really something that was foremost in my mind, Worden said in a 2000 oral history for NASA. From the age of 12 on, I basically ran the farm, did all the field work, milked the cows, did all that until I left for college. While in the Air Force, I began to realize that flying was kind of my game. It was a thing that I was very attuned to. Going to the moon was like flying an airplane, Worden said in the NASA oral history. Its a skill that you learn. It takes some knowledge. It takes some analytical ability if something goes wrong, but outside of that its like driving a car. Working as a senior aerospace scientist at NASAs Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California, after the flight was more intellectually stimulating, he noted. In his 2011 book Falling to Earth: An Apollo 15 Astronauts Journey to the Moon, Worden wrote that NASA was leery about young children watching a rocket launch and so he called Fred Rogers in Pittsburgh. Worden, the father of three daughters, ended up doing a special show. It was so outside of what most astronauts did, many thought I was crazy. Astronauts liked to think they were super jocks who hunted, fished, drank, and chased girls. We didnt do kiddies shows. A list of childrens questions eventually led to Wordens 1974 book for children I Want to Know about a Flight to the Moon. After returning from the moon, all three Apollo 15 astronauts became embroiled in a controversy over a few hundred stamped postal covers that flew with them to the moon. The astronauts planned to sell them to help pay for their childrens education, Worden said in the NASA oral history. Worden said he assumed the stamped covers were on the official flight manifest, but wasnt sure now that they ever were. All this resulted in quite a flap. None of the three ever flew in space again. He blamed NASA management. Some senator or some congressman asked the question, and they caved under right away and tried to get rid of us, he said in the oral history. Nobody stood up for us. Nobody. Worden sued the U.S. government in 1983 and got his covers back. We probably didnt do the smartest thing in the world, but we didnt do anything that was illegal, he said. We didnt do anything that anybody else hadnt done, but the consequences were rather severe to us. Worden most recently worked with Kallman, a New Jersey businessman, on promoting science, engineering and math education, as well as providing scholarships for international young people to attend Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. That foundation lives on and he lives on through it as well, Kallman said. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Bhopal, March 18 : The rebel Congress MLAs holed up at a five star resort in Bengaluru have demanded security from the Karnataka Director General of Police. They have also refused to meet Congress leader Digvijaya Singh who had gone on Wednesday morning to meet them. In a letter to the Karnataka DGP, the MLAs said, "Some Congress leaders from Madhya Pradesh have come to Bengaluru. They are putting pressure on us and are trying to create an atmosphere by which they can misrepresent the fact in the Supreme Court where hearing is going on." In the letter, they said that they have given an affidavit to the Supreme Court in which they have put forward facts and their views. They said they don't want to meet any Congress leader. "Kindly provide security to us so that our life can be secured," said the letter to the Karnataka DGP, a copy of which has also been sent to the Superintendent of Police, Bengaluru (Rural). Earlier, rebels Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh, who are camping in Bengaluru, issued a video message, refusing to meet Digvijaya Singh and other Congress leaders who have gone to meet them and reiterated that they were there out of their own choice. In a petition filed in the Supreme Court, the rebel Congress MLAs sought to issue direction to the Speaker of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly to accept their resignations forthwith, as they tendered resignations voluntarily without any threat or pressure from any side. MANHATTAN -- In just a day, the number of coronavirus cases has more than doubled in New York City, climbing to 1,339 as of Wednesday morning, and New York state has the most confirmed coronavirus cases in the country, according to the latest official figures. Yesterday, the state said the number of confirmed cases in New York City stood at 695. Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveiled the latest figures Wednesday morning but cautioned that the number of positive cases was going up because the state now has more coronavirus testing capacity. As of Wednesday morning, there were 2,382 confirmed cases of coronavirus across the state -- more than double of Washington States 1,012 cases. Of those 2,382 cases across the state, Cuomo said 23% required hospitalization. We have the highest number of cases in the United States, again by a significant margin, were now about double the next state. I dont know how much of that is due to our increased testing, Cuomo told reporters at a press conference Wednesday. But we are a more dense environment we have more people than Washington State, so science would dictate, mathematics would dictate, that youll have a higher rate of spread, he continued. So far, New York has tested 14,597 people for coronavirus statewide, which includes 6,194 tests in New York City. Cuomo did not provide a New York City borough breakdown of coronavirus cases, but Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday there were at least 36 confirmed cases on Staten Island. The FDA announced last week would allow the state Department of Health to authorize labs to begin patient testing, as well provide authorization for labs to immediately begin running automated tests on Roches high-volume platform. FOLLOW SYDNEY KASHIWAGI ON TWITTER. 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. CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE: Latest on NYC school closures: Child care to be available for first responders S.I. to be first borough with drive-thru testing for coronavirus Fact vs. rumor: America is not quarantined for coronavirus, National Security Council says Coronavirus: NYC bars, restaurants limited to takeout and delivery Lees Tavern to temporarily shut its doors amid coronavirus outbreak Photos: Bare shelves inside Staten Island stores during coronavirus outbreak With NYC schools closing, parents and teachers prepare for new normal How fast is coronavirus growing in New York? Chart shows dramatic rise in cases Coronavirus on Staten Island: Non-essential court proceedings postponed Coronavirus: Executive order will postpone all elective surgeries Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-19 01:13:09|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The White House said Wednesday that the Spanish king and queen's scheduled visit to the United States next month will be postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. "In order for the United States and Spain to continue to devote their full resources and attention to the COVID-19 response, the April 21, 2020, White House State Visit by Their Majesties King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain has been postponed," the White House said in a statement. The United States will continue to work with Spain and all of its European partners to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the statement added. More than 7,300 COVID-19 cases have been reported in the United States as of Wednesday noon, with at least 115 deaths, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The number of confirmed cases in Spain rose to 13,716 on Wednesday, up from 11,178 a day earlier, the Spanish Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Services said in its daily press briefing. This article by Paul Szoldra originally appeared on Task & Purpose, a digital news and culture publication dedicated to military and veterans issues. The two Marine lance corporals at the center of a human smuggling ring uncovered last year at Camp Pendleton are now serving prison time, Task & Purpose has learned. Lance Cpl. Byron Darnell Law II and Lance Cpl. David Javier Salazar-Quintero, who were both arrested on July 3, 2019 with three undocumented immigrants in the back seat of their car by U.S. Border Patrol agents, pleaded guilty on smuggling charges in recent months. Law pleaded guilty on Jan. 14 to unlawfully transporting, for private financial gain, aliens who entered the United States illegally, and wrongful use and distribution of a controlled substance. He was sentenced to 18 months confinement, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, reduction to E-1, and a dishonorable discharge. Salazar-Quintero pleaded guilty on Feb. 14 to transporting illegal aliens and conspiring to transport illegal aliens. He was sentenced to 12 months confinement, reduction to E-1, and a bad conduct discharge. Both Law and Salazar-Quintero joined the Corps in 2017 and were trained as infantry riflemen. Neither have been deployed. According to a federal criminal complaint, Law told Border Patrol agents that he was an active-duty Marine and dimed out Salazar-Quintero as the organizer of the smuggling operation. "Law stated that last night, Salazar called and asked him if he was willing to make $1000.00 USD picking up an illegal alien," the complaint said. On July 2, the pair of infantrymen traveled to Jacumba, California while being guided "via cell phone instructions from an unknown Mexico number," according to Law, who said they then picked up a single immigrant and brought him to a McDonald's parking lot in Del Mar. The next day, Law told agents Salazar called him for another job. This time, with Law in the driver's seat, they both went to the same area and picked up "three illegal aliens" off the I-8 freeway. Salazar, meanwhile, said Law introduced him to smuggling through a recruiter. Salazar also admitted to coming to Jacumba to pick up undocumented immigrants on four different occasions, the complaint said. The three immigrants who were arrested identified Law as the driver of the car that picked them up. Two of them said they were going to pay $8,000 to be smuggled into the U.S. with destinations in Los Angeles and New Jersey. Investigators uncover a human smuggling ring of infantry Marines In the aftermath of the arrest of Law and Salazar-Quintero, investigators with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service found there were others involved in the smuggling operation, with more than two dozen more Marines being punished for alleged smuggling or drug offenses. All told, 24 Marines faced administrative or judicial action, with 22 having been discharged, according to Lt. Cameron Edinburgh, a spokesman for 1st Marine Division. (The two remaining Marines are Law and Salazar-Quintero, who will be discharged after their prison time is served). "All cases were handled at the appropriate level and with respect to the rule of law," Edinburgh said. "We have a duty to the American people to be the most ready when the nation is least ready, and we will continue to enforce the standards of honor, courage and commitment that serve as the great hallmarks of our Corps." According to Edinburgh, one Marine received a general discharge under honorable conditions, two received bad conduct discharges, and 19 received other than honorable discharges. One Marine was with 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, while the rest were with 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment. More articles from Task & Purpose: Next restaurant in Chicago the concept-shifting spot from The Alinea Group is using all three flavors in highballs on its current Tokyo menu, including a dash of umami in a whisky soda. Try adding them to almost any cocktail for a Japanese twist, like yuzu bitters in a Champagne-based drink, or shiso bitters in a Stone Fence (whiskey, rum or cognac with cider). Former State Bank of India chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya will now head the US-based tech firm Salesforces India operations starting April. The San Francisco-based company offers customer relationship management services on cloud. The $17-billion firm competes with Indian companies such as Zoho and Freshworks. This is an unexpected and surprising decision from Salesforce. For Bhattacharya is neither a techie nor does she have experience in enterprise sales. She has been a banker through and through. It is a little strange, as you would normally expect to have an executive with tech sales experience, pointed out Peter Bendor-Samuel, CEO, Everest Group, a consulting and research firm. Bhattacharya served as the chairman of Indias largest bank from 2013 till she retired in 2017. She joined SBI as a probationary officer in 1977 and donned at least half a dozen roles during her 40-year stint in the bank including foreign exchange, treasury, retail operations and even investment banking. She was instrumental in launching several new businesses such as SBI General Insurance. After her retirement in 2017, she served as an independent director for corporate houses such as Wipro and oversees financial services group SWIFT India. 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 Salesforce India growth The appointment comes at a time when Salesforce is looking to fast-track its Indian operations. Before Bhattarcharya, Salesforce did not have a dedicated India CEO. Sunil Jose, Senior Vice President and Country Leader, was overseeing India operations. Bhattacharya will now report to Ulrik Nehammer, General Manager of Salesforce in the APAC region. For Salesforce, India is a key market. According to reports, Salesforce, its customers and partner ecosystem are expected to create over $67 billion in revenues and 548,400 new direct jobs by 2024 in the country. The company established its India office in Hyderabad in 2016 and aims to add 3,000 jobs, reports added. Manoj Chandra Jha, Lead Research Analyst, Information Services Group, an analyst firm, said the appointment might be looked at in multiple dimensions. Jha said, as Salesforce looks to build its India business, it needed someone how is deeply rooted in the country and influential. Bhattacharya is both. There are not many people who has the kind of influence Bhattarcharya has. That is why she was chosen, Jha added. Pareekh Jain, the founder of Pareekh Consulting, a consultancy firm, said she is also a brand and the banker's stature can help Salesforce tap into the growing cloud opportunity in India. India's cloud market will reach $7 billion by 2022, according to reports. Bhattacharya will be responsible for overall operations, sales and will also need to build a larger partner ecosystem in India. This is where her connections with corporate and financial services during her SBI tenure will come in handy. During her stint, she had also dealt with small and medium enterprises, one of the most difficult segments to tackle. If Bhattacharya can leverage this, analysts added, Salesforce could grow 10 percent in the mid-size segment and 5 percent in the large segment. But can she grow Salesforces India market? It is too early to judge. We should give her at least 3-4 quarters, he added. 'Her talent will be wasted' However, not many are convinced that Bhattacharya was the right choice. This is not her domain at all. Not clear how she will be able to take on the role given that she has been a banker all her life, an industry source pointed out. Heading an enterprise business is a totally different ballgame as the leader should be able to understand the product and position it right for its clients. She has no enterprise sales experience. Would she be able to position the product right for the market? Unless she was selected only as a figurehead and there is another team in place to carry out the operations, the source added. Many industry observers believe that a talent of her stature could be used in areas where it is required such as Yes Bank crisis, consultant in banking institutions at the time of mergers or a key role in the finance ministry. Given the kind of exposure she has towards the economy, it is a waste to use her talents for Salesforce India, which is really small, they say. Primary season is a lousy time for a global pandemic. As states across the country closed schools, banned large gatherings and encouraged liberal work-from-home policies this week, local election officials have been adamant that voters in upcoming primaries should vote by mail ahead of their election day. Top election officials in Illinois, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin -- which have primaries for president and state and local positions in the coming weeks -- told Stateline that along with working with state health agencies they are reminding voters of their no-excuse absentee ballot alternative. Florida and Arizona, which have primaries Tuesday March 17, also allow for no-excuse absentee voting. The Wyoming Democratic Party, which was set to hold its presidential caucus April 4, canceled in-person voting and announced a system for voters to pick up and drop off ballots. In Wisconsin, the state elections commission voted in an emergency session to halt municipal-led, in-person voting assistance for nursing home residents during the states April 7 primary and opted instead for sending mail-in ballots. Officials in Louisiana also announced this week that they would postpone Aprils primary the first state to do this. Sending people into nursing homes and other kinds of health care facilities is the wrong thing to do right now, said Reid Magney, the Wisconsin commissions public information officer. At least 34 states and the District of Columbia already allow voters to cast their ballot via mail. Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington, meanwhile, run entirely vote-by-mail elections. Other states offer limited mail-in ballots, requiring voters offer specific excuses for not being able to vote in person. But even with mail-in ballots, officials urged caution. Washington state, which had its primary this week, encouraged voters not to lick their mail-in ballots to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Instead, officials asked voters to use a wet sponge or cloth to seal them. Given the coronavirus situation, some lawmakers want to take mail-in voting further. U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, introduced legislation that would require every state in the country to conduct Novembers election entirely by mail if a quarter of states declare a state of emergency from an infectious disease or natural disaster. (As of Friday, 38 states and the District of Columbia had done so for coronavirus.) Voters could also drop off their hand-marked paper ballot under his bill. While this wont be easy, Wyden said, Americans should not have to choose between casting a ballot and protecting their health. The legislation also would provide $500 million to pay for these efforts, which he said is essential in helping states buy new systems and equipment. The reality is every level of government is going to have to cope with the fallout if this virus continues to spread, Wyden, whose state was the first to go to all-mail elections, told Stateline. Vote by mail is a time-tested method of exercising our constitutional rights. While elections are decentralized, administered by 10,000 jurisdictions nationwide, Congress can legally regulate federal elections, several election experts agree. Wydens bill would mean superseding state laws on absentee voting. Whether this bill gets traction in the Senate is another story. Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has firmly opposed Democratic-sponsored bills that attempt to enact progressive changes to election systems nationwide. H.R. 1, which would have, among other things, implemented automatic voter registration and independent redistricting commissions, was blocked by McConnell last year. Just this week, McConnell in a floor speech called H.R. 1 and other Democratic-sponsored election legislation an unprecedented Washington power grab over the nuanced details of how states and localities conduct elections. However, the Republican leader, speaking separately this week on the coronavirus, also said this does not have to be a time for partisan bickering. McConnells office did not respond to a request for comment. Companion legislation in the U.S. House is cosponsored by Democratic Reps. Suzan DelBene of Washington, Earl Blumenauer of Oregon and Jamie Raskin of Maryland. States arent starting from scratch on a vote-by-mail system -- they already send mail-in ballots to overseas military personnel and to voters with disabilities. But scale is another question, said Tammy Patrick, a senior adviser to the election program at the Democracy Fund, a Washington, D.C.-based bipartisan organization. Wydens bill would reshape roles of election administrators who may not have the infrastructure or training to pull off an entirely vote-by-mail election, she said. Theres some really good stuff in the Wyden bill, she said. The reality is, though, we really cant support the entire country going vote-by-mail tomorrow. For states that will lean heavily on mail-in ballots come November, Patrick said to expect delayed results, as many states allow voters to postmark their ballots by Election Day. There are many challenges to voting by mail, especially for voters with limited English proficiency and voters with disabilities who may be unable to vote using a pen on a paper ballot. It also presents challenges for lower-income or Native American voters who may have fluid or nontraditional addresses. Still, some election experts have hope that Wydens bill will gain bipartisan support as a solution to a potentially devastating scenario in which Novembers election is interrupted by social distancing and quarantines, said Alexandra Chandler, a policy advocate at the nonprofit Protect Democracy. It would ensure, she said, that all eligible voters can have equal access to vote in November. I am not yet so cynical and hardened to believe that there is not a potential opportunity here to do this, Chandler said. This would really make the election so much safer and protect vulnerable people. Those vulnerable people, she said, include not only voters, but also poll workers. Nationally, nearly two-thirds of poll workers are 61 and older, according the 2018 U.S. Election Assistance Commission survey. Older people are more likely to die from COVID-19. Many poll workers in Florida and Illinois backed out before Tuesdays primary. Chandler recognizes the complexity of this issue and said her organization and other election experts would be available to work out technical issues. This is a crucial time for states that have primaries now to test ways of expanding voting access during times of emergencies, said Dale Ho, director of the ACLUs Voting Rights Project. The worst time for them to try new methods, he said, would be in November, especially in a presidential election. We have to use every opportunity now over the next three months to figure out what we can do to address the traditional in-person voting model, he said. You dont want to figure this out on the fly in November. Amber McReynolds, CEO of the National Vote at Home Institute and Coalition, a nonprofit that advocates for vote-by-mail election systems, said the system mitigates risks in the election process, while also dealing with a potential shortage of poll workers. Its better for voters, said McReynolds, who was the director of elections in Denver when it implemented a vote-by-mail system. This is a solution to enfranchise people who would otherwise be disenfranchised by a public health disaster. Whether states can realistically switch to an entirely vote-by-mail system is hard to say, said Dan Wallach, a professor of computer science at Rice University who studies voting systems. Wydens bill is just one step in trying to reshape elections in time for November. States also would need to rethink the entire architecture of the voting systems, from equipment to training in both small and large counties. It would be a heavy lift, Wallach said. [Wydens bill] is absolutely helpful, and Im thrilled hes doing it. But theres a whole world of difference between planning and executing this. Some state election officials are skeptical their states, let alone every state, could transition to an entirely vote-by-mail system. Rhode Island Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, a Democrat, said that while Wydens bill would not have a major impact on states like hers that offer mail-in ballots and that she welcomes the conversation, she does foresee many of her colleagues in other states having a problem with the federal authority. The Constitution says that states run elections, she said, and youre changing things in state law. Matt Dietrich, public information officer for the Illinois State Board of Elections, said he doesnt think Congress can force states to transition to that kind of system by November. He believes in vote-by-mail systems, he said, but right now the priority is ensuring the state is more prepared for the general election. If its like this in November, were going to have to have a contingency plan that involves more than us asking local election officials to be in touch with their health departments, Dietrich said. Thats not going to be enough. After Illinois primary, Dietrich hopes to work with the states legislature and political parties to eventually move to an all vote-by-mail system. In the meantime, he wants to establish a database that would automatically mail ballots to voters who requested them in previous elections, while also exploring the governors emergency powers when it comes to elections. Several states have significant emergency powers related to elections, though the details vary. Six states can delay elections because of an emergency, while many more can relocate polling places. Officials in Ohio and in some Arizona and Illinois counties ordered polling places moved from retirement homes to other locations. In Cook County, Illinois, which encompasses Chicago, officials moved more than 100 polling locations, Dietrich said. The state went to court this week to successfully mail ballots to affected nursing homes. Prairie State election officials notified voters this week that their polling places changed. In other states, including Pennsylvania, lawmakers are now introducing legislation to move to a vote-by-mail system. Meanwhile, Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin, a Democrat, is seeking emergency election powers to respond to the coronavirus, including to postpone the election or move polling places. Many more voters have asked for mail-in ballots, Dietrich said. At this time in 2016, Illinois sent out 152,000 requested absentee ballots. This year, the state sent out 240,000. Similarly, other states reported higher numbers of voters who chose to vote absentee. The U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, in a recent advisory, recommends poll workers routinely clean and disinfect surfaces and voting equipment, provide hand sanitizer and thoroughly clean bathrooms. Officials also encourage voters and poll workers to stay home if they are sick. In Central Illinois, Tazewell County Clerk John Ackerman said hes doing all those things to run a successful election. We encouraged everyone who had concerns to have their voices heard without hesitation, he said. We dont want people staying home and not voting. This article was first posted to Stateline, an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. US (18-march-2020) Cannabis is also called marijuana which a majority of people use in their daily life. 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There are several payment options are available on this site such as credit card, debit card, and many other online payment approaches. This store has sufficient space for parking which makes it easy for every individual to park their vehicle. People can easily get all the information about cannabis products and other details with the help of service providers. This online store provides various cannabis product reviews for individuals. With the help of this website, an individual can buy cannabis products by contacting them and a person gets several ways to arrive at the Cannavine dispensary. Numerous attractive places are easily found near this store for visiting. If needed, interested individuals can click here or visit our official website to know about the Ukiah marijuana pot shop. For more additional reading details about Ukiah Marijuana Store please click here or check our official website Website : https://www.trycannavine.com/ Along with designing residences coast to coast, Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent recently squeezed in another project dear to their hearts: a nursery for the Manhattan home of American Ballet Theatre. Affectionately dubbed The Nook, the 150-square-foot corner offers ABTs dancers and staff a cozy spot to relax with their babies whenever they wish. Set off from the dancers lounge by salvaged French doors, The Nook offers all the comforts of home: a crib, a glider, a changing table, two bassinets, and a passel of soft toys, all in gender-neutral hues. I had my baby five weeks into my job, so I know how much joy it can bring to have your child visit, notes Kara Medoff Barnett, executive director of ABT. The dancers and staff work incredibly long hours and are so committed to their jobs. We want their babies to be able to join them here. Pottery Barn Kids generously donated furnishingsmany of them from Brents new collection for the brandto the project (spearheaded by AD as a follow-up to its 2017 renovation of the dancers lounge). Brent, Berkus, and contractors Highline Construction Group contributed their talents pro bono. Having two kids under the age of five, we know how important it is to have a work environment that supports families, says Brent. We are huge ABT fans. Our daughter, Poppy, even takes dance classes there. See More of the New ABT Nursery Photo: Courtesy of Pottery Barn Kids Photo: Courtesy of Pottery Barn Kids Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest This year, the threat of COVID-19 meant that Purim could not come soon enough, especially for seniors isolated in nursing homes. For the elderly Jewish residents of a Veterans Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, the timing allowed them to participate in the hospitals very first Purim party and Megillah reading, activities organized by Rabbi Chesky Tenenbaum. Tenenbaum is the newly appointed Jewish Chaplain of the VA Maryland Health Care System, and founding Director of the Jewish Uniformed Service Association of Maryland (JUSA). Tenenbaum founded JUSA in 2012 to function as a Chabad House that serves Jewish men and women in uniform. One World War II veteran in his late nineties became very emotional when listening to the Megillah. Speaking through tears, he expressed gratitude to Rabbi Tenenbaum for giving him the opportunity to participate in the hospitals unprecedented Purim celebration. On the day of his orientation meeting at the central VA complex in Baltimore, the rabbi learned of a Jewish veteran next door, and paid a visit. When, some time later, the veteran took a turn for the worse, he asked for the rabbi. After some conversation, with Tenenbaum at his side, the veteran proudly recited the Shema prayer in Hebrew. It was a privilege to give back to this vet who had served his country, said the rabbi. He was drifting in and out of consciousness, but when I asked him how he was feeling he answered: I am at peace. Press Release 18 March 2020 The European Tourism Manifesto alliance, the voice of the European travel and tourism sector, has issued the following statement on the implementation of urgent measures to limit the COVID-19 outbreak's impact on the sector. Advertisements The effects of the outbreak are already being felt throughout the global economy. Economic activity has dropped, and all evidence points towards a significant downturn in areas affected by the virus. The tourism and travel sector is particularly hit. Millions of jobs are currently at stake, while many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) risk closing their business. Support for tourism must be a priority in the crisis response, recovery plans and actions of affected economies. The European Tourism Manifesto alliance welcomes the immediate response presented by the European Commission on 13th March to mitigate the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. We call for immediate implementation of these measures, which should be reinforced by additional instruments focused on the tourism sector. Action is required now to strengthen the resilience of the sector in the long run and prepare the ground for a swift recovery from this unprecedented crisis. The European Tourism Manifesto alliance calls upon the European Commission and national governments to swiftly implement the following urgent measures: Temporary state aid for the tourism and travel sector from national governments Fast and easy access to short- and medium-term loans to overcome liquidity shortages, including funds made available by the EU through the Corona Response Investment Initiative Fiscal relief (both at source market and destination level), starting with SMEs and extending to economic operators of all sizes Protection of workers from unemployment and loss of income (short-time work schemes, upskilling and reskilling programmes) and support for self-employed tourism stakeholders Fast launch of the European Unemployment Reinsurance Scheme Deferment of fiscal and social contributions Immediate passing of temporary airport slots waiver Support action for the wider field of culture (arts and heritage) Better coordination between national authorities in terms of alignment of travel advice to affected regions and requirements on travellers returning from those areas. In order to guarantee a full-speed recovery in the aftermath of the crisis, we call for the implementation of the additional following measures: Simplification of visa rules for long-haul markets Reducing or waiving travellers' taxes (passenger duties, city taxes, etc.) Supporting destinations, by increasing their budgets for promotion, marketing and product development purposes as soon as they are ready to welcome visitors again. Please also see the statement with the list of the European Tourism Manifesto supporting organisations by this link. The European Tourism Manifesto alliance gathers more than 50 European public and private organisations, covering the whole tourism value chain and beyond. The alliance calls on the European Union for action on key policy priorities for the tourism sector. For more information, please visit tourismmanifesto.eu. (Photo : ANDREW KELLY on Reuters) US Online Census: Brazil Now Cancels 2020 Survey, Will USA Follow The Same Suit? (Photo : Photo by Jean Carlo Emer on Unsplash) US Online Census: Brazil Now Cancels 2020 Survey, Will USA Follow The Same Suit? Coronavirus or COVID-19 now forces governments to strictly impose work from home set up for companies and lockdown to each community to contain the virus. Due to this health chaos, Brazil already implemented suspension to their 2020 Census for volunteers to no longer visit homes of each citizen. Will the US 2020 Census be the same? Will the online survey be the solution for US 2020 Census? As early as now, Brazil's government statistics agency IBGE already announced that the 2020 Brazil Census would no longer take effect for the whole year as a counter-measure against the wider spread of COVID-19. They will postpone the said survey test until 2021. All the budget that was initially designed for the census will now be added to an emergency fund of the government as helping to contain the said virus. Though Brazil now officially postpones their census, a different scene is now happening in the US government. Over 6,000 COVID-19 positive are currently reported in the country, and more than 100 citizens have now died from the virus. Health experts already claimed that these numbers might go higher over time. Due to this deadly virus, the US government said that an online census might be the best solution for all citizens and the census workers. On Mar. 9, the country's Census Bureau made its soft launch of online 2020 census and already sent emails to each governing body on all states. These initial censuses ask citizens to reply with all their information through whatever means they have, including through online, via phone or by mail. All citizens that will not answer the survey until mid-April will be provided with paper questionnaires that will be handed by them from the workers-- through following the proper social distancing as advised by the government. Online Census can't be the solution, for now, says Census Information Centers In response to what the government aims to do, Census Information Centers representatives told CNN that online census could not be the solution for all states in the country. They explained that not all citizens have access to the internet or have their phones. Worse, citizens may no longer be interested in answering surveys now that COVID-19 continues to frighten most Americans. "There are people in LA in particular that do not have computers, and if they do have computers they don't have the broadband to complete it," said Lydia Camarillo, president of the William C. Velasquez Institute, a Census Information Center based in Los Angeles. "Right now, people are not going to be concerned with filling out the census." Besides this problem, some citizens also noted that Census Bureau are not yet disseminating proper knowledge in all US states about the plan for an online census. "We'd love to see the Census Bureau pushing back the start of their door-knocking," said one of the Census 2020 senior fellow at New York Immigration Coalition. "Give us an extra month to do the outreach that's going to naturally slow down during this time." 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. London, March 17, 2020 (AFP) A British-Iranian woman serving a five-year prison term in Tehran for sedition was released from jail for two weeks on Tuesday, her husband said. "The Free Nazanin Campaign is pleased to confirm -- as has long been promised -- that Nazanin (Zaghari-Ratcliffe) was this afternoon released temporarily on furlough for two weeks until 4 April 2020," Richard Ratcliffe said in an emailed statement. The 41-year-old last month warned she was in danger of contracting the new coronavirus inside Evin Prison, as Iran struggles to contain the global epidemic within its own borders. She was subsequently tested and found not to have the virus, which has killed nearly 1,000 people inside the country. Her husband said on Tuesday that Zaghari-Ratcliffe would be required to wear an ankle tag and that her movements would be restricted to 300 metres from her parents' home in west Tehran. "This makes her release more comparable to house arrest than the standard furlough arrangement that has been granted to other prisoners in Evin this week," he said. But Richard Ratcliffe said her temporary release had still brought joy to her family as she spent her first hours outside prison with her mother and sisters. "This afternoon there have been big smiles on everyone's faces, even if feeling a bit overwhelmed," he said. Britain welcomed the move, with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab saying he was "relieved" at the news but insisting she receive "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," he said. Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested at Tehran airport in April 2016 after visiting relatives in Iran with their young daughter. She worked for the Thomson Reuters Foundation -- the media organisation's philanthropic arm -- at the time. Iranian authorities convicted her of sedition -- a charge Zaghari-Ratcliffe has always contested -- and she is serving a five-year jail term. Consumers in many urban centres are rushing to stockpile food commodities and essentials due to the COVID-19 outbreak, according to companies monitoring sales, but the Union government has assured that the country has sufficient foodgrain stocks in federal and state-held reserves, several times the required emergency buffer, to tide over any crisis. India has nearly 10 times the emergency reserve needed for this time of the year and the countrys over 500,000 fair price shops are likely to be pressed into action to deal with mass distribution in case of any emergency, an official of the consumer affairs ministry said, requesting anonymity. However, some experts said the government could do little to intervene in any large-scale shortage of manufactured essential items and the governments procurement is mainly agricultural, such as wheat, rice and limited quantities of sugar and pulses. Also read: IIT Hyderabad makes hand sanitizer for institute community An inter-ministerial group is in talks with major industries to ensure steady supplies of essential items, as families fearing more restrictions on movement in the wake of the fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak are stocking up on household items, the official said. As of February 1, the Food Corporation of India had 30 million tonnes of wheat, while norms require 3 million as strategic reserve. On the other hand, rice stocks currently amount to about 27 million tonnes, while the governments norms require a strategic stock of 2 million tonne. If there is a need, the government can and will resort to open market sale from the Centres stock, the official said. This means if there is any shortage of foodgrains in private markets, the government will release from its share held in reserves for a certain price. Tracking Coronavirus Outbreak: Live Updates The Centre, through the Food Corporation of India, maintains two types of stocks. While operational stocks are meant to meet monthly distribution requirements under the Food Security Act to provide subsidised grains, the food security stocks are meant to tide over any emergency. Normally, during shortage, the Centre will offer first to state governments. During abnormal times, it can offer grains to players such as say Big Bazaar. But first and foremost, the government must plan for any crisis based on market intelligence, said Siraj Hussain, former agriculture secretary. Fast-moving consumer good (FMCG) companies said they had seen an upswing in demand from urban centres, such as New Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad. We are watching the trends. People feel the outbreak could get worse. We expect more buying of items such as oil, sugar, pasta, wheat, rice and flour, whose sales have gone up, said Ajay Motwani, head of consumer marketing at Adani Wilmar. The food and consumer affairs ministry has put masks and hand sanitizers under the Essential Commodities Act up to June 30, 2020, to ensure availability and correct price gouging of these items. Under the Act, after discussions with the manufacturers, states can ask manufacturers to enhance their production of masks and sanitisers. The truth is nothing much often comes out of such steps of declaring items as essential commodities. The government should be in constant discussion with manufacturers and plan accordingly, Hussain said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ABOUT THE AUTHOR Zia Haq Zia Haq reports on public policy, economy and agriculture. Particularly interested in development economics and growth theories. ...view detail Boeing Co on Tuesday called for a $60 billion lifeline for the struggling U.S. aerospace manufacturing industry, which faces huge losses from the coronavirus pandemic. Reuters first reported that Boeing was seeking "tens of billions of dollars" in U.S. government loan guarantees and other assistance as faces it a looming liquidity crunch due to the coronavirus' impact on the aviation sector, two people briefed on the matter told Reuters. Boeing spokesman Gordon Johndroe subsequently said the company "supports a minimum of $60 billion in access to public and private liquidity, including loan guarantees, for the aerospace manufacturing industry." Boeing declined to say how much of that would be for the planemaker versus loan guarantees for its suppliers; it was also unclear if U.S. banks would loan any of the more than $60 billion without government backing. The U.S. planemaker has told lawmakers it needs significant government support to meet liquidity needs and it cannot raise that in current market conditions, the people said. Boeing confirmed Monday it was in talks with the administration about short-term support, while U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday the U.S. government would provide support. Boeing has noted that typically 70% of its revenue flows to its 17,000 suppliers and has told lawmakers that without significant assistance the entire U.S. aviation manufacturing sector could collapse. "This will be one of the most important ways for airlines, airports, suppliers and manufacturers to bridge to recovery. Funds would support the health of the broader aviation industry, because much of any liquidity support to Boeing will be used for payments to suppliers to maintain the health of the supply chain," Johndroe said. The amount of aid Boeing needs remains in flux based on market conditions and how long the crisis lasts. Congressional officials are reviewing Boeing's cash needs as Congress considers a stimulus and rescue package that could top $1 trillion. "Boeing got hit hard in many different ways," Trump said at a press conference Tuesday. He said he would also help suppliers like engine maker General Electric Co. "We have to protect Boeing... We'll be helping Boeing." Boeing's stock has been plummeting. After falling 24% on Monday, it fell another 4.4% Tuesday to close at $123.92. Boeing is down more than 60% over the last month as the coronavirus pandemic slashed travel demand worldwide. S&P Global downgraded Boeing's credit rating on Monday and lowered its free cash flow expectations for the company. Boeing has been struggling to win approval from regulators for its 737 MAX to return to service after two fatal crashes in five months. The plane has been grounded since March 2019. 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 have sought $10 billion. Boeing confirmed on Tuesday that it had completed the drawdown of the rest of a $13.8 billion line of credit it had secured last month. Boeing's total debt nearly doubled to $27.3 billion in 2019, as it compensated airlines and grappled with additional production costs for the 737 MAX even as the grounding prevented it from delivering the aircraft to buyers. Reuters on Tuesday reported Airbus has about 16 billion euros ($17.60 billion) in cash and needs some 5.5 billion euros a month, a person familiar with Monday's discussions said. Industry sources said that even before the coronavirus crisis squeezed its finances, Boeing had been providing financial support to a number of suppliers to help them ride out the shutdown of 737 MAX production as well as paying airlines compensation for the delay in delivering MAX planes. The focus on design problems as a key factor leading up to two fatal crashes that led to the grounding has left the planemaker exposed to potential shareholder lawsuits from partners and airlines at risk from the MAX shutdown. Also read: Coronavirus Live Updates: New COVID-19 cases take number to 147 in India Also read: GoAir offers rotational leave to staff without pay; mulls salary cut amid coronavirus pandemic [March 18, 2020] COVID-19 To Have Significant Effect on Worldwide Semiconductor Market in 2020, According to IDC The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is affecting China and is spreading within East Asia and into Europe and North America. In addition to the human cost of life, the impact of the spread of the virus on the global economy is only beginning to be appreciated and has deep implications for the world's technology supply chain. A new International Data Corporation (IDC) report, Impact of COVID-19 on the Worldwide Semiconductor Market Forecast (IDC (News - Alert) #US46115520), provides IDC's view on the impact the COVID-19 virus will have on the semiconductor market. The report provides a framework to evaluate the market impact through four scenarios that assess the range of possible outcomes. Each scenario is based on varying assumptions and severity of the impact to business for technology suppliers. For each scenario, a range of critical factors are assessed with a resulting updated forecast, presented with leading indicators to help clients navigate this emergency. "The emergence of COVID-19 has brought with it travel bans and quarantines; massive slowing of the supply chain; uncertainty in the stock market; falling business confidence, and growing panic among the population," said Mario Morales, program vice president, Semiconductors and Enabling Technologies at IDC. "Despite the growing uncertainty and panic, technology suppliers must continue to focus on their long-term investments, maintain engagement with partners and prospects, and look to specific markets for stability. Emerging technologies like 5G, the Internet of Things, high-performance computing, and intelligent edge will be fundamental to an overall recovery by the technology sector." Report highlights include: There is nearly an 80% chance for significant contraction in worldwide semiconductor revenues in 2020, instead of a previously expected minor overall growth of 2%. There is still a one-in-five chance that a fast, strong bounce back from COVID-19 in 2020 is possible. On a global level, the COVID-19 crisis is just beginning, with too many variables to immediately craft a single forecast in response. The impact to technology supply chains in China are significant, but the timing of the recovery is uncertain. Mapping Four Semiconductor Revenue Forecast Scenarios 2020 Worldwide Semiconductor Revenue Growth Forecast Scenarios Technology Supply Chain Recovery Global Disruption to Economy and Technology Demand Impact on Broader Technology Industry & Initiatives Scenario 1: Decline -12% or more 1-3 months 9-12+ months 9-12+ months Scenario 2: Decline -3 to -6% 3-9 months 3-9 months 3-9 months Scenario 3: Growth +2% 1-3 months 3-9 months 3-9 months Scenario 4: Growth +6% or more 1-3 months 1-3 months 1-3 months Source (News - Alert): IDC, March 2020 At this time, IDC believes the most likely outcome for this event will be a year-over-year revenue growth rate of -6% for the worldwide semiconductor market in 2020. We give this scenario a 54% probability. Under this scenario, the supply chain will start to recover, and quarantines and travel bans will ease, over the summer. For the worldwide semiconductor market, the impact will be $25.8 billion. While the impact of the virus will be felt through the bulk of the year, the accumulated knowledge about the virus, public health initiatives, and other efforts will to some degree mitigate harm done by COVID-19. In the short term there will be lower demand for systems and some impact to component availability, but as recovery sets in, growth will return to the market. About IDC Enabling Technologies and Semiconductors Research IDC's Enabling Technologies Research covers the technologies that transform data from the physical world to the digital world within electronics systems and deployment across the landscape of systems from the Internet's edge to the datacenter. For more information about IDC's Enabling Technologies and Semiconductors Research, please contact Joan Young at 650-350-6471 or [email protected]. About IDC International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC's analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading tech media, data and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com. Follow IDC on Twitter (News - Alert) at @IDC and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the IDC Blog for industry news and insights: http://bit.ly/IDCBlog_Subscribe. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005670/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Is Sheng Siong Group Ltd (SGX:OV8) a good dividend stock? How can we tell? Dividend paying companies with growing earnings can be highly rewarding in the long term. If you are hoping to live on your dividends, it's important to be more stringent with your investments than the average punter. Regular readers know we like to apply the same approach to each dividend stock, and we hope you'll find our analysis useful. With a goodly-sized dividend yield despite a relatively short payment history, investors might be wondering if Sheng Siong Group is a new dividend aristocrat in the making. It sure looks interesting on these metrics - but there's always more to the story . Some simple analysis can reduce the risk of holding Sheng Siong Group for its dividend, and we'll focus on the most important aspects below. Explore this interactive chart for our latest analysis on Sheng Siong Group! SGX:OV8 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. So we need to form a view on if a company's dividend is sustainable, relative to its net profit after tax. Looking at the data, we can see that 70% of Sheng Siong Group's profits were paid out as dividends in the last 12 months. This is a healthy payout ratio, and while it does limit the amount of earnings that can be reinvested in the business, there is also some room to lift the payout ratio over time. Another important check we do is to see if the free cash flow generated is sufficient to pay the dividend. Sheng Siong Group paid out 83% of its cash flow last year. This may be sustainable but it does not leave much of a buffer for unexpected circumstances. 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. With a strong net cash balance, Sheng Siong Group investors may not have much to worry about in the near term from a dividend perspective. Story continues We update our data on Sheng Siong Group every 24 hours, so you can always get our latest analysis of its financial health, here. Dividend Volatility Before buying a stock for its income, we want to see if the dividends have been stable in the past, and if the company has a track record of maintaining its dividend. The first recorded dividend for Sheng Siong Group, in the last decade, was eight years ago. It's good to see that Sheng Siong Group has been paying a dividend for a number of years. However, the dividend has been cut at least once in the past, and we're concerned that what has been cut once, could be cut again. During the past eight-year period, the first annual payment was S$0.018 in 2012, compared to S$0.036 last year. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 9.3% a year over that time. The growth in dividends has not been linear, but the CAGR is a decent approximation of the rate of change over this time frame. Dividends have grown at a reasonable rate, but with at least one substantial cut in the payments, we're not certain this dividend stock would be ideal for someone intending to live on the income. Dividend Growth Potential With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to evaluate if earnings per share (EPS) are growing - it's not worth taking the risk on a dividend getting cut, unless you might be rewarded with larger dividends in future. Earnings have grown at around 8.5% a year for the past five years, which is better than seeing them shrink! The rate at which earnings have grown is quite decent, and by paying out more than half of its earnings as dividends, the company is striking a reasonable balance between reinvestment and returns to shareholders. Conclusion To summarise, shareholders should always check that Sheng Siong Group's dividends are affordable, that its dividend payments are relatively stable, and that it has decent prospects for growing its earnings and dividend. First, we think Sheng Siong Group is paying out an acceptable percentage of its cashflow and profit. We were also glad to see it growing earnings, but it was concerning to see the dividend has been cut at least once in the past. While we're not hugely bearish on it, overall we think there are potentially better dividend stocks than Sheng Siong Group out there. Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is to one to which is more unpredictable. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 2 warning signs for Sheng Siong Group that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of dividend stocks yielding 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. Bernie Sanders campaign manager said Wednesday the socialist 'is going to be having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign' after he fell even further behind Joe Biden in three primary elections Tuesday. 'The next primary contest is at least three weeks away,' Faiz Shakir said in a statement, suggesting the Vermont senator isn't in a hurry to make a decision on whether he will drop out of the primary race. During the third mass-voting Tuesday of the presidential primary, Sanders lost all three states that headed to the polls. Instead Biden won the majority of the delegates across Florida, Arizona and Illinois, taking a total of 249 to Sanders' 116. This brought the former vice president even further in the lead with 1,147 delegates to date. Sanders, on the other hand, has 861 delegates and is facing increasing pressure to drop out and clear the way for Biden. Bernie Sanders is 'assessing his campaign' after losing all three states that voting in the presidential primary Tuesday Your browser does not support iframes. But Sanders is in no rush to make a decision, and his campaign says he is focused on the government response to the coronavirus outbreak Donald Trump used the opportunity to further exploit the division in the Democratic Party. 'The DNC will have gotten their fondest wish and defeated Bernie Sanders, far ahead of schedule,' Trump tweeted Wednesday morning. 'Now they are doing everything possible to be nice to him in order to keep his supporters,' he continued. 'Bernie has given up, just like he did last time. He will be dropping out soon! MAGA/KAG' Instead of leaving the race as he continues to slip behind Biden, Sanders has used the coronavirus outbreak to promote his signature issue, universal, government-funded health coverage. Shakir said in his statement that Sanders' 'immediate' focus is instead on 'the government response to the coronavirus outbreak and ensuring that we take care of working people and the most vulnerable.' Top advisers claim Sanders is considering whether the political landscape will shift as the virus continues to rock the nation. While Sanders' path to the nomination continues to narrow, establishment Democrats are calling on him to drop out in the name of party unity. Biden easily won Florida, Illinois and Arizona over Bernie Sanders on Tuesday, further cementing his position of probable 2020 Democratic nominee further thwarting the democratic socialist. Donald Trump used the opportunity to further exploit the division in the Democratic Party, claiming they got their 'wish' and are 'far ahead of schedule' in beating Sanders Biden used a webcam speech to thank supporters - and reach out to Sanders' voters telling them 'I hear you,' in yet another attempt to unify the Democratic Party as the Vermont senator remains in the presidential race. 'Sen. Sanders and I may disagree on tactics, but we share a common vision - for the need to provide affordable healthcare for all Americans, reduce income inequity that has risen so drastically, to tackling the existential threat of our time - climate change,' Biden said in remarks livestreamed from his home in Wilmington, Delaware. 'Sen. Sanders and his supporters have brought a remarkable passion and tenacity to all of these issues,' the former vice president said. 'Together they have shifted the fundamental conversation in this country.' Biden then spoke to those supporters directly. 'So let me say, especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Sen. Sanders - I hear you, I know what's at stake, I know what we have to do,' the ex-veep said looking into the camera. 'Our goal as a campaign and my goal as a candidate for president is to unify this party and then unify the nation.' Sanders' chance of winning the nomination was all but snuffed out a week ago when he lost in Michigan. But with a quick win in Florida for Biden this Tuesday night, and then in Illinois, and finally in Arizona, the Vermont senator's campaign became essentially dead. Joe Biden livestreamed a speech from his home in Wilmington, Delaware Tuesday night to thank supporters for his wins in Florida and Illinois and to tell Bernie Sanders' voters that he hears them In Florida, Biden was leading by almost 40 points all night - and the race was called as soon as the final polling stations in the Sunshine State closed. Despite coronavirus outbreak fears, turnout in Florida among Democratic voters was up, NBC News reported. The state also allowed for early voting. That could spell good news for Democrats in November. But the state also gave President Trump enough delegates to be the Repuublican Party's official nominee, the Trump campaign announced Tuesday night. In Illinois, the home state of Biden's former running mate President Obama, Biden was also up more than 20 points. Super Tuesday III originally had primaries taking place in Florida, Arizona, Illinois and Ohio - but Ohio's governor forced a last-minute postponement of in-person voting there due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. The other three states still held primaries for president and other down-ballot races with election officials making changes to decrease the chances of voters and poll workers contracting the virus. 'I want to thank all of the public officials, and the poll workers, who worked closely with the public health authorities to assure safe opportunities for voting,' Biden said during his remarks. 'It's important for us to get through this crisis protecting both the public heatlh and our democratcy,' he added. Biden and Sanders have had to dramatically curtail their campaign activity, subbing in technology for the gripping-and-grinning they would be doing on the trail. It hasn't always gone smoothly. 'Am I on camera?' Biden asked during his campaign's first attempt at a virtual town hall, which featured several sound snafus, guests that didn't know they were live and blank screens for seconds at a time. In Florida, voters stand in line - though at a distance from one another - as they vote in Delray Beach at a polling location that was made available after several precincts were unable to open Joe Biden's virtual town hall with Illinois voters on Friday didn't go as planned - with audio, snafus, blank screens and guests that didn't know they were being livestreamed Bernie Sanders' team has done a better job getting his events livestreamed, including his Monday night concert and rally, which featured him alone on this set talking to voters This Illinois polling station was relocated from a nursing home to a fomer supermarket, allowing voters to observe proper 'social distancing' as they complete their ballots A polling worker (right) in Chicago wears gloves as a voter cast a vote in the state's primary election Voters in gloves and masks to protect themselves from the coronavirus leave a polling place in The Villages, Florida Voters were still given 'I Voted' stickers at polling places Tuesday, but a number of other safety measures were taken in the three states that held primaries as part of Super Tuesday III The Sanders campaign has had better luck - he's the candidate that's attracted the bulk of young voters, after all - as the Vermont senator has now held several virtual events. On Tuesday night Sanders spoke before Biden's win in Florida could be made official when all the polls in the state close at 8 p.m. Sanders addressed a livestream audience on his campaign website and didn't mention the votes being counted - he instead talked about some of his ideas on how to right the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus outbreak. The main one was to 'empower Medicare to cover all medical bills' brought on by the coronavirus emergency. 'This isn't Medicare-for-all, we can't pass that right now,' said Sanders, articulating a major political reality. He also said he wanted to see student loan payments paused, farmers taken care of and nutrition programs, like food stamps, expanded so families, the elderly and the disabled don't starve. 'Finally we must make sure that our response to this health and economic crisis is not another money-making opportunity for corporate America and for Wall Street,' Sanders said. Leaning into his longtime role as a U.S. senator, Sanders said he'd be taking his list of proposals to Senate Democratic leadership. The Senate is currently working on a third piece of legislation that could include an Andrew Yang-like 'freedom dividend' to help Americans, though Senate Republicans and the White House are hashing out the details before Senate Democrats will get a chance. In a way to make his pitch interactive, Sanders said he wanted feedback from his supporters. 'We need to know what you're experiencing right now,' he said looking into the camera. 'It's hard to write proper legislation if we are not familiar with the kind of pain and problems that people all across this country are facing.' Three previous online events - a 'fireside chat' on Saturday, a 'concert' and a 'rally' on Monday and then a pre-debate program the campaign held before Sanders and Biden faced off at the CNN headquarters Sunday night, attracted 5.3 million views the Sanders campaign said Tuesday. 'Our digital organizing infrastructure is unmatched, and in this moment of fear and uncertainty, we are proud to be able to speak directly to Americans and bring art, music and community into their homes,' Sanders' campign manager Faiz Shakir said in a statement. Sanders' concert Monday night featured music from Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Neil Young, with a hello from his wife, actress Daryl Hannah, and the Free Nationals. James and the Free Nationals performed in an audience-less venue, while Young beamed in from his home. Despite being the more tech-savvy campaign, the delegate math makes it nearly impossible to yank away the Democratic nomination from Biden - who saw the moderate wing of the party coalesce around his candidacy in the wake of his 28.5 point win over Sanders in the South Carolina primary. Biden went on to win 10 of the 14 states that held contests on Super Tuesday. He also won five of the six states that held primaries one week ago, with Sanders only walking away with South Dakota. Michigan, which Biden won by 16.5 points, had been the last, best hope for Sanders to change the momentum in the race. Tulsi Gabbard is also still running for president. A Biden campaign memo from Tuesday said that when the early vote and the vote by mail were included overall turnout in the Super Tuesday III states was roughly on pace in Arizona and Florida with what it was in 2016, and in Illinois when looking at the 2018 midterm numbers. 'Even if after tonight's contests, Biden hasn't significanly increased that lead, Sanders would need to win upcoming elections by an average of 15-20 points to overtake Biden in delegates,' the note said. 'It would take a drastic, historically-incomparable swing for Senator Sanders to win more delegates than Biden today or close the delegate differential.' Still, Sanders doesn't seem to be in any hurry to exit the race stage-left. The primary has been eclipsed by the coronavirus crisis and what President Trump is doing from the White House. In obeying the call of global governments to fight coronavirus and keep people safe, Samsung is shutting down all its US stores temporarily. Samsung shuts down all US stores to battle coronavirus As we continue to navigate these uncertain times, the health and well-being of our employees and customers are our top priorityin an effort to minimize the spread of the virus, I am sorry to announce we are temporarily closing all US stores as of today, Tuesday, March 17, said Samsung Electronics America President and CEO YH Eom in a letter to customers yesterday. There is no word on when Samsung will reopen its US stores. US President Donald Trump says the COVID-19 spread could rage on until July or August of this year. Samsung, like many others, could see its US stores closed for some time. Advertisement Samsungs US store closings in step with many others Samsungs decision to close its US stores concerns the spread of coronavirus across the globe. The first US case of coronavirus out in California occurred with someone who had no contact with a sick person from high-risk countries. Washington State is one of the major concerns here in the US, as the Life Care Center in Kirkland has become its own warfront in the coronavirus outbreak. Samsung stores, Experience Shops, as some may recall, are within Best Buy stores. Best Buy says that it will minimize its hours and foot traffic in retail stores. Since most employees will work from home, it will only allow mandatory employees to report for work. Also, with reduced hours from 10am to 6pm, employees will only work the normal 8-hour shift. The longer employees stay in the store working, the more fatigue they carry. Fatigue makes it easier to become sick with not only coronavirus but also anything. And susceptibility makes anyone a target for COVID-19, not just elderly persons. Advertisement Samsung is essentially treating its workforce in the US as a Best Buy staff extension. In the same way most Best Buy employees must report home, Samsung employees must do the same. Samsung in South Korea A Samsung employee turned up sick with COVID-19 in recent weeks. Samsung cleaned the factory floor on which he worked in South Korea but contemplated shutting down the factory for a few days. Eventually, another case turned up and the company was forced to shut down the factory temporarily. After South Koreas meeting of the minds to combat a virus that once infected 909 South Koreans a day, coronavirus infections in the country are declining to just 93 daily. This is no doubt due to South Koreas swift coronavirus testing in the country, started late last month. Currently, South Korea has had 8,413 coronavirus infections and 84 deaths. When Iowans caucus Monday night, Americans will have the first results of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. And, in the long primary campaign, no state has been more central to the leading candidates' strategies or commanded more intense media interest than Iowa. But will it really matter? Recent history says it should. In 2004, Iowa vaulted John Kerry into front-runner status. As recently as just a few weeks before those caucuses, Kerry was languishing in single digits in the polls and had to lend himself millions of dollars to provide a shot in the arm. But he poured those resources into Iowa, won and pretty quickly had the nomination sewn up. In 2008, Iowa proved Barack Obama could win. Trailing Hillary Clinton for much of the primary, Obama ran an Iowa-or-bust campaign with a historic investment in organizing. When he won, the national media gave his audacious candidacy the spotlight of a frontrunner, just like it had Kerry four years earlier. Iowa has the power to set the narrative. By going first, it tends to dictate who the perceived front-runner is and the media, after months of analyzing and parsing the primary campaigns, finally has a result to hype. So, the result is usually a round-the-clock media narrative that can give the winner a springboard into New Hampshire, South Carolina and beyond. But this time, it's hard to see that happening. And there are two reasons why. First, 2020 brings new Iowa caucus rules under which state Democrats will release three results: the raw vote totals from the first round of caucusing; the final raw vote totals after realignment within the caucuses; and the projected estimate of total delegates awarded to each candidate. It is entirely plausible that these results will be "won" by different candidates. That would give several campaigns the opportunity to spin a result in their favor, muddying the waters of who really won. Second, for a front-runner narrative to truly take hold and affect voters in later states, the media has to give the Iowa result serious oxygen. But this year's caucus could occur smack dab in the middle of the Senate's impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, which is being broadcast largely uninterrupted for hours each day and consuming the political world's entire attention span. Making matters worse for Iowa, Trump is scheduled to trek to Capitol Hill the very venue of his trial the day after the caucus to deliver his State of the Union address. In normal years, the State of the Union is itself a bona fide media spectacle, with the broadcast networks, cable outlets, print journalists and social media companies dedicating significant resources to live coverage and analysis. We know Trump relishes the spotlight of this massive event. With impeachment as the backdrop, this year's State of the Union could be a heightened reality-television drama. The safest bet in politics is that major media outlets and Trump himself will give it that kind of billing. The outcome? Thanks to the 24-hour news cycle dictated and dominated by the near-planetary mass of Trump coverage, by Wednesday morning, any attention for Monday's Iowa caucuses may be eclipsed. Many who have worked on campaigns this cycle like me have dubbed this Democratic contest a "cable news primary," as voters in Iowa, New Hampshire and beyond have so intensely followed news developments, interviews and the horse-race polling coverage throughout 2019 and into 2020. It's not that different from how Trump was able to galvanize support in 2016 by commanding the media ecosystem with his omnipresence. The importance of media coverage has probably never been greater for shaping and affecting voter behavior in America than it is today. Though Iowa's vote is important, of course, this unique media environment could dampen its historic effect of crowning a front-runner and make later contests even more influential for how voters perceive the candidates and the race. Buckle up. We could be in for a long ride. National Conference MP Hasnain Masoodi on Wednesday said the picture that was being presented of Jammu and Kashmir was quite different from the ground reality and made a plea to the government that the situation in the union territory should be examined afresh. "The picture that is being presented of this place (Jammu and Kashmir) is different from ground reality...I request that that situation there should be examined afresh," he said during a discussion on the budget for Jammu and Kashmir in Lok Sabha. Stating that tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir was suffering the most due to the internet blockade, he said that there was no arrangement for rehabilitation. "They (BJP) say that the employment of around 70 per cent of the people in Jammu and Kashmir was dependent on agriculture. What is the kind of treatment which is being given to agriculture," the MP questioned. The handicraft industry, he said, was also affected. There should be dialogue with the stakeholders, he said. Masoodi was of the view that the discussion of the budget for Jammu and Kashmir "should have been discussed in the state assembly". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In January 2020, royal fans were delighted when Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry returned to the U.K. from Canada. The couple, along with their infant son, Archie Harrison, had spent the holidays on Vancouver Island away from the spotlight. Since theyd been gone for six weeks, many people expected the Sussexes to dive right back into work. However, the pair had another plan. Just one day after visiting Canada House, the Sussexes announced their intent to step back as full-time working members of the British royal family. The news sent the royal family, the press, and fans across the globe into a tizzy. Since then, the pair have outlined their new vision for the future and theyve also completed their final royal duties. However, some royal experts believe that Megxit was inevitable. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle considered leaving the royal family for a long time The first time the Sussexes hinted at Megxit and their deep unhappiness was in October 2019. During their royal tour in South Africa, the pair filmed an ITV documentary Harry and Meghan: An African Journey. In the movie, the couple openly discussed the brutal harassment and scrutiny of the press. Since then, the Duke of Sussex has gotten more candid about their decision to rollout Megxit. 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 at a dinner 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. In a leaked phone call where two Russian pranksters, Vladimir Kuznetsov and Alexey Stolyaro posed as Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg, and her dad Svante, Prince Harry went into more detail about Megxit. Thats probably a conversation for another time, theres lots of layers to it and lots of pieces to the puzzle, the prince reportedly said. But sometimes the right decision isnt always the easy one. And this decision certainly wasnt the easy one but it was the right decision for our family, the right decision to be able to protect my son. Some royal experts feel that Megxit was not necessary When they first announced their plan to step back from royal life, the Sussexes had hoped to remain part-time working royals while seeking financial independence and living in the U.K. part-time. Ultimately, the royal family vetoed this idea. As a result, the Sussexes were ousted completely. To say they were crushed is an understatement, Omid Scobie, Bazaar.coms royal editor. Its a decision that the couple still feel wasnt necessary, but also wasnt a surprise, given the lack of support they received as they were relentlessly attacked by sections of the British press with almost daily mistruths and hateful commentary. They knew something had to change, but they also didnt want to stop supporting the queen. One cant help but wonder if things might have been different if a family member or two had stood up for them during the darkest times. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry leaving the royal family was inevitable In a new Vice special, Meghan Markle: Escaping the Crown, British journalist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown says that Meghan had no choice but to leave the monarchy since it is a stubborn institution built on exclusion and steeped in racism. This is such a racist country, Alibhai-Brown told Vanity Fair. In America racism is not qualitatively better, but at least nobody denies that theres racism. In some ways, it is more difficult for those of us people of color who live here, because it is insidious and hidden, and people dont want to talk about it or accept it. Megxit was the only way their marriage would survive. I just thought, Well done. Youre taking the only step you can take in order to save yourself and your baby and find your own happinessI think its a brave and bold and important decision. New York has started distributing the first batches of hand sanitizer that Gov. Andrew Cuomo promised to give away last week to ease a shortage related to the coronavirus pandemic. The states prison-based manufacturer, Corcraft Products, shipped the first 100,000 gallons this week to state and local government offices that requested the hand sanitizer, according to a spokesman for Cuomo. The sanitizer, packaged in bottles with the brand New York State Clean, is available in 1.7-ounce, 7-ounce, and 1-gallon plastic bottles. Onondaga County is among municipalities that ordered some of the free hand sanitizer and received a shipment over the weekend, said county spokesman Justin Sayles. The county kept some of the hand sanitizer for its public buildings and distributed the rest to local fire and emergency medical personnel, primary care health professionals and senior health centers that requested it, Sayles said. The alcohol-based sanitizer will eventually be made available free to state residents, with priority given to the most impacted and high-risk communities affected by the virus, Cuomo said. Onondaga County has no immediate plans to distribute the smaller bottles to its residents, Sayles sad. The governor said it costs the state $6.10 to manufacture a one-gallon bottle of the sanitizer less than on the open market using prison labor at Great Meadow Correctional Facility in Comstock, Washington County. The state plans to produce about 100,000 gallons of hand sanitizer per week, using a formula approved by the World Health Organization. Some state lawmakers have criticized the governors decision, saying its unfair to make the product using prison labor paid an average of 62 cents per hour. Corcraft makes license plates, furniture, highway signs and other products at its correctional facilities, including one in Auburn, Cayuga County. Cuomos office said there are no immediate plans to expand the hand sanitizer manufacturing to other prisons. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS A county-by-county map of cases, deaths in New York State Central NY cancellations, closings list due to coronavirus pandemic (updated list) Out of work because of the coronavirus? How to quickly apply for unemployment benefits We all have a part to play in stopping coronavirus (Editorial) Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact Mark Weiner anytime by: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751 At least in three cases of Covid- 19 in Maharashtra, two anti-HIV drugs were given to the coronavirus-affected patients, said a health official on Wednesday. Archana Patil, Directorate of Health Services (DHS), informed this during a press conference of Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope. Asked about any instructions from ICMR to give anti- HIV drugs to coronavirus-affected patients which were successful in an Italian patient's case in Rajasthan, Tope said as far as he knows, only "symptomatic" treatment was given in these cases. There was no anti-viral drug available right now, he said. Patil, while elaborating on the anti-HIV drugs, said as per the instructions of ICMR, theantiretroviraltreatment can be started in the present case but not directly. "The treatment is based on the seriousness of the patient. Out of 42 positive cases, in three cases, these two drugs, lopinavir and ritonavir, have been used," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 18, 2020 | 10:22 AM | WESTERN KENTUCKY In an effort to help stop the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) several local banks will be limiting access to their lobbies and redirecting customers to drive-thru at all branches, effective Thursday, March 19. Bank officials at Community Financial Services Bank, Citizens Bank of Hickman, Citizens Deposit Bank, Clinton Bank, FNB Banking Centers, First Community Bank of the Heartland, First Kentucky Bank, and C-Plant Federal Credit Union are taking this step to protect the public, customers, and employees. CFSB announced Thursday that they will follow this trend, closing their lobbies at eight locations, effective Friday. Drive-thru, ATMs, and night deposits will remain open. Officials say they will take appointments from customers who have an urgent need to come inside one of their locations. Customers are reminded to utilize all of the other methods available to fulfill their banking needs. Anyone with questions is encouraged to call their local branch. As the coronavirus continues to cause uncertainty and fear in the world, resulting in travel restrictions, shutdown of businesses, and increasing rates of infection and death, Zimbabwean officials are calling for calm in the country, and assuring its citizens that they are prepared for the virus. There are no reported cases of the dreaded coronavirus in Zimbabwe, but as a precaution, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has declared COVID-19 a national disaster, and stepping up precautionary measures that include restricting unnecessary travel, discouraging large gatherings such as weddings, and also national events like the upcoming independence anniversary. To find out more about Zimbabwes state of preparedness against the coronavirus and also clarification about the pandemic, Blessing Zulu of VOAs Zimbabwe Service spoke with Dr. Agnes Mahomva, Permanent Secretary of Health Dr. Mahomva: Coronavirus are a large family of viruses that are common in both humans and animals. This common human coronavirus typically causes mild to moderate infection. Sometimes, though, new coronaviruses emerge, and this is where this new one - what we are now calling the COVID-19 emerged, and according to WHO (World Health Organization), when they declare pandemics, they are basically saying there is a new worldwide spread of a new disease. So this is a new disease that has spread all over the world and as we speak its in over 135 countries, and this is one of the reasons they they decided it is really now a pandemic - a new disease that has spread all over the world. Blessing Zulu: And how does it compare to the common cold or flu? Dr. Mahomva: It very much have similar signs and symptoms. You know, a bit of cough, sneezing, sometimes a bit of high temperature and so on. But the thing we are noticing is that the usual common cold tends to be mild, moderate, whereas this one has really caused a lot of havoc, as you have seen in China where it started. A lot of people dying, in other words it's very toxic up there, and this is what is really the most concern. BZ: And what are some of the symptoms of the coronavirus? Dr. Mahomva: You are really looking at fever, you have cold, sneezing, shortness of breath. Its basically symptoms that tend to be more in the respiratory system. You have a fever, youre coughing, sneezing shortness of breath. Those are the main ones that we're looking at. BZ: How is it spread? Dr. Mahomva: Its very much similar to what happens with a common flu. The virus is found in droplets from the throat and the nose. When someone coughs or sneezes, other people near them can breathe in those droplets. The virus can also actually be spread when someone touches an object with a virus. So if someone sneezes or they wipe their nose and mouth with a hand or something, and they touch something else, that virus goes on that surface, and if somebody touches that object or surface, they can then also get it on their hands, transmit it by touching their eye, their mouth, their nose, and they get the infection. This is basically how it spreads. BZ: We have heard some people, especially on social media , saying coronavirus does not affect black people. Is this true? Dr. Mahomva: This is speculation. It's very difficult for anyone to say now. Remember I said this is a new virus. So there has not been enough research for us to simply say that at the moment. This is a new virus. There's lots of what happening. I do realize that people are looking at Africa where we don't have as many cases as we're seeing in China and now Europe which has actually taken over. So I do understand when people begin to think like that, but let's remember that we really need science to prove that, to be confident to say that if that's the case. So if we wait for researchers or signs that might confirm it or not confirm it. BZ: Who is at most at risk of catching the virus? Dr. Mahomva: Once again, because this is a new virus, we have tended to look at the lessons that have been learned from China where the COVID-19 disease was first reported. And from those lessons it is very clear that the people who are at a higher risk of getting this in, getting actually very sick or dying from COVID-19 include the older people, and people with pre-existing health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and other lung diseases. So those are the people based on the lessons that we have learned from China, which has handled this several cases. BZ: And of course, there are no reported cases of the coronavirus in Zimbabwe as far as we understand. But how has that been established? Dr. Mahomva: Im so glad you asked that question, because I think people are really wondering. Some have even gone as high as saying may be the case is being hidden or anything like that. Nothing like that at all. I do think we have taken lessons that we have learned from our managing cholera, dysentery and so on and so on, and immediately apply those lessons, to this new epidemic. In December last year at the very beginning, around 4 December if I may be specific, we actually had a simulation of preparedness and response to cholera, ebola and other similar diseases such as coronaviruses outbreaks. And we had in that session, actually, other countries participating - 43 - some through teleconference and so on, and we were really going through the simulation - what is it that we need to do; where can we strengthen, and so on, and then soon after that, we heard WHO talking of this serious new disease from China. And so when were literally all ready, we just know who to restrengthen what we had already learned. We immediately realized that this is not a health sector issue alone, it is an inter-ministerial, all sectors. We needed to put our preparedness and response plan in place. And we're implementing that again with other sectors, and so, experiences we've had with all those other diseases, really has helped us be ahead of most, if you like. And of course, others might not realize that and think that, ah ah, how has Zimbabwe done that, perhaps they are just not telling us the whole story. But we're very proud and confident of what we've done. Lots still to be done, yes, but that's where we are. BZ: What is the testing process from the various ports of entry? Dr. Mahomva: Our response, preparedness and response. And we have tended to focus more on surveillance and ensuring that we are not getting imported cases from places that have confirmed cases and so on. So really we're focusing on screening people at ports of entry taking their temperature, and this is very much in line with WHO guidelines. We're taking a good strong history, documenting it, documenting where the people are going from the airports. If one has got the history of having traveled a country where there are concerns cases where transmission is taking place, they have a temperature, and so on. Those are the candidates we have immediately, we have an ambulance on standby, at the airports. And we immediately take them to isolation, where we do state assessments, test them and make sure that everything's all right. Just to remind you, though that most of the cases that are coming through, are really suspected cases actually ending up not to be suspected cases in line with the WHO guidelines, but still because we are strengthening our surveillance, we're making sure even those are tested. BZ: Is there any known cure for this coronavirus? Dr. Mahomva: There are lots of medicines that have been tried again once again, we are really looking at China who had the first cases, and their researches, responses, they have come up with some drugs that they are trying, using, but again because this is a new virus, its taking time, a little more time to really say this is the medicine or the drugs that it's going to do the trick. And remember, viruses have always been very difficult to treat, if you like. So a lot of the management that is required is really more supportive than anything else. BZ: And how equipped is Zimbabwe to handle cases of Coronavirus if someone is infected for example? Where are they hospitalized? Dr. Mahomva: Just to remind you that most infected people with this virus, over 80% in fact, recovered from the disease without needing any special treatment. That is very key for the public to know that we're talking of a very small percentage of those, if they do get it, they actually get very ill, and then they're required to be hospitalized, and they also further require to be taken in intensive care units. So just remember, over 80% they will get it and will recover very nicely with good supportive management. But that tiny percentage, as a country we have made sure our isolation facilities are ready for them Wilkins (Hospital) is one of them. But also remember, we say ICU management of central hospitals. We are at the moment trying to beef them up and make sure that if we do have one or two of those cases, we should be able to isolate them in the right places where they can get the management and the high level management that they might require. BZ: There is also a problem of water. Would this not present problems for your ministry when it comes to fighting this virus? Dr. Mahomva: Water shortage of water in peoples homes or anywhere for that matter actually, whether its at work, whether in the vicinity and so on, and just to remind you again, we have handled, we have death with cholera, dysentery and so on. So we have been strengthening our systems. We continue struggling with water, that resource, quite clearly we wont deny it. But we've also managed to find innovative ways of making sure that our population knows that the little resource that you have, the water, the little water that you have, use it efficiently in the right way. And if those messages continue to go out, we manage our cholera outbreak very successfully. Remember, that also requires lots and lots of water. But what we had, people are now aware that you need to use it efficiently. We're also looking at this as new ways of making sure that you're keeping your hands clean, not just by water but using the alcohol rub, for example. Everything that you can. We're encouraging people not to shake hands so that you don't even get the infection on your hands in the first place, then you're not going to be requiring gallons of water. We still want you to wash your hands, but prevent getting in touch with the virus in the first place. Then we can actually be able to be ahead of the disease. BZ: Cases are rising in South Africa, Dr. Mahomva. Is it time to close the borders? Dr. Mahomva: We as a country when we started, no, we didn't close the borders, but we, we are very vigilant. As I said, we have strengthened our surveillance at the borders to make sure that we are able to pick up those we need to be tested, those who need further assessment and so on. And we are continuously reassessing. Tomorrow it might change, but this is based on what we're seeing on the ground. I think others have closed their borders, thats good and well for them. But look what's happening now is cases where they're coming from China is actually going down tremendously. And where they are coming to in South Africa and cases are going up. So it's an issue that we have to be very proactive in terms of continuously using data, to make sure we're making the right decisions, and not to just follow everybody, because everybody is doing. Using the data to guide us on what to do, its very critical, and that's what we are doing. BZ: Others are also calling for even more drastic measures like stopping people from gathering in large groups. Have we reached that stage yet? Dr. Mahomva: We are saying, first of all, those want to travel, please don't go to places countries where there are confirmed cases. We are advising them not, unless you really have to. Its the same advice that we're giving at the moment in terms of gathering and so on. We avoid going into those gatherings. It helps a lot. So that's the advice we're continuously giving our public so that they are aware that you're exposing yourself to these large gatherings where you might have cases. But once again because Zimbabwe don't have any confirmed cases yet, this is just advice we're giving. Again, as the data continues to come through, we'll use that to continuously review our advice to our population. So we are giving daily, and I mean daily updates to the public, we are posting it, and if something changes tomorrow, youll see and you hear from us. We're taking this very seriously. But once again, we prefer to be guided by evidence, by data, and not just follow everybody because everybody's doing it. Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough ordered the closure of dozens of businesses and libraries Wednesday afternoon as the number of positive cases of the new coronavirus in the county continued to rise. According to the order, restaurants must cease all onsite dining operations but may continue to-go, takeout, delivery and catering operations. Additionally, all bars, clubs, gyms, movie theaters and amusement type businesses must cease all operations. The order cancels any event sponsored or permitted by Montgomery County and events greater than 10 people at public facilities. Keough urged events greater than 10 people at private facilities to cease operations as well. Retail stores, private businesses, clubs or civic organizations and religious organizations to include churches, synagogues, mosques or other places of worship are urged to comply with the CDC guidelines related to 10 persons gathering in any one place or at one time. Retail stores who sell groceries or medical supplies are exempt from the order. Montgomery County health officials confirmed a seventh positive COVID-19 case Wednesday, less than 24 hours after confirming the countys fifth and sixth positive cases. The countys seventh case is a woman in her 60s who lives in northwest Montgomery County. She is currently in isolation at home and has not traveled recently, said Jason Millsaps, executive director of the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. The sixth and fifth cases involve men in southwest Montgomery County, one in his 40s and one in his 50s, who recently traveled to California. The men are in isolation at their homes. Millsaps confirmed all county libraries were closed until further notice. The Montgomery County District Clerk Office reduced its staff Wednesday but remained open. However, District Clerk Melisa Miller urges residents to call her office instead of appearing in person and added no children under 18 would be allowed in the office. If you must come in person, please utilize the hand sanitizer at the door, she said. Nonessential functions such as passport services have been suspended until further notice. Essential functions such as the grand jury assembly March 24 is still required. To contact the District Clerks Office call 936-539-7855. The Montgomery County Clerks Office was also limiting access with a reduced staff and urged residents to call the office for services instead of coming in person. However, the south and east county annexes were closed until further notice. The office will only issue marriage licenses to Montgomery County residents with a valid ID with a Montgomery County address that must be presented at the time of application. For information on making a criminal misdemeanor payment, please contact the Collections Department at 936-538-8197. To reach the clerks office for other services, call 936-539-7885. cdominguez@hcnonline.com A euro currency symbol sits on display in the visitor centre at the European Central Bank (ECB) building in Frankfurt, Germany. The European Central Bank is ready to take further measures to support the crisis-stricken euro zone economy, it said on Wednesday, attempting to dispel growing concerns that the bank is out of ammunition. While the ECB agreed on wide range of stimulus measures last week, markets have questioned whether it has any potent tools left should the coronavirus crisis deepen and the bank is called upon once again. These concerns were reinforced by Austrian central bank chief Robert Holzmann, who suggested in an interview that monetary policy was at its limits and the ECB could not deliver on market expectations. Seemingly taking back those comments after a public rebuttal by the ECB, Holzmann, a member of the rate-setting Governing Council, published a short statement to say that monetary policy "has by no means" reached its limits. In a statement on Wednesday, the ECB said it "stands ready to adjust all of its measures, as appropriate, should this be needed to safeguard liquidity conditions in the banking system and to ensure the smooth transmission of its monetary policy in all jurisdictions." Reinforcing this message, ECB Vice President Luis de Guindos said the central bank could do more but this was a health crisis not a financial one and governments needed to take charge. Holzmann's comments only add to the ECB's communication headache. It struggled last week to take back comments from ECB chief Christine Lagarde that the bank was not there to lower bond spreads in the euro zone, a remark that pushed Italian yields sharply higher, irritating policymakers and government officials. De Guindos said the European Stability Mechanism has a 410 billion euro capacity but a common euro zone fiscal tool, long advocated by the ECB, would be helpful, too. "It would be important to have a common response, a pan-European response... a single fiscal instrument for the euro zone would have been essential," de Guindos told Spanish radio RNE. The ECB's problem is that the borrowing costs of its weakest members soared in recent days, even as the bank said it was willing to intervene because it was hurting policy transmission. Ten-year Italian yields were 271 basis points above their German peers while the spread over Spanish bonds was 170 basis points. Greece, not part of the ECB's asset purchase programme, fared even worse with spread widening to almost 400 basis points. Learn to harness the power of Google My Business, a tool for local businesses wanting to connect with customers online with hands-on help creating or updating a business profile or website. NAWBO New Mexico is excited to announce that it has partnered with Google in its Grow with Google program, which is bringing us this valuable live event. In this 60 minute interactive workshop, you will learn to harness the power of Google My Business, a free tool for local businesses who want to connect with customers on Google Search and Maps. Get hands-on help creating or updating your business profile or a simple website. In this session learn how to: Create, claim or update your Business Profile on Google Manage your business info across Google Search and Maps Use Google My Business to connect with potential customers Create a free website using the info from your Business Profile Please note: prices will increase by $5 for registrations after March 11 Saudi-based Tabuk Cement Company said it has signed an agreement for the restructuring of its credit facilities with Bank Albilad in compliance with Islamic Sharia (law). The value of the financing balance is SR380.82 million ($101 million). A leading player in the region, Tabuk Cement Company manufactures and markets building materials. It is also a major producer and distributor of ordinary Portland cement, sulfate-resistant cement and Pozzolana cement, in addition to other cement-related products and derivatives. Besides this, the company also focuses on the establishment of factories and lab connected with cement industries. Unveiling the details, Tabuk Cement Company said the total amount of SR476.03 million was paid in four equal instalments of SR95.21 million. The value of the rescheduled portion (the financing balance) is SR380.82 million, said the cement company in its filing to the Saudi bourse Tadawul. The previous bank credit repayment period was six years, of which one was a grace year which began on March 13, 2018 and ended on the same day last year. The payment of instalments, which began on June 13, is scheduled to end in 2024 with the amount being repaid in a total of 20 instalments on the Islamic financing terms, said the statement. The financial impact of the transaction will be reflected in the financial results of the company, starting from the second quarter of 2020, it added. Tabuk Cement, which is majority owned by Public Pension Agency and Khaled Saleh Abdul Rahman Al Shatri, has a production plant in south of Dubba port.-TradeArabia News Service Louisiana prisoner rights advocates sent a letter to the governor Wednesday expressing alarm at recent decisions to suspend some due process rights, including speedy trial requirements, as various components of the state's criminal justice system are grinding to a halt amid the continued rapid spread of the novel coronavirus. The Louisiana branch of the American Civil Liberties Union drafted the letter, which argues the changes pose a serious threat to fundamental civil rights, for example allowing prosecutors to sidestep deadlines limiting the length of time between when people are arrested and when formal charges are filed against them. "We understand the need to protect the public from this unprecedented pandemic, but these curbs on due process would leave thousands of presumably innocent Louisianans to languish in legal limbo while doing nothing to advance public health," said Alanah Odoms Hebert, the organization's executive director. "Far from stemming the spread of this virus, these moves will result in more people confined in squalid conditions where they are at substantially greater risk of infection." Protecting inmates and guards in Louisiana's jails and prisons has been a major topic of discussion among law enforcement leaders, prison officials and criminal justice advocates who all agree that close quarters and a high rate of underlying medical conditions among prisoners could exacerbate the impacts of the outbreak. Still, not much has been done to significantly reduce the number of people behind bars in Louisiana, which remains the nation's top incarcerator. Visits suspended at Louisiana prisons as advocates warn of coronavirus spreading behind bars Close quarters, preexisting health conditions and limited access to soap and hand sanitizer make Louisiana's prisons and jails potential breed Gov. John Bel Edwards signed a proclamation Monday introducing a series of changes, including limiting gatherings to 50 people or less, closing some businesses, limiting restaurants to takeout or delivery orders and suspending deadlines for court proceedings through April 13. That decision came after the state Supreme Court advised Friday morning that all lower courts should restrict dockets to emergency and time-sensitive hearings and delay all civil and criminal cases if possible. Edwards' office said Wednesday the changes were "part of social distancing efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19, especially as different courts and public offices have closed." "We are aware of the ACLU's concerns and we are doing everything possible to address all of the issues that are presented by this emergency," said Christina Stephens, a spokeswoman for the governor's office. Under Louisiana law, prosecutors normally have between 45 and 60 days to make a charging decision in most cases where the defendant is incarcerated before the trial. Those deadlines don't apply to the most serious felonies, which require a grand jury indictment and allow up to 120 days. Advocates argue Louisiana's deadlines are longer than those in many other states, meaning the process is already unusually slow even before the suspension was announced. Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up District attorneys said Monday they were requesting the suspension because it would be almost impossible to adhere to those deadlines and abide by the Supreme Court's recommendations meant to prevent groups of people from congregating in courtrooms. State and federal courts across Louisiana, including in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, have suspended jury trials and other proceedings for the time being. Loren Lampert, executive director of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association, said the changes are necessary to protect the integrity of cases being prosecuted across the state. "Absent this measure, even the worst violent offenders could have been released without any bail obligations or conditions," he said in an email Wednesday. "We are committed to working to safeguard the rights of all during this time. Public safety and protecting the rights of the accused are not mutually exclusive." DA Hillar Moore: State prosecutors seeking orders, bill to suspend criminal legal deadlines East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore and the state prosecutors' association are preparing to ask the governor and Louisiana The last time state officials suspended legal deadlines was after Hurricane Katrina a decision that "resulted in widespread unconstitutional confinement as people were literally lost in the system," in some cases detained for several months while waiting for prosecutors to decide whether to pursue the case at all, advocates wrote in the letter. "Now, as close person to person contact is fueling the spread of COVID-19, we cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of the past and hold thousands of people in jail for unnecessarily long periods of time." Advocates are asking prosecutors to do whatever possible to continue meeting the deadlines despite the suspension. "As the state of Louisiana takes drastic and necessary measures to protect against the threat of COVID-19, we urge the executive and judicial branches to speak with one voice to protect one of our most fundamental civil liberties the right not to be detained in jail without criminal charge," they wrote. The ACLU letter came just days after a series of similar demands from the Southern Poverty Law Center and other advocacy groups aimed at reducing the state's prison population and treating inmates as humanely as possible. The groups called on Edwards to sign the clemency applications now sitting on his desk including almost 200 requests for sentence commutations that have already received positive recommendations from the state's pardon board, the vast majority from aging lifers who have already served decades behind bars. The Delhi government on Wednesday ordered its six hospitals to start collecting samples for coronavirus test with immediate effect, officials said. The total number of coronavirus cases in Delhi has risen to 10, which includes one foreign national, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday. The six hospitals are -- Rajiv Gandhi Super specialty Hospital, Lok Nayak Hospital, Deendayal Upadhyay Hospital, Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital, Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital and Janakpuri Superspecialty Hospital. The order also said if needed a hospital may procure VTMs (viral transport media) at their own level. Hospitals which do not have facilities for isolation beds would need to transfer the VTMs kits to these six hospitals, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Representative Image Oil prices steadied early on Wednesday after sliding to their lowest in four years, sapped by fears for fuel demand and the global economy amid travel and social lockdowns triggered by the coronavirus epidemic in a number of countries around the world. Brent crude was up 8 cents, or 0.3%, at $28.81 a barrel by 0029 GMT, after falling earlier to $28.40, the lowest since early 2016. The international benchmark fell 4.3% on Tuesday. U.S. crude was down 2 cents at $26.93 a barrel, after falling to as low as $26.20, also the lowest in four years. West Texas Intermediate fell 6% on Tuesday. A fall in U.S. inventories of crude, gasoline and distillates, as reported by an industry group, provided some support to prices, but the demand outlook remains grim amid a price war among major producers. "The demand prospect (is) looking even more dismal today as everyone rushes to revise demand growth lower," said Stephen Innes Global, chief markets strategist at AxiCorp. In efforts to support economies, the world's richest nations prepared to unleash trillions of dollars of spending to lessen the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak, as well as imposing social restrictions not seen since World War Two. Meanwhile, Virgin Australia became the latest airline to shut down its international network with the suspension of all international flights, while Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned that the situation could last six months or more. Elsewhere, Iraq's oil minister pleaded for an emergency meeting between members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC producers to discuss immediate action to help balance the oil market. A price war has broken out amid the evaporation of demand after an agreement on withholding supply OPEC and major producers including Russia collapsed. Douglas County Health officials completed a drive-thru pilot program at the Douglas County Fairgrounds on Tuesday to test for the COVID-19 virus similar to the drive-thru flu shot clinics that were conducted last fall and on two other occasions. Douglas County Public Health Officer Bob Dannenhoffer and Dr. Jason Gray, chief medical officer at CHI Mercy Medical Center, performed tests on 17 people Tuesday at the fairgrounds. "We tested a bunch of people and it went great, we were practicing to see how long it would take whether the equipment was going to work, but everything worked beautifully," Dannenhoffer said. "It was about 4 minutes per person, and that's not bad at all." Dannenhoffer said there is just one case in Douglas County, but no new positive COVID-19 cases. The Oregon Health Authority is reporting a total of 65 cases in the state with one death reported as a result of the virus. Completed tests have been sent to Quest, a commercial laboratory for processing, according to a press release. Up until now, tests were collected sporadically at clinics and sent to the Oregon State Public Health lab and then to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tuesdays pilot program was modeled after successful flu immunization clinics held over the past three years. He said the county pioneered the first drive-thru flu immunization clinic in the state in 2017. Dannenhoffer said the safety was the major concern. Workers wore special hoods, suits and gloves. Patients were referred by doctors at three clinics in the community who identified high likelihood patients, Dannenhoffer said. In the future, we would like to expand it to other providers, he said. The successful pilot program came as Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced an extension of existing school closures, the Red Cross declared a severe blood shortage, Seven Feathers Casino Resort announced a temporary closure and CHI Mercy Medical Center said visitors will be screened prior to entering the hospital. In addition, the hospital will consider rescheduling elective surgeries and non-urgent procedures as needed in response to the coronavirus. CHI Mercy Medical Center officials said screening stations are located at the visitor entrance, patients entrance and the emergency department entrance of the hospital. All patients will be limited to having two visitors per day. All visitors must be illness free, with no fever or cough, and meet all other criteria established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Visitors who have a fever or cough or respond yes to any of the during the screening process, will not be allowed to enter the hospital. After hours, the Family BirthPlace patients will use the night entrance by the south lobby. Visitors to the Family BirthPlace will be screened and limited to two people. No children 17 and under. Visitors are also encouraged to call or visit with their loved ones in the hospital by FaceTime, if possible. "The ultimate goal is to keep our patients and our staff safe," said Kathleen Nickel, director of communications at Mercy. "We understand the value of patients having visitors and trying to balance that with the ultimate goal." Potential cancellations of elective surgeries and procedures will be at the direction of the responsible physician. Mercy officials say the goal is to ensure the facility has adequate capacity to serve the communities in anticipation of a COVID-19 surge, to maintain capabilities to provide care for those with other serious medical conditions, to protect the staff and patients from the virus, to be good stewards of medical supplies and to minimize the illness and mortality of vulnerable populations. The coronavirus pandemic has affected a lot of areas and that includes the American Red Cross blood supply. Red Cross officials said they are facing a severe blood shortage with the coronavirus outbreak threatening the availability of the nation's supply. In the Oregon-Washington region, more than 65 blood drives have been canceled, resulting in 2,000 fewer blood donations. The Red Cross expects the number of cancellations to continue to increase, which is causing heightened concern for blood collection organizations and hospitals across the country. This blood shortage could impact patients who need surgery, victims of car accidents and other emergencies, or patients suffering from cancer. 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. In response to the coronavirus, Douglas County has begun curbside service at senior dining sites in Yoncalla, Glide and Glendale, and will expand the service to Sutherlin on Saturday with the remaining sites in Riddle, Winston and Reedsport next week. Meals are being offered carhop style in an effort to keep things fun for the diners. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 18) ABS-CBN has advised the cast and crew of TV drama "Love Thy Woman" to undergo self-quarantine after one of its lead actors, Christopher de Leon tested positive for the coronavirus disease or COVID-19. "[W]e have advised those who might have interacted with him during the tapings of 'Love Thy Woman' to undergo self quarantine," the network said in a statement on Wednesday. One of the actresses, Zsa Zsa Padilla, said they have heeded the management's call. "All co-actors/staff and crew of #LTW (Love Thy Woman) are already on quarantine so taking lots of fluids, Vit C and some exercise," Padilla said on Twitter. 'Love Thy Woman' lead actress Kim Chiu called for prayers for De Leon on her Instagram page. Other members of the cast include Xian Lim, Yam Concepcion, Eula Valdes, Sunshine Cruz, and Ruffa Gutierrez. ABS-CBN stressed that while it has stopped the tapings of all its teleseryes, it will continue to monitor the workers' situation and provide them with the necessary assistance. "The safety of our artists, crew, production teams, and their families are important to us," it added. Starting this week, ABS-CBN has been airing its old shows on prime time amid the threat of COVID-19. On Tuesday, De Leon announced that he has tested positive for the disease, and asked his colleagues who have interacted with him in the last two weeks to isolate themselves. The Philippines now has 193 COVID-19 cases 14 of them died while seven have recovered. The entire Luzon island group has been placed under "enhanced community quarantine" to contain the spread of the virus. 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. The Centre on Wednesday issued a gazette notification for the adaptation of 37 central laws in the Concurrent List for the Union Territory of The gazette notification, issued by the Union Home Ministry's Department of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh Affairs, comes into force with immediate effect. It contains the 37 central laws including the representation of people act, the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, the protection of human rights act, the prevention of corruption act and the Indian Penal Code among others. On February 26, the Cabinet gave its nod to issue an order which will allow 37 central laws in the Concurrent List to be implemented in the Union Territory of Last August, the Centre announced the abrogation of Article 370 provisions for and bifurcated the state into two Union territories. The new territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh came into being on October 31, 2019. An official statement later said all the central laws, applicable to the whole of India except the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir before October 31, 2019 are now applicable to Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir from October 31, 2019. "...It is necessary to adapt the central laws made under the Concurrent List, with required modifications and amendments, for ensuring administrative effectiveness and smooth transition with respect to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir thereby removing any ambiguity in their application in line with the Constitution of India," it had said. Business Unit will leverage Microsoft's technologies to meet customers' cloud needs Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, today announced the launch of its Microsoft Business Unit. The unit will focus on the development and evangelization of solutions leveraging Microsoft's enterprise cloud services. This initiative is an outcome of Wipro's expanded global alliance with Microsoft to accelerate cloud adoption and digital transformation for its customers across sectors. Wipro's Microsoft Business Unit consists of a team of trained and certified Azure consultants and specialists. The new unit will offer domain-based solutions and solution accelerators, including the following: Wipro's Cloud Studio which delivers migration for different workloads on Microsoft Azure, Data, Microsoft Dynamics 365. The studio is an 'as-a-service' model for cloud transformation with standardized tools, technologies and processes. Wipro's LiVE Workspace solution which leverages Microsoft's Modern Workplace, Microsoft 365 as well as LUIS and the Power platform to help customers unbox an intelligent, future-ready workplace where apps and data can be accessed from anywhere, anytime and on any device. Wipro's Data Discovery Platform (DDP) empowers customers with actionable insights by exploring varied data sources through sophisticated techniques such as pattern discovery, Auto ML, visual sciences and storytelling to simplify interpretation and decision-making. The core of this platform brings together the Wipro HOLMESArtificial Intelligence and Microsoft Azure. Bhanumurthy B.M, President and Chief Operating Officer, Wipro Limited said, "Our newly formed Microsoft Business Unit will aid organizations in accelerating their innovation and modernization journey by leveraging Wipro's deep domain expertise along with Microsoft's futuristic enterprise-class offerings. With this partnership, we will co-innovate in industry domain services focused on data, analytics, security and customer/employee experiences." Nitin Parab, Senior Vice President and Global Head, Technology Business Unit, Wipro Limited said, "We are excited to expand our partnership with Microsoft. By integrating our unique offerings such as Cloud Studio, DDP and LiVE Workspace with Microsoft's Intelligent Cloud, we will be able to better address our customers' digital goals." Wipro recently completed a cloud migration project leveraging Microsoft Azure for Mitie, a leading facilities management and professional services company headquartered in the UK. The successful migration of workload from on-premise to cloud environment helped the client achieve business flexibility, security and scalability, thereby improving the company's overall operational efficiency. Cijo Joseph, Chief information Officer, Mitie Group PLC said, "We wanted to move our 'on-premise' landscape to cloud for performance enhancement, evergreen capability and operational efficiency. Our long-term strategic partnership with Wipro gave us an exposure to the company's leading-edge capabilities and it has a solid reputation in the marketplace. We selected Microsoft Azure Cloud as our cloud service platform, for its business agility, high availability, low business disruption risk and other favorable factors including implementation time and complexity. Wipro's vast experience in executing similar cloud migration projects leveraging its proprietary framework "Safe Passage to Cloud" helped in a seamless and risk-free upgrade to migrate SAP to Azure cloud." "At Microsoft, digital transformation is a core focus that enables organizations to improve how they engage customers, empower employees, optimize operations and transform products. Our expanded partnership with Wipro will allow them to better serve customers' digital needs by leveraging Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Dynamics 365," said Judson Althoff, Executive Vice President, Microsoft. Wipro and Microsoft have been strategic partners for decades. Wipro has demonstrated its commitment to this relationship by investing in new industry leading solutions for customers on the Azure platform. Wipro is a Microsoft Gold Competency Partner. About Wipro Limited Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. We harness the power of cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics and emerging technologies to help our clients adapt to the digital world and make them successful. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, we have over 175,000 dedicated employees serving clients across six continents. Together, we discover ideas and connect the dots to build a better and a bold new future. Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property, and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005378/en/ Contacts: Shraboni Banerjee Wipro Limited shraboni.banerjee@wipro.com Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. 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. More from Consumer Reports: Top pick tires for 2016 Best used cars for $25,000 and less 7 best mattresses for couples Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright 2020, Consumer Reports, Inc. A Co Down cruise ship refurbishment and interior outfit company has told staff that redundancies "in large numbers" are unavoidable after orders were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. In an internal communication to staff on Tuesday, MJM Marine in Newry explained that the company's current orders have been postponed indefinitely by customers from Thursday, with the exception of one project. That project, the company stated, can be completed by a small number of staff by the end of April and there is no prospect of securing new orders for the foreseeable future. MJM employs 270 people in three offices in Europe. MJM Marine, one of the largest employers in the Newry area, added that they were informed by one customer that a new order would not be placed until 2022 at the earliest. "You will appreciate that we find ourselves in unprecedented times," read the internal communication. "The consequence of the spread of Covid-19 and the steps that are being taken globally to arrest the spread of the virus have had a catastrophic impact upon businesses generally and I am afraid that this company is no exception." It continued: "It is with deep regret that we have to inform you that redundancies in large numbers are unavoidable. "We wish to continue to employ as many of our workforce as we can. We will be consulting with your representatives over the next days to see how best we can avoid redundancies and keep them to the lowest level and also about mitigating the effect of redundancy upon redundant workers, but the first step is for the workforce to elect its own representatives so that they can represent you in consulting with the company representatives as to how the company deals with this redundancy crisis. "It is extremely important that the representatives reflect all of the employees' interests." In a statement on Tuesday evening, the firm said: "Today MJM Marine has communicated to our valued employees the first stage of a consultation process which will result in redundancies. Despite taking the highest level of precautions, decisions late last week across the world led to all but one of our drydock projects being postponed indefinitely due to Covid-19. "This is not something we ever expected to have to do but unfortunately with the situation in the cruise sector we have been left with no alternative. Our thoughts and concerns are with all those who have been impacted by Covid-19 and with those at the front line of dealing with it. "Our priority is the continued health and safety of our people; and our clients and suppliers who are all being impacted." The company was founded by Brian McConville in 1983 and specialises in new-build refurbishment, refit and fit-out services to the marine, commercial and private sectors. Commenting on the announcement, President of Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade, Emma Marmion said: Brian and his family have been at the heart of business growth in our city. MJM Marine is exactly the type of business that needs government support to get businesses through this unprecedented economic crisis." Sen. Bernie Sanders. Preston Ehrler/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images Sen. Bernie Sanders didn't hold back when he was asked Wednesday about when he would make a final decision on whether to suspend his 2020 presidential campaign. "I'm dealing with a f---ing global crisis," Sanders told CNN's Manu Raju. "Right now, I'm trying to do my best to make sure that we don't have an economic meltdown and that people don't die. Is that enough for you to keep me busy for today?" he added. Sanders lost a series of vital Democratic primaries on Tuesday night to former Vice President Joe Biden, all but eliminating his path to the party's presidential nomination. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Sen. Bernie Sanders didn't hold back when he was asked Wednesday about when he would make a final decision on whether to suspend his 2020 presidential campaign. "I'm dealing with a f---ing global crisis," Sanders told CNN's Manu Raju. "Right now, I'm trying to do my best to make sure that we don't have an economic meltdown and that people don't die. Is that enough for you to keep me busy for today?" Related Video: What It's Like to Travel During the Coronavirus Outbreak Sanders lost a series of vital Democratic primaries on Tuesday night in Florida, Illinois, and Arizona to former Vice President Joe Biden. Sanders' campaign manager, Faiz Shakir, released a statement on Wednesday morning saying Sanders was "losing the battle over electability" but has "won the battle of ideas." Shakir added that the senator and his wife, Jane, were consulting with supporters in Vermont to assess the path forward. Sanders hit the ground running in a series of early primary and caucus states as the campaign season kicked off, but he failed to pick up momentum on Super Tuesday and subsequently lost key delegate-rich states, including Michigan and Florida, to Biden, all but eliminating his path to the nomination. Tuesday's primaries came during the US's efforts to battle the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus within its borders. Story continues President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the US would temporarily close its border with Canada to all "non-essential traffic." "We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic, Trump tweeted. "Trade will not be affected. Details to follow!" The World Health Organization classified the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic last week. More than 204,000 people have been infected, and more than 8,240 have died. In the US, at least 5,881 people in every state, plus Washington, DC, and three territories, have tested positive for COVID-19, and at least 107 people have died, according to a New York Times database. Trump on Monday recommended that Americans avoid gatherings of more than 10 people. The White House also recommended that Americans homeschool their children, avoid nonessential travel, and steer clear of bars and restaurants. Business Insider Pubs and restaurants all over the UK are coming up with innovative ways to provide food and booze to people in self-isolation during the coronavirus crisis. The government announced yesterday that food venues will be able to become takeaway and delivery services to cope with the financial strain of the pandemic. And several outlets are already taking advantage, coming up with novel new ideas to cater to their customers. One wine bar in southeast London has launched a 'milk round', in which they'll deliver wine to locals by the case twice a week - with free delivery. Tom Wykes, who imports wine for 161 Food and Drink in Sydenham, said: 'In the light of coronavirus and the government decisions to advise people not to attend restaurants - but obviously not to order them to close, which makes insurance tough - we have come up with unique and adaptable ways to switch the business in different directions. Tom Wykes, who imports wine for 161 Food and Drink revealed the bar's new policy amid the coronavirus 161 Food and Drink in Sydenham, south east London has launched a 'milk round', in which they'll deliver wine to locals by the case twice a week - with free delivery It comes as pubs and restaurants in the UK come up ways to provide food and alcohol to people in self-isolation. (Stock image) 'We have a large customer base around southeast London, so the idea was to create a kind of home delivery, isolation service. 'We're calling it a milk round, in the sense that we're going to be dropping the wines to your door - it'll just be in a car, but calling it a milk float has a ring to it. 'We have had a tremendous amount of support. Yesterday was the day we launched, and I'm inundated with orders today of people really interested and really liking the idea. 'It's been a really positive response from the locals, which we knew anyway because southeast London's community vibe and spirit has been really good. 'We're doing discounts. If you buy six bottles you get a ten per cent discount, and if you buy twelve bottles you get a 15 per cent discount - trying to encourage people to get in bigger orders to last longer. 'I've got an order here which has got some magnums in, I'd definitely want to be trying to self-isolate with those guys over the weekend. 'There's been a lot of cases of six going out, and you can also order just one bottle if you want - as long as you live in southeast London. 'If you're a regular we are happy to accommodate as far as possible. Just got to try and make some money in this climate, which is crazy.' The Pembury Tavern in Hackney, which is owned and operated by craft beer brewer Five Points, is throwing its weight behind takeaways - for both its food menu and cases of beer. Ed Mason, the founder of Five Points who runs the pub, said: 'We are a traditional full-service pub, as well as being the taproom for Five Points. 'We have a pizza menu, and basically we have taken this quite complex decision following the government advice over whether to keep trading or not. 'Clearly we feel that we have a responsibility to our employees, to our staff, to our regulars, to our investors - and we are doing everything we can to come up with a business model to keep the business going and keep staff employed. 'So we have taken the decision to try and pivot quickly to a model where we focus on takeaway for now, so we are keeping our existing opening hours - but with a focus on takeaway. 'We are making our full pizza menu available seven days a week for takeaway and collection, and we are also stockpiling cases of beer and selling them at a discounted rate for takeaway as well. 'Obviously we don't have a reputation for takeaway, and we literally started yesterday, so it's very earl days. 'But it's just an example of a way that a business can try to transition to a sustainable model in what is a really uncertain time. 'I think we had 25 takeaway pizzas last night, which considering it was the first day we found relatively encouraging for a Tuesday night. He said: 'It's been a really positive response from the locals, which we knew anyway because southeast London's community vibe and spirit has been really good' 'We are currently exploring how to go about a delivery service and how we might do that. 'Something we're looking at, for example, is whether we can reallocate delivery drivers from our brewery to the delivery service for the pub. 'We're 24 hours in, but we sold a few cases of beer last night and we're going to see what today brings. 'If the government does order a final shutdown of pubs and restaurants we are hoping that a takeaway and delivery model could help keep the staff employed and keep revenue coming in. 'It's not going to necessarily replace our current business model overnight, but every little bit helps at the moment.' Clerkenwell restaurant Quality Chop House - and its sister wine bar Quality Wines - will also be pivoting to takeaways. Shaun Searley, executive chef at the restaurant, said: 'It's an organic process currently, our places are completely unaccustomed to doing deliveries. 'A lot of restaurants are quite au fait with Deliveroo, but we're not. We're a restaurant and a wine bar through and through. 'But we've got a team of people and a fridge full of ingredients, and just by nature of what we do - which is to have minimal waste - we had to think about how we're going to use what we have. 'One option was to see what we could do to get food into people's homes that they would otherwise not be able to come and get themselves. Pubs and restaurants in the UK are taking advantage of the government's decision to allow outlets to home deliver during the coronavirus crisis. The Big Society in Oxford (pictured) is one of them 'First and foremost, with the deli and food shop that we have, we have to get our produce out and into people's houses. 'If you're self-isolating and worried about going out, we're here. It's a delivery or pick-up service. It's early days, we're officially starting it tomorrow, so we'll see what happens. 'We're not using Deliveroo, we're doing it on our own - we're still finalising the logistics. 'We focus on quite high-end ingredients, so our margins are pretty tight as it is. If you add a 35% commission, or whatever it is, is it worth using Deliveroo? 'Doing it ourselves we get to offer that level of service that we want to people's doors. 'We're calling it a menu of both food and wine, because we'll be changing it just as frequently as we were before to get a sense that it's fresh and made to order. 'It varies, so you're not going to be stuck at home eating fried rice with sweet chilli sauce for the next however long. 'Not all our stuff is obviously transferrable to a takeaway, so of course there are some new dishes being created. 'But we want people to replicate our mince on toast, we're sending the delicious beef ragu that we make out with some already-fried dripping toast with instructions on how to warm it up. 'We have a butcher's shop, so we're also suggesting meals that you can create from the fresh ingredients that we have - be it a ribeye or a couple of pork chops.' Owner of The Bruce Arms, Phillip Boyling, 39, said: 'We always had the intention of a pizza delivery service. 'We always made homemade pizzas and had boxes in stock. 'Given what's happening we've had to think of different ways to support the business and the community. No one's told us we've to close. 'We're looking to bring some much needed income to the business and support the areas ageing population - it's providing them with a service.' The Pembury Tavern (pictured) in London, which is owned and operated by craft beer brewer Five Points, is throwing its weight behind takeaways Clerkenwell restaurant Quality Chop House in London will also be pivoting to takeaways Phillip is also hoping to offer his customers beer, cider and wine - but only with food orders. He isn't charging for delivery and is offering customers ten per cent off the total of their order. Phillip said: 'We're a pub who've an off sales license. Many people we serve in the community are regulars and come in for a pint. It's not just alcohol. If you're ordering food you can order in ale as well. 'We're able to get cask ales into cartons and deliver them with food. We're not charging for delivery and offering a ten per cent off the total bill. 'We hope it's a service people will use and we've had a lot of great feedback on it. 'Nobody eats out every day of the week but it could be difficult if people can't get out and get the supplies they need.' The Marksman Pub in Hackney, east London has told customers it will set-up a takeaway menu, despite being closed because of the coronavirus. The pub posted on its Instagram account: 'While we adjust to this new reality, we will look to create a new takeaway offer that will include our pies, buns, wines, beers, and much more, to enjoy from the comfort of your own homes.' Outside of the capital, The Big Society is one of several pubs in Oxford offering home delivery. The Dog and Gun Inn, a family owned Cumbrian Pub in Penrith, have also set up a takeaway menu offering mains, sides, puddings and drinks. The Bruce Arms in Limekilns, Fife, Scotland is home delivering bottled beer, cider, wine and soft drinks, as well as bar meals, including homemade pizza, with immediate effect. The Major Rammy in Ramsbottom, Great Manchester has even pledged to deliver Sunday lunch to customers. A tweet from the pub read: 'This Sunday if you're worried about coming to the pub for your Sunday Lunch we will bring Sunday lunch to you.' Restaurants all over the country are also taking advantage of the new policy. In London, the Cheese Bar announced on social media that it would be dropping off cheese and wine for customers forced to self-isolate. Restaurant Trullo has also created a take-home menu, which it says is designed for customers to reheat at home. A string of other restaurants in the capital, including popular chain Bao, have announced similar measures. Outside of the capital, Indian restaurant MemSaab in Nottingham is offering to drop off curries to customers during the pandemic. Communities Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said: 'We are committed to doing everything we can to tackle the pandemic and support people, businesses and communities through this difficult time. 'These changes will provide vital flexibility to pubs and restaurants and will ensure people are able to safely stay at home while still supporting some of the great local businesses across this country.' The government confirmed the relaxations to planning rules will be put in place as soon as possible to provide reassurance to businesses and enable them to start providing takeaways to people quickly. It is hoped the move will ease fears as the UK struggles to tackle coronavirus panic. Panic buying across the country is intensifying today as supermarkets under mounting pressure are taking drastic rationing action in a bid to deal with the unprecedented demand for goods. Panic-buying has worsened despite weekend appeals for calm from supermarket bosses and politicians. Britain's coronavirus death toll has today risen to 104 after the number of new daily fatalities doubled in the space of just 24 hours. Officials today announced 33 more deaths from the life-threatening infection in the UK up from 16 yesterday and 20 on Monday. The number of confirmed UK cases today rose to 2,626, up from 1,950 yesterday, amid a dramatic worsening of the pandemic. Westminster Public Mortuary by the Houses of Parliament can currently store 102 corpses and is likely to see its capacity almost doubled. PlayStation 5 details to be revealed tonight, how to watch the live stream and everything you need to know PlayStation fans rejoice. Sony has officially confirmed that we will get new information about the upcoming PlayStation 5. The PlayStation official Twitter account reads, Tomorrow at 9 am Pacific Time, PS5 lead system architect Mark Cerny will provide a deep dive into PS5s system architecture, and how it will shape the future of games. For those that aren't aware, Mark Cerny was the lead system architect on the PlayStation 4 and before the reveal of the PS4, he gave a deep dive into the workings of the console. Those interested can tune in at 9:30 PM India time, March 18, i.e., tonight here. Sony has been tight-lipped about the features and specifications of the PS5. The last official piece of information that we got about the console was the official logo back at CES 2020. Before that, we got some information about the console via Wired exclusive articles. So before tonight's deep dive, let's quickly recap everything we know about the PlayStation 5. The PS5 Controller will have haptic feedback Sony has officially confirmed that the PS5 controller will have haptic feedback. This is in line with HD rumble found on the Nintendo Switch controller. It will give the user more realistic feedback of what is happening on screen. So, if your character on screen is pulling a bow, then the tension on the triggers will be different when compared to accelerating in a racing game. This dynamic is something that is different than what weve seen on controllers so far. The controller will have the same design as the PS4 controller but will lose out on the light bar and will have slightly chunkier grips for better ergonomics. Known specifications of the console Sony has confirmed that the console will support 4K and 8K gaming along with a frame rate of up to 120 fps. It is also known that the console will run on the AMD third-generation Ryzen chip but details of the GPU are still sketchy. The console will also have hardware-accelerated ray tracing, just like what we saw on the Xbox Series X. The console will also support 3D audio, bringing a new dimension of audio to gaming. The console will also support a UHD Blu ray drive with support for Blu Rays with a capacity of 100GB. The console will also house an SSD, making game load times faster. A leaked video showed Marvels Spider-Man running on the PS4 and PS5 to show the difference between the load times. We hope to see similar demos in tonight unveiling. Backward Compatibility Speaking of Spider-Man running on the PS5, it has been confirmed that the PS5 will run PS4 games. Mark Cerny has said that since both the consoles are built on the same architecture, the PS5 will run PS4 games. Whether the PS5 will be able to run games better than the PS4 is something yet to be seen. We are also waiting on official information on whether the PS5 will run PS3, PS2, and PS1 games, giving Microsofts backward compatibility a run for its money. VR support The current PSVR and move controllers will be supported by the PS5. VR is very important to Sony, but they aren't ready to talk about the future of VR. Not yet anyway. Above is everything we know about the PS5. Microsoft has revealed a lot of information about the upcoming Xbox Series X and you can read about it here. Gurugram multinational corporations (MNCs) have been asked by the Deputy Commissioner's office to allow employees to work from home till March 31 as a precautionary measure to prevent coronavirus. Gurugram, part of National Capital Region (NCR), is home to a host of global companies including Google, Microsoft, Genpact. The Gurugram administration issued the advisory on Tuesday after a 29-year-old woman who works at an IT firm there was tested positive for coronavirus. It was the first case reported in Gurugram. "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 office/employees to work from 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 Gurugram Amit Khatri said that it is only an advisory and not any directive or order. However, the Haryana government has asked schools, colleges, universities, cinemas, gyms, clubs, night clubs till March 31. Meanwhile, Google has asked all its employees in Asia Pacific including India to work from home."We have been taking precautionary measures, in accordance with the advice of medical experts, to protect the health and safety of our workforce. While our office spaces continue to remain open and safe with temperature screening and significantly enhanced hygiene sanitisation and disinfection schedules to minimise the spread of illnesses. We have moved from voluntary to recommended work from home across all of our offices in Asia Pacific," the company stated. India has already reported three deaths. The number of total confirmed cases has increased to 147. Out of the 147 cases, 25 are foreign nationals. Total 14 patients have been discharged so far. Global death toll due to the coronavirus outbreak has touched 7,800, with China and Italy accounting for the maximum number of deaths. Also read: Coronavirus impact: Big dilemma for Indian restaurants - To shut shops or not! Also read: Facebook offers six months' bonus to 45,000 employees to help face coronavirus About 20,000 international nursing students in Australia are set to have restrictions on their working hours lifted by the federal government in a bid to ease pressure on the aged care sector as it reels from the coronavirus outbreak. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday the students who are already studying and in some cases working in Australia will be made available "to help and support the health effort right across the country, as directed by our health officials." Under their visa arrangements, international students may only work up to 40 hours each fortnight. The restrictions on hours would be lifted, enabling them to work the same number of hours as their local counterparts. The government is "not importing nurses into Australia," Mr Morrison said. "That would be against the travel advice and bans that have been in place for some time." The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that it is not going to come in the way of the legislature to decide who enjoys the trust. It was hearing the petitions filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seeking the trust vote in Madhya Pradesh and the Congress which had opposed it. As a constitutional court, we have to discharge our duties, the bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta said. The BJP had claimed in its petition that after the resignation of 22 MLAs, the Kamal Nath government has come in minority and demanded a floor test to prove that the government still enjoys majority. The Congress government, meanwhile, said that its MLAs are held captive in Bengaluru and blamed the BJP for subverting democracy in the state. ALSO WATCH | Congress Vs MP governor over rebel MLAs; Digvijaya holds dharna in Bengaluru Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati has accepted the resignation of six of the 22 MLAs, and the Congress has demanded that the rest of the lawmakers should be brought back before the trust vote can be held. The Supreme Court today said that the MLAs cant be held captive, adding that it knows they can tilt the balance one way or the other. The 16 rebel MLAs can either proceed to the floor of the House or not, but surely they cant be held captive, said the court. Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the BJP, offered to produce all 16 rebel MLAs in judges chamber but the court did not agree to the request. Congress wants rebel MLAs to go to Bhopal so that they can be lured and it can do horse trading, said Rohatgi. Earlier, the Madhya Pradesh Congress had told the apex court that a probe is needed on the resignation letters of its rebel MLAs submitted by BJP leaders to the Speaker of the state Assembly. The party claimed that resignations of its rebel MLAs in Madhya Pradesh were extracted by force and coercion and they did not act as per their free will. It also sought more time from the Supreme Court in the floor test matter, sayijng heavens are not going to fall if the floor test doesnt happen immediately. But Ramunda Young who co-owns the store with her husband, Derrick still expects sales to take a hit. And the loss of the stores physical location, however temporary, is particularly significant in Anacostia, which had gone nearly two decades without a bookstore before the Youngs opened theirs in 2017. The store, which specializes in books for and by people of the African diaspora, often stocks titles that are hard to find in other bookstores. She and her husband are focused on letting customers know the shops selection is available to them even if the store is temporarily not. By Jamie Freed and Tracy Rucinski LONDON/SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia and Taiwan joined governments offering financial aid to airlines, while authorities in Europe rushed on Wednesday to agree steps to rescue carriers which have had to park planes and cut jobs as the coronavirus puts the brake on travel. The scramble to bail out carriers came as Italy once again rescued Alitalia, with Rome taking control of the airline and shelving a sale process for the perennially loss-making carrier. European Union transport ministers discussed potential help following calls from the airline sector for urgent tax relief to avoid multiple bankruptcies. Norway's government held talks with Norwegian Air executives after the struggling airline called for financial backing similar to that given to regional counterpart SAS by Denmark and Sweden. In the United States, airlines have asked Washington for $50 billion in grants and loans, plus tens of billions in tax relief. Sector executives are due to speak with U.S. President Donald Trump by phone on Wednesday. Planemaker Boeing Co has called on the U.S. government to provide at least $60 billion in access to liquidity, including loan guarantees, for the aerospace manufacturing industry as airlines halt deliveries and new orders to conserve cash. Airbus has also signaled some government support may be needed if the coronavirus crisis lasts for several months, three people familiar with the matter said. The Australian government said it would refund and waive charges to airlines such as domestic air traffic control fees worth A$715 million ($430 million), including A$159 million up front, as it advised citizens against all foreign travel. Taiwan's civil aviation regulator said that its airlines could apply for subsidies and loans backdated to Jan. 15. CASH CRUNCH The outbreak of the flu-like virus has wiped 41%, or $157 billion, off the share value of the world's 116 listed airlines, with many using up their cash so fast they can now cover less than two months of expenses, a Reuters analysis showed. Story continues The International Air Transport Association (IATA) representing the sector said $200 billion in government support could be needed worldwide. Airlines have been forced to take drastic measures to cut their costs. Emirates and El Al Israel Airlines asked staff to take unpaid leave, and Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air will suspend flights to major Southeast Asian and European destinations. U.S. airlines are seeking to quickly reduce their workforces through unpaid leave of up to 12 months with medical benefits or early retirement packages in a sign carriers do not expect a quick rebound. Trump said on Tuesday that travel restrictions within the United States are being considered, which would be a further blow to its domestic carriers. PASSENGER NUMBERS PLUNGE Global passenger numbers are expected to fall by as much as 30% this year with a full recovery not likely until 2022 or 2023, S&P Global Ratings said. "At the risk of being alarmist, the airline industry is on the brink of collapse as governments are quarantining large portions of their populations and closing off borders," Cowen analyst Helane Becker told clients. The situation has worsened for airlines this week as governments have tightened travel restrictions. United Airlines Holdings Inc said it would cut 60% of its capacity in April, including 85% of its international flights. Air New Zealand Ltd on Wednesday suspended trading in its shares for another two days to assess the financial implications of deep capacity cuts announced on Monday. "This is going to be quite tough as we forecast the volumes that we are looking at over the next few months," CEO Greg Foran said in a video sent to reporters. (Reporting by Jamie Freed and Tracy Ruckinski, additional reporting by David Shepardson in Washington, Patturaja Murugaboopathy in Bengaluru and Ben Blanchard in Taipei; editing by Jason Neely, Josephine Mason and Keith Weir) Coronavirus Outbreak HIGHLIGHTS: The first case of coronavirus was reported in the Kashmir area of the Jammu and Kashmir union territory on Wednesday, India Today reported. Auto refresh feeds So far, over 7,900 deaths and or than 198,000 confirmed cases have been reported worldwide, with 82,762 people having recovered. Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the COVID-19 pandemic over a telephone conversation on Tuesday with the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman. Modi mentioned Indias recent initiative to organise a video conference among SAARC countries and 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. Meanwhile, hotels in Pune will remain closed till 20 March. G Shetty, President of Pune Restaurants and Hoteliers Association told ANI, "Police requested us to halt operations and it's also our moral duty. There are 850 hotels in the city in which around 25,000 people work." A woman from Pune, who had a travel history to France and Netherlands, tested positive for COVID-19. This takes the number of cases in Pune to 18 and in Maharashtra to 42. This comes a day after US began the testing of a vaccine in Seattle. China has given a go-ahead to researchers to begin human safety tests of an experimental coronavirus vaccine in the race to develop a shot against the COVID-19 epidemic, Reuters reported. On Tuesday, Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan went into self-quarantine, but was later tested negative. BJP MP Suresh Prabhu has kept himself under isolation at his residence for the next 14 days as a precautionary measure even after testing negative. He returned from Saudi Arabia, where he had gone to attend the Second Sherpas' Meeting on 10 March. "These agencies have been put in touch with Indian missions abroad to secure and transport inventories available with existing suppliers. Indian missions abroad have been asked to explore alternate sources of supply of raw material for supporting India's domestic production,' he added. Thakur also said that in order to address the possibility of a trade-induced adverse impact on economy, the government is constantly engaging with Expert Promotion Councils and trade bodies, particularly in pharmaceutical, electronics and automobile sectors, where supply chains are sourcing imports from China. Minister of State of Finance Anurag Thakur said in the Rajya Sabha that India's near-term macroeconomic outlook is vulnerable to the disruption of trade with China due to the coronavirus pandemic. "However, latest available data on trade and indicators of domestic output don't suggest any adverse impact on economy. Additionally, a positive impact on India's economy may arise from decline in global oil prices triggered by outbreak," he said. India has prohibited the entry of Indian passport holders in European Union, Turkey, and United Kingdom to India from today. The latest travel advisory read, "With effect from the 18 March, travel of passengers from member countries of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, Turkey and the United Kingdom to India is prohibited with effect." The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases have risen to 147 in India, including 125 Indians and 22 foreigners. Three deaths have been reported and 14 people have been cured. Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance of unavailability of mid-day meals for children in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak and shutdown of schools. It also sought a reply from states and union territories on how children are being provided the meals. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram took to Twitter to discuss the novel coronavirus pandemic and urged citizens to take all necessary precautions. He also said that the government must address the economic fallout of COVID-19 and announce measures to help the poor who will be affected most. "Orders have been issued to promote all students, studying in schools run by the basic education department, of class one to eight to next classes without examination. All schools have been closed till 2 April," Additional Chief Secretary, Education Renuka Kumar said in a order issued on Tuesday night. Students of classes one to eight of all government primary schools in Uttar Pradesh will get promoted without having to appear in examinations in view of the coronavirus outbreak, an official said on Wednesday. Examinations in primary schools were scheduled between 23 and 28 March. The Health Ministry stated that it shall be mandatory for all hospitals, both government and private, medical officers in government health institutions and registered private medical practitioners including AYUSH practitioners, to "notify such person(s) with COVID-19 affected person to the concerned district surveillance unit." It added that it is important that the support and cooperation of the private sector are enlisted in this regard. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued fresh guidelines for notifying COVID-19 affected persons by private healthcare institutions. It stated that "it is of utmost importance that each and every case (suspects/confirmed) of COVID-19 is isolated and provided appropriate treatment and their contacts are traced at the earliest to break the chain of transmission. The survey noted that fear was notably lower among Baby Boomers (individuals born between 1946 and 1964), with more than half, about 52 percent, saying that they arent fearful about getting infected. According to YouGovs ongoing coronavirus tracker which captures public sentiment and behavior around COVID-19, 44 percent of GenX respondents, (people who were born between 1965 and 1980), who were surveyed said they are "not at all or not very scared" about contracting the pandemic virus. YouGov's latest survey, which includes data collected online by YouGov Omnibus from around 1054 respondents in India between 10 to 15 March 2020, using YouGovs panel of over eight million people worldwide. The data is representative of the adult online population in the country. As India grapples to curb the outbreak of coronavirus cases in the country, a survey by YouGov has revealed that despite being most likely to be at the receiving end of the pandemic, more than half of senior citizens in India are confident they wont acquire the virus. The upgrade in official advice to an unprecedented Level 4: Do not travel to any country in the world, was accompanied by a ban on any non-essential indoor gatherings of more than 100 people, reports Reuters . The formal declaration gives the government the power to close off cities or regions, impose curfews and order people to quarantine, if deemed necessary to contain the spread of the virus. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday declared a human biosecurity emergency and said the countrys citizens should abandon all overseas travel because of the coronavirus epidemic that he warned could last at least six months. This essentially rules out all Australian players, coaches, etc from the IPL which had been postponed to mid-April. "KEM, JJ Hospital and Haffkine Institute will soon get the testing facilities. Most likely they will commence operations in the next five days," Tope told reporters.Similar laboratories will come up in different parts of the state, he added. Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday said seven more laboratories will come up across the state for testing suspected novel coronavirus cases. At present, only three labs are operating in the state at Mumbai, Nagpur and Pune where samples of suspected persons are tested. In his official statement, RK Selvamani, President of FEFSI said: We have decided to not take part in the film and TV serial shoots from March 19. Our members will not participate in any form of shoots until the country gets back to normalcy. Yes, this is a tough time and the revenue loss is going to be very huge for producers and daily wagers in the film industry but considering the life-threatening situation and keeping the safety of our workers in mind, we have taken this decision. Film industries in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana have to come to a standstill due to the coronavirus outbreak in various parts of the country. Kerala was the first state to shut down theaters in the south followed by Karnataka, Telangana, and now, Tamil Nadu also joined hands to fight against the novel virus. "The man came to Goa on 20 February. He was having fever since 10 March and was isolated as a suspect in hospital in Panaji," the minister told PTI. A Norwegian man on Wednesday tested positive for novel coronavirus infection in Goa, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said. The man had travelled to Delhi, Agra, Assam and Meghalaya after leaving Norway on 6 February, he said. "There's absolutely no reason to panic. Final report hasn't yet come and we're waiting. All future information will be given only by Dr Utkarsh (state epidemiologist) as per protocol. We're also trying to locate the number from which Dr Edwin received the call," he said. Goa Health Min Vishwajit Rane said that a reported call made to health authorities by impersonating testing lab which notified of a positive COVID-19 case in the state was a hoax. The information was received by Dr Edwin of Goa Medical College. Of the three people who had tested positive earlier, two of them were residents of Noida's Sector 78 and Sector 100. A person, with a travel history to Indonesia, tested positive for coronavirus. This is the fourth positive case of coronavirus from Gautam Buddh Nagar. Karnataka health minister B Sriramulu said that two people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Bengaluru, taking the total cases in the state to 13. While one person is a 56-year-old man returning from the US, the other is a 25-year-old woman returning from Spain. The Central Zoo Authority had on Friday directed all zoos in the country to screen visitors for coronavirus and maintain sanitation measures at entry and exit gates. Delhi Zoo Director Suneesh Buxy said directions have been issued to close down the zoo, which witnesses a high number of visitors everyday, till March end to arrest the spread of the disease. The Delhi Zoo administration on Wednesday shut the zoological party till 31 March in view of the coronavirus outbreak. An IIT-B official said while the total intake of students is 11,000, many of them have already left the campus for various reasons. An emergency meeting of all heads of departments and other academic and administrative units was called on Tuesday to take stock of the situation on the campus, arising out of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country. In view of the novel coronavirus outbreak, IIT Bombay has announced a virtual shutdown of itscampus at Powai in Mumbai till 31 March. In the Tuesday night decision, the IIT-B decided to ask students to vacate hostels by 20 March evening. Ministry of External Affairs in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha said that 276 Indians are infected with coronavirus abroad including 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE, 5 in Italy, and 1 each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda, and Sri Lanka. A fresh coronavirus case has been reported in Telangana on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases in the state to six. The person, who tested positive for the virus, came from the United Kingdom, official sources said, adding that further details would be shared later. Both Bhartia and Khandelwal said that closure of physical markets is not the only solution unless sales of e commerce platforms are also banned as the possibility of infection in goods delivered by e commerce companies can not be ruled out. Even the delivery boys of the e commerce companies visit several places in the day to deliver the goods mostly to unknown people and no one knows when they get infected by any person suffering with virus. Therefore, closure of e commerce sales is all the more much required. CAIT National President BC Bhartia & Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said that trade leaders will consider all pros & cons of any shutdown of the markets as the shops of the traders are first point contact for 130 crore people for meeting their requirements. There are about 7 crore traders in the Country providing employment to nearly 45 crore people and as such any decision of closure of shops will be taken after due consideration. In Delhi, there are about 15 lakh small and big traders who are vetting to the requirements of 1.25 crore people of Delhi. Amid various rumours of closure of markets in Delhi and other States of the Country, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), apex body of business community of the Country clarified that so far no Trade Association has taken any decision to close the markets in the wake of corona virus. The Government is taking various steps in combating COVID-19 at the front and therefore any decision of such closure can be taken in consultation with Government, other Agencies and with trade leaders of each State including Delhi. However, if Government takes any such decision, the traders will comply with the same-added CAIT. According to latest guidelines issued by the government, the director generals of Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Indo Tibetan Border Police, Sashastra Seema Bal, National Security Guards and Assam Rifles have been asked to cancel all non-emergency leaves of paramilitary personnel to minimise the risk of contracting the virus during travel. The guidelines come in the wake of an Indian Army trooper from Ladakh testing positive for the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) on Wednesday. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has asked all paramilitary forces to get into battle mode and plan ahead to combat the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected almost 200,000 and killed nearly 8,000 people worldwide. Central Board of Secondary Education has directed the exam centres conducting board exams for Classes 10 and 12 to ensure sitting arrangement with adequate distance between students. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra has been closed from today. Operations of all inter-state buses, both incoming and outgoing from Jammu and Kashmir, are banned from today, the Department of Information and Public Relations said in a statement. The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday suspended the Vaishno Devi Yatra in view of coronavirus outbreak. Achmad Yurianto, a health ministry official, also told a news conference that the number of deaths from the disease rose to 19, with deaths recorded in seven different provinces, while 11 patients had recovered. Indonesia announced on Wednesday 55 new coronavirus cases, taking the total to 227 in the Southeast Asian nation and marking the biggest daily rise in positive cases. The package, presented by Finance Minister Mario Centeno and Economy Minister Pedro Siza Vieira, includes 5.2 billion in fiscal stimulus, 3 billion in state-backed credit guarantees and one billion related to social security payments. Portugals government announced on Wednesday a 9.2 billion-euro package to support workers and provide liquidity for companies affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The National Capital has 10 active cases at present according to the health ministry website, and of the total cases in the city, one patient has died while two people have recovered. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) said that it had received a complaint on Tuesday, regarding the assembly of people, including children and infants, at the Shaheen Bagh protest amid the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country. PTI reported that four passengers who have travel history with Germany and with prescribed home quarantine on Wednesday deboarded from the Bandra Terminus-Delhi Garibrath Express train at Palghar station. The co-passengers raised an alarm, the report said. As per the advisory, the leave granting authorities have been told to grant leave only on essential or compassionate grounds till situation improves. The Indian Army has issued advisory to all commands regarding the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country. The advisory said that all wargames and conferences are postponed till further orders. All training activities are to be postponed or cancelled, in view of the current circumstances, the advisory added. US president Donald Trump said that the businesses that have suffered losses due to the "Chinese virus" will be reimbursed. News18 reported that this is the second time Trump has referred to the COVID-19 as the "Chinese virus". The report also said that the state is going to be in lockdown till 31 March. "The restrictions that have been imposed in the state for a week from 14 March have been extended till 31 March, he announced in the Legislative Assembly after a special cabinet meeting to discuss the impact of Covid-19," the report said. The Karnataka Cabinet on Wednesday set aside Rs 200 crore to tackle the spread of the novel coronavirus in the state, The Times of India quoted Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa as saying. The state currently is dealing with 11 active cases of the flu-like disease that has claimed over 7,000 lives worldwide. North Korean state media quoted Kim Jong-un has saying that the country lacked modern medical facilities equipped to deal with the global spread of the novel coronavirus outbreak and appealed for urgent improvements, News18 reported. The report quoted experts as saying that an oubreak of coronavirus in North Korea would be devastating ebcause of the lack of medical supplies and "outdated healthcare infrastructure". India is currently dealing with 130 active cases, while three people have succumbed to the infection. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has been targetting the government over the the slowing economy and the coronavirus outbreak in the last few weeks, on Wednesday said that the Centre needs to take "quick and aggressive action" in tackling with the spread of COVID-19 in the country. Meanwhile, The Times of India reported that a case has been filed against Vardhan in Bihar for "not stopping the black marketing of essential items". A reporter with ThePrint tweeted that he was first advised to get admitted to the Beleghata ID hospital in Kolkata on 15 March, but he ignored the advisory and interacted with several people, including family members. "On 16 he was taken to MR Bangur hospital, met deputy super and others. Again turned down requests to get admitted. He returned home again. His mother went to Nabanna, attended many important meetings, met many people. He too met people, who are now being tracked," the tweet further added. Despite being cautioned by medical officials multiple times, man from West Bengal's Kolkata ignored crucial health directives and now has been tested positive for coronavirus. He is also incidentally West Bengal's first confirmed case. The infected person, a student in the UK, refused to get tested for the COVID-19 infection despite being asked by several authorities as he had just returned from the UK. Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha, said that India had assisted China with medical supplies worth Rs 2,11 crore, including one lakh surgical masks, five lakh pairs of sugical gloves, 75 pieces of infusion pumps, 30 pieces of enteral feeding pumps, 21 pieces of defibrillator and 4,000 pieces of N-95 masks. Muraleedharan said 1,706 samples have been taken, including from pilgrims, students and other Indians stranded in Iran. A team of six Indian health officials has been deputed to Iran in order to set up testing and sampling facilities there, he said. Asked about steps take by the Centre to help Indians stranded in Iran due to the coronavirus outbreak, Muraleedharan said the government has made focussed efforts for the safe return of Indians from that country. The Indians in Iran include about 1,100 pilgrims mainly from Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir and Maharashtra, nearly 300 students primarily from Jammu and Kashmir, about 1,000 fishermen, including from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat, and others who are on a long-term stay in Iran for pursuing their livelihood and religious studies, the minister said. In Iran, as per available information, there are over 6,000 Indian nationals, MoS External Affairs V Muraleedharan said in his written reply to a question on whether many Indians are held up in Arab countries including Kuwait and Iran due to coronavirus. The number of positive cases of coronavirus in India on Wednesday rose to 151, which included 25 foreign nationals and 126 Indians, according to the health ministry's website. "Some incidents of racial remarks against North-East people have emerged in some parts of India in the wake of #Coronavirus due to cultural ignorance, prejudice minset & lack of understanding. Matter discussed with NE Division, MHA. Strict advisory is being issued to the States," Rijiju tweeted. Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, also said the issue was taken up with the North East division in the Ministry of Home Affairs. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said a strict advisory is being issued to all states to take action after some incidents of racial remarks against people belonging to the North East in some parts of the country were reported in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Vistara airlines on Wednesday said that it was suspending its international flights from 20 March to 31 March. "We are temporarily suspending our international operations from 20 March to 31 March. We have also temporarily adjusted domestic capacity for March and April in view of reduced demand. Customers booked on the affected flights will be fully refunded," the statement. "In Boots stores across London, items like thermometers, paracetemol and hand soap have sold out. Hand soap sales alone are at about 1,000% of usual levels," the report said. CNN reported that UK's pharmacies, including the biggest chain 'Boots', have imposed rations on essential items like hand sanitisers as a measure against panic-buying amid the coronavirus outbreak. Maharashtra is the worst-affected state by the COVID-19 outbreak, with 42 cases reported so far. The Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope said that the state government has not taken any decision on allowing private labs to conduct the coronavirus diagnostic tests in the state. Iran's deputy health minister, Alireza Raisi, urged the public to avoid travel and crowded places. In a statement on state TV, Raisi told Iranians the coming period represented two "golden weeks" to try curb the virus from spreading further. Still, even as the number of cases continues to grow each day, food markets were still packed with shoppers on Wednesday and highways were crowded with traffic as families traveled between cities ahead of the Persian New Year, Nowruz, on Friday. Iran reported its single biggest jump in deaths from the new coronavirus on Wednesday as another 147 people died, raising the country's overall death toll to 1,135, AP reported. The nearly 15 percent spike in deaths amid a total of 17,361 confirmed cases in Iran marks the biggest 24-hour rise in fatalities since officials first acknowledged cases of the virus in Iran in mid-February. The government also asked people to take necessary precautionary measures. The Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday declared that all educational institutions in the state will be shut in light of the coronavirus outbreak. This includes schools, colleges, universities, and coaching centers. Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand government has also issued an order to allow government employees to work from home. The order reads, "Only employees whose presence in offices is very necessary shall be called to office". The order will be effective from 19 March to 25 March." Delhi lieutenant governor Anil Baijal said that in a meeting with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday, the authorities deliberated social distancing measures which can be encouraged in government offices, public transport, and public places. Italy has been the second hardest hit country with more than 31,000 cases, behind more than 81,000 in China. In releasing the new figures, Johns Hopkins University also said more than 82,000 people recovered from the virus, which causes only mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough for most people, although severe illness is more likely in the elderly and those with existing health problems. Desperate travelers choked European border crossings Wednesday after countries implemented strict controls to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus, which has now infected more than 200,000 people worldwide and killed more than 8,000. Donald Trump said that the US was shutting its northern border with Canada for non-essential traffic with "mutual consent" in a bid to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. "Trade will not be affected," Trump tweeted. The Human Resource Development ministry is likely to launch e-classes on the Swayam Prabha DTH channels for school students, reports said on Wednesday. "Time slots of four hours daily approved on Swayam Prabha DTH channels for selected states," the ministry was quoted as saying by The Times of India. The Maharashtra government on Wednesday decided to allow novel coronavirus testing at eight labs apart from from the National Institute of Virology in Pune, reports said. News18 reported that the testing in three new labs will begin from Thursday. At least 195 Indians who were stranded in coronavirus-hit Iran have been quarantined in a facility in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer. They arrived in India on Wednesday evening. Passengers have been reporting chaos at the Delhi airport amid the quarantine imposed for Indian nationals arriving from abroad for the coronavirus outbreak. The Punjab jails department is considering releasing around 3,000 drug peddlers and 2,800 petty criminals lodged in various jails in state to curb prison overcrowding and contain the coronavirus outbreak, News18 reported . The Times of India has quoted the Directorate of Health Services, Uttar Pradesh as saying, "A total of 17 people have tested positive for coronavirus; 8 from Agra, 2 from Ghaziabad, 4 from Noida and 3 from Lucknow. "Particularly, the children and the lactating and nursing mothers in rural as well as tribal area are prone to such mal-nourishment. Such mal-nutrition may affect their immunity system and as such, such children and lactating and nursing mothers would be more prone to catch the infection. While dealing with one crisis, the situation may not lead to creation of another crisis," the bench said. A bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant said that non-supply of nutritional food to the children as well as lactating and nursing mothers may lead to large-scale malnourishment. Taking suo motu (on its own) note of the situation, it said all the states and UTs should come out with a uniform policy so as to ensure that while preventing spread of COVID-19, the schemes for providing nutritional food to the children and nursing and lactating mothers are not adversely affected. While dealing with one crisis, the situation may not lead to creation of another crisis as on account of the shutdown of schools and Anganwadis, children as well as lactating and nursing mothers would be deprived of the nutritional food, the top court said while seeking response of the states and Union Territories. The Supreme Court said on Wednesday that non-availability of mid-day meals to children, as schools in many parts of the country have been shut due to the coronavirus pandemic, should not deprive them of nutritious food. Reports on Wednesday said that the Ministry of Food and Consumer Affairs has directed states to sell surgical masks, soaps, and hand sanitisers in fair price shops and for beneficiaries of the ration scheme to wear surgical masks. The Maharashtra public health department said that a 50-year-old person has tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Ratnagiri. The person has a travel history to Dubai. Total number of positive cases reaches 45 in Maharashtra. "Indians coming from South Korea are required to produce negative COVID-19 certificate to come to the country," the notification said. The health ministry on Wednesday said that passengers coming/transiting through the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait after 12 GMT on 18 March (port of departure) to be quarantined upon arrival for 14 days. Those who have visited China, South Korea, Iran, Italy, Spain, France, and Germany on/after 15 February to be quarantined. The CBSE board has postponed all exams in India and abroad from 19 to 31 March in light of the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country. Adhering to the government's advisory to observe 'social distancing', the board said that a new exam schedule will be announced by 31 March after reassessing the situation, The Indian Express reported . The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on Thursday night at 9 pm, he will speak about issues related to the novel coronavirus and the measures taken by the government to combat the spread of the infection. "A resident of Khanyar area in Srinagar tested positive for COVID-19, Jammu and Kashmir administration confirmed. According to authorities, the patient had a history of international travel and arrived in India on 16 March. The patient has currently been put under isolation and surveillance, contact tracing has started in a 300-metre area," the report said. The first case of coronavirus was reported in the Kashmir area of the Jammu and Kashmir union territory on Wednesday, India Today reported. "The JEE-Main exam has been postponed. The new date will be decided in accordance with the board exams schedule and other competitive exams to ensure there is no clash," a senior NTA official said. The Joint Entrance Exam (JEE-Main) for admission to IITs and engineering colleges was postponed on Wednesday in view of coronavirus, according to the HRD Ministry's National Testing Agency (NTA). The exam was scheduled to be held from 5 April to 11 April. "PM Modi emphasised on actively engaging with individuals, local communities and organisations in chalking out mechanisms to fight the Covid-19 menace. He also urged officials and technical experts to deliberate on the steps to be taken next," the statement said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a review meeting on the government's efforts to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country, the Prime Minister's Office said. on Wednesday. "The entire effort of the state government is that the citizens of the state survive the infection of this epidemic. People should be advised not to congregate through loudspeakers at other religious and public places including temples, mosques," he added. Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said that Section 144 had been imposed across the state in a bid to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. "In order to save the lives of the people from the coronavirus infection, Section 144 has been directed to be implemented in the first phase across the state by 31 March. The District Magistrate, Sub Divisional Officers have been authorized to issue necessary guidelines in this regard," Gehlot said. The United Kingdom on Wednesday reported a rise in the national toll due to coronavirus. The toll has risen to 104, with 99 deaths in England, three deaths in Scotland, and two deaths in Wales. On Wednesday, 104 patients succumbed to the disease, which is the biggest daily jump in the country so far. Calling himself a wartime president, Trump said he would sign the Defense Production Act in case we need it as the government bolsters resources for an expected surge in cases of the virus. On a day of head-spinning developments, stocks tumbled again on Wall Street, falling so fast they triggered another automatic trading halt. More borders slammed shut across Europe and North America, with the U.S. and Canada agreeing to close their shared boundary to all but essential travel. And the Trump administration pressed Congress to swiftly pass a potentially $1 trillion rescue package to prop up the economy and speed relief checks to Americans in a matter of weeks. President Donald Trump on Wednesday moved to invoke a federal law that allows the government to marshal the private sector to deal with the coronavirus epidemic, as the economic damage mounted with word that Detroits Big Three automakers agreed to shut down all their factories to protect workers. "The 35-year-old deceased jumped off the 7th floor of the Safdarjung Hospital, according to a PCR call received by the Delhi Police. He was admitted to Safdarjung Hospital at 9 pm on Wednesday only as a suspected coronavirus patient. The deceased has come to India from Sydney in Australia and had complained of a headache," the report said. A patient with the novel coronavirus committed suicide at the Safdarjung hospital in Delhi on Wednesday, India Today reported. We therefore need schools to make provisions for the children of these key workers and they also need to look after the most vulnerable children. For many parents, these steps will be frustrating. Thats why we are now working on further measures to keep our economy going. Johnson was quoted as saying. UK prime minister Boris Johnson said that schools across the country will shut from Friday, in his weekly press conference. "The closures will affect students of all ages, except for the children of key workers -- including NHS staff, police and delivery drivers and vulnerable children," CNN reported. Pakistan recorded the first death due to the novel coronavirus on Wednesday as confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose to 289, reports said. He continued, So we want them to heed the advice and I do believe its getting through. He said, I hope they just listen to what weve been saying over the last period of time. We dont want them gathering, and I see that they do gather including on beaches, and including in restaurants, young people. They dont realize that theyre feeling invincible, I dont know if you felt invincible when you were young. But they dont realize that they could be carrying lots of bad things home to their grandmother and grandfather and even their parents, he said. US president Donald Trump on Wednesday said that the country's youth needed to heed the advice of experts to exercise caution, but also called for them to stay calm. Seven more coronavirus cases were confirmed in Telangana on Wednesday night, ANI reported. All the patients are Indonesian nationals and have been kept in isolation wards, a notification from the government said. Embassy of India in United States of America (USA) releases updated advisory for Indian students in USA in view of COVID-19 pandemic. "The entire effort of the state government is that the citizens of the state survive the infection of this epidemic. People should be advised not to congregate through loudspeakers at other religious and public places including temples, mosques," he added. Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said that Section 144 had been imposed across the state in a bid to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. "In order to save the lives of the people from the coronavirus infection, Section 144 has been directed to be implemented in the first phase across the state by 31 March. The District Magistrate, Sub Divisional Officers have been authorized to issue necessary guidelines in this regard," Gehlot said. The United Kingdom on Wednesday reported a rise in the national toll due to coronavirus. The toll has risen to 104, with 99 deaths in England, three deaths in Scotland, and two deaths in Wales. On Wednesday, 104 patients succumbed to the disease, which is the biggest daily jump in the country so far. Calling himself a wartime president, Trump said he would sign the Defense Production Act in case we need it as the government bolsters resources for an expected surge in cases of the virus. On a day of head-spinning developments, stocks tumbled again on Wall Street, falling so fast they triggered another automatic trading halt. More borders slammed shut across Europe and North America, with the U.S. and Canada agreeing to close their shared boundary to all but essential travel. And the Trump administration pressed Congress to swiftly pass a potentially $1 trillion rescue package to prop up the economy and speed relief checks to Americans in a matter of weeks. President Donald Trump on Wednesday moved to invoke a federal law that allows the government to marshal the private sector to deal with the coronavirus epidemic, as the economic damage mounted with word that Detroits Big Three automakers agreed to shut down all their factories to protect workers. "The 35-year-old deceased jumped off the 7th floor of the Safdarjung Hospital, according to a PCR call received by the Delhi Police. He was admitted to Safdarjung Hospital at 9 pm on Wednesday only as a suspected coronavirus patient. The deceased has come to India from Sydney in Australia and had complained of a headache," the report said. A patient with the novel coronavirus committed suicide at the Safdarjung hospital in Delhi on Wednesday, India Today reported. '"No airline will bring any passenger from Australia, Belgium, Bulgeria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom effective 12 GMT March 12 at Port of departure," a home ministry spokesperson was quoted as saying by The Times of India. We therefore need schools to make provisions for the children of these key workers and they also need to look after the most vulnerable children. For many parents, these steps will be frustrating. Thats why we are now working on further measures to keep our economy going. Johnson was quoted as saying. UK prime minister Boris Johnson said that schools across the country will shut from Friday, in his weekly press conference. "The closures will affect students of all ages, except for the children of key workers -- including NHS staff, police and delivery drivers and vulnerable children," CNN reported. Pakistan recorded the first death due to the novel coronavirus on Wednesday as confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose to 289, reports said. He continued, So we want them to heed the advice and I do believe its getting through. He said, I hope they just listen to what weve been saying over the last period of time. We dont want them gathering, and I see that they do gather including on beaches, and including in restaurants, young people. They dont realize that theyre feeling invincible, I dont know if you felt invincible when you were young. But they dont realize that they could be carrying lots of bad things home to their grandmother and grandfather and even their parents, he said. US president Donald Trump on Wednesday said that the country's youth needed to heed the advice of experts to exercise caution, but also called for them to stay calm. Seven more coronavirus cases were confirmed in Telangana on Wednesday night, ANI reported. All the patients are Indonesian nationals and have been kept in isolation wards, a notification from the government said. Embassy of India in United States of America (USA) releases updated advisory for Indian students in USA in view of #COVID19 pandemic. pic.twitter.com/AxeK74KBML Embassy of India in United States of America (USA) releases updated advisory for Indian students in USA in view of COVID-19 pandemic. Coronavirus Outbreak HIGHLIGHTS: The first case of coronavirus was reported in the Kashmir area of the Jammu and Kashmir union territory on Wednesday, India Today reported. "A resident of Khanyar area in Srinagar tested positive for COVID-19, Jammu and Kashmir administration confirmed. According to authorities, the patient had a history of international travel and arrived in India on 16 March. The patient has currently been put under isolation and surveillance, contact tracing has started in a 300-metre area," the report said. The CBSE board has postponed all exams in India and abroad from 19 to 31 March in light of the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country. Adhering to the government's advisory to observe 'social distancing', the board said that a new exam schedule will be announced by 31 March after reassessing the situation, The Indian Express reported. The Times of India has quoted the Directorate of Health Services, Uttar Pradesh as saying, "A total of 17 people have tested positive for coronavirus; 8 from Agra, 2 from Ghaziabad, 4 from Noida and 3 from Lucknow. The Maharashtra government on Wednesday decided to allow novel coronavirus testing at eight labs apart from from the National Institute of Virology in Pune, reports said. News18 reported that the testing in three new labs will begin from Thursday. Desperate travelers choked European border crossings Wednesday after countries implemented strict controls to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus, which has now infected more than 200,000 people worldwide and killed more than 8,000. Still, even as the number of cases continues to grow each day, food markets were still packed with shoppers on Wednesday and highways were crowded with traffic as families traveled between cities ahead of the Persian New Year, Nowruz, on Friday. Iran's deputy health minister, Alireza Raisi, urged the public to avoid travel and crowded places. In a statement on state TV, Raisi told Iranians the coming period represented two "golden weeks" to try curb the virus from spreading further. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said a strict advisory is being issued to all states to take action after some incidents of racial remarks against people belonging to the North East in some parts of the country were reported in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, also said the issue was taken up with the North East division in the Ministry of Home Affairs. "Some incidents of racial remarks against North-East people have emerged in some parts of India in the wake of #Coronavirus due to cultural ignorance, prejudice minset & lack of understanding. Matter discussed with NE Division, MHA. Strict advisory is being issued to the States," Rijiju tweeted. The number of positive cases of coronavirus in India on Wednesday rose to 151, which included 25 foreign nationals and 126 Indians, according to the health ministry's website. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has been targetting the government over the the slowing economy and the coronavirus outbreak in the last few weeks, on Wednesday said that the Centre needs to take "quick and aggressive action" in tackling with the spread of COVID-19 in the country. India is currently dealing with 130 active cases, while three people have succumbed to the infection. The Karnataka Cabinet on Wednesday set aside Rs 200 crore to tackle the spread of the novel coronavirus in the state, The Times of India quoted Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa as saying. The state currently is dealing with 11 active cases of the flu-like disease that has claimed over 7,000 lives worldwide. "The restrictions that have been imposed in the state for a week from 14 March have been extended till 31 March, he announced in the Legislative Assembly after a special cabinet meeting to discuss the impact of Covid-19," the report said. The report also said that the state is going to be in lockdown till 31 March. PTI reported that four passengers who have travel history with Germany and with prescribed home quarantine on Wednesday deboarded from an express train at Palghar station. The co-passengers raised an alarm, the report said. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has asked all paramilitary forces to get into 'battle mode' and 'plan ahead' to combat the coronavirus pandemic, which has infected almost 200,000 and killed nearly 8,000 people worldwide. The guidelines come in the wake of an Indian Army trooper from Ladakh testing positive. Also, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday suspended the Vaishno Devi Yatra in view of coronavirus outbreak. A fresh coronavirus case has been reported in Telangana on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases in Telangana to six. Meanwhile, Ministry of External Affairs in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha said that 276 Indians are infected with coronavirus abroad including 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE, 5 in Italy, and 1 each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda, and Sri Lanka. Karnataka health minister B Sriramulu said that two people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Bengaluru, taking the total cases in the state to 13. A person, with a travel history to Indonesia, tested positive for coronavirus. This is the fourth positive case of coronavirus from Gautam Buddh Nagar. Goa Health Min Vishwajit Rane said that a reported call made to health authorities by impersonating testing lab which notified of a positive COVID-19 case in the state was a hoax. A Norwegian man on Wednesday tested positive for novel coronavirus infection in Goa, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said. The man had travelled to Delhi, Agra, Assam and Meghalaya after leaving Norway on 6 February, he said. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday declared a 'human biosecurity emergency' and said the countrys citizens should abandon all overseas travel because of the coronavirus epidemic that he warned could last at least six months. This essentially rules out all Australian players, coaches, etc from the IPL which had been postponed to mid-April. The formal declaration gives the government the power to close off cities or regions, impose curfews and order people to quarantine, if deemed necessary to contain the spread of the virus. The upgrade in official advice to an unprecedented Level 4: Do not travel to any country in the world, was accompanied by a ban on any non-essential indoor gatherings of more than 100 people, reports Reuters. India has prohibited the entry of Indian passport holders in European Union, Turkey, and United Kingdom to India from today. A woman from Pune, who had a travel history to France and Netherlands, tested positive for COVID-19. This takes the number of cases in Pune to 18 and in Maharashtra to 42. An Indian Army jawan from Ladakh, whose father had travelled to Iran for pilgrimage, has become the first positive case of COVID-19 in the 1.3 million-strong force. Modi mentioned Indias recent initiative to organise a video conference among SAARC countries and Mohammed bin Salman and he 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. The government of Jammu and Kashmir barred the entry of foreign tourists as a precautionary measure. As the number of novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 137 on Tuesday, several states took major preventive measures, including restrictions on assembly in public places, closure of schools, and even stopping entry to the Taj Mahal. The country reported its third coronavirus fatality with the death of a 64-year-old man in Mumbai. The patient was admitted to the city's Kasturba Hospital and was suffering from multiple health issues apart from being infected by the novel coronavirus, said Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation chief Praveen Pardeshi. The new cases reported on Tuesday include 24 foreign nationals and the three persons who died in Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra. 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. Maharashtra reports most cases Maharashtra has reported 39 cases, including three 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 14 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. The situation in Maharashtra prompted chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to urge people to strictly follow social distancing, saying that the state government may be forced to close public transport and government offices if this does not happen. "There will be no closure of government offices and public transport in Mumbai. But if people don't exercise restraint and don't avoid non-essential travel, we will be forced to take the harsh decision," Thackeray said. He said the decision of shopkeepers in Pune to shut down their establishments on their own was worth emulating by others. "It would be good if shopkeepers in other cities shut down their establishments on their own except in case of essential services like grocery supply," he said. "We are working on how to ensure the working of government offices with a minimum attendance," he said. "If not required, don't venture out of homes. We don't wish to take harsh steps. People understand the gravity of this prevailing situation. Those who have the stamp of self-quarantine should stay at home. The next 15 days are crucial. People need to exercise self-discipline," he said. Travel restrictions On Tuesday, the government extended travel restrictions by banning the entry of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia to India with immediate effect, according to an additional travel advisory. This is in continuation of the travel advisories issued on 11 March and 16 March. 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 31 March and will be reviewed subsequently. On Monday, the government banned the entry of passengers from the European Union countries, Turkey and the UK from 18 to 31 March. Biosafety precautions The Health Ministry said that guidelines for the management of dead bodies infected with the disease have been issued to define a set of protocols in handling such cases. Joint Secretary Lav Aggarwal said the COVID-19 cases in India have risen to 137 and the number of deaths stood at three. "Guidelines for dead body management towards precautions, infection prevention and control measures, handling of body and environmental disinfection have been issued," Aggarwal said. "The main driver of transmission of COVID-19 is through droplets. There is unlikely to be an increased risk of COVID-19 infection from a dead body to health workers or family members who follow standard precautions while handling the body. "Only the lungs of dead COVID patients, if handled during an autopsy, can be infectious," the guidelines stated while listing out standard precautions to be followed by health care workers while handling bodies of those who die of the disease. More than 5,700 people who came in contact with those that tested positive are under rigorous surveillance, Aggarwal said. He also said that guidelines have been issued for the private sector laboratories intending to initiate COVID-19 testing. Laboratory tests for coronavirus at private labs should be offered when prescribed by a qualified physician as per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines for testing. "Private labs testing is to ensure realtime reporting to Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and the ICMR headquarters for timely initiation of contact tracing and research activities," he said. Global picture China began the 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 news agency reported. Wuhan reported just one confirmed case of the COVID-19 and 12 deaths on Monday, the provincial health commission said on Tuesday. 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. A state television journalist who also is a medical doctor gave the warning only hours after the hardline Shiite in the country pushed their way into the courtyards of two major shrines that had just been closed over fears of the virus. Meanwhile, France said 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 travellers 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. With inputs from agencies New Jerseys first government-run drive-thru coronavirus testing center is set to open Friday in Bergen County as the outbreak continues to spread across the state, with the number of cases in the state increasing to 427, including five deaths, officials announced Wednesday. And a second, similar site is likely to be open next week in Monmouth County, officials said, as the state works to expand testing amid concerns over the number of tests available. The first center a joint effort between local, state, and federal officials will be located at Bergen Community College in Paramus. Bergen is the New Jersey county thats been hit hardest by the virus, with 114 confirmed cases. The site, to be supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will have the ability to collect 2,500 specimens a week, state Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said during the states daily coronavirus briefing in Trenton. Officials said Wednesday they do not have updated numbers on how many tests have been administered in the state, nor how many more are expected in the coming weeks. Workers at the Bergen center will only collect samples. Actual testing will be done at laboratories elsewhere. Persichilli said the center will initially collect specimens only for people showing symptoms of the virus. And testing health-care workers and first responders will be the first priority. Gov. Phil Murphy said the state will have more details about the site, including how to qualify for a test, on Thursday. Officials said the state is working with FEMA to open a similar testing site at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel. That site could open within a matter of days after the Bergen site, Murphy said. The Bergen center was originally predicted to open this past Monday, but that was delayed when FEMA agreed to help. The agency named New Jersey this week as one of 12 priority states to have testing sites set up. Murphy announced Wednesday that New Jersey saw its number of coronavirus cases increase by 162, with two more deaths. The governor said part of the reason for the jump is because the state is seeing some evidence of community spread and is seeing testing increase across New Jersey. The states laboratories have been running tests, as have some private health-care companies and a pair of hospitals. There are two drive-thru centers in Secaucus, and Hackensack Meridian Health and Robert Wood Johnson University Medical Center in New Brunswick also administer testing. All these sites, officials said, use the same general procedures, which are approved by the Federal Drug Administration. A medical technician at the at Riverside Medical Group command center administers a COVID-19 test on a patient inside an automobile at Riverside's drive-up facility in Secaucus. Patients have to call in to be screened by an expert at Riverside, and the tests are for Riverside patients only.Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com But Murphy said the Bergen site opening Friday will be the most robust of them all. The novel coronavirus, which causes the illness COVID-19, has three main symptoms: fever, cough, and shortness of breath. They usually develop 2-14 days after exposure to the virus, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control. Murphy has instituted sweeping restrictions in New Jersey to fight the spread of the virus that has infected more than 212,000 people and killed more than 8,700 people across the world. The governor has ordered all schools, indoor malls, movie theaters, casinos, gyms, and more closed until further notice. Restaurants can offer only takeout or delivery. Non-essential travel between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. is strongly discouraged. Gatherings of 50 people or more are also off-limits. Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey: If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. The city of Worcester has announced Worcester Together," a partnership with local organizations to address the short- and long-term needs of the community amid the COVID-19 outbreak, including getting food to homeless people, setting up emergency shelters and other measures. The partnership will combine efforts of the city of Worcester, the Greater Worcester Community Foundation and the United Way of Central Massachusetts, Worcester City Manager Edward Augustus Jr. announced Wednesday. The Greater Worcester Community Foundation has a COVID-19 response fund, which is focused on long-term needs, Augustus said. This is not something thats going to go away in the next couple of weeks, Augustus said at a news conference on Wednesday, announcing a new coronavirus case in the city. This is something that our community is going to feel the impacts of for months if not longer down the road. The United Way of Central Massachusetts has started its We Care Fund, which focuses on the immediate, basic needs of the community. This fund will help with things like getting food to those affected by the coronavirus, including the homeless population and immigrant communities, as well as setting up emergency shelters, Augustus said. The Greater Worcester Community Foundations fund has been seeded with $535,000 of the foundations dollars. The We Care Fund was seeded with $100,000 of the United Ways funding, Augustus said. Augustus said he hoped other foundations, businesses, individuals who want to help would contribute to the funds. These are the kinds of funds that you can contribute to and know that theyre going to be coordinated with the city and with other community-based organizations to help meet those needs, Augustus said. In Worcester, four people have tested positive for coronavirus, Augustus said Wednesday. Additionally, two people who work in Worcester but live in other communities have tested positive. In Massachusetts, there are 256 cases of coronavirus. Worcester County has 10 cases, the state Department of Health said earlier Wednesday. Related Content: Fani Kayode, a former minister for aviation has described as sad the news that the lady that tested negative to coronavirus in Enugu state but died as a result of unrelated illness. Speaking via his official Twitter handle, he further stated that more sadder is the claim by the deceaseds daughter that the state government is responsible for her death because she was kept in isolation. Read Also: Coronavirus: Fani Kayode Insults Buhari For Not Addressing Nigerians He wrote: Sad that the lady that tested negative to Covid19 in Enugu has died as a consequence of an unrelated illness. Even sadder is the ludicrous claim by her daughter that the Enugu State Govt is responsible for her death because they kept her in isolation.This is malicious rubbish! A science teacher has revealed how to make hand sanitiser in a sauce bottle as stocks have disappeared off shelves during the coronavirus outbreak. As the coronavirus outbreak continues, supermarket shelves have been stripped of everyday essentials such as hand sanitiser and toilet paper. Australian science teacher and YouTuber Jacob Strickling has demonstrated how people at home can make their own hand sanitiser in a sauce bottle. As the coronavirus outbreak continues, supermarket shelves have been stripped bare of essentials such as hand sanitiser (Pictured: : A view of Empty shelves at a supermarket) 'Now it [the sanitiser] has to be alcoholic based and it needs to be a minimum of 60 per cent,' he says in the video. 'The alcohols that I see recommended are like isopropyl and also ethanol, but methylated spirits is actually 95 per cent ethanol.' 'The alcohol is quite effective against the virus.' Alcohol is effective at killing microbes such as viruses and bacteria as it unfolds and inactivates their proteins. Mr Strickling explains the hand sanitiser needs a gel so the skin is protected from the harsh alcohol, and for this he uses aloe vera. 'Aloe vera will mix with the alcohol and will form a moisture layer gel to protect your skin from the alcohol,' he said. To make the homemade hand sanitiser he peels the green skin off the aloe vera plants and puts the clear gel into a blender. Australian science teacher and YouTuber Jacob Strickling (pictured) has demonstrated how people at home can make their own hand sanitiser in a sauce bottle A science teacher is sharing how to make hand sanitiser in a sauce bottle as stocks have disappeared off shelves during the coronavirus outbreak He then blends the gel until it becomes a foamy consistency before mixing in the methylated spirits. Mr Strickling adds enough so the final mixture has an alcohol content greater than 60 per cent, which is 'necessary to break down the envelope protein wall of the virus and destroy it'. HOW DOES HAND SANITISER KILL THE CORONAVIRUS? Alcohol is effective at killing microbes such as viruses and bacteria as it unfolds and inactivates their proteins. The process is called denaturation and cripples and kills the microbes as the proteins unfold. The homemade hand sanitiser is most effective when there is about 60 per cent alcohol used. Source: Science Alert Advertisement The science teacher decides to put his homemade into a left-over barbecue sauce bottle he had already sterilised. He then showcases the homemade hand sanitiser by rubbing it on his hands: 'That feels wonderful, that feels very good.' 'Now I've got my very own virus stopper,' he says. Hand sanitiser has disappeared off shelves and was seen being sold on Facebook for up to $200 for one bottle. Another seller was flogging 200ml bottles of Dettol hand sanitiser, usually $8, for $25 each. Coles has introduced limits on sales of pasta, flour, uncooked rice, paper towels, paper tissues, toilet paper and hand sanitisters, as its shelves were left bare by panic buyers. Customers are only allowed two of those items each, with similar restrictions in place in Woolworths and Aldi. Mr Strickling explains the hand sanitiser needs a gel so the skin is protected from the harsh alcohol, for this he uses aloe vera The first meeting of a parliamentary panel on the fallout of COVID-19 saw aviation, rail and tourism officials explaining the impact on their sectors to the committee on Wednesday. While Air India CMD Rajiv Bansal earned praise for the evacuation of Indians from China, Iran and other places, the railway board chairman faced criticism for not providing documents or giving a proper presentation on how the railways is tackling the outbreak. The members of the panel urged the officials to protect jobs of employees. The panel was informed that while hotels are reporting 80-90% cancellations, railways is facing cancellations, MPs also suggested that masks should be distributed to all passengers traveling by air. Some Opposition MPs also suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet with state CMs on the impact of Covid-19 and that central ministries discuss the same with respective state departments, especially health and tourism. Earlier, IATO president Pronob Sarkar said that the bodys estimate of losses does not include domestic tourism, which has seen a huge slump. Domestically, the loss is higher, and in the next two months, without a compensation and relief package in place, there could be losses running into lakhs. Our speculation is that without revenue, several big companies will cut down on staff. India clocked in 1.85 billion tourist visits (domestic as well as international) in 2019 according to the tourism ministry. On Monday, Sikkim became the third state after Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland to close doors to foreign tourists. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Over There, George M. Cohans rousing World War I anthem, captures much of the Western churchs perception of missions over the last century. The field was abroad. And we, the Christianized West, sent the wordthrough missionary personnel, resources, programs, and institutionsover there. Nowadays, our here increasingly resembles foreign territory, as the Western church finds itself on the social and cultural margins. In Exiles on Mission: How Christians Can Thrive in a Post-Christian World, Paul S. Williams, CEO of the British and Foreign Bible Society, calls us to embrace the opportunities this new position affords. Evangelism as Exiles author Elliot Clark, who works with Training Leaders International, spoke with Williams about serving as Gods ambassadors to our own culture. You have a unique combination of ministerial and marketplace experience both in the UK and North America. How does that background inform your writing on the challenges facing the Western church today? In my twenties I was wrestling with how to relate my faith to my work. I had grown up in a Christian family, walked away from the faith, gone to university, and grown very ambitious in a worldly way. Then I had a fairly dramatic encounter with God that brought me back to faith. This was the 1980s, and I was caught up in Londons Big Bang, a time of massive growth in finance and investment banking. Huge sums of money were being thrown at young graduates like me. Money and power were the worlds in which Id been formed to succeed through my education. I knew, as I returned to faith, that if Christianity meant anything at all, it meant the lordship of Christ over all of life, economic ... 1 You have reached the end of this Article Preview You have reached the end of this Article Preview To continue reading, subscribe now. Subscribers have full digital access. Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here. The 15 U.S. luxury hotels Mirae Asset Financial Group acquired from China's Anbang Insurance Group / Courtesy of Mirae Asset Financial Group Concerns grow over its investments in Asiana, US hotels By Park Jae-hyuk Concern is growing over the health of Mirae Asset Financial Group as it bet a huge amount of money on the tourism industry, the sector that has been bearing the brunt of the spread of COVID-19, according to market sources, Tuesday. In April, the company is supposed to take over 15 hotels in the United States from China's Anbang Insurance Group for $5.8 billion. It will also invest 489.9 billion won ($394 million) in Hyundai Development Company's (HDC) purchase of Asiana Airlines worth 2.5 trillion won. Mirae Asset was initially expected to look to synergy through its investments in the aviation and lodging industries. However, governments closing borders and banning public gatherings in response to the coronavirus pandemic has caused a glitch in the company's grand scheme. "Sectors reliant on trade and the free movement of people are most exposed, such as passenger airlines, shipping, lodging and leisure, which includes cruise lines and restaurants," Moody's Investors Service Vice President Benjamin Nelson said. An anonymously sourced report from Bloomberg also said that coronavirus fears could jeopardize Mirae Asset's hotel portfolio deal. Mirae Asset had planned to raise $1.8 billion for the deal from subsidiaries and cover the remaining $4 billion through borrowing from local investment banks. But foreign media have reported that the lender group led by Goldman Sachs has been unable to generate sufficient investor demand because of the pandemic's negative impact on the travel and hospitality industries. To the contrary, Mirae Asset said the pandemic would have a limited impact on its investment portfolio. "Since the U.S. Federal Reserve made rate cuts and decided to provide 8.5 trillion won in liquidity, the current situation is considered favorable for us to get loans," a company official said. "Hotels are blue chips, so we expect they will be assessed at their original value as time passes." He also mentioned his company's profit-takings through sales of its assets, such as Cologne City Hall in Germany and an office building in Chicago. "We made over 160 billion won in profit within two-and-a-half years by selling the T8 building in Frankfurt, which we bought for 360 billion won in 2017," the official said. He also cited Mirae Asset's recent issuance of subordinated bonds worth 500 billion won. Regarding Asiana, HDC issued a press release March 11 to say the acquisition procedure has been under way without any problem. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Following requests from local elected officials, the naval hospital USNS Comfort will dock in New York Harbor to supplement the areas hospitals as they prepare to deal with the worst of the coronavirus. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday that President Trump had decided to send the vessel, which contains about 1,000 beds, to New York City. Its an extraordinary step, obviously," Cuomo said at a press conference. Its literally a floating hospital, which will add capacity, and the president said that he will dispatch that immediately. Cuomo has repeatedly stressed New Yorks need for more hospital beds, if it will effectively deal with the virus, and said he is concerned the hospital system could be overwhelmed. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK *** Rep. Max Rose (D-Staten Island/South Brooklyn) joined with fellow New York Congressmembers Jose E. Serrano (D-the Bronx), Tom Suozzi (D-Long Island), and Nydia Velazquez (D-Brooklyn/Queens/Manhattan) in a letter Tuesday calling on the president to deploy the vessel. On Wednesday, Rose applauded the presidents decision to deploy the ship, which, in addition to its beds, contains operating rooms, laboratories and oxygen-producing plants. When the Comfort will arrive has not been disclosed. Getting ahead of the crisis and increasing capacity and hospital beds is vitally needed. The 1,000 beds, labs and additional resources aboard this ship will be a huge help in our efforts, Rose said. Perviously, the Comfort has been deployed around the world in response to wars and natural disasters. Most recently, the ship deployed to Central America, South America, and the Caribbean to assist nations healthcare systems, according to the Navy. Cuomo also said he has been in discussion with the federal government on siting mobile hospitals that have capacities of 200-250 people. Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark Esper told Fox News on Tuesday that the federal government will be engaging the Army Corps of Engineers, which Cuomo has also requested to help construct emergency hospitals. Cuomo said Wednesday that the number of total cases in New York has risen above 2,000, with 1,339 in the five boroughs. *** 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. CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE: Small business owner: Coronavirus is going to crush us Coronavirus: NYC travel industry in triage mode 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 English Lithuanian INVL Baltic Farmland AB (hereinafter may be referred to as the Company) on 28 February 2020 announced that it was convoking a General Ordinary Shareholders Meeting of the Company to take place on 23 March 2020 at the address Gyneju St. 14 in Vilnius. Announcement of 28 February 2020 on convocation of a General Ordinary Shareholders Meeting, its agenda and draft resolutions: https://cns.omxgroup.com/cdsPublic/viewDisclosure.action?disclosureId=924355&messageId=1164709 The Government of the Republic of Lithuania having declared, by resolution No. 207 of 14 March 2020, a quarantine of two-weeks duration in the Republic of Lithuania starting 16 March 2020 (and lasting until 30 March 2020), the Company gives notice that the General Ordinary Shareholders Meeting of the Company will take place on 23 March 2020, but shareholders of the Company will take part in the meeting by voting in advance in writing. A shareholder or person authorised by them should complete and sign a written voting bulletin and send it to the Company by e-mail (farmland@invaldainvl.com) and send the original by registered post to the address Gyneju St. 14, LT-01109 Vilnius. A document confirming the right to vote must be sent together with the bulletin. Those voting bulletins shall be deemed valid which are properly completed and are received before the General Ordinary Shareholders Meeting. More information about shareholders rights and duties is provided in the 28 February 2020 announcement on the convocation of a General Ordinary Shareholders Meeting: https://cns.omxgroup.com/cdsPublic/viewDisclosure.action?disclosureId=924355&messageId=1164709 At the same time, the Company provides a commentary regarding the operations being carried out and the business environment under the circumstances of the coronavirus (COVID-19): In the opinion of the management of INVL Baltic Farmland, the Companys operations will not be impacted or will be little impacted by the coronavirus because the agricultural land rental agreements which have been made are long-term and so far there are no announcements about disruptions of farming activity. However, if world prices of agricultural products were to fall sharply, INVL Baltic Farmland would also feel the consequences. If circumstances change or repercussions become clearer, the Company commits to provide information in a separate announcement. Person authorized to provide additional information: Director Egle Surpliene E-mail: egle.surpliene@invaldainvl.com Attachment Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, was first elected in 1996 and has handily won each election since then. He also has $4.5 million cash on hand. All the other Republican candidates combined made up only a fraction of that. Years later, Dr. Furstenberg used a similar approach to provide an alternate proof of a theorem about numbers that had already been proved by another mathematician, Endre Szemeredi. For a sufficiently large subset of integers one that mathematicians describe as having a positive density it is possible to find arbitrarily long arithmetic progressions, which are sequences like 3, 7, 11, 15 where the numbers are equally spaced apart. But Dr. Szemeredis proof was long and complicated. Furstenberg gave this beautiful, short proof, said Terence Tao, a mathematician at the University of California, Los Angeles. In 2004, Dr. Tao and Ben Green, a mathematician at the University of Oxford, cited Dr. Furstenberg and used ergodic theory arguments to prove a major result that arbitrarily long progressions also exist among the prime numbers, the integers that have exactly two divisors: 1 and themselves. Some notable work of Dr. Margulis, the other Abel Prize winner, addresses problems involving connected networks similar to the internet, where computers continually send messages to each other. To achieve the fastest communications, one would want to make a direct connection between every pair of computers. But that would require an impractically huge number of cables. These are networks that you are trying to engineer so that are very sparse on the one hand, said Peter Sarnak, a mathematician at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, N.J., yet at the same time they have the property that if youre trying to go from one point to another quickly with a short path, you can still do that. Dr. Margulis was the first to come up with a step-by-step procedure for how to create such networks, known as expander graphs. Recasting problems, as Dr. Margulis did using ergodic theory, often does not make it easier to solve them. Dr. Sarnak said that if a student had come to him with the initial steps of what Dr. Margulis had done, he would have said: So what? What did you do? You just reformulated it. It looks harder now. In the first case of the coronavirus in the Indian Army, a 34-year-old soldier has tested positive for the infection in Leh, army sources said on Wednesday as the the total number of cases in India rose to 147. IMAGE: Border Security Force personnel wear protective masks in view of coronavirus pandemic at a check-up camp in Jammu. Photograph: PTI Photo The soldier, a resident of Chuhot village in Leh, came in contact with his father, who had returned from a pilgrimage in Iran by an Air India flight on February 20 and tested positive for COVID-19. He is currently in quarantine at the Ladakh Heart Foundation since February 29. Before being quarantined, the soldier's father had met the family members. The soldier was on leave from February 25 and rejoined duty on March 2, sources said, adding he was quarantined on March 7 and tested positive on March 16. Even the soldier's brother has tested positive, sources said. The soldier has been isolated at the Sonam Nurboo Memorial Hospital. His sister, wife and two children are also quarantined at SNM Heart Foundation. "Even though the soldier had rejoined duty, he was helping his family during his father's quarantine period and stayed at Chuchot village for some time," they said. Sources said all those who have come in contact with the soldier have been quaratined but did not give the exact numbers immediately. According to health officials, the total number of novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 147 with 10 fresh cases reported from various parts of the country. The cases include 25 foreign nationals and the three persons who died in Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra, officials. The number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus worldwide surpassed 200,000 for the first time Wednesday and the damage being seeded in the global economy is growing more clear. Furloughs and job cuts, from dog walkers, to oilfield workers, have begun. Governments around the world are pushing drastic countermeasures to help workers, particularly those who live paycheck to paycheck. Following are developments Wednesday affecting various levels of the economy, businesses and workers: MARKETS: US futures fell hard enough before the opening bell Wednesday that trading was halted, then the Dow tumbled more than 1,000 points at the opening bell. A barrel of crude can be had for less than USD 25. The last time crude traded at similar levels was May 2003. Long-term government bonds, considered among the safest of places to park money, were discarded. So was gold, despite a US rescue package that could approach USD 1 trillion. Markets tumbled in London and Frankfurt, Shanghai and Tokyo. Technology, manufacturing, banks, as well as retail and leisure sectors, are being hammered. Boeing, a global titan of manufacturing, plunged 18 per cent before markets opened Wednesday. It's lost more than 60 per cent of its value in the past month. The CBOE Volatility Index,Wall Street's fear gauge, appears to have broken from its tether. HEAVY INDUSTRY: Honda said Wednesday that it will shut down plants in North America for a week, starting on Monday because it expects sales to fall. Fiat Chrysler has temporarily closed an assembly plant north of Detroit for a second time in two days after fears that the virus could spread there. The evening shift was sent home Tuesday at the Sterling Heights, Michigan, plant after a worker tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19. Work resumed early Wednesday, but the company shut the plant down again for deep cleaning out of an abundance of caution." The plant makes Ram pickup trucks and employs 7,271 hourly workers. Fiat Chrysler said the infected worker had not been in the plant for more than a week. On Tuesday night Detroit's three automakers agreed to rotating temporary production suspensions to better clean factories and leave more time between shifts. The move held off a demand from the United Auto Workers for a two-week US production shutdown. BMW is closing its factories in Europe. It follows Ford, Volkswagen, Renault, Groupe PSA and Fiat Chrysler. It is not only the risk of infection, but the fall-off in demand. Airbus, the global aircraft maker, is halting production in France and Spain for the week. WANDER LOST: States and cities that depend heavily on tourism are capitulating, for now. The governor of Hawaii encouraged everyone to postpone vacations there for at least the next 30 days. The governor of Nevada ordered all casinos to close for the month. Major casinos have already ceased operations on the Las Vegas Strip,. Two cruise ships that have been turned away by other ports are headed to Honolulu. Holland America Line's Maasdam cruise ship, which had its port call for Hilo, Hawaii canceled, will disembark in Honolulu Harbor, state officials said. The Maasdam, with 842 guests and 542 crew, is scheduled to arrive in Honolulu Friday. Norwegian Cruise Line said that one of its vessels, the Norwegian Jewel with 2,000 aboard, had been turned away by Fiji and New Zealand. It is expected to disembark in Honolulu on Sunday. There are no cases of coronavirus on either ship, said Tim Sakahara, a spokesman for Hawaii's transportation department. GLOBAL COORDINATION: The leaders of the world's 20 biggest economies may hold a virtual meeting next week about advancing a coordinated response to the coronavirus pandemic. Saudi Arabia, which currently leads the G20 presidency, said it is communicating with countries to convene the virtual meeting of leaders. The kingdom said in a statement Wednesday that the Group of 20 countries will act in any way deemed necessary to alleviate the impact of the pandemic and will put forward a coordinated set of policies to protect people and safeguard the global economy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 5.7-magnitude earthquake struck near Salt Lake City in the US state of Utah on Wednesday, damaging an iconic Mormon temple and disrupting efforts to battle the coronavirus pandemic. The shallow quake -- Utah's strongest since 1992 -- also closed Salt Lake City airport, damaged buildings downtown and left tens of thousands without power. There were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths. The Salt Lake Temple, one of the Mormon Church's largest and most famous buildings, sustained damage. A 12.5-foot (3.81-metre), three-ton copper statue depicting an ancient American prophet from the Book of Mormon sitting atop the building was damaged. "The trumpet on the Angel Moroni statue fell off, and there is minor displacement of some of the temple's smaller spire stones," said spokesman Daniel Woodruff. The 16 million-strong Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as it is formally known, is based in Salt Lake City. It had already suspended all public ceremonies and gatherings over the coronavirus pandemic. The quake also brought down Utah's coronavirus hotline due to evacuations at the call center, as well as the state's public health lab. The state's daily coronavirus news conference was cancelled. "Please stay away from the downtown area while crews assess damage," tweeted Governor Gary Herbert Salt Lake City International Airport tweeted that it "is not currently operational," with the air control tower, terminals and concourses all evacuated. Rocky Mountain Power said electricity to some 55,000 customers had been knocked out by the quake, which hit at a depth of six miles (10 kilometres), said the US Geological Survey. The Salt Lake Tribune said there were reports of damage to homes and businesses. "This is one of the scariest things I've ever gotten through in my entire life," Griffin Bonacci, who lives in Magna near the epicenter, told the newspaper. "It kept ramping up and ramping up and ramping up. It was like a bomb went off. And then, all of a sudden, stuff all around my house was just falling everywhere." The quake was followed by more than 25 aftershocks, the strongest registering magnitude 4.4, the USGS said. (AFP) SCY 18.03.2020 LISTEN This is no ordinary time, due to the deadly covid-19 outbreak, all governments have imposed draconian measures in their country until further notice. The whole world has gone mad until further notice! Our government has also ordered public gatherings to be postponed until further notice. These measures are going to make our life more difficult but safety of the citizens is the top priority. The best of best hospitals in the world have been rendered useless by the virus until further notice. This is no ordinary time! Power, fame and riches never yet inoculated anyone against the caprice of the virus, and I do not for a moment suppose that the rich are safer than the poor in this trying times. They cannot travel anywhere in the world for better protection or treatment of the virus should they contract it. 'Wo sika y3 small boy to the virus'. ECG, until further notice will be offering citizens free 'dumsor' and heat in our homes in order to say thank you until further notice. Students are going home until further notice. Upon the closure, they've gathered on social media tweeting memes until further notice. Schools and churches have been closed until further notice, but until the Government enacts a curfew from 9 PM to 5 AM, night clubs can operate until further notice. Until we read this from bar owners; 'Our Bar is closed until further notice', then social gathering goes on until further notice. I'm gutted that all church services have closed their doors until further notice. It leaves a big void in young people's lives and we should be worried about how they will spend their time and who with. But don't we have the greatest worry about the spread of covid-19? This is where reasoning and understanding defeat our over-religious mind! Until further notice. Life is postponed indefinitely until further notice. And that's not even a joke. How crazy is that? But this is happening. I know most of us have never experienced anything like this but I am completely confused how to feel or what to do. Should we just quarantine ourselves in general and postpone real life until further notice? Do we put our lives on pause until further notice? Is that the right thing to do in all cases? I do not even know what to do with my hands until further notice. No one can innocently clear their throat again in bus until further notice. Happy covid-19 seasons, schools and some jobs are closed until further notice. Some people are officially unemployed until further notice. Because of Coronavirus, they are working at 'self-quarantine'. Until further notice, passengers should bring liquid hand sanitizers in their carry-on bags. These precious gold which used to sell at GHc 10 are now on sale at Gh150 until further notice. Some traders are proving more deadly than the covid-19 until further notice. Yall know what? Covid-19 ain't that bad, sales empathy is postponed until further notice, and hand washing mood has been activated until further notice. Intimacy has also been placed on hold until further notice. So no more touching romantically. 'Babe Come and visit me' messages are suspended until further notice. All employees will be required to bring their own toilet paper until further notice. Do not go to the washroom and touch the tissue until further notice! Sad but we believe the right decision for all. There will be sunny days again. This is no ordinary time so until further notice, stay safe. The writer is a Teaching and Research Assistant at the Department of Accounting and Finance, KNUST School of Business. Isaac Bawuah GRAND RAPIDS, MI Federal prosecutors say state Rep. Larry Inmans sworn testimony at trial has been contradicted by other lawmakers, including then-House speaker Tom Leonard. Prosecutors want to retry Inman, R-Williamburg, after a jury deadlocked on charges of attempted extortion and soliciting a bribe. It acquitted Inman of lying to the FBI. (T)he Government has obtained new evidence since the conclusion of the first trial that seriously calls into doubt the truthfulness of (Inmans) sworn testimony, assistant U.S. attorneys, Christopher OConnor and Ronald Stella wrote in documents filed Tuesday, March 17, in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids. Defense attorney Christopher Cooke has said he was absolutely opposed to retrying his 65-year-old client who has been through enough. The defense has until April 16 to respond to the governments brief. Cooke said he had not thoroughly read the governments filing because he has been in an unrelated trial. All I can say at this time is that Larry told the truth to the FBI and that is what the jury found. Taking statements now from witnesses that were identified by Larry from the start of the investigation does not amount to newly discovered evidence. Inman was accused of asking for campaign contributions in exchange for his vote on a 2018 repeal of the prevailing-wage law. U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker in January suggested that the line between seeking legitimate campaign funds and taking part in illegal activity may not be bright and clear. At trial, the judge said, Testimony established that everyone voting on this legislation knew that the flow of campaign dollars the lettuce to feed the rabbits in the metaphorical language of one long-time politico would be directly affected by their decision on how to vote. Lobbyist keep score of legislators votes and donate to those who support their interests, the judge said. Is this conduct open to quid pro quo scrutiny? Jonker asked. What about legislators who received maximum contributions from unions or other interest groups on either side following the vote? Could the government bring charges and ask a jury to assess whether those votes were a quid pro quo, at least if there was any evidence of a prior communication between the legislator and a lobbyist? Inman sent texts to a union leader and a lobbyist saying he and other Republican lawmakers each needed $30,000 in campaign contributions to vote against repealing the prevailing-wage law. The prevailing-wage law required workers on public projects, such as school buildings, receive union-level wages. Inman voted in favor of the repeal, which narrowly passed. Inman said an opioid addiction left him with no memory of sending out the text messages. Prosecutors say Inmans testimony at trial has not been supported by others who have since been interviewed by the FBI. For instance, the government said, Inman said at trial that he and state Rep. Steve Marino talked about Inman calling Lisa Canada, political and legislative director of Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights, to make sure all of the representatives who would vote to block repeal would get a check. In an interview with the FBI on March9, 2020, Rep. Marino said that testimony was entirely false, OConnor and Stella wrote. Inman also testified that Marino told him that he could explain a yes vote on repeal as an effort to protect a vulnerable lawmaker. Rep. Marino told the FBI that testimony was also a complete fabrication. Marino specifically denied helping the Defendant develop any type of story or explanation for why he voted Yes instead of No on repealing the prevailing wage law. Inman also testified that he told Leonard, the House speaker, and an assistant, that he would vote in favor of repeal so that the vulnerable lawmaker could oppose it, and it would still pass. Leonard and his assistant told the FBI that Leonard said he had enough votes for the repeal and that Inman should vote how he wanted. In light of this new evidence, the Government is entitled to a retrial to ensure that a new jury is provided the opportunity to consider this new evidence, compare it to the Defendants prior sworn testimony (and any explanation offered by the Defendant, if he elects to testify at the retrial), and determine whether his testimony as to any other matter should be believed, the prosecutors wrote. Like asking for a bag of cash in a paper bag, it is supporting evidence that the Defendant was operating outside the bounds of legitimate campaign fundraising activity protected by the First Amendment. I did nothing wrong: state Rep. Larry Inman testifies in bribery, extortion trial End the nightmare for state Rep. Larry Inman, attorney tells jury in bribery, extortion case Speaker of the House testifies in Michigan politicians bribery, extortion case Judge questions if jury can settle bribery, extortion charges facing Michigan lawmaker Officials in Shenandoah are proceeding cautiously as the COVID-19 pandemic runs its course across Texas and the world, with all staff working hard and staying positive at the city of more than 3,000 people in south Montgomery County the mayor and city administrator reported Wednesday. Despite issuing a local state of disaster declaration March 17, Mayor Ritch Wheeler and City Administrator Kathie Reyer both relayed positive reports that staff and elected officials at the city were working closely with county, state and federal officials and following all recommended health and hygiene recommendations to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus. Related: Shenandoah issues disaster declaration, announces more cancellations Reyer said despite canceled meetings and events, as well as closures of various facilities, such as the Mary Pat Case Swimming Pool and City Park Pavilion, City Hall and the citys administration complex was open and the public was welcome. She also said police officers in the city would be stepping up community and business patrols, in part checking on local restaurants and bars to ensure any county restrictions or closures issued were adhered to. As far as our staff goes, we are fully operational. We are dealing with a little bit of schedule changes due to school closures, but that is normal for everybody right now, Reyer said. We are open to the public, still. As youve seen, weve canceled some events and the council meeting next week. Reyer stressed while the regular council meeting on Wednesday is called off, there is a special City Council meeting slated for 7 p.m., Monday, March 23 during which will focus on possibly renewing the local declaration of disaster issued on March 17. (The Monday special meeting) Is to see if council will renew the mayors declaration for another 30 days. The police department is going to maximize their presence on the streets and theyre going to be checking the restaurants to make sure that they are complying with the revised order (from county) that came out (March 17) and the mayors declaration. We have not suspended any services at this time. It is pretty much business as usual, Reyer added. We have had some calls from businesses asking if were open. We have given residents some leeway on any water disconnects, that sort of thingdeadlines on water bills. That was a decision (made) in-house. Shenandoah residents receive free city trash services, which will continue, but their electrical service is private and provided for the most part by Entergy Texas. Local residents obtain and pay for water and sewage services from the city directly, and those public services will see relaxed billing for the time being under Reyers instructions. Wheeler said he and the other city council members are doing good, staying in close communication with each and keeping very busy. Wheeler helps govern the city with five city council members who are paid a small stipend for their public service. The city has a small administrative staff as well as other employees in water, parks and recreation, sewage and other departments. There is a small police force and fire department services are provided by The Woodlands Fire Department under an interlocal agreement. We have been keeping tabs on each other as friends and residents making sure that everybody is OK and doesnt need anything, Wheeler said of himself and the city council. Everybody seems to be in good spirits. They are all ready and willing to help when needed. (As mayor) Im typically a little more involved (that council members) here at the city, luckily for me, my kids were off on spring break this week and Ive been able to help and be on call here as needed. Wheeler said communication with county health officials, state government leaders and also staff with federal government agencies like the Department of Homeland Security and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been ramped up significantly, and all residents should heed guidelines on public gatherings, social distancing and proper hand-washing and hygiene habits. The hope is, if we could all do our part, and everybody tries to avoid contact as much as possible and dont gather in public places, and we can slow the transmission of this, then hopefully we can get out of the woods sooner than later, he added. We all have to do our part in order for that to work. Wheeler said the citys police force had been issued extra PPE personal protective equipment to protect themselves from novel coronavirus transmission while working with the public, but he added the gear is being used when necessary and stocks are being saved so there are resources available as production of special medical supplies is ramped up and items become more available. Reyer said what Shenandoah is going through is nothing different than what other communities across America are. She told concerned residents to follow news on the Everybody throughout the country, we all have to make concessions and were all dealing with it. Is pretty much the same (feeling), were normal. We are taking precautions and as this evolves almost daily, Reyer added. Weve met weekly to talk about continuity of operations and everybody is doing fine. were just taking it as it comes and plan ahead as much as possible. One experience that has helped in this situation, Wheeler said, in his service in the U.S. Navy something that prepares one for unusual events, emergencies and how to respond calmly and with a planned out approach. That is one thing that the military teaches you is, how to do damage control and how to assess a situation and prioritize what is most important and stay calm while doing that. I think everybody up here is doing a really good job with that. Our police departmentevery time I asked them how theyre doing, the standard response I get back is, this is why I signed up. We protect people, it is what we do, Wheeler said. Everybody is taking this with the right approach, even the residents. They are making the best of the situation. (On Facebook) Residents have come up with creative ways to get keep kids active and them outside. For Wheeler, the pandemic has had a side effect of seemingly reverting society back in time several decades. He stressed residents should be responsible and find ways to limit transmission or possible infections but also to continue to live life, albeit a bit different than normal. All the things that maybe harken back to an earlier day (in time). The residents are really taking advantage of this time to spend time with family. Break out the board games, get outside and play, sit down with the children and readteach them math, he said. jeff.forward@chron.com Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2020) - Pancontinental Resources Corporation (TSXV: PUC) ("Pancon" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed a non-brokered private placement by issuing 37,500,000 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.08 per Unit for gross proceeds of $3,000,000 (the "Financing"). Pancon President and CEO, Layton Croft, stated: "We recently executed our Option Agreement to explore the former Brewer Gold Mine in South Carolina, USA. With the closing of this timely financing we now have funds to commence our Brewer exploration program. In light of business implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have agreed with the Brewer Receiver to extend the initial option term of the Brewer Option Agreement (as per the Company's March 2, 2020 news release), from 18 months to 20 months. We have adjusted our business planning accordingly, and Pancon's top priority is the health and safety of our employees, contractors, suppliers and the community. Still, we firmly believe that the gold sector generally, and our Brewer gold project in particular, is and will continue to be a superior investment opportunity in light of the rapidly changing economic environment." Each Unit is comprised of one common share ("Common Share") in the capital of the Company and one Common Share purchase warrant ("Warrant"). Each Warrant shall entitle the holder thereof to purchase one additional Common Share at a price of $0.12 until the earlier of: (i) the date that is five (5) years following the date of issuance; or (ii) in the event that the daily volume weighted average price (or closing bid price on days when there are no trades) of the Common Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange is at least $0.25 per Common Share for a minimum of twenty (20) consecutive trading days, the Company may provide written notice to the Purchaser requiring the Purchaser to exercise the Warrants within twenty (20) days following the date of delivery of such written notice. All securities issued under the Financing will be subject to a four-month and one day statutory hold period. The gross proceeds from the Financing will be used by the Company for exploration and development of the Company's mineral properties and for general corporate and working capital purposes. All dollar figures above are in Canadian dollars. About Pancon Pancon is a Canadian junior mining company focused on exploring the prolific and underexplored Carolina Slate Belt in South Carolina, USA. In January 2020, Pancon won the exclusive right to explore the former Brewer Gold Mine. Between 1987-1995, Brewer produced 178,000 ounces of oxide gold from open pits that extended to 50-metre depths, where copper and gold-rich sulphides were exposed but could not be processed by the oxide heap leach processing facility. Brewer is a high sulphidation system driven by a sub-volcanic intrusive and possibly containing a large copper-gold porphyry system at depth, as indicated by: widely known prospective geology, including diatreme breccias; associated high sulphidation alteration; gold and copper mineralization; and geophysics (Schmidt, R.G., 1978, The Potential for Porphyry Copper-Molybdenum Deposits in the Eastern United States, U.S. Geological Survey). Pancon's 100%-owned Jefferson Gold Project surrounds the former Brewer Gold Mine, and both Jefferson and Brewer are located 12 km along trend northeast from the producing Haile Gold Mine, which produced 131,819 ounces of gold in 2018. In addition, Pancon has four nickel-copper-cobalt exploration projects in Northern Ontario, surrounding or near producing or former mines. For further information, please contact: Layton Croft, President & CEO or Jeanny So, Manager, External Relations E: info@panconresources.com T: +1.647.202.0994 For additional information please visit our new website at www.panconresources.com and our Twitter feed: @PanconResources. 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 contains forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information is 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. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, changes in the state of equity and debt markets, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in obtaining required regulatory or governmental approvals, and other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, including those risks set out in the Company's management's discussion and analysis as filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on the opinions and assumptions of management considered reasonable as of the date hereof, including that all necessary governmental and regulatory approvals will be received as and when expected. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53535 Singapore on Wednesday advised its citizens to defer all foreign travel plans as it reported 47 new coronavirus cases, mostly imported ones, taking the total number of infections in the country to 313. The new cases are the highest reported in Singapore in a single day. Of the new infections, 33 are imported and includes 30 returning Singapore residents who were infected overseas, Channel Asia reported citing the authorities. These imported cases comprise citizens, permanent residents and long-term pass holders. Nineteen of them have a travel history to Europe while six had been in North America. Six other cases have a travel history to ASEAN nations while another person travelled beyond ASEAN to other parts of Asia. The remaining imported case had travelled to both Europe and North America. As part of enhanced efforts to tackle the spread of COVID-19, the Health Ministry has advised Singaporeans to defer all foreign travel. Singaporeans returning home from overseas will have to serve a 14-day self-isolation, the report said. "Most of these cases are imported ones and the majority are Singaporeans and residents coming back from overseas ... we cannot afford to take further risk if the number of these imported cases continue to rise," said National Development Minister Lawrence Wong. Health Minister Gan Kim Yong expects the number of cases to increase for which Singapore's healthcare capacity is "designed to handle them". "So, 47 (cases reported Wednesday) is the highest single day so far, but we do see the number going up ... many residents have returned to Singapore, even before we introduced the Stay-Home Notice and the current travel advisory," said Gan. "We do expect some of them to be infected. They are now in the incubation period and in the next two or three weeks, we will see some of these infected cases emerging," he said. The Health Ministry would be announcing additional social distancing measures, particularly for the more vulnerable such as the elderly. The Ministry said the latest advisory supercedes the advisory issued on Sunday calling on Singaporeans to defer all non-essential travel abroad. The expansion of the travel advisory is "to reduce the risk of Singaporeans being infected with the virus when abroad and spreading it to other Singaporeans when they return", it added. In addition, all Singaporeans, permanent residents, long-term pass holders and short-term visitors entering Singapore from 11.59pm on Friday will be issued a 14-day Stay-Home Notice (SHN), an initial measure to check the spread on the deadly virus. The coronavirus outbreak, which first emerged in China's Wuhan city last year, has infected 198,006 people and killed 7,948, according to a tracker maintained by Johns Hopkins University. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) DECATUR Officials said Wednesday three tests have been completed for COVID-19 in Macon County, with two negative results and one pending result. No cases have been confirmed. The announcement came from the countys Crisis Communications Team made up of government and healthcare leaders, who have said they will send regular updates on the spread of coronavirus in Macon County. The Illinois Department of Public Health authorizes testing based on certain criteria. Healthcare providers also could have testing done at private labs, Marisa Hosier, director of health promotion and public relations for the county health department, said Tuesday. The department has requested that healthcare providers send notification of submitted tests, but it is not required. State health officials on Tuesday said Illinois had 160 cases, and one person a Chicago woman in her 60s who had an underlying health condition had died. Twenty-two people 18 residents and four staffers had been sickened at a nursing home in DuPage County. Gov. J.B. Pritzker is expected to give another update Wednesday afternoon. The Crisis Communications Team also released the following information Wednesday: IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS If you are experiencing possible COVID-19 symptoms, please do not go to the emergency room. Per the CDC, Patients with COVID-19 have experienced mild to severe respiratory illness. Symptoms can include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure. All community residents, whether experiencing symptoms or not, should be taking preventative measures to assist with preventing the spread of illness. A negative test does not mean that someone will not eventually develop symptoms, so all people should be taking proactive measures. If you experience symptoms, first call your primary care physician. If you do not have a primary care physician in place at this time, you may call DMH Medical Group at (217) 876-2856, Crossing Healthcare at (217) 877-9117 or SIU at (217) 872-3800. HSHS Medical Group Family Medicine Forsyth is also operating a regional respiratory hub. Their hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please call ahead at (217) 872-0953. Patients and visitors to healthcare facilities should be prepared to be screened before entering. Quarantine vs. Isolation If you have been exposed to COVID-19 through travel to a high-risk area or personal contact with a person who has the virus, you should be under quarantine, even if you dont have any symptoms. Quarantine means limiting contact with other people and only leaving the home when necessary. People with confirmed cases of COVID-19 should remain in isolation to protect others from getting the virus. Isolation means complete separation from other people as much as possible. Isolated people should not leave their home and should avoid contact with others in their household. If you have had limited contact with a person under quarantine, you do not have to go into quarantine yourself, but you should stay away from others as much as possible. Limited contact is defined as being at least six feet apart from the quarantined person for 10 minutes to up to two hours. If you have had contact with an individual under isolation, you should be quarantined. What happens if my family is quarantined or isolated? If an entire household is isolated, the Macon County Health Department staff and its partners will work to ensure that the family has an adequate supply of food and medicine. Community members are urged to dial the local 2-1-1 number for information on assistance in attaining necessary items during this uncertain time. When a household has a mix of isolated individuals and quarantined individuals, one quarantined individual may leave the household for an hour to secure food, medicine and other essential supplies. This protocol applies to the household even if an isolated individual is in the hospital. How should patients be isolated at home? The isolated person should avoid contact with other members of the household, including pets. If possible, the isolation area should be separated from the rest of the household by a door. The patient should have a separate bedroom and a separate bathroom stocked with disposable towels. All shared bathrooms should be equipped with cleaning supplies. If anyone else in the household becomes ill, anyone who shared the bathroom with that person should be considered at risk for infection. Food should be brought to the isolated persons quarters. That person should not eat meals with the rest of the household. Garbage should be bagged and left outside the isolated persons quarters for routine pickup. Healthy people in the household should monitor themselves continually for elevated temperature and other symptoms with public health supervision at determined. WEDNESDAY UPDATE: Coronavirus and Central Illinois Contact Allison Petty at (217) 421-6986. Follow her on Twitter: @allison0512 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. AN Offaly councillor has slammed fake news this week, pointing out that websites disseminating incorrect claims and advice about Covid-19 are "disgraceful and evil." "There is an awful lot of fake news on the internet and on Facebook," said Cllr John Clendennen. "Many of us see them for what they are and treat them with a pinch of salt, but many people don't. These fake stories are increasing mental harm, anxiety and fear in our communties." He urged people to get their information from the experts. "When it comes to Covid-19 advice I would urge people to only follow the advice from three organisations - the HSE, the World Health Organisation and the government of Ireland. I would also urge people to limit their social media exposure because too much exposure to social media during this very difficult time is making people more anxious and fearful." He urged people to switch off from the constant newscycle for periods of time and go for a walk or read a book. Cllr Clendennen is also a member of the Vintners Federation of Ireland and he said the VFI willingly asked its members to close their pubs during the crisis. "This was willingly undertaken for the greater good by the pubs of Offaly." The councillor said he didn't know of one pub which isn't complying with the order to shut one's doors to the public. "People rely on pubs for a very important social outlet. There is no doubt this will impact on some people's mental wellbeing, but obviously this was the only course of action open to us." Pawan, a hangman from Meerut, on Wednesday conducted dummy execution of the Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case convicts at Tihar Jail here. 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. A Delhi court on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by Mukesh Singh seeking quashing of the death penalty claiming that he was not in Delhi when the crime was committed. 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 national capital. The woman had died at a Singapore hospital a few days later. Kolkata: Nearly two dozen people , including West Bengal home secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay and his wife, Calcutta University vice-chancellor Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay, have gone into isolation after the states first Covid-19 case was detected on Tuesday. A livid chief minister Mamata Banerjee rebuked the Covid-19 patient and his family for the negligence that placed him in contact with so many people. On his arrival in Kolkata in the early hours of Sunday, March 15, the 18-year-old Oxford University student defied the administrations advice to report to the infectious diseases hospital in Beleghata, the states nodal hospital for Covid-19 cases, and roamed around the city, even visiting a shopping mall the following day. His father, a doctor, continued to see patients on Monday and his mother, Arunima De, a bureaucrat posted at the state secretariat, attended work and held meetings with several top officials. Home secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay self-isolated himself from Wednesday because he attended a meeting with De on Monday. Her room at the state secretariat was locked on Wednesday and every place where she was last seen was disinfected. Eight persons who came in contact with the Covid-19 patients father at his chamber in Nadia district on Monday have been sent to home isolation. Besides, six of the bureaucrats colleagues at the state secretariat have been asked to stay at home, said a senior health department official who asked not to be named. The teenagers parents, two drivers who work for the family, and two more domestic workers have been admitted to a new isolation facility in Rajarhat. A doctor and a health worker at M R Bangur Hospital, and another doctor in the infectious diseases hospital, both of whom came in contact with the boy, have been kept in isolation. A senior officer of Kolkata Municipal Corporation has also been asked to stay home because he came in contact with the Covid-19 patients mother. Criticising the young man , Banerjee said the incident was an eye-opener and ordered the compulsory quarantine of all those returning from abroad; she warned of action against those who ignore restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. He was asked to stay in isolation at home but I heard he kept travelling to places. This disease spreads with contact. Such negligence is unacceptable, she said at a government event in Kolkata. You return from abroad and go to visit a shopping mall or a park and spread the infection to others...{it} is just not acceptable. You do it because someone in your family is an influential person. No, I dont support this, Banerjee said. Each and everybody, irrespective of being a VIP or not, needs to maintain self-isolation for 15 to 27 days after returning from abroad. Nothing can be worse than a person having the symptoms of the disease moving around and meeting people, she said. On Wednesday, the administration tracked down several persons who recently returned home from visits abroad and asked them to stay home. They include people returning from Switzerland, Dubai, Israel and the US. The government has shortened the duty hours of government employees and created a roster to avoid crowded buses and trains at peak hours. Trinamool Congress MP and Bengali film star Mimi Chakraborty returned from London and Wednesday and announced that she would practice self-isolation. The Alamo Colleges board of trustees finalized and approved a plan late Tuesday to address district operations amid the COVID-19 outbreak, advancing sick leave to employees, providing sick pay to work-study students and guaranteeing wages to work-study students whose assignments have been disrupted. The package of measures included extending the spring semester by a week, but officials later decided against it. On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases The district oversees five community colleges across Bexar County that enroll 65,000 students. Teachers and staff are receiving training this week to move their 6,000 courses to online instruction to begin Monday. The districts coronavirus task force is also discussing ways to adjust grading standards to keep the disruption from flunking students, such as just providing credit instead of a grade, chancellor Mike Flores said. Our goal is to get students across the finish line, he said. We're looking at all of those options to ensure that we will continue to have student success first and foremost. Last week, the Alamo Colleges District announced spring break would be extended by an additional week and classes would resume online the week of March 23 for two weeks. During the two-week period, administrators will monitor the outbreak to determine how the semester will continue. The boards action didnt change that. Graduation ceremonies are still scheduled for May 8 through May 16 for the five colleges. Campus libraries and computer labs, which re-opened this week, will close beginning Wednesday, however. Tom Cleary, the districts vice chancellor for planning, performance and information systems, laid out a plan for continued student access to technology using wi-fi in designated parking lots at each of the colleges. Students will also be able to borrow laptops from their schools. In a technology survey of the student body, 96 percent of respondents said they have smartphones, 90 percent have access to high-speed internet and 87 percent have laptops, Cleary said. Were trying to fill the gaps so everyone can get delivery of student services and academic support services. Theres gaps to fill but in a matter of two, 2.5 weeks, well be in a good place, he added. Required Reading: Get San Antonio education news sent directly to your inbox School districts, which had also extended spring break by a week, announced an additional two-week closure Tuesday, with most students returning to classes on April 6. The closures have sent parents rushing to find childcare and keep their kids occupied with online lessons. The University of Texas system, Texas A&M San Antonio and several area private universities have suspended in-person classes for the rest of the semester. Many have also asked students to move off campus. City officials, school districts and employers have all taken steps in the past few weeks to curb the spread of coronavirus. Restaurants, stores and other public gathering places have cut back their hours or restricted visitors to reduce crowds. San Antonio now has 11 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus. 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 Agartala, March 18 : Despite BJP-led state government's promise to take steps to ensure continuation of 10,323 teachers in government jobs, police arrested 310 protesting teachers on Wednesday, while a few others fell ill. These teachers have launched an indefinite sit-in since Saturday to demand steps to enable them continue in their government jobs, since they face termination of services by March-end in the wake of Supreme Court and High Court orders that cited "discrepancies in recruitment". "We have arrested 310 teachers for unlawful sit-in and demonstration at different places in state capital Agartala. The detained teachers will be released before evening hours after completing formalities," a police official said. The official said the state has promulgated Section 144 of the CrPC to prevent mass and public gatherings in view of coronavirus scare. Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and Education and Law Minister Ratan Lal Nath had said that the state government in consultation with the Centre were trying to take appropriate steps in the interest of these teachers. Opposition Congress and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) have been demanding protection of these teachers' jobs by making suitable alternative arrangements. CPI-M politburo member and former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said that the state must make alternative arrangements to protect the jobs of these teachers as thousands of their family members, including children, are dependent on them. Senior Congress leader Gopal Roy, who met the agitating teachers, also demanded protection of their jobs and condemned police action against them. Teachers' leader Bimal Saha said that they had organised many protest demonstrations in the past one year and finally launched an indefinite sit-in since Saturday, lamenting that no government representative had so far come to meet them to discuss the issue. Saha, President of All Tripura 10,323 Ad-hoc Teachers' Association, argued that when thousands of people have been gathering at railway stations, bus stands, airports, markets, shopping malls, and many other public places, why is the state government taking action only against teachers' gatherings on the pretext of coronavirus prevention. Another teacher union leader Dalia Das told the media that so far 50 teachers had died or committed suicide and the state government should provide jobs to family member of each of the deceased teachers. Saha and other teachers warned on Tuesday of intensified agitation if the BJP-led government did not take steps to protect their jobs. They said that BJP leaders from Tripura and outside had assured before the 2018 Assembly elections to protect their jobs in their "Vision Document" as well as during electoral campaign. The 10,323 teachers holding graduate, postgraduate and under-graduate qualifications were inducted into the state government schools in different phases from 2010 when the CPI-M-led Left Front government was in power. The Tripura High Court in 2014 ordered for termination of services of all 10,323 teachers, saying the selection criteria had "discrepancies". Thereafter, acting on a Special Leave Petitions by the then Left Front government and a section of teachers, the apex court upheld the High Court verdict on March 29, 2017. Following an appeal, the apex court extended their services up to June last year. After coming to power in March last year, the BJP-led government filed another appeal in the Supreme Court in June 2019, with the court granting a one-time final extension in services till March 2020. An Education Department official said that though several hundred of these teachers have been absorbed in other government positions and separate recruitment, including Teachers Eligibility Tests, majority of them faced job losses. The word 'corona' seems to have become one of the most dreaded words across the globe - the outbreak has vilified the 'C word'. Even with the WHO and governments trying their hardest to steer people clear of baseless and fake news, there seems to be no stopping the rumour mill - like when some people believed that the beer brand 'corona' had something to do with the virus. Facebook We now hope that people in this Kerala town don't assume that a textile shop has some link with the outbreak. Located about 40 km from the commercial capital of the state, 'Corona' is a textile shop owned by Pareed, and for several years he has been popularly known as 'Corona Pareed'. "Now, I am a sought after person here. While many want to take a selfie, others just smile, when they look at me. I see many people travelling in vehicles and when they pass through in front of my shop, they pop their head out and take a glance," said Pareed. Corona Textiles sells all cloth materials and also has a stitching unit. When asked how he settled for this name, pat came the answer, "I looked up in the dictionary and liked the word." Pareed is wary of what the word today means, has made sure that the now deadly corona is kept out of his shop. He has kept a sanitizer for all those who enter his shop. Twitter For those unaware, it's the scientists in the late 1960s who decided that the protrusions on the virus, while examining under a microscope looked rather like the bright gaseous ring visible around the sun during an eclipse. The sun's corona is normally visible only during a total solar eclipse, when it is seen as an irregularly shaped pearly glow surrounding the darkened disc of the moon. Coronaviruses are a family of viruses known for containing strains that cause potentially deadly diseases in mammals and birds. In humans, they're typically spread via airborne droplets of fluid produced by infected individuals. Twitter SARS was first recognised as a distinct strain of coronavirus in 2003 and even back then it had a strange coincidence with a soda named SARS. Well, just because some things sounds similar, it doesn't mean they are connected, right? For verified information about the transmission of the virus and precautions you need to take, you should take a look at WHO's website. Rest assured, a beer called corona or a shop with the same name, is not going to infect you with the virus. 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. "We're looking at sending checks to Americans immediately," Mnuchin said. There are now more than 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. 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. 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, short-term loans businesses rely on to pay bills and other expenses. Virgin Mobile has announced it will be giving its pay monthly customers free unlimited minutes and extra data for a month. The network said it will be offering unlimited minutes to landlines and other mobile numbers, plus a 10GB data boost, at no extra cost, for a month to 2.7million pay monthly customers as of Monday 23 March. It added that it will be keeping an eye on the ongoing situation and how it can continue to support customers, which could mean extending these extras. Millions of people are now working from home thanks to the coronavirus crisis, meaning they will be using more of their own minutes and data. Virgin Media is giving its pay monthly customers extra data to help those working from home Virgin Media added that its technicians and support teams are keeping an eye on its network and its performance to ensure it can respond to the extra traffic. It is also looking at ways it can help customers if they find it difficult to pay their Virgin Media bill during this uncertain time. This is Money has contacted other mobile firms to find out if they intend on offering a similar deal to their customers. Three revealed that it will be offering free access to NHS websites from Wednesday 18 March even if customers have no data in their allowance left. It added it is dealing with customers on a case by case basis. Meanwhile, an O2 Spokesperson said: 'To support our customers, all those on O2 Pay Monthly and Pay As You Go can now visit NHS websites without using any of their data allowance, and calls to NHS 111 are already free for all O2 customers. 'Our customers can also access for free health and social welfare helplines beginning 080 and websites offering mental health support such as MIND, The Mix and Rethink. We are also preparing measures to support our customers during the COVID-19 outbreak.' Ru Bhikha, mobiles expert at Uswitch, said: 'Virgin Media deserves huge credit for giving out free minutes and data to help more than a million of their pay monthly customers. 'The offer by Virgin Media comes soon after Sky gave its customers free data and calls to landlines. 'Mobile phones are a vital lifeline for consumers working from home and especially for vulnerable and older people who are self-isolating and need to keep contact with the outside world. 'It's commendable that Virgin Media are looking at ways of helping customers who cannot pay their bills, but struggling consumers need to be told exactly what assistance is being offered. 'Every small gesture helps at this time of uncertainty, and it will be interesting to see how others respond to providers' generous offers.' Virgin Media also announced that it will officially launch its gigabit broadband services in the West Midlands. More than a million homes across the West Midlands will gain access to the faster broadband service with residents in Birmingham, Coventry and the surrounding towns set to benefit. This will no doubt help those who are now having to work from home for the foreseeable future. By Jung Min-ho The Philippine government has lifted a 72-hour deadline for foreigners to leave the country's main northern island a measure that troubled 50,000 Korean residents there. Previously, the government asked foreign residents and travelers to leave Luzon, where the capital Manila is located, within 72 hours from Tuesday (local time) before suspending flights over coronavirus fears. "We don't want to give them pressure because it'll be more difficult for them, so we opened up," Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles reportedly said. President Rodrigo Duterte declared an "enhanced community quarantine" on Luzon that requires millions of people to stay in their homes and restricts land, air and sea travel to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision is a big relief for many Korean residents who worried about being stranded. An official at the association of Koreans living in the country told Yonhap, a Korean news agency, that about 10,000 members wanted to return to their home country but they would not be able to do so before the deadline due to a lack of flights. However, Luzon residents face many issues, including the suspension of public mass transport. The virus has infected 193 people and killed 14 in the Philippines as of Wednesday afternoon, according to the Department of Health. The Transport Ministry is asking for an aviation service fee subsidy for local airlines that have suffered an initial economic loss of over 30 trillion VND (1.29 billion USD) due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Vietnam Airlines aircraft In the latest document on the diseases impact on the transport sector sent to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Transport Ministry said that all Vietnamese airlines have grounded flights to and from China and the Republic of Korea, cut 34 percent of flights to Taiwan (China) and 92 percent of flights to Hong Kong (China). While all 160 flights to Japan operating as usual so far, carriers are assessing the epidemic situation and there is a high possibility they will have to reduce services soon. In the best scenario with the epidemic contained before April, the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam (CAAV) estimated that Vietnams airlines would transport 48 million passengers, down 9.2 percent year on year. In the worse scenario with the epidemic put under control before June, Vietnamese carriers would transport 45.7 million passengers, down 17 percent. To support domestic carriers, the Ministry of Transport is requesting the Government to provide aviation service fee subsidies for local airlines. The ministry suggested cutting half of takeoff, landing and operation service fees for domestic flights from March 1 to May 31. The duration may depend on the diseases developments. It also proposed the Government assign the Finance Ministry to consider the exemption of import tariffs and environmental tax on aviation fuel for three months. If that makes it difficult to balance the State budget, the ministry proposed reducing 50 percent of import tariffs and environmental tax on aviation fuel, and allowing a delay of tax and budget contributions by airlines. In the latest developments, national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines announced the suspension of flights between Vietnam and France starting March 17 amid the worsening COVID-19 outbreak. In addition, it has temporarily stopped flights between Vietnam and Malaysia from March 18-31 due to the Malaysian governments border lock-down during the period. Flight disruptions estimated to cost local airlines VND30 trillion Aircraft are parked at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCMC. Local airlines will sustain an estimated VND30 trillion in lost revenue this year Local airlines will sustain an estimated VND30 trillion in lost revenue this year, according to the Ministry of Transport. The coronavirus pandemic has led to air travel restrictions and bans worldwide. The ministrys latest report showed local airlines have discontinued or scaled down most flights, Thanh Nien newspaper reported. All flights to and from China have been cut, while the number of flights to Taiwan has been slashed by 25%. The latest forecast of the aviation industry's lost revenue is above VND10 trillion announced in early February and the VND25 trillion predicted in late February. The Ministry of Transport proposed the Ministry of Planning and Investment report the situation to the prime minister, so it can take policy measures to back ailing local airlines. Accordingly, a 50% reduction in take-off/landing and flight operation fees may take effect from March 1 to May 31. The Ministry of Transport also proposed the Government assign the Ministry of Finance to consider offering import tariff and environmental protection tax exemptions for jet fuel for three months so that local airlines can survive these hard times amid the coronavirus pandemic. VNA/SGT Aviation sector strives to navigate COVID-19 outbreak Airlines in Vietnam are looking at ways to overcome the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak after seeing declining passenger numbers. (Natural News) Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases continue to skyrocket in America, and authorities around the world advise the general public to practice strategies like isolation, self-quarantine and social distancing. But what are the differences between these strategies, and when should you practice them? Why these strategies are necessary In America, testing for coronavirus started slow. The authorities first attempted to those who tested positive for the COVID-19 disease. Now, public health experts advise that it is crucial is to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. This ensures that those who need medical attention dont overwhelm hospitals. If data from the experience of other countries battling the coronavirus pandemic holds, most of the infected patients will only have mild cases. However, findings from other countries also suggest that around 10 to 20 percent of patients could have more severe cases of the disease. Judging from the data, at least tens of millions of Americans may get infected with coronavirus, and hundreds of thousands of patients may require hospital care. Joshua Sharfstein, vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at Johns Hopkins Universitys Bloomberg School of Public Health, explained that a deluge of patients will overwhelm the health system. Practicing measures like social distancing can help America avoid Italys current struggles. In Italy, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases quickly catapulted from only several patients to over 27,000 cases. More than 2,100 deaths have been confirmed in the country. It is believed that the accelerated spread of coronavirus in Italy was partly due to aggressive testing. Additionally, hospitals in the northern part of the country were gradually running out of beds in intensive care units. The difference between self-quarantining and self-monitoring According to health experts, the two strategies overlap. Both self-quarantining and self-monitoring have one goal: To keep individuals who have been exposed, or who might have been exposed, away from others as much as possible for a certain length of time. In the case of coronavirus, this often means 14 days or the suspected incubation period of the disease. However, patients may experience symptoms only several days after exposure. When self-monitoring, you need to regularly check your temperature and take note of any signs of respiratory illness, like a cough, fever or shortness of breath. You also need to limit your interaction with other people. For example, if you attended a company conference and a person that you werent in close contact with tested positive for coronavirus, you need to self-monitor. Dr. Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, added that you need to self-quarantine if you talked to the infected attendee or if they accidentally sneezed on you. Self-quarantine is one level higher from self-monitoring because the person at risk of infection, even if they still havent experienced symptoms, is at greater risk of exposure. To illustrate, Justin Trudeau, Canadas Prime Minister, is self-quarantining since his wife tested positive for coronavirus after they returned from a trip to Great Britain. If youre quarantined, you need to stay at home and avoid other people whenever possible for 14 days. Those who live with a family or roommates but want to self-quarantine must stay in their own room or spend time in a separate area in their house. A person in self-quarantine must also stay at home. Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, warned that people in self-quarantine shouldnt sleep in the same bedroom as other family members. You should also try to use a separate toilet, if possible. If youve self-quarantined due to possible exposure and you develop a cough, fever or shortness of breath, contact a healthcare professional, local hospital or the public health department for further instructions. If you have mild symptoms, you may be instructed to rest at home and treat your symptoms natural cures. People with more severe symptoms and those in higher-risk groups, like the elderly and the immuno-compromised, may be directed elsewhere to seek medical care. Once test kits become more available, you may be required to visit a place where you can get tested. Isolation for coronavirus If you test positive for coronavirus, the first step will be to isolate you at home or in the hospital, said Benjamin. He added that infectious disease precautions will become much more rigid than in self-quarantine. Medical staff looking after you will require more protective gear. While in isolation, you need to wear a mask when leaving your room or traveling from home to a medical facility so you dont spread droplets that might contain the virus. Coronavirus and quarantines Quarantines are necessary when under state or federal law, individuals or groups are on lockdown. To illustrate, passengers from cruise ships where other passengers were infected with coronavirus and other travelers who didnt experience symptoms were told to stay at military bases for 14 days to see if they developed the disease. While America hasnt closed off entire towns or cities since the 1918-1919 Spanish flu, the federal government and the states have the power to do so. Preventing infections with social distancing Social distancing covers a broad category. It involves preventive practices such as: Staying home if you feel sick Postponing social visits Avoiding crowds Not shaking hands Standing several feet from other people in public Staying away from nursing homes, retirement or long-term care facilities to keep those at risk safe Using drive-through, pick up or delivery options and not dining in at restaurants Going to the grocery store during off-peak hours Businesses can also practice social distancing by staggering work hours or letting employees work from home. On the other hand, governments can do it by ordering schools to close. Sporting events may be canceled, while concert halls, museums and theaters where large groups of people gather can temporarily close their doors. (Related: Social distancing and early testing could have PREVENTED 95% of all coronavirus cases in China.) Christopher Mores, a professor in the department of global health at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University, advised that with social distancing, its important to be aware of how closely you interact with others on a regular day. Mores added that social distancing should teach the public how to effectively break the lines of transmission during a pandemic. Why these strategies are crucial even if youre not sick It may seem like the individual risk is low while the inconvenience of some measures is high, but taking these precautionary measures will benefit everyone in the end, explained Sharfstein. Even if you dont get infected, you can still pass the infection to your family, officemates or even fellow commuters on the subway. The people you could infect may then require hospitalization, which could easily overwhelm hospital staff already caring for newborns, those with cancer or the survivors of car accidents. Sharfstein concluded that even if the coronavirus pandemic isnt a threat to healthy individuals, not doing your part can make the disease a threat to the community. Stay at home, wash your hands regularly, and remain calm. You can get through a pandemic if you stay informed and practice strategies like social distancing. Sources include: NPR.org 1 NPR.org 2 Unions and campaign groups have urged the government to do more to protect millions of tenants, businesses and workers from the impact of the coronavirus, as major gaps emerged in the chancellors 350bn economic rescue plans. Rishi Sunak unveiled an unprecedented package of government-backed business loans and grants equivalent to 15 per cent of GDP on Tuesday, but there was little evidence of help for some of the most vulnerable groups in society. Significant number of workers, particularly those in the gig economy or on flexible contracts, are likely to see a big drop in income. This risks compounding Britains problems by further reducing economic activity which has already been badly hit by social distancing measures. Many employees who self-isolate due to the coronavirus will have to get by on one of the lowest rates of statutory sick pay (SSP) in Europe - just 94.25 per week. Only 30 per cent of employers pay more than the statutory minimum, according to the business secretary Alok Sharma. Pressure is building on the government, with several unions, including Unite, calling for a large increase in the statutory sick pay rate. When questioned in the Commons on Wednesday, the prime minister refused to say whether he would follow other European countries in increasing SSP. However, he did say that no one would be penalised for staying at home to avoid catching or spreading Covid-19. Details of how he will meet this pledge have not yet been forthcoming. The chancellor said many more details of the governments support plans will emerge after talks with company bosses and unions. Some key questions remain unanswered. Workers wages Government action is required to protect millions of jobs that are at risk if economic activity declines as sharply as it is expected to. As people stay home and cut back on shopping, eating out and meeting up, certain sectors are feeling the brunt. Lay-offs and cuts to hours have already started in the hospitality sector which has warned many businesses will not be able to pay staff within weeks. Rishi Sunak announced 330bn of government-backed business loans and 20bn of tax breaks and grants but business groups have warned this still may not be enough to stop mass job losses. Business secretary Alok Sharma refused to say on Wednesday whether the government would provide funds to help pay wages. Recommended Labour calls for suspension of rent payments for coronavirus affected Self-employed and zero-hours contract workers Self-employed people and those on zero-hours contracts face particularly acute problems and some have already seen their work reduced and incomes fall. The chancellor has said that people ineligible for SSP, such as the self-employed, will be able to claim employment and support allowance (ESA) from the first day they are out of work, rather than the eighth day, as was previously the case. However, ESA is just 73.10 per week, or 57.90 for people aged under 25. That is not enough for most people to live on. Zero-hours contract workers can claim SSP if they earn more than 118 per week. If they earn less they may be able to claim unemployment benefits. Gig economy workers Many gig economy workers are facing big declines in income as they are paid per job rather than a set wage. As less people go out, taxi drivers will earn much less, for example. Some gig economy firms such as Deliveroo have set up hardship funds for their riders but there are problems here too. The UKs weekly rate of statutory sick pay, one of the lowest in Europe 94.25 Some riders have reported that they arent able to access the fund because they require a sick note, which they cant obtain because people with coronavirus symptoms or who are self-isolating are told not to go to the doctor. The government announced in the Budget last week that people could get confirmation of their illness through the NHS 111 helpline but Deliveroo says the government has not actually made this available yet, leaving some riders with no income and no access to the hardship fund. The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain is demanding gig economy companies grant workers full sick pay without preconditions. Renters Following sustained pressure from the Labour Party, the government announced emergency legislation on Wednesday to ensure that renters are not evicted as a result of being unable to pay rent because of the pandemic. However, this still means people unable to work may fall into arrears through no fault of their own. Benefit charity Turn2Us is calling for the government to increase universal credit payments to help cover rent costs while Jeremy Corbyn wants the government to suspend rent payments during the pandemic. Labour leadership candidate Rebecca Long-Bailey has called for a universal basic income an unconditional payment made to every citizen to help people, including renters. Given that the chancellor announced a three-month mortgage holiday for anyone struggling to make repayments because of Covid-19 he will remain under pressure to give renters equal leeway. The Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Chhattisgarh Police has registered a fresh case against unidentified civil servants in multi-crore Public Distribution System (PDS) scam and launched a probe. The EOW registered a case under Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120 (B) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) on Tuesday evening. As per EOW, the investigation in the alleged scam revealed that through bogus ration cards, which were made in all 27 districts of state, around 1,108,515 tonne rice was distributed due to which state government suffered a loss of Rs 2,718 crore between 2013 to 2016. It was found that about 10 lakh bogus ration cards were made between September 2013 and December 2013 and rice was distributed illegally through these cards. Similar modus operandi was followed till 2016, a note issued by EOW on Wednesday stated. The probe further revealed that the officials who were then posted with Directorate of Food Department in the 27 districts allegedly misused their positions and made bogus ration cards through forged documents. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in 2019 to investigate another PDS scam, popularly called as Nagarik Aapurti Nigam ghotala or NAN scam. Nan scam came into light in 2014 when the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) conducted raids in various parts of the state and seized cash and documents. The ACB also recovered coded diary entries of pay-offs to officials and politicians. The Congress, which was in Opposition then, had claimed that the scam is about Rs 36,000 crore and further alleged that leaders of BJP are involved. In 2015, a PIL was filed by Sudeep Shrivasatva in Chhattisgarh high court demanding an SIT investigation in the case. Shrivastava in his PIL alleged the investigating agency saved few officers who were involved in the scam. The PIL said that 111 samples of rice out of 254, and 64 salt samples out of 185 were found to be sub-standard and unfit for human consumption but was cleared by officers. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON SACRAMENTO - Governor Gavin Newsom has issued an executive order to protect ongoing safety net services for vulnerable Californians during the coronavirus pandemic. On March 17, the Governor signed the order to ensure the residents can continue to receive health care, food assistance and in-home supportive services in a timely manner by extending the eligibility period for the services. These social safety net programs are so important for families especially during this crisis, said Governor Newsom. We dont want Californians who rely on these services to lose them. The order waives eligibility re-determinations for 90 days, or until June 15, for Californians who participate in: Medi-Cal health coverage CalFresh food assistance CalWORKS Cash Assistance for Immigrants; and In-Home Supportive Services The changes will allow current recipients of the programs to continue receiving the benefits without interruption. The executive order also waives certain provisions of the Bagely-Keene Act. For the Governor's full executive order, CLICK HERE. Two members of Africa's Artificial Intelligence (AI) community - data science competition platform Zindi and Ghana's Runmila AI Institute - in response to the global Covid-19 pandemic, have launched two initiatives seeking AI and data science solutions that will help in the fight against the viral disease. As of 16 March 2020 there were about 169,387 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and over 6,500 reported deaths around the world.In a bid to fight the virus, Zindi has launched a challenge sponsored by the Artificial Intelligence for Development-Africa Network (AI4D-Africa) which asks data scientists to build an epidemiological model that predicts the spread of Covid-19 throughout the world over the next few months. The platform says the solutions will be evaluated against future data.Zindi points out that accurate modelling of the spread of viral diseases like Covid-19 is critical for policymakers and health workers to take appropriate actions to contain and mitigate the impact of these diseases.The challenge, titled AI4D Predict the Global Spread of Covid-19, was launched on 13 March, with submissions set to close on 19 April 2020. At the end of the challenge, participants with solutions that place first will receive a $2,500 prize, this while second and third placed data science practitioners will receive $1,500 and $1,000, respectively for their solutions.On 21 March, Accra-based Runmila AI Institute will hold the Runmila AI4COVID-19 Hackathon and AI Research Fellowship Event at the University of Ghana.The event aims to use AI and data science to combat Covid-19 in Ghana and Africa.Runmila will host the event in collaboration with minoHealth AI Labs. In attendance will be Runmila AI Fellows and alumni, data scientists and AI engineers from minoHealth AI Labs and Gudra, virologists as well as bioinformaticians from the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) and delegates from organisations that include German development agency GIZ, UN Global Pulse and Japan International Cooperation Agency.Dr Nick Bradshaw, co-founder of AI Expo Africa, the AI business community in Africa stated, With the announcement by the South African President on Sunday, 15 March around measures to combat the growing Covid-19 virus, we want our community to play its part and leverage data science and artificial intelligence to help model the spread of the Covid-19 virus. These two platforms and associated challenges will contribute to the global body of knowledge to help combat Covid-19. We are all in this together and have to help people, families, businesses, front line workers, society and the world cope with this global issue these two initiatives are a significant contribution from Africa.Learn more about the Zindis AI4D Predict the Global Spread of COVID-19 challenge Register for Runmila AI Institutes Runmila AI4COVID-19 Hackathon and AI Research Fellowship event. One of the regrets of my last 10 years as a Northeasterner-turned-Texan is that Ive fulfilled only some of the stereotypes. To be fair to me, Ive accomplished important ones. I wear Lucchese boots. I wear bespoke guayaberas shout-out Dos Carolinas! I am not yet, however, an investor in oil and gas. I say this with some wistful regret. I want to fit in as a real Texan. I have recently discovered a possible way to correct this. But I should start with a few reasons why I havent yet invested in oil and gas. The most obvious reason is that I dont have enough money to be invited into large-scale opportunities. Next, I have no particular expertise that would assist me in oil and gas investing. Prudence suggests, and I always suggest, doing the simplest, low-cost investing thing that requires the least amount of knowledge. Oil and gas investments are famously opaque and high-cost opportunities, meaning if you buy into some heavily-promoted deal, its hard to avoid just funding a dry hole while paying many layers of fees to the operator or promoter, who makes money whether they are successful or not. The proverbial heads you win, tails I lose kind of situation. Having laid out some caveats which hold true no matter what I am intrigued by a Houston-based online platform called Energy Funders, designed for the little guy (like me) to invest in oil and gas opportunities. When you create an investor account on Energy Funders (as I did this month) you can access specific oil and gas exploration opportunities, with a minimum as small as $5,000. Garrett Corley, the vice president of investor relations who called to vet me as an investor, says they average about one opportunity per month on their platform, with 34 deals closed to date. CEO Casey Minshew says during the last five years they have been beta testing their thesis that they can disrupt the closed, highly capital-intensive and high-fee world of energy exploration by giving access to smaller investors while reducing fees. Minshew shared with me the results so far as well as the direction he intends Energy Funders to go in the future. Of the 34 deals closed, 11 have been dry holes. Sixteen have produced appreciable oil and gas to date. Six of the deals, he believes, will be significant wins for investors. I did not independently verify his reported results, but those feel like results one should expect from high-risk investing, and therefore strike me as credible. Minshew says that for this type of investment, small-dollar participants should split their money between a variety of projects to lower their risk of failure on any one investment. Unlike the past five years, however, Minshew says the next few years will look a little different in terms of project style. Until now, Energy Funders has mostly backed so-called wildcat-style drilling, in which funders mostly get dry holes but hope to have enough big winners to compensate for losses. Future capital raises on Energy Funders will focus on lower-risk investing, through two methods. One is to create a portfolio approach to projects, allowing investors access to multiple drilling projects, for diversification purposes. The second is to open access to unconventional, or horizontal drilling, projects. For those familiar with oil and gas extraction lingo, youll know what that means. For the rest of us, conventional means drilling a traditional, vertical hole in the ground. You lose money in conventional if your vertical hole is dry. Unconventional refers to horizontal drilling techniques and deep underground rock-formation smashing, known colloquially as fracking. The way you lose money in unconventional drilling is if the high cost of fracking exceeds the value of the oil and gas extracted, particularly if theres too much gas and not enough oil. As an extremely general rule right now, gas is not profitable and oil is profitable or will be again, post-coronavirus. Markets obviously vary and will change in the future. The project that I reviewed on the site this week is one of their unconventional offerings, which has already been pumping oil and gas. The structure of that deal, as a result, offers less risk and less reward. But Minshew believes thats increasingly what investors on their platform want. I dont mean to endorse Energy Funders as an investment vehicle in particular because, again, I know nothing about oil and gas investing. But the theory seems plausible to me that a larger market exists for lower-risk, lower-return investments in oil and gas, especially among the smaller investors that Energy Funders online portal will appeal to. Energy Funders is a kind of democratizing platform. But from a regulatory standpoint, it is only offered to accredited investors, who must meet a relatively high income or net worth threshold. While their investment minimums are small $5,000 you do have to have some income or wealth to burn in order to participate. Final note. I understand that to many readers the idea of investing in oil and gas in the age of climate change is akin to investing in cancer. I disagree, but OK. Michael Taylor is a columnist for the San Antonio Express-News and author of The Financial Rules for New College Graduates. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as Covid-19 has almost brought the state to its knees, the nod given by state government to senior IAS officers to travel to foreign countries for personal purposes has drawn flak from various quarters. This has forced the government to cancel its permission. Kerala State Drugs and Pharmaceuticals (KSDP) director M G Rajamanickam was given permission to visit London from April 4 to 18, while Labour Additional Chief Secretary Satyajit Rajan was given permission for a nine-day trip to Thailand. Jalanidhi Executive Director Joshi Mrunmai Sasank was also given permission for a five-day trip to Russia. Criticising the foreign trip of senior officials during Covid-19, KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran said the chief minister should explain the circumstances that led to giving permission for senior officials to travel to foreign countries. Even as the state police chief, who went for a sojourn to London, has been attending various programmes without any restrictions, the state government has allowed another round of foreign trips by officials to countries where travel ban has been imposed, he said. Replying to the allegation, the chief minister clarified that the trips were cancelled. WOOD RIVER Madison Countys first COVID-19 case is a male in his 30s who recently traveled to a high-risk area of Europe, according to Madison County officials. Madison County Health Department Administrator Toni Corona and County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler spoke at a press conference Tuesday night at the health department in Wood River. Prenzler also announced he has signed an emergency disaster declaration that will enable the county to access assistance and funding from state and federal agencies. Corona said the department was notified Tuesday afternoon about the positive test. Theres a limit to the information we can share about him, she said. She noted that he did everything right and is in isolation at home. Corona also said the case is not yet on the Illinois Department of Public Healths case count, and will be included in Gov. J.B. Pritzkers briefing Wednesday. We felt it was very important to come to the public to know that we did receive a positive test result, she said. Corona emphasized they expect to see more cases. Since testing occurrence has been increasing, we are likely to see an increase in positive cases in Madison County, and this is to be expected, she said. Do not be alarmed by rising numbers, because when you look for disease you often find it. She re-emphasized the best ways to stop the spread of COVID-19 is to practice social distancing and basic hygiene. Weve been asking you to take these precautions for weeks, now, she said. Wash your hands, cover your mouths, stay home. Its crucial at this time for people to stay near home and in small numbers to help flatten the curve, she added. This effort will help decrease the spread and not overwhelm the hospitals or other resources. She also said anyone showing the key symptoms shortness of breath, respiratory distress, a fever of 100.3 degrees or higher, or a cough should seek medical treatment. Please call your health provider, do not just show up at the emergency rooms, she said. Do not show up at the health department. This is important: if you think you are ill you need to talk to your health care provider. She also said it is important to get information from credible public health sources. The Madison County Health Department webpage, madisonchd.org., has links to the IDPH and U.S. Centers for Disease Control. That is your best place to get resources and information, she said. This is a very fluid situation and information changes daily, frankly by the hour. We want you to be informed, we want you to have all the information you need. ALMOST all elective surgeries and outpatient appointments in public hospitals across Limerick and the Mid-West have been postponed until further notice due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The UL Hospitals Group made the announcement this Wednesday afternoon, adding that the visiting ban continues to be in place for University Hospital Limerick, University Maternity Hospital Limerick, Ennis, Nenagh, St John's, and Croom until March 29. A spokesperson stated that time-critical procedures, such as cancer surgery, will continue in the coming days and weeks. Five theatres are currently open at UHL for emergency and trauma cases as well as time-critical elective surgery. There was just one patient on a trolley in the emergency department at UHL this Wednesday morning, consistent with other hospitals around the country. The UL Hospitals Group CEO, Prof Colette Cowan said that they "sincerely regret having to reduce services and restrict visiting across our sites. However, patient safety is our highest priority and as part of a number of actions in that regard, it is necessary to reduce activity and prioritise services for our sickest patients. We look forward to resuming normal service at the earliest appropriate opportunity. We ask that members of the public help in the national effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 by observing the visitor ban in our hospitals, by attending the Emergency Department at UHL only when necessary; by following relevant public health advice around hand hygiene, cough and sneeze etiquette and social distancing; and taking simple precautions to protect themselves, their loved ones and our community at large. A spokesperson added: "We sincerely regret having to extend this reduction in service, and we are sorry for any inconvenience or distress it has caused for affected patients, who will be rescheduled at the earliest opportunity. "For a limited number of other urgent outpatient appointments and procedures, patients will be called directly by staff to confirm the appointment. Patients should only attend for their appointment or procedure if contacted directly by the hospital." SERVICES THAT CONTINUE AS NORMAL - Dialysis (UHL) - Cancer services (oncology and haematology day ward; haematology and oncology OPD clinics; medical oncology clinics; Ward 4B appointments) (UHL) - Urgent Cardiology diagnostics patients being contacted directly (UHL) - OPAT (antibiotic therapy) (UHL) - Fracture Clinic (UHL) - Paediatrics: oncology/radiology day case/paediatric diabetes service (UHL) - Ante-natal clinic; colposcopy clinic; diabetes in pregnancy clinic; elective c-sections and induction of labour (UMHL) - Warfarin Clinic (Ennis Hospital) - Elective surgery for paediatric patients (Croom Orthopaedic Hospital) - Radiology appointments (Nenagh Hospital) - Warfarin Clinic (St Johns Hospital) IN RELATION TO VISITING BAN We have drop-off & collection services available at our sites to help people get important personal items to and from their relatives in hospital. Security staff at University Hospital Limerick and reception staff at Croom, Nenagh, Ennis, and St Johns Hospitals will be happy to assist with queries about this service. The ban on visitors also applies to patients attending the Emergency Department at University Hospital Limerick and the Injury Units in Ennis, Nenagh and St Johns Hospitals, and we are grateful to the public and our patients for their cooperation at this most difficult time. Their continued support has helped us to keep the Emergency Department as a place where we must prioritise the treatment of the most seriously injured and ill people, and those whose lives may be at risk. The only exceptions to the visitor ban are as follows (with a strict limit of one visitor per patient): Partners of women attending University Maternity Hospital Limerick Parents visiting children in hospital People visiting patients at end-of-life People assisting confused patients (e.g. dementia) People visiting patients in Critical Care Ever since she was forced to temporarily close her gym in Baabdat in line with government measures to curb the coronavirus outbreak, Jihane Rizkallah Corbani has decided to work from home and maintain her regular schedule. Every day, she goes online to provide her clients with their usual workout sessions. "I turned my living room into a studio where I put my mobile phone on a tripod, and so my classes are being transmitted online," said Corbani to L'Orient-Le Jour. About thirty people join her online every day. "My clients are very motivated. Keeping their daily routine makes them feel good. I didnt expect that these sessions would be as successful," she said. "But as Lebanese, we always manage and life goes on despite everything. We have an iron will. Many people, like Corbani, have chosen to limit their movements well before the government finally decided on Sunday March 15 to call for a "general mobilization." In fact, they responded to pressing appeals by the media, NGO's and many civil society groups. The "Khallik bel beyt" (Stay at Home) campaign had a snowball effect, and succeeded in convincing the Lebanese people to be confined to their homes, in order to limit the spread of Covid-19. However, Lebanese women are not yet ready to abandon their beauty rituals, asking their hairdressers and beauticians for in-home services. Lebanese women never neglect their looks. My hairdresser will come home, and I will put on a mask, said May, a resident of Beirut. Another lady said that she now plays bridge online with her partners; her club being temporarily closed. Radio Quartiere Beirut Italy's artistic solidarity and videos of quarantined Italians singing from their balconies were a major source of inspiration for many Lebanese. Taking the example from a group of his friends who created an online radio in Milan in order to better face Covid-19 confinement, Majed Shehabi, a Syrian-Palestinian student in Beirut, decided a few days ago to launch a neighborhood radio station (radioquartiere.online/beirut). Since then, he has received dozens of volunteers ready to play their favorite music online. It has now more than 3,000 listeners per day and a total of 500 hours of broadcasting. "I was chatting with my friends who are confined to their homes in Milan, and they told me about their radio, Radio Quartiere, which broadcasts online, so that people can stay connected and send live messages. I decided to set up one here, and we started broadcasting from the Mansion cultural center in Zokak el-Blatt," Majed told L OLJ. "Our DJs live in Lebanon or abroad, and they take turns around the clock. They are Lebanese, Yemenis, Palestinians, Tunisians, Jordanians and Syrians. The idea is to stay connected, to continue on having a social life from a distance. Our listeners interact with us and send messages to our website in real- time. After the enforced closure of pubs and nightclubs, Joe Sbeih, a DJ, found himself jobless and bored at home. Last Saturday, he organized a 3 hour-live evening on social networks in the hope of recreating the atmosphere of the evenings which he used to animate every weekend. "To be honest, I missed my work. I saw how the Italians coped with the situation and resorted to music, and so I decided to spend a regular Saturday evening," Joe told L OLJ. "A great number of people listened to my session, and shared it with their friends. It shows how much they need to have fun and some good times." And so, home delivery services now include alcoholic cocktails. Barlivery, an online beverage service, has seen an increase in orders in recent days. Our orders increased 5 or 6 days ago. We had a lot of work last weekend, especially Friday evening, said Mireille Ordekian, barmaid and manager of Barlivery. "Some people are organizing small parties at home and are calling us to deliver their alcoholic cocktails. But we are also receiving smaller orders from people who enjoy having a drink at home alone," said the young woman, assuring that sanitation and hygiene measures are strictly observed "while preparing the drinks and delivering them." Ordekian, whose company delivers in Beirut as well as on the Metn coastline, concluded, saying: "It is good to see that people are getting on with their lives." (This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour on the 17th of March) Tasmania has announced the toughest border measures in the Australia - effectively shutting itself off to the world to try and prevent a further spread of the coronavirus pandemic. All 'non-essential' travellers entering Tasmania will be made to isolate for two weeks as of midnight on Friday. The quarantine won't apply to travellers deemed 'essential' such as health care workers, emergency workers and defence personnel. But for everyone else, they will be forced into isolation. Those who don't abide by the isolation rules could be hit with penalties including fines up to $16,800 and six months in jail. Tasmania has declared a state of emergency and will introduce tough new measures to avoid the spread of coronavirus (pictured: travellers in protective equipment at Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne) Premier Peter Gutwein said the state of emergency would be declared on Thursday and said Tasmania would be enforcing strong measures to tackle the virus. 'This will be the strongest border measures in the country in terms of the states and territories,' Mr Gutwein said. 'Tasmanians can leave the state but after midnight on Friday night, should they return, they will need to go into a period of quarantine if they are not an essential traveller.' 'We know that for some it will create disruption, but our aim is to ensure that we protect the health, wellbeing and safety of Tasmanians and we would ask people to work with us as we implement these measures and as they are managed over coming weeks.' Mr Gutwein said Tasmania would not be shutting its borders as the state needed to allow vital supplies to come in. 'Ships will continue to run, TT Line I expect will have more opportunity to carry more freight into the state as a result of the fact there will be I expect less people travelling,' he said. Premier Peter Gutwein (pictured) declared the state of emergency and said the state would be enforcing strong measures to tackle the 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 Mr Gutwein said penalties could apply to anybody who doesn't abide by the rules. 'There can be no excuse for not self-quarantining, for not abiding by the rules,' he said,' he said. 'Should somebody break the law, we will ensure that the full weight available to us under the laws, which would be up to a $16,800 fine or up to six months in prison, that those penalties are brought to bear.' The Premier also said schools would remain open. The state of emergency means Police Commissioner Darren Hine would have the powers under the Emergency Management Act to take resources from other departments if needed. Tasmania currently has ten confirmed cases of coronavirus. Commissary customers could face restrictions on some of the most in-demand products, including cleaning supplies, paper products, meats, milk and bread, as jittery customers clear out store shelves nationwide. Purchase limitations will change from store to store, but directors worldwide are authorized to place restrictions on certain products to help maintain availability, Kevin Robinson, a spokesman for the Defense Commissary Agency, said Wednesday. High-demand products at commissaries include water, antiseptic sprays and wipes, paper towels, toilet paper, bleach, fresh and frozen meats, canned goods, eggs, milk and bread, he told Military.com. "Purchase limitations will change from store to store and throughout the day as deliveries come in and the commissary management teams assess their ability to meet customer demand -- as equitably as possible," Robinson said. "Of course, customer demand can also vary by geographic location, and that can dictate which items fall under shopping limits." Related: Commissary Blocks Visitors, Cancels Early Bird Shopping in Coronavirus Response Jonathan Hoffman, a Defense Department spokesman, said the authority to place limits on some products was given to store directors Monday. "This will be done in coordination with base leadership," Hoffman said. "The department is working to make sure that service members and their families living on base understand these changes and have access to the goods that they need." President Donald Trump on Sunday urged Americans not to stockpile groceries and other goods after declaring the coronavirus spread a national emergency. "You don't have to buy so much," Trump said. "There's no need for anybody in the country to hoard essential food supplies." Commissary customers are being asked to follow the same advice. "We recommend to our customers that they calmly purchase what they need and avoid any panic buying to ensure products are available for others in their communities," Robinson said. Stores across the country have reported the need to restock bare shelves. Some are limiting hours to give employees a chance to restock products amid guidance about social distancing and limiting crowds to no more than 10 people. Online retail giant Amazon has also advised its customers it's temporarily prioritizing household staples, medical supplies and other in-demand products so the company can more quickly receive, restock and ship those items to shoppers. Commissaries, Robinson said, are working closely with industry suppliers and base leaders to increase deliveries to support the needs of its customers. "We ask our customers to please be patient if they see empty shelves in the store," he said. "Our personnel are working diligently to restock our stores as fast as the product arrives." -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins. Read more: Disinfecting Drones to Fight COVID-19? No Thanks, Says Defense Department By Akbar Mammadov Two Karabakh war veterans who became disabled during the war in the early 1990s have received homes as the government has provided hundreds of veterans and martyr families with accommodation. Idris Huseynov and Mais Mahmudov both residents of northern Guba city - moved to their new homes on the eve of Novruz holiday on March 17. Guba District Executive Power has built a new house for Huseynov and fundamentally renovated Mahmudov's house at the expense of internal resources. Both war veterans had earlier addressed the head of the district executive authority earlier this year asking that their living conditions be improved. The construction and repair works, which began in January, were completed as soon as possible. The one-storey apartment building for Idris Huseynov, a disabled person of the III group, is 90 square meters. The house consists of three rooms, balcony, kitchen and bathroom. The head of the Guba District Executive Power, Ziyaddin Aliyev, was a guest of Karabakh war veterans who moved to their new homes. During the visit, it was mentioned that one of the main directions of social policy in Azerbaijan is strengthening social protection of Karabakh war veterans, disabled people and families of martyrs. Some 700 apartments and 800 individual homes will be provided to martyr families and war veterans this year. Some 934 martyr families and war veterans were given apartment in 2019 and 1,500 more families are expected to be provided with housing, President Ilham Aliyev said while receiving Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Population Sahil Babayev on March 16. The president said that he has instructed to build more homes for martyr families and war veterans in the course of 2020. Minister Babayev said during the meeting that families of martyrs and disabled war veterans will be provided with 800 individual homes in 52 districts. --- Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Australian travellers are scrambling to return home fearing the borders will close, with some paying thousands for last-minute flights. Prime Minister Scott Morrison advised against all overseas travel on Tuesday and told Australians abroad to 'come home now' as the world grapples with the coronavirus outbreak. The drastic travel advice marks the first time in Australia's history the government has told its people not to go to any country. But some travellers have had to pay massive amounts of money to act on the advice of the nation's leader. Audra Walker and Dylan Playle had to fork out $11,000 to get back to Perth from South America Audra Walker and Dylan Playle had to fork out $11,000 to get back to Perth from Ecuador in South America. When the newly-engaged couple heard speculation the borders would close, they rushed to the closest airport and paid $5,000 for a flight to Los Angeles. Hours later, they learned the flight had been cancelled. While they managed to get a refund and hop on another plane to Miami with a nine-hour stopover in Colombia, they were in a constant state of fear that their next flights would be cancelled. When the newly-engaged couple heard rumours borders would start closing, they panicked and rushed to the closest airport and paid $5,000 for a flight to Los Angeles Hours later, they learned the flight had been cancelled. They managed to get a refund and hop on another plane to Miami with a nine-hour stopover in Colombia What followed was a $6,000 flight to Perth via San Francisco and Sydney. Ms Walker slammed the airlines and claimed they were increasing prices 'in a time like this'. 'Not everyone is fortunate enough to be prepared for $11,000 one-way flights,' she wrote on social media. 'We feel for every f***ing person stuck in South America!' She then tagged Scott Morrison and wrote 'you better do something to get them back home!' 'Not everyone is fortunate enough to be prepared for $11,000 one-way flights,' Ms Walker wrote She then tagged Scott Morrison and wrote 'you better do something to get them back home!' Ms Walker and Mr Playle aren't the only ones trying to get home. Travellers heading back to Australia from the UK have described the chaos unfolding at Heathrow Airport in London as people join a wait list for one-way flights. One man told The West he waiting at the international airport for more than ten hours to get a seat, only to be told the flight was full while he waited at the gate. 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 After another day and a half, he managed to get on a Qantas flight home. 'It's absolute bedlam in London. Everyone is trying to get home. There were about 30 people in the waitlist line at Heathrow while I was there,' he said. 'The system has broken. Taxi's are charging 95 quid to get to the hotel from the airport instead of the usual 25 quid. There's mass queues. It's because everything is changing so quickly. PhD student Payton Rodman manage to get a flight back to Melbourne for $1,400 before Mr Morrison's announcement, but is worried about a stopover through Abu Dhabi. 'It's possible I could get stuck in the UAE if anything goes wrong. I won't feel safe until my last flight lands in Australia. I'm looking forward to 14 days isolation because it means I'll be on home soil,' she said. PhD student Payton Rodman manage to get a flight back to Melbourne for $1,400 before Mr Morrison's announcement, but is worried about a stopover through Abu Dhabi This is the first time Australians have been told not to go abroad. Mr Morrison said: 'We are upgrading the travel ban on Australians to level four 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. Greece's migration ministry on Wednesday announced new restrictions to the movement of asylum-seekers in island camps to keep out the new coronavirus, and accelerated work on new closed facilities. "As of today, the movement of island camp residents will be drastically reduced," Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi said in a statement. The ministry said that for the next 30 days, the movement of camp residents to nearby communities would be restricted to "small groups" between 7am and 7pm. "These groups can only include one person per family," the ministry said, adding that the movements would be on "controlled" public transport and regulated by police. "Wherever possible, supply will be conducted via phone order," the ministry said. Specialised medical teams were being deployed to the camps and virus isolation areas would be created, authorities said. On Tuesday, Greek authorities said camp access to outside visitors would be barred for two weeks, excepting only authorised staff. "Visits (to camps) by individuals and organisations are suspended for at least 14 days," the migration ministry said. - Compulsory temperature check - "Entry will be allowed only to staff and there will be a compulsory temperature check for new arrivals," it said. Greece has progressively tightened restrictions on trade and public gatherings, with the national death toll from the virus now at five with 387 cases. There are tens of thousands of asylum seekers in camps on the Greek mainland and islands near Turkey, and most of them are badly overcrowded. Hundreds more arrived this month after Turkey announced it would no longer stop people from attempting to reach the EU -- going against a deal reached with the bloc in 2016 -- leading to days of chaos at the Greek border. The ministry on Wednesday said no new arrivals after March 1 would be allowed in existing camps as a health precaution. In a statement to mark four years since the deal on Tuesday, the Greek Council for Refugees and Oxfam said "suffering has reached unimaginable levels". The Greek migration ministry recently opened two camps on the mainland for hundreds of new arrivals on the islands from Turkey. On Wednesday, the ministry said efforts to build new closed camp facilities on the islands would redouble. Migration minister Notis Mitarachi said construction of a new camp on the island of Samos would "accelerate". And work to expand smaller camps on the islands of Kos and Leros would begin "immediately", the ministry said. The ministry did not mention the islands of Lesbos and Chios, where an attempt last month to begin work on new camps resulted in days of clashes with locals. There are 600,000 cocoa farmers across Cameroon, and it is a vital sector for rural communities. But cocoa is a fragile crop with yields that tend to decrease over time, putting farmers' livelihoods at risk. That's why the African Development Bank has committed to provide funding to IRAD, the Institute of Agriculture Research for Development, where research is focused on creating adapted seed varieties. Image Supplied. Setting up production fields Antoine Mani Tonye, a cocoa farmer, who farms his own plot in the village of Azanzoa on the outskirts of Mbalmayo in central Cameroon, has seen healthy yields and an improvement in his income since he began planting a locally adapted seed variety developed in a laboratory in the capital Yaounde. "In its first year, my nursery has been the best. This should get me out of poverty," said Tonye."For now, I am doing better, I don't beg, I do my best, I manage to get by on my own. Farming is going to become my passion."The second-generation seed varieties developed by IRAD allow for an average yield of 2 tonnes per hectare, compared to the first generation developed in the 1970s and 1980s that produced around 1 ton per hectare."There has been great progress. In less than two decades, we have been able to double the yield potential of the varieties that farmers now use," said Bruno Efombagen, an IRAD researcher in Yaounde.Demand for the higher-yielding seeds has outstripped supply. To solve this problem, the African Development Bank has supported IRAD in its efforts to make the seeds accessible to a greater number of farmers. Across the country, IRAD is setting up more and more seed production fields.A new seed variety called Brazilian cacao is now widely in use, providing far better yields to Cameroonian farmers."Before, our parents used to grow a variety called "tout-venant", but today, thanks to advances in research, we have access to improved seeds," said Samba MViena, Chairman of AKOM-COOP-CA, a cooperative of farmers. "You get the first yields 18 months after planting them, with flowers and a few pods on some stems. After two or two-and-a-half years, or more precisely three years, you can already get a perfect crop."The higher-quality cocoa seed varieties have helped to stem the migration of young people from rural villages to seek work in the city. MVienas cooperative has strong youth representation, with 62 young people in the group."Their decision to engage in the cacao sector stems from the availability of improved seeds, because these seeds allow for quick and bountiful harvests," he said.Brazilian cacao not only provides far better yields to Cameroonian farmers, it benefits everyone in the production chain. Trader Yannick Fosso buys cocoa from across the region and sells it in Cameroons economic capital, Douala."The season runs from August to January. I make all my years earnings during those six months," he explained. "When you look at the plants, you can see that Brazilian cacao is a better variety than the ones that our parents used to grow. Its colour is much brighter; the pods never get black, they are entirely red. So when you brew it, it comes out with a very good colour and taste."Cocoa is Cameroons second export crop. The majority of the Central African nations annual output of about 220,000 tonnes is shipped overseas from Doualas Atlantic port.For Fosso, part of the pride he takes in his work is in Cameroons improving reputation as a cocoa exporter. "Cacao is a central part of the lives of the people here," he said. "Its rewarding to buy something that is eaten across the world." Airlines in Asia are being sucked deeper into the coronavirus crisis after its escalation into a global pandemic sparked a wave of travel bans in Europe and North America. Australia-based Qantas Airways announced Tuesday that it will cut its total group international capacity by around 90% until at least the end of May -- the latest drastic indication of how far world travel is set to be curtailed by efforts to curb the spread of the virus. About 150 aircraft will be grounded out of roughly 300 across the group. In another sign of airlines preparing to hunker down, Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific struck a deal with aircraft lessor BOC Aviation to sell and lease back six Boeing 777-300ER planes in a deal worth $703.8 million to help the carrier's balance sheet. Cathay Pacific said last week that it had access to HK$20 billion of unrestricted liquidity but was seeking to increase the amount as it struggles through a moment of significant revenue cuts. Aviation faced a crisis of "unprecedented magnitude," said Brendan Sobie, founder of aviation analysis company Sobie Aviation. "The situation is obviously exacerbated in markets where airlines were not in good financial position entering the crisis," Sobie said, "but even airlines that were relatively in good financial position will have issues in the coming weeks." Across the region carriers have slashed capacity while asking or demanding that staff take unpaid leave. Many employees have been laid off. Malaysia Airlines' 13,000 staff were warned in an email from chief financial officer Boo Hui Yeeeven that the group stood on the verge of bankruptcy. The airline cut up to 2,000 flights up to April, asking its employees to participate in a voluntary unpaid leave program for up to three months for five days a month. Top management has taken a 10% pay cut. Malaysia's national carrier has been struggling since 2014 when one aircraft disappeared in flight and another was downed over Ukraine. Despite a $1.5 billion injection of government funds that year, a fierce competition with one of the most aggressive budget airlines, AirAsia, hindered the state-owned carrier's revival. It recorded a net loss of 791.71 million ringgit ($182 million at current rates) for 2018. Many industry analysts are asking whether airlines are able to survive the sudden interruption to their cash flows. Asian airlines have faced fierce competition for many years but were able to withstand it thanks to soaring flight demand and a tourism boom. Now the coronavirus shutdown has exposed the weakness left by many carriers' rapid expansion. CIO New Zealand: When you left your last corporate job as CIO at Datacom, you turned into entrepreneurial pursuits, and went back to university. Can you tell us more about this phase in your career and how it led you to found Arkturus? I took a career break after a long time in the industry and many years at the same company. It wasnt retirement, but I hadnt intended to go back into the IT industry. Instead, I thought I would invest in a couple of businesses, renovate some properties (actually physically laying floors and tiles, painting, etc very therapeutic), and try to write some stories (which included doing some writing courses and a Stage 3 English paper at Auckland University). It was all a nice break, but I felt I still had something left to do and gradually that something became Arkturus. Process mining intrigued me, because I could see the future ramifications of the technology and the extraordinary business benefits it offers. Why did you say Arkturus is a game changer in the burgeoning world of AI and business intelligence? Arkturus, built on our own process mining platform, will ultimately change the way we use systems and data to manage our enterprises. Its only a matter of time before every company will be using process mining technology, because if someone has invented a tool that does something better and faster why wouldnt you use it? Up until now, what is actually happening inside a business processes is hidden its a black box, you have no real view of whats going on. KPIs or reports only give you part of the picture. If there is an existing process chart, its usually out of date and shows only the most common path. Currently, the only way to understand a process is by asking the people involved. You are totally reliant on user perception people telling you what they do which isnt always what they should do, or what they should do which isnt always what they do, either or something in between. Thinkstock Its only a matter of time before every company will be using process mining technology, because if someone has invented a tool that does something better and faster why wouldnt you use it? Arkturus is advanced process mining technology it takes your existing system data and mines it for a real-time view of your business process and operations. It opens up that black box and shows your processes in flight with a 360-degree equivalent view of your business operation. You still need to talk to your users, but you can do so with a foundation of facts. You can then use our tool to do visual impact and root cause analysis quicker, using less technical resources, and get a better result. Your startup focuses on a new area of AI so how do you explain what it does to executives? The simple explanation is that the Arkturus EDT (enterprise digital twin) will be a digital replica of your organisation, built from all of your system data, so that you can get a better understanding of how your business actually operates. Some people may already be familiar with the concept of a digital twin, but it usually relates to a physical object. Advances in IoT mean we can create digital replicas of things like aircraft engines, factory machinery, wind turbines and fleet vehicles. The concept of the enterprise digital twin is harder to grasp, because a business is not just a physical object like a building or a machine or even a person (though a business has all of those things). It is a much more abstract concept. Process mining is the foundation of the EDT, because in order to understand your whole business, you have to understand all of the processes within your business. So why should it be on their radar? Supplied Frankly, nothing prepares you for founding and running a startup The benefits of an EDT are the same as the benefits of a digital twin of a physical object, e.g., a delivery truck. If a logistics company had digital twins of their entire fleet, they would be able to see instantly where each vehicle was located, the fuel level, tyre pressure, payload, who was driving, etc. How is this useful? In two ways: Firstly, it is easier to get information about what is currently happening, or what has happened, from a digital twin than the physical object itself. After all, you could instantly see where your entire fleet was located in the country, if they were plotted on a virtual map and zoom in on a particular truck to find out details. In a similar way, Arkturus can show your entire process and look at it from different perspectives, filter extraneous information, so you can focus on finding solutions. Secondly, and the really powerful benefit, is how you can apply this concept to the future. Just like a spreadsheet can help you understand your present financial situation and allow you to change key numbers so you can see the impact they have on your bottom line. It creates a digital view, while it is running and looks at it from every possible angle to identify issues and then model potential solutions. The test cases usually start with someone asking, What if? Such as, What if demand increases by 30 per cent can we cope? What if a new hospital ward is opened with 30 beds what will be the impact to the rest of the services? What if we automate this segment of the process will overall performance increase? The vision of the EDT will be reached through further advances in big data and AI technologies sooner than you think. But there are immediate benefits today in the area of process improvement, and process mining underpins everything. You use an interesting analogy from science fiction on how Arkturus works. If you think about the Starship Enterprise from Star Trek, Arkturus is like the ships computer it is the one source of all knowledge about everything that goes on with the ship. While there are many different systems that actually run individual parts of the ship (life support, engineering, transporters, shields, etc) the ships computer knows everything those systems know. Our long-term vision is that of a ships computer for your organisation that gets data from all the other systems that are used to run your business. But its not just another data-warehouse or data lake intelligence is built into it so you can do a great deal more with it than write reports. This long-term vision is called the enterprise digital twin and it has far reaching benefits to an organisation. Star Trek Online What experiences prompted you to take on a more entrepreneurial path as an ICT leader? During my career Ive worked mostly with large organisations in a wide variety of industries in New Zealand. As a result, I am very familiar with the challenges of working with high volume, complex business processes across diverse systems and geographical locations. So, when I saw process mining technology for the first time, I was very excited and could immediately see the business benefits to process Improvement. As we developed the technology, we began to see the long-term applications and benefits which resulted in the vision of the EDT. One of the advantages of a startup is creating your own company culture. Can you describe the workplace environment at Arkturus? I think were a typical start up organisation doing a lot of work, wearing a lot of hats. We try to make it fun where we can and our standups are legendary, starting with pull ups on the mini gym in the office. Theres quite a bit of friendly rivalry between the dev and data teams. And as a tech startup, we also have the almost compulsory pizza and donut days. On a more serious note, we have been very deliberate about combining business experience with academic research. We felt so strongly about it we put it in our name. Most of our data team are from academic backgrounds. We pride ourselves in bringing very real business knowledge, experience, and skills and combining it with academic research skills and ensuring the most effective outcome that will ultimately provide tangible business benefit. We hire the best we can regardless of other factors so we organically ended up with a diverse team from seven nations and across three generations, with female technical leadership. How is your experience as a CIO helping you as you take the top seat at the executive table? Frankly, nothing prepares you for founding and running a startup. As a CIO, I did come to the table with experience in relationships, technology, communication, and running complex projects. But all the other stuff financing, marketing, R&D, strategic partnerships etc I continue to learn on a daily basis. You have one other unfinished business. I have always wanted to be a novelist. While I wasnt working recently, I attended university, did some writing courses, and started on two novels one a science fiction/fantasy novel set in the future but with classical archetypes, and another a personal journey about a woman who finds her bliss through yoga. Unfortunately, this business consumes most of my time, so those projects are on hold at the moment. But, all in good time Cabinet ministers in the United Kingdom gathered at a COBRA meeting on Wednesday to discuss next steps in their strategy to tackle the new coronavirus. On Tuesday the government unveiled a massive economic support package to address the impact of the virus on businesses. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his government will act like any wartime government and do whatever it takes to support the economy. Among the measures, Treasury chief Rishi Sunak said the government would provide 330 billion pounds ($405 billion) worth of government-backed loans and guarantees for small and large businesses. The government has told people to work from home where possibke and to avoid unnecessary travel as well as going to pubs and restaurants. It has not yet instructed schools to be closed. Worldwide the coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 198,000 people and killed more than 7,900. 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. 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. More than 81,000 people have recovered so far, mostly in China. Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday (March 18) asked Jammu and Kashmir administration to take instruction on whether it is planning to release former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who has been detained under Public Safety Act. While hearing a Habeas Corpus plea for Omar Abdullah filed by his sister Sarah Abdullah Pilot, the apex court ordered the counsel appearing for Jammu and Kashmir administration to take instruction and inform it. The SC will now hear the matter next week. Sara Pilot has approached the top court challenging her brother's detention under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, saying the order was "manifestly illegal" and there was no question of him being a "threat to the maintenance of public order". Sara Pilot has also urged the top court to quash the February 5 order which put the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister in detention under the PSA and said that Abdullah should be produced before the court. Sara Pilot has also said that exercise of powers by the authorities under the CrPC to detain individuals, including political leaders, was "clearly mala fide to ensure that the opposition to the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution is silenced". "There has been a grave violation of Articles 14, 21 and 22 of the Constitution," the plea said, adding, "similar orders of detention have been issued by the Respondents (authorities of union territory of Jammu and Kashmir) over the last seven months in a wholly mechanical manner to other detainees, which suggest that there has been a consistent and concerted effort to muzzle all political rivals". Omar Abdullah has been kept under detention ever since the Centre abrogated Article 370 that gave special status to erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019. Demand for traditional Chinese remedies in Melbourne has surged since coronavirus broke out in the city. Many Chinese-Australians are buying large amounts of traditional Chinese medicine, sparking purchasing restrictions and shortages at speciality stores. Dr Lin Tzi Chiang at his traditional Chinese medicine store in Footscray. Credit:Justin McManus The boom in demand for herbs used to combat cold and flu-like symptoms has coincided with the Chinese government claiming herbal remedies were crucial in constricting the spread of COVID-19, which has infected more than 81,000 Chinese. With Western scientists focused on developing a vaccine, Chinese hospitals have been using what they believe are tried-and-tested herbal medicines to improve immune systems and strengthen patients' physical resolve against the virus. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 08:19:17|Editor: Liu Video Player Close WASHINGTON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The United States slapped sanctions against Syrian Defense Minister Ali Abdullah Ayoub for his alleged actions of ceasefire obstruction in northern Syria, U.S. State Department said in a statement on Tuesday. The statement accused Ayoub of preventing a ceasefire from taking hold in northern Syria since December 2019, adding that "this obstruction resulted in almost a million people being displaced." According to the designation, all of Ayoub's property and interests in the United States have been blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with him. Russian-backed Syrian forces launched military offensives in December 2019 in its northwestern province of Idlib, the last stronghold of the Syrian rebels supported by Ankara. Just as the nations ability to test for coronavirus is expanding, hospitals and clinics say another obstacle is looming: shortages of testing swabs and protective gear for health care workers. At the UCSF Health a San Francisco hospital system at the heart of one of the nations coronavirus outbreaks officials said they would have to stop testing patients in about five days because they will run out of nasopharyngeal swabs, which are inserted into patients nasal passages to get samples for testing. Other hospitals elsewhere in the country were ending their practice of using a second swab to test for the flu in an effort to preserve their supply. The main manufacturer of the swabs, Copan, is an Italian company whose manufacturing plant is in Northern Italy, a region that has itself been hard hit by the coronavirus outbreak. It says it has ramped up manufacturing to deal with the extraordinary demand for an otherwise unassuming product to which many doctors gave little thought, until now. We werent really thinking about, Wow, whats our swab supply? because we havent really faced anything that depleted our swabs before, said Dr. Josh Adler, the chief clinical officer of U.C.S.F. Health. Making matters more difficult, the swabs must have just the right ingredients the shafts cannot be wood, for example or the virus might not be properly detected. You cant go to your local store and get Q-tips, he said. Fourteen cases of Covid-19 infection have been confirmed in Ukraine, two of them were lethal. "The research of the Virology Reference Laboratory Center of the Public Health Center of Ukraine has confirmed 14 positive tests for Covid-19: ten cases in Chernivtsi region, one case in Zhytomyr region, one case in Kyiv region and two cases in Kyiv city," Public Health Center of Ukraine posted on Facebook. In particular, seven new cases were confirmed on March 17: a 44-year-old man from Kyiv region who recently travelled abroad and six people in Chernivtsi region: a 33-year-old woman (lethal case), persons aged 31, 10 and 18 years old, 22-month-old and 6-month-old babies. All of them contacted a previously confirmed case. It is also noted that the Virology Reference Laboratory Center of the Public Health Center of Ukraine examines not only samples of persons suspected to have COVID-19 but of the established contact persons as well. "In total, more than 640 samples have been examined," the statement reads. ol One of the biggest public concerns throughout the coronavirus outbreak has been whether essential food and household items will remain in good supply at supermarkets. Despite supermarkets urging people to refrain from panic-buying and stockpiling, this hasnt stopped consumers from going against advice in order to buy items in bulk. In order to ensure that there is enough produce to go around, supermarket chains including Sainsburys, Iceland, Lidl and Tesco have been introducing measures at their stores, including offering a dedicated shopping hour to the elderly and rationing the sale of certain products. Here is how supermarkets are responding to the coronavirus outbreak: New opening hours Several supermarkets have declared that they will be altering their opening hours in light of the coronavirus pandemic. When Aldi announced the change to its opening times, it said this measure had been taken so as to provide additional rest for Aldi colleagues and to enable stores to be stocked at their best every day. Here are the changed opening times for the biggest UK supermarkets: Sainsburys In a letter sent to customers by the companys CEO, it said that from Monday 23 March, all its supermarkets would be open from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Saturday. The opening times for Sainsburys supermarkets on Sundays, for local stores and at petrol stations will remain the same. Tesco Tesco recently announced that the opening hours of its 24-hour stores had been changed from 6am to 10pm. Aldi From Friday 20 March, the opening times for Aldi supermarkets were changed to close slightly earlier, from 8am to 8pm. Its opening hours on Sundays have remained the same, from 10am to 4pm and until 6pm in Scotland. From Tuesday 14 April, the opening hours of almost all stores will be extended until 10pm. Asda Asdas 24-hour stores are now being closed every day for six hours from 12am to 6am, so as to allow staff time to restock supplies. The supermarket has also reduced its opening hours from 8am to 8pm Monday to Saturday. Co-op On Tuesday 24 March, the Co-op announced that the majority of its stores will now close at 8pm, to give staff time to re-stock and clean. Iceland The supermarket has reduced its opening hours, the times of which vary from store to store. You can use the store locater on its website to find out the opening times of your nearest shop. Morrisons The opening times of Morrisons supermarkets also varies from store to store. Find out the opening hours of your local Morrisons here. Waitrose With opening hours varying between branches, you can find out the opening times of your local Waitrose supermarket here. While Marks & Spencer and Lidl have not made changes to their opening times, several of the supermarket chains have introduced dedicated shopping hours for the elderly, vulnerable customers, NHS and social care workers. For some supermarkets, this involves opening early, while for others this involves setting aside the first hour of trading. Dedicated hours for the elderly, vulnerable, NHS and social care workers It was recently reported that an Iceland branch in Belfast was opening its doors exclusively to the elderly every morning, from 8am to 9am, so that they can do their shopping without having to worry about products being sold out before they arrive. A Facebook statement about the shopping hour stated: 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. It has since been announced that other Iceland stores are following suit, allowing the elderly and vulnerable people to shop for the first hour of trading Monday to Saturday. The supermarket also recently announced exclusive store hours for NHS staff, which are held during the final hour of trading from Monday to Saturday. Other supermarkets, including Lidl and Tesco in Ireland and Sainsburys, have also introduced special shopping hours across the UK. Over the weekend, it was announced that Sainsburys had extended its dedicated shopping hour for the elderly and vulnerable customers to also include NHS and social care workers. The next day, the supermarket said in an open letter that after receiving messages from many customers, it had decided to allocate specific shopping times for NHS and social care workers for half an hour before opening every day, from 7.30am to 8am Monday to Saturday. The dedicated shopping hours for the elderly, disabled customers and carers are running from 8am to 9am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Marks & Spencer recently released a statement online announcing it is setting aside the first hour of the day once doors are open for the elderly and vulnerable customers on Mondays and Thursdays, in addition to NHS and emergency workers on Tuesdays and Fridays. Supporting our customers and communities during this difficult time is our number one priority, the firm said on Instagram. We want to make sure everyone has access to the items they need, so we are setting aside the first hour of trading on certain days for our older and vulnerable customers, and for our brilliant NHS and emergency workers. Marks & Spencer concluded its message by stating: We ask our other customers to respect this request, as its the kindness and support we show each other that will get us through this. Tesco recently stated that every Sunday, NHS staff can enjoy a dedicated shopping hour at its large stores, asking that the bring a form of ID with them. Recommended Morrisons launches click and collect food boxes for NHS workers Furthermore, elderly and vulnerable shoppers receive prioritisation at the supermarket every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning between 9am and 10am. Several NHS workers venturing to supermarkets during their dedicated shopping hours have received bouquets of flowers as a token of appreciation, a gesture that has left some individuals in tears. Food giants including Sainsburys, Asda and Waitrose have said they are going to access the governments lists of vulnerable people to help them prioritise online deliveries for customers. Morrisons recently announced it had launched a click and collect food box service for NHS workers. The click and collect service, which launched at St James's Hospital and Leeds General Infirmary on Thursday 2 April, aims to help key workers who may be finding it difficult to get the food they need. Morrisons created a designated click and collect site within hospital car parks, allowing staff to pick up their groceries after their shift has ended with ease. The boxes are available for vegetarians and meat eaters, and are priced at 30 each. The supermarket has also launched a doorstep delivery service for vulnerable customers who are unable to leave their homes to shop. Online deliveries On Monday 23 March, Sainsburys announced that customers over the age of 70 and those with a disability would have priority access to online delivery slots. The supermarket has since contacted 270,000 customers who have provided information that could indicate they are elderly or vulnerable in order to ensure they have priority for online deliveries. Waitrose has said that while it is continuing to do online deliveries, its available slots are filling up quicker than usual. Our online team is doing all they can to offer the maximum number of slots to customers, and this also includes options such as click and collect grocery orders from our shops, the firm said. Ocado stated that it is releasing delivery slots as soon as they become available. As delivery slots are bookable up to three weeks in advance, we suggest booking more or more slots ahead of time to avoid disappointment, the company added. It was recently announced that Deliveroo had teamed up with Marks & Spencer and BP fuel stations to offer deliveries of basic essentials to households in self-isolation. The deal will allow customers to order items including milk, bread, juices, pizzas and ready-meals. 120 Marks & Spencer franchises are involved and there will be no delivery fees. Tesco recently introduced a new measure with ordering groceries online that only allows customers to buy 80 items at a time. In response to a customers tweet, the supermarket said the policy was introducing as it will help free up van space and allow more orders on the van. There are also a variety of recipe boxes and food subscription services you can try. Rationing of essential food and household items Despite retailers assuring consumers that they do not need to worry about stock of food and household items running out, this hasnt prevented some from cleaning out supermarket shelves. Supermarkets are doing everything they can to ensure everybody has the food they need! Retailers have well rehearsed plans to get food into their stores, the British Retail Consortium tweeted. If we are considerate when we shop and help each other out, there is enough for everyone! In order to make sure that there is indeed enough to go around, some supermarkets, including Sainsburys, have started restricting the number of items people can buy in one go. I mentioned last week that we had put limits on a very small number of products. Following feedback from our customers and from our store colleagues, we have decided to put restrictions on a larger number of products, Mr Coupe said. From tomorrow, 18 March, customers will be able to buy a maximum of three of any grocery product and a maximum of two on the most popular products including toilet paper, soap and UHT milk. On Wednesday 8 April, Sainsbury's announced it had lifted restrictions on "thousands of products" so as to allow customers to shop for vulnerable people who can't leave their homes. 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 Asda has announced that its customers will only be allowed to buy up to three items on all food, toiletries and cleaning products. The supermarket has since stated it has eased restrictions on chilled food products, in addition to fruit and vegetables. On Tuesday 31 March, Aldi announced it had eased restrictions on certain products. While previously shoppers could only buy four items of any product at a time, now that rule only applies to products including antibacterial wipes, hand wash and soap, shower gel, beach, toilet tissue, kitchen towel, tissues, nappies, pasta, canned tomatoes, canned beans and sausages, part-baked bread and beers, wines and spirits. Customers can currently only buy antibacterial hand gel, UHT milk and baby formula two at a time. On Thursday 9 April, Aldi announced that restrictions on UHT milk had been removed. Furthermore, all remaining product restrictions will be removed from Monday 13 April. Last month, Waitrose and John Lewis announced they would be limiting the sale of certain items. Waitrose, which is part of John Lewis Partnership, stated that when purchasing certain products, customers would only be allowed to buy three items at a time, while only two packets of toilet paper can be bought in one go. In order to ensure more people are able to purchase everyday essential items, Tesco has introduced a limit of three items per customer on every product line, in addition to removing mult-buy promotions. Urging the public not to stockpile Retail giants, including Tesco, Sainsburys and Asda, recently signed an open letter appealing to the public to stop panic-buying amid the coronavirus pandemic. We know that many of you are worried about the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19). We want to let you know that we are doing everything we can so that you and your families have the food and essentials you need, the letter from the British Retail Consortium said. The letter said retailers are working closely with the government and our suppliers to keep food moving quickly through the system and making more deliveries to our stories to ensure our shelves are stocked. We would ask everyone to be considerate in the way they shop, it stated. 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 practising social distancing Aldi has introduced several measures to ensure customers and staff carry out social distancing. These include installing clear plastic screens and floor markers at checkouts at stores across the UK so as to protect colleagues and customers in store. The supermarket is also encouraging customers to avoid using cash where possible, requesting that they opt for contactless forms of payment, using credit cards, Apple Pay or Android Pay. Aldi is also introducing notices in-store reminding customers to keep their distance from other individuals. On Tuesday 24 March, Waitrose announced that it was also implementing measures to ensure that customers who come to the store are practising social distancing. These measures include limiting the number of customers who can come into the store, placing stickers on the floor at checkouts and at Welcome desks so that customers maintain a sufficient distance from one another, having marshals check that the 2-metre rule is being followed and installing protective checkout screens and special visors for staff The Co-op has brought about several new measures to ensure customers are keeping a sensible distance from each other and staff members, including placing markers on the floor throughout its 2,600 branches to define a one-metre distance throughout the stores and two-metre markers in customer queues. The supermarket is also limiting the number of customers who can be in stores at any one time and reducing the number of tills that are open. Sainsburys has done the same, limiting the number of customers allowed in stores and at ATMs and asking everyone to remain at least two metres away from one another. At Tesco supermarkets, floor markings have been placed in car parks and in stores so that customers can stay separate from each other. The number of people being allowed in stores has also been decreased to ensure they dont get too congested, and protected screens are being installed at checkouts. Telangana reported a fresh case of coronavirus on Wednesday taking the total number of cases in the state to six, even as Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao convened a "high-level emergency meeting" on preventing the spread of the virus. The meeting would be held on Thursday to discuss measures to contain the deadly disease, an official press release said. The state government has already announced closure of all educational institutions (from primary school to university) till March 31 and the closure of cinema halls, bars, pubs for a week (from March 14), among other measures. State Health Minister E Rajender said a 21-year-old youth, who came from Scotland, has been found to be positive for the virus on Wednesday. The youth is the sixth positive case in the state. The six include the first positive case of a techie who has been discharged from hospital after recovery. Rajender said he spoke to those who contracted coronavirus and that their condition is not serious. Out of the six people, one is an Indonesian, while another person is from India but held foreign citizenship. The four others are Indians. The process of screening passengers at the airport and quarantining people from some countries is on, he said. The state government is putting in place quarantine facilities to admit an estimated 20,000 people. A country like the US took various measures to reduce large gatherings of people, he said while suggesting that people avoid assembling in huge numbers and take the COVID-19 seriously. The Sri Rama Navami celebrations at the famous temple town of Bhadrachalam which witness massive participation of devotees every year, would be held in the temple on April 2 without a gathering, he said. Rajender said he also spoke to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday and requested that Indians who live in foreign countries be taken care of by the Centre and to stop services of maximum possible international flights. One person coming from abroad can affect thousands of people in the country, he said. It is up to him to take a decision on it, he said. Those residing abroad, if they are brought to India, be kept at camps of para-military forces for treatment, he said. The Chief Minister's high-level emergency meeting on Thursday would discuss the measures to be taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the state. All district collectors, Police Commissioners, Superintendents of Police have been invited to the meeting, the release said. Rao urged people to be alert as a person who travelled from Indonesia to Karimnagar has tested positive for the virus, it said. Against this backdrop, preventive measures to be taken and regulations to be followed would be discussed in the meeting on Thursday, it said. Observing that the state government is already implementing one-week and 15-day action plan (closure of educational institutions and others) to prevent the spread of the virus, it said some more preventive measures would be declared at the Thursday meeting. Hyderabad: As a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of Covid-19 coronavirus, prison authorities in Telangana have barred visitors from meeting the inmates in person as part of the routine "mulaqat". According to Prison Department officials, the Telangana Prisons and Correctional Services intend to initiate precautionary measures in prisons in view of the spiralling coronavirus cases. Officials said that all "mulaqats" of prisoners (meetings of prisoners with visitors) have been cancelled in all prisons in Telangana state with immediate effect from Tuesday to "reduce movement and exposure of prisoners to ensure social distancing" and for maintaining proper hygienic condition and safety of the inmates. They added that all family members, relatives and friends of inmates are requested not to come to meet in person to prisons. Officials shared that they may avail telephone facility and e-Mulaqats to talk with inmates until the lifting of these restrictions. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-19 06:16:30|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close A UN-backed government of National Accord (GNA) reacts after one of his comrades got severely wounded during clashes with East-based Libyan National Army forces in Tripoli, Libya on March 18, 2020. Spokesman of the UN-backed Libyan government's forces, Mohamed Gonono, on Wednesday said that the UN-backed government's forces repelled an attack of the eastern-based army in south of the capital Tripoli. 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. (Photo by Amru Salahuddien/Xinhua) TRIPOLI, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Spokesman of the UN-backed Libyan government's forces, Mohamed Gonono, on Wednesday said that the UN-backed government's forces repelled an attack of the eastern-based army in south of the capital Tripoli. "Our forces dealt with a new breach of the cease-fire by the militias of the war criminal Haftar (commander of eastern-based army), which used motor shells in the highly-populated Ain Zara area (southern Tripoli)," Gonono said in a statement. Commander of the Operation Chamber of the UN-backed government's forces, Ahmad Abu-Shahma, told local TV channel Libya Al-Ahrar that the UN-backed government's forces had reinforced their positions in Ain Zara, adding that the forces have taken back the positions they lost in Ain Zara. 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 has killed and injured thousands of people and forced more than 150,000 to flee their homes. The rivals have agreed to cease fire on Jan. 12. However, both parties exchanged accusations of breaching the truce. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 21:05:18|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- China's consumption has showed strong resilience despite the short-term economic repercussions of the novel coronavirus outbreak, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Wednesday. Food sales picked up 9.7 percent year on year in the first two months, as people shifted from dine-in to take-out, MOC official Wang Bin told a press conference. Meanwhile, protective gear and health and sanitation products registered notable sales increases, Wang noted. New consumption and retail models including "contactless" pick-ups and live-streaming are gaining momentum while emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence are burgeoning against the broader consumption downturn. Affected by the outbreak, retail sales of consumer goods, a major indicator of consumption growth, declined 20.5 percent in the first two months of this year, down 28.7 percentage points year on year. Hotels, restaurants, barber shops, department stores and shopping centers were among the hardest-hit, with far fewer customers since the outbreak. As policies to boost consumption start to take effect, China's consumption growth will recover, Wang said. "The epidemic will not change the trend of long-term stability and continuous upgrade of China's consumption," he added. A South Korean has been quarantined in his hotel room in Assam's Dhemaji district in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak, officials said on Wednesday. The South Korean had come to Dhemaji town on March 11 to inaugurate a Korean therapy centre, district officials said. His swab and blood samples have been sent for test, they said. On the other hand, Excise Minister Parimal Suklabaidya has ordered the closure of all IMFL 'ON' shops -- where one can buy and consume liquor -- till March 31 as a precautionary measure, officials said. Meanwhile, Hailakandi district authorities said no coronavirus-like symptoms were found in a person who was admitted to the isolation ward of Silchar Medical College and Hospital. The person, who was returning home from Bengaluru, did not show any coronavirus-like symptom and has been discharged, Dr Ramesh Chandra Dwivedy, Joint Director of Health Services of Hailakandi said. District Deputy Commissioner Keethi Jalli urged people not to panic and said the administration has taken all possible measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three people have been held for human trafficking and sentenced to 125 years behind prison by a Turkish court over the death of a Syrian toddler, Alan Kurdi, according to Turkey's state news agency Anadolu. The 3-year-old Kurdi washed up on a beach in Bodrum, in Turkey's Aegean Mugla province, in 2015. The accused were sentenced at the Bodrum High Criminal Court in Mugla, Turkey for the crime of "killing with eventual intent." The death of the toddler came to limelight when the heart-breaking pictures of Kurdi lying with his face down on sea beach went viral. The images went viral on social media platforms with the Turkish hashtag "KiyiyaVuraninsanlik" which means "humanity washed ashore." Twelve refugees drowned that day during a failed attempt to sail to the Greek island of Kos, including the toddler's 5-year-old brother, Galip, and their mother, Rehen. The incident symbolized the plight of desperate Syrian refugees. Abdullah, Kurdi's father was reportedly the only survivor from their immediate family who took their bodies back to Kobani in Syria for burial. According to the state news agency, the traffickers, fugitives from justice, were captured by Turkish security forces last week in the southern province of Adana. They were on the run after fleeing during their trial. Many other Turkish and Syrian defendants have also received jail sentences following Kurdi's death. The humanitarian crisis still continues as more than 6.7 million Syrians have fled war-torn Syria since 2011, according to the United Nations. " " A New York State Trooper works with a member of the military at the third checkpoint to a new coronavirus drive-thru testing site that is up and running at at Jones Beach State Park, New York. Al Bello/Getty Images This article was first published on March 17, 2020 and last updated on March 30, 2020. On March 28, President Donald Trump floated a drastic idea for combating the spread of the COVID-19 virus. He told reporters outside the White House that he was considering closing the borders of New York, the state with the most reported cases of infections and deaths, and neighboring areas as well. "I'm thinking about that right now. We might not have to do it but there's a possibility that sometime today we'll do a quarantine," Trump said, according to the White House transcript. "Short-term, two week on New York, probably New Jersey and certain parts of Connecticut." Trump soon afterward reiterated the idea in a tweet, saying that "a decision will be made, one way or another, shortly." New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who apparently was caught by surprise, told CNN that he didn't think such a border shutdown was legal, and denounced it as "a federal declaration of war." By evening, Trump had backed away from the idea, tweeting that "a quarantine will not be necessary." It wasn't the first time, though, that Trump, who already had shut down travel from China and much of Europe, except for U.S. citizens and permanent residents and their families, publicly contemplated restricting internal movement of Americans by closing down a state's borders. At a March 12 press conference, he discussed shutting down travel to Washington state and California. "Is it a possibility? Yes. If somebody gets a little bit out of control, if an area gets too hot," Trump said, according to the White House transcript of his remarks. A few days later, he told a reporter that "We think that hopefully we wont have to do that. But its certainly something that we talk about every day." Advertisement What Is a Cordon Sanitaire? For the U.S. government to impose a cordon sanitaire the technical term for closing off an area to stop spread of a disease around an entire state would be unprecedented in U.S. history. It would even go beyond Chinese authorities' lockdown of Wuhan and several other cities in Hubei province, where the coronavirus pandemic originated in December 2019. But given the rapid spread of COVID-19, at least one other prominent politician Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has urged Trump to restrict domestic travel from cities that have outbreaks. "When you constantly have it being brought in, it makes things more difficult," DeSantis said during a news conference, according to ClickOrlando.com. "I think the administration needs to look at domestic flights from certain areas that have outbreaks." (DeSantis himself has ordered mandatory 14-day quarantines for travelers arriving in Florida from the New York tri-state area.) " " President Donald Trump looks on as National Institute Of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci speaks during a press conference about the coronavirus outbreak at the White House on March 17, 2020. Drew Angerer/Getty Images Advertisement Is Banning Domestic Travel Unconstitutional? Nevertheless many legal experts question whether the federal government even has the authority to close the borders of a state, saying that such an action might be blocked by the courts as unconstitutional. Some also think it would be difficult to carry out, and not necessarily useful in protecting public health. "Such measures would need to be least restrictive to be constitutional because you would be infringing greatly on individual liberties and the right to travel," explains Leila Barraza, an assistant professor in the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health Community, Environment & Policy at the University of Arizona. Barraza says the federal government's legal authority to impose quarantines would come from Section 361 of the Public Health Service Act, "which authorizes the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to take measures to prevent the spread of communicable diseases from foreign countries into the U.S. and between the states." "Thus, quarantine and isolation measures undertaken must be for those entering the U.S. or those traveling between states," Barranza explains. "Quarantine, isolation and other measures within state borders are governed by the states themselves under their police powers. Due to the federal government's authority over interstate commerce, there could be an attempt to restrict travel between states; however, this has not been employed in recent times." One skeptic is Georgetown Law professor Lawrence O. Gostin, faculty director of the O'Neill Institute for National & Global Health Law. In this recent article in Health Affairs, he argued that a Chinese-style mass quarantine of an entire city, in which police and informers would patrol the streets and citizens would be kept under surveillance through smartphone apps, would be "so contrary to American values and the rule of law" that it was hard to imagine it ever happening here. "Internal travel restrictions are constitutionally problematic because the president does not have power to force a state to lockdown," Gostin explains via email. "The right to travel is also deemed fundamental under the Constitution." " " Empty shelves like these in Miami Beach, Florida, are common as stores around the country have seen a run on essentials as people react to the COVID-19 pandemic. Joe Raedle/Getty Images Advertisement Would U.S. Citizens Comply With a Travel Ban? George J. Annas, a professor and director of the Center for Health Law, Ethics & Human Rights at Boston University, also cites constitutional barriers to the federal government shutting down a state's borders. But he also argues that it would be unworkable because the public wouldn't cooperate. "If the public does not support any drastic or extreme measure by the government, it cannot be imposed on it," he says via email. "Americans, at least some, would likely flee a state that they believed the government had labelled as especially dangerous or 'hot,' and the National Guard would not use force to try to stop them." Additionally, Annas warns that imposing a quarantine on California or New York "would seem to be an entirely political move to punish the state because it voted Democratic." Even if such a quarantine could be enforced, Annas points out that it wouldn't necessarily do much to stop COVID-19 from making people sick and claiming lives. "Quarantining an entire state would be seen as (1) useless as a prevention measure now that the virus is in all 50 states; and (2) arbitrary as not based on any public health rationale or practice." " " Washington, D.C. chef Jose Andres is converting his restaurant Zaytina into grab-and-go meal spot. Andres will use the rest of his restaurant kitchens in D.C. as community kitchens for World Central Kitchen to feed the hungry during the coronavirus crisis. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Advertisement Would Closing State Borders Even Be Effective? But one legal expert believes that if the Trump administration moves to restrict travel between the states, it could well prevail in the courts. The legal argument against such a cordon sanitaire "has come down to lack of compelling necessity and the availability of less restrictive means," Scott Burris, professor and director of the Center for Public Health Law Research at Temple University's Beasley School of Law, says via email. However, "given the way this has spread so far, and the arguments for suppressing the peak and spreading the cases over a longer time, I don't see any courts saying that these orders violate constitutional rights on those grounds." "There is nothing in the Constitution that explicitly addresses this situation," Burris argues. "All rights are subject to restriction when reasonable and necessary to avert harm and protect public safety and order. The real issue, then, is whether a particular order is in fact a reasonable and necessary way to prevent a significant risk of harm. If the health authorities can make a credible argument that the measure is necessary, they have the authority to act." And while opponents could sue to try to stop a border lockdown, "courts are not keen to step in and substitute their judgment for health officials', so there is going to be deference. "When it comes to the Constitution and what really matters, I continue to bang the second-order drum of inequality in the effects on and needs of people subject to the order," Burris says. "I would argue that the real constitutional issue here lies in substantive due process and the social obligation to limit the harms caused by collective measures of protection. People of modest means who live paycheck to paycheck in service jobs are at extraordinary risk. This week everyone is being a good soldier, but the pain is going to get bad fast." But Burris also notes that even without a ban, there are other ways to discourage Americans from traveling during the outbreak. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control, for example, has put out this ominous advisory, which reminds potential travelers that if they come in contact with an infected person during their trip, they may be asked to submit to a 14-day quarantine upon returning home. Even then, they run the risk of infecting relatives who are older or have chronic health conditions, who are most at risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19. "Keep in mind that vacationers are not traveling because they are scared and because all the destinations are closed, and business travelers are not traveling because their companies have forbidden it," Burris says. In that sense, "this issue is already over. We don't really need to worry a whole lot about the few people who still need to get home." Now That's Interesting In 1899, shortly after Hawaii became a U.S. territory, officials in Honolulu imposed a cordon sanitaire upon the Chinatown neighborhood in Honolulu, ostensibly in an effort to contain an outbreak of bubonic plague. But as writer Rebecca Onion detailed in this 2014 Slate article, the quarantine turned into a catastrophe, after officials burned down the home of a plague victim and the fire spread throughout the neighborhood, endangering thousands of residents, who initially were blocked from fleeing by National Guard troops and vigilantes. Advertisement Originally Published: Mar 17, 2020 Out of Malaysias 673 confirmed infections, nearly two-thirds are linked to the four-day meeting outside Kuala Lumpur. Worshippers slept in packed tents outside the golden-domed mosque, waking before dawn to kneel on rows of prayer mats laid out in its cavernous central hall. But unknown to the guests, the coronavirus was also passing among them. The Muslim gathering held at the end of last month at a sprawling mosque complex on the outskirts of Malaysias capital Kuala Lumpur has emerged as a source of hundreds of new coronavirus infections spanning Southeast Asia. A 34-year-old Malaysian man who attended the event died on Tuesday, Malaysias Minister of Health Dr Adham Baba said, the first death linked to the February 27 to March 1 event, which took place at the Sri Petaling mosque compound. It was attended by 16,000 people, including 1,500 foreigners. Out of Malaysias 673 confirmed coronavirus cases, nearly two-thirds are linked to the four-day meeting, Adham said. It is not clear who brought the virus there in the first place. Reuters news agency spoke to six attendees and reviewed pictures and posts on social media and the accounts and evidence showed several ways in which the outbreak could have spread. The hosts, the Islamic missionary movement Tablighi Jamaat, which traces its roots back to India a century ago, on Monday suspended missionary activities but did not comment directly on the Malaysian event. Tablighi Jamaat did not respond to a request for further comment. The mosque where the event was held was closed on Tuesday and a guest said he was one of the dozens of worshippers still there under quarantine. Calls to the mosque went unanswered. The belief is strong Malaysia has shut its borders, restricted internal movement and closed schools, universities and most businesses, as it attempts to control its coronavirus outbreak. All mosques will be closed for two weeks. I was very surprised actually that it went ahead, said Surachet Wae-asae, a former Thai legislator who attended the event but has tested negative for the coronavirus since returning home. But in Malaysia, God is very important. The belief is strong. The prime ministers office and the health ministry declined to comment further about the event. The packed gathering, where guests had to take shuttle buses to sleep at other venues, was attended by nationals from dozens of countries, including Canada, Nigeria, India and Australia, according to an attendee list posted on social media. There were also people from China and South Korea two countries with high rates of coronavirus infections. Shoulder-to-shoulder Social media posts show hundreds of worshippers praying shoulder-to-shoulder inside the mosque, while some guests posted selfies as they shared food. It was not clear how many guests were residents of Malaysia, but cases linked to the gathering are popping up daily across Southeast Asia. We sat close to each other, a 30-year-old Cambodian man who attended the event told Reuters news agency from a hospital in Cambodias Battambang province, where he was being treated after testing positive for the coronavirus on Monday. People line up to pay at a supermarket amid fears of a disruption in supplies after Malaysias government announced a restricted movement order starting on Wednesday [Lim Huey Teng/Reuters] Holding hands at the religious ceremony was done with people of many countries. When I met people, I held hands, it was normal. I dont know who I was infected by, he said, asking not to be named due to fears of discrimination at his mosque. None of the event leaders talked about washing hands, the coronavirus or health precautions during the event, but most guests washed their hands regularly, two guests said. Washing hands, among other parts of the body, is part of Muslim worship. Another attendee from Cambodia said guests from different countries shared plates when meals were served. Worries of far-reaching infections Only half of the Malaysian participants who attended have come forward for testing, the health minister has said, raising fears that the outbreak from the mosque could be more far-reaching. Brunei has confirmed 50 cases linked to the mosque gathering, out of a total of 56 cases. Singapore has announced five linked to the event, Cambodia 13 and Thailand at least two. Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia, which had nearly 700 of their citizens attend, are all investigating. Only half of the Malaysian participants who attended the mosque event have come forward for testing so far [Vincent Thian/AP] On Tuesday, Philippine news websites reported that a Filipino man who attended the event in Malaysia, and who was being probed for suspected coronavirus infection, had died in the southern city of Marawi. That a large religious pilgrimage should have gone ahead, at a time when the epidemic had killed 2,700 people and was spreading from Italy to Iran, has drawn criticism. More than 180,000 people have now been infected by the coronavirus globally and 7,165 have died. Irresponsible That Tablighi event in KL (Kuala Lumpur) could also cause a regional spike and it was irresponsible for the authorities to have allowed it to be held, Singapore diplomat Bilahari Kausikan said on his Facebook page. It is not the only religious event to spread the virus on a mass scale. Thousands of cases in South Korea are linked to services of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the city of Daegu. At the time of the event in Malaysia, the country was in political turmoil. Vehicles line up to enter Singapore from Johor, hours before Malaysia imposed a lockdown on travel beginning on March 18 due to the coronavirus outbreak [Edgar Su/Reuters] The country had a one-man government in the 94-year-old interim Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who had quit and was temporarily re-appointed the same day. Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin was sworn in as the countrys new leader on March 1 and banned mass gatherings on March 13. Prior to that, there was only advice from the health ministry to minimise public exposure. Please pray for me Some attendees defended the event, saying that at the time the situation in Malaysia which had announced 25 known cases by February 28 was not severe. We were not worried then as the COVID-19 situation at the time appeared under control, said Khuzaifah Kamazlan, a 34-year-old religious teacher based in Kuala Lumpur who attended the event but has tested negative for the coronavirus. Khuzaifah said some of the worshippers who attended the event have since refused to be tested for coronavirus, preferring to rely on God to protect them. Malaysian authorities are trying to encourage Rohingya who took part in a mass gathering at a mosque on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur to come forward after the event fuelled a spike in coronavirus infections [File: Lim Huey Teng/Reuters] Karim, a 44-year-old Malaysian who attended the gathering and later tested positive for coronavirus, says the government should have cancelled the event. We are a bit disappointed that this outbreak has been blamed entirely on us. That view is unfair. There was no ban on our gathering, said Karim, who gave only his first name. Now I am concerned because I am positive. Please pray for me. Dehradun: In this present age of today, there is no such person who is not troubled by the rising corona. The havoc of this virus has increased so much that hundreds of people are coming in its grip every day. This virus has killed thousands of people so far. 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. To prevent the spread of corona infection, the state government has demanded additional force from the Center to monitor the border of the state. Chief Secretary Utpal Kumar made this demand during the video conference from the Union Home Secretary on Tuesday. The Chief Secretary said that the preparations in the states bordering other countries were reviewed in this conference. The border of the state is adjacent to Nepal and China. The additional force has been demanded from the central government to increase surveillance on the border. The Home Secretary has assured to provide the force. Madhya Pradesh: Rebel MLAs adamant, no Congress leader allowed to meet them Preparations made at the state level also informed the Union Home Secretary: In the conference where the Chief Secretary also informed the Union Home Secretary about the preparations made at the state level to prevent the spread of corona infection. CS informed that a state-level task force has been formed in Uttarakhand. People entering the state are being monitored and they are being tested if needed. The guidelines issued by the center are being implemented in the state. CM Kamal Nath can go to Bengaluru to convince MLAs The main concern of the state government is about the Nepal border. This border is open in many places. There is an attempt to keep the Nepal border completely under surveillance. During this time the DG of BSF, Assam Rifle was also present. Bihar: RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav receives threat Top medical experts have been debating on the effects of giving ibuprofen and anti-inflammatory drugs to COVID-19 patients. Some have already expressed their skepticism on administering ibuprofen to people who are exhibiting coronavirus symptoms and have issued several warnings against it. Whilst the said drug can be used as a pain killer, reduce discomfort due to headache and sore throats, Dr. Amir Khan who works for Britain's public health care National Health Service told Al Jazeera that ibuprofen could cause a depressive effect on parts of the immune system. Thus, taking the drug may dampen the body's immune response which may prevent it from fighting of infection effectively. This may also potentially lead to being sick for a longer period and increase the risk of complications. According to Khan, although there is no study that has proves this theory people should instead take other safer alternatives to pain such as paracetamol, or acetaminophen. Moreover, Olivier Veran, France's Health minister also warned against taking of anti-inflammatory drugs saying that they could aggravate the infection in Twitter. Like Khan, he also recommended taking paracetamol. He also advised people to seek their doctors advice of they have doubts or have already taken anti-inflammatory drugs. pic.twitter.com/gpCGpF4N0D Deeply concerned about this bold statement by the French MoH with no reference to the claim, which is causing public concern. Theres no scientific evidence I am aware of that ibuprofen cause worst outcomes in #COVID19 dr muge cevik (@mugecevik) March 14, 2020 However, some health experts contradicted these statements and are not convinced that ibuprofen can be harmful to COVID-19 sufferers. A scientist from the Infection and Global Health Division of the University of St Andrews, Muge Cevik responded in Twitter that he was deeply concerned due to the boldness of Veran's statement and further noted that there are still no scientific evidence that prove that ibuprofen could worsen the condition of COVID-19 patients. Four-year-old Girl with Coronavirus Symptoms Worsen After Taking Ibuprofen A four-year-old British girl who exhibited symptoms similar to those suffering from coronavirus grew worse after she was given a dose of ibuprofen. There have been several debates by health experts on the effects of ibuprofen on those suffering from COVID-19 and whether it should be taken to combat the dreaded disease. On March 15, Dan Collins, stepfather of four-year-old Amelia took it to Facebook to warn people about what happened to the child after she took the anti-inflammatory drug. In the post, Collins called to those who have children that if the child ever shows coronavirus-like symptoms to never give them the drug. He narrated how his stepdaughter has been unwell since Tuesday of last week and exhibited flu-like symptoms with cough and colds, which are also the primary symptoms of COVID-10. He also narrated how she was burning up and did not want to get out of bed. After several complaints by his stepdaughter, he gave her ibuprofen in thinking that it would help her feel better, however, she became worse. He stated that after taking the drug his stepdaughter had a hard time breathing and her heart rate became frantic. He also noted that she cannot keep her eyes often and could barely move to even lift her head. Her temperature also shot up. Read also: Funerals Postponed: Families Heartbroken as Coronavirus Victims Die Alone Due to the abnormal response of Amelia's body to the drug, they called paramedics who were able to bring down her temperature and stabilize her condition. They were also advised by the paramedics to not give her ibuprofen again. Related news: Drone Footage of Empty Italian Roads Surface Amid Coronavirus Lockdown @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. European leaders 'underestimated' the impact of coronavirus, the EU's top official admitted today as the bloc agreed to shut its borders. Ursula von der Leyen said that 'measures which seemed drastic two or three weeks ago need to be taken now' as much of the continent goes into lockdown. The European Commission chief admitted that the virus 'will keep us busy for a long time', in an interview with Bild which was published today. European leaders are banning travellers from outside the bloc for 30 days to contain the spread of the virus and many governments are taking their own drastic measures. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, pictured in Brussels yesterday, admitted that political leaders had 'underestimated' the impact of coronavirus Lithuanian border guards stand next to trucks on the border with Poland, with borders now being shut across Europe Trucks were tailing back for more than six miles on the A12 motorway from the German town of Frankfurt (Oder) - not the famous Frankfurt - towards the border with Poland 'I think that all of us who are not experts initially underestimated the coronavirus,' von der Leyen said. 'We understand that measures that seemed drastic two or three weeks ago, need to be taken now,' she added. But she rejected the language of French president Emmanuel Macron, who likened the outbreak to war this week, and ordered almost the entire population to stay at home for at least two weeks. 'I will not personally use that term but I understand the motivation of the French president as the coronavirus is a worrying enemy,' she said. Germany's economy minister Peter Altmaier said the United States under Donald Trump had taken the threat of the virus even more lightly. 'The outbreak of the crisis was probably underestimated even more so in the US than in some countries in Europe,' Peter Altmaier told regional press group Funke. 'That is the reason we very much hope that the US will manage to control the situation, also in our own interest,' he added. 'No-one hopes that the US economy would fall into an uncontrolled recession.' Lorries were stuck in queues of nearly 40 miles on the Lithuanian-Polish border yesterday Cars and trucks form a huge queue as they wait for border control on the A4 near Bautzen, Germany EU President of Council Charles Michel chaired the coronavirus meeting with leaders of EU member countries via teleconference on Tuesday evening Foreign motorists were protesting at the Austrian border checkpoint in Hegyeshalom, northwestern Hungary on Tuesday after a 12 mile queue of cars sat waiting on the Austrian side of the border The decision to close borders is the most significant emergency measure yet from the EU, which has scrambled to come up with a unified response to the epidemic. The 27 leaders met by video conference to agree the ban on non-essential travel to the bloc. The idea was strongly backed by France, hoping to persuade member states that they need not close doors to each other. Von der Leyen had proposed the bloc's Schengen passport-free zone impose the measure, a drastic and unprecedented move, and that fellow EU states outside the zone follow suit. The ban will be in effect for an initial period of 30 days and will not affect Europeans returning home, social workers, cross-border workers, or citizens of former EU member Britain. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said states 'agreed to impose an entry ban' into the bloc. 'Germany will implement it immediately,' added the leader of Europe's biggest economy, which had initially closed its national borders. The huge tailback on the highway before the border between Austria and Hungary near Bruck an der Leitha is made mostly of lorries Lorry drivers have a chat over the barricade at the Austria and Hungary border near Bruck an der Leitha German Chancellor Angela Merkel, pictured at a press conference on Tuesday evening, said she had spoken with EU leaders and heads of state about closing the external borders of the 27-state bloc Lorries remain stuck in the long tailback on Austria's border with Hungary after the crossing closed 'This is an exceptional measure that shouldn't last longer than necessary,' Sweden's interior minister Mikael Damberg told a Stockholm press conference. After the talks, French President Emmanuel Macron's office said he had 'firmly condemned uncoordinated measures to control internal EU borders, which are not helpful in terms of health and hurt the economy.' Several EU countries have closed their frontiers or imposed new health screening controls that slow cross-border freight traffic, despite calls from Brussels for a single European plan. Italy, Spain, France and now Belgium have opted for widespread lockdowns, ordering citizens to stay at home for all but essential trips. The Netherlands has taken a looser stance, hoping to build collective immunity. Britain initially took a lighter touch but has ramped up its containment measures in recent days. A journalist is protected by a mask and gloves as he attends the EU press conference this evening. EU leaders announced they would be banning most travel into the bloc for the next 30 days with immediate effect CHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldova's parliament on Tuesday voted to impose a state of emergency in a bid to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Moldova, a nation of 3.5 million, has reported 29 confirmed coronavirus cases with no deaths recorded as of March 17. (Reporting by Alexander Tanas; writing by Pavel Polityuk; editing by Matthias Williams) A 103-year-old woman in Iran has recovered after being infected with the new coronavirus, state media reported, despite overwhelming evidence the elderly are most at risk from the disease. The unnamed woman had been hospitalised in the central city of Semnan for about a week, IRNA agency said. But she was "discharged after making a complete recovery", Semnan University of Medical Sciences head Navid Danayi was quoted as saying by IRNA late Tuesday. The woman was the second elderly patient in Iran to have survived the disease. The other was a 91-year-old man from Kerman, in the southeast of Iran, the agency said. After being sick for three days, he recovered on Monday despite having pre-existing medical conditions including high blood pressure and asthma, it added. The report did not say how the pair were treated. Since Iran announced its first deaths on February 19, the novel coronavirus has spread to all of the country's 31 provinces and killed nearly 1,000 people. The elderly are the most vulnerable to the disease, which first emerged in China late last year. The World Health Organization this month estimated the novel coronavirus kills 3.4 per cent of all those infected. But for people aged over 80 the fatality rate was 21.9 per cent, according to a report the WHO carried out with the Chinese authorities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 1975 contract Jackie Kennedy signed to give her step-daughter total possession of her husband Aristotle Onassis' $500m (400m) fortune is up for sale. The 23-page multi-million dollar settlement was signed by the Greek shipping magnate's only surviving child Christina and his second wife Jackie on May 7, 1975. The document reveals how Christina made a one-off payment of $20.5m (16.1m) to her step-mother, who her father married in 1968. It is up for sale at auction on March 26 by a private collector with International Autograph Auctions Europe, of Malaga, Spain, where it is expected to fetch 18,000 ($22,000). The document signed by Jackie Kennedy (pictured with her husband Aristotle Onassis in 1970) and her step-daughter Christina on May 7, 1975, will be sold at auction on March 26 Onassis died aged 69 in March 1975, two years after his son Alexander was killed in a plane crash. His first wife Tina died of a suspected drugs overdose in 1974. Jackie and Christina, referred to as 'wife' and 'daughter' respectively in the settlement, had been at loggerheads before an agreement was finally reached. The settlement, which has a red seal affixed to the front page, was drafted by English notary Public James Malcolm Waugh in London, England. Under consecutive sections titled 'payment to wife' and 'obligations of wife', it reads: 'By way of compromise and settlement and on a lump sum basis, the daughter, as the personal representative of the father's estate, has paid out of the wife the sum of $20,500,000. The document reveals how Christina (pictured in 1976) made a one-off payment of $20.5m (16.1m) to her step-mother, who her father married in 1968 The settlement, which has a red seal affixed to the front page, was drafted by English notary Public James Malcolm Waugh in London, England Auctioneer Francisco Pinero described the document as 'of exceptional interest' and revealed it probably came to light after the solicitor died, or the lawyer's office closed 'The wife... renounces in favor of the daughter all claim, right, title and interest to receive, succeed or inherit any part of the father's estate.' A 'mutual waiver and release' section of the document reveals Onassis had paid Kennedy, the widow of US president John F Kennedy, $2m (1.6m) in bonds before he died. It also states: 'Although she (Kennedy) understands that her husband is a man of substantial wealth, she is satisfied with the provision made for her by him and wishes to make no claim to participate in his estate in the event of his death.' A 'mutual waiver and release' section of the document reveals Onassis had paid Kennedy (pictured in 1969) $2m (1.6m) in bonds before he died It is up for sale at auction on March 26 by a private collector with International Autograph Auctions Europe, of Malaga, Spain, where it is expected to fetch 18,000 ($22,000) The document reveals how a sum of $20,500,000 was agreed. The money was sent by banker's draft issued outside of the US and was payable in London Jackie is pictured with her two children from her marriage to president John F. Kennedy, John Jr and Caroline, the day before her wedding to Aristotle Onassis in Greece Aristotle and Jackie were pictures in 1971, three years before the Greek magnate's death The auctioneer said the document was full of 'extremely interesting legal content' Aristotle's daughter Christina lost her entire immediate family within a 29-month period from her brother's death aged 24 in 1973 to her father's death in March 1975. Her mother left her a $77 million (65 million) estate when she died in 1974. She was brought up in the UK, Greece and France and went to Headington School in Oxford and Queen's College, London from 1968 to 1969. Auctioneer Francisco Pinero described the document as 'of exceptional interest' and revealed it probably came to light after the solicitor died, or the lawyer's office closed. Christina died in 1988, with her father's fortune, which equates to 3billion in today's money, being inherited by her only child Athina (pictured together) He added: 'It is a document of exceptional interest which was kept secret for long for obvious reasons, reporting that Jackie Kennedy will receive many millions. 'We think that this was one of the documents which remained in the solicitor's hands, and that either the office closed or the lawyer may have died. 'We are not aware of why it has ended up in private hands. There is extremely interesting legal content.' Christina died in 1988, with her father's fortune, which equates to 3billion in today's money, being inherited by her only child Athina. Jackie died six years later aged 64. ISTANBUL, March 17 (Reuters) - Turkey's central bank said its monetary policy committee held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the potential economic and financial impacts of the coronavirus outbreak. The bank noted the meeting was originally planned for Thursday. It was not immediately clear whether a policy decision would also come earlier than expected. (Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen; Editing by Jonathan Spicer) Syracuse, N.Y. A woman in her 20s, returning home from New York City, is the third confirmed case of coronavirus in Onondaga County, officials announced at noon Wednesday. She was working in New York City, and her mother picked her up and drove her home, County Executive Ryan McMahon said. The woman was in the Downstate hot zone" when she apparently contracted the virus, Onondaga County Health Commissioner Dr. Indu Gupta said. The woman remains quarantined and is recovering well at home, Gupta said. The third case was announced during County Executive Ryan McMahons daily noon Facebook Live news conference. No further information about the third case has been released. She is the third case of confirmed coronavirus in the county. An elderly couple is also being treated for the virus. Theres no known connection between the new case and the previous cases. How the elderly couple contracted the virus remains a mystery, though it was passed to them in the local community. They had not traveled in the recent past, meaning its considered a community transmission. 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. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS Passengers wait for their flights at the Marrakesh Airport. Morocco said it had decided to suspend all international commercial flights "until further notice", extending a ban that had previously been applied to around 30 nations. (AFP / Getty Images) The first time Alison Blue visited Morocco last year, she made a decision: I thought it was the most amazing place and that other people should see it, she said. The 56-year-old travel agent from Westlake Village, Calif., assembled more than a dozen others and planned a trip that Blue who is Jewish hoped would expose people to the Muslim-majority nation and show that Muslims arent the stereotype. On March 9, her group set off. The trip was going well. Then came the coronavirus and the Moroccan governments abrupt announcement that it would suspend all flights on Sunday in a bid to stop the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. Now, Blues group is among an estimated 3,000 Americans desperately trying to get on rescue flights back home, amid complaints of inaction from U.S. authorities in the country. Its just the lack of communication. Thats the frustrating part, said Blue in a phone interview Tuesday. She, like others, had been told by embassy personnel to sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, which connects U.S. citizens traveling abroad with the local U.S. embassy or consulate to provide assistance in emergencies. We received notifications, on Sunday and Tuesday, saying the Moroccan government isnt letting people in or out. Yes, we already know that, Blue said, chuckling through her frustration. More than 12 million tourists visit Morocco every year, according to 2018 figures from the United Nations World Tourism Organization, including 305,000 Americans, making it Africas most popular destination. The countrys first coronavirus infection appeared in early March. As of Wednesday, it now has 49 confirmed cases of coronavirus and two deaths. Like elsewhere in the region, the African nation has instituted a severe lockdown, shutting down most establishments, sealing its borders and canceling all flights to its airports after Sunday. On Monday, Moroccos tourism ministry announced it had authorized 100 exceptional flights to allow the repatriation of tourists to their countries. Story continues Even before Sundays ban, Cristina Pratt, 27, and her friend Lauren Warzecha, 26, were looking for alternative plans. The pair had traveled last week with Warzechas parents to visit her brother, who was in Morocco with the Peace Corps. Their return flights to the U.S. were routed through Europe, but they realized they were likely to be canceled, so they booked a direct flight to Boston for this Friday for an onward journey to the West Coast. But it was clear that flight would also be canceled; no flights would be allowed in or out of Morocco after Thursday, the government later said. Special flights are scheduled until March 19th to allow the repatriation of EU tourists currently in Morocco, as agreed between Moroccan MFA Nasser Bourita and @JosepBorrellF https://t.co/DgMQ5rN3R3 Morocco in UK (@MOROCCOinUK) March 17, 2020 We have no flight, Pratt said, adding they had hoped to get seats through Warzechas brother on a plane arranged by the Peace Corps for Wednesday. That didnt happen, forcing the group of four travelers to remain in Casablanca and scramble to find space on the few dozen flights remaining. In the interim, with restaurants and cafes shuttered, and room service prohibitively expensive in their hotel, they got creative with their meals. I got kidney beans from a can with precooked rice, heated them in the bathroom sink under hot water and sprinkled cheese on them, Pratt said. My parents went to McDonald's and bought four cheeseburgers before it closed on Tuesday, Warzecha added. They planned to eat them the next day, she explained, but there was no microwave so they had them cold. Surely it must have some sort of protein there but it wasnt an enjoyable meal. Other countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Spain had arranged for repatriation flights for their citizens. On Tuesday, Germany said it would spend $55 million to lease idled Lufthansa aircraft to bring back some 100,000 Germans stranded on vacation around the world. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas compared the move to the post-World War II Berlin Airlift, the operation organized by Western Allies to supply Berlin during the Soviet blockade in 1948. Those countries' embassies in Morocco had maintained a steady stream of updates on social media. The British embassy also set up a 24-hour crisis center to ferry its nationals home. Very proud of the great team at #Rabat Embassy. We have set up a crisis centre in which staff are working round the clock to get #British nationals home from #Morocco. Thank you all. pic.twitter.com/QTQZZXSmuJ Thomas Reilly (@TSAReilly) March 17, 2020 In contrast, U.S. authorities, according to all those interviewed for this article, had done little more than direct citizens to book seats on those rescue flights, or prepare to hunker down in place. Kudos to Morocco. ... The measures to which they've gone to prevent the spread of this [virus] are incredible, Pratt said. Honestly theyre doing exactly whats right for their country, but were also stuck here. I dont know if thats their fault, because other governments have figured out how to get their people. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo said the State Department had "performed unbelievably" in its handling of the coronavirus outbreak. "And Im mindful, too, as we work to make sure that were protecting our team, the State Department team, we have a responsibility to try and help American citizens wherever they are as well," he said in a news briefing at the State Department on Tuesday. Still, he said Americans should make "good decisions about whether they should or should not travel." "Weve seen the guidance that says, boy, if you dont have to go someplace, one ought not to. Thats Mikes words, not the CDC's," he said, referring to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On Tuesday, the Twitter account of the U.S. Embassy in Morocco expressed its gratitude to our partners at the British Embassy in Morocco and confirmed there will be 30 commercial flights leaving from Agadir and Marrakech to London until 19 March. 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 Its beyond infuriating, said Jessica Smith, a 33-year-old account executive for a mechanical contracting company in Portland, Ore. The only thing that the embassy told us is that the borders are closing on Friday and if were not out before then theres nothing they can do. Smith was traveling with a group of women ranging in age from the mid-30s to late 60s . Its really scary. We have a woman with Type 2 diabetes, another with asthma, and two who need thyroid medications, she said. Everyone is trying to get home to their partners. We have jobs, and mortgages, the list goes on and on and on. Were just trying to get help to get out. Some of the Americans joined a group on the WhatsApp messaging service to share information they had on tentative flight reservations and other news. At all hours, there was a constant deluge of questions: Should they go to Marrakesh? Stay in Casablanca and catch a flight from there? Would American citizens be able to get seats if British and other citizens had priority? Even if they got out to Europe, would they be ensnared in a fresh ban that would stop them from getting stateside? What tickets were available were running for thousands of dollars. On Thursday, U.K. Ambassador Thomas Reilly said there would be new flights to London. Pratt and Warzecha snagged four seats on a RyanAir flight for Wednesday night. Smith and her group planned to check out of their hotel in Marrakech and head to Casablanca. We are scared!!! No flights to book, she wrote in a WhatsApp message on Wednesday. Blue, meanwhile, had spent hours trying to find a way to bring her group back home. We were offered a charter plane with 14 seats for $140,000 from Casablanca. And that was just to New York, she said. Obviously we said no. Nine of Blues clients managed to make it on the four Brussels-bound flights chartered by the Belgian government on Wednesday; three others would go to London on Thursday and another to Paris on the same day. And what about Blue? Im like the captain with the sinking ship, I wont go anywhere until my people are saved, she said. By Wednesday afternoon, she was still looking for a way back to Los Angeles, to her husband, two children and her dog. Hours later, she got one; she too would be leaving Thursday for London. Times staff writer Tracy Wilkinson in Washington and special correspondent Erik Kirschbaum in Berlin contributed to this report. Evan Ehlers (right), founder of Sharing Excess, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit that helps connect grocery stores and restaurants with surplus food to hunger-relief organizations with storage space, lifts up milk to weigh and load in a truck from Saxby's employee Haley Samsi (left). Read more We all have to eat. But the mere act of sitting down to a meal in a restaurant is not happening soon, and so Lets Eat will shift its focus but not its mission of spotlighting interesting, tasty food experiences in the Philadelphia region. My colleagues and I at The Inquirers Food section are here to help you navigate these unimaginably difficult, stressful times with real-time tips and ideas, including recipes and cooking info. When FDR said, We have nothing to fear but fear itself, he could have been referring to cooking. If youre a novice, this is the perfect opportunity to dabble for yourself and to share the results with those hunkered down with you. (If its a spouse, remember that vow, For better or for worse.) Food is an escape for many of us, and wed like to offer a respite from the grim side, of course. But we also know that food is an all-too-real concern. So lets make the very best of it. Our coronavirus coverage at The Inquirer is smart, timely, helpful, nonsensational, and science-based. It is also free. (Subscriptions are inexpensive, if you are able to help us out.) If you need food news, click here and follow me on Twitter and Instagram. Email tips, suggestions, and questions here. If someone forwarded you this newsletter and you like what youre reading, sign up here to get it free every week. Michael Klein What you need to know about buying food (and booze) during the shutdown Our food options have shifted As shutdowns in Pennsylvania and New Jersey have halted operations for many bars and restaurants, the options for buying food (and booze) have shifted. First off, your grocery store is probably open. Jenn Ladd tells of all sorts of changes, such as Giant and Whole Foods opening early to allow senior citizens to shop, and describes the assorted delivery options. She also gets an answer to my question: Do I need to worry about getting coronavirus from food deliveries? Short answer is no. Whats happening in the restaurant and bar biz This week, thousands of people were forced out of work literally overnight: cooks and waiters, bussers and hosts, dishwashers and reservationists. Many of these workers were already scraping by, earning just minimum wage. All of the bartenders, a profession whose opportunities and cachet have grown meteorically in the last decade, are idled since they cannot sell that $12 merlot or that $15 purple woo-woo to go. I share an initial broad sweep of what is happening at every restaurant in America. Our guide to takeout and delivery options Some sit-down restaurants have pivoted to takeout/carryout and deliveries. We have a list of restaurants that have reached out, but be aware that this is a fluid situation. Some restaurants that started the week with grand plans of curbside pickup are beginning to question whether its worth the effort. Theres also a chilling force at work: If someone on a restaurants staff gets sick, the whole operation can grind to a halt. Dining Notes Have a special dinner that supports restaurants in your living room and online yoga are among the fun things to do that our reporter Grace Dickinson has complied. Now that schools are closed, what are you going to cook for the kids? Our partners offers some advice. Massive amounts of food are at risk of going to waste. The nonprofit Sharing Excess is helping to transport the food to hunger-relief organizations with storage space which include Philabundance, Share Food Program, Philly Food Rescue, Food Connect, and Fooding Forward. Craig LaBan answers dining questions Reader: So now that we all cant eat in restaurants, what is a restaurant critic not to mention the rest of us to do? Craig: This is obviously a scary time for everyone on multiple levels, and many of us in the food media have been moving fast to refocus coverage in the most relevant, useful ways. I also plan to continue to patronize restaurants that are able to remain open for takeout meals. Those options are devolving fast, too, and it may be the best way possible to continue supporting those businesses in some way. More on that later as the situation evolves. In the meanwhile, its also clear Americans are now going to have to embrace home cooking in a way theyve not done in a very long time. For me, its an opportunity to dive into the cookbooks from Philly chefs Ive collected, over the years. Among the first Ill get to is Dinner at the Club: 100 Years of Stories and Recipes from South Phillys Palizzi Social Club (Running Press Books, 2019). Co-authored by chef Joey Baldino and food writer Adam Erace, it has everything from Chinotto-braised ribs to spaghetti and crabs. But Baldinos soulful escarole and bean soup is an especially easy place to start with a bowl of genuine South Philly comfort. Speaking of comfort, pizza is near the top of my list and a great family activity. Im going to recreate the crusty magic of Pizza Beddia (my 2019 restaurant of the year) with owner Joe Beddias masterpiece book created with home cooks in mind, Pizza Camp: Recipes from Pizzeria Beddia (Abrams Books, 2017). Veteran chef and author Aliza Green also has a pizza book, but Im going to be consulting her quarantine-friendly guide for Y2K-era Leugmaniacs, The Bean Bible (Running Press, 2000). Ill be turning to Marisa McClellans Food in Jars oeuvre of books to preserve the bounty of spring produce about to arrive. Some of our most inspired Philadelphian chefs bring an international flavor to their books. I want to cook through all of Reem Kassis award-winning The Palestinian Table (Phaidon, 2017), but will start with her relatively easy lamb kafta and tomato casserole bake. For modern French cooking with a seasonal Philly twist, its worth turning to Eraces other collaboration with Nicholas Elmi, the Top Chef (and four-bell winning) owner of Laurel, ITV and Royal Boucherie. Laurel: Modern American Flavors in Philadelphia (Running Press Books, 2019) is coffee table gastro-dream guide considerably heavier on labor intensive haute techniques and high-end ingredients. But my xanthan gum-averse colleague Allison Steeles successful hands-on attempt at Laurels truffled ricotta gnocchi gives me hope: one day, when we can start thinking of such luxuries again, Ill be ready to roll. Representative Image live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Infosys might move out 7,000 trainees from its Mysuru training centre in the next one week and resort to virtual training as a precaution against the coronavirus spread, according to a source. As a precaution, the trainees are being sent back home, the source said, adding, the training will happen through virtual classrooms." However, it is not clear if the trainees will join the workforce right after the training is complete as most employees who can, are currently working from home. The source said the company is currently weighing the options. According to reports, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation will open five information centres and advance booking counters at the training centre to evacuate the trainees and transport them to different destinations. The evacuation process will be planned for one week starting from tomorrow by the KSRTC buses, the reports added. 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 This move comes on the back of Karnatakas government order to shut down places that witness a gathering of people including malls, cinema theatres and gym in Bengaluru. The government had also requested IT firms to let employees work from home. While some firms have allowed employees to do so, others that work directly with clients are still waiting for client approval. According to reports, Mysuru is also under partial shutdown with schools and colleges closed. New Delhi: Nirbhaya case convicts on Wednesday (March 18) moved Delhi Court seeking a stay on the sentence of the death penalty on the grounds of pendency of various legal applications, appeals, and second mercy plea. According to the death warrant, all the four convicts are scheduled to be hanged on 20th March. The Court will hear on Thursday plea seeking a stay on the execution of the death penalty of the convicts. Earlier in the day, the High Court reserved its order on a petition filed by Mukesh Singh challenging the trial court`s order dismissing his plea seeking quashing of death penalty claiming that he was not in the city when the crime was committed. A Bench of Justice Brijesh Sethi reserved the order after hearing arguments from both sides and is likely to pronounce the order later today. Advocate Rahul Mehra, the standing counsel of the state, opposed the plea and said it is a desperate attempt to stall the execution and that we should not fall prey to this attempt and Mukesh application deserved to be dismissed. "What prevented them to tell about torture if he was facing it in jail. Mukesh could have written a letter to the competent authority about the torture", Mehra submitted. In his plea, filed through advocate ML Sharma, Mukesh has sought to set aside trial court order passed on March 17, which had dismissed the petition. The petitioner said that the trial is the outcome of concealment of vital documents by fixing the petitioner in place of actual accused persons which is liable to be examined within the filed evidence on records. On Tuesday, a Delhi court had also 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. Notably, Akshay on Tuesday had filed a second mercy petition to Tihar Jail authorities, addressed to the President of India. This will also be forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) through Delhi government, Tihar Jail official reportedly stated 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. Meanwhile, a hangman from Meerut, Pawan, today conducted dummy execution of the Nirbhaya case convicts at Tihar Jail. Stuck rationing toilet paper because you didn't stockpile during the coronavirus panic over the last few days? Don't worry, according to supply chain experts. "All the grocery stores are going to have pallets of toilet paper sitting in the aisles, and nobody is going to buy it, because who needs to buy toilet paper when you've got a year's worth sitting in your garage?" Daniel Stanton, a supply chain expert and author of "Supply Chain Management for Dummies," tells CNBC Make It. But what about food? Even if the COVID-19 pandemic stretches over months (President Donald Trump said it could last until August), there will be no big food shortages, especially on staples like milk, eggs, cheese, bread and meat, according to three supply chain experts who spoke to Make It. But your favorite brand or the exact kind of fruit you want could be scarce. "The brand that you normally want may not be available. But, hey, there's some other kind of pasta. Or instead of rice, we're going to have potatoes for dinner," Stanton says. "The U.S. produces a huge amount of food. We're also an exporter of food, so we're going to be okay," he adds. Many food manufacturers have been adjusting their production lines for social distancing and have increased cleaning to ensure workers' safety in recent weeks, experts say. With that in mind, here are the few kinds of products that might actually be harder to find. New Delhi [India], Mar 17 (ANI): 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. (ANI) I m a-goin back out fore the rain starts a-fallin/ Ill walk to the depths of the deepest black forest/ Where the people are many and their hands are all empty. I dont know about you, but Ive been listening to an awful lot of Bob Dylan. The moment seems to demand it. No, this is not the apocalypse. The spread of Covid-19 marks a crisis of health and social care, economic resilience and education. It is a trial for every cog in the machine of public policy. But it is more than that. It is also a test of the collective and individual psyche, a cosmic claw swooping down that, whatever happens next, will leave some sort of scar. Our response to it cannot only be technocratic. Pandemics are hyper-democratic in that absolutely everybody is at risk. More than terrorism, war, and recession, such illnesses imperil all of us, however rich or mighty. The great question is what this bleak and unsought commonality, so raw and sudden, will inspire within us. Does the pathogen nurture what German philosopher Jurgen Habermas calls the public sphere the mesh of common obligations, mutualities and shared responsibilities that make us more than a mob? Or does it send us scurrying back towards a digital version of English thinker Thomas Hobbess state of nature: a grim space of ruthless competition, hoarding of resources and twitchy solitude? Do we embrace global interdependence, or retreat into the delusions of nativist populism? Boris Johnsons Government, to be fair, has behaved with commendable calmness, immersing itself in scientific advice and committing itself to do, in the words of Rishi Sunak yesterday, whatever it takes. Matthew d'Ancona US President Trump, in contrast, has railed against the Chinese virus, dismissed it as a Democrat hoax and issued spiteful travel bans. The public rhetoric of the crisis urges us to congregate around collective goals, to take care of one another, to put the common good before narrow self-interest. Yet most of the practical measures that have been taken so far will compound disaggregation: social distancing, self-isolation, working from home, and the closure of public venues. We are being called upon to stand together and yet to remain (literally) in capsules. We are enjoined to act, before all else, as a community but also to avoid one another. That is some paradox. It is also much more than a philosophical question. The infection lurks for all to catch equally, but the havoc it wreaks will be uneven. Those with access to private healthcare start with an advantage. So too do those who are registered at a well-run primary care centre and live near an excellent hospital. Disease is a terrible equaliser, but the treatment of the infected will not be equal. For Londoners, one way to honour the memory of those who died in the Grenfell Tower tragedy is to make sure in the weeks and months ahead that the tower blocks of our city do not become hell-holes of illness and neglect out of the pages of a J G Ballard novel. A subset of this most basic challenge is the issue of intergenerational tensions. For a while, there has been much discussion of the need for a new generational contract as the old live, work and retain their property, and the young struggle to find secure employment, buy a home and address the problems they will inherit from their elders (notably, climate emergency). Will we learn deeper habits of trust or forget them altogether? The stakes are indeed that high But Covid-19 has added a bitter twist to all this. In this crisis, the young will have to join forces with the middle-aged to keep the elderly or, more accurately, those over 70 safe for as long as possible, and to look after them if they fall sick. Already, the most common anxiety I hear is that the old dismissive of fuss, and often in better shape than they expected to be are resisting calls for them to self-isolate. And, to be fair, most 70-year-olds are much more independent than people of their age used to be. Ok, boomer they can cope with. Stay home, boomer makes them angry. Incidentally, if you are looking for a book to read during these strange and stressful days, look no further than Jonathan Sackss magnificent Morality: Restoring the Common Good in Divided Times. What we need, the former Chief Rabbi argues, is a new social covenant not a contract, please note that finds a place for We alongside I. Trust me, it is a masterpiece. And thats another thing. Will we learn deeper habits of trust in this period of online hibernation, or forget them altogether? The stakes are indeed that high. The Irish Examiner understands the Naval Service is preparing to bring back into service its flagship, LE Eithne, to carry out Covid-19 virus testing in Cork city. The vessel has the largest upper deck space of any of the navy's ships and would be ideal for such an operation. She was taken off seagoing operations last June, along with coastal patrol vessel, LE Orla, due to manpower shortages. While she was taken off operational duties, she was still maintained and the finishing touches are now being made to equip her to aid the HSE in virus testing. It is expected that she will shortly tie up at Horgan's Quay, the longest quay in the city. The quayside is expected to be freed-up to provide parking spaces for those seeking testing. Navy personnel will be trained to carry out the tests by HSE staff. The reason the navy is being brought in to do the testing is because it acquired a vast amount of experience in medical screening while helping to save 18,000-plus migrants during Operations Sophia and Pontus in the Mediterranean Sea. It is also used to wearing PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment). The ships are also self-sufficient. They have onboard sanitary facilities, kitchens, accommodation and water-making facilities. The Flag Officer commanding the Naval Service, Commodore Michael Malone, addressed his personnel on social media telling them that the public will be looking at them for "assurance and strong leadership". He said that all non-essential activities in the Defence Forces had been suspended. Commodore Malone said the health and safety of his military and civilian personnel and their families was critical and to this end "a robust system of medical protection measures" was being set up. "Stay safe, look out for your shipmates and together we will weather this storm," he said. In addition to the navy, 30-man platoons of troops are being put on around-the-clock duty at nine barracks around the country, to be on standby for any tasks the HSE might want the Defence Forces to carry out. Military sources say that plans are being put in place to upscale the platoons to company strength if needs be. An average company strength is nearly 100 personnel. Meanwhile, two members of the Air Corps have been transferred to help work at the National Ambulance Service call centre in Tallaght, Dublin. A further 80 officer cadets have been assigned to the HSE for contact tracing. The Gauhati High Court on Wednesday dismissed petitions challenging the government's decision to terminate appointments of 49 civil services officials for their alleged role in cash-for-job scam in the Assam Public Service Commission. The 49 writ petitions were filed by the officials of the Assam Civil Services (ACS), Assam Police Services (APS) and other allied services of the 2016 batch who were accused of clearing the APSC eaminations through unfair means. In their petitions, the appellants claimed that they were discharged from their services without giving an opportunity of presenting their side, without following the due process of law, and hence that amounted to violation of natural justice. Justice Manojit Bhuyan after detailed hearing of all the writ petitions and scrutiny of records, delivered the judgment, dismissing all the applications finding no merit. Accordingly, Justice Bhuyan upheld their discharge orders from the services. The APSC is embroiled in a cash-for-job scam being investigated by the Assam Police, which has arrested nearly 70 persons, including its former Chairman Rakesh Kumar Paul and over 55 civil services officials since 2016. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bernie Sanders was talking to advisers on Wednesday as pressure mounted on the leftist Vermont senator to end his White House campaign following a drubbing by Joe Biden in the latest Democratic primaries. As the coronavirus outbreak played havoc with the primary schedule, calls grew among Democrats for Sanders to bow out to allow the centrist Biden to focus on beating President Donald Trump in November. Biden, 77, trounced Sanders, 78, in the three states which went to the polls on Tuesday -- Arizona, Florida and Illinois -- to build up an all-but impregnable lead in the number of delegates needed to head the Democratic ticket. "The race for the nomination is over," said Democratic strategist David Axelrod, who ran Barack Obama's two presidential campaigns. "That is the reality Bernie Sanders faces." While his hopes of winning the nomination may look increasingly dim, the senator strongly denied press reports that he was dropping out. "Anybody who suggests that at this point we are ending the campaign is not telling the truth," Sanders told CNN. Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir did say, however, that the candidate was holding talks to "assess" the future. "The next primary contest is at least three weeks away," Shakir said in a statement. "Senator Sanders is going to be having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign. "In the immediate term, however, he is focused on the government response to the coronavirus outbreak." Several states have postponed primaries because of the pandemic and both candidates have been forced to halt public rallies and turn to virtual campaigning. Biden trounced Sanders in each of Tuesday's battlegrounds, taking 62 percent of the vote in Florida against 23 percent for Sanders and winning by 59 percent to 36 percent in Illinois. In Arizona, Biden had nearly 44 percent to Sanders' nearly 32 percent. Voters had also been scheduled to go to the polls in Ohio but the governor of the midwestern state postponed the election, citing the coronavirus outbreak. - 'I think it is time' - The surging Biden has now won 19 of the 27 state contests held so far. The victories underscored his position as the clear frontrunner and the eagerness of Democratic leaders and party rank and file to come together around a moderate standardbearer to challenge Trump. According to a count by RealClearPolitics, Biden has racked up 1,153 delegates to Sanders' 874, with 1,991 needed to capture the nomination. Given Biden's substantial lead in opinion polls in many of the states yet to hold primaries, Sanders faces an uphill battle. Former Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri urged him to drop out. "I think it is time," McCaskill told MSNBC. "Bernie's going to have plenty of delegates and power to influence the platform," she said of the policies to be declared at the party's July convention. Biden said he was closer to securing the nomination and was building "a broad coalition" that the party requires to defeat Trump. "The next president will have to salvage our reputation, rebuild confidence in our leadership, and mobilize our country and our allies to rapidly meet new challenges -- like future pandemics. We need a leader who will be ready on day one," he said in a tweet Wednesday. - Trump taunt - From the White House, Trump taunted the Democrats, repeating his accusation that the party elite sabotaged Sanders -- whom the president's own campaign views as the weaker potential opponent. The Democratic National Committee "will have gotten their fondest wish and defeated Bernie Sanders, far ahead of schedule," Trump tweeted. "Now they are doing everything possible to be nice to him in order to keep his supporters. Bernie has given up, just like he did last time. He will be dropping out soon!" Trump said, referring to Sanders's failed fight for the nomination in 2016. Trump also appeared to be attempting to rile up Sanders' supporters, whose willingness to transfer their support to Biden could be crucial in the November contest. Biden for his part has experienced an astonishing change of fortune -- his campaign was left for dead just one month ago after poor showings in early voting states. Sanders meanwhile has struggled against perceptions that he is too far left to defeat Trump. He admitted as much last week when he said Democratic voters have told him they back his agenda of health care for all and battling income inequality, but they were voting for Biden because he has a better chance of winning back the White House. The contestants of the reality show Big Brother were informed about the coronavirus pandemic in a special live episode. The contestants of reality show Big Brother Germany were informed about the coronavirus pandemic in a special live episode, making them some of the last people to know about the outbreak. Follow our LIVE updates here. As per CBSNews, the host of the show and a doctor enlightened the contestants, who are currently locked in inside a house in Cologne, about the disease. The decision to not keep them in the dark anymore came after severe backlash on social media. A fansite has taken to Twitter to share a few screenshots from the episode, adding the participants appeared "a bit shell-shocked and emotional" upon hearing about the news. Here are the tweets Some pictures from Big Brother Germany's live coronavirus special - a few housemates have shed tears but they're generally keeping their composure. The doctor spoke to them at length and is now taking their questions #BBDE #BigBrother pic.twitter.com/CayT9HgERj bbspy (@bbspy) March 17, 2020 Big Brother Germany's live coronavirus special ended with the housemates waving the host and doctor goodbye and making heart symbols with their hands - a few more tears shed but overall the mood seems optimistic #BBDE#BigBrotherpic.twitter.com/rdwkTonzDq bbspy (@bbspy) March 17, 2020 E! Online reports the housemates were shown videos and pictures of their families and friends. Further, they were even told if any of their close ones contracted the disease, they would be permitted to leave the house and the show. Endemol Shine, the producer of the global reality TV franchise, issued a statement saying they have revoked their standard rule of "no outside news" owing to the "evolving situation." Check out their statement here Big Brother statement (part 1) The health and wellbeing of Big Brother Housemates is our priority. All current productions were informed last week that the usual format rules regarding outside news do not apply in this instance.... EndemolShineGroup (@endemolshine) March 17, 2020 Big Brother statement (part 1) The health and wellbeing of Big Brother Housemates is our priority. All current productions were informed last week that the usual format rules regarding outside news do not apply in this instance.... EndemolShineGroup (@endemolshine) March 17, 2020 The 14 participants entered the German edition of the show on 6 February, at a time when COVID-19 was just starting to percolate out of China. On the other hand, four other contestants who entered the show on 6 March, were instructed to not divulge anything about the pandemic. Incidentally, while authoritative bodies around the world are sending people into isolation to contain the spread of the diseases, these 18 individuals have exemplified self-quarantine even without the knowledge of the same. According to BBC News, contestants on Big Brother Canada and Big Brother Australia have also been informed about the virus. Meanwhile, it seems the Big Brother participants were not the only ones unaware of the pandemic. Jared Leto, who was on a 12-day silent meditation, has taken to Instagram to express his shock over finding a "very different world." Check out his post here View this post on Instagram A post shared by JARED LETO (@jaredleto) on Mar 16, 2020 at 10:26pm PDT He also urged his followers to quarantine themselves and stay safe. Germany is one of the worst-hit countries in Europe, with over 7,636 confirmed cases and 12 deaths. Even though Tajikistan hasn't announced a single case of coronavirus infection, the country is already feeling the consequences of the deadly pandemic that has spread to all of its neighbors. Facing rampant unemployment, the Central Asian state of some 9 million is heavily dependent on remittances from its migrant workers in Russia, a key destination for hundreds of thousands of Tajiks seeking work. But Moscow's announcement that it would close its borders to foreigners as of March 18 until at least May 1 came as many Tajik migrants were packing their bags to travel for seasonal jobs at Russian construction sites, farms, and factories. Many are concerned that extended border closures -- should they be announced -- will bring even greater financial hardship for thousands of Tajik households. "My work in Russia is the only income for my family. I don't have any fallback if I lose that income," says Sharof, a 27-year-old migrant worker from the northern Sughd Province. Sharof, who only gave his first name, spends seven or eight months in Russia every year, usually working two jobs: tending a large vegetable plot at a Russian family's summer house near the city of Surgut, and working part-time at nearby construction sites. Sharof makes a total of $700 per month on average and sends most of the money to his family in Tajikistan. 'What Can I Do?' From late March to the end of April is the high season for many Tajik migrants to depart for Russia. Some fly but many usually opt for cheaper options -- trains or buses -- a long journey that takes several days through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. But Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan shut down their borders on March 16 due to the the coronavirus outbreak, creating further uncertainties for Tajik migrant workers looking to get to Russia. Large crowds of people gathered near the main ticket office at Dushanbe's railway station on March 17, with people trying to get a refund for tickets they had bought in advance since now they are unable to enter Russia. Dushanbe resident Amirsho Aliev told RFE/RLs Tajik Service that he paid about $120 for a one-way train ticket to Russia but only got a refund of about $100. Many others had similar complaints about their refunds, but railway officials didn't explain why a full refund was not possible. "On top of everything else, I lost $20 for nothing," he said. Asked what he would do, Aliev said: "What can I do?! I'll just go home and wait like all other poverty-stricken people will be doing now." A smaller group could be seen at the central airline ticket office in Dushanbe on March 17 trying to get last-minute flights to any Russian city hours before Russia would close its border. Dilshod Nurboev had a ticket to fly to Russia for March 18, but he was told he wouldn't be allowed to go. "I understand that countries have to take measures to contain the coronavirus. I suppose I can wait for a month or two," Nurboev said. Many Tajiks like Nurboev hope the crisis will be tackled soon and that Russia and other countries wont have to extend the border closures. Sharof said there was no "Plan B" for him if Russia keeps its border closed to foreign workers. "My cousins used to work in Kazakhstan but that, too, isn't an option anymore. Yesterday [March 17] my neighbors came back from Uzbekistan as they were on their way to Russia by bus and found out that they can't go [into Kazakhstan]," Sharof said. Sharof said he doesn't "blame the government or anyone else for the coronavirus crisis," but said he needs help from Tajik authorities to help him and others feed their families. "I and many others like me expect our government to find some sort of solution, find us jobs or social benefits, or get a deal with Russia to allow us in if the borders remain closed beyond May," he said. Abdumannon Sheraliev, a Dushanbe-based social-affairs expert, said Tajik authorities must be prepared for all possible scenarios. "Of course it's possible that, for example, a vaccine [for the coronavirus] will be developed soon and the world will be saved from this disease, but [Tajikistan] should study all possible outcomes and prepare itself for the worst possible scenario," he said. Tajik authorities, meanwhile, say Tajik airlines will continue to fly to Russia to bring back any citizens willing to return home. On March 16, some 200 Tajiks were stranded for 17 hours at a transit area on a Kazakh-Uzbek border crossing after both countries closed their borders because of the coronavirus. The group -- which included many children -- was eventually allowed to cross into Uzbekistan and continue their journey to Tajikistan. Officials in Dushanbe say about 500,000 Tajik migrants traveled to Russia in 2019 and sent a total of $2.6 billion in remittances through official channels. Sources in Russia put the number of migrant workers from Tajikistan at more than 1 million. Zarangez Navruzshoh of RFE/RL's Tajik Service contributed to this report Missouri Closing Casinos; Inmates Freed to Cut Virus Risk By MARGARET STAFFORD, SUMMER BALLENTINE and JIM SALTER, Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Gov. Mike Parson has ordered the closure of Missouri's 13 casinos through March 30 as part of an effort to limit public gatherings in the public health battle against the coronavirus. Update on earlier coverage and a glimpse at extreme measures to stop the spread of the pandemic. Read more: The Kolkata Police on Wednesday warned rumour-mongers of strict action against spreading fake on social media over novel coronavirus, a senior officer said. Special teams have been set up at the Kolkata Police headquarters and the police stations within its jurisdiction in this connection, he said. "Strict action will be taken against those spreading fake We will not take such things lightly... this is an emergent situation and spreading of false and unverfied can lead to panic among the people," the IPS officer said. The cyber cell of the Kolkata Police is keeping a 24x7 vigil on the Internet to curb any attempt to spread dissemination of fake information over COVID-19, he added. The city police has also launched a special drive to reach out to people by raising their awareness on COVID-19, asking them to keep away from spreading rumours, and not to believe anything circulated on social media platforms without checking its veracity, he said. "As part of this special drive, our officers will make people understand how false news and misinformation can harm law and order and create confusion. They will ask the citizens to desist from forwarding unverified information or images. ... All police stations have been directed to act in this regard," the police officer said. According to him, advertisements bearing such instructions will also be put up at crucial points of the city. Meanwhile, City police commissioner Anuj Sharma has also tweeted in this connection. "Dont listen to rumours! Verify facts before believing! Take all precautions to prevent spread of #COVID19 ! Be safe .. be healthy! #WeCareWeDare @KolkataPolice @MamataOfficial," Sharma tweeted. Incidentally, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been insisting on not getting carried away by fake news over novel coronavirus. "Dont create panic or spread rumours or fake news regarding novel coronavirus. Also dont pay heed to such news items.. our government is always trying to control such attempts... People should cooperate with the administration," Banerjee had recently said after a review meeting in the wake of the coronavirus scare. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The province is postponing the release of the highly anticipated review of the public education system as government officials place priority on Manitobas COVID-19 response. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 18/3/2020 (664 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The province is postponing the release of the highly anticipated review of the public education system as government officials place priority on Manitobas COVID-19 response. "There are many excellent recommendations in the K-12 commission report but even excellent recommendations are difficult to implement in uncertain times," Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen wrote in a tweet Wednesday. "That is why we will not be implementing significant changes recommended in the report until at least summer of 2021." Goertzens office received the report last month. It was expected to be made public before the end of March. Its unclear how long the province is putting the results on hold. School staff, students and families have been awaiting the report which the province has said will transform Manitobas school system since it was first announced in January 2019. It was then Goertzen appointed a nine-member commission to undertake a comprehensive look at education in Manitoba. Former Progressive Conservative education minister Clayton Manness was appointed to co-chair the team and education adviser Avis Glaze was named lead consultant. Glaze recently authored a controversial report for the Nova Scotia government in which she recommended sweeping changes to school board governance structures. In anticipation of Manitoba's review, educators and trustees have expressed concern about what the results will mean for their futures. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Manitoba Teachers Society president James Bedford said stress levels have increased as educators scramble to plan alternative lessons because of the impending school closures next week. Bedford, who represents 16,000 public-school teachers, said he was relieved to hear the latest news from the minister during a phone call Wednesday morning. "Its not the right time to be dealing with changes to Manitobas public education system when were in the midst of a health crisis in the province, and one that directly impacts educators. It directly impacts everybody in the province," he said. The education ministers office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @macintoshmaggie Rebel Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh who are staying at a resort here, on Wednesday said they have come to the city voluntarily and don't want to meet anybody, even as senior party leader Digvijaya Singh is making efforts to reach out to them. High drama unfolded this morning near the resort, as Singh, a two-time Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, staged a protest accusing the police of not allowing him to meet the legislators, following which he was detained briefly and released later. Singh, along with Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar, is meeting police top brass seeking opportunity to meet the MLAs. He hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, accusing them of trying to block their efforts to get in touch with the legislators. "We have come here voluntarily on our own wish; we have got to know from some people that a few leaders from Madhya Pradesh including Digvijaya Singh and some MLAs have come here. We don't want to talk to anybody," Congress rebel MLA from Sumawali Adal Singh Kansana said in a video message. "We have tried enough to speak with every one for the last one year, when they did not hear us for one year, what they will hear us in one day? We want to say only this that we have come here as per our wish and go back as per our wish," he added. Another rebel MLA Govind Singh Rajput too said they have come voluntarily and don't want to meet anybody. "We got to know that Digvijaya Singh has come with a few Ministers and leaders. Unnecessarily at the gate they are saying they want to meet us. When no MLA wants to meet him, they should not be doing this. All MLAs have sent in their resignation," he said in a video message. Currently, 22 rebel MLAs are said to be camping in the city. Digvijaya Singh said he wants to meet MLAs, who are his "voters" for the Rajya Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh, and will stay here till he meets them. Ahead of meeting the city police commissioner, he said, "I have my doubts (about any help from the commissioner) because of pressure from Union Home Minister and the Chief Minister on them; they will not allow meeting (MLAs), because if MLAs meet me they will come out with me." Claiming that Singh had come to the city, as he got a message from few rebel MLAs, Shivakumar asked: "Why is police blocking, they don't have any right to block, they are blocking the right of a candidate." "Our candidate (Singh) wants to request the higher authorities (Police Commissioner), because these people (local police) are acting on the instructions of the Chief Minister here, so they want to request the higher authorities, then we will see other remedies," he added. Shivakumar alleged Yediyurappa did not show the courtesy of responding to Singh's call. "He (Singh) tried to request the Chief Minister; Chief Minister did not come on phone. No basic courtesy to answer senior leaders call...," he added. 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. As state and federal officials continue to ramp up efforts to control the outbreak of coronavirus in the United States, new information about the virus in particular the potential for transmission by people without symptoms is raising new questions about the official messaging on the use of face masks during this pandemic. In a series of tweets sent Wednesday morning, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb suggested that evidence that the virus can be spread by asymptomatic people undermines the official position maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that masks should only be worn by the sick. If the concern is that asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic younger Americans (millennials) are continuing to spread #Coronavirus because they dont heed warnings, you could require anyone between certain ages to wear a procedure mask when they go out, wrote Gottlieb. Procedure masks, similar to surgical masks, are general-use medical face masks that attach to the back of the head or ears with straps and are used to catch bacteria released from the wearers mouth or nose. Gottlieb pointed out the challenges involved in enforcing orders for people to remain indoors for prolonged periods of time, especially if they are asymptomatic, suggesting that requiring a procedure mask for those who go out in areas of sustained spread (like some big cities) would be a second layer of protection when people are asymptomatic or defiant. If were at the point of locking down entire cities, we must consider other ways to break off transmission that don't take away peoples liberty, wrote Gottlieb. If we're at the point of locking down entire cities, we must consider other ways to break off transmission that don't take away peoples' liberty. CDC's current position is that people should only wear a mask when you're sick. But we know this is spread by Asymptomatic people 2/n Scott Gottlieb, MD (@ScottGottliebMD) March 18, 2020 Masks have been a point of contention since the beginning of the outbreak in January with CVS, Amazon and others selling out within weeks of the viruss spread. Story continues The question is confusing because there are two kinds of masks, which can serve two distinct functions: protecting the wearer from infection, and protecting those who might be infected but not showing symptoms from spreading the virus. A CDC infographic makes a distinction between the two main types of barriers: surgical or procedure masks, such as the kinds Gottlieb was referring to, and respirators. Surgical masks, which are approved by the FDA, are loose-fitting, disposable masks that stop the individual who is wearing them from spreading germs. They are not fit-tested (meaning sealed to the face) and therefore do not protect against smaller airborne particles. Respirators like the N95 are a major step up. Tested and approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), they are tight-fitting, fit-tested masks that protect against 95 percent of airborne particles. Boxes of N95 protective masks for use by medical field personnel in New Rochelle, N.Y. (Mike Segar/Reuters) Although many Americans have started wearing surgical masks in public, William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University, said thats not what they were designed for. Simple surgical masks other than a kind of psychological comfort really provide little, if any, protection concerning protecting you from acquiring an infection, Schaffner told Yahoo in an interview last month. Theyre not designed for that and they dont function that way. Schaffner said that theres a reason you may be seeing them in the doctors office. If you come to a health care facility and youre coughing or have a sore throat, a mask will be put on you, the epidemiologist said. That will prevent you from giving it to someone else. But having those go out in the community to protect [you] from getting it, that's not what theyre designed for. The World Health Organization echoed Schaffner in a video on its website. Medical masks cannot protect against the new coronavirus when used alone, said Christine Francis, an infection control coordinator at the agency. WHO only recommends the use of masks in certain cases. If you have [a] cough, fever and difficulty breathing, you should wear a mask and seek medical care. If you do not have these symptoms, you do not have to wear these masks because there is no evidence that they protect people who are not sick. But in response to a shortage of the N95 respirators, the CDC now concedes that a surgical mask is probably better than nothing in protecting the wearer. The advice is directed at health care professionals and others who come into contact with potentially infected individuals, but is likely to affect the behavior of civilians as well. Until last week, the CDC was recommending that health care workers interacting with known or suspected coronavirus patients wear custom-fitted N95 protection, as well as gloves, gowns, and protective eye gear. However, updated guidance states that surgical masks are an acceptable alternative when the supply chain of respirators cannot meet the demand. Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, with Vice President Mike Pence. (Glen Stubbe/Star Tribune via AP) Of course masks work maybe not perfectly and not all to the same degree, but they provide some protection, Zeynep Tufekci wrote in a New York Times op-ed Tuesday, arguing that the official messaging on masks may have backfired. Tufekci, a professor of information science at the University of North Carolina, writes that attempts by the surgeon general and other health experts to prevent a nationwide mask shortage by saying that masks are not helpful for the general public but they are necessary for healthcare workers quickly became counterproductive and may have encouraged even more hoarding because it seemed as though authorities were shaping the message around managing the scarcity rather than confronting the reality of the situation. It is of course true that masks dont work perfectly, that they dont replace hand-washing and social distancing, and that they work better if they fit properly. And of course, surgical masks (the disposable type that surgeons wear) dont filter out small viral particles the way medical-grade respirator masks rated N95 and above do, wrote Tufekci. However, even surgical masks protect a bit more than not wearing masks at all. A CDC spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. Robyn R.M. Gershon, a clinical professor of epidemiology at New York University told Yahoo News that while surgical masks "might be helpful to limit close contact spread of droplets" requiring the use of masks in public is not really a feasible solution there are not enough. Customers line up outside of a coronavirus pop-up store in Washington, D.C. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images) Doctors have also been subject to mixed messaging when it comes to masks. Its been, in a word, confusing, said one medical resident at New York Citys Mount Sinai Hospital of the constantly changing flow of information and recommendations around coronavirus as the number of diagnoses in the United States increases. The resident, who asked that her name not be used because shes not authorized to speak to press, told Yahoo News that on Tuesday, we got an email midway through the day that now all providers are required to wear surgical masks, whereas a week ago they said not to wear masks unless were sick [so as not to contradict the message that masks should only be worn by sick people]. The sudden change of directive comes as hospitals around the country, including Mount Sinai, are bracing for possible supply shortages. The Mount Sinai resident told Yahoo News that, in an effort to conserve supplies, extra protective equipment, including masks, are no longer readily available for doctors and nurses as needed. As a result, she said, a lot of times there are situations where we come in contact with someone who has symptoms, and theres a delay in us being able to put on personal protective equipment. There are definitely times where me and other residents have been exposed in the sense that we just don't have masks, she said. A spokesperson for Mount Sinai did not respond to a request for confirmation or comment. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe UPDATE, March 19, 6:45 p.m.: This story was updated to include information on child care based on the "Safer At Home" orders issued by LA Mayor Eric Garcetti. Ever since schools were closed in response to the coronavirus outbreak, parents have been reaching out to LAist with a pressing question: will my child's day care center or preschool close, too? The short answer is maybe. But the state agency that licenses child care centers is largely leaving the decision up to the providers -- and they have just as many questions as parents do. "I personally am not going to close unless they tell me, but part of me wants them to tell me to close because I'm a little nervous too," said Kim Martin, who has taken care of kids out of her North Hollywood home for 23 years. "There are people who still need care." One reason she's nervous is that she turned 66 this year, making her part of the population more likely to get seriously ill from the coronavirus. In addition, she's afraid she wouldn't qualify for unemployment if she closed. As a licensed provider, Martin looks to California's Department of Social Services for guidance -- and it hasn't offered recommendations on whether child care providers should keep operating. Instead, it is telling providers they should take measures like screening teachers and staff "for respiratory infection symptoms" and the start of each day -- but it doesn't say how they should do that. This week the department moved to expand the capacity of California childcare providers. It ordered an emergency waiver to existing state rules that allows employers to open emergency child care services on their premises, and allows independent operators to increase the number of kids in their care if there's a child care shortage in their area. The waiver doesn't define what constitutes a shortage, though. Late Thursday, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti issued new guidelines under the "Safer at Home" order that goes into effect on Friday. It reads, "Childcare facilities may only operate if they comply with the conditions of this Order as they related to child care. Among these conditions, children must be cared for in groups of 12 or fewer, groups of children may not mix with each other, and providers may not circulate between groups." This comes as the federal government has advised against gatherings of more than 10 people. The social services department is also working to create a temporary child care workforce. One idea is that teachers from closed schools could shift to staff emergency child care at vital employers such as hospitals. LAist has requested an interview with the department. When asked to provide recommendations for daycare centers Monday in a White House press conference, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said the existing guidelines do not include daycare. "I think it's very important we should -- probably, if we have not discussed that, go back and discuss that in some detail about whether or not that's equivalent to school," Fauci said. "That's a good question." One person tuned in was Stacey Grumet, who runs a preschool and child care directory called Paper Pinecone. "It was upsetting to watch," she said. Countless providers have reached out asking for advice over the last few weeks. "These people are literally risking their health and safety. Family child care providers are risking their homes," Grumet said. "It's really up to the states at this point to step up to shut down child care." The non-profit Child Care Aware of America has recomended facilities follow the example set by local school districts and their state. At this point, Gov. Gavin Newsom and local political and health leaders have made no indication that they will order child care facilities closed. "The bottom line is we need our child care facilities, our daycare centers to operate to absorb the magnitude of the impacts of the school closures," Newsom said at a Tuesday press conference. The state's legislature has approved $100 million to pay for cleaning at K-12 and child care centers. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health's recommendations for child care facilities include routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces like doorknobs, sending home ill students and staff, and restricting visitors. Many providers want more guidance. So much so that a state Department of Social Services conference call Tuesday had so many people trying to join that it caused technical difficulties. The agency walked through the recently issued guidelines and then opened the lines to providers. Some worried about the vulnerability of older family members in their homes. Others said they'd had trouble buying supplies. But the top question was whether providers should stay open. The department did not have a clear answer. "It really goes back on the operator to be able to assess what is going on in their community and what is going on within their facility," program administrator Shanice Orum said during the call. 'WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD UP TO THE MOMENT THAT WE COULDN'T' Tuesday's breakfast at Young Horizons Child Development Centers in Long Beach was supposed to include toast. It didn't. Neither Costco, which usually supplies the centers 400 students, nor nearby markets had a slice to spare. That's one factor the board considered when deciding to shutter the centers through the end of March starting Wednesday. Another was fear of spreading the virus among staff, children and families . Attendance across the five centers had dropped to 25%. "We did everything we could up to the moment that we couldn't," executive director Sarah Soriano said. Sarah Soriano has worked for Long Beach's Young Horizons Child Development Center for 25 years. (Mariana Dale/ LAist) She said it's impossible for a child care center to enforce the social distancing recommendation that people stay at least six feet apart. "Children naturally want to play together, they want to build things together, they want to color and paint and even when they're playing out on the playground it's interactive play," she said. Soriano said she lost sleep over the decision to close and that neither the city of Long Beach, the county of Los Angeles nor the state licensing agency gave a clear directive to early child care centers. "There's just uncertainty and a certain level of fear," Soriano said. The center plans to pay staff through the end of March and apply for reimbursement through a California Department of Education program for schools that close under emergency conditions. Soriano said there's no guarantee her request will be fulfilled. The House passed a coronavirus relief bill Friday, but some advocates are calling for more specific provisions for early childhood workers. "Essentially we need the industry to be subsidized or get relief during this crisis," said Lea Austin, director for the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment at University of California, Berkeley. Austin said paid leave would also allow workers to stay home with their children, relieving the pressure on child care centers to stay open. Without those measures, Austin said some closures could become permanent. "Child care programs are already kind of operating on the margins," Austin said. "There are not reserves that most programs have." 'I HAVE PARENTS THAT ARE IN NEED OF ME BEING OPEN' "You don't have a fever? Anyway, how about you? Have you been sick?" This is how Kim Martin greeted two school-age children arriving at her home Tuesday. Being extra-vigilant about health is one way she's trying to maintain a safe environment for the nearly dozen children that come to her home on any given day. On a typical day, about 11 children come to Kim Martin's North Hollywood home, but attendance has been down recently. (Courtesy Kim Martin) When one of the kids sneezes, she encourages them to "chicken wing," her way of telling them to cover their faces with their elbow. Martin plans to stay open. Part of the decision is financial. She's self-employed and wouldn't normally qualify for unemployment from the state. "If I have to close, it's not in my contract that people would pay me," Martin said. "I've never even thought to put in my contract 'in case of a pandemic.'" A few parents have decided to keep their children home. She's worried about the health risks that come with accepting new students, but has decided to take in at least one child of a health care worker. "I'm also a support to families," Martin said. "That's why we're here too. It's not just for me. It's not just a job and a paycheck." A classroom at ABC Little School in Studio City. (Courtesy of Stephanie Ortega) So for now here's what Martin is telling her parents: "We're business as usual until you get a text from me that says we're not." At ABC Little School in Studio City parents are dropping their children off at the gates. Staff are advised to travel only between their homes and the school. Stephanie Ortega is the school's director. It's up to her to implement policies to ensure the safety of her employees and the more than 100 students who range in age from 18 months to 6 years old. "I have parents that are upset that I'm open," Ortega said. "And I have parents that are in need of me being open." Ortega says the biggest challenge has been the lack of direction from the Department of Social Services. Ortega wishes the agency would send health care providers to her school, offer training for staff so they know how to look for symptoms of respiratory illness and provide testing so they know coronavirus isn't spreading in their facility. "What is it that we're facing? No one knows," Ortega said. The New York Times found child care workers and preschool workers had an elevated risk of getting sick from coronavirus because of their close proximity to children. At this point, she's decided to stay open, but has reduced the school's hours and sends children home on Fridays so staff have more time to clean. "We're kind of on our own here," Ortega said."[If] we continue to stay open and the situation does worsen. I'm putting not only my teachers at risk, I'm putting the children at risk." Between March 9 and 15, Pearland police investigated numerous reports of assault cases, according to reports from the citys police department. Police filed a family violence report March 9 in the 6000 block of Vineyard Bend Drive. A man pointed a gun at another man March 8 or 9 in the 3500 block of Business Center Drive, according to a witness report to police March 9. Police took a Houston man, 31, into custody on a charge of assault March 9 in the 1500 block of Preserve Lane. Violation of a protective order was reported March 10 in the 3300 block of Broadway Street, police said. Assault, family violence was reported March 11 in the 1200 block of Stone Road, police said. A Houston woman, 32, was charged with assaulting a public servant March 11 in the 13900 block of Texas 288, police said. A 45-year-old Marrero, La., woman received a citation for assault by threat and disorderly conduct March 11 in the 15800 block of Texas 288, police said. Police charged a Pearland man, 43, with assault, family violence March 11 in the 6900 block of Heron Lane. Police filed an assault, family violence report March 12 in the 3500 block of Broadway Street. A Pearland woman, 33, was charged with assault March 12 in the 4600 block of Kimball Drive, police said. Assault by threat was reported March 12 in the 2500 block of Alexander Lane, police said. Assault occurred March 6 in the 1300 block of Main Street, according to a March 12 police report. Violation of a protective order was reported March 12 in the 4000 block of Spring Brook Court, police said. Police charged a Pearland man, 40, with assault March 13 in the 3700 block of Oak Bent Drive. A Pearland man, 36, was charged with unlawful restraint, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and assault, family violence March 13 in the 13600 block of Evening Wind Drive, police said. Assault was reported March 14 in the 3300 block of Beacon View Court, police said. A 40-year-old Pearland man was charged with assault, family violence March 15 in the 9800 block of Sunnycoast Lane, police said. Police filed an assault, family violence report March 15 in the 3300 block of Pebble Beach Lane. Police charged a Pearland woman, 27, with assault on a public servant March 15 in the 1800 block of Emerald Trace Lane. A Pearland woman, 33, and Baytown man, 30, received citations for assault March 15 in the 2500 block of Business Center Drive, police said. Two Houston women, 22 and 28, received citations for assault, family violence March 15 in the 10100 block of Brookshore Lane, police said. Police charged a Pearland man, 35, with assault, family violence March 15 in the 1100 block of Woodbridge Avenue. Burglary Police charged a Missouri City man, 21, with unlawful use of a criminal instrument March 9 in the 12800 block of Regents Bay Drive. Vehicle burglary occurred March 10 in the 1000 block of Bass Pro Drive, police said. Police filed a vehicle burglary report March 10 in the 1900 block of Main Street. A vehicle was burglarized March 10 in the 1300 block of Broadway Street, police said. Several vehicle burglaries were reported March 10 in the 2200 block of Broadway Street, police said. Property was reported stolen from a vehicle March 13 in the 2500 block of Business Center Drive, police said. Police filed a building burglary report March 13 in the 1100 block of Union Valley Drive. Vehicle burglary was reported March 13 in the 2300 block of Smith Ranch Road, police said. A vehicle was burglarized March 15 in the 13900 block of Texas 288, police said. Fraud, forgery A complainants check was mailed to a residence in the 3200 block of Bodine Drive Feb. 5 or Feb. 6 and deposited into a Wells Fargo bank account, according to a March 9 police report. Identity fraud was reported March 9 in the 3900 block of Cedarwood Drive, police said. Police filed a forgery report March 9 in the 3300 block of Industrial Drive. Fraudulent use of identifying information occurred between Feb. 14 and March 9, according to a police report filed March 9 in the 1000 block of Broadway Street. Police filed a theft by fraud or deception report March 9 in the 2000 block of Glenwick Manor Lane. An unknown suspect used a victims identity to open loans with three different companies March 9, according to a police report filed March 10 in the 2100 block of Rain Lily Court. Police filed a report for fraudulent use or possession of identifying information March 10 in the 2200 block of Oday Road. Forgery occurred between Nov. 4, 2019, and March 10, according to a police report filed March 10 in the 13400 block of Hickory Springs Lane. Fraudulent use of identifying information occurred March 8, according to a police report filed March 12 in the 12800 block of Winter Springs Drive. Identity fraud occurred between Oct. 1, 2018, and March 13, according to a police report filed March 13 in the 1100 block of Sussex Trail. Theft Theft occurred March 6 or March 7 in the 7400 block of Ping Street and 3000 block of Byng Street, according to a pair of police reports filed March 9. A utility trailer was stolen between March 6 and March 9 in the 6500 block of Broadway Street, according to a March 9 police report. Theft occurred Dec. 16, 2019, in the 2400 block of South Washington Avenue, according to a March 9 police report. Police filed a theft report March 9 in the 2100 block of Main Street. A group of known and unknown juveniles committed theft March 9 in the 12800 block of Shadow Creek Parkway, police said. Theft by a public servant and tampering with a government record was reported March 10 in the 2500 block of Cullen Parkway, police said. Police filed a theft report March 11 in the 11300 block of Broadway Street. Police took an Alvin man, 35, into custody for theft and a Brazoria County warrant March 11 at Home Depot, 10111 Broadway St. Two Houston men, 28 and 29, also were charged with shoplifting, police said. Shoplifting occurred March 11 in the 1500 block of Broadway Street, police said. Embezzlement occurred between Oct. 15, 2019, and March 11 in the 11100 block of Broadway Street, according to a March 11 police report. Theft of service was reported March 12 in the 11000 block of Shadow Creek Parkway, police said. Embezzlement occurred between Jan. 1 and March 12 in the 1900 block of Main Street, according to a March 12 police report. Unauthorized use of a motor vehicle was reported March 12 in the 111000 block of Carson Avenue, police said. Theft occurred between Dec. 1, 2019, and March 6 in the 2700 block of Westchester Circle, according to a March 13 police report. Police charged a 20-year-old Pearland man with shoplifting March 13 in the 1700 block of Broadway Street. Police charged two Houston women, 25 and 37, with shoplifting March 14 at Macys, 11200 Broadway St. Theft from a building was reported March 14 in the 2800 block of Business Center Drive, police said. Police filed a theft report March 14 in the 1000 block of Bass Pro Drive. Robbery Five male suspects committed aggravated robbery March 10 in the 3600 block of Business Center Drive, police said. Aggravated robbery was reported March 14 in the 2500 block of Main Street, police said. Narcotics Police charged a Pearland man, 26, with marijuana possession and unlawfully carrying a weapon March 12 in the 6000 block of Broadway Street. A 23-year-old Missouri City man was charged with marijuana possession and unlawfully carrying a weapon March 12 in the 16600 block of Texas 288, police said. Police charged a Houston man, 29, with possession of drug paraphernalia March 12 in the 2600 block of Main Street. A 17-year-old Pearland man was charged with marijuana possession March 12 in the 2500 block of Rock Shoals Way, police said. An 18-year-old Pearland man, a 19-year-old Manvel woman and a 19-year-old Houston woman received citations for possession of drug paraphernalia March 14 in the 7300 block of Lake View Terrace Drive, police said. The Pearland man also received a citation for possession of alcohol by a minor, according to the report. Police took a Pearland man, 22, into custody on a charge of marijuana possession March 14 in the 4500 block of South Magnolia Elms Drive. Driving while intoxicated Police arrested a Houston man, 28, on a charge of DWI March 9 in the 14900 block of Texas 288. A Pearland woman, 49, was charged with DWI March 13 in the 10600 block of McHard Road, police said. A 39-year-old Houston man was charged with DWI March 14 in the 7200 block of Broadway Street, police said. Police charged a 30-year-old Houston woman with DWI March 14 in the 8400 block of Broadway Street. An Alvin man, 31, was charged with DWI March 15 in the 3000 block of Dixie Farm Road, police said. Threats, harassment A complainant was harassed and cyberbullied between March 4 and March 6, according to a police report filed March 9 in the 2000 block of Cullen Parkway. Police conducted a possession or promotion of child pornography investigation after a reported terroristic threat March 11 in the 9800 block of Fair Brook Way. Criminal mischief Police filed a criminal mischief report March 9 in the 12400 block of Silent Creek Drive. A business glass window was shattered overnight March 9 or March 10 in the 4300 block of Broadway Street, police said. Criminal mischief was reported March 10 in the 4300 block of Broadway Street, police said. Police filed a criminal mischief report March 14 in the 4800 block of Scott Lane. Police conducted a criminal mischief investigation March 14 in the 3300 block of McLean Road. Other incidents A Houston woman, 29, received a citation for leaving a child in a vehicle March 10 in the 1900 block of Main Street, police said. Police charged a Houston man, 53, with evading arrest or detention in a vehicle March 11 in the 1900 block of Business Center Drive. A Katy man, 22, was charged with failing to display a solicitation permit March 12 in the 2800 block of Neches River Drive, police said. Two Pearland women, 34 and 44, and an Alvin man, 37, received citations for disorderly conduct, tumultuous behavior after a reported verbal disturbance March 14 in the 3100 block of Broadway Street, police said. Police charged a Dickinson man, 26, with failure to identify as a fugitive March 15 in the 1300 block of Main Street. A 23-year-old Houston woman received a citation for possession of drug paraphernalia, police said. [March 18, 2020] Document Capture Software Market 2019-2023|Growing Use of Big Data Analytics to Boost Growth | Technavio Technavio has been monitoring the document capture software market and it is poised to grow by USD 3.28 bn during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of almost 12% 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/20200318005213/en/ Technavio has published a latest market research report titled Global Document Capture Software 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. Growing use of big data analytics has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. Document Capture Software Market 2019-2023: Segmentation Document Capture Software Market is segmented as below: End-User Healthcare Government BFSI Legal 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=IRTNTR30205 Document Capture Softwar 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 document capture software market report covers the following areas: Document Capture Software Market Size Document Capture Software Market Trends Document Capture Software Market Industry Analysis This study identifies integration of document capture software with machine learning as one of the prime reasons driving the document capture software market growth during the next few years. Document Capture Software Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the document capture software market, including some of the vendors such as ABBYY, Adobe Systems, Canon (News - Alert), Kofax and Xerox. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the document capture software 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 Document Capture Software Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023 Detailed information on factors that will assist document capture software market growth during the next five years Estimation of the document capture software market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the document capture software market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of document capture software 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 END-USER Market segmentation by end-user Comparison by end-user BFSI - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Healthcare - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Government - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Legal - 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 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: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES Market drivers Market challenges PART 10: MARKET TRENDS Mobile-based data capture software Integration of document capture software with machine learning Intelligent character recognition (ICR) PART 11: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview Landscape disruption PART 12: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors ABBYY Adobe Systems (News - Alert) Canon Kofax Xerox PART 13: 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. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005213/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The sign outside Annie Blooms Books in Southwest Portland Tuesday warned customers that their neighborhood bookstore was no longer a hangout: We Are Open for Order Pickup! No Browsing, Please Along with other retailers, bookstores are reeling from a coronavirus pandemic thats shut down public gathering spots worldwide. Powells Books, by far Oregons largest bookseller with five locations including a 68,000-square-foot flagship store, has locked its doors, saying it cannot honor the social distancing guidelines laid down by federal health officials, and laid off hundreds of employees. Its website remains operational and owner and CEO Emily Powell wrote in a message to customers there that the company intends to keep the website running. Portlands other independent bookstores have joined other venues in canceling events, but theyre remaining open, so far, while seeking alternatives to having people lingering inside. Annie Blooms said in a Facebook post that it was cutting back on its hours: For as long as we are able, we will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. Free shipping on orders of $50 or more! The store added that nearby customers could take advantage of free delivery: At least twice a week, Annie Bloom's staff members will deliver pre-purchased books to neighborhood customers (within roughly a two-mile radius). Most other independent booksellers also have closed to the public while still making sales. Heres a look: A Childrens Place is staffing the store from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to take orders for curbside pickup, home delivery within a 2-mile radius of the stores address on Northeast Fremont Street in Northeast Portland, or mail delivery. Broadway Books is taking phone and online orders for mailing, delivery and curbside pick-up. Owners Kim Bissell and Sally McPherson wrote in a message to customers on the stores website: Any orders over $25 going to zip codes 97211, 97212, 97213, 97214, 97215, and 97232 we will deliver with no delivery charge. Green Bean Books, which caters to ages 14 and younger, is taking phone orders for curbside pickup and free delivery with a purchase of $25 or more within a 2-mile radius of the stores Northeast Alberta Street location. Monograph Bookwerks in Northeast Portland, which specializes in art books, is now open by appointment only. We will continue to ship online orders, said a message on the stores website. The message added that the store has launched a book club by mail program. In Southeast Portland, Wallace Books, a secondhand store, said in a Facebook post, We are temporarily halting the trading of used books. The store is offering free shipping on orders of at least $20 within Oregon and Southwest Washington. Revolutions Bookshop in St. Johns said on its Instagram account that it is delivering books and allowing pickups - it posted a photo of a copy of Homers Iliad next to a bottle of spray disinfectant. Maggie Maes Kids Bookshop is offering curbside pickup or delivery within 5 miles of its downtown Gresham location, with no shipping charges. Also in Gresham, Books Around the Corner is also offering curbside pickup and delivery. A Scenario Worse Than Planned Spending More While Collecting Less Tulsa has already imposed a hiring freeze. Oklahomas second-largest city is an oil town. With crude oil prices dropping near 20-year lows, some of Tulsas biggest employers cant make a profit.Tulsa has other problems. The city owns its arena and convention center. Naturally, events at those venues are canceled through next month. As in other cities, Mayor G.T. Bynum has ordered gyms to close and restaurants to offer takeout service only. We really dont know what the impact will be, says James Wagner, Tulsas finance director.He knows it will be large. Tulsa relies on sales taxes for two-thirds of its general fund revenue. Just in the last two months, we are $1.8 million behind budget, in terms of what we budgeted for our sales taxes, Wagner says. Those numbers came in low even before COVID-19 really hit.Its bound to get worse, and not just for Tulsa. Last week, even before many businesses shut down, Seattle a pandemic hot spot was projecting a shortfall of $110 million in revenue, or 7 percent of its general fund. That would be a major hit, but now it seems like an optimistic figure.In New York, the only state with a fiscal year beginning April 1, state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli estimates the crisis could cost the state up to $7 billion in lost revenues for fiscal 2021.Economists currently differ on the likely economic effects of the coronavirus crisis, but theres consensus that the economy will contract, at least in the second quarter. The debate is only over how much. A Pew Research Center survey released on Wednesday found that 70 percent of Americans believe the coronavirus poses a major threat to the U.S. economy.The anticipated downturn will have serious consequences for state and local budgets. Most revenue sources that governments rely on personal income, corporate income, sales, capital gains and gas taxes is bound to take a hit. Almost every sector of the economy is being impacted, said Lucy Dadayan, a senior research associate at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. Its not just one revenue thats being impacted.The stock market has lost roughly a third of its value over the past month. The American Hotel and Lodging Association says the economic impact on the hotel business is already worse than the 2001 terrorist attacks and the 2008 financial crash combined. The association is predicting 3.9 million jobs will be shed by the end of the year in its industry alone.On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Labor will release weekly figures for initial jobless claims, an early indicator that historic lows in unemployment are rapidly becoming a thing of the past. Already, a number of individual states are reporting that unemployment applications have increased ten-fold, or more, from just a week ago. By Wednesday morning, Ohio had received nearly 78,000 unemployment claims, compared with 5,430 for all of last week nearly a 1,500 percent increase.In Pennsylvania, there were 14,000 claims last week. There were 50,000 on Monday alone or nearly 2 percent of the states workforce. The number of claims also topped 50,000 on Tuesday. In several states, the number of unemployment applications crashed servers.As workers are furloughed or laid off, states are going to collect less money from withholding. Even a delay in payments past the traditional April 15 tax filing deadline might make it tough for states to avoid shortfalls in the current fiscal year, which ends for most states on June 30. States rely on April collections for as much as 15 percent of their annual personal income tax revenue.The traditional big recession effect is on income taxes, said Ronald Fisher, an economist at Michigan State University. Im of the mind that this will be more substantial than the sales tax [loss].Its not all bad news. The U.S. Senate passed a stimulus bill on Wednesday that includes $35 billion in extra federal funding for Medicaid and will enhance unemployment insurance. Upcoming packages are bound to include more money for states and localities.State and local governments have greater ability to capture sales tax revenue from online sales than they did during the last recession. They also enter this downturn with healthier reserves than was the case heading into the 2007-2009 recession. We do know there will be an adverse economic impact, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said at a Monday news conference. Thats why we have a rainy-day fund.But rainy-day funds may not be enough. As is traditional during a recession, demand on government services and thus their expenses will go up at the same time that revenues are coming down. Theres no telling how deep or long-lasting the pain will be this time around.Its definitely going to have a far-reaching impact on all areas of state government, said Brian Sigritz, director of state fiscal studies for the National Association of State Budget Officers.Sigritz notes that at the start of the year, many states were seeing revenues coming in higher than expected, following several earlier years of growth. That will give states some wiggle room, he said.States ended fiscal 2019 with $72 billion in their rainy-day funds, or 7.6 percent of their general fund spending, according to NASBO . That compares with $33 billion in fiscal 2007, at the start of the Great Recession, which represented 4.7 percent of state budgets. In terms of reserves, for sure most states are in better shape than they were before the Great Recession, Dadayan said.Still, it turned out they were preparing for another normal recession, not an unpredictable drop in both supply and spending. As late as January, most were still forecasting growth for fiscal 2021. This is completely different, Dadayan said. No state had projected that coronavirus was going to become pandemic and they really didnt account for the impact on state budgets.While theres been a nationwide run on grocery stores, most states either dont tax food, or tax it at a lower rate than other goods. Its possible that having more people stay at home will increase utility use, and therefore some tax collections, but that may be offset by businesses shutting down and not using much power and water. Maybe people will suddenly spend a lot on home repair, taking care of long-planned projects during isolation, but as unemployment grows, even people who still have jobs usually become tight-fisted.It will take some time for the real effects on income tax collections to be known, but clearly states that are heavily reliant on top earners, such as California and New York, will feel some pain, especially if market losses persist.With people commuting less and traveling hardly at all, gas tax revenues will surely go down. At the federal level which hasnt increased gas taxes since 1993 the Highway Trust Fund already faces a $15 billion annual shortfall. That figure is bound to grow.A majority of states have raised gas taxes over the last few years, but you cant tax what people dont buy. And, unlike the feds, states that have to balance their budgets cant print money to shift over to infrastructure. If we see a decrease in gas tax revenues, its going to force states to make some hard choices about projects they were planning on moving forward, said Jim Tymon, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.Tymon emphasized that its too early to guess what the impacts will be. He noted that some members of Congress are talking about attaching reauthorization of the federal surface transportation law to an upcoming stimulus package as a way of getting money out to the states. Thats going to be one of the top issues that Congress is going to have to grapple with, sooner rather than later, he said.On Monday, California lawmakers passed a bill devoting $1.1 billion to the coronavirus response. On Tuesday, Washington state approved $200 million in emergency spending. That same day, Minnesota approved $200 million in emergency funding for health care providers. Georgias brand-new budget includes $100 million to fight the virus. More supplemental spending at the state level is all but certain.As with all recessions, expenditure side effects can be substantial for states, said Fisher, the Michigan State economist. More unemployment affects not only unemployment insurance but also Medicaid, SNAP and other programs.As costs ramp up, some legislators around the country are proposing sales tax cuts for consumers and deferrals of sales tax payments for businesses, in hopes of helping the economy. Cities such as St. Louis, Philadelphia and Los Angeles have ended parking meter collections or will stop issuing tickets during street sweeping or for exceeding residential time limits. Counties including Los Angeles, King County, Wash., and Loudon County, Va., are considering delaying property tax payments. Those may all be wise and needed policies, but they wont bring money into government treasuries.All told, counties rely on property taxes for 72 percent of their revenue. Property taxes are unloved by the public, but they are the most stable source of government revenue. Property taxes may be shielded a bit more from impacts, said Teryn Zmuda, an economist with the National Association of Counties. That could be good news for counties going forward.About half the nations counties have rainy day funds they can draw on. But Zmuda noted that it took counties years to recover in terms of sales tax collections following the last recession.Economic forecasts vary widely in terms of the fallout from the virus. Theres agreement that the economy will shrink in the second quarter (April through June), but a wide divergence in terms of the expected size of the downturn.Most forecasters are predicting a quick recovery. State and local officials better hope theyre right.No one can say at this stage how prepared states are, Dadayan said. We dont know how long its going to last." Press Release March 18, 2020 On the State of Calamity Over the Entire Philippines Due to COVID-19 More at: https://pinglacson.net/2020/03/18/on-the-state-of-calamity-over-the-entire-philippines-due-to-covid-19/ Placing the entire country under a state of calamity is timely and rational, and thus deserves the support of the Filipino people. For one, it will allow the local government units as well as the national government agencies to utilize their calamity funds and Quick Response Fund, in accordance with Republic Act 10121 and other pertinent laws. Having said that, I cannot imagine that concerned local government officials in charge of dispensing those funds can still have gall and malevolent intention of stealing the monies under their control, considering the seriousness of this unprecedented crisis that we are all facing. Further, the government, for all its disaster preparedness and response efforts, cannot overcome the threat by itself. We must all do our part, whether as workers rendering frontline services, scientists developing ways to deal with the problem, or responsible Filipinos giving support to them while showing understanding and cooperation with measures from the national government and local government units. There is no doubt we will survive this, as we have done in so many crises before. Honda Motor (NYSE:HMC) said Tuesday that it will suspend production at its North American factories for six days in an effort to adjust to an expected drop in demand amid the COVID-19 pandemic. All of the automaker's assembly plants in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico will suspend production on March 23; the current plan is for them to restart production on March 31. The engine and transmission factories that supply those plants will shut down for the same period. Honda said that all employees would continue to receive full pay through the shutdown period. Honda is the first automaker to announce shutdowns of its U.S. factories since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. Several of its peers, including Ford Motor (NYSE:F) and BMW AG (OTC:BMWYY) (OTC:BAMXF), have already announced plans to close factories in Europe due to dwindling demand and health concerns. Health authorities in the U.S., Canada, and Europe are urging companies to take aggressive measures to ensure "social distancing" between employees in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 and prevent the pandemic from overwhelming healthcare systems. Honda expects the shutdowns to reduce its production by about 40,000 vehicles. The company sold about 120,000 vehicles in the U.S. in February. In the midst of a drastically worsening global crisis, the president of the United States addressed the nation and laid out a plan for private industry that it was nowhere near capable of achieving. When the crisis finally hit the United States, he addressed the nation again and presented targets that his own advisers thought were unreasonable. On May 16, 1940, as Hitlers armies were sweeping through the Low Countries on their way to conquering France, but over a year before the United States formal entry into the Second World War, Franklin Roosevelt addressed the nation and put forward a goal for the country to produce 50,000 airplanes a year, far beyond the previous goal of 10,000 a year, or 1939s actual production of fewer than 6,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roosevelt picked this number out of thin air and it was unclear how it would be put into practice, the historian Adam Tooze writes in The Wages of Destruction, his economic history of Nazi Germany. Roosevelt had a fondness for round numbers and, more importantly, large ones that would not be entirely unfamiliar to the next New Yorker to occupy the White House. A month after Pearl Harbor, Roosevelt laid out what was materially necessary to win a war of unprecedented scope. It would require production far above present levels, for which the country would have to strain every existing armament-producing facility to the utmost. His targets for aircraft, tanks, and shipping exceeded the estimates hed been provided by the industries themselves. He got the numbers by first [asking] the production people to provide their most exact estimates of raw materials, facilities, and production potential, Maury Klein writes in A Call to Arms, his history of Americas economic mobilization. Roosevelt then applied a rule of thumb method and just made the numbers bigger. One of his closest advisers questioned the figures, to which Roosevelt issued his famous reply: Oh, the production people can do it if they really try. Advertisement Advertisement While some crises require the mobilization of fiscal and monetary resources, war requires the movement of stuff and people against an enemy, and world leaders are reaching to martial metaphors to describe the massive response required to stem the coronavirus epidemic. We are at war, French President Emmanuel Macron said in a televised address. We have an invisible enemy, President Donald Trump said Monday. It is true, as Lili Loofbourow argues in Slate, that using the language of war when confronting a public health emergency can be counterproductive and even dangerous. The metaphor is useful, however, when the lessons one derives are not about the battle but about the need for government-coordinated management of the economy to meet a crisis. Our inadequate response up until now has been due to poor planning, inadequate resource allocation, and production shortfalls that have led to a shamefully low rate of testing of suspected coronavirus cases and an anticipated crunch in hospitals as intensive care units get overloaded in the coming days and weeks. Where there are encouraging signs, the victories have been logistical, evincing a model of state-industrial cooperation that may be our only hope. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead of munitions, ships, planes, and trucks, the war against COVID-19 requires hospital beds, ventilators, masks, gloves, reagents, sanitizing gel, and swabs, all worn, operated, applied, and overseen by a workforce of doctors and nurses that cant expand quickly and is at risk of being at least temporarily debilitated by the very disease its fighting. Advertisement Advertisement Where Roosevelt was far ahead of the American political system and the public in recognizing the Nazi threat and mobilizing against itthe draft started more than a year before Pearl Harborthe U.S. and much of the world are starting from behind. But that doesnt mean there are not lessons to be learned, even if theyre arrived at by accident. Advertisement Advertisement Trump has already had a run-in with Rooseveltian overstating, although a more ambiguous effect. On Friday he announced that 1,700 Google engineers were working on a website to help guide people as to whether and where they should get a coronavirus test. Where there are signs of hope, the victories have been logistical, evincing a model of state-industrial cooperation that may be our only hope. When asked by reporters to verify this, Verily, the health sciences arm of Googles parent company, clarified that it was working on a website for the Bay Area, and by the weekend executives have scrambled to coordinate with the White House in an effort to do as much as possible to make the presidents vision for the website a reality, the New York Times reported, before launching in limited form on Sunday night. Trumps BS about the Google website may oddly have done some good. It seems to have forced the company to try to match the thing the President spun up, Wired editor-in-chief Nicholas Thompson tweeted. Advertisement Advertisement More direly, the administration drastically overstated the availability of testing as regulatory snafus, and now, material shortcomings limit who can get tested when. Even as the testing capacity has increased nationally, former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb noted that, going forward, the major limitation on conducting tests will be reagents, swabs, sites, etc, not testing platforms. Advertisement But if testing is to get to its appropriate levels, it will be thanks to heroic and massive production by companies like Roche and Thermo Fischer, just as it was private corporations that were directly responsible for wartime production in World War II. Other U.S. political figures have got onto a rhetorical war footing and mindset more quickly and more explicitly. Advertisement New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has looked into the mirror and seen FDR, his predecessor by almost a century in the job; before the coronavirus crisis he even went so far as to drive Roosevelts Packard onto a newly opened span over the Hudson River. Now, more so than any other leader, Cuomo has been attuned to the material nature of the coronavirus fight. Even his dystopian plan for using prison labor to produce hand sanitizer has a precedent in World War II. Advertisement Advertisement A 1943 report by the War Production Board unearthed by Maury Klein boasted of how, thanks to liberalizing rulings and executive orders, state prisons were able to produce $11.5 million worth of industrial products for war, make $4 million worth of garments for war purposes, and ratchet up $20 million more in agricultural production. Advertisement On Sunday, Cuomo called for the Army Corps of Engineers to leverage its expertise, equipment and people power to retrofit and equip existing facilitieslike military bases or college dormitoriesto serve as temporary medical centers, in order to relieve existing hospitals and opening up space for the acutely ill. Cuomo is not the only politician, here or abroad, harkening back to the golden era of state economic planning. A group of congressmen earlier this week called on Trump to invoke the Defense Production Act, a Korean Warera law, that would let him use his authority for the production of vital medical supplies to meet the extreme demand during the coronavirus pandemic, like masks. Trump said on Wednesday he would invoke it. The United Kingdoms health secretary implored private industry to start pumping out ventilators and called for doctors within the National Health Service to be reassigned to work with coronavirus patients and get back recently retired staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The World War II economy entailed huge and dramatic shifts among workers and companies in what they could and could not produce. Production of consumer goods like vacuum cleaners was either halted or curtailed for the duration of the war, gasoline was rationed, and prices were controlled by the government. Even the speed limit was knocked down to 35 miles per hour to conserve gasoline and rubber. While no official rationing mandate has been issued by todays government, some retailers have been coming up with ad hoc schemes to limit purchases of hand sanitizer and other necessities; technology companies have banded together to essentially put in place a form of wartime censorship, while shelter-in-place orders in parts of California are a form of civilian control. (Meanwhile, Trumps casting of the illness as a Chinese virus and the administrations plans to further crack down on undocumented immigrants and asylum-seekers evoke Roosevelts greatest shame, Japanese American internment.) Advertisement While China has a state-owned oil company that can pivot to producing masks, Pence has been reduced to just asking American firms for them. In our own, very 2020 way, some of the productive shifts may already be happening. Amazon, the Wall Street Journal reported, plans to hire 100,000 employees to help with the spike in demand from its warehouses and delivery network due to much of the U.S. population staying at home. The company has also prioritized warehouse space for medical and essential goods. Vice President Mike Pence has implored construction companies to turn over masks to health care workersa faint echo of, say, Chrysler making tankswhile Deborah Birx, the White Houses coronavirus response coordinator, asked hospitals to delay nonessential procedures, essentially requesting a form of wartime rationing in the medical sector. Advertisement Advertisement The luxury goods conglomerate LVMH announced over the weekend that it would be converting its perfume and cosmetics manufacturing into alcoholic gel plants for the French government, while several Chinese companies started producing medical equipment like masks. Advertisement Advertisement But at least so far, these changes in production have been largely ad hocwhile China has a state-owned oil company that can pivot to producing masks, Pence has been reduced to just asking American firms for them. The differences between the Second World Wars total mobilization and todays response are considerable. Roosevelt started ramping up wartime production and mobilization well before Pearl Harbor: Roosevelt signed a draft bill in September 1940, a few months after his speech calling for 50,000 planes a year. While China was able to stand up some hospitals to deal with the inflow of patients in Wuhan, the anticipated crunch in the United States may be coming sooner than the time it will take to put more ICU beds into action, let alone highly regulated and complex medical equipment. Advertisement And while American manufacturing capacity was unmolested by the war itself, theres no guarantee that factories that are able to shift production to needed goods will be able to stay open in the midst of a viral outbreak. Advertisement Finally, at the center of the World War II production effort was Roosevelt himselfhe set the goals, hired and removed the New Dealers and businessmen brought on to run the production effort, and was tasked with explaining it all to the American public. Trump theoretically has the same job, but his team has been hampered by infighting, inexperience, and his own, until recently, insistence that the virus was not that big of a deal. But some things are all too similar: It is a conflict, as Roosevelt said, that day and night now pervades our lives, where speed will save lives, and where our task is hardour task is unprecedentedand the time is short. MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Study.com, an online enterprise dedicated to offering flexible, affordable and personalized education solutions, has announced that the company will donate 100,000 licenses providing direct access to their intuitive e-learning platforms, for K-12 schools to continue to offer quality education outside the classroom amidst the coronavirus pandemic. The licenses will be given to district and school administrators, allowing teachers and students to access over 4,500 online courses. "Study.com is humbled in this difficult time to be a resource for schools, teachers and districts who need to transition learning outside of the traditional classroom," said Adrian Ridner, CEO and Co-Founder at Study.com. "For over a decade, our mobile-based learning platform has allowed teachers to bring their classrooms online, without compromising the quality of education." Study.com's online learning platforms support 'distance learning', offering: 79,000 video-based lessons, delivered in micro-segments that are mobile-accessible 4,500 courses and 12,000 lesson plans created by expert teachers A fully-customizable curriculum and back-end virtual classroom for teachers to manage class activity. Study.com will further be offering their distinct online learning platform at a significant discount for all school and district-wide deployments as well as individual families. Administrators and district officials can learn more at https://study.com/coronavirus-relief or email the Team at Study.com directly at [email protected]. More resources on 'distance learning' can be found here: https://study.com/academy/topic/coronavirus-resources.html. About Study.com Study.com is an online education platform that helps learners of all ages excel academically and close skills gaps. From test prep and homework help to earn low-cost college credit and developing workplace skills, Study.com's online courses, short animated video lessons and study tools have made learning simple for over 30 million students, teachers and working professionals. Study.com was founded in 2002 and is a privately-held company located in Mountain View, Calif. Learn more at http://www.study.com or download the mobile app from the iOS app store or Google Play. SOURCE Study.com Related Links http://study.com/ Recently a Cold War era intelligence operation was made public. In this case it was that one of the major suppliers of high-grade (difficult to crack) cryptography products, Crypto AG in Switzerland, was secretly founded and owned by the CIA, NSA and BND (West German National Intelligence) since 1969. Over the next forty years, Crypto AG became a major supplier of cryptography systems to most nations around the world. Crypto AG was a German idea that the Americans eagerly agreed to participate in. Crypto AG was the primary supplier of high-grade encryption products to nations that could not, or preferred not to, create and maintain their own cryptography. The secret of Crypto AG was kept for so long because allies of the U.S. were sold cryptosystems that the U.S. and Germans did not have the decryption keys for. Nations that qualified for this were close allies, like Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and most major Western nations. Everyone else got cryptosystems that could easily be decrypted by the NSA. This included nations like Mexico, Japan, South Korea, Iran, Argentina, and smaller pro-West European nations. This secret was kept because only a few senior personnel at Crypto AG were in on the secret and were trusted to turn over the decryption keys and other technical details to the NSA. The Americans had the resources to double-check what Crypto AG was doing. Eventually, many nations figured out, or suspected, that Crypto AG products were not as secure as advertised. A crucial element in keeping this scam going was to convince crypto experts worldwide that secret information, especially scandalous stuff that became big news, was not traced back to how Crypto AG operated and who the real owners were. This was largely successful because one could always blame the NSA, or the Russians, for cracking some of the Crypto AG products. NSA could do that and probably did as an internal training exercise that even NSA people working on it did not know was just being done as a test of NSA decrypting capabilities. The code-breaking prowess of NSA provided a plausible explanation for instances where it was pretty obvious that the Americans were reading the secret (encrypted) messages of some nations. This was particularly the case when the Americans were using Crypto AG decrypt tools to monitor bad behavior by allies, or neutrals, and needed a believable explanation for making those decrypts public. In this respect, the NSA could refer to what worked and what did not work as the British and U.S. decrypted German and Japanese codes and sought to use the information. The enemy did not believe their codes could be cracked and that was not revealed until several decades after World War II ended. The Crypto AG scam was a variation on the World War II Ultra and other allied decrypt efforts. Crypto AG regularly upgraded its products and even restricted the most secure (difficult to decrypt) products to major customers. But most nations received cryptosystems that the NSA could easily decrypt and read. This could not be done on a large scale as that would risk exposing the true purpose of Crypto AG. Even though major foes of the West, like Russia and China, used their own crypto, it was possible to determine what those messages contained by reading secret messages, using Crypto AG, many foreign nations used to send and receive messages from their ambassadors in Russia or China. Messages by Crypto AG customers who were neutral or hostile to the West often mentioned details of secret relationships with China and Russia. After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 there were several years where many Russian secrets were for sale and even became public. Russian suspicions about Crypto AG were one of those things the Russians did not discuss openly but were never able to obtain proof about how compromised Crypto AG codes were. To ensure that, when the two Germanys reunited in 1990 the German connection with Crypto AG was eliminated. It was always difficult for West Germany to keep secrets because the KGB and the East German intel services had lots of agents within the West German government It was understood that this situation would become worse once East Germany was absorbed into West Germany. So it was agreed the Germans would quietly abandon their Crypto AG connection and destroy any evidence that it had ever existed. What really rendered Crypto AG obsolete was the growth of very effective and widely available cryptosystems once personal computers became more numerous and powerful in the 1990s and beyond. The major governments that had long held a monopoly on high-grade encryption tools tried to hang onto their monopoly but that proved futile. Many nations realized the import of these changes and relied less on Crypto AG type products and instead went with the free-lance stuff. It was cheaper and while users didnt realize it, more secure than Crypto AG products when the NSA had the decryption keys. After 2000 Crypto AG was losing customers and profitability and went out of business in 2017. One key to the success of the Crypto AG scam was the fact that in most cases their products were secure (for the right customers) and Crypto AG was consistently profitable. After 2000 the customers and profitability dried up, a golden age of NSA counterintelligence was over. There are suspicions that the NSA has created another such convincing scam, but there is no proof, and that is that the only way such things work. One of the downsides of cryptography for all was the availability of it for use by criminals and Islamic terrorists. The gangsters made the most of it but many Islamic terror groups did not. There were several examples of this that made the news. For example in 2011 a British Moslem was sentenced to 30 years for attempting to use his job at British Airways to help plan, coordinate and carry out terrorist attacks. One reason this Islamic terrorist was caught was the refusal of his terrorist cohorts in Yemen and Bangladesh to use modern cryptography for their communications. The reason was that the modern stuff was all invented by infidels (non-Moslems). Instead, the group was forced to use ancient (over 2,000 year old) single letter substitution codes. The group's implementation of this was accomplished using a spreadsheet. Unlike modern and freely available ciphers, like PGP and AES, the ancient substitution methods are easy to crack with modern decryption techniques. A major shortcoming of Islamic radicalism is its disdain for modern, particularly non-Moslem (Western) technology. This often causes problems, like the one the British Moslem (a computer specialist with British Airways) had with his less educated fellow terrorists in Yemen and Bangladesh. But what that British Moslem encountered was another major problem for Islamic radicals, the fact that these groups tend to attract a disproportionate number of poorly educated recruits. The Islamic world, in general, is less educated and literate than the West, thus giving Islamic radical groups a poorly educated pool of potential recruits to begin with. For most of the world, the high-grade non-government encryption has been eagerly adopted, even though rumors persist that the NSA has secretly developed methods to quickly decrypt the non-government crypto. Now that details of Crypto AG have become public that suspicion is even more popular and unproven. First Minister Arlene Foster and deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill speak to the press at Stormont Castle regarding the coronavirus pandemic Schools across Northern Ireland are to shut from Monday in response to the coronavirus pandemic. First Minister Arlene Foster, alongside deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill, made the announcement on Wednesday evening and said the closures would "likely" continue beyond the summer holidays. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that schools in England would close from Friday and that GCSE and A-Level examinations were cancelled. This came just hours after both Scotland and Wales made the same decision to close their schools. In the Republic of Ireland schools have been closed since last Friday. Mrs O'Neill also said that a 370m support package for Northern Ireland businesses was being made available to support the most vulnerable companies. The news on school closures came as: six new positive cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Northern Ireland, bringing the total to 68; the UK death toll reached 104 as NHS England said a further 32 people had died in England after testing positive; a total of 2,626 people were confirmed to have Covid-19 across the UK; in Italy, the number of people who died from coronavirus rose by 475 in just one day, bringing the total of deaths in the country to almost 3,000; the DUP's Westminster leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson called on the Government to introduce a temporary employment support package to provide a basic income for people; and the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches suspended services in Northern Ireland. Speaking at Stormont Castle, Mrs Foster said that the decision to close Northern Ireland's schools was "unprecedented". "Our school principals, parents and pupils have been in a holding pattern based on medical advice for the last week," stated the DUP leader. "Today we have agreed that all schools will close from Monday, March 23. "The societal and economic impact of this measure will be enormous as parents have to adjust their routine to deal with this unplanned, long-term closure. "Our medical advice was to delay this step for as long as possible as the closure will likely take us beyond the natural break for summer." She added that children's education cannot cease and that the Executive is exploring how schools can continue to be a "base" for those whose parents work in the health service. In his address to the nation, the Prime Minister said that all GCSE and A-Level exams in May and June have been cancelled because of coronavirus. Commenting on school exams, Mrs Foster explained that the Executive is currently speaking to exam bodies and as soon as a "clear answer" is received, it will be made public. Expand Close PM Boris Johnson at Downing Street POOL/AFP via Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp PM Boris Johnson at Downing Street Mr Johnson said the Government would ensure that "in time" pupils due to sit exams this summer get the qualifications they need. According to the Prime Minister, qualifications would be "administered" fairly and in order to protect pupils' interests but he did not give details on how and when that would happen. He also urged parents not to leave children in the care of grandparents or older relatives who are at higher risk of becoming seriously ill with coronavirus, after announcing that schools, nurseries and colleges would close. Releasing details of Stormont's plan to help Northern Ireland's businesses, Mrs O'Neill stated that "it cannot be business as usual". An immediate grant of 10,000 will be provided to all small businesses who are eligible for the small business rate relief scheme - costing 267m and assisting some 27,000 businesses. Companies in the retail, tourism and hospitality sectors will also be eligible for an immediate grant of 25,000. It is estimated that will cost 100m and will help around 4,000 businesses. Read More The schemes will be administered by the Department for Economy and Invest NI, working in partnership with the Department of Finance's Land and Property Services. Sinn Fein's deputy leader also said that further announcements will be made in the coming days. "As a power-sharing government, know that we are absolutely united on your behalf," said Mrs O'Neill. "That is what you all deserve. "That is what we as ministers are 100% committed to delivering. "Your health and wellbeing is paramount. "We are pledging, to you all, that the sole focus of government has now turned to doing everything that is necessary to secure our public services, and to ensure that our employers, workers and their families are supported. "Our power-sharing government is determined to ensure that we act swiftly and decisively in your interests. "Acting together and standing together, government with community, I know we will come through this." She added that Stormont will also launch a communities response plan, a community support fund and an enhanced discretionary support fund, as well as exploring support for people on the private and social rental sectors, and support for people in crisis and emergency accommodation. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18 By Elnur Baghishov - Trend Iran's exports to Afghanistan via border markets and customs of Sistan and Baluchestan Province in southeastern Iran increased by 62 percent during 11 months of current Iranian year (March 21, 2019 - February 19, 2020), said Head of the Industry, Mine and Trade Organization of the province Mahmoud Reza Rahmatian, Trend reports citing official website of organization. According to Rahmatian, about $451 million worth of products were exported to Afghanistan during the reporting period, while in the same period last year, products worth $415 million were exported to Afghanistan in the same period last year. Rahmatian added that products worth more than $118 million were exported to Afghanistan through customs of the province, while products worth $332 million were exported through border markets. The official said that within a month, about 45 percent of Sistan and Baluchestan Province's products were exported to Afghanistan. "The main products exported to Afghanistan through the border markets and customs of Sistan and Baluchestan Province were cement, apple and ceramics," he said. In total, products worth about $989.3 million were exported via border markets and customs of Sistan and Baluchestan province in southeastern Iran during 11 months of current Iranian year (March 21, 2019 - February 19, 2020). From left, actors Sung Hoon, Kim So-eun, Kim So-hye, Lee Pan-do and director Kim Jeong-kwon pose for a photo during a press conference for the new film "Are You in Love" in Seoul, Tuesday. / Courtesy of Movie Ondo By Kwak Yeon-soo Fantasy romance "Are You in Love" tells the story of two people who fall in love with the help of a magical book. "Are You in Love" stars Kim So-eun playing So-jung, a bright optimistic baker who works at a cafe during the day and at night takes care of her mother, who is suffering from dementia. One day, a mysterious guest leaves So-jung a magical book titled "Are You in Love," which brings her closer to the cafe's owner Seung-jae, played by Sung Hoon. The two later develop a romantic relationship. The film tries to mix too many genres such as fantasy, comedy, romance and drama. None of them work well in the film, giving it a lurching, lifeless quality. On the idea of including scenes about a mother-daughter relationship, director Kim Jeong-kwon explained that he wanted to stress that Seung-jae's love toward So-jung is not based on sympathy. "Everybody in this world bears pain and endures pressures in life. I wanted to highlight this in the story without making it too dramatic or sad," he said during a press conference held at Lotte Cinema World Tower, Tuesday. "I wanted to tell a light-hearted story that captures slice-of-life moments like Murakami Haruki's book." Despite concerns over the spread of coronavirus, the film's distributor went ahead with holding a press event to promote the film. They gave out face masks to reporters who visited the theater. Actor Sung Hoon said director Kim was the biggest reason for him to join the project. "I've been acquainted with the director for a while, and I had trust in his sensibility," he said. "My character Seung-jae was not initially drafted to be a tough guy when I first read the script. I tried to mold the character with my style while I was acting." Actress Kim burst into tears while looking back on her time working with late actress Jeon Mi-seon. "The film was shot in 2017, but I remember we had great chemistry on set. It was really easy to fall into the role of her (Jeon's) daughter, and we were able to film all our scenes with ease," she said. "The most memorable scene for me was when I was washing her feet. After hearing the news of Jeon's passing, I was depressed for quite a while. Even today after watching the film, I feel sad." Jeon, who played her mother suffering from dementia in the film, was found dead in an apparent suicide in June 2019. She had suffered from depression. Sung Hoon mentioned the timing of the film's release, premiering in the midst of the ongoing coronavirus fears. "We recognize that this is a difficult situation for all of us as the coronavirus races around the world. No matter how hard it is, we should carry on and live our lives. Even if you come to the theater wearing gloves and masks will help ease your worries," he said. "It's a film that will make you feel light and make you laugh." "Are You in Love" will hit local theaters on March 25. World's most polluting capitals By Rajiv Shah The 2019 World Air Quality Report has been jointly perpared by Greenpeace, UN Environment, UN Habitat, and NASA Air quality level: Top polluter countries Stating that, regionally, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East carry the highest burden of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution overall, a high-profile report, jointly prepared by the top environmental NGO Greenpeace has said, "Of the worlds top 30 most polluted cities during 2019, 18 are located in India, 28 in South Asia, and all the top 30 cities are within greater Asia." PM2.5 concentrations, widely regarded as most harmful to human health, are defined as ambient airborne particles which measure up to 2.5 microns in size. Its microscopic size allows the particles to enter the blood stream via the respiratory system and travel throughout the body, causing far-reaching health effects, including asthma, lung cancer and heart disease, says the report.Suggesting that India and other countries need to take high pollution levels very seriously, the "2019 World Air Quality Report" says , worldwide ambient air pollution accounts for29% of all deaths and disease from lung cancer, 17% of all deaths and disease from acute lower respiratory infection, 24% of all deaths from stroke, 25% of all deaths and disease from ischaemic heart disease, and 43% of all deaths and disease from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Sponsored, among others, by UN Environment, UN Habitat, and US' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the report, which assesses 355 cities from across the world, says, "Using a weighted population average, Bangladesh emerges as the most polluted country, based on available data. Pakistan, Mongolia, Afghanistan and India follow behind respectively, deviating from one another by less than 10%."The capital city ranking by the report says that Delhi tops this ranking for the second year, with annual PM2.5 levels nearly 10 times the World Health Organisation (WHO) Air Quality target of 10g/m. Delhi was found to have PM2.5 level of 98.6, followed by Dhaka (Bangladesh) 83.3, Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia) 62.0, Kabul (Afghanistan) 58.8, Jakarta (Indonesia) 49.4, Kathmandu (Nepal) 48.0, Hanoi (Vietnam) 46.9, Manama (Bahrain) 46.8, Beijing (China) 42.3, and Tashkent (Uzbekistan) 41.2.Among other Indian cities which were found to have a very high PM2.5 level are Ghaziabad 110.2, Noida 97.7, Gurugram 93.3, Greater Noida 91.3 (all of which are part of the Delhi National Capital Region, followed by Bandhwan 90.5, Lucknow 90.3, Muzaffarnagar 89.1, Baghpat 88.6, and Jind 85.6. The 15 top polluting cities from South Asia include four Pakistan cities -- Gujranwala 105.3, Faisabad 104.6, Raiwind 92.2, and Lahore 89.5.Blaming pollution sources across the region ranging from common transportation emissions, biomass burning for household cooking and open agricultural burning to industry and coal combustion, the report says, Pakistan and India saw improvements in PM2.5 levels in 2019, stating there is an "overall decrease in PM2.5 levels by 14.8% across the region, much of which could be attributed to "increased monitoring data, economic slowdown, favorable meteorological conditions and government action."Stating that India, Iran and Nepal are the only countries within the South Asia region which have live public, national PM2.5 monitoring networks, the report says, "In 2019, India nearly doubled its governmental monitoring network, growing the number of stations to 283, whilst individual contributors provided an additional 31 stations."However, it says, "While major cities within the region tend to have several stations, much of the region still lacks air quality data, leaving large populations without information regarding the air they are breathing", adding, "Despite improvements, India still faces serious air pollution challenges."Noting that every city in India with PM2.5 data in 2018 and 2019, except for Nagpur, may have seen a decrease in PM2.5 levels in 2019, and national air pollution decreased by a remarkable 20% from 2018 to 2019, the report however regrets, this is not due to policy changes initiated by the Government of India's National Clean Air Programme or the promise of cleaner fuel Bharat VI, but "are rather more indicative of a slowing of the marketplace."Pointing out that "India again heads this reports ranking of annual PM2.5 levels by city with half of the 50 most polluted cities being in India", the report says, "No Indian cities included in this report met the WHO target for annual pollution exposure (10ug/m3) during 2019. Additionally, the country still has a relatively limited air quality monitoring network given its population size." Grozny: Amid growing concerns over the coronavirus outbreak, which has so far claimed the lives of more than 7,000 people worldwide, Chechnya leader Ramzan Kadyrov has urged his people not to panic over the deadly virus and stay calm as everyone will eventually die. Kadyrov also urged people not to shun traditional medicine and worry less about what is beyond their control. People lose sleep because a disease appeared in China: the virus," Kadyrov said, addressing a local government meeting on Saturday, according to RT.com. "They are afraid that it comes [to them] and theyll die. Dont be in a rush, youll die anyway. Dont try to die before your time," he added. Kadyrov, the long-time head of his majority Muslim Republic, said this while referring to the rising number of deaths due coronavirus, which has been declared a pandemic by the WHO recently. The Chechen leader further argued that the fears over the disease that manifests itself with flu-like symptoms have been blown out of proportion and called on the people to come to their senses and stop overthinking the problem. Kadyrov, while acknowledging that the rapid spread of COVID-19 has been the talk of the town, said that other diseases like the ordinary flu keep claiming thousands of lives every year. The Chechen leader also recommended people to take good care about their health and work on strengthening their immune system using traditional means. Mix lemon with honey and water and drink then the virus wont get you. Eat your garlic, he noted. So far, not a single case of coronavirus infection has been reported in Chechnya, which has a population of over 1.3 million. It is to be noted that the deadly virus has infected at least 59 people across Russia, most of them - Moscow - in its capital. The team from Nova's Fitzy and Wippa got their results back on Wednesday after being tested for COVID-19 and the news was all good for three of them, with the jury still out on Michael Wipfli. The development comes after they went into self-isolation and worked from home after interviewing Weekend Today host Richard Wilkins, who tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday. The results were shared with listeners on Instagram, with co-host Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald, 43, producer Tom Ivey and presenter Sarah McGilvray testing negative. The results: Nova's Fitzy and Wippa team got their tests results back for COVID-19 on Wednesday... after they went into self-isolation after Richard Wilkins appeared on their show before his coronavirus diagnosis (Fitzy is pictured) It remains unclear if co-host Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli, 40, has coronavirus or not, as his test results were not shared online. It can take days to get results back due to the demand on the health system. Fitzy and Wippa underwent testing on Sunday night as a precaution because Richard had appeared on their show as a guest on Thursday. Wippa called in from home this week to praise Richard for 'doing the right thing' by immediately self-isolating the moment he discovered he may have been exposed to coronovirus. Still waiting: It remains unclear if co-host Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli, 40, (pictured) has coronavirus or not, as his test results were not shared online. It can take days to get results back due to the demand on the health system Negative: The results were shared with listeners on Instagram, with co-host Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald, 43, producer Tom Ivey (pictured) and presenter Sarah McGilvray testing negative Close call: It comes after the team went into self-isolation and worked from home after interviewing Weekend Today host Richard Wilkins, who tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday The Channel Nine star briefly met Rita Wilson backstage at the Sydney Opera House on March 7. Rita and husband Tom Hanks tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday. As soon as the couple announced their diagnosis, Richard went into self-isolation. 'I feel for Dickie, he did the right thing. Obviously, he came into contact with Tom Hanks' wife and when the news came through that that was the case, he did the right thing and he self isolated,' Wippa said. Health measures: Fitzy and Wippa underwent testing on Sunday night as a precaution because Richard Wilkins (second left) had appeared on their show as a guest on Thursday Did it spread? The Channel Nine star briefly met Rita Wilson (pictured) backstage at the Sydney Opera House on March 7 'I feel for the big guy, he was caught out. He obviously doesn't want the knock-on or flow-on effect of where everybody stands right now.' Wippa explained that the Nova FM team had met on Sunday 'at a special clinic' at the Royal North Shore Hospital, where staff were tested for coronavirus. 'We don't want to be caught out like poor Dickie was. It's important that we make sure we do the right thing and cover ourselves,' he said. Richard also called in from his home on Sydney's North Shore, saying he 'felt bad' that he may have passed the virus on to Fitzy and Wippa. As of Wednesday afternoon, there are 556 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia, and six deaths. A collaboration focused on cutting delays, emissions and waste from building projects has received a grant of 28 million Australian dollars ($16.40 million) from the country's government. The scheme, called Building 4.0 CRC, is made of up 30 partners including Lendlease, Monash University, the University of Melbourne and the Donovan Group. In an announcement Wednesday, the University of Melbourne said the funding would leverage 103 million Australian dollars from research partners, government and industry. While the University of Melbourne's own statement did not go into specifics, it did lay out several aims for the research initiative. These include: Harnessing digital technology and off-site manufacturing to cut project costs by 30%; reducing construction waste by 80%; and lowering carbon dioxide emissions by 50%. The collaboration will also look to use things such as artificial intelligence and data science. According to the Building 4.0 CRC website, other targets include training 36 PhDs and 1,000 Masters students as well as "training 7,000 apprentices in new technologies." In Australia, CRC refers to the Australian government's Cooperative Research Centres Program, which backs research, industry and the community through grants. "Our vision is to create a world where people can visualise and realise buildings in real time," Gavin Tonnet, who is Australian CEO of the Donovan Group, said in a statement. "The purpose is to transform the way that consumers and builders design and buy buildings by providing easy-to-use browsing-based software that allows them to custom-design, visualise and price buildings in an engineering compliant way," Tonnet added. Technology is transforming the construction industry in a number of ways. These include processes such as building information modeling, or BIM. The multinational business Arup has described BIM as a "virtual prototype" which enables "any aspect of a design's performance to be simulated and assessed before it is built." In an interview previously broadcast by CNBC, Dean Banks, from international infrastructure group Balfour Betty, outlined some of the changes that could take place in the construction industry. "In the future we think that robotics will play a big part," Banks, who is CEO of U.K. Construction Services at the firm, explained. "We've seen drones making decisions, we think information modelling will be in place, (and) 3D printing," he added. People would be operating a building site from a control center elsewhere, Banks said, something he described as "quite a massive change." Pro-Kremlin media outlets are actively spreading disinformation about coronavirus in an attempt to "undermine public trust" in Western countries, according to an internal European Union document. The document, dated March 16, was written by the strategic communication division of the European diplomatic corps, the European External Action Service (EEAS). It states that pro-Kremlin media outlets "have been prominent in spreading disinformation about the coronavirus, with the aim to aggravate the public health crisis in Western countries, specifically by undermining public trust in national health-care systems." It also notes that the coronavirus pandemic "is a constant and daily topic in pro-Kremlin media." Commenting on parts of the report that were leaked in some Western media outlets earlier on March 18, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the criticism was based on "groundless accusations." "From the point of view of common sense, I cannot comment on it," Peskov said. Peskov said the reports didn't contain examples nor did it cite specific news outlets, but the document says that East StratCom Task Force, an EEAS group that monitors Russian disinformation, has collected 80 coronavirus-related disinformation cases in its public database since January 22. It also notes that on social media, RT Spanish has been a prominent source of content about the virus, with more than 6.8 million shares across Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit between January 1 and March 12. The EU's disinformation monitors say the tactics of pro-Kremlin sources have evolved. They "do not appear to be authoring the disinformation themselves; instead, they are simply amplifying theories that originate" in China and Iran or among far-right groups in the United States. The monitors say the new tactics allow pro-Kremlin media to deny they are creating disinformation and claim they are "merely reporting what others are saying." The report also says that "some of the broader disinformation narratives researchers have highlighted included claims that the coronavirus was brought to us by migrants, or that it is a bio-weapon developed by either the United States, the United Kingdom, or China." The group says pro-Kremlin disinformation about the pandemic targets international audiences in multiple languages. In Italy, it says, the messages "aim to exacerbate fears over the ability of national and international authorities to manage the outbreak." It says examples include stories suggesting the EU's "ability to effectively deal with the virus is doubtful," or that "Italian doctors will select who lives or dies, as hospitals are not able to save all patients." Similarly, it says pro-Kremlin media messages in Spanish have promoted "apocalyptic stories, blame capitalists for trying to benefit from the virus, and emphasize how well Russia and Putin are dealing with the outbreak." The report concludes that big social-media platforms "have undertaken considerable actions to hamper the spread" of misinformation and disinformation "surrounding the coronavirus." But it says it is difficult to assess the impact of social-media disinformation campaigns by pro-Kremlin media because of privacy restrictions on data that firms like Facebook share with authorities. Conakry, Guinea (PANA) - The Belgian national, suffering from coronavirus in Guinea, "is in good health and is in a satisfactory condition," Health Minister, Colonel Remy Lamah, told the press on Tuesday, after a visit to the patient, who was admitted under medical supervision, at the monitoring centre in Nongo, a suburb of the capital Click here to read the full article. Charm City Kings won over many critics in its Sundance premiere earlier this year, and likely would have been doing the same in Texas this week if it were showing, as planned, at the canceled South by Southwest Film Festival. Itll still get its chance to charm general audiences as well as critical gatekeepers, who have been impressed so far not just by actor Jahi DiAllo Winstons standout performance as main character Mouse, but by rapper Meek Mill, who gives a breakout supporting turn in the film, his first as an actor. It was a good experience for me, Meek tells Variety. I enjoyed it and it was a learning experience, added the 32-year-old star, before saying hed likely be doing more acting in the near future. More from Variety The rappers music is also a big part of the Overbrook/Sony Pictures Classics film, which chronicles the lives of a group of young teenagers on the streets of Baltimore amid an urban bike culture that Meek himself knows a thing or two about, having grown up in nearby Philadelphia. The rapper helped put that east coast culture on the nationwide map a decade ago via his music video for Ima Boss. Theres dirt bike scenes all over the east coast New York, Delaware, Jersey Its not just Baltimore and Philadelphia, the rapper points out. The noted bike enthusiast has two songs in the film, Milladelphia and Uptown Vibes, and according to producer Caleeb Pinkett, Charm City Kings wouldnt be the same without them. Those two Meek records alone took a lot of our budget, Pinkett says of licensing the tracks, while noting the entire music spend for the film was under $450,000. But we had to have them, he says. Variety spoke more with Pinkett about the music used in the film, which is slated for an April 10 release (subject, like everything in the coronavirus climate, to change). Story continues VARIETY: How did you end up with the songs for the film, and did you use a music supervisor? PINKETT: We kind of had a supervisor, who is more just a friend of mine at Sony that we worked with, Jojo Villanueva. Hes fantastic. He and I worked on finding the music in the film. I had a lot of songs I wanted to use, but without the budget so I couldnt afford all the songs I wanted. So Jojo helped me find songs that I could afford that still carried some of the same emotionality that I was looking for. One of the first songs heard in the film is Crown and the M.O.B.s Love My People. What was the inspiration for that song choice? We originally had a UGK/Outkast record called Intl Players Anthem (I Choose You) in the beginning because we wanted to lift people up. With Andre 3000s voice in that song and the way the beat comes in it had a lot of energy. But we found a cheaper version of the song in Love My People and we were able to make it work. Love My People is a great record and it still carries the right vibe. What was the old school song you had playing during the early car ride scene with Mouse? Its called Tap The Bottle from Young Black Teenagers, which was another record we found. Its from a guy who was Kids roommate from that movie House Party 2, when they went to college. Originally, the song I wanted in there was Loves Gonna Getcha from Boogie Down Productions, which is one of my favorite rap records of all time because its so vivid and tells a story. And that story is also kind of the story of [Charm City Kings character] Mouse. But, again, BDPs song was too expensive for us because our budget was small. Did you begin the process of clearing the Meek Mill songs before you had him locked as an actor? I wanted the Meek records whether he was in the movie or not. Meek was in jail when the movie was starting to go. I had spoken to Meek a year or so before we started early on, and he was in. Then he goes to jail and Im like OK, tragic. Well. I was a month out from shooting and all of the sudden he was released. It was crazy, but we wanted Meeks songs in the movie no matter what, because his sound, especially those two records in particular that we have in the film, are synonymous with that bike culture that our movie is about. Especially when you hear Millidelphia, that right there is bike central. When I first heard that record, I said to myself, This has to be in my movie, and thats why I put it over the chase scene. That beat, that sound, his voice the way hes rapping on it, it just gives you that energy. It almost sounds like you are on a bike, you know what I mean? The music isnt always mixed loud in Charm City Kings. In fact, its often conspicuously quiet in certain parts. Was that a conscious decision for you? Oh, yeah. That was a reflection of me working with the director directly. When we were in the editing suite we were careful to make sure that certain scenes were louder than others. So, for example, when a character in the film is listening to music in their headphones, we wanted it to feel like he was really listening to that music. These are the creative decisions that the director and the sound editor really worked hard on. Is there going to be an official soundtrack? Well, Swizz [Beats] signed on to do it, but he can only do six records, and then Meeks people also called me, and he wants to do it also. So I think those two are gonna try and figure it out. Hopefully, well have one, but its still up in the air at the moment. Why arent there more local Baltimore artists in the film? Theres two songs from local Baltimore artists in the film. We wanted more. But were happy we at least got two songs from [local rapper] Young Ying in the movie. Its really tragic: I had just spoken to him while we were doing the music ,and then I found out a couple of weeks later that he was murdered. I had to ultimately clear the songs with his mother. We also had another song from a different Baltimore artist, but we used Samm Henshaws Church in that scene instead, which is just an incredible song. Was it difficult for you to secure Ruff Ryders Anthem on your budget? It wasnt hard to get because we had a connection with Swizz Beats (producer of the track). But it was damn expensive. We paid a lot for it, around half the budget for the music in the film, but there was no way we could make this movie without that song somewhere in it. Its pretty much the song that introduced that bike culture to the world and its still a classic record. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Hollywood star Jared Leto was just found out the coronavirus pandemic news because he was doing a 12-day silent meditation in the desert where he was cut off from all outside communication. Leto tweeted early Tuesday that "12 days ago I began a silent meditation in the desert. We were totally isolated. No phone, no communication, etc," he wrote. "We had no idea what was happening outside the facility," reports cnn.com. Wow. 12 days ago I began a silent meditation in the desert. We were totally isolated. No phone, no communication etc. We had no idea what was happening outside the facility. JARED LETO (@JaredLeto) March 17, 2020 The actor is known for marching to the beat of his own drum and told his followers he "Walked out yesterday into a very different world." "One that's been changed forever. Mind blowing, to say the least. I'm getting messages from friends and family all around the globe and catching up on what's going on." The star had a message for us all as he continues to catch up. "Hope you and yours are ok. Sending positive energy to all. Stay inside. Stay safe." Leto was scheduled to be next seen in his starring role in the film "Moribus." Donald Trump and one of his top public health experts had some advice for young people including millennials by imploring them to avoid large groups and warning they could give their older loved ones coronavirus. Health experts say those over 60 years are most vulnerable to the disease, noting most US deaths and those elsewhere have occurred to people that age and older. Those experts also warn children and young adults can carry COVID-19 while feeling no symptoms. The president, during a Wednesday press briefing at the White House offered some rather measured advice for the Millennial generation. "I hope they just listen to what we've been saying over the last period of time. We don't want them gathering, and I see that they do gather including on beaches, and including in restaurants, young people," he said. "They don't realise that -- they're feeling invincible, I don't know if you felt invincible when you were young," he said to the reporter who asked a question about younger Americans. "But they don't realise that they could be carrying lots of bad things home to their grandmother and grandfather and even their parents." Federal officials "want them to heed the advice," he said of Washington's guidelines that include avoiding bars and restaurants, "and I do believe it's getting through." Mr Trump did not explain why he feels that way as a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll released Tuesday showed he has some work to do among young people. That survey found just 36 per cent of Americans under 45 years old approve of his handling of the federal coronavirus response. That number may not have been helped by more blunt comments one of his COVID-19 task force members, Deborah Birx, made towards that group. "So again, I'm going to call on that generation, as part of that group that brought us innovation, particularly throughout all of their ability to look around corners and skip through [video] games on -- I always went level by level. I didn't realize that you could go from level three to level seven," she said. "That's what they taught us. They look for things that we don't see. We need them to be healthy." She also revealed some statistics about millennials in other countries hit hard by the virus. "It may have been that [within] the millennial generation ... there may be disproportional number of infections among that group and so even if it's a rare occurrence it may be seen more frequently in that group," Ms Birx said. "There are concerning reports coming out of France and Italy about some young people getting seriously ill and very seriously ill in the ICUs," she added. "We think part of this may be that people heeded the early data coming out of China and coming out of South Korea of the elderly or those with pre-existing medical conditions were a particular risk." There are 7,323 US cases with 55 deaths, according to The Johns Hopkins University. Globally, the Baltimore, Maryland-based school put the number at 214,010 with 8,727 deaths as of 3 p.m. EDT. The Trump administration announced Wednesday that doctors will be allowed to practice across state lines, part of efforts to stem the spread of the coronavirus, which continues to sicken more people across the country. Vice President Mike Pence made the announcement during the Coronavirus Task Force daily press briefing, saying the Department of Health and Human Services will allow all physicians and other medical personnel to practice in states other than the ones they are licensed to practice in. HHS is issuing a regulation today that will allow all doctors and medical professionals to practice across state lines, to meet the needs of hospitals that may arise in adjoining areas, Pence said. Physicians and nurses otherwise need a state license to practice in that state. Hospitals have already begun expanding staff as fears mount that the caseload of coronavirus patients could soon overwhelm the U.S. medical system. Pence, whom President Trump tapped to lead the administrations efforts to combat the coronavirus, also urged nonessential elective medical procedures, including dental procedures, to save hospital capacity and medical supplies for patients suffering from the deadly virus. We believe that these recommendations will help surgeons, patients and hospitals prioritize what is essential, while leaving the ultimate decision in the hands of state and local health officials and those clinicians who have direct responsibility to their patients, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma said. The coronavirus, a respiratory illness that originated in Wuhan, China, has infected more than 5,800 people in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and more than 100 people have died. Globally, the virus has infected more than 203,700 people in at least 145 countries and killed more than 8,200. More from National Review The U.S. government is ordering 'thousands of thousands' of ventilators to help coronavirus patients breath under watch of hospital physicians amid warnings that the national stockpile falls far short of the need. 'We are ordering thousands and thousands of ventilators. And they are complex. These are complex machines. But we are ordering them,' the president said at a coronavirus task force briefing at the White House Wednesday. The administration is invoking the Defense Production Act to speed production, Trump said, without providing details. 'We are ordering thousands and thousands of ventilators,' President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House Wednesday But at Trump's request, Vice President Mike Pence revealed the number in the national stockpile which will only boost the available number by a fraction. 'Does anybody have a number?' Trump said when asked about it. 'Mike how many of them do we have? Do you know the number?' Pence then said the number in a national stockpile replied that 'we have a specific number of ventilators in excess of 10,000.' The administration has previously cited national security and declined to release the number. The U.S. has an estimated 62,000 of them nationwide, based on a 2010 survey. But that might not be nearly enough if the pandemic follows even moderate, as well as severe, models. Health care staff from the Community Health of South Florida, Inc. (CHI) prepare to test people for the coronavirus in the parking lot of its Doris Ison Health Center on March 18, 2020 in Miami, Florida. CHI said the testing for COVID-19 will be from Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. 'Hospitals are supposed to have ventilators, too. And when we have thousands of ventilators, it sounds like a lot, but this is a very unforeseen thing,' Trump said ICU bed space is another concern. The USNS Comfort hospital ship is seen docked in San Juan, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2017. The two Navy hospital ships being dispatched can handle about 1,000 beds each Without enough of them, medical teams will be forced to make tough decisions about which patients to prioritize, as has occurred during the outbreak in Italy. 'Hospitals are supposed to have ventilators, too. And when we have thousands of ventilators, it sounds like a lot, but this is a very unforeseen thing,' Trump said. 'Nobody ever thought of these numbers. Nobody ever saw numbers like this Nobody's heard of testing in the quantities you are talking about it.' Pressed on why the administration didn't act sooner, Trump said: 'We knew. It depends on how it goes. The worst-case, absolutely. Best case, not at all. So were going to have to see where it goes. 'The stockpiles don't count all of the ventilators that exist today in the marketplace and in health care facilities around the country,' Pence said. 'We have tremendous number of ventilators,' said Trump. 'No matter what you have its not enough. If we need to use it well be using it at full speed ahead,' he said, without revealing which companies if any were being ordered to produce more for the government amid global demand. Ventilators are just one pressing need, along with intensive care unit beds. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said field hospitals are 'prepared to deploy' as needed. By some esimates, the nation has only half as many beds as needed. 'We are also prepared to distribute to HHS up to 2,000 operational, deployable ventilators for use, as needed,' he said. The Navy is dispatching two hospital ships, one on each coast, but each has only 1,000 beds. 'We are hearing a tremendous spirit among industry leaders the stockpiles do not count all of the ventilators that exist in the marketplace and health care facilities around the country,' said Pence. 'But the president has given us a directive to make sure that our stockpile, just as importantly working with industry leaders, that we are securing the increase in ventilators, the increase in masks, gloves, eye protective care, garments that are all necessary to lean forward.' There are now more than 7,000 cases of coronavirus in the US and 115 people have died. Even basic products like surgical masks are an issue as the number of infected spikes. 'We have targets for masks, you know the masks, the numbers of masks are incredible,' Trump said' 'Weve ordered millions of them, but we need millions more.' 'Weve never had to even think in terms of these numbers, but we need millions of masks, and all of that will be ordered. We need respirators, we need ventilators, and that is a big thing because its a complex piece of equipment. So we have a lot of ventilators, but were going to be ordering more,' Trump added. The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) today announced that Stephen R. Akers will serve as the Colleges new President. Akers, Managing Director and Senior Fiduciary Counsel at Bessemer Trust in Dallas, Texas succeeds ACTEC Fellow John A. Terrill, II from West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. ACTEC is a national, nonprofit association of lawyers and law professors from throughout the United States and abroad. ACTEC Fellows have extensive experience in a range of practice areas including estate and trust planning; estate tax, gift tax and generation-skipping tax planning; fiduciary income tax planning; charitable planning; planning for owners of closely-held and family businesses; fiduciary litigation; and estate and trust administration. Akers, who has served in various roles at the College for 33 years, was officially presented at ACTECs passing of the gavel ceremony on Saturday, March 7, 2020 during its annual meeting in Boca Raton, Florida. As an officer of the College since 2016, he previously served on the Board of Regents, as Chair of the Business Planning Committee, as Chair of the Program Committee and as Editor of the ACTEC Law Journal. Additionally, Akers was an active member of the Colleges Audit Committee, Communications Committee, Estate and Gift Tax Committee, Financial Management Committee, Long-Range Planning Committee and Sponsorship Advisory Committee. Akers is a member of the Advisory Committee to the University of Miami Philip E. Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, where he is a frequent speaker, and previously served as Chair of the American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law and as Chair of the State Bar of Texas Real Estate, Probate & Trust Law Section. Akers has received the Distinguished Accredited Estate Planner Award from the National Association of Estate Planning Councils; the Distinguished Probate Lawyer Lifetime Achievement Award from the State Bar of Texas Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section; and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Dallas Bar Association Probate, Trusts and Estate Section. I am honored to have the privilege of leading ACTEC over the course of the next year, said Akers. As President, I hope to support Fellows in maximizing their contributions to the College and to advance the effective administration of trust and estate law while championing the improvement and interpretation of laws affecting our communities throughout the nation. During the Boca Raton Meeting, ACTECs Board of Regents elected the following 2020-2021 officers, each of whom will serve on the Executive Committee and the Board of Regents: President-Elect: Ann B. Burns (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Vice President: Robert W. Goldman (Naples, Florida) Treasurer: Kurt A. Sommer (Santa Fe, New Mexico) Secretary: Susan D. Snyder (Chicago, Illinois) About the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC): Established in 1949, The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) is a national, nonprofit association of approximately 2,500 lawyers and law professors from throughout the United States and abroad. ACTEC members (Fellows) are peer-elected on the basis of professional reputation and expertise in the preparation of wills and trusts, estate planning, probate, trust administration and related practice areas. The Colleges mission includes the improvement and reform of probate, trust and tax laws and procedures and professional practice standards. ACTEC frequently offers technical comments with regard to legislation and regulations but does not take positions on matters of policy or political objectives. New Delhi, March 18 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the BJP how could the court be sure that the 16 rebel Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh, staying at a resort in Bengaluru, had exercised their choice to tender their resignations from the state Assembly freely? A bench headed by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and comprising Justice Hemant Gupta said these 16 could tilt the balance this way or that way. "We are thinking as to how we can ensure an order....They must have free unhindered access to the Assembly. They should be free to exercise, do whatever they want." Advocate Maninder Singh, representing the rebel MLAs, submitted before the court that it is wrong that MLAs were kidnapped or abducted and all allegations of coercion are rubbish. "They resigned out of their own free will. A direction be issued to the Speaker to accept their resignations," insisted Singh. BJP insisted that it can bring the 16 rebel Congress MLAs and present them before Justices Chandrachud and Gupta in chamber and the judges can ascertain the views of MLAs. Justice Chandrachud referred to the affidavit filed by the rebel MLAs. The court noted that how does it ensure that there is a free exercise of choice? "And, as a constitutional court, we also have to discharge our duties. What can be the modalities to ensure it? "said Justice Chandrachud. During the hearing, the bench said that it does not want to play the role of the Speaker, then the BJP counsel Mukul Rohatgi said the Karnataka High Court Registrar can meet the rebel Congress MLAs at Bengaluru. And, after meeting the Rrgistrar can ascertain whether they are kept captive or are there of their own volition. Justice Chandrachud repeated that the MLAs cannot be held hostage or captive. "They should have access. They should be allowed to do what they want. Let there be free and unrestrained exercise. We are thinking of modalities", observed the court. Rohatgi insisted that the MLAs have been on camera saying they are free. "You (Congress) can't prove anything in negative. We don't want to come. Speaker can do whatever he wants to do. We won't come". (GETTY) The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) is denouncing Saudi Arabia and Russia for driving down the price of oil in a supply spat compounding the economic impact of the COVID-19 virus. The unfolding global pandemic and expectations for a flood of cheap foreign crude this spring has caused Canadian producers to sideline more than a billion dollars in planned spending. The cautious optimism investors had for the sector at the start of 2020 has been shattered. Goldman Sachs slashed its oil price forecast again on Thursday, predicting North American benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and European benchmark Brent crude will average US$20 per barrel in the second quarter of 2020. WTI continued to slide on Wednesday morning, falling nearly 11 per cent to US$24.00 per barrel at 9:48 a.m. ET. London-based Capital Economics said on Wednesday that the slide will persist in the near-term regardless of policy support from governments. The United States has pledged to buy on the dip to fill its strategic reserves, and a response from Ottawa is expected shortly. Albertas government has said it will assemble an economic panel led by University of Calgary economist Jack Mintz to advise the province on a path out of what many observers see as uncharted territory for oil prices. For CAPP president and CEO Tim McMillan, the drop in demand as business activity and travel slow to a crawl due to COVID-19 is an unfortunate reality the market must accept. He sees the price war between powerhouse producers Saudi Arabia and Russia differently. Maybe it shouldnt be surprising that Saudi Arabia and Russia would use a time of global health crisis to chase market share, that regimes of this nature would use this global pandemic to bolster their position, he told Yahoo Finance Canada. Anyone that takes advantage of a global pandemic to explicitly chase market share is reprehensible. The March 5 meeting between OPEC nations and Russia in Vienna ground to a halt when Moscow refused to accept production cuts aimed at putting a floor under falling prices hit by COVID-19. Ridyah responded by slashing its selling price and announcing plans to massively increase the kingdoms output. Story continues The standoff has driven oil prices below the breakeven points for a number of producers around the world, including most in Canada. The result has been near-daily announcements from the countrys oil patch detailing cuts to spending and shareholder payouts. Price Street managing director and market economist Rory Johnston said Saudi Arabias plan to drop selling prices for April deliveries and increase its production from 9.7 million barrels per day to 12.3 million marks a shift away from prioritizing stability over market share gains. However, he said it is important to note that it was Russia that scuttled the OPEC+ negotiations. [Its] a move that fits more nicely within its longer-term strategy of geopolitical disruption, he said of the Kremlins leadership. Johnston said while a price war amid the COVID-19 outbreak exacerbates an already volatile oil market, the opportunity for Russia and Saudi Arabia to squeeze out rivals with a supply shock might have proved too tempting to ignore. Asked how this current downturn differs from others that Canadian producers weathered in recent years, McMillan said this one will be particularly challenging because the energy sector has yet to fully find its footing after the last price route. We are in the middle of the response to the price shock right now, but it is going to take time to work itself out, he said. We're normally well-positioned to deal with it. That's part of being in a commodity business. But his one is coming with a health crisis that's lowering expected consumption for the first time in a decade. New Delhi: The plea of Nirbhaya case convict Mukesh Singh was dismissed by Delhi High Court on Wednesday (March 18) saying there were no grounds to interfere in the "detailed and reasoned" order of the trial court. Mukesh has challenged a trial court order that rejected his claim that he was not in the national capital when the crime was committed on December 16, 2012. Dismissing the petition, Justice Brijesh Sethi said that the various grounds, like Ram Singh, could not have driven the bus in which the offence was committed as he was disabled and that Mukesh was tortured in jail, taken in the plea were "frivolous" and the intention was to delay the execution. The high court also said if Mukesh was tortured in jail, he had ample opportunities to raise the issue, especially when he met his relatives and this argument was being taken at this stage "only to delay the proceedings". The HC said, "These points ought to have been taken at the appropriate stage and at this belated stage, the argument has only been raised with an intention to delay the execution of the sentence," adding "There is, thus, no infirmity, illegality or irregularity in the order passed by the trial court." The court also said there was nothing on record to suggest that the trial in the case stood vitiated due to the concealment of any material evidence. The convicts today also moved Delhi Court seeking a stay on the sentence of the death penalty on the grounds of pendency of various legal applications, appeals, and second mercy plea. The court will hear on Thursday plea seeking a stay on the execution of the death penalty of the convicts. Notably, Akshay on Tuesday had filed a second mercy petition to Tihar Jail authorities, addressed to the President of India. This will also be forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) through Delhi government, Tihar Jail official reportedly stated Earlier on March 5, a trial court had issued fresh warrants for hanging on March 20 at 5.30 am of all convicts in the case -- Mukesh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Singh (31). Amid the fear of the coronavirus pandemic, it can be hard to find things to be positive about. With new anxiety-inducing developments spilling into the news every day, all the stockpiling and social distancing the panic can become overwhelming. However, its important to remember that moments of crisis do in fact often bring out the best in people. So with that mantra in mind, here are five of the best stories of kindness during the Covid-19 quarantine in the US to restore your faith in humanity. Siblings hold porch concert for self-isolating neighbour Two children in Columbus, Ohio, played an impromptu concert on the porch of their 78-year-old neighbour to try and ease the stress of self-isolation. According to CNN, nine-year-old Taran Tien and his sister six-year-old Calliope dressed to the nines and played music ranging from a Bach minuet to Go Tell Aunt Rhody for their neighbour Helena Schlam, a lover of classical music who hadnt been able to leave the house in five days. I loved watching how delighted they all were, Rebecca Tien, the childrens mother said. It was one of those moments where you feel like youre a part of something incredible, she added. Newly engaged women shares happy news with grandfather through window A newly engaged woman who thought she wouldnt be able to share the happy announcement with her grandfather because his care home was shut to visitors had to get creative to impart her exciting news. Staff at the Premier Living and Rehab Center in Lake Waccamaw suggested Carly Boyd show her grandfather her ring through the window of his room, leading to a very emotional moment. It was magical, I cant even explain it. I was in tears, my administrator was in tears, even the roommate of the resident, he was even crying, April Bass, the Community Activity Coordinator at the facility told WETC. It was very magical and it was very heartfelt and Carly started crying and her grandfather even started crying. It was beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time, she said. Reader of the Seattle Times sends pizza to newspapers office as staff work through outbreak A dedicated fan of the Seattle Times selflessly sent pizzas to staff who had been working through the week to cover the spread of the coronavirus in Washington. Taylor Blatchford, a member of the newspapers digital team, posted a photo of the kind act on Twitter alongside the caption: Our whole @seattletimes staff has been working nonstop all week as coronavirus spreads in Washington. But today, a subscriber wrote in and asked if she could send pizzas to the weekend staff. We love our readers and couldnt do this without them. Strangers act of kindness at grocery store A man in Cullman, Alabama, kindly offered to pay for two peoples shopping while stocking up on supplies at a local grocery store. WAFF48 reported that a man named Adam allowed two shoppers behind him to put their items on the conveyor belt and then told the cashier he would be covering the cost. He asked for nothing in return and simply wished for the two people to have a blessed day. Shopper Melina Wray-Pylant witnessed the good deed and posted about it on Facebook. This situation, not the complaining about stores being out of so much, not the griping about having to fight the crowds or how crazy everybody is acting, this right here is what we should be doing. Caring for others, she wrote. Husband and wife kept apart by quarantine find a way to celebrate 67th anniversary An elderly man refused to let a coronavirus quarantines get in the way of him celebrating his 67th wedding anniversary with his wife, spurring him to show his love in the most special way. As a result of coronavirus guidance on nursing homes, Bob Shellard was un-able to see his wife Nancy in person for the occasion. However, undeterred by circumstance Mr Shellard stood outside his wifes nursing home window with balloons and a sign that read: Ive loved you 67 years and still do. Happy Anniversary. Nancy was seen waving and blowing kisses from her window when she saw the sign. I wouldnt want anybody else, Mr Shellard told NBC Connecticut about his wife. I dont think she could put up with anybody else besides me. The principal of Harrison High School in Hudson County late Tuesday told staff and students to seek medical attention after they were potentially exposed to coronavirus at a March 11 career fair. We were notified this evening that one of our special guests at last weeks career fair has tested positive for COVID-19, Principal Matthew D. Weber said in a letter. I encourage you to monitor for symptoms and, more importantly, seek guidance from your physician by calling the doctors office in the morning, Weber said. Your doctor will ask you specific questions and then make an informed recommendation based on your individual situation, Weber said. The career fair was held in the high school gym as part of the national Womens History Month 2020 and featured about 20 to 30 guests from across New Jersey. It was a girls-only event, with about 60 to 100 female students attending. Teachers, counselors and other school employees were also there. After a period of time in the gym, the event was moved to the high school auditorium, where about 10 of the guests engaged in a panel discussion with audience members. Weber said the guest did not have symptoms at the time of the event but started feel ill about two days after her visit to Harrison High School. According to health department guidance, this individual would likely not have been contagious at the time of her visit, Weber said. However, I realize that this news may cause great concern in our school community. One school employee, who asked that her name not be used, said she sought medical attention after receiving the principals letter late Tuesday. I was told to self-quarantine for 14 days, said the woman, who added the event should have been canceled. Theres a lot of anger because this could have been prevented." Matt Boryszewski, a teachers union rep, on Wednesday accused schools Superintendent James Doran of resisting the states effort to close schools. The Monday before the fair we put in our plan for distance (online) learning, said Boryszewski, treasurer of the Harrison Education Association said. This event could have been canceled. He told our union president, Teachers arent getting a free vacation. Boryszewski said as of Wednesday, there were still some teachers, aides and students at all schools in the district. The governors executive order says, Essential staff, Boryszewski said. Doran is trying to say were all essential staff. Doran did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. As of Tuesday, there were at least 267 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Jersey. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. China Aviation Daily | Mar. 18, 2020 Amsterdam Airport Schiphol's (AMS) slot procedure has changed after Airport Coordination Netherlands (ACNL) temporarily lifted the Local Rule 2 (LR2) due to the global COVID-19 outbreak. The purpose of LR2 at AMS is to provide sufficient ad hoc capacity for full freighter airlines, but ACNL said in the current "exceptional circumstance" caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, LR2 works "counter-productively". Under LR2, the number of slots available for reallocation is limited, but the temporary lifting of the rule frees up freight operations. "In these difficult times, it is important that we work together to ensure that the supply chain keeps moving," said Bart Pouwels, Head of Cargo, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. "The lifting of LR2 will enable us to operate temporarily more ad hoc full-freighter flights at AMS, which is much needed to offset the current decline in belly capacity." Effective immediately, ACNL will not use LR2 for ad-hoc slots to be allocated up to and including 6th June 2020. In addition, slots which have been handed back to the slot coordinator by passenger carriers who are not using them, are to be offered to full freighter operators first on an ad hoc basis until 6th June 2020. ACNL said that due to the proposed temporary 80/20 waiver, which required airlines to use 80% of their slots or risk losing them, it expects a large number of slots to be handed back. With this decision ACNL is aiming to provide sufficient slots in line with the purpose of LR2 and so that the necessary freight capacity is maintained in the general interest for goods transported to/from the Netherlands. Contributed by Amsterdam Airport Schiphol A Derry councillor has issued a stark message to people who he believes are not grasping the serious of the coronavirus crisis. SDLP councillor John Boyle highlighted the horrific impact of the virus on a city with less of a population than the Derry and Strabane council area. Mr Boyle today wrote on his Facebook page: "I was saying this at a Special Emergency Council meeting last week. Bergamo (population 120,000) in Lombardy Province, Italy has so far had 3,416 coronavirus cases out of the countrys 21,157 total cases. "An estimated 50 people a day are dying of the disease in the town. Derry City & Strabane District Council area 149,000 population. "Think about that as you wander aimlessly, going about your normal business," said the local councillor. Meanwhile, another Derry councillor has called for more coronavirus testing to be carried out. Sinn Fein's Sandra Duffy said that following yesterday's announcement of a further ten cases of coronavirus in the north 'it is clear we need a significant increase in testing to get a full assessment of the situation'. The World Health Organisation have made it abundantly clear that testing is the only way to combat the spread of COVID-19 and many people are concerned that not enough testing is being carried out in the north," she said. We need to see an increase in testing with more testing facilities available so that all suspected cases can be tested. It is also vitally important that health and social care workers are tested as they are the essential frontline in helping to fight this pandemic. The World Health Organisation advice needs to be heeded and the health minister needs to respond by announcing more testing. 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. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 17:31:24|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close People buy meat products at a supermarket in Johannesburg, South Africa, March 16, 2020. South Africa on Wednesday reported 31 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the tally to 116, as local transmissions increased. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng) CAPE TOWN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- South Africa on Wednesday reported 31 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the tally to 116, as local transmissions increased. Among the new patients, there has been a further increase of six local transmission cases, Health Minister Zwelini Mkhize said. Late Tuesday, Mkhize announced 23 new cases, including eight local transmissions. Previously, the country reported two local transmissions. Putting the numbers together, South Africa now has 16 local transmission cases. The other cases involved people who had travelled to Europe, North America or the Middle East. South Africa, which reported its first confirmed case on March 5, has seen the sharpest surge in COVID-19 cases in Sub-Saharan Africa. Mkhize said on Wednesday background information on local transmissions has been collated and will be shared with the public later. "We will provide information to the public, so as to give a sense of how these local transmissions occur," the minister said. He, however, refused to disclose full details as such information is subject to patient confidentiality. Of the country's nine provinces, five provinces have reported confirmed COVID-19 cases. Gauteng has the highest number of cases, followed by Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. Sixteen rebel Congress MLAS cannot be held "hostage" and should be allowed "free and unrestrained" exercise of their choice during the ongoing political crisis in Madhya Pradesh, the Supreme Court said on Wednesday. The top court, hearing cross-pleas of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and state Congress party, made clear that it will not come in the way of the legislative process which will decide the fate of the 18-month-old Kamal Nath government. "The MLAs cannot be held hostage and captive. They should have the access. They should be allowed to do what they want. Let there be free and unrestrained exercise of their choice. "We are not going to come in the way of the legislature to decide who enjoys the trust of the legislature. We do know that these 16 (MLAs) tilt the balance in one way or the other... If they choose to come, they should have free, unhindered and uninterrupted access to the assembly," said the bench comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta. The bench, however, was apparently not in agreement with the submission of senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for the MP Congress Legislature Party (MPCLP), that the fixed five year term of the Assembly was part of the basic structure of the Constitution. Dave had said that heavens are not going to fall if the Kamal Nath government is allowed to remain in office till the bye-elections are held on 22 seats, to be vacated due to the resignations of rebel MLAs. "We know that Dave made submissions on the fixed term of the House for five years but we are aware that it is not exactly how the Constitution works. We just want your (lawyers) assistance in how to ensure that the legislature decides as to who has the majority," the bench observed. During the day-long hearing, Dave commenced the submissions on behalf of MPCLP and said that no interim order be passed on the plea of Chouhan and the floor test be held after the bye-election is conducted to fill the vacancy. Citing principle of constitutional morality, he said BJP has been using "force and might" to destroy democratic principles and some Gujarat MLAs were shifted to Bangalore, the party had used CRPF and the IT department to carry out raids on Congress leaders. He also questioned the actions of Governor Lalji Tandon and said the august office has been saying that the government has lost the majority and questioned as to how such an opinion can be formed without hearing anyone. "Any trust vote should be held only in the presence of the 16 MLAs. If 22 MLAs belonging to Congress have resigned and if seats fell vacant, a trust vote cannot be held without representation of the electorate of the said 22 constituencies which can only be secured by holding by elections," Dave said. He quoted B R Ambedkar and referred to the Constituent assembly debates and said that he had then said: "Democracy in India is only a top dressing of Indian soil which is essentially undemocratic". "Stable governance should be considered as a basic structure of the Constitution so that nobody tends to work against the stability of an elected government," he said. Senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Maninder Singh, appearing for three-time CM Chouhan and rebel Congress MLAs respectively, vehemently opposed the submissions of Dave and said after resignations of 22 MLAs, the government has lost majority and cannot be allowed to remain in power for even a day and strangely it wanted to hold office for next six months till bye elections are held. "The petitioner herein (Congress) is the same party that killed democracy in 1975 by invoking emergency. Because of this party, B R Ambedkar left the ministry," Rohatgi said. "This party is interested only in holding on to powers. It is the lust of power because of which all these lofty arguments are being made...It is unheard of that a person who has lost majority and cannot continue even for a day, says he wants to continue for 6 months, there should be re-election and then a trust vote," he alleged. Congress party was trying to stay in power "by hook or crook" and they do not have any legal, moral or constitutional right to stay in power, he said. Referring to apex court's judgement in SR Bommai case, Rohatgi said the Governor is required to ensure that state is functioning in accordance with the Constitution and if he has a prima-facie view that the government has lost majority, then floor test can be ordered to held. The bench then said when the Congress party formed the government, it had 121 MLAs and "now Governor is saying you have lost majority is the basis of the resignations of 16 MLAs. The question is whether they have resigned". Rohatgi said they have resigned on March 10 itself. "One concern that we have is the Speaker has not decided for these 16. They say 16 have been whisked away to Bengaluru. We cannot compel MLAs to attend the proceeding but what we can do is to ensure they can take their own decision. That is the duty of a constitutional court," the bench said. Rohatgi said these MLAs have filed their affidavits which are sufficient to infer that they are not held captive and if the court wanted to allay any kind apprehension, then these MLAs can be produced here. He also suggested that alrenatively, the Registrar of the Karnataka High Court can be asked to meet the MLAs in Bengaluru and a report can be filed in the court on this. The bench did not agree to the proposals. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In Burkmans view, disinformation is like a chemical weapon: Its poisonous, but it works, so you might as well use it before the enemy does. After Truth sets out a history, albeit a brief and recent one, that shows how the miasma of lies was growing well before the 2016 election. Its first case study is the 2015 panic driven by actors like Alex Joness Infowars tinfoil-hat media empire that Jade Helm, a U.S. military exercise planned for the American southwest, was a cover for a plan to round up political dissidents and imprison them in former Walmart stores. As ludicrous as that story may seem, it also became consuming, and After Truth interviews not just experts and journalists (some from The Times) but also people in the affected communities. Troy Michalik, a gun-store owner in Bastrop, Tex., recalls how the rumors agitated conservative neighbors, already whipped up to mistrust the Obama administration, into making puzzle pieces fit together. And a lack of commonly agreed-on facts doesnt help. I dont know whats real and whats fake, Michalik says. All this mistrust, of course, has its own origins and antecedents. The paranoia about President Obama didnt come from nowhere; he was the subject of hoaxes and frauds from early on (including the big one, birtherism, espoused by his successor). And decades of mistrust-sowing by partisan media and politicians helped create the free-for-all in which everyone feels entitled to bespoke facts. After Truth doesnt do much historical delving. Instead it presents a reel of fever-swamp highlights: the Pizzagate fiction that convinced a gunman that a Washington, D.C., restaurant was a front for an elite pedophilia ring; the wild theories about the attempted-robbery murder of Seth Rich, a Democratic National Committee staffer, that Fox Newss Sean Hannity amplified; the adoption of fake-news tactics by activists on the left in the 2017 Alabama senate election; and the resistance of social-media companies, especially Facebook, to do anything to halt the spread. CLEVELAND, Ohio Long lines outside drive-through coronavirus testing sites in Cuyahoga County are an undeniable indication of a stark reality: Our health care system has a limited capacity. As the coronavirus pandemic worsens, the stock of medical supplies and available hospital beds and health care workers will only dwindle. That means choices about who has access will only get harder. At some point, the decision wont be who gets tested; it will be who gets help to breathe. When testing started in Ohio 11 days ago, public and hospital officials took steps to ration the precious few COVID-19 tests, even as they speedily ramped up capacity from zero to thousands. They prioritized those who had traveled to a high-risk country or had been exposed to someone who had tested positive for COVID-19. And health care workers nurses, doctors and medical aids who have the most contact with infected and exposed patients. Others, even with fevers and chills and coughs, were told to self-quarantine and treat their symptoms at home. That message was frightening to some. Its scary, said Sharona Hoffman, a professor of law and bioethics and the co-director of the Law-Medicine Center at Case Western Reserve University. This is scary. It will be a marking point in peoples lives, just like it was for people who lived through the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic or the less severe but still significant 1957 influenza outbreak, Hoffman said. There arent enough resources to test otherwise healthy people with symptoms to ease their concerns, Dr. Cindy Zelis, University Hospitals vice president of ambulatory operations, said Tuesday. You cant just carte blanche test, Zelis said. You cant test for the worried well. Theres not enough supply. Limiting testing Right now, the Clinic and UH combined can test about 1,500 people per day. MetroHealth began testing Tuesday but hasnt shared its capacity. Even with ramped up capacity, the systems were showing signs of buckling this week. Just days after the drive-through testing began at two sites, hospitals were overwhelmed with demand, and patients, even those with physicians orders for a test, were waiting for hours, and sometimes turned away. By Tuesday night, the Clinic announced it would reserve testing only for patients at the highest risk, which includes those in the hospital and patients 61 and older with a doctors order for the test, to preserve a limited supply of Italian-manufactured testing swabs, it said. At MetroHealth, tests also are being reserved for hospitalized patients who are critically ill. In these moments, people may feel like, I am not going to get something I need so that someone else can get it, said Jessica Berg, dean of the Case Western Reserve University Law school and professor of Bioethics and Public Health. But really, the decisions are population health-based in order to keep the most people as healthy as possible. When theres not enough tests to go around the question that must be answered is, Does it make sense for everyone to have access? The answer is no, Berg said. The question then becomes, Who needs it the most? Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton has estimated that 100,000 Ohioans already have the virus. Lack of supply Shortages of other supplies are already being seen as well. The state, for instance, last week called for veterinarians and dentists who had extra protective gear, like N95 surgical masks and respirators, to consider sending them to Emergency Management Agencies. And, on Tuesday, Gov. Mike DeWine ordered hospitals to postpone elective surgeries to conserve personal protective equipment and make sure health care workers are at the ready for those in dire need of care. DeWine, in his now-daily press briefing, said he had concerns about shortages of that protective gear and of ventilators, which are needed for patients with severe respiratory distress due to the virus. The Ohio Hospital Association (OHA) estimated the state would need the countrys entire stock of protective gear to meet the expected need. The governors order to postpone elective surgeries goes into effect at the end of the day Wednesday. That means some people will have to forgo surgeries that might improve their health or that theyve waited a long time for, Hoffman said. If you are the person being told Sorry, no elective surgery, Hoffman said. Its not easy. Overwhelming the system Its becoming more clear that our health care system isnt built to handle a million people or more who are gravely ill. Theres not enough hospital beds, ventilators or staff to care for those patients, Hoffman said. In Northeast Ohio, the Clinic system has 3,000 adult hospital beds with the ability to increase that capacity by 200 in 72 hours by using equipment in storage. The hospital system also has at least 550 ventilators on hand. The UH system has a 3,116-maximum bed capacity and 429 ventilators. MetroHealth has 750 beds, 200 of which can be used for intensive care, along with 60 adult ventilators. Hospitals already are at about 75% capacity, which is normal for this time of year, maybe a little elevated due to a tough flu season, said Mike Abrams, CEO of the OHA. We can safely surge another 25% without doing anything extraordinary, Abrams said. Capacity can be expanded in some ways: nursing home wings or even local hotels could be transformed to care for non-infectious hospital patients. Triage can be done in tents outside hospital buildings. Theres no scenario now by which we wont have a surge, Acton said Tuesday. Decisions made now to promote physical distancing and self-quarantine are hung on hopes of tamping down the demand on hospitals by two-thirds. And in the best circumstance, cut the number of deaths in half, she said. When the inevitable happens, Acton said, Youre going to hear a lot about bed capacityIts not about beds. Our National Guard and others will be setting up tents and things with beds. As of 2018, the Cleveland area had 7,230 total hospital beds with about 64% occupied. That would leave about 2,630 beds open for additional patients, including 880 beds in intensive care units where many coronavirus patients are treated, according to data obtained by ProPublica from the American Hospital Association and the American Hospital Directory. Without coronavirus patients, there are only 310 available beds on average in intensive care units, which is 3.2 times less than what is needed to care for all severe cases, according to ProPublicas estimates. Even harder decisions are going to be made as the weeks go on, as the pool of health care workers diminishes and cases spike. Already, the CDC has changed its guidelines for health care workers exposed to the coronavirus. Those who are exposed while not wearing personal protective equipment and are not showing symptoms are now being told to return to work. As the virus continues to spread throughout our communities, it is important to return personnel to work as soon as possible so we can continue caring for our patients, the Clinic said in a statement. Making tough decisions In the best circumstances, decisions to ration health care, especially urgently, should be cooperative and clearly explained to the public, bioethics experts said. In some ways, it is easier to have the governor say, This is what we are going to do, Hoffman said. That way, others can explain that they are following orders. But those folks making the decisions must be connected with and consulting those who understand the reality on the ground, she said. Theres no set of agreed-upon rules or standards for rationing: who makes the rules or whether it should happen collectively or institution-by-institution, Hoffman said. Berg said its best for those recommendations to come from national associations and professional groups. Its always best to do things at a higher level with a lot of input and to be very, very open about what the decisions were and why they were made, Berg said. Institutions like hospitals may find it hard to be transparent about how they will make choices about who gets the benefit of equipment such as a ventilator. But it is necessary to share how the decisions will be made so people dont think theres a secret group of people making the decisions, Hoffman said. Explaining the choices to the public, as far ahead of time as possible also helps, Berg said. A person might not like it when a decision comes down and adversely affects them or a loved one, Berg said. But you understand it better. Experts agree that choices about who gets access to equipment should not be put on nurses or doctors, Berg said, because that is not a fair burden to put on individuals. No matter who is responsible, people need to keep in mind that these are horrible decisions to have to make. Youre going to have to play God, and nobody wants to do that, Berg said. Hoffman, who spent time studying the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina at the CDC, said health care workers were forced to watch people in their care die because of decisions they made. Its terribly traumatic and some people dont recover from that, Hoffman said. If you feel you caused someone to die, that is very, very difficult, she said. The decisions of who gets critical care are endlessly debated and extremely controversial, Berg said. In some cases, like in hard-hit Italy, life-saving measures have been extended to younger and healthier patients more likely to recover, Hoffman said. Even older patients might agree with that rationale. But, if you are gasping for breath, she said, You might not feel that way in the moment. COVID-19 is a respiratory illness with symptoms including fever, cough and shortness of breath. It has sickened thousands and killed 7,400 globally, according to the World Health Organization. There is not yet a vaccine for COVID-19, nor are there any medications approved to treat it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Plain Dealer Reporter Brie Zeltner contributed to this story. Latest COVID-19 statistics, as of 1 p.m. Wednesday: Countries, territories and areas with confirmed cases: 151 U.S. states reporting cases: 50 and Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and U.S. Virgin Islands Total cases in U.S.: 7,038 Total deaths in U.S.: 97 Worldwide information is from the WHO, and U.S. numbers are from the CDC. Read more coronavirus coverage: How and where to get tested for coronavirus Childcare centers, parents grapple with tough choices Acts of kindness amid coronavirus pandemic Workers at highest risk Health care workers, whats it like handling coronavirus cases? Hudson mom shares brutal encounter with coronavirus Ohioans adjust to coronavirus Coronavirus in Ohio nursing homes Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Duncan Graham (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 12:28 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b82c0c 1 Art & Culture #art,#artist,#culture,#ArtsandCulture,#Yogyakarta,#DjokoPekik,#painting Free The Indonesian word kasihan is commonly used to express consolation for a hardship, a loss, an accident, a mishap. It is also the name of a hamlet in Bantul regency, just outside Yogyakarta. Low lying, more forest than field and with an abundant supply of water, Kasihan hamlet is known as a lush den of imagination and inventiveness, with six of the 14 nationally renowned daughters and sons from the village involved in the arts. This is no surprise because the nearby spring called Pengasihan which literally means be merciful is reputed to have curative and mystical powers and once drew the local royalty to meditate there. Now it seduces creatives. Sirkus September (September circus) by Djoko Pekik (Erlinawati Graham/-) Most famous of the artists who live here is Djoko Pekik, who has transformed the bush into a striking studio and gallery to preserve his huge crowdscape paintings. One of Pekiks admirers is Giring Prihatyasono, a 39-year-old graduate of the prestigious Indonesian Arts Institute of Yogyakarta and a social commentator, although he possesses a formal, controlled style while his guru is free and forceful. The younger artist explores different materials, particularly aluminum. Its a costly metal though one that yields beguiling and ambiguous results when etched. Girings work is subtle and pensive, often including a rent or scar as though its been accidentally snagged. This is deliberate, and part of his philosophy. We strive for perfection, but its impossible to achieve. So after trying to make my work as good as it can be, I add a flaw, he says. In his early days, Giring tried producing paintings of the kind the shops liked to sell to tourists, like smiling girls in rice paddies, but that didnt satisfy him. He was also fascinated by language and how various lettering systems had evolved around the world. Now I work to express myself. Artists should be honest and let their creations find the buyer, he says. His determination has found enough collectors to keep his family in better straits than if hed followed his father to work at a sugar factory a refusal that led to silent mealtimes for a year. Theyre now back on speaking terms. The winner of multiple awards conceals his messages. A large disc that at first looks to be a state emblem is circled with the faint words: Sebagai Abdi Negara saya malu dan tidak akan melakukan korupsi (As a servant of the nation, I am ashamed and will not participate in corruption). Iconic art: Berburu Celeng (Boar Hunting) is the painting that earned Djoko Pekik the moniker, the one-billion-rupiah painter. (Erlinawati Graham/-) A 5-minute walk from his hideaway through the tangled undergrowth across a narrow bridge above Khonteng stream and along damp tracks that wend past the houses of other painters eventually leads to the studio of the artist emeritus. Giring feels for his country but hasnt suffered for his art like Pekik, who was once a member of Bumi Tarung (fight for the land), a gathering of creatives during the Sukarno era. It was savagely persecuted by his military successor Soeharto, because most artists leaned left. They were treated like terrorists, but they were intellectuals, not bombers. The weapons they wielded were their ideas, pens and brushes. After seven years of brutality and deprivation, Pekik was released from jail with TP for Tahanan Politik stamped on his identity card, identifying him as a former political prisoner. This label made him almost unemployable and unacceptable to society. For several years, Pekik cleaned sewers to support his eight children. His revenge was splendid. In 1999, a year after his persecutor Soeharto was dethroned, Pekik gained fame as the first painter in the country to sell an artwork for Rp 1 billion (then about US$120,000). The painting in question was Berburu Celeng (Boar Hunting), now an icon of Indonesian contemporary art. Most assumed that the fat wild pig, trussed upside-down on a pole carried between hunters was the republics second president. Soeharto also seems to be the ringmaster in Sirkus September (September circus), a reference to the 1965 coup that felled Sukarno. Two big black rhinos clash their horns in the foreground, urged on by clowns. Djoko Pekik (Erlinawati Graham/-) Pekik, like a novelist advised by a lawyer, has denied any resemblance to persons living or dead. As a social realist, hes blunt on the canvas but equivocal in conversation. You see what you want to see, the 83-year-old said, sitting before a motorized easel as he moved his work up and down. Youre the viewer. His nationalism is stark and xenophobic: If he doesnt like a foreigner, he orders them off his property even if theyve come to buy. The colonialists were bad, but not as bad as the Japanese, Pekik says. He relies on nicotine and paint to smother the memories, though not to forget the cruelty and horrors. He has outlived his persecutors, retaining his dignity and independence. Pekik may now be rich, but he still rails against the oligarchy and big business, always siding with the wee folk. Sometimes he depicts them brandishing spears. The angry confronters are dramatic in their intensity, though they are often flanked by powerless onlookers. He admits his 2014 canvas Go to hell, crocodile is a commentary on the Freeport mine in Papua: A crowd faces a giant, scaly reptile lapping blood from a swirling void. Some have linked the painting to Sukarnos well-documented 1964 outburst against the US: Go to hell with your aid! Pekiks figures are seldom static: dancers swish, black smoke chokes the crowd. These are not images to soothe. The colors are usually subdued, though his clowns are gaudy. Thats to show happiness, he said, though unconvincingly. Who cares how it all ends? As long as I can keep painting my thoughts and visions, then everythings fine. Kasihan? No, he responds.(ste) Mumbai saw an average 46 per cent decline in congestion during the morning rush hour on Tuesday. New Delhis data also showed an average 34 per cent decline in congestion during morning. Both the financial capital Mumbai and political capital New Delhi have seen decline in traffic after the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Mumbai saw an average 46 per cent decline in congestion during the morning rush hour on Tuesday. Congestion levels are usually at 60-80 per cent between 8 am to 10 am. This fell broadly to a range between 15 and 35 per cent on Tuesday. The data is based on congestion levels from traffic-tracker TomTom International. It tracks congestion as a measure of how much longer it takes compared to when the traffic is flowing freely. A congestion reading of 50 per cent means the trip will take 50 per cent longer than uncongested conditions. The measure has been used to track activity in China, following the outbreak, by both international media and research analysts. New Delhis data also showed an average 34 per cent decline in congestion during morning, falling a little less than Mumbai. Congestion levels in 2019 were in the broad range of 45-75 per cent between 8 am and 10 am. It was down to 15-35 per cent on Tuesday. Congestion levels are still higher than it would be if everyone had stayed home. Holi, a mid-week public holiday, had shown a significantly lower congestion rate. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for contingency plans at workplaces if the disease spreads. The plan should address how to keep your business running even if a significant number of employees, contractors and suppliers cannot come to your place of business, it said. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday had asked people to restrict travelling. I appeal to the people to avoid public places, trains and buses, if not needed, he had said on his social media account. The coming 10-15 days are very crucial for our state. Data of every country shows that the virus spreads the most in the third and fourth weeks, so I appeal to the people not to panic but follow instructions issued by the government, he added. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also issued similar warnings through the social media. The Delhi government declared coronavirus an epidemic. "We need to exercise abundant caution to contain the disease. "All cinema halls, schools and colleges in Delhi will be shut until March 31, but exams will continue as scheduled. "People are advised to stay away from public gatherings, he said on March 12. Traffic data for 2019 shows that Mumbai is the fourth most congested city in the world. It had a congestion level of 65 per cent. New Delhi was eighth. It had a congestion level of 56 per cent. A 2019 IDFC Institute working paper titled Assessing cities labour market efficiencies had noted that Mumbais traffic congestion can have implications for economic productivity. The average commute on Mumbais major routes is longer than an hour, more than double the averages of Singapore, Hong Kong and New York, it had said. Photograph: Shailesh Andrade/Reuters San Francisco Mayor London Breed plans to ban commercial evictions for small- and medium-sized businesses impacted by the new coronavirus. The move, announced Tuesday, comes as businesses and workers across the Bay Area stare down the existential economic threat posed by the pandemic and the shelter-in-place order its prompted. Under Breeds directive, businesses that cant afford to pay rent because of lost revenue or other economic impacts tied to the coronavirus will not be evicted. The directive is expected to take effect Wednesday and will last for at least 30 days. The directive follows an executive order Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Monday that allows cities to ban local evictions for residential and commercial tenants. In San Francisco, businesses with gross receipts of less than $25 million would be eligible for the extra eviction protections. The steps we have taken to protect public health are absolutely necessary, but we know that they are having a huge impact on our workers and our businesses, Breed said in a statement. Now that the Governor has waived laws allowing us to prevent commercial evictions, we are taking action to make sure that our small businesses are not displaced as a result of the economic impact caused by coronavirus. Supervisor Dean Preston also plans to introduce legislation Tuesday that would ban commercial evictions for non-payment of rent. Breed and Prestons offices did not collaborate on their respective measures, which are nearly identical in their intent. Im glad to be stepping up to prevent businesses from being displaced during this state of emergency, Preston said in a statement. We must preserve our small businesses and make sure they are in a position to weather this storm. San Francisco has previously made $10 million available to support over 16,000 additional weeks of sick leave pay, providing coverage for up to 25,000 private-sector employees in the city. With residents ordered to shelter in place and businesses in all but a handful of sectors ordered to shutter, San Francisco, along with the rest of the region, is bracing for a major economic impact as a result of the coronavirus. San Francisco Controller Ben Rosenfield said the city alone could see tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue for the first quarter of the year alone. Business owners and employees were pitched headlong into a fog of uncertainty following Mondays shelter-in-place order. For many, relief will not come soon enough. As a result of the public health order I had to close my salon immediately and have no other source of income. I depend on my daily bookings to make the rent every month and at this point I would not be able to pay Aprils rent, said Dimitri Cornet, owner of Werk Salon in the Mission District, in a statement. A moratorium on evictions would allow me the time to recover bounce back and keep my business open. 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. Foot traffic has evaporated in front of Danel de Betelus French bakery and tea salon, Maison Danel, at 1030 Polk St. He opened it just weeks ago. Amid the citywide lockdown, hes had to cancel hundreds of reservations and has told his 12-person staff to stay home. Its nobodys fault, I understand the circumstances, obviously. But its a nightmare, de Betelu said. I want to be safe, but the city is shutting down and we just have no clue about whats going on. We know we have to shut down and not make money. Thats all we know. Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DominicFracassa The U.S. has seen a shortage of testing kits as the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, spreads. But the Air Force recently began transporting items used for testing -- including swabs and liquids -- via cargo planes from Europe to the U.S., at the request of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), according to top Pentagon officials. Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said that swabs used for testing were recently picked up in Italy and will be distributed to medical facilities across the U.S. "They're used to test patients, and then they go to a lab that has the right equipment to analyze the swabs and see if there's coronavirus on the swab or not," added Air Force Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Paul Friedrichs, the Joint Staff surgeon. "We're working with international partners to meet our full demand going forward on this, and this is a good news story of how countries work together." The swabs, known as nasopharyngeal swabs, are specialized for COVID-19 testing. Friedrichs said Italy and the U.S. are looking to increase the supply of the swabs, which can only be made with synthetic fiber and plastic shafts in order to successfully test for the virus. Related: Air Force Cancels Red Flag Alaska, But Moves Forward with Other Training "We've just made a pretty significant movement into Memphis, [Tennessee], last night or the day before," Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein said during an earlier briefing Tuesday. DefenseOne first reported that the service quietly moved 500,000 parts for COVID-19 testing from Italy to Memphis on Monday using a C-17 Globemaster III cargo plane, call-sign "Reach 911." A photo of the shipment was posted on Instagram by service members involved with the mission. A defense official separately confirmed to Military.com that the Air National Guard C-17, from the 164th Airlift Wing, flew in 13 pallets of supplies. "There are future missions planned, again flying from Aviano Air Base to Memphis, for further distribution across the country by FedEx," the defense official said. The shipments are a testament to the Air Force's "robust mobility portfolio," Goldfein said. "We're not limited because we can move a lot of test kits on a C-17 or a C-5. I don't see any limitation in terms of our ability to move the test kits and the things that HHS is asking for." "Global mobility ... has to continue," he added. That includes "Level 3 countries," which the Centers for Disease Control describes as those "with a widespread, ongoing transmission." Goldfein said measures in place that isolate the aircrews "mitigate the risks so we can continue to fly into [these countries]," adding that Level 2 countries -- those practicing enhanced precautions -- likely "will migrate to Level 3." As far as testing its own service members, Goldfein said the Air Force hasn't seen shortages. "We haven't had a significant demand signal yet for test kits," he said. The Air Force has implemented measures such as social distancing, single-point entry for those coming into medical clinics, taking temperatures of crew still flying global missions, and minimizing as much movement as possible within aircraft, according to Goldfein and Lt. Gen. Dorothy A. Hogg, the surgeon general of the Air Force. "But we are, like all the services and like the nation, looking at test kits overall in terms of what we may need to see in the future," Goldfein said. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Read more: More COVID-19 coverage Technavio has been monitoring the electric vehicle (EV) charging station market and it is poised to grow by USD 19.9 bn during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of almost 34% 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. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005749/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Market 2020-2024 (Photo: Business Wire). The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation 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. Growing adoption of BEVs and PHEVs has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. Request a free sample report Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Market 2020-2024: Segmentation Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Market is segmented as below: Type AC DC Geographic Segmentation APAC Europe MEA North America South America 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=IRTNTR40837 Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station 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 electric vehicle (EV) charging station market report covers the following areas: Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Market Size Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Market Trends Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Market Industry Analysis This study identifies deployment of smart grids for EVs as one of the prime reasons driving the electric vehicle (EV) charging station market growth during the next few years. Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the electric vehicle (EV) charging station market, including some of the vendors such as ABB Ltd., ChargePoint Inc., Efacec Power Solutions SGPS SA, ENGIE SA and EVgo Services LLC. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the electric vehicle (EV) charging station 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 Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024 Detailed information on factors that will assist electric vehicle (EV) charging station market growth during the next five years Estimation of the electric vehicle (EV) charging station market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the electric vehicle (EV) charging station market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of electric vehicle (EV) charging station market vendors Table of Content PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT 2.1 Preface 2.2 Currency conversion rates for US$ PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE Market ecosystem Market characteristics Value chain analysis Market segmentation analysis PART 04: MARKET SIZING Market definition Market sizing 2019 Market Outlook Market size and forecast 2019-2024 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 TYPE Market segmentation by type Comparison by type AC Market size and forecast 2019-2024 DC Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Market opportunity by type PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024 North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024 MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024 South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024 Key leading countries Market opportunity PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES Market drivers Market challenges PART 11: MARKET TRENDS Increasing number of launches in the field of EV charging solutions Vehicle-to-grid infrastructure for decentralized power generation Deployment of smart grids for EVs PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview Landscape disruption Competitive scenario PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors ABB Ltd. ChargePoint Inc. Efacec Power Solutions SGPS SA ENGIE SA EVgo Services LLC Leviton Manufacturing Co. Inc. Schneider Electric SE Siemens AG Tesla Inc. Webasto SE PART 14: APPENDIX Research methodology List of abbreviations Definition of market positioning of vendors 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/20200317005749/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ Publishing company Folio has announced that entries for its annual Folio: Eddie & Ozzie Awards are now open. The awards recognise excellence in content and design within the publishing industry.All types of content producers, including digital publications, magazines, regional titles, associations and brands are invited to submit their entries. The deadline for entries is 15 May, with a late entry closing date set for 29 May. The awards will take place in New York City on 29 October.Click here to view this year's categories and here to submit your entry. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 14:54:30|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TIANJIN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- "The duty of medics is to save patients, mine is to protect medics from infection." Doctor Lu Jia, in her colleagues' eyes, is a guardian for over 130 medical workers sent to Wuhan to aid the fight against the novel coronavirus epidemic in the hard-hit city. Lu, 35, is a doctor of the nosocomial infection management department at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital. She is also among the first batch of 138 medics dispatched from northern China's Tianjin Municipality to Wuhan on Jan. 26. "At the very beginning, I was very worried about her and even thought of taking her place in Wuhan," said Zheng Lei, Lu's husband and also a doctor in the hospital. "But I know her colleagues need her more." During Lu's 50-day work in a designated hospital to treat virus-infected patients in Wuhan, her task is to protect her fellow doctors and nurses from being infected with the virus and avoid cross-infection among patients. Every shift, she guides medics to put on protective gear correctly, sterilizes medical equipment and public facilities in inpatient wards, disinfects air with ultraviolet light, and helps deal with medical waste. Each day, Lu and her four colleagues supervise and guide medics to put on and take off protective suits more than 150 times and disinfect medical facilities six times on average. "We are like worried parents, repeatedly reminding medics to take thorough and correct protective measures," the doctor said. "We also tell medical personnel how to avoid infection caused by splashing and to deal with emergencies after exposure when performing invasive operations," said Lu. "We do our best to remove their fears." "Our primary task is to create a safe and clean working environment for doctors and nurses at high risk of infection," she said. "To save more patients, medics must protect themselves and not fall down." Due to the long-term exposure to the high concentration of chlorine-containing disinfectant, infection management doctors suffer from allergies and injuries of the respiratory tract, eye and nasal mucosa. "Every day, we were the first to put on the protective gear and the last to take it off because we need to make sure that all our colleagues leave the wards safely before we leave," Lu said. "We five have been working on shifts for over one month and it is hard indeed," said doctor Song Zhouyang, one member of the infection management team. "But our efforts were not in vain when infected patients recovered and none of our colleagues were infected." On Tuesday, the first batch of 3,675 medical staff belonging to 41 medical teams from across China, which have assisted 14 temporary hospitals and seven designated hospitals in Wuhan, started leaving Hubei Province as the epidemic has been subdued. Lu is among them. "On the first day I came to Wuhan, I was looking forward to returning to Tianjin safely," Lu recalled. "But when this day really came, I had very complicated feelings. I will never forget my experience in Wuhan." Lu and her colleagues will be quarantined for 14 days upon arrival before she can meet her six-year-old daughter, who has lost her first tooth and learned many new words after her mother's departure to Wuhan. "I will keep my promise. All of us will return home safe and sound," Lu smiled. Foreign tourists make medical declarations in Hoa Lu district, the northern province of Ninh Binh (Photo: VNA) The northern province of Thai Binh on March 16 decided to close five relic sites, including Dong Bang Temple, A Sao Temple, Keo Pagoda, Tran Temple and Tien La Temple. All are famous sites in the province which attract a large number of tourists. By 9:00 on March 16, Thai Binh had 62 people suspected of having the virus. They are under quarantine and in a stable condition, according to the provincial Department of Health. Meanwhile, Director of the Department of Tourism of the south central province of Binh Dinh Nguyen Van Dung said on March 16 evening that the provincial Peoples Committee had sent an urgent letter to organisations in the province, calling on them to stop admitting tourists to major attractions. The suspension started on March 17 until the province receives new orders. Binh Dinh has so far recorded no COVID-19 patients. The southern province of Kien Giang stopped receiving international tourists and domestic tourists from areas with the pandemic from 7am on March 17. Restaurants and shops must implement preventive measures. The province has one COVID-19 patient, who was the 54th patient in Vietnam. The Latvian patient came to Phu Quoc Island and is now under treatment at the HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases. All people in contact with the patients have been quarantined. DPRK artillery force conducts a fire competition By Du Chaoping The DPRKs top leader Kim Jong-un personally oversaw an artillery fire competition on March 12. This was a new round of massive combat readiness exercise held by the DPRK artillery force after launching unidentified projectiles on March 2 and 9. Rounds of training exercises were organized in two weeks The Korean Central News Agency reported that the artillery fire competition on March 12 was held between artillery units under the 7th corps and the 9th corps of the DPRK Peoples Army, being the third exercise guided by DPRK leader Kim Jong-un in March. Mr. Kim had inspected the Peoples Armys long-range artillery force on March 2, during which two unidentified projectiles were fired to the eastern sea areas of the peninsula. On March 9, he guided another launch of three unidentified projectiles from the Sondok area in South Hamgyong province to the eastern waters, saying he was greatly satisfied. Fire competition demonstrates DPRK artillery forces war-preparedness Compared with the launch of unidentified projectiles that are believed to be ultra-large rocket artilleries on March 2 and 9, the competition on March 12 saw the DPRK Peoples Army use old-style artilleries and rocket guns that had been commissioned for many years. Such an arrangement had a significant meaning, that is, to demonstrate that both the new rocket units and the old artillery units have high-level war-preparedness and strong combat capability. Documents released by the ROK Ministry of National Defense shows that the three corps/brigade-level units of the DPRK Peoples Army are the Reserve Military Training Unit (RMTU), the Worker-Peasant Militia (WPRG) and the Young Red Guards (RYG). The RMTU is fully staffed, armed with new equipment and deployed near the 38th Parallel, and the RYG is mechanized and deployed in places like Pyongyang. The participating 7th corps and 9th corps in the artillery fire competition are equipped with old-style artilleries and understaffed, but have maintained a good state of war-preparedness. The DPRK issued a stern warning at the beginning of this year regarding the current situation on the Korean peninsula and the DPRK-US tension, but hasnt taken any confrontational military move yet. The aforementioned artillery exercises for war-preparedness and the earlier launch of unidentified projectiles are just a continuation of its short-range weapon test program with nothing unusual. The continuous test firings and fire competitions of the DPRK artillery force can fully display its combat readiness and resolve and capability to safeguard national security. Mr. Kim vowed to strengthen the artillery force of the People's Army into the world's strongest arms of service. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-19 06:26:08|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close CAIRO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian Health Ministry confirmed on Wednesday 14 new cases of COVID-19, raising the total number in the country since mid-February to 210. "The 14 new cases that tested positive for the virus include two foreigners and 12 Egyptians," said the ministry's spokesman Khaled Megahed in a statement, noting the cases all had contact with previously confirmed COVID-19 cases. On the other hand, two cases recovered and were discharged from the quarantine hospital on Wednesday, raising the number of cured cases to 28, according to the health ministry's spokesman. Egypt has so far recorded six deaths of the pandemic, including three Egyptians and three foreigners all aged between 50 and 78. Meanwhile, the most populous Arab country has recently been taking strict precautionary measures to control the spread of the virus. The measures include shutting down schools, universities and all classes temporarily, suspending flights, reducing employees, prohibiting smoking hookah or shisha at coffee shops and sterilizing means of transport, government departments, hotels and tourist attractions. The country also halted on Tuesday exporting face masks and all types of alcohol and alcoholic disinfectants "to meet the needs of Egyptian citizens for the protection of the spread of coronavirus," according to a statement from the Trade and Industry Ministry. On Wednesday, Egypt started sterilizing hotels and places frequented by foreign tourists in the Red Sea resort city of Hurghada as the first stage of sterilizing all hotels and resorts across the country. "The sterilization process is carried out by efficient and trained teams according to international standards," said Maged Fawzi, head of Egypt Hotels Association, pointing out that the used sterilization material is approved by the Health Ministry. Fawzi added in a statement that the sterilization campaign will start next week at hotels in Upper Egypt's monument-rich province of Luxor as the second phase, noting that his association will also provide programs to raise the awareness of hotel employees on how to safeguard themselves against the virus. Earlier on Wednesday, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly held a meeting with Health Minister Hala Zayed to follow up the latest efforts to combat COVID-19. Zayed explained that all tourism staff and workers dealing with foreigners in Luxor, Aswan and South Sinai provinces will have to go through a 14-day quarantine after the complete departure of tourists, the cabinet said in a statement. For his part, South Sinai Governor dismissed claims of the lockdown of the famous Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh over COVID-19 concerns. The White House and Congress are scrambling to hash out the details of a massive stimulus package to help a U.S. economy increasingly damaged by the coronavirus pandemic. There had been hope on Capitol Hill that Congress could pass a deal this week, as President Donald Trump seeks a measure with over $1 trillion in spending. Late Wednesday afternoon, the Senate passed another relief bill, which has been approved by the House. Two Democratic aides, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of negotiations, cautioned it may be difficult to get through both relief packages in a single week. A White House representative didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. A first bill, signed by Trump earlier this month, focused on funding for vaccines, as well as for states and individuals battling the pandemic. The much broader third relief bill, the details of which remain in flux, could exceed $1 trillion. It may include direct payments to individuals, small-business lending, payroll tax cuts, and credit facilities for larger businesses and commercial paper facilities. Some of the credit facilities for larger businesses will go to industries the government is looking to aid, a person familiar with the situation told CNBC. Several companies and industries are seeking relief. They include the U.S. travel and tourism industry, which is seeking $150 billion in aid, the U.S. airline industry which is seeking government aid of more than $50 billion, and Boeing and is seeking $60 billion for itself and the aerospace supply chain. The administration has made clear it is intent on helping those industries in particular that have been pummeled by travel restrictions. Trump said in a news conference Tuesday that the challenges facing the industry are not its fault. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have supported offering relief to certain industries, particularly airlines, which have drastically cut back capacity as the coronavirus and resulting travel restrictions spread. Defenders of industrywide bailouts think collapses would hurt workers as well as executives. Airlines, in particular, are viewed as essential to the U.S economy, supporting 750,000 jobs and local hubs throughout the country. "Central banks need to work with major financial institutions to target cheap credit to vulnerable businesses airlines, hotels, manufacturers paralyzed by broken supply chains and the like," wrote Damon Silvers director of policy and special counsel for the AFL-CIO. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has told GOP senators that unemployment could reach 20% if Congress doesn't enact the administration's proposed stimulus package. A number of Democrats, however, have said they will not support any bailout of an industry that doesn't come with sacrifice from companies. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts on Tuesday outlined her own set of stipulations for any big business that receives federal bailout money. They include permanently giving up stock buybacks and adding at least one seat to the board representing workers. There have also been continued disputes between the two parties over paid leave for workers. Democrats have pushed hard to offer all U.S. workers the ability to stay home during the pandemic without fear of losing a paycheck. Republicans, though, have argued that certain small businesses may not be able to afford that service, while cash flow freezes up. In the second relief bill, currently with the Senate, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., made concessions after pressure from lobbyists and Republicans. In that bill, employees will be entitled to two weeks of sick leave, including those whose children's schools have closed, those who are in quarantine or are taking care of family members. But, for the next 10 weeks, the benefit will only extend to workers who are caring for a child whose school or daycare has shut. Democrats also conceded to allowing the government the authority to exempt health-care and emergency medical service workers from paid time off, should there be significant shortages of health-care workers. Pelosi, though, did secure as part of the deal a tax credit for small- and medium-size employers offering leave and insurance. Leaders of both parties have implied that they intend to resume that fight in the debate over the third bill. "It seems increasingly clear that the House's effort to mandate that small businesses provide new worker benefits, just [as] many small businesses themselves are in major jeopardy of their own, might even be actively harmful unless we urgently address a broader package that includes more and broader small business relief," McConnell said Tuesday. Pelosi, meantime, said Tuesday that "during negotiations, the Democratic House will continue to make clear to the administration that any emergency response package must put families first before any aid to corporate America is considered." Among the issues Pelosi said she would push for are refundable tax credits for self-employed workers or those in the gig economy. She also said the party will "ensure that any action taken by the Administration balances the workforce needs on the frontlines of the coronavirus crisis while ensuring that first responders and health care workers have access to the paid leave that they need." US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday (local time) hit out at China for the "disinformation campaign", which he said is "designed to shift responsibility" over coronavirus. "The disinformation campaign that they are waging is designed to shift responsibility. Now is not the time for recrimination. Now is the time to solve this global pandemic and work to take down risks to Americans and people all across the world," Pompeo said during a press conference here. The US Secretary of State said it took an "awfully long" time to become aware of this risk that was "residing inside of China". "There will come a day when we will go evaluate how the entire responded. We know this much: We know that the first government to be aware of the Wuhan virus was the Chinese government. That imposes a special responsibility to raise the flag, to say, 'We have a problem, this is different and unique and presents risk'. And it took an awfully long time for the to become aware of this risk that was sitting there, residing inside of China," he said. He also slammed the Iranian regime's "misinformation" campaign regarding the origin of the virus. "I also want to call attention to the Iranian regime's misinformation campaign surrounding the origination of the Wuhan virus. 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," said Pompeo. "The Iranian leadership is trying to avoid responsibility for their grossly incompetent and deadly governance. Sadly, the Iranian people have been suffering these kinds of lies for 41 years. They know the truth: The Wuhan virus is a killer and the Iranian regime is an accomplice," the US Secretary of State said. Pompeo also stressed that US remains committed to ISIS's "enduring defeat no matter who they designate as their leader". "Today the Department of State is announcing our intent to designate Amir Muhammad Sa'id Abdal-Rahman al-Mawla a specially designated global terrorist. He was previously active in al-Qaida in Iraq and is known for torturing innocent Yezidi religious minorities. He was named the leader of ISIS after we killed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi last year. We've destroyed the caliphate and we remain committed to ISIS's enduring defeat no matter who they designate as their leader," announced Pompeo. Further, he said, the Department of State is also sanctioning nine entities based in South Africa, Hong Kong and China, as well as three Iranian individuals, all for "knowingly engaging in significant transactions for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transport or marketing of petrochemical products from Iran, the world's largest leading state sponsor of terror". "This action includes the designation of Iran's armed forces social security investment company and its director for using their resources to invest in sanctioned entities," he said. Speaking about Syria, Pompeo said that US has designated "Assad regime's minister of defence", Lieutenant General Ali Abdullah Ayoub, "for perpetuating the violence and the disastrous humanitarian crisis inside of Syria". Speaking about China revoking press credentials of American journalists with three US newspapers, Pompeo said: "First, in their statement they suggested somehow that the actions that we had taken here in America prompted this. This isn't apples to apples. You all know the press freedoms you have." "The individuals that we identified a few weeks back were not media that were acting here freely. They were part of the Chinese propaganda outlets. We'd identified these as foreign missions under American law. These aren't apples to apples in any respect. "And I regret China's decision today to further foreclose the world's ability to conduct free press operations, which, frankly 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. This is unfortunate. We just saw it. I hope they'll reconsider," he said. He also informed that some employees of the state department have tested positive for coronavirus. "We've had a couple of employees - count them on one hand - who have positive tests. We've handled those exactly the way we're asking every American to respond to those wherever they find themselves in the world," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) READING, Pa. - To put it simply, it's been a confusing time for a lot of us. There are many questions, and few answers, in this coronavirus pandemic. The Berks County Department of Emergency Services is taking a big step to help. "What do I do about unemployment benefits? Where do I go and get tested?" Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach said, giving examples of questions people may have. The department last week announced that help and resources are available on its website, but county officials said they wanted to dig deeper by launching a phone helpline, which will open Thursday morning. "We felt there was a need to provide live responses," said Leinbach. Starting Thursday, Berks County residents can connect with the help center in one of two ways, either by calling 610-320-6150 or by emailing COVID@CountyofBerks.com. Staff will be on hand to answer phones and respond to emails seven days a week, from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. Anyone experiencing a medical emergency should call 911; social service questions or needs should be addressed by calling 211. "We're sending them to the correct website, giving them a phone number to the correct office, giving them an email to the correct office or people who can get them the answers they're looking for," said Leinbach. Leinbach's announcement comes the day as Pennsylvania health officials reported the first positive case of coronavirus in Berks County. Leinbach said he can't share any more information about the case because of privacy issues. School exams will not go ahead in Wales this summer This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Mar 18th, 2020 Education Minister Kirsty Williams has confirmed that school exams in Wales will not go ahead this summer due to the coronavirus pandemic. The news follows an earlier announcement that all schools across the UK are to close this week. It is not known when they will reopen. Those students due to sit their GCSEs and A levels this summer will be awarded a fair grade to recognise their work. In a statement the Education Minister said: We are in an unprecedented period, one that is changing hour-by-hour, and governments around the world are having to make quick decisions. We recognise the worry and anxiety that the uncertainty around the summer exam series was causing. Today I met with Qualifications Wales and WJEC to consider options that are in the best interests of our learners. We recognise that there are no easy choices but we have agreed that the best way forward is not to proceed with summer exam series. Learners due to sit their GCSEs and A levels this summer will be awarded a fair grade to recognise their work, drawing on the range of information that is available. We will be working with the sector to announce further details shortly but wanted to give this early certainty. We also wont be using the results to publish performance measure outcomes in 2020. Shadow Education Minister Suzy Davies said: In light of the earlier announcement about the closure of schools from Friday, this was inevitable. My concern is, as ever, for the students who would have been sitting exams, and it will be absolutely essential that the outcome of discussions about the possible effect on university entry requirements will become clear. I raised the question in the Assembly today in view of the anxiety expressed by pupils and teachers across Wales. We will now need to be assured as to the detail of how grades will be decided. For example, those who were hoping to raise their overall score by excelling in practical assessments which are no longer taking place, will want to know that those skills are recognised in their final grade. Schools shut for some considerable time. Kirsty Williams doesnt expect schools to reopen after the Easter break and that they could remain shut for some considerable time. She said: I want schools and our children to get back to normal as quickly as possible but I have to be clear with parents today. I am not anticipating that we will be able to get schools back to normal at the end of the Easter break, so children will be off now for four weeks. Because of what we know about the virus. I do not anticipate that schools will be back to normal for a considerable period of time. Schools will now have a vital role to play in providing care for the children of key public sector workers, such as NHS staff, and vulnerable children reliant on free school meals. Kirsty Williams said: From next week, schools will have a new purpose, they will help support those most in need, including people involved in the immediate response to the coronavirus outbreak. I am working with my colleagues in the Cabinet, with government officials and our partners in local government to develop and finalise these plans. The key areas we are looking at are supporting and safeguarding the vulnerable and ensuring continuity of learning. We are looking in detail at how we can support and safeguard all those who benefit from free school meals and children with additional learning needs. I will make sure you are kept up-to-date. Other childcare settings are expected to remain open until until definitive advice from the Chief Medical Officer and from Public Health Wales that any closures are required. Parents can, and should, speak with their usual childcare providers if they need care over the Easter holidays. Kirsty Williams said. I have discussed my intentions with the Leader of the Welsh Local Government Association, Andrew Morgan, who reflects the views of local authorities. Some school staff will likely have an important role to play in this. She added. Welsh Government is working with key stakeholders to look at what this will look like for both education and childcare settings, including Flying Start. This position will of course evolve over the coming days and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. The minister said. One of the critical decisions the government will seek to clarify with urgency is that of the forthcoming examinations. I am also working with Qualifications Wales and the WJEC about this years exam series. In line with all education ministers across the UK, I will be making a further announcement shortly. Kirsty Williams said. From the outset, the decisions being taken have been focused on public health advice, and it is right that these science-based recommendations are front and centre of the decisions being made. The announcement I am making today will help ensure an orderly closure for schools so that they have the time to prepare. However, I am conscious that the SAGE Committee and COBR meet this afternoon, and I will of course be listening closely to see if advice changes and any further urgent decisions about school closures are needed. She added. Plaid Cymru Shadow Minister for Education Sian Gwenllian AM said: The announcement that schools will now close for statutory provision is to be welcomed but we urgently need further clarity and clear guidelines from the Education Minister on the short term role of our schools going forward. Its also time to scrap, postpone or adapt GCSE and A Level exams with the aim of holding them later on in the autumn or coming to other arrangements, to ease the burden and pressure on schools who are already struggling to stay open due to the Coronavirus pandemic. A whole range of options could be looked at including using predicted grades as a basis for University entrance or adapting GCSE courses. Students should also be adequately supported with consideration giving to their mental health well-being in light of the changes to examinations. Teachers and key school staff need to know how grateful we are for the crucial work they are doing as they operate on the frontline of the fight against Coronavirus by caring for our children. Theres been an unacceptable lack of leadership from Welsh Government when it comes to providing clear guidance to our schools and teachers to date. We welcome the preparedness now to lead and not follow. 2020-03-18 22:30:25 Turkish police officers at the Greek-Turkish borders, couldnt hide their annoyance for the presence of EU police officers in Evros, alongside the Greek border police keeping Greek borders closed to the hordes of illegal immigrants attempting to cross at the Adrianople area opposite of Kastanies. The Austrian police commandos of the Cobra Force, who are patrolling the Greek borders in Evros, found themselves face-to-face with Turkish police officers on the other side of the fence. Some of the thirteen elite members of the Austrian Cobra Force, which has been in Greece since last week, were asked on Tuesday by Turks who were right across them: What are you doing? This it is not your country. According exclusive information, the Austrian police commandos responded: Here it is our country and we defend the European borders. (Austrian member of the elite Police Special Operations Cobra Force with a Hellenic Police Special Anti-Terrorist Unit -EKAM- patch on his sleeve) The dialogue revealed between Turkish police and Austrian commandos took place in Evros, just hours before hundreds of illegal immigrants in Kastanies attempted to storm in Greece and Europe under the protection of the Turkish police officers who fired once again teargas grenades to the Greek side for several hours. anatakti 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. Palestinian political analysts and observers say they believe Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is taking advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic and panic around the world to achieve several goals. Most notably, implementing more steps in the notorious plan issued by US President Donald Trump to end the Arab and Palestinian-Israeli conflict. They point to accelerated steps by Netanyahu and other Israeli officials and settlers for the Judaicisation of Jerusalem and building thousands of residential settlement units around Jerusalem. They say Netanyahu has given orders to build settlements everywhere in the West Bank, and has confiscated more land to build more settlements. Meanwhile, settlers are trying to grab more land from Palestinian citizens to bury the idea of a two-state solution. Analysts believe Netanyahu wants to prolong his days in power, especially after elections in Israel on 2 March did not give him a majority to form a government despite full support from the radical right in Israel. On 12 March he called for forming an emergency government made up of Zionist parties and excluding the Joint Arab List because it represents internal Palestinians. This is yet another example of his blatant racism. Netanyahu believes forming an emergency government due to the Covid-19 outbreak will allow him to stay in power until the end of the pandemic, which means postponing his trial on corruption charges which could land him in jail. Analysts add that, accordingly, Palestinians should focus on highlighting to the world Israeli violations, to prevent Netanyahu from achieving his goal of annexation, expansion and Judaicisation. Anas Abu Oreish, a Palestinian expert on Israeli affairs, said that despite holding general elections for the third time in less than one year, and the victory of the right-wing led by Netanyahu and his Likud Party, this did not give him or his radical right camp outright control over forming a government. Neither his rival, Benny Gantz, leader of the Kahol Lavan (Blue and White) Party and his centre-left camp. Neither side won the required 61 seats in the 120-seat Knesset where a majority is half plus one. Abu Oreish said that election results in the Zionist state make the official Palestinian position more difficult with limited choices, and for several years to come. He added that all phases of the conflict were complicated, but the Palestinian people did not once surrender. In fact, they became more creative in their tools and methods of resistance and struggle. He added that Palestinian resistance is one of the main reasons why Israeli elections for the third time showed deep rifts within the Zionist entity. Neither Netanyahu nor Gantz can form a government, and this crisis will not end with the victory of one party over another. Even if Israel annexes the Jordan Valley region and other territories, the Palestinian resistance will continue until the land and people are liberated. Ahmed Hazem, another Palestinian analyst, believes the election results confirmed that Israels so-called left has vanished and can longer participate in forming Israeli policy like it once did. He continued that history and events have proven there is little difference between the policies of the right and left in Israel, since both adopt the same line with regards to Zionism and the Palestinians. Overall, there is no difference between the black serpent and the yellow serpent, he said. They are both poisonous. Hazem continued that all over the world, left-wing parties adopt opposite policies and practices to right-wing parties not only on domestic affairs, but on all fronts. However, in Israel it is entirely different because the quarrel between the right and left is only over power. In general, they agree on the Palestinian issue. Experience has taught us this, as power rotated between the two sides, he said. According to Saeed Zaidan, another Palestinian expert, the options of forming a government are either an alternating national unity government or a narrow cabinet led by Netanyahu (to include renegade Knesset members from other parties), or a narrow government led by Gantz with outside support from the Joint Arab List. Zaidan believes that all options are possible, but the duration of either narrow government would be short. In all cases, the shadow of a fourth election is still present on the political scene in Israel, he asserted. He continued that the outcome of the 2 March elections did not change the political party line-up, as in previous elections in September 2019 and April 2019. Therefore, a fourth election is a possibility unless there is a magic formula of forming an alternating national unity government. The unprecedented success of the Joint Arab List thrust it onto the parliamentary and political scene, especially in light of the collapse of the Zionist left. Zaidan pointed to two major fissures in Israeli politics: one between Jews and Palestinians, and the other between conservative Zionists (religious and nationalist) and liberal Zionists (right, centre and left). These two divisions are exactly what is obstructing and complicating the formation of a coalition government. It is also due to Netanyahus person and the charges of bribery, corruption and breach of trust levelled against him. Zaidan warned that forming a national unity or narrow government led by Netanyahu will accelerate the annexation of settlements, while a narrow government led by Gantz supported from the outside by the Joint Arab List would not dare to take such a step unilaterally. Hani Habib, a political analyst, believes that after three rounds of elections in one year to stay in power, Netanyahu today appears as the countrys saviour in the Coronavirus crisis. He is calling to face this crisis by forming an emergency government in partnership with Kahol Lavan and other parties, without wasting any more time. It is as if he is sacrificing to save Israel from the pandemic, and he is the only one who can lead a government that can save the country. When calling for this government, Netanyahu did not forget to reiterate his racism against Arab Israelis by saying: Supporters of terrorism in the joint list have no place in this government. Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, Netanyahus trial, scheduled for 17 March, was put off because the government is trying to shut down courts. Thus, the Coronavirus outbreak could be the reason of Netanyahu remaining in power. On Sunday, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin met with Netanyahu and Gantz after talks with other parties. Sources close to the meeting said Netanyahu and Gantz did not discuss an alternating government. Rivlin invited Gantz to form the new government after the latter won the support of 61 Knesset members, including the Joint Arab List and Yisrael Beiteinu Party. *A version of this article appears in print in the 19 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 19:43:44|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close TOKYO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The benchmark Nikkei stock index reversed earlier gains to close lower Wednesday on continued concerns over the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and jitters over a new stimulus package announced by the United States. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average fell 284.98 points, or 1.68 percent, from Tuesday to close the day at 16,726.55, marking its lowest closing level since Nov. 9, 2016. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, added 2.38 points, or 0.19 percent, to finish at 1,270.84. Trading got off to a bright start, local brokers said, as the market inherited a positive lead from Wall Street overnight. Tokyo stocks followed their U.S. counterparts higher in early trade, as the market mood was initially bolstered by a planned 1-trillion-U.S. dollar stimulus package announced by the U.S. government aimed at cushioning the adverse economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, they added. The Bank of Japan increased its exchange-traded fund (ETF) purchases as part of its new monetary easing policy aimed at underpinning financial markets amid coronavirus-triggered volatility. It also encouraged some investors to snap up issues deemed oversold following recent routs, market analysts said. In an emergency meeting convened Monday, the BOJ decided to expand its asset purchase program through the increased accumulation of exchange-traded fund securities and corporate bonds. The central bank announced that its ETF purchases will be doubled from the current 6 trillion yen to an annual pace of 12 trillion yen (111.86 billion U.S. dollars). But investor consternation in later trade saw earlier gains pared on concerns over the U.S. stimulus plan coming to fruition, analysts here said. "U.S. stock futures sagged on speculation the administration of President Donald Trump may not be able to advance discussions smoothly on its proposed 1-trillion-U.S. dollar stimulus plan with Democrats," Shingo Ide, chief equity strategist at the NLI Research Institute, was quoted as saying. "Despite Wall Street's rebound, we see no clear sign of an upturn in the situation amid the fear-driven markets," Ide added. In addition, market players said, the safe-haven yen's advance against the U.S. dollar did little to reignite buying sentiment, as a strong yen tends to weigh on the key export sector which cheers a weaker yen against its counterparts, with the opposite adversely affecting the broader market. Along with some exporters and cyclical issues losing ground, oil-related issues took a hit amid declining crude oil prices, with exploration giant Inpex sinking 4.7 percent, while JGC slumped 9.1 percent by the close. Fujifilm Holdings marked a bright spot on the market, however, surging 15.4 percent, after its Avigan influenza drug following clinical trials was found to be effective in reducing the recovery time of coronavirus patients as well as reducing the symptoms of pneumonia. By the close of play, mining, real estate and warehousing and harbor transportation issues comprised those that declined the most, and issues that fell outpaced those that rose by 1,298 to 835 on the First Section, while 33 ended the day unchanged. On the main on Wednesday, 2.718 billion shares changed hands, dropping from Tuesday's volume of 3.065 billion shares. The turnover on the third trading day of the week came to 4,110.6 billion yen (38.38 billion U.S. dollars). South Africa: President calls on citizens to refrain from panic buying President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on citizens to refrain from stockpiling on groceries as government intensifies its efforts to contain the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The President said this when he met with leaders of all political parties at Tuynhuys, in Cape Town, on Wednesday, to discuss the response to the virus, which he declared a national disaster on Sunday. He said this as shelves in major retailers ran low on several items, including toilet paper and sanitisers. We call on all citizens to refrain from making excessive purchases. It is important to understand that the supply of goods remains continuous, supply chains remain intact, and there is no need for stockpiling of any items, he said. The message was echoed by leaders of opposition parties, including DA leader John Steenhuisen. Steenhuisen also called on the private sector to get involved in efforts to tackle the virus and added that their role was critical as the virus had the potential to negatively impact the economy. The second appeal I would like to make is to our fellow citizens out there to stop the panic buying. It is not necessary. We can beat this virus and we can get through this but it is going to require all of us to be calm, but deliberative in our approach, he said. Calls for big business not to use state of disaster for profit The President, meanwhile, called on citizens to improve their personal hygiene in order to contain the virus from spreading as the Department of Health announced that 31 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 116. An effective response also requires heightened levels of personal responsibility on the part of citizens. This includes personal infection control measures such as regular hand washing, avoiding public gatherings and maintaining a distance from other people. Personal responsibility also means that we should avoid behaviour such as unnecessary physical contact or excessive alcohol use that increases the chances of infection. We should be alert to disinformation, rumour and fake news and ensure that we do not disseminate it, he said. EFF leader Julius Malema called on big businesses to refrain from using the state of national disaster to make profits. We call upon all business people dealing with gloves, sanitizers, masks not to try and maximise profits out of this crisis. We also call upon the private hospitals that the only way to avoid the nationalisation of those private hospitals is by fully cooperating with the Minister of Health when he needs beds for our sick people. It is not time to make profit, he said. ACDP calls on churches not to pray in mass gatherings On Sunday, the President announced that one of the directives to contain the virus was to avoid mass transmissions and gatherings of people in groups of more than 100 people is prohibited. ACDP leader Reverend Kenneth Meshoe reiterated the call. And maybe lastly I must make an appeal to churches that we need to cooperate with government. What the President said on Sunday makes sense and in order to contain this virus, we need to cooperate and I also want to appeal to churches to pray for a solution. When churches pray, then God is able to intervene, he said. Political parties agree to work together to contain COVID-19 The President said, meanwhile, that Parliaments political parties are standing together, across party political divides, to fight this disease together. Regardless of our political differences, all leaders share a common desire to keep our people safe, to mitigate the impact on our economy, and ensure that the inevitable disruption to lives and livelihoods is reduced, he said. He said that following their meeting, which lasted for almost two hours, parties had agreed on a number of principles: - The severity of the COVID-19 threat requires an exceptional response that draws on all the resources and capabilities of our nation; that this response needs to be immediate and that it needs to be sustained. Parties therefore support the measures that government has announced; - The overwhelming concern of all parties must be for the health and the well-being of all South Africans, particularly the poor, the elderly and the vulnerable. The actions and the decisions taken must be informed by this imperative; - While COVID-19 poses a great threat to the nation, there is much that can be done as a country and as individual citizens, to slow the spread of the disease, to save lives and improve health outcomes, and to bring the epidemic to an end; - An effective popular campaign against this disease depends on the provision of regular and accurate information to the public; and access for all to screening, testing and treatment. It demands on transparency and accountability from the responsible authorities. The President also said that party leaders called for: - Water to be provided to destitute communities; - A greater focus on prevention in the public transport system; - Consideration of various measures to support businesses, such as a UIF contribution holiday and accelerated processing of VAT refunds; - A particular focus on food security, particularly for the poor; - A proposal for the departments of Health and Defence to establish centres for testing, water distribution and services, especially in rural areas. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-03-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Technavio has been monitoring the freekeh market and it is poised to grow by USD 239 mn during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of 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 of 2020-2024 This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005768/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Freekeh Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire). The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation 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. Health-promoting benefits of freekeh has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. Freekeh Market 2019-2023: Segmentation Freekeh Market is segmented as below: Product Wholegrain Cracked Freekeh 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=IRTNTR30028 Freekeh 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 freekeh market report covers the following areas: Freekeh Market Size Freekeh Market Trends Freekeh Market Industry Analysis This study identifies growing demand for ethnic cuisines worldwide as one of the prime reasons driving the freekeh market growth during the next few years. Freekeh Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the freekeh market, including some of the vendors such as Artisan Grains, Freekehlicious, Freekeh Foods and Greenwheat Freekeh. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the freekeh 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 Freekeh Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023 Detailed information on factors that will assist freekeh market growth during the next five years Estimation of the freekeh market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the freekeh market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of freekeh 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 Global wholegrain freekeh market Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Global cracked freekeh market Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by product PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison Freekeh market in EMEA Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Freekeh market in APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Freekeh market in Americas Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Key leading countries Freekeh market in Syria Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Freekeh market in Egypt Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Freekeh market in Algeria Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Freekeh market in Turkey Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES Market drivers Market challenges PART 11: MARKET TRENDS Growing demand of the ethnic cuisines worldwide Increasing influence of e-commerce and online retailing Significant increase in durum wheat production worldwide PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview Landscape disruption Competitive scenario PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Artisan Grains Freekehlicious Freekeh Foods Greenwheat Freekeh 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/20200317005768/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ Like so many small business owners in Connecticut, Debbie Malewicki saw her customer base evaporate virtually overnight, as the college students who get advanced tutoring from her Integrity 1st Learning Support Solutions headed home after the cancellation of classes. Malewicki, who started Integrity 1st Learning Support only a year ago,finds herself sharing the predicament of a smaller percentage of startups that have yet to build a large enough base of assets to sustain them through the mass closures triggered by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. On Tuesday, Gov. Ned Lamont laid out some of the states early plans to assist workers and employers in the coming weeks as people stay home to limit the spread of COVID-19. Employers received a major boost on Monday with the Small Business Administrations lightning approval of Connecticuts application for economic disaster assistance, allowing businesses to apply for low-interest loans of up to $2 million and stretch repayment terms as far out as 30 years. Having started up a campus cable TV and broadband company before becoming governor, Lamont said he has a good handle on what is top of mind for many business owners and entrepreneurs at present. Look, I come out of small business and I know whats going on with small business and folks are terrified, Lamont said Tuesday afternoon in Hartford. Youve got a lot of employees who count on you every day. ... Youre paying electric bills, youre paying rent, youre paying (down) debt, youre paying health insurance. You have these fixed costs, and all of a sudden your revenues disappear. Not permanent doesnt pay the bills Malewicki finds herself in such a circumstance, providing tutoring and testing services for students at the University of New Haven, Southern Connecticut State University, the University of Bridgeport and other area schools. Offering hands-on advance tutoring for students in challenging classes from those who already have advanced degrees, Malewicki said Integrity 1st Learning Support was enjoying a surge in revenue the past few months as word-of-mouth about its services made the Connecticut rounds. She is now scrambling to get a teleconferencing option up and running to resume services for students who need the help as they work remotely on dissertations or preparefor major exams. The first half of last week, we basically lost our entire tutoring clientele, said Malewicki, who lives in Monroe. Not that its permanent, but not permanent doesnt pay the bills in the short term. ... Like many small businesses, we have questions about whether we are still going to be here when the schools reopen, so obviously there are things we need to do (and) adjustments we need to make in order to keep up with whats happening. The state Department of Economic and Community Development is working with the Connecticut Business & Industry Association to poll companies statewide to get a better understanding of their immediate and longer-term needs. DECD has focused its early efforts on supporting companies that already receive varying forms of assistance from DECD, to include deferring repayment of any loans due. If you have funds from the state of Connecticut and youre experiencing financial hardship, you should be talking to DECD or your lender, said David Lehman, DECD commissioner, speaking Tuesday alongside Lamont. The Department of Banking put out guidance to Connecticuts state banks and this has come from the (Federal Reserve) as well for federally regulated banks to work with (their) clients in these very extraordinary times, to make sure that banks are making prudent decisions, recognizing the sharp fall-off in revenue that many of these businesses have had. Saving small business jobs Lehman promised a general expansion of assistance to any businesses that seek it, and suggested some form of rent relief could be in the offing without providing specifics. The Connecticut Judicial Branch has issued a stay on any evictions through March 27, but with landlords unlikely to land replacement tenants any time soon given the income crisis facing many individuals and businesses, few have anything to gain by pursuing an eviction in the immediate weeks to come. As an emergency stopgap in advance of any larger stimulus package, the U.S. Treasury is readying to mail $500 billion to citizens at unspecified income thresholds to help them with daily living expenses. Lamont noted some of the federal response will spill over into Connecticut policy, significantly to include a delay to July 15 in filing IRS taxes. For those who owe, this will amount to an interest-free loan for that window of time the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday some $300 billion will stay on Main Street for now that otherwise would have been paid to cover tax balances due. The state Department of Revenue Services will continue its regular income tax collections through the mechanism of paycheck withholding. The state Department of Labor is expanding its criteria for unemployment compensation to include not just regular employees but independent contractors as well, closing a significant hole in the social safety net, and eliminating the time window that the jobless have to seek work prior to qualifying for unemployment benefits. Congress is expected to authorize paid sick leave for those who believe they may have contracted the virus or otherwise need to stay home to care for a family member. Connecticut is offering open enrollment for anyone to obtain health insurance through the Access Health CT program which offers coverage through ConnectiCare and Anthem. Enrollment is usually only allowed at this time of year for people with changes in life circumstances such as marital status or a new job. And Lamont expects an infusion of federal aid to bolster the states Husky Medicaid plan for those who cannot afford or otherwise obtain insurance. Lamont was quick to say Tuesday that his administration is planning, in consultation with leaders in the General Assembly, to fill any immediate gaps in federal assistance that could help large numbers of state residents and the businesses that employ them. With support from the state, (well) make sure that those families know that on the back side of this, theyre still going to have a job in a small business, Lamont said. Includes reporting by Dan Haar. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. Cafe Canole in New Hartford usually invites people to celebrate St. Josephs Day at the restaurant on March 19, but with the new state restrictions, the owners will offer meals in a different way. The meals are free and are available through delivery or curbside pickup at the restaurant. The staff was preparing Wednesday, putting the meals together. The last two years we did it here -- and also at the Yahnundasis -- and that was the plan this year. With everybody going through their troubles, we stillwanted to keep the tradition and we're going to help you bring it to your living room and enjoy it, said Dean Nole, co-owner of Cafe Canole. The menu will feature Italian favorites and desserts. We're just trying to keep up with tradition and make light of a situation -- and trying to make people smile at home, said Jason Nole, the other owner of Cafe Canole. Carusos Pastry Shop is also offering curbside pickup for St. Josephs Day. A prisoner at Rikers Island correctional facility has reportedly tested positive for coronavirus. The inmate is said to be the first in New York city custody to have contracted the disease, The Daily News reports. Union officials announced Wednesday that an unidentified New York City correction officer who works at Rikers Island has also been struck down with the virus. This makes them the second Department of Correction employee to test positive for the virus, after an investigator died from the disease on Monday. It comes as notorious inmates across US prisons are seeking 'get out of jail free' cards, citing concerns that the virus could spread among the prison system. Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff and infamous cocaine kingpin Gilberto Rodriguez-Orejuela have both made cases to be released. Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday that officials are 'evaluating right now people who might be particularly high-risk in terms of vulnerability to the virus'. A prisoner at Rikers Island correctional facility has reportedly tested positive for coronavirus News of the confirmed case in Rikers Island comes after Weinstein was returned to the facility after spending five days in hospital for 'dangerously high blood pressure'. His spokesperson Juda Engelmayer told DailyMail.com Wednesday morning that the disgraced producer, 67, is 'fine' and said he had not come into contact with the infected individual. 'Harvey is fine and has not been in contact with the officer. He also is expected to be taken to a state facility within a few days,' said Engelmayer. Weinstein has since left the notorious prison and is being transferred to the Downstate Correctional facility in Fishkill, New York, DailyMail.com can reveal. The site, which houses 1,800 inmates, is about 60 miles north of New York City and is the processing center for new inmates. Weinstein could remain there or could be taken to another facility -the Mohawk Correctional Facility in Rome. He spent the last two days at Rikers before being taken to Fishkill, which houses 1,800 inmates. Weinstein was sentenced last Wednesday to 23 years behind bars for rape and a criminal sex act in the landmark case. He had been transported to Rikers Island after sentencing but was rushed to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan hours later after he complained of chest pains. Harvey Weinstein is seen leaving a Manhattan courthouse Wednesday afternoon after being sentenced to 23 years in prison for rape and sexual assault. News of the confirmed case in Rikers Island comes just hours after he was returned to the facility after spending five days in hospital for 'dangerously high blood pressure' His spokesperson confirmed the convicted rapist is 'fine' and had not been in contact with the officer He was later released from hospital and transferred back to Rikers Island. The rapist is in poor health, having also spent multiple days in the hospital after his conviction last month with different ailments. Concerns have been mounting for prison officers and inmates across the US amid the coronavirus pandemic, as high prison populations, confined spaces and poor hygiene could make facilities hotbeds for the disease. New York's Department of Correction confirmed that an employee in the Investigation Division died on Monday from the killer virus. David Perez, 56, had a pre-existing health condition and only had limited contact with inmates, officials said. In the latest case in the Rikers Island correction officer, it is not yet known who or how many inmates and staff they may have come into contact with. David Perez, 56, (above) died on Monday from coronavirus. He worked for New York's Department of Corrections However, New York City's jail system is home to around 8,000 inmates, with the majority at Rikers Island so the implications could be significant. Dozens of inmates at Rikers Island are now pleading to be released amid fears that the facility could fast become a breeding ground for the disease. In New York, public defenders have asked judges to release older and at-risk inmates from the city's jails, saying pretrial confinement 'creates the ideal environment for the transmission of contagious disease.' 'I truly believe the jails are ticking time bombs,' said David Patton, executive director of the Federal Defenders of New York. 'They're overcrowded and unsanitary in the best of times. They don't provide appropriate medical care in the best of times, and these certainly are not the best of times.' The global outbreak has become something of a 'get out of jail' card for hundreds of low-level inmates across the US, and hard-timers too are seeking their freedom citing concerns that it's not a matter of if but when the deadly illness sweeps through the prison system. Among those pleading for compassionate release or home detention are the former head of the Cali drug cartel, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen and Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff. The 81-year-old Bernard Madoff (above) is serving a 150-year sentence for bilking thousands of investors in a $17.5 billion Ponzi scheme. He has also requested release due to the virus 'He is in poor health. He is 81 years old,' David Oscar Markus, the attorney for cocaine kingpin Gilberto Rodriguez-Orejuela, wrote in emergency court papers this week seeking his release after serving about half of a 30-year drug-trafficking sentence. 'When (not if) COVID-19 hits his prison, he will not have much of a chance.' The 81-year-old Madoff, who is serving a 150-year sentence for bilking thousands of investors in a $17.5 billion Ponzi scheme, had asked last month to be released early in light of his terminal kidney disease. His attorney is now calling on all at-risk federal prisoners to be released for their own safety. 'The federal prison system has consistently shown an inability to respond to major crises,' Madoff attorney Brandon Sample told The Associated Press. 'My concerns are even more amplified for prisoners at federal medical centers and those who are aged.' Prosecutors have argued against Rodriguez-Orejuela's emergency request and noted that the federal prison in Butner, North Carolina, where both he and Madoff are serving time has not had any staff or inmates diagnosed with the virus, and staff are being screened upon entry. America's nearly 7,000 jails, prisons and correction facilities are an ideal breeding ground for the virus, as dangerous as nursing homes and cruise ships but far less sanitary. Fears are mounting that stepped-up cleanings and a temporary halt to visitations at many lockups across the country will not make up for the fact that ventilation behind bars is often poor, inmates sleep in close quarters and share a small number of bathrooms. Prisons across several US states have started ramping up measures to protect inmates, releasing hundreds to decrease prison populations in an effort to combat the potential spread. A Rikers Island cell: Concerns have been mounting for prison officers and inmates across the US amid the coronavirus pandemic, as high prison populations and confined spaces could make facilities hotbeds for the disease New York City's jail system is home to around 8,000 inmates, with the majority at Rikers Island (above) New York City's Board of Correction has made calls for all high-risk inmates to be released immediately from the city's prisons, but officials are yet to approve the move. 'The City must begin this process now,' it said in a statement Tuesday. 'The City's jails have particular challenges to preventing disease transmissions on a normal day and even more so during a public health crisis.' The NYC Correction Officers' Benevolent Association also warned that correction officers' lives are being put at risk by the 'reckless' rules. 'It's very sad that we have to remind the Board of Correction that their mandate, per the city's Charter, is to advocate for the welfare of everyone in the Correction Department, not just the inmates. Their latest asinine proposal to start letting inmates out of jail who are 'high risk' to this virus, regardless of their risk to public safety, is beyond irresponsible,' the statement from President Elias Husamudeensaid Tuesday. 'Instead of recklessly letting inmates out, call for the city to ramp up its efforts to bring in more masks, gloves, hand sanitizers, and other vital supplies for the men and women who must also put their health at risk by showing up to work every day, providing care, custody, and control. Correction Officers' lives matter too.' New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday that the city is considering such a move to release inmates. City officials are 'evaluating right now people who might be particularly high-risk in terms of vulnerability to the virus and determine if, case by case, any of those individuals should be taken out of our jail system,' de Blasio said. This would mean the release of inmates with pre-existing health conditions who are deemed low risk to the rest of the population. De Blasio also announced that if people have 'flu-like symptoms' when being arrested, 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. In Brooklyn, 'low-level crimes' will also not be prosecuted, to limit potential exposure to the virus for employees and visitors. '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,' District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said Tuesday in a statement posted to Twitter, adding that they will 'immediately decline to prosecute low-level offenses that don't jeopardize public safety'. 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 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 In Los Angeles County, the prison population has decreased by 600 people already 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. Prison staff 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 All 122 federal prisons and many of the 1,700-plus state prisons across the US have banned visitors and volunteers to try to prevent an outbreak in the facilities. The Federal Bureau of Prisons announced its ban Friday, joining most state and county prisons. Lawyer visits have also been banned 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. 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. '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. 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 sanitizer 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. The perennial fight over charter schools in New York has begun anew as budget negotiations ramp up in Albany. And for the second year in a row, Gov. Andrew Cuomo ostensibly finds himself on the front lines of supporting charter schools against the all-Democratic state Legislature. And though the governor introduced a modest proposal to free up some charters for new schools, the odds of getting it approved are not in his favor. And its unlikely that Cuomo will want to apply the political pressure necessary to gain the cooperation of legislators. Although the statewide cap on charter schools has not been hit there are still nearly 100 charters left before the state reaches the 460-school limit the New York City cap was reached a year ago. That means that besides schools already in the process of opening, the city cant authorize any more charter schools. In last years round of charter allocations, 13 schools qualified, but only seven received approval while the other six were waitlisted because the cap had been hit. The only way for those and other schools to potentially open is either by eliminating the cap in New York City, or by raising it. That didnt happen last year, despite Cuomo advocating to lift the cap on charter schools. Unlike last year, the governor made this years charter school proposal part of his state budget, where he has the most influence over policy and has historically included high-priority items. He proposed a 5.3% per-charter pupil funding bump including a one-time infusion of $24.9 million, which is similar to other increases that were approved in the past, including last year. Cuomo also wants to reissue so-called zombie charters, which are charters belonging to schools that have closed and cannot be reissued without state approval. The proposal would permit at least 15 new charter schools to open in New York City without actually lifting either the statewide cap or the cap in the city. Cuomos proposal was relatively well received by charter school advocates, after some charter school parents expressed concern that the governor would abandon them when he didnt mention the issue in his State of the State address. New York City Charter School Center CEO James Merriman testified during a legislative budget hearing that his organization strongly supported the proposal, while adding that its still not enough to support the growing charter school industry and that the Legislature must raise the cap or eliminate the cap completely. Governor Cuomo has displayed time and again that he is an advocate for all of New Yorks children and a believer that all families deserve great school options, Merriman wrote in a statement to City & State. Just as Cuomo remains supportive of charter schools, charter schools remain supportive of Cuomo. Shortly before the 2018 election, the governor received a late influx of at least $130,000 from people connected to the industry. Since his reelection, hes already raked in at least $200,000 from deep-pocketed charter schools supporters and industry-friendly political action committees. Cuomo has also had a standoffish relationship with the states powerful teachers union, New York State United Teachers, which did not endorse him in each of his three elections for governor. It makes sense that Cuomo continues being friendly to charters while they continue donating to his campaign and their chief rivals do not. Still, raising or eliminating the cap is unlikely as Cuomo has not proposed doing so this year, but his track record suggests that he could get a reluctant Legislature to agree to his terms. The governor has successfully muscled through charter school-friendly legislation in the past, most notably in 2014. At the time, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio placed a moratorium on co-locating charter schools in public school buildings, forcing any new charters to pay rent in private buildings. Cuomo pushed through legislation as part of the budget that required cities to find public space for charters, or else help foot the bill for their rent elsewhere. That came the same year that the governor made an appearance at a pro-charter school rally in Albany. The governor also gave charter schools a victory in 2015, when a new law raised the New York City charter school cap by 50 and permitted 22 charters belonging to closed schools to be reissued without affecting the overall state cap. Another came in 2017, when the state revamped the charter school funding formula to provide the schools with more money as part of the state budget, and clarified that those 22 zombie charters from 2015 could be allocated in New York City without counting toward its cap. But the difference now is that each of those times, Cuomo had a Republican state Senate on his side that supported charter schools. And even with it, victories came through leverage and compromise. The 2017 zombie charter guidance came as part of negotiations to renew mayoral control of New York City schools. The funding changes in the budget also represented a middle ground with opponents, and did not go as far as charter school advocates wanted. At the time in April 2017, Success Academy Charter Schools CEO Eva Moskowitz said the budget agreement, which did not include Cuomos proposal to lift the state cap, shortchanged students. A spokesperson for the charter school network declined to comment for this story. Although the charter school advocates who spoke with City & State suggested that support for charter schools is beginning to grow among Democrats or at least theyre warming up to the alternative schools publicly, it does not seem much has changed since last year. That doesnt seem to have very much support in the community right now, state Sen. John Liu, chairman of the New York City Education Committee, told City & State of Cuomos proposal to reissue the charters of shuttered schools. I dont think we would approve that proposal. Liu, who has not supported expanding charter schools, said his conferences focus will be funding Foundation Aid (the main source of state funding for public schools), not charter spots. He added that nothing new with charters can happen without increased accountability for those that run them. Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, chairman of the Education Committee, declined to comment until the Assembly releases its one-house budget proposal, but gave no indication that his opinions on charter schools have changed significantly. After City & State reached out to Benedetto, it appeared likely that the Assembly would not introduce a one-house proposal as the state Legislature looks to pass the budget more quickly due to the coronavirus outbreak. At the end of the previous session, Benedetto sponsored four bills that would greatly limit charter schools and the industrys growth. State Sen. Shelley Mayer, who chairs the chambers Education Committee and has long opposed charter schools, told City & State: My position is well known, but it is a conference decision. Mayers caveat is a common refrain among state lawmakers, but still leaves the door open a crack for new movement that Liu seemed to reject. Even if the state Senate Democrats attitudes toward charters are beginning to thaw, passing pro-charter school legislation in both that chamber and the historically frosty Democratic Assembly would still require a strong push from Cuomo. And right now, it doesnt seem likely that he will apply the necessary pressure. Hes done it before for charters in 2014, and he famously got same-sex marriage passed despite a Republican state Senate. But Cuomo is generally strategic about where and when to best use his leverage, and he often avoids making big shows for items that have a chance of failing even with his assistance. Last year, Cuomo did not attempt to personally convince Democratic holdouts to vote in favor of recreational marijuana legalization after it failed to make it into the state budget. While he remained supportive publicly, and recommitted to passage this year, Cuomo did not go the extra mile like he did for same-sex marriage. Charter schools may find themselves in a similar position. Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi told City & State that charter schools remain a priority for the governor, hence his new proposal in the executive budget. But Azzopardi would not say how much Cuomo would push for either the funding or the ability to reissue charters, nor would he assess how charter schools compare to the governors other priorities. Since his budget address, Cuomo has not publicly spoken much about charter schools, as discussions of bail reform and Medicaid spending have dominated budget talks. The governor declared that he would not approve a budget that does not include tweaks to the new law eliminating bail in the majority of misdemeanor and nonviolent felony cases. Such strong language suggests that the governor may use some leverage to get a reticent Assembly to agree. He made no such statements about charter schools. And now, the new coronavirus has overshadowed just about everything else in the state, as both the governor and lawmakers scramble to contain its spread and figure out how its economic impacts will affect the budget. As state leaders in Albany work to pass an early budget, Cuomo has pushed back against the idea of a bare-bones budget, but focused his attention on legalizing recreational marijuana and passing an environmental bond act. With this new mindset in Albany, the already slim chance that charter school advocates would see any major victories this year has likely gotten even slimmer. How do you practice social distancing while getting your hair cut? Or your eyebrows waxed? Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 18/3/2020 (664 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. How do you practice social distancing while getting your hair cut? Or your eyebrows waxed? Fifth Hair Lounge and Beauty Bar is just one of a growing number of Winnipeg salons that have decided to close their doors and stop seeing clients amid the global COVID-19 outbreak. While a lot of focus has been placed on the closures of bars and restaurants, the up-close-and-personal nature of hairstyling and other esthetic services puts salons in a uniquely tough spot. Amy Graceffo, who co-owns and operates the three-storey Corydon Avenue salon with Amanda Alsop, says the decision was a matter of social responsibility. Fifth was closed as of Monday. "It just felt really irresponsible to stay open and not be part of flattening the curve," she says. "For us, we always want to put the well being of our staff, clients and the community first before anything else." Still, the decision was a difficult one. "Were just over a year old, and we just did an expansion," Graceffo says. "From the business side of things, youre trying to rack your brain on how to stay open and do certain sanitization things, and limit people that come in, but I think the biggest thing for us was hearing how people could be carriers and not know it, and because we see so many people through here on a daily basis, it almost felt like it was a now-or-never time to do our part." Unlike other professionals, stylists and estheticians cant work from home. No clients means no cash flow. "We cant cut someones hair virtually. We cant colour someones hair virtually. We cant do someones nails over the internet. But it felt like our social responsibility overruled any financial decisions," Graceffo says. As well, Fifths 28-person team includes two pregnant women and several immunocompromised people. Their health was top of mind for Graceffo and Alsop. Elsewhere, Edward Carriere plans to close as of March 23 with plans to reopen April 13. All three Bare Body Sugaring locations are also closed. Giovanna Minenna, the founder and CEO of Brows by G, made the tough call to close both her Grant and Provencher studios Monday. Shed been watching the news out of Spain and Italy closely, and what happens when immediate action isnt taken. "I just thought, at the end of the day, what is two weeks, or a month, or two months of keeping people safe and at home really going to cost me long term?" she says. "I truly believe in people over profit, and I like to think Im a leader in my industry when it comes to health and safety. If Im going to be a leader, I have to set a good example." To that end, taking care of her 20-person staff was a priority. "I decided to run a second payroll for my team so that they would be able to be paid out and have a little extra income and be able to receive their ROE (record of employment) so they can apply for EI as soon as possible," she says. "Thats what broke my heart more than anything, was my team. Youre supposed to ensure theyre taken care of, and thats why they put their trust in you as their employer. For me, that was the hardest thing. I dont want them to feel like they cant support themselves. Thats a huge, scary thing." Minenna, meanwhile, will still have to shoulder the expenses of two salons. "This is something, if this goes on for a longer period of time, that could potentially tank a business like mine," she says. "Ive had to come to terms and realize the impacts of that. Im doing everything I can to put things in place and do the best I can with what I have. Well see at the end of the tunnel what comes of it." Brows by G is reassessing the situation after two weeks. Fifths Graceffo is not sure when the salon will reopen. "At the end of the day, as long as people are being patient with us, supporting this decision, and doing their part on their end so we can get to work a lot sooner, were happy," Graceffo says. 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. Jillian Clapham is a hair stylist who works out of Hair Co. in the Exchange District. Hair Co. was closed as of Tuesday night, but she proactively made the personal decision to reschedule her appointments for the rest of the month. "If everyone is pleading for us to stay home, if the World Heath Organization is pleading for us to practise social distancing, I just dont think theres any way us service providers who are providing non-essential services and touching people for a living can stay open in an ethical way," she says. As for the financial repercussions, Clapham is trying to stay optimistic. "I guess its a matter of how long this will continue," she says. "Im taking it as a temporary closure and keeping positive. Im personally hoping that well be able to open my books up come April, but if its something that continues for months on end, were all going to be in pretty big trouble. Im just waiting it out." jen.zoratti@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @JenZoratti Footage has surfaced of a group of penguins hopping down a flight of stairs in their Cape Town aquarium. The video shows a colony of African penguins and some rescued rockhopper penguins allowed to roam freely outside their enclosure. The adorable birds bounce down two flights of stairs, with very few slip ups. As the penguins round the corner, they prepare to hop down the steps, outside of their enclosure, in Cape Town One brave bird takes the first leap, clearing two steps as it does, while the others check out the distance at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town The rest of the gang get into their stride and then there's no stopping the colony from bounding down the aquarium steps in Cape Town The video, originally posted in 2019, was released by Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town, who announced yesterday that they were going to have to close due to fears about the coronavirus disease. In a statement on Tuesday, CEO of Two Oceans, Michael Farquhar, said the current lock down would be the first time the facility had shut its doors since Christmas Day in 1996. The footage, which has been liked 400k times, was posted just days after Edward and Annie, two bonded rockhopper penguins living at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, became unlikely viral stars. A bit of a hold up as some penguins congregate on the middle step but others bound on to the landing at the aquarium in Cape Town One rockhopper penguin, nearing the end of the flight, prepares to land on the step at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town Staff at the tourist attraction shared a Facebook video of the two birds roaming freely around the facility, which was shut down to the public on Friday. In the adorable clip, which has racked up more than 1.6 million views, the two birds are seen waddling past several different exhibitions, viewing some of the fish in their tanks, and even strutting through the aquarium's main entrance. 'This morning, Edward and Annie explored the rotunda,' the caption on the video explained. Roaming free: Shedd Aquarium in Chicago has shared an adorable video of penguins roaming around the building, which was closed on Friday in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak Checking things out: Bonded rockhopper penguins Edward and Annie have become unlikely viral stars after featuring in the Facebook video, which has more than 1.6 million views 'They are a bonded pair of rockhopper penguins, which means they are together for nesting season. Every spring is nesting season for the penguins here at Shedd, and this year is no different!' In the clip, the two birds are seen happily wandering around the empty building, remaining close together during their exploration, which saw them being given a chance to meet several of the other forms of wildlife living in the aquarium with them. 'Without guests in the building, caretakers are getting creative in how they provide enrichment to animals, introducing new experiences, activities, foods and more to keep them active, encourage them to explore, problem-solve and express natural behaviors,' a spokesperson for the Shedd told the Chicago Tribune. The happy video sparked an outpouring of sweet comments from viewers, with many people thanking the aquarium staffers for providing them with some light relief during these troubling and fearful times. Exploring: The birds were caught on camera waddling around the aquarium's rotunda, where they were given the chance to check out some of the exhibits Famous faces: Facebook viewers went wild for the video, with commenters praising the aquarium staffers for providing some much-needed light relief 'This is awesome!' one person wrote. 'Great way to take advantage of a bad situation w/the coronavirus outbreak. 'I wish other cute zoo animals could explore out of their habitats like these lucky birds. Thank you for sharing! My daughter and I are self quarantined at home and this was so cool to share w/her.' Another person chimed in to request more of the same content, writing: 'More penguin vids, and throw in some otters! This just made my c****y day better. Thank you, Shedd!' 'Thank you so much for sharing these!' a third person wrote. 'Please keep them coming! A much needed bright spot with everything else going on in the world.' Edward and Annie are not the only penguins to have been given a starring role on the Shedd Aquarium's Facebook page; on Sunday, staffers shared another video of Wellington, another penguin at the facility, who was given the chance to explore the Amazon exhibit. Co-star: On Sunday, the aquarium uploaded another video of a penguin named Wellington visiting the Amazon exhibit More to come: Staff have promised Facebook fans that it will continue to upload more penguin content over the next few weeks, including videos of Wellington, and Edward and Annie 'Penguins in the Amazon?! Some of the penguins went on a field trip to meet other animals at Shedd,' the caption read. 'Wellington seemed most interested in the fishes in Amazon Rising! 'The black-barred silver dollars also seemed interested in their unusual visitor.' Staffers also reassured those people requesting more video content from the penguins that there will be plenty more footage to watch over the coming weeks. 'Next week, penguins, including Edward and Annie, will begin to build their nests,' the video caption read. 'Youre invited to digitally join us for the nesting coverage! 'In the meantime, we will share a variety of animal activities, and yes, Wellington will return! While this may be a strange time for us, these days are relatively normal for the penguins and other animals at Shedd. 'Our caregivers are constantly providing new activities, experiences, food and more to allow the animals to express natural behaviorseven if that includes simply exploring. Let us know what penguin activities you want to see!' NEW YORK, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- MyChargeBack , the global leader in resolving authorized online transaction disputes, advises consumers who are planning on applying for chargebacks at their banks to do so as quickly as possible due to growing concerns about how the coronavirus may impact the process. " MyChargeBack recommends that if consumers are planning to raise disputes with their banks for goods or services not provided they should do so as soon as possible to avoid delays and disappointment," states Michael Cohen the company's Vice President of Operations. "There are several reasons why the system may soon become overloaded." Deadlines May Be Missed Cohen cites, for example, the anticipated rise in chargebacks as the result of cancelled vacations, cruises, hotel reservations, airfare, and conferences. Issuing banks, which first have to agree to raise the dispute in question, and acquiring banks hosting the merchant's account, may become hard-pressed to review all the requests they receive in a timely fashion. "Should that happen, cardholders may inadvertently miss the deadlines set by the card companies for applying for their chargebacks." Cohen explains. In fact, the virus has already affected the credit card industry itself. Mastercard, for example, was forced to close its office in Sao Paulo and an annex at its global headquarters in Purchase, New York after employees in those locations discovered they were infected. Should even one employee at an issuing or acquiring bank be identified as a coronavirus carrier, they too might have to follow suit. Merchants Can Disappear Another consideration is that the merchant may rely on a continuous cash flow to continue operating. Should the virus continue to spread, these merchants will be forced to temporarily close their accounts or shut down completely. Should cardholders delay raising their disputes, they may discover that there is nothing their banks can do. "Consumers may experience more difficulty retrieving funds from a depleted bank account or a merchant who has gone out of business and disappeared," Cohen notes. MyChargeBack , therefore, advises consumers who have paid for goods or services that were not received as ordered, or cannot be utilized due to the coronavirus pandemic, that it is in their best interest to initiate their chargebacks at the earliest possible date. "These goods and services also include untypical transactions, such as tickets to sporting events that are now cancelled, expenses for weddings that cannot be held due to limitations placed on the number of people allowed to gather at the same facility and, of course, foreign travel and accommodations," Cohen adds. "The message we are communicating to all cardholders, regardless they wish to work with us or initiate disputes on their own, is that a delay is not in the consumer's interest." About MyChargeBack MyChargeBack.com is a global leader in fund recovery services. Working with over 750 banks worldwide, it has retrieved millions of dollars for clients in more than 150 countries. These cases typically involve authorized card-not-present transactions for goods or services that were not delivered as contracted. Founded in 2016, MyChargeBack is owned and operated by Cactil LLC, a Delaware corporation. Contact Humanoids, best known as the publisher of epic European science fiction graphic novels, is publishing Omni: The Doctor Is In, Vol. 1 by Devin Grayson and Alitha Martinez, one of the first releases to come from H1, the publishers foray into an interconnected superhero universe. The book will be released this month. Each of H1s line of comics features a hero with enhanced abilities that have been ignited by a mysterious event that has created a select group of superhumans around the world. Omni: The Doctor Is In Vol, 1 is the origin story of Dr. Cecelia Cobbina, an African-American woman and physician working for Doctors Without Borders. During a standoff with gunmen in a war zone in Africa, Dr. Cobbina realizes she has inexplicably gained superhuman abilities. In her case, shes acquired a super genius level of mental acuity that allows her to instantly cycle through nine modalities, or types of intelligence, like a human supercomputer scanning and processing her immediate surroundings to figure her next step. PW spoke to the writer Grayson (Batman: Gotham Knights and the Nightwing series) and artist Martinez (Black Panther: World of Wakanda, with writer Roxane Gay) about the creative process behind the title and why it stands out in a saturated superhero market: Publishers Weekly: How did you go about creating Dr. Cecelia Cobbina, a multi-modality hyper genius? Grayson: My marching orders were to model her after Sherlock Holmes or Dr. House, but that felt like a very limited and, frankly, masculine definition of intelligence. I was curious to see if I could come up with something broader. Deductive reasoning is a great power to play with, but what would a character with emotional intelligence look like? What about philosophical instincts, or deep self-knowledge? Once I had decided I wanted Cecelia to have every kind of identified human intelligence, I had to figure out what they all were. That pretty quickly led me to Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences (from Howard Gardners 1983 book Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences), which was initially concerned with capturing the full range of human skills and talents in order to develop effective educational models for students who werent benefiting from traditional visual, auditory, or kinesthetic teaching modes. One of the first breakdowns I saw was in the form of a colorful chart, which I realized could help inform how we developed the power visually: I associated each intelligence modality with its own color and avatar so that we could literally see Cecelia thinking. Martinez: Devin went into great detail about that in the script. I had to present that in a way that would be both visually pleasing and not muddled. I like more action, detail, and flow of movement, but a book like Omni needed a sort of quietness that would let the reader see everything clearly on the page. The bang-up moments come from the openness of panel layouts. Can you tell us why you chose to portray a doctor/healer as a superhero, which is rare in todays adventure comics? Grayson: I think part of what makes the healer archetype both difficult and vital in the context of superhero stories is that it entails a devaluation of violence as a resolution. Medicine does occasionally make use of what amounts to brute forceask anyone whos been through chemotherapy or even orthodontiabut its not the norm. Ideally, healers are less concerned with the mitigation of symptoms than with the identification of the root cause of systemic disruptions. You can see how that immediately feels like a better fit for the detective genre, but I think attempting to plug it into superhero stories opens up the possibility of deepening the conflicts, both in terms of complexity and consequence. What is it that excites you about drawing Dr. Cobbina? Martinez: When I was a kid, I remember learning about the advent of computers, seeing grainy photos of those huge Univac machines and being very excited about the prospect of a technological future; but something troubled me so I asked my teacher, basically, why the landscape seemed so skewed. Where were the ladies and people of color (of course, I'm using modern terminology)? It was years and years later before I learned about the human computers of the 1930-40s, and women like Melba Roy, a black woman, mathematician and NASA chief of research, who tracked the trajectory of Echo satellites in the 1960s and got us to the Moon. Today it's impossible for a kid growing up not to see examples of strong women of all colors, especially black and brown women. Characters like Cecelia Cobbina add to that foundation and will hopefully inspire the pursuit of science by people who have been long told that the color of their skin dictates the knowledge in their heads. Omni's story uses real world issues like climate change, immigration enforcement and racial profiling. Were you ever concerned that topicality might overwhelm the timelessness of good storytelling? Grayson: Bringing contemporary issues into a story gives the reader an immediate sense of agency and stakes. There can be value in approaching moral struggles allegorically, and that tends to be where you get that timeless feeling you mention, but as a storyteller, it doesnt feel to me like thats working right now; I dont see those stories rousing people to action, and action is needed. Superheroes cant save the planet for us or change the daily reality of marginalized groups through token acts of compassion. We have to do the real work around that ourselves now, every day, and we need stories that can help point the way. Dr. Cobbinas natural appearanceeyeglasses, utility vest and black tophelps establish her persona. How did you go about putting a visual stamp on the character? Martinez: The good doctors look was designed and solidified before I was on the book. I very much enjoyed drawing such a down-to-earth character. Theres less pressure for her to be A-list beautiful and impeccable at all times. It freed me to do more natural poses and facial expressions. Even drawing Mae Walters [Dr. Cobbina's sidekick/healthcare aide and an amateur cartoonist] was fun for the same reason. There was no pressure for her to be an idealistic version, because she was so natural I could really stress her quirks. INVESTOR ALERT: Law Offices of Howard G. Smith Announces Investigation of Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) on Behalf of Investors Law Offices of Howard G. Smith announces an investigation on behalf Fair Isaac Corporation ("Fair Isaac" or the Company") (NYSE: FICO) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws. On March 15, 2020, Fair Isaac issued a press release stating that, "[o]n Friday, March 13, 2020, 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 cooperat 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. If you purchased Fair Isaac 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/20200318005115/en/ In any normal year, the primary race would be effectively over now. Tuesday's primaries essentially sealed the Democratic presidential nomination for former Vice President Joe Biden. This, of course, is not a normal year. While the strangest primary night in recent memory had a familiar outcome for anyone who's been following the Democratic race these last few weeks, the fact that fewer people are paying attention to voting these days -- for obvious and understandable reasons -- could leave the race lingering for a while longer. Florida, Illinois and Arizona were tracking toward blowouts as votes rolled in late Tuesday, with Biden steamrolling his way to what looks to be an insurmountable lead over Sen. Bernie Sanders. PHOTO: Eliza Luna, a ballot designer with the Maricopa County Elections Department, counts ballots for the Arizona Presidential Preference Election at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center in Phoenix, March 17, 2020. (Cheney Orr/Reuters) With the party now about three-fifths through voting in terms of available delegates, Sanders now has virtually no shot at winning more delegates than Biden. It was less than a month ago -- after he took an early lead -- that Sanders stood on a debate stage and said the nominee should be whichever candidate wins by that metric. MORE: Biden projected to win the Illinois Democratic primary: Live Updates Things have changed dramatically since then, in virtually every way imaginable, and some that could not have been envisioned at all. Due to public-health concerns, Biden spoke Tuesday night from his home in Delaware, where he spoke at length about this moment of national crisis. He thanked voters for a "very good night," and directly addressed Sanders supporters. PHOTO: Former Vice President Joe Biden makes a statement via livestream from his home in Wilmington, Del., on the day that voters from Arizona, Florida and Illinois went to the polls for their state primaries, March 17, 2020. (www.pscp.tv) "We move closer to securing the Democratic Party's nomination for president, and we're doing it by building a strong coalition," Biden said. "Let me say especially to the young voters who may have been inspired by Sen. Sanders: I hear you. I know what's at stake. I know what we have to do." Sanders avoided making any kind of election-related comments at all on Tuesday night. He instead livestreamed remarks about coronavirus from behind a desk in Washington, where he has returned to work on Senate business. Story continues "Our country -- in fact, the world -- are facing an unprecedented series of crises," Sanders told his supporters, without even mentioning the states that voted on Tuesday. "Let us go forward together." PHOTO: Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders makes his recommendations for how the U.S. should handle the coronavirus pandemic during a livestream address on March 17, 2020. (berniesanders.com) What that means politically is unclear, and what that means from the standpoint of society may be even less clear. Virtually all of American life has been upended in recent days, and the fact that voting did occur Tuesday across three states seemed off -- if not inadvisable -- for this moment. Neither Biden nor Sanders has held a public event in more than a week, and warnings against public gatherings undoubtedly impacted turnout and forced those who did vote to wait longer than normal. Ohio's governor canceled voting that was supposed to happen on Tuesday. MORE: Ohio governor says 'we did not defy any court order' by delaying primary due to coronavirus The coronavirus pandemic could shelve virtually all voting for the next six weeks, if not longer. The next major day of voting isn't until April 28, and one state that was supposed to vote then -- Maryland -- on Tuesday moved to push the primary until June. PHOTO: A voter holds an, 'I Voted!', sticker after wearing a glove as she cast her ballot during the Florida presidential primary as the coronavirus pandemic continues on March 17, 2020, in Miami Beach, Fla. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) To the extent that campaign messaging has continued, Sanders sought to make health care a defining issue in recent days. He honed attacks on Biden for past support for trimming entitlement programs, and used coronavirus as an argument for his signature policy: "Medicare for All." Polls of those who said they intended to vote Tuesday showed Sanders again winning the policy argument around the concept of a single-payer health care system. But Biden was the clear beneficiary of perceptions of electability and leadership capabilities. Those polled favored Biden over Sanders as the candidate they trust more to handle a crisis by a 71-23 margin in Florida, 64-31% in Illinois and 63-31% in Arizona. Biden dominated in Florida and was on track late Tuesday to win every county in the classic battleground state. The results send an unmistakable message: Barring calamity, Biden will be the Democratic nominee. But politics can and probably should be paused for a while, as Sanders considers his next move and as the nation deals with weightier issues than delegate counts. Biden blowouts send a message, with voting set to pause amid crisis: ANALYSIS originally appeared on abcnews.go.com 1.2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Donald Trump started taking coronavirus seriously, so Fox News suddenly flipped and is freaking out over the virus. In typical Fox fashion, the network is calling on employers to monitor Millenials social media: The network that spent the last month saying the coronavirus wasn't a problem is now saying potential employers should be checking millennials' social media to see if they broke social distancing. pic.twitter.com/No9E9UpR07 nikki mccann ramirez (@NikkiMcR) March 17, 2020 On The Five, they are showing charts from The New York Times, the same outlet that Trump calls fake news, and suggesting social media stalking Millenials, As future employers of these people if you find out that any of these people you might hire went to spring break or went to the bar, and disregarded public health official, I wouldnt hire them, and if they posted on social media, believe me, Ill find it, and they will not get hired. Thats the kind of punishment. In less than two weeks, Fox News has gone from hosting Trump and allowing him to spew fake coronavirus death rates to total panic mode where Millenials shouldnt be hired for jobs if they violate social distancing guidelines. As the coronavirus is threatening to wipe out Trumps presidency, Fox News is not only admitting that it is real, but is calling for social media spying on Millenials. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook Times may seem dire for Bay Area coffee lovers as numerous cafes temporarily close in adherence to Mondays shelter in place order, which directs people to stay home and away from each other as much as possible. But really the situation is much more hopeful. Coffee is still available in the Bay Area. But the experience of getting a cup is now a bit different. The shelter in place order was a desperate move to slow the spread of coronavirus in the region. As of Tuesday morning, there were 610 coronavirus cases in California, including 297 in the Bay Area. Through the order, businesses deemed nonessential like bars and gyms have been forced to close while restaurants and cafes can remain open as long as they only offer to-go service. Coffee companies that previously didnt rely solely on to-go orders are having to adjust to a new market. Others decided to close their entire group of cafes temporarily, including Blue Bottle Coffee, Philz and Equator. At the Bay Area cafes that remain open, the coffee experience is far less communal that it once was. Wrecking Ball Coffee on Union Street in San Francisco has a crowded lobby on most mornings as customers sit on white seats sipping espressos and pour-overs. On Tuesday, the space was empty, according to co-founder Nick Cho, who placed a makeshift counter top near the entrance so customers could order drinks from the sidewalk. Everyone Ive seen is adhering to the 6 feet of separation. I saw some people walking on a sidewalk, and I saw one person walk into the actual street to keep the distance, Cho said. I think as the week goes, people will start coming out more. ... Theyre just going to be doing it in a safe way. Red Bay Coffee in Oakland, which has three East Bay locations and two in San Francisco, shifted its spacious Oakland roastery to only to-go service. Previously, people were welcome to come inside and tour the space, look at artwork and watch as coffee was prepared in the back of the building. To protect employees and customers, Red Bay Coffee has banned handshakes and makes sure the tablet screens used to put in orders are disinfected frequently. At Burlap Coffee in Oaklands Temescal neighborhood, which normally draws a crowd in the mornings since its a stones throw from the MacArthur BART Station, chairs are being used as a makeshift barrier to block the cafes spacious main seating area. Employees wear gloves and have been tasked with pouring milk and cream into coffee, something customers previously did on their own. Jana Asenbrennerova / Special to The Chronicle Coffee shops are where local and global information is exchanged. People go there to talk about their communities, and not having that daily ritual is hard for people, but its the right decision, said Helen Russell, co-founder of Equator Coffee, which on Monday shut its multiple locations in San Francisco and Marin County. What remains unchanged for many businesses is online orders. Oaklands Blue Bottle announced in a statement on Sunday that it would close all its U.S. locations starting Monday. Blue Bottles cafes in Japan and Korea will remain open because, the statement read, coronavirus information is more complete (in Japan and Korea), with extensive testing and medical support clearly in place. Still, Blue Bottle plans to continue operating its roasteries in the U.S. with enhanced safety measures so coffee can be delivered to online customers. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Starbucks is closing its busiest locations to encourage social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. Customers can now order only at the counter, with drive-through at certain locations and via the companys app. San Franciscos Philz Coffee, which has over 30 cafes in the Bay Area and others all over the country, including in Chicago and Los Angeles, temporarily closed all of its stores on Tuesday. The company is continuing to offer coffee online, and shipping fees are being waived for orders between March 20 and April 20. Equator Coffee plans at some point to offer to-go orders again at its cafes, Russell said. The company also continues to accept online orders for coffee beans. Each day it feels like theres some new information, Russell said. Now were all just trying to figure out what to do next as businesses. Justin Phillips is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @JustMrPhillips The Mississippi House of Representatives passed a bill that would ban abortions performed because of a babys race, sex or possible genetic abnormalities. According to The Christian Post, House Bill 1295 passed in the Mississippi House with a vote of 79-33. Sue Liebel, state policy director for the Susan B. Anthony List, a pro-life group, said she expects the bill to become law. 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. The bill does provide for exemptions for medical emergencies. Abortion providers who violate the law would face as much as 10 years in prison and could have their state medical license suspended or revoked. 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. Rep. Sonya Williams-Barnes, of Gulfport, who voted against the bill, said women who make the decision to have an abortion because of possible genetic abnormalities may not have the resources to care for the baby. 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? Photo courtesy: Pixabay/Public Domain Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and IBelieve.com. She blogs at The Migraine Runner. * Europe grappling with swift coronavirus spread * EU leaders to shut external borders * Economic aid package stressed By Gabriela Baczynska and Francesco Guarascio BRUSSELS, March 17 (Reuters) - European Union leaders meeting via videoconference on Tuesday are likely to seal off Europe's external borders and stress a "whatever it takes" approach to easing the economic fallout as the continent braces for a long coronavirus crisis. France was going into lockdown on Tuesday to contain the spread of the disease as the death toll in Italy jumped above 2,000. The EU has scrambled to find a coherent response to the outbreak, with countries imposing borders checks in what is normally a zone of control-free travel, limiting exports of medical equipment or failing to share key information swiftly. The executive European Commission warned member states that this was just the beginning of the crisis and Germany said it would take "months rather than weeks", diplomats said after talks on Monday evening to prepare for Tuesday's call. Three Baltic countries - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia - criticised Poland for blocking their citizens in transit from returning home. The chairman of EU leaders, Charles Michel, said he called Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to demand "policy coherence" after The Hague was seen to be resisting a broader closure of schools, businesses and other public venues. Pushed by French President Emmanuel Macron, the Commission proposed closing Europe's external borders to foreigners. "That was meant to convince European countries to drop internal and unilateral border moves. But it's hard to see anyone doing it," an EU diplomat said, adding the move was largely symbolic as the virus was already within. The leaders will also discuss repatriating Europeans stranded abroad as airlines cut flights. For example, Denmark has around 1,000 citizens in Morocco currently, EU sources said. EU leaders will also stress their "whatever it takes" approach to cushioning the economic fallout of the pandemic, including by relaxing limitations on state aid. Story continues The bloc's anti-trust chief proposed allowing governments to offer grants or tax advantages up to 500,000 euros ($550,000) to ailing companies, though some EU countries want Brussels to go further. The EU is also seeking to pool resources to safeguard medical supplies but the Commission said its first call for masks and gloves received no offers. It will now try to buy ventilators and testing kits. "While the EU and its member states are in a fire extinction mode, it is equally important to prepare for the days when the contagion will be contained as the current crisis will have very dire consequences on European economies," said Claire Dheret of the European Policy Centre think-tank. "Preparing for the recovery in a coordinated way will be another test case for EU's solidarity." (Aditional reporting by John Chalmers, Foo Yun Chee, Michel Rose and Andreas Rinke; Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Giles Elgood) The main goal is to connect students and teachers through a reliable network infrastructure BARCLEONA, Spain, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sentrium announces the launch of VyOS additional support project for educational institutions. The open-source community recognizes the importance of all work performed by teachers, educators, researchers, and people of other community-oriented professions. It is that impact that keeps the balance today and prepares young minds for a brighter tomorrow. This initiative is only gratitude for an opportunity to give something in return. Modern educational institutions face the need to regulate internet connectivity, protect more online-stored data, build efficient cloud-based solutions, and enforce access control from dozens of servers or Wi-Fi hotspots at a time. With as much on educational institutions plate as is, VyOS welcome all teachers, educators, researchers, to take a critical element of IT infrastructure off their mind with a free Access Subscription. In addition to both a cloud- and a bare metal-compatible software router and firewall, they will receive access to LTS releases, advanced technical support, and additional benefits of a paid subscription through filling the next form to apply. Why VyOS? VyOS is a completely open-source, community-driven project where users help shape the future of network operations. There are the following benefits here and now: Scalability: VyOS is only limited by the computing power at your disposal. Scale effortlessly from low-bandwidth to tends of Gbps when the need arises. VyOS is only limited by the computing power at your disposal. Scale effortlessly from low-bandwidth to tends of Gbps when the need arises. M anagement: Centralized CLI to manage operations, resources, and traffic flows. Centralized CLI to manage operations, resources, and traffic flows. Cost savings: Focus resources where it matters - VyOS supports virtualization allowing users to save on networking expenses. Focus resources where it matters - VyOS supports virtualization allowing users to save on networking expenses. Flexibility: The possibility to deploy VyOS from a ready for action image at any time. This OS will adapt and improve the environment instead of forcing one to redesign infrastructure from scratch. Free VyOS support for the educational institutions The subscription comes with the following benefits: Rolling release and LTS release ISO and source code Public bug tracker and feature requests Security advisories before public disclosure Access to hotfixes and migration assistance Company level access domains Private support via our support portal SLA support subscriptions VyOS is aiming at providing the support that is relevant and accessible to organizations of every size, stage, geography, and programmatic focus. Learn more about VyOS support on the link. About VyOS VyOS is a fully open-source network OS that provides a wide range of features for any network, from a small business to an Internet service provider. It runs on commodity x86 hardware from desktop router boards to large servers, as well as a virtualized in all popular hypervisors and multiple cloud hosting platforms including VMware, KVM, Xen, Amazon EC2, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform and more. Its aim is to provide the reliability and user experience of traditional hardware routers, without getting tied to any specified hardware or software vendor. Unified command-line interface and HTTP API for all functions, built-in configuration versioning and archiving, and reversible image upgrades allow network admins to make configuration changes easily. VyOS project started in 2013 as a fork of Vyatta Core when the open-source Vyatta version was discontinued. https://sentrium.io https://vyos.io Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1135214/Sentrium_Vyos_Logo.jpg COVID 19 has emptied the normally popular tourists spots on the Galapagos Islands, as officials in Ecuador have halted international flights in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus that has left two dead in the South American nation. Other popular South American tourist destinations, such as Peru's Machu Picchu, have also been temporarily closed in response to the coronavirus, as has access to Chile's Easter Island. The chamber of commerce says foreign tourists make up 95% of business on Isabel Island, the largest in the archipelago, but for the next three weeks no foreigner will be able to enter the archipelago by any means of transportation. The mayor of Isabela Island, Bolivar Tupiza Gil, said measures were necessary: "We do not have a first- or second-class health centers or hospital, so we would be the most affected when the virus (COVID 19) arrives." So far, no cases have been detected in the Galapagos Islands, but on the mainland of Ecuador officials announced on 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 look for seats to return home. Pune: After two years, the western zone bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) may resume operations from April 1 as a judicial member was appointed to complete the two-member bench required for functioning. Justice Sheo Kumar Singh was appointed as judicial member at NGTs western zone bench located in Pune. The expert member from the principal bench, Siddhanta Das, was transferred to the western zone bench. A circular to that effect was issued by Sukhada Pritam, deputy registrar, judicial at NGT principal bench on Wednesday. Consequent upon the posting of Honourable Justice Sheo Kumar Singh, judicial member and Honourable Mr Siddhanta Das, expert member, NGT WZB, Pune will become functional w.e.f., April 1, 2020, read the circular. The zonal bench serves the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa and union territories of Daman and Diu, Dadra, and Nagar Haveli. The western zone bench has been shut since February 2018 after the Supreme Court refused constitution of a single-member bench during the hearing on a submission made by NGT Bar Association (western zone). No single-member benches are to be constituted as per the 2017 circular of ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEF). Important cases from zonal benches were heard by the principal bench through video conferencing. Detroits big three automakers are to shut down all factories due to fears over the coronavirus. Details are still in the works and will be announced shortly. Over the last few days, United Auto Workers has been pushing the automakers to shut down their factories over concerns of worker safety. UAW President Rory Gamble sent a letter calling on the automakers to shut down for two weeks. It's unclear if this pressure had any effects on the automakers' thought process. Ford and FCA said they intended to only suspend operations at several Michigan-based plants. Early today, Honda announced it was pausing all operations at its 12 North American factories, including transmission and engine plants in Ohio, Indiana, Alabama, Canada and Mexico. Ford and GM followed several hours later. Now, in the afternoon, FCA also decided to close its factories. At this time it seems the automakers are focusing on manufacturing and assembly plants. Most automakers had already instituted a work-at-home plan for office workers. Along with these factories owned by major automakers, third-party suppliers will be affected, as their parts will no longer be needed. Its unclear how many workers will ultimately be affected by these closures. Tesla is reportedly working through shelter-in-place mandates. Early today, TechCrunch published an internal Tesla memo detailing employee instructions for its Fremont-based factory. It read, in part, "There are no changes in your normal assignment and you should continue to report to work if you are in an essential function: production, service, deliveries, testing and supporting groups as discussed with your manager." Tesla's manufacturing employees, unlike the big three Detroit automakers, are not represented by the United Auto Workers. The Gautrain has announced that a traveller tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus. It has conducted a deep clean of its Sandton and Park stations as a result. On 15 March, Bombela Operating Company was informed that a business unit director from the company tested positive for the coronavirus. The Gautrain stated that in the days prior to his diagnosis, the executive had visited the Bombela offices in Midrand, Gauteng, as well as the Gautrain Park and Sandton stations. As a precautionary measure, all individuals who were in close contact with him have since been identified and have been advised to remain in self-isolation, as per WHO guidelines, the company said. On Sunday night, the BOC office, Sandton, and Park stations have been chemically decontaminated. The business unit director had travelled to South Africa from France, and is currently in self-isolation. Gautrain cleaning and operations Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus, the Gautrain has implemented a number of measures to help contain the spread of the virus. It said the following changes have been implemented: Employees with risk of exposure to the virus will self-isolate. Hand sanitizers have been made available at all stations. The Gautrain system has been cleaned with alcohol-based disinfectants, and this process is regularly repeated. During maintenance hours, air ducts on the trains are treated with disinfectant. Please note that whilst the trains, stations, and buses are being cleaned and disinfected throughout the day, further cleaning is conducted overnight once the trains are back in the depot, Gautrain said. These above-mentioned precautionary measures have been implemented to minimise the risk of infection. Globally, there are now 184,976 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 7,529 deaths. The virus has spread to 159 countries/territories. Among the new cases in South Africa is a 2-year-old boy from the Western Cape who has not travelled internationally. Editor's Note: Sister Helen Prejean was scheduled to speak on March 23 as part of the New York State Writers Institute's spring program. That has since been canceled, but her book and story live on. When Helen Prejean entered the Congregation of St. Joseph in 1957 to become a nun at the age of 18, she never imagined her life would take her to every state in the U.S. and to the Vatican to speak out against the death penalty. She certainly had no idea she would ever write a book (Dead Man Walking) in 1993 that would be on the New York Times Bestseller list for 31 weeks and eventually be turned into an award-winning film. As she writes in her new memoir River of Fire: My Spiritual Journey, (Random House, $27), When I was a novice, I was content to be prayerful on a daily basis, and I looked forward to becoming a nun to teach and be obedient to my religious superiors. That was the role for nuns in the Catholic Church for hundreds of years, but Vatican II, which addressed relations between the Catholic Church and the modern world, changed everything. It was a game-changer, said Prejean. It began in 1962 when Pope John XXIII brought together an ecumenical council of Catholic church leaders to attempt to modernize the church and bring it back to the people. Prejean said the changes Vatican II enacted brought up tension in the church between the traditionalists and those that wanted to modernize and keep the focus on the people and not just on the clergy and the religious. People are always resistant to change. The traditionalists were so fixated on the words of the Scripture that had been written hundreds of years ago. The same thing happens in the Supreme Court when justices interpret the Constitution with the 18th century meanings the framers had to situations going on today. Its just another way for the powerful to maintain control. Prejean said Vatican II unleashed her, and "River of Fire" allowed her to absorb her experiences. She said part of the problem with many priests and nuns like herself before Vatican II was that they were living in a cocoon of privilege. This book gave me the opportunity to understand better my spiritual journey from obedient and submissive nun to a social activist intent on working with the poor and ending the death penalty," she said. Writing this book reminded me how I had become part of the Catholic elite living a comfortable life where all my needs were taken care of. I would pray every day and teach as well as I could, but I was resistant to notice the suffering of the poor all around me in New Orleans. Her life changed the day she heard Sister Marie Augusta Neal, a fierce advocate for social justice, declare that Jesus does not want the poor to accept their fate but wants them to strive for what is rightfully theirs. I was really shaken when Marie Augusta said that. I always thought my job had been to tell the poor about God. Here I was well-fed, living in a safe community and so out of touch to the needs of these people. I had been taught the poor will be rewarded by God, but that was the first time I heard that it was not Gods will for people to be poor. They also have a right to seek justice. Prejean decided, a few months after that 1980 conference, to move into one of the poorest areas of New Orleans and live at Hope House where she would work with the poor. I felt liberated immediately because I was taking action. Anxiety comes from standing on the sidelines. It was so freeing to get on that bus and move in to that neighborhood and ask the poor What can I do? Action is so freeing and makes you feel alive. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Her work with the poor eventually led to an invitation to write a letter to a death row inmate in Louisiana named Pat Sonnier. I looked upon it as more social justice work and thought I would only be writing letters. I never dreamed he would be executed and that I would be right there with him. She did the same with five other prisoners and eventually left Hope House to join the national movement to end the death penalty. Actress Susan Sarandon read Dead Man Walking and persuaded Tim Robbins to write and direct the popular film. Sarandon played Prejean and won the best actress Oscar at the 1996 Academy Awards. I know in my heart there is good in all people, and when I came out of that execution chamber after seeing that man killed, I vomited. The next thing I thought was people need to know how unjust this is. I decided to be the bearer of what I had witnessed, and in the past twenty years Ive been heartened by the response of the people. When she wrote "Dead Man Walking," polls showed 80 percent support in the United Sates for some type of death penalty; today that number is about 50 percent. In August 2018 Pope Francis declared the death penalty unacceptable in all cases, changing a church stance that had been around for 1,600 years. The book was such a miracle and it has now spawned a movie, an opera, and a play written by Tim Robbins for school productions. It has such a universal theme of forgiveness which keeps it timely. I know its working to change how people feel about this issue, but I also know change can take a very long time. Jack Rightmyer, an adjunct English professor at Siena College, is a regular contributor to the Times Union. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18 Trend: The vast majority of citizens have taken loans for wedding ceremonies. Thus, they owe money to banks. It seems that there will be no wedding ceremonies in March and April, and it will be difficult for the people to repay the loan. If possible, we shall apply to the banks so that they do not to impose fines on the citizens at least for two months. This proposal was made by MP Nagif Hamzaev during the discussion of amendments to the law "On the termination of inspections in the field of entrepreneurship" at a plenary meeting of the Azerbaijani parliament. We need to help the citizens who are indebted to banks so that they do not worry about this problem, Hamzayev added. The MP also suggested that Internet providers ensure uninterrupted services taking into account that many citizens spend most of their time at home as a precaution to prevent the spread of the coronavirus infection. The support and accommodations Patterson Law Group provides, sometimes without even realizing it, has made me a happier mother. As a law firm that respects how hard its attorneys and staff work, both on the job and at home, Patterson Law Group, a personal injury law firm, is proud to announce its new business designation as a Best Place for Working Parents!. Patterson Law Group earned this business designation in recognition of the policies and practices it offers to employees, specifically working parents by taking the first-of-its-kind online business self-assessment that showcases the family friendliness of a business and how a company compares to other companies of similar size and industry in Fort Worth. The Best Place for Working Parents designation officially launched in January 2020 and is available to qualifying businesses of all sizes and industries in Fort Worth, Texas. With under 200 employees, Patterson Law Group qualified for the Best Place for Working Parents small business designation. "Were honored to be included as one of Fort Worths Best Place for Working Parents businesses for the ways we work to support and promote parents, said Travis Patterson, Managing Partner. Im proud of the strides we have made to support working parents by offering maternity/paternity leave, nursing mother programs, flexible schedules, and remote work arrangements. In addition, during this challenging time with COVID-19, Patterson Law Group has offered subsidized babysitting to all its working parents. As a father and business owner, I know that by advancing these programs were empowering all of our employees in pursuit of a more sustainable work-life balance that will ultimately impact our success as a company and as an economy during these difficult times. Grace Ocanas, Litigation Paralegal, at Patterson Law Group, shared that one of the reasons she came to work for Patterson Law Group was the family values and career growth opportunities for growing families. One of my favorite pictures of my son was early on in my start at Patterson Law Group when he came to work with me as his pre-school was closed for the day. He sat at the table with Travis, other attorneys and staff during a team meeting. I felt pride not only as my choice in employer but as a working mom that fully acknowledges the mom-guilt with being apart from my kids to pursue a career, said Ocanas. The support and accommodations Patterson Law Group provides, sometimes without even realizing it, has made me a happier mother. My kids certainly deserve that. Happy that my employer supports me as a mom. Patterson Law Group understands that the benefit of a supportive workplace for parents extends to their colleagues, as well. As the fastest-growing large city in the nation with the 2nd highest percentage of families with children, The Best Place for Working Parents seeks to support businesses with key strategies that support working parents AND businesses bottom line, said Cheraya Pena, Best Place for Kids and Working Parents Program Director. We are thrilled to recognize the businesses that are leading the way to support working parents in Fort Worth and trust that by doing this we will ultimately build Fort Worth as the Best Place for Kids!. To learn more about the Patterson Law Group, visit https://pattersonpersonalinjury.com/about-us/ To view the list of Fort Worth businesses that have earned the Best Place for Working Parents 2020 designation (more added each month), visit: https://bestplace4kids.com/2020-innovator-awards/ Methodology The Best Place for Working Parents assessment highlights ONLY the family-friendly policies that also have research-proven benefits to businesses bottom line. Each question in the self-assessment ties to policies that positively impact employee attraction, retention, satisfaction and productivity. To read more about the Best Place for Working Parents business self-assessment, click here: https://bestplace4kids.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/BP4K-Biz-Assess-Promo-Flyer_1.14.20.pdf To read more about the top 10 policies and local case study examples, visit: https://bestplace4kids.com/policies/ About Patterson Law Group Patterson Law Group is a leading personal injury law firm dedicated to helping injured victims throughout Texas. Our headquarters is located in Fort Worth, Texas, with additional locations in Arlington, Texas, and San Antonio, Texas. The attorneys at Patterson Law Group understand the physical, emotional, and financial drain an injury can cause. Thats why we wake up every day with one goal to get justice for those hurting # # # Patterson Law Group Media Contact: Anna Crowe 817-784-2000 - anna.crowe@pattersonlawgroup.com The Leader of the Sri Lanka delegation to the 43rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena met the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet this afternoon (28 February). Minister Dinesh Gunawardena reiterated the Government of Sri Lankas decision to withdraw from co-sponsorship of resolution 40/1 and the basis for doing so. He recalled that, one year ago, his predecessor the former Minister of Foreign Affairs had also pointed out a number of areas in the resolution that were undeliverable. Notwithstanding the withdrawal from co-sponsorship, he emphasized the Governments commitment to achieving accountability and human rights within the framework of the Constitution towards sustainable peace and reconciliation, through the appointment of a domestic Commission of Inquiry, by implementing policies rooted in the Governments commitments to operationalize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and by continuing to work with the assistance of the UN and its agencies. It was noted that the existing reconciliation mechanisms established by Acts of Parliament such as the Office on Missing Persons and the Office for Reparations will be continued, with appropriate adaptation in line with the Government policy framework. High Commissioner Bachelet thanked Minister Gunawardena for his participation in the High-Level Segment of the HRC. Regretting Sri Lankas withdrawal as a co-sponsor of the HRC Resolution on Sri Lanka, the High Commissioner appreciated the Governments assurance to the HRC of its continued cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner and UN bodies, and the observations on the Office on Missing Persons and the Office for Reparations. The Sri Lanka delegation shared its perspective on a number of areas, including the need for closure, adequate funding to reconciliation measures, shortcomings in the former Counter Terrorism Bill and the Governments intention to undertake a review of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) with a view to proposing necessary amendments to its provisions. The High Commissioner also engaged the Minister and delegation on the challenges faced in dealing with the interface between freedom of expression and the prevalence of hate speech and abuse of social media, technology and human rights and environment and human rights. State Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs Mahinda Samarasinghe, Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha, Additional Secretary to the President Admiral (Retd) Jayanath Colombage, Senior Deputy Solicitor General Nerin Pulle, and Acting Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Dayani Mendis were associated with Minister Gunawardena at the meeting. Director General of the UN and Human Rights Division of the Ministry of Foreign Relations M.R.K. Lenagala, Senior State Counsel Kanishka Balapatabendi, Brigadier E.S. Jayasinghe from the Ministry of Defence and Coordinating Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Relations Subash Sri Wijethunga were also part of the Sri Lanka delegation to the 43rd session of the HRC. Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka Geneva 28 February 2020 Media Release in PDF The Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi, better known by his penname Herge, was not a great traveler. He preferred to leave the task of exploring the rest of the world to the boy-detective Tintin, his best-known creation, while he remained little more than a few miles from where he was born in Brussels in Belgium. But Tintin more than made up for his creators preference for the domestic, and over the course of 24 comic-strip adventures, from Tintin in the Land of the Soviets in 1930 to Tintin and Alph-Art in 1986, he visited almost every part of the globe. He even twice made it to the moon in Destination Moon and Explorers on the Moon and all without ever growing a day older. Four of the Tintin cartoon adventures are set in or near the Arab world, with one of them, Tintin and the Cigars of the Pharaoh, featuring a period in Egypt. While his creator was reluctant to leave his native Belgium even when the Tintin industry took off in the 1950s and there were many invitations to do so, Tintin and his colleagues his dog Snowy, his friend Captain Haddock, the Belgian police twins Thomson and Thompson, the egghead professor Cuthbert Calculus, even the international opera star Bianca Castafiore had no such inhibitions. In addition to Tintins discovery of an ancient Egyptian tomb (in the company of famous Egyptologist Sophocles Sarcophagus) in the Cigars of the Pharaoh, there are also periods spent in what seems to be Morocco in Tintin and the Crab with the Golden Claws and in an unidentified Arab Gulf country called Khemed in Tintin and the Red Sea Sharks and Tintin and the Land of Black Gold. Georges Remi, or Herge, may never have made it to Egypt, but his progeny certainly did, and not only to Egypt, but also to neighbouring parts of the Arab world. This alone could justify his inclusion in a series on books by visitors to Egypt. However, like the productions of other 20th-century European writers about the Arab world, Herges version of it has been criticised for propagating various stereotypes. The Tintin books, notes Herge biographer Benoit Peeters in his Herge, Son of Tintin, reflect the European political imagination of their time. Herge, by his own admission a conservative-minded product of the circumstances of his time, featured images of aggressive Bolsheviks (in Tintin in the Land of the Soviets) and Congolese grateful for the supposed benefits of Belgian colonialism (in Tintin in the Congo) in his books. These reflected the spirit and mentality of the times, according to another Herge biographer Pierre Assouline in The Man Who Invented Tintin, being not so much racist [as] paternalistic. Later Tintin books include comic Latin American generals, corrupt Greek shipowners, Red Sea gunrunners, and other characters who provide a flattened-out and prejudiced view of the world. According to an article that appeared in the Paris magazine Jeune Afrique in 1962, Herges dubious division of the world into the exploits of Tintin, less a reporter than a righter of wrongs, a detective, a superman, and a collection of non-European villains in exotic settings was evidence of the authors basic tendencies. Peeters, who quotes this article in his biography, describes it as unfair and implies that Herges responsibility, as a comic-book artist writing mainly for younger audiences, was not necessarily to challenge the prevailing European ideologies of his time. On the other hand, it was not only Herges stereotypical presentation of much of the extra-European world that caused discomfort, since his association with the collaborationist Belgian newspaper Le Soir throughout the German occupation of Belgium in the Second World War also raised many eyebrows.After the War had ended, Herge, like other journalists, photographers, and graphic artists associated with this and other titles, was banned from working in Belgium, though as the fame of Tintin spread the prohibition was eventually lifted.Forty years later, Herge was still telling the story as if he were a victim with no personal responsibility, as Peeters puts it, explaining late in his career to visiting journalists that I never did anything other than draw my comic strips during the war. I did no German propaganda.Tintin and the Arabs: Herge only once visited the Arab world, and this was late in his career when he had already produced the four main Tintin titles set in Arab countries.His actual visit, confined to Mediterranean port cities, thus did not affect the presentation of the Arab world found in the Tintin albums, with the latter apparently being drawn from a miscellaneous collection of European writings and imagery of the Arabs going back to 19th-century orientalist figures like French authors Victor Hugo and Gerard de Nerval and including contemporary news magazines and reportage.In the Cigars of the Pharaoh, for example, Tintin, having crossed the Red Sea from Egypt, runs into a local Bedouin leader, Patrash Pasha, who turns out to be a fan of Herges albums. From there he is transported to a nearby oasis where he finds a western film crew making a film loosely based on Rudolf Valentinos celebrated 1921 film The Sheikh that featured a mysterious Arab sheikh seducing a European woman.Valentino as the sheikh seems to stand behind the Superscope-Magnavista feature of the Arabian Nights that the western film crew is making in the desert in Cigars of the Pharaoh. But it was not only the films and other broadly fictional materials of the time that Herge drew on for his iconography. The story of Lawrence of Arabia (British archaeologist T.E. Lawrence), involved in British activities against the former Ottoman Empire in the First World War, may also have influenced Herges decision to present the Arab countries as a backdrop for western exploits.There is also the iconography that Herge seems to have clipped out of 1930s society magazines. The figure of the young prince Abdullah, for example, who figures in the Land of Black Gold and the Red Sea Sharks, and then subsequently makes appearances as a member of Herges cast in Destination Moon and even (by reputation) in Tintin in Tibet, was based on images of the young king Faisal II of Iraq, photographed aged six by the English celebrity photographer Cecil Beaton.What all this goes to show is that though Herge was omnivorous in his borrowings, whether from the tradition of European orientalist thinking or from contemporary news accounts and images, he mostly simply recycled stereotypical material in his comic books. His actual knowledge of the Arab world bordered on the non-existent, and perhaps this goes some way to explaining the discomfort of the writer in Jeune Afrique in the 1960s, exasperated to find, at a time when the Arab countries, like other parts of the non-European world, were emerging from decades or even centuries of European colonial exploitation, that the images of them to be found in European childrens books were still based on ways of seeing formed in the colonial period.Sometimes Herge, later in life, was aware of such shortcomings. The French Arabist Louis Blin, author of what is possibly the only full-length study of Tintin and the Arab world, writes in his Le monde arabe dans les albums de Tintin that Herge rewrote some of the dialogue in the 1967 re-edition of Red Sea Sharks, believing that the accusations of racism made against him were a simple matter of appearance.He also made changes in response to other pressures. When a new edition of the Land of Black Gold appeared in 1971, for example, Herge changed the setting to accommodate the political circumstances of the time. Blin explains that Herge had begun the book in 1939 shortly after the publication of the British White Book on Palestine which was followed by a series of terrorist attacks carried out by the Irgun [Jewish paramilitaries] particularly in the port of Haifa where Tintin disembarks to begin his adventures.The conflict between Jews and Arabs in the British mandate territory of Palestine, the backdrop to the original version of the Land of Black Gold, is removed in the 1971 version, as part, Blin says, of a process of historical revisionism aiming to remove the Palestinians from the history of their country and transforming an album that was originally highly political to one that was now disconnected from reality.Blin also outlines the fortunes of Tintin in Arabic. The adventures of the Belgian boy-detective are now available in several dozen languages, including some with comparatively few native speakers such as Welsh and Hungarian. However, Tintin in Arabic has been less lucky, since while Tintin was first translated into Arabic in 1942, the Cairo publisher Dar al-Maaraf, which had earlier produced Arabic versions of the series, stopped doing so in 2006, leaving Tintin without an Arab publisher.Moreover, Crab with the Golden Claws was the only one of the four albums set in the Arab world that was translated into Arabic for the Dar al-Maaraf series, possibly because it was the least oriental of the four, Blin says, being set somewhere in the Maghreb. The others were probably not translated because of their obvious prejudices, the product of their time, and their general tendency to reduce the Arab world to a stereotypical backdrop for European adventures. *A version of this article appears in print in the 19 March, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: NASA/Jamie Peer The NASA Office of Inspector General has released another report criticizing the government agency's efforts to reach the moon by 2024, this time taking aim at the ground structure that will be used to assemble, process, transport and launch NASA's rocket. The first ground structure, called a mobile launcher, was originally built in 2010 for a since-canceled rocket and has required major modifications to support the Space Launch System rocket that NASA is building to reach the moon. The report released Tuesday said these modifications cost $693 million as of January -- $308 million more than NASA's March 2014 budget estimate -- and is more than three years behind schedule. The Manitoba government could still introduce its 2020 budget in the coming days. However, with many economists predicting the COVID-19 pandemic will trigger a global recession, the fiscal blueprint presented to media last week is already out of date. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 17/3/2020 (665 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The Manitoba government could still introduce its 2020 budget in the coming days. However, with many economists predicting the COVID-19 pandemic will trigger a global recession, the fiscal blueprint presented to media last week is already out of date. The Opposition NDP continued to hold up house proceedings at the legislature Tuesday for the fourth consecutive day, preventing government from unveiling its budget and introducing bills. Opposition members including the Liberals have also been unable to ask questions about provincial measures to counter the spread of the novel coronavirus in question period. That could change this week,if the NDP believes it has delayed proceedings long enough to prevent a cluster of government bills (which have been sitting on the order paper) from passing until the fall. If the budget is finally introduced this week, many of the revenue and spending projections will have to be substantially updated to reflect the new economic reality. Its unlikely government would print a new set of budget documents, but Manitoba Finance could release an addendum that lays out various scenarios. In the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, Finance Minister Scott Fielding will have to take another look at the numbers he presented last week. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press files) The budget presented to the media last week remains under embargo. Those of us who have seen it are prevented from revealing or commenting on its contents; nevertheless, it's safe to say the assumptions used to craft it are now almost irrelevant. With businesses shutting down (or facing steep revenue declines), workers losing jobs, and overall productivity taking a nosedive, the income, corporate and sales tax projections will have to be significantly restated. Even gambling revenues a lucrative source of government income will take a hit with casinos temporarily closing and many VLTs in bars and restaurants going dark. Premier Brian Pallister would be well-advised to reconsider his planned PST cut and new carbon tax scheme, which together would cost government at least $40 million a year in revenue. The Tories could also postpone plans to trim the payroll tax. Government will be under pressure to offset this year's economic hardship with stimulus spending in areas it hadnt planned for. Health-care spending will be under growing pressure due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. There could also be added pressure on social services, as small businesses fail and people lose jobs. We cant reveal what the projected deficit was in last weeks budget document, but it will almost certainly now be higher than what was originally projected. If the economic damage is long-lasting, it will likely push the Pallister governments 2022 balanced-budget target back a year or two. Want more great journalism? Get our best news and features delivered in your inbox every weekday evening. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. NDP leader Wab Kinew says his party is holding up the release of the budget to ensure certain bills can't be passed until the fall session. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press files) Some of this could be offset by a federal stimulus package. Ottawa could, for example, increase Canada Health Transfer amounts to the provinces to help with soaring hospital, laboratory and community health-care costs. The federal government has greater fiscal capacity than the provinces right now, especially with Alberta getting pounded by plummeting world oil prices. There is flexibility in a budget. Discretionary spending items can be postponed to cushion the blow of falling revenues. For example, even before the budget was printed last week, the province announced it planned to offset the cost of what it called "fake funds" created by the previous NDP government. Fees were collected in past years for items such as the Manitoba Opportunities Fund and the Victims Assistance Fund that were recorded as revenues, yet not all the money collected was paid out. Many of the funds were created 10 to 15 years ago; the cost of remediating those funds, expected to be in the tens of millions, could be delayed. Regardless, revenue and spending projections will have to be significantly altered as the year goes on. If government provides an addendum with the release of the budget, Manitobans will have some idea of whats in store for fiscal 2020-21. Well have to wait until the Opposition NDP stops playing games at the Manitoba legislature before that happens. tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca Japanese flu medication 'Avigan' may be effective in combating Covid-19 (coronavirus). Chinese media have reported the effectiveness of the drug on the coronavirus, as it was manufactured to treat new strains of influenza. The active ingredient Favipiravir within the medication was tested on 340 patients took part in the clinical trial who had the coronavirus in China. Within four days, it was reported that the patients went from Covid-19 positive to Covid-19 negative and had no obvious side effects. It is understood that the ingredients within the anti-flu medication inhibits the virus from replicating within the body, and thus hindering its takeover. However, it has been reported that the medication does not work in severe cases of illness. X-rays and medical examinations on the 340 patients showed significant improvement in lung capacity, which is a primary characteristic of the deadly virus. Officials have stated that should the drug be approved for this purpose, it will be given for free, however this is up for speculation. Favipiravir was also an active ingredient used to fight the Ebola virus during the 2016 outbreak. The drug is being developed by a subsidiary of Fujifilm according to The Guardian and shares have been reported to increase by 15% since the discovery. As confirmed coronavirus cases surpasses 200,000 patients globally, could we finally be able to stop the deadly disease? The City of Midland Parks and Recreation has closed the Plymouth Park Fun Zone to the public effective immediately through Monday, April 6. The closure comes in response to public health directives urging organizations to curb the potential spread of coronavirus by closing or limiting public access to areas that attract large congregations of people. Recent large crowds at the Fun Zone prompted City officials to close the playground to public access. Ex-Russian top investigator ordered to 12-year jail for $1 mln bribery RAPSI, Eugeny Varlamov 14:05 18/03/2020 MOSCOW, March 18 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court on Wednesday sentenced ex-director of the Investigative Committee's Main Investigations Directorate, General Alexander Drymanov to 12 years in a high-security prison for $1 million bribery, RAPSI reports from the courtroom. Additionally, Drymanov was ordered to pay a 196 million-ruble fine, prohibited from holding law enforcement and state posts for 7 years, deprived of his Major General rank. Colonel Alexey Kramarenko received 10 years in a high-security prison. The third defendant, ex-investigator Mikhail Maksimenko was ordered to be imprisoned for 14 years. Earlier, the prosecution asked the court to sentence Drymanov to 16 years in prison, Kramarenko and Maksimenko to 14 and 17 years in prison respectively. Neither of the defendants admitted guilt. The oral arguments of the parties were heard at chambers. Investigators believe the defendants received the bribe for mitigation of restrictive measures with respect to a member of an organized gang. The case of two other defendants, Alexander Lamonov and Denis Nikandrov, are heard separately. Drymanov was arrested in mid-July 2018. He stands charged with receiving two large-scale and especially large-scale bribes. The defendant pleads not guilty and calls the case fabricated. Femi Fani kayode Popular people democratic party(PDP) chieftain, Fani Kayode has hailed the federal government of Nigeria for imposing a travel ban on 13 countries following the outbreak of coronavirus. Read Also: Buhari Is Callous, Insensitive, Heartless: Fani Kayode However, he called for a shut down of public schools following the news that more cases of the dreaded disease has started emerging in places like Katsina. He wrote: I commend the FG for imposing a travel ban on 13 countries as a consequence of Covid 19. With reports that more possible cases are emerging in places like Katsina, they should also consider closing all public schools and public institutions until further notice. Im just doing what is best to protect my family, Scott Whiten, 47, tells me over email from his home in Boston, Lincolnshire. Whiten has 4 children Jarrod, 24, Lewis, 19, Marni, 16, and his youngest, Sonny who is the only one still at school. Last Friday he decided to remove the nine-year-old, who has asthma, from full-time education as a way to safeguard his family during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. Under legislation in England and Wales parents whose children are absent from school during term time can be fined by their local council up to 60 per day, an amount that rises to 120 for each parent if they do not pay within 21 days. But Whiten says he doesnt care about the money and is taking matters into his own hands. We are stuck between a rock and a hard place but I am doing what I think is best for the safety of my family. I look, listen and watch and if things dont move quick enough then Im prepared to do what I need to do to protect my family the best I can, he says. How can you preach about social distancing, the banning of group gatherings yet allow kids to go to school? Recommended How to feel less anxious about the coronavirus On Monday Boris Johnson introduced a raft of social distancing measures banning mass gatherings, asking people to work from home where possible and to not visit pubs, restaurants, theatres or undertake any non-essential travel. It is hoped this will curb the continued coronavirus outbreak, which has so far infected over 200,000 people worldwide. But Johnsons government did not go as far as many neighbouring European countries including Ireland, Spain and Italy, who have closed schools, universities and colleges for the foreseeable future, as part of the package. On Wednesday Scotland and Wales also announced schools would be closing. It has been suggested that schools in England are yet to close because the government wants to avoid the potential impact on staffing that would occur if parents were needed for childcare instead of as medical staff or as care workers in hospitals and elsewhere. But now Johnson is under increasing pressure, following criticism from parents and teachers, to close schools. A hashtag #schoolclosureUK has been trending on Twitter since his speech on Monday. 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 Whiten says his sons school have actually been supportive in his decision to remove his child, because of his ongoing health problems, but that they have been unable to provide any learning materials or at home work packs until the government issues a notice for official closure. Maria Chamberlain, 38, from the Wirral tells The Independent she has also taken matters into her own hands and removed her five-year-old Raffy from school on Monday because Maria has an underlying health condition and wanted to decrease her risk of exposure to coronavirus. The government has been too vague in communicating its message..." I think the government has been far too vague in communicating its message across to the public, she says. [There is] a lack of clarity and message inconsistency. Its absurd and does nothing to instil confidence. She also says she worries that it is damaging for the mental health of children: I cant imagine what its doing to the mental health of kids who see that its not safe for adults to go to work but somehow fine for them to go to school? I think the social effects of this cumulative anxiety are going to stay with us long after a vaccination has been found. Bernadette Chapman, 45, a business consultant from Essex has also taken her youngest child, Lena, 10, out of school because she has problems with her immune system. Lena developed a persistent cough on Saturday. We were confused as to whether it was ok to send [her] in or whether that fell under government guidelines. In the end we decided to assume we needed to keep [her] off. Her daughter has told her she feels sad about what is going on. Although she worries about those parents who cannot easily look after their children at home and does empathise with the government position on staffing. I think this could be very problematic for many parents still working, especially those on the frontline. For me it is easy, I am here so having my children home does not impact on my business. But what about NHS staff? If children are home they cannot go into work, she says. Dan Wyke, 47, from Worthing has been keeping his daughter at home from school this week as he has ME, which means he is in a higher risk category [Dr Charles Shepherd, chief medical advisor of the ME Association, has said an infection like Covid-19 will almost certainly cause a relapse]. Our main concern as a family has been about our daughter catching Covid-19 at school and bringing it home to me, he says. I felt the governments advice to keep schools open was inconsistent with their other advice to limit social contact, says Wyke. It is also putting people like me and other families where someone has a chronic illness or serious underlying health condition at risk. As the government faces increasing pressure and parents willing to remove their children from school, regardless of the cost, Boris Johnson must decide whether to follow the rest of the UK. SKANES FAGERHULT, Sweden, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Concentric AB board of directors has resolved to convene an annual general meeting of shareholders to be held Thursday 23 April 2020. Further details on the proposals can be found in the notice convening the meeting, below. The notice is expected to be published in the Swedish Official Gazette (Post- och Inrikes Tidningar) and on the company's website within the next few days. Annual general meeting in Concentric AB The annual general meeting of Concentric AB will be held at 15:00 CET on Thursday 23 April 2020, at Klara strand, S:ta Clara, Klarabergsviadukten 90, in Stockholm. Registration begins at 14:30 CET. NOTICE OF ATTENDANCE Those wishing to attend the general meeting must: i. be recorded in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB, as of Friday 17 April 2020; and ii. notify the company of their intention to participate in the general meeting at the address Concentric AB, Strandgatan 2, 582 26 Linkoping, Sweden, by telephone +46 76 610 40 04 or at the company's website, www.concentricab.com, no later than Friday 17 April 2020. On giving notice of attendance, the shareholder should state the shareholder's name (company name), address, telephone number, personal identity number or equivalent (corporate identity number) and shareholdings. Proxies and representatives of a legal person are asked to submit documents of authorisation prior to the general meeting. A proxy form will be available on the company's website, www.concentricab.com, and will be sent, immediately and free of charge to the recipient, to those shareholders who so request and state their postal address. In order to participate in the general meeting, those whose shares are registered in the name of a nominee must request their bank or broker to have their shares owner-registered with Euroclear Sweden AB as of Friday 17 April 2020 and the bank or broker should therefore be notified in due time before said date. This registration may be made temporarily. See below for further information on the processing of personal data. AGENDA Proposal for agenda 1. Opening of the general meeting and election of Chair of the general meeting 2. Drawing up and approval of the voting list 3. Approval of the agenda 4. Election of one or two persons to approve the minutes 5. Determination of whether the general meeting was duly convened 6. The CEO's report 7. Presentation of the annual report and the auditor's report and the consolidated financial statements and the consolidated auditor's report 8. Resolutions on: a. adoption of the income statement and the balance sheet and the consolidated income statement and the consolidated balance sheet; b. appropriation of the company's result according to the adopted balance sheet and on record date for dividend; and c. discharge of personal liability for the board members and the CEO for the financial year 2019 9. Resolution on the number of board members and auditors 10. Resolution on fees to the board members and the auditor 11. Election of the board members and the auditor 12. Resolution on guidelines for salary and other remuneration 13.Resolution on a reduction of share capital with retirement of repurchased own shares and increase of the share capital through a bonus issue 14.Resolution on performance based incentive programme (LTI 2020) 15. Resolution on a directed issue of warrants and approval of transfer of warrants 16.Resolution on: a. authorisation for the board to resolve on acquisition of own shares; b. authorisation for the board to resolve on transfer of own shares; c. transfer of own shares to participants in LTI 2020; and d. transfer of own shares to an employee share ownership trust 17.Closing of the general meeting Proposal for election of chair of the general meeting (item 1 on the agenda) The Nomination Committee proposes that Kenth Eriksson be elected Chair of the general meeting. Proposal for resolution on appropriation of the company's result according to the adopted balance sheet and on record date for dividend (item 8 (b) on the agenda) The general meeting has at its disposal profits carried forward of SEK 1,059,536,255 added with the net profit for the year of SEK 670,223,861. Thus, the general meeting has in total a non-restricted equity of SEK 1,729,760,116 at its disposal. The board proposes a dividend for the financial year 2019 of SEK 4.50 per share, totalling SEK 169,950,299 (shares held by the company and shares held by the Employee Share Ownership Trust are excluded from dividend) and that the balance of SEK 1,559,809,817 is carried forward. As record date for the dividend the board proposes Monday 27 April 2020. Subject to the resolution by the general meeting in accordance with this proposal, the cash dividend is expected to be distributed by Euroclear Sweden AB on Thursday 30 April 2020. Proposals for resolution on the number of board members and auditors, resolution on fees to the board members and the auditor, and election of the board members and the auditor (items 9 - 11 on the agenda) In accordance with the resolution of the annual general meeting 2019, Goran Espelund, Chair (Lannebo Fonder), Erik Durhan (Nordea Fonder), Marianne Nilsson (Swedbank Robur) and Per Trygg (SEB Fonder) and Kenth Eriksson, Chair of the Board of Concentric. were all appointed members of the Nomination Committee in October 2019, in preparation for the annual general meeting 2020. The Nomination Committee which represents about 31 percent of the shares and votes in the company, proposes that the general meeting resolve mainly as set out below. The Nomination Committee proposes that the Board be composed of eight directors elected at the AGM, with no alternates, for the period until the next AGM. The Nomination Committee proposes re-election of Kenth Eriksson, Marianne Brismar, Karin Gunnarsson, Martin Lundstedt, Anders Nielsen, Susanna Schneeberger, Martin Skold and Claes Magnus Akesson. It is proposed that Kenth Eriksson be re-elected Chair of the Board. More information about the proposed directors can be found on the company's website www.concentricab.com. The Nomination Committee proposes that the company have one auditor with no deputy. The Nomination Committee proposes that the registered accounting firm KPMG AB be re-elected as the company's auditor until the end of the annual general meeting 2021. KPMG AB has notified the company that Joakim Thilstedt, authorised public accountant, will be appointed auditor-in-charge of the company. The Nomination Committee's proposal corresponds to the Audit Committee's recommendation. Neither the Nomination Committee nor the Audit Committee have been influenced by a third party and no clause of a contract entered into with a third party has influenced or restricted the Audit Committee's choice of auditor. Fees to the directors for the period up to and including the annual general meeting 2021 is proposed to be paid as follows. The Chair of the Board will receive SEK 800,000 (previously SEK 700,000) and each of the other directors will receive SEK 350,000 (previously SEK 325,000). In addition, the Chair of the Compensation Committee will receive unchanged SEK 100,000 and director of the Compensation Committee will receive unchanged SEK 50,000. Further, the Nomination Committee proposes that the Chair of the Audit Committee will receive unchanged SEK 150,000 and directors of said committee will receive unchanged SEK 75,000. The above proposal means that the total remuneration to the Board (remuneration for committee work included) will increase from SEK 3,425,000 to SEK. 3,700,000. The Nomination Committee has conducted an analysis of director fees and associated remuneration for committee work and compared them to similar companies based on several measures of size and complexity. The outcome of the analysis justifies, according to the Nomination Committee, an increase of said fees and remunerations. Fees to the auditor for services performed are proposed to be paid against by the company approved current account. Proposal for resolution on guidelines for salary and other remuneration (item 12 on the agenda) The Board proposes that the general meeting resolves on the following guidelines for salary and other remuneration to directors, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and other senior executives mainly as set out below. The group of senior executives encompassed by these guidelines comprises the CEO and other members of the group executive management who report directly to the CEO and have strategic accountability for business unit operations and governance matters directed by the Board. These guidelines will be valid for agreements entered into after the general meeting's resolution and for changes made to existing agreements thereafter. These guidelines do not apply to any director fees decided or approved by the general meeting or such issues and transfers as are covered by Chapter 16 in the Swedish Companies Act. The guidelines' promotion of the company's business strategy, long-term interests and sustainability In short, Concentric's business strategy is the following. Concentric is one of the world's leading pump manufacturers and seek to deliver sustainable growth for every application in the markets the company serve. Concentric strive to improve fuel economy, reduce emissions and improve engine control through technical solutions and precision engineering. Concentric create value for its customers through: developing world class technology with innovative solutions that meet the demands of customers/end markets; selling locally to global customers by capitalising on the global infrastructure and teams the company have; and embedding Business Excellence in all that the company do. The people are Concentric's most valuable asset and the company aim to leverage and nurture the unique skills of the company's teams across the globe through a strong and inclusive corporate culture. Concentric aim to deliver strong and sustainable shareholder returns and target growth both organically and through acquisitions which deliver complementary technologies. For more information regarding the company's business strategy, please see http://www.concentricinvestors.com/. It is of fundamental importance to the company and its shareholders that these guidelines, in both a short- and long-term perspective, enable the company to attract and retain senior executives and other employees with excellent competence. The purpose of these guidelines is to increase transparency in remuneration and to create incentives for senior executives, to execute strategic plans and deliver effective operational results to support the company's business strategy and long-term interests, including its sustainability. To obtain this it is important to sustain fair and internally balanced terms that are at the same time competitive on the market with respect to structure, scope and compensation levels. These guidelines enable the company, regardless of geographical market, to offer the senior executives a competitive total compensation. Remuneration and remuneration forms The terms of employment for senior executives should consist of a balanced combination of fixed remuneration, annual bonus, pension and other benefits and terms for dismissal/severance payment. Furthermore, the Board may prepare and the general meeting resolve, on share and share-price related incentive programmes. Such a combination of compensation fosters and supports management and achievement of objectives in both a short and long-term perspective. The remuneration should be based on performance and be competitive. The various types of remuneration that may be paid out are described below. As a share of the total compensation the following guidance shall apply: Fixed remuneration 50% Annual bonus 25% Long-term incentive programme (LTI) 25% The total compensation of the senior executives shall be evaluated against relevant (geographical and industry) market data to maintain fair and balanced terms which are at the same time competitive within the market. Fixed remuneration The fixed remuneration shall be individually determined and shall be based on each individual's responsibility and role as well as the individual's competence and experience in the relevant position. Annual bonus Senior executives have an annual bonus that is payable after each year end. The annual bonus is structured as a variable part of the total compensation. Bonus objectives shall primarily be based on the outcomes of financial objectives for the entire company as well as clearly defined individual objectives with respect to specific assignments. The latter is to ensure that the senior executive also focuses on non-financial objectives of specific interest. The financial and non-financial objectives shall be designed so as to contribute to the company's business strategy, long-term interests, including its sustainability. The financial objectives for the company shall be established by the Board annually. On behalf of the Board, the Compensation Committee establishes the financial objectives for individual units proposed by the CEO. The Compensation Committee shall make its annual evaluation based on the latest financial information made public by the company. The individual objectives for senior executives are set up to a maximum of 4 which account for between 15 and 30 per cent of the total annual bonus award. Individual objectives will focus on strategic targets related to people, revenue growth in all economies and accelerating technology. The individual objectives for the CEO are directly aligned to strategic growth and development of the business and are agreed by the Compensation Committee. In turn, the individual objectives for the senior executives have the same focus and alignment to ensure flow-down through each business and function. The individual objectives are proposed by the senior executives in agreement with the CEO, with final approval from the Compensation Committee. At the end of the bonus period, each senior executive will provide an evidence-based assessment of their performance against individual objectives for agreement and approval by the CEO. The CEO's assessment of performance will be agreed and approved by the Compensation Committee. The part of the total compensation consisting of the annual bonus varies depending on position and may be up to 50 per cent of the fixed remuneration at full objectives achievement. The bonus objectives are constructed so that no bonus will be paid if a certain minimum performance level is not achieved. All bonus schemes within the organisation are discretionary and payable only after approval by the Compensation Committee unless payment is guaranteed by an existing legal agreement or contract. The company does not have any potential deferral periods or according to agreements any possibility to reclaim variable remuneration. Remuneration payable to directors In certain cases, directors elected by the general meeting should be able to receive fees and other remuneration for work carried out on the company's behalf, alongside their Board work. Fees at market rates, to be approved by the Board, may be payable for such services. Pension When entering into new pension agreements with senior executives who are entitled to pension, the pension shall be based on defined contribution plans. Senior executives retire in accordance with local regulations on pension. As a main principle, pension contributions are based solely on fixed remuneration and the pension scheme(s) in operation will be appropriate to comply with governing local legislation. Senior executives in the UK are invited to participate in a defined contribution plan which sets 12 per cent employer contribution rate. Senior executives in the USA participate in a 401k pension scheme. The company ensures adherence to the scheme rules of each plan. For employments governed by rules other than Swedish, pension benefits may be duly adjusted for compliance with mandatory rules or established local practice, taking into account, to the extent possible, the overall purpose of these guidelines. Other benefits Other benefits, such as company car, compensation for healthcare and health and medical insurance shall form a minor part of the total compensation and shall correspond to what may be deemed market practice on each relevant market. For employments governed by rules other than Swedish, other benefits may be duly adjusted for compliance with mandatory rules or established local practice, taking into account, to the extent possible, the overall purpose of these guidelines. Special remuneration Further variable remuneration may be awarded in extraordinary circumstances, provided that such extraordinary arrangements are limited in time and do not exceed 36 months, and may only be made on an individual basis, either for the purpose of recruiting or retaining executives, or to induce individuals to move to new places of service or accept new positions or as remuneration for extraordinary performance beyond the individual's ordinary tasks. Further, the total compensation must not exceed an amount equivalent to two times the remuneration the individual would have received in the absence of an agreement on special remunerations. Any resolution on such remuneration shall be made by the Board based on a proposal from the Compensation Committee. Long-Term Incentive Programme In order to foster a long-term perspective in the decision-making and to ensure long-term achievement of objectives, the Board may propose the general meeting to resolve on long-term incentive programmes. The Board has used long-term incentives in order to ensure that senior executives within the company have a long-term interest in a stable value increase of the Concentric share, which support the company's business strategy, including its sustainability. By implementing an incentive programme that is connected to the company's profits and at the same time its increase in value, the long-term growth of the company is rewarded and fostered. Further, long-term incentive programmes also aim to make the company a more attractive employer, which contributes to the company's ability to retain key employees within the group as well as to recruit new key employees. The Board has several times proposed long-term performance-based incentive programmes under which senior executives and key employees have been entitled to receive employee stock options, that entitle the participants to acquire shares in the company. The structure of the scheme requires the employee to acquire shares in Concentric AB in order to participate in the scheme. Under the programmes, the employee stock options can, after three years and subject to certain conditions, be exercised to acquire Concentric shares. This will be possible during a three-month period from the date when the company's report for the first quarter after those three years is published. The LTI scheme is subject to proposal and agreement within a clear governance structure which, in order, is the Compensation Committee, the Board and finally, the annual general meeting. Terms for dismissal etc. Terms for dismissal and severance pay shall correspond to what may be deemed market practice on each relevant market. The CEO has a notice period of 12 months. Other senior executives have a notice period up to 6 months. In addition, hereto, agreement may be made with senior executives on severance pay upon termination of employment by the company, corresponding to a maximum of 12 months' fixed remuneration. Remuneration and employment conditions for other employees In the preparation of the Board's proposal for these guidelines, remuneration and employment conditions for employees of the company have been taken into account by including information on the employees' total income, the components of the remuneration and increase and growth rate over time, in the Compensation Committee's and the Board's basis of decision when evaluating whether the guidelines and the limitations set out herein are reasonable. The development of the gap between the remuneration to senior executives and remuneration to other employees will be disclosed in the new remuneration report that will be prepared for the next annual general meeting. The decision-making process to determine, review and implement the guidelines The Board and its Compensation Committee resolve on the structures of remuneration systems, as well as levels and forms of remuneration to senior executives. The Board shall prepare a proposal for new guidelines at least every fourth year and submit it to the general meeting. The guidelines shall be in force until new guidelines are adopted by the general meeting. The Compensation Committee shall monitor and evaluate programmes for variable remuneration for the executive management, the application of the guidelines as well as the current remuneration structures and compensation levels in the company. The members of the Compensation Committee are independent of the company and its executive management. The CEO and other members of the executive management do not participate in the Board's processing of and resolutions regarding remuneration-related matters in so far as they are affected by such matters. Conflicts of interest are counteracted in all decisions and any potential conflicts of interest are handled in accordance with the company's framework for governance, consisting out of a code of conduct, policies and guidelines. Derogation from the guidelines The Board may temporarily resolve to derogate from the guidelines, in whole or in part, if in a specific case there is special cause for the derogation and a derogation is necessary to serve the company's long-term interests, including its sustainability, or to ensure the company's financial viability. As set out above, the Compensation Committee's tasks include preparing the Board's resolutions in remuneration-related matters. This includes any resolutions to derogate from the guidelines. Description of material changes to the guidelines and how the views of shareholders' have been taken into consideration The content of the guidelines has been reviewed and adapted to the legal requirements imposed by Directive (EU) 2017/828 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2007/36/ EC as regards encouragement of the long-term shareholder engagement. Remunerations previously decided but not yet due At the time of the annual general meeting on 23 April 2020, Concentric has no unsettled obligations of remuneration, except ongoing obligations to senior executives in accordance with the principles of remuneration described in the annual report. Proposal for resolution on a reduction of share capital with retirement of repurchased own shares and increase of the share capital through a bonus issue (item 13 on the agenda) The Board proposes that the general meeting resolve to reduce the share capital with a retirement of repurchased own shares and to increase the share capital through a bonus issue mainly as set out below. The resolutions are conditional upon each other, thus the Board proposes that the general meeting makes one joint resolution with respect to the proposals. A. Reduction of share capital The company's share capital will be reduced as follows. 1. The company's share capital will be reduced by SEK 2,297,720. 2. The reduction will be made with retirement of 926,500 of the shares in the company repurchased and held by it. 3. The retirement of shares will be made without any repayment. 4. The purpose of the reduction is to allocate means to unrestricted equity. The means will, however, be restored to the share capital in accordance with item B below. The Board states the following as an account under Chapter 20 Section 13 Paragraph 4 of the Swedish Companies Act. The resolution to reduce the share capital in accordance with this item requires neither the approval of the Swedish Companies Registration Office nor, in disputed cases, a court of general jurisdiction, since the company simultaneously will carry out a bonus issue meaning that neither the restricted equity nor the share capital will be reduced. The effect of the Board's proposal under item A means that the company's restricted equity and share capital will be reduced by SEK 2,297,720. The effect of the Board's proposal under B below means that the company's restricted equity and share capital will be increased by SEK 2,297,856 and thereby SEK 136 higher than the amount before the reduction. The proposed resolution to carry out a bonus issue is set out in item B below. B. Increase of share capital through a bonus issue To restore the share capital following the proposed reduction of share capital as set out above the share capital will be increased by a bonus issue of SEK 2,297,856 by a transfer of SEK 2,297,856 from the company's unrestricted equity. The bonus issue will take place without the issuing of new shares. Following the resolutions under items A and B the company's share capital will total SEK 97,275,904 and there will be 38,297,600 registered shares, each with a quota value of SEK 2.54. The Board, or anyone appointed by the Board, is entitled to make the minor adjustments to the above proposed resolution that may be necessary upon registration of the resolution with the Swedish Companies Registration Office, Euroclear Sweden AB or due to any other formal requirement. Proposal for resolution on performance based incentive programme (LTI 2020) (item 14 on the agenda) General The Board believes that an incentive programme that is connected to the company's profits and at the same time its increase in value will award and foster the long-term growth of the company. Further, an incentive programme will contribute to the ability of the company to retain and recruit key employees within the group. Considering the above, the Board proposes a long-term performance based incentive programme ("LTI 2020") under which senior executives and key employees will be entitled to receive employee stock options that entitle the participants to acquire shares in the company under the terms and conditions mainly as set out below. In order to ensure and maximise the management's engagement in the company, allocation of employee stock options under LTI 2020 will be conditional upon the participants becoming shareholders in the company by own investments in the company's share in the stock market. The Board's intention is that the incentive programme will run over a long-term period, thus the Board intends to propose the general meeting in the coming years to resolve upon similar incentive programmes. To be able to implement LTI 2020 in a cost-efficient and flexible manner, the Board has considered various methods for transferring the company's shares under LTI 2020, such as a share swap agreement with a third party, repurchase and transfer of own shares to participants in LTI 2020 or an Employee Share Ownership Trust as well as transfer of warrants entitling to subscription of new shares. The Board has also taken into consideration that delivery of shares under LTI 2020 will be made no earlier than 2023. In order to retain full flexibility, the Board proposes that shares can be delivered with any of the above four alternate methods (in accordance with the proposals below and the Board's proposal on directed issue and transfer of warrants and the Board's proposal on acquisition and transfer of own shares to participants in LTI 2020, or an Employee Share Ownership Trust), with the right for the Board to combine or choose any of the methods. News in 2020 Concentric has implemented LTI programmes in main as described in this proposal on an annual basis since 2012. The LTI programme has enabled Concentric to offer a competitive total reward package necessary to attract and retain employees who are critical to Concentric's ongoing success. In order to increase Concentric's capability to retain and recruit the best talents for key leadership positions, the Board proposes that the AGM 2020 extends membership of the LTI programme to a total of eleven additional participants, being senior managers in the Concentric group, as set out in the following proposal. The proposal The Board proposes that the general meeting resolve on the implementation of a long-term incentive programme, LTI 2020, principally based on the following conditions and principles. 1. LTI 2020 shall comprise up to five senior executives, including the CEO, and five other executives and other key employees (total of ten employees) and up to eleven senior managers within the Concentric group. 2. In order to participate in LTI 2020, the participants must make own investments in Concentric shares in the stock market no later than 31 May 2020, with right for the Board to, in respect of participants joining LTI 2020 thereafter, postpone the last day of acquisition to no later than 4 December 2020. 3. Within LTI 2020, investments in Concentric shares may be made (i) by the CEO up to a value of 50 per cent of his annual base salary, (ii) by the senior vice president (former CFO) up to a value of 30 per cent of his annual base salary, (iii) by eight other senior executives up to a value of 20 per cent of their respective annual base salary, and (iv) by a total of eleven senior managers up to a value of 10 per cent of their respective annual base salary. References to the annual base salary means the participant's base salary effective from 1 January 2020. The maximum number of shares that each participant is entitled to acquire under the LTI 2020 shall be calculated using a share price of SEK 157.80, which equals to the average of each trading day's volume weighted average share price on Nasdaq Stockholm during the period from 5 February 2020 to 18 February 2020 (inclusive), rounded to the nearest ten ore. 4. Each Concentric share acquired under LTI 2020 will entitle the participants to two (2) free employee stock options, where each, after a three-year lock-up period, will entitle the participant to acquire one (1) Concentric share at a price of SEK 126.20 and SEK 189.40 respectively. This exercise price equals 80 and 120 per cent respectively of the average of each trading day's volume weighted average share price on Nasdaq Stockholm during the period from 5 February 2020 to 18 February 2020 (inclusive), rounded to the nearest ten ore. 5. Each Concentric share acquired under LTI 2020 will also entitle the participants to two (2) free performance employee stock options ("Performance Employee Stock Options"), where each, if certain performance criteria specified below are met, will entitle the participant to acquire one (1) Concentric share at a price of SEK 126.20. This exercise price equals 80 per cent of the average of each trading day's volume weighted average share price on Nasdaq Stockholm during the period 5 February 2020 to 18 February 2020 (inclusive), rounded to the nearest ten ore. 6. Each participant in LTI 2020 may receive no more than four (4) employee stock options and Performance Employee Stock Options in total for each acquired Concentric share. In all, a maximum of 200,000 employee stock options, each entitling to one (1) Concentric share, may be allocated under LTI 2020. Allocation of the employee stock options is to be decided by the Board. 7. The employee stock options shall have a 39 months term (but never past 31 October 2023) and can be exercised to acquire Concentric shares during a three-month period from the date of publication of the company's report for the first quarter 2023. 8. Exercising the employee stock options is subject to the participant remaining employed in the Concentric group (with certain exceptions decided by the Board) and retaining the Concentric shares acquired under LTI 2020 throughout the three-year lock-up period, thus up to and including the date of exercising the employee stock options. 9. The Board shall be authorised to resolve on a premature exercise of the employee stock options (i) if a person, alone or together with related parties, acquires such number of shares in the company that it, in accordance with applicable rules, gives rise to an obligation to announce a mandatory offer to acquire all outstanding shares in the company or (ii) for individual participants based on individual circumstances, or (iii) if premature exercise is otherwise deemed to be suitable or appropriate, taking into account performance achieved to the date of premature exercise. 10. The number of Concentric shares that may be transferred to participants in LTI 2020 may be recalculated due to a bonus issue, share split, rights issue and/or any similar event, by applying the recalculation principles applicable on the warrants proposed to the general meeting under the Board's proposal on directed issue of warrants. In addition, the Board may adjust the performance criteria due to circumstances affecting comparability of key figures, e.g. non-recurring events such as acquisitions, divestments and similar. 11. The Board shall decide on the detailed terms and conditions of LTI 2020. The Board shall be entitled to deviate from or adjust the terms and conditions as a result of local regulations and practice. Performance criteria The conditional right to exercise the Performance Employee Stock Options is subject to the fulfilment of the following performance criteria. The first Performance Employee Stock Option will entitle the participant to acquire one (1) Concentric share per Performance Employee Stock Option if the company's reported earnings per share of the financial year 2022 reach or exceed SEK 9.50. The second Performance Employee Stock Option will entitle the participant to acquire one (1) Concentric share per Performance Employee Stock Option if the company's reported earnings per share of the financial year 2022 reach or exceed SEK 12.00. No partial exercising of Performance Employee Stock Options will be allowed if the performance criteria are not fully met. Authorisation to enter into a swap agreement The company's supply of shares to the participants under LTI 2020 may be made by instructing a third party to deliver Concentric shares under a swap agreement. In accordance with this, the Board proposes that the general meeting resolve to authorise the Board to enter into a swap agreement regarding own shares. Thus, it is proposed that the financial exposure of LTI 2020 may be hedged by the company entering into a share swap agreement with a third party, whereby the third party in its own name shall acquire and transfer Concentric shares to participants in LTI 2020. Costs The LTI 2020 is expected to result in annual costs of approximately MSEK 1.9 for the company if participants invest to their individual limits under the incentive programme and the performance criteria are met, and an annual 15 per cent share price growth is assumed. In addition to this, social security charges will apply in the year of vesting, 2023. Social security charges are expected to amount to approximately MSEK 0.7 annually based on the same assumptions. Preparation of the matter The Board's proposal on LTI 2020 has been prepared by the Board. Proposal for resolution on a directed issue of warrants and approval of transfer of warrants (item 15 on the agenda) The Board proposes that the general meeting resolve on a directed issue of warrants with the right to subscribe for new shares in the company, mainly as set out below. The Board's proposal entails that the general meeting shall decide on a directed issue of 200,000 warrants with the right to subscription of new shares in the company, principally in accordance with the following conditions. 1. The warrants are issued free of charge. Each warrant will give the right to subscribe for one new share in the company, thus the share capital of the company can increase with a maximum of SEK 508,000 if the warrants are fully utilised. 2. The right to subscribe for warrants shall, with a deviation from the shareholders' preferential rights, be granted the company's fully owned subsidiary Concentric Skanes Fagerhult AB. 3. Subscription to the warrants shall be made no later than 30 June 2020, with the Board reserving the right to extend this time limit. 4. The warrants can be exercised to subscribe for shares in the company from the registration of the warrants with the Swedish Companies Registration Office and up to and including 31 December 2023. 5. A warrant entitles its holder to subscribe for one new share in the company for a subscription price corresponding to the share's quota value, SEK 2.54. 6. The new shares issued under the warrants shall entitle to dividend as from the first record date for dividend to occur after the registration of the new shares with the Swedish Companies Registration Office. 7. The number of shares issued under each warrant may be recalculated in accordance with recalculation principles due to a bonus issue, share split or consolidation, rights issue and/or any similar event. Reason for the deviation from the shareholders' preferential right The reason for deviating from the shareholders' preferential rights is that the company wishes to implement an incentive programme for senior executives and key employees within the group, by which they can be offered the opportunity to take part in an increase in the company's share value. Dilution At full utilisation of the warrants, the number of outstanding shares in the company will increase by 200,000. These shares constitute 0.5 per cent of the number of shares and votes after full dilution, calculated as the number of new shares in relation to the number of existing and new shares in the company. Together with outstanding warrants under previous incentive programmes, the warrants will result in a combined dilution of approximately 1.4 per cent of the outstanding shares and votes in the company. If the proposed warrants had been fully utilised throughout 2019, the company's basic and diluted earnings per share for the financial year 2019 would have been SEK 8.33 and SEK 8.22 per share respectively on a pro forma basis, instead of SEK 8.37 and SEK 8.27 per share respectively as reported. In the event that repurchased shares, or shares transferred by a third party under a swap agreement, (in accordance with the Board's proposal for acquisition and transfer of own shares and the Board's proposal of LTI 2020, respectively) are fully or partly transferred to the participants in LTI 2020 instead of warrants, the dilution will be reduced. Transfer of the warrants Furthermore, the Board proposes that the general meeting resolve to approve that Concentric Skanes Fagerhult AB, on one or more occasions, may transfer warrants to the participants in LTI 2020 in accordance with the terms and conditions of LTI 2020, and dispose of the warrants in order to cover costs related to, or fulfil obligations occurring under, LTI 2020. Preparation of the matter The Board's proposal has been prepared by the Board. The Board proposes that a resolution under this proposal be subject to the general meeting having resolved to pass the Board's proposal on LTI 2020 under item 14 on the agenda. Proposals for resolution on authorisation of acquisition and transfer of own shares, transfer of own shares to participants in LTI 2020 and transfer of own shares to an employee share ownership trust (items 16 (a)-(d) on the agenda) Proposal for resolution on authorisation for the board to resolve on acquisition of own shares (item 16 (a) on the agenda) The Board proposes that the general meeting authorises the Board to resolve on repurchase of own shares on one or several occasions during the period up to the annual general meeting 2021 mainly as set out below. 1. Acquisition of own shares must be made on Nasdaq Stockholm. 2. Own shares may be acquired to the extent the company's holdings of own shares in total amounts to no more than one tenth of all shares in the company. 3. Acquisition of own shares on Nasdaq Stockholm shall be made in cash and at a price within the stock market price interval registered at any given time, such interval being the interval between the highest purchase price and the lowest sales price. The reasons for the proposed authorisation to repurchase own shares are to be able to improve the company's capital structure and to enable share transfers in accordance with the Board's proposals for authorisation for the Board to transfer own shares and for previous and proposed resolution on transfer of own shares to participants in LTI 2017-2020, to increase the flexibility for the Board in connection to potential future corporate acquisitions, as well as to cover costs for LTI 2017-2020 and enable delivery of shares in accordance with LTI 2017-2020. References made to LTI 2017-2020 includes the JSOP and Employee Share Ownership Trust. Proposal for resolution on authorisation for the board to resolve on transfer of own shares (item 16 (b) on the agenda) The Board proposes that the general meeting authorises the Board to resolve on transfer of own shares on one or several occasions during the period up to the annual general meeting 2021 mainly as set out below. 1. Transfer of own shares must be made either on Nasdaq Stockholm or in another manner. 2. Transfer of own shares may be made with deviation from the shareholders' preferential rights. 3. The maximum number of shares that may be transferred is the total number of own shares held by the company at the time of the Board's resolution to transfer the shares. 4. Transfer of own shares on Nasdaq Stockholm shall be made at a price within the stock market price interval registered at any given time, such interval being the interval between the highest purchase price and the lowest sales price; transfer of own shares in another manner shall be made at a minimum price that shall be determined in close connection with the shares' quoted price at the time of the Board's resolution to transfer the shares. 5. Payment for the transferred shares may be made in cash, by contribution in kind or by set-off. 6. The Board is entitled to determine the other terms and conditions of the transfer which, however, shall be in accordance with the market practice. The reasons for the proposed authorisation to transfer own shares and for the deviation from the shareholders' preferential rights are to be able to improve the company's capital structure, to cover costs relating to LTI 2017-2020 (including costs related to the JSOP) as well as to increase the flexibility of the Board in connection to potential future corporate acquisitions, by facilitating a fast and cost-efficient financing by divesting holdings of own shares. Proposal for resolution on transfer of own shares to participants in LTI 2020 (item 16 (c) on the agenda) The Board proposes that the general meeting resolve on transfer of own shares mainly as set out below. 1. The maximum number of shares that may be transferred is 200,000. 2. The participants in LTI 2020 are, with deviation from the shareholders' preferential rights, entitled to acquire the shares with right for each of the participants to acquire no more than the maximum number of shares allowed under the terms and conditions for LTI 2020. 3. The participants' right to acquire shares is conditional upon the fulfilment of all of the conditions set up in LTI 2020. 4. The shares must be transferred within the time period set out in the terms and conditions of LTI 2020. 5. The shares must be transferred at a price equivalent to the price established under the terms and conditions of LTI 2020. 6. Payment for the shares must be made in cash and within ten banking days from the participants' exercise of the employee stock options that entitle the participants to acquire the shares. 7. The number of shares that may be transferred to the participants in LTI 2020 may be recalculated due to bonus issue, share split, rights issue and similar events in accordance with the terms and conditions of LTI 2020. The reason for the proposed transfer and for the deviation from the shareholders' preferential rights is to enable delivery of shares under LTI 2020. The Board proposes that a resolution under this proposal be subject to the general meeting having resolved to pass the Board's proposal on LTI 2020 under item 14 on the agenda. Proposal for resolution on transfer of own shares to an employee share ownership trust (item 16 (d) on the agenda) The board proposes that the general meeting resolve on transfer of own shares to an employee share ownership trust, mainly as set out below. The Joint Share Ownership Plan In order to enable a tax efficient delivery of shares under LTI 2020 to participants residency in the United Kingdom, Concentric wants to be able to invite them to take part in a Joint Share Ownership Plan ("JSOP"). Using the JSOP will not change any terms specified in LTI 2020, such that participants will receive the same pre-tax benefits for the same exercise proceeds subject to the same conditions regarding the lock-in period for holding savings shares, maintaining continuity of employment and achieving the relevant performance criteria in LTI 2020. In addition, the total annual costs for Concentric using the JSOP are expected to be in line with those specified in the Board's proposal on LTI 2020 under item 14 on the agenda. Participants that accept this invitation will, instead of receiving an Employee Stock Option or a Performance Employee Stock Option under LTI 2020, receive (i) a Capped Employee Stock Option and (ii) Joint Ownership Rights together with an Employee Share Ownership Trust ("ESOT") in a Concentric share (for which they will pay in cash). The Capped Employee Stock Option will provide the participant with the value of the Concentric share that would have been realised under LTI 2020 up until the cap. The cap will be determined at the time the Capped Employee Stock Option is issued to the participant based upon the value of the Concentric share at that time. The Joint Ownership Right will provide the participant with any benefits that would have been realised under LTI 2020 if the share price on exercise of the Capped Employee Stock Option exceeds the level of the cap. Participants that join the JSOP will automatically surrender their entitlement to regular Employee Stock Options and Performance Employee Stock Options provided under LTI 2020. Through both the Capped Employee Stock Option and the Joint Ownership Right, the participant is given the same opportunity to take part of the growth of value of the Concentric share had the participant not surrendered the rights to the options provided under LTI 2020. To facilitate the JSOP, Concentric will transfer a number of own shares equal to the maximum number of share options which may be awarded to participants who elect to join the JSOP into the program. The shares will be transferred to a securities account controlled by the ESOT in which the shares will be jointly owned by the respective participant and the ESOT as specified within the terms of a joint ownership agreement. If all the conditions for a participant to receive a Concentric share under a regular Employee Stock Option or Performance Employee Stock Option are met, then the participant will be eligible to exercise the respective Capped Employee Stock Option; the total funds paid by the participant to Concentric will be the same as the exercise price of the Employee Stock Option or Performance Employee Stock Option; and the ESOT will surrender its ownership rights in a jointly owned Concentric share and transfer the Concentric share to the participant as full and final settlement of their entitlement under LTI 2020. If all conditions set out in LTI 2020 for the exercise of an Employee Stock Option or a Performance Employee Stock Option is not met, any participant in JSOP must surrender all his ownership rights in a corresponding jointly owned Concentric share to the ESOT and the participant may not exercise the Capped Employee Stock Option. Such shares will be retained in the ESOT and used for future share schemes or other variable remuneration purposes in Concentric. The JSOP will result in Concentric incurring some up-front costs for setting up the necessary practical arrangements. However, the use of Capped Employee Stock Options will also cap social security contributions, such that the total annual costs are expected to be in line with those specified in the Board's proposal on LTI 2020 under item 14 on the agenda. In summary, the JSOP gives the company an opportunity to offer LTI 2020 to participants resident in the United Kingdom in a more tax efficient solution than if the shares had been delivered to them through any other method, whilst ensuring that the conditions for the participants remain the same. Transfer of Own Shares In light of the foregoing, the Board proposes that the general meeting resolve on transfer of own shares to the ESOT and the participants in accordance with the following. 1. The maximum number of shares that may be transferred to an ESOT and the participants is 138,600. 2. Each transferred share may, with deviation of the shareholders' preferential rights, be acquired by the ESOT jointly with one of the participants. 3. The part of a share acquired by the ESOT will be acquired free of charge and the part of a share acquired by a participant, the Joint Ownership Right, is acquired by the participant for a price equal to its market value. The value of this Joint Ownership Right will be established using a best estimate of the initial unrestricted market value, as defined under UK tax law, applying an expected return methodology. 4. The shares must be transferred to the ESOT and the participants before 31 December 2020. 5. The number of shares that may be transferred to the ESOT and the participants may be recalculated due to bonus issue, share split, rights issue and similar events in accordance with the terms and conditions of LTI 2020. The reason for the proposed transfer and for the deviation from the shareholders' preferential rights is to enable a tax efficient delivery of shares under LTI 2020 to certain participants resident in the United Kingdom. The Board proposes that a resolution under this proposal is to be subject to the general meeting having resolved to pass the Board's proposal on LTI 2020 under item 14 on the agenda. MISCELLANEOUS Majority requirements Resolutions under items 13 (reduction of share capital with retirement of repurchased own shares and increase of the share capital through a bonus issue), 16 (a) (authorisation for the board to resolve on acquisition of own shares) and 16 (b) (authorisation for the board to resolve on transfer of own shares) will not be valid unless supported by shareholders representing at least two thirds of both the votes cast and the shares represented at the meeting. Resolutions under items 15 (directed issue of warrants and approval of transfer of warrants), 16 (c) (transfer of own shares to participants in LTI 2020) and 16 (d) (transfer of own shares to an employee share ownership trust) will not be valid unless supported by shareholders representing at least nine tenths of both the votes cast and the shares represented at the meeting. Documents Copies of the board's and the Nomination Committee's complete proposals including the board's and the auditor's statements, the accounts and the auditor's report regarding 2019 will be available at the company and on the company's website www.concentricab.com no later than as from Thursday 2 April 2020 and will be sent, immediately and free of charge to the recipient, to those shareholders who so request and state their postal address. The documents will also be available at the general meeting. Information at the general meeting If so requested by any shareholder and if the board deems it possible without significant detriment to the company, the board and managing director must provide information at the general meeting about circumstances that may affect the assessment of an item on the agenda, circumstances that can affect the assessment of the company's or its subsidiaries' financial situation, the group accounts and the company's relation to other companies within the group. Shareholders who wish to submit questions in advance may send them to Lennart Lindell, Concentric AB, Strandgatan 2, 582 26 Linkoping, Sweden. Shares and votes As per the day of this notice, the number of shares and votes in the company totals 39,224,100 respectively of which the company holds 1,156,667 shares. In addition to this, 300,700 shares have been transferred to an Employee Share Ownership Trust. Processing of personal data For information on how your personal data is processed, please see https://www.euroclear.com/dam/ESw/Legal/Privacy-notice-bolagsstammor-engelska.pdf Concentric AB (publ) The Board of Directors CONTACT: For further information, please contact Lennart Lindell, +46 (0)766 104 004 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/concentric-ab/r/annual-general-meeting-in-concentric,c3061900 The following files are available for download: SOURCE Concentric AB Samsung Electronics has announced the temporary shutdown of its factory in Gumi, South Korea and has relocated the production line of some high-end smartphone models to Vietnam. Nguyen Binh Minh, a lecturer of the Trade University, commented that the move is not part of Samsung's long-term development and investment strategy in Vietnam. This is just an action to adjust business plan after six workers were found positive with coronavirus. Strategically, this is a production line with high-end technology that Samsung might not want to take out of South Korea. However, in the face of the high risks caused by the epidemic, temporary factory relocation is mandatory to ensure production activities. Asked about the benefits for Vietnam can , Minh said Vietnam would only have benefits in supporting activities. In principle, technology transfer will be carried out only if it is mentioned in the strategy signed with Vietnam. In this case, the production line relocation is just a temporary move, not a long-term strategy. Samsung Electronics has announced the temporary shutdown of its factory in Gumi, South Korea and has relocated the production line of some high-end smartphone models to Vietnam. Agreeing with Minh, an analyst said he can see no opportunity for Vietnamese enterprises to squeeze into Samsungs production line. In fact, this is an advanced production line and the enterprises are unable to provide components to Samsung. Besides, it is nearly impossible for Vietnams enterprises to join the production chain because all the links of the chain have been defined already. If Vietnam allows Samsung to relocate its production line to Vietnam, we will get some benefits from providing relevant services which dont have direct relations to the production activities, he said. Minh said Vietnam should consider this an opportunity and create favorable conditions for enterprises to operate in the current context of high risks. We need to show foreign investors that the government of Vietnam creates favorable conditions for investors and will not abandon them in any case, Minh said. This will help make investors feel more secure and believe in the policies as well as the low-risk investment environment in Vietnam. If the epidemic cannot be contained after a short time, Samsung may have to think of organizing long-term production in Vietnam. If this happens, Vietnam will have more smartphone products to export to the world, Minh said, adding that this will benefit both Samsung and Vietnam. The manufacturer will be able to maintain production, while Vietnams investment environment will become more prestigious. Regarding the proposal by Samsung not to isolate 700 South Korean workers who come to Vietnam to serve a research project, Minh said there must not be any exclusion in the context of epidemic escalation. Thanh Lich Samsung engineers to be put under close medical supervision A plan to closely supervise 700 South Korean engineers sent to work at Samsung Display's factory in Bac Ninh had been set up, according to the director of the provincial health department To Thi Mai Hoa on Sunday. Countrys president says anyone who is required to be under quarantine must follow it, or face criminal prosecution. Buenos Aires, Argentina Authorities in Argentina are arresting individuals who break mandatory quarantines during the COVID-19 emergency as part of a concerted effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. Im going to be inflexible on this, President Alberto Fernandez said Sunday. Anyone who has to be in quarantine is going to follow it, and if they dont, were going to pursue them criminally. All individuals who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, are suspected of having the virus or have been in contact with someone who has or is suspected of having the virus as well as anyone who has recently been to a high-risk region must remain in isolation for 14 days. Anyone caught violating the quarantine can be charged with defying measures meant to impede the introduction or propagation of an epidemic, or defying a public official. The former offence comes with a prison term of six months to two years. Some individuals have reportedly been placed under house arrest as they complete their quarantine, with a trial coming at a later date. Tourists who have refused to remain isolated have been deported. The government says most people are complying, but there are multiple reports of people being detained or investigated across the country, including in the provinces of Santa Fe, Cordoba, Santiago del Estero, and Buenos Aires, for alleged violations. On Tuesday, the national Ministry of Security released a telephone number that people can call to report someone they suspect of flouting the rules. The government has also sent a text message to the more than 180,000 Argentines and residents who have returned to the country since the start of March, reminding them of the mandatory quarantine. Not complying is a CRIME, it said. Municipal officials have lists of people who have recently returned from abroad, and health workers are doing daily checks to make sure travellers are at home. The same is happening with tourists who arrived in the midst of the pandemic and must now stay in their hotel rooms. A woman walking in front of an electronic board displaying a message that reads coronavirus symptoms in Buenos Aires, Argentina [Agustin Marcarian/Reuters] President Fernandez, also a lawyer, said mandatory isolation is essential to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, and he is taking its enforcement personally. Last night, at 1:30 in the morning, I was looking for a crazy guy who was punishing a poor security guard who was trying to get him to comply with a quarantine, he said at a news conference on Sunday. What everyone has to understand is that the arrogance of a fool is not going to endanger Argentina. Fernandez was making reference to a viral video of a man caught on camera assaulting the guard of his building who was telling him to stay inside. Argentines were outraged, and took to Twitter to blast the man as a beast and someone who put the country at risk. The man had recently returned from the United States. He is facing charges of assault and violating his quarantine. He said he did not know the extent of the rules. Drastic measures needed Argentina has enacted a battery of measures in recent days designed to slow down the spread of the virus and buy time should things eventually become worse. As of Tuesday, there were 79 confirmed cases of COVID-19, all of people who had either travelled abroad or had been in contact with someone who had. Guillermo Britos, mayor of Chivilcoy, said he has around 75 people under quarantine in his city of 60,000, located in the province of Buenos Aires. There is one confirmed case of COVID-19, and authorities are waiting for the results of two more tests. Britos said everyone is complying with the mandatory quarantine. But he worried that the wider message of reducing activity is not getting across, so commercial establishments where people congregate have been ordered closed. There are countries that in theory are much better prepared than Argentina like Italy or Spain and today they have thousands of deaths, Britos told Al Jazeera. If we dont take drastic prevention measures now, its going to get a lot more complicated. A woman wearing a protective face mask while walking near the Constitution train station, in Buenos Aires, Argentina [Agustin Marcarian/Reuters] Nicolas Vinuesa, a criminal lawyer in Buenos Aires, called the penal approach adopted by Argentina an extraordinary measure, in extraordinary times. This isnt just an infectologist telling you not to leave your house, or a national decree, which sometimes isnt taken that seriously in this country, he told Al Jazeera. I think that in this case, if it serves to reinforce the social conscience, its not a bad measure. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks at a news briefing of COVID-19 at the City Hall in the Manhattan borough of New York City on March 14, 2020. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters) De Blasio, Cuomo Offer Conflicting Messages on NYC Shelter in Place Order New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters on March 17 that people living in New York City should be prepared to shelter in place within the next 48 hours over the coronavirus outbreak. But New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said its unlikely the entire city would be quarantined. 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, Mayor de Blasio said in 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 he didnt say how it would be carried out in the city, which has a population of 8.5 million people. Cuomos office later said that only the state has the ability to quarantine, saying that such a move would force people to go elsewhere. 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, said a statement from Melissa de Rosa, a spokesperson for the governor, according to the New York Daily News. Rumors are part of the fear, the anxiety, Cuomo also told reporters. People spread rumors: Maybe were going to quarantine New York City? That is not true. I have no interest whatsoever and no plan whatsoever to quarantine any city. In an attempt to underscore the potential severity of the situation, the governor said the number of cases is expected to peak in about 45 days. New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo (C), New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio (R) and New York State Department of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker hold a news conference on the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in New York, on March 2, 2020. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) I dont take this lightly at all, de Blasio said. Folks have to understand that right now, with so many New Yorkers losing employment, losing paychecks, dealing with all sorts of stresses and strains, Im hearing constantly from people who are tremendously worried about how theyre going to make ends meet. It came a day after San Francisco Mayor London Breed and several other county officials signed an order to tell millions of residents to stay at home and leave for essential reasons only. State and federal officials have announced restrictions on gatherings and travel as the virus continues to sweep across the country. President Donald Trump announced on March 16 that the government recommends that Americans avoid gatherings of 10 or more people. Virgin Australia this morning announced the suspension of all international flights from 30th March to 14th June 2020. The Virgin Australia Group also announced a domestic capacity reduction of 50% until the 14th of June 2020 (the equivalent of temporarily grounding 53 aircraft). This comes after a flight cancellation policy change announced on Monday the 16th March, which means Virgin Australia travellers can now cancel their booking in return for flight credits, to be used free of the usual modification charges at a later date. Per the Virgin Australia press room: The Virgin Australia Group is providing guests with more options to change their bookings, as a result of new travel restrictions implemented by governments in light of the evolving COVID-19 situation. The key change is that Virgin Australia and Tigerair guests can now change their flight to a later date and/or to a different destination, without incurring a change fee (you will just need to cover the fare difference if the value of their new fare is greater than the original). This applies to domestic and international travel between now and 30 June 2020 for existing and new bookings. Also significant is that, if travel is within four weeks, Virgin Australia and Tigerair guests can also cancel their domestic or international travel without incurring a fee and receive the full value of the booking as a flight voucher in their Travel Bank, valid for 12 months. Of the new policy, Virgin Australia Chief Customer Experience Office Danielle Keighery said: We understand that these new restrictions may affect guests travel plans. This is why weve removed change and cancellation fees so guests can have more flexibility with their upcoming travel. We want guests to have peace of mind when booking with us, and this flexibility will extend to any new bookings made for travel between now and 30 June. Virgin are also requesting that, due to the higher than normal call volumes, only guests with flights booked to depart in the next 48 hours contact the Guest Contact Centre and the airlines social media team (changes to international flights booked from 12 March can be made through Manage My Booking). Virgin also attempted to ward off any possible confusion with the following information. Guests with flights booked through a travel agent will need to contact their travel agent to change their booking Guests will still be required to pay any applicable fare difference or taxes should the same booking class/fare not be available on the date they wish to rebook There is a maximum of two changes per international booking and a maximum of one change per domestic booking for guests thinking about changing their travel plans More broadly speaking, as the crisis worsens, it will be interesting to see which, if any, airline steps up and actually offers customers something more than credit. Given the state of the travel industry at the moment it could be a smart move to secure customer loyalty down the track, but also financially catastrophic. It will also be interesting to see how airlines manage their funds in the future. Though Qantas and Virgin Australia are known for being more fiscally responsible than some of the airlines across the pond, considering the government is likely to give them a hand if they really do look like going under, now may be the time to demand more of their budget iterations (Jetstar and Tigerair) as part of a bailout ultimatum. A recent article in the New York Times, entitled Dont Feel Sorry For The Airlines makes some interesting points which could be applied to Australia (though, less harshly, as both Qantas and Virgin Australia, from our experience treat their staff and customers better than American). Referring to the mid to late 2010s (the years during which American reached such levels of financial success that its chief executive proclaimed, I dont think were ever going to lose money again), The op-ed writer said, There are plenty of things American could have done with all that money. It could have stored up its cash reserves for a future crisis, knowing that airlines regularly cycle through booms and busts. It might have tried to decisively settle its continuing contract disputes with pilots, flight attendants and mechanics. It might have invested heavily in better service quality to try to repair its longstanding reputation as the worst of the major carriers, the op-ed continued. Instead, American blew most of its cash on a stock buyback spree. Once the dust settles on the current COVID 19 pandemic, lets make sure this doesnt happen here. Read Next It's a difficult habit to break but if you can manage to stop touching your face it goes a long way toward preventing you from contracting the coronavirus. Researchers from Germany conducted a study involving medical students at a Sydney university and discovered humans touch their face at least 25 times per hour, with 44 per cent touching their nose, eyes or mouth. Australian doctor Dr Sam Hay, who was part of the study, said stopping the touching is difficult but can be achieved simply by increasing personal awareness. Researchers from Germany conducted a study at a Sydney university and discovered humans touch their face at least 25 times per hour, with 44 per cent touching their nose, eyes or mouth After conducting the research, Dr Hay's main recommendation is to monitor this awareness by creating charts. 'Start charts [and] every hour you last without touching your face earns you a star. Earn six a day and you get that coffee, beer or wine reward,' Dr Hay told Body + Soul. This star chart tactic will remind you to avoid touching your face and maintain this resistance throughout the day. Though if this doesn't work, use the 'swear jar' technique by placing 50 cents in a glass cup or jar every time you touch your face. 'Think of it like a swear jar. Touch your face and it's 50 cents in the post apocalypse slush fund,' he said, which totals to $12.50 per hour if you touch your face 25 times,' he said. 'Think of it like a swear jar. Touch your face and it's 50 cents in the post apocalypse slush fund,' he said, which totals to $12.50 per hour if you touch your face 25 times 'Make sure you're washing your hands regularly, especially before you eat, after sharing items from other people and especially after [touching] your nose,' Dr Hay said, as healthy authorities have strongly advised since the coronavirus pandemic began The study broke down the touching, and found an average of 36 per cent of participants touched their mouth, 31 per cent touched their nose and 27 per cent touched their eyes regularly throughout an hourly basis. Across the course of a day these numbers multiply drastically, and if your hands aren't clean this could lead to a decrease of immunity. 'Make sure you're washing your hands regularly, especially before you eat, after sharing items from other people and especially after [touching] your nose,' Dr Hay said, as healthy authorities have strongly advised since the coronavirus pandemic began. The Covid-19 virus can be spread through contact or close proximity to a carrier, but can also survive on surfaces for days, making it vital for people to clean their hands after touching anything in a public place. Prayagraj, March 18 : The Allahabad High Court has also opted for a partial shutdown in view of the growing COVID-19 scare. The high court has stated that it will only hear urgent matters till further orders and only lawyers representing these cases would be allowed entry into the court premises. The court also asked the state government to set up a laboratory in Prayagraj for coronavirus testing. In a notification, the high court said: "In case, any lawyer or client is not present, the matter would be rotated with the same caption and no adverse order would be passed owing to the absence of the advocate and client. The court said no gate pass will be issued to litigants and visitors and asked lawyers to advise their clients not to come to the high court unless their presence is directed by court or is unavoidable. "The courts shall not insist for personal presence of parties unless it is unavoidable. Further, the personal presence, which has already been fixed are deferred," it added. All mediation proceedings shall remain suspended and proceedings in which date is fixed shall be posted for fresh date. Besides, the advocates' canteen, as well as Bar Association meeting halls shall remain closed till further orders, but their cleaning and sanitizing shall be ensured on daily basis. The court has asked the Chief Medical Officer to ensure that doctors are deployed on each entry point of high court with adequate devices and if anybody is found showing symptoms of COVID-19, he or she would not be permitted entry in court campus. The notification also requested judges to carry their personal belongings (spectacles, mobiles) themselves and to hand over the same to their personal staff. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Judie Shape, center, and visitors at Life Care Center in Kirkland, Wash., which was hit hard by the coronavirus. A federal agency has pledged to intensify nursing home inspections, just months after trying to roll back inspection standards. (Ted S. Warren / Associated Press) The widening coronavirus pandemic is forcing the Trump administration to pause, and even reverse, its years-long effort to roll back healthcare regulations and restrict access to the nations medical safety net. As more Americans are sickened, officials are now pushing for government protections they once said were unnecessary. President Trump and his deputies have urged health insurers to make testing for coronavirus free to patients, calling it an essential benefit, despite years of pushing to loosen federal rules on what health insurance plans must cover. The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, known as CMS, pledged to intensify nursing home inspections, just months after moving to roll back government inspection standards the agency called burdensome. And the administration is now moving to make it easier for poor Americans to get care through Medicaid, after championing multiple efforts over the last three years to slash the joint federal and state program and cut millions of people from its rolls. Public health experts have mostly welcomed the moves. But many note that the actions forced by the coronavirus underscore the fundamental problems with the Trump administrations healthcare agenda. Having tens of millions of Americans without insurance or with inadequate coverage is particularly concerning during a public health emergency, though in a sense, coronavirus simply makes more palpable and immediate the ramifications of opposition to coverage expansion, said Dr. Benjamin Sommers of Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, who has extensively documented how health insurance improves patients health. People without adequate health insurance will get sicker, become poorer, and die younger than if they had insurance, Sommers said. Under Trump, the number of uninsured Americans has steadily ticked upward after years of decline. As the coronavirus crisis has intensified, administration officials now increasingly stress their eagerness to extend health protections to more Americans. Story continues We are especially mindful of our beneficiaries with underlying health conditions, said Seema Verma, who oversees Medicare and Medicaid as CMS chief. The agency, she added last week, is doing everything in its power to help states eliminate any barriers or delays in their care. That is a marked departure from many of the policies Trump and his deputies, including Verma, have advocated over the last three years. She and other senior administration health officials strongly backed the unsuccessful push by congressional Republicans in 2017 to roll back the Affordable Care Act, helping the lawmakers write the repeal legislation that ultimately collapsed in the Senate. It would have stripped Medicaid coverage from tens of millions of Americans, many suffering from chronic illnesses, according to independent analyses. The White House then made common cause with Texas and other Republican-led states suing to wipe out the 2010 healthcare law, often called Obamacare. The lawsuit is set to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court later this year. And in February, the White House proposed a federal budget for the coming fiscal year that would cut some $200 billion in federal aid to states for Medicaid, which currently insures more than 70 million low-income Americans. Putting up barriers to coverage has been a big part of this administrations healthcare agenda, said Joan Alker, who heads the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University. Even as the efforts to scrap Obamacare stalled, the Trump administration encouraged conservative states to explore other ways to restrict eligibility for Medicaid. CMS strongly backed state efforts to impose work requirements on Medicaid enrollees, a bureaucratic hurdle that caused thousands of people to lose coverage in Arkansas before a federal judge halted the initiative, calling it inconsistent with Medicaid law. And the agency cleared several states, including Arizona, Florida and Iowa, to limit the ability of poor patients to enroll in Medicaid coverage after they got sick. Restrictions on insurance coverage are particularly problematic during an epidemic like the coronavirus pandemic, according to public health experts. Yet removing barriers to insurance is vitally important even when there isnt an infectious disease outbreak, said John Auerbach, head of the nonprofit Trust for Americas Health. People are more likely to seek healthcare if they have health insurance, Auerbach said. That's true for preventive care, like flu vaccinations and screening for illnesses. If your population is less likely to have health insurance, then it's more likely to be unhealthy and have uncontrolled chronic diseases like high blood pressure or diabetes. Similarly, health advocates say, strict government standards for health plans, hospitals and nursing homes help ensure that patients are protected, whether there is a pandemic or not. In recent years, however, the administration pushed to relax rules enacted in the Affordable Care Act requiring health plans to cover a basic set of benefits, such as prescription drugs and hospital care. Administration officials argue that comprehensive benefits have needlessly raised costs. CMS instead has promoted short-term health plans and other kinds of insurance that offer patients limited benefits. But there is growing evidence that these limited plans which often cap how much they will cover leave patients with unexpected medical bills if they get sick. The administration has similarly been working to loosen rules on nursing homes. In November, CMS proposed new rules that would no longer require facilities to employ infection-control specialists. Poor infection control at a nursing home outside Seattle has been blamed for a particularly deadly outbreak of COVID-19, the illness caused by coronavirus. This just highlights the problems with pulling back on regulations, said Toby Edelman, a senior attorney at the nonprofit Center for Medicare Advocacy, which has opposed efforts to weaken the rules. Staff writer Jenny Jarvie in Atlanta contributed to this report. New Delhi: In a bid to curb coronavirus spread, the United States and Canada on Wednesday (March 19) agreed to close their border. The information to this effect came from US President Donald Trump, who reportedly stated that he and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agreed to close the border for all non-essential travel US President tweeted, "We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected. Details to follow!." We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected. Details to follow! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2020 Both countries had already issued sweeping travel bans but had maintained exemptions for each other. Meanwhile, Canada and the US are working on a deal to close their joint border to non-essential travel as part of the fight against a coronavirus outbreak, a Canadian government source told Reuters today. Under the proposed deal, the flow of goods between the two nations - which share one of the world`s largest bilateral trading relationships - would continue, said the report. Earlier on Monday, Ottawa closed the borders to most foreign nationals but excluded US citizens. Notably, the US and Canadian economies are highly integrated and a strict ban on border crossing is likely to cause major problems for the auto sector as well as the transportation of food and medicines. (With Agency Inputs) Weve already seen the impact of the novel coronavirus on transit ridership and traffic. Now, experts are predicting the same is about to happen at the gas pump, with what might be the biggest demand collapse since the late 1960s. Drivers in New Jersey could see prices drop to $1.25 a gallon for regular gas by Easter Sunday, said Tom Kloza, Oil Price Information Service global petroleum analyst. Thats a price range that we havent seen since early 2016 when the lowest price in the state reached $1.29 a gallon. We think that demand will drop 35% in the U.S, that is an incredible destruction, Kloza said. The industry has an oversupply like never before. Employees working from home, voluntary curfews and the start of shelter in place mandates such as Hobokens and San Franciscos are contributing to the drop in demand for gas, he said. Traffic has steadily dropped on highways during rush hour as more employees are told to work form home to reduce the spread of coronavirus. Typical demand is 9.3 million barrels a day in the nation, but Kloza said that will drop to 5 million a day. That is an incredible dropour destination is much lower gas prices and demand (levels) we havent seen since Vietnam War, he said. Dont be surprised if on Easter Sunday you see prices at $1.25 (a gallon). Southern states are already seeing lower prices, now in the $1.62 to $1.65 a gallon range for regular in Georgia, according to GasBuddy.com. The nationwide average price for regular $2.17 a gallon, according to GasBuddy.com. New Jerseys average was a little higher -- $2.32 a gallon. (Thats because of gas taxes and the higher cost of doing business in the Northeast, Kloza said.) Cheaper gas could be found at certain spots across the state, ranging from $1.87 to $1.97 on Wednesday, GasBuddy reported. The relief at the pump will come with a cost in petroleum industry jobs. Production of crude oil into gas will likely be cut at refineries, and others could close as prices plummet, Kloza said If we go to 35% drop in demand, that is a lot of jobs, he said. What could gas prices look like in a post coronavirus world? It depends what happens between oil producing nations that are members of OPEC. When the virus disappears and the Saudis and Russians end their cat fight, oil production will go up," he said. Some are thinking late this year or 2021. 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: Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 18:49:11|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close XINING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Wang Zhanfa was finally relieved after seeing trucks loading with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) seedlings drove to his village. Wang is the Party secretary of Muchang Village, the city of Haidong in northwest China's Qinghai Province and also in charge of a TCM planting cooperative. Long-awaited 10 tonnes of codonopsis pilosula and 8.5 tonnes of Chinese angelica seedlings from neighboring Gansu Province arrived in Muchang Village on Tuesday morning. "Affected by the novel coronavirus outbreak, the purchase of herb seedlings became a big problem in spring this year. Thanks to the financial and policy support of local banking institutions, we finally buy enough seedlings. More than 13.3 hectares of farmland has prepared for sowing," Wang said. TCM planting is one of the pillar industries of Muchang Village. Last year, the TCM planting industry alone increased the income of 36 impoverished households in the village by 1,200 yuan (171 U.S. dollars) for each of them. To further the development of TCM planting, the cooperative got a loan of 500,000 yuan from a local rural credit cooperative at the beginning of the year, which has been used for land letting, seedling purchase and farmers' payment. Wang Zhanhu, from Xinyuan Village, is also a beneficiary of the province's financial support. The 47-year-old man owns around 4,666 square meters of land, growing wheat, potatoes and herbs. Wang applied for a loan of 50,000 yuan from a local bank through his mobile phone and spent the money on buying fertilizers, herb seedlings and paying for farmers who sowed seeds for him. "The application process was very easy. During the epidemic, I got the loan in just two minutes through my mobile phone, which was really convenient," he added. Ma Shenghong, 50, a villager of Tiejiazhuang Village, the Hui-Tu Autonomous County of Datong, has benefited from the local financial services over the past few years and had shaken off poverty. This year, Ma plans to rent more land to grow commercial crops and expand the scale of cattle and sheep breeding. He managed to get a loan of 200,000 yuan from the Rural Commercial Bank of Datong to realize his goal. The Rural Commercial Bank of Datong has offered loans of 93.37 million yuan for the agricultural activities during the spring in the county, according to Liu Yuande, from the bank. The Rural Credit Union of Qinghai said they offered loans of more than 1.7 billion yuan to 66,900 rural residents during the COVID-19 epidemic to assist them in spring farming. The Qinghai branch of the Agricultural Development Bank of China has also offered loans of 20 million yuan to purchase and transport more than 7,880 tonnes of fertilizer to meet the farming demand. The provincial banking and insurance regulatory bureau said that, as of March 14, financial institutions in Qinghai had given loans of over 2.6 billion yuan for spring farming activities. Besides, the province has introduced a mechanism -- grassroots bank workers serve as village officials, in exchange, village officials work in banking institutions -- to work out targeted financial services for rural residents. "Village officials who know the villagers well can help solve their financial problems, while bank workers can help control financial risk," said Ma Yucheng, Party secretary of Shizi Village in Huzhu County. An Australian expat on day 11 of Italy's national quarantine has shared details about what living in total isolation is like, and urges her family and friends back home not to 'panic buy'. Mother Natalie Thais, who lives in Puglia, shared a stern warning on Facebook, explaining that supermarkets and chemists won't close in the event that Australia is forced into a lockdown too. 'Lockdown day #476. Not really it's like day nine I think,' she wrote on social media. Natalie Thais shared a stern warning on Facebook, explaining that supermarkets and chemists won't close in the event that Australia is forced into a lockdown too Ms Thais said one person from every family is permitted to go to the grocery store in Italy and people line up for their turn, at a safe distance, outside 'Tip for my Aussie friends because I love you all so much and it is killing me a little inside seeing some of you all panicking and fighting each other over toilet paper. 'Even if Australia gets a lockdown... Supermarkets and chemists stay open. Here is what it looks like...' Ms Thais said one person from every family is permitted to go to the grocery store and people line up for their turn, at a safe distance, outside. A certain amount of people are permitted to go in at a time and you can't touch your face while you're in there, she said. Her post has gone viral with more than 29,000 shares in just a few days, with plenty of Australians promising to heed her advice 'You go home, wash your hands, then chill at home. The supermarkets are constantly restocking and no one is hoarding because we know we don't need to,' she said 'You go home, wash your hands, then chill at home. The supermarkets are constantly restocking and no one is hoarding because we know we don't need to,' she said. 'Maybe a LITTLE more than normal so you can do a weekly shop not an every second day shop.' She urged her fellow countrymen to 'stop the insanity' now that she had eased their minds with the facts, because it only serves to harm their own mental state. 'What you are doing is literally harming those people who live pay to pay and find empty shelves. It is fear breeding fear, which isn't good for anyone or anything. Please stop it,' she said. 'If you are guilty of it? Well now you know you don't have to do it anymore my friend. Channel that fear-fuelled energy somewhere else other than stampeding through the toilet paper aisle at Coles.' Ms Thais encouraged those in isolation to use their time wisely, by keeping their general space tidy. Ms Thais encouraged those in isolation to use their time wisely, by keeping their general space tidy Coronavirus symptoms and how it spreads: Symptoms of coronavirus 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 How it spreads There is evidence that the virus spreads from person-to-person. The virus is most likely spread through: close contact with an infectious person contact with droplets from an infected person's cough or sneeze touching objects or surfaces (like doorknobs or tables) that have cough or sneeze droplets from an infected person, and then touching your mouth or face How to prevent it Everyone should practice good hygiene to protect against infections. Good hygiene includes: washing your hands often with soap and water using a tissue and cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze avoiding close contact with others, such as touching Advertisement 'Do some good home workouts, a punching bag sesh, do a massive clean out at home, declutter, bake a chocolate cake, watch a funny film or series, read a good book, connect with your family, call an old friend and stay calm,' she said. 'Lean into your concern for this pandemic with a due reverence for its severity and respond with a sense of faith, community, of loving your neighbour (from a distance), of listening to medical experts, and just do what you gotta do.... which I can guarantee you has absoloutely nothing to do with a panic reaction of piling up toilet paper in your garage.' While she acknowledged that the world is going through an 'extremely worrying time' she stressed that panic doesn't serve anyone. 'As they say in Italy, andra tutto bene or everything will be okay,' she finished. Her post has gone viral with more than 29,000 shares in just a few days, with plenty of Australians promising to heed her advice. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 23:18:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MACAO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- All non-resident work permit holders, except the residents of the Chinese mainland, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and China's Taiwan region, will be barred from entering Macao starting from midnight of March 19, Macao SAR's Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng announced on Wednesday. The further update on local entry restrictions came as Macao reported two imported COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, an Indonesian relative of a non-resident worker from Jakarta, and a Filipino non-resident worker from the Philippines. The chief executive made the decision in accordance with the Basic Law of the Macao SAR and the Law on the Prevention, Control and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, a communique by the Macao SAR government said. Macao had not reported any COVID-19 cases for 40 consecutive days until Sunday. Since then it had five new cases, all of which were imported ones. Uber and Ola are reported to have lost as much as 80% of rides but the company has not offered any financial assistance to tide over the crisis. (Photo | Pixabay - Jackson David) Chennai: Ride hailing apps Uber and Lyft suspended the shared rides feature in a precautionary measure to curb the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19 in the United States and Canada as well as the cities of London and Paris. Uber Pool and Ola Share allow passengers to book trips at lower prices if they share the trip with up to three other passengers on similar routes, rather than if they booked the whole ride for themselves. 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. However, neither Uber nor its home-grown Indian counterpart Ola have suspended shared rides in India, which is expecting the number of coronavirus infections, which on Wednesday hit 147, to increase in the next few weeks. MacDonald also said the company was in close contact with local leaders and will continue to work with them to discourage non-essential travel, and that shared rides could be suspended in more countries on a case-by-case basis. Uber and Ola rides have reportedly fallen by as much as 80 per cent amid the coronavirus crisis. Drivers have been seeking a moratorium on loans they have taken from financiers as their earnings have dropped significantly. While Uber has said on its website said that any driver who is diagnosed with COVID-19 or has been asked by a public health authority to self-isolate will receive financial assistance for a period of 14 days, it gave no details. As for the loss of business due to a massive drop in the number of rides drivers get every day, the company has not offered any financial support. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. ValarMorghulis BHPian Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: Bangalore Posts: 219 Thanked: 1,350 Times re: The Coronavirus Thread Quote: splitsecond Originally Posted by Sorry if my query is offtopic, World is going through a very tough situation, italy and spain are in deep trouble but why no country is helping them? China has given some aid, but i feel rest of the world is sleeping in this crisis situation, or its just that i dont follow world news properly? What you guys think? And also i feel all countries especially Usa and Europe as a whole have a lazy approach to this crisis, why its so? I have lost all respects to these european countries, i thought they were better than us in dealing with crisis situation. What you guys think? Quote: srishiva Originally Posted by Why is India not doing enough? With numbers being low, they have been able to test. Why couldn't they be aggressive in screening and tests like others ? Quote: Lobogris Originally Posted by ...Why cant some patients be transported to UK or elsewhere for treatment using trains or planes? I realise every country is worried about their situation getting worse but a coordinated EU wide response is required. Since UK, Germany and France along with other nations like Portugal are behind Italy in the disease cycle, they should have lent assistance and then when they became worse, Italy might have been able to help out if they had improved their situation. In addition, I would have expected more assistance from China, US and even India for Italy and other affected countries. Why cant each major nation send say 100 doctors each? I realise there would be language issues but it could be handled with interpreters or with each foreign doctor working with teams of English speaking Italian doctors. Such things happen when countries dispatch medical teams to deal with callamities. PS: another major reason for so many cases in Italy is because of the number of Chinese in Italy. There are approx. 100,000 Chinese in Italy working on various factories. Italy is the only European country where Chinese police officials are present to help the Chinese tourists. Remember the warning on a flight during the safety demonstration? "Please ensure you have the oxygen mask on you before trying to help others". This is exactly that. The effects of this pandemic are unimaginable! No country is prepared for such a scenario and everyone is struggling to get over the curve. Italy has one of the foremost health infrastructure in the world and it is on its knees. Imagine the situation in other less equipped countries. China is helping out now because it "can". For example, entire Switzerland has only 750 ventilators, France ~5k. UK also 5K. Nummber of psotive cases in Italy as of now are 28k. China is now sending more to Italy while Germany, France, and other countries have ordered additional on a war footing. No country can have adequate number of medical equipment/ personnel for a pandemic and each country owes it to her citizen's to consider them the first priority.I don't think one needs to test everybody. People who had no contact with anyone traveling or a positive Covid-19 patient, or are showing no symptoms don't need to be tested at all. "But hey, how do we know there aren't more Covid-19 patients out there if we don't test everyone"? Just like we know there aren't any small pox cases in India without testing everyone. This call to test everyone would be a fool's errand. India put the brakes early on and now we can all do our best and only hope this is contained. Social responsibility will play a big role. Hope quarantined patients stop running away.You have no idea how widespread this disease is and how terrible conditions are across the world. India has send supplies and personnel to Iran, China to Italy and other nations. 100 doctors each? There is an acute shortage of doctors in every country. Read more to understand the raging fire this Covid-19 is.PS: another major reason for so many cases in Italy is because of the number of Chinese in Italy. There are approx. 100,000 Chinese in Italy working on various factories. Italy is the only European country where Chinese police officials are present to help the Chinese tourists. Last edited by ValarMorghulis : 17th March 2020 at 15:51 . President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky had a phone conversation with President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer. Zelensky noted the importance of cooperation between Ukraine and the ICRC in combating the coronavirus pandemic, the presidents press service reported. "The parties agreed that the ICRC will provide Ukraine with the appropriate medical equipment and pharmaceuticals at the request of our state formed pursuant to the instruction of Volodymyr Zelensky," the report says. As Ukrinform reported, the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) a pandemic. Starting from March 12, a quarantine has been introduced in Ukraine for three weeks, as well a package of anti-epidemic measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country. On March 14, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a resolution to temporarily ban foreigners from entering Ukraine and close international passenger traffic from 00:00 on March 16 until April 3, 2020. On March 16, the Cabinet of Ministers decided to restrict passenger traffic in the territory of Ukraine in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection. The resolution imposes a ban on rail, air as well as bus intercity and interregional passenger transport services, as well as the operation of subways. As of March 18, 14 cases of Covid-19 infection were confirmed in Ukraine, two of them were lethal. ish Spain is under lockdown, with less than a tenth of the national parliament in attedance. Spains Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez addressed a mostly empty plenary session over coronavirus emergency on Wednesday. To avoid any propagation of the virus in parliament, there were only 28 lawmakers and five ministers there to listen to Sanchez, leaving the 350-strong assembly unusually empty. Spains 47 million people have been under partial lockdown since Saturday night, allowed to leave their homes only to go to work, buy food or visit a pharmacy or hospital. Sanchez said the coronavirus crisis, which had led Spain and several other European countries to shut schools and most shops, was an unprecedented challenge. With nearly 500 dead as of Tuesdays official data, Spain is the second-most hit country in Europe after Italy. The Chennai bench, which comprises judicial member Justice M Venugopal and Member (Technical) Kanthi Narahari, would start hearing of appeals filed from 18 March, 2020, from Delhi. New Delhi: 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 18 March, 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 13 March, 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. German Minister of Defense Ursula von der Leyen speaks in Athens. (Thanassis Stavrakis / AP) The European Union moved on Monday to ban nonessential travel into the bloc to mitigate the transmission of the coronavirus, an extraordinary measure for a continent that prides itself on freedom of movement. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, proposed a 30-day ban that would cover all 27 European Union countries except Ireland. She encouraged other European countries, including Britain and non-EU members in the passport-free Schengen zone, to match their travel restrictions. The less travel we have, the more we can contain the virus, she said Monday in a video statement. Although the commission is expected to vote on the proposal on Tuesday, it may be too late to prevent the members of the European Union from going in their own directions a challenge the bloc confronted in 2015, when a surge of migrants, most of them from the Middle East and Africa, flooded into Europe fleeing war, poverty and despair. On Sunday, Germany moved to impose travel restrictions along most of its borders, without having informed Austria or other neighboring countries. Several European Union members including the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Portugal and Denmark have also taken moves to impose border restrictions, in some cases with little advance notification. The World Health Organization has declared Europe the new epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak. Italy, Spain and France the three countries that have borne the brunt of the virus in Europe have all imposed sweeping restrictions on internal movements and commerce, shutting down bars and restaurants and severely limiting domestic travel. Italy had 28,000 confirmed cases and more than 2,100 deaths as of Monday night, the most deaths of any country outside of China. Facing the mounting death toll, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte last week put the country on lockdown, ordering residents to remain in their homes. The nation's hospital system has been overwhelmed, forcing health workers to make anguishing choices on whom to prioritize for care. Story continues In Spain, where the number of coronavirus infections has skyrocketed to nearly 10,000, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a nationwide quarantine on Saturday. Residents are permitted to leave their homes only in necessary circumstances such as purchasing groceries or going to the pharmacy. Those who break quarantine face fines of up to $3,350 or a year in jail. Last week, President Trump barred most Europeans from traveling to the United States a move that sparked condemnation from European leaders for having been made without their consultation. In her video statement, Von der Leyen said she had notified leaders of the Group of 7 advanced industrialized economies before making the planned Schengen area travel ban public. Some members of the European Parliament, who were working from their home countries or in Brussels, approved the travel restrictions as necessary for slowing the virus spread, though they recognized that it was against the spirit of the Schengen area, which went into effect in 1995, with the aim of enabling Europeans to travel, work and settle freely in any member state. Of course, as a member of Parliament I am for open borders, said German Christian Democrat Peter Liese. But legally it is possible the Schengen agreement allows the closing of borders and it is the right thing. We need to do it. But members urged the necessity of keeping the EUs border-free philosophy intact after the crisis is over. Free movement in the European Union must be maintained, said Margarida Marques, a Socialist lawmaker from Portugal. But we need to have some limitations right now. We need to be at home, we need to avoid trips from one place to another. We cannot go out to the streets and be with others. However, the bloc should not make decisions without consultation, said Iban Garcia del Blanco, a Socialist member of the European Parliament from Spain. What cannot be is that they make these decisions unilaterally, Garcia said. Symbolically, it is important for citizens to see that we are a space that makes decisions in a coordinated manner. As individual European countries have begun to enforce their own lockdowns, leaders have proposed to keep roads open for the movement of workers, medical supplies, and other essentials in the fight against COVID-19. It makes sense to allow the free flow of goods and workers that are still needed, said Sven Giegold, a German Greens party lawmaker in the European Parliament. Travel for leisure does not make much sense in such a situation. The ban would include several exceptions, including for healthcare workers and scientists researching treatments for the virus. As the Continent struggled to coordinate its response to the crisis, so did Britain, which formally left the European Union on Jan. 31. In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has come under fire for failing to act fast enough against the pandemic. As other European countries went into full lockdown, shuttered bars and restaurants and also closed schools, the British were only being told to stay home if they had a new, persistent cough or a fever. On Monday, those measures were stepped up and more widespread social distancing recommended. But the government has not ordered the closure of any businesses or schools yet. Anand Menon, professor of European politics and foreign affairs at King's College London, said that this response is partly due to a desire by Johnson not to appear too heavy-handed. Experts are talking about "flattening the curve" taking mitigation steps now so that the number of infections doesn't overwhelm the health system but politicians are fearful of reacting prematurely or of stifling economic activity. The country's vaunted National Health Service has been bracing for what could be Britain's greatest health crisis since World War II. "His hand is being forced a little by the new data and public pressure, Menon said. As for whether Johnson was doing too little, too late: The honest answer is we dont know, he said. In terms of herd immunity, we wont know until autumn. In terms of the curve, it will depend on if the NHS can cope. The problem he has is that other European states are being far more draconian. Bernhard is a special correspondent. Special correspondent Christina Boyle in London contributed to this report. About 1,200 recruits have been cleared to proceed to basic training after being put on standby as U.S. Army training officials raced to finalize a plan for keeping trainees as isolated as possible from possible exposure to the highly contagious novel coronavirus until they arrive at their first unit of assignment. The temporary delay to shipping dates for recruits occurred over the weekend after the Pentagon announced broad travel restrictions for service members and families in an attempt to halt the spread of the infection known as COVID-19. Army officials at Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) worked overtime to develop a safe transport plan as recruiters told approximately 1,200 recruits to hold fast and wait for instructions on how they will be transported to training centers for Basic Combat Training (BCT), TRADOC spokesman Col. Richard McNorton told Military.com. "The movement of trainees has begun effectively immediately; operations are back on," McNorton said. Related: Pentagon Bans Domestic Travel for Troops, Families as Coronavirus Spreads The first phase of the plan will begin with recruits being screened for COVID-19 at one of the 65 military entrance processing stations (MEPS). "Once that is complete, they will move by commercial travel to one of the four Army training centers," McNorton said. "They are being briefed on procedures to protect themselves to prevent the spread or the contact of COVID-19 while in en route." The Washington Post reported Monday that Defense Secretary Mark Esper rejected a plan from the Army to impose a "30-day freeze on sending additional recruits to basic training." The Navy considered having new recruits stop reporting for training while trainees already in the pipeline would finish, but a decision was made to continue training, the Post reported. The Pentagon's travel restrictions are scheduled to last through May 11, but include exceptions such as mission-essential travel. TRADOC leaders consider "moving trainees to the Army training centers in order for them to start Basic Combat Training as mission-critical," McNorton said. The Army announced in early March that all recruits will be screened for COVID-19 at recruiting stations just before shipping to BCT and then undergo a second round of screening upon arrival at the four training centers -- Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Jackson, South Carolina; Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; and Fort Sill, Oklahoma. "We want to protect the soldier, but the big piece of it is we want to protect our Army training centers," McNorton said. "We do not want to bring an [infected] soldier onto a military base ... that could affect the entire base if one of the soldiers gets into the barracks." The plan for transporting troops will become more complicated as the Army moves trainees from BCT to advanced individual training (AIT) and then to their first unit of assignment, he said. The Army's Center for Initial Military Training announced Thursday that it had canceled all initial entry training graduations and related family day events to reduce the risk of exposure before trainees travel to other posts for AIT. "What we are looking at is, after the trainees graduate from Basic Combat Training and they need to move to AIT, the planners are working on a way to move them through sterile transportation because they have been closed off from the rest of the population," McNorton said. This will not apply to the trainees at Fort Benning since it is a one-station training site that handles both BCT and AIT, he added. The recent travel restrictions will also prevent trainees from taking their first leave, typically to visit family, after completing AIT and before reporting to their first duty station, McNorton said, adding that recruits will likely be transported in an isolated fashion from AIT to their unit. "We are working with Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) on those processes and procedures, again with the focus on maintaining sanitary transportation to keep them isolated from any COVID-19 risk," he said. "We are looking at potentially chartering airplanes, chartering buses -- making sure they are sanitary and clean to protect these service members and the training population as they move from BCT to AIT and from AIT to their first FORSCOM unit. "Our goal is let's get these people and protect them -- cut them off from everything so that way we can get them trained," he said. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. Read More: All Military Services Are Now Screening New Recruits for Deadly Coronavirus Retail never leaves the spotlight at present. The coronavirus always was going to highlight the corporate blunders of the past. Dixons Carphone is doubtless speaking the truth when it says that its ruthless decision to close all 531 Carphone stores was not virus-related. But one has to ask whether chief executive Alex Baldock would have been quite so decisive were it not for the disease. Mismatch: Dixons Carphone is doubtless speaking the truth when it says that its ruthless decision to close all 531 Carphone stores was not virus-related The current company team cannot be held responsible for a five-year-old 8billion merger between Dixons and Carphone which was illthought-out and went horribly wrong. As is the case with far too many marriages of supposed equals executives often leave the scene clutching big cheques. Other stakeholders lose out as the hidden costs of the deal, such as goodwill, come back to haunt earnings and dividends in later years. One of the architects of the transaction, former Dixons boss Seb James (now running Boots), could barely contain his enthusiasm on the day the deal was sealed. Were creating an organisation for the future where the products are just beginning, James gushed. His quote finished with a flourish about end-to-end connectivity, whatever that may mean. Having put the two enterprises together, the management failed to rationalise by closing shops close to each other. It went through the fiction of having separate Carphone and Dixons teams in the same stores, defeating the whole promise of end-to-end service. As Dixons Carphone stood still, the main mobile providers opened up their own chains of stores, offering a variety of cell phones at different prices and an array of contracts, rendering Carphone irrelevant in the UK. The main unique selling point, choice and service from an all-graduate staff pioneered by founder Charles Dunstone became muddled. Remarkably, the Dixons side of the enterprise, with its rich variety of electronic and white goods (Currys) has come out the other side in reasonable shape in spite of the online threat, the neverknowingly-undersold model of John Lewis, and much else. It turned the tide by improving service rather than just relying on the more traditional Dixons model of heavy discounting and making the margins count by selling warranties. The timing of the Carphone closures is unfortunate coming as it does as UK plc slams on its brakes in the face of an epidemic. The closures are a sharp reminder of how hubris in the C-suite drives bad deals. Lauras lament Heritage has long been an important quality for British enterprises. Burberry, cut loose from the ownership of Great Universal Stores, proved adept with the help of some brilliant creative leadership at turning an emblematic raincoat into a highfashion brand. Laura Ashley, which has fallen into administration, also traded on Britishness. Founded by Bernard Ashley and his wife Laura in 1953, it came to symbolise all that was best about traditional fabric and clothing designs reaching back to Victorian times. When I was living in Washington DC in the 1970s Lady Henderson, spouse of the ambassador Sir Nicko, turned the Lutyens treasure of the British ambassadors residence into an emporium of Laura Ashley. My own wife Tricia, a costumier, designed a range of simply cut wedding dresses for the Ashley stores. After Lauras death in 1985 the company continued to expand under the stewardship of Bernard and went public, overexpanded and struggled. In 1998 it was rescued from receivership by Malaysian investor MUI. The enduring mystery is how, without the creative genius of its founders, it has lingered on for so long. The success of Cath Kidston, who adopted similar motifs, suggest it was more than the dated floral designs. The new owners and the management simply were unable to capture the flair and update the palette. The coronavirus is a convenient excuse to shut up shop. But Ashley has been dead on arrival for an age. Lock-out One of the surprisingly convivial places where the more mature investor can enjoy a cup of tea, some craft beer, a sandwich and even a good row is during the spring annual general meeting season. Not this year its seems. The Chartered Governance Institute is advising firms to adapt AGMs for the Covid-19 era by delaying (if the notice hasnt been issued), postponing or adjourning. It advocates online voting, offering private investors an opportunity for a public hearing later in the year. Another setback for shareholder democracy. The economic stimulus package to fight damage from the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic under consideration by the White House includes a proposal to send two $1,000 checks to certain Americans, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday. Checks would be sent to Americans below a certain income level, although it is not yet clear what that level will be. The Trump administrations stimulus currently calls for $500 billion in cash payments, with another $500 billion for various businesses including $50 million for the airline industry, which has been particularly hurt by the pandemic. Senate Democrats proposed a $750 million stimulus package on Monday, while on Tuesday the Trump administration floated an $850 million stimulus. Talks between administration officials and Congress are ongoing, with the current proposal amounting to an injection of $1 trillion into the U.S. economy. Republican senators have called for immediate assistance to Americans affected by the pandemic, although the specifics of the assistance are still being debated. Direct assistance to working people is a good start, but FAMILIES with kids need more relief, Senator Josh Hawley (R., Mo.) wrote on Twitter in comment on the Posts report. A working single mom with three kids needs more support than an unmarried computer programmer living in his parents basement. Help families. Hawley has called for monthly payments to working families below a certain income bracket, with payments gradated based on family size and married or single-parent status. Senators Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) and Mitt Romney (R., Utah) have each called for direct cash payments of a fixed amount. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has repeatedly stressed the importance of getting cash directly to Americans who need it. Americans need cash now and the president wants to get cash now. And I mean now, in the next two weeks, Mnuchin said at a White House press conference on Tuesday. More from National Review Chrissy Teigen has defended Vanessa Hudgens after the High School Musical star's dismissal of the coronavirus pandemic went viral. The 34-year-old model took to Twitter to write about famous people having 'a dumb moment' and urged fans not to ruin their lives squarely based on that. She wrote: 'sometimes people, especially famous people, are gonna say really stupid s**t. & so are you. and they, and u, will learn from it & hopefully their history says theyre good. Taking a stand: Chrissy Teigen has defended Vanessa Hudgens after the High School Musical star's dismissal of the coronavirus pandemic went viral Shock comments: The 31-year-old High School Musical star had has been accused of making 'heartless', 'insensitive' and 'selfish' remarks about the deadly coronavirus outbreak gripping the nation 'Its ok. and at the same time, wow they really had a dumb f**kin moment. but u dont have ruin their lives.' She attempted to keep it nameless before saying she directly was referring to what happened with Hudgens as she wrote: 'this isnt about me this time. but it will be one day, or itll be you. but yeah today its Vanessa lol' Vanessa had been accused of making 'heartless', 'insensitive' and 'selfish' remarks about the deadly coronavirus outbreak gripping the nation. The High School Musical actress, 31, took to Instagram Live on Monday to share her views on the spiraling pandemic. 'this isnt about me this time': She attempted to keep it nameless before saying she directly was referring to what happened with Hudgens A clip from the livestream quickly went viral on Twitter as fans called her out over her cavalier comments. 'Ummm, yeah, 'til July sounds like a bunch of bulls***,' she said in reference to the potential quarantine timeline. 'I'm sorry - but like, it's a virus, I get it, I respect it. But at the same time - even if everybody gets it... yeah, people are going to die, which is terrible, but like....inevitable?' 'I don't know, maybe I shouldn't be doing this right now,' she added. Light during a dark time: Meanwhile Chrissy joined in on John Legend's Instagram Live concert and requested he play the song he 'broke up with me to' as she sported a towel and a turban; daughter Luna joined them during the Tuesday social concert Later in the livestream, Hudgens said: 'Wish I brought my drink up,' before taking a swig from a portable mug and singing: 'Sippin' on gin and juice.' Leading social media outrage over the clip was journalist Yashar Ali, who wrote: 'What a horrible and heartless message for you to share with the younger people who look up to you.' Another user wrote: 'People do die, but wouldn't you rather do your part than to risk being a factor in another's misfortune?' 'The selfishness of these kids is infuriating. Some of us have loved ones who are extremely vulnerable,' someone else added. 'Her manager must be fuming right now,' yet another critic quipped. A clip from Hudgens' livestream quickly went viral on Twitter as critics - including journalist Yashar Ali - called her out over her cavalier comments Some fans came to Hudgens' defense, saying that her comments were valid. 'She didn't lie tho y'all wanna protect old people we get it but these 70-80-90 year olds have already lived a long life,' one fan wrote. 'She wrong though?' another asked. Hudgens responded to the backlash herself on Tuesday in another video, saying that her remarks had been 'taken out of context'. 'It's a crazy time. It's a crazy, crazy time. I am at home, in lockdown, and that's what I hope you guys are doing too. In full quarantine, staying safe and sane,' she said. 'I dont take this situation lightly, by any means. I am home.' 'So stay inside,' she added. She also posted the following statement on Twitter: 'Hey guys. I'm so sorry for the way I have offended anyone and everyone who has seen the clip from my Instagram Live yesterday. 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. I am sending safe wishes to everyone to stay safe and healthy during this crazy time.' DailyMail.com has reached out to reps for Hudgens for comment. Hudgens responded to the backlash on Tuesday and said her remarks were 'taken out of context'. 'I dont take this situation lightly, by any means,' she insisted Ali was not impressed by Hudgens' explanation video Hudgens also posted the statement above on Twitter Tuesday Nearly 6,000 Americans have tested positive for coronavirus and 100 have died as of Tuesday As of Tuesday, nearly 6,000 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the US and 100 people have died. Health officials have urged the public to stay home as much as possible in an effort to slow the spread of the outbreak - prompting officials in 11 states to limit all bars and restaurants to takeout service only. In California, where Hudgens lives and at least 589 people have been diagnosed with coronavirus, Governor Gavin Newsom recently advised all bars to shut and asked all restaurants to cut their occupancy in half. President Donald Trump and other government officials have warned that the US will continue to see a rapid rise in cases for several months, meaning containment measures are likely to remain in place. Eleven states have implemented strict coronavirus containment measures this week MEDFORD, Ore. Following the sudden announcement by Governor Kate Brown on Monday that bars and restaurants in Oregon must go exclusively to take-out or delivery for at least four weeks as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19, many local businesses have made the difficult decision to either close up shop or tighten their belts and make the transition. We dont really know what to expect, so were prepped up normally. If it gets busier than well be ready for it, said Zack Thomas, owner of Catalyst Pizza Co in Grants Pass. Thomas relocated to Grants Pass after his business in Paradise, California was destroyed by fire. Catalyst is a food cart, so they are uniquely outfitted for something like this dining in has never been an option at Thomas' establishment. "We kinda felt bad for everybody else that can only do take-out, so I think its important to remember them as well. You know, if you have somewhere that you always go on a Friday, maybe keep going there but do take-out. Dont just think were open, because everyone else is, too," said Thomas. Its important for the small businesses to help each other out. Double R Pub in Rogue River, on the other hand, has had to shut down in the wake of Brown's announcement. Theres people asking me what our next step is, and I have no answers for them," said owner Joe McPherson. "At all. McPherson isn't sure how he or any of his employees are going to stay afloat in the meantime, when the shutdown could last even beyond the mandated four weeks. Tap & Vine in Medford is one of many restaurants that usually relies on dine-in customers, but has pivoted to take-out in order to keep going in the meantime. I knew it was coming, I was kinda expecting two weeks," said general manager Adam Benson. "I didnt expect the four weeks, but with the way things were going, I knew it was coming . . . with New York, and other states closing down restaurants. Benson said he's had to cut his employees from a staff of 64 down to a skeleton crew of only five. He urges the community to go out and support local restaurants by getting take-out or gift certificates whatever people can do to help out. NewsWatch 12 is working to find out what restaurants are remaining open and what form that will take. The list below is still evolving as we continue to check in with local businesses. If you own or work for a local restaurant, send us an email and let us know what you're doing at newsdesk@kdrv.com TAKE-OUT OR DELIVERY: Ashland Medford Talent/Phoenix Central Point/White City Eagle Point/Shady Cove Miguel's - Open for take-out in Eagle Point and Shady Cove Curb Your Appetite Open for takeout and delivery with a daily dinner special Monday Friday. Free delivery within city limits. Grants Pass Jacksonville Rogue River / Wimer Applegate/Ruch Applegate Country Club - Open for take-out, will begin delivery of essential groceries in the area starting next week (eggs, milk, bread, cheese, orange juice, and flu medicine) - Open for take-out, will begin delivery of essential groceries in the area starting next week (eggs, milk, bread, cheese, orange juice, and flu medicine) Provolt Country Store & Deli Open for take-out from 8 a.m. 8 p.m. daily CLOSED: Eva Longoria and family got a spot of fresh air during a quick afternoon outing in Beverly Hills on Tuesday. The actress/producer and husband Jose Baston ventured out with son Santiago, one, for a walk through the park in Beverly Hills. Eva, 45, made it clear that she and the family were still keeping safe amid ongoign coronavirus fears, taking to Instagram to share a selfie of her and Santiago with the message: 'Out for some fresh air and then right back inside!!' Walk in the park: Eva Longoria, husband Jose Baston and their son Santiago ventured out for some fresh air during a walk in Beverly Hills before going back home to hunker down due to guidelines in response to the coronavirus pandemic Eva was dressed in mommy chic layers for the cold day, bundling up in a black jacket and streamlined leggings. Her look was topped off with angular sunglasses and she carried her phone via a chic little crossbody sling by Keebos. She carried little Santiago, who looked sweet as can be in his grey sweatsuit. Jose, meanwhile, kept warm in a quilted red jacket worn with dark jogging pants. The parents took turns bouncing him around, making sure their pride and joy had an opportunity to burn some energy. Quick outing: Eva, 45, made it clear that she and the family were still keeping safe amid ongoign coronavirus fears, taking to Instagram to share a selfie of her and Santiago with the message: 'Out for some fresh air and then right back inside!!' Baby boy: The parents took turns bouncing Santiago around, making sure their pride and joy had an opportunity to burn some energy While strolling through the park the Desperate Housewives actress stopped for a photo in front of a lovely pond and a Beverly Hills sign. She beamed while holding her baby boy and telling followers it was only a quick outing. Eva seemed happy to be safe and sound with her family after just recently traveling to Italy, the center of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe. Traveler: On February 20 Eva flew from Los Angeles to Rome to shoot a short film amid the coronavirus outbreak that has since put all of Italy under lockdown On February 20 Eva flew from Los Angeles to Rome to shoot a short film amid the coronavirus outbreak that has since put all of Italy under lockdown. She was staying in Castel Gandolfo, a medieval town 25 kilometers away from the capital, and was pictured running through the woods while shooting a scene. Near the end of February she assured her Instagram followers that she was all right since she was not in northern Italy, where the virus first became a major concern. 'Hi everybody. I am shooting in this small town in Italy. I am nowhere near the North, thank you for your concerns,' she said. On the job: Near the end of February she assured her Instagram followers that she was all right since she was not in northern Italy, where the virus first became a major concern 'Everyone was calling and texting me about the coronavirus in the north of Italy. It's really sad, but we're further away.' The first two cases of the virus in Italy were two Chinese tourists in Rome, the Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera reported at the end of January. An outbreak followed in Lombardy, the northern region where Milan is located, and five days ago Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte instituted a national quarantine. Italy has the second most COVID-19 cases of any country other than mainland China, and the most in the world per capita. Japan is testing for coronavirus at only a fraction of its capacity despite increasing its ability to do so, prompting concerns the government is not taking urgent enough action to contain its outbreak. Unseen clusters may be rapidly increasing where containment is failing, an expert from Kings College London has warned, as government data showed it is conducting on average 1,190 people a day despite having the resources to carry out 7,500. So far 32,125 tests have been carried out on 16,484 individuals, compared with 200,000 in South Korea, 80,000 in Italy, and 50,000 in the UK. Just because you have capacity, it doesnt mean that we need to use that capacity fully, health ministry official Yasuyuki Sahara told a press conference on Tuesday. It isnt necessary to carry out tests on these people who are just simply worried. The ministry says it has made it easier for doctors to order the polymerase chain reaction tests, so the figures for the number of tests carried out reflects the discretion of physicians. Some 868 cases and 29 fatalities have been confirmed, not including those the Diamond Princess cruise ship, public broadcaster NHK reports. Mr Yasuyukis defensive comments came after the World Health Organisation urged countries to test, test, test, insisting this should be the backbone of efforts to control the pandemic. You cannot fight a fire blindfolded, and we cannot stop this pandemic if we dont know who is infected, the UN agencys director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, warning that without testing cases cannot be isolated and the chain of infection will not be broken. Englands chief medical officer Chris Whitty also defended the UKs testing efforts as substantial, after Public Health England was reported to have largely stopped testing in the community, focusing instead on those in hospitals with respiratory illnesses. After concerns over this strategy were raised by former health secretary Jeremy Hunt on Tuesday, the UKs chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance said at the moment we simply dont have mass testing available for the population now, and explained there was a big effort to establish this. Despite aiming to increase testing capabilities to 10,000 a day, the UK is to rely on modelling to determine the spread of Covid-19 across the country. Dr Whitty added the government was very rapidly developing a test which shows whether people have previously had Covid-19, which he said would be transformational. In Japan, the health ministry has been focusing on clusters of cases, with the biggest around the megacities of Osaka and Tokyo, and in the prefectures of Hyogo, Hokkaido and Aichi. The ministrys latest cluster map shows 13 such groupings across the country. But with the rate of testing low, unseen clusters may be rapidly increasing where containment is failing, said Kenji Shibuya, director of the Institute for Population Health at Kings College London. To increase surveillance without overtaxing hospitals and doctors, Japan should introduce the type of drive-through testing that South Korea has implemented, Professor Shibuya said. Japanese health authorities have said there was no need for drive-through testing, although NHK reported on Tuesday that health minister Katsunobu Kato said he was open to the idea as a way to keep infected people out of hospital waiting rooms. Japan has closed schools and cancelled many sporting events, but has refrained from forcing travel, businesses and restaurants to shut contrasting with the US and most of Europe, which have enacted travel bans and put major cities on lockdown. Mr Yasuyuki, from Japan's health ministry, said more containment measures may be announced after a Thursday meeting of infectious diseases experts, who have been advising the government. We are conducting investigations, collecting data, and based on which, we have consultation with experts to make a decision or judgment, Mr Yasuyuki said. So it isnt that we are complacent or we are optimistic. Additional reporting by Reuters With apologies to T.S. Eliot: This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a run on the supermarkets. Alex Byrne, Glebe Sick and tired of PM's lack of certainty The most conflicting statements of the PM's announcement was in regard to schools ("Travel warning raised, indoor mass gatherings over 100 people prohibited", smh.com.au, March 18). On one hand, Scott Morrison said schools will stay open because there is no evidence school-age children are at risk or are a source of infection. On the other hand, school-age children are banned from aged-care facilities because they carry the virus largely asymptomatically. In other words they do contract the virus and pass it on without anyone being aware. So are they a risk, or not? And what about teachers? Clearly it is an economic and political driver for this decision. Whats better, PM? People without an income that live to rebuild or dead people? The decision-making process is appalling. Gary Bigelow, Teralba I am confused. Gatherings of more than 100 people are banned, some educational systems have closed and are pursuing online instruction yet I worked as a casual teacher this week, commuting on public transport. What action is the best? The economic consequences of shutdown have been well-documented and we have seen already the social consequences of panic. Is it possible to get measured agreement and consistency of direction however unpalatable it may be. Max Redmayne, Russell Lea Morrison is basing his decision not to close schools on the experience in Singapore. Has anyone told the PM it is school holidays in Singapore this week? I hope the PM is not sacrificing community health for the sake of the economy. Ruth Clarke, Springwood If it is required to keep schools open, for the reasons stated by the government, would it not be a prudent idea to take the temperature of every person before they enter school grounds? Jill Phillips, Ettalong Beach Anybody who has worked in schools knows that they are Petri dishes for spreading viruses. Children do not isolate: they sit cheek to cheek, hold hands and share. Then, at 3pm they rush out into public places to spread the joy. The Catholic and private schools that have taken the initiative in closing down are on the right path ("Catholic schools call for closures", March 18). Surely it's better to protect the children, and staff, from getting the virus in the first place. Bert Candy, Glenvale Qld If schools are to remain open then they at least need to be supplied with adequate supplies of soap, paper towels and hand sanitisers. Not unusually, teachers are filling in the gaps by bringing in their own provisions. John Bailey, Canterbury Mine's a double Cab sauv or sauv blanc may be worth a try, Doug Keech (Letters, March 18). I'll have a daily double scotch instead and report back in three months. Peter Mahoney, Oatley I think youll find that many sauvignon blanc wines (especially those tasting like freshly squeezed capsicum) will kill almost anything. Peter Thompson, Killara In great supply Present events have reminded me that the late Peter Ustinov used to say: "No matter how hard the times, there is something of which there is never a shortage - idiots!" Rod Hibberd, Murwillumbah Sneak peak One positive: I love the sneak peek into peoples houses as they do their TV interviews remotely. Far more revealing than the sterile studio. Amanda Jordan, Artarmon Dated calendar I admit my short-term memory is not as sharp these days, but are others beginning to wonder when BC was? Yes, Before Coronavirus. Or equally, Before Confusion, Concern and Consternation. Joan Brown, Orange With the arrival of severe restrictions and a new era brought on by the coronavirus, might the reckoning of years in our calendars become BCV and ECV : Before Coronavirus and the Era of Coronavirus? Pastor de Lasala, Seaforth Solidarity with healthcare staff Our frontline healthcare workers look set to become the firies of the unfolding catastrophe which is descending on our hospitals (Hospitals under siege, March 18). They face an insurmountable unknown at the moment. What kind of courage and resolve does this require? Please treat them with the love, kindness, consideration and above all the respect that they deserve and which they will extend without fear or favour to every patient who presents at their hospitals in the coming days and weeks. These are highly-trained, competent professionals, dedicated and committed. They may face terrible choices in the coming weeks. They are there because they care about each one of us and often at great personal cost and sacrifice. Behind the protective clothing, these are husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, brothers and sisters. Please let us stand fast with them, treat them with patience and courtesy, and return to them the calmness and compassion that they will show you. Julie Smith, Avalon Beach The reason why people swamp the hospitals for testing or treatment for COVID-19 is that they believe once tested positive they can go into hospital for treatment, no matter how mild the symptoms. The authorities have to make it very clear that there is no treatment for COVID-19 beyond hospital assisting the patients to breathe or treating other severe complications. Meanwhile the symptomatic young need to stay home and self-isolate, even if it's just a flu or cold, unless they begin to display more severe symptoms before going to hospital. Leave the emergency rooms to people who are actually very sick. Kim Woo, Mascot The Australian way home As I wait to head home, on possibly one of the last and totally full flights out of Heathrow, I note that Qantas is cutting 90 per cent of their international flights (''Airlines to get $715million lift'', March 18). I feel for the staff affected, from lounge staff to pilots, and whether they will have a job next month. Then it hit me. Qantas slugged me with a $2000 fee to change my flight two days ahead of time, because our government said for us to come home now. I hope Alan Joyce seriously thinks about using that extra money, which many people had to pay, to help those staff as they struggle with their finances in the months ahead. Do the right thing, Alan. It is the Australian way. Michael Blissenden, Dural Thanks for the advice to ''come home soon'' DFAT (''Travel warnings upgraded'', smh.com.au, March 18). We are among what I suspect are hundreds of Australians stuck in self isolation in hotels in Peru for at least 15 days due the very sudden closure of its borders. Given that Chile, our main escape route, has now closed its borders for 30 days, our stay may be much longer. Helpfully the embassy has closed its doors for the entire period and according to our daughter, the response from the emergency help line is extremely unhelpful. Perhaps DFAT could organise a flight home for the Australians here or at least advise us on how to ''come home soon''. Please. Jim Richardson, Croydon Illustration: Matt Golding Credit: Trump's big moment Oh please: just because Donald Trump strings a few full sentences together without tripping over himself doesn't mean he is presidential (''Transformed Trump finally confronts reality'', March 18). Let's not grade him on a curve. He is not your toddler who needs to be congratulated for successfully using the portable loo. He is the President of the United States. Being coherent is the bare minimum of the job. The crisis is not unexpected. Trump has now realised the situation is grave. The American voters elected him to lead, not for "there goes the people, so he must follow". Han Yang, North Turramurra To control flowering and fruit ripening, plants release the gaseous hormone ethylene. Environmental conditions, including drought, salinity and pathogens, can also cause levels of the hormone to fluctuate. Therefore, monitoring ethylene's release in real time could provide a farmer with important information about a plant's development and health. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Central Science have developed an easy-to-use, robust sensor that can do just that. Because of the key role ethylene plays in plant health, the agricultural industry is interested in monitoring the hormone. Early detection of changes in the release of this gas could allow farmers to take preventative actions that restore plant health, reducing crop losses. However, existing sensors have limitations that make them impractical for use in the field. Timothy Swager, Darryl Fong and colleagues at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology wanted to make a sensor that could sensitively detect changes in ethylene levels. The new sensor contains a network of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on a piece of glass, sandwiched between gold electrodes. The researchers placed a catalytic mixture containing palladium on top of the SWCNTs. In a chemical reaction known as Wacker oxidation, the palladium catalyst converted ethylene gas to acetaldehyde. During this reaction, palladium changed its oxidation state and interactions with the SWCNTs, altering their electrical conductance. In this way, the researchers could monitor changes in ethylene gas levels over time. To demonstrate the sensor, the team placed carnations or lisianthus flowers in a chamber with the device and observed fluctuations in ethylene production as the flowers bloomed and faded. The device can detect parts-per-billion concentrations of the gas within the chamber, and with this sensitivity it could potentially be used to monitor plants in the field, the researchers say. ### The authors acknowledge funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Postdoctoral Fellowships Program, the Sao Paulo Research Foundation, the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center. The paper's abstract will be available on March 18 at 8 a.m. Eastern time here: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acscentsci.0c00022 The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS' mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and its people. The Society is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, eBooks and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a specialist in scientific information solutions (including SciFinder and STN), its CAS division powers global research, discovery and innovation. ACS' main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio. To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org. Follow us: Twitter | Facebook Anticipating a wave of late payments, Jason Hill, chief executive of R.G. Hill & Company, which owns and manages about 1,000 apartments in Northern California, said his company was already preparing to waive late fees and halt evictions for lack of payment. For now, he said, its not clear what the extent of the damage will be because the most severe economic fallout happened last week, in the middle of the month, though he assumes it could be bad. The vast majority of people in society live paycheck to paycheck, regardless of socioeconomic class, and the economy has come to a complete halt, he said. For renters like Ian Browning and his wife, the question isnt when they will fall behind on their rent but what happens and where they go when they do. Mr. Browning, who lives in Brooklyn, manages a restaurant that is closing indefinitely. His wife, a hairdresser, is also gearing up for months with little or no income. They have two small children, pay $1,900 a month in rent and have a savings account that will cover one month of bills. The couple are in deep trouble for which Mr. Browning used an unprintable term and have no idea what will happen, he said. A pronounced slowdown in rent and mortgage payments will have a cascading effect on apartment companies, employees like building superintendents and janitors, and finally state and local government revenues: Money that renters pay landlords goes to mortgage payments and property taxes, along with utilities and other public services. Members of the Mortgage Bankers Association, a trade group, and other housing-industry figures began telling White House officials this week that the home lending system was on the verge of a crisis that the government needed to head off. They said many homeowners couldnt miss one or two paychecks before defaulting on their mortgages, according to two people familiar with the talks. Action to shield those with federally backed mortgages came on two fronts Wednesday: from the Federal Housing Finance Agency the main regulator for Fannie and Freddie, which effectively guarantee most mortgages given by banks and nonbank lenders and from HUD, which acts as a guarantor for other mortgages under the Federal Housing Administrations home loan program. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Asip Hasani (The Jakarta Post) Surabaya Wed, March 18, 2020 18:49 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206ba6152 1 National surabaya,East-Java,khofifah-indar-parawansa,COVID-19,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus-in-Indonesia Free East Java's COVID-19 task force will begin contact tracing for six people in Surabaya who tested positive for the virus, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa said on Tuesday. Khofifah said the task force, backed by a team of 30 physicians with expertise in infectious diseases, would soon begin the process for the six people, all residents of the provincial capital. "We, together with the team of experts, will trace where and with whom they made contact in the days before the test results of their samples came out positive," Khofifah told reporters on Tuesday evening after meeting with East Java businesspeople at the Grahadi Building in Surabaya. "How this virus has spread has just been unpredictable. She said the task force created a contact tracing map" for the six patients but refused to release it to the public, saying it could trigger anxiety among communities living in areas the patients previously visited. Read also: Indonesia's confirmed COVID-19 cases may spike in upcoming days, govt warns The patients were in stable condition, she said, adding that some of them went to the hospital on their own initiative and asked for the COVID-19 test. Earlier on Tuesday morning, East Java COVID-19 mitigation task force head Heru Tjahjono said 26 patients under surveillance and 15 potential COVID-19-positive patients were being cared for at isolation wards at 22 hospitals in the province. He said the hospitals were in Surabaya, Malang, Sidoarjo, Pasuruan, Tulungagung and Banyuwangi. He also said that, in Surabaya alone, the number of isolation ward rooms at several of the 44 referral hospitals in the province was capped at 132. As of Wednesday afternoon, Indonesia reported 227 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 19 deaths. At the docks in Cabo San Lucas, a sign reads: "South Baja California is free of coronavirus and that's how we want to stay!" Lituania Casena Guerena, 18, works greeting cruise ship visitors, but was only told to start wearing gloves a week ago. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Posters and official fliers in this coastal tourist hot spot seek to allay concerns about the fast-spreading global health menace that has left victims from China to Italy to California. Baja California Sur is coronavirus free and thats how we want to stay! proclaims one sign. But even though officials here say Baja has so far avoided the COVID-19 contagion, questions have been raised about whether passengers on the Grand Princess, a cruise ship with several infected crew members and passengers, could have either picked up or spread the coronavirus when it visited Cabo and three other Mexican Pacific ports during a Feb. 11-21 trip from San Francisco. On Saturday, a cruise line official reported that one 75-year-old California passenger, who later died of the virus, was infected before boarding the ship on Feb. 11, and was sick several days before the boat returned to San Francisco on Feb. 21. According to Dr. Grant Tarling, the cruises medical officer, the Placer County man didn't visit the ship's doctor until Feb. 20, but started exhibiting symptoms as early as Feb. 13. That was before the vessel made its first Mexican port stop, Feb. 16 in Puerto Vallarta. It went on to visit Manzanillo that same day, stopped in Mazatlan on Feb. 17, then anchored in Cabo San Lucas on Feb. 19. Route of the Grand Princess (Thomas Suh Lauder / Los Angeles Times) Complicating matters, Placer County health officials have disputed Tarling's information, saying the diseased man "likely contracted the disease during international travel to Mexico," which could mean he contracted it on the boat or during a shore visit. It is not publicly known if he departed the boat at any stops. What is known is that many passengers on the Grand Princess made shore visits at each port, according to persons who were part of the trip. During its layovers at Mexican ports, "literally hundreds" of people left the ship for shore excursions, said a source on the vessel who asked not to be named for privacy reasons. Story continues "Passengers really penetrate the port towns," said Ter Soloman, who traveled on the Mexican voyage with his wife. "For example, in Mazatlan, tours take them to the central market, cathedral and historic theater." For their part, Mexican authorities have said they have found no indication that anyone who disembarked from the Grand Princess last month spread the virus or contracted it in Mexico. Mexico has confirmed a total of six cases of the coronavirus, although none in the state of Baja California Sur. All six cases, Mexican authorities say, are people who recently traveled to Italy, site of a major outbreak. All the affected individuals in Mexico have exhibited minor symptoms, health authorities say, and none have been linked to the international cruise ships that frequent the country's ports. At the marina in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, a group of visitors returns to the docks after a day on the water. The Grand Princess cruise ship passed through the same port in February. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Yet as the Grand Princess remains held off the coast of San Francisco, the international inquiry into its current and previous passengers is just getting started. As of Friday, at least 21 people on board, including 2 passengers and 19 crew members, had tested positive, according to federal and state authorities. After departing Mexico, the cruise ship returned to San Francisco on Feb. 21 and then departed for a trip to Hawaii. Tarling, chief medical officer for Princess Cruises, said 70 people remained on board for the Hawaii portion of the cruise. On Friday, authorities in Hawaii confirmed that the state's first case of the coronavirus involved a man who had been a passenger on the Grand Princess during its Mexico leg. He fell ill after flying home to Oahu from Mexico, but did not exhibit symptoms of the disease during that flight. At the marina in Cabo San Lucas, Naomi Alcazar, 40, of Oxnard and Esperanza Barragan, 38, of Ventura are enjoying a vacation, but still worry about the coronavirus. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) In Mexico, authorities say they have a health protocol in place mandating that cruise lines advise Mexican authorities in advance of any illnesses aboard ships. Passengers and crew members are only allowed to disembark once authorities review ships health logs, confirm the information and determine there is no threat to people on shore, Mexican officials say. No one from the Grand Princess during its Mexico tour presented symptoms that could have put in danger the population, Dr. Rafael Felix Espinoza, chief health officer in Mexicos Sinaloa state, said in a statement. Among the Grand Princess four stops in Mexico was a 10-hour call in Mazatlan, Sinaloa state. Prior to Saturday's reports, Mexican authorities downplayed the possibility that the Placer County man displayed symptoms of the coronavirus while the ship was visiting Mexico. Because of the time of incubation of the virus, it is very improbable that the patient had the virus during his time in Mexican ports, Felix Espinoza said. In a separate case, Mexican authorities late last month allowed passengers and crew from another cruise ship the MSC Meraviglia to disembark in Cozumel, on the Caribbean coast, after the boat had been turned away from ports in Jamaica and Grand Cayman amid fears of a coronavirus outbreak. In that case, Mexican health authorities said tests determined that no one on board had contracted the coronavirus. We cannot act with discrimination, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told reporters when asked about the case of the MSC Meraviglia. Imagine if a ship arrived and it wasnt even allowed to dock, and they were told, Keep going on your way, see where you can dock. That is inhuman. On a recent afternoon in Cabo San Lucas, not a mask was could be seen on tourists and tour operators shouted greetings, shook hands and jostled the arms and shoulders of visitors. Were not worried, said Tommy Wright, 67, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, who noted that he and his wife, Susan, come to Cabo a few times a year to fish and relax. Its a virus. Take a look at the flu. That kills thousands of people every year. This doesnt even come close. The city's health director, Adam Monroy, said the process for investigating and containing viral threats is robust. This is not new, he said referring to procedures that date from the 2009 outbreak of the H1N1 virus, or swine flu. Our protocols work. Any decline in cruise ship visits could have economic implications in Mexico, which is heavily dependent on tourism. Last year, according to official figures, 2,951 cruise ships stopped at Mexican ports, carrying almost 9 million passengers, an increase of 13.5% compared to the previous year. Cabo San Lucas hosted 204 cruise ships in 2019 with more than 500,000 passengers. Fatima Miranda Cortes, director of tourism and economy for Cabo San Lucas, said her team has been working hard to inform people about the virus. Last week, two residents were tested after displaying symptoms of illness after returning from Japan. According to state authorities, the results were negative. Nonetheless, she said, the city has already taken a big economic hit as a result of coronavirus concerns. Cruise ship reservations, she said, have dropped by 20-30%. Spring break between March 1 and March 30 is generally the busiest time, she said, with roughly 30 cruise ships coming into port during that period. So, things could get worse as the month goes on, she said. Despite the general lack of alarm here about the virus, some visitors have been taking extra precautions. We heard it was safe here, said Naomi Alcazar, 40, who was visiting from Oxnard. They said theres no coronavirus. But, were still putting Clorox on everything. On the airplane. Everywhere. Her friend, Elva Rizzie, also from Oxnard, however, seemed less than pleased to be talking about it. I dont want to hear it, she said. Go away. Staff writer Rust reported from Baja California, McDonnell from Mexico City and Chabria from Sacramento. Special correspondent Cecilia Sanchez in Mexico City contributed to this report. by Melani Manel Perera As of tonight, high risk districts are under a curfew. Price controls have been imposed for basic items like dhal and canned fish. Sunday Mass is telecast. Only cargo planes are authorised to land. Borrowers are given a six-month grace period. Colombo (AsiaNews) The Sri Lankan government has adopted a series of measures to stem the spread of coronavirus in the country; they include curfew in some areas, a three-day mandatory holiday on 17-19 March, price controls of basic items, and aid to businesses. Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi today issued the latest bulletin of the infection: 53 positive cases and 204 people hospitalised in 18 hospitals and quarantine centres. An overnight curfew (from 4.30 pm until further notice) has been imposed on several districts in western and southern Sri Lanka: 11 in Puttalam, and seven in Chilaw, Negombo and Kochchikade. These areas are deemed "high risk" because they are home to 800 of the up to 2,000 Sri Lankans who returned to the island between 1 and 9 March from three countries seriously affected by Covid-19, namely Italy, South Korea and Iran. Army Commander General Shavendra Silva asked people in self-isolation to avoid contacts with the outside world. Meanwhile, public schools and universities, catechism courses, and Christian educational facilities are closed until 20 April. The Catholic Church and Protestant denominations have offered to work with the government and comply with its measures. Last Sunday, Sirasa TV telecast live the Mass celebrated by Card Malcolm Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo. Church leaders have cancelled all religious rites, pilgrimages, prayer services and other activities scheduled for Lent. President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has banned commercial flights as of midnight today until 31 March. Bandaranaike Katunayake International Airport will remain open only for planes already en route. Restrictions do not apply to cargo flights. The president also announced financial help for businesses, instructing banks to offer a six-month grace on loans. Speaking to the nation last night, he announced prices controls on some basic items and pledged future aid. As of midnight today, the price of a kilo of dhal and a tin of canned fish cannot exceed 65 and 100 rupees (US.65 and US.55) respectively. 18.03.2020 LISTEN The Youth of Adansi Asokwa Constituency, Concerned Executives, Patrons, Electoral Area Coordinators, and Polling Station Executives have read a press release signed by Dennis Kwakwa and followed interviews he has granted on the release. The press statement and its ensuing commentaries are not only mischievous, incoherent and lack substance but disrespectful to Honorable K. T Hammond and the people of Adansi Asokwa Constituency. We respond as follows: 'DISMISSAL' OR DISRESPECT OF CHAIRMAN WONTUMI It is instructive to note that Hon. KT Hammond never 'dismissed' or disrespected Chairman Antwi Boasiako. It is the Chairman who was seen and heard 'dismissing' a question Hon. KT Hammond asked about a petition filed against his contender at the vetting. It is therefore false to suggest that KT Hammond 'dismissed' and disrespected the Regional Chairman. KT over the years has shown utmost respect to party officials and he continues to do so. POLITICAL RECORD It is funny to note that Dennis Kwakwa, someone who has lost three elections to become Ashanti Regional Youth Organiser and who only became the Youth Organiser by appointment by the Regional Chairman, Mr. Antwi Boasiako talks about records. His claim that Hon. KT Hammond wins with 4,000 votes and cannot see himself as a better MP suggests that he knows and sees no shame. Someone who could not win an election which had an electorate of a little over 800 should not be talking about the impeccable records of KT Hammond. PERFORMANCE OF K. T HAMMOND Prior to the 2000 election, the Adansi Asokwa seat was held by the NDC. It was KT Hammond who wrestled the seat in 2000 and has retained it till date. His retention of the seat is because of the good works he has done since 2001. Except the highways from Bekwai through New Edubiasi to Cape Coast and Asokwa to Obuasi, most towns and villages in Adansi did not have electricity. It was KT Hammond who made sure that they were connected to the national grid. Today, all the villages in the Adansi Asokwa constituency have electricity. As the Deputy Minister for Energy, KT made sure that Menang, Afiaso, Subiriso, Tonkwase I and II and other areas in the New Edubiase Constuency, and Sikaman in the Akrofuom Constituency as well as Abadwam and Adumenu in the Amansie areas were all connected to the national grid. No wonder he was made Adansi Nkosohene 17 years ago. In terms of school buildings, it is instructive to note that Adansi Asokwa even though has a lot of villages, has no schools under trees courtesy the good works of KT Hammond. He has provided classroom blocks for almost every single community in the constituency. Again, through his share of the Common Fund, he has provided scholarships to support hundreds of students from the Adansi Asokwa constituency at all levels. KT has used his lobbying skills to lobby for job placements in all sectors of the economy for his constituents. Furthermore, during his tenure as MP, Hon K T Hammond has provided boreholes in every single community in his constituency. All repair works on boreholes are undertaken by him. He has also provided CHPS compound for communities such as Asokwa, Pipiiso, Fumso Ketewa, Komsiwa, Nyamekrom to mention only a few. He has also provided many toilet facilities for communities in the constituency. Interestingly, when the toilets are full it is KT who provides funds for them to be emptied. He has also provided several hundreds of bags of cement and roofing sheets to various religious communities in the constituency. It is also worthy of note that the highway linking Ashanti and Eastern Regions through Amantia to Aboabo and Asokwa which was constructed about a 100 years ago saw its first surface dressing (coal tar) through the instrumentality of Hon. KT Hammond. He is currently lobbying very hard to get the 2nd segment of the road completed. We can proudly say that there's not a single development project in the constituency that does not have the signature of our hardworking MP under it. CONTRIBUTION TO GHANA In 2001, as a Deputy Minister of Energy, President John Agyekum Kufour, Finance Minister, Hon. Yaw Osafo Maafo, Attorney General, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Energy Minister, Hon. Kan Dapaah and the cabinet entrusted KT Hammond, a British trained Lawyer to go to France and UK to find finality to a case GNPC was involved with in connection with a Drill Ship. He provided every detail information to key persons mentioned above and successfully negotiated a deal in the interest of Ghana. For the purposes of mischief and to shelve corruption in the NDC government, a Commission was set up by the NDC and the drill ship was used for the purposes of equalisation but the evidence adduced did not support the claim. Even though as a Deputy Minister, KT Hammond was instructed and answered to authorities named above, his name alone is mentioned in connection with the drillship in Ghana. He stood firm in the face of the drillship onslaught to protect the good name of NPP. It is worthy of note that KT Hammond worked on and sent Ghana's oil agreements to parliament including the oil contracts that have led to the massive discoveries in the Jubilee fields. In fact it is the case that when NDC came to power, one of their first acts was to ask the CID to invite him to explain how come these companies came to Ghana and the discovery of oil. Under Article 41(f) of the 1992 constitution every citizen of Ghana is enjoined to protect the interest of the state. In keeping with this, KT Hammond fought tirelessly to prevent GNPC from recklessly wasting Ghana's oil money on some undeserving people. For this effort, he is today, all alone in court defending himself for standing up for Ghana. One may also recall his recent call on government to collect monies owed it in taxes by Anadarko Oil Company which is preparing to sell out and leave the country. The company is yet to meet its tax obligation of 500 million dollars to the state. In Parliament, KT Hammond has very few equals and he is admired by Ghanaians. These are the people NPP and Ghana must be proud off. SUPPORT AGAINST KT HAMMOND It is not only laughable to hear Kwakwa, a monumental loser, openly declaring support against KT and indicating that he will marshal forces against KT Hammond in the primaries. If he had such forces, they could have helped him to win one of the elections he contested and lost miserably. It is absurd and reckless on the part of Kwakwa to suggest that if KT is the only person to retain the seat, let us lose it and that would not be the first time the party would lose a seat to our opponents. For this reckless statement, we invite the Regional party to call him to account for this reckless statement even though we know that the Regional Chairman will not do that. SHOW OF IGNORANCE The Honorable KT Hammond never referred to Chairman Antwi Boasiako as a boy. His statement was that the Regional Chairman is the one who wants the boy to contest him even though he is not qualified. If Kwakwa wants to drag the honorable member to the Disciplinary Committee, he has to do it through the national body as applies to Members of Parliament and stipulated in the party's constitution. Also, our attention has been drawn to publications on ghanaweb and other online news portals that Mr. Akwasi Nti Asamoah, Chairman of Fomena Constituency has suggested that KT Hammond be hauled before the Disciplinary Committee and disciplined. Our checks proved that the article is a hoax and fake news. Mr. Akwasi Nti Asamoah has no knowledge of the said article and you can crosscheck with him. How can Dennis Kwakwa and his irk stoop so low? By the way, as a matter of interest we will be happy to know if Mr. Dennis Kwakwa will share the reason why he was sacked from Kumasi Girls Senior High School as a teacher with us. CHAIRMAN KWAME OWUSU AND THE CURRENT CONFUSION Adansi Asokwa Constituency had remained calm until Mr. Kwame Owusu became the Chairman of the constituency. He has rallied his few followers and with the support of the Regional Chairman as he claims, be working against KT Hammond even before nominations were opened. Chairman Kwame Owusu had openly said this on countless occasions. It is no wonder that he hurriedly organised a news conference to offer an apology to Chairman Antwi Bosiako, when nothing has happened. CONCLUSION In conclusion, we want to make it clear that the Adansi Asokwa party as a branch of the NPP is democratic and will continue to uphold the tenets of democracy. We will never prevent anyone from contesting. What we have guarded against is to set bad precedent of allowing someone who does not qualify to contest. We will always make sure that person(s) who intend(s) to contest the seat qualify. This is because rule of law is a fundamental principle in all democratic dispensations. Mr. Samuel Binfo for the past ten (10) years or less has not been part or be involved in any activity of the party. He has not nurtured the constituency for 2 years as the party constitution stipulates. He is not a member of the constituency party. He has and holds no constituency party card. Any evidence to the contrary is a forgery. Mr. Peter Kwabena Ameyaw, who has from 1992 been Organiser, Chairman, District Chief Executive and immediate past Chairman does not have any records of Samuel Binfo as a member of the Adansi Asokwa party. Again, the Constituency Secretary who has worked for the party for ten (10) years had a cause to worry about because he had not met Samuel Binfo for once. He expressed same when Mr Binfo went to submit his nomination form. Unfortunately, the Secretary was beaten mercilessly by his supporters. We are aware of the clandestine plan of the Regional Chairman to have him qualified despite all the facts which do not support his qualification. This was corroborated on radio by Hon. Kennedy Agyapong who stated on Oman FM's Boiling Point that he called Chairman Antwi Boasiako about his intervention to get Samuel Binfo to contest the Asokwa primaries, who said yes he wants someone to contest KT because he (KT) does not respect him Chairman Antwi Boasiako. Clearly the decision to allow Samuel Binfo to contest is not based on merit but on Chairman Antwi Boasiako's dislike of KT Hammond. WE CANNOT ACCEPT THIS! We are calling on the Regional Chairman and all persons involved to take their hands off our HANDS OFF OUR HON. KT HAMMOND. By: Adansi Asokwa Youth Concerned Executives Concerned Patrons Electoral Area Coordinators Polling Station Executives The European Commission offers significant support to Europe's AI excellence The ELISE proposal has been selected to enter Grant Agreement Preparation with top scores awarded among all proposals for this round, which is testament to the fact that machine learning is at the core of modern AI research, and the main driver in this thriving research field. "The ELISE project proposal builds upon the ELLIS organization which is excellence-driven and open, as that is what Europe needs; we play for the 'team Europe'", says Samuel Kaski, director of the Finnish Center for Artificial Intelligence FCAI and professor at Aalto University, who is also the principal investigator of the proposal. ELISE (European Learning and Intelligent Systems Excellence), and was initiated by ELLIS (European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems). ELLIS was created in 2018 to develop a network of AI excellence, with Europe's top researchers in ML and related fields that can compete with the major AI hotspots in the US and China. "The strength of Europe is in its rich and diverse cultures and industries, from service to health to manufacturing. The ELLIS network of top-level AI institutes is the best way to inject excellent machine learning in European companies," says Barbara Caputo, Professor at Politecnico di Torino and a member of the ELLIS Board. ELLIS is actively advancing important technological and medical applications with fellowship programs on Robotics, Computer Vision or Health. "We believe that a diversity of approaches is the key, and we congratulate all of the other selected proposals. ELISE gives us the chance to implement the next steps towards the ELLIS vision, and we are happy to collaborate with others who help us achieve these goals", adds Professor Bernhard Scholkopf, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Tubingen, and member of the ELLIS Board. The goal of ELISE to make Europe competitive by setting up a "Powerhouse of AI " As part of its goals, ELLIS has set out to retain and attract the best talent. Machine learning has triggered the current revolution in AI, with an impact on all associated disciplines such as computer vision and sensory processing, data science, symbolic and rule-based reasoning, robotics, and human-computer interaction. The distinction between academic and industrial research is vanishing, with rapid and broad commercialization of results which has led to a need to strengthen European research excellence to remain competitive. The ELISE network is set up to be attractive to students and experienced researchers, to sustain itself at the highest level research in academia, and to spread its knowledge and methods in research, industry and society. While ELISE starts from machine learning as a key enabling technology of AI, the network addresses all ways of reasoning, considering all types of data. These are applicable for almost all sectors of science, industry, and society while being aware of data safety and security, and striving to provide explainable and trustworthy outcomes. ### This story has been published on: 2020-03-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Amid the ongoing Congress-BJP political tug-of-war in Madhya Pradesh, the cabinet on Wednesday gave its 'in-principle approval' to the formation of three new districts in the state Bhopal: Amid the ongoing Congress-BJP political tug-of-war in Madhya Pradesh, the cabinet on Wednesday gave its "in-principle approval" to the formation of three new districts in the state. At meeting of the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Kamal Nath, "in-principle approval" was given to the proposal to constitute three new districts - Chachaura, Maihar and Nagda, said a public relations department officer. With this, the number of districts in Madhya Pradesh goes up to 55. Chachaura, currently part of Guna district, is also the assembly seat represented by Lakshman Singh, younger brother of Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh. This fulfills a long-pending demand of Lakshman Singh, who, a couple of months ago, had sat on a dharna at the residence of Digvijaya Singh to seek district status for his assembly constituency. Similarly, Maihar, currently part of Satna district, is the assembly seat represented by BJP MLA Narayan Tripathi, who was seen with Congress legislators just after the assembly proceedings on Monday. He was also absent during the parade of BJP legislators before the governor on Monday. Tripathi has been demanding district status for Maihar since long. Tripathi, along with another BJP MLA Sharad Kol (Beohari), had backed the Congress-led government during voting on a bill in the MP Assembly in July last year. Nagda is currently part of Ujjain district. The cabinet also cleared several other proposals, including appointments of retired IAS officers. On Tuesday, a BJP delegation led by former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met Governor Lalji Tandon, requesting him to cancel appointments being made to constitutional posts by the "minority" Congress government. In a massive setback for the Congress, its prominent leader Jyotiradtya Scindia quit the party and in a coordinated rebellion 22 MLAs loyal to him resigned last week, pushing the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government to the brink of a collapse. Scindia joined the BJP on 11 March. Since the resignations of MLAs, the opposition BJP has claimed the Congress government has been reduced to a "minority". 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. Story continues 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. For further information, please contact: Philip Gibbs Interim Chief Executive Officer Tel: +1 416 360 3406 Email: philip.gibbs@kilogoldmines.com Website:www.kilogoldmines.com Pennsylvania has reported its first death due to the coronavirus. Gov. Tom Wolfs administration said an adult from Northampton County has died. The individual was being treated in a hospital, according to a news release. The individuals identity and the name of the hospital was not disclosed. The Wolf administration cited the Disease Control and Prevention Act, which protects the right to privacy of Pennsylvanians, and did not disclose any additional information about the patient, including the individuals age or any underlying health conditions. Previously, St. Lukes University Health Network confirmed a patient with the coronavirus was being treated at its Bethlehem Township hospital. Earlier today, state officials said there were 37 new confirmed coronavirus cases in Pennsylvania, bringing the statewide total to 133. Most of the cases have been reported in eastern Pennsylvania but more cases are being reported across the state. The virus has been found in 18 counties. The health department said all those with confirmed cases are either in isolation at home or are being treated at the hospital. The department reported the first two cases in York County and the first case in Berks County. There are 1,187 patients who have tested negative, state officials said. With commercial labs being the primary testing option for most Pennsylvanians, data is not available on the total number of tests pending, the department said. At a press briefing Wednesday, Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said state officials were working with hospitals to prepare for an influx of new patients. We need to prepare for the possible and in fact likely surge of patients over the next number of weeks, Levine said. As the number of cases continues to grow, it gets harder to track where individual patients were exposed to the coronavirus, Levine said. At this point we can assume there are people whose exposure we cannot trace back to a specific source, Levine said. Levine said its possible the state would need to use non-traditional spaces to treat patients. Yesterday, state officials said they were preparing two mass testing sites for the public in Philadelphia and Montgomery County. 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 superficial rise in the YES Bank's share price for two reasons: the selling was curtailed with the new rule and the market completely ignored the future dilution in the bank's equity capital. The Supreme Court reportedly said that telecom companies have usurped money and don't want to pay even a fraction of the revenues earned. The exporters warn lack of business, coupled with fixed costs, would soon make many accounts technically NPAs. Read for more top stories from the world of business and economy: 1. From Rs 6,000 crore to Rs 70,000 crore: The curious case of Yes Bank's market cap The superficial rise in the YES Bank's share price for two reasons: the selling was curtailed with the new rule and the market completely ignored the future dilution in the bank's equity capital. 2. Vodafone Idea, Airtel, Tata Tele must shell out Rs 77,547 crore more for AGR dues The Supreme Court reportedly said that telecom companies have usurped money and don't want to pay even a fraction of the revenues earned. 3. Anand Mahindra urges govt to allow private sector to conduct coronavirus tests Currently, the government has only established 62 testing facilities for COVID-19. Uttar Pradesh, which as the highest population of any state in India only has three test centres. According to ICMR, each of these COVID-19 facilities is serving around 77 million people in UP 4. Coronavirus to hit Indian exporters hard, defaults may rise Near lock down and quarantine in many advanced economies has given a jolt to the demand and added to the rising uncertainties with looming recessions in a large number of economies with consequent fallouts. 5. Coronavirus: Follow govt instructions or go to jail! There are enough laws During the times of public health emergencies, governments can enforce reasonable restrictions on the fundamental right "to move freely throughout the territory of India.' for its citizens. Social media giant Facebook, has decided to give six-month bonuses and an additional $1,000 (Rs 74,037) to all its employees in order to help them during coronavirus outbreak. The Silicon Valley-based company is going to give $1,000 bonus to its 45,000 full-time employees. It is unclear if contractors will also receive the bonus. The announcement was made by Facebook's founder Marck Zuckerburg in an internal note to its employeees. The bonus is to pay for those who are working remotely with additional expenses, such as setting up a home office or unexpected child cost. According to a filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Facebook median annual salary in 2018 was $228,651 (Rs 1,69,11,027). Facebook has also announced that it would be investing $100 million to help 30,000 small businesses in over 30 countries where its employees live and work. "We've heard loud and clear that financial support could enable small businesses to keep the lights on and pay people who can't come to work. That's why today I'm announcing that Facebook is investing $100 million to help 30,000 small businesses in over 30 countries where our employees live and work," Facebook Opearting Office Sheryl Sandberg said in a post. Apart from Facebook, several other tech giants like Amazon, Google and Microsoft are all encouraging employees to work from home due to coronavirus. On March 4, Facebook confirmed that a contractor was diagnosed with coronavirus in its Seattle office. The coronavirus outbreak has killed 7,987 people and sickened over 1 lakh people till now, according to worlometre. Also read: Coronavirus Live Updates: New COVID-19 cases take number to 147 in India Also read: Coronavirus: Over 1.85 lakh passengers screened at Delhi airport till date Reduce exposure Those who take care of loved ones in their home or are regular care providers to family members and friends outside the home have real concerns about exposing this vulnerable group to the virus. Even if the older adult stays home in a semi-quarantine situation, their caregivers paid or unpaid are still out in the community, says Paula Lester, a geriatric medicine physician at NYU Winthrop Hospital. The key is to use appropriate precautions." Stay home While many restaurants, bars and retail stores are closed, in accordance with local, state and national guidelines, supermarkets are still bustling with people, though some are offering hours just for older people. Lester advises that older people skip trips to the market if possible, to avoid exposure. Also, if you are doing shopping or other errands for those who need assistance, don't bring the goods into their home and stick around afterward. Help them, but help them in a way that still protects them and yourself, she recommends. Leave [items] at the front door, or make online orders for them. That kind of help is really useful and safe." Reschedule wellness appointments Carla Perissinotto, the associate chief for geriatric clinical programs at the University of California, San Francisco, suggests looking ahead for any regular medical appointments on your loved one's schedule. Look at what can be canceled that is not essential, she says, because health care environments are where the most sick people are right now." If an appointment is necessary, Perissinotto advises using a telephone or video-based system with the doctor, if available. If you aren't used to this technology, see if there is someone in your family or in your community that can help you with that. For residents of assisted living facilities, one of the things that our group has been doing is identifying a [technology] champion or main point of contact in-house who can help patients connect to their virtual appointments, she says. A young mother-of-seven has tragically been found dead alongside her newborn baby in her home. Emerald Waiari Tai, 27, and her newborn son Tanatui Samuels were discovered at their home in West Auckland on Monday. Emergency services arrived at the Kelston home around 9.30am but the pair had already died. Ms Tai left behind her partner, also named Tanatui Samuels, and six other children. Mother-of-seven Emerald Waiari Tai (pictured), 27, was found dead alongside her newborn son Tanatui Samuels at their West Auckland home on Monday morning Emergency services arrived at the house at 9.30am but the mother and son had already died It's not clear how many children Mr Samuels shared with Ms Tai, although he shared a gushing photo of one of their babies last year. A New Zealand Police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the deaths. Detective Inspector John Sutton said: 'This event is an absolute tragedy and police send their sympathies to the family at this difficult time.' 'Police will referring the matter to the Coroner,' he said. Ms Tai's mother, Susan Faamoe described the deaths of her daughter and grandson as 'tragic'. She set up a givealittle fundraising page on behalf of her daughter 'to raise funds for her remaining six children who now have no mother.' New Zealand police said that the deaths of Ms Tai (pictured right with her partner Tanatui Samuels) and her son were not suspicious and had been referred to the coroner 'This money will ensure they have enough to start again for their future,' Ms Faamoe said. Ms Tai's Facebook page showed that she was from Opotiki and studied in Tauranga. She listed 'full time mummy' as her current job but shared that she had studied travel and tourism. Devastated friends shared tributes to the young mum and newborn boy. 'Thinking of your family especially the children,' one friend wrote. Another said: 'A devastating tragedy, you are in our thoughts.' Facebook / Town of New Fairfield Parks and Recreation Drive-through coronavirus testing for New Canaan residents will begin Friday, March 20. Testing will be done by appointment only and with a prescription, which will be provided by Murphy Medical Group, according to an update Tuesday night from Director of Emergency Management Michael Handler. The testing site will be Saxe Middle School, 468 South Avenue. To begin the process, residents must visit coronatestct.com. On the site, residents will be instructed to complete three forms. We suggest you begin the process as soon as possible, Handler said. We have attempted to make this process as smooth as possible. Murphy Medical Associates contracted with the New Canaan Department of Health, will provide the FDA-approved COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus testing. This testing will be done in accordance with CDC testing guidelines, according to the New Canaan Emergency Operations Center. Questions that cannot be answered by Murphy Associates can be directed to the New Canaan Department of Health at 203-594-3037. The external fund manager backed by Berkshire Hathaway's Charlie Munger, Li Lu, makes no bones about it when he says 'The biggest investment risk is not the volatility of prices, but whether you will suffer a permanent loss of capital. So it seems the smart money knows that debt - which is usually involved in bankruptcies - is a very important factor, when you assess how risky a company is. We can see that Geely Automobile Holdings Limited (HKG:175) does use debt in its business. But should shareholders be worried about its use of debt? What Risk Does Debt Bring? Generally speaking, debt only becomes a real problem when a company can't easily pay it off, either by raising capital or with its own cash flow. If things get really bad, the lenders can take control of the business. While that is not too common, we often do see indebted companies permanently diluting shareholders because lenders force them to raise capital at a distressed price. Of course, the upside of debt is that it often represents cheap capital, especially when it replaces dilution in a company with the ability to reinvest at high rates of return. The first step when considering a company's debt levels is to consider its cash and debt together. View our latest analysis for Geely Automobile Holdings What Is Geely Automobile Holdings's Debt? The chart below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that Geely Automobile Holdings had CN3.42b in debt in June 2019; about the same as the year before. However, it does have CN14.0b in cash offsetting this, leading to net cash of CN10.6b. SEHK:175 Historical Debt, March 18th 2020 How Healthy Is Geely Automobile Holdings's Balance Sheet? According to the last reported balance sheet, Geely Automobile Holdings had liabilities of CN42.2b due within 12 months, and liabilities of CN2.35b due beyond 12 months. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of CN14.0b as well as receivables valued at CN21.9b due within 12 months. So it has liabilities totalling CN8.67b more than its cash and near-term receivables, combined. Story continues Given Geely Automobile Holdings has a humongous market capitalization of CN98.9b, it's hard to believe these liabilities pose much threat. But there are sufficient liabilities that we would certainly recommend shareholders continue to monitor the balance sheet, going forward. Despite its noteworthy liabilities, Geely Automobile Holdings boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load! It is just as well that Geely Automobile Holdings's load is not too heavy, because its EBIT was down 25% over the last year. Falling earnings (if the trend continues) could eventually make even modest debt quite risky. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine Geely Automobile Holdings's ability to maintain a healthy balance sheet going forward. So if you want to see what the professionals think, you might find this free report on analyst profit forecasts to be interesting. But our final consideration is also important, because a company cannot pay debt with paper profits; it needs cold hard cash. While Geely Automobile Holdings has net cash on its balance sheet, it's still worth taking a look at its ability to convert earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to free cash flow, to help us understand how quickly it is building (or eroding) that cash balance. In the last three years, Geely Automobile Holdings's free cash flow amounted to 50% of its EBIT, less than we'd expect. That's not great, when it comes to paying down debt. Summing up While it is always sensible to look at a company's total liabilities, it is very reassuring that Geely Automobile Holdings has CN10.6b in net cash. So we are not troubled with Geely Automobile Holdings's debt use. When analysing debt levels, the balance sheet is the obvious place to start. But ultimately, every company can contain risks that exist outside of the balance sheet. Be aware that Geely Automobile Holdings is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis , you should know about... If, after all that, you're more interested in a fast growing company with a rock-solid balance sheet, then check out our list of net cash growth stocks without delay. 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. Massachusetts General Hospital announced it is no longer going to allow visitors due to growing coronavirus concerns. The policy is going to affect Thursday, March 19. No visitors will be allowed in the hospital due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with very limited exceptions, the hospital tweeted. Any pre-approved visitor with obvious signs of illness such as fever, cough or sore throat will be asked to leave, a second tweet continued. This is a difficult but necessary step to protect our patients and our staff who need to be able to deliver care. NEW Updated Visitor Policy [thread]: As of Thursday, March 19, and until further notice, NO visitors will be allowed in the hospital due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with very limited exceptions. MassGeneral News (@MassGeneralNews) March 18, 2020 Other hospitals are making the same move. Baystate Health also moved to end visitations on Wednesday. Holyoke Medical Center and Cooley Dickinson Hospital announced Tuesday that no visitors will be allowed into any inpatient or outpatient unit. And Mercy Medical Center and Providence Behavioral Hospital closed visitation, with the exception of compassionate visits, with a limit of one visitor per patient. Related Content: The two top makers of the highly specialized swabs used to test patients for the novel coronavirus are straining to keep up with the demand, even as both the Italian and U.S. governments are working with them to increase production, including at a key manufacturing site in the midst of Italy's outbreak. The nasopharyngeal swabs required for the coronavirus tests are quite different from your standard Q-tips and the exploding need for them has created a bottleneck in the soaring demand for diagnoses. The swabs have to be long and skinny enough to get to the nasopharynx, the upper part of the throat, behind the nose. They must be made of synthetic fiber and cannot have a wooden shaft. Nor can they contain calcium alginate, a substance typically used for swab tips in wound care, as that can kill the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These swabs are currently singled out by CDC and Food and Drug Administration guidelines as suitable for most coronavirus testing. Once used, they're typically mailed in transportable vials full of a solution known as "viral transport media," which keeps the virus testable. While last week's critical shortage was a reagent chemical used in the diagnostic tests, now the specialized swabs are in dire demand, according to Soumi Saha, a pharmacist who is the senior director of advocacy for Premier Inc., a group purchasing organization that procures supplies for 4,000 U.S. hospitals and health systems. As testing finally ramps up in the U.S., hospitals especially are having a hard time getting enough of these swabs, Saha said. "We have folks that can't get a hand on any of them right now," Saha said. "Hospitals want to do their part and want to expand access to testing, but they're hamstrung by the fact that they cant access the actual swabs." Former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb pointed out on Twitter on Monday that a lack of swabs could be the new bottleneck even as the number of sites with the capacity to test has increased, showcasing that the weakest link in the supply chain becomes the limiting factor. Missouri has been among the places seeing a shortage of swabs, state Department of Health and Senior Services spokesperson Lisa Cox confirmed over the weekend. Ontario, Canada, plus counties in Washington and Michigan have announced that limitations on swabs were creating a logjam in their testing capabilities, according to news reports. Axios first reported on the national swab shortages last week. Part of the problem lies in the nature of current test procedures for COVID-19. Typically, one needs to use two swabs per person: one swab for a flu test to potentially rule out the need for a coronavirus test, then another for the coronavirus if the flu test is negative. Since the swabs are a product that is regulated, patented and specialized, they're hard to make on the fly, Saha said. That puts additional pressure on the two largest manufacturers. One of them, Puritan Medical Products, based in Guilford, Maine, has been working to keep up with demand even as its workforce, like many in America, has been affected by the spread of the virus, spokesperson Timothy Templet said. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, along with working groups from the White House and other federal agencies, has been in discussion with the company over the past week to redirect some of their manufacturing capabilities away from other clients to COVID-19 specialty swab production, Templet said. Currently, Templet estimated, Puritan is producing between 800,000 and a million swabs a week that could go to COVID-19 efforts. If the government decides to redirect its manufacturing efforts, cutting off the supply of its other medical products for items like flu kits, it could make millions more. Still, Templet said that ramping up production so drastically would take a few weeks to get fully off the ground, considering manufacturing capabilities and protocols. Templet said HHS plans to open 37 testing sites across the country in the coming days to account for increased testing needs which will require even more specialty swabs. He also said the government is considering expanding its recommended testing material options to allow for more general nasal swabs to keep up with the increased testing demand. FDA spokesperson Stephanie Caccomo said in an email that the agency is aware of supply chain pressures on obtaining certain materials for running tests and that it is continuing to evaluate other options for specimen collection supplies, which it will list on its website. Another specialty swab manufacturer, Copan Diagnostics Inc., which is based in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, is working 24/7 in a "tremendous effort" to produce products such as its CDC-recommended and patent-protected FLOQSwabs, all while asking customers and distributors to ration orders to maximize output, spokesperson Gabriela Franco said in an email. While produced in a region hit hard by the novel coronavirus, where most other work has stopped, Franco said, the Italian government has allowed the business to continue production. And it is working with local and national authorities on keeping production up in case stricter health restrictions are adopted. Copan could produce 720,000 specialized swabs in a day and as many as 100 million per year for the global market, according to records the firm filed in a 2018 patent lawsuit. Amid the crunch, Copan CEO Stefania Triva said in an emailed statement that her company is working round-the-clock to keep up with demand. "Without full commitment and sacrifices from all of my staff, we would not be able to meet this unexpected demand, Triva said. COPANs more than 660 members of staff, many of whom are women, without hesitation, once made aware of the Coronavirus emergency, have stepped up from five working days and two shifts to seven working days and night shifts also." The volume of Copan swabs arriving in the U.S. has been increasing, according to data from Import Genius, which tracks container ships arriving in American ports. Six tons of Copan culture swabs arrived at the port of Norfolk, Virginia, on March 4. Before that, 4.5 tons of swabs arrived at the same port on Jan. 20. The swabs then tend to go to domestic test-kit assemblers that package them for health care use. New Jersey-based Becton, Dickinson and Co., a leading assembler of those kits involved in ramping up coronavirus testing, has seen extremely high demand for swab products this year, company spokesperson Troy Kirkpatrick said. But now that Copan is "running operations 24/7" to increase production, Kirkpatrick said, "we will be providing hundreds of thousands of swabs to the U.S. market each week." Dozens of doctors and nurses have handed in their resignations at two hospitals in Bulgarias capital Sofia after they were told they would have to treat COVID-19 patients. The medical workers said they had not been supplied with protective gear and equipment to provide proper care, just days after the Bulgarian parliament imposed a state of emergency in the country. Dr Kameliya Bachovska from the Second City Hospital in Sofia told Al Jazeera she along with 84 other colleagues handed in resignations after they were informed their hospital would be converted to take in COVID-19 patients. The hospital does not have enough protective gear, and it is not just our hospital that doesnt. The rest also dont have. That is, almost every doctor in Bulgaria is at risk of falling sick because of this, especially among us, the older doctors, who fall into the high-risk category, she said. Dr Bachovska explained the hospital does not have the necessary sanitation capabilities and equipment to contain an infectious disease. She also said the majority of doctors and nurses at the health facility are close to retirement age or already working while retired, and fear treating patients without being properly protected. Last week, at least six members of the medical staff at St Sophia Hospital in the capital also handed in their resignations, expressing similar concerns. According to Dr Andrei Kotsev, a member of the independent syndicate Zashtita, who was in contact with the staff, apart from no protective gear they were also not given proper instruction on procedures to ensure isolation and the safety of other patients. They only received a box of protective gowns after we brought the media to the hospital, he told Al Jazeera. Dr Angel Kunchev, the head inspector at the Ministry of Health, said all hospitals instructed to treat COVID19 patients have been provided with the required supplies. In a phone interview, he rejected criticism that the authorities have taken measures against the spread of the virus too late, and said he does not know of other hospitals where staff is resigning. I understand that the colleagues from the Second City Hospital fear the unknown, but I dont accept it because we are talking about virus pneumonia which they encounter every flu season, he said. At a news conference on Wednesday, General Ventsislav Mutafchiyski, head of the emergency taskforce coordinating the COVID-19, announced the number of confirmed cases in the country is 92. So far, two people have died a 66-year-old woman and her 74-year-old husband. Earlier on Wednesday, Mutafchiyski displayed protective gear which Bulgarian factories started producing in response to the pandemic and characterised the measures taken in Bulgaria as adequate and timely. On Monday, local media reported Bulgaria would not participate in a EU-wide order for medical supplies despite experiencing shortages. Prime Minister Boyko Borisov announced the reason was a technical problem and the country will be able to join the tender later. A complete tragedy Kotsev said he is constantly receiving messages from doctors at various hospitals saying there are not enough supplies of masks and protective gear for medical staff. He also said it is not fair to criticise physicians who demand proper protection before they provide treatment for patients. If doctors die because they werent protected, who will treat the patients, then? [The authorities] havent provided protective supplies for the doctors, but at the same time they accuse them of deserting, he said. Older staff are particularly worried because older people with COVID-19 have been found to have a higher risk of complications and death. Bulgaria, like other countries in Eastern Europe, has been suffering from a brain drain of doctors, which has reduced the number of medical personnel in the country and forced hospitals to employ retired medical workers. According to Stoyan Borisov, head of the Bulgarian doctors union, between 250 and 300 doctors leave the country to work abroad every year. Dr Kunchev, from the health ministry, confirmed the country is experiencing a serious shortage of doctors and nurses. Earlier this week, parliamentarians proposed a special package of measures to cope with the emergency situation in the country, including monetary fines for doctors who refuse to treat patients. The package will be amended and voted on in the coming days. Without proper protection Meanwhile, the government also announced it was going to increase salaries of medical staff who participate in treating COVID-19 patients by 1,000 leva ($560). These proposed measures, however, have faced public criticism. I dont think this is the right way to motivate Bulgarian medical workers with a stick the punishment and a carrot the 1,000 leva. The problem here is not so much the payment, but the fact that they have to go risk their lives without having proper protection, said Petar Cholakov, associate professor of sociology at the Institute for the Study of Societies and Knowledge at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. He pointed out Bulgarian doctors and nurses are some of the lowest paid in Europe. The average doctors monthly salary is 1,000 leva ($560), and nurses make 800 leva ($450). In his opinion, part of the problem medical workers face in coping with the pandemic is that over the past decades the healthcare system in Bulgaria has deteriorated significantly. The healthcare provision is underfunded, and this is not a recent problem. The situation in clinics and hospitals is miserable, said Cholakov. He noted another problem is the inefficiency and corruption plaguing health institutions in the country. In response to media reports about shortages in hospitals across the country, a number of individuals and businesses announced they would be donating funds to buy medical equipment and supplies. One company, Walltopia, the worlds largest manufacturer of artificial climbing walls, caused controversy when it asked the hospital receiving its donation to give priority to its employees in treatment. Doctors cannot choose between patients based on one giving more than the other. This is about saving a human life. A human life is not something for sale, said Cholakov. On Tuesday, the health ministry announced it was opening an account to accept donations to support hospitals during the state of emergency and buy protection kits for medical personnel, supplies and equipment, including respirators. Dr Kunchev said despite the move, it did not mean the ministry does not have enough funds to provide these items to hospitals. Thanks to the quick reaction of the government, there are no limits in terms of national means to buy what is needed. The difficult part is to find these things, not with the financial means, he said. Follow Mariya Petkova on Twitter: @mkpetkova The repercussions of COVID-19 on the global manufacturing supply chain are expected to worsen over the coming months. Market intelligence experts at Infiniti Research predict the peak of the impact of coronavirus to occur mid-March. This would consequently prompt companies to temporarily curb assembly and manufacturing in the US and Europe. Over the past decade, several global companies had resorted to practices such as lean manufacturing, offshoring, and outsourcing in an effort to bring down their supply chain costs. Such cost-cutting measures indicate that when there is a supply-chain disruption, manufacturing will stop quickly because of a lack of parts. Furthermore, as the number of departures from Chinese ports show a steep decline (by at least 20%), we should brace for a major effect on manufacturing worldwide. 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 few months ago I visited an empty airport. Well, it was empty of travelers, anyway: It was an open house for the new New Orleans airport, a world class terminal intended to boost economic growth by drawing more visitors and business to the region. Locals were invited to tour the new terminal a few weeks before the grand opening, bypassing the security checkpoint (which wasnt even close to finished) and wandering throughout the concourses and gate areas. I remember glancing over at the new consolidated security checkpoint as we walked through a parallel hallwayX-ray machines half-assembled, shrink-wrapped body scanners lying on the floor. I recall thinking that the security checkpoint was going to get choked during holiday travel periods. What I didnt anticipate was that it might become empty again all too soon, for very different reasons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A funny thing about that airport open house was how pleasant it was. I was there with my son, and we ran into some friends from his school. People were chatting unhurriedly, marveling at the restaurants not yet open and trying out the new seats in their familiar rows. People gazed out the plate-glass windows at the tarmacno airplanes in the immediate vicinity. This wasnt an airport empty of people but empty of flight. And it was better for it. Just last week we were seeing photographs of empty airports everywhere. Then the images changed dramatically: They were now of jam-packed terminals, snaking lines representing the terrifying super spreader potential of the novel coronavirus. Air travel is being massively disrupted as people rush to get home before travel is even further restricted. Though they are teeming with frantic passengers and chaos this week, next week will likely find airports quite empty once again, a different kind of disorder. Advertisement Advertisement The sight of an empty airport can offer the promise of a smooth trip: quick trip through security, an entire row to yourself, maybe even an early departure. On the other hand, empty airports lately have portended something very different: the wholesale shuddering of this vast, elaborate enterprise called flight. Advertisement This state of affairs has been made vivid by photographs of empty airports accompanying recent headlines, perhaps most chillingly at the Atlantic with an article titled Cancel Everything. The novel coronavirus has already taken a toll on the commercial aviation sector, spurring airlines to ground planes, curb their economic outlooks, accommodate swells of itinerary cancellations, and plead for passengers to remain loyal through these turbulent times. Meanwhile, the federal government entertains a massive bailout to the airlines for the whole fiasco. Advertisement In an email to SkyMiles members, Deltas CEO Ed Bastian stated that travel is fundamental to our business and our lives, which is why it cantand shouldntsimply stop. It was a subtle but shrewd move, this lumping together of cant and shouldnt, therein leaving open the troubling possibility of either/or. Because of course air travel already has stopped in many regions around the globe, from many flights in the U.K. and Europe to a slew of flights going in and out of Australia, even as passengers hurry to get back home, wherever that may be. Advertisement Advertisement Any other day we might welcome the quietude descending on these often chaotic, raucous social nodes. Air travel is often the worst for passengers when its busiest: cramped aircraft cabins, long lines at check-in or security, the exhausted scrum of baggage claim during peak travel times. When its empty, or nearly so, an airport can inspire sensations of individual freedom and mobility unparalleled. The vaulted ceilings feel even higher, and the airplanes all seem there just for you. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The empty airport, then, has a strange doubleness to it. Such a space can represent the wish image of air travel: a personalized adventure, the individuated feeling of being spirited up and across a continent or ocean with no apparent obstacles. But a deserted security checkpoint can also signify something quite different. It underscores the baseline fragility and collectivity of our interconnected and networked world, where something as small and site-specific as a novel virus can travel fast and thereby ensnarland threaten to terminatethe whole system. One of the more horrifying stories to circulate over the past couple weeks had to do with so called ghost flights, or how airlines are flying empty planes on their routes in order to keep their takeoff and landing spots at coveted airports. While some airports sat uncomfortably desolate on the ground, corollary jetliners whizzed far above. This particular practice was quickly called into question and halted, but still countless planes fly mostly empty through the skies as travelers race home. Meanwhile, as I was writing this piece, my university issued a statement prohibiting all faculty and staff from international travel as well as all official non-crucial domestic air travel until further notice. Were effectively grounded. Advertisement Advertisement Amid all this, the Delta website posted a new page dedicated to Six ways Delta is supporting healthy flying. A list of proactive and voluntary steps covers the basics of personal hygiene and collective well-being necessary for this moment. An architectural rendering of a modern terminal appears at the top of the page, generic travelers looking unconcerned and on their way. There are no signs of the COVID-19 pandemic in this fictive, healthy airport. Advertisement But the spectral empty airports, slapdash travel bans, and consuming ghost planes all raise a serious question: What if flying is not healthy, period? What if we are discovering, through this drawn-out period of uncertainty, that air travel on the magnitude that we have achieved is riddled with unhealthy side effects? Advertisement Empty airports expose a rift, between modest continuance and sheer economic growth. Air travel could potentially be calibrated to a more modest level that would be less ecologically destructive and make it easier to stem future outbreaks. But airlines and airports are driven by a model of constant expansion such that any decrease in flights is immediately felt as a loss (and staggering, in this case). The empty airport becomes a sort of zero level of this dilemma, signifying the deep contradiction within modern flight. Given certain circumstances, such as the spread of the novel coronavirus, this form of transportation becomes unsustainable: Its voracious capacity is its very downfall. Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trumps call for Americans to keep gatherings to 10 people or fewer effectively shuts down commercial flight: Its impossible to conceive of airport lines or cost-effective airliners operating under that dictum. No matter the size of governmental aid packages, air travel will not easily bounce back; a reckoning is in order. What will we do with empty airports? How will we reinhabit these spaces, once the novel coronavirus has run its course? These questions are very much open, for now. Over the past year, climate activist Greta Thunberg brought our attention to the folly of air travel and its significant role in our planetary predicament. Politicians, pundits, and frequent travelers could brush off a lone teen easily enough. But now, we are being forced to pause and seriously reconsider this modality of transit, commercial flight and all its spoils. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. A safe place is what many people worldwide today wish to have. The pandemic due to the coronavirus outbreak is getting worse each day, with reported cases now exceeding 190,000. A study has found that the virus has spread very fast due to "stealth transmissions." This might make us think that there is nowhere to go to escape it. However, there is one likely place out of reach of the virus: the ISS or the International Space Station. The ISS orbits our planet 250 miles above the surface of the Earth. It is operated jointly by the respective space agencies of Canada, Russia, U.S., Japan, and Europe. Russia's Soyuz is the sole means for astronauts to go to and leave the station. The ISS keeps its crew safe from the coronavirus and other dangerous pathogens by implementing preventive measures before the astronauts leave Earth. With the alarming spread of the virus, space agencies worldwide, including NASA, added new safety precautions that address the COVID-19 pandemic. They continue to regularly assess their measures and mission plans according to new developments. Astronauts are Quarantined Before Launch Before launching astronauts to the ISS, great care is taken to prevent the crew from bringing pathogens on board with them. Luis Zea of the University of Colorado Bio Serve Space Technologies disclosed that before launch, the astronauts are observed, quarantined, and tested for symptoms. The quarantine period is two weeks prior to launching in the Soyuz capsule in Kazakhstan. In addition, NASA spokesperson Courtney Beasley points out that measures are also implemented for cargos transported to the station. According to Zea, items sent to the ISS are cleaned, although not always sterilized. This is in contrast to the sterilization undergone by probes that go to planetary bodies to avoid contanimation from Earth. In contrast, stringent sterilization is imposed on spacecrafts that land on celestial bodies in space. In the future, this will prevent people from mistaking molecules as an indicator of possible life on those bodies, as they could in fact have been brought by past missions. For ISS missions, however, the crew comes with the microbes, since total sterilization is not possible anyway. The human body contains more bacteria in it and on its surface than the total number of cells it comprises. Regardless of how the stringent sterilization processes may be, people will always carry bacteria with them. The combined cleaning and quarantine measures will reduce the likelihood of pathogens gaining access to the ISS, Zea said. This is especially true since the coronavirus cannot survive long periods on surfaces. In addition, infected astronauts are screened out and diagnosed while they are still in quarantine on Earth. In addition to all the preventive measures, all astronauts are also required to undergo training for medical emergencies, with doctors on Earth that are also in regular contact with them to monitor their health closely. There are also Soyuz spacecraft on the ISS that can serve to ferry the crew should an evacuation back to Earth becomes necessary. Photo: Jeff Turner/Flickr Here's the most recent top news you may have missed in Sacramento. Sacramento woman dead from COVID-19 attended church with others who have virus There have now been 11 coronavirus-related deaths in California. Among the people who have died is a woman who was a substitute teacher in the Sacramento City Unified School District. Read the full story on KCRA 3. Governor Newsom: Most schools likely out until the fall Most California schools will likely remain closed for the rest of the school year because of the new coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday. Read the full story on CBS47 Fresno. Sacramento News & Review suspends print publishing after coronavirus cancellations SN&R also will lay off nearly all of its employees next week. Read the full story on The Sacramento Bee. Coronavirus spurs Save Mart to hire nearly 1,000 employees in California, Nevada The Save Mart Cos., with grocery stores in Sacramento, Modesto, Merced and Fresno, is looking to hire nearly 1,000 employees throughout California and northern Nevada due to increasing demands spurred by the coronavirus crisis. Read the full story on The Modesto Bee. 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. The tehsildar of Jalna in central Maharashtra has sought help from the police to persuade five persons who returned from Thailand recently to go in quarantine, an official said. The tehsildar has written to the police to put these five persons in quarantine at the Police Training Centre here saying they were not cooperating with authorities despite the possibility that they were exposed to the virus while they were abroad. Despite the health department's advice to them to isolate themselves at home, these five persons were spotted at public functions and weddings, a police official said. Taking a serious view of the matter, the tehsildar has written to the sub divisional police officer, chief officer of the Jalna Municipal Council and police inspector of the concerned police station and sought their help. Meanwhile, at present three persons who were suspected to have had exposure to the coronavirus have been admitted to the isolation ward at the District Government Hospital here. Two of them tested negative for the virus while the report of the third one who had travel history to China is awaited from the National Institute for Virology, Pune. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The federal government says it is restricting entry into the country for travellers from 13 countries, including China, the UK and the U... The federal government says it is restricting entry into the country for travellers from 13 countries, including China, the UK and the US. It said it is a precaution against the spread of coronavirus in the country. The travel ban will kick in from Saturday. You will recall that yesterday Tuesday 17h March, 2020 the Presidential Task Force on COVlD-19 set up by Mr. President was inaugurated and held its first briefing, the presidential task force on COVID-19 said in a statement. You will also recall that the PTF at the end of the meeting announced the ban on all forms of travels by public officers and civil servants until further notice. This morning, we have found it necessary to brief Nigerians on further measures being taken after an assessment of the global situation. They are as follows: China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, Norway, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Switzerland. These are all countries with over 1,000 case domestically; i. The Federal Government of Nigeria is restricting entry into the country for travellers from the following thirteen (13) countries;andThese are all countries with over 1,000 case domestically; ii. All persons arriving in Nigeria who might have visited these countries, 14 days prior to such arrival, will be subjected to supervised self-isolation and testing for 14 days; iii. The Federal Government is temporarily suspending the issuance of all visas on arrival; iv. The Federal Government is also counseling all Nigerians to cancel or postpone all non-essential travels to these countries; and v. The Federal Government urges Public Health Authorities of countries with high burden to conduct diligent departure screening of passengers and also endorses this travel advisories to their nationals to postpone travels to Nigeria. 4. These restrictions will come into effect from Saturday, 21st March, 2020 for four (4) weeks subject to review. Over 27 countries in Africa have recorded cases of coronavirus with some nations enforcing travel restrictions to check the spread of the disease in their territories. The number of recorded cases globally is now over 200,000. Minister Devananda pledges to reopen Oluvil Fisheries Harbour in Sri Lanka March 18,2020 | Source: Daily News LK Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Douglas Devananda paid a fact finding visit to Oluvil Commercial Port and Fisheries Harbour in the Ampara district recently. Addressing the media at the Harbour, the Minister said that he made this visit on the instructions of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to look in to the grievances of the fishermen. He said that he would make arrangements to find solutions to the affected families livelihoods due to the closure of the harbor. The Minister pledged that the Harbour would be soon commissioned soon. This Government would promise only what they could do. The Harbour was constructed by the Danish Construction Company MT Hjgaard and was opened by the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2008 as a part of the Nagenahira Navodaya Development Program. Due accumulating of to a sand dune at the main entrance to the Oluvil fisheries Harbor was closed as steps were not taken to clear them by the previous government. The fishing industry was badly affected as fishing boats were unable to enter or go out for fishing. Chairman of the National Organization of Secretaries to Ministries, Keerthi Sri Weerasingha too had made several appeals to reopen the harbour. The plight of the Harbour closure was first highlighted in Sunday Observer and Daily News in February 2020. New Delhi: In the first case of the coronavirus in the Indian Army, a 34-year-old soldier has tested positive for the infection in Leh, army sources said on Wednesday as the the total number of cases in India rose to 147. The soldier, a resident of Chuhot village in Leh, came in contact with his father, who had returned from a pilgrimage in Iran by an Air India flight on February 20 and tested positive for COVID-19. He is currently in quarantine at the Ladakh Heart Foundation since February 29. Before being quarantined, the soldier's father had met the family members. The soldier was on leave from February 25 and rejoined duty on March 2, sources said, adding he was quarantined on March 7 and tested positive on March 16. Even the soldier's brother has tested positive, sources said. The soldier has been isolated at the Sonam Nurboo Memorial (SNM) Hospital. His sister, wife and two children are also quarantined at SNM Heart Foundation. "Even though the soldier had rejoined duty, he was helping his family during his father's quarantine period and stayed at Chuchot village for some time," they said. Sources said all those who have come in contact with the soldier have been quaratined but did not give the exact numbers immediately. According to health officials, the total number of novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 147 with 10 fresh cases reported from various parts of the country. The cases include 25 foreign nationals and the three persons who died in Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra, officials. PTI PR NSD PYK PYK 03181038 NNNN Pennsylvania now has 133 confirmed coronavirus cases, the state Department of Health said Wednesday. The department announced 37 new cases have been confirmed, pushing the statewide total well over 100 for the first time. The report includes the first cases in York County, where two cases have been confirmed. Most of the cases are in the Philadelphia region, with 42 cases in Montgomery County, 17 in Philadelphia and 14 in Delaware County. But more cases are being reported across Pennsylvania. There are now confirmed cases in 18 of Pennsylvanias 67 counties. Allegheny County in western Pennsylvania now has 11 cases. The health department said all those with confirmed cases are either in isolation at home or being treated at the hospital. The report includes the first case reported in Berks County. While most cases are in Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs, Cumberland County has 10 confirmed cases (though no new cases in todays report). The new cases in York County also illustrate the spread in central Pennsylvania. The new report illustrates what state health officials projected, as the number of cases continues to grow as more people are tested. On Tuesday, health officials announced 20 cases, bringing the state number to 96. There are 1,187 patients who have tested negative, state officials said. With commercial labs being the primary testing option for most Pennsylvanians, data is not available on the total number of tests pending, the department said. Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine told PennLive that patients slated for elective surgeries should consider postponing them. Penn State Health said it is canceling non-essential surgeries. As the virus spreads, Gov. Tom Wolf has closed public schools and asked non-essential businesses to temporarily shut down. Hes also ordered restaurants and bars to stop dine-in service. 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 from PennLive Coronavirus prompts Penn State to move to remote learning for rest of spring semester Latest list of central Pa. restaurants offering takeout during the coronavirus pandemic Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak used yesterdays coronavirus press update to mount an unprecedented financial handout for UK corporations. Sunak announced 330 billion in loans to be made available at attractive rates and said he would go further if required, promising an unlimited lending capacity. This is equivalent to 15 percent of the UKs annual GDP. A further 20 billion was pledged in the form of tax breaks, cash grants and compensation to firms that have to pay statutory sick pay. Providing whatever funds are deemed necessary directly to businesses would, Sunak said, be enshrined in law through an upcoming coronavirus bill! We have never, in peacetime, faced an economic fight like this one, he declared. We must act like any wartime government and do whatever it takes to support our economy. Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds a news conference giving the government's response to the new COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, at Downing Street in London, Thursday March 12, 2020. (Simon Dawson/Pool via AP) Unlimited support for business stands in grotesque contrast to the contempt and neglect of working people forced to bear the brunt of the crisis. Asked directly about staff costs, Sunak made no commitment to guaranteeing workers jobs and wages, or compelling companies to do so. Instead the trade unions are to be enlisted to police an employment support scheme, which will enforce the decisions as to who remains in a job and who is sacked as firms shed staff by the thousands. On Monday, Johnson held a conference call with business leaders asking them to divert some production capacity to producing essential medical ventilators. One business leader told the press that he said the project could be known as Operation Last Gasp. Corporations are already lining up to demand taxpayers cash to preserve their profits. Virgin Atlantics parent company, IAG, demanded on Sunday that the UK government commit to a 7.5 billion bailout of the countrys aviation industry. Sunak said yesterday that he was working on a specific package of support for airports and airlines. Virgin Atlantic, owned by multi-billionaire Sir Richard Branson, hailed this unprecedented level of support even as it demanded its workforce agree to take eight weeks unpaid leave while offering all its 10,000 employees voluntary redundancy. With the financial spigots opened to the CEOs and shareholders of major companies, their employees are left to fend for themselves in the face of a mounting public health crisis. Sunaks pledges were made amid another leap in the UKs coronavirus statistics. The death toll has climbed to 71, while the number of confirmed cases has reached 1,950. Lack of testing means that the real number of infected is likely to be at least 35 times higher. Yesterday the UKs chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, was already stating that the real number of infected was in the region of 55,000. His admission is a devastating indictment of a government which, until Monday, was simply telling those who had a cough or fever to stay at home and self-isolate for a week. Its sharp policy reversal that eveninginvolving new directives for household quarantining and social distancingwas forced by the leaking of an internal document from Public Health England predicting hundreds of thousands of deaths, and the findings of Imperial College Londons COVID-19 Response Team. The teams research paper estimates that the UK governments original coronavirus strategy of mitigation would cost over a quarter of a million lives (260,000). Plans to simply mitigate the spread of the virus through case and household isolation, and the shielding of over-70s, would see the peak of the epidemic exceed the supply of critical care beds eight times over. The report concludes that epidemic suppression is the only viable strategy at the current time, including population-wide social distancing combined with home isolation of cases and school and university closure as a minimum policy. Since any return to normality without a vaccine or substantially immunised population would lead to a rapid, if delayed, increase in infections, these measures will have to be in place until a vaccine is found, or herd immunity is very gradually arrived at. Given the length of time involved, the report suggests monitoring hospital admissions for COVID-19 patients as a trigger for switching on and off population-wide social distancing and school closure, while maintaining policies for household home isolation indefinitely. It estimates that social distancing measures would have to be enforced for two-thirds of the next two years. Neil Fergusson, the head of the Imperial College research team, said, We might be living in a very different world for a year or more. Depending on how strictly these measures are implemented, the report estimates the total number of coronavirus deaths over the next two years could be kept between 8,700 and 100,000 people. Its authors acknowledge that they do not account for indirect deaths caused by increased pressures on the health services or by the social restrictions themselves. The importance of early action for the necessary policy of epidemic suppression was stressed: For suppression, early action is important, and interventions need to be in place well before healthcare capacity is overwhelmed. there is a 2-to 3-week lag between interventions being introduced and the impact being seen in hospitalised case numbers this means acting before COVID-19 admissions to ICUs [intensive care units] exceed 200 per week. Though the specific numbers are new, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and countless scientific and medical experts have been making exactly this point for weeks. The Johnson government wasted around two months of preparation time pursuing a policy of herd immunity which prioritised the profits of the corporations over human life based on a desired outcome that 60 percent of the UK population get infected. Even now, the government is refusing to fully implement the recommended policies. Self and household isolation measures, home working and restriction on non-essential travel or on visits to pubs and theatres all remain purely advisory. Those who cannot work from home are still forced to travel into work with no preparations made for their protection. Anyone who needs to self-isolate for a prolonged period must rely on derisory statutory sick pay of 94.25 a week and those in the gig economy, more than 1 million workers, are forced to work regardless of their health or be left penniless. Despite the Imperial College reports statement that school and university closure is predicted to be more effective in achieving suppression than restrictions like household quarantining, and the closure of schools across the rest of Europe, no such steps have been taken in the UK. In a monumentally cynical gesture, Health Secretary Gavin Williamson told schools that legally required Ofsted inspections will be halted to remove unnecessary burdens on school staff. Government inaction is meeting increasingly vocal opposition in the working class. A petition launched on March 6 demanding the government Close Schools/Colleges down for an appropriate amount of time amidst COVID19, had secured more than 670,000 signatures by yesterday evening. Students and staff are expected to stage a mass walkout on Friday, using the hashtag #Covid19walkout. One young person wrote on Twitter: My Mum is a teacher in her 60s, coming home to my Dad in his 70s. As much as Boris finds them disposable, theyre the only family Ive got and they deserve a damn sight more than being written off to balance his books. Aware of the political dangers posed by such mounting social anger, an article in the Financial Times by Europe Editor Tony Barber warned, It is in the nature of cataclysmic events, such as the pandemic, to accelerate and refashion historical developments that would have happened anyway. The first world war intensified turmoil in Russia, leading to the revolutions of 1917, and drove forward the emergence of the US as the 20th centurys leading global power. The second world war marked the definitive end of European supremacy in international affairs and the planets transformation into an arena of US-Soviet rivalry. The pandemic and its economic fallout, unless brought under a measure of control, is sure to have similar large-scale consequences. President Donald 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. The Associated Press reports that the presidents proposed economic package 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 stimulus package in a matter of days. 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 Trump request also reverses cuts to the Centers for Disease Control and National Institutes of Health that Trump proposed in his February budget for next year and would create a $3 billion fund for unanticipated needs. Analysts warn the country is entering a recession and the government is grappling with an enormous political undertaking with echoes of the 2008 financial crisis, AP reports. At the Capitol on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed the Senate would not adjourn until the work was done. "Obviously, we need to act," McConnell said. "We're not leaving town until we have constructed and passed another bill." Overnight, the White House sent lawmakers a $46 billion emergency funding request to boost medical care for military service members and veterans, fund production of vaccines and medicines, build 13 quarantine centers at the southern border for migrants, make federal buildings safer, and reimburse Amtrak for $500 million in anticipated revenue losses, among other purposes. 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. Most 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. 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: Trump tells Treasury Secretary to send checks to Americans, We have to do this now White House to propose $850B stimulus with tax cut for workers to combat coronavirus economic effects Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus Coronavirus worries close Social Security offices across Michigan These U.S. retailers temporarily closed to impede spread of coronavirus Detroit buses stop running when drivers dont show up over coronavirus concerns Timeline of coronavirus in Michigan: How did we get here? Vietnam announced ten more cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Wednesday, including four foreigners. Five new cases were confirmed in Hanoi, one in Da Nang, one in Phu Tho Province, one in Hai Duong Province, one in Ninh Thuan Province, and one in Ho Chi Minh City, according to the Ministry of Health. A globetrotting American man, 41, tested positive for the virus in Da Nang after having traveled through India, Morocco, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, and the Netherlands from February 11. He arrived in Vietnam via Singapore on March 14. A 30-year-old German man was also diagnosed with COVID-19 in Hanoi. He touched down at Noi Bai International Airport in the Vietnamese capital on March 13. The third foreign patient is a 25-year-old French national. She traveled by plane with her boyfriend, who was later confirmed an infected person, from France to Hanoi on March 9. The fourth foreigner catching the virus is a 52-year-old French citizen who entered Ho Chi Minh City on March 10. He traveled to Can Tho, Hoi An, and Hue from March 10 to 16. He was then diagnosed with the disease in Ninh Binh Province and is now treated in Hanoi. The other six are Vietnamese, including one man returning from Malaysia. Among the newly confirmed patients is an 11-year-old boy, who came back to Vietnam from abroad on a Vietnam Airlines flight on March 9. Vietnams COVID-19 tally has soared to 76, with 16 having fully recovered and been discharged from the hospital by February 16. No death has been reported so far. Sixty cases have been reported in the Southeast Asian country since March 6 after Vietnam had gone three weeks without any new infection. Among the cases being treated, 22 are foreigners, including 13 Britons, one Irishman, two Germans, one from the Czech Republic, one Latvian, one U.S. citizen, and three French nationals. Vietnam treats local patients for free while charging foreigners a fee for their treatment, though their testing and quarantine expenses are spared. Hanoi has 20 active COVID-19 patients while nine patients are being treated in Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam has closed schools nationwide and shuttered cinemas, bars, pubs, clubs, massage parlors, karaoke lounges, and online game centers in major cities to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. Vietnam has also decided to cease issuing visas for all foreigners for 30 days from Wednesday. The country now applies mandatory quarantine to people arriving from the U.S., European countries, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 200,000 people and killed more than 8,000 globally, according to statistics. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2020) - Life on Earth, Inc. (OTCQB: LFER) CEO Fernando Leonzo Issues the following Shareholder Update: Dear Fellow Shareholders: We are providing this letter as an update to our shareholders now that we have filed our second quarter 2020 10-Q filing. As we disclosed in our November 6, 2019 Shareholders' Update Letter, the Company has faced challenges relating to the divestures of its poor performing assets consisting of two of its distribution subsidiaries. Those divestures, as well as the bulk of the charges for the impairments of our assets, is now fully reflected in our SEC filings. Fortunately, the remnants of those charges have been dealt with, so that the Company's Board of Directors and management can now focus on its plans to bring back value to our shareholders. The Company's Board, along with some of its largest stakeholders, have been working to refocus its business model towards a higher potential growth opportunity. That refocus is to look for opportunities within the Cannabis space in a direct to consumer (B2C) or acquire other hard assets that could potentially bring significant value. Though it seems that it has taken a considerable amount of time since our November 2019 update, it is important to understand that in divesting from our previous non-performing assets, it has enabled the Company to be relieved of nearly $1 Million Dollars in payables due to vendors from its distribution subsidiaries. This action alone helps the Company to operate in a much leaner fashion, while also seeking out opportunities that potentially will bring immediate revenues to the Company. In our November Update we also made a clear declaration that "Creditability and legitimacy and improvement in the management team is the number one priority for Life On Earth. The Company's founders, its board, and its stakeholders all recognize that the Company needs a better team to steer it." Since then, the Company has brought to its Board, Sonia Luna, a highly regarded executive with extensive experience in accounting, auditing, and compliance, in particular within the cannabis industry in California. Management and its Board realize and understand that true value must be brought back to our shareholders. We have determined that we would only seek out opportunities that come with real assets. Assets that are secured as well as opportunities that will generate immediate revenues and cash flow. In seeking a Business to Consumer (B2C) business model, the Company hopes to leverage its own brands, such as the Just Chill brand and use a B2C platform in order to focus on specific target audiences that market directly to them. The Company is (and has) looked at other assets that have proven track records of performing and can be securitized by hard assets such as real estate. But in many ways, that's where we believe the opportunity lies, because there is still an open window of opportunity that would allow a smaller and nimble company to stake a claim to the market and rapidly grow. As we move forward with opportunities and assets that would allow our Company to potentially generate substantial revenues commensurate with our expansion plans, the next question is how does the Company position itself in order to capture such opportunities? How will the Company be able to fund such expansion plans? The Company has completed the final draft of its Registration A+ circular that will be submitted to the SEC for approval. The Registration will be a Tier 2 Reg. A+, which will allow the Company to register up to $50 Million USD from the offering. The Company's plans are to offer the largest equity round in its history for its expansion plans and to cure deficiencies from its balance sheets. The Company has identified possible assets that it will potentially be able to obtain with the proceeds from such offering. These assets would bring significant revenues and cash flow to the Company's balance sheet. These assets are already performing in their markets. In the coming weeks we will be announcing more details of this plan as we get through the final hurdles. In the meantime, we welcome inquiries as always and we also welcome our shareholders' comments directly on our info@lifeonearthinc.com web portal. Once again, thank you kindly for your being a shareholder, and we look forward to the upcoming announcements regarding the future development of our company. Warmest regards, Life On Earth, Inc. By: Fernando O. Leonzo Name: Fernando Oswaldo Leonzo Title: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer About Life On Earth, Inc. Life on Earth, Inc. is a lifestyle company focused on growing its portfolio of brands within the cannabis industry. The Company sells its products throughout the United States with third-party distributors, wholesalers and retailers. The Company owns, markets and distributes proprietary brands. For more information, please visit our corporate website - www.lifeonearthinc.com Investors and corporate inquiries, please contact: info@lifeonearthinc.com | (646) 844- 9897 FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS All statements, other than statements of historical facts included herein, including without limitation, statements regarding financial position, business strategy, growth strategy and other plans and objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan," and similar expressions that may tend to suggest a future event or outcome are not guarantees of performance, which cannot be predicted or anticipated. These forward-looking statements are based largely on expectations and assumptions which are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53559 San Antonio, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2020) - MIRAGE ENERGY CORPORATION (OTC PINK: MRGE) / NORTHERN HEMISPHERE LOGISTICS, INC. announces it has signed an agreement with CONSEJO NACIONAL DE ENERGIA Y PETROQUIMICA HORACIO ZARATE ACEVEDO - PRESIDENT to acquire all permits and necessary documents for the construction and operations for CENOTE ENERGY S. de R. L. de C.V. for storage , WPF MEXICO PIPELINES S. de R. L. de C. V. all pipelines and NORTHERN HEMISPHERE LOGISTICS, INC. in reference to the Isthmus project. PROJECTS: CENOTE ENERGY S. de R. L. de C. V. - First under ground natural gas storage facility first phase 52 BCF of working gas storage with the capability of storing up to 786 BCF once full developed as demand by customers dictate. WPF MEXICO PIPELINES S. de R. L. de C. V. - 42" diameter pipeline interconnected to proposed storage facility with interconnects to Station #19 and Los Ramones all on Mexico's National Pipeline System. Including interconnecting and rehabilitating a existing 48" pipeline running all the way to the Isthmus Corridor thus bringing abundant supply of natural gas to the southern region of Mexico. Approximately 1000 miles. NORTHERN HEMISPHERE LOGISTICS, S. A. P. I. de C. V. - Includes rehabilitating dock facilities at Coatzacoalcos Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico side with new monobouys. Rehabilitating 30" & 48" lines running from Coatzacoalcos to Salina Cruz Oaxaca, dock and monobouys in the Pacific side, this including the pumping stations along the track and tankage on both side of the Isthmus. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6732/53565_4734b7d0340fe99b_002full.jpg FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future financial performance. We intend that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbors for such statement. We wish to caution readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Any forward-looking statements represent management's best judgement as to what may occur in the future. However, forward-looking statements are subject to risk, uncertainties and important factors beyond our control that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from historical results of operations and events and those presently anticipated or projected. SOURCE: Mirage Energy Corporation http://www.mirageenergycorp.com/ Office: 210-858-3970 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53565 London: Prime Minister Boris Johnson has ordered the closure of all schools in Britain in a fresh response to the coronavirus pandemic that could put Australia under more pressure to follow. The United Kingdom and Australia had for several weeks shared the view that keeping schools open was the best option, citing expert modelling that concluded shutting them would do little to stop the spread of COVID-19 and risked taking parents away from frontline emergency services jobs. Boris Johnson has ordered all schools in the UK to close. Credit:AP However Downing Street altered course on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT) and announced all public schools, private schools and childcare centres would close indefinitely from Friday afternoon. Johnson said the "curve" of infection growth was still too sharp and keeping millions of children at home would help lower the pressure on the National Health Service. Author: Francis Pious Egoeh 18.03.2020 LISTEN Good morning lovely people of Ghana. Our attention has been drawn to a proposal sent to parliament on Monday by the Electoral Commission to amend the constitutional instrument 91 of regulation 1. Regulation 1 talks about documents to be used as a form of identification as a Ghanaian before registration. As I write now,the instrument is presently under contemplation with the subsidiary legislation Committee, chaired by a former Deputy Attorney-General, Dr. Dominic Ayine which is expected to mature in 21 days. What the 21 days maturity mean is that, if government approves the amendment it will mean that other forms of identification such as the existing voter's ID, Birth Certificate and other national documents cannot be used in registering for the new voter ID. The new documents the EC want is traveling passport, the Ghana Card, among others. Now, I am going to give you reasons why I am vehemently against this move by the electoral Commission chaired by Madam Jean Adukwei Mensah. One, how many Ghanaians are currently having the new documents the EC is proposing thus, the traveling passport and the Ghana Card. In my village where I come from in Central Tongu district of Volta Region, I can tell you boldly that, even most of them do not have the Birth Certificate which, ideally we should all have. And I know the situation is not different in other parts of the country. So one may ask, is that the reason why the National Identification Authority is still going on with the Ghana Card registration in Eastern Region of Ghana upon the President directives? Then there is something suspicious. We should not forget that, the Birth Certificate has been the basic requirement for both the traveling passport and the Ghana Card. So why all these? Two, we wasted a lot resources in registering people last year for the voter ID card across the country prior our District level Assembly Election. If the EC is having the money, why is it that, those who worked during the District Assembly Election and Unit Committee as officials have not been paid. More than four months now. And per the new idealogy of the EC, all voter's ID from 2012 to date will be rendered invalid. Then why the voter's ID card registration last year? Does it mean the EC is not proactive in making better decisions for the country? Lastly, if the EC is having the resources (money), then this money should be given out to secure the needed resources for the fight against this Coronavirus-19. The minister of financial Hon. Ken Ofori Atta said yesterday(Tuesday) in parliament that, plans are far advanced to fall on the World Bank and IMF for financial assistance to fight the Coronavirus-19. It will interest you to know that, the $100m put aside for the fight against the Coronavirus-19 is "audiomoney". In summary, I would like to tell the Chairperson of EC, Madam Jean Adukwei Mensah that, our health first before any other thing. Please and please, Ghana is not going anywhere soon. Madam Jean Adukwei Mensah, per the letter from your office circulating since yesterday about the new voter's ID registration, please let's tackle this Coronavirus-19 issue first then we can know what to do next. Do not put people's lives in risk all because of you trying to fulfill your constitutional mandate. Please the Parliament of Ghana should drop this new proposal, because is not going to be in the interest of the majority of Ghanaians. Long live EC Ghana! Long live the Parliament of Ghana!! Long Ghana!!! Credit: Francis Pious Egoeh [email protected] +233204744517/+233248188489 The Israeli government voted unanimously early Tuesday morning to pass regulations allowing the countrys intelligence agency to use cellphone location data to track the movements of people who test positive for the coronavirus and identify others with whom they have come into contact. The unprecedented measurewhich permits the Israeli internal security agency known as Shin Bet to use counterterrorism technology on the general publicwas adopted by a vote of the cabinet with emergency powers, thereby avoiding a review by Israels parliament, the Knesset. Discussions had been underway since Saturday when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced, All means will be used to fight the spread of the coronavirus including technological means, digital means, and other means that until today I have refrained from using among the civilian population. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking from his Jerusalem office on the coronavirus. [Photo credit: Gali Tibbon/Pool via AP] As of this writing, according to the Jerusalem Post, there are 337 people in Israel who have tested positive for the coronavirus and there are no deaths reported. The Health Ministry reported early Wednesday that five people are currently in serious condition with COVID-19, while another nine are moderately ill and 11 have recovered. The World Health Organization also reports 41 confirmed cases of the disease in the Occupied Palestinian Territory with no deaths. There are 8.6 million people in Israel and 5 million people in the Palestinian territories. The passage of the cellphone tracking regulations took place under extraordinary political circumstances. On Monday, while the outgoing Knesset was reviewing Netanyahus proposal, its time expired at 4:00 p.m. and a new parliament was sworn in without a vote on the measure being taken. Despite the Justice Ministrys insistence that the measure go through the full parliamentary approval process, Netanyahu moved with his holdover cabinetincluding the support of Attorney General Avichai Mendelblitto implement the public surveillance operation anyway. According to Haaretz, The ministers approved regulations authorizing the Shin Bet to track all those who came into contact with individuals suspected of being infected with COVID-19 prior to being diagnosed with the illness. To track these people, the Shin Bet will use advanced technology, usually utilized in counter-terrorism. In other words, the Shin Bet tracking system includes cellphone location data that has already been collected and exists in a database such that the state can go back in time and retrace the movements and activity of anyone. Haaretz also described the passage of the domestic intelligence regulations, Published in the dead of night in the state records, despite initially being slated to be confidential, the regulations stated that there will be no need for a court order to collect the data. Normally, a court order is required for something like cellphone tracking, as it is considered a serious invasion of privacy if there is no basis for it. The blatantly undemocratic measure and procedure did not prevent Netanyahu from stating, Israel is a democracy and we must maintain the balance between civil rights and the publics needs. The prime minister would have been speaking the truth if he had said he was taking advantage of the public health crisis to make public a surveillance operation that has been in existence for many years. An intelligence technology that has been used in the brutal suppression of Palestinian opposition to expanding occupation is now being rolled out against the entire population of Israel. Netanyahu is also using the coronavirus epidemic and the implementation of the cellphone surveillance as a means of maintaining his political power. He has been unable to form a new government after three attempts. His trial on bribery, fraud and breach of trust, set to open on Tuesday, was postponed for two months after his Justice Minister Amir Ohana put the countrys courts in a state of emergency over the coronavirus. Shin Bet has been collecting cellphone metadata in Israel at least since 2002. Several Israeli laws give the prime minister the power to force telecommunications companies to allow government access to their facilities and databases, as necessary to perform the functions of the security forces or to exercise their powers. As in the US, the Israeli government passed Article 11 of the Security Agency Law in the aftermath of the terror attacks of September 2001. It permits the Prime Minister to determine what kind of information from cellphone subscribers is required by Shin Bet to fulfill its purpose. The spying of the Israeli government on the public has been an open secret for nearly two decades. As an anonymous former Israeli intelligence official told the New York Times, we all laughed, that what the American intelligence community was trying to hide, and what caused such an uproar among the American public, is so clearly written in Israeli law. The cabinet vote was criticized widely within Israel and internationally as following closely behind China, South Korea and Iran in the use of repressive methods in response to the spreading pandemic. The Association for Civil Rights in Israel said that authorizing Shin Bet with the new powers was a dangerous precedent and a slippery slope that must be approached and resolved after much debate and not after a brief discussion. Former Israeli deputy attorney general Malkiel Blass said that Netanyahus cabinet had been operating since the dissolution of the Knesset in December without legislative oversight for too long. Blass told the Times, Even in crises of this nature, the core of civil rights in a democracy must be preserved. ... it is inconceivable that because of the panic, civil rights should be trampled without restraint, at levels that are totally disproportionate to the threat and the problem. As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads, the ruling elites in every country are proving their incapacity and unwillingness to address the scale of the health crisis facing masses of people and also that they will use authoritarian, police and military measures as the class struggle intensifies internationally. CLEVELAND, Ohio The Cleveland Clinic says it will now limit testing for the COVID-19 to patients who are considered the highest risk after receiving an overwhelming demand in recent days. The Clinic released a statement Tuesday night saying more than 2,200 people were tested during the first four days at public sites, saying an unspecified small number tested positive. More than 2,100 people are still waiting to be tested. As of Tuesday, Ohio has 67 confirmed cases, with 31 in Cuyahoga County. We currently have a supply of testing swabs on hand, however, we did not fully anticipate the impact of the crisis in Italy which is where the swabs are manufactured, the statement says. We hope to continue to receive additional supplies, which will be a key part of our decision-making." Italy has been hit hard with the virus, with more than 2,500 deaths and more than 31,000 infected, according to CNBC. There are 184,796 confirmed cases globally and 7,529 deaths, CNBC reports. On Wednesday, patients with a physicians order will be tested at the W.O. Walker facility, 10524 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. The Clinic is defining high-risk patients as people who currently are hospitalized or are age 61 and older. Patients will no longer be tested at the Clinics Landerbrook location in Mayfield Heights. The statement says the Clinic is re-evaluating its ability to provide tests to patients with a physicians order who are 60 years old and under. Patients 60 and under should not come to the Walker testing facility until they are contacted by Cleveland Clinic with further instructions. Patients with with a fever higher than 100.4 degrees and/or cough should isolate themselves. If a persons condition worsens, he or she should contact a doctor or go to the emergency department. People trying to set up testing with the Clinic on Tuesday ran into troubles because online scheduling was overwhelmed and other technical issues. The lines at both Landerbrook and the W.O. Walker Building reached capacity by 1 p.m. MetroHealth System is offering coronavirus testing, but supplies are limited and doctors are determining who should receive tests. More related content on cleveland.com: Mapping Ohios 67 confirmed cases of coronavirus Cuyahoga County closing most buildings to public until further notice due to coronavirus Ohio Democratic Party sues set primary to April 28 -- after postponement due to coronavirus Cleveland judge flouts courts postponements amid coronavirus pandemic, issues warrants for no-shows Ohio ordering elective surgeries postponed: What does that include? Cleveland State University postpones spring commencement ceremonies Chinese warplanes fly first nighttime mission near Taiwan: MND ROC Central News Agency 03/17/2020 03:32 PM Taipei, March 17 (CNA) Chinese warplanes were spotted flying near Taiwan's airspace at night for the first time Monday, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Tuesday. An unspecified number of Chinese military planes, consisting of J-11 jet fighters and KJ-500 early warning aircraft, flew over waters southwest of Taiwan and approached the country's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) at around 7 p.m. Monday, said military spokesman Shih Shun-wen (). The maneuvers, part of the Chinese squadron's nighttime training mission, represented the first time Chinese military aircraft were found flying near Taiwan's airspace at night, according to MND records. Taiwan's Air Force responded by scrambling a number of F-16 and IDF fighter jets to closely monitor the movements of their Chinese counterparts. The Taiwanese fighter jets issued radio warnings to the Chinese aircraft, which then flew away from the area, Shih said. Based on MND records, the last time the Chinese military carried out a similar mission near Taiwan's airspace was on Feb. 28 when an unspecified number of Chinese H-6 bombers flew over waters southwest of Taiwan. (By Matt Yu and Joseph Yeh) Enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Leonard Gibson died from the coronavirus aged 78 on Tuesday. He is pictured with his daughters Lisa Broughton, 50, (left) and Michelle Lenton, 51 (right). (SWNS) The daughter of a man who died of the coronavirus is urging the public to take the infection seriously. Leonard Gibson suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which often left him coughing and short of breath. The grandfather was initially diagnosed with a bacterial chest infection and prescribed antibiotics. Things took a turn for the worse over the weekend, with Gibson being rushed to Sheffield's Northern General Hospital on Saturday, where he was diagnosed with the coronavirus Covid-19. Kept in isolation, Gibson died aged 78 on Tuesday, without his loved ones around him. His daughter Lisa Broughton, 50, is speaking out to encourage Britons to follow official advice, look out for symptoms and take care of each other. 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 Leonard Gibson moved from his native Northern Ireland to Sheffield when he was 26. (SWNS) We need to be extra vigilant with our families, said Broughton. Of course coronavirus was always on our mind, but part of us considered it wouldn't happen to us. When only so many people have been diagnosed with the illness you think it can't possibly touch us, we've not been abroad or anything. "My dad was already relatively housebound so he wasn't going out and mingling with others. Gibsons carers, family and others who came into contact with him are now in isolation. We like to think he went giving one final jig Gibsons family realised something was wrong when they visited him at his sheltered housing flat in Oughtibridge, near Sheffield. He was very very tired; he wasn't well at all, said Broughton. But he has been like this before, it was upsetting but just because my dad was ill, not because I thought he had coronavirus. Gibson was rushed to hospital, where he was greeted by staff wearing masks. Protective gear was also passed to Broughton and her sister Michelle Lenton, 51. Story continues We were told it was a precaution, said Broughton. But he ended up testing positive [for the coronavirus]. We were with dad while waiting for his results and were able to speak to him, but he wasn't very with it. He didn't know what was happening. We were told we had to go home and self-isolate, which we have been doing ever since. Gibson was born in Northern Ireland, and his family cherish that he died on St Patrick's Day. My dad was your typical jolly Irish man we like to think he went giving one final jig, said Broughton. Broughton, who works for the NHS, described her father as kind, loving, generous, crazy and fun-loving. She said he would be remembered as a jolly Irish man who made everyone smile. Gibson was 'kind, loving, generous, crazy and fun-loving'. (SWNS) Please take any advice you get Although Broughton and her family were not with her father when he died, they felt like they were. The doctors and nurses at the hospital were fantastic and kept us so informed that we felt we were there with him, she said. It is sad we weren't able to be there with dad, but the nurses were there for us. They told us what was happening throughout and I felt we were in that room with him through them. For the doctors and nurses who have families of their own, putting themselves on the front line, the least we could do was to let them get on with their job. I knew the best place for us was away and in isolation. It's not just about us and my dad, it's the wider public. Research suggests four out of five coronavirus cases are mild, but at-risk groups should be aware of the complications. The vast majority of deaths globally are occurring among elderly people or those with pre-existing health issues like asthma or diabetes. If anyone has elderly or ill relatives please take any advice you get and take care of each other, said Broughton. Notice the symptoms and take action. Symptoms tend to be flu-like, such as coughs and fever. Boris Johnson has urged all Britons to avoid social contact, ditch non-essential travel and work from home if they can. Vulnerable people are expected to be told soon to self isolate entirely for up to 12 weeks. The coronavirus, colds and flu share some symptoms, but not all. (Yahoo UK) What is the new coronavirus? The new coronavirus is one of seven strains of a class of viruses that are known to infect humans. Others include the common cold and severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars). The new coronavirus is thought to have emerged at a seafood and live animal market in the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of last year. It has since spread across more than 150 countries on every inhabited continent. Since the outbreak was identified, more than 201,000 patients have been confirmed, of whom over 82,000 have recovered, according to John Hopkins University. (PA Graphics) Globally, the death toll has exceeded 8,000. While most cases are mild, pneumonia can come about if the infection spreads to the air sacs in the lungs, causing them to become inflamed and filled with fluid or pus. The lungs then struggle to draw in air, resulting in reduced oxygen in the bloodstream and a build-up of carbon dioxide. The coronavirus has no set treatment, with most patients immune systems fighting off the virus naturally. In severe cases, hospitalisation may be required if a patient needs supportive care. This may include ventilation while their immune system gets to work. Hand-washing and social distancing are thought to be the best ways to ward off infection. [The stream is slated to start at 11:30 a.m. ET. Please refresh the page if you do not see a player above at that time.] Members of the task force created to address the deadly coronavirus outbreak hold a press briefing Wednesday at the White House as state and local authorities take drastic measures to slow the spread of the disease. The outbreak has been expanding rapidly in the United States, and President Donald Trump's administration is looking to funnel up to $1 trillion into an economic stimulus plan to mitigate the economic damage, with $550 billion earmarked for the direct payments or tax cuts. The Senate has yet to approve the bill that passed in the House on Saturday. Trump on Wednesday hinted that the briefing could include some "very important news from the FDA." Trump tweet The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic last week, saying it expects "to see the number of cases, the number of deaths and the number of affected countries to climb even higher." Trump, whose administration has been sending mixed signals on the severity of the outbreak, declared a national emergency on Friday, a move that freed up financial resources to assist Americans affected by the outbreak. Task force members include Vice President Mike Pence, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci and Acting Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Ken Cuccinelli, among others. The coronavirus, which is believed to have originated in Wuhan, China, has spread to dozens of countries globally, with more than 201,000 confirmed cases worldwide and at least 8,007 deaths so far, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. There are at least 6,496 cases in the United States and at least 114 deaths, according to the latest tallies. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. Portland has 36 real estate open houses scheduled for this weekend, but those may be canceled over concern of spreading the coronavirus. King County in Washington and Lincoln County on the Oregon coast already temporarily banned open houses and the Northwest Multiple Listing Service is not allowing real estate agents to add, search or view public or broker open houses in Washington state until at least March 31. Some real estate agents are signing a petition to ask the National Association of Realtors (NAR) to halt open houses nationwide. The NAR began March 4 to issue guidelines on ways to limit exposure to coronavirus -- including washing hands, practicing social distancing, avoiding close contact with anyone who is sick and staying home if ill -- but it did not recommend closing the door on open houses. The organization with 1.4 million members did offered alternatives to open houses, including promoting the property through a video tour. A survey conducted March 9-10 by the NAR found that nearly one in four home sellers across the country are stopping open houses, requiring potential buyers to wash their hands, use hand sanitizer, remove shoes or wear booties, or other changes due to the threat of spreading the coronavirus. The survey also found sellers requiring precautions climbed to 44 percent in Washington state and 34 percent in California, which have had a high number of positive COVID-19 cases. The NAR recommended these preventative measures to real estate agents to reduce the risk of contracting and spreading coronavirus: Assess the risk based on the location and information from local and state health authorities. If you do hold an open house, consider requiring all visitors to disinfect their hands upon entering the home, limiting the amount of people in the home and providing alcohol-based hand sanitizers at the entryway, as well as soap and disposable towels in bathrooms. After the open house, recommend that the homeowner clean and disinfect their home, especially commonly touched areas like doorknobs and faucet handles. Arrange to meet clients at a property rather than drive them. If you do drive clients in your car, frequently clean and disinfect surfaces like door handles and seat belt latches, and ask clients to use hand sanitizer when getting in and out of the car. CORONAVIRUS IN OREGON: FULL COVERAGE Subscribe to our Oregon coronavirus newsletter. Email: --Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072 jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories Want to search Oregon real estate listings and use local resources? Click here. Health departments are working to secure medical supplies to fight the coronavirus, while the regime continues to insists that no cases have been detected reports Zaman Al Wasl. While the Syrian regime continues to deny the spread of coronavirus in the Syrian coastal region, the shortage of protective equipment and the rise of prices say otherwise. Sources said that the Dr. Imad Ismail, who worked at Qardaha Hospital, was killed because he revealed the presence of infected people at the hospital, at the same time Pakistan announced six cases coming from Syria. The Lattakia Health Directorate denies infections, claiming that it took full precautions to deal with the virus. However, a medical source has revealed the presence of infected persons in quarantine in public hospitals in Lattakia, with no information about their condition. To date, the Syria regime has not reported any cases of COVID-19, and on Friday, the Health Ministry again denied that the virus was present, state-run news agency SANA said. But such denials have been met with scepticism online, given that Syrias five neighbours Iraq, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel have all reported COVID-19 cases in recent weeks. Syrian authorities on Friday announced measures aimed at preventing coronavirus from reaching the war-torn country, including school closures and a ban on smoking shisha in cafes, state media reported. Damascus ordered the closure of all public and private schools, universities and technical institutes until Apr. 2, 2020, SANA reported. In fact, there is a considerable lack of medications, oxygen ventilators, and detection kit, with tests limited to visible symptoms and temperature measurement, followed by quarantine and anti-inflammatory medications for the common cold. Hospitals are already overcrowded and patients are neglected as it is, proving that they will not be able to deal with the virus when it spreads. The global death toll of COVID-19 is now nearly 6,400, with more than 180,000 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization, which declared the outbreak a pandemic. The source said that the quarantined people are suspected cases and cannot be confirmed due to the lack of testing kits. Already, several patients have died from respiratory trauma or suffocation. Security authorities are monitoring and censoring the situation as per the instructions of the leadership. Lattakia Governorate and the Health Directorate have instructed all official departments to exercise caution, use masks and sanitizers, and reduce crowds, without providing any materials that would enable them to carry out the instructions, nor the necessary financial resources to maintain safety and even general hygiene. Syrias, fragile health systems may not have the capacity to detect and respond to an epidemic, World Health Organization spokesman Hedinn Halldorsson told AFP on Sunday. A pharmacist from Lattakia considers the current conditions ideal for the spread of the virus in the two coastal provinces, due to the queues that extend for long distances waiting for long hours to obtain basic materials monopolized by the regime. He said that people are still arriving every day from Iran, which has become an epicenter for the spread of the virus in the region, including the military, civilians spreading Shiism, and workers in Iranian companies and institutions. Even in the tenth year of its devastating civil war, Syria has continued to receive large numbers of pilgrims from Iran, Iraq and neighboring Lebanon. They particularly visit the shrine of Sayida Zaynab, the prophet Muhammads granddaughter, in a suburb of the capital Damascus. 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. Burma Myanmar Parliament Approves Amendment to Constitutions Language on State, Regional Minister Appointments Lawmakers and Parliament staff count ballots during voting on proposed constitutional amendments. / Thiha Lwin / The Irrawaddy YANGONAmong 19 proposed constitutional amendments put to a vote on Wednesday, a single proposal was approved, to remove language deemed unnecessary from the charters provision on appointing regional and state ministers. The proposed amendmentwhich received 591 votes in favor, accounting for 90.4 percent of lawmakersbrings to three the number of charter amendments approved after nearly two weeks of balloting. The approved proposal removes a passage in a provision of the charter relating to the appointment of regional and state ministers that was deemed unnecessary. The passage stated that a regional or state minister could be appointed from among elected representatives or from among those who are not elected representatives, assuming they meet the other requirements. It is the only change to the Constitution that was sought by lawmakers from the National League for Democracy as well as military-appointed MPs and those from the military-backed, former ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). The NLD had also sought to remove similarly unnecessary language from the Constitutions provisions on the appointments of Union ministers, deputy Union ministers, the Union attorney-general and deputy attorney-general, and the Union auditor-general and deputy auditor-general. However, all of those NLD proposals were voted down on Tuesday, rejected by the USDP and military appointed lawmakers, who seem prepared to block all of the NLD-proposed amendments. The Union Parliament began voting on constitutional amendments on March 10. So far, 107 proposals submitted by the NLD, and by the military with the USDP, have been voted on. All but three have failed to muster the required support of more than 75 percent of lawmakers. The two other approved proposals called for changes to Burmese-language references to disabled and elders. Note: This story was corrected on March 19, 2020; the original article erroneously stated that the constitutional provision that is to be amended refers to the appointment of state and regional chief ministers. It refers only to ministers. You may also like these stories: Myanmars Failed Charter Reform Will Soil Militarys Image: Military Proxy MP Myanmar Military Chief Retains Special Powers as NLD Charter Reforms Stymied Myanmars Suu Kyi Still Barred From Presidency as Proposed Charter Change Fails WASHINGTON A day after President Trump officially racked up enough delegates to become the presumptive 2020 Republican nominee for president, former Gov. William F. Weld of Massachusetts, his last Republican challenger, ended his campaign. The reason that people all over the world look to the United States for leadership, as they do, is our dedication to the rule of law under our Constitution, Mr. Weld said in a statement announcing the suspension of his campaign. He did not address Mr. Trump by name, but he added that if a president does not observe the rule of law, we will truly have lost our compass. Mr. Welds announcement came in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, and aides said he planned to make no appearances or conduct any interviews because he did not want to distract from coverage of the crisis. Brad Parscale, the presidents campaign manager, on Tuesday night credited Mr. Trumps victory in the primary to his response to the coronavirus and a broad and strong economy, even as markets plunged and a global recession appeared inevitable. The court also asked the Speaker of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly when will a decision be taken on the resignations of the 16 rebel MLAs New Delhi: Acknowledging that the fate of the Kamal Nath government is now in the hands of the 16 rebel MLAs, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will not come in the way of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly to decide on the floor test but asked how to ensure a free exercise of choice by the dissidents. The 16 rebels, who the Congress alleged are being held captive by the BJP in Bengaluru, also offered to present themselves in the judges' chamber but the court rejected the proposal. A bench comprising Justices DY Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta said the proposal would not be appropriate and also refused to send its Registrar General to meet them. The court also said it wanted to allay apprehensions that the 16 rebels are being held captive, As the nearly day-long hearing witnessed forceful arguments by top advocates representing various sides, the court asked the Speaker when will a decision be taken on the resignations of the 16 rebels. Observing that the rebel MLAs may or may not go to the Assembly but cannot be held captive, the court said it was not going to come in the way of the legislature to decide as to who enjoys the trust but has to ensure there is a free exercise of choice which they can make. After the arguments, the hearing of cross petitions filed by former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan and the Congress was adjourned for tomorrow at 10.30 am. The Opposition BJP has demanded an immediate floor test to test the majority of the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government. The Congress said the floor test should be deferred till by-polls for the vacant seats arising out of the resignations are concluded, saying "heavens are not going to fall" if its government is allowed to remain in office till then. The rebels for their part claimed they went to Bengaluru and were putting up in a resort voluntarily. Releasing video messages, the rebels said they didn't want to meet senior party leader Digvijay Singh, who rushed to Bengaluru to woo them back. High drama unfolded in the morning near the resort where Digvijay Singh staged a protest accusing the police of not allowing him to meet the legislators. Singh, who was briefly detained, accused the BJP of holding the MLAs captive and said he would go on a "hunger strike". During the hearing, the court said, "It is their(rebels)choice whether they want to enter, comply with whips etc. But certainly, when allegation is that they are being held in captivity, we have to see they are at free will. These 16 either proceed to the floor or don't but surely they can't be held captive and how do we ensure this." "As a constitutional court, we have to discharge our duties," said the bench, adding, as of now it knows that the 16 rebel MLAs tilt the balance one way or the other. The court then asked lawyers to assist it on the modalities for ensuring free access for the rebels to the Assembly and free exercise of choice. When the counsel for Chouhan and the rebel MLAs asserted they are in Bengaluru at their own free will, the bench said, "We are not saying they are held captive. Our concern is to allay the apprehension." Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appeared for Chouhan while another senior advocate Maninder Singh represented the rebels. At the fag end of the hearing, the bench put a poser to the Speaker as to whether he will decide on the resignations of MLAs if they appear before him tomorrow and said, "a latest judgement asks the Speaker to decide quickly. Tell us when will you decide". To this, senior advocate AM Singhvi, appearing for the Speaker, said: "I don't want the Speaker's discretion to be curtailed. I can inform about it tomorrow morning." But Maninder Singh intervened to say, "We do not want to appear before the Speaker. It is a question of our safety." A total of 22 Congress MLAs including six ministers had resigned last week putting the government on the brink of collapse. After the Speaker accepted the resignation of the six ministers on Saturday, the party now has 108 legislators. The BJP has 107 seats in the House, which now has an effective strength of 222, with the majority mark being 112. The strength of the ruling party and the majority mark will further come down if the resignations of the Congress rebels are accepted. A regional supermarket has hired bouncers to check customers for proof they are locals in a desperate bid to block the hordes of shelf-raiding panic buyers streaming in from Melbourne and other centres. David Williamson, whose family has run Williamson's Foodworks in Gisborne for more than four decades, said there were so many people coming to the town's three supermarkets that the roads were clogged and it was near impossible to find a park. Williamsons Foodworks in Gisborne has implemented new store trading hours to combat tourist shopping. Credit:Paul Rovere Mr Williamson has now implemented a 9am to 10am shopping window during which elderly customers can gain priority access to shelves so long as they show security their store-issued rewards cards and pensioner or disability cards. From 10am to 12pm, customers must show their rewards cards to prove they are local residents. Thais head home as Malaysia closes borders THAILAND: Scores of Thais working in Malaysia began returning to their homes in the southern province yesterday (Mar 17), after Malaysia decided to shut its borders in an effort to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. CoronavirusCOVID-19health By Bangkok Post Wednesday 18 March 2020, 10:12AM People wearing face masks, amid concerns over the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, cross a street next to commercial buildings in Kuala Lumpur on Monday (Mar 16). Photo: AFP Border closures were among the control measures announced by Malaysias Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin in a televised address late on Monday (Mar 16). The measures, which come into effect today (Mar 18), will be in place until March 31. As non-essential businesses have been ordered to shut, many Thai restaurant owners in Malaysia have decided to temporarily send their Thai employees back home until the shutdown ends, a source said. Yesterday, the border checkpoint in Narathiwats Sungai Kolok district was crowded with Thais returning from Malaysia. Returning Thais were required to have their temperatures checked using either a thermal scanner, an infrared camera or a hand-held thermometer gun, said the same source, who added that after the body temperature checks, they were told to clean their hands with a hand sanitiser before they were allowed to go. Meanwhile in the northeastern province of Buri Ram, which is currently under a month-long public health lockdown, all rail passengers are required to wash their hands with the provided hand sanitising gels, both prior to boarding and leaving their trains, said Banchong Chanthara, head of the State Railway of Thailands office in the province. He said all passengers are also required to enter and leave train stations through a COVID-19 screening station, complete with a thermal scanner. Charoen Wang-ananon, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, meanwhile, said the association agreed with the governments decision to put off the Songkran festival as part of its COVID-19 containment measures. When asked about the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the 12,000 tour companies under the association, Mr Charoen said some operators have already laid off employees, while others are struggling to survive the crisis and are waiting for assistance from the government. Kim Foxx, the Chicago area's top prosecutor, won the Democratic nomination Tuesday against three challengers who zeroed in on her handling of the Jussie Smollett criminal case. The primary race for Cook County state's attorney was one of the most expensive of its kind, particularly with Navy veteran Bill Conway making his first run for public office with millions of dollars in family wealth. He had been running television ads for months questioning her office's controversial decision to drop charges against the 'Empire' actor. The constant attention put Foxx on the defensive on the campaign trail, touting her record on progressive criminal justice reforms. 'There was an effort to make this election about one big case involving a celebrity,' Foxx said in her victory speech. 'The voters have overwhelmingly put that fallacy to rest.' Kim Foxx (center), the Chicago area's top prosecutor, won the Democratic nomination Tuesday against three challengers who zeroed in on her handling of the Jussie Smollett criminal case Smollett (pictured last month in court) is accused of staging a racist, anti-gay attack in Chicago. Foxx recused herself from the Smollett case, but questions loom about whether she acted improperly for speaking to a Smollett relative before the charges were dismissed A special prosecutor reinstated the charges last month, which Foxx blasted as political. Smollett is seen leaving a court hearing on February 24 Smollett is accused of staging a racist, anti-gay attack in Chicago. Foxx recused herself from the Smollett case, but questions loom about whether she acted improperly for speaking to a Smollett relative and aide to former first lady Michelle Obama before the charges were dismissed. A special prosecutor reinstated the charges last month, which Foxx blasted as political. On the campaign trail, Foxx tried to redirect the attention to her record praised by criminal justice experts, including the work of a conviction integrity unit and reforms to the cash bail system. But she grew increasingly frustrated, referring to the attention on the case as 'B.S.' Still, she led in endorsements and establishment backing. Several super PACS also worked against her opponents, including Conway, a former assistant state's attorney whose $11.5million campaign came mostly from his billionaire father, William Conway, co-founder of the Washington DC-based Carlyle Group. 'This campaign, for me it's been a once-in-a-lifetime experience,' the younger Conway said in a concession speech on Facebook Live. Other Democrats running against Foxx were Navy veteran Bill Conway (left) former Chicago Alderman Bob Fioretti (second from left) and former federal prosecutor Donna More (second from right) He said he didn't know what was next but he looked forward to continuing his service to the country. The other Democrats running were former Chicago Alderman Bob Fioretti and former federal prosecutor Donna More. The win all but guarantees Foxx a second term in November, as Cook County is heavily Democratic. She faces Republican Patrick O'Brien, a former assistant state's attorney. Voter Victoria Hamel, 49, of suburban Chicago, cast an early ballot for Foxx, applauding her work to dismiss low-level marijuana convictions as part of the state's new law legalizing recreational marijuana. 'This is really important for her to get elected so we can keep the forward progress,' she said. 'I dont see why we would want to stop the car, go in reverse and start back over.' STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Since the first case of coronavirus (COVID-19) was confirmed on Staten Island on March 1, residents across the borough have been in panic mode, buying enough supplies to last them months. After learning ways to stay healthy against the deadly illness, stores quickly sold out of hand soap, hand sanitizer and other cleaning supplies. Cold medicines are hard to come by and food items like pasta and cereal are being cleared off shelves. And it seems everyone in the United States cant seem to buy enough toilet paper. While it may be tempting to respond to images of people waiting in line to shop at grocery stores and empty store shelves, you shouldnt stock up on items that you dont need. It is recommended to have enough of any item to last you at least 30 days -- no more. The National Grocers Association -- a national trade association comprised of members representing independent retail and wholesale grocers -- said supermarkets in the United States are seeing unprecedented demand for products and goods, as well as increased store traffic in-store and online. So only buy what you need, said Laura Strange, senior vice president of communications and external affairs for the association. We encourage all customers to remain mindful as they shop and buy only what they need during this time, she said. This is to ensure as many of their neighbors as possible are able to purchase what they need to. *** CLICK HERE FOR FULL COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK *** And grocery stories are continuing to stock shelves. Food supplies are plentiful throughout the supply chain and are being replenished continuously to meet the demand, said Strange. While consumers might find the supply of some products low or temporarily out of stock at their stores, grocers are coordinating very closely with their suppliers and partners throughout the supply chain -- and are working around-the-clock to keep shelves stocked. She explained that due to the extraordinary surge in demand, the supply chain is working to catch up and is taking time to restock. However, Strange reiterated that stores are being restocked with fresh produce, meats, breads, canned goods and more on a daily basis. As soon as products are reaching the store, associates are putting them out on the shelves, she added. Doug Baker, vice president of industry relations for The Food Industry Association, previously known as FMI, said in a blog post that depending on the local situation of coronavirus, shoppers are in either preventive mode or response mode. For instance, communities experiencing their first reported cases of coronavirus may be securing sanitizing wipes, hand sanitizer, etc., he said in the blog post. Communities that have already seen several cases of the virus are in more of a response mode, perhaps self-quarantining and securing supplies that bring them comfort and care. That means the grocery industry is seeing spikes and plateaus in certain product purchases across the United States. As manufacturers receive increased orders for in-demand products, they work with retailers to pace the supply accordingly, Baker said. Just like in a natural disaster, he explained that temporary product shortages can and likely will happen -- but supply pacing can help ensure out-of-stocks are short-lived. As numbers of confirmed coronavirus cases keep climbing across the country -- including 2,382 confirmed cases in New York and 1,339 in New York City as of Wednesday afternoon -- Advance/SILive.com recently compiled a list of what you need in the event of self-quarantine, according to emergency preparedness advice. Heres just a few of those items you should stock up on. CANNED GOODS, PANTRY ITEMS Canned items have a long storage life, and are useful for many types of emergencies. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, you can buy ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables. You can also buy canned juices and condensed meat and vegetable soups -- just make sure you have a can opener. You should buy pantry items with a long shelf life. These include dry cereal, instant oatmeal, rolled oats, granola, peanut butter, jelly, nuts, dried fruit, protein bars, fruit bars and crackers. Frozen foods can also supplement your supply. PHARMACY ITEMS If you have to self-quarantine, make sure you enough of your prescribed medicine. The American Red Cross recommends you have at least a 30-day supply of your prescriptions. You should also have other health supplies on hand, including pain relievers, stomach remedies, cough and cold medicines, fluids with electrolytes and vitamins, according to the American Red Cross. OTHER SUPPLIES Make sure you have enough supplies for items you need daily, such as toothpaste, paper towels, bandages, dish soap, toilet paper, feminine supplies, diapers, laundry detergent, and disinfectant. You can order these household supplies from Amazon.com. *** 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. 53 The coronavirus life in New York City: The new normal CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE: Staten Island coronavirus drive-through testing opens Thursday: Heres what to do Coronavirus: While getting fresh air, people are keeping their distance in S.I. parks Coronavirus: New York suspends state reading exams Coronavirus: Resources for small businesses Gun sales reportedly spike as coronavirus fears rise Coronavirus cases in NYC climb to 1,339 as New York State leads country in confirmed cases Is coronavirus covered under business interruption insurance? Staten Island E-ZPass center closed for precautionary cleaning Coronavirus closures (March 18, 2020): Staten Islands latest cancellations, postponements Plastic bag ban enforcement delayed amid coronavirus concerns FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon on Wednesday ordered the closure of all malls in the county. The executive order, which covers Destiny USA, Great Northern and Shoppingtown malls, takes effect at 5 p.m. Wednesday. Before McMahon took executive action to close the malls, Destiny USA reduced its hours from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday to 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The shopping center also slashed an hour from its Sunday hours of operation. Onondaga County has two confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus. It was announced earlier this week that a married couple contracted COVID-19, a respiratory illness that's been spreading across the world. In New York, there are more than 1,300 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and over 260 people have been hospitalized. Businesses have been affected by state and local orders to limit mass gatherings and encourage social distancing during the pandemic. Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order on Monday requiring casinos, gyms and movie theaters to close until further notice. Bars and restaurants are also closed to dine-in customers, although they are allowed to offer carryout and delivery services. As he has throughout the coronavirus outbreak, McMahon is urging residents to look out for each other. "Our community has come together in a truly remarkable way during this crisis," McMahon said. "Let's remember to check on our loved ones, neighbors and friends during this time and I am confident our community will emerge stronger than ever when this is over." Politics reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding. 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. 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. 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. An interview of Jawaharalal Nehru, the first prime minister of independent India, is gaining traction on social media where he can be heard saying that Indian Muslims are the descendants of Hindus (see interview spot at 17 minutes 40 seconds). Many hundreds of years and there was fraternal living. It was a religious concept more than anything. The Hindus were not and are not a proselytising race. They didnt care very much but the other party did. But Muslims were keen on proselytising and getting converts. In fact, all the Muslims in India are descendants of Hindus. Only a handful came from outside, he said. Jawaharlal Nehru, premier ministre de l'Inde entre 1947 et 1964, Inde. (Photo by API/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images) He also claimed in the interview that the founder of Pakistan and the leader of the Muslim League, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, was not involved in the freedom struggle and was actually an ally of the British dispensation. In fact, he opposed it. The Muslim League was started by 1911 and it was started really by the British, encouraged by them so as to create factions. And ultimately that came to partition. The video was uploaded on Youtube by Prasar Bharti and was the last televised interview of Nehru before his demise in 1964. Curious just how far your dollar goes in San Antonio? We've rounded up the latest places for rent via rental sites Zumper and Apartment Guide to get a sense of what to expect when it comes to finding affordable apartments in San Antonio if you've got up to $1,100/month earmarked for your rent. Take a peek at what rentals the city has to offer, below. (Note: Prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. 3333 Oakwell Court Listed at $1,002/month, this 673-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment is located at 3333 Oakwell Court. The unit, which comes furnished, offers a dishwasher, a fireplace, hardwood flooring and a walk-in closet. When it comes to building amenities, anticipate garage parking. Pet owners, take heed: This rental is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. According to Walk Score's assessment, the area around this address is car-dependent, is somewhat bikeable and has some transit options. (See the complete listing here.) 5810 UTSA Blvd. Next, there's this one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment over at 5810 UTSA Blvd. It's listed for $1,004/month for its 680 square feet. Building amenities include garage parking. In the unit, expect to find a walk-in closet, a mix of hardwood floors and carpeting and a dishwasher. For those with furry friends in tow, this property is pet-friendly. The rental doesn't require a leasing fee. (Check out the complete listing here.) Henderson Pass (North Central Thousand Oaks) Here's a 972-square-foot two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment at Henderson Pass that's going for $1,005/month. In the unit, you can expect a fireplace, a mix of hardwood floors and carpeting, a walk-in closet and a dishwasher. The building features on-site laundry. For those with furry friends in tow, this property is pet-friendly. The rental doesn't require a leasing fee. (See the full listing here.) 20395 Stone Oak Parkway Next, check out this 668-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment that's located at 20395 Stone Oak Parkway. It's also listed for $1,005/month. Amenities offered in the building include a gym and garage parking. Also, expect to find a dishwasher in the apartment. Good news for animal lovers: This property is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. (Take a look at the complete listing here.) 202 W. French Place (Monte Vista) Located at 202 W. French Place, here's a 500-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment that's listed for $1,010/month. In the unit, expect to see a dishwasher. When it comes to building amenities, expect assigned parking and a swimming pool. Pet lovers are in luck: The rental is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. (See the complete listing here.) Working with a tight budget? Here are the cheapest rentals recently listed in San Antonio. This story was created automatically using local real estate data from Zumper and Apartment Guide, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Additionally, if youre an agent or a broker, read on for real estate marketing ideas to promote your local listing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. It seems like a lifetime ago that TV was full of images of people hugging each other, late-night talk show guests shaking hands with hosts, and The Bachelor making out with assorted women. Now, as the nation comes to grips with the coronavirus pandemic, everything feels different. But with the calendar telling us that spring officially begins on Thursday, March 19, were taking an escapist trip to the winter TV season, and having a nostalgic look at some of its highlights, and lowlights. For a few minutes, lets wind the clock back. The Bachelor: Season 24 of the dating show was pretty much a dud. The Bachelor, airline pilot Peter Weber, had zero chemistry with any of the women on the show. And the bachelorettes seemed to have all gotten a memo beforehand to be as tearful, dramatic, or sullen as possible. Considering the heedless kissing (and more) the franchise is known for, its a relief to hear that production on the new season of The Bachelorette has been paused during the coronavirus outbreak. Americas Got Talent: Though a special The Champions edition aired early this year to decent ratings, bad vibes hovered in the wake of the accusations made by Gabrielle Union, who had been a judge on the summertime Americas Got Talent season. After Union, along with fellow judge, Julianne Hough, had been let go, news broke that Union had cited examples of situations on the show that she felt were racially insensitive, among other areas of concern. Union later said that she had what she called a productive meeting with executives associated with the show, in which she expressed her desire and hope for real change. Sanditon: Anybody who says that all PBS Masterpiece imports of British-made literary adaptations are stuffy needs to watch this one. Based on a final, unfinished novel by Jane Austen, Sanditon was a costume drama, but you never saw so much exposed flesh, heard so much talk about sex and beheld such a surprising ending in any other Austen-related production (and there have been zillions). It didnt hurt that the leads, played by Rose Williams and Theo James (Downton Abbey) were easy on the eyes, in addition to fine actors. (The series is available to buy on demand; and it can be purchased on Amazon Prime Video, which is offering a free seven-day trial) Shrill: Season 2 of the Portland-filmed comedy built nicely on the first, made the most of star Aidy Bryants talent for comedy and sweetness, but added a welcome edge. Watching the show now feels bittersweet, for reasons that have nothing to do with the content. Shrill is inspired by a memoir written by Lindy West, who got her start working for Seattles The Stranger, the sibling paper to The Portland Mercury, which has had to lay off staffers and is suffering financially in the wake of coronavirus-mandated closures. That said, Shrill remains endearing and quirky. (Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming on Hulu) Lego Masters: The freshman season of the reality competition series has been nothing but overgrown-kid fun, especially when Boone Langston, of Troutdale, and Mark Cruickshank, of Oregon City, showed how a pair of Portland-area Lego builders can rock host Will Arnetts world. (Episodes air at 9 p.m. Wednesdays, on Fox; episodes stream on Hulu + Live TV or Sling TV; episodes are also available on Hulu the day after they air) The Oscars: Heres one thing that can take our minds off our current uncertain moment lets flash back for a second and recall how generally dismal the 92nd Academy Awards ceremony was. There were some well-deserved wins, but the show was a dreary demonstration that awards shows need a host. Plus, who thought it was a good idea to hold the Oscars so early, on Feb. 9? Love Is Blind: As if the world needed another dumb dating show. Despite or maybe because of being silly, this Netflix foray into romance became all the rage. With good-looking men and women dating each other in pods, which let them talk though they couldnt see each other, the show was at least ahead of its time in practicing social distancing. (Streaming on Netflix) The Outsider: This HBO adaptation of a book by Stephen King was, to my mind, a dark, glum and gloomy mix of murder mystery and supernatural thriller. But others clearly liked it more than I did, because the series starring Ben Mendelsohn and Cynthia Erivo was a ratings hit for the premium channel. I wonder what it might seem like now, when real life is full of unknowns, and scary warnings. (Available on HBO Now) More of our coverage: -- Kristi Turnquist kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. After skipping ED summons thrice, promoters of crisis-hit DHFL, Kapil and Dheeraj Wadhawan, have cited COVID-19 pandemic for their non-appearance in connection with the money laundering probe against Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor and others, officials said on Wednesday. The Wadhawan brothers, who denied any wrongdoing in their dealings with the bank, were supposed to appear before the central agency on Tuesday at its office in south Mumbai. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned them thrice, with the first communication for deposition sent on March 10. DHFL CMD Kapil Wadhawan and non-executive director of the company (Dewan Housing Finance Limited) Dheeraj Wadhawan are already being probed by the agency as part of a separate money laundering probe related to late Mumbai gangster Iqbal Mirchi. Kapil Wadhawan, 47, was also arrested by the agency in the case (Iqbal Mirchi), but he is now out on bail. Their role is now being probed by the ED in the criminal case filed against Kapoor 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. "I have been travelling due to health related issues, which I have mentioned in my earlier letters along with my doctor's certificate and of which you are also aware. "Considering the COVID-19 pandemic, with my already compromised health and age I am at high risk and consequently for my own health and safety it is difficult for me to travel back to Mumbai," Kapil Wadhawan wrote to the ED. Further, he wrote, it was a government directive to curtail travel in view of the current environment of coronavirus. He added that media reports and ED's remand application tell him that he is required in a probe related to a loan disbursement to DoIT Urban Ventures Pvt Ltd, a firm alleged by the agency to be Kapoor's family enterprise, being a kickback of the Rs 3,700 crore non-convertible debentures of DHFL being issued to Yes Bank. Kapil Wadhawan said the "entire process was in accordance with the SEBI guidelines and at no point were there any allegations about any preferential allotment to Yes Bank." He argued that as the Enforcement Directorate has all the documents related to the new case, he is not able to understand as to what "assistance" can he give to the agency by appearing before it. He also asked the agency to provide him a "questionnaire" on the latest charges so that he can respond to them. "Further, the allegations with regard to the loans disbursed to DoIT being a kickback to Mr Rana Kappor are incorrect. As far as I can recall in respect of the loan of Rs 600 crore, there were six immovable properties that were offered as security and over which mortgages were created," Wadhawan said. His brother Dheeraj Wadhawan has also taken a similar plea and mentioned identical grounds in his communication to the ED stating that "in today's circumstance in the country, health is a priority". Officials in the agency said the Wadhawan brothers were not honouring the due process of law and trying to evade legal proceedings in the case that are being conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). It is expected that the ED may now issue the brothers new summons for appearance or move a court seeking cancellation of the bail granted to Kapil Wadhawan in the case related to Iqbal Mirchi. It has already moved a Mumbai court for getting issued a non-bailable warrant against Dheeraj Wadhawan in connection with the Iqbal Mirchi case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the Upper Egyptian city of Luxor, tour guide Eman Mohamed has sensed a notable decline in tourists over the past month, after the outbreak of the coronavirus. Coronavirus has really affected tourism here, Mohamed said. Many hotel reservations have been canceled and tourists can barely be seen at tourist sites. Since the mid-February announcement of the first infection of coronavirus in Egypt, the number of infected people has reached 196 in Egypt as of March 18, including 45 people onboard a Nile cruise ship between Aswan and Luxor, carrying French, American and Indian tourists. Six people have died so far. Egypt announced the suspension of flights at all airports from March 19 to 31 as a measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Tourism and Antiquities Minister Khaled el-Anani said in press statements that monthly tourism losses due to the lockdown would reach $1 billion. Anani added that the decision to suspend air traffic until the end of March was carefully studied, explaining that during this period, hotels and tourist facilities would be sterilized. We lost a lot of money, especially since the monthly tourism revenue is $1 billion, but the health of Egyptians is more important, he added. Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly said at a March 16 press conference that losses stemming from suspending air traffic would reach 2.25 billion Egyptian pounds (about $143 million). Tourism experts said that preventive measures taken by Egypt and other countries would lead to a sharp drop in tourists to Egypt. Certainly, the measures and precautions taken by Egypt and other countries as a result of the coronavirus outbreak will affect the movement of travel around the world and thus tourism, said Adel Nagi, a tourism expert and a member of the General Assembly of the Chamber of Tourism Establishments. Nagi told Al-Monitor, The situation will become clearer in reservations for the summer season in June and July, when I expect that the virus will start to be contained, he added. Another tourism expert and a member of the Chamber of Hotel Establishments, Sameh Abdel Moneim, was optimistic. The losses suffered by tourism these days after the decision of some countries to ban travel to Egypt as well as the suspension of flights at all Egyptian airports are a temporary event due to global tension and fears over coronavirus, he said. He added that this matter will not exceed a few weeks at most, and the tourist flow will return to normal after the virus is controlled. Abdel Moneim, meanwhile, called upon the Egyptian government to launch a multibillion-dollar stimulus program to compensate workers in the tourism sector for the losses they will incur. Those people will lose their jobs and the government has to compensate them and to find alternative jobs for them, he added. Until recently, Egypt was allowing tourists to visit popular sites, with the government stating that Egypt had few coronavirus cases and therefore it was safe. That changed when 45 tourists were tested positive on a Nile cruise ship in Luxor, prompting officials to conduct more testing in the tourist city. Before the outbreak of coronavirus, Egypts tourism industry was flourishing. Tourism revenues in Egypt jumped by more than 28%, to reach about $12.2 billion in the fiscal year 2018-2019, ending last June 30, compared to $9.8 billion during the fiscal year 2017-2018. Tourism was the countrys third source of national income after remittances from Egyptians abroad, which ranked first, with $26.4 billion, and non-oil exports, with $17.1 billion. Ahmed el-Shami, an economist and professor of feasibility studies at Ain Shams University, said that the slowdown in the tourism industry would affect the national economy and the government should be ready. The government is now in front of a big challenge and it has to find solutions, otherwise things will fall apart and will get out of control, Shami said. As the new coronavirus threatens livelihoods and lives in the Charleston area and around the world, some have responded by asking how they can help. On Nextdoor, a social media site that connects people living in the same areas, there's been an outpouring of offers to help neighbors and particularly the elderly. Mike Van Horn, a father of seven who manages a restaurant at Folly Beach, offered to help any neighbors in his Mount Pleasant community who need assistance shopping for food or essentials. "We're all in this situation together whether we want to be or not," he said. "Some people don't have the ability to go out and get what they need." On James Island, two "blessing boxes" where people can donate and collect food anonymously have offered clues that there has been both more need and more help lately. "Every day they have been emptied, but people keep replenishing them," said Lisa Savage, who cleans and monitors the two boxes near her home. "It's a gift to go out and see such generosity." The idea is that people take what they need and leave what they can. "That's how we all should live, right?" Savage said. The Lowcountry Blessing Box Project has a map of more than 100 locations on its Facebook page. In many cases, people who have posted offers to help their neighbors attracted more people offering to pitch in. Beth McMurray of Mount Pleasant was one who offered to help. "We offered to help because fortunately we are able to," she said. "It seems it will get worse before it gets better, and so many are vulnerable." "It is times like these that brings our community together," McMurray said. "Much like after (Hurricane) Hugo, we need to help each other." Businesses, churches and nonprofit groups are also stepping up. "Our country really is on a war footing, and the entire citizenry needs to pitch in," said Joyce Harder, pastoral care associate at Christ Church in Mount Pleasant. She's been coordinating volunteers who are willing to assist church members in need, particularly the elderly who face the greatest risk from COVID-19. Christ Church has joined others in canceling Sunday services through at least March, so the church is working to deliver pastoral care as well as assistance and sometimes food to members in their homes. Choate Construction, meanwhile, was calling Charleston area hospitals Tuesday to see how the company could help with N-95 masks used by construction crews and by health care workers. "Everything that's been going on is just wild and we want to do what we can to help," said Choate Construction Safety Director Allen Martin. "We work with dozens of contractors who carry these (masks)." Nextdoor pages and Facebook groups will miss lots of people who may need help, but may not have internet access or participate on the groups, but they are a way to quickly get the word out. Established area organizations churches, Meals on Wheels, advocacy and nonprofit groups, food banks are ramping up efforts to help those in need. Coastal Community Foundation has launched the COVID-19 Relief & Recovery Fund to collect donations that will be distributed as grants to nonprofit organizations in nine Lowcountry counties. Seniors, children, people with health problems and workers in the hospitality and tourism industries will be a focus of the funding effort. "By pooling our resources now to support those most affected, our region will be better equipped to respond quickly and sustain that response over the duration of this crisis," said Coastal Community Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Darrin Goss. [March 18, 2020] Troops get better eyes on battlefield with leap-ahead thermal sighting system TUCSON, Ariz., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (RTN: NYSE) has developed, manufactured and delivered the first-ever 3rd GEN FLIR sensor system under a U.S. Army contract awarded in 2016. This latest Forward-Looking Infrared, or FLIR, system gives soldiers four fields of view and the ability to see across long- and mid-wave IR bands simultaneously with a stabilized line of sight. Forward-looking Infrared is an advanced targeting system that uses heat, not light, to see through darkness, smoke, rain, snow or fog to perform targeting, reconnaissance and fire support. Second generation systems allow soldiers to see the battlefield with just two fields of view and far less clarity. "Making the leap from 2nd to 3rd Generation FLIR is like moving from a standard tube television to high-definition 8K," said Sam Deneke, Raytheon Land Warfare Systems vice president. "This breakthrough technology enables U.S. and allied troops to own the night with more detail and precision than ever before." Existing Army platforms have second generation sighting systems designed for each vehicle. Raytheon's new 3rd GEN FLIR systems will support all next-generation interfaces, offering a common thermal sighting system across all vehicle types. Raytheon has provided FLIR sensors to the U.S. and allied nations for over 50 years. About Raytheon Raytheon Company, with 2019 sales of $29 billion and 70,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 98 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5I products and services, sensing, effects and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. Follow us on Twitter. Media Contact Barry Edwards +1.520.205.0689 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/troops-get-better-eyes-on-battlefield-with-leap-ahead-thermal-sighting-system-301026215.html SOURCE Raytheon Company MURPHYSBORO One day after its primary election, Illinois officials announced a spike in the number of residents who have tested positive for coronavirus. Public health officials revealed 128 new cases on Wednesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Illinois to 288. Nine days ago, there were 11 confirmed cases in the state. Officials also announced cases in two new counties, Kendall and Madison. This virus knows no boundaries, Pritzker said during a visit to Murphysboro. Make no mistake; no place and no person is immune from COVID-19. The age of people who have been diagnosed as having COVID-19 now ranges from 9 to 91. The governor and other health officials had just returned from a tour of a testing facility in Carbondale. The grim truth is that these numbers will continue to grow significantly, as will likely the unfortunate statistic of fatalities, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said. She said the number of cases at a nursing home in DuPage County nearly doubled to 42. Thirty residents and 12 workers tested positive, Ezike said. Ezike also asked parents who were allowing for playdates with other kids to stop the practice. She said such gatherings would negate the benefits of the governors decision to close schools statewide. Pritzker also announced a new website that will act as a catch-all for the states information regarding COVID-19. Coronavirus.illinois.gov will have updates on statistics, news conferences, answer to questions regarding the ongoing pandemic, and information for unemployment and small business assistance. (Natural News) The coronavirus continues its rampage across America, with over 7,300 now confirmed infected (remember when it was just 15?) and 107 confirmed dead. With numerous cities now under lockdown conditions, substantial social distancing factors have been put in place which will significantly slow the spread of the virus over subsequent months, but the reality is that most of America acted too late and were going to see a surge of infections and deaths for the next 3-5 weeks, no matter what happens today. The stock market is in a dizzying, lurching spasm cycle thats bleeding trillions of dollars in assets every day or two, and the Federal Reserve seems prepared to fire hose financial institutions with insane levels of cash in the hopes that making the rich richer will prevent the whole damn system from going down in flames. Meanwhile, prominent conservative publishers, radio hosts and Trump supporters have retreated into a bizarre state of flat Earth-like denialism, now claiming the entire coronavirus pandemic is a grand, elaborate hoax that somehow 100+ nations are faking. In fact, the very same people who told you a month ago that the coronavirus was a deadly bioweapon released to achieve global depopulation are now saying the entire thing is a hoax and nobody is dying, they claim. (The doctors and nurses in Italy beg to differ, of course) The websites with the best reporting on all this continue to be Pandemic.news, ZeroHedge.com and TheEpochTimes.com. News aggregation sites with excellent coverage include DrudgeReport.com and SteveQuayle.com. There are also many strong independent writers who are doing great reporting on this, including Daisy Luther and Dave Hodges. (Apologies if Im leaving worthy sites out of this list, just trying to keep this really brief.) InfoWars and The Gateway Pundit have gone into full-blown denialism now, and they are both actively reporting that the coronavirus infections and deaths are all faked. The Gateway Pundits narrative is starting to mirror communist Chinese propaganda, claiming that China is all back to work now, and everything is under control there. Lets take a look at the numbers: Heres the animation map of where the cases are spreading in the United States: And heres how the deaths are mounting up in the USA, already blowing past 100 deaths: Over the next month, it will be thousands of deaths, then tens of thousands. What happens after that depends on how the USA decides to react. Strong social distancing will result in much lower deaths. But a lack of social isolation will lead to hundreds of thousands or even millions of deaths. The Governor of California is now preparing the public for a declaration of martial law, as we had previously anticipated would occur. Heres how the trajectories are currently going around the world. Notice that in the USA, cases are doubling about every 3 days? Do the math and that gets ugly very quickly: Heres what the NYT shows could happen with just a 30% infection rate and a 2% fatality rate: Yes, thats two million deaths in the USA. If we all agree to self-isolate, we might be able to reduce that to only a few hundred thousand, but thats yet to be seen. The deaths that are already baked in and will occur over the next five weeks or so Even with the strong social distancing measures now put in place, there will still be a wave of hospitalizations and deaths over the next 5 weeks or so due to the lag time for deaths to occur. If we have so far confirmed 5,000 infections in the USA, there are almost certainly another 25,000 who havent yet been tested, given the lack of availability of test kits. Conservatively, this means we are probably close to 30,000 infections right now. At a 2% case fatality rate, this will translate into 600 more deaths in the next five weeks (i.e. by the end of the third week in April). Added to the current 100 deaths, we expect to see, at minimum, 700 deaths recorded at that time, which is right in line with our original pandemic projection model. What happens after that depends entirely on how aggressively the USA gets locked down. If we dont stop domestic air travel, the spread of the virus will never cease, and well be chasing it for the rest of the year. If we do stop all domestic air travel, block public transportation and manage to convince the entire country to self-isolate, then the number of new infections begins to drop considerably. After 7-8 weeks of highly effective isolation, the virus replication cycle has been broken, and the number of new cases plummets to near-zero. However, there is growing concern now that quarantines have no exit strategy, for the moment you begin to end the quarantines, reinfection rates spike again thats been the experience in China so far, and world leaders are now starting to panic about whether anything can return to normal in the next year or so. The real question is: How long will America wait before recognizing and enduring the necessary lockdown to slow the spread and thereby reduce the surge of hospitalizations that will result? Its going to happen sooner or later. The only factor is how many dead people you want overflowing the hospitals before you do the lockdown. If you dont do it, you end up with millions dead sooner or later. Thats why we keep telling people to #FlattenTheCurve Meanwhile, in FLAT EARTH land As doctors and nurses in Northern Italy are screaming at the world to wake up and stop the transmission of the virus, conservatives across America are huddling around the most bizarre response imaginable, now widely claiming the entire thing is a hoax. Yep, a hoax. They actually think the coronavirus doesnt exist and poses no threat to human health. This is the level of delusion we are now facing in America, where Leftists think men can become women, and conservatives think viruses dont exist. (God help us all) It is fascinating, however, to observe all this and wonder how these people will keep up their self-delusion as the deaths in America reach 1,000 and then 10,000 and beyond. No matter how many people die in America, these deniers can always point to something else that killed more people. Abortions killed more! Or, The Vietnam War killed more! Eventually well probably get to the point where a million people have died around the world, and some conservative pundits will scream, But World War II killed more! Maybe it will all peak when we finally hear, But the asteroid that struck the planet 65 million years ago and wiped out all the dinosaurs killed more! This never-ending quest to find and cite a larger death event has become pathetic to watch. When its your own family member dying in the lobby of a Motel 6 because all the local hospitals were overrun, it hardly matters that, Drinking and driving kills more! And it remains inexplicable how the very same publishers who, a month ago, were warning the world about a bioengineered depopulation weapon designed to wipe out humanity are now saying theres no virus, no deaths, no infections and the entire thing is a hoax. Absurd. Personally, I am more than happy to endure a temporary lockdown to stop this virus and get America on track for a swift recovery and a Trump victory in November. Learn or die. Read Pandemic.news to stay informed. Its Coronavirus scare everywhere! The ongoing outbreak has led to the cancellation of releases and shoots of films and shows on television and digital platform. Well, the latest to hop on the bandwagon is, the popular reality show Bigg Boss Malayalam 2. The producer of the show, Endemol Shine India has released a statement announcing the suspension of all the administrative and production departments until further notice in the wake of Coronavirus outbreak. Though there has been no mention of the reality show, it is likely that it might get cancelled due to the ongoing situation. Interestingly, a major part of the comment section has called it the fate of the show for being biased. Few of them have called it karma, for being unfair with Rajith Kumar, who was suspended for attacking Reshma Rajan. Others have questioned the credibility of the show calling it unethical and scripted for a winner already. Well, it looks like the second season of Malayalam Bigg Boss is going through a rough time, especially due to the contestants' health issues. Six of them, RJ Raghu, Alasandra, Sujo Mathew, Daya Aswathy, Alina, Reshma Rajan, were kept away from the show due to an eye infection. Also, a strong contestant of the show, Pavan Gino Thomas had to exit the show due to health reasons. For the uninitiated, Bigg Boss Malayalam 2, being hosted by Mohanlal, is just 4 weeks away from the finale with 10 contestants inside the house now. Bigg Boss Malayalam 2 Fame Rajith Kumar Gets Bail, Says I Am Not The Villain, Corona Is! With local Catholics in the midst of Lent, the Diocese of Madison on Monday canceled the public celebration of Mass amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The restriction applies to both Sunday and weekday Masses at all parish churches, oratories and chapels and will remain in place until April 3, or nine days before Easter, Madison Diocese Bishop Donald Hying said in a statement. All other Wisconsin dioceses in La Crosse, Green Bay and Superior and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee are also canceling public Mass beginning either Tuesday or Wednesday, according to Madison Diocese spokesman Brent King. The moves come after Gov. Tony Evers on Monday banned public gatherings of more than 50 people. On Monday afternoon, the state Department of Heath Services banned gatherings of more than 10 people beginning at 5 p.m. Church services are not among the events exempted from the order. Hying acknowledged in a statement that "in times of public crisis, people naturally turn to the Church for spiritual support and direction, and we need to continue to do whatever we can to support our faithful people." "However," he said, "taking precautionary measures is a prudent course of action given the civil directives and the underlying health concerns." Hying is asking priests to continue celebrating Mass as required by Roman Catholic law but to do it privately, and to keep churches open, where possible, for private prayer. Liturgies for weddings, funerals and baptisms should still be celebrated, Hying said, "but priests will need to work with families to limit attendance at these events to fewer than 50 people and to take other necessary health precautions." He said confession should be limited to individuals. Face-to-face instruction in Catholic schools, religious education programs and all "non-essential" parish events, including Friday fish fries which are especially popular doing Lent should be canceled, he said. He said all of the restrictions will be reevaluated on March 31. King said he didn't think canceling public celebration of Mass had ever happened before in the Madison Diocese. "Snow storms often mean that people are not obliged to attend, but Mass goes on and the few that can, make it," he said. It was only Friday that the coronavirus outbreak spurred Hying to relieve parishioners from the obligation to attend weekly Mass, especially for the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. Photos: A look at how the novel coronavirus is affecting Wisconsin Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 ALBANY Ten parole officers called in sick Tuesday at an office in New Rochelle a hotspot for the coronavirus amid concerns from state employees that dozens of parolees scheduled to report there would be jammed in a waiting room and risk exposing themselves and others to the infectious disease. The Governor's Office of Employee Relations responded by warning leaders of the parole officer's union, the Public Employees Federation, that it may be a Taylor Law violation, a provision of law that prohibits workers from striking in a manner that disrupts government operations, according to a person briefed on the situation. A spokesperson for PEF could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday. Michael N. Volforte, director of the Governor's Office of Employee Relations, and a spokesman for the office, Jian Paolucci, did not immediately comment. There are a dozen parole officers assigned to the Westchester County office where 10 officers did not report for work Tuesday. A person familiar with the matter said the officers were advised to obtain doctor's notes to document their illnesses. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Sunday said that thousands of "non-essential" state workers in southern New York would be authorized to telecommute to do their jobs. The effort to limit the number of state workers boarding subways, trains and other mass transit in the greater New York City area came as the governor urged private businesses to close or scale back their operations to minimize crowds. Latest coronavirus-related cancellations, postponements The latest coronavirus numbers in NY Local grocery stores impose purchase limits as shoppers empty shelves Sign up for the Times Union coronavirus newsletter Full coronavirus coverage Parole officers in the greater New York City region have raised concerns about keeping their offices open and asking parolees to report to those locations. The Times Union reported Saturday that the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision had not made a decision on a request from parole offices to suspend office visits by parolees for up to 30 days at New York City-area offices, in addition to parole offices in Nassau and Suffolk counties and New Rochelle. Labor leaders for parole offices also asked DOCCS to shut down those offices until they are sanitized, along with the vehicles used by parole officers. A group of more than 40 current and former probation and parole executives, as well as The National Association of Probation Executives, issued a statement Tuesday recommending immediately limiting office visits for people on parole and probation. They also called for suspending or reducing technical violations for those on supervised release and reducing the terms to "only as long as necessary to achieve the goals of supervision." "These recommendations are a great, common-sense first step in ensuring the health and well-being of individuals ensnared in the criminal legal system, while also taking steps to ensure that the criminal legal system does not exacerbate the current crisis," said Seth J. Prins, assistant professor of Epidemiology and Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University. In recent days, ex-inmates under supervision have been reporting to parole offices, at times with more than two dozen sitting in waiting rooms together. Wayne Spence, a parole officer and president of the Public Employees Federation, on Saturday said that DOCCS' acting Commissioner Anthony J. Annucci's statement that the agency "takes seriously its duty to ensure the safety and wellbeing" of its employees "rings hollow when it comes to parole officers and their families." "How do you practice social distancing, especially in New Rochelle, where you have the National Guard in the city," Spence said. "How is this social distancing when 30-plus parolees are coming in and will be there next week on Tuesday. ... After 9/11 offices were shut down for reports and parole officers went into the streets and checked on parolees in the community and checked on parolees families in the community." On Saturday afternoon, a parole officer in Manhattan reported that a parolee who had visited their office called and reported that wife had tested positive for coronavirus in a hospital. The parolee, who shares a living space with three others on parole, subsequently tested positive for the virus. The other parolees also were tested, but it's unclear when those results will be returned and the four are scheduled to report to a parole office on Tuesday. "I don't think I look like the guy in the ad, but even if she does think that, that is not the point. I think she's a dangerous person I think she's only a short way away from the Nazi Party in 1930s Germany. The only difference is that instead of going after Jews, she's going after transgender people like me, and immigrants and black people." The first in a series of masterclasses held at AFI Fashion Week Cape Town this past week tackled the topic of sustainability in the local fashion industry. Hosted by Jackie May, the founder and editor of Twyg Magazine, the panel focused on our ability to sustain ourselves, sustain the livelihoods of others, and sustain the planet. AFI Sustainability Masterclass panel. From left to right: Solophina Nekesa, Tracey Chambers, Isaac Mokwana, Laduma Ngxokolo, Jackie May, Dr Esther Mahlangu, Dr Erica de Greef and Vere Shaba. The value of cultural sustainability Dr Esther Mahlangu Global showcase of African identities Community-centred sustainability efforts May introduced the theme by posing a multifaceted question to the audience and panellists: What does the ideal future of fashion look like?Erica De Greef, the co-director of the African Fashion Research Institute (AFRI), kicked off the panel by sharing a story about the world-famous South African designer, Thebe Magugu. When Magugu was still a design student at Lisof, he wrote an essay evaluating Africas contribution to global fashion. His essay was awarded a 100% mark, an almost unheard of achievement in his Design Theory class, according to De Greef who was the lecturer at the time. Eight years later, Magugu was showcasing at Paris Fashion Week, exporting his African design aesthetic and perceptive sensibility to the world.Sustainability is succinctly defined as: meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. There are three pillars of sustainability that are widely recognised, namely: economic, social and environmental. But in Africa there is an addition to these pillars cultural sustainability where our ability to preserve our cultural heritage in the present is said to impact our African identities and global contributions in the future.De Greef used the example of South African shopping malls to further drive home the point of decolonisation. Our malls host a variety of international brands, which serve as stark reminders of a colonial era where western philosophies were sold to us as better than our own institutional knowledge and capabilities. The impact is far-reaching, affecting our economic gains and our social cohesion, and the only visible solution in the short-term is to buy and support locally-made and owned brands.For the African creatives who are propelling their art on international platforms, understanding their cultural history and anthropology is a sure-fire way to ensure their contributions are valuable and unique. Dr Esther Mahlangu is one such artist, who has had opportunities to elevate Ndebele art and messaging through international brands. For Dr Mahlangu, continuing traditions has become her lifes purpose and she shares everything she learned from her own mother and grandmother with the youth of today.Respect the work of your hands, she said. The way you were raised in African culture, carry that wherever you go.Laduma Ngxokolo, the renowned designer behind the brand Maxhosa Africa, shared the sentiments of Dr Mahlangu, but uses his brand to fluidly translate diverse African cultures to local and international audiences. I wanted [to make] a product that would outlive me, he said, talking on the quality of his garments and other accessories. While Maxhosa Africa began as an expression of Ngxokolos own Xhosa heritage, he quickly branched out to incorporate multiple Xhosa identities as well as cultural symbols relating to tribes across the continent.From Ngxokolos perspective, its important to showcase African identities that are not one-dimensional, which reflects in his take on sustainability as well. His use of South African wool and mohair luxury raw materials that we are famous for creates opportunities along the fashion supply chain. At the same time, he offers all his customers a lifetime guarantee, which includes mending and repairing their garments for free, in an effort to educate people about durable fabrics and garment care.I wanted the product to sell itself, not the price, he added, reminiscing on his childhood where the clothing purchased by his family was seen as an investment expected to last for years.Vere Shaba, founder of Greendesign Africa, further added to the perspectives of sustainability from an engineering point of view. She emphasised that there is a business case for sustainability, as profit can be generated through the preservation of African prints, techniques and culture using technology. Fusing tech and cultural disruption together gives African creatives ample pathways to express identity and heritage through a modern lens.While these tech visions of the future can provide hope, the founder of The Clothing Bank, Tracey Chambers, brought attendees back to the present when she highlighted practical short-term sustainable techniques. Chambers began her career in retail and was horrified by the leftover stock that was discarded and burnt because the supply exceeded the demand. The large informal sector within the country has allowed The Clothing Bank to blossom, by supplying unemployed women with retail clothing that they use to start their own small businesses.Fast fashion has bombarded global markets with affordable, trendy garments that are quick to deteriorate, but The Clothing Bank has turned this into an opportunity for low-income women to support themselves and their families.In closing, Solophina Nekesa of the Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) network raised the point of putting people at the centre of all sustainability efforts. Planning sustainable municipalities requires all stakeholders, she said, adding that in order to build a sustainable community, we need a collective understanding of both the natural economy and the social economy.Whether or not international fashion houses consider African cultural preservation as a social sustainability pillar, is debatable. However, the global fashion industry is searching for alternative stories and sources of inspiration to reflect in their designs. Only time will tell if the rise of African narratives in the global fashion market is sustainable or just another fad. NEW YORK, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The report on the global wireless stethoscope market provides qualitative and quantitative analysis for the period from 2017 to 2025. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05874245/?utm_source=PRN The report predicts the global wireless stethoscope market to grow with a CAGR of 7.5% over the forecast period from 2019-2025. The study on wireless stethoscope market covers the analysis of the leading geographies such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW for the period of 2017 to 2025. The report on wireless stethoscope market is a comprehensive study and presentation of drivers, restraints, opportunities, demand factors, market size, forecasts, and trends in the global wireless stethoscope market over the period of 2017 to 2025. Moreover, the report is a collective presentation of primary and secondary research findings. Porter's five forces model in the report provides insights into the competitive rivalry, supplier and buyer positions in the market and opportunities for the new entrants in the global wireless stethoscope market over the period of 2017 to 2025. Further, IGR-Growth Matrix gave in the report brings an insight into the investment areas that existing or new market players can consider. Report Findings 1) Drivers Benefits offered by wireless stethoscope such as a joint listening, recording the auscultation for the diagnosis follow-up fuels the demand for Wireless Stethoscope Shift towards value-based patient care High the growth rate of geriatric population 2) Restraints High cost of the Wireless Stethoscope and prevailing use of conventional stethoscopes 3) Opportunities Rising adoption of technologically advanced products Research Methodology A) Primary Research Our primary research involves extensive interviews and analysis of the opinions provided by the primary respondents. The primary research starts with identifying and approaching the primary respondents, the primary respondents are approached include 1. Key Opinion Leaders associated with Infinium Global Research 2. Internal and External subject matter experts 3. Professionals and participants from the industry Our primary research respondents typically include 1. Executives working with leading companies in the market under review 2. Product/brand/marketing managers 3. CXO level executives 4. Regional/zonal/ country managers 5. Vice President level executives. B) Secondary Research Secondary research involves extensive exploring through the secondary sources of information available in both the public domain and paid sources. At Infinium Global Research, each research study is based on over 500 hours of secondary research accompanied by primary research. The information obtained through the secondary sources is validated through the crosscheck on various data sources. The secondary sources of the data typically include 1. Company reports and publications 2. Government/institutional publications 3. Trade and associations journals 4. Databases such as WTO, OECD, World Bank, and among others. 5. Websites and publications by research agencies Segment Covered The global wireless stethoscope market is segmented on the basis of technology, and end user. The Global Wireless Stethoscope Market by Technology Integrated Chest-piece System Wireless Transmission System (Bluetooth) Integrated Receiver Head-piece System Numerical Simulation and System Integration The Global Wireless Stethoscope Market by End User Hospitals Clinics Healthcare Institutes & Organizations Home Care Settings Others Company Profiles CDAC-Mohali Freedom Scope Sedation Resource eKuore Pro 3M Company M3DICINE Pty Ltd. FarmaSino Pharmaceuticals Eko EXANOVO GROUP Others What does this report deliver? 1. Comprehensive analysis of the global as well as regional markets of the wireless stethoscope market. 2. Complete coverage of all the segments in the wireless stethoscope market to analyze the trends, developments in the global market and forecast of market size up to 2025. 3. Comprehensive analysis of the companies operating in the global wireless stethoscope market. The company profile includes analysis of product portfolio, revenue, SWOT analysis and latest developments of the company. 4. IGR- Growth Matrix presents an analysis of the product segments and geographies that market players should focus to invest, consolidate, expand and/or diversify. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05874245/?utm_source=PRN About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker Related Links www.reportlinker.com Social distancing has been the immediate resolution implemented by most countries affected by Coronavirus. With the daily increase of confirmed cases throughout the globe, it has been a trending topic not only on social media but on dating platforms too. Daters are becoming more conscious of being more intimate following the World Health Organization's call for social distancing. With the mandate to stay at home, whether for self-quarantine purposes or not, online daters have found more time to spend on their dating apps. According to OKCupid, 95% of their users are still willing to meet up even though the count of confirmed coronavirus cases continues to rise. Perks of Virtual Dating Say Allo, another dating app, observed an increase of 350% in their apps's video date feature. This is especially observed in cities like Denver, New York and Los Angeles where new cases were found. They believe that video dating has opened another avenue for lovers to take their relationship up a notch. Other dating platforms, such us JWed, are thinking of creating additional features on top of the video date. They want to make sure that at this time, where social distancing is a top priority, online daters can still have real-life dating experience. These initiatives from different platforms make dating possible especially for those who do not want to risk their health and safety during a meetup. Dating in General Based on the data shared by US News and World Report, 92% of Americans are dating normally despite the risk of getting infected by the virus. It is a fact that human communication is vital especially for days like this. People still want to talk to each other and finding a lifetime partner in this time of pandemic will just make one's love story more interesting. Moreso, the current situation that the world is in would only force people to get to know each other better online than in person. It enhances the chance that an online dater will find a suitable match for him or her rather than meeting up just because you both swiped right. Actions from Dating Apps Dating apps made adjustments in response to the alarming count of COVID-19. Tinder cancelled their swipe night event which was supposed to be launched last weekend. They also interrupt your swiping from time to time to remind you about social distancing and other health measures. Lex, a Queer focused app, also reminds its users to watch hands while enjoying one's own home. OkCupid, on the other hand, goes further by asking their users a question, "Does Coronavirus affect your dating life?". According to OkCupid's Global Communications Manager, Michael Kaye, by responding to certain questions, it helps them match the online daters better. Online dating may be the best resort for people looking for love at this point. Dating in person will only increase your chance of getting infected as you would most likely hold hands, and kiss. World Health Officials have suggested other means of greeting such as waving and bowing as everyone is encouraged to adhere to social distancing. Hey, how can you go wrong by swiping right? (Newser) 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 daughter's birthday party, the AP reports. The ex-Marine's 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 California's last solidly Republican districts. But US 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. 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. story continues below 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 over the course of a decade 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 wife's 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. His wife, who was not present Tuesday, is scheduled to be sentenced April 7; Hunter asked the court Tuesday to spare the mother of his three children jail time. He was ordered to report to prison on May 29. Hours after the sentencing, the court's chief judge announced criminal proceedings, including sentencing hearings, would be suspended until April 16. (Read more Duncan Hunter stories.) One of the most basic rules of journalism is that every story needs five Ws who, what, when, where and why. But the COVID-19 story is crucially, frustratingly missing a W when, as in when will this all be over? Despite daily government briefings from Justin Trudeau, his ministers and health experts, when is conspicuously absent from the facts and forecasts on offer. Unfortunately, it is arguably the most stress-inducing question mark hanging over the entire crisis in Canada and the world. This incredible suspension of normal life as most people know it is agonizingly open-ended. We dont know exactly how long this is going to take, whether it takes weeks or months, Trudeau said outside his home on Tuesday. Things will get better, the prime minister predicted, but thats as precise as he would be. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland talked of a light at the end of the tunnel too at the ministerial news conference on Tuesday, without offering a timeline. I really want to assure Canadians that the federal government will do what it takes to get us through this crisis and to ensure that Canadian workers, Canadian businesses are in a position to come roaring back, Freeland said. Were going to be listening to our health experts as to when that time is, but that time will definitely come. Optimistic words, for sure, but what has seemed clear over the past few days is that Canada is still ratcheting up its response to COVID-19, not down. That in itself is an indication that were still at the beginning of this odyssey; that an end is not yet in sight. Its a growing pandemic, as Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said on Tuesday as his government, like Ontario, cracked down further on social distancing. All of the announcements are disturbing: borders closing, stores, bars and restaurants, talk of emergency measures. But the most unsettling ones are those that come with an indefinite end date closed until further notice; postponed for this year. Schools are shut in Ontario until April 5; Parliament is closed until April 20 (with the exception of an emergency, yet-to-be-scheduled session announced by Trudeau on Tuesday.) But theres an at least buried in these closings as well its very possible that they will need to be extended. No one seems to know what the end of COVID-19 looks like. How are citizens going to react, for instance, to the new deadline for filing income tax to June 1? Does that mean that this crisis will last well past the May 24 long weekend? Canadians are not unfamiliar with crises at the individual level. But snowstorms end, floods recede and power outages are resolved. A standard emergency preparedness kit, according to the government and the Red Cross, envisions 72 hours of need. But what does one stock for an emergency with food, running water and power? The puzzling run on toilet paper is perhaps a reply to that conundrum. Governments advise people to plan for their retirements; to put away money for kids education. There are online calculators for that prudent planning. But theres no online calculator for the end of COVID-19, except in the algorithmic hints dropped by public health officials when talking of the indicators they need to see to flatten the curve. Oh, and about those retirement savings: best not to think about the when of retiring while stock markets are tanking. Here is what we do know about the when of COVID-19: self-isolation and quarantine have a time span (two weeks, generally, as weve seen with regard to cruise ships and International travellers) but social distancing does not. Self-isolation and quarantine are strict from the outset; social distancing the kind were seeing now is an exercise in ever-growing limits on our freedom. By about the end of this week, it may be impossible to tell the difference between self-isolation and social distancing except that, again, we have no idea when the hunkering-down will end. Strangely or maybe not so strangely Donald Trump has been more forthcoming than Canadian government officials about the arc of this COVID-19 crisis, as he sees it. The next eight weeks are critical, Trump said when he declared the national emergency last week. Eight weeks is a long time, but it is a time horizon; something that allows citizens some kind of planning horizon, as well as hope for an end to this crisis. The other basic rule in journalism, beyond the five Ws, is about deadlines: always meet them. COVID-19 doesnt have a deadline either. We know what it is, where it is, who its affecting and even why its happening. But we dont know when it ends or when Canada will, in Freelands words, come roaring back. Susan Delacourt is a columnist covering national politics based in Ottawa. Reach her via email: sdelacourt@thestar.ca or follow her on Twitter: @susandelacourt Read more about: Tamil Nadu fishers stuck in Iran running out of food; embassy unhelpful by Antony Fernando March 18,2020 | Source: Indian Express Fishers from Nagapattinam and other parts of Tamil Nadu in India stranded in Iran complain that they are struggling for food as they await repatriation. Iran is one of the countries worst affected by coronavirus. It has been close to three weeks since fishers in Iran stopped fishing after coronavirus reached epidemic proportions in that country. While they are yet to receive help, they have now complained about the shortage of food. "The number of times a day we eat has been reduced to just once over the past few days. Employers have not paying or feeding us. We have conveyed our problems to the Indian embassy, but they are not of much help," said M Praveen (25) from Vizhunthamavadi, who works in Kish Island ans spoke to TNIE via WhatsApp. Over 14,000 people in Iran have been infected with coronavirus in the past two months and more than 850 have died, according to reports. The Centre has started sending flights to bring back Indians stuck in the country. But fishers, who are mostly fishing in islands around the Persian Gulf, say that they have not received any proper communication from the embassy. "We cannot find ingredients to cook and eateries are hard to find nearby. It is not possible for us to travel long distances to buy essentials. We are forced to buy snacks from shops and eat. We are forced to live in primitive lives," said S Bharathi (20) from Vizhunthamavadi, who works in Mugam. Along with those from Nagapattinam, there are fishers from Kannyakumari, Ramanathapuram, Cuddalore and Tuticorin stuck in their respective places. Most of them use fibreglass boats to fish in Gulf waters. "We tried communicating with the embassy but they keep postponing everything by citing reasons which are hard to believe. We are losing hope. We may starve to death before we get repatriated," said C John Paul (31), a fisher from Kurumpanai in Kanyakumari district. Meanwhile, family members of two fishers from Keechankuppam have petitioned the District Collector to take steps to bring the fishers back from Iran. newindianexpress.com 2020 Theme(s): Communities and Organisations. 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Licenses and registration can be renewed by mail with a personal check or money order, by phone at 270-527-4740, or at the link below. Officials say they expect to have a drop box in place by Friday. The drop box will be located on the 12th Street side of the courthouse, near the entrance to the handicap ramp. Anyone with questions regarding marriage licenses, notary public, or recordings, should contact the vault at 270-527-4746. The Marshall County Clerk's Office will be closing to the public Tuesday afternoon. Irish banks are offering a three month moratorium to those affected by Covid-19 in order to alleviate financial pressure. The five core banks in Ireland- AIB, Bank of Ireland, KBC, Permanent TSB and Ulster Bank, as well as the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) met today to discuss what financial measures could be introduced to the people of Ireland. So far, over 150,000 people are out of work due to Covid-19, and 16,000 have applied for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment of 203.00 a week. In a bid to help those who have lost their jobs and are under financial strain the five banks are implementing the following measures: Implement a payment break up to three months for business and personal customers affected by Covid-19, to be followed by ongoing reviews depending on the scale and extent of the situation. Customers wishing to avail of a payment break should contact their respective bank. The banks agree there is a need for a simplified application process to make it as easy as possible for businesses and personal customers impacted by Covid-19 to receive support from their banks. We are working with all member banks to achieve this. The banks want to ensure that any Covid-19 application for a payment break and further reviews will not adversely impact the customers credit record, and the banks reporting of these facilities. Banks want to avoid this and are meeting with the Central Bank of Ireland to urgently achieve a solution in this regard. Banks will also defer court proceedings for three months. The banking system stands ready to provide working capital support. The banking system have had initial discussions with Credit Servicing Firms and with those non-bank lenders who provide mortgages. Both the Credit Servicing Firms and non-bank lenders have issues which we need to address with the Central Bank of Ireland, but both are committed to working with the Government and industry to provide the flexibility that people need right now. BPFI CEO Brian Hayes said that "these are exceptional circumstances in which people now find themselves and we believe they require exceptional measures. The banks are moving urgently to introduce measures that will best support businesses and personal customers impacted by the Covid-19 crisis. They will also require the full support of key stakeholders in order to make it happen. The banks are also working collaboratively to ensure that continuity of service plans are in place, that critical functions can continue, and that staff remain available to continue to service customers at this time Indonesia on March 17 announced that it will prohibit the entry and transit of visitors from six European nations and Iran starting from March 20 over coronavirus concerns, international media reported citing the countrys foreign ministry. The ministry in a statement said, For the next month, all travelers who wish to visit Indonesia will also have to obtain a health certificate from their home countries and must apply for a visa from Indonesian missions." It added that the restrictions for travellers from China and South Korea's Daegu City and Gyeongsangbuk-do province remain in place. Bans export of masks The announcement comes just a few days after Indonesian Trade Minister Agus Suparmanto announced that his country will temporarily ban the export of face masks in order to safeguard supply in the domestic market. Prices of face masks and hand sanitizers skyrocketed after people started stockpiling protective supplies in several parts of the country. Agus Suparmanto said that Indonesia will start exporting face masks in the future when there is adequate supply for domestic consumers. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati during the same press conference said that finance ministry will provide necessary funds for the handling of COVID-19 in the country. Read: Coronavirus: Statue Of Unity Closed For Tourists Till March 25 Read: All Bhima Koregaon Hearings In March Postponed By JIC Amid Coronavirus Outbreak Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati during the same press conference said that finance ministry will provide necessary funds for the handling of COVID-19 in the country. This comes as infected cases rose to 172 cases and the death toll rose to five on March 17 due to the virus. Read: WHO Calls For 'boldest Actions' In All European Countries To Battle Coronavirus Meanwhile, the Work Health Organisation (WHO) regional office on March 17 said that there is a need for bold measures in all the European countries. While speaking at a press conference, WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge called Europe the epicenter of coronavirus pandemic. Previously, WHO Director-General had also called Europe the epicenter as more cases were being reported every day in the continent than they were in China. Read: Amid Coronavirus Scare, Elderly Man Greets Wife On Anniversary From Outside Window Malicious reports all have been reporting that Meghan Markle is the reason why Prince Harry is no longer with his family. As if the former "Suits" actress dreamt of splitting up Prince Harry from the one family member he really doted in his life, Queen Elizabeth II. According to an exclusive report by Hollywood Life, Markle wants her husband to stay close to the royals, now more than ever, regardless of the drama that has been surrounding them since day 1. A source close to the couple has revealed to the news outlet that as soon as the travel precautions against the growing global health pandemic are lifted, Markle and Prince Harry will be visiting the Queen with baby Archie in tow. The reason is more than just letting Queen Elizabeth see her grandson. Instead, Markle really wants Harry to maintain close ties to his family. According to the source, there is no doubt at all that days leading to Megxit were quite dramatic and tough, but this does not mean Markle wants to see Harry separated for good from the people he loves. "It's been a tough time but at the end of the day he still loves his family and that won't change and hasn't changed. He has always been close to his grandmother and he very much wants her to have time with Archie, he loves seeing them together," the source said. In their last official engagements and duties in the UK, Baby Archie was not able to come with them due to the coronavirus crisis. Despite some negative assumptions about the decision, the source claimed that it was the most sensible choice that everyone in the palace understood. Moreover, even though they have the intention of bringing Archie back in the summer and spend time with the Queen at Balmoral, concrete plans cannot yet be made at present. Everyone knows that real plans cannot be made at this time, as things are still too uncertain. "But when they can safely take Archie back for a visit they will," the source said. Markle has always been painted as the bad guy by some ever since she and Prince Harry got married. Her efforts are either too much or too little. But when news of Megxit broke out, or the news that the two will officially step down from their roles as senior members of the royal family, there's no doubt that people blamed Markle for most of the drama that has unfolded since then. "Is it Meghan's fault? It's hard to escape the conclusion that having grown up in a country that considers the Kennedys to be aristocracy, Meghan didn't understand that being a Windsor is not like being a celebrity," said Virginia Blackburn of the UK tabloid Express. "You have a very popular and senior member of the royal family who falls for an American divorcee and his world falls apart. Sound familiar? Talk about history repeating itself," Blackburn added. There were even those that claimed she's the modern-day Yoko Ono, the one who broke up the infamous Beatles. On her case, she's breaking up the royal family. READ: Prince Harry Scared of Queen Elizabeth II? Expert Thinks So! READ MORE: Royal Scare: Meghan Markle, Prince Harry to Self-Quarantine Amid Coronavirus Crisis live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Financial services startup Vivriti Capital, which runs an online marketplace for mid-market corporates to raise debt, said on March 18 it has raised Rs 350 crore (about $50 million) in a Series-B equity funding round from Swiss investor LGT, via its impact investment from Lightstone Aspada. Founded in 2017 by Gaurav Kumar and Vineet Sukumar, Vivriti lends from its own balance sheet as well as via its marketplace-, where large-cap investors such as State Bank of India, ICICI Bank and Templeton Mutual Fund lend to mid-market corporates. It lends from its own balance sheet as a part of these transactions to showcase its deep involvement in the business. Avendus Capital was the banker to the deal. Vivriti had earlier raised Rs 300 crore from Creation Investments, a US-based impact investment firm. Vivriti had crossed Rs 25,000 crore in disbursals, and has lent about Rs 1,500 crore from its own balance sheet currently, co-founder and CEO Vineet Sukumar had told Mint in a phone nterview. "LGT gives us the opportunity to grow rapidly. They also reduce risk for us because they are very deep pocketed investors who can even finance the next two rounds," Sukumar added. Vivriti also has commitments of Rs 150 crore for its fund so far. Both the fund and the marketplace business seem less affected by the novel coronavirus disease, which has hampered business globally and brought travel, dealmaking and certain sectors to a grinding halt. "We will re examine the balance sheet and be more cautious for the next two quarters to lend from our book. We are watchful because while discretionary spending is falling, spend on staples is rising for the short term," said Sukumar. Incoming investor LGT Aspada has emerged as an active investor in the growth stages of Indian startups in the last few months. Swiss investor LGT, a bank and fund manager with $201 billion of assets under management, acquired Lightstone Aspada from the Soros Economic Development Fund in May 2019. Following the acquisition, Vivriti is LGT Aspada's fifth deal in the last few months. Other investments which have closed or are closing currently include scooter rental firm Vogo, lending startup SmartCoin, student housing startup Oxfordcaps and logistics firm Porter. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 01:42:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Flags are seen at the Tian'anmen Square and atop the Great Hall of the People. (Xinhua/Yang Zongyou) The U.S. moves exclusively targeting Chinese media organizations were driven by a Cold War mentality and ideological bias. It has exposed the hypocrisy of the self-styled advocate of press freedom, a statement said. BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday announced countermeasures against restrictive measures on Chinese media agencies in the United States, according to an official statement. The statement said that in recent years, the U.S. government has placed unwarranted restrictions on Chinese media agencies and personnel in the United States, purposely made things difficult for their normal reporting assignments, and subjected them to growing discrimination and politically motivated oppression. In December 2018, the United States ordered certain Chinese media organizations in the United States to register as "foreign agents." In February 2020, it designated five Chinese media entities in the United States as "foreign missions" and imposed a cap on the number of their employees, in effect expelling Chinese journalists from the United States. Such outrageous treatment prompted strong representations from China. China firmly objected to and strongly condemned the U.S. move, and stressed its reserved right to respond and take actions, said the statement. The statement said that China hereby announces the following measures, effective immediately: First, in response to the U.S. 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. Second, in response to the United States slashing the staff size of Chinese media outlets in the United States, which is expulsion in all but name, China demands that journalists of U.S. 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 Wednesday and hand back their press cards within 10 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. Third, in response to the discriminatory restrictions the United States has imposed on Chinese journalists with regard to visa, administrative review and reporting, China will take reciprocal measures against American journalists. National flags of China (R) and the United States. (Xinhua/Bao Dandan) The statement said that the above-mentioned measures are entirely necessary and reciprocal countermeasures that China is compelled to take in response to the unreasonable oppression the Chinese media organizations experience in the United States. They are legitimate and justified self-defense in every sense. The U.S. moves exclusively targeting Chinese media organizations were driven by a Cold War mentality and ideological bias. It has seriously tarnished the reputation and image of Chinese media organizations, seriously affected their normal operation in the United States, and seriously disrupted people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries. It has therefore exposed the hypocrisy of the self-styled advocate of press freedom, the statement said. "China urges the United States to immediately change course, undo the damage, and stop its political oppression and arbitrary restrictions on Chinese media organizations. Should the United States choose to go further down the wrong path, it could expect more countermeasures from China," the statement read. The statement said that China's fundamental state policy of opening up has not changed and will not change. "Foreign media organizations and journalists who cover stories in accordance with laws and regulations are always welcome in China, and will get continued assistance from our side." "What we reject is ideological bias against China, fake news made in the name of press freedom, and breaches of ethics in journalism. We call on foreign media outlets and journalists to play a positive role in advancing the mutual understanding between China and the rest of the world," the statement said. As the cases of deadly coronavirus rise sharply to 254 in Pakistan on March 17 and conflicting reports arise about countrys first fatality due to COVID-19, Pakistans Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that virus will spread further. According to officials, the Singh province is the worst-hit areas with 172 coronavirus cases, followed by Punjab by 26. Both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have 16 COVID-19 cases and Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad have reported 5 and 2 cases respectively. According to media coordinator to Singh health minister, Meeran Yousuf, the total number of infections detected of the fatal virus rose to 172 in Singh province on March 17 and out of them, 134 are in Sukkar, 37 in Karachi and one in Hyderabad city. While addressing the country, Pakistan PM warned that the COVID-19 cases will spread further in the nation. He also claimed that at least 9,00,000 people have been tested at airports as governments measures to combat the pandemic which has now spread to over 160 countries. "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. Read - Imran Khan Breaks Silence On Pakistan Students Stuck In China's Coronavirus-hit Wuhan Read - Pakistan Can't Afford To Shutter Cities To Prevent Virus: PM Imran Khan Will die of hunger Further explaining why the Pakistan government is not allowing to close down the cities, Imran Khan said that the move will significantly hit the poor in the country who will die of hunger. Instead, the countrys government has set up a National Coordination Committee which is reportedly supported by a core panel of medical experts to combat the drastic spread of COVID-19. The Pak PM also said that the government is planning to set up a separate committee to offset the economic impact of the fatal virus. Meanwhile, conflicting statements about the first death due to COVID-19 infection in Pakistan have also surfaced. Earlier, Punjab Health Minister Yasmin Rashid had said in a news conference in Lahore that the country has witnessed the first fatality due to virus disease. Even the National Command and Control Centre also confirmed the death. According to the statement, the patient had arrived from Muscat on March 15 and was tested positive of the novel virus. He later died in Lahores Mayo Hospital after being admitted. However, later, on the same day, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar rejected all the claims. He said in a tweet that the person had not died due to coronavirus. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Army has said that all medical facilities of the armed forces were "operationalised and geared up to meet any eventuality to deal with the pandemic". Read - South Star Simran Bagga Shares Informative Video Amidst Rising Coronavirus Cases Read - Harsimrat Kaur Badal Advises Govt To Consider Curtailing Parliament To Stop COVID19 Spread (With PTI inputs) KALAMAZOO, MI Police arrested two men early Wednesday, March 18, who were allegedly stealing mail. Kalamazoo police responded to a 1 a.m. report that the men had just stolen mail from a mailbox in the 900 block of Reed Avenue. Police responded quickly and found the two. Police recovered mail, checks, forged documents, identification cards, credit and debit cards and other property that did not belong to the men. The property was stolen from addresses in Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Township and Battle Creek, police said. The suspects, two 50-year-old Kalamazoo residents, were arrested on outstanding felony warrants. They are expected to face numerous other charges related to the alleged theft of mail. The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety takes the crimes of mail theft, package theft and other crimes very seriously and appreciates the community involvement in reporting such crimes, police said in a statement. Police asked anyone with information to call Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety at 337-8994 or Silent Observer at 343-2100. Also on MLive: World boxing champion, trainer Roger Mayweather dies at 58 Ottawa County coronavirus patient came into contact with 50 people Man who shot, killed girlfriends ex-boyfriend acted in self-defense, prosecutor says STOCKHOLM, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ElectReon has completed a test of dynamic wireless charging of a 40 ton long haul electric truck on the island of Gotland, Sweden. This marks the world's first truck operations on a public wireless electric road and is an important milestone for the Smartroad Gotland project and for electric mobility. The test verified that the road infrastructure successfully functions in real life conditions and that the system is not affected by snow or rain. The test was conducted on a public stretch of electric road, that was deployed in November 2019, between the airport and the town of Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland. It took place for a week and a half in winter conditions with rain and snow. Initially, the management unit was installed on the side of the road, connected to the electric grid and the coils under the road. Next, the communication with the coils was tested and then the static charging of the truck via its five receivers. Finally, the system was operated for dynamic charging of the truck on a 50 meter section at a speed of up to 30 km/h. The cloud based system was automatically operated and remotely monitored. The results of the test are satisfactory, the system operated while the truck was on the move and all the receivers functioned and transferred 45 kW to the truck's battery. During the coming months the transferred power and vehicle speed will be increased gradually in order to reach the goal of 125 kW and highway speed. Furthermore, additional electric road segments will be deployed and an electric bus will be in commercial operation as an airport shuttle. Oren Ezer, CEO of Electreon Wireless: "We are excited to wirelessly charge a long haul electric truck while driving on a public road for the first time ever. The results of the test are an important milestone for the project funded by the Swedish Transport Administration and for enabling electric mobility that is convenient, cost effective, and sustainable." About Smartroad Gotland Smartroad Gotland is the world's first wireless electric road for trucks and buses on public roads. Smartroad Gotland is supported and financed by the Swedish Transport Administration and is led by ElectReon AB, a Swedish subsidiary of the Israeli company ElectReon Wireless. The project's goal is to show that ElectReon's technology is ready for commercialization, and to give decision makers the knowledge needed for large-scale expansion of wireless electric roads. For more information about the project and the technology, visit our website: www.smartroadgotland.com More press images: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LYaCYWDcxTV0iFr5l26HtnchMfI6m_Cl?usp=sharing Communication related questions: Communication manager: Petra Carlenarson Matters Group +46-708-962555 [email protected] Technical questions: Project manager: Hakan Sundelin Electreon AB +46-730-278493 [email protected] Business related questions: Business development manager: Stefan Tongur Electreon AB +46-704-182065 [email protected] This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/electreon-ab/r/successful-start-for-world-s-first-wireless-electric-road-for-trucks,c3062153 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/18921/3062153/1213301.pdf Press release (PDF) https://news.cision.com/electreon-ab/i/picture-1,c2763434 Picture 1 https://news.cision.com/electreon-ab/i/picture-2,c2763435 Picture 2 SOURCE Electreon AB Highlights Three convicts plea seek stay on execution citing two new mercy petitions to be heard tomorrow Verdict on another convicts plea alleging he was not in Delhi on crime day likely tomorrow The convicts have even approached the ICJ for stay on execution scheduled for March 20 Delhi gang rape convicts make fourth attempt to stall hanging hours before D day A Delhi court on Wednesday sought the response of the Tihar jail authorities on a plea by three of the four Delhi gang rape and murder convicts--Akshay Thakur, Pawan Gupta and Vinay Sharma--seeking a stay on their execution since two of the convicts had filed a second mercy petition, just a couple of days before the scheduled hanging on March 20. Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana also questioned the last-minute bid to stop the hanging of the four convicts who were found guilty of brutally gang raping a 23-year-old paramedic student on a moving bus on December 16, 2012. Why do you approach the court only at last hour? Is there anything pending anywhere?, the judge asked AP Singh, the counsel for the three convicts who petitioned the court. Singh replied that a curative petition by Pawan Gupta claiming juvenility at the time of the incident is pending before the Supreme Court. In his plea, Singh has stated that a second mercy petition for Pawan and Akshay has been filed before the President of India. He also said that a divorce petition by Thakurs wife is pending in a court of Bihar. The plea also cites bad air quality in Delhi and the coronavirus pandemic to claim that the hanging of the four convicts on March 20 is unsustainable and hence it should be postponed till further orders. He said another appeal by Pawan Guptas father against the star witness is pending adjudication before the Delhi High Court. The Public prosecutor appearing for the Tihar jail opposed the plea. However, the court issued notice and posted the matter for further hearing on Thursday at 12 PM. Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court reserved its order on a plea by Mukesh Singh, through his counsel ML Sharma, challenging the trial courts rejection of his claim that he was not present in the city during the time of the incident. On Tuesday, a city court had dismissed Singhs plea that alleged he was falsely implicated by the police which did not show the actual date of arrest. However, the court held that all these defenses have already been rejected by the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court while considering the appeals at various stages. On Wednesday, Sharma told the court that his client was arrested from Karoli, Rajasthan on December 17, 2012, and not on December 18, 2012, as contended by the prosecution. However, Advocate Rahul Mehra, the standing counsel of the state, opposed the plea and called it a desperate attempt to stall the execution. What prevented them to tell about torture if he was facing it in jail. Mukesh could have written a letter to the competent authority about the torture, he said. Following arguments, Justice Brijesh Sethi reserved the order and is likely to pronounce it on Thursday. Also Read - 2012 gangrape convict now says he was not in Delhi on day of crime, seeks stay on execution Three convicts-- Akshay, Pawan and Vinayhave also approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a stay on the execution of their death sentence. Hanging of the four convicts-- Mukesh Singh, Akshay Singh Thakur, Pawan Gupta, and Vinay Sharmahas already been stayed thrice triggering outrage from the victims mother and a section of the civil society who have accused the convicts of using loopholes in the law to frustrate justice. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The government's plan to privatise flag carrier will be further delayed and it will have to infuse up to Rs 3,000 crore to ensure continuity of operations till the sale process gets over, the Centre for Pacific Aviation (CAPA) said on Wednesday. The government has already extended the date of submission for expression of interest to April 30 from March 17 due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. In January, the government restarted the divestment process of the carrier and invited bids for selling its 100 per cent stake in both and its low-cost international budget arm Express besides entire 50 per cent holding in ground-handling joint venture AI-SATS. "The privatisation process for Air India will be further delayed. The EoI submission date has already been pushed back by six weeks," CAPA said in its latest report -- Impact of COVID-19 on Indian Aviation -- released on Wednesday. Due to this delay, the government will need to commit "significant" and "immediate" interim funding of $300-400 million for the national carrier, to ensure that it is able to operate at least in its current condition until such time as the sale transaction is concluded. Air India pilot unions - Indian Pilots Guild and Indian Commercial Pilots Association- on Monday wrote to Minister of State for Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri, seeking immediate financial assistance to the airline in view of the situation arising out of the coronvirus outbreak. CAPA, in its report also stated that the government must also have a fall-back plan to regroup and continue to operate the airline for the medium-term if the privatisation process is unable to proceed. After its unsuccessful bid to sell Air India in 2018, the government this time decided to offload its entire stake. In 2018, the government had offered to sell its 76 per cent stake in the airline. British tourists have been told to leave Spain within days after the Spanish government announced that all hotels would close from next Tuesday. The Foreign Office today warned British travellers to 'make travel plans to return as soon as possible' after Madrid announced the shutdown. Holidaymakers are urged to 'contact their tour operator or airline as soon as possible' to make arrangements to fly home. Spain has imposed a near-total lockdown and banned people from leaving their homes except to go to work, buy food or receive medical care. Spanish soldiers stand guard in Puerta del Sol in the capital Madrid, where the Spanish government has ordered a shutdown of all hotels 'The Spanish government have confirmed that all hotels will close in Spain from Tuesday 24 March,' the FCO said in a statement. 'We therefore advise British travellers in Spain to contact their tour operator or airline as soon as possible, to arrange their return journey home before this date.' The outbreak in Spain has become the worst in Europe outside Italy, with more than 13,700 people infected and 598 dead. Britons made nearly 19million visits to Spain last year, and many British expats live in the country, meaning many holiday plans are likely to be ruined by the outbreak. Other British tourists are facing a similar struggle to get home from countries including Morocco and Cyprus. Holidaymakers struggling to return home have accused airlines of leaving them stranded and demanding extortionate fees. Tom Widdall, who is in Morocco with his heavily pregnant girlfriend, was due to fly home from Agadir to Manchester on Saturday, but his easyJet flight was cancelled. He said he has been unable to get on to an earlier flight and claimed he has been 'abandoned by easyJet and abandoned by the embassy'. EasyJet told passengers it is 'doing all we can to assist'. Spain has declared a state of alert, shutting all but essential services and ordering its population of 46 million people to stay at home. People are only allowed to go out to buy food or medicine, to go to work or to get medical treatment. Fines for breaching the rules can be up to 30,000 euros (27,200) and a public address system is reinforcing the message in Spanish, Catalan, English and German. Madrid remains the worst-hit area, accounting for 5,637 cases, or 41 percent of the infections in Spain, while the death toll there rose to 390 - around two-thirds of the national total. The number of infections could well be higher, because Spain - like many other countries - has been struggling with a shortage of testing kits. Military personnel disinfect streets in Santiago de Compostela today during the lockdown in Spain In Madrid alone, the health authorities said they were in touch with more than 20,000 patients by phone. Health minister Fernando Simon said on Tuesday that the patients interviewed were a mixture of 'confirmed and suspected' cases. Spain is now set to receive a new batch of testing kits, meaning medics will 'run tests on anyone showing symptoms,' the health minister said today. The minister warned it could 'substantially increase' the number of positive cases. Earlier, prime minister Pedro Sanchez warned that the virus had not yet peaked in Spain in an address to a nearly-empty parliament. 'The worst is yet to come, as our health system feels the impact of caring for such a huge number of infected people, as the days of isolation drag on, when we feel the economic impact' of the pandemic, he said. 'I am asking you to make sacrifices but I'm also calling for unity... it is what we have to do to save many lives,' he said. Sanchez's government officially declared the 15-day state of emergency on Saturday. It is only the second such declaration since the country returned to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975. The other time was during a 2010 air traffic controllers' strike. The Foreign Office is now advising against all but essential international travel, including to Spain, because of the coronavirus outbreak. The Muslim Community in the Ashanti Region has suspended its Friday prayers (Juma) following the coronavirus directive by President Akufo-Addo. They are however advised to practice personal prayers in their various abodes in accordance with the Islamic and Quranic teachings. The President as part of the preventive measures to fight against coronavirus in the country on Sunday night addressing the nation directed that all religious groups should suspend activities for the next four weeks. "All public gatherings, including conferences, workshops, funerals, festivals, political rallies, sporting events and religious activities such as church derived and mosque have been suspended for the next four weeks," he said. At a meeting attended by Muslim scholars in the region, they admitted following the directives of the President after several hours of intensive consultations at the Kumasi Central Mosque in the Ashanti Region. The Ashanti Regional Chief Imam, Sheik Abdul Mummin who addressed the gathering believed the Muslim community needs to abide by the directives of the President so as to avert the spread of the virus. He has therefore charged the Muslim community to used sanitizers to prevent the spread of the virus from one person to the other. He lauded President Akufo-Addo and his Veep for the protocols laid down for the fight against the spread of the disease. After the President of Ghana's pronouncements, most churches have taken to their social media handles to commend the move and make their support known by suspending their church activities. Ghana has recorded 7 cases of coronavirus of which all are imported cases according to the Health Minister. National Chief Imam Sheikh Usman Nuhu Sharubutu has suspended public Islamic religious activities and gathering to complement the government's measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the country. According to Chief Imam, the said suspension is in line with President Akufo-Addo's ban on all social gatherings including funerals, festivals, all religious activities, conferences and all other events that call for a mass gathering of people. Henceforth, the Leader of the Muslim daily prayer (Salat) known as the Muezzin will announce a call to prayer to commence individual prayers at various homes. The Chief Imam in a statement noted that the restriction of public gathering is in accordance with protocols enshrined in the Quran to preserve and ensure healthy lives. Source: Prince Kwadwo Boadu/Hellofm 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 As the Carolinas publicly scramble to limit the spread of the coronavirus, Mecklenburg Countys criminal justice system has begun quietly reducing the inmate population at its uptown jail. As of Tuesday, about four dozen of the jails 1,600 occupants have been scheduled for release, part of an ongoing case-by-case analysis by judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys of who needs to be in custody during the emerging pandemic and who does not. More releases are expected in the coming days. On Thursday, meanwhile, jail officials announced new steps to prevent the introduction and spread of COVID-19. Healthcare workers will take the temperatures of all who enter the uptown jail and Jail North, including jail employees and attorneys. Those who enter the jail will also be asked screening questions to help determine whether they may carry the virus. Jails and prisons are seen as particularly high-risk targets of COVID-19, the potentially deadly disease that has claimed thousands of lives worldwide and has now cropped up in all 50 states. Other U.S. jurisdictions San Francisco and Philadelphia, among them have been releasing jail inmates in high-profile efforts to reduce the risk of cellblock outbreaks of the disease. In North Carolina this week, the state prison system announced it has suspended all visits as a safety precaution. A group of activists and attorneys Tuesday called on a release of Mecklenburg Jail inmates to guard against an outbreak of COViD-19 Meanwhile, the steps to combat the virus at the Mecklenburg Jail have been far more private. Last week, the countys judges, prosecutors and public defenders began analyzing the jails logs to identify candidates for release, including those being held on low-level or victimless offenses, and others believed to be particularly vulnerable to the disease, Chief District Judge Elizabeth Trosch told the Observer. Mecklenburg Chief District Judge Elizabeth Trosch is at the center of discussions on whether certain inmates should be released to cut the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak at the county jail. District Attorney Spencer Merriweather, among others, said his staff and the public defenders office have been sifting through a list of 100 jail inmates being held in pre-trial custody on misdemeanor charges as the sides try to balance the inmates health risks vs. any threat to public safety. Story continues While most of those under consideration have been accused of minor crimes, Trosch said some may involve inmates charged with felony offenses who are willing to plead guilty. In cases where the sides disagree, Trosch, Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Bob Bell and other judges decide whether the inmate should be released, Trosch said. County Public Defender Kevin Tully said authorities must act, given the current health threats. Bringing down the population is the only humane response when it comes to this communitys treatment of the human beings currently there, Tully wrote in an email to the Observer. Jails, unlike prisons, have hundreds of inmates coming and going throughout the week. The so-called jail churn raises the odds that the virus will be introduced. Assistant Public Defender Michael Kabakoff said Wednesday that the discussions have been fruitful so far. District Attorney Spencer Merriweather says his office is analyzing cases of inmates being considered for early coronavirus-related release but that he wont sacrifice public safety. Weve been able to successfully negotiate with the DAs office on behalf of a significant number of people who are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 or who were being held on low-level charges, he said. On Tuesday, a group of lawyers and community activists urged the parties to move faster and do more to limit arrests. Tim Emry, one of the Charlotte attorneys involved in the effort, said a 60-year-old man was jailed Monday for urinating in public. We want them to double down on their efforts. They are not preventing hundreds of people from coming into this jail, Emry said. Im deeply afraid that if the coronavirus gets into that jail, people are going to die. Death sentence The steps to reduce the jail population have been complicated by a statewide shutdown of virtually all courthouse activities to limit the spread of the virus. Almost all trials have been delayed for at least 30 days. Bond hearings and arraignments have been sharply cut back. That means that inmates who would otherwise have been released for time served, paid a fine or bonded out continue to stack up in the jail. Meanwhile, the discussions in Charlotte-Mecklenburg to possibly release them for health reasons collide with growing fears that the pandemic will cause a spike in crime. Larry Hyatt, the owner of Charlottes Hyatt Guns, said his store has seen lines out the door as customers many of them first-time gun buyers look for ways to protect themselves. On Saturday, Hyatt said, the store sold more than 300 guns. It was one of the busiest days in the stores 61-year history. He estimated that the store has been doing about 10 times the ordinary volume of business in the last few days. Many buyers, he said, appear to be worrying about an increase in crime as the virus spreads and the economy worsens. What Im hearing people say is that with the virus, the economic meltdown and the inability of government to control gangs and crime when times are good what are they going to do when times get bad? Hyatt said. Merriweather said the first duty of his office is to keep the public safe, and that some of the inmates proposed for release instead should remain in custody. The group pushing for a faster and expanded inmate release has called for such steps as the freeing of defendants held before trial because they cant afford bail as well as those most vulnerable to the virus, including older adults, pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems, including inmates who are HIV positive. They also have called for police to issue citations to misdemeanor offenders rather than send them to jail. Kristie Puckett Williams, an ACLU of North Carolina official who leads a campaign for judicial reform, offered a dire warning at Tuesdays press conference. Keeping people in jail will be a death sentence, she said. Late Wednesday afternoon, the jail reported an inmate death. A sheriffs office spokeswoman said Willie Frank Burks, 45, was found in his cell midmorning. There were no signs of foul play or a fever, she said. BERLIN Desperate travelers choked European border crossings Wednesday after countries implemented strict controls to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus, which has now infected more than 200,000 people worldwide and killed more than 8,000. In releasing the new figures, Johns Hopkins University also said more than 82,000 people recovered from the virus, which causes only mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough for most people, although severe illness is more likely in the elderly and those with existing health problems. European leaders have closed borders to nonessential traffic, while leaving many open to cross-border workers and trucks carrying critical goods like food and medicine. That has led to massive backups of travelers and trucks alike. To try to alleviate some of the pressure from eastern Europeans stuck in Austria trying to return home, Hungary overnight opened its borders in phases. Bulgarian citizens were first allowed to cross in carefully controlled convoys, then Romanians had a turn. CORONAVIRUS IN OREGON: THE LATEST NEWS But by early Wednesday on the Austrian side, trucks were backed up for 17 miles and cars for nearly 9 miles as rules allowing only Hungarians or cargo trucks to cross kicked back in. In a second attempt, Hungary again opened the borders Wednesday through Thursday morning to allow Romanians, Bulgarians and Serbians to transit. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic expressed outrage as his citizens returned, claiming that 40,000 coming from jobs abroad had largely ignored orders to go into self-isolation at home, putting others in the country at risk. Italy has been the second hardest hit country with more than 31,000 cases, behind more than 81,000 in China. But German health authorities warned it was just a matter of time before the numbers spike unless people heed warnings to avoid contact. Lothar Wieler, head of the Germany's disease control institute, warned that unless social contacts are effectively reduced there could be up to 10 million infected people in Germany in two to three months. He said measures taken now could sharply reduce the spread and help ensure that those who do need medical help can be treated. We are at the start of the epidemic," he said. "We are 1-2 weeks behind Italy. " Around the world, nations faced the same issue of trying to slow the spread, with the U.S. and Canada working on a mutual ban on nonessential travel between the two countries. In Southeast Asia, the causeway between Malaysia and the financial hub of Singapore was eerily quiet after Malaysia shut its borders, while the Philippines backed down on an order giving foreigners 72 hours to leave from a large part of its main island. President Donald Trump's administration was considering a plan to immediately return to Mexico all people who cross America's southern border illegally, according to two officials who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the plan hasnt been finalized. The coronavirus is present in every U.S. state after West Virginia reported an infection. In far-flung Hawaii, the governor encouraged travelers to postpone their island vacations for at least the next 30 days, while the governor of Nevada ordered a monthlong closure of the state's casinos. Increasingly worried about the economic fallout of the global shutdown, the U.S., Britain and the Netherlands announced rescue packages totaling hundreds of billions of dollars, while longtime International Monetary Fund critic Venezuela asked the institution for a $5 billion loan. Major Asian stock markets fell back Wednesday after early gains after Wall Street jumped on Trump's promise of aid. In Brussels, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said there had been "a unanimous and united approach to the decision to prohibit most foreigners from entering the EU for 30 days. But so far, EU efforts to smooth the transition have failed. On Wednesday, thousands of trucks remained backed up in Lithuania on roads into Poland, after Warsaw ordered strict measures that include testing every driver for symptoms of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. The line of trucks was 37 miles long on Tuesday night. The Polish and Lithuanian governments have opened a second crossing, but that did not help much, said border police spokesman Rokas Pukinsas. Traffic was similarly backed up on Germany's border with Poland. Elsewhere, Malaysians endured traffic jams for hours as they tried to get into Singapore before the border closed. More than 300,000 people commute daily to Singapore and many have chosen to stay there during the lockdown. Malaysia's restricted movement order came after a sharp spike in coronavirus cases to 790, making it the worst-affected country in Southeast Asia. Taiwan said Wednesday that it too would ban foreigners from entry and citizens would have to self-quarantine at home for 14 days. Even tourists on Ecuadors iconic Galapagos islands 620 miles off the South American mainland have been affected. Canadian Jessy Lamontaine and her family were stuck on the island when flights were suspended. 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. 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 for a second straight day Wednesday. In the U.S., the death toll surpassed 100, and officials urged older Americans and those with health problems to stay home. They also recommended all gatherings be capped at 10 people. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned that residents should be prepared for the possibility of a shelter-in-place order within days. A shelter-in-place order in the San Francisco Bay Area, requiring most residents to leave their homes only for food, medicine or exercise for three weeks, is the most sweeping lockdown in the U.S. Janitor Miguel Aguirre, his wife and two children were the only people on a normally bustling street near City Hall. He showed up to work because he needed the money but his supervisor texted him to leave. He brought his two daughters because schools had closed. He already lost his second job at a hotel when tourism conferences were canceled. If we dont work, we dont eat, said Aguirre. The Associated Press Subscribe to our Oregon coronavirus newsletter: 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. An agenda item that wont be on most lawmakers checklists but should be on yours a May 3 deadline to get constitutional amendments on the ballot for redistricting and pension reforms. Every Illinois voter should be outraged at the purposeful manipulation of drawing legislative districts that disenfranchises voters and protects one-party rule. Not only have lawmakers ignored public pressure to put fair maps on the ballot, the party in charge Democrats undercut repeated citizen-led efforts at reform via citizen initiative. If lawmakers blow off the May 3 deadline again, and keep in place the rigged mapmaking process that protects incumbents, it will be voters who lose, again. Rebel in November, wont you? Montgomery County health officials Tuesday reported the countys fifth case of the new coronavirus. Montgomery County Public Health District, in conjunction with Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management, confirmed the fifth case is a south Montgomery County man in his 50s. At this time, he is in isolation in his home. The man has recently traveled to California. 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. alan.fossler@chron.com A Woolworths worker has revealed the 'elderly shopping hour' was 'horrible in reality' because stores were flooded with customers with no way to monitor who was coming in. The staff member said that while it seemed like a good idea, younger shoppers flooded the store during the designated time because there were no team members policing it. The supermarket giant announced that elderly and disabled shoppers would have special access to stores everyday from 7am-8am from March 17 to March 20. The move comes after stores were stripped bare of products as panic buyers began stockpiling on supplies amid the outbreak of the killer coronavirus. Woolworths announced that elderly and disabled shoppers would have special access to stores everyday from 7am-8am from March 17 to March 20 Elderly customers are seen waiting outside a Coles store in Melbourne on Wednesday The employee said that on a normal day there would be around three to four people waiting outside with a few shoppers coming in every ten minutes. 'The dedicated elderly and disabled opening at Woolies is was a great idea on paper, but horrible in reality,' the employee said. 'Today, there were nearly 50 or so people outside with even more coming in every minute. 'Stores normally hire based on the number of customers thus we had the bare minimum of workers and couldn't get more in on such a short notice. 'Furthermore, the elderly only rule can't really be enforced by the store (we don't have a dedicated team member at the front to police this rule).' A spokesperson for Woolworths told Daily Mail Australia the service was aimed at people who were 'vulnerable' and asked other shoppers to respect it. 'The service is intended for those who are most vulnerable in the community, and we ask all Australians to help make it work by respecting the intent with which we've introduced it,' the spokesperson said. Woolworth's shopping hour dedicated to the elderly and disabled aimed to help shoppers get supplies that were often taken by other customers 'We're taking a common sense approach when it comes to other customers with extenuating circumstances, such as carers and those with specific medical needs. 'We know it's not a perfect process, but believe it's the right thing to do in the circumstances we're facing.' On the first day of the elderly shopping hour, pensioners slammed the move as 'PR stunt'. Hundreds of elderly and disabled shoppers joined a 100-metre long queue outside Woolworths at Ryde, on Sydney's lower north shore, on Tuesday in the hopes to stock up on items. Shoppers rushed into Woolworths to stock up on necessary items during 'elderly shopping hour' But once inside, shoppers quickly discovered the aisles were less crowded but the shelves were as bare as they have been for the past few weeks. 'It was horrible! I thought they would stock the shelves especially for this morning but they were empty,' Looi Wong, 70, earlier told Daily Mail Australia. Dedicated shopping hour for the elderly Woolworths - From Tuesday, people with government-issued concession cards have a dedicated shopping hour which runs nationally from 7am to 8am on weekdays. Coles - 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. IGA - the smaller supermarket is considering the idea as they trial at an IGA in Melbourne's Altona, with a shopping hour between 6am to 7am. Advertisement '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.' Panic buying across Australia 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 stripped bare. 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.' Veteran Chief Investment Officer and Chief Economist Brings Market Expertise to RJO Clients Globally CHICAGO, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicago-based R.J. O'Brien & Associates (RJO), the oldest and largest independent futures brokerage and clearing firm in the United States, has tapped John H. Porter to take on a new strategic advisor role. Porter will be the lead macro-economic speaker at RJO conferences worldwide, will share his analysis of market and geopolitical conditions with the firm's global client base, and will serve on the firm's Investment Committee. A Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Porter has decades of experience in roles including Chief Investment Officer, Chief Economist and Global Head of Fixed Income at major organizations ranging from the World Bank, to hedge funds, to Barclays and AXA. RJO Chief Sales Officer Dan Staniford said: "John has truly outstanding credentials, and we're thrilled to bring his insights, experience, global perspective and analytical expertise to RJO. His passion for understanding human behavior through the study of psychology gives his market analyses a unique and interesting context." Porter said: "I'm excited to share my views on the market and geopolitical climate with RJO's valued clients throughout the globe. RJO is well positioned to attract large institutional clients while still having the flexibility to provide solutions and service offerings that are unique to the industry." From 2013 to 2018, Porter was Global Head of Fixed Income and Structured Finance at AXA Investment Managers in London, managing more than $500 billion in assets, leading a campaign to increase the firm's presence in Asia and developing its expertise in emerging markets. He served on the firm's Management Board and Executive Committee as well as the AXA Group Investment Committee. Previously, Porter spent 15 years at Barclays Capital in London, serving as Managing Director and Global Head of Portfolio and Liquidity Management and for two years as Global Head of Economic Research. Before joining Barclays, Porter was Chief Economist and Principal of Summit Capital Advisors in Summit, New Jersey, where he performed all macro-economic analysis and developed specific investment strategies in North America, Europe and Japan for a fixed income and currency-based hedge fund. Prior to Summit, he was for three years Director and Principal of the Paris subsidiary of Moore Capital Management. For 10 years, Porter served in senior roles at the World Bank in Washington, including Senior Economist from 1983 to 1988 and Chief Investment Officer from 1988 to 1993. Porter's extensive educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Social Relations, Magna Cum Laude, from Harvard College. He earned a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology, Summa Cum Laude from the Sorbonne at the University of Paris following graduate studies at the Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris. He then earned a Master of Arts Degree in International Economics from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. Porter was awarded fellowships from numerous institutions, including Harvard, Columbia and Princeton University. He is a member of the UK Society of Investment Analysts. Porter is fluent in French and conversant in Italian, German and Spanish. About R.J. O'Brien & Associates Founded in 1914, R.J. O'Brien & Associates is the largest independent futures brokerage and clearing firm in the United States, serving more than 80,000 institutional, commercial and individual clients globally, in addition to a network of approximately 300 introducing brokers (IBs). RJO services the industry's most expansive global network of IBs, a vast array of middle market firms and many of the world's largest financial, industrial and agricultural institutions. The firm offers state-of-the-art electronic trading and 24-hour trade execution on every major futures exchange worldwide. RJO has received the FOW International Award for Non-Bank FCM of the Year for the past four years. Wealth and Finance International Magazine named the company's private client division, RJO Futures, 2018's Most Trusted Financial Brokerage Firm. At the HFM US Quant Awards 2020, RJO won the award for Best Independent FCM - the eighth honor bestowed by the HFM Global publications on RJO and its UK affiliate. R.J. O'Brien was also the top-ranked broker in Oil Options and Structured Products in Europe in the 2019 Energy Risk Commodities Rankings. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1135014/R_J__O_BRIEN_LOGO_Logo.jpg [March 18, 2020] AI Product Analytics Startup Convizit Closes a $5 Million Seed Round Led by Pitango Venture Capital TEL AVIV, Israel, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Convizit, a startup applying unique AI technologies to disrupt the product analytics market, announced today the closing of a $5M seed round. The round was led by Pitango Venture Capital , with the participation of earlier investor, Jumpspeed Ventures . The funds will be used to double the size of the team, accelerate product research and development, and launch sales and marketing activities. Convizit addresses one of the biggest challenges faced by online product and marketing teams: gaining complete and accurate visibility into user behavior patterns. This visibility is crucial for discovering ways to reduce friction, increase user engagement and maximize conversion rates. The importance of understanding user behavior patterns is evident in the size of this market: the product analytics market is projected to grow in size from $6.9 billion in 2019 to $13.9 billion by 2024 ( source ). Existing product analytics solutions provide only a very partial understanding of funnels and user flows. This limitation stems from two facts: Firstly, they consider only a small fraction of all user behavior data, due to the impossible task of manually selecting, tagging and maintaining event tracking for every user action. Secondly, they require users to continuously make assumptions and test theories in order to discover why customers are behaving the way they are (e.g., what is the root cause of the 60% drop-off rate between users clicking add-to-cart and checking out for products in the swimwear department?). For these reasons, companies are flying nearly blind in their efforts to improve the business performance of their websites and apps. Convizit provides unparalleled visibility into user journey patterns, with no need to first figure out what question to ask or what directions to investigate. The company's unique AI technologies ensure that every user action on every page is captured, named and enriched with an unprecedented degree of structured context detail, automatically. Having on-screen context details (e.g., "free one-day delivery" or "size M not available") associated with each user action is critical for achieving a true understanding of user decisions and behaviors. With Convizit, product teams never need to pre-select, code, name or tag events to track, no matter how often a website changes. The company's first offering, already in use by a number of large e-retailers, is a DaaS solution that effortlessly delivers complete behavioral data. This pre-tagged, context-rich data is ready for immediate use by data-driven enterprises to significantly improve the value of their existing systems, such as analytics, BI, A/B testing, marketing automation and personalization. This unique data also enables data scientists to achieve a never-before-available depth of funnel analysis, friction point identification, correlation/anomaly detection, user journey visualization and insight generation. "Convizit's terrific team is truly revolutionizing how user behavior data is collected, structured and analyzed," said Gad Huldai, Partner at Pitango's Early Stage fund, who has joined Convizit's board of directors. "We have been extremely impressed to see how quickly and effectively the team has progressed since we first met them at our TRIFECTA AI startup competition last year, in terms of both technology and business." "We are very pleased to have Pitango participating in our mission to disrupt one of the oldest and largest Internet arenas," said Daniel Bashari, Convizit's CEO and Co-founder. "Gad Huldai and the rest of Pitango's excellent early-stage team have already proven to be extremely valuable partners, and we look forward to a long and rewarding relationship working with them and with our initial investor, Ben Wiener of Jumpspeed Ventures." About Convizit Convizit's AI technologies provide unparalleled visibility into user journey patterns, enabling companies to unlock the goldmine hiding in user behavior data. The company's top-notch data scientists and developers, led by two alumni of an elite IDF data-intelligence unit, are pushing the envelope of big data analytics and AI to usher in the next generation of product analytics. Large e-retailers, with millions of monthly sessions, are already using the company's initial offering to improve the user experience and business performance of their websites. With offices in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Convizit is backed by Pitango Venture Capital and Jumpspeed Ventures. Learn more at convizit.com . About Pitango Venture Capital Pitango has been home to visionary entrepreneurs and groundbreaking companies since 1993 and manages over $2B across its funds. From stealth mode to shining unicorns, Pitango invests via three parallel funds: Pitango Early Stage, Pitango Growth and Pitango HealthTech. Since its inception, Pitango has invested in more than 200 startups, many of which have become category leaders, went public and/or were acquired by strategic players. Learn more at www.pitango.com . Contact: Daniel Bashari [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ai-product-analytics-startup-convizit-closes-a-5-million-seed-round-led-by-pitango-venture-capital-301026080.html SOURCE Convizit [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Sixty people gathered Friday for lunch at the Harney County Senior and Community Services Center to socialize, play card games and dine on a lunch of tamale pie and Spanish rice. While they talked, they learned the facility would be shutting its doors for at least the next month in an effort to quell the spread of COVID-19. It was a hard, but necessary, decision. After hearing about a coronavirus case in neighboring Deschutes County, the directors grew concerned about the people served by the community center primarily seniors and people with disabilitiesand their heightened vulnerability to the disease. They weighed the limited access to health care in their southeast Oregon county against the vital community services they provide. We were really concerned about them, said Angela Lamborn, the centers executive director. They were among those most vulnerable. The Burns community center operates a transportation service for seniors and a community food bank, hosts classes and events and provides a needed place for people to gather and socialize. Now Lamborn and others must figure out how to provide essential services to the community without risking the health of patrons. The situation underscores a common concern faced by rural counties throughout Oregon as local leaders and health officials try to stave off the virus: Many rural areas face significant funding and staffing shortages that will dramatically impact their ability to respond to the virus. Most rural counties contend with higher poverty rates and limited workforces. These factors correlate with small county budgets that can stunt infrastructure -- like hospitals, fire departments and police agencies -- and result in severe understaffing and a reliance on volunteers to provide emergency response and community services. These already overburdened systems are now faced with the risk of a rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak. Less than three weeks after officials announced Oregons first COVID-19 case, that number climbed to 66 known cases Tuesday, and one deatha tally that is likely just a fraction of the actual number statewide. The Oregon Health Authority predicts that without intervention an estimated 75,000 Oregonians will catch the virus by May. An estimated 20% of these projected cases could need specialized care, a number that surpasses the number of hospital beds available in the state. While this is a concern everywhere, for rural counties, the problem is especially acute. In Gilliam and Sherman Counties there are no hospitals and only two primary health care facilities. When residents need medical care, people must drive 45 minutes to 90 minutes. Patients in critical condition often rely on helicopter rides to access hospitals. Residents here dont have access to the same level of care as someone in a city, said Teri Thalhofer, director at the North Central Public Health District based in The Dalles. We are talking about social distancing what that might mean and really working on protecting our elderly, Thalhofer said. For health care officials in Wasco, Sherman and Gilliam Counties preventing the spread is a preemptive and far-reaching effort. Officials are providing information to migrant workers that come to harvest cherries each spring, often staying in close quarters. They are working to meet the sanitation needs of homeless populations by providing sanitation supplies and extending the hours of county shelters and are looking for ways to assist some Native American communities that could lack access to reliable sources of running water. We have pretty high poverty rates in the region, Thalhofer said. In The Dalles, all the schools serve breakfast and lunch, and there are huge numbers of kids on free and reduced lunches, and thats where they get meals, so we have concerns sending kids home where families dont have resources. The Harney County Senior and Community Services Center closed its doors Friday in response to the rapid spread of coronavirus across Oregon. Photos courtesy of the Harney County Senior and Community Services Center. The spread of the virus could also compound an already existing workforce shortage in medical care facilities. Some health care facilities have as few as four or six health care providers, and if a few become sick it can mean a serious deficit for entire communities at a time when facilities are likely to be overrun. Smaller facilities, clinics and hospitals are going to run up against that and they will be challenged in ways urban facilities are not, said Robert Duehmig, director of the Oregon Office of Rural Health. Many rural hospitals, for instance, have a limited number of spaces to isolate patients. In Harney County there there are only two available isolation rooms, and officials there worry about what will happen if multiple people become infected with the virus. The question weve been asking ourselves around here is where to put people, said Pete Runnels, the county judge. Were trying to be as proactive as any, following the recommendations coming out of the state and having a game plan for if and when we get the first positive case. Some rural community leaders are already worried about having access to enough tests, protective gear and medical supplies. Rural communities, especially on the eastern side of Oregon, dont always get attention from the state, there is concern that resources will very slowly get to us because other places get priority, Harney County Commissioner Kristen Shelman said. Gov. Kate Brown announced new efforts Monday to centralize the organization and allocation of such resources. She said hospital systems and public health officials would collaborate to make more beds available ahead of the expected surge of patients. Still, Shelman doesn't yet know what that will mean for her county. Were receiving communication, Shelman said. Knowing how we fit into the situation is a different topic. Its a wait-and-see for everyone. -- Piper McDaniel; amcdaniel@oregonian.com; 503-221-4307; @piperamcdaniel Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 11:52:24|Editor: zh Video Player Close Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (front) arrives at the Alvorada Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, on March 17, 2020. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro announced Tuesday evening on his verified social media account that his second coronavirus test was negative. Bolsonaro underwent a second test on Tuesday to detect if he was infected with COVID-19, after 13 members of his entourage in a recent trip to the United States have tested positive. (Photo by Lucio Tavora/Xinhua) RIO DE JANEIRO, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro announced Tuesday evening on his verified social media account that his second coronavirus test was negative. The result came after Bolsonaro announced on March 13 that he had tested negative for the virus. Despite the negative result from the initial test, the president was advised to maintain in isolation for a week and be tested again. On March 12, Bolsonaro's press secretary Fabio Wajngarten, who accompanied Bolsonaro in a trip to the United States in early March, tested positive for COVID-19, prompting Bolsonaro, his family and all members of the presidential entourage to be tested. His family members have tested negative, whereas 12 members of the presidential entourage have tested positive. The total number of cases in Brazil has climbed from 234 to 291 with one death, the country's Health Ministry said Tuesday. A wonderfully kind and caring 45-year-old father has become the youngest person diagnosed with coronavirus to die in the UK. Craig Ruston, from Kettering - who was also fighting motor neurone disease (MND) - died on Monday, according to his wife. Craig was not ready to go, she wrote on Facebook. Still doing everything in his power to raise awareness and fight the fight for MND. His wife Sally said he fell ill on Tuesday last week, and that his "chest infection was confirmed as Covid-19". How dare that take Craig who was already facing this, the most vile and evil of diseases, she wrote on a Facebook page where Mr Ruston documented his fight against MND, which he was diagnosed with nearly two years ago. She called her husband a wonderfully kind and caring person who loved the world. "He was one of the most intelligent people I know that would absorb information and could somehow explain just about anything," she said. "Science was his thing, amongst others." She said: Craigs wish upon death was to give his brain to the Oxford Brain Bank. It was to be used specifically for MND research and Craig was so keen to do this. Sadly this can no longer happen. How dare this virus take this from Craig. As of Wednesday, there were 1,950 confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK. Seventy-one people who tested positive for the disease have died in the country, many with underlying health conditions. The pandemic has put countries including Italy and Spain into a state of lockdown, with the British prime minister urging people to avoid the office, social venues and all non-essential travel. Boris Johnson also told people with "the most serious health conditions" to avoid all social contact for 12 weeks, starting from this weekend. Covid-19 a flu-like disease that can develop into pneumonia has infected more than 198,000 people around the world since cases were first reported in Wuhan, China, towards the end of last year. A new study argues that a nuclear war between India and Pakistan would cause global cooling and planet-wide food shortages. Why it matters: Scientists have debated the climatic effects of nuclear war. New computer models show even a comparatively limited nuclear exchange could have global impacts on food production that would eclipse the worst famines in documented history. Background: In the 1980s, a group of scientists led by Carl Sagan published influential research suggesting the dust and soot created by a global nuclear holocaust would cause such drastic cooling that it would lead to a "nuclear winter," effectively ending human life on Earth. Over the years the nuclear winter theory came under criticism from scientists who saw it as flawed and politically motivated, but it likely helped encourage the U.S. and the Soviet Union to significantly cut back on their nuclear arsenals. In a study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers led by Jonas Jagermeyr of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies used sophisticated computer models to predict what would happen in a nuclear war that would be both more limited and more likely than a full-scale one: a conflict between the geopolitical rivals India and Pakistan. The team found that even in an exchange of 100 Hiroshima-sized bombs less than 1% of the current global arsenal the resulting firestorms would launch about 5 million tons of soot into the stratosphere. From there, the soot would spread around the globe, absorbing sunlight and lowering global mean temperatures by 3.25F for at least five years. As a result, production of top cereal crops like rice and wheat would fall by an average of 11% during that period, with tapering effects in the years that follow. Context: Much of the focus on the threat of nuclear war centers on new players like North Korea, or the possibility of a global conflict between the U.S. and Russia, which possess close to 95% of the world's existing warheads. But India and Pakistan have clashed repeatedly over the past 70 years, and experts have long worried that their next conflict could go nuclear. The study also has important implications for a world groaning under the sudden shock of the coronavirus. "Even though the situation is very different, we're seeing how it would feel if consumers were suddenly not able to buy food," says Jagermeyr. The bottom line: The world isn't short of things to worry about, but the effects of a nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan are likely even worse than we might have imagined. TDT | Manama Bahrain yesterday further toughened its fight against coronavirus outbreak by announcing measures including limiting public gathering to 20 people or fewer and requiring restaurants and food outlets to function only as takeaway and delivery services. The latest move, which outlines an eleven point instructions, follows a Government Executive Committee meeting Chaired by the HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister yesterday. Yesterdays announcement of the Supreme Council of Health. Making the announcement, aimed at reducing the severity of the global outbreak, HRH the Crown Prince said: Citizens who actively follow precaution ary measures are the Kingdoms greatest ally against Coronavirus (COVID-19). HRH the Crown Prince went on to commend the efforts of citizens, residents and visitors, underlining the national responsibility centred on all to combat this virus, which does not discriminate between anyone. Administrative and educational professionals will continue to work but are encouraged to work remotely whenever possible. HRH the Crown Prince also directed the Ministry of Education to take all necessary measures to mitigate the impact of closures in the education process wherever possible. The National Medical Task Force to Combat the Coronavirus said it continues to encourage compliance with all health guidelines issued. These guidelines include washing hands thoroughly with soap, refraining from close interactions, and covering the mouth and nose with a tissue while coughing. Ashe Simpson, spokesman for UnityPoint Health declined to comment further. Rivers said the person who tested positive won't be tallied as a Scott County case because the person isn't local, adding it was reported in Tuesday's results from the Iowa Department of Public Health. According to IDPH, there were six cases reported Tuesday, three from Johnson County, the others from Adair, Black Hawk and Dallas counties. There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Rock Island County. Statewide, 2,052 people have been tested, with 288 confirmed cases and one death as of Wednesday afternoon, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. Iowa has 38 confirmed cases, with nine new cases confirmed Wednesday. The new cases were: three in Johnson County; two in Polk County; two in Dallas County; one in Washington County and one in Winneshiek County. Though both Illinois and Iowa are reporting positives cases of COVID-19, detailed information is a tale of two states. When asked how many coronavirus tests are pending in Scott County, Rivers said, In Iowa, we do not have information on how many people are being tested. We will only know when positive tests are reported to us. Universities are asking the basic questions about how the education system can inspire young people to find their passion. If one loves what they do, they are more likely to be successful. To enable this change, Ahmedabad University started a series of initiatives to enable students discover who they want to be and what they want to make out of their lives. For one, students can enroll in the university's four-year undergraduate programme without deciding on the course they want to pursue. The students get up to three semesters to explore their area of interest. "We allow students to come in with undeclared majors. Even if you opt for a BA program, they can take two-three semesters (a year) to figure if they want to major in psychology, political science or economics," says Bibek Banerjee, Senior Dean, Strategic Initiatives and Planning, Ahmedabad University. Students are also encouraged to pick up a minor course across schools. For example, a student could be majoring in mechanical engineering, but can also purse a minor in finance. Also, all the students irrespective of their disciplines have to attend a common module called Foundation course. "The course started as a pilot three to four years ago to expose students to the different issues in society so they can engage with them through project based learning," he says. It is built on four broad themes: democracy and justice, environment and climate change, neighbourhoods, and water. Each theme has six pillars which include data science, materials, biology and life, behaviour, constitution and civilisation, and communication. Students understand each issue from different perspective that helps them define a problem and then they try to come up with solutions. For instance, under the Water course, students will have to understand and collect data that is available on water under the data science module. Within Materials and Biology, students will look at what are the materials and biology of water and how are people tapping group water. Students will have to then think of how to bring transformational change in its usage patterns as water is a critical resource. So, they will think about communication strategy that will change behavior and drive transformation. Also, since it is compulsory credit module, students across disciplines collaborate and work together on projects that help them build multiple perspectives. "The aim of these initiatives is to sensitise, inspire and excite that kid who is fresh out of 12th standard so that they can broaden their horizons and integrate courses of their interest in their course curriculum," says Banerjee. A 28-year-old woman from Pune with a travel history to France and the Netherlands has tested positive for COVID-19, a senior official said on Wednesday. With this, the number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra has gone up to 42. Confirming the case, District Collector, Naval Kishore Ram said, "The woman returned India on March 15. She was admitted to hospitalhere on March 17". Shares in Asia Pacific mostly fell in another day of turbulent trade on Wednesday as the rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak globally continued to weigh on investor sentiment. Australia stocks led losses among the region's major markets, with the S&P/ASX 200 dropping 6.43% to close at 4,953.20 as majority of the sectors fell. South Korea's Kospi also saw significant losses as it dropped 4.86% to close at 1,591.20 while the Kosdaq index plunged 5.75% to 485.14. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was also 3.49% lower, as of its final hour of trading. Meanwhile, shares in mainland Chinese shed earlier gains to close lower, The Shenzhen component slipped 1.7% to 10,029.57 while the Shenzhen composite declined 1.554% to around 1,678.25. The Shanghai composite fell 1.83% to about 2,728.76. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 shed earlier gains as it dropped 1.68% to close at 16,726.55 while the Topix index ended its trading day 0.19% higher at 1,270.84. Japan's exports declined 1% in February as compared to a year earlier, according to provisional data released by the country's Ministry of Finance on Wednesday. That compared against a 4.3% drop expected by economists in a Reuters poll. Overall, the MSCI Asia ex-Japan index dropped 3.25%. The White House is weighing a fiscal stimulus package worth anywhere from $850 billion to more than $1 trillion, part of which could include direct payments to Americans, a source familiar with the matter told CNBC. "Chuck money at this, forget about debt, forget about deficits, no one's actually going to be hauling you to task for keeping to some sort of ridiculous prudent metric of 3% deficit targets or anything like that," Rob Carnell, regional head of research Asia-Pacific at ING, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Wednesday. "What countries are facing right now is the loss of large chunks of their economic output unless they underwrite that," Carnell said. "You can end up with coming out of this with a smaller debt but your debt to GDP ratio because your GDP is halved will be massive. So, the right thing to do know is to spend a lot of money to target that." Governments across the world have taken drastic measures as they seek to slow the spread of the virus, with European Union member nations agreeing to close the EU's external borders to most people from other countries for 30 days. In Asia, Malaysia will close its borders, schools and most businesses from Wednesday until March 31. Globally, more than 184,000 have been infected by the coronavirus while at least 7,529 lives have been taken, according to the latest figures from the World Health Organization. Currencies and oil WASHINGTON, D.C.Joe Biden had another dominating night Tuesday in the U.S. Democratic presidential primaries with victories in Florida, Illinois, and Arizona. Running the table of states voting Tuesday made his nomination all but assured, but did so at a time when such events fell completely under the shadow of concerns about the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis. Speaking from his home in Delaware, Biden opened his victory speech by offering condolences to anyone affected directly by that virus. I know that well answer this moment. Thats who we are, ordinary people doing extraordinary things when the need arises, he said, going on to thank those who worked to disinfect voting booths in the states that voted today. Biden continued his outreach to Sanders supporters. Let me say especially to the young voters whove been inspired by Senator Bernie Sanders: I hear you. I see whats at stake. Sanders, the other remaining candidate, gave a 25-minute online address just after the Florida polls closed, and did not once mention the primaries that took place Tuesday. Instead, he devoted the entire speech to the coronavirus, suggesting $2,000-per-month payments to Americans monthly until the crisis is over, among other things. Ohio, which had been scheduled to vote Tuesday as well, suspended its primary on the orders of Republican Gov. Mike DeWine because of virus concerns. It would have been wrong to compel people to make a decision today, whether they were going to risk their health, compromise health (to) exercise their constitutional right, DeWine said at a press conference reported by the Los Angeles Times. Problems were reported in Illinois and Florida with in-person voting as some polling stations were closed due to staff refusing to report to work, or a lack of needed sanitation supplies. In Arizona, polling places were consolidated in advance and people were free to vote at any location. Most voters there voted by mail, and the mail-in vote alone exceeded turnout for the 2016 primary. As the early vote rolled in, Biden was receiving more than 60 per cent of it in Florida and more than 55 per cent in Illinois. Biden won every single district in Florida, and all but one in Illinois. In Arizona, based on early returns, he was set to win a narrower victory with a lead of 43-30 as the AP called the race at 11:15EDT. The growth in Bidens delegate lead, likely to more than 300 over Sanders, will make it very difficult for Sanders to catch him in the contests that remain. Based on delegate projections mid-evening, it appeared Sanders would need to win more than 60 per cent of the remaining delegates to win. But so far, Sanders has shown little inclination to drop out of the race, despite calls for him to do so by many Democratic supporters who feel it is time to focus the partys resources on defeating Donald Trump in the November election. Sanders sees himself as the leader of a movement, and his supporters told Politico Tuesday he is intent on continuing to win more delegates so that he has influence on the partys platform committee at the convention. This will be the last contest of the primary season until early April, as other states who were scheduled to hold primaries and caucuses in the next two weeks have postponed theirs due to the COVID-19 crisis. Alaska, Hawaii and Wyoming are scheduled to hold their primaries on April 4, Wisconsin on April 7. On the other side of the ballot, President Trump wrapped up the Republican nomination Tuesday with his wins in Florida and Illinois, passing the threshold he needed to secure a majority of delegates after winning every state so far against challenger Bill Weld, a former Massachusetts governor. Read more about: The man found guilty of killing British backpacker Grace Millane has started the process of appealing against his conviction and jail sentence, according to his barrister. Rachael Reed QC, his lawyer, said that an appeal has been lodged in the New Zealand Court of Appeal. The 28-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was convicted of strangling Ms Millane to death a day before her 22nd birthday in December 2018. Last month, he was handed a minimum sentence of 17 years for the crime, which he must serve before he can seek parole. His defence lawyers had asked for a 12-year sentence. Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' Show all 11 1 /11 Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' David and Gillian Millane (second from right and right) arrive at Auckland High Court, in New Zealand, on Wednesday, 6 November, 2019, for the start of their daughter Grace Millane's murder trial. The body of the 21-year-old British backpacker was found in a forest area near Auckland on 9 December, 2018 - a week after she was last seen. Michael Craig/NZ Herald via AP Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' The parents of Grace Millane, David and Gillian Millane, arrive at Auckland High Court with Detective Inspector Scott Beard, 6 November, 2019. Phil Walter/Getty Images Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' Candles and flowers are laid next to a photo of Grace Millane during a vigil at Civic Square Park in Wellington on 12 December, 2018. Marty Melville/AFP/Getty Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' Defence lawyers Ian Brookie (left) and Ron Mansfield (right) arrive at Auckland High Court, 6 November, 2019. Fiona Goodall/Getty Images Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' Crown prosecutor Brian Dickey arrives at Auckland High Court, 6 November, 2019. Phil Walter/Getty Images Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' Auckland High Court Fiona Goodall/Getty Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' People place candles and flowers next to a photo of Grace Millane during a vigil at Civic Square Park in Wellington on 12 December, 2018. Marty Melville/AFP/Getty Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' David Millane speaks at a press conference in Auckland, New Zealand, on 7 December, 2018, while his daughter Grace Millane is still missing. Doug Sherring/NZ Herald via AP Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' Lucie Blackman Trust/PA Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' CCTV still image issued by Auckland City Police of one of the last sightings of Grace Millane. Auckland City Police/PA Grace Millane trial: British backpacker 'murdered by Tinder date' Auckland City Police/PA The man's defence that Ms Millane had died during "rough sex gone wrong" was rejected by a jury in November 2019. Women's rights groups are now seeking to change the law by bringing an end to the "rough sex" defence, which is thought to have been on the rise in recent years. Ms Millane had been on a year-long backpacking trip when she was killed by the man in a hotel room in Auckland. He then put her body in a suitcase and buried it in a mountainous area outside the city. At his sentencing, Gillian Millane told the killer that her daughter had "died terrified and alone in a room with you ... all her dreams and aspirations taken. When he sentenced the man for murder, Justice Simon Moore told him that his conduct underscores a lack of empathy and sense of self-entitlement and objectification". Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Inspector Scott Beard of Auckland City Police called the death "senseless and needless". Additional reporting from PA The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Houston is partnering with the Houston Food Bank to implement drive-thru food pantries at select clubs to distribute food bundles to families within BGCGH communities. According to a news release, the food bundle will be a substantial amount of food to last for a week with both fresh and shelf-stable items. The service will be available from 3 to 6 p.m. today and Thursday. All supplies will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 18:17:55|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Djibouti confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on Wednesday, according to Djiboutian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf. The minister tweeted that a Spanish citizen who arrived in the Horn of Africa nation on Saturday tested positive for the virus. "The Spanish citizen is confined and under medical surveillance, with this case Djibouti has confirmed its first positive COVID-19 case," Youssouf tweeted. Djibouti, which lies in a key location connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, hosts a number of foreign military bases and is the main sea outlet for landlocked neighbor Ethiopia. Director Ram Gopal Verma amidst the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic scare took to his Twitter handle and shared a video with a message that said, "Coronavirus beat SS Rajmoulli's Baahubali". Wondering what the video is? Well, it showed a long queue in the US outside a supermarket where people are panic buying groceries. According to RGV, it took Coronavirus to beat Baahubali's queue that was witnessed outside ticket windows when the movie was released. In 2017, people were seen standing in long and endless queues for hours to purchase movie tickets for the sequel to know Why Katappa killed Baahubali? It finally took coronavirus to beat the queues of @ssrajamouli s Bahubali 2 ..Panicked Americans line up outside a shopping mart ..Scary sight pic.twitter.com/Yus7Urftw2 Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) March 18, 2020 Don't call 911 for toilet paper, asks Oregon police 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." COVID-19: Australian supermarkets introduce 'elderly hour' as panic buying continues Coronavirus in India As of date, the total number of positive cases in India has risen to 148, as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Along with it, three deaths have been reported in Kalaburagi, West Delhi and Mumbai respectively. India has suspended all visas, barring for a few categories such as diplomatic and employment apart from keeping in abeyance the visa-free travel facility to OCI cardholders till April 15. Moreover, the Centre has strongly advised Indians to avoid all non-essential travel abroad. The government is also monitoring all suspected cases and has issued preventive advisories. Earlier on Saturday, the Central Government decided to treat the deadly virus as a "notified disaster". Various state governments have issued their own advisories, ranging from work-from-home recommendations to closures of schools and colleges. Shoppers face empty shelves, long queues due to panic buying amid coronaviris crisis (With PTI inputs) Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) is offering residents and tourists in the UAE an alternative to visiting their sites in person through Dubai 360, an online platform that offers panoramic video and photographic content of several sites of interest across the city. In light of the current public health crisis, which has led to the closing of all Dubai Cultures museums and heritage sites in an effort to protect public health and safety, this partnership keeps the experience of visitors at the forefront. Through a selection of individual photographs, videos, and time-lapse panoramas, a visitor to Dubai360.com will gain access to all Dubai Culture museums and sites, including Etihad Museum, which focuses on the story of the formation of the UAE in the early 1970s and the stories of the Founding Fathers (https://www.dubai360.com/scene/4316-014-etihad-museum-central-area/en) and Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, the restored district at the heart of historic Dubai and on the shores of the citys creek (https://www.dubai360.com/scene/2007-al-fahidi-sikka-18/en). Dubai360.com also hosts heritage sites within Al Fahidi, such as the Coin Museum, where coins from different eras are displayed (https://www.dubai360.com/scene/2007-al-fahidi-sikka-18/en0 and Al Naif Museum, which showcases the formation of Dubais police force (https://www.dubai360.com/scene/1723-al-naif-museum-main-hall/en). Also available for viewing on the site are the museum of the poet Al Oqaili, (https://www.dubai360.com/scene/1707-museum-of-the-poet-al-oqaili-al-oqaili-s-life/en) which traces the life of this young master-writer from Saudi Arabia who immigrated to Dubai and the former home of Sheikh Rashid, the founder of Dubai in Majlis Ghorfat Umm Al Sheif (https://www.dubai360.com/scene/1745-majlis-ghorfat-umm-al-sheif-majils-upstairs/en). Finally, Dubai360.com allows visitors to take a tour of Al Fahidi Fort, which is believed to be the oldest building in Dubai still standing today (https://www.dubai360.com/scene/261-dubai-museum-07-souk-1950/en). - TradeArabia News Service The eighth person to test positive for Covid-19 in Delhi is a 44-year-old man from Saket, who left for Singapore after giving his swab sample at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia hospital, the national capitals only collection centre. The test result came Tuesday. The person has already left the country; he lives in Singapore and in India. He had also travelled to Canada this month (March). His parents are still in their Saket home and their samples have been collected. We are also monitoring eight other people he came in contact with, including his househelp and driver, said an official from Delhi governments health department. Delhis 8th case of Covid-19 had visited the sample collection centre at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia hospital to get tested, as is the norm. He travelled to two countries where there are cases of Covid-19 and he had some symptoms so he was guided to the sample collection centre by the helpline numbers, said another health department official. Also Watch | Coronavirus | How deadly, how to identify, how to prevent: Dr Trehan answers Of the seven others from the city who tested positive for the viral disease, two have recovered and been discharged. One person, the mother of a 46-year-old man who had returned from Italy, succumbed to the disease on March 13. Another person, who is counted among Delhi fatalities, was a Rajasthan resident who had been quarantined at the armys Manesar facility after being evacuated from Italy. So far, 137 people in the country have contracted Covid-19 and three have died. With health department keeping a strict watch on symptomatic persons suspected to have Covid-19, the two nodal hospitalsDr Ram Manohar Lohia and Safdarjunghave already kept over 250 people in isolation since the measures to contain the virus began mid-January. OPD TIME CHANGES However, after receiving nine suspected cases, Lok Nayak hospital, near Delhi Gate, decided to limit the number of patients who visit its outpatient clinics. Additionally, the privately run Maharaja Agrasen Hospital will shut its OPD services from March 20-31. Lok Nayak Hospital cut the registration time for out-patient clinics to 1.5 hours from the current 4 hours to reduce the number of patients visiting the clinics each day. Registrations for OPD at the hospital will only be done between 08.30am and 10.00am, authorities said. The Lok Nayak Hospital is the biggest tertiary-care hospital run by the Delhi government and is visited by around 7,000 patients in its out-patient clinics each day. Also, for patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, the hospital has asked doctors to prescribe medication and pharmacies to dispense drugs for an entire month to reduce their exposure. As there are suspected Covid-19 cases in the hospitals, these measures were taken to reduce the number of patients coming in and limit crowding. We usually give patients with chronic diseases their medicine supply for only 15 days so they come for regular check-ups. But now, medicines will be dispensed for an entire month to reduce the number of visits for these patients, said Dr Kishore Singh, medical director of the hospital. Hospitals must look at ways to reduce the number of patients coming in by cutting elective procedures and asking people, not in emergent need of care, to delay their visits. We are talking about social distancing, but hospitals in Delhi are still full of patients, said Dr MC Mishra, former director of AIIMS. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Ever since the panic about the coronavirus started gripping the world there have been several claims about the cure for the infection, which modern medicine is still trying to find a vaccine for. While some claimed homeopathy can cure it, others had easier solutions like turmeric and rasam as medicine for Covid-19. Some others went some extra mile and claimed that consuming cow urine and dung can cure the infection. While none of them have been scientifically proven to cure Covid-19, it hasn't stopped people from making tall claims and trying to make some quick buck from the paranoia. The latest to try this in India was a British man how was running a cafeteria in Kerala's Varkala. This came to light after some locals spotted a board reading 'Anti-Coronavirus juice' in front of the Cafe called Coffee Temple in Varkala. After the police were informed, the British man was detained and quizzed. representational image He reportedly told that his 'Anti-Coronavirus juice' was a concoction of ginger, lemon, and gooseberry and was priced at Rs 150 per glass. He, however, told the cops that he did not sell the drink to anyone. The cops let him off with a warning. This came at a time when Varkala, which is home to one of the most sought after beaches in Kerala is in the grip of a Covid-19 scare. This, after it came to light that an Italian man who as tested positive in Kerala for Covid-19 was in Varkala for nearly two weeks. According to Thiruvananthapuram District collector K Gopalakrishnan, the tourist who arrived in the city on February 27 stayed at a resort on the cliff and moved around the area for 15 days until his test results turned positive. After he tested positive the tourist spot was shut down and everyone who he had come into contact with was examined. 17 out of 30 samples of primary contacts sent for analysis tested negative on Tuesday, providing much relief. There were also reports that the Italian man had visited the Attukal Pongala, the temple festival in Thiruvananthapuram after some photos began making rounds on social media. However, it was later confirmed that it was not the man who was tested positive. The news had however triggered panic across the state and there were incidents were foreigners were denied rooms and even food. On Tuesday Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that the tourists who are currently in the state will be safe and that the Tourism Department will provide accommodations for them. 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. Hong Kong confirmed 25 coronavirus cases on Wednesday, the highest number in a single day, most of them coming from overseas, reflecting the new risk confronting the city after its initial success in keeping a lid on infections. The total number of cases surged to 192 even as the city prepared to enforce mandatory quarantine orders on arrivals from any part of the world, except for Taiwan and Macau, in a drastic move starting at midnight to shut out imported cases. Mainland China was facing a similar risk from outside as it, for the first time, did not report any new domestic suspected case of Covid-19, suggesting the pandemic was waning on the home front. While China only recorded 13 new confirmed infections at the end of Tuesday, of which one was from ground zero in Wuhan and 12 were imported cases, it documented a total of 155 imported cases. That the countrys leaders were worried a rise of imported cases would scuttle Chinas hard-won efforts to contain the pandemic was evident on Wednesday when President Xi Jinping chaired a Politburo Standing Committee meeting in Beijing to urge vigilance against a resurgence of the disease. We also face new circumstances and problems now, Xi told members of the top policymaking body of the Communist Party. Especially as the disease spreads across the world, creating disadvantages for the global economy, and that has also brought new challenges to our efforts to prevent and control the epidemic and affected our economic growth. The global total of confirmed Covid-19 cases has crossed the 200,000 mark, and Chinas infection tally has been surpassed by the rest of the world. On Wednesday the death toll in Europe rose above 3,400, overtaking Asias toll of nearly 3,400 for the first time. Starting from midnight on Wednesday, all travellers arriving in Hong Kong, except those from Macau and Taiwan, will be put under mandatory quarantine for two weeks. The measure will last for three months. Story continues Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee said it was expected that tens of thousands of travellers would arrive in the coming weeks, and they would be required to wear a smart wristband so their whereabouts could be checked. She said the government would consider setting up triage centres at North Lantau Hospital and the Asia World-Expo, an exhibition centre near the airport. Centre for Health Protection controller Dr Wong Ka-hing appealed to travellers landing at Hong Kong International Airport to be patient, as screening could take time, and urged those who had beaten the midnight deadline to self-isolate at home for 14 days. Pedestrians in masks on the streets of Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: Felix Wong Of the 14 new cases first confirmed, only one a 50-year-old woman did not have a recent history of travel. Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the centre said the patient worked as a secretary at an international school and had been out with friends in Centrals Soho bar and restaurant area before she tested positive. Among the new cases was 28-year-old karate athlete Lee Chun-ho, who had trained in France and Austria before returning home, according to the Hong Kong Sports Institute. Among the others, a 27-year-old man who returned from London had attended a wedding banquet with 20 tables at Marriotts Courtyard Hong Kong hotel in Sha Tin. One patient, a 55-year-old man, had been to western Europe in a group arranged by Miramar Travel. Another was a 30-year-old man who had stayed at the Hotel Hyatt Centric Victoria Harbour in North Point after he returned from Germany. Others had been to Japan, Thailand and various parts of Europe. Three returned from Britain. After the first 14 cases, authorities confirmed 11 more suspected cases, some of them students returning from Britain. One was a freelance reporter at the Post, who had been to London in late February and early March. Executive Council member Dr Lam Ching-choi warned that Hong Kong was facing a third wave of imported infections after residents first returned from the coronavirus-stricken Diamond Princess cruise ship and then from the mainlands Hubei province, the original epicentre of the epidemic. With more students and expatriates expected to come back to the city, he said, the government could consider even tougher steps. It is possible we will ban all foreign visitors from entering Hong Kong, he told a radio programme on Wednesday. Lam said the mandatory self-quarantine measures should provide enough incentives to deter foreign visitors, but the government would monitor closely whether people were coming to the city for better treatment. Dr Lam Ching-choi warned that Hong Kong was facing a third wave of imported infections. Photo: Nora Tam Wong of the CHP said a pilot scheme would be launched at the airport, with incoming travellers getting bottles to take home and hand back with saliva samples for testing. He said samples could not be collected on the spot without causing long queues. Wong expected a further rise in the number of infections in the coming two weeks, with half of the citys quarantine centres already full. From what we expect in the short run, the situation is still critical, he said, adding that the government was considering building prefabricated units at new sites to house those requiring isolation. On the national front, China said it had discharged nearly 1,000 recovered patients on Tuesday, leaving some 8,000 still under treatment in hospitals. It is necessary to continue to stop the epidemic [being] imported from abroad, National Health Commission spokesman Mi Feng said. At the same time, we need to vigorously carry out international cooperation to take joint responses. China is feeling the pressure of imported cases as a daily 120,000 border entries have been recorded since March 11. Beijings Centre for Disease Control and Prevention advised Chinese students overseas to stop returning home if the trip was not necessary, in a bid to avoid contagion during the journey. The imported cases were highly contagious, Chinas top epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan said at a press conference in Guangzhou on Wednesday. We should pay high attention. He said arrivals from severely hit countries should be screened with test kits rather than checked for symptoms. China is facing a big risk of imported cases, said Zhang Ke, a communicable disease specialist at Beijings Youan Hospital. More from South China Morning Post: This article Coronavirus: imported cases threaten Hong Kongs efforts to contain disease as 25 infections confirmed in one day first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020. As the coronavirus continues to spread through Connecticut, the state is rolling out collection sites for virus testing. All collections are made by appointment-only, and patients need a physician order to book an appointment. Most collections are done via drive-thru, though some require people to get out of their cars. Tasmania has drastically tightened its borders from the mainland, forcing all non-essential travellers arriving in the island state to quarantine for two weeks to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Premier Peter Gutwein declared a state of emergency on Thursday morning, announcing Tasmania was introducing "the toughest border measures in the country". Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein: "We are going to introduce the toughest border measures in the country." Credit:AAP Anyone seeking entry to Tasmania, including returning residents, from anywhere else in Australia will be required to self-isolate for 14 days from midnight on Friday. Only essential travellers - such healthcare workers, emergency workers, defence personnel, air and ship crews, specialists and essential freight personnel - will be allowed into the state without having to self-isolate. MCLEAN, Va., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Steampunk has been awarded a United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Intelligent Automation Innovation Support Services (IAISS) blanket purchase agreement (BPA) to provide the piloting, testing and implementation of advanced technologies including intelligent automation/artificial intelligence, blockchain/distributive ledger technology, microservices, machine learning, natural language processing, robotic process automation, and other disruptive and breakthrough technologies that are able to transform business processes and enhance mission delivery. The contract is a 5-year award with a total value of $50M. "We're honored for this new opportunity to assist the USPTO with their emerging and evolving requirements. We're excited to leverage our expertise and innovation to develop simplified and innovative sustainable solutions that will enhance their mission." said Steampunk CEO Matt Warren. "This contract award continues to expand our Data Exploitation capability portfolio." The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) fosters American innovation and progress by defining and protecting the rights of American inventors, business owners, and the collective citizenry through powers enumerated by the U.S. Constitution. The vision of the USPTO, Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) is to transform the agency with the next generation technology and services. IAISS will help transform the processes and core mission functions of the USPTO by automating tasks and adopting innovative solutions utilizing advanced technologies, enabling the government to shift from Low Value to High Value tasks. The company will leverage their Artificial Intelligence practice to integrate IAISS technologies into all phases of USPTO's operations, providing opportunities to reduce patent and trademark application backlogs and reduce costs, facilitate more rapid processing of citizen applications, predict fraudulent transactions, and identify opportunities for workforce efficiency. "We are proud to support the USPTO by developing and implementing solutions that create a more efficient government," added David Wolf, Senior Vice President, Justice and Legislative Sector for Steampunk. About Steampunk Steampunk is a Change Agent in the Federal contracting industry, bringing new thinking to clients in the Homeland, Federal Civilian, Justice & Legislative, and DoD sectors. Through our Human-Centered delivery methodology, we are fundamentally changing the expectations our Federal clients have for true shared accountability in solving their toughest mission challenges. As an employee owned company, we focus on investing in our employees to enable them to do the greatest work of their careers and rewarding them for outstanding contributions to our growth. If you want to learn more about our story, visit http://www.steampunk.com. Media Contact: Robert Pearson, Chief Marketing Officer [email protected] | 571.344.5538 www.steampunk.com | @Steampunk_inc SOURCE Steampunk Related Links http://www.steampunk.com WASHINGTON - The novel coronavirus is redefining Donald Trump's presidency eight months before he stands for reelection as he wagers that the potentially largest rescue package in U.S. history could protect the American people from the economic carnage brought by the pandemic. Trump will be tested at the ballot box not only by his management of the public health crisis but also by his ability to navigate what the president says will likely be a recession - a challenge that is reviving the decade-long debate over the use of public money to prop up private businesses. The administration on Wednesday outlined a $1 trillion plan, which includes $500 billion in cash payments to individual Americans and $300 billion toward helping small businesses, as well as $50 billion for airlines and $150 billion for other affected sectors. Trump's hastily crafted stimulus, which has won early support from most Republican lawmakers, marks a sea change on the political right. The president and many of his conservative allies rose to power on the strength of a grass roots movement forged in opposition to the bank bailouts during the 2008 financial crisis and President Barack Obama's subsequent economic stimulus package. Scrutiny of Trump's plan continues to grow as some Republicans express unease about its scope and leading Democrats warn against federal giveaways to corporations without accountability measures that would ensure taxpayer money does not fund stock buybacks or executive pay. And there is some trepidation within the administration about the political risks associated with the perception that industries spend money as they wish - as well as uncertainty about how, exactly, all of the money would be spread around, according to officials involved in the discussions who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the private talks. Trump's ability to enact his plan and weather the turbulence could have an enormous impact on his political fate and determine whether he is remembered as this era's Herbert Hoover, who was president at the onset of the Great Depression, or its Franklin Roosevelt, his successor who guided the nation out of economic and geopolitical turmoil. "This is Trump's World War II," said Stephen Moore, a Heritage Foundation fellow and an informal Trump economic adviser. "It's really critical to not only whether he is reelected but how he will be judged by history." Trump, keenly aware that the state of the economy could determine whether he gets reelected, has been fixated in recent weeks on stock market declines and sees the plan shepherded by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin as crucial to providing confidence to investors and ensuring an eventual recovery. "Everybody seems to want to go big and they want to get to the recovery, the big day," Trump said at a news conference Wednesday. He added, "There's going to be a comeback very, very quickly, as soon as this is solved." For now, Trump is benefiting from quick support from even some of the staunchest spending hawks inside the Republican Party, many of whom are hearing desperation from anxious business leaders and constituents as vast sectors of the economy are shutting down. Sen. Patrick Toomey, R-Pa. - who built a national profile years ago as the head of a hard-line, small-government advocacy group - said this crisis "is not like an ordinary recession or even a severe recession. This more like an act of God or war footing." Toomey said comparing current proposed legislation to the financial industry bailout of 2008, which he opposed, is misguided since "those were caused by a bubble in real estate and financial institutions being overleveraged, all kinds of human error." "It's a different thing when a lethal pathogen affects large numbers of Americans," said Toomey. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has vowed that the Senate would not recess before reaching bipartisan agreement on the stimulus legislation. And his advice to his conservative colleagues: rally together even if bills are fiscally problematic. "My counsel to them is to gag and vote for it anyway, even if they think it has some shortcomings, and to address those shortcomings in the bill that we're in the process of crafting," McConnell said Tuesday. When Mnuchin visited with Republican senators at their Tuesday lunch, the secretary pleaded with them not to use the politically-charged word "bailout" in describing the proposed relief for Boeing, one of many large corporations that stands to benefit from the administration's plan. One senator raised a hand and asked if they should instead call them "freedom payments," which prompted laughter, according to a person briefed on the closed-door meeting. Trump, who has been fielding calls from business executives for days, has been focused on stopping the stock market from cratering and preventing the unemployment rate from spiking into the double digits. He has advocated for an sweeping stimulus plan - so much so that he when aides presented him with a $850 billion proposal, he encouraged a $1 trillion price tag, according to several people familiar with his thinking. Trump "doesn't give a [expletive]" about how his rescue plan affects the federal debt, according to a White House official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to be frank. "It's all about the markets and the economy for him. It's all about the jobs numbers." Trump's mind-set aligns with a broader GOP move away from the alarmism about federal deficits toward a more blase view about government red ink, a shift that predates the coronavirus. Trump claimed during the 2016 campaign that he could eliminate the debt in eight years, but during his first three years in office the debt has surged from $20 trillion to $23 trillion. One adviser who has discussed the matter with Trump said the president does not believe voters will be concerned about adding to the debt. Outgoing acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney last month told an audience at Oxford University, "My party is very interested in deficits when there is a Democrat in the White House. The worst thing in the whole world is deficits when Barack Obama was the president. Then Donald Trump became president, and we're a lot less interested as a party." In late 2008, Congress passed the Troubled Asset Relief Program, which allowed the Treasury Department to buy toxic assets from financial institutions as a means to keeping big banks from going under during the subprime mortgage crisis. A few months later, after President Obama took office, Congress passed a bailout of the automotive industry. Both measures became controversial, leading to a populist backlash against government initiatives that appeared to pick winners and losers during a crisis. On the right, the tea party movement formed preaching austerity and prioritizing the ballooning federal debt. The tea party powered the Republican wave election in 2010 that installed Toomey, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and other stars in the Senate and House. One of the victims that year was Sen. Robert Bennett, R-Utah, whose vote for TARP became the top issue in his reelection campaign. Tea party activists besmirched him as "Bailout Bob," and at the 2010 state Republican convention he lost the party's nomination to Mike Lee, who went on to win the seat that fall. Another victim was Rep. Bob Inglis, R-S.C., who this week recalled the fierce backlash in his district in early 2009, after he had voted for both TARP and the bailout for auto manufacturers. "I remember sitting in an office in downtown Greenville, facing the windows and watching throngs of people walking to a rally on Main Street carrying homemade signs: 'Throw the bums out!' 'Socialism!' 'No bailouts!,'" Inglis said. "Here we were discussing the start of my 2010 campaign and we were just whistling past the cemetery because here's all these people, and you could hear the intensity in their voices." Inglis lost overwhelmingly in the Republican primary to Trey Gowdy, who ran to his right and went on to win the seat. A similar movement formed on the left, as Occupy Wall Street took shape among progressives and powered a decade-long leftward shift in Democratic politics, which found expression in the presidential candidacies of Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. Former labor secretary Robert Reich, a leading voice among liberals on domestic policy, said, "Politically it's fine and good to bail out individuals, to provide direct subsidies, extended unemployment insurance, paid sick leave, expanded Medicaid - all of that make a great deal of sense. It is less acceptable to bail out particular industries." Even some of Trump's top supporters are concerned that the rush for stimulus is mistaken and does not guarantee an economic turnaround. Supply-side economist Arthur Laffer, whom Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom last year, warned that pumping federal dollars into the economy "sounds compassionate" but would not necessarily spark the market back into action. "I'm very worried that this government - or any government - in a panic does stupid things," Laffer said. "They need to breathe into a brown paper bag a bit, think it through clearly. This is no time to abandon the free market with government interference." Some Trump allies in the Senate are calling for adjustments to the stimulus proposal. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., wrote in a Fox Business op-ed article on Wednesday that "large corporations that have enjoyed years of growth and prosperity" should not receive taxpayer dollars and that small businesses and gig economy workers should be the main beneficiaries. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., similarly has said relief should be focused on working families so that Americans see that taxpayer money is being handled well. "Let's make sure we're taking care of them first," he said. As for bailing out airlines or other industries, Hawley said "very strict conditions" must be set, such as a loan secured by collateral that would be paid back in full. "If you're coming to me and just saying, 'We just want a bunch of taxpayer money, just give it to us,' I'm not going to do that," Hawley said. - - - The Washington Post's Josh Dawsey, Paul Kane and Seung Min Kim contributed to this report. Bengaluru, March 19 : After a daylong high drama and bravado, senior Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Digvijaya Singh didn't go on fast as the Karnataka High Court, here on Wednesday, declined to permit him to meet the 22 Congress rebel legislators, staying at a resort, here. "Singh has retired for rest at a hotel along with some party leaders, Ministers and legislators who flew with him from Bhopal earlier in the day to meet the rebels. He also deferred hunger strike plan," a party source told IANS. Singh, 73, a two-time Chief Minister (1993-2003), had petitioned the high court for a direction to the state police to facilitate his meeting with the rebels, as a sitting candidate in the March 26 Rajya Sabha elections and seek their votes for re-election. Justice R. Devadas rejected Singh's interim prayer as the Supreme Court was seized of the matter and the rebels wrote to the state police chief that they were not interested in meeting him. "The setback from the high court and refusal of the rebels forced Singh to defer the hunger strike as the city is lock-down due to coronavirus outbreak and ban on public events," said the source. When Karnataka Director General of Police (DGP) Praveen Sood and Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao refused to permit the MP leader to enter the resort, Singh said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state was holding the rebels captive. In separate videos, accessed by IANS, most rebels said they didn't want to meet anybody, including Singh, as they came to Bengaluru over a week ago (March 11) on their own and were staying at the resort voluntarily. The rebels, in a joint letter to the state police chief, asked not to allow Singh to enter the resort and sought security. "We have come here voluntarily. We came to know that a few leaders from MP, including Singh, a few Ministers and some MLAs have come. We don't want to talk to anybody," rebel MLA Adal Singh Kansana said in a video message. Accusing the BJP of luring the rebels with money and muscle power, Singh said the BJP was trying to overthrow a democratically elected government in MP as it did in Karnataka in July 2019. "Our party MLAs are held hostage by the ruling BJP with the help of the state police at the behest of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa," Singh said. Resignation of 14 Congress and 3 Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) legislators led to fall of the 14-month coalition government in Karnataka on July 23, 2019 after Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy lost the trust vote in Assembly. Though 21 rebel MLAs resigned from Assembly last week, Speaker N.P. Prajapathi accepted the resignations of only six, who were also Ministers in the 15-month-old Nath government. Intersociety insists in its fresh letter to Anambra Government ...condemns 1yr extension granted to the expired tenure of Nelson Ojukwu leadership at Ochanja Market Onitsha, Eastern Nigeria, 18th March 2020 -In keeping with its thematic mandate of ensuring credible and popular democratic process at community, local, state and federal levels including market associations, the Intl Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law has again written to the Government of Anambra State, insisting that the pending election at the Onitsha Drug Market, now re-fixed or shifted to 16thApril 2020 must be devoid of all stumbling blocks capable of robbing same of its popularity and credibility. Intersociety also condemned in strongest terms the reported unilateral and illegal extension for one year of the expired tenure of Mr. Nelson Ojukwu at the Onitsha Ochanja Central Market. Mr. Nelson Ojukwu led elected leadership of the Market was first elected for four years on 11th March 2016, which expired last Wednesday, 11thMarch 2020. Instead of submitting for fresh election, the expired leadership reportedly walked and worked its way through the office of the Anambra State Commissioner for Trade & Commerce same Wednesday, 11th March 2020 and secured one year extension. Intersociety saw it as nothing short of Government interference in the affairs of the Market and undermining of its democratic leadership process. Intersociety therefore accused the Government of Anambra State of sowing a seed of discord, rancor and acrimony-capable of triggering off crisis and violence in the Market and called for immediate reversal of the illegal tenure extension and ensure that fresh and popular election is conducted in the Market soonest. The said letter to the Anambra State Trade & Commerce Commissioner, Mr. Uche Okafor, was referenced INTERSOC:004/03/20/ANSG/AWK and dated 17th March 2020 and copied to the Executive Governor of the State, the State Commissioner of Police and the Director of SSS; the DPO, Fegge Division of the Nigeria Police Force and the President General of the Onitsha Bridgehead Central Market Association and was signed by three principal officers of Intersociety: Emeka Umeagbalasi, Head of Intersociety, Chinwe Umeche, Esq., Head of Democracy & Good Governance and Obianuju Igboeli, Esq., Head of Civil Liberties & Rule of Law. The three principal officers also signed this statement. The letter came 36 days after the organizations first letter on same issue was addressed to the Executive Governor of the State, Mr. Willie Obiano and dated 10th Feb 2020. We had in the first letter called for permanent end to imposition of Government appointed caretaker committees in the market leaderships across the State and their permanent replacement with prescribed elective tenured offices through popular and credible elections. We also demanded for the use of Option A4 for the pending election at the Onitsha Drug Market, now re-fixed for 16th April 2020; informing that same Option A4was used in the 2009 and 2014 elections in the Market and that in the recently conducted election at Nkpor New Motor Spare Parts Market, conducted weeks ago, the same Option A4 was also used. We had also in our letter to the Anambra State Commissioner for Trade and Commerce insisted that in the pending election of the Onitsha Drug Market, re-fixed for April 16, 2020, the Option A4 must be used alongside the Line Registers of the Market containing names of all the up-to-date members; so as to ensure that no up-to-date member of the Market is disenfranchised or denied his or her right to participate and vote. Stumbling Blocks That Must Be Removed To Ensure Credible Election At Onitsha Drug Market Electoral Committee: Many traders in the Market spoken to are very apprehensive of the sketchy fate of the electoral committee to conduct the election. The traders of the Market are generally neither aware of the existence of such committee nor its composition and membership. To forestall this, Sir, the traders of the Market must not be kept in the dark and must be allowed to determine the formation of the electoral committee and its membership. Sources have already disclosed that planning geared toward the election is beginning to suffer credibility problem owing to its poor handling by the Government appointed caretaker leadership of the Market. It has been further disclosed to us that some, if not majority of the caretaker committee members are gunning for different posts in the pending election; thereby raising fears of possible manipulation of the election and its process particularly with regard to formation and composition of its electoral committee. To forestall this, Sir, we strongly advise that your public office must make sure that the electoral committee is independently constituted and composed. This shall be done in such a way that no serving member of the State Government appointed caretaker committee leadership of the Market or anybody gunning or contesting for any of the elective offices is allowed to make the list of the Markets electoral committee. Use Of Line Registers: To avoid manipulation of the election or its preparation process as well as disenfranchising any up-to-date member of the Onitsha Drug (Ogbo-Ogwu) Market, accreditation and voting must originate from all the Line Registersin the Market. Any verification process concerning the Line Registers must also be devoid of manipulation and doctoring. Timing Of The Election Must Be Kept To Avoid Frustrating Or Scaring Away Voters: Part of the fears being entertained by most of the traders in the Market is possible use of delay tactics on the day of the election-whereby, for instance, election is fixed at 10am in the morning but deliberately delayed till 5pm and above so as to force majority of the voting traders to leave for their homes in anger and frustration. Time keeping for the election is extremely important and must be maintained. Avoid Another Postponement: Election into the Onitsha Drug Market has recently been promised and fixed for different dates by your public office, yet same has not been held till date. For instance, it was fixed for Feb 28 and was not held. Now that it has been re-fixed for 16th of April 2020, we strongly advise and call on your office to ensure that it is held without further delays or postponements and under circumstances devoid of tension, intimidation and manipulation. Contacts: Mobile/Whatsapp Line: +2348174090052, Email: [email protected] Website: www.intersociety-ng.org The beginning of the school year when you got to show off your new duds, new cars, new looks! Sports! Playing, cheering, watching high school athletics. The arts: Dramatic arts, musical groups and shows, graphic arts groups, debate, etc. The prom! No dancing the night away or punch bowl antics. The daily interactions. Just being with the group, hanging with friends and classmates. Access to college recruiters and advisors its harder to line up higher education. Walking onstage to get a diploma while all the family is watching with everyone elses family. Vote View Results Presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., called on the Donald Trump administration to ease its Iran sanctions regime as Tehran struggles to cope with the coronavirus pandemic. Iran is facing a catastrophic toll from the coronavirus pandemic, Sanders wrote on Twitter. US sanctions should not be contributing to this humanitarian disaster. As a caring nation, we must lift any sanctions hurting Irans ability to address this crisis, including financial sanctions. Why it matters: Tehran said that more than 1,100 Iranians have died and some 17,000 have been infected as a result of the coronavirus. President Hassan Rouhani wrote to several world leaders that Irans response to the crisis has been severely hampered by US sanctions. While Iranian leadership initially downplayed the crisis, both Reformist and conservative parliamentarians have accused Tehran of underreporting the initial number of cases, allowing the pandemic to spread. In a letter to the United Nations last week, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote that the sanctions, which are the main pillar of Trumps Iran maximum pressure campaign, have curtailed Tehrans access to medical supplies. But the Treasury Department did issue a general license exemption last month allowing for the trade in humanitarian goods through Irans central bank. Whats next: While Trump has repeatedly stated his desire to cut down the US military presence in the Middle East, he has so far remained committed to the maximum pressure campaign. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced new US sanctions on nine entities in South Africa, Hong Kong and China for significant transactions in petrochemical trade with Iran. The Trump administration also designated three Iranian individuals. Sanders and his rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, the overwhelming favorite to win the Democratic nomination, both support reentering the nuclear deal which would involve lifting sanctions. However, that deal is on life-support as Iran has stepped up its uranium enrichment activity and stockpile in response to US sanctions. Know more: Al-Monitor will keep you posted on the latest coronavirus updates in Iran here. An embattled Rouhani has defended his governments response to the pandemic as Tehran instates a mandatory quarantine on hard-hit areas. Iran has also shuttered schools, mosques and is asking people to stay home for the Nowruz holidays, when its customary for families to visit elderly relatives one of the groups with the highest coronavirus mortality rate. 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 In an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus, funeral directors across Pennsylvania are being urged to postpone funerals, cancel public viewings, and limit attendance at services to 10. Over the weekend, the Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association encouraged funeral homes to consider limiting services to immediate family and moving public memorials to a later date. That guidance was reaffirmed in a memo sent to members Monday in response to Gov. Tom Wolfs announcement of a statewide shutdown, restricting nonessential businesses. The memo from the association answered the question that many funeral directors had been asking: yes, the removal of bodies from anywhere other than hospitals is considered essential, the associations president, David Peake Jr., wrote. But Peake advised members to make changes to their procedures. Hold bodies for [approximately] two weeks, he wrote. Do not have public viewings. Limit it to small family gatherings if you must have any ... Have memorial services later, after this passes. Peake added: There is no one that is going to tell you to shut your business. However, common sense dictates you should severely limit any interaction with other human beings. With proper safety precautions taken, there is currently no known risk in transporting, handling, embalming, or visiting the body of a person who has died from COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But the CDC does say that people should consider not touching the body of the deceased. If close contact is part of a religious or cultural practice, the CDC says, families should discuss precautions with the funeral home. For many funeral directors, the job now is to navigate grieving families through jolted norms. Bill Troutman, a funeral director at Warker-Troutman Funeral Home in Pottstown, said he usually sees between 50 and 100 guests for services. But two funerals this week were made private, Troutman said, and one will have only two guests the deceased persons sons. Troutmans staff is advising visitors against shaking hands and hugging a heavy request, given the circumstances and the funeral home is trying to be proactive. Theyre not putting out a pen with a guestbook. Were certainly taking more precautions, he said, but for us and for most funeral homes, life is going on. Dagny Neel Fitzpatrick, vice president of Jefferson Memorial Cemetery, Funeral Home and Crematory in the Pittsburgh suburbs, said the funeral home is stocked with hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies, encouraging sick staff to stay home, and discouraging hugging and handshakes. Certainly we are a business that is essential, Neel Fitzpatrick said. Were doing what we can to stay clean and healthy. She said the funeral home discussed the associations advice on limiting attendance at services, but as of now, they dont plan to follow it. She thinks people will begin to take precautions on their own, staying home and finding other ways to show support. Bill Harris has been a licensed funeral director since the 1970s and is currently the president and owner of Harris Funeral Homes in Johnstown. Over the decades, Harris said, he has managed similar crises, caring for the bodies of people who suffered from infectious diseases and their families. For Harris, its personal. When the 1918 flu pandemic hit Johnstown, his grandfather, a Teamster in his 20s, succumbed to the virus. And he wouldnt be the only one. The flu was in the house, Harris said. My grandmother was so sick, so they couldnt have a proper viewing and funeral. The funeral director drove the hearse down the familys road, and his grandmother watched from her window. Thats not the correct way to grieve, Harris said. A century later, he and his staff are being careful. They will likely start reducing attendance at services, he said, as per guidance from the state association. But behind Harriss caution, theres clarity. Im going to do the same thing Ive always done provide dignified care, he said. Were going to serve our families. 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. 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 from PennLive US suspends all foreclosures, evictions until May Amid coronavirus spread, elective surgery should be canceled: top Pa. health official Jade Thirlwall has said she was under humongous pressure when she shot to fame as a young woman, and was constantly criticised for the way that she looked. Speaking on Clara Amfos This City podcast, the Little Mix star said that people said there was a stigma attached to being in a girl band and people expected them to flop straightaway. She added: We had all these things sort of stacked against us of why we shouldnt be credible as artists. Thirlwall said there is so much pressure on the group (Peter Byrne/PA) And I think it has taken like six to eight years to finally be known in the industry as credible artists. So, we work bloody hard for it. Thirlwall added that she does not think she will ever get used to fame. She said: To me, Im just a normal person and Im a bit awkward, like if Im around fans and theyre freaking out and stuff, I dont know how to deal with that still. Thirlwall said she would never get used to fame (Ian West/PA) But I think in terms of being in the limelight as well, you have to sort of grow a thick skin. Video of the Day I think theres so much pressure on us. And I think the first couple of years of course, because it was so new, it really affected us all in different ways. BETHEL, Alaska - An Alaska woman facing deportation was unaware she was not a U.S. citizen until she was 22 years old, she said. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has ordered Becky Trimble to leave the country, Alaska Public Media reported Tuesday. The Bethel resident has lived in the United States since she was three days old. Trimble received a letter from the agency Feb. 10 saying she had 33 days to leave or risk being deported because she voted illegally in the 2008 presidential election. Until then, Trimble assumed she was a U.S. citizen. She had gotten a job, a drivers license and voted. She is married with two children. But Trimbles parents adopted her three days after her birth and brought her to the U.S. from Mexico. As a 19-year-old high school senior, Trimble was told voting was the right thing to do. President George W. Bush was ineligible for another term and Republican John McCain faced Democrat Barack Obama in the contest for the White House. It was a very big election, 2008, Trimble said. We could make history. Trimble told citizenship and immigration services she had no idea she was not a citizen when she cast her ballot, but the agency maintained her action was still illegal. I feel like there are holes in the system and that I just need to be looked at as an individual, and not just over a letter, Trimble said. Trimble is not worried about her upcoming departure deadline. I just dont feel like they could deport me when theres just nowhere to go, Trimble said. Theres no proof (of where) to send me. The birth certificate her adoptive parents received from her birth mother in Mexico was fake and she does not believe the United States will send her to a country where she does not officially belong. Who knows if they even want me, Trimble joked. Trimble has received encouragement from Alaska officials. Republican U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski phoned her, while Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Democratic state Rep. Tiffany Zulkosky said they have advocated on her behalf. Im going to stay here and just live out normal life, and just kind of see how things play out, Trimble said. Its still scary because, of course, they could probably detain me, but I feel at peace that things are going to work out and that Im safe. Doctors are warning medical professionals in Italy to stop treating the elderly and focus on those with better survival chances. Italian hospitals are buckling under a surge of coronavirus patients, with the cases jumping from 196 to 827. This has had caused a shortage of hospital beds in intensive care units or ICUs, resulting in doctors warning medics to shift their attention to people with better chances of surviving the coronavirus. According to draft plans for the next phase of the crisis, Italian hospitals may soon have to deny intensive care treatment to people over 80, effectively leaving them to die. The constant increase in patients means that demand for intensive care resources will surpass supply, written in the proposal by the civil protection department of the badly-hit northern region of Piedmont. Italy is suffering the most number of cases in Europe with 2,158 people fatalities and 27,980 infected as of Monday. This is also the second-highest number of reported cases and deaths in the world behind China. The plan to deny treatment for the elderly was set forth in a document drawn up by a crisis management team in Turin. The most notorious medical crisis in Italy since World War II is forcing doctors, patients and their families to make decisions that even military doctors have not experienced even in the war. Also Read: Coronavirus Scare: Cops in Masks and Hazmat Medics Seen Outside Buckingham Palace Top doctors have said that intensive care wards should place an age limit on beds in order to prioritize medical resources. The latest series of restrictions were declared by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte in a dramatic appeal to the country of 60 million undergoing its biggest crisis in years. More European countries are registering their first deaths of people with the new coronavirus. Guidance published by a top Italian health agency has now suggested that rather than treat patients on a "first come first served" basis, hospitals should instead follow "catastrophe medicine" guidelines. The document lays out guidelines for assessing who will be provided treatment once the tipping point is reached. Aside from people over 80, those already in poor health will be denied treatment. "The criteria for access to intensive therapy in cases of emergency must include age of less than 80 or a score on the Charlson comorbidity index (measuring what other medical conditions the patient has) of less than 5," according to the document. The document added, "The growth of the current epidemic makes it likely that a point of imbalance between the clinical needs of patients with COVID-19 and the effective availability of intensive resources will be reached. While Lombardy is the hardest-hit region, neighboring Piedmont is also devastatingly affected with 180 new cases recorded in one day and deaths summing up to 27. According to government sources, the document only needs approval from a technical-scientific committee then it will be sent to hospitals and the criteria is will be applied throughout the entire country. A doctor said, "(Who lives and who dies) is decided by age and by the (patient's) health conditions. This is how it is in a war." Related Article: VIRAL VIDEO: Influencer Licking Plane Toilet Seat in 'Coronavirus Challenge' Slammed on Social Media @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. 2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Instead of educating or informing the American people, the White House is defending Trumps racist spin on the coronavirus. This is what the White Houses official Twitter account is posting: Spanish Flu. West Nile Virus. Zika. Ebola. All named for places. Before the medias fake outrage, even CNN called it Chinese Coronavirus. Those trying to divide us must stop rooting for America to fail and give Americans real info they need to get through the crisis. The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 18, 2020 Trump himself defended the use of racism to describe the virus: Trump keeps doubling down on racist responses to the coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/LtjXzq63I1 Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 18, 2020 China is a place. Chinese is a nationality. Calling the coronavirus a Chinese virus is putting a target on the backs of Asian-Americans. Trump is using one of his favorite tactics. He is using racism to blame someone else for his failed response. It is an intentional strategy. The White House Twitter account should be a source of information and guidance to the American people, not a cheering section for Trumps racially divisive efforts to dodge accountability. The American people need leadership, not defenses of racism from the White House Twitter account. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook Ottawa: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has urged Canadians to hunker down for possibly weeks or months of business closures and home-stay to prevent the spread of new coronavirus. He said his government was preparing to roll out a new package of financial supports -- worth Can$25 billion (US$18 billion), according to public broadcaster CBC -- to ease the burden on Canadians and their businesses. His government is also considering using the Emergency Measures Act, an extremely rare measure. "We don't know exactly how long this is going to take," Trudeau said of the health crisis on Tuesday. "It could be weeks. It could be months," he told a news conference outside his residence where he and his family are self-isolating after his wife Sophie tested positive for the COVID-19 illness. "But we will be there, standing together to support Canadians in order to get through this extremely difficult time." According to public health officials, the number of cases in Canada has risen to nearly 600, including eight deaths. The latest fatalities, one in Ontario province and three in British Columbia, were recorded on Tuesday. The Emergency Measures Act has only been used once since the two World Wars. It would allow the government to suspend civil liberties and impose restrictions on the movement of people and goods -- which so far have been mostly voluntary. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said turning to emergency measures would be a "last resort." "It's a very serious step, which grants extraordinary powers to the federal government," she acknowledged. "We would never introduce it without careful consultation." During the First and Second World Wars, it was used to intern thousands of recent immigrants labeled "enemy aliens." It was last used when it was still known as the War Measures Act and Trudeau's father, then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau, invoked it to deploy soldiers during the 1970 October Crisis in Quebec province after the kidnappings of British and Quebec officials by the Front de Liberation du Quebec. On Monday, Canada closed its border to most foreigners except Americans. Airlines were ordered not to allow passengers with flu-like symptoms to board, while all inbound international flights will be redirected to airports in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver, where public health screenings will be stepped up. On Tuesday WestJet, Canada's second largest airline, announced it was suspending international flights, after flagship carrier Air Canada said it would soon halve its number of foreign flights. Public broadcaster CBC said the aid package would be disbursed through existing programs such as employment insurance and a child tax benefit. The broadcaster cited an unnamed government official as saying: "People need rent money and groceries. Businesses need to bridge to better times." "As much as possible, stay home,don't go out unless you absolutely have to. Work remotely if you can. Let the kids run around a bit in the house." Justin Trudeau, Canadian prime minister With young people not getting the message, Quebec province on Tuesday enlisted the help of artists and athletes including Samuel Piette, a player with Montreal Impact of Major League Soccer. "This is not the time to have parties," Quebec Premier Francois Legault said. KYODO NEWS - Mar 18, 2020 - 15:11 | Sports, Olympics, All The aircraft that will be used to transport the Olympic flame from Greece to Japan took off from Tokyo's Haneda airport Wednesday after a ceremony for its departure was canceled amid the coronavirus outbreak. The aircraft, named "Tokyo 2020 Go," left for Athens following the torch's arrival in the city from ancient Olympia, and will fly back to the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force base in Matsushima, Miyagi Prefecture on Friday with the flame aboard. (Photo taken at Tokyo's Haneda airport on March 18, 2020, shows the Tokyo Olympic torch relay logo on the Japan Airlines plane that will transport the Olympic flame. The plane, named "Tokyo 2020," departed for Athens later in the day.) Two three-time Olympic champions, women's wrestler Saori Yoshida and men's judoka Tadahiro Nomura, were initially scheduled to appear at the flight departure ceremony before its cancellation. The Tokyo Games organizing committee also said Tuesday it had decided to drop a plan to send a delegation to the Olympic flame handover ceremony in Greece as a safety measure in response to the pandemic, while the Olympic torch relay in Japan will be scaled down. The Tokyo 2020 Go, a Boeing 787 airplane operated jointly by Japan Airlines Co. and All Nippon Airways Co., has been decorated with pictograms used to represent the Olympic torch bearers on the body of the aircraft. The emblem used for the Tokyo 2020 torch relay is displayed on the tail fin. For the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, the Japan Airlines aircraft "City of Tokyo" carried the flame from Greece to Okinawa Prefecture before its return to Japan after its postwar occupation by the United States. All Nippon Airways then transported the flame from Okinawa to the relay starting point of Kagoshima Prefecture, as well as to Miyagi and the northernmost main island of Hokkaido. Former Oregon State star Brandon Browner is now in prison. Browner, who played for the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL, was sent to prison last week to serve the remainder of an eight-year prison sentence for attempted murder and two misdemeanor counts of child cruelty. (Photo provided by the La Verne (Calif.) Police Department, via AP) AP Browner, 35, originally pleaded no contest to the charges in December 2018. However, he attempted to vacate the decision while in jail, but a Los Angeles County superior court judge denied the motion in February. He was sent to the Wasco State Prison near Bakersfield and he wont be eligible for parole until November 2023. Browner was arrested and charged after police said he broke into his ex-girlfriends home, assaulted her and threatened to kill her. During the incident, Browner reportedly prevented the woman from leaving her apartment and then dragged her and attempted to smother her in the carpet while her two children were present during the incident. He was was also accused of stealing the womans Rolex watch valued at $20,000. Browner played five seasons in the NFL. He played for the Seahawks from 2011 to 2013, and he was a member of the Seahawks squad that captured Super Bowl 48 in 2014. He joined the New England Patriots the following season and helped the Patriots defeat the Seahawks in Super Bowl 49. He signed a three-year deal with the New Orleans Saints in 2015, but was released in February 2016. -- Geoffrey C. Arnold | @geoffreyCarnold The shooting for Mujhse Shaadi Karoge, which is a reality show starring Bigg Boss 13 contestants Shehnaaz Gill and Paras Chhabra, has come to an end due to sudden rise of coronavirus cases in Maharashtra. Earlier, there were reports that the show will off air on March 27 due to poor TRP. Read: Coronavirus Scare in India: Film, TV and Web Series Shooting to be Put on Hold Until March 31 Along with Shehnaaz and Paras, all the contestants (suitors) have evacuated the house/set where the shooting for the show was being carried out. This happened on Tuesday night, claim reports. Contestants including Sanjjana Galrani, Navdeesh, Vikas Gupta took to their social media to share pictures and group selfies from the last day from the sets of Mujhse Shaadi Karoge. Taking to their respective Instagram Stories, they informed their fans about the show coming to an end due to coronavirus. Vikas also shared a group selfie from the sets of the show Mujhse Shaadi Karoge with all the contestants. To restrict the spread of COVID-19, Indian film bodies including Federation of Western Indian Cine Employees (FWICE) and Indian Film & Television Directors Association (IFTDA) on Sunday, March 15, decided to put shootings of films, television shows and web series on hold from March 19 to March 31. Read: This is How Deepika Padukone is Being 'Productive' Again in the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic India has so far reported three deaths due to coronavirus, one of which was from Maharashtra. The state has so far reported 41 positive cases of COVID-19. Follow @News18Movies for mor Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu on Wednesday said that two more positive cases of coronavirus have been reported from Bangalore taking the total number of Covid-19 cases in the state to 13. The two infected people have had recently travelled abroad. A 56-year old male, who is a resident of Bangalore, recently returned from America while another 25-year-old female has returned from Spain, the minister stated. 2 more #Covid19 case has been registered in Bangalore today, taking the total infected cases to 13. 56yr old male, resident of Bangalore returned from USA on 6th March. Another, 25 yr old female, who has returned from Spain. Both are admitted in designated isolated hospital, the minister tweeted out. 2 more #Covid19 case has been registered in Bangalore today, taking the total infected cases to 13. 56yr old male, resident of Bangalore returned from USA on 6th March. Another, 25 yr old female, who has returned from Spain. Both are admitted in designated isolated hospital B Sriramulu (@sriramulubjp) March 18, 2020 The state has reported one coronavirus death so far. India has confirmed 147 positive cases of Covid-19 so far. The virus has claimed three lives - one patient from Delhi, another one in Maharashtra and the third from Karnataka. So far, 14 people have successfully recovered from Covid-19. Maharashtra accounts for the maximum number of coronavirus cases with 41 testing positive, followed by Kerala which has reported 27 Covid-19 cases. Meanwhile, one more person has been found positive for Coronavirus (Covid-19) in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The total number of Covid-19 infected patients in Noida went up to four by Wednesday afternoon. The identified person had travelled to Indonesia along with his wife and had come back to India on March 3. The patient is a resident of Sector 41 and has been admitted to the isolation ward of Government Institute of Medical Sciences. Facebook / Town of New Fairfield Parks and Recreation MIDDLETOWN The first case of coronavirus in Middlesex County is not in Middletown, Mayor Ben Florsheim confirmed Wednesday evening. Its unclear which municipality reported the persons positive test. Since Tuesday, 28 more Connecticut residents tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total to 96, according to Gov. Ned Lamont, who spoke at a press conference Wednesday afternoon. The statewide breakdown as of Wednesday afternoon is: Fairfield County, 69; Hartford County, 11; Litchfield County, five; Middlesex County one, and New Haven County, 10. Middletown small-business owners hit hard by coronavirus restrictions Middletown mayor: City preparing for coronavirus spread Middletown City Hall, all Middlesex County schools closed due to coronavirus Middletown mayor cancels host of events in light of coronavirus concerns Middletown closes school after adult exposed to person with coronavirus; other measures being taken 'Don't panic,' expert tells attendees of Cromwell coronavirus panel Lamont today signed another executive order taking actions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19: Closes large indoor malls and places of amusement (but not parks and open space areas) effective 8 p.m. Thursday Allows Medicaid to cover audio-only telehealth services Provides flexibility for critical legal functions regarding conservators and competency hearings to ensure the safety of nursing home patients Exempts certain schools inside state facilities from school cancellation order For information, visit portal.ct.gov/coronavirus. Sudans top prosecution office has ordered the arrest of former Foreign Minister Ali Karti for allegedly playing a role in the ascension to power of ousted leader Omar Bashir during the 1989 military coup. The top prosecution office said in a statement that Kartis assets would be frozen and that arrest warrants had been issued for five other people, including Omar Suleiman, a former head of a parliamentary chamber and the man believed to have accompanied Bashir to Khartoum, the capital, during the coup. Bashir who was deposed by the army in April last year, is on trial on multiple charges including corruption and murder of protestors. He was recently questioned over the coup that brought him to power in 1989. The investigations into the coup began prior to the failed assassination attempt on transitional Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok last week, Middle East Monitorreports. Authorities suspected loyalists of the old regime for what has been branded a terrorist attack by Khartoum. No one has claimed responsibility for the incident. The coronavirus outbreak threatens to batter South Korea's state airport, railway and highway operators due to tumbling demand for travel, data showed Wednesday. Korea Times file The coronavirus outbreak threatens to batter South Korea's state airport, railway and highway operators due to tumbling demand for travel, data showed Wednesday. The spread of the respiratory disease, whose first confirmed case in South Korea was reported on Jan. 20, has halted almost all flights to and from South Korea, cut the number of train passengers in half and made a big dent in vehicle traffic on highways. According to the data that Rep. An Ho-young of the ruling Democratic Party received from five state firms, Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC) is expected to see its annual revenue drop by nearly 566 billion won (US$456 million) in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. The corporation had originally estimated the number of international passengers using the airport at 72.54 million for this year, but the COVID-19 outbreak has forced it to slash the figure by 58 percent to 30.82 million. IIAC, the operator of South Korea's main gateway Incheon International Airport, is forecast to switch to a loss starting in March should the coronavirus crisis continue. The corporation estimated its full-year bottom line to decline by some 118 billion won even if the virus outbreak comes to an end in April. Seven airports in South Korea, excluding Incheon International Airport, provided more than 2,400 weekly flights on 106 routes to and from 13 countries before the outbreak, but the number has plunged to 74. The situation is also bad for Korea Railroad Corp. (KORAIL), which operates South Korea's railway and bullet trains, called KTX, across the country. The number of train passengers is projected to sink 55.6 percent on-year to 57.14 million in March should the country maintain its virus alert at the highest level. SR Co., which operates the Super Rapid Train (SRT), forecast passenger demand to drop by up to 5.7 million depending on the duration of the coronavirus outbreak, with its revenue falling by up to 155 billion won. The Korea Expressway Corp. (KEC), which manages South Korea's highways across the nation, has also been hit hard by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The corporation's toll revenue amounted to 423 billion won between Jan. 20 and March 6, down 10.6 percent from the same period a year earlier. Over the cited period, sales at rest stops nationwide tumbled approximately 27 percent to 148.3 billion won, according to the data. So far, the new coronavirus has claimed 81 lives and infected more than 8,300 South Koreans, with some 1,400 patients recovering fully. (Yonhap) Targeting the government over restrictions imposed in Jammu and Kashmir since August last year, the Congress on Wednesday said the economy of the region has collapsed due to the measures and demanded immediate release of former chief ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah. Initiating a discussion on the budgetary proposals and demand for grants for the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, Congress member Manish Tewari urged the government to "open ears" and "listen" to the voices of people as he claimed a "dangerous situation" is developing there. He said that social peace is important for economic development of a place. Tewari alleged that the decisions of August 5, 2019 to abrogate provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and divide the state into Union territories, have demolished the economy. He said that growth of key sectors, including agriculture and tourism, are declining. "It will be better if the budget for Jammu and Kashmir could have been discussed in the Assembly," he said, adding the August decisions are a "tragedy" for these union territories. Citing data of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he said there was a loss of Rs 18,000 crore. "...USD 2.4 billion worth of economy was lost after the decision of August 5-6, 2019," he said, adding agriculture sector has lost Rs 10,000 crore in last seven months. Similarly, he said, apple farmers earned Rs 6,500 crore in 2016-17 and after the imposition of restrictions only 50 per cent of harvesting could be done. He said that the tourism industry, which is the biggest after agriculture, has "totally collapsed". Tewari said that tourist flow too has impacted as it was estimated that about 21 lakh tourists will come to Jammu and Kashmir but till July 2019, the figure was 5.21 lakh. Over 5.6 lakh jobs are also impacted in the sector and about 50,000 jobs are hit in the carpet sector due to closure of restrictions on internet services. Noting that maximum budget has been allotted to the home affairs department, he said, "...this is an unsustainable model, it will not work." These decisions have not been taken keeping in view "diplomatic" strategies but due to "narrow thought processes", he said. On the abrogation of Article 370, he said the matter is sub-judice in the Supreme Court and "I expect a positive result from that". Tewari said that "one thing is clear" from these decisions that "the government want the territory of Jammu and Kashmir and not the people". He said that this decision was implemented by deploying additional 40,000 para military force personnel, detention of 5,161 people and imposition of the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) on 609 people. "We do not know how many people are in jail in different parts of the country...I demand from the government to put a list informing about the number of people from Jammu and Kashmir who are in different jails," he added. He also said that although Lok Sabha member Farooq Abdullah has been released, two former chief ministers -- Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah -- are still under detention. "I demand immediate release of two former chief ministers...PSA is completely unconstitutional and I condemn this action of the government," he said. He said internet closure of over five months in the union territories were relaxed only after the order of the Supreme Court on January 10. However, he said the internet services have not yet resumed completely and only 2G services have been started. "We seek detail answer from the government on this," he added. Intervening, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that terrorists' use internet to spread fear and threaten people. Tewari said that terrorism is not a new phenomena and previous governments had dealt with the menace and "this cannot be an excuse to close internet services". He added that closure of the services has impacted children a lot and as many as 11,308 schools were closed seven months. "This is a big damage from the government's decision," he said, adding judiciary too has collapsed in the union territory and "this is the biggest tragedy". He added that since August 5-6, 2019, as many as 459 Habeas corpus petitions are pending. "So what kind of country we want to make," he said, alleging courts are not listing these petitions. Further Tewari said that now the government seems to realise that the August decision was a "mistake". Participating on the discussion, Jagdambika Pal of the BJP said the decision has led to development of the union territories. He said that now no one can dare to hoist flag of Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir. He alleged that Pakistan approached against this decision to UN and the US taking "views of Rahul Gandhi (Congress)", but they stated that it was India's internal matter. "Pakistan is now keeping quiet but Congress is still raising the issue," he said, adding several projects worth crores of rupees are now under different stages of development in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. He said bids are being sought for 13 airports and it will give a boost to the tourism sector. He claimed that Delhi riots of last month were pre- planned and Pakistan's ISI hand was also there and "you should be ashamed of this". A Raja of the DMK criticised the government's decision on Jammu and Kashmir. Concerns raised by Opposition parties on Jammu and Kashmir have not yet been resolved, he said. "This budget discussion is just ceremonial and not in true spirit because we are not Kashmiris," Raja said. He added that a state cannot become prosperous if social harmony will not be there. He said that Home Minister Amit Shah has assured and promised good administration and corruption-free society, but it has not yet been fulfilled completely. The Centre on Tuesday presented a Rs 1-lakh crore Budget for Jammu and Kashmir for 2020-21, and said the "highest ever" allocations reflect its commitment to make the Union Territory "a model of development". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) WASHINGTONFor weeks, President Donald Trump has minimized the coronavirus, mocked concern about it and treated the risk from it cavalierly. On Tuesday he took to the White House podium and made a remarkable assertion: He knew it was a pandemic all along. This is a pandemic, Trump told reporters. I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic. This is what Trump has actually said over the past two months: On Jan. 22, asked by a CNBC reporter whether there were worries about a pandemic, the president replied: No, not at all. 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. On Feb. 26, at a White House news conference, commenting on the countrys first reported cases: Were going to be pretty soon at only five people. And we could be at just one or two people over the next short period of time. So weve had very good luck. On Feb. 27, at a White House meeting: Its going to disappear. One day its like a miracle it will disappear. On March 7, seated next to President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil at Mar-a-Lago, his club in Palm Beach, Florida, when asked if he was concerned that the virus was spreading closer to Washington: No, Im not concerned at all. No, Im not. No, weve done a great job. (At least three members of the Brazilian delegation and one Trump donor at Mar-a-Lago that weekend later tested positive for the virus.) On March 16, in the White House briefing room, warning that the outbreak would wash away this summer: 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. That comment Monday was part of Trumps inching toward a more urgent tone in recent days. But his assertion Tuesday that he had long seen the pandemic coming was the most abrupt pivot yet from the voluminous number of claims and caustic remarks he has made about the disease. On Tuesday, Trump spent much of a lengthy news conference praising his administrations response to the pandemic, saying the only mistake his administration made had been a mismanagement of relationships with the news media. When asked why he had suddenly adopted a sombre and realistic tone about the virus Tuesday, the president denied that he had changed his mind at all. No, Ive always viewed it as very serious, 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 a caustic tone toward people who took it more seriously. During a campaign rally in South Carolina on Feb. 28, Trump accused Democrats and the news media of hysteria and unfairly criticizing his administration by engaging in what he said was a political hoax. His supporters have argued that he was calling Democratic criticism of his administration over the coronavirus a hoax, not the virus itself. And until recently, he and several of his advisers had privately mocked his health and human services secretary, Alex Azar, as alarmist. Another theme has been the presidents offering inaccurate information. At a campaign rally Feb. 10, 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, Trump continued misrepresenting what was available. Anybody right now and yesterday, anybody that needs a test gets a test, the president said during a tour March 6 of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Theyre there. They have the tests, and the tests are beautiful. During that visit, Trump praised his own natural ability to grasp scientific theories, and then he likened the quality of the test to a White House recounting of a phone call: The transcription was perfect, right? he asked reporters. This was not as perfect as that, but pretty good. While his administration struggled to form a uniform answer about testing, Trump also made misleading claims about whether there would be a vaccine for the virus. On Feb. 29, the president said that a vaccine would be available very quickly and very rapidly, as he praised his administrations actions as the most aggressive taken by any country. His statement about how long it would take for a vaccine to be publicly available was corrected by Dr. Anthony Fauci, a member of the coronavirus task force, in front of reporters. This week, Trump announced that a vaccine candidate was entering a clinical trial only the first phase in a lengthy process to find a cure. Read more about: Joe Biden won Floridas 2020 Democratic primary, capturing a majority of the states Latino voters. Polls have been tracking the Latino vote in Democratic presidential primaries, and many analysts are trying to predict which candidate Latinos might favor in November. Interest in Florida has been especially strong. Observers commonly speak of the Latino vote as if Latinos make up a distinct and unified interest group. This both overstates and understates Latinos uniqueness. Latinos are a highly diverse population, beginning with where they and their families are from. For many Latinos, political events that affect their places of origin significantly influence their electoral preferences. Given the uneven geographic distribution of Latino communities, these differences may be consequential in certain state elections, as seen most clearly in Florida, where Latinos make up 20% of the eligible electorate. Since Florida is an important swing state, these voters choices can make a difference to national election outcomes. Breaking down the Latino vote As a group, the nations 32 million Latino potential voters are somewhat more likely than non-Latinos to lean Democratic. About 62% identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party, while 34% affiliate with or lean to the Republicans. Their policy preferences align broadly with those of their parties, but the partisan gap tends to be smaller than among U.S. voters as a whole. In a 2019 Pew survey, for example, 82% of Latino Democrats and 51% of Latino Republicans believed government should do more to solve problems. Among non-Latinos, the corresponding figures were 79% and 22%. An important way in which Latino voters differ from non-Latinos, and vary among themselves, relates to where they or their forebears came from. Voters who identify as Latino vary in their places of origin. The ancestors of some lived in North America long before the westward expansion of the United States; Puerto Ricans became U.S. citizens after the Spanish-American War; and millions of others immigrated from nations throughout the Americas and the Caribbean. Story continues Mexican Americans are the largest group, at about 60% of eligible Latino voters. Puerto Ricans come second, with 14%, followed by Cubans at 4%. Cuban Americans and Florida In our research on the recent wave of migrants from Central America, we highlighted the problems, from economic insecurity to the prevalence of violence, that motivated people to undertake the often-treacherous journey to the United States. Our present work examines how the voting preferences of some Latino migrants continue to be shaped by political events and conditions back home, even decades after leaving. The persistent power of the place once called home to shape electoral choices is most apparent among two groups, Cuban Americans and Puerto Ricans. Both have large communities in Florida, giving that state a unique demographic profile. Floridas Cuban American voters have long made toppling the communist government of Cuba a priority in presidential and congressional elections. Unusual among Latinos, Cuban Americans have historically favored Republicans, although this preference is declining. Still, in 2016, Donald Trump got more than half of Floridas Cuban American vote, compared to only a quarter of non-Cuban Latino votes. As a rough estimate, about half a million Cuban Americans voted in the Florida election. Trump won the state by only 112,911 votes. Many Cuban Americans have pressed their elected representatives for more aggressive U.S. policies aimed at ousting both the government of Cuba and the pro-Cuban socialist government of Venezuela. These voters are joined in this by many in the states growing Venezuelan community, as well as residents of Colombian and Nicaraguan heritage. These communities influence can be seen in the strong language Floridas congressional Democrats use to criticize the autocratic governments of communist Cuba and socialist Venezuela. In recent decades, Cuban Americans attitudes about regime change in Cuba have become more divided. Polls reveal emerging splits between those who left Cuba before 1980 and those who left more recently or were born in the U.S. The younger voters and more recent migrants favor a friendlier stance toward Cuba: ending the U.S. embargo, lifting travel restrictions and deepening diplomatic relations with the island. In a 2019 Florida International University poll of Cuban American adults in Miami-Dade County, home to almost half the Cuban Americans in the U.S., only 8% identified policy toward Cuba as the top issue influencing their votes in 2018. Domestic policy issues may take precedence, but concern about conditions in Cuba endures. Growing presence of Puerto Ricans As the role of place begins to change within the Cuban American community, a new politics of place is becoming evident among Puerto Ricans. After Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017, tens of thousands emigrated to the mainland, with at least one-third going to Florida to join the million Puerto Ricans already living there. Puerto Ricans might soon match Cuban Americans among the states eligible voters, though not yet in turnout. Historically viewed as reliable supporters of Democrats, Floridas Puerto Ricans have begun breaking old patterns. For example, many voted for Republican Rick Scott in his 2018 senatorial bid, a fact partly attributable to the multiple visits Scott made as governor to their hurricane-ravaged homeland. In a 2019 survey of Puerto Rican likely 2020 voters in Florida, more than 90% said it would be important to their vote that a candidate offered specific solutions for the economic recovery and well-being of the island. Final considerations The pull of family roots also matters among other Latino communities. And home is clearly just one of the demographic factors that shape Latinos electoral choices. Gender, age, income and education are also influential, as they are with other American ethnic groups. Moreover, the weight of home tends to decline over time. Surveys of people who identify as having Latino heritage have revealed that successive generations report lower levels of attention to politics in their country of origin. However, to the extent that many Latino voters remain highly motivated by concerns about conditions back home, candidates seeking their votes will do well not to ignore this aspect of diversity. [Deep knowledge, daily. Sign up for The Conversations newsletter.] This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. Read more: The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. A Louisiana chemical plant that agreed to lower its emissions of a potentially harmful toxin now wants to raise them based on research indicating the compound is safe at much higher levels than what federal environmental officials previously said. The LaPlace facility in St. John the Baptist Parish is owned by Denka Performance Elastomer and produces the compound chloroprene, an ingredient in some synthetic rubber products, according to the companys website. The Environmental Protection Agency labeled the substance a likely carcinogen, meaning it could be harmful to public health and pose a risk of cancer with inhalation, The Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate reported. But Denka is pointing to a new study, which it sponsored, that claims the level of chloroprene emissions considered safe should be 130 times higher than what the EPA currently allows, the newspaper said. The study, published in January by a scientific journal, suggests the risk of developing lung cancer after inhaling the toxin is lower than what the EPA has cited. The peer-reviewed study is being evaluated by the EPA in a process that could take up to nine months, the newspaper said. If the results are found acceptable, the agency could choose to change its guidance. Brad Reisfeld, a professor of chemical and biological engineering at Colorado State University, told the newspaper that changing the acceptable level of a chemical can be concerning. But he added that such adjustments can happen as studies increase and the science of risk assessment improves. A 2015 National Air Toxics Assessment by the EPA indicated residents living near the LaPlace plant were among populations facing the highest risks of cancer due to the chloroprene emissions. Louisianas health department is leading a study to see how many people living nearby have been diagnosed with cancer. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Louisiana Pollution Chemicals We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Producers Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon, who adapted their thriller Homeland from the Israeli series Prisoners of War (Hatufim), have planted a time bomb under its eighth and final season. When the 12-episode swansong began, CIA officer Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) had just been released from a Russian prison. During her incarceration, shed been interrogated and denied the medication she needed for her bipolar disorder. Her memories of the time in jail are hazy, shrouded in shadow, returning in jarring fragments. She doesnt know what she said or did and large chunks of her time are lost or at least temporarily forgotten. So this fierce heroine, a relentless fighter for her country, has now become even more unreliable. Carrie has always been a maverick: impulsive, reckless, erratic. But also really good at her job, the kind of agent who spots things that others miss. Not one to follow orders, shes both a loose cannon and a valuable weapon for her country. Now her time in Russia threatens to affect her, and her work, in myriad ways. Claire Danes plays CIA agent Carrie Mathison in Homeland, the final season of which is airing now. Credit:Sifeddine Elamine/Showtime As shes gone about her business, cutting short her convalescence and returning to the frontlines at the behest of her boss, mentor, friend and father figure, Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin), Homeland has continued to explore the murky operations of the international intelligence community: the allegiances, the betrayals, the compromises negotiated in order to secure desired outcomes. And at its core have always been issues of loyalty: to people, to institutions, to countries. On the other side of the coin have been treachery and deception. Facebook suffered from a massive bug in its News Feed spam filter, causing URLs to legitimate websites including Medium, Buzzfeed, and USA Today to be blocked from being shared as posts or comments. The issue blocked shares of some but not all coronavirus-related content, while some unrelated links are allowed through and others are not. Facebook has been trying to fight back against misinformation related to the outbreak, but may have gotten overzealous or experienced a technical error. A source tipped us off and provided numerous examples of blocked links. We reached out to Facebook for comment and a company spokesperson told us, "Were looking into this right now and working as quickly as possible to share information. [I] can confirm at this point that were looking into the matter, cant confirm what might be happening just yet." Facebook's Guy Rosen later tweeted that "We're on this - this is a bug in an anti-spam system, unrelated to any changes in our content moderator workforce. We're in the process of fixing and bringing all these posts back. More soon." Facebook sent home its content moderators this week and announced it would be relying more on its artificial intelligence systems, warning it could make "more mistakes." [Update 6:40pm PT: Rosen has now shared that, "Weve restored all the posts that were incorrectly removed, which included posts on all topics - not just those related to COVID-19. This was an issue with an automated system that removes links to abusive websites, but incorrectly removed a lot of other posts too." A Facebook spokesperson followed up that the company routinely uses automation to assist in enforcing its anti-spam policies, and this issue wasn't related to it asking content moderators to work from home starting earlier this week amidst the coronavirus update.] We're on this - this is a bug in an anti-spam system, unrelated to any changes in our content moderator workforce. We're in the process of fixing and bringing all these posts back. More soon. Guy Rosen (@guyro) March 17, 2020 Upon sharing certain links, users were seeing a warning from Facebook stating: "Your post goes against our Community Standards on spam." It went on to explain that, "No one else can see your post. We have these standards to prevent things like false advertising, fraud and security breaches." Story continues Earlier this month, Facebook banned ads for protective face masks in an effort to prevent price gouging during the outbreak. Facebook has also been sharing contagion prevention tips atop Instagram's home screen, sending misinformation to fact-checkers for review, and providing data to researchers. Facebook has grown into a fundamental communications utility, holding special importance during the COVID-19 crisis. News organizations are sharing life saving tips while non-profits are raising money for artists and businesses impacted by widespread quarantine orders. That means it's more critical than ever that Facebook keep information flowing properly. CEOs across the globe are coming to terms with the reality that business will be anything but normal over the coming months as the impact of the coronavirus pandemic continues to escalate. But while revenues are set to suffer a short-term hit, the majority of leaders remain confident that their companies will be back on solid footing within the year, according to a new study on the business impact of the outbreak of COVID-19, the disease's formal name. The Young Presidents' Organization's (YPO) survey, released Tuesday, found that 82% of business leaders expect declines in revenues over the next six months, but more than half (54%) anticipate revenues will be back to normal in a year's time. And 61% of CEOs expect their total fixed investments to remain unchanged year on year. Of note, the study, which surveyed more than 2,750 CEOs across 110 countries, was conducted from March 10-13, 2020, just ahead of sweeping new measures aimed at curtailing the outbreak. Since then, several U.S. states and governments across the globe have imposed strict closures of bars, restaurants and other non-essential businesses. At the time of asking, respondents in Asia, and particularly China, where the virus is thought to have originated, were facing the greatest impact, with 84% reporting feeling a hit. The region was followed by South Asia namely India, Nepal and Sri Lanka (78%), the Middle East and North Africa (74%) and Europe (70%). Businesses in Australia and New Zealand (52%), the U.S. (50%) and Canada (45%) were then feeling comparatively less impacted. Roughly half of all respondents were from the U.S. That landscape, however, will likely have changed since then, as the severity of the outbreak intensifies. YPO member and executive chairman of Singapore-based healthcare business Novena Global Lifecare, Nelson Loh told CNBC's "Street Signs" on Tuesday that business sentiment is cautious and global job cuts would be inevitable. Governments and central banks across the globe are stepping up with new measures aimed at curbing the economic impact on the virus. On Tuesday, the U.S. and the U.K. outlined new fiscal packages to support their citizens and businesses. Never has the Prime Minister looked so sombre or sounded so consensual. His demeanour has undergone the transformation demanded by the crisis. Boris Johnson was brought up to tell every joke a situation might offer. Today there were no jokes, no humorous asides at the expense of opponents, no smirks. In their place came a sombre and unwavering bipartisanship. He sounded as if he was leading a Government of National Unity, not a Government of Conservatives. Jeremy Corbyn said the Labour benches will do our duty to hold the Government to account, and complained that the Chancellor offered nothing to 20 million people living in rented homes. A momentary look of vexation seemed to cross Rishi Sunaks stern features, in the second or two the television showed his face, for this report was being written remotely. But Johnson allowed no hint of annoyance to disturb his furrowed brow. Hes making a series of very powerful points, the Prime Minister said of the Leader of the Opposition, and assured MPs that the Government will protect private renters from eviction. When Corbyn turned to the provision of protective equipment for medical staff, Johnson declared that hes absolutely right to raise this. Ian Blackford, for the Scottish Nationalists, welcomed this bipartisanship, and suggested people should be given the security of a Universal Basic Income. Johnson thanked him for the spirit in which he has spoken, observed that it is very important as we go forward that we try to build a consensus, and did nothing to rubbish the idea of a Universal Basic Income. In this early phase of the crisis, bipartisanship is fairly easy to maintain. Later on, one suspects, bipartisanship fatigue may set in. The Chamber was three-quarters empty, but the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, informed us at the start of PMQs that this was deliberate, having been arranged through the usual channels, i.e. the Whips, in accordance with medical advice about sitting a reasonable distance apart. Sunak, sitting next to the Prime Minister, looked for most of the time like an Easter Island statue, immobile yet somehow at ease. The Commons had shown its ability to register the national mood, and so, to the astonishment of those who see him as an incorrigible buffoon, had the Prime Minister. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) is directing all insurers to review and update their business continuity and/or continuity of operations plans in light of the current outbreak of coronavirus strain COVID-19. In a memorandum issued by OIR March 16, insurers are also asked to immediately notify OIR should they have to activate their business continuity and/or continuity operation plan in response to COVID-19. OIR issued the memorandum to all insurers in the state and other entities it regulates and noted that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Florida Department of Health (DOH) have issued guidance on how businesses can help prevent the spread of the virus by limiting public exposures, and said companies are urged to heed this guidance. The memorandum applies to all insurance companies regulated by OIR. That does not include insurance agencies or brokers, which are regulated by the Florida Department of Financial Services. Understanding these measures may disrupt normal business operations, all companies regulated by OIR are directed to review and update their Business Continuity Plans and/or Continuity of Operation Plans immediately, OIR said in the memorandum. Insurer continuity plans must provide a framework for the continuation of company operations, including key insurance functions such as policy issuance, premium collection, claims adjustment and payment and policyholder service, OIR said. The continuity plans should also account for DOH and CDC guidance surrounding COVID-19, including executive orders issued at the state and national level. Companies should consider all potential impacts of COVID-19 within their continuity plan, including impacts to essential operations, key personnel, supply chain, vendors, contractors and policyholders, OIR said. In addition, companies are required to notify OIR in the event that their business continuity and/or continuity of operations plan is activated in response to COVID-19 within the same day the plan was activated. If in response to COVID-19, business operations are compromised to the extent that it jeopardizes the companys ability to provide essential insurance services to policyholders, the company must immediately notify OIR, detailing the extent to which operations are compromised, the memorandum further notes. OIR said companies should contact Christopher Struk at Christopher.Struk@floir.com and Christina Huff at Christina.Huff@floir.com with the following information: Detailed information regarding the extent to which business operations are compromised, including information on how it may impact services to policyholders; and The name, phone number, and email address of the point of contact for this issue. Notice of the activation of a business continuity plan due to COVID-19 provides the OIR with a better understanding of market impacts and does not necessarily require any action on the part of OIR, an OIR spokesperson said in a statement to Insurance Journal. OIR is requesting this notification and point of contact so it can immediately work with insurers to avoid any disruption in consumer services in response to COVID-19. Florida-based insurer FedNat announced on Twitter, and OIR confirmed, that the insurer has implemented its business continuity and disaster recovery plan and now has most of its employees working from home. It has also suspended all non-essential corporate travel. While its operations remain open and at full capacity, the company said it encourages everyone to use its online self-serve portal for any policy needs or to track claims activity. Read More: OIR Insurer Business Continuity Memorandum Topics Carriers COVID-19 Florida The Armenian Red Cross Society (ARCS), as an auxiliary organization to the government in the humanitarian field and the largest voluntary organization in the country, as well as having branches in all regions and numerous communities, is always standing by the side of the Government bodies and the people. In these days of the state of emergency declared as a result of the coronavirus epidemic, ARCS will provide the following services: In cooperation with the RA Ministry of Health, Psycho-Social Support Centers of the Armenian Red Cross Society will operate in an emergency mode in following addresses: 21/1 Paronyan Street, tel. +374 60 625069, 28 Isahakyan, +374 60 627070, e-mail [email protected], Gavar Central Square, House of Culture 52, [email protected], Gegharkunik, Dilijan, Myasnikyan 53, Chamber of Culture, Tavush, [email protected]), where the ARCS psychologists will conduct volunteer recruitment, registration and guidance. In cooperation with the RA Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the Armenian Red Cross Society, mobilizing all its volunteer potential, will assist the elderly and people with disabilities in household tasks, including shopping, to limit the scope of their contacts, taking into consideration, that the elderly and people with disabilities are more vulnerable to the infection. The ARCS volunteers will communicate online with the citizens isolated in Tsakhkadzor and Dilijan to specify their needs and transfer the data to corresponding specialists. All ARCS care services continue to operate in normal mode. The list of translators of the Armenian Red Cross Society will be provided to the RA Ministry of Health, so that the foreigners calling to the hotlines can be directed to the Armenian Red Cross Society and have access to information in their languages. Volunteers will distribute informative leaflets to protect the public against coronavirus in public areas throughout the country (stations, near grocery stores and pharmacies, undergrounds). ARCS volunteers will share informative materials and videos online raising awareness of the measures of protection from coronavirus. Organizer of mass Moscow cemetery clashes gets over 3 years in prison RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 15:02 18/03/2020 MOSCOW, March 18 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court on Wednesday found Georgy Makaryev guilty of organizing violent clashes at the citys Khovansky cemetery involving scores of people and sentenced him to 3 years and 9 months behind bars, the courts press service told RAPSI. One more defendant Shakhmokhmad Shapturkayev was given 2 years and 2 months in jail. In November 2018, the court sentenced ex-director of a territorial directorate for the funeral service company Ritual Yury Tchabuyev to 11 years as part of the case and banned him from holding state and municipal offices in the service sector for 2 years. Another organizer of the clashes Alexander Bocharnikov received 9 years in prison. Other 14 defendants in the case were given prison terms ranging from 3.5 to 11.5 years. In May 2016, about 200 people were involved in fights at the largest cemetery of Moscow. As a result, 3 individuals died, over 13 were injured, and more than 100 persons were arrested. According to investigators, the conflict was related to competition for the cemeterys service market. South Africa: Travellers urged to check COVID-19 health notices Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, has advised South African citizens who are travelling to be aware of the health risks. When they travel they should check the travel and health notices for COVID-19 at their destinations, the Minister said in a statement on Tuesday. On Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared the outbreak a national disaster and outlined a comprehensive plan detailing how the country will respond in the short to medium term. The State of National Disaster entails that restrictions on entry, movement and exit will be prescribed in regulations to be issued by the responsible Ministers. As high-and medium-risk countries are identified and the status of countries changes, travel alerts will be issued to communicate such changes and the measures applicable. Government has identified high risk countries, namely the Italian Republic, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Korea, the Kingdom of Spain, the Federal Republic of Germany, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, the French Republic, the Swiss Confederation and the Peoples Republic of China presently identified as well as the European Union. South Africans planning to travel or transit to these countries should refrain from doing so. South African citizens are also to refrain from traveling on cruise ships due to the inherent risks involved in such travel as recent experiences have shown. This is effective immediately, until further notice. Non-essential travel to other countries should also be cancelled or postponed. South African citizens returning from high-risk countries will be subjected to testing and self-isolation or quarantine on return to South Africa, the Minister said. Increased health screening measures at ports of entry for international destinations, which may include entry requirements, border closures, flight suspensions and quarantines, can be expected. South African citizens should contact the South African Mission/Consulate in the country of their destination, to inform them of their presence in the country and provide them with information such as contact details and duration of stay, Pandor said. Foreign travellers No applications for visas by foreign travellers from high-risk countries will be approved. Visas already issued are revoked with immediate effect for travellers that have not yet entered South Africa. All entry, regardless of compliance with visa requirements, of foreign travellers with ordinary passports, travelling from or transiting through high-risk countries presently identified as the Italian Republic, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Korea, the Kingdom of Spain, the Federal Republic of Germany, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, the French Republic, the Swiss Confederation and the Peoples Republic of China is prohibited until further notice, she said. Visa waiver agreements with countries identified by the Department of Health as high-and medium-risk will be suspended from dates that will be advised through Travel Alerts. Any foreign national who has visited high-risk countries in the past 20 days will be denied a visa. Any foreign national affected by these travel restrictions who needs to travel to South Africa for emergency or compelling reasons may contact the nearest South African mission or consulate to apply for a visa. Such visa applications will be considered on merit and on a case-by-case basis, the Minister said. The above restrictions exclude holders of diplomatic passports and travel documents issued by international organisations as well as their family members accredited to South Africa, and holders of official/service passports. The travel restrictions will also not apply to the crew members of aircraft and cargo ships, as well as cross border rail and road transportation workers. However, such travellers will be subjected to medical screening and if required, can be isolated or quarantined for a minimum period of 14 days, the Minister said. All international travellers All international travellers, including South African citizens, entering South Africa will be required to complete and submit the prescribed Health Form and hand it to Health officials and Immigration officers upon arrival. All travellers will be subjected to medical screening for COVID-19 upon entering South Africa and if required, can be isolated or quarantined for a minimum period of 14 days. Over and above the normal immigration requirements, entry into South Africa is subject to a passengers cooperation with officials conducting tests. Travellers from medium-risk countries as identified by the South African Department of Health will be required to undergo high intensity screening, the Minister said. All travellers who have entered South Africa from high-risk countries since 15 February 2020 will be required to present themselves for testing. South Africa has placed restrictions on attendance of international meetings. All organisers or attendees of international meetings are strongly advised to confirm whether attendance will be permitted before travelling to South Africa, the Minister said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-03-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Restored: A Biblical Healing Journey from Your Eating Disorder to Freedom: a practical and highly effective faith-based guide to overcoming eating disorders. Restored: A Biblical Healing Journey from Your Eating Disorder to Freedom is the creation of published authors, Angelica Gonzalez, MSEd, LMHC and Christina Sendina Garbati, MS, LMHC private practice therapists. The authors state: God is the ultimate healer and creator, and we believe that through Gods power He will lead you on a personal journey that can heal your heart, mind, and body to wholeness and peace. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Angelica Gonzalez, MSEd, LMHC and Christina Sendina Garbatis MS, LMHC new book invites readers on a creative biblical journey to freedom from eating disorders. The book provides creative opportunities that guide readers through a four-step process that is both user-friendly and highly effective. Regardless of artistic ability, it allows anyone to participate in this journey to wellness and through the use of art, music, and journaling, individuals can use the book to explore their thoughts and feelings about their heart, mind, spirit, and body within a spiritual context. View a synopsis of Restored: A Biblical Healing Journey from Your Eating Disorder to Freedom on YouTube. Consumers can purchase Restored: A Biblical Healing Journey from Your Eating Disorder to Freedom at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about Restored: A Biblical Healing Journey from Your Eating Disorder to Freedom, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. The novel coronavirus outbreak continues to spread globally, sparking a total lockdown across Italy and emergency measures worldwide, as markets recover from Monday's historic rout. The virus, known as Covid-19, has now infected close to 113,000 people worldwide and resulted in more than 4,000 deaths. The majority of these cases are in mainland China, where the outbreak first emerged -- but the rate of infection has been slowing in the country, and the situation stabilizing, even as the virus wreaks havoc elsewhere In an apparent show of confidence, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in virus-stricken Wuhan Tuesday, his first visit to the city at the epicenter of the global outbreak since the crisis began. The trip comes as Chinese authorities recorded 19 new cases, 17 of which were in Wuhan, and two were imported from overseas -- marking the third straight day of no locally transmitted cases outside Hubei, the province of which Wuhan is the capital. Of the country's 80,754 patients, nearly 60,000 have recovered and been discharged from hospitals. Other Asian countries like South Korea are also beginning to see a slowdown in the virus' spread. South Korea, which has carried out more than 190,000 tests as part of a free nationwide screening program, recorded it's lowest number of daily confirmed cases of the virus in weeks on Tuesday -- a sign that the country may has "passed the peak" of the outbreak, South Korean Health Minister Park Neunghoo told CNN. But these cautious signs of progress throw into sharp relief the deteriorating situation in the West. States across the US are declaring emergencies, with even congressmen being self-quarantined after exposure to a patient. And in Europe, the outbreak that began in Italy has spread far and wide, with nearby countries like Germany reporting dramatic spikes in daily cases. All of Italy is under lockdown In an unprecedented and potentially legally fraught move, all of Italy and its 60 million residents have been placed under lockdown, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced on Monday, part of a raft of sweeping quarantine measures intended to contain the outbreak. The northern region of Lombardy and 14 other provinces had already been placed under lockdown -- but this new decree will extend those restrictions across the entire country, as the virus continues to spread throughout Italy and mainland Europe. The drastic measures include blanket travel restrictions, a ban on all public events, the closures of schools and public spaces such as movie theaters, and the suspension of religious services including funerals or weddings. To enforce the movement ban, military police, railway police, and health workers are carrying out checks on transportation sites like highways and train stations. This lockdown represents the toughest coronavirus response to be implemented outside of mainland China, and comes as the country buckles under the weight of the epidemic. Parts of Italy, particularly the northern regions, are seeing a "tsunami of patients," and the healthcare system is "one step from collapse," said Antonio Pesenti, intensive care coordinator in the Lombardy crisis unit. So far, Italy has 9,172 cases and 463 deaths -- the most of any country outside of China. The new lockdown may help slow the virus from spreading further -- but some, like the Lombardy president, fear it is "still insufficient" given the sheer scale and speed of the Italian outbreak. The virus spreads across the US The virus is rapidly spreading across the United States too, with new cases reported in at least 20 states on Monday. The country now has 717 confirmed and presumptive positive cases and 26 deaths, spread out across 36 states and the capital, Washington, DC. Washington state has been the hardest hit; 22 of the country's 26 deaths were in Washington, which has 180 cases. At least 10 states, including Washington, have declared states of emergency, which give state governments access to emergency funds and powers. But there are signs of growing frustrations with the federal government's handling of the outbreak. On Sunday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo criticized the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for testing delays, and earlier this month, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee criticized the Trump administration for not sticking "to the science." In some ways the friction began as early as February, when new federal travel restrictions ruffled state and local officials, who complained the rollout had been opaque and confusing. But these tensions are only ramping up now as the virus threatens to disrupt people's lives and livelihoods. Multiple schools in Washington have already moved to online learning. Many large colleges like Columbia University, New York University, Stanford, and the University of Southern California are also beginning to hold classes remotely instead of in person. And employers like Amazon and Boeing have begun asking employees in virus-hit areas to work from home, in an echo of the same measures rolled out across Asia just a month or two ago. Markets are slowly recovering from Monday's crash Coronavirus fears and an oil price war sparked a global panic on Monday, with markets entering into stunning decline. Oil prices collapsed after Saudi Arabia launched a price war against onetime ally Russia -- and the crisis was only worsened by the coronavirus, which has slammed economies worldwide and weighed heavily on investors. Wall Street had already faced heavy losses for several weeks because of the virus; the oil price war served a second blow, and the Dow ended the day with its biggest point drop in history, closing Monday down 2,014 points, or 7.8%. On Tuesday, markets in Asia Pacific mostly stumbled, with South Korea's Kospi, China's Shanghai Composite, and Japan's Nikkei 225 all falling, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index swung between gains and losses. There are some signs of recovery, with Dow futures jumping 500 points, or 2.2%, and Australia's benchmark S&P/ASX 200 was trading firmly in the green. But the virus may prove harder to recover from; about $9 trillion was wiped off global stocks in nine days, Bank of America said in a research note on Thursday. And markets are still seeing wild swings, indicative of just how deep investor anxieties run. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- On highways across New York, the state is sending a message about the coronavirus pandemic: Stay home, save lives. The message boards are posted on highways from Albany to Buffalo and from Binghamton up to the Canadian border. In the Syracuse area, they are on the side of Interstate 81, Interstate 690 and the New York State Thruway. The signs are using three messages to implore drivers to self-isolate: Stay home, stop the spread Save lives, #flattenthecurve" Stay home, save lives Drivers are being reminded to stay home and slow the spread of coronavirus along I-690 in Syracuse.Lauren Long | llong@syracuse.com Coronavirus cases in New York nearly doubled overnight, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday morning. As of Wednesday morning, 2,382 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the state. Onondaga County confirmed its third case Wednesday. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS A county-by-county map of cases, deaths in New York State Central NY cancellations, closings list due to coronavirus pandemic (updated list) Out of work because of the coronavirus? How to quickly apply for unemployment benefits We all have a part to play in stopping coronavirus (Editorial) Thanks for visiting Syracuse.com. Quality local journalism has never been more important, and your subscription matters. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work. Have a tip, a story idea or a comment? You can reach me at shouse@syracuse.com. New Delhi: Coronavirus outbreak continues in the country and the world. The number of cases of coronavirus is continuously increasing in the country. The Ministry of External Affairs said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha, that 276 Indians are infected with the Corona virus abroad, of which 255 in Iran, 12 in the UAE, 5 in Italy, and one each infected in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda, and Sri Lanka. Corona: Philippines lockdown for three months, many Indian citizens stranded The number of patients suffering from Coronavirus has increased to 147 in India, including 25 foreign nationals. So far, 14 people have recovered from the virus infection while three have died. Effective steps are being taken to prevent the spread of infection in the country. In many states including Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka, orders have been given to close school-colleges and theaters by 31 March. Imran's minister returned from China will be under surveillance for five days The death toll due to the Covid-19 outbreak in China has increased to 3,237, while the number of confirmed cases has increased to 80,894 in the Asian country. Officials gave information in this regard on Wednesday. According to Xinhua, Chinese health authorities have reported 11 new deaths and 13 new confirmed cases due to coronavirus infection in China. 7984 died due to coronavirus, nearly 2 lakhs infected across world Made In Chelsea stars Jamie Laing and Sophie 'Habbs' Habboo cosied up together as they modelled matching teal surgical masks on Wednesday, amid the current global health crisis. The couple posed for a selfie, in which Habbs leaned on her boyfriend Jamie's shoulder, their mouths and noses covered, presumably before braving the streets of West London. The pair wore casual garb and looked sombre in the snap, as the coronavirus crisis continues to affect life as we know it across the UK and the rest of the planet. Sombre: Made In Chelsea stars Jamie Laing and Sophie 'Habbs' Habboo cosied up together as they modelled matching teal surgical masks on Wednesday, amid the current global health crisis The pensive snap comes after Jamie, 31, took to Instagram to implore his followers to be thoughtful in this time of worry. He uploaded a snap of a solitary elderly man in the aisle of a supermarket, looking at a list in his hand, with bare shelves surrounding him. This comes as panic-buying has swept the world, with essential items such as toilet roll and pasta and soap in short supply. Troubling times: The pensive snap comes after Jamie, 31, took to Instagram to implore his followers to be thoughtful in this time of worry Jamie captioned the troubling image: 'I saw this posted online and it really upset me. 'I understand individuals are panicking and mostly thinking about themselves which is human nature but its still important to remember were all in this situation together. 'If you are taking more than you need please remember there are others who potentially havent got anything. 'Be generous, be kind, be thoughtful and lets begin to help each other ' Back soon: In what may provide some happy relief for Made In Chelsea fans, the show's 19th season will kick off on Monday. Jamie and Habbs will both return In what may provide some happy relief for Made In Chelsea fans, the show's 19th season will kick off on Monday. Jamie and Habbs return, as well as former cast mates Binky Felstead, Ollie Locke and Jane Felstead, as well as Ollie's fiance Gareth Locke. MailOnline exclusively revealed the news two weeks ago, and a brand new trailer has been released to get fans in the mood. Featuring the show's longest-standing cast members alongside Ollie and Binky, the stars are asked to define Made In Chelsea in the teaser. First look: Made In Chelsea's 19th season is set to return on March 23 - and a brand new trailer has been released to get fans in the mood 'Too real for comfort!' says Sophie Hermann, as Mark Francis Vandelli simply utters: 'Vulgar, vulgar, vulgar!' 'We're older, we're a bit wiser I think,' muses Binky, to which Ollie replies: 'Are you wiser?' She replies, in true Binky style: 'I'm never going to be a scientist or a mathemagician. Is that how you say it?' 'No, it's mathematician!' Ollie corrects her. Front and centre: Binky Felstead and Ollie Locke are returning to the fold What is MIC? Featuring the show's longest-standing cast members alongside Ollie and Binky, the stars are asked to define Made In Chelsea She speaks ze truth! 'Too real for comfort!' says Sophie Hermann 'This is our lives,' Binky goes on. 'The future is really, really exciting.' Jamie Laing then says to Alex Mytton and Sam Thompson: 'Don't laugh. I'm a really good friend!' At which the pair laugh. Olivia Bentley rounds off the trailer with: 'It's my life. It's everything.' Pearls of wisdom! 'We're older, we're a bit wiser I think,' muses Binky Mark Francis Vandelli simply utters: 'Vulgar, vulgar, vulgar!' The new season will also see the return of Binky's mother Jane, along with Ollie's fiance Gareth. The foursome have all been absent from the structured reality series in recent seasons. The show will pick up with Ollie and Binky returning for a catch-up dinner. Ollie gets emotional as he tells the group about his recent romance and surprise engagement to long-time friend Gareth. She replies, in true Binky style: 'I'm never going to be a scientist or a mathemagician. Is that how you say it?' 'No, it's mathematician!' Ollie corrects her OG star: Fredrik Ferrier is back, in one of his famous turtlenecks Will they/Won't they? The lines of friendship have become blurred for flatmates Miles Nazaire and Emily Blackwell Elsewhere, Jamie and Sophie 'Habbs' Habboo are back on track after their dramatic reconciliation in Buenos Aires - and are off to view a plush potential pad together. Zara McDermott is also in the mood for interior design, suggesting dramatic changes to Sams house and hinting shes keen to cement their relationship. But trouble is looming when skittish Sam confides in Harry Baron that hes not ready to take the next step. Jamie Laing then says to Alex Mytton and Sam Thompson: 'Don't laugh. I'm a really good friend!' At which the pair laugh She's back home: 'This is our lives,' Binky goes on. 'The future is really, really exciting.' Next steps? Elsewhere, Jamie and Sophie 'Habbs' Habboo are back on track after their dramatic reconciliation in Buenos Aires - and are off to view a plush potential pad together Meanwhile the lines of friendship have become blurred for flatmates Miles Nazaire and Emily Blackwell. But with Miles suddenly dating someone new and an admirer about to reveal himself to Emily, will the flatmates ever become bed mates? Or is an impending Chelsea love triangle on the horizon. Ollie and Gareth will be planning their upcoming wedding, with Binky heavily involved as Ollie's best friend. New Delhi, March 18 : Amid the shutdown in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak, schools in Delhi-NCR have been struggling to devise ways to promote their students to higher classes in times when conducting examinations is no longer an option. While most schools with the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) affiliation have already finished with their annual examinations, it is the bulk of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools which have been constrained from conducting the examinations in view of the government's decision to keep all schools closed till March 31. Some of these schools have decided not to conduct the examination and instead promote students on the basis of the average of marks secured in exams conducted through the year. Nidhi Garg whose son is a student of class 3 in the Nehru International School, Noida, said, "We got a message from the school that examination of my ward have been cancelled and the school has promoted him on the basis of year's performance." Her son was yet to take the exam for Maths and the EVS. However, for her daughter who is a student of class 8 in the same school, no communication was made regarding the future of examination. Yet another school in Noida, Somerville International, also announced cancellation of exams for some of its classes. A message sent by the school to the parents reads, "... as a result of the spread of Novel Covid-19, it has been decided to cancel the remaining papers of the final examinations of Classes IV-VIII." "The results of the concerned papers will be on the basis of the marks obtained by the student in the mid term exams and the internal assessments 2019-2020," the school added in the message. While some other schools are yet to decide on the examinations, others have also used electronic medium to substitute for annual examinations. The Blue Bells International, in South Delhi, has decided to send in worksheets and assignments for students to work from home and evaluate performances. However, parents of children from other schools such as the Delhi Public School (DPS) said they were yet to be contacted by the school. "We have received no information regarding the annual examination so far and the holidays continue. But, I hope keeping in view the safety of children, the school finds a mid way out," Prashant Sachdeva whose son studies in class 2 of the DPS, Gautam Buddha Nagar Branch said. The situation, however, is different in the ICSE schools where the annual examination was already concluded by the time virus outbreak became epidemic in Delhi and nearby areas. The Delhi government on March 12 declared coronavirus as an epidemic with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announcing that all cinema halls, schools and colleges will remain shut till March 31 to check the spread of the virus. "We are continuing the ongoing measures to check the spread of coronavirus in Delhi. Along with that, we have decided to close all the cinema halls and schools which are not having examination till March 31," Kejriwal had told the media. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) As COVID-19 forces much of America to work from home, the United States Congress whose 535 members have an average age of 60 is still operating from Capitol Hill. Why this population (deemed high-risk to the coronavirus) isn't yet doing legislative business remotely comes down to process, tech and political will. "The House rules and the Senate rules require voting in person. And it would require a change in those rules to do that," California Congressman Eric Swalwell told TechCrunch on a call from his Washington, D.C., office. Swalwell has a plan for Congress to work away from the Hill. He recently reintroduced a resolution with Arkansas Representative Rick Crawford (R-AR) that would allow members to participate virtually in hearings and vote remotely, under special circumstances. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appears to have nixed that option, at least for the near-term, reportedly telling her caucus last week, "We are the captains of the ship. We are last to leave." A priority for Congress is finalizing emergency COVID-19 legislation to provide trillions of dollars in resources to combat the virus and stem the economic havoc it's wreaking across the U.S. Without a rule-change and clear plan for members to legislate and vote outside from Capitol Hill, passing that legislation requires lawmakers be present on the building's floor. Bill Dickinson/Getty Images There are mixed messages on who makes the call for Congress to go to a remote-work scenario and what kind of digital contingency would kick in to perform legislative duties at a distance. In a subsequent scrum to her "last to leave" comments, Pelosi gave an unequivocal "no" to reporters' questions on Congress closing due to COVID-19. But she added, the ultimate call was not hers. "That's a health and security decision up to the Capitol physician [and] Sergeant at Arms," the Speaker said. TechCrunch sought input on the matter from the House Office of the Sergeant at Arms. That inquiry referred us to the Chief Administrative Office, which has not yet responded. Story continues Even after the first congressional staffers have tested positive for COVID-19, the majority of Capitol Hill's high-risk members continue to work on-site and in their office buildings. Representative Swalwell's MOBILE (Members Operating to Be Innovative and Link Everyone) resolution proposes to change that. Hes introduced the measure every year since 2013, but believes it carries extra weight now due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Swalwell reintroduced it again on March 9. MOBILE would "mandate the development of a secure remote voting system which members could use to vote remotely on suspension bills, generally non-controversial bills that require a two-thirds vote to pass," according to a statement on the resolution provided by Swalwell's office. "It's bi-partisan, introduced by me and Representative Rick Crawford from Arkansas and we've had dozens of members join us in support," Swalwell told TechCrunch. "I don't mean to have this substitute us meeting in person," the California Democrat said. But Swalwell believes there needs to be tech provisions in Congress, comparable to contingency plans in the private sector, for members to operate virtually outside of Capitol Hill. Illinois Senator Dick Durbin echoed this on Tuesday, underscoring the need for virtual committee hearings and the ability to vote away from Congress in times of national emergency. As millions of Americans shift from physical work spaces to platforms such as Zoom, Slack or Google Hangouts during the COVID-19 crisis, detail is lacking on the software, apps and security for Congress to operate under a measure such as MOBILE. There's still little in the way of tech in the voting process on Capitol Hill, where the Senate still makes decisions by recording verbal "Yeas" and "Nays" on a tally sheet. "I'm not offering myself as the technical expert," Swalwell said on the implementation of his suggested remote voting and convening resolution. He explained that the House Administration Committee and House Rules Committee would be the subject matter experts to determine how the Congress would secure voting and meetings remotely. Photo by Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images "We have smart members on those committees and capable staffers who could give us a tech solution today...and the solution that we ultimately use down the road," he said. While the business of Congress still remains a present and in-person affair, the body is taking cautionary measures to protect staff. This week several members, including representative Swalwell and West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, instructed employees to work from home. There's more capability for congressional staff, compared to members, to work remotely, according to Frederick Hill, a managing director at FTI Consulting who spent 17 years as a staffer in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. "The technology is in place to support much of the work that goes on in the background at the staff level," Hill told TechCrunch. "They have VPN networks, shared drives for off-site work, devices and smartphones to keep them in contact and help draft legislation." The September 11 attacks and 2001 Anthrax attacks forced a number of these contingencies for congressional staff members. Hill explained that when it comes to the most official congressional activity, such as voting on the floor, "there really are no provisions [currently] to use technology." Part of that has to do with ensuring those elected to represent constituencies are genuinely present to vote. But similar to so many previously in-person functions that have shifted to apps paired with security measures, such as multi-factor authentication, decision-making on Capitol Hill could also move to remote and digital options. An extenuating circumstance, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, could be what finally moves America's chief legislating body in the direction of being able to vote remotely. "It certainly has provoked the conversation," Swalwell said. "I think it is a needed conversation. I wish it were under different circumstances." 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 Expand Close Cathal Breslin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Cathal Breslin 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 Expand Close Dee Quigley with daughter Caoirse / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dee Quigley with daughter Caoirse 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 Expand Close Neil Walsh / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Neil Walsh 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 Expand Close Gareth Murray, David and Nico / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gareth Murray, David and Nico 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 Expand Close Damien Taylor with his sons Martin and Lukas / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Damien Taylor with his sons Martin and Lukas 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| 2020-03-18 20:43:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close 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. The coronavirus closures and restrictions on daily life in New Jersey continued to mount Tuesdays as state officials scrambled to slow the spread of the outbreak, which has sickened at least 267 people and killed three in the state. Gov. Phil Murphy ordered all malls and amusement areas closed by 8 p.m. Tuesday with no date set when theyll be allowed to re-open. Although the vast majority of schools, colleges and universities across New Jersey have already closed, Wednesday is the first day when all public and private schools are not permitted to be open. If theres any good news, its that we now have an extra 90 days to pay any taxes due after filing returns with the IRS. Federal officials 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. And lawmakers are mulling 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. On Monday, the governor banned dine-in seating at all restaurants and bars, with only take-out or delivery permitted. He also strongly suggested residents stay home between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. Fitness centers, concert halls and performing arts centers are also closed and non-essential businesses were required to serve their last customers by 8 p.m. Monday. 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. Six members of the same family are hospitalized with coronavirus: All are family members of Rita Fusco-Jackson, the 55-year-old Freehold woman who died last Friday and later tested positive for COVID-19. Additional members of the family have also been tested and are awaiting results. 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: 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. 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. N.J. orders all indoor malls to close starting tonight to fight coronavirus pandemic: New Jersey has ordered all 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. Hoboken tells residents to self-isolate: The Mile Square city took aggressive measures on Tuesday, ordering all non-essential businesses closed as of 9 a.m. Wednesday and directing resident to self-isolate in their homes. Essential businesses such as grocery stores, pharmacies and health care facilities can remain open until 8 p.m. Rutgers, St. Peters to hold online only classes for the rest of the semester: Rutgers also announced it was cancelling all on-campus classes for the remainder of the spring semester, including commencement and Rutgers Day. St. Peters students must be out of their residence halls by March 24. More hospitals set up drive-thru coronavirus testing: Hudson Regional Hospital in Secaucus and Christ Hospital in Jersey City are the latest who will test people as they sit in their vehicles. Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey: If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter. NJ Advance Media staff writer Jessica Remo contributed to this report. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. 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. European shares tumbled on Wednesday as fears over the relentless global spread of the coronavirus overshadowed sweeping stimulus measures to support businesses and contain the economic damage from the pandemic. The pan-European STOXX 600 index was down 2.2%, remaining at near seven-year lows, with bourses in London and Germany leading declines. Industrials also posted some of the heaviest losses as JP Morgan highlighted the scale of the damage a virtual halt in airline business will do to European civil aerospace firms. Airbus tumbled 12.8% to its lowest since 2016, bringing its total declines in the quarter to nearly 60%. MTU Aero Engines and Rolls Royce plunged between 14.7% and 18.3%. "Right now the predominant concern is that all the shutdowns of just about everything is going to lead to a recession," said Michael James, managing director of equity trading at Wedbush Securities in Los Angeles. "The sentiment is being dominated by those fears far outweighing everything else." European shares have lost more than 30% since hitting a record high mid-February as some countries in the bloc imposed national lockdown to halt the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Italy's prime minister on Tuesday declared the virus was causing a "socio-economic tsunami" as European leaders agreed to seal off external borders. Following dramatic monetary policy easing by some of the world's biggest central banks earlier in the week, U.S. President Donald Trump pressed on Tuesday for a $1 trillion stimulus package, while many other governments looked to fiscal stimulus. Although equity markets in Europe closed Tuesday higher following a bumper stimulus package from Spain, optimism faded again on Wednesday and pressured even traditional safe-haven assets as battered investors tried to offload their damaged positions. S&P 500 e-minis fell 3.69% to hit their daily down trading limit. British IT company Micro Focus International slumped 9.4% after scrapping its final dividend as part of a plan to brace for the fallout of the pandemic. Energy stocks tumbled 3.7% as oil prices plunged to their lowest since May 2003. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie A day after declaring the deadly coronavirus as an epidemic, Uttarakhand government on Wednesday issued an order to allow govt employees to work from home from March 19 to 24. However, the order does not apply to employees of health, police, transport, food and water supply, electricity and sanitation departments. "The entry of employees and visitors into the Uttarakhand Secretariat has been banned from March 19 to 24 in view of the coronavirus threats. All employees will work from home. Only employees whose presence in offices is very necessary shall be called to the office," the order reads. Uttarakhand Police's State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) is working to eliminate the misconceptions regarding coronavirus. Various joint teams were formed by the SDRF and the government hospital department. These teams will inform the public how to maintain hygiene, how to use sanitiser, how to make artificial sanitiser. "Subharati Medical Hospital and Hotel Taqgene have been acquired until further orders to be made a "Quarantine" ward. Chief Medical Officer has been ordered to immediately provide all facilities related to quarantine ward at both the places," Dehradun District Magistrate said in a press statement. Earlier today, Dr Vinod Kukreti of Chinyalisaur's Community Health Center informed that symptoms of coronavirus were found in a 32-year-old man hailing from Gorun village of Chinyalisaur block in Uttarkashi district. Uttarakhand Governor, Baby Rani Maurya also enquired about measures to prevent coronavirus in the state. "The government has adequate facilities for quarantine and isolation. Steps have also been taken to stop the black marketing of sanitisers. The training programme has been started to increase paramedical staff for treatment and management of coronavirus cases," Health Secretary Nitesh Jha told Governor Maurya. The state government on Saturday had said that cinema halls and colleges will remain closed in the state until March 31. Medical colleges, however, will remain open. The government also said that adequate resources and equipment are present in the state to prevent the coronavirus. The Ministry of Health on Wednesday said that the number of positive cases of coronavirus has climbed to 151, including 25 foreign nationals. As per the latest data by the Ministry of Health, Delhi has 9, Karnataka has 11, Kerala has 25, Maharashtra has 39 and Uttar Pradesh has 15 positive cases of coronavirus. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Iranian national arrived in Texas on March 14 from Georgia as part of an extradition procedure for allegedly exporting sensitive military equipment from the United States to Iran, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release on March 17. Merdad Ansari, 38, arrived in San Antonio to face federal charges in connection with a scheme to obtain military sensitive parts for Iran in violation of the Iranian Trade Embargo, said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers and other officials. The dual-use parts could be used in such systems as nuclear weapons, missile guidance and development, secure tactical radio communications, offensive electronic warfare, military electronic countermeasures, and radar warning and surveillance systems, the Justice Department said. Christopher Combs, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) San Antonio division special agent in charge, also thanked the Georgian government for its unwavering support in pursuing leads that led to Ansaris extradition. The suspect and his co-defendant, Mehrdad Foomanie, also from Iran, were charged in June 2012 with conspiracy to violate the Iranian Transactions Regulations (ITR), conspiracy to launder money, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. A third defendant, Taiwanese citizen Susan Yip, was sentenced to two years in a federal prison in October 2012 after pleading guilty to conspiring to violate the ITR. The defendants allegedly obtained or attempted to obtain from companies worldwide more than 105,000 parts valued at about $2.6 million involving more than 1,250 transactions from October 9, 2007, to June 15, 2011. While conducting 599 transactions with 63 different U.S. companies, they allegedly never notified them these parts were being shipped to Iran or obtained the required U.S. government license to ship the parts to Iran. If found guilty, Foomani and Ansari face up to 20 years in federal prison. The upcoming episode of Behind The Scenes will feature experts within the field to discuss these matters, and to further discuss the safety precautions to create a safe working environment for people working in the agriculture industry. Hollywoods Laurence Fishburne (Contagion, John Wick 2/3) is the host of the informative show Behind The Scenes. The television program tackles a wide array of subjects that affect people living around the world today. A new episode will interview industry professionals about creating safe working environments for the agriculture industry. Farmers play a crucial role in society by helping to provide the majority of the food consumed daily. While the job of agricultural workers is essential, the occupation comes with its own set of difficulties. Agriculture workers are exposed to numerous safety hazards while working. Some of these include risks relating to silos and grain bins, chemicals, heat, musculoskeletal injuries, noise, animal acquired infections, and more. A big part of maintaining a safe working environment requires staying up to date on working procedures. One of the biggest recommendations for a safe working environment in agriculture is always to wear protective equipment. Noise from tractors, chainsaws, and grain dryers can cause permanent ear loss if workers do not wear earmuffs or earplugs. Chemicals and grain bins can cause respiratory problems, which is why experts recommend a respirator for optimal protection. Society as a whole depends significantly on the agriculture industry, and the safety of these farmers is so important. The upcoming episode of Behind The Scenes will feature experts within the field to discuss these matters, and to further discuss the safety precautions to create a safe working environment for people working in the agriculture industry. The educational program Behind The Scenes with Laurence Fishburne is given a careful review before broadcast. The show has accepted several accolades for its endeavors. President Donald Trump on Wednesday criticized China's unprecedented decision to expel American journalists from three major US newspapers, as media advocates feared that tensions between the two powers provided cover for Beijing to target the press. All US journalists from The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal -- about 13 people -- have been told to hand back their credentials to Chinese authorities within 10 days. "I'm not happy to see it. I have my own disputes with all three of those media groups -- I think you know that very well -- but I don't like seeing that at all," Trump told reporters at the White House. Trump has incessantly sparred with major US media outlets, often castigating them at raucous rallies and branding them as "fake news" or the "enemy of the people" over coverage that shows his administration in a poor light. China's government appeared to be taking a rhetorical cue from Trump as it defended its largest expulsion of foreign journalists in recent memory. "We reject ideological bias against China, reject fake news made in the name of press freedom, reject breaches of ethics in journalism," tweeted foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying. Tensions have soared in recent years between the United States and China on a host of issues but the global coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated friction. Trump again on Wednesday insisted on calling SARS-CoV-2 the "Chinese virus," a term that Beijing calls stigmatizing and which is discouraged by the World Health Organization. In turn, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman last week outraged Washington by tweeting an unfounded conspiracy theory that the US military brought the illness to Wuhan, the metropolis where cases were first reported in late 2019. While Beijing has long criticized foreign coverage, it said the expulsions were retaliation for new restrictions on the number of Chinese nationals who can work for its state-run media on US soil. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo quickly rejected the comparison, noting that US newspapers are not run by the government and are free to ask critical questions, and asked China to reconsider. - US says options available - A senior State Department official said the United States still has "lots of other things we can do" after the journalist expulsions but declined to elaborate. "We're just looking for reciprocal treatment. If you want to be a great power, then you should expect to play on a level playing field, and media should be allowed to operate freely in China as you do here in the US," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity. The State Department initially said it was curbing the number of Chinese nationals from state-run outlets to correspond to the number of visas issued to US journalists by Beijing -- which has been increasingly assertive against what it sees as unfavorable coverage. The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists said that China may have made it easier to block reporting on sensitive issues including its mass incarceration of Uighur Muslims -- as well as the novel coronavirus, news of which authorities initially tried to hide. "It is unfortunate that US moves to restrict Chinese media operations gave China the perfect cover to suppress reporting that it has always complained about, under the phony banner of taking 'reciprocal' measures,'" said Steven Butler, the group's Asia program director. Reporters Without Borders, however, stressed a difference between actions taken by the two countries. "The media targeted by China enforce and abide by the principles of ethical journalism -- including editorial independence and the verification of facts for the public benefit -- while the Chinese state media officially serve as mouthpieces for the Chinese Communist Party," said the group's East Asia bureau head, Cedric Alviani. China last month expelled three journalists from The Wall Street Journal after the newspaper ran an opinion piece on the coronavirus crisis with a headline that Beijing called racist. US President Donald Trump listens to a question during the daily briefing on the novel coronavirus on March 18 Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang speaks during the daily press briefing in Beijing Wall Street Journal reporters Josh Chin (R) and Philip Wen walk through Beijing Capital Airport in February 2020 after being told to leave Marty Baron, executive editor of The Washington Post, said China's expulsions were "particularly regrettable" coming during the coronavirus crisis Preparations for a Scottish independence referendum this year have been put on ice due to the coronavirus outbreak, a senior minister has said. Mike Russell, the Scottish constitution secretary, revealed that preparations for a second referendum have been "paused" to allow ministers cope with the global pandemic. Nicola Sturgeon previously insisted that another vote could take place this year, despite Boris Johnson's formal refusal to grant powers to Holyrood to hold a fresh poll. But work towards a fresh referendum this year have now been formally abandoned, Mr Russell told his Westminster counterpart Michael Gove. In a letter to Mr Gove, he said: "Because of the crisis, the Scottish Government has paused work on preparing for an independence referendum this year. Recommended UK schools closed indefinitely from Friday and exams cancelled "We have also written to the Electoral Commission to make clear we do not expect it to undertake testing of a referendum question until public health circumstances permit such activity (while also urging the commission to reject the UK Governments objections to testing). "That will allow us to focus all available resource on current and future demands in what is an unprecedented set of circumstances. "It follows from this that a referendum will not take place this year." Mr Russell urged the British government to consider put the Brexit talks on hold for at least six months, arguing that all attention must be focused on the coronavirus crisis. He added: "It would seem impossible for business and others to cope with the enormous challenge of Coronavirus while at the same time preparing for a completely new relationship with the EU in nine months time. "A pause is also necessary given the inevitable lack of parliamentary and public scrutiny of the negotiations and their progress over that period, when all attention and effort will be focused on our collective actions to tackle and defeat the Coronavirus." 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 move was welcomed by unionist politicians, with Labour deputy leadership candidate Ian Murray praising the SNP for putting constitutional politics aside. Mr Murray, the MP for Edinburgh South, said: This is the right decision by the SNP government, but it should never have devoted resources to an unwanted second independence referendum in the first place. This is no time for constitutional politics. Not only should there be no second independence referendum, the Brexit timeline should also be extended. It was already virtually impossible to secure a deal that protects businesses and workers, and now there is zero chance of securing that before the end of the year. Scottish Tory shadow constitution secretary Murdo Fraser said: Since the scale of this outbreak became clear, its been necessary for all governments and political parties to work together. This announcement from Mike Russell is very much in keeping with that spirit. Now we can really dedicate all our efforts to enduring this crisis, supporting those who will be worst hit, and ensure we can come out the other side looking forward to a bright future. The move comes after cracks emerged in the SNP's usually unified facade over the best route to independence. Some figures have expressed concern that Ms Sturgeon has been too cautious in her approach and urged the SNP leader to push for a Catalonia-style wildcat referendum - without Mr Johnson's permission. Angus MacNeil, the Western Isles MP, said publicly spoke out about dithering by the SNP leadership for delaying its request for referendum until after the election, which he said had denied the party the opportunity to set out a position in its manifesto for the 12 December poll. New Alitalia repatriation flights from Spain - Di Maio Priorities are students and those who were temporarily abroad (ANSAmed) - ROME, MARCH 18 - Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said Wednesday that the ministry has called on Alitalia to provide new flights from Spain to Rome to repatriate Italian citizens. "The foreign ministry's crisis unit receives tens of thousands of calls per day, the most recent figures are around 30,000," Di Maio said. "The priority is our students, Erasmus or non-Erasmus, and citizens who had temporarily gone to other countries," he said. "I called on Alitalia to provide new flights from Madrid and Malaga to Rome. And they will start in the coming hours," he said, adding that Alitalia will also provide between three and four flights a day from London and a new flight from Bucarest starting Friday.(ANSAmed). Seven of the McLaren employees who were left behind in Australia in quarantine have tested negatively for the coronavirus, the team has revealed, adding the one employee who tested positive is now without symptoms. McLaren withdrew from the Australian Grand Prix last Thursday when one of their engineers was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19, placing a total of 16 team members into quarantine. The race was eventually cancelled, as are the Bahrain and Vietnam Grands Prix, but all quarantined team members will have to stay in Australia for another week to honour the 14-day period recommended by the Australian government. "All are doing well and in good spirits," McLaren's statement read. "The one team member that tested positive initially is also now free of symptoms. The balance of personnel were not required to be tested at the direction of the medical authorities. "In total, 16 members of the team were placed in quarantine, 14 due to close contact with the team member who tested positive, and an additional team member who developed symptoms over the weekend." Some of McLaren's other employees like Andreas Seidl and Andrea Stella have also stayed behind in Australia to give the quarantined people support. Read more Spa Francorchamps closes doors until April 5th Private lender Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) on Wednesday announced its entry into the bullion business. The bank in a statement said that the gems and jewellery business is an important part of India's economy and KVB is now in a position to enhance its support to this important industry. As a trial base, the bank delivered its first shipment to clients in Chennai and Coimbatore recently. It is now in the process of ramping up the business to fully extend support to its existing set of customers across the nation, it said. The bank mentioned that the new business has been launched after ensuring the highest quality risk management. The gems and jewellery business contributes about 7 per cent to the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and 15 per cent to total merchandise exports. India is the second largest consumer of gold in the world. Demand for gold in the country stood at about 700 tonnes during 2019, the bank said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) (Newser) To bring customers "a little comic relief" during the pandemic, an Illinois restaurant is adding a side of toilet paper to every orders. The general manager of the Beacon Tap in Des Plaines said the idea came from the manager of another restaurant in his company. He quickly called his supplier, Tommy Riemer said, "and ordered as much as I could." So far, the Beacon Tap has given away 80 of the 300 rolls he bought, WMAQ reports. Every delivery or takeout order gets a roll. Those are the only options; Gov. J.B. Pritzker has prohibited dining in during the coronavirus outbreak. With people trying to stock up on toilet paper during the pandemic, business boomed after the Beacon Tap announced the offer Monday. "We were able to bring in extra employees yesterday because we were so busy," Riemer said, "and it was really awesome." story continues below It could become a movement. An Ohio restaurant held TP Tuesday this week, giving every customer who spent at least $25 a free roll, per the Dayton Daily News. "Our customers count on us," the owner of the Waynesville restaurant said, "and in times like these, we all need to be able to count on each other." A taco place in Los Angeles is selling "emergency taco kits" that include, among other ingredients, 5 pounds of roasted chicken, 30 eggs, salsa, rice and beansand four rolls of toilet paper. California restaurants also are limited to delivery and takeout, per KTVU. The kits generate enough business to let Guerrilla Tacos cover health and dental insurance for its employees, whether they're working during the outbreak or not. (Read more coronavirus stories.) RTHK: Coronavirus death tolls rise sharply in Spain, Iran Spain and Iran reported sharp rise in coronavirus cases and fatalities as governments grappled on Wednesday with how to implement border closures, travel restrictions and lockdowns to slow the coronavirus pandemic. The number of people infected by Covid-19 in Spain soared past 13,700 on Wednesday with the number of deaths rising to 558, the health ministry said. "We have 13,716 cases in Spain, which is 2,538 more than yesterday, which implies an increase of 18 percent," said the ministry's emergencies coordinator Fernando Simon, indicating the number of deaths had risen by 67 over the same period. European Union leaders agreed to shut down the bloc's external borders for 30 days, while the US and Canada were working on a mutual ban on nonessential travel between the two countries. Organisers of Britain's Glastonbury Festival said the largest greenfield music festival in the world will not be held this year. In Southeast Asia, the causeway between Malaysia and the financial hub of Singapore was eerily quiet after Malaysia shut its borders, while the Philippines backed down on an order giving foreigners 72 hours to leave from a large part of its main island. In Thailand, Bangkok's notorious red light districts were due to go dark Wednesday after a government order closing bars, schools, movie theaters and many other venues. Iran reported its single biggest jump in deaths from the new coronavirus on Wednesday, saying that another 147 had died in a nearly 15% spike that raises the death toll to 1,135 people nationwide. It marks the biggest 24-hour rise in deaths since officials first acknowledged cases of the virus in Iran in mid-February. The rise in deaths comes as the number of cases continues to grow each day, with some 17,361 people having been infection nationwide, according to a briefing Wednesday by Irans deputy health minister, Alireza Raisi. The global number of cases worldwide of the virus now exceeds 198,000, though more than 81,000 of them have recovered, mostly in China. (AFP, AP, Refinitiv) This story has been published on: 2020-03-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe By Annie Waldman, Al Shaw, Ash Ngu and Sean Campbell | ProPublica Though the U.S. health care system is projected to be overwhelmed by an influx of patients infected with the novel coronavirus, the pressure on hospitals will vary dramatically across the country. That's according to new data released by the Harvard Global Health Institute, which for the first time gives a sense of which regions will be particularly stressed and should be preparing most aggressively right now. The maps we've created based on the data shows why public health officials are so intent on "flattening the curve," or slowing the spread of infections over a longer period of time, like 18 months instead of six. In most scenarios, "vast communities in America are not prepared to take care of the COVID-19 patients showing up," said Dr. Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, who led a team of researchers that developed the analysis. Under the researchers' best-case scenario, Americans will act quickly to slow the spread of the virus through social distancing, and the infection rate among adults will remain relatively low at 20%, or 49.4 million people over the age of 18, less than twice the number of people who get the flu each year. According to the model, about a fifth of adults who are infected will need to be hospitalized. This is how many hospital beds will be needed in Los Angeles if infections are spread out over 6 months, 12 months or 18 months and... (Courtesy of ProPublica) Though the United States has only several thousand confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday and China hit only 80,000 this year, epidemiologists said the 20% estimate is conservative based on the infection rates that have occurred in prior pandemics. The numbers of infections reported by China and other countries, they said, are surely underestimates since not all infected people are tested or have serious symptoms. The H1N1 swine flu pandemic of 2009 infected about 60 million Americans over the course of a year, according to federal estimates, with no efforts at social distancing or containment. Scientists are still working to understand exactly how contagious the novel coronavirus is, but current data suggests it appears to be more contagious than the swine flu. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS: Even in a best-case scenario, with cases of coronavirus spread out over 18 months, American hospital beds would be about 95% full. (This assumes that hospitals don't free up already occupied beds or add more beds, as some elected officials have called for.) Some regions would have the capacity to handle the surge in hospitalizations without adding new beds or displacing other patients. But in most other scenarios where the virus spreads faster or infects more people, hospitals would quickly fill their available beds with patients, and they would be forced to either expand capacity, limit elective surgeries and other non-necessary treatments, or make life-and-death decisions about care, similar to what has happened in the worst-hit regions of Italy, where some doctors have received guidance to only treat patients "deemed worthy of intensive care." In the Harvard team's moderate scenario -- where 40% of the adult population contracts the disease over the course of a year -- 98.9 million Americans would develop the coronavirus, though many will have mild or no symptoms, and will not have their diagnoses confirmed by tests. Slightly more than a fifth of all cases will require hospitalization. (That's roughly the average number of patients requiring hospitalization in other countries.) To treat all hospitalized patients over that time, the country would have to more than double available hospital beds by freeing up existing beds or adding new ones. If that moderate estimate holds, about a fifth of hospitalized patients, or nearly 5% of those infected, would become critically ill from COVID-19 and would need intensive care, such as the use of a ventilator. If all existing ICU beds are freed up for COVID-19 patients, the total capacity would have to be increased 74%. And even then, hospitals may have a limited supply of ventilators and specialized staff who can care for extreme cases. In the researchers' worst-case scenario -- if 60% of the population falls sick and the virus spreads within six months -- the nation would require more than seven times the number of available hospital beds that it currently has. "Our model gives hospital leaders and policy makers a clear sense of when they will hit capacity and strategic information on how to prepare for rising numbers of patients," Jha said. "If people wonder 'Why am I social distancing?' and 'Why am I isolating myself?' this data makes that real. People should look at this data and make sure their community has a plan." To be sure, models are based on the best available information and can change over the course of time. And Jha's model doesn't take into account the ability of hospitals or states to add additional beds. HERE'S WHAT THE SITUATION LOOKS LIKE IN L.A. As of 2018, Los Angeles had 19,500 total hospital beds, of which about 66% were occupied, potentially leaving only 6,590 beds open for additional patients. The bed count includes 2,420 beds in intensive care units, according to data from the American Hospital Association and the American Hospital Directory. Intensive care units are best equipped to handle the most acute coronavirus cases. The L.A. region has a population of about 10 million residents; 12% are over the age of 65. The experience in other countries has shown that elderly patients have significantly higher hospitalization and fatality rates from the coronavirus. In the moderate scenario, in which 40% of the adult population contracts the disease over 12 months, Los Angeles would be among the regions that would need to expand capacity. It is estimated that about 8% of the adult population would require hospital care. In a moderate scenario where 40% of the population is infected over a 12-month period, hospitals in L.A. would receive an estimated 647,000 coronavirus patients. The influx of patients would require 21,600 beds over 12 months, which is 3.3 times times the number of available beds in that time period. The Harvard researchers' scenarios assume that each coronavirus patient will require 12 days of hospital care on average, based on data from China. In Los Angeles region, intensive care units would be especially overwhelmed and require additional capacity. Without coronavirus patients, there are only 940 available beds on average in intensive care units, which is 4.8 times times less than what is needed to care for all severe cases. Interested in another part of California or the nation? Check out ProPublica's full interactive >> For the analysis, Jha and his team selected various rates of infection and modeled hospital capacity for each over three time periods, six months, 12 months and 18 months. The infection rate scenarios are based on estimates from leading epidemiologist Dr. Marc Lipsitch, head of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health's Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, who made the projections of how many people globally would be infected. (Read more about the methodology here.) By modeling the data over the three time periods, the scenarios illustrate how much the nation could "flatten the curve" with social measures to ensure hospitals have greater capacity to care for coronavirus patients. "The way to permanently stop new cases from setting off long chains of transmission is to have each case infect considerably less than one case on average," Lipsitch said. "The numbers will go down. There will still be little outbreaks, but not big ones." STARK REGIONAL DIFFERENCES The data reveals stark regional differences in hospital capacity. Some communities are significantly less equipped to handle surges in medical need. "A serious epidemic in Grand Forks, North Dakota, will be much different than in Boston," said Dr. David Blumenthal, president of The Commonwealth Fund, a health care think tank. Hospitals in more urban communities will likely be more stressed, given the vast populations they serve, but these larger hospital systems may also have more flexibility to stretch their resources by shifting patients around and freeing up beds. For example, hospitals in eastern Long Island, which includes the counties of Nassau, Suffolk and parts of Queens, would need eight times their current available capacity if they don't rearrange or displace their other patients. But if they freed up all of their existing beds, which are 88% full on average, they would significantly increase their capacity. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has also talked about the need to open up additional hospital beds and has called for the construction of field hospitals to handle the influx of patients. "You will have people on gurneys in hallways," Cuomo said at a press conference on Monday, later adding that New York would need up to 110,000 total hospital beds, around twice the number it currently has. "That is what is going to happen now if we do nothing." Not all communities will have the depth of resources to draw on. On Maryland's Eastern Shore, Salisbury is one of the communities at the highest risk of being under capacity, even if it frees up all of its beds for coronavirus cases, according to our analysis of the Harvard researchers' data. The researchers estimate that in a moderate infection scenario, the community will have about 149,000 coronavirus cases. If the community is able to spread infections over 12 months, it would have to add about 880 beds to treat all adult coronavirus patients, either by building new beds or discharging existing patients, which is more than four times its current capacity of 187 available beds. Even if it released all of its existing patients and replaced them with coronavirus cases, it would still need to nearly double the number of beds. Fran Phillips, deputy secretary for Public Health Services for Maryland's Department of Health, said at a Monday press conference that her office is working to nearly double the capacity of the state's hospitals to meet the expected surge in patients. The hospital system in Santa Cruz, California, only has 22 intensive care unit beds, of which on average only 30% are available on any given day. To care for all critically ill coronavirus patients over a 12-month period without kicking out other critically ill patients, the hospital system would have to increase its ICU capacity by 2,133%, or 128 more beds, according to the analysis. Dignity Health, which manages four nonprofit hospitals in the Bay Area, including Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, said in an email through spokesperson Felicity Simmons that the company is continuously updating its capacity procedures to meet patient demands. The company has considered adding medical tents outside of the hospital for additional triage and treatment, and patients could "also be transferred to our sister facilities or to other nearby health systems." Some hospital systems, particularly those in more rural or unpopulated communities, may have greater capacity to deal with the influx of patients, according to the model. In Minot, North Dakota, 9,300 adult residents would likely be hospitalized if 40% of the population is infected over a 12-month period. Unlike most other regions, its current supply of hospital beds should be enough to care for all patients. But hospital capacity is not all that matters, Jha said. For example, remote facilities may have less experienced staff and less specialized equipment to care for complex cases. icon DON'T MISS ANY L.A. CORONAVIRUS NEWS Get our daily newsletter for the latest on COVID-19 and other top local headlines. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Karim Tripodina, a spokeswoman with Trinity Health, which runs the largest hospital in Minot, said in an email that the facility is prepared. "We all work with our health care partners across the region and depend on the system as a whole to respond to the needs of any of its parts." Dr. Lewis Nelson, a professor and chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Rutgers University New Jersey Medical School, believes that part of the reason we're likely to see such stark hospital bed shortages is because so many hospitals have closed in recent years. The bed shortages, he said, could force critical care doctors to bend the accepted standards of care. "We will have to make these hard decisions," he said, such as whether some patients receive high-level treatment and others don't. "They will be personal decisions and they run counter to how health care is practiced in this country." When doctors at the University of California, San Francisco, began to see their first cases of COVID-19 in February, administrators quickly recognized that they might not have the resources to treat all the patients they were likely to see. According to the Harvard scenario where 40% of adults in the country contract the disease, about half a million people in the San Francisco region may get infected, with more than 100,000 residents requiring hospitalization. If the infections occur over a 12-month period, the city would need three times the number of available hospital beds and ICU beds it has. "We realized that we did not have the capacity to put all the suspected patients into private rooms," said Dr. Maria Raven, chief of emergency medicine at UCSF and vice chair of the emergency medicine department at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. In the past, "on occasion we had to have folks out in hallways with masks on." Within a week of the first confirmed infections in the city, the hospital erected two temporary medical tents to screen and treat potentially infected patients. The goal is to keep the number of patients seen at the hospital to a manageable level. "Seeing what's going on in other countries, we are all preparing for a potential tidal wave of patients," said Dr. Jeanne Noble, an emergency care physician in charge of coronavirus response at UCSF. "We feel like we're teetering on the edge of a cliff." For hospitals with fewer resources, there are measures that can be taken to counter bed shortages. Hospitals can limit elective surgeries and discharge healthier patients earlier. Hospitals can also screen patients before they enter the hospital to decrease the risk of spreading the disease. Critically, staffers also need to stay healthy, so they can continue to treat patients instead of taking up the needed beds themselves. The experts and health workers that ProPublica spoke with fear that the U.S. is only two weeks behind Italy's infection rate and will be faced with the same tough decisions. A paper published in the Lancet last week highlighted Italy's Lombardy region, where a flood of patients is overwhelming the intensive care system. "I can't imagine being in that position, and none of us want to be in that position," said UCSF's Raven. "The reality is that you can't create unlimited hospital beds and ventilators. We have what we have, so we really have to hope that it's enough, and that we're prepared enough." Caroline Chen and Hannah Fresques contributed reporting. ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. This analysis is republished with ProPublica's permission up for ProPublica's Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox as soon as they are published. We depend on experts for advice. We always have. This is understandable given our inability to effectively process and disseminate all the information that bombards us. Our minds are not supercomputers with software that sift and rank information in nanoseconds. We cannot psychically communicate our discoveries with the rest of the hive. Instead, we develop a system of experts that focus their efforts on different topics and tell us what they learn through various institutions, such as the media, the church, or the office water cooler. But what happens when our experts fail? The public health communitys response to COVID-19, aka the Boomer Flu, provides a cautionary example. Many have noted COVIDs terrible effectiveness in killing the elderly and infirm. However, what are the responses of our public policy experts? Quarantines, testing, and other proscriptions of minimal effectiveness and mass inconvenience For example, the focus on testing is farcical. Granted, testing information is useful, particularly in developing programs for the next pandemic. However, whats the benefit from testing for treatment of the pandemic? If I have a cold, my doctor tells me to self-quarantine. If I have the flu, my doctor tells me to self-quarantine. If I have any contagious disease, my doctor tells me to self-quarantine. Whether I have a confirmed or suspected case of the Boomer Flu, my doctor will tell me to self-quarantine. Healthcare professionals can still record information about suspected COVID-19 cases. When tests become available, the suspected cases can return for testing or someone could visit the suspect and conduct the tests. The focus on testing is a waste of time, and wasted time is something we cant afford. Another example is our method of quarantining. In the U.S., a volunteer self-quarantine (VSQ) appears the method of choice. Yet, a VSQ is largely ineffective. Imagine a low-income parent who must work. Sick or not, this person will work. And, what type of jobs do these parents typically have? My guesses are janitors, warehouse workers, cashiers, or any low-paying job that involves close contact with the public. Financially distressed people with jobs serving the public suggest VSQs are a recipe for disaster. Yet, VSQs remain a cornerstone of our response. The above examples indicate the public health elite are largely clueless on what to do. Instead of instituting helpful policies, theyve opted for the ol roust em strategy. This strategy was once popular with law enforcement. For example, theres an uptick in crime, so the police installed roadblocks, roust the poor and implemented responses that created the impression that the police were doing something. Of course, these policies looked good on TV, caused mass inconvenience, and were minimally effective. Our public-health experts have adopted such a response to COVID-19: lots of doctors on TV suggesting ineffective policies and often shifted the blame or the publics attention to nonsensical issues, like the lack of testing supplies. The blame shifting and misdirection are designed to hide the public heath elites incompetence in developing strategies that make a difference. I know it is easy to complain. Any fool can quickly list the problems of the world. So, let this non-credentialed, occasionally employed deadbeat from Baltimore provide some suggestions. These proposals are based on the World Health Organizations website, as well as the Italian experience. The reports indicate that COVID-19 deaths are primarily confined to those over 60 or people with underlying medical conditions. My modest proposals include: (1) Seal nursing homes, hospices, retirement communities and intensive care units (ICUs) by limiting access. Like the British, install field hospitals nearby. The field hospitals would only accept COVID-19 cases. Apart from freeing up hospital beds, this allows medical professionals to treat only those most at risk. In addition, create disinfecting areas for staff, where sterilized uniforms are provided. Also, ban everyone not a resident or staff, including families of the sick. Outside vendors would wear sterilized gear to limit exposing residents to COVID-19. Beyond the sealed area, the facility could create a non-contact visiting area with windowed partitions, and end-of-life rooms where families could say their last goodbye to loved ones. (2) Encourage retailers to require masks, gloves, and hand-sanitizer for all employees that stock goods or interact with the public. This would mitigate the problem of infected employees spreading the disease because their financial condition delays or prevents self-quarantine. (3) Implement a parallel vaccine testing/manufacturing program. The government should encourage vaccine manufacture as soon as there are positive preliminary results from animal studies. This is a high-risk and high-cost option. However, acting sequentially with animal testing, then human testing, and, finally, vaccine manufacture is incredibly time-consuming. (4) The government would finance these proposals through government expenditure, such as building field hospitals, or through government grants, such as creating end-of-life areas. (5) Expand the team of experts responsible for solving this crisis. Very little of the solution to this problem will come from treatment, which is the expertise of doctors. Most of the solution will come from risk-management. This means the team must include a broad array of experts in federal and state laws and regulations, vaccine development, and manufacture and creating government programs. Medical schools do not teach all the knowledge required to stem a pandemic and doctors are not the font of all wisdom. Like everyone else, the mental capacities of doctors are limited and some things are beyond their ken. Please notice that none of my proposals include testing, and the quarantines involve the uninfected, rather than the sick. Policies must alleviate the crisis, instead of providing screen-time for the few lucky doctors with friends in the media or government. I am sure others with credentials could provide better suggestions. Unfortunately, I havent heard any from our public health elite. There will be consequences for our public health elites inadequate response to COVID-19. Deaths for those under 50 will be insignificant. In fact, there are no recorded deaths of a child under 10, which is amazing given the Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimated 266 children under five years of age died during the 2018-2019 flu season. The typical symptoms of the Boomer Flu are relatively mild, with most suffering a fever and persistent cough that is treated with over-the-counter medicines. Against this backdrop, the current COVID-19 policies inadequately protect the vulnerable, while causing an extreme burden for the financially unstable. The coming recession created by our public policy elite will needlessly cause Americans to lose their jobs and homes. From this fiasco, the public-policy elite will lose the respect of the public. Widespread loss of confidence in public-health experts is a severe problem. Over the last several years, experts in other fields, particularly in the media and public policy arenas, have lost credibility. Experts in the public-health profession are suffering a similar fate. The decline began when the medical profession claimed every societal problem as a public health concern, from domestic abuse to gun violence. While vexing problems, these communal tragedies are only tangentially related to healthcare and are best handled by other experts. The incompetent and ineffectual policies for the Boomer Flu, advocated by the public health elite, suggest these folks will soon share the fate of the media elite and public policy elite: becoming the butt of jokes by late-night comics. If this happens, America will be worse for it. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 21:11:56|Editor: ZD Video Player Close Medical materials from China arrive at the Liege airport in Belgium, on March 18, 2020. A batch of 1 million donated medical masks were flown in Belgium on Wednesday, en route to France. The medical supply was mobilized by two Chinese charities to help combat the spread of COVID-19. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) LIEGE, Belgium, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A batch of 1 million face masks were flown in Belgium on Wednesday en route to France. The medical supply was mobilized by two Chinese charities to help combat the spread of COVID-19. A cargo plane loaded with the donation departed from Hangzhou, eastern China earlier in the day and arrived at Liege Airport around 12:45 local time (1145 GMT). The goods will be handed over to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health of France, said a press release by the Alibaba Foundation and Jack Ma Foundation. On board the plane were also an unknown amount of medical goods donated to other European countries. The relief effort was the latest in a series of initiatives launched by the two charities to help Europe cope with the ongoing health crisis. Mobile County Health Officer Dr. Bernard Eichold II has issued orders shutting down on-premise consumption at all restaurants, bars, breweries and most other food service establishments for the next week, starting at 5 p.m. Wednesday. The order also prohibits visitors and non-essential health care personnel at nursing homes and long-term care facilities and requires senior centers to close to all gatherings. In order to prevent what is happening in Birmingham, we are issuing these orders, Eichold said in a health department statement, in reference to Jefferson County having almost two dozen positive test results as of Wednesday morning. We have no confirmed cases in Mobile County, so we want to make every effort to protect our residents. We want to work against this very aggressive virus from being established in our county. Eicholds order says that any restaurant, bar, brewery or Priority Category 3 food service establishment shall not permit on-premises consumption of food or drink for one week. This order shall be revaluated prior to the end of one week for possible modification. Alabama rules define a Priority Category 3 establishment" as one that fits the following criteria: (i) a food establishment where unpackaged raw food from an animal source is handled, prepared, or used; or (ii) potentially hazardous food that is not ready-to-eat is cooked or further prepared to eliminate or reduce pathogens; or (iii) customer contact utensils are reused, or food is cooled, or food previously cooled in the establishment is reheated. Such establishments may continue to offer take-out and delivery service, provided they stick to social distancing protocols requiring a consistent six-foot distance between people. Affected businesses are strongly encouraged to offer online ordering and curbside pick-up. Hospital food service areas are excluded from the order, provided they have their own social distancing plans. All nursing home/long-term care facilities shall prohibit visitation of all visitors and non-essential health care personnel, except for certain compassionate care situations such as end of life. While senior centers should be closed to gatherings, centers and partner agencies are urged to assure that their clients continue to receive needed meals via curbside pick-up or delivery. I apologize for any inconvenience this causes, Dr. Eichold said in the health department release. This is a similar order to what was issued for Jefferson, Blount, St. Clair, Shelby, Tuscaloosa and Walker counties. Even though we have not had a case here, we need to do this to stay ahead of the virus. At a time when the Trump administration is facing intense criticism for its failure to make coronavirus tests available to millions of nervous Americans, remarks by a federal health official on Tuesday appeared to suggest that the World Health Organizations diagnostic tests were wildly inaccurate. In a somewhat rambling answer to a question related to W.H.O. tests, Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said: It doesnt help to put out a test where 50 percent or 47 percent were false positives. Imagine what that would mean to the American people. Imagine what that would mean to tell someone they were positive when they werent. It was not clear where Dr. Birx got those figures, but obviously such an inaccurate test would be worthless. Late on Tuesday night, Dr. Birx confirmed that although she was responding to a question about the W.H.O. test, she was referring to a study of an early diagnostic test used in China. The paper found that, in a specific subset of those tested in China asymptomatic contacts of known cases the tests wrongly found them to be positive 47 percent of the time. Riyadh, March 18 : Saudi Arabia has called for a virtual Group of 20 (G20) Leaders' Summit next week to discuss the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic. The virtual summit aims to advance a coordinated response to the pandemic and its human and economic implications, according to a statement by G20. The G20 will act, alongside international organisations, in any way deemed necessary to alleviate the impact of the pandemic, the statement said, adding that the G20 will put forward a coordinated set of policies to protect people and safeguard the global economy, Xinhua news agency reported. The calling for the summit came after the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud stressed on Tuesday the importance of coordinating global efforts to combat the epidemic. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Julia Suryakusuma (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 Who says there isnt an upside to the coronavirus, which on March 11 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization? Like probably many of you, I have been getting a barrage of really creative and funny videos, cartoons, comments, memes, etc. which try to put some levity into an otherwise dangerous and scary situation. Yes, the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has even spawned a new genre of songs related to the virus. Two were parodies of the 1979 The Knack song My Sherona, another was of Barry Manilows 1978 Copacabana, and yet another was of the 1965 Simon and Garfunkles The Sound of Silence. The lyrics revolve around the super-contagious and zoonotic nature of the virus, its first detections from Wuhan in China, how to sneeze, to stay at home, frequent hand washing, wearing masks, etc. Unconventional attempts to deal with the coronavirus have also surfaced. Trevor Noah, the dishy and dimpled host of The Daily Show aired suggestions people made to avoid the coronavirus, like eating garlic, drinking bleach, snorting cocaine and masturbation. Riiiight! to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Dr. James Lawler, a professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Centre, has advised hospitals to prepare for up 96 million coronavirus infections and 500,000 potential deaths as a worst-case scenario for the possible extent of the outbreak. Leaked documents obtained by Business Insider, come from a presentation made by Dr. James Lawler, a professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Centre during a webinar hosted by the American Hospital Association (AHA). Dr. James Lawler shared a series of slides with attendees on his best guess on how the outbreak could impact hospitals and health officialsduring his webinar, titled What healthcare leaders need to know: Preparing for the COVID-19 back at the end of February. Lawlers shocking estimate of as many as 96 million could become infected, with as many as 480,000 fatalities is the stuff of nightmares. The leaked documents Presented during his presentation indicate COVID-19 would be especially lethal for the elderly population. President Trumps claim that a fraction of 1% could die from the virus looks especially ignorant, according to Dr. Lawler, he estimates People aged 80 and over have a 14 percent chance of dying if they have the infection Those aged 70 to 79 and 60 to 69 have an estimated mortality rate of 8%. People with a heart condition may face a 10% mortality rate. People without any pre-existing medical conditions, there is only a one in 100 chance they could die. The presentation by Dr. Lawler was his effort to encourage hospitals to prepare for high numbers, so each facility can limit those who die. A spokesperson for Nebraska Medicine told Business Insider the figures Dr. Lawler presented insisted that numbers represent ONLY his views and his interpretation of the data available at the time. Saying in summation that Its possible that forecast will change as more information becomes available, and reinforced that webinar reflects the views of the experts who spoke on it, not its own. Dr. Lawler has credibility because he has served as a member of the Homeland Security Council funder President George W. Bush and also a member of the National Security Council under President Barack Obama. In recent weeks, hes been involved in the treatment of US patients with the coronavirus who traveled from China and the Diamond Princess Cruise ship. The US death toll as of Sunday morning from the coronavirus here in the United States has risen to 19 people dying, 16 of whom lived in Washington State. As of Sunday morning, more than 400 cases of the coronavirus have been identified in the United States but testing has been limited because of the lack of test kits. Globally, if you can believe the numbers from China, which are being questioned, the number of cases has risen to over 105,000, with over 3,500 deaths. Italy has no quarantined 16 million in its northern regions. CLEVELAND, Ohio Social media has become a hotbed for rumors and misinformation about the COVID-19 coronavirus, including viral posts about how to supposedly test for it at home and how you can prevent it by drinking water every 15 minutes. Cleveland.com spoke with Dr. Amy Edwards, a pediatric infectious disease specialist with University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Childrens Hospital, about the popular myths on social media and why they shouldnt be believed. Myth 1: You can test for coronavirus by taking a deep breath, holding it for 10 seconds, and seeing whether you cough or experience discomfort. If you can hold your breath without discomfort, you dont have it. Edwards said she has heard this from a lot of people, especially since Clevelands own Geraldo Rivera said it last week on Fox News. I dont even know how to respond to that, Edwards said. Thats a ridiculous statement. All that test would do, Edwards said, is prove that someone isnt having a coughing fit at that moment. That proves absolutely nothing, she said. While coughing is a big part of the clinical syndrome for COVID-19, we know that huge chunks of people are going to be asymptomatic but still shedding the virus. We know that another chunk of people are going to be mildly symptomatic and may only have intermittent coughing. Certainly, some will have severe coughing and will fail that test, but passing that test doesnt guarantee that you dont have COVID-19. The only way to know whether you have COVID-19 is to be tested for coronavirus, the virus that causes it, Edwards said. Myth 2: Once a patient has a fever or cough and goes to the hospital, its too late, because their lungs will experience 50% fibrosis, or scarring that restricts breathing. Edwards said fibrosis isnt helpful in understanding or discussing COVID-19, since the virus is most associated with ARDS, or acute respiratory distress syndrome. Fibrosis is scar tissue, and whats harming people [with COVID-19] is something called ARDS, which is an acute inflammatory process of the lungs, which absolutely can be managed in some patients, Edwards said. Theres data coming out from several countries South Korea, Italy, China that some patients with severe ARDS, if theyre put on a ventilator and allowed to kind of go through this process and heal, some of them can survive. This idea that by the time you have a fever its too late, is ridiculous because plenty of people who will get sick with COVID will recover, she said. Myth 3: If you take sips of water every 15 minutes, it will wash the virus down to your stomach, where stomach acid will kill it. Drinking water will keep you hydrated, and its very important to stay hydrated and eat healthy to keep your immune system strong, but drinking water is not going to prevent you from getting sick, Edwards said. While its true that stomach acid can kill the virus, you may still get infected if it happens in between sips of water. Plus, there are multiple ways that the virus can enter your body which wont be affected by drinking fluids. Drinking water is not going to prevent it if its in your nose or eyes, Edwards said. Edwards advice? Even though many people have come to rely on social media for their news, perhaps its best if they seek out scientific and official reports to verify what their friends are posting before they believe it or share. If theyre hearing things and theyre just not sure, check, Edwards said. ODH [the Ohio Department of Health] is keeping up-to-date information on their website. CDC is keeping information on their website. Johns Hopkins in Baltimore has a very good FAQ section for their COVID-19 website. So, just stick with the reliable, dependable, knowledgeable sources, instead of what your friends are saying on Facebook. Hundreds of Britains arts venues forced to close during the coronavirus crackdown may never re-open, it was claimed last night. Cinemas, galleries and West End theatres yesterday announced they will shut their doors after Boris Johnson told the nation to avoid public venues. Among the biggest names were the Tate galleries closed until May the National Gallery and the Royal Albert Hall, while cinema chains including Odeon, Cineworld, Vue and Picturehouse also shut down. Major theatres, including Londons Old Vic, the National Theatre, the London Palladium and Shakespeares Globe also closed. The Fons Americanus water fountain is mostly deserted in the Tate Modern's Turbine Room on Tuesday after Boris Johnson advised people to stay away from public places. Both Tate galleries are now expected to stay shut until May The streets around Upstart Crow in London's West End were sparsely populated on Tuesday as theatre-goers avoid the capital Trafalgar Square looked empty on Tuesday as the public's avoided travelling to London. The National Gallery is following suit with other venues and will close its doors on Wednesday until further notice The British Museum, Victoria and Albert and the Natural History Museum also announced closures, as did the Science Museum Group, which has branches in Manchester, Bradford, York and Shildon, County Durham, as well as Londons Science Museum. Mary Archer, the groups chairman, said the decision was not an easy one, but added: As a scientist, I know that closing our museums is the right thing to do for both our visitors, our staff and our volunteers at this stage in the Covid-19 outbreak. Lady Archer said the gravity of the situation was brought home to her earlier this month when one trustee, Professor Ajit Lalvani, who is a distinguished infectious disease scientist, tested positive for the virus. She added that he is making a good recovery. Meanwhile the Society Of London Theatre, which represents hundreds of theatres, and UK Theatre said the decision to shut down premises was not taken lightly. Roughly 290,000 people work in the theatre industry, many who are self-employed and now without an income. A woman wears a facemask to protect from coronavirus as she crosses the Millennium Bridge, near the Tate Modern on Tuesday. Museums, galleries and venues are all closing in light of the global pandemic Naomi Pohl, of the Musicians Union, warned some performers could end up being made homeless and added hundreds of venues, theatres and grass roots music venues and comedy clubs above pubs may never re-open. As the Tate Modern put the brakes on its new major Andy Warhol retrospective, Londons Saatchi gallery, which is showing a Tutankhamun exhibition, pledged to stay open and step up frequency of cleaning. The National Gallery, which hopes to re-open on May 4, said: We have been open to the public for almost 200 years... so we are all upset about this closure, but it is the right thing to do. Bafta announced it will postpone its Television Awards, scheduled for May 17, while the Olivier Awards have been cancelled. Closing science museums was 'our painful duty' in 'war' on coronavirus, says chair of Science Museum Group, Mary Archer In the new Medicine Galleries in Londons Science Museum, there is a large display on infectious diseases, including malaria, TB, polio and influenza. When this coronavirus outbreak finally comes to an end, I suspect were going to have to add a new window - on COVID-19. I say we because I am the chair of the Science Museum Group, which includes wonderful museums in Manchester, Bradford, York and Shildon, County Durham, as well as the Science Museum itself. Mary Archer with husband Jeffery Archer at the Noel Coward Theatre, London, in 2016. Lady Archer says the world must 'go to war' against the coronavirus pandemic, which led to her to close science museums across the country It was our painful duty this week to close all five of them. Its not a decision we have taken lightly because we are used to opening every day to show the wonders of science, engineering, technology to over five million of people every year. But, as a scientist, I know that closing our museums is the right thing to do for both our visitors, our staff and our volunteers at this stage in the Covid-19 outbreak. After all, the number of infected people is increasing rapidly. As of March 16, there have been 164,837 cases and 6,470 deaths confirmed worldwide. Global spread has been rapid, with 146 countries now having reported at least one case. And we are not alone, of course, in having to choose between the importance of keeping the wonders of our scientific, cultural and artistic heritage accessible to everyone and the duty of care we owe our staff and visitors. Yesterday Tate announced that all four of its galleries, including Tate Britain and Tate Modern, will be closed until at least May 1 and other big-name museums such as the Natural History Museum, The National Portrait Gallery, and the Ashmolean in Oxford will also be off-limits. Meanwhile, all V&A sites will also be closed as of Wednesday, including its main gallery in South Kensington, the Museum of Childhood, Blythe House and the V&A Dundee, and the National Gallery will close on Thursday. The gravity of the situation was brought home to me personally earlier this month when one of my SMG trustees, Professor Ajit Lalvani, tested positive for Covid-19. Fortunately, he is making a good recovery. But his position is all the more poignant because he is ironically one of the most distinguished infectious disease scientists in the world. In hospitals such as Cambridge University Hospitals where I was once chair of the NHS Foundation Trust - they are emptying beds as far as is possible to cope with the coming influx of people who need hospital treatment or intensive care, while doing all they can to protect their staff. My husband Jeffrey is now nearly 80, and Im no spring chicken, so we are both in the high-risk group and self-isolating as far as is practical. This may feel like youre in a science fiction movie, but this is for real. The world must go to war against this virus. The Gallipoli Campaign (known in Turkey as Canakkale Savas), was a campaign in the First World War that took place on the Gallipoli Peninsula. Today (18 March), Turkey commemorates the 106th anniversary of the Ottoman Empires World War One victory over Allied fleets that were attempting to break through the Strait of Dardanelles in the northwestern province of Canakkale. Britain and France, sought to weaken the Ottoman Empire by taking control of the straits that provided a supply route to Russia. In February 1915, the invaders launched a naval attack followed by an amphibious landing on the peninsula, to capture the Ottoman capital of Constantinople (modern day Istanbul). 106 years ago hundreds of thousands of troops were killed and wounded as they fought for a tiny patch of land. The landing and the succeeding months-long stalemate ended in early 1916 when the allied army gave up and withdrew. The victory proved a massive morale boost for the Ottoman Turks and cemented the reputation of Mustafa Kemal Pasa. Years later he would lead the Turks to an even bigger victory in their War of Independence and establish the Turkish Republic. Canakkale Crowds would normally flock to the historical peninsula of Gallipoli to attend the ceremony and remember the legacy of the Gallipoli battle. The Canakkale Martyrs Memorial commemorating hundreds of thousands of soldiers killed during the World War I Battle of Gallipoli. (AA Photo) A ceremony was held in Fethiye to mark the occasion. The ceremony was attended by the Fethiye District Governorship, Fethiye Municipality and Fethiye Combatant Veterans and Martyr Families Aid and Solidarity Association. Wreaths were laid at the Martyrs Monument followed by a one minutes silence and Turkish National Anthem. Martyrs Monument in Fethiye Garrison Commander Military Branch Head Major Sedat Karabay made a speech, indicating the meaning and importance of the day. Following the reading of poems, District Governor Eyup Frat signed the honour book. After the ceremony, members of the protocol visited Fethiye War Veterans and Martyr Families Cooperation and Solidarity Association. Sources: Wikipedia/Anadolu Agency/Gercek Fethiye Featured image courtesy of Wikipedia There seems to be no respite for the telecom operators Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel on the AGR (adjusted gross revenues) case. In response to the application filed by the central government proposing payment of AGR dues by telcos over 20 years considering the financial state of the sector, a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra in the Supreme Court pulled up the DoT, telecom operators and media for trying to influence the court's October 24 order in which it has asked telcos to pay AGR dues. The court reportedly said that telecom companies have usurped money and don't want to pay even a fraction of the revenues earned. "Are they more superior to us? Who is this gentleman who has allowed self-assessment," the court reportedly observed. The court has also categorically denied self-assessment of the AGR dues by the telcos, and has asked companies to pay all four components of the dues: principal, interest on the principal, penalty, and interest on penalty. The court said that there can be no further exercise regarding dues payable. "Even telcos should not have any further litigation regarding dues payable," the court reportedly observed. The court, however, said that it would consider government's plea on payment time, at the next hearing in two weeks. Also read: 'Paid in full', says Sunil Mittal as Airtel pays Rs 13,000 crore self-assessed AGR dues Given that the court has refused to go back on its previous order, it means that telcos will now have to pay the entire amount - that is Rs 1.46 lakh crore. "It's going to be a crisis situation for the telcos as SC has given them no breather on the AGR matter," says a telecom analyst. Though it's not clear as yet that whether the telcos have to deposit the remaining amount immediately or they can wait for till the court considers government's plea. So far, Bharti Airtel has paid Rs 13,004 crore to the DoT (department of telecom) in two instalments, and it has also deposited additional Rs 5,000 crore to cover the difference in case there's discrepancy in its own assessment vis-a-vis DoT's calculations. As per the data provided by the telecom minister, Airtel and Telenor India (which was acquired by Airtel) together owe Rs 37,740.36 crore, and the court has now directed Airtel to pay the remainder of the amount (Rs 19,736.36 crore). Airtel sources said that the company has also submitted its self-assessment calculations with DoT. So is the case with Vodafone Idea which has self-assessed its dues (just the principal amount) at Rs 6,854 crore, and paid the same to the DoT in three tranches. After today's order, Vodafone Idea will have to pay additional Rs 46,184.6 crore to the DoT - which is the difference between DoT's internal calculations (Rs 53,038.6 crore) and Vodafone's self assessed amount. Tata Tele too will have to pay Rs 11,625.92 crore to the DoT in addition to Rs 2,197.37 crore that it has already paid. Also read: Vodafone Idea needs 15 years to pay AGR dues; wants Rs 8,000-crore GST refund Telcos, however, say that the typical process of paying taxes is through self-assessment. In each of the circle, the telcos have been historically paying their dues to the circle officers on the basis of their self-assessment. That has been the norm for a long time, and now that the court has refused the self-assessment process on the AGR matter, the telcos and DoT are in a fix. Some experts say that the telcos have been imprudent in their approach on the AGR case. "Their legal teams have not done the job properly. They should have challenged the DoT demand in the court instead of doing own assessment and depositing the amount," says a telecom expert. Although the DoT's demand has been made from 15 operators, 71.5 per cent has to come from just three operators - Vodafone Idea, Airtel and Tata Teleservices. Many of the other penalised operators have already shut shop. The impact of the lost AGR case on telcos is so huge that Vodafone Idea filed the highest-ever quarterly loss in the corporate history - Rs 50,992 crore in the second quarter of 2019/20. Also read: AGR issue: Vodafone Idea tells SC it can only pay Rs 2,500 crore; gets no relief A line of people wait outside of the Philadelphia Gun and Archery Club in South Philadelphia on Wednesday morning. Some customers were looking to purchase firearms, while gun owners wanted to stock up on ammunition. Read more The line spilled out the front door of the Philadelphia Gun & Archery Club, onto Ellsworth Street, nearly into the Italian Market on Ninth Street. About 30 people some wearing protective masks were waiting outside the gun shop Wednesday afternoon, hoping to purchase firearms and stock up on ammunition as the coronavirus continued to spread across the Philadelphia region and the nation. Im looking to get an AR-15, said Joe Lynch, a 46-year-old longshoreman from South Philadelphia. Its a crazy city were living in. Lynch said he was concerned by the announcement that police would delay arrests for some crimes during the public-health crisis. Those include narcotics offenses, thefts, burglary, prostitution, and other nonviolent crimes. Theyre going to let criminals do whatever they want," Lynch said as he waited in a line outside the gun shop. "Theyre not looking to lock people up. Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw reaffirmed Wednesday that the department would not turn a blind eye to crime during the pandemic. Officers are required to notify a supervisor if they believe releasing an offender would pose a threat to public safety, according to a department memo. READ MORE: As coronavirus spreads, Philly not turning a blind eye to crime, police commissioner says Others in line Wednesday said they were stocking up on handgun ammunition because they were unsure if it would be unavailable for weeks, or even months. Some in the crowd were tense, wearing various types of hospital and construction masks and complaining that the line was not moving. Due to everything being closed, you dont know how long things will be shut down, said Jashaar Robinson, 25, of West Philadelphia. You got to get it while you have the chance. Philadelphia Gun & Archery Club, as well as other gun shops around the state, remained open Wednesday despite a state-ordered shutdown of all nonessential businesses, designed to slow the spread of infection. You giving away free guns? a driver asked a shop employee trying to manage the line and handle background checks for gun purchases. Ice cream! a man yelled back from the crowd. At a news conference Wednesday, city Managing Director Brian Abernathy said Philadelphia does not consider gun ranges to be essential businesses. We have asked the governor to also weigh in to that question and provide additional state police support, Abernathy said. With most businesses that are nonessential, we have asked and are sending warnings to them ... to give them the opportunity to do the right thing and then shut down on their own. If they dont, well take other action if we need to. Lauren Cox, a spokesperson for Mayor Jim Kenney, clarified that both gun stores and gun ranges are deemed nonessential and that the city is beginning enforcement on all nonessential businesses through written correspondence and were optimistic about compliance. READ MORE: Distancing while due: The coronavirus is rapidly changing pregnancy An employee of Philadelphia Gun & Archery Club, who declined to be named, said the shop had no immediate plans to close. No one has told us to, he said. Other gun shops in Pennsylvania said they were seeking to remain open. Were open now and were planning to stay open as long as were able, said Joe Staudt, who owns Staudts Gun Shop in Harrisburg. Staudt, 59, said his business is essential because he sells directly to law enforcement agencies and services weapons for officers. Without that line of business, he likely would have had to close. The shop has seen a torrent of customers since Monday, when Wolf ordered the closure of all nonessential businesses, Staudt said. While on the phone with a reporter, Staudt could be heard answering a call on another line. The caller wanted to know about shotguns. Weve got plenty in stock, he said. Ive got to go. Were really busy right now. With gun sales surging and rumors circulating on social media that people wouldnt be able to purchase firearms, requests for background checks overwhelmed Pennsylvania law enforcement computers Tuesday. Twice, state police computers crashed, once in the morning and once in the evening, as they handled more than three times the normal number of transactions. State police completed 4,342 checks Tuesday compared with 1,359 checks on the entire day one year ago. The Pennsylvania State Police is working with its vendor to increase processing power to avoid future backlogs and will adjust staffing as needed to meet demand, said Maj. Gary Dance, director of the polices Bureau of Records and Identification. An isolated server issue was responsible for the morning outage from 8 to 11:30 a.m. The second outage happened between 5 and 8:40 p.m., due to a backlog of requests, he added. Trooper Brent Miller said Wednesday that rumors that Gov. Wolf has shut down the Pennsylvania Instant Check System so that people wouldnt be able to buy guns is totally false. READ MORE: Philadelphia florists give away 2,000 flowers from events cancelled due to coronavirus The states instant-check system is used to obtain a license to carry a gun, to transfer gun ownership, and to buy guns. As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, the Pennsylvania system had handled 5,086 instant gun checks indicating it would closely match Saturdays 6,588 checks and Mondays 7,706 checks. In a strip of industrial buildings in Southampton, Bucks County, a line of 75 men and women, some in face masks, formed outside Classic Pistols to purchase guns or ammo. No one was eager to comment while waiting quietly in line. Im not sure what theyre scared of, but theyre scared, said Ed Hartzel, Classic Pistols manager. Staff writers Anna Orso, Jessica Calefati, and Sean Walsh contributed to this article. Representative image Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, on March 18 said 26 detainees died in detention camps of Assam in the past three years due to illness, news agency ANI has reported. "As per the information provided by the government of Assam, 799 detenues are held in detention centres in Assam as on February 27, 2020 out of whom 95 have three years or more in detention. 26 detenues have died during detention period due to illness during last three years," Rai said while speaking in Rajya Sabha. "In 2017six, 2018nine, 2019ten and 2020one person died," Rai said. Earlier in November last year, Rai had pegged the number of deaths in detention camps "due to illness" at 28, according to a report by The Hindu. Rai had at that point of time clarified that the detainees had died due to illness and not because of "apprehension or fear". He had also said they were not eligible for any compensation since they had entered the country illegally, according to the report. "As informed by the state Government of Assam, as on November 22, 988 foreigners were lodged in six detention centres in Assam. From the year 2016 up to 13.10.2019, 28 detenues have died either in the detention centres or in hospitals where they were referred," Rai had said in a written response. A pandemic modeller advising the Australian government has declined to tell the public how many Australians they expect to die or become critically unwell in the course of the coronavirus crisis. But Professor Jodie McVernon, director of epidemiology at the Doherty Institute, has shed light on the behind-the-scenes work, including the reason the government is keeping schools open and why their worst-case scenario has proven correct. Professor Jodie McVernon. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen She is part of a team of pandemic modellers, infectious disease and public health experts advising the government every day on its coronavirus response for the past eight weeks. "We are not coming to these questions naively or without prior thought. [We are] coming with tools we've prepared earlier," she said. Naval service patrol ship LE WB Yeats has berthed in Galway, where it will potentially be used as a testing facility for the Covid-19 virus. The ship is one of three naval service vessels requested for use by the Health Service Executive (HSE), as plans are underway to roll out 34 testing facilities across the State. The vessel, under command of Lieut Cdr Martin Tarrant, arrived into Galway docks on Tuesday night, and was due to be visited by HSE staff today to conduct a risk assessment. The LE Samuel Beckett has already been deployed to Dublin for similar use, and another ship is on standby in Haulbowline naval base for location in Cork. Naval service experience of testing for infectious illnesses during migrant rescue in the Mediterranean influenced the decision to make ships available as support to the HSE. The Defence Forces Press Office said the ships were deployed to generate extra capacity for the HSE, and it was awaiting further instructions. It is anticipated that similar arrangements to those in place at Croke Park would be used to establish testing, with marquees established on shore and the ships providing logistical support. All three cities have riverside berths which offers ease of access. The HSE has emphasised that people should not present at the various centres without a scheduled appointment, following referral by GPs if necessary after an initial assessment by phone. Those suffering from symptoms of Covid-19 - typically dry cough and a fever - should ring their GP, who will arrange a test if deemed necessary. LE WB Yeats was commissioned in 2016, first deployed to the Mediterranean in 2017, and is twinned with Galway city. Galway harbourmaster Capt Brian Sheridan said the move further emphasised the critical role of ports in providing a response to the current situation. He confirmed that he and his port pilots and other key staff will be seeking early tests for the virus, being among a group of Port of Galway staff who are key to ensuring supply chains are kept open. Already, a number of measures have been taken by ports including Galway to comply with World Health Organisation control guidelines for Covid-19 at sea. Capt Sheridan confirmed that one of the measures in Galway includes cancelling all shore leave for visiting ships. Vessels have been asked to supply certification of medical compliance before berthing, and to ensure all areas on board are thoroughly sanitised. Communication with pilots who have to board vessels to provide navigation into port must also comply with social distancing measures, he said. These measures apply to all our staff port pilots and crew who have to board ships, dock gatemen, crane drivers and Port of Galway staff who can work from home are doing so, Capt Sheridan said. Shipping schedules will continue as normal, he said. The Port of Galway has also offered a ten-acre property in the city to the HSE for location of field hospital facilities if required, he added. A baby who was put under quarantine at 14 days old has been reunited with her mother after spending more than three weeks in a hospital. Her mother was a suspected coronavirus carrier and gave birth to her while in isolation in a Chinese city last month. The newborn was sent to a hospital due to her mother's situation, but multiple tests showed she did not have the virus. A grab from a video released by Chinese outlet Pear shows the baby's mother hugging the girl when they are reunited in the First Hospital of Shijiazhuang, northern China, on March 16 A nurse holds the baby as she and her colleagues bid good-bye to her after her isolation period Footage shows the five-week-old girl being handed to her mother at a hospital in Shijiazhuang in northern China's Hebei Province this week after medics gave her the all-clear. Nuo Nuo was taken to the First Hospital of Shijiazhuang on February 21, two weeks after being born, to undergo medical observation. Zhao Li, the director of the Department of Paediatrics at the hospital, told Hebei News: 'Because the baby had close contact [with the parents] after being born 14 days ago. 'There were many high-risk factors involved. So we paid a lot of attention to her.' To quarantine a newborn baby is no easy task. The girl's weight dropped at the beginning of the isolation, from 3.4kg (7.5lbs) when she was born to just 3kg (6.6lbs). She also developed fevers, one of the most common symptoms for the coronavirus. The girl, named Nuo Nuo, was sent to a hospital after her mother gave birth to her in isolation Medical workers push the baby to undergo a CT scan at the First Hospital of Shijiazhuang Zhao Li, the director of the Department of Paediatrics at the hospital, told Hebei News: 'I can say that the doctors and nurses all treated her like our own [child], as if she was everyone's baby. We gave her all the attention and support we could give in every aspect' A team of nine medics provided Nuo Nuo with round-the-clock care at the hospital's newly formed neonatal quarantine wards. The medics also took turns to make up infant formula, bottle-feed the girl, change her nappies and rock her to sleep. Zhao said: 'I can say that the doctors and nurses all treated her like our own [child], as if she was everyone's baby. We gave her all the attention and support we could give in every aspect. 'Wearing protective gear makes doctors and nurses feel very stuffy. Some of us had ulcers on our ears, noses and faces [because of the protective gear]. But when we see lovely children like this, as the "temporary parents", we think everything is worth it.' 'Even though she was away from her parents, there were more "parents" to give her love and care.' A medical worker (left), who took care of COVID-19 patients during the outbreak, embraces a colleague after a 14-day quarantine at Hebei Chest Hospital in Shijiazhuang on March 14 Workers produce face masks at a factory in Handan, China's Hebei province, on February 28 Doctors ran multiple nucleic acid tests for Nuo Nuo during the three weeks and all of them came back negative. The tiny patient was finally allowed to go home on Monday. Under the medics' meticulous care, Nuo Nuo's weight increased to 4.55kg (10lbs), and she could drink 120ml of milk per feed compared to 40ml before. Her mother thanked the hospital for looking after her daughter. She told Pear Video: 'They took such good care of my baby and she grew so much. I express my sincere gratitude towards the hospital's workers and management.' Medical workers also presented gifts they had prepared for Nuo Nuo to her mother, including a photo album which documented the girl's life in the hospital. 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 Want to have the lavishly illustrated, premium-quality print edition of MHQ delivered directly to you four times a year? Subscribe now at special savings! (ANSA) - Trieste, March 18 - The first of around 100 Italian soldiers deployed to control Slovenian-Italian border areas took to the streets on Wednesday. The first patrols are operating near the Fernetti Pass on the Slovenian border and are stopping cars to check drivers' 'self-certification' forms to comply with Italy's coronavirus lockdown. UNITED NATIONS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations said Tuesday that it is raising funds for the global fight against the coronavirus. "We know that we will need more funding to deal with the pandemic, and we are working closely with UN member states and the private sector to ensure funding and equipment is available to fight COVID-19, both in member states and among the vulnerability community, such as the refugees and displaced people we help," said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. There is a lot of expenses that will be coming, and the world body has to evaluate down the line what further steps are needed to get the needed funding, he said. "Obviously, we know, at the same time, that governments themselves will be facing economic hardships. There's going to be an economic impact of COVID-19 on many member states, and we're only now just beginning to understand the scale of that," he said. "So, we know that money will be tight, but we are urging all countries to help pool what they can right now to get this pandemic stopped as quickly as possible, because, obviously, the economic benefits of solving this quicker, rather than having it linger on in so many countries, are almost incalculable." Jason Parks, 40, was suspended from his job as a senior correctional police officer at the Albert C. Wagner Youth Correctional Facility in Burlington County. Read more A South Jersey senior correctional police officer was charged Wednesday with official misconduct and tampering with public records after he allegedly struck an inmate twice in the head, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced. Jason Parks, 40, of Gibbstown, Gloucester County, has been suspended since the Feb. 19 incident at the Albert C. Wagner Youth Correctional Facility in Bordentown, Burlington County, the AGs Office said in a statement. Parks is accused of striking the inmate, whose arms were cuffed behind him and who had been restrained by two other officers, prosecutors said. The inmates age was not released. The force of the blows knocked the inmates head against a wall, prosecutors said, adding that the use of force under such circumstances was not authorized by the state Department of Corrections. After the alleged assault, Parks filed a false report in which he claimed that the inmate cursed at him and threatened to spit in his face, prosecutors said. In his report, Parks stated that he struck the inmate in the mouth with an open hand to prevent him from spitting, they said. Surveillance video from the facility and witness statements contradict Parks claims, the AGs Office said. Parks also allegedly directed another correctional officer to falsify his report, the office said. Parks attorney did not immediately respond to a call for comment. If convicted of the second-degree official-misconduct charge, Parks faces a mandatory sentence of five years in prison with no parole and a maximum of 10 years. The tampering charge, a third-degree offense, carries a sentence of three to five years in prison. The AGs Office said its Office of Public Integrity and Accountability has a free phone line, 1-844-OPIA-TIP, and offers a reward of up to $25,000 for tips on public corruption that lead to a conviction. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 15:34 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b97c6c 1 City Tito-Karnavian,anies-baswedan,COVID-19,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus-in-Indonesia,outbreak,outbreak-in-Indonesia,lockdown Free The authority to invoke a citywide lockdown to curb the spread COVID-19 belongs to the central government and not provincial administrations, Home Minister Tito Karnavian said on Tuesday at a press conference at Jakarta City Hall. Tito said the authority was based on the 2018 Health Quarantine, which stated that the central government was responsible for putting in place regional quarantines or lockdowns. "According to the Law No. 6/2018 on health quarantine, regional and social restrictions at scale are the central government's authority because they are related to the economy," Tito said at a press briefing alongside Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan. "The President has said that regional leaders should consult with the central government and the task force." He added that the decision to apply a regional quarantine would be based on the development of an epidemic and the effectiveness of the policy, as well as economic, social, cultural and security considerations. Over the past few days, Anies has instituted a number of measures to encourage social distancing, including restrictions on public transportation. The administration has limited the number of passengers allowed on city-owned Transjakarta buses, the MRT and the LRT, and Anies has said that people should not leave or enter Jakarta. A number of scientists and activists have called for a lockdown in order to stem the spread of the virus, but President Joko Jokowi Widodo said on Monday that the government was not leaning toward issuing a lockdown policy. Jokowi has instead encouraged all Indonesians to practice social distancing and work from home, study from home, and worship at home. As of Tuesday, Indonesia had announced 172 confirmed COVID-19 cases resulting in five deaths nationwide, while the capital had recorded 47 cases and one death as of Monday. (dfr) BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 18 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Turkeys export of leather products to Kazakhstan from January through February 2020 made up $5.6 million, which is 34 percent more compared to the same period of 2019, Turkeys Ministry of Trade told Trend on March 18. Turkeys export of leather products to Kazakhstan in February 2020 decreased and amounted to $2.7 million, which is 18.8 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. Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Brightway Insurance has been ranked among the fastest-growing franchises for 2020 by Entrepreneur Magazine. Brightway jumped 20 spots on the list, from number 135 in 2019 to number 115 this year. Were honored to rank among the fastest-growing franchises in the US and Canada, said Michael Miller, president and CEO of Brightway. Weve built a business around giving our franchisees holistic support so they can focus on providing expert counsel to their customers and building their business. That alignment with our franchisees has been vital to our success and our ability to grow our brand into one of the largest personal lines agencies in 11 years. Kate Moss is a fan, Penelope Cruz has been pictured wearing them and it goes without saying that Gwyneth Paltrow is a devotee. Im talking about ear seeds, tiny beads that are said to help heal the body when placed on pressure points in your ears. A huge hit with A-listers, ear seeds are used in auriculotherapy treatments a branch of alternative medicine based on the belief that the ear is a powerful microsystem that reflects the entire body. Its a little like reflexology, in which pressure points on the feet are massaged to heal ailments elsewhere. So far, so Gwyneth. But is there anything in it? Amy Dawson as her ear seeds are applied at Urban Retreat, the upmarket wellness clinic in Knightsbridge, West London Ear seeds are really having their moment, says Olivia Inge, a model and It-girl turned alternative therapist who is about to place the first seed actually an adhesive-backed gold bead on to my right ear. Im going for the heart point, keep still, she says. I hold my breath as she advances with a pair of poised tweezers. Ive come to see Olivia as I have been struggling with insomnia and anxiety, which I can usually manage by getting fresh air and exercise. Yet recently Ive been waking up in the night and finding Im unable to get back to sleep. Its making me moody and groggy and I cant focus. Reluctant to go down the sleeping pill route if I can help it, Ive been casting around for something anything else that might help. Could these dainty little beads hold the key to inner calm and a good nights sleep? Im feeling slightly nervous as I arrive at Urban Retreat, the upmarket wellness clinic in Knightsbridge, West London, where Olivia adorns clients with ear seeds for 120 (including an hours consultation). She instantly puts me at ease with her surprisingly down-to-earth manner. Having once strutted the catwalk for the likes of Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen, she went on to study at the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine. The ear is an extraordinary nexus of energy through which the entire body can be treated, she says. Its a complete microsystem and all the organs and body parts are represented within its folds. So, says Olivia, compressing key points of the ear by applying seeds (or needles, in acupuncture) can alleviate all manner of ailments, from headaches to back pain. Auricular acupuncture, while rooted in Chinese medicine, was developed by French neurologist Dr Paul Nogier in the Fifties. Gold standard? Amy with her ear seeds in. The seeds are traditionally made from the vaccaria plant But GP Dr Diana Gall is sceptical. Theres a lack of scientific evidence on the success rate or effectiveness of many forms of auriculotherapy, including ear seeds, she says. Nevertheless, studies have suggested there could be something in it. Research from Sao Paulo, in Brazil, for example, found that giving nurses auriculotherapy via needles, seeds or plain old sticky tape reduced anxiety levels. Even the U.S. military uses the technique in battlefield acupuncture to treat pain in troops. Olivia uses tiny, 24 ct gold beads, but in theory they can be made from anything (traditionally seeds from the vaccaria plant). I like gold because it has a warming and strengthening effect, she says, before pressing seeds on Shen Men, Point Zero, insomnia point and heart point. Shen Men, aka the divine gate, is supposedly linked to general wellbeing, and Point Zero, like a tiny reset button, is meant to balance my energy levels and hormones. The insomnia point and heart point promote sleep and soothe emotions. Olivia says she can also read ears for indications of problems throughout the body. Theres redness in your upper ear in a spot which might indicate sciatica, she says, genuinely throwing me. I have two bulging, torn discs in my back which occasionally give me torturous sciatica. For Olivia, its all about energy flows. Every living phenomenon is about vibrations, the flow of energy. With any illness or pain theres a blockage in that energy, she tells me. So you unblock that by applying pressure to the right points. For the more practically minded, its worth considering the vagus nerve, which controls our parasympathetic nervous system, overseeing rest-and-digest functions and helping to regulate everything from blood pressure to sweating. The ear is the only place with access to the vagus nerve through the skin, says Olivia. So by stimulating it at key points I can boost the relaxation response and help you feel much calmer. The 24 ct gold beads are pressed onto 'Shen Men', Point Zero, insomnia point and heart point A small study at the University of Leeds found that stimulating the vagus nerve through the ear using electrical currents led participants to report better moods, more sleep and an improved quality of life. Olivia fell in love with ear seeds in the run-up to her final exams. I was stressed, and one of the lecturers offered to put a silver seed on Shen Men, an all-round stress-relieving point, she says. I calmed down, found my focus and was able to hold my pen without shaking! She tells me to keep the seeds on for at least five days. They should stay on in the shower just dont scrub them, she says. Theyll give you a low dose of stimulation, and whenever youre feeling imbalanced, just give them a squeeze. I diligently keep my seeds on for five days, and they cling on like blingy barnacles through shampoos and swimming trips (under a cap). But I have to say I dont experience the dramatic effect Olivia did. I have a terrible nights sleep straight after the treatment but, slowly, night by night, I do start to sleep more soundly. I feel calmer, too. Whether this is down to the ear seeds, hormones, just one of those things or a combination of factors, its hard to say. But apparently its best to have at least two or three treatments to fully feel the benefits. Dr Gall suggests theres little harm in using ear seeds alongside any treatments prescribed by your doctor if you think they might help. Theyre generally safe to use and dont have any known side-effects. Just ensure you use a trained therapist. Would I try it again? I think it might be worth giving it a go, at least to see if the effects are any stronger the second or third time around. After all, if its good enough for Penelope and Kate . . . Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 18:08 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206ba18cd 4 News traveloka,COVID-19,coronavirus,travel Free Amid the alarming spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, online airline ticketing and hotel booking platform Traveloka has recorded a significant increase in trip cancelations. We are currently experiencing a very significant surge in trip cancelations and refund requests due to the recent development of the COVID-19 situation, Traveloka CMO Dionisius Nathaniel said on Wednesday as quoted by Antara news agency. As a result, Dionisius said the company was making efforts to improve its customer service by prioritizing requests from users who have the closest departure and/or booking dates. Those who want to cancel their trips can submit a request for a refund through specified channels or by directly contacting Traveloka. Utilizing the mobile application to submit such requests is highly recommended, said Dionisius. However, he added, travelers should note that not all tickets were refundable as some destinations were still open to visitors hence different policies would be applied by the company's partners. Dionisius advised planning prospective trips well and following the latest information and updates as announced by the government and trusted sources, such as the World Health Organization, during this situation. The tourist sector has been hit hard by the outbreak of COVID-19. Many countries around the world have imposed lockdown policies, banning their populations from traveling outside their territories. President Joko Jokowi Widodo has not applied a lockdown for Indonesia; however, he has appealed to the public to avoid traveling and large gatherings. (gis/kes) Emergency laws introduced into Queensland Parliament on Wednesday night will allow the potential delay of next weekend's local government elections and grant extra powers to the Chief Health Officer. The Parliament was suspended for about seven hours on Wednesday to allow lawmakers to write up emergency amendments to the Public Health Act 2005 so government could better respond to the outbreak of novel coronavirus. Health Minister Steven Miles. Credit:AAP Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the "very way we interact with each other must change, and it must change today" "Our lives and the lives of our loved ones depend on it," she said. Heres what Democrats can do: Refuse to pass any big stimulus bill unless it includes provisions to ensure that the country can hold a presidential election this fall. That may sound like bare-knuckle politics, but preserving democracy calls for toughness. Opinion Debate Will the Democrats face a midterm wipeout? Mark Penn and Andrew Stein write that "only a broader course correction to the center will give Democrats a fighting chance in 2022" and beyond. write that "only a broader course correction to the center will give Democrats a fighting chance in 2022" and beyond. Matthew Continetti writes that time and again, the biggest obstacle to a red wave hasnt been the Democratic Party. Its been the Republican Party. writes that time and again, the biggest obstacle to a red wave hasnt been the Democratic Party. Its been the Republican Party. Ezra Klein speaks to David Shor, who discusses his fear that Democrats face electoral catastrophe unless they shift their messaging. speaks to David Shor, who discusses his fear that Democrats face electoral catastrophe unless they shift their messaging. Michelle Cottle examines two primary contests that will shake the parties well beyond the states in play. Richard Hasen, an election law expert at the University of California, Irvine, put it well in a message to me on Tuesday: Election bills are notoriously hard to get through Congress. And we dont know when Congress will be able to meet again. The only way a congressionally mandated expansion of [voting access] for Novembers elections is going to pass is if it is folded into one of the existing coronavirus bills needed to keep this country going during the crisis. On Twitter, Stephen Wolf of Daily Kos Election made a historical analogy: Fighting coronavirus will take war-like mobilization of govt resources. But even during the Civil War & WWII, we still held elections. Its essential that Congress mandate & provide funding for every state to adopt universal vote-by-mail so we dont have a political crisis too. The basics of a bill to protect the 2020 election are straightforward. It should require every state to allow both early voting (with drop-off ballots) and voting by mail, and it should include federal funding for a rapid switch to those systems in the coming months. About 30 states already allow something known as no-excuse absentee voting, which is essentially early voting. Another five states Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Utah and Washington conduct elections largely or entirely by mail. Both systems work well, removing many of the hassles, like long waits in line, that can keep Americans from voting. Mail voting has been especially successful at increasing turnout, as I explained in a 2018 column. During a pandemic, voting by mail and early voting have the crucial added benefit of allowing people to cast a ballot with minimal human contact. Its true that there is one downside to early voting: The possibility that new information will emerge in the final few days of a campaign, after some people have already voted. But this downside is quite modest during a general election in our highly polarized country. Not many people will be changing their mind in the final few days. And during a national crisis, there are not perfect solutions to every problem. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Ron Wyden, both Democrats, have written a good starting-point bill. It would require all states to hold at least 20 days of early voting, as well as to allow anybody to request a mail-in ballot. The federal government would pay for the changeover, which would probably cost around $1 billion, relatively little compared with other emergency bills now being discussed. Tough times call for innovative measures. The ongoing Coronavirus attack across the world is forcing organisations to ask their employees to work from home in order to check the spread of the virus. Covid-19 is also forcing people to bring in certain behaviour modifications, most notably, maintaining hand hygiene to almost OCD levels and opting for social distancing. The world is now operating in the new reality of working from remote locations and maintaining work schedules and productivity, instead of going for a complete cessation of operations. While there are certain professions where the workforce needs to be on the ground such as medical personnel, essential services, news media, police and administration, judiciary, shops & commerce, pharmacies, etc., quite a few professions have taken to working from home viz., advertising, corporate houses, tech companies, other media, etc. The advantages of working from home are many saving on commute time, avoiding traffic jams, getting to spend more time with ones family, working in comfortable environs. At the same time there are certain drawbacks too, such as distractions in the form of visitors, also intrusions by family members, attending to household chores, and most importantly, managing the team that is working from remote locations and keeping the productivity levels high. Working from home is not a licence to do what you want as there is no one to watch you. No binge-watching your favourite Web series, no logging in late for work, no staying incommunicado. There is a certain schedule and discipline that needs to be maintained to get the work done, especially by the newbies to the world of work from home. Just because one isnt in an office environ, it doesnt mean that there is any laxity in meeting deadlines. Adgully spoke to a cross-section of the agency world to know how they are gearing up to make the most of the forced work from home situation and keep productivity levels as well as employee morale high. Sunil Seth, Head HR Business Partner- South Asia, Dentsu Aegis Network: We formed and activated a Management Incident team, which is part of our Business Contingency Plan framework to meet every week and monitor the situation right from the first case was announced in India. The team monitors the situation and has kept the government guidance as minimum base to put necessary efforts to prevent the spread. As an immediate measure, at the initial stage, only we placed hand sanitisers across all our office entrances and meeting rooms. We also started sharing information on washing hands and basic dos/ donts at such times. A list of hospitals designated for testing of Coronavirus across all locations has been kept handy. It has also been circulated to the employees. A travel advisory has been issued for people travelling for work/ personal as per the guidelines from our global office and Ministry of Health of India. We further have increased the measures by providing work from home to people who have a serious risk while travelling. A doctor is always on standby to provide support for any eventuality across offices in respective locations. Furthermore, our local general affairs teams are well trained to manage any eventuality, including that of evacuation and sanitising offices if required. It is critical that we monitor the situation very closely as the local authorities, the State Governments and the Ministry of Health are raising the bar for preventing the spread. Currently, we have circulated the advisory on work from home, which has been issued till March 31, 2020. We are monitoring the situation on daily basis. These are testing times for the organisation and employees too. While the paramount aspect remains the health of employees, it is also imperative that the businesses should not get impacted. Thankfully, we are sufficiently invested in technology to allow minimum disruption whatsoever for our people to execute their work from home. Additionally, our IT teams are also well prepared to meet such eventuality and for the switch, which has happened. So far, it has been smooth for people working from home. We trust our employees to make the best use of the support provided and equally reciprocate the same in achieving the work deliverables for the organisation and its clients. Chetan Asher, CEO and Co Founder, Tonic Worldwide: We have been concerned and precautious around our teams safety. The HR team had launched a series of guidelines which educated team members on sanitisation habits as well as requested them to avoid travel since February. We have also been avoiding face to face client meetings and recommending Skype or video calls for presentations. Work related travel has stopped completely. Team members are equipped in every possible way to work remotely and have been requested to work from home since this week. Processes ensure collaboration and project status updates regularly. Being a digital agency, we have always been equipped to work remotely and it is an easier bridge to cross for us. Since a few years, we have already been giving the flexibility of work from home to all our employees, who have completed probation, for a few days every month. So yes, if the need arises or if it enables any team member, we have been and will consider the option. Keeping a check hasnt been our culture even when they work from office. Its this trust that builds a sense of ownership and responsibility in individuals. People have their KPIs and are aware of the same irrespective of where they are working from. With multiple project management tools and video calling facilities, we have been working with clients across the globe. We also have an office in UAE and teams have been collaborating with each other as well as clients very seamlessly so don't see that as a challenge. The only challenge for anyone is the infrastructure of ensuring one has high speed Internet and devices with all possible software that can equip them to function from home. Thats an investment which will only be beneficial in the long run. Productivity changes, if any, will only be on the positive side. Mithila Saraf, Business Head, Bangalore, Famous Innovations: We have also been working from home, we have cancelled all planned trips, company gatherings and shoots. All meetings are being done over VC, all our offices have been sanitized and precautionary behaviour is being encouraged company-wide. However, I dont think this is a sustainable model for creative agencies. Our ideas thrive when we are together as a group and finding creative solutions requires all kinds of different people to work together draw things, rip up pages, yell at each other, laugh out loud and keep talking until we feel weve got it right. Our work is too emotional to be done remotely staring at the screen. Creative people need to be out there in the world. Of course, for now, safety comes first and we are doing our best from our homes until a solution is found. Great teams are always built on trust, but that trust becomes exponentially more important in times like these. We are all communicating actively and constantly, keep each other updated on whats happening and trying to keep the atmosphere as fun and lively as it always is in office. Nothing can replace the joy of working with people you love and admire and seeing them every day, but our Macbooks, Gmail, Hangout, Zoom, Slack and WhatsApp are doing a decent job so far. Chaaya Baradhwaaj, Founder & MD, BC Web Wise: Last Friday, we announced that we will be getting into a work from home mode across all our offices in the country that is, Mumbai , Delhi and Bangalore. We also asked employees who work on desktops and need high end machines/ licensed software that are installed in these to work with to take their machines home on Sunday when there is less traffic, and the same has been exercised. Unfortunately, there are still employees who miss being together for some team work related issues. But we have insisted that they use video conferencing. We already have tools like Hangout / Whatsapp and Zoom for collaboration and video conferencing. We already encourage work from home to be more productive and when there are any family, health or other such matters. I am really looking forward to how this forced WFH works out for us as a team and am hoping it is successful. I personally am very effective when I work from home. Yes, there are certain situations when we do need to meet up and I think we can do that as needed. The same tools mentioned about help us to collaborate and work together. Each team head is responsible to ensure that there is no misuse of the time given to work from home and instead, we have better productivity as we save on travel time. Shrenik Gandhi, CEO and Co-Founder, White Rivers Media The first step was ensuring that the Work-From-Home announcement and logistics were executed over a weekend. We pre-empted the Maharashtra government declaration, so thats a benefit that obviously comes with foresight. But thereafter came the tricky bit: setting up processes that would facilitate clear and efficient communication between all verticals in the agency. Daily schedules, situation reports, SOPs, all were put into place between Friday and Monday, so that we hit the ground running when the next week began. As the week started, we got our workforce into the rhythm of connecting remotely. Google Keep, Zoom meetings, Hangouts, Screenshares, Google Slides, Docs, and Sheets, and of course, the unavoidable multitude of WhatsApp groups, all became our channels for real-time internal communication. Should the situation arise where one needs to come to office (and this should only be in a doomsday scenario), we charted a Work-From-Office protocol, which involved looping in Mitesh and myself, so that were available in a supporting and supervisory capacity. Simply put, we operated with two key objectives in mind: no compromise on client work, and no danger to our workforces health. Also Read: Coronavirus hits entertainment industry; shootings cancelled Covid-19 Effect: Biz travel stares at $820 bn loss; airfares drop by 40% BISMARCK, N.D. - North Dakota health officials have confirmed four additional cases of the new coronavirus, bring the states total to five infected people. Two of the new cases are in Burleigh County, which is the second-most populous county and includes Bismarck. The Burleigh County cases include a man in his 50s who had travelled domestically and a woman in her 20s who had travelled internationally. Health officials said both are recovering at home. The Bismarck Tribune reports the other new cases are in residents of Cass County and Ward County. Neither is hospitalized. Ward County was the site of the initial North Dakota case, which was confirmed on March 11. Gov. Doug Burgum said Tuesday we do not have yet any confirmed proof of community spread but that it can be assumed that its happening in North Dakota. Community spread is people testing positive even though they hadnt travelled to areas with a high concentration of the virus or had knowingly been in contact with someone who has it. The global death toll from the new coronavirus pandemic topped 8,000 on Wednesday, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. The number of global infections shot past 200,000. As of 12pm GMT, 8,092 deaths have been recorded, most of them in Europe (3,422) and in Asia (3,384), where the outbreak originated. With 684 new deaths in the past 24 hours out of a total 78,766 cases, Europe is the continent where the pandemic is spreading the most rapidly. The European Union on Wednesday sealed off its borders to try to put the brakes on the ferocious spread of the coronavirus pandemic as the number of deaths on the continent soared past the toll in Asia. Millions of people are on strict lockdown in Europe, now the epicentre of COVID-19 with more than 3,400 deaths now recorded, according to an AFP tally. The United States and Britain led a multi-billion-dollar global fightback against the economic havoc unleashed by COVID-19 but financial markets were unimpressed, with Asian and European stocks plunging further. Governments across the world have imposed draconian measures to try to slow the pace of infections, confining people to their homes, closing shops, restaurants and schools, dramatically changing life as we know it. The coronavirus outbreak, which first emerged in China late last year, has quickly marched across the globe, infecting nearly 200,000 people and killing almost 7,900. Europe has now recorded 3,421 deaths -- including 2,503 in Italy -- leapfrogging Asia with 3,384, according to an AFP tally at 1100 GMT. As the spectre of a deep global recession looms large, London and Washington Tuesday announced massive economic stimulus packages after coming under fire over their response to the crisis. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 15:27:49|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close XICHANG, March 18 (Xinhua) -- China's Xichang Satellite Launch Center Wednesday announced the development of a new positioning system that can greatly shorten the time searching for rocket debris. The system has proved efficient in seeking out fallen rocket pieces after the center launched the 54th BeiDou satellite into space on March 9. The satellite was sent into space by a Long March-3B carrier rocket. With the guidance of the system, the center staff just spent 25 minutes finding the rocket boosters, while in the past, it would take them several hours or even half a month to complete such a task. Unlike many countries' launch pads, which are typically located along coastlines, China's major launch sites are deep inland, which means its rockets always fly directly over densely populated areas. Therefore, after launches, rocket boosters and other pieces will fall back to the ground, threatening local communities. This year the country will continue to see intensive space launches. How to make the rocket debris recovery precise and controllable has become an urgent problem for Chinese scientists. According to Yao Shengsheng, head of the system development team, after the rocket boosters were separated on March 9 in the latest BeiDou satellite launch mission, equipment in the center immediately received the boosters' falling trajectory data. The system then quickly calculated and located the drop point. "It was the first time the system realized real-time data reception, processing and display of rocket debris in a mission," Yao said. "The system is a breakthrough and will provide technical support for staff to quickly find falling boosters," Yao said. The Xichang center, which administers the Xichang and Wenchang launch sites, is located in mountainous Sichuan Province. It will undertake about 20 missions in 2020, including the maiden flight of the Long March-5B rocket, the launch of China's first Mars probe and the completion of the BeiDou-3 Navigation Satellite System. HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air will suspend flights to major Southeast Asian and European destinations due to the coronavirus, the companies said. The Vietnamese government on Monday introduced a mandatory quarantine for visitors from the United States, Europe, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. Weeks after announcing the recovery of all 16 of its coronavirus sufferers, Vietnam said it now has 68 infections - 52 of them detected since March 6. The sudden uptick was traced to a flight from London that landed on March 2, and a religious gathering in Malaysia, authorities said. There have been no deaths in the country. "The suspension is in line with the government's quarantine policy," VietJet Air said in a statement on its website. "Flights between Vietnam and Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Myanmar and Indonesia will be halted from March 20," it added. National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has also suspended all flights to and from France and Malaysia from Wednesday and is considering cutting down flights to other Southeast Asian destinations. The firm late on Wednesday said it would also halt flights to Russia and Taiwan from Thursday until further notice amid the surge of the coronavirus outbreak and recent entry restrictions between countries. Vietjet Air and Vietnam Airlines are two carriers in the country operating Southeast Asian routes, with multiple flights to different cities each day. (Reporting by Phuong Nguyen; Editing by Alex Richardson) There has been much conjecture that Colors TVs new reality show Mujhse Shaadi Karoge would go off air this month due to poor ratings, but it looks like the makers were forced to pull the plug on it due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The swayamvar-themed show had Bigg Boss 13 finalists Shehnaaz Gill and Paras Chhabra looking for life partners for themselves. Shehnaaz, Paras and their suitors have already left the house. Contestant Navdeesh Kaur shared a groupfie with Shehnaaz, Shehnaazs brother Shehbaz Badesha and other contestants on her Instagram stories and revealed that all of them were out because of the coronavirus outbreak. She also shared other pictures and videos of them. Contestant Balraj Syal confirmed in his Instagram stories that Mujhse Shaadi Karoge had come to an end, and shared that two connections were formed at the end of the show. Balraj formed a connection with contestant Ankita Shrivastava, Paras formed a connection with contestant Aanchal Khurana. Shehnaaz, who has often expressed her love for Bigg Boss 13 winner Sidharth Shukla on the show, left without any connection. Sanjjanaa Galrani, who was one of Parass suitors on Mujhse Shaadi Karoge, said that she was very saddened by the untimely end of the show. She also called him her most genuine friend, and said that she will miss him a lot. Earlier this week, leading film bodies including Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association (IMPPA), Federation of Western Indian Cine Employees (FWICE), Indian Film & Television Directors Association (IFTDA), Western India Film Producers Association (WIFPA) and Indian Film and TV Producers Council (IFTPC), came to a decision after a joint meeting to halt all film, television show and web series shoots from March 19 to 31 as a safety measure. Also read | Paras Chhabra claims he had a barter deal with his Bigg Boss 13 stylists: I will clear the due to Akanksha but not stylists Producer JD Majethia, the chairman of TV wing of IFTPC, told Pinkvilla that the television industry will incur an estimated loss of Rs 100 crore over the next two weeks due to the shutdown of shoots. However, he emphasised that the industry would prioritise health over business. We are obviously worried what will happen because some producers have a bank of episodes and some dont. Some might repeat and some may run fresh content. We will have to wait and watch. It is the time where you have to keep safety over business, he said. Follow @htshowbiz for more The president of a union representing Houston ISD support staff faces an aggravated theft charge after district police said he forged payroll deduction forms several years ago, causing nearly 100 employees to unknowingly lose out on about $72,350 in salary. Hector Mireles, who has led Texas Support Personnel Employees Local 1 for about a decade, was arrested last week on a single felony charge. HISD investigators said the improper payroll deductions occurred during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 school years. Mireles said Tuesday that he believes district officials are engaging in union busting 101, adding that the allegations initially were investigated years ago and did not result in criminal charges. Police said the districts internal auditor staff discovered several forged signatures on the payroll deduction forms, leading them to contact additional employees. Ultimately, 96 staff members told auditors that signatures attributed to them on the forms were not theirs, according to an arrest report. Investigators determined amounts ranging from about $150 to $2,360 were deducted from the employees paychecks over two school years, the arrest report said. HISD police did not document the employees job titles at the time of the illegal deductions, but many of the victims now work as food service attendants, custodians and plant operators, recent payroll records show. Mireles told HISDs auditing staff that he and two other union representatives would visit campuses to recruit potential members, according to the arrest report. The HISD police arrest affidavit said the districts internal auditors concluded Mireles forged the signatures, though document does not cite evidence proving Mireles was the culprit. Mireles said he suspects HISD officials used the investigation as a way to reduce his unions membership. I think when they did the audit, they convinced the employees that if you want out of the union, sign this sworn affidavit, Mireles said. There are so many folks that I suspect have a hidden agenda to try to get my organization out. I think theyre trying to ruin my name and my organization and our reputation. Mireles did not immediately provide a copy of the audit Tuesday. The document does not appear on the districts website, which includes dozens of published audits dating back to 2015, and is not included in the public court file. The HISD police affidavit states the criminal case stemmed from a police department captain providing a copy of the audit to a detective in January. The affidavit does not say when HISDs audit staff completed the inquiry. Texas Support Personnel Employees Local 1 members has about 750 members, Mireles said. Another union for HISD employees, Houston Educational Support Personnel, is the districts largest for non-classroom staff with about 1,000 members. Mireles formed TSPE Local 1 in 2009 about the same time that the Service Employees International Union revoked the charter of Local 100, which organized some HISD support staff. jacob.carpenter@chron.com Some holidaymakers who had their flights cancelled due to the Covid-19 virus have vented their anger after a car park servicing Belfast International Airport refused refunds. The travellers had booked parking at McCausland Airport Car Park and were trying to claim their money back after their flights to Spain had been cancelled. Mervyn and Jenny McNeill from Doagh were due to travel in a group of 12 for three nights in Spain from Saturday but had their flights cancelled by easyJet. The couple was able to get refunds from the airline and the hotel in Spain, but were angry when McCausland said no refund would be made as was stated in the terms and conditions. Mr McNeill said: "We had booked a short holiday to the same place in Spain that we had visited last year. We were a group of 12 friends that had also paid for a hotel, paid deposits for restaurants and airport transfers in Spain. "The flight leaving Belfast was quite early so rather than ask anyone to leave us to the airport we booked parking with McCausland at just over30. "Sadly, all our plans were axed with the coronavirus taking hold and we had to cancel everything. EasyJet refunded the flights no problem, as did the hotel in Spain, the transfer company and the restaurants. "However, when it came to getting a refund from McCausland we were refused and told we wouldn't be getting our money back as that was the policy as set in the cancellation terms and conditions. "Flights being cancelled were not our fault and I found it incredibly petty that the car park refused to refund the money." Mervyn sent two emails to the company but the answer was clear that no refunds were being offered as the couple had booked the parking over 14 days ago. He added: "With everything going on around the world with the coronavirus I thought it was really petty of them refusing a refund. They didn't even offer a credit note to use another time when I contacted them. "It says a lot when the hotel in Spain sent us a nice message with the refund wishing us well and welcoming us again at another time yet a Northern Ireland business refused to co-operate." When a call was made to McCausland Airport Car Park the Belfast Telegraph was diverted to the company's head office, but nobody was available to comment. Director Christopher McCausland later called back and said: "Customers receive discounted parking price when they book online. The terms and conditions state the charge can be fully refunded within 14 days. "However, today we have reviewed our policy and as a gesture of goodwill we are offering those who booked outside the 14 days a credit note to use at some stage in the future. "Our family business has been operating for 35 years and we are not here to hurt anyone. At the airport business is down 70% due to low numbers travelling. "We have 50 staff who work there and it is them we are also concerned about. Over the last few days we have refunded over 10,000 to 300 people who had booked inside the 14 days and had travel cancelled. "This virus is going to hurt a number of businesses. Our own Value Cabs taxi company is also heavily affected." Some people who also felt aggrieved at the refund policy had previously taken to social media to say they would never use the car park again. Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh: In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, Srikalahasti Temple authorities have urged devotees to restrict their tour to the shrine. Executive officer (EO) of SriKalahasteeswara temple Chandrasekhar Reddy has advised that children below the age of 12 and senior citizens above 60 years of age must cancel their visit to the temple due to the rapid spreading of the deadly virus across the country. Reddy also informed media that all "paid services" have been cancelled at the shrine and the devotees are only allowed for "laghu darsanam." The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in India has reached 147, including 122 Indians and 24 foreign nationals, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday. Globally, the virus has infected more than 184,000 people and killed more than 7500, as per the data available on the World Health Organisation website. Demanding jobs, unemployed BEd, ETT (elementary teacher training) and TET (teacher eligibility test) teachers staged a protest near the residence of Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh in Patiala on Wednesday. Police cordoned off the road leading to the CMs house and stopped the protesting teachers near YPS Chowk. Officials of the district administration and police convened a meeting with representatives of teachers unions. Meanwhile, in wake of coronavirus threat, the administration has already imposed a ban on holding protests in district. State president of the Unemployed TET-Passed ETT Teachers Union, Deepak Kamboj, said that the officials have informed them that a meeting with top functionaries of the state cannot take place before March 31 due to government advisory. Officials of the district administration have assured us of a meeting with chief principal secretary (CPS) to CM, Suresh Kumar, on April 3, he said, adding that they had met the CPS on March 12, but no announcement regarding recruitments has been made so far. We were assured that the CM will make a formal announcement on March 16, the day his government completed three years in power, but nothing happened, the protesters said. They added that for now, they are cooperating with the administration due to the coronavirus advisory, but will intensify the protest once the situation improves. The TET-ETT teachers are demanding recruitment notification for all 12,000 vacant posts and increase in upper age limit to 42 years. Similarly, the BEd teachers are demanding a job notification for at least 15,000 posts and an unemployment allowance of 2,500. They are also asking the government to end the minimum requirement of 55% marks in graduation for backlog posts in the handicap quota. To contain the COVID-19 virus, Saudi Arabias Riyadh Municipality is distributing free sanitation products around the city. A statement published in the municipalitys Twitter page on Tuesday read Officials will be handing out the items at traffic lights and in several mosques around Riyadh. The municipality has also said that with the approval of Saudi Food and Drug Authority, it has increased its production of sanitisers and disinfectants. Other precautionary measures taken by Saudi authorities include halting all international flights, closing malls, and urging people to stay home. On March 9, Saudi Arabia imposed a travel ban and threatened to fine people who hide their travel history up to 500,000 Saudi Riyals. Travel bans were initially placed on Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, South Korea, Syria and the United Arab Emirates. It was later extended to include France, Germany, Spain, and Turkey, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. Ministry of Interior, Saudi, according to SPA state news agency, announced that any individual who had visited the banned countries within 14 days before travelling to Saudi Arabia will not be allowed to enter. The Al Arabiya news agency reported that food in mosques have been banned and all schools have been suspended till further notice. There is a total of 171 confirmed cases and six recoveries in Saudi Arabia. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 15:18:36|Editor: zyl Video Player Close People take certificates of the completion of quarantine at a quarantine facility in Vietnam's northern province of Hoa Binh on March 18, 2020. As of Wednesday noon, a total of 68 infection cases have been reported in Vietnam. (VNA/Handout via Xinhua) HANOI, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's Ministry of Health on Wednesday confirmed that an American national currently in its central Da Nang city had been infected with COVID-19, bringing the total confirmed cases in the country to 68. The 41-year-old American citizen, who has married a Vietnamese female with residence in Da Nang, has traveled to several countries including India, Spain, Switzerland and Germany before returning to Da Nang from Singapore last Saturday, the ministry said. As of Wednesday noon, a total of 68 infection cases have been reported in Vietnam with 16 patients having been discharged after recovery. There have been no deaths in the country so far. Vietnam has temporarily suspended visa issuance for all foreign nationals for 30 days starting from Wednesday with exception given for entrants for diplomatic or official purposes as part of the efforts to curb the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic. Many countries have placed orders for SARS-CoV-2 test kits produced by Vietnam, according to Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Pham Cong Tac. Illustrative image Speaking at a working session between representatives from the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Health Ministry in Hanoi on March 17, Tac said Vietnam is one of the few countries in the world producing SARS-CoV-2 test kits. The Military Medical University has cooperated with the Viet A Joint Stock Company to produce tens of thousands of test kits a day at a cost of about 500,000 VND (21.5 USD) for a single test, which includes expenses for relevant materials and equipment. If the COVID-19 epidemic breaks out, Vietnam is capable of supplying test kits, Tac said, adding that local scientists have made great contributions to the success, which is particularly valuable to disease control. Among Viet A JSCs customers, Hanoi has ordered 4,000 test kits for on-site use and to donate to hospitals in Italy home to one of the largest outbreaks in Europe at present. Other Vietnamese scientists are also developing test kits for SARS-CoV-2. Notably, the National Institute for Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) said it is evaluating isothermal amplification test kits developed by the Hanoi University of Science and Technology. This technology uses simple thermal blocks with the cost of under 2 million VND instead of using Real-time PCR machines for testing. It is expected to help save money and human resources in the process of testing. NIHE is assisting the university in assessing and providing scientific evidence, thus helping the researchers complete their work./. Over 10 countries keen on Vietnams coronavirus test kits 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 situation is designated as a "regional-level biomedical emergency of natural character." An Emergency Situation mode has been introduced in Kyiv region over the novel coronavirus. The decision was made on March 18 at an extraordinary meeting of the regional commission on technological environmental safety and emergency situations, as reported by the press service of Kyiv Regional State Administration on Facebook. Read alsoKyiv's underground suspends service until April 3 "After analyzing the epidemic situation in Kyiv region caused by the COVID-19 virus, we have decided to classify it as a 'regional-level biomedical emergency of natural character' and temporarily introduce an emergency situation mode in the territory of Kyiv region," reads the report. Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky enacted laws adopted on March 17 to combat the spread of coronavirus in Ukraine. UPDATE: The story has been updated to correct the mode of emergency from "state of emergency" to "emergency situation". Q: I am getting married for the first time. What pieces of my estate planning do I need to change and how quick is the timeline for making those updates? A: You and your spouse should both change your wills, durable powers of attorney, medical powers of attorney and HIPAA releases so that you can name each other as your beneficiary, executor, trustee and agent. You can also provide in your wills that your property will be left to any children when you both pass away. You should not make these changes before the date of your marriage. It will be a waste of time and money if your plans change. But after you are married, you should attend to this project as soon as you are able. Q: You had written about a year ago that Texas would have a free template for a will, but it was delayed. Did that ever get released or is it still pending? A: Unfortunately, its still pending. I have been told the project is underway, but there is no estimate regarding when the new forms will be released. Meantime, if you need to sign a new will, the only options are to prepare one yourself or hire an attorney to prepare one for you. Q: Do we need new wills when we move to Texas from Colorado? We are elderly and have simple wills. We own a home in each state, and we intend to rent out the one in Colorado. My husband wants to wait a few months to change his state of residence, as he will be living there more than here for his job. Should he get a new will when I do? A. It is a good idea to sign all new Texas forms once you have moved here. Texas documents contain different terms and provisions than every other state. And it's not just your wills that need to be updated. You will want to sign new powers of attorney, living wills and medical powers of attorney as well. You and your husband should sign new forms at the same time, as this will cost less with most attorneys. Fewer meetings are needed and thus fewer hours of attorney billable time will be required. As to the timing, you and your husband should begin the project with an attorney about a month or two before he makes the move. That's approximately how long it takes for most estate planning projects from start to completion. 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. Email questions to stateyourcase@lipmanpc.com. A 3D printing company in Italy has produced over 100 new vital plastic parts for hospitals life-saving ventilators. The new valves were printed in 24 hours and provided to a hospital in Brescia that had run out of them. The hospital reportedly had 250 coronavirus patients in intensive care and the valves are only designed to be used for eight hours at a time. Ventilators are an essential part of the life support machines used in intensive care departments, mechanically moving air into and out of the lungs of people unable to breathe by themselves. Covid-19 causes coughs, fever and in some cases breathing difficulties, making the availability of functioning ventilators a major priority. The valves connect the breathing apparatus to the oxygen cylinders. According to the BBC, the 3D-printed valves cost less than 1 (90p) each to produce and the prototype, made by company Isinnova, took three hours to design. The 3D printed version was rapidly rolled out when the original supplier of the plastic valves said they were unable to produce the numbers of parts required in such a short time. After learning the hospital in Brescia lacked these essential parts, local journalist Nunzia Vallini put the hospital in touch with Isinnova chief executive Cristian Fracassi. Dr Fracassi and mechanical engineer Alessandro Romaioli reportedly raced to the hospital, examined the existing parts the hospital lacked, and returned three hours later with a working prototype. They tested it on a patient and they told us that it worked well and so we ran again back to our office and we started to print new valves, Mr Romaioli told the BBC. They have now teamed up with another company called Lonati to produce greater quantities of the valves. A second hospital in Italy has reportedly been in touch requesting more valves. We havent slept for two days, Dr Fracassi told the BBC. Were trying to save lives. In China, thousands of pairs of protective goggles for those healthcare workers on the frontline fighting the disease have also been 3D printed to speed up supply from 600 pairs a day being produced to over 2,000 at peak production. Update: Businesses must now reduce their in-person workforces by 75 percent. Albany, N.Y. Businesses across New York are facing new restrictions as coronavirus cases in the state continue to rise. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today he will issue an executive order requiring businesses that rely on in-office personnel to reduce their in-office workforces by 50 percent. Certain essential businesses will be exempt from the order. The order will also direct nonessential businesses to implement work from home policies. The new rules will take effect Friday. Essential businesses that will be exempt from the order include: Shipping firms Media Warehousing businesses Grocery and food production companies Pharmacies Health care providers Utilities Banks and related financial institutions Other industries critical to the supply chain Cuomo ordered similar policies for state and local governments earlier in the week. Onondaga County and the city of Syracuse scaled back operations, staffing and public access to buildings and meetings. The actions come as confirmed coronavirus cases in New York nearly doubled in 24 hours to over 2,300. Some of that is due to increased testing, but theres no doubt the virus continues to spread, Cuomo said. Coronavirus in NY state: Confirmed cases nearly double overnight to 2,382 The numbers require dramatic, painful action, he said during a press briefing in Albany. "I understand the impact on the economy," he said. "But in truth, we're past that point as a nation. There is going to be an impact on the economy, not just here in New York, but all across the country and we're going to have to deal with that crisis." Ultimately, aggressive action now will mean a quicker recovery, Cuomo said. Cuomo said hes been in touch with statewide business groups about the new restrictions, including the Retail Council of New York State and The Business Council of New York State. All have been cooperative and supportive of the new limits, he said. Earlier in the week, the state ordered gyms, casinos and movie theaters to shut down indefinitely. Bars and restaurant dining rooms were also closed, although takeout can continue. The state acted to close more businesses today. NY closing gyms, restaurant dining rooms, movie theaters, more New York closing more businesses: Malls, bowling alleys, amusement parks New York, New Jersey and Connecticut acted together on the closures. Pennsylvania has joined the coalition as well, Cuomo said today. The governor has warned repeatedly that even more dramatic steps on business closings may be necessary to slow the spread of the virus. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS A county-by-county map of cases, deaths in New York State Central NY cancellations, closings list due to coronavirus pandemic (updated list) Out of work because of the coronavirus? How to quickly apply for unemployment benefits We all have a part to play in stopping coronavirus (Editorial) Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598 Good morning friends, and welcome back to TechCrunchs Equity Monday, a short-form audio hit to kickstart your week. Regular Equity episodes still drop Friday morning, so if youve listened to the show over the years, dont worry were not changing the main show. For folks hunting for our longer-form work, heres last weeks episode with Danny Crichton and Natasha Mascarenhas, and here's yesterday's interview with YC boss Michael Seibel. Equity Monday is a day late this week as I was off yesterday, but it's here today and what a mess the world is at the moment. That was a key theme of the show, but not the only thing that we mentioned. Here are some other bits of news that caught our eye: GoJek raised $1.2 billion more, a stunning round for this time in the venture cycle. HashiCorp raised $175 million at a valuation of more than $5 billion, a huge round at an enormous price in any era, but even more so in today's market. AI startups are being snapped up at record rates, with a record-setting 231 deals in 2019. According to the same data set, the Big Five were buying the most AI startups, along with Intel. Looking ahead there's little to anticipate aside from Tencent earnings. So, instead, meet Hourly, a neat company that just raised $7.2 million. Hourly Hourly provides a software solution for labor tracking and payroll processing, noting industries like construction, service and light industry on its website. If a company has a workforce that gets paid by the hour (the company's name is a tip-off), Hourly wants to help them keep tabs on the labor, and help them pay for it. The startup charges for its tooling on a recurring basis, a regular setup for a modern software product delivered as a service. After paying some modest base prices, time tracking costs $8 per employee per month, while its payroll service costs a bit more at $10 per employee per month. According to Hourly CEO Tom Sagi, the company may bundle the two services in the future and offer a discount of perhaps 20% for companies that buy both. Story continues Time tracking and payroll, however, aren't the only ways that Hourly generates revenue. Growth Hourly also drives top line through its workers' compensation insurance product, which it refers to as "powered by" itself and "backed by A-rated carriers." According to Sagi, the company currently generates about half its revenue from workers comp commissions. That means that Hourly has a two-part SaaS business and a technology-powered insurance business. (Sagi detailed to TechCrunch the ins and outs of worker comp payments, employee classification and more; it's reasonably complex, perhaps providing the startup with a moat of sorts.) If that sounds pretty impressive for a company that just put together $7.2 million, it is at least compared to how much other startups seem to get done before a round of that size. How did Hourly get so far with so little money? The firm bootstrapped, hiring engineers in Colombia -- the firm now has 10 staffers in that country, but is headquartered out of Palo Alto -- to reduce costs. Keeping its costs low let Hourly avoid outside capital aside from things like family funding and credit cards before today. And that means that for its external capital base, the company feels somewhat product-mature. That maturity is letting it bring on larger clients. According to Sagi, Hourly has been increasingly "appealing to larger companies," which he clarified to mean firms with 20 people or more. Larger customers means larger contract values, which can mean faster growth. What else? Oh just the closing of the unicorn exit window for some time. Aside from distressed sales, what sort of company would want to exit in a time like this? More from the Equity crew soon, hang tight. Equity drops every Friday at 6:00 am PT, so subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. Commuters take the Woodlands Causeway to Singapore from Johor a day before Malaysia imposes a lockdown on travel due to the coronavirus outbreak KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia will bar people from crossing its border with Singapore as part of travel curbs that take effect from Wednesday until March 31 to rein in the spread of a coronavirus, a news website said on Tuesday. "Not allowed from tomorrow until March 31," the website, Malaysiakini, quoted the southeast Asian nation's director-general of immigration, Khairul Dzaimee Daud, as saying. Malaysia is a key source of staples for Singapore, which imports more than 90% of its food supplies. Tens of thousands of Malaysians commute daily to the wealthy city-state to work in businesses from restaurants to semiconductor manufacturing. (Reporting by Joseph Sipalan; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) Andrew Yang wanted to give every American $1,000 a month. Now the Trump administration is proposing a cash payment to U.S. citizens to boost the economy during the coronavirus outbreak. (Associated Press) Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang often spoke about giving each American adult $1,000 a month to plan for a future when automation replaced human workers. Now he's offering his help to the White House on its proposal to give cash payments to Americans so they and the economy can better weather the pandemic. On Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said the federal government was looking into "sending checks to Americans immediately" as part of a $1-trillion stimulus proposal from the Trump administration to combat the negative impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the economy. Soon after the proposal's details became public, Yang tweeted, "My phone is blowing up." Mnuchin said details would be announced soon about the timing and size of the checks. He suggested the amounts would be larger than the $1,000 payments proposed recently. There's no indication that the checks would be more than a one-time payment, not resembling Yang's plan for a monthly income. But the entrepreneur later put out a statement through his nonprofit organization Humanity First to express his support. He said his team is in touch with the White House and offering its resources. "I'm pleased to see the White House adopt our vision of putting money directly into the hands of hard-working Americans," Yang said in the statement. "It's unfortunate to see this development take place under the current circumstances, but this is exactly what Universal Basic Income is designed to do offer a way to ensure that Americans can make ends meet when they need it most." A company that uses internet-connected thermometers to predict the spread of the flu says it is tracking the coronavirus in real time something that had been impossible, given the lack of testing for the disease. Kinsa Health has sold or given away more than a million smart thermometers to households in which two million people reside, and thus can record fevers almost as soon as consumers experience them. For the last few years, Kinsas interactive maps have accurately predicted the spread of flu around the United States about two weeks before the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions own surveillance tool, the weekly FluView tracker. The thermometer data acts as an early warning system for illness spreading, said Inder Singh, the companys founder. The C.D.C.s system lags because it relies on weekly reports from hundreds of doctors offices and hospital emergency rooms about what symptoms they are seeing in patients. We have fruitfully discussed with our international partners the plans of a new government and the work in a difficult situation around the world caused by the coronavirus disease COVID-19. For my part, I assured that, despite the difficult challenges, our team intends to continue the initiated reforms and cooperation with the International Monetary Fund, Shmyhal wrote on Telegram on March 17. He also noted that he had assured the ambassadors of the readiness of the Ukrainian authorities to improve energy efficiency and establish a dialogue with investors. Separately, the prime minister emphasized that the implementation of effective privatization was among his priorities. Shmyhal said that the ambassadors of the G7 countries expressed support for Ukraine and readiness for further cooperation. ish With the entire nation putting in place measures to tackle the novel Corona virus, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) - Indias biggest political party - has also introduced protocols to limit interaction at its party offices. At a meeting of senior BJP leaders at the party headquarters in the Capital on Tuesday, it was decided to restrict large groups from gathering in offices across the country. Party spokesperson Sanjay Mayukh said the instructions have been conveyed to all BJP offices down to the district levels. The government is taking proactive measures to contain the spread of the virus and the party is also taking the necessary steps. We have suspended all programmes with large gatherings. Workers and office bearers have been asked to come to party offices only if there is a pressing need, he said. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday ruled out cutting short the ongoing Budget session of Parliament; MPs have been instructed to stay in their constituencies and oversee the work being done to contain the spread of virus. We have been told not to hold gatherings or visit crowded areas, but to be around to ensure that health care and surveillance facilities at transport hubs are working efficiently. The PM said we must create awareness without creating panic, said a Lok Sabha MP. BJP President JP Nadda said the party will not hold any programme or demonstrations for the next one month and if the party has to submit any memorandum to a dignitary or body, 4-5 party office bearers will be chosen to do so. In the Congress, party leaders have not yet received any guidelines or advisories but hand sanitizers have been placed at the gates and in various rooms. With the second part of the budget session on, the daily press briefings and media interactions are taking place in the Parliament House complex. We are avoiding hand shakes and greet each other with namaste. Also, not many people are visiting the party office these days, said a staff member. But the party will wait for few more days before taking a call on closing its offices in Delhi and other places. Congress leaders say they are concerned that Parliament is still functioning despite the increase in the number of the people having tested positive for Coronavirus. On Tuesday morning, the health ministry said 10 fresh cases had been confirmed, raising the total number of Covid-19 cases to 147. The number of novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 147 on Wednesday, with 10 fresh cases reported from various parts of the country, according to the Health Ministry. The cases include 25 foreign nationals and the three persons who died in Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Over 5,700 people, who had come in contact with these positive cases, are under rigorous surveillance, the Ministry said. Delhi has so far reported ten positive cases which includes one foreigner while Uttar Pradesh has recorded 16 cases, including one foreigner. Maharashtra has 41 cases, including 3 foreigners, while Kerala has recorded 27 cases which includes two foreign nationals. Karnataka has 11 coronavirus patients. The number of cases in Ladakh rose to 8 and 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, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Punjab have reported one case each. In Haryana, there are 16 cases, which include fourteen foreigners. According to the ministry's data, 14 people have been discharged so far, including the three patients from Kerala who were discharged last month. Three persons infected with the virus have died so far, the latest casualty being a 64-year-old man from Mumbai with a travel history to Dubai who succumbed on Tuesday. While a 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi who returned from Saudi Arabia died last Tuesday, 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. Thegovernment on Tuesday banned the entry of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia to India with immediate effect, according to an additional travel advisory. This instruction is a temporary measure and shall be in force till March 31 and will be reviewed subsequently. With coronavirus cases swelling in the country, the government has also banned the entry of passengers from the European Union countries, Turkey and the UK from March 18 till March 31. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Biggest Loser host Ajay Rochester voiced her frustration about being unable to get tested for the coronavirus in a candid Instagram post on Tuesday. The Los Angeles-based casting agent, 50, wrote in the caption that she contacted the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and explained that she believed she contracted it. '[I told them] I think I have some symptoms, am in risk group and had a traveller from China in my spare room from Jan 13 who has since disappeared off the face of the earth,' she wrote. Health concerns: On Tuesday, The Biggest Loser's Ajay Rochester (pictured) voiced her frustration about not being able to get tested for coronavirus while experiencing symptoms Ajay said that a CDC official contacted a local health authority, who then instructed her to get in touch with a community health centre in Los Angeles for testing. But to her dismay, the centre said there was no tests available. 'CDC think I am at risk and need to be tested but sent me to a place that has no tests. Called them (CDC) back but no answer,' she concluded. Frustrated: The Los Angeles-based casting agent, 50, said that a CDC official contacted a local health authority, who then instructed her to get in touch with a community health centre This comes after Ajay first shared her concerns about being unable to get tested in a post earlier on Tuesday. 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 but can't get tested anywhere. I have had a relentless cough that gets worse every day but no fever,' she wrote. 'I think I have it but can't get tested anywhere': This comes after Ajay first shared her concerns about being unable to get tested. She explained that doctors in her area are only testing people with multiple COVID-19 symptoms due to high demand '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.' '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? She concluded her post by revealing that she was hoping testing would become available soon, before adding: 'Don't want to die.' Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 10:00:15|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TRIPOLI, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) on Tuesday called on the Libyan rival parties to stop the ongoing military action in the country to enable authorities to fight the novel coronavirus. "(The) UNSMIL welcomes and joins the call by international partners on all parties to the Libyan conflict 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 rapidly respond to the unprecedented public health challenge posed by COVID-19," the Mission said in a statement. "COVID-19 has no affiliation and breaks through all frontlines. We call on all Libyans to join forces immediately before it is too late to face this overwhelming, fast-spreading threat," the statement said. The UN mission in Libya urged the implementation of a consolidated mechanism to respond to COVID-19 in the country by collaborating closely with the World Health Organization, other UN agencies on the ground and the friends of Libya. Also on Tuesday, Arab and Western countries issued a joint statement calling on all the rival parties in Libya to stop the ongoing military action in the country so as to face the coronavirus. The eastern-based army has been leading a military campaign since April 2019 in and around 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 a state of emergency and mobilization against a possible coronavirus outbreak in the country. On Monday, Libyan Foreign Minister Mohamed Siala told a press conference in the capital city of Tripoli that Libya has officially requested technical help from China against the virus. A fifth person in NSW has died with COVID-19 and 57 new cases have been detected in Sydney in the past 24 hours. An 86-year-old man died last night in a Sydney hospital, NSW Health said. NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said there were now more than 250 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state. Credit:AAP Since 11am on Tuesday 57 people have tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the state total to 267 - the biggest jump in cases in Australia to date. The newest confirmed cases takes Australia's total to well over 500. NSW accounts for more than half of Australia's confirmed COVID-19 patients. The landmark Northwest hotel and brewpub chain McMenamins said Tuesday it will lay off 3,000 people and close nearly all its locations as restaurants and hotels around the region shut down in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The governors of Oregon and Washington have both ordered restaurants and bars throughout the states to close in hopes of containing the deadly coronavirus outbreak. Oregon reported a surge in cases Tuesday the total now stands at 66, with one death. McMenamins layoffs and closures are indicative of the broad economic catastrophe facing Oregon and its workers. Oregon employment figures show 155,000 people work in bars and restaurants in the state, plus another 25,000 in hotels. Many likely most of those workers have lost their jobs in the last several days, at least temporarily. McMenamins operates hotels, movie theaters, restaurants and bars in refurbished schools, fraternal halls, roadhouses and strip malls throughout the region. The company brews its own beer at many sites and decorates its properties with distinctive artwork and images evoking the Grateful Dead and the 1960s. The music has stopped for now, the company said on its website Tuesday. Only its Portland bottle shop on Northwest 23rd remains open. Today, were taking the necessary and unprecedented step of temporarily closing the doors of all of our McMenamins locations in Oregon and Washington for the next several weeks, the company said in a written statement. After exploring all options, we are laying off nearly 3,000 employees almost everyone at the company, the company said. McMenamins has two-dozen hotels, plus more than 60 bars and restaurants. This is drastic, but necessary, to allow our employees to file for unemployment benefits and ensure that there will be jobs to come back to when this extraordinary episode ends, the company said. And we are confident it will end. No one knows when that will be, with the coronavirus outbreak taking an unpredictable course. Scores of workers from McMenamins and hundreds of other restaurants are filing for jobless benefits. A surge in unemployment claims has overwhelmed the states website for filing unemployment claims. It was offline intermittently Tuesday. -- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699 Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. By Winni Zhou and Brenda Goh SHANGHAI (Reuters) - As shops shut their doors across Europe and the United States, in China the sharp drop in new coronavirus cases has encouraged consumers to venture back into malls and restaurants - for the most part quite gingerly but occasionally in throngs. Helping consumers return has been a loosening of quarantine and other restrictions on business and social activity. Restaurants that have satisfied authorities with plans for curbing the risk of infection are now allowed to serve groups of diners and most stores have reopened, though big brands like IKEA and Apple Inc have restrictions on crowds. By Winni Zhou and Brenda Goh SHANGHAI (Reuters) - As shops shut their doors across Europe and the United States, in China the sharp drop in new coronavirus cases has encouraged consumers to venture back into malls and restaurants - for the most part quite gingerly but occasionally in throngs. Helping consumers return has been a loosening of quarantine and other restrictions on business and social activity. Restaurants that have satisfied authorities with plans for curbing the risk of infection are now allowed to serve groups of diners and most stores have reopened, though big brands like IKEA and Apple Inc have restrictions on crowds. After being mostly cooped up at home for weeks, Chen Jiayi, a 21-year-old college student in Shanghai, said it was like coming up for air when she went out on Saturday to buy coffee and cake. "There were quite a lot of people in the city centre, it was a completely different picture from the end of February. There were even queues at the bubble tea and biscuit shops," she said. The epidemic, which has infected more than 800,000 in China and killed over 3,200, had kept hundreds of millions stuck at home since late January. Retail sales for the world's second-largest economy shrank by a fifth in the first two months of 2020 from a year earlier. But new cases have dropped sharply of late. The number of daily new cases for mainland China fell below 100 for the first time on March 6 and daily totals this week have been around 20 or less, almost all involving travellers from abroad. Getting Chinese consumer spending back on its feet again soon is seen as imperative for the health of the domestic economy and the many people whose livelihoods depend on the retail and restaurant sectors. It is also key for many international brands that have already seen first-quarter earnings dented by the outbreak in China and are bracing for tumbling sales in western markets. For some big popular brands, the response to reopening has been encouraging. Hundreds of shoppers thronged Apple's stores on two main shopping streets in Shanghai over the weekend. IKEA, which opened three of its Beijing stores on March 8, saw high visitor numbers and queues as it implemented new social distancing rules such as only four people per elevator, state media reported. And hotpot restaurants in the central city of Chongqing, where the dish is much beloved, were inundated with customers after they were allowed to reopen, with reported waiting times of 6 to 8 hours, TV broadcasts showed. A FRAGILE PSYCHE That said, the appetite to get out and spend is far from robust and many shops are still quite empty while some restaurants remain shut. At the upscale Jing'an Kerry Centre mall in Shanghai this week, store assistants were arranging stock or looking at their phones amid a dearth of walk-in customers. And at the Gemdale Plaza mall in Beijing, only three of 10 restaurants on its top floor were open at Tuesday lunchtime. Many Chinese say they remain worried about the possibility of new infections as more people return to work. They are also reluctant to spend much, fretting about job security and potential cuts to wages as the economy struggles. "This has certainly been a fragile time in the psyche of Chinese consumers with all the fear and anxieties caused by uncertainty and information overflow," said Derek Deng, partner at consultancy firm Bain & Company in Shanghai. To encourage spending, some businesses have embarked on promotions offering discounts or gifts to customers upon reopening. Haidilao <6862.HK>, a popular hotpot restaurant chain, gave away bags of soup stock and snacks to diners. Local authorities in several provinces are also asking Communist Party officials to set an example by spending on food and shopping, and encouraging their friends and family to do the same. Some provinces are handing out coupons to the public to spend on food and books. A Bain report predicts a post-epidemic consumption recovery will "largely follow patterns similar" to the 2002-2003 SARS outbreak. Then spending on food and cosmetics saw a quick return to normal while demand for clothing surged beyond pre-epidemic levels. But just when a full recovery will happen remains unclear. "Consumer sentiment is still in the process of returning from panic to normal or a new normal," said Deng. It also remains to be seen whether the epidemic will have a long-lasting impact on how consumers shop with some analysts speculating that online ordering and deliveries will become even more entrenched. Emma Wang, a film producer in Beijing, said she regularly goes outside to walk her dog but does not feel any pent-up need to go shopping amid uncertain economic times. "Personally, I am not thinking of rushing to the malls now. I have Hema supermarket for all daily essentials delivered to my apartment," she said, referring to Alibaba Group Holding's online grocery shopping service. ($1 = 6.9302 Chinese yuan) (Reporting by Winni Zhou and Brenda Goh in Shanghai; Additional reporting by Tony Munroe, Yilei Sun, Muyu Xu in Beijing and by Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Israel on Wednesday condemned as "deplorable" and "unacceptable" the brutal racist attack on an Indian-origin Jew by two persons who called the victim a "Chinese" and yelled 'Corona! Corona" in Tiberias city. "The brutal attack on Am-Shalem Singson is deplorable and I condemn it in the strongest sense. This act of violence is totally unacceptable," Deputy Director General at Israel's Foreign Ministry Gilad Cohen tweeted. "To our Indian friends: This is not the Israeli way! I wish a speedy and full recovery," Cohen said. 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 last week. 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 Ma'alot area and immigrated to Israel from India with his family three years ago. 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," said Michael Freund, Chairman and Founder of Shavei Israel, the organisation that has been working on the immigration of Bnei Menashe to Israel. "I demand that the Israeli police investigate the incident immediately and prosecute those who committed this heinous act," Freund said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Coldwater Man on Trial for CSC Arraigned on Additional CSC Charges Coldwater Man on Trial for CSC Arraigned on Additional CSC Charges March 18, 2020 LANSING A Coldwater man scheduled for trial in a 2013 criminal sexual assault case is facing additional sex crime charges after being arraigned Thursday in Calhoun County District Court, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced today. Brad Allen Risner, 28, was arraigned on two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct penetration during commission of another felony (kidnapping). The charges stem from incidents that reportedly occurred in Calhoun County during the summer/fall of 2007 and follow a thorough investigation initiated by the Kalamazoo County Sexual Assault Kit Initiative. Since 2015 the Michigan Legislature has appropriated funds to the Attorney Generals office for the purpose of investigating and prosecuting cases that arise from previously untested sexual assault kits. The Attorney Generals office provides funding to projects in Kalamazoo, Calhoun, Ingham, Jackson, Washtenaw and Wayne counties through this initiative. At the time of the reported incident, Risner was a juvenile on probation after pleading guilty to a 2006 third-degree criminal sexual conduct charge in Calhoun County. Risner is being charged under the automatic waiver provision of the court rules which allow charges to be sworn in the adult court for the specified juvenile violation of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, due to being 15 at the time of offense. Risner was arrested Thursday by the Michigan State Police and lodged in the Calhoun County Jail. He was arraigned by Magistrate Earl Brutsche in Calhoun County District Court and given a $200,000 cash/ surety bond. My office will prosecute those who violate the law, and violent criminal acts will not go unpunished, Nessel said. My investigators will continue to seek the truth and ensure that unlawful actions are penalized, laws are upheld and justice is served. In addition, Risner is scheduled for trial on three third-degree criminal sexual conduct charges in Kalamazoo County before Judge Pamela Lightvoet. Those charges stem from a sexual assault evidence kit that was collected in 2013, but never tested until 2016. Officials with the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative in Calhoun, Jackson and Kalamazoo counties are continuing this investigation. If anyone has additional information, please contact Kalamazoo SAKI Investigator Mike Slancik at 269-303-8524. Please note: Calhoun County and Kalamazoo County courts have suspended operations due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) For trial and arraignment dates, contact the courts. ### Please note: A criminal charge is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The Attorney Generals office does not provide photos of defendants. However, a photo may be available through the booking agency. Ryan Jarvi 517-335-7666 Attorney General World (AFP) - Boeing is seeking at least $60 billion in federal support for the aerospace industry to help it navigate a battered aviation environment due to the new coronavirus, company officials said Wednesday. The funds would include federal loan guarantees to provide liquidity for Boeing and companies in its supply chain at a time when the virus pandemic has obliterated near-term airline demand and destroyed the industy's profitability. "Funds would support the health of the broader aviation industry, because much of any liquidity support to Boeing will be used for payments to suppliers to maintain the health of the supply chain," Boeing officials said in a statement. "The long-term outlook for the industry is still strong, but until global passenger traffic resumes to normal levels, these measures are needed to manage the pressure on the aviation sector and the economy as a whole." Boeing's near-term outlook had already been dimmed by the 737 MAX crisis, which was grounded a year ago following two deadly crashes. The jet has still not been cleared to resume service and continues to face some important regulatory hoops before it will fly again. The dual crises would threaten the survival of other companies, but Boeing still retains considerable support in Washington because of its importance to the US economy, with about 130,000 employees, a figure that doesn't include workers at about 17,000 suppliers. President Donald Trump on Tuesday endorsed aggressive measures to assist Boeing, telling reporters at a briefing, "we have to protect Boeing and help Boeing." Airlines are also suffering, and media reports say the government is looking at $50 billion in assistance that the industry has requested. Still, federal packages for big companies could come with conditions. Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont said any bailouts to the airline industry must be conditioned on ending stock buybacks. Story continues And Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat who recently ended her presidential campaign, said on Twitter that companies should also be prohibited from paying dividends or executive bonuses during the period of relief and three years after. Credit ratings agency S&P on Monday downgraded its rating for Boeing, saying its outlook has worsened and predicting a likely increase in "aircraft order deferrals, further pressuring cash flows." Boeing disclosed Tuesday that it has fully drawn a $13.8 billion credit agreement struck only last month with major banks, according to a securities filing. The company still has another credit facility from October 2019, which has not been drawn on and provides "additional liquidity as we navigate the current challenges." T esting for Covid-19 is being stepped up massively with a target of checking 25,000 patients and NHS key staff every day within a month. At the same time, the Standard has learned that a brand new 10-minute test to discover if people have already had the disease and are immune to getting it again will be rolled out within days. In key developments, ministers were briefed that testing carried out by the NHS and Public Health England was successfully raised yesterday to 7,500 a day, up from 5,000 a week ago, and will be increased further to 10,000 next week. Within four weeks, some 25,000 tests a day will be carried out. These tests disclose whether somebody is currently infected and require highly complicated laboratory processes. Prime Minister Boris Johnson held a conference call with private sector labs who have developed the brand new test, which resembles the kits sold as home pregnancy tests. They indicate if people carry the antibodies that show they have had the disease and that their bodies are now equipped to fight it. Together, the developments promise to transform the NHSs ability to fight the virus and keep doctors and nurses at their posts. Downing Street has been stung by criticism of the level of UK testing, which officials say is already in the top three of the world league table. 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 Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: Public safety is my top priority, and radically ramping up testing for coronavirus is a key part of our plan to protect lives. We are already among the best in the world for coronavirus testing and today we are launching a national effort to increase our testing capability even further. Our aim is to protect life, protect the most vulnerable, and relieve pressure on our NHS so it is right that we prioritise testing for those most at risk of severe illness. We will always do the right thing at the right time, based on the best scientific advice, and will do whatever it takes to protect life." Until now there has been no test to reveal if somebody is immune to Covid-19. Now tens of thousands of new kits will enable the NHS to identify staff who had the disease but did not show symptoms and identify medics and carers who can safely be deployed to visit elderly and vulnerable people. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has spoken to private sector labs over the development / AP Eventually the public will be able to take the test to find out if they are safe to return to work and perhaps also to visit elderly relatives, subject to strict precautions like hand-washing. The Government is buying as many kits as it can but some are expected go on sale to the public. Labs in Surrey and Belfast are manufacturing several different designs, some of which resemble pregnancy tests. A pipette is used to measure a drop of blood onto a plastic stick, and a stripe appears in a window to indicate the result. They work by detecting antibodies - bundles of protein designed to bind to a specific virus and destroy it. The thing that would be transformational is a test that would tell us if someone has had coronavirus and has not showed symptoms, chief medical officer Chris Whitty said recently. Currently such a test is not reliable but it is being developed very rapidly. A source explained: This is going to make a big difference to the ability of the NHS to find carers to help vulnerable and elderly people with far less fear of passing the disease on or of being infected. Donald Trumps former personal lawyer and personal counsel, Michael Cohen, is among multiple high profile prisoners in the US asking for compassionate release as a result of coronavirus. The former attorney is currently serving a three-year sentence at the Otisville federal prison, New York. The 53-year old began his sentence in May 2018 after pleading guilty to charges including campaign finance violations, tax evasion and lying to Congress. But as the number of coronavirus cases rise in the US, many inmates are pleading for early release or home detention. On Tuesday, Mr Cohens attorney, Roger Bennet Adler, argued in a letter to a senior District Judge for the Southern District of New York that Mr Cohens sentence should be amended as a consequence of the Bureau of Prison being demonstrably incapable of safeguarding and treating BOP inmates who are obliged to live in close quarters and are at an enhanced risk of catching coronavirus. That came as Bernard Madoffs attorney argued that the 81-year-old, convicted in 2009 for his role in a Ponzi scheme, should be released due to the prisoners vulnerability to coronavirus. The letter sent by Mr Cohens lawyer cited other US states that had moved to downsize their prison populations since the outbreak to stop the spread of coronavirus, including those in Los Angeles county. Michael Cohens Twitter account shared a change.org petition on Saturday addressed to Mr Trump, calling for non-violent federal prisoners to be released. In a letter attached to the petition, Mr Cohen claimed Federal Prison Camps had inadequate numbers of medical equipment, staff and methods of sterilization. Mr Cohen added: Without your intervention, scores of Non-Violent Offenders are at risk of death, and these people were not given a death sentence. The former lawyer had previously said he should be released from prison early for his contributions to investigations about the US president. Winnebago Industries Inc (NYSE:WGO), Fulton Financial Corp (NASDAQ:FULT) and JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE:JPM) announced quarterly dividends on Tuesday, March 17. These stocks are long term dividend distributors as they have been releasing payments for more than two decades. Winnebago Industries In line with the previous distribution, the Forest City, Iowa-based manufacturer and seller of recreational vehicles in North America announced that on April 29, it will pay a quarterly cash dividend of 11 cents per common share to shareholders of record as of April 15. The ex-dividend date is scheduled for April 14. Based on Tuesday's closing share price of $28.41, the quarterly distribution generates a forward dividend yield of 1.58% versus the industry median of 3.55% and a trailing 12-month dividend yield of 1.54% versus the industry median of 3.42%. Winnebago Industries has paid dividends for about 21 years. It has increased the dividend at a compound annual growth rate (aka CAGR) of 37.4% over the past five years. Winnebago Industries backs the quarterly dividend with cash balances and cash inflows from operating activities. As of the most recent quarter, which ended on Nov. 20, 2019, the company's balance sheet had $101.33 million in cash on hand, and its free cash flow statement recorded trailing 12-month operating cash inflow of $158.61 million. Mainly as a result of the recent market sell-offs, the share price has fallen 46.4% year to date. The 52-week range is $26.50 to $63.45 and the market cap stands at around $956.85 million. The Peter Lynch chart below shows that the stock is trading below its earnings line, indicating that the current share price is not expensive. Sell-side analysts on Wall Street issued a buy recommendation rating for shares of Winnebago Industries with an average target price of $58.38 per share. Story continues Fulton Financial Corp The Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based regional bank announced that on April 15 it will pay a quarterly cash dividend of 13 cents per common share to shareholders of record as of April 1, which is on par with the previous distribution. The ex-dividend date is scheduled for March 31. Based on Tuesday's closing share price of $13.72, the quarterly cash dividend generates a forward dividend yield of 4.41% versus the industry median of 4.19% and a trailing 12-month dividend yield of 3.79% versus the industry median of 4.1%. Fulton Financial has paid quarterly dividends for three decades and increased them by a CAGR of 10.7% over the past five years. The regional bank funds the quarterly dividend payment with about $663.4 million available on hand as of the most recent fiscal year, which ended on Dec. 30, 2019. Also, $127.71 million in trailing 12-month operating cash inflows helped the company to sustain the payment in 2019. The stock price has declined 21.3% year to date. The 52-week range is $10.76 to $18 and the market cap trades at around $2.25 billion. Based on the Peter Lynch chart, the stock is trading below its earnings line, which means that the current share price is not expensive. Sell-side analysts in Wall Street issued a hold recommendation rating for shares of Fulton Financial with an average target price of $16 per share. JPMorgan Chase & Co The U.S. bank major announced that a payment of 90 cents per common share will be made on April 30 to shareholders of record as of April 6 in the form of a cash quarterly dividend. The ex-dividend date is scheduled for April 3. The payment is in line with the previous distribution. Based on Tuesday's closing share price of $93.76, the quarterly dividend produces a forward dividend yield of 4.07% and a trailing 12-month dividend yield of 3.64%. The industry median yields 4.19% for the forward dividend and 4.1% for the trailing 12-month dividend. JPMorgan Chase has paid dividends for about 24 years. The dividend increased at a CAGR of 16.2% over the past five years. The company finances the payment of the quarterly dividend with cash on hand and operating cash inflows. Cash on hand accounted for funds of $877.47 billion as of the most recent full fiscal year, which ended on Dec. 30, 2019, while the last 12 months of activities brought in cash flows of $6.05 billion. Year to date, the stock price has dropped nearly 33%. The 52-week range is $84.55 to $141.1 and the market cap is approximately $288.22 billion. The Peter Lynch chart shows that the stock is trading below the earnings line, which indicates that the current share price is still affordable. Sell-side analysts in Wall Street issued an overweight recommendation rating for shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co with an average target price of $137.48 per share. Disclosure: I have no positions in any securities mentioned. Read more here: Not a Premium Member of GuruFocus? Sign up for a free 7-day trial here. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. My big concern is that we should make it consistent, and once a month so that if this crisis continues, people dont see their savings evaporate, he said. If you were to have a lump sum in March, that moneys not going to last until May or June. I hope this does become fixed policy, he added. But were in a crisis right now and the important thing is to just get money into Americans hands. Mr. Yang said he had harbored doubts about whether the federal government would consider giving money directly to citizens. But he repeatedly expressed thrill that ideas similar to his own were being discussed at the highest level of government. No one would wish this as a circumstance wed ever face as a country, he said. But I do feel some degree of pride in that I believe that my campaign with the help of hundreds of thousands of supporters around the country helped advance a set of solutions that it turns out the country needed in a time of crisis. Throughout his presidential campaign, Mr. Yang called for a monthly basic income that would be provided to American adults from the time they turned 18 until their death. Though several lawmakers have suggested somewhat similar measures to address the coronavirus crisis, many of the plans call for sending a limited number of checks or providing other mechanisms for relief, some of which have been deployed during past downturns. In other words, one persons temporary universal basic income is another persons stimulus check or tax rebate. Mr. Romney, for instance, has suggested a one-time $1,000 check not universal basic income as a starting point; Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii has proposed $1,000 payments until the emergency has ended; and Representatives Tim Ryan of Ohio and Ro Khanna of California have proposed an emergency earned-income tax credit that they said would provide a check to Americans who earned less than $65,000 last year. Share price of Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel plunged up to 40% in trade today after Supreme Court rejected plea for any relief to telcos on adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues. Vodafone Idea share price crashed up to 40% to Rs 2.91 against previous close of Rs 4.85. Similarly, Bharti Airtel share price fell up to 5.03% to Rs 431.25 compared to the previous close of Rs 454.10 on BSE. Share price of Sunil Mittal-led Bharti Airtel has lost 18.68% in last one month. However, Vodafone Idea share price has gained 11.22% during the period. The apex court said telecom companies would have to pay the due AGR amount as it's "public money". "Dues are public money that they have not paid for past 20 years," said a SC bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra. Asserting that no self-assessment exercise will be allowed, the Supreme Court said the telecom companies would have to pay interest and penalty as per its October 24 judgement. ALSO READ: Infographic: How Vodafone Idea, Airtel got into trouble Vodafone Idea has already threatened to shut operations in India if government continues to demand full payment of AGR dues, which could affect its 13,000 direct employees working in the country. Despite the DoT pegging dues of Airtel and Vodafone Idea at Rs 35,586 crore and Rs 53,000 crore, telcos claim the actual amount is quite lower than that. ALSO READ: Vodafone Idea's lawyer warns 10,000 will be jobless if AGR dues kill company Kubbra Sait had been sharing postcard-worthy photos from Ireland on her social media accounts. However, she clarifies she wasnt there for a vacation, but working on an international series whose shoot has since been suspended amid the coronavirus pandemic, leaving Sait in a quandary. Prodded about the project, she hints, Search online whats the biggest production in Ireland right now, and the answer was Foundation. The 36-year-old actor had set aside four months in her diary for the shoot. She shares, I knew that this project was going to have me busy till June, so I didnt take anything up (in India) till then, and now knowing that this is also going to get pushed, Im literally sitting on nothing. When youre talking about artistes taking a huge beating (because of the situation), its true because I really dont know where my next cheque is going to come from. The Sacred Games actor says the production halt stretched from three to four weeks initially, to eight to 12 weeks. And Sait says it would have helped at least if she could do live events, but now everything is locked down. Nevertheless, shes being optimistic ever since she returned to Mumbai on March 13. She equates leaving Ireland the night she was informed about the halt, to dodging a bullet. I was freaking out about being quarantined in India. I had this feeling that you go to any government hospital, and you realise (that as a country) were not ready to deal with a collapse... I read about families that came back from Spain, a 17-year-old breaking down and saying, It has been seven hours, we have not got water. Or look at the unclean toilet facilities. How do you expect people to make peace with that?, she asks. Also read: Sonam Kapoor compares UK and Indias response to coronavirus as she flies back home, says our govt is doing its best But to her surprise, the time taken to get out of the aircraft and then out of the airport was just 40 minutes. Sait says her temperature was recorded, and she was let go. Now shes in self-quarantine, almost. Ive not stepped out of my house to eat dinner or socialise. Im staying indoors as much as possible, as this is your basic responsibility towards yourself and the community. Now is the time to exercise it, and not wait for rules to come into place, she shares. Follow @htshowbiz for more WASHINGTON Free coronavirus testing is coming to Texas, along with a big boost in Medicaid funding, unemployment insurance for those without work during the pandemic and paid sick leave for up to 3 million Texans. President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a $104 billion relief package aimed at curbing the spread of the virus and slowing its havoc on the economy after it easily cleared the Senate on a 90-8 vote. The House of Representatives passed the measure over the weekend. Both Texas senators and all but six members of Congress from Texas all Republicans voted for the legislation, which was the result of lengthy negotiations between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the White House. Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox While lawmakers say the aid is urgently needed and has been for days as it lingered in Congress they also agree it doesn't go nearly far enough, with many pointing to the paid sick leave provision that omits much of the workforce, among other things. Lawmakers are now crafting an economic stimulus package that could cost up to $1 trillion. The Trump administration and many in Congress are calling for it to include a stipend from the federal government paid directly to some Americans. I think we already are on a war footing, and weve got to beat this virus, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said. I just think this is an extraordinary emergency, and we ought to consider everything that would solve the problem, including things I wouldn't ordinarily agree to doing. For subscribers: Economists see frightening days, even years, ahead from coronavirus crisis The bill that passed Congress on Wednesday expands family leave, provides meals for the elderly and children, waives work-search requirements for unemployment benefits and more. It also increases the federal matching rate for Medicaid, which could 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. It offers free COVID-19 testing for all Americans, though testing still remains unavailable to many. Cornyn said he expects that to change soon. The number of testing kits available is going to dramatically increase very quickly like by the end of this week, because theres an all hands on deck moment here in terms of producing testing, he said. Lawmakers are describing it as the second of three steps Congress is taking in combating the virus, though more action could follow. The first was an $8.3 billion bill that Trump signed earlier this month to reimburse states for costs such as caring for and quarantining patients from cruise ships at military facilities in San Antonio and jumpstart work on vaccines. Next up is the stimulus package, which could include bailouts for industries, including airlines and oil and gas. For subscribers: Texas coronavirus testing capacity to rise to 20K kits per week, Abbott says But the latest bill to make it through Congress has some big gaps. As much as 40 percent of the Texas workforce 4.3 million workers lacks paid sick leave, according to at least one study, done in March 2017 by the Institute for Womens Policy Research. 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. The legislation only requires companies with fewer than 500 employees to offer two weeks of paid sick leave. It allows the U.S. Department of Labor to exempt some companies with fewer than 50 employees, as well. That leaves out many Texas employees. Just over 3 million work for the companies that would be required to offer leave, though many of them likely already provide that benefit. For subscribers: Plastic surgery and private jets: How some of Houstons rich are weathering coronavirus Republicans pushed back on the paid sick leave provision with some, including U.S. Rep. Chip Roy of San Antonio, saying their offices had been flooded by calls and letters from businesses and industry groups warning it could wreak havoc on them. Businesses have to front the cost and would be reimbursed by the government under the new requirements, which are temporary. This is literally the worst time in memory to pile more costs on small businesses, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, unless we back it up with major assistance. McConnell said the Senate is working on a far bolder package that would include an historic injection of liquidity and access to credit for businesses. And while some Democrats had hoped the next package would expand sick leave to all workers, lawmakers appear to be quickly moving on to other matters and are instead looking at sending checks directly to many Americans. The most expensive and maybe in the end the most significant help we could do is provide in this third bill those expedited payments to folks who are out of work, Cornyn said. For subscribers: Even Texas Republicans are on board with government checks for coronavirus Nearly all agree stipends are the next step. This is about promoting the general welfare, and it is something thats constitutional and its expected in a time of crisis like this, U.S. Rep. Al Green, a Houston Democrat, said. This is what the government is for. The stipend idea has received a warm reception even from conservative Texas Republicans, including U.S. Reps. Roy of San Antonio and Dan Crenshaw of Houston. Who gets those checks and how much they might be is another matter. I will be pushing for cash payments to every American adult in the amount of $3,000 and $1,500 per child, which will total approximately $800 billion, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee tweeted. The White House has floated sending as much as $2,000 to many Americans, depending on their income. Republicans have stressed the payments need to be targeted. This is not a blank check, Cornyn said. I think it should have conditions, and it should get the money to people who are not receiving income now. ben.wermund@chron.com Fifteen per cent of Vietnams logistics firms estimate they will see revenue cut in half this year compared to 2019 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Loading goods in Hai Phong Port in the north of Viet Nam. The port is estimated to lose 10-15 per cent of throughput in the first two months because of Covid-19. Photo congluan.vn The latest survey conducted by the Viet Nam Logistics Business Association (VLA) in early March also found that more than 50 per cent of firms thought they would lose from 10 and 30 per cent from their last years results due to the pandemic. According to VLA, freight activities have been affected by the decline in rotation and goods suspended by factories in China. Since the outbreak, manufacturing activities in China have been stagnant, leading to low output of exports. As a result, many international shipping lines have had to abandon their activities at Chinese ports due to low cargo volume. According to data from the General Department of Customs, the import value from China decreased by 7 per cent in the first two months of 2020. That led a sharp decline in value for items that Viet Nam imported from China, including fabric, fiber, yarn, iron and steel in the first two months this year. Meanwhile, items commonly transported by air, such as phones, computers, and machinery, have lower levels of decline, said VLA. As most of the imported materials are to serve manufacturing for export, the prolonged pandemic will affect local exports and indirectly the logistics demand, the report stated. A representative of the VLA said as Viet Nam's fleet mainly operated on short routes in Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia, in which the output and turnover of the Chinese market accounted for a major proportion, logistics firms result fell badly in the first quarter. He continued: Similar to sea transport, many Vietnamese ports also have a relatively high degree of dependence on imports and exports related to the Chinese and Hong Kong markets as they are among the largest hubs in the world. According to Rong Viet Securities Company (VDSC), 40 to 45 per cent of the total number of international ships arriving at the northern port of Hai Phong were from Hong Kong and Chinese ports. In the pandemic, they skipped the two destinations and as a result skipped Hai Phong Port. VDSC estimated container throughput of the northern port could be reduced by 10-15 per cent in the first two months. In such a situation, VLA asked the Government to reduce 50 per cent of corporate income tax for 2019 and 2020 to help firms overcome difficulties. It also asked the Government to delay and reduce the contributions of those firms to the different insurance funds. For logistics firms working in the cold storage industry, it asked for a preferential electricity price, which was currently 25 and 30 per cent higher than the electricity prices for other production while asking for incentives such as tax reductions, no late payment penalties for related partners of restaurants, hotels and food supply chains, which were also influenced. In the longer term, VLA asked the Government to support firms with more trade promotions and enhancing e-commerce, online trading exchanges and online payment. More importantly, VLA thought: Viet Nams logistics now largely depends on China. So, it hoped the Government would boost local logistics as well as expand the connectivity with other countries in ASEAN such as Thailand to compensate for the shortage from China during the epidemic. According to VLA, there were 3,000 logistics firms including ones with less than 50 workers and more than 1,000 workers each in Viet Nam. VNS Driving VN logistics with deeper bilateral co-operation The upcoming implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement and the accompanying Investment Protection Agreement is driving transformation of Vietnams logistics industry. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 15:55:08|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- China will prompt vehicle electrification in public sectors including public transportation, environmental sanitation, postal services and logistics, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said Wednesday. The move will benefit the improvement of related supporting infrastructure and help boost sales of new energy vehicles amid efforts to facilitate green development across the country, according to a statement on the website of the ministry. The total fuel consumption and pollution emissions of vehicles in public sectors account for a big share among all motor vehicles due to their high use frequency. After consulting industry associations and enterprises, the ministry is studying more specific measures and goals to raise the electrification level for vehicles in public fields. China's top economic planner said Tuesday that the country is accelerating the establishment of laws, regulations and policies regarding green production and consumption and will develop a circular industrial economy, with a focus on electrical, electronic and automobile products. With theater companies across the US being forced to cancel ongoing and upcoming productions as a result of concerns over the coronavirus outbreak, some of those companies have turned to the Internet to get their work out there. Thus, we are compiling this running list of ways theaters are going online to bring the joy of theater to their patrons even as they are unable to see live productions. This list is ongoing and updated daily. Shows You Can Stream at Home For those who are still curious to see American Conservatory Theater's productions of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins's Gloria and Lydia R. Diamond's Toni Stone, the company has announced that they are now selling tickets to view-at-home recordings of both productions. Purchasers will receive a link to a password-protected site from A.C.T. this week to view the production. Ticket buyers will have until midnight on Sunday, April 5, to view them. National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene launched a new online performance series, Folksbiene LIVE!, Tuesday, March 17, on their Facebook page. Among the announced concerts will be a Love Duets Lunchtime Concert featuring Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish stars Stephanie Lynn Mason and Drew Seigla on Monday, March 23, at 2pm. Check the company's website for more information about upcoming live-streamed events. On March 17, The 24 Hour Plays released its inaugural series of Viral Monologues on their Instagram feed (@24hoursplays) and on their website. Among the performers are David Cross, Richard Kind, Denis O'Hare, Will Swenson, Tavi Gevinson, Marin Ireland, Patrick Wilson, and many more. Among the playwrights are David Lindsay-Abaire, Hilary Bettis, Hansol Jung, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Jesse Eisenberg, and more. Irish Repertory Theatre has begun a series of homemade videos on their social media channels called The Show Must Go Online, hosted by Irish Rep regular Michael Mellamphy and featuring company members such as Melissa Errico, KT Sullivan, and more performing their favorite songs, poems, and monologues from Irish and Irish-American plays, poets, and musicians. The videos will be streamed live here; follow #TheShowMustGoOnline and #IrishRepOnline for updates and new videos. Primary Stages has launched Primary Plus, a series of online initiatives created by the theater and the Einhorn School of Performing Arts. Programs include virtual master classes with Theresa Rebeck, Kate Hamill, Jason O'Connell, Mary Bacon, Thom Sesma, Jennifer Mudge, Chris Coffey, Kimberly Senior, and Sharon Washington; as well as online readings, classes, and workshops. Click here for more information. Rattlestick Playwrights Theater and piece by piece productions, in association with Rising Phoenix Repertory, are have announced that a limited number of tickets to view-at-home recordings of Ren Dara Santiago's The Siblings Play are now on sale. Beginning on Monday, March 23, patrons who purchased tickets prior to the cancellation, along with new ticket buyers, will be able to watch a recording of the production until midnight on Sunday, April 5. Buy tickets here. Rave Theater Festival will present a virtual Social Distancing Festival, with submissions now open and the winners chosen by the number of audience views on April 20. The original work can be any format, but must be less than five minutes and must include only one person in the room. The subject must focus on the theme of social distancing. Click here to apply. The pianists at the beloved piano bar Marie's Crisis will livestream their nightly sets via Marie's Group on Facebook. The group is normally private, but it is now welcoming all applicants. Guild Hall will be live-streaming the premiere of Melissa Errico's Sondheim Sublime concert on Sunday, March 22, at 4pm, the date of Stephen Sondheim's 90th birthday. Errico will be on hand to answer questions from online viewers. You can watch the concert here. HERE is serving up a feast of online programming, all of which will be streaming live on Facebook. That includes #stillHERE, a short informal visit with a theater artist streamed lived. The event kicks off March 20 at 1pm with Taylor Mac. Every Wednesday at 7pm, HERE will present [email protected], a recording of a full-length production previously presented at HERE. The company is also creating #COVIDEO, a sequential community-built video made one 10-second section at a time. Those interested in contributing should e-mail [email protected]. Broadway Weekends will begin hosting free online musical theater classes taught by Broadway and West End talent, exclusively on their Facebook group, titled "Broadway Weekends at Home." The founder is Jeanna de Waal, star of Diana: A True Musical Story. Abrons Arts Center will make all of its performance documentation public on its Vimeo page, alongside contact and donation information for the artists whose work you are viewing. The Broadway Sings series will launch a daily performance on its Instagram IGTV account, featuring new arrangements of iconic pop songs. Participating singers include Tony winners Ben Platt and Lena Hall, Barrett Wilbert Weed, Caroline Bowman, Tituss Burgess, Corey Cott, Brandon Victor Dixon, Ben Fankhauser, Morgan James, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Mykal Kilgore, Derek Klena, Corey Mach, Constantine Maroulis, Lauren Patten, Kate Rockwell, Keala Settle, Jarrod Spector, Alysha Umphress, and Natalie Weiss. The Grand Ole Opry has livestreamed its Saturday Night Grand Ole Opry Show episodes without a live audience since March 14 and will continue to do so through April 4. Annex Theatre in Seattle will livestream the opening and closing nights of its upcoming production of Minna Lee's One Horse Town. Video of the show will be available for purchase. The Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles has announced the launch of Geffen Stayhouse, which will kick off Wednesday, March 25. By signing up, audiences will receive 30-day access to Broadway HD, whose library also includes three Geffen productions: Long Day's Journey Into Night, starring Jane Kaczmarek and Alfred Molina (2017); Thom Pain (Based on Nothing), starring Rainn Wilson (2016); and The Lion, written and performed by Benjamin Scheuer. Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts has announced the launch of Lincoln Center at Home (#LincolnCenterAtHome), a new initiative that will take the company's work online at LincolnCenter.org. The initiative will include Lincoln Center Pop-Up Classroom, #ConcertsForKids, and archival video of Lincoln Center's resident organizations. For a calendar of events, click here. Feinstein's/54 Below will launch the streaming series #54BelowAtHome, which features full concerts from the nightclub's archives. The YouTube series kicks off March 25 at 6:30pm with Joe Iconis and George Salazar's Two Player Game concert, with additional shows by Bonnie Milligan and Natalie Walker (April 8), Liz Callaway (April 10), Kyle Dean Massey (April 21), and more. Additionally several preview concerts will be presented live on the venue's Facebook. Click here for a full list. Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has released a video recording of its recent production of Dominique Morisseau's Pipeline, to be available for streaming through April 5. You can buy tickets here. The Actors Fund is teaming up with Schitt's Creek star Emily Hampshire for a weekly livestreamed talk show Humpday With Hampshire. The series will raise money for emergency financial assistance and other services for entertainment and performing arts professionals who have been impacted by COVID-19. The program debuts Wednesday, April 1 on the Actors Fund YouTube channel. Starting today, March 30, patrons will be able to watch Signature Theatre's world-premiere production of Dani Stoller's Easy Women Smoking Loose Cigarettes, which played February 18-March 13 before having to cut its run short because of coronavirus concerns. It'll be available through April 12. Howie Michael Smith (Avenue Q) and Andy Truschinski (War Horse national tour) will host the YouTube series The Show Must Go On...Show, with new 15-minute episodes airing every Tuesday at 7pm starting April 7. Each episode will feature a musical performance and talks with experts and artists about coping with the coronavirus pandemic through creativity; in addition, each episode will feature a charity and provide information on where to donate. Among the guests for the first episode will be Brian Stokes Mitchell, and the Actors Fund will be featured. Chicago's Goodman Theatre has released its production of Jocelyn Bioh's School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play as a streaming film, where tickets cost $15 and up (pay what you can). Those who had tickets for the ongoing production will receive the recording free of charge. Click here to watch the show, directed by Lili-Anne Brown. London's National Theatre will begin streaming several of its NT Live titles on their YouTube channel beginning April 2 with the original production of One Man, Two Guvnors starring James Corden. The broadcasts will stream free for a week. Subsequent releases include Jane Eyre (April 9), Treasure Island (April 16), and Twelfth Night starring Tamsin Greig (April 23). Watch the show here. Rattlestick Playwrights Theater will launch a virtual salon series on Tuesdays beginning April 7 and a weekly concert series on Thursdays beginning April 9. Participants in the former include Kathleen Chalfant and Zachary Quinto; participants in the latter include Max Vernon, Grace McLean, and Eisa Davis. National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene will lead a discussion with Joel Grey, Steven Skybell, and the cast and creative team of Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish on April 2 at 5pm. Andrew Lloyd Webber will release videos of his musicals on the new YouTube channel The Show Must Go On. Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, starring Donny Osmond, will premiere on April 3 and be available free of charge for 48 hours. Amazon Prime will stream the stage version of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's acclaimed Fleabag for two weeks beginning Friday, April 10. The 48-hour rental will cost around $5 and proceeds will be given to charities helping to fight the coronavirus. The Sheen Center will stream the one-man show The Gospel of John for Easter weekend, beginning Saturday, April 11, at 4pm. Ken Jennings performs the Gospel in a slightly abbreviated format. The play will be available for viewing here through Monday, April 13, free of charge. Enjoy an encore presentation of Synetic Theatre's A Midsummer Night's Dream from the comfort of your home now through April 30! Pay what you can, taking into account the number of people in your viewing party. After your purchase, you'll receive a link and password to the video. Vietnam Airlines said on March 17 that the national flag carrier is waiting for the outcomes of a meeting between European Union members to make a decision on its flight schedule between Vietnam and Europe. The carrier has made two scenarios in case the EU decides to close its airspace, a representative of the carrier told the Vietnam News Agency. In the first scenario, if the EU closes its airspace at 12:00 on March 17 (local time), Vietnam Airlines will immediately follow the ban, and at the same time push up the schedule to 15 minutes earlier than the closure order. In the second scenario, if the Vietnamese Government, the Prime Minister and diplomatic agencies have a request on repatriating Vietnamese citizens, the carrier will coordinate with the Government and diplomatic agencies in working with Europes authorized agencies to bringing Vietnamese citizens back home. Vietnam Airlines is willing to bring its aircraft to Europe to serve Vietnamese passengers as requested by the Government and the Prime Minister. However, its solutions at that time have to rely on the EU leaders final decision, the carriers representative said. On March 16, the carrier committed to creating the most favourable conditions for Vietnamese citizens in Europe who want to return home amid the complicated developments of the COVID-19. The firm is maintaining five flights from the UK, France and Germany to Vietnam each day, with passengers 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 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 regulations, it noted. Vietnam Airlines suspends flights to France, Malaysia National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has announced that it will suspend flights between Vietnam and France from March 17 night amid the worsening COVID-19 outbreak. Specifically, Vietnam Airlines will cancel flight VN11 from Ho Chi Minh City to Paris on March 17 night. Other flights between the two countries will be suspended until there is a new notice from authorities. Flights between Vietnam and the UK and Germany will be maintained as scheduled. In Southeast Asia, Vietnam Airlines temporarily stopped flights between Vietnam and Malaysia from March 18-31 due to the Malaysian governments border lock-down during the period. The carrier will consider cutting or reducing flights in the region due to the epidemic and the Vietnamese governments new regulations related to immigration and quarantine. Passengers buying tickets for flights between Vietnam and France departing from March 18 June 30 will be eligible for changing journeys or flight dates for free. Meanwhile, passengers with tickets on Vietnam Malaysia flights from March 18 -31 could also change flight dates free-of-charge. Further information could be found on the website www.vietnamairlines.com, www.facebook.com/VietnamAirlines, Vietnam Airlines ticket agents, customer care hotline 1900 1100 (calling from Vietnam) or 842438320320 (calling from abroad). Vietnam Airlines back-up operation centres ready to deal with COVID-19 Vietnam Airlines said on March 17 that its back-up operation centres located outsides its headquarters have been launched and got ready for running around the clock to deal with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Inside a back-up operation centre of Vietnam Airlines The centres have full functions and resources to ensure the smooth and stable operation of flights and services under all circumstances. Several deputy general directors of the carrier have been allocated to work at the southern operation centre to ensure its operation in case the pandemic worsens. Earlier, the carrier committed to creating the most favourable conditions for Vietnamese citizens in Europe who want to return home amid the complicated developments of the COVID-19. At present, it is maintaining five flights from the UK, France and Germany to Vietnam each day, with passengers required to meet relevant requirements. These flights are 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./. Leading criminal barrister Greg Barns is calling for elderly prisoners, including those convicted of historical child sex offences, to be released into home detention in anticipation of coronavirus sweeping through the prison system. There are no known cases of COVID-19 in Victorian jails so far, but legal figures fear an outbreak would be difficult to contain in an overcrowded prison system. Barrister Greg Barns, the criminal justice spokesman for the Australian Lawyers Alliance, is calling for authorities to move elderly inmates out of jail to protect them and the greater prison population. "This is the group that is most at risk in the community. They are vulnerable and when prisons are overcrowded that risk is enhanced. "So we're talking about older prisoners being released into home detention with appropriate security." Orange County supervisors from left, Donald P. Wagner, Supervisor, Andrew Do, and Vice Chair Michelle Steel, discuss county's efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic at the Hall of Administration in Santa Ana. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Orange County's more than 3 million residents awoke to sweeping new restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of coronavirus. The county now has 29 confirmed cases of coronavirus. There have been no deaths in the county. Cases 15 Travel-related 5 Person-to-person spread 8 Community-acquired 1 Under investigation The restrictions Gatherings: Gatherings of any size outside of a single living unit are prohibited. Ordered to close: All bars and other establishments that serve alcohol and not food. Restaurants: May offer food only by delivery, pickup or drive-through. Effective: Now through March 31. Guidance We are taking these mitigation steps in line with a directive issued by Governor Newsom to help slow the spread of COVID-19, Orange County Health Officer Dr. Nichole Quick said in a statement . We recognize community members may experience anxiety related to the social disruption caused by COVID-19, and want to encourage residents to reach out to loved ones using appropriate methods like telephone, video messaging, email and text. "Any person who violates or who refuses or willfully neglects to obey this regulation is subject to fine, imprisonment, or both, the order states. It cites Californias Government Code, which provides for fines of up to $1,000, six months in jail or both. Along with the other measures, the order reiterates previous recommendations for people 65 and older or with preexisting health conditions who are considered most at risk of serious effects from COVID-19 to stay home. All residents are urged to keep at least a 6-foot separation from others, except family members. The restrictions led some to believe that Orange County had issued what amounted to a shelter-in-place order, similar to those in effect in at least 10 counties in the Bay Area and Central California and the city of Palm Springs. Those measures direct residents to stay home as much as possible and have forced all but essential businesses to close. Story continues Orange County officials, however, stressed Tuesday evening that its recent health order was neither a lockdown nor an order to shelter in place, noting that "it is important for all Orange County businesses to remain open while practicing social distancing consistent with the governors guidance." "Unfortunately, the order as written caused widespread confusion," officials said in a statement. "In order to provide additional clarity requested by Orange County residents and businesses, the county will be issuing an amended health officers order." Changes With schools closed, some city governments are also changing practices. For example, Newport Beach is closing all city facilities to the public, including City Hall and the Police Department, through the end of the month to help slow the transmission of the COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, the city said late Tuesday afternoon. Huntington Beach followed suit Tuesday night, closing City Hall, shutting all other city facilities and canceling meetings of boards, commissions and advisory groups. Even before the restrictions, many businesses were also being hit. Among those now-shuttered spaces is South Coast Plaza. The renowned Costa Mesa shopping center closed Monday night and will remain so for two weeks after a store employee tested positive for the virus Sunday night. Our understanding that closures of public gathering places in Orange County are important for a chance to meaningfully stem this pandemic is the reason we took this action, mall spokeswoman Debra Gunn Downing said in a statement. Although [the employee testing positive] is not the reason for the centers closure, it reinforced the need for us to take action. At least 134 people released from quarantine camps in Pakistan's Taftan border crossing with Iran have tested positive for novel coronavirus, raising questions about screening procedures and living conditions at these camps which presently house hundreds of people. Pakistan recorded its biggest single-day hike in coronavirus infections on Monday, which took the country's tally to 184. As many as 134 of the said total cases are among those held in quarantine at Taftan upon their return from coronavirus-hit Iran. "(The spike in cases) was mainly because of the people who came from Taftan. They had been quarantined there, and then we moved them to our own facility where we tested them," Al Jazeera quoted Meeran Yousuf, spokesperson for Sindh province's Health Minister, as saying. People currently in the Taftan camp have complained of squalid living conditions and the unavailability of adequate screening and treatment procedures at the facilities. Amir Ali, 26, a travel agent who was brought to Taftan camp on March 3, has complained that a single tent is being shared by up to five people due to the shortage of space. "There are not enough bathrooms or enough water. The system for screening is not as they claim. They are not giving us all these medicines," Ali said. Others have lamented the lack of medical facilities at the camp. "There are no doctors here," said Khanum Jan, who had been in the camp for nine days. "There are no beds or blankets." The claims have been denied by the Balochistan government, which said it was doing its best with limited resources. "It's a desert area. It's far away. We are doing our level best," Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani said. Shahwani said that staff was constantly monitoring those in quarantine for symptoms. "The Health Organisation protocol calls for a 14-day mandatory quarantine. People can still develop symptoms after 14 days, or even 28 days. It differs from case to case."Pakistan has so far reported 237 cases of the novel coronavirus, including 172 in Sindh alone. Globally, the virus has infected more than 184,000 people and killed more than 7500, as per the data available on the Health Organisation website. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In response to the expanding COVID-19 outbreak, President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced plans to temporarily close the U.S.-Canada border to non-essential traffic. In a tweet, the president said that, We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected. More details would follow, the president added. The move comes as the coronavirus has infected more than 2,000 and killed more than 100 across the country. Trump previously shut down travel from China and Europe, and has called on Americans to stay home if sick and to avoid gatherings of more than 15 people. Related Content: Former Vice President Joe Biden won primary contests in three major states Tuesday, giving him an increasingly wide lead in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. Senator Bernie Sanders came closest in Arizona but was well behind in Illinois and fared particularly poorly in Florida. Biden defeated Sanders by 60 percent to 23 percent in Florida, where billionaire Michael Bloomberg collected 12 percent, thanks to early voting during the period he was engaged in a massive advertising campaign. Biden swept every county in Florida, while Sanders vote declined from 33 percent in 2016, when he lost the state to Hillary Clinton. Biden led by 59 percent to 36 percent in Illinois, with Sanders winning only a single county, Champaign, site of the University of Illinois. Biden won two-thirds of the Democratic vote in both Chicago and its suburbs, but voter turnout plunged by 50 percent compared to 2016 because of the coronavirus crisis. More than 200 polling stations in Chicago had to be moved, either because they were located in nursing homes and other high-risk facilities, or because poll workers, many of them elderly, did not show up to staff them. In Arizona, with vote-counting going into the night, Biden was leading by a margin of 43 percent to 30 percent, with 13 percent going to Bloomberg and 5 percent to former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg. Vote totals in the state were substantially above those in 2016, mainly because of extremely heavy early voting, with most ballots cast before the coronavirus crisis emerged, before Bloomberg and Buttigieg dropped out and endorsed Biden, and before Biden had become the heavy favorite for the nomination. The three primaries will select 441 delegates to the Democratic national convention, and Biden will get the lions share, extending his lead over Sanders to well over 300 delegates. Network projections found that with Tuesday nights delegates, Biden now has more than half of the 1,991 required to win the nomination. The primary vote was largely overshadowed by the coronavirus crisis, which slashed same-day voter turnout. In Ohio, the fourth state scheduled to vote March 17, Governor Michael DeWine postponed the same-day voting indefinitely, citing the dangers of coronavirus in the event of long lines at the polls or crowded precincts. DeWine sought a court injunction Monday night to push the primary vote back to June 2, but Franklin County Judge Richard A. Frye denied it, declaring that the danger of the coronavirus to prospective voters had to be weighed against the democratic rights of the electorate. DeWine then defied the judges ruling and shut down the voting, declaring, 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. Both Sanders and Biden spoke to supporters on Tuesday night. Sanders made his remarks before the polls closed and made no reference to the voting. Instead he outlined proposals to address the coronavirus crisis, largely the same proposals he had made March 12 in a nationally televised speech. Signaling his dismissal as a contender for the nomination, the television networks did not broadcast Sanders remarks. March 17 may be the last primary for some time. The votes set for later in March and in early April, including Georgia, Louisiana, and Puerto Rico, have been postponed until late May or June. The state of Maryland, set to vote on April 28, has postponed its primary until late June as well. The demographic basis of Bidens easy victories over Sanders remained the same as in the two previous Tuesdays, when he won 10 out of 14 primaries on March 3 and 5 out of 6 on March 10. Biden won massive margins among African American voters, who made up 25 percent of the electorate in Florida and 22 percent in Illinois. He dominated among voters 45 and older, who comprised 70 percent of the electorate in Florida and 60 percent in Illinois. Among those over 65 in Florida, who made up 34 percent of the vote, Biden led Sanders by 77 percent to 8 percent. Bloomberg actually led Sanders among those elderly Democrats, although he left the race nearly two weeks ago. In each state, Biden had virtually unanimous support from prominent Democratic Party officials. In Illinois, for example, the entire state Democratic Party leadership had lined up behind him, including billionaire Governor J. B. Pritzker, who endorsed Biden the day before the primary, as well as Senator Richard Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, Senator Tammy Duckworth, and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Sanders won majority support in every state among younger voters, those under 40 years old, with landslide levels above 70 percent among the youngest voters, aged 18 to 24. He also led Biden in Illinois and Arizona among Hispanic voters. A DRUG addict who admitted having a mobile phone a day after it was stolen from University Hospital Limerick has received a suspended prison sentence. Darragh Moore, 29, who has an address at Cosgrave Park, Moyross pleaded guilty, at Limerick District Court, to handling the stolen phone on October 28, 2018. After he admitted the offence, Inspector Ollie Kennedy told Judge Marian OLeary the phone was recovered after the defendant was arrested in relation to a separate matter and brought to Mayorstone garda station where he was searched. He said gardai subsequently established the black Samsung phone had been stolen the day before at UHL. Details of the theft were not disclosed and it was not suggested during the hearing that Mr Moore was involved in the theft of the device, which is worth several hundred euro. Insp Kennedy confirmed that after it was recovered, the phone was returned, by gardai, to its owner who is not at a loss. The court heard that Mr Moore, who has more than 110 previous convictions, made admissions in relation to the phone telling gardai that he was aware it had been stolen. In his submission to the court, solicitor John Herbert said his client a father of six has a lot of history with drug abuse and that he had gone completely off the rails around the time of the offence. He said he is currently serving a two year prison sentence relating to separate offences all of which cccurred around the same period. He had just lost his partner his desire to get drugs was always going on in his head, Mr Herbert told the court. Judge OLeary was told the defendant is doing well in prison and has straightened himself out. Read also: Two charged over Limerick burglaries He is attending counselling and is taking measures to address his addicton problems, added Mr Herbert. Judge OLeary imposed a four month prison sentence, which she suspended for two years on condition Mr Moore stays out of trouble during that time. Earlier this year, the 29-year-old was sentenced to two and-a-half years imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to a robbery charge. That charge related to an incident which occurred near a service station on the Dock Road at around 6.30am on October 27, 2018. During a sentencing hearing, Limerick Circuit Court was told the 19-year-old victim was approached by the defendant who was riding a bicycle. He told him to empty his pockets, he said he had a knife, said Detective Garda Cathal OSullivan who added the youth was in great fear and dropped to his knees. Judge Martina Baxter said the premeditated targeting of the teenager was sinister and worrying. This article is reprinted with permission from Stratfor Worldview. What Happened As the coronavirus outbreak begins to bite deeper into economic growth, Europe is scrambling to provide lifelines to the increasing number of households and businesses now struggling to make ends meet under quarantine. On March 16, the finance ministers of the eurozone discussed the possibility of using the European Union's permanent bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism, to support countries in distress. In recent days, the governments of Europe's five largest economies have also all unveiled multiple measures intended to mitigate the economic fallout of the coronavirus outbreak, including cheaper credit lines, tax delays, and additional support for workers whose incomes have been affected: Germany announced some 500 billion euros ($549 billion) in guarantees for credit for companies, and said it would also take on additional debt to pay for new measures if need be. announced some 500 billion euros ($549 billion) in guarantees for credit for companies, and said it would also take on additional debt to pay for new measures if need be. The United Kingdom announced a package of 330 billion pounds ($398 billion) in loans for companies facing financial problems due to the outbreak. announced a package of 330 billion pounds ($398 billion) in loans for companies facing financial problems due to the outbreak. France announced it will guarantee up to 300 billion euros ($330 billion) of bank loans to companies. On March 17, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire also announced a separate 45 billion euro ($49 billion) package that includes delays in tax payments and payroll charges for companies. announced it will guarantee up to 300 billion euros ($330 billion) of bank loans to companies. On March 17, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire also announced a separate 45 billion euro ($49 billion) package that includes delays in tax payments and payroll charges for companies. Italy approved an emergency decree suspending the payments of loans and mortgages for companies and families, and allocating additional funds to help businesses pay workers whose incomes have been temporarily suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak. approved an emergency decree suspending the payments of loans and mortgages for companies and families, and allocating additional funds to help businesses pay workers whose incomes have been temporarily suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak. Spain announced a relief package of 200 billion euros ($220 billion), including state guarantees for loans to corporations and delayed mortgages repayments for workers who lose their jobs due to the coronavirus crisis. Breaking the Cycle These measures all share the same goal: putting extra money in the pockets of companies and individuals at a time when the global economy is slowing down. The coronavirus outbreak in Europe, in particular, has created a vicious economic cycle: Increasingly severe quarantine measures to contain the virus are slowing down economic activity by forcing millions of people to stay at home, as well many businesses to either stop or severely reduce their operations. This lower economic activity is, in turn, forcing more companies ranging from restaurants to airlines to temporarily suspend some or all of their personnel. Those workers then see a reduction in their income, and any unemployment benefits they receive are often lower than their salaries. This then further reduces their ability to consume, leading to even lower production rates. The Long Road to Recovery The new measures now being rolled out by Europe's largest economies are meant to break this vicious cycle, but the negative impact of the outbreak in the economy will still be felt. Many European companies, ranging from airlines to carmakers, have recently announced significant losses and temporary suspensions of their activities due to quarantine measures introduced by governments across the Continent. Europes largest carmaker Volkswagen, for example, announced on March 17 that it will shut down its factories in Europe for at least the next two or three weeks. Meanwhile, in Spain (which has implemented some of the strictest quarantine measures), some 100,000 workers have been suspended in recent weeks. It could take weeks, if not months, for the impact of France, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom and Italy's new relief measures to be fully realized in their economies. In the meantime, many businesses across the Continent will go bankrupt, while others may be forced to permanently lay-off some of the workers they've suspended. This suggests that Europe will feel the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak long after the contagion itself is contained. The federal government on Wednesday gave taxpayers an extra 90 days to pay their federal taxes and announced it wont pursue foreclosures or evictions on government-guaranteed mortgages for at least 60 days. The two measures are designed to help Americans facing financial hardships because of the coronavirus, but they apply to everyone. The Internal Revenue Service officially gave all individuals an extra 90 days to pay up to $1 million in federal income taxes, which are normally due April 15, without penalties or interest. Corporations get an extra 90 days to pay up to $10 million. The new deadline, July 15, applies to the payment of federal income tax (including self-employment tax) due for 2019 and the quarterly estimated tax for 2020 normally due April 15. The IRS notice does not extend the April 15 deadline for filing your taxes, but taxpayers can request an extension until Oct. 15. The American Institute of CPAs pleaded with the IRS to extend the filing deadline as well. Even the relatively simple process of filing an extension form requires calculations based on data and information from the taxpayer. Given the current environment, this extension process is impossible for many taxpayers, institute CEO Barry Melancon said in a statement. Last week, the California Franchise Tax Board extended the deadline for both filing and paying 2019 state income taxes and the 2020 quarterly estimated payment due April 15 for two months, until June 15. (Editors note: The FTB extended this to July 15 to match the IRS deadline Wednesday evening.) Separately, the federal agencies overseeing Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Administration announced they are suspending all foreclosures and evictions of homeowners behind on government-backed mortgages for at least 60 days. The policy applies to loans on homes and condos with one to four units, including primary residences, second residences and rental properties, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The announcement will have little immediate impact on those who are not already facing foreclosure because loan servicers generally cant take the first step in a foreclosure until payments are at least 120 days late. The agencies stressed that anyone having trouble paying a mortgage should immediately contact their servicer and ask for a forbearance, which could allow the borrower to make reduced or no payments for a period of time. During a forbearance, late fees are waived and credit reporting is suspended. What happens to the loan after the forbearance depends on the type of the loan and the borrowers situation. The missed payments could be added to the balance, which would increase payments, or tacked on at the end, which would increase the term but not the payment. The borrower could be eligible for a modification. More options could be available because the president has declared a national state of emergency. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes These policies apply to loans backed by Fannie, Freddie and the FHA, which along with government loans for veterans account for nearly two-thirds of the mortgage market. They do not apply to jumbo and other private loans. I think foreclosures and evictions are going to be paused in all markets, said Michael Bright, chief executive of the Structured Finance Association, which represents the securitized credit industry. Its the right thing to do, (Fannie and Freddie) set the standard and if you wanted to do it, you couldnt anyway because many county recorders offices are closed, he said. Alys Cohen, a staff attorney with the National Consumer Law Center, said, We applaud these bold actions by the agencies, and we are also concerned that peoples financial hardships will last much longer than 60 days and may not be even apparent until the next few months are over. Her group wants the government to say what servicers are doing to make sure people (who need a forbearance) can get through if they dont have four hours to wait on hold because they have kids who are at home, and what they are doing to help borrowers who are not English proficient. Its also essential that the private market aligns with the government market. Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: kpender@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kathpender The environmental effects of agriculture and food are hotly debated. But the most widely used method of analysis often tends to overlook vital factors, such as biodiversity, soil quality, pesticide impacts and societal shifts, and these oversights can lead to wrong conclusions on the merits of intensive and organic agriculture. This is according to a trio of researchers writing in the journal Nature Sustainability. The most common method for assessing the environmental impacts of agriculture and food is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Studies using this method sometimes claim that organic agriculture is actually worse for the climate, because it has lower yields, and therefore uses more land to make up for this. For example, a recent study in Nature Communications that made this claim was widely reported by many publications, including the BBC and others. But according to three researchers from France, Denmark and Sweden, presenting an analysis of many LCA studies in the journal Nature Sustainability, this implementation of LCA is too simplistic, and misses the benefits of organic farming. "We are worried that LCA gives too narrow a picture, and we risk making bad decisions politically and socially. When comparing organic and intensive farming, there are wider effects that the current approach does not adequately consider," says Hayo van der Werf of the French National Institute of Agricultural Research. Biodiversity, for example, is of vital importance to the health and resilience of ecosystems. But globally, it is declining, Intensive agriculture has been shown to be one of the main drivers of negative trends such as insect and bird decline. Agriculture occupies more than one-third of global land area, so any links between biodiversity losses and agriculture are hugely important. "But our analysis shows that current LCA studies rarely factor in biodiversity, and consequently, they usually miss that wider benefit of organic agriculture," says Marie Trydeman Knudsen from Aarhus University, Denmark. "Earlier studies have already shown that organic fields support biodiversity levels approximately 30% higher than conventional fields." Usage of pesticides is another factor to consider. Between 1990 and 2015, pesticide use worldwide has increased 73%. Pesticide residues in the ground and in water and food can be harmful to human health, terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and cause biodiversity losses. Organic farming, meanwhile, precludes the use of synthetic pesticides. But few LCA studies account for these effects. Land degradation and lower soil quality resulting from unsustainable land management is also an issue - again, something rarely measured in LCA studies. The benefits of organic farming practices such as varied crop rotation and the use of organic fertilisers are often overlooked in LCA studies. Crucially, LCA generally assesses environmental impacts per kilogram of product. This favours intensive systems that may have lower impacts per kilogram, while having higher impacts per hectare of land. "LCA simply looks at the overall yields. Of course, from that perspective, it's true that intensive farming methods are indeed more effective. But this is not the whole story of the larger agroecosystem. A diverse landscape with smaller fields, hedgerows and a variety of crops gives other benefits - greater biodiversity, for example," says Christel Cederberg of Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. LCA's product-focused approach also fails to capture the subtleties of smaller, diverse systems which are more reliant on ecological processes, and adapted to local soil, climate and ecosystem characteristics. LCA needs a more fine-grained approach. "We often look at the effects at the global food chain level, but we need to be much better at considering the environmental effects at the local level," says Marie Trydeman Knudsen. The researchers note in their study that efforts are being made in this area, but much more progress is needed. A further key weakness is when hypothetical "indirect effects" are included, such as assuming that the lower yields of organic agriculture lead to increased carbon dioxide emissions, because more land is needed. For example, another prominent study - from a researcher also based at Chalmers University of Technology - suggested that organic agriculture was worse for the climate, because the requirement for more land leads indirectly to less forest area. But accounting for these indirect effects is problematic. "For example, consider the growing demand for organic meat. Traditional LCA studies might simply assume that overall consumption of meat will remain the same, and therefore more land will be required. But consumers who are motivated to buy organic meat for environmental and ethical reasons will probably also buy fewer animal-based products in the first place. But hardly any studies into this sort of consumer behaviour exist, so it is very difficult to account for these types of social shifts now," says Hayo van der Werf. "Current LCA methodology and practice is simply not good enough to assess agroecological systems such as organic agriculture. It therefore needs to be improved and integrated with other environmental assessment tools to get a more balanced picture" says Christel Cederberg. ### Read the article Towards better representation of organic agriculture in life cycle assessment in Nature Sustainability. For more information, contact: Christel Cederberg Professor, Department of Space, Earth and Environment, Chalmers University of Technology christel.cederberg@chalmers.se +46 31 772 22 18 Marie Trydeman Knudsen Researcher, Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University mariet.knudsen@agro.au.dk +45 87 15 7958 Hayo Van der Werf Researcher, French National Institute of Agricultural Research hayo.van-der-werf@inra.fr +33 02 23 48 57 09 The West Bengal government has deputed medical teams at the 108 entry points to screen those entering the state in wake of the coronavirus outbreak, officials said on Wednesday. Each of the medical teams, comprising 15-20 persons, will be working round the clock to screen those entering through these points, a senior official said. Thirty teams have been deputed at the international borders, while over 70 of them have been posted at the inter- state borders, he said. "If any person entering the state is found having coronavirus-like symptoms, he or she will be sent to the quarantine facility set up at the nearby district hospital or the Chittaranjan Cancer Hospital's second campus in Rajarhat," he added. West Bengal shares inter-state borders with Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Sikkim. The state also has international borders with Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. The international borders with Nepal and Bangladesh have already been sealed, while the entry point along the Bhutan border at Jaigaon has been kept open for vehicles carrying essential materials. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The novel coronavirus outbreak that has infected over 140 people in India and killed three has also led to the closure of schools, colleges and postponement of various recruitment exams. In most states, school examinations till class 7 or 8 and college exams have also been cancelled. Here are some of the examinations that have been postponed in the country amid the deadly virus outbreak. IIT-Delhi and IIT-Kanpur In view of the rising cases of COVID-19, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) - Kanpur has suspended classes and postponed examinations till March 29. On the other hand, IIT-Delhi has also decided to suspend classes and exams till March 31 ITBP Constable Recruitment Exam The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has deferred recruitment exam for the post of constable in the border guarding force due to coronavirus. Around 50,000 candidates were expected to appear for the exam on March 22 across 11 cities in the country. BPSC Assistant Engineer Recruitment Exam Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) on its official website has released a notification informing candidates that the Assistant Engineer recruitment exam has been called off. The decision has been taken in the light of the closure of schools and educational institutes till March 31 due to the deadly virus. The exam was slated to be held on March 21, 22, 28 and 29. However, the commission is yet to announce the revised dates for the recruitment process. Army Postpones All Recruitment Rallies By a Month The Indian Army has delayed all recruitment rallies by a month and asked its personnel to travel if only necessary as the world battles the coronavirus pandemic. Delhi Higher Judicial Services Main Exam 2019 The Delhi High Court on March 13 put out a notification on its website saying that Delhi Higher Judicial Services Main Exam 2019 has been postponed to prevent and control the outbreak of coronavirus. The exam was scheduled to be conducted on March 14 and March 15. The notification has further stated that fresh examination dates will be announced later. Kerala PSC Postpones Recruitment Exams Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) has delayed several recruitment examinations in the view of growing cases of coronavirus in the southern state. The commission has deferred the following exams: dictation tests for Reporter Grade (2) Malayalam and Confidential Assistant Grade (2), and the OMR test of Police Constable (IRB) scheduled in March 2020. The Kerala PSC has also delayed the Physical Efficiency Test (PET) slated to be held for the recruitment of Forest Driver, Civil Excise Officer (NCA-SCCC in Ernakulam district), Female Constable and Female Constable (NCA community). All exams in Uttar Pradesh The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has announced the cancellation of examinations in the state in the light of increasing cases of coronavirus. The UP government has also declared the closure of all educational institutions across the state till April 2. Jammu and Kashmir Police Recruitment Exam The Jammu and Kashmir Police on its official website informed about the postponement of J&K Constable Physical Endurance Test (PET)/ Physical Standard Test (PST) for recruitment of 02 Border Battalions owing to the prevailing situation due to coronavirus outbreak. Haryana UDC, Assistant Linemen and instructor exams Haryana Staff Selection Commission has announced cancellation of Upper Divisional Clerk (UDC), Assistant Lineman and instructor examination due to coronavirus. The exam was earlier rescheduled from March 15 to March 18. Maharashtra Public Service Commission exams Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope, taking to Twitter, had said that Maharashtra Public Service Commission has been told to postpone its exams till March 31 owing to coronavirus outbreak. MAH MCA CET 2020 exam The Maharshtra government has rescheduled MAH MCA CET 2020 exam. The exam was slated to be held on March 28, but now as per the orders it will be conducted on April 30. The information is available on the official website of State Common Entrance Cell. However, detailed circular about the new order is yet to be released. You can check at http://cetcell.mahacet.org/. Aligarh Muslim University postpones admission tests The office of the controller of examinations at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has decided to postpone the admission tests for students seeking admission in Class VI and XI. The exam was scheduled to take place on March 22 and March 29. The officials will announce fresh dates soon. AMU spokesman Prof Shafey Kidwai told news agency PTI, About a dozen members of the AMU community including senior faculty members and students, who returned to the country during the past two weeks, have been advised to remain in isolation for the next two weeks. Having a baby, in the best of times, is an anxiety-producing endeavor. But during a pandemic, things get exponentially harder. No grandparents to hold the baby and make dinner, no new parent groups, restrictions on well doctor visits, scarcity of supplies and general mood of panic all factor into a quickly changing landscape for new parents. We talked to new parents and experts to find out how people are handling the changes and find strategies for coping. The problem: Missing the grandparents One of the most heartbreaking aspects of the COVID-19 outbreak is the fact that many grandparents wont get to immediately meet new babies, and will have to put off seeing their grandchildren for what could be months. Both my parents are in high-risk groups, but my mom especially since shes immune suppressed, Emily Bendt, 31, of Portland said Wednesday. Even though shes in Oregon right now (she usually lives in Arizona) she cant come see the baby because its too risky for her." I worry about what it means for her mental health too, Bendt, whose daughter is 4 months old, added, "I know having her first grandchild was really huge for her and has given her a lot of renewed sense of purpose. Im really scared for my parents, Eric Lindsay, 37, of Portland, said Wednesday, adding he isnt scared for his 6-month-old daughter. Lindsays wife is a doctor at the VA Portland Health Care System and he and his wife had enacted strict social distancing to protect their parents. Were in total isolation, Lindsay said, though he added they are planning a gathering with grandparents soon, where everyone sits outside, six feet apart from each other. Eric Lindsay, 37, of Portland, and his 6-month-old daughter. Dr. Whitney Casares, a Portland pediatrician and author of The New Baby Blueprint: Caring for You and Your Little One (American Academy of Pediatrics, 164 pages, $14.95), agrees that keeping children away from older adults is important, even if it is difficult. We really have to limit adults over 60s exposure to people who are sick, she said Wednesday. One way to deal with the loss of direct grandparent interaction? Technology. Social distancing doesnt have to mean social isolation, Casares said. Stay connected to friends and family using technology. For grandparents, this may mean stepping out of their comfort zone. Val Mackinnon Peterman, 33, of Olympia, said she is concerned about exposing her parents to the virus if they travel to see their 2-month-old granddaughter. Since they cant visit, they are getting creative. My mom just went out and bought her first smartphone, Mackinnon Peterman said. Now, they are learning how to video chat. Val Mackinnon Peterman, 33, of Olympia, and her 2-month-old daughter. The problem: Are babies really safe? Parents are reasonably worried about grandparents, but what about their health and the health of their babies? This is a quickly evolving situation and we are continuing to learn about COVID-19 and how our most vulnerable populations, including babies and older children, are impacted, Casares said. So while babies appear to be less vulnerable to infection than older people and those with underlying medical concerns, there are still many, many unknowns. Its better for parents to watch closely sites like CDC and healthychildren.org, Casares said, instead of scrolling through social media. For parents concerned with bringing babies into doctors offices, think about calling your doctor before going in. We are never bothered as pediatricians by parents calling and asking are these symptoms safe are they okay? Casares said. But COVID-19 isnt the only concern. My concern is that if, and I think it is likely, our healthcare system is going to be overwhelmed, Lindsay said. What if something happens to Theona at that time? People get hurt, he said, things happen. The hope is that social distancing measures will help flatten the curve and stop hospitals from being completely overwhelmed, but only time will tell how effective that has been. The problem: Will I run out of supplies? My biggest source of stress right now is supplies, Bendt said. Her baby can only use certain brands of diaper without a skin reaction. Theyre sold out in her size everywhere online, she said. "We have cloth as a backup, but shes particular about wetness and that means were up every hour at night if we have to use them." Bendt said they had another two weeks worth. Still, Casares recommends not stockpiling supplies. We need to make sure that we are leaving something for other people, she said. Going into panic mode will only hurt not help. The problem: Social isolation A hallmark of new parenthood is the onslaught of new anxieties. One way people often deal with this is by meeting other new parents and just talking. Whether it is a lactating moms group, a post-natal yoga class or baby storytime at the library, these kinds of social events are canceled for the foreseeable future. Mackinnon Peterman, who lives in Washington where the coronavirus outbreak hit earlier than in Oregon, had already been isolating before the virus hit, out of concerns about flu. I had been really looking forward to after she got her shots, she said. But then, almost overnight, everything changed. Now she is leaning on virtual connections more than ever, she said, including three very good friends in other cities who all got pregnant at the same time. Mackinnon Peterman said she found new solidarity in this group before the outbreak and added, in light of everything that has happened its really strengthened that. Community has been through the internet. Im so grateful for the moms groups Im in online," Bendt said, theyre absolute sanity savers right now. Dr. Nicole Cirino, a reproductive psychiatrist with expertise in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders at Oregon Health and Science University encourages postpartum moms to look for groups online at BabyBluesConnection.org and Postpartum.net. In the wake of COVID, she said, Postpartum.net has actually increased dramatically their online support groups. They use a small group format with video chats, Cirino said, adding, You can feel like you are connecting. The problem: General anxiety and malaise Mackinnon Peterman said she couldnt figure out if the feelings she is having two months after the birth of her daughter are postpartum depression, or just a reaction to the current state of the world. Shes far from the only parent feeling stressed out. Cirino said postpartum, womens brains go through a dramatic shift. During the postpartum period, she said, our brains have changed in such a way that we see threat even if its not there. Its the biggest brain change that women go through in their entire life, Cirino added, "It does it so that we can parent and protect our child." This protective feature also means the onslaught of difficult news is really too much for the postpartum brain, she said So she suggested limiting the news that is coming in and maybe only watching news with a loved one who can help you process it. Casares and Cirino both said new parents should remember to take care of themselves physically during this time. Are you exercising?" Cirino said, "Are you taking walks? Are you eating healthy? Focus on the basic care needs, she said. Thats going to give you the resilience to handle stress. When youre by yourself with a new baby, Casares said, making sure that you set yourself up a schedule will keep you more mindful throughout the day and keep you from spinning. Get fresh air, she said, practice gentle movement, learn something new. And make sure you are taking breaks. Hand the baby off to your partner or helper, she said, and listen to your favorite song or take a walk by yourself. Those things will help you cope so you feel like you arent stuck, Casares said. But, if you are a new parent who is struggling with persistent feelings of depression or anxiety, the best thing to do is contact your healthcare provider or call the Postpartum International Hotline at 1-800-944-4773. It never hurts to make a call. If weve learned anything from coronavirus, its better to be safe than sorry. The problem: The future The thing that I am maybe struggling with more than anything which is the ambiguity of duration, Lindsay said. I do worry that either I am going to go crazy or that Im not going to be able to sustain, he said. I hate the unknowing. Im concerned about how long this will last, Angela Kienholz, 39, of Portland, whose baby is 3-months old, said. What it means for my sons daycare? Portland already had a shortage of open slots for infants. Will our daycare, which is a nonprofit, be able to weather the storm?" The future is a big unknown for everyone. This is the long haul, Cirino said. And it is changing day-to-day. Peterman called dealing with the pandemic an incredible crash course on what to do with anxiety." Everything feels like a trial by fire as a first-time mom, Peterman said, and contending with a global pandemic ranks pretty high as a worst-case scenario for raising a newborn. That said," she added, "I am hopeful that living through this outbreak will better prepare me to face other anxieties down the road, that I might emerge from this a more self-possessed mom. -- Lizzy Acker 503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. CJI Ranjan Gogoi Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi's nomination to the Rajya Sabha has sparked an outrage among sections of people. He is the first former CJI to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha three months after his retirement though he is not the first to make it to the Upper House. Former CJI Ranganath Mishra was also a Rajya Sabha member, but he was elected on a Congress ticket, seven years after he retired. Those opposing Gogois appointment openly refer to the sensitive cases he handled as CJI the Ayodhya land dispute and the Rafale fighter deal and see a quid pro quo in it. What they overlook is that no Supreme Court judge ever decides cases on his/her own as he/she is one of the judges in a large bench that hands out the verdict. Also, the fact is that Gogoi did not write the main Ayodhya judgment it was done by Justice DY Chandrachud. Nevertheless, the reactions from the judicial fraternity have been mixed. Gogois former colleague Justice (retired) Madan B Lokur thinks whether the last bastion of independence, impartiality and integrity has fallen. Judge Kurian Jospeh, another former colleague, has declared that his acceptance of the Upper House nomination has certainly shaken the confidence of the common man, and compromised the independence and impartiality of the judiciary. Retired SC judge AK Patnaik has gone further stating that a retired CJI has no role in the Rajya Sabha and neither the President should appoint a former CJI nor should he accept it. A judge should retire gracefully. Ex-CJIs KG Balakrishnan and P Sathasivam see no wrong in Gogoi accepting the governments offer. Then they themselves after retirement became the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairman and governor of Kerala, respectively, soon after retirement. Gogoi has reserved his full response until he takes oath as a Rajya Sabha member. He has observed that his presence in Parliament would be an opportunity to underline the views of the judiciary before the law-makers and vice-versa, and both sides must work together at some point of time for nation-building. Even this comment has riled his critics. Newspaper editorials have even called upon Gogoi to rethink and reject the nomination in the best interests of the institutions. It would do good to recall previous instances of such appointments. In 1952, Justice Fazl Ali became Governor of Odisha shortly after retiring from the apex court. In 1958, then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru asked Bombay High Court Chief Justice MC Chagla to become Indias Ambassador to the United States, which he accepted. In 1967, CJ Subba Rao quit the SC to contest for elections to the Presidents office (and lost to Zakir Hussain). In 1983, Justice Baharul Islam resigned from the Supreme Court to contest for a Lok Sabha seat as a Congress candidate after ruling in favour of then Bihar CM Jagannath Mishra in a corruption case. Islam was Cong MP in 1972 and was then made a judge of Guwahati HC. He had retired from the post in 1980 but was made SC judge after Indira Gandhi came into power. Justice Rangnath Mishra headed the panel to probe the 1984 riots and Sikh killings under the Rajiv Gandhi regime, which absolved charges against Congressmen who were accused of a hand in the riots. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha as Congress nominee in 1998. Before then, he served as the first head of the NHRC from 1993 till 1996. It was then seen as a Congress government largesse for his role in giving clean chit to its leaders in the riots. Late former CJI Mohammed Hidayatullah accepted the post of Vice-President nine years after his retirement. Between the whataboutery (questioning the appointments made by the Congress regimes earlier) to defend the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government's move and the extreme outrage dubbing the appointment as an attempt to influence judges, the answer may lie in such post-retirement sinecures being time-barred. They must cover all positions, including tribunals and quasi-judicial bodies. A cooling-off period between the date of retirement and appointment to any post or election to Parliament would have softened the criticisms. Sometimes, they come too close for comfort in terms of a question of constitutional propriety. In 2012, late former law minister Arun Jaitley suggested a two-year gap between appointment for a fresh assignment and retirement. He had in mind the hectic lobbying among some judges (on the verge of retirement) for heading various tribunals, and went on to remark that pre-retirement judgments are influenced by a desire for post-retirement job. He had also suggested that the last drawn salary be treated as life-long monthly pension to insulate them from political influence. In 1958, the Law Commission recommended banning post-retirement government employment for SC judges because the government was a large litigant in the courts. Perhaps, its time to reopen the old debate on this issue. Overall overdose death rates decreased by 4.1% from 2017 to 2018 in the United States. New CDC data show death rates involving heroin decreased by 4%, and prescription opioid-involved overdose death rates decreased by 13.5%. Decreases in overdose deaths involving prescription opioids and heroin reflect the effectiveness of public health efforts to protect Americans and their families, said CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, M.D. While we continue work to improve those outcomes, we are also addressing the increase in overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids. We must bring this epidemic to an end. While progress has been made to combat overdose deaths, death rates involving synthetic opioids (excluding methadone) increased by 10% from 2017 to 2018. The findings come from an in-depth Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analysis of the latest available drug overdose death data. The report published online today in CDCs Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) analyzes changes in age-adjusted overdose death rates from 2017 to 2018 by demographic characteristics, county urbanization levels, U.S. Census region, and state. More than 750,000 Americans died from drug overdoses from 1999 to 2018. To sustain decreases and continue to prevent and respond to drug overdoses, specifically those involving synthetic opioids, it is critical to have a coordinated response, said Debra Houry, M.D., M.P.H., director of CDCs National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Medical personnel, emergency departments, public health and public safety officials, substance abuse treatment providers, community-based organizations, and members of the community all play a role in addressing this complex and fast-moving epidemic. Synthetic opioid overdose deaths increased in 2018 Opioids were involved in more than 46,000 drug overdose deaths in 2018. Of the 39 jurisdictions included in the analyses, 11 states and the District of Columbia saw decreased rates of death involving opioids overall. Synthetic opioids were involved in 31,335 overdose deaths nearly half of all drug overdose deaths in 2018. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF) likely drove the increase in deaths involving synthetic opioids (excluding methadone) from 2017 to 2018. Synthetic opioid overdose-involved death rates increased from 2017 to 2018 among males and females, people age 25 years and older, non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islanders. Death rates from synthetic opioids also increased in large central metro, large fringe metro, medium metro, and small metro counties. The latest available data show synthetic opioid-involved overdose death rates increased in 10 states. The four states with the highest increases were Arizona, California, Washington, and Missouri. The rates increased in the Northeast, South, and West but remained stable in the Midwest. Opioid overdoses decreased from 2017 to 2018 but still remain high. Efforts must be strengthened to maintain and accelerate decreases in deaths involving prescription opioids and heroin and to prevent continued increases in overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids, said Nana Wilson, Ph.D., epidemiologist at CDC and lead author of this MMWR study. The drug overdose crisis has evolved from 2017 to 2018 Preliminary successes in addressing the drug overdose crisis occurred during 2018. From 2017 to 2018, decreases occurred in all drug overdose deaths and in deaths involving all opioids, prescription opioids, and heroin. Efforts to improve opioid prescribing practices have increased and may have contributed to decreases in prescription opioid-involved overdose deaths. Todays findings suggest that factors that may be contributing to the decrease in heroin-involved deaths include reductions in the number of people initiating heroin use; shifts from a heroin-based market to a fentanyl-based market; increased treatment provision for people using heroin; and expansion of naloxone access. Prescription opioid-involved overdose death rates decreased by 13.5% from 2017 to 2018. Rates decreased: Among males and females Among people age 1564 years Among non-Hispanic whites, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Natives Across all urbanization levels In 17 states, prescription opioid-involved overdose death rates declined In the Midwest, South, and West, but remained stable in the Northeast Heroin-involved overdose death rates decreased by 4.1% from 2017 to 2018. Reductions occurred among males and females, persons aged 1534 years, and non-Hispanic whites, and in large central metro and large fringe metro areas. Among the findings: Rates remained stable in the Northeast and South, decreased in the Midwest, and increased in the West. Rates decreased in seven states and Washington, D.C., and increased in three states. Opioid-involved overdose death rates decreased among females, persons aged 15-34 years, 45-54 years, and non-Hispanic whites, and in small metro and nonmetropolitan areas. Findings note: Rates increased among persons aged 65 years, non-Hispanic blacks, and Hispanics. Rates increased in the Northeast and the West and decreased in the Midwest and the South. Rates decreased in 11 states and Washington, D.C., and increased in three states. CDC is putting data to action CDC continues to work closely with other federal agencies to support the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Five-point Strategy to prevent and respond to drug overdoses, specifically those involving opioids. The Strategy provides better treatment, better data, better research, increased access to naloxone, and better pain management. Within HHS, CDC conducts surveillance and research; builds state, local, and tribal capacity for prevention; supports providers, health systems, and payers; partners with public safety; and empowers Americans to make safe choices. CDC is working with states, territories, and cities and counties across the country to continue surveillance and prevention efforts. These efforts are to help inform and to sustain decreases and prevent continued increases through Overdose Data to Action, a 3-year cooperative agreement through which CDC funds health departments in 47 states, Washington, DC, two territories, and 16 cities and counties for surveillance and prevention efforts. This report also reinforces the continued need for response strategies, including expanding the distribution of naloxone for overdose reversal, increasing the provision of medication-assisted treatment, enhancing public health and public safety partnerships, and enhancing linkage to treatment and harm reduction services. A comprehensive, multisectoral surveillance, prevention, and response approach remains critical for sustaining and expanding preliminary successes in reducing opioid-involved overdose deaths. A board shows information related to COVID-19 at an airport in Vietnam (Photo: VNA) The man, whose wife is a Vietnamese, went abroad on February 11 and travelled through many countries like India, Spain, Morocco, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary and the Netherlands. He boarded flight SQ323 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, at 11:25am on March 13 and arrived in Singapore at 5:55am on March 14. Later, he got on flight MI632 in Singapore at 9:15am on March 14 and landed at Da Nang International Airport at 11:00am the same day. He has been kept in quarantine since his arrival at the Da Nang International Airport. On March 18 morning, the Nha Trang Pasteur Institute in the south central province of Khanh Hoa confirmed that the man was tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the acute respiratory disease (COVID-19). We asked members of CBC Vancouver's Coronavirus in B.C. Facebook group for their questions about COVID-19 and we were inundated with queries. We're going to do our best to provide answers for most of your questions, calling experts where possible and relying on the most reliable sources of information. Many questions concern the details around self-isolation: Is it mandatory? Is everyone affected? What happens if it affects different members of a family? You also had questions about possible vaccines, about shopping and about the best ways to keep yourself healthy while trying to live a normal life and protect the safety of others. What's the difference between Ontario's 'state of emergency' and B.C.'s 'public health emergency'? Ontario Premier Doug Ford made his declaration under his province's Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, whereas B.C. has declared a public health emergency under the province's Public Health Act. Among the powers the Ontario legislation gives to the premier is the authority to close "any place, whether public or private, including any business, office, school, hospital or other establishment or institution." Frank Gunn/Canadian Press In B.C. provincial medical health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the emergency declaration will give her the ability to be "faster, more streamlined and nimble" in carrying out her directions. The province previously declared a public health emergency in response to the opioid crisis in 2016. Health Minister Adrian Dix says it means the provincial health officer can issue verbal orders "with immediate effect." And it also means that she can call on peace officers to carry out those orders. The legislation also gives Dix the power to amend regulations without the consent of the cabinet. Is self-isolation for travellers mandatory? At this point, all provincial and federal government communication stresses that travellers returning to Canada, people who are showing symptoms or who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or people who have had possible exposure to the novel coronavirus are being "asked" to self-isolate. Story continues That's deliberate language. With the declaration of a public health emergency in B.C., that request became an order. As Henry says, it's the legal way of saying "this is voluntary unless you don't do what we say." Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press The Public Health Act gives authorities the means to force you to stay inside and it allows them to call on peace officers to enforce their directions. So, in short, if you're told to self-isolate do it while they're still "asking" nicely. But what about essential workers? The B.C. Centre for Disease Control says certain workers may be exempt from the need to self-isolate after travelling because they provide essential services. "This includes first responders to life threatening events, health care workers who are essential to delivering patient care and life-saving services, critical infrastructure workers such as drinking water, hydro, internet and natural gas and workers who are essential to supply society with critical goods such as food and medicines." But the BCCDC stresses that any decision to exempt essential workers should be based on a risk assessment that prioritizes the need not to spread COVID-19. Who should get tested? What's the process? How does it work? The B.C. Ministry of Health has developed a COVID-19 self-assessment tool to help you determine if you should be tested. People with respiratory symptoms who are either hospitalized or likely to be hospitalized; working in the health care system; residents of long-term care facilities; or part of an investigation into a cluster or outbreak should be tested. People without symptoms or with mild respiratory symptoms which can be managed at home, including people who have returned from travel in the past 14 days do not need to be tested. Canada's public health agency also has information sheets about the symptoms of COVID-19 and the meaning of self-monitoring, self-isolation and isolation. If you're asked to self-monitor, you should avoid crowded places and keep a distance of two metres from others. If you're asked to self-isolate, you need to stay at home for two weeks. The difference with isolation is that it applies to people with symptoms who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or who are waiting for results from a test. And if you've been told to isolate, you have to stay at home until your public health agency advises you that you're no longer at risk of spreading the infection to others. If you're concerned, please call 811 or the province's dedicated information line at 1-888-COVID19. Should you worry about people handling groceries? What about transit? What about fitness classes? In all situations, public health authorities are recommending that you maintain a healthy distance apart from other citizens, whether on transit or in a grocery store. And wash your hands liberally with soap and hot water before and after touching a surface that you think may have been touched by someone else including fruit, vegetables and the cash and coins you use to purchase them.. Jean Delisle/CBC The U.S. Department of Agriculture addresses concerns around food handling and the novel coronavirus on its home page. "Currently there is no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with transmission of COVID-19. Like other viruses, it is possible that the virus that causes COVID-19 can survive on surfaces or objects. For that reason, it is critical to follow the four key steps of food safety clean, separate, cook and chill." As far as fitness classes are concerned, public facilities in cities like Vancouver are closed, which means you would have to go elsewhere, and any fitness class with more than 50 people is banned. Some gyms have cut down on the size of classes in order to comply with public health suggestions. And to be extra safe, why not check out the wide range of options for solitary home workouts offered through YouTube? What about a vaccine? Can you get COVID-19 twice? Is acetaminophen better than ibuprofen for treatment? At this point, human tests for vaccines are beginning on patients. But the head of the U.S. National Institutes of Health has said that even if the testing goes well, a vaccine wouldn't be available for widespread use for 12 to 18 months, with other labs saying it could take up to two years. Scientists are currently exploring the question of whether a person could get COVID-19 twice. Ted S. Warren/The Associated Press The Guardian explored this concern with some of the U.K.'s top scientists, in response to a report that a Japanese woman who had the virus tested positive again after being cleared of it. But the consensus appears to be that if the coronavirus is like most other viral infections, people who have had it will have some type of immunity. U.K.'s National Health Service was initially advising the use of Ibuprofen, but France's health minister suggested that anti-inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen may aggravate the coronavirus. Scientists say this needs to be studied more. In any case, if you have COVID-19, you should follow your doctor's advice for treatment, not Twitter. And finally, you had questions about specific situations: an adult son with asthma working as a chef in a busy local restaurant; a wife and mother returning from Mexico; aging relatives. If you have concerns, you can call the province's dedicated information line at 1-888-COVID19. At the end of the day, many of the choices you have to make are both personal and as a citizen who is part of a bigger community. The best advice we can give you in any of those situations is to listen to public health authorities. Anyone with respiratory conditions or suppressed immunity because of a condition or age is asked to avoid contact with other people as much as possible particularly if they have even the slightest sniffle. And as much as you can, stay home. If you have a COVID-19-related story we should pursue that affects British Columbians, please email us at impact@cbc.ca. For an updating list of barista resources, click here. For relief efforts for service workers, click here. The new normal is wild. Its turbulent and unexpected and is going to test the strength of many around the world. COVID-19s impact is not just rescheduled events or a temporary upheaval of our social lives. Government mandates that ask for businesses to close have a very real impact on coffee workers livelihoods. Cafes are historically community gathering places and with their closures (temporary or not), the ripple effect is still unknown. In countries like the United States, where baristas arent often provided sick pay or health insurance, the brunt of the closures falls on them. Whereas in countries like the UK and Taiwan with universal health care available, at least one source of anxiety can be taken care of, but many questions remain. In an effort to see how cafes were managing with the virus, I spoke with owners and managers around the world to see what was happening in their sphere. These interviews span the globe, from Singapore to the United Kingdom to China. Because the news is moving so incredibly fast right now, Ive dated each interview. A few of these answers are already outdated in places, but the importance of these voices remain. In the earlier stages of the virus infection, cities have either not issued guidelines or only given recommendations to be cautious. These interviews include: Han Tran, Store Manager at Bosgaurus Coffee Roasters in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Interviewed on March 13. Robert Chaffin, Director of Operations at Commonplace Coffee in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US but with locations elsewhere in Pennsylvania. Interviewed on March 13. Mat North, owner of Full Court Press in Bristol, UK. Interviewed on March 12. Costa Arvanitopoulos, co-founder of Barker St in Sydney, Australia. Barker St is an online marketplace and is not as affected by the virus as a brick-and-mortar store is. Interviewed on March 15. In the middle stages of the outbreak, we have city or country guidelines imposed. There have been cases of community spread and cafes have had to significantly alter either their hours and/or availability. These interviews include: Jake Paulson, co-founder at Anchorhead Coffee in Seattle, US. Interviewed on March 14. Pamela Chng, co-founder at The Bettr Group in Singapore. It has several components: a barista training academy, roastery, and retail bar. Interviewed on March 15. JoEllen Depakakibo, owner at Pinhole Coffee in San Francisco, US. Interviewed on March 15. And finally, the advanced and recovery stages of the outbreak are where the government has made decisions to close the country or several cities down. Cafes have also been closed. These interviews include: Chuck Chan, founder of Lock Chuck Coffee in Guangzhou, China. Interviewed on March 14. Elisa Urdich, owner of Taste Coffee & More in Treviso, Italy. Interviewed on March 15. Interviews have been condensed and lightly edited for grammar and spelling. What are the current guidelines for your area? Whether advised by the World Health Organization (WHO) or their respective federal health agencies, cafe owners took note of what was recommended. These are what they were told by their government. Be advised that these answers are current only at the time of writing this article. Han Tran: Most buildings, complex housing, gyms, and cafes encourage citizens to sanitize their hands before entering. They frequently use Chloride to sanitize the place (doorknob, table, ). All of the citizens are encouraged to access to tokhaiyte.vn or download app NCOVI to update current health conditions, to sanitize hands frequently, to wear masks in public, to keep a safe distance while communicating. Hotlines for an emergency is everywhere in case of any suspicion of symptoms. Self-quarantined if we have been in contact with any positive patient JoEllen Depakakibo: We arent quarantined yet, but it seems like a lot of people are putting themselves in quarantine. Bars and wineries were told to close today. Elisa Urdich: All Italy was considered a red zone from last week all the cafes, restaurants, and shops are closed and we can go out only to the supermarket, or for medical or work reasons. Chuck Chan: The government took the most severe measure to contain the spread of the virus. In February, all the restaurants in town were instructed to suspend dine-in service, which was another big hit to our already affected business. The citizens were encouraged to stay at home and very few customers were out. Now the situation is getting better, dine-in is available. Our regulars are coming back. How has the virus affected your business and operations? In the early stages, customers are encouraged to support their local businesses and maintain social distancing. As the outbreak progresses, we see more cafes transitioning to to-go cups only and eventually, closing for business. Depending on location, businesses may see support from their government. Han Tran: For our store in HCMC, everything is still good since most of the customers are local. Everybody wants to save money at this time for living. As for operation, we have to postpone many projects, events, or workshops so we need to allocate the expense and human resource. Many plans are canceled. Purchase orders from overseas are affected and we need to change lots of things to keep stock under control. Mat North: At this stage, we have seen little change to sales, but I expect that to hit in the next 7-14 days. I personally expect some of the changes we put in place over the next few weeks to last many months. Jake Paulson: It has affected us in more ways than we could have ever imagined. Our sales dropped 85% within a week forcing us to put 90% of our staff on standby. This is a temporary solution, but it was the only way we could make sure our staff received as much money as possible while we dealt with what was happening. We have also cut hours and will have to close till this blows over if things keep trending downwards. We are hoping that this is all temporary, and we will be moving everything and everyone back to a normal schedule once this is passed. JoEllen Depakakibo: When people were initially told to Work from Home our sales spiked. Chuck Chan: We depend on face-to-face service, which was not recommended during the spreading of viruses by the government. We were forced to close our dine-in service for more than two weeks. What hurt badly is the confidence of the consumers, including our loyalties. It is estimated to need more time before they feel comfortable to hang out in a cafe. What precautions have you implemented in your cafe to protect your staff and customers? Youve likely seen the posts and emails by now. Cafes have increasingly taken on more sanitizing protocols to maintain a clean environment. For some, staff protection includes sick pay if not covered by the government, face masks, mandatory distance from customers, and to-go cups only. Repeated often by many of the interviewees is the need to clean high-touch areas often, educate customers of new house rules, and minimize as much contact as possible. JoEllen Depakakibo: Our first main thing we did was make a checklist of all the things to wipe down and sanitize. As things got more serious we implemented no outside personal cups allowed. Then no for here cups and pastry plates. We next moved half n half behind the counter where baristas poured it into peoples cups and we switched to sugar packets rather than a more environmentally friendly sugar container. As of today, we added no cash allowed and no access to seating encouraging everyone to take their drinks and go. It seemed like I was making new signs for a new precaution each day. Costa Arvanitopoulos: For our staff as we are an online business, we have everyone working remotely and are getting all staff to follow the guidelines the Australian government is issuing on a daily bases. We are also emailing all staff the updated guidelines from the government once they are issued so they are all on top of what is required. Robert Chaffin: At this time, we have made the decision to go take-out only, and not allowing anyone to spend time in our cafes. Pamela Chng: [For students at the academy] Travel declaration before coming for classes. Before entering premises Sanitising + Temp checks twice a day + Contact Info collected for contact tracing. Anyone who is sick or returning from countries in travel advisories is not allowed into our premises. [For cafe staff] Staff from different outlets are not to meet each other during/outside of work to minimize contact. [For customers in the cafes] As our bars are all in workplace communities, customers would have had their travel declarations, temperature taken and contact details recorded before entering an office building. Cashless payment strongly encouraged. Elisa Urdich: Now we are close but till last week we had to serve only on the table and all the people have to stay 1 meter far from other people. Our coffee shop is really small and we could serve only six people. What is/was your plan for if/when the virus affects your area? The best thing you can do if you have not been severely affected yet is to plan and plan well. Look to other countries and cities that are further along than you and see what their actions have been. This is the time for collective action and to do our part in flattening the curve. Mat North: Plan now, seek advice and guidance from local health services where you can, dont be afraid to act in a measured way, you can quickly ramp up your measures, maintaining them at a high level is hard. Avoid large expenditures as you may need the capital to fund staff cover. Jake Paulson: Do everything you can to practice social distancing, and consider how you will help your employees once sales drop and hours need to be cut. Also, depending on how bad things get, consider closing completely. As an owner, thats a super scary thing to think about, but if it helps get past this quickly, it could be a good option. Pamela Chng: Take this seriously! Implement measures now and start being individually responsible for our behavior and actionspractice personal hygiene, social distancing, stay home if you are sick. Help slow down the spread to give your healthcare system a chance to treat the ones who really need it. Businesses need to start controlling and cutting costs and taking care of your staffs well-being. Chuck Chan: A lot of ingredients may be harder to order. So get well prepared. Elisa Urdich: I would say wash your hands stay at home stay safe because its not a joke my husband is from Bergamo and many people die every day 146 people in the last four days. Final Thoughts This pandemic has a global impact. Everything from manufacturing to stock markets to sourcing will be affected in the months or years to come. In the hardest-hit areas, weve seen mandated closures of cafes and staff layoffs. It will certainly be a test of the community, industry, and governments to see how responses are handled. Will personal cupping spoons no longer be used? Will sick pay and health insurance be prioritized by the US government? How will events change as travel advisories continue to be in place? We leave you with these last thoughts from our interviewees: Robert Chaffin: The reality is, were not sure how long this will last. We employ a significant number of hourly workers, who could be hurt financially if we end up having to close on a temporary basis. Were evaluating what support we can offer and any available resources for our staff should it come to that, but as a small business, our resources are limited, especially if closures last multiple weeks. Mat North: Its hard not to panic, but it may be that extended time of living with this pandemic is before us, this will change our norms and we have to be prepared for that to happen. The big thing to remember that its not about you getting ill, that will probably happen, its about keeping the most vulnerable as safe as possible, act for them, not for yourself. Jake Paulson: I feel like people arent taking this as seriously as they should. This virus is spread by breathing, which is why they are suggesting 6 ft of distance between people. I absolutely love the community that has come out to support small businesses in this time of need, but I do worry about people getting together and congregating at restaurants and cafes. Pamela Chng: We were one of the first countries outside China that had to deal head-on with COVID-19 starting end-Jan, and we are very grateful for a firm, clear, transparent government that took quick decisive action on so many fronts, and a populace that was cooperative in helping to contain the spread. We had our panic moments that the US and Europe are experiencing now, and it is critical that we all play our part to work with our communities and government to tackle this. Chuck Chan: Challenges are never less. Weve kept being busy. For example, we tested new recipes for brownies and carrot cakes, which is going to be launched in April. We prepared for our next upcoming exhibition in-house. Elisa Urdich: Italian government is doing a good job with all these restrictions..maybe it wouldve been better to start with it 2 weeks in advance and not wait so many people infect and I think all the world has to do the same!!! Jenn Chen (@TheJennChen) is a San Franciscobased coffee marketer, writer, and photographer. Read more Jenn Chen on Sprudge. " " Wikimedia Commons ( CC By-SA 3.0 One of the last vestiges of America's early transcontinental airmail beacon system, this concrete arrow still remains, in the desert outside Walnut Creek, CA. Dotted across the American landscape in rugged, isolated places where tumbleweeds roll, snakes skitter and coyotes howl in the night, huge, mysterious concrete arrows lie like forgotten monuments against a pallet of sagebrush and sand, or on high hills against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains. Are they outcroppings of an ancient underground geometric civilization? Signposts created by aliens to invade Earth? Remnants of the Pony Express a lost episode that never aired on the History Channel? Nope, none of the above. But these giant cracked and edge-worn arrows do point toward history: They're the last vestiges of America's early transcontinental airmail beacon system literally a highway of light that guided early 1920s airmail pilots, in the days before radar and ground-to-air radio, safely to their destinations as they made night flights from coast to coast. Nearly a century before satellites, Siri and GPS made ace navigators out of even the most directionally challenged among us, pilots back in the day had to rely on their compass and terrestrial landmarks like mountains, lakes, rivers and railroad tracks to guide the way. Because their open cockpit biplanes had no lights and landing fields weren't illuminated, they could only fly by day, or risk almost certain death. Consequently, early transcontinental airmail delivery was a hybrid situation that involved leapfrogging the mail around the country by air in the daytime and delivering it to trains that rumbled by night. Using this system, a letter zipping along as fast as possible in 1922 could take up to 83 hours to make it from New York to San Francisco. By 1926, however, when the lighted airway was in place, a letter could be delivered from New York to San Francisco in just 33 hours thanks to the advent of the beacon system. And yet, being a postman of the skies was still a dangerous and potentially deadly job: Of the some 230 men who flew for the Post Office Department (the predecessor of the United States Postal Service) between 1918 and 1927, 32 died in crashes six in the first week of operation alone. Advertisement Ground-based Visual Navigation In 1924, Congress approved funding for the U.S. Postal Service to build a ground-based visual navigation system. Under the direction of the Postal Service, the Airways Division of the Lighthouse Bureau created beacon stations with concrete arrows. In 1926, oversight passed to the new Aeronautics Branch. Here's how it worked: A series of horizontal 50 to 70-foot (15 to 21-meters) long concrete arrows painted bright chrome yellow were spaced approximately 10 miles (17 kilometers) apart. At the center of each giant arrow stood a 51-foot (16-meter) steel beacon tower topped with two rotating lights estimated at between 1.25 and 5 million candlepower which, in clear weather, could be seen by pilots for 10 to 40 miles (17 to 64 kilometers). Beneath the rotating lights, two course lights pointed forward and backward along the arrow flashing a code which identified the beacon's number. Where no electricity was available, a generator shed, located at the tail end of the arrow, fueled the acetylene gas-powered lights. The site number was painted on one side of the shed's roof and the airway on the other side. Each giant yellow arrow pointed to the next giant arrow in a system of sequentially numbered beacon stations that guided pilots safely along their routes. By 1933, some 1,500 towers and beacons marked about 18,000 miles (29,000 kilometers) of varying routes across the nation. Throughout the 1930s, advanced navigation and radio technologies replaced the visual land-based system and the high cost of operating the arrow and beacon system during the Great Depression finally rendered it outmoded and obsolete although a handful of beacons continued to operate at minimum capacity into the 1940s. Once the program was defunded, the Department of Commerce decommissioned and deconstructed most of the towers for the badly needed steel that was in short supply during World War II, leaving a cross-country trail of big, lonesome, bright yellow concrete arrows to weather and fade for nearly a century out of context. Advertisement Enter the Arrow Hunters Flash forward to 2018 and meet California retirees Brian and Charlotte Smith, founders and hosts of the website Arrows Across America. Some retired couples buy metal detectors and head for the beach. This intrepid couple grabs their cameras, puts on their hiking boots, buys a Jeep and a drone and hits the highways and byways of America in search of arrows. Of the some 2,000 arrows that were created for the beacon system, it's estimated that about 200 remain. The Smith's have located and documented a pretty formidable number considering they only started their quest in 2013 and got hooked after Brian hiked to his first discovery in Washoe Co., Nevada. He sent Charlotte pictures from the site because the arthritis in her knees makes it hard for her to climb. Nevertheless, she persists. "We have 126 concrete arrow photos on our homepage, two destroyed sites, six metal arrow sites and five other type arrow sites," says Charlotte in an email. "We're finding new sites all the time. When we first started looking, Google maps didn't have clear images for all locations but as they redo areas sometimes an arrow is located. If the site has winter satellite photos it is easier to find the arrow under the trees than in a summer photo. In the East, there is a lot of foliage hiding the arrows and many sites don't have clear ground photos yet. So as better satellite photos are taken we expect to find more arrows. Also, as more people hear about them, they're out looking for them and send us the location when they find one." The Smiths consider their arrow quest a hobby that they both enjoy a hobby that allows them to travel the U.S. staying at cool places like the Harley-Davidson room in Winslow, Arizona, stopping in Roswell, New Mexico to learn about aliens, taking photos of arrows at interesting, remote locations and flying their drone. "We've been on TV, in newspapers and magazines for 'retired old people' it doesn't get any better than this," says Charlotte. "News reports call people our age elderly, but we sure don't feel elderly! People email, phone, text and post on Facebook new finds to us all the time. A lot of arrow sites have been cleaned, restored and improved upon since we first started. We don't know how much of it was because of us. We like to think that we shed a light that motivated the improvements, but no one has told us that we were their inspiration." In the past 12 months they've had over 16 million hits to their website 12 million of those in the last nine months alone. That's a lot of curiosity. "I think what interests people the most is the same thing that interested us," says Charlotte. "We had never heard about the arrows, we didn't know such things existed and were still out there to be found. We wanted to see one, then another, until we have now personally visited and photographed 94 arrows in 19 states." Speaking of curiosity, Charlotte wonders if anybody reading this might have any old pictures or documents concerning historic airmail sites, and she believes it's possible some folks do (if so, please visit the Smith's website for contact info they'd love to hear from you). "Many of the intermediate landing fields had caretakers and the families lived at the fields. We know there are pictures out there somewhere. Check your old family photo albums. Maybe you are a descendant of someone who helped planes fly across the United States and don't know it!" Also, Charlotte and Brian have never been in a biplane and would both love to fly over an arrow in one someday. NOW THAT'S CURIOUS Will the real inventor of Global Positional System (GPS) please stand up? Ultimately this revolutionary technology which has become a ubiquitous, must-have, essential tool of everyday modern life was created by the U.S. Department of Defense to assist with military operations. But who actually invented it? There are competing claims. Chiara Ferragnithe Italian model, fashion designer, and Instagram influencerhas a new bona fide: public health advocate. Since COVID-19 swept Milan, where she lives with her husband, Fedez, and their toddler, Ferragni has transitioned from her usual glamazon posts to dispatches meant to impress upon her 18 million followers the importance of not leaving their homes. (She is, thankfully, still sharing her house look of the day, driving me to consider how I might style my rotating cast of sweatpants.) When it comes to social media, people have often said, Instagram is not real life, and never has that felt truer (or more twisted) than it does right now. This doesnt feel like real lifewatching a world-famous blogger become a voice of reason in our upside-down universe. I started following Ferragni a few years ago. I liked the cute glittery sneakers she made and even bought a pair. I liked her excessthe sense that she was always doing too much, the most, everything. But I didnt get really interested in her until Milan went on lockdown. In Milanand across the whole of northern Italyhospitals are on the brink of total collapse, as the number of people who need treatment overwhelms the number of available beds and providers. According to the experts, the progression of the virus in the United States is expected to follow the pace it set in Italy, which means soon well be in a similar situation if we dont cancel everything to flatten the curve, or ensure that demand for health care doesnt exceed the number of ICU beds and ventilators available. I have been home with my three almost-teenage children for over a week, and honestly, Im going kind of nuts. While they commandeer the common spaces to do their homework and watch TV, one of the things thats oddly kept me sane is Chiara Ferragnis at once mesmerizing and comforting Instagram stories. Story continues Ferragni is the influencer we never expected, punctuating scenes from her apartment with posts that fight rampant misinformation from her fellow celebrities (including our president of the United States). First she smacked down Kendall Jenner after Jenner shared a series of infographics from various sources like the China Centre for Disease Control & Prevention, which highlighted how mild the seriousness of symptoms was and then encouraged fans to swipe up to buy her Moon teeth-whitening products, as Business Insider reported. From a huge voice, comes a huge responsibility, Ferragni said in response. Im trying my best to help my country and do whats right for the people because I feel its my responsibility. Please do the same. I can think of a few people who could stand to strike the same note. Soon Ferragni started a GoFundMe to raise funds for Italian hospitals to help with the overload. In under a week, she raised 4 million euros. And her frequent updatesbeamed into the feeds of the millennials and Gen-Zers who most need to internalize ithave in all likelihood helped other people realize that its responsible, even cool to be inside. With reports breaking around the clock that younger people can still have and spread the virus but show no symptoms, its so profoundly important that Ferragnis literal influence go figuratively viral. Her virality could in fact prevent more virality. But for me, theres something more: I never imagined Id turn to an influencer for a sense of calm, but it is somehow moving and oddly hopeful to watch this beautiful young Italian woman in her modern apartment with her husband and son, quarantined like the rest of us. Millions of people are in a more desperate situation than she is, as she well knows. But I have always looked to the young and fabulous for a respite from our deeply unfair world, and Ferragni is both. With each day of quarantine, she shows off her new house outfit. She puts on a full face of makeup. She reminds us that even in this darkness, an influencer is still gonna influence. That little pieces of the world still go on, that even if were be scared (and thousands of us are terrified), we will survive thisand that there will be more #spon when its over. Instagram can so often be used for badfor bragging and tacky displays of wealth and selling gross scam supplements. But this isnt that. This is a woman with an enormous platform, doing her bestin a never-ending number of nice sweatsuits. Watching her of course makes me ache not just for Italians, but for us and for all the people around the world who are dealing with this. It also makes me feel a twinge of wistfulness; I remember what it was like to entertain young children, to be new to married life. We have no shortage of panic in the world right now and no shortage of misinformation; Ferragni is doing her part to stem the flow of both. But shes also offering a window and a lifeline into what life under the strictest (and, of course, most privileged) quarantine is like. Shes making me in New York, which experts are worried could turn into the next Milan, feel a little less alone. Molly Jong-Fast is the author of three novels. Follow her on Twitter @mollyjongfast. Originally Appeared on Glamour Dog-sled racer Thomas Waerner made his childhood dreams come true when he won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Wednesday. As a young boy growing up in Norway, Waerner spent idle hours thinking long and hard about two different kinds of iconic American modes of transportation: muscle cars and the sled dogs in the Iditarod. Waerner, 47, made one of those dreams reality on Wednesday, winning the nearly 1,000-mile (1,609-kilometer) Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race across Alaska. Thomas Waerner (pictured), of Norway, won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race after crossing the finish line in Nome, Alaska, at 12.30am on Wednesday Werner is seen here posing with his two lead dogs, K2 (left) and Bark (right) after their win Waerner is shown arriving in Nome, after leading his team of 10 dogs off the Bering Sea ice After winning the race, Waerner (in orange) stopped to pet his dogs and give them treats He took a commanding lead in the late stages of the race and held a five-hour advantage over the next closest musher, three-time champion Mitch Seavey. 'This is awesome,' Waerner said after winning the race. 'This is something special.' Waerner took his dog team over mountain ranges, on the frozen Yukon River and across treacherous Bering Sea ice to the finish line on Nome's main street in nine days, 10 hours, 37 minutes and 47 seconds. The race started March 8 north of Anchorage and was one of the few sporting events in the U.S. that wasn't canceled because of the new coronavirus. The Iditarod encouraged fans not to travel to Nome, Alaska, for the finish as the city closed public buildings to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Musher Richie Diehl is shown here arriving in Ruby, Alaska, on the morning of March 13 Thomas Waerner mushes into Unalakleet, Alaska, on March 15, during the Iditarod race Musher Linwood Fiedler traverses Submarine Lake near Nikolai, Alaska, on March 10 Laura Neese drives her team during the restart of the 2020 Iditarod Sled Dog Race March 8 Events like the musher's banquet were postponed. But fans didn't employ social distancing as they poured out of bars and hotels to cheer Waerner as he drove the team off the Bering Sea ice and down Nome's Front Street to the finish line just after 12.30am. He will earn a minimum of $50,000 and a new pickup truck for winning the race. The actual cash amount will depend on how many mushers finish the race, a factor in how the prize money is divvied out. Waerner immediately thanked the 10 dogs in harness, petting and rubbing each dog, ending with his lead dogs K2 and Bark, before handing out treats. He called K2 'an amazing dog.' 'He has this inside engine that never stops,' Waerner said. Bark is the tough one, the winning musher said. 'He's the one just charging through everything. It doesn't matter what comes, he will just go through it, storms or whatever,' Waerner said. 'So they two together are an amazing team.' Waerner, who began mushing in 1984, won the Iditarod in only his second attempt. He finished 17th in 2015, when he earned Rookie of the Year honors. Wearner last year won the 745-mile (1,200-kilometer) Finnmarkslopet, the longest sled dog race in Europe. As an 11-year-old boy in Norway, he read mushing magazines touting the achievements of some of the Iditarod's most famous mushers of that era. Their ranks included the race's only five-time winner, Rick Swenson, and a four-time winner, the late Susan Butcher, who in the 1985 race had to fight off an angry moose with an axe after it killed two of her dogs. Waerner told reporters at the finish line that it was always his 'dream to come here and do the race.' Waerner became the second Norwegian musher in the last three years and third this century to win the race. Joar Leifseth Ulsom won in 2018 and Robert Sorlie took titles in 2003 and 2005. All three Norwegians earned Rookie of the Year honors before winning. Waerner encouraged other Norwegian mushers to follow in their footsteps. 'This is a great race you can do,' he said. 'Just start training.' Warner's victory was also a moment of pride for the Anchorage Sons of Norway chapter. Members considered throwing a banquet in his honor at a lodge, but restrictions put into place by the city over fears of the coronavirus derailed those plans. Waerner is shown here at the start of the Iditarod race, which begin on March 8 in Willow Joar Liefseth Ulsom (left) tends to his dogs while talking to Waerner (right) in Ruby on March 13 Jim Lanier's team run during the restart of the 2020 Iditarod Sled Dog Race on March 8 'We are super excited,' said Lise Falskow, the Norwegian honorary consul in Alaska 'Whenever a Norwegian is involved in the Iditarod, it's something that we all rally behind and get very excited because the Norwegians, they're tough and they're determined and like Alaskans, they don't shy away from the Iditarod,' she said. Waerner lives in Torpa, Norway, with his wife, Guro. She is a veterinarian who helps out with their kennel. He also owns an electrical business. Nome wasn't the only Iditarod race location where fears over the coronavirus prompted changes. Some local officials in communities along the race's route asked that the checkpoints be moved outside of the villages to prevent any spread of the virus. The Iditarod suffered a big monetary blow this year when two longtime sponsors with deep Alaska ties dropped their financial support for the race. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals took credit for Alaska Airlines and the Anchorage Chrysler dealership dropping their support after targeting the airline's headquarters in Seattle, Washington, and the Fiat Chrysler Automobile offices in Detroit, Michigan, with protests over what the group has called the race's cruel treatment of dogs. Alaska Airlines said PETA had nothing to do with its decision, which it called a change in the company's corporate giving strategy. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles didn't mention PETA when it confirmed that the independently owned and operated dealership would no longer sponsor the race. The Anchorage dealership was one of the Iditarods top-tier sponsors and provided the pickup for the race winner for 30 years. I felt as if I didnt matter, said Ms. Santamaria, who earns $22 an hour. While many Americans are fleeing their offices to avoid any contact with the coronavirus, low-wage janitors are sometimes being asked to do the opposite. Although millions of Californians have been ordered to shelter in place, janitors are still being asked to go into offices to battle the invisible germs that threaten public health, even as those germs, and the new, powerful cleaning solutions they are being asked to use, may endanger their own health. They often operate without specialized protective gear. And the increasing demand for their services is adding new stress and risks. Janitors cleaning the Amazon headquarters in Seattle complained that a new disinfectant they were asked to use made their eyes and skin burn. In San Francisco, janitors said they have been asked to clean offices without having been told that people who had or were exposed to the virus had worked there. Janitors wonder why they are left in the dark when companies go to great lengths to ensure that the tech, finance and other workers occupying the buildings they clean are aware of the most remote possibility of coming into contact with the virus. It shows, they say, how disparities play out in a public health crisis how their lives sometimes seem to be valued less than those of people with resources and power. None of our families should be treated as second-class citizens, Olga Miranda, the president of the Service Employees International Union Local 87, told the janitors at 555 California last week. She had gathered the largely immigrant work force in a plaza in front of the building and told them to walk off the job to protest the cleaning companys failure to notify them about the coronavirus case. February 28, Friday A 32-year-old male was arrested on a warrant for a local misdemeanor for assault on a public servant on the 600 block of North I-27 around 1:30 a.m. on Feb. 28. A 24-year-old was arrested for driving while intoxicated on the 2900 block of W. 11th around 4:30 a.m. on Feb. 28. A 44-year-old was arrested for driving while intoxicated, operating a motor vehicle without financial responsibility and driving without a license on the 500 block of N. Columbia around 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 28. Damaged property was reported on the 1000 block of Joliet around 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 28. Assault was reported on the 3700 block of Olton Rd. just before noon on Feb. 28. Identity theft was reported on the 300 block of Cedar just before 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 28. Theft was reported on the 200 block of Denver just before 6 p.m. on Feb. 28. A traffic accident resulting in injury was reported on the 1500 block of North I-27 just before 8 p.m. on Feb. 28. Shoplifting was reported on the 2400 block of N. Columbia just before 6 p.m. on Feb. 28. February 29, Saturday A 31-year-old was arrested for driving with an invalid license with previous conviction/suspension without financial resolution on the 200 block of N. Date just after 9 p.m. on Feb. 29. Damaged property was reported on the 1200 block of Independence just after 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 29. Aggravated assaulted with a weapon was reported on the 900 block of Cedar just after 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 29. A traffic accident resulting in vehicle damage was reported on the 800 block of Columbia just before 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 29. A traffic accident resulting in vehicle damage was reported on the 700 block of Ash around 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 29. Trespassing on private property was reported on the 2600 block of Dimmitt Rd. just after 4:30 a.m. on Feb. 29. March 1, Sunday A 30-year-old was arrested on a warrant for a local misdemeanor on the 1500 block of Gray around 10 p.m. on March 1. Marisol Lujan Rivas, 32, was arrested for reckless driving, evading arrest/detention with a vehicle and possession of marijuana on the 400 block of W. 11th around 3:30 a.m. on March 1. Firing of a weapon was reported on the 600 block of North I-27 just after 2 a.m. on March 1. Burglary by unforced entry into a residence was reported on the 200 block of SE Alpine just before 2 p.m. on March 1. A traffic accident resulting in vehicle damage was reported on the 700 block of W. 16th just before 10 a.m. on March 1. Assault was reported on the 800 block of Borger just after 9:30 p.m. on March 1. March 2, Monday Joel Terrazas Marquez was arrested on a warrant for a local felony and a warrant for an out of county felony on the 300 block of Denver just after 1 p.m. on March 2. Police arrested a male for driving without a license and for driving without vehicle liability insurance on the 1300 block of Milwaukee just after 10 p.m. on March 2. A female was arrested for a warrant on a local misdemeanor on the 200 block of Austin just before 6:30 p.m. on March 2. Police arrested a male for possession/use, inhale/ingestion of a volatile chemical on the 2600 block of W. 20th around midnight of March 2/3. Theft from a yard/land was reported on the 1000 block of W. 24th St. just before 5 p.m. on March 2. Fraud was reported on the 300 block of NE Alpine just after 5 p.m. on March 2. Shoplifting was reported on the 3500 block of Olton Rd. around 11:30 a.m. on March 2. A traffic accident resulting in vehicle damage was reported on the 3600 block of SW 3rd just after 9:30 a.m. on March 2. March 3, Tuesday A 45-year-old was arrested for assault on the 2500 block of Holiday just after 8 p.m. on March 3. A 29-year-old was arrested for a warrant on a local misdemeanor and for possession of narcotic equipment on the 1500 block of Portland just before 1 p.m. on March 3. A 19-year-old was arrested on a warrant for a local misdemeanor on the 900 block of Jefferson just before 3 p.m. on March 3. A 22-year-old was arrested on a warrant for a local misdemeanor on the 900 block of W. 10th just after 4 p.m. on March 3. A traffic accident resulting in damage to private property was reported on the 1600 block of N. Date just before noon on March 3. March 4, Wednesday Two 24-year-old were arrested on March 4 during a traffic stop on the 900 block of W. 10th. One was charged with driving without a license and without motor vehicle liability insurance. The other was charged with possession/delivery of drug paraphernalia. A 32-year-old was arrested for driving without a drivers license on the 2500 block of W. 5th just before 8 p.m. on March 4. Damage to a vehicle was reported on the 3000 block of Olton Rd. just before 7:30 a.m. on March 4. Theft was reported on the 2500 block of W. 5th just before 7 p.m. on March 4. March 5, Thursday A 33-year-old was arrested on a warrant for a local misdemeanor on the corner of 5th & Austin around 3:30 p.m. on March 5. Wire fraud was reported on the 700 block of W. 6th around 5 p.m. on March 5. Burglary by forced entry into a residence and damaged property were reported on the 1000 block of Utica just after 8:30 p.m. on March 5. Possession of a substance in penalty group 2 was reported on the 300 block of E. 5th just before 11 p.m. on March 5. Burglary by unforced entry into a nonresidence was reported on the 100 block of E. 7th just before 11:30 a.m. on March 5. Passage of counterfeit documents was reported on the 2700 block of Olton Rd. just before 3 p.m. on March 5. A traffic accident resulting in injury was reported on the 2000 block of Smythe around 8 a.m. on March 5. March 6, Friday A 20-year-old was arrested on a warrant for a local misdemeanor on the 1000 block of W. 14th just before 10 a.m. on March 6. A traffic accident resulting in vehicle damage was reported on the 4000 block of W. 15th just before 4 p.m. on March 6. A traffic accident resulting in injury was reported on the 4000 block of Olton Rd. around 7:15 p.m. on March 6. Burglary by forced entry into a residence was reported on the 1300 block of W. 14th just after 3:15 p.m. on March 6. Assault was reported on the 1600 block of N. Date just before 4 a.m. on March 6. Damaged property was reported on the 1400 block of Nassau just before 8 p.m. on March 6. March 7, Saturday A 19-year-old was arrested for public intoxication on the 2200 block of Houston just around 11:45 p.m. on March 7. Darien Dale Redstone, 48, was arrested for statutory rape on the 4200 block of Ridgeway around 2 p.m. on March 7. A 26-year-old was arrested for driving while intoxicated and for possession of less than two ounces of marijuana on the 3500 block of Olton Rd. just before 3 a.m. on March 7. Terroristic threats/state offenses were reported on the 1500 block of Yonkers around 9:30 a.m. on March 7. March 8, Sunday A 24-year-old was arrested for public intoxication on the 2600 block of Olton Rd. just before 6 a.m. on March 8. A 25-year-old was arrested for public intoxication on the 2400 block of Fresno just before 3:30 a.m. on March 8. A 29-year-old was arrested for driving while intoxicated on the 500 block of E. 5th just before 11 a.m. on March 8. A traffic accident resulting injury was reported on the corner of 5th & Nassau around 5:30 p.m. on March 8. Strongarm rape was reported on the 1100 block of W. 11th just before 9:30 p.m. on March 8. A sexual offense was reported on the 1300 block of Amarillo just before 11 p.m. on March 8. AUSTIN, Minn., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Hormel Foods, a global branded food company (NYSE: HRL), has taken a leadership role in helping with hunger relief and food insecurity as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. The company has announced a pledge of $1 million in cash and product donations to assist nonprofits with their efforts in addition to its regular, ongoing hunger-relief efforts. "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," said Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Hormel Foods. "We understand the critical role we play in providing safe and high-quality food for 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 products, just as we have done over the last 129 years. "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." The company's monetary and product donations will be made to global, national and local hunger-relief organizations. Feeding America, Convoy of Hope, Conscious Alliance and food and hunger-relief organizations in the company's plant communities will be among those organizations receiving immediate funding and donations. Hormel Foods has donated more than $50 million in cash and product donations to help others over the last five years. For more information about the company's charitable giving and corporate responsibility efforts, please visit https://csr.hormelfoods.com/. 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 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/. SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation Related Links http://www.hormel.com Tourists stand along the waterfront as a cruise ship sits moored in Sydney Harbour a day before its expected departure on Mar 17, 2020. (Photo: AFP / DAVID GRAY) The prime minister announced at a press conference what he called an "indefinite ban" on foreign travel. "Regardless of your destination, age or health, our advice is do not travel at this time," the foreign ministry's Smart Traveller alert said. A spokesman for national carrier Qantas said it would continue issuing tickets to Australians wanting to leave the country on the few flights it continues to operate. "It's advice, it's not a ban," he told AFP. "This is a once-in-100-year type event," Morrison said of the pandemic. "We haven't seen this sort of thing in Australia since the end of the first World War." "We are going to keep Australia running, we are going to keep Australia functioning, (but) it won't look like it normally does," he said, warning that the measures being taken would last at least six months. "The travel advice to every Australian is 'Do not travel abroad'. Do not go overseas," he said. In announcing the ban on indoor gatherings of more than 100 people, Morrison excluded public transportation, shopping sites, health facilities and schools from the measure. Australia has so far recorded more than 500 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with the numbers escalating daily. There have so far been six fatalities. He rejected calls for the government to order schools to close, as has been done in other countries, saying the impact on society and the economy from such a closure would be "severe". "Whatever we do we have to do for at least six months," he said, adding that among other consequences a long school closure would remove 30 per cent of workers from the health industry as parents remained home with their kids. Morrison also flagged further economic stimulus measures. "UN-AUSTRALIAN" Australia's chief medical officer, Brendan Murphy, also ruled out the kind of blanket shutdown that has been imposed in parts of Europe. "A short-term, two-to-four-week shutdown of society is not recommended by any of our experts," he said, speaking alongside Morrison. "It does not achieve anything, we have to be in this for the long haul." The bar on foreign travel came as Australia's two main airlines slashed overseas services, with Qantas axing 90 per cent of flights and Virgin Australia grounding its entire international fleet. The latest moves to restrict foreign travel came as Australia's two main airlines slashed overseas services, with Qantas axing 90 percent of flights and Virgin Australia grounding its entire international fleet. Sydney airport was quiet Wednesday, with a nearly empty arrivals hall and a limited number of departing flights, though check-in lanes for those were crowded. Shea de Lorenzo, who said she made it onto a rare international flight out of Sapporo, Japan, expressed relief to have made it home. "We're so lucky, (it was) touch and go. Really lucky," she said. Morrison also joined supermarkets in calling for an end to panic buying, which has led to empty shelves and hit the most vulnerable hardest. "We discourage the panic purchase of food and other supplies," Morrison said. "Stop doing it. It's ridiculous! It's un-Australian, and it must stop ... We're all in this together." The American Dream extends to military families, but more needs to be done to address spouse unemployment and children's access to quality education, former second lady Jill Biden said in a virtual meeting Monday. As the Joe Biden presidential campaign turns virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jill Biden appealed to military families in a phone call by presenting her husband's policies and telling the story of her father -- a Navy signalman in World War II who used the GI Bill to go to business school and eventually became a bank president. "That was my family's American Dream," she said. "Where, in one generation, the son of an immigrant could join the middle class. Where, if you worked hard, you could have a career that made you proud." But Biden said this prosperity must include military families, adding that she's concerned about the nearly 30% unemployment rate for highly educated military spouses and poor mental health care options for military families. Related: Military Spouse Employment 101 That's why her husband's policy proposals include the creation of a military spouse entrepreneurship pilot that would provide "micro-grants," mentorship and technical assistance to help military spouses start or grow their small businesses. To further help military spouses and their careers, the Biden campaign said the candidate wants to create a commission to explore the possibility of extending the time between permanent change-of-station (PCS) moves. The former vice president is also calling for an end to the "90/10 loophole" that motivates for-profit schools to enroll veterans, service members and military family members so they can receive GI Bill or Tuition Assistance funding that qualifies them for federal funding. In her call with military families, Jill Biden promised she would make increased mental health care "one of my most important priorities." Specifically, the campaign is proposing increased access to telehealth services, and efforts to recruit and retain behavioral health care providers. "In many ways, this election is about the simple, but profound truth that the American Dream means nothing if it's not for all Americans," she said. "And that especially includes those who have sacrificed for our nation, those who wear the uniform, as well as the families who stand beside them." -- Dorothy Mills-Gregg can be reached at dorothy.mills-gregg@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @DMillsGregg. Read More: Airman Advances in Quest to Become First Female Special Tactics Officer With as many as 2,131 persons returning from 80 countries registering their travel details with the Odisha government's portal, three hotels here on Wednesday came forward to make quarantine arrangements for isolation of suspected COVID-19 patients, officials said. The hotels located in Jaydev Vihar, Kalpana Square and Saheed Nagar areas of the capital city have agreed to provide quarantine facilities to the persons returning from abroad, an official said, adding that a few more big hotels will also be roped in. The official said the hotel quarantine facility for suspected COVID-19 patients is possibly the first such attempt made by any state government in the country. Each person will be given a room during their quarantine period of 14 days as per the state government's guidelines, the official said. Meanwhile, the state government's chief spokesperson on COVID-19, Subrato Bagchi said of the 2,131 returnees, 20 per cent came from the UAE, 9 per cent from the US, 5 per cent from Saudi Arabia, 4 per cent each from the UK and Malaysia and 1 per cent each from Italy, South Korea and France. He said 37 per cent of the returnees hail from Khurda district, which includes Bhubaneswar, followed by Cuttack, Ganjam, Kendrapara and Balasore. The 2,131 returnees hail from 29 of the 30 districts, barring Malkangiri, he said. However, no resident of Odisha has returned from China, Bagchi said. He said that in the past 24 hours, 5,202 calls were received to the health helpline number 104. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) From the closing of borders to mandatory quarantines, governments around the world are taking drastic steps to try to contain the coronavirus pandemic. Past outbreaks provide a blueprint for governments navigating the challenges of COVID-19, which has spread to more than 200,000 people worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University on Wednesday. Pandemics such as the 1918 influenza offer one key takeaway: Clear communication from the federal government is key. "The main lesson from 1918 is very clear: that you tell the truth in a public health setting," John Barry, author of the "The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History," told CNBC. The 1918 influenza pandemic, also known as the Spanish flu, killed an estimated 50 million worldwide, including 675,000 in the U.S., according to the CDC. The pandemic occurred in three waves: the spring of 1918, fall of 1918, and winter and spring of 1919. In the midst of World War I, the federal government had limited resources to fight it. An estimated 30% of U.S. physicians were engaged in military service, so Congress passed funding in October 1918 to recruit doctors and nurses. At the time, there were no vaccines or lab tests to detect the virus, which meant government officials relied on "non-pharmaceutical interventions" such as quarantine, isolation and limits on public gatherings. Symmetry Financial Group, the nation's top insurance marketing organization, was awarded the 2020 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Indomitable Spirit Award by the Central and Western North Carolina Chapter of the renowned Make-A-Wish Foundation. Make-A-Wish Central and Western North Carolina presented the award to Symmetry Financial Group on Friday, February 21, at their annual Wish Ball. The chapter's largest annual event, the gala brings together more than 600 guests from all over the region to celebrate the power of making wishes come true for sick and needy children. Make-A-Wish grants wishes to children with critical and/or terminal illnesses Make-A-Wish Central and Western North Carolina serves 51 counties in North Carolina and has granted over 5,110 wishes since its inception in 1985. Every year, the organization bestows the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Indomitable Spirit Award to honor a corporation or individual whose caring and dedication has significantly impacted the work of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. "We are so grateful for the support of Symmetry Financial Group, and everything they have done to make wishes possible," declared Michelle Scannella, Marketing and Communications Manager at Make-A-Wish Central and Western North Carolina. "At this year's Wish Ball, we presented them with the 2020 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Indomitable Spirit Award, which was created to honor one partner that embodies Make-A-Wish's desire to Share the Power of a Wish, through persistence, compassion, integrity and dedication, making a lasting impression on the community. It is reserved for the most transformational partners, and Symmetry exemplifies that in every sense of the word." Whit Zeh, Director of Community Relations and Well-Being at Symmetry Financial Group, praised the work of Symmetry Financial Founders as central to the philanthropic mission of the Group. "We would not be able to give back on the level that we do if it wasn't for Symmetry Financial Group founders Casey and Sarah Watkins, Brandon and Meredith Ellison, and Brian and Geri Pope, who set the stage early on and prioritized the core value of giving back and doing good in the world," stated Zeh. Symmetry Financial Group includes community giving as part of its corporate culture, and encourages its entire team, across all locations and positions, to participate in various philanthropic projects throughout the year, including special events such as the annual Symmetry Challenge, which last year raised over $200,000 for Make-A-Wish. The Symmetry Challenge is a yearly fundraising event hosted in Asheville, NC that includes a 5k race along with a dodge ball tournament. The event brings together hundreds of Symmetry agents and staff to have some fun while raising funds for such causes as the Make-A-Wish Foundation. "It feels so good to be part of a company that truly lives by the core values they set," noted Zeh. "We have worked over the last three years, not only to raise money, but also share the mission of Make-A-Wish and bring awareness to the cause." Zeh continued by praising the work of his entire corporate team, and their dedicated participation in the company's culture of giving. "We are proud that we have been able to create a culture of giving through events like the Symmetry Challenge," she noted. "We love to see people within our company come from across the country to support our local Make-A-Wish chapter, and then spread the impact by going home and supporting their local chapters through hosting their own fundraising events and making personal donations. We are grateful for our partnership and look forward to many more wonderful years supporting and collaborating with Make-A-Wish." Symmetry Financial Group, the leading insurance marketing company in the U.S., is dedicated to helping consumers understand the value of insurance products. The company is able to provide customers with a variety of insurance options, thanks to its partnerships with over 30 of the nation's top-rated insurance carriers. Symmetry Financial Group employs hundreds of knowledgeable agents that save customers the legwork of shopping around for tailored coverage options such as life insurance, mortgage protection, critical illness and/or disability insurance, retirement protection, and more. Scientists have proved one of Charles Darwin's theories of evolution for the first time - nearly 140 years after his death. Laura van Holstein, a PhD student in Biological Anthropology at St John's College, University of Cambridge, and lead author of the research published today (March 18) in Proceedings of the Royal Society, discovered mammal subspecies play a more important role in evolution than previously thought. Her research could now be used to predict which species conservationists should focus on protecting to stop them becoming endangered or extinct. A species is a group of animals that can interbreed freely amongst themselves. Some species contain subspecies - populations within a species that differ from each other by having different physical traits and their own breeding ranges. Northern giraffes have three subspecies that usually live in different locations to each other and red foxes have the most subspecies - 45 known varieties - spread all over the world. Humans have no subspecies. van Holstein said: "We are standing on the shoulders of giants. In Chapter 3 of On the Origin of Species Darwin said animal lineages with more species should also contain more 'varieties'. Subspecies is the modern definition. My research investigating the relationship between species and the variety of subspecies proves that sub-species play a critical role in long-term evolutionary dynamics and in future evolution of species. And they always have, which is what Darwin suspected when he was defining what a species actually was." The anthropologist confirmed Darwin's hypothesis by looking at data gathered by naturalists over hundreds of years - long before Darwin famously visited the Galapagos Islands on-board HMS Beagle. On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, was first published in 1859 after Darwin returned home from a five-year voyage of discovery. In the seminal book, Darwin argued that organisms gradually evolved through a process called 'natural selection' - often known as survival of the fittest. His pioneering work was considered highly controversial because it contradicted the Bible's account of creation. van Holstein's research also proved that evolution happens differently in land mammals (terrestrial) and sea mammals and bats (non-terrestrial) because of differences in their habitats and differences in their ability to roam freely. van Holstein said: "We found the evolutionary relationship between mammalian species and subspecies differs depending on their habitat. Subspecies form, diversify and increase in number in a different way in non-terrestrial and terrestrial habitats, and this in turn affects how subspecies may eventually become species. For example, if a natural barrier like a mountain range gets in the way, it can separate animal groups and send them off on their own evolutionary journeys. Flying and marine mammals - such as bats and dolphins - have fewer physical barriers in their environment." The research explored whether subspecies could be considered an early stage of speciation - the formation of a new species. van Holstein said: "The answer was yes. But evolution isn't determined by the same factors in all groups and for the first time we know why because we've looked at the strength of the relationship between species richness and subspecies richness." The research acts as another scientific warning that the human impact on the habitat of animals will not only affect them now, but will affect their evolution in the future. This information could be used by conservationists to help them determine where to focus their efforts. van Holstein explained: "Evolutionary models could now use these findings to anticipate how human activity like logging and deforestation will affect evolution in the future by disrupting the habitat of species. The impact on animals will vary depending on how their ability to roam, or range, is affected. Animal subspecies tend to be ignored, but they play a pivotal role in longer term future evolution dynamics." van Holstein is now going to look at how her findings can be used to predict the rate of speciation from endangered species and non-endangered species. Notes to editors: What Darwin said on page 55 in 'On the Origin of Species': "From looking at species as only strongly-marked and well-defined varieties, I was led to anticipate that the species of the larger genera in each country would oftener present varieties, than the species of the smaller genera; for wherever many closely related species (i.e species of the same genus) have been formed, many varieties or incipient species ought, as a general role, to be now forming. Where many large trees grow, we expect to find saplings." Datasets: Most of the data is from Wilson and Reeder's Mammal Species Of The World, a global collated database of mammalian taxonomy. The database contains hundreds of years' worth of work by taxonomists from all over the world. The current way of "doing" taxonomy goes all the way back to botanist Carl Linnaeus (1735), so the accumulation of knowledge is the combined work of all taxonomists since then. ### (Alliance News) - Bahamas Petroleum Co PLC on Tuesday said it has agreed to double the size of an existing convertible loan note. The zero-coupon, second-ranking, unsecured loan note was previously valued at GBP8 million, but this has now been increased to GBP16 million. Some 90% of the facility is yet to be drawn, Bahamas said, with the loan provided by an institutional family-office investor in the Bahamas. Chief Executive Simon Potter said: "Materially increasing the size of the facility with the same investor on an immediate, unconditional basis is, in and of itself, a tremendous boost for the project. Moreover, for the company to achieve this in the face of the decline in oil price and the global adverse impact of the Covid-19 virus is an enormous vote of confidence in the company, our planned drilling activity and the robust nature of our prospects. "Notwithstanding current turmoil in the world's financial markets and the disruption associated with the Covid-19 virus, including interruption to our drilling schedule, the project team remains together, focused and intent on delivery. I look forward to updating shareholders further over the coming weeks." Shares closed 4.5% lower in London on Tuesday at 2.00 pence each. By George Collard; georgecollard@alliancenews.com Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Planet America Television shows are now beginning to adopt social distancing on camera as the coronavirus pandemic grips the nation. For television -which has historically been dependent on a camera two-shot- this is particularly challenging. Q&A The Drum While panel shows may be able to be creative in this approach, its far more difficult for genres such as Drama and Reality TV. But not all shows last night had begun to adopt the practice as yet. Already reeling from a lack of studio audiences, social distancing on screen becomes simply their latest challenge. Like all of us, they will need some time to adjust to this evolving situation. Update: Thursday morning: While social distancing and quarantines are key to stopping the spread of COVID-19 and maintaining public safety, they're having a detrimental ripple effect on small businesses. "These mandatory restaurant closures are going to be devastating on local restaurants, other small businesses and all the [people] that they employ," Andrew Rigie, the executive director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance, told "Good Morning America." Restaurants and bars "are vital to the economic footprint and the social fabric of [any] city, and [they] are being decimated." The U.S. has more than 1 million restaurants that employ about 15.6 million people, according to the National Restaurant Association. "More than 70% of these restaurants are small businesses that support their local communities," the National Restaurant Associated added. "These local restaurants run on razor-thin pre-tax margins, and they are facing an unprecedented cash flow crisis." PHOTO: The GrubHub logo is displayed on a smartphone. (Sopa Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) Collateral damage On Monday, as the number of national coronavirus cases climbed above 4,000, President Donald Trump issued stricter guidelines to stop the spread of the disease, calling on Americans to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people, encouraging schooling from home and avoiding eating and drinking in public. At the city and state level, the mandatory closures lead to takeout- and delivery-only policies going into effect in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, along with similar measures in Illinois, California, Ohio, Massachusetts, Washington, Louisiana, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. Although safety is the priority, this could mean trouble for your favorite family-owned restaurant. To aid those affected locally, the New York City Hospitality Alliance is fighting for an immediate city-wide rent freeze and suspension of the city's eviction court. Pete Wells, a restaurant critic for The New York Times, wrote: "I see two possible futures for restaurants. In one, state and local governments across the country move rapidly to help them survive the closings and get going again when that's safe. In the other, bankruptcies cascade across the economy, and people are out of work in numbers this country has not seen since the 1930s." Story continues Those, along with waived delivery fees, are very important changes that can be made to help those who are affected, Rigie told "GMA." In fact, Grubhub, Postmates, Uber Eats and DoorDash are among the third-party delivery apps cutting or adjusting their commissions and delivery fees during the pandemic. "Today, we find ourselves in an unprecedented situation, one that requires all of us to take measures above and beyond what we previously could have imagined," Tony Xu, CEO and co-founder of DoorDash, said in a statement. "As the spread of COVID-19 continues, some of the most vulnerable people within the communities we serve are at risk. We are joining forces with community organizations to deliver an estimated one million pounds of groceries and prepared food." MORE: Working from home amid coronavirus? Here are the best tips to be productive PHOTO: Close-up of logo reading We Deliver With Postmates, referencing the Postmates food delivery app service, on a restaurant window in San Jose, Calif., June 7, 2018. (Smith Collection/gado/Getty Images) How you can help Rigie said directly dialing your favorite restaurants also may help. "Or order directly through their website. If restaurants offer gift cards or other types of merchandise, go purchase them, help support them," Rigie added. "These are cashflow businesses so if there's no money coming in, there's no money going out." Jaymee Sire, a food and travel blogger from Brooklyn, New York, agreed that gift cards and direct order are ways to help. She also added that it's important to stay up to date with your favorite restaurants, as they may be offering specials and promotions. "[One restaurant] you can get a bucket of 20 meatballs with sauce. [Another restaurant], if you make an order over $100, they'll throw in two rolls of toilet paper, stuff like that," Sire said. One restaurant getting creative is Puesto in San Diego. Alexander Adler, a co-founder, said that, typically, the six locations served more than 5,000 guests on an average day. But for some of those spots, that had declined about 50%. MORE: #AskGMA: 10 common coronavirus questions answered Now, under the direction of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, they are closed, Adler said "The coronavirus pandemic has been one of the toughest crises we have had to endure as a company," Adler said. "The most important thing we can't stop thinking about is how this will affect our team, which is family to us." To help mitigate the devastating financial loss, remain safe and support the community, Puesto launched an ad-hoc delivery service via Postmates called Puesto Cares. Through this service, Puesto is delivering a variety of cooked and uncooked food items that can be useful to others who are under quarantine, and at no delivery cost. "It was one small way we are able to support our communities and help feed them for the next couple days," Adler told "GMA." "It was a tough day yesterday, but ended on a somewhat positive note with over 500 bags going out." Rigie, Sire and Adler all acknowledge that it is a privilege to be able to order food support local businesses in times of crisis, yet still believe it's imperative that those who can should continue, whether it's actual food orders, buying gift cards or writing long-overdue positive reviews online. "Please be supportive of your communities as a whole," Adler said. "Each and every business is hurting. If you have the ability to support your favorite local restaurant and business, please do so." Here's how you can help your favorite restaurant amid coronavirus originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com A new mural of Prime Minister Boris Johnson urging people to stop panic-buying amid the coronavirus outbreak has appeared in London. Styled on the famous World War Two Uncle Sam recruitment posters, the metre-tall mural by street artist Pegasus appeared in Shoreditch on Tuesday. Above the caption I want you to stop panic buying, the PM, dressed in a blue suit and red bow tie, is pictured pointing his finger at the viewer. The mural is styled on the famous World War Two Uncle Same recruitment posters / Pegasus Pegasus told the Standard he painted the Great Eastern Street mural because he wanted to remind people to be considerate to each other in uncertain times. I've created this piece in response to the stockpiling issue major food retailers are facing around the country because of greedy customers. During these worrying and uncertain times, we all need to be more considerate and hold onto that be kind sentiment people were preaching just a few weeks ago, he said. Pegasus Street Art: Theresa May 'Dressed to Kill' - In pictures 1 /8 Pegasus Street Art: Theresa May 'Dressed to Kill' - In pictures Pegasus Street Art: Theresa May 'Dressed to Kill' @pegasusart Pegasus Street Art: Theresa May 'Dressed to Kill' Pegasus Pegasus Street Art: Theresa May 'Dressed to Kill' Pegasus Pegasus Street Art: Theresa May 'Dressed to Kill' Pegasus Pegasus Street Art: Theresa May 'Dressed to Kill' @pegasusart Pegasus On Wednesday, supermarket Morrisons said it has seen retail sales jump 5% since its financial year end due to considerable stockpiling amid the coronavirus crisis. It came after Mr Johnson said on Tuesday the government was absolutely confident supermarkets would stay stocked. Were absolutely confident that our supply chains are working and will work, and that we will get farm to fork food supplies for this country. Alexandra Voelker, a Libertyville resident, brought a glove and pen and said she was going to use hand sanitizer once she got back to her car after voting. She said she was in and out of her polling place quicker than she had been in recent years. New Delhi, March 18 : Keeping the growing coronavirus pandemic in mind, leading ed-tech companies have announced to make learning on their platforms free for millions in the country, with BYJU's witnessing a massive 60 per cent increase in online traffic within a week. Divya Gokulnath, Co-founder and Director, BYJU'S, said that in light of the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis, students are currently able to download and access BYJU'S learning programmes for free until the end of April. "Since our announcement last week, we have witnessed a 60 per cent increase in the number of new students using the app to learn from home daily," she said in a statement. The number of queries from students and parents for BYJU's home learning programmes have more than doubled in the past one week. "Students across both metros and non metros are increasingly accessing the lessons on the app. In fact, students with year-end exams (higher grades) are using video lessons to revise crucial concepts while the younger grade students are learning new concepts and getting themselves ready for the coming year," informed Gokulnath. Edtech company Unacademy on Wednesday announced to open up its platform for all the educational institutions across the country to come and teach live on the platform. Gaurav Munjal, Co-Founder and CEO at Unacademy, said in a series of tweets that as the entire nation takes preventive measures to combat COVID-19, the education system has suffered a setback too, with educational institutions shutting down until the situation improves. "At Unacademy, we believe that learning must never stop, come what may. Thus, we are opening up our platform to educational institutions across the country to conduct their classes online, via Unacademy," said Munjal. "Till the situation improves, they will be able to use our platform, for free, without any limitations on the hours or number of classes," he added. Akhand Swaroop Pandit, CEO and Founder of nCatalyst Group, an online learning platform for competitive exam, said that they are giving free access to students for various online classes on competitive exams. "Overall, we have witnessed 30-40 per cent in admissions in the last two to three days and also the number of students regularly attending the online classes are increased due to colleges and school shutdown," he said. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Business group, Dublin Chamber is calling on Irish consumers to look local first when shopping online over the coming days and weeks. The Chamber, responding to the news that some Irish retailers have made the decision to close their physical doors for the foreseeable future due to the coronavirus outbreak, said that an extra emphasis on supporting Irish businesses online over the coming period will help support local jobs. Dublin Chamber is also calling on Irish consumers to consider buying online vouchers for their favourite restaurants, cafes, bars and hotels. The Chamber say this type of activity will help to support those businesses who have had to shut their doors or curtail their operations due to the Covid-19 outbreak. According to Dublin Chambers Head of Communications, Graeme McQueen, "Were calling on consumers to play their part to help support Irish businesses over the coming period. Dublin Chambers message is simple: if you are shopping online over the coming days and weeks, please look local first. The doors of many Irish retailers may be closed, but most have an online presence. Even if theres a small difference in the price between an Irish website and another overseas, wed encourage people to play their part by spending their money locally." He added, "By supporting an Irish business you are helping to support local jobs at this tough time and aiding embattled Irish businesses to weather the current storm. This is a hugely challenging time for everyone, but by working together and supporting those close to us we can all get through it together." Source: www.businessworld.ie EATON COUNTY, MI An 88-year-old woman from Eaton County has tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by novel coronavirus. This is the first person from the county to test positive for the virus, according to a Barry-Eaton District Health Department news release on Wednesday, March 18. The woman has recently traveled domestically, the release states. Michigan has reported 80 cases of coronavirus, as of Wednesday afternoon, March 18, per the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. This positive case is not a part of that total reported at 2 p.m. Wednesday. It will be included in Thursdays update. The Eaton County woman who tested positive was tested through the MDHHS, county health officials said. Sorry, but your browser does not support frames. We understand many in the community are concerned about the spread of COVID-19," BEDHD Health Officer Colette Scrimger said in the release. "(BEDHD) will be acting quickly using methods such as contact tracing, quarantine, and isolation for impacted individuals to reduce the risk of illness in Eaton County. Symptoms of the virus include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Call your healthcare provider if youre concerned you have the virus, health officials said. Eaton Countys neighbors to the east and southeast already have cases of coronavirus. Ingham County has two confirmed cases, while Jackson announced its first confirmed case on Tuesday, March 17. Eaton County doesnt have drive-through coronavirus testing sites, like there are in Jackson, Milea Burgstahler, BEDHD community health promotion specialist, said. Conversations are taking place to see if opening one is a possibility, she said. BEDHD is working on gathering more information about the case and is still tabulating how many people have been tested in the county so far. It will not release what town the woman is from, where potential exposure sites are or if the woman has been hospitalized or not, Burgstahler said. More Michigan coronavirus coverage: Michigan officials confirm first fatality, 15 new coronavirus cases, 80 total Jackson County still at 1 novel coronavirus case, as test results roll in, hospital says Commencement, other events canceled or postponed at Jackson College 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 Jackson cancels city meetings, closes City Hall to public amid coronavirus concerns Sorry, but your browser does not support frames. Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative to bring together the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations to combat coronavirus. He termed the move as "humane and far-sighted step," which will serve as an example to the world. Taking to his official Twitter handle, Pradhan stated that the steps taken by the Prime Minister indicate India's seriousness towards containing the viral outbreak. This humane and far-sighted step taken by PM @narendramodi ji not only indicates Indias seriousness towards containing the viral outbreak, which recognizes no border, but also the deep bonds of amity that India shares with the subcontinent.#SAARCfightsCorona pic.twitter.com/tmBWv8ouDq Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) March 15, 2020 READ | Shatrughan Sinha, Manisha Koirala, Nagma praise PM Modi's SAARC leadership on Coronavirus 'We will be able to eventually mitigate the effect of COVID-19' Adding further to his statement he said, "I am confident that through this initiative of combined efforts of our medical professionals and researchers, we will be able to contain, reduce and eventually mitigate the effect of COVID-19 in the southeast Asian subcontinent. True to the Indian tradition of selfless service, Prime Minister Modi declared the creation of a COVID-19 emergency fund and contributed US dollar 10 million to this fund." He also spoke about PM's call for practices to prepare for future challenges and the creation of a common research platform for epidemic diseases within the south Asian region. Hon. PM also called for developing best practises to prepare for future challenges and the creation of a common research platform for epidemic diseases within the south Asian region. This shows the mettle of a true visionary leader for facing a common humanitarian challenge. Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) March 15, 2020 "It is not just our neighbours comprising the SAARC nations but Prime Minister Modi has also proposed a link-up between the G-20 leaders to counter the spread of the novel coronavirus as well," the Union Minister added. READ | 'Initiative will deliver': Mahesh Sharma praises PM Modi's SAARC leadership on Coronavirus COVID-19 SAARC conference The Prime Minister addressed a SAARC video conference to share each other's efforts and issues as the seven countries battle the pandemic. The video conference was led by PM Modi and was attended by Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, Maldives President Ibrahim Solih, Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bhutan Prime Minister Dr. Lotay Tshering, Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's assistant - Dr. Zafar Mirza. PM Modi highlighted the SAARC's ancient ties and said that 'we must work and succeed together'. As of date, the total number of positive cases in India has risen to 152, with two deaths in the country. READ | Sri Lankan Prez thanks PM Modi for SAARC conference, promises support to combat COVID-19 READ | Singhvi says 'Pakistan deserves to be quarantined' for raising J&K in SAARC COVID-19 meet (With inputs from ANI) A doctor in Washington State has spoken out about the urgent need for ventilators, protective gear for medical staff and space for sick patients, warning 'we don't have the resources' to deal with the peak of the coronavirus in the United States. Dr. Stephen Anderson, an emergency physician at the MultiCare Auburn Medical Center in suburban Seattle, spoke to Good Morning America on Wednesday, describing the scenes on the front lines for medical staff who are already running low on life-saving resources. He warns that he has only a two-day supply of protective masks left while a hospital up the street had already run out of ventilators that morning. President Trump has advised states to attempt to find more ventilators on their own before seeking help from federal government. The news comes as a top U.S. cancer hospital revealed it had just one week's supply of masks left after five staff members and three patients tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday. Scroll down for video Dr. Stephen Anderson, an emergency physician at the MultiCare Auburn Medical Center in suburban Seattle, told Good Morning America that his hospital needs ventilators Dr. Stephen Anderson, a physician who works in the Emergency Department at the MultiCare Auburn Medical Center in Auburn, Washington has warned that there is an urgent need for more ventilators to deal with the coronavirus peak and that the hospital lacks face masks Medical staff disinfect in a tent as they ready to treat patients despite dwindling resources 'If this peaks early and it peaks hard, we don't have the resources for this and we'll run out of ventilators and space,' Dr. Anderson told ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos. 'There's no question, we need quicker and more tests, we certainly need more space to place people, we need ventilators,' Anderson continued. 'I have ventilators this morning, but the hospital up the street from me is out of ventilators at the moment.' President Donald Trump said states needing respirators, masks and other equipment for medical professionals should first try to acquire the items on their own before turning to the federal government for help. The American Medical Association sent a letter to Pence on Tuesday expressing concerns about the supply shortage and urging him to launch a 'Manhattan Project'-style effort to expand manufacturing of masks, gowns and other gear. Dr. Anderson warned his hospital could soon be out of ventilators if the coronavirus peak hits The Washington doctor revealed that there is fear among medical staff over the lack of resources and protective gear they have to treat patients with the coronavirus 'The AMA continues to hear from physicians across the country about short supplies and limited access to personal protective equipment, which is necessary to keep the health care workforce safe and to protect the health of patients,' the letter said. 'Physicians are reaching out to their state and local health departments, but their supplies of PPE are also inadequate.' Dr. Anderson also revealed that there is an urgent need for protective gear for staff members in his hospital as he guards his own face mask because the hospital only has a two-day supply remaining. Dr. Anderson works at MultiCare Auburn Medical Center in Washington where some nurses in emergency departments are washing and reusing surgical masks, gloves and gowns U.S. hospitals bracing for a possible onslaught of coronavirus patients with pneumonia and other breathing difficulties could face a critical shortage of mechanical ventilators and health care workers to operate them, Dr. Anderson has warned if the peak hits hard and early 'I've got my mask for today right here and I'm guarding it with my life because it could be my life. We reportedly have two days' supply,' he told Good Morning America. 'We really don't have a deep bullpen. If people get sick and they're out, that takes people off the frontlines to help with this. But by the same token, you don't want to be sick and be around the people that are coming to the emergency department who are already the sickest people in most need in America. 'So we are trying to test our health care workers as quickly and efficiently as we can and getting them back in the ballgame, if possible.' 'There just are not enough masks to go around at my hospital,' Dr. Anderson warned. The Washington doctor said the hospital only has enough masks left to give him one on the morning which must be washed as reused as there is only a two-days supply left Anderson, seen here entering MultiCare Auburn Medical Center in Auburn, Washington, where he works as a physician has also warned that the hospital doesn't have enough ventilators In the hospital, based in the area of Seattle that's been hardest-hit, some nurses in emergency departments are washing and reusing surgical masks, gloves and gowns. They may work on a patient for hours or more before learning they tested positive for COVID-19. The death toll in the U.S. from COVID-19 passed the 100 mark on Tuesday, and Washington state accounts for more than half of those fatalities. Anderson said 'there's a lot of stress' among medical professionals right now, decribing the moodf as 'frighterning'. 'In 35 years of practice, I can say that this is the most anxiety that I have ever seen around the idea of an infectious disease,' he said. 'We are on the frontlines and it's scary, that's where the casualties always happen in any battle.' Many hospitals also lack the more efficient N95 respirator masks, which quickly sold out once the virus reached the U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday urged construction companies to donate any N95 masks - which they use to protect workers from fumes - to their local hospitals. The federal government has sent some extra masks and other equipment to the state, though it's unclear when it will be distributed. A chart of how coronavirus cases in the United States have increased since January On Tuesday, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York City, one of the country's top cancer hospitals revealed that it had just one week's supply of masks left after eight patients and staff members were diagnosed with the coronavirus. BuzzFeed News reported 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 and said administrators are working to find more supplies. Workers exit a large tent set up in front of the emergency room at EvergreenHealth Medical Center on Tuesday in Kirkland, Washington. Staff on the front lines are stretched thin and don't have the equipment they need to protect themselves from the highly contagious virus EvergreenHealth Medical Center is shown on Tuesday. In the area that has led the country in coronavirus cases, hospitals are gearing up for an onslaught of coronavirus patients, A vehicle from the Life Care Center nursing home at the center of the Kirkland outbreak This week, a 40-year-old emergency room physician at EvergreenHealth Medical Center in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland was in critical condition after testing positive for COVID-19, officials said. Anderson said that physician was breathing on a ventilator, but was stable. A nearby nursing home Life Care Center has been the epicenter of the outbreak in Washington state, and many of its residents who got sick from COVID-19 were sent to EvergreenHealth. The hospital has handled more than 100 coronavirus cases since the end of February, and 25 of those patients died, the facility said Tuesday. A physician at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle also has tested positive for the coronavirus, hospital spokesman Brian Donohoe said Tuesday. He did not immediately have information on the doctor's condition. Elsewhere, a 70-year-old emergency physician from Patterson, New Jersey, tested positive for the coronavirus and was isolated in the intensive care unit, according to William Jaquis, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians. 'I am deeply saddened by this news, but not surprised,' Jaquis said in a statement. 'As emergency physicians, we answer the call to care for our most vulnerable, even at great personal risk.' Anderson noted some infections among ER doctors and nurses are inevitable because of their high risk of exposure. 'In any battle, when you're on the front lines, you're going to suffer the most causalities,' Anderson said. 'The emergency departments are the front lines.' Anne Piazza, with the Washington State Nursing Association, said the proper equipment is critical, especially since nurses can be exposed to infected patients before they're even tested for the disease. 'I'm hearing reports from nurses being asked to reuse masks,' Piazza said. 'They have to use the same mask throughout their shift. That's unsafe.' Like many U.S. hospitals, the MultiCare Auburn Medical Center has begun screening arriving patients for the coronavirus, then dividing them into those with respiratory ailments and those with things like broken toes or other injuries, Anderson said. The doctors and nurses treat the patients while waiting for the results of the COVID-19 tests. If they're positive, they put on a mask and are moved to a more secure location. The process is similar at Providence Sacred Heart in Spokane, which serves a large area of eastern Washington. When patients test positive for COVID-19 there, they're moved to the Special Pathogens Unit, which is designed to handle people with infectious diseases. Medical staff in that unit wear suits that include hoods with a separate oxygen source, a full face shield and gown. Anderson said his hospital does not have a special pathogens unit. Instead, it uses four 'negative pressure' rooms to isolate patients with infectious diseases. They're full, he said. And so are his facility's ventilators. The federal government has sent Washington state more than 500,000 N95 respirators and a similar amount of masks, along with gowns and gloves. The equipment is being dropped at the Washington Army National Guard's site called Camp Murray, said Mike Faulk, a spokesman for the governor's office. But it wasn't clear when it would be distributed. Health department officials did not immediately respond to a request for that information. They won't last long once released, Anderson said. 'You'd be surprised how fast you'll burn though a half a million masks,' he added. Anderson used to own an N95 mask, but his disappeared a month ago so he makes due with a simple surgical mask, even when doing procedures on infected patients. 'I would love to go to Home Depot and buy one,' he said. 'That's where we used to get them. Painters use them. But they're all sold out.' Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fadli (The Jakarta Post) Batam, Riau Islands Wed, March 18, 2020 10:01 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b7035a 1 National COVID-19,coronavirus,Batam,outbreak,Riau-Islands,Singapore,Malaysia,ferry-trip Free The Sekupang International Ferry Terminal in Batam, Riau Islands province, which serves routes to Singapore and Johor Bahru, Malaysia, is planning to suspend several routes following Singapore's expanded border restrictions and Malaysia's partial lockdown. Sekupang operations chief Jhonson Gultom told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday that the ferry terminal operator was considering suspending its services in the next few days if operating expenses exceeded income. There are only [losses] for us in this situation, Jhonson said. Singapore expanded its new border restrictions on Monday, issuing a Stay-Home Notice (SHN) of compulsory self-isolation for 14 days to returning Singaporeans and visitors who had traveled to countries severely affected by the coronavirus in the two weeks prior to their arrival in the island state. Detailed information on the expanded restriction, including the complete list of restricted countries and any specific conditions, is provided on the website of the Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA). Meanwhile, the Malaysian government announced on Monday that it would enforce a partial lockdown starting Wednesday, March 18, following the country's recent surge in the number of confirmed cases. In response to the policies, the Sekupang ferry terminal on Tuesday reduced its daily trips to Singapore from 14 to six. Nowadays, we only serve about 100 passengers every day," said Jhonson, and that the terminal had transported 1,000 to 1,500 daily passengers before the COVID-19 outbreak. "The new [restriction] states that ferry trips to Singapore can carry only two passengers, primarily returning Singaporean citizens, he added. Suspending operational activities is definitely one of our main options, since this port depends on the Batam-Singapore route [...], he said. The ferry terminal operator was also discussing other possible measures regarding the matter, but had not come to a final decision. The ICA announced last Friday that the expanded border restriction would become effective one minute before midnight on Monday, March 16. Batam vice chairman Tjaw Hioeng of the Indonesian Industrial Estate Association (HKI) said that Singapores expanded restrictions had come as a shock to industrial companies in the city, many of whose foreign managers were now stuck in Singapore after spending the weekend there. They are reluctant to return to Batam because the policy will limit their movements. If they return to Batam, they would be quarantined for 14 days, Tjaw said on Tuesday. He added that while foreign factories in Batam were managed remotely, they would run into problems without their foreign middle and top managers on site to sign the financial documents required to keep running. The partial lockdown in Malaysia would also disrupt the distribution of raw materials to Batam. We will discuss this matter with the Batam Mayor tomorrow [Wednesday]. We hope [Jakarta] will lobby the Singaporean government to provide an exemption to business activities that require travel to the country," he said. (dpk) Last week, many people were astonished to hear that Dr. Kurt Kloss, an emergency room physician in New York, reached out to a Facebook group for some 20,000 of his colleagues seeking advice about how to handle the coronavirus outbreak. If you were in charge of Federal response to the Pandemic, his post began, what would your recommendation be? The question wasnt just hypothetical. Dr. Klosss daughter is married to the brother of Jared Kushner, who had been put in charge of the White House response to the pandemic. But many people commented in alarm: Crowdsourcing medical advice on social media, is that a reliable way to get life-or-death health information? As an emergency room doctor at the front lines of the pandemic, however, I wasnt surprised. Ive been working back-to-back shifts at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where the states first patient hospitalized with Covid-19 is being treated, and have had several patients test positive for the novel coronavirus. And like many of my colleagues, I have been gathering information from Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets. One private Facebook group Im a member of, created by Dr. Kabir Rezvankhoo, an E.R. and intensive-care-unit doctor in Texas whom I used to work with, is reserved for doctors who have or are likely to care for critically ill patients with Covid-19. The group quickly grew to nearly 15,000 members. When I asked Dr. Rezvankhoo why he initiated the group, his reply was simple: Because information on the new coronavirus is difficult to come across. Joseph R. Biden Jr. swept the three states that voted Tuesday: Florida, Illinois and Arizona. Bernie Sanders lost ground badly in the delegate count. And the coronavirus pandemic continued to wreak havoc on the most basic facets of American life, threatening to disrupt if not derail the remaining primary calendar. With nearly 60 percent of the delegates allocated in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, Mr. Biden holds a commanding lead of nearly 300 delegates over Mr. Sanders a sum that makes it statistically improbable that Mr. Sanders could ever catch up. Is this race over? Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the House Democratic caucus chairman, asked on Twitter Tuesday night. In a sign of his diminished standing, Mr. Sanders did not even try to spin the results for the second straight week, choosing to make no public remarks after the states were called. As Bernie Sanders' decisive primary defeats Tuesday put him almost hopelessly behind in the race for the Democratic nomination, he began facing growing calls to withdraw from Democrats who want the party to unite and focus its energy on defeating President Donald Trump. Even before Tuesday's big losses in Florida, Illinois and Arizona, a chorus of Democrats was publicly urging Sanders to drop out. With upcoming primaries likely to be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Democrats increasingly worry that former vice president Joe Biden, who leads the race by a comfortable margin, might not be able to fully turn his focus to Trump before late summer if Sanders stays in. "After tonight, with no path to secure the nomination, @BernieSanders should drop out," Bakari Sellers, a former South Carolina state lawmaker who initially endorsed Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., tweeted Tuesday night. "We should proceed to the mission at hand, beating Trump." Former senator Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., made a similar point. "I think the conversation is going to quickly turn to how and when does Bernie Sanders unite the Democratic Party," McCaskill said on MSNBC. "I do think the pressure is going to mount, especially at this time of crisis in this country, for the Democrats to unite behind clearly the voters' preference." Yet some Sanders supporters argue vociferously that he should stay in precisely because of the public health crisis, which they say underlines his messages on universal health care and income inequality, creating intense cross-pressures and an especially difficult dilemma for a candidate who has built a loyal liberal movement. Sanders and his wife, Jane, are expected to reach a decision together about the future of the campaign, people in frequent contact with them said, taking input from advisers but making the call on their own. Many Democrats are waiting anxiously to see what Sanders says on Wednesday about the future of the race, if anything. Sanders spent Tuesday in Washington, where the Senate was hashing out legislation to combat the vast impact of the virus. Jane Sanders traveled to Washington with him, according to a campaign official with knowledge of the situation. In an address from Washington live-streamed online Tuesday night, Sanders made no mention of the primaries or the future of his campaign, instead focusing exclusively on the coronavirus crisis. He outlined proposals to address the pandemic, including empowering Medicare to cover all medical bills during the crisis. "I look forward to continuing to communicate with you to tell you where we are coming from, what our ideas are, and look forward to hearing from you," said Sanders, signaling an intent to stay involved in the political conversation. Biden extended an invitation to Sanders voters Tuesday, praising them and saying "they have shifted the fundamental conversation in this country." He added, "Let me say especially to the younger voters who have been inspired by Senator Sanders: I hear you." But it was unclear those entreaties would work. RoseAnn DeMoro, a close friend of Sanders and the former head of an influential nurses union, said earlier Tuesday that the current social and political volatility is alone justification for Sanders to stick it out. "Anything can happen within the next several months, and he would be forfeiting his delegates if he got out," DeMoro said. After opting for a middle ground last week - neither exiting the race nor signaling it was full speed ahead - the senator from Vermont found his back against the wall once again Tuesday. The rapidly escalating coronavirus crisis has forced Biden and Sanders to cancel rallies and other activities indefinitely. Before the widespread recognition of the pandemic's seriousness, several Sanders allies expected him to closely consider dropping out if Tuesday's results were disappointing, but the current landscape is throwing the usual calculations into question. Larry Cohen, who heads a pro-Sanders nonprofit organization, said earlier this week that he thinks Sanders ought to remain in the race and accrue delegates to the Democratic National Convention, so he can maintain his leverage with the Biden forces when it comes to forming committees and shaping the party's approach to health care and climate change. "That's the way the party gets built," said Cohen. Inside the Sanders campaign, a similar perspective could be found. Nina Turner, a national co-chair and one of Sanders' most trusted advisers, said Monday that "there are millions of people who are depending on him" to promote his calls for a universal health-care system and other sweeping liberal programs. At the same time, mounting concerns about the virus and the safety of voting have come into consideration, raising new questions about the merits of pushing ahead in a race that appears increasingly unlikely to result in victory. Pressure from Democrats to unify against a president they revile has been intensified by the sense of national crisis, which could make running a doomed race seem less appropriate. The Sanders campaign has sent mixed signals in recent days on whether it considers it safe for voters to participate in the primaries. Sanders spokesman Mike Casca issued a statement as voting got underway Tuesday, saying that the campaign would not use traditional methods to turn out voters and adding that casting a ballot is "a personal decision and we respect whichever choice they make." Some Sanders allies speculate privately that the coronavirus crisis might make it more likely that Sanders stays in the race. As a longtime advocate of creating a Medicare-for-all system in which the government is the sole provider of health insurance, Sanders has said the pandemic shows precisely why universal health care needs to be enacted swiftly. And he has seized on the moment to amplify his critique of the country's stark economic divides, warning that the most vulnerable stand to suffer the harshest consequences of the pandemic and urgently need the help he has long promoted. One Sanders campaign official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk candidly, said that the changing nature of the competition - no more in-person events in the near future, and perhaps no more primaries - could be an important factor. Sanders might be freed up to advance his cause outside the traditional pressures of the horse race, should he opt for staying in, the official said. Yet obvious opportunities for Sanders to turn the tide against Biden have all but run out. Inside the Sanders orbit, there is private concern that Sunday's debate did not do enough to cause a major shift in the race, as some had hoped. Still, the campaign tried to project positivity, sending talking points to supporters claiming Sanders had shown he was "the best candidate to take on Donald Trump in November." Sanders himself has admitted in recent days that he has failed to persuade Democrats he is more electable than Biden, in a year when Democrats place enormous emphasis on finding the candidate most likely to defeat Trump. The silver lining, Sanders has argued, is that he has prevailed in the battle of ideas and has won the allegiance of younger voters. "It really does stun me to what degree the Democratic establishment continues to ignore the needs and the ideas of younger people," Sanders said during a "digital rally" Monday night, one of several creative events his campaign has staged to reach supporters remotely. As he spoke Tuesday night, Sanders was still in campaign mode, pitching his ideas much as he has over the past year at rallies and town halls. "We've covered a lot of territory tonight," he said. But he appeared determined not to draw attention to the day's nominating contests. The only visible references to the primaries were social media hashtags that flashed in the upper right-hand corner on the streaming video, such as #BernieForAZ. A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval. Mark Twain. If you don't tell people about your success, nobody, especially, your enemies will tell it. That got me thinking about the toot-your-own- horn theory which I believe in. If, for example, you are an MMDCE in the northern part of this country where 'one village one dam' is under construction with some already completed and you shy away from inviting TV stations to cover the success story, who do you expect to toot the success story? And so these MMDCEs in the northern sector of the country sit comfortably in their offices and allow a pathological liar like Sammy Gyamfi from Accra to travel all the way from to the north to tell Ghanaians lies about the 'one village one dam' projects. The guy said all the dams built have dried up. It took the beneficiary communities to debunk the lies. An outfit which is doing the government disservice is GTV which has offices in almost all the regions. It is rather the private TV stations which are leading the fight against misinformation while the staff of GTV sit in their offices waiting for the month to end for them to walk to the banks to receive their salaries which is paid from the Consolidated Fund. As for the Information Service Department, it is time for the government to dissolve it and replace it with the former Mobile Cinema Service, resource them and charge them to go out there to inform the people of what is happening as far as government programme is concerned. During the days of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Prof. Busia, the Mobile Cinema could be seen in the villages, showing the people government programmes and even advertising new products manufactured by Ghanaian entrepreneurs. Recently, I had an opportunity to visit the north on an assignment and I took the opportunity to visit some dam sites to observe things for myself. What I saw and heard sharply contradicts what Sammy Gyamfi told Ghanaians when he went to the north. The guy is a wicked liar and Ghanaians should watch out because he can create chaos through his naked lies. During an interaction with some of the beneficiary communities, they were grateful to the Akufo-Addo administration for assuaging their suffering through the provision of the small dams. According to them, before the construction of the dams, they used to travel very far away to get water for their livestock and for other uses. The Bible says you don't light a lamp and put it under a bed. The NDC members have no shame at all. Additionally, they are not big dreamers. For eight years, they ruled or misruled this country without dreaming of the construction of dams for the people in the north. Sadly, Mr. Mahama who is from that part of the country knows very well the problems of the people over there. He was an assemblyman, an MP, a vice-president and a president for so many years but he never dreamt of building dams for the people. His priority as a president was to order trees to be planted during the harmattan season and rear guinea fowls which later flew away to neighbouring Burkina Faso to return no more. While the guinea fowls were 'flying' in the air to Burkina Faso, a Ford Expedition luxurious car was speeding on the Burkina Faso-Ghana highway towards the Jubilee House to be presented to Mr. Mahama as a gift from Mr. Kananzoe, who was awarded a juicy road contract by the Mahama administration. It was a matter of tit for tat, butter for bread. Now when a visionary leader like Akufo-Addo started building dams to assuage the suffering of the people, John Mahama sent modern day Joseph Goebbels in the person of Sammy Gyamfi to travel to the north and tell the people that the dams have dried up. You see the era of using propaganda to deceive the people is gone with the win. With modern information technology, it is difficult to mislead the people. Sometimes I do not blame this boy called Sammy Gyamfi because the NPP communicators are not doing their jobs well. Some of them sit in Accra and do not know what is happening elsewhere. Sometimes when I listen to them on TV or radio, I begin to think if they really know what they are saying. Take the issue of double track, for example; some schools which were practising the double track have stopped because the government and the assemblies for that matter have constructed classroom blocks to accommodate the students and yet the NPP communicators do not harmer on such a success story. Yes, indeed, it is true that the government is not paying these communicators but they should remember what ex-President Kufuor told members of the NPP when he was in power. He said if your party is in power you are better off than a general secretary of a party in opposition. Having tasted the pain, agony and insults when the NPP was in opposition, members of the party, especially the communicators, should not wait to be given something before they defend the party. It was not for nothing that Dr. Spio-Garbrah said opposition is hell. It is an undeniable fact that the NPP will win the December general election but complacency can cause the downfall of the party. Mr. Mahama, the most desperate politician in Ghana today, has served notice that the NDC would meet the NPP boot for boot, and he meant what he said. If you are dealing with an enemy who has recklessly revealed his weapon to you, it is always advisable to fasten a more potent weapon to meet him. That is why they say to forewarn is to forearm. By Eric Bawah CHICAGO (dpa-AFX) - Boeing is seeking $60 billion in U.S. government loan guarantees and other assistance, as it continues to struggle amid the 737 Max crisis and COVID-19 pandemic impacts. Without providing details of a bailout package, President Donald Trump said, 'Boeing got hit hard in many different ways......we'll be helping Boeing.' Boeing welcomed the support of the President and the Administration for the 2.5 million jobs and 17,000 suppliers. Funds would support the health of the broader aviation industry, because much of any liquidity support to the company will be used for payments to suppliers to maintain the health of the supply chain, Boeing said in a statement. Boeing has already been facing headwinds related to the grounding of its 737 MAX commercial planes, after two fatal crashes within a short span of five months. The accidents have killed 346 people on board. On Monday, US airlines were seeking more than $50 billion in financial aid from the government, as the industry reels from the coronavirus outbreak. 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. The scene is playing out across most Lehigh Valley supermarkets as patrons enter quickly to grab essential groceries and head back home to practice social distancing in the wake of the coronavirus. Fruit and vegetables are on display, possibly touched and put back by the last customer. Some places might have cold salads and hot prepared foods. What about rolls, bagels, doughnuts and other bakery goods in bins? Even if those items are safe, what about the utensils being handled by multiple customers? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not consider COVID-19 to be a foodborne illness, but similar actions to prevent foodborne illness can be taken to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. This includes proper hand-washing using soap and water and scrubbing for at least 20 seconds, frequent cleaning and sanitation of touch points, the organization says. Other health experts are more skeptical and say patrons must be more careful than ever when heading to the supermarket. By Wednesday afternoon, Pennsylvania cases of COVID-19 jumped by 37 in one day, putting the states total above 100. Marion Nestle, a professor emeritus of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University, told lehighvalleylive.com its theoretically possible" the coronavirus can be transmitted by food, although some evidence debunks that theory. Nestle said while washing produce helps, she recommends cooking all vegetables thoroughly. Patrons also should wash hands after shopping and before cooking. Cooking kills viruses and solves lots of problems, she said. The bakery department keeps bagels and other baked goods in bins Wednesday, March 18, 2020 at Giant Food Stores in Bethlehem Township. Supermarkets are already stepping up measures to ensure patron safety in their stores. At Redners Market, spokesman Eric White said all food service areas, such as salad bars and hot preparation bars, were shut down this past Friday. All rolls and doughnuts have been placed into individual bags. The produce department and deli remain in operation, however, with the chain following all recommendations for sanitizing. Customers also are being told to wash all produce and their hands before consumption, White said. Wegmans in recent weeks has added additional hand sanitizer stations and restricted the use of reusable cups to the self-serve coffee bar only. Bakery options are now packaged and deli counters are closed. Guests instead are being asked to buy grab-and-go deli meats and cheeses. The chain also has put up signs illustrating reusable bag cleaning instructions. We recommend you clean your reusable bags to protect yourself and others, signs state. After each use, wipe your reusable bag down with warm, soapy water and let it air dry or use a disinfecting wipe. If you have a canvas bag, please wash it between uses. For food safety and sanitation reasons, we may not be able to load a bag that poses a risk to you, our cashiers or other customers. Other stores, such as Redners, are banning the reusable bags all together. The chain fears reusable bags could become carriers for the virus and could cause further spread. Cashiers automatically are issuing single use, plastic bags until further notice, White said. Weis Markets spokesman Dennis Curtin said the past 10 days has been spent reinforcing CDC guidelines about hand-washing, cleaning and the other steps for employees to take to protect themselves and others. Signs illustrating these steps with pictures have been posted in break-rooms. Employees are being told to stay home if they feel sick. Were also devoting additional time each day to cleaning and sanitizing our stores, Curtin said, noting the list includes cleaning and sanitizing shopping carts, baskets, frozen door handles, tops of service department cases, checkout lanes, self-scan units and credit-debit terminals. All stores have shut down self-serve salad, olive and soup bars, as well as in-store dining cafes. Weis bakery departments no longer are selling loose items, such as individual doughnuts or rolls. Only packaged baked goods are being sold, he said. Some ShopRite stores are receiving help to deal with traffic and overcrowding from the hiring of additional private security guards and paying local police, said Karen OShea, a representative of the chain. Employees additionally are working tirelessly to replenish shelves, run checkouts and help customers, she said. At Kings Food Markets, which has a location in nearby Readington, Hunterdon County, crowds have been respectful, said spokeswoman Kim Yorio. However, the grocery chain is prepared to make adjustments if necessary. Our buying teams have been working diligently with our supplier partners to source items in all categories to support the exponential increase in volume we are experiencing," Yorio said. Additionally, Kings is hiring temporary workers with a focus just on cleanings. All salad and mezze bars, as well as other self-serve options have been shut down and moved to a pre-packaged format, Yorio said. Most Lehigh Valley supermarkets, including Giant Food Stores in Bethlehem Township, have shut down cold and hot bars to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The hot bar and soup areas also were shut down Wednesday afternoon at Giant in Bethlehem Township. The chain has suspended its in-store sampling events, said Ashley Flower, chain spokeswoman. However, the bakery department in Bethlehem Township continues to offer bagels and some baked goods, such as muffins, in clear bins. On the sanitation end, Giant continues to ramp up its cleaning procedures to keep patrons safe, Flower said. Our existing cleaning procedures have been reinforced with team members, and were focused on high-touch areas," she said. These include shopping carts and baskets, checkouts, self-service food stations, and outdoor fuel pumps. 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. Manitoba is conducting more tests for the novel coronavirus including a new drive-thru site that opened in Selkirk while suspending breast cancer screening. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 18/3/2020 (664 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Manitoba is conducting more tests for the novel coronavirus including a new drive-thru site that opened in Selkirk while suspending breast cancer screening. As of Wednesday morning, chief public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin said the province had thus far conducted 2,900 tests for COVID-19. Breast cancer screening suspended BreastCheck screenings are for women without symptoms. If a woman has any breast symptom, she should see her primary care provider, who will send her for diagnostic testing. click to read more BreastCheck screenings are for women without symptoms. If a woman has any breast symptom, she should see her primary care provider, who will send her for diagnostic testing. There are about 150 breast screening appointments per day. In the past week, many patients have cancelled their scheduled appointments. Anyone with questions or concerns about breast cancer screening can call 1-855-95-CHECK. source: CancerCare Manitoba Close Hours later, two more presumptive positive cases were reported, bring the total of confirmed and presumptive cases to 17, with no reports of anyone requiring hospitalization. All but one still being tracked Wednesday are travel-related, Roussin said at a news conference. While nine COVID-19 screening sites have opened in Manitoba in the last 10 days, breast cancer screening is on hold for two weeks, said Lanette Siragusa, Shared Health chief nursing officer. "That was a decision from CancerCare Manitoba," she said. The agency looked at what other jurisdictions are doing and the postponement is a temporary, two-week measure "ideally, they would be going to ramp back up." Mammograms involve people being in close proximity, and the postponement was "just to be safe," Siragusa said. "There are ways to self-check, as well." The decision was not made to free up staff so they could help with COVID-19 screening, but that may happen, with staff redeployed as some services and procedures are scaled back, she said. "We are following the directions of Manitobas chief provincial public health officer in minimizing social contact and limiting opportunities for exposure during COVID-19," a CancerCare spokesman said in an email. Services at BreastCheck are being suspended effective Thursday, and affected clients will be notified directly. Meanwhile, Manitobans can get their hair cut and legs waxed as long as the people in close proximity are not sick and everyone follows social distancing guidelines, said Roussin. As of the morning of March 18, 2020, chief public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin said the province had thus far conducted 2,900 tests for COVID-19. A few hours later, two more presumptive positive cases were reported bringing the total of confirmed and presumptive cases to 17, with no reports of anyone requiring hospitalization. All but one still being tracked Wednesday are travel-related, Roussin said at a news conference. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press files) On Wednesday, he was asked to weigh in on an array of scenarios from what to do if you're packed in a room with 90 movie extras to "is it safe to get your hair cut?" to "will Liquor Marts be closed?" (A false rumour circulating a day after Premier Brian Pallister announced casino closures.) The doctor stuck to the broad guidelines he's issued for everyone: don't gather with more than 50 people, do self-isolate for 14 days after international travel, and don't take potentially-crowded public transit to get home from the airport. Minimizing prolonged (10-minute) close contact (less than two metres), stay home if sick, and wash hands often. Wearing a mask "has no benefit" unless you're ill and being assessed for COVID-19 or working in health care and in prolonged close contact while assessing people. Hand-washing and social distancing does have a benefit, and that's what the public should be doing to protect themselves and others, Roussin said. Not everyone who's travelled abroad should be tested for COVID-19, he repeated. "If you have mild respiratory symptoms but have not travelled recently, stay home when youre sick and isolate when youre sick. And that will be doing your part," he said. International travellers should self-isolate and contact Health Links if they have symptoms of the virus. The system doesn't have the capacity or nasal swab material to test everyone, Roussin said. "There are days our capacity is being tested, so we're working on obtaining more swabs that's what's vital about who's getting tested," he said. "If you have mild respiratory symptoms but have not travelled recently, stay home when youre sick and isolate when youre sick. And that will be doing your part." Dr. Brent Roussin, chief public health officer More than 2,900 tests for COVID-19 have been performed at the Cadham Provincial Laboratory, including 544 on Tuesday. More than 2,100 patients have been screened at dedicated testing sites. Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Patients are referred to the screening sites by Health Links. On Tuesday, the provincial health phone line received nearly 2,100 calls, with the average wait time of two hours, four minutes, Siragusa said. However, a new interactive voice response system should shorten the length of calls, officials said. An online screening tool introduced Tuesday had received 17,000 hits by 10 a.m. Wednesday. The flu season which has killed 26 Manitobans to date this year peaked in December and January, said Siragusa. That's taken some of the pressure off intensive care units and the ventilators that will be needed when Manitoba starts seeing very sick COVID-19 patients, she said. So far, none of Manitoba's COVID-19 patients have been hospitalized, and there has been no community transmission of the virus, said Roussin. carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca Carol Sanders Legislature reporter After 20 years of reporting on the growing diversity of people calling Manitoba home, Carol moved to the legislature bureau in early 2020. Read full biography NEWS PROVIDED BY Catholic League March 18, 2020 NEW YORK, March 18, 2020 /Christian Newswire/ -- Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on the latest developments regarding the controversy that has embroiled Rep. Rashida Tlaib (we are thankful to CNSNews.com for its reporting on this ongoing issue): Rep. Rashida Tlaib is now trying to walk back an obscene assault she made on the sensibilities of religious Americans. Here is how this controversy unfolded. On March 16, I wrote to the ten members of the House Ethics Committee asking them to issue a letter of reprimand to Tlaib for her unprovoked attack on members of virtually every faith community; we also listed her email address asking our followers to contact her. On March 15, Tlaib retweeted a post by activist David Hogg from the previous day saying, "Don't let this administration address COVID-19 like our national gun violence epidemic. F**k a National day of prayer, we need immediate comprehensive action." Now Tlaib, knowing that we have asked her colleagues to sanction her, and having been stung with an avalanche of criticism, is trying to diminish what she said. After she was hit by the Catholic League response earlier in the day on March 16, she tweeted the following that evening: "Let me be clear as someone who has been praying through this all & as someone who attended the National Prayer Breakfast. My retweet was not to be an attack on prayer. It was to bring attention to the need for meaningful action to combat this public health crisis." Let me be clear, Rep. Tlaib: You are fooling no one. You not only have a record of offending people, your anti-Semitic comments have mobilized friends of mine like Rabbi Aryeh Spero to hold a sit-in at Rep. Nancy Pelosi's congressional office to protest your bigotry (and that of your fellow "Squad" member, Rep. Ilhan Omar). Your record of hate speech is incontestable. You say your retweet "was not an attack on prayer." How lame. What you manifestly chose to do is attack the one day when Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Mormons, Muslims, and others come together in a national day of prayer. Your point was to insult us. Mission accomplished. President Trump, whom you previously assaulted with your filthy comments, is working with Republicans and Democrats "to combat this public health crisis." And guess what? They are able to do so without resorting to the kind of vile remarks you made about religious Americans. You deserve to be reprimanded. Indeed, you need to be called out by members of both chambers. Contact: Rashida.tlaib@mail.house.gov The new Disaster Management Act regulations are threatening people who spread fake news about the coronavirus with a fine or up to six months in prison. According to the new regulations, which were published in the Government Gazette on Wednesday, anyone who creates or spreads fake news about Covid-19 can be prosecuted. It therefore applies to both the creators of fake Covid-19 news and those who spread the news through social media and other channels. Any person who intentionally misrepresents that he, she or any other person is infected with Covid-19 is also guilty of an offence. On conviction this person is liable to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months, or both a fine and imprisonment. The new regulations have also introduced severe punishment for people who intentionally expose others to the coronavirus. Deliberate spreading of Covid-19 would result in the person being charged with either assault, attempted murder or murder. It further prohibits any person who is infected with Covid-19, or is suspected to be infected, to refuse to be examined, treated or be isolated or quarantined. Other regulations include a ban on the sale, dispensing or transportation of alcoholic beverages after 22:00 and restricting gatherings to 100 people. 116 cases Earlier today the Department of Health reported that the confirmed number of coronavirus cases in South Africa has jumped to 116. This means that a further 31 cases have been identified, following the overnight announcement that cases reached 85 in the country. The new cases include people in Gauteng, KZN, Mpumalanga and the Western Cape. It also includes six new cases of internal transmission. As part of tracking and tracing, we have collated background information on how these patients were infected, health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said. We will provide information to the public, so as to give a sense of how these local transmissions occur. When Mrinal Sabharwal and his wife landed in New Delhi with hundreds of other passengers from Barcelona, they expected clean coronavirus quarantine facilities. Instead, after hours of waiting at the airport on a bus, they were taken to a converted police training center on March 16. There, the travelers found stained beds seven or eight to a room, dirty floors, and moldy vegetable peelings left in a cupboard. Eighty people on each floor were expected to share a few clogged toilets during their two weeks in quarantine. As the number of coronavirus cases in South Asia ramps up -- doubling to more than 500 in the past few days -- experts fear unsanitary testing and quarantine centers could present a problem in the densely populated region. This could also render border closures, ban on flights, big gatherings, school closures, and other containment measures relatively ineffective. Some patients have even broken out of quarantine, putting healthy people at risk. Sabharwal and four others who have been held at two testing centers in India told Reuters of the unsanitary conditions there -- a pattern repeated in Pakistan and Afghanistan. "We did not want five-star facilities," said Sabharwal, a 33-year-old businessman. "We just wanted clean rooms and sanitized bathrooms." Public health experts say poor facilities in the region could speed up the spread of the virus and authorities should encourage people who test positive to quarantine themselves at home. "Due to the high volume of people requiring quarantine and a lack of hygienic facilities, it is more efficient to encourage quarantine at the homes of the travelers," said Giridhara R Babu, an epidemiologist at the Public Health Foundation of India. Sabharwal's account of conditions was corroborated by two others at the facility, along with photographs and video. He was released to be isolated at home early on March 17 after being tested but before his results were available. As of March 18 afternoon, he had still not received the results. Officials at Delhi's southwestern district, which oversees the quarantine facility, did not respond to requests for comment. A Regional Problem Authorities in South Asia have struggled to get travelers to self-isolate or stay quarantined in medical facilities that many view as poor and unhygienic. In Navi Mumbai, a suburb of Mumbai, local media reported on March 16 that police were forced to launch a manhunt after 11 people who had been isolated after returning from Dubai failed to appear at a hospital for quarantine. Pakistan and Afghanistan, which share long land borders with Iran -- one of the countries hit worst by the virus -- have reported similar problems at crossing points. In Pakistan, some politicians branded quarantine facilities "a joke" after footage emerged on social media showing ostensibly quarantined people lodged four or five to a single tent at Taftan, one of the main border crossings with Iran. Still, Prime Minister Imran Khan called for calm after its tally of coronavirus cases rose to 256. "Only those with intense symptoms should go to hospital," he said in a late-night television address on March 17. "There is no need to worry. We will fight this as a nation. And God willing, we will win this war." His comments came amid a growing dispute in Pakistan between federal and provincial authorities, with the latter struggling to secure sufficient coronavirus testing kits and blaming the federal government for failing to properly test and quarantine hundreds of Pakistanis who recently returned home across a land border with Iran. In neighboring Afghanistan, about 38 Afghans who were in isolation after recently returning from Iran escaped from a facility in western Afghanistan on March 16 after breaking windows and attacking staff. At least one of the fugitives was confirmed to have the coronavirus. Two people at the camp said doctors lacked basic equipment like masks and gloves. "They put eight to 10 patients in a small room with a very unhygienic bathroom," said Freba, a 48-year-old woman who goes by one name and said she fled the center in Herat before being sent back to the camp. "A suspect can easily get infected with the virus if he or she gets stuck in such a place." Private sector lender IndusInd Bank has said it is financially strong, well-capitalised and profitable, amid market rumours about the health of the lender after the Yes Bank crisis came to light. "In the wake of the significantly higher level of market rumours and speculation around IndusInd Bank stock, we would like to reiterate that the Bank is financially strong, well-capitalised, profitable, and a growing entity with a strong governance," it said in a late night statement on Tuesday. The bank's stock ended nearly 9 per cent down at Rs 604.30 on the BSE on Tuesday. The lender said gross non-performing assets (NPAs) in December quarter 2019 stood at 2.18 per cent which was lowest among large private sector banks. "We expect current quarter gross NPA to be pretty much in line with that of last quarter. We expect our net NPA of 1.05 per cent as at the last quarter to fall below 1 per cent, in line with our ambition to take provision cover beyond 60 per cent," it said in the statement. Citing reports on relief measures to the telecom sector, IndusInd Bank said this is a significant positive step and the bank awaits further details on the matter. The bank noted that its latest gross NPA figure as at the end of February 2020 was zero with respect to real estate developer (commercial & residential); gems and jewellery financing. Commercial vehicle and microfinance portfolios remain steady and range-bound, it added. "Market rumours about individual exposures doing the rounds are bloated and outlandish and nowhere near the truth. The bank makes full disclosures every quarter on its loan book profile." On liquidity, it said the bank maintains liquidity well above 100 per cent going up to 120 per cent on a daily basis. The deposit business of the bank on both retail and corporate segments is steady. "However, a couple of state government entities have made withdrawals amounting to less than 2 per cent of our total deposits. We are engaging with them to reiterate the stance of the Regulator that Government deposits in all private sector Banks is safe," the bank said. The bank has been a lender in the interbank market last week and at 15.43 per cent CRAR --capital to risk weighted assets ratio -- (including 9 month profits), the bank does not need capital for 2 years. "All our banking with other banks and counterparties is 'business as usual'. We continue to enjoy interbank lines / limits without interruption," said the lender. Also, the bank promoter has sought RBI approval to increase shareholding to 26 per cent and further guidance from the regulator is awaited. The promoter has already informed the exchange about the simultaneous release of non-disposal undertaking with the creation of a pledge in relation to 23.8 million shares of the bank. No new borrowing was undertaken and was merely a formalisation of a three-year old arrangement. The money was originally raised to make an overseas acquisition which did not fructify - the pledge is a small fraction of promoter holding in the bank, it said. "Various market rumours and speculation incorrectly reflect on the Bank's financial health and are totally misplaced, motivated and not based on facts," the lender said. IndusInd Bank stock was trading 27.19 per cent down at Rs 440 on the BSE. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On Monday, the same day South Carolina saw its first death to the new coronavirus, cities across the state imposed states of emergency that change how people will carry out their daily lives in the foreseeable future. Dorchester County declares state of emergency in response to coronavirus pandemic Our top priority is preventing, to the best of our ability, any local cases and transmission of COVID-19," Summerville Town Administrator Colin Martin said in a press release. +3 South Carolina records first coronavirus death as state's number of cases rises to 34 On the same day South Carolina saw its first death to the new coronavirus, cities across the state imposed states of emergency that change how people will carry out their daily lives in the foreseeable future. Six new presumptive positive cases were identified Monday, bringing the state's total to 34. The first patient to die after contracting COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, was a recently diagnosed elderly person who was a resident of Lexington Medical Center Extended Care Skilled Nursing Facility, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. Health officials said she also had other medical conditions and her cause of death is being investigated. DHEC is working with the nursing home to identify anyone who came into contact with the patient and is providing guidance about infection control measures to prevent spread, officials said. Of the six new cases, one case was identified in Lexington County, an elderly person who was in close contact with a previously identified case. The patient is in isolation at a health care facility. Another patient was identified in Georgetown County after being treated in the Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital emergency room and is now isolated at home, Tidelands Health officials said Monday night. Four new cases were identified in Kershaw County, the epicenter of South Carolina's cases, including three middle-aged individuals and an elderly person. 344 people in South Carolina have been tested for the virus, according to DHEC's website. Flowertown Festival Amid growing concern over the spread of COVID-19, the Flowertown Festival has been postponed until September, according to officials from the Summerville Family YMCA. "After due consideration, the Summerville Family YMCA and the town of Summerville have agreed to reschedule the 48th annual Summerville Family YMCA Flowertown Festival to take place on September 4, 5 and 6," said Erin Roach. "While we understand the impact, the safety and wellbeing of our community remains our top priority. More information will be provided in the upcoming weeks." Bridge Run Also rescheduled is the The Cooper River Bridge Run, which annually draws up to 30,000 runners and walkers each year. The 6.2-mile race from Mount Pleasant to downtown Charleston has been rescheduled for Aug. 1. The event was originally scheduled for April 4. The 42-year-old race is the largest participation sporting event in South Carolina and had never been postponed or canceled until now. A year ago, the 10,000-meter event had more than 29,000 runners and walkers cross the finish line. The Bridge Run is traditionally the third most popular 10K event in the United States. Ashley River Adventure Race Next weekend's Ashley River Adventure Race also has been postponed until Nov. 14, according to the Dorchester County. "Ashley River Adventure Race organizers are following CDC guidelines pertaining to COVID-19 (cancel gatherings of 50 people or more for the next eight weeks) and have decided to postpone the 2020 race to Nov. 14th," stated a post at adventuresignup.com. Registered racers have the option of staying registered for the new date or getting a refund for the entry fee. There's also an option to transfer registrations. Schools closed Earlier this week Gov. Henry McMaster ordered all South Carolina schools to close. Dorchester School District Two and Berkeley County schools will be closed until at least the end of March. School districts across the state are launching services to provide free meals to students over the next two weeks while schools are shut down amid growing concerns of the coronavirus. Below is a list of food resources and distribution sites, broken down by district, where students 18 years old and younger can receive free meals. Berkeley County School District Berkeley County will host 12 meal distribution sites across the district at no cost to students 18 years old and younger. Students can pick up lunch and a snack Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to noon. The following schools have been identified as drive-through meal distribution locations: Berkeley High School Cainhoy Elementary School Cane Bay High School College Park Middle School Cross Elementary School Goose Creek High School Hanahan Elementary School H.E. Bonner Elementary School J.K. Gourdin Elementary School Sangaree Elementary School St. Stephen Elementary School Timberland High School Dorchester School District 2 Beginning Tuesday, Dorchester School District Two will provide a grab and go lunch along with the next days breakfast at six school sites: Alston-Bailey Elementary, Fort Dorchester High, Flowertown Elementary, Oakbrook Elementary, Spann Elementary and Reeves Elementary. Meal pickup is between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. Reorters Caleb McCraw, Joy Bonala, Gregory Yee and Fleming Smith contributed to this report. Other closings The Flowertown Players scheduled performances are temporarily on hold due to the current health emergency. The box office is closed temporarily as well. For more information send email ro info@flowertownplayers.org. Summerville Orchestra The Board of Directors of the Summerville Orchestra has made the decision to postpone the upcoming performance of "Viva Voce." The concert was scheduled for April 3 and 4. The orchestra is working with DD2 and the Summers Corner Performing Arts Center on possible reschedule dates. Dates will be published when they are available. Season tickets or individual ticket for Viva Voce will be used for the new date so keep that ticket. Trident United Way launches Tri-County COVID-19 Response Fund Trident United Way has set aside $50,000 in emergency funds to match dollar-for-dollar any public donations up to $50,000. Trident United Way, in partnership with The Post and Courier, has launched the Tri-County COVID-19 Response Fund to address the emerging needs presented by the impact from the COVID-19 coronavirus. All funds will stay in the Tri-County. The generous people of our region have a long history of stepping up in times of need and helping their fellow neighbors, said Chloe Knight Tonney, Trident United Way president and CEO. Trident United Way has been bringing people together and helping those in need for 75 years. This effort is vital to people who have had their lives turned inside out because of this national emergency. We stand united to support our community. Tri-County COVID-19 Response Fund contributions will be used for: Basic needs support to address loss of work or other financial hardships Deploying efficient emergency networks of agencies with proven on the ground experience Support nonprofit partners with the surge of assistance requests and supplement service capacity To contribute to this fund go to tuw.org/covid19response. BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - CropEnergies AG, the member of the Sudzucker Group (SUEZF.PK), said the company will partially switch its production from fuel alcohol to neutral alcohol in order to meet the growing demand for ethanol as the main ingredient for disinfectants. CropEnergies produces ethanol which predominantly replaces petrol. CropEnergies also appealed to the German Federal Ministry of Finance to immediately remove the alcohol tax hurdles for the use of undenatured fuel ethanol as a disinfectant. The company said it is examining all possibilities to maintain the capacity utilisation of the plants at a high level. 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. CHICO, Calif. With all the concern about social distancing and the spread of the coronavirus, many people are wondering what steps the police are taking to protect themselves and the public. Action News Now Reporter Mackenzie Drigo checked in with Chico Police and Redding Police to see what precautions officers are taking while on the job. Deputy Chief of Police Matt Madden said in any situation that a police officer comes into contact with the community, either in person or over the phone, that officer will ask about their health. He said if they have any symptoms of illness, they will figure out what those symptoms and see how if they align with coronavirus symptoms. RELATED: Chico firefighters change protocols due to coronavirus Madden said they're also practicing staying 6 feet apart and want others to do the same. Action News Now asked Madden what officers will do when it comes to traffic stops. If somebody does get pulled over for some reason and they are experiencing these types of symptoms, you know being upfront and telling the officer about it will help the officer prepare," Madden said. One community member, Fallon Mitts, thinks precautions should be in place for officers but doesn't know if mask will help. I think its good that they're taking precautions, I've been looking into it a little bit but I dont know how much a mask will help but if they think it does, then yeah I think they should, Mitts said. Madden said if they're responding and someone is experiencing flu-like symptoms, the team will wear an N95 mask and a full-body gown with gloves and clean all equipment and patrol cars. Madden said they're still researching for the best protective eyewear for their first responders. CONTINUING CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE Action News Now also checked in with Redding Police Chief, Bill Schueller to see what precautions they're putting into place. Chief Schueller said they have reduced the number of calls that they respond too - that they deem not as lower priority calls. Schueller said lower priority calls include theft, trespassing, or if the suspect is no longer at the scene will be dealt with online or over the phone. As for the calls they actually go to - Schueller said they'll ask the callers health questions to help prep officers responding. He said they have N95 masks, gloves, and gowns and have been practicing distancing. If a person has flu-like symptoms and feels they may have some sort of virus whether its the flu or COVID-19 or anything else if they're feeling sick they should let the officer know. Our officers have the proper protective equipment if necessary, whether it's at a car stop or public contact anything like that, Schueller said. Community member, Briana Castorina said she thinks these are proper protocols. Officers do deal with a lot of different people in the community, and you dont want to risk spreading it to somebody who doesnt know that the officer could be carrying, Castorina, said. Schueller said the Salvation Army donated over 400 masks to the Redding Police Station. As of now, Madden and Schueller said they're asking the public to utilize the police department's online reporting system. To report a crime in Redding, CLICK HERE To report a crime in Chico, CLICK HERE On Tuesday, a message forwarded on WhatsApp claimed there were four positive cases of coronavirus in west Delhis Tilak Nagar and that all general stores in the neighbourhood had shut. Two days before that, a man on Twitter shared that someone, who frequently visited his home, had tested positive for the virus in another west Delhi area. As per government agencies, both pieces of information were false. Experts said the spread of such misinformation has grave consequences and could spell trouble as the crisis worsens. Dr Jugal Kishore from the department of community medicine at Delhis Safdarajung Hospital said the authorities must utilise all legal powers to penalise at least some people involved in sharing misinformation. There are several laws for punitive action against those who intentionally or unwittingly share misinformation. This is the critical time to exercise those powers. If they do that, the menace of misinformation can be curbed, said Dr Kishore. He said that people needed to be made aware of the difference between a person testing positive for the virus and someone only quarantining themselves on the suspicion that they could have come in touch with someone carrying the virus. In these times, people are assuming that even those who have quarantined themselves have tested positive. They are subsequently sharing wrong information. Management of information is a professional discipline and in these times they need to be in the hands of public health experts, said Kishore. WhatsApp said that they understood that users are reaching out to their loved ones on their app more than ever and that on Wednesday they had pledged $1 million to combat disinformation on the pandemic. The amount, WhatsApp said in a statement, will be granted to the Poynter Institutes International Fact-Checking Network. But ultimately, it is the users who need to exercise restraint in what they share and forward, an official of WhatsApp told HT . WhatsApp also launched a Coronavirus Information Hub to provide simple, actionable guidance for health workers, educators, community leaders, nonprofits, local governments and local businesses that rely on WhatsApp to communicate, the company said in a statement. We know that our users are reaching out on WhatsApp more than ever at this time of crisis, whether its to friends and loved ones, doctors to patients, or teachers to students. We wanted to provide a simple resource that can help connect people at this time. We will also continue to work directly with health ministries around the world, said Will Cathcart, head of the company. The Delhi Police, meanwhile, said that their focus at this stage is to create awareness about the spread of misinformation. Once we begin identifying people who are using social media to spread rumours, well take legal action, said Delhi Police spokesperson, Mandeep Singh Randhawa. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order Thursday, closing schools across the state while prohibiting dine-in eating at bars and restaurants. Abbott said the coronavirus knows no geographic boundaries so it cannot be dealt with as a local or regional disaster. Department of State Health Services Commissioner John Hellerstedt declared a public health disaster, the first in more than 100 years. "It's an international pandemic," Abbott said at a news conference. Stay up to date on the latest coronavirus news with mySA.com: Effective Friday at midnight, all schools in Texas must close. The executive order will be in place through April 3 and may be extended. Abbott prohibited social gatherings of groups of 10 or more and ordered bars, restaurants, and gyms to close. However, eateries will be allowed to serve customers through drive-thru, pick-up and delivery options. READ MORE: Gov. Abbott shuts Texas schools, restricts bars and restaurants through April 3 Visitors will not be allowed at nursing homes, retirement homes or long-term care facilities. The governor reported more than 140 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across 27 counties in Texas. He attributed at least three deaths in the state to the virus. "This executive order is not a shelter-in-place order," Abbott said, noting that essential businesses and critical infrastructure will remain open. On Thursday, the San Antonio City Council extended Mayor Ron Nirenbergs public health emergency declaration to 30 days. Council members approved the measure by a unanimous vote. The number of confirmed cases in the city has climbed to at least 25. A dozen of the cases are related to travel or close contact with one of those travelers. The remaining 13 are under investigation. None so far has resulted from community spread, meaning they were transmitted from person to person within a community rather than being acquired from outside the community. From March 18, 5 p.m. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg issued a fourth emergency declaration Wednesday, ordering non-essential businesses to close amid the coronavirus pandemic. Confirmed cases rose to 25 according to information released by the Metropolitan Health District at 8 p.m. Wednesday. The declaration goes into effect at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday and will last seven days unless extended by the City Council. The city's restaurants, bars, gyms and other commercial businesses (listed below) must shut their doors as officials seek to stop the spread of the virus. Pharmacies, grocery stores, gas stations, and other essential businesses will remain open. Restaurants will be allowed to serve customers through drive-thru, delivery and pick-up orders. CANCELED EVENTS: San Antonio events canceled or postponed due to coronavirus "We will get through this and we will get through this together," Nirenberg said. The mayor noted that there is no curfew in place but asked people to stay home as much as possible, especially during nighttime hours. The mayor's emergency order earlier this week, which restricted gatherings to no more than 50 people, did not apply to bars and restaurants. Officials have confirmed 25 cases of COVID-19 in the San Antonio area. The Metropolitan Health District has tested a total of 135 people according to information released in a public update on the city's web site. On Wednesday, University Health System announced that a nurse and second resident physician had tested positive for COVID-19 following travel exposure. Both are isolated at home and officials are working to locate those who were potentially exposed. The following facilities are closed temporarily: - Restaurants, including microbrewery, micro-distilleries or wineries (The establishments must close dining rooms but may offer take-out, drive-thru, or delivery) - Bars - Lounges - Nightclubs - Taverns - Private clubs - Gyms or health studios - Indoor commercial amusement businesses - Bowling alleys - Bingo parlors - Theaters The following facilities are exempt from the declaration: These facilities are strongly encouraged to practice social distancing. - San Antonio International Airport - Public or private schools or child care facilities - Places of worship - Funeral homes - Museums (so long as visitors are generally not within arms length of one another for extended periods) - Spaces where 50 or more persons may be in transit or waiting for transit, such as bus stops - Office spaces - Hotels - Residential buildings - Grocery stores, shopping malls, outdoor markets or other retail establishments Watch the news conference below: A computer image shows a model structurally representative of the type of virus linked to COVID-19, on Feb. 18, 2020. (NEXU Science Communication/via Reuters) 43 Australians Recover From Coronavirus As Scientists Chase Vaccine More than 40 Australians who tested positive for COVID-19 have recovered, the Department Of Health said on March 18. As of 6:30 a.m. on March 18, there were 454 confirmed cases in the country, of which 43 had recovered from COVID-19, according to official figures, and six, all aged over 70, had died. The department said that the source of infection for 26 cases is currently unknown, with another 138 cases under investigation. Meanwhile, 228 cases have been established to have been acquired from overseasmostly from Iran, Italy, the UK, and the United Statesand a further 62 cases were contacts of previously confirmed cases. The announcement comes as researchers at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity revealed that they now have a glimpse into how the human immune system is responding to the coronavirus after taking blood from one of Australias first COVID-19 patients and identifying the antibodies recruited by the body to fight the illness. Four blood samples were taken from a woman in her 40s who tested positive for the virus in Wuhan in China, where the disease originated. The blood samples were taken both before and after her recovery, and researchers found an emergence of immune cells in the blood. Laboratory head Katherine Kedzierska told ABC that the body responds to COVID-19 in the same way it responds to the flu. The immune cell populations we have seen emerging before patients recover are the same cells that we see in influenza, she said. Because this is a new virus, we didnt know how the body would respond, Professor Kedzierska said, adding that she is now hopeful the findings will prove helpful in developing an effective vaccine. This information will allow us to evaluate any vaccine candidate, as in an ideal world, the vaccine should mimic our bodys immune response, she added. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday upgraded the countries international travel advice to the highest level, with citizens told not to travel overseas as the government declared the pandemic a human biosecurity emergency. We are upgrading the travel ban on Australians to level four for the entire world. That is the first time that has ever happened in Australias history, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said at a news conference Wednesday morning. The travel advice to every Australian is Do not travel abroad. Do not go overseas. That is very clear, that instruction. Regardless of your destination, age or health, our advice is do not travel at this time, the advice on the Smart Traveller website said. As more countries close their borders or introduce travel restrictions, overseas travel is becoming more complex and difficult. Morrison noted that the ban is indefinite and that other countries appear to be putting up similar travel restrictions. The prime minister also ordered a halt on non-essential indoor gatherings of more than 100 people, effective immediately, on top of an existing ban on outdoor events of more than 500. However, schools, universities, airports, public transport, medical and emergency services facilities, aged care homes, jails, courts, parliaments, supermarkets and many workplaces will remain open, he said. German carmaker BMW said Wednesday it would close European and South African factories accounting for half its output for a month, matching other car giants stricken by coronavirus containment measures. It also warned that profits this year would be significantly lower as a result of the crisis. "From today, we will shut down our European car factories and the Rosslyn factory in South Africa," chief executive Oliver Zipse said, adding that the interruption is expected for now to last "until April 19". BMW's factories around Europe -- in Bavaria, elsewhere in Germany and further afield -- combined with the South Africa plant accounted for half the 2.56 million cars the group built in 2019. Around Europe, other manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler, Volkswagen, Ford, Fiat and Peugeot have also moved to shut factory doors through the coronavirus crisis. "As for many goods, demand for cars will sink sharply" because of the virus and associated containment measures, BMW CEO Zipse said. Workers at the Munich-based group benefit from "highly flexible and effective working-time tools" that can help cushion the impact, he added. The German government has already simplified rules governing compensation for workers whose hours are slashed during the crisis. BMW finance director Nicolas Peter said the group now expects pre-tax profits this year to be "significantly lower" than the 7.1 billion euros ($7.8 billion) reported in 2019. "Measures related to the coronavirus will have a significant impact on the course of our business," Peter said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a bid to stop the spread of the coronavirus, many businesses in Spain have asked workers to telecommute, following the recommendations from the Health Ministry. For those who are now telecommuting, we have already provided tips on how to work productively from home, but it is also important to understand how to take care of your physical health and use exercise to prevent atrophy and muscle discomfort. People who spend long hours in front of the computer, regardless of whether they are at home or work, are at a higher risk of certain problems. Miguel Soro, the vice-president of the Galician Physiotherapy Association, says that the most common ailments occur in the cervical area and lumbar area, although the lower body also suffers from spending so much time seated. As well as avoiding going to the fridge every five minutes and forcing yourself to change out of your pajamas, people who work from home should also perform a series of physical routines to prevent future ailments. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults between 18 and 64 years old spend at least 150 minutes a week doing moderate physical activity. In that case, practicing these activities for 20 minutes a day should help you stay in shape. First: where to sit In the office, the work environment encourages behavior that is not as easy to maintain in private. The intimacy of the home can mean that we sit in postures that are less upright, and this can be harmful in the long term. Montserrat Ruiz-Olivares, the secretary general of the Madrid Physiotherapy Association, argues that it is better [for your body] to be seated than lying down. But, she adds, its better to be standing than seated, its better to be moving than standing still, and its better to do more exercise than less. The idea that the physiotherapist is trying to get across is that, more than having the correct posture, the key to preventing muscular pain is movement. One option that Ruiz-Olivares suggests is to work seated on a fitball a large exercise ball that is often used in pilates instead of an office chair. In the office, this can look bad, but not at home. If you sit on a fitball it will ensure that you move, and it will mean that you are not slumped in the seat, she says. Posture changes and breaks Ruiz-Olivares maintains that there is no perfect posture, the best posture is to change it. This is backed by Soro, who explains that, for years, scientific research has not focused on maintaining one, correct posture since everyone has [different] physiological curves. For this reason, recommendations now center on the need to move and exercise after work. Ruiz-Olivares says the key is to stop working at least every hour to take a walk and allow the body to stretch and change position. Soro believes this should be done every 15 or 20 minutes. But he adds: If their work doesnt allow them to get up so often, they should at the very least stand up and take a couple steps. Exercises during breaks If you go to the bathroom, you can do some pushups, stretch a little and sit back down, says Ruiz-Olivares. This is an example of a simple exercise that can be done during these breaks. If people have stairs at home, they can go up and down them so as to not lose strength in their legs, she adds. And if you dont have stairs? That is not a problem; the same effect can be achieved with a few squats. Soro also says that some exercises can be performed while seated, such as stretching. But, the specialist explains, the important thing is physical activity, this is what will prevent injuries from sitting for too long. Stretches are more pain relievers. Stretches for the end of the day With work done and the workday finished, these stretches can be expanded to more extensive exercises on the floor. For an example, you can stretch your back with the following exercises. Exercises to stretch the back. solar22 (Getty Images) More exercises to do at home In addition to the lower back and upper body, the lower limbs are also going to be stiff from sitting for so long. Because we limit our movement, the lower limbs lose muscle mass, explains Ruiz-Olivares. Thats why you should do a series of exercises such as strides. The physiotherapist emphasizes the need to counteract everything that occurs when you dont walk all day. To do this, she recommends using an exercise bike or treadmill if you have one at home. English version by Nell Snow. Toronto, Ontario and Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2020) - Minera Alamos Inc. (TSXV: MAI) ("Minera" or the "Company") reports that, in light of the increasing global responses to the COVID-19 virus outbreak, the Company has executed an internal plan of action to help minimize any disruptions to ongoing operations while ensuring the health and safety of Company personnel, community partners and other stakeholders that our teams interact with. Operationally, the Company is proceeding with construction activities at the fully funded Santana gold mine in Sonora, Mexico. To date, work continues as planned with personnel and members of the local community actively engaged in the project's development under the direction of Minera's CEO, Darren Koningen. The site area is relatively remote from large population centres. Minera has rented additional housing space that will allow the isolation of its personnel from the broader population when operating in the major city centers and not at the Santana project site. Elsewhere and where appropriate the Company's staff will work remotely from the Company's head office with capabilities in place to do so without any disruption in day-to-day activities. Company activities will continue to align with the guidance provided by local, provincial and federal authorities in both Canada and Mexico. Doug Ramshaw, President, stated, "Out of an abundance of caution and community mindedness both in Canada and Mexico, we have enacted a plan to allow the ongoing functionality of Company personnel in their various capacities until the COVID-19 outbreak and its repercussions are better understood. We are fortunate to operate with a streamlined team that can and have been functioning remotely for some time. We expect to provide ongoing updates to all stakeholders of the Company as this fluid situation evolves." An update on construction activities as well as ongoing drilling will be released in due course. For Further Information Please Contact: Minera Alamos Inc. Doug Ramshaw, President Tel: 604-600-4423 Email: dramshaw@mineraalamos.com Victoria Vargas de Szarzynski, VP Investor Relations Tel: 289-242-3599 Email: vvargas@mineraalamos.com Website: www.mineraalamos.com About Minera Alamos Inc.: Minera Alamos is a gold development company poised to join the ranks of gold producers in 2020. The Company has a portfolio of high-quality Mexican assets, including the 100%-owned Santana open-pit, heap-leach development project in Sonora currently under construction, which is expected to have its first gold production in late 2020. The La Fortuna open pit gold project in Durango (100%-owned) has an extremely robust and positive preliminary economic assessment (PEA) completed and is nearing the end of the permitting process. A construction decision on La Fortuna could be made in late 2020 or early 2021 and highlights the organic growth the existing projects can provide to the overall production profile. Minera Alamos is built around its operating team that together brought 3 mines into production over the last 12 years. The Company's strategy is to develop low capex assets while expanding the project resources and pursue complementary strategic acquisitions. 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/53574 MERIDIAN, Miss. - The recent shooting of a Mississippi judge outside a courthouse was personal, authorities said Tuesday. Chancery Judge Charlie Smith was shot near his abdomen Monday morning outside the Lauderdale County Courthouse as he was exiting his truck to go into the courthouse, police said. He was initially listed as being in critical condition, but is now recovering, The Meridian Star reported. We feel very confident that it is an isolated incident and that it was directed toward him, said Interim Police Chief Lewis Robbins. The shooting occurred in Meridian, about 98 miles (158 kilometres) northeast of Jackson. The police have returned to the scene numerous times and are working to pull video from every source in the area, Robbins added. So far, there is no suspect and police have not found a gun. Smiths 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. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 21:04:06|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close A statue is put on a mask on a square in Barcelona, Spain, March 18, 2020. The number of COVID-19 cases in Spain rose to 13,716 on Wednesday, up from 11,178 a day earlier, the Spanish Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Services confirmed in its daily press briefing. The ministry added that 558 people have died from COVID-19, while 5,717 people are hospitalized with 774 in intensive care, and 1,081 have made a recovery. (Photo by Joan Gosa/Xinhua) MADRID, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez struck an upbeat tone Wednesday on offsetting the economic shock of coronavirous outbreaks, saying that the Spanish economy would snap back from any virus-caused recession. Addressing a special session at a virtually empty chamber in the Congress of Deputies, which was occupied by just a handful of deputies, Sanchez admitted that the economy would suffer because of the coronavirus. "The year 2020 will not have 12 months, but rather 10 or even nine," he commented, confirming that "GDP will fall." Sanchez, however, was optimistic that the economy would be able to bounce back from any virus-caused recession. "If we manage to maintain employment levels, the recovery will be fast," he said, explaining that the measures announced on Tuesday formed part of a "social pact." The Spanish government on Tuesday announced that it will inject 200 billion euros (220 billion U.S. dollars) into the national economy in a series of measures to offset the effects of the coronavirus epidemic. The aid package came days after a State of Alarm, which limits freedom of movement and gives the government extra powers, was announced late on Saturday. "They are aimed at maintaining the drive of the economy during this parenthesis and not leaving anyone behind... For those who most need it. We are going to protect all of them while this crisis lasts," said Sanchez. He declared that his government would establish a commission to evaluate the public health system when the crisis is over. "Spain has one of the most efficient and solid health systems in the world. The pandemic has spread through more than 150 countries. This is a health, social and economic emergency. It forces us to respond to the circumstances and to value the health system," he said. The prime minister said that his government would "present a budget for social and economic reconstruction" when the crisis was over and he asked for unity. "This is the time for cooperation and solidarity. The time of our public services," continued the prime minister. "I want to send out a message of absolute calm...We are more than 47 million people, we are a community. One that with a number of languages and accents will fight for the same cause: to beat this virus. Together. That is how we will win," concluded Sanchez. The number of COVID-19 cases in Spain rose to 13,716 on Wednesday, up from 11,178 a day earlier, the Spanish Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Services confirmed in its daily press briefing. The ministry added that 558 people have died from COVID-19, while 5,717 people are hospitalized with 774 in intensive care, and 1,081 have made a recovery. / -- Star Air, a regional commuter airline, which has grown fabulously in the very first year of its operations, recently added another feather to its cap. On 16th March 2020, Star Air made history by becoming the India's first airline to start direct flight services between Indore (Madhya Pradesh) and Kishangarh (Ajmer - Rajasthan) under the popular RCS-UDAN scheme. The airline scheduled a few mega launch events at both Indore and Kishangarh (Ajmer) airports, where scores of high-profile dignitaries had come. Mrs. AryamaSanyal - Airport Director -Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport, Indore inaugurated this historic Indore-Kishangarh(Ajmer) flight service at a grand ceremony held at the Indore airport on 16th March 2020. Along with her, Mr. Bikar Singh - Chief Aerodrome Security Officer - CISF, Mr. Sunil Bansod - ATC Incharge, Mr. Shrivastav - Terminal Incharge, and many other senior dignitaries from the AAI were also present at this function. In another mega event conducted on the same day at the Kishangarh Airport, many senior dignitaries from all walks of life attended a grand launch ceremony. Mr. Ashok Kapoor -Airport Director (Kishangarh Airport), Mr. R K Meena - Commercial Head (Kishangarh Airport), and Mrs. Anuradha - ATC Incharge (Kishangarh Airport) also came and graced this event with their distinguished presence. Officials from Sanjay Ghodawat Group and Star Air were also present. It is quite interesting that in a very limited time, the airline has not only made this route operational but also been successful in promoting this route. Star Air on 18th February 2020 announced to launch this service and subsequently opened its sales. Since then, there has been immense euphoria amongst millions of people who aspired to see such service for decades. Increasing Footprints; Fulfilling Aspirations Star Air has gained phenomenal success in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi-NCR, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujrat, and Madhya Pradesh. And now connecting Rajasthan, also called as 'The Land of Colours'. Rajasthan is the seventh Indian state where Star Air is providing its flight services under the RCS-UDAN scheme. Interestingly, Indore and Kishangarh, which are almost 550 kilometres apart, had not been blessed with direct flight connectivity prior to Star Air's launch. People had to spend more than 10 hours to cover this distance that too with much hassle and discomfort. But now they can cover this distance in just 1 hour. "Star Air is the first airline, which has fulfilled the aspirations of millions of people, by starting the first-ever direct flight services between Indore and Kishangarh (Ajmer)," says Mr.Shrenik Ghodawat, MD -Star Air. "For many decades, people of Belagavi, Karnataka also aspired to get benefitted with affordable and swift transportation services to Kishangarh (Ajmer). Considering people's demand, the management of Star Air further decided to extend the benefits of its Kishangarh service to a larger number of people living across the geography of Belagavi by providing flight services between Belagavi and Kishangarh (Ajmer) with one stop (via Indore) from 16th March 2020 itself." It is expected that millions of people from South & West Maharashtra, North & West Karnataka, and from many districts adjacent to Indore would benefit with this service. Especially, districts from Maharashtra state like Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, and many districts from Karnataka state like Belagavi, Dharwad, Vijapur would get benefitted from this connectivity. A Gift for Travel Enthusiasts and Business People This service will help travellers to a great extent as Kishangarh (Ajmer), is one of the most famous tourist destinations in India. This route is expected to make travel easy for tourists, who love to explore palaces, forts and places of religious importance. With the commencement of this route, now people can fly easily to Kishangarh (Ajmer) and take a glimpse of the famous Ajmer Sharif Dargah (30 KM), Pushkar Lake (44 KM), Phool Mahal Palace (8 KM), Roopangarh Fort (27 KM), Brahmaji Temple (46 KM) etc., much comfortably than ever before. Travellers can also visit Salasar Balaji Dham Mandir in Sikar, which is the only temple of Lord Hanuman in entire India, where he is idolized in moustache and beard form. It is just 156 KM from Kishangarh. Also, businesspersons, who are in marble businesses, can immensely save their travel time with the launch of Indore-Kishangarh (Ajmer) and Belagavi-Kishangarh (Ajmer) (with one stop via Indore) routes. As this city, Kishangarh, known as Marble City of India, is very popular for its exquisite marbles globally. Below is the schedule for Belagavi - Indore - Kishangarh sector: ORIGIN DESTINATION DEPARTURE ARRIVAL FREQUENCY Belagavi Indore 13:10 14:40 MON, TUE, THU Indore Belagavi 17:55 19:35 MON, TUE, THU Indore Kishangarh(Ajmer) 15:00 16:05 MON, TUE, THU Kishangarh(Ajmer) Indore 16:30 17:35 MON, TUE, THU About Star Air Star Air is a scheduled commercial airline with an aim to connect real India. It is promoted by Ghodawat Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., which is the Aviation arm of strategically diversified Sanjay Ghodawat Group. Over the past five years we have made a best-in-class helicopter operator in India with impeccable dedication to safety. Star Air is the latest offering of the group. An upcoming Airline with a firm proposal to connect the unconnected. The target routes are where passengers are currently suffering a lot of transit layover delays. The airline will provide a very reliable, safe and comfortable travel experience with direct connections. Truly the group's 'Star in the Air'. About the Group Sanjay Ghodawat Group (SGG) is an Indian business conglomerate that has its presence across various high-value business verticals.SGG has its headquarters in Kolhapur, Maharashtra- India. Agriculture, Aviation, Consumer Goods, Education, Energy, Floriculture, Food Processing, Mining, Realty, Software, and Textiles are some of its key business domains. The Group was incepted in 1993 and since then it has flourished exponentially in the last 25 years under the splendid stewardship of its Founder and Chairman - Mr. Sanjay Ghodawat. It employs over 10,000 people globally. For more details visit - www.ghodawat.com Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1059484/Star_Air_aircraft.jpg Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/942915/Star_Air_Bengaluru.jpg Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/955241/Star_Air_Aircraft_inside. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The world may be in pandemonium since the coronavirus (COVID-19) started spreading, but at least there is one ray of hope in these times, and thats that Hannah Brown and Tyler Cameron have reunited. After Browns disastrous season of The Bachelorette, fans have been rooting for her and Cameron to give things another try. Though they have yet to confirm whether they are more than friends or not, Cameron is already talking about kids. Hannah Brown and Tyler Cameron | John Fleenor via Getty Images What happened between Hannah Brown and Tyler Cameron? After getting her heartbroken by Colton Underwood on The Bachelor, Brown got to try her hand at love as the Bachelorette. Unfortunately, when it came down to it, she picked Jed Wyatt over Cameron. But by the live finale, she had already ended her engagement to Wyatt after finding out that he had a girlfriend the entire time that he was filming. During that same finale, she asked Cameron out for a drink, which shocked the Florida native. It was definitely a surprise, he told Glamour after the finale. I think the world of her. When she said thatI never thoughteven if she was still with Jed, I never thought that our friendship was going to just be over, because we cherished and valued each others relationship so much. I think we didnt want to go cold turkey just because it didnt work out on the show right away. So were just going to enjoy each others company and see how we are around each other without all the pressure. We dont want to put pressure on each other. We want to just enjoy each others company and go from there. Tyler Cameron starts dating Gigi Hadid Unfortunately, things did not go to plan between Brown and Cameron as shortly after hanging out with Brown, he began seeing model Gigi Hadid. After learning that Cameron was hanging out with Hadid, Brown was confused about her relationship with him. Im not really sure where things stand with us right now, she told People. Im single. Dating [Tyler] is too strong of a word. Im figuring it out. Hannah Brown and Peter Weber try to rekindle After Cameron continued dating Hadid, Brown tried to rekindle things with her second runner-up Peter Weber. She appeared on the first few episodes of his season of The Bachelor and told him that she still had feelings for him. Though he shared those feelings, he ultimately decided to continue being the Bachelor and left his relationship with Brown in the past. Hannah and Tyler reunite Sometimes tragedy brings people together. After Camerons mom Andrea suddenly died, Brown flew down to Palm Beach International Airport to be with him. He was spotted picking her up from the airport. Then the two were seen hanging out on the beach with one another, walking around, and playing beach volleyball. Are Hannah Brown and Tyler Cameron thinking about having kids? Now that most Americans are self-isolating in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus, they are spending a lot of time indoors, many with their significant others. There is going to be a major spike in child births 9 months from now, Cameron tweeted referencing all of the alone time couples are having. Dustin Kendrick, another contestant from Browns season responded to Camerons tweet, You sayin Im gonna be an uncle? Is this a personal story? one fan asked him. And another outright told Cameron and Brown to start reproducing. Right? Go on and make you and HB some pretty babies, she wrote. SALEM, Ore. -- Gov. Kate Brown announced Tuesday school closures must be extended until April 28. Brown initially set closures to two weeks in response to the spread of novel coronavirus. Students will now be out of school for a total of six weeks. Below are additional instructions from the governor: Schools must provide learning support and supplemental services to students and families, including meals and child care. Districts may call on educators and employees to deliver limited learning and support services. Districts will pay all their regular employees during the closure. The Oregon Department of Education, Oregon Health Authority and Department of Human Services must continue mental health services. I do not take the decision to extend school closures lightly, Brown said. This will have real impacts on Oregons students, parents, and educators. But we must act now to flatten the curve and slow the rate of COVID-19 transmission in Oregon, otherwise we face a higher strain on our medical system and greater loss of life to this disease. For more coronavirus coverage, click here. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 21:53:12|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SHANGHAI, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A charter flight carrying 12 Chinese medical experts and over 17 tonnes of supplies headed for Milan of Italy on Wednesday to aid the country's fight against the coronavirus outbreak. Operated by China Eastern Airlines, the flight took off at about 11:26 a.m. from the Shanghai Pudong International Airport and is scheduled to arrive in Milan at 4:31 p.m. Wednesday local time. The experts came from various hospitals and the center for disease control and prevention in eastern China's Zhejiang Province. The supplies included medicine, testing reagents protective gear, as well as equipment used in intensive care units such as ventilators and monitors. The global coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 201,000 people worldwide, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the new respiratory illness. Here's a roundup of developments in RFE/RL's broadcast countries. Iran Iran's death toll from the coronavirus has reached 1,135, with 147 deaths over the past 24 hours -- the highest 24-hour rise yet -- state TV reported on March 18, as President Hassan Rohani defended his government's response to the outbreak. Iran has been the hardest-hit country in the Middle East, with a total of 16,169 confirmed cases, roughly 90 percent of the region's cases. Iran has been accused of acting too slowly and of even covering up initial cases. But Rohani on March 18 rejected criticism of his government's response to the coronavirus outbreak, telling a government meeting that authorities have been straightforward" with the nation, and that it had announced the outbreak as soon as it learned about it on February 19. "We spoke to people in a honest way. We had no delay," Rohani said. Government officials pleaded for weeks with clerics to completely close crowded holy shrines to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The government finally shut down the shrines this week. "It was difficult of course to shut down mosques and holy sites, but we did it. It was a religious duty to do it," Rohani said. The outbreak has cast a shadow over the Persian New Year, Norouz, that begins on March 20. It was later announced that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will pardon 10,000 prisoners, including political ones, to mark Norouz. "Those who will be pardoned will not return to jail," judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili told state TV on March 18, adding that "almost half of those security-related prisoners will be pardoned as well." Judicial officials had previously announced the temporary release of 85,000 inmates to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus in Iran's prisons. They confirmed that those freed included political prisoners, which Iranian authorities describe as "security-related prisoners." Pakistan The Pakistani government has confirmed the country's first fatality from coronavirus in the northwest province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The South Asian country had a total of 260 confirmed cases of the infection as of late March 18, including 19 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. "With deep regret I confirm the death of first Pakistani due to coronavirus. A 50-year-old male from Mardan city recently returned from Saudi Arabia. He developed fever, cough, and breathing difficulty and tested positive for the COVID-19," Health Minister Zafar Mirza tweeted. A 36-year-old man from Hangu district also died of the respiratory disease after returning from Turkey to Islamabad via Dubai, according to a spokesperson for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government. Thousands of Pakistanis, mostly pilgrims, have been put in quarantine in recent weeks at the Taftan border crossing in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan after returning from Iran, one of the world's worst-affected countries. Amid the steep rise in known cases, Pakistani authorities have moved to discourage crowds and gatherings. Islamabad on March 17 announced that all gyms, swimming pools, religious shrines, and children's parks would remain closed for three weeks. Health officials in Punjab, Pakistan's largest province, urged the public to avoid unnecessary social contacts or traveling and to stay indoors. Governments around the world continue to take sweeping measures to try to slow the spread of coronavirus, which has now infected more than 201,000 people and killed over 8,000. Ukraine The speaker of the Ukrainian parliament and other lawmakers will be tested for the novel coronavirus after one of their colleagues tested positive on March 18, local media has reported. Authorities are trying to trace everyone who has been in contact with lawmaker Serhiy Shakhov of the Dovira (Faith) parliamentary group since he entered the legislature earlier in the week following a trip to an unspecified European Union member state. Shakhov appeared on Ukrainian television on March 12-13, according to deputy Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, and participated in a meeting of the parliaments Environment Committee on March 13. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the infected lawmaker's voter card was registered in parliament on March 17 and was used to vote, although Shakhov was absent. "Unfortunately, his colleagues are guilty of multiple voting," Zelenskiy said about the widespread phenomenon in parliament that is now punishable by law. Ukraine, which has confirmed 16 cases of the respiratory illness and two deaths in four regions and the capital, Kyiv, closed its borders to foreigners for two weeks starting on March 16. Authorities have also canceled air, rail, and bus connections between cities and regions, and shut down the subway in all three cities where they operate, including Kyiv. Moldova Moldova on March 18 reported its first death from coronavirus. "A first Moldovan citizen died of the coronavirus infection last night. This is a 61-year-old woman," Health, Labor, and Social Protection Minister Viorica Dumbraveanu said. The woman had recently returned from Italy and was suffering from several illnesses, Dumbraveanu said. The manager of the Chisinau hospital where the woman died told the media that the woman's village has been placed under quarantine. Moldova, a nation of 3.5 million sandwiched between EU member Romania and Ukraine, reported 30 confirmed coronavirus cases as of March 18. Moldova's parliament on March 17 imposed a 60-day state of emergency in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus. The country, one of the poorest in Europe, has already temporarily shut its borders and suspended all international flights from March 17. Hundreds of thousands of Moldovans have been working abroad, many of them in Italy and Spain, two of the countries most affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Separately, Moldova's breakaway region of Transdniester declared a state of emergency until April 5 in the wake of the outbreak. Transdniester declared independence in 1990 and fought a bloody war with Moldova two years later. It is unrecognized by the international community but is unofficially backed by Russia, which stations hundreds of troops in the region. Romania/Hungary Hungary on March 18 moved to relax a sweeping border closure after thousands more travelers many angry and lacking supplies -- clogged its crossings with Austria to the west and Romania to the east. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's right-wing government on March 17 closed its land crossings to foreigners as well as border crossings at airports to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Thousands of travelers were massed on March 18 at the Nickelsdorf-Hegyeshalom border crossing between Austria and Hungary, after missing a window of several hours allowed by Budapest overnight for those who wanted to transit the country on their way to Romania and Bulgaria. Meanwhile, some 7,000 people who had reached the Romanian border to the east overnight were facing another hours-long bottleneck due to health checks imposed by Bucharest. The two-pronged crisis prompted Budapest to reopen the border with Austria at noon on March 18 until the easing of the blockage to the west, and to allow daily passage for Romanians and Bulgarians from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. on preapproved routes, according to a statement by Romania's Foreign Ministry. Austrian authorities on March 18 advised drivers to keep away from the Hungarian border as the traffic jam there grew to 45 kilometers and protests broke out among stranded travelers. "There is no use in coming to the border," said Astrid Eisenkopf, the deputy governor of Austria's Burgenland Province, which neighbors Hungary. Most of the delayed Romanians are workers returning from Italy and Spain, the world's second- and fourth-most affected countries by the virus, but also from other Western countries. Romania is the European Unions second-poorest country, and at least 4 million Romanians work abroad, according to estimates. On March 18, Romania reported 29 more confirmed cases, bringing the total to 246, as well as 19 recovered cases. There have been no coronavirus deaths inside the country. But specialists warn that Romania has so far tested only some 3.000 people for the coronavirus, while in other countries the number of those tested was in the tens of thousands. Hungary reported having 50 confirmed coronavirus infections on March 17, with one death. Bulgaria Bulgaria announced it has entered into a fiscal deficit and Ukraine said it is seeking a bigger lending program from the International Monetary Fund beyond the $5.5 billion for which it was asking. Confirmed cases in Bulgaria, the EUs poorest but least indebted country, spiked by 30 percent on March 17 to 81. The government in Sofia banned all foreign and domestic holiday trips until April 13. Kosovo Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti has fired Interior Minister Agim Veliu for purportedly spreading "panic" about coronavirus after he backed a presidential call for a state of emergency over the pandemic. Kurti announced Velius dismissal on March 18, just hours after Veliu said he supported a proposed state of emergency that has divided officials in the Balkan country. President Hashim Thaci late on March 17 signed a decree declaring a state of emergency. It has been sent to Kosovo's parliament, which has 48 hours to either accept or reject the move. But Kurti has rejected calls for a state of emergency. He said it would cause "unnecessary panic." "At this time, when the entire public administration is making the utmost efforts to minimize the damage caused by the coronavirus, the heads of central institutions, including those in the government cabinet, need to prove maturity both in decision-making and in making statements," Kurti said in his announcement about firing Veliu. The move may resonate far beyond the debate about how to react to the coronavirus pandemic. It could cause a rift in the governing coalition that took power in Kosovo just over a month ago. Veliu is from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), which is in a fragile coalition with Kurti's Self-Determination party. LDK leader Isa Mustafa gave Kurti until the end of the week to "annul the decision to dismiss Veliu and make a decision to abolish the tariffs" on Serbian imports. Pristina is under huge pressure from the European Union and the United States to revoke the 100 percent import tariff it imposed on goods from Serbia in November 2018. The tariff came in response to Belgrade's diplomatic campaign to encourage some of the 110-plus countries that have recognized Kosovo since it declared independence from Serbia in 2008 to reverse their position. Kosovo says it has confirmed 19 cases of the coronavirus since the first infected person was discovered on March 13. Most cases are people who had traveled to nearby Italy or had been in contact with others who'd been to Italy. Bosnia-Herzegovina Neighboring Bosnia-Herzegovina declared a state of emergency to enable coordination of activities between its two autonomous regions. "We are focusing in all ways on how to alleviate the consequences of the coronavirus," Prime Minister Zoran Tegeltija told reporters. Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan has confirmed its first three cases of the coronavirus in a group of travelers returning from Saudi Arabia. Kyrgyz Health Minister Kosmosbek Cholponbaev said on March 18 that the three Kyrgyz citizens are from the southern Suzak district in the Jalal-Abad region. The infected had returned to Kyrgyzstan on March 12, he said. They are 70, 62, and 43 years of age. Authorities in the district have sealed off the villages of Blagoveshchenka, Boston, and Orta-Aziya. They've also set up 19 checkpoints nearby, regional officials said. Deputy Foreign Minister Nurlan Abdrakhmanov said in a statement that as of March 18, all foreigners are banned from entering Kyrgyzstan. Elsewhere In Central Asia In neighboring Kazakhstan, the Health Ministry said on March 18 that the number of coronavirus cases had reached 36, after three more infections were confirmed in Almaty. Kazakhstan has declared a state of emergency until April 15. As of March 19, the cities of Nur-Sultan and Almaty will be in lockdown. Uzbekistan announced on March 18 that its total number of confirmed cases had reached 15. So far, no coronavirus cases have been officially announced in the Central Asian former Soviet republics of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. The new coronavirus has spread to more than 100 countries worldwide. It has infected more than 201,000 people and killed more than 8,000, with the number of people now recovered at more than 82,000, according to a tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. With reporting by RFE/RL's Balkan, Romanian, Moldovan, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Ukrainian, Uzbek services and Radio Mashaal, AP, Reuters, Interfax, TASS, AFP, Hromadske, Ukrayinska pravda, Hotnews.ro, Digi24.ro, and G4media.ro 17.03.2020 LISTEN The Togolese National Assembly Monday March 16 stripped Dr. Kodjo Messan Gabriel Agbeyome, a Member of the Assembly and an opposition leader of his parliamentary immunity. The leader of the Patriotic Movement for Democracy and Development (MPDD) is accused of plotting coup d'etat by the Togolese government, endangering state security, spreading false information, illegal use of state symbols and of aggravated disturbances of public order for having declared himself president. About 80 out of 90 Members of the Assembly in plenary voted to strip Dr. Agbeyome of the immunity. The government was represented in the hemicycle on Monday by Justice Pius Kokouvi Agbetomey and a Human Right lawyer Christian Trimua. The Ghana News Agency gathered that eight members abstained while two others voted against taking away his parliamentary immunity. The opposition leader who was elected in November 2018 to serve the people of Yoto Prefecture, Dr. Agbeyome was the President of the National Assembly in 1999 before late President Eyadema appointed him as Prime Minister in 2000, replacing Eugene Koffi Adoboli. At a press conference Monday evening, Emeritus Archbishop Philippe Fanako Kpodzro described the action by the General Assembly as a "conspiracy of enemies of democracy". ---GNA English Finnish Harvia Oyj, Stock exchange release, March 18, 2020 at 8.30 am EET Harvia Plc (Harvia) has signed an agreement to acquire the majority of the German EOS Group (EOS), a technology leader for professional and premium sauna & spa products. The acquisition complements Harvias professional and premium sauna offering well and strengthens Harvias leading position as a professional global sauna and spa experience brand. The acquisition is expected to create annual synergies of at least EUR 2.2 million. EOS is a leading brand in the premium and professional channel and the company has more than 75 years of experience in the sauna industry. The companys broad product portfolio consists of professional and premium sauna heaters, gas-powered heaters, control units, steam generators, infrared hardware and accessories related to all of these products. Thanks to its own control unit manufacturer, Spatronic, EOS has strong expertise in electronics. In 2019, EOS had a revenue of EUR 17.3 million, adjusted EBITDA of EUR 3.2 million and adjusted EBIT of EUR 2.8 million. The company employs approximately 150 persons. The purchase price is EUR 19.7 million and it is based on the debt-free valuation of EUR 25.5 million for the entire EOS Group at the time of signing of the deal. The purchase price will be further specified after the closing. After the closing of the transaction, Harvia will own 78.6% of the Groups German operations and 80.0% of the Russian operations and will have an option to purchase the minority shares in the future (more information in section Transaction structure). Harvia will finance the acquisition by interest-bearing debt and own cash funds. The acquisition is expected to create annual synergies of at least EUR 2.2 million, which are expected to be realized in full by 2024. The identified key sources of synergy comprise cross-selling opportunities, streamlining of product offering, and economies of scale in sourcing. In addition, the optimization of warehousing and logistics as well as the optimization of the distribution are expected to generate cost savings. One-off integration and post-closing costs are estimated to total EUR 1.4 million over the years 2020 and 2021. Harvia does not publish its short-term outlook. The transaction will not have an impact on Harvias long-term targets related to growth, profitability and leverage. Harvia is proud to announce the acquisition of a majority stake in EOS Group, the worlds leading professional and premium sauna and spa solution manufacturer. The acquisition is perfectly in line with our strategy and supports our aim of increasing the value of average purchase, geographical expansion and improving our productivity. It is also a natural step for Harvia in becoming the leading one-stop-shop in global sauna markets while strengthening especially our spa offering, says Tapio Pajuharju, CEO of Harvia Plc. Harvias balance sheet and financial position are strong. After a thorough financial and risk analysis, we concluded that now is the right time to carry out this transaction, despite the global coronavirus situation, Pajuharju continues. The acquisition of EOS Group offers a great opportunity to grow Harvias market share especially in the professional and premium sauna and spa solutions. On top of this, the acquisition supports our profitability. We see the acquisition as creating clear synergy benefits as the product portfolios of Harvia and EOS complement each other well. Both brands will continue as independent brands. With our current distribution network, we see good opportunities to expand the distribution of EOS products to new markets, Pajuharju concludes. Im very satisfied with this transaction. Both Harvia and EOS Group are strong companies in their own segments and our professional and premium sauna and spa solutions offerings complement each other well, says Rainer Kunz, Managing Director of EOS Group. The financial position of EOS is strong, and we are debt-free. During the past years, we have worked hard to develop our manufacturing, procurement and supply processes. In such an unprecedented time like we are now living with the coronavirus, this work will benefit both us and Harvia. Together with Harvia, we are even more robust and stronger, Kunz concludes. Strategic rationale of the clearly synergistic acquisition The acquisition of a majority stake in EOS is a logical step in Harvias strategy implementation and clearly complements Harvias professional and premium sauna and spa solutions offering. The acquisition will also increase Harvias market share in the global sauna heater and component market from an estimated 11% to 14%. EOS products are typically used in luxury spas, wellness hotels, fitness clubs and in the premium price range sauna and spa projects of private individuals. The company has a strong distribution network and its loyal customer base consists of renowned European sauna and steam room manufacturers. The distribution network of EOS covers more than 80 countries, and the group is in a leading position in Germany, Austria, Russia and the CIS countries. The key brands of EOS include EOS sauna heaters and steam generators, Kusatek gas-powered sauna heaters, and Spatronic control units and electronics. All EOS products are developed and manufactured in the companys modern production plant in Driedorf, Germany. Key financials EOS Group The key financials of EOS Group are presented below (EUR million): 2019 2018 2017 Pro forma revenue 17.3 17.5 17.2 Revenue growth -1.5% +2.1% Pro forma adjusted EBITDA 3.2 3.0 2.4 Pro forma adjusted EBITDA margin 18.5% 17.3% 13.8% Pro forma adjusted EBIT 2.8 2.7 2.0 Pro forma adjusted EBIT margin 16.5% 15.5% 12.1% EOS Group comprises two entities Kunz & Meis Holding GmbH (holding company for German entities) and OOO EOS-Premium Spa (Russian operative entity), which have been consolidated to present pro forma figures. In addition, selected one-off items have been adjusted to present adjusted EBITDA and EBIT figures. The reported unadjusted figures for 2019 are: EBITDA EUR 2.9 million (16.7%) and EBIT EUR 2.5 million (14.7%). The total assets of EOS Group amounted to EUR 10.8 million at the end of 2019. Net debt totaled EUR 1.3 million. As a result of the transaction, Harvias net debt will increase from EUR 28.3 million at the end of 2019 to EUR 49.6 million and long-term liabilities from EUR 38.7 million to EUR 61.1 million. After the transaction, Harvias equity ratio is expected to be 46.0% (56.6% at the end of 2019.) Illustrative combined revenue of Harvia for the financial year 2019, after the EOS Group acquisition, amounts to EUR 91.6 million and adjusted EBITDA to EUR 20.2 million. Transaction structure The acquisition concerns Kunz & Meis Holding GmbH and its operative subsidiaries EOS Saunatechnik GmbH, Kusatek GmbH and Spatronic GmbH as well as OOO EOS-Premium Spa operating in Russia. The transaction also covers a real estate property that is purchased from M. & K. Immobilien GbR and is used by EOS Group. The sellers in the transaction are General Managers Rainer Kunz and Michael Meis, currently owning 100% of Kunz & Meis Holding GmbH, 50% of OOO EOS-Premium Spa and 100% of M. & K. Immobilien GbR, and Vasilij Sosenkov, currently owning 50% of OOO EOS-Premium Spa. At the closing of the transaction, Harvia will own 78.6% of Kunz & Meis Holding GmbH and 80.0% of OOO EOS-Premium Spa. Rainer Kunz will remain as a minority shareholder in Kunz & Meis Holding GmbH with a 21.4% holding and Vasilij Sosenkov as a minority shareholder in OOO EOS-Premium Spa with a 20.0% holding. The sellers have put options to sell the remainder of their shares after certain conditions have been met. Harvia has an option to purchase the minority shares within the next eight years. The purchase price of the shares and real estate under consideration amounts to EUR 19.7 million and will be further specified based on the net debt and net working capital at the time of closing of the deal. The acquisition price will be financed with a new long-term financing of EUR 20.0 million. The value of the minority shares will be recognized as a long-term liability in Harvias balance sheet and the values will be reviewed annually. As part of the transaction, Mr. Rainer Kunz will become a shareholder and a management team member of Harvia and he will continue in a management role in EOS Group after the closing. Vasilij Sosenkov will continue in a management position in EOS Russia. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be finalized in MarchApril 2020. Harvia is advised by Aventum Partners Oy as the financial advisor, Borenius Attorneys Ltd and Noerr LLP as the legal advisors as well as Hill+Knowlton Strategies as the communications advisor. Webcast for analysts, investors and media Harvia will hold a webcast in English for analysts, investors and media on March 18, 2020 at 11.00 EET. Harvia Plcs CEO Tapio Pajuharju and CFO Ari Vesterinen will host the event. A live webcast of the conference is available at: https://harvia.videosync.fi/2020-03-18-press-conference The dial-in details are: PIN: 38822842# FI: +358 9 8171 0310 UK: +44 333 300 0804 A recording of the webcast will be available on Harvias website https://harviagroup.com/ after the event. Further information: Tapio Pajuharju, CEO tel: +358 50 577 4200 tapio.pajuharju@harvia.fi Ari Vesterinen, CFO tel: +358 40 505 0440 ari.vesterinen@harvia.fi About Harvia Harvia is one of the leading companies operating in the sauna and spa market globally, as measured by revenue. Harvias brands and product portfolio are well known in the market, and the companys comprehensive product portfolio strives to meet the needs of the international sauna and spa market of both private and professional customers. Harvias revenue totaled EUR 74.1 million in 2019, its operating profit was EUR 13.3 million and adjusted operating profit EUR 13.9 million during the same period. The company employs some 400 professionals in Finland, China and Hong Kong, Romania, Austria, United States, Germany and Estonia. The company is headquartered in Muurame, Finland, adjacent to its largest sauna and sauna component manufacturing facility. Donbas conflict Open source On March 17, Russian mercenaries landed ten attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas. That resulted in combat injuries for two fighters of the Ukrainian military, the press office of Ukraine's Defense Ministry reports. The lives of the wounded soldiers is beyond danger now. The authority claims that the enemy used Minsk-banned weapons to shell the emplacements of the Ukrainian military - such as mortars and an anti-tank missile launcher. The militants also fired grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms. In Donetsk region, the enemy opened fire six times. Firefights took place in Pavlopil (twice), Berezove, Starohnativka, Shyrokyne and Slavne. In Luhansk region, Ukrainian troops suffered four attacks of hostile forces - in Novoluhanske (twice), Orikhove and Novotoshkivske. Ukrainian forces returned fire with the weapons at their disposal. Earlier, the EU Delegation in Ukraine reported that the European Union intends to allocate extra 2 million euros for the implementation of the projects for support of the civilian population in Donbas Conflict zone New Delhi, March 18 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday came down heavily on Telcos, the government and even the media as it said no further objection to its adjusted gross revenue (AGR) order will be allowed against the payable dues which sums up to Rs 1.47 lakh crore. "Won't tolerate this. Companies want to hoodwink us. If required we will summon the MDs of all the telcom companies and send them to jail from here only. These companies are the usurpers of public money and don't even want to pay a fraction of revenue earned," said Justice Arun Mishra. "All the newspapers are trying to influence courts. All the companies are trying to influence us through the media," said Justice Arun Mishra. The court said: "Actions of telcom companies tantamount to seeking to bypass our judgement. All dues as per our judgement will have to be paid, including interest and penalty." In its order, the three-judge bench led by Justice Arun Mishra, and comprising Justices S. Abdul Nazeer and M.R. Shah held that no self-assessment can be done on AGR dues and no further objection on its verdict would be entertained. The apex court noted that the same government that had fought tooth and nail, and suggested penalty during arguments earlier was now wishing to do away with the interest. "If reassessment is permitted - it is fraud on this court," Justice Arun Mishra said and added he cannot begin a thrid round of litigation and asked the Centre who has permitted "self assessment of dues". This was after the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking its approval for a 20-year window for payment of around Rs 1.47 lakh crore AGR dues, as adverse functioning of the telecom firms could put a negative impact on the economy and consumers across the country. The DoT demand has been confirmed by this court, Justice Mishra said on Wednesday and asked "how can there be self assessment. This cannot be allowed when the Supreme Court clearly spells out the dues." While hearing the Centre's plea seeking a 20-year window for payment of dues by telecom firms, Justice Mishra said: "Where did the concept of self-assessment come in? Who permitted self-assessment without permission of this court? This is sheer contempt of court." He did not mince any words against the media and said the newspapers are trying to influence courts. The court said it will consider a government rescue plan for telecom companies in AGR case on next hearing which will be after two weeks. Justice Mishra also said: "This is a question of apex court prestige 'Do companies feel they are more powerful on earth?" he asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta representing the Department of Telecommunications. The bench - comprising Mishra, Nazeer and Shah had upheld the DoT definition of AGR in the court ruling on October 24, 2019. The top court observed that the DoT demand has been confirmed by this court, "how can there be self-assessment? This is impermissible". The court observed that some telecom players have suggested they need 8-10 months' time to corroborate numbers of self-assessment, but "this cannot be allowed". Instead, the top court insisted that dues have been finalised by the court. On March 16, the Solicitor General appearing for the DoT had sought staggered payment over 20 years of AGR dues by telecom companies. Centre cited adverse impact on the economy, telecom sector and banking sectors. The telecom companies total AGR dues are a staggering Rs 1.47 lakh crore. Indian regulator TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) has called for tower firms to share active infrastructure such as RAN in order to reduce expenditure. While TRAI stopped short of recommending spectrum sharing, it noted that sharing resources would see companies spending less on capex and opex. At present, operators in India are able to share wireless equipment passively, but not actively. TRAI is keen to encourage active sharing, through which operators are able to share RAN equipment at base stations, as it enables reduced costs and quicker rollouts. TRAI aims to foster an active sharing environment by providing operators with incentives to share both passive and active network kit. Its recommendations would let tower firms own, deploy and run the equipment associated with RANs, transmission links and wireline access networks. While this would significantly broaden the options of tower firms, TRAI noted that the companies would still not be permitted to own or deploy core network equipment, or purchase licensed spectrum. Additionally, tower firms could be banned from allowing companies other than telecom providers to use their infrastructure. TRAIs recommendations follow a consultation that it opened in August last year, inviting feedback from stakeholders. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Angelo Amante and Crispian Balmer (Reuters) Rome, Italy Wed, March 18, 2020 10:20 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b76030 2 World Italy,Europe,coronavirus,medical-practitioners,doctor-shortage,COVID-19,SARS-CoV-2,pandemic,health Free 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 onslaught. More than 2,000 people have died of the disease in Italy since the outbreak came to light on Feb. 21, while the total number of confirmed cases has surged to 27,980, making Italy the worst-hit country outside of China. The crisis has pushed hospitals to breaking point at the epicenter of the contagion in northern Italy and left other regions scrambling to strengthen their own health networks as the number of infected rises nationwide. University Minister Gaetano Manfredi said the government would let this year's crop of 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 Milan's 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. Former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi said on Tuesday he would donate 10 million euros (US$11 million) to help equip the new center, joining a growing list of wealthy Italians offering funds to bolster the struggling health sector. In Rome, oil major ENI has paid for the multi-million euro conversion of the small, private Columbus hospital into a center for treating coronavirus patients, with the first sufferers being stretchered into the unit on Monday. Looking to map the spread of the illness, the head of the northern Veneto region announced on Tuesday that he would ramp up the number of tests done daily to some 11,300 from 3,000 at present. "Even if we find just one positive case, it means we will have 10 less infections," said Luca Zaia, shrugging off the cost of the increased screening. "I don't really care about the budget. It is less important than the lives of our citizens." Neighboring Lombardy, which accounts for more than half the total national tally of coronavirus cases, has ruled out extensive testing, saying it does not have the resources or time for widespread controls. By Gayatri Suroyo JAKARTA (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 neighboring 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. Story continues 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. 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) Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey urged the White House on Tuesday to take action to manufacture more protective equipment for health care workers to keep them safe during the coronavirus pandemic. Healey, in a letter to the Trump administration, called on the president to develop a plan to mobilize the business community to produce more personal protective equipment, including masks, eye protection, gloves and gowns. She wrote that the shortage of such products needs to be addressed. As the commonwealth faces more than 200 probable and confirmed cases of the respiratory infection known as COVID-19, some hospitals are telling employees to reuse N95 respirator masks to conserve quickly diminishing supplies, according to the attorney general. Both large academic medical centers and smaller community facilities alike are facing the same issues, she said. "The complete lack of leadership by the White House during this pandemic is unacceptable, Healey said in a statement. The Trump Administration must act immediately to accelerate the production of new masks and other protective gear and get it to those who are treating patients. This is about saving lives. The letter, written jointly with New York Attorney General Letitia James and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, claimed that hospitals across the United States are seeing the demand for PPE equipment far outpace the supply available. Experts who spoke with the attorneys general estimated the country will need as many as 12 billion masks to protect doctors, nurses and others on the front lines of the pandemic. The national supply stands at roughly 30 million, though, and it is rapidly depleting as more and more people in the U.S. are diagnosed with the illness, according to the prosecutors letter. The number of coronavirus cases in the country reached 4,226 across 49 states Tuesday, and the death toll climbed to 75, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As COVID-19 has spread nationally and internationally, some hospitals and public officials have reported an inability to conduct extensive testing for the virus and a shortage of face masks. It is unacceptable for states to be told that they are on their own to acquire this necessary and life-saving equipment," the attorneys general wrote in their letter. These extraordinary circumstances require a concerted national effort similar to that undertaken during World War II. Although efforts to allow masks produced for industrial purposes to be used by health care workers is a step in the right direction, it is woefully insufficient to address to the critical shortage that our hospitals face right now. Related Content: Yemens Socotra island has become the center of a power struggle between the Yemeni government and the secessionist Southern Transitional Council (STC). Tensions have been running high, especially since two government battalions defected last month and joined the STC. The defections clearly indicate that Socotra is contested and polarization will continue, despite Saudi-led peace efforts in Yemens south. Moreover, more US Marines arrived on the island March 7, raising new speculation that the United States wants to establish a military base there. Some Marines also had deployed in December to the island southeast of Yemen's coast. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is part of a Saudi-led coalition formed in 2015 to fight Yemen's Houthi rebels. But coalition relations became strained as the UAE began supporting the STC's movement to secede. The Saudis want a united Yemen. Tensions continued to escalate this month. On March 2, STC and UAE forces reportedly kept Saudi military forces from entering the southern port city of Aden. On March 12, the coalition denied STC leaders permission to land in Aden as they prepared to return from Jordan. Then, on March 15, STC and UAE forces allegedly closed off the presidential palace in Aden and refused to allow Yemeni government officials to meet there. This is all despite a power-sharing deal mediated by the Saudis in August between the southern separatists and the UN-backed Yemeni government of exiled President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. The deal sought to resolve the struggle in the south and unite war efforts against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the north. But discord continues in the south, and Socotra is a case in point. Socotra, the largest island in the archipelago of the same name, has seen two recent cases of military mutiny against the Hadi government. The first occurred in early February when a coast guard battalion rebelled and declared allegiance to the STC. Soldiers hoisted the flag of the former independent state of South Yemen and brought down the flag of unified Yemen. Socotra Gov. Ramzi Mahroos accused the UAE of supporting the battalion's rebellion, warning in a Facebook post Feb. 4, This matter instigates conflict and division in the province. The same month, another battalion defected, adding to the tensions on the island. The mutiny of military battalions has deepened the divisions on Socotra and could sow new confrontations between the Hadi government and the STC. Mokhtar al-Rahbi, an adviser to the Hadi governments Ministry of Information, tweeted Feb. 27 that UAE money has pushed the STC to begin a rebellion in Socotra to consolidate the UAEs influence. Since war broke out in Yemen in 2015, the UAE has established a substantial presence on the island through its charity projects and military activities. The humanitarian projects are conspicuous and include health, education and housing facilities. According to the Emirates News Agency WAM, the UAE offered $6 billion in aid to Yemen from April 2015 to February 2020. Socotra has received a considerable share of that aid. In addition to its economic and humanitarian assistance, however, the UAE's military forces on the island challenge the governments authority. The UAE opened military bases without coordinating with Yemeni authorities. It seems the Emirates' formula in Socotra is to give people aid and get sovereignty over their land. In 2018, Yemeni government officials described the UAE military presence as an occupation and act of aggression. Seeing the UAE's ambition in Socotra, the Yemeni government has repeatedly slammed the Emirati role, demanding its expulsion. As the schism between the two has widened, mutual understanding and trust have become frail. In July 2019, the UAE confirmed it would withdraw many of its forces from Yemen and change its strategy from the military approach to a diplomatic one. Since then, the UAE has indeed cut its forces on the mainland but has continued to deploy UAE-trained Yemeni forces on Socotra. The UAE legacy will endure on Socotra, and loyalists including the STC will continue to consult closely with Abu Dhabi. The UAE may not have boots on the ground in Yemen's mainland, but it maintains powerful leverage in the south through its local allies whose military and political muscle has grown stronger since 2017 when the STC came into existence. Mohammed Abdu, a Yemeni political journalist, told Al-Monitor the UAE plays a vital role in directing the scenario in Yemens south. The UAE is a big player in southern Yemen and Socotra," he said, "and it will use its potential and temptations to at least keep influence on this island. Abdu said the battalions' recent defections clearly indicate the fragility of the Yemeni government, and its weakness has allowed the STC to emerge as an influential actor on the island. He added, I don't think the STC is hugely popular on the island now, but if the government's fragility continues, the STC will be stronger and will take over Socotra, just as it did Aden. Fouad Mossed, an Aden-based political analyst, told Al-Monitor the latest rebellion in Socotra proves the UAE continues to push locals to confront the Yemeni government. The struggle in Socotra is between the Yemeni government and the Emirates, and the latter moves the STC to accomplish its goals, he said. Critics of the Hadi government say it is responsible for the Socotra volatility, not the UAE. Majed Aldaare, editor-in-chief of Moragboonpress, told Al-Monitor the government's corruption and physical absence, as well as its continuous defeats by the Houthis, pushed the battalions to defect. The government, by itself, isn't capable of eliminating the secessionists' presence. As political talks flounder, the conflict has disrupted the peace of Socotra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Galapagos of the Indian Ocean." Its strategic location will make ending the power struggle a difficult task. El presidente @MartinVizcarraC, junto a la ministra de Salud Elizabeth Hinostroza, superviso el funcionamiento del centro de contencion hospitalaria para #Coronavirus #Covid19 de Lima Metropolitana. pic.twitter.com/S1rZe1Pg0r President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced the closure of the US-Canada border to non-essential travellers as the coronavirus epidemic intensified in both countries -- but said that trade would not be impacted. The shutdown built on Trump's barring of visitors from most of Europe, China and other parts of the world, as the number of confirmed virus cases in the US surged past 6,500, with 115 deaths. "We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected. Details to follow!" Trump tweeted. Canada's Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was also expected to make an announcement on the issue, without providing specifics. "What the prime minister is going to announce will reassure people," he said in an interview with public broadcaster Radio-Canada. Champagne promised new measures "proposed by both sides," noting that hundreds of thousands of people cross the border every day. On Monday, Trudeau announced that Canada was closing its borders to foreign travelers with the notable exception of Americans -- a position that drew criticism in Canada. As of Wednesday morning, Canada had around 600 confirmed coronavirus cases and eight deaths. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Leading Chinese doctors with direct experience of the new coronavirus have some simple advice for countries struggling to contain the pandemic: test and quarantine aggressively and educate the public to follow basic hygiene rules. The doctors are among a contingent sent from Beijing's Peking Union Medical College Hospital to the central Chinese city of Wuhan, in Hubei province, where the virus first emerged. Since January 18, they have been in charge of special wards for severely and critically ill patients at a branch of Tongji Hospital. On Monday, they reflected on the last two months and what their experience could offer others. The World Health Organisation amplified the message hours later in Geneva, warning that efforts to test, isolate and quarantine individuals suspected to have been exposed to the contagion are lacking. "There are so many things to share, but the most important thing in combating this infectious disease is about prevention and control rather than treatment," said Du Bin, director of Peking Union's intensive care unit and a member of a national anti-coronavirus team. "I may not be an expert on this topic but, [you must] test, test and test. "If you don't do the nucleic acid [coronavirus] test, you'll never know who is the carrier [of the virus], who is the patient, who are the close contacts and who should be quarantined." The Beijing doctors are some of the more than 40,000 medical personnel sent to Hubei this year to treat a flood of patients who contracted Covid-19, the potentially deadly respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus. China is now seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, with only four new cases of the virus reported on Sunday. The epicentre of the pandemic has since shifted to Europe and the number of infections and deaths outside China have surpassed those within the country. The United States and parts of Europe have announced various plans to deal with what has become the biggest public health crisis in the past decade. Story continues In the US, authorities have been criticised for failing to make enough test kits available and affordable. More testing centres are being set up across the country and 1.9 million kits are expected to be available this week, for what has been declared a national emergency. WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a briefing on Monday that more efforts are needed on this front. WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, attends a news conference on the coronavirus in Geneva. Photo: Reuters alt=WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, attends a news conference on the coronavirus in Geneva. Photo: Reuters "We have ... seen a rapid escalation in social distancing measures like closing school, schools, and canceling 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," Tedros said. "We cannot stop this pandemic if we don't know who is infected," he added. "We have a simple message for all countries: test, test, test." In Europe, some countries including Germany have closed borders, banned gatherings, shut down schools and cut transport. But the British government said it would not impose similar measures. Residents there have been advised to self-isolate and to avoid overloading the country's public health system. Shortly after Tedros spoke, the European Commission proposed to bar non-EU citizens from entering the Schengen border-free travel region for 30 days, a measure that will require approval by all member states on Tuesday. Canada announced a similar move. Almost simultaneously, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the closure of the country's borders to travellers who are not citizens or permanent residents. For now, US citizens are being exempted from that ban. Peking Union's Du said it was not for him to judge "which [strategy] is right and which is wrong", but he believed that identifying patients, suspected cases and quarantining them early played a significant part in China's ability to rein in the epidemic. "When we had the opportunity to isolate all the suspected cases and close contacts, this was the turning point of the outbreak here in Wuhan," he said. One of Du's colleagues, gastroenterologist Wu Dong, said that while he respected that countries with different conditions should take different approaches, they should have one thing in common: they should take the disease seriously. "We are not saying, well this is the Chinese example and you should follow it. For the public, take necessary action, change your behaviour and be responsible," Wu said. Yan Xiaowei, deputy director of internal medicine at Peking Union, said the public should be educated about basic hygiene rules such as washing hands, wearing masks and not gathering in groups. Cao Wei, deputy director of Peking Union's infectious diseases department, said high-risk cases, such as the elderly and people with conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes, should not be isolated at home. But she did not say what action they should take. If healthy young people decide to self-isolate, they should keep an eye on their symptoms and visit a doctor as soon as they show symptoms like a persistent high fever or shortness of breath. But most important, they should be properly isolated. "Just make sure you're not letting your family get the virus from you," Cao warned, highlighting the high risk of transmission between relatives. Additional reporting by Robert Delaney 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. SPRINGFIELD All local Social Security offices will be closed to the public for in-person service starting Tuesday, March 17, 2020. This decision protects the population we serveolder Americans and people with underlying medical conditionsand our employees during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. However, we are still able to provide critical services. Our secure and convenient online services remain available at www.socialsecurity.gov. Local offices will also continue to provide critical services over the phone. We are working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state and local governments, and other experts to monitor COVID-19 and will let you know as soon as we can resume in-person service. RTE is set to broadcast daily religious services in response to Covid-19-related restrictions on public gatherings, from Thursday RTE will start to air Mass every weekday at 10.30 am from St Eunans and St Columbas Cathedral, Letterkenny, on RTE News Now. The broadcasts will continue at least until March 29, when current public health measures will be reviewed by the Government. Mass will be followed each day by a short religious message from representatives of Irelands other faith communities and Christian denominations. RTEs Head of Religious Content, Roger Childs, commented: We are aware that, either through self-isolation or Government restrictions, many people are unable to come together to worship at precisely the time when they feel most in need of community, comfort, encouragement and prayer. Facilitated by the web-streaming service churchservices.tv, the Bishop of Raphoe, Dr Alan McGuckian, and Cathedral Administrator, Monsignor Kevin Gillespie, have kindly agreed to celebrate a Mass every weekday morning, which RTE is very happy to share with viewers, as part of our commitment to public service during the current emergency. We want people of all faiths to know that RTE is with them in spirit. Because so many churches have taken the decision to cease public worship during the current crisis, to minimise social contact and contagion, Bishop Alan McGuckian has promised that priests in his diocese will continue to celebrate Mass for a virtual congregation. Read also: FURTHER RESTRICTIONS ON MASS IN PORTLAOISE RTE will also continue to broadcast a diverse range of Christian worship every Sunday at 11am, on RTE One Television, RTE Radio 1 Extra/LW252 and, in Irish, on RTE Raidio Na Gaeltachta. The national broadcaster will also mark the Jewish festival of Passover with a short programme on RTE One at 5.35pm on Sunday, April 5 and, on Saturday, April 11 will celebrate the Sikh festival of Vaisakhi, again at 5.35pm on RTE One. RTE News Now can be accessed on Saorview (channel 21), Sky (521), Virgin Media (200), Eir (517) as well as via the RTE Player, the RTE News Now app and via RTE.ie/news. This content will also be available on the RTE Player, both live and on catch-up. Gov. Kate Brown on Tuesday ordered Oregon schools to remain closed through April 28, extending her previously mandated closure period by four weeks. I do not take the decision to extend school closures lightly, the governor said in a statement emailed out Tuesday afternoon. This will have real impacts on Oregons students, parents, and educators." But the governor said Oregonians must act now to flatten the curve of coronavirus transmissions in order to avoid "a higher strain on our medical system and greater loss of life to this disease. Brown made the announcement hours after the state reported a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases, with 19 new presumptive cases bringing the total in the state to 66 as of Tuesday afternoon. It was just the latest in a cascading series of announced closures in Oregon due to coronavirus. Earlier Tuesday, Brown announced a ban on nearly all visitors at nursing homes and other residential care facilities, with the exception of people visiting loved ones near the end of life. That followed her announcement Monday that no gatherings of more than 25 people are allowed for four weeks and restaurants and bars are prohibited from operating except to serve takeout and delivery food. The governors latest executive order also calls for the following, according to a summary from her press office: Districts must provide learning supports and supplemental services to students and families during the closure period, including meals and child care. This includes providing take-home meals and offering child care for essential health care professionals and first responders. School districts may call on teachers and other employees to deliver limited learning and support services while schools are closed. Each district will pay all regular employees during the closure. The Oregon Department of Education, Oregon Health Authority, and Department of Human Services will help provide mental health services for students. The governor was initially reluctant to close schools even as other states began to do so and individual districts in Oregon began to make the call. Brown said she was concerned about depriving the neediest children of access to school health services, meals and time in the classroom. However, the governor changed course after hearing from superintendents that they were short-staffed due to worker absences and lack of available substitute teachers and also concerned that many school workers are older and therefore more susceptible to more serious effects of COVID-19. With the extension, Oregon schools will now be closed six-and-a-half weeks. Thats two days longer than Washingtons current school closure period. Jim Green, executive director of the Oregon School Boards Association, said in a statement Tuesday evening, This is a new reality for all of us, and we appreciate that the governor and her staff are acting quickly against a moving target. What we are working on in the short term is figuring out ways to deliver learning to kids remotely and in many cases ensuring that they are being fed. Were going to get through this, but in the meantime weve got dozens of questions to get sorted out and 581,000 students to take care of. John Larson, president of Oregons teachers union, also indicated his group favors her decision. The union "supports Governor Brown decision to safeguard the health of students and educators by extending the closure period of Oregons public schools, Larson said in a statement. We also commend the governor for her commitment to maintaining vital nutrition and mental health services for our students and for directing districts to ensure all school employees are paid during these closures. Hillary Borrud; hborrud@oregonian.com; @HBorrud Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Syracuse, N.Y. They got married when he was 25 and she was 19. John and Judy. He was the runner. The competitor. She was the cheering section. He was the talker. She was listener. Until now. John Hotaling is 77. Alzheimers disease has taken his voice and his ability to get around. Two years ago, John had to go to a nursing home. It broke Judys heart, said her daughter, Jennifer Anderson. But every day at 10:30 a.m., Judy goes to see John. She stays until 2 p.m. Every single day. Except that time she was sick with the flu. The visits started out as a way to stay connected. But now its about more. John cant feed himself anymore. And he wont eat for anyone else. Or maybe, no one has the patience of his Judy. So every day, Judy feeds John his lunch. Bite by bite. John and Judy met when she was working for the Red Cross and he was in the Army in Georgia. It was a blind date. He was so kind, so sweet. He went overseas during Vietnam. They eventually moved to Syracuse, where John is from, and raised three kids. John retired from the Army Reserves and Chrysler. But he never stopped moving: He swam, ran and biked until Alzheimers. Now, as Judy feeds John, she talks to him about the grandkids, the weather. She imagines what he would say back to her. Then, when he is full, she covers him up and waits for him to fall asleep for his afternoon nap. For two years, thats how its been for John and Judy. She hates leaving, but when she does, she knows hes had one solid meal. And shes looked into his eyes and told him she loves him. Shell see him tomorrow. But she hasnt seen him since March 12. She was feeding him his lunch that day when all of the visitors at the nursing home were told they had two hours to finish their visits. Then, visitors were banned indefinitely to protect the patients from the coronavirus pandemic. So Judy or her daughter calls every day. They ask how much John has eaten. Is he drinking enough? The staff holds the iPhone up so they can FaceTime. Judy appreciates the gesture, but John has been asleep both times. Judy holds John Hotaling's hand at a nursing home in Syracuse. They've been married 52 years and she visits every day. But she can't now because of the coronavirus visiting restrictions. Anderson and her mother arent mad at Iroquois Nursing Home. They understand the home is just following the governors order. All nursing homes are closed to visitors right now unless a patient is dying. Its not just about John and Judy. There are more than 100,000 people being cared for in New York nursing homes. Many of them depend on daily or weekly visits that tie them to their families, that remind them they are loved. Now, those visits are on smartphones. Or they happen through glass. Families come to windows to sing Happy Birthday. Pictures of empty nursing home common areas ache with loneliness. Anderson and her mom understand the governors order. They know he wants to keep people like John safe. John Hotaling recently had pneumonia and nearly died. But they wish there could be some wiggle room somewhere, some discretion. The staff at Iroquois Nursing Home understand Judys pain, said Leigh Hilgenberg, assistant administrator of the home. There are other patients, too, who depend on daily and weekly visits. But the home has to weigh residents emotional well-being with their physical well-being. Right now, the only way Judy could visit John would be if he were dying. If thats the case, visitors are screened just like the nursing home staff. If they have a fever of 100 or more, they arent allowed in. It all sounds so sensible. Judy understands. But she worries about John. Her John. They say hes eating OK. But she doesnt know what that means, really. And John cant tell her. He cant tell anyone if hes hungry. If hes sad. If he wonders where Judy is because shes not there like she is every day from 10:30 to 2 p.m. Last week, when they told Judy she had to leave she dug in. She finished feeding John his lunch. She told him she loved him. She kissed him and wiped his face. Then she covered him up, gently, and waited for him to fall asleep. Then Judy told John: Ill be back. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS 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. The family of Abdu Saqar have said the he was tortured to death by the State Security, despite having undergone a security settlement when the Syrian regime reports Sowt al-Asima. A young man named Abdu Saqar, known as Abu Mohamed, was killed in the al-Khateeb branch of the State Security agency under torture more than a year after his arrest. Sowt al-Asimas correspondent in Harasta said that the branch had asked Saqars family to come to the branch in mid-March to pick up and review his official documents, saying that his death needed to be confirmed with personal status authorities, without saying what happened to the body. Saqar was from the city of Harasta and in recent years worked as a guard at the Shuhada cemetery where people who were killed in bombardments and fighting when rebel groups controlled eastern Ghouta were buried. Saqar was arrested at a checkpoint run by the al-Khateeb branch, which is responsible for Harasta city, when he went out to Damascus city. He was detained despite having undergone a security settlement when the Syrian regime and its militias took over eastern Ghouta in April 2018. Saqar refused to leave for northern Syria after the agreement made between the Russians and Ahrar al-Sham, which imposed regime control over the city at the time. He decided to go to one of the shelter centers which the regime had allocated for those who wanted to leave eastern Ghouta. His security settlement was completed there and he was released before being arrested once again by State Security. A number of eastern Ghoutas residents have died under torture after being arrested as a result of their prior connections to civilian or military work during the time that the regime was not in control of the area. Arrests have also affected former members of the Civil Defense and medical crews in an attempt to cover up the chemical crimes the regime carried out in Ghouta. 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. The latest news on the COVID-19 global pandemic (all times Eastern): 1:45 p.m. New Brunswick has announced three new presumptive cases of COVID-19. They bring the number of presumptive and confirmed cases in the province to 11. Chief medical officer of health Dr. Jennifer Russel, says the new cases include a woman between 60 and 70 years old who had recently been on a cruise and a man in the same age range who had recent contact with a traveller. The third patient is a woman between the ages of 50 and 60 who had travelled to the U.K. 1:20 p.m. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says the federal government is working "very energetically" with the U.S. to figure out exactly when the Canada-U.S. border will close to non-essential travellers. Freeland nonetheless says it is a matter of days or hours. She also has a clear message for anyone thinking of crossing the border as a tourist even before the action is taken: don't do it. 1:15 p.m. Government House Leader Pablo Rodriguez says all parties have agreed to head back to the House of Commons in order to pass new economic measures for the COVID-19 crisis. He says he expects this to happen next week. The government will need to send a request to Speaker Anthony Rota and once he accepts, the House can be recalled within 48 hours. There needs a quorum of 20 MPs to sit and Rodriguez says the number of MPs representing each party will represent the current composition of the House. 1:15 p.m. Quebec is reporting its first death from COVID-19. Premier Francois Legault says the death was an elderly person from the Lanaudiere region, northeast of Montreal. Legault says the province now has 94 confirmed cases, of which six are hospitalized and four are in intensive care. The province hopes to be able to administer 5,000 tests daily as of Friday. 1:05 p.m. Public Safety Minister Bill Blair says those who will remain allowed to travel across the Canada-U.S. border includes people who work in hospitals on either side. He also says that international students, workers with visas and temporary foreign workers will be allowed to enter Canada but will need to self-isolate for 14 days. Blair also notes that $2.7 billion in trade takes place across the border every day and that the plan is meant to protect vital supply lines. 12:45 p.m. Ontario is reporting 23 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the provincial total to 212. All of the new cases are in people who are in self-isolation. Most of those people have a recent travel history to places such as the United States, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Europe, or they are close contacts of other confirmed cases. Transmission information is listed as "pending" for five of the new cases. 12:40 p.m. Finance Minister Bill Morneau says the government is hoping to roll out the direct economic aid within three weeks. He says if it can be done earlier than that, it will be. He says the government is working to find ways to make sure delivery of the plan works. 12:40 p.m. Nova Scotia now has three confirmed cases and nine presumptive cases of COVID-19. Five new cases were identified today. Four of the cases are travel-related and one is connected to an earlier case. The 12 individuals affected range in age from early 30's to mid-70's. They are all in self-isolation and recovering at home. 11:50 a.m. Finance Minister Bill Morneau says Canadians will now have until June 1 to file taxes. And if the Canada Revenue Agency determines individuals or corporations owe any taxes, they will have until Sept. 1 to pay them. He says he has also been speaking with banks about finding ways to help Canadians through this difficult time, including six-month deferrals for mortgage payments and allowing people to skip a payment on their credit cards. Morneau is encouraging Canadians to speak directly with their banks about the support they need. 11:15 a.m. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he is confident that parliamentarians of all political stripes will work together to pass the legislation. He says Government House Leader Pablo Rodriguez and Sen. Marc Gold, the government's representative in the upper chamber, are working with the opposition parties. Trudeau, who is in self-isolation after his wife tested positive for COVID-19, says he is feeling well. He says his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, has flu-like symptoms, including a headache and intermittent fever, but she is otherwise doing well. 11:00 a.m. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada is not keeping any options off the table. Trudeau says his government is looking at using the Emergencies Act, but he recognizes that would be a major step he does not think is necessary today. Trudeau gave this response when asked whether his government was looking at restricting travel within Canada. 10:55 a.m. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the $82-billion economic package also includes a wage subsidy for small-business owners to help keep staff on the payroll during the slowdown. Any Canadians who learn they owe taxes will now have until August 2020 to pay them. The federal government is planning to boost the Canada Child Benefit to help parents cover the cost of child care or other impacts of having to at home. Other measures include a GST credit for low-income Canadians, boosting support for shelters to help those escaping gender-based violence and a six-month moratorium on student loan repayments. 10:17 a.m. Porter Airlines says it is temporarily suspending all flights as part of the public health effort to contain COVID-19. The airline says the cancellations will take effect after the end of the day on Friday, March 20, in the hope of allowing passengers to return home. The airline plans to resume service June 1. 9:49 a.m. U.S. President Donald Trump says the Canada-U.S. border will be closed "by mutual consent" to non-essential traffic. In a tweet, Trump says trade will not be affected and more details will be forthcoming. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to make an announcement at 10:30 a.m. 8:45 a.m. Finance Minister Bill Morneau and the head of the Bank of Canada are promising details of the federal government's economic supports to see the country through the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic. They're due to speak on Parliament Hill right after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appears outside his home, where he's in self-isolation, to explain what the government will do for workers and businesses struck by restrictions on travel, outings and public gatherings. Private forecasters say Canada is in for a recession as a result of the pandemic unless governments move fast and hard to reassure Canadians that the blows to their finances will be cushioned. 8:30 a.m. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office says he'll speak at 10:30 Eastern Time this morning to update the country on what the federal government is doing about the COVID-19 pandemic. Yesterday he said to expect imminent announcements about supports for the economy, workers and businesses hit by border shutdowns and bans on public gatherings. Canada and the United States are also working on the terms of restricting traffic crossing between them while allowing trade and other essential trips. 8 a.m. Canada's big banks are offering some financial breathing room to customers hurt by the steps taken to slow the spread of COVID-19. The big six banks say they will allow customers to defer mortgage payments for up to six months among other changes. They are urging Canadians or business owners facing hardship to contact their bank directly to discuss options that may be available. The banks are temporarily limiting branch operating hours and reducing the number of branches, while maintaining critical services. 7:30 a.m. Air Transat says it's starting a gradual suspension of flights until April 30 and is halting sales for departures before the same date to stem the spread of COVID-19. The Montreal-based company says it will still operate repatriation flights for the next two weeks to bring customers back to their home country. Air Transat says a date for a full halt to operations will be announced soon. Midway ISD fifth-grade science teacher Morgan Castillo was named a finalist in this years H-E-B Excellence in Education program. Castillo is one of six educators honored in Central and North Texas. Teachers were presented with a $1,000 check for themselves and a $1,000 check for their school, while principal finalists received a $1,000 check for themselves and a $2,500 check for their school. All finalists are invited to San Antonio on May 2-3 to compete on a statewide level for a $10,000 award and $10,000 grant for their schools. Castillo has been teaching for 15 years, the last three as a fifth-grade science teacher at Woodgate Intermediate School. Before joining Midway ISD, Castillo served as a Spanish teacher in several school districts and as an International Baccalaureate program coordinator in Waco ISD. She began her teaching career in inner-city schools to better understand the challenges faced by students in urban areas. President Trump does not think calling Covid-19 the Chinese virus puts Asian Americans at risk of retaliation, despite growing reports they are facing virus-related discrimination. Since coronavirus infections started appearing in the United States in January, Asian Americans have shared stories ranging from minor aggression to blatant attacks from people blaming them for the pandemic, which has killed more than 130 people in the United States. Among the hate crimes reported in major cities with Chinese communities are: An Asian man in a Brooklyn subway who was yelled at and sprayed with Febreze air freshener. In Los Angeles, a 16-year-old boy of Asian descent said other students had bullied him and accused him of carrying the virus. Even before cities began shutting down all restaurants to stop the spread of the virus, Chinese restaurant owners were already experiencing steep declines in business because of racial stigma. Asked why he keeps calling the coronavirus the Chinese virus when scientists say the disease does not respect borders and is not caused by ethnicity, President Trump told reporters at the White House that he does not consider it a racist remark. Its not racist at all, President Trump said, adding that he calls it the Chinese virus because he wants to be accurate. He indicated his terminology was a warranted pushback to Chinese officials who have been suggesting the US military might have introduced the virus to Wuhan, the Chinese city where it was first reported in late 2019. China had tried to say at one point maybe they stopped now that it was caused by American soldiers, President Trump said. That cant happen. Its not going to happen, not as long as Im president. It comes from China. Beijing has complained, but Trump administration officials continue to link the virus to China. At a State Department news conference on Tuesday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo referred six times to the virus as the Wuhan virus and suggested the Chinese were trying to distract the world from the shortcomings of its initial response. Mr Pompeo also suggested that an after-action report would corroborate his claim, suggesting that US-China tensions are unlikely to end when the pandemic is over. Reports of anti-Asian violence are on the rise along with white nationalist rhetoric about the coronavirus on social media and far-right websites, according to Eric Ward, director of the Western States Centre, a group based in Portland, Oregon, that works to strengthen inclusion. We have an irresponsible president who continues to refer to Covid-19 as a Chinese virus. That is intentional, Mr Ward said. And at a time of great panic and fear, that will only lead to physical violence. It is going to be critically important for community leaders, elected officials and others to step up their resistance to hate groups and their goal of dividing a united America. John C Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice, said President Trumps comments were reminiscent of the late 1800s, when Chinese Americans were deemed the yellow peril, despite living in the United States for years. For us, words matter, Mr Yang said. In reality, Chinese are not more genetically prone to transmit the virus. What we all need to do is focus on our public health. He noted that the World Health Organisation has cautioned against using geographic descriptors because it leads to ethnic discrimination. Mr Yang said terms like Kung-flu are not jokes. During a White House briefing on the coronavirus, President Trump was told that an unidentified administration official had used the term kung-flu. The president was asked whether using a term like Chinese virus puts Asian Americans at risk. No, not at all. Not at all, he replied. I think they probably would agree with it 100%. It comes from China. After the news conference, the White House defended the presidents language, saying that previous epidemics, such as the Spanish flu and West Nile Virus, were named after geographic locations. They labelled the controversy a fake media outrage. Twenty four hours after giving international travelers a 72-hour deadline on Tuesday to depart from Metro Manilas airports before they close, the Philippine government has reconsidered. The Philippine governments Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious diseases announced Wednesday afternoon it has lifted the ban on international flights arriving or departing Metro Manila. The ban on Tuesday initially gave all departing passengers 72 hours to leave before Metro Manilas airports were to close as a measure to stop the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. The revised ban only forbids Filipino tourists from departing. Foreigners and Filipinos living overseas are now allowed to leave Metro Manila, according to the Inter-Agency Task Force in a post on the Facebook page of Manila's International Airport Authority. According to the Philippine Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente in a statement Wednesday clarified that foreign nationals may now leave any time during the Philippines' "community quarantine period," unless their flights have been canceled by the airlines or the Civil Aeronautics Board. Morente also stated that Filipinos residing abroad and Filipino Overseas Foreign Workers are allowed to depart the country. There was some confusion with other government agencies yesterday, but we discussed this with them and to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease and we were able to clarify that OFWs are indeed allowed to travel, he stated. Departing Filipino tourists, he stated, are temporarily not allowed to leave. Morente added that previously-imposed travel restrictions for arriving passengers still remain in effect. Our travel restrictions for foreign nationals arriving from China, Hong Kong, Macau, North Gyeongsang including Daegu and Cheongdo of South Korea, Iran, and Italy still stand, announced Morente. Former soldier Dennis Hutchings has said he is unable to travel to Northern Ireland for his trial because of coronavirus fears (Gareth Fuller/PA) A former soldier who is facing trial in connection with a fatal shooting carried out during the Troubles is taking the UK Government to court over its alleged failure to protect veterans from "vexatious" prosecutions. Dennis Hutchings has been charged with the attempted murder of 27-year-old John Pat Cunningham, who was shot in the back as he ran away from an Army patrol near Benburb, County Tyrone, in 1974. Mr Hutchings (77), who is in ill-health and on dialysis for renal failure, has also been charged with attempting to cause grievous bodily harm. The ex-soldier denies the charges and his lawyer has previously argued that it is unfair to try his client. On Tuesday, veterans minister Jonny Mercer announced legislation to protect former soldiers from "vexatious" historical investigations. The legislation would put a five-year time limit on bringing prosecutions against soldiers and veterans who served abroad, except in exceptional circumstances. Actions carried out by military personnel in Northern Ireland, however, would not be covered under the bill. Separate government proposals have been outlined dealing with Troubles-related cases. In a statement, McCue and Partners solicitors, acting on behalf of Dennis Hutchings, said the former soldier "has little confidence that such legislation extending to Northern Ireland will ever be passed given the tensions and historical stalemate between Westminster and Stormont on this issue." Mr Hutchings' legal team have raised a public law challenge against Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis calling on the government "to make good on its election promise" to protect Troubles veterans from prosecutions and to announce exactly what protections, come April, veterans will be given. Politics has let us down as it normally does," he said. "Weve waited years for legislation to be passed to protect Northern Ireland veterans and it still hasnt happened. Our only option now is to let the court decide." Announced by the government on Wednesday, separate proposals dealing with the Troubles would see the majority of around 2,000 unsolved cases closed and prevented from ever being re-opened. Unresolved cases would be "swiftly" assessed by a new independent body and a full investigation would only be carried out if there was "new compelling evidence and a realistic prospect of a prosecution". Matthew Jury of McCue and Partners solicitors said it is time for the courts to decide on what is "clearly a violation of veterans human right to fair treatment". On one hand, the government has explicitly stated and acknowledged that veterans are receiving unfair treatment in Northern Ireland. On the other, its lawyers are denying its even happening," he said. "This is obviously absurd. Johnny Mercer should rightly be praised for what hes achieved for veterans who served overseas but the fear is that the Westminster 'blob' will thwart his efforts to include those who served during the Troubles." Availability of technologically advanced processing methods, surge in demand from the oil & gas sector, and rise of the water & wastewater treatment industry drive the global electric actuator market PORTLAND, Oregon, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Electric Actuator Market by Type (Linear Actuator and Rotatory Actuators) and End User (Oil & Gas, Energy & Power, Automotive, Aerospace & Defense, Water & Wastewater, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2019-2026." According to the report, the global electric actuator industry garnered $18.36 billion in 2019, and is estimated to generate $28.73 billion by 2026, registering a CAGR of 6.6% from 2019 to 2026. Prime determinants of growth Availability of technologically advanced processing methods, surge in demand from the oil & gas sector, and rise of the water & wastewater treatment industry drive the global electric actuator market. However, the intense competition from local manufacturers in Asia-Pacific hinder the market growth. On the other hand, increase in adoption in commercial and defense aircraft and automation in process industries create new opportunities in the market. Download Report Sample: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/6411 The linear actuators segment to continue its lead position during the forecast period Based on technology, the linear actuators segment held the highest market share in 2019, contributing to nearly three-fourths of the global electric actuator market, and is estimated to continue its lead position during the forecast period. This is attributed to surge in automation in the manufacturing industry and integration of industrial internet of things (IoT). However, the rotary actuators segment is expected to witness the highest CAGR of 8.7% from 2019 to 2026, owing to increase in demand for rotary actuators in servo motors. The automotive segment to maintain its dominant position in terms of revenue by 2026 Based on connector type, the automotive segment contributed for the highest market share in 2019, accounting for more than one-fifth of the global electric actuator market, and is expected to maintain its dominant position in terms of revenue by 2026. This is due to rise in demand for commercial vehicles, prominence of hybrid & alternative-fuel vehicles, and technological advancements in the sector. However, the oil & gas segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 9.1% during the forecast period, owing to the discovery of oil & gas reservoirs across the world and heavy investments in refineries and pipelines across the world. Asia-Pacific to be lucrative, North America to grow gradually Based on region, Asia-Pacific region contributed for the major market share, accounting for more than one-third of the total share of the global electric actuator market in 2019, and is estimated to maintain its dominance during the forecast period. Moreover, this region is estimated to register a CAGR of 7.8% from 2019 to 2026. This is due to rise in adoption of power projects and pipeline transportation along with rise in discoveries of oil & gas reserves in India. However, North America contributed to nearly one-fourth of the total share in 2019, and will maintain its contribution by 2026. Enquire For Discount: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/6411 Leading market players Emerson Electric Co. Flowserve Corporation Curtiss-Wright Corporation ABB Rotork General Electric AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG Moog Inc. Ewellix Actuonix Motion Devices Access AVENUE- A Subscription-Based Library (Premium on-demand, subscription-based pricing model) at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/library-access Avenue is a user-based library of global market report database, provides comprehensive reports pertaining to the world's largest emerging markets. It further offers e-access to all the available industry reports just in a jiffy. By offering core business insights on the varied industries, economies, and end users worldwide, Avenue ensures that the registered members get an easy as well as single gateway to their all-inclusive requirements. Avenue Library Subscription | Request for 14 days free trial of before buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/avenue/trial/starter Similar Reports: Actuators & Valves Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecasts, 2026 Motion Control Market by Actuators: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2019-2026 Automotive Electronics Market by Component (Sensors, Actuators): Global Opportunity Analysis 2019-2026 Microelectromechanical System Market by Type (Sensors, & Actuators): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2019-2026 Intelligent Lighting Controls Market by Component (Sensors, and Switches Actuators) - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2026 Pre-Book Now with 10% Discount: PiezoElectric Actuator Market - Opportunities & Forecasts, 2020-2027 Motion Control Market by Components (Actuators & Mechanical Systems): Industry Forecast, 2019-2026 About Us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. 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Contact: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States USA/Canada (Toll Free): 1-800-792-5285, 1-503-894-6022, 1-503-446-1141 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1(855)550-5975 help@alliedmarketresearch.com Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com This is so far under the radar that you are guaranteed never to hear about it. A landmark case is crawling its way through the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and no one is the wiser. California's secretary of state and attorney general want it that way. The case is number 18-17458, titled Citizens for Fair Representation v. Alex Padilla. On March 6, 2020, in Courtroom 1, Third Floor, Room 338, James R. Browning U.S. Courthouse, San Francisco at 9:30 A.M., you were supposed to be able hear oral arguments on how one state senator cannot effectively represent one million Californians and how one state Assembly member cannot represent 500,000 Californians. The basis of this claim is invidious discrimination that has prevented certain minorities from ever having held one of these seats in the Legislature, since its membership is fixed at 40 and 80, respectively. Why were you not able to hear oral arguments? Well, the Ninth Circuit felt that enough information had been provided by both parties in the case that the court could make a ruling without hearing them in open court. I'm speculating that the real reason this was swept under the rug is that none other than the former chief justice of the Ninth Circuit, Alex Kozinski, was prepared to make the arguments on behalf of the plaintiffs, Citizens for Fair Representation (CFR). But let me back up a bit. It is relevant to know why this case is rotting in the Ninth Circuit to begin with. The case was originally set in front of the Federal Court of the Eastern District of California. The plaintiffs drew Justice Kimberly J. Mueller as the presiding judge. During oral presentations, the judge was asked by plaintiffs' attorneys if the case is important and not frivolous. She responded in the affirmative. Judge Mueller then asked defendant's counsel if he believed that the question is important, and he stated that it is. As a result, this was issued by the court: 14 MINUTE ORDER issued by Courtroom Deputy A. Waldrop for District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on 8/2/2017: In light of plaintiffs complaint and notice of requirement of three judge court, (ECF Nos.1, 12), the court has determined this case implicates 28 U.S. C. 2284(a), providing for the convening of a three judge court. The court thereby DIRECTS the Clerk of Court to formally notify the Chief Judge of the Ninth Circuit of the pendency of this action, as 20 U.S.C. 2284(b)(1) requires, so that he may appoint a three-judge court. SO ORDERED. It is important to note that all voting rights cases are to be heard by a three-judge court, and any appeals go straight to the Supreme Court, and that court must hear the case. As such, after some scrambling by California, Justice Mueller rescinded her previous Minute Order with the following: 22 MINUTE ORDER issued by Courtroom Deputy C. Schultz for District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller: Upon consideration of the parties' filings relating to the question of whether a three judge court need be convened to resolve defendant's pending motion to dismiss and plaintiffs' pending motion to amend, the court has determined that it is premature to request the convening of such a court prior to this court's threshold determination of jurisdiction and justiciability. See Shapiro V. McManus, 136 S. Ct. 450, 455 (2015). Defendant's ex parte application for reconsideration (ECF [15]) is granted to the extent the direction to the clerk of the Court at ECF 14 is WITHDRAWN until the court has resolved the pending motions. The August 25, 2017 hearing on the application for reconsideration is VACATED. What you may not understand is that this simple Minute Order is of historical importance. Never in the history of these United States has a judge appointed a three-judge court, then rescinded the order. When asked why, Justice Mueller responded that after consulting with others on the court, she changed her original ruling. This is significant, as she cannot "consult" with others who did not sit in attendance at the trial at hand. This would mean that others would aid in a ruling who did not have full knowledge of the information and proceedings. After forcing a couple of amended complaints by the plaintiffs, Judge Mueller finally dismissed the case with prejudice. So, as it stands today, the CFR plaintiffs wait for a back-office ruling from the Ninth Circuit. What the public missed was a wholesale shredding of the corrupt nature of this case and Justice Mueller's beyond questionable handling of the same. We the People missed the opportunity to hear the former chief justice of the Ninth Circuit bring to light the vile contempt of a politicized court abusing the citizens of California. Our esteemed third branch of government hides under the cover of "judicial procedure" to save the much-needed embarrassment of an Obama appointee who once sat as a member of the Sacramento City Council. To read the brief of former presiding justice Kozinski, follow this link. This case is of extreme importance. The population of California has exploded; the upcoming Census will show that we have topped 40 million. If this case is tossed on the dust bin of history, more Californians will be represented by the same 80/40 legislature, whose membership was fixed back in the 1860s so that American Indians and persons of Chinese descent could not hold these seats. What is of equal importance is reconciling the activist decisions of an early 1960s Supreme Court, who made all sorts of opinions on voting rights (Reynolds v. Sims, Gray v. Sanders) and now shut out voting rights cases using these cases as a base. Steven Baird is a two-time failed candidate for California's 1st Senate District, which is larger than the State of West Virginia. Mr. Baird is also a plaintiff in this case and the author of My Kvetch True Confessions of a Democrat Politician. The waters of Venices famous canals have cleared for the first time in years amid a decline in pollution as the city locks down to stop the spread of coronavirus. Usually choked by pollution from diesel-powered commuter boats and water buses, Venices canals are usually clouded and murky. But videos and photos posted on social media show waters clear enough to bring back shoals of small fish and swans to the canals. Facebook user Marco Capovilla posted in a group titled Venezia Pulita (Clean Venice) and included photos of the canals before the lockdown in Italy began earlier this month. He wrote: Incredible images of the Rio dei Ferali, behind San Marco square, usually murky. Nature takes back its spaces." A spokesman for Venices mayors office told CNN the clearer water was due to sediment in the water that has settled. Boats frequenting the waters kick up sediment, causing the water to look dirty. But signs of wildlife re-entering spaces usually proliferated by humans have been spotted elsewhere in Italy. A dolphin was filmed swimming in the port of Cagliari, one of the largest seaports in Italy and the Mediterranean Sea basin. The port has an annual traffic capacity or around 50 million tonnes of cargo and a million twenty-foot equivalent unit containers. Air quality in Venice has also improved since the lockdown, which has restricted the movement of people throughout the city and reduced traffic significantly. The posts have sparked hope among social media users, some of whom say the lockdown could be an ecological reset for the climate emergency to recover. One person tweeted: One thing that gives me hope is how quickly mother nature is responding/recovering. Water clear in Venice canals and swans back. Dolphins on coasts. More birds around with less cars. Huge drop in pollution. Big lesson for us all. We can save our planet if we act NOW. Another said: As bad as the coronavirus outbreak is, its really showing the effect humans have had on the environment. Wildlife has returned to previously traveled waters, even the water in Venice is now clean and clear. Its giving the world a chance to breathe and repair. Italy is suffering from the worst outbreak of Covid-19 in Europe, with over 2,500 deaths and 31,500 cases. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 19:12:18|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close DHAKA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh on Wednesday reported the country's first death related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Meerjady Sabrina Flora, head of the country's Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) under the Health Ministry, told a press briefing that the deceased man is a Dhaka resident in his 70s. The man was hospitalized prior to his death on Wednesday, she said He was believed to have been infected following contact with someone who had recently returned from abroad, the IEDCR chief added. The man was one of the 14 cases reported in the county to date, according to Flora. Four new COVID-19 cases were reported in Bangladesh on Wednesday. The country's first three COVID-19 patients have already been discharged from hospital after recovery. Several hospitals across the country are being designated as quarantine centres and epidemic hospitals in addition to the South Pest Central Hospitals St Laszlo unit, Ildiko Horvath, state secretary in charge of health care, told parliaments public welfare committee. Horvath noted that a mobile quarantine hospital is being constructed in Kiskunhalas, in south-eastern Hungary, and the local hospital will be assigned for the same purpose. The hospitals of Ajka (W), Szekszard (S), and Miskolc (NE) will be similarly adapted in view of the novel coronavirus epidemic, the state secretary said. The aim is to slow down the spread of the new coronavirus epidemic, she said. The government has introduced its measures in time so there is a chance for slowing down the spread of the virus if people act responsibly, she added. GPs aged above 65 will not participate in direct patient services and the work will have to be organised in a way to allow only younger doctors to meet patients. A decision has been made to postpone all non-emergency surgeries and the recruitment of more health workers has started. New regulations have been introduced for medicine prescription and specialist medical exams can be postponed, she said. A large number of acquisitions are under way for protective gear and ventilators and anybody showing symptoms of pneumonia for unknown reasons will be screened for coronavirus, Horvath said. Changes have been made to the laboratory network and in addition to the National Public Health Centre laboratory, seven labs are involved in screenings, she said. Additionally, the Koranyi hospital in Budapest is being prepared to provide intensive care to patients in need. Currently 45 health-care workers are in quarantine, she said. The state secretary warned that a few dozen confirmed coronavirus cases could turn into thousands of patients in a weeks time, as has been the case in Austria. Volkswagen Suspends European Production on Thursday Due To Chinese Bat-Meat* Virus Plants operated by Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand suspend production for two weeks Plants of Volkswagen Group Components also affected Initially, production facilities in Wolfsburg, Emden, Dresden, Osnabruck, Zwickau, Bratislava (Slovakia), Pamplona (Spain) and Palmela (Portugal) are affected, as well as the Components plants at Brunswick, Chemnitz, Hanover, Kassel, Salzgitter and SITECH Brand is responding above all to the accelerated rate of infection by coronavirus, the resulting interruption in supply chains and the rapid decline in demand on the automotive markets Company implements additional measures to protect employees WOLFSBURG - March 18, 2020: The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand is gradually suspending production at its European plants. This will also affect Volkswagen Group Components plants. This is the brand's 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. 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, says: 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. Gunnar Kilian, HR Board Member of the Volkswagen Group, emphasised: We have also supplemented our comprehensive health protection measures with a number of other measures. We understand the concerns of our employees. Since the beginning of the corona epidemic in China, we have consistently operated on the basis of the principle that health is our top priority. Our employees can rely on that. Works Council Chairman Bernd Osterloh welcomed the suspension of production: At times when people can no longer meet on playgrounds or for concerts, go to church or visit restaurants in the evening and are no longer buying cars, and Volkswagen has supply problems, production cannot simply continue as if nothing had happened. For our colleagues in production, there are is therefore no alternative to the controlled suspension of production. All the points which remain open will be clarified between the company and the Works Council. To protect its employees, Volkswagen is implementing further measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus. From today onwards, the company canteens, self-service shops, cafeterias, bistros, restaurants and catering services will be closed. As a general principle, all meetings will be held by Skype or video. All major events have been canceled. Moreover, special protection applies for employees with special health risks as a result of pre-existing conditions affecting the heart or lungs and employees with weakened immune systems, among others. EDITOR'S NOTE: Checking new reports related to the following diseases, there has never been such radical business action taken to suppress any other virus: West Nile Virus Guinea Worm Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Lyme Disease Ross River Fever Omsk Hemorrhagic Fever Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) Valley Fever Marburg Virus Disease Norovirus Zika Fever German Measles Spanish Flu Lassa Fever Legionnaires Disease Furthermore, employees returning to Germany from other countries after March 14 are forbidden with immediate effect from entering the plant sites and other facilities of Volkswagen AG during the incubation period of 14 weekdays. In order to keep transmission of the virus as low as possible, contacts should be largely avoided. Managers and employees should review the possibilities of mobile working, i.e. working from home. As a general principle, mobile working is possible for up to five days per week. The measures also include a general halt to business trips for all plants and also to other countries. This also applies to trips between locations. The internal shuttle flights between locations have already been halted. Sen. Kamala Harris is concerned that the federal government is not yet ready for the likely scenario of a natural disaster such as a catastrophic wildfire coinciding with the coronavirus pandemic. In an interview with The Chronicle on Wednesday, the junior Democratic senator from California said she had recently raised the issue with Peter Gaynor, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Harris wanted to know how FEMA would respond if the new virus remained a major public health threat when another potential emergency, including a California wildfire or earthquake, arises. She is keenly aware that major fires often force people into packed evacuation shelters, which would currently conflict with the governments efforts to call for social distancing and prevent people from gathering in groups. So I asked him, what is the plan? Is there a formal policy to address this issue? Harris told The Chronicle. And he basically said, Were learning as we go and, This has never happened before. Though Harris described the administrators comments as a moment of real honesty, shes still worried about what would happen if a big wildfire or earthquake breaks out while the pandemic is unfolding. FEMA did not address the details of Harris claims when contacted by The Chronicle, but sent a broad statement about its reaction to the pandemic. The agency has been supporting the federal governments virus response efforts since Feb. 10, the statement said. FEMAs 10 regional centers are involved in the government response, and the agency is preparing to send 50 teams to help states, tribal governments and territories. In the interview, Harris pointed to a 5.7 magnitude earthquake that occurred Wednesday just outside Salt Lake City. The temblor shut down Utahs coronavirus hotline, according to Gov. Gary Herbert, and reportedly knocked out power to tens of thousands of homes and businesses. Earthquakes are a constant threat in California, and the states wildfires have been historically severe in recent years. The 2020 fire season could prove particularly risky due to an extreme lack of precipitation across much of Northern California this winter during what is normally the wettest time of year. I have lived through this stuff, Harris said. I ... am very concerned about whether the United States government is prepared for what is frankly inevitable. Harris wants FEMA to give clear guidelines about how the coronavirus pandemic could reshape other kinds of emergency responses. It ties into a broader theme she sees: that much of the burden surrounding the virus is currently falling on the shoulders of local and state government. I have nothing but praise for local and state government leaders who have really been stepping up to figure things out without the assistance of the federal government, Harris said. Harris isnt the only leader thinking about how the coronavirus could intersect with other kinds of emergencies. 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 Countys emergency management director previously told The Chronicle that he could reshape how evacuations function if the North Bay faces another bad wildfire during the pandemic. And the American Red Cross said it would work with local officials to set up screenings for evacuees and create isolation areas in shelters if necessary. The problems extend beyond evacuations, too. Harris told The Chronicle that she shares the concerns of public health experts about large amounts of wildfire smoke while the new virus is still spreading COVID-19, a respiratory illness that can be fatal for some people, particularly the elderly and those with underlying health problems. Harris said she hopes California does not need to endure a dangerous fire or earthquake while its still grappling with the pandemic that is now forcing millions of Bay Area residents to stay in their homes as much as possible. But the government needs to be ready, she said. I feel very strongly that we have to understand and think about all of these scenarios that are, frankly, quite predictable, Harris said. We should be prepared instead of waiting for it to bang on a door as a moment of crisis. J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris According to a recent analysis by the Wilderness Society, an advocacy group, if all the fossil fuels buried in those sites was extracted and burned, it would translate into between 1 billion and 5.95 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide being released into the air. That upward measure is equal to half the annual carbon output of China, the worlds biggest emitter. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that has been linked to climate change. T o slow the spread of coronavirus, a lot of us have found ourselves in self-isolation. Its the right thing to do, but you dont even have to be the busiest person in the world to find the change in pace a little startling. Now that youve got a surplus of free time in light of all your plans being cancelled, you might find yourself feeling a little cabin fever-y. But fear not. Weve compiled a list of escapist, globe-trotting television to distract you from the confines of your home and take your mind off of things... Salt Fat Acid Heat Part-cooking show, part-travelogue, Samin Nosrats series will inspire even the most apprehensive wannabe chef. With her calming voice and inspiring can-do attitude, Nosrat arrives with a simple principle: Anyone can cook great food - if they master using the four title ingredients properly. The four episodes then take you on a global, culinary journey as she details (with a shopping trip, experts and recipes) the importance of each one, with stop offs in Japan, Italy and even her mothers house. Available to stream on Netflix. Jack Whitehall: Travels with my Father Trip: Father and son Michael and Jack Whitehall are back with new travel tales / Netflix This does what it says on the tin: Jack Whitehall and his father travel the world, with their clashing personalities - Jack, affable and inspired, his father less so - making for a very entertaining dynamic. Not only does this show act as a compelling travel series as Whitehall and his dad visit exotic locations in Europe and Southeast Asia, but it also offers some much-needed comedy escapism for your long evenings inside. Available to stream on Netflix. Dark Tourist This Netflix original thankfully wont make you long to be out of your house - in fact, you might find yourself feeling grateful to be somewhere comfortable. New Zealand journalist David Farrier fronts this series, looking at the most twisted and disturbing destinations around the world that people genuinely choose to visit. The range of destinations in fascinating, with Farrier visiting everything from radiation wastelands to serial killer tours to live exorcisms. Our Planet Ah, David. Youre just who we need to soothe our nerves in these current times. What better way to spend your time inside by marvelling at the wonder of our natural world, particularly at a time when humans, by nature of staying home, are probably polluting less than normal. With all manner of terrains and wildlife covered, Our Planet is a clarion call to conserve our extraordinary natural world - as well as eight hours of majestic, beautifully shot escapism. Available to stream on Netflix. Comedians of the World The news can be stressful at times, and we all need to release tension with a good laugh. Netflix has a wealth of comedy specials, but Comedians of the World provides the novelty of collating stand-up routines from the worlds funniest people across the globe. Once youre done sampling the comedic genius there, check out this rundown of Britains best comedians who have stand-up routines available to stream online. Night on Earth Do you ever find yourself awake in the middle of the night, thinking about the fact that miles away, in the middle of the ocean, theres probably a whale, just... swimming? Nope? Just me? Good. This new Netflix nature series takes a look at our natural world at a time we rarely get to see it in - nighttime. Using cutting-edge technology such as night-vision and thermal cameras to capture stunning insights into the lives of wildlife in darkness, this series is nothing short of mind-blowing. Plus, its all narrated by the honeyed tones of actress Samira Wiley, saying things like; we have always been strangers to the night, which will no doubt strike a chord as, at 1:37am, you press play on the next episode, while outside - unbeknownst to you - a fox rips into your food waste bin. Asian Provocateur UK comedy treasure Romesh Ranganathan fronts this series in which he returns to his ancestral home of Sri Lanka, hoping to learn more about his parents country. The shows humour is drawn both from Ranganathans mothers admonishments (she calls him a coconut - brown on the outside, white on the inside) and from the comedians inherent awkwardness as he travels around the country, completely out of his comfort zone. But theres also a significant emotional core to the show, particularly for viewers who might see themselves in the shows timeless theme of cultural displacement. Available on Netflix. Secrets of Great British Castles Ever seen a castle and wished the walls could talk? History buffs will find plenty to get lost in in Secrets of Great British Castles. Historian Dan Jones delves into the thousands of years of history behind some of Britains most significant castles, which, if our current times stress you out, could serve as a worthy reminder that Britain has always been completely crazy. Available on Netflix. Chefs Table Sick of pesto pasta? While away your hours with Chefs Table, in which chefs divulge their best-kept secrets of cooking. Its food television at its finest, serving healthy helpings of food porn while also offering a window into the compelling characters behind some of the worlds best recipes. Available on Netflix. Selling Sunset Highbrow it isnt but Selling Sunset is escapist TV at its finest. Produced by the creators of The Hills, the property-porn-meets-reality-show follows the glamorous realtors (thats estate agents to you and me) helping Hollywood millionaires find not-so-humble abodes. The Oppenheim Group - who are currently selling Orlando Blooms bachelor pad, in case youve got cash to splash - are at the centre of it all, with the staff providing no shortage of (ridiculous) drama. Then there are the properties themselves. All stunning, they range from apparently modest houses worth a measly $1 million to a Beverly Hills super mansion with an asking price of over $40m. Snooping around them is the perfect antidote to being stuck inside your own flat. Available on Netflix. Ugly Delicious If the prospect of eating tinned food during the next few weeks of isolation is sending you over the edge, then Ugly Delicious may just be the food porn you need. Hosted by award-winning chef David Chang, the Netflix series is part travelogue, part history lesson, part recipe and entirely nourishing as he looks at some of the worlds best-loved food in all their glory. Particularly fascinating episodes include the mouth-watering look at what constitutes authentic pizza, the deep-dive into the variety of Indian cuisines beyond the generic curries, and an eye-opening exploration of the racism that fuelled the sales of soul food and fried chicken. Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE:AJG) shareholders might be concerned after seeing the share price drop 22% in the last month. Looking further back, the stock has generated good profits over five years. It has returned a market beating 85% in that time. See our latest analysis for Arthur J. Gallagher To quote Buffett, 'Ships will sail around the world but the Flat Earth Society will flourish. There will continue to be wide discrepancies between price and value in the marketplace...' 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. Over half a decade, Arthur J. Gallagher managed to grow its earnings per share at 13% a year. This EPS growth is remarkably close to the 13% average annual increase in the share price. Therefore one could conclude that sentiment towards the shares hasn't morphed very much. In fact, the share price seems to largely reflect the EPS growth. The image below shows how EPS has tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail). NYSE:AJG Past and Future Earnings, March 18th 2020 Before buying or selling a stock, we always recommend a close examination of historic growth trends, available here. What About Dividends? When looking at investment returns, it is important to consider the difference between total shareholder return (TSR) and share price return. Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. As it happens, Arthur J. Gallagher's TSR for the last 5 years was 110%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. And there's no prize for guessing that the dividend payments largely explain the divergence! A Different Perspective Story continues It's nice to see that Arthur J. Gallagher shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 12% over the last year. Of course, that includes the dividend. However, the TSR over five years, coming in at 16% per year, is even more impressive. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Arthur J. Gallagher better, we need to consider many other factors. To that end, you should be aware of the 1 warning sign we've spotted with Arthur J. Gallagher . Of course Arthur J. Gallagher may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of growth stocks. 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. There were many tears last Thursday when students were told that school was closing that evening. Not all students and not even most students, but there were tears. Even the most outwardly cool young people will be very unnerved by being sent home for a minimum of two weeks when they should be starting practical exams. I worry for those struggling with study and I worry for those who need guidance in their work. But we are where we are, so this must be taken as an opportunity to embed knowledge and prepare for the exams. Teachers will be keeping in touch with their students as much as possible, assigning work and engaging in discussions, but the systems necessary to facilitate this type of communication will be better developed in some schools than in others. Even if students are not able to communicate with their teachers, there is a lot they can do. Students will be able to concentrate on one task or subject for a number of hours at a time, a luxury which is rarely available during the school week, or even at weekends when homework must also be completed. This time can be used to practise writing essays, completing a sample Leaving Cert paper or revisiting a topic a number of times over the course of a week to really embed it to memory. In order to manage time and prevent tiredness from taking its toll, it may be helpful to follow the school timetable as a guide to what to study, and when. For example, students should get up at the usual time for school and begin studying at the time their lessons would normally start. If they should have an English class at 9am for 40 minutes, then they should study English for 40 minutes at 9am. They should take breaks in line with the school timetable and use non-exam subject times to focus on subjects they find most difficult. This way, by 4pm, they will have completed seven hours of revision. It is important to try to find a quiet place to study, which may be challenging with younger siblings around. But they should pick the best spot possible and study in the same place every day. Later in the school year, teachers tend to focus on revision, so there will be time to make up work missed. As students were not allowed to take exam project work home, catching up on this later may be a challenge. It will, however, be made easier if they are ahead in revision when they get access to these projects again. This is a difficult situation, but everyone is in the same boat. Students should focus on what they can achieve and avoid the temptation to meet up with friends. Whatever happens next, good study habits will help. Every 20 minutes spent studying is potentially another few points for CAO and will bring candidates a little closer to their goal. Aoife Walsh is a guidance counsellor at Malahide Community School, Co Dublin Q When the school closed last week, I didn't get my Educational Impact Statement before I left. Now it is too late to send it to the CAO. Have I missed out on DARE? A The CAO has advised it will not be extending the closing date for HEAR and DARE supporting documentation as a result of the school closures. It has, however, stated it will be understanding of difficulties experienced as a result of school closures. If you are missing any documentation from your application, it advises sending what you have as soon as possible (as always, get a certificate of postage) with a letter explaining what is missing and why to the CAO, forwarding the rest of the documentation when it is available. Email Aoife at aoifewalsh@ independent.ie; Twitter @edguidance. Latest Headlines Battle against RTA reforms continues Coronavirus might be dominating the headlines but investor advocates are urging landlords not to forget about the threat posed by the proposed reforms to tenancy law. Wednesday, March 18th 2020, 10:49AM by Miriam Bell One of the reforms proposed is the removal of a landlords right to use no cause terminations to end a periodic tenancy agreement. Another is the requirement that fixed-term tenancy agreements become periodic tenancy agreements upon expiry unless both parties agree otherwise. While there are a host of other reforms proposed, it is these two proposals which are of the most concern to rental property owners nationwide. Investor groups and advocates are mobilising to fight the proposed reforms and to encourage as many affected people as possible to speak up about their concerns about them. NZ Property Investor Federation (NZPIF) executive officer Sharon Cullwick says the current focus on the coronavirus outbreak, and responses to it, wont slow the process of the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill, which contains the reforms, She says the government has made it clear that they want to push the legislation through before the election, which is currently scheduled for September 19. The NZPIF is staunchly opposed to the planned removal of no cause terminations and the requirement for periodic tenancy agreements to become fixed term agreements. Cullwick says the reforms do not fairly balance the rights and obligations of tenants and landlords, rather they tip the balance firmly in favour of tenants. We need to get all landlords, and others, behind us and our battle against the planned reforms. Its hugely important as they will have a major impact on people, and not just landlords. To this end, the NZPIF launched a petition against the reforms last weekend. In the five days since, over 3,100 people have signed. Cullwick is urging anybody who is concerned about the reforms and thats not just landlords with a recent REINZ survey showing 45% of tenants are opposed to the removal of the no cause notice to sign the petition here. Along with other property investor associations and groups around the country, the Auckland Property Investor Association (APIA) is also extremely worried about the proposed reforms. APIA president Andrew Bruce says that, when it comes to rental property issues, he is currently more concerned about the proposed reforms than he is about the coronavirus situation. People dont realise how much of a mission it will be to follow the new processes to evict a problem tenant or even to follow up on rent arrears, he says. It is not just about getting rid of the 90-day notice it is about maintaining control over a property. We believe the Bill proposed to introduce sweeping changes that will significantly impact on the business of landlording. APIA is also encouraging anyone concerned about the proposed reforms to get involved in the battle against them. They suggest that people make a submission, sign the NZPIF petition, write letters to their local MP and neighbours of all tenants, and also spread the word about what the changes would mean. Submissions on the Bill ,which is currently being considered by the Social Services and Community Select Committee, are open until next Wednesday, March 25. It is possible to make a submission here. *It is possible to read the full content of the Bill here. Read more: RTA reforms pile pressure on landlords Removal of no cause notice opposed by 45% of tenants On the brink of a crisis Special Offers Comments from our readers No comments yet Sign In to add your comment Shows and special programs are announcing streaming plans daily. The Alley Theater in Houston will make its production of 1984 available, for a limited time, to ticketholders and anybody interested in purchasing a viewing. In Chicago, Theater Wit will make its production of Mike Lews Teenage Dick available starting on March 20; customers will be able to buy access to a Vimeo link for the desired date and time. The Signature Theater in Arlington, Va., is looking to make its production of Dani Stollers Easy Women Smoking Loose Cigarettes available online to ticketholders. In New York City, the experimental institution La MaMa live-streamed several events last weekend, including a festival copresented with CultureHub and HowlRound, and it is looking to do more in the near future. Mia Yoo, La MaMas artistic director, pointed out that the organization has been building valuable experience since 2009, because of the work weve done with live streaming and telematic performances where weve had audiences and artists in remote locations communicating or creating art together, or long-distance workshops with kids. Also in New York, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater obtained special permission from Actors Equity to record its production of The Siblings Play and should be able to stream it to ticket buyers starting this week. We are also likely to see a booming number of individual initiatives like Young Jean Lee who made a low-fi version of her show Were Gonna Die (closed prematurely at Second Stage Theater) available on her website, and Broadway regulars Telly Leung and Alice Ripley, who teamed up for a live concert on the Stageit platform. On Friday, ACT of Connecticut and the Ridgefield Playhouse will stream a live concert that will include the composer Stephen Schwartz performing Beautiful City, from his musical Godspell. But before a production can be live-streamed, it has to leap several hurdles. Any group, professional or not, that wants to stream a play must get permission from its author some of whom are more forthcoming with it than others. John Patrick Shanley whose shows Doubt and Welcome to the Moon are popular licenses said that he just gave blanket permission for any and all request to live stream [my plays] to be granted, as opposed to case by case. Unions and professional associations are also hastily figuring out new legal and artistic goal posts when it comes to making theater accessible. And in the time of coronavirus, theres the matter of public health. Houston pipeline operator Kinder Morgan, one of the city's largest employers, has ordered its employees to work from home amid growing concerns about the coronavirus update. Kinder Morgan is not cutting back on its operations but ordered employees across the United States to telecommute to work this week, company officials confirmed. The work from home order will be reevaluated on a week-by-week basis. On top of the work from home order, Kinder Morgan is restricting travel to essential meetings within the United States. The company is asking employees to cancel travel to conferences as well as training and non-essential customer and vendor meetings. International business travel is prohibited unless approved by a company division president. "We remain committed to our goal of delivering safe, reliable energy services to our customers, communities and stakeholders and will continue to take all appropriate measures to avoid the spread of the coronavirus or other illnesses," company officials said in a statement. Midstream Moves: Enbridge orders employees to work from home Founded in 1997 and headquartered in downtown Houston, Kinder Morgan has nearly 11,000 employees across the United States and Mexico. The company reported a $2.2 billion profit on $13.2 billion of revenue in 2019. There are more than 4,200 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the United States, the Center for Disease Control reported. The virus has killed 75 people across the United States. In Texas, there are about 68 people infected with the disease. Of those, 29 are from Houston and surrounding communities, according to Houston Chronicle research. Fuel Fix: Get daily energy news headlines in your inbox Photo: Vulture As the global coronavirus pandemic rolls on, so, too, does the American presidential election season and its associated universe of news products covering its developments. The podcast world is not immune to this, and the subgenre of politics and election podcasts is an ever-growing one. To help you get situated, we drew up a quick guide to walk you through various shows that are suitable for listeners of every stripe. If Youre Looking for a Classic The OG of the format, Slates Political Gabfest started its conversational roundtables almost 15 years ago. The country moved from Bush to Obama to Trump, but the fundamentals of Gabfest have remained largely the same. Each week still features Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz getting together to discuss, bicker, and debate the latest in political news. If Youre a Public-Radio Lifer Now publishing every weekday as primary season heats up, each NPR Politics Podcast episode serves up gloriously succinct recaps of what happened that day. Its the obvious choice for public-radio households. Since its launch in 2015, it has become something of a talent pipeline for the industry: Sam Sanders, for example, the host of NPR podcast-radio-show hybrid Its Been a Minute, grew in prominence during his time hosting NPR Politics. If You Love Polls FiveThirtyEights Politics podcast Do statistical models excite you? Do you enjoy arguing about the use and misuse of polling? Do you continue to have faith in the church of Nate Silver? To describe his sites Politics podcast as wonky would be an understatement. Its also responsible for some genuinely enjoyable, well-composed short documentaries from time to time, like its multipart Primaries Project exploring how Americas primary system came to be. If You Miss the Obama White House Hosted by former Obama staffers Jon Favreau, Dan Pfeiffer, Jon Lovett, and Tommy Vietor, Pod Save America is the highly popular anchor to the equally popular Crooked Media, the company that seeks to build a lasting empire that may well rival the vast, powerful galaxy of right-wing talk radio. Newcomers should check out the recent check-in with Faiz Shakir, Bernie Sanderss campaign manager. If You Enjoy Dunking on the Libs Consider Chapo Trap House a kind of fun-house-mirror image of Pod Save America. Led by Amber ALee Frost, Felix Biederman, Matt Christman, Virgil Texas, and Will Menaker, the podcast is a platform for what has been called the Dirtbag Left, i.e., leftist-minded audiences disillusioned with conventional liberal politics. It is often dark, trending to socialism and nihilism and exhibiting a willingness to flirt with conspiracy theories. If You Really Miss the Old Days Hacks on Tap with David Axelrod and Mike Murphy Put nicely, Hacks on Tap is a digital watering hole for the politically nostalgic. Former Obama adviser David Axelrod is a creature of the Democratic Establishment. Mike Murphy, meanwhile, is a Republican consultant of the old school with a client list that once included Mitt Romney and John McCain. Together, they moan over the contemporary state of politics and dispense insider takes on how things used to work. If Youd Prefer Perspectives From Journalists of Color Mainstream politics coverage can be particularly exhausting for people of color. Against this mostly white backdrop, In the Thick offers some reprieve. Hosted by Latino USAs Maria Hinojosa and Julio Ricardo Varela, the show is a classic roundtable podcast. Journalists of color discuss the candidates latest wins and losses, enriched by a deep bench of diverse guest panelists who consistently open the political conversation. If You Want to Know What Its Like on the Ground Listeners looking for narrative documentary will find tremendous value in The Field, a spinoff of The Daily and the latest addition to the New York Times ever-expanding family of podcasts. The Field brings listeners onto the campaign trail alongside Times journalists and audio producers as they gather information, like Jennifer Medinas reporting inside the conflict between the Culinary Workers Union and the Sanders campaign. If Youre Right-Curious Lest you get the impression that the political-podcast universe is mostly left leaning, consider The Ben Shapiro Show, which is built around the conservative enfant terrible and founder of the Daily Wire. Unquestionably the biggest conservative podcast on the charts, the show has been picked up for radio syndication by Cumulus Media, the third-largest radio conglomerate in the country. If Youre a Freethinker One of the biggest podcasts around today, The Joe Rogan Experience doesnt fall solely into the politics genre, operating mostly with a mix of Howard Sternstyle interviewing and a so-called freethinking ideology thats part of the intellectual dark web. The show has become a consequential platform for political discourse. Rogans endorsement of Bernie Sanders this year, for example, created a minor maelstrom on Twitter. If You Want to Get Involved A relatively new entry to the genre, The Brown Girls Guide to Politics is the audio companion to the blog of the same name, founded by Emerge America president Ashanti F. Gholar. With two seasons under its belt and a third on the way, the podcast delivers interviews and topical discussions that serve as a resource for women of color interested in building a career in the world of politics. If Youre Rooting for the Death of Caucuses Stranglehold is a fantastic audio documentary by New Hampshire Public Radio that interrogates why the very small, very white state gets to enjoy so much power over the presidential-nomination process. The show is sharp, critical, and thrillingly unflattering. The stations efforts havent gone unnoticed, drawing attention and some criticism from New Hampshires powers that be (including its secretary of state). If Youre Still Stuck in 2016 Many groaned last month when it was announced that Hillary Clinton was launching a podcast. But it wasnt her first. A few months before the 2016 elections, With Her debuted with all the bells and whistles of a normal narrative podcast. Now, were left with a genuinely fascinating political artifact like the hopeful preElection Day episode or the two-parter from September 2017 where she talks through her 2016 regrets that her new show is unlikely to beat. *This article appears in the March 16, 2020, issue of New York Magazine. Subscribe Now! Credit: CC0 Public Domain A team of researchers from the University of Toronto, the Institute of Sexology and Sexual Medicine, Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin and the University of Lethbridge has found evidence showing that males with an older brother have a greater chance of being gay than males that do not. In their paper published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the group describes their study of data from past research efforts and what the learned from it. Scientists are not currently able to explain homosexuality in either males or females, even as researchers continue to find the answer. In this new effort, the researchers were looking to find some commonalities between birth order and homosexuality. To that end, they analyzed data from 10 unrelated studies that included sexual orientation for 5,400 men and also sibling information. The researchers found that the men in the study who had an older brother were 38 percent more likely to be gay than were those who did not have an older brother. They also found that the more older brothers a man had, the more likely he was to be gayhaving three older brothers, for example, doubled a man's odds of being gay. But the same could not be said for females. The researchers were not able to find any pattern in siblings, male or female, that changed the odds for a woman being gay. The researchers were not able to determine why birth order impacts the odds of male homosexuality, but suggest it is possible that the mother's immune response to having a male child has a later impact on male babies born thereafter. The theory, called "maternal immune hypothesis," suggests that when a woman carries and gives birth to a male baby, her body produces antibodies in response to certain male chemicals. The theory suggests that the antibodies produced remain in the woman's body and somehow make their way into the brains of future male babies. The theory has been proposed before by other researchers and has also been used to settle arguments surrounding the nature of homosexualityspecifically whether it is a matter of genetics or upbringing. Explore further Study confirms link between the number of older brothers and increased odds of being homosexual More information: Ray Blanchard et al. A method yielding comparable estimates of the fraternal birth order and female fecundity effects in male homosexuality, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2020). Journal information: Proceedings of the Royal Society B Ray Blanchard et al. A method yielding comparable estimates of the fraternal birth order and female fecundity effects in male homosexuality,(2020). DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2907 2020 Science X Network Press Release 18 March 2020 In light of the worldwide uncertainty stemming from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the North American Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC) has been rescheduled to October 26-29, 2020. In addition, the co-located HSMAI ROC Americas will take place October 26-27. Produced by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), the 48-year hospitality technology event is traditionally held annually in June. At this time, HFTP has determined to take a proactive approach by rescheduling for later this year to allow time for group gatherings to be safe once-again; as well as, give attendees and the hospitality businesses they represent some space to focus and strategize on their economic recovery. Advertisements "The hospitality technology community depends on HITEC to meet, share ideas and gain knowledge on the latest industry developments," said HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe, CAE, FIH. "HFTP feels it would be a disservice to the industry to outright cancel HITEC in 2020, this type of interactivity is crucial for our stakeholders to build back business. Thus we have committed to still produce HITEC this year with a shift in timing. Hospitality professionals will be able to discuss how best to use technology to accommodate efficiencies, while exhibitors will be able to work with their customers to meet these strategies." HITEC San Antonio will continue to offer the same opportunities it annually presents, which has made it a must-attend event for the hospitality community. Attendees can expect a four-day education program planned and presented by industry experts. In addition to the education program, HITEC San Antonio will feature an exhibit hall hosting over 375+ companies. The companies display a range of products and services to support the hospitality technology industry. HSMAI ROC, where hotel revenue leaders unite for education, collaboration and innovation at the world's largest gathering of revenue professionals in the travel industry, will have its main program at the Convention Center in San Antonio on Monday, October 26th, with Tuesday, October 27th, including HSMAI Chief Revenue Officer roundtables, CRME and CHDM review courses and Partner Insights sessions. "HSMAI's ROC has become the essential place corporate revenue leaders from over 120 unique hotel brands, management companies and ownership groups convene to discuss emerging trends and issues that directly impact the revenue and profitability of the hotel industry," said Robert A. Gilbert, CHME, CHBA, president and CEO of HSMAI. "This year, more than even, it is vital that these thought leaders have the opportunity to come together to understand how to navigate the current landscape and lead the recovery of the hotel industry. We are thankful that we have been able to work together with HFTP to reschedule this year's ROC to bring together the community of revenue leaders." Also in 2020, HFTP will produce HITEC Dubai co-located with The Hotel Show Dubai taking place from September 14-16, 2020 at the Dubai World Trade Center in Dubai, UAE. For more information about HITEC and HFTP's other international activities, contact the HFTP Meetings & Special Events Department at [email protected] or visit www.hftp.org and www.hftp.org/hitec. About HSMAI , The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is committed to growing business for hotels and their partners and is the industry's leading advocate for intelligent, sustainable hotel revenue growth. The association provides hotel professionals and their partners with tools, insights, and expertise to fuel sales, inspire marketing, and optimize revenue through programs such as the Marketing Strategy Conference, Adrian Awards, Sales Leader Forum, and HSMAI ROC. Founded in 1927, HSMAI is a membership organization comprising more than 5,000 members worldwide, with 40 chapters in the Americas Region. Connect with HSMAI at hsmai.org , HSMAI Facebook HSMAI Twitter , and HSMAI YouTube Endeavour Silver Implements Plans to Minimize COVID-19 Risks Posted by Publisher Internet Endeavour Silver Corp. (TSX: EDR, NYSE: EXK https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/endeavour-silver-corp/) advises that it has implemented plans to minimize the risks of the COVID-19 virus, both to employees and to the business.? To date, there have been no known or suspected cases of COVID-19 reported at any of the Company?s work places in Canada, Mexico and Chile. At each site, Endeavour is following government health protocols and is closely monitoring the situation with local health authorities.? The Company has posted health advisories to educate employees about the COVID-19 symptoms, best practices to avoid catching the virus, and procedures to follow if symptoms are experienced. Bradford Cooke, Endeavour CEO, commented, ?During these turbulent times, we are fully committed to reducing the health risk to our employees and any potential disruptions to our business. We will continue to work proactively to protect the health of our employees, local stakeholders and our communities as we navigate the current situation.? Endeavour has initiated the following health and business precautions: Encouraging social distancing (minimum 2 meters) and minimizing interpersonal contacts where possible Encouraging regular and thorough hand cleansing Cancelled all non-essential travel in favour of video conferencing At the head office, working from home until further notice At the operations, extra cleaning in common and food service areas At the operations, all workers will be screened for temperature on arrival at the gates Any employees experiencing symptoms and or a temperature of +38*C are immediately sent home to self quarantine and report to the health authority Back-up plans have been created for certain key jobs to ensure continuity of work Educating contractors and suppliers similar to employees Back-up plans if a contractor or supplier cannot perform their duties Increasing critical supplies and spare parts inventories to minimum three months There have been no business restrictions to date in Mexico and no disruptions to either metal sales or supply chains for the Company?s operations. Terronera Prefeasibility Study The Company also announces that it has received an economic summary of the updated pre-feasibility study (PFS) for the Terronera silver-gold mine project in Jalisco, Mexico.? Significant changes were made to the operations plan, capital and operating costs compared to the previous PFS and as a result, although still positive, the new PFS returned less robust economics compared to the prior PFS.? Endeavour?s new Director of Project Development is conducting a complete review of both studies in order to assess all assumptions and optimize the project design and economics for an internal updated prefeasibility study prior to proceeding to a full independent feasibility study.? Endeavour plans to provide a further update of the Terronera Project within the next three months. Bradford Cooke, Endeavour CEO, commented further, ?The Terronera Project has the potential to become our largest, lowest cost, and longest life mine.? We?re disappointed the latest draft PFS economics differ from the prior PFS economics.? As a result, we have decided to reconceptualize the project using our inhouse expertise so that Terronera can become a model for our future mines.? About Endeavour Silver ? Endeavour Silver Corp. is a mid-tier precious metals mining company that owns and operates three high-grade, underground, silver-gold mines in Mexico. Endeavour is currently advancing the Terronera mine project towards a development decision and exploring its portfolio of exploration and development projects in Mexico and Chile to facilitate its goal to become a premier senior silver producer.? Our philosophy of corporate social integrity creates value for all stakeholders. SOURCE Endeavour Silver Corp.? Contact Information Galina Meleger, Director Investor Relations Toll free: (877) 685-9775 Tel: (604) 640-4804 Email:? gmeleger@edrsilver.com Website: www.edrsilver.com Follow Endeavour Silver on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains ?forward-looking statements? within the meaning of the United States private securities litigation reform act of 1995 and ?forward-looking information? within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forward?looking statements and information herein include but are not limited to statements regarding Endeavour?s anticipated performance in 2020, including production forecasts, cost estimates and metal price estimates, and the timing and results of mine expansion and development and receipt of various permits. The Company does not intend to and does not assume any obligation to update such forward-looking statements or information, other than as required by applicable law. Forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Endeavour and its operations to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such factors include, among others, changes in national and local governments, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in Canada and Mexico; operating or technical difficulties in mineral exploration, development and mining activities; risks and hazards of mineral exploration, development and mining; metal prices; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, risks in obtaining necessary licenses and permits, and challenges to the Company?s title to properties; as well as those factors described in the section ?risk factors? contained in the Company?s most recent form 40F/Annual Information Form filed with the S.E.C. and Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to: the continued operation of the Company?s mining operations, no material adverse change in the market price of commodities, mining operations will operate and the mining products will be completed in accordance with management?s expectations and achieve their stated production outcomes, resource and reserve estimates, metal prices, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or information, there may be other factors that cause results to be materially different from those anticipated, described, estimated, assessed or intended. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. Source: Endeavour Silver Corporation For a better experience on our website and avoid any trouble, we strongly recommand to activate Javascript ( click here ). Hello and welcome to Journal des Palaces You are a communication or the PR manager? Click here You are an applicant? Check out our questions and answers here ! Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy on Wednesday said that 52 people were killed in the violence in northeast Delhi last month. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Reddy said: "According to the records of Delhi Police, 52 people were killed in the violence in northeast Delhi last month. Two Special Investigation Teams (SITs) and 40 teams have been formed to investigate the matter." Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had expressed his pain for the loss of life and property in the riots that began in northeast Delhi on February 24 and said that violence was controlled in 36 hours. In a discussion on the Delhi violence in Rajya Sabha on March 12, he had said that riots were a conspiracy and no one responsible will be spared irrespective of his party, religion or caste. Shah said that over 700 FIRs have been registered so far and 2647 persons have been arrested or were in custody. He said that 1,922 people, who had taken part in riots had been identified on the basis of face-identification software and 336 of them were from four districts of Uttar Pradesh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hong Kong: Police refute media report Police today refuted an overseas media report alleging that Mainland law enforcement officers were deployed to Hong Kong to observe the forces frontline operations. It had issued a written reply earlier to the overseas media concerned to make the clarification. Police reiterated that there was no such visit nor observation by any members of Mainland law enforcement agencies during the recent protests, as mentioned in the media report. It expressed regret over such an unfounded report. This story has been published on: 2020-03-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. ALBANY, N.Y. The federal government will deploy the U.S. Navy hospital ship Comfort to New York City to help the state confront the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today. The ship has 1,000 hospital rooms, including operating rooms, Cuomo said. The move is meant to help bolster New Yorks health care system as cases of the virus continue to increase. "This will be an extraordinary step, obviously," Cuomo said. "It's literally a floating hospital, which will add capacity." The state now has over 2,300 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. Thats the most in the country and more than double the total cases in Washington state, which is number two in the nation with about 1,000 cases. Cuomo said he spoke with President Donald Trump today about the Comforts deployment. He and Trump also spoke about the federal government helping set up mobile hospitals in New York. The temporary facilities could hold 200 to 250 people each. Cuomo said he told Trump the state would do everything necessary to find sites for the facilities as fast as possible. The moves will both add more hospital beds to New York states current total of 53,000, a need Cuomo has spoken about repeatedly. When the virus peaks in about 45 days, the state could need more than double that total, he said. New York state needs to add intensive care unit beds too. The state could eventually need over 37,000 ICU beds and has just 3,000 now. Cuomo has also spoken about the need for more ventilators and has called on the federal government for help with obtaining them. Its unlikely that the Comfort will treat coronavirus patients because its not equipped to handle infectious diseases, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said this week. Instead, the ship could help take non-coronavirus cases to help relieve the stress on New York Citys civilian hospitals. The USNS Comfort and its sister hospital ship, the USNS Mercy, both contain 1,000 hospital beds, 12 operating rooms, medical labs and other equipment typically found in a hospital. The Comfort, based in Norfolk, Va., has treated more than 488,000 patients around the world since 2007, according to the U.S. Navy. Doctors on the ship have performed more than 5,000 surgeries since 2007 during humanitarian missions, including a response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. The Comfort has been undergoing maintenance repairs at its port in Virginia. Cuomo did not say how long it will take the ship to reach New York Harbor. Last year, the Comfort deployed to 12 countries over 154 days, according to the Navy. The ships doctors and nurses treated 68,935 patients during that time during stops in Central America, South America and the Caribbean. The goal of the mission last year was to relieve pressure on national medical systems strained by an increase in the number of Venezuelan migrants. -- Staff Writer Mark Weiner contributed to this story MORE ON CORONAVIRUS A county-by-county map of cases, deaths in New York State Central NY cancellations, closings list due to coronavirus pandemic (updated list) Out of work because of the coronavirus? How to quickly apply for unemployment benefits We all have a part to play in stopping coronavirus (Editorial) Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598 Thanks for visiting Syracuse.com. Quality local journalism has never been more important, and your subscription matters. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work. A mother from Texas found herself on the receiving end of an unexpected act of kindness when she went to pick up her daughters birthday cake from a local supermarket. Not only had the cake been paid for by a generous stranger, but the unknown persons reason for doing so was truly heartbreaking. On Feb. 22, 2020, mom of two Holly Grimet dropped into a Kroger supermarket in Alvin, Texas, to pick up a cake and cupcakes for her daughter Evas eighth birthday pool party. To her surprise, instead of a bill, Holly was handed an anonymous handwritten note by the stores bakery staff. The note was from a mother mourning the loss of her son, who would have been 8 years old that same day. Holly Grimet with her two daughters. (Photo courtesy of Holly Grimet) As per KHOU 11, bakery staff told Holly that they had never seen the customer before. I said, Oh really, did she know me? Holly explained to Fox News. [The staff member] said, No, but she left a note and weve all read it, the mom added. Staff gently warned Holly that the note may make her cry, and their suspicions were true. Holly later took to Facebook to share the handwritten notes touching message. The heartwarming note that left Holly teary-eyed. (Photo courtesy of Holly Grimet) My son Nehemiah would be 8 years old today, the note began. I wanted to remember my son by doing good to others. I hope you enjoy your childs cake and I hope your day is special. Hold your baby a little tighter today, the note asked of Holly, watch them as they play, be patient with them, kiss their sweet little hand and tell them how much you love them. Our children are such special gifts! Hope your day is beautiful, the message concluded, adding a moving sign-off: Much love from me and my angel in heaven to your family. Eva and her sister at her pool party. (Photo courtesy of Holly Grimet) Holly was immensely touched by the strangers thoughtful gesture and described herself as a crying mess on social media. She was also moved by the coincidence of her own daughter turning 8 on the very same day as the benefactors son. Holly shared that both the note and the gesture was a gift. [I] need to cherish every birthday, every celebration, Holly explained, as per KHOU 11. Even though I didnt want to throw a birthday party. Im so glad I did. Photo courtesy of Holly Grimet Holly, who was earlier reluctant in throwing a birthday party, told Fox News: I didnt want to throw a birthday party because there are so many expectations as a mom to have everything perfect and spend so much money, and celebrating the child gets lost in everything. In giving in and throwing a party for her 8-year-old daughter, Holly reflected, she had been given a life lesson. As per Click 2 Houston, Holly immediately paid it forward by paying for another childs birthday cake at the Kroger bakery counter. Holly had also hoped that by sharing her experience on social media, she would find Nehemiahs mother and be able to thank her in person. Photo courtesy of Holly Grimet Reflecting on the entire incident, Holly said: I dont ever think of losing either one of my babies, ever, and I cant imagine how this mother must feel. I would never think to go and do something good. Despite Hollys attempt to locate the generous mother, her identity remains a mystery. The mom of two nonetheless vowed to hug her own children a little longer in honor of Nehemiah and his mother. Photo courtesy of Holly Grimet Yall, this is how kindness works, Holly later wrote, sharing her heartwarming experience on Love What Matters. We spread the good deeds to rid out all the hate. We have no idea what people are going through, she added. Just give a smile, if nothing else. We would love to hear your stories! You can share them with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.nyc Veterans who served in Northern Ireland will be excluded from new legislation designed to protect soldiers from vexatious claims. A new Overseas Operations Bill will be introduced today to protect veterans accused of wrongdoing on the battlefield abroad. But crucially the Bill will not apply to soldiers who served in Northern Ireland, nor will it apply retrospectively to Afghan and Iraq veterans. An armored convoy of British troops moves through the streets of Londonderry, Northern Ireland in 1972 (file image) Yesterday former soldier Dennis Hutchings, 78, who is accused of a Troubles-related shooting over four decades ago, said: It is outrageous. Our politicians should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this discriminatory treatment of veterans to continue. But last night the Northern Ireland Office announced the establishment of a new independent body that will examine all the unresolved deaths during the Troubles. Only cases where there is new compelling evidence and a realistic prospect of a prosecution will be investigated. And once cases have been considered, they will not be reinvestigated. Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis said: We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our Armed Forces for their service in Northern Ireland. Thats why these proposals deliver on our promise to protect veterans from vexatious claims. Under the Governments measures announced today, there must be an exceptional circumstance in order for a prosecution more than five years after the event. Military personnel can also not be prosecuted unless there is compelling new evidence along with consent from the Attorney General. The Bill aims to protect veterans in the future but had it been brought in 15 years ago, 90 per cent of the investigations that took place into Iraq and Afghan veterans over the past few years would not have happened. Military operations in Iraq resulted in 1,000 compensation claims against the Ministry of Defence for unlawful detention, personal injury and death. But if people try to bring fresh cases concerning the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, they will fall under the new rules and will likely be thrown out. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: For decades our Armed Forces have been faced with the prospect of repeated investigations by inquest and police despite the vast majority having acted in accordance with the rule of law and often at great personal risk. That is why the Government will today legislate to protect our veterans where there is no new evidence against them. And Minister for Defence People and Veterans Johnny Mercer said: Today we deliver on our promise to tackle vexatious claims against our Armed Forces. This has gone further than any other government to protect personnel who put their life in jeopardy to protect us. The law follows a consultation launched last July which heard the publics views on the proposed legislation. Union Square Hospitality Group, the New York City restaurant giant, has laid off 2,000 workers, or 80 percent of the company's workforce. Famed restaurateur Danny Meyer's company put the layoffs into effect on Wednesday morning 'due to a near-complete elimination of revenue,' the company told the New York Times. The company operates 18 restaurants in New York City and two in Washington DC. Both cities have banned all restaurants from offering dine-in service due to the coronavirus pandemic. USHG locations include Gramercy Tavern, Jazz Standard, and Blue Smoke. Famed restaurateur Danny Meyer (above) laid off 2,000 workers in NYC and DC on Wednesday USHG locations include Gramercy Tavern, Jazz Standard, and Blue Smoke (above) The company is currently selling gift cards and dedicating all of the proceeds toward an 'employee relief fund.' It is just the latest in a series of severe impacts that the pandemic and containment measures are having on workers. 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. Layoffs have come so quickly that the state unemployment insurance websites crashed in New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Ohio, Washington D.C. and Kentucky, with some states being forced to stagger applicants by last name to break up the large numbers applying. A U.S. restaurant trade group on Wednesday asked the White House and Congressional leaders for a $455 billion aid package, saying that the industry could shed nearly half of its 15.6 million jobs and at least a quarter of its annual sales because of the coronavirus outbreak. The group, the Washington, D.C.-based National Restaurant Association, said restaurants could take a $225 billion sales hit in the next three months, a quarter of their projected total sales of $899 billion. The exterior of Gramercy Park Tavern restaurant is seen in New York City As food service establishments are forced to close or shift operations to delivery, pickup and drive-thru only, the industry could lose as many as 7 million jobs, the group said. The broader economic impact could be a loss of $675 billion, with every dollar spent in a restaurant generating an additional $2 elsewhere in the national economy, the group said in its letter to President Donald Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The closures and drastic changes were put in place in an effort to help slow the spread of the respiratory illness that has now infected more than 6,400 nationally and killed more than 100 Americans. The letter came a day after executives from some of the world's biggest fast food chains, including McDonald's Corp , Restaurant Brands International Inc and Yum! Brands Inc met with Trump and other officials. The association's request includes creation of a $145 billion Restaurant and Foodservice Industry Recovery Fund to provide immediate liquidity to operators, $100 billion of federally-backed business interruption insurance and $135 million of disaster unemployment assistance. 'As an industry that is based on welcoming everyone through our doors, we are uniquely affected by mandates that keep us from serving our customers,' the letter said. 'Without aggressive and immediate action from the federal government, many restaurants that are a staple of local communities will simply never resume service.' The letter also asks for $45 billion of loans, $35 billion for federal community block grants for disaster help and tax relief. [March 18, 2020] Nuctech Netherlands Company obtained the Netherlands Erkend Leerbedrijf Certification ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In February 2020, Nuctech Netherlands Company obtained the Netherlands Erkend Leerbedrijf Certification and became a Netherlands government-certified training institution. The certification is issued by the Netherlands government to encourage local branch companies to actively develop the vocational skills and professional qualities of local employees. Since its establishment in 2017, Nuctech Netherlands has actively carrie out localization construction and recruitment and training of foreign employees, which has contributed to the cultivation and employment of local talents in the Netherlands, and fully reflects the strong social responsibility of Nuctech Group and Netherlands branch company. With this certification, Nuctech Netherlands will be able to attract more local high-quality talents and become a high-quality choice for employment and internship of graduates from local colleges and universities. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nuctech-netherlands-company-obtained-the-netherlands-erkend-leerbedrijf-certification-301025973.html SOURCE Nuctech Company Limited By Kim Jin-a The concept of human security has emerged as an essential paradigm for understanding global vulnerabilities as part of a shift that goes beyond traditional security concerns. Although this concept has gained much attention from academics, our discourse on environmental forecasts has centered on geopolitics, the competition among major powers and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). However, the scope of global human security goes beyond traditional political and military security. As the current outbreak of the novel coronavirus demonstrates, health security deserves our attention. In today's interconnected world, it is almost impossible for any state to isolate itself from developments in other parts of the world. The recent coronavirus outbreak will not be an isolated event of this year. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness, ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and a novel coronavirus (nCoV). Coronaviruses are transmitted between animals and people, and several are known to be circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans. Hence, it is possible that the world will be again affected by a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. Increasing vulnerability Countering future security challenges requires interdisciplinary approaches and pan-regional efforts. Re-emergence and changes in the spread of infectious diseases can be compounded by climate change and global mobility. Rising sea levels and population movements due to water shortages and global warming will change areas that are geopolitically important but vulnerable. When the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases and the global temperature rises, coastal area flooding, rainforest loss, and drought are likely to cause disruption to ecological systems, which could have profound impacts on the epidemiology of infectious disease. This calls for seasonal prediction and early warning of climate-sensitive disease risk. Studies also show that travel and migration could play a major role in importing major epidemics. The emergence of diseases imported by travelers includes such cases as chikungunya and dengue fever in France and Italy, and malaria in Greece, to name a few. The socioeconomic problems caused by the mobility of people are expected to become more frequent as global connections intensify. Over the past decade, international migration to OECD countries has exceeded 50 percent of the world's population migration. During the same period, the population of OECD countries decreased as a percentage of the overall global population, while international migration to these countries has increased. The influx of people from abroad to South Korea has also shown a gradual increase about eightfold in 20 years. Greater responsibilities The number of humanitarian responses from national authorities through international organizations and the United Nations has been gradually increasing, and this trend is likely to continue. Then, expectations for developed countries to take on greater responsibility for tackling global challenges will increase as well. It should be noted that when the WHO made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic, it expressed concerns not only about the alarming levels of spread and security, but also the shocking levels of inaction. In a pandemic, countries tend to focus first on meeting national rather than regional or global demands for health services. However, it should be noted that the lack of technical expertise for national authorities to quickly detect, diagnose, and report outbreaks could have significant regional and global consequences. The 2019 Global Health Security index, which provides comprehensive assessments of global health security capabilities in 195 countries, shows that international preparedness for epidemics and pandemics remain very weak with 75 percent of countries receiving a low score in biosecurity, emergency response operations, and the linking of public health and security authorities. One cannot stress enough the tenet that no country is prepared unless all are prepared. In this regard, enhancing national capacity that will be needed to meaningfully reduce profound risks associated with global health emergencies requires holistic efforts through assistance and outreach contributed by many in the international community. Ways forward South Korea's contribution to international assistance can include the following: sharing biosurveillance best practices with other countries, ensuring tailored but consistent investment in training, diagnostic processes, reporting and laboratory management, enhancing regional organizations' capabilities and providing tools and guidance for sustainment through scientific engagements such as network building and workshops. Assistance to augment national capability in public health sectors can provide a chance to facilitate inter-Korean cooperation. North Korea is a troubling blind spot in the international effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus because providing outside support to North Korea is very complex. However, humanitarian assistance is not prohibited by any resolution passed by the U.N. Security Council. In particular, UNSC resolutions stress deep concerns about major insecurities in medical care in the North. Options to plan, coordinate, and execute biological threat reduction engagement with North Korea should be sought in various ways with a long-term view that establishing a sustainable mechanism to improve North Korea's biorisk management and biosurveillance capabilities through scientific and research engagements will eventually reduce the risks posed by biological threats on the Korean Peninsula. Kim Jin-a, Ph.D., is a research fellow at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses. She is also an adjunct professor at the Yonsei Graduate School of International Studies. There was word earlier in the day that they'd be shutting down the bars. Many braced for what seemed imminent: Restaurants were next. When L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti made the announcement to shut down dine-in service at all city restaurants and bars, it was "a gut punch on a Sunday night," said Sang Yoon, chef and owner of Fathers Office and Lukshon. It was the latest body blow in a combination of hits L.A.'s dining scene has suffered in the past several weeks (for some, even longer). So much has been going wrong, at all times it seems. The coronavirus pandemic has ripped the city's restaurants off their moorings, and there has been no time for anyone to adjust. In the days leading up to Garcetti's emergency action, as concern spread and the virus spread even more quickly, many restaurants took to social media to announce dramatic changes to their day-to-day operations. They had to consider their role and responsibility to keep their staff and communities safe, many explained. Hayato is perhaps the smallest restaurant in the city, and we seemingly have a minuscule chance of spreading this virus when we only serve seven guests per night, wrote chef-owner Brandon Go, who employs three employees at his downtown kaiseki restaurant. But Hayato is also part of a community. Chef Brandon Go employs three employees and serves only seven guests per night at his downtown kaiseki restaurant, Hayato. (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times) Gos post took as abrupt and as just a turn as many of L.A.s restaurants have done this week. I believe that right now its important to acknowledge that not everyone will be fine. It seems very easy for some people to say that for the good of the country its our responsibility to flatten the curve, Go went on to write. Flattening the curve by closing down businesses means taking away people's jobs. People are going to starve. "The lasting implications after this may not be temporary, Yoon said. Some of these closures might be permanent for a lot of places." At Antico, chef Chad Colbys immediate focus is on his staff and how he is to keep some semblance of his restaurant up and operating in East Larchmont Village, the neighborhood he and his first solo venture an ode to the rustic culinary traditions of the Italian countryside have called home for the past nine months. Hes not yet set up for delivery, but the restaurant is accepting takeout orders and recently introduced its pop-up, pickup restaurant, Antico Focacceria & Ice Cream. Hes also considering cook-at-home kits for families of four. Story continues Chef Chad Colby opened Antico, his first solo venture, in June. (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times) Were going to try every possible way that we can to at this point, not make money, at this point just to keep this business going, Colby said. Any income that we try to do right now isnt even necessarily to break even, its to sustain the losses that are going to be coming. To project how long any restaurant is to endure these unprecedented circumstances is a grim (and painful) projection. Many restaurants aim to operate on 21-day terms: They receive their produce, meats, dry goods and other supplies, and pay for them three weeks later, theoretically, with the money theyve earned in sales, Colby said. But there are hardly any sales to support their businesses. "We can still anticipate three weeks' worth of bills that are going to be hitting us, Colby said. No sales on top of rent, on top of utilities, on top of everything from third-party companies. Yoon operates on a larger scale, employing 200 people across his four L.A. restaurants: He has Father's Office locations in downtown, Santa Monica and Culver City, also home to Lukshon. "At least I have a company that is a reasonable size. I'm sure there are companies that have more than a couple of restaurants that might be able to tolerate this maybe but if you're a small place, one restaurant, that might be a different story," he said. "That's going to be the tough part. Even if you go to zero staff, your rent's still due." Rent isn't an issue for Niki Nakayama and Carol Iida-Nakayama of n/naka because they own their building. But that doesn't mean they are spared the same bleak calculus that other chefs and restaurant owners have had to accept. "We haven't crunched hard numbers yet. We're not worried about ourselves. We're worried about how to pay our employees," Nakayama said. At n/naka, chefs Niki Nakayama and Carole Iida-Nakayama are more concerned about paying their employees than themselves. (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times) Some restaurants have already had to make swift and difficult decisions during the pandemic. Dave Beran employs about 35 people at his two Santa Monica restaurants, Dialogue and Pasjoli. At Pasjoli, which opened in September, Beran said, Ultimately we will probably have to lay people off. I dont know that there is a way around it. Were too new of a restaurant. We dont have the cash reserves, Beran said. Its such uncharted territory for us. You can only pivot the business so much before its not the business anymore. Josef Centeno, chef-owner of Baco Mercat, Bar Ama and Orsa & Winston in downtown and Amacita in Culver City, preemptively transitioned all his restaurants to takeout and delivery on Friday. He has 140 employees under his employ. Hes paid out all sick pay, cut his managers' salaries and has had some salaried managers running to-go operations. But, he said, the model is not sustainable. Well be completely out of money in like a week and a half, Centeno said. Chase and Chad Valencia, co-owners of Lasa in Chinatown, closed their restaurant Saturday evening, after days of deliberation. Chase Valencia said he had hoped Lasa would be shuttered for only a week. But even as hes transitioned operations to delivery service as quickly as possible, there isnt enough work to spread among his 15 employees to maintain full-time employment. I just dont see how our restaurant can make it through the next two weeks, he said, adding that his worst fear was that Lasa would not be able to reopen after the lockdown, however long it lasts. It means Im not going to be a restaurant owner anymore. My brother and these people who dedicated their lives to this place are going to be out of jobs. Our livelihood and the livelihood of our staff is being taken away. Chase Valencia, left, and his brother, chef Chad Valencia, co-own Lasa in Chinatown. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Colby said most restaurants try to abide by a rule to keep twice the amount of payroll in their working capital. He employs 22 people at Antico, a mix of salaried and hourly workers. He's so far managed to hold onto all of them. "We're looking into how best to take care of our team," said Colby. He, like many chefs, would like to see a financial package aimed at assisting restaurants and food service workers affected by the pandemic. We just hope there is a bailout for us like there has been for banks, for the airline industry and seemingly now the cruise-ship industry. Everyone seems to be getting bailed out but small businesses, said Bricia Lopez, owner of Guelaguetza, the landmark Oaxacan restaurant in Koreatown and a manager of 93 employees. Kuniki Yagi of Pikunico at the Row DLTA has seven employees, all hourly. Shes converted her restaurant to takeout and delivery only, though she doesnt know for how long. She has to review financials with her business partners, she said, and wants to be able to support her staff anyway she can. Do they have enough food at home? she said. I worry and dont know if theyll be OK. I do want to personally reach out to them to make sure I do anything I can do. Im going to give anything in the restaurant groceries, the rice, the bread in the freezer. Thats totally doable for me. I dont have a lot of cash but I can do such things. The welfare of her 45 employees has occupied much of Jennifer Felthams headspace as well. Together with partner Teodoro Diaz-Rodriguez, she co-owns Sonoratown in downtown Los Angeles. Her front-of-house workers will no longer see the tips they relied on, so shes connected with friends in retail to try to find them second jobs. Like many restaurants, Sonoratown has pivoted to pick-up and delivery services. (Silvia Razgova / For the Times) In the four years since Sonoratown opened, Feltham said shes never shied away from reaching out to her network of restaurant owners and chefs for advice. Although the current situation is unprecedented, shes still looking to people like her neighbor, chef-owner Charles Olalia of Maam Sir, who she said always puts things into perspective for her. I look to him for a lot of inspiration and advice, Feltham said. The L.A. restaurant community is really beautiful, helpful and looks out for each other. Ive never been afraid to reach out to older, wiser chefs. Olalia himself has been monitoring the situation from the Philippines, where business had been put on lockdown earlier in the week. Olalia who still had diners at Maam Sir when he learned the news said he had converted his entire menu to takeout but didnt expect the volume of orders to be able to support the restaurant, especially given how many other businesses would now be competing for those same orders. Takeout is not going to be enough to cover staff and rent, no way, he said. Of his 30 employees, he expects hell have to lay off 60% to 80% of his front-of-house staff, since he would need to focus on paying his cooks to prepare food. Its going to be a huge stretch just to manage finances so we can make it that two weeks, Olalia said. It goes much longer than that, I dont know if we can reopen. Andrea Chang, Patricia Escarcega, Jenn Harris, Genevieve Ko and Garrett Snyder contributed to this report. To lower the growing risk of the coronavirus, both LISD and UISD have extended spring break by one week for students and staff as they will continue to have a tentative March 30 return date. Any further extension will be a result of the Centers for Disease Control, Laredo Health Department, Governors office and the Texas Education Agency guidelines. READ MORE: Coronavirus hits Laredo: What you need to know Staff members will be getting their regular pay for the weeks closed. This will continue if the agencies overlooking the virus update their guidelines and encourage adding more extensions to the quarantine. Harmony Public School of Laredo had announced their closure earlier in the week but stated that children under 18, regardless of enrollment status, will be able to receive meals at their campus during the extended breaks. Following suit, both LISD and UISD will open multiple grab and go meal delivery areas where children can receive their meals for the day. During this time, students will also be presented with instructional packets to learn from home or have online lessons and work for those with access to computers. According to Gloria Rendon, UISDs Assistant Superintendent of Administration and Operations, students and parents of both districts need to cooperate with agencies from Laredo and educational institutions when dealing with travel. Parents and employees are being asked and encouraged to fill out submission forms that let administrators know if they will be traveling and where. Rendon said these submissions will allow the districts to properly identify and quarantine anyone who will be visiting a higher-risk area. The districts agreed that anyone who traveled to a high-risk area and got infected would negate the efforts and sanitation done by the district and endanger the students and staff. During the most difficult of times, our schools and community have always found meaningful ways to work together for the good of our students, their families and our staff, LISD Superintendent Dr. Sylvia Rios said. With this being said, dealing with the threat of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has only brought us closer together to safeguard the well-being of each other. Events and trips have also been canceled as per the instruction of the TEA. On Monday, the first patient who tested positive for coronavirus was found to be a UISD staff member at Zaffirini Elementary School and the mother of a child at Alexander High School. Rendon said that due to her proximity with the students, the district has sent out its roster of students to the Laredo Health Department. UISD Superintendent Roberto Santos has asked all students, staff and their families to self-quarantine for the remainder of the 14-day period, and that the quarantine is expected to end on March 25. Despite the tentative end date, Santos encouraged everyone to monitor their own and their loved ones health during the quarantine. Temperature should be taken twice a day, and should anyone develop flu-like symptoms, call your doctor and the City of Laredo Health Departments hotline, Santos said. We appreciate your cooperation during this uncertain time. We are a strong community, and we will continue to support and care for each other. According to Rios, all students, parents and staff are reminded to practice COVID-19 health precautions. These include frequent hand washing, the sanitizing of homes and facilities, social distancing, and the monitoring of personal health. The Laredo 24/7 COVID-19 hotline number is (956) 795-4954. READ MORE: Laredo City Council approves mandatory coronavirus lockdown UISD will have a meeting on Wednesday, March 25 to discuss any further updates regarding the virus, quarantine or other issues pertaining to the situation. LISD will have a meeting on Friday to discuss similar topics. Christian Ocampo may be reached at cocampo@lmtonline.com Connect Airways, the holding company behind Dublin-based Stobart Air, which operates the Aer Lingus Regional service, has fallen into administration in the UK, the Irish Independent has learned. The move is linked to the recent collapse of Flybe. UK-based Flybe was also part of Connect Airways. The administration means that accountancy firm EY now controls Connect and 49pc of Stobart Air. The other 51pc of Stobart Air is owned by its more than 400 staff. Connect Airways is 30pc-owned by the listed UK Stobart Group. Virgin Travel Group, a subsidiary of Virgin Atlantic, also has a 30pc stake, while US firm Cyrus Equity Partners owns 40pc. Yesterday, Stobart Group, whose CEO is Warwick Brady, warned investors that its evaluating how to manage liabilities it has to Stobart Air. But with confirmation to the Irish Independent from EY that Connect is in administration, it means Stobart Group is now on the hook for guarantees given in relation to a number of aircraft leases. A subsidiary of Stobart Group, Propius, engineered a sale and leaseback of eight ATR turborprop aircraft to German firm Goal in 2017. The aircraft are used for the Aer Lingus Regional service. Lease agreements under the deal total $15.4m a year and are for 10 years, it was reported at the time. Theres an option to terminate the agreement in 2023, although the trading update issued by Stobart Group yesterday suggests that the guarantees could be significantly more material. The current Aer Lingus Regional franchise agreement Stobart Air has with Aer Lingus ends in 2022. Propius received $62.7m from the sale of the aircraft, according to reports when the deal was done. However, its unclear where those proceeds ultimately ended up following the creation of Connect Airways in 2019. In a statement to the Irish Independent today, EY said: Alan Hudson, Joanne Robinson, Simon Edel and Lucy Winterborne of EYs Restructuring team were appointed joint administrators of Connect Airways Limited on March 10, 2020, it said. Owned by a consortium of companies, Connect is a holding company that was set up in January 2019 to assist with the acquisition of the airline Flybe. Connect has no day-to-day trading operations itself. Stobart Air said in a statement: "The administration of Connect Airways does not directly impact the operation of Stobart Air services." P layStation fans unite, Sony has finally confirmed that the PS5 reveal event will be happening later today, with the company set to unveil its next-generation console at 4pm GMT. The reveal will be taking place on the PlayStation Blog website, with PS5 architect Mark Cerny providing "a deep dive into PS5s system architecture and how it will shape the future of games". Since the PS5 was first announced, Sony has been drip-feeding us tiny morsels of information about the next-gen console including its release window, logo, name and a few details. Xbox recently held its own deep dive into the Xbox Series X specs and features, so it looks like Sony wants to keep up. This event later today is expected to answer some burning questions about the PS5 specs, price and possibly even some launch titles developed exclusively for the new console. Launch title exclusives will play a big part in who wins the console wars later this year, with both devices still set to launch around December 2020. PS4 exclusives includes games such as Spider-Man, Horizon: Zero Dawn and God of War, whilst Microsoft counts the likes of Halo and the Gears of War series amongst the Xbox exclusive titles. With the Xbox One's games lineup being somewhat lacking in comparison to the PS4's roster, Microsoft seems to be trying to get ahead of the curve with PlayStation at every opportunity by releasing more details than its counterpart. YEREVAN. Past daily of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: According to Past newspapers information, both businessmen engaged in entrepreneurship in the RA and abroad, especially some serious individuals engaged in business in the RF [Russian Federation], have expressed their readiness to assist our state in the current situation. We have information that they are going to assist the country not only in the form of financial assistance, but also in the supply of corresponding essential goods and medical supplies, if the state needs it. By the way, yesterday it already became known that some businessmen have already taken the first step. According to our information, new initiatives are expected these days. Some of them may simply not be publicized, at the very will of businessmen, to refrain from showing off. According to the website accepting donations, Ibrahimovic donated 100,000 euros to the fund. It quickly raised a further 15,700 euros Milan: AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic set up an online fundraiser on Wednesday to help hospitals at the center of the coronavirus outbreak in Italy, with the target of raising 1 million euros ($1.09 million). According to the website accepting donations, Ibrahimovic donated 100,000 euros ($109,000) to the fund. It quickly raised a further 15,700 euros ($17,100). The 38-year-old Ibrahimovic rejoined Milan in January from the Los Angeles Galaxy. He also played for Italian clubs Inter Milan and Juventus. Italy has always given me so much and, in this dramatic moment, I want to give back even more to this country that I love, Ibrahimovic said in a video message to launch the fundraiser. The former Sweden international added that he was counting on the generosity of my colleagues, of all professional athletes and of those who want to make a small or large donation according to their possibilities, to kick this virus away. The site states that all the money raised will be directly donated to Humanitas to help strengthen the intensive care and emergency units of Milano, Bergamo, Castellanza and Torino's hospitals. Italy has been the second hardest hit country with more than 31,500 cases of the virus and 2,503 deaths. Ibrahimovic , known for his brash personality and outspoken comments, often refers to himself in the third person. He ended his message by saying: And remember, if the virus dont go to Zlatan, Zlatan goes to the virus. Follow LIVE updates on coronavirus pandemic here Turkish, Italian leaders discuss joint measures against coronavirus Speaking over phone, President Erdogan offered condolences to Italian prime minister over the loss of lives in the country. Turkish president and Italian prime minister discussed over the phone possible joint measures and cooperation against the coronavirus outbreak on Tuesday. ITALY REPORTED 2,503 DEATHS Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered condolences to Italy's Giuseppe Conte over the loss of lives due to the coronavirus according to a statement by Turkeys Communications Directorate. On Tuesday, Italy reported 345 more deaths from coronavirus, bringing the total number of victims in the country to 2,503, the highest death toll in Europe. Qatar, which has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the Arab Gulf region at 452, has banned entry of foreigners. More people have tested positive for coronavirus in Qatar and are currently in isolation, the countrys ministry of public health said. There are 10 new confirmed cases of coronavirus, the ministry confirmed in a statement on Wednesday, bringing the countrys overall total to 452 the highest in the Arab Gulf region. Most of the new registered cases were related to migrant workers who were already under quarantine, the statement said. A further case was a Qatari citizen who had returned from Switzerland. The infected cases have been entered to complete sanitary isolation, they are in good health and receiving the necessary medical care, the ministry of health said. Amid growing fears over the spread of the virus, Qatar has banned entry of foreigners after suspending all incoming flights for the next two weeks. Oman followed suit, and also prevented citizens from going abroad while suspending public transportation, excluding buses serving remote areas. On Tuesday, Qatar announced the closure of all shops and bank branches, except for food stores and pharmacies. Eighty percent of government employees were also ordered to work from home. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia reported 67 new infections, bringing its total to 238. The kingdom has suspended most private sector activities. Kuwait recorded 12 more cases, including six Kuwaitis, an American and a Spaniard who had all been to the United Kingdom. That took the total number of infections in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council to over 1,100. The United Arab Emirates, a major international air transit centre and the Gulf regions tourism and business hub, said starting from Thursday, all arrivals must remain in home isolation for 14 days or face legal action, state news agency WAM reported. The UAE also banned Emiratis from travelling abroad and said it would indefinitely stop issuing visas on arrival from Thursday. Authorities in Armenia say pensions of hundreds of thousands of retired people will be delivered to their homes to prevent the risk of the novel coronavirus affecting them. Scientists around the world say that people aged over 60 are more likely to develop complications and die because of COVID-19, a disease caused by the new infection. Most people in Armenia retire at the age of 63, making pensioners potentially a risk group for the highly contagious virus. Elderly people are considered to be the riskiest group in terms of the coronavirus infection and these are our beloved parents and grandparents, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said in a live broadcast on Facebook on Wednesday. In order to reduce risks for our dear pensioners we have decided to organize the process of payment so that they dont have to go to and crowd postal offices. All those who have received their pensions with their bank cards will continue to do so. And those who have received their pensions by visiting postal offices themselves will be visited by postal workers who will deliver their pensions to their homes. Of course, these postal workers will be wearing protective masks, Pashinian added. There are about half a million pensioners in Armenia. Some of them receive their monthly pensions in non-cash methods. But still a lot of pensioners prefer going to postal offices at the beginning of every month to be paid their pensions in person. Crowding at postal offices at such days is a usual occurrence throughout Armenia. Earlier, it was reported that the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs had been negotiating with Haypost CJSC to ensure that employees of the postal company visit the beneficiaries in person to pay them pensions and other social benefits. The Ministry said there will be no delays in the payment of pensions and benefits in Armenia because of the coronavirus epidemic and the ongoing state of emergency that will be in place until April 14. According to the official data released by the Health Ministry on March 18 morning, the number of coronavirus cases in Armenia has reached 84. Officials say Armenias first COVID-19 patient identified on March 1 has recovered. Since the onset of the epidemic the Armenian government has been urging elderly people to stay at home as much as possible to minimize the risk of being affected by the new coronavirus. HURON COUNTY Huron Countys three hospitals, McLaren Thumb Region in Bad Axe, Scheurer Hospital in Pigeon, and Harbor Beach Community Hospital are all taking preventive measures to slow any possible spread of COVID-19. In a video posted to Scheurer Healths website, Ross Ramsey, the vice-president of medical affairs and primary care provider at Scheurer, said people would not see tents set up outside their facilities and that they have the capacity to handle extraordinary scenarios and have the resources available. Effective Saturday, March 14, we began limiting all traffic coming through our doors to ensure safety of all patients as well as our medical team, Ramsey said. Ramsey further said that all traffic will be screened for a health evaluation at the front entrance of Scheurers Pigeon campus. The Scheurer staff will be screened at a separate entrance when they enter Scheurers locations. Scheurers senior living facilities are closed to visitors unless absolutely necessary for the health of the residents, and the Sandy Shore wellness center is closed. All of this is to ensure our part to the best of our abilities to help flatten the curve of COVID-19, Ramsey said. Ramsey also said that social distancing and isolation are some of the most proactive ways at preventing its spread, keeping the health of American residents safe, and not overloading the nations health care system. Ramsey says that if someone is experiencing the symptoms of COVID-19, they should stay home. If they are accessing healthcare, they should call ahead so Scheurer can provide the necessary safety for the patient and everyone involved. Clark Ramsey, the head of marketing and communications for Scheurer, said that they have been preparing for COVID-19 for a couple of weeks, since it first appeared in the United States, there are people calling Scheurer asking questions about symptoms, and they had no suspected cases of it so far. We prepared for this at great measures and it has paid off, Ramsey said. Everyone here is on their game. Aside from the video of Ross Ramsey, Scheurer is referring people to the Centers of Disease Control website for the most up to date information. On McLarens website, they have a phone number for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services hotline for anyone to ask health-related questions about COVID-19, at 1-888-535-6136. There is also a link for virtual visits so that doctors can remotely speak with patients. Like all of McLarens other facilities, McLaren Thumb Region is operating under restricted visiting hours, where it does not allow inpatient visitation except for labor and delivery and patients at the end of life. It recommends that visitation be done via telephone or Facetime. Harbor Beach Community Hospital announced it would be restricting all visitation to their Lakeview Extended Care and Rehabilitation Unit and said that if any patients have been out of the country and started having a fever, cough and/or shortness of breath, they should call their primary care physician. The hospital will ask a set of questions to determine the best course of treatment and to prevent the possible spread of the virus. The hospital also said they had no confirmed cases going through the hospital as of March 13. More information about the local hospitals and their efforts to tackle COVID-19 can be found at www.scheurer.org, www.hbch.org, and www.mclaren.org. Senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday dubbed Digvijay Singh of Congress as the "biggest dramatist", hours after the latter tried to meet rebel MLAs of his party in Bengaluru but prevented by the police. Chouhan said even the rebel MLAs are wary of Singh and didn't want to meet him. "Digvijay Singh is the biggest dramatist in the country. He is remembering the (rebel) MLAs now. They do not evenwant to meet him," the former chief minister told reporters in Raisen district where MLAs of the BJP are camping. Chouhan referred to the videos released by rebel MLAs in which many of them said that they didn't want to meet Singh. Some rebels have held Singh responsible for the current crisis in the Congress. Chouhan, who has moved the supreme court demanding immediate floor test in the Legislative Assembly, also said the Kamal Nath government is on the brink of collapse. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It appears our governor and the public health folk are suffering from a bad case of Chicken Little syndrome. Do they have evidence in the form of computer simulations that closing schools and restricting meetings will accomplish anything in the long run in a big place such as Wisconsin? It seems they are acting without a clear endpoint. We live in a country that requires the free movement of people and materials to function. Suppose we identified and cured all cases of the new coronavirus in Wisconsin. The next day, one or more infected people might show up from outside Wisconsin and restart local infections. What would we do then? Shut everything down again? The cycle could repeat itself endlessly if nobody had resistance to it. Because no vaccine is in sight, a wiser course would be to allow each community, school system and social group in the state to function normally unless infection entered it. At that point, it would be required to become highly restricted until it became infection free. While infections would continue to occur until we had a general solution, most of the state and most of the schools would continue to operate most of the time. It's not a great plan, but it's more functional than what we have now. Arthur Eggert, Sun Prairie, professor emeritus, UW-Madison Stepping up efforts to check the spread of coronavirus, thermal scanning for recording body temperature is being conducted in Parliament. Rajya Sabha chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu also underwent the scan on Wednesday. Tracking Coronavirus Outbreak: Live Updates According to officials, Naidu was scanned for temperature by a security person with contactless infrared thermal scanner and his body temperature was found normal. He (Naidu) was not in favour of being photographed while scanning, but the secretariat officials convinced him to do that pointing out that the Vice President submitting himself to such scanning will send a right message to public whose cooperation is necessary in containing spread of virus, said an official. Naidu later told the Upper House that all arrangements have been made to sanitise the complex and hand santisiers have also been provided for MPs. When the House convened, some members were seen wearing masks, and refused to take them off after Naidu said Members cannot sit inside with covered faces. Congress MP P Chidambaram said it should be left to the judgement of individual members as they may feel vulnerable enough to wear face masks. Naidu accepted his argument but said the House was setting a precedent. If members feel vulnerable, they can make preventive arrangements, he said, adding, it was upto the members to take a call. Congress MP MV Rajeev Gowda urged the government to either curtail or defer the ongoing budget session, and fellow parliamentarian Anand Sharma said the government was preaching social distancing but is not following it in Parliament. Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, however, said Parliament should not show panic by adjourning early and instead show the fighting spirit. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi interacted with the leaders of the SAARC countries through video conference to chart out a common strategy in order to combat COVID-19 in the region. Shared History - Collective Future Prime Minister thanked the leaders for joining the conference at such short notice. Stressing on the ancient people to people ties and interconnectedness of societies of the SAARC countries, he said it is imperative for the nations to prepare to face the challenge together. The Way Forward In the spirit of collaboration, Prime Minister Modi proposed creation of a COVID-19 Emergency Fund based on voluntary contributions from all the countries, with India making an initial offer of US $10 million for the fund. The fund can be used by any of the partner countries to meet the cost of immediate actions. He informed that India is assembling a Rapid Response Team of doctors and specialists, along with testing kits and other equipment, which will be on stand-by, to be placed at the disposal of the countries, if required. Prime Minister also offered arranging for online training capsules for the emergency response teams of the neighbouring countries and sharing of software behind Indias Integrated Disease Surveillance Portal to help trace possible virus carriers and the people they contacted. He suggested that existing mechanisms like SAARC Disaster Management Centre can be used to pool in best practises. He also suggested creation of a common Research Platform to coordinate research on controlling epidemic diseases within the South Asian region. He suggested further brainstorming by experts on the long-term economic consequences of COVID-19, and how best to insulate internal trade and local value chains from its impact. The leaders thanked the Prime Minister for the proposed initiatives. Prime Minister reiterated the resolve to battle together and said that neighbourhood collaboration by SAARC countries should serve as a model for the world. Sharing Experience Prime Minister said the guiding mantra for India has been "prepare, but dont panic. He laid down the proactive steps taken, including a graded response mechanism, screening those entering the country, public awareness campaigns on TV, print and social media, special efforts to reach out to the vulnerable groups, ramping up of diagnostic facilities and developing protocols for each stage of managing the pandemic. He said that India has not only successfully evacuated almost 1400 Indians from different countries but also evacuated some of the citizens of the neighbouring countries in accordance with the neighbourhood first policy. President Ashraf Ghani said that the greatest vulnerability of Afghanistan is an open border with Iran. He proposed modelling diffusion patterns, creation of common framework for telemedicine and greater cooperation amongst the neighbouring countries. President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih thanked the Indian government for the medical assistance from India to deal with COVID-19 cases and for evacuating nine Maldivians from Wuhan. He highlighted the negative impact of COVID-19 on tourism in the country and its impact on the nations economy. He proposed closer cooperation between the health emergency agencies of the countries, formulation of economic relief package and long term recovery plan for the region. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa recommended that SAARC leaders work together to help economy tide over the difficult period. He also recommended establishment of a SAARC Ministerial level group to share best practises and coordinate regional matters on combating COVID-19. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina thanked Prime Minister Modi for bringing 23 Bangladeshi students back from Wuhan along with Indian students during the quarantine period. She proposed continuance of the dialogue at technical level through video conference between Health Ministers and Secretaries of the region. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli apprised the SAARC leaders of the steps taken by Nepal to combat COVID-19 . He said that the collective wisdom and efforts of all the SAARC nations could help in devising a robust and effective strategy to deal with the pandemic. Prime Minister Doctor Lotay Tshering said the pandemic does-not follow geographical boundaries, hence it is all the more important for the nations to work together. He said the pandemic will affect the smaller and vulnerable economies disproportionately, talking about the economic impact of COVID-19. Doctor Zafar Mirza proposed that SAARC Secretariat be mandated to establish a working group of national authorities for health Information, data exchange and coordination in real time. He proposed hosting SAARC Health Ministers conference and development of regional mechanisms to share disease surveillance data in real time. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz New Delhi, March 18 : As many as 110 manual scavengers lost their lives in 2019 while cleaning sewers and septic tanks across the country, with highest 21 such deaths reported in Uttar Pradesh, the government informed Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. In a written reply in the Upper House, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said that 68 such deaths were reported across India in 2018, as per a report by the National Commission of Safai Karamcharis. "The total deaths in 2017 were 93," the reply reads. Goa reported no such death in the last three years. According to Athawale's reply, in the last three years, reported deaths of manual scavengers from Uttar Pradesh were in double digits -- highest among all the states and union territories. These figures were 18 in 2017, 11 in 2018 and 21 in 2019 in Uttar Pradesh. On the contrary, Delhi saw a constant reduction in deaths on this count -- 13 in 2017, 10 in 2018, and eight in 2019. Bihar -- which reported six deaths each in 2017 and 2018 -- reported no deaths of scavengers and sewer cleaners in 2019 along with Telangana, Kerala, Chandigarh, and Chhattisgarh. Nepal on Wednesday imposed restriction on the entry of all arrivals and transit flights from Europe, West Asia, and the Middle East in a bid to contain the rapid spread of the coronavirus pandemic. A high-level committee formed under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister Ishwor Pokhrel pondered over implementing measures to prevent the killer bug from infecting more people in the Himalayan nation. "All the passengers from European nations, East Asia and Middle East countries, such as Iran, Turkey, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and those having transit in them (nations) from wherever their flight originates would be prohibited entry starting from mid-night of 20th March, 2020 to 15th April, 2020. Information regarding it will be disseminated by the Nepali missions and other concerned bodies abroad," the Committee said. The Government of Nepal has already announced the closure of venues including theaters, fitness centers, and sporting grounds, which draws a large number of people till April 30 to prevent possible infection. Nepal, so far, has confirmed only one case of infection in January who has been completely cured of the infection. At least 7,529 people globally have died from COVID-19, as the illness is officially known, while more than 180,000 infections have been confirmed in at least 150 countries and territories, according to the Health Organization. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon sent a letter to Assembly Speaker N P Prajapati in the early hours of Wednesday, praising him for taking an "impartial and courageous" decision in accepting the resignations of six ministers. 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 collapse. Of these, the speaker has accepted resignations of six MLAs. "I can appreciate your concern for the security of the missing MLAs in view of their absence from the House as mentioned in your letter dated March 17, 2020. I can also guess the kind of pain you are undergoing since last 8-10 days in view of the above," Tandon wrote, referring to a letter sent to him by the Speaker. "Although there is no mention of efforts made by you to know about these members, I believe that you must have taken adequate efforts for it," he said. "As far as accepting resignation of honourable members is concerned, I can praise your impartial and courageous decision to accept the resignation of six out of 22 members very soon. As the Speaker, you must be well aware of the legal procedure to accept the resignation of any member or what action needed to be taken when the members are absent without any information despite knowing about the session," the governor wrote. "However, I can also feel your dilemma in disposing of these MLAs' resignation," he added. Regarding the missing MLAs, Tandon said they have been constantly writing to him and the Speaker but in none of their letters have they mentioned where they are at present. They have not mentioned any problems on their own, he added. "Their letters and videos are also constantly getting highlighted in newspapers, electronic and social media and now they have also reached the Supreme Court," Tandon said. "In the last paragraph of your letter, you have demanded security for the MLAs. It is the duty of the executive to ensure the security of each and every citizen of the state and I am sure, you also wanted the same from it only, but, it appears that you have erroneously sent it to me," the governor wrote. Tandon also requested the Speaker to send a copy of the rules of the House regarding some questions and their answers that the latter had sought on the issue. An official of Ecobank Plc in Akwa Ibom State, South-South Nigeria, has been convicted for fraudulent diversion of over N7million belonging to the bank customer, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said. The EFCC in a statement on Monday gave the name of the convict as Ekpe Sunday. He was prosecuted at the Federal High Court, Uyo, by the anti-graft agency. The EFCC said the money N7, 067,576.55 which was the proceeds from the sales of shares belonging to one Okon Edem was lost through a fraudulent transaction engaged in by Mr Sunday. Mr Sunday, alongside his co-worker in the bank, Dennis James, was also prosecuted for conspiracy, forgery, and impersonation. Ecobank was one of the defendants in the trial. They were first arraigned on May 21, 2014. The court, presided over by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, sentenced Mr Sunday to two years in prison, with an option of N1 million fine. He was also ordered to pay the victim N2 million as restitution, the EFCC said. The other bank official, Mr James, was, however, discharged and acquitted by the court. Justice Ojukwu found Ecobank culpable. She said the fraud victim, Mr Edem, lost his money in the bank because of the banks negligence and, therefore, ordered the bank to refund N12.9 million to him. The EFCC has also arraigned one Idongesit Eyibo at the Federal High Court, Uyo, for allegedly giving misleading information to the anti-graft agency on his participation in a 2013 lottery organised to commemorate the silver jubilee of the state. The charge against him reads, That you, Idongesit Eyibo, on or about July 24, 2019, at Uyo within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did make a statement to officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission via a written petition addressed to the office of the said commission, which to your knowledge was intended to mislead the officers of the commission in investigating the petition, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 39 (2) (a) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act, 2004, and punishable under Section 39 (2) (b) of the same Act. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Reuters) Washington, United States Wed, March 18, 2020 09:59 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b6f795 2 Business World-Bank,coronavirus,COVID-19,aid,International-Financing-Corporation Free The World Bank on Tuesday said it had increased to US$14 billion the amount of fast-track financing available to members to respond to the global coronavirus pandemic, adding $2 billion to an initial package announced on March 3. The change will give the World Banks International Financing Corp a total of $8 billion to support private companies and their employees hurt by economic impacts of the virus, the bank said. It said the bulk of the funding would be used by client financial institutions so they can continue to offer trade financing, working capital and medium-term financing to private firms struggling with disruptions in supply chains. IFC said the funding would also help existing clients in tourism, manufacturing and other heavily affected sectors keep paying their bills, while aiding the healthcare industry as it races to meet surging demand for services, equipment and drugs. World Bank President David Malpass said the bank was committed to provide a fast and flexible response based on the needs of developing countries. In this file photo taken on Jan. 17, 2019 The World Bank Group logo is seen on the building of the Washington-based global development lender in Washington,DC. (AFP/Eric Baradat). Usage: 0 (AFP/Eric Baradat) Its essential that we shorten the time to recovery, Malpass said. Support operations are already underway, and the expanded funding tools approved today will help sustain economies, companies and jobs. More than 187,700 people have been infected by the coronavirus in 162 countries, and 7,495 have died, according to a Reuters tally. IFC Chief Executive Officer Philippe Le Houerou said the institutions goal was to help clients sustain their operations during the current health emergency phase so they could help economies recover more quickly later. The Bank said the boards of directors of the World Bank and the IFC on Tuesday responded to requests from clients and approved the addition of $2 billion in new funding on top of $6 billion made available through other IFC instruments. The new component offers funding from the IFCs Global Trade Liquidity Program and its Critical Commodities Finance Program, both of which provide support to local banks so they can continue to finance companies in emerging markets. IFC is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets and works with 2,000 business worldwide. In fiscal 2019, it delivered more than $19 billion in long-term financing for developing countries. Mike Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor who spent more than $650m on his failed 2020 presidential campaign, announced his organisation was planning to donate $40m to prevent and slow the spread of coronavirus. The billionaire politician made the announcement in a tweet on Tuesday, saying his philanthropic organisation would commit to spending the total sum to battle the pandemic as it spreads around the world, particularly in Africa. He added: Millions of lives and livelihoods depend on getting this response right. The billionaires warning was stark, and appeared to echo statements from global health officials who said in recent weeks that millions of people could die as hospitals potentially face severe overcrowding amid a surge in new cases. But the money he vowed to donate to combat the spread of the deadly illness paled in comparison to the historic amount of personal funding he put forward towards his Democratic presidential campaign. Mr Bloomberg spent an estimated $687 million on his presidential campaign the most any campaign has ever spent in the history of the United states with more than $550 million of those funds going towards advertising, according to Bloomberg News. All together, the billionaire spent nearly 17 times more money towards his campaign for the White House than he has committed towards preventing the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. Mr Bloomberg failed to make a strong showing in any of the primary votes across the country, however, only securing at least 53 delegates during Super Tuesday, while former Vice President Joe Biden raked in at least 566. The former New York City mayor announced he was dropping out of the race shortly after the nations first set of primary votes, following what analysts said was a weak performance in the Democratic debates. In announcing the suspension of his campaign, Mr Bloomberg vowed to work with Democrats towards ousting Donald Trump from the Oval Office. I entered the race for president to defeat Donald Trump, he said. And today, I am leaving the race for the same reason to defeat Donald Trump, because staying in would make it more difficult to achieve that goal. Mr Bloomberg has also endorsed Mr Biden for the Democratic nomination. On Tuesday, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases across the country soared past 5,000, as the national death toll rose to at least 94. Experts said the true number of cases was likely far higher, however, citing complications in rolling out testing kits to hospitals and medical facilities across the country in recent weeks. US health officials have said those numbers would likely continue to increase in the coming days and weeks as more tests were performed on patients exhibiting symptoms associated with the illness, including respiratory issues, pneumonia and a fever. The EU collapsed in a few days. It's not only about the physically closed borders between the member countries, although this has not happened for more than half a century. And the point is not in the common market for labor and education. And not in the pictures of police control erasing the difference between the EU and China. But this space was built on shared humanistic values, wasnt it? All of Europe is discussing how hospitals are crowded in northern Italy, doctors and nurses are falling from work fatigue, they themselves become infected and choose who to connect to life-saving appliances, deciding who will live, who will die. Northern Italy is not far from France, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary. There is no great distance. Has anyone heard that all these beautiful neighbors have offered places in their intensive care units, provided or brought up their devices, sent their doctors to Milan? "France sent its plane for sick old people of the Lombardy region." "Germany sent a resuscitation team to Milan." "Hungary decided to share a stock of medical masks." Where is all this? Where are the people and authorities just worried on Aleppo? What will happen in Poland if Brussels offers to send part of the Italian patients to Polish hospitals? What will happen in Ukraine aspiring to the EU? Therefore, there is no sound from Brussels. Where is the omnipotent Brussels bureaucracy trampling on national governments? Only they have remained: the French government decided this, and Spain decided that, and the Czech Republic decided something of their own. Where is the pan-European answer? Where is the president of the EU and the European Commission issuing harsh transnational directives? In the common European house, which turned out to be an elite cottage village, where fences were removed temporarily. Tuesdays primaries demonstrated the tremendous uncertainty confronting the Democratic contest as it collides with efforts to slow the spread of the virus that have shut down large swaths of American life. Polls were shuttered in Ohio even as voting moved forward in Florida, Illinois, and Arizona, where some voters and elections officials reported problems. Washington: Joe Biden won the Florida and Illinois primaries on Tuesday, building on a remarkable surge as he barrels toward the Democratic presidential nomination at a time when the nation is gripped by concern about the new coronavirus. The former vice presidents victories were another blow to Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, whose early strength has evaporated as African Americans and working-class whites across the country have sided with Biden. But Tuesdays primaries demonstrated the tremendous uncertainty confronting the Democratic contest as it collides with efforts to slow the spread of the virus that have shut down large swaths of American life. Polls were shuttered in Ohio even as voting moved forward in Florida, Illinois, and Arizona, where some voters and elections officials reported problems. It marked the third week in a row Biden piled up wins after his victory in South Carolina last month revived his once-flagging campaign. Since then, most of his partys establishment lined up behind him as the best option to unseat President Donald Trump in November. Trump clinched the Republican presidential nomination on Tuesday after primary victories in Florida and Illinois, an expected development considering he had no major competition. As many people work from home and as schools and businesses close, the primary has remained in limbo, devoid of in-person rallies. Sanders pathway to the nomination has dramatically narrowed, but he isnt expected to leave the race betting that the national political landscape will look different as the virus continues to reshape life across the country. Sanders has staged virtual rallies that his campaign says have been watched by millions, and he used the coronavirus outbreak to promote the need for universal, government-funded health care under Medicare for All, his signature issue. Bidens campaign is also taking nothing for granted, even though the former vice president has declared that hed select a woman as his running mate -- suggesting that such preparations for his clinching the nomination may be underway. Officials in Ohio took the unprecedented step of closing polls Monday, mere hours before they were set to open, pushing back the states primary until June. Turnout was expected to be affected in Illinois, Florida, and Arizona, which went ahead with voting even as federal authorities urged people to stay home whenever possible and not to gather in groups of larger than 10. Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez blasted Ohio for breeding more chaos and confusion." He sought to head off more states taking similar actions, urging those with upcoming primaries to expand vote-by-mail and absentee balloting, as well as polling station hours, so that efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus don't further derail his party's nomination contest. 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 statement. Four other states Louisiana, Georgia, Kentucky, and Maryland have already moved to push back their primaries, and others could follow suit. That has left the Democratic primary calendar empty until March 29, when Puerto Rico is scheduled to go to the polls but island leaders are working to reschedule balloting there, too. Mel Dockens, a 49-year-old small-business owner, voted in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale and said it was a tough choice. But he went for Biden because he thought Sanders progressive views might turn off some Democratic voters. Its all about electability, Dockens said. "Its not that I dont trust Bernie Sanders, but I trust (Biden) a little more. Voting on Tuesday saw problems pop up across the country, meanwhile. In Okaloosa County in Florida's 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 coronavirus has cast a shadow over the Democratic primary race as debates over policy minutiae have taken a back seat to issues of life and death. Its definitely eerie, said Jesse Lehrich, a Democratic operative and former Hillary Clinton campaign spokesman who is based in Chicago, who added, "Biden and Sanders are debating the merits of marginally different policies in this little pseudo-reality, while America is consumed by an unprecedented crisis." 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. People are prioritizing their day-to-day survival right now so theyre not thinking of voting as a priority," said Debra Cleaver, the founder of Vote.org. Sanders started speaking before the polls closed Tuesday and didn't mention the election results, instead of sticking to policy while addressing supporters via live stream. During the coronavirus outbreak, he said, We must make sure everyone who has a job right now receives the paychecks they need." In Florida, 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. "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. 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 countered 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, the governor said. Even before Tuesday's results, about half of the delegates in the Democratic primary have already been awarded. Sanders trails Biden by more than 150 delegates nationally and that lead is growing to near insurmountable. The coronavirus could amplify calls for Sanders to drop out especially given more wins for Biden, Lehrich said. 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 council also flagged it would by the end of the month reduce rates for people experiencing hardship in a special meeting on Tuesday night to support businesses, as Melburnians desert the city due to coronavirus fears . Melbourne City Council has passed a $10 million COVID-19 stimulus package, which includes grants for small businesses, the suspension of street trading fees, rent reductions and ramped up cleaning measures. The summit will be held in partnership with the Victorian government, the Department of Health and Human Services, the federal government, Victorias Chief Health Officer and the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Loading Deputy lord mayor Arron Wood said cash flow would be a pressing issue for small businesses in the near future. This is the first package of support and we will be doing more over the coming weeks to assist our local business community," he said. Lord mayor Sally Capp said businesses would be affected by the state-wide emergency measures announced on Monday, including social distancing. By Wednesday, 91,000 U.S. public and private schools had closed or were scheduled to close, affecting at least 41.7 million school students, according to Education Week. The nations largest teachers unions have thrown their support behind nationwide shutdowns. Districts that have closed for several weeks are already looking at extensions. Ohios Republican governor, Mike DeWine, who led the parade of state leaders who shut down their systems, said he would not be surprised if his schools did not reopen this year. Marylands state superintendent also signaled that its two-week closure was likely to be extended. And Gov. Laura Kelly of Kansas, a Democrat, was the first to make the call, announcing on Tuesday that the states elementary and secondary schools would be closed for the remainder of the school year. Such decisions are being made without the guidance of the federal government. Superintendents are deploying across their districts to check on distribution sites where low-income students and their families can pick up free meals that would have been served in their schools. Others are organizing makeshift internet cafes in school buses so students can gain access to digital learning. But in the long term, administrators do not know what to expect. Superintendents are wondering if their schools will be turned into hospitals, maybe even homeless shelters. And as they contemplate transitioning to online classes which the vast majority of schools are not equipped to do they are worried about lawsuits or the loss of federal funding if they cannot provide the same level of education to all students, as required by law. At least one school system, Northshore School District in Washington, announced that it would pause its online learning, while officials continue to address challenges related to state and federal expectations that could result in a loss of critical funding. This is a critical victory for the progressive movement in showing that voters are ready for a new generation of progressive leadership in the Democratic Party, said Alexandra Rojas, executive director of Justice Democrats. This isnt just a loss for one incumbent. Its a defeat for machine politics and big corporate donors who want to stop our movement for Medicare for all, a Green New Deal and reproductive rights. Ms. Newmans victory was a rare bright spot for the progressive movement in Tuesdays contests, in which Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont suffered major defeats in three crucial states, including Illinois. The results all but extinguished his hopes of a comeback against former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who appeared to be headed toward becoming the Democrats presumptive nominee. The race put a fine point on the tensions within the Democratic Party in the era of President Trump. Mr. Lipinskis views are far more conservative than those of Mr. Biden, and in many ways he was an outlier among Democrats. In addition to voting against the 2010 health care law and opposing abortion rights, he declined to endorse former President Barack Obama in 2012 and opposed same-sex marriage until the Supreme Court made it legal across the nation in 2015. Despite their official stance that the party backs incumbents, top Democrats did not go out of their way to advance Mr. Lipinskis cause. During a trip to Texas last month, with 10 days to go until the states primary, Speaker Nancy Pelosi dropped in on the campaign offices of another conservative Democrat, Representative Henry Cuellar, boosting his successful battle to defeat a Justice Democrats-backed challenger, Jessica Cisneros. Ms. Pelosi did not do the same for Mr. Lipinksi. And Mr. Lipinskis fellow Illinoisan, Representative Cheri Bustos, who leads the partys campaign arm, canceled a planned fund-raiser for Mr. Lipinski last year, bowing to progressives who were outraged by the congressmans anti-abortion rights stance. Her decision raised questions about whether there was room left in the party for lawmakers who oppose abortion. Comal County officials issued a disaster declaration and confirmed the county's first case of COVID-19 on Wednesday. The positive case is travel-related, according to a news release. The individual has been self-quarantined since their arrival in the community and has had no contact with other residents. The county's Office of Public Health has seen an increase in the number or coronavirus tests submitted to labs. The positive test was received Wednesday morning. READ ALSO: Coronavirus cases jump to 11 in San Antonio County Judge Sherman Krause signed the disaster declaration, which will remain in effect for seven days, on Wednesday morning. "Declaring a disaster activates our emergency management plan and gives Comal County the tools to take further action as it becomes necessary," Krause said. The declaration allows officials to seek state and federal support and formally activates the county's emergency operations center. 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 Hyderabad: Kalvakuntla Kavitha, daughter of Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, is likely to file her nominations to contest in the by-election for an MLC seat from Nizamabad under the local authorities constituency, which is scheduled to be held on April 7. The seat fell vacant after the disqualification of R Bhoopathi Reddy on January 16, 2019. Sources in ruling party disclosed that L Narasinga Rao, a Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader from Nizamabad district, had filed his nomination already last Tuesday. Sources reveal that TRS party working president K T Rama Rao called Narasinga Rao over phone and asked him to come to the chief ministers farmhouse at Erravalli village of Medak district on Wednesday. Sources also said that the TRS supremo has decided to field his daughter and therefore instructed his son and working president KTR to invite Narasinga Rao to the farmhouse. The party boss is likely to finalise the candidate for the by-polls to the segment on Wednesday. Kalvakuntla Kavitha, former MP of Nizamabad, was expected by party cadre to get nominated for Rajya Sabha so she could take active part in national politics, but her father nominated former AP speaker K R Suresh Reddy and re-nominated sitting member Dr K. Keshava Rao for the two seats. The Election Commission of India on March 12 issued notification for by-elections. According to the schedule, last date for filing nominations is March 19, while the deadline for withdrawal of nominations is March 23. Sources reveal that Kavitha is likely to file her papers after 1 pm on Wednesday. Latest Coronavirus Update From The Florida Department Of Health TALLAHASSEE, FL --The Florida Department of Health has released the latest update on the coronavirus outbreak. March 17, 2020 Update 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. Today, in a briefing at the Florida Emergency Operations Center, Governor DeSantis announced the following: Education Governor Ron DeSantis today made several announcements to keep Floridas students, instructional staff and faculty safe. He announced that all remaining assessments for school readiness and voluntary prekindergarten and all testing requirements for K-12 will be cancelled for the 2019-2020 school year. Governor DeSantis also provided more flexibility to local school districts so they can install and establish additional remote learning opportunities for students, including the ability to purchase devices and internet services. Information on Restaurants, Bars, Nightclubs and Beaches Governor Ron DeSantis issued an Executive Order that will reduce density and crowds in restaurants, bars, nightclubs and beaches to mitigate the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). that will reduce density and crowds in restaurants, bars, nightclubs and beaches to mitigate the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). Bars and Nightclubs Under the direction of Governor DeSantis, all bars and nightclubs throughout Florida will close for the next 30 days. Information is available on the website of Floridas Department of Business & Professional Management (DBPR). Beaches The Governor is directing parties accessing public beaches in the state of Florida to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance by limiting their gatherings to no more than 10 persons. Restaurants Restaurants across the state of Florida will now be required to limit customer entry to 50 percent of capacity. Seating must be staggered and limited to ensure seated parties are separated by a distance of at least six feet, in accordance with CDC guidelines. Restaurants are encouraged to remain open and expand take-out and delivery services. Information is available on the website for DBPR. Reemployment Assistance Governor DeSantis reminded Floridians that if their employment has been negatively impacted because of mitigation efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19, these Floridians may be eligible to receive Reemployment Assistance. Individuals who are eligible for Reemployment Assistance may include: Those who are quarantined by a medical professional or a government agency, Those who are laid off or sent home without pay for an extended period by their employer due to COVID-19 concerns; and Those who are caring for an immediate family member who is diagnosed with COVID-19 Governor DeSantis and the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) encourage any Floridian whose employment has been negatively impacted as a result of COVID-19 to visit Floridajobs.org and click on the Reemployment Assistance Service Center to learn more about the program and to watch a short video on how to apply. Private businesses assisting Floridians Governor DeSantis also applauded steps taken by private businesses such as FPL, Duke Energy, TECO, and Uber who are taking steps to assist Floridians with electric bills and delivering free meals to health care workers. Presidential Preference Primary Election Leading up to todays Presidential Preference Primary Election, Governor DeSantis directed Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee to work with Supervisors of Elections throughout Florida to ensure a smooth election. Throughout the day, the Florida Division of Elections remained in constant contact with local elections officials to ensure voters who had not voted prior to election day, had the opportunity to cast their ballot. The Department of State proactively worked with emergency management officials to ensure that Supervisors had the necessary resources for sanitization and cleaning at polling places to help ensure the safety of voters on Election Day. Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee held a press conference to share updates from the day, once polls have closed statewide, that will be available for viewing on the Florida Channel. More Information on COVID-19 To find the most up-to-date information and guidance on COVID-19, please visit the Department of Healths dedicated COVID-19 webpage. For information and advisories from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), please visit the CDC COVID-19 website. For more information about current travel advisories issued by the U.S. Department of State, please visit the travel advisory website. For any other questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, please contact the Departments dedicated COVID-19 Call Center by calling (866) 779-6121. The Call Center is available 24 hours per day. Inquiries may also be emailed to COVID-19@flhealth.gov. What you Should Know COVID-19 can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, including when an individual coughs or sneezes. These droplets may land on objects and surfaces. Other people may contract COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough and shortness of breath. Symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days following exposure. Most people recover from COVID-19 without needing special treatment. The elderly and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems and diabetes are more likely to develop serious illness. There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus. The Department recommends everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of respiratory diseases, including: Avoiding close contact with people who are sick; Staying home when you are sick and avoiding contact with persons in poor health; Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands; Covering your cough or sneezing into a tissue, then disposing of the tissue; Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing; If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty; and Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. The CDC does not recommend that asymptomatic, healthy people wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility). A person that experiences a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as fever, cough or shortness of breath, within 14 days after travel from any other destination with community transmission should call ahead to their health care provider and local CHD and mention their recent travel or close contact. If a person has had close contact with someone showing these symptoms who has recently traveled from this area or been in contact with a person with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, he or she should call ahead to a health care professional and the CHD. The health care provider will work with the Department to determine if the person should be tested for COVID-19. Actions the state has taken to prepare for and respond to COVID-19: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH At the direction of Governor DeSantis, State Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees declared a Public Health Emergency for COVID-19 in Florida. Governor DeSantis announced that the State ordered an additional 2,500 test kits to supplement the adequate resources already available to test for COVID-19. These additional test kits will enable the Department of Health, working with Florida health care providers, to test up to an additional 625,000 individuals. The Governor also suspended non-essential in state and all out-of-state travel for state employees for 30 days. Established an Incident Management Team to coordinate response operations. Defined a high-level phased response strategy for COVID-19. Activated a dedicated incident command post for on-site response activities. Conducted three public health and health care stakeholder conference calls to provide statewide updates on the current outbreak situation, response actions and guidance for pandemic planning. Over five hundred participants joined the calls. Established a public call center for questions regarding COVID-19. The call center launched Monday, March 2. Developed and distributed COVID-19 presentation materials to County Health Departments (CHD) for use at community meetings. Activated the Joint Information Center in coordination with the Division of Emergency Management. Developed and implemented protocols for investigation, surveillance and monitoring for COVID-19 to rapidly detect and contain cases. Established mechanisms for monitoring and coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding epidemiological activities. Distributed CDC Interim Guidance for public health personnel evaluating Persons Under Investigation (PUI) and asymptomatic close contacts of confirmed cases at their home or non-home residential settings to CHDs. Approved and disseminated an updated Clinician Screening Tool for identifying COVID-19 PUIs. Distributed a health care provider letter regarding enhanced surveillance and preparedness for COVID-19 to associations, licensed providers, Health Care Coalitions and CHDs. Implemented testing at all three State Public Health Laboratories. Distributed updated CDC guidance for schools to CHDs and the Department of Education. Distributed updated laboratory guidance regarding implementation of testing at State Public Health Laboratories. Developing a laboratory surge plan. Developing a clinician-level briefing for medical audiences. Identifying and monitoring close contacts of presumptive cases. Any close contacts with symptoms will be tested. Implemented private lab testing. Developed and disseminated pandemic planning guidance. Advised CHDs and HCCs to retain expired personal protective equipment until further until further notice. Continued development of public information resources. Developing infographics for first responders (fire, law enforcement and EMS) regarding infection control and personal protection for COVID-19. At the Governors direction, a public-private partnership has been put in place between Memorial Healthcare in Broward and the National Guard to set up a mobile testing unit. At the direction of Governor DeSantis hiring additional epidemiologists from university health programs to help with workload. Governor DeSantis directed the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to extend all existing nursing home and assisted living facility licenses for 90 days to remove distraction from patient care. THE DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT Today, Governor Ron DeSantis and Division of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz announced that Florida is continuing to order supplies and personal protective equipment in an effort to mitigate and contain the spread of COVID-19 in the state. After conducting a thorough assessment of needs, Director Moskowitz has requested the following supplies through Direct Federal Assistance. Supplies are being delivered on a rolling basis, and inventory is being distributed throughout the state 24 hours a day. 5 mobile intensive care units 5,000 ventilators 5,000 hospital beds 50,000 two oz. bottles of hand sanitizer 250,000 coveralls 500,000 gloves 500,000 gowns 500,000 collection kits 100,000 16 oz. bottles of hand sanitizers 150,000 Personal Protective Equipment kits, including coveralls, gowns, and goggles 2 million N95 face masks Director Moskowitz is working with the federal government to determine if there is capacity to add US Navy Mercy-Class ships at Florida ports. Three field hospitals are being deployed: One field hospital is currently staged in Orlando and can be deployed to other areas in the state as needed. One field hospital is on its way to Broward County and will be set up there. One field hospital is on its way to Ocala and will be staged there and deployed to other areas as needed. Mobile COVID-19 testing is also being implemented. AGENCY FOR HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION Secretary Mayhew is working directly with hospitals and large health systems to identify potential vacant wings or buildings to provide additional hospital inpatient capacity should it become necessary. On March 16, Florida became the first state to receive CMS a p p roval of its 1135 Medicaid Waiver giving AHCA more flexibility for its COVID-19 response efforts. This federal action lifts Medicaid prior authorization requirements for critical health care services and allows for expedited provider enrollment. p p of its 1135 Medicaid Waiver giving AHCA more flexibility for its COVID-19 response efforts. This federal action lifts Medicaid prior authorization requirements for critical health care services and allows for expedited provider enrollment. AHCA distributed a provider alert to licensed health care providers regarding the Division of Emergency Managements new Emergency Order tightening visitation restrictions at residential and long-term care facilities. AHCA, in coordination with the DEM and the Department, is hosting ongoing statewide calls for nursing homes, assisted living facilities, intermediate care facilities, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, group homes, and adult family care homes in conjunction with the Florida Health Care Association. Secretary Mayhew and Surgeon General Rivkees are continuing to address critical issues impacting these providers such as restricting visitors and providing updates. AHCA, in coordination with DEM and the Department, is hosting ongoing statewide calls for hospitals in conjunction with the Florida Hospital Association. Secretary Mayhew and Surgeon General Rivkees to provide the most up-to-date information to hospital partners and residential facilitates caring for aging and vulnerable populations. After previously opening an event on the Emergency Status System (ESS) for hospitals to enter census information, emergency room status updatesand isolation beds, AHCA expanded the ESS event to track nursing homes and assisted living facility bed capacity, effective March 15. The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) will be granting a 90-day extension to all licenses for health care providers and regulated facilities. AHCA is distributing information regarding regulatory flexibilities created by waivers from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) related to skilled nursing facilities, critical access hospitals, home health agencies, durable medical equipment, provider enrollment, etc. AHCA participated in a collaborative call with the Florida Health Care Association, Florida Hospital Association and LeadingAge Florida to discuss patient transfer arrangements between health care facilities such as nursing homes and hospitals. The Florida Medicaid Program announced coverage of commercial testing for COVID-19 for dates of service back to February 4. AGENCY FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES APD is implementing telework for employees throughout the state as directed by Governor DeSantis to reduce possible exposure to COVID-19. APD and AHCA are hosting a conference call today with provider association leaders to share information on modifications to some existing policies and practices during this state of emergency. The agencys three state-run centers in Marianna, Gainesville and Chattahoochee, as well as APD-licensed group homes, are restricting visitors in compliance with the Executive Order to protect the health and safety of our customers. APD Adult Day Training programs across the state are screening visitors for possible exposure to COVID-19 using a visitor questionnaire. The questionnaire is also being used to screen visitors coming into APD Regional Offices. APD continues to provide an up-to-date status on COVID-19, best practices, preventative tips, and CDC guidance to APD providers, Waiver Support Coordinators, Stakeholders and APD employees. DEPARTMENT OF ELDER AFFAIRS DOEA hosted a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) conference call. All PACE providers are following CDC guidelines for clients, staff, and vendors. They have called clients to check their status and make sure there are no outstanding needs, they have implemented disaster plans, and they have shared information across the state and with partner agencies. DOEA is coordinating with AHCA to ensure PACE providers continue to receive updated information on testing facilities. DOEA continues to provide technical assistance to Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) regarding program flexibilities including meals, transportation, respite monitoring, service delivery models, EHEAP, health and wellness activities, outreach, board meetings, office closures, work from home, HIPPA, and IT concerns. DOEA coordinated the delivery of over 3,000 shelf stable meals to a Miami-Dade County senior center who had expressed concern over some clients going without meals. DOEA continues to maintain and disseminate county-level statistics on the number and types of services for use in modeling statewide service interruptions. When service interruptions occur, the local Area Agency for Aging (AAA) providers call clients impacted by service interruptions to offer alternative assistance. DOEAs Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders (SHINE) / Senior Medicare Patrol program offered to send all online training modules to the 11 Aging and Disability Resource Centers. The distribution of training modules to active and pending volunteers would allow volunteers to train from home, on their own time, over the next several weeks and serve as a re-certification process. DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES The Department of Children and Families (DCF) Office of Child Welfare is sending regular communication about COVID-19 specifically to licensed child care providers, directing them to follow the CDCs Interim Guidance for Administrators of US Childcare Programs and K-12 Schools to Plan, Prepare, and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). An FAQ document for providers was also posted prominently on DCFs Child Care webpage. DCFs Office of Child Welfare is disseminating a survey to licensed child care providers to assess closures throughout the state. Currently, the decision to close is at the discretion of each individual facility. DCF Secretary Chad Poppell sent thorough communication to all DCF staff, contracted partners, and licensed facilities (including child care providers) about COVID-19, including precautionary measures (as outlined by the CDC) and temporary policy updates. DCF is working with AHCA, DOEA, and APD to compile and develop guidance for agency staff and stakeholders who work directly with Floridas elderly population and have a higher risk of being exposed to COVID-19. DCF is leading status update calls with both internal leadership and leadership from external contracted partners. For the time being, these calls will take place twice weekly, every Tuesday and Friday. DCF General Services staff throughout the state are working with lessors and janitorial contractors to increase sanitizing measures in office buildings, especially restrooms and common areas. They also began taking inventory of sanitizing supplies (disinfecting wipes, Lysol spray, hand-sanitizer, etc.) and are ordering more as needed. DCF established strategies for COVID-19 prevention at all three state mental health treatment facilities, as well as the South Florida mental health facilities run by Wellpath Recovery Solutions, a contracted partner. They are reporting daily updates to ensure compliance with virus prevention and monitor potential outbreaks. DCF has established a visitation protocol for all state-owned and contracted mental health treatment facilities, as well as vendors and patient families, requiring all outside parties to complete a Visitors Viral Symptoms Screening prior to entering a facility. At this time, there are no cases of patients or facility staff testing positive for COVID-19. DCFs Office of Economic Self-Sufficiency is communicating with DEO regarding work requirements and CareerSource operations and availability. DCFs Office of Economic Self-Sufficiency implemented screening procedures, including a set of questions that must be asked prior to entry, at all economic self-sufficiency storefronts. FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIR Effective March 11, 2020, FDVA is restricting visitor access to its State Veterans Nursing Homes and Domiciliary until further notice, with the exception of essential visitors, such as family members of those residents undergoing end-of-life care. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has also temporarily restricted access to their nursing and community living center facilities to only essential visitors until further notice. All VA Medical Centers in Florida are implementing enhanced screening protocols at their facilities. VA Outpatient Clinics are also implementing enhanced screening protocols. Please plan to arrive at the facility well in advance of your appointment to allow additional time for the screening process. All VA Vet Centers in Florida providing readjustment counseling and outreach services to veterans and families are open and implementing enhanced screening protocols. At this time, veterans may appear in person or opt in advance for an optional phone consultation. Veterans who are concerned they may have symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19) are encouraged to contact the VISN 8 Clinical Contact Center at 1-877-741-3400 (toll free). Clinical staff provide 24/7 virtual care and support, including nurse advice and triage. The service is available at no cost to veterans enrolled for care in the VA Sunshine Healthcare Network (VISN 8). Currently, all U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemeteries are open for burial and visitation by the public. Florida has nine National Cemeteries. To schedule a burial, please call 800-535-1117, option 1. In light of concerns regarding COVID-19, some families may prefer to proceed with direct interment of their loved ones and postpone the formal committal services to a later date. Cemetery administrators will work to accommodate these preferences. In addition, cemetery personnel will be discouraged from handshaking and any unnecessary physical contact to minimize the potential transmission of germs and viruses until the pandemic conditions are under control. Suspension of VA Travel Board Hearings - The Board of Veterans Appeals (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) is suspending Travel Boards until May 1, 2020, due to COVID-19 response efforts. The Board will work with veterans and veteran service organizations and representatives to continue video hearings and provide virtual hearings where possible. All FDVA and VA facilities remain fully operational. DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS There have been over 598 Florida National Guardsmen placed on state active duty in support of COVID-19. The Florida National Guard is activating all of their medical professionals (Army Combat medic specialists and Air Force medical technicians) to support Florida Department of Health's drive-through screening operations. Guardsmen have reported in and formed Task Force Medical already. The Florida National Guard has activated soldiers to augment the State Logistics Readiness Center in Central Florida. The Florida National Guard has activated Guardsmen to augment the State Emergency Operations Center. VOLUNTEER FLORIDA Volunteer Florida is encouraging volunteers to screen themselves for COVID-19 (per CDC and Florida De p artment of Health g uidelines ) before serving. p g ) before serving. Volunteer Florida will be participating in a call with Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) partners today to discuss the anticipated needs of volunteers. Volunteer Florida is pushing out VOAD organizational guidance to ESF-15 partners. Volunteer Florida is working with state counterparts and FEMA to develop volunteer plans. Volunteer Floridas National Service Department has discussed using AmeriCorps members in food banks as feeding needs increase. Volunteer Florida continues to work with Mass Care on the anticipated needs of volunteers. Volunteer Florida has asked all VOADpartners to review their continuity of operations so that there is no service delivery disruption. FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Commissioner of the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) Richard Corcoran provided strong recommendations for extending spring break following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) issuin g g uidance s p ecific to COVID-19 in Florida . As all Florida school districts and public charter schools have different schedules, please click here to see the recommended spring break changes for each district. In addition, the department also announced that the start of state testing will be delayed by a minimum of two weeks. To stay up to date on school closure information, visit: or g / em-res p onse . ( ) g g p . As all Florida school districts and public charter schools have different schedules, please click to see the recommended spring break changes for each district. In addition, the department also announced that the start of state testing will be delayed by a minimum of two weeks. To stay up to date on school closure information, visit: g / p . FDOE sent updated guidance to school districts and superintendents ahead of spring break. To view that memo, visit: fldoe.or g / em-res p onse . g / p . In an effort to be proactive, and only as a precautionary measure if COVID-19 evolves in Florida, Florida Virtual School ( FLVS ) has p artnered with the Florida De p artment of Education to offer all school districts student su p p ort and teacher p rofessional develo p ment tailored to the online learnin g environment . The Florida Department of Education in partnership with FLVS is training an additional 10,000 teachers statewide on the Virtual Teacher Training for COVID-19. Superintendents who are interested in offering their teachers the Virtual Teacher Training for COVID-19 should work with their County Virtual Principals to provide a list of teachers to FLVS through: htt p s: / / www.flvs.net / FLVSTeacherTrainin g . ( ) p p p p p p g . The Florida Department of Education in partnership with FLVS is training an additional 10,000 teachers statewide on the Virtual Teacher Training for COVID-19. Superintendents who are interested in offering their teachers the Virtual Teacher Training for COVID-19 should work with their County Virtual Principals to provide a list of teachers to FLVS through: p / / / g . Education Commissioner Corcoran is in constant communication with Florida Superintendents and districts to provide guidance on COVID-19 preparedness and response and will be holding weekly calls to update districts on preparation efforts. FDOE has sent weekly memos providing updates to school districts, superintendents, Florida Colleges, parents, teachers and stakeholders. FDOE launched a survey to school districts and public charter schools about their preparations, policies, and their capacity to serve their students virtually to help meet and determine any preparedness needs. STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM The SUS has directed all state universities to continue remote instruction through the end of the Spring semester. All students who can return home should return home. The SUS has directed that traditional on-campus commencement ceremonies will not be held in May. Instead, each university is directed to develop an alternate schedule or method of delivery. FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) has no known or suspected cases of COVID-19 within its correctional institutions at this time. FDC Community Corrections officers are working with offenders on supervision to adjust reporting schedules to minimize congregating at probation offices and prevent the spread of COVID-19. FDCs Office of Health Services coordinates with the Department for guidance on any type of outbreak and is closely monitoring new information as it is disseminated from the Department and the CDC. FDC has suspended visitation at all correctional institutions statewide through April 5, 2020. The decision to reinstate the normal visitation schedule will be evaluated in consultation with the Department. Inmates will continue to have access to mail, email, phone calls and video visitation. Legal visits will not be impacted. FDC has partnered with vendors to provide some complimentary phone and video visitation services. Volunteer activities within correctional institutions statewide have been suspended. Anyone entering a correctional institution will be screened, and entrance will be restricted if they: Have traveled internationally or on a cruise within the last 14 days. Have signs or symptoms of a respiratory infection such as fever, cough or shortness of breath. Have had contact with someone who has been or is under investigation for COVID-19. All non-critical inmate transfers have been suspended. New commitments and intakes have been restricted. Outside inmate work squads have been restricted. FDC has a plan in place and dedicated staff members trained in the prevention and containment of infectious diseases. FDC initiated its Incident Command System in response to COVID-19. Education has been provided to staff, inmates and visitors to prevent the spread of any infectious disease, including COVID-19. Precautions are in place at facilities to protect inmates and staff from exposure to flu, COVID-19 or any other respiratory illness; preventative measures are being followed per CDC recommendations. FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FDOT coordinated with transit agencies throughout the state to ensure the safe return of the Florida residents who were quarantined in Georgia and had previously been aboard the Grand Princess voyage outside of California. FDOT is coordinating with other state and local agencies to help ensure mobility around the temporary testing site in Broward County. Once the site is open, FDOT plans to publicize testing site information on highway advisory radio. FDOT completed a request to provide necessary supplies to harbor pilots working at seaports. At the direction of Governor DeSantis, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Secretary Kevin J. Thibault, along with Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees, hosted a conference call with all Florida ports and their governing bodies as well as all public use airports to discuss Floridas ongoing response to the COVID-19 virus. FDOT Secretary Thibault and staff from the department continue to host weekly conference calls with all passenger seaports and public use airports to provide updates related to COVID-19. FDOT is monitoring temporary lane closures near hospitals and Department of Health facilities. If congestion near these facilities and lane closures occur, FDOT will remove lane restrictions to help ensure mobility within the area. Pursuant to Executive Order 20-52 issued by Governor DeSantis, FDOT Secretary Thibault has suspended size and weight restrictions for divisible loads on any vehicles transporting emergency equipment, services, supplies, and necessary agricultural commodities on state roads. COVID-19 educational materials have been posted in FDOT facilities, which include welcome centers, service plazas and rest areas across the state. COVID-19 materials have been posted at all FDOT work sites across the state to help educate contractors, vendors, and stakeholders. FDOT toll collectors have been given additional training and are required to wear gloves as well as continue with enhanced cleansing. SunRail has posted COVID-19 educational materials inside all trains and on all platforms, focusing on areas near entrances and bathrooms. SunRail trains are being cleaned and sanitized daily and SunRail staff have been provided sanitizing towelettes and encouraged to wash their hands frequently throughout the day. FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAY SAFETY AND MOTOR VEHICLES At the direction of Governor Ron DeSantis, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor has issued an Emer g enc y Order extending all Florida driver licenses and identification cards that will expire in the next 30 days. g y extending all Florida driver licenses and identification cards that will expire in the next 30 days. FLHSMV continues to encourage Floridians through social media and other channels to use convenient online o p tions , rather than visiting an office location, to complete transactions for driver licenses, ID cards, motor vehicle or vessel registrations, and more. p , rather than visiting an office location, to complete transactions for driver licenses, ID cards, motor vehicle or vessel registrations, and more. FLHSMV has been in regular communication with the Florida Tax Collectors Association as well as Tax Collectors across the state to provide the latest COVID-19 information and guidance from the Florida Department of Health and other state partners. FLHSMV has been in regular communication with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators and other state motor vehicle administrators to discusses best practices and strategies related to COVID-19 preparations and response. Pursuant to Executive Order 20-52 issued by Governor Ron DeSantis, FLHSMV Executive Director Rhodes has waived commercial truck hours of service regulations and other related regulations so that emergency supplies, equipment, commodities and resources can be moved more quickly and efficiently throughout the state. DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY Governor Ron DeSantis activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program to support small businesses impacted by COVID-19. The bridge loan program, managed by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), provides short-term, interest-free loans to small businesses that experienced economic injury from COVID-19. The application period is open and runs through May 8, 20. Interested businesses should visit or g for more information. g for more information. Governor DeSantis has requested the federal Small Business Administration (SBA) make the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program available for Floridas small businesses impacted by COVID-19. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) stands ready to assist Floridas small businesses in accessing this funding when available. Governor Ron DeSantis has activated the Business Damage Assessment survey to assess the impact of COVID-19 on Floridas local business operations. The survey, managed by DEO, will evaluate businesses affected by COVID-19 and the impacts the virus has had on the local economy so actions to implement appropriate relief programs can begin. The survey can be taken online at htt p s: / / floridadisaster.biz / . VISIT FLORIDA VISIT FLORIDA is wholly focused on providing health and safety information to travelers and Floridians. This includes the activation of Florida Now, which includes the latest updates from state emergency response professionals hosted on VisitFlorida.com. All promotional media has been paused. VISIT FLORIDA is planning for future marketing campaigns to ensure that Floridas tourism industry has a strong, unified voice following COVID-19 To protect the health and safety of the traveling public and staff, VISIT FLORIDAs four welcome centers will be closed until further notice. VISIT FLORIDA is tracking traveler sentiment across online platforms and social media to monitor how COVID-19 may impact travel and travel booking to Florida. VISIT FLORIDA remains in close contact with industry partners and travel organizations and is communicating all new information as it becomes available. DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE The Department has added a dedicated COVID-19 webpage for child support customers at com / childsu p p ort / coronavirus .The new page provides comprehensive information for alternative options for handling many routine child support case activities without visiting a local child support office. Efforts also include rescheduling genetic testing sample collection appointments and postponing other types of appointments. The Department has added a dedicated COVID-19 webpage for child support customers at / p p / .The new page provides comprehensive information for alternative options for handling many routine child support case activities without visiting a local child support office. Efforts also include rescheduling genetic testing sample collection appointments and postponing other types of appointments. The Department of Revenue is advising child support customers who are scheduled for court hearings related to their child support cases to check with the local courts where the hearings are scheduled in case the courts have new requirements, such as appearing telephonically. The Department of Revenue has established a dedicated team to address tax-related issues pertaining to COVID-19 and has created an email address, COVID19TAXHELP @ floridarevenue.com , where taxpayers can send questions and concerns. The Department encourages all taxpayers to use our e-services applications to file and p a y taxes or contact our call center at (850) 488-6800. @ , where taxpayers can send questions and concerns. The Department encourages all taxpayers to use our e-services applications to p y or contact our call center at (850) 488-6800. The Department of Revenues General Tax Administration (GTA) program is working with its tax processing vendor to ensure continuity in tax data and payment processing. The Department has increased messaging on preventative measures through the deployment of DOH/CDC posters, ensured hand sanitizer is available, and increased cleaning of high-traffic areas in the public areas of our service centers. OFFICE OF INSURANCE REGULATION OIR has issued Informational Memorandum OIR-20-03M directing all insurers and other entities regulated by OIR to review and update their business continuity and/or continuity of operations plans. Companies are directed to immediately contact OIR if their continuity plans are activated and/or if business operations become compromised so it can work with insurers to avoid any disruption in consumer services. directing all insurers and other entities regulated by OIR to review and update their business continuity and/or continuity of operations plans. Companies are directed to immediately contact OIR if their continuity plans are activated and/or if business operations become compromised so it can work with insurers to avoid any disruption in consumer services. OIR Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier is actively engaged with insurers and key partners at the state and national level regarding COVID-19. Commissioner Altmaier is collaborating with other state insurance commissioners and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to share information and resources. OIR has issued Informational Memorandum OIR-20-01M to all health insurers and health maintenance organizations, directing them to: Use every channel available to them to communicate with their policyholders and share official CDC and DOH information; Devote resources to inform consumers of available benefits, quickly respond to inquiries, and avoid and dispel misinformation; Work with public health officials to do everything possible to prepare and respond; and to all health insurers and health maintenance organizations, directing them to: Consider all practicable options to reduce the barriers of cost-sharing for testing and treatment of COVID-19. OIR has issued Informational Memorandum OIR-20-02M as a reminder to all health insurers, health maintenance organizations, and other health entities to allow for early prescription refills following the Governors Executive Order 20-52 declaring a state of emergency in Florida. OIR has issued as a reminder to all health insurers, health maintenance organizations, and other health entities to allow for early prescription refills following the Governors Executive Order 20-52 declaring a state of emergency in Florida. OIR has spoken with multiple insurers who are voluntarily waiving cost-sharing for consumers in an effort to remove barriers to testing for COVID-19. OIR is reaching out to insurers regarding their response to COVID-19 and working with insurers to make sure they are properly communicating to consumers. OIR has issued notices to all of its employees providing resources regarding COVID-19 and outlining the steps recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Florida Department of Health to take preventative health measures. FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is working with state and local agencies and the Florida National Guard to set up testing collection sites in multiple locations across Florida. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Regional Operations Centers are working with Regional Domestic Security Task Forces to prepare for any responses needed. FDLEs Office of Mutual Aid prepared and distributed a law enforcement guide on COVID-19 for law enforcement partners and state agencies and FDLEs General Counsel prepared a law enforcement guide for protocols in a quarantine. FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen sent an email to all members outlining simple ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as well as links to the Florida Department of Health and CDC websites. Signs have been posted in all FDLE Regions and at Headquarters with prevention information. FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE The Florida Department of Juvenile Justices Office of Health Services developed COVID-19 guidance for all facilities serving DJJ youth. This guidance included Center for Disease Control criteria on how to assess and care for youth who are exhibiting fever and respiratory symptoms and environmental cleaning and disinfection recommendations. The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice has modified screening protocols and procedures for youth taken into custody by law enforcement who are brought to juvenile assessment centers and detention screening units to now include precautionary coronavirus screening questions and protocols. This modified screening protocol was shared with law enforcement partners statewide. The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice has developed a visitor screening tool which is now mandatory to use inside of our juvenile detention centers and residential commitment programs to ensure both the safety of the youth and staff in these programs. The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice has sent a notice to parents and guardians of youth in programs regarding the new visitor screening requirements. The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice has instituted additional screening measures for outside vendors who work within juvenile facilities and non-essential travel of staff members has been stopped. Visitors are limited to business-related visitors only (i.e., vendors, no personal visitors, no volunteers at this time). The department will work with these entities on alternatives to visiting programs to ensure critical services are not interrupted. Clinical personnel, however, are still permitted to visit youth for treatment purposes, and attorneys are still permitted to conduct legal visits with youth. FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION DBPR shared information with all agency staff statewide pertaining to the declaration of a state public health emergency, state response protocols as ordered in EO 20-51, and FDOH information and resources available on the dedicated FDOH COVID-19 webpage. DBPR communication with staff has emphasized the best practices and preventive steps recommended by FDOH for impeding the spread of respiratory illnesses. DBPRs Emergency Coordinating Officer and State Mass Care Coordinator is supporting the initiation of FDOHs joint information center and providing assistance as requested of State Emergency Support Function 6. DBPR added a web banner with information on COVID-19 and link to the Florida Department of Healths dedicated COVID-19 webpage at http://www.floridahealth.gov/COVID-19. DBPR is incorporating informational comments on all on-site inspection reports issued to public lodging, public food service, and alcohol and tobacco license holders that will promote situational awareness of the current public health emergency and will direct parties to the FDOH COVID-19 webpage for guidance and resources related to prevention best practices. Copies of informational flyers from the FDOH COVID-19 toolkit will also be available for inspectors to distribute when interacting with managers of these premises. DBPR has suspended all official business visits, including inspections, that involve licenses located at a facility covered under the visitation restrictions implemented pursuant to FDEM Emergency Order 20-002. DBPR issued an emergency to extend license renewal deadlines and renewal requirements for a period of 30 days for licenses with an existing renewal deadline occurring in the months of March or April, 2020. DBPR is monitoring release of CDC guidance related to recommendations for bars and restaurants and will coordinate with FDOH on state guidance when recommendations are released by CDC. DBPR is establishing a dedicated emergency information page with direct links to the FDOH COVID-19 webpage as well as information on agency emergency orders, schedule and meeting changes for divisions and boards, and other important departmental information during this emergency. DBPR is providing guidance to appointed professional licensing boards related to procedural considerations and available technology options for remote, web-based or telephonic board meetings. DBPR hosted a senior management meeting with all program directors on Monday, 03.16.2020, to discuss the latest departmental actions and preparations associated with COVID-19 in Florida. FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT SERVICES DMS Secretary Jonathan Satter issued an emergency order that waived rules to allow for state employees to use any type of accrued leave for instances related to COVID-19, including self-isolation after potential exposure, staying home with children due to child care or school closures, and time needed to take care of dependents like an elder parent. The order also waived rules to expand the ability for employees to donate leave to fellow employees. Governor DeSantis directed the Department of Management Services Secretary Jonathan Satter to allow state employees to donate and transfer their available leave time to other state employees to mitigate the impacts of school closures. The Florida Department of Management Services (DMS) Emergency Support Function-7 (ESF-7) Logistics team continues to coordinate with the Department of Health and the Division of Emergency Management on identifying the equipment or supplies that may be necessary for a mass response to COVID-19. DMS Division of Human Resource Management has provided guidance to agencies on implementing preventive actions in the workplace, reporting symptoms, using leave, utilizing health insurance benefits, and applying travel restrictions and telework policies. DMS Division of State Group Insurance continues to coordinate with health plan providers to ensure that state employee health plan members receive the health benefits that can assist them and their dependents if needed. DMS Division of Real Estate Development and Management (REDM) continues to provide guidance to agency facility managers across the state on steps to take to prevent workplace contamination and to pre-position environmental vendors to mobilize in the event a viricidal cleaning is needed. DMS Division of Real Estate Development and Management continues to identify, purchase, and distribute additional hand sanitizing gel and cleaning supplies to state-maintained facilities. DMS Division of State Technology-Public Safety Unit continues to coordinate with users and vendor of the Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System (SLERS) vendors to ensure the continuation of mission critical services if a reduction of staffing resources occurs. DMS Division of State Technology-Public Safety Unit continues to coordinate with statewide public safety communications personnel on their plans to ensure emergency communications systems are not impacted by potential reductions in staffing resources. FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Florida State Parks remain open for recreational day use; however, all State Parks have adjusted their operating hours to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Department continues to monitor new developments closely and will make further adjustments as necessary based on any new Department of Health or CDC guidance received to ensure protection of our staff and visitors. For the latest information on park operating hours and operational status, please visit floridastate p arks.or g . The Department continues to monitor new developments closely and will make further adjustments as necessary based on any new Department of Health or CDC guidance received to ensure protection of our staff and visitors. For the latest information on park operating hours and operational status, please visit p g . Effective March 17, DEP is cancelling all events, activities, special event reservations, pavilion rentals and camping reservations at Florida State Parks for the next 60 days. Existing overnight camping reservations that begin Wednesday, March 18 , will be honored. Visitors must arrive prior to 5 p.m. on March 18 ,to secure their reservation. After Wednesday , all reservations moving forward will be cancelled and refunded. Beginning Friday, March 20 , campgrounds and all overnight accommodations will be fully closed. ReserveAmerica , the Florida State Parks partner in camping reservations, will reach out to all affected parties to refund camping reservations. ReserveAmerica can also be reached directly at 1-800-326-3521 or TDD 888-433-0287 if visitors have questions or need to modify existing reservations. DEP's Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection facilities will also be closing the following centers until further notice: Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve, Guana Tolomato Matanzas (GTM) National Estuarine Research Reserveand Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. For more info, visit http://www.floridahealth.gov/ ANN ARBOR, MI Washtenaw County is officially declaring a state of emergency amid the coronavirus pandemic and establishing a $250,000 response fund. With support from his colleagues, County Board Chairman Jason Morgan, D-Ann Arbor, announced the declaration at the end of the boards meeting Wednesday morning, March 18. Commissioners unanimously authorized $250,000 for response efforts. This is the time that we have to think about the least among us, said Commissioner Katie Scott, D-Ann Arbor, an intensive care unit nurse at Michigan Medicine. Preparedness is important in a time like this, as there is so little known about this disease, the countys resolution states, referring to COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the new coronavirus sweeping the globe. We want to be sure were able to move quickly, should the need arise. Since last week, 65 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Michigan, including seven in Washtenaw County, and the numbers are growing. At least 25 cases have involved hospitalization, according to the state. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency March 10 and has ordered the closing of many places of public accommodation and banned gatherings of 50 of more people, while the state is putting millions of dollars into response efforts. Michigan lawmakers approve additional $125 million for coronavirus response Morgan said the county needs to do more outreach to vulnerable populations and do everything it can to mitigate impacts on residents and businesses. The pandemic may present significant long-term challenges beyond public health, he said, mentioning impacts on the economy, food security, housing and homelessness. This really is about more than just the public health part of this, Morgan said. The countys emergency declaration follows declarations at both the state and national levels. Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti also have declared emergencies. Declaring an emergency triggers new emergency operation protocols and coordination with other agencies, Morgan said, calling the situation unprecedented. The countys declaration is being filed with Homeland Security and Michigan State Police and makes reference to negative impacts on peoples ability to meet basic needs, the countys workforce and county residents access to public and mental health and transportation services. Other immediate and longterm challenges are anticipated. Wednesday, March 18: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan At this point, no new restrictions such as local travel restrictions are planned, Morgan said. At this time, I expect funds to be used for personal protective equipment, social service supports, staffing overtime and support, increased cleaning throughout county buildings, and anything else that will be needed to ensure residents are able to meet basic needs, Morgan said. We are also rapidly working to develop a program to support small businesses. We want to utilize all state and federal resources available where we can, but are prepared to use these local funds as needed to ensure there are no delays or gaps in support. The boards resolution listed several measures the county is already taking to protect staff and residents: Deferring to the county health department as the single source of information on the issue, with regular updates to the departments website with new information. Open lines of communication with community partners, local units of government, educators and others to ensure the county is acting appropriately and consistently. Increased cleaning services to pay attention to public areas such as door knobs, desktops and telephones, as well as changing to stronger cleaning products. Working to acquire additional preventative supplies including hand sanitizer, anti-bacterial wipes and face masks. Evaluating if certain public events should continue or be rescheduled to a later date. Working with labor partners and human resources to determine ways to offer staff flexibility in their schedules to keep them safe while still allowing the county to continue to serve as a community safety net. Convening internal stakeholders to discuss the food delivery system. Updating fan-out lists for effective communication. Updating essential services provided by all county offices and departments to factor community needs into decisions. The county has closed all county buildings and non-essential services at least until April 5. County officials and staff have been working hard around the clock, said Commissioner Sue Shink, D-Northfield Township. She mentioned new online platforms are being developed for delivering food from local producers, with drop-off and curb pickup options, and following sanitation protocols. That shows the importance of having a resilient local food community, Shink said, because without it, county residents wouldnt have access to this safe food source. Heres the countys full emergency declaration: Washtenaw County's emergency declaration in response to the coronavirus outbreak March 18, 2020.Washtenaw County MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS AND MLIVE: Heres what Ann Arbors state-of-emergency declaration means for the city We dont know what the next stage is going to bring, Ypsilanti mayor says Ann Arbors Briarwood Mall changes hours due to coronavirus fears Red Cross, UM hospital sound the alarms on severe blood shortage in Michigan Ypsilanti seeks additional state support for $3.3M pedestrian pathway over I-94 Ann Arbor musicians take shows to the web amid coronavirus pandemic Complete coverage of coronavirus in Michigan. Most of the 254 Indian pilgrims stranded in Iran, who have tested positive for COVID-19, are from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh union territories (UTs). These tests were conducted by the Indian doctors sent by the government to set up temporary testing labs for pilgrims stranded in the country. A local English daily in Kashmir reported that it was in possession of the list which shows that almost all of them (254) belong to J&K and Ladakh. The document, which says List Of Pilgrims/Students Tested Positive for COVID-19, includes the names, passport numbers and PNR numbers (for the flights back to India the travellers were originally booked on) of 254 pilgrims and students in Iran, it said. For latest updates on coronavirus outbreak, click here The newspaper reported that it was reached by phone by several of these pilgrims who confirmed the authenticity of the list and said they were in terrible conditions alleging that the Indian embassy was doing nothing to facilitate their return to India. A Kashmiri scholar at Tehran University, N A Sofi, who is in regular touch with the pilgrims and Indian officials in Tehran confirmed that the pilgrims have been tested positive to coronavirus and Indian authorities were not evacuating them any time soon. In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said the total number of Indians infected with coronavirus is 276 - 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE, five in Italy, and one each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda and Sri Lanka. The stranded Indians in Iran include about 1100 pilgrims and 300 students mainly from J&K and Ladakh. The government of India barred commercial flights from Iran on 26 February, stranding hundreds of Indians like the group of pilgrims from Kashmir and Ladakh. The stranded pilgrims and students from Kashmir and Ladakh in Iran are mostly from Shia sect. Thousands of students and pilgrims from Kashmir and Ladakh visit Iran every year. Queensland has expanded its coronavirus testing as the state records its largest single-day jump in cases so far. The state's total number of COVID-19 cases was 94 on Wednesday morning, up from 78 on Tuesday. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it was now a different world from just last week, as she criticised people who continued to hoard food. "Some of the behaviour I have seen in our state and around the country has shocked me. People continue to raid supermarkets and other shops with the intention of hoarding, she said. Passengers queue up to complete immigration procedures at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, March 17, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Huu Khoa. Thousands of Vietnamese are set to return to Vietnam on Wednesday amid the global spread of the novel coronavirus and limited travel options. Almost 1,000 Vietnamese had landed in Hanoi by 11 a.m. from the U.K., Germany and France, where the number of coronavirus cases and deaths have been surging. Health officials will take medical samples from each passenger before they are transferred to quarantined zones. Due to a large number, about a hundred arrivals remain waiting as of noon. Tran Hoai Phuong, director of the Northern Airports Authority, said the number of Vietnamese returning in recent days was higher than usual. Another 5,700 passengers will enter Vietnam from other Southeast Asian countries Wednesday via 78 flights, most of them to land in HCMC and Hanoi. Vietnam on Wednesday stopped issuing new visas to all foreigners, except for special cases, to limit contagion. The country has confirmed 68 Covid-19 cases, with the latest being a 41-year old American man who came to Da Nang on March 14. The Covid-19 pandemic has spread to 167 countries and territories, killing almost 8,000 people. By Online Desk Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has been placed under preventive arrest by the cops after he sat on dharna near Ramada hotel in Bengaluru on Wednesday morning. Following the preventive arrest he was taken to the Amrutahalli police station. The former Madhya Pradesh CM alleged that the cops did not allow him to meet the 21 rebel MLAs who were staying at the hotel. ALSO READ: SC notice to Kamal Nath on floor test, Congress seeks rebel access Digvijaya Singh said, "We were expecting them (rebel MLAs) to come back, but when we saw they're being held back, messages came from their families...I personally spoke to 5 MLAs, they said they're captive, phones snatched away, there is Police in front of every room. They're being followed 24/7." Congress leader #DigvijayaSingh was forcibly evicted by Police after sitting on a dharna near Ramada Hotel in Bengaluru before being placed under preventive arrest. 21 #MadhyaPradesh Congress MLAs are lodged at the hotel.@gadekal2020 @XpressBengaluru pic.twitter.com/7h4F22hzNF The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) March 18, 2020 Prior to his arrest, Digvijay Singh alleged the rebel MLAs were being held captive and have been offered huge sums of money, upto 25 crores. Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar who was with Digvijaya Singh, slammed the BJP government in the state for misusing its power. He said, "BJP government in state is misusing the power. We have our own political strategy, we know how to handle the situation. He's not alone here. I'm here. I know how to support him. But I don't want to create a law and order situation in Karnataka." It may be recalled that DK Shivakumar held a meeting with the city MLAs at his Sadashivanagar residence Tuesday night where former KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao, Rizwan Arshad, Krishna Byre Gowda, NA Harris, Byrati Suresh, Akhanda Srinivas Murthy and others participated. The meeting was called chart out a plan for today's protest outside the venue where the Madhya Pradesh MLAs are staying. Police have maintained that the MLAs have given a letter seeking security and therefore they were intervening. (With inputs from ANI and ENS) 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 agencys experts were looking into this to give further guidance. Also Watch | Coronavirus | How deadly, how to identify, how to prevent: Dr Trehan answers In the meantime, we recommend using rather paracetamol, and do not use ibuprofen as a self-medication. Thats important, he said. Also read: UP doctor who attended to coronavirus patients tests positive He stressed though that if ibuprofen had been prescribed by the healthcare professionals, then, of course, thats 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. Also read: Delhi man flies abroad, test results a day later say coronavirus positive 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. LEWISBURG A former Bucknell University student who admitted performing a sex act on a sleeping male he thought was the individual he had arranged to meet through an online dating service has been sentenced to prison. Christopher Matthew Rodcliffe-Barton, 22, of Upland, California, will be under court supervision for four years and must register as a sex offender for 25 years. Union County Judge Michael Hudak Friday sentenced him to one year minus two days to two years minus a day in the county prison on a criminal trespass charge. That will be followed by two years probation on a count of indecent assault of an unconscious person. Rodcliffe-Barton pleaded guilty in January. The charges stem from a May 20, 2018, incident in Vidinghoff Hall on campus at the end of Rodcliffe-Bartons sophomore year. He had arranged through Tinder to be with someone named Jack but went into the wrong room. The student in that room told investigators he awoke about 4:20 a.m. as a male was performing oral sex on him. I pushed him off me and was kinda in shock, he said according to the arrest affidavit. When confronted, Rodcliffe-Barton admitted he entered an unlocked room in Vidinghoff, got in bed with a male student who was naked and engaged in oral sex, the affidavit states. When the other person awoke and he saw his face, Rodcliffe-Barton knew he was in the wrong room and left, police said they were told. A black wig that Rodcliffe-Barton claimed he always wears when he meets Jack to avoid detection on campus was found in his room, police said. Rodcliffe-Barton was jailed several days before posting bail of $5,000. Charges of burglary, indecent deviate sexual intercourse and sexual assault were dismissed as part of a plea agreement. British MPs were told to stay away from their weekly question time with the prime minister on Wednesday over fears of spreading coronavirus, as parliament remained open but became increasingly deserted. Around 25 lawmakers -- including a cabinet minister -- are already thought to have isolated themselves for fear of infecting others as the outbreak accelerates across Britain. London has been particularly badly hit, and a leading disease expert who advises the government warned on Wednesday that the area around parliament was a hotspot. "There is a lot of COVID-19 in Westminster," Professor Neil Ferguson of Imperial College London tweeted, as he announced that he himself had developed symptoms. Parliament had already closed its doors to the public and shut its bars after Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday told Britons to avoid all unnecessary social contact to try to slow the outbreak. Many MPs have asked staff to work from home, and employees across the parliamentary estate are staying away this week. On Wednesday, the main political parties advised their lawmakers to avoid the weekly prime minister's questions (PMQs) unless they had already been allocated a question. As a result, the green benches of the House of Commons -- which only seven days ago were packed with MPs for the annual budget statement -- were largely empty. Those MPs who attended sat a distance apart, as did reporters in the press gallery. The public gallery is now closed. "Those watching our proceedings will have noticed that our attendance today is significantly below the normal numbers," Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle told MPs. He said he had been discussing "ways in which we can limit the numbers of people crowded together to ensure maximum safety". Business Secretary Alok Sharma told the BBC earlier: "It is very important that parliament continues to operate." But he added: "The way that we interact in parliament of course may change." Ministers are still providing regular updates to parliament on coronavirus, and legislation will be introduced on Thursday to give the government new powers to tackle the outbreak. But several non-urgent committee hearings have been cancelled, and much of the parliamentary estate is slowly winding down. The main bars, which are normally packed with MPs, staffers, researchers and journalists, have closed over the last couple of days. "The last two weeks, it's been much quieter anyway," said Alberto, the manager of the Woolsack, a traditional-style pub accessed off an internal courtyard. Staff are being moved to other restaurants which remain open, he told AFP, while adding: "At the moment, we're taking it day by day." In Westminster Hall, the oldest part of the estate that is normally filled with visitors, there were only a few solitary security guards. "There's always people here. But now it's like a ghost town," remarked one official. In the unelected upper chamber the House of Lords, where many members are in the higher risk over-70 group, attendance has been slowly declining. Official figures showed 315 peers came in on Monday, down from 463 a week earlier. Even outside on Parliament Square, the scene of noisy pro- and anti-Brexit protests for the past few years, the pavements were clear. The coronavirus outbreak has sparked calls for a change in the way parliament operates. Currently MPs must vote in person, with only a limited scheme for proxy ballots, but officials are debating how this might be stepped up. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Irish universities and colleges are now being recruited by the Government to help in the desperate battle against Covid-19. Experienced medical staff and laboratory technicians are crucial as Ireland's healthcare system battles to contain the spread of the virus. Now, all Irish universities, colleges and institutes - which have effectively shut down because of the Covid-19 situation - are being asked to make available any experienced teaching personnel who can help in the battle against the virus. Specifically, the Government and the Health Service Executive are hoping that experienced healthcare staff and laboratory technicians will make their services available on a short-term basis while third-level institutions are closed or devoted to online studies. Many had worked for years in the healthcare and science testing industries before moving into teaching roles in third level. One college, Cork Institute of Technology (CIT), said it would support any of its staff which wanted to volunteer to help in the battle against Covid-19. Epidemic "CIT has had requests for suitably qualified laboratory and other health staff," a spokesperson confirmed. "We are advising staff that they may volunteer for such duty and that we will support them in terms of pay, human resources, etc." Other Irish colleges and universities have followed suit. Experienced healthcare staff are being sought as part of the drive to ease the workload on frontline doctors and nurses. The Government hopes that such personnel in medical teaching facilities will be available over the next two to three months when the virus epidemic is expected to peak. It is hoped that many could assume second-line duties so that acute hospital staff can focus on Covid-19 patients. However, the Government is also rushing student nurses and doctors into the system to ease the pressure on personnel. Third-year nursing students will have their placements this year used to ease the burden on frontline nurses by them assuming second-line duties. Graduate doctors, who traditionally do not begin their internships until July and August, have been informed they will be assigned to hospitals from late May, such is the looming crisis within the healthcare sector. Junior doctors are also assuming roles that, traditionally, would have been undertaken by registrars and consultants in a bid to ease the workload on senior staff. Further doctor rotations may be suspended to ensure the maximum number of experienced personnel are available. Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today Snow this evening will taper off and give way to cloudy skies late. Low 3F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 80%. About one inch of snow expected.. Tonight Snow this evening will taper off and give way to cloudy skies late. Low 3F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 80%. About one inch of snow expected. 12 Ukrainians are being treated for coronavirus abroad. Such data was released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Five Ukrainians are being treated in Germany, two - in Italy, two - in Poland, one - in Moldova, one - in the UAE and one in the Dominican Republic. One Ukrainian woman died of a coronavirus in Italy. It should be noted that 16 Ukrainians are quarantined in Brazil, seven in Germany, three - in the Dominican Republic, the UAE and Moldova. As we reported earlier, on March 18, a flight from Austria will bring Ukrainians back home as they could not leave the country previously. "Austrian Airlines will send the passengers to Ukraine at 9.50 a.m., as they could not leave before due to the canceling of flights of this air carrier", reads the message. "There are also some 70 tickets on this flight available for sale. For those who stuck in Vienna not because of Austrian Airines, the ticket will cost 493 Euros. It's expensive, of course, but it's a guaranteed return home (...)," the message of Ukraine's MFA reads. The Odisha government on Wednesday asked all religious institutions in the state to "strictly adhere to the coronavirus prevention norms issued by the state government". "In view of coronavirus situation, Odisha Government gives an advisory to all religious institutions within the state to strictly adhere to the coronavirus prevention norms, given by state government, including social distancing and other measures," an advisory issued by the Chief Minister's office read. It further adds that in case any religious institution is not able to maintain the precautions for preventing the virus, they are hereby advised to immediately restrict the entry of pilgrims while continuing with the rituals. "The concerned agencies/boards/trusts/governing institutions should immediately take a conscious decision to protect the pilgrims, priests, sevayats and other security personnel involved," the statement added. On Tuesday, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board appealed pilgrims to postpone their visit to the temple till normalisation of the situation. The shrine board has stepped up its preparedness to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It is conducting thermal screening at several points of the pilgrimage. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India has reached 147, including 122 Indians and 25 foreign nationals, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday. Globally, the virus has infected more than 184,000 people and killed more than 7500, as per the data available on the World Health Organisation website. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vietnam set to officially export COVID-19 test kit In a bid to deal with the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, the country has been researching a variety of suitable test kits. Of the tests, the real-time RT-PCR bio-kit conducted by the Military Medical Academy in collaboration with Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company has been successfully granted a license by the Ministry of Health for mass production. The Viet Nam 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 Viet Nam-made test kits. Director of Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company Phan Quoc Viet said over the past week the firm has been able to mass produce 5,000 test kits for the COVID-19 which are to be used at testing facilities in tandem with the biological kit produced by the U.S. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Although the company has recently begun to put the product into mass production, it has so far received plenty of positive feedback from users regarding its high accuracy. Indeed, the company is capable of producing approximately 10,000 test kits each day, with a maximum capacity of 30,000 items per day depending on future demand, he said. More than 40 hospitals and centers for disease control in Viet Nam 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 Ha Noi Medical University in Ha Noi, the Hue Central Hospital in Thua Thien-Hue Province, and Thai Nguyen National General Hospital in the namesake northern province. Starting from this week, the company is about to post its first shipment of 50 kits, capable of performing 2,500 tests, to Ukraine, whilst a further 100 sets, capable of performing 5,000 tests, will be sent to Finland. In addition, authorities in Ha Noi 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 Viet Nam-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-Viet Nam 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. Following the official announcement regarding the new test kit, over 10 countries globally, including Belgium, Ukraine, Finland, Nigeria, South Africa, Cambodia, have gone on to express a desire to purchase them. The county 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 Viet Nam had gone three weeks without any new infection. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- One member of the St. Peters Boys High School community tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19), according to a letter sent by the principal of the New Brighton school to parents and shared with the Advance/SILive.com. We are writing to inform you that a member of the St. Peters Boys community has self-reported a positive test result for COVID-19, said Principal Michael Cosentino in the letter. We are handling this situation with the utmost seriousness. A spokesman for the Archdiocese of New York confirmed the letter came from St. Peters Boys High School. The school is following protocols from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the New York State Department of Health and the New York City Department of Health, the letter said, and licensed cleaning professionals will conduct a deep cleaning and sanitization of the premises. It is not clear when the student was last at the schools campus; however, multiple Catholic high schools on Staten Island recently announced that they will be moving to virtual learning for an extended period of time after initially closing. A message on the website for St. Peters Boys High School said the school will be closed until April 20 out of precaution to prevent the spread of COVID-19. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK *** The letter said the citys Health Department is advising members of the school community that there is generalized community transmission of COVID-19 in New York City, meaning there are cases that have no known link to travel or to another confirmed case." The school or workplace environment having a positive case does not put others at higher risk than anywhere else in the city, given that there is generalized transmission in the city, the guidance continues. Students and staff are being asked to self-monitor for symptoms. During times like this, the safety and well-being of our Catholic schools families and staff, as well as those in the broader community around us, are our primary concern, the letter said. 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. RELATED COVERAGE: Governor seeks to limit coronavirus impact on hospitals NYPD Commissioner: Cooperation, not closures, expected for ban on dining at restaurants and bars Two Australian scientists believe they have found the cure for coronavirus Coronavirus case confirmed at St. Ritas School New York coronavirus cases near 1,000 with 19 on Staten Island Doctors should keep offices open for chronic disease patients, cancel non-essential visits, expert says S.I. to be first borough with drive-thru testing for coronavirus A country in coronavirus lockdown: An account from Italy Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 20:09:44|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close MOGADISHU, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Somali National Army (SNA) has killed six al-Shabab militants in an operation in the Lower Shabelle of southern Somalia on Tuesday, a military official has confirmed. Isma'il Abdi Malik, commander of 16th Unit of SNA told journalists on Tuesday evening that government forces conducted an offensive in Janale town in Lower Shabelle region. "It was a planned operation and we killed six of the militants including two senior leaders," Malik said. "One was their commander in El Sanini neighborhood, while the other one was in charge in Janale town," he added. Locals told Xinhua that the government army attacked the town. "The army confronted al-Shabab fighters staying the area, there was an exchange of fire, but the army is in charge of the area now," Asad Jelle, a resident told Xinhua via phone. The latest incident comes barely three days after al-Shabab militants killed three government soldiers including a senior officer and injured two others in an ambush in Mahaday town in the country's southern region of Middle Shabelle. The government forces have intensified operations against al-Shabab militants in southern regions, but the militants still hold swathes of rural areas in those regions, conducting ambushes and planting land mines. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Minister for Health Simon Harris pictured with Cillian de Gascun, director of the National Virus Refrence Laboratory Photograph: Aidan Crawley/EPA-EFE POOL PIC A further 74 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed by the Department of Health. It brings the total number of confirmed cases in Ireland to 366. The breakdown is made up of 29 females and 45 males. There are now 366 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland. The National Public Health Emergency Team has made available an analysis of the 271 cases notified as at midnight Monday, March 16. The virus has now spread to 23 counties. * Of the 271 cases notified 40pc are male and 59pc female, with 23 clusters. To date 42% cases are travel related, 22% associated with community transmission, 17% are as a result of local transmission and 20% remain under investigation. Two thirds of cases are younger than 55 years, with almost one in four cases aged 35 44 years. One in five cases are healthcare workers with 37% of these cases associated with travel. Dublin has the highest number of cases at 129, followed by Cork (48) and Limerick (14). Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer in the Department of Health, said: Again, today we are seeing another increase in case numbers. The importance of social distancing cannot be underestimated. Everyone must play their role. We need to continue maximising our efforts to interrupt new transmission chains and keep clusters under control. Reduce your social contacts to those in your closest family network. Practice social distancing. Stop shaking hands and hugging when you say hello," he added. Total cases: 271 Total number hospitalised = 84 = 31% Total number admitted to ICU = 6 = 2% Total number deaths = 2 = 0.7% Case fatality rate = 0.7% Total number healthcare workers = 59 = 22% Number clusters notified = 23 Transmission Classification: Community transmission = 60 = 22% Contact with a confirmed case = 45 = 17% Travel abroad = 113 = 42% Under investigation = 53 = 20% Health Minister Simon Harris said 24,000 people have responded to the HSE recruitment campaign for healthcare workers to cope with the demands of the coronavirus crisis. It is unclear how many would meet the criteria and have the skills necessary. The HSE is looking for doctors, nurses and others who have health-related experience including people who have retired. The recruitment drive was launched yesterday with the message Be on call for Ireland. Read More Meanwhile the Irish Dental Association (IDA) has warned that the dental profession in Ireland is on the brink of collapse and said that urgent direction was needed from the Government if it is to survive the Covid-19 crisis after a survey published today outlined the scale of the crisis facing dentists. The Association has today written to the Taoiseach, Minister for Health, party leaders and the health spokespeople of the various political parties outlining the gravity of the situation and is seeking an urgent meeting with the Minister for Health. A survey of 358 private dentists around Ireland: 66 respondents (18pc) said they have already closed their practice at least temporarily A further 35 (10pc) plan to close in some form within the next fortnight because of the crisis 42pc of respondents are already restricted to providing emergency treatment only Nearly half (48pc) estimate a drop of at least 90pc in practice income in the medium to long term as a result of Covid-19. Kyiv City State Administration is developing a plan of special events so that the underground in Kyiv resumes its work, but with some restrictions. Secretary of the City Council Volodymyr Prokopiv stated this, reports CTS. "An idle metro is a huge problem for the city. But the Kyiv authorities must comply with the Cabinet of Ministers. Together with our colleagues, we are developing a plan of special measures so that the metro will work, but with some restrictions," - Prokopiv said. According to him, the subway should serve people working in strategic enterprises that ensure the life of the city. There is another problem in the capital: about half of the Kiev hospitals nurses and nurses reach work from neighboring regions and are critically needed in their workplaces. Therefore, we are also developing a program for Kyivpastrans so that the city can provide transportation for these people to work," - the secretary of the city council added. As part of the fight against the coronavirus epidemic, the Ukrainian government decided to introduce restrictions on the number of passengers who are allowed to use the public transport at the same time. This was announced by the Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine Vladyslav Krykliy. Many schools are not thinking of organizing online classes while others have tried to give lectures online, but said that there were many problems. The HCM City Food Industry University students have been off school for a couple of weeks but there is no online work. Vietnamese university students remain unfamiliar with online teaching and learning. Meanwhile, the conditions of students are different and not all of them have sufficient materials to access online lessons. According to the schools rector Nguyen Xuan Hoan, online teaching can be applied to a limited number of students who have good conditions. The students are not only from large cities, where there are favorable conditions, but also from remote and rural areas. Many students dont have internet access, while others have it, but the transmission speed is not good enough to learn online. The students are not only from large cities, where there are favorable conditions, but also from remote and rural areas. Many students dont have internet access, while others have it, but the transmission speed is not good enough to learn online. The Economics & Law University began teaching online in late February. A recent survey found that 10-15 percent of students could not keep track of the lecture due to the low connection speed. Dang Thi Ngoc Lan, vice rector of the Finance & Marketing University, said the school has organized online teaching, but only to help students review knowledge. Lecturers are not giving new lessons. She said if the school gives new lectures, students in remote areas will be at a disadvantage because they cannot access the lessons. According to Do Van Dung, rector of the HCM City University of Technology Education, the school has spent big money and six years to familiarize students with the habit of online learning. Therefore, the schools which have not prepared well in recent years wont be able to organize online classes now. Dung said people cannot anticipate all the problems in teaching online. At some schools, lecturers just make video recordings and post the clips on the internet. But this way of teaching will not help. Online lectures need to be designed in a different way. You need to cut the lectures into small parts and each part lasts 10-15 minutes. After every 15 minutes, you need to check if students understand the lessons, Dung said. However, despite the difficulties, teaching online is the best choice for teachers and students in the context of the epidemic escalation. Le Viet Khuyen from the Association of Vietnams Universities and Junior Colleges said no one knows for sure when the epidemic can be stopped, therefore, teaching from a distance must be a choice. He thinks that teaching on TV alone wont be enough, and that it would be better to apply both direct teaching and teaching from a distance. Mai Lan US interactive learning space launched at An Giang University An interactive learning space called American Hangout was inaugurated at An Giang University on November 18 with the sponsorship of the US Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City. BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday expressed strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to the U.S.' repeated hyping and slandering against China's military-civilian integration policy. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Ford on Monday posted an article on the U.S. Department of State website, saying China's "military-civil fusion" policy brings a national security challenge and a threat to the U.S. and other countries. It is a customary international practice to promote integrated development of military and civilian sectors, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang told a news briefing, adding that the U.S. is no exception. "As I know, the U.S. 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." Geng said 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," he said. Some U.S. 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, he said. 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 U.S. and the common interests of all, Geng said. "As for the U.S. 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 U.S. poses a grave threat to the world." China urges the U.S. 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-U.S. relations and international cooperation, he said. A doctor has issued a terrifying warning that a 'perfect storm' of coronavirus and the winter flu could wreak havoc Australia in the coming months. Pregnant women, the elderly and other vulnerable Australians would be most at risk if they contract influenza and COVID-19, the doctor said. 'It would be the perfect storm for some patients. You wouldn't want to be pregnant and get both. You would be very, very ill. Nor would you want to be someone with an existing health problem, or just elderly,' the unnamed doctor told news.com.au. 'It would be significant for any person to have both, but dangerous for those people in the community.' A doctor has made a terrifying prediction a 'perfect storm' of coronavirus and the winter flu could spell disaster for Australia in the coming months (stock) The doctor said people at risk should get the flu vaccination as soon as it becomes available. 'Its not going to stop you getting COVID-19, but you dont want to be susceptible to both viruses,' she said. The 2020 flu vaccines are expected to be available from mid-April. Free vaccines will be available to people aged 65 and over, pregnant women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and those with high-risk medical conditions. The doctor's advice is for people to get the flu vaccination as soon as it's available in mid-April (stock image) A graph (pictured) showing the growth in case numbers from January 25, with four cases, until March 18 with 568 cases CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 565 New South Wales: 267 Victoria: 121 Queensland: 94 South Australia: 37 Western Australia: 35 Tasmania: 10 Northern Territory: 1 Australian Capital Territory: 3 TOTAL CASES: 568 DEAD: 6 Advertisement Meanwhile, hairdressers, Uber drivers, bartenders and teachers are among the workers most at risk of contracting the coronavirus in Australia, experts say. Infectious Diseases Specialist at Australian National University, Sanjaya Senanayake, told Daily Mail Australia healthcare workers remain the most at-risk group. 'All adults are susceptible to it but all healthcare workers they have a concentration of (exposure to) it,' he said. Hairdressers aren't able to adhere to Mr Morrison's new 1.5m social distancing law because their job requires them to touch their clients. As such, it would be virtually impossible to field everybody who is coming through their doors for virus symptoms and travel history. Cashiers currently working in supermarkets are particularly at risk due to the influx of people travelling in and out of stores each day in an attempt to stock up on supplies. The transfer of cash is also not ideal, as experts warn coronavirus can live on surfaces for anywhere between a few hours to a few days, depending on the climate. Hairdressing is considered one of the most at-risk professions in the current climate due to proximity to clients (stock image) Food and beverage workers are also at risk for similar reasons. Fast food chain employees as well as servers at restaurants and cafes work closely with customers - and other staff - posing a risk to their health and safety. Uber and taxi drivers come into contact with a diverse group of people every day. Those who are assigned jobs at airports may be unwittingly transporting coronavirus carriers back to their homes before they even realise they've been infected. Teachers also work in close proximity to other teachers and students which also puts them at greater risk, along with aged care staff and flight attendants. A sneak peek for the new seventh season of Reno 911! just dropped ahead of schedule, and it feels like no time has passed since we last checked in with Nevadas greatest police department nearly eleven years ago. In the clip, Dangle (Thomas Lennon) appears to be at war with squirrels who he insists are singing in the ducts of the station. I dont think the squirrels in the ducts are singings words, he sighs. Theyre not Marvin Hamlisch. When Cedric Yarbroughs Jones gently suggests Dangle might need a break from the stresses of his job, Dangle worries that theyre pulling a Mice and Men on him, and its best to just watch the full clip above to get a sense of what he means. Reno 911! was renewed for a new season by Quibi back in February, after its original six season run on Comedy Central ended in 2009. The new season will feature episodes that are 10 minutes or less, in keeping with Quibis format. Original cast members Lennon, Cedric Yarbrough, Robert Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Niecy Nash, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Carlos Alazraqui and Mary Birdsong are all confirmed for the seventh season, and series creators Lennon, Garant, and Kenney-Silver will also return as writers. Quibi launches on April 6. The much-expected Apple iPad Pro line-up refresh could be happening soon enough. The companys Chinese website accidentally listed four new iPad Pro models before the listing were taken down. That was enough time for screenshots to be taken and spread the word of cheer to everyone who may be down in the dumps because of the Coronavirus, or COVID-19, gloom. On the way are the new iPad Pro 12.9 and the iPad Pro 11. In essence, these will be updates to the existing line-up. The screenshots taken in time by Canadian website iPhone in Canada suggest that the iPad Pro 11 with Wi-Fi only will have the model number A2228 while the Wi-Fi + Cellular variant will be A2231. The larger iPad Pro 12.9 will carry the model number A2229 for the Wi-Fi variant while the Wi-Fi + Cellular model could get the A2233 model number. At present, it is not clear what all storage options will be offered with the new iPad Pro line-up. For reference, both the 11-inch iPad Pro and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro are available in 64GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB storage options. Though, we might see the base storage space bumped up from 64GB to 128GB, considering the iPad Pro line is positioned as a laptop alternative. It has always been speculated that Apple may refresh the iPad Pro line in the first half of the year, though the Coronavirus pandemic globally has caused delays due to production lines being shut and supply of components severely restricted. There have also been reports that Apple could introduce a new smart keyboard accessory, complete with a touchpad, for the iPad Prothough how the Coronavirus delays may have impacted those plans isnt yet clear. Expect a newer processor under the hood, in line with the iPhone 11 Pro devices, as well as a multi-camera setup for advanced Augmented Reality (AR) applications and perhaps even slight tweaks to the design. What happens next is unknown, but it will not only affect Iran's civilian government and Shiite theocracy, whose members already have fallen ill, but also the wider world. Among the unknowns is Iran's "patient zero" the person first infected with the coronavirus in the nation. A cleric and a woman pray behind a closed door of the Fatima Masumeh shrine in Qom, Iran. Credit:AP Authorities believe the outbreak started in Qom, the stronghold of Iran's Shiite clergy, 125 kilometres south-west of Tehran. Authorities suggested that perhaps an infected Iranian businessman brought it from China. Qom draws Chinese students to its seminaries. It is also along a $US2.7 billion high-speed train route being built by a Chinese company. "Mysterious virus at Iran's gates," warned the pro-reform newspaper, Aftab-e Yazd ,as China began a lockdown in January. Yet travel between China and Iran continued. The first two coronavirus cases were announced on February 19, with both victims dying in Qom. Since it can take up to two weeks to show symptoms, they could have been infected in early February. Iran went ahead with its February 21 election, with the lowest turnout since the revolution. The government wanted to boost its legitimacy after shooting down a Ukrainian passenger jet, killing all 176 people aboard. Days earlier, a US drone strike in Iraq had killed top Revolutionary Guard General Qassem Soleimani, further shaking its credibility. In Qom, Iran kept open the gold-domed shrine of Fatima Masumeh, a Shiite saint. Crowds throng there 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to touch and kiss it. This week, it finally closed the mosque. Other countries, by comparison, closed or thoroughly cleaned churches, mosques and holy sites. "The city's religious epithet 'the nest of the Prophet and his family' was intended to reassure believers worldwide that it was insulated against epidemics and other disasters," wrote Mehdi Khalaji, a Qom-trained Shiite theologian who is an analyst at the Washington Institute for Near-East Policy. "If early reports about the spread of the coronavirus prove correct, Qom's status as the ideological capital of the Islamic Revolution helped make it the pathogen's transmitting centre to the rest of Iran and at least seven other countries." Since then, hazmat-suited workers have disinfected the shrines. By Monday night, the Fatima Masumeh shrine and another one in Mashhad had closed, but online videos purported to show hard-line faithful storming the shrines' courtyards, demanding they open. But the virus had already spread into the government and Shiite theocracy. 'If early reports prove correct, Qom's status as the ideological capital of the Islamic Revolution helped make it the pathogen's transmitting centre to the rest of Iran and at least seven other countries.' Mehdi Khalaji, analyst It killed Expediency Council member Mohammad Mirmohammadi, described as close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Hadi Khosroshahi, a former envoy to the Vatican, and Ahmad Tuyserkani, an adviser to the judiciary chief, also died, as did some lawmakers. The sick include Vice-President Masoumeh Ebtekar, better known as "Sister Mary", the English-speaking spokeswoman for the students who seized the US Embassy in Tehran in 1979 in the 444-day hostage crisis. Even the 80-year-old Khamenei was seen wearing disposable gloves at a tree-planting ceremony. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, wearing gloves, participates in a tree planting ceremony in Tehran, Iran. Credit:AP Iran's death rate from the virus may be higher than in other hard-hit nations. Outside experts and even some lawmakers and officials in the country have alleged it was hiding the true number of infections and deaths. Initial denials have appeared to weaken over time. "We found out a little late that the coronavirus had entered Iran because we mistook it for the flu," said Reza Malekzadeh, a deputy health minister. A man in Qom filmed rows of bodies in black bags and caskets awaiting burial in a trench, alleging all had tested positive for the virus. Officials said the burials were delayed pending test results, and the man was later arrested. Iran's 80 million people, whose sense of high risk has been dulled by years of international isolation, are crowding grocery stores and butcher shops, suspicious of state media. Loading The government has stopped short of ordering major travel restrictions, even for Nowruz when millions are on the move. It hasn't explained why, but there could be worry about further angering its people or slowing down its sanctions-hurt economy. Online videos show Iranians ignoring pleas to stay home and instead heading for the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf coasts. Harirchi, the health official who fell ill, said Iran hoped to contain the disease by March 26. U.S. President Donald Trump talks with CEO of Los Angeles World Airports Deborah Flint (2nd L), United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz (L) and Myron Gray (R), president of U.S. Operations for UPS, during a meeting with airline industry CEOs at the White House on February 9, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque Airlines for America, which represents the largest US passenger and cargo airlines, released details of its proposed industry bailout on Monday. The group is asking for $29 billion in grants and another $25 billion in loans, in addition to tax relief from the government. Airlines have been all-but-decimated as the novel coronavirus spreads around the world, resulting in travel bans, cancelled flights, and plummeting revenue. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. The largest airlines in the United States on Monday released details of a financial aid package designed to help shore up carriers' balance sheets as the novel coronavirus wreaks havoc on the industry. The roughly $54 billion proposal by Airlines For America a trade group comprised of passenger carriers like United, American, and Delta Air Lines as well as cargo carriers UPS and FedEx among others comes as flight schedules around the world are pared in response to weak travel demand and in some cases outright bans by the United States and Europe. The recommendations are in three parts: $29 billion in grants ($25 billion to passenger carriers, $4 billion to cargo), $25 billion in unsecured loans, and tax breaks. "Each U.S. carrier is having direct and continuous conversations with their employees, and everyone understands the severity of the situation," the group said in its working document. "The current economic environment is simply not sustainable, and it is compounded by the fact that the crisis does not appear to have an end in sight." Many airlines around the world have seen their market values drop by more than 50% from recent highs as flights are slashed. As of Monday afternoon, the virus had infected more than 178,000 people worldwide, with 4,093 of those in the United States. Airline stocks got a slight boost from intraday lows Monday following the plea for assistance, but most remained in the red. Story continues "While carriers would avoid some costs from not operating, there are substantial ongoing fixed costs," Airlines for America said. "Also, since cash payments for expenses are typically due within 30 days, outflows tied to operations for the 30 days preceding the travel ban would come at a time when inflows are at their lowest point." There is precedent for government assistance. Following the terrorist attacks of September 2001 and the resulting closure of US airspace, congress passed a $15 billion measure to support the aviation industry. Five billion of that money was in direct federal aid, and $10 billion was in the form of loans. The airlines' proposal this time is much larger, and Wall Street analysts worried the money might once again go to the wrong places. "We generally prefer the U.S. not interfere with airlines," Jamie Baker, an analyst at JPMorgan, said in a note to clients Monday. "After all, post-9/11 ATSB loans were disproportionately extended to airlines that ultimately exited the business, suggesting (at least then) that the government was more adept at picking losers than winners." But with demand for flights likely slumping even more than it did two decades ago, bankruptcies could happen anyway. "We previously stated US airline bankruptcies were unlikely and in the near-term that still remains the case," analysts at Cowen said in a note to clients last week. "BUT if bookings do not improve in the next 3 months things could deteriorate quickly." There's no word yet on what the White House or Congress may have in rebuttal for the airlines. Speaking to reporters Monday, White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow seemed to dislike the term bailout. "We don't see the airlines failing, but if they get into a cash crunch we're going to try to help them," he said, adding that "lots of" airlines had been in touch seeking aid. "We're in touch about their balance sheets and their cash flow," Kudlow said. It's also not clear what concessions, if any, congress and the White House may ask of the industry in exchange for the financial aid package. Read the full details of Airlines for America's proposal here: Read the original article on Business Insider Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker N P Prajapati Wednesday told the Supreme Court that a new kind of 'jugaad' of ensuring resignations of ruling party MLAs has been invented to circumvent the anti-defection law and ensure fall of an elected government. The speaker, represented by senior advocate A M Singhvi, told a bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud that the anti-defection law was framed by the Rajiv Gandhi government to ensure that lawmakers do not negate the popular mandate by changing side. He said that initially it was provided that one third of lawmakers of a party will have to break away to save it from the law and later, the proportion of lawmakers was raised to two-third of the strength of the legislature party. Terming the new trend of tendering resignations by lawmakers to ensure the fall of a majority government as a 'jugad', Singhvi said: "The object in all this is that there should not be an immediate by-election and to bring the strength of the assembly down, MLAs resign and the party which was in minority gains majority and becomes the ruling party. "These MLAs after resignation will become ministers or chairpersons of some state bodies without facing the electorate." Singhvi referred to Article 212 of the Constitution and said that it barred courts from taking cognizance of the actions that take place inside the House "One most important point ignored is that it is a running assembly and not a fresh or a new assembly. And this court will never interfere with the Speaker's discretion in a running assembly and direct it hold floor test," he said. "It is a kind of 'jugaad' that they are trying to do. In a running assembly, you bring a no confidence motion but not some indirect plea for a floor test can be entertained," he said. He said that the Governor cannot interfere with the Speaker's powers without paying heed to the rules of the assembly. "The resignation of an MLA has to be accepted by the Speaker and it cannot be said to be accepted because the Governor saw something on TV, this is a new...jurisprudence," he said. He said that three writers have written all the resignations of MLAs. Seeking a direction to the Speaker to conduct the floor test was like asking the court to commit a "constitutional sin". "You postponed the Budget sessions on March 16. How will a state function when you do not even pass the budget. And it is not that you did not meet that day. The assembly was called on that day and then adjourned," the bench asked. Singhvi said that various assemblies have been adjourned due to the outbreak of coronavirus and moreover, it is reopening on March 26. He said the plea of the BJP leader Shiv Raj Singh Chouhan is a "camouflage petition" and "they want to shirt circuit the Speaker's discretion". "Will you decide their resignation if they appear before you tomorrow," the bench asked. Before Singhvi's answer, senior advocate Maninder Singg, appearing for rebel MLAs, said, "We do not want to appear before the Speaker. It is a question of our safety." "I do not want the Speaker's discretion to be curtailed. I can inform about it tomorrow morning," Singhvi replied. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka to undertake Triaging: What does it mean and how do you pronounce it Coronavirus: The South Asia roundup and what the West could learn India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 18: Amidst the major outbreak of coronavirus, several nations are taking steps to curb the virus. Lockdowns, social distancing are some of the major measures that have been suggested. Crisis management has been a key in the case of several South Asian nations. At the start of the outbreak all eyes were on Taiwan an island of 23 million people which is just 81 kilometres away from China, with frequent flights back and forth. What did Taiwan do: As of March 10, Taiwan and 45 cases of coronavirus and one death. That is in fact fewer than its neighbours like Japan and South Korea. Taiwan has one of the best containment records so far across the world. So what is Taiwan doing right? Going by the reports the preparations began in 2004 after the last SARS epidemic. A command centre was set up and it operated 24/7. Testing was crucial and when China had reported only a few number of cases Taiwan went to every plane that came from Wuhan and checked people for symptoms. Coronavirus: What is social distancing and how do you practise it The testing in fact began on December 31 as soon as there were suspicious cases of a new type of virus. These were early days and Taiwan took the approach that when one does not know how serious it is, it is always better to be cautious. Keeping calm also went a long way. In fact there were regular updates from the government and a presser was held everyday. The best response: The best response so far has been from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. These three nations were hit by the virus months before the West, but have reported only a handful of cases. Early intervention has been the key coupled with a leadership that was willing to act fast and enforce quarantines and social distancing. In Singapore steps have been taken to release the details quickly online. Details of the patients, where they work or play were released quickly so that others could read up and protect themselves. These countries were also quick in securing their borders to protect against a new wave of imported infections. In Singapore at the time of the outbreak many were mild cases. However Singapore did not ignore these and went ahead to stem the spread to avoid local transmission. In fact until the outbreaks in Italy, Korea and Iran, Singapore was the worst outside China. However the government was transparent and this aided in effective tracing and isolating. As of March 17, Singapore confirmed 23 more cases, while adding that 5 had been discharged. Most of them in the hospital are improving, Singapore has stated. India's total coronavirus cases reaches 147; nearly 8,000 deaths globally Singapore had in fact banned all travellers from mainland China in January itself. Singapore also developed the capability to test more than 2,000 patients a day. In Washington, public labs are processing only 400 a day. Hong Kong: SARS had killed nearly 300 people in Hong Kong. While officials pondered over whether to close the borders with China, the people were aware of the measures that they had to take. Malls and offices set up thermal scanners and people used hand sanitisers. Every citizen did their bit, which included wearing masks, washing hands and also taking precautions such as avoiding crowded places. The government was in fact following in the foot steps of the people in the later part of it. Work from home orders were given, borders were tightened and schools were shut. Hong Kong has reported around 157 cases also announced a mandatory 14 day quarantine for all travellers from abroad. South Korea: The death rate as of March 6 in South Korea stands at 0.6 per cent. The country has tested nearly 140,000 persons for coronavirus. The nation is capable of testing as many as 10,000 cases a day. This quick response has allowed South Korea to detect more than 6,000 coronavirus patients. 35 have died and this means that the number of deaths compared to the number of infections stands at 0.6 per cent. What South Korea has shown is that widespread testing means lower death rate because a majority of the cases are considered mild. Further the country's testing programme is available to all individuals and is free to those with symptoms. Lessons to be learnt: Transparency, early quarantine and quick measures are some of the lessons that one can learn from the Asian countries. A China daily said that Singapore, Japan and South Korea all based their responses on the experiences and lessons drawn from China's successful battle with the virus. However the battle in the Europe and Asia may not be similar. The question is how replicable is this model. In countries such as Singapore, the people are more willing to accept government orders. This was a country which had one endorsed a ban on chewing gum. In Western countries, people tend to speak out more when asked for health or immigration records. Moreover it must be noted that in the US, the pandemic response unit had been disbanded in 2018. Coronavirus: After Italy, Gurgaon residents chant 'Gayatri Mantra' from balconies The Asian countries on the other hand would continue to fight because it is proven that both isolation and quarantine work. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 18, 2020, 17:15 [IST] Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday urged for aggression in tackling coronavirus and accused the government of indecision in tackling the global pandemic that is rapidly spreading its tentacles in India while wreaking havoc in several other countries, mostly in Europe and some in Central Asia, with an exponential rise in the count of its victims. Quick aggressive action is the answer to tackling the #Coronavirus, Rahul tweeted. The Congress leader added that the country was likely to pay a heavy price for the governments alleged inability to act decisively. India is going to pay an extremely heavy price for our governments (sic) inability to act decisively, his tweet added. Rahuls warning cum prophecy comes at a time when Indian markets along with their global counterparts are witnessing record losses due to the impact of coronavirus. The tourism sector is among the worst hit and the cascading impact of the slowdown in economic activities due to restrictions, both domestic and global in the wake of the disease, is likely to manifest itself in the coming days. A couple of rating agencies have already slashed Indias growth forecast for 2020-2021 to just above 5% Rahul has been consistently warning that the governments preparedness to deal with the deadly contagion is not enough and has prophesised that the economy will be the worst-affected. He compared the outbreak to a Tsunami only yesterday while speaking to reporters. The Indian economy is going to be devastated. You have no idea the painful thing the country has suffered and it is coming. It is like a tsunami is coming, Rahul said. Also Read-A tsunami is coming: Rahul Gandhi warns Centre over coronavirus, economy India has seen three deaths due to Covid 19 so far with a total of 147 confirmed infections including 25 foreign nationals and 14 cured individuals. Rahul Gandhi had first posted his concerns over Indias response to the contagion that started in neighbouring China infecting over 82,000 residents on February 12 and alleged that the government was not taking it seriously when timely action was critical. The Corona Virus is an extremely serious threat to our people and our economy. My sense is the government is not taking this threat seriously, his tweet said when the infection was still in its infancy in India. On March 5, he had likened the governments assurances of having things under control with assurances offered by the Capt of the Titanicthe famous British cruise liner that sunk in the North Atlantic Ocean on its first voyage on April 15, 1912, with over 2200 passengers and crew on board. Health Minister saying that the Indian Govt has the #coronavirus crisis under control, is like the Capt of the Titanic telling passengers not to panic as his ship was unsinkable. Its time the Govt made public an action plan backed by solid resources to tackle this crisis. He tweeted again on March 13 to suggest the potential impact of the disease was being ignored by the administration. The #coronavirus is a huge problem. Ignoring the problem is a non-solution. The Indian economy will be destroyed if strong action is not taken. The government is in a stupor, he had said. The Central government along with those of the States, has taken several measures including suspension of visas, mandatory screening of passengers arriving from coronavirus hit countries, banning travel to and from to coronavirus hot spots, quarantining of suspects, shutting down schools, colleges and suspending events of mass gathering, tracking of suspects, and steps aimed to prevent community transmission of the disease, restrictions on entry and exit at land borders and on tourists to contain the spread of the disease. The American health care system might not be equipped for what's next in the coronavirus pandemic if people don't heed warnings from authorities, health officials say. As the US death toll tops 110, states are ordering more shutdowns. Hospital employees are making their own face masks. And doctors are begging the public to keep their distance from others. "The bottom line is things will get much worse," said Dr. James Phillips, an assistant professor at George Washington University Hospital. "We're at a significant risk of overwhelming the number of (hospital) beds we have." More than 7,000 Americans have been infected with coronavirus, and that number changes by the hour. Two major factors are fueling this pandemic: the fact that people with no symptoms can easily spread the virus, and problems with testing in the US. That's why it's critical for everyone -- even those who don't feel sick -- to stay at least 6 feet away from others and avoid social gatherings. "We're so far behind on testing, there's only one way we can be certain not to transmit the virus and be certain not to get it ourselves. And that is that we need to start treating every person as though they have this," Phillips said. Similarly, "everyone needs to treat us like we have it, and socially distance ourselves in that manner. Because until we have (adequate) testing, we don't know who has this. And we're not sure when they start spreading it." You asked, we're answering: Your top coronavirus questions every day The fight against the virus also has taken an economic toll. The Senate on Wednesday approved a coronavirus relief package that includes paid emergency leave and measures for free testing. The legislation, approved by the House, will go to President Donald Trump to sign. 'History will not forgive us for waiting an hour more' As the US scrambles to fight the outbreak, states are ordering new shutdowns and restrictions every day. At least 39 states have shut down schools. Nevada ordered the closure of all non-essential businesses for 30 days. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order Wednesday that requires at least 50% of a business' employees to work from home. In Utah, Ohio, New York, New Jersey and Louisiana, customers can't sit in restaurants or bars -- all food must be ordered as takeout. In Ohio, one bar was padlocked and barricaded for violating the governor's order Sunday and Monday, the Cincinnati Police Department said. "Not only are you putting the general public at risk, you're putting our officers at risk that had to go in and deal with the individuals that were in violation," Patrol Bureau Commander Paul Neudigate said. States such as Michigan and New Mexico have limited public gatherings to fewer than 50 people. Oregon put the cap at 25. Earlier this week, the federal government said Americans should avoid groups of more than 10 people. In Northern California, about 8 million people have been ordered to shelter in place. The Southern California city of Palm Springs issued a similar mandate. What's allowed during a shelter-in-place order, and what's not? "The time for half measures is over," San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said. "History will not forgive us for waiting an hour more." San Francisco has banned all non-essential travel, including walking, biking, driving or taking public transit. "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," the city's mandate says. Those riding public transit must maintain at least six feet of social distancing from other passengers. "We know these measures will significantly disrupt people's day-to-day lives," San Francisco Mayor London Breed said. "But they are absolutely necessary." 'It will be ugly' There won't be enough hospital beds, medical staff or equipment to handle the coronavirus outbreak if continues at its current pace, officials say. "We will have a shortage of ICU beds. It will be ugly," Gov. Cuomo said this week. New York state has 53,000 hospital beds. Wednesday, Cuomo said the state needs as many as 110,000 beds. The challenges facing New York are "likely going to happen in the (rest of the) 50 states," said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. Health officials say the US wasn't adequately prepared for this pandemic. Two years ago, the CDC stopped funding epidemic prevention activities in 39 countries, including China, after the Trump administration refused to reallocate money to a program that started during the government's response to the 2014 Ebola outbreak. At that time, former CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden said the move "would significantly increase the chance an epidemic will spread without our knowledge and endanger lives in our country and around the world." In response to the coronavirus outbreak, "we're two months too late in starting to do this," said Dr. Eric Toner, who studies hospital preparedness at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. "I really think this is a fundamental responsibility of government to have acted on this a long time ago." So now it's up to the public to take precautions and avoid giving and receiving the virus. "What needs to happen in this country is we need to break the cycle of transmission," CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta said. "And it doesn't look like that's happening right now." Health workers are sewing makeshift masks In southwest Georgia, Phoebe Putney Health System used six months' worth of supplies less than a week, said Scott Steiner, the hospital group's president and CEO. "We've got a three-day supply of N95 masks on hand," Steiner said Wednesday. "In order to preserve these, and get them to last longer, we've got a team of people sewing masks together." He held up a "prototype" made of surgical sheeting that can be placed over a real N95 mask. "This is what we're going to have to do because we don't know when the next shipment is coming," Steiner said. Across the country, officials are taking drastic measures in the fight to control coronavirus. New York state will waive Department of Health regulations on how many beds can be in a hospital room as it tries to double the number of beds. The state is also reaching out to retired nurses and doctors plus medical and nursing schools to see whether they can help. And two Navy hospital ships are being deployed along the East Coast to help alleviate the strain on hospitals. Those ships, the Comfort and Mercy, won't be treating coronavirus patients. Instead, they'll treat other hospital patients so health care workers can concentrate on the growing numbers of coronavirus cases. The Comfort will likely head to New York, but it will likely take weeks because the ship is undergoing maintenance, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said. The Mercy will be ready much sooner, in a matter of days. But the destination is not clear. "When it's prepared to sail, we will make a determination on where it's going to go." Hoffman said. Medical equipment providers struggle to keep up Ventilator manufacturer Hamilton Medical Inc. said it has received hundreds of orders and requests within the past few weeks. "It is more than we can currently provide," said Kathrin Elsner, team leader of MarCom Ventilators at Hamilton Medical. Michael Dowling, president and CEO of the Northwell Health, was picked by New York's governor to lead a hospital surge team. He said he wants to purchase as many as 500 ventilators, which can cost as much as $20,000 to $40,000 a machine. Meanwhile, smaller, rural hospitals across the United States -- which often have no more than 25 beds and just one ventilator -- might be forced to transfer patients to larger facilities if they see a surge in cases. "Who's at risk? Elderly, low-income, people with high health needs. That is rural America," said Alan Morgan, chief executive officer of the National Rural Health Association. "You have a high proportion of low-income, elderly people with high health needs. So if you were to have a cluster in a rural community it would turn bad quickly." Also in rural America, "You've got a shortage of primary care, certainly a shortage of specialty care," Morgan said. "You have a small clinical staff, so you can't afford mistakes." But with the coronavirus outbreak, overworked employees are more likely to make errors. "Part of it is just exhausting our personnel," said Dr. David Hill, a pulmonary critical care physician and a spokesman for the American Lung Association. "Health care is complicated, and people make mistakes when they're overworked." When I recount the scariest life decisions Ive made to dateswitching careers, living alone, allowing myself to fall in lovethey feel inconsequential compared to some of the risks my loved ones have taken. How can I, a 20-something who lives in the same city she grew up in, meditate on taking chances when all mine have ultimately been low-stakes? Why would anyone care to listen to me rant about quitting my job or the cost of a monthly metrocard when they could read about my family fleeing Iran during the revolution? But when I asked 15 women, aged 60 to 89, about the wildest decisions they ever made (and dont regret), I realized what made their answers compelling was not the specific detailsit was their conviction in the face of uncertainty. When Susie, 62, walked away from her first marriage, she moved to London with no guarantees that shed be able to support herself. When Furaha, 70, gave up a comfortable life in pursuit of her greatest passion, she was given no assurances that shed be successful. And when Barbara, 74, went back to school to study business, no one promised her shed be able to make a name for herself in a male-dominated field. They leapt anyway. All 15 women took a risk by betting on themselves, and whether or not it paid off, they prove that any woman whos chosen a life of uncertain fulfillment over complacent insatiability has a story worth telling, whether that means whispering three little words or booking a one-way ticket. Maybe they didnt save the world, but in a way they saved themselves. Whats your wildest decision you dont regret? I randomly took a course in Impressionism and absolutely went crazy about the teacher and his way of expressing the art historical context of Monets series. I went home, stayed up all night, and wrote to my parents (those days there was no email, cell phones, or direct phone calls between Iran and the United States). It told them I decided not to major in economics and finance, but in art history. That changed my life forever. Leila, 65 When I was in searching-for-a-mate mode, there were three men I was considering. A friend recommended I pack my bags and move in for two weeks with each man to inform my inclinations. I showed up to each one (one at a time, of course), bag in hand, to sample the experience. It was fun and certainly informative. None of them made the cut and I met my husband three weeks later. The universe heard my intentions loud and clear! Susan, 65 My wildest and wisest decision Ive made that I have no regrets about was to walk away from an emotionally abusive and physically violent marriage. That takes absolute courage. I didnt know where I wanted to go, but a friend encouraged me to travel to London, so I did, on my own and not knowing one single person. That was back in 1984. My world changed from that point on. I have never looked back. Susie, 62 I traveled to Zimbabwe, fell in love with stone sculpture, and got so excited I decided to put on a show right here in New York City! So I read every book I could find and met every Zimbabwean artist I could meet, including the head of the Zimbabwe Tourist Office. Then I planned a month-long trip there to meet artists and buy sculpture. It was a huge riskbut the experience was extraordinary. Diana, 75 My wildest decision that I dont regret was giving up a great, cushy life in Atlanta to move to New York City to pursue an acting career. I owned a successful business, was paying a mortgage on my beautifully furnished two-bedroom condo, and was paying the note on my first car which just happened to be a Lexus. I was a successful businesswoman and well-respected in the arts community in Atlanta, but when it came down to it, I knew that the almost 30 years Id put into my career paled miserably in comparison to the mystery that potentially lay ahead of me in New York City. Many acquaintances thought Id lost my mind, but I was more afraid of not making the move for fear I would spend the rest of my life wondering what wouldve happened if Id taken that leap. Life is very different for me in New York City, especially from an income standpoint. That said, I wouldnt change a thing about being here (save more acting gigs). Theres far more to life than money and position. All in all, Im quite clear I made the absolute right decision. Life is good and my dreams are coming true before my very eyes. Furaha, 70 When I graduated from architecture school in 1980, at the time of the recession, I was hoping to walk into an office and get a great job offer. After all, I had studied for six years non-stop. To my surprise and disappointment, I learned quickly that no one hires you if you dont have previous experience, important recommendations, and social connections. To find out my own voice and what architecture meant to me, I moved away from my family and friends and checked into a Zen Center, where I cleaned toilets to live among monks and study the art of meditation. It was one of the best decisions I have made in my life. I learned that Zen is a state of focus that incorporates a total togetherness of body and mind. Gisue, 65 Too soon after I married my beshert, my too-good-to-be-true husband, he commenced an affair. After a year of suspicion, prevarication, agony for both of us, intermittent joy for him, and accusatory blasts from me, the affair was acknowledged and declared dead. I clearly stated that should it continue or restart, my first call would be to his eldest son. Eleven months later, I was true to my word. I have no regrets. After I confirmed the affair, I wanted to know for whom my husband had left me. I invited her for a drink. She told me that her kids thought of him simply as an old guy who was smitten with her. I did not regret confirming that her kids were right. Dale,* 70 Im pretty risk-free, except for investing in a marijuana company called Weed Women. And my divorce, but that was a moral decision. I had two little girls to whom I was a role model. I didnt want them to think that is how a wife should be treated. Casey,* 64 The wildest decision I ever made was choosing to poison my husband. He was an abusive alcoholic who loathed our children and I was done with being tortured. Conveniently, he was deathly allergic to nuts and had sealed our relationship the night we met by asking if Id always carry his epi-pen, Benadryl, and albuterol. He loved me! Years later, I realized it would be much easier in countless ways if he died and I didnt have to go through a ghastly divorce. I stirred a quarter cup of peanut butter into his chicken curry and served it. He wasnt dead when I finished putting the kids to bed, so I gave him a 10 oz scotch and a second large dose of curry. Like Rasputin, he wouldnt die. Turned out he wasnt allergic to peanuts, which are legumes and not nuts. My only regret is that I didnt use almond butter. Sally,* 71 The wildest decision I ever made was to move to New York from Trinidad, with my cousins, Ken and Karl. But they were always there for me. They made me feel safe, every step of the way. Angie, 75 Im not really the type to make wild decisions, but back in 1973, when women were beginning to move up the corporate ladder, theres one decision that really changed my life: I resolved to go from being a 10-year, hard-working executive secretary with a high school degree to a professional businesswoman with a college degree. I quit my working-girl job, got a student loan, and managed to live on my savings and graduate from NYUMagna Cum Laude. I was crashing that old boy network and succeeding. Best decision I ever made! Barbara, 74 Moving from the city to the suburbs. The country scares me. The trees felt haunted, full of evil spirits. But it was better for my husband and my baby, so I do not regret my decision. Now, we have a nice life together. Celeste, 62 Ive never taken a real risk. Even fleeing my country wasnt a risk. It would have been crazy to stay, not go! I guess the craziest decision I ever made was marrying my husband. Love is always a risk. But it pays off. Behjat, 89 I traveled by myself to the legendary rainforest of Sumatra. During my visit, I was misled by locals into a sort of rainforest sultans pleasure domea warm, wood-paneled room with a carved canopy bed, private bath with hot and cold running water and shower. I took a shower and wrote in my diary. There was a knock at the door. Someone had left a huge platter of tropical fruit for me, but there was no one in sight. I locked the door and went to sleep in the most luxurious, puffy, feather-bedded king-sized bed. In the morning I stepped out and found sweet coffee and rolls waiting. A young guy with a skinny mustache and curly hair who hadnt been there the night before said in the Queens English, I heard you were looking for the Hostel. I said that, yes, indeed, but wasnt I at the hostel? He threw his head back and laughed. No, they were having fun with you. This is the private compound of the Minister of Forestry, the hostel is just down that path. He pointed to a footpath in the woods. At the time, I did realize I had been foolish. But looking back now, I realize it was probably the most foolish and risky thing Ive ever doneexcept maybe for the time I tried a snake blood cocktail in Yogyakartabut thats another story. Kathy, 60 I walked away from someone I loved because I knew Id be happier alone. I was right. Morgan,* 63 *names have been changed Photos by Beth Sacca. The MR Thoughtline is here! Starting this week, well be sending out three daily text messages to light up your phone and consequently your day. You can think of it like a review with your manager, if your manager was actually your therapist, your therapist was actually your friend, your friend was actually one of us and one of us was actually you. What? Click here to learn more and subscribe. Ttysoon! Claudia Schiffer and her film director husband Matthew Vaughn have taken their local council to court after they approved their neighbours controversial home extension plans. The celebrity couple have been trying to stop Hans Pilo building a modern extension near their Grade I listed 5million manor home, south of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. Ms Pilo, understood to be a relative of multi-millionaire Jens Pilo, who used to own the estate before Schiffer and Vaughn, lodged plans in May. She wants to bulldoze her existing outbuildings and double the size of the house by fitting a two-storey extension. Claudia Schiffer and her film director husband Matthew Vaughn (pictured together last year) have taken their local council to court The celebrity couple have been trying to stop Hans Pilo building a modern extension to Coldham Hall Cottage (right) near their Grade I listed 5million manor home, Coldham Hall (left), south of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk But supermodel Schiffer, 49, and Snatch producer Vaughn, 48, think the plans would ruin the historic vibe of their country estate where they live with their three children, Caspar, 16, Clementine, 14, and Cosima, nine. The couple have now hired lawyers and took West Suffolk Council to the High Court after it approved the plans last October. Following a recent hearing, judges at the High Court quashed the planning consent which the council gave under the Town and Country Planning Act ruling that it hadn't been determined appropriately. They then ordered a fresh planning application be submitted which should be considered on its own merit. Ms Pilo resubmitted her extension plans last month and they are yet to be determined by the council. Ms Pilo, understood to be a relative of multi-millionaire Jens Pilo, who used to own the estate (pictured) before Schiffer and Vaughn lodged plans in May Judges have ordered a series of conditions which the council has to adhere to when deciding the proposals. Judges ordered the council to consider the 'heritage issues of the proposed development without any reference to any previous heritage assessment' and to 'reconsider the issues of curtilage and listing without reference to any previous heritage assessment.' Lawyers acting on behalf of the couple said in a letter to the council: 'In order that your council can properly reconsider the Applicants proposals with an open mind and in accordance with the court order, we urge that the council requires the applicant to submit a DAS (Design and Access Statement) as a necessary part of the application.' Schiffer and Vaughn have lived on the Grade I listed Tudor estate, south of Bury St Edmunds, for some 17 years, having purchased the property shortly before their wedding in 2002. Schiffer (left and right) and Vaughn have lived on the Grade I listed Tudor estate, south of Bury St Edmunds, for some 17 years Vaughn is best known for gangster thrillers Snatch and Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels, and for directing the Kingsman series starring Taron Egerton. Lawyers for the German catwalk star, 49, and Vaughn, 48, objected to the neighbours' initial plans in a letter to West Suffolk District Council. They said that the sight of the cottage's extension would jar with the 16th Century hall and the surrounding old farm buildings. It added: 'We consider that the applications are technically deficient, lacking any assessment of impact upon heritage assets, making no attempt to put forward public benefits, lacking an arboricultural report, and accompanied by a woefully inadequate Design and Access Statement. 'More substantially, the proposed development, by nature of its large and inappropriate footprint, bulk, scale and mass, would have a negative impact on multiple heritage assets, unjustified by public benefits or in any other way.' Drawing on a heritage impact assessment, Schiffer argued that the cottage has a clear presence within the settings of three local heritage assets. Her lawyer added: 'It is visible, even in its present form, from within the open farmyard area, even in the summer months, and is considered to make a neutral to negative contribution to the settings and significance of the identified heritage assets. 'The large overtly residential extension would be detrimental to the settings of the heritage assets, and the proposed garage and store would add... substantial built form to the seemingly rural character of the farmstead.' This picture shows an artists impression of Claudia Schiffer's neighbours house plans, with the ground floor on the left and first floor on the right Despite the couple's opposition, planning officer Adam Yancey wrote that Ms Pilo's work would cause little disruption to the Vaughns because of the 30m distance between the two properties. He said: 'It is therefore considered that the proposed extension will not result in any material adverse impact on the neighbouring property in terms of overlooking, loss of light or having an overbearing impact.' According to Architectural Digest, the 14-bedroom mansion is set in 530 acres and is believed to have been given its name by Queen Elizabeth I after she was served cold ham there. In a 2017 interview, Schiffer told the magazine that she and Vaughn wanted the property to be 'child- and animal-proof'. She is quoted as saying: 'We're not very formal. The whole idea of the house is that everyone can roam. 'I wanted it to be rustic so you felt like you could have muddy dogs running around and kids with jam on their hands.' In response to the concerns, a West Suffolk Council spokesman said: 'The applicant resubmitted their application and we are considering it following our normal processes. Tesla, the Bay Areas largest manufacturer, has greatly reduced the number of workers coming to its Fremont assembly plant, though its not clear if the cutbacks put it in full compliance with health orders Alameda County and five other Bay Area counties imposed Monday to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Of Teslas 10,000-person workforce at the Fremont factory, roughly three-quarters are not showing up to work after the company said workers could take paid time off if they were ill or had concerns over the coronavirus. Sgt. Ray Kelly, a spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriffs Department, said that he has been in talks with the company throughout the day and that the situation was not fully resolved. We still need to get to minimum basic operations for the car production, Kelly said. The county order allows nonessential businesses to continue in limited operations to preserve their businesses. Kelly said it was unclear if the company would continue to make cars at the factory while the order, issued by the county health department, was in effect. The announcement came after the company appeared to defy a government order to shut down. Many employees were told Wednesday to come to work at the electric-car factory. Now Playing: The Tesla parking lot is full as some employees were instructed to come to work on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 after a county order limiting businesses to minimum necessary activities. Video: SFGATE An email sent to employees told some groups to come to the Fremont plant, while others were advised to work from home. The companys instructions, obtained by The Chronicle, came after the county sheriff announced Tuesday that the plant was not considered an essential business and must shut down. Essential businesses like grocery stores and pharmacies may stay open under the shelter-in-place orders, which took effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. There is no broad exception for automakers or other manufacturers under the order. Businesses deemed nonessential can continue to perform the minimum necessary activities to maintain the value of the businesss inventory, ensure security, process payroll and employee benefits, or for related functions, as well as the minimum necessary activities to facilitate employees of the business being able to continue to work remotely from their residences. GM, Ford and Fiat Chrysler are closing plants outside California, the Associated Press reported Wednesday. In an email sent by Teslas North American human resources lead, Valerie Workman, employees in production, service, testing, delivery and some other groups must continue to report to work. Workman said if employees are feeling unwell, they should use their paid time off, and can use up to two weeks of paid time off that they have not yet accrued after what they have is depleted. Workman said that employees can also take unpaid time off after drawing down their paid time off and that they would not face disciplinary action for doing so. Tesla did not respond to a request for comment. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes It was unclear how the countys shutdown order would be enforced. Kelly said other agencies including the Fremont Police Department and the county health department would be responsible for enforcement. The Alameda County Public Health Department, which wrote the order, is fielding questions from businesses but will not be enforcing it, according to spokeswoman Neetu Balram. The county sheriffs department said that the Fremont Police Department is responsible for enforcing the order. The Fremont police did not respond to messages requesting comment. Tesla CEO Elon Musk told employees in a Monday night email that they should not come to work if they feel even slightly ill. He said in the email he would be coming to work and downplayed the danger of the virus, saying the panic was overblown. He expressed doubt that it will infect a significant number of people in the U.S. If we over-allocate medical resources to corona(virus), it will come at expense of treating other illnesses, Musk wrote on Twitter on Monday. Chase DiFeliciantonio is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ChaseDiFelice Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 23:25:42|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAIRO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The Qatari cabinet on Wednesday asked 80 percent of the government employees to work from home starting Sunday over the coronavirus concerns, official Qatar News Agency reported. The decision "has taken into account the necessity of keeping the work on public utilities going on regularly," said a cabinet statement. The decision applies to all government agencies except military, security and health sectors. With 442 confirmed coronavirus cases so far, Qatar has shut down shops not selling food or pharmaceuticals, as well as part of an industrial zone for at least two weeks, a government spokeswoman said. CROWN POINT A Gary man charged with murdering a Merrillville teen trying to sell his Xbox last summer won't be granted bail. Attorneys for Garry L. Higgins, 18, wrote in court filings that the state's evidence against Higgins was insufficient to continue to hold him without bail on charges of murder, murder in perpetration of robbery and two associated counts of robbery. But prosecutors wrote the presumption of Higgins' guilt was strong because Higgins was identified as the alleged shooter by two eyewitnesses. Higgins also gave statements suggesting he was at the crime scene, asked how to get "a deal," and was tied to the homicide by "a deluge of incriminating evidence." Lake Criminal Court Magistrate Natalie Bokota agreed with the state and denied Higgins' petition to let bail in an order filed last week. Higgins has pleaded not guilty to charges in the murder case. Defendants charged with murder typically are not afforded bail, unless the court determines the presumption of guilt is not strong. Higgins is accused of fatally shooting 16-year-old Johnny Peluyera on June 12 in the 5000 block of Maryland Street in Gary, after arranging on the OfferUp app to buy an Xbox from Peluyera. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal Jeff Fletcher snaps on his black latex gloves before he puts a warm, pre-made meal of peas, carrots, beef patty and gravy along with a newspaper in a plastic bag. Bag in hand, he walks up to a door and knocks. He loops the plastic handles around the door and takes a few steps back. As the door cracks open, he greets an elderly woman: Hello, heres your meal. A smile rests on her face as she thanks him. She grabs her meal and closes the door. This is a normal day for Fletcher, a substitute driver for Meals on Wheels of Albuquerque, amid the coronavirus pandemic. Since the first cases of COVID-19 were discovered in New Mexico, the Albuquerque home food delivery service has had to change the way it delivers meals to the elderly. Its definitely a different way of doing things, said Shauna Frost, the groups executive director. Weve never gone through a pandemic before. Before the pandemic, Meals on Wheels hand-delivered meals to clients. Sometimes volunteers would stay and chat; others would perform small tasks for the elderly like getting them a glass of water. Now volunteers are changing gloves after every meal delivered, slathering on hand sanitizer and maintaining about 6 feet of distance between themselves and the client. Rinse and repeat for about 600 meals per day, every day across the Albuquerque area. Aside from the food, Meals on Wheels tries to provide a personal connection to its clients with welfare checks and providing personal interaction. About 80% of the people we deliver to say that the volunteer is the only person they see or talk to on a regular basis, Frost said. Social isolation is a huge part of being unhealthy. Social isolation can lead to poorer health outcomes and can contribute to depression. Having a daily meal delivery, just the fact that someone is coming to your door to check on you to see if youre safe, reduces the risk of falls for seniors, Frost said. About 250 volunteers take on this herculean task but most of the drivers like Fletcher, over the age of 60, are at higher risk for coronavirus. Frost said the program is prepared to move into the next step and deliver five meals to clients once a week, however, this would put most of the elderly volunteers out of work for their safety. To continue their work, Frost hopes to enlist younger people to help. We are here, we are still delivering, and we plan to continue to deliver throughout the crisis and we have plans in place to continue to do so, Frost said. We really rely on the community to continue doing what were doing. For Fletcher, a retired oil and gas worker, volunteering is something he enjoys, but he knows there are risks to being out and interacting with others at this time. Its a very much needed service, Fletcher said. As long as I practice some basic protocol, washing my hands and using gloves, I feel pretty safe. Whats given Fletcher inspiration since the start of the pandemic is the clients positive reception to the programs changes because theyre very concerned about their meals. Its a meal a day. Thats my dinner, Patsy Ball, a Meals on Wheels client, said through a glass door. Like other New Mexicans, finding food at grocery stores has been an issue, but shes grateful she has a son-in-law who will go to multiple stores to find what she needs. Thats determination thats a son-in-law, wouldnt you say, she said. Since the virus arrival, Ball has had to stay home. I cant get out its a public prison. We welcome suggestions for the daily Bright Spot. Send to newsroom@abqjournal.com. Nokia Corporation NOK recently announced that it has teamed up with the national railway company of Switzerland Swiss Federal Railways for the development of an innovative rail system for smartrail 4.0 project. In order to achieve this milestone, the Finnish network provider successfully completed a proof of concept trial of the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS) standard. Per the trial, both the companies leveraged LTE 1900MHz Time Division Duplex radio frequency and advanced measuring instruments to demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of FRMCS. Markedly, FRMCS is the industry-leading global standard for advanced railway communications. Slated to be launched in 2025, the innovative framework provides high-speed, ultra-reliable and low-latency networks that enable smart rail maintenance with faster communications. Equipped with avant-garde network infrastructure, it also supports disruptive technologies like machine learning and AI. The pilot run, which primarily backs smartrail 4.0 project, was conducted in the districts of Fribourg and Neuchatel. Specifically designed for the enhancement of Swiss railway industry, smartrail 4.0 project is an innovative program which harnesses best-in-class digital capabilities to provide an engaging travel experience for rail passengers. The industry-wide initiative involves the participation of various Swiss transport companies. With improved safety and lower operating costs, the next-gen project offers ample opportunities to the railway companies to provide better customer service and manage European rail traffic with improved efficiency and punctuality. This, in turn, is likely to maintain the competitiveness of Swiss rail infrastructure in the long run. Known to be the forerunner of Global System for Mobile Communications Rail (GSM-R) and 5G radio networks globally, Nokia has already deployed private LTE networks in other transport industries. With the incorporation of 5G technology and FRMCS, the modernized rail infrastructure will enhance rail network performance and reliability for mission-critical applications, thereby meeting the infotainment and connectivity demands of operators and passengers. Markedly, the latest endeavor of Nokia is expected to be a game changer with the creation of new operating models and revenue streams amid intense competition and delayed 5G rollouts. Nokia is focused on its strategy that centers on four priorities. The first priority is to lead in high-performance end-to-end networks with its communication service provider customers. The second priority is based on its relentless pursuit to expand network sales to select vertical markets, specifically energy, transportation, public sector, technical extra-large enterprises and webscale players. Building a strong standalone software business remains the third strategic priority. The fourth pillar aims to create new business and licensing opportunities in the consumer ecosystem. The company is expanding business into targeted, high-growth and high-margin vertical markets to address several opportunities beyond its primary markets. However, competitive dynamics continue to take a toll on Nokias performance. Its Mobile Access business has been severely impacted by increased competition from arch-rivals Ericsson ERIC and Huawei. Also, some customers have reevaluated their vendors in light of security concerns, creating near-term pressure for the Finnish vendor. Nokias shares have plunged 61.8% compared with industrys decline of 18.7% in the past year. The Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock topped earnings estimates twice in the trailing four quarters but missed the same in the remaining quarters, delivering a positive surprise of 87.5%, on average. Story continues A few better-ranked stocks in the broader industry are Comtech Telecommunications Corp. CMTL and Telenav, Inc. TNAV, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Comtech exceeded estimates in the trailing four quarters, the positive earnings surprise being 85.9%, on average. Telenav outpaced estimates twice in the trailing four quarters, the positive earnings surprise being 77.1%, on average. 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 >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Nokia Corporation (NOK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Ericsson (ERIC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (CMTL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Telenav, Inc. (TNAV) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 22:22:26|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close CONAKRY, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Guinea confirmed Tuesday a second COVID-19 case on a Guinean female returned from Italy, where she stayed for three weeks, according to sources from Guinea's National Agency for Health Security. According to the Agency, this woman aged around 40 is a merchant and returned from Italy since March 6 without any symptoms of COVID-19. However, a few days after arriving in Guinea, she began to develop symptoms of the disease and immediately went to three private health facilities in Conakry, including a communal medical center and two private clinics. The results of various diagnoses confirmed a case of malaria. With the persistence of the disease, the patient was finally admitted to the Nongo infectious disease treatment center, where further examinations confirmed a case of Coronavirus contamination. To date, the patient has been placed under surveillance in the Nongo treatment and care center, the doctors are working hard to find her various contacts. According to the latest news, four contacts of the patient have been identified and samples been taken for analysis in the molecular biochemistry laboratories in the Nongo center in Conakry. The first case of COVID-19 case in Guinea, who was confirmed on a Belgian woman on March 13, had been recently tested negative, and if the second test for the Belgian woman also be negative, she will probably leave the treatment center on Thursday. Amy McArdle with her daughters Eve (11) in sixth class, Lucia (9) in third class and Esme (5) in junior infants, who are keeping up with lessons from Faughart Community School, Co Louth, via the internet. Photo: Arthur Carron For educators - and, indeed, all other sectors - employment was upended last week. Colleagues in the early-years sector found themselves temporarily laid off, emphasising once again the disparity between the working conditions of early-years employees and almost every other education professional. Primary school teachers mobilised around digital champions who have been sharing ideas and resources across a number of social media channels and lower-tech platforms like WhatsApp groups. Our post-primary teachers have learned new skills from each other and from the PDST - the Professional Development Service for Teachers - and have been prepping for the brave new world of online teaching at scale. Further and higher education staff used to work in offices, with bookshelves laden with reports on how the coming digital revolution would transform the teaching and learning experience. In two days last week, the revolution happened. And there is no doubt that when all of this is over, educational institutions are another of the 'things that will never be the same again'. The focus of all learners - children, young people, and adults - has switched from an institution to a kitchen table. Our youngest learners are in a different space. Because much of their learning is still being adult-led, requiring careful scaffolding and support, their engagement with online learning (with online anything) requires a lot of adult mediation. Expand Close Dr Anne Looney / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dr Anne Looney Depending on their school, parents and caregivers may be getting messages through Aladdin or other similar platforms, or the school website may be offering daily updates. And some primary schools have rolled out online platforms that will connect teachers with students on a daily basis. But in all of these scenarios, it is the parents and those family, friends and volunteers who have stepped in to support parents at work, who will be supporting children and their learning in the weeks ahead. I'm not a psychologist and there is some great professional advice out there about how to reduce children's anxiety levels and handle their hard questions. And I know that some parents have decided that these weeks are not for school, but for play, talk, movies, popcorn, staying in pyjamas and under duvets on the sofa. All of the above are commendable (indeed, I plan on most of them myself at some point!). But my advice would be to give at least some time each day, or even every second day, to what is available from school. When this is over and schools reopen, your children may well be Ireland's greatest Harry Potter experts, but they will also need to have had the shared experience of connecting with their teacher and their class in that time off. Schools will be in catch-up mode and teachers, most of whom are parents, will know that children will have very different experiences in these weeks, but will have a reasonable expectation that children have accessed the material sent out to them. As events unfold, we may well all find ourselves under the duvet, or singing from our balconies, but for this week, build some time for what comes from school into the day. The National Parents Council has usefully reminded us that these weeks will be a partnership between home and school, between families and teachers. There are some kinds of learning in which parents and families can take the lead. These are unprecedented times, but giving children a sense of the 'special', and of their importance in 'the emergency' can give them a sense of agency, as a counterbalance to feelings of helplessness and fear. Today, think about giving children (aged 10 and over, but some younger children may well have a good go at this) a new notebook and pen (right) and ask them to start a diary with an entry for every day, documenting not just their school work or their play/popcorn/duvet experiences, but how they connected with their friends online or over the phone, and how they felt. Set a time at the end of each day for writing in the diary (this might be something for the adults to try too!). Remind children that, in the future, they can show these diaries to their children to tell them all about what happened in 2020. Make them the researchers and curators of these strange and unnerving times. A memory box is also a good idea - gathering artefacts from these weeks. Museum curators are doing this on a professional scale, gathering masks, hand sanitiser, toilet rolls, photographs, press releases and the like for posterity. What about 'curating' at home and filling a box with 'stuff' from these weeks? Younger children might be given the task of capturing the 'photo of the day' using an adult phone, but with the promise of a printed photograph when normality returns. Use the photos as talking points too and, with the child's permission, share these with the extended family to validate their view of their homebound world. Later, some of these photographs can be brought to school and used in the many discussions, essays and projects that lie ahead. In 2030, when we mark the anniversary of Covid-19, these will be important testimonies from our youngest citizens. They will offer unique insights into how we lived, how we learned, how we lost, how everything changed, and how we survived. Dr Anne Looney is Executive Dean, Institute of Education, Dublin City University Putin orders April vote on constitutional changes The amendments, if passed, would allow Putin to run again despite the current constitutional ban. There had been speculation the vote would be postponed due to the coronavirus. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday signed a decree, approving a nationwide vote on the constitutional amendments on April 22. PUTIN MAY BE ELECTED FOR THE THIRD TERM If the amendments get the public approval, Putin will be able to run for the presidency again. Currently, the Russian constitution prohibits a sitting president to serve more than two consecutive terms. On March 10, Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman to have flown in space and a member of parliament, suggested lifting the restriction and found support from the parliament. The country's constitutional court also ruled that the amendment is "possible." All the four BJD candidates were on Wednesday elected to the Rajya Sabha unopposed as opposition BJP and Congress did not field any nominee for the polls scheduled to be held on March 26. Odisha Assembly Secretary-cum Returning Officer for the Rajya Sabha polls, Dasarathi Satpathy announced election of the four BJD candidates- Subhas Singh, Munna Khan, Sujit Kumar and Mamata Mahanta. The announcement came after the time for the withdrawal of nomination papers came to an end at 3 pm. Satpathy also handed over certificates to the victorious BJD candidates at the state Assembly. Though four Independent candidates had filed nomination papers, their candidature were rejected for not having the required 10 MLAs as proposers. While the Congress could not field any candidate as it lacked at least 10 proposers to back its nominee, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hesitated to contest the Rajya Sabha polls as it has only 23 members in the state assembly, while a candidate required at least 29 first-preference votes to win the election. While the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has 113 MLAs in the 147-member House, the BJP has 23, followed by nine of the Congress and one of the CPI(M). There is also an Independent legislator. Under such circumstances, the ruling BJD's nominees comfortably got elected to the upper house of Parliament. While Singh, an OBC, is a trade unionist, Khan, a party old-timer and close associate of late BJD founder Biju Patnaik, comes from the Muslim community. Kumar, who was an adviser to the Special Development Council, is a general category candidate and hails from Kalahandi district. Mahanta is a BJD women's wing member from Mayurbhanj district. Four of the 10 Rajya Sabha seats from Odisha are falling vacant on April 2, after completion of tenure of BJD lawmakers- Anubhav Mohanty, Narendra Kumar Swain and Sarojini Hembram and Congress member Ranjib Biswal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four more persons have been arrested in Mizoram for allegedly spreading fake on novel coronavirus, taking the total number of arrests in this regard to 15, police said on Wednesday. Inspector General of Police L H Shanliana told reporters that all the arrests were made between March 10 and 13. He said a fake circular was circulated on Tuesday night appealing Mizos residing in other states to return home within a stipulated time, failing which they would be declared non-Mizo. Shanliana said the person from whom the fake circular had originated has been identified and would be arrested soon. He cautioned people against spreading or believing in rumours. The IG said that 42 entry points to Mizoram along its inter-state and international borders have been sealed to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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. FILE PHOTO - Fujifilm's company logo is seen at its exhibition hall nearby the headquarters of Fujifilm Holdings Corp in Tokyo By Roxanne Liu and Makiko Yamazaki TOKYO/BEIJING (Reuters) - Shares in Japan's Fujifilm Holdings Corp surged 15% on Wednesday after a Chinese official said an active ingredient of the company's Avigan anti-flu drug appeared to help coronavirus patients recover. Avigan, also known as Favipiravir, is manufactured by a subsidiary of Fujifilm, which has a healthcare arm although it is better known for its cameras. The drug was approved for use in Japan in 2014. Favipiravir has been effective, with no obvious side-effects, in helping coronavirus patients recover, Zhang Xinmin, an official at China's Science and Technology Ministry, told reporters at a news conference on Tuesday. But a Fujifilm spokesman said the company expects no direct earnings impact from potential sales growth of Favipiravir in China, at least for now, as its license for the key ingredient in the country already expired last year. In Japan, Fujifilm manufactures Avigan only on receiving orders from the government and has no sales target for the drug, she said. Fujifilm shares closed Wednesday up 15.4% at their daily limit high of 5,238 yen. In a clinical trial in Shenzhen involving 80 participants, patients who took Favipiravir showed greater chest improvement and took less time to test negative for the genomic trace of the virus, compared with patients not given the drug, Zhang said. First developed by Fujifilm Toyama Chemical Co Ltd, the drug has been approved for manufacturing in China by Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical Co Ltd for use against new or recurring influenza in adults, the Chinese drugmaker said in a filing last month. In 2016, the Japanese government supplied Favipiravir as an emergency aid to counter the Ebola virus outbreak in Guinea. (Reporting by Tomo Uetake in Sydney, Roxanne Liu in Beijing and Makiko Yamazaki in Tokyo; Writing by Elaine Lies in Tokyo; Editing by Tom Hogue, Kenneth Maxwell and Raissa Kasolowsky) Advertisement Two Navy ships - the USNS Comfort and the USNS Mercy - are being turned into huge floating hospitals to help treat the wave of coronavirus patients who will need care when hospitals become overwhelmed but they won't be ready for weeks as military medical staff are scrambled to fill them. The ships provide 1,000 beds each but it is unclear whether they will bring other crucial supplies, like ventilators and surgical masks. They will both be manned by Navy personnel and will house non-coronavirus patients, leaving the city's hospitals free to take in those who have tested positive for COVID-19. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in 2001, the Comfort was dispatched to New York City where it provided medical treatment to some first responders at ground zero. In the week after its arrival, it provided food and shelter to 10,000 relief workers who were tasked with working at the disaster zone. It is unclear where the Mercy will be docked. President Trump said on Wednesday that he had not yet decided where it will be stationed but it will be somewhere along the West Coast, possibly San Diego. It came as Gov. Andrew Cuomo assured New Yorkers that the city will not be placed into full lockdown mode, as Mayor Bill de Blasio suggested, but that extra measures were being taken to stop the spread of the virus. As of Wednesday afternoon, 14,000 had been tested for coronavirus in the state of New York alone and 2,383 have tested positive. Of that number, 23 per cent - 549 people - have been hospitalized. There are now more than 7,000 cases of coronavirus in the US and 121 people have died. Healthcare workers are terrified that soon, the sheer number of people needing intensive care will overwhelm hospitals across the country. Field and expeditionary hospitals have also been advised to prepare to be deployed, White House officials said on Wednesday at a press conference where President Trump admitted that the virus - which he is insisting on calling the Chinese Flu - 'snuck up on us'. The ships alone cannot address the shortage of beds, ventilators or hospital staff that is looming but they are the first indicators of military intervention in the crisis. The USNS Comfort which is on its way to New York to serve as a floating hospital that will treat coronavirus patients The ships will be staffed with Navy doctors and will be held in harbors to keep patients separate from others HOSPITAL SHIP USNS COMFORT WAS DEPLOYED TO NEW YORK CITY AFTER THE 9/11 ATTACKS USNS Comfort arrived Pier 92 on the west side of Manhattan about 8.30pm on September 14, 2011, three days after the attacks. It was staffed with 300 Navy medical personnel, and 61 civilian mariners who were deployed to assist with the medical care of injured survivors, but their mission turned logistical as they cared for first responders working at ground zero. In the week after its arrival, it provided food and shelter to more than 10,000 relief workers. It provided 30,000 meals to first responders, and did 4,000lbs of laundry. When it needed to, torn clothing and boots were replaced with donations from the Red Cross. The ship's clinic saw 561 emergency disaster workers for cuts, respiratory ailments, fractures and other minor injuries. It also provided 500 mental health consults to help relief workers mentally prepare before they headed back to ground zero. USNS Comfort arrived Pier 92 on the west side of Manhattan about 8.30pm on September 14, 2011, three days after the attacks The crew were not permitted to leave the pier where USNS Comfort was docked, but on one occassion Navy Commander Ralph Jones - director of surgical Services on board the ship, and a surgical oncologist - led a team of four people to the disaster site to assess the damage. 'All of a sudden, I had about 40 or 50 firefighters gathered around me, crying. They needed help and a break, but they were afraid that if they left the scene, they woulnd't be able to come back.' The ship was also designated by the City of New York as the secure location for emergency landings for VIP personnel. It also supported military efforts in the region, safely conducting 16 launch and recoveries for U.S. Marine Corps SH-60s and U.S. Army Black Hawks, as well as NYPD Police H-1 Aircraft. It provided 30,000 meals to first responders, and did 4,000lbs of laundry. When it needed to, torn clothing and boots were replaced with donations from the Red Cross - SOURCE: MILITARY HEALTH SYSTEM Advertisement 'I look at it as a war time. That's what we're fighting. It's a very tough situation. 'You have to close parts of the economy that six weeks ago were the best we've ever had. 'But we're doing it and doing it well. The American people have been incredible. For the most part, they've been really incredible. The government's official advice is for people to stay at home, work from home, avoid groups of 10 or more and stay 6ft away from people at all times. They are not implementing a full lock-down like in Italy or France. Instead, they are urging people to take the necessary precautions now in an effort to stop the virus's growth. Along with a shortage of ventilators and hospital beds, there is a severe shortage of medical masks and gloves. Hospitals are now being told to delay all non-essential procedures. 'We need millions of masks, we need ventilators. We have ventilators but we need a lot more,' President Trump said. Vice President Mike Pence said there were 10,000 ventilators in a 'stockpile' currently but that the government had ordered 'thousands more'. On Wednesday morning, an ER doctor in Seattle told Good Morning America that the hospital 'down the street' from him had run out of ventilators. The government is now putting together a stimulus plan to try to alleviate the economic hardship the pandemic is causing. The Surgeon General Jerome Adams said that the practical advice for Americans was to stay at home for the next 15 days and avoid social gatherings but it would 'likely' take longer to stunt the spread of the virus. 'If we can get America to pitch in for the next 15 days, we can flatten the curve. 'Fifteen days is likely not going to be enough to get us all the way through, but we need to lean into it now to bend the curve over the next 15 days and at that point we will reassess. 'What you're talking about is our 15 days to stop the spread. 'We want them to avoid gatherings of 10 or more, unnecessary travel, work from home if at all possible. 'When we look at the data, our numbers are where Italy's are two to three weeks ago. 'Do we want to go the way of Italy or do we want to go the way of South Korea and China who were actually able to level off the peak and decrease the numbers,' he said, referring to the two countries' harsh approach which involved people self-containing weeks ago and staying home. Adams said he felt the nation was 'turning a corner' in the amount of people taking the virus seriously. 'We're starting to turn a corner. People really are [sensing the urgency]. 'I have a 15-year-old son and a 14-year-old son at home. 'They don't care what dad says, even if he is the surgeon general, but by golly do they know that Kevin Durant just got diagnosed with the coronavirus and they're taking it seriously,' he said, referring to the Brooklyn Nets player who, along with three teammates, has the virus. 'We want people to understand; chances are you don't have it and chances are if you do have it you will recover.' The US has now closed its border with Canada to all non-essential crossings. Trump said there was no 'tipping point' for the decision that he and Trudeau decided it was necessary. The president reiterated on Wednesday how unprecedented the system is. The USNS Mercy is also being dispatched and will dock somewhere along the West Coast - its destination has not yet been decided In a file image, a health worker adjusts a lamp in one of the operating rooms on board the USNS Mercy The deployment of the two ships is among the first steps the government is taking to mobilize the country's military to help fight the virus There are now more than 7,000 cases of coronavirus in the US and it is fast spreading; 115 people have died so far President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the virus 'snuck up on us' but that the country would 'win' the fight against it 'Nobody ever had to test the entire nation for the flu... this has never been done before,' he said. The government is partnering with the private sector to push out new, efficient tests. Trump on Wednesday referred to the virus again as the 'Chinese Virus' and said he'd handled it well from the beginning What is trying to be avoided is a full shut down. Cuomo slammed the 'fear and panic' generated by suggestions that it was on the cards at his own press conference, saying: 'The fear, the panic is a bigger problem than the virus. 'All of the restrictions are statewide, they will track the trajectory of the disease. 'If we get that spread down, and we can handle it in the healthcare system we'll relax them as soon as possible. 'Past data - China, South Korea - shows if you take dramatic action sooner then you recover sooner.' Cuomo had contradicted the mayor Tuesday evening, saying there will be no shelter in place order issued. Hours earlier de Blasio warned 8 million New Yorkers to be prepared for it. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said on Wednesday that people needed to stay at home for at least 15 days to make a dent in the spread of coronavirus but that it will likely be longer and that the country will have to 'reassess' Gov. Cuomo said he had 'very good dialogue with President Donald Trump, telling reporters Wednesday morning: 'We are fighting the same war, this is a war, we are in the same trench. Those comments directly contradicted Mayor de Blasio, who confirmed that as of Tuesday evening the number of coronavirus cases in the Big Apple has surged to 923 with 10 deaths just hours. He warned cases in the city will soon hit 10,000. 'We've lost 10 people already it's increasing in a way, I don't even think our leaders in Washington begin to understand this but here in New York, we have the most cases of any state in the country', de Blasio said Wednesday morning. 'So what I was saying to people is get ready for the possibility. 'It's a decision we would only make with the state of New York, of course. 'But people have to realize at this point that this disease is going to put many, many people, thousands and tens of thousands of people's lives in danger.' Thistledown Terr. and Demott Dr., 10:58 p.m. March 3. A deputy responding to a report of an altercation attempted to approach a vehicle occupied by two individuals when the driver backed up on the deputy and then proceeded to drive toward the deputy. The driver stopped when the deputy ordered him to stop with his service weapon. An 18-year-old Ashburn male was arrested and charged. Saudi Arabia has repeated the blunder it made in November 2014 by increasing oil production during an oil-price collapse. In 2014, it led to a depression in the oil industry. This time, it may be the tipping point for a global economic depression. On Saturday March 7, discussions between Saudi Arabia and Russia ended with no agreement to cut production. On Sunday, Saudi Arabia announced price cuts and its intention to boost production. The largest single-day fall in oil prices occurred the next day (Figure 1). Figure 1. The largest single-day Brent price decrease on March 9, 2020 showing standard deviation (SD) limits above and below the norm. (Source: Quandl and Labyrinth Consulting Services, Inc.) Things were not looking good for oil prices before then. Prices had peaked in early January with the assassination of Iranian General Soleimani, the announcement of a U.S. China trade agreement and an OPEC+ production cut. As I wrote in late December, the price rally was doomed because it was based on sentiment and not market fundamentals. Then the Coronavirus outbreak became public. I wrote in early February that Coronavirus would crush oil prices. It did. The Saudi price cut in March compounded and accelerated the collapse of oil prices and of broader markets. Why It Happened Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia delivered an ultimatum to Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, to cut oil production on his terms. Mr. Putin doesnt accept ultimatums so he ignored it. MBS cut prices and announced a production increase. The events of the past week were an axiomatic response by Saudi Arabia taken from earlier playbooks. Between 1981 and 1985, the Saudis cut their production by 6.8 mmb/d hoping to stop the decline of oil prices in the face of new supply from the North Sea, Siberia and Mexico (Figure 2). King Fahd got tired of cutting without much help from OPEC allies and with no resulting price relief. He fired oil minister Ahmed Yamani, cut prices and increased production. Related: Largest Oil Glut In History Could Force Crude Prices Even Lower Figure 2. Saudi Arabia oil production fell by 6.5 mmb/d from 1981 to 1985. (Source: EIA, BP and Labyrinth Consulting Services, Inc.) In 2014, world oil prices were again collapsing. Saudi oil minister Ali al Naimi asked Russia to join OPEC in cutting production. Russia refused. Saudi Arabia cut prices and increased production. See the pattern? The guiding principle of Saudi oil strategy over the last three decades has been to never again make the mistake it made by cutting production alone in the early 1980s. Analysts and journalists who say that there is a price war or a war on shale should study history instead of inventing mindless memes. Global Depression The coronavirus epidemic will lead to a global recession of a magnitude that has not been experienced before. Li Edelkoort The prolonged hiatus in economic activity particularly in the United States and China makes a global depression practically unavoidable. Energy is the economy and most of the worlds energy comes from oil. The present devaluation of oil will spread to other commodities and currency. Although oil price devaluation was inevitable because of coronavirus, the recent Saudi price cut and production increase has accelerated and compounded its effect on the global economy. It may become a Lehman moment. GDP will fall as less oil is consumed. That is empiricalGDP and oil consumption have an R2 correlation of 0.96 (Figure 3). What may not be well understood is how much the U.S. and China dominate this relationship. Related: Saudi Arabias Oil War Could Bankrupt The Kingdom Figure 3 shows two charts using the same data. The graph on the left has logarithmic scales and the graph on the right has cartesian scales. Figure 3. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is proportional to oil consumption. The graph on the left has logarithmic scale and the graph on the right has cartesian scales. Source: EIA, World Bank and Labyrinth Consulting Services, Inc. The left-hand graph shows the correlation. The right-hand graph shows the disproportionate weighting of China and the US on both GDP and oil use. Together, they account for 32% of world GDP and 34% of oil consumption. Chinas oil consumption is probably down 4 mmb/d for the first quarter of 2020. If it returns to normal by Q2 (unlikely), that implies ~1% drop in annual global GDP. Things wont normalize in China and the U.S. contraction will compound lower consumption well beyond Q1 not to mention lower consumption in the rest of the world. There are lots of reasonable objections to using this correlation deterministically but it offers a high-level perspective about where the economy is probably going. Thats why it is difficult to imagine an outcome other than depression. The last time that there was a global surplus of this magnitude was never There will be a lag between falling prices and demand, and a corresponding decrease in production. Meanwhile, inventories will build and some expect that global storage capacity will be exhausted by summer. Is that reasonable? Figure 4 shows the accumulation of comparative inventory accompanying the last oil price collapse in 2014. 5 months elapsed from the beginning of price decline until C.I. reached the 5-year average. It was another 18 months before peak storage and minimum price were reached. Despite analyst expectations, neither U.S. nor global storage capacity were filled. Figure 4. Eighteen months from five-year average to comparative inventory peak, October 2014 to February 2016. (Source: EIA and Labyrinth Consulting Services, Inc.) Comparative inventory is just below the 5-year average currently. Assuming a similar rapid fill rate, maximum storage levels would not be reached until July 2021. Todays WTI settle price of $28.70 is almost as low as the minimum level reached 4 years ago suggesting that price may have much farther to fall before finding a bottom. It seems unlikely that the virus will be contained before the second half of 2020 at the earliest. That is why I expect an economic depression and oil-prices of $20 or lower before long. Tipping Point When the normal spread of a disease transforms into an epidemic, it is called a tipping point. It is that moment when a small change tips the balance of a system and brings about a large change. We are there. Im not talking about coronavirus. Im talking about the tipping point of our civilization. Humans have not evolved emotionally since hunter-gatherer times on the African savanna. We believe that the planets space and resources are ours to use however we want regardless of implications for the earth and its other species. We have developed an economic system that values economic growth above all else. Oil, more than any other factor, has super-charged our economic growth over the last century. When growth began to slow as oil became more expensive, we turned to debt, a call on some future energy surplus. The Financial Collapse of 2008 was a signal that we needed to de-leverage our debt. Instead, we devised clever ways of papering over the debt problem with more debt. Now, the coronavirus has abruptly stopped the machinery of growth. Contagion mans primordial fear is spreading. Markets are collapsing and there are no solutions in sight. The most social of species is facing isolation. We have crossed a threshold. It cannot be successfully crossed in fear. The virus will pass and this is not the end of times. Still, things will not return to the way they were before the tipping point was reached. We must finally seek balance with each other and with the planet, and, hopefully learn to live with less. By Art Berman More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The GM logo is seen at the General Motors Warren Transmission Operations Plant in Warren, Michigan By Paul Lienert and Joseph White (Reuters) - The Detroit Three automakers and United Auto Workers agreed on Tuesday to curtail production at U.S. factories and limit the number of workers on the job at one time to prevent the spread of the coronavirus among roughly 150,000 factory employees. The union and the automakers agreed to "rotating partial shutdown of facilities, extensive deep cleaning of facility and between shifts, extended periods between shifts, and extensive plans to avoid member contact," the union said in a statement. The agreement came hours after UAW President Rory Gamble went public with his dissatisfaction with how General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV had responded to his proposal on Sunday that the companies stop production in the face of the coronavirus threat. Gamble warned he would take unilateral action if the automakers did not do more to secure hourly workers on factory floors. The tension between the UAW and the Detroit automakers highlighted a divide in the U.S. labor force that extends well beyond the auto industry. The automakers have allowed salaried employees whose tools are design software and spreadsheets to work from home to reduce their risks of exposure. But the companies had required factory workers whose hands assemble the vehicles to come work in buildings where thousands labor side by side, and congregate in break areas and cafeterias. Gamble had told the automakers on Sunday that they should shut U.S. factories for two weeks, and made that position public early Tuesday. The agreement reached after talks late Tuesday allows the automakers to keep building profitable models such as Ford's F-150 pickup, Fiat Chrysler's Jeep Wrangler and GM's Cadillac Escalade at a reduced pace. The compromise is less costly than a full shutdown that would have forced the automakers to forego billions in revenue during the current quarter. Story continues U.S. vehicle sales are likely to slow as consumers are urged, or forced, to stay home in many states. Slowing production could avoid building up inventories of vehicles that would have to be discounted later. Ford said on Tuesday it had to temporarily stop production of sport utility vehicles at a plant in Chicago because of parts shortages. The UAW said the automakers also agreed to "work with us in Washington, D.C., on behalf of our members as we manage the disruption in the industry." The union's statement did not elaborate on what it wants from the U.S. government, but a parade of industries is forming in the capital seeking assistance as coronavirus lockdowns threaten the economy. Separately, GM and Ford disclosed Tuesday that they each have had one employee, both working at U.S. engineering centers, test positive for coronavirus. They marked the first confirmed cases of coronavirus among the automakers' U.S. employees. While GM said that its affected employee was based at its Michigan technical center, the UAW separately said the GM worker was a member of the union. GM said its medical team was 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 building where the employee worked was restricted, and the building was cleaned, GM spokesman Jim Cain said Tuesday. 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 Chris Reese, Tom Brown and Michael Perry) Noting that it is difficult to exactly predict the expiry of anything from this world, the Madras High Court has said merely because a disease cannot be treated or cured a welfare state should not be deterred from continuing to provide financial assistance to those in need. A bench of Chief Justice AP Sahi and Justice Senthil Kumar Ramamoorthy made the observation while directing the Tamil Nadu and Central governments to allocate Rs 9.40 crore totally as an interim measure toward the treatment of patients affected by rare and potentially fatal Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs). The court passed the interim direction last week on a public interest litigation petition from LSD Support Society of India seeking a direction to the state Health Department to ensure cost free, uninterrupted and definitive treatment to the patients suffering from LSDs. According to the petitioner, LSDs are a group of 40 plus rate, genetic disorders which affect one in about 8,000 live births. A patient with LSD not only develops physical deformation in cell structures, but eventually suffers multi- organ malfunctions and causing deaths. The state government had informed the court that the disease was not curable and the financial aid would only help prolong the longevity of a patient. The bench in its order said: We may put on record that such a perception need not deter the government from proceeding further, as we are of the firm opinion that it is difficult to exactly predict the expiry of anything from this world. In the hope that a person cannot be treated, one should not forget that hope itself, at times, brings about miracles, it said. Therefore, it was the duty of every responsible citizen, more so, that of a welfare state, not to lose faith or hope and continue to provide whatever assistance possible within the means available, the court added. The bench also said the governments plea of non- availability of funds did not impress it, adding during the pendency of the litigation and in the preceding six months, at least, four of such patients have lost their lives. In such circumstances, it would be appropriate that the state and the central governments should gear up their financial resources in order to meet this challenge, if not fully, at least in part, it said directing the state to allocate Rs five crore to meet expenses of patients who may be urgently requiring it. The court also directed the Union Health Ministry to provide a one-time aid of Rs 40 lakh each in respect of at least 11 patients as an interim measure and posted the matter for further hearing to June 9. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) SHN will not be paid leave for those who choose to travel: Minister Lawrence Wong Singapore has issued an advisory encouraging residents to defer all non-essential travel, and for those who choose to go ahead with their travel plans, the 14-day Stay Home Notice (SHN) upon their return will not be on paid leave. "It is not quite like the current situation where you are caught or if you are coming back, the SHN is issued to you, you can take 14 days of SHN and it is paid leave," said Minister Lawrence Wong, Co-chair of the Multi-Ministry Taskforce on COVID-19, on March 17. Photo: Connected to India In addition, the employer will also not be entitled to claim the SGD 100 allowance that the Singapore government had previously put in place to help employers. "The advisory has already been put in place you are not supposed to travel. And if people still wish to, then they have to take responsibility for their actions," Wong said in a press conference. Emphasising the need for Singapore residents to defer their travel plans, he added, "It puts everyone at risk you put yourself at risk, you put your family members and people around you at risk." Harvey Weinstein enters a Manhattan court house as a jury continues with deliberations in his trial on February 24, 2020 in New York City. prison. Film producer Harvey Weinstein entered a maximum security prison in upstate New York on Wednesday to begin serving his 23-year rape and sexual assault sentence. Weinstein, 67, was received at Wende Correctional Facility in Alden, a small town in Erie County located east of Buffalo and about a 45-minute drive from Niagara Falls. He will remain there "throughout the classification process," a New York State Department of Corrections official told CNBC. "There is no standard timeframe for this process, as it varies based on the individual's programmatic, medical and other needs," the official said. The producer of "Pulp Fiction" and "Shakespeare in Love" was sentenced in Manhattan state court a week earlier. Explosive news reports about Weinstein's alleged abuse were a major catalyst for the #MeToo movement, which led more women to publicly share their own allegations of mistreatment by high-profile men. Arthur Aidala, one of Weinstein's lawyers, told CNBC on Wednesday afternoon that they plan to file an appeal of his conviction on July 13, with oral arguments on that appeal expected to take place around six months later. Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing March 17, 2020 James S. Brady Press Briefing Room 11:39 A.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much, everyone. Thank you. Progress being made. And I appreciate you all joining us. Last night, the FDA announced groundbreaking new policies to further increase testing very substantially so. All states can now authorize tests developed and used within their borders, in addition to the FDA. So the states are very much involved. They have been involved from the beginning. But we're stepping it up as much as we can, and the testing procedures are going well. And within a short period of time, all other private labs will kick in. This has never been done before, and it's going to be something very I think it's going to be incredible if it's done properly. And these are great companies. These are among the greatest companies in the world, actually. So the states are going to be dealing through themselves and with local government, local physicians, local everybody. They're also dealing with us. But we have a tremendous testing capacity. Today, we're also announcing a dramatic expansion of our Medicare telehealth services. Medicare patients can now visit any doctor by phone or video conference at no additional cost, including with commonly used services like FaceTime and Skype a historic breakthrough. This has not been done before either. In addition, states have the authority to cover telehealth services for their medical patients. And by doing this, the patient is not seeing the doctor, per se, but they're seeing the doctor. So there's no getting close. During this time, we will not enforce applicable HIPAA penalties so that doctors can greatly expand care for their patients using telehealth. So the penalties won't be enforced. We encourage everyone to maximize use of telehealth to limit exposure to the virus. It's been a very successful method of communication but never used on a scale like we're going to use on telehealth. And you'll be able to also better maintain hospital capacity by doing this. Earlier this morning, I spoke with executives from America's fast-food industry Wendy's, McDonald's, all of the big ones, Burger King and they were great. We were talking about the pick-ups in light of yesterday's guidance, you heard, to avoid eating or drinking at bars, restaurants, or public food courts. We discussed the important role that the drive-through, pick-up, and delivery service can play in the weeks ahead. So that's happening, and they have been fantastic. They have been absolutely fantastic. And they've been doing it already. But they're keeping it open and smaller staffs. They're very capable people and very capable companies, and they're doing it, the pick-ups. Our guidance yesterday urges Americans to take action for 15 days to help stem the outbreak. So it's a 15-day period. I guess, now I would say it's a 14-day period. It was 15 days from yesterday, and we're asking everyone to work at home, if possible, postpone unnecessary travel, and limit social gatherings to no more than 10 people. By making shared sacrifices and temporary changes, we can protect the health of our people and we can protect our economy, because I think our economy will come back very rapidly. So it's 15 days from yesterday. We'll see what happens after that. If we do this right, our country and the world, frankly but our country can be rolling again pretty quickly. Pretty quickly. We have to fight that invisible enemy that, I guess, unknown but we're getting to know it a lot better. Today, the Senate is taking up coronavirus legislation that includes free testing for those who need it, as well as paid sick leave and family medical leave for workers affected by the virus. We're also committed to getting small businesses the support that they need. In fact, one of the things we talked about with the fast food operations we spoke to the chairmen and CEOs of all of the companies but one of the things we discussed is exactly that: getting small businesses support and flexibility that they need for themselves and for their workers, and that's being worked on right now. At my direction, Secretary Mnuchin is meeting today with senators on additional stimulus packages. I can tell you he was meeting with them late until the night, last night, and for a big part of the day yesterday, and tremendous things are happening. There's great spirit. Tremendous spirit. And I can say that for Republicans and Democrats. I can say that, with respect to Governor Cuomo, we had a great talk this morning. We're both doing a really good job, and we're coordinating it. And we agree you know, different states need different things. And we we agree on that 100 percent. But we had a very good talk, and I think we're right down the same track, and it's going to be very successful. New York has a pretty big problem. I guess, would be the number one hotspot. It's no fault of anybody. It's just the way it is. But we're working very closely together. We're also getting FEMA very much involved. They've been involved, but now we're getting them to a different level, and we'll have everything ready. We're dealing with the Army Corps of Engineers should that be necessary. We have them working, in some cases; on standby, in other cases. But my conversation with Andrew Cuomo was a very, very productive one and a very good one. And I appreciate that. We're giving relief to affected industries and small businesses, and we're ensuring that we emerge from this challenge with a prosperous and growing economy because that's what's going to happen. It's going to pop. One day, we'll be standing, possibly up here, and we'll say, "Well, we won." And we're going to say that. As sure as you're sitting there, we're going to say that. And we're going to win, and I think we're going to win faster than people think, I hope. Later today, I'll meet with the leaders from the tourism industry, as well as industrial supply retailers and wholesalers, to discuss their critical roles. As you know, I met with the department store people, all of the retailers the big ones, including Walmart and others and it was a great meeting. They're stocking up their stores like they've never stocked them before. We're trying to get people to actually buy less if that's possible. Buy less. Don't take everything. Just buy what you need for a while. It's they're going to stay open all hours of the day. And they've really been they've been fantastic. We're taking aggressive action now as one nation and one family so that America can rebound stronger frankly, stronger than ever before. And we recognize that while many American workers can work from home, many others cannot. Many of our healthcare providers, first responders, and men and women in the food service and manufacturing are showing at they're showing up and standing up to provide us with the goods and services we need. So we want people to stay home where they can, but in many cases, when you talk about food service and manufacturing, certain items in particular, they are they're going in and they're practicing all of the safety rules and regulations that we talk about. So with that, I'd like to just introduce our great Vice President, Mike Pence. He'll say a few words, and then I'll make some other introductions. Thank you very much. THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Mr. President. Good morning. It should be very clear to the American people that President Trump has initiated not only a whole-of-government approach, but a whole-of-America approach. And the President's interaction, even today and through the course of this day, with leaders in industry around the country, reflects that we're not only bringing the full weight of the federal government to bear, but the full weight of the American economy. And I know I speak on behalf of the President when I say how inspired we are at the way the American people have stepped up and the way that American businesses, large and small, have stepped up. It's truly been inspiring. Our task force met this morning. We continue to focus on President Trump's priorities of testing, prevention, and supplies. And in that category, I'm pleased to report that while testing is available in all 50 states, as the President just indicated, through the swift action of the FDA, at the encouragement of governors around the country, now state health authorities can authorize labs in their state and expand existing testing capabilities. But also in connection with the FDA's action, which you'll hear more about in a moment, we now have continued to expand the public and private partnership that the President forged with vast commercial laboratories around the country, increasing access to the high volume of high-throughput coronavirus testing that is greatly expanding access even as we speak. Also, our task force received a report this morning on the progress that the U.S. Public Health Service and FEMA are making, working closely with state governments and also partners in the private sector like CVS, Target, Walgreen, and Walmart, to expand remote testing sites around the country. And we'll have a full report later this week as those come online. It's important the American people understand that testing is happening all over the country. But all of our health experts wanted me to tell the American people you don't need the results of testing to know what you should do. And President Trump's 15-day coronavirus guidelines are advice for every American in every community. They're the result of the best guidance of CDC and our health experts. And, as the President said, we continue to urge every American over the next 15 days to put into practice the principles in the President's coronavirus guidelines. By every American practicing these principles, we believe that we can slow the spread of the coronavirus. In fact, our experts have told our taskforce that if every American acts on the President's coronavirus guidelines, we could see a substantial reduction in the spread of the coronavirus. But as the President said, it will take all of us to do it. And so, if you feel sick, stay home. If someone in your house tests positive, keep the entire household home. Especially if you're a person with an underlying health condition, we urge you to stay home and practice social distancing from people. No social gatherings of more than 10 people. Use drive-through, as the President discussed with leaders in the industry today. And every American, especially practicing common sense and good hygiene. For the American people as a whole, the risk of serious illness remains low, but we're asking every American to partner with us in this effort to slow the spread of the virus and especially to be mindful of seniors or others with serious underlying health conditions for whom the threat of the coronavirus can be very significant and very real. As I said, the President has continued to push our task force to bring a whole-of-government, a whole-of-America approach. And we continue to be inspired the way our nation's governors, the nation's businesses are responding. We spoke just yesterday with the leaders of every broadcast network in America that will soon be unveiling a public service campaign using CDC guidelines. And specifically, as we work on the issue of supplies meetings yesterday with Department of Defense officials about excess supplies; the President and I will be meeting today to speak about the supply chain for hospitals we would make one specific request, and that is: We would urge construction companies to donate their inventory of N95 masks to your local hospital and forego additional orders of those industrial masks. Because of what the President asked to be included in legislation moving through the Congress today, those industrial masks that they use on construction sites are perfectly acceptable for healthcare workers to be protected from a respiratory disease. But we're asking construction companies that our President knows very well from his background we're asking them to donate their N95 masks to their local hospitals and also forego making additional orders. At the President's direction, we will we will continue to do whatever it takes. We'll continue to marshal the best of the American people, the best of all the people behind me, the people behind them, our state and local officials. And we will get through this, and we will get through this together. Thank you, Mr. President. THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Mike, very much. Thank you. THE PRESIDENT: I want to thank Chad Wolf and Homeland Security. The job they did at the airports was really incredible. They screened thousands and thousands of people. O'Hare got backed up, but a little bit, but they got them out. But everybody was screened and screened very carefully. They didn't want to rush it. I think it was 13 airports. And it was it was an incredible thing. Then they had a big surge also from the UK and Ireland, and that went very smoothly. But they did a fantastic job. They worked long hours and they did a fantastic job. I'd like to introduce Steve Mnuchin, and then I'm going to ask Steve to leave because he's going to the Hill. He's been working very hard with the Senate and with actually, with the House on a very, very big, bold package. It's going to be big and it's going to be bold. And the level, again, of enthusiasm to get something done, I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it. So, Steve Mnuchin, please. SECRETARY MNUCHIN: Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to announce some very significant actions that the President has approved today. The first, I would say, is: Earlier today, I sent a letter to Fed Chairman Powell approving his request to use 13(3). And what that will do is, the Fed will be setting up a special purpose vehicle, which the Treasury will invest $10 billion in from one of our funds. That will enable the Fed to guarantee the purchase of A1/P1 commercial paper going forward. That is a 1-trillion-dollar market and it is critical to American workers, it's critical to American business, and it's critical to American savers who have a lot of that money in money market funds. So we heard, loud and clear, there were liquidity issues. This is very significant. And we'll create I don't think we'll need to use it all, but we have the ability to have the Fed purchase up to $1 trillion of commercial paper, as needed. That has already created significant stability in the market today. The second thing I would say is, you know, we've previously talked about deferring IRS payments. The President, earlier this morning, authorized me to announce this program. I have previously announced we would defer $200 billion. The President suggested we increase that to $300 billion, which we will be doing. Now, let me just be clear on the specifics: We encourage those Americans who can file their taxes to continue to file their taxes on April 15, because for many Americans, you will get tax refunds and we don't want you to lose out on those tax refunds. We want you to make sure you get them. Many people do this electronically, which is easy for them and easy for the IRS. If you owe a payment to the IRS, you can defer up to a million dollars as an individual. And the reason why we're doing a million dollars is that covers lots of pass-throughs and small businesses, and $10 million to corporations, interest-free and penalty-free for 90 days. All you have to do is file your taxes. You'll automatically not get charged interest in penalties. Now, of course, any American has the right to extend their taxes. We're not taking that right. But the President has asked us to go up to $300 billion. That's also an enormous amount of liquidity in the system. The third thing is the President and I worked on a very significant economic stimulus plan. Thank you for being available last night and throughout this morning. And I will be presenting that to the Republicans in the Senate this morning and also discussing that with the House. We look forward to having bipartisan support. We're now working with the Senate to pass this legislation very quickly. And these will be payments to small businesses. We've talked about loan guarantees to critical industries such as airlines and hotels. And we've also talked about a stimulus package to the American worker. You can think of this as something like business interruption payments for the American workers. Thank you. THE PRESIDENT: Do you have any questions for the Secretary of the Treasury? Q When you say a stimulus package for American workers, do you mean direct payments to Americans, or are you talking about a payroll tax holiday? SECRETARY MNUCHIN: Although the President likes the idea of the payroll tax holiday, I will tell you, what we've heard from many people and the President has said we can consider this the payroll tax holiday would get people money over the next six to eight months. We're looking at sending checks to Americans immediately. And what we've heard from hardworking Americans, many companies have now shut down whether it's bars or restaurants. Americans need cash now, and the President wants to get cash now. And I mean now, in the next two weeks. Q How much? SECRETARY MNUCHIN: I will be previewing that with the Republicans. There's some numbers out there. They may be a little bit bigger than what's in the press. THE PRESIDENT: Go ahead. Please. Q Mr. Secretary THE PRESIDENT: Please. Wait. Please. Q Secretary Mnuchin, what help are you going to give to airlines, specifically? SECRETARY MNUCHIN: I've had discussions with all the airline CEOs this week. The airline CEOs have had conversations with the Senate and the House. As the President said, I was up with a subset of the Republican senators last night. I've discussed that with them. I think, as you know, this is worse than 9/11. For the airline industry, this is they are almost ground to a halt. The President wants to make sure that although we don't want people to travel unless it's critical, we want to maintain for critical travel the right to have domestic travel. Q They want $60 billion dollars. Is that SECRETARY MNUCHIN: I'm not going to comment on the specifics. I will tell you, we're very focused. There's a lot of workers. This is strategically important to us and we'll be working with Congress on this. THE PRESIDENT: The airline industry will be in good shape. Yeah. Go ahead, please. Q There's been talk about 1,000-dollar checks to every American. Increasing support among Republicans and some Democrats for that. Would you support that going to everyone? Or would you support some sort of income restriction on who gets a check? SECRETARY MNUCHIN: Well, I think it's clear: We don't need to send people who make a million dollars a year checks. Okay? But we like that's one of the ideas we like. We're going to preview that today, and then we'll be talking about details afterwards. THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think I think we're going to do something that gets money to them as quickly as possible. That may not be an accurate way of doing it, because obviously some people shouldn't be getting checks for $1,000. And we'll have a pretty good idea by the end of the day, what we're going to be doing. John, please. Q Can you tell how would the mechanics of this work? I mean, we've been talking about a payroll tax holiday. Some $500 billion worth was floated to me today. So how would this idea of sending people a check work? Would you would that be sort of advance on what they would pay in payroll taxes? How would it work? SECRETARY MNUCHIN: Again, we want to make sure Americans get money in their pockets quickly. We want to make sure small business owners have access to funds; we want to make sure that hotels, airlines. We have an entire package. We'll be laying out those details later today. THE PRESIDENT: Yeah, I have to say this: There are four different ways you can do it Q (Inaudible.) THE PRESIDENT: That's okay. Four you can hear me well enough, I imagine. Q I can, but it's the people at home. THE PRESIDENT: Okay. Oh, the people at home, you're right. Those are very important people, come to think of it. Q More important than us. THE PRESIDENT: Especially your people. Look, we have four or five ways we can do it four ways in particular. I think there's a fifth possibility. But there are some very good ways of getting the money out and getting it out quickly. A payroll tax is one way, but it does come over a period of months, many months, and we want to do something much faster than that. So I think we have ways of getting money out pretty quickly and very accurately. Okay? Q Mr. Secretary, can you talk about the timeline, please? How quickly do you think you can get this done while there is broad bipartisan support? SECRETARY MNUCHIN: The President has instructed me we have to do this now. So this is now. We Q By the end of the week? SECRETARY MNUCHIN: Oh, we are going to work with the Senate, who's in session right now, actively. We will continue to have conversations with the House. I've already spoken to Speaker Pelosi once today. This is stuff that needs to be done now. The President has instructed me that this is no fault to American workers. For medical reasons, we are shutting down parts of this economy, and we're going to use all the tools we have, as I've said. And what tools we don't have, we're going back to Congress. Q And we've seen the price tag as high SECRETARY MNUCHIN: I got to go back to Q as $850 billion. To those who might be concerned that's too expensive? THE PRESIDENT: We don't want to talk about it, but it's a substantial number. We're going big. The expression we could do it two ways; we could keep going back every day or every week. We're going big. And that's where Mitch McConnell that's the way he wants to go. That's the way I want to go. I think we want to get it done and have a big infusion as opposed to going through little meetings every every couple of days. We don't want to do it that way. We want to go big, go solid. The country is very strong. We've never been so strong. And that's what we're going to be doing. We don't want with this invisible enemy, we don't want airlines going out of business. We don't want people losing their jobs or not having money to live, when they were doing very well just four weeks ago. So we're going big, and that's the way it'll be. And that's the way everybody seems to like it on the Hill. Any other question for Steve? Q Mr. Secretary, in addition to airlines and hotels, you had a call with restaurants today. Was any type of emergency assistance discussed on that call? A lot restaurants have to close. Even, if they are doing delivery, they're not making as much money as they would with a full house. SECRETARY MNUCHIN: Well, let me make two comments on the restaurants. And the President understands this; this was emphasized this morning. First of all, we want to make sure that the states allow the drive-through portion of these fast foods to stay open. Particularly in a time period where we're telling people "don't go to restaurants," these companies feed a big part of America, and I expect they're going to feed a bigger part of America. The second thing they asked me to emphasize I wasn't going to do it now, but as long as you asked many of these companies have apps. You can order ahead of time. That way, when you get there, it's as simple as they'll have it packed. They can give it to you with social distancing, and it'll be very fast. So we expect that they will be able to feed a large part of the population. And in regards to support, I will say a lot of these businesses are small businesses are companies, franchisees, 500 or less and we have a specific program we'll be unveiling that helps all business small- and medium-sized businesses of 500 and less. Q Mr. Secretary, a real quick question regarding Marriott Corporation. It announced that it is furloughing thousands of individuals because of the impacts of the coronavirus. Will your legislation help those individuals? SECRETARY MNUCHIN: I hope so. That's one of the reasons why we got to act very quickly, because we understand whether it's the airlines, hotels for good reasons to protect the United States on medical issues, these businesses are shut down. And the President wants to make sure, as I've said, we will use all the powers we have. You saw this today: trillion dollars of potential liquidity into the market. And the powers we don't have, we're going to Congress. And I will say there's a lot of bipartisan support for these issues. So I'm going to apologize because I have to go deal with some other things, if that's okay, Mr. President. Q Will you consider shutting down the stock market? THE PRESIDENT: Thanks, Steve. SECRETARY MNUCHIN: Oh, yeah, I this THE PRESIDENT: Go ahead. SECRETARY MNUCHIN: I do want to comment on this. Okay? We absolutely believe in keeping the markets open. Okay? Americans need to know they have access to their money. After September 11th, the only reason why the markets were closed was because the technology was disrupted. I've been on the phone with the major banks, with the New York Stock Exchange. Everybody wants to keep it open. We may get to a point where we shorten the hours, if that's something they need to do. But Americans should know that we are going to do everything to make sure that they have access to their money at their banks, to the money in their 401(k)s, and to the money in stocks. So I want to just be very clear, we intend to keep the markets open. THE PRESIDENT: And the banks are record-setting strong. So we have we have that, which is a much different event than what we had not so long ago. John, go ahead, please. Q Mr. President, you mentioned the Army Corps of Engineers THE PRESIDENT: Right. Q and that you've had a conversation with Governor Cuomo. THE PRESIDENT: Right. Q He believes that New York is going to run out of hospital beds. Are you prepared to mobilize the Army Corps THE PRESIDENT: Well, we've been asked to, and we're Q to increase capacity? THE PRESIDENT: Yes, we're starting to. We're starting the process. And it's a 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 what they're doing. Q And given that many of the precursors for our pharmaceuticals come from China, and there have been disrupt- there have been supply disruptions that supply chain has been broken to some degree do you expect that we could run into a shortage of prescription drugs? THE PRESIDENT: 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. They have every incentive to do so. Jon? Q Mr. President, the governor of Ohio has called off the election that was supposed to happen today the primary election. Do you agree with that decision? And what steps are you taking to ensure that elections going forward if this pandemic continues that elections will be able to happen, including, of course, the big one in the fall? THE PRESIDENT: Well, the governor of Ohio is doing a great job. He called that off, and we'll see what happens. There's a court case, and it hasn't been fully determined yet. But if he called it off, I could understand that because, you know, he he's definitely somebody that knows what he's doing. We'll be seeing what very soon. You know, they're going by the rule of 10 as opposed to 50, and that's pretty tough. I would say, probably, you could violate that if you wanted to for an election. I just think an election is a very special thing. He's going to choose he chose a different date. I think a date that sometime in June. But that would be a decision that would be made by him. He felt it was necessary. The courts are somebody is challenging it. So the courts will ultimately decide. Q But what are you doing to ensure that further elections if we're still in this situation a month from now, two months from now THE PRESIDENT: Yeah. What I'm doing Q do you suggest to July? What do we do? THE PRESIDENT: What I'm going, Jon, is very simple. We're getting rid of this virus. That's what we're doing. That's the best thing we can do. By the way, for the markets, for everything it's very simple, very simple solution. We want to get rid of it. We want to have very as few deaths as possible. This is a horrible thing. You look at what's going on with Italy. We don't want to be in a position like that. But a much larger because we're a much larger country. We don't want to be there. And I think we've done really well. I think we've done well. I think the states have done well. We're all working together. The best thing we can do is get rid of the virus. Once that's gone, it's going to pop back like nobody has ever seen before. That's my opinion, but I think it'll pop back like nobody has ever seen before. Please. Q Mr. President, just to follow up on John's question: Specifically, how many new hospital facilities could the Army Corps of Engineers build? And also, what specific measures are you taking to try to increase the number of ventilators in the stockpiles? THE PRESIDENT: Right. We've ordered massive numbers of ventilators. We have by any normal standards, we have a lot of respirators, ventilators. We have tremendous amounts of equipment. But compared to what we're talking about here, this has never been done before. And yesterday I gave the governors the right to go order directly if they want, if they feel they can do it faster than going through the federal government. Now, we've knocked out all of the bureaucracy; it's very direct, but it's still always faster to order directly. And I gave them that was totally misinterpreted by the New York Times, on purpose, unfortunately. But the but it's very important. Yes, Mike. THE VICE PRESIDENT: If I could amplify THE PRESIDENT: Yeah, please. Yeah. THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you. The President directed us to work with the Department of Defense. There's two ways that DOD can be helpful, in terms of expanding medical capacity. I know the governor of New York has asked us to look at the Army Corps of Engineer, 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 can be deployed very quickly. We spoke with Governor Inslee yesterday in Washington State. We have resources in that part of the country that we can move. And as governors make these requests, we will process them, bring them to the President. But there are two different lanes that DOD can provide, in addition to many medical supplies to augment our national reserves. And the President has tasked us to evaluate, make available, and to consider every every request from governors for either field hospitals, expanding facilities, or the Army Corps of Engineer that could retrofit existing buildings. THE PRESIDENT: The Army Corps is very prepared to do as we say. And we're looking at where it's going. But and they do call them MASH hospitals, but the field hospitals go up very quickly. They're we have them. We have all of this equipment in stock. And we're looking at different sites in a few different locations. And we're not going to need them in West Virginia where, so far, I guess they have none. Still none? Still none, right? West Virginia. Q No known cases. THE PRESIDENT: Big Jim, the governor, is he must be doing a good job. Q Or is that just reported? THE PRESIDENT: That's what's reported. They Q No, no, but is that a reporting issue or is that that they have no cases? THE PRESIDENT: Well, that's all that I just see West Virginia is the only one that has no cases. So, obviously, that's being treated differently than a New York or a California different parts of California. I do say this, though: 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 we can have quite a few units up very rapidly. I'm going to work with Governor Cuomo. I'm going to work with a number of the governors. Governor Newsom has been very generous in his words, and I'm being generous to him, too, because we're all working together very well. And I think a lot of very positive things have taken place. We're talking to California about different sites. But we can have a lot of units up fairly quickly if we think we need them. Q Mr. President, to follow up on THE PRESIDENT: I think what I'll do is, I might ask Seema to say a few words on the telehealth, and then we can back to this. Please. Seema? ADMINISTRATOR VERMA: Thank you, Mr. President. And as the President announced earlier, we are doing a dramatic expansion of what's known as telehealth for our 62 million Medicare beneficiaries who are amongst the most vulnerable to the coronavirus. And we're acting in accord with the appropriations bill that was signed on March 6th, as well as the President's emergency declaration last week. And this action is a part of our broader effort to ensure that government requirements, rules, and regulations don't get in the way of patient care during an emergency. And today's announcement builds on the significant progress that the President has already made over the past three years around telehealth services. And while we have allowed for virtual check-ins, full telehealth benefits have been restricted to those living in rural areas, established patients, and just for those brief visits. But no longer. Medicare beneficiaries across the nation, no matter where they live, will be able to receive a wide range of services via telehealth without ever having to leave home. And these services can also be provided in a variety of settings, including nursing homes, hospital outpatient apartments, and more. And thanks to the leadership of HHS, we'll also be temporarily relaxing certain HIPAA requirements so that doctors can provide telehealth with their own phones. And we'll be using enforcement discretion when it comes to collecting co-pays so that cost won't be a barrier. This a part of our larger efforts around mitigation. And as we are encouraging Americans to stay home whenever possible, we don't want our Medicare policies getting in the way. And so consider the implications of this: Perhaps an elderly patient with diabetes needs a routine check-up, and this has nothing to do with the coronavirus. And so, with our new telehealth benefits, this person who is not really who is at risk for the coronavirus doesn't have to venture outside their home. They can talk to their doctor via Skype, and they don't have to risk exposure to the virus, and they can receive that care from the safety of their own home. It could be another Medicare recipient who is experiencing mild flu-like symptoms, and instead of leaving the house and sitting in a waiting room full of other vulnerable people, they can also receive advice from their doctor, from their home. And this shift is very important for clinicians and providers who, over the coming weeks, will face considerable strain on their time and resources. And now, Medicare patients who don't absolutely need to come in to an office won't have to. And this allows the healthcare system to prioritize for care for those that are more that have more needs or are in dire need, and preserves protective equipment as well. State Medicaid agencies can also provide telehealth services without federal approval. And so we're asking all states to make this available as well. And we've also asked private insurance companies to expand their telehealth benefits and make it clear to their providers and their members what they cover. As our nation seeks to balance the twin imperatives of getting Americans the care that they need during this outbreak, and limiting the spread of the virus, the impact of this historic action simply cannot be overstated. In an emergency, those on the frontlines shouldn't have to worry about federal rules and red tape hamstringing them when they need flexibility above all else. And we're doing everything in our power to make sure that that doesn't happen. I also just want to briefly mention that because of the President's emergency declaration, we do have the ability to provide a lot of Medicaid waivers, and Florida was the first state to be approved. We were able to do that in a matter of days. Thank you. THE PRESIDENT: Any questions? Please. Q Yeah. Where do citizen seniors go for instructions on how to do the telehealth? ADMINISTRATOR VERMA: They should call their doctor's office, and their doctor's office can tell them how to do that. Also, you know, there may be some of our Medicare members that may not have access to equipment, so we're asking family members to help with this, but also respecting the requirements around social distancing. And if any of those family members or neighbors have symptoms, they should obviously stay away. THE PRESIDENT: Will you be posting numbers also? ADMINISTRATOR VERMA: That's correct. Exactly. THE PRESIDENT: That might be the easiest way to do it if you post in ads, if you post some numbers. ADMINISTRATOR VERMA: And they can also call our 1-800-MEDICARE number and they can also get information. Those phone lines are open. THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you very much. Admiral, if you'd say a few words about where we're going, and then I'd like to ask Dr. Birx to say a couple of words about how the system is working. ADMIRAL GIROIR: Well, thank you very much. As we talked about earlier this week, the commercial system is rapidly advancing in the testing capabilities. As of today, our public health laboratories meaning the CDC and the public health labs have reported out 31,878 tests. So almost 32,000 tests. The clinical laboratories the Association of Clinical Laboratories have reported out about 27,000 tests. And most importantly, of those 27,000 during the cumulative period of time, 8,200 of them were yesterday. This is showing the dramatic ramp as the high-throughput comes in. We don't have the numbers this morning from the American Hospital Association, which means all of the individual hospital laboratories. We will have that upcoming in the next day or so. And then Ambassador Birx will have this whole process fixed under with the legislation that everything will roll up into a common reporting, probably by the end of next week. In terms of our drive-through laboratories, again, these are blossoming all over the country by individual states. The ones that we are heavily involved in, in really pushing equipment to, we expect over the next few days to begin setting up 47 of these in approximately 12 states. The material is already palletized and being shipped to the locations. Most cities have the specific locations, some do not, but it's still going to a central receiving. And we know that we'll be deploying at least 140 Commissioned Corps Officers. About half of the sites have reported their requirements. About 140 officers will be going. We expect that to go up. So this is going on the way we expected. We did a trial site yesterday with a full mobile unit for drive-through, with full PPE. We had a lot of kinks in the system, as you can expect. That's why we do a test before we go out into the field. Don't expect these to be 100 percent perfect the moment they come. They're going to be adapted to the state and the local situation, but we're very confident that these will add testing to the already very robust healthcare system and commercial system. Thank you, Mr. President. THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Thank you, Admiral. And this has never been done before. And it sets a great roadmap for future, should we have something like this in the future. I hope we don't. But it's never been done before, and they've done an incredible job. Again, we're working with the states and relying on the states. We have to because they they have it's point of sale, it's point of site. And we're in, I think, just about every instance, getting along really well with the states. If I could, Dr. Birx, if you could say a couple of words, please. DR. BIRX: Great. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. So I think what you've been hearing from us is to find solutions that are high quality and sustainable based on the frontline workers and governors' requests. And I those come in on the governors call. We've been immediately responsive to those. And that's the level of red tape and bureaucracy that we have removed. I think that point about sustainability and quality is very important. Because, as the President says, we're creating a roadmap for a different level of functionality for future pandemics. Our flu-pandemic preparedness plan was a plan. Now we're seeing where we have to revise, where we have to create new avenues of research, new avenues of work to really ensure that the need of the American people can be reached. We were adamant about having a high-quality test based on our commercial vendors. Over the next few months, you will begin to see that other tests that were utilized around the world were not of the same quality, resulting in false positives and potentially false negatives. These tests were studied, and studied by the FDA, to really ensure that they are that level of quality. And we've given the states the permission to ensure that same level of quality. Now, I wanted to say, one minute on the testing: Testing should not be used as an assessment of your risk. We are asking every single American, no matter what your generation, from Z and up to X, and millennials in between, to really ensure that you're following these guidelines. We hear every night of people who are not in work, moving that time into bars and other areas of large gatherings. If we continue with that process, we will fail in containing this virus. So every single generation has a role to play. We're asking our older generation to stay in their homes. And we're asking the younger generations to support them in social contacting through videos and other Skype-type functions, or just the simple telephone. We're asking the younger generations to stop going out in public places to bars and restaurants and spreading asymptomatic virus onto counter tops and knobs and grocery stores and grocery carts. I heard an innovation last night and this morning again on the news. I really want to applaud the private sector who are now creating senior-only shopping times. I think that's extraordinary. I think that shows what America brings. And I think other countries will learn from us about how to really protect seniors in this type of way. I'm hoping that carries through to next year when we have our flu epidemic, where we can really have a very different profile of the amount of mortality that we have during flu that we never talk about. Anywhere from 15,000 to 45,000 individuals are lost every year. If we learn how to do this well, and sustain some of those core changes, we can change the way respiratory viruses not only for this, but the future affect Americans. THE PRESIDENT: It's a big thing. Right, Doctor? Maybe a couple of questions. Yes, Jim. Q A question on the clinical data. So we've had now roughly 5,000 people test positive. We've had 90 deaths or so. When are we going to know the data of who those people are; who has been infected; what the ages are; what the preexisting conditions are; how serious it was, both for those who have been tested positive but also those who have died? DR. BIRX: Well, you're singing my sheet of music. I'm very data oriented. So thank you for bringing up this issue of data. I really want to applaud HHS. We had a discussion about this several days ago. They've made calls into Seattle and California to really understand that, and also, importantly, to understand how many of their patients needed ventilators, how many of them needed oxygen support, how many of them needed and what they needed. Could we predict, early, someone who was going to have a more difficult course? These are all the questions we're asking right and answering right now. We did get an early report back from Santa Clara and Seattle. We're digesting it. We just got it this morning. We're looking at that carefully because we think that roadmap is very important to other communities. We have not discussed this with New York yet. We do know from other countries and that all is available online, that profile you can see that mortality under 30 is extraordinarily low. The mortality across the board, outside of Wuhan, is now settling somewhere around 0.7. But that should not be reassuring because it's much higher in people with preexisting medical conditions, even if young, and people that are older with preexisting medical conditions. And so we still want every American focused on doing what they can do today to change the course of this pandemic. Q Will you commit to making that data public so we will all know? DR. BIRX: We're committed not only to making it public but to have a website that everyone can see in real time. THE PRESIDENT: Please, John. Him. Q Dr. Birx, if I could just follow up. You all are signaling a much more aggressive posture toward containment and mitigation now. And many states have been very aggressive, but there is a small number of states that have not issued public guidance to their residents. Is it important for the success of the effort that 100 percent of the states be forward leaning on this? And, if so, Mr. President, what would be your message to those states that have not? THE PRESIDENT: Okay. DR. BIRX: So that's why the Vice President and the President, yesterday, issued those critical guidelines. As I said this morning on "Fox and Friends," you can look at them as guidelines, you can look at them as requirements, and you can look at them as the President asking every American and every state to follow those. That's why we put them out at the federal level. We wanted to make sure every American knew what they could do today to change the course of this epidemic. I think it's empowering. I think it says all of us have a social responsibility to each other, and that's why we believe that every mayor and every governor should be instituting these guidelines that came from the White House and the President of the United States. THE PRESIDENT: And we've been very tough on those states. I know exactly who you're talking about. We've been very tough on them. Thank you. Please, go ahead. Q A follow-up question on the testing. You've been telling us for days now that millions of tests have been sent out. So why have fewer than 60,000 people actually been tested? DR. BIRX: I think you will see different numbers this week. You heard just of 8,000. Remember, all of these tests the high-speed tests were approved last Friday last Friday night and last Thursday night. I think if I could talk to Thermo Fisher and the other groups that have these platforms out there: Do not rely on a pull technology. Push out those tests. Because we can only make them available. Groups have to order them. So I we've been talking to Thermo Fisher, one of the key platforms, to push out tests based on need, and not wait for orders. Q Is that where the issue is, getting the tests out? Or is it getting the test conducted? DR. BIRX: That's a great question. I know part of it is getting the test out right now. I think the Admiral and others are working on getting the issues related to getting the test conducted. Obviously, that does take time. He is working on innovative solutions that are creative and sustainable that will be a game-changer in testing. But we don't have the data yet. This is a critical comparator. Can you do it yourself? Can you actually sample yourself? These are the kinds of things we're working on right now, and he's getting the data for us. THE VICE PRESIDENT: It's coming online (inaudible). THE PRESIDENT: And the states are actually doing a lot of this. The governors and the states are doing a lot of it with even our tests. Yeah, go ahead. Go ahead, please. Q Okay, thank you. Can you give us a sense of how long these tough, new restrictions will need to be in place until we start to see the rate of this virus going down? Also, can you speak to this study that as many as 2.2 million people in the United States could die if there weren't this type of action by the government taken? To what extent did that prompt what we saw yesterday? DR. BIRX: So, I think, you know, models are models. And they're based on input, and they're based on infectiousness without any controls. I can tell you we've never seen that level of infections that modeled up to that 2.2 million in mortality. So we are looking at that. We are having a particularly model meeting tomorrow. I think that's really going to be important. I've dealt with a lot of modelers in my time. They're wonderful people, but they all have their favorite inputs, and they all have their favorite integration functions. So we're evaluating all of those so we can integrate and create the best model for the United States based on the best data. And that first set of recommendations you saw were based on what we could do today to prevent anything that looks like that. If I could just say one other thing to the hospitals and dentists out there: Things that don't need to be done over the next two weeks, don't get it done. If you're a person with an electric sur- elective surgery, you don't want to go into a hospital right now. There's a lot of distraction. There's a lot of people doing a lot of other things to save people's lives. So let's all be responsible and cancel things that we can cancel to really free up hospital beds and space, and then let's do everything that we can to ensure that we don't need the ventilators because we protected the people who would have needed to use them. Q And are you looking at the possibility of more actions like, for example, limiting travel within the United States? Are you looking THE PRESIDENT: It's possible. It's possible. We'll see how it goes. I think a lot of there's been great cooperation with local governments, states. We'll see how it goes. It's going it's going, right now, pretty well. Yeah, please go ahead. Q And, Mr. President, a quick follow on that, Mr. President. Very quickly. THE PRESIDENT: Please. Yeah. Q Just very quickly. THE PRESIDENT: Go ahead. Q Do you need to invoke the Defense Production Act to get more of those medical supplies to different hospitals across the country? THE PRESIDENT: Well, we're able to do that if we have to. Right now, we haven't had to, but it's certainly ready. If I want it, we can do it very quickly. We've studied it very closely over two weeks ago, actually. We'll make that decision pretty quickly if we need it. We hope we don't need it. It's a big step. Q But as the states say they need more help from the federal government when it comes to those supplies, what do you say to those governors? THE PRESIDENT: Well, when you say the states in particular, three states need some help. And some states, you know, have two people, three people no people, in the case of, again, West Virginia. So we're looking at it very closely. We've taken it apart 15 different ways. It's a very difficult thing to do. It's a very big step. And if we need that step, we'll take it, okay? Q A quick follow-up to Kristen's first question. A lot of people have got travel to places that aren't considered hotspots Caribbean, Mexico, that sort of thing over the next few weeks. Would you recommend that they follow through with these plans? THE PRESIDENT: I would just say: Enjoy your home. Stay. I would just say, right now, we we have to get this problem fixed, and then we'll get back into business really quick. We'll open up our country, we'll open up our society. The world will hopefully open up. We see areas of the world that are that haven't done well, and we see areas that are doing very well. And I would put us in the category of doing very well for a country so big. I think that I would recommend that they just enjoy their living room. Jon? Q Mr. President Yeah, go ahead. Please. Q What do you say to people who are not heeding these guidelines from the White House? And then, also, I have a question on asymptomatic people that Dr. Birx THE PRESIDENT: Yeah, sure. I'm not happy with those people if they're not. But, you know, those people are being shouted down by other people. They know it. They're being it's almost like self-policing. People went in, and there are couple of instances, I guess probably more than a couple where people are not happy when they see others doing what they're not supposed to be doing. We have to get rid of this. We have to win this war, and, ideally, quickly. Quickly. Because the longer it takes, it's not a good situation. And I'm not even talking about the economy. I'm talking about the lives of a lot of people. Yeah, please. Did you have one? Q Will the White House put any restrictions on corporate bonuses for companies that do get bailed out, like airlines? THE PRESIDENT: I'm going to ask I think I'm going to ask Mike. Answer that question, please. THE VICE PRESIDENT: I think it's all a work in progress. What President Trump has made clear to industries around the country is that we're going to do whatever it takes. We understand this is an extraordinary moment in the life of our nation. It's the reason why the President brought in leaders of the financial sector, the airline industry. He'll meet with all additional industry leaders today in tourism and hospitality. But he has tasked the Secretary of the Treasury to work with members of Congress in both parties to make sure that we construct the kind of economic support that will allow those industries to weather the period of the coronavirus and then to come back stronger than ever before. THE PRESIDENT: We've had we've had such incredible I don't know, it's almost the word "spirit" is the best word. It's like a spirit. THE VICE PRESIDENT: That's true. THE PRESIDENT: The banks have come in and the banks are doing things that they would have never done. They're working on extensions and lots of things that they wouldn't have done. Co-pays, with regard to the insurance companies I mean, for them to be doing what they're doing and you know all about the co-pays they would have never done that, and they did it. They were in my office. They I would say the 11 biggest in this country; I guess, probably, the 11 biggest in the world. The big ones, all the big ones. And they they did things on co-pay that nobody would be doing, that they wouldn't have done in a million years, but they're doing it. There's a great spirit going on right now in the country. So you want yes, please. Q A question for Dr. Fauci. Dr. Fauci, you've said you like being accused of overreacting because that is an indication we may be doing things necessary to beat this, bend the curve. How long do you think it will take for you to be confident that, yes, we're bending the curve or, no, we're not? DR. FAUCI: You know, I can't give you a firm number on that because the dynamics of outbreaks, in some respects, are predictable. Historically, they do this and that. We don't know because this is really unprecedented. I mean, of all the outbreaks that I've been involved with over the last, at least, 36 years, and then going historically back, we've never had a situation where the mobilization of all the different components: travel restrictions, internal containment, mitigation, financial assistance, public health assistance, testing. So we don't really know. But the one thing I do know: I do know that if you look at models, with all of their vicissitudes of models, is that when you have input into the kinds of mitigations and things that we're doing, we're going to see a hump instead of a peak. I would be really surprised if all the things that we're doing and this is, really, comprehensive approach. I was struck as I was listening to everyone make their their presentations that, you know, I'm a scientist, I'm a health person, and I'm a physician who sees patients. So I look at it from one particular standpoint. But what I'm being impressed by is that this is really a comprehensive thing that has multiple components to it. All of them got to succeed if we're going to get to that endpoint that I've described multiple times from this podium. So I hope that if everyone does their job, we're going to be able to give you a number and say, "You know, we've seen that inflection and we're coming down." I would hesitate to do it now, to be honest with you, because it might be misleading and I don't want to be misleading. I just want to say one other thing, because I heard Dr. Birx say it, and I think we need to say it over and over again: When I was young a long time ago I felt that I was invulnerable the way I think many of us feel we're invulnerable. And when we're asking the young people to help us with this mitigation strategy by staying out of the bars, staying out of the restaurants, really trying to distance yourself, don't get the attitude, "Well, I'm young, I'm invulnerable." You are well, in some respects, you're certainly less vulnerable than I am. However, what you might inadvertently do and I know you don't want to do that you don't want to put your loved ones at risk, particularly the ones who are elderly and the ones who have compromised conditions. We can't do this without the young people cooperating. Please cooperate with us. Thank you. Q Dr. Fauci Q Mr. President THE PRESIDENT: Go ahead. Q Dr. Fauci and I'm going to use my notes so I get this right, but there's apparently a new study out of China. It found that the vast majority of cases 86 percent were in untested patients with mild to no symptoms. So what does that say about the impact of testing? And does it mean that testing should actually go beyond the sickest patients? DR. FAUCI: You know, that question keeps coming up, and I'm not going to evade the question, but I want to make a point. We tend to think that we're not going to be able to mitigate or contain without testing. They complement each other in some respects, but they're separate channels. Even if we had no testing, we should be doing what we're doing now. The question you're asking so I won't evade is specifically: Would it be important, outside of a doctor, patient coming in together, of knowing what's out there; what might be under the radar screen? The answer to your question is "yes." So let me tell you what the CDC is doing right now. They're going out there, and part of their program is to get a feel for what is there that wasn't initially thought to be coronavirus, that was thought to be something else. When you do that, you're also going to get a feel of what the penetrance is in society. So we are heading with the high-throughput things that you've been hearing about to get an answer to your question. Q Dr. Fauci, Governor Cuomo said this morning he believes that we'll see a peak in terms of infection in 45 days. Would you concur with that? DR. FAUCI: You know, it's possible. I mean, I know the Governor has been really, I believe, doing a really good job of trying to stay ahead of this. Forty-five days is not unreasonable. You have to be careful. When you get a number, you own the number. And then if the number doesn't come out, you're in trouble. And that's the reason why, from our standpoint, from the federal government, we're talking about a range. So within that range I mean, it isn't like you want to be correct for the sake of being correct, but you don't want to be wed to something and then have to back off. THE PRESIDENT: Go ahead, please. Q When is the soonest that we'll know that these new guidelines are actually bending the curve or actually working? And is there a point in time where, you know, in the next couple of weeks, where you'll be able to tell the President more draconian measures are needed? DR. FAUCI: Well, okay, so what's happening I mean, if you look as a metaphor, it's kind of like a race against the virus. If left to its own devices, we'll do this. And us trying to somehow blunt that. Now, you could see the virus going up and up, and your effect, your work what you're trying to do may actually be having an effect, but you may not see it because it'll still be going up. And as you're trying to implement your interference with the virus, you may not realize that you are actually interfering, and you'll say, "Wait a minute, it's still going up. What's going on? You've done nothing." But you don't know whether it would do this versus that. So the answer to your question: It probably would be several weeks and maybe longer before we know whether we're having an effect. It may be, at the end of the day, we'll see a curve that would have been way, way up. But I wouldn't, like, put us to task every few days: "Well, wait a minute, it's going up. Is it working or not?" That would be really misleading if we do that. Q Dr. Fauci Q I have a question THE PRESIDENT: Go ahead. Go ahead. Q Regarding the 15-day guidelines which were announced yesterday, one of those guidelines was a recommendation against gatherings of 10 or more people. And today, the governor of Alabama issued her own guidelines, and it was a recommendation against gatherings of 25 or more people. What is your recommendation for people of Alabama, people across all of the country, as far as the guidelines that were announced yesterday by the federal government? DR. FAUCI: Okay, so the one thing we don't want to do is to get hung up on the difference between 10 and 25. I think you might agree with that. When we give guidelines, they're only guidelines. We sit down, we look at the data as Dr. Birx said, we're data-driven and we say, "On different models, 10 looks good." If someone wants to do 25, we're not going to fault them, but if someone wants to come to us, ask us what we think is the best is, we stand by the numbers. It isn't perfect. It isn't precise math. It's assumptions and it's data that make you get your decision. Q But would it be more effective if every state and every city in the country was playing by the same rules instead of different? DR. FAUCI: Yes. Of course. But this is the United States of America. There's a lot of free enterprise there. People do their own thing. And quite frankly, I don't think there's a big-deal difference between 10 and 25. We got many, many more important things to worry about than that difference. Q Mr. President, thank you. Going back to supply chains and then talking about preparedness for the future, yesterday, Larry Kudlow said that there is an idea floating around the administration to cut taxes for companies who would be bringing their supply chains back to the United States. He said he specifically liked immediate 100 percent write-offs for THE PRESIDENT: Right. Q structures, equipment. But he said you hadn't endorsed that yet. Would you endorse an idea like that? THE PRESIDENT: We're looking at many ideas. That's one of them, frankly. And we're looking at creating incentives for companies not only that type of company, but other companies. We're also looking to help companies, such as the airline industry within the airline industry. And we'll be doing that. We will be doing that. This is not their fault. And they've been very understanding, actually. And we're going to be helping them. We will have a very powerful airline industry, and it'll start up as soon as this is over. We'll we'll have those we'll have those planes ready to go. So we have to help them during the short term with very important. Yeah, please. Q Thank you, Mr. President. I wanted to know, have you taken a look at some of these models, such as the Imperial College London model, that kind of poses a very difficult choice, whether it's shutting down society or overwhelming the healthcare system? THE PRESIDENT: Right. Q Is that something that you took into consideration? THE PRESIDENT: We look at every model. We've relied on the very talented people. And there's no better team than the people behind me. And I will say that all of the people that have done those models are all in constant touch with Dr. Birx and Tony and everybody that you've been hearing so much from over the last couple of weeks. We've looked at we've looked at many different models. And the model we have is, we want to save a lot of lives. We want to save a lot of lives. If we get too steep on that curve, you're going to lose a lot of lives, perhaps unnecessarily. Now, we're going to find out. Everything has a risk. We're going to see. But if people do what we're telling them to do, what we're asking them to do, you're going to see the saving of a lot of lives. Now, Boris, in UK yesterday you saw what happened it looked like they were going a different way, but then he went a way of similar I guess similar I don't know exactly. But I would say we had a conversation yesterday, similar to what we're doing. So a lot of people seem to think this is going to be we are we are looking to save the maximum number of lives. Everything else is going to come back. A life is never going to come back. But everything else our economy is going to come roaring back. You're going to know, we're going to know we're going all know that day. Somebody was asking about the day, "When will you know? When will you know?" We're going to know. All of a sudden, we're going to say, "Wow, that's looking good. That's looking good. That's looking good." And we're going to be on the other side of the curve. And that's a day that we look forward to. Okay? Q Is there something, sir, that you saw this week though that did that made you decide that, yes, now is the time to implement these much more stringent social distancing measures? This week, sir. THE PRESIDENT: No, I don't think so. This is where we were going. I really think, from the beginning, this is where we were going. This is what we had in mind. We were just we're just going step by step. That was the next step the next logical step. As Dr. Fauci said and I think very importantly one of the most important things, when you write the history of this, was the fact that we closed it down to China and Europe, but in particular, China. We closed it down to China, the source, very, very early. Very, very early. Far earlier than even the great professionals wanted to do. And I think, in the end, that's going to be that will have saved a tremendous number of lives. Q A quick follow-up. One on the economy and the other on the broader picture here. But just to follow up on my colleague: Some people did note that your tone seemed more somber yesterday. You talked about that August timeline. Did you see a projection? Some people thought perhaps that 2 million, potentially, that could die maybe prompted part of that. Was there a shift in tone? THE PRESIDENT: I didn't think I mean, I have seen that, where people actually liked it. But I didn't feel different. I've always known this is a this is a real this is a pandemic. I've felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic. All you had to do is look at other countries. I think now it's in almost 120 countries all over the world. No, I've always viewed it as very serious. There was no difference yesterday from days before. I feel the tone is similar, but some people said it wasn't. Q Can I ask one on the economy? Your former economic adviser said almost 100 percent chance of a recession. Do you see it that way? THE PRESIDENT: It could be. I mean, I don't think in terms of recession. I think in terms of getting it out, because when we're finished with the virus, we will win. We will win. And when that victory takes place, our economy is going to go through the roof. It is so pent up. It is so built up. It is so ready to go in an upward direction. But we have to knock out this enemy. This is a really tough enemy, but we have to knock out all of us. That's all of us. So I don't think in terms of recession. Not recession. It's words. We have to knock out this, and we will have an economy I actually think we'll have an economy like we've never had before. It's all pent up. Did you have something to say, Mike? Please. THE VICE PRESIDENT: So, I think the question about the actions that the President has authorized, beginning in January, when he took the unprecedented step of suspending all travel from China; the efforts to issue travel advisories for portions of Italy and South Korea and then to begin screening all the passengers; the efforts regarding suspending travel for Europe; and what went into effect at midnight last night, adding the UK and Ireland to that have all been informed by the experts that are surrounding us. What the President has asked us to do from the very beginning, as Dr. Birx and Dr. Fauci often say, is let's follow the data, bring the President the best options in response to what is actually happening on the ground. But with regard to yesterday's 15-day slow-the-spread plan, our team unanimously brought to the President these very strong recommendations for every American, because we truly believe we are at a point in this epidemic in our country when we can reduce the number of people that actually are exposed to or contract the coronavirus. But we'll continue to bring the best data, the best evidence, and the best recommendations, frankly, of the best health experts in the world. And the President will continue to make decisions that put the health of America first. THE PRESIDENT: In other words, reduce the number of people that die. That's what we're trying to do. And when you do the steep curve, a lot of people are going to die. A lot of people. You know, the worst ever, they say: 1918. And I don't have to go into the numbers, but they were unbelievable numbers. Had they known and had they done what we had now, it would have been a very much different story. It would still be tragic, but it would have been a very much different. But that was that was the one that people write about. That was an incredible that was an incredible pandemic like we haven't seen. But we have we have done something that I hope hopefully, we will all have made the right moves. We're all in this together, including you, and we want to see fair press. And I tell you what: It's been generally speaking, I think it's been it's been a great thing to see. It's been very, very the getting along with Democrats, getting along with Republicans, for the Democrats themselves there's been a lot of spirit. There's been a lot of things happening that I haven't seen happen in the first almost now three and a half years. It's been very nice to see. That's one of the good things. But, really, the good thing is we have to knock it out. We have to win. And we want to keep that slope as low as possible because that's a lot of lives in there. Let's go back there. Somebody that didn't get one. Please, go ahead. Q Mr. President, this has had a huge impact on China's economy as well. Have you received any indication from officials there that they're going to have trouble meeting the purchase agreements part of the phase one deal particularly the agricultural buy? THE PRESIDENT: Well, they need our product very badly and no, I haven't received any. We have a good relationship with China. I have not received anything to that. No, we have a signed agreement. They're going to be buying and they have been buying a lot of product. Yeah, please. Q Earlier today, Dr. Birx was talking about the possibility of our hospital system being overburdened and overtaxed, and she talked about certain options that are available to the United States if that happens, including VA hospitals THE PRESIDENT: Right. Q Department of Defense medical treatment facilities, and even hospital ships. At what point do you tap into those options? THE PRESIDENT: Well, I'll know the point. And by speaking with Governor Cuomo and other governors, we're going to know the point. It's going to be different for New York than it's going to be for, you know, Iowa or from Idaho or from West Virginia, frankly, or for you know, it's different. New York has got a big problem. The State of Washington has a big problem. California has some big problems. Everyone is doing a good job. But we're going to know when it will be, and I believe it'll be more spot than it will be it's not going to be the whole thing; it's going to be spots. There are some hotspots that are in trouble big trouble. And there are other areas that are in no trouble at all. They watch it on television. They don't know you know, it's just not affecting them and that's they're lucky. They're lucky. But there are areas of the country that don't have much of a problem and some that don't have any problem. They're not going to have a problem with hospitals. But some areas like New York, California, State of Washington they're going to have some difficulty. And when we see that coming, we're going to be in there. We're already making preparation for it. Q Senator Marco Rubio of Florida and your trade advisor Peter Navarro have been recommending an executive order that would ensure that the raw materials for pharmaceuticals and medical devices are manufactured here in the United States. We were getting some indications last week that you were close to signing this executive order. Can you tell us where you are on that? THE PRESIDENT: Well, we're looking at different things, John. I don't want to say exactly. Right now, China has been sending us everything we need. But we are we're looking at some alternatives. Yes, we are looking for alternatives. And we have other places. Ireland does a lot of work for us you know that in that world, in the pharma world. A very tremendous producer. And we are looking to bring a lot more back home. And I've been excuse me, you know me for a long time; I've been talking about this for many years. Long before I decided to run for President, I've been talking about this. And we have to be able to take care of our country. And that was one of the many things on the list. So we'll be talking about it. But we are we are discussing it, and Marco is very much involved and Peter is very much involved. A lot of people are involved, and a lot of people feel that way. But we'll be discussing. Let's go. Please. Q Thank you, sir. Canada has closed its borders to non-citizens. Are you considering THE PRESIDENT: Not to the United States. Q Not to the United States, of course. Are you considering closing the land borders in the United States? And also, you've discussed THE PRESIDENT: Well, Canada has not closed it to the United States. Q Right. THE PRESIDENT: So we're working very closely with Canada and but they have not closed it. They have closed it to the world, but they have not closed it to the United States. Q Are you considering closing the U.S. land borders? THE PRESIDENT: I don't want to say that, but we are discussing things with Canada, and we're discussing things with Mexico, quite honestly. And, again, the relationship is outstanding with both. Outstanding. We just signed our deal the USMCA and the relationship is very strong. Go ahead, please. Q China and other have others have criticized you for using the phrase "Chinese virus." How do you feel about that? Are you going to continue using that phrase? THE PRESIDENT: Well, China was putting out information, which was false, that our military gave this to them. That was false. 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. But, no, I didn't appreciate the fact that China was saying that our military gave it to them. Our military did not give give it to anybody. Q But the critics say using that phrase creates a stigma. THE PRESIDENT: No, I don't think so. No, I think saying that our military gave it to them creates a stigma. Q Mr. President, when you speak to THE PRESIDENT: Please. Q When you speak to travel and tourism executives today, what specific help are you going to offer to them, if at all? Or is it still vague? THE PRESIDENT: Well, we're going to help. They need help. Look, let's face it. You know, they go from having record-breaking years this is the third year of record-breaking years travel and tourism, airlines, everything. They were doing record numbers, ordering new planes, building new hotels. Everything was really hunky-dory. And then, one day, we hear about this rumor in China. And then, we find out it's much more than a rumor. And then, all of a sudden, we make a great decision to close it up early. It would be a whole different world. It would be a whole different world. But we make a decision to close it up to China, and all of a sudden, tourism and and then we close it up to Europe, which, you know, people never heard of this before. I'm not sure that that's ever been done. I know that when I made the decision to close it to China, people told me that's never been done before, but it was a great decision. We make good decisions. So, I'll tell you my best decision: The people behind me are total pros. All over the world, they're respected Dr. Birx; Anthony, who has become a where is Anthony? become a major television star for for all the right reasons. No, he's just so professional. So good. The people that we have working here have been incredible. And they're totally respected. The Admiral has been incredible, having to do with the testing. Incredible. And he's viewing this as testing also for the future. We're building a platform. When we took over this platform, the first thing the Admiral said was, "This was not designed for what we're talking about millions of people." It wasn't. And it's nobody's fault. It's not like who could have ever predicted a thing like this? But we broke it down and it's really going to be an incredible system. And it is now a great system. I just I just want to say, these are people standing behind me. They're the most respected in the world. Every country that you've mentioned today so far has called them, and they call them all of the time for advice. There is nobody better than what we have. Q Mr. President, why haven't we seen Dr. Redfield in the last couple of days? THE PRESIDENT: Say it. Q Why haven't we seen Dr. Redfield in the last couple of days? THE VICE PRESIDENT: (Inaudible.) THE PRESIDENT: I don't know. I can't imagine SECRETARY AZAR: He's in Atlanta, running the CDC. THE PRESIDENT: I can tell you he's doing a good job. We're very happy with him. Please. You haven't. Go ahead. Q Mr. President, yesterday we were being told that the payroll tax was going to comprise the lion's share of fiscal stimulus. THE PRESIDENT: Right. Q We also had the markets fall quite dramatically yesterday and were you did that inform your THE PRESIDENT: It wasn't about the payroll tax. Q Did that inform your decision? What what made you make that change? And when did you make that change? THE PRESIDENT: Well, I didn't make a change. We're looking at payroll tax. And we're looking at various other forms of getting money to people. And the payroll tax is something that I've always liked. The problem is it does take a period of time you know, months before they really see something. And we don't really have months, in terms of people living. You know, a lot of these you have people that work on tips. You have people in our it's a large number of people. It's a tremendous who would think this, right? And they do nicely. They work very hard, but they work on tips. We have to take care of our people. We don't want to have people suffering during this period. It wasn't their fault that this thing, all of a sudden, was upon us. So we're looking at various we're also looking at payroll tax. You know, it's possible. It's also possible we'll do a percentage of payroll tax and then other things. But we'd like to be able to get money to people. You know, we're very lucky our country is doing so well, we can do this and we can do it easily. But we have to do it. And I have to say, Mitch McConnell if you look at Mitch and Kevin and the whole group, it's been it's been incredible how they're reacting, how Congress is reacting, how whether it's the House or Senate, how they're moving. And I'm talking about Democrats and Republicans. But we've had tremendous leadership meetings, and they want to see it done right and they do want to go big. I think going big is important. I don't think we want to go up there every day with a different idea, a different concept. "Oh, gee, let's worry about the airlines. Let's do this one." You have a big problem with the cruise ship industry. It's an industry that was setting all sorts of records two months ago. And then, all of a sudden, there is nobody on the ships. Okay? So we have to help these. These are great industries. These are going to be taking care of people and passengers and and for years to come. And paying tremendous taxes tremendous taxes for years to come. So, we have to make sure this is done. Yes, Jon. Q Mr. President, I want to bring up what you referred to just a short while ago about politics. In your address to the nation, you said we have to put politics aside, stop the partisanship, and unify together. But this morning, you criticized the Democratic Governor of Michigan. Yesterday, it was the Democratic Governor of New York. You've attacked Obama. You've talked you attacked Biden. In fact, every day except one since that address, you've lashed out at a Democratic leader. Are you going to set the example on this? THE PRESIDENT: I only do that when I have to respond. I watched her on television. She said something that was false and therefore I did do that. And I will continue to do that if they're not going to play fair. Because, you know, they have the media on their side; I don't. I just have me. And if they're not going to play fair, I'm going to do that. If they are going to play fair, there's going to be nobody Q Obama never criticized you, sir. (Inaudible.) THE PRESIDENT: There's going to be nobody better than Donald Trump, in terms of bipartisanship. But if they're going to say things that are false, like the story that was written yesterday. A lot of people I don't know somebody I think I know who but they taped the conference call that I had with the governors. It was a good call. It was fine. I assumed somebody is going to tape it. They handed it to various people, and one of them was the New York Times and the New York Times chose to write totally inaccurately about it. It was a disgraceful thing. It was bad journalism, but, you know, they do a lot of bad journalism. But we respond to that and, actually, people get it. People get it. No, I want it to be bipartisan and nobody's going to be better than me. But when they attack me or the people these incredible people behind me I'm not going to let them get away with that. I can't do that. Okay, how about one or two more questions? Go ahead, please. Please. Q To follow up on that, (inaudible) was the next natural step. So is the next natural step after that a national lockdown, similar to what San Francisco is doing? THE PRESIDENT: Well, you can do a national lockdown. Hopefully, we are 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. That's a step that, I mean, in one sense would work. It's a very big step. It's something we talk about, but we haven't decided to do that. Please, go ahead. Q Mr. President, what would be the determining factors for you to take that action? THE PRESIDENT: It would have to get to a level I just don't think it's going to be an action that we're going to take. I don't think I'll talk but Anthony, all of the people standing behind, we'd get together in a room, plus some additionals, and we would make a decision. But I don't think that's a step that we're going to be taking. But one more question. You didn't have one, did you? Come on. Q Will the U.S. government provide financial assistance to Boeing and airplane suppliers like GE? THE PRESIDENT: We're looking at that. We're certainly looking at Boeing. Boeing got hit hard in many different ways. Boeing never had a problem. For for years, they were they were an incredible an incre- they were it was unthinkable what happened, with respect to Boeing. Unthinkable. Probably, I would consider it the greatest company in the world prior to a year ago. Now they get hit in 15 different ways and they have different management. I've met the new people running Boeing. I think it's going to be outstanding. But, yeah, we have to protect Boeing. We have to absolutely help help Boeing. They were doing a job. They were getting it was coming along well. And then all of a sudden, this hits. So, obviously, when the airlines aren't doing well, Boeing is not going to be doing well. So we'll be helping Boeing. Yeah. Q Could you just respond to something, Mr. President, before you leave, on what Jon was saying? You've you've called for people to leave politics out of this. Joe Biden said, "The World Health Organization offered testing kits that they had available to the United States and to give it to us now. We refused it. We didn't want to buy them." PolitiFact says the WHO never made that offer. Can you tell us what actually happened? THE PRESIDENT: Well, that's what I heard. And I'm going to let I'm going to let Tony answer that question. Or some- whoever is best at answering that. But I do have to say, when you talk about politics I watched the debate. Not too exciting. But what they said about me and we've done a great job. When you talk about not not being bipartisan what they said about me. And if you look at swine flu the whole thing in, I guess it was 2009, and what they did and the mistakes they've made, they were terrible. They were horrific mistakes. Seventeen thousand people died. And I'll be honest, they shouldn't be criticizing because we've done a fantastic job. The only thing we haven't done well is to get good press. We've done a fantastic job, but it hasn't been appreciated. Even the the closing down of the borders, which had never been done and not only did we close them, but we closed them early the press doesn't like writing about it. So we've done a poor job on press relationships and, you know, I guess, I don't know who to blame for that. I don't know, maybe I can blame maybe I can blame ourselves for that. I will blame ourselves. But I think we've done a great job. I think we've done a poor job, in terms of press relationship. But let me have somebody answer your question. DR. BIRX: Yeah, so I tried to cover this in the answer when I talked about quality of kits. And our quality analysis runs through the FDA. So all of these platforms, we have asked people to submit. And we've asked states to quality control. So, I mean, the anybody could submit their test to us. We don't buy tests that haven't been quality controlled and they show us the data. Either show us the data upfront or show us the data after they've been running them. Because quality testing for our American people is paramount to us. It doesn't help to put out a test where 50 percent or 47 percent are false positives. Imagine what that would mean to the American people. Imagine their level of concern now in telling people that they're false positive. We take the same approach to HIV. Imagine telling someone they were positive to HIV and they weren't. So that is our bottom line: the customer, the American people first. And so any of these groups can submit their testing kits through our regulatory processes, but without that and without a plan, we are not going to accept tests that have not been studied by us. THE PRESIDENT: Good answer. That's a good answer. Would you have something on that? ADMIRAL GIROIR: I'm just going to emphasize a little bit more on that. When I became involved in the testing world, I called as senior officials at the WHO as I could find to understand what the situation was. And as far as I can tell from sources that should know, no one ever offered a test that we refused. THE PRESIDENT: That's what I heard too. ADMIRAL GIROIR: This was a this is a research-grade test, right? Research-grade test that was never submit- SECRETARY AZAR: It was not approved. ADMIRAL GIROIR: Not approved, not submitted to the FDA, that was supplied in tens of thousands of quantities to 100 countries in the world, okay? So I think there's a lot that people are saying about this that's just based on rumor and myth. Nothing was offered that we refused. It was a research test that was not approved. And again, there was a small number that we have greatly surpassed in a very short period of time. THE PRESIDENT: So, number one, nothing was offered. Number two, it was a bad test. Otherwise, it was wonderful. Listen, thank you very much. Q So Joe Biden was incorrect? THE PRESIDENT: No he made a mistake. I assume I assume that he'll apologize. He made a mistake. Thank you all very much. Thank you. We'll be back. Thank you. THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. END 1:03 P.M. EDT NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 09:58:53|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LONDON, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Major tourist attractions in Scotland, including Edinburgh Castle, have been closed with immediate effect, Historic Environment Scotland (HES), which runs the attractions, announced Tuesday. HES said it had made the decision to close public access until further notice, following updated Scottish Government advice regarding COVID-19. The decision includes the closure of HES historic sites, including Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle and Urquhart Castle, as well as Longmore House and the HES Archives at John Sinclair House. All planned public events have also been postponed until further notice. HES said its seasonal sites will not be open as normally scheduled in April 2020, but unstaffed sites will be open and are free to access. "We have, with great regret, taken the decision to close all of our staffed properties and buildings to visitors," HES CEO Alex Paterson said. "This is a challenging and unprecedented time, and our focus is to do everything possible to protect the safety of all our visitors, staff and partners." More than 2 million visitors a year visit Edinburgh Castle in Scotland's capital city, making it one of the most visited attractions in Britain, while Stirling and Urquhart castles attract over a million visitors. How to Structure your day without the routine of going to Trinity Getting started at home Many people are daunted at the prospect of life without the usual routine of Trinity. Here are some tips from the College Health Service team on how to stay healthy. To start, orientate yourself in the same way you would do for any working day. Life continues, this includes work, self-care and obligations. The challenge is to find a way to manage in different circumstances. Maintain your routine In ordinary circumstances you would shower, dress, have breakfast and have togo outside each day to get to Trinity. Try to replicate this routine. Rising at the same time daily, showering and dressing, having breakfast and getting out for a walk. Should you follow your academic/work schedule? It may be helpful to try and follow the academic/work schedule you have in Trinity. By doing this you might reduce your anxiety about whether or not you are doing enough and you also will not have to reinvent the wheel. You may find that this does not suit you. Do not be afraid then to try and create a schedule that works better for you. It is probably helpful to set this out in a timetable. Virtual Social Time Try scheduling some virtual social time during the day, similar to what you might do in work. Maybe schedule a group chat at lunch time or 11.00 with colleagues. It might be a time to compare notes, how you are getting on, share good ideas, and get support. Whatever technology suits is best but Skype, Microsoft Teams, Zoom all allow multiple users to video chat. Use these methods to connect on work related matters too in order to maintain good working relationships. Your workspace Dont eat at your workspace or if you have to, clear your work away while you do. Try to clearly delineate its function. Ensure you have good ergonomic practices including i.e., proper computer set up, monitor positioning, rest breaks and engineering or ergonomic controls (i.e., furniture design, lighting, glare control, computer workstation configuration and layout). Mind your Eyes and Ears! Give your eyes a break, you will be spending a lot of time working with texts and screens. Schedule time during the day to have your eyes focus in the middle to far distance. When out for a walk, try and allow yourself the opportunity to look at objects far away. This is really only achievable in the outdoors. Give your ears a break, take off audio devices when out walking and again try and allow your brain absorb sounds from the environment rather than forcing auditory input. This will facilitate mindfulness. The end of the working day Make a distinction between the working day and the end of the day. Clear up your work station and put your work away. This is often a good time to tidy your area, do laundry, go for a short walk etc. These physical activities activate a different part of your brain that you are not actively using when you are doing your work. Whilst doing this, your brain is starting to unwind. Wind down before bed Allow around an hour to wind down before bed. Try and avoid exercise too close to bedtime. Turn off screens for at least an hour before bed. Blue light is activating and wakes up your brain, you are trying to prepare to sleep! Try and allocate at least 7-8 hours for rest each night, you may not sleep for all this time but dont worry, your body will still be resting, even if your mind is still quite alert. Make time for exercise Physical activity boosts self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy, as well as reducing your risk of stress and depression. 30 minutes per day of exercise that leaves you out of breath is recommended and dont forget to incorporate movement throughout the day. Whats the best type of exercise? The one you will do of course. Here are some suggestions: Walking/Running: Even while social distancing, you can get out for a walk, run or cycle. Its quick, free and available to all. Some people like to use apps like Map My Run or Couch to 5K, others prefer music or some enjoy the sounds of nature or their own thoughts. It doesnt matter how you exercise, once you do. Your pace should be brisk. Youll know when you are if you can talk but cant sing. Even while social distancing, you can get out for a walk, run or cycle. Its quick, free and available to all. Some people like to use apps like Map My Run or Couch to 5K, others prefer music or some enjoy the sounds of nature or their own thoughts. It doesnt matter how you exercise, once you do. Your pace should be brisk. Youll know when you are if you can talk but cant sing. Online exercise videos are an obvious resource and a great way of getting a quick fix of exercise. Follow Trinity Sports instructors workouts on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/tcdsport/ We also like the usuals: Joe Wicks for a quick, high intensity workout with plenty of muscle strengthening exercises, Yoga with Adrienne for a mellow work out or Jessica Valante for Pilates. If youre stuck for time, 7 minute workouts are great. The less fit you are, the more you have to gain from exercising. Take activity breaks: Taking activity breaks during your day is an excellent way to keep your focus, prevent fatigue and relieve body stiffness. At least once an hour, stand up and move for 4 - 5 minutes. Heres how we suggest you do it: March on the spot x 30 seconds Knee raises with bicep curl arms x 30 seconds Side steps x 15 seconds & leg curls x 15 seconds Squat in place and punch arms across the body, slow x 15 seconds, speed up x 15 seconds. Slow Squats x 15 seconds, Faster squats or squat jumps x 15 seconds Toe taps to the front x 15 seconds, and to the side x 15 seconds Kick legs out in front x 15 seconds and to the back x 15 seconds Reach hands towards the ground as you squat then reach hands towards the ceiling while stretching onto your toes x 30 seconds Gentle marching on spot while rolling shoulders forward x 15 seconds then back x 15 seconds Gentle marching on spot while rolling head slowly around 15 seconds one direction and 5 seconds in the other direction. Taking activity breaks during your day is an excellent way to keep your focus, prevent fatigue and relieve body stiffness. At least once an hour, stand up and move for 4 - 5 minutes. Heres how we suggest you do it: Two minute stretching videos by Karita Saar-Cullen, Trinitys Physio to try at your workspace: Seated Desk Stretches, Standing Desk Stretches. to try at your workspace: Seated Desk Stretches, Standing Desk Stretches. Stand! Make a habit of standing anytime you are talking on the phone or participating in a conference call or webinar. Eat Colourful, Unprocessed Foods, in the Right Portions The eternal question, what should I eat? The answer: colourful foods with as little processing as possible. That means mostly fruit, vegetables and whole grains. Or to put it another way, the bottom two layers of the food pyramid. The further up the pyramid you go, the smaller your portions should get. And remember, half of every plate should be vegetables, fruit or salads. Could cooking become your new hobby? Is lack of time your biggest barrier to eating healthy? Why not allocate an hour a day to learning how to cook new recipes? Here are some simple and inexpensive recipes that are tasty, and easy: Lentil Taboulleh, Halloumi Flatbreads, Garlic Mushroom Quinoa. Consider monitoring food and mood by keeping a diary of what you ate and how you felt in the hours afterwards. Youre going to be eating for the rest of your life. This time could be the perfect opportunity to develop a healthy and joyful relationship with food. Dealing with Anxiety and Low Mood Staff: Inspire Workplaces Counselling Services provide the Universitys Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) service. University staff and their immediate families (those living at home with them who are 18 years of age and older) can avail of emotional support such as telephone counselling by calling 1800 817 433 Students: Trinitys Student Counselling Services (SCS) are here to support you by telephone and online. All Trinity students can sign up for a range of excellent online supports, some of which include weekly support from SCS staff: To request a telephone counselling appointment, please email student-counselling@tcd.ie Follow the SCSs social channels for daily mental health info: TCDHeadspace @TCD_Headspace @TCD_Headspace The SCS website is a great resource for information on how to get mental health support. Student Learning Development appointments can be made by emailing student-counselling@tcd.ie Supportive resources to help with your studies can be found on SLDs Blackboard Module. Student 2 Student are arranging online S2S Hangouts and other online social events for students. The HSE also provides advice on looking after you mental health, the details can be found at this link https://www2.hse.ie/looking-after-your-mental-health/ Altruism and Health: Its Good to be Good Helping others is good for your health. While you may be restricted by what you can do, find ways to help others either by donating to charity online, writing to your local politician about an issue that matters to you or connecting with a friend you think might need to talk. As long as you have the resources yourself, helping others helps you. If you cant go out, go in Could you use the time to develop new skills, hobbies or interests? Trinity has LinkedIn Learning content available to all students and staff, a great resource for upskilling professionally. Or how about a course in history, creative writing, social change, mindfulness, sustainable food. There are lots of options on FutureLearn.com. Obviously, we have to push the excellent Trinity ones: https://www.futurelearn.com/partners/trinity-college-dublin Additionally, below you will find some courses that you may find useful: Managing Media Its important to stay informed but also set limits for news and social media. Our team recommends checking the news and social media maybe twice a day and otherwise, observing the suggestions above. If you feel your mood darken or youve started to argue with your family/random people on Twitter, its a good time to get some exercise. Policies to Support Staff https://www.tcd.ie/hr/assets/pdf/COVID19_remote_working_procedures.pdf https://www.tcd.ie/hr/assets/pdf/COVID19_leave_and_working_arrangements_procedures.pdf Ni neart go cur le cheile is an important message we believe is the most fundamental thing to consider at this time, were all in this together, strength through unity. By doing your bit: washing hands, social distancing, looking after each; you contribute to a collective approach and you should draw strength from that. NEW DELHI Dharam Singh Rajput cant afford to buy hand sanitizer, which could help ward off transmission of the coronavirus in his community. The Rajput family could opt for something more basic soap and water to achieve hand hygiene. But sometimes there is no clean running water in their neighborhood, which sits next to open sewage canals and mounds of garbage in the heart of New Delhi, Indias capital. The kind of water we have access to has the potential to cause more diseases instead of warding off the virus if we use it to wash our hands, Rajput said. Experts say keeping hands clean is one of the easiest and best ways to prevent transmission of the new coronavirus, in addition to social distancing. But for Indias homeless and urban poor who live in thousands of slums across major cities and towns, maintaining good hygiene can be nearly impossible. About 160 million more than the population of Russia of Indias 1.3 billion people dont have access to clean water. That could leave impoverished Indians like Rajput and his family at risk during the virus outbreak. It could prove disastrous for people who dont have access to clean water, said Samrat Basak, the director of the World Resource Institutes Urban Water Program in India. With India being the worlds second-most populous country, and having weak health care facilities and growing concerns that there may be an undetected communal spread of the virus, the risks associated with the lack of clean water arent being overstated. UNICEF said last week that almost 20% of urban Indians do not have facilities with water and soap at home. What could make things worse, experts say, is that social distancing is nearly impossible in many Indian cities that are among the worlds most densely populated areas. So far, the government has apparently been able to keep a lid on community transmission of the virus. Authorities have confirmed 147 cases and three deaths, all linked to foreign travel or direct contact with someone who caught the disease abroad. While the coronavirus 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. Indias government has made fervent appeals to the public to practice social distancing and good hand hygiene. India also was one of the first countries to essentially shut its borders and deny entry to all but a select few foreigners. But in a country as big as India, community transmission is all but inevitable, experts say. Clean water is the first line of defense, said V.K. Madhavan, India chief executive at WaterAid, a global advocacy group for water and sanitation. If there is no access to clean water, the situation could worsen. Indias clean water problem isnt new. Hundreds of thousands of people wait in line every day to fill buckets from government water trucks. Hospitals and schools struggle with clean water supplies. People are forced to wash utensils and clothes in dirty water. About 600 million Indians face acute water shortages, according to government think tank NITI Aayog. The water crisis hits the poor particularly hard since wealthy people can pay for water from private sources that those living in slums cant afford. The mortality rate due to inadequate or unsafe water is also high. About 200,000 people die each year in India from diseases related to unclean water. Insufficient water also leads to food insecurity. When clean drinking water runs out, people will have no choice but to rely on unsafe water, said Dr. Anant Bhan, a global health researcher. It could expose Indias huge population to extreme vulnerability. Government promises to provide clean water to many Indians have so far failed despite efforts by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that have been internationally lauded. Access to clean water is a basic human right, said Madhavan. No one should fear losing their life because they couldnt practice the first line of defense, which is hand washing. ___ Associated Press videojournalist Shonal Ganguly 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. North Dakota legislative leaders will revisit in September whether to expand a livestreaming pilot project at the Capitol. The Legislative Procedure and Arrangements Committee met Wednesday to hear what has been spent on the pilot project it approved in December, as well as the potential additional costs. Costs to date have been $91,405 to outfit two committee rooms used by appropriations and interim committees with cameras for livestreaming meetings, as well as to integrate closed captioning and search features. "This looks good to me. Personally, I think its going to be excellent," said Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner, R-Dickinson, who chairs the committee. North Dakota's Legislature is one of eight in the nation that does not livestream at least some committee meetings, though the House and Senate chambers have livestreams for floor sessions that are archived and indexed online. It's unclear when the new cameras might be put to use. Legislative Council staff have kept an early April goal of implementing the livestreaming in the two rooms. But the coronavirus pandemic has led some committees to cancel meetings and others -- such as the one that met Wednesday -- to set meetings in the spacious Senate chamber where livestreaming already is available, to allow for social distancing. Nine of the 10 committee members were present, four of them by phone. It would cost almost $126,000 to outfit three other rooms used by House and Senate appropriations committees, according to budget information from the Legislative Council. But it's not clear where that money would come from. Legislative Council Director John Bjornson said the money is not in the current two-year budget, but could potentially come from "carryover funds" or an appropriation early in the 2021 legislative session. The 2021 Legislature could consider a $1.08 million proposal to expand the livestreaming capabilities to as many as 14 committee rooms, but some lawmakers cautioned the costs and speed of expanding. Sen. Jerry Klein, R-Fessenden, stressed the importance of being frugal before potentially "scraping for every dollar we find just to make our commitments" next year, given what the economic effects from the pandemic could be at the time. Oil prices have plunged in recent days. Oil tax revenue is a major revenue source for the state. House Majority Leader Chet Pollert, R-Carrington, suggested seeing how the livestreams of interim committees work out over the next few months before expanding to other rooms. House Minority Leader Josh Boschee, D-Fargo, said the cost is minimal in the grand scheme of the state's budgets and that livestreaming increases public access to the Legislature. "Basically the pilot was intended to cover all the rest of the interim committees through the rest of the interim, so come November ... we would learn enough about this that we would have a good feeling about it going into the session," said Legislative Council Information Technology Manager Kyle Forster, who presented the costs to the committee. Wardner said the committee will revisit the livestreaming pilot project at its September meeting. Amid the pandemic, it's possible other committees will use the Senate chamber to meet. Two committees will meet there Thursday. Reach Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. RICHMOND With businesses around the state shutting down and cutting hours to slow the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Ralph Northams administration says its dramatically expanding the states unemployment insurance program to get money to more workers idled by the pandemic. We know rent and other bills wont wait, he said during a news conference this week. If individuals are out of work because of what were mandating, unemployment benefits will be allowed to them. Thousands of workers have already signed up. The state received 2,150 online applications on Tuesday, up from 426 on Monday, according to Northams administration. The figures do not include applications processed by phone. Last year, the state averaged about 65 claims a day. New rules The program is typically limited to workers who are laid off or have their hours reduceda category many workers affected by COVID-19-related closures already meet. But Northams administration says theyve directed the Virginia Employment Commission to also approve applications that would typically be rejected from workers who are out of work because theyre: quarantined, either on their own initiative or at the direction of a medical official, caring for a family member who is ill or under quarantine, caring for a child whose school or day care was closed. Northams administration says that theyll err on the side of providing benefits. If youre scared and quarantined for any reason, then youre going to get unemployment insurance benefits, said Megan Healy, Northams chief workforce development adviser. If youre young and think you (are sick and) should self-quarantine, you should be able to get unemployment benefits. The state is also dropping work-search requirements for affected employees, meaning workers wont be required to visit at least two businesses a week in search of employment to maintain their eligibility. Theyve also eliminated a one-week waiting period for benefits, during which unemployed workers are not typically paid. The state says businesses, which pay for unemployment insurance through payroll taxes and can see their assessments go up when their former workers sign up, will not be penalized for any coronavirus-related spikes. Who isnt eligible Northams administration is urging workers who are able to work but under quarantine to approach their employer about work from home options. Self employed people and independent contractors, including workers for companies like Lyft and Uber, are not eligible at this point because their employers dont pay into the unemployment trust fund, but Healy said that rule may change depending on future federal guidance. Workers who arent sure if they meet the new guidelines should submit applications anyway, Healy said: If you kind of think you dont qualify, just apply. Benefits, when available The states unemployment insurance program pays out between $60 and $378 a week for between 12 and 26 weeks. The amount each worker receives is calculated based on their earnings over the past year. Its complicated, but the more money you made the higher your benefits and the longer youll receive them. Generally, a person who earned more than $37,800 a year (about $18 an hour) would receive the maximum benefit, with people who earned less receiving less. How fast workers begin receiving checks depends on how quickly the employment commission is able to process claims, but she said workers should expect to wait between one and two weeks. Healy said the state is working to automate the claims process to speed the processing times. How to apply Workers are encouraged to submit their applications online. The state also processes applications by phone, but the system has been overwhelmed over the past two days and is not accepting calls. Because the online application doesnt reflect the current circumstances of many applicants, the forms can be confusing. For instance, a Richmond woman helping a friend without a computer file her application said she was unsure whether to check a box indicating the friend is available for work typically a requirement for an applicant to be accepted. Her hours at a downtown Richmond hotel were cut, but with schools closing at the same time, she also wasnt able to take on any new jobs because of sudden childcare demands. She ultimately opted to check the box even though she wasnt entirely sure it was accurate for fear of her claim being rejected. Healy said such an application would be approved under the circumstances. Were trying to get more and more people onto unemployment benefits, she said. What if its not enough? At this point, the expansion of the unemployment insurance program represents the states primary effort to aid workers hurt by the virus. State Secretary of Finance Aubrey Layne said it will be up to the federal government to organize any larger bailouts. The Trump administration is currently weighing a plan to send $2,000 to many Americans. Without more help, workers worry they wont be able to keep up with their expenses. I know I can pay my bills through April, said Curtis Childres, a cook at Edos Squid, a restaurant in Richmond that closed indefinitely this week in response to the pandemic, prompting the entire staff to apply for unemployment on the same day. And if he qualifies for the states maximum weekly benefit of $378, he says hell probably make it through May. But if the restaurant is still closed in June, things get bleaker. I would probably have to cut off my phone. The Virginia Mercury is a nonprofit, nonpartisan online news outlet based in Richmond covering state government and policy. A member of the national emergency medical rescue team from Tianjin gestures before leaving Wuhan, Hubei province, on Tuesday. Over 42,000 medical workers from around China are leaving Hubei after the epidemic was basically brought under control in the province. [Photo/Xinhua] The first group of medical assistance teams departed Wuhan, Hubei province, the nation's epicenter of the novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak, on Tuesday as the epidemic situation markedly improved in the hardest-hit city. The 3,787 medical workers belonging to 49 medical teams from across the country returned to their homes as only one confirmed infection was reported in the city on Monday. Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan, who heads the special work group sent by the central government to Wuhan for epidemic control, praised the medical workers as the "most admirable people in the new era" for their great dedication and sacrifice in protecting people's lives, safety and health. Speaking to the members of the national emergency medical rescue team who were leaving Wuhan on Tuesday afternoon, Sun said teams from across the country will withdraw in a gradual, orderly and safe manner. Those who still have work in treating patients will stay for the time being, and those treating critically ill patients will be the last to leave, she said. Wu Mengmeng, 30, a respiratory therapist at Binzhou People's Hospital in Binzhou, Shandong province, came to Wuhan as part of the Shandong medical assistance team on Feb 9. Since then, Wu had been working at a temporary hospital in Hanyang district. "I really think it's an honor to be able to go through the difficulties with the people of Wuhan," Wu said, adding that as the time of departure approached, he felt a little reluctant to leave. "Some of my patients have become my friends. One of them named Wang Yang, who was transferred to Huoshenshan Hospital for treatment a few days ago, talked with me over the phone last night for a long time. He promised to take me to see the well-known cherry blossoms in the city. I hope he recovers soon," Wu said. Xie Yingzhu, 27, a doctor from Chengfei Hospital in Chengdu, Sichuan province, said he valued having worked as part of Sichuan's medical assistance team. "In the temporary hospital, I felt the suffering of the people. I hope normal life here will resume as soon as possible," Xie said. He added that the "unforgettable" days made him better understand the responsibilities shouldered by medical workers. Ma Fuchun, head of the Shaanxi province contingent, said his team of 43 doctors and nurses managed 988 beds and treated 1,235 patients, together with colleagues from Wuhan and Henan province. "Thankfully, we had zero patient deaths and zero medical worker infections," Ma said. "Our presence not only reduced the burden of local medical workers but, more importantly, brought confidence to ill Wuhan residents." Wuhan's cumulative number of confirmed infections reached 50,004 as of Monday night, and 39,220 of those patients had recovered and been discharged. The National Health Commission said early this month that 346 medical teams had been mobilized to aid prevention and treatment efforts in Wuhan. The teams included 42,600 personnel, including 19,000 medical workers dedicated to treating the severely ill. The country's first 'super' nature reserve spanning an area the size of Blackpool has been created by seven landowners teaming up to help protect wild species. Rare flowers, birds, lizards and animals will benefit as pockets of land from charities, private landowners and government bodies have been brought together to create a vast new habitat for wildlife. The reserve Purbeck Heaths in Dorset covers 3,331 hectares (8,231 acres). The seven landowners joining forces are the National Trust, Natural England, RSPB, Forestry England, Rempstone Estate, Dorset Wildlife Trust and Amphibian and Reptile Conservation. The country's first 'super' nature reserve in Purbeck Heaths in Dorset (pictured) has been created by seven landowners The reserve, which brings together 11 types of habitat, spans an area the size of Blackpool and covers 3,331 hectares The reserve will allow rare flowers, birds, lizards and animals to to move out of 'micromanaged' pockets of land to flourish in new areas. Pictured: A silver-studded blue butterfly The nature reserve brings together 11 types of habitat including lowland heath, valley mires, woodland, coastal sand dunes, lakes and saltmarsh which will allow wildlife and plants to move out of 'micromanaged' pockets of land to flourish in new areas. Creatures set to benefit include the sand lizard, the Dartford warbler and the silver studded blue butterfly. Having more land to roam gives wildlife a better chance of adapting and thriving in light of the climate crisis. The new super National Nature Reserve combines three existing NNRs at Stoborough Heath, Hartland Moor and Studland and Godlingston Heath, linking them with new land including nature reserves and conservation areas. Landowners believe having more land to roam will give wildlife a better chance of adapting and thriving Among the creatures set to benefit from the country's first 'super' nature reserve is the Dartford warbler (pictured) Also set to benefit from the reserve, which combines three existing NNRs at Stoborough Heath, Hartland Moor and Studland and Godlingston Heath, is the sand lizard (pictured) As part of the project, cattle and pigs will roam the site to spread seeds and break up soil. Natural England chairman Tony Juniper said he hoped it would be the first of many similar big nature reserves in the UK, with other 'works in progress' including Avalon Marshes in Somerset and the restoration of the Great Fen in Cambridgeshire. He said: 'This marks a shift in gear and a new era for nature recovery in England. 'Comparable ambition is visible in other partnerships that are established or forming across the country, not only setting the scene for species recovery, but also increased resilience to climate change.' Mark Harold, National Trust director of land and nature, said: 'All the rare and beautiful wildlife living in and beyond the reserve will benefit hugely from a landscape where habitats are bigger, in better condition and better connected and where natural processes are restored.' Purbeck Heaths is one of the most biodiverse places in the UK, home to thousands of species including 450 that are listed as rare, threatened or protected. Purbeck Heaths, which covers 3,331 hectares, is one of the most biodiverse places in the UK. Pictured: A Dartford Warbler Purbeck includes the richest recorded 10km patch for biodiversity in the UK. The Purbeck Heaths are some of the last strongholds for many specialist insects and other invertebrates, such as southern damselflies Britain's rarest dragonfly and the Purbeck mason wasp. At least 12 bat species and all six native UK reptiles call this reserve home. And there are at least two fungi that are found nowhere else in England and Wales. Bernie Sanders and his supporters are trying to use the coronavirus pandemic as an argument for socialized medicine but the truth is, thats the wrong way to look at it. Its common, of course, for big-government liberals to argue that the mere existence of a problem equals a need for greater government involvement. This is a logical fallacy in many cases, and a lot of evidence suggests that this may be one of them. First of all, remember this: Italy has a single-payer health-care system, and the coronavirus has been a disaster there all the same. In fact, Italy has reported the largest 24-hour death toll of any country during the pandemic so far including China. If it were true that dealing with this virus was as simple as socialized medicine, then that wouldnt be the case. Furthermore, theres also the issue of the way that existing government regulations have, in some cases, actually made things worse here in the United States. For example: The FDA has only recently allowed states to create their own labs for designing coronavirus tests, and announced that two private companies (Hologic and LabCorp) had received approval to manufacture and distribute them. Again, this happened only recently (on Monday) even though there has been, for a while now, largely a consensus that a shortage of these tests has been a major factor in creating the disastrous situation we are in now. Its good that this has finally happened, but it should have happened sooner and it would have, if it werent for the government. After all, its not like private entities hadnt been trying. According to a piece in the New York Times from last week, an infectious-disease expert in Seattle, Helen Y. Chu, had been trying to get the government to allow her to test for the coronavirus since January. In February, she decided she couldnt wait any longer and did it anyway and quickly found a positive test for a local teenager who hadnt traveled anywhere, clear evidence of community spread. Even though she had broken the rules, she did what she felt was the right thing and informed local health officials about her discovery. In response, the federal government told her to stop testing immediately, which allowed the situation to get worse when it could have been getting better. Story continues Whats more, it wasnt until Friday that the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of a testing system developed by Roche Molecular Systems. The test is ten times faster than the one that health-care providers had been previously using. To the FDAs credit, the approval was made within 24 hours of receiving the application, CNNs Jake Tapper reports. This is obviously far better than the long delays weve seen in other instances, but I still cant help wondering why this kind of approval was even necessary at all after all, former FDA chief Scott Gottlieb has noted that it uses fairly routine technology. Worse, the problems that have been created by the government arent limited to testing restrictions, either. How many times, for example, have you heard about the hand-sanitizer shortage? Its been in the news for quite some time, and yet it wasnt until Saturday that government officials announced that they would not punish pharmacists for making their own alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Yes, pharmacists as in, you know, the people whose entire careers prepare them to know how to do things that are far more complicated in this arena, who quite obviously should have had this right all along. (Oh, and speaking of hand sanitizer: As Reasons Nick Gillespie notes, the TSA has also only recently allowed family-size bottles of it on airplanes. How much healthier could we be, how much safer from all infectious illnesses, if the government hadnt insisted on instituting this useless security theater in the first place?) Even the state of Massachusetts home of Senator Elizabeth Warren, hardly known for its lax regulations has decided to loosen one of its own laws by temporarily allowing medical professionals from other states to practice there. This is, as Catos Walter Olson notes, not only a good idea but also one of many good ideas that should be kept on as policy after the pandemic emergency passes. I could never, for the life of me, understand how often the people who clamor for tighter restrictions on speech are the same ones who also cry that President Trump is a racist, sexist, modern-day Hitler. They want to give the government more control over what they can and cannot say, even though they think that the leader of its executive branch is a monster; how does that make sense? Its the same thing here: In many cases, its the people shouting that the government has handled this crisis with incompetence who are also shouting that the same government should be more involved going forward. Its not that the government should be doing nothing, of course, but I think its important to also highlight the instances in which its help with combating this virus has come in the form of its getting out of the way. I also want to recognize all of the work that civilians and private companies have been doing to try to solve this issue independent of the state. Just yesterday, for example, billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk suggested looking into a research study exploring the potential use of chloroquine, which has been used to fight malaria, in treating the new coronavirus. Seeing these sorts of efforts brings me comfort, because the truth is, no government could ever expect to solve this sort of problem on its own. (Full disclosure: One of the coauthors of the aforementioned study, James Todaro, is my fathers friends son.) I dont have all of the answers for this pandemic. Im not a health and disease expert, and no matter how much I read, things seem to be changing far too often for me to know exactly what to do even if I were one. But I do know one thing for sure: Its in uncertain times that innovation is, in fact, the most important. Its the time when it is necessary and we should be welcoming it rather than restricting it, whether we are dealing with a pandemic or not. More from National Review Liquor delivery apps report massive spikes in business. Photo: Eileen ODonnell//Moment Editorial/Getty Images With New Yorkers spending more time than ever with family and loved ones, new data is revealing our priorities: We are ordering alcohol, earlier in the day, and lots of it. Oh, and Brooklyns affluent parents might just be the thirstiest crowd in America. In the last 72 hours, citywide orders on Drizly, a liquor-delivery app, have surged more than 450 percent. Minibar, another app, saw double-digit increases late last week before sales went nuclear on Monday night, shooting up 131 percent when bars officially closed across the city at 8 p.m. Its just been staggering to watch, said Scott Braun, chief marketing officer for Boston-based Drizly, which is racing to ensure the app doesnt crash and has hired new customer-service reps. The situation, Braun added, is very liquid. On Tuesday afternoon, the scene at Downtown Brooklyns G & I Wine & Spirits was liquid indeed. A manager, who declined to share his name, thumbed through a fat stack of delivery receipts from Drizly and other apps. He had just signed for 700 cases of liquor, but he was pushing his distributors for more supply, out of fear that they might shut down like what happened in Pennsylvania. Every day, he said, has been like New Years Eve. New Yorkers or at least those with the cash and web savvy to horde booze online are scrambling to buy staples. Cabernet Sauvignon and Titos vodka are top sellers, according to Drizly and Minibar, which both shared internal data with Grub Street. Minibar also reported a run on White Claw Hard Seltzer, Oyster Bay (a New Zealand producer of quaffable, $15 bottles of Sauvignon Blanc), Veuve Clicquot Champagne, and Casamigos tequila. New Yorkers are spending more too: The average Minibar order was $88 this week, up from $71. Drizly shopping carts are 50 percent larger than usual. Bars and restaurants are closed, but proximity to family may also be driving demand. As soon as they closed the schools, thats when people started drinking, a cashier at Wino(t) in Crown Heights told late stragglers on Monday night, moments after bars had closed. Sure enough, Drizlys data confirms that stroller meccas are fueling the run on hooch: Brooklyn Heights was Drizlys top Zip Code for sales, with kid-friendly Fort Greene and the Upper West Side also in the top ten, holding their own with more expected neighborhoods like Murray Hill, Chelsea, and Hells Kitchen. Total Brooklyn sales are up 750 percent over the last 72 hours, far outpacing the other four boroughs. On Tuesday at Earths Basket, in South Slope, owner Ken Patel was glued to his laptop, flipping through tabs for the delivery apps he uses to sell his robust supply of craft beer. At 2:30 p.m., he dispatched a cousin, Ashik, a 21-year-old from Gujarat, India, with a $150.76 order of IPAs from the breweries Industrial Arts, Mikkeller, and SingleCut. A few minutes later, Ashik rang the bell of a smart home half a block from the tombstones of Greenwood Cemetery. No answer. A childs hand-drawn St. Patricks Day poster hung in the window. Ashik telephoned. Seconds later, a sullen, mid-40s dad opened the door. Why had he ordered so much beer? My wife wont let me out of the house, he said, before shuffling inside. To his credit, he tipped $23. On the way back to Earths Basket, Ashik admitted to struggling with occasional anxiety about the coronavirus. But the $15 and $20 tips encourage him to make the long commute from Queens on deserted trains through a panicked city. Even underground hooch slingers are doing their part. Nutcrackers, the home-brewed, candy-colored slushies, are a summertime staple that typically hit streets and subway cars after Memorial Day. But this week, Instagram sellers helped soak up demand, even in the 45-degree weather. In recent days, one 26-year-old seller fielded an order of ten Henny Coladas (price tag: $100), booked upcoming weekend sales, and rolled out a new coconut-flavored nutcracker. This virus outbreak didnt stop no one from wanting to drink, he said. He welcomes the additional orders, since his new employer has delayed his start date due to the virus. On the apps, orders come in earlier too. Minibars customers typically start purchasing liquor in earnest around 4 p.m., when the workday is wrapping up. But with nearly 2 million daily riders shunning the subway to work and drink from home, orders now surge at 3 p.m., just in time for those Zoom happy hours. New Yorkers are hoarding other substances too. Last week, the citys marijuana couriers reported sales doubling. Meanwhile, Capsule, an online pharmacy, is busy delivering a spike in prescriptions, as existing customers stock up on medication. But CEO Eric Kinariwala said hes seen no proportional increase in anti-anxiety or anti-depression drugs like Ativan and Prozac, just a slight bump in orders for inhalers. So far, what the city needs most is plain, old firewater. Back at G & I Wine & Spirits, the manager adjusted his Gucci glasses and took a phone call from another hustler with a lead on face masks. Two million, yeah, he said. Perhaps there was a stray shipping container that could be tracked down. Then he hung up and shrugged. Desperate times call for desperate measures, the manager said. Just then, an employee pushing a hand truck bumped into a display rack. Glass exploded, spraying wasted tannins on the floor. Well just lick it up! a cashier shouted. But no one laughed. It was one less bottle of red wine in a city that evidently needs every drop it can get. Were committed to keeping our readers informed. Weve removed our paywall from essential coronavirus news stories. Become a subscriber to support our journalists. Subscribe now. Countries globally are facing "a twin crisis of unprecedented proportion" of a public health threat in the form of a new coronavirus and heightened risk of an economic recession, a Singapore minister said Wednesday. The number of reported cases of the coronavirus disease, formally named COVID-19, has crossed 180,000 globally, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Measures taken by authorities to slow the spread of the virus such as closing borders and keeping people at home have compounded the outbreak's hit on the economy, with many experts now warning of a recession. "The challenge is that the more we do to flatten the infection curve, we are actually also steepening the recession curve because as we do more of these measures, the right measures, to save lives ... economic activity will be reduced and it will increase the risk of an economic downturn," Lawrence Wong, Singapore's minister for national development, told CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia." "So really, we are dealing with a twin crisis of unprecedented proportions: One, a public health emergency; and second, an economic crisis. An economic crisis which will be more severe than ... anything we have ever seen in modern history," said Wong, who's also second minister for finance and co-chair of a multi-ministry task force to fight COVID-19. Singapore, a Southeast Asian country with a population of around 5.7 million, was one of the earliest outside China to report cases of the new coronavirus. As of Tuesday noon, the country has reported 266 cases, of which 114 have been discharged from hospitals, according to its Ministry of Health. The country hasn't reported any deaths. As a trade-dependent economy and a major aviation hub, Singapore is expected to be hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak. Last month, the government downgraded its forecast range for the change in the country's gross domestic product to between -0.5% and 1.5% for this year worse than earlier projections of growth between 0.5% and 2.5%. The Trump admiration is allowing Americans to delay paying their taxes and is hoping to send stimulus checks directly to people as the nation grapples with the coronavirus pandemic. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin is encouraging Americans who can to file their taxes on or before April 15 to do so so that they dont lose out on their tax refunds. But he says that, if Americans owe the IRS money, they can defer up to $1 million for individuals and $10 million for corporations without interest and penalties for 90 days. President Donald Trump and Mnuchin also say during a White House briefing that they wants to send checks to Americans in next two weeks in an effort to curb the economic impact of the pandemic. Across the United States, over 4,660 people have been infected by the COVID-19 virus and 95 people have died. -- The Associated 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. On Demand We have a new story every day on the front page of thephuketnews.com. Also like us on our Facebook page (facebook.com/thephuketnews) and be the first to watch all the new stories. Finally you can watch any segment, any time by going to thephuketnews.com/tv where all the stories are listed for you to enjoy. All our programs can be enjoyed in High Definition when watching on the internet. In-Room VDO [March 18, 2020] UBS Announces Mandatory Redemption of ETRACS Monthly Pay 2xLeveraged Diversified High Income ETN due November 12, 2043 UBS Investment Bank today announced that all outstanding notes of the Monthly Pay 2xLeveraged Diversified High Income ETN due November 12, 2043 (Ticker: DVHL) (the "Securities") will be mandatorily redeemed in accordance with the terms of the Securities as a result of the occurrence of an Acceleration Upon Minimum Indicative Value on March 17, 2020 (the "Acceleration Date"), triggered as a result of the intraday indicative value of the Securities on the Acceleration Date decreasing by more than 60% in value from the closing indicative value of the Securities on the previous Monthly Valuation Date. As disclosed in more detail in the pricing supplement and product supplement relating to the 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 Securities. The "Acceleration Measurement Period" for determining the Acceleration Amount will be the five Trading Days from and including the Acceleration Date. Payment of the Acceleration Amount will be made on the Acceleration Settlement Date, which is expected to be March 26, 2020. For more information regarding the mandatory redemption, including how the Acceleration Amount will be determined, see the pricing supplement and product supplement relating to 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, and 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 Acceleration Amount that they will receive on the Acceleration Settlement Date (including paying any premium to the Acceleration Amount, once this amount has 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 Acceleration Amount they would have received on the Acceleration Settlement Date (including selling at any discount to the Acceleration Amount, once this amount has been determined) will also sufer 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. 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 a registration statement (including a prospectus and supplements thereto) with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, for the offering of securities to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus, 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 a registration statement (including a prospectus, as supplemented by the applicable product supplement and pricing supplement, for the offering of the ETRACS ETNs) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") for the offering 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 offering 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/20200318005314/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Tuesday, March 17, 2020 The Zacks Research Daily presents the best research output of our analyst team. Today's Research Daily features new research reports on 16 major stocks, including Oracle (ORCL), Cisco Systems (CSCO) and Netflix (NFLX). These research reports have been hand-picked from the roughly 70 reports published by our analyst team today. You can see all of todays research reports here >>> Oracles shares have underperformed the Zacks Computer Software industry over the past six months (-18.7% vs. -9.4%). The Zacks analyst believes that strong demand for the latest autonomous database supported by ML is anticipated to drive the top line and provide the company a competitive edge against Amazon Web Services (AWS) in the Database-as-a-Service market. Oracle's fiscal third-quarter performance benefited from strong adoption of cloud-based solutions, comprising NetSuite ERP, Fusion ERP and Fusion HCM among others. Further, momentum witnessed in cloud services is a key upside. Going ahead, the company is expected to reap benefits from rising adoption of SaaS. However, stiff competition in the cloud market from dominant players is expected to put pressure on profitability. Further, lower hardware volumes are likely to hurt the top line. (You can read the full research report on Oracle here >>> ) Shares of Cisco have lost 37% over the past year against the S&P 500s fall of 16.6%. The Zacks analyst believes that Cisco is benefiting from solid security business. Increasing demand for collaborative solutions, which includes WebEx Teams, post the coronavirus outbreak is positive. Moreover, a strong uptake of Catalyst 9000 family of switches and Nexus 9K solutions is a key catalyst. Integration with Microsoft Azure, Office 365 and Amazon Web Services is expected to fortify footprint in the cloud space. Despite a grim third-quarter fiscal 2020 outlook, the companys differentiated end-to-end approach across the network, cloud and endpoints is a major driver for the rest of fiscal 2020. Story continues Lower customer spending, China-related weakness and a growing global economic uncertainty due to the unabated spread of coronavirus are major headwinds. (You can read the full research report on Cisco here >>> ) Netflixs shares have lost 6.9% over the past three months against the Zacks Broadcast Radio and Television industrys fall of 23.6%. The Zacks analyst believes that the launch of low-priced mobile plans in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand is expected to expand its subscriber base in the Asia Pacific. Netflix is expected to benefit from an expanding content portfolio despite increasing competition from the likes of HBO, Amazon prime video, Disney+ and Apple TV+. Expanding bundle offerings through partnerships with Telefonica, KDDI, AT&T, Comcast, DISH, Verizon, Charter, Altice, T-Mobile and Sky are a key catalyst. However, management expects net additions in the paid subscriber base to decline in first-quarter 2020. Moreover, high streaming content obligation and increased spending are expected to hurt free cash flow generation. (You can read the full research report on Netflix here >>> ) Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Fidelity National Information Services (FIS) and Crown Castle International (CCI). 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 >> Mark Vickery Senior Editor Note: Sheraz Mian heads the Zacks Equity Research department and is a well-regarded expert of aggregate earnings. He is frequently quoted in the print and electronic media and publishes the weekly Earnings Trends and Earnings Preview reports. If you want an email notification each time Sheraz publishes a new article, please click here>>> Today's Must Read Oracle (ORCL) Gains from Cloud Suite Adoption & Partnerships Solid Security & Cloud Portfolio Aids Cisco's (CSCO) Growth Robust Content Aids Netflix (NFLX) Amid Stiff Competition Featured Reports Glaxo's (GSK) Pipeline Growing Amid Generic Woes for Advair In 2020, Glaxo expects six potential approvals in oncology, HIV, and respiratory areas. However, generic erosion of its top-selling drug, Advair is hurting the overall topline, per the Zacks analyst. Acquisitions Support Fidelity (FIS) Amid Increasing Expenses Per the Zacks analyst, Fidelity's planned buyout of Worldpay will help diversify revenues and expand presence in fast growing markets. Focus on Fiber Business to Stoke Crown Castle's (CCI) Growth Per the Zacks Analyst, Crown Castle's efforts to expand its fiber business will boost long-term results. Expansion Strategy Aids Equinix (EQIX) Amid Stiff Competition Per the Zacks Analyst, acquisitions and expansions will boost Equinix's data-center footprint, while stiff competition might likely curb its pricing power. Customer Additions & Inorganic Growth Aid America Movil (AMX) Per the Zacks analyst, America Movil benefits from mobile postpaid subscriber additions in Brazil, Mexico and Colombia. Application Software Drives Roper (ROP), High Costs Ail Per the Zacks analyst, solid traction of Roper's Application Software segment, driven by growing adoption of SaaS offerings, will lend momentum to the company. Acquisitions to Aid Johnson Controls (JCI) Amid Rising Costs Per the Zacks Analyst, the firm's buyout of Synchrony and EasyIO Building and Energy Management System are likely to boost prospects amid high commodity costs and currency headwinds. New Upgrades Cobre Panama, High Gold Prices Aid Franco-Nevada (FNV) Per the Zacks Analyst, Franco-Nevada will gain from higher gold prices, focus on cost management and its healthy portfolio of streaming and royalty agreements particularly the Cobre Panama project. Product Launches as Well as Osprey Buyout Aid Phibro (PAHC) The Zacks analyst is optimistic about Phibro's buyout of Osprey, which has already started to strongly contribute to the top line. Solid Collectibles Business to Lift GameStop's (GME) Sales Per the Zacks analyst, GameStop's collectibles sales category buoyed by expansion of licensed merchandise offerings has been profitable for the past few quarters. New Downgrades Yum! Brands (YUM) Hurt by High Operating Cost & Dismal Sales Per the Zacks analyst, increase in the cost of employee wages, along with rent and energy costs are likely to affect company's margins. Also decline in Pizza Hut same-stores sales is concerning. Weak Oil Prices to Weigh on Concho Resources (CXO) The Zacks analyst believes that the oil plunge has left Concho Resources facing prices below their costs of production. As a result, the company appears unlikely to fund its operations. Oil Collapse, Lower Output to Weigh on Diamondback (FANG) The Zacks analyst believes the sub-$30 oil price will make it difficult for Diamondback to fund operations. Lower than expected crude output on account of reduced activity levels is also a concern. undefined undefined Oracle Corporation (ORCL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) : Free Stock Analysis Report GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (FIS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Crown Castle International Corporation (CCI) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research An outbreak of the novel coronavirus that began in China about three months ago has now infected more than 9,345 people across all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The newly identified virus, which causes a respiratory illness known as COVID-19, has killed at least 140 people in the United States, according to ABC News' count. The disease has spread to every continent except Antarctica, infecting more than 218,000 people globally and killing over 8,800, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. Governments around the world have implemented travel restrictions, border closures and lockdowns in an effort to slow the spread. Today's biggest developments: 10 new deaths in Seattle area Two U.S. congressmen test positive for virus Virus now present in all European countries All U.K. schools to close Italy's death toll continues to soar U.S. closing border with Canada PHOTO:An elderly lady passes empty shelves in Sainsbury's supermarket as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak continues, in Fulham, London, March 18, 2020. (Kevin Coombs/Reuters) Here's how the news is unfolding today. All times Eastern. Please refresh for updates. 10:30 p.m.: Wuhan, China, reports no new cases for 1st time since surge China's health ministry announced that Wuhan and its surrounding Hubei province, the epicenter of the virus' outbreak, have reported no new cases in a day for the first time since the rise of the coronavirus pandemic. Wuhan saw thousands of new infections daily at the height of the country's coronavirus crisis and Hubei province has tallied over 3,100 deaths since the start in December 2019. Mainland China reported 34 new cases of coronavirus, including 21 in Beijing, over the last 24 hours, but they each stemmed from people arriving from abroad, the health ministry said. 9:30 p.m.: ICE suspends community arrests amid ongoing crisis Immigration and Customs Enforcement will significantly scale back apprehensions of undocumented immigrants and limit arrests of immigrants without criminal records due to concerns over the coronavirus, ICE officials confirmed Wednesday. Story continues The agency described the change as an adjustment to its "enforcement posture," saying it will instead focus on "public safety risks" rather than arresting those with no prior criminal record. The decision follows an outpouring of requests from immigration advocates to halt enforcement actions. Earlier today, the Justice Department announced it would temporarily shutter immigration courts that hear cases for those who are not in ICE detention. 9:00 p.m.: 2nd congressman tests positive for COVID-19 Rep. Ben McAdams, D-Utah, revealed that he tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday night, just hours after Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., announced his diagnosis. McAdams said he developed "mild cold-like symptoms" after returning home from Washington, D.C., on Saturday. "In consultation with my doctor on Sunday, I immediately isolated myself in my home," McAdams said in a statement Wednesday. "My symptoms got worse and I developed a fever, a dry cough and labored breathing and I remained self-quarantined." He said was notified of his results on Wednesday. A growing list of representatives said they would be self-isolating Wednesday night, including Reps. Drew Ferguson, R-Ga.; Steve Scalise, R-La.; Ann Wagner, R-Mo.; and Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla. 8 p.m.: 12 TSA officers test positive for coronavirus The Transportation Security Administration said 12 of its officers had tested positive for the coronavirus as of Wednesday evening. The four most recent confirmed cases included one agent working at Newark Liberty International Airport, one at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and two at JFK International Airport. The Newark officer's last day of work was March 14. The JFK officers' last days at work were March 12 and March 13, respectively. And the Fort Lauderdale officer's last day of work was March 10. ABC News previously spoke with Everett Kelley, national president of the union that represents TSA workers, who has called on the agency to provide employees with N95 masks. "TSA is not even providing any form of mask for the TSO," Kelley told ABC News. "I also think that the N95 mask would be a lot safer than what they have." Currently the agency is allowing front line personnel to wear surgical masks only "if they choose to do so." PHOTO: A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employee adjusts her face mask while screening passengers entering through a checkpoint at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Saturday, March 14, 2020, in New York. (Kathy Willens/AP) 7:30 p.m.: Nissan joins major automakers in halting US production Japanese automaker Nissan joined Ford, GM, Fiat-Chrysler and Toyota in temporarily suspending production at manufacturing facilities in the U.S. Beginning March 20, the company said it will halt production at U.S. facilities through April 6 with hopes to "boost containment efforts where possible around the COVID-19 coronavirus." Areas deemed business-essential will continue to operate with enhanced safety measures, according to the statement. 7:10 p.m.: Rep. Diaz-Balart tests positive for coronavirus Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., said he has tested positive for coronavirus, becoming the first congressman to do so. "I want you to know that I am feeling much better," he said in a statement Wednesday. "However, it is important that everyone take this extremely seriously and follow CDC guidelines in order to avoid getting sick and mitigate the spread of this virus." Diaz-Balart, 58, said he began experiencing fever and headaches while working in Washington, D.C., over the weekend. He has decided to self-quarantined away from his wife, who he said has pre-existing health conditions. The congressman was on the House floor as recently as Saturday morning to vote for coronavirus relief legislation. 6:40 p.m.: JPMorgan Chase temporarily shutters 1,000 branches JPMorgan Chase announced that it would temporarily close 1,000 locations, or about 20% of its branches, making it the first major U.S. bank to close some of its doors due to the outbreak. "Our temporarily smaller footprint will allow us to provide appropriate coverage in every market we serve so we can continue to serve our clients with the services they need," a spokesperson told ABC News. Executives said they are closing about a fifth of its Chase branches to protect its staff and customers. The approximate 4,000 remaining branches will give some staff the option to work from home and reduce weekday hours, according to a memo sent to staff on Wednesday. The closures do not include drive-up facilities. 4:59 p.m.: New York Stock Exchange to temporarily move to electronic trading The New York Stock Exchange will temporarily move to fully electronic trading beginning March 23. All NYSE markets will still operate under normal trading hours. A date to reopen trading floors hasn't been determined. Small business owners tapping into personal savings, 401(k)s and more amid coronavirus crisis 4:40 p.m.: 10 new deaths in Seattle area In King County, Washington, which includes Seattle -- hard-hit by the outbreak -- 10 more people died from coronavirus on Wednesday, officials said. That brings the fatality total in King County to 56, public health officials said. There are 562 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the county, including 44 new cases Wednesday. "We expect the case count to double every 57 days unless these orders to stay away from others are followed diligently," public health officials warned. PHOTO: Laurie Kuypers, a registered nurse, reaches into a car to take a nasopharyngeal swab from a patient at a drive-through COVID-19 coronavirus testing station for University of Washington Medicine patients, March 17, 2020, in Seattle. (Elaine Thompson/AP) 4:28 p.m.: Honda, Ford, GM, Fiat-Chrysler, Toyota temporarily stopping North America production Honda said it's temporarily suspending production at North American plants from March 23 to March 31, reducing production by about 40,000 cars, due to an anticipated decline in demand. Honda will continue to give full pay during that period and use the time to focus on continued cleaning, the company said. Ford also said its suspending its U.S., Canadian and Mexican manufacturing facilities from Thursday night to March 30 to clean and sanitize plants. Ford already temporarily closed its Michigan Assembly Plant final assembly building on Wednesday after an employee tested positive for coronavirus, Ford said. Coronavirus map: Why flattening the curve for coronavirus matters A "thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting" effort is underway at the plant and those who have had contact with that employee are being told to self-quarantine, Ford said. General Motors followed suit, announcing its suspending North American facilities until at least March 30 "due to market conditions and to deep clean facilities." Fiat-Chrysler also said Wednesday it's stopping production at North American plants until the end of March. Toyota said it's stopping North America production on March 23 and 24 and will resume March 25. Tune into ABC at 1 p.m. ET and ABC News Live at 4 p.m. ET every weekday for special coverage of the novel coronavirus with the full ABC News team, including the latest news, context and analysis. 4:20 p.m.: Senate passes 'phase-2' coronavirus stimulus measure The Senate Wednesday afternoon passed the House-passed "phase two" coronavirus stimulus bill. The phase-two bill includes free COVID-19 testing, expansion of food security programs like SNAP and WIC, and more unemployment insurance funding. PHOTO:Medical assistant Miriam Fuentes gives a patient instructions via at a drive-through COVID-19 coronavirus testing station for University of Washington Medicine patients, March 17, 2020, in Seattle. (Elaine Thompson/AP) The bill passed by a vote of 90-8. Those who voted against the bill are Republican Sens. James Lankford, Mike Lee, Rand Paul, Tim Scott, Marsha Blackburn, Ben Sasse, Ron Johnson and James Inhoffe. The bill now moves to President Donald Trump's desk. 2:00 p.m.: All UK schools to close All schools in the United Kingdom will be closed from Friday until further notice, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced. 1:34 p.m.: Italy's death toll continues to soar Italy, where residents are on lockdown amid the pandemic, is reporting 475 new coronavirus deaths in the last 24 hours. PHOTO: A general view of a deserted Terminal 1 at Milan - Malpensa airport, March 18, 2020, in Ferno, Italy. (Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images) That brings Italy's total number of COVID-19 fatalities to 2,978, the country's Civil Protection Agency reported. 'Much worse than you thought': Italians share messages warning others of coronavirus The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Italy has soared to 35,713, according to the Civil Protection Agency. PHOTO: Members of a Chinese medical team gather to attend a press conference after flying to the airport in Ferno, Italy, March 18, 2020. (Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images) 12:45 p.m.: Government recommends all nonessential medical procedures be limited Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma said Wednesday that CMS will announce regulations limiting "nonessential elective medical and surgical procedures, including dental procedures," in order to help prioritize essential health activities. "We believe that these recommendations will help surgeons, patients, and hospitals prioritize what is essential, while leaving the ultimate decision to the heads of state and local health officials and those clinicians who have direct responsibility to their patients," Verma said. "And we urge providers and clinicians and patients to seriously consider these recommendations." PHOTO: Cars arrive at a coronavirus drive-thru testing site at the Theodore Roosevelt Nature Center, on March 17, 2020, at Jones Beach State Park, New York. (Al Bello/Getty Images) 12:30 p.m.: HUD suspending foreclosures, evictions The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will suspend all foreclosures and evictions for single family homeowners with FHA-insured mortgages until the end of April, President Trump announced at a coronavirus briefing at the White House Wednesday. Some local governments, including New York state and Los Angeles, had already temporarily banned evictions. 11:45 a.m.: Hospital ship USNS Comfort headed to NYC harbor New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that all businesses in the state must limit its workforce in the office to 50%. "If it doesnt slow the spread, we will reduce the number of workers even further," he said. "That 50% can be calibrated." How to avoid panicking in coping with coronavirus outbreak New York state has a total of 2,382 coronavirus cases and 20 deaths, the governor said. Cuomo said he spoke with President Donald Trump who is dispatching the hospital ship USNS Comfort to New York City's harbor where it can act as a floating hospital. 'I'm scared': How coronavirus is delivering a double blow for older Americans The Comfort, currently in Norfolk, and the USNS Mercy ship, in San Diego, will both be assigned to help cities treat non-coronavirus patients so hospitals can put more focus on the COVID-19 cases, according to the Navy. PHOTO: Hospital clinicians work to test patients for the coronavirus, Covid-19 at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, Mass., on March 18, 2020. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images) 10:32 a.m.: Italy's virus-hit region 'soon' won't be able to help sick, official says Medical facilities in northern Italy's virus-hit Lombardy region will "soon" be unable to help the sick, the regional governor said Wednesday. Lombardy's governor, Attilio Fontana, urged everyone in the region to stay home. Venice canals are crystal clear as coronavirus halts tourism in the city "Unfortunately the numbers of the contagion are not falling, they continue to be high," Fontana told reporters, as quoted by Italian news agency ANSA. "We will soon be unable to give a response to those who fall ill." "Stay at home," he added. "If you don't understand that, we'll have to be more aggressive." PHOTO: A medical worker wearing a face mask brings a patient in an ambulance arriving at the new coronavirus intensive care unit of the Brescia Poliambulanza hospital in northern Italy's Lombardy region on March 17, 2020. (Piero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Images) With more than 31,500 confirmed cases, Italy has the second-highest national total behind China, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering. A majority of Italy's confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus have been reported in the Lombardy region. 10:12 a.m.: U.S. closing border with Canada The U.S. will temporarily close its northern border with Canada to "non-essential traffic," President Trump announced via Twitter. We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected. Details to follow! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2020 Trump said the decision was made by "mutual consent," and that "trade will not be affected." 8:00 a.m.: Confirmed cases top 200,000 worldwide, global death toll exceeds 8,000 The worldwide number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus topped 200,000 while the global death toll surpassed 8,000 on Wednesday morning, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering. PHOTO: In this photo taken on March 16, 2020, a doctor watches a coronavirus patient under treatment in the intensive care unit of the Brescia hospital in Italy. (Luca Bruno/AP) The majority of cases and fatalities were still reported in China, but that percentage is continuing to diminish as the outbreak worsens in other countries such as Italy, Iran and the United States. 7:45 a.m.: 'We don't have the resources for this' U.S. doctor on the frontlines says A doctor on the frontlines of the fight against the novel coronavirus in the United States warned that hospitals are already running low on lifesaving resources, even as the outbreak has yet to reach a peak. "If this peaks early and it peaks hard, we don't have the resources for this and we'll run out of ventilators and space," Dr. Stephen Anderson, an emergency physician in Auburn, Washington, told ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos in an interview Wednesday on "Good Morning America." "There's no question, we need quicker and more tests, we certainly need more space to place people, we need ventilators," Anderson continued. "I have ventilators this morning, but the hospital up the street from me is out of ventilators at the moment." Anderson also noted that health care workers on the frontlines, like himself, are in dire need of personal protective gear. MORE: San Francisco Bay Area residents describe coronavirus lockdown "I've got my mask for today right here and I'm guarding it with my life because it could be my life. We reportedly have two days' supply," he added. "We really don't have a deep bullpen. If people get sick and they're out, that takes people off the frontlines to help with this. But by the same token, you don't want to be sick and be around the people that are coming to the emergency department who are already the sickest people in most need in America. So we are trying to test our health care workers as quickly and efficiently as we can and getting them back in the ballgame, if possible." PHOTO: Dr. Steven Anderson, an emergency room doctor from Auburn, Washington, speaks with ABC News about the coronavirus. (ABC News) Anderson said "there's a lot of stress" among medical professionals right now, and he described the mood as "frightening." "In 35 years of practice, I can say that this is the most anxiety that I have ever seen around the idea of an infectious disease," he said. "We are on the frontlines and it's scary, that's where the casualties always happen in any battle." Anderson emphasized the importance of flattening the curve of the outbreak to keep the spread of the disease at a manageable level for health care workers. "We need to make sure that if this goes on into June, that it's a gradual rise and fall," he said. "And the way that we need to do that right now is by socially isolating ourselves and hunkering down so that we don't spread the virus." What to know about coronavirus: How it started and how to protect yourself: coronavirus explained What to do if you have symptoms: coronavirus symptoms Tracking the spread in the US and worldwide: coronavirus map 6:07 a.m.: Virus now present in all European countries as Montenegro confirms 1st cases The novel coronavirus has now spread to all European nations as Montenegro confirmed its first cases late Tuesday night. Until now, Montenegro was the only country in Europe without a single confirmed case of COVID-19. The government has taken measures to prevent the outbreak from reaching the country, including closing its borders for foreigners, shutting schools and banning public gatherings. Montenegro's prime minister, Dusko Markovic, revealed the country's first two confirmed cases in a press conference late on Tuesday. The patients are both women -- one is in her late 40s and the other is in her early 70s. One of the patients had recently returned from Spain, where nearly 12,000 people are infected with the virus, while the other had returned from the United States, where nearly 6,500 people are infected. PHOTO: An empty terrace is seen in Podgorica, Montenegro, on March 16, 2020, after the government tightened up measures for coronavirus prevention and closed cafes. (Stevo Vasiljevic/Reuters) The two patients are currently hospitalized in a special ward of a medical clinic in Podgorica, the capital. Both are in stable condition, according to Markovic. "It is clear that the first cases of infections were not unexpected and it is very likely that soon new cases will be discovered," Markovic said. Calling on his European neighbors to show solidarity during the pandemic, Montenegro's prime minister said his country's ports will remain available to other nations in the region "to keep the flow of goods and its borders open to trade and supply." "It is up to us, the leaders of the region, to set an example and make decisions as good neighbors to each other," Markovic said. 5:27 a.m.: Schools close in 39 U.S. states Thirty-nine states have decided to close schools as of Tuesday night, according to the news journal Education Week. PHOTO: School buses are parked in a lot -- idled by the closing of schools in response to the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus -- in Gardena, California, on March 17, 2020. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) Combined with direct closures in other states, at least 91,000 public and private schools across the country are closed, are scheduled to close or were closed and later reopened, affecting some 41.6 million students, Education Week reported. MORE: From digital band practice to PE, Georgia teachers, students try first day of tele-schooling There are a total of 98,277 public schools and 34,576 private schools in the United States, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. 3:48 a.m.: Wuhan, China, reports just 1 new case for 2nd straight day The Chinese city of Wuhan, the original epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak, reported just one new confirmed case for the second day in a row. China's National Health Commission recorded only one new case of confirmed infection in Hubei province on both Monday and Tuesday. Each was reported in the city of Wuhan, where the very first cases of the novel coronavirus emerged back in December. PHOTO: Medical staff cheer themselves up before going into an ICU ward for patients infected with the novel coronavirus at the Red Cross Hospital in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province on March 16, 2020. (AFP via Getty Images) Overall, the Chinese mainland has reported 80,894 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 3,237 deaths, with a vast majority in Wuhan and the surrounding Hubei province. While China still compromises the bulk of the world's cases, that proportion is shrinking by the day as the epidemic appears to slow down in China and expand abroad, particularly in Europe. With more than 31,500 confirmed cases, Italy has the second-highest national total behind China, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering. 3:25 a.m.: U.S. hospital association warns of ventilator shortage The largest national hospital organization in the United States is urging Americans to adhere to the recommended health precautions amid the coronavirus outbreak so the health care system doesn't become overwhelmed with patients. MORE: Frustration and confusion mounts among some doctors and patients who can't get coronavirus tests "There are limited supplies of ventilators and hospital beds, which is why hospitals and public health officials all across the country are urging the public to follow the guidance of the CDC and other public health leaders on social distancing and other actions," Nancy Foster, vice president for quality and patient safety policy at the American Hospital Association, told ABC News in a statement Tuesday night. "The best way not to overtax the health care system is to keep more people healthy. That is the reason public events have been canceled, schools are closed, businesses are instituting telework policies where possible, and other changes have been made to the way we routinely lead our lives." PHOTO: A health professional walks out of a drive-through coronavirus testing site at the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio, on March 17, 2020. (Megan Jelinger/AFP via Getty Images) In addition to the guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services "has told nursing homes and other health care facilities that house our most vulnerable patients to severely limit visitors and group events," according to Foster. "This will reduce the surge of acutely ill patients that hospitals will see, and hopefully ensure we experience a manageable level of demand," she added. "Hospitals and our dedicated doctors and nurses are doing their part to combat this virus. We hope everyone else will as well." ABC News' Ali Dukakis, Ben Gittleson, Dragana Jovanovich, Phoebe Nathanson, Amanda Maile, Luis Martinez, Allison Pecorin and Jordyn Phelps contributed to this report. 140 dead in US, Italy coronavirus fatalities continue to soar originally appeared on abcnews.go.com MORATORIUM By Bay City News Service Alameda County health officer Dr. Erica Pan told the Board of Supervisors Tuesday that she can't explain why the county has fewer coronavirus cases than other counties in the Bay Area with large populations. Responding to a question by Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan, Pan said, "I don't have a good answer for that now." But Pan said Alameda County officials shouldn't be complacent because there's been "an exponential increase" in the number of cases in the county. Pan said there were only three reported cases in the county when she briefed the board last week but that number had grown to 24 as of Tuesday morning. In response to a question by Supervisor Keith Carson about how she will enforce an order she and other Bay Area health officers issued on Tuesday mandating that residents shelter in place, Pan said, "It's not my intention to create a police state and really lock down." Pan said, "I won't be out there on the streets" and thinks most people will comply with the order voluntarily. She admitted, "It's a large order and is clearly unprecedented." The orders in Alameda County and neighboring counties allow companies that provide essential services to remain open. Supervisor Keith Carson said he's been "inundated" by questions by Tesla, which has an electric vehicle assembly plant in Fremont, and other companies about how the county is defining essential businesses. Alameda County Health Care Services Director Colleen Chawla said that's the number one question she's been asked but said there's not a definitive answer to it. Chawla said, "It's an individual community member's responsibility to take the order seriously. Many businesses are moving in this direction (temporarily closing their doors) anyway." County Counsel Donna Ziegler said, "Many businesses are complying on a voluntary basis." In a related action at Tuesday's meeting, the Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 to direct county staff to create an ordinance providing a temporary 30-day moratorium on evictions in the unincorporated part of the county in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The board's jurisdiction includes unincorporated areas, and City Councils govern eviction laws for individual cities. The board's vote comes one day after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order authorizing local governments to halt evictions for renters and homeowners. Chan and Carson, who introduced the directive, said it would prevent renters in the unincorporated areas from being evicted if they can demonstrate a substantial loss of income as a result of the coronavirus. That could include loss of employment, reduction in paid work hours workplace closure and the need to care for a home-bound school-age child. 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. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18 Trend: The Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers is taking steps to minimize the possible negative impact of coronavirus on the economy, MP Vugar Bayramov told Trend on March 18. Bayramov was commenting on a package of proposals that will be prepared to minimize the possible damage to entrepreneurs. Little-known retired swimmer Naoko Imoto will be a last-minute stand-in to receive the Olympic flame during a scaled back handover in Athens on Thursday, Tokyo 2020 organisers said. Tokyo: Little-known retired swimmer Naoko Imoto will be a last-minute stand-in to receive the Olympic flame during a scaled back handover in Athens on Thursday, Tokyo 2020 organisers said. The Tokyo 2020 team had contacted Imoto, who lives in Greece, only hours before making the announcement on Wednesday evening in the Japanese capital. Due to coronavirus concerns and travel restrictions placed on flying in and out of Europe, Tokyo 2020 had announced on Tuesday they would not be sending a delegation to Athens to receive the Olympic flame, as is customary for a host city. Instead, they said, the Japanese ambassador to Greece would receive the flame on their behalf during a ceremony set to take place in an empty stadium. Just 24 hours later, however, Tokyo 2020 organising committee CEO Toshiro Muto announced that Imoto, who was part of the Japanese team that competed in the 800 metres freestyle relay at the 1996 Atlanta Games, would take the flame. Muto said the decision came following discussions with the International Olympic Committee and the Hellenic Olympic Committee. It was yesterday when we decided that we felt a Japanese person was necessary to undertake this role, during the three-party meeting. So, it has been one day (since the decision was taken), Muto told a briefing in Tokyo on Wednesday. Still, it had remained a challenge for organisers to find a suitable Japanese person, already living in Greece and so not subject to travel restrictions, at short notice. Fortunately, Imoto is working in Greece for UNICEF and, once she had checked her schedule, the 43-year-old accepted the honour. Imoto had not been involved in any of the original plans for the handover ceremony. We also needed to confirm that her schedule had availability and she mentioned that she was available, said Muto. She had a very positive reaction but all this happened just two or three hours ago... We believe it was a great decision, given the limited time of one day. The ceremony is due to take place at 11.30 am local time (9.30 am GMT) on Thursday at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens. The flame will then be transported by plane back to Japan, without Imoto who is not allowed to leave Greece due to the coronavirus outbreak, where it will arrive for another pared-down ceremony at Japans military Matushima Airbase on Friday. Follow LIVE updates on coronavirus pandemic here Purely in terms of design, the Zumthor design looks restorative. Spanning Wilshire Boulevard, its low-slung, curvy, light. Its a bridge, not one of the blank interruptive chunks or sky-reaching ladders that fill cities now. Also, the museums proposal for rotation and distribution looks, at least in the telling, like a sound and generous one. Its implementation will require continual work and experimentation. But if that results in more people seeing more art, in more variety, over time, some of it in places they might not have expected, that cant be bad. 5. The Answer is in the Art Institutional stresses, operational and political, are usually invisible to outsiders. Lately, weve been getting a look at them, especially the political ones, as weve seen poorly paid museum workers fight to form unions, and toxic sources of museum patronage such as those who promote opioid painkillers revealed. Its unlikely that such realities will ever again retreat from view. The days when museums could even hope to pass as morally exemplary, or even neutral, are over, and they know it. Theyre under pressure now to change in everyday corporate ways to more closely monitor sources of funding, to give greater voice to staff and if the past is an indication, the changes will be slow, just as the curatorial embrace of inclusion and truth-telling has been. Like all of us, museums are stitched tight into the fabric of a messy, venal, Darwinian world. The single thing that sets them apart is the art, the reason they exist, the thing they preserve and give us access to. Art can be a source of ethical instruction, too, as much for the museum itself as for its audience, a source of guidance, positive and negative, strong enough to insure survival for another 150 years. And now, with their operations stalled and, of course, theres no telling yet of the purely practical long-range difficulties the pandemic could cause museums should take the opportunity to ponder the great asset they share. If theyre going to present themselves as enlightened alternatives to that messy world they better get busy. Enlightenment is a hard-won fight, and alternative always starts as an inside job. The 50th state in the United States of America to contract a case of the deadly novel coronavirus is West Virginia, says an article. It was announced by Governor Jim Justice that it was the first COVID-19 case in West Virginia. According to Justice, the state's first case is located at the eastern panhandle of the state. He gave no other detail about the case. Check these out: 'Shelter-In-Place': New Yorkers Urged To Prepare For A Stricter Lockdown Coronavirus: The Race For A Cure 17-Year Old Develops Website That Allows You to Track COVID-19 Cases in Real-Time Limiting Interactions to Prevent Further Spread of the Killer Virus The announcement of the first COVID-19 case in West Virginia comes after the total number of deaths in the US from the disease had reached a hundred. The data come from a tally by CNN. In Illinois, the state's first death came on Tuesday. It is one of the 18 states in the US to report the death of its citizens due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Health officials are asking people to limit their interactions immediately to prevent the overwhelming of the country's health system. The health system of the country is the one who will shoulder the responsibility to take care of those who contracted the disease. Also, they said the pandemic will not happen soon. The Importance of Social Distancing On Tuesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' director, said it will take many weeks before the effects of social distancing can be seen at its peak. According to Fauci, young adults have a high chance of not showing any symptoms of the COVID-19 even if they are infected. Also, these groups of people are still able to spread the disease to people with compromised health conditions and other people with weak immune systems. This is the reason why Fauci is requesting young people to refrain from going outside. Also, they are asked to prevent going to bars and restaurants in the meantime. With these measures, Fauci expects to sooner see better results from the COVID-19 epidemic. Easing the Strains of Physicians and Medical Centers The task force coordinator of the White House Doctor Deborah Birx had asked the people of the country to cancel elective surgeries. This request aims to loosen the strain put on physicians and medical centers. Local measures are already being implemented in the country. Also, the government is still determining ways how to release the money to US citizens in approximately 2-weeks. This is a move to help with the US economic fallout, said Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Tuesday. Limiting Gatherings The White House suggested to US citizens to limit social gatherings to 10 or fewer attendees. Also, local and state officials are releasing orders for an altered American reality as the total number of the COVID-19 cases in the US had reached 5,800. The new case announced on Tuesday was a person who stayed in a New York homeless shelter. Currently, the person is now admitted to the hospital, said Isaac McGinn of the Department of Social Services. Scientists have suggested that individuals with blood type A could be much more susceptible than others to COVID-19. While Type O individuals appear to be more immune, Blood Type A individuals could be much more susceptible to the new coronavirus outbreak, as per a preliminary analysis of patients who contracted the well-known COVID-19 infection in China. The researchers, led by Wang Xinghuan, with the Centre for Evidence-Based and Translational Medicine, at Zhongnan Hospital Wuhan University, went on to write: "People of blood group A might need particularly strengthened personal protection to reduce the chance of infection." Chinese medical scientists have evaluated more than 2,000 Wuhan and Shenzhen virus-infected patients in their blood types together with the local healthy communities. In their evaluation, researchers have observed a greater risk of infection in patients with the blood type A and appeared to experience more serious symptoms. Although the scientists have suggested that the analysis was still tentative and that further work was required, authorities and health care facilities were advised to consider variations in blood type in their preparation for the prevention of as well as care of COVID-19 patients. Scientists and medical professionals throughout cities in the whole of China such as Beijing, Wuhan, Shanghai and Shenzhen administered the research. The researchers warned that somehow the study might lead to risks influencing existing medical practices and that it has not been peer reviewed. Out of the 206 patients who were killed in Wuhan with the COVID-19 infection, 85 got the blood type A that was 63% greater than the 52 patients with the blood type O. The trend was prevalent in various age groups and gender groups. Professor Robin C May of the University of Birmingham's School of Biosciences, who has not been included at the research, commented that the results did not clarify the mechanisms for determining whether an individual having type A blood is more vulnerable to the infection of the COVID-19. Professor May explains that, in contrast to the percentage of the absolute risk of hand hygiene, there will almost certainly not be any problem with the results of the study for people with A type of blood, because the percentage of risks associated with the blood group is very slim. Gao Yingdai, another scientist who has not been included with the research, from the State Main Laboratory of Experimental Hematology in Tianjin, has said that it could be strengthened with a greater sample size. Although 2,000 were not really low, this was diminished by a total of more than 180,000 coronavirus patients worldwide. The limitation of the research was that the phenomena such as with the molecular association between the infection and various types of red blood cells could not include any detailed explanation, says Gao. Researchers are also still uncertain how various blood types have developed, although it is one hypothesis that they are a hereditary memory of plagues. Some suggest that external factors including altitude, temperature or humidity may also have contributed to boost some populations of blood types. Fierce clashes in Yemen between pro-government forces and Houthi rebels on Tuesday killed dozens of people on both sides. The deadly violence in Marib province left at least 38 fighters dead, according to officials who spoke with the Associated Press. After more than three months of relative calm, the Iran-aligned Houthis are advancing on the oil rich-provinces of Marib and Jawf. Earlier this month, the Houthis took control of Hazm, the capital of Jawf province in northern Yemen, in a major setback to the Saudi-backed government. The clashes in Jawf displaced around 70,000 people to neighboring Marib province, according to the International Red Cross. Political analyst and Sanaa-based researcher Abdul-Bari Taher says the fighting has reached a tipping point. The situation is heading toward dangerous escalation because the war has now reached a point of explosion, Taher told Al-Monitor. The renewed fighting in north and central Yemen threatens to worsen the humanitarian crisis in the worlds poorest nation, which has been ravaged by war since 2014 when the Houthis, backed by Iran, took control of Yemen's capital and captured large swaths of the country from pro-government forces. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and left nearly 80% of the population in need of some form of humanitarian assistance, the United Nations says. Health care facilities in Yemen have been particularly hard hit and according to a new report were targeted at least 120 times by the conflicts warring parties. The New York-based nongovernmental organization Physicians for Human Rights and Yemeni human rights group Mwatana found that attacks on hospitals and doctors between 2015 and 2018 killed at least 96 people and injured 230 more. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Gemma Holliani Cahya and Sausan Atika (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 09:30 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b6b3ef 1 National hospital,death-rate,Persahabatan-Hospital,RSPAD,COVID-19,coronavirus,novel-coronavirus Free Reports have surfaced about patients in Greater Jakarta having to wait for a long time to get tests or treatment for possible cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as referral hospitals face increasing strain. Azizah, who had been in contact with a COVID-19 patient in Jakarta, went to get tested after the central government announced the confirmed case on March 14. She went to Gatot Subroto Army Hospital, a referral center for coronavirus patients, on Monday. She waited until about 5 p.m., when the hospital told her to come back on Tuesday at 8 a.m. I should have been tested on Monday, but I could not get on the waiting list. It was too crowded, she told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday. [Thank God] I was scheduled to do the test at 12 p.m. today. It is better than not being treated," she said. She said she initially intended to do the test in RSUP Persahabatan in East Jakarta, another referral hospital, as dozens of her colleagues, who also had contact with the same person, had gone there earlier. However, she heard that people had overrun the hospital and the management had asked them to go home. Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan has acknowledged that a significant increase in patients seeking COVID-19 treatment has been observed over the past two months. Medical officers involved in COVID-19 handling are facing a heavy workload because the [number of] people coming to seek medical services has significantly increased. The focus and energy they [medical officers] give are immense, Anies said during a press briefing on Monday. As a matter of fact, the past two months have been quite intense. The son of a patient told the Post earlier, on the condition of anonymity, that his father had to wait for hours at Persahabatan hospital only to be rejected. He called a hotline, and the hotline referred him to another referral hospital in Matraman, East Jakarta, where he was rejected as well. Read also: COVID-19 patient rejected, waited for days for testing in Jakarta After significant effort and emotional upheaval, his father was hospitalized and confirmed positive for the coronavirus. Experts have warned that the number of COVID-19 cases will continue to increase in the coming weeks and that Indonesian hospitals were not ready for the significant number of patients that would come. The Jakarta healthcare system, which has seen the most cases of COVID-19 in the country, has been overwhelmed by the need for facilities following the jump in confirmed cases over the past two weeks. As of Monday Jakarta had 356 people under observation for possible COVID-19 infection; 191 of them were treated in the hospital while 165 others were told to go home because they were considered in good condition by the hospitals. Fushen, a hospital management consultant who works at Krida Wacana Christian University, said that according to data from the Health Ministry there were 19,972 beds in Jakarta hospitals and only 2,051 beds for intensive treatment. Not all of the latter were isolation rooms. If the number of people under surveillance in Jakarta increased 10 percent each day, Fushen said, in about two months Jakarta would have 75,000 patients. If 50 percent of them required hospitalization, then Jakarta alone would need at least 37,500 beds in May, said Fushen. Fushen added that the beds available in the hospitals were not just for COVID-19 patients but also for people who had non-COVID-19 issues that needed urgent attention. The bed occupancy rate in Jakarta is about 60 to 80 percent, so if we assume that the occupancy rate for non-COVID cases is about 50 percent, then we only have about 10,000 beds, he said. Fushen asked the government to quickly establish temporary health facilities to address the capacity issues. President Joko Jokowi Widodo has ordered the Public Works and Housing Ministry to renovate an abandoned building, which formerly housed Vietnamese refugees, and turn it into a hospital for COVID-19 patients. The makeshift hospital is expected to have 1,000 beds. A leaked document obtained by The Jakarta Post on Friday showed that out of the 132 designated state referral hospitals, only 49 were really ready. Persahabatan Hospital has complained about a lack of ventilators to treat patients who have severe shortness of breath. Read also: Indonesia scrambles to contain coronavirus On Tuesday, the government reported 172 confirmed cases across the country. The Health Ministry Disease Control and Prevention director general Achmad Yurianto said that although more cases had been confirmed, not every confirmed patient had to stay at the hospital for treatment. Some patients with positive cases who show no symptoms will be quarantined and asked to isolate in their own houses, he said on Monday. Jakarta Health Agency health resources head Ani Ruspitawati said on March 9 that there were 125 hospital beds provided by eight assigned hospitals in the capital, fewer beds than the number of currently confirmed cases. An abandoned building that once sheltered Vietnamese refugees on Galang Island in the Riau Islands province will be turned into a COVID-19 referral hospital. (JP/Fadli) With the increasing number of people seeking care, hospital managers are scrambling to find ways to improve services. We are in the middle of a meeting to discuss internal strategy [for COVID-19 handling], RSUP Persahabatan director Rita Rogayah told the Post on Monday morning. Governor Anies said the city administration would provide incentives of Rp 215,000 (US$14.27) per person to officers who directly supported the treatment of COVID-19 patients. The incentive is based on a 2019 Finance Ministry decree on 2020 standard input costs and Gubernatorial Decree No. 22/2016 on standard costs. Nurul Nadia, a public health expert and researcher at the Center for Indonesia Strategic Development Initiatives (CISDI), warned on Tuesday that since the statistics had indicated community spread, hospitals had to be prepared or the death rate from the disease would be higher than it had to be. Most COVID-19 infections that are detected are mild. However, the mortality rate will spike if health services are not ready for surges in COVID-19 cases, she said. European Union leaders agreed Tuesday to immediately impose travel restrictions on most foreigners entering Europe for at least 30 days to limit the spread of the new coronavirus, and to set up fast-track transport lanes to keep vital medical equipment, food, and goods flowing smoothly inside the bloc. Brussels: European Union leaders agreed Tuesday to immediately impose travel restrictions on most foreigners entering Europe for at least 30 days to limit the spread of the new coronavirus, and to set up fast-track transport lanes to keep vital medical equipment, food, and goods flowing smoothly inside the bloc. As the virus case count in Europe climbed to over 60,000 and with more than 2,700 people dead, nervous national governments have introduced quick-fix measures such as partial border closures and quarantines with little consultation. The EU sought over three hours of video talks to forge a united front against an illness that is also wreaking economic havoc. We reaffirmed the need to work together and do everything necessary to tackle the crisis and its consequences," European Council President Charles Michel told reporters. He said the 27 EU countries agreed to impose border restrictions on tourism and non-essential business as fast as possible. The plan exempts long-term EU residents, diplomats, some healthcare and transport workers. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said her proposal for the restrictions "got a lot of support by the member states. Its up to them now to implement. They said they will immediately do that." Chancellor Angela Merkel said the leaders agreed in a conference call to an entry ban with "very, very limited exceptions," and that Germany would start implementing it immediately. Merkel said 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. Von der Leyen said they also backed a proposal to set up green lanes for trucks and other priority vehicles aimed at beating the traffic jams that have formed around crossing points on internal borders, where no ID or vehicle checks were required just days ago. Those transport guidelines, she said, "have to be implemented now The leaders agreed to meet again for a third video conference and to cancel a summit they planned to attend Brussels late next week. We are ready to do everything that is required. We shall not hesitate to take additional measures as the situation evolves," von der Leyen told reporters. In a new update Tuesday, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said that 61,098 cases of the coronavirus have now been reported in Europe and that 2,740 people have died, the overwhelming majority in Italy. After Italy, ground zero in Europes 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. Nine countries have informed the European Commission, the EUs executive body, that theyve reintroduced ID checks inside Europes 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 coronavirus how 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, Merkel said: "I hope so. But it's been shown that coordination didn't work well everywhere the way one would have hoped." The EU proposals endorsed Tuesday are relatively modest, as Europes centralized powers in this crisis are limited. While it may be a Union, the worlds 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 didnt need to wait for Brussels to give us any advice. In times of crisis, Europes machinery is painfully slow. Like a super-butler dealing with an unpredictable 27-headed master, the EUs massive bureaucracy offers ideas, proposes plans and occasionally cajoles but often it must wait for the approval. Hundreds of distressed Indian students, stuck in the Philippines, are seeking help through video messages as they are unable to fly back home due to the travel restrictions imposed by India to contain the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus, according to friends and relatives of some of these students in the US. The Indian government on Tuesday banned the entry of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia to India with immediate effect amid stepped up efforts against the spread of COVID-19. In a video message by one of these students Akhil Bala Nair, around 200 Indian students had booked their flight tickets for India in the next few days. But all of them have been cancelled due to the new policy. Most of the students, she said, had booked their flights for March 17 and rest were schedule to travel to India on March 19 and 20. But the flights were cancelled and scores of Indian students are now stuck at the airport in Manila, Nair said in the video message sent to Prem Bhandari, head of the Jaipur Foot USA. It is need of the hour that the Indian government send a plane to bring these Indian students back home, Bhandari, who in the past has worked for the cause of the Indian diaspora, and who was approached by these students told PTI. According to these students, some 100 of them have been at the airport since Tuesday. They all have confirmed tickets but the airport authorities are not allowing them to check in because of the new travel regulations. While the airport authorities have asked them to go back to their respective place of residence, the students said they were unable to travel because of the absence of local taxi or shared ride services. The students said that they are running out of time as the Philippines government has given them 72 hours time to exit the country, which started from March 16, after which the country will go into lockdown. This means we would not be able to travel anywhere outside Philippines after March 20, Nair said in her message. The students said that there are many of them who have applied for renewal of their visas and are unable to travel to India. There are nearly 1,000 Indian students presently in Manila who are willing to travel back home, they said. Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Manila, in a tweet, said that they, along with the Ministry of External Affairs, are trying to work out a solution. It is requested to all to kindly have patience, the embassy said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) For more coverage, visit our complete coronavirus section here. Just days after Governor Gavin Newsom mandated all California bars to close as a way to slash the spread of coronavirus, local brewery Cleophus Quealy Beer Company has announced it will permanently close next month. The San Leandro brewery made the announcement Tuesday, with plans to officially close by the end of April. At the moment, the brewery said it is assessing ways to make their final beers available to customers. Local bars were hit hard Sunday when Newsom ordered all bars, nightclubs, wineries and brewpubs to temporarily close during the pandemic because those businesses were considered non-essential. ALSO: Helpful graphic shows what's open and closed during Bay Area shelter-in-place order The order had exacerbated things for Cleophus Quealy who shared it had already been struggling to stay afloat given the costs to operate a business in the Bay Area. In a blog post, the business said that it had failed to grow in "necessary ways." "These measures are in the best interest of the public and will surely help to protect us all, but we unfortunately cant weather the storm ahead," Cleophus Quealy brewery wrote on its blog. For the last five years, Cleophus Quealy Beer Company offered beers in small batches with about 10 varieties on tap. Among them were Belgians and sours, to dry-hopped American styles served inside the casual space at 448 Hester St. Cleophus Quealy Beer Company couldnt be reached for comment but wrote that it would divert remaining resources to pay its employees for the next two months. ALSO: What you need to know about Bay Area shelter in place orders due to coronavirus 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. Governors in Ohio, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Washington have also ordered bars in their states to temporarily close to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Cleophus Quealy Beer Company is located at 448 Hester St. in San Leandro. MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE: Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here. -- Susana Guerrero is an SFGATE digital reporter. Email: Susana.Guerrero@sfgate.com | Twitter: @SusyGuerrero3 Turkey and cheese sandwiches and fruit prepared at Mount Greylock Regional School for students who may need lunch. The school district is one of many making 'grab & go' meals for children during the three-week closure. Mount Greylock Schools Working to Keep Kids Fed During Closure Laurie Meehan helps pack lunch bags in the cafeteria at Mount Greylock Regional School on Tuesday morning. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. Dozens of youngsters in the Mount Greylock Regional School District were brown bagging it on Tuesday. But instead of bringing their lunch to school, they were getting a "grab-and-go" lunch from school courtesy of the district's food service staff. At 7 on Tuesday morning, cafeteria personnel Tammy Jennings and Laurie Meehan were joined by acting Director of Special Education Patrick Priester and Superintendent Kimberley Grady in the cafeteria at the middle-high school. The quartet prepared bags with a turkey and cheese sandwich, mayonnaise and mustard packets, an apple or orange, celery sticks, a granola bar a fruit snack pack and a chocolate milk. Mount Greylock is one of many school districts in the county doing what it can to help provide nutrition to its students during a state-mandated three-week school closure to help stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. Some districts started offering the meals on Monday. Mount Greylock announced its program on Saturday in an all-district email blast from Grady and on Monday began accepting notification by phone or email from families interested in picking up lunches on the first day of the program. As of Tuesday morning, about 25 had responded, but the crew at Mount Greylock made extras in case more showed up during the announced 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. window for pickup. The lunches were then delivered to Williamstown Elementary and Lanesborough Elementary for pickup by families. Grady said on Tuesday that she anticipates more families will take advantage of the program once word begins to spread via social media and a pop-up message that was introduced on the district's web page Tuesday morning. Although a high percentage of the district's families get their information through email, she also planned a targeted robocall later Tuesday to do more outreach. At some point, the district also may add a grab-and-go breakfast to replace the morning meal program at Lanesborough Elementary during the closure. And Mount Greylock is making the meals available to any residents of Lanesborough and Williamstown who need them, Grady and Williamstown Town Manager Jason Hoch said Tuesday in a video on the town's community access television station, Willinet. Like the students, members of the public are asked to request their meals one day ahead so the district knows how many to prepare. The meals are just one way the school district continues to serve its member towns during the schools' closure. This week, the district is loaning its disinfectant fogger to both towns for use on their Council on Aging vans, Grady said. Mount Greylock grab-and-go lunches will be available Monday through Friday for pickup at the district's two elementary schools. to arrange a lunch, call the district at 413-458-9582, ext. 1195, or email Thegrab-and-go lunches will be available Monday through Friday for pickup at the district's two elementary schools. to arrange a lunch, call the district at 413-458-9582, ext. 1195, or email lunches@mgrhs.org Pittsfield Public Schools' grab-and-go breakfast and lunch packages are available from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the following locations: Morningside Community School, Conte Community School, Dower Square Housing Village, Berkshire Family YMCA, Gladys Brigham Center, Boys and Girls Club of the Berkshires and Brattlebrook Apartments. For information, call 413-499-9322. North Adams Public Schools' breakfast and lunch grab-and-go packages are available Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to noon on a first-come, first-served basis at the following locations: Brayton Elementary School, Colegrove Park Elementary School, Mohawk Forest Apartments and Greylock Valley Apartments. Hoosac Valley Regional School District offers grab-and-go meals at Hoosac Valley Elementary School Monday through Friday from 9 to 11 a.m. According to the district's website, it served nearly 80 meals on Monday. The Central Berkshire Regional School District is continuing its existing weekly Food Backpack food assistance program during the closure period and is gathering information from families about how best to serve the nutritional needs of the community, Superintendent Laurie Casna said on Tuesday morning. Officers from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) have arrested an employee from Kenya Power after he allegedly demanded Ksh.300,000 bribe to reconnect electricity for a former MCA. The EACC sleuths are said to have been trailing the suspect, Francis Macharia, since March 16. He had allegedly negotiated with ex-Mutithi Ward MCA Jinaro Jamumothe to reduce the bribe amount to Ksh 50,000. The former ward rep had reported that his electricity line was disconnected four weeks ago. He then requested to have it reconnected into a three-phase line instead of single-phase line at Kagio, Kirinyaga. EACC Central region boss Charles Rasugu said Mr Macharia was arrested at the premises of the former MCA. Rasugu said the suspect will be arraigned after investigations are completed. Kenya Power manager for Kirinyaga County Mr Kipruto Ruto confirmed that Macharia is a meter reader at the Kerugoya offices. Puttanna (left) joined BJP at the residence of Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa. (ANI) Bengaluru: Karnatakas Janata Dal (Secular) leader and Member of Legislative Council (MLC) from Puttanna joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday. Puttanna joined the BJP at the residence of Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa. BJP leader Aravind Limbavali was also present at Yediyurappa's residence when the former JDS MLC joined the ruling party in the state. Last year, JDS expelled Puttanna, who was their three-time MLC, for being involved in 'anti-party activities'. It's too good to be true! The market cap of beleaguered Yes Bank was down in the dump at Rs 6,000 crore after the RBI announced moratorium on the private lender in early March this year. Then came the news of new investors led by State Bank of India (SBI) to invest Rs 10,000 crore into the bank. Reacting to which, the market cap shot up to Rs 14,500 crore. But there was also another reason - existing investors weren't allowed to sell more then 25 per cent of their shareholding. This led to a superficial rise in the bank's share price for two reasons: the selling was curtailed with the new rule and the market completely ignored the future dilution in bank's equity capital. The fact is that the equity capital is getting diluted from 233 crore shares to around 1,234 crore shares. The expansion is more than 5 times, which effectively means a market cap of just Rs 3,000 crore. But since the selling of shares is restricted, the current price of Rs 57 per share on the bourses is not reflecting the true picture. The bank today released the new shareholding pattern for the period ended March 17, 2020, which included the new investors led by SBI and seven other banks. If one takes into account the expanded capital of 1234 crore shares, the market cap comes out to be Rs 70,000 crore, which doesn't reflect the fundamentals of the bank. The eight new investors also have a lock in of 3 years with the freedom to sell only 25 per cent share. SBI Chief Rajnish Kumar has already said that the bank will not sell even a single share in the next three years. The other investors would also follow suit. Therefore, the share price of Yes Bank might hold the Rs 58 per share price and show a market cap of Rs 70,000 crore, but once the three year lock in ends, there will be a huge selling pressure. The bank's return on equity, dividend and other parameters will take time to get back to normal because of the equity expansion. And this is just the first stage of equity expansion which has helped the bank to meet the minimum regulatory guidelines like the capital adequacy ratio. Post the allotment of shares, the shareholding of promoter Madhu Kapur and family has reduced from 8.33 per cent to 1.68 per cent. Similarly, the LIC's stake has gone down from 8 per cent to 1.64 per cent. The bank is now owned 98.33 per cent by public shareholders. Going forward, the equity will expand further as the second stage of capital infusion starts. The bank needs capital for growth as well as for meeting any shortage on the provisioning front since NPAs are not fully settled. The new investors would surely look at the book value rather than the artificial share price to decide their capital infusion. The SEBI formula of deciding the price for new investors won't work because of the restriction on selling shares. The SBI led banks have paid a price of Rs 10 per share (Rs 2 face value and Rs 8 premium). Even that time the market price of Yes Bank was around Rs 30 per share. The new investors, too, will look at the underlying fundamentals of the bank to work out a price to enter the bank. The bank has capped the authorised capital at 3,000 crore shares, which means equity shares would further double from the existing base post the investment by new investors. Also read: Yes Bank case: ED files fresh money laundering case against Rana, Bindu Kapoor, Gautam Thapar Also read: Yes Bank crisis: ATMs full of cash, no liquidity issue, says Prashant Kumar Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 18) President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered government forces to stop offensive operations against armed communist rebels so the state can focus on efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus disease or COVID-19. Duterte on Wednesday declared a unilateral ceasefire with the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, New People's Army, effective March 19 to April 15. "The President has directed the Department of National Defense and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, together with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to cease and desist from carrying out offensive military and police operations during the ceasefire period," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement. The document on the Suspension of Offensive Military and Police Operations will be issued soon, Panelo said. "Through this ceasefire, the Philippine Government aspires that the swift provision of public health assistance goes unimpeded with the movement of health workers and medical supplies to communities, as well as of people in need of immediate medical attention remains unhampered," Panelo added. Both the police and the military welcomed the move, saying that this will allow them to focus on responding to the threat of COVID-19. However, they will be on guard and will defend themselves in case of any attack. Duterte on Monday night called for a ceasefire with communist rebels. CPP founding chairman Jose Maria Sison said the proposal would be seriously studied by the National Democratic Front which represents the rebels in peace negotiations. Duterte walked away from peace talks with communist rebels in 2017 as both sides accused each other of ceasefire violations. The two sides have been considering returning to the negotiating table, but Duterte and Sison could not agree on contentious issues, including the venue for the meetings. The NPA has waged a five-decade armed insurgency, the longest running in Asia. Duterte on Monday appealed to the NPA, "'Wag ninyo munang galawin ang mga sundalo. Ano muna tayo, ceasefire lang. Ceasefire muna tayo." [Translation: Do not attack soldiers for now. Let's have a ceasefire. I am the one asking.] The police and military now play a vital role in the government's fight against COVID-19. Duterte has placed the entire island region of Luzon under "enhanced community quarantine," which includes the increased presence of police and soldiers to enforce travel restrictions. The country now has 202 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 17 deaths. Seven have recovered from the highly contagious disease. 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. The Montgomery Independent School District trustees have made one thing clear about the immediate future as the district deals with the new coronavirus: employees will get paid. We are seeking board approval to allow us to communicate that will pay our employees during this time that we are off for this pandemic for two reasons, Superintendent Beau Rees said as he walked through the resolution. One, you want to retain your staff here, so when they come back to school and they are ready to go. Two in this pandemic, the health officials dont want people worried about jobs, benefits and out looking for other employment. They would like people to be quarantined or stay out of harms way. Those are compelling reasons for the board to consider going ahead and paying staff even if they are not physically reporting to work during this time. This resolution would be to ensure to calm any fears on our staffs part, that the board is taking action to approve resolution to make sure that you will get paid, he added. The school officials met Tuesday evening during an emergency meeting prompted by the new coronavirus, which elevated the school district to its highest alert status at level 3 last week and forced the school district to close its doors early for spring break. Less than 24 hours before Tuesdays meeting, the school district joined other districts in the region in announcing it would extend the break through April 10. With six confirmed COVID-19 cases in Montgomery County and new local, state, and federal restrictions and recommendations limiting the number persons gathered in public buildings and some private establishments, the school districts across the state have scrambled to make a plan on the fly. Board President Jim Dossey said the board took action to allow the school district to ensure all employees who are currently on the school districts payroll would receive regular pay on April 15 at the normal rate whether or not the employees were able to physically work on campus due to the pandemic. Rees confirmed those positions include teachers, bus drivers, maintenance workers, police officers and more. He clarified that the reference in the resolution to exempt employees relates to overtime such as if the school district were to scale back due to the closure and only has one school police officer providing security on a campus during a shift. The resolution was originally drafted to move forward with only one pay cycle with a plan to review options, including to modify the resolution or keep the district closed longer, during an April 6 meeting. However, the school officials felt it necessary to calm employee concerns due to rumors inciting fears of layoffs and ultimately discussed and agreed to changing the date on the resolution to June 30 for the employees. I wouldnt want any staff to be worried about a pay check right now, Dossey said. A month isnt long enough. At this time, Rees said one area that school officials do not have a clear idea about is the districts 150 substitutes, which may be the only category of employee that is not covered by the authorization. As far as graduation requirements, Rees said he learned during a conference call acknowledging the hot potato and that ultimately the flexibility will be given to the school districts. As far as funding and the budget, he informed the board that the Texas Education Agency has told school districts that the level of funding will not be impacted by the pandemic and state aid will be the summary of finance at mid-year. At this time, the school districts plans to seek a waiver to not have to make up any missed days due to the pandemic. As part of the resolution, the district also discussed the authorization and plans to continue food services, strategies, costs, and resources to transition to online instruction, including the potential future need for a Learning Management System. We are going to do everything we can in the best interest of kids, always, I think that is all we can do in this situation, Rees said. And it is the same thing with our employees. Rees said the district will work with parents to help students progress and the district is looking at ways to do that from paper and pen to online instruction, equipment, and connection. The district plans to send out a survey and email to parents to better develop that plan, which currently includes reviews and refreshers with familiar programs that teachers are already trained in to help students and staff ease back into the remainder of the classroom in a new online environment. That is the plan right now and to eat this elephant one big bite at a time, Rees said. mellsworth@hcnonline.com O prah Winfrey has told fans shes just sanitizing and self distancing after rumours that she had been arrested surfaced online. The bizarre - and completely untrue - posts claimed Winfrey, 66, had been arrested over sex trafficking. The stars name then began trending on Twitter as users discussed the saga, with many attempting to reassure everyone of Winfreys innocence. Addressing the tweets on Wednesday morning, Winfrey wrote: Just got a phone call that my name is trending. And being trolled for some awful FAKE thing. Its NOT TRUE. Havent been raided, or arrested. Just sanitizing and self distancing with the rest of the world. Stay safe everybody. A completely unverified post which appeared to spark the rumour claimed Winfreys house in Boca Raton, Florida, had been raided by the authorities. MailOnline reports the claim is linked to the QAnon, a conspiracy theory which claims there is a "deep state" working against President Donald Trump. Andy Lassner, a producer on Ellen DeGeneres talk show, was among those who tried to point out the post was fake. The staggering amount of people believing a 100% fake story about Oprah doesnt make me feel good about the chances of society continuing, he wrote on Twitter. Numerous famous faces are self-isolating at the moment, with many also encouraging their fans to do the same. Nevada governor Steve Sisolak on Tuesday ordered all casinos, restaurants, bars and other "non-essential businesses" in the state to close for 30 days because of the COVID-19 outbreak. The governor strongly encouraged Nevadans to stay inside, and avoid gatherings. Word among cannabis enthusiasts in the state: dispensaries will be allowed to remain open. The state is still figuring out whether liquor stores will be allowed to remain open. Nevada's statewide closures may be extended beyond that month, said Sisolak. "But in order for those who will need critical care to be able to receive it, the rest of us need to do our part to stay healthy," he said, urging people to "stay home for Nevada." From the Las Vegas Review-Journal, late Tuesday night: Affected businesses must be closed by noon on Wednesday, Sisolak said during a press conference Tuesday night. All gaming machines, devices and tables inside casinos will be shut down by midnight, he added. "Today it is clear additional steps must be taken immediately to slow the spread of this deadly virus in our state," Sisolak said. The governor's action is a directive, and his office promised official guidelines would be released on Wednesday to clarify the order. Sisolak strongly urged Nevadans to stay inside amid the outbreak, but he did not characterize it as a "shelter in place" mandate similar to one ordered in the San Francisco Bay Area. The businesses that will be allowed to stay open include grocery stores, gas stations, medical offices, banks and other financial services, Sisolak said. Restaurants that can provide delivery, drive-through, pick-up or curbside service will also be allowed to stay open, but no sit-down dining will be allowed. The governor's action sweeps past a more limited set of business closures ordered Monday by Reno, the state's third-largest city. It follows the statewide closing of K-12 schools Sisolak ordered Sunday. So far, 55 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Nevada, with one death. Read more: Sisolak orders nonessential businesses, including casinos, shut for 30 days [Las Vegas Review-Journal. Colton Lochhead and Bill Dentzer, March 17, 2020 4:07 pm] In the midst of a global pandemic of coronavirus also referred to as COVID-19 the Midland County Board of Commissioners has approved two new policies to negate the spread of the illness to its employees. During a regular meeting of the board of commissioners on Tuesday, two items, titled "COVID-19 Sick Leave Policy 402.15" and "COVID-19 Mandatory Guidelines for All Midland County Employees" were unanimously passed by the board, with the power to make changes to the policies being given to a small group consisting of Midland County administrator/controller Bridgette Gransden, Health Department director Fred Yanoski and board chairman Mark Bone. Gransden said the new procedures were needed to allow the county to react rapidly to the constantly changing situation of the coronavirus. "At this point because things are changing so rapidly, and we are not getting information from the state prior to the public we're basically reacting," Gransden said. "(Midland County) Emergency Management and the public health (department) are not getting a heads-on from Lansing before the public does. We've actually been made aware of things from the media before we've gotten information from the state." According to the new sick leave policy, Midland County will provide sick leave pay for all regular fulltime and parttime employees at their current rate of pay if they are asked not to come to work, or sent home from work, because they are symptomatic or they are diagnosed with coronavirus. This coverage will also include caring for a member of their immediate family in their household who is diagnosed with the disease. Fulltime employees will receive their full base wages for up to 21 scheduled work days. Parttime employees will receive up to 21 sick days at their base pay at their board-approved budgeted full-time equivalent. Employees are required to contact human resources as soon as possible after they come down with coronavirus symptoms or have been diagnosed with the disease to receive sick leave benefits. If a fulltime employee exhausts their 21 day sick-leave allotment, they may apply for short term disability and the Family Medical Leave Act. Parttime employees can use annual leave bank hours and apply for FMLA in the same situation. As of Tuesday, Yanoski said there have been no positive cases of coronavirus detected in Midland County, though the health department is currently monitoring one individual who was associated with a different case from a different county. The person in question is being quarantined for the required 14 days, and is currently "non-symptomatic," Yanoski said. As approved by the board, the mandatory guidelines for county employees are as follows: If an individual is diagnosed with coronavirus, he or she must report the diagnosis to their department head, elected official or Human Resources immediately, and remain isolated for at least 14 days. The individual will participate in contact-tracing activities with the Department of Public Health. The county will follow the "Pandemic Sick Leave"policy for the entirety of the absence, and the individual must provide medical clearance to return to work. If someone has a fever, cough, and/or shortness of breath, they are required to stay home, and must report the symptoms and contact their health care provider. They are not to return to work until the symptoms have subsided. Any individual known to have been potentially exposed to the virus will be notified immediately by public health and given appropriate guidance. The same procedures apply to anybody with a household member diagnosed with coronavirus public health and given appropriate guidance. The county will work with employees on a case-by-case basis to evaluate the option of working from home. Anyone who has to remain at home to care for an ill family member will be expected to use annual leave. The parent of an affected student may be given permission to work from home depending on the circumstances and available child-care alternatives. Travel to or from areas of known high outbreak Level 3 and Level 2 locations per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designation must be avoided at this time. If someone or their household member does travel to or from a known high-outbreak area, they must inform Human Resources director Suzanne Ault in advance of travel by sending an email to her attention. Upon the return of the individual or household member, they will be quarantined and required to work from home if possible for 14 days. Midland County recommends individuals limit all non-essential travel. Anyone traveling outside of the United States for either business or personal reasons is required to send an e-mail to Ault indicating the country(s) they will be visiting and the dates they will be out of the country. This information will be used to monitor where individuals are traveling as more is learned about the spread of the virus. County employees are urged to check with local agencies before traveling. If they are sick or experiencing acute respiratory symptoms such as fever or cough upon returning, they must notify their supervisor and contact their medical provider, and are not to report to work. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 17, 2020 | MURRAY By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 17, 2020 | 08:21 PM | MURRAY Murray State University has announced that they will transition all classes to online or alternative methods for the remainder of the spring semester. Murray State had originally announced last week that all in-person classes would be delivered through alternative methods beginning Monday, March 23 and continuing through Sunday, April 5. Students are on Spring Break through this Sunday. In a press release from Murray State University on Tuesday, officials announced that all campus and student events and activities are being postponed or canceled through Friday, May 15. This includes commencement ceremonies which were scheduled to take place on May 9. The university is still working to determine other options and a future date for the event. Murray State University will remain open during this time; however all campus buildings will be closed to the public. Residence halls will not reopen following the Spring Break and students are being advised to begin making preparations to move out. The health, safety and well-being of our faculty, staff, students and the broader community are of utmost importance and we are taking aggressive action, as recommended, to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, said Murray State President Dr. Bob Jackson. We will work through these realities together while serving our students in the best manner possible. Individuals can visit murraystate.edu/healthupdate for additional information and continued updates. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on Wednesday said it has written to the District Commissioner of Police, northeast Delhi, to enquire into a complaint against a journalist for naming a violence victim in violation of the Juvenile Justice Act. According to the complaint, the journalist in a tweet dated March 16 revealed the name and identity of the victim thereby jeopardizing her and her family. "As per section 74 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, revealing victim's name and identity is a criminal offence," a statement from NCPCR said. "Therefore, you are requested to enquire into the matter and send an action taken report along with relevant documents within 10 working days of receiving the letter," it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sydney, Australia, Mar 19, 2020 - (ABN Newswire) - Cobre Limited (ASX:CBE.AX - News) is pleased to provide the following update on the Company's exploration activities and response to the COVID-19 "infodemic" about the global pandemic. Diamond Core Processing Completed The Company is pleased to advise that all diamond drill core generated from the recent drilling at the Zinco Lago, Schwabe and Monti prospects at Perrinvale have now been processed, with final cut core samples due for delivery to the laboratory today. Cobre has engaged the services of Dr Susan Belford (VHMS specialist), a highly experienced geologist in the interpretation of volcanic successions, as a consulting geologist to the Company. Dr Belford has visited site, logged all diamond core and undertaken field inspections of the prospects. Cobre plans to review and report assays in the context of understandings gained from the lithological logging and Down Hole Electromagnetic (DHEM) survey results for each prospect when available which is anticipated to be in the upcoming month. DEHM Surveys Completed As part of the drilling programme the Company has completed DHEM surveys on diamond core holes drilled at each prospect as well as two Reverse Circulation (RC) holes drilled beyond the recent diamond drilling programme. The data from these surveys has been provided to the Company's geophysics consultant for processing, modelling and review along with past ground and airborne EM survey data. Exploration Program to continue While awaiting assay results, Cobre will continue the exploration program at Perrinvale. Access tracks have been established to the priority Airborne Electromagnetic (AEM) targets identified from the AEM survey completed in 2019 (Refer "I", "E" & "F" on Figure 2* at the end of this announcement) and ground reconnaissance is scheduled for the coming week. The Company is also assessing the potential for a program of ground EM to refine further drill targets. Story continues COVID-19 Response Having assessed the potential impacts of COVID-19, Cobre's Board is comfortable, with a small field crew at a remote site and consultants and staff able to work remotely, that the exploration activities can continue uninterrupted. The situation is however dynamic, and the Company will continue to monitor developments. Cobre's Executive Chairman and Managing Director, Martin Holland, said in relation to this exploration update: "The Company continues to adopt a systematic and strategic approach to its exploration activities at Perrinvale. Notwithstanding the challenges that come with operating at a remote site in undertaking diamond drilling and processing core, I am pleased that the field team has now completed core processing, facilitated downhole EM surveys, and is setting up to continue field exploration across the project. As detailed in our last announcement, we have seen positive signs in the core that are indicative of VMS base metal mineralisation at Perrinvale which we are now seeking to confirm, and I look forward to receiving and reporting these results in the near future." *To view tables and figures, please visit: https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/V55DFM44 About Cobre Limited: Cobre Limited (ASX:CBE.AX - News) is a Sydney based company focused on mineral exploration in Western Australia. The company recently discovered a new high grade VMS deposit enriched in Copper, Gold, Zinc and Silver in Western Australia from its maiden drill program in June 2019. Contact: Cobre Limited Martin Holland E: info@cobre.com.au WWW: www.cobre.com.au Source: Cobre Limited Copyright (C) 2020 ABN Newswire. All rights reserved. Daimler AG (OTC:DMLR.Y), the parent company of the Mercedes-Benz luxury brand, is shutting down "majority" of its production in Europe as the government scrambles to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. With that, Daimler becomes the latest automaker to suspend operations in Europe. While Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) is shutting down its main manufacturing facilities in continental Europe, Volkswagen (OTC:VWAGY) plans to halt production at all of its factories in Europe in the coming weeks, including Lamborghini and Ducati factories. In fact, from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to Renault to Peugeot SA, you name it and it's there: The entire auto industry in Europe is shutting down even as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Level-3 warning, recommending avoidance of all non-essential travel to most countries in Europe. Why is Daimler closing European plants? Daimler is shutting down factories as well as administrative departments for two weeks initially, starting this week, in line with the recommendations of "international, national and local authorities." That includes plants that manufacture cars, vans, and commercial vehicles. Daimler is well-known for its namesake trucks and buses. Daimler said that while the primary reason behind the shutdown is to protect its workers and prevent the spread of coronavirus infection, the production break should also help the company prepare for a "period of temporarily low demand" and protect its balance sheet. How low could demand go? Well, in a statement released on March 17, Chairman of the board of management at Volkswagen group Dr. Herbert Diess called 2020 a "very difficult year," with the coronavirus pandemic presenting the company with "unknown operational and financial challenges." I believe in the present situation, that holds true for all car makers in Europe. Investing in car stocks requires nerves of steel right now. How important is Europe to Daimler's production and revenues? It's unknown yet when operations will resume, and what impact it might have on the company. However, although Daimler didn't specify which plants it's shutting down, "majority" of production would include plants across all its business segments: Mercedes-Benz cars, Daimler trucks, Mercedes-Benz vans, and Daimler buses. The first made up half and the second roughly 22% of Daimler's revenue in 2019. Also, Europe contributed 40% to Daimler Group's total revenues in 2019, with Germany making up 15% of total revenues. It's a terrible situation to be in, given that Daimler already took a sharp hit to profits in 2019 and has an uphill task at hand to deal with diesel-engine emission charges amid other headwinds. Growing up on the Peninsula, I remember looking east down any east-west street in Burlingame and seeing Mount Diablo dominating the horizon. On a really clear morning, the Contra Costa County mountain appears to start just on the other side of the bay. During a recent search through The Chronicles archive, I found photos of and from the mountain itself, and coverage of Diablos breathtaking views more than 140 years old. Its not the highest peak in the Bay Area, but because of its location and prominence, the views from the peak of Mount Diablo, at 3,849 feet, are among the most dramatic in the state. On a really clear day, and with the help of binoculars, you can see the distant scenic points such as the Golden Gate Bridge (66 miles) and Mount Lassen (165 miles), Chronicle outdoors writer Tom Stienstra, who visits Mount Diablo often, wrote recently. On perfect days, the rangers say you can see the Farallon Islands (91 miles) to the west and to the east, the Sierra crest, including the ridge of Desolation Wilderness above Lake Tahoe. Looking toward Yosemite, you can see Sentinel Dome, just above the South Rim, and perhaps see a piece of El Capitan. Early Chronicle writers had already noted the special appeal of Mount Diablo, like one unnamed writer in an 1876 article. From this high, rocky, and isolated eyrie, the sight is grand beyond compare; the scene beautiful beyond description. The writer then spent hundreds and hundreds of words describing the view. To those of who have sufficient ambition to make the trip, there is a great treat in store and when transportation to the summit has been cheapened and systematized, it will indeed be strange if thousands of people do not avail themselves of the beauty and the grandeur of the Devils mountain. Mount Diablo also made the cut in Professor E. Knowltons Some California Mountains: Fine Vacation Trips for Ambitious Would-Be Mountain Climbers of Either Sex, published in the June 13, 1909, Chronicle, describing the peaks outlook from the lonely top. The views will make you regret you cannot prolong your stay. In 1931, a construction began on a new road up to the top of the mountain to replace the old toll road. The Chronicles Automobiles section celebrated with a full page spread led by photos taken at the top of the mountain and the car that drove the photographer up there. But how does a mountain get named after the devil? Margot Patterson Doss recounted the mostly commonly known theory in her July 4, 1971, Bay Area at Your Feet column: Mount Diablo takes its name circuitously from the devil, by way of devils woods (Monte del Diablo) for a thicket that contained an Indian rancheria near what became the village of Concord. In the early 1800s, Spanish soldiers were sent to the area to forcibly recapture a group of Bay Miwok people who had fled a mission after being baptized, according to the Museum of the San Ramon Valley. But after the group of Miwok disappeared during the night, the soldiers named the area Monte Diablo (thicket of the devil). While monte translates to thicket or woods in English, over the years, new residents who didnt speak Spanish thought monte meant mountain. The name stuck, and despite efforts to rename it, its the devils mountain that has such dramatic views of the Bay Area and beyond. Duke Downey / The Chronicle 1972 More from the Archive The Vault Home of the San Francisco Chronicle's archive and more than 150 years of journalism covering the Bay Area and beyond. More from Chronicle Vault Oaklands sanctuary: A century of Lake Merritt photos pulled from archive. Archive gold: The High Sierra seven decades ago from 16,000 feet. Not Your Century podcast: 1892 the First Big Game. Oops: Three tales of gigantic aircraft carriers getting stuck in S.F. Bay muck. From the Archive is a weekly column by Bill Van Niekerken, the library director of The Chronicle, exploring the depths of the newspapers archive. Its part of Chronicle Vault, a twice-weekly newsletter highlighting more than 150 years of San Francisco stories. It is edited by Taylor Kate Brown, The Chronicles newsletter editor. Sign up for the newsletter here, and follow Chronicle Vault on Instagram. Contact Bill at bvanniekerken@sfchronicle.com and Taylor at taylor.brown@sfchronicle.com. Oil prices plunged below $25 a barrel for the first time in almost 18 years after Saudi Arabia made another shock-and-awe attack in its price war with Russia, vowing to keep production at a record high over the coming months. Futures in New York fell as much as 9.1% to $24.49 a barrel, the lowest since June 2002. The last time crude traded near that level was when severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, hit Asia. The price war between key producers continued to deepen as Saudi Arabia said it would pump about 12.3 million barrels a day for the coming months. READ: Ethanol prices hit lowest since 2003 While policy makers are taking unprecedented steps to buttress economies from the fallout of the virus, the meltdown in crude consumption and the concurrent supply free-for-all by the worlds biggest producers continue to pull prices down. In a statement, the Saudi Ministry of Energy said it had directed Saudi Aramco to continue to supply crude oil at a level of 12.3 million barrels a day over the coming months. See also: American Oil to Stay at Home With More of the World Closing Down The market is finding little succor in global efforts to stem the economic fallout. The U.S. Federal Reserve on Tuesday announced the restart of a financial crisis-era program to stem the impact from the virus. The supply and demand shocks have hammered Wall Streets outlook for oil. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said consumption is down by 8 million barrels a day and cut its Brent forecast for the second quarter to $20 a barrel. Standard Chartered Plc predicted the low for the benchmark crude will probably be well below that level next quarter, while Mizuho Securities warned prices could go negative as Russia and Saudi Arabia flood the market. FUEL FIX: Now more than ever, you need our energy news in your inbox The rout amid ruthless competition between exporters has prompted Iraq to urge OPEC and its allies to regroup for negotiations. Before OPEC+ talks collapsed earlier this month, Iraq had routinely disregarded the supply cutbacks it had promised. Now the producer has asked the cartel to hold a meeting to consider steps for re-balancing the global oil market, according to a delegate. S chools should be staying open right now ministers said today as calls for nationwide closures mounted. Headteachers say they are faced with plummeting staff levels as teachers self-isolate and dozens of schools have been forced to close after staff and pupils were diagnosed with Covid-19. Some have moved working online but concerns have been raised about children who rely on free school meals. Business Secretary Alok Sharma told Sky News today: Right now, based on the balance of this, we think we should keep schools open. An urgent review is being carried out but the Governments latest advice is that schools and educational establishments should stay open. During the Prime Ministers daily coronavirus press conference yesterday, Boris Johnson said school closures were under continuous review. The National Education Union has written to Mr Johnson, calling for schools and colleges to close. Anne Longfield, the Childrens Commissioner for England, told LBC there was a big issue of what happens to children who rely on free school meals. She said France and Austria were keeping schools open for a couple of hours a day to provide meals. Today, 20 secondary schools in London run by the Harris Federation were partially closed. A spokesman said the schools were closing to specific year groups at a time due to staff shortages including pregnant teachers having to self-isolate. Heads have prioritised teaching for those due to take exams and the youngest Year 7 classes where children being at home would stop parents from working. Andrew ONeill, headteacher of All Saints Catholic College in Ladbroke Grove, said pupil attendance had dropped to below 50 per cent. Westminster School yesterday announced it would cease operation with immediate effect for the remainder of term. Francis Holland school, in Sloane Square, said yesterday that it would close for many weeks as head Lucy Elphinstone wanted to protect teachers and vulnerable member of our families. Fortismere school in Muswell Hill today asked Year 9 to work from home after closing its doors on Monday for a deep clean following a teachers positive diagnosis for coronavirus. Coombe Girls school in New Malden was closed today for all pupils in years 9 and 10 because of low staff numbers.In an email to parents, acting headteacher Emily Barns said children eligible for free meals could come to school to eat and return home, while school work would be uploaded online. Dr Jack Frost joins The Leader podcast about home learning: Loading.... First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said that Scotland could see nationwide school closures. She told Reporting Scotland: It is highly possible we will see a more blanket approach to school closures in the coming days. [March 18, 2020] SixFifty Launches Automated GDPR Compliance Tool to Help Companies Navigate EU Privacy Law SALT LAKE CITY, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SixFifty, the technology subsidiary of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (Wilson Sonsini), today announced the launch of its fully automated General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance and documentation tool. The online automation platform is part of the SixFifty's privacy suite, which launched in May 2019 with its California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) product. "Meeting the GDPR's requirements can be a laborious and expensive process, but SixFifty's GDPR compliance tool eases the burden at a fraction of what it would otherwise cost to comply," said Kimball Dean Parker, CEO of SixFifty. "By providing companies with an automated tool, created with the assistance from Wilson Sonsini's leading privacy attorneys, SixFifty helps organizations cut through the complexity of the GDPR. With SixFifty, a company can lay the foundation to comply in as little as 30 minutes. Given the success and popularity of our CCPA product, it was logical to build on SixFifty's privacy offering with a GDPR product." SixFifty's GDPR product provides a single online platform that enables businesses to address key requirements of the GDPR. SixFifty automates six key components of the GDPR, including (1) compliance documentation and contract language for internal policies, contracts and websites; (2) employee training; (3) data mapping (documenting the company's data flow); (4) cookie consent; (5) request management for consumer requests and audits; and (6) data analysis to assess risks. While companies and organizations of any size can benefit from this solution, SixFifty's target market for the GDPR product is companies below $1 billion in revenue. The GDPR applies to any company that stores or processes personal information about EU citizens even if they do not have a business presence within the EU. A survey by PriceWaterhouseCoopers found that 78% of businesses expected to spend $1 million to comply with the new law. Over 40% expected to pay over $10 million. Since the European Union's sweeping privacy law went into effect in May 2018, GDPR fines have totled a reported $126 million with over 160,000 data breaches. U.S.-based companies of all sizes have strived to comply with its guidelines. SixFifty's GDPR compliance tool, which was built by Silicon Slopes-based software engineers with strategic input from Wilson Sonsini's top GDPR and privacy experts in Brussels and Silicon Valley, helps ensure that organizations can satisfy these requirements. "GDPR represents the biggest change to data protection laws in 20 years, and navigating its complexities can be particularly challenging for American companies that are serving customers in the EU," said Cedric Burton, Co-Chair of Wilson Sonsini's Privacy Group in Brussels. "SixFifty's GDPR tool helps companies to quickly get up to speed on GDPR compliance in an affordable way." Wilson Sonsini formed SixFifty in February 2019 to develop automated tools designed to make legal processes more efficient and affordable. SixFifty operates in tandem with experienced attorneys from Wilson Sonsini to provide companies with the optimal combination of automation and human expertise. In addition to GDPR and CCPA compliance tools, SixFifty has created a tool for Nevada's new privacy law that gives people the right to request that businesses not sell their personal information. The GDPR package will be available as part of the SixFifty privacy suite beginning this month, with the option to purchase as a stand alone or in tandem with the CCPA package. More than 100 companies have already used SixFifty's compliance services. For more information, visit https://www.sixfifty.com/solutions/gdpr/ . About Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati For more than 50 years, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati has offered a broad range of services and legal disciplines focused on serving the principal challenges faced by the management and boards of directors of business enterprises. The firm is nationally recognized as a leader in the fields of corporate governance and finance, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, securities litigation, employment law, intellectual property, and antitrust, among many other areas of law. With deep roots in Silicon Valley, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati has offices in Austin; Beijing; Boston; Brussels; Hong Kong; London; Los Angeles; New York; Palo Alto; San Diego; San Francisco; Seattle; Shanghai; Washington, D.C.; and Wilmington, DE. For more information, please visit www.Wilson Sonsini.com About SixFifty Headquartered in the Silicon Slopes area of Utah, SixFifty is a subsidiary of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and combines the expertise of the world's leading technology law firm, made accessible through thoughtful technology. Led by a group of lawyers and software engineers that believe the law should be easier to navigate, SixFifty streamlines complex areas of the law by providing actionable, efficient and affordable solutions for individuals and businesses. For more information, please visit www.sixfifty.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sixfifty-launches-automated-gdpr-compliance-tool-to-help-companies-navigate-eu-privacy-law-301025990.html SOURCE SixFifty [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] T he Queen has held an audience at Buckingham Palace as she prepares to head to Windsor Castle amid the coronavirus outbreak. The 93-year-old head of state greeted Captain Angus Essenhigh, who is the new commanding officer of the Royal Navy warship HMS Queen Elizabeth, and his predecessor Commodore Stephen Moorhouse. There were no handshakes, just bows from the captain and the commodore, as they met and chatted with the monarch in the private audience room of the Queens London home. The Queen, dressed in a bright royal blue dress, smiled broadly as she spoke to the pair, who were in military uniform complete with medals. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II receives outgoing Commanding Officer, HMS Queen Elizabeth, Commodore Steven Moorhouse (C) and incoming Commanding Officer, Captain Angus Essenhigh (L) / POOL/AFP via Getty Images They also took their seats in separate places around the fireplace during the meeting. On Thursday, the Queen will decamp to her Berkshire royal residence as she socially distances herself during the coronavirus pandemic. The monarch will be based at her favourite home with a reduced number of staff and will be following appropriate advice. Audiences are brief, one-on-one meetings which happen regularly throughout her working week. She often receives members of the diplomatic community, as well as political, religious and military leaders, and people who have won prestigious cultural prizes. Buckingham Palace said on Tuesday the head of state would be continuing with her audiences this week, but future ones would be reviewed on an ongoing basis. They met for a private audience in the Queen's Private Audience Room at Buckingham Palace, London / POOL/AFP via Getty Images She usually has an audience each Wednesday with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and is still scheduled to do so. Mr Johnson has called on all people in the UK, particularly the over-70s, to avoid all non-essential contact and travel as part of unprecedented peacetime measures aimed at controlling the spread of Covid-19. Elizabeth II, the nations longest reigning monarch, is due to celebrate her 94th birthday next month. Latin America consists of the entire continent of South and Central America, Mexico, and islands of the Caribbean, where people used to speak a "romance language." It is the home of different people from different ethnic groups and national backgrounds. And because of this, people who live in Latin America do not identify themselves based on nationality as their ethnicity but consider themselves as both their nationality and their ancestral origins. Latin America is located outside the active war zones, and it is considered as the world's most violent region in history up to the present day. Latin Americans encounter countless chaos and fights, but no one can explain as to why this is happening to the continent. No one can find a valid and explicit reason why there are too many bloodsheds happening in a single day and what causes it. All they know is that there are some factors that are common to several regions. The population of this place is 8% to the world's overall population, and based on the recent statistics, one-third () of its population consists of homicide cases. That means, if calculated correctly, then there will be at least four hundred (400) homicide cases happening per day or 146,000 cases a year. Of course not including petty and other heinous crimes. Brazil has the most significant number in terms of population in the country, and 13% of homicide cases lie on this continent in a span of just two years (2017 to 2018), 51,589 people were killed. Whereas in Mexico, the region's most populated country, 33,753 homicide cases were recorded in just two years. And in the first half of the year 2019, 17,142 victims were recorded, and it looks like it will break a new record of the most significant number of homicide cases. The local crime rate per year has increased by 3.7% for the past ten years. If compared to the increase in the population growth rate of the country, then it will be 1.1%. In Chile, 2.7% homicides per 100,000 people were recorded in a year compared to other regions. Latin America is known for its chaotic environment, and it comes to the point that people living in this country are used to everyday killings. This place is rampant in terms of cartels and other drug business and is the home of many drug leaders. This crime rate reached this high because the authorities are not that enforceable because of money issues, and the cartel leaders overpower them They are used to these killings that make them a dangerous place for visitors. This high rate of crimes is just a partial summation of overall crimes reported and recorded. Petty crimes such as theft and robbery are also widespread and are also considered as a regular activity of their daily living. Authorities find it hard to eliminate these criminals because there is personnel inside their agency that protects them. Officers also should disinfect their duty belts if they have close contact during an arrest, the CDC said. Friday, Omaha police ordered eight 55-gallon drums of hand sanitizer and 5,000 empty mini bottles for their officers. They also have personal protective equipment, Thomas said. Dispatchers are asking people who call 911 additional questions regarding their health and advising officers of their answers, Thomas said. Dispatch is asking callers to come outside and meet officers, if possible, she said. Sarpy County dispatchers also are using a coronavirus screening for callers so that first responders can take safety precautions if needed, said La Vista Police Chief Bob Lausten. The La Vista Police Departments lobby is open for essential and emergency situations. The department also is scheduling property releases by appointment only in an effort to limit in-person contact, Lausten said. Thomas said the Omaha Police Departments recruit class, made up of 34 members who are scheduled to graduate in May, continues training. The rule of 10 people or fewer does not apply to law enforcement, Thomas said. New Delhi, March 18 : The government on Wednesday informed Parliament that there was a "consistent decline" in violence perpetrated by Maoists in the last five years and the cases reduced by over 38 per cent in 2019 compared to 2014 during the UPA government led by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Responding to questions regarding measures taken by the government to tackle Maoist violence, Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply that the Maoist incidents were restricted to 123 in the first two months of this year. He said that the number of Maoist incidents was 670 in 2019 compared to 833 in 2018, 908 in 2017, 1,048 in 2016, and 1,089 in 2015. "Steadfast implementation of the National Policy and Action Plan - 2015 has resulted in consistent decline in LWE-related violence in the country during the last five years. In 2019, the number of LWE-related incidents have reduced by over 38 in comparison to 2014," Reddy said. Further, Reddy said, the number of security personnel killed in the violence has also reduced from 317 in 2009 to 52 in 2019. Five security personnel were killed in January and February this year, however, a total of 315 were killed between 2015 and 2019, Reddy said. A total of 52 security personnel were killed in 2019 compared to 67 in 2018, 75 in 2017, 65 in 2016 and 56 in 2015. Meanwhile, the minister said, a total of five Left Wing Extremists (LWEs) were killed between January 1, 2020 and February 29, 2020. The number of killings of extremists was 145 in 2019, 225 (highest) in 2018; 136 in 2017; 222 in 2016; and 89 in 2015. The minister further informed the Upper House that large, mini and micro Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have been deployed in support of anti-LWE operations. 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. CNY HELPS: Are you looking to aid your neighbors in this time of crisis? Heres how you can: Many of you have asked us: In this pandemic, how can we help? At Syracuse.com and The Post-Standard, we want to use our resources to help steer your good intentions to community groups working to take care of our neighbors. This effort, called CNY Helps, will connect you. Onondaga County awaits results of hundreds of tests: The coronavirus test site that opened Monday in Syracuse tested between 200 and 300 people by Tuesday afternoon and results are expected to come in by Thursday or Friday, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said. In addition, many local primary care doctors are testing their patients. Cuomo's school-closing order may cause issues for districts that canceled earlier: Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order Monday closing all school in New York state until at least April 1; the state will decide whether to extend closures further at that point. The order, though, has a wrinkle that leaves some uncertainty for districts that have already announced longer closures. What do I do to pay my bills? Nicole Kennedy and Jon Henderson bought The Old Ledge bar in North Syracuse just six months ago. On Tuesday, instead of serving customers, the two boxed up liquor bottles and turned in the unsold lottery scratch-off games. The Old Ledge and every other bar in the New York closed on Monday night because of the state-mandated rules put into place because of the coronavirus, leaving Kennedy and Henderson wondering about the future. Checks could be coming as part of stimulus: The Trump administration on Tuesday proposed a $1 trillion economic stimulus package to counter the effects of the coronavirus, including relief for small businesses and the airline industry, and sizable checks for Americans in the next two weeks. READ MORE: As the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic spreads to more regions of the world, efforts to fight it have been increased multifold across the globe. Since there is no vaccine for the disease as yet, a major part of this fight is to detect the virus in a host at an early stage. Typically the tests for this take a day to confer the result. A team of medical researchers now says that it will be able to do so in mere ten minutes. Reuters U.K.-based Mologic Ltd., in collaboration with Senegalese research foundation Institut Pasteur de Dakar is working on a method that will be accurately able to tell the result of a test for Coronavirus within ten minutes. It should, however, be noted that the said testing kit is still in development and is expected to take three months time. Another aspect that increases the accessibility to these kits like never before is the fact that Mologic is using existing technology related to home pregnancy and malaria tests to make the Coronavirus testing kits. The use of saliva and finger-prick kit also brings the cost of the kits down to less than $1 a piece. The cost will remain as this for the end users as well. Mologic received a $1.2 million grant from the U.K. government to develop the test and now being manufactured in Senegal by diaTropix, the kits will of course be available at a zero profit cost to those needing it. Samples for Coronavirus testing with a conventional kit. (Image: PA) Not the only one Mologic is not the only company in pursuit of a faster testing kit for the virus. An Irish company by the name of Assay Genie is just about to release its own COVID-19 Coronavirus testing kits which claim to provide results for the tests within 15 minutes. Even in this case, the tests use the same technology as used in pregnancy tests. Still in testing phase, the rapid POC (Point of Care) kit will be released globally within weeks and will use just one drop of blood to drastically accelerate the detection of the virus. How does this help? The prevalent tests for Coronavirus, known as PCR tests, are able to detect the pathogen in a closed, laboratory setup, taking several hours in the process and costing a considerable amount too. While sufficient to handle a regular set of suspected hosts, the labs and the method will fall short with a surge in suspected cases, as has been seen in many countries. Countries seem to be battling against the two limitations here. One, to set up the testing laboratories as per the need in vast numbers and across regions. Second to bring the cost down. Such testing methods work in both the ways in our favour and can prove to be the ultimate weapon in the fight against COVID-19 once released. Cocaine kingpin Owen Hanson, the star witness at the criminal trial of a Kings Cross solicitor, has told a jury that $702,000 in cash seized from a luxury Sydney hotel was the proceeds of his cocaine importations. Lawyer Michael Croke, 69, has pleaded not guilty to perverting the course of justice, giving police false information and knowingly or recklessly helping a criminal group. Sydney criminal lawyer Michael Croke is standing trial for perverting the course of justice. Credit:Peter Rae The jury has heard Mr Croke coached witnesses to tell police a false story in order to recover a bag containing $702,000 in cash that was seized from personal trainer Sean Carolan who was staying in Sydney's upmarket Hilton Hotel in August 2011. Once known as "O-Dog", Hanson told the jury he is serving a sentence of 21 years and 3 months in a Californian prison after pleading guilty to cocaine trafficking including to Australia. He also pleaded guilty to racketeering charges in relation to illegal sports gambling and money laundering. John Moore/Getty Like many U.S. workplaces, the medical group MEDNAX last week asked employees to stay home if they were experiencing fever, respiratory distress, or other symptoms of the novel coronavirus. But the message had a caveat: MEDNAX told any clinician exposed to the virus, or experiencing symptoms, to take the required two-week quarantine out of their sick leave or vacation time. Anyone without 14 days of leave saved up would have to borrow from future paid time off. Even as other workplaces endeavor to let employees work from home, and Congress mulls legislation to cover sick leave for some who dont have it, medical professionals across the country are facing a difficult choice: Either they go to work sick, and endanger their patients, or risk using up all of their personal time and going into a perverse form of debt. People on the frontlines of this should be provided with all the resources that they need and all the support they need if they get sick, said one MEDNAX employee, who asked not to be named for fear of retaliation. The House has passed this bill thats supposed to help waiters and waitresses, but here are the people on the front lines being told, Youre just shit out of luck. MEDNAX is a national medical group that employs more than 2,800 health care providers across 38 states. On Friday, in an email reviewed by The Daily Beast, the companys chief human resource officer instructed staff with COVID-19 symptoms to stay home. Staff with a known exposure to the virus would be evaluated for work availability on a case by case basis, she wrote, but could also be required to quarantine. Virus Test Chaos: An Unmitigated Disaster If an employee is unable to work while at home, pay will be provided through PTO to the degree the employee has accrued PTO, the email read. Further down, under a subsection called PTO Borrowing, it continued: To the degree that an employee does not have PTO to use for the above scenarios, the company will allow the borrowing of up to 5 days of PTO against future year PTO accruals. Story continues The company did not respond to requests for comment. One MEDNAX employee, who works for the company part-time at a hospital in Tennessee, told The Daily Beast that her facility was nowhere near prepared for a coronavirus outbreak. The hospital was still performing elective surgeries, she saidagainst the advice of the surgeon generaland allowing for full visitation. (Many other hospitals have cracked down on visitors, even limiting the number allowed in labor and delivery wards.) My coworkers who still work there full-time are terrified right now, the employee said. The hospitals in our town are doing nothing to prepare Its a complete shitshow, is what it is right now, and its just going to get worse. MEDNAX also told employees that their workers compensation carrier would likely not cover any time lost due to coronavirus exposure at work. And they instructed employees who missed work for three days or more to apply for job protection benefits under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Are they implying that we would lose our jobs if we got sick? the employee asked. Why would we have to apply for FMLA? Are you really going to fire me while Im on a ventilator? The Daily Beast has identified at least one other national health care group with similar leave policies. They also appear to be standard at many hospitals around the country. At Envision Healthcare, a physician group with more than 57,000 employees, clinicians were told Thursday that anyone exposed to the virus through non-work-related activities would need to use all available PTO to self-quarantine. Once their PTO was used up, the rest of their time in isolation would be unpaid, the company said in an email reviewed by The Daily Beast. Employees exposed through work would have their missed shifts paid forbut only after going through their full balance of PTO. We understand the risk clinicians are taking on during the coronavirus pandemic, an Envision spokesperson said in a statement. All of our clinicians who are quarantined for the CDC recommended time period as a result of on-the-job COVID-19 exposure will continue to receive compensation. Hospitals that are already operating on thin marginsand hemorrhaging money due to the current crisiscould find it hard to stomach paying employees for two weeks of leave, said Doug Diekema, an attending physician and bioethicist at Seattle Children's Hospital. But he added that forcing health care workers to take PTO posed both ethical and public health issues. Four Ways Experts Say Coronavirus Nightmare Could End Its always been interesting to me that the messaging we get as health care providers is, Dont come to work if youre sick, he said. Thats much easier to follow if there isnt some kind of penalty being paid. Diekema said this system could lead to employees coming in sick later in the year, if they used up all of their paid leave on quarantine, or even lying about their symptoms during the current crisis. By asking workers to use up their personal time, he added, hospitals had given employees an incentive to be untruthful. Jane Hopkins, the executive vice president of the Washington state nurses and health care workers union, echoed this sentiment. She argued that workers put on leave without pay by one hospital could simply seek work at another facility. (The bills dont stop needing to be paid because they went to work, got exposed, and now their employer says, Just figure it out, she noted.) The union, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, reached out to every major health care provider in the state about providing fully paid, administrative leave to quarantined workers. So far, Hopkins said, only one has agreed. Health care workers are already facing the grim effects of the pandemic. A 70-year-old physician in New Jersey was hospitalized with respiratory symptoms last week and remains in intensive care, according to the American College of Emergency Physicians. A second doctoran emergency physician in Washington statewas in stable but critical condition. Health care workers at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Mass. Eye and Ear have also tested positive. One health care worker in Salt Lake City said employees at under-staffed, under-resourced hospitals will likely feel pressure to come in to work while sickespecially if the pandemic gets even worse in the coming weeks. Even if we have enough ventilators, we wont have enough people to work them, said the employee, who asked not to be named for fear of retaliation. said. So I think people will feel pressure to keep working even if theyre sick. You know, why would I stay home with the sniffles if people are dying?" Were all just bracing ourselves for that reality especially if its our own coworkers on the ventilator, which could definitely happen, she said. The employee said her hospital group also required employees to use personal time if they were quarantined, though they were offered up to two weeks of negative PTO if they had not accrued enough. The unaccommodating leave policies, she added, would only compound her coworkers sense of guilt. Theyre gonna be the frontline workers constantly in those rooms, constantly exposed to everyone, she said. And theyre being treated like its their fault theyre getting sick. What Will We Do When America's Doctors and Nurses Burn Out? Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Another resident in the south-central Vietnamese province of Ninh Thuan tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Wednesday morning and became the countrys 67th patient. Vietnams latest COVID-19 patient is a 36-year-old man living in Thuan Nam District, Ninh Thuan Province. He traveled with patient No. 61, a 42-year-old man in Ninh Thuan Province, to Malaysia on February 27. They boarded flight VJ826 operated by Vietjet Air to Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on March 4 before heading back to their hometown. Patient No. 61 developed a sore throat and fever on March 10 and was admitted to Ninh Thuan General Hospital on Sunday. He tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. He was among 90 Vietnamese nationals who attended a religious event at a mosque in Kuala Lumpur between February 27 and March 1, according to the Government Committee for Religious Affairs. Hundreds of the approximately 16,000 participants in the event have been diagnosed with COVID-19, with thousands more reporting symptoms of a respiratory disease. It is not immediately clear if patient No. 67 also attended the same event. The Ninh Thuan Center for Disease Control on Tuesday evening sent 17 samples of the people who had close contact with Patient No. 61 to the Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang, located in the namesake capital city of south-central Khanh Hoa Province. Results for patient No. 67 came back positive on Wednesday morning. He is now being treated at the department for tropical diseases at Ninh Thuan General Hospital. The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 198,100 people and killed more than 7,900 globally as of Wednesday morning, according to Ministry of Health statistics. Vietnam has announced 67 COVID-19 cases to date, 16 of whom had fully recovered and been discharged from the hospital by February 26. Among the 51 active cases being treated, 18 are foreigners, including 13 Britons and one each from Ireland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Latvia, and France. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The scientist who is credited with convincing President Donald Trump to take the spread of coronavirus more seriously has said that he is now in self-isolation with symptoms of the Covid-19 virus. Neil Ferguson, an infectious-disease expert at Imperial College London, said he began self-isolating after developing a cough on Tuesday but felt fine. The epidemiologist, and lead author of the Imperial College study, then developed a high fever at 4am on Wednesday. He said on Twitter: There is a lot of Covid-19 in Westminster. The study, published on Monday, estimated that 2.2m people could die in the United States if measures were not introduced to curb social activity and movements. It warned that hospitals in both the US and UK would be overwhelmed if attempts to actively suppress the spread of the virus were not introduced. White House officials were handed a copy of the Imperial College Covid-19 Response Teams report on Sunday. On Monday, the Trump administration introduced new guidelines urging Americans to limit their contact with others by working from home and avoiding gatherings of more than 10 people. Mr Ferguson told BBC Radio 4s Today program that, as a part of one of the main bodies advising the international response to coronavirus, he had been in many meetings where he thought he might have contracted the virus. Ive been in so many meetings in the last few weeks, and a number of my colleagues from other universities whove been advising government in those meetings have also developed symptoms, he added. The government of Uttarakhand on Wednesday decided to remove reservation in promotions for SC/ST employees. Around two lakh General and OBC employees in the government were demanding the removal of the reservation to SC/ST employees and had been protesting since March 2. The Chief Secretary issued a letter to all government departments to inform them of the government's move. With this, the state government also lifted restrictions on promotions in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chirico said he has asked for a special council meeting to be held Monday so the city can start the process of of filing paperwork with the Illinois Department of Revenue to preserve the citys right to tax recreational marijuana sales. It has to be filed before April 1 if the city wants to begin collecting tax money in July but doesnt mean the city must approve marijuana sales, he said. TDP President and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday thanked Union External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar for his efforts to bring back stranded Indian citizens including Telugu students from Kuala Lumpur. In a statement, Naidu appreciated the quick response measures taken by Jaishankar to rescue nearly 300 Indians including Telugu people by bringing them back to Delhi and Visakhapatnam by AirAsia flight. Most of the Telugu students were stranded in Kuala Lumpur on their way back home from the Philippines. Naidu thanked Jaishankar on behalf of the people of Andhra Pradesh. The Union External Affairs Minister had appreciated the difficult situation of Indian students and other passengers waiting in transit at Kuala Lumpur airport. "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," he had tweeted on Tuesday. Malaysian Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has announced some of the most far-reaching measures including locking down all travel in or out of the country in an effort to stem infections of COVID-19.The order imposes a restriction on movements and public gatherings including a ban on all religious, sports, social, and cultural activities. Fear is growing in Asia of the possibility of a second wave of infections from imported cases. The deadly coronavirus has killed around 8,000 people globally.A total of three deaths and 147 positive cases of COVID-19 have been reported in India so far, as per the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-19 06:26:18|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close People purchase food at a supermarket in Santiago, Chile, March 18, 2020. Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Wednesday declared a 90-day state of catastrophe to step up the government's action to combat the COVID-19 epidemic that has so far infected 238 people. (Photo by Jorge Villegas/Xinhua) SANTIAGO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Wednesday declared a 90-day state of catastrophe to step up the government's action to combat the COVID-19 epidemic that has so far infected 238 people. At a press conference, Pinera said a series of restrictions will take effect starting at midnight, including a ban on mass gatherings to curb infections. The military would be mobilized to support the public health sector and guarantee law and order, and a curfew to limit people's movement was under consideration, he said. "This state of catastrophe allows for the valuable and necessary collaboration of the armed forces to better tackle this crisis," said Pinera. The armed forces can serve as a "true sanitary force, working with all of the officials of our health system, who have worked tirelessly in recent weeks," said Pinera. Economy Minister Lucas Palacios, meanwhile, announced "shopping centers will close" across the country as of Thursday to decrease person-to-person contact. Supermarkets, pharmacies, banks and shops selling household supplies or construction materials will remain open, he said. Chile has also closed its borders, suspended classes and recommended people shelter in place to avoid contracting or spreading the disease. The new head of the Bank of England refused to rule out direct financial payments to workers and business today as he hinted it could take radical steps to tackle the impact of coronavirus. Mr Bailey, who took on the top fiscal role only on Monday this week, also urged businesses under threat to 'talk to us' or the Government about emergency funding before laying off staff. In an interview with Sky News, Mr Bailey, who took over from Mark Carney, said the 'Bank of England's not done', amid speculation over whether it would consider a new form of so-called quantitative easing - effectively printing money - to boost the economy. He said: 'Everything is on the table that is reasonable, within the policy tool set. 'We will do what it takes to meet the needs of the economy and the needs of the people of this country. In an interview with Sky News, Mr Bailey, who took over from Mark Carney, said the 'Bank of England's not done' The spoke amid speculation over whether the central bank would consider a new form of so-called quantitative easing - effectively printing money - to boost the economy 'I don't rule anything out, frankly, but please don't therefore interpret it that we're about to do it either.' His comments come after Chancellor Rishi Sunak and the Bank unleashed a 350 billion package of support for the economy on Tuesday. The Bank has already slashed rates to 0.25 per cent in an emergency move last week, and its policymakers are due to meet again on March 26. But markets resumed their nosedive on Wednesday, with the FTSE 100 Index in London dropping more than 3 per cent as Wall Street opened sharply lower in America despite the measures announced in London, with similar moves worldwide. In a separate interview with the BBC, Mr Bailey also made a plea to struggling firms not to fire employees as a knee-jerk reaction, as there may be financial support available. He said: 'Stop, look at what's available, come and talk to us [or] the Government before you take that position.' However, firms have already begun to shut sites and warn over redundancies, with retailer Laura Ashley filing for administration on Tuesday after rescue talks were halted by the coronavirus outbreak. One of Britain's biggest pub and restaurant owners has warned that sales are 'getting worse by the day' as several of its peers said they were taking a serious hit from coronavirus. The Restaurant Group (TRG), which owns Wagamama and Frankie & Benny's, said like-for-like sales had fallen 12.5 per cent in the last two weeks. Sites remain open, although other restaurants and cafes, including McDonalds and Starbucks, have said they will close seating areas. It came alongside warnings from Marston's, which runs 1,400 pubs across the country, and Mitchells & Butlers, the owner of Toby Carvery and All Bar One. Heavy machinery giant JCB is stopping production at its UK manufacturing plants as disruption from the coronavirus pandemic causes an unprecedented reduction in global demand, the company announced. Production will be halted for the rest of this week and all of next week at its nine manufacturing plants in Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Wrexham. Shop floor workers affected by the move will be paid in full during this period but no decision has been taken on what happens from the end of the month. Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said the Treasury is 'working around the clock' on a package of support measures to keep workers in their jobs through the coronavirus outbreak. Giving evidence to the Commons Treasury Committee, Mr Sunak - who on Tuesday announced a 350 billion support package for the economy - acknowledged more needed to be done. 'We are looking at every conceivable tool at our disposal as we speak,' he said. 'There is more to do and we are working at pace, urgently, to see what support we can put in place, particularly around employment support. 'I am absolutely alive to the urgency. Everyone inside the Treasury is working around the clock to ensure that we can deliver these things and actually make sure that the support gets to people.' Fran Boait, executive director of Positive Money, a pressure group seeking reform in finance, said the Bank's action was welcome but she warned it may not help those most in need. She said: 'Any economic response to Covid-19 must prioritise protecting the most vulnerable and reducing the spread of the virus, and the measures announced so far do not do this. 'Simply pumping new money to businesses won't stop people who are sick or at risk needing to go to work, and there is no guarantee that these businesses won't lay workers off.' The Bank also fleshed out details of its new business lending scheme, unveiled by the Chancellor on Tuesday, which will offer short-term bridging finance for large firms affected by coronavirus. It said it will be available to companies with significant employment in the UK or with UK headquarters - including firms with foreign owners that have a genuine business in Britain - though they must prove they were in sound financial health prior to the shock. 'We will also consider whether the company generates significant revenues in the UK, serves a large number of customers in the UK or has a number of operating sites in the UK,' said the Bank. 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. A flight from Austria will bring Ukrainians back home today, March 18, as they could not leave the country previously. Press office of Ukraine's Foreign Ministry reported that on Facebook. "Austrian Airlines will send the passengers to Ukraine at 9.50 a.m., as they could not leave before due to the canceling of flights of this air carrier", reads the message. "There are also some 70 tickets on this flight available for sale. For those who stuck in Vienna not because of Austrian Airines, the ticket will cost 493 Euros. It's expensive, of course, but it's a guaranteed return home (...)". The press office added that the charter flight is also expected on Thursday. "Ukraine's Embassy in the Austrian Republic will report on how to purchase tickets for this flight on March 18. The price will be 149 Euros", the message said. Infrastructure Minister Vladyslav Krykliy added that Ukrainians who could not leave Sri Lanka would return home on March 18. Earlier, Kyiv city hall reported that Kyivites will be able to get respiratory masks as soon as there are enough of them; the masks will be distributed for free or, perhaps, sold at the rate of prime cost. Industry Update Appointment 18 March 2020 Gordon Fraser Appointed Cluster General Manager At Crowne Plaza Aberdeen Airport and Holiday Inn Express Aberdeen Airport, United Kingdom M&L, a Singapore-based hotel real estate investor, has appointed Gordon Fraser as Cluster General Manager at the Crowne Plaza Aberdeen Airport and Holiday Inn Express Aberdeen Airport. Bringing over 20 years of management experience, including eight years with Hilton Worldwide at the Hilton Edinburgh Grosvenor Hotel, Gordon has immersed himself in multi-site management, mid-market and up-market properties, new builds, distressed properties, change programmes and capital project management throughout his career. Bringing over 20 years of management experience, including eight years with Hilton Worldwide at the Hilton Edinburgh Grosvenor Hotel, Gordon has immersed himself in multi-site management, mid-market and up-market properties, new builds, distressed properties, change programmes and capital project management throughout his career. IHG Hotels & Resorts IHG Hotels & Resorts [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global hospitality company, with a purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good. With a family of 17 hotel brands and IHG Rewards, one of the worlds largest hotel loyalty programmes, IHG has over 6,000 open hotels in more than 100 countries, and a further 1,800 in the development pipeline. more information Recent Appointments at IHG Hans Heijligers - General Manager 10 January 2022 Originally from the Netherlands, Hans Heijligers spent 35 years of his hotel career abroad. He mainly settled in Asia where he led the entire Western region of Japan while serving as Managing Director at InterContinental Osaka for 3 years. read more Dani Demerjian - General Manager 10 January 2022 InterContinental Abu Dhabi has announced the appointment of Dani Demerjian as general manager, marking his first permanent general manager position in the industry. Demerjian started his career with IHG - the operators of the InterContinental brand - and has worked for the company numerous times over the years. read more Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading. MGM Resorts, Marriott Shares of casinos and hotels were in a tailspin as the industry took a massive hit due to the coronavirus outbreak. Marriott tanked nearly 30% to become the worst performer in the S&P 500 as of midday trading. MGM Resorts plunged 28% as the pandemic smashed demand for travel, bringing its month-to-date losses to more than 80%. Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise line stocks continued to get slammed during coronavirus pandemic. The three major cruise stocks all plunged by more than 20% on Wednesday, with Carnival losing over 29%. The companies have halted many of their planned cruises and credit rating agencies have signaled increased concern about the industry's corporate debt. Boeing Shares of Boeing tanked 18%, bringing its losses this month to a whopping 62%. The plunge put the aircraft manufacturer on track for its worst month in history. On top of the consequences of two fatal crashes of its 737 Max aircraft, Boeing took a big hit from the coronavirus outbreak that disrupted the global supply chains and the travel industry. American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Airlines cratered as the coronavirus continues to weigh on the beaten down travel industry, causing many of the air companies to slash their flight capacities due to a drop in demand. American Airlines cratered more than 23%, United Airlines plunged 23% and Delta plummeted nearly 25%. Alaska Air Group tanked 19% and Southwest fell more than 10%. Bank of America, JPMorgan, Citigroup Bank stocks fell broadly, along with the broader market, as investors worried corporate profits in the sector would take a hit amid the coronavirus outbreak. Bank of America dropped more than 7% while JPMorgan Chase fell 8.8%. Citigroup and Goldman Sachs both fell more than 10%. Banks were also under pressure as a steep drop in oil prices raised concern that several energy companies would default on their loan obligations. Kroger Shares of the grocer rose 7% as investors load up on defensive names. Other staples stocks moving higher include Walmart and Walgreens, which are up 6% and 5%, respectively. These stocks are often considered recession-proof as people still need daily staple products in a downturn. Noble Energy, ONEOK The energy sector was the biggest loser on Wednesday as oil prices plunged 16% to a more than 18-year low. Oil has been in a tailspin as the coronavirus pandemic continues to sap demand for crude. Share of Nobel Energy tanked 20%, while ONEOK shed 23%. CNBC's Maggie Fitzgerald, Jesse Pound, Fred Imbert and Pippa Stevens contributed to this report. Subscribe to CNBC PRO for exclusive insights and analysis, and live business day programming from around the world. BETHESDA, MD March 18, 2020 | Aixa M. Gonzalez Garcia, MD, FAAP and Chen-Han Wilfred Wu, MD, PhD are the recipients of the 2020 Takeda/ACMG Foundation Next Generation Fellowship Awards. These awards are the fourth set of awards given after Shirenow part of Takedamade a $1.8 million commitment in 2017 to support the training of future medical geneticists. Bruce R. Korf, MD, PhD, FACMG, president of the ACMG Foundation said, We are grateful to Takeda for their ongoing commitment to training of clinical and laboratory geneticists. The explosion of genetics and genomics applications in medicine make the need for such training greater than it has ever been. The Takeda/ACMG Foundation awards will provide funding for two different specialties in 2020: one Medical Biochemical Genetics Subspecialty Fellowship Award (1 year); and one Clinical Laboratory Biochemical Genetics Training Award (2 years). Medical Biochemical Genetics Subspecialty Fellowship Award: Aixa M. Gonzalez Garcia, MD, FAAP, Emory University School of Medicine Dr. Gonzalez Garcia is a second year clinical genetics resident at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, where she enjoys caring for children and adults with a variety of genetic conditions and inborn errors of metabolism. She obtained her medical degree from Universidad Central de Venezuela in Caracas, after which she practiced rural medicine for one year with a special focus on underserved pediatric populations. She completed her pediatric residency training at Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami, Florida in 2018, where she received the award for excellence in pediatric critical care. Dr. Gonzalez Garcia has been board certified in pediatrics since 2018. Upon completion of her clinical genetics training at Emory University in the summer of 2020, she will continue on to her medical biochemical genetics subspecialty fellowship. Upon receiving the award, Dr. Gonzalez Garcia said, I feel extremely humbled and excited to be a recipient of the Takeda/ACMG Foundation Next Generation Medical Biochemical Subspecialty Award. I look forward to starting my career in this field with the guidance and mentorship of our outstanding faculty members at Emory University and joining with pride the biochemical genetics community in serving our patients with rare disorders. Clinical Laboratory Biochemical Genetics Training Award: Chen-Han Wilfred Wu, MD, PhD, Boston Childrens Hospital and Harvard Medical School Dr. Wu attended medical school at National Taiwan University and completed his urology residency at National Taiwan University Hospital in Taipei. He moved to the United States for a fellowship at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), where he became interested in genetics. He earned his PhD in human genetics from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Currently, Dr. Wu is a clinical fellow in genetics and genomics at Harvard Medical School with Boston Childrens Hospital, Brigham and Womens Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital. He also serves as an associate editor for the journal GENE. In addition to clinical papers, Dr. Wu has published in the field of genetics and genomics on disease gene mapping, quantitative and population genetics and statistical genetics. He is the principal investigator for the project A Next-Generation Biochemical Genetics Approach to Urinary Stone Diseases, which aims to employ metabolomics profiling and exome sequencing to study patients with stone disease. The project also aims to identify biomarkers and explore the treatment options of genetic therapy and metabolic reprogramming. Upon receiving the award, Dr. Wu said, I am honored to be awarded the Takeda/ACMG Foundation Next Generation medical genetics award. I am thankful to ACMG Foundation and our industry partners for providing the award. I hope my work will help push the boundaries of biochemical genetics forward and benefit our patients. ### About the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine The ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is a community of supporters and contributors who understand the importance of medical genetics and genomics in healthcare. Established in 1992, the ACMG Foundation supports the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) mission to "translate genes into health." Through its work, the ACMG Foundation fosters charitable giving, promotes training opportunities to attract future medical geneticists and genetic counselors to the field, shares information about medical genetics and genomics, and sponsors important research. To learn more and support the ACMG Foundation mission to create "Better Health through Genetics" visit http://www.acmgfoundation.org. Note to editors: To arrange interviews with experts in medical genetics, contact ACMG Senior Director of Public Relations Kathy Moran, MBA at kmoran@acmg.net. Rumor has it that Keke Palmer has a new beau in her life. But who exactly is he? Heres everything you need to know about the artists rumored new man, Styn. Keke Palmer at an award show in December 2019 | Theo Wargo/Getty Images for IFP Who is Styn? Styn is a member of the music duo MAE SEVEN along with his brother, Winter. They grew up in the Netherlands, where they were introduced to music by their father, a big fan of classic-rock tunes. As kids, Styn and Winter began to experiment with music. Winter took an interest in playing instruments while Styn discovered a love for rapping, singing, and songwriting. According to Spotify, the brothers released their first song, Who to Believe in 2016. It reportedly received more than 200,000 plays across streaming platforms, giving MAE SEVEN some much-needed exposure. The group got an even bigger boost when popular television channel XITE aired their self-produced music video for a song called Stay. While they are still relatively unknown, the group is closing in on 10,000 followers on Instagram. Not too bad for people who just started a few years ago. Why people think Keke Palmer is dating Styn During the week of March 15, Internet sleuths caught Palmer leaving flirty messages on Styns Instagram page. In one comment captured by the blog The Neighborhood Talk, Palmer referred to the artist as her baby. She also left a steamy comment on a photo of Styn with his shirt open. While the two have yet to comment on or confirm anything, fans have already expressed their approval for the potential relationship. Im totally here for this, one person wrote on The Neighborhood Talks Instagram page. Happy for her, commented another. And he is cute, exclaimed someone else. Others, however, have questioned the true nature of their relationship, with one person writing: [It] looks like shes just being thirsty to me. Have they even been seen together? We need more receipts, another person added. Keke Palmers dating history Over the years, Palmer has been linked to a few stars, including actors Quincy Brown and Elvin Jackson and rappers Meek Mill and YG. But she has never confirmed anything, as she tends to keep quiet about her love life. Mike Johnson of The Bachelorette famously asked Palmer out in an October 2019 appearance on her show, Strahan, Sara & Keke; but she refused to offer up an answer, explaining that it wasnt the right place to talk about that. Two days later, she announced on the show that she had decided not to go out with Johnson and explained why. Well, first of all, I get real spooked about entertainers or reality [stars]I dont know, it really scares me to date people in the industry. Thats number 1, she shared. Number 2: He asked me in front of everybody. I felt totally like, ambushed. I felt ambushed. I felt like it was a big ol gag. Ive been doped. Could Palmer have gotten over her fears of dating entertainers? Or is she just friends with Styn? We guess only time will tell. BBC Studios has widened its hunt for TV drama writers of the future to include those without a professional credit or an agent. The Writers Academy, which is a training scheme for new TV writers, teaches people how to write drama for the small screen and gives them the opportunity to write for soaps including EastEnders and Casualty. Successful applicants receive three months of paid training and will be lectured by screenwriters including Bodyguards Jed Mercurio, Red Rocks Sophie Petzal, Doctor Whos Russell T Davies and Life On Mars Tony Jordan. Students will have the opportunity to write for EastEnders (Andrew Stuart/PA) John Yorke, head of BBC Studios Writers Academy, said: Im thrilled that BBC Studios have decided to make such a major investment in new talent. At a time when its harder than ever for new writers to break in, this course allows writers from less privileged backgrounds to get their first important step into television. The Writers Academy is a perfect example of the BBCs remit its a huge commitment to nurturing new talent from every sector of society. Students will be lectured by Jed Mercurio, who was a screenwriter for Bodyguard (Isabel Infantes/PA) There have been 2,000 hours of British and Irish TV drama produced by graduates from the scheme, according to BBC Studios. Graduates have also been given original commissions including Deadwater Fell, Grantchester and Watership Down. Presidential Advisor Anton Kobyakov and Swedish Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Malena Mard discussed aspects of Russian-Swedish cooperation at a meeting in Moscow. The key areas for cooperation will include interaction in regional multilateral organizations (the Council of the Baltic Sea States, Barents Euro-Arctic Council, the Arctic Council, and the Northern Dimension and its partnerships). They will work on tightening up security and stability in the Baltics, and are also planning to continue cooperating on environmental issues. The Swedish ambassador noted at the meeting that she was interested in attending the Arctic Territory of Dialogue International Arctic Forum, which is being held in Russia in 2021. The forum is held in Russia once every two years. Its business agenda includes discussions of important issues like Arctic development with new technologies, evolution of human resources in the Arctic environment, economic growth od the Arctic zone, rational exploitation of resources and sustainable development in the Arctic. "I will immediately talk to my colleagues about it in Stockholm. It's very important for Sweden to promote cooperation with other countries when it comes to the Arctic area. The participation of the Swedish delegation, headed by Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, in the International Arctic Forum in 2019 showed how high these Arctic issues are on the Swedish agenda," Ambassador Malena Mard said. In addition, she assured the Russian side that she would talk to Swedish business circles and officials about other Roscongress Foundation activities the Eastern Economic Forum and Russian Energy Week scheduled in Vladivostok and Moscow, respectively, for September and October 2020. The diplomats also considered the plans for implementing shared initiatives and establishing a project activity center, which is to be administered by the Roscongress Foundation and an authorized Swedish entity. "The goal of the activity center is to coordinate efforts and approve a joint work plan to carry out the common investment and business projects of our countries. Priority is given to the exchange of proposals on promising investment, export, trade and other business projects as well as the exchange of expert and analytic information," reports the Roscongress press service. During the meeting they also discussed the two countries' investment cooperation, evolution of the Russian-Swedish business dialogue, participation in international activities and they exchanged ideas on new collective projects. Gov. Kay Ivey is leaving the door open for closing Alabamas beaches. When asked about the possibility of closing beaches to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, Ivey said Certainly, its under consideration. If we decide to do that well announce that at a later date, she added. Despite growing fears over coronavirus, spring break kids in Orange Beach, Alabama, are carrying on life as normal. Posted by al.com on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 Concerns over crowds gathering at beaches has grown after photos showed thousands of spring breakers congregated along the Florida shore. Yesterday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered all bars and nightclubs in the state closed for 30 days but stopped short of closing beaches. DeSantis said the state will be enforcing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines that recommends groups of no more than 10 people who maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet apart. Dauphin Island has taken the step of closing its public parking while allowing people to access its beaches. The closures will remain in place for 14 days. Amid coronavirus concerns, Alabama leaves public beaches open for now Staff at telecommunications giant Charter Communications are still having to work from corporate offices against the advice from the federal government despite at least one employee testing positive for coronavirus and other staff coming into contact with another confirmed case. The phone and internet giant, which owns the Spectrum brand, has doubled down in the past week on its policy of disallowing its 15,000 office-based employees to work from home, prompting one engineer to quit over fears he would contract the illness. Dozens of other Charter employees have contacted TechCrunch in the past few days with concerns about their current working conditions. Current government advice is to avoid gatherings of 10 people or more and for businesses to allow employees to work from home where possible. The employees we spoke to said that while Charter has the means to allow staff to work from home, executives are reluctant to relax the policy. Charter chief executive Tom Rutledge said in an internal email to staff this week that employees are "more effective from the office." Charter employees say they are being forced to use their sick leave if they are exhibiting symptoms. Other companies, including AT&T and Verizon (which owns TechCrunch) are allowing staff to work from home. Internal emails and correspondence sent by multiple Charter employees, who asked not to be named for fear of retribution from the company, show several staff in offices across the U.S. have shown symptoms and have been tested for the coronavirus strain, known as COVID-19. An employee at a call center in Akron, Ohio also tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, according to another employee. The employee said that they fear others have been exposed to the virus because the infected employee had been forced to come into the office all week. Charter denied the claim. Another email sent to staff in Charlotte, N.C., said an employee had self-isolated after reporting coronavirus symptoms. (After we published, several employees told TechCrunch that the employee had tested positive.) Gizmodo reported Wednesday that an employee at one of Charter's offices in San Diego had undergone testing for COVID-19. The test results were also not released. Story continues TechCrunch also learned that an employee in Texas, who visited Charter's offices in Dallas and Rockwall, had also tested positive for COVID-19. But staff at Charter's office in New York City were told to still come into work, despite a positive COVID-19 case in the building. An email sent on Wednesday to some employees in the New York City office said a tenant on another floor, who used the same elevator banks as Charter employees, tested positive for COVID-19. The tenant was last in the building on March 5, according to a building notice seen by TechCrunch. Some staff only found out about the positive result when "one of the good guys posted it in the elevator so others would see," according to one employee. Cameron Blanchard, a spokesperson for Charter, declined to comment on individual employee matters, and claimed the company was "following CDC guidelines," and repeated previously made remarks that the company is "reviewing continuity plans daily" and "will adjust accordingly." The spokesperson also asked TechCrunch not to rely on "rumors" or "anonymous sources." (The spokesperson declared this to be "off the record," which requires both parties to agree to the terms in advance, but we are printing the reply as we were given no opportunity to reject.) As it stands, there are more than 214,000 global cases of coronavirus, with some 7,700 reported cases in the United States. Charter was not the only company this week accused of putting its staff at risk. This week, it was reported that Best Buy was forced to reduce the number of customers in its stores to prevent the spread of the virus after staff spoke out. But where Best Buy changed its policy, Charter is standing firm. One employee said that Charter was more preoccupied with preventing its staff from talking to the media. One internal email sent Wednesday and seen by TechCrunch said that employees should "not provide any info or engage in further discussion with media outlets or investors making inquiries." That employee said they were "disappointed in and ashamed" of how Charter is acting. "This will all come back to bite them in the ass eventually," the employee said. Updated with new information about the Charlotte employee and a Texas employee. The Bank of Canada has announced new measures to expand the range of securities its willing to purchase, as well as provide support to the Canada Mortgage Bond (CMB) market. In a statement, the BoC said that it will broaden eligible collateral for its term repo facility to include the full range of collateral eligible under the Standing Liquidity Facility, with the exception of the non-mortgage loan portfolio. According to the bank, the expansion of eligible collateral will provide support to funding conditions for financial institutions by providing a backstop to regular private funding. The bank also announced that it stands ready, as a proactive measure, to provide support to the CMB market so that this important funding market continues to function well. BURLINGAME, Calif., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- When COVID-19 is putting our lives on hold, we want to safeguard our children's education. Bibliography.com is going to ensure that you have the tools you need when you need them. From now until 2021, Bibliography.com will remain free for students and teachers that sign up before June 15th. Signing up for a free account gives you instant access to an ad-free citation generator for all your MLA, APA, Chicago and even Turabian citation needs. Create automatic citations for books, journals, websites, videos and more for school projects and research papers at the touch of a button. Quick, easy and not bogged down by ads, Bibliography.com is a great alternative to Chegg's EasyBib or Citation Machine. It doesn't stop at citation generation either! Save multiple bibliographies and download your citations in MS Word or paste them into your project. And if you're looking for help creating your paper or researching, we've got your back there too. Find hundreds of specialized professional articles in areas like MLA formatting and tips and tricks for getting that A grade. Constantly evolving with you, your Bibliography.com account will provide free access to upcoming features like super accurate JSTOR citations and a Chrome extension. We're also looking to add additional browser extensions for Safari, Firefox and Edge, along with themes and export to Google Docs. "As part of our mission to empower students to discover and share knowledge," according to Howard Love, CEO, "it's important to do what we can to make the lives of our students a little easier when uncertainty is filling our minds and times are tough." With more than half the students in the U.S. losing points for citations and 3 out of 5 wanting to know more about citations, this can be an invaluable resource to have in your arsenal now and in the future. An innovator at providing essential writing tools, Bibliography.com and YourDictionary.com aim to help teachers and students when they need it most. Photos: https://www.prlog.org/12814947 Press release distributed by PRLog SOURCE Bibliography.com Related Links https://www.bibliography.com By Hugo Martin | Los Angeles Times Staggered by the coronavirus outbreak, the lodging industry requested $150 billion in aid from the Trump administration Tuesday as Marriott International announced plans to furlough tens of thousands of workers. After a White House meeting with President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, hotel industry leaders said the virus outbreak is on pace to cause a bigger economic hit than the 2001 terrorist strikes and the 2008-09 recession combined. In addition to the $150 billion requested by the hotel industry, other sectors of the travel industry such as convention centers, theme parks and tour companies have requested $100 billion in funding to overcome the crisis, said Roger Dow, president of the U.S. Travel Association, the trade group for the country's travel industry. That is on top of the $58 billion in aid requested Monday by the airline industry to overcome a surge in flight cancellations amid new travel restrictions. Without federal aid to the travel and lodging industries, the U.S. could lose as many as 4 million jobs in 2020, pushing the unemployment rate from 3.3% to 6.3% across the country, Dow said. Hotel occupancy rates were around 80% a few weeks ago but are now 10% to 20% in the busiest cities of the country, Chip Rogers, president of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, said in a conference call with reporters. The federal aid, he said, has been requested in the form of grants to keep workers employed until the crisis subsides. Details about how the money would be disbursed had yet to be decided, Rogers said. "The need is immediate," said Jon Bortz, chief executive of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, which owns 54 hotels with 8,000 employees. "Folks are being furloughed and laid off every day." Bortz said his hotels have already laid off 4,000 workers and by the end of the month may need to let go of an additional 2,000 employees. "We are looking at closing our doors at more than half of our properties," he said. Marrriott, the world's largest hotel company, with 30 hotel brands and more than 7,000 properties worldwide, confirmed reports that it will be forced by a surge in cancellations to either cut back work hours or furlough a large portion of its workforce. Marriott International had 174,000 employees around the world at the end of 2019, according to securities filings. "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," the company said in a statement Tuesday. "Our associates will keep their health benefit during this difficult period and continue to be eligible for company-paid free short-term disability that provide income protection should they get sick." Marriott's announcement signals that the blow that has already shook the airline industry, theme parks, ski resorts and restaurants has started to rattle the U.S.'s $660-billion hotel and lodging industry. Already the effect of the outbreak is costing the hotel industry $1.4 billion a week in lost revenue, according an estimate by the American Hotel & Lodging Association and the U.S. Travel Association. Under the worst scenario, overall hotel occupancy could drop to 35% for 2020, half of all hotels in the country could close and about 4 million jobs in the industry would be lost, Rogers said. Marriott did not address how many workers would be furloughed, but the company confirmed that news reports Tuesday about "tens of thousands" of employees being furloughed were accurate. "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," the Marriott statement said. In Las Vegas, 14 hotels along the Strip temporarily closed Tuesday, as have all the hotels and restaurants in Yosemite National Park. In Southern California, the opening of the 466-room JW Marriott that was scheduled for Monday in Anaheim was postponed indefinitely. The Disneyland Hotel and the Grand Californian at the Disneyland Resort have closed as well. Jan Jekielek Senior Editor Follow Jan Jekielek is a senior editor with The Epoch Times and host of the show, "American Thought Leaders." Jans career has spanned academia, media, and international human rights work. In 2009 he joined The Epoch Times full time and has served in a variety of roles, including as website chief editor. He is the producer of the award-winning Holocaust documentary film "Finding Manny." Digvijaya Singh on BJP MLA's call to break legs of Congressmen: I'll go to his house to recite Ramdhun Digvijayas plea to meet rebel MLAs rejected by Karnataka High Court India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Bengaluru, Mar 18: The Karnataka High Court has rejected a plea filed by Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, who sought a directive that he be allowed to meet with the rebel MLAs. 16 MLAs are lodged at a resort in Bengaluru. Singh arrived in Bengaluru this morning, but was denied permission to meet the MLAs. He then moved the Karnataka High Court seeking a directive, which was rejected. Earlier the indicated that it would not come in the way of the legislature to decide who enjoys the trust. As a constitutional court, we have to discharge our duties, a Bench comprising, Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta said. BJP has kidnapped our MLAs, fresh plea by Madhya Pradesh Congress in SC The court is hearing petitions filed by the BJP, which have sought a directive to the Kamal Nath government to hold a floor test in the Madhya Pradesh legislative assembly. The Congress on the other hand said that its MLAs were held captive in Bengaluru. The court said that the MLAs cannot be held captive. The 16 rebel MLAs can either proceed to the floor test of the House or not, but surely cannot be held captive. Mukul Rohatgi appearing for the BJP MLAs said that they were ready to get the rebel MLAs and make them meet with the judges. The court however refused this offer. Further Rohatgi said that the Registrar General of the Karnataka could record the statement of the MLAs. The court refused to accept this as well. Hearing on the petition would continue on Thursday at 10.30 am. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 18, 2020, 17:30 [IST] Auburn churches have suspended public Masses due to concerns over the coronavirus. Closures have occurred at a rapid rate at the national and local levels to try to stop the spread of the coronavirus, also called COVID-19. All Catholic churches in the Rochester diocese, including the Auburn area, have suspended masses. The churches will stay open for prayer and candle lighting. Mass intentions will be kept, celebrated privately by priests, and weddings and funerals can still be held with under 50 people. All parish events are canceled until further notice. Bishop Salvatore R. Matano, of the Diocese of Rochester, said in a news release Monday that public Masses within the diocese are closed until further notice. Churches will still be accessible for private prayer, pending further regulations, "and as feasible in local situations, at the discretion of the pastor/administrator," the news release said. The diocese includes about 170 churches, including St. Mary's, St. Francis and St. Hyacinth in Auburn. Matano issued Mass guidelines Friday to help slow the spread of the respiratory illness. The Masses are a part of a massive series of closings within the United States total, New York state and Cayuga County. Last week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo enacted a rule banning any gatherings of over 500 people, and places with a maximum occupancy of less than 500 people must not exceed half of that. The only exceptions are schools, hospitals, nursing homes and mass transit. Cuomo announced Monday that bars and restaurants are closed to dine-in customers, but takeout and delivery services will be allowed. Alameda County Superior Court officials said all courthouses in the county are closed to the public through April 7 because of an order issued by health officials for people to shelter in place to try to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus. Court officials said California Supreme Court Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye on Tuesday granted their request for an emergency order that gives them broad authority to take various actions needed to implement the court closure. However, Alameda County Superior Court Executive Officer Chad Finke said in an email Wednesday that the court is in discussions with the county's Public Defender, District Attorney and sheriff's offices to continue to conduct arraignments in court periodically. Finke said court officials are working on a plan to conduct an arraignment calendar this Friday and two days per week after that, although those plans are subject to change. He said there's no plan for video arraignments at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin this time. District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Teresa Drenick said prosecutors in her office are still reviewing cases and making charging decisions. Court officials said the days between March 17 and April 3 will be considered court holidays, per the code of civil procedure. They said documents won't be received during that period and the court's fax filing system will be temporarily suspended. However, court officials said they recognize the urgency of certain filing types so they will continue to accept requests for temporary restraining orders and applications for relief in family law and probate matters, via drop box only. The Rene C. Davidson Courthouse at 12th and Oak streets in Oakland will accept temporary restraining order requests and probate applications. The Hayward Hall of Justice at 24404 Amador St. in Hayward will accept TRO requests and emergency family law applications. The court added that on Monday, it ordered the stay of all evictions pending between March 17 through April 8 because the clerk's office won't be open to process unlawful detainer requests. 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. Libraries NI is working to find tighter controls on what people can view on its computers after a young girl witnessed a person watching pornography in a Co Armagh library. Upper Bann MLA Doug Beattie raised the issue with Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey after a constituent said his daughter saw the person watching the improper material on two occasions in Portadown Library. Mr Beattie asked the minister what controls are in place and what measures would be taken to prevent material being brought into libraries on portable devices. Mr Beattie explained that he has been liaising with Libraries NI and the PSNI over the two incidents, which happened in recent months. "The reason for the question was to see if this was something widespread or not," the MLA said. "The man who brought the issue to me liaised with me quite a lot and the police took it incredibly seriously and did some checks at the library. "The library service also put some things in place to ensure that there was a bit of safeguarding going on so I think everybody took it seriously. "There is a real issue about people who bring in images on external devices and there is still a problem with that." Ms Hargey stated that Libraries NI is currently working with IT specialists to ascertain what additional software measures and controls can be found to prevent, monitor or reduce the risk of inappropriate material being viewed via portable devices brought into libraries. She said that in the last two years Libraries NI has received two official complaints relating to people viewing pornography on its computers. "In addition, in a small number of cases concerns were raised by library users relating to computer use and these were addressed by library staff at the time in the library," Ms Hargey added. "Both my department and Libraries NI take such incidents, and the need to safeguard library users, very seriously. "The provision of public access terminals [computers] and wi-fi is an important and well used service provided by Libraries NI. "There are typically over 950,000 sessions delivered annually across the library network and Libraries NI strive to provide the service in a safe and effective way." She added that Libraries NI has put in place policies and procedures to ensure that incidents are kept down to a minimum and monitoring can be made easier. Hamilton County has confirmed its second and third cases of the coronavirus, officials said at a press conference Wednesday afternoon. Becky Barnes, Health Department administrator, said the second case had contact with the first case, Rector Brad Whitaker of St. Paul's Episcopal Church. Rev. Whitaker had been to a church conference in Louisville, Ky., where six attendees have been confirmed with the virus. Ms. Barnes said the third case may be travel-related. Officials said the second case has fully recovered, but is isolated at home. The third case has a history of international travel and is also isolated at home. She said, "We are convinced that our community can do something about this. We can slow this down." Ms. Barnes said there is an effort to have a drive-through testing center, but that has been hampered by insuring that personnel collecting samples have adequate protective equipment and by a shortage of specimen collection supplies. Also, County Mayor Jim Coppinger said Wednesday that, with coronavirus cases escalating across the country, he is asking that local restaurants and bars close to sit-down customers. He said, What we dont want are people in the dining areas congregating and coming in close contact with each other. Ensuring the health and safety of our residents is top priority. Amy Maxwell of Hamilton County Emergency Preparedness said, "As the numbers of confirmed Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases continues to rise in the United States, Hamilton County officials are adjusting their operations to support the public health and safety. "On Monday, President Trump announced new COVID-19 guidelines recommending all Americans avoid groups of 10 or more, whether traveling, eating, drinking at bars and restaurants. With that being said, in an extraordinary step to stop the spread of COVID-19, Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger is recommending bars and restaurants close their doors until further notice. This recommendation does not apply to pharmacies, grocery stores and convenience stores. Restaurants can offer take-out, drive through and delivery services. "Hamilton County Health officials continue to remind everyone to practice good hygiene wash your hands frequently, cover your cough with a tissue, keep hands away from your face, nose and mouth and social distancing. These important steps will help to protect each other and to ensure the virus does not spread in Hamilton County." County Health officials said the finding of the two new cases highlights the importance of social distancing, which means to limit contact within six feet of other persons and avoid group activities of more than 10 people. The Health Department requests all persons, organizations, and businesses heed the Presidents 15 DAYS TO SLOW THE SPREAD Coronavirus Guidelines for America. The plan outlines the following actions everyone should take: 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 home. Contact your medical provider. If someone in your household has tested positive for the coronavirus, keep the entire household at home. Do not go to work. Do not go to school. Contact your medical provider. If you are an older person, stay home and away from other people. If you are a person with serious a underlying health condition that can put you at an increased risk (for example, a condition that impairs your lung or heart function or weakens your immune system), stay home and away from other people. Do your part to slow the spread of the coronavirus Even 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 slow the spread of the coronavirus. Work or engage in schooling from home whenever possible. If you work in a critical infrastructure industry, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, such as healthcare services and pharmaceutical and food supply, you have a 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 or drinking at bars, restaurants, and food courts -- use drive-thru, pickup, or delivery options. Avoid discretionary travel, shopping trips, and social visits. Do not visit nursing homes or retirement or long-term care facilities unless to provide critical assistance. Older people are particularly at risk from the coronavirus. Social visits to nursing homes and retirement and long-term care facilities should be halted during the next 15 days. Practice good hygiene: Wash your hands, especially after touching any frequently used item or surface. Avoid touching your face. Sneeze or cough into a tissue, or the inside of your elbow. Disinfect frequently used items and surfaces as much as possible. The Health Department discourages participating in any activity or commercial service where you cannot maintain a six foot distance from others, such as hair salons, barber shops, nail salons, massage studios, and any other personal services. For nonessential medical and dental procedures, call your provider to ask if the appointment is necessary during this 15-day window. Much like Celeste Ngs best-selling novel, Little Fires Everywhere begins at its end: firefighters combatting flames engulfing a mansion while its owner, Elena Richardson (Reese Witherspoon), watches from the curb. After the house has been reduced to rubble, the fire captain explains the situation to her and her husband Bill (Joshua Jackson!!), while three of their teenage children, Lexie, Trip, and Moody, watch from the car. Izzy, their youngest child, is missing and thats a problem. The chief reveals that in the house, firefighters found little fires everywhere. The titular fire. But in addition to shouting out the series title, it also means the cause of the fire is arson. And we learn two things right off the bat: 1. The Richardsons daughter Izzy is the prime suspect and, 2. Elena was in the house when it started. Thats what happened. How did we get here? We go back four months to August 1997... Pre-fire, the Richardsons live a comfortable modern Pleasantville existence that likely would have mortified Witherspoons character in the film. Elena, specifically, lives a very regimented life tracking her weight, measuring her wine, scheduling sex. Over breakfast, we get a glimpse at the familys dynamic: well-meaning dad Bill is a busy lawyer, elder children Lexie and Trip are popular, while Moody is more awkward. Izzy, the rebellious black sheep of the family, is late to breakfast, and when she finally shows up, shes decided to wear pajamas to orchestra camp a no-go as far as Elena is concerned. A little bit later, on her way to work at a local paper, Elena spots a packed parked car in an empty lot and is naturally suspicious of it, reporting it to the police from her office. By contrast to the Richardsons, Mia Warren (Kerry Washington), whose car Elena reported, and her daughter Pearl live a very nomadic lifestyle, never staying in one place for too long. Theyre new to Shaker Heights and are sleeping in their car as they search the classifieds for an apartment. As the police cruiser approaches in the lot, Mia reminds Pearl to keep her hands visible. Its a subtle but stark reminder that the Richardsons and Warrens live very different realities. Story continues They freshen up in the grocery store bathroom and shop for basic essentials before going to check out the rental which happens to be Elenas. Things between Mia and Elena are tense from the start. Elena all but tells Mia that the rental is her personal charitable cause, saying its purposefully well below market because the Richardsons dont need the money but want to help others. Its not helped by her oblivious belittling of Mias art career. Pearl wanders around the apartment, marveling at the idea of having her own room, and Elena offers them the lease. But Mia is adamant about going month to month, citing her work as the reason they move around often. They appear to reach an impasse, but when Elena discovers it was Mias car she reported to the police, she relents and offers them the place on the spot. Erin Simkin/Hulu Pearl immediately buys into the Shaker Heights the real planned community in Ohio where Ng grew up promise, but Mia scoffs at its many stringent regulations. That night, Mia has trouble sleeping, plagued by nightmares of a man (Greys Anatomys Jesse Williams) watching her on the subway. The next morning, at Elenas suggestion, Moody goes to the Warrens to say hi. He and Pearl immediately hit it off and theyre soon hanging out every day. While painting her room, Moody sets to move onto the next wall but Pearl stops him, explaining she only paints one wall. Its what the free sample can of paint covers and is easy to cover up before their inevitable move. Meanwhile, Elena struggles to connect with Izzy. Elenas always fit in and doesnt understand why Izzy cant just go with the flow. Later, her friend Linda McCullough (Rosemarie DeWitt) notes how much Lexie, whos been watching her new baby, reminds her of a young Elena. Theyre interrupted by the sound of Lexie screaming and Elena rushes in to find Izzys burned off a large chunk of her hair (which Elena had just called her best feature). Elenas concern quickly turns to anger as she accuses Izzy of intentionally setting her hair on fire. Erin Simkin/Hulu Izzy and Elena argue over which 90s icon to emulate with her new cut Drew Barrymore or Rachel from Friends and Elena steps out to run an errand. She sees Mia, loading her car with old bike parts, wearing the uniform for Lucky Palace Chinese restaurant. She starts making (unwelcome) suggestions as to how Mia can use her art to make money, namely with portraits. Mia rebukes the idea of posed photos, saying she prefers to capture people as they really are. Elena then takes a brisk exchange to an extremely uncomfortable level, offering Mia a job at her house not as a maid or housekeeper, but rather house manager, a.k.a. the same thing but with a cozier name. And Bill says as much when Elena explains how Mia balked at the offer. Pearl and Moody eventually make it over to Moodys house. Everything about the Richardsons and their house is the antithesis of what Pearl is used to from the size of the place to the inviting energy of their full household. She stays for dinner and the family peppers with college questions though shes only a sophomore. Lexie, intent on Yale, comments on how Shaker students always go to good schools, so shell have a leg up. She adds that with affirmative action, Pearl wont have any problem with college. Pearls visibly uncomfortable by the remark, while Moody admonishes his sister, who defends herself by claiming boyfriend Brian, who is black, said it first. (A recurring theme throughout the episode and Im assuming the series is the Richardsons obliviousness to their privilege and the stream of microaggressions leveled towards Mia and Pearl.) On the drive home, Elena and Pearl bond over their love of writing and Elena reiterates that Pearl is welcome at the Richardson house any time. The next day, Moody shows up at Pearls with a bike. She needs one to get to the special place hes been wanting to show her, which is an outfitted old van in a junkyard. The two hang out and talk poetry, losing track of time. In the bathroom before her orchestra recital, Izzy wearing the preppy clothes her mom forced her to wear asks a classmate, April, why theyre no longer friends. April coldly says Izzy knows why and calls her a freak. Izzys face hardens and she pulls out a black marker. During the concert, she sits still, refusing to play. First staring April down, Izzy turns to the audience with not your puppet written across her forehead. Moody and Pearls junkyard hangout is interrupted by neighborhood watch, who catch them just before they clear the fence. The watch patrolman a friend of Elenas brings the pair to Mias. Elena, fresh off the incident at the orchestra concert, is disappointed in Moody, but Mia is irate at Pearls carelessness. She reminds Pearl that theyre not like the Richardsons. They have something at stake if police get involved. Pearl doesnt understand and the two fight, with Pearl saying she wants more than one wall and Mia sends her to the room shes wanted so badly. Still hurt and angry, they do their special knock, indicating itll all be okay. The next day, Pearl goes over to the Richardsons to return the bike. Moody isnt home but Trip invites her to hang out with him and Lexie. While Moodys definitely into Pearl hes already read Adrienne Rich for her based on the look she gives Trip, shes has a crush on someone else. Later, when Mia arrives to pick Pearl up, she stumbles across Izzy on the front lawn with spray paint. Mia makes a paint recommendation from one artist to another which catches Izzy off-guard. Inside the house, Mia sees how comfortable Pearl seems to be in the Richardsons home. Elenas arriving home as they leave and in a tension-filled exchange, she accepts Elenas job offer. As a peace offering, on the way home, Mia tells Pearl theyre picking up more paint so she can paint all four walls. Mia has a second surprise for Pearl: she built her a bike. Mia and Pearl reconcile but Elena doesnt know how to talk to Izzy. She takes a long pause outside Izzys door, unsure of what to say. Inside the room, with the remnants of her message still on her forehead, Izzy intently watches her moms lingering shadow, looking disappointed when it moves away. That night, Mias awoken by the recurring dream, but this time, the mysterious man on the subway turns into Elena. Elena, meanwhile, is awoken by a phone call from the reference shes been trying to get ahold of. Only, he tells her hes never heard of Mia Warren. The first episode doesnt have too much going on plot-wise, but it firmly sets the stage for the domino effect to come, introducing nearly all its major players in their complicated dynamics. Most overt 90s references: While, by the late 90s, car phones were starting to fade into obscurity, Elenas Lexus is outfitted with one. However, her use of the excuse Im over on my minutes to end a conversation may be even more iconic than the phone itself. Memoirs of a Geisha, published in 1997 (a month after being a finalist for Elenas book club), and The Vagina Monologues are the group's final selections. Mia buys Pearl the latest issue of YM magazine, a popular now-defunct teen magazine, with the Spice Girls on the cover. Elenas interview with Janet Reno, Attorney General under President Bill Clintons administrations, comes up numerous times throughout the episode. Pearl and the Richardson kids watch The Real World: Boston, which began airing in July 1997, and they make numerous references to the shows acclaimed (and beloved) San Francisco season. Among the very 90s music featured in the episode are Bird by Annie Lennox, Erykah Badus On & On, and Rain King by Counting Crows. Related content: The multi-campus church in Highland, Alabama, said it will also conduct drive-through coronavirus tests on the Grandview campus starting Tuesday, even for those who are incapable of paying the costs. Residents of Alabama who are exposed to people with COVID-19 or suffering symptoms such as coughing or fever in cooperation with the Asurance Scientific and Christ Health Center can be tested on the Highlands campus at the Grandview Parkway. Alabama's largest church said in a statement posted on its website that the inspection site will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily and run in consultation with the Jefferson County Department of Health. To best allocate inspection resources, the number will be limited to 500 a day. "The test resources are limited to those who show symptoms of coughing or fever or directly exposed to those diagnosed with COVID-19 because they are lacking nationwide," Highland Church wrote. "Please help protect these resources by not presenting if you are not certain you need to be tested." The test results will be provided within 72 hours. It also explained that a person coming to take the COVID-19 test "should self-quarantine until the negative COVID-19 test results are received." Those tested in the field will be charged through their insurance providers, whether major insurance companies or Medicaid. Meanwhile, the Highland Church is not alone in providing coronavirus testing. The multi-campus Biltmore Church in Ashville, North Carolina, is conducting drive-through tests on a campus in Arden run by Buncombe County Health and Human Services. The test will be conducted from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays or depending on whether it is available for supply, according to Ashville Citizen-Times. The Centers for Disease Control reported 3,487 cases of coronavirus infection in the U.S. and 68 cases of related deaths as of Monday The virus has been reported in 49 states, including the District of Colombia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks as Florida Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) listen behind him during a campaign rally held at the University of South Florida Campus Recreation Building on October 22, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. Joe Biden's campaign postponed a virtual fundraiser scheduled for Thursday until next week. It wasn't immediately clear why the event was delayed, but the move comes after the campaign struggled with technical difficulties during one of its recent town halls. The campaign has moved to virtual events as the coronavirus spreads and people are discouraged to gather together in crowds. "We are really looking forward to convening with you virtually. As we are adjusting to all of the changes and still in transition, we would like to postpone our virtual event until next week. We will follow up shortly with the new date," a Biden campaign official said in an email to donors on Wednesday. A seperate upcoming event that was supposed to be co-hosted by Rufus Gifford, a former U.S. ambassador to Denmark, and James Costos, a former U.S. ambassador to Spain, will not go virtual this week and will likely be held later in the election cycle, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter. Biden's campaign decided to have all his fundraising events go virtual in the wake of the coronavirus spreading throughout the United States. Biden previously had money-making gatherings scheduled in New York and New Jersey before he decided to go virtual. Wall Street executive Jay Snyder was slated to host one of them. The former vice president also had his rallies go virtual, but the campaign ran into technical difficulties last week when they tried to host a digital town hall for his supporters in Illinois. Shortly after publication, a spokesman for the Biden campaign noted the virtual event was not rescheduled due to a technical matter and declined to comment further. The memo to donors also gave a glimpse into how the campaign will organize future fundraising events, including how participants can login and ask questions. "We will be using the Zoom platform for this event, which will allow each of you to participate by video or phone from your home. The morning of the event, we will send out the link to participate by video as well as a dial-in in case you prefer to join by phone," the note said. "In lieu of taking live questions during the event, please let us know if there are any topics you would like covered." Biden's bundlers and team are trying to avoid any issues that could concern donors funding the former vice president's campaign to take on President Donald Trump in November. Meanwhile, Biden appears to be on the cusp of clinching the Democratic nomination. He added to his delegate lead over Sen. Bernie Sanders as he swept three major contests Tuesday night: Illinois, Florida and Arizona. Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Wednesday moved an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha over Centre's attempt to seek call data records of all mobile phone subscribers across several pockets of the country for specific days over the past few months. According to a news report, the Central government has made a request to telecom operators through the local units of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The records have been sought for consumers in the circles of Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab. Earlier in a day, Congress MP Manish Tiwari had also moved an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha on the issue. Condemning the decision Tiwari accused the Central government of attacking the privacy of common people. Addressing a press conference he said, "In 2013, the UPA government had strengthened the law of phone interception, cyber interception, and CDR but the Central government has sidelined all the rules and attacking the privacy of common people on the daily basis." "Government is attacking the basic right of common people," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dr. Mike Saag, a physician at UABs Division of Infectious Disease who has participated in efforts to educate the public about COVID-19, has tested positive for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, UAB President Ray Watts said Tuesday night in an email addressed to the UAB community. Watts letter said the infectious disease expert wanted his case to be an example of the COVID-19 reality and the importance of practicing aggressive social distancing." Saag believes he was exposed to COVID-19 while visiting family in New York City, Watts said, and that both the doctor and UAB are taking precautionary measures to promote a safe environment," adding that UAB will work with the Jefferson County Health Department to identify and notify anyone who may have been exposed to Saags case. Saag has been an invaluable resource to the public as COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, answering AL.com readers public health and general questions about the novel coronavirus: COVID-19: Answering reader questions with Dr. Michael Saag Were answering your questions with UABs infectious disease Dr. Michael Saag about the virus, when to go out, and more. Posted by al.com on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 Aside from his work with the infectious disease division, Saag is also the founder of UABs 1917 Clinic, the largest HIV clinic in Alabama. Watts said anyone exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms should contact their health care provider before going to a doctor and to stay home if they feel sicl. A female Air Force officer has completed a rigorous special warfare course and will move on to the next program within the Special Tactics Officer training pipeline, making her the first woman to advance this far within battlefield officer specialty training. The Special Tactics Officer (STO) candidate, who is unidentified for privacy reasons, was recently selected to start the next iteration of the training pipeline following her successful completion of the "STO Phase 2 Assessment" conducted by Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), according to 1st Lt. Jeremy Huggins, a spokesman for the Special Warfare Training Wing. "She has successfully completed the Special Tactics/Guardian Angel Assessment and Selection Course, the first course for STOs within the Special Warfare Training Wing, and she is now awaiting the Pre-Dive Course," Huggins said in an email to Military.com on Monday. "As such, she has proceeded farther in the pipeline than any female pursuing Pararescue, Combat Control, Special Reconnaissance, Special Tactics Officer or Combat Rescue Officer specialties." Four women have attempted STO or the Combat Rescue Officer (CRO) specialties, including the current candidate, according to AFSOC spokeswoman 1st Lt. Alejandra Fontalvo. Related: 2 More Women Attempt Air Force Special Warfare Training Courses The officer candidate's pre-dive course should begin within the next few weeks, but safety precautions due to novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, could change the timeline, Huggins said. "At this time, the women in the training pipeline have not been delayed in starting courses due to the spread of COVID-19. However, this is a rapidly developing situation and may change in the days ahead," he said. "The Special Warfare Training Wing's goal is to keep candidates and staff safe while minimizing the impact of COVID-19 to the training mission." On the enlisted side, two women attempting to enter the Air Force's combat controller (CCT) and pararescue (PJ) battlefield airman career fields have advanced into their next stage of training. Huggins said that two women who began the PJ and CCT pipelines last fall have completed the Special Warfare Preparatory Course and are eligible for the next Assessment and Selection (A&S) course. Additionally, a new enlisted female candidate "is currently in the Special Warfare Preparatory Course," he said. The prep class runs eight weeks. Once she graduates, she will proceed to the A&S course. Huggins said women have advanced to the A&S level in previous attempts. One PJ candidate and a Special Operations Weather Technician (SOWT) candidate -- now known as Special Reconnaissance (SR) -- entered the A&S course, but neither successfully completed the program, he said. Battlefield airmen career fields include special tactics officer, combat rescue officer, combat controller, pararescue, special reconnaissance, Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) specialist and air liaison officer. Since the Defense Department opened combat career fields to women in December 2015, few female airmen have qualified for Air Force special warfare training. Some have self-eliminated or sustained injuries; others have not met the standards of a particular program. Last year, Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly, the Air Force's deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services, said the service was hopeful of prospective candidates who continue to break barriers, but added that attrition in these career field pipelines has been high because of the grueling training. Attrition across the elite training pipelines ranges between 40 and 90 percent, depending on specialty, Kelly told the Senate Armed Services subcommittee on personnel on Feb. 27, 2019. "Consequently, we do not foresee large numbers of females in operational units in the near term," he said at the time. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Read more: These 2 Futuristic Aircraft Will Compete to Replace the Armys Black Hawk AUSTIN, Texas, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Parsley Energy, Inc. (NYSE: PE) ("Parsley," "Parsley Energy," or the "Company") today provided a supplementary update on its 2020 development program that was outlined on March 9, 2020. Supplementary Update for 2020 Outlook Parsley is reiterating its baseline capital budget assumption of $30 -35 WTI oil price for the remainder of 2020. In this context, Parsley is reducing its 2020 capital budget to less than $1.0 billion , representing a reduction of more than 40% at the midpoint to the Company's previous $1.6 - $1.8 billion budget. Consistent with the Company's commitment to free cash flow generation and in response to recent commodity price trends, Parsley plans to significantly reduce development activity in 2020. During January and February, Parsley operated 15 development rigs and five frac spreads on average. On March 9, 2020 , Parsley announced that it had recently dropped to three frac spreads and had approved plans to drop to 12 rigs as soon as practicable. Over the next several weeks, Parsley plans to further reduce its baseline activity pace to four-to-six rigs and two-to-three frac spreads. Considering the challenging environment, all of Parsley's executive officers have elected to reduce their respective annual cash compensation by at least 50% when compared to 2019. In the context of $30 - $35 WTI oil prices for the remainder of the year, Parsley is now targeting at least $225 million of free cash flow(1), which is an increase of nearly $150 million from the Company's preliminary target announced on March 9, 2020 . Parsley anticipates this enhanced free cash flow will be accomplished through the aforementioned activity reductions, lower service and equipment costs, and incremental downside protection built into the Company's restructured hedge positions. In a lower oil price environment, Parsley will adjust as needed to preserve its balance sheet. Parsley's initial 2020 guidance ranges were based on our previously announced development plan, and as such, do not reflect our revised plan and reduced development activity. Parsley will provide more detail on our revised 2020 guidance ranges when we release the company's first quarter 2020 financial results. Summary Comment and Outlook "This is not a time for indecision or half measures," commented Matt Gallagher, Parsley's President and CEO. "Parsley has acted swiftly and aggressively to protect its balance sheet and dividend as well as preserve long-term shareholder value in a $30-$35 WTI oil price environment. We are committed to allocating capital based on prevailing market conditions. These activity levels provide for a sustaining and healthy operating model at these prices should they hold long term. Despite having over $1 billion in hedge settlements if oil drops to the low $20s through the end of 2021, we will continue to evaluate unhedged returns when prescribing activity levels. Our work is far from done and our team will continue to be adaptive and responsive in these challenging times." Hedging Update In this lower commodity price environment, Parsley continues to proactively manage its hedge position. The Company has restructured portions of its 2020 hedge position and increased downside protection by adding supplemental hedge positions for 2020 and 2021. Additionally, Parsley's hedge restructuring since March 4, 2020 has brought in $41 million of cash as well as lowered future deferred premiums by $47 million. For details on Parsley's updated hedge position as of March 17, 2020, please see the tables below. Oil Derivative Positions (2) 1Q20 2Q20 3Q20 4Q20 1Q21 2Q21 3Q21 4Q21 OPTION CONTRACTS: CUSHING Swaps - Cushing (MBbls/d)(3) 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 Swap Price ($/Bbl) $ 57.87 $ 57.87 $ 57.87 $ 57.87 MIDLAND Three Way Collars - Midland (MBbls/d)(4) 27.0 22.5 17.1 17.1 Short Call Price ($/Bbl) $ 61.81 $ 53.30 $ 52.29 $ 52.29 Long Put Price ($/Bbl) $ 51.10 $ 39.38 $ 36.49 $ 36.49 Short Put Price ($/Bbl) $ 41.10 $ 29.38 $ 26.49 $ 26.49 Put Spreads - Midland (MBbls/d)(5) 1.1 3.3 Long Put Price ($/Bbl) $ 50.00 $ 50.00 Short Put Price ($/Bbl) $ 40.00 $ 40.00 Two Way Collars - Midland (MBbls/d)(6) 2.2 6.6 6.5 6.5 Short Call Price ($/Bbl) $ 48.00 $ 48.00 $ 48.00 $ 48.00 Long Put Price ($/Bbl) $ 43.00 $ 43.00 $ 43.00 $ 43.00 Swaps - Midland (MBbls/d)(3) 3.3 3.3 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 Swap Price ($/Bbl) $ 55.20 $ 55.20 $ 40.50 $ 40.50 $ 40.50 $ 40.50 MAGELLAN EAST HOUSTON ("MEH") Three Way Collars - MEH (MBbls/d)(4) 46.4 51.0 33.9 33.9 13.3 13.2 2.4 2.4 Short Call Price ($/Bbl) $ 70.71 $ 50.92 $ 51.06 $ 51.06 $ 64.38 $ 64.38 $ 55.00 $ 55.00 Long Put Price ($/Bbl) $ 56.16 $ 37.88 $ 38.03 $ 38.03 $ 53.13 $ 53.13 $ 40.00 $ 40.00 Short Put Price ($/Bbl) $ 46.16 $ 27.88 $ 28.03 $ 28.03 $ 43.13 $ 43.13 $ 30.00 $ 30.00 Put Spreads - MEH (MBbl/d)(5) 2.7 8.2 24.5 24.5 Long Put Price ($/Bbl) $ 50.00 $ 50.00 $ 40.00 $ 40.00 Short Put Price ($/Bbl) $ 40.00 $ 40.00 $ 30.00 $ 30.00 Swaps - MEH (MBbls/d)(3) 4.4 10.8 10.8 52.0 52.0 52.0 52.0 Swap Price ($/Bbl) $32.52 $ 41.89 $ 41.89 $ 41.17 $ 41.17 $ 41.17 $ 41.17 BRENT Two Way Collars - Brent (MBbls/d)(6) 3.3 6.5 6.5 Short Call Price ($/Bbl) $ 52.10 $ 52.30 $ 52.30 Long Put Price ($/Bbl) $ 47.10 $ 47.30 $ 47.30 Swaps - Brent (MBbls/d)(4) 7.9 6.3 6.3 22.0 22.0 22.0 22.0 Swap Price ($/Bbl) $ 44.81 $ 47.40 $ 47.40 $ 44.44 $ 44.44 $ 44.44 $ 44.44 Total Hedged Volumes (MBbls/d) 93.8 121.5 116.5 116.5 92.3 92.2 81.4 81.4 Premium Realization ($MM)(7) ($13.4) $14.5 $8.5 $8.5 ($2.0) ($2.0) ($0.7) ($0.7) BASIS SWAPS: Midland-Cushing Basis Swaps (MBbls/d)(8) 18.9 18.9 14.0 14.0 Basis Differential ($/Bbl) $(1.00) $(1.00) $(1.44) $(1.44) Gas Derivative Positions (2) 1Q20 2Q20 3Q20 4Q20 1Q21 2Q21 3Q21 4Q21 OPTION CONTRACTS: WAHA Swaps - Waha (MMBtu/d)(3) 48.2 48.2 48.2 48.2 Swap Price ($/MMBtu) $ 1.08 $ 0.70 $ 0.90 $ 0.86 Total Hedged Volumes (MMBtu/d) 48.2 48.2 48.2 48.2 About Parsley Energy, Inc. Parsley Energy, Inc. is an independent oil and natural gas company focused on the acquisition, development, exploration, and production of unconventional oil and natural gas properties in the Permian Basin. For more information, visit the Company's website at www.parsleyenergy.com. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements represent Parsley Energy's expectations or beliefs concerning future events, and it is possible that the results described in this news release will not be achieved. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of Parsley Energy's control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and, except as required by law, Parsley Energy does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Parsley Energy to predict all such factors. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements found in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including its Annual Report on Form 10-K. The risk factors and other factors noted in the Company's SEC filings could cause its actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. (1) As used in this news release, free cash flow, a non-GAAP financial measure, means net cash provided by operating activities before transaction expenses related to the acquisition of Jagged Peak Energy Inc. ("Jagged Peak") and changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions, less accrual-based development capital expenditures. The Company is unable to present a reconciliation of forward-looking free cash flow because components of the calculation, including changes in working capital accounts, are inherently unpredictable. Additionally, estimating the most directly comparable GAAP measure with the required precision necessary to provide a meaningful reconciliation is extremely difficult and could not be accomplished without unreasonable effort. (2) As of 03/17/2020. Prices represent the weighted average price of contracts scheduled for settlement during the period. (3) Parsley receives the swap price. (4) When the reference price (Midland, MEH, or Brent) is at or above the short call price, Parsley receives the short call price. When the reference price is between the long put price and the short put price, Parsley receives the long put price. When the reference price is below the short put price, Parsley receives the reference price plus the difference between the short put price and the long put price. (5) When the reference price is above the long put price, Parsley receives the reference price. When the reference price is between the long put price and the short put price, Parsley receives the long put price. When the reference price is below the short put price, Parsley receives the reference price plus the difference between the short put price and the long put price. (6) When the reference price is above the short call price, Parsley receives the short call price. When the reference price is between the short call price and the put price, Parsley receives the reference price. When the reference price is below the put price, Parsley receives the put price. (7) Premium realizations represent net premiums paid (including deferred premiums), which are recognized as income or loss in the period of settlement. (8) Swaps that fix the basis differentials representing the index prices at which Parsley sells its oil and gas produced in the Permian Basin less the WTI Cushing price. SOURCE Parsley Energy, Inc. Related Links http://www.parsleyenergy.com/ A popular Italian restaurant has allegedly been targeted by thieves who stole food products that have become highly sought-after due to the coronavirus panic-buying frenzy. Beccofino at Teneriffe in Brisbane was allegedly robbed of $2,500 worth of pasta, cheese, salami, ham, prosciutto and beer after two men broke into the restaurant's cold room on Monday night using an angle grinder. The men were filmed on CCTV at about 11pm taking the items before fleeing the restaurant. A popular Italian restaurant has allegedly been targeted by thieves who stole food products that have become highly sought-after due to the coronavirus panic-buying frenzy The men were filmed on CCTV taking the items before fleeing the restaurant Beccofino owner Cordell Khoury said he was 'shocked and appalled' at the alleged theft. 'I thought it could be looters as people are taking matters into their own hands,' he said. 'As a business we will take a hit for that sort of money but the community are fantastic in their response and support of our restaurant.' The restaurant shared pictures of the men in an Instagram post in an attempt to track them down. Mr Khoury said police are investigating the incident. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 18 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: The export of ready-made clothing from Turkey to Georgia from January through February 2020 increased by 16.4 percent compared to the same period in 2019, amounting to $18.1 million, Trend reports referring to the Turkish Trade Ministry on March 18. In February 2020, the export of ready-made clothing from Turkey to Georgia also grew, by nearly 36 percent compared to February 2019, amounting to $10.1 million, the ministry noted. From January through February 2020, Turkey has exported ready-made clothing worth $3 billion to world markets, which is 6.7 percent more compared to the same period in 2019. Turkeys export of ready-made clothing made up 10.3 percent of the countrys total export in January-February 2020. In February 2020, Turkey exported ready-made clothing worth $1.5 billion to world markets, which is 7.8 percent more compared to the same month in 2019. Turkish export of ready-made clothing in February 2020 made up 10.4 percent of the countrys total export. In the last twelve months, i.e. from February 2019 through February 2020, Turkey has exported ready-made clothing worth $17.8 billion. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Seven candidates including Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and Union minister of state for social justice Ramdas Athawale were on Wednesday elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha. The election for the seven seats from Maharashtra in which Assembly members were to cast their votes was to be held on March 26. NCP leader and former minister Fauziya Khan, Shiv Sena's Priyanka Chaturvedi, former Congress MP Rajiv Satav and Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Udayanraje Bhosale and Bhagwat Karad were among those elected to the Upper House. The official announcement of the elections was made on Wednesday, the last day of the withdrawal of forms. On the basis of their strength, the three ruling parties (Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress) fielded four candidates, while the main Opposition party BJP fielded three candidates, leaving little chance for an additional candidate in the fray. Independent candidate Rakesh Chavan filed his papers on the last day of filing nomination on Friday but it was rejected later during scrutiny. The biennial elections for the seven seats of Rajya Sabha were announced along with 48 other seats across the country. Along with Pawar and Athawale, NCP's Majid Memon, BJPs Amar Sable, Shiv Sena's Rajkumar Dhoot and an Independent candidate member Sanjay Kakade are retiring on April 2 from Rajya Sabha. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan on Wednesday reported its first casualty due to the deadly coronavirus that has infected 289 people across the country. "Sad to report one patient who passed away in Mardan," Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra tweeted late Wednesday night. The number of cases in the worst-hit Sindh province reached to 208 on Wednesday after 19 people in Karachi tested positive, said Meeran Yousuf, the media coordinator of the health and population welfare minister. She said the province recorded total 36 new cases on Wednesday. Majority of Pakistan's COVID-19 cases are linked to those who went on pilgrimage to Iran, one of the countries hardest-hit by the disease, while less than half a dozen are locally transmitted. Pakistan shares a 960-kilometre border with Iran, with the main crossing point at Taftan in Balochistan province. The Taftan border has been closed since March 16, but thousands of Pakistan Shia pilgrims who were visiting religious sites in Iran have been allowed to return subject to two weeks' quarantine. More 10 cases were reported in Gilgit-Baltistan and its Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman said that the total number of infection in the region was 15. Also, the first coronavirus case was reported from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where a 45-year old person who had recently come back from Iran was found positive. Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said two new cases emerged in the province where the total number rose to 28. Buzdar also announced that the restaurants, hotels and shopping malls would be shut down by 10pm every day to reduce exposure. He also said that number of staff at offices will be reduced. Already 19 cases were reported from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 16 from Balochistan and 2 from Islamabad. Authorities in Pakistan have screened over 1,015,900 travellers since the virus was first detected in the country. At least 20,088 travellers have been screened in the last 24 hours. Sindh government has come out criticising Centre for lack of foresight in quarantine arrangements in Taftan where over 9,000 pilgrims returning from Iran had been quarantined by the Balochistan government in a tent city. After completing the 14-day incubation period, the pilgrims were allowed to travel back to their cities. However, Sindh and K-P sent the pilgrims to isolation facilities in Sukkur and Dera Ismail Khan and tested them before allowing further travel. In its March 13 National Security Committee meeting, Centre formed a Novel Coronavirus Core Committee with daily meetings between federal and provincial authorities. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government tasked National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to coordinate with provincial governments and lead the fight against novel coronavirus. The federal government also decided to ban public gatherings, close all educational institutions until April 5 and cancel Pakistan Day parade on March 23. It also sealed borders and limited international flights operations to Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. However, the NSC decision on international travel was taken back on Tuesday when the government lifted restrictions on all airports except Gwadar and Turbat. In Sindh, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government edges towards lockdown after it closed all restaurants, malls, shopping centres and imposed Section 144. Only grocery stores and pharmacies have been allowed to operate. Balochistan government banned public gatherings, suspended biometric attendance, limited activities and closed educational institutions. K-P also banned public gatherings, closed educational institutions and directed police to ensure people were not arranging private events. Meanwhile, junior doctors and nurses have announced a strike in public sector hospitals in Punjab province protesting shortage of kits and non-provision of other precautionary gear for medics. Nurses at the Sheikh Zayed Nursing College (SZNC) RahimYar Khan on Wednesday refused to perform duties during the coronavirus emergency and held a protest against the administration for forcing them to perform duty in the hospital without taking any precautionary measures to save them from the virus. Grand Health Alliance (GHA) Chairman Salman Haseeb said the ailing people visit hospitals in life-threatening conditions only. "Doctors will attend to only serious patients and strongly oppose treating others at outpatient departments of state-run hospitals. The health authorities only provided 1,200 kits to hospitals across Punjab (a province of 110million) for frontline employees attending to suspected and confirmed patients of coronavirus, he said. The representative of the junior doctors said the government needs to hire services of doctors from the Pakistan Army for the purpose. "We will shut also down services in emergency wards if (corona) kits are not provided to them," Dr Haseeb said. Punjab Health Minister Yasmin Rashid has declared young doctors strike immature and uncalled for. She said the government will ensure provision of kits and other protective gear to the doctors and nurses treating coronavirus patients and suspected patients. (AP Photo) Page Content After yesterdays EOC meetings, the decision was taken to close schools from tomorrow, Wednesday, March 18th for an initial period of 2 weeks. The decision was also taken to shutdown non-essential services to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The relevant stakeholders were given time today to sit with the stakeholders, to plan how this would be executed. This will go into effect as of tomorrow Wednesday March 18th, 2020 as of 12:00 AM for 2 weeks/14 days. As you may well be aware, this decision has been making its rounds via social media, and as in the past, I felt it necessary to ensure that the public is duly and officially informed of all updates. I will also take this opportunity, to inform you that as of this morning, St. Maarten has recorded its first positive COVID-19 case. Recently, a male resident of St. Maarten travelled to the UK via Miami. Upon his return, he called 914 and after being monitored for few days, samples were taken and tested by our contact lab in Guadeloupe. A second confirmatory test will be carried out by RIVM in order for the positive case to be officially confirmed. This sample is one of 5 that were being monitored by CPS. All other samples (4) tested negative. The resident has been in quarantine and CPS confirms that he is self-isolating properly. CPS has already started contact tracing. More information will be provided as it develops. The new travel restrictions will also go into effect as of today Tuesday March 17th, 2020 at 11.59 PM and are as follows: Passengers are not allowed to enter St. Maarten. -This does not apply to residents of St. Maarten. They must hold a proof of residence, which can be a St. Maarten driving license, St. Maarten ID card or a St. Maarten registration document. - This does NOT apply to airline crew. - Residents of St. Maarten must undergo a mandatory self-quarantine for 14 days. - Airline crew that are overnighting must undergo a mandatory self-quarantine while on the island - Essential Flights from Saba, Sint Eustatius and Curacao are allowed - Medical emergency flights are allowed This does not apply to passengers who are traveling to St. Maarten at the invitation of the Government of St. Maarten as technical or medical -specialists and -assistants. All residents of St. Maarten and crew members arriving on St. Maarten are required to mandatory self-isolate for 14 days and will be monitored by the department of Public Health. Air and seafaring cargo travel will NOT be affected as has been stated repeatedly before. As such food and goods will continue to arrive on St. Maarten. Therefore, the general public is encouraged to remain calm, stay faithful and continue to practice safe and proper hygiene in order to avoid the spread of this virus. Let us learn from our larger global counterparts around the world as we aim to contain the spread of this virus. Social Distancing is being strongly promoted. Government also strongly recommends that persons should avoid gathering in groups where they are unable to keep a distance of at least one meter from each other. All institutions, businesses, organizations, religious services and other entities should adhere to these recommended advices in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Ministerial regulation to ensure that this is enforceable is being finalized. At this time, we continue to engage all relevant stakeholders and various meetings are scheduled with stakeholders both internationally and regional in order to keep the lines of communication open and to coordinate necessary steps to continue to prepare, prevent and respond to this International Health Crisis. The various ESF coordinators are constantly offering updates and are being monitored by the EOC. A press conference including relevant ESF coordinators will be held later this afternoon at 7 pm in order to update the public further on the details of the governments response to COVID-19 with the recent developments. Follow our Government Radio station 107.9FM. For official information, statements and news updates or visit the Government website at www.sintmaartengov.org/coronavirus and our Facebook Page: Government of Sint Maarten. As Prime Minister of St. Maarten, I wish to encourage all of us to remain steadfast and continue to practice proper hygiene and prepare for what is a world-wide pandemic. While we currently have our first confirmed case, all measures over the past few weeks and today have also been aimed at containing the COVID-19 virus. Knowledge is power! Stay informed and be prepared. We are strong, resilient and faithful people and trust that this too shall pass. God bless St. Maarten and her people as we work together; government and community to keep her safe. Thank you People of St. Maarten, I hereby address you, as Prime Minister and Chair of the EOC (Emergency Operations Center), in an update for today Tuesday, March 17, 2020, as part of the process to keep the community of St. Maarten informed about the latest developments and the Governments COVID-19 preparedness, prevention, mitigation and response measures. USS Boxer. U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Bill Dodge The US Navy's response to preventing the coronavirus pandemic has been scrutinized following a presumptive positive case aboard a ship. Military leaders ordered around 80 crew members into a tight room for a roughly 30-minute meeting, according to a ProPublica report. In another case, almost 600 sailors were loaded into a packed barge as they took a promotion exam, one sailor attached to the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier told The San Diego Union-Tribune. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. A sailor aboard a US Navy warship in San Diego, California, is presumed to have contracted novel coronavirus, the military announced on Sunday; however, the subsequent steps officials took to address concerns was scrutinized by fellow service members. The morning after the Navy announced that a sailor aboard the USS Boxer tested "presumptive positive" for the coronavirus, the first such case aboard a Navy vessel, military leaders ordered around 80 crew members into a tight room for a roughly 30-minute meeting, according to a ProPublica report. The meeting in the amphibious assault ship's wardroom consisted of a briefing on the situation and the importance of exercising "social distancing," a term used to refer to separating oneself from others in order to prevent the spread of the disease that can be spread through coughing, an unnamed sailor said to ProPublica. The scene appeared contrary to the guidance given by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which recommends keeping six to 10 feet of distance from others. "Definitely not enough room to maintain appropriate distance," the sailor reportedly said, referring to fellow service members who stood around two to four feet apart in the room. "People are wondering why we gathered in a room contradictory to CDC guidance." Story continues Sailors man the rails as the ship returns to its San Diego, Calif. homeport on Nov. 27, 2019. Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class David Ortiz/US Navy The sailor who tested presumptive positive has been quarantined at home, according to the Navy. The Defense Department said there were 18 US service members who tested positive as of Monday. One of the most distinctive features aboard naval ships are the cramped, shared spaces where the crew lives and works. The USS Boxer can include a crew of 1,200 sailors and can transport over 1,000 US Marines. But despite the guidance given to sailors to notify their chain of command if they are sick, some service members still found themselves in tight spaces. Almost 600 sailors were loaded into a packed barge as they took a promotion exam, one sailor attached to the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier said to The San Diego Union-Tribune. "There were a lot of people coughing all over each other," the unnamed sailor reportedly said. "Afterwards we all went back to the ship to our small compartments." "Given the space that we have on the barge, I'm not sure we could have people sit six feet apart," the sailor added, according to The Union-Tribune. The Navy implemented sweeping changes to address the influx of cases around the world. The Navy's 6th Fleet, which primarily operates around Europe and Africa, imposed a 14-day quarantine on ships between port calls in Europe. The guidance follows a similar one for 7th Fleet, which operates in the Asia-Pacific region, out of "an abundance of caution." The Navy Reserve also postponed drill weekends through May for its reservists and limited unofficial travel. "Shipmates, the spread of the coronavirus is something that we are taking very seriously," Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Russell Smith said in a joint statement. "While many of you may be anxious, worried, or wondering what happens next, leadership at every level is actively engaged on this issue." "America depends upon us to help provide security and stability to this nation, and that's exactly what we will continue to do," they added. "Stay safe, Shipmates. Our nation depends on you." Read the original article on Business Insider A total of 11,758 Ukrainians returned home. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Ukraine says 12 Ukrainians are being treated for the novel coronavirus abroad, while 744 people remain in quarantine. Five citizens of Ukraine are undergoing treatment in Germany, two in Poland, two in Italy, and one each in Moldova, the United Arab Emirates and the Dominican Republic, according to the MFA's operational information concerning the coronavirus as of 23:00 on March 17. Moreover, 744 Ukrainians remain in quarantine: 712 in two hotels in Egypt, 16 in Brazil, seven in Germany, three in the Dominican Republic, three in the UAE, and three in Moldova. Five Ukrainians have recovered (four in Japan and one in Italy). One Ukrainian national died in Italy. A total of 11,758 Ukrainians returned home. Read alsoAlmost 1,200 Ukrainians seeking evacuation from Germany amid coronavirus lockdown As UNIAN reported earlier, as of the morning of Wednesday, March 18, a total of 198,006 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 coronavirus were recorded worldwide. An outbreak of a novel coronavirus was recorded late December 2019 in the most populous city of Central China, Wuhan. The World Health Organization recognized it as a global emergency, describing it as a multi-cell epidemic. To date, 14 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Ukraine, two of which are lethal. The country has declared a nationwide quarantine, which will last until April 3. The governments strategy centers on flattening the peak of the epidemic while ensuring the public doesnt give up on self-isolation at just the wrong moment and head outside into the eye of the storm. So unlike some other countries, we are not yet in full shutdown. After a week of cabin fever, I can understand not wanting to enforce isolation sooner than necessary. But I worry about how we know where we are on the epidemic curve. Have we tested enough people? What if lockdown comes too late? Will we be overwhelmed too soon? Across the N.H.S. this winter there have been patients in corridors and canceled surgeries. How many people will die because weve been working on the brink of collapse for too long? I am not an epidemiologist. I do not pretend to know the right strategy. But if Britain experiences anything like what weve seen elsewhere, were on our way to tragedy. Whats certain is that with 100,000 job vacancies already, the N.H.S. will not survive this crisis without protecting and respecting its staff. In 2018, two-thirds of doctors in their second year of training chose not to pursue specialty jobs. We are being asked to do more with little compensation while colleagues are hung out to dry because the system failed them. To add insult to injury, we have been provided with out-of-date masks with which to protect ourselves. We already know that our counterparts in Italy, China and elsewhere have given their lives to the vocation they chose. For years, health care workers have been raising the alarm that the N.H.S. is in crisis calling on the government for better funding for our hospitals and better working conditions for ourselves. As the coronavirus crisis intensifies, we must be given the means to protect ourselves and our patients, particularly those most vulnerable. We deserve transparency. We demand honesty. Without that, I dont know how many people will stick around after this is all over. And right now, it feels like were heading into the abyss. Jessica Potter (@DrJessPotter) is a respiratory specialist doctor working in London and a member of EveryDoctor, an organization that campaigns for the working rights of doctors. The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. With three losses on Tuesday night, Bernie Sanderss chances of winning the Democratic presidential nomination became even slimmer. The defeats in Arizona, Florida and Illinois left even some of the Vermont senators top staffers frustrated and questioning whether he should continue his campaign. One campaign senior adviser told Yahoo News it was time for Sanders to begin winding down his campaign. The time has come for some true reflection for this campaign, the senior Sanders adviser said, adding, Tonight is hard, and its also time for some hard decisions. Sanderss exit would leave former Vice President Joe Biden, who won in all three states that voted on Tuesday, as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. Another senior Sanders aide expressed frustration over a lack of direction from the campaigns top leadership: campaign manager Faiz Shakir, the senators longtime confidant Jeff Weaver and Sanders himself. The senior aide indicated that concerns were exacerbated by the fact that Biden now has an almost insurmountable lead in delegates. The aide compared Sanders to Tulsi Gabbard, the congresswoman from Hawaii, who is continuing her presidential bid although she has only won two delegates and never attained more than single digits in national polls. Its clear there is no plan, the senior Sanders aide said. It feels like were doing a Tulsi Gabbard. The situation is reminiscent of the 2016 presidential primary, when Sanders continued to run even after he fell well behind former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the delegate count. Sanderss decision to remain in that race also frustrated some of his team. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., arrives to speak to reporters on March 12, in Burlington, Vt. (Charles Krupa/AP) However, this year is also far different. Unlike in 2016, Sanders has spent time in this race as a frontrunner with a clear path forward, while Bidens campaign was on the ropes. Sanders performed well in the first three states that voted. He won the popular vote in Iowa, got a win in New Hampshire, and scored a large victory in Nevada. Story continues But on Feb. 29, Biden began to turn things around, with a rout in the South Carolina primary. Bidens triumph came with a series of endorsements from the Democrats who had dropped their own presidential bids. The momentum propelled him to a strong performance in the slate of Super Tuesday votes on March 3. Since then, Sanders has framed the race as an opportunity to contrast his policy vision with Biden's. But while he has pledged to support Biden once the race is over, Sanders has not given in to the growing gulf in the delegate race. The abrupt turnaround from frontrunner to long shot is particularly frustrating for the members of Sanderss team, since many of them feel that he was treated unfairly by the political establishment the senator so often rails against. Moments that particularly rankled Sanders and his allies included the delayed reporting of results in Iowa and high-volume media coverage of Bidens South Carolina win. Sanders and his allies also felt they were mounting an uphill battle against the Democratic Party and the media in 2016. However, this time, those frustrations are compounded by the fact that the coronavirus pandemic has effectively brought an abrupt end to the presidential primary. Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders before their debate in Washington on March 15. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Voting was also scheduled to take place in Ohio on Tuesday night, but Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine postponed the primary there until June 2, citing safety issues posed by the coronavirus. Both Sanders and Biden have canceled a slew of live campaign events since March 10. And while some on Sanderss team feel that the coronavirus has eclipsed the primary and slammed the door shut on his candidacy, they also feel that it raised awareness around a central issue of his platform: the lack of affordable public health care in the United States. One senior Sanders campaign source who is aware of the senators conversations about his future plans described this time in the campaign as an unprecedented moment. History tells us we cant trust the political establishment in a time of crisis to look out for working people and low-income people, the senior campaign source said, adding, Were going through a viral pandemic that could kill hundreds of thousands of Americans. Right now, Bernie Sanders has the largest, most powerful progressive platform in the country. To describe this moment as uncharted would be an understatement. Another senior Sanders adviser expressed frustration that more states didnt delay voting and that the Democratic National Committee had issued a statement calling for the primary to proceed on schedule. The adviser suggested that the difficulty voters might face leaving their homes amid the contagion could cloud the results and blamed the DNC for playing politics by calling for the race to continue. The adviser also lamented that it was difficult for Sanders's allies to raise these problems without being portrayed as sore losers, rather than being viewed as concerned about public health. I feel frustrated because people are literally either physically dying or losing their livelihood, yet the DNC played politics with the pandemic, and our campaign could not really tell people what to do one way or the other, the senior adviser said. Because if we do that, then it seems as though we are deliberately trying to postpone the primary for some political reasons, when the real reason is: We actually give a damn about people. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Emma Bradley, 82, left, and her husband Samuel Bradley, 86, right, both of Palmdale are walking up the ramp to catch the Metrolink in Union Sation in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) My plan was to stroll El Matador Beach in Malibu, then drive to Griffith Park for a hike, both of which could be done while maintaining a safe distance from anyone. But Ive had a Medicare card in my wallet for a year and a half, and on Sunday, Gov. Gavin Newsom told me along with the states other 6 million seniors to self-isolate at home until further notice. The coronavirus, of course, carries a higher danger for older folks. We are prioritizing their safety, Newsom said. Im still getting used to being called a senior, or elderly, which can mean anything from 65 to 105. It stings a bit to be singled out by age, but putting ego aside and public health front and center, is it my civic duty to stay home? And if so, what exactly does that mean? Should I use a fishing pole to reel the newspaper in from my driveway? I wasnt the only one with questions. Even medical professionals and agencies on the front line of the epidemic are grappling with how to respond, reluctant to pull back and leave patients, clients and colleagues in the lurch. My dentist, David Kitada, who is in his mid-60s and still working for now, is one of them. But he told me hes taking extra precautions and only seeing patients who need procedures completed or who have acute problems. He shared recommended protocols from a colleague that included postponing treatment of patients 65 and older. David Aftergood, a 68-year-old Beverly Hills endocrinologist, said hes still on the job too, but exercising as much caution as possible and seeing a limited number of patients. I look at myself and dont want to tempt fate, but I feel like Im a relatively healthy and kind of a young 68, said Aftergood, who told me he considered the governors call for seniors to stay home a recommendation rather than an edict. Santa Clarita geriatrician Gene Dorio, 68, has closed his office, and he and his staff will be doctoring by phone with non-emergency patients. But Dorio said he will still make the occasional house call if patients are severely ill, and he sent a letter to Newsom explaining his reasoning and asking for special dispensation. Story continues After explaining that he was in excellent health, he got to the heart of the matter. My medical practice is mainly house calls, serving those seniors and disabled who cannot leave their homes. Some of them live in chronic pain or have multiple medical problems. They cannot get to a doctors office, and havent been able to go for years. Other doctors, Dorio noted, do not do house calls, and the health and welfare of my patients will be in jeopardy. Therefore, I request an exemption to your recent directive to self-isolate. Dorio, president of the L.A. County Commission for Older Adults, had not heard back from the governors office as of Tuesday afternoon. A psychologist named Jamie, who asked that I not use her last name, emailed me about her own desire to keep working despite her age. When I called her, Jamie said her agencys staff is seeing a heightened level of anxiety among clients, some of whom are homeless. She didnt feel right about not serving their needs. She stayed home Monday but by Tuesday had set up a video conferencing program so she could work from home and still supervise frontline staff. Its hard enough being an older adult in this country without all of a sudden feeling stigmatized, Jamie said. Dr. Jon Sherin, director of the L.A. County Department of Mental Health, told me he has quite a few frontline employees who are 65 and older. He said he is trying to find ways for them to stay on the job but not in contact with others, even though some have argued that theyre in perfectly good health. Its all about risk factors, Sherin said. I think were sophisticated enough to say that if youre over 65 and in great health, OK ... but by definition youre at risk, and Im suggesting that they dont come in, and stay at home where there are things they can do whether its service-related or clinical. His fear, Sherin said, is that many of the departments clients especially those who are homeless are vulnerable and pose higher health risks, and hes trying to avoid a significant spread of the coronavirus through both staff and patient populations. Better to reduce risk now than regret not doing so later, Sherin said, adding that hes already trying to plan ahead for the possibility of having fewer employees available to handle a mental health crisis that was already overwhelming before the coronavirus threat. This is serious and there could be a lot of tragedy, but weve got to figure out a way to get through it, Sherin said, and build better systems for future stresses. On Monday and Tuesday, I checked with two senior centers that are trying their best to cope with high anxiety among the populations that rely on them for essential services like meal programs. David MacDonald of the Santa Clarita Senior Center said the switch has been made from in-house meals to drive-through pickups, and 130 seniors took advantage of the new program on Monday. His staff was also stepping up phone contact with clients to make sure theyre OK. Isolation can be a dangerous thing, said MacDonald, citing depression and fear of access to needed resources as potential issues. We want to keep in touch with our seniors. Akila Gibbs, director of the Pasadena Senior Center, said classes have been canceled and the fitness center closed, but limited services were still being offered to people who have no one to look after them. Gibbs said the combination of lost revenue from canceled classes and a hit on the centers investment fund because of the stock market collapse will create big financial challenges, and said she and her staff are adapting to service recommendations from doctors and public agencies that change daily. Were going to try to get food to those who have stopped coming to the center, Gibbs said, and were calling 2,000 people at home to find out how theyre doing. One of the scariest things about the coronavirus is that its invisible. We dont know who, or what, is virus-free, and we dont know whether weve only just begun to see the worst of the hell it could wreak. But we all do have a responsibility, to ourselves and each other, to limit the spread. I may go ahead and take that walk on the beach or hike in the hills, but as much as possible, Im going to avoid face-to-face human contact and play it safe. And hope we soon turn the corner. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram New York, March 18, 2020 Honduran authorities must immediately lift newly imposed restrictions on free expression and let members of the press cover the news freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On March 16, the office of President Juan Orlando Hernandez published a decree instituting a state of emergency for seven days due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which imposes a curfew and revokes several articles of the Honduran constitution, including Article 72, which protects the right to free expression without censorship. The decree also restricts the right to free mobility and the right to organize social gatherings, among others. Honduras law on freedom of expression, which operates under Article 72, protects journalists right to work without any persecution, even under martial law. CPJ emailed the Honduran presidency for comment and for clarification about what revoking Article 72 could mean for members of the press, but did not immediately receive any response. We are glad to see the Honduran government is taking steps to confront this pandemic, but it should not abuse those measures to restrict free expression, especially at a time when the media plays a fundamental role in keeping society informed and safe, said CPJ Central and South America Program Coordinator Natalie Southwick. Honduran authorities must ensure their actions to protect public health do not violate citizens other fundamental rights. The decree went into effect before it was presented to the Honduran Congress for ratification or published in the official La Gaceta government newspaper, as required by law, according to local free expression organization C-Libre. Yesterday, the spokesperson for the National Risk System, Gabriel Rubi, told broadcaster Radio America that he requested the Ministry of Health and the National Inter-Institutional Security Force to quarantine a group of journalists who had reported from the city of Comayaguela, which is under lockdown after COVID-19 cases were confirmed there, according to C-Libre and news reports. Honduras has eight confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of today, according to the World Health Organization. A Union County mayor said she rescinded a coronavirus-inspired plan to limit shopping at local supermarkets after being advised against it by the state attorney general. Garwood Mayor Sara Todisco issued a declaration of emergency Monday in response to the pandemic that would have restricted shopping at the boroughs two supermarkets on even-numbered days to customers with last names starting with A through M. Customers with N through Z would have been restricted to odd-numbered days. The declaration also would have set aside the first two hours each day to customers who are 55 and older and allowed no more than 50 percent of the permitted capacity inside the building. Hours before the restrictions would have taken effect at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Todisco said she received a phone call from N.J. Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, in which Grewal raised concerns about the plan. Todisco said she decided not to proceed after a second phone conversation, this time with Gov. Phil Murphys chief of staff, George Helmy. They were asking that I revise the emergency declaration to not cover grocery stores. They want uniformity among the towns in the state, Todisco told NJ Advance Media on Tuesday night, in recounting the conversations. Todisco said that the two grocery stores, ShopRite and Kings Food Markets, subsequently agreed to provide a two-hour, recommended shopping window for customers 55 and older at the start of the day in Garwood - minus the odd/even names restriction and capacity limit in her declaration. In light of these unprecedented times we are living in, I really hope that customers will respect this window of opportunity for those 55 an older, Todisco said. Workers at both stores confirmed the arrangement and that it is not subject to enforcement. A similar step was announced in all stores Monday by Stop & Shop, which announced it is reserving 90 minute of shopping for those 60 and older, from 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m., starting Thursday. While identification will not be required, Stop & Shop said it reserves the right to ask younger customers to leave. Grewals office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Statewide, a closure of all public and private schools is now in effect, along with the shutdown of casinos, dine-in restaurant service, theaters, and gyms, and a suggested curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Older residents are at a higher risk from the coronavirus. As of Tuesday night, there were 267 known cases in New Jersey and three deaths. Todisco said a 62-year-old Garwood resident tested positive for the coronavirus on Saturday and is recovering in isolation at home. Todiscos emergency declaration also closed all public buildings and facilities, cancelled all public events and activities, and shut down the municipal court. Garwood is tightly-populated, with 4,300 residents and covering less than one square mile. 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. WASHINGTON, DCWhen Justin Trudeau announced on Monday that the COVID-19 coronavirus-prompted ban on foreign travellers to Canada excluded Americans, the reaction from Canadians was somewhere between puzzlement and outrage Canadas southern neighbour seems poised to reap the whirlwind of infection sown by denial at the top for too long, and has become the major source of travel-related infections in Canada. Those calls to close the U.S. border may soon be answered, as an announcement by both Canadian and U.S. authorities banning non-essential travel across the border is imminent, according to reports late Tuesday night by Canadian Press, CBC and CNN. The reports said a deal would allow commercial traffic and business supply chains to remain open, while banning tourism and shopping. A government official in Ottawa told the Canadian Press that details of the deal, to be announced in the next day or two, are still being negotiated, including which workers would be considered essential and excluded from the travel ban, and that Canadian snowbirds and others vacationing in U.S. would still be able to get home. Such an announcement would come at a time when the dire reality America faces from COVID-19 seems to have finally sunk in, and drastic measures to fight the spread of the illness and its effects are being announced seemingly hourly. San Francisco is locked down by an order closing almost all businesses and instructing residents to shelter-in-place. New York City, already under strict business and work restrictions, is considering a similar move. In cities from Seattle to Washington, D.C. to Columbus, Ohio, children are home from school and restaurants, bars, and theatres have been ordered closed. Florida, which had seen beaches packed with spring break revelers even as panic set in across the country, ordered all bars, restaurants and schools closed on Tuesday, and limited beach gatherings to 10 people or fewer. Police in New Orleans have begun clearing crowds on Bourbon Street. State and local authorities in many places have been quick to implement social distancing measures and order shutdowns of government and recreational spaces. The message seems to be taking hold, that as U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday, the next two weeks will be critical in beginning to flatten the curve of infection. The coronavirus death toll here has reached over 100, a per capita rate of more than twice that seen in Canada. Cases have been confirmed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and while the official number of confirmed infections according to the Centers for Disease Control stands at 4,226, its right now impossible to estimate the actual number. Testing has been scarce here, due to well-reported delays in the government approving and distributing tests. But that testing is ramping up: the COVID Tracking Project led by US journalist Alex Madrigal, which tracks testing numbers from each state and territory across the US, estimates 54,085 tests had been performed across the country by 4 p.m. Tuesday 12,535 more than 24 hours earlier. That would reflect more tests performed in one day than were performed from Monday to Friday of last week. Still, to get to a per capita rate equivalent to South Koreas, the US would need to test roughly 65,000 people per day, as frequently pointed out by Bloomberg journalist Noah Smith. U.S. Assistant Health Secretary Brett Giroir said at a briefing on Sunday that the 1.9 million testing kits will be available across the US this week, and last week Trump announced a plan to have drive-through testing centres set up on an undetermined schedule in commercial parking lots. If those testing shortages are cleared up as announced which at this point, after months of delay and official denials that there is any delay, is a big if it means official numbers will likely skyrocket in coming weeks as they move to reflect a more accurate picture of the infection rate. These will likely lead to shocking headlines, but it will be good news as it will mean cases that already exist are diagnosed and infected people can quarantine themselves and receive treatment, and their interactions can be tracked. But that also will mean that it will be difficult to get a handle on how effective the social distancing measures the U.S. has finally adopted this week have been. Cases of infection take time perhaps two weeks to show up in statistics because of the incubation period of the disease. But in two weeks, when the lockdowns and self-isolations would begin to start paying off with reduced infection rates, the numbers will still likely be climbing because of increased testing availability. People should know this is likely going to get worse before it gets better, U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said in a television interview on ABC Tuesday morning. Thats true of the numbers, it will surely be true of the situation of the situation in hospitals where respirators, ventilators, and beds may be in short supply, and it is likely also true of the drastic changes to everyday life being imposed and encouraged. Those measures, however, are where the hope of this nation lies at the moment. At a press conference at the White House Monday, shortly after President Trump said hed give himself an A grade for his preparedness for the pandemic, Dr. Deborah Birx who is helping lead the administration coronavirus team, recalled the AIDS epidemic she helped fight as a young doctor in the 1980s. I just want to recognize, the HIV epidemic was solved by the community, the HIV advocates and activists who stood up when no one was listening and got everyones attention. Were asking that same sense of community to come together and stand up against this virus, she said. Experts say that given the already wide spread of COVID-19 in U.S. now, if its spread is going to be slowed enough to allow hospitals to respond and prevent hundreds of thousands or perhaps more than a million deaths, it will be because communities stay home and stay away from each other. But it will be a long time before anyone knows if it worked. Thats why Canadians would want to shut off most travel between the two countries in the meantime. Soon, it seems, it will be. Read more about: EUGENE, Ore. -- The University of Oregon Board of Trustees has approved new tuition rates for the upcoming academic year, giving the go-ahead to a new guaranteed tuition program for incoming students. The plan was approved 13-0 at the board's March 17 meeting. RELATED: UO ADVISORY BOARD PROPOSES TUITION INCREASE Under the new rates, current undergraduate tuition will increase 3% per year over the next four years. For incoming students, resident tuition will be 10.75% more and nonresident tuition will be 7.5% more. However, this cost will remain locked in for five years. FAQ: GUARANTEED TUITION Kay Jarvis, Director of Public Affairs for the university, said this plan will help incoming students plan their finances for higher education. "If you have incoming students and they knew what the rate is going to be, they can financially plan for it," Jarvis said. "They and their families will know, okay, if you can graduate in four or five years. Here are what the costs going to be and you're prepared for it." Faced with the coronavirus outbreak, parents of Iranian students at Panjab University have asked them to refrain from returning home, and stay in India. There are 27 students from the country studying in various PU departments. The death toll due to the virus at Iran, one of the worst-affected countries by the pandemic, climbed to 1,135 on Wednesday. This has left the Iranian students at PU worried for the safety of their families. My mother asked my father to bring me back home. But, he advised me that it was safer to stay in India, said Ali Tajeri, who studies at University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS). I am worried about my father, who has diabetes. I cannot do anything for my parents from here. I call them twice a day for any symptoms of coronavirus, he added. UIET student Sina Tajeris parents have also told him to stay put. Its a hard time for me and my family. I am really concerned as they are all alone in Iran, and cannot rely on anyone in this situation. Out of the 27 Iranian students at PU, five study in UIPS; five at the dental institute three each in UIET, and English and education departments; two each in the Urdu and Persian departments; and one each in the physics, social work, biotechnology, and computer science departments. Sanaz Marzban, who has completed her doctorate from the English department, had only stayed back for the convocation to get her degree. Now, I dont know when I can go back. All my family members are there, so I am really worried. I was expecting help from the embassy, but they have not contacted us so far, she said. Nandita Singh, dean international students, PU, said, We are taking all steps to avoid any problem to international students. We have also communicated to dean students welfare to ensure proper hygiene for students in hostels. We are in touch with overseas students and have asked them to adhere to advisories. There are 69 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland today, it has been announced. That brings the total cases in the Republic to 292. Of the new cases, there are 29 male and 40 female, according to the National Public Health Emergency Team. Forty-eight are associated with the east of the country, while there are 13 associated with the south, five associated with the north/west, and three in the west. Cooperation across the health service has never been more important and I would like to thank our colleagues in their ongoing efforts to help us to prepare for and limit the spread of Covid-19, said Dr Tony Holohan, the chief medical officer. There have been two deaths associated with Covid-19 in Ireland. The news comes as the government announced its approval of legislation to support a national response to COVID-19. In a statement this evening the government said the legislation provides for enhanced income supports for people who are diagnosed with, or required to self-isolate due to, Covid-19. The legislation also provides for changes to remove the waiting period for payment of Jobseekers Benefit and Jobseekers Allowance in these circumstances. The statement went on: "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. "The Bill also provides for certain extra powers, should they be needed if extreme situations were to arise, in relation to gatherings\events and travel where there would be an immediate, exceptional and manifest risk to human life and public health from the spread of COVID-19. "In addition, it provides for further powers, in case they might be needed in relation to COVID-19, where a medical officer believes that a person is a source of infection and that the detention or isolation of a person is necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19. "These are provisions which the Government hopes it wont have to use, given the powers already in place under the Health Act 1947, but legislation is being introduced to give Government powers in exceptional circumstances in the unlikely event that the need arises." The government statement went on to say that all measures in the Bill relate only to the exceptional circumstances facing the country due to COVID-19. "Details of the Bill (Health Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2020) are being published this evening. It is intended to enact the Bill through the Dail (Thursday 19th) and Seanad (Friday 20th) this week. "The Government welcomes the continued co-operation of other Oireachtas parties at this time of national crisis and will brief them further on the contents of the legislation as soon as it is published." [snippet1]987600[/snippet1] Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-19 05:34:24|Editor: Liu Video Player Close A TV screen shows Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa delivering a televised national speech, in Lisbon, Portugal, on March 18, 2020. Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa declared on Wednesday in a televised national speech a "state of emergency" in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19. (Photo by Pedro Fiuza/Xinhua) LISBON, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa declared on Wednesday in a televised national speech a "state of emergency" in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. The declaration came after stronger measures are agreed by a Council of State meeting in the morning via teleconference and approved by the Parliament, according to SIC TV, a leading private broadcaster in Portugal. The state of emergency, the first of its kind in the Portuguese history, can be extended for another 15 days, according to the Portuguese law. The president said that this is an exceptional decision and that the pandemic will be intense, "a test never lived for our National Health Service and Portuguese society" The pandemic will also be a "huge" challenge to the economy, he said, adding that it is a "war". "I asked for a state of emergency," he explained, noting that he knows that "the Portuguese are divided" on the topic and everyone expects a "miracle." Prime Minister Antonio Costa assured earlier in the day that his government will only take "necessary and proportionate" measures to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, and no curfew is expected. "The declaration of a state of emergency will not mean the suspension of democracy," the prime minister said in a statement after a meeting with the Council of Ministers. "We will comply with enormous determination, adopting at every moment the measures that are necessary and proportionate, and depending on the needs," he explained. "The country will not stop. Only by continuing will we be able to stop this pandemic," Costa said. Costa said that this instrument could enable the government to "do more and better", but warned that "there is no emergency decree that has a saving effect to resolve the pandemic crisis." Portugal has been on alert since last Friday, and has suspended classroom activities in all schools and all air, water and railway links with neighboring Spain. The number of positive COVID-19 cases in Portugal rose to 642 on Wednesday, 194 more than on the previous day, according to the Directorate-General for Health (DGS). US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he plans to invoke a wartime law that will allow him to direct expanded production of supplies needed to address the coronavirus outbreak. He earlier announced the temporary closure of the border with Canada, by mutual consent. The Defense Production Act, which the president said he will sign after a news briefing at the White House, is a Cold War-era law that the administration is expected to use to increase the supplies of ventilators, mask and any other material needed to deal with the outbreak, which has killed at least 110 in the country. Several lawmakers had called for invoking the law in view of the outbreak in recent days. We need the federal government to aggressively step up its leadership in the battle against COVID-19 by mobilizing the mass production of urgently-needed equipment, preparing for the staging of temporary hospitals and beds, and using every lever of executive power to save lives, Democratic senator Bob Menendez, had said in a statement on Tuesday. The president announced the closure of border with Canada in a tweet. We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected. Details to follow! The United States closed the border with Mexico earlier and also banned travel from Europe, China, South Korea and Iran. At the White House briefing, the American president defended once again his continued use of the phrase Chinese Virus for coronavirus, which has been criticized as racist and divisive. Its not racist at all, not at all, said the president, adding, It comes from China, thats why. I want to be accurate. Asked if calling it the Chinese Virus or as Kung-flu, a reporter asked quoting an unidentified White House official put Asian Americans at risk, the president said, not at all. The president also teased an upcoming announced relating to the Food and Drugs Administration, the US agency that approves new drugs, later Wednesday or Thursday. He did not give details but the Wall Street Journal reported the president was considering issuing an executive order to expand investigational drugs and therapies being tested. Human trials began on a vaccine earlier this week. Asked about the WSJ report, the president said had not seen it. Scientists from Cardiff University have brought together all known risk factors for Alzheimers disease for the first time to produce a new model of the disease which it is hoped will help speed up the discovery of new treatments. The Multiplex Model is a new way of looking at Alzheimers disease developed by Professor Julie Williams, Dr Rebecca Sims and Dr Matt Hill of the Universitys UK Dementia Research Institute (UKDRI) and unveiled in the Journal Nature Neuroscience. The model was produced by looking at all known genetic risk factors to further understanding of what triggers Alzheimers and how it develops. More than 50 risk genes have already been identified and this new theory uses these and the impact of thousands of other genes to create the most detailed look at the basis of the disease yet. There are 850,000 people with dementia in the UK and Alzheimers is the most common form. There is no cure for the disease, which causes problems with memory and thinking. Professor Williams, director of the UKDRI at Cardiff, said: The genetic breakthroughs we and other scientists have made over the past 20 years have shown us that Alzheimers is a multi-component disease. The Multiplex Model assumes that changes to one or all of these components work together to form a disease cascade. In other words, we now know that Alzheimers can be triggered by a number of different defects in the genetic make-up. By using this multi-faceted approach, we can pinpoint our research and work even faster towards developing new therapies. Researchers are already able to predict those likely to get Alzheimers with about 80% accuracy through looking at the combined effect of all contributing genes. For those with highest genetic risk they can currently predict the likelihood in most cases. The model of Alzheimers used for the past 20 years known as the amyloid hypothesis has been limited to looking at one component of the disease, namely that plaques of amyloid protein form in the brain triggering dementia, but this approach has yet to yield new treatments that work. This new model looks at the combined effects of many genes, along with a breakdown in cellular processes linked to Alzheimers, such as abnormalities in the brains immune response or differences in the way the brain processes cholesterol. It also considers environmental factors, such as ageing and vascular issues. Alzheimers disease begins some 20 years before symptoms emerge, said Professor Williams, and at the moment we just dont know what triggers it. This new approach allows us to look at all of the different factors and components involved once we know more about exactly what is happening in the earliest stages of disease at a cellular and genetic level we can identify new targets for treatment and preventative therapies. Its likely that there wont be a single cure for Alzheimers therell be lots of different treatments that target various processes, similar to heart disease. Our research is attacking this complex disease from many different angles. Professor Julie Williams Director, Dementia Research Institute Bart De Strooper, director of the UKDRI, said: We are proud of this great overview of the genetic basis of Alzheimers disease from one of our world-leading teams in the UK Dementia Research Institute. The huge progress in understanding the complex genetics underlying this condition will greatly help us in deciphering the early disease phases, when treatment intervention is most likely to be effective. This further emphasises the need for a multi-angle, holistic approach to studying neurodegenerative disease. In order to make breakthroughs, we will have to harness wide-ranging expertise from across the research field, ensuring new knowledge gained is brought together to provide a complete picture of the causes and drivers of dementia. Cardiffs 20m dementia research centre is one of seven UK centres looking at finding new ways to understand diagnose, treat, prevent and care for people with dementia. Cardiff University Here are todays top news, analysis and opinion. Know all about the latest news and other news updates from Hindustan Times. UN agencys kind quick reminder: Viruses have no nationality US President Donald Trump on Tuesday sparked a controversy over his Chinese virus tweet. Trump later defended his comment and described it as a very accurate term.Interestingly, Trumps Chinese virus comment came on the same day when a UN agency posted a kind reminder online, urging people to understand that viruses have no nationality. Read More Digvijaya Singh stopped from meeting MP MLAs, stages sit-in in Bengaluru Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh sat on a dharna outside the Ramada hotel in Bengaluru early Wednesday morning after he was allegedly not allowed to meet the Congress MLAs inside the hotel. Read More Coronavirus: Donald Trump defends China Virus statement, calls it very accurate term US President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended calling the coronavirus 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. Read More Lowest point of captaincy: How Monkeygate scandal took a toll on Ricky Ponting Indias tour of Australia in 2008 was rocked by the infamous Monkeygate scandal, an episode which strained the relationship between the two countries. Ricky Ponting, who was the captain of the Australian team, has shared his experience in which he has confessed that the sequence of events which followed was the lowest point of his captaincy stint. Read More Sharad Pawars fascinating sense of history | Opinion There is really no one quite like Sharad Pawar whether in the art of politics or the knowledge of Maharashtra. Sense of history. That is the key to Pawars stewardship of Maharashtra over the years, writes Sujata Anandan Read More Paras Chhabbra denies not paying his Bigg Boss 13 stylists, calls it a barter deal Paras Chhabra has refused to the pay the stylists who have accused him of not paying their dues for the clothes they sent to him during his stay in the Bigg Boss house. The actor has said it was a barter deal as the two stylists were building their profile and the clothes were not even proper. Read More Working from home? Heres how you can get the most of Gmail The rise in coronavirus cases is forcing companies to ask their employees to work from home. A lot of these companies use Gmail for their official communication. If you too are working from home, there are some Gmail features that you need to try. Read More SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Presidente @MartinVizcarraC: Se ha decidido que las torres de departamentos de la Villa Panamericana sean destinadas para atender a los pacientes confirmados de #Coronavirus. A partir de manana, se empezara la adecuacion de la primera torre. pic.twitter.com/snbfUVAa6f One Sanders campaign official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk candidly, said that the changing nature of the competition no more in-person events in the near future, and perhaps no more primaries could be an important factor. Sanders might be freed up to advance his cause outside the traditional pressures of the horse race, should he opt for staying in, the official said. The coronavirus pandemic has placed many restrictions on people of all ages: Wash hands often. Cancel non-essential appointments. Avoid public spaces. The virus is especially dangerous to those over 65 and with preexisting conditions or comprised immune systems. While anyone can catch COVID-19, younger, healthy adults are less likely to have severe or life-threatening symptoms. Many Alabama food banks and senior centers continue to distribute meals and other food items to senior citizens. But making sure the elderly community is fed will require more people willing to donate their time. Volunteers are considered the heartbeat of operations at the Food Bank of East Alabama in Auburn. Almost 400 low-income senior citizens a month depend on the food bank, which warehouses and distributes produce and nonperishable items to a network of more than 200 agencies that are delivering the food to those in need. Tina Tatum, programs and volunteer coordinator, said while the coronavirus hasnt curbed the nonprofits fight to stop hunger, the infectious disease has affected volunteer efforts. Most of the volunteers who sort through and pack up donations from grocery stores are older individuals and younger volunteers are needed, Tatum said. We dont have the staffing to get all of that done, Tatum said. We rely on volunteers and we had some people who had to stop because they didnt feel comfortable getting out because of exposure. We could use some physical help. In Birmingham, one woman is trying to help, one boomer at a time. Mary Braxton, 30, spent her last week like everyone else. She works as a nanny, and she has a big family, so shes used to social interaction. But then, the rumors stared to swirl about the new novel coronavirus, COVID-19. The rumors turned to facts, and on Friday Alabama confirmed its first known cases. With all the doom and gloom we were seeing everywhere, and all the anxiety it causes I really wanted something positive on something to focus that energy on, Braxton said. Braxton decided to set up a space where younger, less vulnerable people mostly millennials could help the more vulnerable boomers, to stand in the gap for those seniors. She created the Facebook page BoomerBuffers, with the hopes of connecting volunteers to those who needed help. Heres how it works: A person reaches out to Braxton through the group saying they cant venture out to get their groceries, prescription, or a certain errand done. Braxton then reaches out to her volunteers, asking who is in that particular neighborhood or area and who is available. She looks at the responses, and then matches up the boomer with the buffer. The person retrieving the items is supposed to leave them at the recipients front door, so no human interaction is required. The boomer, or person requesting help, is responsible for paying for the groceries or prescription; the retrieval service Braxton designed is completely free. Braxton thought it might catch on in the area, maybe even have up to 50 members. As of Wednesday morning, the group had more than 300 members. Its really taken off, Braxton said. I thought at best, it would be 25, 50 people I wanted it to grow like this, to be something I could spread out to help other people. Ive really been kind of amazed at how its going. I am still processing it. The second goal of the group, besides physically helping the older generation, is to build the sometimes strained relationship between the baby boomers and the millennials. Braxton said she wanted to show what millennials are all about. She said, We want everyone to be taken care of. Were going to step up, and were going to be here for you. Its really softening hearts on both sides, she said. Braxton said she hopes people across Alabama will get involved and start BoomerBuffers groups of their own in their city. She said she is fine with sharing the name, but wants all group leaders to stay connected and title their pages with the location they are serving. She changed the name of the original group to include Birmingham in the title, so people could easily find the page for their city. I have to be realistic about how far I am able to reach, she said. Braxton said when she started the group, she jokingly told her sister that she wanted to start a movement. Her sisters response: You have. Across Alabama, others also continue to try and feed the elderly in the face of a pandemic. The Huntsville-Madison County Senior Center has ceased operations until April 3, but its Meals on Wheels program is still delivering hot meals to homebound seniors in Huntsville who cant cook for themselves. Marketing Director Cathie Mayne said the centers main effort during the outbreak is to get more volunteers for the program, which currently serves seniors who live on 26 different routes. If the center gets enough volunteers, the center can open a new route for those who have been placed on the waiting list. Those who want to help out the Meals on Wheels program can contact Jeanie Glynn at 256-382-0920, or email at jglynn@seniorview.com. Mayne said 10 to 12 senior citizens are given meals during each route. Along with delivering a hot meal, Mayne said volunteers are also improving senior citizens wellbeing. They are always grateful to get food through Meals on Wheels, but especially now because this is a program that is continuing, Mayne said. When you are dealing with folks who are older, sometimes your eyes just go past them. So, even as something as saying hello at a grocery store or on the street it can make peoples day. Both the food bank and the senior center have adjusted their services to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. An extension of the food bank is the community market, which allowed both seniors and families in need to hand pick the food items they want. Instead of having the elderly risk their health by coming to the market, Tatum said they are packing boxes full of goods that will be handed to their clients. Surfaces are being wiped down with disinfectant at the food banks warehouse and staff members are keeping up with the coronavirus as they think of new ways to help the elderly at this time. Those who want to volunteer can sign up on the food banks website. We are doing our best to stay open and serve the people who need help, Tatum said. Its been a little crazy because things are changing rapidly. We are trying to stay up on the daily news about this and just continuing to find ways to serve the folks who need the food. Even if people cant donate their time or money to help out the elderly, Mayne said anyone can offer their courtesy and check on senior citizens in their area. One of the best avenues for volunteering is to encourage everyone who knows a senior just to reach out, Mayne said. Say, Hey, how are you doing? Can I go to the store for you? Its just common courtesy that we are all needing right now. Here are other food banks across the state who are asking for assistance to help those in need. If you are helping the elderly and want to be added to this list, please email Jonece Starr Dunigan at jdunigan@al.com West Alabama Food Bank North Alabama Food Bank Central Alabama Food bank If you need BoomerBuffers services but dont have social media, you can email Braxton at boomerbuffersbham@gmail.com. Donald and Melania Trump postponed their April state dinner with King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, citing both countries need to address the coronavirus. The dinner, originally scheduled for April 21, was to be the Trumps' third state dinner and their first with royalty. Spain has put its country on lockdown as more than 13,000 people have been diagnosed with the disease and more than 500 have died. It has become the fourth-most coronavirus-infected nation, after China, Italy and Iran. Donald and Melania Trump postponed their April state dinner with King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia have both tested negative for the disease; Spain became the fourth-most coronavirus-infected country Military personnel disinfect streets in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, as the entire country has gone on lockdown Queen Letizia was tested for the virus after coming into contact with a government minister who later tested positive. Her result was negative as was King Felipe's. President Trump has also tested negative for the disease. White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said the Spanish royals will be welcomed at a later date. 'In order for the United States and Spain to continue to devote their full resources and attention to the COVID-19 response, the April 21, 2020, White House State Visit by Their Majesties King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain has been postponed,' Grisham said in a statement Wednesday morning. 'President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump look forward to welcoming Their Majesties to the United States and the White House in the near future. The United States will continue to work with Spain and all of our European partners to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,' she noted. The United States has had more than 100 deaths from the coronavirus and more than 6,500 people have been infected. President Trump last week announced a 30-day travel ban on several countries, including Spain, after Europe became the epicenter for the disease. It's not the only White House event effected by the disease. On Monday, Melania Trump announced the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, scheduled for April 13, was canceled. In February, the Trumps announced they would host the Spanish royals for the visit. 'The visit will celebrate our two countries close friendship and shared history, and reaffirm our commitments to stand together to address todays global challenges,' the White House said in a statement. President Donald and Melania Trump announced their third state dinner last month King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain were to be the first royalty feted by the Trumps The state dinner would have been the second time the Spanish royals visited the Trump White House. The couple stopped by in June of 2018 during an extended visit to America, which was to mark the 300th anniversaries of the founding of New Orleans and San Antonio - two American cities with historical ties to Spain. But that was not a state visit, which consists of a formal welcome on the South Lawn and a black tie dinner that is one of the most glamorous, sought after invitations in Washington. There are typically military escorts, a four or five course meal, toasts from the leaders, and dancing. Melania hosted Queen Letizia for afternoon tea in the red room of the White House during the royals June drop by. King Felipe and Trump met in the Oval Office at the time and the president had warm words for Spain. 'Its a very special people and beautiful place,' President Trump said. 'We love Spain.' And King Felipe responded: 'We appreciate very much our common history and our heritage.' The Trumps have hosted two other state dinners in their first three years in the White House: one for the president of France in April 2018 and one for the Australian prime minister in September of last year. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump meet with Spanish King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia in the Oval Office in June 2018 The Trumps at their September 2019 state dinner for Australia The Trumps first state dinner was in April 2018 for French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte At the Australian state dinner, Melania wore a J. Mendel aqua silk chiffon gown, with inserted pleats and bias cut waves. She wore Chanel when the French visited in 2018. If one didnt know better, he could think that China unleashed the Wuhan virus upon the world purposely to get their man, Joe Biden, elected president. Jumblin Joe is their man, too. Its not just that the disease will assuredly cause economic distress as peoples lives and commerce are disrupted; its not just that no matter what President Trump does, the EneMedia will portray his response to the disease as lacking. (Never mind that Barack Obama apparently spread disease throughout our nation by shipping sick illegal-alien minors throughout the country. Enterovirus D68, anyone?) Its also that the Wuhan virus has now become a handy excuse to limit debates and Jumblin Joes personal appearances. Health is the concern, you see (Bidens mental health, that is). Heck, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) even suggested that his party shut down the rest of the primaries and debates. The idea is to coronate Jumblin before his brain completely shuts down. But dont think its a stretch to say that, lucid or senile, Biden is for certain the Manchurian virus candidate. Theres a reason why Forbes wrote last summer that Joe Biden Is The Only Man Who Can Save China In 2020 and why the announcement of his campaign alone was enough to encourage Beijing suddenly to take a harder line on trade negotiations with the Trump administration, as Senator Tom Cotton recently wrote at National Review. Its that unlike many other Democrats, he takes its side, reliably, writes Cotton. (Certain other Democrats take Chinas side only unreliably.) For example, as senior Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the 90s, Biden made sure China got most-favored-nation trade status and World Trade Organization membership (the latter in 2001). Wherever a brake might have been applied by placing human-rights or labor conditions on most-favored-nation status, for example Biden voted the measures down and lobbied other senators for Beijing, Cotton informs. Unfortunately, China and Biden got their way, and American workers are still suffering from it. While we should have withered Beijing on the vine instead of creating a monster (thanks, Richard Nixon), Biden compounded earlier mistakes and continued feeding the dragon. In fact, even as Chinas fascist regime (yes with its market reforms, its as communist as Bernie is capitalist) grew in power and Xi Jinping strengthened his dictatorial hold, Biden continued lobbying for increased trade and more intimate ties. Just consider that while standing next to Xi in 2012, Biden rationalized that competition from China was good for us. Yet millions of American jobs were disappearing as he spoke, Cotton reminds us, and the militarization of the South China Sea was just around the corner. Whats for sure is that, call it competition or collusion, the relationship was very good for the Biden family. Oh, and if youre guessing that theres a Hunter in this story, go to the head of the class. Reporters thought it unusual when Hunter Biden, Bidens prodigal son, accompanied him on a trip to Beijing in 2013, Cotton relates. That same year, Hunter joined the board of a Shanghai-based private equity firm. In 2017, a few months after his father left office, he invested a substantial chunk of his own money in the company. Below is an interesting Fox Business video on the subject. So, as the Ukraine/Burisma situation evidenced, Biden Inc., as Politico put it last year, was very good at monetizing Jumblins vice presidency. And though we dont know how much Hunter made off the China deal, we can bet hes doing better than laid-off American workers. Moreover, though he sometimes may not know what state hes in, what office hes running for, his wife from his sister or that hes not married to himself, Jumblin Joe hasnt forgotten how to defend todays evil empire. When President Trump imposed travel restrictions on China a few weeks back to combat the Wuhan virus, Biden called it hysterical xenophobia. Of course, our real problem today in multicult America is xenophilia and in Jumblins case in particular, Sinophilia. Vice President Biden raises a toast in honor of Chinese President Xi at a State Luncheon at the State Department, September 25, 2015, US State Department photo But its hard to know where the avarice ends, and the asininity begins. Just consider the statements Biden made at a campaign rally last spring (below), in which he said China is not competition for us. This is the nation, do note, whose economy is six to eight times the size of that of Russia, which the left says is our big boogeyman (do I hear Obama saying that the 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back?). But its not just that China has been stealing our manufacturing base and technology, though thats bad enough. We in addition now rely on China for sensitive components used in our weapons systems (what could possibly go wrong?). Were also dependent upon the nation for our pharmaceuticals, including an estimated 95 percent of our antibiotics. Oh, and note here that via Beijings official news service and mouthpiece, Xinhua, it just threatened to cut off our medication and intensify the Wuhan virus epidemic. China has threatened to kill us, in other words. This isnt surprising, mind you. Beijings aggressive, fascistic regime oversees what it considers a superior culture and race, and it apparently believes that this ubermensch status entitles it to dominate the world. In fact, there already is a cold war between China and the United States. In keeping with this, Beijing censors our movies (really), bullies American businesses into spouting its propaganda and manipulates our schools curricula via its Confucius Institutes. And this is all possible because while the Izzy Mandelbaum of politics* (Biden) is now infamous for threatening to assault voters, he and other free traiders have long been helping China assault us. (*Hat tip: The Federalist.) So, the main problem with Biden isnt that he doesnt know what state hes in, but that he doesnt know what nation state he represents. Combine this with his rapid mental decline, and one could imagine learning after a Beijing visit that President Biden signed Alaska away to Xi. (I thought the document just got another billion for sonny boy!) Of course, a president doesnt actually have that kind of unilateral power. The point is that if youre worried about what Bidens policies might be while mentally confused, know that they were morally confused even when he was lucid. Contact Selwyn Duke, follow him on Gab (preferably) or Twitter, or log on to SelwynDuke.com. Leading scientists say it is 'improbable' the coronavirus was made in a laboratory setting. Wild theories have swept the internet claiming Covid-19 could be man made, while Russian state media tried to blame the UK earlier this week. But a report published in Nature Medicine appears to rubbish those concerns, introducing its report by saying: 'It is improbable that SARS-CoV-2 emerged through laboratory manipulation of a related SARS-CoV-like coronavirus.' Researchers worldwide are studying Covid-19 in the hopes of developing a vaccine, this picture shows a lab technician handing a sample of the coronavirus in Ostrava, Czech Republic today Scientists who studied the disease at a molecular level state it cannot be engineered, as its genetic data does not come from any previously used virus backbone. After sharing their thoughts on the origins of the disease, the team of scientists conclude: 'We do not believe that any type of laboratory-based scenario is plausible.' Kristian Andersen, an associate professor of immunology and microbiology at Scripps Research and author of the paper, told The Herald: 'By comparing the available genome sequence data for known coronavirus strains, we can firmly determine that SARS-CoV-2 originated through natural processes' The first cases of coronavirus in China were people who had visited the Huanan Market in Wuhan. Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market in Wuhan, China, has been widely linked to the start of the coronavirus outbreak. Research published in Nature Medicine said the first animal to human contact may have come from a bat or pangolin, a scaly anteater, at the market This report from UK scientists suggests the first human to contract the virus, which it names SARS-CoV-2, may have contracted it from a bat or a pangolin, which resembles an ant eater. It goes on to advise: 'Irrespective of the exact mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 originated via natural selection, the ongoing surveillance of pneumonia in humans and other animals is clearly of utmost importance.' Boris Johnson is tonight engulfed by the worst crisis of his premiership over the Downing Street party scandal. On a day when his future as Prime Minister was being openly questioned, Tory MPs broke ranks to demand he urgently address claims of a lockdown-busting gathering in the No 10 garden. Mr Johnson failed to appear before the cameras or make any public comment yesterday - despite explosive allegations that he and his wife attended the event at a time when all parties were illegal. No 10 also refused to deny he had been at the 'bring your own booze' bash on May 20, 2020. The Prime Minister is expected to make a statement at the start of PMQs tomorrow in a bid to quell mounting anger from the public and his own party. Today he faced a ferocious backlash from families who were prevented by lockdown rules from saying a proper farewell to loved ones. As support drained away, senior Tory figures put the PM on notice, warning that his survival in No 10 depended on addressing the 'utterly despicable' allegations and restoring trust in his Government. Several warned he would have to resign if wrongdoing was proved, while others suggested he could soon face a confidence vote from mutinous backbenchers. Those close to Dominic Cummings, the ex-aide who has waged a determined campaign against his former boss, were said to be claiming Mr Johnson had only a 20 per cent chance of political survival. 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. advertisement 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. advertisement "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. Macron Locks Down France, EU Borders to Shut as Coronavirus Spreads Through Europe By Lisa Bryant March 17, 2020 The European Union's external borders will be closed to non-essential travel for 30 days as of Tuesday to fight the spread of the coronavirus, while France is following Italy and Spain in imposing a nationwide lockdown for at least 15 days. In an address to the nation Monday night, President Emmanuel Macron announced France was at war against COVID-19. He announced new measures both within France and across the EU to contain its spread. Macron said as of midday Tuesday, the EU and Europe's visa-free Schengen zone borders would be shut for 30 days for all but essential travel. Earlier in the day, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said she had made the recommendation to the 27-member bloc. Macron also announced a minimum 15-day lockdown across France and its territories. People must drastically limit their movement outside their homes to essential work, errands and health services also as of Tuesday midday. Getting together with friends and non-household family members is forbidden, and violators risk punishment. The new restrictions come amid surging numbers of coronavirus cases here and as some hospitals increasingly struggle to cope with an overload of sick patients, especially in the eastern part of the country. Macron also said the second round of local elections would be postponed, along with a series of unpopular reforms his government has pushed through in recent months. He announced measures to support businesses hard hit by the coronavirus, including more than $335 billion in tax and other relief. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The northern New York man who faces charges for the death of a Brant Lake man during a high-speed chase with police last September has been indicted on new charges that accuse him of driving under the influence of alcohol and eight drugs when he fled from police. Skyler B. Crouse pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Warren County Court to two additional charges second-degree vehicular manslaughter, a felony, and misdemeanor driving while ability impaired by combined drugs and alcohol. Court records show he was found to have nine different potential intoxicants in his bloodstream, including alcohol, cocaine, the opioid Fentanyl, marijuana and various prescription drugs, court records show. Tests also found a 0.05 blood alcohol content. The new charges will postpone a trial in the case that had been set for April 6, and reset the six-month clock for a speedy trial. No new court date was set after Wednesdays proceeding. The blood test results were received after Crouse was indicted last October for the death of Joseph Turcotte, and Warren County prosecutors decided to pursue the additional charges after Crouse rejected a plea deal earlier this month. Crouses lawyer, Matt Chauvin, asked Warren County Judge John Hall to set bail, but Hall opted to remand Crouse to Warren County Jail without bail. Chauvin said the new charges were not a surprise, as he knew more charges were possible once the blood tests were complete. We are going to have our expert review the results, he said. Crouse, 30, of Akwesasne, pleaded not guilty last October to a 12-count indictment for the high-speed chase on the Northway that began in Queensbury and bizarre actions afterward when he exposed himself to Glens Falls Hospital staff and police and spit on a television news cameraman. With the new charges, he now faces 14 counts. The charges stem from a wild 25-mile chase from Queensbury to the town of Chester last Sept. 26. State Police tried to stop him for driving 93 mph in a construction zone in the northbound lanes near Exit 18, and he fled north at speeds of up to 111 mph. Police said Crouse ran several vehicles off the highway and nearly hit a Warren County sheriffs officer who tried to use tire deflation devices near Exit 23. State Police were able to use a tire deflation device on one of Crouses tires about a mile south of Exit 25, but Crouse continued on and got off the exit before hitting Turcottes pickup truck from behind, killing him instantly when his truck flipped over. Police said Crouse fled his heavily damaged truck on foot, but was arrested by officers in woods near the exit. He later told police he was insane, was a heavy drug user and was late for a birthday party. Police have not said why the native of a Canadian border Indian reservation was in the U.S., but he has a prior criminal record that includes at least one arrest for allegedly smuggling tobacco into the country from Canada. Crouse faces up to 25 years in prison for the weightiest charge, first-degree assault. Crouse has listed a variety of addresses around the state and the Akwesasne Indian reservation on the Canadian border with northern New York in the months since his arrest. Turcotte, 38, was a well-known boat-builder who served on the Horicon Planning Board. Don Lehman covers police and court matters, Warren County government and the outdoors. He can be reached at 518-742-3224 or dlehman@poststar.com Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 14 Coronavirus has forced a reality check for religions and their assumed powers. The pandemic has occasioned sobriety, reality-based sobriety among believing folks. A virus has put the gods to a test and subjected all supernatural powers to an unprecedented trial. Coronavirus has compelled religious establishments to reassess their positions and tenets and review their rituals. By all measures, this microorganism has caused the evaporation of faith in the almighty God/Allahs healing powers. The Vatican City like the rest of Italy is in a lockdown and the pope whom Catholics believe represents the Jesus God on earth has been seen offering a blessing to an empty Basilica square. Churches in Italy have removed the holy water at the entrances to avoid the spread of the virus. The pope, bishops, pastors and other anointed men and women of God are taking precautions, evidence, not faith-based precautions. Clerics are socially distancing themselves and taking other medically advised, not revealed measures to stay safe, healthy and alive. Mecca and Medina that host some of Islams holiest sites are deserted. For many Muslims, Allah is domiciled at these places. The Saudi government has, in an attempt to prevent the virus from spreading to the nation, banned pilgrimages. Iran has canceled Friday prayers. Interestingly none of these measures has been interpreted as an insult on Islam or Prophet Muhammad, or as offensive to Muslim religious sensibilities. One wonders if Islamic nations are no longer in direct communication with Allah regarding a cure. Countries that have high infection rates have asked religious devotees to pray from home. A cartoon showing anxious godmen of the various religions urging a scientist to speed up with getting a cure/vaccine has been circulating on social media. The religious world is anxiously looking to science and scientists for a solution, and cure If it were not for the pandemic, some would have deemed the cartoon offensive, a form of insult or disrespect to other peoples religious beliefs. And the cartoonist would be sanctioned or in some places imprisoned or killed. The pandemic has led to the desertion of the Vatican City and the Kabba, to the desertion of churches, mosques, and temples. It has demonstrated the void and lack of potency in the claims and powers associated with these religious icons, places, and institutions. Think about it. Is it not an obvious demonstration of a lack of faith that Catholics stayed away from the Basilica square and not attend to receive a papal blessing? The papal blessing should protect them against the virus. Shouldnt it? The papal blessing should provide spiritual immunity. It should be the spiritual vaccine that Dr. Jesus administers to attendees at the square. So why should Catholics show little or no faith at this time? Is the coronavirus more powerful than God? Meanwhile, God lives in the person of the pope at the Vatican. In fact, what should the coronavirus be doing in this city of God? I mean why should church authorities remove the holy water? Is this act not a demonstration that the fear of the coronavirus, not the fear of the Lord has become the beginning of wisdom? The Saudi government and the Ummah are adopting the same wisdom steeped in doubt and disbelief in Allah's powers. Otherwise, why should the Saudi government ban pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina? Muslims believe that Allah has the power to stop the spread of the virus and to heal anybody who accidentally contracts it. Is this not an opportunity for Allah to demonstrate his healing powers as believed by Muslims? Is it not the belief in this power of Allah that motivates Muslims from very poor nations to borrow money and use their savings to embark on pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina? So what happened to the purported healing powers of the various deities that humans have worshipped and still worship? Have they suddenly expired or disappeared? Where are the various gods and goddesses that humans vehemently claim exist and intervene in worldly affairs? Are they sleeping? Have they gone on holiday? Are they not hearing the prayers that believers are saying from their various homes or in public with their medical face masks? What happened to the assumed supernatural forces, the transcendental entities in whose name humans have killed, and have been killed; have maimed and imprisoned other human beings? Why cant they emerge or manifest their so-called powers and save humanity from this pandemic? If these gods fail to show up now and use their powers to save humanity, what does that say about their assumed existence and salvific potentials? I mean will religions survive this reality check occasioned by the coronavirus? We have a remarkable ability to elevate the petty over the substantive. President Trump has been thoroughly scolded for calling the virus from China the Chinese virus dont lets be beastly to the ChiComs but the culpability of the Chinese government in the disaster that is playing out around the world is discussed, if it is discussed at all, in the most muffled way. There is a long history of attaching geographic names to diseases. If the present instances are unfair to the Chinese people, who have suffered massively from the outbreak, a better name would be Xis disease. Indeed, we do not blame the Chinese people for the fact that a novel coronavirus cropped up in Wuhan. We blame the government in Beijing for making the problem dramatically worse by trying to cover it up, for its ridiculous efforts to try to shift blame for the epidemic onto the United States and others, and for its ongoing attempts to veil its own shameful incompetence by expelling journalists from the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. Beijings vanity and its insecurity gave the coronavirus a critical monthlong head start, as James Palmer put it in Foreign Policy. The Communist Party machine that rules 1.4 billion people in China may look like an immovable monolith, but it has weaknesses and fissures. The Chinese people at large may not feel much sympathy for the despised Uighur minority, but they know that if the Uighurs can be rounded up and put in concentration camps, then so can they. They have watched as the government of Xi Jinping has violated the terms of the settlement under which, in theory, Hong Kong is supposed to enjoy a high degree of autonomy and self-rule. They have seen the brutal suppression of dissidents at home and Beijings attempts, too often successful, to bully its neighbors and trading partners. They know firsthand the bottomless corruption of the Chinese ruling elite. And they have, for a generation, accepted that corruption and repression in exchange for security and a rising standard of material life. The rulers in Beijing know that they are always one serious recession away from being turned out and worse and they so feared economic disruption and damage to their own institutional prestige that they placed a losing bet that the heavy hand of their police state would be heavy enough to quash the coronavirus outbreak. Story continues We are all now paying a price for that corruption and stupidity. A new disease can crop up anywhere. We do not blame Beijing for that. We blame Beijing for the other Chinese virus: the repression it practices at home and seeks to export, and its criminal negligence in this epidemic. We blame them for Li Wenliang, the doctor who tried to warn his fellow medical practitioners about the situation in Wuhan only to be silenced by Chinese gestapo and forced to sign a statement that his warnings were criminal misbehavior. He was soon dead of the very plague he tried to warn of. A half-dozen other doctors were silenced in the same way. We blame them for Xu Zhiyong and Li Qiaochu, anti-corruption activists who criticized Xi Jinpings coronavirus cover-up. They have been disappeared. So have many others. Their likely fates are torture and death. We blame them for the lies of Zhao Lijian, the Chinese official who has tried to claim that the coronavirus came from the United States to Wuhan, not the other way around. He has suggested that this was a project of the U.S. military. That is very dangerous talk. Other Chinese diplomats and officials have made similar outrageous claims. This epidemic will subside. But we will not forget Beijings irresponsibility, nor its cowardice and dishonesty in the early days of the outbreak. The Beijing regime has long been a boot on the neck of the Chinese people, but it is now a menace to the world at large. There are many things that we hope will change in the wake of this crisis. The character of the government in Beijing should be one of them. More from National Review By Lisa Baertlein and Ankit Ajmera (Reuters) - U.S. By Lisa Baertlein and Ankit Ajmera (Reuters) - U.S. package delivery company FedEx Corp suspended its 2020 profit outlook on Tuesday, citing the "significant impact" of the coronavirus, and said it would cut costs due to the uncertainty wrought by the pandemic. Even so, the company reported quarterly revenue that beat market expectations as more businesses turned to its international express plane service to safeguard their supply chains as COVID-19 illnesses and deaths mount around the world. Shares in FedEx surged as much as 5% before falling 0.5% to $94.50 in after-the-bell trading. "The reaction to their release is a bit like driving looking through the rear-view window," said Trip Miller, managing partner at Memphis-based Gullane Capital Partners. "There wasn't much in there for me to feel positive about FedEx or anybody else in the next 60 days." FedEx joined Denmark's DSV Panalpina , a major transportation and logistics provider, in suspending profit forecasts due to unprecedented business disruption from the virus. FedEx, which benefited from President Donald Trump's corporate tax cut, submitted a request to the U.S. government for "liquidity support," Chief Financial Officer Alan Graf said on a conference call with analysts. The package delivery company's adjusted net income dropped 53.5% year-over-year to $371 million, or $1.41 per share, for the fiscal third quarter ended Feb. 29. Revenue rose about 3% to $17.5 billion (14.5 billion pounds). Analysts on average expected earnings of $1.41 per share and revenue of $16.89 billion, according to Refinitiv IBES data. The company - whose rivals include United Parcel Service Inc and Amazon's homegrown delivery operation - was grappling with the integration of its TNT Express unit, higher costs related to launching Sunday home delivery, and the loss of Amazon.com Inc as a customer before the deadly virus outbreak began. Executives see opportunity in surging e-commerce spending as governments in Europe and the United States urge people to hunker down at home to reduce the spread of the virus. Rampant international passenger flight cancellations already have been a boon for the lucrative express business at FedEx, they said. "It's like Christmas right now on the express side. They're moving all sorts of supplies and equipment," said Dean Maciuba, a director at Logistics Trends & Insights. FedEx is attacking costs by restructuring the company to move more express packages through its ground network, Maciuba said. But it still lags UPS, whose integrated express and ground network is more efficient. "I do believe it's a turnaround story, but it's going to take forever," said Maciuba, adding that it could take up to three years to get FedEx margins back to 7-8% from less than 3% today. Miller, of Gullane Capital, noted that FedEx's stock is trading at roughly the same level as 15 years ago. "The top 5 executives, plus the board, have made $870 million over the last 15 years, while shareholders have made nothing," he said. (Reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles and Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall and Leslie Adler) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. US actress Vanessa Hudgens arrives for the premiere of Sony Pictures' "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood" at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California on July 22, 2019. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP) Vanessa Hudgens attends the world premiere of "Second Act" at Regal Union Square Theatre, Stadium 14 on December 12, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images) Actress Vanessa Hudgens attends the Press Junket for "Rent", in Los Angeles, California, on January 8, 2018. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP) Actress Vanessa Hudgens has apologised for controversial comments she made about the coronavirus lockdown in the US. Hudgens (31), who starred in Disney's High School Musical franchise, is self-isolating at her Los Angeles home alone and said in a lengthy Instagram Story that she "Umm, yeah, 'til July sounds like a bunch of bulls**t," she said in response to the potential length of time Americans may be in quarantine to stop the spread of the virus. "I'm sorry, but like, it's a virus, I get it, like, I respect it, but at the same time I'm like, even if everybody gets it, like yeah, people are going to die, which is terrible but like, inevitable?" She received widespread criticism, with many describing her as "insensitive" and "heartless". Hours later, after the backlash, she apologised and said her comments were "taken out of context", re-iterating that she is following US government advice and staying indoors. In a separate statement on Twitter, she wrote: "Hey guys. I'm so sorry for the way I have offended anyone and everyone who has seen the clip from my Instagram live yesterday. Expand Close US actress Vanessa Hudgens arrives for the premiere of Sony Pictures' "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood" at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California on July 22, 2019. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp US actress Vanessa Hudgens arrives for the premiere of Sony Pictures' "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood" at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California on July 22, 2019. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP) "I realise 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. "I'm sending safe wishes to everyone to stay safe and healthy during this crazy time." Before her comments regarding the coronavirus, Hudgens responded to a viral TikTok made by her former High School Musical co-star Ashley Tisdale. Video of the Day In a side-by-side video, Hudgens pours wine and sings along as Tisdale dances to High School Musical hit We're All In This Together. Gardai in The Cabra House at 12.30am on Monday last A garda public order unit was sent in to shut a north Dublin pub which remained open after closing hours and after it was announced that all pubs across the country were to close. Our photo shows officers clearing out the pub in Cabra at 12.30am on Monday when there were still around 30 punters drinking inside. According to legislation, last orders in pubs on Sundays is at 11pm. The incident happened in The Cabra House after all pubs nationwide had agreed that they would close at the end of business on March 15 for two weeks to help combat the spread of coronavirus. Videoed It was an hour-and-a-half after closing time when gardai entered The Cabra House and ensured it was shut down and customers removed. No arrests were made but gardai ordered that the pub close immediately. "Because of the unique nature of this health crisis it is envisioned that public order units across the country will be utilised much more frequently," a source told the Herald. "What you saw in the early hours of Monday is just one example of this." The garda raid was videoed on a mobile phone and then uploaded onto social media. In the video, officers can be seen talking to staff and then requesting that everyone in the pub leave immediately. One drinker is heard exclaiming: "The ERU in here bleedin' running amok." "F**k the coronavirus," shouts one man. Later, as gardai ask people to leave, they are subjected to more abuse. "Get out of the f**king pub," one man shouts. The video ends with the drinkers dispersing outside the pub. : All necessary preventive measures are to be taken against the coronavirus in 200 churches and 150 educational institutions, hospitals and hostels coming under the CSI Coimbatore diocese. Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, Bishop Timothy Ravinder said the diocese consists of eight revenue districts of Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Salem, Nilgiris, Namakkal, Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri. Circulars have been sent to all the churches and institutions on awareness and immediate preventive measures about the coronavirus after receiving guidelines from the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu K Palaniswami on March 16, he said. Meanwhile, a Krishna temple in Kethi in Nilgiris district saw a special pooja by placing 108 types of herbs to save the people from the coronavirus. With six priests performing the pooja, people were given food and herbal medicines. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US soldiers after a live fire drill during joint exercises with South Korea, at Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon, South Korea, March 7, 2011. Ahn Young-joon/AP The Department of Defense is preparing to make up to 5 million N95 respirator masks available to support civilian public health agencies and other responders in the coronavirus fight, the defense secretary said Tuesday. The Pentagon is also providing up to 2,000 deployable ventilators and making 14 certified coronavirus testing facilities available. "We hope this will provide excess capacity to the civilian population," Defense Secretary Mark Esper said. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. To support ongoing domestic efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus, which causes the illness COVID-19, the US military will provide millions of masks to support civilian public health agencies and other responders, Pentagon leadership said Tuesday. "The Department of Defense will make available up to 5 million N95 respirator masks and other personal protective equipment from our own strategic reserves to Health and Human Services for distribution," Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said. "The first 1 million masks will be made available immediately," he added. "The Pentagon will be providing 5 million respirator masks and 2,000 specialized ventilators to aid in our whole of America Coronavirus response. This critical equipment will keep our health care providers safe as they care for patients," Vice President Mike Pence said on Twitter. COVID-19 has spread to more than 5,800 people and killed nearly 100 people in the US. As the illness spreads domestically, masks and other protective equipment are becoming harder to find. Additional support measures include providing up to 2,000 deployable ventilators to HHS and making 14 certified coronavirus testing labs available to test non-DoD personnel. "We hope this will provide excess capacity to the civilian population," Defense Secretary Mark Esper said. He added that the Pentagon is also looking at the activation of National Guard and Reserve units to assist states as needed. The National Guard is already assisting in 22 states. Story continues USNS Comfort at Naval Station Norfolk after a five-month deployment, November 15, 2019. US Navy The military is preparing its hospital ships for possible deployment to assist during the crisis, according to The Wall Street Journal. The US Navy has two hospital ships available, the USNS Comfort in Norfolk, Virginia, and the USNS Mercy in San Diego. "The Comfort is undergoing maintenance, and the Mercy is at port." Esper told reporters Tuesday, revealing that the Department of Defense has already given Navy orders "to lean forward in terms of getting them ready to deploy." The defense secretary explained that US military assets like hospital ships and field hospitals are designed for trauma response rather than matters like infectious diseases, so these assets would likely be used to take the pressure off civilian medical facilities with regard to trauma care. Esper also said that the Army Corps of Engineers could be made available to assist states in need but suggested there might be more effective options. The secretary stressed to reporters that "if we can dramatically reduce the spread of the virus over the next 15 days, together we can help restore public health and the economy and hasten a return to our normal way of life." Update: This post has been updated to include the vice president's tweet, as well as clarify that the masks are going to HHS to support civilian public health agencies and other responders. Read the original article on Business Insider LaFleur Stephens-Dougan, a political scientist at Princeton and the author of Race to the Bottom: How Racial Appeals Work in American Politics, wrote me in an email: Most Americans have a distorted definition of racism. We think of racism as person-to-person acts of prejudice like using a slur. Such behavior is racist, but racism is far more than that. We have baked racism into our political institutions and economic systems. It is important, Stephens-Dougan argues, to ask people why they think black and Latino neighborhoods struggle with poor school and higher levels of crime. If ones answer, she continued, is that those neighborhoods are under-resourced because blacks and Latinos are less smart, less hardworking or less disciplined, etc., then that answer is racist. Ryan Enos, a political scientist at Harvard, applies what he calls the Golden Rule of Intergroup Relations which means that if you would be upset if somebody did something to or said something about your own group, then it is bigotry if you say it about or do it to another group. Ashley Jardina, a political scientist at Duke and the author of White Identity Politics, put it this way: The use of these terms is complicated, messy, and without consensus. There are a number of important distinctions we can make. We think of racial prejudice as an individual-level sense of hostility, animus, set of negative stereotypes, or other negative attitudes that one person has toward members of a group by way of their race. We refer to a person as racist when they have some degree of racial prejudice. For most Americans, this is generally what they think of when they hear the term racism or racist. A racist is a person who uses racial slurs directed at racial out-groups and thinks their own racial group is superior. Lets turn back to Darren Davis of Notre Dame. I asked Davis and other scholars whether Asian-American protests in New York City against the potential elimination of entrance exams as the sole determinant of entry into selective high schools like Stuyvesant or Bronx Science were racist. Likewise, is the opposition of well off suburbanites to affordable housing in their neighborhoods racist? Is the number of African-Americans in prison evidence of racism? And is white opposition to the decarceration movement, or to the prison abolition movement, racist? Davis stresses that, in his view, not all racialized behavior and expressions stem from racial hatred or hating African Americans. He is cautious in his wording: Ordinary citizens, without being racists themselves, may do and say things that are consistent with a racist ideology. It does not make the outcomes any less egregious or harmful. For instance, Asian-Americans protesting NYC school proposals is not necessarily racist in my opinion because I can see other motivations driving the support for higher standards not just beliefs about the inferiority of others. Davis argues that the debate has become clouded, that even though individual and group motives may not be racist, the outcomes achieved can be identical to the ones that racists would seek: My overall point is that we have forgotten what racism means. In doing so, we have focused attention on bigots and white nationalists and not held ordinary citizens accountable for beliefs that achieve the same ends. Chloe Thurston, in turn, cited as specific examples President Trumps or Steve Kings comments about certain types of immigrants being unassimilable or not sufficiently American and suggesting that other (e.g. white) immigrants do not have those characteristics. While both Trump and King, an anti-immigrant congressman from Iowa, balk at the label racist, she continued, it is descriptively accurate and necessary from the standpoint of keeping track of the role and uses of racism in American society and politics. Like Davis, Thurston sought to address the more difficult question of when it is legitimate to use that label for everyday behaviors. Her answer: People can participate in and perpetuate racist systems without necessarily subscribing to those beliefs. People can recognize something they participate in or contribute to as racist but decide its not disqualifying. And people can design racist policies and systems. These are distinctive manifestations of racism but not all of them require us to know whether a person is expressly motivated by racism. Cindy Kam a political scientist at Vanderbilt, and a co-author with Camille Burge, a political scientist at Villanova, of Uncovering Reactions to the Racial Resentment Scale Across the Racial Divide added another element to the discussion: wariness about how the word is used in political and policy debates: As a social scientist, I would entertain the possibility that peoples actions are guided by a variety of motivations, potentially including racial considerations but also values (i.e., a commitment to a free market; egalitarianism; moral conservatism); economic considerations; self-interest (concerns about my childs ability to get into a high school or my childs commute to a faraway school), or even factual beliefs. Because of the wide variety of possible motivations, Kam wrote in her email, she would hesitate to label an action as racist unless racial considerations seem to be the only or the massively determinative consideration at play, based upon statistical modeling or carefully calibrated experiments. Kam notes that she worries about excessive use of these labels because describing someone or some action as racist can easily escalate conflict beyond the point of return. Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) has suspended international flights during quarantine to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection. This is stated on the website of UIA. "UIA has suspended planned operations along its entire route network in accordance with the decree of the President of Ukraine and the decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) to temporarily suspend the crossing of the state border in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19 on the territory of Ukraine," the message says. It is noted that for the period from March 17 to April 3, UIA canceled more than 2 thousand flights. The last UIA flight arrived from New York, the plane landed in Kyiv at 16:01 local time on March 17. At the same time, the UIA regular flights program is suspended until quarantine measures are canceled in Ukraine. All regular flights are removed from the schedule for the period set by the government, UIA stressed. In addition, quarantine flights were discontinued. UIA also offers passengers alternative solutions - from rebooking tickets at a later date to a full refund of the ticket. At the same time, in order to transport tourists back to Ukraine, charter flights will be carried out under contracts with travel agencies and with all sanitary measures. In particular, as an exception, carriers are allowed to operate flights for the transport of persons traveling in order to ensure the protection of national interests and compliance with international obligations; take citizens of Ukraine home and take foreign citizens out of the country; and carry representatives of diplomatic and humanitarian missions. As we reported before, on March 18, 57 flights are carried out, abd 11.5 thousand citizens will be returned to Ukraine. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated this. KYODO NEWS - Mar 18, 2020 - 22:02 | All, Coronavirus, Japan Japan will ask travelers from Europe as well as Egypt and Iran to self-quarantine for 14 days after their arrival, in an attempt to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Wednesday. The temporary measure from Saturday to the end of April will target all travelers from 38 countries, Abe told a meeting of a government task force on fighting the coronavirus. They include 27 members of the European Union, Britain and Monaco. During the two-week period, visitors from the targeted countries will be asked not to use public transportation in Japan. The Japanese Foreign Ministry will invalidate visas already issued to people from the 38 countries also from Saturday to the end of April. Starting Thursday, Japan will also strengthen its border controls by imposing an entry ban on parts of Spain, Switzerland and Italy as well as all of Iceland. Foreign travelers who have been to the areas within 14 days of arrival in Japan will be refused entry "for the time being," Abe said without elaborating. Japan is scrambling to prevent a surge in domestic infections with the Tokyo Olympics roughly four months away. The viral outbreak has led countries around the world to impose travel restrictions, casting a pall over the global economic outlook. The latest steps mirror those already taken for travelers from China and South Korea, both hit hard by the viral outbreak that has spread globally and is now characterized by the World Health Organization as a pandemic. As the number of cases has totaled around 180,000 globally, Abe called on Japanese citizens to exercise caution if they plan to go overseas, issuing a "Level 1" warning, the lowest, for the rest of the world. For Iceland and parts of regions in Italy, Spain and Switzerland, which are subject to the entry ban, Japan has already warned its citizens to avoid all travel there by raising the alert to Level 3. The ban covers the northern Italian regions of Valle d'Aosta, Trentino-Alto Adige, Fruili-Venezia Giulia and Liguria. Also included are the Swiss cantons of Ticino and Basel-Stadt, along with the Spanish provinces of Madrid and La Rioja as well as Navarre and the Basque Country. The epicenter of the viral outbreak that began in China in December has shifted to Europe, triggering unprecedented steps by the European Union, which promotes the free movement of goods and people. The United States has already restricted travel from Europe. EU leaders agreed Tuesday to impose a 30-day restriction on nonessential travel to the bloc to limit the spread of the virus. Italy, hit by the largest number of infections after China, has already imposed a nationwide lockdown. French President Emmanuel Macron has ordered people in France to stay at home for up to 15 days. Related coverage: Infected man in Japan who wanted to "spread virus" dies Osaka to offer free school lunches as coronavirus hits local economy More parents in Japan turn to apps for child care as virus shuts schools VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teck Resources Limited (TSX: TECK.A and TECK.B, NYSE: TECK) ("Teck) announced today a temporary suspension of construction activities at its Quebrada Blanca Phase 2 (QB2) project to ensure employee safety and support Chilean efforts to limit transmission of COVID-19. This suspension will be for an initial two-week period, at which point Teck will re-assess the status of the project in light of the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation. The suspension will affect a total of approximately 15,000 workers on the QB2 project. Considering the significant size and scale of the QB2 project, and the fact that workers on the project commute in large numbers from all over Chile, this is the right decision to protect the health and safety of workers and their families, and to support the Chilean government efforts to halt the spread of COVID-19, said Don Lindsay, President and CEO, Teck. In the days ahead, we will be putting a plan in place to be ready to restart construction as soon as possible, subject to further developments in the response to COVID-19. I want to thank all workers for their understanding and their continued focus on health and safety during this challenging time. The orderly suspension of construction activities is effective immediately, and the workforce will demobilize over the coming days. There have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 associated with QB2 employees or contractors to date. Teck will be providing a QB2 Project Update during the annual Investor and Analyst Day conference call on April 1. The Quebrada Blanca Phase 2 (QB2) Project is one of the worlds largest undeveloped copper resources. Teck holds an indirect 60% interest in Compania Minera Teck Quebrada Blanca SA (QBSA) which owns QB2. Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd. and Sumitomo Corporation together have a collective 30% indirect interest in QBSA. ENAMI, a Chilean state agency, has a 10% non-funding interest in QBSA. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information as defined in the Securities Act (Ontario). Forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as expects, intends, is expected, potential or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, should, would, might or will be taken, occur, or be achieved. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the duration of the suspension period, timing of restart of the project, and duration of demobilization period. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. These statements are based on a number of assumptions, including, but not limited to, assumptions regarding no mandated extension to the initial suspension period, appropriateness of the initial suspension period, ability to demobilize promptly and ability to restart the project. Factors that may cause actual results to vary include, but are not limited to, additional measures imposed by regulatory authorities to implement or extend suspension of activities, determinations by the company to extend the suspension, and difficulties in demobilization or restart of construction due to various factors, including lack of availability of manpower or equipment. Certain of these risks are described in more detail in the annual information form of Teck and in its public filings with Canadian securities administrators and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Teck does not assume the obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date of this document or to revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. About Teck Teck is a diversified resource company committed to responsible mining and mineral development with major business units focused on copper, steelmaking coal, zinc and energy. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, its shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols TECK.A and TECK.B and the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TECK. Learn more about Teck at www.teck.com or follow @TeckResources . Teck Media Contact: Chad Pederson Manager, Communications Planning 604.699.5013 chad.pederson@teck.com AAA Pioneer Valley offices are closed to walk-in traffic until further notice, Sandra Marsian, vice president of travel, membership and marketing, said Wednesday. The organization is not offering Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicle services. The RMV did reopen seven centers Wednesday until further notice: Boston/Haymarket, Brockton, Fall River, Lawrence, Pittsfield, Plymouth and Worcester. As of March 16, the RMV implemented a 60-day extension for some deadlines. Residents with class D and class DM drivers licenses, ID cards and learners Permits that have an expiration date between March 1, 2020 and April 30, 2020, will have an extra 60 days to renew, the RMV said. The extension does not apply to people with commercial drivers licenses or those whose end of stay in the United States is the same as the expiration date on their drivers license, ID card, or learners permit. Customers eligible for the extension should wait to visit an RMV Service Center until after the state of emergency is over. Marsian said travel, insurance and emergency roadside service is available to AAA members by calling 413-785-1381. AAA has most call takers and associates working from home and is able to assist members with 95% of the transactions we offer via phone, AAA.com and the AAA Mobile App. Related Content: (Newser) At the UAW's insistence, Ford, General Motors, and Fiat Chrysler decided Wednesday to close all of their plants in North America to combat the spread of the coronavirus. The plants won't restart before March 30 for Ford and GM, the Detroit Free Press reports. Fiat Chrysler has not release its plans. In the meantime, plants will be cleaned and disinfected, and the companies and union will work on developing best practices for containing the virus when production ramps back up. GM said employees will be paid, but those details aren't decided. A worker at the Flint Assembly plant said he's been worried about taking the virus home to his two young children. "Walking into work each day, I had that feeling that it's scary walking past somebody and handing parts to somebody," he said. US Rep. Debbie Dingell said the work stoppage will hit the economy hard. "However, we will never be able to rebound without the hardworking men and women of the auto industry," she said. story continues below The number of unemployment applications being filed around the country shows why Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said unemployment during the pandemic could reach 20%. Nearly 20,000 people in Massachusetts filed for benefits Monday, per Slate, and 15,000 in New Jersey, a record for a single day. Ohio residents filed 48,000 claims in two days this week, compared with 1,825 over two days the week before. The restaurant industry could lose $225 billion over the next three months, said the National Restaurant Association, which wants federal aid for its members. On Wednesday alone, the prestigious restaurant company Union Square Hospitality Group laid off 2,000 employees, per the New York Times, "due to a near-complete elimination of revenue." Funds are being started across the nation to help laid-off employees, but restaurant owners said that with 15 million people working in an industry that's nearly shut down, they can't raise nearly enough. (Read more coronavirus stories.) The Health Minister Simon Harris has moved to reassure older people the Government will look after them as the number of cases of Covid-19 is expected to rise to 15,000 by the end of the month. Speaking in Dublin today, Mr Harris said: We expect anywhere between 10-15,000 tests for Covid-19 being ordered in the coming days. It is going to take several days for your test to be processed. Some countries have decided to go against WHO guidelines and have stopped testing in the community we will test, test, test. I really dont want anybody in our country to be scared because we have to look after the health of all our people. Older people should not be worried it is an uncertain time, but we are going to mind you. Testing and social distancing are hugely important in the fight against Covid19. Today @SimonHarrisTD and I got a chance to say thanks to @CillianDeGascun and all the staff at the National Virus Reference Lab in @ucddublin. Thanks for all your hard work! pic.twitter.com/79nf42c7j2 Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) March 18, 2020 Im very conscious of older people reading newspapers and looking at broadcasts there should not be a sense of panic or fear. My advice today is that if you are an older person or a person with an underlying health condition do try and stay at home as much as possible. If we arrive to a point where that advice needs to change, we will be working with community organisations, we will be working with older people to make sure they all have the support that they need. The Health Minister also revealed that 24,000 people have contacted the HSE in the past 24 hours, responding to the Government's call for help. Mr Harris described it as a amazing national effort and is hoping more people will sign up to HSE.ie/oncall to see if they can help. In the last 24 hours, 24,000 people have contacted the @HSELive responding to our call for help! Ireland, I love you! What an amazing national effort. Thank you so much. Lets keep at it. Go to https://t.co/FcV6QXIHGE and see if you can help #coronavirus #Covid19 Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) March 18, 2020 The Government may have to introduce measures to support people who are unable to pay rent because they are not able to work amid the Covid-19 outbreak, Regina Doherty has said. The Minister for Social Protection called on landlords to acknowledge that we are all in this together. Up to 150,000 people have lost their jobs due to the outbreak, and the figure is set to rise in the weeks ahead. There are 292 confirmed cases in the country. Ten new cases were announced in Northern Ireland on Tuesday, bringing the total number there to 62. Were in this together. Somebody who doesnt have anything more than 203 quid a week, theyre going to buy food, Ms Doherty said. On Tuesday night in an address to the nation, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that everyone in our society must show solidarity in this time of national sacrifice. Everybody needs to be mindful and cognisant that we will get through this and come out the other end Ms Doherty said she understood the new Pandemic Unemployment Payment of 203 euro per week to help people who have lost their job may not be high enough for those paying rent. She called on landlords to have some understanding during this time. Ms Doherty said: If people cant afford to pay their rents, theyre not going to be able to magic up some money between now and the end of the month, the end of next month. Everybody needs to be mindful and cognisant that we will get through this and come out the other end. Meanwhile, people who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19 and are unable to pay their mortgage need a simple solution from the Government, Michael McGrath said. For information on the new #COVID2019 Pandemic Unemployment Payment, click here: https://t.co/tekI7ziKjX Please do not visit your local Intreo Centre if at all possible Our dedicated phone line for #COVID19 queries is open from 9am - 5pm today: 01-2481398, 1890-800-024 pic.twitter.com/EQnw6PIQGA Department of Social Protection (@welfare_ie) March 18, 2020 The Fianna Fail finance spokesman said thousands of people will be unable to make their repayments in the weeks ahead, and they need simplicity and speed. Speaking to RTE radio, he said there are thousands of Irish people who pay their mortgages to vulture funds instead of banks and will require help in the weeks ahead. Mr McGrath: Increasingly over the the last number of years, the banks have been selling on loan portfolios to non-bank loan owners, including vulture funds. They now own well in excess of 100,000 mortgages in Ireland. They too need to be spoken to and the people whose loans have been sold need an assurance that they too will be treated with respect and will be afforded the time and space to get through this difficult period. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe is to meet the chief executives of the major banks this afternoon to discuss a joint plan to provide support for customers affected by Covid-19. The five main banks include Bank of Ireland, AIB, Permanent TSB, KBC and Ulster Bank. Ms Doherty said the banks will make an announcement of supports to homes and businesses later this afternoon. It comes as Mr Varadkar warned issues related to the outbreak of Covid-19 in Ireland could go on for a number of months. Check back for more analysis and contextual updates on coronavirus throughout the day. SIGN UP: Get our coronavirus newsletter delivered directly to your inbox Medical deaths rising In France, the health minister announced the first death of a hospital doctor on Sunday, apparently the first in that nation. On Friday, a 57-year-old Italian doctor, Marcello Natali, who repeatedly warned about the dangers of the coronavirus and what he called an inadequate response to it in that nation, succumbed to the disease. In China, Liu Zhiming, director of Wuhans Wuchang Hospital and a respected neurosurgeon, died Feb. 18. Three other Chinese doctors died in one day, all infected with COVID-19. A 52-year-old nurse on Thursday became the first medical professional in Spain to die of COVID-19 on Thursday. The growing pandemic is putting medical workers in jeopardy as few other infectious diseases have in recent years. Doctors and nurses treating patients with the viral infection are in the hot zone in growing numbers, and the increasing shortage of masks and other safety gear is adding another level of risk. Spontaneous applause has been breaking out in European cities when doctors, nurses and other health care workers leave their hospitals after lengthy shifts, as a token of gratitude. Its a scene likely to be repeated for the foreseeable future. Fairfield police urge residents to stay home The Fairfield Police Department is enlisting the towns help to flatten the curve of COVID-19 cases. In a video posted Friday on the departments Twitter account, officers ask for residents and other community members to stay home. By you staying home with your family and enjoying your time with your family, you are literally making a difference in helping us get through this, one officer says in the video. Staying at home helps to reduce the community spread of the novel coronavirus, limits first responders exposure and help them focus on essential calls. At least five police officers in Connecticut have tested positive for the virus, one officer says in the video. Fairfield is a great town, another officer says. And we love to enjoy it as much as you guys do. But for right now, we need your help. Please stay home. The officers also assure the town that there will be a reward for their commitment to social distancing. Theres going to be plenty of time after this is all done to go to the playgrounds, beaches and the restaurants, one officer says. In an accompanying shot, an officer slides down a beach playground chute and flashes a thumbs-up sign. This is a challenging and unprecedented time for all of us, another officer says. And were going to take care great care of this great town while all of you are holding down the fort at home. Total cases up to 194 Here is a chart on the total number of cases, day by day, in Connecticut. And heres a chart on the number of new cases every day in the state. The governor ordered a shelter-in-place policy, asking all but essential employees involved in the food supply chain, healthcare, banking and some manufacturing to stay at home. A dire economic outlook Investment firm Goldman Sachs said today that second quarter gross domestic product will decline at a rate of 24 percent, way above past biggest drop of 10 percent in 1958, as Steve Rattner reported. The national unemployment rate is expected to go to at least 9 percent. Its not just older people The three deaths from coronavirus so far in Connecticut were all older residents, but the latest data from the CDC suggests millenials are also at risk. About 20 percent of all the patients hospitalized in the United States for COVID-19 were between the ages of 20 and 44. Of those admitted to intensive care units, 12 percent were between 20 and 44 years old. Lamonts call with businesses Yesterday, Gov. Ned Lamont and other officials held a conference call with business leaders. They shared some dire statistics (see below). Have a listen to the whole call: The highways are empty Call it social distance driving? The below drone video is from Doug Hardy, who helps run CT News Junkie. As Hardy said on Twitter, ypure seeing rush hour traffic, downtown Hartford, between 5 and 6 p.m. on a Thursday. 12% of Connecticut businesses are closed How are Connecticuts businesses weathering the coronavirus epidemic so far? Not well. A full 80 percent of Connecticut businesses expect sales and revenue to decline, Department of Economic Community Development chief David Lehman said during a conference call with business leaders and state officials. Only 50 percent of the states businesses remain open at full capacity, 39 percent are running at reduced capacity, and 12 percent are closed. Details of the conference call were shared by the Connecticut Business & Industry Association on Twitter. To put those numbers into perspective, 12,000 unemployment claims were filed yesterday. Gov. Ned Lamint said that during the 2008-2010 recession, there were 5,000 unemployment claims a week. This is far worse, Lamont said. When asked if he thought the entire state could shut down, Lamont said, I hope not. Working in conjunction with regional governors on getting the message out to stay at home, practice social distancing, he said. Hope its nothing more draconian than that. Exponential growth explained Heres an explanation of exponential growth from a mathematical perspective, as it relates to coronavirus. The video is a week old so the numbers are a bit out of date, but its an interesting look at the math of epidemics. Is a treatment on the horizon? There is a consortium of researchers searching for an effective coronavirus treatment. A safe, cheap drug that has been in use since the 1940s may be showing some promise. Chloroquine could be effective, both as a treatment and as a preventative measure, according to a group of researchers from Columbia, Stanford and Johns Hopkins Universities, along with the UAB School of Medicine and National Academy of Science. Use of chloroquine (tablets) is showing favorable outcomes in humans infected with Coronavirus including faster time to recovery and shorter hospital stay, the researchers wrote. U.S. CDC research shows that chloroquine also has strong potential as a prophylactic (preventative) measure against coronavirus in the lab, while we wait for a vaccine to be developed. Whats more, its cheap, in wide use already and well tested. Chloroquine is an inexpensive, globally available drug that has been in widespread human use since 1945 against malaria, autoimmune and various other conditions, the researchers wrote. The states complete guidance Connecticut is maintaining a running document on guidance for handling the coronavirus, updating it about every day. Here you go: The study that frightened two countries A study out of London released a few days ago fundamentally altered the way both the United States and the United Kingdom were talking about the virus. Why? Because its pretty dire. Researchers wrote that if the U.S. government did nothing, 2.2million people would die, and that even partial mitigation efforts would do little to stop the spread of the virus, and related deaths. Its a worst case scenario, and of course the United States is not doing nothing. But it does suggest that shelter-in-place orders for extended periods of time will be necessary, and even then only flatten the curve. Models are just that ... models, and subject to real-world influences. Still, this paper did have an efefct on policy, both here and across the pond. The coronavirus gene sequence Want to see the gene sequence for the virus? Here it is. Like all gene sequences, its unintelligible to most of us, just a long string of letters. But that string of letters identified surprisingly quickly by researchers in China is what potential vaccines will be based on. An analysis of that sequence was also used to debunk a conspiracy theory: The Coronavirus was not man-made. 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, an associate professor of immunology and microbiology at Scripps Research. The argument for natural selection is based on two pieces of data. First, a protein was so effective at doing its job that scientists concluded it was the result of natural selection and not the product of genetic engineering, according to Scripps Research. Second, the virus molectular sctructure, called its backbone, would have been constructed from one already known to cause illness, had it been built and not evolved on its own. In the case of COVID-19, the backbone was too different from existing coronaviruses that affect humans, but similar to two other diseases found in bats and pangolins, suggesting that the virus evolved from those sources. 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, researchers wrote. 96 cases, two deaths The first coronavirus death in Connecticut was announced this afternoon, with a total of 96 confirmed cases in the state. The second death was announced later, in New Canaan. Both patients were elderly. What its like covering coronavirus Our editor, Wendy Metcalfe, went on the Lisa Wexler show today and shared what its like to cover the coronavirus. Have a listen... Know the difference in symptoms Yale New Haven Hospital shared the below breakdown of symptoms. Do you have coronavirus? The flu? or a common cold? Check the chart against your symptoms to figure it out. What will restaurants lose? The restaurant industry is expecting to see huge losses from the coronavirus: Economically, we are anticipating sales to decline by $225 billion during the next three months, which will prompt the loss of between five and seven million jobs, the organization said in a letter to the president and congressional leaders. The goal of the letter? A bailout. Theyre not looking for tips. All told, the requested support includes $35 billion for community development block grants, $100 billion in business interruption insurance, $45 billion in loans and $130 million in disaster unemployment assistance. The argument is, without that assistance many restaurants will close and simply never reopen. Without aggressive and immediate action from the federal government, many restaurants that are a staple of local communities will simply never resume service, the letter said. Larson calls for war-time prodiction of ventilators Rep. John Larson has made a plea for the United States to immediately begin manufacturing ventilators, just like they might during a war. He specifically invoked WWII. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to worsen, I am urging the President to use all available authorities and resources, including his recent invoking of the Defense Production Act, to ask manufacturers to immediately begin manufacturing more ventilators and other medical equipment at war-time production rates. During World War II our country came together to manufacture what our country needed, now is the time for us to come together again to make sure we have the equipment we need to treat Americans who become infected with COVID-19, said Larson. Treatments for coronavirus remain elusive There are no treatments for coronavirus. The only thing hospitals have been able to do is make people suffer less from symptoms, if they can. Antivirals havent been effective, and a vaccine is months away, at best. A consortium of hundreds of researchers from around the globe is working to change that. Theyre testing 50 drugs, as The New York Times reported. You have 30 scientists on a Zoom call its the most exhausting, amazing thing, one researcher told The Times . The good news is, theyre working really fast. They mapped the virus in what may be record time, and are testing drugs as quickly as they can. The bad news is, testing takes time. Theyre not expecting to have any real initial data for at least a week. How many cases are really in Connecticut? There are 68 confirmed coronavirus cases in Connecticut, but state epidemiologist Matthew Cartter said thats just the tip of the iceberg. Cartter, using the same math they use to track the flu, said to operate as though there are 100 times that number. That would be 6,800 cases in Connecticut, spread out unevenly with a cluster in Fairfield County. One problem has been the number of tests. Gov. Ned Lamont said during his regular daily briefing Tuesday that between 400 and 500 tests had been completed. In New York state 10,000 people had been tested by Tuesday, with almost 1,400 confirmed cases. Testing in Connecticut began in earnest Tuesday, so there may be a significant jump in the number of confirmed cases when those test results are returned, probably Thursday. 68 cases in Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said Tuesday that the state had logged 68 total confirmed coronavirus cases in Connecticut. The governor said that 10,000 people applied for unemployment compensation in a single day Monday an order of magnitude larger than the 500 applications they might normally see. The state has stopped publishing the number of total tests, but Lamont said Tuesday that the number was between 400 and 500. Virus hurting some work hours, poll says About 18 percent of Americans have had their work hours reduced as a result of the coronavirus, according to a newly released Marist poll. The lower the income, the higher that number gets 25 percent of households making less than $50,000 a year saw a reduction in work hours as a result of the coronavirus. Fourteen percent of those making more than $50,000 a year saw their work hours reduced. The survey was conducted on March 14. In Connecticut, the number of unemployment claims quadrupled this weekend from the usual numbers, as CT News Junkie reported. There were 8,000 new claims over the weekend. The Department of Labor usually receives abouit 500 unemployment claims on a normal weekend. The poll also asked people how they thought President Donald Trump was handling the COVID-19 crisis. Most, 49 percent, said they disapproved of the presidents handling of the crisis. When asked if they trusted what Trump was saying, most said no 60 percent responded not very much or not at all. No more evictions (for now) Dont worry about getting kicked out of your house. Judge James W. Abrams, chief administrative judge for civil matters, issued an order suspending all evictions for the next 10 days. Jaret Leto just found out about coronavirus Actor Jaret Leto went into voluntary isolation nearly two weeks ago, as he shared on Instagram. Not because of the coronavirus, just because he needed some space to do a little meditation. No phone, no TV, no media. He just found out whats going on. Walked out yesterday into a very different world, he wrote. Hospitalization rates The numbers are still low in Connecticut, but if New York is any indication the hospitalization rates from coronavirus could be a significant problem. The most recent data from Gov. Andrew Cuomo shows hospitalization rates as high as 19 percent of all infected patients. There are, by the way, 1,374 coronavirus cases in New York state as of this morning. Lamont on ventilators You dont just go to Amazon to get a ventilator, Gov. Ned Lamont told CNBC. I was on the phone for hours yesterday with hospitals, saying, This may be on us and weve got to take the lead on this. Where do you source this? What can I do to help? How many ventilators are there in the U.S.? Its not an easy number to come by. Hospitals around Connecticut report on the number of available hospital beds, but not the number of ventilators. That being said, there are about 62,000 modern, full-featured ventilators in use around the country, according to the Society of Critical Care Medicine. Add to that another 98,738 older models that dont have all the bells and whistles but can provide basic functions. Then theres an additional 8,900 ventilators in the Strategic National Supply. That brings the total number of available ventilators in the United States to 169,638, but thats not the whole story. There are also modern anesthesia machines, which are capable of ventilating patients and can be used to increase hospitals surge capacity, as the SCCM reported. Thats probably not the whole story. Those numbers were pulled from a 2009 study of 5,752 U.S. acute care hospitals, all members of the American Hospital Association. Also, whether those older models can support the sickest coronavirus patients is a question,and how fast ventilators can be put into play is not clear. Those in the Strategic National Supply could take 36 hours to get where they need to be, but supply chains during an epidemic can be spotty. Many of the additional and older ventilators, however, may not be capable of adequately supporting patients with severe acute respiratory failure, the SCCM wrote. Supplies for these ventilators may also not be available due to interruptions in the international supply chain. Airlines asking for bailouts United Airlines sent a letter to Congress saying employees jobs were at stake and asking for financial assistance, as Politico reported: 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. United cited 1 million fewer customers on board our aircraft than the same period last year. Were also currently projecting that revenue in March will be $1.5 billion lower than last March, the United executive team wrote. The bad news is that its getting worse. We expect both the number of customers and revenue to decline sharply in the days and weeks ahead. Mel Brooks and his son on social distancing That is all. Respirators? Trump tells governors, get it yourselves The availability of respirators and ventilators has been a concern from the beginning. There are simply too few. There are some respirators in the Strategic National Reserve, but President Trump told governors that they were on their own. Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment try getting it yourselves,Trump told a group of governors during a conference call, as The New York Times reported. 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 number of respirators in Connecticut has not been shared, but the number of available hospital beds is an interesting lens through which to look. There were 8,540 available hospital beds in 2018, 63 percent of which are occupied when there isnt an epidemic. U.S. Supreme Court shuts down The U.S. Supreme Court has decided to postpone oral arguments currently scheduled for the March session, the court said in a release. The court will examine the options for rescheduling those cases in due course in light of the developing circumstances. As several news outlets have noted, three cases in which President Donald Trumps financial records are the center of attention are among those that will be rescheduled. This is not unprecedented, as the court noted in its release. Its happened before: Once, in October 1918 during the Spanish flu epidemic, and in both 1793 and 1798 during the yellow fever epidemics. Gas prices are down, but so is demand The latest from AAA shows that gas prices are down both in Connecticut and across the United States. Heres the data they shared: These are significant decreases in just a short time, said Fran Mayko, AAA Northeast spokeswoman. In a sense, were all tanked up with no place to go since Americans are driving less while many schools are closed, and businesses are allowing people to work from home. Here are average gas prices by region: Some of this depends on how it plays out, he said. If its 20 percent of patients that require hospitalization and a significant percentage, 5 percent, of patients require ventilators, thats going to be a lot, absolutely. South Africa: SA Express suspends its wings SA Express has suspended its operations effective as of Wednesday as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). In light of adverse recent developments including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, SA Express announces that it will suspend operations from 18 March 2020 until further notice, said the airline in a statement on Tuesday night. In light of the suspension, the airline will accommodate its customers on alternative flights. In addition, all non-critical SA Express staff will be placed on compulsory leave during this time. The airline will utilise this period to review its current network and streamline operations for improved efficiency. The airline, which falls within the ambit of the Department of Public Enterprises, will provide communication on any additional developments in due course. SA Express offers connectivity between primary and secondary domestic destinations in South Africa and five other Southern African Development Community countries. The suspension comes as Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhizes announcement of a spike of confirmed cases of COVID-19. The number of confirmed cases in the country has increased by 23. There are now 85 cases of the Coronavirus which has been declared a national disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Among the new cases in the country is a 2-year-old boy from the Western Cape who has not travelled internationally. This is the youngest confirmed case. Globally, there are now 184 976 confirmed cases if COVID-19, and 7 529 deaths. The virus has spread to 159 countries/territories. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-03-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged citizens to set aside time on Saturday to pray to end the coronavirus pandemic. The East African nation announced on Tuesday that it had confirmed its fourth case of Covid-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus. Health Minster Mutahi Kagwe told reporters that more than 100 people had been tested since the first patient was diagnosed on Friday. He said 71 people had tested negative, while 36 were under observation. State House tweeted a statement from the president who said that the country was doing its best to prevent the spread of the virus but people also needed to pray. He said: "We acknowledge always that we are nothing without our God.We acknowledge always that we are nothing without our God. And we have learnt over time that turning to God in such times gives us not only comfort but also hope and strength to overcome even those challenges that for us as humans may seem insurmountable."And we have learnt over time that turning to God in such times gives us not only comfort but also hope and strength to overcome even those challenges that for us as humans may seem insurmountable." But Mr Kenyatta said that because of restrictions imposed on public gatherings, Kenyans should pray in their homes. 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. Featured Video Bahrain yesterday announced a BD 4.3 billion economic stimulus package to support the countrys citizens and private sector and counter the effects of the coro- navirus (COVID-19). The unprecedented package of policy measures was announced by ministers yesterday at a press conference held in the capital. The measures, outlined in the eight-point stimulus package, ministers said, are meant to directly support citizens, residents and businesses in the Kingdom. The BD 4.3 billion package is equivalent to 29.6 per cent of Bahrains annual GDP. The move is as directed by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and as advised by the HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister. The package 1. Includes a draft law for paying the salaries of all private-sector employees for three months, starting April 2020, from the unemployment fund. 2. Will cover the cost of Electricity and Water Authority utility bills of individuals and businesses, up to the costs incurred during the same period in 2019, for three months from April 2020. The deal also calls for restructuring government administrative costs to offset additional costs incurred by the government. 3. Exempts all individuals and businesses from municipal fees for three months from April 2020 4. Exempts all businesses from industrial land rental fees for three months from April 2020 5. Exempts all tourism-related industry from tourism levies for three months from April 2020 6. Doubles Liquidity Support Fund to BD 200 million 7. Ups Central Bank of Bahrains loan facilities to BD 3.7bn to allow debt instalments to be deferred and extra credit to be extended 8. Allows redirection of all Tamkeen programmes (semi-autono- mous government agency that provides loans and assistance to businesses) to support adversely affected companies, as well as the restructuring of all debts issued by Tamkeen As the US Senate prepares to pass a bill to help fund and speed up the response to coronavirus epidemic, Kentucky senator Rand Paul has introduced an amendment that will slow down the bills passage even though the amendment has no chance of passing. The bill being debated, which would provide free coronavirus testing and provisions for unemployment insurance and paid sick leave, has already been passed by the House of Representatives. While some Senators have voiced misgivings about it, with some saying it does not go far enough, the bill looks very likely to pass without dramatic alterations. Mr Pauls amendment, however, has no bearing on the substance on the substance of the bill. Instead, it would require a social security number for purposes of the child tax credit, and to provide the President the authority to transfer funds as necessary, and to terminate United States military operations and reconstruction activities in Afghanistan. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, the other senator from Kentucky, has agreed to take up the amendment on Wednesday. It is not expected to pass, but by debating it, the Senate will slow down the overall bills passage. Mr Paul has a record of bringing forward amendments that have little or no hope of becoming law, and which often delay the passage of major legislation. Many have been concerned with limiting government spending. One attempted to balance a 9/11 victims compensation fund with new spending cuts, while another amendment to cut spending pushed the government into a brief shutdown in 2018. Speaking on MSNBC as Mr Pauls latest amendment was reported, his former senate colleague Claire McCaskill of Missouri minced no words about what is happening. Mitch didnt get around to calling the Senate into session, and Monday passed, and now Tuesday has passed, because Rand Paul wants to vote on ending the war in Afghanistan. It is so outrageous that Rand Paul is being allowed to hijack the Senate tonight, and the bill that will include more testing which weve all talked about all night as being so important is gonna languish for another day to try to get Rand Paul to behave like a grown-up. The top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee has accused China of carrying out "one of the worst cover-ups in human history" over the novel coronavirus outbreak and inflicting a pandemic and economic calamity on the world. Why it matters: Rep. Michael McCaul's rhetoric is characteristic of the growing hawkishness toward China among many in Washington, D.C. even, or especially, amid a crisis that is battering both countries. Driving the news: McCaul spoke with Axios shortly after China revoked credentials from reporters at five U.S. media outlets. "If they expel our journalists, if that's their answer, I worry we will never get to the bottom of this," McCaul said. "But at the end of the day, we will be pointing the finger at China." Between the lines: China has been criticized in Washington and beyond for prioritizing the containment of information, rather than of the virus itself, when it emerged in Wuhan. It has also been praised for the "war" it belatedly waged on the virus, with Beijing claiming its decisive action "bought the world time." Increasingly confident it's beyond the worst, China is attempting to play a global leadership role. European politicians, including in Serbia and Italy, have praised China for offering help when the EU could or would not. The big picture: President Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other prominent officials have drawn China's ire by referring to COVID-19 as the "Chinese virus" or "Wuhan virus." Communist Party officials are simultaneously engaged in a disinformation campaign, questioning the origins of the virus and even claiming it may have been spread by the U.S. military. That back-and-forth has merged with another, over access for journalists from both countries. China's effective expulsion of journalists from the NY Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal follows new U.S. restrictions on Chinese state-owned media operating in the U.S. What they're saying: "This came out of Wuhan, China is responsible for that, and they dont like to hear that so their response is to expel our journalists," McCaul told Axios. "We want the truth to come out about this. I do worry for two months they tried to cover it up, which made this situation worse." McCaul claimed "unsanitary practices" in China in the case of COVID-19 at a wet market in Wuhan had been responsible for several viruses that spread beyond China's borders. "I just don't think they can get away with it this time. I think the World Health Organization should play a role here in instead of applauding China for their efforts really holding them responsible for what they've done. They are the cause of a global pandemic." McCaul also said he suspected that China had massively underreported the death toll there. His bottom line: McCaul said the crisis presented the U.S. and American businesses with an opportunity to re-examine their dependence on China. "That's going to be the ultimate impact of this whole crisis," he said. Go deeper: Beijing's coronavirus propaganda blitz goes global Congress workers staged a protest outside the Madhya Pradesh BJP office here on Wednesday after their senior leader Digvijaya Singh was barred from meeting his party's rebel MLAs in Bengaluru. The BJP claimed protesters hurled stones at its office and attacked its members with lathis, a charge refuted by the ruling Congress whose government in the state is facing crisis after 22 party MLAs rebelled and resigned. Some of the protesters were detained, but no one was hurt during the demonstration, police officials said. "The Congress government's exit is imminent in Madhya Pradesh, which is why they attacked our office. We were sitting quietly when protesters hurled stones and rained lathis on us," BJP state spokesman Rahul Kothari alleged. Refuting Kothari's claims, state Congress spokesman Bhupendra Gupta said his party workers did go there (BJP office), but were detained by the police. "They went to protest against the BJP-led Karnataka government for not allowing our leader Digvijaya to meet our MLAs in Bengaluru," he said. The BJP is cooking up stories and creating drama over a peaceful protest, Gupta alleged. Instead of levelling baseless allegations, they (the BJP) should show the person who was hurt in the peaceful protest, he added. Meanwhile, inspector Rakesh Shrivastava of the Habibganj police station said no one was hurt during the protest and the police had not received any report of violence. High drama unfolded on Wednesday morning when Singh staged a protest near the resort in Bengaluru where rebel Congress MLAs are staying, accusing the police of not allowing him to meet the legislators. The senior Congress leader, who was detained by the police, accused the BJP of holding the MLAs captive and threatened to go on a "hunger strike". The BJP has consistently denied holding the rebel Congress MLAs in captivity and claimed they are in the Karnataka capital on their own accord. 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 collapse. Of these, the speaker has accepted the resignations of six MLAs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Britannia Marie Gold today announced the launch of the second season of its annual Britannia Marie Gold My Startup initiative which provides financial assistance to homemakers with entrepreneurial ideas. This year, the brand has partnered with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to launch Indias first-ever skill development program customized for women with entrepreneurial aspirations. 10,000 women homemakers from across the country will undergo this online certification course between April and June 2020. The online training touches upon all key levers of entrepreneurship. The Britannia Marie Gold My Start Up initiative is designed to help Indias homemakers become financially independent and transform them into job creators. The online courses will be available through NSDCs eSkillIndia portal that drives Government of Indias Skill India Mission digitally. The e-courses will empower women to gain basic communication skills, financial literacy along with information and communication technology (ICT), and micro entrepreneurial skills for socio economic self-reliance. The online nature of the training provides easy access to the courses from the comfort of their homes across the country. The primary aim is to train women on key functional skills to boost their confidence at the start of their entrepreneurial journey. The training program will be available in two languages - English and Hindi. The digital skilling content will be supported by formative and summative assessments, and eCertification will be awarded to the participants upon successful completion of the course. Britannias My Startup Initiative also provides financial assistance to homemakers who have entrepreneurial ideas backed by a practical business plan. To participate in the program, the homemakers can give a missed call, send a WhatsApp message to the number provided on the Britannia Marie Gold pack or log on to www.mystartupcontest.com and share their business idea. Britannia Marie Gold launched the My Marie My Startup campaign in the year 2019 on the back of a Nationwide Survey on Barriers and Triggers to Women Entrepreneurship in India conducted in 2018. The overwhelming response of 1.5 million entries in the first Edition of the campaign and the insights gained thereof encouraged the brand to add skill development as a core delivery in the initiative this year. Talking about the second edition of Britannia Marie Gold My Start Up campaign and partnership with NSDC, Mr. Vinay Subramanyam, Head of Marketing, Britannia Industries Ltd. said, Britannia Marie Gold My Start Up initiative aims to fulfill Indian womens aspirations of embarking on an entrepreneurial journey and gaining financial independence. We believe that homemakers are the drivers of growth for a country's success. They have uninhibited energy, endless love and limitless patience. They exhibit an entrepreneurial aptitude in their everyday lives. And yet they seek to do more and be more. This is the rationale for the "Britannia MarieGold My Start up" initiative. Data from a nationwide survey we conducted also pointed out that skill development was a crucial need along with finances. We found the perfect partner in National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to develop and deliver the requisite skills. The scale of the initiative this year has increased manifold with 10,000 homemakers going through an online, certified skill development program. Our partnership with NSDC will help build a vibrant ecosystem and facilitate micro entrepreneurship amongst women. Commending the campaign, Chief Guest, Mr. Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog said, In India only 22% women work while the global average is about 48%. A report by McKinsey specifies that if we reach the world average it would add another USD 700 billion to our economy and for India to grow at high rates of 9 to 10% would not be possible without the participation of women as key entrepreneurs. I would like to compliment this unique initiative by Britannia Marie Gold and the National Skill Development Corporation to transform homemakers to entrepreneurs. We are in the midst of a massive technological disruption and this initiative creates huge opportunities and redefines our existing boundaries in innovation. They are opening up new avenues for business, innovation and entrepreneurship. I am particularly delighted that through this initiative there will be more opportunities for homemakers because women in India have a great spirit for innovation and the resilience to make the best of every available resource and without them it would not be possible for the country to grow, expand and progress. The 21st century poses many challenges that require new ways of thinking, but nothing is more important than the economic role of women in a rapidly changing world. A key pillar to lead this transformation is skill development. Sharing his thoughts on the same, Dr. Manish Kumar, MD & CEO, NSDC quoted, Women constitute 48% of Indian population but as per estimates only 23% participate in labour force. Skilling initiatives especially focused towards Entrepreneurship & Gig Economy is the need of the hour given that 229.2 million, out of the 301.5 million who are not in the labour force, state their status as attending domestic duties and innovative approaches that create economic opportunities for them without conflicting with social needs will be a win-win solution for all. If we could add 20 percentage point more to women labor force, India's GDP will go up by more than 1 trillion USD. Ms. Anuradha Vemuri, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship said In the modern world, more and more women are emerging as beacons, leaders in integral roles contributing towards the nations growth. They are change-makers and custodians of a value system that holds the keys to the societys development. Through their enterprise and compassion, women today are not only transforming their own lives but are also inspiring others to do better. The Governments vision of Skill India rides on the ability of women to rise as entrepreneurs and employers and we are focusing all our energies to create conditions that empower women to strive for their dreams and ambitions. We will continue to be catalysts in the journey to unlock their potential and help them find success. Aspiring women entrepreneurs can log onto www.mystartupcontest.com for more details and participation criteria Several provinces and cities across the country have temporarily closed tourist sites to prevent the spread of the acute respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). Foreign tourists make medical declarations in Hoa Lu district, the northern province of Ninh Binh The northern province of Thai Binh on March 16 decided to close five relic sites, including Dong Bang Temple, A Sao Temple, Keo Pagoda, Tran Temple and Tien La Temple. All are famous sites in the province which attract a large number of tourists. By 9:00 on March 16, Thai Binh had 62 people suspected of having the virus. They are under quarantine and in a stable condition, according to the provincial Department of Health. Meanwhile, Director of the Department of Tourism of the south central province of Binh Dinh Nguyen Van Dung said on March 16 evening that the provincial Peoples Committee had sent an urgent letter to organisations in the province, calling on them to stop admitting tourists to major attractions. The suspension started on March 17 until the province receives new orders. Binh Dinh has so far recorded no COVID-19 patients. The southern province of Kien Giang stopped receiving international tourists and domestic tourists from areas with the pandemic from 7am on March 17. Restaurants and shops must implement preventive measures. The province has one COVID-19 patient, who was the 54th patient in Vietnam. The Latvian patient came to Phu Quoc Island and is now under treatment at the HCM City Hospital for Tropical Diseases. All people in contact with the patients have been quarantined. Khanh Hoa, Quang Binh temporarily halt tourism activities The provinces of Khanh Hoa and Quang Binh have moved to temporarily halt activities welcoming visitors to tourist attractions in an attempt to protect the health and safety of both local residents and tourists amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) fears. Ponagar Tower in Khanh Hoa provinceThe move comes following the Khanh Hoa provincial Department of Culture and Sports requesting that as of March 19, all activities to welcome guests to relic sites, including notable sites such as Ponagar Tower, Hon Chong, and Am Chua, will be stopped. In addition, the Monuments Conservation Centre has requested that provinces and cities nationwide do not press ahead with plans to organise worship rituals involving the offering of incense at Ponagar Tower and the Am Chua relic site, whilst all guests to these places are now required to wear face masks during their visit. Amid an increasingly complicated situation regarding COVID-19 epidemic, the central province of Quang Binh has also temporarily halted travelers visiting tourist sites. During the suspension period, each of the tourist sites will undertake a range of drastic preventive measures aimed at combating the potential spread of the epidemic. According to Nguyen Duc Cuong, Director of the Quang Binh Department of Health, local authorities have applied mandatory actions to intensify surveillance over the disease in line with the procedures regulated by the health sector. So far, the province has yet to record any cases of the COVID-19 infection. Lai Chau Province closes two tourist attractions O Quy Ho Mountain Pass viewed from Rong May Glass Bridge. The two ecotourism sites have been closed as part of efforts to prevent the spread of contagious Covid-19 epidemic within Lai Chau Province. Photo thethaovanhoa.vn Two famous tourist attractions in Tam uong District in the northern province of Lai Chau O Quy Ho Mountain Pass and Rong May Glass Bridge ecological tourism sites have been closed as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the novel caronavirus, or Covid-19, epidemic within the province. According to local authorities, during their closure, the managers of these two sites will assign on-duty staff to carry out maintenance work. Nguyen Van Huan, the chairman of the Board of Directors of Hoang Lien Son Group Joint Stock Company and also the investor of the Rong May Glass Bridge Resort, revealed that the site used to receive 500 to 700 tourists on average per day before the outbreak of Covid-19. To ensure the operation of the resort, the company has signed contracts with 120 employees. However, since the appearance of the disease in the country, particularly after the occurrence of two cases in nearby Lao Cai Province, the number of tourists to the site has dropped significantly, causing severe financial loss to the company, he said. After two staff cuts, the resort now has only ten employees on duty to maintain the site. Based on the actual situation of visitors and disease control, the tourism site will be re-opened at an appropriate time. Though local tourists sites have temporarily stopped receiving tourists, the prevention of Covid-19 epidemic in the district still faces many difficulties, said Nguyen Tri Cong, deputy head of the culture authority of Tam uong District. Many foreign tourists entering the district by personal vehicles like motorcycles or bikes without notification of their presence to the local authority, which causes obstacles to inspection, control and information collection, he added. As revealed by the Provincial Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, up to March 17, there were 57 suspected cases within Lai Chau Province, all of whom have received negative test results for Covid-19. According to Tran Manh Hung, the deputy director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lai Chau Province, the number of tourists to the province have decreased significantly compared to the period before the epidemic outbreak. However, the local authoritys point of view is to prioritise disease prevention and ensuring safety for tourists and locals, he said./.VNA/VNS/VNN Tourist attractions close as industry tries to survive Many tourist destinations have temporarily stopped receiving guests, and visitors from many countries in Europe no longer enjoy visa waivers. The Esplanada shopping area at the Encore in Las Vegas. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times) Before the clock struck midnight, armed security guards at casinos across the Las Vegas strip finished collecting chips from baccarat tables. Slot machine screens turned black and bartenders removed bottles of wine and liquor from the shelves. Blackjack dealers, sensing the surreal unfolding before them, snapped selfies while janitors sprayed disinfectant and wiped door handles. The high-rollers packed up; the entertainers and musicians went home. And suddenly this city of hustlers and romantics, which rides on the crests and dips of the U.S. economy, shuttered Wednesday and changed in a way it never had before. Ive never seen how a casino shuts down in my 35 years working on the strip, said one Treasure Island employee while pouring out bottles of juice. Only when they open up. By morning, talk of the coronavirus was incessant but the familiar sting of cigarette smoke no longer enveloped casino floors. Without the beeps of the machines, whirs of the roulette tables and chatters from patrons, the music blaring from the speakers hovering above echoed louder. There is perhaps no city that more accurately reflects the promise of the American spirit than Las Vegas. Full of dreamers and those seeking fortunes big and small, it is a city of ambition and optimism, a blaze of neon in the desert, where, with a bit of luck and fine-tuned work ethic, you can make enough money to buy a house and live more comfortably than in most places. But the painful flip side to that gilded coin was revealed Tuesday evening when Gov. Steve Sisolak announced he was ordering a statewide shutdown of businesses deemed non-essential gaming, bars, restaurants, movie theaters, nail salons. It would start with the casinos at midnight, giving Nevada just under six hours to put the brakes on a gambling industry with over 5,400 table games and 163,000 slot machines. Transmission electron micrograph of new coronavirus particles, isolated from a patient. (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases-Rocky Mountain Laboratories) The global coronavirus pandemic and rising cases in the U.S. have brought travel and tourism to a virtual standstill. But it is devastating for Las Vegas, where revenue from Strip properties alone amounts to $6.6 billion annually. In 2018, hotels and casinos in Southern Nevada employed roughly 164,400 people, representing 16.8% of the regions total employment and 18.7% of all private employment. Story continues Las Vegas shutting down is significant. It is meaningful. In a city where nearly anything is possible, a closure of this magnitude deals a specific blow to the American psyche one that strikes at the heart of hope and confidence in this country. This city of over 2.2 million people in the metropolitan area, founded in 1905 as a way station between California and Utah, is fastened solidly to the whims of the U.S. economy. When things are good, they are very good. And when theres bad news, few who live here are immune to its effects. Things are bad now. There were 42 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Clark County as of Tuesday, with one death. The number of confirmed cases nationwide has grown to 7,769 with 118 deaths. The Las Vegas Strip on New Year's Eve (Mark Damon/Las Vegas News Bureau) If theres one thing you could count on in Las Vegas, it was the continual, permeating din of the casinos: the gentle clacking of chips, the cheerful electronic noises from the slot machines, the occasional outburst from a craps table where someone is having a good run. But that at least for the moment has evaporated into the dry desert air. Multiple dealers and managers confirmed: A shutdown like this has never happened. Not during the 2008 financial crisis. Not on 9/11. Not after the 2017 mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival, the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history that killed 59 people. Never. One dealer, a 25-year veteran of the industry, said that the last time the casinos in Vegas closed, for any reason, was after JFK was assassinated. And that was for one day, he said. Given the unprecedented nature of the shutdown, it all happened with frightening alacrity and smoothness. The gaming areas, which were slow to begin with due to the drop-off in tourism over the past week, closed without too much of a fight. One man on the floor at the Venetian tried to sneak in an extra hand of blackjack and threw a $100 bill onto the table. No more, said the dealer. The man protested. A floor manager approached: The table is closed, he said. The casino is closed. The city is closed. Meanwhile, it was business as usual for the few straggling tourists. Whether gripping onto the last few minutes of normalcy in the adult playground that offers the usual escape from the stresses of life, or perhaps indifferent to Gov. Sisolaks plea just a few hours earlier to not go out, a few diners at the Grand Luxe Cafe chose to end the evening cheers-ing glasses while crunching on chips and double-dipping them in salsa. Caleb Bucinski, a student at Purdue University, sat at the Triple Cash Wheel, getting in some last-minute slot play. "I'm on this machine because it's doing good for me right now," he said. The shutdown, he said between spins, was "morally the right thing to do." He was decidedly less sanguine about what coronavirus might do to the city, and the country. "To stop this is like stopping the wind," he said. Horse racing is on display at a sports book at Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on March 13, 2020. (AFP via Getty Images) Hospitality and gig workers sensed the looming disaster days before as word spread on the Strip that colleagues had been let go and furloughed. Such was the case for 39-year-old Zach Lopez, who lost his job at a concession stand when the five-day Conexpo-Con/Agg construction trade show wrapped up 24 hours earlier then scheduled over coronavirus concerns. The Chicago native, who moved to Sin City in December 2019, said losing that job cost him $300. Despite his unlucky streak, he still considers himself fortunate. He has money saved up and relatives back home with steady jobs who can support him hard times press in. And other than the $650 he spends on rent in the three bedroom house he shares with a roommate, he doesnt have many outside expenses aside from groceries or food and drinks when he ventures out with friends. He reckoned he'd stay home and watch his favorite TV show, "The Walking Dead." Some of his friends who are Las Vegas natives find themselves in much more precarious situations. Many of them are not the only ones in their families whove lost jobs. People are panicking, he said. I can tell in their tone of voice. Still, he catches himself struggling to process his new reality at times. Right now its still all new, he said. The Fremont Street Experience glows with nostalgia. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) Over on Fremont Street, there was an almost fatalistic cheer to the atmosphere at Atomic Liquors, the oldest free-standing bar in Las Vegas. It owes its name to the nearby nuclear testing that took place in the 1950s locals would watch the blasts from the roof. Atomic bartender Faron Palmer, who moved to Las Vegas four years ago, was optimistic about her own situation. She had some savings. Things will reopen, she said. But when they do, are people going to have any money? I think a lot of people thought it would be a couple of weeks, but 30 days thats a significant amount of time. Thats two paychecks, said Justin Desmarais of the Downtown Project, Tony Hsiehs small-business investment incubator. Desmarais, who has lived in Las Vegas since he was six, counted himself lucky to still have a job. But this is really going to affect the locals. People who will have to declare bankruptcy. People who cant pay their rent. A long-haired bartender in a kelly-green Atomic Liquors T-shirt stopped and poured beers and mixed drinks long enough to look up and grin balefully: Welcome to the apocalypse, he said. HANOI, March 17 (Reuters) - Vietnam Airlines said on Monday it will suspend its flights to France and Malaysia due to the coronavirus, which has forced several countries to close their borders to control its spread. The national carrier will halt services between Vietnam and France starting March 17 until further notice, it said in a statement. While flights between Vietnam and Malaysia will be suspended from March 18-31 because of the Malaysian government's temporary border closure announcement, it added. (Reporting by Phuong Nguyen, editing by Louise Heavens) Vineet Upadhyay By Express News Service DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand state government on Wednesday decided to implement 2012 government order which bans reservation in promotion in state government services. Uttarakhand General-OBC employee association welcomed the move. Deepak Joshi, the president of the association said, "We welcome the government decision. This is respecting the honourable, court, law and what is right." More than 1.5 lakh general-OBC employees had gone on indefinite strike while 30000 SC/ST also went on strike demanding implementation of reservation in promotion. The members of SC/ST employee association refused to comment and stated that they are mulling next course of action. A government order was issued on Wednesday quoting Supreme Court order of February 7, 2020 which set aside Uttarakhand high court's order of November 15, 2019 to collate data of SC/ST employees in the state government services and then "consider whether or not it should provide reservation in promotion in their favour". Uttarakhand state government in 2012 decided to fill up state government posts without providing reservation in promotion after which the decision was challenged in Uttarakhand high court. The HC, last year, declared state government's decision illegal following which the HC decision was challenged in the SC. The apex in February 2020 subverted the HC order. The SC stated that the government "is not bound to make reservations" and that there is "no fundamental right which inheres in an individual to claim reservation in promotions". "It is settled law the state cannot be directed to provide reservations for appointment in public posts. Similarly, state is not bound to make reservation for SCs/STs in matters of promotions," the court said. TIMELINE On July 10, 2012, Uttarakhand high court while hearing a case of Vinod Prakash Nautiyal vs State of Uttarakhand banned reservation in promotion. On September 5, 2012, Uttarakhand state government issued order banning reservation in promotion. On April 1, 2019, Uttarakhand high court nullified state government order of banning the reservation in promotion. In May 2019, a review petition was filed in Uttarakhand high court. On September 11, 2019, Uttarakhand government put hold on promotions in all state government departments. In November 2019, Uttarakhand high court subverted it's own order and directed the state government to collate data of SC employees in state government departments. In November 2019, Uttarakhand state government and an organization of general and OBC employees filed special leave petition in Supreme Court. On February 7, 2020 the SC directed that state government cannot be directed to provide reservation in promotion. On March 18, Uttarakhand government implements government order dated September 5, 2012 which bans reservation in promotion. Details added (first version published on 10:42) BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 18 Trend: It would be advisable to create a group of volunteers under current conditions, Vice Speaker of Azerbaijan's Parliament Adil Aliyev wrote on his Facebook page, Trend reports on March 18. Coronavirus is a source of great threat to humanity, and at the same time it is a test. Humanity is faced with something like this every 100 years. The situation with the coronavirus, which occurred in China three months ago, did not bother those living in other states and on other continents, and many people thought that the threat was over. Today the picture is different. Many states have faced with this, and there are infected even in a distant Greenland, Aliyev added. The virus was also detected in Azerbaijan, and I call upon not to panic. But you cant remain silent either; you must try to protect yourself and society from the existing threat. I fully support the measures taken by the state, the vice speaker noted. Even Western countries, considering themselves the cradle of democracy, decided to temporarily limit the social activity of citizens, because the main goal now is to save the lives of people. Although the situation in Azerbaijan is not as worrying as in the Western countries, we still have to be concerned. Only by strengthening preventive measures, we can get rid of the threat of the coronavirus spread. Therefore, it is necessary to support the measures taken by the Parliament and the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers: not to leave home without need, not to go to restaurants, cafes and hypermarkets. Unfortunately, sometimes there is another attitude. Therefore, the Ministry of Education suspended the educational process in the country. But you can still meet young people in malls, cafes and other places," Aliyev said. The vice speaker appealed to the youth with a recommendation not to leave homes temporarily and not to visit various public places with friends. "When leaving the house and visiting various places, you endanger yourself and others," he added. Weddings and commemorative events are forbidden due to the coronavirus. This is the right decision. I consider it necessary to completely abandon crowded and costly weddings and commemorative events after the threat of the virus passes. In addition, it is necessary to get rid of the habit of public hugs and kisses between men," the vice speaker said. Older people are at-risk population group in the fight against the virus. Older people must be protected. Therefore, we will make efforts to support the older generation by delivering food to their homes on the Novruz holiday. However, we should think how to provide help and support to the elderly in the situation associated with the threat of coronavirus, Aliyev emphasized. In many countries around the world, services for the delivery of food from markets have been launched. This issue is also being discussed in Azerbaijan. So far, there are not many companies in the country that do this professionally. Therefore, young people can be involved in this work. The lessons are suspended. Given that the head of state declared 2020 the Year of Volunteers, it would be advisable, in the current situation due to the threat of the coronavirus, to create a group of volunteers that would deliver food and medicines to the elderly from shops and pharmacies, said the vice speaker. DETROIT -- Factory workers with all three of Detroits major automakers will soon see extra measures taken to protect their safety in regard to coronavirus at plants across the state. According to the Associated Press, Fiat Chrysler, Ford and General Motors each separately agreed to terms with the United Auto Workers to in some way cut shifts on a rotating basis. That will allow for deeper cleaning periods at the factories between shifts. Measures are also being taken to limit gatherings at the plants and to ensure people are able to stay 6 feet away from one another. All three companies have agreed to new measures that will increase adherence to CDC (Centers for Disease Control) recommendations on social distancing in the workplace, said a statement from the UAW. Details on what exactly will be done at each plant were not given. However, the AP reports one of the companies may cut overtime shifts to create a longer period between shifts to allow for more cleaning. UAW President Rory Gamble said in an email to members that attempts to shut down production completely for two weeks were unsuccessful as the automakers would not agree to that. When the companies would not agree to that, UAW leadership gave them two days to come up with a plan to keep workers safe. That deadline was set for Tuesday afternoon. The AP estimates roughly 150,000 auto workers are employed at dozens of factories and parts depots across the country. If the union is not happy with how the new measures are being implemented, Gamble said the union will take unspecific action to protect workers. 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 Wednesday, March 18: 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 Japans economy comes under pressure as exports and imports fall due to coronavirus pandemic. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will form a panel of key ministers and the central bank governor on Thursday to lay out a package to help the economy weather the hit from the coronavirus outbreak, a government official with direct knowledge of the matter has said. The move puts Japan in line with nations across the globe preparing more costly measures to combat the global fallout of the coronavirus that has sent economies spinning towards recession. Official figures published on Wednesday showed that Japans exports slipped for a 15th straight month in February, dropping 1 percent from a year earlier, as shipments to the United States and China declined, suggesting a cooling of business activity in the worlds third-largest economy due to the coronavirus outbreak. Imports from China fell at their fastest pace since 1986 after the virus, which has killed more than 7,000 people worldwide, led to a widespread shutdown of production in the regions largest economy. Discussions by the panel will lay the groundwork for a stimulus package the government plans to launch in April, which Abe had said would include bold and unprecedented steps. In terms of whats happening in the economy, it may be something similar to what we saw during the Lehman crisis in 2008, Finance Minister Taro Aso told Parliament on Wednesday. The panel, to be held almost daily through the end of this month, will summon economists and corporate executives to hear their views on steps to mitigate the hit from the coronavirus outbreak, the government official told Reuters News Agency on Wednesday, confirming an earlier report by the Nikkei economic daily. The Trump administration pressed on Tuesday for the enactment of $1 trillion in stimulus, piling pressure on Japan to come up with a sizable spending package to blunt the economic pain from the virus outbreak. Japans governing party legislators are calling for tax cuts and a spending package of up to 30 trillion yen ($280bn), a proposal Abe had said he will take into account. Aso said President Donald Trumps stimulus plan was not raised when he spoke over the phone with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Tuesday. He also said Japan had no immediate plan to offer cash payouts to households, denying a report by the Mainichi newspaper that the idea could work its way into the stimulus package. The epidemic has hit Japans economy, already reeling from last years sales tax rise and soft global demand, heightening the chance of a recession and stoking speculation the Tokyo Olympic Games may be cancelled or postponed. The Bank of Japan (BOJ) eased monetary policy through an increase in risky asset purchases in an emergency meeting on Monday. BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda, who will participate in the panel, said on Wednesday the central banks purchases of exchange-traded funds (ETF) have had some effect in taming volatility in Japans stock market. Global economic uncertainty is heightening due to the coronavirus epidemic. That is leading to big volatility in domestic and overseas markets, Kuroda told Parliament. Our monetary decision on Monday is part of a coordinated effort by major countries to support global growth, he said. Hanoi chairman Nguyen Duc Chung has announced that Vietnam's capital has prepared plans to welcome large numbers of Vietnamese citizens returning from places hit by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). According to Chung, the citys authorities will establish more quarantine camps with several thousands of beds at local hospitals. These inpatient quarantine camps will be fully equipped with medical equipment to treat as many people testing positive for the novel coronavirus as possible in the event that the number of COVID-19 patients surges. In addition, the city will make use of military facilities to expand the scale of quarantine when needed as it braces for more returnees from COVID-19-affected regions. Chung emphasized that these military quarantine camps are meant for precautionary isolation, not for treatment of COVID-19 patients. The Hanoi Capital High Command has so far used six military facilities for quarantining returnees for 14 days from arriving in Vietnam. The military facilities have received about 900 more citizens from Monday evening, and are set to be able to house another 700 people between Thursday and Monday next week, after the first batch of quarantined people finish their mandatory 14-day isolation. At present, units of the Ministry of National Defense are actively performing general sanitation and environmental disinfection [at these facilities], said a leader of the capital high command. In Long Bien District, the districts chairman Nguyen Manh Ha told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that local authorities intend to employ uninhabited apartment buildings as quarantine zones. Such apartment buildings can house an additional 2,000 people at a time. Weve also run over the logistics of the plans and confirmed they are ready for implementation when the need arises, Ha said. Likewise, a student apartment complex in Hoang Mai District that can accommodate about 2,000 people, some vocational schools in Phu Xuyen and Chuong My Districts and Son Tay Town, and an old hospital in Me Linh District will also be converted into quarantine camps. The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 198,700 people and killed more than 7,900 globally, according to Ministry of Health statistics. Vietnam has so far confirmed 68 cases of coronavirus infections, with 16 having fully recovered and been discharged from the hospital by February 26. Fifty-two cases have been reported in the Southeast Asian country since March 6 after Vietnam had gone three weeks without any new infection. Hanoi has had 15 COVID-19 patients to date. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A 35-year-old man suspected to be infected with the 2019 novel coronavirus died after he allegedly jumped from the seventh floor of the Safdarjung Hospital where he was quarantined immediately upon his arrival from Sydney, Australia on Wednesday, said police. An official from the hospital said, His samples were collected to test for the virus, but the results are not yet back, said the official. In an official statement, the Union health ministry said, A passenger aged 23 year, living in Sydney for the past one year, arrived in Delhi on March 18 via flight no AI301 seat no 24A. On reaching airport, in his self reporting form, he mentioned headache as chief complaint. In APHO at 6.20pm, he was referred to Safdarjung Hospital. The patient reached Safdarjung at around 9pm. He was taken to 7th floor for admission and evaluation. When doctors reached the room, he wasnt found in room. At the same time, another doctor coming out of building at ground floor observed a body lying on the floor at around 9.15pm. She immediately reported it, however, he was found dead, the ministry said. Devender Arya, deputy commissioner of police (south-west), said that the man was from Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district of Punjab and had been living in Sydney for the past one year. He arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport by an Air India flight and had complained of a headache. A nodal officer informed us that he was admitted to Safdarajung Hospital around 9pm on Wednesday, said Arya. His family received him at the airport and accompanied him to the hospital. Police said they were informed of the death and that his autopsy is expected on Thursday. The man was admitted to the superspecialty block of the hospital and isolated. The officer said that he jumped to his death from that floor within minutes of his admission wearing a safety suit and goggles. No first information report is expected to be filed in this case, said an investigator. The police are yet to interact with his family to ascertain his profession, his family background and the circumstances of his return to India. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Australia recorded over 500 confirmed cases and six deaths due to Covid-19 till Wednesday. A study published Monday by the Imperial College, a public research university in London, estimates that millions will die from the coronavirus pandemic in the United Kingdom and United States. In their best-case scenario, in which transmission of the virus is massively mitigated, and even if all patients were able to be treated, the authors write, we predict there would still be in the order of 250,000 deaths in GB, and 1.11.2 million in the US. According to the authors, Covid-19 and the public health threat it represents is the most serious seen in a respiratory virus since the 1918 H1N1 influenza pandemic. There are now 198,000 cases worldwide and nearly 8,000 deaths. The countries with the largest number of new cases include Italy, Iran, Spain, Germany, France and the United States. The study was led by Neil Ferguson and included a team of people drawn from the Imperial College, as well as from the World Health Organization, MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis and the Abdul Latif Jameel Institute for Disease and Emergency Analytics. In addition to the mass casualty figures, they estimated that the pandemic in the UK and US will continue through August. Kirkland Fire and Rescue ambulance workers load a patient into an ambulance, Tuesday, March 10, 2020, at the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Wash., near Seattle (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) They emphasize that mitigation is unlikely to be feasible without emergency surge capacity limits of the UK and US health care systems being exceeded many times over. The report makes clear that even in a short outbreak of the disease, the surge limits for both general ward and ICU [intensive care unit] beds would be exceeded by at least eightfold under the more optimistic scenario for critical care requirements that we examined. Under such circumstances, the United States could expect to see 56,100 deaths per day at its peak. In other words, with the current policies in place by the Johnson and Trump administrations, millions of people, possibly tens of millions, are going to contract this disease and die, as hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities collapse in the face of the massive number of infected patients. Above all else, the refusal of either government to implement mass testing for the coronavirus early on in the crisis, as consistently implored by WHO, has allowed the virus to spread to large swathes of the population, with no signs of being halted. As WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned, You cant fight a fire blindfolded, and we cant stop this pandemic if we dont know who is infected. The imminent dangers can be most clearly seen in the collapse of the Italian health care system, which has already been overwhelmed by 31,506 cases to date, up from just three less than a month ago. The death toll has reached at least 2,503 and is rising. If the mortality rates in Italy hold true for Britain and the United Statesand the lack of public health infrastructure in both countries indicates that they willthe two countries will likely see actual death tolls of at least two million and 8.6 million respectively. Moreover, the casualty figures do not account for collateral deaths related to HIV, cancer, myocardial infarction, stroke and other emergent illnesses, due to health care facilities being overwhelmed. Hospitals are already canceling clinics and surgical procedures in anticipation of a surge of respiratory illnesses due to the coronavirus. The themes in the Imperial College paper were echoed Tuesday in comments to MSNBCs Morning Joe by Dr. Ashish Jha, the director of the Harvard Global Health Institute. Dr. Jha called for a full quarantine across the United States. He stated, Our hospitals and emergency rooms are not ready. We have two choices. Basically, we can either have a national quarantine now, [for] two weeks, [and] get a grip on where things are, then reassess. Or we cannot [and] wait another week and when things look really terrible, be forced into it and thats going to last much longer, [and] many more people will die. So those are really our two choicesget ahead of it or wait until were even further behind. He added that its going to look like Italy for such a quarantine to succeed. US President Donald Trumps latest press conference, however, makes clear that the focus of the ruling elites of the major imperialist powers is not to save human lives but to protect the financial oligarchs in their own countries and internationally. Trump is currently pushing for a $600 billion stimulus package to go directly to businesses. He has also been advocating for a cut in payroll taxes, which is aimed at disguising the windfall for hedgefund managers and corporate executives by giving workers a small increase in take-home paywhile at the same time undermining the funding of Social Security and Medicare. There is also a further $250 billion supposedly directed toward the broader population, though Congress is still haggling over the exact amount and method of distribution. Even if the proposal passes and workers receive $1,000 each, this is utterly inadequate to cover the needs of millions who are facing weeks or months of no wages as the pandemic shuts down large portions of the economy. At that same briefing, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin announced yet another program that will enable the Fed to guarantee the purchase of commercial paper going forward. That is a $1 trillion dollar market. While the initial sum set aside for such purchases is only $10 billion, Mnuchin made clear, We have the ability to have the Fed purchase up to $1 trillion of commercial paper, if needed. In the past week, this brings the total wealth being supplied by the Trump administration to Wall Street, through corporate bailouts, direct infusion into the stock exchange and other methods, to $3.8 trillion. Less than half of that amount could have been used to forgive all student loan debt. The rest could have been used to pay off all credit card debt and auto debt for every worker in America. It could have been used to manufacture and distribute hundreds of millions of masks for doctors and patients fighting the coronavirus, along with tens of millions of gowns and hundreds of thousands of ventilators and ICU beds for critical patients. Hundreds of new hospitals with 500 beds each could have been built in weeks to care for and isolate those infected. Testing for the millions of people who might be infected could have been facilitated and the pandemic contained. Markets responded to the latest round of cash handed to private coffers by rising five percent. Workers, on the other hand, face destitution and disease. As the National Committee of the Socialist Equality Party (US) wrote: An enormous amount of time has been lost, but the impact and extent of the pandemic depends on urgent responses that can be taken now. This response must be centered on two absolutely critical priorities: first, to contain the spread of the virus as much as possible, and second, given that it has already acquired global dimensions, to provide emergency care for all who are ill and emergency assistance to all that are affected. The World Socialist Web Site calls on workers and young people to join the fight against this pandemic and in defense of workers rights through the building of an international socialist and revolutionary movement. It is the central question of our time and a matter of life and death. Amid the ongoing Congress-BJP political tug-of-war in Madhya Pradesh, the cabinet on Wednesday gave its "in-principle approval" to the formation of three new districts in the state. At meeting of the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Kamal Nath, "in-principle approval" was given to the proposal to constitute three new districts - Chachaura, Maihar and Nagda, said a public relations department officer. With this, the number of districts in Madhya Pradesh goes up to 55. Chachaura, currently part of Guna district, is also the assembly seat represented by Lakshman Singh, younger brother of Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh. This fulfils a long-pending demand of Lakshman Singh, who, a couple of months ago, had sat on a dharna at the residence of Digvijaya Singh to seek district status for his assembly constituency. Similarly, Maihar, currently part of Satna district, is the assembly seat represented by BJP MLA Narayan Tripathi, who was seen with Congress legislators just after the assembly proceedings on Monday. He was also absent during the parade of BJP legislators before the governor on Monday. Tripathi has been demanding district status for Maihar since long. Tripathi, along with another BJP MLA Sharad Kol (Beohari), had backed the Congress-led government during voting on a bill in the MP Assembly in July last year. Nagda is currently part of Ujjain district. The cabinet also cleared several other proposals, including appointments of retired IAS officers. On Tuesday, a BJP delegation led by former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met Governor Lalji Tandon, requesting him to cancel appointments being made to constitutional posts by the "minority" Congress government. In a massive setback for the Congress, its prominent leader Jyotiradtya Scindia quit the party and in a coordinated rebellion 22 MLAs loyal to him resigned last week, pushing the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government to the brink of a collapse. Scindia joined the BJP on March 11. Since the resignations of MLAs, the oppositon BJP has claimed the Congress government has been reduced to a "minority". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Recent school closures and remote-work directives intended to slow the spread of COVID-19 will have a harsher impact on rural Missourians than their urban and suburban peers. The precautions against this highly contagious virus are understandable and probably the right call. But implementing this digital distancing will be much more difficult in rural Missouri than in cities. Weve written many times about the wide digital gap between rural areas and cities. Over one million rural residents in Missouri do not have access to high-speed internet, more than any state except California or Texas. Missouri ranks 41st in the nation in broadband connectivity. This lack of rural internet connectivity causes plenty of day-to-day frustrations. But in a crisis like the current fight against coronavirus, the impact becomes even more glaring. Several schools, including the University of Missouri, have suspended in-person classes. Many current courses will be held remotely via teleconferencing technology. Students will be expected to work on projects remotely and submit homework and take tests electronically. Many businesses are developing contingency plans that include employees working remotely. Travel can often be replaced with teleconferencing and virtual meetings. Email and paperless technologies allow information-sharing without physical, in-person contact. Technological advances enabled by broadband internet technology are valuable in our current fight. They let schools and businesses implement recommended social distancing without major disruption. Unfortunately, access to broadband is a limiting factor for rural students and employees. Working or studying remotely is only an option only if you have access to broadband. Many students will have to drive to the closest McDonalds or other fast-food restaurant to sit in the parking lot and listen to a lecture or do homework. Rural employees may simply not have the ability to work from home without broadband internet access. Developing broadband infrastructure throughout Missouri would help rural residents follow best health practices during future crises. Rural broadband would also bring more options for treating patients through remote telemedicine. When keeping doctors healthy is top priority, giving them options to assess and treat patients remotely is valuable. It would also help solve the chronic shortage of physicians faced by many rural areas. In the face of a global pandemic, its definitely better to be safe than sorry. However, we look forward to the day when remote access to school, work and healthcare is available to everyone, not only those who live in a city or town. We should see this event as a wake-up call to expand our infrastructure so that staying connected and healthy while at home is easier in the future. After mom Valerie Hudsons young son fell victim to a malicious, cruel viral prank at school that left him unconscious in the hospital, she decided to take to Facebook to warn other parents. Two of her sons friends used him as part of the so-called skull breaker challenge sweeping the video-sharing platform Tik Tok. My son was asked to do a jumping contest with his 2 friends, when he jumped up, the 2 boys kicked him, as hard as they could, so his legs flew out in front of him, Hudson explained. He landed hard flat on his back and head, as he struggled to get up he lost consciousness, he fell forward landing on his face. I really contemplated posting this, but I feel there needs to be awareness of this malicious cruel viral prank. On Posted by Valerie Hodson on Saturday, February 8, 2020 By the time the school monitor made it over, he needed to be taken to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a head injury, severe cuts inside his mouth, damage to his front teeth, and required stitches in his face, according to the concerned mom. Now shes warning other parents about the dangers to their unsuspecting children. The viral prank that sent her son to the hospital, as Hudson learned, is currently spreading on Tik Tok and is attracting likes on social media. The challenge surfaced in early 2020 with the hashtag skullbreakerchallenge, getting videos from around the world. Hudson explains, The premise of the prank is to get an unsuspecting individual to jump, so the pranksters can kick/trip the person to see how hard they fall. Photo courtesy of Valerie Hodson Most of the videos took the form of two people duping a third, who didnt know what was going to happen. The two pranksters would stand on the outside, with the victim in the middle. First the two would jump up simultaneously. Then they would tell the person in the middle to do so. Thats when the friends would kick out their feet from beneath them. According to Hudson, her son did not know this was going to happen. The boys in question he has known for quite some time, so his trust of them was warranted, she added. The school monitor ran to his side, all the while the 2 boys were snickering and laughing as his stiff unconscious body lay on the asphalt. Concerning the medical dangers of the challenge, many children and teens who were victims needed to be hospitalized for head trauma. Dr. Grier Arthur, a trauma surgeon at Drexel University College of Medicine, explained to ABC, If you hit [the ground] head first, you can have a skull fracture, a hematoma on the outside of the skull, or even bleeding in the brain. Photo courtesy of Valerie Hodson After one particularly violent fall by a 13-year-old in New Jersey, Camden County prosecutors charged two minors with third-degree Aggravated Assault and third-degree Endangering an Injured Victim for their participation in the Tik Tok Skull Breaker Challenge that injured another minor resulting in a seizure, closed head injury and concussion, per a press release. Tik Tok finally took action by removing the videos from the site and replacing the content at #skullbreakerchallenge with warning videos in English, Spanish, German, and other languages. A video by South African lip-sync content creator and social media star Chane Grobler warning about the challenge also received over 368,000 views. Photo courtesy of Valerie Hodson Tik Tok shared in a statement, Nobody wants their friends or family to get hurt filming a video or trying a stunt. Its not funnyand since we remove that sort of content, it certainly wont make you TikTok famous. Thankfully, Hudsons warning about the skull breaker challenge is getting through, garnering 54,000 shares thus far. With parents aware and the news out, the dangerous trend will hopefully come to an end. Photo courtesy of Valerie Hodson We would love to hear your stories! You can share them with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.nyc HSE researchers, jointly with colleagues from the RAN Institute of Organoelement Compounds and the RAN Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, have studied the properties of a polyarylene ether ketone-based copolymer (co-PAEK) for potential space applications. Co-PAEK films are highly resistant to electrostatic discharges caused by ionizing radiation and can thus be used as protective coating for spacecraft electronics. The study findings have been published in Polymers. Spacecraft electronics are continuously exposed to the ambient space plasma. Its ionizing radiation causes electric charge to accumulate in dielectric materials on board space-based vehicles, leading to electrostatic discharges which can result in failures of electronic devices and, ultimately, of the spacecraft itself. Worldwide, just three research centres are equipped and staffed to study the effects of ionizing radiation on materials used in spacecraft construction in virtually real-life conditions. These facilities are the MIEM HSE Laboratory of Space Vehicles and Systems' Functional Safety (Moscow) , John Robert Dennison's Laboratory at Utah State University (Logan, Utah, USA), and Thierry Paulmier's Laboratory in Toulouse, France. The researchers investigated the conductive properties of co-PAEK films by first supplying film specimens with very thin aluminium electrodes via vacuum deposition and then placing the specimens inside a vacuum chamber equipped with an electron gun. By bombarding the specimens with charge carriers of 50,000 eV, the researchers measured the film's radiation-induced conductivity associated with electron-hole pairs produced by the radiation. This parameter reflects how effectively materials can remove accumulated charges. In particular, the researchers examined the current-voltage (I-V) characteristics, i.e., the relationship between the electric current passing through the film and the voltage at the electrodes; they found that due to their super-linear I-V characteristics, the films are highly effective in removing electrostatic charges. The researchers also studied the films' switching effect, i.e., the polymer's ability to make a reversible transition from a high-ohmic to a low-ohmic state in a strong electric field. This latter state increases the polymer's conductivity. There is still no generally accepted physical model describing the switching effect in thin polymer films. However, the co-PAEK films' low switching thresholds and the reversibility of these effects appear highly promising. Notably, it is possible to modify the co-polymers' resistivity switching ability by varying its phthalide content. The authors investigated the transport of charge carriers in co-PAEK films with varied phthalide content; for this purpose, they synthesized 20- to 25-micron films with 3, 5 and 50 percent of phthalide-containing units. The results show that an increase in phthalide-containing units in co-PAEKs from 3 to 50 percent produced virtually no change in radiation-induced conductivity within the studied electric field range. This indicates that charge carriers in these experiments moved in an isolated manner and that the applied electric fields were below the threshold needed for collective interaction of charges and formation of conductive channels triggering the effect of high-to-low resistivity transition. Unfortunately, at the studied film thicknesses, further increase in electric fields causes an electric breakdown; therefore, it may be too early to plan for their space application. Nevertheless, the researchers believe that this material is highly promising and that further research of the switching effect could produce more conclusive results. This copolymer has already been used to protect prototype models of silicone solar cells in spacecraft. ### Presidente @MartinVizcarraC: La decision que tomamos es que el nuevo hospital de Ate este especialmente dedicado a atender los casos de #COVID19. Este establecimiento cuenta con disponibilidad de 50 camas de cuidados intensivos. pic.twitter.com/b42JB4ohX6 Maria Donoghue Velleca selected as William & Mary dean of Arts & Sciences Dean of Arts & Sciences: Maria Donoghue Velleca, an accomplished scholar and award-winning educator who served as senior associate dean for faculty affairs and strategic planning at Georgetown Universitys College of Arts & Sciences, has been selected as William & Marys dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences. Courtesy photo Photo - of - Hide Caption Distinguished neuroscientist at Georgetown University to be W&Ms next dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences Maria Donoghue Velleca, an accomplished scholar and award-winning educator who served as senior associate dean for faculty affairs and strategic planning at Georgetown Universitys College of Arts & Sciences, has been selected as William & Marys dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences, President Katherine A. Rowe announced today. The president will recommend her appointment to the W&M Board of Visitors at the boards April meeting. Professor Donoghue Velleca brings an impressive track record of thoughtful and creative leadership, said Rowe. I am very much looking forward to working with her to advance Virginia higher education. Donoghue Velleca, a specialist in brain development, will begin at William & Mary after Kate Conley steps down from the role of dean at the end of June. Conley, who served eight years, will return to the classroom in fall 2020 to teach French and Francophone studies. Maria Donogue Vellecas impressive scientific accomplishments have undoubtedly prepared her well for her new role. Yet the qualities that make her the perfect choice for William & Mary are her people-centered leadership style and personal warmth a strong match for our institutional philosophy and values, Provost Peggy Agouris said. Professor Donogue Velleca brings evident joy to her partnerships with faculty and staff colleagues and to her work with students at all levels. She will build on the momentum in Arts & Sciences and record of success over the past eight years under Kate Conleys leadership as dean. I am also grateful for the hard work of the search committee, led by Professor Lizabeth Allison, added Agouris. The committee assembled an inspiring field of candidates. In Professor Donoghue Velleca, we have someone who understands the value of liberal arts & sciences in the 21st century and who is deeply committed to our success in all aspects of our mission. The dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences leads the largest of William & Marys five schools. In that capacity, the dean oversees approximately 650 faculty in 11 graduate programs and dozens of undergraduate majors and minors as well as research centers and administrative offices that support the universitys teaching and research missions. William & Marys undergraduate and graduate degree programs involve close collaboration with faculty and provide robust opportunities for interdisciplinary study. All Arts & Sciences faculty members pursue research to advance knowledge within their disciplines, in close collaboration with undergraduates as well as graduate students. The dean is a key partner to chairs and directors of programs in Arts & Sciences, deans of the schools of education, law, business and marine sciences, and the provost. As I have come to know William & Mary, I have been struck by how well this institution knows itself, Donoghue Velleca said. It is an honor to join a university with such a strong sense of community among its accomplished faculty, graduate and undergraduate students and where staff, alumni and parents feel such deep allegiance. I am thrilled to have an opportunity to lead William & Marys Faculty of Arts & Sciences, with its vibrant mix of disciplines. When undergraduates, graduate students and faculty mix freely in a liberal arts setting, all of us reach new truths. The forward-looking vision of administrators and trustees is equally compelling. I am eager to begin collaborating with the president, provost, deans, faculty and staff - and to join you all in strategic planning for the next decade. As a professor of biology at Georgetown, Donoghue Velleca directed a neuroscience research laboratory funded by numerous National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation and an Howard Hughes Medical Institute university grants. Widely published in leading scientific journals, she has mentored dozens of undergraduate and Ph.D. students as well as post-doctoral fellows. She is the recipient of multiple awards within Georgetown College for excellence in undergraduate teaching as well as mentoring awards in each of the graduate programs in which she served. As a member of the Georgetown College deans office, Donoghue Velleca oversaw faculty recruitment and retention, mentoring, evaluation and promotion for 26 departments and 11 interdisciplinary programs. With the college chief financial officer, she managed a $93 million operating budget and $60 million in endowments, strategically assigning resources for undergraduate and graduate programs with more than 500 faculty members and roughly 1,700 students. In that role, she worked in close partnership with offices across the institution, from the president, provost and counsels office, to the Office for Institutional Diversity, Equity and Affirmative Action. During her tenure, Donoghue Velleca helped to launch the Department of African American Studies and programs in creative writing and disability studies and supported the universitys working group on slavery, memory and reconciliation. Donoghue Velleca shares William & Mary's commitment to interdisciplinarity and to excellence in teaching and research at every level, said Chancellor Professor of Biology Lizabeth Allison, who chaired the 13-member search committee. She added that Donoghue Velleca has a long track record of successful faculty recruitment and hiring, program-building and leading diversity and inclusion initiatives - both within her institution and with K-12 and community college partners. The search committee was impressed by her commitment to transparent faculty governance, as an administrator and during her six years of service on Georgetown Universitys Faculty Senate Steering Committee, Allison said. We are confident that she will be an extraordinary partner for our faculty and program chairs, provost and other senior leaders in all aspects of our Arts & Sciences mission. Holly Gruntner, a Ph.D. candidate in history who served on the search committee, emphasized Donoghue Vellecas strong sense of connection with students. We were impressed by how curious she was to learn from students from across the institution - about what students value about William & Mary, about the opportunities and challenges here, said Gruntner. Professor Donoghue Velleca places great emphasis on student success and well-being. Donoghue Velleca was recruited to Georgetowns College of Arts & Sciences to co-direct a new undergraduate major in neurobiology. She collaborated to create the curriculum for and led that program from 2007 to 2015. From 2010 to 2015, she served as the director of the universitys Howard Hughes Medical Institute program, which focused on undergraduate research, as well as partnerships with Washington, D.C., public schools and a local community college. Maria has a sharp mind that identifies the way forward in complex contexts. She seeks only the best of herself, while inspiring the best in others, observed Georgetowns provost, Bob Groves, who worked closely with Donoghue Velleca. Reflecting on her leadership values, he added, She appreciates the diverse ways of thinking that the disciplines exhibit and treasures the life of the mind that unites them all. Chris Celenza, professor of history and classics and dean of Georgetown College, said, Maria Donoghue is a forward-looking thinker and a brilliant institutional citizen. During her time as senior associate dean in the College of Arts & Sciences at Georgetown University, he credited her with playing key roles in every faculty hire and driving the college's strategic planning. William & Mary is fortunate to have her leadership, he said. Donoghue Velleca earned her B.S. at Boston College and Ph.D. at Washington University in St. Louis. Before joining the faculty at Georgetown University, she served as assistant professor at Yale University School of Medicine. As a trustee of St. Albans School in Washington D.C., she fundraised for its $50 million campaign and served for two years as board chair. Donoghue Velleca and her husband have two grown children, one living in New York and the other a junior at Davidson College. Our friend Brian Sullivan is the founder and chief executive officer of a sophisticated biomedical company (as John put it yesterday). Over the past few days we have drawn on his review of the literature to put forward possible treatments of COVID-19 and his analysis of the data. He now brings to our attention Shin Watanabe et al., Nikkei Asian Review, China says Japan-developed drug Avigan works against coronavirus Subhead: Positive reception by Chinese government contrasts with reservations in Japan. Datedlined DALIAN, China/HONG KONG/TOKYO, the story opens: An influenza medicine developed by a Fujifilm Holdings group company is effective against the new coronavirus, the Chinese government said on Tuesday. Beijing has already begun recommending the drug favipiravir, developed by Fujifilm Toyama Chemical and sold under the brand name Avigan. It is very safe and clearly effective, said Zhang Xinmin, director of the science ministrys China National Center for Biotechnology Development, in a news conference. Fujifilm Toyama developed the drug in 2014. It has been administered to coronavirus patients in Japan since February. Brian comments: Another potential treatment that looks promising. If we find evidence these drugs work, it changes everything. No more shelter in place and economic shutdown. Evaluating the efficacy of these drugs should be the HIGHEST priority because the effect on patient outcomes could be immediate. The vaccine work gets headlines but the benefits wont be available for at least 12 months. Brian adds: I hope you dont mind my inundating you with these articles. The media are so poorly informed that folks like you are the only outlet in many cases for information to get to the general public. Reminder: Brian offers this question to some enterprising reporter attending the daily White House briefing on the pandemic: Reports from South Korea, Australia, and China, suggest several existing drugs may be effective coronavirus treatments. These include the anti-malarial drug chloroquine phosphate and the HIV drug combination Kaletra. What is the government doing to investigate the potential effectiveness of these drugs? UPDATE: Brian draws attention to one more possible treatment identified here. JOHN adds: The neurosurgeon whose mortality chart I published yesterday writes about another promising drug: You and some of your colleagues have written about Resdemivir, an antiviral medication, developed for Ebola, now being suggested for use in COVID. This is the New England Journal of Medicine case report on the first US patient: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2001191 . In summary, the patient was middle-age man who had returned from Wuhan, developed symptoms and became the first confirmed case in the US. He was hospitalized, and had a progressively worsening course until day 7, when they gave him Resdemivir. Amazingly, on Day 8 he began to improve, and began to clear viral loads. So there is some cautious optimism here, and hopefully the ongoing clinical trials demonstrate similar results (hopefully due in April?). If positive, the Administration should do everything they can to a) FDA approve, b) mass produce, c) waive liability, in order to combat COVID. It appears that there are multiple promising therapies to treat COVID-19. As Brian Sullivan says, it will be a long time before a vaccine is on the market, while these treatments can be approved and in use very soon. BRIANS FINAL COMMENT THIS AM: Lets hope someone in DC is reading these posts. I am very surprised there hasnt been any mention in the White House briefings (as far as I know) of efforts to test these therapies. Cmon Man! A former senator from Akwa Ibom State, John Udoedehe, has said that a recent meeting of the South-South leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which held in Abuja, was not for the removal of the partys national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole. The meeting, which was held on March 13 at the Edo State governors lodge, Abuja, was allegedly attended by four ministers from the South-South region the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, the Minister of State for Labour, Festus Keyamo, and the Minister of State for Power, Goddy Jedy-Agba. The Punch newspaper reported that the meeting, which also had the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, in attendance, was mainly to endorse the plot for the removal of Mr Oshiomhole, who has been having turbulent times fighting off opposition to his leadership, including a suspension order from court. The meeting was not for the removal of Adams Oshiomhole, Mr Udoedehe, who was in the meeting told PREMIUM TIMES, on Tuesday. Go back to the resolutions, the meeting was about peace and how to bring the party together. Mr Udoedehe, a former minister of state for the FCT, said that was the first time he attended the meeting and that he was invited by a respected chieftain of the APC. He insisted that neither Mr Oshiomhole nor the APC national leader, Bola Tinubu, was discussed at the meeting. He said Mr Obasekis issues with Mr Oshiomhole is personal. I was not part of any conspiracy to remove Adams, I only attended APC meeting of the South-South, the former senator said. Mr Udoedehe went further to explained the problem of the APC in the South-South region. When you have leaders emerge (in the zone), they want to knock down every other credible person. What other zones do is that when they have a problem, they come together to resolve it. Politicians from the South-South zone should learn how to share power with one another, he said. You know we have suffered in this party for more than 12 years. Why? Because when they are sharing things, they would say I am ACN, I am Tinubus person. They denied me my rights for almost 12 years. When I started opposition in my state, Buhari was a taboo. But who are those benefiting from all my suffering? Those who were actually against Buhari. How they change their tongue to change their stories for people to accept them, some people say it is money. Whatever they do, why should I be kept out of the meetings of my zone? He said APC was not doing any better in Akwa Ibom State. We still have the same problem of people who come into the party and whenever they are given appointment they completely remove the foundation members. For instance, look at all the appointments that have been given, not one single appointment has been given to those who founded the party (in Akwa Ibom). Those who have been given appointment are supposed to show leadership, not sectional leadership, to carry everyone along, he said. The APC national vice-chairman, South-South, Hilliard Eta, made an unsuccessful attempt to stop the Abuja meeting from taking place because it was not properly convened. The embattled APC national chairman got a breather a few days ago when the Court of Appeal halted his suspension and Mr Tinubu also declared support for him, before the indefinite adjournment of the APC National Executive Committee meeting which would have probably ousted him. The Chairman (Mr Oshiomhole) has been a tireless campaigner and mobiliser for the party. He has steered the party through difficult elections, Mr Tinubu said in a statement. His contributions should not be undervalued now that the bulk of elections are behind us. 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. No nation is fully sovereign to do what it wants to do in the face of opposition from others, points out Aakar Patel. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com How sovereign is India and to what extent can it do what it wishes to? We are the world's largest democracy, second largest country and arms importer, with the third biggest army and fifth largest economy. By any account this is an impressive set of numbers. So can we do what we want to do in the face of opposition from the world? We must consider this because for the first time in its history, India faces global pressure to change what it is doing internally. The United Nations high commissioner for human rights wants to intervene in the Supreme Court case hearing the constitutionality of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The United States house of representatives (their version of the Lok Sabha) has a resolution condemning Indian actions in Kashmir that has the support of 66 members from both parties. The European Union parliament is scheduled to vote soon on a resolution condemning India for the CAA. The United States commission on international religious freedom, which makes recommendations to the US president and congress, on March 5 took up CAA and the National Register of Citizens. 'There are fears that this law in conjunction with a planned National Population Register and a potential NRC could result in the wide-scale disenfranchisement of Indian Muslims,' USCIRF Commissioner Anurima Bhargava said. 'This would leave them vulnerable to prolonged detention, deportation, and violence. We are already seeing this process being conducted in the northeastern state of Assam... The NRC is a mechanism for identifying illegal migrants in the region.' Individual nations have also condemned or cautioned India over recent events like the Delhi riots. The United Kingdom's house of lords and house of commons both heard criticism of India's citizenship laws and the riots. Indonesia, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (of which India wants to be a member), Turkey and Malaysia have all spoken against us. Iran's political and religious leaders condemned the Delhi riots and blamed us for not protecting our minorities. Other nations have sent signals in different ways. The prime minister's trip to Bangladesh was cancelled this month. The official reason was the coronavirus, but the day before the announcement there was a gathering of 5,000 people to condemn India and Modi for the CAA. Further protests were planned on Modi's arrival. The PM's visit to a European Union summit meet in Brussels was also cancelled. Once again the virus was cited as the reason, but the vote against India by the EU MEPs is pending and we have been unable to head it off. Our response has been to either get angry and summon ambassadors and tell them off (in cases like Iran), to disrupt trade with the country in question (Malaysia) to ignore the criticism (where the nation is too powerful for us to do anything, like the US) or to claim that this is our sovereign issue and that it doesn't concern the world (as we have done in the case of the UNHCHR intervention in the Supreme Court). The ministry of external affairs is not equipped to deal with such volume of negative material and has been overwhelmed in 2020. Many of the people leading the attacks on India are themselves of India origin, such as the author of the US congress resolution Pramila Jayapal so it is not easy for us to brush off the criticism as either being ignorant or malicious. The question is, to go back to the start, can we do what we want to do in the face of opposition from the world? The only other times in recent memory that we have faced external pressure of significance is probably in 1991, 1998 and 2002. In 2002, the world, and especially the US, leaned on India and Pakistan not to go to war after the Parliament attack. No war happened through India mobilised its army on the Pakistan border. In 1998, the US was angry that we weaponised our nuclear programme, but there was not much that could be done after the tests had already been carried out. In 1991, the US and other agencies forced India to adopt economic liberalisation, which we duly carried out. As can be seen, we are not immune to external pressure. Sometimes like in 1991 we can also claim or pretend that our national interest is aligned to what the world wants so it is fine to change course. The reality is that the pressure exists and will continue to exist because the world is an inter connected place. Even with global trade low and declining the world is still so intertwined that what we do affects others. On Friday, March 13, Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi proposed that India and its neighbours tackle the coronavirus problem together. The message produced a positive response from our neighbours. It takes a disease to make us realise that the world is connected in ways that are inextricable, but it is true. No nation in the world is fully sovereign to do what it wants to do in the face of opposition from others. In the case of the CAA and NRC, India is learning the lesson the hard way. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday discussed the migrant crisis and the situation in Syria's rebel enclave of Idlib, with the leaders of France, Germany and Britain. 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 re-open its border for refugees trying to reach Europe. The move sparked tensions with Brussels, and with neighboring Greece, when thousands of migrants 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. Erdogan's decision to open the gates for refugees heading to Europe came after more than 50 Turkish troops were killed by Syrian regime fire in northwestern province of Idlib in February. Turkey is home to four million refugees -- mostly Syrians -- and is demanding more assistance from the European Union amid fears of another influx from Idlib, where the Syrian regime has launched an offensive backed by Russian air power. Ankara hopes for progress on a new migrant deal with Brussels by the next scheduled EU summit on March 26. Macron's 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. Because of the growing spread of COVID-19, the meeting was held via video conference rather than in person in Istanbul. The four leaders also discussed joint action against the coronavirus, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu tweeted. Turkey has 47 confirmed cases of coronavirus so far, but no deaths. [March 18, 2020] AskBio Enters Research Collaboration and Licensing Agreement with University of North Carolina (UNC) for Angelman Syndrome RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. and CHAPEL HILL, N.C., March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), a leading clinical-stage adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy company, today announced that it has entered into a research collaboration and licensing agreement with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) for the development and commercialization of gene therapy for Angelman syndrome. This collaboration allows us to leverage groundbreaking research from UNC and apply our AAV development capabilities to find a gene therapy treatment for Angelman syndrome, said Sheila Mikhail, JD, MBA, AskBio Chief Executive Officer and co-founder. We look forward to advancing this program together. Angelman syndrome is a rare neurogenetic disorder caused by the loss of function of the UBE3A gene. The disorder occurs in approximately one in 15,000 people, or about 500,000 individuals worldwide, and there is currently no cure. In addition to life-altering symptoms such as speech and motor deficits, more than 80 percent of Angelman syndrome patients experience epilepsy, which typically does not respond well to standard anti-seizure medications. A UNC School of Medicine team, led by Mark Zylka, PhD, and Ben Philpot, PhD, has generated preclinical evidence that gene therapy may help individuals with Angelman syndrome by improving seizure and motor outcomes. Individuals with Angelman syndrome face lifelong challenges, and our gene therapy approaches hold the potential to correct this disorder at its genetic roots. We are incredibly excited to partner with AskBio, as they have been vanguards of clinical gene therapies for rare diseases, said Mark Zylka, PhD, Director of the UNC Neuroscience Center. Ben Philpot, PhD, Associate Director of the UNC Neuroscience Center added, We look forward to advncing this transformative treatment to the clinic and potentially improving the lives of individuals with Angelman syndrome. The partnership between AskBio and UNC could transform the lives of people living with Angelman syndrome by providing them with a potential therapy for this rare disease, said Amanda Moore, Angelman Syndrome Foundation CEO. The Angelman Syndrome Foundation has long been proud to support the work of UNC researchers, Drs. Ben Philpot and Mark Zylka, and invest in science that positively affects the Angelman syndrome community. The collaboration between UNC and AskBio brings us a step closer to delivering a viable gene therapy to the people and families we serve. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. More about Angelman Syndrome Deletion of the maternally inherited copy of the UBE3A gene causes Angelman syndrome. Symptoms include microcephaly (small head circumference), severe intellectual disability, seizures, balance and movement problems (ataxia), lack of speech, and sleep problems. Behavioral symptoms include frequent laughing, smiling and excitability. Angelman syndrome was first described in 1965, yet no treatment options have been approved in the 55 years since. While individuals with the disorder have a normal lifespan, they require life-long care and are not able to live independently. About Angelman Syndrome Foundation The mission of the Angelman Syndrome Foundation is to advance the awareness and treatment of Angelman syndrome through education and information, research and support for individuals with Angelman syndrome, their families and other concerned parties. We exist to give them a reason to smile, with the ultimate goal of finding a cure. To learn more, visit https://www.angelman.org. About AskBio Founded in 2001, Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio) is a privately held, clinical-stage gene therapy company dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with genetic disorders. AskBios gene therapy platform includes an industry-leading proprietary cell line manufacturing process called Pro10 and an extensive adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid and promoter library. Based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, the company has generated hundreds of proprietary third-generation AAV capsids and promoters, several of which have entered clinical testing. An early innovator in the space, the company holds more than 500 patents in areas such as AAV production and chimeric and self-complementary capsids. AskBio maintains a portfolio of clinical programs across a range of neurodegenerative and neuromuscular indications with a current clinical pipeline that includes therapeutics for Pompe disease, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2i/R9 and congestive heart failure, as well as out-licensed clinical indications for hemophilia (Chatham Therapeutics acquired by Takeda) and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Bamboo Therapeutics acquired by Pfizer). Learn more at https://www.askbio.com or follow us on LinkedIn. Media Contacts: AskBio Robin Fastenau Vice President, Communications +1 984.275.2705 [email protected] Angelman Syndrome Foundation Amanda Moore Chief Executive Officer +1 317.514.6918 [email protected] UNC Health | UNC School of Medicine Mark Derewicz Director, Research & News +1 984.974.1915 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Now the country is in partial lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic, walking is the new social outlet for many. With new social distancing guidelines in place, many events and social gatherings have been cancelled. With that in mind, we've rounded up a selection of excellent hikes and trails, chosen by three expert walkers - authors all - which are particularly good in spring. That means places with the finest bluebell displays, the best newly green woodlands, the most dramatic scenery. The result is 25 great routes across the country. There are trails here for families with toddlers or buggies, for those looking for a good stretch, and for serious hikers wanting to blow the cobwebs out of their hair after the dark winter. Each walk listed includes the distance and the time it takes to complete at a moderate pace, as well as directions to the start point. Most of the routes can be covered without maps, but we have included references to where maps or guides can be found for trickier trails. Of course, the usual rules apply - wear a pair of broken-in shoes or boots, waterproof gear if the weather is looking dodgy, pack a protein snack and water, charge your mobile phone, and always let someone know if you're setting off on one of the more strenuous hikes. And the new rules: try avoid popular spots if you're worried about crowds and want to keep your distance. Here's part one today and don't forget part two tomorrow. DUBLIN 1. Best blue way Where: The Royal Canal Way, Castleknock, Dublin 15 to Leixlip, Co Kildare What: With your back to Castleknock railway station, turn left and join the canal towpath. Soon you reach the Deep Sinking, a narrow limestone cut where the path rises 10 metres above the water. Back in the 19th century this section sometimes proved fatal for draught horses towing barges through the chasm below. The path is rough underfoot here, but a smooth, newly resurfaced trail takes over from Clonsilla onwards. The landscape grows more rural now, with fields bordering the path. Five bridges mark your progress towards Leixlip, where the Ryewater Aquaduct carries the canal over the river Rye. This took six years to build in the 1790s. Around 500 metres later, cross a road bridge to reach Leixlip's Louisa Bridge railway station. Start/Finish Start: At Castleknock railway station and finish at Leixlip's Louisa Bridge station. Getting there: This is a linear walk, but frequent trains take just 13 minutes to run between the two stations. Level: Easy to moderate - flat towpath, largely surfaced makes this a good route with small children. Length/Time: 10km / 3 hours. 2. Best for high forest trails (and buggies) Where: Cruagh Wood, Dublin Mountains What: This route is accessible to everybody, including children in buggies, but still reaches 450 metres high and offers fabulous views over Dublin city. There are several signed walks here, but the best circuit is the Sli na Slainte trail. This makes a relatively straightforward loop from the car park, following forest tracks and surfaced paths throughout. The trail is surrounded by pine trees and includes a gentle climb and descent of 100 metres. Where the trees allow, fabulous views extend over the Dublin Mountains, the city and the east coast. Start/Finish: At Cruagh Wood car park. Getting there: Exit the M50 at junction 12, then navigate south to the R115 Old Military Road. Turn left off this on to Cruagh Road, signed to Glencullen. The forest entrance is 1km later on the right. It closes at 5pm. Level: Easy to moderate - signed, surfaced woodland trails with 100m ascent. Length /Time: 5km / 2 hours. Pack: A natural treasure-hunt list to encourage kids to investigate the forest. 3. Best for city views Where: Fairy Castle Loop, Dublin Mountains, Dublin 18 What: It should be mandatory for every Dubliner to visit 536-metre Fairy Castle to gain a whole new perspective over the metropolis below. The route to the top is straightforward, with constructed paths and frequent signs to aid navigation. An initial road climb brings you to the massive communication masts on Three Rock Mountain. Now turn right alongside a forest, and climb across open mountainside to the summit of Two Rock Mountain, crowned by the massive megalithic tomb known as Fairy Castle. The incredible panorama extends from the Wicklow Mountains in the south to the Mourne Mountains in the north. Descend along the ridge, then follow signed paths and tracks back to the start. Start/Finish: At Ticknock Forest trailhead. Getting there: From Ticknock Forest entrance, drive uphill, looking for a track on the right with adjacent map board. Park in the nearby lay-bys. Level: Moderate to difficult - signed paths with 230m ascent. Length / Time: 6km/2.5 hours. Pack: Helen Fairbairn's 'Dublin & Wicklow: A Walking Guide'; and a flask of tea to celebrate your arrival. 4. Best for coastal views Where: Bray Head Loop, Bray, Co Wicklow What: Join the Bray-Greystones coastal path at the eastern end of the car park, and turn right. Just 20 metres later, turn right again up a set of concrete steps. Climb straight ahead, through a patch of woodland, to a large concrete cross at 197 metres. There are wonderful views here across Killiney Bay to Howth. Continue south now, closing the gates behind you, to follow a path that climbs to a trig pillar at 240 metres. Shortly before the pillar, turn left on to a path that descends south-east through a gate across rock and grass. Turn left to join the paved coastal path, and left for 2km to return to the car park. Start/Finish: At Bray Head car park. Getting there: The car park lies at the end of Raheen Park, in south-east Bray. Alternatively, start and finish at Bray railway station, walking south along the promenade to reach the car park. Level: Moderate to difficult - unsigned mountain trails and constructed coastal path, with 295m ascent. Length /Time: 7km / 2.5 hours. Pack: Your camera - this is an immensely scenic circuit. LEINSTER 5. Best mountain crash site Where: Annaloughan Forest, Co Louth What: This popular circuit is fully signed. It explores the lower slopes of Annaloughan Mountain and the trees of Rockmarshall Forest. The forest is a mixture of deciduous and pine trees, with patches of bluebells and wood anemone in spring. Open sections also offer fabulous views over Dundalk Bay and Slieve Foye. Begin by following the purple arrows east along the road, then turn left onto a lane. This leads to a series of tracks and paths that loop around the hillside. Once out on open mountain terrain, a short detour brings you to the site of a 1942 plane crash, where metal wreckage still lies on the ground. Start/Finish: At Fitzpatrick's Bar and Restaurant, Rockmarshall, Dundalk. Getting there: Exit the M1 at junction 18, then follow the R173 towards Carlingford. You'll reach Fitzpatrick's Bar after 7km. Level: Moderate - signed tracks and paths with 230m ascent. Length /Time: 8.5km/3 hours. Pack: A copy of Adrian Hendroff's book, 'The Mourne and Cooley Mountains: A Walking Guide'. 6. Best for beachcombers Where: Clogherhead Coastal Walk, Co Louth What: This circuit may be short, but it explores a fascinating section of coastline, with views stretching from the Mourne Mountains to Lambay Island. From the beach car park, head back along the road for 100 metres. Turn right at a junction, then left along a lane. At the next T-junction, turn right and continue for 1km to the large harbour of Port Oriel at the end of the road. Turn right here and follow a series of low cliffs around the headland and back to the beach. Archaeologists believe these coastal outcrops provided several rock slabs used in the construction of Newgrange and other tombs in nearby Boyne Valley. If you want more distance, continue as far as you like along the beach itself. Start /Finish: At Clogherhead Beach car park. Getting there: From Drogheda, follow the R166 north-east to Clogherhead village. In the village centre, follow signs for the Lifeboat Station. Level: Easy to moderate - unsigned tarmac lanes and coastal paths. Length /Time: 3km / 1.5 hours. 7. Best for spring flowers Where: Killinthomas Woods, Co Kildare What: This beautiful deciduous woodland features one of the country's best carpets of bluebell and wild garlic during the month of May. Primrose and celandine also find shelter beneath the lime-green leaves of the mature beech trees, and it's impossible to come here in spring without leaving uplifted and refreshed. Choose from 10km of signed walking routes, all of which start and finish at the car park. There are options for both long and short outings, with the 'Camp Walk' and 'Bluebell Walk' both accessible to wheelchairs and buggies. Start/Finish: At Killinthomas Woods car park. Getting there: From the centre of Rathangan town, take the R401 towards Edenderry. Turn right at a roundabout onto the L3001, then look for a right turn signed to the 'Woods'. Level: Easy to moderate - largely flat, signed woodland paths. Length /Time: Up to 10km / 3 hours Pack: A wildflower book for identifying the species you see. 8. Best for history buffs Where: Moore Abbey, Co Kildare What: When a woodland has a walking trail called the Bluebell Way, you can guarantee it'll be pretty in spring. This particular trail follows a cypress-lined avenue, and radiates colour when the bluebells are in flower. This is one of three short, signed routes in the forest beside Moore Abbey; complete each walk separately, or mix-and-match them to make a longer outing. The trees are a mixture of conifer and broadleaf species, while the abbey occupies the site of a former monastery, first founded by St Evin in the 5th century. The current building dates from the 1760s. Start/ Finish: At Moore Abbey forest car park. Getting there: Exit the M7 at junction 14, then follow the R445 towards Monasterevin. Take the first left onto the R427 towards Athy; the forest is on the right, 1km later. Level: Easy - flat and signed woodland trails. Length /Time: Up to 4km / 1.5 hours. Pack: A camera to capture the beauty of the flowers. 9. Best for playing at High King of Ireland Where: The Ridge of Cappard, Co Laois What: Beautiful Glenbarrow is the most popular of the Slieve Bloom glens. This route explores the base of this glacial valley, then climbs onto the enclosing mountainside to the Ridge of Cappard. There are five marked walks here, and this route is an amalgamation of many of them. Begin by following an atmospheric woodland path along the nascent River Barrow. Pass the famous triple tiers of the Clamphole Waterfall, and continue upstream to an old water mill. Now turn left and climb out of the trees, joining an elevated boardwalk on top of the ridge. Far-ranging views encompass all four provinces of Ireland. Follow walking arrows back to the start via more boardwalk and forest tracks. Start/Finish: At Glenbarrow car park. Getting there: Head to the village of Rosenallis, along the R422. Turn south opposite the church, and follow brown signposts to Glenbarrow car park. Level: Moderate - signed trails with 180m ascent. Length /Time: 10km / 3 hours. Pack: 'The Comeragh, Galtee, Knockmealdown and Slieve Bloom Mountains: A Walking Guide', by John G O'Dwyer. 10. Best for hikers What: Scarr and Kanturk Mountains, Co Wicklow Where: This memorable route traverses a pair of mid-height peaks, providing fine views over the Wicklow Mountains. Begin by heading northwest along the road. After 1.5km you pass a bridge; 60 metres later, turn right through a wooden gate onto a footpath. Pass above Lough Dan, then cross a track. The path climbs a mountain shoulder to a maze of granite outcrops at the summit of Kanturk (523 metres). Continue south-east across a col to reach 641-metre Scarr, with its narrow summit ridge and fabulous views. To descend, head south to a forest track, then turn left onto a road that carries you back to Oldbridge. Start/Finish: At a lay-by in Oldbridge. Getting there: From the hamlet of Oldbridge, turn north, following signs to Lough Dan. Park 250m later in a large lay-by on the left. Level: Difficult - unsigned mountain paths and 540m ascent. Length/Time: 14km/4.5 hours. Pack: Detailed route notes from Helen Fairbairn's 'Dublin & Wicklow: A Walking Guide'. 11. Best for a taste of monastic life Where: Derrybawn Woodland Trail, Glendalough, Co Wicklow What: This circuit explores Glendalough's prized oak woods, and is particularly beautiful in spring when bluebells and other wildflowers are in bloom. The walk is signed throughout by orange arrows. From the south-west corner of the car park, cross a footbridge and turn right onto the wide trail known as the Green Road. After 200 metres, another footbridge offers access to the 6th century monastic city, which is well worth a detour. Then continue along the Green Road to the park information office. Turn left here, climbing a series of steep steps beside Pollanass Waterfall. Follow a high forest road across the slopes of Derrybawn Mountain, before dropping back to the Green Road and returning through mature oak trees to the start. Start/Finish: At Wicklow National Park Visitor Centre car park. Getting there: The visitor centre is located roughly 3km west of Laragh village, along the R757. Level: Moderate - signed woodland trail with 160m ascent. Length /Time: 8km/2.5 hours. Pack: 'The Walking Trails of Glendalough' leaflet, available from the visitor centre or wicklowmountainsnationalpark.ie 12. Best for tree lovers Where: Clogrennan Wood, Co Carlow What: This woodland is relatively old by Irish standards, with forest cover stretching back to the 1800s. Today it is home to various tree species, including beech, spruce, larch and oak, with spring flowers including bluebells, wild garlic and herb robert. A signed loop walk begins from the car park and explores a series of forest tracks. It's short enough to appeal to families, and a section of open, hillside path allows long views across the Carlow countryside to the Wicklow and Blackstairs Mountains. Follow the purple arrows throughout to stick to the main path, or divert off onto a host of meandering side trails. Start/Finish: At Clogrennan Wood car park. Getting there: Exit the M9 at junction 6, then follow Google map directions to Clogrennane Lime Ltd. The forest car park is 400m west of the lime works. Level: Easy - flat, signed woodland tracks. Length /Time: 4km / 1.5 hours. Pack: A phone loaded with Google maps to find the start. 13. Best for waterside walkers Where: The Barrow Towpath, Graiguenamanagh to St Mullins, Co Carlow What: This out-and-back route follows a tranquil towpath along the banks of a verdant waterway, pausing for lunch in the pretty and historic hamlet of St Mullins. The walk forms the final section of the 114km-long Barrow Way, but you join the route on the eastern side of Graiguenamanagh's seven-arch bridge. From here, head downstream along a lane that soon turns into a footpath. Navigation is straightforward; simply follow the river bank all the way to St Mullins. Along the way you encounter four locks, and pass through deciduous woodland and a steep-sided valley. In St Mullins, the riverside buildings were once a water-powered mill. Then detour 400 metres up the road to visit an atmospheric old monastery and adjacent Norman motte, before returning to Graiguenamanagh. Start/Finish: At Graiguenamanagh. Getting there: Graiguenamanagh is located along the R703, 23km south-east of Kilkenny. Level: Easy to moderate - flat riverside path. Length /Time: 12km / 4 hours. Evros, Greece Witnesses told reporters the bullet that killed 42-year-old Muhammad Gulzar came from the Greek side of the border, but whether a soldier, a police officer or a carbine-toting vigilante had pulled the trigger, no one could say for certain. It was March 4, and clashes had erupted in the no mans land spanning the border between Turkey and Greece. Here in Kastanies, the border crossing was closed to civilians. Every now and then, an olive truck full of soldiers bounced down the crater-pocked road leading into the restricted military area on the frontier. Greek riot police officers and soldiers formed columns across the field. On the other side of the border fence, behind an ominous barrier adorned with curls of concertina wire, thousands of refugees and migrants had amassed. Their hopes of entering Europe were dashed by the tear gas, water cannon and flashbangs that greeted them. Grey clouds formed above like clenched fists in the skies. Freedom, the refugees and migrants chanted, gripping the fences chain links. Greek riot police fired tear gas over the fence, streaks of chemical smoke briefly scarring the air and then dissolving. A tear gas canister would occasionally land on the Greek side, either returned by a protester or fired by Turkish police. A police vehicle lurched forward, showering the protesters with powerful streams of water. A helicopter buzzed above, and what sounded like a burst of gunfire echoed in the fields. A group of asylum seekers dashes into a cluster of bushes in a field next to Petrades village [Nick Paleologos/SOOC Images/Al Jazeera] Along with a few dozen reporters, I stood atop the railway tracks on a hilltop that overlooks the borderlands. Some scribbled in their notepads, a few did live broadcasts on camera, and others jostled for the best spot to snap photos. There, we watched the clashes unfurl a few hundred metres away, a cat-and-mouse game that groaned on well into the afternoon. Mulling around among the reporters was Argyris Papastathis, deputy head of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakiss press office. He would not grant interviews, but he insisted that Greek forces were not firing live ammunition, dismissing the reports as fake news. Meanwhile, images of apparent gunshot victims were cropping up all over the internet. Papastathis led us into the closed military area, allowing us to stand some 100 metres (328 feet) behind the last row of riot police and soldiers. Look how they are calm now that journalists are here, he said. Thats because they want you to think they are refugees. Four years of friendship Later that night, 920km (572 miles) away in Athens, Qaiser Rizvi was sitting at home with his cousin, Irfan Zaidi, when he received a message from Muhammad Gulzars Facebook account. Sent by Gulzars wife, it was a link to a Sky News television report about live gunfire on the Greek-Turkish border. The segment showed a crowd of refugees and migrants carrying a body shrouded in sheets. Then the frame switched to a woman crying on a curb outside a hospital in Turkey. She is the wife of a man called Gulzar, the reporter said. He was the one hit in the chest. Thirty-three-year-old Rizvi and Zaidi, 35, had met Gulzar four years earlier at the Pakistani embassy in Athens. The three later lived together at City Plaza, a now-shuttered squat that provided housing to hundreds of refugees and migrants at a time. At night, the cousins would often go to Gulzars room, number 611, where they would trade jokes and watch videos on their phones. Unlike most of the asylum seekers at the squatted hotel, Gulzar had already lived in Greece for several years, working odd jobs in home renovation, welding and automotive repair, among other things, Rizvi told me a week later in Athens. Gulzar worked long hours, spoke Greek fluently and was very funny, his friends said. Sometimes, though, he would chide Rizvi and Zaidi, urging them to go out and search for work rather than pass time in the squat, the pair said. Gulzar was trying to fix his residency documents late last year when he travelled back to Pakistan to visit his parents, who were ageing and ill. While in Pakistan, he married. Along with his new wife, he travelled back to Turkey with the hope of re-entering Greece. Pakistani migrant Muhammad Gulzar, who was shot dead on the Greek-Turkish border on March 4, once lived in City Plaza, a squatted hotel that housed hundreds of refugees and migrants at a time [Nick Paleologos/SOOC Images/Al Jazeera] As Rizvi and Zaidi watched the video and the pieces came together, they both broke down in tears. All week long, Rizvi had been exchanging Facebook messages with Gulzar. I couldnt believe Gulzar was dead, he told me, lifting his telephone to show pictures of gunshot wounds on Gulzars chest and knee. We had four years of friendship. He spoke Greek very well, and he knew everything here, said Zaidi, whose asylum application was rejected two days before his friend was killed. Invasion Already hosting close to 4.1 million refugees, Turkey ordered its border guards to stand down on February 27, as the country braced for another wave of refugees expected to be displaced by the ongoing battle in Idlib, a flashpoint city in neighbouring Syria. The Greek government has decried the bottlenecking of refugees and migrants as an invasion and suspended asylum applications for a month. On March 3, Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis said his country faced an asymmetrical threat as the last line on the European Unions southeastern periphery. This is no longer a refugee problem, he told a news conference while touring the border region with European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen, and European Parliament head David Sassoli. This is a blatant attempt by Turkey to use desperate people to promote its geopolitical agenda and to divert attention from the horrible situation in Syria. On that trip, von der Leyen thanked Greece for its tough stance on the EUs external border and described the country as Europes shield. Frontex, the EUs border agency, said it would send more officers and equipment to reinforce Greek security forces on the border. Since the Turkish government allowed passage to the Greek border, clashes have become regular [Nick Paleologos/SOOC Images/Al Jazeera] Meanwhile, Greece has deployed more soldiers and police officers to the border, where it hopes to sever the flow of refugees and migrants into the country. As arrests and pushbacks swell, people continue to risk the journey. Driving down the road that connects a string of border villages to a national highway, we spotted two young men walking on the grassy shoulder. Shortly after we reached the end of the road and turned around, a group of soldiers and police officers appeared. Blue-and-red lights flashed. The two asylum seekers sat on their knees in the yellow, hip-high grass, their hands behind their heads. A police officer turned our way and scowled. No photos, she shouted. For its part, Turkey has announced plans to prepare a case against Greece in the European Court of Human Rights and has called on EU leaders to update the March 2016 migration accord, a deal which allocated billions of Euros in funding to Turkey in exchange for preventing refugees and migrants from embarking for Europe. It is not only about keeping migrants in return for more money, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told the state-run Anadolu news agency on Tuesday, reiterating his governments demand that the EU grant Turkish citizens visa-free access and update the customs union between Turkey and the EU. Racist and violent behaviour In 2015, Greece was still entangled in a brutal economic crisis and the left-wing Syriza party surged in January legislative elections on promises to abolish European-backed austerity measures and, among other drastic changes, introduce more humane migration policies. During the summer of that year, however, the refugee crisis exploded in the Mediterranean Sea, bringing hundreds of thousands of people to the country. Fleeing war and poverty, most new arrivals continued onward to Western Europe. The Syriza-led government struggled to manage the flow, despite billions in European funding. In early 2016, governments around Europe sealed their borders, and in March of that year, the EU and Turkey reached the deal designed to hinder the flow of new arrivals to the continent. Arrivals slowed down for a time, but desperate people continued to brave land borders and board flimsy dinghies bound for Greek islands. With Greece situated on Europes external border, tens of thousands of people wound up stranded in the country. Over the years that followed, Greek voters grew increasingly frustrated with the Syriza-led governments migration policies, including a measure that prevented asylum seekers from leaving the islands hosting refugee camps until their applications were processed. In snap elections last July, the right-wing New Democracy party removed Syriza after campaigning on a platform that included promises to enact a heavy-handed crackdown on migration to the Mediterranean country. The New Democracy government made plans to escalate deportations and gutted asylum seekers rights, but new arrivals climbed again in late 2019. By the end of the year, more than 74,000 people had reached Greece, according to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), bringing the total number of migrants and refugees in the country to an estimated 112,000. On February 26 in Athens, protesters stand in front of a banner denouncing the governments plans to build closed detention centres on five Greek islands in the Aegean Sea [File: Nick Paleologos/SOOC Images/Al Jazeera] Even as police beefed up border security, attempted to transfer more asylum seekers from the islands to the mainland, and evicted refugee squats in Athens, locals in communities around the country grew increasingly frustrated. Vigilante violence and anti-refugee protests surged. On several islands, local mayors and other municipal officials led mobs of residents that blocked boats from unloading refugees on their shores. In late October, locals in the northern village of Vrasna blockaded the street and prevented buses carrying hundreds of refugees from entering the community. Deputy Migration Minister Giorgos Koumoutsakos insisted that the government is examining all possible measures to clamp down on new arrivals. For the government, managing of borders and securing borders is a top priority, he told me. Last month, the government announced plans to build closed detention centres on five Aegean islands Chios, Kos, Leros, Lesbos and Kos and islanders rebelled. On Chios and Lesbos, locals stormed construction sites, rioted and clashed with hordes of riot police that the government had shipped to the islands. In the weeks that followed, attacks on asylum seekers, humanitarians and reporters mounted. The plans announcement followed revelations that the government would build a floating border wall in the Aegean Sea, a 2.7km (1.7 miles) barrier intended to prevent refugee boats from reaching Lesbos. As misery deepens and the clampdown grows more severe, surveys suggest that Greek public opinion has shifted: in a recent poll, 92 percent of respondents told the diaNEOsis Research and Policy Institute that too many migrants were in the country, while only one-in-five believed that migrants should be integrated into the society. Vice President of the European Parliament Dimitrios Papadimoulis, a member of Syriza, blamed the government for the anti-refugee uproar. Greeks were always inspired by the values of solidarity, empathy and compassion for the weak, he told me, but lately, the rhetoric legitimised by different members of the government has justified several incidents of racist and violent behaviour against immigrants and NGO [workers]. In Evros, the region that abuts the countrys land border with Turkey, locals were not immune from the wave of vigilantism washing over Greece. Since the crisis on the land border flared up, civilian patrols among them armed groups, including those led by acolytes of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party fell into the spotlight. A train passes through the railway line next to the buffer zone on the border between Greece and Turkey [Nick Paleologos/SOOC Images/Al Jazeera] Locals started to feel edgy Home to an estimated 150,000 people, the Evros regional unit includes five municipalities and spills across some 4,240 square kilometres (1637 square miles) of mostly flat land touching Greeces borders with Bulgaria and Turkey. For most of its length, the Greek-Turkish border traces the Evros River down to the delta that delivers its waters into the Aegean Sea. Nowadays, if you drive up and down any of the roads near the border with Turkey for long enough, you will spot refugees and migrants trudging across patches of open field, lugging knapsacks and weighed down by the mud accumulating on their shoes like an anchor. In the predawn hours, before the sun has fully ascended, they appear like apparitions on the hilltops, shrouded in the morning fog that affords them a modicum of anonymity. When a rickety police van or bulky army vehicle lurks past, the asylum seekers tear off for the trees or dive into the bushes. After the clashes in Kastanies died down on March 4, we drove to Pythio, a decaying village crawling up a hillside on the border. Sitting just a few kilometres from Evros River, which separates Greek from Turkish territory, the village is home to a few hundred people. They live between the ruins of a pre-Byzantine castle, a scatter of shops that are rarely open, and a handful of cafes shedding paint and bearing faded signs. There, we found Antonis Polisakis playing cards in a coffee shop where he holds court all day. A pair of men sat in the corner, smoking, while an action movie played on a television fixed to the wall. Polisakis farms cotton and sunflower on land that huddles up to the borderline. At 51, he has lived his entire life in Pythio, a village he says struggles to keep its youth from leaving in search of work and opportunities elsewhere. Locals recently elected Polisakis president of the village, a largely symbolic, part-time job that he manages between farming and passing his days in the cafe. The March 4 clashes on the border [File: Nick Paleologos/SOOC Images/Al Jazeera] Four nights before we met, Polisakis opened Facebook and found a post that announced that a group of refugees and migrants had entered the village. Altogether, there were some 400 asylum seekers, he told me. Police rounded up about half of them at the local church and transferred them to holding centres, but the rest managed to escape under the cloak of darkness. It was nothing new, he said, but the numbers were alarming. Of course, when we saw the constant flow of people locals started to feel edgy. For years, locals have hoped that the Greek authorities would eventually assert greater control of the border, he said, but little has changed through successive left-wing and right-wing governments. Worried by the recent build-up on the Turkish side, Polisakis and other locals recently obtained permission to carry out civilian patrols they say will support Greek security forces that are stretched thin along the frontier. If they [the Greek government] wanted to solve this whole problem, they would let the hunters and farmers protect their own lands, he said, but they dont even let them access their own lands [on the border]. In a village whose population is largely made up of ageing farmers and pensioners, locals fear the government could eventually build the type of closed detention centres authorities are currently erecting in other parts of the country. If the village has 300 [refugees] here, how will they feed them? Polisakis asked. Although not hopeful, he insisted that other European countries should take a larger share of the asylum seekers, a point of contention also regularly voiced by the Greek government. Europe needs to open the borders and let them pass through. Having just crossed the border, an asylum seeker sets off down the road connecting the villages of Petrades and Pythio [Nick Paleologos/SOOC Images/Al Jazeera] So much hate About 9:30pm on March 2, CNN Greece journalist Kostas Pliakos hopped in his rental car and started the drive from Didymoteicho to Feres, a 65-kilometre (40 miles) trek down the border. About halfway there, he spotted three men on the side of the road and pulled over. He introduced himself and asked where they were from. Syria, they told him. As he chatted with them, a pick-up truck skidded to an abrupt stop. When two men and a woman hopped out, Pliakos noticed one was carrying a rifle. Pliakos asked what they were doing there, and they said they lived in nearby villages and patrolled the fields for refugees and migrants. Then two more pickups pulled up, and more armed men appeared in front of him. Understanding that they stood face-to-face with vigilantes, the Syrians took off in a sprint, Pliakos told me. One man fired the rifle into the air, the sharp crack of the gunshot rippling out in the night. Two of the Syrians escaped, but the vigilantes caught the third, tossed him to the ground, and punched and kicked him. Standing some 10 metres away, Pliakos watched the violence unfold until one of the vigilantes accused him of filming the attack on his phone. He admitted that he was a reporter, but insisted that he was not filming. It was no use: the men snatched his telephone and threw it on the ground. Even as he watched his phone shatter into pieces, Pliakos assumed he was safe until the first fist slammed into his face. He tried to defend himself, but tumbled. As the three or four men punched him, kicked him, and struck his body with a wooden stick, no cars passed. You f***ing journalist, one shouted. We are trying to defend our communities and you do this stuff here. By the time the beating ended, Pliakos had a black eye and his arms and legs were blanketed with bruises and scrapes. Two days before, a mob had set upon a German journalist, Michael Trammer, at the Thermi port on Lesbos Islands northern shore. They knocked him to the ground, beat him, and threw his equipment into the sea. Throughout the week leading up to that incident, similar groups on Lesbos beat freelance reporters, busted up their cars, and told them to leave the island. Although attacks on the press are not new in Greece, the recent uptick left him stunned. I dont remember in my career so much hate against journalists, he said. You cant be here On the morning of March 5, the day after Gulzar died on the border, Greek media reports said the refugee build-up was moving further south, towards Ipsala the same area where Turkish authorities claimed a Greek bullet killed a Syrian man called Mohammad Yaarub a few days earlier. As in the case of Gulzar, Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas had dismissed those reports as fake news and Turkish propaganda. However, videos captured on the day the 22-year-old Syrian died appeared to show Greek soldiers firing live ammunition across the border. We drove along the highway heading south. Army vehicles drifted to the shoulder and let us pass, soldiers crammed in the open-faced cargo area. About 2km (1.2 miles) before the exit to Soufli, a town situated in the Evros Valley and once famous for its silk production, we passed an army truck parked on the side of the highway. Two soldiers stood staring out into a vast field. Between the villages of Petrades and Pythio, asylum seekers cross the field in the early morning [Nick Paleologos/SOOC Images/Al Jazeera] We pulled over and walked to the edge of the hill overlooking the field. Several hundred metres away, walking along the rows of trees on the perimeter of the field were about three dozen refugees and migrants. A police vehicle rolled down the farm road on one side of the field, an army truck on the other side. As the vehicles got closer, most of the asylum seekers took a seat on the dirt and waited to be detained, but a handful broke away, running through the field. Carrying a rifle, a soldier followed them in a sprint. As we watched, a soldier approached us. You know you cant be here, he said. We packed up, continued south to Tychero, a 4,000-person town located a few kilometres from the border. The Greek side of the Kastanies border crossing had been closed for days, and the Turkish side of the Kipoi crossing had been closed on and off throughout the previous 24 hours. In an empty lot between a souvlaki restaurant and a few homes, volunteers from the Greek Red Cross sat in a tent and stared at their mobile phones. With the army and police deployed in huge numbers along the border, they had no asylum seekers to treat. Soldiers popped into the restaurant every few minutes, grabbing bags of takeaway before heading back to the restricted access area near the border. At around lunchtime, local firefighter Christos Zak and Ioannas Zapartas, who breeds sheep on his family land, sat down at a table and kicked back several beers. Both are 48 and have lived in Tychero for their entire lives. As far as Zapartas sees it, the recent build-up is a political game played by Greece and Turkey. They are humans, too, he told me of the refugees, but they [Turkey] told them the borders are open. They were blackmailed. Although Zak insists that no one wants to see the asylum seekers harmed, he recently started patrolling the narrow streets that weave through Tychero on his motorbike, carrying a large stick. Before all this erupted, you could see people passing by and nobody would do anything, Zak told me, but now people call the police when they see someone. Back in Athens, Rizvi and Zaidi showed me Gulzars final photos, which his wife had sent them after he died. His last selfie showed him smiling with a group of refugees and migrants sitting in the no mans land on the border. What can we do? Zaidi said, exasperation sketched across his face. Rizvi added, Whoever God wants, God takes. The top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee has accused China of engaging in one of the worst cover-ups in human history in the countrys handling the now global coronavirus pandemic that originated in Wuhan. Representative Michael McCaul made the remarks in an interview with Axios on Tuesday just after China moved to strip the press passes of American reporters at the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Washington Post. If they expel our journalists, if thats their answer, I worry we will never get to the bottom of this, the Texas Republican said. But at the end of the day, we will be pointing the finger at China. 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. All three newspapers strongly condemned the move as an attack on free speech. The Washington Post said it is not yet sure whether Chinas order will affect all those they have in the area. This came out of Wuhan, China is responsible for that, and they dont like to hear that so their response is to expel our journalists, McCaul said. We want the truth to come out about this. I do worry for two months they tried to cover it up, which made this situation worse. China has lashed out at the U.S. over accusations that it attempted to hide the extent of the spread of the virus and even attempted to pin blame for the virus on the U.S. And a Chinese diplomat has even promoted a conspiracy theory that the U.S. military brought the virus to China. Local and national officials issued a gag order to labs in Wuhan in December after they identified a new viral pneumonia, ordering them to halt tests, destroy samples, and conceal the news, the Times of London reported. Wuhan officials in early January also deliberately declined to inform a health team from Beijing as well as the public that the new coronavirus was highly contagious and could be spread from person to person. Story continues I just dont think they can get away with it this time, McCaul continued, saying unsanitary practices in China are to blame and calling on the World Health Organization should hold the communist country responsible. They are the cause of a global pandemic. The ultimate impact of the crisis will be that U.S. businesses reconsider their dependence on China, McCaul predicted. More from National Review BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. - Theyre monitoring returning travelers, working with health care providers on testing and isolating possible cases. "People in Butte County are being tested by healthcare providers," Lisa Almaguer with Public Health said. She says the lack of available test kits has no bearing on whether a health care provider can test someone with symptoms. "The process to get tested for COVID-19 is as follows symptomatic person seeks medical care with health care provider, health care provider will assess that person and make a determination on whether they should be tested if the determination is made they should be tested then the provider will take a specimen from the patient which could include swapping of nose or throat," she said. "The health care provider will then take that specimen and the provider will then send the specimen to a COVID-19 approved testing lab." Almaguer says all there are 19 labs capable of testing and none of them are in Butte County. "The testing lab then uses the test kits to test the specimen that they have received from the healthcare provider," Almaguer said. Almaguer says people with mild symptoms dont meet the testing criteria. "As with any respiratory illness should stay home until symptoms are gone including 24 hours after their fever is gone," she said. The CDC says people who qualify for testing are those with severe symptoms like cough, fever, weakness, and exhaustion. "Especially our most at-risk population those are adults over the age of 65 people with underlying chronic conditions like lung disease and heart disease," she said. Also, anyone whos visited an affected area has had close contact with a confirmed case A grant from the North Valley Community Foundation an approved COVID-19 testing lab will be opening right here at the clinic in Chico in about one month. For continuing coronavirus coverage, CLICK HERE Close Every year, thousands of people move to Florida, also called "The Sunshine State". If you want to be part of those people who choose to move to this beautiful state, you should consider a few basic steps before you make this change. From weather conditions to how to find home insurance, it's very important to learn these useful things before you move to Florida! However, any new place comes with a lot of surprises and good experiences. This is the best part when you move into a new home or city, the excitement you get from getting to know the surroundings and the people you meet. Wherever you'll decide to stay, make sure you know how to make it feel like home and enjoy the feeling of a new start. If you are thinking about whether to move into Florida or not, take these few basic things into consideration before you start packing. Weather Conditions When you choose to change your location and start a new life in another country or state, it's very common to think about the weather conditions. What expectations do you have? Florida is a state with a lot of sun and warm weather. Though you should be aware that the weather may vary somehow. The tropical climate is the main reason that most people choose to move to Florida. During wintertime, you won't need any boots or jackets, and during the warmest time of the year, you'll probably wear your favourite shorts and tank tops. However, Floridians can confirm the fact that this state comes with a lot of sunny days, but also, many natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, sinkholes, wildfires, storms, and floods. Don't worry, it's possible to live in Florida and never experience a hurricane or any other natural disaster. However, you need to choose carefully the region you're moving to. Do research about safety tips so you can understand better how to cope if a natural disaster occurs. The Housing Market The housing market is another important point you need to mark on the list before moving to Florida. Before you rent or buy a house, make sure you learn more about house costs. If you choose a beachfront house, you should expect to pay a higher price. Also, you'll definitely need home insurance because houses that are near the beach are prone to natural disasters. Depending on your taste, you can choose a modern home, or a historical, vintage house. However, considering the higher prices, have in mind that to get insurance for these historical homes can be a bit challenging. Although the design is amazing, the cost may vary due to the home's construction, the area you choose to move in, and many other aspects. If you decide to invest in a vintage home, and there are small things that need improving, consider doing them by yourself. For example, if you live in a hurricane-prone zone, add straps to your roof to defend your home from fire. Florida is a state prone to natural disasters, so it's best if you prepare yourself before your home gets damaged. Hurricane Insurance What does a home insurance cover in case of a disaster? Homeowners policies cover many types of damage to your home caused by a natural disaster. However, if you live in a hurricane-prone area, you'll probably need more than just one policy to cover damages. You can choose to invest in hurricane insurance which covers windstorms that can damage your home, including your personal belongings, furniture, and other structures. Do you wonder what damage can a hurricane cause? A variety of different types of damage, including flooding, heavy rainfall, tornadoes, wind, etc. Activities There is something you won't have to worry about when moving to Florida. With plenty of activities to do, you'll keep yourself busy all the time. If you're in love with water activities, you'll have the chance to go swimming, surfing, and snorkelling on those gorgeous beaches the state has. Also, residents and tourists can go to many rivers, parks, and lakes and enjoy fishing, paddle boarding, etc. If you're looking to move to Florida, you're about to have a magical experience. You'll be amazed by the beauty of the architecture of the state. The classic but also modern style will make you love this place right away. It's not uncommon for people to love Florida so much that they decide to move into this wonderful state. Moving to Florida is a good choice, however, you'll have to buy insurance before you choose your new home. Since the state is well-known for the many natural disasters that occurred over the years, it's best to make sure you have your back covered. Is Moving to Florida a Good Idea? Considering the low taxes and the warm weather, there are plenty of reasons to call Florida home. With all of these many beautiful attractions, Florida is a perfect place to live. Before moving, take a peaceful vacation to Florida's destinations. Enjoy the trip and explore many surroundings, so you can make an idea about how it's like to live in this state. People wonder if it's expensive or not to live in Florida. Utilities, groceries, and other costs are encouraging, which makes Florida expensive is the cost of housing. A house costs around $230.000. There are a few more things to know before you decide to move to Florida. It's true that there are lots of elderly living there, the wildlife is more than just a few snakes and alligators, tourists are part of the state most of the time, etc. As you can see, Florida is a popular destination for most people. It's a true paradise for those who love nature and high temperatures. The sunshine state is often seen as a relaxed family outing but the truth is that it has a lot more to offer. And also, yes, moving to Florida is a very good idea. See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare New Delhi: In the first case of coronavirus affecting military personnel, an Indian Army soldier from Leh is reported to have been infected by the virus. He was on leave from February 25 to March 1. The soldier's father had returned from a pilgrimage in Iran. On Tuesday, the number of novel coronavirus cases in India was at 137 even as the government issued directives to seal the country's borders urging people to take precautions in the wake of the spread of the deadly virus. So far, three deaths have been reported from the outbreak. Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Tuesday asserted that India is currently at stage 2 and not stage 3 of the virus epidemic. To deal with the situation ICMR has 72 functional laboratories in government sector for testing. ICMR Director-General Dr Balram Bhargava in a press meet said that 49 more will be active by the end of this week. Globally, the total number of positive cases is at 1,87,689 and the total number of deaths recorded till Tuesday night was 7,866. Teachers at the University of NSW are being given crash courses in online teaching as the university transitions to delivering courses remotely, but students are perplexed and angry that some face-to-face teaching and exams have continued after three students tested positive for COVID-19 in the past week. UNSW has recorded four confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the global outbreak began, more than any other Sydney university. It has asked students and staff to work remotely where possible, but has not yet set a date for suspending all face-to-face teaching as most other universities have to slow the spread of coronavirus. The University of NSW is one of the last NSW universities to continue some face-to-face teaching. Credit:Louise Kennerley The Australian Catholic University on Wednesday followed the University of Technology Sydney, Macquarie University and the University of Wollongong in pausing all teaching while they put courses online, while the University of Sydney and Southern Cross University will start delivering all classes remotely from Monday. "UNSW students are concerned and anxious about the disparity in messaging around our education," student representative council president Manu Risoldi said. DUBLIN, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Power Distribution Tariffs in India - 2020" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The power sector has come a long way with significant achievements on many fronts such as a doubling of conventional power generation capacity since 2012 with active private participation, renewables increasing from 2 to 12 percent of the energy mix since 2015, introduction of financial restructuring reforms for distribution companies to limit the AT&C loss levels to minimum levels. Having said that, despite the implementation of structural reforms in the power distribution segment of India, it still represents the weakest link of the power segment. Despite considerable progress in implementing the EA mandates and associated policies over the past decade, the distribution segment continues to post significant losses. With India having most of the discoms run as state authorities the operational efficiencies and targeted revenue remains underachieved. However, few states like Gujarat and Karnataka put up excellent efforts to reduce the AT&C loss levels which currently stood at nearly 10% and 14% well below the national average of 21.5% in 2019. Moreover, under-recovery of the revenues from the end consumer and lack of seamless flow of the revenues remains the challenge for most of the discoms that further pose challenges to improve upon the operational efficiency and improving upon the distribution infrastructure to provide reliable power supply to the end consumers. Hence, India has continuously shown an increasing trend for average cost of supply and average revenue for the discoms that leads to the rise in the distribution tariff of the discoms putting the burden on the end consumers to make the financials strong. Also, multiple distribution tariff slabs and the burden of cross-subsidies fall on industrial consumers in India which is as high as INR 10-12 per unit makes the tariff structure more complex for the discoms which pose threat to power distribution tariff scenario in India. Business Case for Power Distribution Tariffs in India New CERC draft tariff regulations for control period 2019-2024 Thrust given to add power generation capacity (Renewable and Thermal): A move to create one market in power Long overdue reforms of Discoms in terms of adequate and rational tariff structure may get addressed by these norms Energizing the development of Renewable Sector The new paradigm of surplus power sets the stage for new reforms Move to rationalise power tariff structure Push to Make in India initiative initiative Increased quantum for Open Access in India Reduction in the short-term power procurement Key Highlights Impact analysis of CERC tariff regulations 2019-2024 on power distribution tariffs in India Consumer category wise tariff schedule for FY 2020-21 Consumer profiling as per connected load Consumer category wise revenue contribution Net Aggregate Revenue Requirement (ARR) of Distribution Utilities Revenue Gaps/Surplus for Distribution Utilities Report Insights Detailed analysis of CERC Tariff Regulations for 2019-2024 (Final Regulations, expected in February 2019 ) and its impact on Power Distribution Tariffs across various consumer categories in India ) and its impact on Power Distribution Tariffs across various consumer categories in Distribution Utility wise tariff schedule in India applicable for FY 2020-21 applicable for FY 2020-21 Adaptability indices for solar rooftop for discoms Level of OA & short-term procurement of power for each discom forecasted Examining consumer category wise distribution tariff across each state and distribution utility for FY 2019-20 Detailed analysis of various components of tariff for each distribution utility and likely impact of new norms Old vs New Tariff Comparison (Last 1 year regulatory track of change in applicable surcharges and duties) Easy to use Excel and Pdf Format Key Topics Covered Northern Region Power Distribution Tariff for FY 2020-21 Western Region Power Distribution Tariff for FY 2020-21 Eastern Region Power Distribution Tariff for FY 2020-21 Southern Region Power Distribution Tariff for FY 2020-21 North Eastern Region Power Distribution Tariff for FY 2020-21 Power Distribution Tariff Applicable for Domestic Consumers for FY 2020-21 Power Distribution Tariff Applicable for Commercial Consumers FY 2020-21 Power Distribution Tariff Applicable for Agricultural Consumers FY 2020-21 Power Distribution Tariff Applicable for Industrial Consumers FY 2020-21 Power Distribution Tariff Applicable for Other Bulk Consumers FY 2020-21 Power Distribution Tariff Applicable for Railways/MRTS FY 2020-21 For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/bc8x3i 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 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com Ireland will consult with Britain before it decides whether to participate in a European travel ban endorsed by fellow EU member states on Tuesday to contain the spread of coronavirus, a government spokesman said. EU leaders agreed to close Europe's external borders for 30 days to foreigners to combat the disease and the head of the bloc's executive said it would be up to each country to implement. Ireland's participation is complicated by the fact that it shares an open land border with the British-run province of Northern Ireland and a common travel area with the whole of the United Kingdom, which ensures freedom of movement between both islands. Neither Ireland nor Britain, which left the EU at the end of January, are members of Europe's Schengen zone of open borders. "Ireland will consider participation in the context of the common travel area and in consultation with the UK," an Irish government spokesman said after following a video conference of EU leaders. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who will make a televised address on coronavirus at 2100 GMT, spoke to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday and stressed that Ireland will never close its border with Northern Ireland. The 500-km land frontier is a key part of a 1998 peace agreement that ended three decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland, in which some 3,600 people were killed. Dublin feared the return of border controls throughout Britain's messy Brexit divorce saga, holding up its neighbour's departure from the bloc on several occasions and eventually leading to an agreement that there would be no such controls. But while Ireland has closed schools, universities, bars and childcare facilities to try to slow the spread of coronavirus, Britain has kept all of those open in Northern Ireland, flipping the Irish border issue on its head. Ireland upgraded its travel advice on Monday to limit all non-essential travel overseas until at least March 29, including Britain but not Northern Ireland. Anyone coming into Ireland, apart from Northern Ireland, will be required to restrict their movements on arrival for 14 days, including Irish residents, the foreign ministry said. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie The "Battle for City Hall" debate between Brisbane lord mayor Adrian Schrinner and Labor mayoral candidate Pat Condren two days before the election has been cancelled amid coronavirus fears. The Queensland Media Club had expected about 300 people to attend its luncheon planned for Thursday, March 25. In the wake of the growing COVID-19 pandemic, the Queensland Media Club luncheon has been cancelled. "Refunds will be provided, and the club will begin processing these over the next few days," a statement read. "We hope to see you all at a Queensland Media Club luncheon in the not too distant future." Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) on Tuesday evening announced he is self-quarantining after coming in contact with a constituent who later tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus. In a statement, Gardner said he was "alerted today by the Tri-County Health Department that a Coloradan who visited my Washington office for a constituent meeting has tested positive for coronavirus. While I am not showing any symptoms at this time, I have made the decision to self-quarantine out of an abundance of caution with an effective date of March 11." Gardner added that the "health and safety of Coloradans and Americans across the nation is my top priority, and I will continue working to make sure Congress provides the resources needed to help combat the spread of COVID-19." More stories from theweek.com Bernie Sanders is focused on the 'f---ing global crisis' Italy reports 475 new coronavirus deaths in just 1 day Trump says it's 'not racist at all' to refer to the coronavirus as the 'Chinese Virus' Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 22:40:49|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ATHENS, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Greece's government announced on Wednesday a second package of economic measures to address the effects of the spread of novel coronavirus. The new set of measures worth 3.8 billion euros (4.18 billion U.S dollars) includes further support for the healthcare sector and the suspension for four months of tax and social security payment obligations for businesses and employees affected by shutdowns, Finance Minister Christos Staikouras told a press briefing, the Greek national news agency AMNA reported. The state will support employers as long as they do not proceed to firings and employees will receive in April a benefit of 800 euro if their labor contracts are suspended temporarily, he said. According to the ministry's estimates, 200,000 enterprises and more than 500,000 employees will be affected during the first stage. In addition, the value-added tax (VAT) rate will be reduced from 24 percent to 6 percent for masks, gloves, disinfectants, soap and personal hygiene products. "More measures will follow in order to emerge from the battle with as few as possible social and financial losses. We need to face the crisis united," Staikouras said, noting that two billion euros will be covered by the Greek state budget and 1.8 billion euros by the special European fund. "The crisis will pass," Labor and Social Affairs Minister Ioannis Vroutsis said at the briefing, which was broadcast by Greek national broadcaster ERT. On March 10, the government outlined an initial series of economic measures focusing on the strengthening of the healthcare system and the suspension of VAT and social security contribution payments. On Tuesday, Greece announced that a fifth person had died from COVID-19 and confirmed that the number of cases nationwide stood at 387. The country has shut down schools, universities, restaurants, cafes, shopping malls, gyms and cultural venues. As of Wednesday, all retail stores are closed, with bakeries, supermarkets, pharmacies and gas stations remaining open. Until the end of March, bans and restrictions have also been introduced on air and sea connections with several countries. Greece has banned entry to non-EU citizens, with exceptions strictly for urgent family or business reasons. (1 euro = 1.10 U.S. dollars) News Desk Editor Jack is the news editor at the Emerald. He is a journalism and political science major at the University of Oregon who enjoys reading alone, drinking coffee alone and eating in parks...alone. Send tips or food recs to jforrest@dailyemerald.com Containers and vehicles await transportation on commercial ships to Europe in support of Defender-Europe 20 at the Port of Beaumont, Texas, February 18, 2020. US Army/Kimberly Spinner European countries have clamped down on movement in and through their territory in recent weeks in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. This comes as the US Army Europe has been preparing for its largest exercise on the continent since the 1990s, Defender-Europe 20. Now, with health concerns top of mind, the Army is rethinking how to do that exercise and how to limit the exposure of US soldiers to the deadly pandemic. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. In late January, US military personnel and contractors started loading heavy vehicles and equipment for transport from US bases to Europe to meet 20,000 soldiers traveling from the US for this spring's Defender-Europe 20, which was supposed to be the US Army's largest exercise there in 25 years. Those preparations stopped on March 13, US Army Europe said this week, as European countries close borders and restrict movement amid the spread of COVID-19, the illness caused by a coronavirus that emerged last year. The Army has said that Defender-Europe 20 would be modified in both size and scope, but it added this week that linked exercises, such as this year's iteration of Saber Strike, won't be conducted. US Army Europe said Monday that it anticipated "the armored brigade combat team already deployed to Europe will conduct gunnery and other combined training events with Allies as part of a modified Allied Spirit exercise." But "forces already deployed to Europe for other linked exercises will return to the United States," the command said. Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion of the US Army's 1st Cavalry Division prepare to head to Europe for the Defender-Europe 20 exercise. US Army/Staff Sgt. Kelsey Miller Since January, about 6,000 soldiers have deployed from the US to Europe, including a division headquarters and an armored brigade combat team, as well as about 3,000 pieces of equipment, the release added. Roughly 9,000 vehicles and pieces of equipment have been taken out of Army Prepositioned Stocks in Europe. The Army has also moved of soldiers and equipment from European ports to training areas in Germany and Poland. Story continues In an email Tuesday morning, a US Army Europe spokesperson said the command is currently "evaluating which troops can be safely redeployed," adding that responding to this type of situation was a "perfect example of how prepared and ready we are by continually assessing our operations and activities." The German military has said that Defender-Europe 20 will not continue in that country and that exercises planned for the Bergen and Grafenwohr training areas would not take place. Asked about that announcement, the spokesperson said there were "many details still being worked and discussed" with allies and partners in Europe. "Changes are anticipated to the deployment timelines of soldiers currently in Europe, redeployment of US-based equipment, and the next Atlantic Resolve rotation," the spokesperson said. Members of the US Army's 21st Theater Sustainment Command at a rehearsal of concept drill at Rhine Ordnance Barracks to discuss the redeployment of participating units of Defender-Europe 20, March 10, 2020. US Army/Pfc. Katelyn Myers Moving thousands of US and other personnel around Europe and back to the US still presents an acute problem as governments attempt to inhibit the spread of COVID-19. US Army Europe is following guidance on health protection and travel from the Office of the Secretary of Defense and referencing information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on precautionary and preventative measures, the spokesperson said. "All redeploying service members will be quarantined for 14 days and follow CDC guidelines for preventing the spread of COVID-19," the spokesperson said. For US personnel who will remain in Europe, US Army staff "is going through public health and medical support plans to identify any changes or pertinent issues that can be addressed within" the plan for Defender-Eurpe 20, which already had "robust medical support" for participants, the spokesperson said. "We are tied closely to each of the host nations and their operations across Europe and will follow their leads," the spokesperson added. Lessons learned, message sent US soldiers and contractors load cargo onto the M/V Liberty Passion during Exercise Defender-Europe 20, at the Joint Base Charleston Naval Weapons Station, South Carolina, March 10, 2020. US Air Force/Senior Airman Taylor Phifer The main portion of Defender-Europe 20 was set for April and May, but the US military and its partners were hoping to learn from the deployment and redeployment of US forces and equipment. A convoy that sailed from the US East Coast in late February, for example, was the first such operation since the mid-1980s, and new resources in Europe would allow the military to examine its "speed of move" from west to east and to assess how safely it could get cargo from ports to staging areas, Air Force Gen. Tod Wolters, the head of US European Command, told lawmakers at the end of February. Asked about logistical challenges in Europe at an event in December, Wolters told Business Insider that Defender-Europe 20 had "already started, because the benefit of a large exercise is all the planning that takes place beforehand." "The strategic message is we can demonstrate our flexibility and adaptability to lift and shift large forces to any place on planet Earth to effectively deter ... and that's incredibly valuable," Wolters added at the time. Even with the exercise continuing in only a limited form, those lessons and that message haven't been lost, according to Ben Hodges, who commanded US Army Europe before retiring as a lieutenant general in 2017. Land force commanders from NATO and partner nations discuss the execution of DEFENDER-Europe 20 during a conference at US Army Europe headquarters in Wiesbaden, Germany, March 6, 2020. US Army/Spc. Stephen Perez "The main benefit of what has been accomplished is less about convoys and more about strategic deployment, drawing of equipment from [Army Prepositioned Stocks], and coordination/planning/and some execution of Host Nation Support," Hodges said in an email Tuesday. US Transportation Command, European Command, and US Army Europe, as well as NATO, "have all learned tons about all of this based on what has been done over the past year, even if they don't get to complete the exercise as originally planned," Hodges added. Actions taken so far send a "strong signal to our allies and to the Kremlin that the USA remains committed to Europe, to deterrence, [and] to NATO," Hodges said. "The huge amount of money that was put forward for this exercise is a tangible manifestation of that commitment," Hodges added, "as is the planned deployment that is/was underway." It was reported this year that Defender-Europe 20 would cost about $340 million, roughly what the Army requested for fiscal year 2021 to conduct a similar exercise in the Pacific, according to Defense News. The Army appears to want to scale back the next iteration of the Defender-Europe exercise, requesting $150 million for it, but having already starting to work on Defender 21, which will be similar in concept but focus on deployment into southeastern Europe, "that speaks volumes," Hodges said. Read the original article on Business Insider The Ekiti State Government has confirmed a positive case of coronavirus in the state, following the death of an American male whose cause of death is still under investigation. One person who served as the driver of the American male, has tested positive to the virus, according to the Ekiti State Government, while the deceaseds caregiver, a female, tested negative to the virus. The three of them had arrived the country through Lagos and made a stopover in Ibadan, Oyo State, before arriving Ekiti State. Following the development, the Oyo State Government has started the tracking of all the contacts with the three persons to further contain the spread of the disease. The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, had on Wednesday morning, announced a positive case of coronavirus in a patient in Ekiti State. The state has now given details on how the virus got into the state through the driver to the late American, whose identity is yet to be made public. The Ekiti State Taskforce on COVID-19, headed by His Excellency Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, can confirm that we have recorded an incidence of a Nigerian male, 38 years old, of Ekiti origin, who has tested positive to COVID-19, a statement signed by the Commissioner for Health, Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, said. The statement, which was made available to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday, said the confirmed case was suspected to have been infected while driving an American Caucasian, male, 27-years-old, who was visiting Nigeria from Richmond, Virginia, USA in the company of his caregiver, a Nigerian female, 31, of Ekiti origin. The American male and his Nigerian female caregiver, arrived Nigeria on 3rd March 2020 through the Muritala Mohammed International Airport Lagos, the statement further said. Preliminary investigations revealed that the pair were driven by our confirmed case to Ibadan, where they stayed for two weeks, and arrived Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State on 13th March, 2020. A day after their arrival, the American male fell ill and he was taken to a private hospital where he was referred to a tertiary hospital. Unfortunately, he died from complications of his illness. The hospital authorities alerted the State Taskforce and samples were taken from the American male as well as his two companions. The test for the male driver came back positive; the test for the female caregiver came back negative while the test for the American male was inconclusive. According to the statement, the Ekiti State Taskforce on COVID-19 had already quarantined the confirmed case on admission in the State Isolation Centre, while the caregiver who tested negative, is presently under observation in self isolation in line with the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) protocols, We have commenced the process of contact tracing, working with the Federal Ministry of Health and the World Health Organizsation (WHO) following the teams itinerary since they landed in Nigeria on the 3rd of March 2020, the government said. We have also contacted the Oyo State Government since it was recorded that they stayed in Ibadan for two weeks before arriving Ekiti State. The confirmed case is very stable and not showing any symptoms while NCDC will repeat the test for the caregiver who is also in self isolation. The Ekiti State Task Force on COVID-19 is following the NCDC Case Management Protocols with diligence. We want to urge Ekiti residents to stay calm and ensure they observe the prevention steps that are being publicised on all credible media. It is important to state that this likely index case was on a short visit and had not been in Ekiti State for up to 72 hours before his death. The Ekiti State Taskforce on COVID-19 advises residents to continue to take self preventive measures by washing their hands with soap and water, covering their mouths when coughing or sneezing, observing social distancing and to alert the authorities of any suspected case by calling the 112 Emergency Number or 09062970434, 09062970435, 09062970436. The Government of Ekiti State will continue to update the public on new developments as necessary in our commitment to ensuring the safety and protection of all Ekiti residents. Meanwhile, the Oyo State Government said it has taken up the matter and had reached out to the contacts made by the trio in Ibadan. Chief Press Secretary to the Oyo State Governor, Taiwo Adisa, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that the Ekiti State Government had made contact with its Oyo State counterpart on the development and that efforts had been made to track the journeys made by the late American and the other two persons with a view to arresting the spread of the virus. We have made contacts with the places they stayed and I can assure you, a proper briefing will be made tomorrow(Thursday) morning by the Commissioner for Health, Mr Adisa said. Advertisements The Ekiti case brought to eight the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Nigeria. One of the victims has since recovered. The disease has caused over 7,000 deaths and infected over 200,000 people globally. After launching with VMware vExperts, we are excited to extend the program to Microsoft MVPs and AWS Heroes. I believe they will be pleased to see how fast and easy encryption key management has become. Townsend Security today announced that it is extending free Not for Resale (NFR) licenses to Microsoft MVPs and AWS Heroes for Alliance Key Manager, their FIPS 140-2 compliant encryption key management server (KMS). The NFR licenses are available for non-production use only, including educational, lab testing, evaluation, training, and demonstration purposes. NFR Licenses are available at https://info.townsendsecurity.com/nfr-license. Joining VMware vExperts in Townsend Securitys successful NFR program, Microsoft MVPs and AWS Heroes can protect databases, applications, and VMware images with a secure and compliant key management server (KMS). Additionally, the solution allows businesses to properly encrypt private data without modifying their business applications. Alliance Key Manager supports the OASIS Key Management Interoperability Protocol (KMIP) and Microsofts Extensible Key Management (EKM) found in SQL Server Enterprise 2008+ and SQL Server Standard 2019+. The solution is available as a VMware Virtual Machine or in the cloud (AWS, Microsoft Azure). Additionally, Townsend Security provides Alliance Key Manager users with a wide range of ready-to-use security applications, SDKs, and sample code. With over 3,000 users worldwide, the solution is helping businesses achieve their security and efficiency goals in cloud and VMware environments. Protecting sensitive data continues to be a critical concern in IT, and an important part of both security and compliance efforts, said Patrick Townsend, CEO of Townsend Security. After launching with VMware vExperts, we are excited to extend the program to Microsoft MVPs and AWS Heroes. I believe they will be pleased to see how fast and easy encryption key management has become. Microsoft MVPs and AWS Heroes can request an NFR license of Alliance Key Manager here. --- About Alliance Key Manager Townsend Security's Alliance Key Manager allows enterprises to effectively encrypt data and meet security requirements in less time and at a lower cost. The solution provides full life-cycle management of encryption keys for a wide variety of applications to help organizations meet California CPA, NY-DFS, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR compliance. Available at no extra charge, Townsend Security includes ready-to-use security applications (SQL Server, Drupal, more), SDKs, and sample code (Java, C#, Perl, PHP, and more) for developers. Additionally, there are never extra fees for deploying client-side applications. About Townsend Security Townsend Security creates data privacy solutions that help organizations meet evolving compliance requirements and mitigate the risk of data breaches and cyber-attacks. Companies worldwide trust Townsend Securitys NIST and FIPS 140-2 compliant solutions to meet encryption and key management requirements in PCI DSS, GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA/HITECH, FISMA, and other regulatory compliance requirements. Learn more at http://www.townsendsecurity.com. Karnataka to undertake Triaging: What does it mean and how do you pronounce it Coronavirus update: CBSE, JEE (MAIN), all university exams postponed till Mar 31 India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Mar 31: The Ministry of Human Resource Development on Wednesday ordered all educational institutions to postpone all ongoing examinations for 10 days in view of the coronavirus outbreak. The directive applies to the CBSE Board examination, exams organised by the University Grants Commissiont (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE Main). "While maintenance of academic calendar and exam schedule is important, equally important is safety and security of students who are appearing in various examinations as also of their teachers and parents," an official communication from HRD ministry said. "All the ongoing examinations, including CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) board exams, be postponed till March 31 and rescheduled thereafter," it added. Following the government order, CBSE has said it has postponed all exams in India and abroad scheduled from March 19 to March 31 (both dates included). New exmaination schedule will be notified by March 31 after "re-assessment of the situation", it said in a statement. The number of novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 151 on Wednesday after 14 fresh cases were reported from various parts of the country, according to the Health Ministry. Fact check: No spraying of medicine is happening in Bengaluru to kill coronavirus The cases include 25 foreign nationals -- 17 from Italy, 3 from Philippines, one each belonging to Canada, United Kingdom, Indonesia and Singapore. The figure also includes three deaths reported from Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Over 5,700 people, who had come in contact with these positive cases, are under rigorous surveillance, the official said. Delhi has, so far, reported 10 positive cases which includes one foreigner, while Uttar Pradesh has recorded 16 cases, including one foreigner. Maharashtra has 42 cases, including three foreigners, while Kerala has recorded 27 cases which include two foreign nationals. Karnataka has 14 coronavirus patients. The number of cases in Ladakh rose to eight, and Jammu and Kashmir three. Telangana has reported six cases which include two foreigners. Rajasthan has also reported four cases including that of two foreigners. Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Punjab have reported one case each. In Haryana, there are 17 cases, which include 14 foreigners. According to the ministry's data, 14 people have been discharged so far, including the three patients from Kerala who were discharged last month. So far, 13,93,301 passengers have been screened at 30 designated airports, according to it. Three persons infected with the virus have died, so far, the latest casualty being a 64-year-old man from Mumbai with a travel history to Dubai who succumbed on Tuesday. The Tihar jail authorities on Wednesday suspended till March 31 the prisoners' meetings with their relatives as a precautionary measure to prevent the coronavirus outbreak in the crowded prison. The prison officials said suspension of jail inmates' "mulaqat" with their families will be effective from Thursday. They said the prisoners, who are generally allowed two meetings with their visiting family members or relatives in a week, would remain suspended from Thursday upto March 31. The 'mulaqat' with their legal counsel, however, will continue, a senior jail official said. The inmates' phone calling system which allows prisoners to talk to their family members on two pre-declared numbers daily for five minutes, as per the prevailing practice, will continue, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) OTTAWAWarning that COVID-19 could crash around the world in successive waves over the coming months, Canadian officials are scrambling to secure test kits and medical supplies as the federal government takes its most aggressive steps yet to confront the deadly pandemic. On Wednesday, the Trudeau government uncorked $82 billion in direct aid and deferred tax payments for individuals and businesses. The huge flow of money described as the first phase of an even bigger rescue plan is meant to support people who lose their jobs or miss work because of the virus, and help businesses survive the economic turmoil churned up by the health crisis. At the same time, Canada extended its travel ban on foreign visitors to include citizens of the United States a move that was unthinkable mere days ago. Canadians need to get used to a situation in which things are changing and moving much more rapidly than we are accustomed to, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, told reporters on Parliament Hill. The decisions that each one of us takes today will save lives, she said. But even as the federal government cranked up its response to the virus, officials made clear they expect the COVID-19 health crisis that has gripped Canada and the rest of the world is going to get worse before it gets better. British Columbia joined Ontario and other provinces in declaring a provincial state of emergency Wednesday, as Quebec saw its first death from the virus, and infections continued to rise across the country. Speaking alongside Freeland in Ottawa, Canadas chief public health officer said the COVID-19 pandemic will not wane quickly. She expects to see more than one wave of the virus roll across the globe in the coming months, and said the main aim at this critical moment is to delay how many people get sick so Canadas hospitals arent swamped with infected patients. This virus is going to be with us for some time. It will not be eradicated from the world in months, she said. As more Canadians contract the virus, health officials from British Columbia and Ontario have raised concerns in recent days over the availability of testing kits as cases spike. Ontarios top medical officer said this week he doesnt think theres enough tests in the province. So far, Canada has tested more than 50,000 potential cases, Tam said Wednesday more than the U.S., a country that is 10 times more populous. But Tam acknowledged that the 800,000 testing swabs officials have secured so far only goes some ways to fulfilling Canadas expected needs. The government has cited research suggesting 30 to 70 per cent of the population could contract the virus anywhere from about 10 million to 25 million people. Health officials did not respond to questions from the Star on Wednesday about how many testing kits Canada expects to need during the crisis. Tam also acknowledged all countries are facing challenges when it comes to critical medical supplies, and said Canada is already moving to purchase more ventilators to pre-empt the need to put more people on aided breathing equipment. She said Canada currently has enough protective equipment to meet at least 75 per cent of the countrys needs, and urged medical personnel to be careful not to waste the supplies they have now. Federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu added that the federal government is working on large, large orders of necessary equipment and supplies, and is in talks with private manufacturers who are prepared to repurpose their factories to make medical supplies. The government also rushed the approval of two types of diagnostic test systems for COVID-19 on Wednesday, which Hajdus department said would be readily available across Canada. What were trying to do is accelerate our supplies from immediate, urgent need; accelerate our work on the treatment for COVID-19; and accelerate our work on a vaccine, she said. Until we actually get all three of those things working together, we could actually see a scenario where we would have the virus continue to circle the globe. And thats the true challenge here. Citing unprecedented demand and urgent need, the department also announced it would fast-track access to new products like hand-sanitizer, disinfectants and swabs used for testing, by letting them go on sale even if they havent met regulatory requirements like bi-lingual packaging or licensing. On the push for a vaccine, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced Wednesday that it is arranging a global solidarity trial for a COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19 relief measures: Part 1 Here are key components of the government's massive stimulus package as they apply for individuals, families and children. Children $10 billion in funds for Emergency Child Care Benefit up to $900 bi-weekly for up to 15 weeks. Families $5.5 billion in funds into the economy after special top-up payment under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) credit. Workers $5 billion in funds toward Emergency Support Benefit for workers who are not eligible for EI and face unemployment Parents $2 billion in funds toward Canada Child Benefit payments. Taxes Extend the tax filing deadline for individuals to June 1, and allow all tax payers to defer payment until after August 31. Wages Provide eligible small businesses a 10 per cent wage subsidy for the next 0- days, up to a maximum of $1,375 per employee and $25,000 per employer. Mortgages Provide increased flexibility to lenders to defer mortgage payments on homeowner government-insured mortgage loans to borrowers. EI Waive mandatory one-week waiting period for EI sickness benefits. Waive requirement for medical certificate to access EI sickness benefits. Source: Toronto Star Ottawa Bureau The organizations director general, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said this will include simplified procedures to ensure that even overwhelmed hospitals can participate. Several countries have signed on, including Canada, so that a single global trial can replace the disparate studies with different methodologies that have been going on until now, Ghebreyesus said. Over the past week, the federal government has ramped up its response to the COVID-19 crisis. Last Wednesday, Ottawa rolled out $1 billion in new spending that included $500 million for provincial and territorial health care, and $275 million for research into vaccines and antiviral drugs. As the prime minister himself was quarantined after his wife contracted the virus, the government called on all Canadians to avoid non-essential travel outside the country. Ottawa has since increased its response by barring all foreign travellers from entering Canada. Alongside provinces and cities, it is urging people to work from home if possible. Then, on Wednesday, Canada announced it intends to extend its travel restrictions to the U.S., after Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed Wednesday morning to restrict cross-border tourism while maintaining essential travel so supply chains and commerce can continue with Canadas largest trading partner. The government also unveiled the fiscal stimulus package it had been promising for days, as Bay Street stocks crashed amid concerns about layoffs and cut-off paycheques as people are forced to stay home and businesses shutter during the pandemic. Among the $82 billion in emergency measures announced Wednesday, $27 billion is earmarked for direct payments to individuals and businesses. This includes $2 billion for workers without sick leave who are ill, quarantined, self-isolating or caring for a family member. The government said these payments will last for up to 15 weeks, with payouts of up to $900 twice per month. There will also be a $5-billion emergency support benefit for people who lose their jobs and dont qualify for employment insurance. And the government is increasing its parental payouts by an average of $550 per family, and increasing sales tax credits for low-income Canadians by several hundred dollars this year. Businesses will also receive wage subsidies worth 10 per cent of wages paid to employees to discourage layoffs, at a cost to government coffers of $3.8 billion. The government is also delaying tax deadlines and deferring collection of business income tax until after Aug. 31 measures that will delay the collection of up to $55 billion, according to a government document explaining the rescue package. With so much money flowing out to shore up the economy, Finance Minister Bill Morneau acknowledged the virus has knocked his focus from Canadas fiscal future to more pressing concerns. Right now, as minister of finance, my only job is to make sure Canadians can keep food in the fridge, that they can keep a roof over their heads, that they can afford the medicine that they need, he said. Government House Leader Pablo Rodriguez, a Liberal MP from eastern Montreal, said Wednesday that he is in talks with opposition parties to call back Parliament it was suspended until April 20 last Friday to pass emergency legislation to enact the new spending package. He said there only need to be 20 MPs, including the Speaker, to hold a session of the House of Commons, and that the parties are discussing sending a small number of MPs who dont have to fly to Ottawa to attend the session. Were united in this crisis, he said. We will face it together. Read more about: Flash "Before the COVID-19 outbreak spiraled so quickly in Italy, I was trying to persuade my Italian friends to stock up on face masks and to wear them outside," Zhu Zhu told China.org.cn. "I was sharing my experience of the epidemic prevention and control in China with them, but they argued that experts and the Italian authorities had said people don't need to wear them if they're well. My Italian friends didnt listen to me until March 8,when one of them called to ask if I have any spare masks I could give him." Picture taken by Zhu Zhu on March 2 at a supermarket in Bergamo in the Lombardy region, one of the hardest hit areas in Italy, shows local people still not wearing masks. [Photo provided to China.org.cn] Zhu Zhu's hometown is the city of Changsha in Hunan province, located in the southern-central part of China. Having been working in Italy for five years, this year she travelled home on Jan. 15 to see her family, planning to go back to take her driving test after the Chinese New Year holiday. Unexpectedly, these journeys meant she has experienced two rounds of coronavirus outbreaks both in China and Italy. "Since I knew that I needed to self-quarantine for two weeks after returning to Italy, I went back earlier I'd originally scheduled in order not to delay my driving license test. At that time, there was no large-scale outbreak in Italy," Zhu Zhu said. "I flew to Italy, transferring in Bangkok. At the airport in Thailand, almost everyone including western people were wearing masks, and we had our temperature checked. On the flight to Milan,most of the passengers were Italians, some wearing masks, some not," she said, recalling her experience of returning to Italy from China on Feb. 3. "When I arrived at Milan Malpensa Airport on Feb. 3, some passengers took off their masks and the airport staff didn't even measure my temperature. But my friend who arrived in Italy earlier on Jan. 29, said that they had their temperature taken. It seemed that there were no strict temperature checks until after I was back." For the safety of herself and others, Zhu Zhu, who returned to Bergamo, told her neighbors and the driving school that she had to self-isolate at home for two weeks. "My neighbor said I was overacting," Zhu Zhu said. During the first few days after returning to Italy, Zhu Zhu was still concerned about the epidemic situation in China. The number of confirmed cases there was rising rapidly in early February, but later the situation was brought under control. "I was relieved when on Feb. 19 the number of newly recovery cases exceeded the number of confirmed cases in China for the first time. My time self-isolating in Italy also ended that day and I went out to the supermarket. "I saw people jogging, walking their dogs and chatting in bars, as if there were no such thing as the coronavirus in Bergamo. There were almost no precautionary measures or tense atmosphere because by Feb. 19, there were only three confirmed cases in Italy and the patients were all 'imported' cases who were quarantined at hospital in Rome." Zhu Zhu said she kept trying to persuade her Italian friends to buy masks in advance but they wouldn't listen, believing that masks were unnecessary. "I clearly remember that number seven of the 10 steps published by the Italian Health Ministry was 'wear a mask if you suspect you're ill.' Added to that, there were already not enough stocks at local drugstores." 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 The city of Beaumont has confirmed its first positive case of COVID-19. The individual is currently being quarantined and the Beaumont Public Health Department is not releasing any additional information, according to a news release from the city of Beaumont. Public Health Director Sherry Ulmer said the person was self-quarantined before the results were delivered and has been "urged" to keep doing so. Ulmer, however, refused to give any information about where the virus likely was contracted and whether it was contracted in the community or while traveling to a virus hotspot. "We wouldn't disclose any personal information at this time because the risk to the community at this point is still low," she said. "We've continued to remind everyone to wash their hands and observe social distancing, which would prevent any possible infections." The individual was not severe enough to be hospitalized, which experts say can be common among younger, healthy people. Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick said in light of the first positive case, he's considering making changes to his emergency order but planned to wait to officially sign anything until after an announcement by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. He was unsure Wednesday afternoon what Abbott's announcement would include. He also didn't say what changes he's considering, but the Jefferson County Commissioners met Tuesday to discuss, among other virus-related issues, the potential limiting of operations of bars and restaurants. Beaumont Dr. Ray Callas told the commissioners that one of the best ways to stop the spread of the virus is to limit community contact. That's in part because it's highly likely that these younger, healthy people, who may not know they have the virus, already are walking around with mild symptoms but a high "viral load," meaning they can quickly infect other people. "We understand this positive case may concern our community, but at this time there is no evidence of community spread," the department's release said, although it did not specify how the person contracted the virus. "The immediate risk for Beaumont residents remains low." The health department is investigating the case and working to identify anyone the individual came in "close contact" with, which could include family, friends, co-workers and others. In the meantime, public health experts are repeating that the best tools for containment and eventually ending the pandemic is for people to remember the social responsibility shared by everyone to reduce any unnecessary contact. "It's important to remember it is a new virus, there is no immunity in the population and no vaccine or treatment," Ulmer said. "It's a strange and difficult time, but ask people to trust that these restrictions have been put in place for a reason." This report will be updated. The lyrics of the song perfectly matched the feelings of camaraderie among the residents of apartment block Advertisement Neighbours stuck in their apartments in Denmark leaned out of their windows to sing a heartwarming rendition of Carol King's 'You've Got A Friend'. The lyrics of the song perfectly matched the feelings of camaraderie among the residents of the apartment block despite their isolation, amid unprecedented emergency measures to halt the spread of coronavirus. Denmark placed its citizens on lockdown at 12pm on Saturday in a move which will last until April 13. The country also tightened its borders, denying any foreigners trying to enter Denmark without a 'recognised purpose'. The country has recorded nearly 900 cases of COVID-19 and three deaths. Neighbours stuck in their apartments in Denmark leaned out of their windows to sing a heartwarming rendition of Carol King's 'You've Got A Friend' In the uplifting footage, the locals gathered at their windows to sing the lyrics 'All you've got to do is call' and 'I'll come running to see you again'. The song was accompanied by one person striking chords on a guitar and another on a tambourine. Denmark is not the only European country on lockdown whose residents have been singing to keep up morale during the health crisis. In the uplifting footage, the locals gathered at their windows to sing the lyrics 'All you've got to do is call' and 'I'll come running to see you again' Thousands of Italians in Rome, Milan, and Naples applauded healthcare workers from their balconies and windows last weekend, as they raised spirits with a flashmob during the draconian coronavirus lockdown. Families and neighbours sang and crashed pots and pans together for the performers in cities across the country, organised through messaging service WhatsApp for noon today. Rejoicing spectators exclaimed patriotic and uplifting phrases including 'Viva l'Italia' (Long live Italy) and 'Vinceremo' (we will win). The few cars on the street joined the chorus by blaring their horns. Many also waved banners decorated with rainbows and the phrase 'Andra tutto benne' (everything will go well). Residents on balconies sing 'Azzurro' during a flash mob to raise morale as the coronavirus lockdown in Italy continues A man, next to an Italian flag, takes part in a flash mob to raise morale as Italian government continues restrictive movement measures to combat the coronavirus outbreak, in Rome People applaud Italians doctors during a flash mob to raise morale as the deadly coronavirus rips through Italy The heartwarming sight followed a flashmob, where Italians sang in chorus for a rousing rendition of the national anthem Fratelli d'Italia. Currently 60million people are in lockdown in the Mediterranean country. 'I received a circulating message, forwarded to me by a friend... which is basically encouraging Italians to participate in a kind of flashmob on Friday 13 at 6pm,' said Rome resident Yemi Adeyeye. 'My street came alive at that time. It was a euphoric moment.' Jessica Phelan, 34, who has lived in Rome for two years, said neighbours were waving and saying ciao to each other, and called out 'a domani' (see you tomorrow) afterwards. 'I think it shows that people will continue to seek community,' she said, 'even if they can't socialise. 'It's a way to say we're all in it together'. Infections in Italy jumped to 27,980 on Tuesday. With 2,503 deaths, Italy accounts for a third of the global death toll. People applaud Italians doctors during a flash mob to raise morale, as the Italian Government imposes coronavirus lockdown People sing from their home window during a flash mob launched across Italy to bring people together in Rome People sing from their home window during a flash mob launched across Italy to bring people together in Rome Italians cheer and sing a rousing rendition of Fratelli d'Italia from their balconies in Naples today during coronavirus lockdown People were also seen applauding Italy's doctors and healthcare workers as they sung during the flashmob in Rome today Italians sit on their balconies in Rome and clap for healthcare workers in the flashmob organised through social media People cheer and sing from their balconies in Rome today. The country has been placed on lockdown due to the virus Two women applaud healthcare workers in the Gabriella neighbourhood of Rome this morning Residents on balconies sing 'Azzurro' during a flash mob to raise morale as the coronavirus lockdown in Italy continues A family waves and sings from their balcony in Rome's Gabriella district today. The Italians are aiming to lift the national spirit A man watches from an apartment balcony with a banner reading 'Andra Tutto Bene' - 'everything will be alright' - a phrase that has become symbolic of hope in Italy's coronavirus crisis People pictured standing on their balconies with pets, and one with a dog, in Rome today Banners reading 'Andra tutto benne' and the Italian flag are shown on this balcony in Rome's Gabriella district People wave and clap their hands during the flashmob in Rome's Gabriella district Two women applaud from their balconies in Milan, Italy, as their country remains in lockdown A girl smiles and claps as she joins in the flashmob in Milan, Italy, today. It was organised by musicians through Whatsapp A pair hold up a banner reading 'everything will go well' as they remain stuck in their house in Naples, Italy, today A woman in Turin smiles as she poses in front of her sign reading 'everything will go well' on her balcony today Brian May says heart medication almost cost him his life It's strange, talking about it now, it seems unreal. It feels like it couldn't possibly have happened, it couldn't possibly have been that bad. Beijing reports 9 imported COVID-19 cases People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 13:18, March 17, 2020 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China has expelled at least 13 American journalists in the biggest crackdown of its kind in recent memory, a move that Beijing called self-defence for restrictions placed on Chinese state media representatives in the US. The journalists, from the The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal, have been given 10 days to surrender their press cards and in what appears to be an unprecedented move will also be barred from relocating to the Chinese semi-autonomous territories of Hong Kong and Macau. The Foreign Correspondents Club of China (FCCC) said it deplores the decision, while Steven Butler, Asia programme coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called it yet more proof that press freedom is in jeopardy everywhere. Journalists caught up in the expulsions include Amy Qin of The New York Times, who last month spent 14 days in federal quarantine in San Diego after reporting from the epicentre of the coronavirus lockdown in Wuhan. She said being ordered to leave by China left her with so many feelings. I keep coming back to my last trip, to Wuhan, where people were so willing to talk they wanted the world to know what was happening to them and to hold their government accountable, she said. Chinas foreign ministry said the move was reciprocal, following an announcement from Washington earlier this month that five state-controlled Chinese media outlets would be restricted to 100 journalist visas, the de facto expelling of about 60 journalists. The US said its own move was the result of increasingly harsh surveillance, harassment and intimidation of American and other foreign journalists working in China. The US has said that all options are on the table. Today, I can also tell the US that all options are on the table for China, foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang told a regular daily news briefing. A foreign ministry statement accused the US of demonstrating a Cold War mentality towards China. China urges the US to immediately change course, undo the damage, and stop its political oppression and arbitrary restrictions on Chinese media organisations, a foreign ministry statement said. Should the US choose to go further down the wrong path, it could expect more countermeasures from China. The FCCC said that, prior to Wednesdays announcement, China had expelled nine journalists since 2013. It called on both governments to de-escalate the situation. There are no winners in the use of journalists as diplomatic pawns by the worlds two pre-eminent economic powers, it said. There is no sign of either side calming down the situation, however, with Chinese state media outlets running editorials lauding the move and accusing the US of creating negative overall effects and new uncertainties to the relationship with its imposition of a 100-visa limit. 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 A Peoples Daily editorial said Chinese reporters in America have always adhered to US laws and regulations, journalistic ethics and the principles of objectivity, fairness, truth and accuracy. But Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, disputed comparisons between the two governments actions. The individuals that we identified ... were part of Chinese propaganda outlets, he said. 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. We unequivocally condemn any action by China to expel US reporters, said Martin Baron, executive editor of The Washington Post. Dean Baquet, executive editor of The New York Times, said it was a grave mistake for China to cut itself off from some of the worlds top news organisations 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, he said, referring to the coronavirus pandemic. And Matt Murray, editor in chief of The Wall Street Journal, said the newspaper oppose[s] government interference with a free press anywhere in the world. Chinas unprecedented attack on freedom of the press comes at a time of unparalleled global crisis, he said. Trusted news reporting from and about China has never been more important. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE New Mexico is asking a judge to dismiss the lawsuit that resulted in a landmark 2018 court decision when a judge ruled the state was failing to provide a sufficient education for every student. In a 116-page motion, including supporting documents, attorneys for the state Public Education Department say New Mexico has substantially complied with the 2018 ruling by sharply increasing education funding and revising programs aimed at helping at-risk students. The litigation has focused on students from low-income families, students with disabilities, English-language learners and Native American students. The department did not respond to a request for comment. But state attorneys said in court that policymakers have taken action to address the courts orders. The public education system currently in place in New Mexico is substantially different from the system in place during trial, they argued in their motion to dismiss. Attorneys for students and their families arent convinced. Gail Evans, lead counsel for one group of plaintiffs, said the state has done nowhere near enough to help the students at the heart of the case, even after two legislative sessions. The court has to intervene when politics fail, Evans said in a written statement, and politics have clearly failed New Mexicos children for decades. Standardized test data released by the state in July showed that just 33% of students are proficient in English and 20% are proficient in math. Santa Fe Public Schools Superintendent Veronica Garcia, who oversees one of the plaintiff districts in the case, said the lawsuit and judges oversight are necessary to ensure the state moves forward with providing a sufficient education for all students. She echoed Evans, saying the district still doesnt have necessary resources. I think its important that this case is not dismissed. I think its a good accountability measure to ensure we keep our eye on the target that were still quite far away from, Garcia said. She said the lawsuit sustains focus on improving education, despite future economic fluctuation or changes in lawmakers. Rep. Christine Trujillo, D-Albuquerque, chairwoman of the Legislative Education Study Committee, said that she thinks the lawsuit did its job in making education a priority but that its time for the court to back off. I believe that our efforts have gone a long way to address the concerns. We still have a long way to go, but I dont think a lawsuit anymore is the direction we need to go in, Trujillo said. She said she believes lawmakers will continue to address the courts ruling even without judicial oversight. A hearing is scheduled before 1st Judicial District Judge Matthew Wilson next week. He was assigned to the case last year after the death of Judge Sarah Singleton. The class-action Yazzie/Martinez suit named after two groups of plaintiffs, the Yazzie and Martinez families has reshaped the political landscape for education in New Mexico in recent years. In July 2018, Singleton ruled that New Mexico was violating the constitutional rights of at-risk students by failing to provide a sufficient education for them. She ordered the governor and Legislature to establish a funding system meeting constitutional requirements by spring of 2019. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who took office in 2019, and New Mexico lawmakers responded by ramping up education funding, including changes designed to provide more money for services to help at-risk students. Theyve approved increases of about $664 million for public education over the past two legislative sessions. In their new filing, state attorneys told the judge that New Mexico now spends about 46% of its budget on education, an increase of 2.2 percentage points since the 2017 trial. The state, its attorneys argue, has also enacted legislation aimed at improving accountability and extending learning time for students who need it most. New Delhi, March 18 : After the exit of Jyotiradiya Scindia and many Congress leaders airing their views about the party affairs regarding course correction and who should lead the party, former Union Minister Kapil Sibal has said, "I think those public statements should be heard and should be listened to". In an interview to IANS, Kapil Sibal said, "I am one of those who has never made a public statement on these issues but I think these are party affairs but there are some of my colleagues who have made public comments and I think those public statements should be heard and should be listened to and obviously political parties like any other organisation needs rejuvenation, I think the party needs rejuvenation, move forward and correct errors if any." The Congress leader asserted that those at the helm should listen to the voices of concern. "I think those who are concerned and made public statements and those who are at the helm of the party affairs, both should listen to each other and I think the party should get together and move forward in a constructive manner to get back into the minds of the people of India as Congress was in their minds for many years." On exit of Scindia, Sibal said, "I would never bargain for anything after being in politics for 30 years. But it's an individual issue." The Congress leader said that the ratings of the present government is degrading fast in the minds of the people and it's the duty of the party to give alternative to the people if we can give it, "paasa palat jayega", he said. While many leaders including Manish Tewari, Ashwani Kumar and Sandeep Dikshit have raised the issue of leadership in the party with Dikshit saying "extraordinary situation demands extraordinary solutions". The Congress Working Committee and senior leaders of the party should talk to Rahul Gandhi, he said. "If not, then a new president should be elected and the uncertainty in the party should end soon," Dikshit said in an interview to IANS. Recalling that a few months back, Gandhi had said that he will not become the president again and it is time that the new party chief should be from outside the Gandhi family, Sibal said, "Rahul Gandhi has himself suggested that the president could be elected from outside the family. The Working Committee could not find a new president. This has created a despair in the party. But if the senior leaders want Sonia Gandhi as president, then she should be made full time President... why is there uncertainty? We should talk amongst us in an organised way and at least start a discussion and if at all, you need Rahul Gandhi, then all the senior leaders should go to him." "Overwhelming consensus in the Congress is that we need Sonia Gandhi as the president for the foreseeable future," Manish Tewari said and added, we should look for another president only after sorting out ideological issues, which might take more than a year. While many like Ajay Maken and others are batting for Rahul Gandhi, former Union Minister Manish Tewari had plumped for Sonia and Anil Shastri suggesting Priyanka Gandhi - with all leaders contending that a non-Gandhi will not be accepted as the party leader. Sonia Gandhi was appointed Interim President in August by the Congress Working Committee after Rahul Gandhi quit following the party's debacle in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls - the second successive rout, and resisted all requests to reconsider. "I believe a revived @INCIndia is indispensable to provide a national alternative to the divisive policies of the BJP. This is why the current perception of drift must be ended," tweeted Shashi Tharoor. Dr Ryall fears the plans may not adequately protect the public and the environment, including fishermen and families who swim in harbour pools across the foreshore. Transport for NSW released the draft plans in January, which will see the construction of twin tunnels linking Rozelle with the Warringah Freeway in North Sydney. The harbour would be crossed using two pre-fabricated tube tunnels, lowered onto the sea floor between Birchgrove and Waverton. Trenches would secure the tunnels in place, meaning workers would have to dig up a heavily polluted layer of sediment 1.5 metres deep. About 140,000 cubic metres of the poisonous sludge would be taken by barge to White Bay for treatment, removing its moisture content. Once solidified, the material would likely be trucked to a landfill for disposal. An excavator with a closed "clamshell" style bucket. Credit:NSW Department of Planning It is anticipated the rest of the sediment - about 760,000 cubic metres - would be unaffected by contamination. Transport for NSW has applied to the federal government for a permit to dump it at a disposal site about 10 kilometres offshore. A risk assessment found the buried contaminants posed a high risk, but would become low risk with management actions. An excavator with a sealed "clamshell" bucket would be used to scoop up sediment, while shallow silt curtains would be installed to prevent its spread in the top two to three metres of water. Most of the toxic chemicals would stay bound to the sediment and less than two per cent of the sediment would escape into the water, it was found. Escaped sediment was "not likely" to significantly impact water quality or human health but a plume around Balls Head would be monitored as a precaution. A Transport for NSW spokesperson said the works would be carried out in strict compliance with EPA guidelines, which was being regularly consulted. The proposed method was selected after "extensive" modelling and was a "proven approach ... used on various completed projects in Sydney Harbour" But Dr Ryall - who has worked for 30 years as a contamination adviser to government agencies and private industry, including around Sydney Harbour - remained unconvinced. He did not believe regulators would find it acceptable that up to 1300 cubic metres of contaminated sediment particles would be lost to the harbour waters under the plan - likely to be ingested by fish, crustaceans and oysters. Dr Ryall said the government appeared to ignore its own legislation requiring developers to report contamination to the EPA, carry out a detailed investigation and have remediation action plans signed off before releasing an EIS to the public. Dr Bill Ryall has concerns over contamination. Credit:Dean Sewell "I am very disappointed with the lack of detail in the EIS relating to measures to protect the quality of water in Sydney Harbour," Dr Ryall said. He held serious concerns the "clamshell" bucket would malfunction if it encountered rocks or other objects on the sea floor. The plans did not account for wind gusts of more than 30 kilometres an hour, which occurred every month in the past year, Dr Ryall said. These could sweep the sediment out from within the shallow silt curtain, and it was "preferable" to use a full depth silt barrier anchored to the sea floor. According to Dr Ryall, industry best practice usually saw contaminated sediment stabilised with grout before being disturbed and it was likely the amount that would be generated had been "grossly underestimated". "The EIS provides no details of the methods used to treat the sediments at White Bay and dispose of the contaminated wastewater," Dr Ryall said. "The costs may be in excess of $100 million". Dr Ryall was also dubious about assurances odours - including "rotten egg gas" from acid sulfate soils - would not affect communities because they would remain wet. Member for Balmain Jamie Parker pressed Transport for NSW to produce the specific concentrations of the contaminants, after it would only confirm they have been found "above guideline criteria". In an email seen by the Herald, he was told in response the figures formed "part of a commercial in confidence procurement process" and could not be released "for probity reasons". Mr Parker was incensed. "This is unprecedented in scale," he said. "The proposed mitigation measures are an embarrassment, they are totally inadequate." Each summer Sydney Harbour is used for a string of open water swimming and paddling events, while families flock to harbour pools including the Greenwich Baths and the Dawn Fraser Baths at Balmain. In 2006 commercial fishing in the harbour was banned when elevated levels of dioxins were discovered in fish, traced to the notorious Union Carbide site at Homebush Bay. Another pollution source has been the Cockatoo Island ship building yard, where toxic tributyltin was used to prevent barnacles sticking to the hulls of ships. In 2010 authorities told the Herald the fishing ban could be in place for decades and the only solution was to wait for clean sediments to cover the contaminated layer so fish could not absorb the poison. The harbour remains popular with recreational fishermen who frequently ignore warnings to limit consumption of their catch. The harbour crossing for the new metro rail line has seen deep tunnelling through a layer of rock underneath the sediment. Two more people in New Jersey have died as a result of the coronavirus, bringing the states reported number of deaths to five, while the confirmed number of known cases statewide surged to 427, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Wednesday. Both people were identified as high risk women over 60 years old, state Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said at a news conference in Trenton. One woman was from Essex County, the other from Hudson County. Officials did not provide any additional information about the individuals. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, Persichilli said. The news came at the same time Murphy announced the state has at least 162 new positive tests Wednesday. New Jersey residents are facing sweeping new restrictions to combat the outbreak, including the closure of all public and private schools and the shutdown of casinos, dine-in restaurant service, theaters, and gyms, and a suggested curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. The states first death was a 69-year-old man from Bergen County, which continues to have the most coronavirus cases in the state. A 55-year-old woman from Freehold was the second death. The third death was a man in his 90s who was being treated at Hackensack University Medical Center died on Monday. The states death count is likely larger than what officials reported Wednesday. NJ Advance Media confirmed earlier in the day that the brother of a Freehold woman who died last week from the virus has also perished from the illness. And Wednesday night, NJ Advance Media learned their mother died from the virus, as well. Neither appear to be part of the new deaths officials released. The state announced new figures only once a day, at about 2 p.m. Three other members of that family are hospitalized in critical condition with the virus after attending a recent family gathering. State officials say they expect the number of cases in New Jersey to continue to rise, especially as testing expands. This is increasing with a pretty steep curve, as we expected, Murphy said Wednesday. NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report. Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey: Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 15:53:06|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close NEW YORK, March 17 (Xinhua) -- All 50 U.S. states, as well as Washington D.C., have now reported COVID-19 cases, after West Virginia reported its first case on Tuesday. "We knew it was coming," said West Virginia Governor Jim Justice at a news conference on Tuesday evening. "We've prepared for this and we shouldn't panic." Confirmed cases are increasing rapidly as test kits become more readily available in various states. As of Tuesday night, the country has tallied over 6,300 COVID-19 cases, an addition of 1,500 in 24 hours, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University. At least 108 deaths have resulted from the disease in the United States, 55 of which occurred in the state of Washington and 13 in New York state, according to the center. Amid the growing public health crisis, Houston City Council on Tuesday voted to indefinitely extend the proclamation of a local state of disaster in the fourth largest U.S. city. The order allows Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner to make decisions to work with county, state, and federal officials to contain and mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Turner signed the disaster declaration last week, which will be in effect for seven days. "As a city, we must work together. This is a crisis that is going to be with us for several weeks, if not several months," Turner was quoted as saying in a statement issued by Houston Mayor's Office. "It is gravely important for us to take definitive steps to slow the COVID-19 spread. The measures we have put in place will help save lives," he continued. Turner also announced on Tuesday that all city-produced, sponsored and previously permitted events are now canceled through the end of April. The city is also encouraging businesses to limit exposure to members of the public and shift their operations online for the time being. The decisions were made one day after the mayor ordered all bars, nightclubs and restaurants in Houston to close for 15 days. Meanwhile, seven counties in California's Bay Area on Tuesday started to follow a shelter-at-home order, which has been regarded as the strictest measure introduced in the entire country since the outbreak of the virus. In San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa, Alameda and Santa Cruz counties, most businesses are closed and residents have been directed to stay home for the next three weeks. However, people are still allowed to go out to buy food and gas, collect prescriptions at pharmacies and go to banks, according to local officials. Mayor of New York City Bill de Blasio said Tuesday that he is considering taking similar measures to those of the California counties, adding that a decision will be made in 48 hours. The city that never sleeps has gone unusually quiet as thousands of cinemas, theaters, bars and restaurants were closed starting Tuesday, following orders by both the mayor and New York state governor. Also on Tuesday, Governor Andrew Cuomo called for national unity in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, as New York became the country's first state to have reported over 1,000 COVID-19 cases. "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," said Cuomo. 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 will then need some 55,000 to 110,000 hospital beds and 18,600 to 37,200 ICU beds when the pandemic reaches its peak. Currently, it has just 53,000 hospital beds and 3,000 ICU beds, he noted. On Monday, the governor issued an executive order allowing the state to use the National Guard to find existing facilities that can be converted to medical facilities, with the goal of creating an additional 9,000 beds. WATERLOO The Black Hawk County Courthouse has been closed to the public, with access now limited to essential court activities. The county Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 Wednesday to shut down the building indefinitely after the first local case of COVID-19 was reported. County departments were directed to send home all non-essential staff with full pay and provide information the county website about ways the public can still conduct business with their offices online, through the mail or by phone. The move shuts down the treasurers office during a rush of property tax payments and closes the election offices public counter as a special election in Cedar Falls approaches March 31. Courthouse security will screen those entering the building to see if they are allowed in for a court proceeding. In essence what were doing is will triage individuals coming into the courthouse to determine who gets in, said Supervisor Dan Trelka. The Iowa Supreme Court has issued orders delaying criminal trials and allowing most court proceedings to be conducted via teleconference. But that doesnt eliminate the need for court participants to get into the building at times. We still have mandatory community members that are going to need our services, said Clerk of Court Arnell Ernst. We still need to have a way for the community to be able to get to us and for us to provide those essential services. County offices will still have essential staff working to process information, payments and perform other activities with the public by phone or electronically. The shutdown affects the assessor, county attorney, auditor and election office, conservation, engineer, human resources, information technology, maintenance, recorder, treasurer and veteran affairs. The treasurers office is still accepting payments for property taxes and vehicle registrations through www.iowatreasurers.org or by mail. A payment drop box has also been set up at the courthouse entrance. The recorders office has shut down its passport office and is asking the public to hold off on vital records requests, although they can still be provided via mail. Auditor Grant Veeder has already implored voters to use absentee ballots by mail for the March 31 special Cedar Falls City Council election. Voters now will not be allowed to cast absentee ballots in the courthouse. The election office is mailing absentee ballot request forms to all registered Cedar Falls voters by the end of this week. Candidates filing nomination papers or affidavits of candidacy for the June 2 primary election or the Nov. 3 general election may take them to the courthouse and ask security personnel to notify the election office. Staff will come to the courthouse entrance to collect the papers. Other offices serving the public can be reached by telephone or email. That contact information can be found on the county website. Assistant County Attorney Pete Burk noted the supervisors will need to allow the public to attend board meetings subject to the Iowa Open Meetings Law even if the board members participate by phone. Supervisors Chris Schwartz said the public will be allowed into the courthouse for those meetings but suggested now is not the time to start attending our meetings. Video of the meetings are eventually uploaded to the county YouTube page. Meanwhile, Black Hawk County Sheriff Tony Thompson has canceled jail inmate visitation and made other changes to stem the spread of COVID-19. Thompson announced inmate visits are canceled, although limited professional visitation remains in place. Other operational changes have been implemented until further notice: Sex offender registrations will be handled via telephone. Individuals subject to registration should call (319) 291-2587, ext. 5103, to register over the phone and paperwork will then be mailed. All existing registration and time requirements remain in place. Sheriffs office administrative services remain open at this time, but only one visitor at a time will be allowed into the building. The front doors will remain locked to enforce the single visitor provision. Fingerprinting of the public has been suspended at this time. The changes may be modified depending on the progression of the virus. Individuals with questions can call (319) 291-2587. On Wednesday, the Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation announced a donation of 100,000 brand new children's books to the Houston Independent School District. With support from the Foundations Ladies for Literacy Guild and Phillips 66, the Foundation purchased books to help bridge the learning gap while schools and libraries are closed across the city due to the coronavirus. According to a press release, "once received, the books will be distributed to families of children in pre-K through eighth grades as they pick up food at Houston ISD food distribution sites set up across the city in partnership with the Houston Food Bank." The enormity and complexity of the challenges facing families right now are substantial and overwhelming to grasp, said Dr. Julie Baker Finck in a news release, Barbara Bush's Houston Literacy Foundation president. Providing books is a small, yet vital aspect of helping parents find meaningful ways to engage and support their childs continued learning at home during widespread closures. We are grateful to our loyal and generous donors and partners, without whom this donation of 100,000 books and all of the work we do every day would not be made possible. According to the Foundation, roughly 75 percent of the 210,000 students in Houston ISD are economically disadvantaged and qualify for the National School Lunch Program, indicating many families cannot afford books. It is important that our community unites to not only meet the basic health and wellness needs of our children, such as food insecurity," said Grenita Lathan, Houston ISD superintendent in the release, "but also the academic and socio-emotional challenges our families are facing due to school, library and enrichment program closures across our city. Scholastic has also partnered with the Foundation on this effort by extending best-in-class pricing on books, waiving expedited shipping fees, and providing hundreds of additional free books. For more information on how to support this effort by making a tax-deductible donation, visit www.BushHoustonLiteracy.org/Donate or text HTXReads to 41444. ryan.nickerson@hcnonline.com As coronavirus continues to spread across the world as well as in India, economists have warned of possible disruptions that it will cause to the economy. In the last two weeks, at least 150 cases have been reported in India and three lives have been lost to COVID-19. Consequently, as a precautionary measure, malls, movie theatres, gyms, etc have been shut and employees have been asked to work from home wherever possible. In addition, many events, such as the money-spinning Indian Premiere League (IPL), as well as numerous film shoots have been postponed indefinitely. Even temples, like the popular Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai, have been shut for visitors. With businesses, which shore up the GDP of Mumbai, shutting shop amid the coronavirus outbreak, the economy of the financial and commercial capital of the country is likely to take a significant hit. Mumbai contributes roughly five percent to India's total GDP. Of this, the service sector forms a vital chunk, with an annual turnover of Rs 4 lakh crore. According to a report in The Indian Express, stalling even half of the service industry could lead to a loss of about Rs 16,000 crore per month. 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 report suggested that as the coronavirus infection intensified in the last seven days, economists estimate a loss of business worth Rs 4,000 crore in the city. Among businesses, the tourism and hospitality sectors seem to be the worst hit. The Federation of Hotel and Restaurants Association of India has claimed that clientele in restaurants has dropped by over 40 percent. As far as tourism is concerned, Mumbai receives roughly two million foreign tourists every year, of which close to 40 percent come during the March to June period. A report by Mastercard pegged the total annual spend of these tourists at around $3.6 billion, which, as per the exchange rate, would amount to over Rs 26,000 crore every year. This means, stopping the influx of international tourists for a month alone will result in an income loss of Rs 2,200 crore a month. This loss will be felt by airlines, hotels, malls, multiplexes, restaurants, etc. Besides, the unorganised sector is also facing the pinch due to physical restrictions that have been imposed to curtail the spread of COVID-19. This includes Dharavi, which is the hub for small scale industries. "Ninety percent of the businesses operating out of Dharavi are in turmoil. This outbreak has crushed all hopes of an economic revival," Zahid Khan, a member of the Dharavi Businessmen Welfare Association, told the newspaper. Economists have warned that the downturn, which is not only affecting entrepreneurs but also hurting daily-wage workers, will only worsen if the situation continues for the next few weeks and that a turnaround for Mumbai's economy is unlikely, not without a government stimulus. What happened With oil prices continuing to plummet, so too are the share prices for big oil companies. At the time of this writing, shares of the five largest integrated oil and gas companies are down 5% or more. Here's a brief snapshot of how things look as of 11:15 a.m. EDT. Company Price change ExxonMobil NYSE:XOM) (5.9%) Chevron NYSE:CVX) (11.4%) Royal Dutch Shell NYSE:RDS.A) NYSE:RDS.B) (8.1%) BP NYSE:BP) (9.5%) Total SA NYSE:TTE) (11.5%) So what While the broader market continues to reel from the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak, one of the effects that has come more and more into focus is the decline in oil and gas demand over the next several months -- and potentially for the rest of the year. According to the most recent projection from the International Energy Agency (IEA), global demand for 2020 is expected to drop by 2.5 million barrels per day. That projection, in addition to OPEC's recent decision to do away with production quotas and Saudi Arabia's announcement that it is increasing output, is causing oil prices to crater. As of this writing, the price of a barrel of Brent crude, the international benchmark price, has declined 9.3% to $26 per barrel today. At these prices, it will be incredibly challenging for any oil company to make money. While Big Oil companies also have assets in refining and retail to help offset the volatility of oil prices, a decline in demand will likely also have a significant impact on results on these parts of the business as well. Now what The one thing these companies have going for them over other publicly traded energy companies is the ability to weather storms like this thanks to their size, cash reserves, and balance sheets. Both Chevron and ExxonMobil have incredibly conservative balance sheets with debt to capital ratios below 20%, while BP, Shell, and Total have considerable cash reserves. These things should help cushion the blow that's likely to come over the next several months, and perhaps longer. The question for these companies isn't whether they will go bankrupt, but whether they will be able to maintain their generous dividend payouts. As cash coming in the door starts to dry up, it will be harder and harder to maintain dividend payouts. Both ExxonMobil and Chevron pride themselves on being Dividend Aristocrats and will likely lean on their balance sheets to maintain payouts for some time, but the market seems to indicate that dividend payouts won't last. I can't predict whether they will be able to keep their dividend payouts or not. That will likely depend on how long this current situation lasts. If we see continued declines in global demand as much of the world remains hunkered down, and if we don't see any drastic cuts in supply from major producers, it's a real possibility these companies will cut dividends to preserve cash. Jenee Davis plays with her dog, Prince, at her home in Hasbrouck Heights, N.J., on March 8, 2020. Davis needed surgery and then inpatient rehab that would keep her away from home and her dog for four months. She had no one to care for the dog, so she called PACT for Animals, an animal-fostering nonprofit that offers free foster care to medical patients or deploying military members in need. Read more In 2011, Buzz Miller was disturbed to learn that some deploying military members surrendered their dogs and cats to animal shelters because they had no one to care for the pets while they were away. That prompted him to create PACT for Animals, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit that finds free foster homes for animals of deployed members of the military and for hospitalized patients of all ages. PACT (an acronym for People + Animals = Companions Together) has 250 foster homes in the Greater Philadelphia area and 450 more throughout the country. Since 2011, the organization has arranged temporary homes for more than 1,000 pets. Im all about the human-animal bond, said Miller, 78, an animal nut who left his 35-year law career for PACT. I cant stand the thought of a military person going to Iraq or fighting ISIS and they have to give up their animal. I cant let a kid fighting cancer or heart problems at CHOP lose his animal. Pet owners needing foster help complete an application on PACTs website, which is then perused by vetted volunteer fosters. Owners are responsible for delivering their animals to the foster homes and also agree to pay for their pets food and medical treatment. PACT doesnt charge for its services or pay foster caretakers. Still, its volunteer staff is available 24/7 to troubleshoot problems. It requires a lot of time and energy, but Miller is all in. The animals keep me young because they make me smile, he said. Janee Davis is a grateful PACT beneficiary. After surgery in 2018, she needed four months of inpatient rehab, which would keep her away from Prince, her Maltese. Through PACT, she found volunteer Lisa Gimbut of Monroe Township, N.J., whose family lovingly fostered Prince for her. The Gimbuts frequently sent Davis photos of Prince and even connected with her via video chat so she could see and talk to the dog. Id say, Im coming, Im coming! said Davis. When Davis father died at the end of 2019, the family again fostered Prince so Davis could be with family in England. They love Prince and he loves them, Davis said. I am so thankful for families like the Gimbuts. Thats what I need Families get just as much out of the exchange, say Susan and Mike Daylida of Malvern, who have hosted Kenny, Ryan Sloughs shepherd mix, three times while the U.S. Army master sergeant has been deployed or on training missions. Slough, who lives in Newville, Pa., adopted Kenny when the pup was a baby. Hed just purchased his first house and it felt empty. I was by myself and I thought, I want to have a buddy. I think Im going to get a dog, Slough said. When I saw Kenny, he was so happy, jumping on people like, Hey, pet me! I said, Thats what I need. Kenny, now almost 7, weighs 85 pounds, and when he stands on his hind legs, he easily reaches Sloughs shoulders. Hes also anxious, afraid of thunder and lightning, and very sensitive. He hid in his crate when he arrived at the Daylida home for his first 10-week stay. The familys dog, Shadow, waited patiently for his new playmate to adjust. He gradually got used to us, and he ended up being a love, Susan Daylida said. She recalls fondly Kennys reaction when Slough returned from deployment. Kenny stopped dead in his tracks and looked at him like he couldnt believe it was really him. Then he raced towards him, licking his face and wagging his tail, she said. It brought tears to my eyes. Made for each other Michael King swore hed never love a dog again, not after returning from deployment with the U.S. Air Force to find that those he had trusted with his beloved pit bull, Guinness, had surrendered her to an animal shelter. I had no dog to come home to, said King, who lives in Newark, Del. It broke me like you wouldnt believe. But after a stressful combat tour in Afghanistan, he adopted Bandit, a Rottweiler mix, who stayed by his side as he dealt with post-traumatic stress disorder. Soon after, King found Ruger, a puppy whod been used as a bait dog by a dog-fighting ring. When King learned he was being deployed again, this time for six months, he turned to PACT. A New Jersey couple quickly offered to host Bandit and Ruger. King packed up the pups and drove 18 hours through harrowing weather from his then-home in South Carolina to the 45-acre Franklinville farm of Gin Keefer and John Melleady. Bandit and Ruger swiftly bonded with the couples dog, Pibbers. Keefer sent King regular letters and photos Bandit and Ruger playing in the snow for the first time; running alongside the sleigh taking visitors to the Christmas tree farm on the property; laying cozily with Pibbers, like best friends. I wanted to do something to give back to the men and women who are serving this country, said Keefer. She and her husband became so close to King and, later, his fiancee Cindy, that they hosted the couples 2015 wedding, right on their farm. Keefer officiated. Melleady was a member of the bridal party. And PACT founder Miller walked Ruger, the ring bearer, down the aisle. Its a day Miller will never forget. Were improving the lives of dogs and cats, he said, but theyre also improving our lives. A number of bakery trade shows, competitions and other events have been postponed or cancelled due to Covid-19. To help British Baker readers keep on top of things, we have compiled a round-up of bakery-related events that have been rescheduled or cancelled as a result of the pandemic. Note: The information in this list is correct as of 06 April 2020 and may change in the future. Britains Best Loaf competition: 30 March 2020 Status: rescheduled for Monday 7 September 2020 The Britains Best Loaf competition, hosted by British Baker, has been postponed until Monday 7 September 2020 at the Birmingham NEC. Entries already submitted will be automatically transferred to the new date. As previously planned, loaves will be judged across six categories Gluten Free, Innovation, White, Wholegrain, Plain Sourdough and Sourdough with Other Ingredients. The winning loaf in each category will be in the running to secure the ultimate accolade of Britains Best Loaf. I am sure customers will understand why we have had to take this difficult decision. By acting now, the company hopes to remove uncertainty and allow businesses to plan as effectively as possible, said British Baker editor Vince Bamford. We look forward to seeing and judging the best that Britains bakers have to offer at the Farm Shop & Deli Show in September. Food & Drink Expo, Farm Shop & Deli Show and National Convenience Show: 30 March to 1 April Status: rescheduled for 7-9 September The five food and drink shows scheduled to take place at the NEC Food & Drink Expo, Farm Shop & Deli Show, National Convenience Show, Foodex and The Ingredients Show have been postponed. In light of the ongoing Covid-19 health situation, we have taken the difficult decision to postpone the NEC UK Food Shows, said Andrew Reed, managing director for exhibitions at William Reed Business Media, which publishes British Baker. All existing bookings, live event content and visitor registrations remain in place and will be transferred automatically to the new dates. Foodex and The Ingredients Show: 30 March to 1 April Status: rescheduled for 12-14 April 2021 While three of the food and drink shows organised by William Reed Business Media have been rescheduled for later in the year, there is not enough space for Foodex and The Ingredients Show to take place then. As such, they have been rescheduled to run with the 2021 William Reed UK Shows. International Artisan Bakery Expo: 31 March to 2 April 2020 Status: rescheduled for 26-28 June 2020 This international exhibition, taking place at the Las Vegas Convention Center, has been rescheduled. A statement on the International Artisan Bakery Expos website said: The health and safety of each and every member of our community and our staff is of the utmost importance to us. After closely monitoring the risk and impact of COVID-19 on a daily basis, and speaking at length with members of our community, Intl Pizza Expo and Intl Artisan Bakery Expo, which had been scheduled for March 31- April 2, 2020, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, has been postponed to June. Exhibitors booth space has been reserved, but due to the change from the centres central hall to the north hall there may be some shifting of positions. Registration for speakers and attendees is unchanged and valid for the new dates. SIAL Canada: 14-17 April 2020 Status: rescheduled for 5-7 August 2020 International food and drink exhibition SIAL Canada has been rescheduled for summer. SIAL Canada, as an industry leader, has been following the evolution of the COVID-19 crisis very closely. In light of recent developments in the ordinances announced in Quebec, we have decided to postpone the event to August 5-7 at the Palais de Congres in Montreal, said Xavier Poncin, CEO of Expo Canada France/SIAL Canada on the exhibitions website. Cake International: 24-25 April 2020 Status: cancelled The London date of the Cake International on Tour exhibition, scheduled to take place at ExCeL on 24-25 April 2020, has been cancelled. The Tours other event in Birmingham is still scheduled to go ahead on 6-8 November. A statement on its website said: We have taken the difficult decision to cancel The Creative Craft Show and Cake International on Tour at ExCeL, London, from 24-25 April. Exhibitors who have booked a stand and visitors who have purchased tickets will be offered a refund. Competition entrants will be offered the option to transfer to the Birmingham NEC November show or alternatively offered a refund. British Society of Baking spring conference: 22 April 2020 Status: rescheduled for Wednesday 21 April 2021 The BSB said many companies that employed its members were not allowing their staff non-essential travel and attendance in large numbers, which would adversely affect the conference attendance and its financial viability. As a result, it has been postponed until Wednesday 21 April 2021 and will take place at Tythe Barn, Clarbridge Lane, Bicester, Oxfordshire. We have a duty of care for our members and speakers and we would not want to do anything that would put them at an increased risk of infection from the coronavirus. We hope, therefore, that members will understand the reasons for our cancellation of the spring conference, the BSB said. Scottish Bakers annual conference and judging day: 8-9 May 2020 Status: postponed The Scottish Bakers annual conference and judging day for its awards has been postponed and a rescheduled date has not yet been announced. However, the trade body is keeping online voting for its Customer Choice Awards open until Sunday 5 April as planned. Conference tickets already booked and paid for through Scottish Bakers will be refunded, as will hotel accommodation at the Hilton where the event was due to take place. We believe that postponement is the sensible course of action given the circumstances and increasing concern being express by our many supporters and members about committing to travel and participation in events, explained chief executive Alasdair Smith. National Doughnut Week: 9-16 May 2020 Status: cancelled The annual celebration of doughnuts, sponsored by CSM Bakery Solutions, to help raise money for charity The Childrens Trust has been cancelled. "We have taken the disappointing decision to cancel National Doughnut Week 2020. We will, of course, feed back directly to everyone that has already signed up and we will announce the 2021 dates as soon as we can. We thank all our supporters and hope their businesses are finding ways to navigate their way through this difficult time," said said Christopher Freeman, owner of Dunns Bakery, who established the event in 1991. In 2019 the event raised 32,532 for the charity. ABST annual conference: 19-21 June 2020 Status: rescheduled for 11-13 June 2021 The Alliance for Bakery Students & Trainees has cancelled its 2020 annual conference, due to take place at Alton Towers Hotel in Staffordshire. The 2021 event will be held at the same location on 11-13 June 2021. "The ABST committee has been monitoring the Covid-19 situation continuously over the past weeks, and we have decided to cancel our 2020 conference. Government guidelines currently stipulate the rulings on gatherings, but more importantly our students will not be able to attend. Colleges are practicing accelerated learning which will end their educational year by Easter and term will not resume until September. We are extremely disappointed by this but we have to ensure that the safety and wellness of our members is protected," it said. The campground at Cumberland Mountain State Park offers a combined total of 145 tent and RV campsites. Whether an avid user or a novice looking for different ways to explore the Tennessee River Valley region, RV parks allows travelers to see the world from the comfort of their home on wheels. While indoor attractions across the United States are closing during this time of self-quarantine, outdoor attractions are remaining open. The Tennessee River Valley is home to a variety of RV parks offering wide open spaces and fresh air. Whether an avid user or a novice looking for different ways to explore the Tennessee River Valley region, RV parks allows travelers to see the world from the comfort of their home on wheels, said Julie Graham, spokesperson for the Tennessee River Valley Stewardship Council. RV enthusiasts will want to check out these parks and sights located in the Tennessee River Valley. Riley Creek Campground is located on scenic Watts Bar Lake in East Tennessee. A scenic overlook near TVAs Watts Bar Dam provides visitors with a panoramic view of the reservoir and surrounding countryside. Melton Hill Dam Campground is located upstream of the Melton Hill Dam offering 55 campsites. Melton Hill Reservoir has two TVA managed trails. The Worthington Cemetery Trail, a 0.5-mile loop, has some unique features that include a cedar barren, native warm season grass meadow and a pier out into a wetland. The 0.75-mile Melton Hill Dam Reservation Trail takes a hiker from the overlook to the dam below. Nestled on the banks of the Elk Reservoir in Cumberland City, Tenn. lies Elk Harbor Lakeside RV Park. The RV park sits in the middle of a sportsmans paradise in the Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge, consisting of 8,862 acres of open water, marsh, cropland and woodlands that support an abundant wildlife population. Cumberland Mountain State Park, located in Crossville, Tenn., offers a variety of cabins and its popular campground that features a combined total of 145 tent and RV campsites. An overnight backpacking campsite is also available. This hike-in campsite is located on the Overnight Trail, a six-mile loop through the forest rated moderate to difficult. Heavily forested Big Ridge State Park is bounded on three sides by Norris Lake in Maynardville, Tenn. and offers 50 campsites on or near the lake. The park consists of more than 15 miles of hiking trails, ranging from easy to very rugged, taking visitors along dry ridges, lush hollows, old roadbeds, lakeshores and beside cemeteries and remnants of early settlements. Green Acres RV Park is located in Savannah near the Tennessee River and only minutes away from some of Tennessee's top attractions including Shiloh National Military Park, Walker Branch State Natural Area, Bruton Branch Recreation Area and Pickwick Landing State Park. Mountain Glen RV Park is located in Pikeville, Tenn. just fifteen minutes from beautiful Fall Creek Falls State Park and its 20,000 acres. Fall Creek Falls State Park is filled with cascades, gorges, waterfalls and streams for exploring. Pack up the camper and head to Big Bear Resort on Kentucky Lake in Benton, Kentucky. While staying here, be sure to check out the buffalo range where about 50 American Bison, which are native to this area, can be found roaming and the elk and bison prairie, a 750-acre drive-through wildlife viewing area featuring elk, bison and deer grazing on native prairie grasses. While staying at Bald Mountain Camping Resort, the mountains provide a patchwork of color in the background and in the foreground, enjoy views of the lake and creeks. Located in Hiawassee, Georgia, the camping resort offers day trips to the Appalachian Trail, Brasstown Bald (highest peak in Georgia) and beautiful Lake Chatuge. Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Tishomingo State Park is steeped in history and scenic beauty. Tishomingo offers a unique landscape of massive rock formations and fern-filled crevices found nowhere else in Mississippi and the scenic Natchez Parkway runs directly through the park. While camping at the Goat Island Campground and RV Park in Iuka, Miss., be sure to check out Goat Island, just across the water from the campground. It is populated by a herd of goats which are quite friendly to visitors. Bring along some veggies or stale bread to feed them. Honeycomb Campground is located on beautiful Guntersville Lake, in north Alabama. Located nearby is the Honey Comb Trail featuring five bluff overlooks and lots of opportunities to explore the lakes edge where visitors can catch a glimpse of a bald eagle. The Tennessee River Valley Geotourism Mapguide recommends the following healthy travel practices: Wash hands often, Cough into elbow and sneeze into a tissue, Consult with a doctor before traveling when sick, Stay up-to-date on vaccinations, Avoid contact with people who are already sick, Avoid contact with animals while traveling, Be aware of latest travel advisories from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. State Department, Before traveling to an outdoor attraction, call to verify hours of operation. Save trip ideas and plan a trip easily with the Tennessee River Valley Geotourism MapGuide, an online guide of authentic places and adventures that have been recommended by locals. For more information on RV parks and campgrounds in the Tennessee River Valley, visit https://www.tennesseerivervalleygeotourism.org/where/campground-or-rv-park/ten1817029F8B9D5E62E. ### Susan Simon and Lilian Pajic have been going to the airport in Marrakech each morning at 5 a.m., hoping to find a way home. The two Canadians were supposed to return from their 15-day trip to Morocco on Monday. Thats the same day Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the federal governmet was closing the border to anyone except Canadian citizens, permanent residents and Americans and encouraged all Canadians abroad who were not sick to come home. Instead, the pair have found themselves pushing and shoving with other desperate travellers, including many Canadians, looking for ways to return home as the fear of the novel coronavirus sweeps the world and closes borders. "We are scared our hotel may close down anytime because they can't pay people to work. Restaurants are closed. We had coffee and some buns in our hotel, but we're getting less food," said Pajic, a resident of Keswick, Ont., who has had three return flights cancelled already. "We got some oranges, meat and cheese from a grocery store, but the selection is getting less and less. Each of us has one mask, given to us by an Australian girl we met," added the civilian staffer with York Region Police. "We just want a plane to get us home." Like other Canadians stranded in Morocco, Pajic and Simon said they have made unsuccessful attempts by email and phone to seek help from Canadian officials in Rabat, the capital city, since they learned last week that their original Air Canada-Royal Air Maroc flights through Frankfurt had been cancelled. On Tuesday, some received an email from Global Affairs in response to their travel inquiries but it offered little comfort. "You should not depend on the Government of Canada for assistance related to making changes to your travel arrangements with your service provider. You are encouraged to continue followups with your airlines, travel agencies, cruise lines or other travel service providers directly," it said. "Canadians who are outside of Canada should find out what commercial options are still available ... consider returning to Canada earlier than planned if these options are becoming more limited." The letter also said the federal government is providing financial assistance to Canadians abroad. "Everybody is shutting down their airports and borders. There are no planes to be had," said Canadian Audrey Dyke, who arrived Morocco last Wednesday for a two-week tour with her friend, Judy Raush. "We are sandwiched." The two are stuck in a Casablanca hotel as their tour company scrambles to fly them home. Raush said there had been no coronavirus cases in Morocco and just a couple dozens of positive cases in Canada when the pair decided to go ahead with the trip they had booked last summer. "We have presidents, prime ministers and leaders coming out with new rules. We turn around and try. Then another country will come up with something else. There is no lead time for us to react. We have to reroute through other countries and it's difficult when one doesn't let us in," Dyke said. Meanwhile, Pajic and Simon say the uncertainty is taking a toll. "We are so stressed and are crying all day everyday. The unknown is scary," said Simon, who owns an interior decoration and painting company in Tottenham, Ont., and has her employees taking care of her business in her absence. "We have no help here other than from our tour guide." Both Simon and Pajic, who is digging into her sick days from work while stuck in Morocco, hope the federal government will fly in a chartered flight to evacuate Canadians like it did to bring Canadian home from Wuhan, where COVID-19 originated. "Please take care of your people and get us out of here," Pajic said. Read more about: The cause and manner of death have been released for the 64-year-old woman whose car was struck by a train Tuesday in Adams County. Dolores Zimmer, of Oxford Township, died of head trauma due to a crash involving a train, according to the York County Coroners Office, which ruled her death accidental. She was rushed to the UMPC Pinnacle Hanover Hospital, where she was pronounced dead around 9:54 a.m. Tuesday Eastern Adams Regional Police say she was trying to cross the railroad tracks at 900 Red Hill Road, Oxford Township, as a CSX was heading her way around 9 a.m. Tuesday. Officials say the train blew its whistle before entering the intersection. The train stuck her car on the drivers side door, overturning it. She was rushed to the hospital, where she died about an hour later. No autopsy will be conducted. 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. Early in 2020, Dr. Paul M. Buckley stepped into the newly created role of administrative director of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centers new Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. With faculty co-director Dr. Chris Li, Buckley will spearhead the Hutchs efforts to make our science and culture more inclusive and diverse. We were really looking to bring someone to the Hutch who could help elevate our work in this important area, Li said, noting that the position was created just two years ago. Li stepped into the role of faculty director of DEI last year. Supporting the efforts of the new office is a priority and critical to the Hutchs mission, said Hutch Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Steve Stadum. We're committed to taking active steps to ensure the Hutch is a welcoming and respectful workplace for all employees," he said. "The DEI office will coordinate our ongoing efforts to address issues of diversity, equity and inclusion at Fred Hutch. We do our best science when we work collectively, and that includes fostering a workplace thats diverse and inclusive of all. Pauls passion, expertise and proven track record make him the ideal person to lead DEI efforts at the Hutch. Buckley comes from Colorado College, where in 2014 he was the inaugural director of the Butler Center, created to lead the colleges efforts in building a just and inclusive community. His success in building DEI programs, background in academia and deep knowledge of DEI issues Buckley holds a Ph.D. in cultural foundations of education made him the ideal candidate to further diversity, equity and inclusion at the Hutch, Li said. Hes somebody who brings a deep understanding of issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion and how we can address them. We are very fortunate to have recruited him here, he said. In October 2020, Buckley was promoted to vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer for the Hutch. Cures start with the culture Cures start here, and cures start with a culture that fosters innovation, an inclusive culture that responds to diverse experiences and diverse expressions of disease, Buckley said. Diversity, equity and inclusion work is critical to the mission of Fred Hutch. His background has given him a broad lens for engaging with people from different backgrounds. Buckley was born to Jamaican parents in England, who moved back to Jamaica, and then to the U.S., when he was a child. Hes crossed the U.S., moving from New York, where he received his Ph.D. at Syracuse University, to New Hampshire where he was assistant dean of undergraduate students at Dartmouth College, to Colorado before arriving on the West Coast. Through these travels, Buckley has engaged with DEI issues on both philosophical and practical levels, he said. And it comes down to people. Humanity is at the heart of this, Buckley said. The more I understand my connection to other human beings, the more humane I can be in my daily practices. It is really critical for us to take actions that increase our capacity to express deeply our humanity and allow others to keep their human dignity. The Hutchs mission to alleviate human suffering cannot be fulfilled if people who should be included in the research process, whether as scientists or patients, are left behind, Buckley said. Science informs how people live, how people will be healed and how people will die, he said. New Office of DEI Part of our goal [in the Office of DEI] is to help [the Hutch community] see how this informs your work and how you will pursue more excellent work if you engage in these frameworks, Buckley said. This office will serve as a coordinating and strategic touchstone around this work. Part of the Directors Office, the new office formalizes DEI efforts currently under way around the Hutch, Li said. Its recognition that this is work that applies to a broad range of activities here at the center, he said. Buckleys arrival, Li added, is an opportunity to take a critical look at how to strengthen and refresh the Hutchs DEI strategies. DEI efforts at the Hutch, which the new Office of DEI will support, will center around four core areas: Research Efforts within this area focus on addressing health disparities within cancer research, such as ensuring that clinical trials include patients from diverse backgrounds. This may include grant mechanisms to support projects and build teams aimed at reducing disparities. Efforts within this area focus on addressing health disparities within cancer research, such as ensuring that clinical trials include patients from diverse backgrounds. This may include grant mechanisms to support projects and build teams aimed at reducing disparities. Workforce development In this pillar, efforts focus on recruitment and retention of diverse faculty and staff. The goal is to ensure that we have a more diverse workforce and that everyone within the Hutch community is supported in their career growth and advancement. In this pillar, efforts focus on recruitment and retention of diverse faculty and staff. The goal is to ensure that we have a more diverse workforce and that everyone within the Hutch community is supported in their career growth and advancement. Workplace climate Efforts here focus on ensuring that the culture is welcoming to all. Efforts here focus on ensuring that the culture is welcoming to all. Community development Here Buckley and Li will work with other Hutch colleagues to focus on strengthening ties with partner organizations in research, industry and the local community, to synergize with their DEI efforts and leverage existing partnerships to help build a diverse pipeline for diverse recruits. One goal within this pillar is to ensure that scientists and others outside the Hutch view us as an inclusive community that welcomes diversity. A number of groups at the Hutch have being doing great work in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion for many years, but there are opportunities to pursue this work in more collaborative ways, Li said. A major function of this office will be to synergize activities across different groups. A vision for the future Diversity, equity and inclusion work is very futuristic. So we have an aspiration for deeper, greater, more advanced programs than we have now, Buckley said. We all have a responsibility to engage in this work, wherever we sit in this organization. Hes already jumped in, meeting with leadership and stakeholders around the center. A near-term goal is to understand key data about Hutch faculty and staff demographics, as well as our recruitment and retention efforts. But numbers are not the end of the story, Buckley cautioned. He is concentrating on learning as much as he can about the perspectives and experiences of various members of the Hutch community, and what they need from the workplace climate and culture. His listening tour will continue through the spring, he said, as he and Li formulate a new DEI strategic plan. That plan will build on the work of DEI Program Manager Ana Parada, who has provided DEI workshops and trainings to the Hutch community over the past year. There has also been a focus on the faculty-recruitment process, Li noted, as the Hutch has implemented training on implicit bias for all search committees, begun requiring a diversity statement for all applicants and promoted the use of more structured rubrics for evaluating faculty candidates. The Hutch has an extraordinary mission to find a cure and alleviate human suffering, Buckley said. The principles of diversity, equity and inclusion will help us to develop policies and engage practices that will advance the effectiveness of the centers work both internally and externally. Mrs. Washington America 2019 Neelam Chahlia is raising awareness about drug abuse among young people through the Victoria Siegel Foundation. The Indian American is currently working with Washington state Senator Manka Dhingra on a tax incentive bill for corporations that provide returnship programs for women like her who have to take a break from work to take care of a sick child. (Neelam Chahlia/Facebook photo) The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) has threatened to declare nationwide industrial action over alleged irregularities observed in the payment of February salaries to its members by the federal government via the use of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS). This is coming hours after the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) withdrew its support for the payment system, advising government to either urgently address its concerns or revert to the use of the abandoned Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS). It would be recalled that, a week ago, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embarked on a two-week warning strike over similar matters, while members of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) also withdrew their services on Tuesday amidst rampaging coronavirus disease (Covid-19). NASU, which comprises junior workers across the nations universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and monotechnics, among others, said its earlier support for the payment system was based on the governments promises to take into consideration the peculiarities of the workers. The union has, therefore, sought audience with the office of the director in charge of the IPPIS in the office of the accountant general of the federation, for amicable settlement. In a letter addressed to the IPPIS director, a copy of which was made available to PREMIUM TIMES, the union said its leadership would like to meet the director on March 25 by 12 noon to address the differences. The letter, which was signed by the unions general secretary, Peter Adeyemi, with copies sent to the education minister, Adamu Adamu; his labour counterpart, Chris Ngige, among others, noted that failure to address the issues raised urgently would lead to the withdrawal of services across campuses nationwide. The letter reads in part; The purpose of the audience is in connection with the payment of February 20202 salary to NASU members in the federal universities and inter-university centres, federal polytechnics and federal colleges of education on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS). We wish to express our disappointment over the haphazard payment of the February 2020 salaries to our members. In fact, the abysmal implementation of IPPIS in the above named institutions has brought untold hardship to our members. We observed with shock that in an attempt to save money for the federal government, your office decided to shortchange our members by the haphazard nature of the implementation. This no doubt has made our union a laughing stock and subject of mockery and ridicule by those who opposed IPPIS implementation ab-initio. The union has, therefore, notified government that the outcome of the meeting would determine whether its members would commence a seven-day warning strike on Monday, March 30, or not. It, however, advised its members to be prepared for the strike action. University lecturers (ASUU) had, since last week, embarked on a two weeks warning strike. They had their first meeting with the federal government last Thursday but it did not yield any positive results. Another meeting was held Tuesday with participants expressing confidence the controversy would be resolved soon. ASUU has urged its members not to register with the IPPIS while government last month halted payment of salaries to the lecturers. FG meets SSANU Meanwhile, the leadership of SSANU is scheduled to meet with the representatives of the office of the accountant general of the federation today to appraise the situation. The meeting, which, according to the national public relations officer of the union, Abdusobur Salaam, is scheduled to hold by 11 a.m., will review the unions concerns with a view to quickly address them. He said; As I am talking to you, the leadership of SSANU is on its way to the IPPIS office for a meeting. The team is led by our president, Comrade Sam Ugwoke, and we hope the outcome will be fruitful. That is all I can say for now. Illustration photo This is the latest effort by the Government to staunch the COVID-19 pandemic which has spread swiftly across the world and caused serious consequences. Foreigners enjoying visa-waiver program or overseas Vietnamese and their spouses and children having been granted with certificate of visa exemption shall only be allowed to enter Viet Nam if they can submit papers certifying they are not positive for the virus. The aforesaid measure shall also be applied to foreigners who are experts, business managers, highly skilled workers upon arrival to Viet Nam. All the above measures shall NOT be applicable to entrants for diplomatic or official purposes. All entrants shall be medically checked and have to comply with the nations COVID-19 prevention and control measures. Additional quarantine measures In addition to the current quarantine measures, the Government has decided that all incoming travelers from the US, Europe and ASEAN countries shall be subject to centralized quarantine. Competent authorities shall supervise and medically monitor those who are not subject to centralized quarantine during their mandatory isolation at place of residence. The Government also requested cut of incoming flights from COVID-19 stricken areas to Viet Nam. The Ministry of Health, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Public Security, and Ministry of Transport shall decide on the parking areas for flights from the above areas. The Ministry of Health was asked to conduct COVID-19 diagnosis for entrants at airports. Facemasks wearing Under the current regulations, from March 16, all passengers on outbound and inbound flights are required to wear masks during the flight and flight taxiing in the airport. The mask wearing policy is also applicable at public places with possible crowd such as supermarkets, airports, stations, public transportations etc. [March 18, 2020] INVESTOR ALERT: Law Offices of Howard G. Smith Announces the Filing of a Securities Class Action on Behalf Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) Investors Law Offices of Howard G. Smith announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. ("Norwegian" or the Company") (NYSE: NCLH) securities between February 20, 2020 and March 12, 2020, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Norwegian investors have until May 11, 2020 to file a lead plaintiff motion. Investors suffering losses on their Norwegian investments are encouraged to contact the Law Offices of Howard G. Smith to discuss their legal rights in this class action at 888-638-4847 or by email to [email protected]. 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 how 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. The complaint alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose: (1) that they were employing sales tactics of providing customers with unproven and/or blatantly false statements about COVID-19 to entice customers to purchase cruises, thus endangering the lives of both their customers and crew members; and (2) that as a result, defendants' statements regarding Norwegian's business and operations 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/20200318005098/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Three people have tested positive for coronavirus in the city on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases in Karnataka to 14, the state health department said. The three patients were a 25-year-old man who returned from Madrid in Spain on March 13, 56-year-old woman and 35-year-old man who returned from the US on March 6 and 10, respectively. "Till date, 14 COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Karnataka state including one death," the department said in a bulletin. According to it, 13 COVID-19 positive patients are in isolation at designated hospitals and are stable. Sharing details of the patients who tested positive on Wednesday, the department said all of them were admitted to isolation wards in designated hospitals and were stable. The 35-year-old man from the city, who returned from US, is the fresh addition to the list, while the other two cases were confirmed positive earlier in the day by Health Minister Sriramulu. The man was in home quarantine and got tested after developing symptoms on March 16, the department said. As per the bulletin, total samples collected for testing were 1,068, with 125 collected on Wednesday alone. A total of 869 samples have reported negative, including 103 samples on Wednesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) TEHRAN, Iran, March 18 Trend: Implementation of a new regulation of Central Bank of Iran (CBI) to delay loan payment will be monitored, a member of Monetary and Banking Institute Kamran Nadri told Trend. "Banks are in a difficult situation; since the volume of money transfers increases during last days of current Iranian year (began March 21, 2019), it's unlikely that banks ignore the CBI's instruction," he said. "Considering the country's special situation, most administrative problems still exist. For example, despite the call to extend water and power payment, responsible organizations are sending bills to clear delayed payments," Nadri said adding that there is a similar issue in loan payment, while banking system can not prevent sending text messages that are asking for payment. "Deducting money from accounts for loan payment is little strange," he said. "Naturally, banks do not want to violate the CBI regulation, so the orders have been systematically redefined for them." "In my opinion, there was not time to create specific redefinition for the systems since most of the work is done by computers," he added. The Monetary and Credit Council has released a report on Tuesday over the effect of coronavirus on loan payment of small businesses. The report indicates problems of business owners and especially small businesses damaged by coronavirus outbreak and highlights objective to help and support the legal individuals so payment deadline will be extended till May. The individuals that are not able to pay back the loan due to coronavirus can pay the installments three months after the end of deadline. CBI announcement covers 10 groups of businesses in the payment delays scenario including food production and distribution centers, tourism centers, air, road, railway and sea transportations, travel agencies, clothing producers and distributors, shoe and bag producers and distributors, confectioneries, sport and amusement centers, educational sectors and handicrafts producers and distributors. The Central Bank of Iran stressed that all banks and credit institutions are obligated to implement the regulation immediately. Vietnamese students in Russia - Photo for illustration (Source: nuocnga.info) First Secretary Ly Tien Hung, an official from the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia, said that there are about 6,500 Vietnamese students studying at over 150 universities in about 40 cities and provinces across Russia. According to Vietnam News Agency, apart from sending relevant notices of the Vietnams Ministry of Education and Training to concerned agencies, the embassy has followed the situation of Vietnamese students in Russia. He said that authorities, localities, relevant ministries and universities of Russia have also promptly rolled out precautionary measures while providing assistance for foreign students, including those from Vietnam. According to him, the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education on March 16th ordered all higher education institutions to launch online training and online lessons are also available for general education. Mr. Hung also warned that in case of the worse situation, Vietnamese students should not travel in order to prevent the spread of the epidemic./. Indias Yes Banks rescue comes at a bad time for Indias economy, which is growing at its slowest pace in more than six years. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, there was concern about the large debts of Indias financial institutions. Indias fourth-largest lender, Yes Bank, was taken over by the government earlier this month. In the third rescue this year. Al Jazeeras Elizabeth Puranam reports from the capital, New Delhi. A journalist who was admitted at the Mumbai civic body's Kasturba hospital to get tested for coronavirus has shared her experience of beingquarantined at the facility, calling it clean and sans any panic. In a four-minute video uploaded on Tuesday, Abira Dhar said shelanded in the city on March 9 after a four-day trip to New York. On arrival here, she was screened for temperature along with all other passengers. Two days later, she got a call from a doctor who said she had a travel history and wanted to check if she showed any symptoms. "I coincidentally woke up with a sore throat so I was asked to got for a check-up to Kasturba hospital... There were ten people in a queue, everything seemed smooth, there was no panic. After my details age, address, contact number were noted, I was asked to get admitted for the test, which takes 24 hours for the results to come," Abira said in the video. The journalist said she "wasn't prepared" to be admitted but was surprised to see the condition of the hospital beds and bathrooms, which she said were clean. "I was taken to ward number 9 where people getting tested were being admitted. The first thing I noticed when I entered the ward was it was super clean. The beds were rusted, old, but very clean. There were around 30 beds with three-four people. The bathrooms were so clean, which I didn't expect. "Around 11 in the night the reports were out and the certificate read 'tested negative for coronavirus' and had a prescription of the medicines to have as a precautionary measure," she said. The CMO's official Twitter handle shared the video, writing, "Government is pro actively taking precautions to combat this crisis." Soon after, the BMC Twitter handle said"the entire team at Kasturba is grateful for the gesture.""This was completely unexpected! The team is re- charged to continue to serve everyone with utmost care," BMC tweeted. Maharashtra is India's worst-hit state with thenumber of coronavirus positive cases reaching 42. A Covid-19 patient died in Mumbai on Tuesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) KAMPALA Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa has paid glowing tribute to the Nepalese government for appointing Ugandan tycoon Sudhir Ruparelia as their first Honorary Consular in Uganda. I was pleased to approve his appointment because I knew in him, you couldnt have found a better choice, Mr. Kutesa said on Tuesday, March 17 evening during a cocktail to celebrate the appointment of Mr. Ruparelia and opening of the first Nepalese Consular offices at Crane Chambers in Kampala. Mr. Kutesa, who earlier in the day received Mr. Sudhirs credentials, was the chief guest at the cocktail also attended by State Minister for international relations Mr. Okello Oryem and Nepalese Ambassador to Egypt Jyabindra Aryal under whose jurisdiction Uganda falls. Ambassador Jhabindra said that having a mission in Uganda has eased access to Nepalese living in Uganda to consular services. Mr. Kutesa said the government of Uganda expected relations with Nepal to grow to higher heights with the milestone of a consular office with Mr. Ruparelia, a businessman of longstanding repute behind the initiatives. I have every confidence that he will make our relations greater. Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia has got not only the capacity, the interest, but also the means to strengthen the relationship between our two countries, Mr. Kutesa said. Accompanied to the podium by his wife Joystina, His Excellency Ruparelia promised to create huge business linkages between Uganda and Nepal pledging to promote tourism and trade between the two countries. Nepal which hosts the Himalaya mountain ranges and Mt. Everest, the tallest mountain in the world is a top tourist destination. Related A Hudson County woman has died from COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, state officials said at their daily news conference Wednesday. Her death and the the death of an Essex County woman bring the total New Jersey coronaviris fatalities to five. Both women were over 60 years old and had underlying conditions, state Health Commissioner Judy Persichillli said. At the same news conference, Persichilli said the state total of coronavirus cases has spiked to 427, an increase of 162 from Tuesday. Details on the Hudson County woman who died were not available. Hudson County now has 34 reported coronavirus cases, including 15 in Jersey City. JERSEY CITY In his daily update Wednesday, Mayor Steve Fulop said the citys total of 15 cases will be increasing because more people are getting tested. With so many Jersey City residents working from home, the Jersey City school district has opened 33 school parking lots throughout each corridor of the city for residents during the crisis. This is a tremendous gesture and a smart move by the school district to alleviate overburdened parking resources in the city with so many people sensibly staying home to avoid transmission of this highly contagious disease, Fulop said. Here is a list of the schools. BAYONNE A 74-year-old man has been identified as the citys first coronavirus case, Mayor Jimmy Davis announced Wednesday afternoon. We knew that it was only a matter of time when our residents would be affected, Davis said. The 74-year-old is in stable condition at the Bayonne Medical Center, where Davis said the medical staff is following all proper isolation and quarantine protocols. This is certainly not a time for panic or fear, Davis said. "... Continue to go about your lives as best as you can, but use a common sense approach." The mayor repeated the well-known advice: Wash your hands frequently, do not touch your mouth or face and limit the time you spend around other people, and when around other people, maintain social distancing. KEARNY The town now has three confirmed cases of the coronavirus, with two new cases announced by town officials Wednesday morning. One case is a factory worker in Parsippany who became sick on March 12 and went shopping at a local supermarket and warehouse store from 5-7 p.m., and again the next night. The second case is a pharmacy technician in Newark became sick on March 13 and shopped at a local supermarket 4:15-4:45 p.m. Both people are recovering at home. HOBOKEN Mayor Ravi Bhalla has clarified what types of businesses can remain open and which must close as part of his self-isolation plan for the city. Essential businesses, permitted to stay open until 8 p.m., according to the Office of Emergency Management are: Emergency medical care, restaurants and food establishments (takeout or delivery only), supermarkets, grocery stores, bodegas, banks, pharmacies, coffee shops, veterinarian, pet stores, laundromat, dry cleaners, liquor stores, chiropractor, physical therapists, dentists, and other medical care facilities, UPS/Fed Ex stores, post office and moving companies. Non-essential businesses that have been ordered closed, according to the Office of Emergency Management, are: Clothing/retail, book stores, nail salons, hair salons, barber shops, massage parlors, smoke shop, shoe repair and any places of retail/public accommodation. Public transportation and travel by vehicle is permitted for essential needs, purchasing of food, care for a family member or friend, to get health care, or employment. SIRES, LEGISLATORS: NJ NEEDS MEDICAL SUPPLIES Rep.. Albio Sires D-West New York, joined a bipartisan, bicameral majority of the New Jersey congressional delegation in urging the Department of Health and Human Services to fulfill New Jerseys request for medical supplies from the Strategic National Stockpile. New Jersey has seen a rapid increase in the number of presumptive positive coronavirus (COVID-19) cases Sires said. Our health care system needs federal support as it prepares for even more people who need testing and treatment. Part of that support is supplying health workers and patients with supplies, like face masks, gloves, and respirators." As of March 13, New Jersey had only received 84,578 of the requested 2,880,000 N95 respirators, 201,479 of the requested 864,000 face/surgical masks, and 111,378 of the requested 2,880,000 gloves, Sires said. "We must help patients and medical personnel, along with first responders EMTs, police, and fire personnel and all those working to flatten the curve and I will continue to press the Department of Health and Human Services until they have released necessary supplies. A senior City of Toronto official overseeing emergency management is out of his job as of Wednesday amid the escalating COVID-19 crisis. Charles Jansen, director of the Office of Emergency Management is, effective immediately, no long with the City of Toronto, Tracey Cook, a deputy city manager, wrote to a Toronto city council member Wednesday morning in an email obtained by the Star. Please treat Charles as a visitor should he attend any City facilities. I wish Charles all the best in his future endeavours. City spokesperson Brad Ross said Jansen oversaw the day-to-day function of the Office of Emergency Management, reporting to Toronto Fire Chief Matthew Pegg, who has overall responsibility and accountability for emergency response at the city. After Cooks email, city officials received another from Pegg, who is in charge of the newly activated emergency operations centre co-ordinating the citys response to the coronavirus pandemic. Further to the staffing announcement provided earlier by (Cook), effective immediately, Tyler Griffin will assume the role of Acting Director Office of Emergency Management until further notice, he wrote. In order to ensure the ongoing continuity of business operations, Tyler will lead the continuing work that is being conducted by the COVID-19 Task Force. As previously announced, Deputy Fire Chief Jim Jessop will continue to lead the COVID-19 response effort that is being led from the Emergency Operations Centre. The work of both these groups is well in hand and will continue without interruption. Thank you for supporting both of these individuals, as we continue to respond to this evolving situation. According to his LinkedIn profile, Jansen joined the city last October after a career with the military, with his most recent promotion listed as lieutenant-colonel commanding the 4th Canadian Division Headquarters with a background in human resources and strategic operations. The profile describes him as a transformational leader with the ability to plan, organize, and direct through a cross-functional senior management team ... with a strong sense of urgency and thrives in a fast-paced setting. The City of Toronto does not discuss personnel matters, Ross wrote in an email. Whats important to know, however, is from the moment COVID-19 began to emerge as a public concern in January, Fire Chief Matthew Pegg, as the head of the Citys Office of Emergency Management, has led the Citys operational response, and continues to do so. Dr. Eileen de Villa, Torontos Medical Officer of Health, continues to lead all public health aspects of COVID-19 in Toronto. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh arrived in Bengaluru in the early hours of Wednesday to meet the rebel Congress MLAs holed up in a city hotel. Digvijaya Singh, who is Congress Rajya Sabha candidate from Madhya Pradesh, said the Karnataka police are not allowing him to meet the MLAs. The Congress leader tweeted that he is not armed and is in the city just to meet his party MLA. He also alleged that the BJP has kept the MLAs under lock and key. ...I am not a threat to them. I am here to meet them in full public view, not secretly. But BJP wants to keep them under lock and key. They have abducted democracy, said the veteran leader in a tweet. Digvijaya Singh staged a sit-in outside the Ramada Hotel in Bengaluru but was forced out by police and taken in preventive custody. In protest, the leader announced he is on hunger strike. We have been taken to the local DCP office by Bengaluru police. I demand that we must be allowed to meet our MLAs , who are in BJPs captivity. I announce my Hunger Strike, till we are allowed to meet our MLAs. We live in Democracy, not Dictatorship, the leader said in another tweet. The leader claimed that the police were following the MLAs round the clock and that he was approached by the families of the MLAs to meet them. We were expecting them to come back, but when we saw theyre being held back, messages came from their families...I personally spoke to 5 MLAs, they said theyre captive, phones snatched away, there is Police in front of every room. Theyre being followed 24/7, said the former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. The Madhya Pradesh crisis began last week when senior leader Jyotiraditya Scindia joined the BJP and 22 MLAs resigned from the assembly thereafter. The speaker later accepted the resignations of six members, bringing the strength of the House to 222, with the majority mark at 112. The 22 Congress lawmakers from Madhya Pradesh in Bengaluru appeared before the media on Tuesday and said they were with BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia and had not been held captive. The MLAs said they were open to the idea of returning to their home state immediately if provided Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) security. In Delhi, the Supreme Court will hear a petition by the BJP, which seeks immediate floor test in Madhya Pradesh. Human rights are safeguarded when China races against time to combat the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and does everything it can to save the lives and protect the health of the people. By upholding the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind and carrying out international cooperation in the spirit of openness, transparency and responsibility, China has practically protected the lives and health of the Chinese people, including foreigners within its territory, and people in the rest of the world, and made huge sacrifice and contributions to safeguarding global public health security. Life is of paramount importance. China has manifested its responsibility to protect peoples right to life in the battle against COVID-19. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, required Party committees and governments at all levels to always put peoples lives and health in the first place. With firm confidence, China has charted clear directions and fully implemented tasks, drawing a vivid picture of human rights protection during the special period. The country has demanded all-out efforts to treat patients, pooled resources and expertise for centralized treatment of patients at centralized locations, and made sure treatment is covered by medical insurance so that it is timely and not delayed due to cost. China espouses a people-centered view of human rights, always puts the interests of the people above all else, and regards the rights to subsistence and development as its primary and basic human rights. As a Chinese saying goes, Genuine gold stands the test of fire, and China has withstood the test in the battle against the epidemic. The country has implemented comprehensive and strict control over population outflows from Hubei Province, mobilized nationwide efforts to support Hubei, promptly built makeshift hospitals for centralized treatment and the ones receiving patients with mild symptoms. Chinese provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions have successively activated highest-level emergency response to contain the spread of the virus, and continuously delivered medical and living materials to the front line of epidemic resistance, including Wuhan in an effort to defended peoples right to life as much as possible. Human rights are concrete rather than abstract, and to observe human rights calls for dialectical thinking. What China enlightens the world in its battle against the COVID-19 sheds a new light on the worlds thinking over human rights. With a profound understanding of the value of life, the Chinese people have actively responded to the call of the country, sacrificed individual interests for public good, and implemented various prevention and control measures through active cooperation. Medical workers fight day and night with the resolve to defeat the virus; the masses follow epidemic prevention and control rules for the general interests of the country; community staff work around the clock to fulfill their duties. They are risking their lives and going all out to protect the health and safety of the people with the respect to peoples right to life and health, and their hard work earned high appraisal from the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who noted that the Chinese people are sacrificing many aspects of their normal lives to prevent the virus from spreading to others. Some Westerners perceive Chinas epidemic prevention and control measures with a narrow view of human rights and distort the great contributions made by the Chinese government and people. Such practices deviate from the facts and should be despised. Any one respecting the facts would admit that China has done everything to protect human rights, from saving a centenarian patient, to curing months-old infants, and to bringing back a patient who had struggled 21 days on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Bruce Aylward, Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), said if he had novel coronavirus, hed want to be treated in China. The sincere remarks, which are based on what he saw personally in China, reflect high confidence in Chinas actions to save lives. The novel coronavirus knows no border, and so do the love and efforts to safeguard peoples lives and health. On March 14 local time, the Chinese national anthem was played at a residential community in Rome, Italy where people also shouted Thank you, China! In recent days, Spanish netizens also took it to social media to thank China with relevant hashtags. What made the Europeans grateful are the donations of supplies and experts dispatched from China. While doing its best to prevent and control the epidemic at home, China has actively cooperated with the international community, maintained close communication with international organizations, shared virus curbing experiences with countries in East Asia, Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, and ASEAN members. It has also sent medical experts to Iran, Iraq and Italy, showing its care for the community with a shared future for mankind. Life is the most precious. As COVID-19 has spread to more than 140 countries and regions, all countries should be responsible for the safety and health of their people, as well as the people in the rest of the world. China will stand together with global countries, fight the virus on the front line with determination and bravery, and fulfill its responsibilities. From left to right, Express President Bob Funk, Roger Digerness, Michelle Marie Smith, Jerrell Davis White, Phyllis Cotton and Express CEO Bill Stoller. All of the Employee of the Year nominees are assets to Express, and we appreciate their hard work and positive attitudes every day. - Express CEO Bill Stoller In 2019, Express Employment Professionals put 552,000 people to work, but one incredible employee stood out among the others and was recently recognized for her work ethic at the companys annual leadership conference. Michelle Marie Smith was one of five nominees for the Express Employee of the Year award, ultimately securing the top honor and accepting the prize in person at Express International Leadership Conference (ILC) in Nashville, Tennessee. She was initially awarded $1,000 from Express as the Employee of the Year winner for her region, eventually winning $5,000 as the overall winner, plus an all-inclusive trip valued at more than $2,000. Smith was placed on her first assignment with the Oxford, North Carolina, Express office as an inventory specialist for Bed, Bath, & Beyond more than 70 miles away. Despite the long commute, she never complained, leaving home at 4:30 a.m. to be at work by 6. The Bed, Bath, & Beyond team was so impressed with her attention to detail and efficiency, they requested her for two other projects, located even farther away. Michelle has a no job is too large or small attitude, and our clients often request her by name and will rearrange projects to fit her availability, said Hal Muetzel, Express franchise owner in Oxford, NC. Coworkers often comment on how much Michelle has impacted their lives by the way she takes ownership of her job, through her work advice, spiritual guidance and moral support. We are extremely blessed to have Michelle as an employee. The remaining four nominees also received $1,000 as regional Employee of the Year winners, however, during the awards ceremony, Express surprised them with $5,000 each in appreciation of their dedication to the company. All of the Employee of the Year nominees are assets to Express, and we appreciate their hard work and positive attitudes every day, said Bill Stoller, CEO and chairman of the board for Express. They continue to inspire us to go above and beyond and we are proud to celebrate this elite group. Other nominees for Employee of the Year included: Devonne King Owatonna, Minnesota Phyllis Cotton Valparaiso, Indiana Jerrell Davis White Marlton, New Jersey Roger Digerness Tacoma, Washington ### If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bill Stoller to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena Karami, Director of Corporate Communications and PR, at (405) 717-5966. About Bill Stoller William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment Professionals. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the international staffing company has more than 825 franchises in the U.S., Canada and South Africa, and beginning in 2020 will expand to Australia and New Zealand. Since its inception, Express has put more than 8 million people to work worldwide. About Express Employment Professionals At Express Employment Professionals, were in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK, our international network of franchises offer localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve, employing 552,000 people across North America in 2019. For more information, visit http://www.ExpressPros.com. The Mexican military discovered an abandoned small jet packed full of drugs, near a remote town south of the U.S.-Mexico border. A unit assigned to the Second Military Zone made the discovery Saturday after a Cessna XB-PIG crashed on the side of an illegal landing strip in the state of Baja California. It is unknown if there were any casualties as a result of the accident. Mexican newspaper La Jornada reported that the Secretariat for the National Defense [SEDENA] dispatched its servicemen to the Mexicali town of San Felipe where they recovered eight packages that tested positive for fentanyl and a box with pills that contained fentanyl. The Mexican military discovered a crashed jet and a massive shipment of drugs abandoned on a pickup truck along a illegal landing strip in San Felipe, a town located in Baja California off the Gulf of California Mexico's Secretariat for the National Defense reported that among the drugs recovered were eight packages that tested positive for fentanyl and a box with pills that contained fentanyl Military agents also seized guns left behind by the drug smugglers, who as of Wednesday remained on the run The military also confiscated eight bundles of heroin and seven bags that contained 286 packs of different drugs that were sealed with plastic. SEDENA did not provide the total weight of the narcotics that were seized. Military agents recovered eight guns in the operation, which did not yield any arrests. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, Mexican cartels continue to 'export significant quantities of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana and fentanyl' to U.S. markets. According to a February report by Stratfor, synthetics such as meth and fentanyl offer the largest profit margins. Production appears to be exceeding U.S. demand, it said, and cartels have begun looking to ship synthetics to new markets in places like Australia, New Zealand and Europe. Precursor drugs are often imported from China. Servicemen with Mexico's Second Military Zone in the state of Baja California discovered a load of drugs that were left behind by smugglers after a Cessna crashed Sunday in San Felipe, a remote town south of the U.S. border that is popular with part-time American and Canadian residents Mexico's Secretariat for the National Defense [SEDENA] did not place an exact dollar figure and did not report the total weight of the drugs its agents recovered It is the second time in almost two months that the Mexican armed forces have intercepted a drug shipment. On January 27, the military confiscated a $20 million cocaine shipment that was unloaded off a jet parked on a Mexican highway near the Belize border. The operation was costly for the military, who saw one officer killed and two others wounded. The two-seater aircraft used in ferrying the drugs that flew in from South America was registered in the United States. A day later, military fighter planes forced a 'narco jet' transporting $12 million in cocaine to land in an airfield in the Caribbean coastal state of Quintana Roo on Tuesday after it was detected in international airspace after flying in from Argentina. There's no doubt that money can be made by owning shares of unprofitable businesses. For example, biotech and mining exploration companies often lose money for years before finding success with a new treatment or mineral discovery. 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 Perpetual Resources (ASX:PEC) 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'. Check out our latest analysis for Perpetual Resources When Might Perpetual Resources Run Out Of Money? 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. As at December 2019, Perpetual Resources had cash of AU$479k and no debt. Looking at the last year, the company burnt through AU$454k. That means it had a cash runway of around 13 months as of December 2019. While that cash runway isn't too concerning, sensible holders would be peering into the distance, and considering what happens if the company runs out of cash. You can see how its cash balance has changed over time in the image below. ASX:PEC Historical Debt, March 18th 2020 How Is Perpetual Resources's Cash Burn Changing Over Time? While Perpetual Resources did record statutory revenue of AU$10k over the last year, it didn't have any revenue from operations. To us, that makes it a pre-revenue company, so we'll look to its cash burn trajectory as an assessment of its cash burn situation. During the last twelve months, its cash burn actually ramped up 84%. While this spending increase is no doubt intended to drive growth, if the trend continues the company's cash runway will shrink very quickly. Perpetual Resources makes us a little nervous due to its lack of substantial operating revenue. We prefer most of the stocks on this list of stocks that analysts expect to grow. Story continues How Easily Can Perpetual Resources Raise Cash? Given its cash burn trajectory, Perpetual Resources shareholders may wish to consider how easily it could raise more cash, despite its solid cash runway. Companies can raise capital through either debt or equity. 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. Since it has a market capitalisation of AU$9.5m, Perpetual Resources's AU$454k in cash burn equates to about 4.8% of its market value. That's a low proportion, so we figure the company would be able to raise more cash to fund growth, with a little dilution, or even to simply borrow some money. How Risky Is Perpetual Resources's Cash Burn Situation? Even though its increasing cash burn makes us a little nervous, we are compelled to mention that we thought Perpetual Resources's cash burn relative to its market cap was relatively promising. We don't think its cash burn is particularly problematic, but after considering the range of factors in this article, we do think shareholders should be monitoring how it changes over time. Separately, we looked at different risks affecting the company and spotted 5 warning signs for Perpetual Resources (of which 3 are potentially serious!) you should know about. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of companies insiders are buying, 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. China's successful fight against the coronavirus has exacerbated a pre-existing crisis of confidence in Western democracies. But many of China's measures to combat the coronavirus aren't authoritarian; they are the kind of total social mobilization that happens during war. Why it matters: In the fight against the coronavirus, as in wartime, democracies are perfectly capable of taking extreme measures when necessary. What's happening: Growing calls for the U.S. government to take action in fighting the pandemic have resulted in a critical mass. Within a period of just days: Multiple states closed schools and restaurants. The president declared a national emergency. Six counties in the San Francisco area issued a shelter-in-place order to residents. Congress, usually gridlocked, is close to passing a sweeping coronavirus aid package. "Wartime democracies are fearsome things," said one political scientist, who requested anonymity due to their government affiliation, in an interview with Axios. "Because you have a popular mandate that is clear and visible, which authoritarian governments cant always rely on." Context: Many in the West watched in both horror and awe as Chinese authorities took historic measures to prevent the spread of the virus, which emerged in Wuhan, a city of around 11 million in China's central Hubei province. Authorities quarantined the city, then virtually the entire province. Major cities throughout China shut down, and neighborhood travel restrictions were imposed, with local residential committees enforcing Communist Party orders. Temperature checks were conducted upon entry to many buildings all over the country, before boarding public transportation, and before delivering or preparing food. Because China's political system is notoriously authoritarian, these extreme-sounding measures were painted as authoritarian as well. To be clear, some of China's measures including a health-surveillance regime enabled by mass data collection and the forcible rounding up of coronavirus patients into quarantine zones have clearly represented a violation of civil rights and privacy protections that would be respected in a healthy democracy. But when they succeeded in containing the virus, authoritarianism seemed to have won the day. Reality check: Citywide quarantines, travel restrictions and obsessive public health checks aren't authoritarian. They're the kind of total mobilization that happens during major national crises such as war, regardless of the system of government. Chinese President Xi Jinping even said as much; in February, he declared a "people's war" against the coronavirus. Outsiders often "fixate on Chinas authoritarian political system," writes Ian Johnson for the New York Times. "But its worth acknowledging that not all of Chinas failings are unique to its political system." The flip side is that not all of its successes are due to its system either. Democracies have a long history of successful mobilization, and they have mechanisms that both enable extreme policies and bring them to an end when they are no longer needed, to prevent authoritarian creep. During World War II, the U.S. was initially paralyzed by a domestic debate about whether to get involved at all, said Maury Klein, the author of "A Call to Arms: Mobilizing America for World War II," in an interview with Axios. "Things always move slower in a democracy," said Klein, because the various moving parts of government and society must first reach consensus. But after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, the U.S. jumped into action immediately and effectively, taking actions that wouldn't be possible or acceptable during peacetime. With government contracts in hand, private industry swiftly transitioned from producing consumer goods to war goods. Price controls were adopted to stem inflation. Mandatory blackouts were implemented in California out of fear of Japanese bombing raids, and neighborhood watches patrolled the streets at night to make sure everyone was in compliance. Americans supported these measures as long as they were clearly necessary. Yes, but: Two months after Pearl Harbor, the president ordered the internment of Japanese Americans. What to watch: Fundamental questions about the health of our governance today and the effectiveness of our leadership suggest the United States may not rise to the occasion as well as it did almost 80 years ago. LANSING, MI -- As Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer offered condolences to family and friends of the states first COVID-19 victim, she acknowledged the lack of tests to gauge the full extent of the viruss spread. A week ago we were standing here at two cases and now we are well above 100 cases, Whitmer said, while at least six feet from the nearest person in the room, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. We dont have enough tests, Whitmer said. "We dont have enough resources to process the tests ... We have set up our own state lab, which I am so grateful we did that. " ... We are concerned about the system being overtaxed and were also concerned about not having enough tests to do all of the tests that we believe are necessary." As of Wednesday, state health officials had verified 80 cases of coronavirus, but due to a lack of tests, too few testing locations and 48- to 72-hour lag times on test results, health officials say there are likely many more existing cases yet to be confirmed. As the situation continues to develop, we expect more cases and, unfortunately, we expect more fatalities, said Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, who joined Whitmer during her announcement Wednesday. " ... We know that so far today there are at least 30 additional cases of COVID-19 here in the state of Michigan. Khaldun wasnt immediately able to provide figures regarding the total number of tests conducted by state government or private labs and said the state would be compiling that data over the next week. She said nearly 500 tests have been distributed to private labs and the state lab expects to be processing up to 200 tests per day by the weeks end. Whitmer wouldnt rule out the possibility of a shelter-in-place order" for Michigan, similar to what has been imposed in the San Francisco Bay Region. There could be a time that we might take that step, Whitmer said, but at this juncture there is nothing that I am announcing on that front today or thats in the works. Whitmer laid out a list of tough choices she said she made in order to curb the spread of the coronavirus, including closing all K-12 schools until April 5, asking U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to suspend standardized testing, banning assemblies of more than 50 people, closing theaters, bars, casinos and in-restaurant dining, expanding unemployment benefits from 20 to 26 weeks and delaying state tax bills for small businesses. Whitmer thanked Attorney General Dana Nessel for her efforts combating price gouging, urged President Donald Trump to quickly sign the Families First Bill to assist families impacted by the coronavirus and questioned the federal governments lack of assistance to Michigan in addressing the coronavirus. But when the White House communicated to us that ... we should go around the federal government ... thats when I said it was kind of mind-boggling, Whitmer said. "That was kind of a strange message get from the head of the federal government, but Im not going to parse that, Im just going to get to work ... " Trump in a post to Twitter on Tuesday, in which he referred to Whitmer as the failing Michigan governor, said she must work harder to address the pandemic. As of Tuesday, March 17, the Centers for Disease Control had recorded 7,038 cases and 97 deaths nationwide. Michigans first coronavirus fatality involved a man in his 50s who died at Beaumont Hospital in Wayne County Wednesday morning. Our medical team went to extraordinary efforts to care for this patient and we are deeply saddened by his passing and empathize with his family, Beaumont Health Chief Nursing Officer Susan Grant said in a release. Our physicians, nurses and medical staff are all working together to care for COVID-19 patients. During a time like this, we are united to battle this virus." Beaumont Health reported that the man had other underlying medical conditions. Of 15 new cases announced Wednesday, all arose in Metro Detroits Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties. Case data is released by MDHHS daily at 2 p.m. and includes any known cases through midnight of the day prior. Wayne and Oakland counties have the most cases in Michigan so far, with 23 each. Men account for 55% of the cases and women 36% in cases where the sex was revealed. Sorry, but your browser does not support frames. Sorry, but your browser does not support frames. Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus. Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/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: Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus Michigans first coronavirus death reported Michigan releases interactive map locating free meals for children during coronavirus school closures Lawmakers say lack of paid sick time puts Michigan behind during coronavirus pandemic Michigan Treasury extends tax deadline for businesses struggling during coronavirus pandemic When is an epidemic considered a pandemic, and what is the difference? What do health officials mean when they recommend self-quarantining or social distancing? As the coronavirus spreads around the world, new terms are entering the lexicon and were here to help. Heres a guide to the words and phrases you need to know to keep informed of the latest developments. Pandemic Last week, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic after it spread across six continents and more than 100 countries. A pandemic is the worldwide spread of a new disease that affects large numbers of people. The W.H.O. had avoided using the word before Wednesday because it didnt want to give the impression that the disease was unstoppable. Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or carelessly, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the W.H.O., said at a news conference. Human remains found 13 years ago in an underworld 'killing field' have been identified as those of a Sydney model and cocaine dealer who has been missing for 34 years. Mark Arthur Johnston, who police suspect was murdered by gangster Arthur Stanley 'Neddy' Smith, once appeared in television commercials for Kentucky Fried Chicken. Parts of his skeleton were found found during construction of the desalination plant at Kurnell in the city's south in 2007 but have remained unidentified until now. The 36-year-old was last seen by friends leaving the Bellevue Hotel at Paddington in Sydney's eastern suburbs about 7pm on September 1, 1986. It is believed he had gone to the home of his solicitor, the late Graham Valentine 'Val' Bellamy, to collect $60,000 in drug money the gangland lawyer was holding for him. Eight days later, Johnston's hired Holden Commodore was found at Maroubra, about 10km away, after an anonymous telephone call. Sydney model Mark Johnston once appeared in television commercials for Kentucky Fried Chicken. He had been missing since 1986. Parts of his skeleton were found found at Kurnell in the Sydney's south in 2007 but were not identified until late last year Police believe Mark Johnston was murdered by Sydney gangster Arthur Stanley 'Neddy' Smith on the orders of solicitor Val Bellamy. Smith is pictured in prison with his daughter Jaime Mark Johnston was last seen by friends leaving the Bellevue Hotel at Paddington in Sydney's eastern suburbs about 7pm on September 1, 1986. The Bellevue is pictured Police located 465 grams of cocaine in the boot of the car and 52 grams of the same drug in the glove box. A coronial inquest heard Smith, who is serving life for two murders, told a cellmate about garrotting a man in Bellamy's home in a description police believe fits Johnston's murder. Skeletal remains from several people were found in the Kurnell sand dunes during the desalination plant construction but police were unable to identify them at the time. A shin bone was first uncovered by workers in early October that year. A week later ribs and other smaller bones were found 300m away in scrub off Sir Joseph Banks Drive. Further searching unearthed a pelvis and foot bones, some of which were in a sock, at what detectives have described as underworld dumping ground or killing field. The site is not far from Foreshore Road, Botany, where the body of brothel-keeper Harvey Francois Jones was found buried in 1995. Smith was convicted of murdering Jones, who disappeared 12 years earlier, in 1998. Eight days after Mark Johnston visited his lawyer Val Bellamy at Dover Heights his hired Holden Commodore was found at Maroubra, about 10km away, after an anonymous telephone call Neddy Smith (left) is pictured with brothel-keeper Harvey Jones and his then wife Debra. Smith was convicted in 1998 of murdering Jones in 1983. Jones was found buried at Botany in 1995 The remains of drug dealer Bruce Douglas Sandery were found in 1988 about 200m from where Jones was buried. Smith was charged with murdering Sandery but the case was dropped at committal. It has been speculated that hitman Christopher Dale Flannery, who disappeared in 1985, could also be buried nearby. The Kurnell remains found to be Johnston's were subject to further forensic examination last year following technological advancements and the implementation of new testing systems. The coroner formally identified the remains as belonging to Johnston last month. A coronial inquest in May 1999 found Johnston died on Monday 1 September 1986 at Dover Heights. The inquest heard evidence Johnston had gone to Bellamy's home in that suburb the night he disappeared. No one has ever been charged with his murder. Coroner John Abernethy found Mark Johnston was killed at Dover Heights on September 1, 1986 and forwarded a brief of evidence to the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions During that hearing the missing man's father Arthur Johnson told Coroner John Abernethy he believed Smith killed his son and Bellamy ordered him to do it. Mr Johnston thought his son was murdered because Bellamy, who has since died, wanted to cover up keeping $60,000 Mark gave him to hold. He believed Smith was the killer because of secretly recorded conversations between the jailed gangster and a Long Bay cellmate. In a conversation recorded in 1994, Smith told that cellmate Bellamy paid him $60,000 to kill an unnamed man from whose death the solicitor stood to gain $500,000. Smith allegedly said while Bellamy's wife and daughters were out of the house he had handcuffed the man and slowly garrotted him with a cord. Gangster Arthur Stanley 'Neddy' Smith allegedly told a cellmate he had killed a man in solicitor Val Bellamy's Dover Heights home. Police believe that man was Mark Johnston He allegedly said he chose to strangle the man instead of shooting him because Bellamy would not want to see blood on his new carpet. Smith was charged in the 1990s with seven murders - including that of Harvey Jones but not Johnston - as a result of recorded 'confessions' made to the same cellmate. He has always maintained he was only talking 'bull****'. Neddy Smith was charged with seven underworld murders during the 1990s but convicted of only only one. He had previously been convicted of a road rage murder Bellamy told police in 1986 that Johnston had spent 15 minutes in his home the night he disappeared, collected his $60,000 in cash and left in a taxi. He also told detectives he was constrained by client confidentiality from fully discussing his financial arrangements with Johnston. Mr Johnston told the inquest he called Bellamy a week after his son's disappearance to express concern about Mark's whereabouts and welfare. 'Mr Bellamy appeared to me very reluctant to engage in any verbal dialogue with me,' Mr Johnston said. Mr Johnston, a decorated war veteran who has also since died, said he believed Bellamy was 'motivated by greed and avarice' and took his son's money. 'To ensure concealment of this misappropriation, Bellamy had only one course of action and that was to remove my son from the scene.' 'I hold no grievance against Mr Neddy Smith. I regard him as the implement that Mr Bellamy used to remove the evidence of his misdemeanours.' Mr Abernethy terminated his inquiry after two days and ordered a brief of evidence be handed to the Director of Public Prosecutions, which decided to take no action. Mr Johnston, who flew 73 sorties over the Western Desert and Europe in World War II, spent his last decades hoping his son's body would be found and buried. The Johnston family has been informed of the identification of Mark's remains, which will be returned to them. Strike Force Brompton has been established to re-investigate the presumed murder. Ireland, as part of a coordinated approach with the eurozone, will likely be offered some sort of bank guarantee to respond to the Covid-19 fallout, such is the exceptional nature of the crisis, leading economists have said. Dermot OLeary, chief economist at Goodbody, said a national support package could likely involve two parts like has happened elsewhere with fiscal measures from the Government, as well as guarantee of loans in the banks. He said that the fiscal measures already taken by the Government as part of its response to the crisis in recent days was similar in size to the British response in terms of the welfare and business supports that Boris Johnsons government announced on Tuesday night. Mr OLeary said, however, that the second part of the response in seeking a potential bank guarantee was a different proposition because of the controversial history that Ireland faced with its guarantee in 2008 No small country can any longer go out on a limb without the support of the eurozone powers, France and Germany, Mr OLeary said. Tony Foley, emeritus associate professor of economics at DCU Business School, said the economic fallout of the crisis was so large that any outcome could likely defy expectations and will require a bank guarantee. We are used to conventional slumps like in 2008. The OECD was talking about world economic growth as recently as a few weeks ago but that is inconceivable now. We are talking about a very large effect from the virus, he said. Yes, it is another guarantee. We are entering into the same difficulties of a State having to get a guarantee whether it is a full or partial guarantee remains to be seen. There are all these business loans which businesses cannot pay, he said. Mr Foley said that the eurozone is facing a potentially more severe dilemma than it faced in the last financial crisis before former ECB president Mario Draghi pledged to do whatever it takes to preserve the euro. For Ireland, Mr Foley estimated the hit to the exchequer from additional social and health spending and from the loss of tax revenues would top 30bn. He said he estimated that the number of jobs that will be lost in the next six months as retail becomes the latest sector to shed jobs and close shops would rise to 400,000 people, which suggests that the unemployment rate could surge to 20%. Sector-by-sector, he said that employment in agriculture should remain at current levels; he expects employment numbers in industry to drop by 15% amid an overall international recession; but for construction employment levels to be unchanged. However, Mr Foley estimated that retail and wholesale, which employs 310,000 people, would see a 50% drop in the the number of jobs; transport and storage would lose 15% of its jobs; and accounting and financial services and communications would likely suffer a 10% drop in numbers in their sectors. Public administration will see no change in jobs numbers and a small drop of 3% in private education jobs, but health service job numbers wil surge by 30%, Mr Foley said. Officer Specter in Onward (Credit: Disney) Several countries in the Middle East have axed new Pixar movie Onward, after it emerged that one of its characters is openly gay. The film will now not be shown in Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, because of the brief reference to a secondary character being in a relationship with another female, according to Deadline. Onward, which features the voices of Chris Pratt and Tom Holland, is being shown elsewhere in the Middle East, however, notably in Lebanon, the AUE, Egypt and Bahrain. Read more: All the Pixar movies coming to Disney+ The scene in question, Holland and Pratt's characters Ian and Barley Lightfoot are impersonating their mother's boyfriend, a centaur, at the police station. In a conversation with another officer, a female cyclops called Specter, voiced by Lena Waithe, she refers to 'my girlfriend's daughter' in a conversation about parenting. Though it's a brief moment, the character has been held up as Disney's first fully 'out' character, despite it being unintended in the movie's script, with Waithe asking if she could use 'girlfriend' instead of 'husband' in the script during a recording session. I was just like, It sounds weird, Waithe told Variety. I even have a gay voice, I think. Like, I dont think I sound right saying husband. They were like, Oh yeah, do that. They were so cool and chill. And it ended up being something special. Read more: Onward didnt always have fantasy setting Director Dan Scanlon has since said that he wanted to further expand the character. He told Yahoo Movies UK: After we recorded her, we wished we had expanded [the role]. Lena Waithe is not only a great actress but a great writer and she improvises and was just such a joy to work with. We thought: 'oh man, I want to do a movie with her again'. I think it's a wonderful embarrassment of riches that we have a cast of people who, even in doing small parts, bring them to life and elevate them and keep you wanting more. Disney has not yet commented on the movie's ban, but the scene has been re-dubbed in Russia too, with 'girlfriend' being changed to 'partner'. Oman announces measures to ensure cement supply 18 March 2020 Oman's Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) has announced measures to ensure there will be no shortage of cement in the market. "The Ministry will coordinate with Omani cement companies to ensure supply in all governorates and look at an increase in operational capacity to cover shortages, if any," said a notice on social media. The MOCI will also make clearances for imported shipments directly from various outlets. The Ministry confirmed that it had not stopped importing cement products from abroad and will apply procedures to check imported products at entry points, with a view to ensuring their compliance with recognised standards. Published under Businesses across the country have ground to a halt because of the coronavirus outbreak, leaving millions of Americans wondering how they will make their next mortgage payments. Their lenders may soon say they dont have to worry for a while, at least. A broad group of bankers and other mortgage industry participants is working on a plan to offer a temporary pause in payments on home loans, according to the Housing Policy Council, a trade group that includes Citigroup, Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase and Quicken Loans. Details were still being decided, but the plan would allow borrowers to stop paying for as long as the public health and economic disruptions lasted, said Ed DeMarco, the chief executive of the council. Once the economy gets going again, borrowers would resume making payments. Mr. DeMarco said he had been talking with banks, servicers and mortgage bond investors to complete the details of the policy. He said that it was not clear when the plan would be announced, but that the group wanted it in place by April 1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday took a swipe at Pakistan for using terror as a tool in foreign policy while praising Bangladesh for its record on socio-economic progress. PM Modi addressed Bangladeshis via video conference on the birth centenary of revered statesman and founding father of Bangladesh, "Bangabandhu" Sheikh Mujibur-Rahman. Without naming Pakistan, PM Narendra Modi said, We are all witnessing how making terror and violence weapons of politics and diplomacy, destroys a 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. READ | PM Modi Joins Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Centenary Birth Celebrations Via Video Conference PM hails Sheikh Mujibur PM Modi was scheduled to visit Bangladesh for the celebrations but in view of the Coronavirus pandemic, his visit was cancelled. In his address, the Prime Minister stated that Rahman was one of the great personalities of the last century and his whole life is a big inspiration for all of us. "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 The PM also lauded his Bangladesh counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, for making the country progress with inclusive and development-oriented policies. "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 READ | PM Modi Backs Continuation Of Parliament; Expresses Regret Over MPs Seeking Curtailment A Maoist, carrying a reward of Rs 2 lakh on his head for his alleged involvement in the killing of an Andhra Pradesh MLA, surrendered before the police in Odisha's Malkangiri district on Wednesday. Apart from CPI (Maoist) member Samba Khara alias Randev (27), seven militias of the banned outfit also surrendered, a senior police officer said. Khara, who joined the banned outfit in February 2017, got disillusioned with the violent path of Naxalism, Malkangiri Superintendent of Police Rishikesh D Khilari said. Khara, a resident of Luchhapani in Papermetla police station area in the district, was part of the outfit's Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee, the SP said. He is suspected to be involved in at least nine offences including the killing of MLA K S Rao and former legislator Siveri Soma in Dungriguda mandal of Araku Valley in Visakhapatnam on May 8, 2018, Khilari said. Khara will be given monetary assistance as per the Surrender and Rehabilitation Scheme of the state government to build a house, study and get trained in a trade or vocation of his choice, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Syria's Defence Minister has been taken to hospital following a heart attack, although it is not known if he has contracted coronavirus writes Zaman Al Wasl. Syrias Defence Minister was taken to al-Shami hospital in Damascus following a heart attack, military sources told Zaman al-Wasl Tuesday. General Ali Ayyoub, 68, was suffering from myocardial infarction. No more details have been revealed about the possibility of testing positive for coronavirus, since the top army general is in daily contact with Iranian officials from Tehran, where the pandemic has spread. The global death toll for COVID-19 is now nearly 6,400, with more than 180,000 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization, which declared the outbreak a pandemic. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has added a national toll-free helpline (number 1075) to address queries about the infection. Late March 17, West Bengal joined the list of states with confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection. The patient in Kolkata took the total number of cases in India to 147 and the number of affected states to 16. Of the 147 cases in India, 14 have recovered so far while three have died of the infection. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has added a national toll-free helpline (number 1075) to address queries about the infection. Local numbers that people can call in their respective states for information are also available on the health ministry website. Maharashtra, which has the maximum number of confirmed cases in India, is set to get seven more testing facility, according to state Health Minister Rajesh Tope. Noida in the National Capital Region has meanwhile confirmed its fourth case of infection - the first person to get COVID-19 infection in Noida had recently travelled back from Indonesia. Globally, the death toll is nearing 8,000. The total number of confirmed cases is almost 200,000. The novel coronavirus - called SARS-CoV-2 - originated in Wuhan, China late last year and has spread to 159 countries all over the world. While many countries are still reporting under 10 cases, the death toll in Italy and Iran combined has crossed the death toll in China. Measures of containment The Indian government released a social distancing advisory, suggesting people limit their social contact as much as possible as a means to eventually decrease the spread and mortality of the disease. Government suggestions include the closure of schools, universities, gyms, theatres, museums, etc., the postponement of exams, work from home wherever possible, video conferencing instead of meetings and limiting the size of gatherings at weddings, markets, religious and sporting events. Non-essential travel should be avoided and one should try to maintain a distance of 1 meter even while travelling in public transport. While there is a noticeable decline in footfall, some of the measures aren't realistic for people travelling on popular routes in metro cities. Buses and metros are being sanitized at the end of every day but come morning, some of them are still filled to capacity, with hardly 1 cm between two people. With the further spread of the infection, we may see the state governments employing stricter restrictions when it comes to self-isolation. Europe may still be the epicentre but there is a noted surge in confirmed cases in Southeast Asia (the World Health Organization clubs South Asia and Southeast Asia together for health models). Malaysia, after recording the highest number of cases in Southeast Asia, has introduced some of the strongest restriction for a 14-day-period of isolation, beginning today, March 18. The WHO, along with the United Nations Foundation and Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, has set up a COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund which will be accepting donations from individuals, corporations and institutions all over the world. The funds collected will be used to help countries, especially the ones that have a weaker healthcare system, control and respond to the spread of the infection. Community infection news The situation is dire, with some countries claiming theyre at war. But heres something to lift your spirits by a fraction: the Indian Council of Medical Research collected 1,020 samples from all over India to check for community transmission. The results of half of those are back and suggest no community transmission so far. The remaining results are expected back today. That said, 1,020 is a comparatively small number. The curbs employed in China during the peak of the pandemic have resulted in a significant decrease in pollution levels in the country. A Stanford University researcher, Marshall Burke, said that this might have saved a lot more lives than the ones lost to the novel coronavirus. The lockdown in Italy has led to the canals of Venice being cleaner than they have been in a long time. Social media is abuzz with how pollution and tourism had resulted in the water being dirty and contaminated but with the streets clear of people, wildlife like large fish and swan have returned. 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. 1. Yes. The downtown area needs a good draw. Some quality taverns would be a plus. 2. Yes. Too many storefronts are vacant. Bars could help to bring in needed revenue. 3. No. Putting a number of bars downtown is just asking for trouble. Dont change things. 4.No. Several churches have located downtown. Putting bars close by would be a bad fit. 5. Unsure. It would depend on how the law is written and what standards are enacted. Vote View Results Cornavirus outbreak: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), informed Lok Sabha in a written reply that 276 Indians are infected with COVID-19 abroad. Out of these 255 are in Iran and 12 in UAE, five in Italy, and one each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda, and Sri Lanka. Another person in Noida has been tested positive for novel coronavirus on Wednesday. The man had recently returned from Indonesia and is a resident of sector-41.Two more novel coronavirus cases have also been reported in Bengaluru. With this the total number cases have risen to 13 in Karnataka. A 56-year-old male from Bengaluru, who recently returned from the USA on March 6 and a 25-year-old female, who returned from Spain have been quarantined. The total number of COVID-19 positive cases have now crossed the 150-mark in India. Check all the latest updates on coronavirus outbreak on BusinessToday.In live blog Also Read: Coronavirus update: Here's a list of 52 test centres for COVID-19 10.36 pm: PM Narendra Modi to address the nation PM Shri @narendramodi will address the nation on 19th March 2020 at 8 PM, during which he will talk about issues relating to COVID-19 and the efforts to combat it. a PMO India (@PMOIndia) March 18, 2020 10.00 pm: Indian Navy sets up quarantine facility at Visakhapatnam Indian Navy has set up a quarantine camp at INS Vishwakarma, Visakhapatnam, in Eastern Naval Command (ENC) for Indian nationals being evacuated from COVID-19 affected countries. The quarantine camp is equipped to accommodate nearly 200 individuals with all suitable facilities and other arrangements. Evacuated Indians in the camp will be closely monitored to ensure social distancing and kept under medical supervision in accordance with the protocols laid down by the Department of Health & Family Welfare by a team of naval personnel and medical professional 10.00 pm: In view of the current situation, GoAir has been forced to terminate the contracts of expat pilots which is in line with the reduced international capacity, said a GoAir spokesperson. 8:10 pm: PM Modi hails those working to fight coronavirus, says teamwork important Prime Minister Narendra Modi has lauded those involved in fighting the coronavirus outbreak. To a doctor who posted a picture of himself with a message urging people to stay at home, Modi said, "Well said, Doctor! Also a shout-out to all those working to make our planet safer and healthier. No words will ever do justice to their exceptional efforts." Well said, Doctor! Also a shout-out to all those working to make our planet safer and healthier. No words will ever do justice to their exceptional efforts. #IndiaFightsCoronahttps://t.co/4ENZlehiwD a Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 18, 2020 7:30 pm: In wake of coronavirus outbreak, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital have decided to cancel all elective surgeries in the hospital with immediate effect, until further orders. 7:20 pm: Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Wednesday visited Jaisalmer and reviewed the preparedness of Indian Army Wellness Centre there to tackle COVID-19 challenges. As many as 118 men and 171 women evacuated from Iran are undergoing mandatory quarantine period at this facility. 7.02 pm: Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal discussed measures to fight coronavirus with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. After the meeting, Baijal said that social distancing measures were deliberated which can be encouraged in government offices, public transport, public places. Another meeting with Chief Minister and senior officers to be held tomorrow to review the status, the LG further added. 6.47 pm: Bus services suspended between Indore and cities in Maharashtra from March 21 to March 31 due to coronavirus outbreak. 6.45 pm: Delhi government employees association demands closure of all government offices for a week in meeting with CM Arvind Kejriwal. 6.44 pm: A 68-year-old woman in Mumbai tests positive for coronavirus, reports PTI. 6.42 pm: Uttarakhand government allows goverment employees to work from home til March 25 amid coronavirus threat. "Only employees whose presence in offices is very necessary shall be called to office," the order reads. The order, however, does not apply to employees of health, police, transport, food and water supply, electricity and sanitation departments. The order does not apply to employees of health, police, transport, food & water supply, electricity and sanitation departments. https://t.co/FM0Xjda2zD a ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 6.38 pm: 51 start-up founder and venture capitalists recommend strict two-week lockdown in presentation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 6.34 pm: Rajasthan High Court postpones municipal elections in the state for six weeks due to coronavirus threat. 6.25 pm: Union Health Ministry confirmed that as of March 17, quarantine facilities with a combined capacity of 59,587 beds have been set up across India. This includes 11,934 beds at central government facilities, 26,153 beds at state government facilities and 21,500 beds at Haj facilities, the Ministry stated. As of March 17, quarantine facilities with a combined capacity of 59,587 beds have been set up across India, including 11,934 beds at central govt facilities, 26,153 beds at state governments facilities and 21,500 beds at Haj facilities: Union Health Ministry #Coronavirus a ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 6.03 pm: Second positive coronavirus case reported in Chennai, taking the total number of cases in India to 152. Chennai reports second positive case for #COVID19. The patient hails from Delhi, is in isolation & stable. He is under the observation of expert team: Tamil Nadu Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar pic.twitter.com/Qi1mdJmYrs a ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 6.00 pm: Vistara suspends international operations till March 31. Vistara: We are temporarily suspending our international operations from March 20 to March 31. We have also temporarily adjusted domestic capacity for March & April in view of reduced demand. Customers booked on the affected flights will be fully refunded. #Coronaviruspic.twitter.com/fgcYaCeWt0 a ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 5.50 pm: Passengers coming from Leh to Srinagar will be quarantined, says District Magistrate Shahid Choudhary. Shahid Choudhary, District Magistrate/Development Commissioner, Srinagar: A Srinagar bound AI flight was returned this morning deboarding 25 passengers in Leh, other 81 who landed later have been quarantined. Henceforth, passengers coming from Leh will be quarantined. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/le3G30DSKO a ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 5.50 pm: TMC MP Mimi Chakraborty to be home quarantined for 14 days upon return from London. As per govt guidelines, Mimi Chakraborty will be home quarantined for 14 days as she returned from London today: Anirban Bhattacharya, Press Secretary of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mimi Chakraborty pic.twitter.com/MUyxza68Bd a ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 5.50 pm: Number of coronavirus cases in India rises to 151. Maharashtra registered the highest number of cases at 41, followed by Kerala (27) and Haryana (17). 25 confirmed cases are foreign nationals. The number of positive cases of #coronavirus in India rises to 151 (including 25 foreign nationals) pic.twitter.com/vgU0D67007 a ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 5.40 pm: Health Minister Harsh Vardhan to meet President Ram Nath Kovind over coronavirus outbreak in India. 5.30 pm: Coronavirus: Nagpur authorities shut liquor shops, restaurants, paan shops till March 31 All liquor shops, restaurants and paan shops will remain shut from Wednesday till March 31 to prevent and control the spread of novel coronavirus. 5.20 pm: Coronavirus in Delhi: Govt to take more measures, says L-G "Discussed measures to contain Covid-19 outbreak with Hon'ble CM, Delhi @ArvindKejriwal. Deliberated social distancing measures which can be encouraged in government offices, public transport, public places and in general. Meeting with Hon'ble CM and senior officers to be held tomorrow to review the status and take further measures," tweeted Delhi L-G. Discussed measures to contain Covid-19 outbreak with Hon'ble CM, Delhi @ArvindKejriwal. Deliberated social distancing measures which can be encouraged in government offices, public transport, public places & in general. #IndiaFightsCorona - LG Delhi (@LtGovDelhi) March 18, 2020 5.06 pm: Coronavirus India: No VIP, anyone coming from abroad will be quarantined: Mamata Banerjee "There is no VIP or LIP. Anyone who has come from an international flight has to be quarantined and has to follow all the rules," West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said. 5.00 pm: Coronavirus news: Rahul Gandhi attacks govt over rising COVID-19 cases in India Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday attacked the government over the mounting COVID-19 cases in India. "Quick aggressive action is the answer to tackling the #Coronavirus. India is going to pay an extremely heavy price for our government's inability to act decisively," Gandhi tweeted. Quick aggressive action is the answer to tackling the #Coronavirus . India is going to pay an extremely heavy price for our governments inability to act decisively. - Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 18, 2020 4.56 pm: Coronavirus in Kerala: 3-year-old tests negative; govt to run one more test The 3-year-old child in Kerala who was earlier tested positive for novel coronavirus has now tested negative for the infection. However, the state government is going to run one more test on the child before it declares him cured. The kid had returned from Italy with his parents and was tested positive for COVID-19 on March 9. His parents also tested positive for the coronavirus infection. 4.53 pm: coronavirus Pune: NDA suspends large gatherings, expeditions The National Defence Academy (NDA) in Pune has suspended all large social gatherings, expeditions, guest lectures and other group activities in the wake of novel coronavirus outbreak, a senior official said on Wednesday. He added that all educational tours and outdoor hikes have also been cancelled. 4.47 pm: Coronavirus latest news: Govt confirms 558 deaths, 13,700 infections The Spanish government has confirmed 558 deaths in the country with infections touching the 13,700-mark. 4.45 pm: Coronavirus Breaking news: Iran death toll reaches 1,135 Iran on Wednesday reported 1,135 deaths following 147 new COVID-19 positive cases. 4.43 pm: Coronavirus latest: Authorities suspend train services to and from Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Pathankot, New Delhi-Firozpur Cantt Norther Railway said on Wednesday that train services to and from Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Pathankot (from March 18 to March 30), New Delhi-Firozpur Cantt (from March 20 to March 29), Jabalpur-Atari (from March 21 to April 1) will remain suspended because of low occupancy in these trains. Northern Railway: Train services to & from Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Pathankot (from March 18 to March 30), New Delhi-Firozpur Cantt (from March 20 to March 29), Jabalpur-Atari (from March 21 to April 1) will remain suspended as occupancy in these trains has come down. #Coronavirus - ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 4.37 pm: Coronavirus in West Bengal: CM Mamata Banerjee says govt offices to close by 4 pm from Thursday West Bengal Chief Minister (CM) Mamata Banerjee has announced that all government offices in the state will close by 4 pm from Thursday in the wake of novel coronavirus. 4.34 pm: Coronavirus in Haryana: All anganwadi centres will remain shut till March 31 Haryana Woman and Child Development Minister Kamlesh Dhanda announced on Wednesday that all anganwadi centres will remain shut till March 31 as a precautionary measure to control and contain the spread of novel coronavirus in the state. 4.32 pm: Coronavirus news: Govt to shut all liquor bars in Puducherry from Thursday Puducherry Chief Minister (CM) V. Narayanasamy said on Wednesday that all liquor bars in the state will be closed from Thursday. Meanwhile, tourist spots, theatres and shopping malls have been shut from Wednesday. 4.28 pm: Coronavirus latest: COVID-19 positive cases in Pakistan surge to 249 Pakistan recorded an increase in novel coronavirus cases to 249. Here is the region-wise list: 181 in Sindh province 26 in Punjab 16 in Balochistan 19 in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa 05 in Gilgit Baltistan / Kashmir 02 in Islamabad 4.23 pm: Coronavirus India update: Section 144 imposed in Anantnag, J&K The Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) government has imposed section 144 in Anantnag district, to prevent peoples' gathering in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic. 4.18 pm: Coronavirus in Maharashtra: 4 Garib Rath passengers, with home quarantine stamps, deboarded at Palghar station Four passengers travelling in Garib Rath, with home quarantine stamps on their hands, have bee deboarded at the Palghar station. They were deboarded from coach number G4 and G5 of 12216 Garib Rath after other passengers in the train raised an alarm seeing the stamps on their hands. The four passengers had arrived in the country from Germany and were going to Surat, Gujarat. They were taken to a government hospital in Palghar. 4.10 pm: Coronavirus update: Oman Air CEO tests positive for COVID-19: Airline sources Oman Air Chief Operating Officer (CEO) Mark Breen has been tested positive for COVID-19, said the airline sources, adding that all colleagues who have interacted with him have also been quarantined for 14 days. 4.00 pm: Coronavirus update: UK asks nationals in India with COVID-19 symptoms to self-quarantine for 7 days The United Kingdom (UK) has advised its nationals in India to self-isolate for 7 days if they have novel coronavirus symptoms adding that they should immediately get in touch with the Indian government's helpline in case their condition worsens. UK's Acting High Commissioner to India Jan Thompson, in a video posted on Twitter, said that the current situation remains "fluid" and advised all British nationals to continuously monitor any advice on state-level restrictions and follow the directions of local authorities in India. 3.45 pm: Coronavirus: Delhi zoo shut till March 31 The Delhi Zoo administration on Wednesday closed the zoological garden till March 31 in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Delhi Zoo Director Suneesh Buxy said instructions have been issued to shut the zoo. Delhi: The National Zoological Park will remain closed till March 31, in view of #COVID19. - ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 3.29 pm: Coronavirus update: 255 Indians in Iran infected, govt tells Lok Sabha The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), informed Lok Sabha in a written reply that 276 Indians are infected with COVID-19 abroad. Out of these 255 are Iran and 12 in UAE, five in Italy, and one each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda, and Sri Lanka. Ministry of External Affairs in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha: 276 Indians are infected with #coronavirus abroad including 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE, 5 in Italy, and 1 each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda, and Sri Lanka. pic.twitter.com/Hk1GjJoXyT - ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 3.16 PM: ISKCON Temples (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) at Rajajinagar and Kanakpura Road in Bengaluru have been closed for public from today, till further notice. 3.05 PM: As many as 276 Indians are infected with coronavirus abroad including 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE, 5 in Italy, and 1 each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda, and Sri Lanka, says the government. 3.05 PM: The Supreme Court today decided to hold only four courts tomorrow in view of health hazards due to coronavirus. 2.45 PM: Telangana Health Ministry: Sixth positive case of COVID19 has been confirmed today in the state. The patient has travel history to the United Kingdom and is admitted to an isolation ward of a government hospital. 2.30 pm: Coronavirus update India: Lucknow doctor treating COVID-19 patients tests positive A Lucknow-based doctor has tested positive for novel coronavirus. The resident doctor at Lucknow's King George Medical University has been confirmed positive for COVID-19, the hospital spokesperson said on Wednesday. 2.15 pm: Coronavirus India: J&K administration suspends Vaishno Devi Yatra The Jammu and Kashmir administration has suspended from Wednesday. All inter-state bus services have also been temporarily shut in the union territory, ANI reported. 2.10 pm: Coronavirus cases: Two more COVID-19 positive cases in Karnataka Two more novel coronavirus cases have been reported in Bengaluru. With this the total number cases have risen to 13 in Karnataka. A 56-year-old male from Bengaluru, who recently returned from the USA on March 6 and a 25-year-old female, who returned from Spain have been quarantined. B Sriramulu, Karnataka Health Minister: 2 more #COVID19 cases have been registered in Bengaluru today, taking the total infected cases to 13. 56 year old male, resident of Bengaluru returned from USA on 6th March. Another, 25 yr old female, who has returned from Spain. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/YcrWVHAT2a - ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 2.03 pm: Coronavirus India: Noida reports another positive case Another person in Noida has been tested positive for novel coronavirus on Wednesday. The man had recently returned from Indonesia and is a resident of sector-41. 2.00 pm: Coronavirus: Only four SC courtrooms to operate from Thursday The Supreme Court (SC) has said that only four courts will be allowed to function from Thursday. The apex court took the decision to reduce staff at its building in New Delhi in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak. 1.55 pm: Coronavirus update: Delhi High Court expresses satisfaction with govt steps to rescue Indian students in Iran The Delhi High Court on Wednesday said that it is satisfied with central government's steps in rescuing Indian students stranded in Iran amid COVID-19 pandemic. The Centre's counsel informed Justice Navin Chawla that the 119 students who were stuck in Iran, and had moved the court through their parents, were tested for COVID-19 and that one student has tested positive for novel coronavirus and is undergoing treatment. 1.47 pm: Coronavirus update India: Suresh Prabhu goes into self-quarantine Former Union Minister and BJP MP Suresh Prabhu has gone into self-quarantine at his home for the next 14 days, as a precautionary measure after he returned from Saudi Arabia to attend a meeting on March 10. Sources told PTI that Prabhu has tested negative for the COVID-19. 1.38 pm: Coronavirus India: Anand Mahindra urges govt to allow private sector to begin testing facilities Industrialist Anand Mahindra on Wednesday appealed to the government to consider allowing private sector to begin testing facilities for novel coronavirus in India. Taking to Twitter, Mahindra said that although the country has taken preventive steps, India has done the least number of coronavirus tests among the impacted countries. "India has done a fine job, so far, of managing teh crisis. Preemptive measures for containment have been lauded teh world over. But our testing rate could be our Achilles heel. We need to allow teh pvt sector to begin testing & scale up our capacity dramatically," tweeted Mahindra. India has done a fine job, so far, of managing the crisis. Preemptive measures for containment have been lauded the world over. But our testing rate could be our Achilles heel. We need to allow the pvt sector to begin testing & scale up our capacity dramatically. @drharshvardhanpic.twitter.com/iNq0RWDX6O - anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) March 18, 2020 1.28 pm: Coronavirus update: Army officer attached to College of Military Engineering, Pune asked to self-quarantine An Army officer attached to the College of Military Engineering in Pune, has been asked to self-quarantine after he manifested flu like symptoms, sources said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the wife of another officer at the institute has also been asked to isolate herself. However, both of them are yet to be tested for COVID-19. 1.15 pm: Coronavirus in Kolkata: COVID-19 positive boy son of bureaucrat A Kolkata boy who has been tested positive for novel coronavirus is the son of a secretary level bureaucrat, who works in the home department of West Bengal. The boy had recently returned from the UK, sources say that the people he was staying with in the UK had also been tested positive. Meanwhile, the boy's family members have also been put in isolation. They boy had initially been asked to get admitted but ignored the advise for two days. He also did not stay at home, and instead travelled to four to five places in Kolkata. The police is now tracking the places he visited and people he met. 1.00 pm: Coronavirus in India news: Another COVID-19 positive case in Telangana Another novel coronavirus positive case has been reported from Telangana. The person had recently returned from the UK and has been admitted to Gandhi Medical College hospital in Hyderabad. With this, the total number of cases have reached six in the state. 12.56 pm: Coronavirus news: IT companies in Odisha asked to give details of employees returning from abroad The Odisha government has instructed all IT and software companies to compulsorily register names of their employees returning from foreign countries with the authorities. The measure is taken as a precautionary step to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. 12.45 pm: Coronavirus in Karnataka: CM BS Yediuyurappa calls emergency cabinet meet Karantaka Chief Minister B S Yediuyurappa called an emergency cabinet meet on Wednesday to deliberate on novel coronavirus outbreak. He also indicated that the lock down in the state will continue. "I have called an emergency cabinet meeting this afternoon; Speaker (of legislative assembly) has also called a meeting. We will discuss and will take what more stringent measures that needs to be taken," the Karnataka CM told reporters. , "...we need to take more stringent measures, when the US President has recommended avoiding gatherings ofmore than 10 people in his country. We will discuss in the cabinet and take all necessary measures," he added. 12.30 pm: Coronavirus in India: Indian army soldier from Ladakh tests positive for COVID-19 An Indian Army soldier from Ladakh has been tested positive for novel coronavirus. This is the first COVID-19 positive case that has surfaced from the Indian Army. His father had returned from a pilgrimage in Iran on February 27. The jawan is being treated for the infection while his family, including sister and wife have been quarantined in Ladakh. 12.18 pm: Coronavirus in Mumbai: Amitabh Bachchan gets a 'home quarantined' stamp on his hand Amitabh Bachchan took to Twitter on late Tuesday night and shared a picture of his hand with a 'home quarantined' stamp on it. 'Home Quarantined' stamp on it. "T 3473 - Stamping started on hands with voter ink, in Mumbai .. keep safe, be cautious, remain isolated if detected," he posted. T 3473 - Stamping started on hands with voter ink, in Mumbai .. keep safe , be cautious , remain isolated if detected .. pic.twitter.com/t71b5ehZ2H - Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) March 17, 2020 11.58 am: Coronavirus news India: Restaurants likely to be shut The restaurants across the country are likely to shut till March 31 as the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) has advised all its members to close dine-in operations as a preventive measure against the spread of COVID-19. Read more here: Coronavirus impact: Big dilemma for Indian restaurants - To shut shops or not! 11.48 am: Coronavirus in Ladakh: 2 tested positive for COVID-19 "We have received results of 34 samples, out of these 2 tested positive. They are relatives of the earlier positive cases and were under quarantine. They are in isolation ward now," said Rigzin Samphel, Commissioner Secretary, Ladakh. Rigzin Samphel, Commissioner Secretary, Ladakh: We have received results of 34 samples, out of these 2 tested positive. They are relatives of the earlier positive cases and were under quarantine. They are in isolation ward now. Total positive cases in Ladakh has risen to 8. pic.twitter.com/R213n8dSph - ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 11.33 am: Coronavirus update: South Africa confirms 85 COVID-19 positive cases South Africa has confirmed a rise in the novel coronavirus cases in the country from 23 to 85. Health Minister Zwelini Mkhize said that 8 cases of local transmission have come to light. 11.20 am: Coronavirus outbreak: 11 new 'imported' COVID-19 cases reported in Beijing Beijing has reported 11 new novel coronavirus cases as of noon on March 18, according to the city's Health Commission. The imported cases in China have outstripped local transmissions for the fifth straight day. Amongst the new positive imported cases, 5 are reported from Spain, 4 from the UK, 1 from Brazil, and 1 from Luxembourg, as per the commission. 11.15 am: Coronavirus in India: SC issues notice to state govts and union territories over non-availability of mid-day meals The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday took suo motu cognisance of non-availability of mid-day meals for children owing to the closure of schools amid the novel coronavirus outbreak. Supreme Court takes suo motu cognisance of non-availability of mid-day meals for children due to the closure of schools in the light of #Coronavirus. A Bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde issues notices to all state governments and union territories. pic.twitter.com/2KppMXVm7a - ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 10.56 am: Fake hand sanitiser racket busted in Hyderabad Hyderabad Police has busted a fake hand sanitiser manufacturing unit on the outskirts of the city. The manufacturing unit was busted at Charlapally area of the city. The police confiscated 25,000 units of 100 ml sanitisers and raw materials worth Rs 40 lakh. So far the accused have manufactured and sold 1 lakh bottles worth Rs 1,44,00,000. 10.45 AM: Government of Andhra Pradesh constitutes the following Inter-Departmental Coordination Committee with the Secretaries of Line Departments for concerted measurements to containment and surveillance of COVID-19. 10.44 AM: Sanitisation measures being taken at Ludhiana Railway Station as precautionary step to contain the spread of COVID-19. Ministry of External Affairs in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha: 276 Indians are infected with #coronavirus abroad including 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE, 5 in Italy, and 1 each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda, and Sri Lanka. pic.twitter.com/Hk1GjJoXyT a ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 10.36 AM: Srikalahasti temple authorities in Chittoor have appealed to devotees to restrict their tours in view of coronavirus. Children below 12 yrs & senior citizens are advised to avoid visit. All paid services are cancelled. 'Laghu darsanam'(brief darsan) is allowed. - ANI 10.12 AM: Indian banks to appeal for relief The coronavirus pandemic has sparked concerns about a fresh surge in bad loans at India's lenders, and the industry body representing the banks plans to appeal to regulators to provide some reprieve in bad-debt classification, two sources told Reuters on Tuesday. "Discussions are on at this stage and we will make a representation to the regulator to see if we can get some relief regarding non-performing asset classification in the small and medium enterprises sector," one of the bankers said. - Reuters 10.05 AM: Here's what a visual history of pandemics looks like Government of Andhra Pradesh constitutes the following Inter-Departmental Coordination Committee with the Secretaries of Line Departments for concerted measurements to containment and surveillance of #COVID19pic.twitter.com/S60l0IGaAe a ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 10.00 AM: Australia declares emergency Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday declared a "human biosecurity emergency" and said the country's citizens should abandon all overseas travel because of the coronavirus epidemic. The formal declaration gives the government the power to close off cities or regions, impose curfews and order people to quarantine, if deemed necessary to contain the spread of the virus. The upgrade in official advice to an unprecedented "Level 4: Do not travel" to any country in the world, was accompanied by a ban on any non-essential indoor gatherings of more than 100 people. - Reuters 9.46 AM: One more person tested positive in Pune, says the district magistrate Naval Kishore Ram, District Magistrate of Pune, Maharashtra, says one more person has tested positive for coronavirus in the city. The person had recently travelled to France and the Netherlands. Total number of positive cases in the state has now touched 42, including 18 in Pune. 9.42 AM: Together we all can fight against COVID19, says Ravi Shankar Prasad Punjab: Sanitization measures being taken at Ludhiana Railway Station as precautionary step to contain the spread of COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/tFMS6DOswE a ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 9.35 AM: BJP MP Suresh Prabhu has kept himself under isolation at his residence for the next 14 days, as a precautionary measure even after testing negative, following his return from a recent visit to Saudi Arabia to attend Second Sherpas' Meeting on 10th March 2020. - ANI 9.30 AM: Temperature of people are being checked with the help of thermometer gun at Parliament Gate as precautionary measure to contain the spread of coronavirus. 9.20 AM: Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru being sanitised with the spraying of disinfectants, as a precautionary measure against coronavirus. 9.15 AM: New COVID-19 cases in India Confirmed positive cases: 147 Deaths: 3 Foreign nationals: 25 Discharged: 14 9.00 AM: Global death toll touches 7,800 Global death toll due to the coronavirus outbreak has touched 7,800, with China and Italy contributing to maximum number of deaths. In India, Maharashtra and Kerala top the chart with 38 and 25 positive coronavirus cases. Uttar Pradesh has confirmed 15 confirmed cases so far. 8.46 AM: S&P lowers India's growth forecast S&P Global Ratings on Wednesday lowered India's economic growth forecast to 5.2 per cent for 2020, saying the global economy is entering a recession amid the coronavirus pandemic. The agency had earlier projected a growth rate of 5.7 per cent during the 2020 calendar. Asia-Pacific economic growth in 2020 will more than halve to less than 3 per cent as the "global economy enters a recession," S&P said in a statement. 8.37 AM: Boeing calls for $60 billion lifeline Boeing Co on Tuesday called for a $60 billion lifeline for the struggling US aerospace manufacturing industry, which faces huge losses from the coronavirus pandemic. Reuters first reported that Boeing was seeking "tens of billions of dollars" in U.S. government loan guarantees and other assistance as faces it a looming liquidity crunch due to the coronavirus' impact on the aviation sector, two people briefed on the matter told Reuters. 8.33 AM: Trump presses for $1 trillion stimulus as death toll touches 100 in US The Trump administration pressed on Tuesday for enactment of a $1 trillion stimulus package, possibly with $1,000 direct payments to individual Americans, to blunt the economic pain from a coronavirus outbreak that has killed over 100 people in the country. With cases of the respiratory illness reported in all 50 states and the total number of known U.S. infections surging past 6,400, millions of Americans hunkered down at home instead of commuting to work or going to school. - Reuters 8.29 AM: GoAir offers rotational leave to staff without pay Budget carrier GoAir on Tuesday announced suspending international operations and offering leave without pay programme for its staff on a rotational basis, amid "unprecedented" decline in air travel due to the coronavirus pandemic. Sources said the airline was also planning a 20 per cent pay cut for employees in a staggered manner. - PTI 8.26 AM: India works because countless Indians do: S Jaishankar "India works because countless Indians do. Night or day, rain or shine. Went tonight to meet our immigration, health, security and airport officials Delhi Airport who are responding to COVID challenge," says External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. As a responsible citizen, we all should play our role to protect ourselves and others from #COVID19. Together we all can fight against #COVID19.#IndiaFightsCoronapic.twitter.com/9FUdNteYH2 a Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) March 18, 2020 8.22 AM: Human safety tests on experimental coronavirus vaccine starts China has given the go-ahead for researchers to begin human safety tests of an experimental coronavirus vaccine in the race to develop a shot against the COVID19 epidemic that has killed more than 7,000 people worldwide. - Reuters 8.17 AM: Doing everything possible: Indian embassy in Italy Embassy of India in Italy, in a statement, said it's doing everything possible within limited resources, despite the current lock-down, to support and assist more than 300 Indian students in Rome and nearby areas. "Their swab tests have been taken over the weekend and reports are awaited," it added. 8.16 AM: India's Ambassador to US, TS Sandhu, says in touch with shipping company and US authorities regarding welfare of Indian crew on Grand Princess. "They're required to undergo mandatory quarantine. We're extending necessary assistance and will facilitate their return on completion of quarantine." Delhi: Temperature of people are being checked with the help of thermometer gun at Parliament Gate as precautionary measure to contain the spread of #Coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/RT4cmHdLCd a ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 8.12 AM: External Affairs Minister (EAM), Dr. S. Jaishankar met immigration, health, security, and airport officials of Delhi Airport tonight. Karnataka: Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru being sanitised with the spraying of disinfectants, as a precautionary measure against #Coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/QuPDPYN51y a ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 8.07 AM: COVID-19 impact on Indian economy MoS Finance Anurag Thakur says in order to address the possibility of trade-induced adverse impact on the economy, the government is constantly engaging with export promotion councils and trade bodies, particularly in pharmaceutical, electronics and automobile sectors where the supply chains are sourcing imports from China. India works because countless Indians do. Night or day, rain or shine. Went tonight to meet our immigration, health, security and airport officials @DelhiAirport who are responding to #COVID challenge. pic.twitter.com/mfMb5wZGcG a Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) March 17, 2020 8.03 AM: Vaishno Devi Shrine Board CEO appeals pilgrims to postpone visit In view of coronovirus outbreak across India, Ramesh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, reviewed all aspects related to yatra&the safety of pilgrims. He also appealed pilgrims to postpone their visit to the Shrine till normalisation of the situation. 8.00 AM: People with blood group 'A' may be more prone to coronavirus People with blood group 'A' may be more prone to the new coronavirus (COVID19) 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. - IANS 7.40 AM: Indian Army reports first COVID-19 case A jawan from Ladakh Scouts was tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. The jawan's father had recently returned from a pilgrimage in coronavirus-hit Iran. The jawan, his wife and sister have been quarantined. 7.35 AM: Over 1.5 lakh vendors to be hit govt orders closure of weekly markets Over 1.5 lakh vendors will likely be hit by the closure of weekly markets across the national capitals as the Delhi government has ordered to shut down weekly markets. The National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) said this would lead to a huge blow to their business. 7.30 AM: How to protect oneself from COVID-19? Is there a way to protect from COVID-19? Check out this video on social distancing and maintaining hygiene. Two men were arrested by Phase 2 police for allegedly raping a 22-year-old woman last year and then circulating objectionable photos of her on social media. One of the suspects was arrested Monday and the other on Tuesday. The womans mother had filed a complaint in December against the two suspects. The duo had allegedly abducted the woman, raped her and then also photographed her. The police said based on the mothers complaint, they had registered a case under sections 328 (causing hurt by means of poison), 376d (gang-rape), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement) against the suspects who had been on the run since December. One of the suspects, who is from Baghpat, was arrested on Monday near the NSEZ area while the other suspect, who is from Ghaziabad, was arrested from near the Phase 2 bus stand on Tuesday, Farmood Ali Pundir, station house officer, Phase 2 police station, said. The police said the woman knew the suspects who lived in her neighbourhood. During the investigation, the police found that the duo had circulated objectionable photos of the woman on social media after which sections of the IT Act were added in the FIR. The suspects were produced before a magistrate and later sent to jail. In another incident, a 22-year-old man from was arrested by Sector 24 police Wednesday for allegedly kidnapping a 17-year-old girl from her house on March 6. The girls father had filed a complaint against the suspect. The girl was found at the Morna bus stand from where the suspect was also arrested. As the girls is a minor, sections of prevention of protection of children from sexual offences (POCSO) Act were also added to the charges, Rameshwar, station house officer, Sector 24 police station. Police officers said the girl was sent for a medical examination and they were waiting to record her statement. Hyderabad, March 18 : Chilkur Balaji Temple, which is popular as 'Visa Balaji', on Wednesday announced it was shutting down for a week from Thursday as a precautionary measure to contain spread of Covid-19. The temple priests said the temple would remain closed for 'darshan' till March 25. However, customary divine rituals would continue. The temple located at Chilkur near Hyderabad is the first temple in Telangana to shut down to contain the possible spread of the virus. The temple priests also advised people against visiting temples in view of the prevailing conditions due to coronavirus, and appealed to devotees to pray at home. The temple is popular among youngsters as 'Visa Balaji'. Devotees, especially students and techies, believe that praying at the temple help them easily secure a visa to the US and other countries. According to temple officials, about 2,000 devotees visit the temple on normal days while the number on weekends and special occasions go up to 5,000. Meanwhile, Sree Sita Ramachandra Swamy temple at Bhadrachalam in Telangana has appealed to devotees not to come for the Sri Rama Navami celebrations on April 2. Kalayanotsavam or the annual customary rituals will be held without devotees. State Transport Minister P. Ajay Kumar said the money of those who booked tickets online for Kalyanotsavam will be refunded. The minister said the precautionary measure was necessary to contain the possible spread of coronavirus. The minister appealed to people to avoid congregations at temples, mosques and churches and pray at home as a precautionary measure. Advertisement Row over testing WHAT IS THE UK DOING NOW? Around 5,000 tests are being carried out a day. Those are mostly patients who are already in hospital. Some 100 GP surgeries have agrees to carry out tests on patients, as part of surveillance to asses the prevalence. However, those who feel they have symptoms are being told to self-isolate without being routinely tested. WHAT IS THE UK GOING TO DO? Boris Johnson has vowed to increase tests to 25,000 a day, although it could take four weeks to reach that level. He also said that health workers will be prioritised. Many have complained that they are being forced to stop work as they are unsure whether or not they have the disease. The testing will be carried out in hospitals, but ministers have appealed for firms to help develop a swab test that can be used in the community. WHAT DO THE EXPERTS SAY? The message from the World Health Organisation is 'test test test', to avoid trying to fight an outbreak 'blindfolded'. South Korea says it has got on top of an outbreak with stringent testing. Advertisement Boris Johnson finally vowed a dramatic escalation of the UK's coronavirus testing capacity today amid fury at his attempts to fight the epidemic 'blindfolded'. After days of intense pressure, the PM said the number of tests carried out per day will be increased from the current level of around 5,000 to 25,000, and NHS staff will be prioritised. However, the full 'surge capacity' might not be ready for another four weeks - by which time the deadly crisis could be at its peak. The government is also still only planning to test patients in hospitals, although Mr Johnson has pleaded with medical companies to help 'rapidly' develop a swab test that can be used in the community. The announcement came amid mounting alarm about the low level of screening, with anger that NHS workers are being forced to self-isolate because they are unsure whether they have the disease or not. Routine testing of suspected coronavirus sufferers was abandoned last week, when the government said it was no longer possible to 'contain' the spread. Instead those with symptoms are merely being urged to stay at home for a fortnight. One doctor who is currently prevented from working today accused ministers of failing to 'learn the lessons' of the Ebola crisis in West Africa. Meanwhile, there are claims that celebrities have been paying for kits to check themselves at home. The developments came as the UK death toll soared by around a third to 104. The number of people positively diagnosed hit 2,626, up from 1,950 yesterday. A total of 56,221 people now have been tested. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed that 219,00 cases have been detected globally, with more than 8,000 dead. Representatives from US firm ThermoFisher were seen entering Downing Street last night carrying a box with a testing kit. It is understood they were giving a demonstration of how the four-hour test, which has been approved in the US, works. Roche, Boots, and Amazon were also at the meeting with Mr Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock in No10, as well as Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Advisor Sir Patrick Vallance. At PMQs in the Commons, Mr Johnson insisted that the UK was already carrying out more tests that other 'comparable' countries. 'This country is actually far ahead of many other comparable countries. We are increasing our tests from 5,000 to 10,000 a day,' he said. He added later: 'We are moving up to 25,000 a day.' However, Jeremy Corbyn demanded an increase on an 'industrial scale' - pointing to the advice from WHO, which has been highly critical of the move to tell people with symptoms to isolate at home, without being diagnosed. On another rollercoaster day as Britain is gripped by the coronavirus crisis: The government has announced a shutdown of schools from Friday afternoon, despite Mr Johnson insisting last week that there was no scientific reason for them to be closed. Scotland and Wales have already declared closures today, falling in line with similar action across much of Europe; Nurseries and private schools will be asked to follow suit, with the shutdown lasting 'until further notice'. Exams will not take place in May and June; A Welsh minister has warned that mass burials might be needed if the worst case scenario for the disease comes to pass; Businesses have demanded Chancellor Rishi Sunak goes further than the 350billion bailout he announced last night, with calls for VAT to be axed, national insurance to be cancelled, and workers' wage bills to be footed by the state; The government has been accused of failing to act to help renters and the self-employed in the emergency package; Economists have warned that the UK economy could shrink by a fifth and a million people could lose their jobs as the 'social distancing' measures take effect; The Pound has fallen to its lowest level against the US dollar since 1985, in what appears to be a damning verdict on the government's response; The PM said the number of tests a day will be increased from the current level of around 5,000 to 25,000, and NHS staff will be prioritised Two men wearing suits were pictured carrying a box from ThermoFisher which makes coronavirus tests that give results in four hours outside Downing Street last night WHAT TEST IS THE UK CURRENTLY USING TO SWAB PATIENTS FOR CORONAVIRUS? Public Health England has not revealed which tests it is using to swab thousands of patients for the killer coronavirus. But in a blog on its website, it suggests it just uses one which takes a sample from a suspected patient's nose and throat. It says PHE's diagnostic test was rolled out to 12 laboratories across the UK, who all increased their working output to analyse samples for 12 hours every day of the week. But patients are left in limbo for between 24 and 72 hours waiting for their test results to come back. But health officials revealed last week that NHS hospital laboratories would soon start testing people to ease the strain on PHE, allowing them to conduct tests on-site without having to send samples away. The Government yesterday ordered thousands of testing kits from the French-based firm Novacyt, in a deal worth 1million. But it is understood they are for hospital use only even though NHS staff across the UK have already warned that facilities are swamped. The company was an early mover in developing a test and is now supplying more than 60 countries. MailOnline has asked PHE to clarify which tests it uses. Last week US health bosses granted the emergency use of two tests in a desperate attempt to keep track of America's escalating crisis. One of the diagnostic tools was made by Massachusetts-based firm Thermo Fisher Scientific. It can give results in four hours. Two men wearing suits were pictured carrying a box from ThermoFisher outside Downing Street yesterday. It is undersood they were going in to demonstrate the kit at a meeting. Advertisement The government has come under heavy fire over the speed with which the testing regime has been bolstered. The number of checks per day is not expected to hit 10,000 until next week. But ministers believe that a radical expansion could soon see the total number exceed that in China, which has carried out more than 220,000 altogether. Mr Hancock said: 'Public safety is my top priority, and radically ramping up testing for coronavirus is a key part of our plan to protect lives. We are already among the best in the world for coronavirus testing and today we are launching a national effort to increase our testing capability even further. 'Our aim is to protect life, protect the most vulnerable, and relieve pressure on our NHS so it is right that we prioritise testing for those most at risk of severe illness. We will always do the right thing at the right time, based on the best scientific advice, and will do whatever it takes to protect life.' At a press conference in Downing Street today, Mr Johnson did not deny the government is preparing new restrictions for the capital after the death toll across the country spiked to 104 - up by 33 in a single day. London is believed to be 'ahead of the curve' for the rest of the UK. Concerns about the spread in the city and in the South East have been steadily mounting as the disease takes hold. Other major cities such as Paris and Brussels have already imposed similar lockdowns - with public transport operating a skeleton service and shops only open for essential supplies. Asked about the prospect at a Downing Street press conference this evening, the PM said: 'We keep everything under review and we will not hesitate to bring forward further and faster measures.' Mr Johnson said: 'I want to thank the whole country for the efforts they ar e making to comply with these measures.' Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who was at a Cobra emergency committee meeting this afternoon, suggested earlier that she was expecting more 'stringent' measures for the capital soon. In another extraordinary move reminiscent of wartime, the PM also confirmed that all schools will be closed down from Friday afternoon, with nurseries and private schools urged to follow suit. Some vulnerable children and offspring of key workers will still be able to attend pared back classes. Another MP tests positive for coronavirus Another MP has reported testing positive for Covid-19 after waiting six days for his results. Lloyd Russell-Moyle made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon and said the coronavirus was 'the greatest test our NHS has ever faced'. He called for Britain to follow World Health Organisation advice and 'test, test, test'. The Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven MP said he first felt symptoms last Wednesday and immediately put himself in self-isolation and called 111. Mr Russell-Moyle said: 'After a six-day wait for results, I have just been informed I have tested positive to Covid-19. 'I was tested on the last day the NHS was still conducting community testing. 'If we are to beat this, then we need to take the @WHO advice and 'Test, Test, Test'.' He called on the Government to make coronavirus testing for healthcare workers their 'priority'. He said: 'Our priority must be testing our healthcare workers, who are currently needing to self-isolate for 14 days when someone in their house shows a symptom, taking them away from their life-saving work. 'This is the greatest test our NHS has ever faced, an NHS that was already under strain. 'I have every confidence that we have the skills and resources to beat this virus, but only if we take radical steps to reorganise and re-prioritise our system.' He called on the public to follow the Government's official advice and to undertake social distancing. In November 2018, Mr Russell-Moyle became the first sitting MP to announce he was HIV positive. Advertisement The step marks a dramatic shift after Mr Johnson desperately tried to avoid closures for days, despite many other European countries taking action. Scientists say that the shutdown will have only limited effect on the spread, and millions of parents will be scrambling to find childcare while they do their jobs - a problem exacerbated as grandparents might be off limits due to 'social distancing'. Ms Sturgeon has declared that all schools north of the border will close for an early Easter break by Friday at the latest. The Welsh authorities have said they are doing the same, amid claims up to 20 per cent of teachers are already in self-isolation. Mr Johnson has already been forced to follow the example of other nations by effectively barring large public gatherings this week, despite resisting for a number of days. The change of stance over 'social distancing' on Monday followed modelling by a team of government advisers at Imperial College London warned that what was previously thought to be the 'worst case' scenario of 250,000 days was actually the most likely outcome. Ministers hope that the new approach can limit coronavirus deaths to around 20,000. The current toll stands at 71. The Government's chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance admitted yesterday that the tests must be 'ramped up'. 'That clearly is not going to be enough going forward,' he told MPs. 'We really do need to get our testing in the right place to ensure we can monitor this effectively... 'There is a very big effort going on to try to ramp that up.' It is not clear the extent to which the number of tests is an issue, or whether the issue is the capacity of Public Health England (PHE) to carry them out. The Government has been at pains to say that it is testing more people than the majority of other states with coronavirus. But it is still far below the number being tested by nations like South Korea. Last night men carrying a box from ThermoFisher which makes coronavirus tests that give results in four hours were pictured in Downing Street. PM hints at lockdown to come in London Boris Johnson today hinted that London faces a tighter lockdown amid fears it is at the heart of the UK's coronavirus outbreak. The PM did not deny the government is preparing new restrictions for the capital after the death toll across the country spiked to 104 - up by 33 in a single day. London is believed to be 'ahead of the curve' for the rest of the UK. Concerns about the spread in the city and in the South East have been steadily mounting as the disease takes hold. Other major cities such as Paris and Brussels have already imposed similar lockdowns - with public transport operating a skeleton service and shops only open for essential supplies. Asked about the prospect at a Downing Street press conference this evening, the PM said: 'We keep everything under review and we will not hesitate to bring forward further and faster measures.' Mr Johnson said: 'I want to thank the whole country for the efforts they ar e making to comply with these measures.' Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who was at a Cobra emergency committee meeting this afternoon, suggested earlier that she was expecting more 'stringent' measures for the capital soon. Advertisement Celebrities and big businesses have begun paying out for a 375-a-time home-testing kit being sold by a private clinic, according to the Telegraph. PrivateHarleyStreetClinic.com says it can get a test to your home within 48 hours, boasting: At present, the NHS is only offering testing for coronavirus to hospitalised patients. 'We have been inundated with requests to provide a private test. 'We can now confirm we are able to offer paid tests, via a postal courier service on a maximum 3 day turnaround service to private individuals and organisations. 'Most importantly, this is the only test in the world that can identify the lethal Covid-19 virus and differentiate between 9 other non lethal viruses with the same symptoms.' Shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth said: 'Our NHS staff are battling to protect us, government must protect them: From goggles, gowns, gloves, masks and thermometers we need adequate PPE for all staff across secondary & primary care. 'Testing must be scaled up urgently for staff.' Mr Ashworth added: 'This is a national effort and all of us must pull together. 'We have to urgently ramp up testing especially for our NHS staff. 'If this Harley Street clinic has testing capacity then government needs to get hold of it for NHS staff.' At PMQs, Mr Corbyn said: 'The World Health Organisation said test, test, test and we should be testing, I believe, on an industrial scale.' He said 10,000 tests per day is 'nowhere near even the number of people working in the NHS and the care sector' and demanded a 'greater sense of urgency'. Testing stopped virus in Italian town Italian authorities have managed to contain the killer coronavirus outbreak in a small town near Venice through a rigorous testing strategy. Health bosses in Vo 45miles (72km) east of the tourist hotspot have had no new cases for 48 hours. Officials conducted an experiment in the town, which is home to 3,300 people, to test and re-test all inhabitants. The Financial Times reports the strategy meant everyone would be tested even if they showed no symptoms. Andrea Crisanti, an infectious disease specialist taking part in the experiment, told the newspaper the method allowed officials to get the clearest picture about the size of the outbreak. The experiment began at the end of February, and the initial roll-out of tests showed around three per cent of patients were infected. This dropped ten-fold when the second testing round was carried out 10 days later, after quarantining all of the infected and their contacts. Professor Crisanti, who is on a sabbatical at the University of Padua, said: 'In the UK, there are a whole lot of infections that are completely ignored. 'We were able to contain the outbreak [in Vo] because we identified and eliminated the 'submerged' infections and isolated them. This is what makes the difference. Advertisement Mr Johnson replied: 'Well in point of fact, we are prioritising testing of NHS staff for the obvious reason that we want them to be able to look after everybody else with confidence that they're not transmitting the disease and this country is actually far ahead of many other comparable countries in testing huge numbers of people.' Mr Johnson rejected the criticism, and stressed the importance of a separate test for whether people have previously been infected with coronavirus. 'We are getting much closer to having a generally available test which will determine whether or not you have had the disease and that will truly be of huge benefit to this country in tackling the outbreak,' he said. Labour MP Rosena Allin-Khan, an A&E doctor, demanded to know why 'mass testing' was taking so long. 'We are in unprecedented times. I would like to know where was the forward-planning for PPE for our NHS and care staff? Where is the testing for medics? Why are we waiting so long for mass testing? And why are social distancing measures merely just suggestions?' she said. Mr Johnson thanked the Tooting MP for her work in the health service, adding: 'We have stockpiles of PPE equipment and we're proceeding in accordance with the best scientific advice. 'It is the timeliness of those measures that is absolutely vital in combating the spread of the epidemic. That is how you save lives.' Around 86 per cent of coronavirus patients go undetected because their symptoms are so mild, a study warned last night. Scientists at Columbia University in New York analysed the spread of the infection in China, before the outbreak spiralled out of control. The researchers found the thousands of undocumented infections drove the spread of the crisis, which saw most of China locked down. Italian authorities have managed to contain the killer coronavirus outbreak in a small town near Venice through a rigorous testing strategy. Health bosses in Vo 45miles (72km) east of the tourist hotspot have had no new cases for 48 hours. PrivateHarleyStreetClinic.com says it can get a test to your home within 48 hours, in exchange for 375 WHO warns lack of tests means fighting disease 'blindolded' Earlier this week the World Health Organisation criticised countries that have given up on routinely testing all suspected coronavirus patients. The UN agency's director-general, Dr Tedros Adhanom, warned the pandemic won't be stopped if officials don't know who is infected. In a startling warning to the UK which only tests patients in hospital and through routine surveillance by GPs, he added: 'You cannot fight a fire blindfolded.' Almost 175,000 cases of the coronavirus have been identified worldwide, with 6,500 deaths recorded on every continent except Antarctica. Advertisement Officials conducted an experiment in the town, which is home to 3,300 people, to test and re-test all inhabitants. The Financial Times reports the strategy meant everyone would be tested even if they showed no symptoms. Andrea Crisanti, an infectious disease specialist taking part in the experiment, told the newspaper the method allowed officials to get the clearest picture about the size of the outbreak. The experiment began at the end of February, and the initial roll-out of tests showed around three per cent of patients were infected. This dropped ten-fold when the second testing round was carried out 10 days later, after quarantining all of the infected and their contacts. Professor Crisanti, who is on a sabbatical at the University of Padua, said: 'In the UK, there are a whole lot of infections that are completely ignored. 'We were able to contain the outbreak [in Vo] because we identified and eliminated the 'submerged' infections and isolated them. This is what makes the difference. It comes after Sir Patrick suggested around 70,000 Britons - or roughly one in every 1,000 out of the 68million population - could unknowingly be infected with the virus. He claimed for every death in Britain 71 have been announced so far there is likely to be 1,000 positive cases. Addressing MPs yesterday he said the UK needed 'a big increase in testing' because 4,000 a day was 'clearly not going to be enough'. 'We simply don't have the mass testing available for the population now,' he told the Health Select Committee. 'There is a big effort going on to get that in place as quickly as possible.' Doctor says lessons not learnt from Ebola crisis A frontline NHS doctor who worked for the government in West Africa during the Ebola crisis has warned lessons learned there are being 'completely ignored'. The anonymous doctor is currently in self-isolation for seven to 14 days because they have displayed symptoms of the virus but cannot be tested - as current Government policy states only the most serious cases are being followed up. They told the PA news agency they did not understand the lack of testing and described personal protective equipment (PPE) provided to healthcare workers as 'inappropriate'. They added that the stream of information provided by the Government is good, but can be contradictory and 'confusing to the public'. 'As a doctor I'm unwell quite often - hundreds and hundreds of us are being taken out of action until our symptoms pass,' they said. 'I'm unsure why the Government is not testing us. It goes against their own information and logic, which is what they were doing in West Africa which was test, test, test.' Advertisement In stinging criticism, a frontline NHS doctor who worked for the government in West Africa during the Ebola crisis has warned lessons learned there are being 'completely ignored'. The anonymous doctor is currently in self-isolation for seven to 14 days because they have displayed symptoms of the virus but cannot be tested - as current Government policy states only the most serious cases are being followed up. They told the PA news agency they did not understand the lack of testing and described personal protective equipment (PPE) provided to healthcare workers as 'inappropriate'. They added that the stream of information provided by the Government is good, but can be contradictory and 'confusing to the public'. 'As a doctor I'm unwell quite often - hundreds and hundreds of us are being taken out of action until our symptoms pass,' they said. 'I'm unsure why the Government is not testing us. It goes against their own information and logic, which is what they were doing in West Africa which was test, test, test. 'After the crisis in West Africa there was comprehensive after-action reports on what to do... they're now deciding to go against all that advice and they're acting incredibly slowly compared to other nations. 'It seems like all the lessons learnt from that are being completely ignored higher up.' Labour's shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth said that healthcare staff 'battling to protect us' from the panic were being exposed by a shortage of testing kits and a lack of protective equipment' WHAT ARE OTHER COUNTRIES DOING? South Korea South Korea has the capacity to test around 20,000 people each day more than any other country in the world. Officials gave permission to four companies to make kits, with the country desperate to stop the killer virus spreading. It also uses drive-through testing centres. Figures show the country has now tested up to 300,000 residents, at a rate of 5,000 per 1million inhabitants, according to reports. In contrast, the rate in Britain is around seven times lower at just 700 per 1million, MailOnline can reveal. South Korea's outbreak which has seen almost 8,500 cases and fewer than 100 deaths has curtailed in the past week. Fewer than 100 patients are being diagnosed each day, which leading scientists say is because of the country's rigorous testing programme. Kim Woo-Joo, an infectious disease specialist based at Korea University, told Science magazine: 'Lab testing is essential to control an emerging infectious disease.' China The coronavirus crisis began in China at the end of December, and saw hundreds of millions of people locked down in a desperate attempt to contain the crisis. But World Health Organization experts said it was Beijing's decision to test all suspected cases and then isolate their contacts was more important than the country-wide quarantines. The UN agency's assistant director general Bruce Aylward told New Scientist testing 'stopped transmission in China, not the big travel restrictions and lockdowns'. More than 80,000 COVID-19 cases were confirmed in China and at least 3,000 patients died of the infection. Italy Italy is at the centre of Europe's ever-growing coronavirus outbreak, with more than 31,000 confirmed cases and at least 2,500 deaths. At the beginning of the spiralling crisis at the end of February, health officials tried to test every suspected case. Virologists praised the approach, saying the strategy of 'over-testing' was 'right and sensible'. Around 130,000 people have already been tested in Italy. Authorities have already managed to completely halt the outbreak in one small town near Venice because of the rigorous approach. The Financial Times reports that Vo 45miles (72km) east of the tourist hotspot, has had no new cases for 48 hours. And the outbreak in Lombardy, the northern Italian region that has suffered the most from the deadly infection, is slowing down, officials say. The US At the other end of the scale, the US has repeatedly been criticised for not testing enough people with around 50,000 tests carried out so far. Some states, such as Alabama and Delaware, have swabbed fewer than 100 people, according to an independent tracker. President Donald Trump has declared a national state of emergency and announced additional measures to expand testing. Now, all US states can make, validate and use their own tests rather than wait for the approval of the FDA the US regulatory body. Health and state officials have widely blamed the testing shortage for the steep rise in US cases. They say it both delayed public knowledge of just how many cases there were and allowed the disease to continue to spread from unwitting carriers. Advertisement At least 10 alleged drug peddlers, including three residents of Punjab, were arrested on Wednesday, leading to the recovery of 940 kgs of poppy straw, 35 live cartridges and over Rs 1.79 lakh in Jammu and Kashmir, police said. A narcotic racket was busted with the arrest of three persons and recovery of 200 kgs of Poppy straw in Kathua district, a police spokesman said. However, the main accused Harpal Singh alias Balochi is on the run and efforts are on to nab him, the spokesman said, adding the search of his house led to the recovery of over Rs 1.79 lakh and 35 rounds of ammunition. Another drug peddler was arrested along with around 390 kgs of poppy straw during vehicle checking at Chenani along Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Udhampur district, the spokesman said. He said three truckers from Punjab were arrested while coming from Kashmir. A total of 345 kg of poppy straw was recovered from their vehicles on checking them in Banihal area of Ramban district. Yet another drug peddler was arrested from Anayatpur-Thalka in Rajouri district after being found in possession 300 grams of charas, while two more peddlers were arrested after recovery of 249 sedative drug tablets from their possession during checking at Malipath in Kishtwar district, the spokesman said. All the arrested persons were booked under NDPS Act and further investigation is on, the spokesman said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) WASHINGTONIn May 2018, President Donald Trumps biodefense preparedness adviser warned that a flu pandemic was the countrys No. 1 health security threat, and the U.S. was not prepared. We know that it cannot be stopped at the border, Luciana Borio, director of medical and biodefense preparedness at the National Security Council, said at a symposium that day. Borio left the Trump administration in 2019. Other high-level global health experts headed for the exits even earlier, after the White House dismantled the National Security Councils global health security office. The demise of that elite team is now under scrutiny as the Trump administration struggles to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. Trump bristled when asked about his decision to disband the office at a news conference in the Rose Garden on Friday. I just think it's a nasty question, the president responded. And when you say me,' I didn't do it. ... I don't know anything about it. John Bolton, Trumps former national security adviser, has defended the decision in recent days. Trump chose Bolton to lead the National Security Council in April 2018. A month later, Bolton nixed the pandemic preparedness office as part of an effort to streamline the agency. Claims that streamlining NSC structures impaired our nation's bio defense are false, Bolton tweeted Saturday. Global health remained a top NSC priority, and its expert team was critical to effectively handling the 2018-19 Africa Ebola crisis. The angry Left just can't stop attacking, even in a crisis. But global health experts say Bolton's decision left the Trump administration flat-footed in confronting the virus that has caused nearly 6,400 cases of COVID-19 and killed 108 in the U.S. as of Tuesday evening. "Boltons chosen approach to NSC 'streamlining' involved decapitating and diluting the White Houses focus on pandemic threats," Jeremy Konyndyk, a senior policy fellow at the Center for Global Development, wrote in a rebuttal. "He eliminated the senior director position entirely, closed the biodefense directorate, and spread the remaining staff across other parts of the NSC." Story continues Closing the pandemic office "clearly reflected the White Houses misplaced priorities and has proven to be a gross misjudgment," Konyndyk wrote. President Donald Trump and national security adviser John Bolton on April 9, 2018. Pandemic office created after Ebola epidemic Whether the office was disbanded or streamlined, there's no question a number of top-notch global health experts left the administration in the wake of Bolton's decision. At the top of that list: Rear Adm. Timothy Ziemer, who had been Trump's senior director for global health security and biodefense at the National Security Council. Before that, Ziemer led a global anti-malaria initiative in the George W. Bush administration. President Barack Obama created the pandemic preparedness office at the National Security Council in 2016, after his administration was criticized for its initial response to the Ebola epidemic in 2014 and 2015. Republican lawmakers blasted Obama for refusing to impose travel bans and quarantines. When two American nurses contracted Ebola in 2014 while caring for an infected patient, some GOP lawmakers called on Obama to designate a czar or oversee the response. Id like to know whos in charge, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said at the time. Obama eventually tapped Ron Klain, who had served as chief of staff to two Democratic vice presidents, to lead the Ebola response. As the outbreak in West Africa subsided in 2015 and he prepared to leave, Klain pressed Obama to set up a permanent directorate within the National Security Council to coordinate pandemic preparedness and response across the federal government. Obama took Klain's advice and created the unit to prepare for future disease outbreaks and prevent them from mushrooming into pandemics. "That was a very essential step," said J. Stephen Morrison, director of the Global Health Policy Center at the Center for Strategic and International Affairs, a Washington think tank. After Ebola, Obama and his advisers realized "this was just dangerous and chaotic and lets not do that again." "We live in an era of recurrent crises of this kind that come with greater velocity, greater impact and costs," Morrison said. The White House, he said, needs a point person who can coordinate multiple agencies and "see things early, act very quickly and bring about accountability and coordination of the U.S. response." 'Sluggishness and confusion' in Trump's response to coronavirus That foresight and coordination has been missing in the Trump administration's response, Morrison said. "You can attribute some of the sluggishness and confusion that we have seen bedevil this effort since the very beginning ... to the absence of effective structures within the White House." Beth Cameron, who led the office under Obama, said the Trump administration's decision to nix the directorate cost the United States "valuable time" in responding to COVID-19, although the full impact is still unclear. In a Washington Post op-ed, Cameron wrote that the office was created out of a "recognition that epidemics know no borders and that a serious, fast response is crucial. Our job was to be the smoke alarm keeping watch to get ahead of emergencies, sounding a warning at the earliest sign of fire all with the goal of avoiding a six-alarm blaze." She said her team constantly monitored myriad global health threats, from the H7N9 influenza in China to an outbreak of yellow fever in Angola. Bolton and his allies shot back after Cameron's op-ed was published, saying she and other critics were misleading the public by saying the office had been disbanded. Tim Morrison, one of Bolton's deputies at the National Security Council, said it was bloated and the decision to consolidate the global health unit with two others eliminated "overlap" within the National Security Council. "If anything, the combined directorate was stronger because related expertise could be commingled," Tim Morrison wrote in his own Washington Post op-ed Monday. He said the current staff "is fully up to the job" of responding to COVID-19, and he trumpeted Trump's work on biodefense and vaccines. In an interview, Morrison said Bolton would regularly send him early-morning emails about possible emerging health concerns. He said the problem with the COVID-19 outbreak has nothing to do with the structure of the National Security Council and everything to do with Chinas attempts to hide the outbreak at first. The fault lies with China sitting on this thing for five weeks, Morrison said. We could have nipped this thing in the bud if the Chinese had come clean earlier. Trump has acknowledged that he cut global health experts from his staff and tried to slash funding for the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other agencies charged with spotting and responding to such epidemics. "Some of the people we cut, they havent been used for many, many years," Trump said during a Feb. 26 briefing on the coronavirus response. "Im a business person I dont like having thousands of people around when you dont need them," he said. "When we need them, we can get them back very quickly." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus: Did Trump's decision to nix pandemic team hinder response The Goldbergs (ABC at 8) Murray and Adam dont want to go on a camping trip, so the father and son create a film to pretend they had gone. Photo: James Willamor/Flickr Here's the most recent top news you may have missed in Charlotte. Physician at a Charlotte practice tests positive for COVID-19 as NC cases rise Mecklenburg County announced Tuesday the county now has 11 reported cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the new strain of coronavirus. Read the full story on The News & Observer. Gaston County orders gyms, self-serve buffets to close The closures take effect today at noon. Meanwhile, other businesses, including salons, remain open. Read the full story on WCNC. Charlotte small businesses hit hard by COVID-19 impacts As many are staying home and practicing social distancing, local businesses are being hurt by a drop in customers. Read the full story on WCNC. UNC Charlotte requiring all students to leave campus by Friday The announcement was made by the chancellor on Tuesday. Read the full story on Spectrum News North Carolina. Mecklenburg County sheriff asks courts to halt evictions Additionally, all face-to-face visitations at detention centers are suspended. Read the full story on Spectrum News North Carolina. 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. Powells Books, closed since Sunday, has laid off the vast majority of its employees and is facing an existential threat from the coronavirus outbreak. I am doing everything within my power to keep Powells alive for the next generation of readers and writers, for the next generation of Portland and Oregon, CEO and owner Emily Powell wrote to employees Tuesday. Hundreds of people lost their jobs when the bookstores closed Sunday Powells hasnt said just how many but the company employed 580 altogether. In Tuesdays, note Powell said the landmark bookstore will be closed for at least eight weeks, and possibly much longer. She suggested the closure threatens the bookstores future and said workers will not be paid during their layoff. We are simply not that kind of business, wrote Powell, who took over the business from her father, Michael Powell, whose own father Walter started the business in 1971. We run on duct tape and twine on a daily basis, every day trading funds from one pocket to patch the hole in another. Powells is among Portlands most popular tourism attractions and a core piece of the citys identity. Its closure is another signal of the economic catastrophe facing Oregon, which has already cost tens of thousands of jobs and now threatens some of the states key institutions. An an age where Americans increasingly prefer to buy their products online, and have them delivered right to their door, Powells remained a destination where people love to shop in person, roaming the aisles and discovering obscure books and new favorites. The company boasts 2 million volumes -- half of them at its flagship City of Books store, which occupies an entire city block downtown. Emily Powell says @Powells will be closed at least eight weeks, vast majority of employees laid off. Heres our most recent story:https://t.co/YBeEk1FZzk pic.twitter.com/utaImyokvk Oregonian Business (@OregonianBiz) March 18, 2020 On Monday, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown ordered all restaurants and bars to close to prevent spread of the coronavirus, except for those that choose to offer takeout or delivery service. That threw many perhaps most of the 155,000 Oregonians employed by those businesses out of work. On Tuesday, whimsical restaurant and hotel chain McMenamins said it will lay off almost everyone 3,000 employees altogether and shut down nearly all operations in Oregon and Washington. Our economy has already been hit, and hard, Elana Pirtle-Guiney, Browns legislative director, said at a hearing in Salem Wednesday. The governor and legislature are considering an array of steps to aid businesses and workers; Oregon business associations want tax breaks and postponement of new taxes to help them weather the outbreak. Powells continues to sell books online through its website. ILWU Local 5, which represents about 400 Powells workers, said it is gravely disappointed by the companys response to the crisis. Over the last 49 years, Powells and the Powell family have made millions of dollars through the hard work of booksellers and the good will of the community, the union said in a statement Wednesday. To not go above and beyond for those who made Powells successful is an injury of the greatest degree. The union has established a Powells worker relief fund on its webpage. In Tuesdays note, Emily Powell said the path ahead for her company is dark and scary. I have always described Powells as resilient: lumbering sometimes, full of quirks and personality, but always resilient, she wrote. We are having that resilience tested as never before. Correction: This article has been corrected to note that Walter Powell, not Michael Powell, founded Powells Books. -- Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699 Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. The unusual case of a former Torrington man accused of sexually assaulting a dog will likely lead to a change in state law to clarify that it is illegal to have sexual contact with an animal or a deceased person, according to the Chief States Attorneys Office. Litchfield Superior Court Judge John Danaher dismissed the charges against Robert Hoetzl, 24, formerly of Torrington, on March 2 after his attorney pointed out that current state law defines sexual contact as contact with a human being, court papers said. Hoetzl was charged May 17 with two counts of fourth-degree sexual assault in connection with incidents involving a dog and second-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a child in connection with incidents involving a female while she was ages 14 to 15 in 2018, according to court records. He pleaded guilty to second-degree sexual assault on Feb. 28 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, suspended after two years served. A ruling issued by Danaher on March 2 stated that Hoetzls former girlfriend had given Torrington police videos of him having sexual contact with a dog. According to the state law that defines fourth-degree sexual assault, it is illegal to have sexual contact with an animal, the judge said. But, Hoetzls attorney pointed out that the law that defines sexual contact does not mention the word animal and only stipulates that sexual contact occurs with a human being. Danaher considered a prosecutors argument that the legislative intent was that it was illegal to have sexual contact with an animal, he said in his ruling. But ultimately, Danaher said, at times a person can interpreted as a community, companies or an association, but not an animal. The Chief States Attorneys Office is now seeking a change in the law that defines sexual contact to include with an animal or a deceased person. Like all other legislation on the table, the change may not become law this legislative session since the General Assembly will not meet again until possibly early April due to concerns for the coronavirus pandemic. Uber Pool has been suspended in the US and Canada, according to Reuters. The ride-hailing giant has put its carpooling service on hold to help limit the spread of COVID-19 -- it'll be impossible to maintain "social distancing" when you have to share a car with several strangers, after all. Uber has disabled the option in both countries, so you can't share a trip with up to three passengers to save money for a while. The World Health Organization strongly suggests social distancing, or staying a few meters away from other people, as a basic protective measure against the new coronavirus. It's meant to minimize contact and to slow the spread of COVID-19. Uber Rides and Platform SVP Andrew Macdonald told Reuters in a statement: "Our goal is to help flatten the curve on community spread in the cities we serve." A spokesperson also said that Uber will evaluate whether it needs to suspend Uber Pool in other regions on a case-by-case basis. In addition to suspending its carpooling service, Uber will start showing users in the US and Canada a message asking them to "travel only when necessary." It will encourage riders to wash their hands before and after a ride and sitting in the backseat to help protect its drivers, as well. Yesterday, Uber Eats announced that it's waiving delivery fees for over 100,000 independent restaurants as a way to serve people who have to stay at home. It's also offering 14 days of financial assistance to drivers who were diagnosed with the disease or need to be quarantined because of it. (Newser) The US and Canada have agreed to temporarily close their shared border to nonessential travel, President Trump announced Wednesday as the two nations work to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Both countries are eager to choke off the spread of the virus but also maintain their vital economic relationship. Canada relies on the US for 75% of its exports, per the AP. Trump made the announcement on Twitter, saying the decision would not affect the flow of trade between the countries. "We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic," Trump tweeted. Truck drivers and Canadian snowbirds, who live in the US for part of the year and are returning to Canada, are among those expected to get an exemption. story continues below Completely closing the border would cause severe economic damage to both the US and Canada, as the two economies are integrated. Much of Canada's food supply comes from or via the US, and and 98% of its oil exports go to the US. About 18% of American exports go to Canada. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday he would close the country's borders to anyone not a citizen, an American, or a permanent resident, and even then they must self-isolate for 14 days on arrival. Trudeau said the exemption for Americans, despite the rapid rise of cases in the US, was due to "the level of integration of our two economies." The US has seen about 6,500 coronavirus cases and more than 110 deaths, while Canada has seen about 600 cases and eight deaths. (Read more US-Canadian border stories.) As number of positive cases of coronavirus rises to 151 in the country, Ministry of Home Affairs has released a document with 30 questions and answers, addressing queries on travel and Visa restrictions. Over 5,700 people who came in contact with the people tested positive have been put under surveillance, union health ministry said. According to a travel advisory issued by the ministry, entry of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia to India has been banned with immediate effect. Here is what the Ministry of Home Affairs document entails: INDIAN NATIONALS WHO WANT TO RETURN TO INDIA Who are not allowed? No airline will bring any passenger from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus,Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom effective 12.00 GMT on March 18,2020 at Port of Departure. No airline will bring any passenger from Philippines, Malaysia and Afghanistan effective 15.00 IST on March 17, 2020 (Port of Departure). Whether passengers transiting through the restricted countries will be allowed? There will be no transit through these countries as no aircraft will board passengers for India in these countries. Whether they will be quarantined upon arrival in India (quarantined for 14 days) ? All passengers coming from/transiting through UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait after 12.00 GMT on March 18, 2020 (Port of Departure) will be quarantined. 2. Those who have visited China, Republic of Korea, Iran, Italy, Spain, France and Germany on or after Feb 15, 2020 will be quarantined. Is COVID-19 Negative Certificate mandatory for Indians? Only for those who are coming from Republic of Korea or Italy. Passengers from Italy shall not be allowed effective 12.00 GMT on March 18,2020 (Port of Departure). Whether Indians transiting through China, Republic of Korea, Iran, Italy, Spain, France and Germany be quarantined on arrival in India? Yes Whether Indians transiting through UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait be quarantined on arrival in India? Yes. With effect from 12.00 GMT on March 18,2020 (Port of Departure). INDIAN NATIONALS WHO WANT TO GO ABROAD Whether Indians are allowed to go abroad? Indians are strongly advised to avoid non essential travel to Corona Virus affected countries. However as per latest notification passengers from certain countries shall not be allowed to enter India. Please refer to list of countries in Section A.1. Whether they will be quarantined upon arrival in India (quarantined for 14 days)? All passengers coming from/transiting through UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait after 12.00 GMT on March 18,2020 (Port of Departure) will be quarantined. Those who have visited China, Republic of Korea, Iran, Italy, Spain, France and Germany on or after Feb 15, 2020 will be quarantined. FOREIGNERS WHO ARE PRESENTLY IN INDIA Whether they can extend their Indian visas before expiry? Yes, they should approach their jurisdictional FRRO/FROs through e-FRRO (https://indianfrro.gov.in/frro/) Whether they can go out of India and return back? Yes they can go out of India. However, they can return to India with fresh visa issued from Mission/Post only. FOREIGNERS WHO WANT TO COME TO INDIA Who are not allowed? Restricted Countries All passengers coming from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland,Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom effective 12.00 GMT on March 18,2020 (Port of Departure) and passengers coming from Philippines, Malaysia and Afghanistan effective 15.00 IST on March 17,2020 (Port of Departure). Whether Employment and project visa holders allowed from restricted countries? Yes Which visa categories are allowed to enter India for travellers from non-restricted countries ? Only Employment and Project visa are allowed. Other categories of visas including visa free travel facility granted to OCI Card holders stands suspended till April 15, 2020. Are dependents of exempted category visa category allowed? No Are infants/children who hold foreign passports but parents is Indian allowed? No. They are required to get fresh visa from Indian Mission/Post. Are Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives passport holders allowed? Nepal and Bhutan nationals are allowed. Maldives nationals would require visa. Are foreign nationals with RC/RP/Stay Visa allowed to enter? Only those foreigners who have RC/RP/Stay Visa w.r.t. Employment/ Project Visas. Is COVID-19 Negative Certificate mandatory? Please see website of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India. Who is the competent authority to issue COVID-19 Negative Certificates in Italy and Republic of Korea? Please see website of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India. Whether foreigners transiting through restricted countries allowed to enter India? Flights have been barred from taking passengers from restricted countries. OCI CARD HOLDERS Are OCI Card holders allowed? No. OCI Card holders are required to obtain fresh Indian visa from Mission/Post and allowed in India except from restricted countries. Restricted Countries. All passengers coming from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom effective 12.00 GMT on March 18,2020 (Port of Departure) and passengers coming from Philippines, Malaysia and Afghanistan effective 15.00 IST on March 17,2020 (Port of Departure). Are infants/children who hold foreign passports with OCI cards but parents is Indian allowed? No. Infants/Children are required to get fresh visa from Indian Mission/Post. Whether OCI Card holders after obtaining fresh visa coming from/visited Republic of Korea and Italy require COVID-19 Negative Certificates? Yes DIPLOMATS, OFFICIAL,UN/INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHERS Are Diplomats, Official, UN/International Organization passports holders allowed to enter India? Yes Are Diplomats, Official, UN/International Organization passports holders allowed to enter India from restricted countries? Yes Are dependents of Diplomats on normal passports allowed? No Are Diplomats, Official, UN/International Organization passports holders required to carry COVID-19 Negative Certificates if they arrive from Italy or Republic of Korea? Yes Which are the International Organizations allowed? UN Bodies and other recognized International organizations. Foreign crew allowed on GD if they have visited China, Republic of Korea, Iran, Italy, Spain, France and Germany on or after Feb 15, 2020 in their personal capacity? No Foreign crew allowed on GD if they are coming from the restricted countries ? Yes Should the election go on? The special election to fill the vacant senatorial seat for the 2nd Hampden and Hampshire District is scheduled for March 31, but amid school closings and workplaces shutdowns due to the coronavirus, people are debating if voting should continue as usual. Its a special election with one race on the ballot and I was only expecting a 10 percent turnout originally, Holyoke City Clerk Brenna McGee said. Are people going to feel it is worth jeopardizing their health to go out and vote? But both candidates, Democrat State Rep. John Velis and Republican John Cain, owner of Cains Mechanical, say they are hoping the election continues on schedule. Westfield Mayor Donald Humason, who left the seat in January after being elected to lead the city, said he too wants to see the election proceed as scheduled as long as proper precautions can be taken such as keeping people separated. Both men said they feel the 11 communities in the district have been without a senator for three months and deserve representation. Veils, a Democrat and a Major in the U.S. Army Reserves, said he personally cannot call for it to be delayed based on his experience of serving overseas and being part of a team that helped oversee parliamentary elections in 2018. We attempted to convey to Afghans that they should go to the polls at the risk of stepping on a roadside bomb, having their hands cut off and having their polling station attacked by the Taliban, he said. Thousands upon thousands showed up. Voting in my humble opinion is the last thing that should go. People have fought and died for this right to go vote, he said. When we start to cancel elections in America, we are going down a dangerous path. He said the Secretary of States office has agreed to be flexible and mitigate the possible spread of the virus by offering supplies such as hand sanitizer, limiting the number of people who can be in the voting poll at one time and allowing the polling places to be moved. Cain said delaying the election would be detrimental to the 11 communities which are currently without representation at a time when it is needed the most. The communities in the district are Westfield, Agawam, Holyoke, Easthampton, Southwick, Tolland, Russell, Montgomery, Granville, Southampton and part of Chicopee. If this election were to be postponed the logistics would be expensive and delay representation for all 11 communities who are without a voice. The impact that this pandemic and response will have on our local economies will be extensive. Without a strong fiscally responsible voice to ensure our resources are allocated properly, the communities of Western Massachusetts will not receive the resources required to maintain, he said. He said poll workers will take proper steps to reduce voters exposure from the virus at the polls. I have the greatest confidence in my constituents to execute a responsible and fair election in the midst of crisis, he said. Both candidates said they have suspended public gatherings and door-to-door campaigning in the past week or more since communities have been taking steps to prevent the spread of the virus and are mostly campaigning through messages sent on Facebook and other forms of social media. While candidates want to see the election go on, Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin said is considering postponing it, but the only way to do so is through a court order or through special legislation. Galvin did use a court order to postpone two elections that were scheduled for this week and has filed legislation that would give him the ability to postpone the 2nd Hampden and Hampshire election and several local elections that are scheduled for this month, said Debra OMalley, spokeswoman for Galvin. I am encouraging people to vote absentee, OMalley said. Westfield City Clerk Karen Fanton said her office is still discussing the logistics of holding an election during a pandemic and preventing the spread of the virus. We have a lot of different ideas. We are still reviewing options and different procedures, she said. It is very fluid right now. McGee said she and her husband City Councilor Todd McGee are currently working from home and their three children, who are 7, 4 and 2 are staying home too to do everything they can to prevent spreading the virus. Her office has tried to order hand sanitizer and wipes for the polls, but none are available. Voters also share pens to mark ballots and she said she does not know how they are going to be able to clean each pen between use. She said she is also worried about finding enough election workers since traditionally poll workers are retired and the elderly are the most vulnerable to falling seriously ill from COVID-19. For his part, Velis did suggest cities and towns recruit college students who are mostly home since colleges are either closed and having students take courses online. Chicopee has not experienced any problems preparing for the election, but there are only four precincts voting so the city does not need as many election workers, said City Clerk Keith Rattell. The Clerks office does have plenty of hand sanitizer, but people will have to share pens or bring their own and hope it will be read in the machines. If it is not, the machine will reject it and the voter will receive a second ballot, he said. People can vote by absentee ballot, but he is encouraging them to order ballots as soon as possible since they have to be mailed from City Hall and then mailed back. Since most city halls are closed to the public, he said people should apply for a ballot online. If they cannot, they can phone the Registrar of Voters office, who will send a ballot application to them and they can mail it back. The ballot will then be mailed to the voter. BJP lawmaker Suresh Prabhu has put himself under isolation at his residence for the next 14 days as a precautionary measure, even after testing negative from coronavirus following his return from Saudi Arabia. Prabhu went to Saudi Arabia to attend the second Sherpas meeting last week. Saudi Arabia has so far reported 171 cases. In a letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, the BJP leader said that he would not be able to attend the ongoing Parliament Sessions till the end of this isolation period. "I wish to inform that consequent upon my return from a recent visit to Saudi Arabia to attend the Second Sherpas' Meeting for the upcoming G20 Summit in At Khobar on 10. March 2020, as a precautionary measure, even after testing negative, I have kept myself under isolation at my residence for the next 14 days in the wake of the Corona Virus spread as per advisories," the letter read. "Therefore, I would not be able to attend Parliament Sessions till the end of this isolation period. This precautionary step has been taken taking into consideration the health of all the Members of Parliament and the Parliament Staff and Visitors," it added. Meanwhile, 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 of the virus. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Srinagar, March 18 : Despite a blanket ban on the entry of foreign tourists into Kashmir, four foreigners managed to slip out of Srinagar airport after landing here on Wednesday. Sources said four foreign tourists, a couple from Italy, an American and a Russian arrived here on Wednesday by air from Delhi. "They managed to slip out of the airport after landing here and are now staying at a houseboat on the Dal Lake in Srinagar," sources told IANS. Meanwhile, authorities are now saying that these tourists would be sent back on Thursday and there is no risk because of their arrival since they would have been screened while they travelled to other parts of the country. The coronavirus may not discriminate between human beings on the basis of race, religion, caste, gender or class, but people and societies do. Joining the Dots is a weekly column by author and journalist Samrat in which he connects events to ideas, often through analysis, but occasionally through satire *** The phrase of the moment is brief, only two words long social distancing. It is the buzz around the planet thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, for which it is a recommended safety measure. The idea is simple: put at least six feet distance between yourself and the next person. In pursuit of such distance, everything everywhere is being cancelled, from protests in India to prayers in Turkey to rock concerts in Europe. Flights around the world have been scrapped as cities, regions and even whole countries have gone into lockdown. The world is retreating behind borders, walls and doors. The expression social distance itself has two meanings, according to the dictionary. The second meaning, the avoidance of close contact with other people during the outbreak of a contagious disease in order to minimize exposure and reduce the risk of infection, is the one thats now in vogue. The first meaning of the expression however comes from sociology, not medicine, and refers to the degree of acceptance or rejection of social interaction between individuals and especially those belonging to different social groups (such as those based on race, ethnicity, class or gender). The last 150-odd years have been revolutionary, in countries and societies around the world, in diminishing social distances between races, ethnicities, genders and classes. This period had also seen an accompanying change in the form of reduced physical distance between members of different races, ethnic groups, genders and to a lesser degree, of classes. Racial segregation as a government policy existed in the United States that day in December 1955 when Rosa Parks, a black woman, was arrested for not moving to the back of a bus because seats in the front were reserved for white people. It was alive and well in the form of apartheid in South Africa until at least 1990, when Nelson Mandela was released after 27 years in jail for the crime of fighting against racial segregation. The emphasis of such policies was on enforcing social distance in physical terms between races, which thus continued into the none too distant past. Similar restrictions operated in India in the matter of caste. Members of different castes did not live in mixed communities, eat together, or inter-marry. The line of untouchability was observed pathologically by many. Interaction between genders in public spaces was also strictly regimented. Whether it was Victorian England or undivided India, the social distance between men and women was maintained no less rigidly than the distance between races and castes. All these distances still exist today, to a lesser degree than they did in the past. Despite the revolutionary changes of the past century and half, inequalities of race, caste and gender are still very much around, to say nothing of inequalities of wealth. There are some new public spaces, such as the Delhi metro, which are shared equally by people from a wide range of classes, but on the whole, the rich and poor still do not share public or private spaces. The historical trend of the shrinking of social distances was one that accompanied the shrinking of distances due to advances in communication technologies. Voyages that used to take months became trips that could be done in hours. An 1842 article in The Penny Magazine of London on steamship communication with India marvelled that, The improvements effected within the last seven years in the means of communication between England and India are far more extraordinary than any of the changes wrought by the railways in this country. Sixty years ago, the voyage from London to Calcutta usually occupied (between) five and six months. In 1836, a steamship, the Hugh Lindsay, brought down the journey time from Bombay to London to a mere fifty days. Now it takes 10 hours by air from Bombay to London. The coronavirus is bringing that world-historical trend of fast, easy travel to a sudden, if temporary, halt. Although flights between London and Mumbai have not yet been cancelled, the Indian government has suspended all tourist visas until 15 April. Other countries are taking similar steps. A lot of flights between cities around the world increasingly stand cancelled. Even where flights still operate, there are few fliers. The death of distance that had been wrought by technology is being undone, even if only for a while, by the life of this pandemic. An increase in social distance between ethnicities is also in evidence. There have been reports from various cities and countries of people avoiding those who look Chinese. In India, students from the Northeast have reported catcalls of coronavirus in a departure from older slurs. It may be the turn of white people next. If the epicentre of the disease shifts to Africa, black people are likely to face similar discrimination. The same is likely to happen to South Asians if the numbers multiply here. A heightened suspicion towards foreigners in general, and those of whichever racial type is viewed at the moment as most likely to be infected by the virus, in particular, is already happening. The suspicion towards those of lower classes will inevitably follow if the disease extends beyond those with international travel histories to take root in the local population. The poor who earn their livings as street and bazaar vendors, or daily labourers, cannot work from home. They mostly dont have N95 masks or hand sanitisers. They also live and travel in more cramped spaces than those who can afford big houses and cars. As a result, they will be both more exposed, and less able to practice social distancing. They will also be less able to afford proper treatment. The virus may not discriminate between human beings on the basis of race, religion, caste, gender or class, but people and societies do. The economic hit from the coronavirus pandemic will not be the only one. The mantra of social distancing, necessary as it is in the present situation, has already dealt a blow to ideas of freedom of movement. This is only the beginning. If the pandemic persists, it may also hit the ideas of liberty and equality that had brought about some reduction in social distances between races, nations and classes in the last 150-odd years. India has provided 15 tonnes of medical assistance comprising masks, gloves and other emergencies medical equipment to China on February 26, 2020, after it was crippled by the novel coronavirus. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in response to a question in Lok Sabha on Wednesday that India has sent relief materials to China. The aid included one lakh surgical masks, five lakh pairs of surgical gloves, 75 infusion pumps, 30 enteral feeding pumps, 21 defibrillators 21 and 4000 N-95 masks. These supplies were delivered by an Indian Air Force C-17 special flight which landed in Wuhan, China. The Centre added that this assistance was provided as a mark of friendship and solidarity from the people of India towards the people of China as the two countries also celebrate 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2020. These medical supplies were handed over to the Hubei Charity Federation in Wuhan, China. The MEA also said that a total of 276 Indians have been affected by the coronavirus across seven countries. The highest number of cases has been reported in Iran at 255, followed by United Arab Emirates (UAE) at 12, Italy at five and one each in Hong Kong SAR, Kuwait, Rwanda and Sri Lanka. The COVID-19 outbreak in sanctions-hit Iran is one of the deadliest outside China, where the disease originated. Rouhani's government says the virus has killed 1,135 people out of 17,161 cases of infections since it first emerged in the Islamic republic a month ago. Since March 13, the government has suspended all existing visas, except those related to diplomatic, official, UN and international organizations, employment and projects till April 15. Visa-free travel facility granted to OCI cardholders is also suspended. OCI cardholders already in India have been allowed to stay in India as long as they want. Visas of all foreigners already in India remain valid and can apply for an extension or conversion. In addition to visa restrictions, passengers travelling from or visited Italy or Republic of Korea, are required to provide a certificate of having tested negative for COVID-19 from the designated laboratories authorized by the health authorities of the two countries. The requirement has been in place since March 10, 2020, and will be lifted after cases of COVID-19 subside. All incoming travellers, including Indian nationals, arriving from or having visited China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain and Germany after February 15, are required to be quarantined for a minimum period of 14 days. This has come into effect from March 13 at the port of departure. All international passengers entering into India are required to furnish duly filled self-declaration form in duplicate including personal particulars i.e. phone number and address in India and undergo universal health screening at the designated health counters at all points of entry. While its not business as usual for most individuals and organizations during the COVID-19 crisis, Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center (WCDRC), provides a helpful, online alternative to people who are eager to resolve disputes. Through MI-Resolve individuals can resolve disputes online via videoconference with the help of a specially trained mediator to help parties identify a solution that works best for them. MI-Resolve, supported by the Michigan Supreme Court Administrative Office, was first introduced in 2019 and provides a free, quick and easy means of resolving disputes that are typically filed as a small claims or landlord/tenant case in the district court. As an example of how MI-Resolve works, a mother and son were able to repair their broken relationship in a landlord/tenant dispute. The son had been living with his mom and after she filed an eviction on him, it was placed on his credit report. Through mediation, she shared that her intent was not to cause him financial hardship but to help him grow up and move out on this own. Both realized there were things they would need to do in order to remove the eviction and help him find a place to live. Working together with a mediator, they were able to mend their relationship. Being able to offer people an online means of resolving disputes is especially helpful during this critical time, said Siham Awada Jaafar, president of WCDRC board of directors. In keeping with recommendations by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), our staff is working remotely. Weve currently postponed in-person programs and services until further notice. To learn about MI-Resolve eligibility requirements and the types of disputes that are most easily resolved online, visit wcdrc.org/mi-resolve-online-mediations. Serving all of Wayne County, WCDRC is headquartered in Dearborn and provides mediation services for a wide variety of domestic, general civil and school conflict issues in Wayne County. For more information, visit www.wcdrc.org or call 313-561-3500 or email info@wcdrc.org. 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. The city of Budapest will close down its playgrounds due to the coronavirus epidemic, Mayor Gergely Karacsony told an online press conference. The mayor said live on Facebook that objects at playgrounds could communicate the new virus and asked parents to keep children away from those facilities that cannot be physically shut down. Karacsony also said that parking would not be made free in the city, arguing that though there are fewer cars running, there are as many as usual or even more parking. MTI Photo: Peter Lakatos The upcoming Kirin 820 will be the first 5G-connected chipset from Huawei aimed at the mid-range. Leakster Digital Chat Station has provided the first unofficial details about the hardware. This will be a 7nm chip with Cortex-A76 acting as the big cores, just like in the Kirin 810 and 990 4G. The ISP and NPU are "fully upgraded", presumably compared to the 810. Interestingly, this will be the first chipset to come out of the HiSilicon foundries to use the Mali-G77 GPU (even the Kirin 990 uses G76). According to ARM, the G77 is 120% to 140% faster per mm compared to the G76, it's 30% more energy efficient as well. The Mali-G77 GPU core pack more performance per mm than G76 It's 30% more energy efficient The Mali-G77 is also used in Samsung's Exynos 990 chipset found in some Galaxy S20 versions. Of course, Huawei probably won't configure the mid-range chip with 11 cores, but the GPU will still be miles ahead of the Mali-G52 found inside the Kirin 810. This chipset will be used in the Honor 30S, more models are probably on the way too. Source (in Chinese) | Via This is a rendering of The Rauner Family Veteran Apartments by A Safe Haven Foundation in Hobart, Indiana. The apartment complex is scheduled to open in spring of 2021. "We are so proud to have the opportunity to help build beautiful award-winning homes for our nations heroes and to make our vision of a new affordable veteran housing project in the State of Indiana a reality." A Safe Haven Foundation announced today the closing on US Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and US Veterans Administration (VA) 75 Unit Apartment Project called The Rauner Family Veteran Apartments by A Safe Haven Foundation. It is a 75-unit Supportive Housing development in Hobart, Indiana. The apartments will be made available to low income, senior and disabled military veterans who are referred to A Safe Haven by the local Veterans Clinic and Jesse Brown VA. Onsite services will include supportive housing, individualized case management and peer support services. A groundbreaking ceremony is planned for next month. In addition to over $20 million in Federal HUD/VA rental housing tax credits, bond volume and other financing secured from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA), former Governor of Illinois and Venture Capitalist, Bruce Rauner and his wife, Diana Rauner, have generously gifted $1,000,000 to A Safe Haven Foundation to support financing and long-term ongoing support. To make this development a reality the leadership team at A Safe Haven Foundation has worked with KMA Companies as the development partner and the City of Hobart on this project for almost three years. The Rauner Family Veteran Apartments by A Safe Haven Foundation is scheduled to open in spring of 2021. The 75 apartments will showcase fully furnished apartments, a flexible meeting space/community room, exercise room, laundry room, bike storage and a beautifully, professionally landscaped outdoor patio courtyard, the US Flag and a Flag from every branch of the military. The walkway to the main entrance will feature a Bronze Star monument to Michael J. Rowland, a decorated Korean War Veteran and father of A Safe Haven Co-Founder and US Army Veteran Brian M. Rowland. Twenty-five years ago A Safe Haven Foundation set a new paradigm and standard of care for helping to address the root causes of poverty and homelessness. A Safe Haven is raising the bar again by expanding our portfolio of providing transitional, supportive, affordable, senior and military veteran housing in safe, beautiful and healthy settings," said Neli Vazquez Rowland, President of A Safe Haven Foundation. "We are so proud to have the opportunity to help build beautiful award-winning homes for our nations heroes and to make our vision of a new affordable veteran housing project in the State of Indiana a reality." Vazquez Rowland added: "We would like to give a special thanks to A Safe Haven Foundations Indiana Veterans Advisory Board lead by Pat ODonnell, Veterans Radio, Dan Mills of the American Legion, Bob Carnegie of DAV, Bill Emerson, Jim Chancellor and Victor Baker. We are grateful to have had the support of Governor Eric Holcomb, Mayor Eric Snedecor, and to have partnered with the US Veterans Administration, US Housing and Urban Development, Indiana Housing Community Development Authority, City of Hobart, Lake County Community Economic Development Department, Cinnaire Investment Corporation, Multifamily Coalition for Affordable Housing, The National Bank of Indianapolis and the Rauner Family. Bruce and Diana Rauner were one of our original and ongoing supporters who took the leap of faith in helping to back our cause over 20 years ago. With their assistance we have helped over 20,000 military veterans in crisis and their families get their lives back on track throughout the years. We are grateful to have had the privilege of working with so many committed and caring national, and local leader and veteran advocates. We could not have done this without all of their spirit de corps commitment and support. ### About A SAFE HAVEN FOUNDATION A Safe Haven (ASH) is a social enterprise that provides a comprehensive and vertically integrated approach uniquely designed to address root causes of poverty and homelessness for social and economic development to achieve sustainable self-sufficiency. Populations served: Individuals, Adults, Families with children, Youth, Veterans and non-violent re-entry. ASH Services: Individualized case management, shelter, food, treatment, education, job training, access to employment & affordable housing. Partnership network: public/private/corporate/foundations and other entities to provide a network that can help deliver a seamless continuum of care, housing and employment and/or resources including funding to achieve financial stability & sustainability. Impact Goal: improved return on investment, efficiencies and results for all stakeholders. Learn more: [http://www.ASafeHaven.org Warring parties pressed to declare immediate humanitarian cessation of hostilities as the contagion spreads. The United Nations and nine countries called on Libyas warring parties to cease hostilities to allow health authorities to fight rapidly spreading coronavirus. A humanitarian truce was demanded in a joint statement by the ambassadors of Algeria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the European Union delegation to Libya and the governments of Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates. They called on the warring parties to declare an immediate, humanitarian cessation of hostilities to allow local authorities to respond to the unprecedented public health challenge posed by COVID-19. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya joined the call, urging all parties to join forces immediately before it is too late to face this overwhelming, fast-spreading threat. Eastern Libya curfew A day after the announcement on Tuesday, the parallel administration controlling eastern Libya led by renegade commander Khalifa Haftar announced it would impose a curfew from 6pm-6am (16:00 04:00 GMT), excluding security and emergency personnel, to stop any spread of the coronavirus, its interior ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. War-torn Libya is largely divided between forces backing the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) and those of Haftar, who backs a rival administration in the countrys east. To date, no cases of COVID-19 have been reported by either administration, but experts fear an outbreak could be catastrophic because of the countrys degraded health system. A fragile truce entered into force on January 12, but there have been repeated violations. After closing schools last week, the GNA said, on Monday, that it was closing land borders and halting flights in the west of the country to keep out the virus. In the east, borders remain open with Egypt, which has reported 166 cases of COVID-19. In more than three decades in the produce business, Steve Bamford admits hes never seen anything quite like the buying frenzy prompted by COVID-19 going on right now. Buyers are ordering twice as much of some things as they normally would, and assuming theyll have too much. And then theyre getting wiped out. Ive never seen something like this, said Bamford, president of the Toronto Wholesale Produce Association, and a veteran wholesaler at the Ontario Food Terminal. Roughly $3 billion of wholesale produce pass through the terminal every year, making it the biggest fruit, vegetable and flower market in Canada, and the third biggest by sales in North America, after Los Angeles and New York. It supplies roughly 40 per cent of the produce in Ontario. The terminal brings together wholesalers, farmers, and retailers ranging from corner stores to smaller, independent chains such as Longos and Rabba. (Larger chains, such as Loblaws, have their own distribution networks and typically dont use the terminal.) Business has been booming since last week, Bamford added. Theres been a 25 to 40 per cent lift over what wed normally see. Stores need product because people keep cleaning them out, said Bamford. Despite the buying frenzy, Bamford has a simple message: The supply of fresh fruits and vegetables hasnt been interrupted. Were not going to run out of food. If you go to a store and somethings gone, it will be restocked by the next day. We may see some difficulty getting a few things from Italy and Spain, but thats about it, said Bamford. Sylvain Charlebois, a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University, said he cant blame everyone for panicking; after all, this is the first global pandemic like this in most peoples lifetime. But he said despite all the empty shelves, the supply chain can handle the demand its just hard for supermarkets to keep up with restocking. You cant really blame grocers for not being able to cope with such intense buying. Charlebois thinks the worst is gone now when it comes to panic-buying. In an open letter to customers Monday, Loblaws CEO Galen Weston had a similar message. Do not worry. We are not running out of food or essential supplies. Our supply chain and store teams are responding to the spikes in volume and quickly getting the most important items back on the shelf, he wrote, adding that some items including hand sanitizer might take longer, but will return. While Charlebois agrees that customers dont need to worry about running out of supplies, he did say that Canadas neighbours to the South could change everything. The wild card is the United States, he said, adding he doesnt think they deal well with fear. It is probably the one thing that worries me a lot, just because of the fact that theyve been late out of the gate to deal with this issue, he said. Charlebois said if the border closes to people, which he thinks is likely, the supply chain shouldnt be hurt. But if it closes to trade and merchandise which he does say is unlikely that would be a problem. If something happens to that border ... the situation would be quite problematic. Charlebois is also watching the Canadian dollar slowly drop as the pandemic spread. He said this could cause grocery store prices to go up. However, declining oil prices could offset the extra costs for grocers in the long term, he said. In his letter, Weston also nixed price-gouging worries and theories, promising not to raise prices to take advantage of COVID-19. Bamford had a similar message for Canadian shoppers. While the flow of produce hasnt been hampered, Bamford says Canadians might see a few items rise slightly in price. Its not, he stressed, because of any price gouging or at least it shouldnt be, he said. Were paying more because the loonies gone down, and almost all suppliers get paid in U.S. dollars, said Bamford, estimating wholesalers are paying between 5 and 10 per cent more for most items because of the loonies fall. As for the safety of the produce, the terminal has upped the frequency of its cleaning and sanitization, and is also screening people at the front gate of the terminal. Its also cutting the number of people who can be inside at any given time. Were checking people at the gate, to find out if theyve travelled anywhere. We havent started checking peoples temperatures yet, but were getting that implemented. Were practising safe hygiene, and were limiting the number of people who can be in here at any one time, said Bamford. John Hayes: The plan to impose abortion on demand on Northern Ireland by the end of this month and why it should be stopped Sir John Hayes is a former Minister of State who served in six departments, and is MP for South Holland and the Deepings. The restoration of Stormont in January ended three years of division, giving the people of Northern Ireland the ability again to make their voices count through their elected MLAs. All of those involved in the process of restoration deserve thanks for their persistence, dedication and willingness to compromise. Though it is right to celebrate this restoration, we should remain cautious, for the foundations of the devolution settlement in Northern Ireland remain fragile. As the Province is an essential part of the United Kingdom, the UK Government has an ethical, as well as a constitutional obligation to defend and strengthen these foundations. Turning a blind eye to this duty would be a fundamental mistake. In the next few weeks, the UK Government faces the first test of its commitment to the devolution settlement in Northern Ireland as an amendment (proposed by the Labour MP Stella Creasy) was passed to last years Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act requiring a framework which would allow the provision of abortion in the Province in very limited circumstances. Even though Stormont is now back, the UK Government, unless it chooses to change the law, remains legally bound to carry out the implementation of this new abortion framework before 31st March. Specifically, through this amendment, the Government is legally required to implement an abortion framework in Northern Ireland which would allow abortion when there is a threat to the pregnant womans physical or mental health, the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest, or if the unborn child was diagnosed with a life-limiting disability. Disturbingly, the consultation published by the Northern Ireland Office proposed a framework which went far beyond these limited legal requirements. The consultation proposed to allow abortion for any reason including the sex or race of the baby for up to either 12 or 14 weeks; de-facto abortion on demand to either 22 or 24 weeks; remove the legal requirement that a doctor must be involved in the process; legally allow abortions to take place in schools or over Facetime/Skype; and would legally allow abortions up to birth after the diagnosis of either cleft lip, club foot, or Downs Syndrome as the primary condition. On this latter point, a campaign led by Heidi Crowter, which wants to change the law so disability-selection abortion cannot take place up to birth was recently featured on national television. On top of all this, outrageously, the proposals consulted upon suggest that the criminal sentences that men would face in Northern Ireland for spiking a womans food or drink with an abortion pill should be reduced. Quite why the Northern Ireland office officials chose to go so far beyond what Parliament wanted is a matter of speculation. Some say the Government might be using Northern Ireland as a guinea pig to test policies before implementing them in England, rather as the poll tax was tested in Scotland. If there were public demand in Northern Ireland for this greatly expanded abortion framework, the peculiar stance of the Northern Ireland Office might be more explicable. Yet, no such public appetite exists. In fact, recent research conducted by the University of Liverpool shows that only five per cent of people in Northern Ireland support introducing abortion through to 24-weeks, as the Governments proposed framework aims to do. The same research shows that 58 per cent of Sinn Fein voters and 54 per cent of DUP only want abortions to be allowed when there is a threat to the mothers health. Just weeks ago we were celebrating the DUP and Sinn Fein putting aside differences to restore the assembly. Wouldnt it be sadly ironic then if the UK Government imposed a policy on Northern Ireland, overriding devolution in the process, that unites the majority of voters from both parties in their hostility to Westminster. The simplest way to stop the UK Government infringing on the devolution settlement is to repeal Section 9 of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act. This would end the legal requirement for the UK Government to impose abortion on Northern Ireland, giving back full control to the devolved administration. As many aspects of the proposed abortion framework go way beyond what is currently allowed in England and Wales, given the contrary views of the people in Northern Ireland, it seems likely this will be interpreted as the UK Government imposing its will on a reluctant part of the Kingdom which is doubtless disdainfully regarded by Whitehalls liberal elite as antediluvian. As Conservatives and Unionists, anything that threatens the fabric of our United Kingdom damages the very essence of our Partys credo. Feeding the feeling that Westminster is using Northern Ireland to test policies before implementing them in England could fuel Irish nationalism (Just as an equivalent narrative fuelled Scottish nationalism in the 1990s) we run the risk of history repeating itself Rather than imposing a policy that is not being applied anywhere else in the Union, we should limit the changes to only those that are legally required, or repeal Section 9 altogether. Anything that endangers the fabrics of our United Kingdom should be opposed by all true Conservatives. This is a Peoples Government, of a kind longed for by hard working patriots for years. So, in this spirit, Ministers must listen to the opinions of the Northern Irish on the implementation of the abortion framework. The peoples will must prevail. To re-empathise the Governments commitment to the devolution settlement the bedrock of the peace agreement in Northern Ireland the Northern Ireland Office must repeal section 9 of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act, or at the very least not go beyond what is legally required while abortion is fully devolved to Northern Ireland and the new Assemblys authority is honoured. With at least 164 countries around the world battling coronavirus, there seems to be only one place that has not been infected the International Space Station (ISS). NASA has a strategy in place to prevent astronauts from carrying potentially dangerous viruses and pathogens to the ISS known as 'health stabilization.' Crews heading to the ISS undergo a physical exam 10 days before launch, which includes swabs and other lab tests to make sure they are not currently infected with a disease. If the results prove negative, each individual is asked to limit contact with the public and then enter into a two week-period of quarantine to determine if they are incubating an illness. SpaceX is set to launch its first manned craft carrying two NASA astronauts in May and according to both the firm and NASA, the mission to space is still on despite the pandemic spreading on Earth. Scroll down for video With at least 164 countries around the world battling coronavirus, there seems to be only one place that has not been infected the International Space Station (pictured). NASA has a strategy in place to prevent astronauts from carrying potentially dangerous viruses and pathogens to the ISS known as 'health stabilization Governments and agencies across the globe are scrambling to limit the spread of the coronavirus there are more than 206,000 cases and over 8,000 confirmed deaths around the world. Health organizations have released recommendations that include washing hands, social distancing and quarantining those who have been exposed or contracted the virus. However, such tactics have been used by NASA for years and on numerous occasions. Luis Zea, a researcher from BioServe Space Technologies at the University of Colorado Boulder, told Newsweek: 'I would say that, regarding coronavirus, the ISS is probably one of the safest places to be at this point.' SpaceX is set to launch its first manned craft carrying two NASA astronauts in May and according to both the firm and NASA, the mission to space is still on despite the pandemic spreading on Earth (pictured are astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley who will board teh Crew Dragon) 'This comes from the fact that the novel coronavirus can only survive for short periods of time on surfaces and an infected person would likely be screened and diagnosed during the quarantine period astronauts go through prior to launch.' NASA began the health stabilization program following the Apollo 7 mission in 1968 when Wally Schirra, a veteran of both Mercury and Gemini missions, came down with the common cold. Walt Cunningham, who was also on the Apollo 7 mission, said: 'The impact of Wally's cold was tremendous,' Cunningham said, according to BBC News. 'Wally had to blow his nose pretty regularly and he would blow his nose once and fold the Kleenex away after a couple of times, Don and I said, 'No, no, you're going to have to use those Kleenex more than that.' Schirra's illness made him tired and irritable, and this was reflected in his communications with the ground. Following this fiasco, NASA moved to put health safety preventions in place. Along with being quarantined for observation, all of the astronauts undergo medical training and stay in contact with a team of doctors while aboard the ISS who are able to monitor their health and vitals from the ground. NASA began the health stabilization program following the Apollo 7 mission in 1968 when Wally Schirra (pictured), a veteran of both Mercury and Gemini missions, came down with the common cold Items sent to the ship are also thoroughly cleaned and sterilize, which will help keep coronavirus from traveling with them, as the virus is unable to survive on objects for a long period of time. 'Items that go up to Station are thoroughly cleaned and sometimes, depending on the item itself, may be sterilized, Zea told Newsweek. 'However, a stringent requirement for sterilization exists for spacecraft that will land on other celestial bodies to ensure that, in the future when we 'sniff' more molecules indicative of potential life, we are not sniffing something that a previous spacecraft brought into that planet. 'In the case of the ISS, microbes travel with the crew, like it or not. In fact, a human has more bacterial cells in and on their body than their own cells, so it doesn't matter where we go, bacteria will accompany us.' The ISS is also designed with 'lifeboats' docked to it that allow all crew members to quickly evacuate in case of an emergency. "And just as were following CDC guidelines, were asking our customers to do this too," Keyes said. "Please practice social distancing while shopping in our stores, and as the CDC states, please stay home if youre not feeling well. By working together in these ways, we can do our part to help prevent the spread of this virus in our communities." Target is reserving the first hour of shopping every Wednesday for the elderly and those with underlying health concerns. It also will close all stores by 9 p.m. to provide more time for cleaning and restocking. It's closing all Target Cafes, Pizza Huts, snack bars, beverage bars, Starbucks seating areas and condiment stations to stop the spread of disease. The Minneapolis-based retailer, which has several Region locations, is adding payroll hours to ensure more cleaning, including of checkout lanes and touchscreens every 30 minutes. Target is covering up to 14 days of quarantine and illness pay for any employees who come down with a confirmed case of COVID-19, partly to ensure they will stay home and not put customers at risk. And it's working with suppliers to fast-track the resupply of high-demand items, such as cleaning products, food, over-the-counter medicine, toilet paper and baby products. The balance of combat power has shifted in the last six months as the government lost a lot of their ground troops. This was because the UAE (United Arab Emirates) withdrew most of its forces in late 2019 because of disagreements with Saudi Arabia over strategy, and fears in the UAE that Iran might attack. The UAE has less population and fewer troops than Saudi Arabia. The UAE is also smaller and closer to Iran. Since January all the Sudanese troops have left. In 2015 the recently deposed Sudan president (dictator) Omar al Bashir ordered the Sudanese military to send 15,000 troops and a small air force detachment to Yemen to serve with the Saudi-led anti-Iran coalition. The Saudis paid well for this. In April 2019 Bashir was removed from power and the new government decided to get the troops out of Yemen. By January 2020 all the Sudanese troops were gone. The Sudanese played a largely defensive role but that was important as it prevented the rebels from regaining many large and thinly populated areas they had been pushed out of. The UAE ground forces were smaller but better armed, trained and capable of offensive operations. As of these withdrawals, the Arab Coalition lost about half its ground forces in the last six months. By the end of 2019, the rebels were taking advantage of this and launching offensive operations in areas where they had long been on the defensive, and even retreating. The Saudis have not come up with a solution to this problem. The Saudis have many reasons to fear Iran. Historically the Iranians have always been more effective militarily and that factor is still present. While the Iranians have a tradition of recruiting the most capable men to be officers, the Saudis, and Arab governments in general, are wary of professional military personnel, especially officers. Its mostly about fear of a military takeover and the Saudis have crippled their own military by valuing loyalty over competence when it comes to officers, and many troops as well. As a result, the Saudis do not have a lot of troops they can trust to do well in a foreign war. Air Force pilots are another matter but you cannot win a ground war from the air. On the ground, the lack of more talented and experienced ground commanders in Yemen has hurt the Saudis in ways they wont admit. The Saudis have a bigger problem with the fact that the rebels are backed by Iran which continues to pay whatever it takes to smuggle in some weapons despite Saudi efforts to tighten the sea, air and ground blockade. Yemen is unique in that is a nation with a disproportionate number of skilled smugglers, many of them willing to work for whoever will pay. A Difficult Situation This new situation puts Saudi Arabia in a difficult position. Efforts to negotiate an end of the Yemen war proved unsuccessful as Iranian control over the Shia rebels could not be reduced. The Iranians are determined to maintain their presence in Yemen and on the Saudi border. From there the Iranians can continue to launch attacks on the Saudis, who do not want to commit the ground forces necessary to take control of the adjacent Yemeni provinces that are the homeland of the Shia rebels. The Saudis also have to maintain sufficient forces in northeast Saudi Arabia, where most of the oil is and the Iranian threat has been a problem for decades. At this point, the best thing the Saudis can hope for is that the religious dictatorship that has ruled Iran for decades will collapse and be replaced by a friendlier and less threatening government. That is a growing possibility that the Saudis are helping along by increasing oil shipments during the current economic recession caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Economic activity, and oil demand, in many countries, has driven the oil price lower and lower. A major weakness of the Iranian dictatorship is its overwhelming dependence on oil income. In 2013 oil was selling for $100 a barrel but then North American fracking became much more efficient and within a few years, the U.S. was once more, for the first time in decades, a major oil producer and exporter. Within a few years, the oil price fell by about fifty percent. This came just when a 2015 arms control treaty with Iran got economic sanctions lifted. Iran could now export all the oil it could pump and import whatever it wanted. That ended in 2017 when the Americans revived the sanctions because they had caught the Iranians violating the arms control treaty. Since 2017 the oil price has risen to about $60 a barrel but Iran was only able to smuggle out a third of what it normally exported and the smuggling effort meant the oil was sold at an even lower price. Now the Saudis are forcing the oil price down towards $20 a barrel. In the meantime, Iran was hit hard by the coronavirus, especially among religious leaders and their key associates. Many Iranians see this as divine retribution against an already unpopular and unsuccessful government. But the religious leaders have a large force of well-armed, trained and fanatic loyalists willing to make any uprising extremely bloody. However,the Yemen war ends, it wont be easy or painless. Disarming The Food Weapon The two major donor nations (U.S. and Britain) for Yemen aid are reducing food and other aid because the Shia rebels refuse to eliminate restrictions on auditing and supervising what happens to aid in rebel-controlled areas. American aid for rebel-held areas is stopping at the end of March. The UN continues to document rebel practices that involve destroying, diverting or delaying the distribution of aid in rebel-held areas where the local civilians will not cooperate with the rebels. For over a year now the rebels have been recruiting teenagers for their combat forces and many families and tribes will not cooperate. Other tribes continue to oppose the rebels for any number of reasons. No food or medicine for these either. A growing number of hostile tribes are cooperating with the rebels to avoid starvation. What it came down to was that the aid was prolonging the war. In response, a lot of the aid is being halted, at least for the rebel-controlled areas. This rebel misuse of aid had been going on for years and the rebels continue ignoring the UN and donor complaints. The Shia tribes have never accepted the authority of any national government and feel justified in doing whatever it takes to maintain their independence or at least autonomy. To achieve this goal the rebels must prevail in their war against Saudi Arabia and the Sunni majority in Yemen. Stealing more and more foreign aid has become essential to keep their rebellion going and the donor nations have run out of options to deal with this. The rebels also get some aid from Iran, but this must be smuggled in. Shia Iran also makes demands. So for over a year, the Shia rebels have been imposing more and more religious restrictions on people living under their control. This includes many Sunni tribes. The rebels have even been shutting down cafes and restaurants that cater to groups of women. These gatherings are considered un-Islamic by religious conservatives. In late 2019 the Shia rebels also shut down most public Internet access in the areas they control. This was to limit reports of how civilians were being mistreated in rebel-controlled areas. The rebels want more control over the news coming out of areas they control. This is more important than ever since the food aid is being sharply cut and the rebels can fight back by publicizing the suffering of Yemenis denied food. It is important not to let the hungry Yemenis speak out and explain that they had little access to food aid even before the donor nations halted shipments. March 17, 2020: In the northwest (south of the Red Sea port of Hodeida), the Shia rebels launched two remotely controlled boats armed with explosives in an effort to destroy an oil tanker or cargo ship coming through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, which is the entrance to the Red Sea. The naval blockade force detected this and destroyed the two boats. The rebels are trying to disrupt Red Sea traffic, which is essential for Saudi Arabian imports and even more critical for Egypt. Nearly 20,000 ships a year pass through the Red sea headed for the Suez Canal, which earns Egypt nearly $6 billion a year in transit fees. In a TV interview, the commander of the Shia rebels boasted of how he was able to coerce more and more neutral or hostile tribes to fight for the rebels. March 16, 2020: In central Yemen (Marib province) Shia rebels continue to advance but are encountering more resistance on the ground and a lot more Saudi airstrikes. March 15, 2020: The Shia rebels admitted that they had destroyed 160 tons of foreign aid wheat stored in Taiz province for distribution to needy Yemenis. The local Yemenis would not cooperate with the rebels so the wheat was set on fire. March 14, 2020: The Shia rebels proposed that aid groups pay a cash fee if they want to supervise the distribution of food in rebel-controlled areas. The rebels would control the size of the fees, meaning the rebels could increase the fees to levels the aid donors could not or would not pay. March 13, 2020: The UN effort to demilitarize the Red Sea port of Hodeida has been abandoned. The rebels refused to cooperate, while simultaneously saying they would. March 9, 2020: In the north (Jawf province), government forces pushed Shia rebels out of Khub Walshaaf, an area on the Saudi border the rebels had briefly occupied. Jawf is the eastern neighbor of the Shia home province of Saada and has long been subject to Shia influence and pressure. This fighting has been going on for a month and the Saudis have contributed lots of airstrikes in support of Yemeni government forces and pro-government tribal militias resisting this latest Shia offensive in Jawf. The rebels still hold Hazm, the provincial capital. Jawf is in the north, just east of Saada province, the Shia tribal homeland. North of Jawf is Saudi Arabia. The rebels feared a major uprising in areas they controlled or had disputed (with the government) control. The other provinces are not as crucial to the Shia rebels. The harshest punishment is to withhold relief supplies and foreign aid in general. This has contributed to the collapse in sanitation services and a population more vulnerable to outbreaks of contagious diseases like dengue fever, cholera and malaria. March 7, 2020: In the northwest (the port village of Salif, north of Hodeida), Saudi warplanes bombed harbor buildings where the Shia rebels assembled remote-controlled boat bombs. March 3, 2020: In central Yemen (Marib province), Shia rebels advanced into northwestern Marib and occupied an area controlled by two tribes who agreed to switch sides and avoid fighting for control of the area. In the southeast (Mahra province), AQAP (Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula) Islamic terrorists apparently used four remotely controlled boats armed with explosives in an effort to destroy an oil tanker. The attack failed. The shipping channel north is close to the Yemen coast and the port of Nishtun. AQAP is seeking revenge for the recent killing of its leader. March 2, 2020: The Shia rebels demanded that foreign aid delivered to several million people in areas under rebel control must be free of any foreign control or interference. That means the UN and other foreign aid groups must withdraw their personnel and just hand aid over to the rebels to distribute or, as is often the case, sell to raise cash for their military operations. March 1, 2020: In the north (Jawf province), the Shia rebels have advanced and taken control of the entire province. The rebels appear to be preparing for an advance into neighboring Marib province. The rebels have sought to get the major tribes in Marib to surrender peacefully with assurances that the rebels could do what the Arab Coalition could not and get the oil fields in Marib operating again. Jawf province is east of the Shia rebel home province Since mid-2019 the Shia rebels have been retaliating against Yemenis suspected of disloyalty in the provinces of Jawf, Sanaa, Dhamar, Taiz, and Bayda. The rebels have arrested hundreds of local and kidnapped dozens where an arrest was impractical. The rebels also set up more road checkpoints. February 26, 2020: In the northwest (south of the Red Sea port of Hodeida), government forces shot down another rebel UAV armed with explosives and aimed at government troops. This was the fifth such UAV shot down in the last week. February 25, 2020: The UN renewed, for another year, its arms ban on weapons imports to Yemen. The ban has been in force since 2015 and Iran has been the primary source of illegal weapons smuggling. February 23, 2020: AQAP confirmed that an American missile had killed their leader, Qassim al Rimi, at the end of January. Khalid Batarfi was named the new AQAP leader. February 22, 2020: In the northwest (outside of the Red Sea port of Hodeida), Shia rebels began to block UN supervised food and other aid shipments to the millions of Yemenis living under rebel control. The rebels are demanding more control over the aid. February 20, 2020: In the north, outside the rebel occupied capital Saana, several Iranian ballistic missiles were launched at targets in southwest Saudi Arabia. The Saudis said they intercepted the missiles which caused no damage to the cities and oil facilities they were aimed at. February 17, 2020: In the southeast (Mahra province), Saudi troops clashed with armed members of the local Mahra tribe near the Oman border. Marah province borders Saudi Arabia in the north and Oman in the east. The fighting today took place outside the town of Shan when the Saudi troops tried to force their way in but were repulsed. Saudi troops have been in Mahra province since 2017 to deal with the Iranian arms that were being smuggled to the Shia rebels via nearby ports in Mahra and Oman. February 14, 2020: In the north (Jawf province), a Saudi Tornado fighter bomber crashed during operations against Shia rebels. The rebels claim they used an Iranian anti-aircraft missile to bring the warplane down. That was not the case as the Tornado went down because the two-man crew had problems with their oxygen supply plus a fire in the cockpit. The pilots ejected and were later picked up by a Saudi helicopter. February 9, 2020: In the Arabian Sea (the northwestern Indian Ocean between India and Arabia), an American destroyer halted and searched a dhow because of information indicating smuggling. A search of the cargo revealed a large number of Iranian weapons (anti-tank missiles) and key components for larger Iranian missiles and UAVs as well as remotely controlled bomb boats. The cargo was apparently headed for Yemen, where final delivery would probably be made by fishing boats carrying cargoes of weapons rather than recently caught fish. There are so many of these fishing boats off the Red Sea coast of Yemen that not all can be searched and the smuggler boats seek to appear less suspicious than the actual fishing boats. Iran pays what it takes to get this smuggling done and there are plenty of skilled smugglers in Yemen looking for work, no questions asked. Such cargoes used to be sent to Gaza on a regular basis but the Israeli-Egyptian blockade is tighter than ever and it is difficult to even get individuals or suitcases of cash into Gaza. February 8, 2020: International shipping companies warned their ships that naval mines, of the contact type, were floating into the Red Sea from Yemeni to the south. That coast is off the Shia rebel home province of Sadaa and the rebels have released these mines periodically to try and disrupt Red Sea shipping traffic to and from Saudi Arabia. The currents generally flow north in this part of the Red Sea. The floating contact mines are a 19th century development that has been improved on for over a century and is still used because it is cheap and effective. Iran has provided the Shia rebels with these mines which are normally kept in place by a cable or chain between the mine and an anchor on the sea bottom. The Shia rebels cut the cable and let the mines drift into the Red Sea. February 5, 2020: In the Red Sea, an Egyptian fishing boat, while in international waters, was destroyed a Yemeni Shia rebel naval mine. Three of the crew died in the 2 Am explosion and three others were rescued by nearby ships. The Arab Coalition, which Egypt is part of, maintains a naval patrol along the Yemen Red Sea coast to block weapons smugglers and to keep the Red Sea clear of these mines, some of which are Iranian made while the rest are assembled in Yemen from components smuggled in from Iran. Since 2015 the Arab Coalition has found and disposed of 153 of these mines. Advertisement Alessandra Ambrosio has been sharing stunning pinup photos from her trip to Brazil almost daily. And on Wednesday the 38-year-old supermodel was at it again as she debuted the aquamarine swimsuit from her GAL Floripa line that she created with her best friend and sister. The images were taken during a trip to her native Brazil earlier this year before the coronavirus pandemic changed the way people live. A real gem: Alessandra Ambrosio has been sharing stunning pinup photos from her trip to Brazil almost daily. And on Wednesday the 38-year-old supermodel was at it again as she debuted the aquamarine swimsuit from her GAL Floripa line that she created with her best friend and sister Before chaos and panic: The images were taken during a trip to her native Brazil earlier this year before the coronavirus pandemic changed the way people live The caption for one of the images read: 'Look in our new #ACQUAMARINEcolor #WAVEbikini.' The slender siren was showing off her toned tummy and sculpted arms as she wore the suit while in a tiled swimming pool at sunset. Another lovely shot, where she was posing with a model who looked like her twin, was captioned, 'Hear the softly spoken magic spell.' Double trouble in the tropics: The caption for one of the images read: 'Look in our new #ACQUAMARINEcolor #WAVEbikini' The bronzed beauty was seen the day before in a white two piece. The former Victoria's Secret model looked to have a very toned figure with sculpted arms, defined abs and toned legs as she made the most of the little white bikini. The suit crossed in front and had thick straps up the sides. The bottoms had a wave in front with thick fabric along her hips. The leggy legend wore her long, highlighted hair down and had on bronze makeup as the sea was in the background. Twinning on the beach: Another lovely shot, where she was posing with a model who looked like her twin, was captioned, 'Hear the softly spoken magic spell' One of the captions read, 'Introducing #WAVEstyle. Energy is an inherent power. We are vibrations of energy. A process of constant change, growth and evolution.' Another said, 'Energy is an inherent power. We are vibrations of energy. A process of constant change, growth and evolution.' And lastly she said: 'We are channels of a constant FLOW of unlimited energy. Every cell within our bodies is constantly changing with the flow of energy.' Fancy resort: The slender siren was showing off her toned tummy and sculpted arms as she wore the suit while in a tiled swimming pool at sunset Another image saw the cover girl in the exact same bikini but this time in turquoise blue. She was resting on her hands as she closed her eyes while in a blue and green tiled swimming pool. She was in Florianopolis, which is the capital of southern Brazils Santa Catarina state. The area is known for its pristine beaches, including popular resort areas such as Praia dos Ingleses at the island's northern area. The line was created with 'soul sisters' Gisele Coria and Aline Ambrosio. She has also introduced the Yantra line. Her website says, 'The spirit of GAL Floripa is aligned with Mother Natures essence; its many rhythms and flows, mysteries and magnificence, as well as connection of its elements with womens lives.' The siren, who was born in Brazil and came to fame thanks to Victoria's Secret and Vogue, has said her suits are made with the 'power of YANTRA.' She has said before that the line is special because it uses the geometry of the SRI YANTRA symbol. The Shri Yantra, Sri Yantra, or Shri Chakra is a form of mystical diagram (yantra) used in the Shri Vidya school of Hinduism. It consists of nine interlocking triangles that surround a central point known as a bindu. These triangles represent the cosmos and the human body, it is explained on Wikipedia. Better than ever: This weekend, the leggy legend shared several new snaps where she was in an eye-catching one two piece. She wore her long, highlighted hair down and had on bronze makeup as the sea was in the background She has been promising all month that her new swimsuits are all about 'enlightenment.': ' The #YANTRAstyle is inspired by the geometry of the SRI YANTRA symbol. 'Downward pointing triangles represent feminine aspect of God, upward pointing triangles, the masculine. The central triangle is the giver of all perfection. 'In the middle of the central triangle is a point, Bindu, representing pure consciousness and the original state of being.' Alessandra shares her daughter Anja and son Noah with her ex-fiance Jamie Mazur. She began dating Nicolo after her split from Jamie in 2018. Australian workers who lose their jobs because of the coronavirus pandemic will reportedly receive welfare benefits which pay more than the dole. The enhanced Centrelink payments will reportedly be a part of a second government package to keep the economy alive following last week's $17.6billion stimulus - which promised a cheque of $750 for six million Australians. Small and medium businesses given tax breaks and subsidies under the original plan are also expected to be given a boost in the upcoming support package. The bolstered benefit payments will be made to those who have lost casual and full-time roles through no fault of their own, The Australian Financial Review reported. Three women wearing face masks to step out during their lunch break on Wednesday in Neutral Bay in Sydney's lower north shore, as COVID-19 cases soar. Australians who lose casual and full-time roles through no fault of their own will receive enhanced Centrelink payments It comes as leaders of G20 countries, including Australia, prepare to meet for a virtual summit in Saudi Arabia to discuss the coronavirus crisis. Council of Small Business Organisations Australia CEO Peter Strong predicts about 500,000 will be forced out of work nationally as a direct result of COVID-19. More than 200,000 people have been infected with the disease globally since it first spread out of Wuhan in China, while the Australian case count has reached 568 - with six deaths. The jump in infections on Wednesday of 110 is the highest increase day-to-day in Australia since the outbreak. Whether those already on Newstart will have access to the high-paying welfare benefits or will instead receive an extra stimulus on top of the $750 payment is still unclear. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said the new package, which follows $17.6 billion worth of support announced last week, will be significant. It's set to be announced in coming days so it can be passed as law when a scaled-down parliament resumes next week. Senator Cormann said the economic hit from the coronavirus pandemic could last up to nine months, as countries move to shut their borders and industries suffer. 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 is aiming for measures that cushion the blow of the virus, so the economy can eventually bounce back. The Reserve Bank is expected to cut the cash rate to 0.25 per cent on Thursday afternoon. RBA governor Philip Lowe is due to deliver a speech online shortly after the announcement. The government's first stimulus package included $750 one-off payments for pensioners and welfare recipients, as well as grants of up to $25,000 for small business. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has recommended a range of measures for the second package, including help for businesses to keep employees as well as concessional loans to assist with cash flow restraints. Australia's small business and family enterprise ombudsman Kate Carnell has urged the government to include sole traders in its support package, as they can't access the grants on offer. SPRINGFIELD On a normal Wednesday afternoon, finding a parking spot on Worthington Street is nearly impossible. But today, with many people working from home and restaurants limiting the number of staff on site, the street looks deserted. Still, many restaurants remain open, offering everything from curbside pickup to delivery. We have a good rapport with the other businesses on the street so if the demand is there I would join with them to offer delivery, but right now we are just doing takeout, said Chris McKiernan, owner of BarKaya Sushi & Ramen at 278 Worthington St. He is offering the full menu for takeout, but that may change in the coming weeks. Some of our purveyors are not coming out here from New York, and even locally some have decided to close, so we may run out of some things. But hopefully this will only go on for a couple of weeks, he said. 3/18/2020 - A customer picks up his takeout order at BarKaya restaurant in Springfield on Wednesday. Gov. Charlie Baker ordered all restaurants to only offer takeout and delivery amid the COVID-19 public health crisis. (Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican) As the owner talked about the challenges, a customer came into the restaurant to pick up a takeout order. BarKaya is not usually a takeout location most people come to enjoy the ambiance. People like to come in for dinner or date night, but surprisingly we have been doing better than anticipated with takeout, he said. McKiernan has reduced his staff from five to two for now. I want to keep some sense of normalcy for them and for our customers, but its definitely challenging, he said. 3/18/2020 - The bar area at Student Prince Cafe and The Fort Restaurant in Springfield is temporarily closed. The restaurant is now offering takeout only. Massaschusetts governor Charlie Baker ordered all restaurants to only offer takeout and delivery amid COVID-19 public health crisis. (Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican) The Student Prince and the Fort, at 8 Fort St., is another bar and restaurant that makes most of its sales from people dining in. On Wednesday afternoon there were only a few employees and a deserted restaurant. Its been very quiet. Every time the phone rings I jump to get it, said Heidi Fishman, who has been taking orders. The restaurant has a limited kitchen staff and no waitstaff following Gov. Charlie Bakers order restricting restaurants to only takeout and delivery. We have a limited menu that people can go online and order or they can always call, of course, said John Perry, assistant general manager of the restaurant. We want people to know we are open and we hope they will still consider ordering from us for lunch or dinner. Hot Oven Cookies at 1597 Main St. just returned to its Springfield location two weeks ago after being in Hadley for several months. David Coon, who owns the cookie shop with his wife Sheila Coon, said there has always been a strong delivery component to the business, so he hopes that will help them. We are turning the Grub Hub service back on so people can have their cookies delivered. We also are offering curbside pickup, so if you order online we will bring the cookies right out to the car for you, he said. The shop is also offering to wrap each cookie individually. We are here, we are open and we have had so much support for the community in the past. We just hope this (partial shutdown) will not last for more than a few weeks, he said. For people interested in supporting their favorite restaurants and bars, the most important thing is to call first or go online to see if there is a way to order for delivery. Most places are offering delivery, but some places require customers to pick up the order at the restaurant. Related content: VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Monument Mining Limited (TSX-V: MMY and FSE: D7Q1) (Monument or the Company) announces that the Company will follow the Movement Control Order (the Order) issued by the Malaysian government to suspend operations at its Selinsing Gold Mine from March 18th to March 31st 2020 (the Movement Control Period) in Pahang State, Malaysia. CEO and President Cathy Zhai said: Monument is in full compliance with the Order which puts employees wellbeing as first priority. It has also implemented a business sustaining plan to ensure the operation would be back on track immediately once the ban of mining activities is lifted. We will work together with all of our stakeholders to overcome this difficult period. On March 17, 2020 the Company received notice from the Mineral and Geoscience Department Malaysia (JMG) for all mining leaseholders to adjourn mining activities in the State of Pahang, to follow-up the Movement Control Order (the Order), as a preventive measure against the Covid-19 Pandemic. The Malaysian Prime Minister has given a speech to the Nation on March 16, which, among others, has ordered for closure of all government and private premises except those involved in essential services (water, electricity, energy, telecommunications, post, transportation, irrigation, oil, gas fuel, lubricants, broadcasting, finance, banking, health, pharmacy, fire prevention, prisons, ports, airports, security, defence, cleaning, food supply & retail). The Order is based on Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 and the Police Act 1967. In response, the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) has issued a press release, stated that FMM is in full support of the need to contain the Covid-19 outbreak, but the move to close the manufacturing sector under the Movement Control Order is very drastic; it urges the government to lift the ban immediately. Monument has called for immediate response overnight in compliant with the Order, and taken immediate action to suspend operations orderly in addition to its Emergency Plan that has already been in place to ensure all employees are protected at the mine site during the pandemic period. In the meantime, security and environmental monitoring control that must be in place to prevent environmental pollution, wherever applicable under the Movement Control Order are maintained. Certain operation functions will be carried out as well on a best effort basis through management and staff working from home. The management will implement clear communication with staff so that the working arrangement is effectively scheduled for deliveries during the Movement Control Order period. As a leading edge mining company in Malaysia, Monument has written to the government to urge an immediate relief from suspension of the mining operations under its closely monitored prevention protocols that is already in place. About Monument Monument Mining Limited (TSX-V: MMY, FSE:D7Q1) is an established Canadian gold producer that owns and operates the Selinsing Gold Mine in Malaysia. Its experienced management team is committed to growth and is advancing several exploration and development projects including the Mengapur Copper and Iron Project, in Pahang State of Malaysia, and the Murchison Gold Projects comprising Burnakura, Gabanintha and Tuckanarra in the Murchison area of Western Australia. The Company employs approximately 195 people in both regions and is committed to the highest standards of environmental management, social responsibility, and health and safety for its employees and neighboring communities. Cathy Zhai, President and CEO Monument Mining Limited Suite 1580 -1100 Melville Street Vancouver, BC V6E 4A6 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION visit the company web site at www.monumentmining.com or contact: Richard Cushing, MMY Vancouver T: +1-604-638-1661 x102 rcushing@monumentmining.com Wolfgang Seybold, Axino Media GmbH T: +49 711-82 09 7211 wolfgang.seybold@axino.com "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." Forward-Looking Statement This news release includes statements containing forward-looking information about Monument, its business and future plans (forward-looking statements). Forward-looking statements are statements that involve expectations, plans, objectives or future events that are not historical facts and include the Companys plans with respect to its mineral projects and the timing and results of proposed programs and events referred to in this news release. 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", "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". The forward-looking statements in this news release are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks and certain other factors include, without limitation: risks related to general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; uncertainties regarding the results of current exploration activities; uncertainties in the progress and timing of development activities; foreign operations risks; other risks inherent in the mining industry and other risks described in the management discussion and analysis of the Company and the technical reports on the Companys projects, all of which are available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Material factors and assumptions used to develop forward-looking statements in this news release include: expectations regarding the estimated cash cost per ounce of gold production and the estimated cash flows which may be generated from the operations, general economic factors and other factors that may be beyond the control of Monument; assumptions and expectations regarding the results of exploration on the Companys projects; assumptions regarding the future price of gold of other minerals; the timing and amount of estimated future production; the expected timing and results of development and exploration activities; costs of future activities; capital and operating expenditures; success of exploration activities; mining or processing issues; exchange rates; and all of the factors and assumptions described in the management discussion and analysis of the Company and the technical reports on the Companys projects, all of which are available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. 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 does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Global pandemics such as the Coronavirus, or COVID-19, are no joke. And it is no surprise that tech companies also want to be seen taking an active part in efforts that fall within their realmcombat misinformation, ensure social media users get the correct guidance from the relevant authorities and make life easier for those who may be under lockdown or working from home. Fair enough then, that the likes of Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Reddit, Twitter, and YouTube sent out a joint statement a few hours ago in which they said they are working together to combat fraud and misinformation on online platforms, among other things. We are working closely together on COVID-19 response efforts. 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. We invite other companies to join us as we work to keep our communities healthy and safe, the joint statement says. The perplexing bit is, no one really knows what this joint effort will involve. Combating misinformation on their platforms is a 24x7 job for tech companies, which makes us wonder what specific updates they have made as a group, with regards to the Coronavirus pandemic. Yet, it is not all ambiguous because individually, they seem to be doing quite a bit. Yet, there are glaring gaps too. Perhaps the first hint came this morning when Facebook admitted that in an attempt to take down fake and potentially abusive content related to the Coronavirus, their systems managed to also mark genuine content and put it in the bin. Once fix, which it will be if not already, this will really help curb the spread of fake and completely baseless information designed to spread panic about the Coronavirus. Google, on its part, is trying to add Coronavirus relevant features across its apps. For instance, Search gets the Do the Five campaign that urges people to wash their hands, advices on how to cough and more. There are more COVID-19 SOS alerts too. On YouTube, content from health authorities including the CDC is being curated. Google Maps will potentially warn you in case a place you are planning to visit or navigate to, is closed because of Coronavirus. Were also using our artificial intelligence (AI) technology Duplex where possible to contact businesses to confirm their updated business hours, so we can reflect them accurately when people are looking on Search and Maps, Google also added. Yet the good news is, Facebook is giving all its employees a $1000 bonus to help them tide through the crisis with some cash in hand. Thats 45,000 employees, and the company will reportedly also take over some of the tasks otherwise done by contractors so that they can stay homethem and the hourly paid employees will continue to get paid even when they may be home because of the Coronavirus. Microsoft was the first tech company to announce earlier this month that they will continue to pay hourly employees their full wages as a corporate response to the Coronavirus pandemicwhether they are working or not. Apart from Facebook. Amazon, Google and Twitter also announced similar measures. In addition, we will subsidize one month of rent for the local small businesses that operate inside our owned buildings to help support them during this period, Amazon had told Axios at the time. Apple had also announced earlier this month that all of its workers would be able to work from home. Additionally, hourly employees will be able to take unlimited sick leave for coronavirus-like symptoms and no doctors note is required. The company has also shut its stores worldwide except Greater China region, because of the global spread of the Coronavirus. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and wife Priscilla Chan are organizing funding via the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub to increase Coronavirus testing in the San Francisco Bay Areathe idea is to buy two diagnostic machines and have the University of California, San Francisco as well as Stanford University act as test locations for a citys medical system that may already be feeling overwhelmed. Were funding the acquisition of state-of-the-art FDA approved COVID-19 diagnostic machines that will significantly increase the Bay Areas ability to test and diagnose new cases. Were also bridging connections between clinical labs at Stanford and UCSF to help distribute the testing load throughout the area, Zuckerberg had said in a Facebook post. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has also announced that it is partnering with the University of Washington to fund at-home testing kits for COVID-19 for residents in the greater Seattle area. Google is also battling misinformation, on YouTube, Maps, Play and via ads. On YouTube, weve taken down thousands of videos related to dangerous or misleading coronavirus information, and 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, they say. Strict policies are in place for advertisements across all apps and services. Then there is the small matter of Google being blindsided by US President Donald Trump. Last week, Trump in a press conference said Google was building a website that would tell the public everything they needed to know about the Coronavirus and whether they should seek to get tested or not. He added that Google had 1,700 engineers working on this website. In reality, Google was doing no such thing, instead working on a website for health workers as well as something that was a pilot project in the Bay Area with limited scope. In response to this, Google actually went ahead and decided to build the website anywaynow that its hands was forced. Basically, the scope and context of the pilot project website gets enhanced and there will be a website that will hold all the information about COVID-19 and available nationwide. When we see these sites is anyones guess. But on the employee front, the company might not be having an easy time of it either. While Google may have allowed most of the full-time workers to work from home as the Coronavirus spread continues, the contract workers claim they have been asked to report to work at the same time. "In a cafeteria that would normally be packed with Google employees, members of our bargaining unit took a stand today to demand our right to work safely." #CovidTVCBlackout #SocialDistancing #StayHomeSaveLives, says a tweet by United HCL Workers of Pittsburg the Pittsburg office of Google uses contract workers too. (Read more here: https://twitter.com/HCLtechUnion). (Illustration: New York Times; Data based on surveys collected between February 2018 and November 2019. Walmart data from March 2019 to November 2019, following a change in its sick leave policy. Includes workers who may be legally entitled to paid sick leave, but reported that they did not believe they were able to take paid sick leave. Sources: Shift Project; Reference USA.) There was hope from the US lawmakers to come in support of the workers, but that hasnt happened either. In a bill passed in the House of Representatives last week, millions of workers in America do not have the choice of staying home if they are ill. They didnt have this choice earlier, and dont have it now either. Companies which have more than 500 employees will not get the congressional aid packageand that means the choice of paid sick leave then becomes a matter of discretion of the employers, and not the employees. A helpful illustration by the New York Times suggests that before the Coronavirus pandemic hit the United States, companies that did not have a sick paid leave policy included Starbucks, Whataburger, Disney, Amazon, Walmart, McDonalds, Burger King, Target, Marriott, Nordstrom, Walgreens, GAP, Bath & Body Works, Ikea, Barnes & Noble, Home Depot and FedEx. Things have since changed, and a lot of the companies (including the ones listed above) have tweaked their policies in the current situation. Hopefully this will be a change for the better. Researchers at the Harvard Global Health Institute teamed up with the nonprofit news organization ProPublica to model what could happen in cities across the country, including Chicago. According to their model, if 20% of people in the Chicago hospital market develop COVID-19 over the course of six months, area hospitals would need about 176% of their available beds. If the transmission of the illness is slowed, such as through social distancing, and 20% get the disease over 12 months, only 88% of Chicago hospitals available beds would be needed. Egypts military spokesman denied news circulating on social media regarding the deployment of the armed forces in Egyptian governorates to implement a curfew in response to the spread of the coronavirus. In a statement on Wednesday, the military spokesman urged the media and social media users to not spread rumours and to be careful and not be misled by malicious claims. The military spokesman emphasised that he is the only official source of information related to the armed forces. The armed forces, in cooperation with all state agencies, will continue their preparations to confront the threat of the novel coronavirus, and will take all measures to ensure the safety and protection of the Egyptian people. Search Keywords: Short link: Hong Kong: Wristbands pose no privacy issue Inbound travellers placed under compulsory quarantine will be issued with electronic wristbands to verify they are staying in their dwelling place, but the technology does not pose privacy concerns. Government Chief Information Officer Victor Lam told reporters at the airport this evening that the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data had been consulted about the technology. We have consulted the Privacy Commissioner. Indeed he basically agreed that we can use this application to track the location of the confinee. "On the other hand, in fact the app will not capture directly the location, but only capture the changes in the location, especially the telecommunication and communication signals around the confinee to ensure that he (or she) is staying at home. Each electronic wristband pairs with a smartphone and cannot be removed easily. If the wristband is broken or the smartphone is disconnected or taken away from the dwelling place, an alert will be sent to the Department of Health and Police. This story has been published on: 2020-03-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. NEW YORK, March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --A Lara Heimann, physical therapist and celebrated yoga pioneer who champions integrated strength and sustainable movement, has opened up her subscription based platform, LYT Daily, to users across the globe with free and unlimited access through next month. The first and only yoga technique rooted in functional anatomy, the LYT practice is steeped in Heimann's advanced degree in Physical Therapy, and is designed to be a holistic movement experience. With focused atte! ntion to improve posture and movement habits, the practice will also help boost immunity and overall health amidst widespread closures of studios and gyms in response to the novel COVID-19/Coronavirus pandemic. "It is a strange and surreal time with so many people affected by this health crisis and all of the stress and anxiety that comes along with it," explains Heimann. "Now more than ever we need to take care of ourselves, and each other, and moving our bodies every day is a proven way to keep our immune system strong and our stress levels down," she continues. "Being able to provide these classes to people who find themselves homebound for the foreseeable future will keep us moving, individually and collectively, toward a healthier and brighter future." There are now currently 53 countries utilizing the LYT method. To access the free platform over the next month, https://movementbylara.vhx.tv Heimann also offers a free podcast three times a week to explore the core values of her evolutionary practice, while answering questions from practicing yogis and engaging with other thinkers and visionaries in the health and wellness field. A ABOUT LARA HEIMANN Lara Heimann is an international yoga pioneer and Physical Therapist committed to evolving the practice of yoga to better meet the needs of a modern lifestyle. With more than 25 years as a physical therapist and yoga educator, Lara is redefining the modern practice through her comprehensive LYT (Lara's Yoga Technique) Method, emphasizing smart alignment, functional movement, and spiritual wellness. Sustainable, freeing and efficient, LYT champions smarter, safer and more conscious movement patterns and is practiced worldwide through daily online classes at lytyoga.com. Through her experience and expertise, Lara's methodology provides a clear and influential roadmap to ignite the spirit to operate at its highest poten! tial, bot h on the yoga mat and off. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1134998/Lara_Heimann_Logo.jpg Third-party merchants can still sell products that fall outside the categories prioritized by Amazon. But they won't be able to lean on Fulfilled by Amazon, or FBA, the service that lets sellers ship their products to an Amazon warehouse, where the company stores the inventory and ships orders out to customers, in exchange for Amazon taking a commission from each sale. Amazon's decision will help serve shoppers who need to buy toilet paper, disinfectant wipes and other necessities, but it threatens to put third-party sellers who don't offer those products in a major bind for at least the next few weeks. Many small retailers rely on Amazon to sell their products online, and the hit to sales has caused some to furlough or lay off employees to soften the blow. In addition to household staples and medical supplies, Amazon told sellers it's prioritizing categories such as baby products, health and household, beauty and personal care, grocery, industrial and scientific and pet supplies. The change went into effect on Tuesday and is expected to last through April 5. Amazon sellers are expecting the worst after the company said this week it will prioritize shipments of household staples, medical supplies and other coronavirus-related products over everything else. "We understand this is a change for our selling partners and appreciate their understanding as we temporarily prioritize these products for customers," the spokesperson added. Amazon said it will continue to ship out merchants' existing inventory in its warehouses, as well as any shipments created before March 17. An Amazon spokesperson told CNBC the company is temporarily prioritizing shipments of household staples and medical supplies in response to increased demand, which caused many of these products to run out of stock . The surge in demand has prompted Amazon to hire an additional 100,000 warehouse and delivery workers. Without FBA, sellers will have to manage new inventory themselves and ship their own orders. However, merchant-fulfilled orders aren't Prime eligible, so shoppers won't be able to receive two-day free shipping for those items. Sellers will also have to charge for shipping, which is normally free for Prime members. FBA also enables sellers to take advantage of Amazon's two-day Prime shipping, making it a useful service for sellers. Of the top 10,000 sellers on Amazon's marketplace, 87% of them use FBA services, while 13% ship products on their own, according to research firm Marketplace Pulse . Like many big and small businesses around the country, the third-party merchants that make up Amazon's sprawling online marketplace have been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak. The virus had already threatened to throw many of their businesses into a tailspin, as some factories in China shut down amid the outbreak, disrupting the supply chain. Now that the coronavirus has spread to the U.S., sellers are responding to even greater demand from online shoppers and taking extra steps to manage their inventory. Amazon's announcement on Tuesday has generated fresh concerns for many sellers. Users in Amazon's Seller Central forum said they were concerned about how the restrictions might hurt their businesses. Jerry Kavesh, an Amazon merchant who sells cowboy boots, hats, belts and other items, said in an interview with CNBC that he has enough remaining stock in Amazon's warehouses to last him three weeks, but after that, he expects to run out of stock of several popular items. Kavesh also said he was worried that Amazon could extend the restrictions beyond April 5, which could make it harder for him to get products to customers, since he primarily uses FBA to ship items. "Then it starts to become very critical," Kavesh said. "All of us, we owe people money because of the cost of doing business. We have to pay suppliers, brands, rent, employees. That doesn't stop." Other Amazon sellers said they've been looking to cut costs in response to the coronavirus. Last month, that meant slashing ad spend and considering raising prices to reduce demand on certain listings. Amazon has also advised sellers on how to manage the impact of the coronavirus on their businesses. The company advised sellers to put their businesses in "vacation status" to protect their listings from being demoted in search results. Kavesh and other sellers told CNBC they're concerned that their products will lose valuable ranking placement as inventory fluctuates, which will be hard to recover once the crisis blows over. As the coronavirus outbreak has worsened, sellers have taken more serious steps to protect their businesses. Kavesh said he has halted new hiring, put capital expenditures on hold and is looking to cut any other unnecessary expenses. If the situation continues to worsen, Kavesh said he may be forced to lay off employees. "Everything is on my mind, and everything has to be considered," Kavesh said. "There are no sacred cows at this point." Stephen Roney, CEO of Roney Innovations, told CNBC he could also be looking at layoffs if he continues to run out of stock of the goods he sells on Amazon. Roney Innovations will still be able to send to FBA warehouses the food, health and beauty and medical supplies that it offers on Amazon. But other items, such as gaming keyboards, can't be restocked while the restrictions are in place. Joe Stefani, president of Desert Cactus, said his business, which sells college-themed merchandise on Amazon, has been hit with a double whammy in recent weeks. Stefani said his sales have been cut in half on Amazon, as consumers stock up on essentials and less on "products that aren't necessities," like his company's sorority merchandise. Then, when colleges and universities shut down due to the virus, Stefani's business was hit even harder. "We got hit with almost a 100% decrease of brick-and-mortar store wholesale business and even had stores coming back to us asking to do returns," Stefani said. "Usually we have orders coming in from bookstores until the middle of April." Stefani said he had to furlough a "handful" of Desert Cactus employees that manage outbound shipments to Amazon warehouses after the company announced the new restrictions on Tuesday. The furloughed employees include two full-time and four part-time employees in the U.S., as well as four full-time employees outside the U.S. Other sellers are made vulnerable by virtue of the fact that they are a one-person business, or "solopreneurs," as Amazon seller Lisa Abel calls herself. Abel told CNBC the new restrictions are "debilitating" to her business, which offers classroom materials on Amazon. She just re-upped her inventory out of fear that her U.S. suppliers would shut down due to the virus and now has "thousands of dollars in stock sitting and waiting." "As a small business owner, these moments are deal breakers," Abel said. "This entire situation has me very, very worried." Abel said she's considering fulfilling her own orders for the time being, but finding a third-party warehouse that can store and ship out the orders will likely be expensive. "I don't want to bring pallets into my garage," she added. Chris McCabe, a former Amazon employee who now helps sellers get reinstated and stay compliant with Amazon's selling rules, said the FBA restrictions and the coronavirus outbreak have the potential to impact Prime Day, Amazon's multiday sale event that takes place in July. Sellers typically prepare for Prime Day several months in advance by ordering extra inventory. While the FBA restrictions are expected to end in April, they've created uncertainty for sellers, who are unsure whether they should stock up, lest they get stuck with extra product. "People are worried about making it day to day vs. doubling or tripling their inventory and having it ready for Prime Day," McCabe said. "So if this takes two to three months to sort out, and Prime Day is four months away, it's just a ripple effect." Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 06:25:43|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close A fountain is illuminated in support of Italy's fight against COVID-19 outbreak in Split, Croatia, on March 17, 2020. The total number of active cases in Italy is far higher than in any other country, according to the World Health Organization. (Ivo Cagalj/Pixsell via Xinhua) ROME, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The number of new coronavirus cases in Italy jumped dramatically on Tuesday, with more than 3,500 new cases, pushing the cumulative total number to over 30,000, according to new data released by the Civil Protection Department. The number of the dead reached 2,503 and that of recovered individuals rose to 2,941, compared to 2,158 and 2,749, respectively, a day earlier. There are 26,062 active cases in Italy, up from 23,073 a day earlier. Including the dead and the recovered, the total confirmed cases reached 31,506 on Tuesday, comparing to 27,980 cases on Monday. The total number of active cases in Italy is far higher than in any other country, according to the World Health Organization. The number of Italians in intensive care passed 2,000 for the first time, totaling 2,060, up from 1,851 reported on Monday. The latest figures show 11,108 people resting in isolation at home and 12,894 hospitalized with symptoms, compared to 10,197 and 11,025, respectively, on Monday. Angelo Borrelli, head of Italy's Civil Protection Department, said the increase on Tuesday may not be statistically important if the rate of increase drops over the next few days. "The trend we are experiencing in this period ... the next week will be more significant than the data between yesterday and today," Borrelli, who is also the national commissioner in charge of the coronavirus emergency, said in a press briefing. "It is too early to understand what is happening or to make predictions about the spread of the virus." Borrelli said that it is difficult to speculate about the spread of coronavirus to the less industrialized southern parts of the country, which have seen a relatively mild number of cases compared to the more economically vibrant northern regions of the country. "We cannot make judgments about the south," Borrelli said, adding that in whatever part of the country, "what is most important things is to limit movement and stay at home as much as possible, which is the only way to halt the spread of the virus." As part of a wider effort to confront the spread of the coronavirus, Italy may shorten the preparation time for new doctors. Minister of University and Research Gaetano Manfredi Tuesday proposed letting this year's crop of medical school graduates rush into the field as much as nine months ahead of schedule and to allow them to shorten residencies and to skip mandatory exams usually required before they go into the field. Manfredi said the new doctors could play a key role in confronting the growing outbreak. The move would give the health system around 10,000 new doctors to be used in clinics or homes for the elderly as a way to free up experienced colleagues who would be sent to the front lines. Italy on Jan. 31 declared a six-month state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic. And a nationwide lockdown has been placed since March 10 until April 3 to stem the spread of the virus. Added to the list of New Orleans closures due to coronavirus is the Lakeside Mall, the largest shopping center in the metro area. The Metairie mall, located at 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., announced the temporary closure on Tuesday. It will go into effect Wednesday. +2 New Orleans officials say coronavirus crisis could mean 'drastic' actions, possible layoffs New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and her top officials are considering dramatic cost-cutting, potentially including furloughs or layoffs for The Kids' Castle play area will be included in the mall's closing. Stores with exterior entrances can stay open at their own discretion, according to a Lakeside spokesperson. JC Penney and Dillard's will stay open, as well as several restaurants that are offering take-out orders or curbside pick-up. Those restaurants include: Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Bravo's: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fleming's: noon to 8 p.m. P.F. Chang's: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Pokeworks: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Puccino's: 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Red Lobster: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Starbucks on Causeway Blvd.: 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The Cheesecake Factory: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The only open entrance to the mall at this time is at P.F. Chang's. It isn't immediately clear when the mall's interior stores will reopen to the public. The mall's announcement comes amidst a host of closures across the region, as efforts to curb the spread of the virus ramp up. On Monday, the state ordered that bars and casinos close, and restricted restaurants to take-out, drive-thru or delivery. During a press conference held by state officials Monday, Gov. John Bel Edwards said businesses and governmental agencies could reopen April 13. When that date comes, Edwards said there is a possibility for extension depending on how much more COVID-19 has spread. The World Health Organization in Damascus has said that coronavirus is not present in the country and has criticised the blockade imposed on the country writes Al-Watan. The resident representative of the World Health Organization in Damascus, Dr. Naimeh Saeed Abed, confirmed that to date no infections have been reported in Syria. According to the latest report issued on Mar. 15, 2020, all laboratory analyses of cases suspected of being infected with the virus came back negativenoting that the laboratory has is able to carry out the diagnosis. He added that the World Health Organization ranks Syria among high-risk countries and is a first priority country. Abed told Al-Watan that cooperation is taking place with the Ministry of Health to enhance the ability to take precautionary measures and prevent the transmission and spread of the virus. The organization provided a reference for the emergency diseases laboratory in the Ministry of Health with two medical aid packages that include kits to detect the coronavirus. Additional shipments are on their way to Syria over the next few days. He said that the organization had provided protective equipment for laboratory personnel, guidelines for laboratory diagnosis and approved laboratory protocols in addition to technical support to complete the standard procedures for the transmission of samples. A radiation device and personal protective equipment such as masks, single and multi-use medical gowns, protective glasses and sterilization kits were provided, as well as other equipment for disease surveillance at border crossings, such as a thermal camera at Damascus International Airport. It also secured investigation forms for suspected and confirmed cases to monitor suspected infections, as well as supporting training for rapid response teams, and spreading awareness through workshops. He pointed to the organizations contribution to developing and securing passenger information cards for airports, ports and border crossings, and providing guidelines for cleaning and disinfection procedures in the aviation and airports sector. He noted the coordination with the United Nations organizations working in Syria to mobilize support for the national plan to respond to the disease. On Syrias technical capacity to confront the virus, he said that despite the damage suffered by the health sector in Syria throughout the years of the crisis, the existing health institutions are still providing services to patients. With regards to Covid-19, there had been coordination with the Ministry of Health regarding the publication of measures to monitor infection of the emerging coronavirus. The Ministry of Health was provided with guidance on prevention and infection control measures while providing health care when a case was suspected. Regarding the organizations role as an international body imposing an unjust blockage on Syria, he said that, as is well known, the blockade imposed on Syria is a unilateral blockadethat is, it is imposed by some countries and not by the United Nations. According to the countries imposing the blockade, health, especially medicine and medical equipment are not subject to direct blockade. However, it is clear that the health sector has been directly affected by embargo, in matters such as securing foreign exchange and shipments to Syria, which were indirectly affected. The World Health Organization has consistently stressed the need to exclude the social sectors such as health from the direct and indirect consequences of the blockade. 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. New Delhi [India], Mar 18 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held a telephonic conversation with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, and the two leaders discussed the global situation regarding the outbreak of coronavirus. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation today with the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman. The two leaders discussed the global situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic," India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement on Tuesday. The MEA said PM Modi emphasised the need for coordinated efforts to adequately address the 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. "In this context, the Prime Minister mentioned India's recent initiative to organise a video conference among SAARC countries. 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, both for discussing 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 read. Both the leaders decided that their officials would remain in close contact in this regard. On Sunday 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 global outbreak of coronavirus. 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. (ANI) The number of novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 151 on Wednesday after 14 fresh cases were reported from various parts of the country, according to the Health Ministry. The cases include 25 foreign nationals -- 17 from Italy, 3 from Philippines, one each belonging to Canada, United Kingdom, Indonesia and Singapore. The figure also includes three deaths reported from Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra. "The total number of active COVID 2019 cases across India stands at 134 so far," a health ministry official said, adding that 14 others have been cured/discharged, while three have died. Over 5,700 people, who had come in contact with these positive cases, are under rigorous surveillance, the official said. Delhi has, so far, reported 10 positive cases which includes one foreigner, while Uttar Pradesh has recorded 16 cases, including one foreigner. Maharashtra has 42 cases, including three foreigners, while Kerala has recorded 27 cases which include two foreign nationals. Karnataka has 11 coronavirus patients. The number of cases in Ladakh rose to eight and Jammu and Kashmir three. Telangana has reported six cases which include two foreigners. Rajasthan has also reported four cases including that of two foreigners. Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Punjab have reported one case each. In Haryana, there are 17 cases, which include 14 foreigners. According to the ministry's data, 14 people have been discharged so far, including the three patients from Kerala who were discharged last month. Three persons infected with the virus have died, so far, the latest casualty being a 64-year-old man from Mumbai with a travel history to Dubai who succumbed on Tuesday. A 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi who returned from Saudi Arabia and a 68-year-old woman in Delhi who had tested positive for the coronavirus are the other deceased. The government on Tuesday banned the entry of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia to India with immediate effect. This instruction is a temporary measure and shall be in force till March 31 and will be reviewed subsequently. With coronavirus cases swelling in the country, the government has also banned the entry of passengers from the European Union countries, Turkey and the UK from March 18 till March 31. On March 11, India suspended all visas, except a few categories such as diplomatic and employment, till April 15 to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The government has also proposed certain social distancing measures as a preventive strategy for implementation, a health ministry official said said, adding that these interventions are proposed to be in force till March 31. 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. All ASI-protected monuments and central museums across the country will also be shut till March 31, Union Culture Minister Prahlad Patel said. Students should be advised to stay at home and online education should be promoted, the official said. "Non-essential travel should be avoided. Buses, trains and aeroplanes should maximise social distancing in public transport, besides ensuring proper disinfection of services," the health ministry official said. The government has urged local authorities to have a dialogue with organisers of sporting events and competitions involving large gatherings and they may be advised to postpone such events, he said. It has also proposed that local authorities should have a dialogue with opinion leaders and religious leaders to regulate mass gatherings and ensure no overcrowding. Private sector organisations and employers are being encouraged to allow employees to work from home wherever feasible, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BOISE, Idaho, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the situation around Coronavirus continues to unfold, Albertsons Companies 2,200+ stores nationwide are setting aside dedicated shopping hours for senior citizens and other at-risk populations, such as pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems, who have been advised to avoid leaving home as much as possible. We are sensitive to the fact that everyone wants to make sure they have the items they need, and we also know that everyone wants their neighbors to stay safe and healthy, too, said Vivek Sankaran, President and CEO. We are asking our customers to respect these special hours for those who are most at risk in our communities. We thank our customers in advance for their compassion and understanding toward their neighbors and friends, and in helping us maintain this temporary operations guideline. At a minimum, the company will reserve every Tuesday and Thursday from 7 to 9 a.m. for those vulnerable shoppers who must leave home to obtain their groceries, unless otherwise locally mandated. Customers should check their store's hours if they're opening on a different schedule. The companys store hours are being updated continuously on its respective banners websites. For the best information on local store house, please visit the local store's website: Albertsons.com Safeway.com Vons.com Jewelosco.com Acmemarkets.com Shaws.com Starmarket.com Pavilions.com Tomthumb.com Randalls.com Haggen.com Unitedsupermarkets.com Carrshq.com About Albertsons Companies Albertsons Companies, Inc. is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, with both a strong local presence and national scale. Albertsons Cos. operates stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia under 20 well-known banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaws, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs. An airforce member is seen with a fully covered mask as he sprays disinfectant inside a main railway station, as the number of people tested positive for coronavirus disease in the country increased, in Colombo By Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam and Waruna Karunatilake ISLAMABAD/COLOMBO (Reuters) - Pakistan's prime minister called for calm after its tally of coronavirus cases rose to 256 while Sri Lanka sealed itself off and declared a partial curfew on Wednesday as South Asian countries tried to stem the epidemic. The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Indian subcontinent topped 500 on Wednesday. Officials imposed travel restrictions to block the spread of the disease amid fears that inadequate health facilities could be overwhelmed in a region that is home to nearly 1.9 billion people. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, in an address to the nation, urged citizens to remain calm and not rush to get tested. "Only those with intense symptoms should go to hospital," he said. "There is no need to worry. We will fight this as a nation. And God-willing, we will win this war." His comments came amid a growing dispute in Pakistan between federal and provincial authorities, with the latter struggling to secure sufficient coronavirus testing kits and blaming the federal government for failing to properly test and quarantine hundreds of Pakistanis who recently returned home across a land border with Iran. Pakistan said on Tuesday it would require all arriving air passengers to show they had tested negative for the disease. Land borders have already been shut. SRI LANKA CURFEW Sri Lanka, which has recorded 51 coronavirus cases, said it would ban all incoming flights for two weeks from Wednesday to combat the spread of the virus. Officials also implemented price controls on lentils and sardines to guard against price gouging. Sri Lanka said its stock market would remain shut for the rest of the week as it attempts to minimise interactions and curb the disease. The Sri Lankan rupee on Wednesday dipped to an all-time low of 187.23 against the U.S. dollar. The country has imposed a curfew in certain areas in a bid to control the spread, police said. Story continues In India, where 147 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed, authorities on Tuesday cancelled nearly two dozen long distance train services in a bid to curb the disease and also because of a fall in passenger numbers. India also said a total of 276 Indians have tested positive for coronavirus overseas to date, and 255 of them are currently in Iran. Officials in the western state of Maharashtra proposed plans to decongest prisons by granting bail for minor offences. The Bombay Archdiocese, which is home to more than 500,000 Roman Catholics, also issued a notice exempting people from the obligation to attend Sunday mass for two weeks. BANGLADESH REPORTS FATALITY Bangladesh confirmed its first fatality from the disease on Wednesday, while its total tally of confirmed cases rose to 14. Prices of essential commodities have gone up as coronavirus fears sparked panic buying in Bangladesh. "We've 25% to 30% more in stock compared to the same period last year. There is no need for panic buying," Bangladesh's Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said on Wednesday. Nepal said it was closing cinemas, stadiums, gyms, museums, swimming pools and dance bars until April 30. Schools and universities will be shut. Passengers transiting through Europe, the Middle East, Iran, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan will not be allowed to enter Nepal until April 15, Nepal's government said in a statement. Nepal has also banned gatherings of more than 25 people in temples, monasteries, churches, mosques and other public places. Confirmed Coronavirus Cases in South Asia: Pakistan - 256 India - 147 Sri Lanka - 51 Afghanistan - 22 Maldives - 13 Bangladesh - 14 Nepal - 1 Bhutan - 1 ---------------------- TOTAL - 505 (Additional reporting by Rajendra Jadhav, Ruma Paul, Gopal Sharma, Writing by Euan Rocha; Editing by Robert Birsel, Editing by Angus MacSwan) Steve Gonzales, Staff Photographer / Houston Chronicle Oilfield service giant Halliburton plans to furlough about 3,500 employees of its Houston headquarters for the next two months amid grim market conditions that include four year-low oil prices and the coronavirus outbreak. Employees at the company's North Belt Campus will work one week and take one week off during the 60 days, the company said. Employees won't be paid for the week off but will receive benefits such as health insurance. With all 50 States and District of Columbia having reported positive cases of coronavirus, the United States has temporarily closed its northern border with Canada for all non-essential travel to fight the spread of the virus. President Trump tweeted on Tuesday (local time): "We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected. Details to follow!" West Virginia became the 50th state to report a case of the deadly novel coronavirus when Governor Jim Justice announced the first positive test result Tuesday. Justice said the case was in the eastern panhandle of the state, but he gave no other details. The announcement comes just after the death toll from the virus in the United States passed 100, according to a CNN tally of data from state heath officials. Illinois reported its first death Tuesday, becoming one of 18 states to report the death of a resident who died from the virus in the pandemic. More than 110 people have died in the United States out of 6,496 positive cases. A toll that many experts believe is going to increase, as reported by the Washington Post. Americans could get a cheque for $1,000 or more in the coming weeks, as political leaders unite around a dramatic plan to try to prevent a deeper-than-expected recession and protect people from going bankrupt. "For the people that are now out of work because of the important and necessary containment policies ... the money will soon be coming to you," President Trump wrote on Twitter early Wednesday. On Tuesday, the Pentagon announced that at least 1,500 troops of the National Guard will be deployed to contain the spread of the virus. President Trump has said that he will hold a press conference on Wednesday to address the evolving situation of the coronavirus and issue statement on the Food and Drug Authority(FDA). The Trump administration is planning to send direct cash payments to Americans in the coming weeks to help them cope with the economic outfall of the coronavirus. This package can cost the government a price USD 1 trillion, while the Trump administration is working over the figures. Democrats have shown little resentment to the package, which means that it might be difficult to reach bipartisan support to the package. At least 1,99,481 cases and close to 8,000 deaths have been confirmed due to the novel coronavirus, the data provided by Johns Hopkins showed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) L ondon faces more stringent curbs on travel and activities in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. Expectations are rising that a special London policy - which the Evening Standard yesterday revealed exclusively was on the way - will be announced by the Government within days. Downing Street was ruling nothing out this afternoon, not even the possibilities of restricting travel in and out of the capital, or a French style lockdown in which people would be fined for going out without good reason. Milder options could include ordering the closure of schools, pubs and restaurants, something that has happened on the continent but was resisted here. A senior source told the Evening Standard: We genuinely have not decided what will be necessary or when. We are weighing up peoples behaviour following Mondays press conference [where people were urged by the PM to avoid social gatherings, pubs and theatres] and the scientific advice that is coming in. Once it has been evaluated we will decide. Ironically, the fact that a London specific policy is on the way was confirmed not by No 10 or City Hall but by the Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, who is routinely consulted by the Government on steps being considered at the emergency committee Cobra. Ms Sturgeon revealed more stringent measures were likely in London than the rest of the country because of its steeper rise in cases. In Paris, people can only leave their homes to shop in a pharmacy or a food store, go to work in an essential occupation or take solo exercise. Exceptions are made for carers. Failure to produce the right document will result in a fine of 138 Euros. There have been signals all week that special restrictions are on the way for the British capital. On Monday Mayor of London Sadiq Khan was invited to the Cobra planning meeting and Boris Johnson spoke of his concern about the surge curve in London. The Prime Ministers spokesman this afternoon would not deny that London curbs were on the way and said the law already existed to keep individuals in isolation for their own safety. We have set out the steps necessary at this point in time. But we will be guided by the scientific and medical advice to make sure we take the right steps to guide the public. The spokesman stressed: We will do whatever it is required to keep the public safe. Rail journeys have dropped 20 per cent this week and some city restaurants and bars say takings are 80 per cent down. But ministers are hoping fewer people will attempt to carry on as normal once the severity of the crisis sets in. (Bloomberg Opinion) -- The only surprise in Tuesdays Democratic primaries was that former Vice President Joe Biden only won three blowouts including a nearly 40 percentage-point romp in Florida rather than the four originally scheduled. But thats just because Ohio postponed its primary until June. After the contests in Florida, Illinois and Arizona, the schedule now calls for at least a one-month break. Little is scheduled until April 28, and even that minimal activity could easily be moved back further in response to the coronavirus epidemic. That, along with Bidens commanding lead, is producing a lot of calls for Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders to drop out. It wont matter much whether he does or doesnt. Biden has essentially won the nomination, and with the coronavirus dominating the news and normal campaigning suspended, no one is going to pay much attention to Sanders whether hes technically a candidate or not. Nor will it make much difference to the fall campaign whether Sanders endorses Biden now or later. That doesnt necessarily mean that Sanderss decision is irrelevant, because it may affect how influential he is within the Democratic Party. On the one hand, if he drops out now hell only have a quarter of the delegates at the Milwaukee (or, perhaps, virtual) July convention, while if he sticks around hell probably wind up with something like 40% of the delegates. On the other hand, insisting on competing once the nomination is wrapped up could alienate a lot of party actors especially if Sanders keeps attacking Biden, as he has for the last two weeks. My guess is that making friends within the party will improve his standing far more than accumulating delegates. Whether thats how Sanders sees it is something I wouldnt even speculate about. The takeaway from Sanders 2020 is pretty straightforward. After shocking everyone by doing well but never coming close to winning in 2016, Sanders ran a carbon copy of that campaign this time (hey, if we have candidates born in the 1940s, I can use outdated metaphors). It turned out (as most analysts had believed) that a fair number of Sanders voters in the first campaign didnt especially like him, but rather disliked Hillary Clinton and voted for the only other choice on the ballot. Sanders got about 43% of the vote in 2016; hes going to wind up well below that in 2020, and not just because there were multiple candidates in the early contests. Story continues The political scientist David Hopkins is fond of saying that there are no lanes in nomination politics in which candidates fight for advantage among identifiable party factions or subgroups. To be more precise, theres nothing inherent about which lanes exist at the start of the contest; they are created by candidates and by party actors (and perhaps by the media as well) over the course of the campaign as they try to structure the choices voters will make in order to reap advantages. If we think of it that way, then Sanders helped create two lanes for Democratic voters in 2020, only to discover that most voters were more comfortable in the mainstream liberal lane than in his democratic socialism lane. It's going to take a while to assess the full effects of the two Sanders campaigns on the Democratic Party. Its clear that his efforts have put some policy choices on the map that wouldnt have been live options otherwise, particularly on health care. If Sanders had not run, then it's likely that the party would have unified behind the Affordable Care Act, with the main argument being whether it was more important to enhance it (with, say, a public option to buy insurance offered by a government program) or to administer the private markets better. But without Sanders pushing hard on that issue, its possible that other policy questions, especially climate, might have moved higher on the Democratic agenda. Sanders can claim some victories within the party, such as the formation of a party-wide consensus on raising the hourly minimum wage to $15. Whats less clear is whether Sanders himself was responsible. Its also less clear whether the second Sanders run was the best way to help his cause. Instead of losing to Biden, who sits in the center of the Democratic Party, he might have been able to help engineer the nomination of Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. Or perhaps one of the other candidates who are closer to Sanders ideologically than Biden might have wound up emerging as winner. Its hard to tell, but it does seem that without Sanders, the contest was less likely to become a referendum on socialism that he couldnt win, and more likely to become a test of whether one his allies could win key policy debates. That might have been a harder contest for Biden to win. That said, Biden always moves to the center of the Democratic Party, and its surely true that overall, Sanders and his supporters have moved that center in their direction whether or not theyve always made the best choices to maximize their influence or not. The next consequential test for Sanders will be how effectively he can rally his supporters behind Biden and the rest of the Democratic ticket. And thats going to be the question whenever he fulfills his promise to endorse the nominee and work hard to get him elected. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg LP and its owners. Jonathan Bernstein is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering politics and policy. He taught political science at the University of Texas at San Antonio and DePauw University and wrote A Plain Blog About Politics. For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. Lithuanian English UAB Ignitis Grupe, (hereinafter the Company) identification code 301844044, registered office placed at Zveju str. 14, Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania. The total nominal value of issued bonds 600 000 000 EUR; ISIN codes XS1646530565; XS1853999313. The Company informs that on 18th March 2020 the Government of the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter - the Government) adopted the resolution (hereinafter the Resolution) approving the conversion of UAB Ignitis Grupe from a private limited liability company (UAB) into a public limited liability company (AB). Also the Government in the Resolution agreed that, after the conversion of UAB Ignitis Grupe, the share capital of the public limited liability company shall be increased by additional contributions by issuing new ordinary registered uncertificated shares. This would be done for the purpose of implementing the initial public offering of the public limited liability company. During this procedure, publicly distributed shares of the public limited liability company shall be in the amount that after the increase of the share capital of the public limited liability company and the public distribution of shares the State shall own not less than 2/3 of the shares and votes at the General Meeting of Shareholders of the public limited liability company. The Resolution of the Government provides that the decision regarding the increase of the share capital should be taken by the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter - the Ministry of Finance), which administrates shares owned by the State in the Company. In addition, we inform that the Security Commission for the Coordination of Protection of Objects of National Security (hereinafter Commission) on 16th March 2020 also approved the conversion of UAB Ignitis Grupe. The draft of the Resolution to the Government and the request for the Commission was submitted by the Ministry of Finance, that initiated the adoption of decisions in accordance with the procedure established by the legal acts in respect of which the Company would be ordered to implement the initial public offering of the Companys shares by issuing a new share issue. The recommendations to initiate such decisions for the Ministry of Finance were concluded by the working group, which assessed the alternatives of long-term financing of the Company and the Company informed about these recommendations in the notification of material event on 28th February 2020 ( link ). Get Out of Jail? Inmates Fearful of Virus Argue for Release NEW YORK (AP) Coronavirus has become a get out of jail card for hundreds of low-level inmates across the country, and even hard-timers are seeking their freedom with the argument that its not a matter of if but when the deadly illness sweeps through tightly packed populations behind bars. Among those pleading for compassionate release or home detention are the former head of the Cali drug cartel, President Donald Trumps former personal attorney Michael Cohen, Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff and dozens of inmates at New York Citys Rikers Island, part of a jail system that lost an employee to the virus this week. He is in poor health. He is 81 years old, David Oscar Markus, the attorney for cocaine kingpin Gilberto Rodriguez-Orejuela, wrote in emergency court papers this week seeking his release after serving about half of a 30-year drug-trafficking sentence. When (not if) COVID-19 hits his prison, he will not have much of a chance. ADVERTISEMENT While widespread outbreaks of coronavirus behind bars have yet to happen, the frenzy of legal activity underscores a crude reality thats only beginning to sink in: Americas nearly 7,000 jails, prisons and correction facilities are an ideal breeding ground for the virus, as dangerous as nursing homes and cruise ships but far less sanitary. Stepped-up cleanings and a temporary halt to visitations at many lockups across the country in the midst of the crisis cant make up for the fact that ventilation behind bars is often poor, inmates sleep in close quarters and share a small number of bathrooms. Simply put, its impossible to do social distancing, said David S. Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor in Miami. The 81-year-old Madoff, who is serving a 150-year sentence for bilking thousands of investors in a $17.5 billion Ponzi scheme, had just asked last month to be released early in light of his terminal kidney disease. Now his attorney is calling on all at-risk federal prisoners to be released for their own safety because of the coronavirus. The federal prison system has consistently shown an inability to respond to major crises, Madoff attorney Brandon Sample told The Associated Press. My concerns are even more amplified for prisoners at federal medical centers and those who are aged. As of Wednesday, two federal Bureau of Prisons staff members have tested positive for coronavirus, a person familiar with the matter told the AP. One of the staffers works in a correctional facility and the other works in an office, but there were still no confirmed cases among any of the 175,000 inmates in the BOP system, the person said. The person wasnt authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. ADVERTISEMENT Its not just attorneys for the wealthy and powerful seeking release. In New York, public defenders asked judges to release older and at-risk inmates from the citys beleaguered federal jails, saying pretrial confinement creates the ideal environment for the transmission of contagious disease. The motions cite a provision of the Bail Reform Act allowing for the temporary release of pretrial inmates under compelling circumstances. I truly believe the jails are ticking time bombs, said David Patton, executive director of the Federal Defenders of New York. Theyre overcrowded and unsanitary in the best of times. They dont provide appropriate medical care in the best of times, and these certainly are not the best of times. Some authorities around the nation appear to agree. Police departments are incarcerating fewer people, prosecutors are letting non-violent offenders out early and judges are postponing or finding alternatives to jail sentences. In Los Angeles, the nations largest jail system has trimmed its population by more than 600 since Feb. 28, allowing many inmates with fewer than 30 days left on their sentences to be released early. In Cleveland, judges held a special session over the weekend to settle cases with guilty pleas and release more than 200 low-level, non-violent inmates. And in Miami, the top state attorney has urged the release of all non-violent felons and those being held on misdemeanors. No judge wants to have a dead prisoner on his conscience, said Bill Barzee, a Miami defense attorney. New York Citys Board of Correction this week called for the immediate release of all high-risk inmates after an an investigator assigned to the jail system died over the weekend of the coronavirus. The 56-year-old man was said to have a pre-existing health condition and only limited contact with inmates. The citys jail system has about 8,000 inmates, most at notorious Rikers Island. However, accommodating the surge of requests poses its own challenge. Courts around the country are shutting down, with only a skeletal staff working. The chief federal judge in Brooklyn on Monday postponed indefinitely all criminal and civil jury trials, encouraging judges to conduct court business via telephone or video conferencing when possible, and to delay in-person proceedings. Prosecutors said in court filings that the Federal Bureau of Prisons has been planning for the outbreak since January, including by establishing a task force with experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The BOP last week suspended visitation for all federal inmates, facility transfers, staff travel and training for 30 days. Newly arriving inmates are being screened for COVID-19, and even asymptomatic inmates deemed to be at risk are being quarantined. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced that they would take similar steps. Public health officials stress that older people and those with existing health problems are most at risk from coronavirus but that the vast majority of people will only suffer mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, with recovery in a matter of weeks. But such assurances are small solace for inmates. The Twitter account of Michael Cohen, Trumps former attorney who is serving a three-year sentence for crimes including tax evasion and campaign finance violations, shared over the weekend an online petition seeking the transfer of non-violent federal prisoners to home confinement. Addressed specifically to Trump, it argues the move would give the prison facilities additional (and much needed) medical triage and logistic space for those who will become infected. Without your intervention, scores of non-violent offenders are at risk of death, it reads, and these people were not given a death sentence. Mekedatu Padayatra: Another FIR against 40 Cong leaders including DK Shivakumar for COVID rules violation Karnataka to undertake Triaging: What does it mean and how do you pronounce it Omicron quickly overtaking Delta globally in terms of circulation: WHO COVID-19: Entry of foreign tourists barred in J&K India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Srinagar, Mar 18: The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Tu barred foreign tourists from entering the Union Territory as a precautionary measure in view of coronavirus outbreak. "Advisor to the Lt. Governor Baseer Ahmad Khan has issued necessary orders in this regard. Secretary Tourism, Director Tourism and DCs have been asked to ensure implementation of the order with immediate effect," an official spokesman said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 18, 2020, 7:59 [IST] The U.S. Senate passed a second coronavirus response bill on Wednesday, sending it to President Donald Trump a day after Montana's senators weighed in on the government's response to the pandemic. The vote was a lopsided 90-8 despite worries by many Republicans about a temporary new employer mandate to provide sick leave to workers who get COVID-19. The measure is also aimed at making diagnostic tests for the virus-free. The bill heads to Trump's desk to enact with his signature. As the Senate took up the $100 billion coronavirus response bill Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester blasted Republican leadership for a slow response. His counterpart, Sen. Steve Daines, cautioned now wasnt the time for attacks. Tester, the senior senator from Big Sandy, said lawmakers never should have left Washington, D.C., last week, but rather should been on hand as the $100 million coronavirus response bill won strong bipartisan support in the House early Saturday. Not remaining in the Capitol put the Senate on track for getting its first look at the bill Tuesday. It is quiet today in Big Sky Country over the last 36 hours we have seen schools, restaurants, bars, gyms, ski resorts and churches close. Thousands of children are home from school many unsure where their next meal will come from and parents are without child care, Tester said in one of the first floor speeches of the day. There are no test kits to test for coronavirus to speak of a few, but not near enough adequate medical supplies in Indian Country. Thousands are concerned about what it means for their paycheck. Seniors are worried about their health. Businesses are forced to make very, very tough choices. The senator praised the House for not leaving the Capitol last week until the bill was passed with overwhelming support. Only 40 House Republicans voted against the bill. Most, including U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, sided with the Democratic majority in passing the bill negotiated by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. What we should have done? We should have stuck around and done the peoples work. But instead my friends in the majority decided we should operate as business as usual and take off Fridays, take off the weekend, go home, Tester said. Well, this is not business as usual. Daines disagreed. The events of the previous five days didnt exactly play out like Tester described, he said. After the House passed the latest coronavirus bill, representatives departed for a weeklong district work week, meaning they were back at home. The Senate, which was also scheduled to be home this week, left the Capitol last Thursday afternoon for three days in-state and then traveled back to Washington, D.C., on Monday. The Pelosi-Mnuchin coronavirus agreement arrived in the Senate on Tuesday morning after details in the agreement were clarified and the House moved the bill by unanimous consent, meaning no lawmaker objected. In fact, there was no lawmaker present to object. I think its an important time not to politicize whats happening. Were working hard here in Congress, Daines said. You realize the House bill did not transfer to the Senate until this morning. There may be other narratives out there. Im not sure what you heard, but thats the truth. The House passed a bill last week and then they left town. And there were pages and pages and pages of corrections made over the weekend. And they finally actually passed it last evening by unanimous consent. In other words, they did it with nobody being there. And it came to the Senate this morning. Montanas senators both supported the bill as Congress pulls out all the stops to respond to a raging pandemic and an economy on the brink. In the past two weeks, lawmakers have passed an $8.3 billion response to the coronavirus, followed by the $100 billion Pelosi-Mnuchin bill now before the Senate, followed by an economic stimulus bill now being crafted. The latter bill is expected to top $1 trillion. Theres been no disagreement among Tester, Daines and Gianforte about the need for a massive federal response. The Pelosi-Mnuchin agreement taken up by the Senate this week is the health response to the coronavirus. It includes a requirement proposed by Tester that coronavirus testing be free. The bill requires insurance companies to cover coronavirus vaccinations, a bill advanced by Daines. Theres a telehealth provision supported by Gianforte. The bill should trigger a backstop for businesses tasked with offering sick leave and paid family leave to employees. There were objections by some Senate Republicans after small lobbyists for small business groups balked at the paid leave requirements applying to businesses only with 50 to 500 employees. Businesses with fewer than 50 employees can apply for a waiver. Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told the press he advised Republicans to vote for the bill whether they liked it or not, according to several media outlets. The question becomes over here, are we going to play politics with a pandemic? Tester said. Or, are we going to take this step, which I think is the right step to take because it it very directed to people who lost their jobs. It's directed at diagnostic testing. It directed to unemployment insurance benefits. The list goes on and on. McConnell, told his caucus the Senate would remain in Washington, D.C., until both the Pelosi-Mnuchin bill passed and the stimulus bill passed the Senate, in that order. Daines said it was important to get the details of the coronavirus bill right so that funding was flowing to the people in a useful way. He said he was already hearing from Montana businesses concerned about honoring the sick leave requirements without the federal government back-filling the compensation. The restaurant and lodging businesses have been hit particularly hard as travel stops and county governments order bars and restaurants to close over pandemic concerns. Theres two components. One component is sick leave, up to two weeks. The other is for those individuals who might have child care challenges, a school is closed, day care is shutdown. That can be weeks three through 12, and that would be at two-thirds pay. It would be for those situations. Were facing that in Montana as we speak with our schools closed. There are families who have to figure out a way to take care of children who are now at home, and that is part of the safety net we are passing here to assure our employers dont lose employees as well. There were other looming challenges for Montanans. Cattle prices have tanked on the rancher side of the equation, while meat packers are turning a profit on the other end. Both Tester and Daines said the problem started last August after a Tyson packing plant was badly damaged by fire. The shortage of space in packing plants was said to drive down demand for more cattle, while the loss of more than 5,500 animals in the fire created a supply shortage for boxed beef, driving up retail market prices. The new coronavirus has only made the cattle markets worse, the senators said. Both see market manipulation thats hurting Montana ranchers. Were seeing some pretty bad stuff in the livestock market right now. Were seeing fat cattle go down. Were seeing live cattle go down, and were seeing grocery prices go up, Tester said. As we speak right now, somebody is taking advantage of this situation, and I think that somebody is industrial packers. Its not market forces driving low cattle prices, Daines said. Congress and the U.S. Department of Agriculture need to get to the bottom of it. Daines said early work has already started on the economic stimulus package, which the Trump administration has indicated could top $1 trillion. The bill is expected to start in the Senate. Politics is Washington, D.C., but if theres a moment in our nations history where we should not politicize whats happening, it should be this moment, Daines said. We need to do it fast. We need to do it right, and we need to be bold. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 18) Eight barangays in Manila City have been placed on "lockdown" to prohibit people from going in and out of their homes as the coronavirus disease or COVID-19 spreads across communities. The Manila Public Information Office on Wednesday said there will be stricter quarantine measures in Barangays 48 to 55 in the Tondo district. Only one person per family is allowed to leave home to access basic necessities. The person should bring an enhanced quarantine pass, containing his identification and place of residence. Mayor Francisco Isko Moreno Domagoso said Manila now has nine confirmed COVID-19 cases, with one death. He appealed to all Manila residents to follow ordinances, including the 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew. Moreno said 16 people 14 Filipinos and two foreign nationals have been arrested for violations. Meanwhile, the Quezon City government imposed what it called "extreme enhanced community quarantine" in two barangays: Kalusugan and Tandang Sora, each having three confirmed cases. Mayor Joy Belmonte said the city now has 29 cases across 22 barangays, and residences of these patients are considered "hot zones." Mike Marasigan, head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said starting 6 a.m. Thursday, people in these houses cannot go out, and visitors are not allowed. Food will be delivered to them by local authorities. Meanwhile, said East Avenue from Elliptical Road to BIR Road is temporarily off limits, Marasigan said, as the local government is monitoring the entry and exit of major hospitals. Marasigan said at St. Luke's Medical Center, for example, one doctor and one elevator operator have tested positive for COVID-19 so the local government is asking hospitals to be transparent in reporting infected people. Belmonte said the number of COVID-19 cases in Quezon City comprising 25 percent of the total cases in Metro Manila is not a surprise as it is the biggest and most populous city in the region. Three patients have recovered and were sent home. The Philippines now has 202 COVID-19 cases, with 17 deaths and 10 recoveries. The entire island region of Luzon has been placed on "enhanced community quarantine" to contain the virus. Men walk in front of a logo of the civil aircraft manufacturing company Airbus at the entrance of the Airbus facility in Bouguenais, western France, on March 20, 2017. (Loic Venance/AFP via Getty Images) Airbus Suspends Production in France and Spain, Shares Slide Airbus announced plans to halt operations at its plants in France and Spain for four days as the coronavirus crisis spread from battered airlines to the manufacturing sector. The most serious across-the-board disruption in Airbus production since a strike at then British partner BAE Systems in 1989 pushed its shares down 7 percent as a rebound in other European shares quickly faltered. 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 in a statement. The pause in output came after Reuters exclusively reported on March 16 that Airbus had drawn up contingency plans to slow or stop production if France was placed under a drastic lockdown due to coronavirus. French President Emmanuel Macron late on Monday ordered stringent restrictions on peoples movements to slow the spread of the virus. At mid-morning, Airbus shares were down 7.1 percent versus a 1 percent decline in Frances CAC40 blue-chip index. A man rides a bicycle with his dog on the Cours Saleya on the French Riviera city of Nice, as a strict lockdown requiring most people in France to remain at home came into effect on March 17, 2020. (Valery Hache/AFP via Getty Images) Frances aerospace capital of Toulouse is home to Airbuss largest assembly plants as well its headquarters. Its suppliers are also expected to be hit hard by the crisis. It assembles the narrow-body A320 series there as well as all wide-body aircraft such as the A330 and A350 and the last remaining units of the A380, whose output is being wound down. French factories also provide the cockpit section and central wingbox for all Airbus planes as well as the pylons, which connect engines to the wings. In Spain, Airbus builds part of the tail section for its aircraft and assembles A400M military transporters. Other assembly lines include A319, A321, and more A320s in Hamburg, Germany, as well as overseas production outposts for A320 and A321 aircraft in Mobile, Alabama, and Tianjin, China. Airbus produces the smaller A220 jetliner in Montreal and Mobile after acquiring it from Bombardier. Factories in Britain, where Airbus makes wings, or Germany, where it builds part of its fuselages and has its second-largest cluster of assembly lines, can operate for several days. Deliveries have already been disrupted as crisis-hit airlines hold back from taking possession of aircraft in order to conserve cash, industry sources say. U.S. rival Boeing said on Monday it was deploying all its resources to sustain its operations. By Tim Hepher and Sarah White A combination picture shows people at Manger Square outside the Church of the Nativity that was closed as a precaution measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (top), in Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank March 5, 2020, and the square seen almost empty amid the outbreak of the coronavirus March 6, 2020. (Image: Reuters) Union Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday reviewed the various actions being undertaken in close coordination with various ministries at the central level, States as well as Indian embassies abroad. Vardhan chaired a high-level review meeting with senior officials of the Ministry, Director of Central Government Hospitals such as Safdurjung, Dr RML Hospital, and AIIMS, here today. "Union Health Minister appreciated the various actions being undertaken in close coordination with various ministries at the central level, States as well as Indian embassies abroad. He also lauded the States for active surveillance, effective contact tracing and their preparedness for containment and management of COVID-19," press statement said. He reviewed the preparedness regarding hospital management such as OPD blocks, availability of testing kits, personal protective equipment (PPEs), medicines, and adequate isolation wards. "He directed hospitals to ensure adequate availability of protective gear for all healthcare workers. He was informed that an adequate quantity of Personal Protection Equipments (PPE), masks, sanitizers, handheld thermometers, etc., are being procured and provided to the designated places as per demand along with maintaining the stock to address any future demand. He reviewed in the quarantine facilities for the evacuees including the ones at the airports/other key transit points, in terms of segregation of passengers, transportation to the quarantine facilities, health check-ups," the statement added. The Health Minister has directed for teams to be deputed to regularly inspect and monitor the quarantine facilities to ensure that the necessary amenities and facilities are being provided. The Minister stated that he shall be reviewing the same every day with the aim of improving them. He further added that he is reviewing the situation with the respective States/UTs. Highlighting the critical importance of effective communication as a tool of crisis management, Vardhan advised for multi-media communication campaigns that would focus on different aspects such as preventive measures, busting myths, equipping the masses with information on guidelines, advisories, testing labs, etc. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kim Foxx, the Chicago prosecutor who faced intense criticism for her handling of the case of Jussie Smollett, the actor charged with staging a racist and homophobic attack, took a major step toward re-election on Tuesday with a victory in the Democratic primary. Foxxs closest rival, Bill Conway, a former prosecutor, conceded the race for states attorney in Cook County, Ill., which includes Chicago, in a call to the incumbent late Tuesday. With 82 per cent of precincts reporting, Foxx had 48 per cent of the vote, according to unofficial totals, and the Associated Press declared her the winner. Two other candidates were running well behind. She will face a Republican opponent in November, Pat OBrien, a former prosecutor and judge. But the county is heavily Democratic, and the partys nominee typically wins countywide elections. Foxx was elected Chicagos chief prosecutor in 2016 with promises to change the criminal justice system, defeating her predecessor, who had come under heavy criticism for delaying prosecution of a white police officer in the death of a black teenager. She quickly reordered her offices priorities. Like other district attorneys who have been elected in recent years on progressive platforms, she prosecuted fewer nonviolent crimes and redirected those resources toward ramping up the prosecution of gun crimes, a priority of Chicago police officials. Her leading rival in the primary race, Conway, who served in Naval intelligence and is the son of a billionaire investor, criticized some of Foxxs approach, but much of his platform was similar to hers. In one commercial, he pledged to stop locking up nonviolent people and to pursue cases that would curb illegal weapons in the city. Instead, the campaign was largely a referendum on how Foxxs office handled the case of Smollett, a star of the Fox television show Empire, who police say orchestrated a racist and anti-gay attack on himself in January 2019 to boost his career. Foxx removed herself from the case in February 2019, saying she had earlier had contact with representatives of Smollett. A month after that, her office dropped charges against him related to filing a false police report, saying he was not a threat to public safety. A judge then appointed a special prosecutor to review the case, and a grand jury indicted Smollett last month on charges of lying to the police. Conway relentlessly attacked Foxx over the case, accusing her in another commercial of having rigged the rules for connected celebrities. He financed his ads using a more than $11-million (U.S.) war chest that was almost entirely donated by his father. The citys largest police union also hammered Foxx, asserting that she had failed to enforce the law and calling on her to resign. Her supporters said the union attacks were motivated by her increased scrutiny on police misconduct, including vacating more than 90 convictions tied to one corrupt former sergeant, Ronald Watts. Foxx, who won endorsements from a wide number of local and state Democratic leaders including Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Sen. Dick Durbin and Chicagos mayor, Lori Lightfoot has acknowledged that she should have done better and been more transparent about the Smollett case. But she also has called the extensive focus on the case b.s. and criticized the timing of the new indictment so close to the election. Her supporters complain that the case has taken attention away from profound improvements she has made in the criminal justice system during a time that murders and shootings in Chicago declined. Foxx says her policies, focused on the drivers of violence, played a role in that drop. Food chains are offering free drinks and discounts to NHS staff amid the Covid-19 pandemic. McDonald's said all emergency services personnel and health and social workers in the UK would be able to collect free drinks at all restaurants while Government guidance allows them to stay open. The chain's restaurants are to become takeaways, drive-thrus and delivery operations as the company attempts to cope with the outbreak. This morning, the official Pret Twitter account said hot drinks would be 'on the house' for all employees with a valid NHS staff card, and discounts are being offered on food. The official Pret Twitter account said hot drinks would be 'on the house' for all employees with a valid NHS staff card, and discounts are being offered on food In a tweet, Pret said: Your hot drinks are on the house from today, and we'll take 50% off everything else. Thank you for everything you are doing. We look forward to serving you' While the Co-op is to provide free lunches for all students who normally receive government-funded free school meals at its 25 academies, if they are required to close because of the coronavirus outbreak. In a tweet, Pret said: Your hot drinks are on the house from today, and we'll take 50% off everything else. 'Thank you for everything you are doing. We look forward to serving you.' Pret chief executive officer Pano Christou said it was important to 'show solidarity and stand by each other in this difficult time' as he announced the discounts. He said: 'The teams on the frontline of the NHS are doing an extraordinary job and deserve all our support through this crisis. 'Hopefully this small step helps brighten their day.' Starbucks coffee chain have also committed to giving free filter coffee to NHS, council and emergency services staff in support of their 'courage, commitment and resilience.' The company announced it will also be moving to a new 'to go' only model across its UK outlets - closing cafe and patio seating, but maintaining Mobile Order & Pay, Drive Thru and delivery services. Bakery chain, PAUL, is also offering all NHS workers free takeaway coffee and tea. WHSmith also said it would be doubling the NHS staff discount on food and drinks to 20% in all its hospital stores from Thursday. A spokeswoman said: 'We are hugely grateful for the exceptional efforts and commitment of our NHS staff in these unprecedented times.' The Butcher's Hook Gastropub at Stamford Bridge in London is also offering 20 per cent off for all NHS staff. McDonald's said all emergency services personnel and health and social workers in the UK would be able to collect free drinks at all restaurants while Government guidance allows them to stay open (a McDonald's in Liverpool today) The Butcher's Hook Gastropub at Stamford Bridge in London is offering 20 per cent off for NHS Staff Two Co-op Academy schools are closing on Thursday as students, families and staff self-isolate. The Co-op called on the Government to lead a nationwide effort to help feed the 1.4 million students who receive free school meals across the UK. Jo Whitfield, chief executive of Co-op Retail, said: 'For many children who receive free school meals, lunch at school is the main meal of the day, so if school closes unexpectedly they could go hungry. 'We don't think that's fair on our students or their families who often struggle to keep food on the table, and it has an impact on the health and well-being of vulnerable families. 'So we're making sure the students attending our 25 Co-op Academies won't miss out, but we know this is a drop in the ocean when you consider there are 1.4 million kids on free school meals in this country.' The Co-op will provide all students receiving free school meals at its 25 Co-op Academy schools, located in the north of England, with a 20 voucher to spend in Co-op food stores, saying it was enough to cover a one-week unplanned closure. The move affects around 6,500 students. FILE PHOTO: A F-16 fighter jet takes off during a military drill at Zhi-Hang Air Base in Taitung By Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard TAIPEI (Reuters) - China is pressuring Taiwan with "provocative" air force maneuvers near the island and spreading fake news to sow discord during the coronavirus outbreak, security sources and government officials in Taiwan say. The epidemic has strained already poor ties between Taipei and Beijing, with Taiwan especially angry at China's efforts to block its participation at the World Health Organization (WHO). The two governments have also argued about the fate of about 1,000 Taiwanese stranded in Wuhan, the outbreak's center, and China has made no obvious moves to respond to offers of help to fight the virus from Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen. Tsai won re-election by a landslide in January, pledging to stand up to Beijing. China believes she wants to push for formal independence for the island, which it claims as its own. Tsai denies that, saying Taiwan is already an independent nation called the Republic of China, its official name. In the last month, Taiwan has reported three nearby Chinese air force drills, and in two cases Taiwanese fighter jets scrambled to intercept them. Two sources familiar with the situation told Reuters that in one instance, a Chinese fighter's radar locked onto one of the Taiwan aircraft. In combat, that is a precursor to a missile launch. "This was a very provocative action by China," said one of the sources, both of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. Taiwan's air force said it was unaware of the incident, but that it had full knowledge of Chinese military moves near the island. China's Defence Ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Last week, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Wu Qian, answering a question on the recent drills, said Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was "playing with fire" and that any attempt at independence was "doomed to fail". Story continues China's actions have provoked anger in Taiwan, which has told Beijing it should focus on fighting the virus. "Xi Jinping is trying to make the point that he is still in control of the military," Wang Ting-yu, a member of the Taiwan parliament's defense committee, told Reuters. "China is using external problems to relieve domestic pressure." ONLINE REPORTS Accompanying the military moves has been what Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu has called a cyber "war" of fake online news reports from China about the virus. The fake reports, which Taiwan's government has quickly refuted, include false claims that the island is covering up the true number of cases - officially at 42 and one death - and that Tsai had been infected. Globally there are more than 90,000 cases of the virus, most of them in mainland China, where it emerged late last year. Taiwan says many of the online posts include expressions only used in China, as well as simplified Chinese characters, which are not used on the island. Taiwan's Investigation Bureau has also warned that China is trying to undermine trust in factual news - and disrupt disease-control measures - by portraying Taiwan's official announcements on the outbreak as Chinese-made fake news. The pressure and online campaigns seem to have had little effect. A poll last week by the Taiwan Public Opinion Foundation reported high approval ratings for Tsai's China policy, as well as high mistrust of the Chinese Communist Party's ability to control the virus. Tracking and reporting fake news on the virus outbreak suspected to have links to the "mainland cyber army" has become a top priority for several national security agencies in Taiwan, a security official told Reuters on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. "We have been told to track if the origins are linked to instructions given by the Communist Party, using all possible means," the official said, adding that authorities had increased scrutiny on online platforms, including chat rooms. China's Taiwan Affairs Office, in a statement sent to Reuters, said Taiwan's DPP was spreading "lies" in its fake news accusations against China and was "inciting hatred" between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. "The DPP continues to politically manipulate the virus," it said. (Reporting by Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard; Additional reporting by Ryan Woo in Beijing; Editing by Gerry Doyle, Robert Birsel) VIENNA, March 17 (Reuters) - Vienna Airport said on Tuesday it expects scheduled flights to completely stop in coming days due to the coronavirus-related restrictions but added that freight flights would continue. "Vienna Airport will still be operating, especially to enable freight flights and flights to bring people back home," a spokesman said. The largest carriers at Vienna Airport - Lufthansa's Austrian Airline and Ryanair's Laudamotion - had already said they would suspend flights from Austria in coming days. (Reporting by Kirsti Knolle Editing by Michelle Martin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Linly Lin and Yueqi Yang (Bloomberg) Beijing, China Wed, March 18, 2020 09:15 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b691da 2 World China,media,NewYorkTimes,Wall-Street-Journal,Censorship Free China will effectively expel a group of US journalists and prohibit them from relocating to work in Hong Kong or Macau as a tit-for-tat over media access between the two countries expands. Chinas foreign ministry on Tuesday said some reporters at the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post must hand in their media cards within 10 days in what it said was a response to US caps on Chinese media imposed early this month. In addition, China asked five US media outlets to submit detailed personnel and asset information to the government, a decision that mirrored a US move to designate five Chinese media outlets as foreign missions. This requirement applies to Voice of America, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and Time. Chinas foreign ministry said its actions are 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, noting what it said are discriminatory restrictions on Chinese journalists visa processing, administrative review and reporting activities. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo dismissed the moves and the comparison to the US decision in a news conference Tuesday with reporters in Washington, saying he hopes Beijing will reconsider. These arent apples to apples in any respect and I regret Chinas decision today to further foreclose the worlds ability to conduct the free press operations which, frankly, 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, Pompeo said. The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has put a halt on its orientation programme across all states in the country. This is in light with newly reported cases of the COVID-19 virus in Nigeria. Bringing this notice to the public, the body also shared a press release to further explain the need for a pause. The Lagos State NYSC Coordinator, Eddy Megwa, told corps members during morning meditation on the parade ground to leave the orientation camp as soon as possible. READ ALSO Coronavirus: MURIC Calls For Postponement Of NYSC Exercise The body, however, pointed out that corp members will still be posted for their places of primary assignment and would be invited back for orientation when the situation improves. See The Post Here: Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 21:01:03|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close TOKYO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A man infected with COVID-19 who went to a pub earlier this month saying he wanted to "spread the virus" died Wednesday at a hospital in central Japan, local media reported. Local police launched a probe into the man last Friday, a day after a woman in her 30s tested positive for the virus having contact with the man at the Filipino pub in Aichi Prefecture. The police had planned to question him after he left the hospital. The 57-year-old man was on suspicion of interfering with business activities as he went to the pub after learning his infection and expressed his desire to "spread the virus." He visited the Filipino pub where the woman worked despite authorities' instructions to stay indoors on March 4, the same day he tested positive for the virus, according to officials. The woman developed a fever on March 8 and currently has a sore throat. She is in stable condition but is scheduled to be hospitalized. The man stayed there for around 40 minutes and told an employee at the pub that he had tested positive for the virus, prompting the staff to report him to the police and a health center. Following the report, police officers in protective gear hurried to the pub, which also had to be disinfected by health officials. The man said he also went to a bar that same night and stayed there for 15 minutes but did not speak of his infection. Before going out by taxi on March 4, the man told his parents he wanted to "spread the virus," according to the city officials. His parents had also been found to be infected. In a world facing a pandemic, Irans struggles with the coronavirus stand out. The country currently has more than 17,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19growing at about 1,000 per dayand more than 1,000 deaths. State media has warned that up to 3.5 million Iranians could die. And Irans outbreak is not only a threat to Iranians. Roughly 9 in 10 of the 18,000 confirmed cases of the virus throughout the Middle East can be linked back to Iran. Getting the countrys outbreak under control fast ought to be a global priority. Advertisement This dire situation has prompted prominent activists and figures like Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar to call for the U.S. to lift at least some of the sanctions it has imposed on Iran over its nuclear program, sponsorship of foreign terrorism, and human rights violations. Many blame the sanctions for shortages of much-needed medication and medical equipment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif have blamed U.S. sanctions for the viruss out-of-control spread, with the latter referring to them as medical terrorism. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has supported Irans position. Chinas foreign ministry has called on the U.S. to lift sanctions in response to the virus, tweeting, Continued sanction is against humanitarianism and hampers Irans epidemic response & delivery of humanitarian aid. Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has so far rebuffed these calls. In fact, it applied new sanctions on Iran on Wednesday in response to rocket attacks in Iraq. But would lifting sanctions really help? The U.S. maintains that Irans failures are its own, not the result of sanctions, and point out that policy includes exemptions for humanitarian importsIran can import food, medicine, and medical devices without penalty. A new mechanism to facilitate these imports was introduced by the Treasury Department last fall and in January, and an agreement was reached to allow Swiss companies to export food and pharmaceuticals to Iran via a secure payment channel. Pompeo referred to these measures recently when asked about the coronavirus response, saying, The U.S. government is prepared to assist the Iranian people in their response efforts. This offer of support to the Iranian people, which has been formally conveyed to Iran through the government of Switzerland, underscores our ongoing commitment to address health crises and prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Advertisement Advertisement But in practice, sanctions are cutting off supplies of life-saving medicines and equipment. Since the Trump administration reimposed sanctions on trade with Iran in 2018, after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear agreement, and began enforcing secondary sanctions on non-American entities that trade with the country, Irans economy has been in a tailspin. This is by design. As former National Security Adviser John Bolton put it, the goal is to squeeze them until the pips squeak, to ramp up economic pressure to the point that the Iranian regime makes drastic policy changes or simply collapses. Advertisement Advertisement Currently, large swaths of the Iranian financial sector are under sanction, making financing purchases impossible. The aggressive U.S. sanctions on Iranian imports and financial activities have deterred foreign banks and other companies from participating in any sort of business involving Iran, including exempted humanitarian trade. The risk of a business falling afoul of sanctions regulationsor of the U.S. simply changing those rules again like it did after leaving the nuclear dealare too great to make doing any sort of business with Iran worth it. Advertisement Advertisement The renewed U.S. sanctions were having a deleterious effect on Iranians health long before the virus hit. U.S. sanctions are killing cancer patients in Iran, wrote one Iranian doctor in Foreign Policy last year. A U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Iran warned in 2019 that sanctions and banking restrictions will unduly affect food security and the availability and distribution of medicines, pharmaceutical equipment and supplies. The International Court of Justice has ruled that the humanitarian sanctions exemptions are insufficient and that sanctions are having a serious detrimental impact on Iranians health. Advertisement Advertisement An October Human Rights Watch report described how people with treatable conditions have suffered because they cannot access certain medicines or medical supplies: Some of the worst-affected are Iranians with rare diseases and/or conditions that require specialized treatment who are unable to acquire previously available medicines or supplies. This includes people with leukemia, epidermolysis bullosa (EB, a type of disease that causes fragile, blistering skin), or epilepsy, and individuals with chronic eye injuries from exposure to chemical weapons during the Iran-Iraq war. The consequences for these individuals can be catastrophic: people with severe forms of EB are now unable to access specialized bandages and are at significantly increased risk for bacterial infections, sepsis, fusion of fingers, and contractures of joints. Individuals with epilepsy who are resistant to common treatments and unable to access foreign-made medicines may suffer frequent, uncontrolled seizures that risk injury and result over time in severe, permanent brain damage. Shortages of essential medicines can affect a much broader range of patients as well. For example, an Iranian journalist has reported on severe complications after a Caesarean section believed to be related to the use of a non-standard anesthesia medicine because of lack of access to higher quality medication. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At this point, its probably not enough for the U.S. to say that companies are allowed to sell drugs and medical equipment to Iran to help battle the coronavirustheyre already technically allowed to sell those things. But that doesnt mean the U.S. can just sit back. There are small and large steps the United States can take to try to speed aid to Iran, says Elizabeth Rosenberg, a former Treasury Department official who is now a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. They could do more to broadcast that it put this license in place and encourage those in a position to support Irans public health response to do so. We could get there and counter the narrative that Iran is pushing. Its not just a matter of lifting some sanctions, in other words; its a question of publicly backing efforts to support Irans crisis response. Advertisement To put it mildly, this is not the response we should expect to see from the Trump administration. Despite the real impact of sanctions on Iranians health, its also fair to say that Iran is using them as a convenient scapegoat for its own failures. Sanctions cant be blamed for the governments weeks of denying that the coronavirus posed a risk to Iran, even as the number of cases was spiraling out of controlthe denials included a memorable televised briefing from a coughing, sweating deputy health minister who later tested positive for the virusor its refusal until recently to close public gathering places in Qom, an important holy city for Shiite Muslims. Sanctions are not to blame for the corruption and regime power struggles that have undermined public trust in government at a time when its needed most. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Irans struggles in the face of this crisis are a corrective to any notion that authoritarian governments are inherently better at handling disease outbreaks than democracies. The response to the virus shows the danger that the countrys sclerotic regime poses not only to its own citizens but to the world. But, as Rosenberg points out, Like it or not, we are all in this pandemic together. We all have an interest in excellent health measures being in place everywhere. There are reasons to be skeptical about the excuses Iran is making for its own public health failures, but this is a virus that doesnt recognize national borders, ideologies, or regime type. We could fight it a lot more effectively if we could cooperate. Dozens of flights have been cancelled, with 25,000 tourists stuck on the Balearic island. Granada, Spain As the ongoing coronavirus pandemic sees travellers across the world scramble to get home, the authorities on one of Spains most popular holiday islands, Mallorca, estimated about 25,000 tourists are still waiting for flights to leave. On Tuesday, Francina Armingol, the president of the Balearic Islands, which includes Mallorca, urged the tourists to depart, telling Spanish radio station Cadena Ser that the tourist experience makes no sense when they are confined to their hotels. Even before what Armingol called an operation of total containment reducing air and sea travel to the islands to a minimum came into effect, 62 flights were cancelled across the Balearics on Monday, and dozens more on Tuesday. Then, as local media told of packed departure lounges in Mallorcas Son Sant Joan airport, El Diario de Mallorca on Wednesday reported: The airport is in its death throes, and nobody knows how many hours it has left, [but] its save yourself from the air travel chaos. Hotel owners on the island confirmed that their establishments were closing their doors. In a week its all collapsed, Juan Redondo, the owner of the Hotel La Raxa near Mallorcas capital, Palma, told Al Jazeera. If places arent yet shut, theyre closing soon everything, big hotels, little ones. We had a lot of reservations and it looked like this was going to be a good spring, but none for the last five days, just one cancellation after another. As theyre shutting down the airport, people arent coming in any more. A week ago, occupancy rates at Redondos hotel stood at 80 percent. Now, weve just got four people left two foreigners, a German and a Briton, and two Spaniards. They were all waiting, he said, for their planes to leave. In nearly 30 years of running the hotel, he said, he had never seen anything like it. BML is a hotel receptionist in his 40s whose hotel in Mallorca barred him from talking on the record. This is still the low season for tourism, but even in February and March we always get a lot of elderly people. This year the island is currently promoting itself as a top destination for bike riding, too, we have a lot more cyclists than usual, he told Al Jazeera. About 60 percent of our customers are Germans and Britons, so what a lot of the hotel chains are doing is grouping them in a single one of their hotels near the airport before they can leave. Everythings shut down here, theres no point in them staying. In a week, it's all collapsed Juan Redondo, hotel owner Repeated requests to the Balearic regional government for comment on the logistical situation at Son Sant Joan airport were not accepted. Armingol said on Tuesday that plans to evacuate tourists from the island were in place, but that travelling by sea to the islands was banned, and incoming flights to Mallorca from the Spanish mainland would be drastically reduced to three a day: The Balearics will be virtually closed to new arrivals, although the transport of goods will continue. With Spain in lockdown, the number of travellers is dropping drastically across the country, not only to the Balearics. A Ministry of Transport official, Maria Jose Rallo del Olmo, said on Tuesday that long-distance train occupancy in the country stood at 10 percent, bus travel was down by 83 percent and air travel was down by 60 percent. As of Wednesday at midday local time, government figures put the total number of those affected by the coronavirus in Spain at 13,716, the second-highest total in Europe after Italy, and 18 percent higher than 24 hours earlier. Across the Balearic Islands, including Mallorca, there were 112 cases, 20 more than Tuesday. On Wednesday, Spanish premier Pedro Sanchez said in parliament it was not ruled out that Spains current partial closure of its land borders could be extended to both air or sea. During the lockdown of Spains 46 million citizens, some larger hotel chains in Spain such as Melia Hotels International have begun offering their buildings as provisional hospital space, with unconfirmed figures of up to 40,000 rooms becoming available countrywide to the medical authorities, while smaller family-run establishments like the Raxa are gloomily contemplating the possibility of dismissing their staff. For now, everybodys on compulsory holiday for 15 days, said Redondo. Then well see. P eter Kay has cancelled his Dance For Life tour due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The comedian, 46, had been set to return to the stage for the first time since cancelling his stand-up tour in 2017 due to "family reasons." The Dance For Life shows were planned to raise money for Cancer Research UK in April and May 2020. Due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak and following Government advice, it is with deep regret that the forthcoming Peter Kays Dance For Life shows are being postponed," a statement read. We are looking to schedule the shows so please hold onto your tickets as they will be valid for the new dates. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause but the safety of the public is paramount. The comedian added: Obviously this is disappointing news but well and truly justified given the circumstances. Well get through this, together and then well all have a great big dance for life. The comedian said the news was "disappointing" but "justified" (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images) / Getty Images "Stay safe and look after yourselves and the people around you. Kay's Have Gags, Will Travel tour and a number of Dance For Life shows were previously cancelled in 2017 with the star citing "unforeseen family circumstances." The new shows had been set to take places over two nights each in Manchester, Liverpool and London. HSBC said it appointed Noel Quinn as chief executive officer, handing the insider and interim boss the reins of Europe's biggest bank and ending months of speculation an external candidate could get the role. Quinn, who joined HSBC in 1987, took interim charge of HSBC last August after the shock ousting of John Flint and has been auditioning for the permanent job since, despite media reports that chairman Mark Tucker preferred an external candidate. Unicredit boss Jean Pierre Mustier and incoming UBS Group Ralph Hamers were among those reported to have caught Tucker's eye. "Noel has proven to be the outstanding candidate to take on a role permanently that he has performed impressively on an interim basis since August 2019," Tucker said. Quinn takes the helm as the bank faces a tough outlook, with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic adding to its longstanding woes of underperformance in the United States and a struggling investment bank. Quinn's appointment ends speculation over who will run HSBC as it heads into what could prove the biggest economic shock in recent times as the coronavirus epidemic brings global travel and consumer spending in many countries to a grinding stop. Tucker defied market expectations that the bank would name Quinn or an outsider to the role when it presented its full year results and new strategy in February, leaving the interim CEO in limbo and in charge of a plan he might not be around to execute. Ian Gordon, analyst at Investec, said he welcomed the appointment which would provide the bank much needed strategic clarity. I would have welcomed it with greater enthusiasm had it been announced alongside the strategic plan a month ago, he told Reuters. Quinn will earn a base salary of 1.27 million pounds per annum, the bank said. Trade, US president Donald Trump said on Twitter, would not be affected by the decree. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday morning that the border between Canada and the United States would be closed by mutual consent to non-essential traffic such as tourists and other visitors. Trade, the president said on Twitter, would not be affected by the decree. More details are forthcoming, he said. We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected. Details to follow! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2020 Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a news conference outside his home on Wednesday that he spoke with Trump earlier in the day, and likened the measure to the instructions from public-health officials that people avoid visiting their neighbours unless doing so is essential. Travellers will no longer be permitted to cross the border for recreation and tourism, Trudeau said. In both our countries, were encouraging people to stay home; were telling our citizens not to visit their neighbours unless they absolutely have to. This collaborative and reciprocal measure is an extension of that prudent approach. Truck drivers and Canadian snowbirds, who live in the US for part of the year and are returning to Canada, are among those expected to get an exemption. Completely closing the border would cause severe economic damage to both the US and Canada as the two economies are integrated. Much of Canadas food supply comes from or via the US, and and 98 percent of its oil exports go to the US. About 18 percent of American exports go to Canada. Canada relies on the US for 75 percent of its exports. Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said nearly 200,000 people cross the border between the two countries daily and that the traffic is a lifeline for both the Canadians and the Americans on both sides. We get our groceries thanks to truckers who drive back and forth across that border, she said. Very urgently needed medical supplies and medicines go back and forth across that border. And essential workers go back and forth across that border every day. So it is a unique relationship for Canada, and its important for us in handling our situation on the border to be sure that we act to get things right. On Monday, Trudeau announced that Canada was closing its borders to people who are not citizens or permanent residents. At the time, he said US citizens would be exempt from the ruling, but all incoming visitors would be required to self-quarantine for 14 days. Beginning Wednesday, Canada also announced, international flights will only be accepted at four airports: Pearson Airport in Toronto, Trudeau Airport in Montreal, Vancouver International Airport and Calgary International Airport. Robert Bothwell, a professor of Canadian history and international relations at the University of Toronto, said the government-to-government accord announced Wednesday merely ratifies what is already in place. Tourism in the age of the coronavirus is a contradiction in terms, Bothwell said. And no Canadian in his or her right mind would want to be caught with the virus on the US side of the border, given the predatory US medical pricing system. Actually, the insurance companies have already taken care of the problem, he added. Many of us have received notices that they will not pay for virus treatment south of the border. According to The Associated Press news agency, the Trump administration is also considering a plan to turn back all people who cross the border illegally from Mexico. The plan is under consideration and no final decisions have been made, officials told the AP. [March 18, 2020] ReversingLabs Names Paul Ciesielski as Chief Revenue Officer to Support Company's Continued Growth and Scale Sales Operations CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ReversingLabs , a leading provider of explainable threat intelligence solutions, has appointed Paul Ciesielski its Chief Revenue Officer. A transformational senior sales executive, Ciesielski will oversee all enterprise global sales and sales operations activities, providing operational discipline while leading revenue growth, new customer acquisition, and team development. Ciesielskis responsibilities will encompass sales team leadership accelerating ReversingLabs revenue and scaling sales operations to meet growing demand for its ReversingLabs Titanium Platform, providing cloud-delivered object security to address the latest attacks, advanced persistent threats and polymorphic malware. Paul has a proven track record of driving growth and profitability at enterprise software and security solutions companies as well as bringing extensive leadership and management experience to building effective sales teams, said Mario Vuksan, ReversingLabs CEO and co-founder. He holds himself and his team to high expectations, which he consistently delivers on, and his guidance and skills will contribute significantly to the advancement of ReversingLabs mission, continued development of its sales team, and the growth of its revenue. Ciesielski joins ReversingLabs with 20 years of sales leadership experience, and a reputation as a respected and results-oriented business executive. Most recently, he served as CRO at SevOne (acquired by Turbonomic). Previously, as Vice President of Sales at Chef Software Ciesielski helped the company achieve triple-digit growth. He as also held senior sales and leadership roles at AppDynamics (acquired by Cisco), Mazu (acquired by Riverbed Technology), Riverbed Technology and Mercury (acquired by HP). He holds a B.S. in Marketing from Plymouth State University. I was drawn to ReversingLabs because of its reputation as a cybersecurity leader providing differentiated explainable threat intelligence into malware infected files, and its roster of large, marquee global customers, partners, and investors. Combined, these aspects demonstrate strong strategic vision and immense growth potential, said Ciesielski. As a customer experience driven professional, my passion for building, motivating, and managing world-class sales teams, and for implementing processes that produce predictable, repeatable revenue impact, is well supported by ReversingLabs leadership team, employees and culture. Joining ReversingLabs in February 2020, Ciesielski is based at ReversingLabs US headquarters in Cambridge, MA. About ReversingLabs ReversingLabs helps Security Operations Center (SOC) teams identify, detect and respond to the latest attacks, advanced persistent threats and polymorphic malware by providing explainable threat intelligence into destructive files and objects. ReversingLabs technology is used by the worlds most advanced security vendors and deployed across all industries searching for a better way to get at the root of the web, mobile, email, cloud, app development and supply chain threat problem, of which files and objects have become major risk contributors. ReversingLabs Titanium Platform provides broad integration support with more than 4,000 unique file and object formats, speeds detection of malicious objects through automated static analysis, prioritizing the highest risks with actionable detail in only .005 seconds. With unmatched breadth and privacy, the platform accurately detects threats through explainable machine learning models, leveraging the largest repository of malware in the industry, containing more than 10 billion files and objects. Delivering transparency and trust, thousands of human readable indicators explain why a classification and threat verdict was determined, while integrating at scale across the enterprise with connectors that support existing SIEM, SOAR, threat intelligence platform and sandbox investments, reducing incident response time for SOC analysts, while providing high priority and detailed threat information for hunters to take quick action. Learn more at https://www.reversinglabs.com , or connect on LinkedIn or Twitter . Media Contact: Jennifer Balinski, Guyer Group [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] An economic justice organization and other groups urged the Alameda County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to pass a paid sick days ordinance in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. "Our health depends on the health of the person next to us, and the person next to them," said Kate O'Hara, the executive director of the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy. O'Hara said, "Staying at home if we are sick is critical to stopping the pandemic in its tracks." The ordinance, which would apply to the unincorporated areas of Alameda County, would require all employers to provide paid sick days to any employee who works at least two hours a week, with no loopholes. Workers would accrue one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked and could use them for themselves or to care for someone else. Workers at small businesses with less than 10 employees would be able to accumulate 40 hours of sick leave and workers at larger businesses would be able to accumulate 72 hours of leave. Similar ordinances have already been in effect in Oakland and San Francisco. But the proposed ordinance in Alameda County includes an additional provision that every worker would have immediate access to 14 days of paid sick days, regardless of accrual, during declared public health emergencies such as the coronavirus epidemic. Supporters of the Alameda County measure, who also include community and faith groups, hope that if the Board of Supervisors votes for it, their approval will set an example for all cities in the county, including Berkeley, San Leandro, Hayward, Emeryville and Alameda. The Board of Supervisors has jurisdiction over paid sick leave for unincorporated areas in the county, and cities are governed by their city councils. O'Hara said the board discussed the ordinance in closed session on Tuesday but didn't vote on it. She said she and other supporters hope the board will approve it at another meeting in the near future. 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. Coronavirus could kill 3.5 million in Iran, study suggests According to recent research, around 3.5 million people may die in Iran from the coronavirus if quarantine measures are not effectively enforced. The study by a scientific committee at Tehran's prestigious Sharif University of Technology proposed three scenarios regarding the COVID-19 outbreak in the Islamic Republic, according to Iran's Tinn new website. "THE OUTBREAK WILL PEAK IN LATE MAY" It suggested that if the quarantine measures are fully implemented and people follow instructions issued by the authorities, Iran will see 120,000 infections and 12,000 deaths by the beginning of April, when the outbreak will reach its peak, according to the best scenario in which people are isolated from each other by 80 percent. If people are isolated from each other by 50 percent, Iran will see 300,000 cases and 110,000 deaths by the end of the April, the study said. It, however, warned that if people fail to follow instructions, the outbreak will peak in late May, with the country witnessing about 4 million coronavirus cases, and about 3.5 million deaths. 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 Idris Elba has explained that his asthma puts him in the category of people who are most at risk from coronavirus, days after revealing his diagnosis. Earlier this week, Elba released a video announcing that he had tested positive for coronavirus. Yesterday evening, the Thor actor decided to provide a further update on his condition, sharing a couple of videos on live video streaming platform Periscope. In one of the videos, Elba stated that he has reason to feel concerned about his coronavirus diagnosis due to his respiratory issue. I have asthma, and so I sort of fit in the high category of most at risk, the 47-year-old said. I have a respiratory issue and Ive asthma all my life, so catching corona was definitely not on my bucket list at all. However, Elba has so far not experienced any difficulties with his asthma, he stated. But even my asthma is ok, he said. I dont feel any restriction within my breathing or within my lungs. I have a little bit of a runny nose but I dont think thats anything. I havent been coughing too much. I generally feel ok. The Asthma UK website outlines that when a person with asthma contracts a respiratory infection, this can set off their asthma symptoms. The organisation has provided tips for people with asthma that they can follow in order to reduce their risk fo asthma symptoms, including ensuring that they keep taking their preventer inhaler daily as prescribed, they carry a reliever inhaler and that they follow a peak flow diary, keeping note of their asthma symptoms. 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 During his live video broadcast, Elba addressed a myth that has been circulating that claims that black people cannot catch coronavirus. The actor decried the claim as dumb and silly stating: My people, black people, black people please please please understand that coronavirus is... you can get it. There are so many stupid, ridiculous conspiracy theories about black people not being able to get it. Thats dumb, its stupid, alright. That is the quickest way to get more black people killed, he said. This disease does not discriminate. Im saying this because I think its definitely some weird myth that people are sending out there, and as a black person I need to say something. The actor also addressed why he underwent a test for coronavirus despite not having exhibited any symptoms. Elba explained that he had been due to start filming, being surrounded by large groups of people, when he learnt that a person he had been in contact with had tested positive for the virus. Quite honestly my job made me test immediately. I had to test anyway because it meant putting a lot of people, he said. From my perspective it was the best thing to do, Elba stated, adding that he hopes people can get tested quickly because I think early detected is going to help squash this. If you have any coronavirus symptoms, visit the online NHS 111 service and do not visit your GP or hospital. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden delivers remarks at his primary night election event in Columbia, South Carolina, on February 29, 2020. With a more than half of the votes counted, Biden led Sanders by about a 44% to 31% margin. Biden was widely anticipated to walk away from the primary with the bulk of Arizona's 67 pledged delegates. His blowout performance on Super Tuesday earlier this month quashed Sanders' momentum and gave Biden a lead that pollsters increasingly consider to be insurmountable. Joe Biden will win the Arizona Democratic primary, NBC News projected Tuesday, marking another win for the former vice president. The Arizona primary went on as scheduled even after Ohio decided to call off its own election amid the novel coronavirus outbreak. U.S. leaders at every level of government have adopted drastic measures, such as banning large gatherings and forcing restaurants to close their dining rooms, to rein in the spread of the virus. But Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs told local media outlets Monday that in-person voting would be safe, adding that counties "are implementing common-sense health precautions." The Arizona State Democratic Party said that roughly 480,000 mail-in ballots had been counted by Tuesday afternoon. That number alone is higher than the total number of votes cast in the 2016 Democratic primary. Earlier Tuesday, NBC had also projected victories for Biden in Florida and Illinois. Coming into Tuesday, Biden led Sanders 865 to 714 in the pledged delegate count nationally, according to NBC News. This is breaking news. Please check back for updates. The number of people infected with coronavirus disease Covid-19 has risen to 147 in the country, Union health ministry said on Wednesday. Out of these 147 people, 122 are Indians and 25 foreigners, the ministry further said. Giving statewise break-up of the number of Covid-19 positive cases, the health ministry data said that Maharashtra is at the top with 38 confirmed cases of Covid-19 followed by Kerala (25), Uttar Pradesh (15) and Karnataka (11). Over 5,700 people, who had come in contact with these positive cases, are under rigorous surveillance, the ministry said. Coronavirus | India cases rise, minister quarantined, vaccine tests: Top 10 updates According to government data, 14 people have been discharged so far, including the three patients from Kerala who were discharged last month. More than 11,500 people were infected with the novel coronavirus globally, bringing the total number of confirmed cases above 179,000, the World Health Organisation said in its latest coronavirus situation report on Tuesday. A total of 475 people died of the infection on Tuesday, raising the global death toll to 7426, the report stated. In India, three people have died of the infection. 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. As the police tried to convince him, the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh said, 'It is my right to meet my Congress MLAs. I don't want to meet the BJP MLAs. I want to meet the Congress MLAs. People have voted them as Congress MLAs, not as BJP MLAs.' Bengaluru: High drama unfolded on Wednesday morning near the resort where rebel Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh are staying, as senior party leader Digvijay Singh staged a protest accusing the police of not allowing him to meet the legislators. #WATCH Karnataka: Congress leader Digvijaya Singh has now been placed under preventive arrest. He was sitting on dharna near Ramada hotel in Bengaluru, allegedly after he was not allowed by Police to visit it. 21 #MadhyaPradesh Congress MLAs are lodged at the hotel. pic.twitter.com/dP3me4qjw0 ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2020 Singh, who has been detained by the police, accused the BJP of holding the MLAs captive and said that he would go on a "hunger strike". "BJP MLA Arvind Bhadoriya and an MP are holding them captive. Why can't I meet my MLAs, my voters (for Rajya Sabha election), my own party people? What is the BJP doing in between?" he said. Singh alleged that Congress MLAs inside the resort want to meet him, but they are not being allowed. As the police tried to convince him, the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister said, "It is my right to meet my Congress MLAs. I don't want to meet the BJP MLAs. I want to meet the Congress MLAs. People have voted them as Congress MLAs, not as BJP MLAs." Singh, landed in the city early on Wednesday morning and he was received at by newly-appointed state Congress chief D K Shivakumar, former minister Krishna Byre Gowda and others, party sources said. The former Madhya Pradesh chief minister then drove straight to the resort, where they were denied entry by police, sources said adding that Shivakumar and other state leaders have also reached the spot. In a video released by the Congress, Singh is seen saying, "I'm an ex-chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, who is a Rajya Sabha election candidate. The voting is on March 26. Twenty-two MLAs are staying here and they want to talk to me. But their phones have been taken away and the police are not allowing us to talk to them." "The police are saying that the MLAs have a security threat. I have told them (police) that I'm a Gandhian and I don't have a bomb or any rifle, allow them to meet us and I will go back." Superintendent of Police (Bengaluru Rural) Bheemashankar S Guled tried to convince Singh, saying the Madhya Pradesh legislators at the resort have sought police protection. The MLAs have written to the police stating that they don't want to meet anybody as they fear trouble, and the same has been communicated to Singh and others, the police officer said, adding, "We have also shown the letter to him." Questioning the police's claim, Singh said, "They (police) don't know the MLAs' name or anything, how can we know that he (SP) has spoken to the legislators?" Claiming that no letter by the MLAs was shown to him, Singh said something on a phone was shown to him which had names of two legislators, "one of whom had been a minister in my government". "Those very MLAs had sent a word to me asking me to come here," he said and alleged that the signatures of MLAs were forged. The 22 rebel Congress MLAs held a press conference on Tuesday and claimed that 20 more party MLAs want to join them and they were thinking of crossing over to the BJP in the days to come. 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 11 March. WASHINGTON President Trump intensified his effort Wednesday to brand the coronavirus as the Chinese virus, a label that public health professionals say is incorrect and many Asian Americans called dangerous to them personally. Trump has used the term several times in recent tweets and began the daily coronavirus briefing at the White House on Wednesday by saying, I would like to begin by announcing some developments in the war against the Chinese virus. The World Health Organization calls the disease COVID-19. Trumps Chinese virus references have drawn criticism from Democrats and some health professionals who say it stirs racist and xenophobic sentiments. The White House said other outbreaks have been referred to by geography, such as the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918, and that the attacks on Trumps labeling were fake outrage stoked by the media. California Assemblyman Phil Ting, a San Francisco Democrat of Chinese descent, said Trumps comments have created anxiety among many Asian Americans, some of whom report being harassed about the disease. Its embarrassing to have a president who not only doesnt put a stop to it, but really condones it and fuels that fire, Ting said. When House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield used the name Chinese coronavirus in a tweet last week, Speaker Nancy Pelosi responded that bigoted statements which spread misinformation and blame Asians and the Asian American community for the pandemic make us all less safe. The first victims of the novel coronavirus were in Chinas Hubei province, and McCarthys office said the term correctly placed responsibility for the diseases spread on China for its early refusal to acknowledge the outbreak. Trump made similar comments Wednesday. Its not racist, he said. It comes from China, thats why. Trump also said of the Chinese government, They could have given us a lot earlier notice, absolutely. Asked if he worried that the term Chinese virus could put Asian Americans at risk, Trump replied, No, not at all. I think they would agree with it 100%. It comes from China. Theres nothing not to agree. The World Health Organization warns against naming new diseases for geographic locations, including countries, in part to avoid causing offense to any cultural, social, national, regional, professional or ethnic groups. After Trumps news conference ended, the White House tweeted: Spanish Flu. West Nile Virus. Zika. Ebola. All named for places. Before the medias fake outrage, even CNN called it Chinese Coronavirus. Those trying to divide us must stop rooting for America to fail and give Americans real info they need to get through the crisis. When Sherry Wang saw Trumps tweets referring to COVID-19 as the Chinese virus, she took to her Twitter account a platform she rarely uses to reply to the president. No infectious disease has ever targeted people on the basis of race, wrote Wang, a professor of counseling psychology at Santa Clara University. But ignorance sure helps to justify racism, debunk science and perpetrate more false news. Wang said Trumps comments are intended to distract Americans from the slow U.S. response to the outbreak. She fears the presidents comments will facilitate hate crimes against Asian Americans. This is more than alienating Asian Americans, this is unsafe, Wang said. Asian Americans not only have to carry this fear of getting sick and face the same level of risk as everyone else, but also have to deal with the emotional and psychological lack of safety. Because you walk out the door and dont know if you could be physically attacked just by looking the way you are. Victoria Sun, a law student at UC Berkeley, said the term is a way for Trump to make China and Chinese Americans the culprits for the outbreak. Weve seen that throughout history, she said. It really reminds me of the phrase yellow peril. It draws similar imagery to that. Sun added, Theres definitely that fear there, but also a sense of here we go again. Dustin Gardiner and Tatiana Sanchez are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: dustin.gardiner@sfchronicle.com, tatiana.sanchez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dustingardiner, @TatianaYSanchez - Legalized cannabis and CBD businesses rely heavily on global trade shows to create brand awareness and drive product sales - The Canna Bizfair virtual trade expo platform provides a boundary-less online marketplace that presents opportunities for strong business partnerships and also brings the best brands to end consumer LONDON, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing is a necessity across many countries. As per local government directives, many cannabis & CBD related events and trade shows have been postponed or cancelled. As a result, CBD businesses will likely miss out on the much needed exposure and global partnerships during its growth phase. While safeguarding employees, vendors and customers, a sunrise CBD industry should ensure that the business growth is not adversely affected. "Our online trade expo platform presents a unique opportunity for cannabis & CBD brands to create awareness about genuine products from trustworthy brands on a global scale. It builds live market places which bring buyers directly to exhibiting brands. Using our platform, you can exhibit at or attend the virtual trade expo from anywhere in the world, whether you're at office or home and from any device. We sincerely hope and pray that people stay safe during this difficult situation and hence we have decided to offer the platform, at cost, to industry stakeholders and those who want to grow the industry," said Rishi Kudale, Marketing Director, Canna Bizfair. Online retail is an important channel for legal cannabis & CBD businesses. Every day consumers are discovering new products through social media, online stores, influencers, reviews and word of mouth. This conversational commerce keeps the customer engaged and wanting for more. However, promotional restrictions from Google, Facebook and obscure regulations make it harder for businesses to properly educate their consumers. Hence, the virtual trade shows will not just be a necessity but it will become a norm in the cannabis & CBD industry in couple of years. Benefits of the Canna Bizfair Virtual Expo platform - Event organizers can create an online extension of their existing events or a completely online trade exhibition. The unified platform allows exhibitor and attendee management, creating expo hall layouts and detailed reporting at event and exhibitor level. Exhibiting brands can create hyper-real expo stalls with interactive branding panels which can be updated with marketing collateral and promo videos in real-time. Engage exhibitors, wholesale buyers, partners and retail customers from around the world through live chat Industry delegates can showcase expertise and thought leadership through informative webinars that cover regulatory nuances to enter a new markets and latest technology trends. Expo ROI and impact measurement with granular reporting metrics such as number of visitors, average time spent, number of document views, number of cards exchanged, etc. "We have a pilot event CBD+VAPE WORLD 2020 coming up in May to showcase efficacy and impact of our virtual trade show platform and to on-board more event organizers. It is a 3-day online fiesta on a massive scale focused on bringing the entire CBD vape ecosystem on a single platform. You can not only explore demand in different markets but also meet reliable vendors and suppliers. There is an array of numerous benefits that exhibitors can expect from the platform," continued Rishi Kudale, during the press announcement. "We have an exciting Canna Bizfair Partner Program and have already partnered with an established event company in APAC to use our platform. We're in talks with few more from Europe & North America." Canna Bizfair has extended the proprietary virtual trade expo platform, at cost till 31stAugust 2020 , that can accommodate hundreds of thousands of visitors around the world. The platform can be used by established event organizers focused on CBD, vaping, cannabis ancillary sub-domains like packaging, software technology, investment, insurance, logistics, etc. Interested parties can write to partner@cannabizfair.com. About Canna Bizfair: Canna Bizfair provides a cutting-edge platform to plan, design, create & manage business focused online trade expos for legalised cannabis and CBD industry. The event organizers can build live ecosystems where business can grow and make meaningful connections from across the globe. Our events attract buyers, entrepreneurs and professionals from all over the world as well as your day to day consumer. Now deliver successful trade show while staying clear of expensive event logistics You can attend world class events from anywhere, anytime and on any device. Our proprietary Canna Bizfair Virtual Expo Center. An expansive 8,640 SqM expo arena is loaded with all the essential features to host successful cannabis trade expos and more. Exhibitors can choose from various customization options to create dynamic and hyper-real booths. Our 3D booths are equipped with interactive branding panels, so that you can showcase your products in the best manner. For more details, please visit https://www.cannabizfair.com/ CBD+VAPE WORLD, May 8-10, 2020: https://www.cannabizfair.com/cbd-vape-world/ Exhibitor Features & Benefits: https://www.cannabizfair.com/exhibitor-brochure.pdf Canna Bizfair Partner Program Dossier: https://www.cannabizfair.com/partner-brochure.pdf Write to partner@cannabizfair.com On Thursday, March 5, 2020, Dean Beer, right, former chief public defender in Montgomery County, was greeted by supporters after a protest on the steps of the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown about the recent firings of Beer and his deputy, Keisha Hudson. Read more Montgomery Countys former top two public defenders filed federal lawsuits Tuesday accusing the county of firing them for criticizing bail practices in the county. Last month, the county abruptly fired Chief Defender Dean Beer and Deputy Chief Public Defender Keisha Hudson, sparking protests from national advocates, a rally outside a Board of Commissioners meeting, a protest letter from the defenders offices lawyers, and fiery criticism from those who saw it as blatant political interference. Their removal came two weeks after the county forced the defenders office to withdraw an amicus brief before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court alleging illegal bail practices in the county setting bail in hearings without lawyers or consideration of ability to pay. We witness firsthand the multitude of individual and community harms caused by dysfunctional bail practices that result in unnecessary and prolonged pretrial detention, read the brief, which was filed Feb. 3 and withdrawn eight days later. Hudson was fired because she challenged statewide injustice by exposing the truth about Montgomery Countys unjust and unconstitutional bail system, reads her complaint, which alleges that the county retaliated against her for exercising her First Amendment rights. County officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday. A letter from the county executive to Beer cited the amicus brief as a source of concern, but also said Beer and Hudson misused resources last summer when they assigned interns to review police officers social media accounts for racist language. Hudson said that work started only after racist posts were already an issue in Montgomery County. The work, she said, was relevant to ensuring the fair treatment of her clients, and the issue is a pretext to conceal the retaliatory nature of the firings. READ MORE: Could a Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision fix broken bail systems across the state? Hudsons lawsuit was filed by the nonprofit Civil Rights Corps, a group that advocates justice-system changes and the protection of defender independence. Charlie Gerstein, an attorney for Civil Rights Corps, said in a statement that the coronavirus highlights the need for independent advocacy, saying the county is continuing to expose [defendants] to a deadly pandemic just because theyre poor. Hudson said people in the jail are considered at particular risk for the virus due to the close quarters and lack of access to hand sanitizer. Its a public health issue, she said. She said she worries the defenders left on staff arent positioned to speak up. "Theyve been silenced. No one is really sounding the alarm about our clients. Montgomery County President Judge Thomas Del Ricci has directed judges to pause before imposing high bail, using it only for those whose release would threaten public safety. The two firings were criticized by public defenders around the country, who argue that independence is critical to their jobs. Benjamin Lerner, who served as chief defender in Philadelphia for 15 years before becoming a Common Pleas Court judge, said the public defender in Montgomery County had a long history of lack of independence, but added that he had been impressed with changes over the last decade. To me, [the firing] seems like a huge step backward, he said. I was chief defender when Frank Rizzo was the mayor, he said. I never experienced anything like that. South Africa: Teachers, administration officials to work until Friday The Basic Education Department has confirmed that although schools officially close on Wednesday, 18 March 2020, in terms of the Cabinet decision taken on Sunday, teachers will continue to work until Friday, 20 March 2020. On Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a national disaster and announced the closure of schools to combat transmission of the virus. The Council of Education Ministers (CEM) instructed heads of education departments to develop an implementation plan that would include a curriculum catch up plan. In order to achieve this objective teachers would have to work as normal in terms of the approved school calendar. It was also agreed that staff would be staying until Friday to finalise the administration, said the department. Mathanzima Mweli, the Departments Director-General said Heads of Education discussed the implications of the Cabinet decision and agreed that the best way forward is to send learners home and allow teachers the space needed to plan for the reopening of schools which is scheduled for 14 April 2020. We are grateful that our teachers have heeded the call because they understand the circumstances we are working under and that the curriculum implementation remains our priority, said the Director-General. The DBE will support provinces to put in place a comprehensive recovery plan to mitigate against the 10 days that will be lost as a result of the early close of schools. School nutrition On the school nutrition programme, Minister Angie Motshekga noted questions regarding learners benefiting from the school nutrition programme and the plans during school closures. The concern is valid however schools were due to close anyway on Friday so parents and guardians were always going to continue with their responsibilities over their children. The nutrition provides meals to learners in school. We are working on revising the school calendar to ensure that the 10 days are recovered so that nobody is compromised in anyway, said the Minister. Motshekga repeated her appeal to parents to keep their children at home and to support them with school work during the long period of school closures. The department will continue to monitor the situation and advise accordingly should there be new developments on the matter of the Coronavirus, said the department. All schools including early childhood centres, private and public as well as boarding and special schools are affected by the Cabinet decision. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-03-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Kerry Katona looked blissfully happy as she cosied up to her boyfriend Ryan Mahoney during their Maldives getaway... just before coronavirus chaos set in. The TV personality, 39, donned a white snakeskin print swimsuit as she braved the ocean on a snorkelling trip with her personal trainer partner. The reality star laced an arm around Ryan's shoulders as she made the most of their romantic getaway last week - later revealing she was suffered 'panic attacks' over fears the global pandemic would leave her stranded and apart from her five children. Happier times: Kerry Katona looked blissfully happy as she cosied up to her boyfriend Ryan Mahoney during their Maldives getaway last week... just before coronavirus chaos set in Kerry layered up in a black kaftan with multi-coloured floral embroidery on the bodice and tassel detailing. The make-up free star covered up in an oversized straw hat and flashed a big smile as she larked about in the sunshine. Getting kitted out for their snorkeling session, Kerry ensured safety came first in a life jacket as she posed up a storm in a mask and flippers. The bubbly star was full of energy as she prepared to dive off a boat and explore the bed of the ocean. Making a splash:The TV personality, 39, donned a white snakeskin print swimsuit as she braved the ocean on a snorkelling trip with her personal trainer partner Larking about: The TV personality, 39, donned a white snakeskin print swimsuit as she braved the ocean on a snorkelling trip with her personal trainer partner Having a ball: Kerry looked the picture of happiness during her trip - but would later reveal her secret fears Beach chic: Kerry layered up in a black kaftan with multi-coloured floral embroidery on the bodice and tassel detailing Working it: Getting kitted out for their snorkeling session, Kerry ensured safety came first in a life jacket as she posed up a storm in a mask and flippers Going under: Kerry ensured her snorkel was well-fitted as she tested it out Ready for action: The couple, who confirmed their romance last year, prepared for their dive Kerry has since revealed she worried the global coronavirus outbreak would leave her stranded in the Maldives. She learnt during the trip that the pandemic was escalating, and travel was being heavily disrupted. 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. Keeping close: Kerry clutched Ryan's arm as they treaded water together Hold me close! The pair canoodled in the shallows during their fun-filled day out Living it up: The mother-of-five was enjoying some much needed rest and relaxation Glowing: Kerry came back from the Maldives with a bronzed tan following her getaway Smitten duo: The lovebirds enjoyed a VIP experience at the resort All smiles: Kerry couldn't keep her eyes off her personal trainer boyfriend '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.' 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. Pandemic panic: Kerry has since revealed she worried the global coronavirus outbreak would leave her stranded in the Maldives Worried: The reality personality, 39, admitted on Monday's Loose Women that she was left panicked and tearful at the thought of not getting home to her children [Molly, 18, is pictured appearing alongside her mother on the weekday chat show] 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. 'We think we're dead funny. But we're the only ones who think we're funny,' the Atomic Kitten 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. Concerns: The mother-of-five was on vacation with her lover, Ryan Maloney, and learnt during the trip that the pandemic was escalating, and travel was being heavily disrupted Worried: 'Honestly, I had a bit of a panic attack the last three days [about getting home], got really anxious,' Kerry recounted Kerry recalled: '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!"' Stacey Solomon then asked Molly what made her move out of the house and Kerry joked: 'Me!' Molly added: 'It was just a nice change.. a different atmosphere, because I'm the oldest of five. But as soon as I left, I was like "Oh my God!" I didn't realise how much I actually missed being the older sister.' Kerry then spoke about sitting Molly down when her documentary Kerry Katona: Coming Clean came out 10 years ago. 'Molly was nine, Lilly was eight and I sat them both down, "Right, I need you to watch this show just remember that isn't mummy anymore." I think they were really shocked. I just didn't want my girls going into school and hearing it,' she recalled. All is well: 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 Sense of humour? 'We think we're dead funny. But we're the only ones who think we're funny,' the Atomic Kitten star said Molly added: 'I don't remember it as well as I probably should have because to me it wasn't a big deal to me. 'It was just another day that mum told me something and I just kind of pushed it out of my mind. I think I remember hugging her afterwards.' Kerry explained: 'I remember watching them watch it and I felt so embarrassed.' Loose Women is on weekdays from 12:30PM on ITV. CHICO, Calif. - Shoppers continue rushing to grocery stores to stock up on essential supplies as coronavirus cases are on the rise in the United States. Reporter Kristian Lopez stopped by WinCo, Food Maxx and Raleys in Chico, to see how these businesses were handling the influx of customers. A line wraps around the building of WinCo in Chico on Tuesday, March 17. Action News Now photo A line wraps around the building of WinCo in Chico on Tuesday, March 17. Action News Now photo Tuesday morning, there was a line of customers waiting to get into WinCo Foods an hour before they opened. Workers were only letting a few people in at a time. Shoppers said things weren't too busy inside but that were many empty shelves and a low supply of certain foods and items. WinCo employees declined to comment on whether or not they plan on changing their hours, or how often they will monitor their doors. CONTINUING CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE Food Maxx said they are working to keep the store extra clean for their customers. Public Affairs Manager, Victoria Castro says they have increased the frequency and intensity of the cleaning inside the store, focusing on surfaces, shopping carts, and check stands. She adds, they're limiting the number of high demand products customers can purchase to ensure access to as many people as possible. Food Maxx corporate office representatives said they are working around the clock to replenish shelves as quickly as possible. They add, if an item is not on the shelf, shoppers should try back the next day because they are pushing products out of the warehouse as quickly as possible. Corporate representatives also told Action News Now, that they're hiring hundreds of new employees across the state to keep up with the demand. RELATED: Coronavirus - Important Links and Resources Raley's says they have hundreds of truckloads deploying daily, all over the country to keep up with the high demand. Chelsea Minor, Corporate Director of Public Affairs for Raley's says, they're asking customers to stop stockpiling because they say it's causing a strain on their food system. However, it's not only busy inside the store, but their E-Cart service has also increased significantly, with some customers experiencing some delays. Minor says they are immediately increasing their workforce by several hundred team members at their stores, to support store operations, both in-store and online. She adds that those using the E-Cart service should place their order 48 hours in advance and only use the service if it's absolutely necessary, to allow them to serve those who can't physically shop inside the stores. Hong Kong to quarantine all arrivals from outside starting Thursday: chief executive Global Times Source:Xinhua Published: 2020/3/17 10:54:44 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / So, you've just started your own business - congratulations! But your journey doesn't stop there. Now it's time to build your brand; to distinguish your own goods, services and ethos from your competitors (both current and would-be). It's time to start establishing the unique name and image of your business as the ultimate mark of quality in your chosen field or industry. It's time to get a trademark. A registered trademark () provides your startup with proprietary rights over its intellectual property (IP), safeguarding your brand from being copied or reappropriated. Things you can trademark include a single word (such as your business' brand name), a symbol or drawing (your logo, for instance), or a tune or sound (like the jingle that accompanies your startup's branding in TV or radio advertising). You can also acquire a trademark for colours, packaging even fragrances. The opportunities are endless, as are the benefits for businesses. Let's take the example of fast food giant McDonald's. The name, the branding (those golden arches are comfortably one of the most recognisable logos on the planet), and the slogan ("I'm lovin' it") are all examples of how crucial trademarks are to a company's image. Even McDonald's' iconic, almost Pavlovian jingle ba da ba ba baaa is enough to get mouths watering and wallets opening. Without a trademark for any of that, McDonald's would have been plagued by armies of copycat businesses, piggy-backing their way to a quick buck off the back of McDonald's' super sized success. Its menu would have been copied, along with its name, its branding, and its logo. Those fake McDonald's' would have eventually undermined public perceptions of the original, and it would've been over for the food chain goliath before you could say "large McChicken Sandwich with fries and a McFlurry, please". McDonald's is well aware of the importance of trademarks, too (just look at the vehemence of its legal pursuit of Irish restaurant chain "Supermacs" as all the evidence you need of that), as does any other business worth its salt. It's clear, then, that trademarks aren't to be taken lightly. Moreover, they're basically indispensable for businesses - especially those just starting out (even McDonald's was a startup once, after all). So, does your startup need a trademark? Yes. Yes it does. Here are five reasons why. 1. It's easy to apply for and surprisingly affordable You can apply for a trademark by filling in a form on the government's website. You'll need to provide full details of the name, slogan, or illustration you want to register, along with the trademark classes you want to register in. There are 45 classes of trademark - goods (1-34) and services (35-45), which you'll need to select one or more of, depending on the nature of what you sell. The application costs an initial fee of 170, and you'll pay an additional 50 for each additional class. There's even a service ("Right Start') that lets you check whether your application meets the rules for registration before you choose to proceed - though it comes with an upfront cost of 100. 2. It lasts for a decade ...and that means it's one of the most enduring protections you can acquire for your startup. Your trademark won't expire after that decade, either - you'll just need to renew it, for a base cost of 200 and by filling out a short form (it's just over a page long). Ten years is also a relatively large amount of time, especially when compared to the longevity of other intellectual property protections in the UK. A registered design (such as a decoration, physical shape, or configuration) has to be renewed every five years, for instance. 200 every ten years for full protection of your brand and reputation? It's a steal. 3. It speaks your customer's language Unlike words alone, brand names and logos have the rare power to traverse differences imposed by cultural, national, and territorial factors. In other words, they transcend the barriers of words and letters to speak your customer's language - even if you don't. That makes registering your trademark abroad (as well as in the UK) an absolute necessity - especially if your startup is looking to scale and internationalise. As a UK startup, you can apply for a trademark that's valid in the UK. You also have the option of filing for an EUTM (European Union Trademark), but this won't protect businesses in the UK as of January 1st, 2021 (you know why). It's still fairly straightforward to secure an international trademark abroad, though. Providing you've secured a trademark in the UK (your "Office of Origin"), you can then file for one in your choice of 122 participating countries. Still not convinced? Consider the cautionary tale of Burger King, which operates franchises in about 100 countries except Australia, where (though the food and branding is basically identical) Burger King must trade under the name "Hungry Jacks". The reason? The now-famous name of "Burger King' was already trademarked by the owner of a small takeaway in Adelaide a royal inconvenience! 4. If you don't, someone else will It sounds a tad ominous, sure, but it's true. If your business becomes a success, it'll attract the interested gaze of many a potential copycat. Remember the example of the McDonald's knock-offs? If you don't trademark your own business, there's nothing from stopping a rip-off merchant from reappropriating your logo design or filching your brand name - and even trademarking it themselves! Sure, you get some basic rights as a merchant trading under your own sign. However, these laws are much more complex (and costly!) to enforce than the rights that trademark registration bestows on your intellectual property. 5. It's the key to your business' future As your staff numbers, revenue, and reputation grow, so will the power of your trademarked brand. And, when it comes to growing your reach - whether that's creating a nationwide franchise or expanding beyond British borders - that power can unlock some seriously lucrative doors. A trademark with a track record of proven success can help your startup acquire funding, and negotiate a higher fee when franchising it out. Having that symbol is also a powerful trust signal - whether to a stakeholder, an investor, or simply a consumer weighing your offerings up against those of a close competitor. So, there you have it. Five reasons that illustrate how important it is for a startup to get a trademark. But, when it comes to registering your intellectual property, there's only one question you should be asking yourself... Can your business really afford not to? Remember, you've done the hard part. You've grown your business from the ground up, taking the unique seed of a good idea and nurturing it into a flowering, profitable enterprise. Why risk it getting trampled? Author: Rob Binns writes for Expert Market, a leading B2B comparison site empowering businesses across the UK and beyond. He specialises in analysis of merchant accounts and the payment industry. He's happiest when unpacking the latest contactless trends and technologies, and discussing what these insights mean for business owners CONTACT: Media Details Company: Expert Market Email: sergio@expertmarket.co.uk Website URL: https://www.expertmarket.co.uk/ SOURCE: Expert Market View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/581367/How-Important-is-it-to-get-a-Trademark-for-a-Startup This is an opinion column. The reaction of Alabamas elected leaders has been slow and halting. A week ago, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill said coronavirus probably wouldnt be a thing here, so we shouldnt even talk about it. That was then. This is now ... He has since changed his tune and asked the state Attorney General if its legal to postpone the election. On Friday, with the first reports of positive test results trickling in, Gov. Kay Ivey announced the closure of schools, but when asked what families should do with all this new free time and good weather, she said they should find a pool somewhere. That was then. This is now ... She has since ordered the halt of in-house service at bars and restaurants in the Birmingham metro area in addition to no public gatherings larger than 25 people. Last week the Legislature adjourned for its usual mid-session break, only this year lawmakers planned to take two weeks off for Spring Break instead of the typical one. That was then. This is now ... On Monday, Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth was alarmed enough that he drove to Montgomery to film a public service announcement telling people to limit exposure to others and isolate themselves, if possible. When I spoke with Ainsworth, he told me too many people had approached him asking whether they needed to take the virus seriously. People need to know that this is real, he said. Slowly our elected leaders are coming around. Thats good. As they say, the first step is admitting you have a problem. That was then. This is now. But what does tomorrow look like? I reached out to lawmakers, lobbyists and other sources Ive relied on in the past to identify what challenges lie ahead. Nearly all identified three chokepoints where a coronavirus crisis could cripple Alabama. Health Care Alabama has stubbornly refused to expand Medicaid, leaving more than 300,000 working Alabamians without health insurance. If the economy tanks, theres every reason to believe that number will grow. The states refusal to expand the program and accept billions in matching dollars from the federal government had put a strain already on rural hospitals, causing several to close already. But its unclear whether the Legislature could expand the program quickly enough to make a difference. Sen. Doug Jones has called for the state to reopen what hospitals it can ahead of the virus, even if that means using the National Guard and military reserves to get them back open. In the meantime, Ainsworth says hes worried about ventilators. Like the number of hospital beds, our capacity can be deceiving until you take into account how much of that equipment is already in use. Ainsworth said hes been told that the number of available ventilators statewide is between 500 and 600. This week, in a conference call with governors, President Trump put the responsibility on those local leaders to find suppliers and buy more equipment. Courts, Jails and Prisons When I spoke with him, state Sen. Cam Ward was blunt: Theres no such thing as social distancing in prison. The possibility of coronavirus reaching Alabamas crowded prison population could turn a short time behind bars into a death sentence. But theres a potentially greater threat at play than that. Alabamas courts have suspended in-person hearings, and its unclear how the system will continue to function if there are no trials and other hearings that move people through, he said. At some point, youre going to have a problem with due process rights, he said. Elections When I called Merrill last week to ask about Alabamas contingency plan, there was no plan. Now the contingency plan appears to be no election or at least delaying the election for several weeks. Postponing our election because of this pandemic has exposed how our elections are archaic in general, state Rep. Chris England told me. Instead of trying to protect Confederate monuments in this session, why dont we try to modernize our elections systems? State officials have predicted the coronavirus threat could last three to four months, but other experts have cautioned that we shouldnt turn our backs on this disease after it appears to subside. If it follows the pattern of the 1918 flu epidemic, we could see a resurgence of the disease in late fall or early winter. That could put the general election in jeopardy, too, not just this months primary. Alabama needs a covid-proof election process. Right now it doesnt have one. Building one before the fall will mean adopting modern voting options the state and Merrill have resisted, England said. Those include early voting, voting by mail or at least no-excuse absentee voting. The state might also have to rethink voter ID. Merrill has said his office will accept coronavirus-related reasons as acceptable excuses for voting absentee, but those ballots still require a photocopy of a drivers license or other photo ID. If quarantines and lockdowns follow the closures of bars and restaurants, finding a place to make a copy might be as much or more trouble than getting to the polls. Regardless, England said hes worried about the Legislatures ability to help with any of these problems if it cant reconvene, and legislative leaders said they arent sure when or how that will happen. If you did a checklist of all the susceptible demographics for the coronavirus, if it went wild, we might not have a quorum, England said. Kyle Whitmire is the state political columnist for the Alabama Media Group. You can follow his work on his Facebook page, The War on Dumb. And on Twitter. And on Instagram. More columns by Kyle Whitmire The emotional impact of social isolation on people used to seeing their friends, enjoying a night out, attending a sporting match and even working alongside their work colleagues is about to be tested on a huge scale. We know the facts well enough. Theres the loss of life. Add to that the long and difficult recuperations ahead, as the survivors of acute respiratory distress syndrome struggle to return to breathing adequately. This includes, as my doctor warned me, those who will suffer cognitive impairment from prolonged loss of oxygen to the brain. The scale of this pandemic is beyond most of us and knowing what to do is more of a struggle for some than others. Im struggling. Too many calculations. It is not just the two weeks or so for at-risk isolation. It is the other weeks and months with nothing to do while we collectively sit out the virus. Well may we say God save social media, because if it werent for face-timing, zoom meetings and Facebook, wherever would people go to share anything? And what we are learning is how deeply people need to share. Fear is already taking its toll. There is a level of angst among us I cannot ever recall and testified to by the hoarding of household goods, accompanied by unattractive squabbles in supermarket aisles. No amount of reassurance by food suppliers or Kimberly-Clark is calming things down; in fact, we have now reached a tipping point where people think the only rational thing to do is to act irrationally, like everyone else. That way you dont miss out. (But oh yes we do, people. As a society, we do.) Loading Flattening the curve has now become a familiar expression. The mapping of uncontrolled epidemics with their soaring infection peaks has been well established since the Bombay epidemic of 1905. Evidence shows that flattening the curve that is, slowing the infection rate to a point where hospitals can cope is possible. Take the Spanish influenza epidemic of 1918-19. In the US, Philadelphia let a huge parade go ahead in the early days of the flu and didnt shut anything down until it saw a huge death rate that overwhelmed hospitals. By then, shutting down was too late. St Louis, less than 2000 kilometres away, made a tough decision to exercise social distancing once it saw a handful of cases. It shut schools, playgrounds, libraries, courtrooms, churches, staggered work times, and limited public transport. Results: Philadelphia suffered a lot of deaths, whereas St Louis had a slower, more controlled and significantly lower death rate. A very flattened curve indeed. Mumbai: Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Wednesday said seven more laboratories will come up across the state for testing suspected novel coronavirus cases. At present, only three labs are operating in the state at Mumbai, Nagpur and Pune where samples of suspected persons are tested. "KEM, JJ Hospital and Haffkine Institute will soon get the testing facilities. Most likely they will commence operations in the next five days," Tope told reporters. Similar laboratories will come up in different parts of the state, he added. At 42, Maharashtra has reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country. Tope also said the government was planning to open four more laboratories at state-run medical colleges in Nashik, Dhule, Miraj in Sangli district, and Aurangabad. He said the necessary technical support and training will be imparted by Pune-based National Institute of Virology (NIV), which will also issue accreditation to these labs for carrying out tets for confirming novel coronavirus infection. "I will visit the NIV as well as Naidu hospital where patients are admitted. During the visit to NIV, I will largely discuss how to set up lab facilities, coordinate samples and do data processing," said the minister. These hospitals already have isolation wards for treating the infected patients. The minister admitted that the Nagpur-based medical college, where samples of suspected coronavirus patients are being tested, has shortage of the necessary kits. "It is true that there was some shortage of kits. The Government of India has been procuring the kits for carrying out tests and we have posted our demand for more number of kits," he said. Tope said while Maharashtra can place separate order for procuring the kits, the state is strictly following the advisory of the Union government. Responding to a query on conducting coronavirus tests in various parts of the state, the minister said the Centre's instructions aren't clear. "The directions say that a person having a travel history to Covid-19-affected countries and showing symptoms will be tested. Persons not fitting in either of the categories will not be tested for Covid-19," he said. Tope said the state government was thinking of implementing mesures adopted by companies to reduce the number of people attending offices in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak, at state offices. PTI ND NSK NSK 03181352 NNNN Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Donald Trump picked fights with Democrats on Tuesday even as he called for them to keep politics out of the battle against what he called, in a return to nationalist rhetoric, the Chinese virus. Related: US government to give citizens emergency financial aid As the White House prepares a massive stimulus package to counter the effect of the Covid-19 outbreak, the president gave an upbeat assessment of the economy, seen as critical to his political future, promising it would pop again soon. Were going to win, he vowed. That this crisis is taking place in an election year is impossible to ignore. I watched the debate not too exciting, Trump said of last Sundays meeting between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. But what they said about me and weve done a great job when you talk about not being bipartisan, what they said about me. He accused the Obama administration, in which Biden was vice-president, of making terrible and horrific mistakes in handling a swine flu outbreak in 2009. Seventeen thousand people died, Trump told reporters at a coronavirus taskforce briefing. In fact the official death toll in the US was 12,469. They shouldnt be criticising because weve done a fantastic job, Trump added, before airing a familiar grievance. The only thing we havent done well is to get good press. Weve done a fantastic job but it hasnt been appreciated. Even the closing down of the borders, which had never been done, and not only did we close them but we closed them early. The press doesnt like writing about it. So weve done a poor job on press relationships and I guess I dont know who to blame for that. I dont know, maybe I can blame ourselves for that. I will blame ourselves. Related: 'We're scared': US service workers see livelihoods vanish amid coronavirus In a rare Oval Office address last week, Trump urged unity. But almost every day since he has attacked Obama, Biden or Democratic governors. He began Tuesday by going after governors Andrew Cuomo of New York and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan. Story continues He tweeted: 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. Trump added: Andrew, keep politics out of it New York is now among the worst affected by the coronavirus. But at a press conference in Albany, Cuomo struck a conciliatory tone: I said to the president, who is a New Yorker I put my hand out in partnership. I want to work together 100%. I want your help. I need your help. I think the president was 100% sincere in saying he wanted to work together in partnership, in a spirt of cooperation. The actions he has taken evidence that. His team are on it. default Trump also attacked Whitmer, seen as a potential running mate for Biden. Failing Michigan governor must work harder and be much more proactive, he wrote. We are pushing her to get the job done. I stand with Michigan! Whitmer shot back, seeking swift and clear guidance, tests, personal protective equipment, and resources. She went on to list measures taken in her state, a key election battleground. At the White House, Trump insisted: I only do that when I have to respond. I watched her [Whitmer] on television. She said something that was false and therefore I did do that and I will continue to do that. If theyre not going to play fair, because you know, they have the media on their side. I dont. I just have me. And if theyre not going to play fair, Im going to do that. If they are going to play fair, theres going to be nobody better than Donald Trump in terms of bipartisanship. Trump also faced criticism for his use of the phrase Chinese virus. Congressman Ted Lieu tweeted: Theres a difference between saying a virus came from China versus calling it a Chinese virus. Asian Americans have already been assaulted because of this type of rhetoric. Asked by the Guardian if he intended to continue using the phrase, Trump replied: China was putting out information, which was false, that our military gave this to them. That was false 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 its a very accurate term. More than a month ago, the World Health Organization director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the novel strain of the coronavirus had an official name, Covid-19, which should prevent the use of other names that can be inaccurate or stigmatizing. Related: US prescription drug supply chains face coronavirus stress test A robust economy had been seen as Trumps strongest suit for re-election. Now he faces recession. Airlines are said to face a bigger crisis than after 9/11. Trump insisted: If we do this right, our country can be rolling again pretty quickly. We have to fight that invisible enemy. I guess, unknown but were getting to know it a lot better. He added: The best thing we can do is get rid of the virus. Once thats gone, its going to pop back like nobodys ever seen before, thats my opinion I think our economy will come back really rapidly. One day well be standing possibly up here, well say, Well, we won. Sure as youre sitting here, were going to say that. Were going to win. Trump has claimed credit for banning travel from China early on but faced condemnation for not moving faster on widespread testing. Despite a long list of public statements in which he downplayed the threat, on Tuesday he made a startling claim: Ive always known this is a real this is a pandemic. I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic. About 20 foreign nationals from multiple European countries have been prevented from entering Ghana in the past few days, following the implementation of the coronavirus travel protocols, according to Citi News sources. Citi News has learnt that on Tuesday for instance, two Chinese nationals who arrived on an Emirates Fight were also sent back. This comes after two Italian nationals were also barred from entering Ghana after they arrived on an Air France flight. Ghana announced new travel protocols after an increase in imported cases in the country, bringing the countrys total number of cases to seven. Travelers who have been in coronavirus-hit countries with cases exceeding 200 within the last 14 days will not be allowed Ghana. Only Ghanaians and foreign nationals with residence permits are exempt from this policy. The admissible travelers who exhibit symptoms of the virus are to be quarantined and tested upon reaching Ghana. The government said airlines had been instructed not to allow such persons into Ghana. In general, the government said travel to Ghana is strongly discouraged until further notice. There will be a mandatory 14 days self-quarantine for persons who are otherwise allowed to enter the country. Other nations have also been taking extreme measures as the novel coronavirus spreads beyond its epicenter in Wuhan, China, Travelers from outside the EU are being turned away from airports and borders after the 27-country bloc began a 30-day ban to halt the spread of virus. More than 200,000 people have been infected worldwide with nearly 8,000 deaths. ---citinewsroom Papoutsanis, soap and liquid cosmetics manufacturer, to improve competitiveness and innovation EBRD 5 million financing will be used to upgrade manufacturing processes and R&D First Greek company to join EBRD Blue Ribbon programme Papoutsanis, a leading Greek manufacturer of soap and liquid cosmetics, is strengthening its investment programme with 5 million of financing from the EBRD. The company aims to further fuel its competitiveness and expansion as well as to upgrade its production processes and R&D programme. The agreement was signed by Alain Pilloux, EBRD Vice President, and Menelaos Tassopoulos, CEO of Papoutsanis. The EBRDs financing will enable Papoutsanis to further optimise production in its state-of-the art, fully integrated production plant in Ritsona, where the company develops and produces more than 150 million products a year. In addition, it will allow the R&D department of Papoutsanis to develop innovative products, strengthening the firms market profile and competitiveness in more than 25 countries around the world. Papoutsanis is the first Greek firm to join the EBRDs Blue Ribbon programme, which combines business advice and finance for companies that stand out for their market leadership and high-growth potential. The programme aims to create a network of high-growth, high-potential champions small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and enable them to grow organically, innovate and develop their competitive edge in accessing wider domestic and international markets. The company has already received support from the EBRDs SME advisory programme to improve its operations and innovation through R&D. The programme is funded by the European Union through the European Investment Advisory Hub of the European Investment Bank, and by the government of Greece. EBRD Vice President Alain Pilloux said: We are very pleased to support Papoutsanis, one of the most innovative Greek firms and the first company in the country to join our Blue Ribbon programme. The sector in Greece has strong potential. Menelaos Tassopoulos, Papoutsanis CEO, commented: We are excited to join the EBRDs Blue Ribbon programme as it recognises our successful growth track. At the same time, it enables us to connect with the know-how of an organisation such as the EBRD, in order to support our growth and the implementation of our strategic goals in the years ahead, remaining always committed to sustainability and to the creation of high-quality products with added value. Papoutsanis is listed on the Athens Stock Exchange and has been active in the production, processing, trade, and marketing of cosmetics and personal care products since 1870. As one of the largest producers of soap and liquid cosmetics in Europe, to which it exports more than 50 per cent of its products, Papoutsanis has invested more than 10 million in recent years to optimise its business operations. The EBRD started investing in Greece on a temporary basis in 2015 to support the countrys economic recovery. To date, the Bank has invested over 3.1 billion in more than 50 projects in the corporate, financial, energy and infrastructure sectors of the Greek economy. Through its advisory programme the Bank has also supported around 70 SMEs so far. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harrys royal exit has done nothing to improve Harrys fractured relationship with his brother, Prince William. According to one royal expert, things between them are worse than ever and their last royal engagement together seems to support that claim. Prince William and Kate Middleton, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Phil Harris WPA Pool/Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan attended their final engagement As the Sussexes prepared to officially exit the royal family, they attended a handful of final engagements, including the Commonwealth Day service. All eyes were on the couple to see if they would share a moment with Prince Willam and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. Sadly, there was no brotherly exchange between the two and the couples barely interacted. Their body language was very revealing, as expert Judi James told The Mirror: It wasnt the warm reunion that we were all hoping for. The tension in Harrys body language especially was palpable. When Harry arrived, the minute he and Meghan had to drop hands, he immediately reached for his wedding ring which is a self comfort. She added, Even when she was beside him after they had stopped holding hands, he was missing her, needing her support. As Harry walked up the aisle, they both waved at the children, but his face otherwise was quite tense and unsmiling, James noted. Harry and Meghan looked a lot more genuinely cheerful, and Harry especially, threw a really affectionate smile at Kate, James noted. As they took their seats Harry threw Kate an open-mouthed smile and hello of what looked like genuine pleasure and Meghan raised her brows and smiled in an equally friendly ritual. Prince William and Prince Harrys relationship hasnt improved Many royal fans wondered if the brothers would mend their feud as Prince Harry prepared to leave the royal family, but it appears that didnt happen. Those close to the brothers say things between them are worse than ever, Kate Mansey wrote in the Mail on Sunday. William is said to feel insulted by his brothers recent comments, including the stream of remarks on Harry and Meghans Sussex Royal website, which many have taken as implied criticisms of the royal family. She added, William feels his brother has disrespected the institution of the monarchy and most woundingly of all their grandmother the Queen. Are the brothers unhappy? While William might feel upset with Harry, Mansey notes that Prince Harry is profoundly unhappy, believing he has been cut adrift by his own relatives, convinced that his wife was not made sufficiently welcome, and feeling that his own work has been seen as less important than that of his elder brother. Harry is even said to believe that his infant son Archie has been abandoned by The Firm. Many fans have hoped the two could put their differences behind them and reconcile but, according to Mansey, It seems that whatever has gone wrong between the brothers is likely to dog their relationship for some time to come. Image by huoadg5888 from Pixabay Hearts Alive Village is a 501(c)3 nonprofit animal rescue and rehabilitation service. If you are finding yourself financially challenged and concerned for your pet as well as yourself, Hearts Alive Village is your resource for solutions. Things to know as we face these uncertain times: Adoptions are down and intake is up at the shelters. We all need to work together to help shelters find temporary and permanent homes for these pets facing unknown futures. FOSTER: If you are working from home, arent working, and/or heeding experts advice and staying home, consider fostering. Remember the motto, If you are down, help someone else, youd be amazed at how much that helps you. ADOPT: Animal experts say the best time to adopt is when you can arrange for a new pets arrival to coincide with your extended stay home, making this a stellar time to bring home a new family member! Weve all been advised to avoid as much contact as possible which sometimes makes volunteering difficult. However, many people around our valley either have no transportation or must self-isolate. Our pet food bank is need of transporters for dog and cat food to veterans, seniors, or other vulnerable populations. Transporting does not carry the heightened risk for exposure and is a great way to help your fellow humans and their pets. What you can do to help keep yourself and your pets safe: Avoid crowded dog parks and trails. Bathe your pets after exposure to those environments. Prepare a one-months supply of your pets medication, litter, and food (if possible). Make sure their records are always accessible. Wash pet bedding, leashes, collars, dishes, and toys more often. Make sure to have a plan for your pet in case you may need to leave your home for extended medical care. Talk to your family and friends about being a resource for each others pets. Hearts Alive Village 1750 South Rainbow Blvd. Tel: 702-870-0065 Our main mission is to help save animals in the overcrowded shelter system and responsibly re-home them as well as providing low-cost medical and spay and neuter services. Our animals are family members and must be cared for particularly during these difficult and uncertain times. About Hearts Alive Village Hearts Alive Village is a non-profit 501(c)(3) located in the heart of Las Vegas, Nevada, founded in 2013 out of an intense need to help save dogs and cats that were losing their lives in an overcrowded shelter system. We provide medical treatment, a safe and comfortable place to heal, and adoption services with a passion for senior pet placement at two centrally located facilities. Our main objective is to keep animals out of the shelter in the first place by supporting struggling, low-income pet owners. We maintain a pet food bank, offer low cost spay/neuter and other medical services, and help to responsibly re-home, as well as provide educational and training resources. For more information, to make a donation, adopt a pet, or volunteer, please call 702-595-0644, visit HeartsAliveVillage.org or follow on Instagram @heartsaliveanimalrescue. Amid Coronavirus outbreak in the country, Sonam Kapoor and her hubby Anand Ahuja flew down from London to Delhi on Tuesday morning. Upon arrival in her homeland, the actress posted a series of videos on her Instagram story, wherein she shared a detailed account of what exactly transpired after she arrived at the Delhi international airport. Sonam also praised the Indian authorities for actively working to minimize the spread of COVID-19. The Neerja actress wrote, "Anand and I are back in Delhi and we just want to thank everybody at the airport. When we were leaving London, there was no screening; nothing. Anand and I were massive shocked upon discovering that. However, when we reached India, we were asked to fill a form in which we had to tell the authorities how much we flew in the last 25 days. We gave our travel history. Fortunately, Anand and I had not flown to any of the so-called hotspots where the virus is very rampant. Then our temperatures were taken and we were all fine. "I just want to say that it's incredible the way the authorities are handling the situation. It's very commendable and laudable. We went to immigration and they again re-checked our passports, which was extremely responsible of them. I just want everybody to know that everybody is doing the best that they can do. The government is doing the best that it can do. And, we all are in this together," she further continued in her subsequent clips on her Instagram stories. Sonam also revealed that she and her hubby are currently under self-quarantine as they live with their parents. The actress said that she was happy to be back home and the couple was currently self-isolating as they stay with their parents. "Both Anand and I have no symptoms of the virus. But we are still self-quarantining because we live with our parents and our grandmother. So, I request everybody else that as young people, we need to be more careful, vigilante and responsible," Sonam informed her fans. Meanwhile, many Bollywood celebrities like Sonakshi Sinha, Arjun Kapoor, Malaika Arora, Parineeti Chopra, Amitabh Bachchan and others are encouraging fans to practice social distancing to contain the spread of Coronavirus. Coronavirus: Here's What Priyanka Chopra & Other Celebs Are Up To While Practicing Social Distancing Coronavirus Lockdown: Kareena Kapoor And Deepika Padukone Channel Their Inner Foodie! The Italian government and health care system are groaning amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. In only 24 hours, the country has reported nearly 3,000 more cases and 349 additional deaths. In just weeks, the global pandemic ravaged through the country, starting in the northern Lombardy region. Today, the whole of Italy is in lockdown, with millions staying in their homes. The country has reported the second-highest number of confirmed cases outside China, where the virus first emerged. All non-essential businesses, except for supermarkets, pharmacies, and other essential companies, have been shut down to stem the further spread of the outbreak. This measure has been adopted in various countries across the globe to prevent close contact with other people, social gatherings, and large crowds. Milan, Italy March 2020: "Coronavirus", Lombardy, Italy. Image Credit: Luchino People die alone Patients who are at high risk of severe COVID-19 are those who are more than 60 years old, those with underlying health conditions, and those who are immunocompromised are at a higher risk of developing complications and dying from the contagious disease. In Italy, the death toll has reached 2,503 in just four weeks. The virus is spreading like wildfire, with more deaths being reported, and most of them die alone, without their families. For most people in the locked-down country, it is a case of survival of the fittest. Many infected lack the medical attention they need due to a shortage of health workers, who are mostly focused on treating critical patients in hospitals. In Rome, at least ten priests have died after succumbing to COVID-19. More than half of them were from the Diocese of Bergamo, a town found outside of Milan in Lombardy. The bishop of Bergamo reported that at least 20 priests have been hospitalized but have exhibited improvement. Restrictions and lockdown The number of infections during the contagion could be higher than reported. Some infected are not getting themselves tested, and some stay at their homes to see the infection pass. Since the lockdown of Italy, millions of people are confined in their homes. Large gatherings, crowds, sporting events, museums, and tourist spots have been shut down. Restaurants offer delivery and to-go options, while non-essential businesses are closed. The growing fear of the outbreak has left major streets and locations to look like ghost towns. The global pandemic has dramatically impacted the economy of Italy. Still, to help families and businesses face the prolonged lockdown, the government approved the package of economic measures for up to $27.4 billion, which included incentives for workers who may lose their jobs and babysitting vouchers for parents. The economy has received a blow of its fourth recession in just 12 years. Milan has lost an additional 6 percent on Mar. 16, and it has fallen a total of 40 percent in only three weeks. The government also closed all access to the island of Sicily, to prevent people from heading to the island, which accounts for less than 1 percent of the total number of the confirmed cases of the virus. The government urges all Italian residents and even foreigners to practice social distancing. Stay at home if you are vulnerable. They should also wash their hands and practice good hygiene to fight the coronavirus outbreak. Drone footage shows empty roads in Italy amid coronavirus lockdown Play Bangladesh on Wednesday reported its first death due to the novel coronavirus pandemic while four new infections were detected, taking the number of cases in the country to 14, a senior health official said. The 70-year-old man was suffering from diabetes, kidney ailments and hypertension and had contracted the virus after meeting an overseas returnee. "The patient had been in intensive care where he died," Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) director Meerjady Sabrina Flora told reporters. She said the patient was highly vulnerable. The health official also confirmed the detection of four more COVID-19 cases, taking the total tally in the country to 14. Of the new cases, three are men and the fourth is a woman, Flora said, adding that two recently had returned from Italy, one from Kuwait while the fourth was a family member of one of the returnees. Flora said 10 patients were being treated in isolation in a hospital while the first three patients reported on March 8 were sent home after recovery. The IEDCR chief said her facility had tested 341 samples and 49 people in the last 24 hours. Administrative officials said one of the newly detected persons was kept in quarantine along with dozens of others at a facility in Gazipur on the outskirts of the capital. Bangladesh authorities, meanwhile, ordered a travel restriction in southeastern beach town of Cox's Bazar and a ban on gatherings at another beach in southeastern port city of Chattagram, a day after closing schools and other education institutions until March 31. The country earlier also banned entry of people from Europe and several other coronovirus-hit countries including India. The global coronavirus pandemic also forced the country to scale down the festivity of the inauguration of the year-long birth centenary celebrations of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The coronavirus outbreak, which first emerged in China's Wuhan city last year, has infected 198,006 people and killed 7,948, according to a tracker maintained by Johns Hopkins University. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Who Was Luke? In order to answer this question, we read from Luke 6:13-16: And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles: Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor. We learn from these verses that Luke was not one of Jesus disciples; and while nothing is spoken of him in any of the gospels, we are able to gather enough information about him to conclude that he was a dedicated servant of God. From the book of Acts, we find that Luke was a co-laborer with Paul throughout his missionary travels. Throughout the latter portion of Acts, Luke makes it clear, by using the words, we, us, and our, that he was present with him on several occasions. One such occasion, appears in Acts chapter 16, when Paul would receive his Macedonian vision. We read: And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us. Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days (Acts 16:9-12). During Pauls last days, as he reflected on his ministry, and still giving advice to his young son in the faith Timothy, Luke remained with him, proving himself to be a loyal and trusted companion when others had abandoned him. Paul would write: Be diligent to come to me quickly; for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry (2 Timothy 4:10-11). It should also be noted at this point that each time Paul mentions Luke, he also mentions a man named Demas. They were both co-laborers with Paul, as evidenced in Philemon 24 and Colossians 4:14 respectively: as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers. Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you. The stark reality of these verses is that one remained faithful, and one did not. Paul also mentions here that Luke was a doctor. This fact would explain the great detail in which he wrote, and though it cannot be detected in translation, the original Greek in which it was penned makes it obvious that he was quite an educated man. Photo credit: Getty Images/almir The Supreme Court will hear a plea by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for staggered payment of Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) dues by telecom companies. If the Supreme Court agrees to this, it'll be a big relief for AGR-hit Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel. A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and MR Shah on Tuesday directed that the Centre's application be listed before the same bench which had given the October 24, 2019 verdict for payment of AGR dues, amounting to Rs 1.47 lakh crore, owed by telecom companies. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, mentioned the application for urgent listing, saying that if a telecom company went bankrupt due to the dues, it would have a major impact on the sector. The bench said it did not know when the original bench, which gave the verdict, will assemble due to the precautionary measures adopted by the top court in wake of COVID-19 pandemic. It also allowed the Centre to file an affidavit in reply to the contempt notice issued by the apex court on February 14 for non-compliance of its order to payment of the AGR dues to the Department of Telecom (DoT). With both the DoT and telcos looking to find a middle ground, only the Supreme Court has the final say. Vodafone Idea has already threatened to shut shop in India if the government continues to demand full payout of the AGR dues, which could affect its 13,000 direct employees working in the country. Despite the DoT pegging dues of Airtel and Vodafone Idea at Rs 35,586 crore and Rs 53,000 crore, telcos claim the actual amount is quite lower than that. Bharti Airtel has said it has paid the complete AGR dues of Rs 13,000 crore in two instalments as per its self-assessment. It also deposited an additional Rs 5,000 crore "as an ad-hoc payment (subject to subsequent refund/adjustment) to cover differences, if any, arising from the reconciliation exercise with the DoT". The total payout by Bharti Airtel, however, is half of Rs 35,586.01 crore liability estimated by the DoT. Like Airtel, Vodafone Idea also pegged its total dues at Rs 21,533 crore -- lesser than what the government estimated. Vodafone Idea has so far paid Rs 3,500 crore out of the "self-assessed" liability of Rs 21,533 crore. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Regulus Resources Inc. (Regulus or the Company, REG TSX.V) is providing an update on site activities at its 100% owned AntaKori copper-gold property located in Cajamarca, Peru and the Companys response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Companys current priority in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic is to ensure that all employees and their families are safe and minimize any potential risks to them or others in the communities where we live and work. In line with the state of national emergency declared on March 15th, 2020 by the Peruvian government that requires mandatory social isolation for 15 days, Regulus employees in Peru will remain at home. This measure has required exploration operations at AntaKori, including drilling, to be placed on hold for this period and consequently the Company has ceased all major activities on site. The Company is monitoring the situation very closely and after the 15-day period has concluded, will evaluate the situation based on official government recommendations. Regulus corporate management team will work from home and any near-term international travel has been postponed. As the COVID-19 pandemic and recent market developments evolve, Regulus is taking measures to conserve cash and maintain the AntaKori asset so that the continuation of the Phase II drill program can resume when the environment stabilizes. As of March 2nd, 2020, the Company had C$7.4 million in cash. In lieu of drilling in the near term and to continue the advancement of the AntaKori project, the Company will begin additional geological and engineering studies that will ultimately contribute to a Preliminary Economic Assessment. Much of this work can be done from home offices with the benefit of virtual office technology to interconnect team members. If drilling is postponed for an extended period, the Company may elect to complete a Preliminary Economic Assessment on the significant resource that has already been defined on the property, to show the underlying value at the AntaKori project. John Black, Chief Executive Officer of Regulus, commented as follows: Our priority first and foremost is the health of our employees and their families. Our employees will remain at home until it is deemed safe to return by local health organizations. The Company is well positioned to continue to advance the AntaKori project during this period of health and economic uncertainty. While were eager to drill-test the geophysical targets to the north of our property, that may not be a possibility for some time due to local restrictions. To advance the project while minimizing cash burn, we have begun additional geological and engineering studies that will ultimately contribute to a Preliminary Economic Assessment. We believe that the resource as currently defined at AntaKori would form the basis for a robust Preliminary Economic Assessment. We are fortunate to have strong support from our shareholders and to have completed a financing towards the end of 2019 that positions Regulus to weather the current economic environment. For Further Information, please contact: Regulus Resources Inc. John E. Black CEO / Director Phone: +1 303 618-7797 mobile +1 720 514-9036 office Email: john.black@regulusresources.com About Regulus Resources Inc. and the AntaKori Project Regulus Resources Inc. is an international mineral exploration company run by an experienced technical and management team. The principal project held by Regulus is the AntaKori copper-gold-silver project in northern Peru. The AntaKori project currently hosts a resource with indicated mineral resources of 250 million tonnes with a grade of 0.48 % Cu, 0.29 g/t Au and 7.5 g/t Ag and inferred mineral resources of 267 million tonnes with a grade of 0.41 % Cu, 0.26 g/t Au, and 7.8 g/t Ag (see press release dated March 1, 2019). Mineralization remains open in most directions. For further information on Regulus Resources Inc., please consult our website at www.regulusresources.com. Forward Looking Information Certain statements regarding Regulus, including management's assessment of future plans and operations, may constitute forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws and necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, most of which are beyond Regulus' control. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements or information can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, 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. Specifically, and without limitation, all statements included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that Regulus expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including the proposed exploration and development of the AntaKori project described herein, the completion of the anticipated drilling program, the completion of an updated NI 43-101 resource estimate and management's assessment of future plans and operations and statements with respect to the completion of the anticipated exploration and development programs, may constitute forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws and necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, most of which are beyond Regulus' control. These risks may cause actual financial and operating results, performance, levels of activity and achievements to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. Although Regulus believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. The forward looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and Regulus does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities law. The author of this page will appreciate comments, corrections and imagery related to the subject. Please contact Anatoly Zak Leonov performs the world's first spacewalk On March 18, 1965, Soviet cosmonaut Aleksei Leonov exited the Voskhod-2 spacecraft, becoming the first person to float in open space protected only by a spacesuit. After several minutes outside culminating with a struggle to get back through the airlock, Leonov managed to re-join the mission commander Pavel Belyaev in the pressurized cabin. Previous chapter: Launch of Voskhod-2 From the publisher: Pace of our development depends primarily on the level of support from our readers! The spacewalk Immediately, upon reaching orbit, the crew started preparing for the main task of the mission -- a spacewalk. According to Leonov, "a command to unseal the airlock was given immediately after the spacecraft had reached orbit." (740) While the spacecraft was out of range of communications with Soviet ground stations, Belyaev issued commands to inflate the airlock. (71) He also helped Leonov don his backpack life-support system and both cosmonauts pressurized their spacesuits. During the first orbit, the spacecraft crossed the Pacific, then flew over the southern tip of South America, and crossed the Atlantic and Africa. As the spacecraft reappeared over the USSR during the second revolution, Leonov opened the hatch into the airlock and entered it at around 11:30 Moscow Time. (741) The hatch into the descent module was then closed behind him. (84) He was apparently ready for exit ahead of schedule. (18)The airlock was then depressurized. Around an hour and a half after liftoff, Leonov successfully exited the airlock into open space. "I am Almaz-2, I am on the edge of the airlock," Leonov radioed as he got out, "I am feeling great, see clouds below and sea." Despite instructions to fully close his shade visor, Leonov only did it halfway. "The sunlight hit me like welding sparks," he later remembered. (18) Despite a bright sunny day, the perfectly black sky was full of stars! He saw Bulgaria, Greece and Italy, first, then moving his head in other direction, he saw the Baltic Sea and then the Volga River and the Ural mountains at practically the same time. (740) Leonov removed the cap from the camera on the edge of the airlock, apparently triggering its operation. He then reportedly tossed it into emptiness of space and it disappeared, sparkling in the distance. (741) The spacewalk was recorded by a movie camera and also transmitted by a TV system. Leonov talked via voice communications through his tether. (2) He pushed himself away from the spacecraft and floated freely in space at the full length of his five-meter-long tether, which was attached to him at three different points. He then pulled the safety tether to get himself back to the vehicle, only to repeat the process again. (739) While floating back toward the spacecraft, he pushed the surface of the spacecraft and was even apparently able to move the six-ton vehicle. Inside, Belyaev confirmed that he was able to hear Leonov hitting the spacecraft's surfaces. (741) "Man entered open space," Belyaev shouted into the mike. (18) Leonov apparently also had a still camera attached to his chest with a shutter button on his side, which was supposed to make a historic shot of the Voskhod in orbit. However, no such image ever appeared or, apparently, been taken. (18) NASA astronauts would later bring back plenty of images of their Gemini spacecraft, after never having a chance to photograph the Mercury spacecraft in orbit. One possible reason that Leonov never got around to photographing his spacecraft is that shortly after the beginning of the spacewalk his suit became overblown and deformed. Particularly, his fingers got out of the gloves and feet from the boots and he felt he was floating "free" inside his ballooned spacesuit. He became concerned that it would be impossible in such conditions to reel up his tether and return to the spacecraft. To make matters worse, in five minutes, Voskhod-2 with Leonov still outside was expected to enter darkness on the night side of the Earth. Without telling anything to ground control, Leonov claimed he had made the decision to drop the pressure inside his suit by half. (740) Next, he struggled to detach the movie camera on the edge of the airlock and push it inside, ahead of himself. He then tried to enter the airlock legs first as required by the instructions, but after several attempts and even after lowering pressure in his suit, still failed to do it. Finally, he dove into the airlock head first, he later remembered, even though a video footage taken by a camera on the internal hatch of the spacecraft and released soon after his death, clearly showed him entering the airlock legs first. At the time, Leonov's pulse rose to 143 beats, his breath frequency tripled, his body temperature rose by 1.8 degrees in 20 minutes, reaching above 38. (He reportedly lost six kilos in a day) His sweat apparently filled his spacesuit up to his ankles, but ultimately, he was able to turn around inside the airlock, so he could reenter the spacecraft with his feet first. (18) Once again, contemporaneous documents and available footage do not support this dramatic turn of events. After the repressurization of the airlock, Leonov, along with the camera, rejoined his commander in the cabin of Voskhod-2, for several hours of rest and sleep. (18) As he opened his helmet and could finally wipe his forehead, sweat was filling his eyes. (740) At the time, Voskhod was approaching the edge of communications in the East of the USSR. (741) According to the official data, Leonov spent 20 minutes in vacuum, including 12 minutes and 9 seconds beyond the spacecraft, going as far as five meters away from the spacecraft. (2) The external hatch of the airlock remained opened for 16 minutes. (84) However, after the closure of the hatch, the cabin was apparently not sealed properly. As a result, an automated life-support system attempting to compensate for the problem overfilled the capsule with oxygen, leading to a fire hazard inside in case of an accidental spark. The crew managed to reduce the flow of oxygen to a safe level only shortly before the scheduled reentry of the spacecraft. (18) During the rest of the 26-hour mission, Leonov conducted observations of the night and sunset on Earth. (739) Next chapter: Wild landing of Voskhod-2 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. By Costas Pitas and Andy Bruce LONDON (Reuters) - Britain said it would launch a 330 billion-pound ($399 billion) lifeline of loan guarantees and provide a further 20 billion pounds in tax cuts, grants and other help for businesses facing the risk of collapse from the spread of coronavirus. Finance minister Rishi Sunak repeated his pledge to do 'whatever it takes' including further action if needed to help sectors from retailers to bars and airports which are reeling from a near-shutdown of their businesses By Costas Pitas and Andy Bruce LONDON (Reuters) - Britain said it would launch a 330 billion-pound ($399 billion) lifeline of loan guarantees and provide a further 20 billion pounds in tax cuts, grants and other help for businesses facing the risk of collapse from the spread of coronavirus. Finance minister Rishi Sunak repeated his pledge to do "whatever it takes" including further action if needed to help sectors from retailers to bars and airports which are reeling from a near-shutdown of their businesses. "This is not a time for ideology and orthodoxy," Sunak said on Tuesday, speaking alongside Prime Minister Boris Johnson. "This is a time to be bold, a time for courage." Britain, criticised by some scientists for moving more slowly than other European countries to prevent the spread of the virus, ramped up its response on Monday when it told people to avoid pubs, clubs, restaurants, cinemas and theatres. The coronavirus death toll in Britain rose by 16 to 71 on Tuesday. Sunak said he was including all retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in the suspension of a property tax, alongside the new loan guarantee programme which was equivalent to 15% of British economic output. Companies from those sectors would be offered cash grants and the government would discuss a support package for airlines and airports. Britain's biggest airports including Heathrow and Gatwick have warned that they face the threat of a complete shutdown without government help. Banks and lenders would offer a three-month mortgage holiday for people in difficulty, Sunak said. He later told lawmakers, some of whom criticised the business focus of the plan, that the government would soon make a statement about support for renters. Sunak described Tuesday's package of measures as unprecedented, although Britain issued guarantees of around 1 trillion pounds during the global financial crisis. The Institute for Fiscal Studies, a think-tank, said Sunak would need to "come back with more" and Allan Monks, a JP Morgan economist, said that excluding the loan guarantees, the size of Britain's stimulus measures for this year was "likely to look small compared to the economic shock underway." NO TIME TO BE "SQUEAMISH" ABOUT DEBT The Bank of England said it would set up a new fund with the finance ministry to buy commercial debt with a term of up to one-year issued by investment-grade companies making a "material contribution" to Britain's economy. It added that the fund would be financed out of the creation of central bank reserves -- in other words with new money, much like the BoE's quantitative easing programme. Earlier on Tuesday, Britain's budget forecasters said the scale of the borrowing needed to fight the coronavirus hit to the economy might resemble the country's immense debt splurge during World War Two. "Now is not a time to be squeamish about public sector debt," Robert Chote, head of the Office for Budget Responsibility, told lawmakers. "We ran during the Second World War budget deficits in excess of 20% of GDP five years on the trot and that was the right thing to do." On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron said his government would guarantee 300 billion euros worth of loans, and promised that no French company would be allowed to collapse. New Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey promised "prompt action" on Monday, less than a week after an emergency rate cut by the BoE which took its benchmark rate to just 0.25%. Investors are watching for another rate cut, possibly before the BoE's next scheduled announcement on March 26. The central bank is also expected to expand its 435 billion-pound government bond buying programme. (1 = 0.8297 pounds) (Additional reporting by David Milliken and Elizabeth Howcroft; Writing by William Schomberg; editing by Guy Faulconbridge, William Maclean) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. We are balancing the need to reduce risk with the need to continue operations that are vital to our state and federal missions, Brig. Gen. Richard Neely, the adjutant general of the Illinois National Guard, said in a statement. We will retain the core of what we do. We will respond to the needs of the state. We will continue to fight our nations wars. We have a no-fail contract with the citizens of Illinois and the United States of America. We have their sacred trust. Today, Go Au Pair announced their exclusive Au Pair Success Workshop, a week-long intensive course that empowers participants to cultivate successful experiences. Go Au Pair is the only U.S. Au Pair agency offering this Success Workshop, which is taught in addition to the 32-hour childcare training mandated by the U.S. Department of State. The Au Pair Success Workshop is held on a beautiful college campus in New York, where Au Pairs participate in one-on-one driving sessions, CPR & First Aid instruction, cultural and language immersion, and other practical topics which facilitate success during the placement year. These courses are taught by industry professionals, the American Red Cross, and representatives from Go Au Pair. During this week, Au Pairs also complete a 3-credit-hour-course through an accredited university, which provides Au Pairs more time during the year to purse the things they love in the local community. The week ends with a tour in New York City, giving Au Pairs the opportunity to experience the epicenter of American culture. The Au Pair Success Workshop equips Au Pairs with vital skills. Participants are empowered to hit the ground running, given the confidence to communicate clearly, and taught how to build stronger bonds with their Host Families. Through this experience, they also learn how to get the most out of their cultural exchange experience. For 40 years, Go Au Pair has offered an extraordinary cultural exchange experience and a reliable, live-in childcare solution designed to meet the needs of U.S. families. Visit goaupair.com to learn more about this life-changing cultural exchange experience. News source: Go Au Pair Governments are leaving no stones unturned to contain the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Most countries have announced or are in the process of doling out large packages to help individuals and business tide over the crisis. Here is a quick look at major announcements: US The worlds largest economy has been hit hard by the virus outbreak, with its markets dropping nearly 30 per cent. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. 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Digital Editor Technavio has been monitoring the call center outsourcing market and it is poised to grow by USD 13.54 bn during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of over 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 2020-2023 This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005355/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Call Center Outsourcing Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire) The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Atento S.A., Bertelsmann SE Co. KGaA, Concentrix Corp., Hinduja Global Solutions Ltd. and Sitel Group. are some of the major market participants. Although the increasing use of RPA in call centers will offer immense growth opportunities, low employee engagement and the rising security concerns 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. Increasing use of RPA in call centers has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. However, low employee engagement and the rising security concerns might hamper market growth. Call Center Outsourcing Market 2019-2023: Segmentation Call Center Outsourcing Market is segmented as below: End-user IT and Telecom BFSI Healthcare Retail Government Other End-users Geographic Segmentation North America APAC Europe South America MEA 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=IRTNTR32175 Call Center Outsourcing 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 call center outsourcing market report covers the following areas: Call Center Outsourcing Market Size Call Center Outsourcing Market Trends Call Center Outsourcing Market Industry Analysis This study identifies increasing adoption of cloud communication in call centers as one of the prime reasons driving the call center outsourcing market growth during the next few years. Call Center Outsourcing Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the call center outsourcing market, including some of the vendors such as Atento S.A., Bertelsmann SE Co. KGaA, Concentrix Corp., Hinduja Global Solutions Ltd. and Sitel Group. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the call center outsourcing 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 Call Center Outsourcing Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023 Detailed information on factors that will assist call center outsourcing market growth during the next five years Estimation of the call center outsourcing market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the call center outsourcing market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of call center outsourcing 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 END-USER Market segmentation by end-user Comparison by end-user IT and telecom Market size and forecast 2018-2023 BFSI Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Healthcare Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Retail Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Government Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Other end-users Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by end-user PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison North America Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Europe Market size and forecast 2018-2023 APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023 South America Market size and forecast 2018-2023 MEA 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 Increasing use of analytics solutions in call centers Increasing adoption of cloud communication in call centers Strategic partnerships and acquisitions among market participants PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview Landscape disruption Competitive scenario PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Atento S.A. Bertelsmann SE Co. KGaA Concentrix Corp. Hinduja Global Solutions Ltd. Sitel Group StarTek Inc. Sykes Enterprises Inc. Teleperformance SE Transcom WorldWide AB TTEC Holdings Inc. PART 14: APPENDIX Research methodology List of abbreviations Definition of market positioning of vendors 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/20200318005355/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ With the country in crisis mode, Melat Eskender, 19, has assumed battle position: In her parents living room making phone calls for Senator Bernie Sanders, with quarantine rations of Flamin Hot Cheetos at her side. The coronavirus outbreak has scattered college students across the country. Thousands left their campuses to return to their childhood bedrooms, as universities have announced that they are moving to remote learning and recommending, or requiring, that students leave. For many, that can mean a wistful sense of time lost with friends and school rituals missed, not to mention cabin fever. But theres an upside, as Ms. Eskender put it: Being isolated in my home and not having classes, it gives me time to focus on this campaign. Ms. Eskender, a Yale freshman from Columbus, Ohio, believes that the Covid-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on Mr. Sanderss strengths as a candidate, both in his health care-focused policy platform and leadership style. I dont see him as an authoritative leader, I see him as a healer, Ms. Eskender said. His policies and leadership are what the country need right now. For many young Sanders supporters, recent weeks have brought a sense of angst and grief: Their preferred candidates shot at the nomination has rapidly declined, as the country has been swept into a public health disaster. And the coronavirus pandemic has underscored their belief in Mr. Sanderss Medicare for all plan, just as his chance of election seems more elusive than ever. He is behind former Vice President Joseph R. Biden, who ended Tuesday with victories in Florida, Illinois and Arizona and overtures to the Sanders base in remarks over a livestream from his home in Delaware. Let me say especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Senator Sanders: I hear you. The Supreme Court verdict upheld the decision to postpone local body elections in Andhra Pradesh and lifted the Model Code of Conduct with immediate effect. Its a win win situation for both of them. A bench headed by chief justice S A Bobde upheld the decision of SEC to postpone the election for six weeks in view of the COVID-19 scare but gave relief to chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy by suspending the code of conduct restrictions till further notice. the state government can distribute 26.6 lakh house pattas (title deeds) on the Telugu New Year Day, Ugadi. The government of Andhra describes it as massive setback for the State Election Commission and the duo of Telugu Desam Party and BJP as SC ordered the state election commission to lift the model code of conduct as the elections have been postponed by 6 weeks. Earlier, the state election commissioner Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar announced on 15th March that the local body polls schedule to take place from the 21st of March will be postponed by a period of 6 week . He further added that the model code of conduct will be in place for the period of 6 weeks which limited the power of the government to continue its developmental projects, mainly the Housing for poor scheme under which the AP government plans to give houses to over 25000 poor families . The Supreme Court decided so citing that developmental works in the state cannot be stalled for 6 weeks as the elections are postponed. Ever since the SEC declared that the polls have been postponed, both TDP and BJP have been demanding fresh elections. The SC has clarified this as well . No fresh elections will be conducted in the state, the process which has already begun will continue post 6 weeks. This comes as another massive blow to both the parties in the state. With the MCC being lifted the AP government which was planning to distribute ownership documents to the poor on the eve of Ugadi has decided to go ahead with the scheme. However, the date of the same is yet to be decided. The postponement sparked a major controversy in the state as the ruling YSRCP alleged that the order was politically motivated and that the chief election officer is acting at the behest of TDP chief Nara Chandra Babu Naidu, who appointed him in the first place during his tenure. The TDP was quick enough to belittle these charges stating that the postponement was for the health of the citizens of the state. CM Jagan Mohan Reddy reiterated during a press conference on Sunday that there was no need to panic as there is only 1 positive case of Corona in the state and assured the people that all possible measures to curb further spread of the virus were being taken by the government. The government has setup call centres, isolation wards and quick response teams in each district to handle a possible outbreak. Training for medical teams is an ongoing process and had been initiated as soon as the scare seemed imminent. For all the latest National News, download NewsX App Australia told its citizens on Wednesday to halt all overseas travel in an unprecedented move designed to choke off the spread of the coronavirus epidemic. Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced what he called an "indefinite ban" on foreign travel at a press conference, saying, "If we slow the spread, we do save lives." "Do not go overseas. That is very clear, that instruction," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Doctors put the odds of having identical quadruplets at about one in 15 million which makes Taylor Becher and Lance Thompson very special. The couple from Albertville, Minnesota, welcomed a spontaneous set on March 11. Taylor Becher and Lance Thompson welcomed identical quadruplet girls on March 11, 2020. (Courtesy of Taylor Becher) Sawyer, Kennedy, Lakely and Aurora were delivered by cesarean section at 31 weeks and six days. The smallest was Lakely, who weighed in at 2 pounds, 10 ounces, while Sawyer, the largest, was born at 3 pounds, 3 ounces. Lakely is tiny but mighty. She was growth restricted throughout my whole pregnancy, Becher, 28, told TODAY Parents. Then, she was the only baby who didnt need any breathing assistance! The Thompson quadruplets. (Courtesy of Taylor Becher) Becher and Thompson, 37, got the surprise of their lives when they learned at their eight-week ultrasound appointment that they were expecting quadruplets. It started off as twins. Then all of a sudden, my OB was like, No. Theres three, Becher recalled. Thompson was about to jokingly ask, Are you sure theres not another one in there? when the doctor found a fourth heartbeat. Becher, who is also mom of a 21-month-old boy named Linden, began to cry. I was scared of having so many babies inside of me, she admitted. The stay-at-home mom also knew that high-order multiples can be very high-risk. Taylor Becher right before she delivered quadruplets. (Courtesy of Taylor Becher) Becher credits her boyfriend of more than three years with keeping her calm during her pregnancy. There were times where I would Google and stress myself out, but Lance would talk me down, she explained. He would say, Everything is going to work out. Becher was never placed on bedrest and the girls were delivered without any serious complications. All four are now breathing on their own. Becher hopes her daughters will be discharged from the hospital next month so they finally can meet their big brother. The toddler hasn't been able to visit them because of the coronavirus. Becher is hopeful that he won't be too jealous. Before the babies were born, Id say, 'Do you want to give your sisters a kiss?'" she said. "And hed kiss my belly!" Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 19:17:13|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Passengers wait at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia, March 18, 2020. Malaysia confirmed 117 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases to 790, as the country implemented comprehensive restrictive measures to contain the outbreak. The government started implementation of the "movement control order" including closing shops and schools as well as imposing travel bans, calling for residents to stay at home in an effort to contain the COVID-19 outbreak following a spike of cases in the past days. (Xinhua/Chong Voon Chung) KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia confirmed 117 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases to 790, as the country implemented comprehensive restrictive measures to contain the outbreak. Of the new cases, at least 80 had been traced to a large scale religious event held in the capital of Kuala Lumpur from late February to early March, Health Minister Adham Baba said in a statement. A total of 60 cases had been cured and discharged, while 15 were currently being held in intensive care and in need of assisted breathing. Malaysia has reported the country's first death cases on Tuesday, with two patients with COVID-19 passed away. The government started implementation of the "movement control order" including closing shops and schools as well as imposing travel bans, calling for residents to stay at home in an effort to contain the COVID-19 outbreak following a spike of cases in the past days. Minister Adham also urged the public to comply with the comprehensive restrictive measures in place from March 18 to March 31, including travel bans, warning that those who failed to do so would face penalties. The police have also announced a ban of interstate travel, preventing people crossing state lines unless they had secured permission from authorities. The coronavirus pandemic could affect the United States for as long as 18 months and cause a critical shortage of lifesaving medical supplies as the illness disrupts society in waves, according to a government report. State and local governments, as well as critical infrastructure and communications channels, will be stressed and potentially less reliable as the outbreak continues to spread throughout the country, according to the grim 100-page report, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times. The document continued: These stresses may also increase the challenges of getting updated messages and coordinating guidance to these jurisdictions directly. The report was published on Friday, according to the paper, just as Donald Trump announced a national emergency surrounding Covid-19. All 50 states have since confirmed cases of the virus, which typically features symptoms associated with that of a mild flu (runny nose, shortness of breath and low-grade fever) but in some cases can be fatal, with severe symptoms such as pneumonia or respiratory complications. The coronavirus pandemic would affect the US in multiple waves, the federal government said in its report, which was also intended as a plan of action for the government, outlining which agencies would assist in the federal response as hospitals were potentially inundated with the sick. Shortages of products may occur, impacting health care, emergency services and other elements of critical infrastructure, the plan stated. It continued: This includes potentially critical shortages of diagnostics, medical supplies (including PPE [personal protective equipment] and pharmaceuticals), and staffing in some locations. After the plan was published, the Trump administration increased the price tag for its bailout package to nearly $1 trillion, NPR reported, with a significant portion of that money going towards cheques of up to $1,000 or more for all Americans (excluding millionaires) an idea the White House floated during a press briefing on Tuesday afternoon. So far, there have been at least 6,413 confirmed cases of coronavirus across the country, as the death toll reached at least 94. Health officials say those most at risk include older people and others with underlying health conditions or complications, while the young are generally more resistant to the worst effects. The plan also detailed a number of expansive powers the president could enact to help states battling large outbreaks of the virus, from releasing medical supplies from the Strategic National Stockpile to employing the Defence Production Act, which allows the commander-in-chief to increase production for critical supplies such as ventilators. On Tuesday, the president said his administration was considering sending the US military to states such as New York, which have requested its help in setting up hospitals. The Army Corps of Engineers is ready, willing and able. We have to give them the go-ahead if we find that its going to be necessary. We think we can have quite a few units up very rapidly, he said. Vice-president Mike Pence, who is overseeing the administrations response to the global pandemic, 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 [mobile army surgical] hospitals that could be deployed very quickly. "Allison is a transformational leader who brings tremendous experience and capabilities to our organization as we continue growing nationally, both as a patient care provider and an employer," said Chris Miller, CEO of Paladina Health. "Her expertise in building scaled HR programs within multiple industries is well suited for a disruptive business model like Paladina Health's value-based primary care service." Most recently, Velez was Head of Human Capital at OptumCare in Denver, a division of UnitedHealth Group. She was previously Chief People Officer at DaVita Medical Group and Vice President of People Services & Talent for DaVita Healthcare Partners, both of Denver. A native of Hawaii, Velez earned a BS in Applied Management from Azusa Pacific University and an MA in Industrial/Organization Psychology from the University of Colorado, Denver. She has resided in the Denver area since 2000. About Paladina Health Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with 122 clinics in 19 states, Paladina Health exists to build healthcare that gives more. Through tailored primary care solutions offered at or near the workplace, Paladina Health offers patients direct and convenient, 24/7 access to their physicians by combining increased physician involvement with a data-driven approach focused on delivering better health outcomes. Paladina Health is consistently recognized for clinical outcomes that exceed HEDIS commercial PPO benchmarks. Employers, unions and health benefit sponsors who offer Paladina Health aim to provide the highest-quality benefits for their employees and members and typically achieve a 20% decrease in their overall healthcare costs. For more information, visit www.paladinahealth.com. SOURCE Paladina Health Related Links http://www.paladinahealth.com (Bloomberg) -- Google is limiting how its trove of location data is used in the fight against the novel coronavirus as the company balances government demands with user privacy concerns. The largest U.S. internet company has been talking with other tech companies and governments about how to respond to the pandemic. Google has detailed information on the movement of billions of people who use its digital Maps and Android devices, and this has been identified as a useful asset. In a statement on Tuesday, Google said it has not shared any aggregate anonymized location data for this purpose as we are still assessing the best way to help. The company also stressed that it has no plans to share or combine data with the industry. The company didnt completely rule out tapping this information in limited ways in the future. Were exploring ways that aggregated anonymized location information could help in the fight against COVID-19, a Google spokesperson wrote in an email. One example could be helping health authorities determine the impact of social distancing, similar to the way we show popular restaurant times and traffic patterns in Google Maps. Civil liberties and privacy groups have criticized Google for broad data-collection activities and its practice of handing over information in response to law enforcement warrants. The company keeps a record of where many people go through its Location History feature, but it said on Tuesday that this product doesnt provide robust or high-confidence records for medical purposes and the data cant be adapted for this. During a March 3 Senate hearing, an official from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the agency was using Google location data for travel patterns and for other means. Some politicians have called for Google to share contact tracing data -- the precise location of people who have tested positive for Covid-19 and those theyve come in contact with. The Israelis, the South Koreans, the Taiwanese have figured out how to do this while respecting the norms of democracy, Bill Cassidy, a Republican Senator from Louisiana, told Bloomberg News on Tuesday. Story continues Google experts have determined that the data it collects through the Location History product is inappropriate for this purpose, the company said. (Updates with Senators comments in eighth 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. Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden addresses supporters at his Super Tuesday night rally in Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 3, 2020. WASHINGTON Joe Biden doubled his delegate lead over Bernie Sanders in Tuesday's primaries, giving him a nearly insurmountable advantage after sweeping Florida, Illinois and Arizona, according to NBC News projections. The former vice president now has 315 more delegates than the senator from Vermont 1,132 to Sanders' 817 after having started the night with an edge of 154. More from NBC News: Strengths and weaknesses of 5 possible Biden running mates Progressive group pressures Sanders, Biden to call for ending filibuster Texas Dems announce largest-ever voter drive in 2020 flip effort Biden has passed the halfway mark and is well on his way to the 1,991 delegates he needs to win a majority of all delegates and capture the Democratic presidential nomination. Sanders did not address the results Tuesday night. He spoke earlier on a livestream on his campaign website and focused on the coronavirus pandemic, which has overshadowed the latest round of primary contests. Biden, speaking via livestream from his home, made a clear appeal to Sanders' supporters. "Senator Sanders and his supporters have brought a remarkable passion and tenacity to all of these issues. And together they have shifted the fundamental conversation in this country," Biden said. Biden then spoke directly to the young voters "inspired" by Sanders. "I hear you, I know what's 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," said Biden, who exit polls have shown has been running poorly among younger voters. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump on Tuesday night secured the number of delegates he needs to become the Republican Party's presumptive nominee once again, NBC News projects. Ohio postponed its primary, which had also been scheduled for Tuesday, until June because of the coronavirus outbreak. Biden entered the night with an already commanding lead after overwhelming Sanders on Super Tuesday and in more recent contests, including a late-breaking victory in Washington that NBC News projected on Monday. Florida, which has the fourth-largest number of delegates at stake of the entire year, significantly stretched Biden's lead after he won every county in the state. In 2016, Sanders got blown out in Florida, but he was at least able to win nine counties and a third of the delegates. While results were still coming in, Biden is on track for a similarly strong win in Illinois, where Sanders is currently winning just one county home to the University of Illinois and although Arizona is closer, Biden will still extract more delegates from the state. The former vice president's growing delegate lead makes a comeback by Sanders increasingly unlikely as the number of delegate-rich states on the calendar dwindles from this point on. Because Democrats award delegates in proportion to each candidate's vote share, Sanders would likely need to win coming states by very lopsided margins to catch up to Biden. Meanwhile, six future contests have so far been delayed by the coronavirus outbreak, including the next two that had been set for this month, Georgia and Puerto Rico. The means that after a jampacked Democratic presidential calendar with election nights every week for almost two months, there is no vote on the books in any states until April 4, when Hawaii, Alaska and Wyoming will weigh in. Those states are expected to be friendlier territory for Sanders but don't offer many delegates. The next big contest is scheduled to be held in Wisconsin on April 7. Olainfarm groups indicative consolidated sales in February reached EUR 11 million, which is a decline by 4% compared to February last year. Latvias share in total revenue was 30%, Belarus was 21% and Russias 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 groups 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 Latvias market has the largest share of revenues (36%), Belarus share was (23%) and Russias 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%). Story continues 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 companys 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 2021 needed 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 FAA said in a statement that it is working with the appropriate authorities to identify and locate people who might have come into contact with the inspector and that it has coordinated with airlines about tracing contacts with the employee. KIEV, March 17 (Reuters) - Ukraine's parliament on Tuesday voted to appoint Iryna Venediktova, a 41-year-old lawyer and close ally of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, as the country's new Prosecutor General. Venediktova was a lawmaker in Zelenskiy's Servant of the People party and the acting head of the state investigation bureau. Her predecessor Ruslan Ryaboshapka was sacked earlier in March in a sweeping reshuffle that raised questions about the country's reform momentum. Ryaboshapka was also in the spotlight last year as the man to decide whether to launch an investigation into former U.S. vice president Joe Biden and his son Hunter, in what became a key issue in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; editing by Matthias Williams) Members of the Myanmar Press Council tell reporters that the government military has dropped criminal defamation lawsuits against two news organizations, at a press conference in Yangon, March 18, 2020. Myanmars military on Wednesday dropped criminal defamation lawsuits against two news organizations following the intervention of the Myanmar Press Council (MPC), which mediated the cases and requested that they be withdrawn, officials from the body said. The military had filed a complaint against the online journal The Irrawaddy and editor Ye Ni nearly a year after over the publication of memoirs about the armed conflict in war-torn Rakhine state, arguing that they were one-sided and cast the army in a bad light. The army also filed a case against Reuters over its coverage of a shelling incident in western Myanmars war-ravaged Rakhine state in which a local lawmaker said artillery fire by government soldiers killed two Rohingya women. The military also filed a lawsuit against the lawmaker, which still stands. Both news organizations faced charges under Section 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law, which prohibits the use of the telecom network to defame people and carries a maximum two-year prison sentence. The military had told the MPC that it filed the charges because the reports were misleading and undermined its dignity and image. MPC secretary Kyaw Swa Min said the military dropped its charges against two news agencies because of the councils intervention. MPC chairman Ohn Kyaing said the council asked the military to drop the charges in a bid to build a better relationship with the press. We requested that they do so, he said. We are also mediating between them. During a meeting with the MPC, the military commander-in-chief said that the military accepts the media as the Fourth Estate, he added. We are working on the development of the media industry and supporting the media to send the right information to the public. Rights-repressing laws Myanmar military spokesman Brigadier Gen Zaw Min Tun said the armed forces withdrew the charges because of the mediation process by the MPC, which tries to resolve grievances over news coverage before injured parties take legal action. It is because of the press councils mediation, he said. We are always told that the journalists should be charged only under the Media Law. Repeating a common assertion of the military, he added that relations between the army and journalists could be improved if the media published objective reports and avoided what he said was misleading information concerning the military. Irrawaddy editor Ye Ni declined to comment on Zaw Min Tuns statements, but wrote on his Facebook page that he welcomed the militarys decision to drop the charge against him on account of the MPCs request. Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch, said Wednesday that the two cases should never have reached the point that they did because the journalists were doing their jobs, and they had done nothing that called for criminal charges. As welcome as the Tatmadaws [Myanmar militarys] backpedaling is on these two cases, the problem is Myanmars authorities have become addicted to using rights-repressing laws to threaten and curb freedom of the press, he said in a statement. The military usually tries to silence journalists who are critical of its actions by filing criminal defamation charges against them instead of seeking remedy under the Media Law, which governs the rights and conduct of journalists and should be the first means of attempting to resolve complaints. Reported by Kyaw Lwin Oo for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. BRUSSELS/ROME -- Italys prime minister on Tuesday declared coronavirus was causing a socio-economic tsunami as European leaders agreed to seal off external borders, but many countries thwarted solidarity by imposing frontier curbs of their own. The enemy is the virus and now we have to do our utmost to protect our people and to protect our economies, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after the second video conference in a week of the European Unions 27 leaders. We are ready to do everything that is required. We will not hesitate to take additional measures as the situation evolves. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, whose country has been hardest hit by a global health crisis now centered in Europe, said no nation would be left untouched by the tsunami. He called for special coronavirus bonds, or a European guarantee fund, to help member states finance urgent health and economic policies, an Italian government source said. Rome has issued similar calls for joint EU funding during previous crises, usually running into opposition from the blocs most powerful economy and paymaster, Germany. Asked about Contes proposal, Chancellor Angela Merkel said euro zone finance ministers would continue discussing ways to help their economies cushion the impact, but no decision has been made. These are initial discussions and there have been no decisions by the finance ministers, said Merkel. I will talk to [Finance Minister] Olaf Scholz so that Germany continues to take part [in the discussions]. But there are no results regarding this. Border police officers wait to check vehicles at the last toll gate entering Spain from France, following an order from the Spanish government to set up controls at its land borders over coronavirus, in La Jonquera, Spain March 17, 2020. Photo: Reuters The EU has scrambled to find a coherent response to the outbreak, with countries imposing their own border checks in what is normally a zone of control-free travel, limiting exports of medical equipment or failing to share key data swiftly. The national leaders agreed on Tuesday to close the external borders of most European countries for 30 days and establish fast-track lanes at their countries frontiers to keep medicines and food moving. Ireland will not join the travel ban on Europes borders, von der Leyen said, because the United Kingdom - which left the EU in January - was not either. Despite Brexit, the two have an obligation to preserve an open border on the island of Ireland. Should Ireland go with the majority of European countries while the UK stays away, it would mean erecting controls on the sensitive border with Northern Ireland, something sides sought to avoid at all cost in three years of tortuous Brexit divorce talks. Damaged unity France went into lockdown on Tuesday to contain the spread of the highly contagious new coronavirus and Belgium announced it would follow suit, as the death toll in Italy jumped above 2,000, European banks warned of falling incomes and pummeled airlines pleaded for government aid. The EUs executive European Commission warned member states that this was just the beginning of the crisis and Germany said it would run for months rather than weeks, diplomats said. A border police officer directs a car driver at the last toll gate entering Spain from France, following an order from the Spanish government to set up controls at its land borders over coronavirus, in La Jonquera, Spain March 17, 2020. Photo: Reuters Alarmed by the unilateral border restrictions being imposed in a bloc that prizes the free movement of people, French President Emmanuel Macron had pressed for the decision to close Europes external borders to foreigners. That was meant to convince European countries to drop internal and unilateral border moves. But its hard to see anyone doing it, an EU diplomat said, adding the move was largely symbolic as the virus was already within. Indeed, tensions over borders still abounded across the EU, with three Baltic countries - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia - criticizing Poland for blocking their citizens in transit from returning home. Portugal and Spain on Tuesday notified Brussels that they have introduced controls on Europes internal borders, bringing the total taking such measures to at least 12 countries. Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary have not formally informed the EU about such moves despite pursuing them, meaning the real number is likely higher. The EU has also moved to repatriate Europeans stranded abroad as airlines cut flights. Von der Leyen said nearly 300 Austrian and other European nationals were flown back from Morocco to Vienna on Tuesday. Their border control steps aside, the EU leaders have come together on a whatever it takes approach to cushioning the economic blow from the pandemic, including by relaxing limitations on state aid. The blocs antitrust chief proposed allowing governments to offer grants or tax advantages of up to 500,000 euros ($550,000) to ailing companies, though some EU countries want Brussels to go further. CLEVELAND, Ohio Are you a frequent diner at the great local Italian restaurants? Or maybe you find yourself suddenly having to meal plan fast and easy dinners for your family now that all Ohio restaurants have been ordered to close indefinitely by Gov. Mike DeWine because of the coronavirus pandemic. cleveland.com last September conducted a huge taste test of every brand of pasta sauce we could find in local grocery stores and big box chains a whopping 174 jars in all. Check out the grocery store pasta sauce rankings by reporters Brenda Cain and Yadi Rodriguez to help you decide which jars to buy at your local market. Cain and Rodriguez purchased up to two varieties of sauce by every brand. If a brand offered a marinara, that was their first selection. The sauces range in price from 85 cents(!) to $12.99. DeWine announced Sunday afternoon that all Ohio bars and restaurants are being ordered to close -- except for carryout and delivery -- at 9 p.m. Sunday. What we cant have is people congregating, and people who are sitting," he said. So carryout is fine. And delivery is fine. Here is the latest from cleveland.com reporter Laura Hancock: DeWine said he was sympathetic toward small business owners and their employees, saying his family comes from a small-business background. But he said that if the state doesnt act now, an increased number of people will die. He said on Sunday morning people all over the state -- including from the Cleveland area -- sent him concerning texts about people out on Saturday night. DeWine is signing an executive order to enable workers who dont have paid leave benefits to access unemployment during the new coronavirus emergency. This also applies to companies that determine its temporarily necessary to shut down operations due to the emergency, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said. Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) on Tuesday (17 March 2020) said it signed an agreement for subscribing around 5% of the share capital of Eurl LD Azouaou, Algeria. Eurl LD Azouaou (LDA) is a company organized under Algerian Law. LDA is engaged in the business of tractor assembly and distribution and has presence in Algeria. The turnover of LDA for the 12 months period ending on 31 December 2019 is Algerian Dinar (DZD) 282.16 million (approximately $2.4 million and Rs 17.4 crore). M&M said this investment would enable the company to re-enter the Algerian agricultural machinery market. The acquisition may complete by the end of May 2020. The acquisition will cost $1,50,000 (approximately Rs 1.1 crore) at a price per share of DZD 3,092,931.81 (approximately $25,774 per share and Rs 0.19 crore per share). The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 17 March 2020. Shares of M&M declined 4.94% to Rs 356. The stock tanked 17% in the past three trading sessions from its recent closing high of Rs 428.95 on Friday, 13 March 2020. The stock hit 52-week low at Rs 355.55 during intraday trade. On a consolidated basis, the company's net profit slumped 85.3% to 201.78 crore on a 4.5% fall in net sales to Rs 25,019.86 crore in Q3 December 2019 over Q3 December 2018. M&M's segments include automotive, farm equipment, financial services, real estate, hospitality and others. Automotive segment comprises of sale of automobiles, spares, mobility solutions and construction equipment. Its farm equipment segment comprises of sale of tractors, implements and spares. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Editors note: This story has been updated with confirmation from Ford. DETROIT -- Hours after reports surfaced that Detroit Big 3 automakers had agreed to measures to lower the risk of spreading coronavirus, the Associated Press reports all plants will now be closed over these concerns. According to the AP, a person briefed on the matter says the auto companies will make announcements later in the day Wednesday regarding the closures. The source was not willing to go on the record because the announcements have not been formally made. Approximately 150,000 auto workers are employed at factories in the U.S. Once idled, these workers likely will receive supplemental pay in addition to state unemployment benefits, the AP reported. Combined, these two checks are expected to equal roughly what the workers normally make. Ford confirmed Wednesday that it will cease production at its plants following the evening shifts scheduled Thursday. The plants will remain closed until March 30. The closures will allow for thorough cleaning and sanitizing of plants. Were continuing to work closely with union leaders, especially the United Auto Workers, to find ways to help keep our workforce healthy and safe even as we look at solutions for continuing to provide the vehicles customers really want and need, said Kumar Galhotra, Fords president of North America in statement. In these unprecedented times, were exploring unique and creative solutions to support our workforce, customers, dealers, suppliers and communities. United Auto Workers officials have pushed for the plants to be closed as federal guidelines continue to suggest people avoid gathering in groups of larger than 10 people and avoid being within 6 feet of one another. UAW officials told members Tuesday that they tried to shut the plants down Sunday, but the companies were not willing to do that at the time. Todays action is the prudent thing to do. By taking a shutdown and working through next steps, we protect UAW members, their families and the community, said Rory Gamble, president of the UAW in a press release. We have time to review best practices when the plants reopen, and we prevent the possible spread of this pandemic. We commend Ford for working with us and taking this bold step. Since then, a worker at a Fiat Chrysler plant has tested positive for the virus causing for the closure of a plant in Sterling Heights earlier in the day Wednesday. The company confirmed the closure in a statement issued Wednesday afternoon. Out of an abundance of caution for the health and welfare of the employees at the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, FCA is suspending production on Wednesday, March 18. Employees on the first shift have been sent home. Workers on the second shift should not report. A decision regarding the resumption of operations will be made later today, the statement read. Ford also closed a final-assembly plant in Wayne earlier in the day Wednesday after an employee tested positive for coronavirus as well. 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 Wednesday, March 18: 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 Larry Laverty in Kenya "The elephant has taught me a lot about love, surely as much as any human being has " -Larry Laverty Hollywood actor Larry Laverty fell in love with elephants a few years ago and made it his life's work to save those who survive. The continent of Africa has long been a haven for wildlife but over the past century or two, humans have destroyed much of the beauty that once was. With the current threats of global warming and a rapidly expanding human population, Africa's elephants are among those animals suffering the most. Humanity ironically knows surprisingly little about these majestic animals and that's why Laverty published his book "Power and Majesty: The Plight and Preservation of the African Elephant." For 30 years, Laverty immersed himself in a successful acting career based in Hollywood and San Francisco. But from a young age, he loved animals and felt a special connection with them. Eventually, this love and concern overcame his pursuit of movie roles to dominate his life. In 2013, he took part in the first Global March for Elephants, an international movement calling attention to the devastating impacts of the ivory trade. Laverty's passion for the welfare of elephants was set. He soon became a voice for elephants on social media, soon taking trips to Africa to learn more about the elephants he appreciated so much. From his photographs and writings, a wave of support came encouraging him to create a book. It took seven trips and nearly a year of his life to gather the images and observations presented in "Power and Majesty." Laverty traveled to ten African countries and explored every type of ecosystem where elephants are found, from desert to rainforest. The release of the book has coincided with a speaking campaign to reach even more people with reasons why they should care about elephants. As Laverty has said, "If we can't save the few remaining elephants of Africa, what hope do we have of saving the planet?" Larry Laverty's book "Power and Majesty: The Plight and Preservation of the African Elephant," published by LID Publishing of London, is available through Amazon and most book outlets. The National Wealth Fund might be used to support some groups of the population, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. Interviewed for the TASS project entitled "20 Questions with Vladimir Putin" the Russian leader said that the National Wealth Fund had exceeded 7% of the GDP, which allowed it to be used for investment. "The question is what should we spend the money on? On investments, on support for certain groups of the population, and so forth," he noted. "This is what our discussion is revolving around nowadays," Putin said. The Russian authorities "need to fulfill a very important task - raising people's real income," Putin stressed. "We should think about the best use of the available resources which are large enough," the Russian president concluded. 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) Trump Will Send US Navy Hospital Ship Immediately to New York, Cuomo Says New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday that the U.S. Navy will dispatch a hospital ship to the New York City Harbor to provide more capacity for people who need care due to complications from the coronavirus. Cuomo has repeatedly warned that amid a spike in CCP virus cases, it will put more strain on state hospitals. He said New York only has around 53,000 beds. The Epoch Times refers to the COVID-19 coronavirus as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. President Donald Trump will dispatch it immediately, Cuomo told reporters during a news conference and added that it will stay in the New York City Harbor. The reason why is because of New York Citys population density and its propensity to spread the virus. We must increase the current hospital capacity, he said. The state cant do this on its own, Cuomo elaborated. We cant build new hospitals in 45 days. Following the news conference, the governor confirmed the move on Twitter. UPDATE: The federal government is sending a hospital ship to New York, the USNS Comfort. The Comfort, which has about 1,000 rooms on it, will be moored in New York Harbor. Hospital beds are what we need. pic.twitter.com/CwTVJhJvDi Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 18, 2020 The federal government is sending a hospital ship to New York, the USNS Comfort, Cuomo wrote. The Comfort, which has about 1,000 rooms on it, will be moored in New York Harbor. Hospital beds are what we need. New York has the most confirmed cases in the country, with more than 2,400 and 16 virus-related deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins researchers. Defense Secretary Mark Esper told Fox News that the military is ready and willing to provide support amid the pandemic, adding that hospital ships could be used for relief. But he stressed in the interview that hospital ships are more focused on trauma rather than infectious diseases. Whether its our field hospitals or our hospital ships, they are focused on trauma. They do not have necessarily the space, the segregated space, to deal with infectious disease, Esper said. We dont have any 500-bed hospitals designed for infectious disease. That does not exist in the inventory. On Wednesday, the Navy stated that hospital ships cant treat people infected with the CCP virus. The Comfort and Mercy will not deploy to treat COVID patients, but will be made available to assist with treatment of other patients in coastal locations where local health professionals are necessarily focused on a large number of COVID cases, the Navy said in a statement to Fox. The Navy has sent the Comfort to previous disaster areas, including to the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria in 2017. Its not clear when the ship will arrive in New York City. Authorities are searching for a 45-year-old man sought on charges that he sexually abused a teen girl. Allen Dale Stromberg is wanted by the Autauga County Sheriffs Office, according to Central Alabama Crime Stoppers. He is charged with first-degree rape and sexual abuse of a child. The victim is 13. Authorities said Stromberg holds an Alabama CDL drivers license and may be seeking employment as a truck driver or heavy equipment operator. He could be in the Dothan area. Stromberg is described as a white male, 6-feet, 3-inches tall and weighing 205 pounds. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to police or Crime Stoppers 24-hour tip line at 334-215-STOP (7867), or via the P3-tips app. Tipsters are eligible for a cash reward of up to $5,000. Harvey Weinstein is facing a civil lawsuit in Los Angeles accusing him of coercing an actress into having a sexual encounter with him by enticing her with a film role and threatening to 'blacklist' her from Hollywood if she were to reject his advances. The newly filed civil complaint accuses the disgraced movie mogul of sexual assault and battery stemming from an incident that took place at the high-end Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills in 2014. Weinstein, who was sentenced last week to 23 years in prison for rape and sexual assault, this morning was transferred from the notorious Rikers Island jail to the high-security Downstate Correctional Facility in Fishkill, New York. The plaintiff in the lawsuit obtained by TMZ, known only by the generic pseudonym Jane Doe, claims that she first met Weinstein at an event in Los Angeles in 2014, at which time the Miramax co-founder allegedly boasted to her, 'I run Hollywood,' before inviting her to a followup meeting. Scroll down for video Harvey Weinstein, pictured during his high-profile rape trial in New York in February, is being sued for sexual assault and battery involving an actress in Los Angeles The lawsuit claims Weinstein offered the woman a role during a meeting at The Peninsula hotel in 2014, then threatened to derail her career if she refused to have sex with him The complaint goes on the say that the actress and Weinstein were set to meet in the lobby of the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills, but the Shakespeare in Love producer did not come down, instead inviting her up to his suite. According to the lawsuit, Weinstein met the woman at the door wearing a bathrobe without a belt. During their conversation, Weinstein allegedly called himself the 'King of Hollywood,' told the actress she would be perfect for several movie projects, and urged her to be smart about being nice to the right people in the industry. Later, Weinstein excused himself to go the the bathroom. The lawsuit states that when the woman heard the shower running, she exited the hotel room. Weinstein, who turns 68 tomorrow, is pictured being transferred from the Rikers Island jail to the state jail in Fishkill, New York, on Wednesday Sometime after that first meeting, Jane Doe says in the complaint that Weinstein sent her a script for a film and demanded a second-face-to-face meeting at the same hotel. When she went up to Weinstein's room for what she thought would be a business meeting, according to the court filing, the producer again met him in a bathrobe. This time, their conversation took a menacing tone when the powerful movie mogul allegedly threatened to derail the actress' fledgling career if she were to reject him. Jane Doe says she felt cornered and submitted to Weinstein's demands. The lawsuit alleges that during their sexual encounter, the married father-of-five had the woman call him 'king.' The woman, who is suing for unspecified damages, says in the complaint that in the wake of her encounter with the married film producer, she fell into a depression, suffered a mental breakdown and started losing her hair. Weinstein was sentenced last week to 23 years in prison for rape and sexual assault Weinstein was convicted of raping ex-actress Jessica Mann (left) in 2013 and of forcibly performing oral sex on former production assistant Mimi Haleyi (right) in 2006 Weinstein's spokesperson told TMZ on Wednesday his legal team is reviewing the new allegations outlined in the lawsuit. Weinstein, who turns 68 tomorrow, was convicted in February of a criminal sexual act in the first degree and rape in the third degree, while being cleared of predatory sexual assault charges. He was convicted of raping ex-actress Jessica Mann in 2013 and of forcibly performing oral sex on former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006. Nearly 90 women, including Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek, have leveled sexual misconduct allegations against Weinstein. Weinstein had received treatment at a hospital following his sentencing on March 11 after complaining of chest pains. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 18 By Ilkin Seyfaddini Trend: Two more Uzbek citizens have tested coronavirus-positive in the country, so the total number of people infected with coronavirus in Uzbekistan has reached 13, Trend reports citing the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan. According to the Ministry, a citizen who returned from Istanbul, and the wife of an infected plane passenger from London - tested to be coronavirus-positive. The Ministry of Health notes that the condition of the patients is satisfactory. The first case of Coronavirus infection was detected on March 15 in the laboratory of the Research Institute of Virology - an Uzbek woman who had returned from France. The Ministry of Health later said that her son and daughter also tested coronavirus-positive. According to the Health Ministry, on March 16, 2020, husband and grandson of the first patient have been confirmed infected with COVID-19. In addition, the coronavirus was discovered during the medical check-up of Uzbeks who flew from London to Tashkent on March 14. he 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 7,900. Over 198,000 people have been confirmed as infected. Meanwhile, over 81,000 people have reportedly recovered. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019. Several countries are developing a vaccine against the new virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic. --- Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini New Delhi, March 18 : An IIT-Roorkee student (IIT-R) student who returned from Japan earlier this month has tested negative for the novel coronavirus. The student, a research scholar in the Physics Department, had returned from abroad on March 3. Meanwhile, four of the eight students quarantined earlier have been released whereas the remaining four are still in isolation since their virus-free status is not yet known, the IIT-R said in a statement on Wednesday. The institute has taken measures in view of an increase in coronavirus cases in the country, including suspension of classes, conferences, seminars, and workshops till March 31. All precautions have been taken, including proper sanitation as per government advisories. All those who have returned from abroad have been quarantined to avoid chances of infections, the statement added. As the U.S. combats the spread of the novel coronavirus, health care experts continue to debate how to best protect Americas protectors during a time when they are needed most. With masks and other supplies dwindling, public health experts are now balancing the need to keep health care workers on the front lines against the need to protect medical staff from becoming patients themselves. "We dont feel protected," said Melissa Johnson-Camacho, University of California, Davis nurse and chief nurse representative for the California Nurses Association. "Ive cried almost every day. I think if there were more transparency, everyone would feel a lot better." In late February, at the UC-Davis Medical Center, one COVID-19 patient led to the self-quarantine of at least 124 nurses and health care workers, according to the National Nurses United Association. Changing protocols "It is now a very different conversation," said Johnson-Camacho. Hospitals, including UC Davis Medical Center, are responding to the evolving situation and have reevaluated and modified their protocols, ensuring that COVID-19 patients are identified at the earliest stages of entry and that frontline workers are protected when they first encounter a suspected COVID-19 patient. But even with these new protocols, health care workers say it is not enough and do not feel that these changes are communicated well. What to know about coronavirus: How it started and how to protect yourself: Coronavirus explained What to do if you have symptoms: Coronavirus symptoms Tracking the spread in the US and Worldwide: Coronavirus map In response to shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week scaled back its recommendations regarding PPE for health care personnel working with COVID-19 patients. CDC officials no longer recommend that health care workers use N95 respirators around COVID-19 patients at all times, recommending instead that N95 respirators be reserved for procedures in which small particles, known as aerosols, are more likely to be produced, for instance when critically ill patients are intubated to help them breathe. Story continues N95 respirators are individually fitted for the user and block out aerosols. Outside of these aerosol-producing procedures, the CDC says that surgical masks -- which are looser fitting and protect from large droplets, splashes and sprays from sneezes and coughs -- are an acceptable alternative form of protection when there is a shortage of N95 respirators, since the virus is thought to be transmitted primarily through respiratory droplets. The agency also recommends that, in addition to the masks, workers also wear eye protection, gown and gloves. PHOTO: An undated photo shows Melissa Johnson-Camacho participating in a rally in Sacramento, Calif. (Courtesy Melissa Johnson-Camacho) "I go back to work this weekend, and I am extremely concerned about the rollbacks the CDC implemented," said Johnson-Camacho. ABC News reached out to the CDC, but the agency did not respond to request for comment. Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security, believes that adapting to the CDCs recommendations and modifying self-quarantine protocols for health care workers is necessary to prevent understaffing and crippling of the health care system. He said that in some hospitals the current self-quarantine policies for health care workers following exposure to COVID-19 patients are "strict and unjustified." "Guidance has to change and reflect the science," he added. Recommendations vary from agency to agency The major problem is that the CDC, World Health Organization (WHO), and local and state health departments give varying recommendations regarding PPE requirements. "So long as the language remains ambiguous, it's hard to tell workers that only a surgical mask is okay," said Dr. Gabe Kalen, professor and chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University. "Our health care workers read this and the messages get jumbled," Kelen said. "Its hard to convince somebody who had to wear PAPRS, [powered-air purifying respirators, which cover the entire face] and space suits that now a surgical mask, face shield, and gloves is enough." When a patient tests positive for COVID-19 Johns Hopkins upgrades to airborne precautions and requires all personnel interacting with the patient to wear N95 masks at all times. So long as the transmissibility of COVID-19 still remains unsettled, many hospitals, including Johns Hopkins, are using protective gear that goes beyond the CDCs recommendations. Kelen said that as long as workers use the right protection, they are asked to self-monitor for symptoms and continue working. "Think of the alternative that a whole bunch of people cant work at all and no one will be there to take care of sick patients," he said. Dr. James Lindsey, vice chair of emergency medicine of Phelps Hospital Northwell Health, in Sleepy Hollow, New York, said, "It is certainly a concern in the ED in the midst of this pandemic that we are going to temporarily lose staff to illness or quarantine." As a smaller hospital, the administration recognizes that they do not have an overabundance of extra staff and must take extra precautions. Surgical masks "are placed immediately upon arrival to the ED entrance, even prior to reaching the triage desk, and all staff already have [those] masks on at all times," he said. Anyone with respiratory or flu-like illness is immediately placed into a private, negative-pressure room, and that room is upgraded to an airborne precaution, meaning that anyone who enters is required to put on a gown, gloves, and N95 respirator mask until further notice. At Johns Hopkins, health care workers are not wearing masks throughout their whole shift, unless they are interacting with a patient with a suspected disease, such as COVID-19. "We are still extremely concerned we will run out of equipment. It wont take much of a surge of patients to run out and we do not have a clear replacement supply chain," said Kelen. Health care personnel report they are being asked to reuse certain equipment, like N95s respirators. Surgeon General, Jerome Adams, said shortages of PPE for health care workers is "absolutely" an issue he hears about from colleagues and states. "Shortages are leaving doctors, nurses and other front line health care workers dangerously ill-equipped to care for COVID-19 patients. We cant stop COVID-19 without protecting our health workers," said World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a recent media briefing. Extra shifts, and a risk of fatigue Johnson-Camacho said that at UC Davis, there has also been an increase in sick calls because nurses experiencing any symptoms are taking extra precautions to prevent potentially exposing patients to COVID-19. "People are working extra shifts and fatigue never helps with patient care, especially as we anticipate a huge influx of COVID-19 positive patients." As a nurse working on a cancer floor, she is particularly concerned about exposing her immunocompromised patients to COVID-19. Johnson-Camacho said that getting access to PPE equipment has become much harder and that even access to basic surgical masks has become stricter. When it comes to receiving N95 respirators, "you really have to plead your case." The limited access to testing is also an issue. Since health care workers cannot test all their patients exhibiting symptoms for COVID-19 or request a test for themselves, there is no way to be certain which patients or staff are positive and which arent. Narrow testing protocols and the limited testing capacity can also lead to accidental exposures and increase risk for unintentional infections within the hospital. Experts also note that the lack of vaccinations for COVID-19 leaves health care workers immunologically naive and contributes to the risk for sickness and quarantine. Evergreen Health in Kirkland, Washington, confirmed on Sunday that an emergency room doctor tested positive for COVID-19. The doctor was in "critical condition but stable." Brigham and Womens Hospital, in Boston, also confirmed that at least one health care worker has been infected. In a statement shared with the media this Sunday they reported, "As the novel coronavirus spreads across the globe, it is inevitable that health care workers will be infected." It is not known whether these health care workers contracted the virus through patient exposure or in the community. PHOTO: Dawn Canova, clinical manager for outpatient wound care at Carroll Hospital takes samples from people to test them for the coronavirus at a drive-thru station in the hospital's parking garage, March 16, 2020, in Westminster, Md. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) "We go home to our families" "I dont live in a bubble," said Johnson-Camacho. "When I get off, I pick my kids up, I go to meetings, I volunteer. When nurses are exposed, the public is not safe," said Johnson-Camacho. Jared Shapiro, senior director of environmental health and safety at Montefiore Health System agreed. "We are all human. And I think everyone has feelings of uncertainty due to the unknown. We treat sick patients every day and we go home to our families every day." Add Johnson-Camacho, "The biggest issue is there is a lot of downplaying when I really think what we want to hear is that, yes, this is serious, yes, patients' lives are important and yes, we are committed to being prepared and keeping you protected." Eden David, who's studying neuroscience at Columbia University and matriculating to medical school later this year, is a contributor to the ABC News Medical Unit. The battle to protect health care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Korea has sold 51,000 coronavirus test kits to the United Arab Emirates. Cheong Wa Dae in a press release Tuesday said President Moon Jae-in and UAE Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan spoke on the telephone on March 5 and the UAE requested the test kits two days later. "The Foreign Ministry took the lead in sourcing the test kits from Noble Biosciences," it added. There have been other requests for test kits from 17 countries in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe, former Soviet republics, Latin America and Africa. Another 26 countries have asked Korea to send virus-protection gear and medical experts. Korean test kit makers have received orders from around 30 countries. OTTAWA, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / As Canada responds to the global COVID-19 pandemic, some Canadians have expressed concern that they may not have access to the medicines they need, when they need them. Based on the information we have received from our membership, which includes the majority of Canada's research-based pharmaceutical companies, there are no COVID-19 related shortages being reported, or current constraints on their ability to supply medicines to Canadians. While Health Canada is advising Canadians to fill their prescriptions so that they do not have to visit a busy pharmacy if they become sick, Canadians are also encouraged not to stockpile medications in large quantities. This could lead to unintended drug shortages and put other patients at risk. Innovative Medicines Canada (IMC)'s member companies are required under the Food and Drug Regulations to report drug shortages as they occur. If a pharmaceutical company anticipates that it will experience delays in supplying the Canadian market with an approved medicine to meet expected patient demand (i.e. normal prescription volumes), the company will report this as a drug shortage to Health Canada and it will be posted on the Canadian Drug Shortage website, drugshortages.ca. IMC remains committed to working with provincial and federal governments to ensure that all Canadians continue to have access to medications during this challenging time. About Innovative Medicines Canada Innovative Medicines Canada is the national voice of Canada's innovative pharmaceutical industry. We advocate for policies that enable the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative medicines and vaccines that improve the lives of all Canadians. We support our members' commitment to being valued partners in the Canadian healthcare system. For further information: Sarah Dion-Marquis Media Relations Telephone: 613-769-6510 E-mail: sdmarquis@imc-mnc.ca SOURCE: Innovative Medicines Canada View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/581355/Statement-On-Canadas-Drug-Supply Reuters By Jeffrey Heller JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The Israeli government began deploying cellphone-monitoring technology against the coronavirus on Tuesday and urged people not to leave home unless necessary. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet approved emergency regulations enabling the Shin Bet security service to tap into cellular data to retrace the movements of the infected. The data, customarily used for anti-terrorism, will be used by the Health Ministry to locate and alert those who have been in their vicinity, the government said. Such cyber monitoring would normally require parliamentary ratification and judicial oversight. Netanyahu, who announced the measure on Monday, circumvented the process by invoking the emergency orders. In a separate move, the Health Ministry published new directives telling people to largely remain at home. A Justice Ministry official described the directives as recommendations rather than compulsory measures that can be enforced by police. Separately, Israel's Defence Ministry said 2,500 military reservists were being called up to help manage the crisis. The Health Ministry directives added beaches and parks to a list of places - including schools, shopping malls, restaurants and theatres - that have been closed to the public. No more than 10 people are supposed to gather together. But the ministry said Israelis could still go to work - many businesses are operating with reduced staff to try to halt the virus's spread - shop for food and medicine, exercise briefly outdoors and walk their dogs. In a signal the restrictions could prove protracted, a Health Ministry official said Israelis celebrating Passover next month should do so "with nuclear family only". A highlight of the Jewish calendar, Passover is usually a time for hosting extended family and guests, and sees a tourism influx to Israel. The use of anti-terrorism technology to track infected people and anyone with whom they have come in contact drew criticism from civil rights groups when Netanyahu first proposed it over the weekend. Israeli authorities said the cyber monitoring, in effect for the next two weeks, was aimed only at halting the spread of coronavirus and would ultimately be deleted. But The Association for Civil Rights in Israel called the move "a dangerous precedent and a slippery slope". Gabi Ashkenazi, a senior member of the centrist Blue and White Party, also criticised the use of emergency orders. "It's inappropriate to approve such a measure in this manner, without public and parliamentary supervision," he wrote on Twitter. His party leader, former general Benny Gantz, could be the next prime minister after he was tapped by Israel's president on Monday to try to form a new government following a March 2 election, the third within a year However Justice Minister Amir Ohana dismissed the criticism. "The concerns of those disturbed by cyber monitoring are outweighed by the threat we are facing," he told Israel Radio. There are 324 confirmed coronavirus cases in Israel. In the Palestinian territories, 41 have been confirmed in the occupied West Bank, with none in the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian government instructed Palestinians working in Israel to find accommodation there, saying they would be barred from travelling there as of Friday. It also asked Palestinians to cease working in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank as a precaution against a coronavirus spread. (Additional reporting by Dan Williams and Nidal al-Mughrabi; Editing by Angus MacSwan, William Maclean) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. trump xi Getty Images / Thomas Peter-Pool China announced it would take "reciprocal countermeasures" against American journalists working in the country. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday released a statement ordering American journalists working for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post to return their media credentials. "It's no surprise that a free press particularly one that reports on China's terrible response to the Wuhan coronavirus has threatened the CCP enough to be expelled from their shores," Sen. Tom Cotton told Insider. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. China announced it would take "reciprocal countermeasures" against American journalists working in the country in yet another escalation of tensions between the two countries amid the coronavirus pandemic. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday released a statement ordering American journalists working for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post to return their media credentials effectively disallowing them from reporting the news in China and Hong Kong. The ministry claimed its decision to further regulate US journalists was predicated on the US's actions against its own journalists, which included "slashing the staff size of Chinese media outlets in the US, which is expulsion in all but name." "In recent years, the US government has placed unwarranted restrictions on Chinese media agencies and personnel in the US, purposely made things difficult for their normal reporting assignments, and subjected them to growing discrimination and politically-motivated oppression," the ministry said in its statement. Chinese media companies, which are heavily regulated and censored by the government, have several bureaus working in the US. In February, the Trump administration designated five of those state-run organizations as "foreign embassies," which requires them to register their assets with the US State Department. Story continues The decision was based on China's strict, "draconian" control over its news, and the propensity for the country to spread propaganda, State Department officials said to Reuters. "The control over both the content and editorial control have only strengthened over the course of Xi Jinping's term in power," one official reportedly said. "These guys are in fact arms of the CCP's (Chinese Community Party's) propaganda apparatus." Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan inspects Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan on February 2, 2020. Xinhua/Chen Yehua via Getty Images China, where the epicenter of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic continues to roil markets, has long been accused by Washington of promoting pro-Chinese messaging, instead of objectively reporting its news. When the coronavirus first began spreading beyond its borders, the government clamped down on the information on social media channels. Li Wenliang, the 34-year-old Wuhan-based doctor who first sounded the alarm on the coronavirus, was forced to sign a letter admitting he had made "false statements." Li died of the coronavirus at the Wuhan Central Hospital, where he worked, in early February. Lawmakers criticized China's recent decision to curb the reporting from the country. "The Chinese Communist Party stays in power through its state propaganda outlets and restricting access to information," Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas said in a statement to Insider. "It's no surprise that a free press particularly one that reports on China's terrible response to the Wuhan coronavirus has threatened the CCP enough to be expelled from their shores," Cotton added. Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, another China hawk, criticized the recent move by China. "It's telling that even in the midst of a global pandemic caused by its own incompetence, the Chinese Communist Party is more focused on protecting its reputation than the health of the world," Gallagher said in a statement to Insider. Tension between the two countries escalated after Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian suggested without evidence that the US Army "brought the epidemic to Wuhan." "When did patient zero begin in US? How many people are infected? What are the names of the hospitals," Zhao questioned on Twitter. "Be transparent! Make public your data! US owe us an explanation," Zhao added in his tweet. Cui Tiankai, China's ambassador to the US, was summoned to the US State Department last week, after Zhao's posted his tweets. Based on Beijing's tone; however, the country appeared unfazed. "The above-mentioned measures are 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," the ministry's statement continued. "They are legitimate and justified self-defense in every sense." "Should the US choose to go further down the wrong path, it could expect more countermeasures from China," the ministry added. Read the original article on Business Insider Russian President Vladimir Putin will make a working trip to the Crimean Peninsula on March 1819, the Kremlin press service reported. In Sevastopol, the head of state will meet with members of the public of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol. In addition, Putin will present state decorations to the Crimean Bridge builders and hold meetings with Head of the Republic of Crimea Sergei Aksyonov and Acting Governor of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozhayev. On March 17, 2019, not many people would have been sitting at home watching the news. But this year is very different. If you werent among the brave workers providing essential services, you should have been at home. Because, as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said from a podium within Government Buildings: This is a St Patricks Day like no other. The state of the nation address was kept under tight wraps until an hour before the broadcast. These type of things can startle people but the Taoiseachs intention was to reassure the nation. The speech was a little heavy on cliches but the message throughout was very clear things are going to get a lot worse, but the Government will do all within its power to keep citizens safe. The tone was sombre but he looked to offer people some hope as they sat cooped up with their families on our national day. He wanted to show there was a light at the end of the tunnel if we can all come through the darkness together. He told viewers honestly he did not know when the virus will be contained or when life will go back to normal. He simply does not know. The social distancing measures introduced over the last week may stay in place well into the summer. More strict rules for social interaction may even come into place. Tomorrow, the Dail will vote on new emergency powers which will allow the Government to detain people and lock down communities. Expand Close Direct message for people of all ages: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar making his address to the nation from Government Buildings. Photo: Mark Condren / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Direct message for people of all ages: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar making his address to the nation from Government Buildings. Photo: Mark Condren We looked on in amazement with how China addressed the virus, but now our leaders will have similar powers. They dont want to use them and the Taoiseach last night urged people to keep social contact down to an absolute minimum. Varadkar had a direct message for people of all ages. He said the elderly and vulnerable will soon be asked to cocoon in their homes for several weeks. He assured them someone will check up on them and bring them food or other supplies they might need. But its the human contact they will miss their children, grandchildren and friends. He said they should use Skype and FaceTime calls to keep in contact with their loved ones. Young people were asked to go easy on their parents and offer to help out around the house. Whether any of them looked up from their smartphones to watch this landmark speech is anyones guess. But hopefully over time they will learn to deal with the boredom of social distancing and self-isolating. People were also asked to work differently and be creative. Find new ways to carry out their business. Work from home, hold conference calls or stick to emails. As Varadkar said: In short we are asking people to come together as a nation by staying apart from each other. He gave special thanks to the countrys healthcare workers and noted he has direct knowledge of how anxious people working on the crisis are feeling. His partner Matthew Barrett, his sisters Sophie and Sonia, along with both their partners, all work in the health service. Not all superheroes wear capes some wear scrubs and gowns, he said. The line is a little overused but it hammered home an important point. When we come through this crisis, this speech will be remembered fondly as we look back on 2020. Although we will probably be constantly reminded of it on Reeling in the Years. He also extended Irelands hand of solidarity out to other nations struggling to fight a common enemy. Tonight on our national holiday, I also want to send a message around the world that we are all in this together. To the people of China, Spain and Italy who have suffered untold heartbreak and loss we are with you. To all of those across the world who have lost a loved one to this virus we are with you, he said. Varadkars speech may not signal a turning point in the spread of the virus, but hopefully it will mark a change in public attitude to how we combat this god awful disease. Politics has been put aside by our countrys leaders and they have come together to fight this thing. And now it is time for the rest of us to play our part and support the efforts of those leading the charge against the pandemic. Mumbai, March 17 : The scourge of coronavirus continued unabated in Maharashtra with one death and one new case detected each in Mumbai, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, taking the total positive cases to 41, even as the state government opted against a near-total lockdown on Tuesday. "There are a total of 26 males and 15 women admitted to various hospitals around the state. The condition of all patients is stable and they are responding to treatment," Thackeray informed mediapersons. Mumbai exhaled a collective sigh of relief as the CM said he had decided against suspending the suburban local trains and bus services for the present. But, in the same breath, he also warned that after reviewing the situation over the next couple of days, he would not hesitate to take the extraordinary measure if the crowds don't reduce in trains and buses. "We have reviewed the statewide situation arising out of coronavirus. I did not take the decision to shut down public transport for now. But I again appeal to all people to avoid any unnecessary travel for the next few days," Thackeray. The CM asserted there is no move to shut down government work, but efforts are on to ensure all work is carried out with minimum number of staff to avoid overcrowding. He called upon the private sector to implement 'work-from-home' (WFH) wherever possible, saing the top (private sector) players have told senior officials that they would also attempt to reduce the number of people attending workplaces, besides helping the government in different ways to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. Explaining the decision, Health Minister Rajesh Tope pointed out that suspension of train or bus services would create huge problems for many Mumbaikars, especially the daily wage-earners who depend on suburban trains or buses for their livelihood. Meanwhile, Covid-19 claimed its first victim when a 63-year old man with a history of travel to Dubai, succumbed around 7 am, almost a week after he tested positive, at the Kasturba Hospital. An official statement said he had not revealed his travel history when he was initially admitted to a private hospital for five days before being shifted to Kasturba Hospital, where he passed away in quarantine today. "The patient had travel history to Dubai, which he reportedly did not divulge at the time of his admission to the private hospital," said a terse note from Ministry of Health New Delhi. By the time the couple' test results were received, there were more than 80 who came into his contact plus a dozen neighbours and relatives, most of whom are now quarantined. The deceased was a part of a 40-member group that had travelled to Dubai and suffered from high blood pressure, pneumonia, inflammation of heart muscles and increase heart rate leading to his death, and tested positive for Covid-19, said a statement from Kasturba Hospital. "The patient-couple arrived from Dubai on March 5. The victim's wife has also tested positive and her condition is stable," Tope said. Gearing for a long medical battle, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) Commissioner Pravin Pardeshi ordered requisitioning 240 rooms in various private hotels and guest houses specifically to quarantine those who are not willing to be isolated at their homes. Those who opt for this facility would have to cough out charges for their quarantine stay and the rates are being finalized by the civic officials with the hotel managements. Tentatively, 20 rooms shall be booked at Mirage (Madison Group), 100 at ITC Maratha, 70 at PWD Guest House in Andheri and 50 at Niranta Airport Transit Hotel, which would be designated as 'quarantine'. (Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in) Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text [March 18, 2020] Call Center Outsourcing Market 2019-2023 | Increasing Use of RPA in Call Centers to Boost Growth | Technavio Technavio has been monitoring the call center outsourcing market and it is poised to grow by USD 13.54 bn during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of over 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 2020-2023 This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005355/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Call Center Outsourcing Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire) The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Atento S.A., Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA, Concentrix Corp., Hinduja Global Solutions Ltd. and Sitel Group. are some of the major market participants. Although the increasing use of RPA in call centers will offer immense growth opportunities, low employee engagement and the rising security concerns 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. Increasing use of RPA in call centers has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. However, low employee engagement and the rising security concerns might hamper market growth. Call Center Outsourcing Market 2019-2023: Segmentation Call Center Outsourcing Market is segmented as below: End-user IT and Telecom BFSI Healthcare Retail Government Other End-users Geographic Segmentation North America APAC Europe South America MEA 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=IRTNTR32175 Call Center Outsourcing 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 call center outsourcing market report covers the following areas: Call Center Outsourcing Market Size Call Center Outsourcing Market Trends Call Center Outsourcing Market Industry Analysis This study identifies increasing adoption of cloud communication in call centers as one of the prime reasons driving the call center outsourcing market growth during the next few years. Call Center Outsourcing Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the call center outsourcing market, including some of the vendors such as Atento S.A., Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA, Concentrix Corp., Hinduja Global Solutions Ltd. and Sitel Group. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the call center outsourcing 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 Call Center Outsourcing Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023 Detailed information on factors that will assist call center outsourcing market growth during the next five years Estimation of the call center outsourcing market size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the call center outsourcing market Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of call center outsourcing 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 END-USER Market segmentation by end-user Comparison by end-user IT and telecom - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 BFSI - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Healthcare - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Retail - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Government - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Other end-users - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by end-user PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE Geographic segmentation Geographic comparison North America - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Europe - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 APAC - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 South America - Market size and forecast 2018-2023 MEA - 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 Increasing use of analytics solutions in call centers Increasing adoption of cloud communication in call centers Strategic partnerships and acquisitions among market participants PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview Landscape disruption Competitive scenario PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Atento S.A. Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA Concentrix Corp. Hinduja Global Solutions Ltd. Sitel Group StarTek Inc. Sykes (News - Alert) Enterprises Inc. Teleperformance SE Transcom WorldWide AB TTEC Holdings Inc. PART 14: APPENDIX Research methodology List of abbreviations Definition of market positioning of vendors 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/20200318005355/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] In a memo to hospital staff, a St. Vincent executive wrote that it has come to our attention that the labs running COVID-19 testing are unable at this time to run further tests. Tests that have been collected at the testing tent at this time will take up to 10 days to be resulted. Because of this delay, staff were advised to limit testing, the memo said. Dr. Michael Bush, St. Vincent Healthcares chief medical officer, separately told Lee Montana that the hospital had been sending tests to a private lab in Salt Lake City. They have been overwhelmed with the number and volume of tests, Bush said. Most recently as of today we were told they were running at least nine days behind, Bush said. St. Vincent spokesperson Angela Babcock told Lee Montana Newspapers in an email that the memo was an internal document intended for consideration. This is a rapidly evolving situation, but until further notice St. Vincent Healthcare is adhering to the recommendations of the CDC and Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services in regards to who and how we test for COVID-19. We are working diligently with the State and private laboratories to provide results to patients in a timely manner. USS Boxer (LHD 4) departs from Naval Air Station North Island January 14, 2004 in San Diego, California Photo by Tiffini M. Jones/U.S.Navy via Getty Images The coronavirus has spread to three US sailors aboard three different warships, the Navy revealed in a series of statements. Three sailors aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer, littoral combat ship USS Coronado in San Diego, California and the guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson in Everett, Washington have been infected by the virus. Protecting Navy warships, tight spaces filled with military personnel, from the coronavirus poses a daunting challenge for the service. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. The coronavirus that causes the illness COVID-19 first appeared in central China but has since become a global pandemic, and it has infected three US sailors aboard three different Navy warships, the service said. A Navy sailor assigned to the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer, at port in San Diego, California was the first sailor aboard a warship to be infected. Another sailor assigned to the USS Ralph Johnson, a guided-missile destroyer at port in Everett, Washington, tested positive on Monday, with another one assigned to the Littoral Combat Ship USS Coronado, at port in San Diego, testing positive Tuesday. The three sailors are in isolation at home, as are individuals identified as having had close contact with them. Military health professionals are investigating whether or not others were exposed, and the ships are undergoing extensive cleaning. The coronavirus has spread to more than 6,500 people and killed over 100 in the US. The number of US military personnel who have tested positive is significantly lower, but the virus continues to spread. For the Navy, protecting its warships are a serious concern. Last year, the Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry experienced an unusual viral outbreak. Mumps hit the ship hard, infecting 28 people despite efforts to quarantine the infected and disinfect the vessel. That was a vaccine-preventable illness. There is no available vaccine for the coronavirus, which has infected over 200,000 people and killed more than 8,000 worldwide. Sailors live in close proximity aboard Navy ships, and communicable diseases are easily transmittable. Story continues Navy ships are filled with personnel and are not exactly conducive to social distancing. The Boxer, for instance, can carry up to 1,200 sailors and 1,000 Marines. Pacific Fleet is begging sailors to stay off ships if they feel unwell. "We don't want sick sailors on our ships right now," Cmdr. Ron Flanders, Naval Air Forces spokesman, told The San Diego Union-Tribune on Monday. "If sailors are feeling ill, they should notify their chain of command." While the service is taking this threat seriously, some questions have been raised about the Navy's response to infections aboard warships. Shortly after the revelation that a sailor aboard the Boxer had tested "presumptive positive" for the virus, military leaders gathered around 80 crew members into a small room for a half-hour meeting to discuss the importance of social distancing and other preventative practices, ProPublica reported Monday. There have been other similar incidents. Update: This piece has been updated to reflect the latest figures from the US Navy. Read the original article on Business Insider President Donald Trump on Wednesday defended his use of the term 'China virus' to describe the coronavirus, saying 'it's not racist at all.' The president, repeatedly this week, has talked about the 'China virus,' a moniker that has been called racist. China expelled journalists from three major American news outlet in the wake of Trump's words. Trump, who started his Wednesday briefing by saying he had 'important developments in our war against the Chinese virus,' told reporters at the White House he used the description because the virus originated in Wuhan province of China. 'It's not racist at all. It comes from China, that's why. It comes from China. I want to be accurate,' he said during a press briefing. President Donald Trump defended his use of the term 'China virus' to describe the coronavirus, saying 'it's not racist at all' 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 And he argued he wasn't being racist to any Asian Americans with the term. 'I have a great love for all the people from our country, but as you know, China tried to say at one point that - maybe they've stopped now - that it was caused by American soldiers. That can't happen. It's not going to happen. Not as long as I'm president. It comes from China,' he said. Some Chinese officials have pushed a conspiracy theory that the American military brought the coronavirus to their shores. Medical experts believe it originated in a meat market in Wuhan where exotic animals were butchered. And while President Trump argued the coronavirus came from China, he said he doesn't believe Beijing inflicted it on America but added Chinese officials could have issued an earlier warning. 'No, I dont believe they are inflicting I think they could have given us a lot earlier notice,' he said. He also did not condemn a White House official who called the disease the 'Kung flu' and said he wasn't worried about Asian Americans being put at risk in the wake of such rhetoric. 'Not all,' Trump said and then returned to his argument the virus came from China. 'I think they probably grew that 100 per cent. It comes from China.' Weijia Jiang, a reporter for CBS News, claimed on Tuesday a White House official referred to coronavirus as the 'Kung Flu' right to her face. Jiang was born in China and raised in West Virginia. Such comments have been condemned as racist. Earlier Wednesday, President Trump tripled down on using the term in a series of tweets. 'I will be having a news conference today to discuss very important news from the FDA concerning the Chinese Virus!,' the president wrote. 'I always treated the Chinese Virus very seriously, and have done a very good job from the beginning, including my very early decision to close the borders from China - against the wishes of almost all. Many lives were saved. The Fake News new narrative is disgraceful & false!,' he added. President Trump tripled down on calling the coronavirus the 'Chinese virus' in a series of Wednesday morning tweets The president appeared to be pushing back at reports his response to the pandemic has taken on a more serious tone in recent days. Trump has been criticized for minimizing the disease in its early days but told reporters on Tuesday he's 'always' taken it seriously. 'I've always known this is a real - this is a pandemic. I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic,' he said during a press briefing on the virus. President Trump's use of the phrase 'China virus' comes as tensions have escalated between Washington and Beijing in the wake of the trade war started by the president and the battle surrounding the origins of the coronavirus. And China has taken retaliatory measures against the United States. Officials there announced on Tuesday Beijing would expel American journalists working for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. 'I'm not happy to see it. I have my own disputes with all three of those media groups. I think you know that very well. I don't like seeing it at all, I'm not happy about that at all,' Trump said Wednesday of the expelled journalists. The United State also has expelled Chinese journalists. Last month, the Trump administration posed limits on the number of Chinese citizens who can work in the U.S. for five state-run Chinese news outlets that are seen as propaganda machines. The limits by the White House - capping the number of Chinese journalists at 100 - will force about 60 Chinese reporters from the United States. But Trump's use of the 'China virus' moniker has increased tensions. After President Trump tweeted on Monday about the 'China virus,' Beijing, the next day, demanded 'the U.S. side correct the mistake immediately and halt its groundless accusations'. Trump defended his use of the term, saying Tuesday that he doesn't think it's inappropriate to call the coronavirus the 'Chinese virus' because that's where the disease originated. The president said he only started referring to the virus, which was first detected in Wuhan, China, in that way after Beijing blamed the U.S. military for bringing the disease to its shores. 'Well China was putting out information, which was false, that our military gave this to them. That was false,' Trump said during a briefing in the White House press room. '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 said the term 'Chinese Virus' has a stigma around it that is seen as 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.' Medical workers in protective suits attend to novel coronavirus patients at the intensive care unit (ICU) of a designated hospital in Wuhan, China 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 floated 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.' 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 stigmatization by connecting the novel coronavirus with China. He did not name President Trump specifically, but was referring to one of President Trump's tweet, reported Chinese state news agency Xinhua. 'We express strong indignation and resolute opposition to this,' 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,' 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 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. 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 Many local businesses have been ordered to shut down, and millions of people are not going out right now. With the coronavirus pandemic causing people to social distance, many are getting what they need from large online businesses, leaving local businesses suffering. The impact of the pandemic on small businesses could be devastating, CNN Business reported. In Seattle, a survey found 60% of small businesses were considering wage and staffing cuts, and 35% said they may need to close their businesses. With the rise of social distancing, local businesses are withering on the vine, the survey said. Uncertainty hangs over the city. Restaurants are slow or shut down entirely. Gyms are brightly lit and empty. Stores are quiet. When will it end? Facebook has said it would offer $100 million in cash grants and ad credits for up to 30,000 small businesses that need assistance, Variety reported. ABC News reported that many small businesses dont know how they will pull through the pandemic. Here are a few ways people have suggested helping small, local businesses. Buy a gift card In some states, restaurants and non-essential businesses have been shut down entirely. Businesses say a good way to keep them afloat is to buy a gift card or gift certificate to use when people are no longer social distancing. If you dont want to venture out please purchase gift certificates to help sustain us and then treat yourself for a special day later, Trang Tran, the owner of a nail salon in North Carolina, told The Charlotte Observer. Our small business supports our family and our beautiful technicians support their families with your amazing patronage. Order in Many local restaurants and food establishments have started offering takeout and delivery options as they shut their dining rooms. Other local places have partnerships with delivery services such as DoorDash, Postmates and Uber Eats. Some people have suggested ordering extra food and stocking up on your favorite meals while youre stuck indoors. Story continues If you're getting takeout/delivery during the COVID-19 isolation, consider local businesses first. We all love the chains, but they can survive this much easier than small businesses. Same goes for other purchases you might need - support local as they need it more than ever. Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) March 18, 2020 Leave an extra tip More than half of American jobs are at risk because of coronavirus, CNN reported. If you have the ability, leaving an extra tip for those serving you can help while they deal with cut wages or hours, or fear layoffs. At a popular restaurant in Houston, a group of customers left a tip of $9,400 to help them through the pandemic, KTRK reported. The staff split the tip evenly and each worker received about $300, the news outlet reported. HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM / ACCESSWIRE / MARCH 18, 2020 / Vietnam is one of the most emerging cryptocurrency markets in the world. The demands of USDT grow days by days. However, the exchange rate of USDT/VND isn't affordable. Existing USDT problems in the Vietnamese market The unstructured market The majority of USDT trading in Vietnam are handled by individual brokers networks, which contains multiple defects and risks, and these would slow down the development and expansion of the industry. Instead, an established market structure could lead the Vietnamese market to adapt faster by avoiding the following issues: Unstable pricing: Price could be different from brokers to brokers due to unevenly distributed information. Price could be different from brokers to brokers due to unevenly distributed information. Supply issues: In order to accomplish a large volume of deal, an individual trader needs to deal with multiple brokers and that causes lots of extra work and risks. In order to accomplish a large volume of deal, an individual trader needs to deal with multiple brokers and that causes lots of extra work and risks. Security issues: Security of trading has always been the main issue within the OTC market, especially for newcomers who do not have the network or connection to testify the broker. The lack of professional distributors There are few trading platforms and OTC platforms existing in Vietnam, while many of the platforms are operated in the traditional way. That causes beginners must seek brokers and exchangers, take the risk that these people may be uncreditable. With no connection and low knowledge of the market, individual traders may be scammed and harmed by the bad guys. VETHER Gateway: Top-pick solution for purchasing cheapest USDT Vether is the one-stop solution for fiat to USDT gateway, with customized product flow and unique supply source, Vether allows users to obtain USDT in just some clicks. Moreover, Vether guarantees the best USDT price in the Vietnamese market. Vether aims to become the major USDT distributor in the market, leveraging the development of blockchain and becoming the essential tool within USDT and crypto real-life using scenarios. The outstanding features of Vether include: The stable and best price of USDT in Vietnam: Vether sources USDT directly from Tether and its prime distributors, without any third parties involved. As a result, Vether is always able to provide the finest USDT price. Vether sources USDT directly from Tether and its prime distributors, without any third parties involved. As a result, Vether is always able to provide the finest USDT price. Variety of channels: Vether keeps putting effort into developing not just mobile application, but other different channels and interfaces to meet the demand of market and business partners, including POS machine, ATM, Debit Card, and offline distribution. Vether keeps putting effort into developing not just mobile application, but other different channels and interfaces to meet the demand of market and business partners, including POS machine, ATM, Debit Card, and offline distribution. Asia Pacific expansion: Vether has established connections in all major Asia Pacific countries including Japan, China, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia. About VETHER Located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Vether has a strong, experienced and enthusiastic team. Vether team has worked in many fields from the traditional trade market to the finance and blockchain industry. On March 14th, 2020, Vether successfully organized an intimate dinner party for big players and investors in Vietnam. They discussed the potential of cryptocurrency and particularly USDT in the local market. With the USDT/VND market constantly growing, the creative and innovative players will receive more and more benefits. Media Details Name: Jane Luu Company: Vether Website: Vether.to Email: Vip@vether.to Phone: +84 352654445 Telegram: @Vether_Official Facebook: https://bit.ly/2xL6dKQ Medium: https://medium.com/@vip_13586 SOURCE: Vether View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/581308/Vietnamese-USDT-market-Problems-and-Solutions D espite what some comedians might claim, laughter is not actually the best medicine. But in the current crisis it can certainly help. Particularly if you are self-isolated and in need of cheering up. Hardworking stand-ups suddenly with time on their freshly washed hands are currently talking of live-streaming gigs, but in the meantime there is plenty of comedy to choose from on the internet. Below are nine turns to enjoy online. Kiri Pritchard-McLean Kayla Wren Powerhouse performer Kiri Pritchard-McLean has this week become the latest recipient of the annual Caroline Aherne Bursary, a 5,000 BBC grant given to talented writers to help them develop their work. Pritchard-McLeans humour can be dark and twisted as well as honest and full-on about modern relationships. Check out her podcast on murderers, All Killa No Filla with Rachel Fairburn, or, if you are feeling particularly broadminded, watch her candid sexual confessions on Comedy Central, available on YouTube. I swear a lot onstage. I swear a lot offstage, this is me being consistent. Lazy Susan Bobby Goulding Along with the rest of Britains theatres, the Soho Theatre has sadly gone dark, but for a while now theyve been quietly building up a comedy-on-demand catalogue. Recent releases through sohotheatreondemand.com include Jen Brister, Shappi Khorsandi, groundbreaking Indian comic Aditi Mittal and the acclaimed live show Forgive Me, Mother! from surreal sketch duo Lazy Susan (Freya Parker and Celeste Dring Princess Eugenie in C4s The Windsors). Sharp, subversive and unafraid to tackle contemporary gender politics: Cant two women do a sketch show without a man sticking his oar in and trying to murder them? Laura Lexx At the weekend Brighton-based Laura Lexx posted some mischievous tweets imagining she was in a sexy relationship with straight-talking Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. After big Twitter hitters including Marian Keyes and US TV host Seth Myers retweeted it, it went viral, racking up over 50,000 likes. Lexx is also a formidable compere. Put Lexx annihilates heckler into Google to see her in action wiping out a sexist audience member: Can we get some crayons to that side of the room? If you like what you see, her breakthrough show about attempting to start a family, Trying, is on nextupcomedy.com Sophie Duker Matt Writtle Sophie Duker was one of the breakout stars at the Edinburgh Fringe last summer with her full-fat woke full-length debut Venus. The host of the Wacky Racists comedy night is set to perform her solo show at the Purcell Room on April 18, but while a major question mark now hangs over that date you can still get your fix online. Look for Duker on Mock The Week for one-liners or, to watch her discuss twerking, jerk chicken and being a black, queer woman in post-Brexit Britain, key in Duker and Privilege on YouTube. Loyiso Gola Double Emmy-nominated South African Loyiso Gola has become a global success in recent years, building up a following in Europe and America. He doesnt shy away from politics no surprises there but he has a way of delivering the most hard-hitting material with the kind of charm that can win over the most resistant curmudgeon. Watch his Live at the Apollo appearance on YouTube: I love it here you guys, its nice, when are you having another referendum? Youve got to have a truly winning personality to get away with that Jedi Master level of sarcasm. Steve Martin & Martin Short Getty Images One of the most eagerly anticipated tours this year finished abruptly last week with two Royal Albert Hall nights postponed. But for frustrated fans, a version of the show is on netflix.com. Steve Martin quit stand-up in 1981 so this is a very welcome return as he and his Three Amigos co-star fool around as if they are just larking about for their own delight. Martin apologises for ticket prices being high, but he has to pay for someone to walk my fitbit around. Theres also a great anecdote about being shown Elvis Presleys gun collection amid the double act silliness. Daniel Sloss Scottish comic Sloss has just announced that he is writing a book exploring relationships to be published in the UK in November. While you wait you can catch the acclaimed show that inspired it on netflix.com. In Jigsaw, Sloss talks about how we are so bad at being alone that we sometimes end up with the wrong partner. As a result of seeing his show there were over 90,000 break-ups reported on his Instagram account. Compelling viewing, but maybe only watch if you are feeling 100 per cent secure about your partner in these fragile times. Suzi Ruffell Some comedians just have funny bones. Suzi Ruffell is one of those comedians. Every move, every gesture, every look at the audience leads to a laugh. The Portsmouth-born dynamo is rapidly becoming a TV regular but when the comedy circuit is restored to full health you really should see her live. In the meantime there is plenty of Ruffell to go round on YouTube. Her 2019 Live at the Apollo set is an excellent place to start: I remember coming out to my Uncle Marty. I said, Uncle Marty, Im gay. He said, What, like full time? Dane Baptiste Comedian Dane Baptiste pictured on the streets of Soho / Daniel Hambury/Stella Pictures Ltd Photo credit: Jackson Lee - Getty Images From Harper's BAZAAR Ryan Reynolds announced on Instagram that he and wife Blake Lively are donating $1 million to food banks in the midst of the growing coronavirus pandemic. "I think we can all agree, Covid-19 is an asshole. If you're able to help, visit, @feedingamerica and @foodbankscanada," wrote Reynolds. Lively and Reynolds have also donated an additional $400,000 to four New York area hospitals amid the ongoing pandemic. Update 3/31/20: Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds continue to show support to those affected by the coronavirus. According to E! News, the two actors have donated an additional $400,000 to help some of the hardest-hit hospitals in New York amid the ongoing pandemic, with $100,000 each going to the Elmhurst, NYU, Mount Sinai, and Northern Westchester hospitals. The couple is continuing to encourage the pubic to donate as medical professionals and essential workers continue to band together to combat the novel virus. Original Story 3/17/20: Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are pitching in to help combat coronavirus. Yesterday, Reynolds shared a post on his Instagram account announcing that he and his wife would be donating $1 million to Feeding America and Food Banks Canada, two organizations working to assist those most at risk in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. "Covid-19 has brutally impacted older adults and low income families. Blake and I are donating $1 million to be split between Feeding America and Food Banks Canada," the Deadpool star declared in his post. "If you can give, these orgs need our help." He also asked his followers to prioritize themselves and their health during this trying period. "Take care of your bodies and hearts. Leave room for joy. Call someone who's isolated and might need connection," wrote Reynolds. Story continues The actor managed to lighten the mood with his post, however, captioning his announcement with, "I think we can all agree, Covid-19 is an asshole. If you're able to help, visit, @feedingamerica and @foodbankscanada." A notorious funnyman, Reynolds couldn't sign off without one last joke, obviously, and took a jab at his notorious faux nemesis, fellow actor Hugh Jackman. "Hugh Jackman's # is 1-555-Hugh," he concluded. You Might Also Like Vladimir Putin is being protected from coronavirus around the clock with all of his staff undergoing mandatory testing, it emerged today. The Kremlin said that all workers involved in the presidents' events schedule were being tested for the disease. Russia has recorded 147 cases of coronavirus so far and the authorities have temporarily barred foreigners from entering the country in an effort to prevent it spreading further. Russian president Vladimir Putin (pictured) is being protected from coronavirus around the clock with all staff tested for coronavirus, said the Kremlin today Medical staff wearing protective suits riding down an escalator at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport yesterday 'Everything needed to protect the president from viruses and other illnesses is being done around the clock,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. 'The president's work schedule is public and the best proof of the state of his health.' Peskov has previously declined to say whether Putin has been tested for coronavirus, but has said that the president's medical care is of an exceptionally high level. Putin on Wednesday was visiting Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. Journalists travelling with Putin on the trip were tested beforehand to prove they were not carriers of the virus. The Kremlin has also told journalists to stay away if they feel unwell. Peskov, Putin's spokesman, said on Wednesday that he'd been tested for coronavirus himself along with all high-ranking Kremlin officials. Igor Nikulin, a microbiologist who allegedly worked at the UN, made the comments about Britain's involvement in coronavirus on Russian state-backed TV The Big Game Russian roundtable TV discussion on COVID-19 on the state-backed Channel 1 in which it was claimed Britain was involved in beginning the spread of the virus It comes as Russian media deployed a 'significant disinformation campaign' against the West to worsen the impact of the coronavirus, generate panic and sow distrust, it was claimed. According to a European Union document, the Russian campaign, pushing fake news online in English, Spanish, Italian, German and French, uses contradictory, confusing and malicious reports to make it harder for the EU to communicate its response to the pandemic. A specialist EU database has recorded almost 80 cases of disinformation about coronavirus since January 22, it said. The EU document cited examples from Lithuania to Ukraine and said that on social media, Russian state-funded, Spanish-language RT Spanish was the 12th most popular news source on coronavirus between January and mid-March, based on the amount of news shared on social media. Yesterday it emerged that Kremlin-backed media has broadcast propaganda which blamed Britain for the outbreak and claimed COVID-19 was created as a tool to benefit of the UK. Igor Nikulin, who claimed to be a microbiologist, said on Russia's Channel 1 he was 'certain' the coronavirus was a 'man-made disease'. The disease was also linked to the Skripal Novichok scandal in which the Salisbury government laboratory at Porton Down was accused by Russian media of using the nerve agent on former Russian military intelligence Sergei Skripal in March 2018. In fresh allegations made this week, the programme claimed the British 'smeared something in Wuhan' in the same way that they 'smear[ed] nerve agent on Skripal's door handle'. The Kremlin denied the allegations made in the EU report today, saying they were unfounded and lacked common sense. 'A significant disinformation campaign by Russian state media and pro-Kremlin outlets regarding COVID-19 is ongoing,' said the nine-page internal document, dated March 16, using the name of the disease that can be caused by the coronavirus. 'The overarching aim of Kremlin disinformation is to aggravate the public health crisis in Western countries...in line with the Kremlin's broader strategy of attempting to subvert European societies,' the document produced by the EU's foreign policy arm, the European External Action Service, said. A woman with her child wearing medical masks walking inside the Komsomolskaya Metro station in Moscow yesterday Peskov pointed to what he said was the lack in the EU document of a specific example or link to a specific media outlet. 'We're talking again about some unfounded allegations which in the current situation are probably the result of an anti-Russian obsession,' said Peskov. The EEAS declined to comment directly on the report. The European Commission said it was in contact with Google , Facebook, Twitter and Microsoft . An EU spokesman accused Moscow of 'playing with people's lives' and appealed to EU citizens to 'be very careful' and only use news sources they trust. The EU and NATO have accused Russia of covert action, including disinformation, to try to destabilise the West by exploiting divisions in society. The construction site of a new infectious hospital on the outskirts of Moscow as an additional measure to help try and prevent the spread of coronavirus Supermarket shelves today were nearly empty as Russians are hoarding goods following the coronavirus outbreak Russia denies any such tactics, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused foreign foes of targeting Russia by spreading fake news about coronavirus to whip up panic. Russian media in Europe have not been successful in reaching the broader public, but provide a platform for anti-EU populists and polarise debate, analysis by EU and non-governmental groups has shown. The EEAS report cited riots at the end of February in Ukraine, a former Soviet republic now seeking to join the EU and NATO, as an example of the consequences of such disinformation. It said a fake letter purporting to be from the Ukrainian health ministry falsely stated here were five coronavirus cases in the country. Ukrainian authorities say the letter was created outside Ukraine, the EU report said. 'Pro-Kremlin disinformation messages advance a narrative that coronavirus is a human creation, weaponised by the West,' said the report, first cited by the Financial Times. It quoted fake news created by Russia in Italy, the second-most heavily affected country in the world, that health systems would be unable to cope and doctors would choose who lived or died because of a lack of beds. The EEAS has also shared information with Slovakia over the spread of fake news accusing the country's prime minister, Peter Pellegrini, of being infected with the virus and saying he may have passed on the infection to others at recent summits. EU leaders have been conferring by video-conferences since early March. President Vladimir Putin yesterday claimed the coronavirus was 'under control' in Russia and said outbreaks of infection had been contained as the country closed its borders to foreigners. Actor Akansha Ranjan Kapoor made her acting debut in the Netflix film Guilty, which highlighted the #MeToo movement. She feels it is unfortunate that we need films like Guilty to restart the conversation about sexual harassment. Its unfortunate that we need films like this for people to restart the conversation, but that was our aim. People have a very short attention span. But this (sexual harassment) has been happening forever and I feel that #MeToo is here to stay, said Akansha. In Guilty, Kiara Advani essays the role of a girl whose boyfriend, a darling of the college, is accused of rape by a small-town girl who is not quite the popular one in the campus. The film explores different versions of what might have happened before the truth is laid bare. Akansha plays the small-town girl Tanu Kumar from Dhanbad, who is at the centre of all the drama. Asked if she expected a positive response for her first film, Akansha said: I have dreamt of it my whole life. Before shooting for it, I would think, I am going to do my first film and I am going to get this kind of response, so its a dream come true moment for me. Also read: Arjun Kapoor turns rhyme slayer on day three of coronavirus quarantine, says cant deal, feels surreal Talking about her character, she claimed, After watching the film, every girl has messaged me or reached out to me saying sorry for judging Tanu, or that they all want to be like Tanu. Nobody has told me it is a very bold character. They have either said sorry or they have said they want to be as confident as Tanu, because she has given them more self esteem. Tanu has given me confidence, too. I could not dress the way she does. She is her own person and she doesnt need validation from anybody. People consider her a gold-digger but she knows that she is the gold. Directed by Ruchi Narain, Guilty also features actors Taher Shabbir and Gurfateh Singh Pirzada in key roles. Follow @htshowbiz for more (Newser) Lyle Waggoner, who used his good looks to comic effect on the Carol Burnett Show, partnered with a superhero on Wonder Woman and was the first centerfold for Playgirl magazine, died Tuesday. He was 84. Waggoner, who was battling cancer, died Tuesday at his Los Angeles-area home with his wife of 60 years, Sharon, at his side, according to a family statement. A household name in the 1970s, Waggoner went on to become a successful entrepreneur. He built a behind-the-scenes business that provides custom trailers that keep stars comfortable during production breaks. Playing on his surname, he called it Star Waggons. In the mid-1960s, the Kansas-born Waggoner was appearing in run-of-the-mill movies such as Swamp Country and The Catalina Caper and was a finalist to play Batman in the campy TV series that eventually starred Adam West. Then he was called to audition for Burnett's variety show. story continues below The actress-comedian recalled that she wanted an announcer for the show who could do more than introduce commercials. He had to also be good-looking, so she could do her ugly-duckling, romance-besotted character with himand funny. "In walked Lyle Waggoner," she recalled in her 2010 book, This Time Together. "Gorgeous? Yes. But so much more. He was incredibly funny. He had a sly, tongue-in-cheek delivery that told you he was putting himself on and not taking himself seriously." As the series evolved, she said, he showed such comic instincts that he got roles in sketches and became a full member of the cast. Along the way, he made history of sorts in 1973 when Playgirl magazine chose him as his first centerfold. In 1976, Waggoner was picked for Wonder Woman, which starred Lynda Carter. Later, he focused on his rental business. "I was always looking for a backup because I knew the (television) seriesthey don't last forever," he once said. (One of Hollywood's most prolific actors died Monday.) By Taiwo Okanlawon Veteran actresses Hilda Dokubo and Kate Henshaw have kicked against the making of Adamawa-born senator, Elisha Abbo, a patron of the Actors Guild of Nigeria. The Adamawa lawmaker who was spotted in a viral video last year, assaulting a nursing mother in a sex toy shop has reportedly been appointed as the Patron of the Actors Guild of Nigeria. The veteran actress, Dokubo stated that making an abuser of women a Patron of Actors Guild of Nigeria is an unpardonable abuse. Dokubo who called for delisting Senator Elisha Abbo from AGNs list of patrons insisted that every attempt at rubbishing societal values with such an appointment must be stopped. She wrote; Cut the crap. An abuser of women as Patron of Actors Guild of Nigeria is an unpardonable abuse of the rights of all the females in the creative space especially #actors. We must stop every attempt at rubbishing our values as a people with such appointments in whatever guise. Consequently, Senator Abbo #sextoysenator must be delisted from our list of Patrons now. In a related development, Kate Henshaw called out the President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) Emeka Rollas over Senator Elisha Abbos appointment. In her reaction, Henshaw took to her Twitter page and said the lawmaker was not worthy to be a patron of AGN, adding that there are women in the guild, and they dont want to be slapped. Kate Henshaw wrote, Emeka Rollas, I cannot find your handle on Twitter. My name is Kate Henshaw and I do not mince words when I say @AbboElisha is NOT worthy to be a patron of the Actors Guild of Nigeria. We have women in this guild, and we do not want to be slapped. Emeka Rollas, I cannot find your handle on Twitter, my name is Kate Henshaw and I do not mince words when I say @AbboElisha is NOT worthy to be a patron of the Actors Guild of Nigeria. We have women in this guild and we do not want to be slapped!! Kate Henshaw (@HenshawKate) March 16, 2020 The death has occurred of Harry HANLY Brownstown, The Curragh, Kildare HANLY Harry (Brownstown, The Curragh, Co. Kildare) Retd. NCO 1st Armoured Car Squadron, Plunkett Barracks, The Curragh- 16th March 2020 (peacefully) at St. James's Hospital, Dublin. Sadly missed by his loving mother Teresa, father Bill, children Melissa, Stewart and Shane and their mother Imelda, grandchildren Devon, Tearnan, Cayden, Willow and Layton, brothers and sisters, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews, extended family, relatives and friends. May Harry Rest in Peace A private Funeral will take place due to government advice regarding public gatherings. Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to current restrictions cannot, please leave a personal message in the section below 'Condolences'. The family thank you for your cooperation, understanding and condolences during this difficult time. The death has occurred of Aileen Drennan (nee Dooley) 42 Clonmullion Retirement Village, Athy, Kildare Deeply regretted by her loving daughter Reiltin, sons David and Dylan, grandchildren Maxi, Isla, Luke and Alex, brothers Terry & John, sister Shelley, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Rest in Peace A private funeral will take place due to government advice regarding public gatherings. Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to current restrictions cannot, please leave a personal message in the section below 'Condolences'. A memorial service will take place at a later date. The death has occurred of Thomas (Tommy) KEOGH Kerdiff Close, Naas, Kildare / Crumlin, Dublin Formerly of Derry Drive, Crumlin, Dublin 12. Beloved husband of Emma and father of Gerald, Amanda, Mark and Daniel, son of Peg and Noel. Sadly missed by his loving family, brothers Noel, Stephen and Andy, sisters Margaret and Mimi, parents-in-law Anne and Paul, Gerald's partner Sarah, Amanda's partner Cathal, Grandson Ryan, ex-wife Liz, sisters-in-law, brother-in-law, aunts, uncles, nephew, nieces, relatives and a wide circle of friends. May He Rest in Peace. Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to Irish Cancer Society. Due to the recent government guidelines regarding public gatherings, Thomas's funeral will be held in private. Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to current restrictions cannot, please leave your personal message in the section below marked Condolences. The death has occurred of Kathleen LOUGHRAN (nee Murray) St. Patrick's Tce., Naas, Kildare In the tender care of The Staff of Willowbrook Nursing Home. Beloved wife of the late John and mother of Anthony, John, Margaret, Tommy, Mary and Bernadette. Sadly missed by her loving family, sisters Theresa and Nan, daughters-in-law Eithne and Carol, son-in-law Kenny, Margaret's partner John, grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. Due to the recent government guidelines regarding public gatherings, Kathleen's funeral will be held in private. May She Rest in Peace Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to current restrictions cannot, please leave your personal message in the section below marked Condolences. The death has occurred of Ann Rose Maher (nee Creagh) Grangenolvin, Athy, Kildare / Ballitore, Kildare Formerly of The Mill, Ballitore. Sadly missed by her loving sons and daughter, Tony, Jimmy, Paul, Mark, Annmarie, Richard, Pierce and Brian, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, family and friends. Rest in Peace Removal to Crookstown church on Thursday the 19th of March for Private Funeral Mass. Public burial at 12 noon in the adjoining cemetery. No flowers, donations to Cancer Research. Donation box in cemetery. Family would prefer that clothing is not all black. The death has occurred of Hans NURSIAH Naas, Kildare NURSIAH. Hans (Naas, Co. Kildare and formerly of Mauritius) 14th March 2020 (suddenly) in Naas General Hospital. Beloved dad to Josh; Hans will be very sadly missed by his loving family, son, Joshs mother Zedide, Hans mother, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives and his wide circle of friends. May he Rest in Peace A private funeral will take place for very close friends and immediate family due to Government advice and HSE guidelines regarding public gatherings. Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to current restrictions cannot or feel unable to do so, please feel free to leave a message in the Condolence Book at the bottom of this page or send on condolences by traditional manner. The death has occurred of Thomas (Tom) GIBNEY Celbridge, Kildare Gibney (Celbridge and formerly of Camden Dental) Mar 15, 2020, (peacefully, surrounded by his loving family), at TLC Centre, Maynooth, Thomas, (Tom) beloved husband of Maria and dear step-father if The OHara Family; Sadly missed by his loving step-sons, step-daughter, grandchildren, relatives and friends. 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. In the wake of the Indian Supreme Court decision to reverse the Indian central banks decision to ban cryptocurrency businesses has led accelerating enthusiasm. Within a day of the repeal of the Reserve ban on services related to cryptocurrency, local exchanges kicked into gear. Additionally, the Indian Crypto Bulls Roadshow, added several states and cities to its route. The roadshow describes itself as a not-for-profit initiative that seeks to educate Indian citizens about the cryptocurrency sectors. The Supreme Court Overrules the RBI In early March, Cryptocurrency exchanges secured a victory as the Indian Supreme Court ruled against the RBI which had outlawed cryptocurrency trading in India. The RBI had banned services for cryptocurrency that included exchanging fiat currencies like the Rupee or Dollar for crypto currencies. The RBI allowed exchanges to be active in cross crypto currencies. For example, if you want to trade bitcoin versus Ethereum the RBI would allow this transaction. During this period between the ban and the Supreme Court ruling, which started in April of 2018, the RBI had been evaluating a the sovereign-backed digital currencythat it would control as it cracked down on instruments like bitcoin, citing the potential for money laundering.Opponents of the RBI cryptocurrency ban argued that the central bank wasnt empowered to issue the directive. Immediately after the ruling by the Supreme court local exchangesUnocoin, Wazirx, and Coindcx resumed fiat deposit services. It took less than 24 hours for Indias two major exchanges to resume accepting deposits and withdrawals. Additionally, HashCash Consultants also announced it would invest $10 million into the Indian crypto sector. The RBI had barred financial entities regulated by the RBI from entering any transactions involving cryptocurrencies. The Central Bank Concerns Remain Despite a victory by the cryptocurrency community the repeal of the RBI ban, is only a stepping stone to further use of cryptos in India. The Economic Times reported that RBI is still concerned that widespread virtual currency adoption which could put the financial system at risk. IN 2018 the RBI even said they believed that cryptocurrency trading is similar to a Ponzi scheme. Indias parliament is also yet to rule on the pending bill which is the banning of cryptocurrency. Indian Cryptocurrency Road Show To hype the ability to transact cryptocurrencies, a non-profit organization called Crypto Bulls is planning the Indian Crypto Bulls Roadshow. Crypto Bulls describes itself as a not-for-profit initiative that seeks to educate Indian citizens as to the emerging cryptocurrency sectors. In the wake of the supreme court ruling the road show is expanding. To plan for the additional locations, the roadshows starting date has been delayed. The event will now span more than 7,000 kilometers. The upshot is that cryptocurrency information is spreading throughout India and will likely experience more widespread use in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling shooting down a ban of cryptocurrency services within India. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / XPhyto Therapeutics Corp. (XPHY.CN)(4XT.F) ("XPhyto" or the "Company") is pleased to announce significant progress with respect to development of its cannabidiol ("CBD") based Epilepsy product. Further to the Company's press release dated December 9, 2019, titled "Epilepsy Treatment to be Developed with XPhyto Therapeutics Thin Film Delivery System," and based on recent positive product development results, XPhyto will be advancing the program to clinical studies immediately. In the past three months, Vektor Pharma TF GmbH ("Vektor"), the Company's wholly owned German subsidiary, has completed the initial stage of product development and established a number of critical parameters necessary for an efficient and well-defined dissolvable oral CBD dosage form. The Company is now finalizing the formulation and preparing for European-based clinical studies in Q2 and Q3 of 2020. XPhyto's thin film drug delivery system was developed by Vektor, a narcotics manufacturer, importer, and researcher located in the Upper Swabia region of the German state of Baden-Wurttemberg. Vektor's previous development work has included narcotics delivery systems for conventional oncology and non-oncology pain treatment, such as Fentanyl, Hydromorphone, and Oxycodone, and more recently, the development of efficient cannabis delivery and dosage systems. The Company's CBD-based Epilepsy treatment program is one of several dissolvable oral drug delivery initiatives for 2020. Oral thin film drug delivery is a large and growing international industry which provides an alternative to conventional solid and liquid oral dosage forms. Transparency Market Research estimates that the global market for thin film drug manufacturing will be worth US$15.984 billion by 2024 and rising at a solid 9.0% CAGR between 2019 and 2024. XPhyto's additional oral thin film drug delivery programs include both cannabinoid and non-cannabinoid products for pain, neurology and infectious disease. Story continues Further to the Company's press release on March 3, 2020, XPhyto is planning to announce, in due course, an update on its infectious disease programs, particularly as they relate to products relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic. About XPhyto Therapeutics Corp. XPhyto is a next-generation cannabis company focused on formulation, clinical validation, and European imports, distribution and sales. XPhyto's 100% owned subsidiary, Vektor Pharma TF GmbH, a German narcotics manufacturer, importer and researcher has expertise in the design, testing and manufacture of thin film drug delivery systems, particularly transdermal patches and sub-lingual (oral) strips. Vektor also holds a number of narcotics licences issued by the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM), including import and manufacturing permits, as well as EU GMP lab certification. XPhyto's 100% owned German subsidiary, Bunker Pflanzenextrakte GmbH, has been granted a unique German cannabis cultivation and extraction licence for scientific purposes by BfArM. Bunker has two exclusive R&D collaboration agreements with the Technical University of Munich, chair of beverage and brewing technology and Faculty of Chemistry. XPhyto is pursuing additional opportunities in Europe including commercial cannabis cultivation, processing, manufacturing, import, and distribution. In Canada, two exclusive 5-year engagements with the Faculty of Pharmacy at a major Canadian university provide certified extraction, isolation, and formulation facilities, drug research and development expertise, as well as commercial analytical testing capability. XPhyto signed a supply, import and distribution agreement for cannabis oils and isolates with one of the largest, highest quality, and lowest cost cannabis cultivators in the world. For further information, please contact: Hugh Rogers CEO & Director +1.780.818.6422 info@xphyto.com www.xphyto.com Wolfgang Probst Director +49 8331 9948 122 info@bunker-ppd.de www.xphyto.com Forward looking statements This news release includes statements containing forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities law ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "develop", "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "potential", "propose" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, and in this release include the statement regarding the Company's goal of building an industry leading medical cannabis company Forward-looking statements are only predictions based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including: that the Company may not succeed in developing any cannabis-infused products; that the sale of any products may not be a viable business; that the Company may be unable to scale its business; product liability risks; frequent changes to cannabis regulations in Europe, Canada and elsewhere; general economic conditions; adverse industry events; future legislative and regulatory developments; inability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; competition; international risks; and other risks beyond the Company's control. The Company is under no obligation, 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 expressly required by applicable law. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. SOURCE: XPhyto Therapeutics Corp. View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/581293/XPhyto-Therapeutics-Epilepsy-Treatment-Program In its continued effort to enhance productivity and assure wellness of its employees, Kuwait Finance House (KFH) has announced that it is leveraging modern workplace solutions such as Microsoft Teams to empower its workforce to work remotely, safely and efficiently under all circumstances. While we continue to serve our customers in these challenging times, we aim to ensure the highest measures of health and safety for our employees, said Talal Al-Mutairi, deputy general manager HR Operations and Rewards at KFH. He added: This is where technology comes to play a crucial role by enabling us to accelerate remote working for our people while collaborating and executing their activities. We aim to ensure applying the best technology and safety-driven tools to ensure undisrupted communication and smooth workflow among KFH staff, and with all other stakeholders. Platforms like Microsoft Teams electronically bring our people and processes together, so we can continue to deliver superior customer experience. Microsoft Teams is a collaboration productivity tool that empowers workforces to chat, meet, call, and collaborate all in one place. While companies across the globe are moving to remote work, Teams delivers a complete, intelligent, and secure workplace solution to empower people in achieving more together. The health and safety of employees, customers, partners and communities is a top priority for us at Microsoft, and we will continue our efforts to enable them with solutions to collaborate from anywhere, said Alaeddine Karim, country manager, Microsoft Kuwait. Were working across Kuwaits public and private sectors to empower their workforce with tools to stay connected and make remote working easier. - TradeArabia News Service Get a virtual taste of Kuhlman Cellars. Photo: Emily Spicer / San Antonio Express-News Photo: Emily Spicer / San Antonio Express-News Businesses in the U.S. and worldwide are grappling with how to survive the current novel coronavirus pandemic. For many in the hospitality industries, this means figuring out how to still offer their services to customers while also complying with government directives and best safety practices. On HoustonChronicle.com: Houston restaurateurs fight to stay alive Restaurants in Houston have switched to delivery and curbside pickup. And Texas wineries? Well, Kuhlman Cellars in Stonewall announced this week it would start offering virtual wine tastings on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons. Heres how it works: Choose from two bundles, get the wines shipped to you (or pick up curbside if youre in the area) and sign up for a complementary virtual wine tasting webinar. While everyone might not be able to visit the winery and perhaps soon no one can, we can still connect as a community in our own space, said Kuhlman Cellars co-founder Chris Cobb in a press release. Coming together, slowing down, breaking bread amd sharing a glass is a cornerstone of our ideals. He added that the webinars will be one of several activities the winery is planning in the coming days. The Alluve You, Two bundle includes two bottles of the Alluve wine, a jar of Marcona almonds, and access to the All About Alluve webinar; it costs $89, including shipping. For $84 including shipping, the Peace, Love, Happiness, and Joy package includes the 2018 Estate White, 2018 Hensell Rose and the 2016 Alluve, as well as a jar of Marcona almonds. The webinar will focus on the basics of wine tasting. VANCOUVER - Teck Resources Ltd. says it is suspending construction at a copper mine expansion in Chile, affecting about 15,000 workers there, as reaction by South American governments to the COVID-19 outbreak hits home for foreign mining companies. The Vancouver-based miner says work will stop on the $4.7-billion (U.S.) Quebrada Blanca Phase 2 project for an initial two-week period and then be reassessed. Teck is the operator and owns a 60 per cent stake in the project, which is expected to start production in 2021. Meanwhile, Vancouver-based Pan American Silver Corp. says operations at its four mines in Peru are temporarily suspended due to a government-mandated state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The government there is restricting non-essential travel and declared a 15-day quarantine where all citizens are to stay and work from home if possible. Montreal-based Dynacor Gold Mines Inc. which processes ore in Peru purchased from artisanal and small-scale mines says it has closed its offices throughout the country because of the restrictions. Separately, Teck announced the Antamina copper and zinc mine in Peru, in which it has a 22 per cent ownership stake, will maintain critical operations with a reduced workforce under an exemption from government restrictions. Considering the significant size and scale of the QB2 project, and the fact that workers on the project commute in large numbers from all over Chile, this is the right decision to protect the health and safety of workers and their families, and to support the Chilean government efforts to halt the spread of COVID-19, said Teck CEO Don Lindsay in a statement. Orange Order parades have been stopped with immediate effect in a bid to tackle the spread of coronavirus Orange Order parades have been stopped with immediate effect in a bid to tackle the spread of coronavirus. The institution's Grand Master Edward Stevenson wrote to members yesterday saying that all activities should stop. However, he called on them to volunteer to help out during the health crisis. The letter, which was issued after Prime Minister Boris Johnson's appeal to limit social interaction, instructs members that all meetings, church services, events and parades should stop immediately until further notice. However, the letter did not directly comment on what this means for the annual Twelfth of July celebrations. The museums of Orange Heritage at Schomberg House and Sloan's House, Loughgall, also closed from yesterday, while Grand Lodge headquarters will close from Friday. "I appreciate that our culture and traditions are very much a way of life for the Orange family; however in light of the current situation, we must all prioritise the safety of not only our members, but of the entire community," Mr Stevenson said. "As an all-island organisation, we ask all members to follow fully the individual health advice of their respective governments. "As this epidemic spreads and increases, the UK Government has indicated that they will be seeking volunteers for a 'wholehearted national effort' to 'help and support each other'. "Therefore, I would appeal to all able-bodied members, who are not deemed to be at risk, to volunteer to assist in this work." Lodges were also encouraged to maintain contact with all members, particularly older members, at this time and to pray for each other, the wider Orange family and the health professionals as they work to tackle the spread of the virus. Zhang Aiguo, director of the Commission of Commerce of north China's Tianjin Municipality, was interviewed by China.org.cn on the municipal government's efforts to control the COVID-19 epidemic, and boost the city's economy. The following is an excerpt of the interview in Q&A form. China.org.cn: What has the commission done to guarantee market supplies, and stabilize commodity prices? Zhang Aiguo: Commodity prices, routine inspections and the supply of protective items are central to our job. After the municipal government initiated its first-class emergency response mechanism, we encouraged all major supermarkets to increase their stock and purchases, and urged all farm produce wholesale markets to open on Jan. 27. We also helped Master Kong, an instant noodle company, to find enough raw materials and workers so that it could start producing on Jan. 28 on three production lines. So far, 14 production lines of the company have resumed operation, with a daily output of more than 8.8 million packs. We strengthened routine inspection on daily necessities, and monitored stocks and flows of vegetable in local farm produce markets. We have put 6,300 tons of vegetables and 50 tons of meat onto the market. We have worked with relevant departments to jointly maintain market order and stabilize commodity prices. Besides, we set up special teams to boost supply of masks and disinfectants by increasing local production capacity and purchasing more from outside the city. We mobilized foreign trade enterprises, foreign-funded ventures and overseas agencies to import masks from abroad, and some have been brought in from Russia, South Korea, Malaysia and Hungary. We have also mobilized Blue Moon, a hand sanitizer producer, to increase its supply to supermarkets, such as Wu-Mart and Jin'gong. We have applied for some masks and thermometers from the epidemic control headquarters of the city and allocated them to the needy enterprises. We also worked with the Tianjin Traffic Management Bureau and Tianjin Municipal Transportation Commission to open green channels for vehicles delivering protective items and equipment, and to support the resumption of industry and business. We also opened a 24-hour hotline for consultations on transportation from enterprises, so as to ensure life necessities can be delivered smoothly. China.org.cn: What has the commission done to support the resumption of industry and offset their economic losses during the epidemic? Zhang Aiguo: We have issued a series of documents to support the enterprises, as well as some implementation rules on industry-supporting policies related to life necessities, cold-chain logistics, e-commerce, services and foreign trade. We actively carry out municipal government's supportive policies it has introduced for enterprises and foreign trade companies. We have published epidemic control guidelines for restaurants, hotel, housekeeping, hairdressing and laundry and dyeing sectors, office buildings and shopping malls. We have issued notices on the government's assistance to help foreign trade enterprises to overcome epidemic difficulties and reduce their losses, the government's measures to stabilize foreign trade enterprise development, and legal consulting issues related to the enterprises. We have jointly issued a notice on financial services for small and micro businesses with the Tianjin Branch of the Bank of China. We provided foreign trade enterprises with supports and services in market expansion, legal aid, and financing. We also worked on drafting regulations with the city's industrial and information bureau, the market supervision commission, to reduce fees, cut taxes and lower factor costs for enterprises. Wide-ranging safety precautions are being implemented on job sites to limit the potential spread of the new coronavirus, and to try to avoid the fate of Boston, which on Monday became the first U.S. city to shut down construction entirely. On the West Coast, nine counties in the San Francisco Bay region issued a shelter-in-place order that could affect construction projects there. U.S. restaurant workers often have low pay and little or no paid sick leave, making them especially vulnerable to the COVID-19 crisis. Credit: Wikimedia Commons While health leaders and policymakers race to limit the spread of COVID-19, the emerging crisis is having a dramatic impact on millions of healthy Americansin restaurants, offices, taxicabs, classrooms and other places where they work. Just yesterday, six counties in the San Francisco Bay Area issued a shelter-in-place order, effectively closing all non-essential enterprises. In the Bay Area and beyond, employees are being assigned to work remotely, using technology to stay connected to their work and co-workers. But othersin restaurants and service industries, for examplehave to be on the job in person. Those vulnerable workers may face slowdowns or shutdowns with little or no access to sick pay or unemployment insurance. Those who fall ill may be confronted with an impossible choice between their income and their health. The workplace is a defining focus for many Americans, a place where they spend much of their lives earning an income, exercising creativity and connecting with colleagues and customers. This health emergency is sending shock waves across the working world, an impact with no precedent in modern times and no quick end in sight. For those reasons, UC Berkeley experts said, an extended campaign against COVID-19 amounts to a vast experiment, undertaken in conditions of extreme uncertainty, that could bring temporary and permanent changes, large and small, to American working life. The U.S. House of Representatives approved a measure last week to provide broad new support to workers affected by the health crisis. Some food and restaurant companies already have reversed longstanding practices and now are providing paid sick leave for their workers, said Saru Jayaraman, director of Berkeley's Food Labor Research Center. Still, millions of workers are "absolutely nervous" about their income, their families and their health, she said. "They're not making enough money to stay home, even if they got minimum wage for every hour that they're off sick," she explained. "It's not enough to pay rent and bills." For white-collar workers, orders to work from home will raise a host of questions about motivation, productivity and the impact of isolation. But it may also inspire workplace innovation, said Clark Kellogg, a lecturer at the Haas School of Business. "As it goes on longer and longer, there will be a rush to do workarounds," Kellogg said. "When what we usually do doesn't work anymore, we invent something new. And that innovation is usually done by line workers who just have to get the job done. They get out the proverbial baling wire and duct tape and make something happen." Service workers, knowledge workers: a troubling divide At many workplaces, the reality of the crisis has only begun to hit home in recent days, as the number of infections rises and health experts promote social distancing to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This is forcing owners, managers and staff to fundamentally re-evaluate what works at work. And it has created a jarring new perspective on the gap between the working poor and workers in more secure positions. Service workers are essential to the economy: They cook in restaurants, take care of our children, drive sick people to medical appointments and deliver food from farms to distributors. If they can't they get sick, or if they are laid off, their families struggle, and so do their companies. If too many can't work, the whole economy suffers. Jayaraman said there are 14 million restaurant workers in the United States and another 10 million to 15 million in retail. "You're talking about at least a third of the working population," she said. "That's low-wage workers, working full-time and living in poverty." Many are working poor, some holding down two jobs. In California, they have at least three sick days, but in other states they may have none. Often they lack health insurance. They can't afford to be sick, and if they are, they often go to work anyway. But if they're cooking or providing childcare while ill, they risk transmitting illness. A teacher can work from home, said Jesse Rothstein, director of Berkeley's Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (IRLE) and formerly chief economist at the U.S. Department of Labor. "But you can't tell the store cashier to work from home. You can't tell the food service worker to work from home," he said. "It's disproportionately the lowest income people, and they can't live for a couple months without income." In a March 10 op-ed in the Washington Post, Rothstein and co-author Jared Bernstein warned that "avoidance, social distancing and panic may have enormous economic consequences," especially for low-income workers. They proposed a solution: a temporary program under which employers would continue to pay idled employees, with reimbursement from the federal government. Days after the op-ed was published, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a coronavirus-response measure that Rothstein described as "very similar" to what he and Bernstein proposed. It would provide two weeks of paid leave to people who get sick or quarantined, and to those caring for a sick family member or for kids whose schools are closed. If that runs out, the measure would pay up to three months of family or medical leave. Employers would pay those benefits, but would be reimbursed by the government. The U.S. Senate is expected to consider the bill as early as this week. Jayaraman urged even broader support for low-wage workers. Paid sick leave and long-term disability leave will be essential to get through the crisis, she said. But such workers also need higher wages and health insurance, to assure that they can stay home and get care if they get ill. "This crisis should tell us that it doesn't work to have some people with access (to health care) and some people who don't," she said. Navigating risk in a white-collar world For workers in technology and communication fields, the idea of working remotely is well-established. But the coronavirus crisis forces further change, said Don A. Moore, the Lorraine Tyson Mitchell Chair in Leadership and Communication at Berkeley Haas. Tools such as video conferencing are already in place to support the shift. But a basic question remains hard to assess: What will the impact be on productivity for individual employees, or whole workforces, when they're suddenly moved to the digital realm? "You can imagine that, for some jobs, that facilitates people's productivity, but it undermines productivity in other ways," said Moore. "Tech workplaces like Pixar, for instance, where its facilities (in Emeryville, California) were specifically designed to facilitate face-to-face interactionthat gets lost when people are collaborating online, each one working from the cafe or from home or the vacation spot where they're most comfortable. The magic of collaboration is sometimes lost." Isolation brings other risks, both to the employee and to the business or organization, said Cristina Banks, director of Berkeley's Interdisciplinary Center for Healthy Workplaces. "One of the basic human needs is the need to belong, to have social connections," Banks said. "What we've done through social distancing is break those social connections and basically scattered people to the wind. It could lead to people caring less about their connection to the institution." In Banks' view, the leaders of a business or organization must respond with strategies to preserve connection and esprit de corps. "The operative principle here is certainty and predictability, making conscious efforts to connect people and maintain those connections," she said. "Management just has to make it happen with great diligence, with great discipline." What if this lasts awhile? Opinions are divided on the impact of extended social distancing. Experts predominantly believe that as governments act to restrict peoples' movement, as they have in China and Italy, that might effectively slow the advance of COVID-19; others worry about the cost to businesses, workers and the larger economy. At Berkeley, some say that changes imposed by the crisis could spark lasting innovation. This may be a black swan event; the future, even a few months away, is unpredictable. But Kellogg expressed a cautious hope for the innovation that arises from American workplaces. "How creatively can we think in responding to this?" he asked. "What opportunities does this hand us for thinking differently for teaching and for building communities of learning and living life?" Explore further Does lack of paid sick time make US susceptible to global health crisis? BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European Central Bank Executive Board member Isabel Schnabel sought a strong fiscal response at the European level to deal with the economic crisis caused by the spread of the coronavirus, or Covid-19, and said the central bank is ready to do everything in its power to ease the impact. 'Monetary policy cannot solve this crisis on its own,' Schnabel said in an interview to the German weekly Die Zeit, the text of which was published on the ECB website on Wednesday. 'Most economists agree that fiscal policy is currently the most important tool for dealing with the crisis,' she said. The monetary policy aims to avoid a fragmentation in the euro area, the policymaker said. Schnabel also said that the existing growth forecast for the euro area, which is 0.8 percent for this year, will definitely be downgraded significantly. 'We are experiencing a very severe economic shock,' she said. 'The likelihood of recession has therefore increased noticeably,' the policymaker added. Regarding ECB's communication, Schnabel said the ECB is ready to do everything in its mandate to address market turmoil that will disrupt monetary policy transmission. 'The entire Governing Council agrees on this,' she added. 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. Some commuter trains will take shortened routes to be completed by noon. Ukraine will suspend all intercity rail, air, and bus passenger services in Ukraine at noon today as part of measures to counter the spread of coronavirus across the country. "All passenger transportation stops from 12:00 on March 18, 2020, including suburban. Some commuter trains will take shortened routes to be completed at noon. Please listen carefully to the announcements and read notices at stations," Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Vladyslav Kryklii wrote on Telegram. The full list of canceled trains can be found on the official website of Ukrzaliznytsia. Read alsoCOVID-19 in Ukraine: 14, incl. two babies, test positive; second death confirmed As UNIAN reported earlier, the Ukrainian Government at its extraordinary meeting overnight Tuesday decided to suspend all air, rail and bus services between cities and regions of Ukraine. The subways in the cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipro have been closed as well. An outbreak of a novel coronavirus was recorded late December 2019 in the most populous city of Central China, Wuhan. The World Health Organization recognized it as a global emergency, describing it as a multi-cell epidemic. To date, 14 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Ukraine, two of which are lethal. The country has declared a nationwide quarantine, which will last until April 3. SINGAPORE / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / As the new coronavirus rages around the world, it has killed more than 7,000 people worldwide so far. In addition to restricting social gathering and closing various gathering places for people, the unmanned distribution and retailing has also become the key to fighting the epidemic. At present, GT Group has launched the GT AI Smart Mobile Vending Robot Vehicle, which can provide services such as distribution of medicines, medical equipment and meals to the quarantine area, which can effectively prevent further infection. GT Technology, a Smart AI Mobile Robotic Vending Vehicle launched by Singapore technology company, debuted in Singapore. Intelligent Robotic Vehicles carry a variety of intelligent retail facilities and automatically cruise around designated venues. Consumers scan the code or their faces in front of the car to buy goods. Soon these new retail facilities with autonomous driving capabilities may appear in the communities where you work and live. GT Robot released two unmanned retail distribution robotic vehicles - GT AI Mobile Vending Store and GT AI Mobile Vending Store - Mini. The car is equipped with a face scanning capability for item collection, retail shelves, and so on. From the scene, both intelligent vending robots can intelligently evade among crowded people and move freely. According to the relevant person in charge of GT Robot, GT AI Smart Mobile Vending Robots has gone through many iterations. At present, the technology is mature and stable, which has created technical conditions for mass production businesses. According to reports, the body of the GT's new generation robotic unmanned car adopts a separable and modular design, which can collect the position of extremely fast objects through the 3D optical motion capture system accordingly based on different business locations, with high measurement accuracy. Whether indoor or outdoor, it can provide accurate and reliable real-time 6DOF positioning data. By carrying different cargo boxes, it can be a face-scanning collection cabinet or a mobile retail car. As technology continues to accumulate, these field-tested unmanned vehicles will gradually enter communities and commercial areas to automatically cruise based on big data predictions, providing more convenient and intelligent new retail logistics services. This generation of self-driving AI Smart Vending Robot Vehicle is also in line with the new retail tide. Unmanned robotic vehicles with new retail have launched new tread. Story continues GT AI Smart Mobile Vending Vehicle is designed and manufactured by Singapore GT Robot Technology. The car is based on self-driving technology and is powered by the British S platform. It is equipped with multiple 3D cameras, radar, ultrasonic sensors, GPS, and ranging sensors for calculating each wheel. The company is committed to implementing the "Singapore Smart Country Plan" and the landing of autonomous driving in the field of logistics, and is constantly exploring commercial operation models. GT Robot was the earliest in the industry to engage in the research and development of companion robots, service robots, and autonomous driving, and is committed to solving autonomous driving in logistics scenarios such as terminal distribution. A number of algorithm indicators rank first in the world-renowned data. GT robots have been mass-produced and sold in Europe, America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Media contact: GT Robot Technology Pte. Ltd Tel: +65 9756 2754 Email: kozentan@gtrobots.com Contact: Kozen Tan SOURCE: GT Robot Technology Pte. Ltd View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/581307/Al-Robot-Retail-Car-appears-in-Singapore In efforts to support economies, the world's richest nations prepared to unleash trillions of dollars of spending to lessen the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak, as well as imposing social restrictions not seen since World War Two. Oil prices fell for a third session on Wednesday with U.S. crude futures tumbling to a 17-year low as travel and social lockdowns sparked by the coronavirus epidemic knocked the outlook for demand. U.S. crude Clc1 was down $1.51 cents, or 5.6%, at $25.44 per barrel by 1135 GMT, having earlier fallen to $25.06, its lowest since late April 2003, as reported by Reuters. The last time oil was trading that low, the United States had invaded Iraq and China had only begun its rise as a major global economic power that propelled the world's oil consumption to record highs in subsequent years. Brent crude LCOc1 was trading down 95 cents, or 3.31%, at $27.78 a barrel, after dropping to $27.56, its lowest since early 2016. "The oil demand collapse from the spreading coronavirus looks increasingly sharp," Goldman Sachs said in a note forecasting a fall in the price of Brent to as low as $20 in the second quarter, a level not seen since early 2002. Read alsoOil slumps below $30 a barrel as coronavirus spreads, OPEC rancor remains elevated Reuters The bank expects a demand contraction of 8 million barrels per day (bpd) by late March and an annual decline in 2020 of 1.1 million bpd, which it said would be the biggest on record. In efforts to support economies, the world's richest nations prepared to unleash trillions of dollars of spending to lessen the fallout from the coronavirus outbreak, as well as imposing social restrictions not seen since World War Two. Rystad Energy projects a year-on-year decrease of 2.8% or a fall of 2.8 million bpd in global oil demand this year. "To put the number into context, last week we projected a decrease of just 600,000 barrels," Rystad said. The consultants expect demand in April to fall by 11 million bpd compared with 2019. The impact on demand is starting to show in official statistics with Japan's trade bureau saying on Wednesday that crude imports into the world's third-biggest economy in February were down 9% from a year earlier. Virgin Australia became the latest airline to shut down its international network with the suspension of all overseas flights, while Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned that the situation could last six months or more. Elsewhere, Iraq's oil minister pleaded for an emergency meeting between members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC producers to discuss immediate action to support the market. A price war between OPEC leader Saudi Arabia and Russia after talks on coordinated output cuts collapsed this month is adding pressure to the market. The Kremlin said on Wednesday Russia would like to see the oil price higher than current levels. Iraqi oil minister, Thamer al-Ghadhban, asked OPEC to help "urgently achieve" extraordinary meetings of the OPEC+ group OPEC plus partners including Russia to "discuss all possible ways" to rebalance the oil market. "With the Saudis and Russians in a fierce battle for market share, it is difficult to see any quick resolution on this front," ING said referring to the Iraqi request for a meeting. "That said, the only thing that will likely bring them back to the discussion table is even lower prices," the bank said. GOLDEN, CO / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / Vitro Diagnostics, Inc. (OTC PINK:VODG), dba Vitro Biopharma reports on its therapy for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Recent umbilical cord stem cell therapies in China to fight the Coronavirus are producing encouraging safety and efficacy results. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3053080/coronavirus-critically-ill-chinese-patient-saved-stem-cell http://www.aginganddisease.org/article/0000/2152-5250/ad-0-0-216.shtml Dr. Jim Musick, Ph.D., CEO said, "As the world struggles to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to consider stem cell therapy to reduce death rates. This is supported by clinical studies and clinical trials are underway to substantiate safety and efficacy. Vitro Biopharma is ideally suited to provide high quality stem cells to US patients, produced under strict quality control in a cGMP, ISO9001 & ISO13485 Certified environment. Our umbilical cord AlloRx Stem Cells and stem cell growth media MSC-Gro have been used in the treatment of hundreds of patients without adverse events and show efficacy in treatment of COPD, osteoarthritis, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. Out of years of research, we developed our patent-pending and proprietary line of umbilical cord derived stem cells AlloRx Stem Cells now being used in offshore regenerative medicine clinical trials. Our stem cells are used in regenerative medicine clinical trials with our partner in the Cayman Islands www.DVCStem.com. We have a recently approved clinical trial using our AlloRx Stem Cells to treat musculoskeletal conditions at The Medical Pavilion of the Bahamas www.tmp-bahamas.com in Nassau. Vitro Biopharma has a patent-pending, proprietary and scalable manufacturing platform to provide stem cell therapies to critically ill Coronavirus patients. Our stem cells have been shown to be safe in Phase I protocols as we also gain evidence of efficacy. We are in contact with federal, state and local governments to inform them of our AlloRx Stem Cell therapy option for Coronavirus infections.. The pandemic deserves consideration of all therapeutic options and there is evidence that stem cell therapy reduces the death rate from Coronavirus COVID-19 infections. We believe that critically ill patients should have the right to try stem cell therapy in the United States." CONTACT: Dr. James Musick Chief Executive Officer Vitro Biopharma (303) 550-2778 E-mail: jim@vitrobiopharma.com Forward-Looking Statements Statements herein regarding financial performance have not yet been reported to the SEC nor reviewed by the Company's auditors. Certain statements contained herein and subsequent statements made by and on behalf of the Company, whether oral or written may contain "forward-looking statements". Such forward looking statements are identified by words such as "intends," "anticipates," "believes," "expects" and "hopes" and include, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's plan of business operations, product research and development activities, potential contractual arrangements, receipt of working capital, anticipated revenues and related expenditures. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, among others, acceptability of the Company's products in the market place, general economic conditions, receipt of additional working capital, the overall state of the biotechnology industry and other factors set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Most of these factors are outside the control of the Company. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by applicable securities statutes or regulations, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE: Vitro Diagnostics, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/581365/Stem-Cell-Therapy-for-the-Coronavirus-COVID-19-Pandemic Sight & Sound Theatres postpones new show 'Queen Esther,' turns to prayer Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment 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." Later, when the campaigns of former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont announced that staff members would work from home through March, Mr. Trumps campaign, based in Arlington, Va., insisted it would remain open after a weekend deep clean. It was only after Mr. Trump himself on Monday appeared to acknowledge the significance of the crisis and recommended that Americans avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 people that the campaign told staff members to work from home. While Americans can see that President Trump has been leading the whole-of-America coronavirus response, his campaign has been constantly evaluating the entire situation, said Tim Murtaugh, a campaign spokesman. Now that it is working remotely, he added, the campaign has pivoted to a virtual, digital approach, since we have vastly better data and a superior digital connection to voters than any other campaign. For now, Mr. Trump has been pleased with his regular White House briefing room appearances discussing the coronavirus, officials said, and views them as something of a rally replacement in a time of crisis. On Tuesday, he spoke for more than 90 minutes, about the length of an average Trump rally. But the campaign is now facing an uncertain future. A campaign aide who is related to Mick Mulvaney, the former acting White House chief of staff, fell ill last weekend after spending time at Mar-a-Lago, where the campaign held a fund-raising event. After showing symptoms, the aide was tested for the coronavirus, fearing she may have been exposed to a Brazilian official who tested positive for the virus just days after participating in meetings with Trump officials in Florida. That has created a sense of concern and unease among campaign officials. It also raises questions about when the campaign will be able to start fund-raising in earnest again, and under what circumstances. Dan Eberhart, a Republican donor who has been involved with Trump fund-raising efforts, said the presidents team has had the advantage of being well ahead in fund-raising as the Democratic race dragged into March. Enoch Adeboye, the general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), says coronavirus wont come near those who serve... Enoch Adeboye, the general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), says coronavirus wont come near those who serve God. Nigeria had recently confirmed its third case of COVID-19 in Lagos, at a time when the global death toll from the disease had hit 7,994 with more than 200,000 infected across over 100 countries. In a video shared on his Twitter page, Adeboye stated that those who serve God wholeheartedly wont be infected by the zoonotic disease, hinting that God is out to prove this. I want to assure you that theres no virus thatll come near you at all because it is written that he who dwells in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadows of the almighty, he said. I believe that this is a time for God to show you that theres a difference between those who serve him wholeheartedly and those who do not. It shall be well with you. Youll have peace and good health. I want to assure you that so far you are in the secret place of the most high, no Virus can come near your dwelling. Remember being able to abide under his shadow involves you living a life of cleanliness. the basic things like washing your hands, keeping your environment clean.. pic.twitter.com/HQhnGQOHKx March 16, 2020 Hoodlums attack Kwankwaso in Kano, destroy vehicles, others ---------- Former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwasos convoy came under heavy attack by deadly armed men in the ancient City on Tuesday. Adeboyes statement comes days after Mike Bamiloye, founder of Mount Zion Faith Ministries International, had said the low spread of COVID-19 in Africa is due to fasting and prayers in the continent. The clergyman had earlier come under criticism after he, on two occasions, hinted on plans to create more parishes and build an auditorium as big as Ibadan, the capital of Oyo state. 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. Delegate Tracker App users tap here for the delegate tracker 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 Hearst TV contributed to this report. GRACE POE ON THE SURGE OF VOLUNTEERISM AND BAYANIHAN AMIDST COVID-19 PANDEMIC: We commend the growing spirit of volunteerism among Filipinos as the country grapples with this pandemic. Some are doing it at individual level--providing meals, masks, alcohol and other supplies to their neighbors and to those in need. Others are pooling resources, lending bicycles and offering to drive health workers to their workplace. Even big corporations are doing their part to bring relief to Filipinos--cutting bill payments, spending money to assist their employees and making valuable donations to our overworked healthcare workers. This is the Filipino at his best--giving the most to those who have the least. This is the true Filipino bayanihan spirit that has not failed to lift up the country during countless disasters. We hope these acts of generosity continue as more of our kababayan will be needing assistance during the quarantine period and beyond. We urge the national government and local government units to support the surge of goodwill by putting in place a system allowing the smooth passage of organizations or individuals engaged in these forms of charitable work. Lastly, we call on everyone involved in volunteer work to continue protecting themselves and their loved ones from the COVID-19. Barr Says FBI Probing If Foreign Government Responsible for HHS Cyber-Attack Attorney General William Barr said that the FBI is actively investigating the source behind the recent cyber attack on Health and Human Services (HHS) computer networks. Our primary role right now is to investigate, Barr told the Associated Press in an interview. The FBI is very active, trying to determine who is responsible for these things. On Monday, a National Security Council spokesman said in a statement that the federal government was investigating a cyber incident related to the Health and Human Services computer networks. HHS officials said they began noticing a great deal of enhanced activity on the HHS systems and website on Sunday and that the agency was working with federal law enforcement over the matter. The officials added that despite the incident, the departments website was still functioning normally. HHS Secretary Alex Azar clarified during a White House press conference on Monday that the incident did not cause any degradation of the function of the department networks. We had no penetration into our networks. We had no degradation of the functioning of our networks. We had no limitation of our capacity for people to telework. Weve taken very strong defensive actions, Azar said. He added that the source of the enhanced activity remains under investigation, and that he would not speculate on the source of it. A U.S. official told Bloomberg News that a foreign state is suspected in the attack, but the administration has not confirmed who it was. Barr told the newswire that the federal government would take severe actions against anyone or any foreign governments who attempt to spread fear in the United States in the midst of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus, commonly known as the new coronavirus. When youre dealing with something like a denial of service attack on HHS during a pandemic, thats a very grave action for another country to take, Barr said. So, if it is another country doing this, Im sure the ramifications will be severe. This comes after the attorney general 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, while citing examples of individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP virus. He also said that there were also reports of bad actors online who were engaging in fraud by sending out phishing emails posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Justice Department is also monitoring companies and businesses for any violations of anti-trust laws in their attempt to profit from the fear of the outbreak. The department 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 Epoch Times refers to the coronavirus as the CCP virus because the regimes coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson on Wednesday defended the company's share buyback program as the coronavirus pandemic roils the restaurant industry. "We're being thoughtful and responsible," Johnson said in a interview with Jim Cramer on CNBC's "Mad Money." "Look, we've got a strong balance sheet, BBB investment credit rating. If you look at our last earnings call, we had $3 billion of cash on the balance sheet; we've got a $3 billion line of revolving credit." The global coffee chain announced on Wednesday that its board had authorized the repurchase of up to 40 million shares through the end of fiscal 2021. An existing authorization allows Starbucks to repurchase an additional 16 million shares. Johnson said the approval is "nothing above and beyond" its usual share buyback program. The National Restaurant Association, a lobbying group for the industry, has asked the federal government for financial assistance, including a $145 billion recovery fund for restaurants. The airline industry, which is seeking more than $50 billion in assistance, is facing scrutiny from Democrats for the billions of dollars it has spent on buybacks in the last five years. Like other restaurant companies, Starbucks is grappling with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The chain is reopening cafes in China after temporarily closing more than half of them in response to the virus. Starbucks expects a revenue hit of $400 million to $430 million in the fiscal second quarter due to the Chinese closures. In the United States, the Seattle-based chain has paused the use of seating. "We've modeled every scenario that we think could happen, even extreme scenarios, and we're going to be just fine," Johnson said. Shares of Starbucks closed Wednesday down 4.5%. The stock, which has a market value of $66.1 billion, has fallen nearly 36% so far in 2020. I have literally not touched a human being except for my wife since I got back to Winston-Salem, he said. Larson said hes counting down the days already. My first thought was that this is annoying, Larson said. But you have to do what has to be done. Garrity said the two city staffers who are in self-isolation are working from home. Ironically, one of the major topics at the conference was how to deal with the coronavirus. By the time we got up there, we knew more than when we left Winston-Salem, MacIntosh said. Once we were there, there were classes on this and we thought we better stay here and see what we can learn. Some of the sessions as the conference were large gatherings, and others were smaller groups meeting on particular topics. City attendees dont know whether they were ever even near the two people who later tested positive. The National League of Cities did not release the names of the people who tested positive, citing privacy laws. Some Forsyth County commissioners were in attendance at a Washington meeting of the National Association of Counties two weeks ago. Forsyth County Manager Dudley Watts said the organization has not passed on any concern about attendees to the county. Eileen Reilly (nee Moran), Bessfort, Ballymahon, Longford The death occurred, peacefully, at home with her loving family, on Tuesday, March 17, of Eileen Reilly (nee Moran), Bessfort, Ballymahon, Longford. Predeceased by her husband Tom and brother James. Sadly missed by her family Thomas and Trish, Catriona and David, granddaughter Stephanie, sisters Mai (Reilly) and Sr Rose, brother Tommie, sister-in-law Marie, nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. Rest in Peace. Reposing at her residence this Wednesday, March 18 from 3pm to 9pm. Funeral Mass on Thursday, March 19 at 2pm in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Forgney, followed by burial in Cloncallow Cemetery. Following Covid 19 Government Guidelines, the people attending the repose and funeral Mass will be confined to family members only. A memorial Mass will be held at a later date. If you want to leave a message for the family please click on condolences on rip.ie. Mairead McCorry (nee McRory), Swords, Dublin / Longford The death occurred, suddenly, at her home, on Saturday, March 14 of Mairead McCorry (nee McRory), Swords and formerly of Longford. Sadly missed by her heartbroken husband Damien, her adoring children Darragh and Tess, parents Olive and Seamus, brother Diarmuid, mother-in-law Gora, father-in-law Jim, brother-in-law Michael, sister-in-law Sinead, aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives, her many friends and all the staff and children at St Fiachra's Junior NS, Beaumont. Rest In Peace. Her Funeral Mass will take place at 1pm on Wednesday, March 18 in St Cronan's Church, Brackenstown, Swords, Co Dublin with burial afterward to Rolestown New Cemetery, Swords, Co Dublin. In respect of the current restrictions for the Covid-19 virus, numbers attending the Funeral Mass, sadly, will be confined to family members only. A live webcast for the Ceremony will be broadcast on www.brackenstown-parish.com. A Memorial Mass to celebrate Mairead's life will be held at a later date. Anyone wishing to leave a message for the family may do so by clicking on "Condolences" on rip.ie. Family flowers only. Donations if desired to Temple Street Children's Hospital. Jim Harwood, Main Street, Ballinagh, Cavan The death occurred, peacefully, at his home, in the loving care of his family, on Tuesday, March 17 of Jim Harwood, Main Street, Ballinagh, Co Cavan. Loving father of the late Barry and grandfather of the late Kevin. Beloved husband and best friend of Esther and devoted father of Mar, Ray, Clare, Jim and Niall. Will be sadly missed by his loving wife and family, his son-in-law Sean, daughters-in-law Mary and Deirdre, his adored grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all his relatives and many, many friends. May He Rest in Peace. Due to Government restrictions regarding public gatherings and the threat of the Coronavirus, Jims funeral will be held in private. The family is very grateful for your cooperation and support at this sensitive time. Please leave your personal messages for the family on the condolence page on rip.ie. House strictly private please. Sean Cooke, Drumlegga, Cloone, Leitrim The death occurred on Sunday, March 15, 2020 of Sean Cooke, Drumlegga, Cloone, Co. Leitrim at Lough Erril Private Nursing Home, Mohill. Predeceased by his parents; John and Annie and his sisters; Annie and Peggy. Sadly missed by his nephews Sean (Donegal), Kevin and Eric (Michigan, USA), nieces; Bernadine (Cloone), Connie (Boyle) and Gail (Michigan), cousins, neighbours and friends. May Sean Rest in Peace. In compliance with Government Guidelines on Covid-19 Sean's repose and burial will be strictly private to family members only. A celebration of Sean's life and the opportunity to express your sympathy with the family will be announced at a later date. You may leave a message of sympathy for the family by clicking on Condolences on rip.ie. The family are grateful for your cooperation in this regard. If you wish to have a death notice published on www.longfordleader.ie you can email it to newsroom@longfordleader.ie And if you wish to submit an obituary for publication in the Longford Leader, you can submit it along with a photograph of the deceased to newsroom@longfordleader.ie Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 01:06:43|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Over the years, many facts have proved that China and Pakistan are true friends and good brothers that share weal and woe. ISLAMABAD/BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- As more countries have come together to fight the COVID-19 outbreak, a common enemy of mankind, Pakistani President Arif Alvi has visited China for the first time since he assumed office in 2018, showing the determination of the two all-weather friends to forge a closer community with a shared future. While Pakistani volunteers stayed in China to fight the novel coronavirus, a team of Chinese experts traveled to Pakistan to tackle a locust crisis. As Chinese President Xi Jinping told Alvi on Tuesday in Beijing, "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." 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) FIRM SUPPORT As Xi recalled, at the beginning of the epidemic, 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. In addition to the governmental support, during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, many Pakistanis have remained in China to help their "second hometown." "I knew in my heart that I had to stay here with my Chinese brothers and sisters, because throughout my life in China, I have received a lot of love from the Chinese, and it was the first chance in my life to make a little contribution to China," said Abdul Zahir Hamad, a Pakistani who studied medicine in China and later became a professional doctor. Pakistani Abdul Zahir Hamad (R) works at a highway exit checkpoint in Wenzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 8, 2020. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang) After the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, Hamad had a chance to return to Pakistan. However, he chose to stay with his Chinese colleagues and volunteered to help at a highway exit checkpoint in Wenzhou, a city in China's eastern Zhejiang Province, taking temperatures of drivers and passengers. "I grew up here, I completed my education and started my career here, and after spending more than a decade in China I feel it's my second home. It took care of me like a mother does," Hamad told Xinhua in a recent interview. The young Pakistani doctor's affection for China can be traced back to his father. "Friendship with China is incarnated in the soul of every Pakistani, even when our children are young, we tell them that China is our best friend," Hamad's father told Xinhua. "He made the right choice to stay and serve our dear friends who always stood up for our country and supported us whenever we needed them," the father said, despite his fears over the virus. Pakistani Abdul Zahir Hamad (R) makes preparation before getting into work at a highway exit checkpoint in Wenzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 8, 2020. (Xinhua/Weng Xinyang) TRUE FRIENDSHIP In Alvi's words, Pakistan and China are ironclad brothers who can go through thick and thin together, and the two peoples feel deep amity toward each other and the bilateral friendship becomes even firmer as time goes by. China's assistance to Pakistan in handling its locust crisis is another stellar example. In Khushab, in the central Pakistani province of Punjab, Chinese entomologist Zhang Long kneeled on the sandy ground, carefully searching for desert locust eggs. Zhang, from China Agriculture University, together with other top Chinese experts on locust control, arrived in Pakistan last month to help the south Asian country to fight its worst desert locust attack in 27 years. Chinese expert Zhang Long searches for desert locust eggs in Khushab, Punjab province, Pakistan, March 2, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Tian) Zhang and his team traveled thousands of miles to conduct field surveys in the provinces of Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab, where swarms of desert locusts laid eggs, and worked out a comprehensive plan with their Pakistani counterparts to tackle the locust crisis. The locust swarms led to a 15-percent reduction in crop production in the affected areas, causing a loss of more than 100 billion Pakistani rupees (about 627.3 million U.S. dollars), according to Mubarak Ahmad, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations' national locust control coordinator in Pakistan. "We came here to help our Pakistani brothers control the locusts. Pakistan also extended a hand when we were suffering the epidemic," said Wang Fengle, chief expert of the Chinese team. Last week, the first batch of locust control supplies provided by the Chinese government, including 50,000 liters of malathion and 14 air-powered long-range sprayers, arrived in the Pakistani port city of Karachi. "Chinese experts have offered new hope to farmers, because they are confident that China's assistance will enable them to save their crop," said Syed Miran Muhammad Shah, president of Sindh Chamber of Agriculture. Chinese experts talk with local locust control staff in Tharparkar desert of Sindh province, Pakistan, Feb. 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Tian) SHARED FUTURE "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. During their talks, the Chinese president also called on the two sides to build the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into a model of high-quality development within the Belt and Road cooperation. In the past five years, the CPEC has completed its first phase of upgrading Pakistan's infrastructure, freeing the country from blackouts and connecting its north and south with modern highways. Photo taken on Nov. 18, 2019 shows the motorway section of the Karakoram Highway second phase project in northern Pakistan. (Xinhua/Liu Tian) Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing told Xinhua on Friday that amid the ongoing global pandemic, it is very necessary to enhance bilateral cooperation in the health sector within the framework of the CPEC, adding that China has planned to donate 300,000 face masks, 10,000 protective suits and 4 million U.S. dollars to Pakistan to fight the disease. It is a chance for the two countries' healthcare authorities to work together more closely, Shimail Daud Arain, head of Maryam Memorial Hospital of Pakistan, told Xinhua, adding that "China has already helped by providing testing tools, but I think it's time for technical experts to share their experiences." Photo taken on March 9, 2020 shows the first batch of China-aid locust control supplies arriving in Karachi, Pakistan. (Xinhua) Friendship is deeply rooted in the exchanges between China and Pakistan, especially when the two countries are in difficulties, Yao said, adding that with the Pakistani president's visit to China and after going through the epidemic, bilateral relations will move towards a closer community with a shared future. (Video reporters: Jiang Chao, Liu Tian, Jamal Bhatti, Ali Jaswal, Tariq Hameed, Yin Xiaosheng, Gu Xiaoli, Wei Donghua) 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. KALAMAZOO, MI Since Kalamazoos public schools closed amid the coronavirus outbreak, staff and volunteers have packed and distributed breakfasts and lunches for local families who rely on school meals. School districts across the state, including Kalamazoo Public Schools, are providing students with meals during the three-week mandated closure due to the spread of COVID-19 in Michigan. On Wednesday, March 18, the second distribution took place, drawing more families than the first distribution held Monday. Those numbers are predicted to increase as word gets out, school officials said. At some sites, workers have already seen an increase. Related: How to find free lunch for Michigan kids with schools shut down Melanie Tillison, head cook at Maple Street Magnet School for the Arts, said on Monday they had 100 meals packed for the drop-off at Eastside Neighborhood Association and only passed out 41 of those. For Wednesday, they decreased the number of bags to 60 and ended up giving all 60 out plus an extra six bags that were set aside for the next distribution site. A steady stream of cars filled with grateful families came in and out of the parking lot throughout the 30-minute distribution period. We were trying to make sure (our family) is covered for food and this has helped a ton, parent Ashleigh Koetje said at the distribution site Wednesday. Koetje said she and her husband have seven kids at home three in school and four younger ones and the first thing she worried about when she heard schools were closing was food. I have X amount of food planned for dinner and we have a family of nine so I was figuring ways to split dinners for lunch, she said. This has worked out very well and its amazing how fast it all came together. All children age 18 and younger, or 26 and younger for students enrolled in special education programs, are eligible for the free meals, not just those enrolled in KPS schools. Koetje said she was very grateful to be able to get some food for her younger kids as well. Related: Michigan releases interactive map locating free meals for children during coronavirus school closures There are 24 pick-up locations across the community. Families do not have to go to the distribution site located in their area. Each is open to everyone, said Christina Haller, resident district manager for food service contractor Chartwells. In addition to the meals, families also picked-up learning packets for students, which came for all K-12 levels. The distribution days are Monday, Wednesday and Friday and each bag has food for two breakfasts and lunches. Fridays bags have enough for three breakfasts and lunches, to accommodate for the weekend. The food was packed by food service staff in to-go bags at the Chenery Auditorium in Kalamazoo then loaded into KPS buses and vans and delivered by the districts bus drivers to each distribution site. The packing sites will be adjusted moving forward to have less people working together, Haller said. Were learning as it goes, she said. The numbers are growing each day and our goal is to feed. Theo Mortons three daughters came to the Eastside site Wednesday ready to run around and play after they got their food bags and learning materials. Morton said he works in a restaurant, which has taken a hit due to the coronavirus outbreak. His wife is a teacher, and has been home as well. Weve been getting more family time and dealing with things as they come, he said. We depend on the extra food and its been pretty good. Morton said the family has implemented a schedule to keep the kids active and engaged. It includes lots of Just Dance and playing outside for exercise, plus reading time, movies and since Morton is a certified chef cooking lessons. Related: Kalamazoo schools will feed students during mandated closure, superintendent says In addition to families and school staff, around 40 volunteers signed up to help on Wednesday as well, KPS spokeswoman Linda Mah said. Volunteer Patricia Carlin said she is now retired, but worked with the school district for years and still steps in to work part-time. I know the situations some students are in and I wanted to do something productive to help, Carlin said. This all happened so quickly, I feel for students. Teachers miss their students and students miss their teachers. Meals will be distributed again on Friday, March 20, at each local distribution site. We are helping kids keep up with their studies, observe the guidelines and cheer people on, Carlin added. MORE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN MICHIGAN Also on MLive: How to find free lunch for Michigan kids with schools shut down Michigan officials confirm first fatality, 15 new coronavirus cases, 80 total Expanding coronavirus testing is top priority for Kalamazoo County health officer Many Michigan hospitals canceling non-essential surgeries because of coronavirus Kalamazoo restaurants and bars prepare to close their doors during coronavirus outbreak Mass gatherings could be banned for another six months as the Andrews government tries to stem the spread of coronavirus, with the total number of Victorian cases climbing to 121. Premier Daniel Andrews also indicated he would pump "emergency cash" into businesses to help them stay afloat during the crisis. The new measures to restrict indoor gatherings to 100 people in Victoria applied from 5pm Wednesday, but Mr Andrews said it may also be necessary to revise down that number. Providing a COVID-19 update are (from left) Health Minister Jenny Mikakos, Premier Daniel Andrews and Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton. Credit:Pic Simon Schluter "That is how serious this issue is," Mr Andrews said. "We need to take these measures, the health experts tell us, to flatten the curve and stop our health system being overrun by those who are critically ill from COVID-19 and all the other people who need critical care every day. Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) addresses a campaign rally at Grant Park Petrillo Music Shell in Chicago, Ill., on March 7, 2020. (Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images) Sanders Campaign: Senator Not Suspending Presidential Bid Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is not suspending his presidential campaign, according to his communications director. A report from Axios claimed Sanders was going to end his bid. The post prompted a response by Mike Casca, communications director for the campaign. Absolutely false, he wrote. Sanderss campaign earlier in the day said the senator is going to be having conversations with his supporters to assess his campaign. Democratic presidential candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), left, and former Vice President Joe Biden, participate in a Democratic presidential primary debate in Charleston, S.C., on Feb. 25, 2020. (Matt Rourke/AP Photo) Axios later issued an apology. Our incorrect report on the Sanders campaign was a big error and we apologize, editor-in-chief Nicholas Johnston said. This not an excuse but the reality: our process for full approval in a fully remote newsroom broke down. That has been fixed and we are prominently correcting, and taking responsibility, for the error. Sanders lost all three Democratic primaries on Tuesday to former Vice President Joe Biden. The self-described socialist has faced pressure from establishment Democrats to drop out of the race. A string of contenders dropped out earlier this month, including Bloomberg and Buttigieg, before endorsing Biden. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) is also in the race but has only two delegates. Biden has 1,164 and Sanders has 879, according to the Associated Press. Candidates need 1,991 to win the Democratic presidential nomination. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services will stop requiring residents to visit an MDHHS office to receive state assistance benefits during the COVID-19 outbreak, the agency announced Tuesday. In addition, the MDHHS offices will close its lobbies to visits from the public except for appointments. MDHHS offices continue to operate and will conduct telephone interviews with all public assistance clients and applicants, a press release said. Individuals who are applying for or receiving benefits can use www.michigan.gov/MIBridges to submit paperwork, review benefit information, report changes, apply for benefits and complete the process for redetermining eligibility for assistance. Individuals unable to use MI Bridges can call MDHHS offices to get assistance. Individual workers will schedule in-person meetings only as needed. Under the temporary policy change, families who receive or apply for cash assistance under the Family Independence Program will not be required to attend orientations at Michigan Works! offices or to engage in subsequent employment activities. These changes are effective Wednesday, March 18, and will remain effective only as long as necessary for public health, the press release said. About 15,000 low-income Michigan families receive monthly cash assistance through the Family Independence Program. About 7,500 beneficiaries must engage in job search or readiness activities, which require individuals to congregate in groups for orientations and then to make additional public contacts for purposes of training and employment. A typical family receives about $350 per month through the Family Independence Program. As of March 17, the state has 65 cases of coronavirus that have been confirmed since March 10. 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 Doha, Qatar Qatar has stopped all incoming flights into the country, except cargo and transit passenger flights, in a bid to stem the spread of the coronavirus. On Tuesday, the government ordered the shutting of all shops and bank branches in commercial complexes and shopping centres, adding that part of the capital Dohas Industrial Area will also be sealed off. The country also announced nationwide closures of schools and universities on March 9. On Sunday, Qatar announced a financial package that will provide incentives amounting to 75 billion Qatari riyals ($23bn) to help support the private sector during the outbreak. As of Wednesday, Qatar has confirmed a total of 442 confirmed cases with no deaths reported. Details being worked out, date not finalised: MEA on India-US 2+2 dialogue US: Omicron sweeps across nation, 73 per cent of new COVID-19 cases recorded US woman self-isolates in plane toilet for 5 hours after testing positive for COVID-19 mid-flight Capitol riots: How they changed the US US places new leader of Islamic State on blacklist International oi-Vicky Nanjappa Washington, Mar 18: The United States has placed the new leader of the Islamic State group on its blacklist of terrorists, naming him as Amir Mohammed Abdul Rahman al-Mawli. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday said that al-Mawli was named leader of the ultra-violent group after an October raid by US commandos killed its chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The organization had earlier named Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraishi as its new head, but US officials acknowledged they knew little about him -- and later came to believe that the Islamic State group was using his nom de guerre. Al-Mawli "was previously active in al-Qaeda in Iraq and is known for torturing innocent Yazidi religious minorities," Pompeo said. Tales of despair emerge as Kerala women who joined ISIS in Afghanistan speak out "We've destroyed the caliphate and we remain committed to ISIS's enduring defeat no matter who they designate as their leader," he said. A US-led coalition, spearheaded on the ground by Syrian Kurdish fighters, crushed the Islamic State's so-called caliphate that once stretched for vast stretches of Iraq and Syria -- but the group has inspired attacks much farther afield. Al-Mawli was named a specially designated global terrorist, putting him on a list created after the September 11, 2001 attacks that makes any support to him a crime in the United States. The State Department has already issued a USD5 million bounty for information leading to al-Mawli's capture. A scholar in Islamic sharia law, al-Mawli rose through the ranks by issuing edicts to justify the persecution of the Yazidi, a campaign that the United Nations has described as genocide. The jihadists killed thousands of Yazidis, who practice an ancient religion, and abducted and enslaved thousands more women and girls as they rampaged across the Middle East. The Guardian, in a January article that cited intelligence sources, said that al-Mawli was raised in an Iraqi Turkmen family -- making him one of the few non-Arabs to rise through the ranks of the extremist group. The newspaper said that intelligence officials were unsure of his whereabouts but believe he likely followed Baghdadi to Idlib, the last Syrian outpost out of the control of President Bashar al-Assad's forces. Letting the Kerala operatives return from Afghanistan will just help ISIS realise its real plan The Counter Extremist Project, which tracks militants, said that al-Mawli served in the Iraqi military under Saddam Hussein before joining Al-Qaeda in Iraq, becoming a jurist for the Sunni Arab militants. It said that US forces captured al-Mawli and jailed him in southern Iraq where he formed his bond with Baghdadi, who was also jailed as part of Al-Qaeda. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 18, 2020, 7:37 [IST] 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." Pascaline Edwards has attributed her recent absence in movies to producers in the industry sidelining her. According to the actress, many of the producers have failed to pay her over the years; hence she developed an aggressive method to get her money something she says they dislike. People still owe me moneys from 2000When you challenge them they dont like it so they dont use you again theyve blacklisted me but I am happy with it, she told Joy News Doreen Avio. Pascaline Edwards said that during her back and forth with producers, new actors at the time did not support her to make her demand for her money. Some thought she was making noise because they felt her time in the limelight was over. Now youre (the actors) singing my song, but me I wont brush you off. I will support you so that even if I dont get my money we will correct it so that they dont owe us again or take us for granted again, Pascaline Edwards added. The 2002 best female actress disclosed that she lost hope in the Ghana Actors Guild to help solve the conflict between them and the producers. According to her, she joined the guild in her 20s but is yet to see the association do something for her. Pascaline Edwards said that unlike the Ghana Actors Guild, the Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG) is a close-knit society that supports their members regardless. You see they are a solid team. They produce the money, the script and everything then use us but we can also show them that without us, they cant work, she stated. The A Stab In The Dark actress added, I dont have confidence in the guild (but) if now the guild will get up and stand for us, we will make it. Source: Daily Guide 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 An elderly Iowa woman who has been greeting children riding on a school bus past her house every morning on Friday got an unexpected surprise - and was catapulted to Internet stardom in the process - when the kids wished her a happy birthday. Bonnie Linder, of Hartley, celebrated her 93th birthday on Sunday. Two days prior, she was standing on her porch waiting for the yellow school bus to roll by so she could wave at the kids, as she has been doing since last fall. What Linder did not know is that one of her daughters teamed up with the school bus driver and the local students to surprise her mother that morning. A school bus is seen approaching the home of Bonnie Linder, in Hartley, Iowa, Friday Every morning, Linder greets children as they pass her home on their way to school. On Friday, they surprised her by wishing her a happy birthday from the bus One of Linder's daughters helped organize the surprise, and the other recorded it on video Linder's other daughter, Judy Zimmerman, took up a position behind her mother with her phone in hand and stood at the ready to capture the heartwarming moment. As the school bus laden with children came into view, Linder started waving enthusiastically. A moment later, the vehicle screeched to a stop in front of the house and a chorus of children called out in unison, 'Happy birthday!' The short video shows the nonagenarian birthday girl, seen in the view from behind, clapping with delight and laughing. 'Happy birthday, Bonnie!' the bus driver yells out. 'We want to wish you a happy birthday. Have a good one.' In the video, which has gone viral, Linder appears overjoyed and laughs with delight Linder, who also greets her local mail carrier daily, turned 93 years old on Sunday Still chuckling to herself, Linder replies: 'I hope it is.' Before the bus continued on its way to school, the children treated Linder to one more hearty 'happy birthday.' Visibly overjoyed by the children's act of kindness, Linder is heard exclaiming, 'Oh, my land!' The video capturing Linder's sheer joy was posted on Facebook, where it has drawn more than 1,900 views as of Wednesday afternoon. Zimmerman told CBS News that beside greeting the children daily, her mother also waves at one of her daughters on her way to work, her local mail carrier and a man hauling a cattle wagon past her house. It would likely be awhile before Linder gets to greet the school kids from her porch again: due to the coronavirus outbreak, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds on Sunday recommended that all schools in the state be closed for four weeks. The novel coronavirus that has caused the COVID-19 pandemic is not artificially made, but the product of natural evolution, a new study says, ending widespread speculation and rumours that the virus may have been engineered in a lab. In the study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, researchers analysed the publicly available genome sequence data of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, and related viruses. The scientists, including those from The Scripps Research Institute in the US, said they did not find any 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 study co-author Kristian Andersen from The Scripps Research Institute. They said the 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. Using this sequence data, the researchers traced the origins and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 by focusing on the tell-tale features of the virus. To do this, the scientists said they analysed 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. The study 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. According to the study, 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 protein involved in regulating blood pressure. The spike protein of the novel coronavirus was so effective at binding the human cells that the researchers said it was the result of natural selection and not the product of genetic engineering. They said this was supported by data on SARS-CoV-2's overall molecular structure. If the new coronavirus were engineered as a pathogen, the scientists said, it must have been constructed from the backbone of a virus already known to cause illness. But the study found that SARS-CoV-2's 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," Andersen said. The researchers said the findings are crucially important to bring an evidence-based view to the rumours that have been circulating about the origins of SARS-CoV-2. Based on their genomic sequencing analysis, Andersen and his team concluded that the most likely origins for SARS-CoV-2 followed one of two possible scenarios. In one scenario, they said, the virus may have evolved to its current pathogenic state through natural selection in a non-human host and then jumped to humans. The researchers said previous coronavirus outbreaks emerged in a similar way, with humans contracting the virus after direct exposure to civets (SARS), and camels (MERS). They proposed that bats are the most likely reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 as the virus is very similar to a bat coronavirus. However, they said there are no documented cases of direct bat-human transmission, suggesting that an intermediate host was likely involved between bats and humans. In this scenario, they said both 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 -- may have evolved to their current state prior to entering humans. The scientists noted that 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. They added that a non-pathogenic version of the virus may have jumped from an animal host into humans, and then evolved to its current disease-causing state within the human population. Citing an example, the researchers said, some coronaviruses from pangolins -- armadillo-like mammals found in Asia and Africa -- have an RBD structure very similar to that of SARS-CoV-2. They said a coronavirus from a pangolin may have been transmitted to a human, either directly, or through an intermediary host such as civets or ferrets. The distinct spike protein characteristic of SARS-CoV-2, the cleavage site, may have then evolved within a human host, possibly through limited undetected circulation in the human population prior to the beginning of the epidemic, the study said. The scientists also found that the SARS-CoV-2 cleavage site appeared similar to the cleavage sites of strains of bird flu that had been shown to transmit easily between people. They speculated that SARS-CoV-2 may 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. However, the scientists cautioned that it is difficult, if not impossible, to know at this point which of the scenarios is most likely. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a virtual news conference on March 16, 2020, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced that, effective at midnight all nonessential stores are to close in Pennsylvania as well as bars and restaurants, except for takeout . . . He anticipates the closure will last for two weeks, but did not give a hard deadline. Wolfs statement sent shock waves across Pennsylvania causing consternation among business owners and employees alike. Owners are asking if they must close their businesses. Employees want to know if they can stay home. Which businesses are essential; which are nonessential? Wait. Lets back up for a minute. What exactly did the governor say and does he even have the authority to say it? Wolf said, Stores are to close. That in-artful choice of words means certain businesses or stores, whatever that means, must close. The words are to close constitute a command, even if couched in passive-aggressive language. But does Wolf have the authority to order the closure of private businesses, whether essential or nonessential? In short, no. The governor cites as his authority the Emergency Management Services Code, 35 Pa.C.S. 7101 the Emergency Code). But that law does not apply to the Coronavirus (or COVID-19). The Emergency Code pertains to disasters. It defines them as man-made, such as industrial accidents and oil spills, natural, such as hurricanes and tornadoes, or war-caused. Disease appears nowhere in the definition. There is a law on preventing the spread of disease, the Disease Prevention and Control Law 35 P.S. 521.19, but that law does not authorize the governor to do what he has done. Further, the code does not confer power upon the governor to close businesses even if we stretch the definition of disaster, beyond its breaking point, to include disease. During his news conference, the governor added confusion by declaring that his order is not a mandate, and that he will not enforce it. But thats not what he said the day before or even later that day. A statement from his office dated March 15, 2020, reads, . . . using his authority under the states COVID-19 disaster declaration order, Governor Tom Wolf today ordered all restaurants and bars to closein Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties for 14 daysBusinesses 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 . (emphasis added). That statement grounds the governors authority in his previous disaster declaration order; thats a reference to his Proclamation of Disaster Emergency of March 6, 2020, which itself cites the Emergency Code as his authority, bringing us back to square one. Further the March 15, 2020 statement used the words ordered and prohibited, which are clearly commands. It included the threat, Businesses that do not adhere to this order could face enforcement actions. Really? What enforcement actions? The governor does not explain. In truth, the governor has no authority to order the closure of all Pennsylvania businesses, whether essential or nonessential; not only does the code not apply to disease, the power to close businesses is not even in that law. And Wolfs attempt to base his authority in the Codes empowerment of the governor to control the ingress and egress to a disaster area is just silly. Your local restaurant, bar or barber shop are simply not disaster areas. Later in the day March 16, 2020, in reaction to the mass confusion caused by his two earlier statements, the governor issued an update. He attempted to further define essential and nonessential, even though there is no such definition in the law. (The governor is simply making it up). Who knew a pet store is an essential business? To add to the confusion, the updated statement indicates he ordered restaurants and bars to close and prohibited them from operating their dine-in facilities. However, elsewhere, he refers to this as a request. Is that clear? To top things off, the governor concluded his update with this ominous declaration, 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. Wow! The governor has assumed emergency powers he does not have and then, after walking them back a bit, he boldly doubled down and issued a threat to millions of businesses across Pennsylvania if they dont close voluntarily he will close them by force. Pennsylvanias governor is either ignorant of the law and its limitations on his power or is intentionally disregarding it. Our governor must be reminded that we Pennsylvanians are governed by law and not men, business owners have the right to make their own decisions about closure in the face of the coronavirus, and its the governors job to protect and not brazenly override that right. Orascom Construction, a leading global engineering and construction contractor in the Middle East region, has appointed Reham ElBeltagy as the group's new chief financial officer (CFO) effective April 1. She succeeds Mark Littel, who is stepping down after taking over as Group CFO in September 2014. ElBeltagy joined the company in 2006 and has since then held a number of senior roles in corporate treasury and is currently the group treasurer. Prior to this, she was part of the debt capital markets team at Commercial International Bank in Egypt. ElBeltagy holds a BA in Accounting and Finance from the American University in Cairo. On the appointment, CEO Osama Bishai said: "ElBeltagy has been with the company for 13 years and has demonstrated multiple achievements across a range of functions such as corporate treasury, project finance and EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) and finance in several sectors including building materials, cement, fertilizers and infrastructure concessions." She has also been working in transition with Littel and the Group CFO team over the past few months," he stated. He also commended Littel for his leading role in driving major transformation at Orascom Construction and "his invaluable contribution throughout his time at the company." Littel will remain an advisor to the company until the year-end, he added. In her new role, ElBeltagy will be supported by the groups regional finance teams led by Omar Bebars and Jeremy Marron. Bebars is the CFO of the Middle East and Africa region and joined the company in 2009, while Marron is the CFO of the US region who joined The Weitz Company (which was later acquired by the Group in 2012) in 2005.-TradeArabia News Service And while the acute shortages are global, not just in the United States, some European governments are deploying wartime-mobilization tactics to get factories churning out more ventilators and to stop domestic companies from exporting them. The United States, by contrast, has been slow to develop a national strategy for accelerating the production of ventilators. That appears to reflect in part the federal governments sluggish reaction to the coronavirus, with President Trump and others initially playing down the threat. This week, Mr. Trump urged governors to find ways to procure new ventilators. Try getting it yourselves, he said. That will be hard and in some cases impossible. The reality is there is absolutely not enough, said Andreas Wieland, the chief executive of Hamilton Medical in Switzerland, one of the worlds largest makers of ventilators. We see that in Italy, we saw that in China, we see it in France and other countries. We could sell I dont know how many. Mr. Wielands company is shipping machines as fast it can get them off the assembly line. He has moved office workers to the factory and hired more employees. Even so, he cant keep up with the crush of orders. Italy wanted to order 4,000, but theres not a chance, he said. We sent them something like 400. The coronavirus attacks peoples lungs, in some cases compromising their ability to breathe. Ventilators, which deliver air to the lungs through a tube placed in the windpipe, are a crucial tool to keep these patients alive. The computerized, bedside machines can cost as much as $50,000. Madeline Miller When Im in need of book comfort, I can never predict which one of my old favorites is going to do the trick. It might be my well-foxed copy of epic rabbit adventure, Watership Down, or I might prefer to escape to Elizabeth von Arnims acerbic and delight-filled story of four women discovering themselves in Italy, The Enchanted April. Or maybe I want something that gives voice to history with strength and courage: Julia Alvarezs potent In the Time of the Butterflies, or the piercing, elegiac beauty of Julie Otsukas The Buddha in the Attic. But after checking on friends and family, stocking up and canceling everything, I found myself someplace else entirely: in the sweat-seamed stews of Sarah Waterss gripping Dickensian masterpiece Fingersmith. Its such a twisty headlong story that I can tell you very little about it without running into spoilers, except to say that it has everything needed to distract you from constantly refreshing news updates: a sweep-you-off-your-feet narrative voice, outrageously effective suspense, Victorian horrors, erotic thrills, complicated characters, mysteries and double-crosses and triple-crosses, and even a hopeful ending. I know every one of its twists from previous reads, but the book never fails to ensnare me, and as a bonus, if isolation starts to chafe, the historically accurate asylum scenes will surely keep things in perspective. Madeline Millers most recent novel is Circe. Israel's coronavirus cases reach to 427 Israeli Health Ministry reported 90 new cases, 236 people hospitalized, 5 infected people in serious condition. Israel confirmed 90 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the total infections to 427, according to the Health Ministry. GATHERINGS OVER 10 PEOPLE WERE BANNED Five of the cases, who are currently receiving treatment, are in serious condition, the ministry said in a statement cited by Israel's Broadcasting Authority. Israel urged citizens to stay at home, shuttering cultural and recreational establishments as well as schools and universities and banning gatherings of over 10 people. The private sector sent home 70 percent of employees and the public sector is operating under a state of emergency. By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - Jordan's King Abdullah approved on Tuesday a law that gives the government sweeping powers to enforce a state of emergency to help it combat the spread of coronavirus, state media said. The royal decree gives Prime Minister Omar Razzaz extraordinary powers under a defense law enacted in times of war and disasters to enforce curfews, closing businesses and placing restrictions on freedom of movement of people. In a letter to Razzaz, the monarch said he approved the law to help combat the virus without infringing on citizens' political and civil rights. "The health of Jordanians is sacred and comes above anything else," the monarch said. Jordan has earlier 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. Jordan has 34 confirmed cases and no deaths. Troops were deployed at the entrances of cities on Tuesday to help impose the measures when they take effect the following day, the army said. The law will give security forces in the kingdom, which has already shuttered shops and closed its borders to halt the spread of coronavirus, widespread powers to control movement. "We will not be lenient in enforcing the laws," Interior Minister Salamah Hamad said. Jordan has closed land and sea border crossings with Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Israel, and suspended all incoming and outgoing flights. Only cargo flights and commercial overland shipments will be allowed in and out of the country. Prime Minister Omar Razzaz visited a grain silo and said there were enough strategic stocks to feed the country for months, in an attempt to assure panicky Jordanians who have been hoarding food. Energy officials said gasoline stocks would cover 60 days' supply in a country that imports all its fuel. The cabinet announced the closure of all government agencies except hospitals from Wednesday and ordered private firms to also close their offices and send employees home. Story continues All shops in malls would be shut apart from those selling food and medicine. Gatherings of more than 10 people will be banned. The public security department said it would use force if necessary against anyone resisting these government decisions. The kingdom had also announced a package of measures this week to cushion the economy, including debt relief for troubled businesses and monetary policy moves to inject millions of dollars of liquidity into the economy. Central Bank governor Zaid Fariz said the measures aimed at "preserving financial and fiscal stability" by extending support for hard-hit economic sectors that were beginning to show cash-flow and liquidity problems. 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. Thousands of foreign tourists have left in the past few days. Jordan's government suspended trading in the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) from Tuesday until further notice, after the market plunged in recent days to levels not seen in more than 17 years. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Peter Graff) New Delhi, March 18 : Delhi Cabinet Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday called a board meeting of all the 'mandis' (wholesale markets) in the national capital and directed officials to make appropriate arrangements to deal with coronavirus. "Shutting the mandis will not be a wise decision as food is an essential commodity. However, direction has been issued to ensure that mass gatherings are checked and also that all appropriate arrangements to deal with coronavirus are being made," an official told IANS. The officials have also been directed to carry out awareness drives in the markets. During the meeting, it was also decided that the Delhi government will soon set up a new fruit and vegetable market in Tikri Khampur. Eight cases, including one COVID-19 death, has been reported in Delhi. The government on Tuesday had launched awareness campaigns at three major wholesale markets -- Azadpur, Gazipur and Okhla. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) 17.03.2020 LISTEN The NDC Proforum USA is disturbed by the directive of the National Identification Authority (NIA) to continue with its planned National ID registration despite the Presidential directives to tackle COVID-19 under a State of Emergency. We, therefore, ask; what is so urgent about a National ID registration at this time of a global health pandemic if not to make a case for voter registration? We in the diaspora wish to send a word of caution to the ravenous cartel at the presidency that, this is not a time to experiment and toy with Ghanaian lives. The NDC Proforum applauds all Ghanaian institutions who have initiated proactive measures in managing the looming situation. It has come to our notice that some of these institutions have even directed untrained staff e.g. National Service Personnel; to keep off their facilities and stay at home until further notice. With six (6) officially recorded cases, one cannot tell how bad the situation will get as Ghana enters its wet season. Expects to study COVID-19 have warned that aside from inhaling droplets, one can also get respiratory viruses by touching anything contaminated with the virus and afterward touching the face, especially mouth or nose. Even more disturbing, research has shown that humans touch their faces a lot on impulse. Though the leadership of the Proforum USA appreciates the arrangement by the NIA to sterilize equipment after every use by an applicant, that protocol is not leakproof. Even in advanced countries like the USA with proven effective emergency health response structures and supplies to cater to the population, they have discouraged gatherings and citizens are mostly indoors or have limited their movements. We therefore strongly believe that it will be in the best interest of the state to suspend any registration of any kind and rather sift attention to educating the general population on the novel coronavirus and other already known viruses that may surface in the coming rainy season. We also wish to take this opportunity to implore the Electoral Commission to spare Ghanaians the drama and start cleaning the electoral database to continue our democratic process; although we are constantly forced to believe that National ID and Voter ID cannot be related. We call on Nana Akufo Addo as a matter of urgency to call the NIA to order and suspend the exercise to avert any calamity on the population and for Jean Mensa to abort the mission. The NDC Proforum-USA further reiterates the call by President John Dramani Mahama for government to avail to parliament plans to curtail impact on the economy on the distraction of COVID-19 on the global supply chain and international travels. We wish to commend him for showing statesmanship by calling on all political actors to join forces to fight this deadly virus. The Proforum-USA further salutes our gallant health workers and researchers back home and join the appeal for logistical support for their efforts to contain the pandemic. We urge all Ghanaians to remain calm and enforce good hygiene wherever we find ourselves. God bless our homeland Ghana and make us strong to face COVID-19 with a unity of purpose. Signed Arnold Appiah President The crowd are handed out roses during a duet between Kylie Minogue with guest Nick Cave on the Pyramid Stage on the fifth day of the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset. (Photo by Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images) Glastonbury Festival has been postponed to 2021 amid the coronavirus outbreak. The music event was due to celebrate its 50th anniversary with Paul McCartney, Kendrick Lamar and Taylor Swift headlining at Worthy Farm across 24 June to 28 June. The festival announced on Twitter that it has now been rescheduled for next year with a statement from organisers Michael and Emily Eavis confirming that tickets purchased for this year would be honoured in 2021. Read more: EastEnders filming cancelled over coronavirus Those who had managed to secure a ticket for this year had already deposited 50 with the full balance set to be paid in the first week of April 2020. We are so sorry to announce this, but we are going to have to cancel Glastonbury 2020. Tickets for this year will roll over to next year. Full statement below and on our website. Michael & Emily pic.twitter.com/ox8kcQ0HoB Glastonbury Festival (@glastonbury) March 18, 2020 The statement from the father and daughter also said: We were so looking forward to welcoming you all for our 50th anniversary with a lineup full of fantastic artists and performers that we were incredibly proud to have booked. Again, were so sorry that this decision has been made. It was not through choice. 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 Emily and Michael Eavis issued a statement about the festival's postponement. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) While they expressed a hope for the coronavirus situation in the UK to have improved by June, they shared that they were "no longer able to spend the next three months with the thousands of crew here on the farm" helping to put the "temporary city" together. They described the break as an enforced "fallow year", as the event typically takes breaks every few years in order to give the farm and locals a rest. Story continues The team urged those who like a refund to contact See Tickets in the coming days. The Glastonbury team described it as an "enforced fallow year". (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP via Getty) The outbreak of the virus has already seen a number of music events affected across the globe with Madonna, Stormzy, and Billie Eilish among those cancelling or postponing dates. SXSW festival in the US was also cancelled earlier this month for the first time in its 34 year history. Later this year, public safety entities will have the opportunity to send roof-stationed drones to the scenes of 911 calls with a product called Impossible Air Support.The product, which is developed by California-based company Impossible Aerospace, is a turnkey solution that will include aircraft, a command center, FAA compliance paperwork, training, software and hardware updates and more, as reported by Yahoo.Impossible Aerospace CEO Spencer Gore, a former battery engineer for Tesla, said the technology package for more advanced drone missions will hit during the third quarter of 2020. The company has the hardware and software done, but will be testing and retesting every part of the system. Gore toldthat he believes the technology has the potential to make helicopters obsolete.Our goal was to build an aircraft that can take off from the roof of a police department, fly out to an incident a mile away, and then hover above it for an hour before returning, Gore said. That was the goal. The aircraft that we built has a 78-minute flight time, and it can do exactly that. That is many times higher than other commercially available systems.Currently, Chinese company DJI is the worlds leader in drone manufacturing. However, even though DJI can claim as much as 70 percent of the global market, a recent report fromindicates that the Trump administration is drafting an executive order to halt federal use of foreign-made drones because of security concerns.Gore himself is critical of DJI drones for public safety purposes.What weve found is that they make good drones if what youre looking for is a toy, but law enforcement was asking for hardware that is, one, higher performance, meaning longer flight time and better cameras, and two, sourced from America, Gore said. And so we build aircraft that are much higher performance than what youre able to find elsewhere, and we also build them in a factory here and design them here, too.But DJI spokesperson Michael Oldenburg, in a statement addressing Trump's potential Chinese drone ban, warned against judging drones by their country of origin."While we havent seen the document [executive order], this proposal is another attack on drone technology based on its country of origin, which recent reporting has shown has been criticized within federal agencies including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service and even the White House Office of Management and Budget," Oldenburg told. When communicating among themselves, these agencies officials have explained how such an approach damages American interests and does not solve any cybersecurity issues, and have acknowledged that DJIs products have been validated as secure for use in government operations."Christopher Todd, executive director of the Airborne International Response Team (AIRT), has seen Impossible Aerospaces unique drone, the US-1, in action. The Impossible Air Support package follows a model supported by AIRT research showing that a wide majority of public safety professionals would prefer to basically lease equipment rather than own the equipment because the technology cycle is evolving so fast.Todd is excited to see how Impossible Air Support does in the market, but he pointed out that purchasing the solution comes with risk given Impossible Aerospaces startup status.How much funding do they have? How much runway do they have? How long are they going to be around? Thats where the risk factor is, Todd said. Because a public agency could invest in this program, but then if a companys not around that long, or for whatever reason they dont get another round of funding, then theyre kind of stuck with nothing.Todd explained that, in theory, drones can respond to 911 calls. He cited the example of Chula Vista Police Department, which has developed a program where drones can arrive to a 911 scene within three minutes. But Todd emphasized that it took Chula Vista two years to perfect its program.The notion of placing drones on tall buildings sounds really sexy, seems like a good idea, but in theory, you wonder, are there radio and communications equipment on top of that building? Todd said. Is that going to interfere with the drone signal? Is that going to interfere with the ground station? Its not an easy proposition. It takes a little bit of legwork to figure this stuff out.Gore would agree with the idea that every local area has its own context to deal with. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution in the drone industry.We really have to sell an aviation program that is designed for the requirements of the agency, for their realistic staffing levels, and for their geography, Gore said.One element that concerns agencies is Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations on drones. For instance, a department cant fly a drone beyond visual line of sight without an FAA waiver. In the official video for Impossible Air Support, the company says, [W]e take care of the FAA.Every time we work with an agency, we first assess the capabilities that theyre looking to have and then we look at the airspace that theyre situated in, Gore said. And where a beyond visual line of sight waiver is both possible and helpful to the agency, then certainly, we can help them go get it.From a design perspective, Impossible Aerospaces US-1 aircraft stands apart from other drones both because of its greater size and its very structure, which is made up of dozens of batteries . The drone, which is already being used by some California agencies, will have sirens, spotlights and loud speakers, allowing the machine to send messages to either victims or suspects.Todd said the US-1s relatively large size and battery-heavy design means that the company will have to do its due diligence to make the system ready for primetime.The last thing you want that [aircraft] doing is coming out of the sky and landing on a car or house or, God forbid, a person, Todd said. Theyre going to need to prove air worthiness and safety to be able to conduct those types of advanced operations with this aircraft.He added that agencies need to be aware that the US-1 would require charging once its low on power because of its battery structure. DJI drones, in contrast, have swappable batteries.Gore understands the importance of reducing the probability of a drone failing in flight. With aircraft, its a question of when, not if, an accident will occur.It is statistically inevitable that there will be crashes, but our job is to make sure that we delay that day for as long as possible, and we are holding ourselves to the level of wanting this to be safer than a helicopter, Gore said.Impossible Aerospace hasnt received attention from advocacy groups yet. Gore said a drone in this case isnt a surveillance tool because its only flown during emergencies or when someones life is in danger. The imagery a drone can capture at a 911 scene is a benefit to society, Gore argued.Every time the aircraft is deployed, you get, taken from the air, a high-fidelity video of the scene exactly as it unfolds, Gore said. Its a source of ground truth. Its like a new body camera if you will And really, its not a tool that is in any way useful for some kind of Orwellian mass surveillance. People need to be worried about their smartphones, not about a quadcopter. Thats where the data sits.The American Civil Liberties Union could not be reached for comment on the program. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday after a video conference with Turkish, French and UK leaders that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had assured that Ankara was eager to remain a NATO member. "We talked about NATO. The Turkish president stressed that he [Turkey] wants to remain a member of NATO. We confirmed and welcomed it. Therefore, it is now more important to discuss political differences, and this was a good opportunity today," Merkel said. The conversation about the humanitarian situation in Idlib province and the possibility to improve it was useful, she said. Merkel noted that the European leaders welcomed that a permanent truce had been established in the region. Erdogan also informed the other participants of the conversation of the Russian-Turkish joint military patrols in Idlib, according to Merkel. She added that the leaders also reaffirmed support for promoting a broader political settlement in Syria. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Madhya Pradesh Congress on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that a probe is needed on the resignation letters of its rebel MLAs submitted by BJP leaders to the Speaker of the state Assembly. The Congress Party alleged before a bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta that resignations of its rebel MLAs in Madhya Pradesh were extracted by force and coercion and they did not act as per their free will. Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for the Congress, said its rebel MLAs were taken away in chartered flights and are currently incommunicado in a resort arranged by the BJP. Dave also said the Governor has no business to send messages at night asking the Chief Minister or Speaker to hold floor test. "The Speaker is the ultimate master and the Madhya Pradesh Governor is overriding him," Dave said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Scarlett Moffatt is keen to help those in need during the coronavirus pandemic. The TV personality, 30, took to Instagram on Monday to ask her followers if anyone needed any items from the shops, as she prepared to head out to get provisions. Sharing a selfie with the question, she wrote: 'Going shopping tomorrow how can I help local elderly people in my area - I can leave food on their doorstep?' Doing her part: Scarlett Moffatt offered to buy shopping for the elderly in her area on Monday amid the coronavirus crisis... as she urged fans not to panic buy Revealing she would be shopping in Bishop Auckland, Scarlett urged her followers to get in touch so that she could help everyone she could. Scarlett went on to advise her fans not to panic buy as it takes away from others, as she added: 'I do feel like we need to make sure we aren't just thinking about ourselves in this situation. 'It is an epidemic and we need to make sure we aren't hoarding things unnecessarily and that we can helping people as much as we can.' Helpful: Scarlett went on to advise her fans not to panic buy as it takes away from others, as she said: 'we need to make sure we aren't just thinking about ourselves in this situation' Advice: Scarlett went on, 'It is an epidemic and we need to make sure we aren't hoarding things unnecessarily and that we can helping people as much as we can' Earlier in the day, Scarlett appeared on Lorraine and discussed how things are going with her boyfriend Scott Dobinson, as well as her experience on Celebrity Bake Off. Host Lorraine Kelly commented that things between Scarlett and Scott, who she has been dating for over a year, seem to be going really well. Scarlett said: 'I feel like Im probably a bit quiet about it because it is going so well.' She added: 'I'm 30 this year and I feel like some people panic into thinking lifes a checklist and youve got to have got married and had kids by a certain age and its not like that. It can be any age.' Keeping calm: Earlier in the day, Scarlett appeared on Lorraine insisted she's not 'panicking' about turning 30 this year On dealing with online trolls, Scarlett said: 'As Ive got older, especially since meeting Scott actually, Im sort of a bit like... 'Im not saying it doesnt affect us, it does, but I feel like a big thing for me is self-care, which I always thought was a bit hippy. 'It is important to read the positive things and take yourself out of the situation. Dont go on social media for a few days, do things you like doing like walking your dog.' HERNDON, Virginia, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Learning Tree International announced that it has named David Brown as the company's Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors, effective March 30th, 2020. Learning Tree Board Chair Kevin Gruneich: "I want to thank Richard Spires for the past 4 years of leadership and in laying the foundation of a company poised to meet the needs of organizations around the world who are faced with a growing technology skills gap. As part of this transition we pursued a detailed, extensive search for the next CEO and are pleased with our result. In light of the challenges facing organizations in today's uncertain environment, we knew how important it was for our next CEO to have a strong customer focus and a track record of delivering successful outcomes. Dave's extensive experience leading technology firms and global organizations demonstrates his ability to lead change and drive results in a rapidly evolving landscape, and these qualities were key in our decision." Mr. Spires said, "I am proud of what Learning Tree has accomplished as an organization over the last 4 years, as we have helped organizations around the world train and develop their staff. While there is still much to be done, I have determined that now is the right time for me to transition leadership of the company as it enters its next phase of growth. I am pleased to stay involved as a consultant with the Company and support David as he steps into the CEO role." Mr. Brown indicated his excitement in joining Learning Tree, saying: "My belief in the power of developing others is directly aligned with Learning Tree's mission. I have grown to appreciate the important role Learning Tree plays in ensuring organizations have the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to be successful in today's digital environment. With award-winning and innovative solutions like AnyWare virtual training and the ITIL 4 Foundation Adaptive Virtual Academy, it's an exciting time to be joining this dynamic company poised well for the future." Prior to joining Learning Tree International, David served as Global Head of Sales & Services for Clarivate Analytics, a $950 million global information services company. He has also held a number of senior leadership roles with Thomson Reuters including serving as President of its IP Solutions business, leading the Corporate Markets segment of Thomson Scientific, and serving as EVP and General Manager of Dialog. David holds a bachelor's degree in history and computer applications from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the University of North Carolina. He also serves on the Board of the National Brain Tumor Society. About Learning Tree International Learning Tree International is a trusted, global partner delivering mission-critical IT training and certifications, as well as the communication and critical thinking skills necessary to effectively deploy and deliver major IT initiatives. With over 2.5 million IT & business professionals around the world enhancing their skills through Learning Tree's extensive library of proprietary and partner content, the Learning Tree ecosystem reflects how learning is done today and provides greater impact than eLearning or classroom learning alone. Transformational business solutions have evolved from working collaboratively with clients to address large-scale process improvement initiatives. Learning Tree offers online instructor-led training via AnyWare, which provides the same immersive classroom experience from the comfort of your home. Learn more about AnyWare: United States: LearningTree.com/AnyWare Canada: LearningTree.ca/AnyWare United Kingdom: LearningTree.co.uk/AnyWare Sweden & Scandinavian Countries: LearningTree.se/AnyWare To learn more, call 1-888-THE-TREE (843-8733) or visit LearningTree.com Media Contact: Tricia Sacchetti Vice President, Worldwide Marketing Learning Tree International +1 703 925 5552 Tricia_Sacchetti@LearningTree.com Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements The statements contained herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements based on management's current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on Learning Tree. Such statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the control of Learning Tree. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting Learning Tree will be the same as those anticipated. Learning Tree cautions readers that a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, such forward-looking statements. Learning Tree is not undertaking any obligation to update forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future events, developments or changed circumstances. Tamil Nadu reported its second positive case of coronavirus (Covid-19) on Wednesday. The patient, a Delhi resident, was put in isolation and stable, said C Vijayabaskar, Minister for Health and Family Welfare. The patient is under the observation of an expert team, said Vijayabaskar, adding that the first Covid-19 positive patient has been discharged from the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital as he has completely recovered from the illness. He will be in home quarantine for two weeks, he added. Around 189,750 passengers were screened in the state so far, and 2,984 are under ... Karnataka to undertake Triaging: What does it mean and how do you pronounce it China returnee admitted in Jalna amidst COVID-19 scare India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Jalna, Mar 18: A man who had returned from China was 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. Coronavirus can survive on surfaces, air for several hours 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. India in stage 2 of coronavirus outbreak, private labs being engaged for testing: ICMR Biwnade said 217 sub-health centers and teams consisting of doctors, nurses and health workers are ready to tackle the spread of the disease. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 18, 2020, 8:23 [IST] AUSTIN, Texas, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- David Hebert, JD, Chief Executive Officer of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), issued the following statement today following a meeting with President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and members of the Coronavirus Task Force to discuss strategies for strengthening our nation's response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: "We thank the Administration for its efforts to coordinate with AANP and other national nursing organizations, as we combat this crisis together. It was critical for us to convey the priorities of the nation's 290,000 nurse practitioners [NPs] serving on the frontlines of our national response to the pandemic. First and foremost, NPs and all health care providers urgently need personal protection equipment, such as masks and gowns to ensure their safety and that of all health care providers treating patients with COVID-19. Supplies are also necessary to implement testing as well as respirators for treating patients. We asked the Administration to support this priority to the fullest extent of its authority. Second, we respectfully requested that the Administration work expeditiously to lift all federal barriers that today prevent NPs from practicing to the top of their profession. Further, we call on the nation's governors to immediately suspend all legislative and regulatory barriers that prevent NPs from providing patients with full and direct access to all the health care services NPs are clinically educated and prepared to provide. We must give NPs the tools and authority now to protect the health and safety of patients. We request a continued dialogue with the Administration as we navigate this challenging landscape." The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) is the largest professional membership organization for nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties. It represents the interests of the more than 290,000 licensed NPs in the U.S. AANP provides legislative leadership at the local, state and national levels, advancing health policy; promoting excellence in practice, education and research; and establishing standards that best serve NPs' patients and other health care consumers. As The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner, AANP represents the interests of NPs as providers of high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive, patient-centered health care. For more information about NPs, visit aanp.org . For COVID-19 information from AANP, visit http://bit.ly/2QsuRGr . SOURCE American Association of Nurse Practitioners Related Links http://www.aanp.org Alice Keeney/Getty Joe Biden has a chance to further hinder Bernie Sanders presidential hopes Tuesday as national health concerns cast a gloomy backdrop on a crucial day in the 2020 Democratic primary. Tuesdays voting has created a tension between public health concerns and voting access in a way that was unthinkable just months ago. At the same time, poll worker issues and shifting polling sites troubled experts in what has been described as an unprecedented situation. Despite continuing novel coronavirus fears, three statesArizona, Illinois, and Floridaare set to vote Tuesday, while Ohio officials tried Monday to postpone their election day deadline to June 2. In the ideal world, people would absolutely not be going to election stations right now, said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which supported Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and has encouraged Sanders (I-VT) to stay in the race. But in a good Democratic world, people should be voting, right? I think its just a genuine tension right now. On Sunday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released updated guidance urging for the next 8 weeks, organizers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more. On Monday, President Donald Trump said people should avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 people. Leading election officials in the Tuesday states, including Ohio, had pledged in a statement on the Friday before the primary that they were confident that voters in our states can safely and securely cast their ballots in this election, and had been encouraging early voting options. But the CDC guidelines, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said on Monday, made it clear the state could not follow them and also hold in person voting on Tuesday. Between now and June 2, absentee ballot voting would be permitted DeWine said. This should extend the period of time so that people will not have to choose between their constitutional rights and their health, DeWine said. Story continues But confusion about the Ohio elections fate continued into Monday night. Despite Gov. DeWines earlier urging, The Columbus Dispatch reported after 7 p.m. that a Franklin County judge sided against the governors hopes and the election was still on. DeWine refused to give up, however. Just after 10 p.m. he said on Twitter an Ohio official will order the polls closed as 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 an unacceptable health risk of contracting coronavirus, DeWine tweeted. Health concerns had already troubled the primary process with two states set to vote in the coming weeks in Louisiana and Georgia deciding to postpone their primaries to June 20 and May 19, respectively. Kentucky officials also announced Monday they would delay their primary from May 19 to June 23. Heading into this week, Biden has already seen a substantial lead in delegates over Sanders. According to the Associated Press, the former vice president has won 894 delegates to Sanders 743. That nomination battle is continuing to play out against an uncertain future for many Americans as states work to assuage fears relating to the virus. All of our social and civil life is going to be entirely disrupted, said Lawrence Gostin, director of the ONeill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University. Voting is extraordinarily important, but it could pose a health risk. Despite Bidens delegate total still being far from the number he needs to clinch the nomination, even a modest lead can be incredibly difficult for a challenger to overcome because of how Democrats allocate their delegates. The coronavirus is a looming concern as voters head to the polls, and the Sanders campaign hasnt been shy in recent days about how it could impact voting. On Saturday night during a virtual fireside chat, campaign manager Faiz Shakir said: We are told that the other four states on March 17 will go forward as of now. Who knows, well see what happens in a few days. But if they do go forward, and if you are healthy, wed ask you to go to the polls and please vote and then wash your hands. Tensions returned on Sunday when Biden senior adviser Symone Sanders said in a clip of a CNN interview tweeted out by Sanders national press secretary Briahna Joy Gray that the CDC and folks have said its safe out there for Tuesday. That sentiment had been expressed in a joint statement Friday by the leading election officials in the Tuesday voting states, but Joy Gray pushed back on the CDC portion of Sanders comment. Thats wrong, Joy Gray tweeted Sunday. The only guidance we have so far is that we should not gather in groups of 50 people or more. Im sure its an honest mistake, but this is a public health crisis. Those thoughts, and the platform they were made on, caused unease Monday morning from Kristen Clarke, the president and executive director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. In a moment where you have four states in the midst of conducting primary elections tomorrow, statements like this are deeply concerning, Clarke said before Ohio moved to push off its primary until June. I think that social media plays a role here in ensuring that people are not manipulating the platform to discourage voting, discourage voters from participating. The debate night remark also drew quick concern from some including Neera Tanden, president of the Center for American Progress, who tweeted just after midnight Is the Sanders campaign telling people not to vote on Tuesday? This is a low point. Even for you, Joy Gray responded. I dont know if you love or care about any immune compromised people, but I do. Please try not to make this a craven political issue for once. But by the end of the day Monday, Ohio was backtracking on its earlier safety claim as it worked to move back in person voting to June 2. In recent days, Sanders has been willing to admit that the primary hasnt gone the way he had once hoped. But he and his larger campaign orbit have continued to be defiant about Biden and the challenges they fear he can have in the general election. Tuesdays contests may also prove to be a difficult test for Sanders. During his 2016 primary run against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Vermont Independent carried none of them as his chances at winning the Democratic nomination dwindled. A strong showing from Biden Tuesday would become the latest surge of support over a month-long span that completely reshaped the Democratic race. Starting in South Carolina and winding through decisive wins on Super Tuesday and wins that wounded Sanders in Michigan and Missouri, Biden has gone from risking becoming an afterthought to the likely Democratic nominee. Both Biden and Sanders held virtual campaign events Monday as they tried to make their final pitch to voters in a way neither would have preferred under normal circumstances. The Sanders event was a musical affair with Jim James of My Morning Jacket playing on a large stage with a rotating set of Sanders pictures behind him before Neil Young made his own remote appearance after surrogates championed the senators cause. James played on a large stage with a rotating set of Sanders pictures behind him. During Sanders personal segment, he took time to once again disagree with Bidens electability argument. We are reaching out to people who are non-traditional type voters, Sanders said. Now to be honest with you, weve had problems getting some of those non-traditional voters to vote in the primaries, but I think theyll be there on election day. On Monday night, Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, held a tele-town hall with community members from Arizona, Florida, Illinois, and Ohio, part of an ongoing series of remote events his campaign is test-running in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy also joined the call. Were going to follow the guidelines offered by state public health officials, Biden said, acknowledging voters may feel worried about standing in line to cast their ballots during the pandemic. Three of the states believe that can be done by separation in lines and washing down machines, etc. As another day passes and fears about the virus continue, concerns about how it could impact voting well into the year are becoming apparent. The virus is absolutely going to impede the vote, said Gostin, the Georgetown professor, and it may haunt more than just the immediate future of the 2020 Democratic contests. Its not just the primaries, he said. Theres every possibility that COVID-19 will come raging back seasonally and reach another zenith in November during the presidential election. With additional reporting by Hanna Trudo Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. EnWave Announces Plans to License REV? Technology into the U.S. Cannabis Market 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 that its Board of Directors has approved a plan to license the Company?s proprietary Radiant Energy Vacuum (?REVTM?) into the U.S. cannabis market through a wholly-owned American subsidiary. As a supplier of equipment that embodies years of research and development, patented innovation, know-how and, particularly, a recent process patent specifically for the drying and decontamination of cannabis, the U.S. market presents a significant opportunity to EnWave. Over the past several months, the Company, in association with its U.S. counsel, Canadian counsel and the TSX Venture Exchange (the \TSXV\), has conducted extensive legal and regulatory due diligence. This included assessments of cross-border issues and compliance with U.S. federal laws, which concluded that EnWave may proceed with its expansion strategy into the U.S. market in compliance with applicable U.S. federal laws. EnWave has also received assurances from the TSXV that its planned business expansion into the U.S. cannabis market will not affect continued listing of the Company?s securities on the TSXV, subject to certain conditions that the Company believes it can satisfy. EnWave?s proprietary dehydration technology provides a distinct value proposition to cannabis and hemp producers, including faster drying, higher precision and reduces cost. The Company only plans to license its technology to companies that operate within legalized frameworks at State, Municipal and other non-federal regulatory levels. 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: 1. 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, 2. 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. EnWave Corporation Mr. Brent Charleton, CFA President and CEO In Europe: Swiss Resource Capital AG www.resource-capital.ch Forward-Looking Information: This press release may contain forward-looking information based on management\-\-s expectations, estimates and projections. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the Company\-\-s proposed expansion into the U.S. cannabis market, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not a guarantee of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including that such expansion efforts may not meet the expectations of management of the Company, that applicable laws may change to become more restrictive on the Company\-\-s proposed business expansion, that the Company may be exposed to legal and regulatory risk, including fines, penalties or other sanctions, and other risks identified in the Company\-\-s public filings, all of which may have a material adverse effect on the Company\-\-s ability to pursue the proposed business expansion strategy and the Company\-\-s business as a whole. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. 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 does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Flour fight: Police allege a panic buyer, 63, rammed his trolley into two elderly women and punched a Coles worker because he couldn't buy flour A shopper became so enraged when a Coles supermarket ran out of flour he allegedly rammed two elderly women with a trolley before punching a female store attendant in the face. The 63-year-old panic buyer allegedly caused a ruckus at the supermarket in Lismore, in northeast New South Wales, about 3.30pm on Tuesday. He was arrested on Wednesday evening and taken to Lismore Police Station following the alleged incident and charged with affray, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault. Police will allege the man become agitated and aggressive before ramming his trolley into two elderly women aged in their 70s. One of them was knocked to the ground. A 45-year-old female store attendant rushed to their aid but was aggressively shoved against the shelves and allegedly punched in the face and chest by the man. She suffered bruising and swelling to her jaw, chest and forearm as well as stiffness in her neck from the attack. The store manager and a security guard on the premises were also allegedly assaulted before the man was eventually escorted from the building. Following his arrest, the man was denied bail and is due to appear in Lismore Local Court on Thursday. Before the arrest, police released this image of a man they were hoping to speak with to assist the investigation The man allegedly shoved two women aged in their 70s, and punched a 45-year-old female store attendant at Coles (pictured) Panic buying due to the threat of coronavirus has stripped shelves bare in Coles, Woolworths and Aldi stores throughout the nation. Supermarket bosses have repeatedly assured consumers there is no manufacturing shortage, but said staff are struggling to keep shelves stocked of toilet paper, non-perishables like pasta and hand sanitiser. The two other women who were targeted quickly left the store without providing their details. It is unknown if they were injured. The incident is the latest in a string of brawls and arguments in supermarkets, as tensions run high during the COVID-19 pandemic. Just days ago, shocked onlookers in Bass Hill watched a man threaten to 'f**king kill' another after a confrontation over goods, while another customer produced a knife during an argument over toilet paper in Parramatta two weeks ago. Panic buying due to the threat of coronavirus has stripped shelves bare in Coles, Woolworths and Aldi stores throughout the nation (Pictured: Coles in Lismore) Pictured: A man trying to buy toilet paper in an Australian supermarket after panic buying due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no suggestion he was involved in any violence Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged Australians to stop hoarding food and other essential supplies. 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. 'Stop hoarding. I can't be more blunt about it. Stop it,' Mr Morrison said as he addressed the nation on Wednesday. 'That is not who we are as a people. It is not necessary. It is not something that people should be doing. '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.' Mr Morrison reassured the public the government was putting in place 'scalable and sustainable measures' and bulk-buying was unnecessary. He also asked people to stop 'abusing staff' after footage emerged online of customers verbally attacking supermarket employees because they couldn't locate goods. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 15:17 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b969a9 1 National #LGBT,LGBT,discrimination,#Discrimination,denpasar,#Bali,soldier,#military Free A gay soldier, a second lieutenant of the Indonesian Army identified only by his initials DS, is fighting a legal battle over his alleged personal relations with three men in 2017 and 2018. His prosecution is discriminatory, according to rights groups. The prosecutor, Lt. Col. I Putu Gede Budiadi, indicted DS for his alleged same-sex relations with one man at a hotel in Canggu in Bali in April 2017, another man at a hotel in Denpasar in October 2017 and a college student at a hotel in Seminyak in 2018. DS, who joined the Army after graduating from a military academy in Magelang in Central Java in 2016, was accused of committing a crime based on Article 281 of the Criminal Code on public decency. The prosecutor was also accusing DS of disobeying a command and violating Article 103 of the Military Criminal Code. The trial against DS in a martial-court in Denpasar was the latest example of numerous forms of persecution confronting the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community across the country, according to activists. Many activists and experts have been denouncing such accusations against people for same-sex relations as a form of discrimination and a violation of human rights. The indictment was not the correct application of Article 281, which stipulates that the offense must be carried out "publicly" in open spaces, said Institute for Criminal Justice Reforms (ICJR) researcher Genoveva "Geno" Alicia Karisa Shiela Maya. The article was often interpreted loosely so as to provide room for discriminatory prosecutions of members of the LGBT community. "The reason [behind the use of the article against LGBT people] might be more because of social factors," Geno told The Jakarta Post on Sunday. "If the law is applied appropriately, there is actually no basis that can be used to prosecute [LGBT people], but the problem is this law is being interpreted freely, so such cases keep happening." Between 2006 and 2017, LGBT advocacy group Arus Pelangi recorded 172 cases of persecution of members of the marginalized community across nine provinces in the country. The cases include various forms of persecution, such as intimidation, abuse, maltreatment, molestation, personal data leaks, raids, destruction of goods, rape, forced-dispersion, nonprocedural arrests and detainment, murders, extortion, obstacles in obtaining permits to hold events and forced-conversion attempts. Many Indonesians perceive LGBT people negatively. A 2018 survey by Saiful Mujani Research Center (SMRC) found that, out of 1,200 respondents, 87.6 percent saw LGBT people as a threat and 81.5 percent said the orientation was prohibited by religion. Activists said the central government is complicit in the rampant discrimination against this community, as evident in last year's civil servant recruitment involving 190,000 vacant civil servant posts at 74 ministries and state agencies, as well as 467 local administration offices. The Trade Ministry required its candidates "not to exhibit sexual orientation deviations". Worse still, the Attorney General's Office required its candidates "not to be mentally disabled, including sexual orientation deviations and behavioral deviations". "[DS's] case is appalling and discriminatory," Amnesty International Indonesia executive director Usman Hamid said in a recent statement. "It sets a dangerous precedent for other soldiers who are or are perceived to be engaging in consensual same-sex activities and has repercussions for broader society. No one should be persecuted or discriminated against because of who they are or who they love." The court-martial of DS showed that Indonesia did not comply with its obligation as a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which protects same-sex relations under the rights to privacy and freedom from discrimination, Amnesty said. In 2018, for example, 12 transwomen were arrested by the police in North Aceh, which, according to Amnesty, was in violation of the treaty. Moreover, five beauty salons where the 12 transwomen used to work were closed by the police. "It is important for them to acknowledge that a persons sexual orientation is totally irrelevant to their ability to serve," said Usman. "Going ahead with this prosecution would further institutionalize discrimination and risk inciting violence against LGBT people in the military and in wider society." Supreme Court spokesperson and justice Andi Samsan Nganro refused to comment on the DS case, saying it would "disrupt the court's independence" or be "violating the presumption of innocence principle". (dfr) Danny Dumas, left, packages food for a DoorDash driver at Mendocino Farms in El Segundo in 2017. (Christina House / For The Times) Christian Perea, a San Francisco Uber driver with diabetes, stopped driving as a precaution at the end of February. William Smith, a Lyft driver in San Francisco, didn't think he could stop because, until Tuesday, he was expected to perform a minimum number of rides in order to keep the car he rents through the ride-hail company. Kimberly James, who delivers for several on-demand apps and works for Uber and Lyft in Georgia, hasn't picked up passengers since March 10 because she has an autoimmune disease that could make her more vulnerable to a viral infection. In an increasingly uncertain economic and social environment brought on by the spread of the novel coronavirus, contingent and contract workers around the world are being forced to grapple with how to stay healthy while maintaining an income. Among them are gig workers, some of whom continue to work for on-demand delivery services like Postmates, DoorDash and Instacart or ride-hail services like Uber and Lyft. With few labor protections or benefits afforded to them by the companies, the choice to stop working as a preventative measure may be untenable for those relying on these companies for a large share of income. But demand is expected to decrease in markets hit hard by the virus and the slowing of the economy, which UCLA Anderson School of Business economists said on Monday has entered a recession. Some say these gigs may soon not be worth the risk, especially in the Bay Area, where residents are under an order to shelter in place. (The order exempts workers in essential categories, which includes transportation.) The last time the U.S. economy entered recession, in 2008, the on-demand sector didn't exist. How it will respond to a slump is a matter for speculation. The low-barrier to access for gig work may make it a refuge for laid-off workers from other sectors, softening the blow of widespread unemployment. But that's cause for concern to those who rely on these platforms to make a living, as an influx of labor could drive down wages. Add to all this the specter of the novel coronavirus, which is already influencing consumer behavior and may change how they view the act of accepting a ride or a takeout delivery from a stranger. Story continues Even economists can only guess how all this will play out, according to Beacon Economics director of research Adam Fowler. "The nature of this kind of disruption is truly unprecedented," Fowler said. In his view, it's likely much consumer spending has been delayed rather than lost entirely due to artificial constraints states and cities are placing to avoid the spread of coronavirus. "We're freezing most of our consumption right now," Fowler said. "Under short shocks, there's a percentage of that consumption that's going to bounce back." But the rapid rise of the on-demand economy makes it hard to forecast, with previous shocks like the financial crash and 9/11 offering no guide, he said. "Given that ride-sharing came of age at the same time California was under a period of record expansion in the economy we don't know if those two things that are kind of ridden along together have been correlated," he said. "When the growth stops, we're not sure how much of the explanation around the growth in gig work will be related to broader economic growth." Making a living off of ride-share and other platforms was hard enough in a strong economy, according to Perea, the San Francisco driver with diabetes, who also blogs about being a ride-share driver. That would be made worse if the pandemic causes major job losses, sparking an influx of new drivers to turn to the gig economy to make ends meet, according to Perea. "What you'll get is a lot of extra supply of drivers or delivery people without the demand to really meet it," he said. On Wednesday, Lyft announced that it was temporarily halting adding new drivers in places hit hardest by the outbreak "in order to strengthen earning opportunities" for current drivers. "This is a service that is predicated on a strong economy," he said. "So when the recession comes the amount of people spending money on conventions, on businesses and hotels and traveling and going out to eat and sort of doing all of these things where calling an Uber or Lyft makes sense actually drops very fast." Drivers were feeling the fallout even before Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti ordered the closure of all bars, restaurants, gyms, theaters and in-person dining in restaurants on Sunday and the Bay Area implemented its orders on Monday. Perea said he observed a slackening of business before he stopped driving last month. On a Saturday at the end of February, he said, he only performed eight rides in total; a typical Saturday for him brings three fares per hour. On the morning of March 13, as Los Angeles began shutting down schools, theme parks, and limiting large gatherings, Jeff Danzer said he only did three rides in two hours and made a little more than $28. Typically, he averages 8 rides in the morning, making around $70. Between March 9 and March 15, Smith made $519 after working about 30 hours. He usually makes between $900 and $1,000 in that time. "Seventy percent of the U.S. economy is based on consumer confidence and as everyone retrenches, you're going to see a general downsizing of our discretionary spending," said Jon Garon, a law professor and director of the intellectual property, cybersecurity and technology program at Nova Southeastern University in Florida. "Uber, Lyft and the Airbnbs of the world are going to collapse because the entire travel industry is going to be dramatically affected." The downturn comes at an awkward moment for Uber, Lyft and other large on-demand firms. Even before the market crash, Uber and Lyft shares were trading below the IPO prices as the companies' losses mounted. Though the companies moved up the expected timeline for profitability, both have had to make cuts, including laying off dozens of employees. DoorDash had filed paperwork to go public this year, and Airbnb was reported to be close to moving ahead with IPO plans, although now both seem likely to postpone. A decline in rides made it particularly difficult for those like Danzer and Smith, both of whom rent a car through Lyft's Express Drive program and must meet a minimum of 20 rides per week. Concerned about a drop in demand, Danzer reached out to Lyft's customer support on March 12 asking if the minimum would be waived during the pandemic. The company told him it was reviewing such appeals "on a case by case basis," according to messages The Times reviewed. Initially, Lyft spokesperson Adrian Durbin said the company was only waiving the minimum ride requirements in some markets, and if workers can't make the rent "participating drivers may return their rental cars at any time at no additional charge." On Tuesday, the company told drivers that it was waiving the 20-ride weekly requirement in all markets but reminded drivers they can return the car if they want to avoid being charged for rent, according to an email The Times reviewed. "Additionally, we will provide funds to drivers should they be diagnosed with COVID-19 or put under individual quarantine by a public health agency, and waive any applicable rental fees," Durbin said in a statement. For Smith, covering the rent may still be an issue. The car he rents through Lyft is his only vehicle and a major source of income. It costs him $250 a week and, like other drivers who rent through the program, he earns slightly less per mile than drivers who use their own cars, as The Times previously reported. "I could return the vehicle and not accrue more costs," he said. "But I couldnt get to my second job." A recession and consequently a decline in ride-share demand, Garon argued, would deliver a significant blow to on-demand gig workers who lack traditional employee protections. "Particularly during a pandemic, they have no access to health care," he said. "These companies that are built on the gig economy are going to suffer significantly, and there's no safety net for those employees at all. So they're going to be the first to struggle through this economy and they're going to be the last back into the workforce." Current national efforts to offer relief to workers during the current outbreak, including a coronavirus relief bill making its way through Congress, stop short of mandating paid sick leave for independent contractors. In response to concerns over coronavirus, many of the gig companies have offered two weeks paid sick leave for contractors who have contracted COVID-19 or have been directed to self-quarantine. This does not cover those who choose not to drive or work as a preventative measure. Some companies, like Postmates, have gone a step further by creating a health fund in 22 markets in the U.S. that would help cover the costs of doctors appointments and medical expenses related to the outbreak. On Tuesday, Lyft and Uber suspended shared rides to reduce passenger-to-passenger spread. In California, the dual threat of pandemic and recession has lent a new sense of urgency to efforts to reduce the precarity of gig work. Lawyers and labor groups are turning to a newly enacted state law, AB 5, to attempt to secure long-sought-after protections for contractors in the gig economy. The law, which the gig companies have waged a $110 million ballot campaign against, makes it harder to treat workers as contractors. Shannon Liss-Riordan, a plaintiff's attorney who has filed several employee misclassification lawsuits against Uber, Lyft, and other tech companies, filed two injunctions on March 11 asking the courts to force the ride-hailing companies to comply with AB 5 and begin treating drivers as employees in order to give them access to employer-provided paid sick leave. One hopeful development for on-demand workers is that some on-demand delivery companies are seeing an increase in business. Instacart said it saw its single highest day of demand for grocery deliveries on March 12 as customers seek to avoid long lines and leaving their homes or get ahold of hard-to-find items such as hand sanitizer. Some workers see delivery as a better option than ride-hail, given the increase in volume and the lesser degree of interpersonal contact. Doordash, Postmates, and Instacart have all made it possible for customers to request that couriers drop off packages instead of handing them off. In a blog post, Perea recommended that drivers avoid carting around passengers and switch to delivery to avoid direct and prolonged contact with other people. Switching to delivery is "the lessor of two bad options," he said. HyreCar, which rents out cars to gig workers, sent an email referring drivers to the other services the company partners with such as Postmates and Doordash. "For those that will continue to drive, if you wish to explore other options besides rideshare we encourage alternative gig options such as food or package delivery," the email reads. But James, the driver with autoimmune illness, said delivering for these apps is not much safer, partly because couriers aren't given enough information about their destination to decide whether to accept delivery requests. Before she stopped driving, James said she delivered meals to an emergency room and was forced to go inside. The companies, which maintain their workers are independent contractors, are limited in their ability to control how couriers and drivers perform their jobs without crossing lines that distinguish them from traditional employees. This could make it harder to force or mandate workers take extra safety measures. "I strongly feel that it's going to be gig economy workers that are going to spread this," James, who is now looking for online work, said. "We're touching doors, we're going in and out of ERs. We're touching everything. The last time I went into Taco Bell, they had me make the customer's drink and put my hands on his lid." (Bloomberg) -- Oil is ensnared in such as crisis that Wednesdays 24% plunge in New York wasnt even its worst day this month. Futures are now at the lowest level in almost two decades after Saudi Arabia signaled its doubling down on a price war with Russia just as demand evaporates. Prices dropped below $25 a barrel for the first time since 2003 in London and tumbled 24% in New York as the kingdom vowed to keep producing at a record high over the coming months. For the last 10 days, Riyadh has issued nearly daily statements raising the stakes in its shock-and-awe battle with Moscow, first announcing massive price discounts and output. The kingdom is now pledging to pump flat out for months to come, and prices are in free fall. Oil is now down over 45% since failed talks between members of the OPEC+ alliance to further cut output and tackle the demand fallout from the virus outbreak. What we are seeing here is essentially the atomic bomb equivalent in the oil markets, said Louise Dickson, an analyst at Rystad Energy A/S. With each day there seems to be yet another trap door lying beneath oil prices, and we expect to see prices continue to roil until a cost equilibrium is reached and production is shut in. Riyadh appears to be heading to a Darwinian survival of the fittest for the energy industry, in which the highest cost producers, including U.S. shale companies and others working Brazils offshore fields, will suffer enormously. The Saudi Ministry of Energy directed Saudi Aramco to continue to supply crude oil at a level of 12.3 million barrels a day over the coming months, according to a statement. Russia so far has suggested its prepared to absorb the pain, although for the first time on Wednesday the Kremlin said it would prefer higher prices. Yet, few in the oil market see either Moscow or Riyadh taking a u-turn. Saudi Arabia wants to keep the pressure high, said UBS commodity analyst Giovanni Staunovo. It seems to me they want to trigger so much pain to Russia and the other producers, to eventually have a new production deal at a later stage. That policy might create a lot damage in between. West Texas Intermediate futures in New York fell 24% to settle at $20.37 a barrel, the lowest since February 2002. It had fallen almost 25% on March 9. Oil is now cheaper than any time during the global financial crisis, when the world economy largely came to a halt for a few days. Demand is in free fall, with some traders saying it could drop by more than 10% compared with last year. Brent futures declined 10% to settle at $24.88 a barrel, the lowest since 2003. Gasoline, diesel and jet-fuel wholesale prices also fell. In the physical market, the pain is enormous. The Mexican oil basket, which measures the price the country secures selling its crude overseas, fell to $18.78 a barrel on Monday. In Canada, the benchmark crude price for tar-sands producers, known as Western Canadian Select, plunged to $7.47 a barrel. This is new territory, said Brian Kessens, portfolio manager at Tortoise. Its clear Russia wanted to impair U.S. shale and E&P companies are really going to suffer. The more we see aggressive rhetoric from Saudi Arabia and Russia, the weaker crude oil is going to get. The market is finding little succor from global efforts to stem the economic fallout of the fast spreading coronavirus. The U.S. Federal Reserve on Tuesday announced the restart of a financial crisis-era program to stem the impact from the virus, but equities and bonds are continuing to drop. The supply and demand shocks have hammered Wall Streets outlook for oil. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said consumption is down by 8 million barrels a day and cut its Brent forecast for the second quarter to $20 a barrel. Citi also lowered its bear-case forecast saying Brent could average $17 a barrel or lower in the second quarter, while Mizuho Securities warned prices could go negative as Russia and Saudi Arabia flood the market. The rout amid ruthless competition between exporters has prompted Iraq to urge OPEC and its allies to regroup for negotiations. Before OPEC+ talks collapsed earlier this month, Iraq had routinely disregarded the supply cutbacks it had promised. Now the producer has asked the cartel to hold a meeting to consider steps for re-balancing the global oil market, according to a delegate. We just dont know how far Russia and Saudi Arabia are willing to go, said Rob Haworth, senior investment strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management in Seattle. Until theres some kind of agreement, its hard to figure out where the bottom is. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. THE leader's direct address to the nation - bar during an election or referendum - is not often used in the way we do our politics. Some historians reckon that Leo Varadkar's address on "a St Patrick's Day like no other" was only the seventh-ever such address by Taoisigh in the State's history. It is a high-wire act for a Taoiseach seeking to rally the nation in time of great challenge or peril. Mr Varadkar's predecessor, Enda Kenny, did it twice. Both times he got only a fair to middling response, mingled with scathing partisan criticism. Go back further, and you will find Eamon de Valera's radio address on St Patrick's Day 1943. It is still snidely castigated all of 77 years later. This writer shares the view that this Dev speech, delivered to mark the 50th anniversary of the Gaelic League, has for too long been lazily caricatured as the "comely maidens speech". In fact, it contains much of value for today's coronavirus Ireland about the value of patriotism and social care. But we refer to de Valera's "comely maidens" here, mainly to emphasise the perils of going on national media and giving it loads in efforts to galvanise sceptical citizens into national solidarity. Read More Historian Diarmaid Ferriter reckons that de Valera's 1943 speech was the most celebrated broadcast by any Irish politician in the 20th century - an accolade which shows the risk Mr Varadkar took on Tuesday night. As Mr Varadkar's message continued to percolate through the traditional media and the various social platforms on Wednesday, it was clear that "Leo won this one". Only the most mean-minded and totally partisan people failed to connect with the Taoiseach's core message. Simply summarised the Varadkar address told us this: This challenge is so huge that we have known nothing like it before. We are unsure of all its implications, especially its duration. We know the future economic fallout will be huge. But for now we must unite, follow the best expert advice, and care for ourselves and each other. None of this is to claim Mr Varadkar delivered a flawless performance - far from it. The script leaned a little too heavily on cliches. Some of us ever so slightly winced as "wooden Leo" offered emotional and personal advice to children to keep up their school work and phone their grandparents. But there is an argument that "wooden Leo" could, for a short time at least, become "our Leo" - timber and all. The central issue is: all the necessary core points were there - and they were well made by a Taoiseach who came across as real, committed and decent. Some of us with more time on our hands these days reached for the history books and comparisons. Of the other six other leaders' addresses to the nation, Mr Varadkar's St Patrick's Day broadcast is up there with one given by Fianna Fail Taoiseach Jack Lynch in August 1969, as sectarian violence raged in Derry and Belfast. There was all kinds of pressures on Mr Lynch to send troops north to rescue nationalists from the violence of loyalists and security forces. But the then-Taoiseach's response was a carefully measured address to the nation via RTE. Mr Lynch said the Stormont government had lost control and that the police were an unacceptable force to nationalists. He rejected the idea of British Army involvement and called for United Nations' peacekeepers and insisted Irish re-unification was the only real solution. Above all, he condemned all kinds of sectarian prejudice and only moved Irish troops to set up field hospitals along the border. It is now remembered as "the Irish Government can no longer stand by and see innocent people injured and perhaps worse". It calmed things and helped developing an Irish policy on the North which culminated in the Good Friday Agreement. Selbyville, Delaware, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to latest report Network Monitoring Market by Component (Monitoring Equipment [Network Monitoring Switch, Network TAP], Software Platform, Service [Professional Services, Managed Services]), Enterprise Size (Large Enterprises, SMEs), Network Speed (1 and 10 Gbps, 40 Gbps, 100 Gbps, 400 Gbps), Application (IT & Telecom, BFSI, Healthcare, Energy & Utility, Government, Retail, Industrial), Regional Outlook, Competitive Market Share & Forecast 2026, by Global Market Insights, Inc., the market valuation of network monitoring will reach $5 billion by 2026. The growing demand for network diagnostics and optimization functionalities across enterprises is expected to support the network monitoring market growth. The network monitoring equipment is categorized into network Test Access Points (TAP) and network monitoring switch. The network TAPs are used as external devices that analyze the information passed through two network nodes. Furthermore, a network monitoring switch provides support to Ethernet LAN & WAN links and helps IT teams to troubleshoot the network problems. The network performance monitoring equipment also helps companies to report the performance parameters and optimize resource allocation with quick impact analysis. Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/3015 The growing demand for reducing time required for network troubleshooting and improving mean-time-to-repair related network issues is expected to drive the demand for network monitoring market. For instance, electric power companies are majorly focusing on providing integrated energy solutions to their customers. They need to maintain large-scale metering infrastructure & services to provide customers with access to electricity usage data. The network monitoring system gathers information from all remote infrastructures and provides detailed performance overview. This also helps customers to measure the network bandwidth and diagnose the network issues. Due to these application capabilities, companies in the power sector are adopting network monitoring services. The 100 Gbps network speed segment is expected to grow exponentially during the forecast period. The government agencies are adopting network monitoring solutions to monitor environmental sensors, security surveillance, and IT infrastructure. Due to the adoption of smart lightings and CCTV systems in urban areas, the IT departments of government agencies are adopting high-speed bandwidth network infrastructure. The healthcare sector held significant network monitoring market share in 2019 due to growing adoption of remote healthcare services. There is significant increase in IoT and wireless devices across the healthcare institutes for remotely monitoring different parameters of patients. The efficient performance of these wireless network devices is critical for providing improved healthcare services. The network monitoring solutions are helping healthcare institutes to monitor performance of their network components and rapidly resolve network issues. Make an Inquiry for purchasing this report @ https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/3015 The adoption of network monitoring solutions in Asia Pacific region is expected to grow at CAGR of over 15% between 2020 and 2026. The increasing adoption of smartphone and cloud applications in densely populated countries is attributed to market growth. The increasing number of smartphone users is enabling telecom operators to provide better network service quality. Telecom service providers are adopting network monitoring solutions to manage many subscribers. Enterprises operating in the region are facing cyber-threats and poor network performance. These factors are enabling enterprises to adopt network performance management solutions to enhance their network security and optimization. Some major findings of the network monitoring market report include: The extensive penetration of smartphones, cloud services, and connected devices across enterprises and consumers is supporting the network technology development. The rising investments in the retail sector in the U.S. are supporting the market growth due to the rising demand to monitor Point-of-Sales (POS) traffic by using network performance monitoring solutions. Some of the major players operating in the network monitoring market are NETSCOUT systems, Inc., Riverbed Technology, Viavi Solutions Inc. and Broadcom. Companies operating in the market are focusing on the development of advanced services supporting Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) and Domain Name System (DNS) server monitoring that can enable network monitoring. Table of Contents (ToC) of the report: Chapter 3. Network Monitoring Market Insights 3.1. Introduction 3.2. Industry segmentation 3.3. Industry landscape, 2015 2026 3.4. Evolution of network performance monitoring 3.5. Network monitoring industry architecture 3.6. Network monitoring industry ecosystem analysis 3.7. Technology & innovation landscape 3.7.1. Patchwork management 3.7.2. Convergence of NetOps and IT security 3.7.3. Network management system APIs and packet inspection 3.8. Regulatory landscape 3.8.1. Global 3.8.1.1. The ISA/IEC 62443 standard 3.8.2. North America 3.8.2.1. NIST Special Publication 800-53 - Guidelines on Security and Privacy Controls for. Federal Information Systems and Organizations (U.S.) 3.8.2.2. California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA U.S.) 3.8.2.3. Critical Infrastructure Protection Mandates, NERC (North America) 3.8.3. Europe 3.8.3.1. General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 3.8.3.2. Network and Information System (NIS) Regulation (UK) 3.8.3.3. The Security of Network and Information Services Directive (EU) 3.8.4. APAC 3.8.4.1. Information Security Technology- Personal Information Security Specification GB/T 35273-2017 (China) 3.8.4.2. Secure India National Digital Communications Policy 2018 Draft (India) 3.8.5. Latin America 3.8.5.1. National Directorate of Personal Data Protection (Argentina) 3.8.5.2. The Brazilian General Data Protection Law (LGPD) 3.8.6. MEA 3.8.6.1. Law No. 13 of 2016 on protecting personal data (Qatar) 3.8.6.2. Federal Law No. 2 of 2019 on the use of ICT in Healthcare (UAE) 3.9. Industry impact forces 3.9.1. Growth drivers 3.9.2. Industry pitfalls & challenges 3.10. Growth potential analysis 3.11. Porters analysis 3.12. PESTEL analysis Browse Complete Table of Contents (ToC) @ https://www.gminsights.com/toc/detail/network-monitoring-market About Global Market Insights, Inc. Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider. Offering syndicated and custom research reports, growth consulting and business intelligence services, Global Market Insights, Inc. aims to help clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data that aid in strategic decision making. The photo shows the staff at Hekou Port working (Photo taken by Zhao Guoxiao/Chinanews.com) According to the Station of Exit-Entry Frontier Inspection of Hekou Port, Yunnan on February 13, 2020, since February 8, there have been 26,789 transport trucks, 140 trains passing by with a total 320,000 tons of goods transported across the Port. This figure indicates that the trade volume has recovered to its pre-epidemic level. Hekou Port is located in Hekou County, Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province. Across the Nanxi River of Yunan lies Lao Cai City, Vietnam. It is the largest China-Vietnam land port Southwest Chinas Yunnan province, and an important window for China to carry out economic and cultural exchanges with Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries. The photo shows Hekou Port (Photo taken by Zhao Guoxiao/Chinanews.com) In face of the current severe situation of epidemic prevention and control as well as the realistic requirements of promoting social and economic development, the Entry-exitFrontier Inspection Station of Hekou Port started a police cooperation between China and Vietnam, and reached a consensus with the Frontier Defense Department of Vietnam to ensure that security is improved while epidemic prevention and control efforts take place at the port. Meanwhile, this also ensures smooth and fast clearance of bilateral trade and personnel. During this time, staff from the station took the initiative to visit cross-border trading enterprises to learn about their difficulties and needs during the epidemic and offer them a helping hand. Four groups of the police force with 20 staff in each group were dispatched to enrich the inspection team and impose additional safeguard measures for customs clearance. This includes the opening of a green channel" for epidemic prevention and control goods, agricultural and sideline products, the implementation of "one-stop customs clearance" for international intermodal trains, and priority inspections for freight cars and transportation staff, etc. On March 12, the number of exit and entry transport vehicles at Hekou Port reached 1221, exceeding the average traffic volume last year. (Compiled by Zhang Xinfeng) We all know what it is like to be angry, dont we? The emotion of anger is as common to humanity as sadness, love, and happiness. From the day we were born, we never had to be taught how to express our anger it just came out. Even if you do not consider yourself to be an angry person, everyone experiences anger at times. In fact, we learn in the Bible that Jesus even felt anger! For example, in John 2 we see a side of Jesus that makes us a little uncomfortable because he had so much zeal for the house of God that he made a whip out of some cords to drive out a bunch of animals and the people selling them in the temple. Then he flipped over their tables and spilled their money out on the floor. The word zeal here means anywhere from excitement to fierceness and indignation. Considering how his zeal consumed him, I think we can say that he was a little more on the angry side than just excited. Later in John 11, we read about Jesus reaction to the death of his friend, Lazarus. While the passage does not say that Jesus was angry necessarily, we do see that he was grieving so intensely that He (God in the flesh) actually wept. The phrases used to describe Jesus grief in this passage depict a sense of great pain, deep movement, spiritual groaning, and emotional anguish that the Vine's Expository Dictionary illustrates as a horse snorting with anger. So, while the emotion of anger is a natural response and even seen in Jesus himself, it means that it is not a sin by itself. This leads us to a question that many Christians wonder about: Is it wrong to be angry with God? To frame the answer to that question, we need to understand three realities about the emotion of anger which will provide insight into whether or not it is wrong to be angry with God. 1. Our Anger Is a Window into Our Soul When we respond to a situation with anger, it shines a light on what we value and consider as right and wrong. On the other hand, if something does not produce any feelings of anger, we can conclude that it is not something we value that much. When a situation turns out differently than we think it should have been, it naturally causes emotional friction in us that comes out as frustration, disappointment, annoyance, and anger. A child will get mad because he thought he should have gotten dessert. A teenager will get mad if she thinks her friend is treating her unfairly. An adult will get mad if someone or something they love is taken from them. In the example from John 2 earlier, Jesus felt angry because he had a high value of Gods house and knew that what was happening was wrong. So, if we find ourselves being angry with God, it reveals that we think God was unfair or did something wrong to us. The best example of this is King David in 2 Samuel 6 when one of his men named Uzzah was killed by God because he touched the Ark of the Covenant to try to steady it when the oxen that were carrying it stumbled. As a result, David was not only unjustly upset with God, but it drove him to an unhelpful fear of Gods wrath resulting in missing out on Gods presence and blessing in Jerusalem for three months. We can also read some of Davids laments to God in the Book of Psalms, such as when he cries out, How long, O LORD? Will you forget me? (Psalm 13:1-6). David wrongfully assumed that God had left or forgotten him, resulting in anger against him. So, if we are angry with God, we need to honestly ask ourselves what beliefs we have about God that are unscriptural, untrue, and unhelpful. 2. What We Do with Our Anger Is More Important Than Feeling It While our anger might be a more subconscious emotional response, how we consciously react determines whether or not it is sin. That is why Paul told the believers in Ephesus to be angry and do not sin (Ephesians 4:26). We all know that nothing good comes from anger (or any emotion) that is either uncontrolled or left bottled up. That is why parents teach their children how to calm themselves and deal with their anger in healthy ways. That is also why James instructs us to be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger (James 1:19). Because it is not our anger itself that hurts others, it is how we react to the feeling with our words, attitudes, and actions. In Numbers 20, Moses was so irate with the Hebrews for their rebellion and lack of faith that he acted out by striking a rock twice that God had only told him to tap. Interestingly, although Moses anger-fueled disobedience was still effective in producing water from the rock. God punished Moses for his sinful action by declaring, ...Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them (Numbers 20:12). So, even if our anger against God is wrongly placed, it only becomes sin when we react in a way that is sinful by cursing God, by becoming bitter, by straying in our relationship with him, by hurting others, or by simply walking in disobedience. This leads to the final reality of our anger. 3. A Mature Believer Will Not Stay Angry Instead of reacting in their anger in a way that is sinful, a mature person will consider why they are angry and will work to bridle, control, and even let go of their anger. To be serious, aggressive, and driven are all appropriate and effective at times, but acting in or being controlled by our anger will not produce healthy results. James even says that for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God (James 1:20). Paul goes as far as to say that if we are angry with a brother or sister in Christ that ...now is the time to get rid of anger and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others (Colossians 3:8-13). So, if we are angry with God, how much more should we find the root cause in our heart and let it go. I do not think that God is upset with us when we are angry with him; I think he is sympathetic and merciful. When my own children get angry with me, I want to know how they feel not so I can reprimand them but so, in my pity, I can help them understand why I made the decision that I did and to know that I love them. How much more would God, our Heavenly Father, show mercy to us! In an answer to a similar question, John Piper stated that hiding our anger from an all-knowing God instead of just honestly confessing it only makes matters worse. Because then our hypocrisy and deceit will build up bitterness instead of resulting in repentance, surrender, and ultimately worship. In the lamenting Psalms where David seems to be frustrated or even upset with God, he always ends up responding with praise and thankfulness instead of bitterness. For example, in Psalm 13:5-6 we read, But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. Or in Psalm 42 after introspectively asking himself, Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me, David responds with "Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God (Psalm 42:11). What changed in Davids heart? Not only did he let go of his feelings of anger against God but let go of his beliefs about God that were unhelpful, unscriptural, untrue, and wrongly placed. Instead, he confessed a common phrase in Scripture that God is merciful and gracious slow to anger... and abounding in steadfast love (Psalm 86:15, 103:8, 145:8; Exodus 34:6; Number 14:18; Nehemiah 9:17). What Does This Mean? So, while we may not be sinning when we feel anger against God, we must use the emotion to drive us to look into our souls to discover a wrong belief, to surrender it to God, and then to turn and give God praise for how he is always good and what he does is always right, for his glory, and for our good. Let our anger drive us to a deeper love. iStock/Getty Images Plus/AntonioGuillem Robert Hampshire is a pastor, teacher, writer, and leader. He has been married to Rebecca since 2008 and has three children, Brooklyn, Bryson, and Abram. Robert attended North Greenville University in South Carolina for his undergraduate and Liberty University in Virginia for his Masters. He has served in a variety of roles as a worship pastor, youth pastor, family pastor, church planter, and now Pastor of Worship and Discipleship at Cheraw First Baptist Church in South Carolina. He furthers his ministry through his blog site, Faithful Thinking. His life goal is to serve God and His Church by reaching the lost with the gospel, making devoted disciples, equipping and empowering others to go further in their faith and calling, and leading a culture of multiplication for the glory of God. Find out more about him here. The Republic of Ireland faces significant job losses and an economic shock due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Finance Minister has said, as he introduced a suite of measures to help bank customers. Paschal Donohoe was speaking as the five main banks agreed today to introduce a payment break of up to three months for customers who cannot pay their mortgage. The payments were announced following a meeting of the AIB, Bank of Ireland, KBC, Ulster Bank and Permanent TSB banks, and their representative group the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland. Irelands Bank Chiefs leave the Department of Finance one by one after meeting with Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe to discuss measures being taken to ease the pressure on borrowers amid the Covid-19 pandemic. #Covid19ireland pic.twitter.com/BtB6F2yHFa Aine McMahon (@AineMcMahon) March 18, 2020 The banks said they would work together to ensure that continuity of service plans are in place for customers. The measures include a deferred collection on stamp duty on credit cards until July. Banks will also defer court proceedings for three months. Speaking at a press briefing in Dublin today, Mr Donohoe said the country is at the centre of a very significant economic shock. Up to 140,000 people have lost their jobs and more job losses are expected, with confirmed cases of Covid-19 expected to rise to 15,000 by the end of the month. Mr Donohoe said: I would not at this point in time like to talk about many hundreds of thousands of jobs being lost, until we get accurate estimates from the Live Register. At this point I dont have an accurate estimate to share with the public regarding what the Live Register will be. Minister @Paschald outlines measures to support individuals and businesses impacted by COVID-19 https://t.co/KEqnCO68tB pic.twitter.com/1oJ4oPJjP7 Department of Finance (@IRLDeptFinance) March 18, 2020 For now all of my efforts are concentrated on mitigating the effects of job losses and developing plans to get people off the Live Register as soon as possible. While refusing to to be drawn on the number of job losses anticipated, he said: I can at this point confirm that we are facing into a period of significant job losses, they are already being felt across the country. It is the case that those who were at work and had every expectation of continuing to be in work for many months and years to come, now find themselves in a situation in which they are not at work and worried about how they are going to pay their mortgage or rent. I want to assure people who have lost their jobs that all that can be done to get income to them quickly and get them access to the pandemic benefit can be done. We were on track to deliver a significant surplus in 2020. We will not be in a surplus position this year. We will very likely move into a situation where we have a deficit. Mr Donohoe said if any landlord avails themselves of the flexibility being afforded by the banks, they should not use it to evict tenants. Visited the National Viral Reference Lab today with @LeoVaradkar to thank staff testing for #coronavirus #Covid19. Also took the opportunity to reassure people that they will not be alone during this pandemic. We are all in this together https://t.co/cmM5SlX9Sa Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) March 18, 2020 Landlords with buy-to let mortgages cannot and should not evict tenants. When asked if the Government can stop landlords evicting tenants, he said: There are legal constraints in place in relation to the ability of any government to intervene in the contract between landlord and tenant. Mr Donohoe also confirmed the limit for contactless payments is to be increased to 50 from 30, in a bid to encourage the public to stop using cash. Earlier today, the Health Minister moved to reassure older people that the Government will look after them, as the number of cases of Covid-19 is expected to rise to 15,000 by the end of the month. Speaking in Dublin on Wednesday, Simon Harris said: We expect anywhere between 10-15,000 tests for Covid-19 being ordered in the coming days. It is going to take several days for your test to be processed. Some countries have decided to go against WHO guidelines and have stopped testing in the community we will test, test, test. I really dont want anybody in our country to be scared because we have to look after the health of all our people. Older people should not be worried it is an uncertain time, but we are going to mind you. A glance at a global map tracking the spread of the coronavirus just one week ago would have shown a large blank space south of Russia, north of Iran, and west of China as an area completely free of the virus. That blank space is the territory where the five Central Asian states -- Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan -- are located. Until March 13, when authorities in Kazakhstan confirmed the country's first four cases, none of the Central Asian states reported any confirmed cases, despite being on the doorstep of two countries with the worst outbreaks in the world, China and Iran. Two days later, Kazakhstan said there were five confirmed cases and Uzbekistan reported its first case. By March 18, Kyrgyzstan confirmed its first three cases, all passengers on a flight arriving from Saudi Arabia. Little Coordination There has been little coordinated action globally in combating the coronavirus. The World Health Organization is tracking the virus, reporting on its spread, and offering governments advice on how to slow the virus's transmission, but so far, every country is dealing with the virus as individual governments see fit. Central Asia is no different, though in that region it often seemed like no government wanted to be the first to take measures that might give the impression the coronavirus was present on their territory. So the reactions have been staggered, though gradually some are adopting the same tactics. The Norouz holiday is coming on March 21. The celebration dates back to Zoroastrian culture, marking the start of spring, and for centuries it has been one of the holidays in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan was the first to call off its Norouz celebration. On March 9, the government specifically banned the large celebrations set for the holiday around the country and, on March 17, banned any gatherings of more than 50 people. Three days later Kazakhstan announced a ban on all public celebrations, sport events, meetings, and conferences, a day before officials announced the first confirmed cases of coronavirus. As recently as March 13, the Gazeta.uz website reported that Uzbekistan was planning to go ahead with Norouz, but just two days later, after Uzbek authorities confirmed the first case of coronavirus in the country, Prime Minister Abdullo Aripov announced all mass gatherings, including "large events connected with the celebration of Novrouz, were canceled." Tajikistan -- where as of March 18 there are no reports of coronavirus infections -- is still going ahead with its plans to mark Norouz. RFE/RL's Tajik Service, known locally as Ozodi, reported on March 13 that the central square in the capital, Dushanbe, was decorated and ready for the festivities, even if some of the people in country were not in festive moods and a huge event was planned in the northern city of Khujand, where President Emomali Rahmon is scheduled to attend the celebrations. In Turkmenistan -- where officials have great difficulty even saying the word "coronavirus" out loud -- the government is better known for forcing people to attend state-sponsored gatherings and this year is no exception. People around the country are again being called away from jobs and their homes to rehearse for this years Norouz celebrations. Skip The Mosque Similarly, the five governments have taken different approaches to their treatment of schools and mosques. In Tajikistan, schools are open but at the start of March some imams in Dushanbe told the faithful to stay away from mosques and perform their prayers at home. One imam said the move was being made "for the prevention of the spread of the coronavirus." In Kazakhstan, a March 13 declaration from the Spiritual Board of Muslims left mosques open but instructed them to skip the 30-minute sermon at the start of namaz, or the Islamic worship service, and advised performing ritual ablutions at home before coming to the mosque, wearing a mask when going to the mosque, avoiding handshakes, and leaving quickly after prayers end. On March 15, Kazakhstan declared a state of emergency lasting until April 15 and, the following day, President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev said that meant schoolchildren would be on extended vacation and university students would work online. The Spiritual Board of Muslims followed by announcing, "In connection with the government's declaration of a state of emergency, and with the great risk of spreading the illness, mosques will temporarily suspend Friday Prayers." In Uzbekistan, all schools -- from preschool to university -- are closed for a certain vacation and during this time state television will run educational programming. On March 16, Uzbekistan's Spiritual Board of Muslims temporarily canceled Friday Prayers at mosques and recommended the faithful perform their prayers at home. Kyrgyzstans Security Council met on March 14 and ordered all schools and universities closed for three weeks starting on March 16, but kindergartens will remain open. That same day, the Spiritual Board of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan followed Kazakhstans example and ordered Friday Prayer services be shortened and for the elderly, women, and children to stay at home, but on March 17, when authorities announced the impending closure of Kyrgyzstan's borders, the Spiritual Board ordered the temporary cancellation of Friday Prayers at mosques in the country and told people to say their five daily prayers at home. By contrast, Turkmenistan has not canceled school at any level. Mosques remain open and imams continue to lead prayers for the health of President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov and his family. Closing Borders All five countries have canceled most or all flights to and from other countries and drawn up lists of foreign nationals who either are temporarily denied entry or must undergo a period of quarantine upon entry. Turkmenistan -- which like Tajikistan has not officially reported any coronavirus cases as of March 18 -- had redirected all flights arriving from outside the country to the Lebap airport in the eastern part of the country, where authorities have established a quarantine area where at least dozens of people are being kept. Tajikistan has taken a confusing path, first banning flights to and from 35 countries at the end of February but, on March 3, reduced that to just five countries -- China, Iran, Afghanistan, Italy, and South Korea. On March 16, flights to Uzbekistan and Russia were canceled in response to those countries canceling flights from Tajikistan. Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan closed their borders immediately after the first cases of coronavirus were confirmed. Kyrgyzstan followed on March 17, announcing it was prohibiting foreigners from entering the country, though Tajikistan's border with Kyrgyzstan was still open as of March 17. Kazakh authorities announced on March 17 that the country's two main cities -- Almaty and the capital, Nur-Sultan -- would be under quarantine starting on March 19. Checkpoints will be established to control movement in and around the two cities and as of March 18, troops from the Kazakh military's biological-defense units had already begun disinfection work. Governments in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan continue to assure their citizens there is no reason for panic and that all basic goods will remain in sufficient supply and at fixed prices for everyone. Despite these assurances, there have been reports of people in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan racing to stores and bazaars to stock up on goods in anticipation of future shortages, and reports of sharp price increases in all five countries. Similar reports emerged from the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, on March 17 after the first cases of coronavirus were announced in Kyrgyzstan. In a positive development, the presidents of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan discussed the coronavirus problem by telephone on March 18, one of the very few signs of regional cooperation in dealing with this common threat. Turkmenistan has been in a severe economic crisis for more than four years, never admitting publicly there were any problems, and the government there continues to avoid any mention of the virus or problems with medicine or food supplies, which are a fact of life for Turkmen. But President Berdymukhammedov did recently recommend to his citizens resorting to the traditional cure of burning the wild rue plant to ward off diseases. Turkmenistan is surrounded by countries that have reported cases of the coronavirus, and southern neighbor Iran continues to be one of the world's hot spots for the virus. Nevertheless, the Turkmen government is unlikely to confirm any cases unless the situation becomes extremely dire. RFE/RL's Central Asian services -- Azattyq, Azattyk, Ozodi, Azatlyk, and Ozodlik -- contributed to this report. The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect those of RFE/RL As school closing announcements trickled in last week, some working parents were forced to scramble to find care for their children. While others have shut down, some child care services remain open throughout Lake and Porter counties. All Geminus Head Start centers have been closed, which includes locations in Cedar Lake, East Chicago, Gary, Hammond, Hobart, Lake Station, Lowell, Merrillville, Valparaiso and Whiting. Geminus Head Start has not announced a reopening date yet. Northwest Indiana YMCA facilities have also shut down across the board, along with many locations children's programs with the exception of Portage YMCA. The Portage location has limited access of only 24-hour members, though the school-age child care program has been suspended. Though regular activities are shut down, the Valparaiso location is refocusing its efforts on giving child care during the closure at the facility 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, staff said. Andrea Kelly, center director of Happy Days Childcare and Learning Center in Merrillville, said the center is staying open but is taking precautions to remain a safe place for staff and children. When Jennifer Haller saw a friends Facebook post requesting volunteers for the trial of a potential coronavirus vaccine, she barely paused. The same day she filled out the online form asking questions about her medical health. The following morning she received a phone call asking more questions and requesting she give a blood sample for screening. She checked out. At 8am on Monday the 43-year-old, who has two teenage children, Ellie and Hayden, was the first of 45 volunteers from the Seattle area to be injected in the upper left arm with a drug its developers believe could help beat Covid-19. Nothing is certain, the outcomes are unknown. But Haller and the other volunteers are happy to be playing their part. I think we all feel so helpless, Haller tells The Independent, when asked why she was so willing to take part. And this was a great opportunity to try and make a difference. Im so thankful that I have this opportunity. Its a privilege to be healthy, and to have a job that is flexible enough to let me do this. Haller is a small but crucial part of a global effort to confront the coronavirus, which has upended lives, threatened economic ruin, confined people to their homes and, perhaps, allowed us to take stock of what in our lives we ought most to value. 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 As of Thursday, global infections had topped 218,000 and the death toll raced past 9,000. Across the world, stock markets are in free-fall and governments are struggling to enforce measures to flatten the curve. A light at the end of what could be a very long tunnel would be a vaccine to effectively treat the disease and allow life to try to return to normal. Experts point out the disease has disrupted and devastated life in ways we are struggling to conceive. But so did diseases such as measles, polio, smallpox and tuberculosis. Reports suggest as many as 35 pharmaceutical firms, some aided by grants from government or philanthropists, are involved in the hunt for a vaccine for Covid-19. These firms are part of a massive industry and a vaccine market said to be worth $35bn (30bn). The trial in which Haller is taking part involves a drug developed by Moderna, a biotechnology firm based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Another trial, involving a drug developed by Pennsylvania-based Inovio Pharmaceuticals, could start next month. A German firm, CureVac, is said to be working on a potential vaccine, one the Trump administration reportedly tried to buy. They are all racing against the disease, rather than against each other, says John Tregoning, an expert in infectious diseases at Imperial College London. The more irons there are in the fire, the greater the chance of coming up with something. Also, it will help with the ability to produce as many as 9 billion vaccines. Travel and the coronavirus crisis: What can be done? The trial under way in Seattle, backed by the national institutes of health (NIH) and Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute, involves a drug called mRNA-1273. Over the past few years, we have demonstrated its potential in vaccines across more than 1,000 subjects in our clinical trials, Moderna says. This includes successful early-stage (Phase 1) clinical trials against five other respiratory viruses (two pandemic influenza strains, RSV, hMPV and PIV3). Over the last four years, we have started nine clinical trials for mRNA vaccines. We had previously collaborated with the NIH on a vaccine for MERS-CoV, which is a different type of coronavirus than the current pandemic. While the programme was only at the research stage, it provided significant insights. Experts point out one of the reasons there is much excitement about what is happening in Seattle is that, unlike many previous vaccines, mRNA-1273 does not involve a sample of the actual virus. Rather, with input from Chinese authorities about the genetic sequence of the coronavirus first detected in the city of Wuhan, it makes use of messenger RNA molecules. These instruct the body to produce its own immune response to fight again the coronavirus. It means those taking part in trials are not exposed to the virus and could theoretically speed up the process of identifying a vaccine. Going from not even knowing that this virus was out there to having a vaccine [in testing in about two months] is unprecedented, Lisa Jackson, an infectious disease epidemiologist and Kaiser Permanente study leader, says. Jennifer Hallers children, Hayden and Ellie, think it is cool she is taking part in the trial (AP) We dont know whether this vaccine will induce an immune response or whether it will be safe. Thats why were doing a trial. Its not at the stage where it would be possible or prudent to give it to the general population. In what critics have said is a succession of factual errors about the coronavirus and its threat to the US and the world, Donald Trump told reporters a vaccine could be produced within weeks. One of his top health officials, Anthony Fauci, director of the national institute of allergy and infectious diseases, was soon obliged to pour cold water on the presidents claims. The whole process is going to take a year, year-and-a-half at least, he said. I dont want to overpromise. Tregoning, of Imperial College London, says there is a very strict protocol that is followed with developing potential vaccines, despite, or perhaps because of, the pressure to move too quickly. As such, any drug can only be made available after approval of a national licensing body or the World Health Organisation. What we dont want is something making the situation worse, he says. Haller, who works for a tech start-up and who says her children think its cool she is taking part, has been asked to write a daily journal and speaks on the phone with one of the Kaiser team most days. Every week she needs to give a blood sample, and in a month she will receive the second dose of the vaccine. The 45 volunteers, all aged 18 to 55, have been split into three groups, with different strengths given to each. The monitoring will last a year but Moderna says safety data will be available a few weeks after the injections are given. A Moderna official told the New York Times that if the drug appears safe it will ask the Food and Drug Administration for permission to move ahead to the next phase of testing to assess its effectiveness. That would involve a larger number of volunteers. For now, Haller is going about her life, hoping her efforts can help not just her fellow Americans but people around the world. Its wild, she says. Its incomprehensible to me right now but I am so thankful to be part of it. The hedge fund industry experienced $21.2 billion in inflows in January, reversing a two-month redemption trend in a turnaround from Decembers $29.0 billion in redemptions. Januarys inflows represented 0.7% of industry assets, according to the Barclay Fund Flow Indicator published by BarclayHedge, a division of Backstop Solutions. A January trading profit of $6.8 billion brought total hedge fund industry assets to more than $3.26 trillion as January came to a close, up from $3.19 trillion at the end of December. Januarys industry inflows were fueled largely by hedge funds in the U.S. and its offshore islands, which took in $20.7 billion during the month from investors heartened by a November stock market rally. Data from 7,100 funds (excluding CTAs) in the BarclayHedge database showed hedge funds in Continental Europe, Canada and Latin America adding to the net inflow total. Heading into a new quarter and a new year, investors confidence was buoyed by U.S. equity markets best performance since June, said Sol Waksman, president of BarclayHedge. An October Fed rate cut and positive data on retail sales and housing starts boosted spirits further. Meanwhile, in Europe, the economic news out of Germany was just good enough to ease investors recession fears. Over the 12-month period ending in January, the hedge fund industry experienced $64.3 billion in redemptions, 2.2% of industry assets. A $191.6 billion 12-month trading profit brought industry assets to $3.26 trillion as January ended, up from $2.96 trillion a year earlier. Most hedge fund sectors experienced net redemptions over the 12-month period through January, though two bucked the trend. Event Driven funds brought in $32.7 billion, 23.4% of assets, over the period, followed by Balanced (Stocks & Bonds) funds which added $8.3 billion, 2.9% of assets. Sectors with the largest 12-month redemptions included Equity Long/Short funds with $37.7 billion in outflows, 17.9% of assets, Equity Long Bias funds which shed $17.1 billion, 5.3% of assets, and Equity Market Neutral funds which saw outflows of $14.6 billion, 15.6% of assets. The managed futures industry had a different experience in January, reversing Decembers net inflows with $1.5 billion in redemptions. A $1.0 billion January trading loss left industry assets at $315.7 billion as January ended, down from $318.4 billion a month earlier. Volatility aside, equity markets had a strong year in 2019, leading some investors to reduce exposure to managed futures, said Waksman. CTA redemptions were the norm in most regions in January, led by funds in the U.S. and its offshore islands which experienced nearly $1.7 billion in redemptions, 0.8% of assets. While managed futures redemptions were the norm in most regions of the world in January, the picture was brighter in the U.K. and its offshore islands where CTAs took in $248.6 million, 0.4% of assets, and in Japan where managed futures funds experienced $21.3 million in inflows, 5.2% of assets. For the 12-months through January, CTA funds experienced $15.6 billion in outflows, 4.4% of assets. A $17.2 billion trading profit over the period contributed to bringing total industry assets to the $315.7 billion figure at the end of January, down from $350.8 billion a year earlier. The monthly Barclay Fund Flow Indicator, published by BarclayHedge, can be found here. About Backstop Solutions Backstops mission is to help the institutional investment industry use time to its fullest potential. We develop technology to simplify and streamline otherwise time-consuming tasks and processes, enabling our clients to quickly and easily access, share and manage the knowledge thats critical to their day-to-day business success. Backstop provides its industry-leading cloud-based productivity suite to investment consultants, pensions, funds of funds, family offices, endowments, foundations, private equity, hedge funds and real estate investment firms. BarclayHedge, a division of Backstop, currently maintains data on more than 7,100 hedge funds, funds of funds and CTAs. Institutional investors, brokerage firms and private banks worldwide utilize BarclayHedge indices as performance benchmarks for the hedge fund and managed futures industries. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 22:33 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206bb0b96 1 National COVID-19,coronavirus,outbreak,pandemic,doctor,medical-practitioners,social-media Free With social media plagued with grim stories about COVID-19, news of 80-year-old lung specialist Handoko Gunawans dedication to handling COVID-19 patients has been warmly welcomed by many Indonesian netizens. Internet users were made aware of the doctors actions when author Noviana Kusumawardhani posted a story about him on her Facebook page, saying that he was working until 3 a.m. and tending to COVID-19-positive patients at Graha Kedoya Hospital in West Jakarta. His kids have urged him not to jump into [the fight against the virus] due to his old age. However, he said that it would be OK if he died, Noviana wrote on her Facebook page on Tuesday, using the hashtag #PahlawanCOVID19 (COVID-19Hero). The post also displayed a photo of Handoko wearing a hazmat suit. The post garnered more than 11,000 likes as of Wednesday evening and was reshared more than 7,200 times. Facebook users filled the posts comments section with well-wishes. User Gusti Ngurah Putra wrote: His service for humanity is extraordinary, hopefully hell stay healthy. Words of encouragement also came from celebrity lawyer Hotman Paris Hutapea on his Instagram account @hotmanparisofficial: People who engage in acts of kindness for others will be given a calm heart and sleep well. Handoko, however, was reported to be ill on Wednesday, as tweeted by actress Kirana Larasati on her Twitter account @_kiranalara. She tweeted Handokos picture and said that the doctor was admitted to a hospitals intensive care unit, though The Jakarta Post could neither confirm nor deny that he was admitted, with a relative of his only saying that he was in good condition. Lets pray even stronger, Kirana tweeted. Mari kita doakan lebih kuat lagi #dokterhandokogunawan pic.twitter.com/fN2QrYdzgG Kirana Larasati (@_kiranalara) March 17, 2020 The tweet was retweeted more than 15,000 times and liked more than 30,000 times. Some users replied to Kiranas tweet with prayers for the doctor. Get well soon doctor, so you can see Indonesia without the corona[virus] later, Twitter user @oktoberries wrote. (mfp) COLONIE Don and Jane Levy have the coronavirus, and they're feeling OK. Don is the director of the Siena Research Institute, best known for its political polling. So if you read over the weekend about a positive COVID-19 test affecting an employee on the schools Loudonville campus, you were reading about him. Jane is an elementary teacher in Clifton Park. So when you read about an unnamed Shenendahowa school district employee who had tested positive, you were reading about her. Seeing their diagnoses in the news, Don and Jane said, has been among the odd aspects of living with the virus that has panicked the world and shuttered much of the global economy. From talking to friends and relatives, Don and Jane know how much confusion remains about COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. Theres so little firsthand knowledge of it, Jane told me Wednesday afternoon by telephone from the Levys' Loudonville home. Theres a stigma to it. You feel like you're living in a little leper house. Jane and Don hope that talking publicly about their experience will help counteract that stigma and reduce the fear so many are feeling. Theres obvious value in that. After all, if the predictions are right and the virus continues to spread widely, many of us will experience what the Levys and the nearly 2,400 other New Yorkers with confirmed cases are living through. Don and Jane were both diagnosed with COVID-19 on Saturday, after each for several days experienced confounding fatigue and a continual low-grade fever. Don had only recently recovered from pneumonia, and he and his doctors initially assumed he was feeling crummy because that illness had returned. Then, Jane also started to feel poorly. While reading about Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, who have both tested positive for COVID-19, Jane recognized her own symptoms. Don and Jane were subsequently tested. After the positive result, Don spent Saturday night in the hospital, where he was attended to by employees in hazmat suits. Where was he exposed to the coronavirus? It might have happened at a recent speaking engagement in New York City. But who knows? Jane said. Don and Jane are 66 and 65, respectively, and warned there would be hell to pay if this column in any way suggests they are elderly and it certainly won't. Still, they are within the age range considered most vulnerable to COVID-19. But their health is otherwise good, and they seem to be recovering well. Don believes that hes close to full health and is wondering about getting back to work and the hurdles the pandemic will impose. (The Siena Research Institute hopes to begin polling New Yorkers on the coronavirus next week.) Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Jane is a few days behind Dons recovery timetable, but said she is feeling better. Two grandchildren, ages 18 and 16, who live in the Levys' house are symptomless but, to their frustration, quarantined. Yes, as many of us are learning, its boring staying in the house day after day after day. But this is how life will be as we attempt to flatten the curve and wait, however impatiently, for this pandemic to pass. I haven't been out of the house in nine days, Jane said. When I start to move around, I do get winded. But it could just be because I've been inside for so long. More Information Contact columnist Chris Churchill at cchurchill@timesunion.com or 518-454-5442. See More Collapse Theres a danger in assuming that the Levys' experience with COVID-19 is typical. For some, including the many who are unaware that they have contracted the virus, the effects are less severe. For others, they are much more dire. As of Wednesday afternoon, the worldwide death toll was approaching 9,000, and - as Gov. Andrew Cuomo and others have warned - there remains the real and frightening fear that the existing medical capacity in parts of the United States will soon be swamped. We know the trajectory right now overwhelms the hospital system, the governor said Wednesday. People will die because they can't get the healthcare service they need. So for the good of the weakest and most vulnerable among us, do the honorable thing and stay home as much as possible. Understand the terrible and tragic consequences that will result if we fail to slow the viruss spread. But also understand that most Americans who contract the virus will have go through something like what Don and Jane Levy have experienced. They will be OK, and we will get through this. cchurchill@timesunion.com 518-454-5442 @chris_churchill (CNN) -- When asked about President Trumps continued use of the term Chinese virus when referring to the novel coronavirus, Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization health emergencies programme, said WHO has been clear since the beginning of the outbreak, Viruses know no borders and they dont care your ethnicity or the color of your skin or how much money you have in the bank. Trump's latest use of the phrase happened Wednesday during a White House press briefing on the coronavirus. Its really important that we be careful in the language we use, Ryan said. "There are many different origins the pandemic of influenza in 2009 originated in North America and we dont call it the North American flu, so its very important that we have the same approach when it comes to other viruses." This is a time for solidarity, this is a time for facts, this is a time to move forward together, Ryan said, adding, there is no blame in this. Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, World Health Organization infectious disease epidemiologist, said weve seen overwhelming international solidarity during this pandemic. We see this through donations whether its through [personal protective equipment] or Ive seen children drawing pictures for health care workers every single one of those acts of kindness is an act of international unity and wed like to see more of that," Van Kerkhove said. These are very tough times. And in many countries this is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. But this will be temporary, we will get through this and we will get though it together, Van Kerkhove added. NEW YORK, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of VMware, Inc. (VMware or the Company) (NYSE: VMW). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether VMware and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On February 27, 2019, VMware disclosed a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigation into its backlog of unfilled orders. Specifically, VMware advised investors that the SEC requested a series of documents and information related to the Companys backlog and associated accounting and disclosures in December 2019. On this news, VMwares stock price fell $15.11 per share, or 11.14%, to close at $120.52 per share on February 28, 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. I t's right that we prioritise concerns about the elderly as the coronavirus pandemic worsens . But spare a thought too for those we work with every day: those about to enter employment for the first time. Its already clear that the job market is going to face an effective lockdown for several months. The pandemic is going to knock business activity and economic growth worldwide and we have to face up to the fact that we could be confronted with a global recession that is going to have stark consequences for those currently in work and those seeking it. In the UK, the jobs miracle which has seen unemployment fall consistently year after year even in times of austerity may be brought to an abrupt end as the economic effects of social isolation take hold and we see companies forced to lay off workers. So what can those graduating from schools, colleges and universities do in these troubling times? Already worried sick about older loved ones they may not be able to have contact with, they now face more anxiety than ever about their prospects of finding employment. Many universities have switched to remote teaching in recent days, leaving students more isolated at a time of acute stress. In 2008, we saw investment banks, law firms and accounting firms simply postponing their graduate intakes by a year and sending these young people out to fend for themselves for 12 months; it is looking increasingly likely that the same will happen this year. Of course, such a delay will have a knock-on impact on the graduate class of 2021, too, as there will be twice as many people seeking jobs. For now, candidates must expect firms to have an aversion to seeing candidates face-to-face. In the last two years we have seen many organisations across financial services transition to the use of artificial intelligence for first-stage interviewing, and those with such arrangements in place will suffer less disruption than others as a result of the halt in in-person interviews. For others, there will be cancelled or postponed interviews, late shifts to online or conference call processes, and a whole new set of protocols for the young jobseeker to get to grips with. Those that are not familiar with AI processes will want to familiarise themselves with them as there is every chance that their roll-out will be accelerated in light of the current restrictions. Those that have interviews cancelled or simply hear nothing about ongoing applications should resist the temptation to retreat into a fit of self-doubt and should instead remain as proactive as ever, asking for telephone updates or debriefs and demonstrating a flexible approach in the face of adversity. There will inevitably be some companies that carry on regardless, at least for as long as is feasible. For candidates that are called in for interview and feel genuinely anxious about making the journey into an office, for example, Id advise an honest approach and suggest seizing the initiative to suggest a technology-enabled solution. For those that are happy to attend, preparation will, as always, be key: research the companys recent statements on how it is dealing with the virus, show empathy and concern about peoples wellbeing, and think about how you will greet your interviewer in the absence of a handshake. We are living in deeply troubling times but just as many companies and industries are battening down the hatches, there are opportunities to be had elsewhere. Pharmacy, engineering and parts of the retail market are booming, and in some other sectors there will be business leaders seeking to seize an opportunity and grow while the costs of investment are lower. Career fairs are on hold, events are being called and the opportunities to catch up with potential employers in relaxed, informal gatherings or over coffee are dramatically diminished. Nevertheless, I would advise jobhunters that the same basic rules apply: continue to send in applications, do research, prepare a thoughtful and well-checked CV and covering letter, be available, follow up, be proactive and be willing. This is also the time to bolster CVs for the future by taking an active role in helping communities fight the coronavirus. We are going to need community activism to get us through this crisis as many have said, the country is essentially on a war footing. I would encourage candidates to use their innovative and entrepreneurial skills to devise schemes to assist the elderly, NHS workers and anyone else who needs help over the coming weeks and months. When this crisis is over, those who are able to demonstrate to employers that they played an active part in minimising the impact on their community will have the advantage. Now may not be the best time to be jobhunting, but Id advise young people not to give up and to instead maintain the same stoic tenacity that has worked for so many jobhunters in the past. As Mark Carney, the outgoing governor of the Bank of England, has said, this is disruption not destruction, and life will eventually get back to normal. In an image from video, Bernie Sanders speaks Tuesday from Washington. (BernieSanders.com) After getting crushed in another round of presidential primary voting Tuesday, Bernie Sanders keeps pushing on but it is unclear to where and for how long. In a statement Wednesday morning, Sanders' campaign manager Faiz Shakir said the senator was assessing what to do next but suggested Sanders might take some time before announcing a decision. The next primary contest is at least three weeks away, Shakir said. Sen. Sanders is going to be having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign. In the immediate term, however, he is focused on the government response to the coronavirus outbreak and ensuring that we take care of working people and the most vulnerable. In a more specific email sent to supporters, Shakir offered a blunter version of the message. No sugarcoating it, last night did not go the way we wanted, he said. After Sanders votes in the Senate on Wednesday on pending coronavirus-response legislation, he and his wife, Jane, would fly home to Vermont to begin holding conversations about the future, Shakir added. In the end, however, the senator doesn't have many options. Paths to the nomination have closed off. Sanders' movement seems weaker each time voters go to the polls. The coronavirus pandemic has muzzled his megaphone, making it impossible to hold the big rallies that are the lifeblood of his movement. Now he faces a choice that is not just about his campaign, but also about the movement he has been building his entire political career. Sanders faced an immediate groundswell of calls to quit the 2020 presidential contest after Tuesday's primaries in Florida, Illinois and Arizona gave former Vice President Biden another big round of victories. But party leaders are still approaching the situation gingerly because, more than anything, they want Sanders' campaign to end in a way that does not alienate his energetic, youthful supporters. The critical strategy here is to give Bernie the time and space he needs to make the decision and to galvanize his supporters, and if that takes another couple weeks, so be it, said former New York Rep. Steve Israel, a Biden supporter. The worst strategy would be to try to muscle him out and fester resentment among his supporters." Story continues Even some of his supporters say the choice for Sanders now is more about how he can best influence the party, not how he can preserve a chance to win the nomination. His campaign is going to have to make a decision about his path forward how to make sure the profound impact he has had on politics over the last five years translates into long-term gains, said Neil Sroka, spokesman for Democracy for America, a progressive group backing Sanders. Larry Cohen, head of Our Revolution, a Sanders-aligned group, said he believed progressives best strategy for 2020 and beyond was for Sanders to stay in the race, accrue more delegates, and use their voice to shape the platform and party rules at the convention. Our movement continues to support Bernie Sanders through the last primary whenever that occurs," said Cohen. These primaries not only nominate other candidates, they determine the future of the Democratic Party, including platform drafting. Indeed, some down-ballot Democrats might benefit from Sanders remaining on the ballot and continuing to help increase party turnout. In Wisconsin, for example, the states primary, scheduled for April 7, includes not just the presidential primary but also a general election for a contested state Supreme Court seat that Democrats are hoping to flip. Sanders' current decision point comes after Biden's victories in Florida, Illinois and Arizona on Tuesday night have pushed the former vice president's delegate tally past 1,100, according to the Associated Press. It takes 1,991 delegates to clinch the partys nomination. It is all but impossible for Sanders to close the gap unless he were to win the remaining primaries by landslide margins, which he is unlikely to do. He would need to win more than 60% of the remaining delegates, and he has not yet won 60% of delegates in any primary this year. President Trump took his attention away from the coronavirus crisis Wednesday morning to weigh in on Twitter as a political pundit: The DNC will have gotten their fondest wish and defeated Bernie Sanders, far ahead of schedule. Now they are doing everything possible to be nice to him in order to keep his supporters, Trump said. The coronavirus pandemic has essentially ended even sidelined the presidential campaign as Democrats have known it. Primary elections are being postponed, as party leaders struggle to expand mail-in voting. Biden and Sanders have been forced to go all-digital in their outreach to voters a bigger sacrifice for Sanders, whose rallies were electrifying while Bidens were not. Media attention has been diverted to the public health crisis, depriving Sanders of the oxygen he would need to engineer a comeback even if there were a path. Adapting to the new, overwhelming reality, Sanders is focusing on using his platform to advance his healthcare agenda, arguing that the coronavirus crisis has laid bare crippling weaknesses in the U.S. healthcare system. He gave a video address on the coronavirus crisis Tuesday night even as he was losing primary elections across the country. Some of his supporters ask why not stay in? because few primaries are scheduled in the coming weeks and more may be postponed. Georgia, for example, already has postponed its primary, which had been scheduled for March 24. The Alaska and Hawaii primaries scheduled for April 4 have few delegates at stake and could favor Sanders, who won those states in 2016. Biden supporters are getting impatient, but the former vice president is already pivoting to a message more geared to the general election and reaching out to Sanders voters. Party leaders believe it would be counterproductive to turn up the heat. There is no point in pressuring; hes going to do what he wants to do, said Elaine Kamarck, a member of the Democratic National Committee. Hes brought some valuable energy to the party. No one wants to lose the energy. But under the circumstances, the Sanders campaign seems headed toward an anticlimactic ending. I feel bad for Bernie Sanders that his candidacy is ending this way, with a whimper," said Mark Longabaugh, who was an advisor to Sanders in his 2016 presidential run. Hes not ending with a bang because there is nothing that can cut through. South Carolina officials reported 14 new cases of the new coronavirus, bringing the state's known total to 61 patients in 14 counties. The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reported 13 new cases by Wednesday night. The announcement by state officials was followed a few hours later by a Facebook post from Joint Base Charleston confirming the installation's first case. There are now 25 patients in Kershaw County; six in Beaufort County; five in Horry and Charleston counties, four each in Lexington and Richland counties; three in Greenville County; two each in Anderson and Lancaster counties; and one each in Calhoun, Fairfield, Lee, Spartanburg and York counties. In Charleston County, meanwhile, school district officials said they were keeping students home through April 10. Gov. Henry McMaster announced on Sunday that all of South Carolinas schools would be closed at least through the end of March. Students now will continue to learn from home through April 3, according to a district press release. Since CCSD's spring break runs April 6-10, the announcement adds three additional days beyond what has been mandated by the governor. Among the new COVID-19 patients was one at Summerville Medical Center, Trident Health officials said. The hospital was notified of the positive test result by DHEC late Tuesday, Trident Health spokeswoman Kelly Bowen said. The patient, who was not publicly identified, is a Charleston County resident, Dorchester County officials said. The patient was isolated and will remain at Summerville Medical Center. Officials would not say how the individual may have contracted the virus. Summerville Medical Center instituted visitor restrictions more than 10 days ago, Bowen said. Visitors and patients are screened and any potentially symptomatic patients are masked and isolated when they enter to the hospital. As the number of reported cases grows, the state has introduced new measures daily to slow the spread. On Tuesday, McMaster ordered all restaurants and bars to close their dine-in service, transitioning to delivery and take-out only. Gatherings have been restricted to 50 people or fewer across the state, which police plan to enforce in coming days. Violating an order that's part of a state of emergency in South Carolina, such as the ban on dine-in service in restaurants, is a misdemeanor carrying up to $100 in fines or 30 days in jail. In Charleston, the fine could be as high as $500, Police Chief Luther Reynolds said Wednesday. Private events are not included in the ordinance against gatherings of more than 50 people, but the city strongly encourages organizers to reconsider such events. The city of Charleston suspended all city-permitted tours, both walking or horse-drawn, beginning on Wednesday. Some businesses, such as day care centers, have been unsure how to approach the developing crisis, as McMaster's orders haven't addressed them. His order to close all pre-K-12 public schools did not mandate that day care centers close, as well. "(Day cares) have been provided specific guidance from DHEC on how to best keep employees and children in their care safe," McMaster's spokesman, Brian Symmes, said. "Its important our first responders, medical professionals and others who must go to work during this trying time dont have to worry where their children are while they're performing their duties." Susan Daughtrey, owner of the Loving and Learning Educational Centers on James Island and in West Ashley, said she is making decisions on a day-by-day basis. "We're not going to stay open unless it's safe," she said. Staff at her child-care centers have increased cleaning efforts. No new children are allowed and parents of sick children are told to keep them home. The parents who rely on her care, which include many health care workers, are grateful for it, Daughtrey said. The total number of children showing up to the centers has dropped by about half, to 100 or fewer. The centers start with children as young as 6 weeks and goes up to those old enough for school. While the center's doors remain open, staffers are trying to keep things as normal as possible for the children, she said. They receive academic, outdoor and free time during a 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. schedule. "I'm not trying to operate out of fear, but also be very responsible about how we're going about this," Daughtrey said. "I feel like we're not getting enough from the government telling us what we need to be doing, as far as closing." Many counties and towns have closed playgrounds and parks, such as Isle of Palms and Sullivan's Island. Columbia enacted a curfew from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., which could last for up to two months. The governor's office said a statewide curfew is not necessary. "We've got to do something to get the attention of the public that this is a very, very serious disease," Columbia City Councilman Howard Duvall told Free Times. "If the public will not have some self-control to stay out of crowds, to stay indoors, to limit their contact with other people, this virus has the potential of killing a lot of people." The American Civil Liberties Unions of South Carolina urged criminal justice institutions to also implement stricter safety measures in jails and prisons and allow inmates to practice as much social distancing as possible. Police, the organization urged, should limit arrests to serious infractions, and especially avoid taking people into custody for breaking laws that disproportionately affect homeless people. To limit contact between officers and individuals, the Charleston Police Department said Wednesday that only "items deemed in need of urgent release" will be returned to their owners by the evidence custodian, effective immediately. The also asked solicitors to seek sentences that don't unnecessarily land people in jail or under house arrest without medical care and to dismiss cases involving minor offenses. Temporarily vacating fine and fee enforcement would also lower the incarceration rate, the ACLU said. Judges could balance accessibility and safety in their courtrooms by avoiding bench warrants and allowing personal recognizance bonds for defendants who can't afford bail, the ACLU argued. Jail and prison administrators say they've already taken steps to increase sanitation and distance between inmates, but the ACLU urged them to make testing and medical care more accessible and find isolation tactics that don't include solitary confinement. Meanwhile, blood donation centers are urging healthy people to help them build up a supply that has dwindled as officials cancel events and individuals try to stay home. The Blood Connection, which is the sole supplier to Roper hospitals in the state, is down to about 9,000 units of blood, the equivalent of 18 normal days of donations, spokeswoman Allie Van Dyke said. Donations began trickling off in the affected areas, but are now down throughout the state, according to Van Dyke. The Red Cross has seen 105 drives canceled across the Palmetto State as concerns over the coronavirus grow, spokeswoman Maya Franklin said, leaving about 1,250 units uncollected. They generally need 220 units each day to keep hospitals stocked. The Red Cross has ramped up safety precautions at donation sites, spacing out beds and checking temperatures before allowing anyone into the facility, according to Franklin. "This could be another health care emergency, on top of (the coronavirus)," Franklin said. "We don't really have anything to compare this situation to." At Tidelands Health, doctors have been trying to strategize their blood usage for years, Dr. Gerald Harmon said. "With any prolongation, it's going to stress an already under-resourced system, so I won't be Pollyannaish," Harmon said. "We're not going to ration it ... (our usage) is reactive the the environment we can predict. ... If we don't do something to mitigate that spread, we'll find ourselves in a shortage." Stephen Hobbs, Gregory Yee, David Slade, Jenna Schiferl and Andy Shain contributed to this report. 18 March 2020 Hydro Hotel, Eastbourne, Plc ("Hydro Hotel" or the "Company") Statement re Annual General Meeting The Company's 125th Annual General Meeting (AGM), based on current advice, will be held at 11.30am on 23 March 2020 at the Hydro Hotel, Mount Road, Eastbourne. In view of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, the Company is strongly encouraging shareholders to vote on any of the matters of business through completion of a proxy form, which should then be sent by post to the Company's Registrars, rather than attend the meeting in person. Proxy forms were included with the 2019 Annual Report already sent to shareholders. In order to reduce the risk of infection, the meeting will only consider and vote upon the various resolutions set out in the notice of the meeting and will conclude immediately thereafter. Please note that the shareholders' lunch is cancelled. The Company is taking these precautionary measures to safeguard shareholders' and employees' health and make the AGM as safe and efficient as possible. The Company expects shareholders to comply with all Government guidance provided up to the date of the meeting. The Directors of Hydro Hotel accept responsibility for the content of this announcement. Enquiries: THE EDGE OF THE GILA WILDERNESS, N.M. - A voice interrupted the crackle of the radio at basecamp: Starting pursuit. The rest of the team on the ground was anxious to hear those words after the low-flying helicopter crew had been working all morning to get close to one of the Mexican gray wolves that had been targeted as part of an annual survey of the endangered predators. For months, crews combed the rugged mountains of the southwestern United States, tracking collared wolves and looking for evidence of new packs to build the most accurate picture possible of just how many wolves are roaming the wild in New Mexico and Arizona. The results of the painstaking effort were finally released Wednesday, revealing there are more wolves in the wild than at any time since federal wildlife managers initiated efforts to conserve the animals decades ago. Since the first wolves were released in 1998, the program aimed at re-establishing the species across its historic range has had its share of fits and starts due to illegal shootings, courtroom battles and politics. The challenges are mounting as ranchers and rural residents say the situation for them has become untenable as 2019 marked a record year for livestock kills. ___ ENCOURAGING NUMBERS At least 163 wolves were counted during the recent survey. That marks a nearly 25% jump in the population from the previous year and puts wildlife managers about half way to meeting the goal that has been set for declaring the species recovered. Officials say the population has increased an average of 15% annually over the last decade, marking what they consider to be a healthy pace. This is the second year we have seen a significant increase in the wild population of Mexican wolves, a success that is directly tied to the science-based, on-the-ground management efforts of the Interagency Field Team, said Amy Lueders, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Southwest regional director. The recent count found there were 42 packs in the wild and half of them had pups last spring. In all, about 90 pups were born last year and nearly 60% of them survived, beating the average survival rate for Mexican wolf pups. The recovery team also placed 12 captive-born pups into five wild dens to boost the genetic variability of the wild population. The cross-fostering technique has been used for a few years now and appears to be paying off as four fostered wolves have survived to breeding age, resulting in multiple litters of pups born in the wild. Three more fostered wolves will reach breeding age this spring. Youve got wild wolves raising those pups, teaching them to be wild rather than taking a captive adult thats used to people and not used to killing and feeding itself. When you put those adults out in the wild, theyre the ones that tend to cause problems, said Brady McGee, the Mexican gray wolf recovery co-ordinator. The last few years, weve shied away from doing the adult releases for that reason and working more with the pups. ___ BEYOND FRUSTRATING No matter the number of wolves on the landscape, ranchers say the threat to their livelihood is becoming more dire. They point to the recent spike in the number of cattle kills. In fact, 2019 marked a record with more livestock being killed than in any year since the first captive-bred wolves were released in 1998. Federal wildlife officials have been poring over the data to determine the reason for the increase and to develop potential strategies to reverse the upward trend. Megan Richardson runs a cattle ranch with her husband near Beaverhead, in the heart of the wolf recovery zone. She said the predators have harassed her horses and that packs like to nibble on the back ends of her cattle, leaving them with open wounds. Richardson and others believe there are more wolves in the wild than what the annual count turns up. She says she and her neighbours are the boots on the ground and see them regularly. Almost daily we pass volunteers who have the trackers who go out and track the wolves, she said. They wont even stop and speak with us. Its come to the point where its like they hate us, we hate them, they dont want us there. Were trying to survive and make a living and support our families so its beyond frustrating. Audrey McQueen, a single mother of four young children, said her ranch southwest of Reserve, New Mexico, has been hit hard over the last year as there are three packs that roam the mountainous area that includes her spread. She said her losses due to cattle and calf kills average about $50,000 annually but it could be more than a year before ranchers see any money from the claims they file with a co-existence council set up to address some of the financial effects of the reintroduction. We cant even have a normal life, McQueen said. We work all day and at night were driving up and down, shining the light just trying to haze off wolves. Everyone is worn out. Normal stuff is building fence and riding and were not even able to do that because all we are is wolf patrol. Richardson and McQueen say theyve tried to work with federal officials to haze the wolves but nothing has worked. ___ SEARCHING FOR SOLUTIONS Unlike wolf reintroductions in Yellowstone and the northern United States, wildlife managers in the Southwest are faced with a climate that has encouraged a year-round calving season, meaning conflicts between livestock and wolves are constant rather than just a few months out of the year. The ranching culture is passed on from one generation to the next and theyve always done it this way. With the wolves here, they do need to do things a little different, McGee said. Weve been talking with a few of the ranchers and throwing a few ideas out. Those include calving in the late spring or early summer when there are also elk calves in the wild to lessen the pressure on livestock herds. McGee also has suggested moving herds further from wolf den sites during calving season. Ranchers say thats not always possible since the cattle need to be where feed is available and there are certain pastures that need to be avoided at certain times of the year due noxious weeds, making the chess game nearly impossible. Last year, 184 livestock kills were confirmed across New Mexico and Arizona and ranchers say some cases went unreported. Wildlife managers acknowledge the problems and are trying to determine what might be behind the spike. Every partner thats engaged, thats our top priority going into 2020 figuring out some really good solutions for the depredation because its not a sustainable level for anybody, said Fish and Wildlife Service spokeswoman Aislinn Maestas. There already are a lot of tools in the chest from range riders on horseback who scare the wolves away with cracker shots to flagging along fence lines and sometimes feeding caches to draw the wolves away from the cattle. In December alone, the wolf team conducted more than two dozen days and nights of hazing in problem areas and maintained one diversionary food cache. The work has continued this year and there are regular calls and meetings with ranchers. Still, McGee said its been hard overcoming the lore attached to the predators. Theres still a huge misconception about wolves out there, he said. People think wolves are big bad dangerous animals. Once common throughout the Southwest U.S. and northern Mexico, the Mexican gray wolf is now the rarest subspecies of gray wolf in North America. It was all but eliminated by the 1970s, prompting the federal government to develop a captive breeding program. Environmentalists have pushed for years for releasing more captive wolves into the wild, saying the current population is not sustainable without constant human intervention and cannot withstand current mortality rates. There were 14 wolves found dead in the wild in 2019, far less than the 21 documented the year before. Ensuring that wolves and people can coexist is an essential part of long-term success, said Bryan Bird with Defenders of Wildlife. The Mexican gray wolf is an integral part of southwestern ecosystems and we must do everything we can to ensure the species is given the protections they need to survive. ___ ORGANIZED CHAOS Back at basecamp on the edge of the Gila National Forest, it looks like a NASCAR pit stop. All hands are on deck as the team scrambles to process the wolf that had just been darted and captured. They have to work quickly. The young male is weighed and measured. Teeth are checked. Blood is drawn. Vaccines are given. Its temperature is taken repeatedly to ensure its not in distress. A new collar is affixed as its stretched out on the bed of a pickup truck. Activity swirls all about, but the wolf is nearly motionless, except for the occasional lick of its tongue. We have a really good crew, biologist Maggie Dwire says. A lot of these people have been doing it for a really long time so its a pretty well-oiled machine when an animal comes in. It may look like chaos, but its organized chaos. With a collective breath, the team then loads the wolf back onto the helicopter, the blades spin up and away it goes. Canada is taking measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and accommodate immigrants affected by associated service disruptions and travel restrictions New Canadian immigration instructions during coronavirus pandemic Canada is taking measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and accommodate immigrants affected by associated service disruptions and travel restrictions New Canadian immigration instructions during coronavirus pandemic Canada is taking measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and accommodate immigrants affected by associated service disruptions and travel restrictions New Canadian immigration instructions during coronavirus pandemic Canada is taking measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and accommodate immigrants affected by associated service disruptions and travel restrictions Shelby Thevenot Kareem El-Assal Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A Click here to find out everything you need to know about the coronavirus and Canada immigration. Canada is taking exceptional measures to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, and help immigrants and travellers affected by service disruptions. The following is a summary of policies that were just announced by the federal government: Restrictions on foreign travel to Canada On March 18th, the federal government announced the closure of the Canada-U.S. border to all non-essential travel. On Monday, March 16, Canada had already announced it is closing its borders to most people who are not Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Exceptions will be made for immediate family members of Canadians, U.S. citizens (now also restricted by new measures), aircrew members, and diplomats. Border restrictions will not apply to cargo and goods transportation. In addition, airlines have been instructed to check all boarding passengers for symptoms of COVID-19, and no one who presents symptoms will be allowed to fly to Canada. Starting Wednesday, March 18, only four Canadian airports will be open to international flights: Toronto Pearson International Airport, Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, Calgary International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport. For now, flights from the U.S., Mexico, the Caribbean, as well as Saint-Pierre and Miquelon will not be affected by this measure. Domestic flights within Canada will also be unaffected. Subscribe to stay updated Special IRCC measures Canadas immigration department also released new instructions for officials and immigrants affected by COVID-19, on Sunday, March 15. IRCC announced they will be cancelling all citizenship ceremonies, citizenship tests and retests, and itinerant service trips until further notice. The new program delivery instructions are an effort to prevent the spread of the virus, and to help those whose immigration applications are affected by service disruptions, including people who are applying for temporary residence, permanent residence, and Canadian citizenship. In-person permanent resident landing appointments and pre-scheduled in-person refugee claim appointments will be cancelled until April 13. In-person refugee claims can still be submitted until further notice. Under new general processing measures, IRCC says applications will not be refused for non-compliance and all those currently in progress at IRCC offices abroad at case processing centres and within the Domestic Network will continue to be processed. There may be delays as some visa application centres are closed until further notice, and some IRCC offices are operating with essential staff only. Expedited processing for those in special circumstances will continue to be at the discretion of the Migration Program Manager of the responsible IRCC office, and the manager of the responsible processing office in Canada. IRCC may continue to request any additional documents necessary for processing all citizenship and immigration applications. These might include police certificates, biometrics, passports, medical exams, and any documents that must be issued by authorities in China, Iran or South Korea. When additional documentation is required, immigration officers will send a request letter allowing the applicant 90 days to respond. If a previous request for additional documents was sent, but the applicant could not meet the deadline, applicants will be given an additional 90 days to respond. Though the biometric instruction letter will continue to say that applicants have 30 days to give biometrics, they will actually be allowed to complete this step in 90 days instead. Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs More time for permanent residence applications IRCC is being more lenient for those unable to submit a complete application for permanent residence before the deadline, allowing an additional 90 days in some cases. If applicants must submit an incomplete application before the allotted 60 days are up, they must include an explanation as to why they do not have all the required documents. They must also pay all associated fees in order to have their deadline extended an additional 90 days. In addition, those who hold confirmation of permanent residence, and permanent residence visas may be eligible for an extended deadline, as long as they inform IRCC of their situation via the web form. Chinese nationals are being asked to take another medical exam if their previous one has expired or is about to expire. Earlier this month, IRCC announced that it would be extending special measures first implemented for Chinese nationals to residents of Iran and South Korea as well. Temporary residents may apply for extensions Foreign nationals who are in Canada and whose temporary resident status will soon expire may apply for an extension to maintain their status. Temporary residents wishing to extend must apply online, meet all requirements, and pay associated fees. Those who have extension applications currently in progress will receive implied status and can stay in Canada until a decision is made on their application. Citizenship ceremonies and knowledge test cancelled Canada is temporarily cancelling all citizenship ceremonies, as well as knowledge testing and retesting events. These events will be rescheduled in the near future but IRCC has not given a date as to when they will reopen. Those who are affected by cancellations will be provided with a new date and time in the coming weeks. IRCC will consider urgent processing on a case by case basis. Those who feel their case is urgent can contact the immigration department at IRCC.Rescheduling-RVreporteCOVID.IRCC@cic.gc.ca. IRCC will also reschedule missed appointments for citizenship-related appointments such as interviews, hearings, oath ceremonies, as well as knowledge tests and retests. Once applicants notify IRCC that they have returned to Canada the responsible office has been instructed to ensure that they are rescheduled within a reasonable time frame so as to not delay processing times. Applicants will receive a new notice to appear that will be treated as their first notice. Officers will provide applicants an additional 45 days upon their return to Canada to comply with requests for Medical Opinion forms. It is also important to note that applicants must still meet the physical presence requirements as per the normal procedure. Extra days spent in China, Iran or South Korea will not count as days in Canada. Click here to learn more about Canadas response to the coronavirus pandemic. Click here for more information from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Subscribe to stay updated 2020 CIC News All Rights Reserved We can't fight against virus in this 'Kalyuga', Justice Arun Mishra on Wednesday observed during his conversation with a senior advocate while hearing a case in the Supreme Court. "These epidemics are happening in every 100 years," Justice Mishra said, adding "Ghor kalyug mein virus se hum fight nahi kar sakte (We can't against this virus in this Kalyuga)." "See the frailty of humans. You may do anything and everything, you may devise all weapons. But, you can't fight this virus. We have to fight this at our own level," Justice Mishra further observed. Conversing with senior advocate Aryaman Sundar while hearing a case in which the advocate was appearing, Justice Mishra further said that everybody should fight coronavirus at their own level. "The best statement so far is everybody should fight it, not only the government. If we fight is at our own level we can overcome it. You have to fight for yourself not anyone else," he said. Justice MR Shah, who was sharing the Bench with Justice Mishra also suggested Sundaram, that senior advocates should only be accompanied with one junior advocate. "This is a request to the Bar also, a senior advocate should only come with one advocate. You all come with 5-6 advocates. This is ultimately for our sake," Justice Shah said. Senior advocate Sundaram told the Bench that he has a theory -- " selection, that is, the stronger person will kill the weaker. The thing is that the mortality rate has increased, the Earth will not be able to handle it." He suggested that most important cases should be heard by the court. The top court has taken several measures to deal with coronavirus and few Benches are sitting and taking up urgent and important matters. Thermal screening is being done at the entry points, people are asked to fill self-declaration forms and hand sensitisers are being put before every court rooms, departments and even in media rooms. A total of 151 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in India so far, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Wednesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) No mining activity has been carried out by China in Arunachal Pradesh, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday New Delhi: No mining activity has been carried out by China in Arunachal Pradesh, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The minister also said that government keeps a close watch on all developments related to national security. In a written reply to a question on whether China was conducting any mining activity near the Arunachal Pradesh border, the minister stated: "No such activity has been carried out by China inside the territory of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh." "Government keeps a constant watch on all developments having a bearing on India's security and takes all necessary measures to safeguard it," he added. Security as a Service Market Research Report: By Security Type (Application Security, Database Security, Endpoint Security, Web & Email Security), Deployment Model (Private Cloud, Public Cloud, Hybrid Cloud), Enterprise (Large Enterprises, Small & Medium Enterprises), Application (Data Loss Prevention, Identity & Access Management, Risk & Compliance Management, Unified Threat Management, Intrusion Detection, Encryption), Vertical (BFSI, Healthcare, IT & Telecom, Retail) NEW YORK, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- An increasingly number of companies and individuals are turning to cloud computing, as it helps them save substantially on expenditure. Cloud requires no physical infrastructure, and companies also do not have to hire too many IT professionals. Further, people can access the structured and unstructured data stored on the cloud from anywhere. However, cloud often falls victim to cyber-attacks, which is pushing the demand for security solutions. As a result, the global security as a service market share would grow to $43.4 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 17.4% during the forecast period (20202030), from $7.8 billion in 2019. According to the Cost of a Data Breach Report 2019, jointly published by the Ponemon Institute and IBM Corporation, companies withstood average losses of $3.92 million in 2019, as a result of data breaches. Therefore, with businesses increasingly migrating to the cloud and number of cyber-attacks rising, the demand for security solutions is mushrooming. Get the Sample Copy of this Report at: https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/security-as-a-service-market/report-sample Database Security to Witness Fastest Advance during Forecast Period During the forecast period, the adoption of database security solutions would grow the fastest in the security as a service market, at a CAGR of 18.4%, as firms are rapidly transferring their data to the cloud, to make the most of cost-effectiveness, performance, and operational flexibility advantages. But, due to cloud often becoming an easy target of data breaches, the adoption of security solutions to protect the database is rising. In 2030, hybrid cloud would be the most popular deployment method in the security as a service market, as it offers users personalization ability and the flexibility of data access, control, ownership, updation, maintenance, and storage. Browse report overview with 99 tables and 67 figures spread through 172 pages and detailed TOC on "Security as a Service Market Research Report: Global Industry Share, Drivers, Demand and Trends Analysis Forecast Report to 2030" at: https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/security-as-a-service-market In the coming years, small and medium enterprises (SME) are projected to experience higher CAGR, as they are rapidly adopting software as a service (SaaS) solutions to reduce their IT spending, which creates the need to implement robust security measures. During the historical period (20142019), the highest revenue was generated in the security as a service market by the identity & access management category. Companies are swiftly incorporating SaaS security solutions for defining and managing the role of various employees and granting individuals the access to sensitive data, based on the designation they hold. The healthcare category is predicted to advance at the highest CAGR during the forecast period, as hospitals and other healthcare sectors deal with huge volumes of sensitive patient data, related to billing, medical history, drug prescriptions, diagnostic results, insurance policies, and treatment schedules. Thus, to protect such data, stored on the cloud, medical firms are heavily using security solutions. Make Enquiry Before Purchase at: https://www.psmarketresearch.com/send-enquiry?enquiry-url=security-as-a-service-market Till 2030, North America would continue being the largest security as a service market, as the infrastructure here is advanced, an increasing number of cyber-attacks are being carried out on the cloud, adoption of cloud services is surging, and stringent data security laws have been implemented in Canada and the U.S. Market Players Leveraging Opportunities Created by Mergers, Acquisitions, and Partnerships The leading players in the global security as a service market are either merging with other companies and acquiring them or entering into partnerships, as such strategic measures help the major players in: Better complying to government mandates and improving the governance Innovating cloud security solutions in lesser time Integrating their security solutions on the cloud platforms of the leading technology firms Enhancing their offerings with expertise of cloud computing specialist firms Mutually prospering in the cybersecurity and cloud niches Cisco Systems Inc., Broadcom Inc., Microsoft Corporation, McAfee LLC, IBM Corporation, Intel Corporation, Trend Micro Incorporated, Citrix Systems Inc., Qualys Inc., ScienceSoft USA Corporation, Alert Logic Inc., Sophos Group plc, HyTrust Inc., Fortinet Inc., Zscaler Inc., Netskope Inc., Twistlock Ltd., vArmour Inc., Proofpoint Inc., CloudPassage Inc., CipherCloud.com, LayerStack Limited, Cloudian Inc., Lacework Inc., and Plaxonic Technologies. are the key security as a service market players. More Reports of ICT And Media By P&S Intelligence Automation as a Service (AaaS) Market Greater ease of doing business is a key factor fueling the growth of the automation as a service market across the globe. AaaS facilitates integration of automation capabilities that imitate human interaction with websites, portals, excel worksheets, and emails. https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/automation-as-a-service-market Data Warehouse as a Service (DWaaS) Market Geographically, Asia-Pacific (APAC) would witness the fastest data warehouse as a service market growth, as a result of the increasing adoption of cloud-based data warehousing solutions by banks, financial institutions, and insurance companies in the region. https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/data-warehouse-as-a-service-market About P&S Intelligence P&S Intelligence is a provider of market research and consulting services catering to the market information needs of burgeoning industries across the world. Providing the plinth of market intelligence, P&S as an enterprising research and consulting company, believes in providing thorough landscape analyses on the ever-changing market scenario, to empower companies to make informed decisions and base their business strategies with astuteness. Contact: P&S Intelligence International: +1-347-960-6455 Email: enquiry@psmarketresearch.com Web: https://www.psmarketresearch.com Stock market carnage returned Wednesday, as Asia-Pacific markets tumbled on global pessimism about the spreading coronavirus, with Hong Kong, South Korea and Australia leading losses. US futures fell despite the US$1 trillion stimulus package in the works in the worlds largest economy to mitigate the economic fallout of the novel virus. Hong Kongs Hang Seng Index plunged 4.2 per cent, or 971.91 points, to 22,291.82, with 49 of the 50 constituent members posting losses. This was the fourth time this year the Hang Seng Index has dropped more than 900 points. On March 9, the gauge tumbled by 1,106 points. The Hang Seng last traded around that level in January 2017. Investors have seen their portfolios clobbered, and the benchmark is down 20 per cent for the year. Big name companies listed in Hong Kong fell hard. Stocks falling more than 4 per cent included Tencent, Alibaba, AAC Tech, Sunny Optical and casino operator Sands China. (Alibaba is the parent company of the South China Morning Post.) The Shanghai Composite Index turned down as well, closing with a 1.8 per cent loss. Three major benchmarks in the Asia-Pacific region sank more than 3 per cent on Wednesday, with Australias S&P/ASX 200 posting the biggest decline with a 6.4 per cent drop. South Koreas Kospi slid 4.9 per cent, followed by the Hang Seng Index. New Zealands S&P/NZX 50 Index bucked the bearish sentiment, adding 0.2 per cent. It is hard to know when the sell-off will end, said Alan Li, portfolio manager at Atta Capital. Traders still tend to sell on rebounds to enhance their cash levels. If policies to fight the virus work, new infected cases may peak out in the next two weeks. Markets will keep an eye on the effectiveness of policies, like border and air traffic restrictions, closures, quarantines and discouragement of large gatherings. A man wearing a mask walks by the New York Stock Exchange, on Tuesday. Photo: AP Photo The decline in the region came as some economists say the world is falling into recession, including the US, the worlds largest economy, because of the upheaval caused by the coronavirus. Story continues US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned Republican senators that, without major stimulus, the US jobless rate could soar to 20 per cent, according to Bloomberg. That would be a dramatic turn: the US unemployment rate in February was at a five-decade low at 3.5 per cent. He told them the economic damage by the respiratory illness could be worse than the 2018 financial crisis, according to Bloomberg. European futures also pointed to another painful and frightening day for the worlds investors. Globally, policymakers including central banks have taken wide-ranging action to try to contain the virus and blunt its damage to businesses and workers. Overnight, the three major US benchmarks surged by at least 5 per cent on the large stimulus package being worked on. While President Donald Trump did not reveal details of the relief package, the stimulus will probably include US$50 billion in aid for the airline industry, US$250 billion for small businesses and cash payments of US$1,000 to qualified Americans. [T]he big stimulus] will do little to open up supply chains until borders open and people come out of hibernation, said Stephen Innes, global chief markets strategist at AxiCorp, who has called global markets roiled by the coronavirus the monster Grizzly Bear market of them all. [T] depth of where the recovery starts from very much depends of how aggressive the virus spreads in Europe and the US. All the money in the world isnt going to make up for the porous containment efforts and lack of testing that should have been given priority from day one. This will be a massively expensive lesson. And the tally goes on, as the greater the case count the bigger the government bailout packages need to be, Innes said. More than 30 benchmarks tracking the worlds major stock markets have plunged into bear market territory, as the novel coronavirus has spread globally, forcing closures of shops and factories. Earlier measures by the Federal Reserve, such as an emergency cut in borrowing costs and resumption of bond purchases, failed to convince investors enough was being done to arrest a slowdown in global growth. The New York Stock Exchange and the Hong Kong exchange operator have said they will keep markets open, while acknowledging the pain investors are experiencing. China has been more sheltered from the global turmoil, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite still some distance from a bear market. The Asian nation has largely contained the viral spread, reporting only a single-digit increase in local infected cases over the past few days. Overseas markets are still facing downside pressure and could impact the A-share market [in China], said Fu Yanping, an analyst at China Galaxy Securities. But the decline would be limited because of Chinas effective containment measures, orderly factory re-openings and further room for policy easing. More from South China Morning Post: This article Asian stock markets revert to declines as buzz from cash hand-outs gives way to pessimism about worsening coronavirus outbreak first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2020. As Naperville District 203 and Indian Prairie District 204 transitions to e-learning this week in the wake of schools being closed to curb the coronavirus spread, students in the two districts will be working on lessons provided by their teachers through March 27. The rates of platform tickets have been raised to Rs 50 at some 'A1 and A' class stations of Firozpur division in view of COVID-19 pandemic, said the Northern Railway in a statement. "In order to prevent the rapid spread of coronavirus infection, Divisional Railway Manager Rajesh Agarwal has temporarily increased the rate of platform tickets from Rs 10 to Rs 50 with immediate effect from March 19 to April 30 on all A1 and A class stations of Firozpur Division," said the statement. These stations are Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jammu Tawi, Jalandhar City, Udhampur, Pathankot, Pathankot Cantt, Jalandhar Cantt, Phagwara, Beas, and Firozpur Cantonment. The Northern Railway further informed that train services to and from Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Pathankot (from March 18 to March 30), New Delhi-Firozpur Cantt (from March 20 to March 29), Jabalpur-Atari (from March 21 to April 1) will remain suspended as occupancy in these trains has come down. The Ministry of Health on Wednesday said that the number of positive cases of coronavirus has climbed to 151, including 25 foreign nationals. Globally, the virus has infected nearly 1,85,000 people and killed more than 7500, as per the latest data available on the World Health Organisation website. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sounds good until you realize that one of Trump s proposals in his stimulus package is to suspend the payroll tax which funds Social Security. Even in the face of a national health and economic emergency, opportunistic Trump seeks to cripple Social Security. by John Stanton Our fundamental responsibility is to protect the American people, the homeland, and the American way of life. National Security Strategy of the United States, 2017 (President Donald Trump) The United States government has no greater responsibility than protecting the American people. National Security Strategy, 2015 (President Barack Obama) National Security Strategy, 2015 (President Barack Obama) At home our most important priority is to protect the homeland for the American people. The National Security Strategy of the United States of Americas, 2002 (President George W. Bush) The National Security Strategy of the United States of Americas, 2002 (President George W. Bush) The United States National Security Strategy is based on foundational Instruments of National Power (INP). The INP consists of Diplomacy, Informational, Military, Economic, Financial, Law Enforcement, Information. Combined with the INP s support, they combine to protect an economy and society that has an annual Gross Domestic Product of nearly $20 trillion (USD) and a per capita income of almost $60 thousand according to the CIA World Factbook . In that publication, the CIA notes that US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers, pharmaceuticals, and medical, aerospace, and military equipment This incredible wealth and power, and the mythical status of America s technologies, could not stop three disastrous events; two of which could have been prevented (911 and great recession), and the third mitigated (COVID-19). Over the last 19 years, the American people have been exposed to a deadly virus (COVID-19), a brutal economic recession in 2008, and terrorist attacks in 2001 on two symbols of American power. And in each case, the response of the US government was to first pump trillions of dollars into Wall Street s coffers through bailouts and quantitative easing, while, in comparison, main street got billions of pennies tossed their way. The national security strategies pushed out by three American presidents (two Republicans and one Democrat) claim the number one priority of the US government is to protect the American people. But as the three shock and awe events of the last 19 years demonstrate, the American people that are protected by the national security strategy are the wealthy and powerful classes and institutions that run the country from their perches on Wall Street, in the White House and Congress, and the Pentagon. The middle and lower class workers are an afterthought. Wall Street Mafia Wall Street is, in fact, a threat to the country. Its focus on increasing return on investment for shareholders has crippled investment in the real economy (infrastructure, retooling, etc.). A better description of Wall Street would be the Wall Street Mafia. An extortion racket if there ever was one. Consider Harvard Business Review s, The Price of Wall Street s Power Scholars and executives alike have criticized Wall Street not only for promoting short-term thinking but for sacrificing the interests of employees and customers to benefit shareholders and for encouraging dishonesty from executives who feel they re being asked to meet impossible demands. The financial sector s influence on management has become so powerful that a recent survey of chief financial officers showed that 78% would give up economic value and 55% would cancel a project with a positive net present valuethat is, willingly harm their companies to meet Wall Street s targets and fulfill its desire for smooth earnings. Executives often explain their deference to Wall Street by saying they have a fiduciary duty to maximize shareholder returns. That s been an article of faith since 1970, when Milton Friedman wrote in the New York Times that executives only responsibility was maximizing profits. The problem, however, is that it s not true. Whatever your beliefs about the moral responsibilities of executives, a fiduciary duty is a specific legal obligation, and law professor Lynn Stout has shown that as a matter of law American executives simply do not face any such requirement. From 1998 through 2013 the finance, insurance, and real estate industries spent almost $6 billion on lobbying; the only sector to spend more was health care. In the wake of the 2008 crisis, the financial sector actually intensified its pressure on the government. Look at the 20132014 election cycle: As of March 2014 finance, insurance, and real estate had spent almost $485 million on lobbyingmore than any other industryand had donated almost $149 million to the campaigns of federal candidates, nearly three times as much as health care had donated. Representatives and lobbyists of the financial sector are so entwined with the agencies that are supposed to regulate it that Washingtonians collectively refer to them as The Blob. This is reflected in the resumes of current and former government officials. The White House and Congress: Self-Quarantine for 10 Years, Please President Trump s la-dee-da attitude during the initial spread of COVID-19 should have come as no surprise. A virus himself, Trump s preference would probably have been to let COVID-19 cull the human herd by not instituting mass testing of the American populace. A dark reading of that thinking being that people infected would continue to travel around the United States passing along COVID-19 to others. Vox reported that Politico reporter Dan Diamond told NPR [National Public Radio] host Terry Gross that, based on his own reporting, Trump did not push to do aggressive additional testing in recent weeks, and that s partly because more testing might have led to more cases being discovered of coronavirus outbreak, and the president had made clear the lower the numbers on coronavirus, the better for the president, the better for his potential re-election this fall. Trump s response to the COVID-19 pandemic brings to mind a scene in the movie classic Total Recall (1990 version) where the sinister character Victor Cohagen (played by Ronnie Cox) is told by an engineer that if he cuts off oxygen supply to one of the city sectors, inhabitants there will die. Cohagen : Yes, what is it? Underling: Sir, the oxygen level is bottoming out in sector G - what do you want me to do about it? Cohagen : Don't do anything. Underling: But they won't last an hour sir. Cohagen : Fuck 'em. In the US senate, conservative ideology takes precedent over the suffering of the American people. The plebes are being slow-rolled. According to USA Today Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., who chairs the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, objected to fast-tracking the legislation. He acknowledged workers are struggling but said businesses are also struggling and that an expensive federal mandate wouldn t help them . The general public might have the impression that the US government had no plan of action for the invasion of the COVID-19 organism. In 2006, President George W. Bush laid down a template for dealing with a pandemic that should have been implemented as China (fast forward to 2020), and subsequently, the rest of the world, coped with the spread of COVID-19. Though the Bush strategy was focused on influenza, all the core steps the US government had to take immediately were well articulated. the Federal Government will use all instruments of national power to address the pandemic threat. The Strategy provides a high-level overview of the approach that the Federal Government will take to prepare for and respond to a pandemic, and articulates expectations of non-Federal entities to prepare themselves and their communities. The Strategy contains three pillars: (1) preparedness and communication; (2) surveillance and detection; and (3) response and containment. Preparedness for a pandemic requires the establishment of infrastructure and capacity, a process that can take years. For this reason, significant steps must be taken now. The Strategy affirms thatto address the pandemic threat. Up, Up and Away, in My Beautiful Military-Intelligence Balloon The combined US National Security budget (uniform services, contractors, nuclear weapons development at the Department of Energy, operations, etc.) is roughly $1.25 trillion per year, according to an analysis by the Project for Government Oversight (POGO) and the Center for Defense Information conducted in 2019. That is a staggering $1.25 trillion in 2019 and you can bet that going forward that yearly figure is likely to rise. It is the White House and US Congress that sign off on that amount year after year. Our final annual tally for war, preparations for war, and the impact of war comes to more than $1.25 trillionmore than double the Pentagon s base budget. If the average taxpayer were aware that this amount was being spent in the name of national defensewith much of it wasted, misguided, or simply counterproductiveit might be far harder for the national security state to consume ever-growing sums with minimal public pushback. For now, however, the gravy train is running full speed ahead and its main beneficiariesLockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, and their cohortsare laughing all the way to the bank. And what about the costs for wars on terror, Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan and its effects on America s economy? The War on Terror is a military campaign launched by President George W. Bush in response to the al-Qaida 9/11 terrorist attacks. The War on Terror includes the Afghanistan War and the War in Iraq. It added $2.4 trillion to the debt as of the FY 2020 budget. The War in Afghanistan has lasted longer than the Vietnam War. The War in Iraq killed 4,419 U.S. soldiers and wounded 31,994 more.59 Taxpayers have spent more than $1.52 trillion on the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. The real cost of the War on Terror is not just what it has added to the debt. It's also the lost jobs that those funds could have created. By some estimates, every $1 billion spent on defense creates 8,555 jobs and adds $565 million to the economy.61 That same $1 billion given to you as a tax cut would have stimulated enough demand to create 10,779 jobs and put $505 million into the economy as retail spending. And $1 billion in education spending adds $1.3 billion to the economy and creates 17,687 jobs. Using this model, the $2.4 trillion spent on the War on Terror created 20 million jobs and added $1.4 trillion to the economy. But if it had gone toward education instead, it would have created almost 42 million jobs. It would have added $3.1 trillion to the economy. That may have helped end the recession sooner. Trump s Stimulus Package Trump has proposed about $850 billion in economic stimulus (in addition to the billions in the House of Representatives aid package lingering in the Senate). So that s a one time shot of about $1 trillion for America s suffering plebeians. Sounds good until you realize that one of Trump Even in the face of a national health and economic emergency, opportunistic Trump seeks to cripple Social Security. s proposals in his stimulus package is to suspend the payroll tax which funds Social Security.Even in the face of a national health and economic emergency, opportunistic Trump seeks to cripple Social Security. According to the Motley Fool, Social Security collected more than $885 billion in payroll tax contributions in 2018, the most recent year for which the Social Security trustees have made information available. That represented the vast majority of the roughly $1 trillion in revenue that Social Security received, and it was enough to pay almost 90% of all the benefits that Social Security recipients got that year.If Social Security stopped receiving that $885 billion, the impact would be immediate. Benefits would have to get funded almost entirely by trust fund balances. With asset levels of about $2.9 trillion, the program could only go for four years before using up its entire savings. Even if a payroll tax cut lasted only for the last nine months of 2020, the roughly $660 billion hit would dramatically accelerate the time at which the trust funds would be empty. In 1972, President Richard Nixon compared the average American to a young child in a family. Nothing has changed in 2020. Wall Street, the White House, the US Congress and the Pentagon treat the American people as children. The lyrics to Woody Guthrie s song, This Land is Your Land ring true in 2020 just as they did in the original version in 1940:: As I went walking, I saw a sign there, And on the sign there, it said Private Property. But on the other side, it didn't say nothing! That side was made for you and me. In the squares of the city, in the shadow of a steeple, By the relief office, I'd seen my people. As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking, Is this land made for you and me? (Woody Guthrie) Older people and those with a long term illness will be advised at some point to stay at home for several weeks during the coronavirus crisis. Last night, Leo Varadkar gave a televised address calling on people to maintain social distancing and praising the work of the health service. The Taoiseach warned that as many as 15,000 people may contract the coronavirus by the end of the month. When the time comes for those people to stay home, he advised that there will be systems in place to ensure that they will have food, supplies and will be checked on. Mr Varadkar also said more advice will be coming for people in the next few days and weeks. Cillian De Gascun, Chair of the Coronavirus Expert Advisory Group at the Department of Health's National Public Health Emergency Team has called on people to set up Skype and Facetime for those who will need to stay in their homes. Dr De Gascun told Newstalk Breakfast that this will be a difficult time for the country and that the majority of people will be fine but it was important to protect vulnerable individuals. Cocooning, he explained, was the creation of a zone of safety for individuals from infection. In this case it would be using the home as a shell of safety from the virus. Dr De Gascun said that health care workers could save hundreds of lives, but that the community can save thousands of lives. He urged the public not to lose faith in social distancing measures and pointed out that it would take seven to 14 days for such measures to take effect. Social distancing can make a significant dent in flattening the curve. In essence cocooning depends where people live and if they can safely go outside. It can be difficult to maintain a two metre zone in the city. "Some people may need to stay in and get things delivered to their door. This is the time to set up Skype and Facetime so people can stay in touch. We want to protect individuals as best we can. People, even those who are self-isolating are encouraged to get exercise and walk to help their physical and mental well-being. When doing so it is important to maintain social distancing. The National Parks and Wildlife Service has expressed concern that many people using parks are not observing the HSE guidelines. Regional Manager Wesley Atkinson told RTE radios Morning Ireland that park rangers had observed groups of people congregating together on St Patricks Day in Wicklow national park, especially in the Glendalough area. The outdoors are important for peoples well being, but social distancing is important. In Glendalough we were not observing that. People had obviously made plans to meet and were congregating. It is going to be a challenge as the weather gets better. Mr Atkinson said that there were also issues with illegal and bad parking. Using these parks brings responsibility. People need to follow HSE guidelines. "Residents have to be considered as well, gates were blocked. Farmers need to have access to animals. [snippet1]987600[/snippet1] Bay Area residents under shelter-in-place orders can rest assured that theres one nonessential item that they wont be forced to go without: wine. While wine shops, wineries and restaurants are shut down, many local businesses are continuing to offer alcohol delivery and many are offering drastically reduced shipping rates as an incentive to keep revenue flowing during a time of economic uncertainty. On Monday afternoon, in the hours after shelter-in-place orders were announced for six Bay Area counties, customers swarmed K&L Wine Merchants in San Francisco, apparently assuming it was their last chance to stock up on bottles. It was a frenzy, said co-owner Trey Beffa. We had to shut the store down early, at 3 p.m., because it got so chaotic that it was getting unsafe. The frenzy was unnecessary: K&L is still delivering wine, like always. I think the panic buying is going to slow down as people settle in and realize they can still get wine, Beffa said. They just have to order it online. (Other San Francisco wine stores offering delivery or pick-up include Gemini, Noe Valley Wine & Spirits, Flatiron, Verve, Tofino, Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant, and Biondivino.) Nationwide, wine sales have already begun to experience a bump due to social distancing from the novel coronavirus, said Danny Brager, senior vice president of beverage alcohol for Nielsen. In the week leading up to March 7, total U.S. wine sales outside of restaurants were up 1.7% compared with the same period a year earlier. Boxed wine in particular is on the rise, with 6% total growth and specifically 8.6% growth in the 3-liter box pack size, Brager said. After Gov. Gavin Newsom advised all winery tasting rooms in California to close, on Sunday afternoon, many wineries scrambled to figure out how they could continue to sell wine without visitors. By Tuesday, many were offering free or dramatically discounted shipping (in some cases, with a minimum bottle purchase) on online wine orders, including Donkey & Goat, Acquiesce, Urban Legend, Grounded, Hamel, Oak Farm, Charles Krug, Benovia, Inglenook, Boisset Collection, Jason-Stephens, Oceano, Aperture and several Jackson Family Wines brands. Sonoma County winery Belden Barns announced it would hand-deliver wine orders to San Francisco residents with no extra charge. Paul Kuroda / Special to The Chronicle Subsidizing those shipping rates represents a greater cost to the wineries than many consumers might realize. Because wine bottles are heavy and fragile and require temperature control, shipping a 12-bottle case can cost as much as $50. But reducing that cost to the consumer might be necessary to keep wineries afloat during this period of government-mandated social distancing. Thats because many small California wineries rely disproportionately on their tasting rooms for sales revenue which many of them now need to change. Fast. The average small winery gets roughly 30% of their business from tasting-room activity and then 30% from wine club sales, said Rob McMillan, executive vice president of Silicon Valley Banks wine division. On average, just 3% comes from ecommerce in other words, sales from their website. Alamedas Urban Legend Cellars, which produces 2,500 cases a year, is a typical case. Two-thirds of our business is from direct-to-consumer sales, said co-owner and winemaker Marilee Shaffer. With the tasting room now closed, Shaffer said she was willing to bankroll shipping costs in order to get wine into drinkers hands. Direct-to-consumer sales which include sales from the tasting room, wine club and website are a crucial part of small California wineries business models, because the winery gets a higher margin on each bottle. When a winery sells a bottle through the wholesale market, the distributor and retailer or restaurant take cuts, generally reducing the producers profit by about half. In 2019, direct-to-consumer wine shipments in the U.S. totaled $3.2 billion, according to Sovos Ship Compliant, but the growth of the category is slowing. Other wineries are even more heavily weighted than average toward direct-to-consumer sales: Sue Tipton, who owns Acquiesce Winery in Lodi, said she sells the entirety of her 4,000-case production direct, with about half going to her wine club. In response to the coronavirus, she was including shipping costs for all case purchases, and said anyone who wanted to pick wine up from the winery could grab it in the parking lot without any physical contact with a employee. With tasting room sales completely gone for now, expanding ecommerce isnt just a convenient service for the consumer its also imperative if small wineries want to survive, McMillan warned. Thats exactly what John Michael Sweazey, general manager of Anaba Wines in Sonoma, said he intended to do now. I bought a new video camera, and Ive been taking some online courses on how to develop a more interactive digital presence, he said. Anaba sells 85% of its wine direct-to-consumer, with the majority of that coming from the tasting room. Sweazey hoped to begin hosting virtual wine tastings as a way to encourage online sales. Its an opportunity for us to learn something new, he said. Lance Iversen / The Chronicle 2013 Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Baiocchi Wines, which sells 80% of its inventory through its tasting room in Sutter Creek (Amador County), announced it was offering a shelter-in-place three pack with three red blends. Shipping was included with all orders, representing about a $20-$50 savings for customers, said owner-winemaker Greg Baiocchi. Since Gov. Newsoms order to wineries is not enforceable and since Amador County had not yet instated shelter-in-place orders, Baiocchi said he planned to keep his tasting room open by limited appointment, maintaining 6-feet distances between all people while inside. Despite, or maybe because of, widespread anxiety over the virus, one thing was clear: People are not abstaining. People want wine, and the question is how you get it to them, McMillan said. The frenzied level of panic buying that K&L saw on Monday afternoon wont last, and if there is a long-term economic contraction, wine sales will inevitably slow. But that creates what McMillan calls pent-up demand. Once you get to the other side, wine sales will spike, he said. Chateau Montelena winemaker Matt Crafton, who was providing curbside wine pickup for customers in the Calistoga winerys parking lot, said he hoped that the coronavirus situation would help people recognize the value of a California-based supply chain not just for wine, but for all goods. Theres something to be said for supporting local businesses in times like this, Crafton said. Were here, and were still able to get our customers the wine they need. Esther Mobley is The San Francisco Chronicles wine critic. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley Instagram: @esthermob Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday said his government is deferring tax payments until August, providing a wage subsidy for small businesses and pausing student loan payments as part of massive stimulus package to limit economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic. Trudeau said the government is focused on making sure Canadians have the money they need to support their families, buy groceries and pay the rent. Up to $82 billion Canadian (US$56.4 billion) is being spent. The money is about 3% of Canada's gross domestic product. Trudeau said he will provide employers of small businesses with a temporary wage subsidy equal to 10% of the salary paid to employees for a period of three months. He said that will encourage employers to keep staff on the payroll. "No matter who you are or what you do, this is a time when you should be focused on your health and that of your neighbors," Trudeau said. "Not whether you're going to lose your job. Not whether you're going to run out of money for things like groceries and medication." The prime minister said those who have filed their taxes and find out that they owe money will have until August to pay. There will also be six-month, interest-free moratorium on their Canada Student Loans as well as other measures. Trudeau made the announcement outside his residence, where he is self isolating after his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, tested positive for the virus after returning from a trip to London. Trudeau said she is OK, but is experiencing flu-like symptoms and headaches. He said he and his three children are not showing symptoms. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A picture a World War One German soldier took with a camera he stole from a dead British soldier has been discovered after more than 100 years. German veteran Ernst Behnke is pictured smiling with his comrades and a military historian is trying to return the camera given to him by Mr Behnke's relatives to the family of its original owner. Robin Schaefer has begun trying to reunite the Model A Kodak Pocket Camera, which still works, with the late squaddie's family. German soldier Ernst Behnke (circled with his comrades during the First World War) took a camera from the body of Lance Corporal Walter Samuel Town, from Dagenham, East London Mr Schaefer is appealing for relatives of tragic Lance Corporal Walter Samuel Town to come forward and claim it. Ernst survived the war and the camera, which bears L/Cpl Town's name, was handed down through his family. L/Cpl Town was killed on September 20, 1917, and his body was never recovered, although Mr Behnke may have come across it which would explain how he acquired the camera. Mr Schaefer, who is also the historical editor at Iron Cross Magazine, said: 'Ernst returned home after the war but his family today don't really know anything about him or the camera and they were not particularly interested neither, which is why they gave me his war memorabilia in 2013. 'I think Ernst served in the Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 213, a reserve infantry regiment in the German army, which was in Flanders at the right time at Corporal Town was killed. The Model A Kodak Vest Pocket or Model A VPK was given to historian Robin Schaefer by Mr Behnke's relatives and now he is trying to reunite it with its original owner 'He must have acquired this camera somehow. The camera is a Model A Kodak Vest Pocket or Model A VPK - and they were produced between 1910 and 1912. 'It is quite rare today and it is a physical link to all the soldiers, from all warring sides, who still lie out there in the fields of Belgium and France. 'The camera was and is a powerful tool to connect children with the past. As such it as done a wonderful and valuable job over the last few years. 'It still works like charm, and we have actually used it several times. Now that the centenary is over I wondered if we could try to reunite the camera with the family of the previous owner, in case they do care about it as much as we did in the past.' Do you know the family of Lance Corporal Walter Samuel Town? If so, contact kate.mcgreavy@mailonline.co.uk There were signs that voters and poll workers stayed home because of the expanding coronavirus crisis. In a day of primary elections described as surreal by some observers, former Vice President Joe Biden all but cemented his status as the presumed Democratic nominee to challenge President Donald Trump in the November general election. Biden swept all three states in voting on Tuesday Illinois, Florida, and Arizona in another blow to Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders whose early strength evaporated as African Americans and working-class whites across the country sided with Biden. In the big prize of the evening, Florida, election-watchers called the state for Biden almost immediately after the polls closed at 7pm local time (23:00 GMT). Illinois was called for the former vice president within 30 minutes of the polls closing there and Arizona was handed to Biden almost as quickly. In an online speech from his home in Wilmington, Delaware after the results, Biden made an explicit appeal to the younger voters who had flocked to Sanders. I hear you, Biden said. I know whats at stake. I know what we have to do. Our goal as a campaign, and my goal as a candidate, is to unify this party and unify this nation. Ohio had been scheduled to vote on Tuesday as well, but officials in that state took the unprecedented step of ignoring a judges order to carry on with the election and shut down polling centres out of fears over the coronavirus pandemic. The move followed similar ones in Georgia, Maryland, Louisiana, Ohio and Kentucky, all of which have postponed upcoming primaries because of the crisis. Democratic party officials criticised the moves, saying state officials should focus on expanding mail-in voting and expanding the hours of days of service in order to reduce lines and crowding instead of delaying the vote entirely. 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, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said in a statement. Millions of voters had already participated in some form of early voting by the time Tuesday rolled around. But there were signs on the day that voters and poll workers were staying home because of the rapidly expanding coronavirus crisis, hindering the voting. Jefferson County Elections officials arrive to pack up the polling place at Our Lady of Lourdes church in Wintersville, Ohio on Tuesday. Ohios presidential primary was postponed on Tuesday amid coronavirus concerns. [Gene J. Puskar/AP Photo] In Burbank, Illinois, a small community southwest of Chicago, for example, most of the voting stations stood empty at 8am local time (13:00 GMT). Only 17 people had voted, a pace that officials said was unusually slow. In Chicago itself. About 50 polling sites opened late and in Okaloosa County in Floridas Panhandle, two dozen poll workers did not turn out at the last minute, leaving election officials scrambling to find replacements. People are prioritising their day-to-day survival right now so theyre not thinking of voting as a priority, said Debra Cleaver, the founder of Vote.org. Sanders, the last Democrat standing between Biden and the nomination, reportedly is not 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. Staying in, they said, would give Sanders more influence over the Democratic platform at its convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in July. Instead of the customary campaign speech after the results of the vote, Sanders on Tuesday night addressed his supporters online in a 20-minute live speech in which he outlined proposals he had for addressing the coronavirus and its economic effect, including tasking the US military with building hospitals and testing facilities and paying every US household $2,000 a month until the economic disruption passes. We must make certain that this health and economic crisis is not another money-making opportunity for corporate America and for Wall Street, Sanders said. Sanders, however, has an almost impossible path to the nomination at this point. About half of the delegates in the Democratic primary had already been awarded before Tuesday and Bidens big win on Tuesday gives him an all-but 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. Jesse Lehrich, a Democratic operative and former Hillary Clinton campaign spokesman who is based in Chicago, described the vote on Tuesday as eerie. Biden and Sanders are debating the merits of marginally different policies in this little pseudo-reality, while America is consumed by an unprecedented crisis, Lehrich said. It all feels like a bizarre formality given the moment a pointless subplot with a foregone conclusion, in the midst of an existential threat. Also on Tuesday, Trump formally clinched the Republican Party nomination, surpassing the necessary delegate threshold. Trump, who had only token opposition, now has more than the 1,276 delegates needed after winning Tuesdays Florida and Illinois primaries, according to The Associated Press news agency delegate count. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are only a few weeks away before their exit from the royal family becomes official. The couple recently completed their final tour of the UK as active members of the British monarchy, a trip that included a tearful farewell for Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. With the couple set to start new lives in Canada, heres a look at why Meghan broke down before her big reunion with Prince William and Kate Middleton. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images Meghan Markle says goodbye Harry and Meghans last joint public engagement was the Commonwealth Day service, an event that featured a slew of high-ranking members of the royal family. The Sussexes joined the likes of Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, Camilla Parker Bowles, William, and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge. But before Harry and Meghan attended the service, they held a special meeting with students who are enrolled in the Association of Commonwealth Universities. A few days after the event, Meghan shared some photos from her secret meeting on social media. According to Express, the engagement was her last solo outing, and royal expert Omid Scobie revealed that it offered Meghan an opportunity to say goodbye to some of the staff at Buckingham Palace. Meghan stayed behind after the students left. It was a moment for her to say goodbye to some of the staff that had been so loyal to her for the past year for the last time, he explained. Meghan and Harrys exit from the royal family will become official on March 31. From that point on, the couple will no longer use their royal titles and will be setting up a home base in North America. Why the Duchess of Sussex broke down With the meeting being her last as a royal, Scobie revealed that it was particularly emotional for Meghan. Meghan kept her emotions in check throughout the meeting, but she broke down when it was time to say goodbye. It was emotional. Meghan was really composed throughout the engagement but this was a moment to be vulnerable amongst familiar faces, Scobie revealed. It was tough, she was tearful. There were hugs, to say goodbye. After her tearful goodbye at Buckingham Palace, Meghan Markle joined Prince Harry and the rest of the royals for the Commonwealth Day service, which was held inside Westminster Abbey. Meghan and Harry were not part of Queen Elizabeths procession for the event and were seated ahead of time with other guests. Although William and Kate opted out of the march at the last minute, their interactions with Harry and Meghan were severely limited. In fact, the only time the couples acknowledged each other was when William and Kate were seated, and the only thing they did was exchange a brief greeting. Royal watchers were expecting more warmth from the royals, especially considering how it was the Sussexes last engagement. Why didnt Meghan Markle and Prince Harry get a better sendoff? Given the lackluster farewell for Meghan and Harry, fans were left wondering why the royals did not do more during the Commonwealth Day service. Even Scobie was surprised by what happened and admitted that he expected more from William and Kate. Ive got to be honest, I was quite surprised that there wasnt at least a show of warmth in front of the world, he said. It was the Sussexes last day in a public capacity as working royals. Obviously they continue until March 31st but they are already back in Canada now. Scobie added that the royals missed an opportunity to put up a united front for the public. But instead, they proved that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are now outsiders looking in, a move that doesnt bode well for the Sussexes. The royals will re-examine Harry and Meghans decision in 12 months. But considering everything that has happened over the past few weeks, it does not seem likely that the pair will be re-joining the monarchy anytime soon. The Sussexes adjust to their new lives With their final tour of the UK over, Harry and Meghan are officially back in Canada with their son, Archie Harrison. Meghan flew back to North America shortly after the Commonwealth Day service while Harry remained in the UK for a few days tidying up loose ends. Although the couple is looking forward to starting the next chapter in their lives, Scobie noted that they are nervous about leaving the protection of the royal family. In particular, the couple is worried about not having their royal staffers around to protect them from the media and the tabloids. They helped them fend off attacks from the tabloids and helped them organize tours and the amazing engagements. It is that team that makes all of that happen. For Harry and Meghan to leave all that behind, there is probably going to be a sense of fear, he stated. Despite their fears, Meghan and Harry are not backing down on their decision to leave the royal family behind. For the Sussexes, their decision was based on keeping their family safe, especially Archie. They also love the idea of having the freedom to do as they please, without being under the thumb of the royal family. Although there are still some uncertainties ahead, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will definitely have more freedom in the months and years to come. Emergency laws allowing supermarkets to stock around the clock will be rushed through Queensland Parliament this week. The reforms, flagged on Monday, will allow supermarkets to stay well stocked to deal with the unprecedented demand for groceries, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said. Law changes will allow supermarkets to be restocked around the clock. Credit:AAP/James Gourley Current planning laws restrict the operating hours of loading docks and distribution centres supplying supermarkets. The changes will come into effect in the coming days and allow supermarkets to operate 24 hours a day when necessary, the Premier said. KAMPALA Tourists from a number of European countries were unable to leave after flights were suspended to many European countries and also to China and Algeria on Saturday. 35 Italian tourists in Ethiopia on weekend resolved not to return to Italy despite the expiration of their visas while others were stranded in Morocco on Saturday after the kingdom announced strict border restrictions in response to the coronavirus, leaving travellers stuck at borders, ports, and airports. Morocco suspended air, sea and land links with European countries and Algeria on Friday, as well as taking measures to confine citizens to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Flights to and from Algeria, Spain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal and Italy were suspended until further notice, while sea links for passengers and Moroccos land borders with Ceuta and a second Spanish enclave, Melilla, were closed. ALSO READ: 35 Italian tourists in Ethiopia refuse to return to Italy despite the expiration of their visas The number of people infected by a coronavirus in Italy has risen over 25000. A further 175 have been killed by the airborne Sars-like disease in the past 24 hours, bringing the countrys death toll to 1,441. A little more than half of those new cases occurred in the northern region of Lombardy, which has been the worst affected area in Europe. The country has been put on lockdown with strict emergency measures in place to prevent the deadly bugs spread. After arriving in Morocco for a motorcycle tour with his partner earlier this month, the 33-year-old Italian was stuck at a service station outside Cueta. Situation reverse Uganda became one of the latest countries to impose new restrictions when it announced that visitors from 16 countries including 11 European countries and the United States would be requested to postpone their travel to Uganda. If they insisted on visiting, people from these countries would be required to quarantine themselves for two weeks, the Ugandan Health Ministry said. This means one will stay at his/her home, hotel room or any identified accommodation without mixing with family members or the general public for a period of 14 days, Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng said in the announcement. She said her ministry is also considering a plan to spray a disinfectant on all travellers, from head to foot, as they disembark from their aircraft on arrival in Uganda. Earlier this week, Uganda deported 22 visitors, mostly tourists who had flown into the country. They were from countries where the coronavirus is spreading, and they refused to go into self-quarantine, officials said, without identifying the countries. Similar restrictions have been announced by many other African countries. Last week, Kenya suspended direct flights from Italy to its coastal resort areas, popular among Italian tourists. Zanzibar, the semi-autonomous island region of Tanzania, has imposed a temporary ban on all flights from Italy. Related Meindl objected to a defense motion asking that Wang be allowed to see the child, who is currently living with a relative. The prosecutor said the child is a witness to the alleged battery that caused Yangs death and to other physical abuse that Wang allegedly committed. Renewed phones, laptops and tablets can be as much as 40% cheaper than their brand new cousins, working equally as well and, because they have been saved from the scrapheap, are therefore a great deal more environmentally friendly. Players in this space include Back Market (raised 48M), Swappa (US) and Amazon Renew. Refurbed, a marketplace for exactly these types of refurbished electronics plans to take advantage of this growing market, after raising a $17 million Series A round of funding led by Finland's Evli Growth Partners. They have been joined in the round by Almaz Capital, Bonsai Partners, All Iron Ventures and FJ Labs as new investors. Existing investors Klaus Hofbauer and Inventure Partners also participated. Refurbed is active in Austria, Germany, Poland and Italy, and now plans to use the capital to expand to additional markets in 2020, notably into the German market. The startup's refurbish devices are renewed through a 40-step process and come with a 12-month guarantee. Founded in 2017, it now has more than 150,000 customers throughout Europe with sales, its says, growing over five times in 2019. It claims to have also posted more than $45 million in gross merchandising volume. Peter Windischhofer, co-founder of refurbed, said: "Our mission is to bring one refurbished product into every household in Europe and change the way we consume as a society, , said. This funding round is the next big step to reach our ambitious goal. But why is it that they think they can take on some of their larger competitors? "We only work with the best merchants across Europe with the highest quality and superior customer service. This leads to the highest customer satisfaction in the industry (e.g 4.8/5 on Trusted Shops), Windischhofer told TechCrunch. Riku Asikainen, managing partner of the lead investor Evli Growth Partners, added: "We admire the refurbed team that manages to have a positive impact on the world and is financially successful at the same time." At the Green Alley Award 2018 refurbed was ranked among the top 3 most sustainable tech startups in Europe, and took second place in the Climate Impact Battle 2018 at the Slush Festival. Prohibitory orders were imposed outside the BJP office in Bhopal, said state police officials on Wednesday. Earlier today, the police had detained the Congress workers protesting outside the BJP office in the state capital against the detention of Digvijay Singh in Bengaluru. Singh was detained after he sat on a dharna when he was not allowed to meet rebel Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs lodged at a hotel in Bengaluru. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vietnam has decided to suspend its visa issuance to all foreigners for 30 days to deal with the increasingly serious epidemic caused by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The suspension started at 00:00 on Wednesday, March 18, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Tuesday. People who are exempt from a visa will be required to submit documents proving they have tested negative for COVID-19 issued by an authorized agency and accepted by Vietnam in order to enter the Southeast Asian country. The same rule will be applied to those who possess visa exemption certificates, which are issued for overseas Vietnamese and their family members, and to special cases, namely specialists, business managers, and skilled workers. All people entering the country must undergo medical checks and follow epidemic preventive measures as required. All the above measures do not apply to those entering Vietnam for diplomatic and official duties. Aside from arrivals that are already subject to isolation, people arriving from the U.S., European countries, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will also be required to stay in quarantine camps. Those who are not required to stay in quarantine camps must self-isolate and be put under medical monitoring at their houses, enterprises, and accommodation facilities. The prime minister has tasked the Ministry of National Defense and authorities in all provinces and cities with preparing more quarantine facilities to get ready for the upcoming time. The country will continue to keep a close watch on the situation and coordinate with other countries and international organizations to timely adjust its epidemic prevention measures. The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 198,100 people and killed more than 7,900 globally as of Wednesday morning, according to Ministry of Health statistics. Vietnam has announced 67 COVID-19 cases to date, 16 of whom had fully recovered and been discharged from the hospital by February 26. Among the 51 active cases being treated, 18 are foreigners, including 13 Britons and one each from Ireland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Latvia, and France. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The number of novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 166 on Wednesday after fresh cases were reported from various parts of the country, according to the health ministry. The Kashmir Valley recorded its first positive case in Srinagar, mayor of Srinagar Municipal Corporation Junaid Azim Mattu said. IMAGE: A man wears a mask in the wake of deadly coronavirus, walks past a graffiti in New Delhi, on Wednesday. (PTI Photo/Ravi Choudhari. Photograph: PTI Photo 'I have been informed a short while ago that #Srinagar has had its first positive case for #Covid2019. It's a congested area in the city interiors. We have to be transparent to convey the gravity of the challenge and also seek serious measures and responsible behavior,' Mattu said in a series of tweets. The cases reported on Wednesday include a couple and their two-year-old daughter in Rajasthan who had recently returned from Italy. The patients belong to Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu and had returned from Italy on March 8. As the three were tested positive, the Rajasthan government imposed gathering restrictions under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in the entire state. The government also imposed a curfew within 1-km of their residence. Three more persons, including a woman, tested positive in Maharashtra, taking the number of infections in the state to 45, said a state official. IMAGE: : A woman wears a mask, looks at a notice on no mask and no hand rub, at the entrance gate of a medical store in Kolkata. Photograph: Ashok Bhaumik/PTI Photo In Telangana, the number of coronavirus cases reached 13 with a group of seven Indonesians and a youth, who returned from Scotland, testing positive on Wednesday. The number of COVID-19 cases in the state stood at six after the Scotland-returned youth tested positive for the virus. However, it went up to 13 after a special media bulletin on COVID-19 issued by the state government late on Wednesday night stated that seven Indonesians, who came for religious activity, tested positive. An Indonesian citizen, who is part of the group, had already positive for the virus on Tuesday. The Indonesians have been kept in isolation since March 16, the bulletin said. Apart from them, the total number of cases also include 25 other foreign nationals -- 17 from Italy, 3 from Philippines, two from the United Kingdom, one each belonging to Canada, Indonesia and Singapore. The figure also includes three deaths reported from Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Over 5,700 people, who had come in contact with these positive cases, are under rigorous surveillance, a health ministry official said. IMAGE: A tribal woman worker wearing a mask weaves a Gamosa, in Baksa district of Assam, on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo Delhi has, so far, reported 10 positive cases which includes one foreigner, while Uttar Pradesh has recorded 16 cases, including one foreigner. Kerala has recorded 27 cases which include two foreign nationals. Karnataka has 11 coronavirus patients. The number of cases in Ladakh rose to eight and Jammu and Kashmir four. In Telangana, the Indonesians visited Karimnagar in the state and the administration has initiated measures to identify those who came in contact with them. With the number of positive cases climbing to 13, the state health department, led by the health minister, is preparing a plan of action to deal with the situation, official sources said. The 13 cases include the first positive case of a techie who has been discharged from hospital after recovery. Meanwhile, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao convened a 'high-level, emergency meeting' on Thursday to discuss the measures to be taken to prevent the spread of the virus in the state, a release from his office said. IMAGE: Passengers wear protective face masks in wake of novel coronavirus (COVID 19) pandemic at a railway station, in Vijayawada, on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo In Rajasthan, CM Ashok Gehlot after holding a review meeting directed to impose the restrictions to curb the spread of the infection. The chief minister has also directed the government and private schools to stop parent-teacher meetings and the admission process till March 31. Earlier, samples of the three patients tested positive on Wednesday were sent to Jaipur's Sawai Man Singh Hospital for testing. Rajasthan Health Minister Dr Raghu Sharma said they are being brought to Jaipur for treatment. He said all those people who came in their contact will be screened. Gehlot directed officials that people should be advised through loudspeakers at religious places and public places to avoid gatherings. He has also directed to close public and government libraries. The CM told officials to develop testing facilities at Ajmer, Kota, Bharatpur and Jhunjhunu besides doubling the testing capacity in Jaipur. IMAGE: A worker cleans the glass windows of a showroom at a mall in Vaishali, Ghaziabad, on Wednesday. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo The CM asked officials to talk to the ministry of external affairs about the safety of the Rajasthan residents stranded abroad. He directed full screening of passengers arriving by air from abroad near the airport for which three hotels have been identified. Gehlot said there will be no shortage of resources in the state to deal with problem. Isolation and other facilities should be developed through the SDRF at the district-level, he said. In Tamil Nadu, a 20-year old man who travelled by train from Delhi to Chennai tested positive, becoming the state's second COVID-19 patient, over 10 days after the first case surfaced in the state, Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar said. The first patient, a 45-year old engineer, has been discharged from hospital after his recovery, the minister announced. On the latest case, he indicated the patient did not have any history of foreign travel, describing him as a domestic case. In Maharashtra, medical reports of these three patients, including one each from Mumbai and Pune, have come positive, said an official statement issued in the evening. 19 cases have been reported from Pune district alone. A 21-year-old man with travel history to Singapore, the Philippines and Colombo tested positive for the infection late in the evening, the official said. He is from Pimpri-Chinchwad area of Pune district, the state health official said. A Mumbai-based maid working with a family which had returned from the US recently has also tested positive, the official said. She is the 10th case in the state who has got the infection locally by transmission, he said. A 50-year-old man from Ratnagiri, who had returned from Dubai, also tested positive for the viral infection on Wednesday evening, the official added. IMAGE: Diamond merchants wear masks at a jewellery shop in Surat on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo In Kashmir, mayor of Srinagar Municipal Corporation Junaid Azim Mattu said it was portent that all residents of Srinagar stay at their homes from Thursday morning and do not venture out unnecessarily. 'IMPORTANT: I request ALL Srinagarites to STAY at their homes from tomorrow morning and venture out ONLY when absolutely necessary. Those with ANY flu like symptoms should immediately home quarantine themselves. Report for screening/testing if symptoms worsen (sic),' he said. Mattu said he has been repeatedly urging for maximum preventive measures. "I have been repeatedly urging for maximum possible preventive measures and will continue to advocate for MAXIMUM precautions. Panicking won't help. The best possible approach is to stay at home and follow ALL guidelines," he said. Administration officials also confirmed the first positive case of coronavirus. "There will be restrictions on public transport, assembly of people and some other measures, in #Srinagar from tomorrow. Steps are being taken in view of a positive case detected. Further updates to follow. #Coronavirus (sic)," Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Shahid Iqbal Chaudhary tweeted. Government spokesperson Rohit Kansal also tweeted, "First positive case in Kashmir- Khanyar, Srinagar. History of foreign travel. Arrived on 16/3/2020. Put in Isolation. Surveillance started in 300m area. Request all to cooperate. Also Immediately self report any symptoms." Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Punjab have reported one case each. In Haryana, there are 17 cases, which include 14 foreigners. IMAGE: Billboards on awareness towards novel coronavirus are seen on Western Express Highway, at Andheri in Mumbai. Photograph: PTI Photo According to the ministry's data, 14 people have been discharged so far, including the three patients from Kerala who were discharged last month. So far, 13,93,301 passengers have been screened at 30 designated airports, according to it. Three persons infected with the virus have died, so far, the latest casualty being a 64-year-old man from Mumbai with a travel history to Dubai who succumbed on Tuesday. A 76-year-old man from Kalaburagi who returned from Saudi Arabia and a 68-year-old woman in Delhi who had tested positive for the coronavirus are the other deceased. The government on Tuesday banned the entry of passengers from Afghanistan, Philippines and Malaysia to India with immediate effect. This instruction is a temporary measure and shall be in force till March 31 and will be reviewed subsequently. With coronavirus cases swelling in the country, the government has also banned the entry of passengers from the European Union countries, Turkey and the UK from March 18 till March 31. On March 11, India suspended all visas, except a few categories such as diplomatic and employment, till April 15 to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The government has also proposed certain social distancing measures as a preventive strategy for implementation, a health ministry official said said, adding that these interventions are proposed to be in force till March 31. IMAGE: An official uses thermal screening device on vice president M Venkaiah Naidu as he arrives at Parliament House in New Delhi. Photograph: Arun Sharma/PTI Photo 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. All Archaeological Survey of India-protected monuments and central museums across the country will also be shut till March 31, Union Culture Minister Prahlad Patel said. Students should be advised to stay at home and online education should be promoted, the official said. "Non-essential travel should be avoided. Buses, trains and aeroplanes should maximise social distancing in public transport, besides ensuring proper disinfection of services," the health ministry official said. The government has urged local authorities to have a dialogue with organisers of sporting events and competitions involving large gatherings and they may be advised to postpone such events, he said. It has also proposed that local authorities should have a dialogue with opinion leaders and religious leaders to regulate mass gatherings and ensure no overcrowding. Private sector organisations and employers are being encouraged to allow employees to work from home wherever feasible, he said. As the coronavirus pandemic deepens, panic buyers are stockpiling, businesses are struggling to keep their doors open and employees are working from home. But what happens if you have an appointment approaching at a hair or nail salon, laser clinic, facials or other in-store beauty services? In light of the ever-evolving COVID-19 outbreak, beauty industries are taking extra precautions to ensure customers are safe during the hands-on services in a bid to minimise the risk of spreading the virus. As companies adhere to the advice of the federal government, Department of Health and the World Health Organisation, this is how the grooming and beauty companies are taking measures to put the health and safety of its customers first. Laser Clinic Australia has added extra precautions across its clinics to ensure all of its customers are safe in the midst of the outbreak LASER CLINICS AUSTRALIA Laser Clinic Australia has added extra precautions across its clinics to ensure all of its customers are safe in the midst of the outbreak. 'We are in the business of serving people and it's important we give you as much information as possible about the procedures we adhere to in order to maintain a sanitary environment and ensure the safety of our customers,' CEO Paul Zahra said. 'We will continue to uphold our high clinical and sanitation standards. Our in-house medical team oversee our clinic cleaning procedures to ensure that they are comprehensive and appropriate.' The clinic's practices include sanitiser stations, disinfectant and wipe down of treatment surfaces after each customer interaction and daily cleaning and sterilisation of treatment equipment and rooms. There will be a thorough daily cleaning of all high touch areas with high grade disinfectant, including reception surfaces, door handles, and treatment areas. 'I know I speak for every member of our Laser Clinic family when I say that we take the greatest pride in the role we play in the lives of our customers,' he said. 'I want you to know that you can continue to rely on us. So, the next time we have the privilege of welcoming you into our clinic, you can know our commitment to you remains as steadfast as ever.' JUST CUTS Just Cuts has taken precautionary measures to 200 salons across Australia and New Zealand Just Cuts has taken precautionary measures to more than 200 salons across Australia and New Zealand. 'We would like to take this time to highlight that hygiene has always been a high focus area of our service process at Just Cuts. For 30 Years we have set the standard with salon hygiene practices,' the company said. The stores will continue to use an individual, sanitised comb to cut each client's hair; each client gets a fresh comb used on them for the 'style cut' and then that comb is put into a sanitising process throughout the day. To ensure safety and comfort, every client will have a disposable neck strip applied to protect the capes hairdressers use in salon. Customers will see stylists sanitising the blades of their cutting scissors and clippers with individual Medi Swipes prior to every cutting service. Disposable towels are used in most Just Cuts salons, to increase the hygiene standard of our service process. 'We will continue to uphold our high sanitation standard and have added to this process, to meet the current need for extra vigilance in these areas,' the salon said. There will be hand sanitisers at the styling station and reception areas. Gloves and disinfectant wipes for cleaning hard surfaces in salon, such as the chairs, keyboards and Eftpos machines. FACE PLUS MEDISPA Face Plus Medispa, which offers facials and skin treatments, has reassured its customers the company is taking every precaution in their clinics to keep them safe 'Our responsibility to protect our staff and clients is our greatest priority,' doctor William Mooney said in an email to customers Face Plus Medispa, which offers facials and skin treatments, has reassured its customers the company is taking every precaution in their clinics to keep them safe. 'Our responsibility to protect our staff and clients is our greatest priority,' doctor William Mooney said in an email to customers. Any staff member who is feeling unwell or showing flu-like symptoms including fever, aches or a runny nose are advised to not go to work. 'None of our staff have travelled overseas in the last month and all have cancelled any future travel in the immediate future,' he said. 'All staff will have their temperature taken before their shift commences, mid shift and at days end. We will be taking every clients temperature as they arrive for their appointment and asking them about their exposure and travel.' 'We will greet clients with winks and smiles rather than physical touch. We will continue our practice to frequently clean door handles and all shared surfaces with a powerful bacterial disinfectant throughout the day. Clients will be asked to sanitise on arrival, which the clinic will provide and tissues will be available in all treatment rooms. 'All of our therapists will be wearing gloves during your treatment as well as protective masks,' Dr Mooney said. SPRAY AUS Spray Aus, which offers in-store tanning services and mobile tanning, has put extra hygiene measures in place to protect its customers Staff members will be taking extra hygiene precautions, including washing hands regularly, face masks, additional hand sanitisers and will refrain from skin to skin contact Spray Aus, which offers in-store tanning services and mobile tanning, has put extra hygiene measures in place to protect its customers. 'As the coronavirus situation is changing we wanted to reach out to you in this time of extreme uncertainty and strangeness to provide you an update on what we are doing here at Spray Aus,' the business said. 'We want to assure you that your health and the health of our staff is our top priority and while we always implement best hygiene practices, we have introduced additional precautionary measures. Where possible, we want to encourage maintaining normality in our day to day lives. Staff members will be taking extra hygiene precautions, including washing hands regularly, face masks, additional hand sanitisers and will refrain from skin to skin contact. Additional cleaning practices will be implemented in all studios, while staff that can work from home are. 'We do understand that many events are unfortunately being cancelled so we want to implement as much flexibility as we can,' the business said. USA NAILS USA Nails & Foot Spa has confirmed it will continue to operate as per usual but has acted in accordance with all government advice to ensure customers are safe (picture of the Neutral Bay store) USA Nails & Foot Spa has confirmed it will continue to operate as per usual but has acted in accordance with all government advice to ensure customers are safe. 'You can still take a manicure and a pedicure if you want to and this won't change until we hear otherwise,' a USA Nails & Foots Spa spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia. 'We are taking all of the usual precautions but have heightened them. There is hand sanitiser in the salon for both clients and workers. 'In between clients, we wipe everything down, thoroughly disinfect areas and foot baths and make sure everything has been sanitised. Our staff always wear masks anyway so this has continued.' BENEFIT Beauty giant Benefit has suspended all makeup services in stores until further notice Beauty giant Benefit has suspended all makeup services in stores until further notice. 'This is to protect the health and safety of our customers and employees. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause,' a Benefit spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia. 'Should you have any questions please contact your local Benefit BrowBar.' Staff contacted all customers last Friday to advise them of the new measures taking place in response to COVID-19. SEPHORA Cosmetics giant Sephora has suspended all makeup services and beauty lessons around Australia due to coronavirus fears Cosmetics giant Sephora has suspended all makeup services and beauty lessons around Australia until further notice. As the virus continues to spread, the retailer confirmed the company will not offer its in-store services until further notice as a highly precautionary approach to keep its customers safe. 'Sephora and its parent company LVMH are aware of the current coronavirus and take their duty of care seriously,' a Sephora spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia. 'As a result, they have implemented several precautions to ensure the health and wellbeing of all their customers and cast of the Australian stores are paramount.' MECCA While makeup giant MECCA already has strict hygiene practices and cleanliness standards in stores, the brand has implemented additional precautionary measures While makeup giant MECCA already has strict hygiene practices and cleanliness standards in stores, the brand has implemented additional precautionary measures. 'We will be pausing our in-store services, which includes booked appointments and Beauty Labs. If you have an appointment scheduled with us before March 31, we will be in contact with you. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. We will be reassessing services on ongoing basis,' the brand said. 'We will ensure that you are able to sanitise your hands in all our stores. We will have hand hygiene stations at the entrances of all our stores.' The company is 'doubling down' on disinfectant cleaning across all stores and its distribution centres. 'We have retrained all our team members and prepped them on increased hygiene standards. In addition, all our hosts have been instructed to sanitise and wash their hands before and after each interaction,' it said. The brand has since increased supplies of hand sanitiser, alcohol, alcohol wipes and tissues at all stores and samples will be administered with an applicator and staff will be on hand to assist. 'Your safety is critical, so we have requested that if any team member feels unwell, that they remain at home and we encourage our customers to do the same,' it said. 'It goes without saying this is a tricky time for us all. We remain absolutely committed to doing everything we can to put the health and safety of our MECCA community first. Rest assured, our stores are open, operating and bringing beauty to life for you all.' PRICELINE Priceline Pharmacy has announced 1,400 of its pharmacists will continue to be available to provide advice to customers - but physical contact will be reduced Priceline Pharmacy has announced 1,400 of its pharmacists will continue to be available to provide advice to customers - but physical contact will be reduced and any non-essential services will cease in the short term. In an email to customers, general manager Andrew Vidler said the retailer has suspended in-store beauty services including ear piercing. 'Our 650 trained Beauty Advisors will of course continue to be available in store to assist customers with excellent advice,' Mr Vidler said. The health and beauty retailer has also set up 'health stations' in every store in a bid to minimise the risk of spreading the virus. 'Our stores have strict hygiene practices that are adhered to everyday, but we have put in place additional steps to keep team members and customers safe,' he said. 'These include the removal of all product testers, increasing the frequency of hand sanitisation and cleaning of key areas within the store including the pharmacy, health stations, checkouts and pin pads.' A light flow of vehicles from Windsor, Canada, that traveled through the Detroit Windsor Tunnel enter the customs area in Detroit, Michigan on March 18, 2020. US and Canada have mutually agreed to temporarily restrict " non essential traffic" accross Canada-US border due to the coronavirus pandemic. (JEFF KOWALSKY / AFP / Getty Images) Canada and the United States announced the temporary end of nonessential travel across their 5,500-mile border the world's longest land boundary between two countries that have immensely intertwined commercial, cultural and family ties. The action, agreed jointly by President Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, comes as both nations tighten restrictions to battle the coronavirus threat that has registered 7,400 cases in the United States and just over 600 in Canada. In both our countries, we are telling our citizens to stay home, said Trudeau, who described the border restrictions as an extension of that prudent approach. Trudeau offered no time limit for the restrictions, but in a separate appearance in Washington shortly after the prime ministers remarks in Ottawa, Trump raised the possibility that they could be removed after 30 days when, he said, wed be in great shape. Trump said the measures wont affect trade at all but said we dont want people coming into contact, because that is how we are going to win this war. The new measures, initially announced in the U.S. by Vice President Mike Pence, apply primarily to tourism and to shopping trips. But they injected uncertainty in communities hugging both sides of the border, where international trade is a way of life, where people sometimes cross borders multiple times a day, and where family and friendships pay no mind to international barriers. An extreme but symbolic example is the Haskell Library, constructed in 1905 and sitting partially in Stanstead, Quebec, and Derby Line, Vt. The books are in Canada but the entrance is in the United States. Both Trump and Trudeau emphasized that the trade that accounted for $718.5 billion (U.S.) in 2018 would not be substantially curtailed. Indeed, Trudeau said that the health of Canadians depended on a healthy trade relationship that kept food and medical supplies flowing across the border. Story continues Experts generally consider the growing season to begin in the southernmost parts of Canada on April 1. In some parts of California the growing season lasts all year. Some 200,000 people pass through the 119 border stations a day. Canada is Californias second-largest international trading partner, accounting for nearly $17 billion last year, about a tenth of the states total exports. Our economies and our people are so interconnected in so many ways, Trudeau said in his remarks outside Ottawas Rideau Cottage, where he has withdrawn since his wife contracted the virus. We will work in close collaboration, he continued, to assure that trade between the two nations continues. The ability to go back and forth across the border has shaped the cultures of both countries. The two share a common culture, a common outlook and, in this case, a common danger, said Robert Bothwell, a University of Toronto professor and author of Your Country, My Country, a joint history of the U.S. and Canada published in 2015. The important thing is that we share a common approach. Some 44 million people cross the border a year, half of them on one-day visits, often with Canadians seeking American goods or visiting outlets such as the Trader Joes grocery stores, and Americans seeking inexpensive European-style goods in a country where the exchange rate for the Canadian dollar now has dropped below 70 American cents. A favorite Buffalo diversion is to cross the border to enjoy a cold Canadian beer on a summers evening or to sample the superb Chinese food at the Ming Teh restaurant in Fort Erie, Ontario. A Fort Erie veterinary clinic has several American pets among its patients. And some of those border crossings reflect century-long traditions, particularly at the Peace Arch crossing between Blaine, Wash., and Surrey, British Columbia, where on a slow day there are 3,500 crossings a day; and at the Peace Bridge between Canadas Niagara Peninsula and Buffalo, where in January alone there were 339,011 crossings, including 921 buses. Crossing the Peace Bridge for me has been no different from walking down to the corner, said Erik Brady, an American whose family has owned a cottage on Lake Erie for more than 100 years that cousins now share for summer retreats. The idea that after all these years none of us can go is something that we could not ever have imagined. Shortly after the Trudeau-Trump announcement, there was a 10-minute delay to cross the Peace Bridge and no delay to make the Peace Arch crossing. The flow of trucks at both crossings was virtually unimpeded. Traveling on business is central to what keeps the wheels of business oiled and turning," said Karl Moore, who teaches at the Desautels Faculty of Management at Montreals McGill University. "Video conferencing can help, but in-person contact is vital in the medium to long term." He added that disruptions in the airline, hotel and other businesses will undoubtedly tip Canada into a recession." The border announcement came as Trudeau introduced massive new economic measures to fight the virus. No matter where you live, what you do or who you are, you will get the support you need at this time, the prime minister said. In Canada, public health should never hinge on financial considerations. The Trudeau US $56-billion initiative would, among other provisions, provide a financial supplement every two weeks for 14 weeks to Canadians without unemployment insurance and who must stay home, who fall ill, who are in self-isolation or who have to look after family members afflicted with the virus. He also unveiled a temporary subsidy for some businesses equivalent to 10% of wages for three months to encourage employers to keep workers on their payroll." In addition, low-income Canadians will receive checks for up to $241 per adult and up to $103 (U.S.) per child, beginning in May. Trudeau also announced new farm assistance and a moratorium on student loan and mortgage payments. Our government, he said, is prepared to do more. Additional adjustments in daily life continued to spill across Canada, with WestJet, next to Air Canada the countrys largest carrier, saying some of its passengers have been exposed to the virus and urging passengers on 14 flights, including one from Las Vegas to Edmonton and another from Phoenix to Toronto, to go into self-isolation. Toronto-based Porter Airlines, a vital trade link for business executives with its flights into Billy Bishop Airport on an island in Toronto Harbor, said it would temporarily cease operations at the close of business Friday. But for many people in the 13 states and eight provinces that share the undefended border between the two countries, the most jarring element was the travel restriction imposed as part of what Trump called a battle against an invisible enemy. I worried that this was coming, said Rosanne Stefani, a retired Toronto teacher whose daughter is a lawyer in a Pittsburgh firm. Im worried that I wont be able to see Allie or have her come home. Theres a lot of uncertainty in a time thats already very difficult. Many countries in Latin America and Africa are also restricting outside travelers, further limiting the flow of people from the United States and elsewhere and curtailing the global economy that has developed over the past half-century of easy air travel. The Trump administration is negotiating with Congress on a stimulus bill that could exceed $1 trillion, with a large portion devoted to the airline industry, one of the most battered segments of the economy. Shribman reported from Montreal and Bierman from Washington. Egg producer and packer Lintz Hall Farm says a quarter-of-a-million-pound loss in the last financial year was caused by falling producer prices and increased costs. The company, which is based in the North East of England, recorded a pre-tax loss of 260,719 in the 12 months to the end of April 2019 compared with a profit of 225,505 in the previous 12-month period. Director Richard Tulip said in his strategic report that the business had been affected by low prices and higher costs. "The decrease in the gross profit margin is mainly due to an increase in feed prices, coupled with a reduction in the sales prices of eggs," he said. Veli Moluluo, managing director of the consumer foods division at the UK's biggest egg business, Noble Foods, warned during a speech at the annual conference of the NFU that egg producers had been hit by hyper deflation over recent years. "Yes, volume is growing and that is what is driving value growth, but what is really being hidden within those numbers is that there really is significant deflation. "I would almost term it hyper deflation. As we stand here today, six medium free range eggs are almost half the price they were 10 years ago. In certain retailers they are half the price they were 10 years ago," he said. Latest full-year figures released by Defra show that average farm gate prices for free range eggs were down again in 2019. The average for a dozen free range eggs in 2019 was 80.3 pence in 2018 compared with 81.8 pence the previous year. In 2017 the average farm gate price was 82.6 pence and in 2016 it was 84.3 pence. Lintz Hall recorded a loss in 2019 on turnover that was only slightly down on the previous year - sales in 2019 were 8.91 million compared with 8.99 million in 2018. But the company says that gross profit margin fell by 5.64 per cent to 14.58 per and it has acted to make efficiencies in the business. "Since the end of the year the company has carried out a major reorganisation of its workforce in order to streamline the business and make significant cost savings to combat the increased feed prices that the company has suffered," said Richard Tulip in his report. "This has resulted in a number of staff redundancies. Cash flow savings resulting from this action should begin to take effect in the latter part of the 2020 financial year. "The directors are confident that the company will return to profitability in 2020," he said. Scottish producer and packer Farmlay also pointed to a "challenging market" as it reported that pre-tax profits were down by 40 per cent last year. The company, which files its accounts under the name Aberdeen & Northern Eggs Ltd, saw profits before tax fall from 2.25 million in 2018 to 1.32 million in 2019 - a fall of just over 41 per cent year on year. Turnover was down by two per cent from 19.39 million in the 12 months to the end of May 2018 to 19 million in the same period to 2019. Director Robert Chapman said in his report that the market had been challenging: "During this financial year, turnover is marginally down. This is due to a challenging market, although throughput volume has increased," he said. "We therefore need to continue our investment programme in enhanced automation for the packing and grading operation to ensure we remain competitive in the market." He said the company had installed a Moba 530 egg grading machine, along with robotics, which had increased the number of eggs that the company could pack each hour. Other capital investment included transport, logistics and replacement equipment for the company's arable farming operation, he said. Despite the fall in profits, Robert Chapman said he was "pleased with the results considering the uncertainty of the current economic climate. The retail market is still very competitive. Consumption of eggs, however, continues to rise. This is positive for the industry and the company." "It is hoped that the strategy of keeping all aspects of rearing and production, along with distribution, under the control of the company will continue in keeping the business competitive." Robert Gooch, chief executive of the British Free Range Egg Producers' Association (BFREPA) has said that many free range producers are struggling financially. He said during the NFU conference that real terms deflation in free range eggs had been happening for some time. "While value has been going up, it has not been going up as much as volume," he said. "Producers have for some time been producing more eggs for less money. That is, I am afraid, a symptom of the increasing growth of free range over the last few years. "Producers are struggling," he said," A lot of producers are leaving packers at the moment." However, Mr Gooch said he thought it likely that packers would respond positively on price over the next nine months. One could easily notice the same vindictive behaviour in Palestine against the Israeli forces and in the Indian Occupied Kashmir against the Indian troops. by Ali Sukhanver writing from Islamabad It is a day-light fact that US has been providing immeasurable financial assistance and support to Afghanistan for the last many years. Under the banner of USAID program trillions of dollars have yet been spent in the fields of health and education there. According to a report published by the USAID, the basic purpose of all this support is to help Afghanistan become a more responsible and integrated member of the region and the world. Apparently the USAID programs only purpose is to bring more Afghans back into economic and civic life. US huge investments in infrastructure and human capital are making the country less vulnerable to insurgents and illicit business and more attractive for private-sector enterprise. But in spite of all these services provided to the people of Afghanistan, no one could say that the people of Afghanistan love and like the Americans because they are serving them. The Afghans hold the US authorities responsible for all the trials and tribulations they have been passing through for the last three decades. The Afghans could never forget thousands of their children who were burnt to ashes just because of the merciless bombings of the NATO forces under the command of US. Be they in groups like Taliban or in any other formation they never miss a chance of targeting the US led troops or any of the US interests in Afghanistan. It is their harsh reaction which has compelled the US authorities on searching for retreating strategies. The Afghan people are so spiteful regarding the US troops that neither they let them stay in Afghanistan nor let them go back. One could easily notice the same vindictive behaviour in Palestine against the Israeli forces and in the Indian Occupied Kashmir against the Indian troops. Mr. Modi claims that he has tried to bring a new era of peace and prosperity by withdrawing the special status of Jammu & Kashmir but a recent report of the Reuters points out a situation altogether different. The report says referring to a speech Mr. Modi made at Red Fort in New Delhi, Modi said the constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir had encouraged corruption and nepotism, while creating injustice for women, children and minority communities. Today, every Indian can proudly say One Nation, One Constitution. Mr. Modi might be sincere in his opinion but according to the Reuters, the policy will trigger a backlash from Kashmiris aggrieved by losing their exclusive right to buy property in the state and to fill state government jobs. In short the marvelously gracious favours of Mr. Modi would simply add agony to the sufferings of the helpless Kashmiris. Mr. Modi claims that his actions like CAA and NRC are a favour and a blessing for the people of Kashmir, Assam and for Dalits, Adivasis, Vanvasis, Tamils, Gorkhas and so many others belonging to different tribes. Unfortunately the realities on ground are contrary to the claim of Mr. Modi. The amended Citizenship Act is nothing but an injustice against all minorities and an attempt to kick out all those who dont belong to the upper caste Hindu community. The worst consequences of Modis CAA and NRC are being witnessed at present in Delhi. The Guardian has recently published the story of a 30-year-old Muslim Musharaf who lived in the Bhagirathi Vihar area of Gokalpuri, north-east Delhi with his wife and children. That day he was at home when a mob of around 30 men with iron rods and knives broke down the locked door shouting jai Sri Ram. Everyone got into the beds to hide but the men covered everything with kerosene and shouted: Will you come out or do you want us to burn you alive? They smashed the bed where Musharaf was hiding underneath and dragged him out into the street. The children ran out, too, and were screaming. His daughter, Kushi she is just 11 fell on the feet of those men, pleading Dont kill my father. She tried to save him but they beat him to death in the middle of the street and threw him in the gutter-hole. The violation of human rights is nothing but depriving people of their basic right to move freely, to think independently and to do business of their own choice. And this is what the Modi government is doing with the minorities in India; and same things the US led troops have been doing for the last many years in Afghanistan. Unfortunately in both cases the victims are the Muslims and more unfortunate is the fact that all over the world wherever there is a story of human rights violations, the victims are the Muslims. Certainly the reason behind this universal pathetic condition of Muslims is that they lack unity. A painfully agonizing indifference of the Muslims to one another provides strength and courage to the forces hostile to them. Things will keep on moving in the same direction with the same velocity unless the Muslims come out of their selfish and self-centered behaviour leading them to a catastrophic ending. Victorian schools are paying the price of panic buying and hoarding, with some running low on toilet paper, soap, hand sanitiser and cleaning products. The Victorian Education Department said more than 10,000 units of hand sanitiser would arrive this week to address the shortfalls, which are believed to be hitting government primary schools the hardest. The department is providing its first delivery of additional hand sanitiser to schools [on Thursday], with further deliveries to follow," a department spokeswoman said. "The department has already secured a further 10,000 units of hand sanitiser which will be arriving Friday for distribution." If ever there was a time we needed to learn from the past, it is surely now as Northern Ireland struggles to deal with the seemingly irresistible onslaught of a pandemic. It isn't lethal, like a medieval black plague or the 1918 flu attack, but it is extremely serious. However, we have recently been part of the way before. I'm talking about the devastating 2001 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, a virulent farm animal infection which caused very severe disruption, not to mention damage, to economic and social life in Northern Ireland. The then president of the Ulster Farmers' Union, Douglas Rowe, spoke about the debilitating impact on the farming community. "There was no social activity, no markets, no way of selling product. You didn't leave your farm unless you had to, life ground down to a very slow stop," he said. The rotten effect on humans in 2001 was indirect, but nevertheless his words sound depressingly familiar, as did his following observation. He said that with increased global trade and travel, he believed it only a matter of time before the arrival of the next outbreak of a similar disease. "What that disease will be and what form it will take, I don't know, but I am pretty certain it will happen again," he added. Too right, Mr Rowe, too right. I suspect you were talking principally about the animal kingdom, but we belong there too and mass culling isn't on the agenda as a response. The Agriculture Minister in the Executive in 2001 was Brid Rodgers. She is regarded as having dealt with the foot-and-mouth crisis competently. Looking back, she said: "It was the first test of the Executive because we were really made up of very opposing factions or parties. I got support across party lines. Nobody tried to make political capital out of anything. Everybody realised that it was important to work together.' What is hitting us now is worse, much worse. Instead of the mutual support across party lines Mrs Rodgers enjoyed and benefited from, we have Orange and Green party political sniping that disgraces the political classes. If they all cannot pull together in these dire circumstances, then when? Those politicians should also recognise that there is shadowed fallout from the RHI scandal, which exposed the two main parties - and the Civil Service - indulging in disappointing behaviour. The episode further undermined faith in the competence of devolved government here. As I read about RHI and about what is today happening on the Hill, I thought of the famed 1934 French satirical novel by Gabriel Chevallier, set in the fictional village of Clochemerle, the title of the book. It satirises the drawn out bickering between Catholics and Republicans in the French Third Republic concerning the installation of a pissoir near the village church. The BBC serialised it in 1972. Please re-run it, BBC. It might help Northern Ireland more than the over 75s TV licence business. The Stormont Speaker, Alex Maskey, has declared that it can no longer be business as usual. His words should resonate beyond the border. If ever there was a time for a coordinated campaign against Covid-19 across this island, that time is now. It was dispiriting when Sinn Fein departed from an agreed communal restriction policy soon after linking arms with the DUP to launch it. But it was equally unsettling that the government in Dublin unleashed a different set of restrictions within their jurisdiction with inadequate consultation or warning to those sharing this geographical space, behaving as if there could be no relevance within the adjoining jurisdiction. The word 'island' has a meaning beyond the political. Airlines such as EasyJet seem likely to ground all their flights. Other airlines are thinking along similar lines as European and north Atlantic borders are closed and traffic dwindles to unsustainable levels. Can Aer Lingus be immune? If isolation is the new buzzword, could it apply to flying into and out of the whole of Ireland? Look at the gathering clouds. The European Commission has proposed a ban on non-essential travel to the EU for a period of at least 30 days. The President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said she had proposed the measure during a conference call with G7 leaders. If agreed, the restriction will be in place for an initial period of 30 days, but she made clear it could be prolonged. There would be exemptions for long-term residents, family members of EU nationals and diplomats. For obvious reasons, frontier workers, doctors, nurses, care workers and experts tackling the pandemic would also be spared from the ban. The transport of goods would also be exempted from the proposed ban. That should ensure the ferries keep running to refill the supermarket shelves blitzed by selfish panic. But the EU border in Ireland cannot be hermetically sealed. Ireland and the UK are being asked to align with the ban due to the Common Travel Area. Ever more drastic measures are being called for by individual governments as geographical Europe inexorably shuts down. In our historical past Ireland has suffered by being on the periphery of the continental mass. Possibly, for once, that isolation could help, but only if we fall in line with separation for the whole of Ireland. This inevitably begs the question as to whether there should be an all-Ireland strategy for dealing with what could be the worst threat to face us in our lifetimes. Forget the political dimension because it fades into utter insignificance compared with keeping all of us as safe as can be managed. It would be a temporary measure. To that end, the Executive should take an inspired step and go some way to restore its ragged reputation. Our politicians must immediately approach the relevant authorities in Dublin, set up an emergency cross-border coronavirus taskforce and start coordinating for all our sakes, north and south. As you read this, people of differing creeds and nationalities are criss-crossing the border on foot, by road and by rail 24/7, complete with baggage undetectable except with specialised kit. You don't need to be a scientific advisor to the Government, a medical professor, eminent anthropologist or sociologist to recognise that a small island must combine against a biological common enemy. The political lessons of that foot and mouth epidemic in 2001 still resonate. Pakistan on Wednesday reported its first two casualties due to the deadly coronavirus that has infected 301 people across the country. "Sad to report one patient who passed away in Mardan," Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra tweeted late Wednesday night. Within two hours after the tweet, Jhagra again announced that a second coronavirus death was also reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The minister tweeted that the patient, a 36-year old person from Hangu district, died in a hospital in Peshawar. The number of cases in the worst-hit Sindh province reached to 208 on Wednesday after 19 people in Karachi tested positive, said Meeran Yousuf, the media coordinator of the health and population welfare minister. She said the province recorded total 36 new cases on Wednesday. Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said the number of coronavirus cases in his province rose to 33 on Wednesday. "I can confirm that there are 33 confirmed #COVID19 patients in Punjab. 20 quarantined in Dera Ghazi Khan tested positive & have been shifted to hospital. 6 patients in Lahore, 5 in Multan and 2 in Gujrat are also under treatment," he tweeted. Majority of Pakistan's COVID-19 cases are linked to those who went on pilgrimage to Iran, one of the countries hardest-hit by the disease, while less than half a dozen are locally transmitted. Pakistan shares a 960-kilometre border with Iran, with the main crossing point at Taftan in Balochistan province. The Taftan border has been closed since March 16, but thousands of Pakistan Shia pilgrims who were visiting religious sites in Iran have been allowed to return subject to two weeks' quarantine. More 10 cases were reported in Gilgit-Baltistan and its Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman said that the total number of infection in the region was 15. Also, the first coronavirus case was reported from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where a 45-year old person who had recently come back from Iran was found positive. Punjab Chief Minister Buzdar also announced that the restaurants, hotels and shopping malls would be shut down by 10pm every day to reduce exposure. He also said that number of staff at offices will be reduced. Already 19 cases were reported from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 16 from Balochistan and 2 from Islamabad. Authorities in Pakistan have screened over 1,015,900 travellers since the virus was first detected in the country. At least 20,088 travellers have been screened in the last 24 hours. Sindh government has come out criticising Centre for lack of foresight in quarantine arrangements in Taftan where over 9,000 pilgrims returning from Iran had been quarantined by the Balochistan government in a tent city'. After completing the 14-day incubation period, the pilgrims were allowed to travel back to their cities. However, Sindh and K-P sent the pilgrims to isolation facilities in Sukkur and Dera Ismail Khan and tested them before allowing further travel. In its March 13 National Security Committee meeting, Centre formed a Novel Coronavirus Core Committee with daily meetings between federal and provincial authorities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) (Natural News) Nicknamed Wuhan Health Organization by Chinese netizens, the performance of the World Health Organization (WHO), along with its Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has been raising serious questions these days in terms of politicizing the institution through its unblushing effort to please Chinese communist leadership, while Beijings coverups of the Wuhan virus continue. (Article by Peter Zhang republished from TheEpochTimes.com) To be fair, WHO already owns a dismal track record of failures in dealing with deadly epidemics over the years. For instance, back in 2015, under the leadership of Beijing-backed Margaret Chan, WHO admitted that it was ill prepared to handle the Ebola outbreak. According to a Time article, WHO listed eight lessons it learned from the crisis, including communicating more clearly what is needed, and later proposed nine remedies to do a better job in case of future outbreaks such as setting up a Global Health Emergency Workforce with a contingency fund. Beijings Narratives Yet, this time WHOs failure isnt all about its incompetence, but also includes its less than subtle effort to trumpet Beijings narratives in this Wuhan virus crisis. There were worldwide criticisms of WHOs echoing Beijings downplay of the virus in early January. Health experts around the world have also been dismayed to see that, given the evidence of Beijings draconian control over the virus information, including threatening medical whistleblowers with arrests, WHOs chief would praise Beijing for making us safer, and would declare a global public health emergency only days after the lockdown of Wuhan, the epicenter of coronavirus, on Jan. 23. By then this deadly virus had already reached North America and Europe. Fearing to offend Beijing, WHO danced around for days before finally naming this Wuhan virus COVID-19. The slow response by WHO to warn the rest of the world about this fatal disease has led to public outcries against Ghebreyesus, WHOs chief. Within days, over 456,000 people have petitioned on Change.org for his resignation. According to WHOs website, China ranks 16th on the top 20 contributors chart, lagging far behind the United States, the leading donor even after the Trump Administrations proposal to slash $65 million funding for WHO. Beijings influence at WHO, however, is visible and dictating many critical areas. One of the disturbing acts by WHO is its deceitful management of its website information on the Wuhan virus. For instance, WHOs website initially stated in English: The following measures ARE NOT effective against COVID-2019 and can be harmful: Smoking. Taking traditional herbal remedies. Wearing multiple masks. Taking self-medication such as antibiotics. Yet, the caution against people taking traditional herbal remedies as a measure is in the French/Arabic/Russian versions, but not in the Chinese one. Now this caution in English is also removed. WHO is apparently mindful of Chinas state-run media campaigns promoting traditional Chinese herbal medicine to combat Wuhan virusits subsequent secretive manipulation of information or perhaps misinformation on a pandemic is disheartening, unethical, and irresponsible, particularly for the affected patients and brave medical professionals on the front line around the world. When Dr. Bruce Aylward, WHOs Assistant Director-General, claimed that Chinas handling of Wuhan virus could be replicated, he was certainly overlooking, if not advocating, the system of an Orwellian society, in which rule of law, human rights, transparency, and press freedom are lacking. When Dr. Aylward told the press, If I had COVID-19, Id want to be treated in China. Chinese netizens immediately questioned on the Internet his stupidity and ignorance of the horrific realities in Chinas quarantined facilities. One netizen even mockingly posted an invitation for this naive Canadian to become a Wuhan resident right away. The Wuhan virus, after all, was first detected by Chinese doctors in December 2019, but public disclosure, however, was held up by Beijing till Jan. 23, 2020. According to a newly released research report Censored Contagion by University of Toronto, Beijing has been engaging in censoring Wuhan virus-related content on social media platforms such as the popular WeChat and YY since December 2019, and continues to restrict the disease information. This includes references to Dr. Li Wenliang, the whistleblower who died of this Wuhan virus himself. Such information control may curb communication related to the virus and prevention, according to the report. It is irresponsible for WHO, global media, and governments around the world to use without comment data and statistics from Beijing given its track record of falsifying numbers during the SARS and again in this Wuhan virus outbreak. Western media and governments and WHO seem to have given the data from Beijing credibility by citing it without a question mark. This international agency seems to focus on addressing the needs of the communist leaders in Beijing instead of the well being of 1.3 billion Chinese as well as 23.7 million people in Taiwan. Taiwans Miracle Over the years, mixing politics with public health has not been unusual for WHO. Despite rigorous efforts by many member states, Taiwan hasnt been granted a seat at WHOthis denial prevents Taiwan from gaining access to data and resources at WHO. This blackout was especially crucial during the SARS crisis in 2003 and now with the current Wuhan virus outbreak. In order to woo Taiwan to adopt one country, two systems, Beijing propaganda even describes the Taiwanese as flesh and blood compatriots, yet when Taiwan is in health crises such as SARS and the Wuhan virus or when Taiwan tries to gain a WHO membership, such blood bondage is nowhere to be seen. According to Dr. Chen Chien-jen, a Johns Hopkins-trained epidemiologist and Vice President of Taiwan, Taiwan obtained SARS-related information from the United States in 2003, as Beijing refused to provide any assistance. As a Foreign Policy article noted, some 60,000 flights carry 10 million passengers between Taiwan and China every year. Taiwan has an acute interest in protecting its own and the worlds welfare from this latest health threat. [] However, Taiwan was excluded from the WHO emergency meetings on the new coronavirus crisis. Beijings influence operations at WHO and other international organizations havent gone unnoticed. On May 14, 2019, two researchers at the Center for a New American Security, released a report Peoples Republic of the United Nations, raising the awareness of Chinas emerging revisionism in international organizations. The report states, China is increasingly using its economic, political, and institutional power to change the global governance system from within. [] International organizations thus have become an arena for ideological contestation, in which Beijings goal is to make authoritarian rule seem as legitimate as democratic government. As a self-governing democracy, Taiwan sits just 81 miles away from mainland China with a population of 23.7 million people. If anything, Beijings blocking of Taiwans effort to become a member of WHO during the SARS outbreak has taught this island country to build up its public health infrastructure to meet the next crisis. At the same time, Taiwan has decided to reject the mainland, communist regime. Tsai Ing-wen set a historic record of voters in the recent presidential electionsthis demonstrated the publics strong will to maintain autonomy from mainland China, thereby rejecting the Beijing-backed candidate as well as the regimes proposal of one country, two systems. With more than 850,000 Taiwanese living in mainland China and another 400,000 working there, last year alone Taiwan received some 2.7 million mainland Chinese visitors, making this island perhaps the most vulnerable place for Wuhan virus outbreak. Yet, Taiwans transparency, quarantines, social distancing, surveillance steps, use of big data, and an effective Central Command, according to an article in Stanford Health Policy on March 3, have proven to be critical factors in helping contain this fatal disease to only 45 confirmed cases as of March 10. The most significant step, as observed by many health experts, was the Taiwan governments quick decision to impose travel bans with mainland China and Hong Kong before the epidemic could have a chance to spread. Following Chinas Interests By contrast, South Korea, Japan, Italy, and Iran were slow, or refused, to suspend flights and have suffered dearly in this Wuhan virus outbreak. Perhaps it is no coincidence that Wuhan virus seems to follow some of Chinas geopolitical and economic interests, as in Iran, South Korea, Japan, and Italy. While South Korea and Japan enjoy a similar high healthcare standard as Taiwan, both, unlike Taiwan, have been eager in seeking closer economic and diplomatic ties with this communist Middle Kingdom. Many South Korean and Japanese corporations are working in partnership with Beijing, making them become ever more dependent upon China. Many South Koreans, seeing the nations growing ties with China, are now petitioning to impeach President Moon Jae-in over his pro-Beijing stand, calling him Chinese Chairman Moon. Italy happens to be the first (and only) G7 country to be part of Beijings Belt and Road Initiative (BRI, also known as One Belt, One Road) and had its border wide open to people from China, even after the Wuhan virus made its appearance in Europe. According to an article published on The Guardian nine years ago, in Tuscanys Prato alone, the number of Chinese residents had already reached over 50,000 and made up more than 30 percent of the citys population; 32 percent of children born in Prados main hospital had Chinese mothers. Today, Italy is facing a growing Chinese immigrant community that supports a pro-Beijing communist agenda. It is certainly unfortunate that China has delivered Italy a deadly virus ahead of the promised economic return from the BRI. Italys recent decision for a nationwide lockdown came a bit late, as noted by critics. As Irans biggest trading partner, China has enormous influence over Irans economy and its foreign policy. Iran sides with China virtually on all issues at the U.N. and now has been hit hard with this Wuhan virus. Some top Iranian leaders are among its 7,000+ coronavirus victims. It is sad that great ancient civilizations such as Iran and China are today governed by lawless dictatorships that care more for their holding onto the power than the wellbeing of their people. For centuries, many people in Asia have firmly held the timeless Buddhist belief of karmic retributionthis idea echoes in some aspects with the Christian tradition of You reap what you sow. In hindsight, WHOs denial of Taiwans membership might be a blessing in disguise as Taiwan has quickly responded on its own, free of WHOs poor advice, which is based on political calculations. As Shakespeare wisely wrote in Alls Well That Ends Well, No legacy is so rich as honesty. Read more at: TheEpochTimes.com STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- New York City Parks Department parks and playgrounds remain open during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but the agency is urging the public to exercise caution while using playground equipment or furniture. The Parks Department states on its website that the agency does not regularly clean outdoor furniture and play equipment -- so playground-goers should take their own precautions, as recent studies have shown that the coronavirus survives for various periods of time on a variety of surfaces. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK *** "During this time, we ask that all park-goers and recreational facility patrons use additional precautions to protect their health and safety and that of those around them,'' the Parks Department website says. Though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has acknowledged that the coronavirus survives on surfaces, it currently maintains that the virus is much more commonly shared through respiratory droplets than from touching things. Still, the CDC suggests cleaning and disinfecting surfaces commonly touched to prevent infection in community settings. Park restrooms are also open. The Parks Department is cleaning them daily with appropriate cleaning products to ensure that they are being fully disinfected, the department website says. The Parks Department website also reminds residents that the city Health Department recommends that if you are an older adult or have chronic health conditions, you avoid unnecessary gatherings and events. *** 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. CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE: Latest on NYC school closures: Child care to be available for first responders S.I. to be first borough with drive-thru testing for coronavirus Fact vs. rumor: America is not quarantined for coronavirus, National Security Council says Coronavirus: NYC bars, restaurants limited to takeout and delivery Lees Tavern to temporarily shut its doors amid coronavirus outbreak Photos: Bare shelves inside Staten Island stores during coronavirus outbreak With NYC schools closing, parents and teachers prepare for new normal How fast is coronavirus growing in New York? Chart shows dramatic rise in cases Coronavirus on Staten Island: Non-essential court proceedings postponed Coronavirus: Executive order will postpone all elective surgeries The most difficult part of digital campaigning seems to be sticking the landing. Crowds don't roar when a live-streamed speech is finished. Throngs don't collapse around stage, hoping for a handshake. Instead, candidates are left to wait, solemn and straight-faced, until a staffer signals the all-clear or beckons them out of the camera shot. Former vice president Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., have navigated this new rhythm with mixed results. After he outlined his plan to deal with the epidemic Tuesday, and as unfavorable election results rolled in, Sanders bid his audience good night and looked at the camera for a signal. It didn't come right away, leaving him on camera long enough to take a deep breath that betrayed the measure of his impatience. Later that evening, when Biden wrapped up his own stoic remarks, he was surprised to see his wife, Jill, wandering his way. She popped into the shot, they exchanged a few quick kisses. Then Biden offered a forceful "oh-kay" to no one in particular and followed her off-screen. Such are the adjustments Biden, Sanders and their campaigns are being forced to make in the age of the novel coronavirus. The two near-octagenarians are ditching habits honed over a combined 90 years in politics at a decisive moment in the 2020 Democratic primary. They are doing so as their eventual Republican opponent, President Donald Trump, delivers frequent televised briefings from the White House, and as the spread of a pandemic unprecedented in modern times makes getting attention - and striking the right tone - a particularly challenging balancing act. Before the novel coronavirus shut down much of the country, Sanders was flying from state to state, holding star-studded rallies with frantic advance teams setting up risers and multi-ton speaker boxes. On Monday night, Sanders tried to re-create that energy digitally, hosting what his campaign called a digital rally. The event, streamed live on his campaign's website, included remarks from surrogates and video performances from musical artists - including Neil Young, who was joined by his wife, Daryl Hannah, and his dog, who continually appeared at the bottom of the screen. Jim James of My Morning Jacket sang into a mic in a darkened stage with images of Sanders, his crowds, or the outline of white hair and glasses flashing behind him now and then. Surrogates such as Nina Turner and Phillip Agnew filmed themselves against walls, holding their phones or propping them up before recording messages for the audience. Sanders spoke from his campaign's Washington headquarters, massive stage replaced by careful staging of books and signs - and even a Bernie Sanders action figure, still in the box - and a Live on Air sign in the bookcases behind him. "I don't have to tell anybody that we're living in an unprecedented and strange moment in the history of our country," Sanders said then. The normally adoring Sanders crowd was replaced by a stream of comments and emojis in the live chat at the side of the screen, a collection of disparate thoughts more than a conversation - some critical, some supportive, some nonsensical - many reading simply, "LOVE YOU BERNIE." Biden, a master of the rope line, has also transitioned online, offering tele-town halls and streamed speeches. During his first foray into digital campaigning, technical difficulties forced him to speak into an iPhone while walking in front of a camera during a virtual town hall. In the days since, Biden's campaign seemed to have worked out the kinks, hosting a much smoother tele-town hall Monday and election-night address from his home in Wilmington, Delaware. While his and other campaigns have years of precedent and years of practice setting the stage for the usual rallies, digital campaigning may remain a work in progress. "I liked the content of Biden's speech," tweeted Tommy Vietor, a former spokesman for the Obama administration and co-host of the "Pod Save America" podcast. "Smart to reach out to Bernie's supporters and be sober and serious. It reminded me of the tone we previously would just expect from any president in a crisis. Going forward, it would be good not to stream it on an iPhone 6." The need to adapt has filtered down to other levels of the campaigns, too. On their websites, events that once included phone banks and volunteer meetups now begin with the word "virtual" - virtual phone banks, virtual training sessions, virtual parties. Sanders' campaign eschewed get-out-the-vote efforts ahead of primaries in Arizona, Florida and Illinois this week, citing public health concerns. Biden's campaign, meanwhile, set up a series of call-in meetings with Jill Biden and relevant surrogates. They held four of those calls Monday - one for each of the states initially scheduled to vote Tuesday (At the last minute, Ohio postponed in-person voting for its primary.) They held those calls on Zoom, the videoconferencing platform that allows large groups of people to join meetings with audio and/or video feeds. Jill Biden was never on camera, addressing those virtual rooms via audio. Some of those who joined the calls to hear her made a different choice, leaving an awkward array of windows into Americans' homes splayed across the top of the screen - some cooking, some looking puzzled at the computer and more than one displaying the underside of their chin as they tried to figure out how to turn their cameras off. The Arizona call featured gregarious Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., a former supporter of Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., who backed Biden recently. Gallego was not shy about appearing on audio or video, and he spent the moments before the call began chatting with his wife about what to get for lunch that day, for all to hear. They seemed to settle on salads before Gallego shifted his focus to the call, fixing his collar and adjusting his posture. "We're all trying to make ourselves look prettier," Gallego told the room. "We're definitely in a whole new world." He, other surrogates and Biden spent most of those calls stumping for the former vice president and urging supporters to urge others to vote as safely as possible. Occasionally, an attendee would interrupt. "Is anyone talking? I can't hear anyone," one woman said at one point, apparently unaware that anyone could hear her. Speakers pressed on through those interruptions as if they did not happen. Surrogate events often draw small groups of loyalists rather than big crowds, and Biden's events spoke to an issue he, Sanders and down-ballot campaigns might run into in the coming weeks: broadening interest. Zoom meetings list the participants, sometimes by username, sometimes by phone number, depending on the preference of those logged in. Such details during Biden's events implied that many of the approximately 50 people who participated were reporters or staffers. Others were names of publicly named donors or avid supporters already working for his cause. One of those on the Florida call was attorney James Dickson, who has been working on Biden's behalf for months, joining organizing calls similar to the one in the process. "Quite honestly, I was really discouraged that I didn't see the campaign doing anything in Florida. I remember a month ago wondering 'do we have lawn signs? Do we have lists that we can call?' " said Dickson, who said the Biden campaign did not have a robust operation in his area due to a lack of early funding. "We hear about [ramping up Biden's campaign operation], but frankly, I'm not sure it was needed," he said in the hours before Tuesday's results came in. Dickson was right: A lack of on-the-ground campaigning in Florida did not prevent Biden from winning a landslide victory there Tuesday. The question for the eventual Democratic nominee now seems to be whether it will prevent him from winning in November. As classes wrapped up last week there was an almost unspoken sense that wed not see each other again, though many of us hoped too. Futile hope, certainly, but plans had been made and perhaps a bit of youthful invincibility, too, made it seems impossible. Things changed quickly though. As a sessional instructor at University of Toronto, Ive had a window into the COVID-19 crisis from inside a massive post-secondary institution. On Friday our school, like so many others, decided it would move to online instruction. By Monday, word went out that students were no longer required to be on campus for the rest of term, in part to keep them safe but also to let out of town and international students get home in rapidly narrowing travel windows. Unlike elementary and high schools that, so far, have been given extended March breaks, post-secondary institutions are committed to finishing out the term. This is incredibly complicated. In Toronto alone there are nearly 200,000 post-secondary students attending the citys four universities and four colleges, with thousands of faculty and support staff. Even more attend schools in the GTA and beyond. Like Russian dolls, each school is like a city within a city, each department another town, down to the village that is each classroom. At U of T, Ive been impressed with how meticulous the communication has been as it spreads through these networks and how many keep teaching resources were provided in the weeks prior to the changes that few of us have ever experienced. The details are both large and small, like ensuring students that are unable to return home have a safe place to live or extending library loans and waving late fines. Though the university is becoming a ghost town, critical and time-sensitive research projects, including those related to mitigating the COVID-19 crisis, are being allowed to continue. Through all these changes and evolving messages, the mental health of students is being stressed. School can be stressful at the best of times and these changes are profound. Something as simple-seeming as working from home is not as easy as it sounds. Not everybody goes home to a room of ones own. Some may be going back to small apartments, with siblings underfoot or they might have limited internet. University libraries are always busy, and without easy access to that kind of space, students will be looking for places to work. If youve got a student in your life, help give them that space, if you can. The switch to online teaching isnt easy either. Apart from the teaching itself, each classroom is its own universe, with its own culture and atmosphere. Students all have their usual seats and it becomes familiar human geography. That intimacy is lost online. Though there are successful online-only courses, in person, in class, things like the subtle signs a student knows an answer or has something to say but is a bit too shy to put up their hand, can be seen and coaxed out. Its at this point of the semester instructors really get to know the students, which is the best part of teaching. Its a regret this was cut short, but its comforting, at least from my perspective, to see how much effort is going into getting everyone through this together. Singapore tops as the worlds most free economy for the first time in 2020 Index of Economic Freedom Singapore took the top spot as the worlds most free economy for the first time in the 26-year history of The Heritage Foundations 2020 Index of Economic Freedom. The 2020 Index of Economic Freedom finds a world economy that is moderately free, with economic liberty on the rise in every region, including among formerly socialist economies which have embraced capitalism and free markets, such as Estonia, Lithuania and Georgia. The world average freedom score of 61.6 is the highest recorded in the 26-year history of the Index, and more than three points higher than that recorded in the first edition of the Index in 1995. The worlds least economically free nation remains North Korea, followed closely by the failed socialist nations of Venezuela and Cuba. This years Index highlights a consistent trend we are seeing around the globe countries which embrace the ideals of capitalism and free markets see higher growth, rising standards of living, decreased poverty and more economic opportunities across the board. Meanwhile, those that embrace socialism, protectionism and other failed big-government economic approaches continue to fall behind, and ultimately deny their people the chance for better lives, say 2020 Index of Economic Freedom editors Amb. Terry Miller, Anthony Kim and James Roberts. The coronavirus outbreak, originating in Chinas Hubei province and spreading to other parts of the world in recent weeks, has produced negative economic headlines, but does not presently pose a threat to the trend growing global economic freedom, the editors say. The world is watching how countries across the economic freedom spectrum respond to the coronavirus pandemic. The Index of Economic Freedoms findings shed light on the policy responses that have brought about more prosperous economies, better health care, an abundance of food and clean water, and a higher quality of life. If the Index teaches us anything, its that responses to the pandemic should be targeted and temporary and not exploit the crisis to pursue pet policy priorities that needlessly expand the power of government, they state. Story continues Per capita incomes are much higher in nations that are more economically free. Economies rated free or mostly free in the 2020 Index of Economic Freedom enjoy incomes more than twice the average levels in all other countries, and more than five times higher than the per capita gross domestic product (GDP) of repressed economies. Among the 180 countries ranked, scores improved for 124 countries and declined in only 50, with six remaining unchanged. Six economies earned the Indexs designation as free (scores of 80 or above), while the next 93 are classified as mostly free (70-79.9) or moderately free (60-69.9). Thus, a total of 99 economies, or 55 percent of all nations and territories graded in the 2020 Index, provide institutional environments in which individuals and private enterprises benefit from at least a moderate degree of economic freedom in the pursuit of greater economic development and prosperity, the editors write. The United States recorded a score of 76.6, slightly lower than its 2019 score, which the editors attribute to reckless and ongoing deficit spending by Congress and the Executive under both parties. Ranked No. 17 globally, the U.S. remains mostly free and its regional ranking is unchanged at 3rd out of 32 countries that were graded in the Americas region, behind Canada and Chile. Hong Kong and Singapore traded places in the 2020 Index of Economic Freedom for the first time in its 26-year history, primarily due to a decline in the investment freedom score for Hong Kong. Seven of the top 10 finishersAustralia (4th), Switzerland (5th), Ireland (6th), the United Kingdom (7th), Denmark (8th), Canada (9th), and Estonia (10th)recorded score increases this year. The most improved countries in the 2020 Index of Economic Freedom include Equatorial Guinea, Djibouti, Ecuador, Vanuatu, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, The Gambia, Madagascar, Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Togo. The Most Free Singapore Hong Kong New Zealand Australia Switzerland Ireland United Kingdom Denmark Canada Estonia The Least Free North Korea Venezuela Cuba Eritrea Rep. Of Congo Bolivia Zimbabwe Sudan Kiribati Timor-Leste Launched in 1995, the Index evaluates countries in four broad policy areas that affect economic freedom: rule of law; government size; regulatory efficiency; and open markets. There are 12 specific categories: property rights, judicial effectiveness, government integrity, tax burden, government spending, fiscal health, business freedom, labor freedom, monetary freedom, trade freedom, investment freedom, and financial freedom. Scores in these categories are averaged to create an overall economic freedom score. 2020 Index of Economic Freedom Singapores economic freedom score is 89.4, making it the worlds freest economy in the 2020 Index of Economic Freedom. Its overall score is unchanged from 2019, with a small improvement in the business freedom score offset by a small decline in the government integrity score. Singapore is ranked 1st among 42 countries in the AsiaPacific region, and its overall score is well above the regional and world averages. Singapore has ranked among the freest economies in the world over the life of the Index but gains the top spot this year for the first time. Its sustained extraordinary performance has resulted in one of the worlds highest per capita incomes and solid rates of GDP growth. Singapore is the only country in the world that is considered economically free in every Index category. Ongoing restrictions on civil liberties, while not directly affecting the countrys score, may have an indirect impact on economic freedom and remain a concern. Singapore is consistently ranked as one of the worlds most business-friendly countries. In 2019, the government introduced measures to decrease the ratio of foreign workers to local employees, threatening labor supply in the services sector. Property rights are recognized and enforced effectively. Judicial processes are procedurally competent, fair, and reliable, and the judiciary is regarded as independent, although the government does have an overwhelmingly successful record in court cases. The post 2020 Index of Economic Freedom Singapore tops list appeared first on iCompareLoan Resources. Japan's imports from China almost halved last month from a year earlier to log the steepest fall since 1986 as the new coronavirus outbreak disrupted trade, official data showed Wednesday. February imports from China, Japan's biggest trade partner along with the United States, plunged 47.1 per cent to 673.4 billion yen ($6.3 billion) while exports slipped 0.4 per cent to 1.14 trillion yen. "The virus outbreak hampered manufacturing activities in China, which naturally resulted in drops in Japanese imports from there," said Takeshi Minami, chief economist at Norinchukin Research Institute. As the virus woes in China calm, import drops will likely narrow but there are mounting worries over the US and European economies, Minami said. "As the outbreak goes global, US and European demand is bound to shrink... Even if Japan makes products, there will be no good place to ship," Minami told AFP. Japanese exports are likely to decline or Japan may slip back into a trade deficit, he said. In trade with the rest of the world, Japan scored an overall surplus of 1.11 trillion yen, more than a three-fold jump from a year earlier and the first black-ink figure in four months. The outbreak, which first emerged in China late last year, has quickly marched across the globe, infecting nearly 200,000 people and killing more than 7,500, according to a tracker maintained by the Johns Hopkins University. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of playing 'dirty 'politics and suppressing the democratic values and rights much like Hitler. The Chief Minister was reacting after senior Congress leaders, including Digvijaya Singh were detained in Bengaluru when they tried to meet the 16 rebel Congress MLAs. In a series of tweets in Hindi, Kamal Nath said, "Congress Rajya Sabha candidate Digvijaya Singh and other Congress ministers tried to meet the Congress MLAs who have been held hostage by the BJP in Bengaluru. The police stopped them, misbehaved with them and detained them, which was completely dictatorial and Hitler like." The Chief Minister added, "The whole country is watching how the BJP is murdering democratic values by destabilising an elected government. Why are they not letting us meet the legislators, what sort of fear do they have?" "All our leaders who have been detained should be freed and meeting with the hostage MLAs be allowed. BJP neither has the majority, nor has Shivraj Singh been appointed as the leader of the BJP Legislative party. BJP government is not forming here and neither will it be able to form a government. But Shivraj Singh's restlessness to become the chief minister is being seen by all, " said Kamal Nath in his tweet. He said, "They are so very restless for power. They are not even able to sleep and are day dreaming about becoming the Chief Minister. They are threatening the officers. I take pity on them." Africa countries, as of Tuesday evening, had confirmed over 400 cases of COVID-19 on the continent, the World Health Organization has said. Thirty African countries have recorded 475 cases according to Worldometer. This has led some countries in the continent to shut their airports and land borders as many of the cases are imported. Egypt, according to Ahram Online, announced it suspended flights from all airports starting Thursday to curb the spread of the virus. Egypt is the epicentre of the virus in the continent, recording more than 150 cases and 2 deaths. Schools and universities have been closed for at least 2 weeks, state media reported. Users on Twitter have shared their support for governments in Africa to impose travel bans. In Nigeria, the hashtag #NigeriaNeedsATravelBan trended. Nwachukwu @NonsoTalks tweeted, if this virus originated from Africa, all European, American, and Asian countries would have placed a travel ban on African countries. All. And thats a fact. South Africa, Kenya, Morocco, Ghana, Uganda and Eritrea have placed restrictions and/or bans to restrict the spread of the virus. Despite peoples cry for travel bans and restrictions, WHO advises against it, rather it urged countries to not apply blind travel restriction in a way that would impact trade and travel. The outbreak is evolving. It used to be China and now it is Italy and other countries are following after it. So we must be careful because we have seen an increasing number of countries imposing travel restrictions, and that means their perception of risks have changed. But have they done a risk assessment to their countries or are they just implementing those measures based on their perception? WHO Africas Mary Stephen told CNN. Ms Stephen, who works with WHOs organisations emergencies team, also said African countries need to enhance their capacities to detect early, isolate, and track all patients contacts and effectively manage the sick to curb the spread of coronavirus. Airport screening and a robust surveillance system are effective ways to detect cases from travellers without symptoms, she added. She concluded by saying WHO continues to advise countries not to impose travel restrictions but countries also have their sovereignty. Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa Below are the countries with confirmed cases in Africa and their total number of cases according to WHO on March 17. Algeria 60; 5 deaths; 10 recoveries Benin 1 Burkina Faso 15 Cameroon 5 Central African Republic 1 Republic of Congo 1 Cote DIvoire 5 Advertisements Democratic Republic of Congo 3 Egypt 164; 6 deaths; 26 recoveries Equatorial Guinea 1 Swaziland 1 Ethiopia 6 Gabon 1 Ghana 7 Guinea 1 Kenya 4 Liberia 2 Morocco 41; 1 death; 1 recovery Mauritania 1 Namibia 2 Nigeria 3; 1 recovery Rwanda 7 Sudan 1 death Senegal 26; 2 recoveries Somalia 1 Seychelles 4 Tunisia 24; 1 recovery Tanzania 1 Togo 1 South Africa 85 Countries with the most recent cases include Benin, Republic of Congo, Swaziland, Somalia, Seychelles, and Tanzania which confirmed the virus between March 16 and 17. Nigeria has also reported a third confirmed case. There has been a rise in cases in Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. In Africa, 41 cases have recovered from COVID-19. Millicom to present at Citi conference Luxembourg, March 17, 2020 Millicom International Cellular S.A. (Millicom) announced today that it will take part in the 2020 Citi Communications Services Conference on March 17 and March 18, 2020. The virtual event will include one-on-one video conferences with investors, as well as a presentation by Millicoms CEO Mauricio Ramos and CFO Tim Pennington scheduled for Wednesday March 18, 2020, at approximately 2pm CET/1pm UK/9am EST. Materials related to this event will be available on the companys website, and key issues to be discussed will include: Status of COVID-19 in the Latam markets in which Millicom operates; The Groups response and business continuity activities; Current trading and activity levels, which had not been affected through mid-March; and The Groups liquidity position and leverage in the face of volatile FX and markets. For further information, please contact Press: Vivian Kobeh, Corporate Communications Director +1-786-628-5300 press@millicom.com Investors: Michel Morin, VP Investor Relations +1-786-628-5270 investors@millicom.com Sarah Inmon, Investor Relations Manager +1-786-628-5303 investors@millicom.com About Millicom Millicom (NASDAQ U.S.: TIGO, Nasdaq Stockholm: TIGO_SDB) is a leading provider of cable and mobile services dedicated to emerging markets in Latin America and Africa. Millicom sets the pace when it comes to providing high-speed broadband and innovation around The Digital Lifestyle services through its principal brand, TIGO. As of December 31, 2019, Millicom operating subsidiaries and joint ventures employed around 22,000 people and provided mobile services to approximately 52 million customers, with a cable footprint of more than 11 million homes passed. Founded in 1992, Millicom International Cellular S.A. is headquartered in Luxembourg. Attachment "Tourism in the age of the coronavirus is a contradiction in terms," Bothwell said. And no Canadian in his or her right mind would want to be caught with the virus on the U.S. side of the border, given the predatory U.S. medical pricing system. Actually, the insurance companies have already taken care of the problem. Many of us have received notices that they will not pay for virus treatment south of the border. Electronics and Information Technology Department of Odisha government has asked the Software Technology Park and all IT/ITES companies to provide the history of foreign visits of their employees. The department has also directed that employees with a history of recent foreign visits should register with Odisha's COVID-19 online portal immediately. The non-declaration by any employee is a punishable offence under the regulation for prevention and containment of Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19), said the department on Tuesday. Labour Commissioner of Odisha, has issued guidelines to be followed at worksites. Commissioner N Thirumala Naik has directed all employers and contractors to follow the guidelines in this regard. Directorate of Factories and Boilers has also issued guidelines for factory managements and directed all factories to strictly follow the norms. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) LONDON, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Finastra has appointed Gary E. Bischoping, Jr. as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective March 16, 2020. Based at Finastra's headquarters in London, Gary brings a wealth of technology experience, having recently held the role of CFO at Varian, a mid-cap medical technology US multinational. There, Gary revamped the capital allocation process, enabling the company to make investments that accelerated growth. He also drove several transformation programs. Prior to that, Gary spent over 17 years at Dell where he progressed to one of the most senior finance roles. He was integral in developing and implementing a pioneering internal machine-learning based finance tool, as well as leading several key finance development programs. Gary said, "I'm really pleased to join Finastra and am looking forward to building on the progress Mark has made in shaping the finance team. This is a great opportunity to be part of a leadership team that is focused on powering innovation in financial services, giving people solutions and services that fit around their everyday needs and lives." Simon Paris, CEO at Finastra said, "It's great to have Gary on board to help us continue shaping our finance team, in line with our growth plans. He brings with him a proven track record in the technology industry, which will be invaluable as we continue to build significant momentum with our open innovation platform, FusionFabric.cloud. We are delighted to welcome him to the Finastra Executive Leadership Team." Gary replaces Mark Miller who is stepping down from his role, for personal reasons, and returning to his home in Texas. Mark has made a significant impact at Finastra, building a best in class finance function, and he has also been instrumental in the search for his successor. There will be a transition period between the two until the end of April. About Finastra Finastra is building an open platform that accelerates collaboration and innovation in financial services, creating better experiences for people, businesses and communities. Supported by the broadest and deepest portfolio of financial services software, Finastra delivers this vitally important technology to financial institutions of all sizes across the globe, including 90 of the world's top 100 banks. Our open architecture approach brings together a number of partners and innovators. Together we are leading the way in which applications are written, deployed and consumed in financial services to evolve with the changing needs of customers. Learn more at finastra.com For further information please contact: Caroline Duff Global Head of PR T +44-(0)-20-3320-5892 Ecaroline.duff@finastra.com finastra.com Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1135264/Finastra_Gary_CFO.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/967510/Finastra_Logo.jpg India houses some of the most densely populated cities in the world, where people are forced to live in cramped spaces and travel in packed metros and buses every day. With novel coronavirus (Covid-19) cases on the rise it has so far affected more than 150 countries it is important to understand the urban dimensions of pandemic planning, and ensure preventive and curative measures for mitigation. With robust city management, India could become a forerunner in tackling the disease. In todays world, the growth of medical science and digital infrastructure can be leveraged to successfully fight the spread of Covid-19. More than half the worlds population lives in urban areas. And national economies are heavily intertwined, thanks to globalisation. City governments play a crucial role in developing efficient and innovative methods of confronting emerging infectious diseases, from ensuring the efficacy of physical and social infrastructure (water and sanitation, and hospitals and health care systems) to safeguarding the ecosystem through more connected networks of digital and economic infrastructure. Here is what needs to be done. One, water and sanitation authorities must ensure hygienic systems in the city. Environmental hygiene is an absolute necessity to effectively combat the spread of the virus. All public and community toilets must be sanitised at regular intervals and equipped with handwashing facilities and tissues. Public spaces such as parks, markets and institutions should have waste management and safe disposal systems working round the clock. The initiatives under the Swachh Bharat Mission and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) have already prepared many cities to effectively handle this effectively. Two, digital infrastructure needs to be strengthened and monitored regularly by the district administration. Kerala is leading the way in successfully tracking and combating coronavirus cases. It is making effective use of its digital health infrastructure to isolate and diagnose positive cases. As part of an intensive drive, the Pathanamthitta district administration has come up with a system, with a GPS-supported system to track those quarantined in the district in order to restrict stray movement. A NITI Aayog report, Health System for a New India (2019), also advocates that digital initiatives are crucial in effectively managing health facilities clinically, administratively and financially. Three, data can play an important part in enhancing preparedness, curbing incidences, and containing the spread of identified cases. Local authorities must regularly monitor the spatial and temporal distribution of affected cases and geographical proximity to the affected regions. Subsequently, such data can be analysed to develop a comprehensive and robust response system. Given that smart infrastructure is in place in 100 Smart Cities of India, data collection and management can be explored and extended regionally. Four, non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) help contain communicable diseases. The NPIs such as work-from-home, school closures and restricting public gatherings, which eliminate high-risk chances for mass infection and enforces social distancing, prevent the spread of the disease. This, in turn, reduces the chance of burdening the health care system and saves precious resources. Five, strong lines of communication with the community can go a long way in being the first line of defence. Certain NPI actions may draw public attention and can have negative psychosocial and economic consequences, especially to high-risk and vulnerable populations. Public messages should address fear, stigmatisation and discrimination. The Union ministry of health and family welfare recently released a comic book Kids, Vaayu and Corona: Who Wins the Fight? for creating awareness among children about the coronavirus. Using such early warning systems create a line of informed and cautious citizenry. Six, rationing of the health care system and temporary expansion of facilities may be required on critical care beds. Respiratory diseases such as Covid-19 necessitate specialist hospital treatment for a sizable proportion of those who become symptomatic, in the form of ventilation and the need for antibiotics to fight secondary infections. Quarantine centres and provisional hospitals with isolation facilities will be required to deal with established cases of Covid-19 infections. Seven, maintaining and regulating the supply of essential drugs and precautionary items such as masks, medical textiles, hand wash and alcohol-based sanitisers is necessary. On March 13, the Union government declared hand sanitisers and masks as essential commodities under the Essential Commodities Act till June 30. It was important to do this to avoid a situation of demandsupply mismatch, rent-seeking, hoarding and exorbitant pricing. And, eight, the urban economy is likely to be hit, and this cannot be disregarded as cities contribute significantly to GDP. District authorities can play an important role in minimising local economic impact. Individuals in precarious employment deserve targeted attention. Precautionary measures will definitely help to keep the economic engine going, and early response can abate long-term impact. A well-managed and planned urban system can reduce the risks of pandemics and endemics. Indias urban system will have to champion the change for a more organised and formal development. Even though there is little or no population immunity to the virus, with proactive planning and implementation, the impact of this pandemic can be mitigated effectively to avoid the worst-case scenario effectively. Amitabh Kant is CEO, NITI Aayog, and Richa Rashmi is Young Professional, NITI Aayog The views expressed are personal South Africa: Sedibeng Water working hard to address water challenges The Sedibeng Water, in conjunction with Maluti-A-Phofung Municipality, are working around the clock to ensure that both short and medium-term solutions to address water challenges in QwaQwa, are implemented. This follows a directive by Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu to Sedibeng Water to immediately address water supply challenges in QwaQwa, and ensure that the desired end result is water availability and water through the taps in the long run. The planned short-term intervention includes the delivery of water to communities through water tankers, the placement of plastic tanks, commonly referred to as JoJo tanks, as well as rationing of water. The medium-term measures include construction of a 4km pipeline from Comet Village to Ha-Rankopane Reservoir traversing wards 23 and 31. As per directive, the Department of Water and Sanitation reported on Tuesday that 2 000 more water tanks (JoJos) have been procured, with an intention to meet Sisulus target of 5 000 tanks in the long run. Of the 2 000 tanks procured, 1 000 of them have a 5 000 litre capacity, while the other 1 000 is of 10 000 litres capacity. Thus far, 132 water tanks have also been delivered to QwaQwa residents. It is anticipated that local service providers will be employed to build tank stands to assist with employment opportunities and poverty alleviation in the area, the department said. In addition to this, the recruitment process of 18 workers has been concluded, and this includes the placement of two community liaison officers. Occupational medical assessments and the issuing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) have also been completed. Medium-term implementation As part of the medium-term implementation, the department said the clearing and digging of the pipe route from Comet to Ha-Rankopane has also commenced. Sisulu has this week reiterated the need for Sedibeng Water to speedily implement solutions to address water challenges in QwaQwa. When I was in QwaQwa in January, I directed Sedibeng Water to look for residents who have the necessary skills to come forward as part of the interventions addressing water scarcity issues. I am pleased to learn that this is being implemented and that locals are afforded the necessary opportunity to participate in implementing solutions, Sisulu said. Sisulu has also urged members of the community in QwaQwa and surrounds to use water available to them sparingly and also called for regular hand washing with soap to prevent the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). As the President has directed, all of government, the Department of Water and Sanitation included, has a responsibility to ensure there is an adequate response to COVID-19, therefore, the continued efforts of Sedibeng Water to bring Ministers directive to fruition is paramount, so as to reduce the possibility of further spreading COVID-19, the department said. The pandemic poses a serious threat to people in disadvantaged communities. Given this, I have committed my departments to respond to the urgent needs of people through the provision of water and sanitation as we are confronted with a possible spread, Sisulu said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-03-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Andrew Yang said Tuesday that his nonprofit group has been in touch with the White House about an economic stimulus proposal that would give $1,000 to Americans, an idea he made central to his Democratic presidential campaign he ended in February. 'We're in contact. We are doing anything we can to help. Obviously, this is a crisis and we all need to pull together to try to keep the country strong and whole,' Yang, now a CNN political commentator, told CNN's Brianna Keilar. Yang said his team on Humanity Forward, which he launched earlier this month, reached out to the White House to offer support. '(The White House) said, 'We'd love any resources you have in terms of studies as to what cash in people's hands can do,'' Yang said. Listen to the CNN Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction podcast with chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta here. CNN has reached out to the White House for comment. A prominent platform of Yang's presidential campaign was his so-called Freedom Dividend -- a proposal to give every American adult $1,000 a month in a universal basic income. The Trump administration is pushing a proposal to inject $1 trillion into the economy to deal with the coronavirus crisis. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Tuesday appeared to express support for the proposal to provide Americans with $1,000 and indicated it would be raised during his Capitol Hill meetings. 'I think it's clear we don't need to send people who make a million dollars a year checks. But we like that's one of the ideas we like. We're going to preview that today and then we'll be talking about details afterwards,' Mnuchin told reporters during a news conference at the White House. But some Republicans have voiced opposition to the idea. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham told Fox News' Sean Hannity on Tuesday that receiving $1,000 would not address the needs of people who lose their job due to coronavirus containment policies. 'They don't need $1,000, they need a sustainable income -- either through loans from their employers to keep the payroll coming or get on unemployment insurance or something like it so they'll have income,' Graham said. 'Our No. 1 job right now is to provide income to those people who have lost their job because of the virus.' Yang told CNN he's 'thrilled they're doing the right thing' and that 'giving cash into American families' hands is 100% the right move.' 'It is vital to help tens of millions of American families to keep their heads above water during this time,' Yang said. KYODO NEWS - Mar 18, 2020 - 15:33 | All, Japan Japan's goods imports from China in February nearly halved to an 11-year low, marking the steepest fall since 1986, as the coronavirus outbreak stalled economic activity in the world's second-largest economy, Japanese government data showed Wednesday. Monthly imports plunged 47.1 percent from a year earlier to 673.35 billion yen ($6.28 billion), the lowest since 600.62 billion yen in February 2009, with the pneumonia-causing virus originating in Wuhan, central China, forcing many production bases in the country to shut down, preliminary data from the Finance Ministry showed. It was the largest decline since a 47.3 percent dive logged in August 1986, when China implemented steps to slow its overheating economy following the economic reform and open-door policy that started in 1978. Imports of clothing, mobile phones and computers from China were particularly hard hit by the virus outbreak, nosediving 65.7 percent, 45.3 percent and 37.2 percent, respectively. Japan's exports to its neighbor edged down 0.4 percent to 1.14 trillion yen. As a result, Japan posted its largest-ever trade surplus with China at 462.73 billion yen, the first black ink seen since March 2018 when it logged 89.59 billion yen surplus. "The novel coronavirus infection (spread) has impacted the Chinese economy, and particularly taken a toll on its exports," a ministry official told reporters. "We'll carefully watch trends in trade with China in March." Taro Saito, executive research fellow at the NLI Research Institute, said the economic activities in China have been "rapidly slowing down" since the start of this year due to the virus epidemic, but its influence on Japan's exports to China had yet to appear clearly in February due to contracts made before the outbreak. He added Japan's exports of IT-related products such as semiconductor electronic parts picked up worldwide in the reporting month following the bottoming out of the global demand. With the whole world, Japan logged a trade surplus of 1.11 trillion yen in February, the first black ink in four months, on a sharp decline in the country's imports amid the coronavirus epidemic. In the reporting month, overall imports fell 14.0 percent from a year earlier to 5.21 trillion yen, down for the 10th consecutive month, while exports dipped 1.0 percent to 6.32 trillion yen, falling for the 15th straight month, the ministry said. Across Asia including China, Japan's trade surplus hit a record 1.23 trillion yen as imports decreased 24.0 percent to 2.14 trillion yen, dragged down by the lack of imports from China. Exports were up 1.7 percent to 3.37 trillion yen. Among other partners, Japan's trade surplus with the United States edged up 1.2 percent from a year earlier to 626.77 billion yen for the second consecutive monthly increase, helped by declines in imports of such items as aircraft engines, antenna parts and grain. Japan's imports from and exports to the United States both declined despite a bilateral trade deal that entered into force on Jan. 1, scrapping or lowering tariffs on certain items. With the European Union, excluding the United Kingdom which left the regional bloc on Jan. 31, Japan saw a trade deficit of 18.33 billion yen, marking the eighth straight month of red ink. As for the outlook from March onward, Saito said both Japan's imports and exports with the whole world are expected to "significantly fall" due to the disruption of supply chains caused by the virus pandemic. "The center of the virus infection is shifting from China to Western countries, so the total volume of Japan's trade is highly likely to drastically shrink after March," Saito said. All figures were compiled on a customs-cleared basis. The Indianapolis Recorder, in partnership with Next Generation Initiative, will host a virtual town hall on Facebook Live at 2 p.m. March 19 at United Way of Central Indiana, 2955 N. Meridian St., to discuss the unique impact the coronavirus pandemic will have on the African American community. Community leaders expected to attend include Dr. Virginia Caine, director of the Marion County Public Health Department, and Vop Osili, president of the Indianapolis City-County Council, and Aleesia Johnson, superintendent of Indianapolis Public Schools. Issues discussed will include health, education, child care and jobs, as well as how to avoid contracting the virus, where to get tested and what resources are available. Community members are encouraged to submit questions to oseyeb@indyrecorder. The town hall can be viewed on the Indianapolis Recorder Facebook page. Scammers are using dating apps to build trust with strangers before stealing their money. Erin Clark/The Boston Globe/Getty Images Singles have to rethink how they date in the age of the coronavirus. Some are trying FaceTime dates so they can practice social distancing, while others are having trouble finding good dates to talk to. People who used to enjoy meeting other singles at bars or through mutual friends have no choice but to try apps if they want to continue dating. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Singles with once-vibrant dating lives have been forced to reckon with the changing landscape as health experts recommend even young and healthy people distance themselves from others during the coronavirus outbreak. As a result, singles have to rethink how they communicate with love interests. Some are using dating app messaging as a newfound way to deal with boredom and social isolation, while others are using FaceTime and grilling potential dates on their recent travels as a way to cope with the change and protect their health. FaceTime dates could become the new normal Brittany Potter, a 26-year-old living in New York City, said the coronavirus outbreak has decreased the number of dates she'd typically go on in a given week. "I've been single for the last two years and I go on dates pretty regularly, probably once a week, maybe twice a week," Potter told Insider, adding that the majority of her dates would be at bars. But now, Potter is taking extra precautions because she has asthma and is immunocompromised, making her at higher risk for serious infection. She said that going forward, she'll likely limit herself to FaceTime dates to play things safe. Last week, a man Potter was talking to on a dating app asked if she wanted to "quarantine and chill," by coming over to his apartment for wine, pizza, and a movie. After Potter did so, she said she felt unsure it was the best idea. "I am glad that we didn't go to a public place or a bar or anything, but there definitely is a sense of like, 'Oh, I kind of wish that I would have just stayed home and not gone out,'" she said. Story continues On dating apps, Potter said some of her matches suggested an initial FaceTime date, and if they get along, they can plan an in-person date when it's safe again. Although she hasn't taken up any of their offers yet, she has FaceTimed regularly with her friend-with-benefits for whom she's currently dog-sitting as a way to cope with boredom and lack of in-person dates. Brittany Potter has been FaceTiming a friend-with-benefits while dog-sitting his dog. Brittany Potter/Insider "We've been FaceTiming because I'm in his apartment, I'm with his dog, and he's still in Brazil," she said. "I don't know if he's going to be able to come back. I have no idea. So I'm just here with his dog and his apartment." Some are relying on dating apps for the first time Nimarta, a Los Angeles resident in her mid-20s, said she was never a big dating app user until the coronavirus outbreak. Before, she'd typically meet other singles out at the bar or through mutual friends, but now, that isn't an option. "I'm actually enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would because before I was a terrible app user," Nimarta, who asked to omit her last name for privacy, said. "Before, I would be using the apps and then I'd do this really stupid thing where I'd chat with a couple of people for awhile and then forget." Months later, she'd return to the app, see the forgotten messages, and realize she'd lost the potential connection. But now, in an attempt to curb boredom and have some human connection, Nimarta is using dating apps almost daily to chat with other singles. She's not sure if she'll ever date these people because she's always been a more casual dater, but she said she's open to forming an in-person connection down the line if she really clicks with one of her matches. The coronavirus outbreak is displacing singles Megan, a 25-year-old who lives in Brooklyn, said that all of her recent Bumble and Hinge matches have relocated to other states even though they typically reside in New York City. "A lot of people that I've been talking to for a bit and getting ready to go on a date with are [now] at home in Connecticut or out of the city with their family riding it out," Megan, who asked to omit her last name for privacy reasons, said. "I've sort of just continued talking to them, almost at an even more frequent pace, because I'm interested in meeting up with them afterwards. So hopefully in an ideal world, we'll keep talking until it's over and then can meet up for drinks." Dating during the outbreak could have benefits Although singles have had their dating lives uprooted, many are embracing the new normal and find benefits to it. Emma Taylor, a 28-year-old living in London, told Insider that a recent exchange she had with a potential Tinder date went sour when she realized he wasn't taking coronavirus precautions seriously. She decided to end things with him then and there. An exchange Taylor had on Tinder with a prospective date. Insider "Kind of glad I didn't waste expensive make-up getting ready for tonight," Taylor told Insider. Potter said she saw the upsides to emotionally connecting with a prospective date before meeting them in person. "If I go on a date with someone, in the back of my mind I'm always like, 'Could I find something better?' I think now, not being around as much of that, it forces us to slow down and get to know people a little better," Potter said. "We don't have as many distractions and we're not as busy, so I definitely think that like there could be some advantages," she said. Read the original article on Insider Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriza Pinandita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 12:39 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b840c2 1 SE Asia WHO,World-Health-Organization,COVID-19,Wuhan-coronavirus,public-health,measures Free The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on member states in the South-East Asia region to urgently take aggressive measures to combat COVID-19 in view of the significant spike in the number of cases in the region. The situation is evolving rapidly. We need to immediately scale up all efforts to prevent the virus from infecting more people, said WHO regional director for the South-East Asia region Poonam Khetrapal Singh in a statement on Tuesday. The WHOs South-East Asia region has 11 member states, namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, North Korea, India, Indonesia, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste. Eight of the 11 countries in the region have confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 172 cases in Indonesia, 147 in Thailand, 137 in India, 29 in Sri Lanka, 13 in the Maldives, eight in Bangladesh, one in Bhutan and one in Nepal as of Tuesday. These numbers are increasing quickly. More clusters of virus transmission are being confirmed. While this is an indication of alertness and effective surveillance, it also puts the spotlight on the need for more aggressive and whole of societal efforts to prevent further spread of COVID-19. We clearly need to do more, and urgently, Singh said. Looking at the numbers, some countries are clearly heading toward community transmission of COVID-19, the regional director said, adding this should be prevented as best as possible. It was necessary to ensure continued efforts to detect, test, treat, isolate and trace contacts as simple public health measures were critical, he said. The importance of hand hygiene, covering coughs and sneezes and practicing social distancing could not be emphasized enough, Singh added. This alone has the potential to substantially reduce transmission. However, if community transmission does set in, countries need to gear their responses toward slowing down the rate of transmission. Emergency mechanisms need to be scaled up. A network of health facilities and hospitals for triage and surge need to be activated to avoid overcrowding. Self-initiated isolation by people with mild diseases is the most important community intervention to reduce the burden on the health system and reduce virus transmission. Testing of all suspected cases and symptomatic contacts of probable and confirmed cases is also necessary. We need to be geared up to respond to the evolving situation with the aim of stopping transmission of COVID-19 at the earliest to minimize the impact of the virus, which has gripped more than 150 countries in a short span of time, causing substantial losses to the health of people, societies, countries and economies. Urgent and aggressive measures are the need of the hour. We need to act now, Singh concluded. In its daily report on Tuesday, the WHO reported that 179,112 cases had been confirmed globally, resulting in 7,426 deaths. The Western Pacific region has 91,779 confirmed cases with 289 new, the European region has 64,189 confirmed cases with 8,507 new, the South-East Asia region has 508 confirmed cases with 124 new and the Eastern Mediterranean region has 16,786 confirmed cases with 330 new. Meanwhile, the Americas have recorded 4,910 cases with 2,234 new and the African region has 228 cases with 42 new. Globally, the WHO assessed the risk situation level as very high as of Tuesday. Meanwhile, early on Wednesday, realtime data from the Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) had recorded 198,004 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 7948 deaths. Of the total, 81,947 have recovered. Former U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy Kaden represents the future of accessible, personalized care. Im proud to work with this talented team of professionals who are dedicated to facilitating the change we need. Kaden Health, the digital behavioral health company dedicated to combatting the opioid crisis, is pleased to announce today that Patrick J. Kennedy, Rhode Islands eight-term First Congressional District Representative and longtime mental health and addiction recovery advocate, has joined Kaden as a Board Observer. Mr. Kennedy is the founder of The Kennedy Forum, a nonprofit that aims to promote health equity by advancing evidence-based practices, policies, and programming around mental health and addiction. He is also a founding advisor of Advocates for Opioid Recovery (AOR), an organization focused on advancing evidence-based treatment systems to reduce death and suffering from opioid addiction. As opioid-related deaths continue to devastate American families, Kadens Virtual Medication Assisted Treatment (vMAT) platform is a fully-integrated approach to treat Opioid Use Disorder. Leveraging proprietary, cutting-edge mobile virtual technology and a custom network of medical professionals and therapists, Kaden has become a crucial in-network platform and provider for forward-thinking health plans. Patients then have access to Kaden services and technology platform for ongoing treatment and support via their smartphone, tablet or PC. This unfettered access to effective treatments is exactly the type of support needed to put patients firmly on the path to recovery. The Kaden Board of Directors and its observers provide critical input and guidance in delivering that support. Patricks background and expertise positioned him as an ideal addition bringing guidance and support to our executive management team and our board, said Dave Henderson, CEO of Kaden Health. We look forward to him bringing his knowledge and experiences to bear to make the Kaden platform even more accessible and effective for those struggling with opioid use disorder. In his role on the board, Mr. Kennedy will share personal and professional insights gained from years of work in health care policy, mental health advocacy, and recovery support systems. Kennedy is co-author of the New York Times bestseller, A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction. The narrative details his personal struggles, as well as his bold road map for the future of mental health and addiction care in America. In breaking his familys code of silence, Kennedy openly challenged the stigma and shame commonly surrounding families trying to cope with mental illness or addiction. During his 16 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, Mr. Kennedy fought to end discrimination against those with mental illness, addiction, and other brain diseases. He is best known as the lead sponsor of the groundbreaking Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (Federal Parity Law), which requires insurers to cover treatment for mental health and substance use disorders no more restrictively than treatment for illnesses of the body, such as diabetes and cancer. In 2017, he served on the Presidents Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis. To truly address our nations mental health and addiction crisis, we need smart, innovative treatment strategies that meet people where they are, said former U.S. Rep. Kennedy. Kaden represents the future of accessible, personalized care. Im proud to work with this talented team of professionals who are dedicated to facilitating the change we need. To this end, Kaden has recently reached out to a multitude of health plans and other traditional brick-and-mortar addiction recovery organizations to offer expedited access to the Kaden Technology Platform so that Opioid Use Disorder patients may receive treatment virtually to help alleviate concerns around the coronavirus outbreak. We want to do all that we can to ensure that concerns around the spreading of one deadly disease doesnt facilitate the spread or prevent treatment of another, said Mr. Henderson. We want to do our part to ensure those in need of treatment can continue their recovery without the additional fear of potentially contracting the COVID-19 virus. Now, more than ever, there is a serious need for digital treatment solutions like Kadens Technology Platform, said Kennedy. When it comes to recovery from OUD, connectedness cannot be compromisednot even during a pandemic. We know physical distancing is critical to stop the spread of Coronavirus, and thanks to Kaden, people who cant seek clinical care in person still have the ability to seek care virtually. Kaden is presently enrolling and pre-enrolling patients in Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and New York, with six additional states planned throughout 2020. Based on the gold standard of Medication Assisted Treatment and leveraging virtual technology, the Kaden provider-practices in each state offer a more convenient, intuitive and ultimately effective long-term success relative to traditional treatment methods. Kadens platform integrates all aspects of the patients therapy and medical care and supports the patient with a concierge Patient Advocate available at any point along their treatment journey. Kadens coordinated approach is centered, from the first in-person visit with a medical professional through all succeeding virtual visits and therapy, on the Kaden Technology Platform. This leading-edge intuitive interface allows the patient, therapist, medical prescriber, and the advocate all to communicate and collaborate in ways that are specific to each patients individual needs and ultimately help the person to reclaim a healthy, productive lifestyle. This release is for informational purposes only, and no offer regarding the solicitation of the purchase or sale of any security or securities product is made hereby. About Kaden Health: Based in New York City, Kaden is a digital behavioral health company dedicated to solving the greatest healthcare challenges of our time with ground-breaking technology and unwavering humanity. Kadens first product tackles the opioid addiction crisis by positively influencing human behavior and making advanced technologies and proven treatments accessible to all so that no one has to fight opioid or any addiction alone. For more information visit http://www.kadenhealth.com. About Patrick J. Kennedy: Former U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy is founder of The Kennedy Forum, a nonprofit that unites mental health advocates, business leaders, and government agencies in support of mental health equity; co-founder of One Mind, which pushes for greater global investment in brain research; co-chair of Mental Health for US, a nonpartisan initiative to elevate mental health and addiction in policy conversations during the 2020 election cycle; and founder of DontDenyMe.org, an educational campaign that empowers consumers and providers to understand parity rights and connects them to essential appeals guidance and resources. Contacts: Kaden Sales and Business Development: Randy Ringpfiel -- randyr@kadenhealth.com Kaden Marketing and Public Relations: Marc Warner -- marcw@kadenhealth.com Joe Biden effectively snuffed out Bernie Sanders flickering chances of a comeback with commanding wins in three major states on Tuesday, further asserting his dominance over a Democratic nominating contest thats become overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic. Biden blew out Sanders in Florida, the nations biggest battleground state, leading by nearly 40 points with most of the vote in. The former vice president similarly beat Sanders in Illinois, which was called a half-hour after polls closed. And he swept the night by winning in Arizona, the final state voting Tuesday after Ohio postponed its primary over safety concerns from the virus. The lopsided night puts the race effectively out of reach for Sanders; he would need to win several upcoming primary contests by overwhelming numbers to climb back into contention. While the results are certain to increase pressure on Sanders to drop out, he has showed no signs of quitting, and Bidens team has been sensitive about publicly appearing like theyre trying to push him out. The uneasy dynamic puts the primary in a strange state of paralysis while the nation grapples with closures of workplaces, schools and businesses to protect from the coronavirus, and the campaign takes a back seat. 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) Weve moved closer to securing the Democratic Partys nomination for president, Biden said in an understated and solemn address streamed online from his home in Wilmington, Delaware, where he noted he was following federal guidance against gatherings of more than 10 people. Biden ticked through the broad base of support that powered him to wins across Florida and Illinois from African Americans and Latinos to teachers, suburban women, veterans and fire fighters. He offered only praise for Sanders, whom Biden credited with advancing progressive policies. Biden then made a direct appeal to Sanders young and deeply loyal supporters. I hear you. I know what is at stake. And I know what we have to do, Biden said. Our goal as a campaign, and my goal as a candidate for president, is to unify our party and to unify our nation. Story continues There were no bright spots for Sanders on Tuesday: He trailed Biden by around 100 delegates in Florida alone. Edison phone surveys of Illinois showed Biden running up huge numbers with black voters and trouncing Sanders with white voters without college degrees, a group that backed him four years ago. Preliminary vote totals out of the state showed Biden beating Sanders in some college towns where he performed much better in 2016. Kelen Walker packs students' locker contents into black trash bags as they clean and sanitize the school while students take online classes from home at Canterbury School in Greensboro, N.C., on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. (Khadejeh Nikouyeh/News & Record via AP) Sanders advisers said he was not expected to address supporters Tuesday, the second week in a row he declined to do so after elections were called. Sanders didnt tip his hand or speak to his standing in the race earlier in the evening when he delivered an election night address dedicated entirely to the nations response to the coronavirus. Sanders previewed a sweeping, $2 trillion list of priorities, including a call for $2,000-a-month checks to help families get through the economic downturn. Workers need to continue to get a paycheck even when their businesses are shut down, he said, calling it unacceptable that people would lose their homes or have utilities shut off. The coronavirus has upended the race, forced the candidates to isolate themselves from voters. Biden and Sanders are now regularly streaming events online instead of holding live rallies or town halls. Door-to-door canvassers are also trying to reach voters online. After debating in a closed TV studio Sunday night, Biden urged supporters to take precautions when voting, while Sanders said he could understand if people, particularly seniors, felt uncomfortable going to the polls in person. Should Sanders remain in the race, it could stretch late into the spring, given the growing number of states postponing their primaries. Ohio had been scheduled to vote Tuesday, before officials forced a last-minute delay. OnGov. Mike DeWine announced Tuesday that he submitted a plan to set in-person voting on June 2. Absentee ballots would be accepted by elections officials in the meantime. Ohio Democratic Party leaders want the date moved up sooner, with expanded opportunities for vote-by-mail and curb-side ballot drop-offs. Three other states that were set to vote in several weeks, Maryland, Georgia and Louisiana, have also postponed primaries. The states that went forward Tuesday offered few surprises. Heading into the election, Biden had massive polling leads over Sanders in Florida, in large part from his strength among older voters and Sanders identity as a democratic socialist. Bidens advantage only grew after Sanders went on 60 Minutes and again lauded Fidel Castros massive literacy programs. The question came because Sanders in 1985 talked about how Cubans didnt rise up in rebellion against Castro because he educated their kids, gave their kids health care, totally transformed society. Renewed focus on the comments cost him political capital with Cuban Americans and may have affected his standing with a broader segment of Latinos, a demographic he has spent considerable time courting. In Illinois, Biden received a late endorsement from Gov. J.B. Pritzker and wasnt in danger of losing. And in Arizona, Biden was powered by a double-digit win in Phoenix and surrounding suburbs. The musician said another performer had called 311 to report the large gathering, which had also drawn complaints from neighbors. This was in direct violation of the directives that are in place to protect all peoples health and safety, James Long, the director of public information for the Fire Department, said in an interview. We inspected it and it was recommended to end the event because of the states guidelines and directives regarding Covid-19, Mr. Long said. He said that officials responded to the scene because someone had called to complain, and the venue was issued a violation. Norma Reyes, 51, a caseworker who lives across the street from the venue, said she watched dozens of people leave the hall. What about social distancing? she asked. How can we be safe? The celebration raised questions about pandemic preparedness for a community ravaged by a measles outbreak that began in 2018. Last April, a preschool housed in the same building as the wedding was closed by the city for violating a Health Department order that required it to provide medical and attendance records as part of efforts to fight the measles. DECATUR (AP) Onlookers burst into applause and cheers on a Sunday afternoon in February as Trooper the resuscitated bald eagle was released from a cage and flew into the wide blue yonder. Well, sort of. She didnt so much fly like an eagle as flap rather lazily into the branches of a nearby dead tree in Springfields Riverside Park. You could hardly blame her for feeling like she needed a minute or two to get her bearings and her breath back. On Jan. 6 she had been found crumpled by the side of Interstate 55, not far from where she was released, by Sgt. Aaron Entringer with the Sherman Police Department, who was assisted in rescuing the eagle by Illinois Conservation Police Officer Brian Snodgrass. Bald eagles, mighty symbol of these here United States and an in-your-face apex predator, are not above dining a la carte from roadside roadkill. That was what Trooper, so named because of her police connections, was doing when she fell victim not to fowl play, but a passing knockout blow from a vehicle collision. I walked up and snapped this picture, said Entringer, showing a shot on his phone of the bloodied, prone bird. I assumed she was deceased and then she blinked at me and I am like, Whoa Troopers 6-foot-plus wingspan was enfolded into the caring wings of Decaturs Illinois Raptor Center and painstakingly nursed back to health. She had a nasty bloody scrape down one side of her body, a talon was broken and the tip of her mighty beak was snapped off and she was coughing up blood when IRC program director Jacques Nuzzo and executive director Jane Seitz first saw her. They handled the release on Feb. 23, with the rescuing police officers among a crowd numbering more than 200 looking on. Seitz explained that Trooper and her flight back to health has since become something of a Facebook sensation, with the IRC followers total up by some 10,000 as well-wishers swooped on regular updates about her progress. Seitz said Trooper has a good chance of making a renewed go of it in the wild and, as eagles bond for life, she probably still has a mate out there whos been wondering where the eagle that clawed his heart flew off to. They stay together for life and this is the time of year when they are starting to pair up and bond, said Seitz. So, I think we got her back in time. Because if her mate had already gotten a mate, then it might cause a domestic dispute. Everybody watching Trooper ascend into the blue sky on a surprisingly warm afternoon was firmly of the opinion that if one bird in Gods creation deserved a happy homecoming back at the familial nest, it was this one. What a blessing to see she was saved, and what a blessing to see all these people come to support her, said spectator Pam Telger of Chatham, who brought along her grandchildren Amelia, 16, and Matthew, 7. Ive been following it all in the news and I just love eagles, added Telger, 72. They are like our country; theyre strong, and they hold themselves up with pride. And occasionally, as Trooper would no doubt confirm, they get by with a little help from their friends. Most, if not all, Ryanair flights will be grounded from next Wednesday. The airline says a small number of flights will continue, mostly between the UK and Ireland. New Delhi, March 18 : A Delhi court on Wednesday issued a notice to Tihar Jail authorities and the state government on an application seeking stay on the hanging of the four death-row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case. The death-row convicts once again knocked on the doors of the trial court seeking stay on their hanging on the grounds that their legal remedies were pending. Additional Sessions Judge Dharmendra Rana said, "Why do you approach the court at the last hour? Jail Superintendent to report on the application tomorrow at 12 p.m." Public Prosecutor Irfan Ahmed opposed the application on the grounds of its maintainibilty. "There is no legal remedy pending. There are just 36 hours left," Ahmed said. The four convicts -- Vinay, Mukesh, Akshay, and Pawan -- are scheduled to be executed on March 20 at 5.30 a.m. for brutally raping and assaulting a 23-year-old physiotherapy student in the national capital on December 16, 2012. The victim later succumbed to her injuries at a hospital in Singapore. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Haiti - News : Zapping... The US Embassy suspends the interviews The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince is suspending interviews for immigrant and non-immigrant visas. We will resume service as soon as possible, but we are currently unable to announce a recovery date. The Dominican Republic declares a state of emergency Tuesday evening in a speech to the Nation, Dominican President Danilo Medina announced that this Wednesday, March 18, will be submitted to Congress the declaration of national state of emergency, to close the country's borders by land, sea and air, for the 15 next days "Commercial activities are suspended for the same period, with the exception of those dedicated to basic activities for the population. All schools and universities are also closed until April 13. Other additional measures will be announced and will take effect during this period. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30298-haiti-covid-19-daily-bulletin-march-18-2020.html Spanish Embassy suspends Visas The Spanish Embassy in Haiti informs that as of this Wednesday and until further notice, it will suspend the management of visas at its counters, except in urgent cases duly justified. All other consular services, procedures and consultations will be handled exclusively by email: emp.puertoprincipe@maec.es and/or by phone: +509 2940 0952 and +509 2940 0954 BRH preoccupied with Covid-19 Tuesday the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH) met with officials of Commercial Banks on the means to be put in place to deal with the possible impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the functioning of the financial system and on the economy national. At this meeting, the BRH inquired about the measures taken by commercial banks to continue to provide services to customers and to protect consumers of financial services from the risks of contamination and the spread of Covid-19. Important discussion with the EU Tuesday, the Prime Minister, Joseph Jouthe met with the Ambassador of the European Union Sylvie Tabesse, around budget support, the holding of the next elections, the continuation of political dialogue and the roadmap of the new Government . Transport : border restriction Eddy Jackson Alexis the Secretary of State for Communication clarified that only the trucks transporting goods coming from the Dominican Republic are authorized to cross the border and must not have on board more than 2 people the driver and his assistant under penalty of sanction. HL/ HaitiLibre A research team from ITMO University, with the help of their colleagues from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (Russia) and Politecnico di Torino (Italy), has predicted a novel type of topological quantum state of 2 photons A research team from ITMO University, with the help of their colleagues from MIPT (Russia) and Politecnico di Torino (Italy), has predicted a novel type of topological quantum state of two photons. Scientists have also applied a new, affordable experimental method for testing this prediction. The method relies on the analogy: instead of expensive experiments with quantum systems of two or more entangled photons, the researchers have used resonant electric circuits of higher dimensionality described by similar equations. The obtained results can be useful for the engineering of optical chips and quantum computers without the need for expensive experiments. The research was published in Nature Communications. Light plays a key role in modern information technologies: with its help, information is transmitted over large distances via optical fibers. In the future, scientists anticipate the invention of optical chips and computers that process information with the help of photons - light quanta - instead of electrons, as it is done today. This will decrease energy consumption, while also increasing the capabilities of computers. However, to turn these predictions into reality, fundamental and applied research of light behavior at the micro- and nanoscale is needed. ITMO University physicists, with the help of their colleagues from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (Russia) and Politecnico di Torino (Italy), have theoretically predicted the formation of a new quantum state of photons: two photons propagating in the array of quantum microresonators (qubits) can form a bound pair and settle down on the edge of the array. A proper experiment demands special nanostructures, as well as special devices to create such quantum state of photons and detect it. Currently, such capabilities are available only to very few research teams worldwide. If conducting a precise experiment is too expensive, it may be useful to come up with a model, or an analogy, which would allow one to test the theoretical assumptions without spending too many resources. This is exactly what ITMO University physicists managed to do. They have drawn an analogy between a specific class of quantum systems and classical electric circuits of higher dimensionality. "We connect various points on the board to an external power source and study the system's response using a multimeter and oscilloscope," explains Nikita Olekhno, PhD student at ITMO University. "The result is described by classical equations that in our case coincide with the quantum equations describing two-photon states in the array of qubits. The same equations must have the same solutions, and it doesn't matter whether it's a wave function of a quantum particle or an electric potential." Of course, the analogy that ITMO University scientists have come up with can not entirely replace experiments with quantum systems. However, the classical structure that was developed by the team allows researchers to conduct many experiments, providing valuable information for the field of quantum photonics. The fact that the scientists from St. Petersburg managed to find such an analogy for quantum systems of many particles for the first time is very promising. "Theory is always ahead of experimental capabilities. To be at the forefront of theory, we study subtle effects that we will be able to detect experimentally only in several years," says Maxim Gorlach, head of the project and Senior Researcher at ITMO University. "We are currently conducting a series of experiments in this field by researching topological edge states of more exotic quantum systems and developing ways of their emulation. Such experiments are important both for fundamental physics and future practical applications." ### Exactly two years to the day that Eric Flemming and Phillip Hicks were murdered at the Salvation Armys Castleview Apartments, the man who wielded the knife was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole. Following nearly three hours of deliberation, an Olmsted County District Court jury once again returned guilty verdicts on all three counts. Glenn Roger Johnson, 55, was found guilty of two charges of first-degree murder-premeditated and a charge of first-degree murder-with intent-while committing a felony. On Tuesday evening, jurors found that Johnson was not suffering from a mental illness so severe that he didn't understand his actions or know they were wrong. Flemming, 45, and Hicks, 57 were fatally stabbed on March 17, 2018, at the Castleview Apartments. Police had been at the apartment building earlier that evening for a dispute between Johnson and Hicks. Johnson has been incarcerated since his arrest shortly after the stabbings. ADVERTISEMENT Jurors handed up a total of six guilty verdicts in the two-part trial. Johnson and his attorneys argued both that he was not guilty and that he was not guilty by reason of mental illness. Because of the dual defenses, the jury had to deliberate on the two issues separately. "This part of the trial is going to be different," defense attorney Samuel Shabel told the jurors in his opening statements. "Today, you are going to hear the rest of the story. A tragedy involving three men and the system that failed them all." Senior Assistant Olmsted County Attorney Brian Hagen told the jury in his opening statements that Johnson knew what he was doing and didnt care that it was wrong. Defense witness Dr. Harlan Gilbertson testified that Johnson suffers from schizoaffective disorder with depression and alcohol use disorder both now and at the time of the stabbings. The states witness, Dr. Steven Norton, later testified that Johnson had a schizophrenia-paranoid type and alcohol dependence. Reviewing Johnsons medical records from 2012 to 2018, Gilbertson said that at the time of the stabbings, Johnson was prescribed less medication than he had been in the past and that his mental illness was poorly controlled. Gilbertson testified that it was not always that poorly controlled. "If you review the medications he was on before, he was doing very well," he said. Symptoms of Johnsons mental illness included hallucinations, paranoia, delusions and hyper-religiosity. ADVERTISEMENT At the time of the stabbings, Johnsons mental health had decompensated something Gilbertson attributed to four factors, including an incident from a month before involving Hicks and Flemming that Gilbertson said proved in Johnsons mind that all his paranoia and hallucinations were factual. During his examination, Gilbertson ruled that at the time of stabbings, Johnson was "laboring under a defect of reason." Following the lunch break, Norton testified that Johnson was not laboring under a defect of reason at the time of the incident. Norton interviewed Johnson in July 2018 -- about four months after the stabbings. Johnson initially declined to meet with the doctor. During Nortons clinical evaluation of Johnson, Norton testified that Johnson was able to control himself but didnt always choose to do so. Upon questioning by Shabel, Norton later said that it was possible for someone to make choices without always appreciating the nature or consequences of their choices. Johnson told Norton that he was not having hallucinations in the time leading up to the stabbings, Norton testified. "He told me he carried knives for safety reasons," Norton said of Johnson, adding that Johnson told him that on the day of the stabbings he went back and got the knives. Norton said that to him it indicated Johnson knew what he was about to do. Jurors also watched two videos that had been played during earlier testimony body-camera footage from Rochester Police Officer Kyle Kolb as well as a second officer who waited with Johnson after his arrest. Through questioning, Norton said he saw no indication that Johnson was in a psychotic state and that there was no indication Johnson didnt understand what he had done or that it was wrong. Through cross-examination of Norton by Shabel, jurors learned that Johnson told Norton he did not intend to kill Hicks and Flemming and was surprised they died. ADVERTISEMENT Following closing arguments from Shabel and Hagen, jurors began deliberations at 3:34 p.m. They returned with a verdict around 6:15 p.m. Because the charges of first-degree murder-premeditated carry an automatic life sentence, Johnson was sentenced only moments after hearing the guilty verdicts. An advocate with Olmsted County Victim Services read a statement on behalf of two of Flemming's family that had attended the trial. "Eric received a death sentence and his family received a life sentence," she said. Speaking on behalf of the Hicks' family, Phillip Hicks' sister Rose Kent told the court that Johnson had taken away her brother's ability to ever share the camaraderie of fishing. Following the statements, Judge Lisa Hayne sentenced Johnson to life in prison without the chance of parole. The sentence also triggers an automatic appeal. Updated: Johnson found guilty on all counts Opening remarks begin in Glenn Johnson murder trial Former Dublin hurler and fireman Michael Carton spoke to Virgin Media Ones Ireland AM programme today about dealing with his positive test for the Covid-19 virus. Michael, who retired from inter-county hurling in 2015, is a member of the Dublin Fire Brigade. WATCH | 'Health of our players, fans and everyone in the footballing family of Europe is at stake' - Niall Quinn He has never had any health issues and his symptoms started off with a fever, chills and headaches. As he is part of the DFB he called their medics who advised him to self-isolate. He was self-isolating for 4 days then he starting coughing slightly but nothing major. Also read: Longford GAA Secretary Peter OReilly concerned for the health and wellbeing of the people #Covid-19 The DFB have a link with the HSE and he was tested with the swabs down the throat and up his nose. He got the results back within 24 hours which tested positive and was brought straight into the Mater Hospital. He said he was brought in the back way and straight into isolation. Ireland AM airs seven days a week on Virgin Media One Coronavirus cases in India continue to grow and the rapid screening method is likely to only increase the number of suspect COVID19 positive cases in the country. India is yet to enter stage 3 (or community transmission) of the pandemic, but the government is gearing up for eventual adversities. Sources said the government was looking to have large, at least four or five, dedicated COVID19 hospitals in the country to isolate and treat the patients. The chief executive officer (CEO) of a large private hospital chain said ground work was on to identify properties that could be ... Childcare facilities and nurseries in Northern Ireland will continue to charge parents even if they are forced to close, the Belfast Telegraph has learned. It means that some families could face bills of up to 1,000 a month despite potentially having to take time off work to look after their children during the coronavirus pandemic. Most local schools and childcare businesses remain open, although their counterparts in the Republic were ordered to close for 16 days last week. Parents are used to paying for childcare on bank holidays - when the facilities traditionally close - but this latest development could result in weeks, possibly months, of paying for a service they are not getting. One childcare provider in Belfast, Sleepy Hollow, has sent an email saying that the alternative would be the collapse of the childcare industry in Northern Ireland, for which government support is already inferior to the rest of the UK. The provider said: "It was agreed (by Early Years, the umbrella body) that if we were faced with a forced closure, we would all ask clients to pay full fees and would pay full staff." The missive added: "As parents know, this falls under our emergency and epidemic policies, and it's in our policies that we cannot refund or waive fees in cases of an unforeseen closure like this." Managing Director Diane Koplewsky said: "Nursery owners are beyond sick at the thought of what will happen to our sector. Many, many will be laid off now, so of course we wont be asking parents to pay for 16 weeks." Childcare providers say their policy has been influenced by insurers refusing to cover the coronavirus illness, thus making the businesses unable to claim against unexpected interruption. Northern Ireland children's commissioner Koulla Yiasouma said more needs to be done to help parents during the pandemic - including free childcare for those working in the health and social care professions. "We need arrangements for parents to have childcare, particularly those who work for the NHS and have social care responsibilities," she said. "We can't have those people coming out of the workforce to look after their children, we need them to look after our vulnerable and our elderly and so there needs to be good, safe, free childcare available for those parents because we also know that grandparents can't look after the children." Sleepy Hollow said: "This decision from insurers and, lack of government support at this time, could well see the collapse of the childcare industry. We know parents cannot afford this to happen either as, when we get over this unsettled phase, parents will be returning to even busier workloads." Working mother Catriona, whose primary school daughter needs childcare arrangements four days a week after lessons, told the Belfast Telegraph said she can understand why childcare providers will continue to bill parents during an emergency hiatus. "Our childcare costs just under 250 a month for a couple of hours each day," she explained. "We get some help with that through a salary sacrifice scheme at work and, ethically, we're happy to continue to pay it because we'd hate to see anyone lose their job down the line due to the knock-on effect." But the mum-of-one raised concerns for other parents with bigger bills because of their childcare needs. "When our daughter was a toddler we were paying 760 a month for a full-time nursery place," she said. "If we were still in that situation, it would be prohibitive. "I can only imagine the financial hardship facing parents needing care for more than one child during the coronavirus pandemic because somebody is going to have to stay at home and look after the children." The Belfast Telegraph contacted a series of private nurseries to ask them to confirm their policies. Families here spend on average 166 per week - or 664 per month - on childcare, making it the largest or second largest monthly bill for two-thirds of households. The most recent Annual Northern Ireland Childcare Cost Survey, published by Employers for Childcare, also revealed that parents typically pay more for day nursery provision, at 171 a week (or 684 a month). Childminder costs come in slightly cheaper, with bills sitting at on average 165 a week (660) a month. Full-time childcare costs vary, with families in Co Armagh spending 179 per week - 13 higher than the average of 166, which is what families shell out in Co Down. The survey, which has been published each year since 2010, shows that after accommodation, childcare bills continue to exceed groceries, heating, transport and other household outgoings. Increasingly, parents are being forced into debt in order to meet the costs. Around 22% use credit cards to pay childcare, 12% rely on loans from families and friends, and 15% use financial gifts from loved ones. Employers for Childcare was contacted by the Belfast Telegraph for comment. The Calcutta high court on Wednesday quashed a notice issued to a Polish student asking him to leave India for participating in an anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) rally in Kolkata, saying the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution apply to all human beings in the country and not just citizens. A valid right to reside in India goes hand-in-hand with such fundamental rights, justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya said in his order. The order added the right to life and personal liberty includes that to have political views and participate in political activities as guaranteed to all people in India. It said the right cannot be curtailed or fettered. Kamil Siedcznski, a student at Kolkatas Jadavpur University, was issued the notice in February a month after he participated in the rally. He was asked to leave by March 10. Siedcznski moved the high court after unsuccessfully requesting the authorities to let him complete his final semester in August. The passage of the CAA in December to fast-track the citizenship process for non-Muslims, who have entered India from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh before December 31, 2014, triggered protests across the country. Opponents of the law insist it is discriminatory and unconstitutional as it leaves out Muslims and links citizenship to faith in a secular country. The court called the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO)s move to issue the notice a paranoid overreaction. It added a confidential intelligence report cited in the notice did not disclose any valid grounds for his expulsion. The court cited Siedcznskis qualifications and added he is an expert on several oriental languages and has comprehensive knowledge of South Indian and South Asian history. It said the right of the petitioner, as recognised by Article 21, which says no person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to a procedure established by law is to be harmoniously read with Article 19 (freedom of speech), which operates in a different field, pertaining to Indian citizens only. The basic and fundamental rights of a foreigner, associated with life and personal liberty, inhere in all persons living in India, citizen or foreigner, not only by virtue of Article 21 of the Constitution but also go along with a healthy human existence, which is the birthright of any human being, including the petitioner, the order said. The order said such rights are also recognised by the UN as well as several charters and treaties between nations. Hence, such rights cannot be fettered by limited use of the term citizens in Article 19, it added. The court rejected the claim that participating in an anti-government agitation amounted to a violation of visa norms. It added since the student visa confers the right on Siedcznskis to live in India up to August, he has the right to pursue his intellectual interests. Phiroze Edulji, the Centres lawyer, refused to comment on the order. No decision has been taken yet whether we will move a division bench, said Edulji. A German exchange student, a Norwegian tourist, and a Bangladeshi student were also asked in December and February to leave India for participating in anti-CAA protests in Chennai, Kerala and West Bengal. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON President Donald Trump directed the Department of Housing and Urban Development to suspend all foreclosures and evictions through the end of April amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The Department of Housing and Urban Development is providing immediate relief to renters and homeowners by suspending all foreclosures and evictions until the end of April, President Donald Trump said in announcing the action during a Wednesday afternoon press conference. The action is being taking as millions across America face immediate loss or reduction in wages due to businesses closing because of the coronavirus outbreak. Those working in the travel and service industry were especially hit hard, with Americans urged to forego all non-essential travel and forego eating out. Housing activists - including in Massachusetts - previously called for relief amid the public health crisis. U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Democratic presidential primary contender, penned a letter to the Department of Housing and Urban Development on Tuesday requesting a moratorium on evictions of Housing Choice Voucher recipients as well as residents living in HUD-assisted rental housing and public housing until the public health emergency has ended. Rep. Katie Porter of California and Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon were also signatories. Individuals living in federally-assisted rental housing and public housing need the certainty that they can take care of the health of themselves and their loved ones, and follow public health directives, without fear of losing their homes, the representatives and senators wrote in their letter to HUD Secretary Ben Carson. Pressley and Warren, both of whom represent Massachusetts, sent a separate letter to the National Rental Home Council, which with its member partners owns more than 200,000 rental homes, urging the association to issue an immediate moratorium on all eviction proceedings for rental homes and offer deferred rent payment options with no late fees to tenants affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The congresswomen sent another letter to the American Apartment Owners Association in which they asked the organization to do the same. AAOA has 115,000 member partners, according to the document. Housing is a basic need for families as they seek to remain safe during this public health emergency. Evicting families puts their health at risk, imposes trauma on and disrupts the education of their children, and exacerbates the risk of outbreak in their communities, the letter said. Massachusetts state Reps. Mike Connolly and Kevin Honan also filed legislation Friday to stop all evictions and foreclosures in the state for the duration of the public health emergency. Kentucky, New York and other states previously halted evictions prior to the federal announcement. Earlier this week, the White House announced additional planned direct economic relief for Americans. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin shared limited details 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. Related Content: CrPC Section 144prohibiting the assembly of four or more people in an areawas imposed Wednesday night in Gautam Budh Nagar till April 5 to contain the spread of coronavirus, additional deputy commissioner of police Ashutosh Dwivedi said. Section 144 was imposed as some people have tested positive for novel coronavirus. There is a need to create awareness among people. With the enforcement of restrictions, people cant organise any cultural, social, religious programmes, where four or more persons can gather, he said. Dwivedi added that if people find/come across any person who is exhibiting symptoms of coronavirusdry cough, shortness of breath and fever they should report the matter to the police and health department, and not hide the matter. Also Watch | Coronavirus | PM Modis speech, Goa hoax, India vaccine plan: Top 10 updates The state government has said legal action will be taken against those who return from foreign countries and fail to inform the authorities. TWO SAMPLES TAKEN IN G NOIDA WEST Noida health department on Wednesday collected samples of two residents of Greater Noida west society, who had recently returned from Dubai, UAE which has reported 98 confirmed cases, as per World Health Organisation. The samples were taken after other residents of the society panicked and demanded the two Indian nationals be put in isolation for others safety. Deputy commissioner of police (Noida Central) Harish Chander said both the residents are Indian and they have returned from foreign trip recently. The two persons are in isolation at home and samples have been collected for tests. The police and health department officials are making a coordinated effort to ensure the situation remains peaceful. There was no protest in the society, he said. Shailendra Thakur, a resident of the same society, said the maintenance department had shared a text message with other residents informing them about the arrival of the residents. Police and health department teams reached the society and collected their swab samples. The situation in the society is normal, he said. The global endoscopic closure devices market is poised to grow by USD 482.04 million during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 6% during the forecast period. Request free sample pages This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005526/en/ Technavio has published a latest market research report titled Global Endoscopic Closure Devices Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire) Read the 157-page report with TOC on "Endoscopic Closure Devices Market Analysis Report by Product (Endoscopic closure systems, Endoscopic clips, and Others), Geographic segmentation (Asia, Europe, North America, and ROW), and the Segment Forecasts, 2020-2024". https://www.technavio.com/report/endoscopic-closure-devices-market-industry-analysis The market is driven by the growing demand for MI procedures. In addition, the technological advances in endoscopic devices are anticipated to boost the growth of the endoscopic closure devices market. The preference for minimally invasive (MI) approach among patients and healthcare professionals is increasing because it results in fewer complications, causes minimum pain, requires shorter hospital stays, and is more effective in comparison to conventional methods. For instance, surgeons employ MI procedures to carry out gastrointestinal surgeries, involving an incision from sternum to navel. This prevents major injury to the healthy tissues and offers better patient outcomes. MI procedures involve the use of flexible fiber-optic endoscope tubes, which are equipped with a video camera and torch to diagnose abnormalities within the patient body. This is propelling the adoption of endoscopes and endoscopic closure devices. Thus, the growing demand for MI procedures is expected to drive market growth during the forecast period. Buy 1 Technavio report and get the second for 50% off. Buy 2 Technavio reports and get the third for free. View market snapshot before purchasing Major Five Endoscopic Closure Devices Market Companies: Abbott Laboratories Abbott Laboratories is headquartered in the US and operates the business under various segments such as Established Pharmaceuticals, Nutritionals, Diagnostics, and Cardiovascular and Neuromodulation. The company offers Perclose ProGlide Suture-Mediated Closure System and Prostar XL Percutaneous Vascular Surgical System. Armaly Brands Inc. Armaly Brands Inc. is headquartered in France and offers products through the following business units: Application Services, Technology and Engineering Services, Consulting Services, and Other Managed Services. The company offers Managed Testing Services and Testing Services as its stress testing solution. B. Braun Melsungen AG B. Braun Melsungen AG is headquartered in Germany and operates under various business segments, namely Hospital Care, Aesculap, OPM, B. Braun Avitum, and Others. The company offers a range of titanium ligation-clips ranging from 150 mm, 203 mm, and 280 mm instrument lengths for 25 degree, 65 degree, and 90 degree jaw angulation. Boston Scientific Corp. Boston Scientific Corp. is headquartered in the US and offers products through the following business segments: MedSurg, Rhythm and Neuro, and Cardiovascular. The company offers Resolution Clip and Resolution 360 Clip. Cardinal Health Inc. Cardinal Health Inc. is headquartered in the US and offers products through the following business segments: Pharmaceutical and Medical. The company offers MYNX Vascular Closure Devices and MYNXGRIP Vascular Closure Device. Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports. Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Endoscopic Closure Devices Market Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2020-2024) Endoscopic closure systems Endoscopic clips Others Endoscopic Closure Devices Market Geographic Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2020-2024) Asia Europe North America ROW Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report, such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Request a free sample report Related Reports on Health Care Include: Endoscopic Clips Market Global Endoscopic Clips Market by end-users (hospitals, clinics, and physicians' offices and ASCs) and geography (Asia, Europe, North America, and ROW). Cervical Cancer Endoscopic Devices Market Global Cervical Cancer Endoscopic Devices Market by product (optical colposcopes and digital colposcopes) and geography (Asia, Europe, North America, and ROW). About Technavio 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/20200318005526/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: https://www.technavio.com The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated the requirements for those under quarantine for the coronavirus. Previously, those in quarantine had to go 48 hours without a fever and without using fever-reducing medication. Now, patients have to go fever-free for 72 hours without fever-reducing medication. This applies to those currently under quarantine and those who may be quarantined in the future. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram Berlin, March 18, 2020 Bulgarian authorities should conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the assault of journalist Slavi Angelov and ensure his safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 9 p.m. yesterday, two unidentified men wearing masks attacked Angelov, an investigative reporter and editor-in-chief of the weekly newspaper 168 Hours, outside his home in Sofia, Bulgarias capital, according to a report by his employer. The men hit Angelov with metal bars while a third filmed the attack, according to that report. Angelov lost consciousness during the attack, and was brought to a local hospital, where he is being treated for a broken leg and head injuries, his employer said. The injuries are not life-threatening, according to that report. The Bulgarian Ministry of Interior has opened an investigation into the attack, according to local newspaper 24 Hours. Bulgarian authorities should swiftly and transparently investigate the assault of journalist Slavi Angelov, determine whether the attack was linked to his work, and bring the perpetrators to justice, said CPJs Europe and Central Asia program coordinator, Gulnoza Said, in New York. Authorities must ensure that those who attack journalists are held to account; impunity in such cases only encourages more attacks. Angelov told 24 Hours that the attackers wore masks with skulls and bones on them, and said that they did not take any of his possessions, including his laptop computer. Police are investigating possible links to his reporting, according to his employer, which noted that Angelov was recently working on an investigative story, but did not disclose the topic. He had recently covered organized crime, the gambling industry, alleged corruption among wealthy Bulgarian businesspeople, and environmental issues, according to news reports. In an email to CPJ, the press department of Bulgarian Ministry of Interior confirmed that police had opened an investigation, and said authorities planned to review CCTV footage of the attack. The investigation is being conducted under the supervision of the Sofia Regional Prosecutors Office, the email said. Ocado has closed down access to its website until Saturday as it struggles to deal with demand due to stockpiling during the coronavirus outbreak. Shoppers will not be able to edit an existing order or book a new delivery for the next few days. The online supermarket said it will be out of action until March 21 due to 'a simply staggering amount of traffic'. The announcement comes as some supermarket chains have started to impose strict rationing measures on items such as toilet roll, soap and UHT milk to curb Covid-19 panic-buying. Ocado has closed down access to its website until Saturday as it struggles to deal with demand due to stockpiling during the coronavirus outbreak. Shoppers will not be able to edit an existing order or book a new delivery for the next few days The online supermarket said it will be out of action until March 21 due to 'a simply staggering amount of traffic'. The announcement comes as some supermarket chains have started to impose strict rationing measures on items such as toilet roll, soap and UHT milk to curb Covid-19 panic-buying. (File photo) Ocado said the closure will enable it to carry out essential work that will help to ensure distribution of products and delivery slots is as fair and accessible as possible for all customers going forward. A message on the company's home page, from Melanie Smith, CEO of Ocado Retail, reads: 'Like all supermarkets, we are working round the clock to keep up with high demand and make sure all of our customers get what they need at this time especially those more vulnerable and in isolation.' Customers stocking up across the country is intensifying as supermarkets under mounting pressure are taking drastic rationing action in a bid to deal with the unprecedented demand for goods. Tesco, the UK's biggest supermarket, will impose restrictions on all customers to buying a maximum of three products per line from Thursday, as it copes with the high demand from the coronavirus pandemic, the company announced. Britain's grocery industry has struggled for over a week to keep shelves stocked in the face of stockpiling, which worsened on Tuesday despite weekend appeals for calm from supermarket bosses and politicians. But experts have asked why supermarkets have introduced different limits on certain goods, creating confusion for customers and competition among rivals. It comes as Ocado shoppers have been sharing stories about how their entire grocery orders have been cancelled without notice. Some affected customers said they only discovered their groceries weren't coming after logging on to Ocado's overstretched website - where getting access to an account has taken over 30 minutes. Earlier today, a message from the company's CEO Melanie Smith went out to customers, apologising for the delivery issues and revealing that the Ocado app would be temporarily taken offline due to 'performance issues'. Scroll down for video Frustration: Earlier on social media, many Ocado shoppers reported not receiving their orders, with no warning On Mumsnet yesterday, one shopper revealed she'd had no warning about her order not arriving and said she felt she now was more likely to panic buy because she had no food 'You will not be able to edit an existing order': The full statement from Ocado Like all supermarkets, we are working round the clock to keep up with high demand and make sure all of our customers get what they need at this time especially those more vulnerable and in isolation. As a result, we have made a decision to temporarily close access to Ocado.com so you will not be able to edit an existing order or book a new delivery for the next few days. This temporary closure will allow us to complete essential work that will help to make sure distribution of products and delivery slots is as fair and accessible as possible for all our loyal customers. We are fully booked for the next four days. If you have a delivery booked for Thursday or Friday, cut-off times for editing these orders have already passed, but your driver will still arrive as expected. Customers with an existing order booked for delivery from Saturday onwards will be contacted later this week with details of how to edit their orders. We will reopen the website to all customers from Saturday. We are very sorry to cause any inconvenience. Were managing a simply staggering amount of traffic to our website right now and more demand for products and deliveries than we can meet. Our first priority has to be to keep our service up and running and to play our part in feeding the nation. I'd also like to take this chance to thank our amazing drivers and warehouse staff who are working tirelessly to deliver groceries to as many people as possible in these uncertain times. Their dedication and hard work is truly amazing. Thank you for your patience and understanding at these unprecedented and challenging times. Melanie Smith, CEO, Ocado Retail Advertisement The Ocado app has been shut down due to technical issues, the company told shoppers today Smith also pleaded with shoppers not to panic buy, saying: 'Only buy what you need, theres enough for everyone. That will help us to make sure everybody gets what they need.' On social media site Mumsnet, one shopper affected by the Ocado cancellations said that they now felt they would be more likely to panic buy after not receiving food they'd spent time ordering. Vagessence wrote: 'My whole ocado shop for today has been cancelled. Thankfully we'll be able to drive to the shops but what about those who can't? People in self isolation or those who have to rely on online shops for other reasons? Slots aren't available until next week, midweek at the earliest!' They added: 'I've been telling myself to stay calm, only buy what we need, don't add to the problem of shops being out of stock. But now I'm panicking it's really hard to stick to that. I'm now not sure if I'll be able to hold back from panic buying now.' Elsewhere, on Twitter, others reported similar problems. @Hegark wrote: 'I have been charged for an order that wasnt delivered on Monday 16th. Have emailed and Sent DM. Please refund me #Ocado.' @clairebaty added: 'You have cancelled my reserved order for this Sunday for apparently a payment issue but my payment info was up to date already. Please can you reinstate this immediately?' @theblindblonde added: 'I have dmd you about a delivery which has not arrived! Please help' @ClaireJ29033154 wrote: 'I was expecting my @Ocado delivery Monday and it never arrived and not heard anything and cant get in touch with them either! The payment is pending out my account too and have 6 in my family to feed.' Empty pasta shelves in Tesco in Ely, Cambridgeshire, at 8am - just two hours after the store opened today Others praised the service for continuing through difficult times. @LizzyNinn wrote: 'Thanks. My order arrived on time as usual, nothing missing, pleasant chat with the driver. All totally normal. I know it's taking a lot of extra work to achieve this, so thank you.' MailOnline has contacted Ocado for comment. All the major supermarket chains have been affected by the deepening coronavirus crisis. Sainsbury's has announced it is closing its in-store meat, fish and pizza counters and cafes from tomorrow to free up lorry and warehouse capacity, as well as shelf-stacking time, for essential items to be replenished. The supermarket will restrict people to only buying three of any single grocery item, in addition to a two-item limit on the most popular goods such as toilet paper and long-life milk which is already in place. From March 23, disabled customers and those over 70 will take priority for online delivery slots. Morrisons plans to create 3,500 new jobs and expand its home delivery operation to help it deal with coronavirus. Aldi became the first UK grocer to introduce rationing, limiting customers to buying four items of any one product during each visit. Tesco followed suit by limiting shoppers to five items, and Asda has introduced a limit of three items while Iceland will only open to elderly, vulnerable and disabled shoppers on Wednesday mornings. Despite the stringent new measures, shelves at a Tesco supermarket in Ely, Cambridgeshire, were stripped bare just two hours after the store opened this morning. And customers at an Asda Walmart in Waterlooville, Hampshire, were queuing outside the door at 6am this morning and within just one hour, shoppers claim shelves were empty as worried households continue to stockpile against government advice. Metro Transit Police were sent to Minnesota Avenue and reported that the suspect was seen at a Valero gas station in the 3700 block. Police said he was spotted going into a convenience store next to the station, where the report says he threw a knife under a shelf. - Sadio Mane has reportedly made a 45,000 donation to his country to help fight Coronavirus - The winger is said to have made the donation spontaneously when he saw the evolution of the situation" - Senegal has 27 confirmed cases of COVID-19 according to health officials of the west African nation - The 27-year-old has also in the past built schools and a hospital for his village people - Mane is looking to win his first Premier League title with Liverpool in the 2019-20 campaign Sadio Mane has been a loyal son to his homeland to the core despite acquiring all his wealth in Europe. The Liverpool striker has once again proved he is the nicest after he reportedly donated KSh 5 million (45,000) to help fight the deadly coronavirus in Senegal. READ ALSO: Issa Diop: Arsenal boss Arteta plots move for West Ham defender READ ALSO: Frank Lampard says Hudson-Odoi has almost made recovery from coronavirus Senegal have had 27 confirmed cases so far of COVID-19, with the country suspending a number of flights in an effort to contain its spread. Mane has now chipped in to provide significant support to his homeland to help in the fight of the epidemic. READ ALSO: Coronavirus: UEFA Champions League, Europa League final matches postponed The winger further urged health officials in the country to take things very seriously. It is not the first time Mane has been generous to the people of his country, the Senegal international has also built hospitals and schools to help develop his village. Mane has been in an impeccable form in the past two seasons for the Reds helping them win the Champions League last season. Liverpool becoming European champions saw Mane nominated for the 2019 Balon d'Or award as he came fourth behind Lionel Messi, Virgil van Dijk and Cristiano Ronaldo. READ ALSO: Coronavirus: Blaise Matuidi, Juventus footballer, contracts COVID-19 But this season's competition has been different as Jurgen Klopp's side were unceremoniously knocked out in the round of 16 over two legs by Spanish club Atletico Madrid. However, Mane is in line to make history with the Merseysiders as they aim to win their first Premier League title in over 30 years of waiting. The 27-year-old has 14 league goals in 26 matches this season including two strikes Champion Leagues. Do you have an inspirational story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Tuko news. The agony of underage mothers in Nairobi slums | Tuko TV Source: TUKO.co.ke SALT LAKE CITY (AP) A 5.7-magnitude earthquake shook Salt Lake City and its suburbs early Wednesday, sending spooked residents fleeing their homes, knocking out power for tens of thousands and closing the citys airport. The epicenter was just southwest of Salt Lake City and about 2.8 million in the state probably felt the quake, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. There were no initial reports of major damage to buildings or injuries, said Utah Emergency Management spokesman Joe Dougherty. Operations at Salt Lake City International Airport came to a halt and the control tower and concourses were evacuated, the airport tweeted. Officials were conducting a runway inspection to try to determine if there was any damage, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. Planes headed to Salt Lake City were diverted. The quake also shut down the light rail service for Salt Lake City and its suburbs. Residents reported feeling shaking across a 100-mile (160 kilometer) area, with the heaviest impact in Salt Lake County, officials said. Some residents ran from their homes and into the streets as they felt the earthquake shake buildings for 10 to 15 seconds. The quake knocked pictures from walls and dishes from shelves, and people reported feeling it in the neighboring states of Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming and Nevada. Gov. Gary Herbert warned people to stay away from downtown Salt Lake City while officials assess damage. About 55,000 people lost electricity in the Salt Lake City area, said utility Rocky Mountain Power. It was the largest earthquake to hit Utah since a 5.9 magnitude quake shook southern Utah in 1992, according to Utah Emergency Management. Most shaking was reported in the Salt Lake County area, near the epicenter in the Salt Lake City suburb of Magna but the quake was felt 80 miles away (130 kilometers) in the Utah city of Logan. After the initial quake struck at 7:09 am, the geological survey recorded four smaller quakes over the next 23 minutes, ranging in magnitude from 3.7 to 3.9. Authorities said older buildings may have suffered structural damage though they did not expect to find severe damage in most structures, said Utah Emergency Management spokesman Joe Dougherty. Were hearing of lights falling down, bookcases falling down, weve heard of water lines breaking inside of buildings, Dougherty said. He recommended that people check on their neighbors, but that advice that could be challenging when people are being told to say inside their homes to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. This is the time for people to really do the right thing, make sure everyone is taken care of, Dougherty said. But we still do need to remember we have a pandemic going on at the same time. Turkey will close its rail and land border with Greece and Bulgaria from midnight over the new coronavirus fears. The move comes after Ankara had previously opened the gates for migrants heading to Europe as part of a threat to the EU over the deepening refugee crisis. State broadcaster TRT Haber reported today that Turkey's land borders with Greece and Bulgaria have been closed to entry and exit of passengers. A TRT reporter said the gates were still open for logistics. 'The land and rail border gates will be closed to exits and entries from 2100 GMT today (Wednesday)', as ordered by a circular issued by the interior ministry, the private Dogan news agency reported. Asylum seekers yesterday waiting at woodland near a buffer zone between Greece-Turkey border gates, hoping that Greece will open the border gate Women and children asylum seekers marching towards Kastanies border crossing as they stage a demonstration demanding Greece open the border gate President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last month re-opened Turkish border gates for refugees trying to reach Europe, which sparked a row with the European Union, as well as Greece. Thousands of migrants massed on the Turkish-Greek border gate, with skirmishes breaking out with the Greek police firing tear gas to bar their entry while refugees responded by hurling stones. Ankara wants to update the 2016 migrant deal with Brussels, saying most of the Turkish demands were far from being met. Erdogan on Tuesday discussed the issue with the leaders of France, Germany and Britain, in a video call. Turkey has so far had one death from coronavirus and a total of 98 cases. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last month re-opened Turkish border gates for refugees trying to reach Europe. Today they were closed again over coronavirus fears Asylum seekers hold a demonstration demanding Greece to open border gates on Monday Turkey confirmed its first death related to the coronavirus late on Tuesday, and reported a doubling of confirmed cases to 98, after it ramped up measures to combat the spread of the virus. Clashes broke out overnight on Greece's border with Turkey after about 500 migrants attempted to break down the border fence and enter Greece. Greek police said they used tear gas to repel the push to break down the fence south of the Kastanies border crossing. They said Turkish authorities also fired tear gas at the Greek border. An estimated 2,000 migrants are still camped on the Greek-Turkish border, weeks after Turkey declared its borders to Europe open and encouraged migrants and refugees living in the country to try crossing into European Union member Greece. Tens of thousands of people headed to the border despite Greece's insistence that its eastern border, which is also the EU's external border, was shut. The move came after months of threats by President Erdogan that he would open his borders and allow millions of refugees into Europe unless the EU provided more support for refugee care in Turkey. A Shiv Sena member in Lok Sabha on Wednesday accused the Congress, its ally in Maharashtra, of being a "silent spectator" when jawans were killed by terrorists and the national tricolour was burnt in Jammu and Kashmir. Participating in a debate on the budgetary proposals and demand for grants for the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, Arvind Sawant of the Shiv Sena said the party was thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking the "bold step" of abrogating Article 370 provisions, which gave special status to the erstwhile state. He said Article 370 abrogation had been a long-standing demand of Bal Thackeray, the founder of the Shiv Sena. He wondered as to why the Opposition never expressed pain and anguish over burning of the national tricolour. "They didn't express pain when jawans are killed...we will together say 'Bharat Mata KI Jai'. We don't require the ruling party's permission to say 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'," he said. When youth pelt stones on police forces, he said, the House doesn't express agony. He also said that "the Congress is our ally in Maharashtra but principles of the party remains intact." Observing that the government needs to build confidence, he said there is an urgent need to restore peace in Jammu and Kashmir. Allocation of 69 per cent of the budget on security reflects the fact that peace is still far. It is against the democratic principles that the State Budget is being discussed in Parliament, he added. Echoing similar views, Supriya Sule of the NCP said that the Centre should make efforts to have an elected government in place as soon as possible and expressed hope that next Budget will be tabled in the Assembly. With regard to investment in the state, she said funds flow only when people feel that they are safe and secure. "We have to solve all terrorism problem with economics and economy is not in good shape at the moment," she added. Jammu and Kashmir currently facing shortage of medicine, she said, adding road conditions are bad and power outages are frequent. She also expressed concern over the coronavirus outbreak impacting the tourism sector. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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 Search Keywords: Short link: Students of classes one to eight of all government primary schools in Uttar Pradesh will get promoted without having to appear in examinations in view of the coronavirus outbreak, an official said on Wednesday. Examinations in primary schools were scheduled between March 23 and 28. "Orders have been issued to promote all students, studying in schools run by the basic department, of class one to eight to next classes without examination. All schools have been closed till April 2," Additional Chief Secretary, Renuka Kumar said in a order issued on Tuesday night. The state government on Tuesday extended the closure of all educational institutions, cinemas, mulitplexes and tourists places in the state till April 2 and implemented work-from-home protocol to the extent possible to contain the coronavirus spread. Competitive and other examinations too have been postponed till April 2. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) I wish to commend you ... for not only your consistency in the laptop giving initiative but for also increasing the number of recipients. It is my hope that we will see the same trajectory in the coming years," he said. I have been disappointed in the negative tone that the campaign has taken, but all of that is behind us, Oberweis said in a statement. Now is the time for us as Republicans to come together and finish the mission which is to defeat Lauren Underwood in November. Calling himself a wartime president, Donald Trump said he would sign the Defense Production Act in case we need it' to deal with an expected surge in cases of coronavirus Minneapolis: President Donald Trump on Wednesday moved to invoke a federal law that allows the government to marshal the private sector to fight the coronavirus epidemic, as the economic damage mounted with word that Detroit's Big Three automakers agreed to shut down all their factories to protect workers. On a day of head-spinning developments, stocks tumbled again on Wall Street, falling so fast they triggered another automatic trading halt. More borders slammed shut across Europe and North America, with the US and Canada agreeing to close their shared boundary to all but essential travel. And the Trump administration pressed Congress to swiftly pass a potentially $1 trillion rescue package to prop up the economy and speed relief checks to Americans in a matter of weeks. Calling himself a wartime president, Trump said he would sign the Defense Production Act in case we need it" to deal with an expected surge in cases of the virus. The law gives the president extraordinary authority to get industries to expand production and turn out vital materials. The news came as scientists announced the virus has infected more than 200,000 people worldwide and killed over 8,000, while the United Nations warned that the global fallout from the outbreak could cost nearly 25 million job losses around the world. Around the globe, officials took increasingly drastic measures to fight the epidemic and the threat of a recession. California's governor warned grimly that martial law could be imposed, while the mayor of New York said the city's 8.6 million residents should be prepared for a near-complete lockdown. Czech authorities used emergency powers to raid a warehouse and seize hundreds of thousands of face masks. With a growing number of Americans thrown out of work by the near-shutdown of much of the U.S. economy, Trump also said the Housing and Urban Development Department will suspend foreclosures and evictions from public housing through April. Two people briefed on the matter said Wednesday that Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler agreed to close their factories. The two spoke on condition of anonymity because the closings had not been announced. The move would idle about 150,000 workers, who are likely to receive supplemental pay in addition to unemployment benefits. The U.S. reported more than 6,500 cases and at least 116 deaths, almost half of them in Washington state, where dozens of residents from a suburban Seattle nursing home have died. Meanwhile, across the European continent, desperate travelers choked border crossings after countries began shutting the doors against the coronavirus. And the Trump administration was said to be considering a plan to turn back all people who cross into the U.S. illegally from Mexico. Some bright spots emerged: Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the virus was first detected in late December and which has been under lockdown for weeks, reported just one new case for a second straight day Wednesday. But in a grim illustration of the epidemic's shifting center of gravity, the death toll in Italy moved closer to overtaking China's. Italy had more than 2,900 dead Wednesday after a record one-day total of 475 deaths; China's toll was just over 3,200. Iran has also been hit especially hard, with more than 17,000 cases and 1,100 deaths. In releasing the new global infection figures, Johns Hopkins University said more than 82,000 people have recovered from the virus, which causes only mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough in most cases, with severe illness more likely in the elderly and those with existing health problems. Still, scientists have no doubt the true number of people infected is higher than the 200,000 reported by health authorities because of the possibility that many mild cases have gone unrecognized or unreported, and because of the lag in large-scale testing in the U.S., where the effort has been marked by bumbling and bureaucratic delay. In the first-ever breakdown of its kind in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that coronavirus deaths in the United States mirror what has been reported in other countries, with about 4 out of 5 deaths occurring in people 65 and older and no deaths in children. The CDC looked at more than 4,200 cases reported through Monday. The coronavirus is present in all 50 states after West Virginia reported an infection. In far-flung Hawaii, the governor encouraged travelers to postpone their island vacations, while Nevada ordered its casinos closed. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned that residents should be prepared for the possibility of a shelter-in-place order within days a near-lockdown like the one covering almost 7 million people in the San Francisco Bay area. In the most sweeping measure of its kind in the U.S., they are allowed to leave their homes only for food, medicine or exercise. In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom put the National Guard on alert for humanitarian duties like ensuring proper food distribution and public safety, as some grocery stores resorted to rationing to control panic buying. But he also said we have the ability to do martial law which gives the military authority and can suspend civil liberties - if we feel the necessity. The Trump administration's plan for issuing relief checks to Americans calls for the payment of $500 billion in two installments, in April and May. The amounts have yet to be decided but would be based on income and family size. Meanwhile, miles-long traffic jams spread across Europe, where leaders have closed borders to nonessential traffic. Tens of thousands of people across the continent were struggling to return home amid the closed borders and dramatic cuts in the number of flights. At one point, trucks were backed in Austria up for 28 kilometres (17 miles) and cars for 14 kilometres (nearly 9 miles). In Southeast Asia, the causeway between Malaysia and the financial hub of Singapore was eerily quiet after Malaysia shut its borders, while the Philippines backed down on an order giving foreigners 72 hours to leave from a large part of its main island. Taiwan said that it, too, would ban foreigners from entry and citizens would have to quarantine at home for 14 days. Even tourists on Ecuador's Galapagos islands 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) off the South American mainland have been affected. Canadian Jessy Lamontaine and her family were stuck there when flights were suspended. 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. TV presenter Grant Denyer has been left outraged by panic-buying Sydneysiders travelling to regional cities 'by the busload' to stock up on food and supplies. The Dancing with the Stars host, 42, claims to have witnessed a gang of coronavirus preppers 'raiding' supermarkets in his hometown of Bathurst, 200km west of Sydney. The same group of hoarders apparently targeted two other central west NSW cities, Orange and Lithgow, before returning to Sydney. Shocking: TV presenter Grant Denyer (pictured) has been left outraged by panic-buying Sydneysiders travelling to regional cities 'by the busload' to stock up on food and supplies Grant wrote on Instagram on Wednesday: 'This is crazy. We live in Bathurst and we had two busloads of people from Sydney storm the town and raid our three supermarkets. Which were already depleted. 'They also hit Orange and Lithgow. Geez guys, chill. If we're patient, there's plenty for everyone. We have enough food supplies in Australia. 'You don't need to buy for two years, just a couple of weeks. Let's get through this together, with patience, kindness and resilience.' Vultures: The Dancing with the Stars host, 42, claims to have witnessed a gang of coronavirus preppers 'raiding' supermarkets in his hometown of Bathurst. Pictured with Amanda Keller Grant lives in Bathurst with his wife, Chezzi, and daughters, Scout and Sailor. He commutes to Melbourne on Sundays to film Dancing with the Stars. Producers have already banned members of the public from the audience, meaning the dancers performed to an empty studio on March 15. While on his flight home last week, Grant wrote on Instagram: 'Bye bye, Melbourne. It was magnificent filming in the home of @dancingon10. I hope I get to return again next week. Although who really knows what's going to happen?' Family life: Grant lives in Bathurst with his wife, Chezzi, and daughters, Scout and Sailor. He commutes to Melbourne on Sundays to film Dancing with the Stars Panic buying: Grant was inspired to share his story after reading a Daily Mail Australia article about city residents draining regional Victorian towns of resources Grant was inspired to share his story after reading a Daily Mail Australia article about city residents draining regional Victorian towns of resources. Residents from Kilmore, Traralgon, Wallan and Ararat slammed city 'vultures' for coming in by the 'busload' and emptying grocery store shelves. Nervous shoppers were believed to be coming in from Melbourne and targeting stores for items that had sold out in the city. Victorian crisis: It comes after residents from Kilmore, Traralgon, Wallan and Ararat slammed city 'vultures' for coming in by the 'busload' and emptying grocery store shelves. Pictured: General view outside a Woolworths in Sunbury, Victoria, as people wait outside on Tuesday Hoarding: 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 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. Prime Minister Scott Morrison bluntly told Australians to 'stop hoarding' as he outlined the government's efforts to slow the spread of coronavirus on Wednesday. 'Stop hoarding,' he said. 'I can't be more blunt about it. Stop it. 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.' Morrison also announced a ban on gatherings of more than 100 people and advised against all overseas travel - marking the first time in Australia's history that the government has told citizens not to go to any country. There are 568 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia as of Thursday morning. Stern message: Prime Minister Scott Morrison bluntly told Australians to 'stop hoarding' as he outlined the government's efforts to slow the spread of coronavirus on Wednesday Pandemic: There are 568 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia as of Thursday morning Rana Kapoor sent in judicial custody ; lawyer fears he may get COVID19 RBI lifts moratorium on Yes Bank; lender says all services available now India pti-PTI Mumbai, Mar 18: After 13 days of hardship for customers, Yes Bank said it has resumed all banking services as the moratorium imposed on the lender was lifted on Wednesday evening. Besides, the lender would extend banking time for three days starting Thursday. Soon after the lifting of the 13-day moratorium at 6 pm, some customers took to social media complaining that they were not able to access certain services, including internet and mobile banking. 'Our banking services are now operational. You can now experience the full suite of our services. Thank you for your patience and co-operation. #YESforYOU @RBI @FinMinIndia,' the lender said in a tweet. 'Yes Bank moratorium to be lifted on March 18 at 6 pm: RBI Governor There are also concerns in certain quarters that Yes Bank could see significant amount of deposit withdrawals. 'To serve you better, our branches will open one hour earlier at 08:30 hours from March 19 to 21, 2020. We have also extended banking hours across branches for our senior citizen customers, from March 19 to March 27, 2020, 16:30 hours to 17:30 hours,' the bank said in another tweet. On March 5, the Reserve Bank of India had imposed a moratorium as well as superseded the board of the then struggling Yes Bank. Deposit withdrawals were capped at Rs 50,000 per account apart from other restrictions. Under the Yes Bank reconstruction scheme, SBI and seven financial institutions, including private sector lenders, have infused around Rs 10,000 crore in the bank. Yes Bank's deposit base eroded by Rs 72,000 crore to Rs 1.37 lakh crore as of March 5, 2020. The same was at Rs 2.09 lakh crore as of December 31, 2019, as per data shared by the bank last Friday. On Tuesday, then Yes Bank CEO-Designate Prashant Kumar said the private sector lender has taken adequate steps to ensure availability of funds for customers. 'All our ATMs are full with cash. All our branches have adequate supply of cash. So, from the Yes Bank side, there is absolutely no issue on the liquidity front,' Kumar had said. With the lifting of the moratorium, Kumar is now the Yes Bank CEO. However, certain customers of the bank vented their grievances on Twitter after the moratorium was lifted. Some of them indicated that they might shift their money from the lender and posted their grievances tagging the bank's Twitter handle. Replying to some of the tweets, the bank apologised for the inconvenience caused to the customers and said it was 'facing intermittent issues'. The private sector lender has got support from its largest investor State Bank of India (SBI), which holds 48.21 per cent stake in the bank. SBI alone has invested Rs 6,050 crore into the bank. ICICI Bank and HDFC (Rs 1,000 crore each), Axis Bank (Rs 600 crore), Kotak Mahindra Bank (Rs 500 crore), Bandhan Bank and Federal Bank (Rs 300 crore each) and IDFC First (Rs 250 crore) have invested in Yes Bank. MCLEAN, Va., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Crypsis Group, a leading incident response, risk management and digital forensics firm, today announced the formation of the Crypsis Threat Research Labs (CTRL), a team dedicated to analyzing emerging cybersecurity threats and trends with the goal of making their research publicly available to help improve organizational security. The team will leverage innovative tools developed by Crypsis's development team as well as the considerable stores of threat intelligence data gleaned from thousands of the company's historic and current investigations to analyze the changing threat landscape. CTRL will be led by directors Tony Cook and Jared Greenhill; and while it includes full-time dedicated staff members, Crypsis's highly technical, innovative professional services staff will also contribute their expertise to CTRL projects. The team will produce research reports, blogs, "Flash Alerts" (which will provide analysis of newly discovered security risks or malware types), white papers and open-sourced tools. CTRL has issued their first public release: a Flash Alert on PwndLocker, a new variant of ransomware developed entirely as shellcode: Resource: FLASH ALERT: New Ransomware VariantPwndLocker "The CTRL team helps our clients by advancing the overall state of cybersecurity and staying on top of threats as they emerge," said Bret Padres, Crypsis's CEO. "We have considerable data from years of investigations and the advanced tools to assess and evaluate the meaning of that data from a macro view. This information will help not only our clients, but organizations in general react more quickly to new threats and respond proactively to emerging trends." About the Crypsis Group Crypsis creates a more secure digital world by providing the highest-quality incident response, risk management and digital forensic services to over 1,700 organizations globally. Named one of the Top 10 Digital Forensics Services Companies of 2019 by Enterprise Security magazine, The Crypsis Group helps clients defend against and respond to cybersecurity threats through their cybersecurity expertise, global incident response capabilities and continuous innovation. The company has offices in Washington D.C., New York, Chicago, Austin and Los Angeles. For more information, visit https://www.crypsisgroup.com/. Media Contact: Lindsay Smith [email protected] 303.882.1471 SOURCE Crypsis Related Links https://www.crypsisgroup.com McDonald's restaurants are on Wednesday launching a brand new 'Grass Fed Beef Burger' which will be available for a limited time. The new burger will be made from 100 per cent Australian beef and is being added to the premium burger menu at stores across the country. The burger will also include Australian-sourced Jack cheese, crispy bacon, whole leaf lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, topped-off with creamy garlic aioli and tomato onion relish on a white bun. The new burger will be made from 100 per cent Australian grass fed beef and is being added to the premium burger menu at stores across the country 'The Grass Fed Beef Burger is a delicious addition to our menu that really celebrates terrific, locally-sourced products,' marketing director Jo Feeney said. 'McDonald's has a long-standing commitment to our local farmers and the agricultural industry and supporting them is at the heart of our business.' 'McDonald's will purchase an additional 160 metric tonnes of certified grass fed beef from Australian producers,' added Feeney. The burger can be purchased at stores nationwide and on McDelivery from March 18 for a limited run. The burger can be purchased at stores nationwide and on McDelivery from March 18 for a limited run LANSING, MI -- Michigans recreational marijuana industry continued its steady ascent in February, based on the latest monthly statistical report released by the state Marijuana Regulatory Agency. Monthly recreational marijuana sales hit $14.8 million, a 34% increase over the nearly $9.8 million in January sales. The first full month of recreational sales, which began Dec. 1, logged $7 million in sales. The number of licensed recreational marijuana retailers grew from 42 in January to 59 in February and there were 74 as of March 17, according to the Licensing and Regulatory Affairs website. While sales increase, prices are decreasing slightly. The average retail cost for an ounce of flower in February was $494.77 per ounce ($7,916 per pound), down from $512.05 per ounce in January and $516.21 in December. The state will collect about $1.5 million from the 10% excise tax and $976,800 from the 6% sales tax related to recreational marijuana sales. The state collected nearly $1.4 million in licensing fees and other revenue and spent about $344,000 overseeing the licensed recreational marijuana industry, according to the February report. The first $20 million for the first two years after recreational marijuana sales begin is slated to be spent on research for marijuana use in health care. The breakdown of the remainder is: 15% to cities, townships or villages that allow recreational business, proportioned based on the number of micro-businesses and retailers; 15% to counties, proportioned based on the number of micro-businesses and retailers; 35% to the School Aid Fund for K-12 education and 35% to the Michigan Transportation Fund for road and bridge repair. Medical marijuana Medical marijuana sales remained mostly steady in February with a recorded $25.7 million in sales, compared to about $25.2 million in January and $24.9 million in December. The cost of medical marijuana flower continues to increase. It cost an average of $285.50 per ounce in February, $276.37 per ounce in January and $267.30 per ounce in December. The state generated $1.43 million in licensing fees and other revenue and spent nearly $926,000 operating the licensed medical marijuana industry in February. The state Marijuana Regulatory Agency has been releasing monthly statistical reports approximately two weeks after the months end. Previous reports are available here. -- Gus Burns is the marijuana beat reporter for MLive. Contact him with questions, tips or comments at fburns@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter, @GusBurns. Read more from MLive about medical and recreational marijuana. More on MLive: Michigan allowing curbside marijuana sales Marijuana industry is hiring Recreational marijuana sales approach $18 million Michigan marijuana prices spike Michigan marijuana, what it means for you Marijuana organizations scold state for expediting recreational sales Help wanted in Michigans marijuana industry Looking for more of the best deals, latest celebrity news and hottest trends? Sign up for Yahoo Lifestyle Canadas newsletter. Can ibuprofen make coronavirus symptoms worse? Update: As of March 19, the World Health Organization has updated their stance on the use of ibuprofen, saying that based on currently available information, they do not recommend against the use of ibuprofen. In a thread on Twitter, WHO said they are aware of the concerns around using ibuprofen for treating patients fever. We are consulting with physicians treating the patients and are not aware of reports of any negative effects, beyond the usual ones that limit its use in certain populations, they said. The original story from March 18 follows: Fever-reducing medicine such as ibuprofen could worsen COVID-19, top health officials say. The World Health Organization (WHO) is recommending as of Tuesday that people suffering from symptoms of the illness avoid taking the common anti-inflammatory painkiller, which is known by brand names like Advil and Motrin. Instead, WHO says people who suspect they have COVID-19 (the name of the illness caused by novel coronavirus) and who need symptom relief take paracetamol, better known in Canada and the U.S. as acetaminophen (brand name Tylenol). The recommendation came after French officials warned that anti-inflammatory drugs could exacerbate effects of the virus. Frances health minister Olivier Veran recently tweeted that "taking anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, cortisone...) could be an aggravating factor of the infection. If you have a fever, take paracetamol. If you are already on anti-inflammatory drugs or in doubt, ask your doctor for advice." ALSO SEE: What are the coronavirus symptoms and when should I see a doctor? The French Ministry of Social Affairs and Health also issued an alert saying that "grave adverse effects" linked to the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (a family of drugs that includes ibuprofen) have "been identified with patients affected by COVID-19, in potential or confirmed cases. Story continues "We repeat that the treatment of a fever or of pain linked to COVID-19 or to any other respiratory viral disease should be paracetamol," the governments urgent notice said. Verans warning followed the recent publication of a study in the Lancet medical journal that hypothesized that an enzyme boosted by anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen could facilitate and worsen COVID-19 infections. While advising people with COVID-19 avoid ibuprofen, WHO stated that health experts are still looking into the matter to provide further guidance. B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says that while more evidence is needed, clinical experts in Canada are closely following research and development. We have seen that with other febrile illnesses; sometimes things like aspirin can cause a flare-up in immune system, so its biologically plausible, that ibuprofen could aggravate COVID-19, Henry said at a press briefing on Tuesday. ALSO SEE: I was the first person to test the coronavirus vaccine Although ibuprofen is commonly used to treat fevers generally, plain Tylenol or acetaminophen would be an alternative, Henry said. Ibuprofens anti-inflammatory properties could dampen down the immune system and slow down the recovery process, Ian Jones, a professor of virology at the University of Reading told the British Medical Journal. He noted that based on similarities between the novel coronavirus and SARS, its likely COVID-19 reduces a key enzyme that helps regulate the water and salt concentration in the blood and could contribute to the pneumonia seen in extreme cases. Ibuprofen aggravates this, while paracetamol does not, he said. Let us know what you think by commenting below and tweeting @YahooStyleCA! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram and sign up for our newsletter. There has been a mixture of closures and resilience across Brisbane's bars, clubs, cinemas and live music venues in the face of national restrictions on mass gatherings in response to COVID-19. Some of the River City's major venues have announced they will close for weeks, performers are cancelling tours en masse and those excited to become citizens have had their ceremonies cancelled. Regurgitator performing at the Tivoli in Brisbane on October 29, 2019. The Tivoli has closed until May 1. Credit:Lachlan Douglas In the latest update, Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles said non-essential gatherings of more than 100 people should be cancelled, in line with federal government recommendations. "This will affect, cinemas, entertainment venues, pubs and clubs and large restaurants," he said. Photo: Jeenah Moon/Getty Images Harvey Weinstein is now an inmate at a maximum-security prison, New York state corrections officials said Wednesday. He was transferred to the prison, Wende Correctional Facility, which is near Buffalo, today. On Feb. 24, a jury convicted Weinstein of first-degree criminal sexual act, and third-degree rape; Justice James Burke sentenced him to 23 years in prison on March 11.Prior to Weinsteins transfer Upstate,Weinstein had bounced between New York Citys infamous Rikers Island jail and Bellevue Hospital, where he was treated for heart problems. Its unclear whether Wende will be Weinsteins permanent home. State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision officials said he will be there throughout the classification process. This basically means processing an inmate into the state prison system, and then figuring out ones needs when it comes to security, medical, and mental health issues. Theres no standard timeframe for classification, so its also unclear how long Weinstein might be at Wende; its also not known whether hell be transferred or just stay. This is the process, Weinstein attorney Arthur Aidala said. From what I could see, its relatively typical. Asked which prison they hoped Weinstein would be assigned to, Aidala pointed to the disgraced producers health problems, and said, wherever those medical issues are best addressed. Tomorrows his birthday, Aidala said of the producer, who is turning 68. Kind of a sad place to spend a birthday. Weinstein will not have visitors on his birthday. New Yorks Department of Corrections and Community Supervision suspended all visitation because of the coronavirus outbreak. Like other inmates impacted by this, Weinstein will be given five free stamps per week, two free secure messages via electronic messages per week, and one free phone call per week. With blank stares or catching a few winks of sleep curled up on uncomfortable chairs, dozens of people have been stranded for four days on a bus locked in gigantic tailbacks at the Polish-German border due to virus restrictions. "Our bus is on its way to our home in Ukraine. We aren't allowed to enter Poland, the border crossing is closed, and we're in panic," passenger Alexander on the Eurolines Cologne-Kiev service told AFP. Queues of trucks, cars and other vehicles stretched up to 60 kilometres (37 miles) back from Germany's eastern border with Poland Wednesday, with Red Cross carers on the scene to attend to people waiting up to 30 hours. "This is a questionable situation from a humanitarian perspective," Red Cross worker Kai Kranich told German national news agency DPA. Offering some hope the situation could soon ease, Polish authorities agreed Wednesday to open four new crossings with German states Brandenburg and Saxony. That was scant comfort to Alexander, who explained that some among the 50 passengers had been trekking 13 kilometres to buy food and toiletries rather than pay swingeing prices at the motorway service station where their bus was parked. "We've been sleeping in this bus for four days, men, old women," he said. "It's cold at night and during the day we have nothing to do." One passenger's condition had already got so bad that an ambulance had to be called, Alexander added, while others among the group had given up on waiting and made their own way back from the border. "Our parents, our wives, our children are waiting for us at home," the passenger said. "Please, help us." - 'Waiting for help' - The European Union sealed its external borders to incoming travellers Wednesday to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, as the death toll of over 3,400 on the continent overtook that in Asia. But within the bloc frontier closures have been more piecemeal. Governments are struggling to balance containment with upholding vital cross-border economic relationships in cases like truck-borne freight, cross-border commuters or seasonal farm workers. On Tuesday, German chancellor Angela Merkel reiterated that "the free flow of goods must be guaranteed" between EU nations to avoid yet worse economic consequences than those already visible on the horizon. But the free movement of people around the EU -- one of the "four freedoms" at the heart of its single market -- has largely fallen victim to the new wave of border closures. Within two days of Germany closing its land borders Monday, federal police reported turning back 21,000 travellers who had sought to enter. Many states are carrying out spot checks for potential virus infections on those looking to enter their territory. "The Polish border guards checked all of our temperatures, everyone was healthy, no-one sick," bus passenger Alexander said. "I don't see any problem with us being allowed to return to our homeland," he added. "Our travel company is doing nothing, our diplomats are doing nothing. We're waiting for help." One Ukrainian said he and his fellow passengers on the bus headed for Kiev from Cologne had been sleepin in the vehicle for four days near the German-Polish border Traffic has piled up near Briesen near the German-Polish border as Polish border authorities ramped up strenuous health checks in an attempt to fight the spread of the coronavirus Returning Poles crossing from the eastern German town of Frankfurt an der Oder had their temperatures taken as the virus spread put paid to free movement of people around the EU The European Union (EU) is closing its borders to the outside world in a bid to contain and and prevent the further spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Travelers from outside are expected to be banned from entering the EU for a period of 30 days. Europe has emerged as the worlds epicenter of the coronavirus. Thousands of people in Europe have been infected and thousands others killed. Meanwhile, as borders are being closed, supermarkets in Europe are reportedly limiting the number of food items being sold due to hoarding. 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 HONOLULU - Two cruise ships wont be allowed to disembark in Honolulu after being turned away by other ports, even with no positive cases of coronavirus on either vessel, officials said Wednesday. State and cruise line officials previously said passengers would disembark at Honolulu Harbor. However, U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who is running for president, said during a telephone town hall Wednesday that the state Department of Transportation made the difficult, but correct, decision to only allow the Maasdam and Norwegian Jewel cruise vessels ... to come into port solely to take on fuel and resupply, in Honolulu Harbor. The Maasdam, operated by Holland America Line, had its port call cancelled in Hilo and is set to arrive Friday to Honolulu Harbor, state officials said. It has 842 guests and 542 crew members. Norwegian Cruise Line said one of its vessels that was turned away by Fiji and New Zealand is expected to arrive to Honolulu on Sunday. The Norwegian Jewel, with about 1,700 passengers, refuelled in American Samoa but was not allowed to disembark at the Port of Pago Pago. The cruise lines didnt immediately comment on Hawaiis reversal. New measures to seal borders to reduce the spread of the coronavirus have left some cruise ships stranded as local governments deny permission to disembark. Two vessels were rerouted to Miami after they were turned away from their home port in Puerto Rico, even with no reports of infections. Authorities in Argentina, Chile and Brazil placed ships on quarantine after reports of positive coronavirus tests. The Cruise Lines International Association said about 40 ships with 90,000 passengers were at sea when President Donald Trump announced a ban last week that restricts travel by many foreigners to the U.S. News that the Maasdam previously planned to arrive in Hilo on Hawaiis Big Island after dozens of other ships cancelled port calls for fear of spreading coronavirus sparked worry, with many calling for the ship to be redirected or even for civilian vessels to physically block the Maasdams entrance to the harbour, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported. The transportation department said previously officials were working to direct the Maasdam to Honolulu Harbor so passengers will have flight options out of Honolulus Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. It has been confirmed that there will be no disembarking of passengers, not even to go straight from the port directly to Honolulu airport to catch their flight home, Gabbard said. After they are refuelled and resupplied the ships will be sent off to another destination that is not Hawaii that will allow them to discharge their passengers. There will be teams ensuring that people dont disembark the ships, Lt. Gov. Josh Green said during the telephone town hall. Edmund Pinto, a passenger on the Norwegian Jewel and a former Associated Press editor, said Wednesday that we have been told so many times we can disembark, only to be told the day before we couldnt. Gov. David Ige on Tuesday asked people to postpone island vacations for at least 30 days as the state tries to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Holland America Lines Westerdam cruise ship arrived Monday in Honolulu with no passengers. The ship departed from the Philippines on March 2 with with 680 crew and 18 contract service staff, who all tested negative for COVID-19 in mid-February, the cruise line said in a statement. The ship sailed for more than a month with no port calls, the statement said. ___ Associated Press journalist Brady McCombs in Salt Lake City and Fili Sagapolutele in Pago Pago, American Samoa, contributed to this report. Last Tuesday, a 19-year-old teenager, who was nearly 30 weeks pregnant, died as a result of a fall from the border wall while attempting to cross into the United States. The young woman, identified as Miriam Estefany Giron Luna from Guatemala, fell nearly 20 feet as she attempted to scale the steel mesh border wall near Clint, Texas earlier this month. Her partner, Dilver Israel Diaz Garcia, 26, carried her away from the scene and reached out to Border Patrol agents, who in turn took her to the nearest medical facilities. According to reports from the Guatemalan consular officials, despite multiple surgeries, neither Giron Luna nor her child could be saved. As expected, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials who announced the death tried to blame it on the activities of human smugglers [at whose hands] sadly more lives have perished. In a conference call with reporters, CBP acting commissioner Mark Morgan described Giron Lunas fatal fall in detail, calling it an example of the truth of whats occurring at the border. The smugglers quickly left them alone, fading off in the darkness, leaving them to make the final legs of the journey by themselves. As they attempted to climb the wall, the husband could do nothing but watch as he saw his pregnant wife fall to the ground. El Paso Sector Chief Gloria Chavez said in a statement Someone in Mexico guided this eight-month pregnant woman from Guatemala to this section of the border and encouraged her and helped her climb the steel mesh border barrier. We will engage our law enforcement partners in Mexico to find those responsible for placing these lives in danger. If one wanted to truly find those responsible for placing [the lives of migrants] in danger, they wouldnt need to look too far. This tragedy is the latest in the long list of horrific and avoidable human casualties that can be directly traced to the criminal anti-immigrant policies of the Trump administration. Human trafficking of migrants is but the most visible effect of the set of coordinated policies that have been put into place by the current administration over the past few years. From family separations at the border to the building of a network of detention camps to outright denial of asylum rights, the US government has made it virtually impossible for migrants, particularly from Central America, to find refuge in the United States in a safe manner. Add to that, the vast amount of resources that have been spent on militarizing the border and rebuilding sections of the border wall, including 135 miles of new 30-foot-tall bollard fencing, the result being a perfect recipe for disaster. Tekandi Paniagua, a Guatemalan consular official based in Texas, told the Washington Post that the deaths of Giron Luna and her child reflect an extremely troubling trend with more and more migrants attempting to scale the border wall either by themselves or falling prey to human traffickers, who offer them no option but to scale the wall using unsecured, improvised ladders. Since October, at least five other Guatemalans have suffered broken bones and more serious injuries as a result of falls from the wall. Since January, authorities have intercepted seven tractor trailers filled with migrants. As comparison, in 2019 there were a total of 12 such interceptions. As Paniagua pointed out, a year ago Giron Luna and her partner would have come to the border and turned themselves in to officials, seeking asylum. This is however no longer possible, given the Trump administrations policy of complete denial of asylum rights at the Southern border. As a result, desperate working class migrants are willing to take even greater risks to escape brutal conditions in their home countries, and make their way into the United States. Under these circumstances, tragedies like the deaths of Giron Luna and her child are horrifyingly becoming more and more common. The Trump administration has amply revealed its callous disregard for any humanitarian concerns or for that matter, truth, while dealing with immigrants. In October 2018, the President declared a national emergency to send 5000 troops to the Southern border, claiming without any evidence that a caravan of asylum-seekers headed towards the US posed a threat because it included stone-cold killers and unknown Middle Easterners. In the past month, it was reported that 160 soldiers deployed at the border are forming crisis response teams at two points of entry, with the designated task of providing force protection for CBP personnel as they perform their federal functions. Just last week, a criminal complaint filed in a New Mexico Federal court revealed that some of these troops have been surveilling movements of migrants and coordinating with Border Patrol to help capture them. This is in direct violation of the Posse Comitatus Act, passed after the Civil War, which makes it illegal for the military to act as police or engage in direct civilian law enforcement assistance. However, these proscriptions can be overturned under certain conditions including that of a national emergency. In the past week, a new national emergency has been declared to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. It is worth noting that this crisis has only brought into sharper relief the xenophobia that shapes the policies of the Trump administration. The grotesque attempts to frame the crisis as a foreign attack, and to designate the virus itself as foreign or Chinese are not particularly surprising. One of the earliest Presidential tweets about the pandemic was just one line: We need the Wall more than ever. While simple, it made no sense at all given that there was no evidence that an expanded wall would prevent the spread of COVID-19, or for that matter that the coronavirus had made its way into the US from the Southern border. In fact, at that point, Mexico had far fewer confirmed cases of the coronavirus than the US. However, this is a stark reminder of the priorities of this administration and its willingness to use any crisis as an opportunity to push through its anti-immigrant agenda. A man who was shot dead by police after firing an air pistol at an officer was believed to pose an immediate threat to life, a report has found. Spencer Ashworth, 29, waved a handgun at another motorist on the A369 Portbury Hundred in September 2017. The delivery driver, originally from Southampton, had been travelling south on the M5 when police received reports of a man shooting at another motorist. Firearms officers stopped Mr Ashworth and surrounded his red Suzuki Swiftcar with police vehicles at 9.32am. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said the officers attempted to verbally engage with Mr Ashworth for more than 30 seconds but he did not comply with instructions to show his hands and get out of the vehicle. He was seen to aim his pistol at one of the officers and fire it, and four armed officers discharged 15 rounds from their handguns over a period of four seconds. Spencer Ashworth was shot on the A369 in Bristol / Google Maps Police and paramedics attempted CPR but Mr Ashworth had sustained fatal wounds to his head and chest and died at the scene. Later investigations showed his weapon was a Walther air pistol, which had the appearance of a genuine Walther P99 semi-automatic pistol. The air pistol had been fired twice during the incident, causing a superficial injury to the thigh of one officer. A jury at Avon Coroners Court concluded on Tuesday, following a two-week inquest, that Mr Ashworth had been lawfully killed. The IOPC released the findings of its investigation into the incident including that police officers followed policies and procedures after the jurys conclusion. Catrin Evans, regional director for the IOPC, said: I send my condolences to Mr Ashworths family and everyone affected by this tragic incident. The evidence shows officers initially provided loud, clear and unambiguous verbal instructions to Mr Ashworth which sadly he did not comply with. The fact that four armed officers fired simultaneously can, in our opinion, be considered an indication that each of them, concurrently and instinctively, perceived there to be an immediate threat to life. We believe that the pistol in the hands of Mr Ashworth, and pointed in the manner that it was, would have had the appearance of a real firearm. After the shots were fired, all the firearms officers and other police who attended immediately attempted to save Mr Ashworths life. All key policing witnesses engaged positively with the post-incident procedures, and provided detailed accounts, which included their honestly held beliefs. Inquest jurors heard recordings of 999 calls made to police forces as Mr Ashworth travelled down the M5, as well as seeing bodycam footage from officers. The IOPC said it had identified learning that all authorised firearms officers should be reminded of the requirement to start filming on their bodycams when they are authorised and directed to a firearms incident. A post-mortem examination found Mr Ashworth died from gunshot wounds to the head and chest. The inquest heard Mr Ashworth, a keen skateboarder who was talented at drawing, was believed by his family to have had depression. He moved out of the family home aged 22 to live in Plymouth, Bristol and then Portishead, and kept in touch with his mother through email and occasional phone calls. In one email sent in August 2017, he referred to my new James Bond air pistol and described how he wanted to go to California before I have to shoot it out with the police. Approving the licence for the first private firm to conduct tests for COVID-19, cancelling all non-emergency leaves of paramilitary and Army personnel, and promoting government primary school students without exams are among the measures taken by various stakeholders to control the pandemic as the number of positive cases in the country rose to 151 on Wednesday. IMAGE: A vendor sells masks to commuters in the wake of deadly coronavirus, in New Delhi, on Wednesday. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo As the Indian Army reported its first case of the infection with a 34-year-old soldier testing positive in Leh, the Army said it has taken a series of precautionary measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus among the forces such as checking flu symptoms among soldiers on their return from leave and cancelling non-essential travel, conferences and recruitment drives. Officials said at some locations the Army has also placed soldiers under quarantine after their return from leave. The Air Force too has announced postponement of the recruitment exams which were scheduled later this week, according to officials. A four-page directive was issued by the Union home ministry asking the 10 lakh personnel-strong Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to cancel all non-emergency leaves of members of the paramilitary to minimise the risk of contracting coronavirus during travel. Paramilitary personnel were also asked by the government to get into 'battle mode' to combat the pandemic by ensuring personal and public safety, as per the directive. Two fresh positive coronavirus cases were reported in Uttar Pradesh. In the first case, a 25-year-old junior resident doctor of the King George Medical University in Lucknow tested positive after coming in contact with two patients undergoing treatment for the disease at its premises, a hospital spokesperson said. In the second case, a Noida resident who recently returned from Indonesia tested positive for COVID-19 taking the total number of positive cases in the district to four, Gautam Buddh Nagar Chief Medical Officer Anurag Bhargava said. IMAGE: DTIDC workers conduct a cleaning drive in buses as part of a precautionary measure at ISBT Anand Vihar, New Delhi, on Wednesday. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo While the Central Board of Secondary Education directed board examination centres to ensure sitting arrangements with adequate distance between students to contain the coronavirus spread, the Uttar Pradesh government announced that students of classes one to eight of all government primary schools in the state will get promoted without having to appear in examinations that have been cancelled in view of the coronavirus outbreak. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan held a review meeting on the containment and management of coronavirus, directing that teams be deputed to regularly inspect and monitor quarantine facilities. The meeting was attended by senior health ministry officials, the directors or medical superintendents of central government hospitals such as Safdurjung Hospital, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and All India Institute of Medical Sciences-Delhi. Vardhan reviewed the preparedness of hospitals in terms of availability of testing kits, personal protective equipment, medicines and isolation wards. He directed hospitals to ensure adequate availability of protective gear for all healthcare workers. Swiss firm Roche Diagnostics India received the license for conducting coronavirus tests after approval from drug regulator DCGI, making it the first private firm to get such permission after the government decided to allow accredited private labs to test for COVID-19, a senior official said. In Parliament, the government informed the Lok Sabha that 276 Indians have been infected with coronavirus in other countries -- 255 in Iran, 12 in United Arab Emirates, five in Italy and one each in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda and Sri Lanka. Several MPs in the Lower House raised the issue of Indian students stranded in the Philippines and demanded that the government take necessary steps for their evacuation. IMAGE: Security personnel pump sanitizer on hands of visitors in the wake of deadly coronavirus, at the entrance of a shopping mall, in Kolkata, on Wednesday. Photograph: Swapan Mahapatra/PTI Photo Opposition Rajya Sabha MPs demanded curtailment of the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament in view of the spread of coronavirus but the Chairman said any decision on it will have to be taken by the government in consultation with stakeholders. However, when senior Congress leader P Chidambaram urged Naidu to allow MPs to decide on using protective gear depending on their perception of vulnerability, the chair agreed. Former Union minister and BJP MP Suresh Prabhu self quarantined himself at his residence for the next 14 days as a precautionary measure following his return from Saudi Arabia to attend a meeting on March 10. Sources said though Prabhu has tested negative for the coronavirus, he has decided to stay in isolation as a precaution. United Kingdom's Acting High Commissioner to India Jan Thompson, in a video posted on Twitter, advised British nationals in India that if they have symptoms of coronavirus they should self-isolate for seven days and contact the Government of India's helpline in case their condition worsens. In the national capital, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation is sanitising major temples, churches and gurudwaras while the Delhi Zoo administration shut the zoological party till March 31 in view of the pandemic. The J&K administration announced closure of the Vaishno Devi yatra and banning of all inter-state buses as part of precautionary measures. The district administration in Udhampur suspended all modes of public transport, while two major parks in Jammu and all public parks in Poonch district have been closed till further orders, officials said. The Bharatiya Janata Party, meanwhile, decided not to hold any protest or demonstration for a month in view of the coronavirus outbreak, party president J P Nadda said. Idris Elba has spoken out against critics who suggested his wife Sabrina Dhowre Elba should not have been by his side when he announced he has tested positive for coronavirus. The Luther star, 47, posted a video on Monday night confirming he has tested positive, but appeared with his model wife in the video, who has not been diagnosed with the virus. UK Government guidelines advise those who have tested positive should ideally self quarantine in their home, away from other family members who have not been diagnosed. Defence: Idris Elba has defended himself against criticism after his wife Sabrina Dhowre Elba was seen by his side when he announced he has tested positive for coronavirus Idris took part in a Twitter Live video on Tuesday evening to give his fans an update, 24 hours on from his diagnosis. The actor reassured fans he is feeling well, explaining: 'Yesterday was good and bad. Bad because I tested positive, but it was also good because it opened up a lot of conversation around it.' 'I think it made it a lot more real for some people. Definitely made it more real for me and my family.' 'There was so many positive responses to, you know, me talking about it. Some negative too. But there were some definite positive ones. I certainly feltmy wife and I felt like it was the right thing to do, to share it with you guys,' he added. Decision: The Luther star, 47, posted a video on Monday night confirming he has tested positive, but appeared with his model wife in the video, who has not been diagnosed with the virus 'He went on to address the 'negative' comments he had received about choosing to be with Sabrina, explaining the couple, who married in 2019, had 'calculated the risk.' He also explained Sabrina has now been tested. '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. Just for clarification, Sabrina wanted to be by my side.' 'As much as we talked about her not coming to where I am, she did and wanted to and I love her even more for it and I would do the same for her.' 'As much as I wanted her to keep safe, we presumed if I had it, the likelihood she would have it too, we calculated that risk,' he went on. '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?' Married; 'As much as we talked about her not coming to where I am, she did and wanted to and I love her even more for it and I would do the same for her,' Idris said The British actor urged his followers to spread love and advised families to follow guidelines but do what works best for them. Elsewhere in Tuesday night's video Idris appeared to confirm he had contracted the virus from Canadian Prime Minister's wife Justin Trudeau Sophie, 44, after the two met shortly before they both tested positive for COVID-19. The actor revealed 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. Message: The British actor urged his followers to spread love and advised families to follow guidelines but do what works best for them 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. '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. Exposed: Elsewhere in Tuesday night's video Idris appeared to confirm he had contracted the virus from Canadian Prime Minister's wife Justin Trudeau Sophie, 44, after the two met shortly before they both tested positive 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. 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.' Interaction: Idris revealed 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) Idris then addressed backlash as to why he was tested for COVID-19 after he had 'no symptoms' and 'felt ok'. 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. '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.' 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.' He reassured his followers that at present he is feeling fine, explaining: 'Right now though, I am feeling okay. Woke up this morning, didn't have any symptoms. My voice is a little tiredchecking my fever twice a day. Feel good, feel okay. Been doing a lot of reading about it. You know, asymptomatic is what comes up,' Idris explained about his status. Idris revealed he was inspired to share his coronavirus story after fellow actor Tom Hanks also shared that he tested positive for COVID-19. Australia and Taiwan have joined the growing number of governments offering financial aid to airlines, while authorities in Europe rushed to agree steps to rescue carriers which have had to park planes and cut jobs as the coronavirus pandemic puts the brake on travel. The scramble to bail out carriers came as Italy once again rescued Alitalia, with Rome taking control of the airline, and shelving a sale process for the perennially loss-making carrier. EU transport ministers discussed potential help following calls from the airline sector for urgent tax relief to avoid multiple bankruptcies. Norways government held talks with Norwegian Air executives after the struggling airline called for financial backing similar to that given to regional counterpart SAS by Denmark and Sweden. In the United States, airlines have asked Washington for more than $50bn (46bn) in grants and loans, plus tens of billions in tax relief. Airbus has signalled some government support may be needed if the coronavirus crisis lasts for several months, three people familiar with the matter said. The Australian government said it would refund and waive charges to airlines such as domestic air traffic control fees as it advised citizens against all foreign travel. Taiwans civil aviation regulator said that its airlines could apply for subsidies and loans backdated to January. The outbreak of the flu-like virus has wiped 41%, or 145bn, off the share value of the worlds 116 listed airlines, with many using up their cash so fast that they can now cover less than two months of expenses, a Reuters analysis showed. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) representing the sector said 185bn in government support could be needed worldwide. Airlines have been forced to take drastic measures to cut their costs. Emirates and El Al Israel Airlines asked staff to take unpaid leave, and Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air will suspend flights to major Southeast Asian and European destinations. Reuters 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, from Annalisa Bergna, a 29-year-old biologist working in Milan, Italy, has been transcribed and edited for clarity by Greta Privitera. MilanOn Feb. 21, COVID-19 broke into our laboratory and turned everything upside down. It was supposed to be a day like any other, but nothing goes as planned anymore. That afternoon, we should have gone to the graduation of a student who did his thesis with us, but in the end only one colleague of mine went. The rest of us immediately put our heads down and started working on the virus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That day, four patients from Codogno, a small city where the first breeding ground was discovered, had arrived in the Sacco hospital in Milan, where I work. Thats how we got the sample. Over six days and six nights of nonstop work, we managed to isolate the Italian strain of the virus. Nothing extraordinary, but it was an important step for studying the development of antibodies and therefore of vaccines and treatments. Since that day, everyone has asked me what it means to isolate a virus. Isolating a virus means separating it from the organism, then culturing it in the laboratory together with healthy cells that the virus infects. We do all of this to have useful quantities of virus to be able to carry out subsequent studies. And with COVID-19 we did just that: We put it together with healthy cells, we waited for it to infect them, we analyzed them, and we extracted the genome. We were very happy that day. We were and still are in an emergency and achieving that result was important for future work. Now we are collecting more material from the infected patients, and we are proceeding with the sequencing of the complete genome of the virus, its RNA. We are looking for all the answers about where it was, under what conditions it developed to reconstruct its identity card. The virus circulating in Italy is slightly different from the Chinese one, as well as the one circulating in other countries: Every infected person changes something. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Someone asked me if I risk getting infected. No, we are superprotected. The laboratory where I work has BSL3 security; the max is BSL4, intended for viruses like Ebola. Before entering our laboratory, there is a small lobby that separates the different environments. We wear overalls, goggles, masks, and gloves on top of gloves. This work is carried out in a special hood that provides even more protection. I believe there are more risks walking down the street. Advertisement Advertisement This was a team effort led by professor Claudia Balotta, who helped me and my colleagues, Alessia Loi, Arianna Gabrieli, Maciej Tarkowski, and professor Gianguglielmo Zehender, to achieve the goal. We have all put research before anything else. Usually, we study other viruses, such as HIV and hepatitis, we study bacteria, we sequence genomes, we see the various mutations. We follow the progress of various infections. Since COVID-19 appeared in our lives, weve worked 10- to 12-hour days, only on this. We are those on the second line, and we have no intention of backing down. Advertisement I have worked at the laboratory at Sacco hospital since my graduation in 2015. I could have never imagined to live through such an intense emergency, but Im honored to be part of my team. Even if I have a precarious work position, no long-term contract, and little pay, I feel lucky. Im 29 years old. This is what I dreamed of and I hope to continue doing, though of course it would be nice to have a little more stability. For three weeks, my life has been a sequence of: home-work-home. Im constantly thinking about COVID-19. We are an arms length from those who fight between life and death. We are in the middle of the storm. But its doctors and nurses who risk the most. They are the modern heroes of these dark times. We are the ones behind them who try to study this unknown virus closely. Only by understanding it and knowing how it moves will we be able to find a solution. J oe Biden took a huge step towards the Democratic presidential nomination today with a clean sweep of victories in Florida, Illinois and Arizona. The former vice presidents third big night in as many weeks gives him a near insurmountable lead over Bernie Sanders in the race to take on Donald Trump in Novembers White House election, increasing the pressure on his Left-wing rival to abandon his campaign. Using a livestream to address supporters from his home state of Delaware, Mr Biden, 77, looked to move beyond the primary contest as he paid tribute to the Vermont senator for advancing key issues such as affordable healthcare and combating 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, Mr Biden said. Loading.... 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. With the exception of North Dakota and the Northern Mariana Islands, Mr Sanders, 78, has not scored a victory since Super Tuesday on March 3. He made no immediate move last night to contact Mr Biden, according to sources. Earlier in the night, Mr Sanders said little about the future of the race and instead focused on the coronavirus outbreak, which led Ohio to cancel yesterdays primary vote. Four states Louisiana, Georgia, Kentucky and Maryland have joined Ohio in moving to push back their upcoming primaries, and others may yet do so. But higher vote totals in some key states suggested enthusiasm among supporters despite the pandemic. Turnout in Floridas Democratic primary surpassed the 1.7 million who cast ballots four years ago. Some Democrats are calling on Mr Sanders to drop out in the name of party unity. Top advisers have said he is considering whether the political landscape could look different as the virus continues to reshape life across the country. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday sparked a controversy over his Chinese virus tweet. Trump later defended his comment and described it as a very accurate term. Interestingly, Trumps Chinese virus comment came on the same day when a UN agency posted a kind reminder online, urging people to understand that viruses have no nationality. In a tweet posted on Tuesday morning, UNESCO said, Kind quick reminder: viruses have no nationality. Kind quick reminder: viruses have no nationality. UNESCO (@UNESCO) March 17, 2020 The fight against #coronavirus needs science, not stigma. It calls for facts, not fear. Together, we will defeat #COVID19, another tweet by UNESCO read. In his original tweet on Monday, Trump described US airlines and other industries being particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. 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 On Tuesday, he tweeted that some US states were being hit hard by the Chinese Virus. During a press conference, Trump defended his remarks and said, 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. So I think its a very accurate term. 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. In India, over 130 people have been infected by coronavirus while three people have been killed. So far, 14 people have recovered from the infection in the country, the Ministry of Health said. Europe has now emerged as the new epicentre of the virus outside China, with countries like Italy and Spain grappling to control the rise in new cases. New Delhi: Superstar Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan's gorgeous daughter Suhana Khan is currently completing her higher studies in New York University. The pretty face has several fan clubs posting her pictures and videos regularly. Suhana Khan's pictures go viral in no time. While surfing her Instagram account we found a throwback picture of the stunner which of last year's Diwali bash at her residence. Check it out here: The pictures prove that Suhana Khan is totally Bollywood ready! Right from the gorgeous outfit, her styling to the perfect picture posing - everything is checking the right boxes. SRK and Gauri Khan's darling daughter headed to New York University last year where she is studying acting. She completed her graduation from Ardingly College in England. Sometime back, filmmaker Theo Gimeno shared the first look poster of his short film starring Suhana in a lead role. Titled as 'The Grey Part Of Blue', it stars Robin Gonnella in the lead role besides Suhana. It has been written by Theo Gimeno. Speculation of her making her starry entry into movie business has always been around and now that she is studying acting as a course, looks like very soon the pretty girl will be making her big-screen debut. India Gold April futures rose sharply on March 18 tracking gains in international spot prices after the US Federal Reserve outlined measures to boost liquidity in the market easing some concerns over disruptions to the global economy. The Fed said on Tuesday it would reinstate a funding facility used during the 2008 financial crisis to get credit directly to businesses and households as fears over a liquidity crunch due to the virus have grown in recent days, said a Reuters report. Spot gold rose towards $1,538.63 per ounce earlier in trade today. The US gold futures was trading around $1,538 an ounce. Experts feel that the volatility is likely to continue, but we could see the yellow metal heading towards 41,000 while 39,500 is likely to act as crucial support. Gold and silver prices show a mixed trend on Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump's fear of economic recession and lowering of Chinese GDP. The Gold-silver ratio has also reached record levels. Gold & Silver Rates Gold Rate in Mumbai 10g of 24K gold in Mumbai 10g of 22K gold in Mumbai View more Silver Rate in Mumbai 10g silver in Mumbai 1kg silver in Mumbai View more Show Morgan Stanley and S&P Global have already warned of the coronavirus outbreak which could result in a global recession. Global equities are highly volatile and unstable. We expect global equities remain volatile and could also impact both the precious metals, Manoj Jain, Director, IndiaNivesh Commodities, told Moneycontrol. Gold is expected to be traded in the range of $1,500-1,560 and silver prices are expected to be traded in the range of $12.22-13.30 per troy ounce, he said. Jain further added that MCX Gold prices are expected to be traded in the range of 39,500-41,330 and silver prices are expected to be traded in the range of 34,500-37,200 range. Track live gold price here Trading strategy: Expert: Jateen Trivedi, Senior Research Analyst (Commodity & Currency), LKP Securities On the daily chart, Gold traded positive on Tuesday. Gold prices rose on Wednesday morning trade as the US Federal Reserve's measures to boost liquidity in the market eased some concerns over disruptions to the global economy and a potential cash crunch due to the coronavirus outbreak. Major moving average 20, 50, 100-Days EMA are suggesting profit booking can continue as the markets try to cover margin globally on the back of heavy weakness in the equity markets. Overall the trend remains positive till the time 39,500 holds on closing basis but selling will be seen at higher levels. For the day, 40,550-41,225 will act as resistance whereas 40,250-39,750 as supports. Expert: Hareesh V, Head of Commodity, at Geojit Financial Services Aggressive economic boosting measures taken by global central banks to protect from possible economic fallout due to coronavirus outbreak will continue to lift the demand for gold. Increased anxiety about risky assets prompted investors to seek shelter in safe-haven assets like precious metals. Meanwhile, a steady dollar and moderate physical activities are likely to limit major gains. Technical Outlook: Expect a choppy trade inside $1545-1465 levels initially and breaking any of the sides would suggest a fresh direction to the commodity. : The views and investment tips expressed by experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not those of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Towngas China Company Limited (HKG:1083) missed earnings with its latest annual results, disappointing overly-optimistic analysts. Results look to have been somewhat negative - revenue fell 3.1% short of analyst estimates at HK$13b, and statutory earnings of HK$0.46 per share missed forecasts by 9.7%. Analysts typically update their forecasts at each earnings report, and we can judge from their estimates whether their view of the company has changed or if there are any new concerns to be aware of. We've gathered the most recent statutory forecasts to see whether analysts have changed their earnings models, following these results. See our latest analysis for Towngas China SEHK:1083 Past and Future Earnings, March 18th 2020 Following the latest results, Towngas China's nine analysts are now forecasting revenues of HK$13.6b in 2020. This would be a modest 5.5% improvement in sales compared to the last 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are expected to expand 12% to HK$0.52. Yet prior to the latest earnings, analysts had been forecasting revenues of HK$14.6b and earnings per share (EPS) of HK$0.53 in 2020. It's pretty clear that analyst sentiment has fallen after the latest results, leading to lower revenue forecasts and a minor downgrade to earnings per share estimates. Despite the cuts to forecast earnings, there was no real change to the HK$5.96 price target, showing that analysts don't think the changes have a meaningful impact on the stock's intrinsic value. Fixating on a single price target can be unwise though, since the consensus target is effectively the average of analyst price targets. As a result, some investors like to look at the range of estimates to see if there are any diverging opinions on the company's valuation. The most optimistic Towngas China analyst has a price target of HK$7.50 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at HK$4.00. As you can see, analysts are not all in agreement on the stock's future, but the range of estimates is still reasonably narrow, which could suggest that the outcome is not totally unpredictable. Story continues In addition, we can look to Towngas China's past performance and see whether business is expected to improve, and if the company is expected to perform better than wider market. It's pretty clear that analysts expect Towngas China's revenue growth will slow down substantially, with revenues next year expected to grow 5.5%, compared to a historical growth rate of 13% over the past five years. Compare this against other companies (with analyst forecasts) in the market, which are in aggregate expected to see revenue growth of 10% next year. So it's pretty clear that, while revenue growth is expected to slow down, analysts still expect the wider market to grow faster than Towngas China. The Bottom Line The biggest concern with the new estimates is that analysts have reduced their earnings per share estimates, suggesting business headwinds could lay ahead for Towngas China. Unfortunately, analysts also downgraded their revenue estimates, and our data indicates revenues are expected to perform worse than the wider market. Even so, earnings per share are more important to the intrinsic value of the business. There was no real change to the consensus price target, suggesting that the intrinsic value of the business has not undergone any major changes with the latest estimates. With that in mind, we wouldn't be too quick to come to a conclusion on Towngas China. Long-term earnings power is much more important than next year's profits. We have forecasts for Towngas China going out to 2023, and you can see them free on our platform here. It might also be worth considering whether Towngas China's debt load is appropriate, using our debt analysis tools on the Simply Wall St platform, here. 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. Are you lost in the wild? Sorry, but the page you're looking for has not been found Try checking the URL for errors, goto home or try to search below. The Senate has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to address Nigerians on the coronavirus in the country. It also urged the federal government to shut down all international airports except Lagos and Abuja airports for easier monitoring of the disease. The lawmakers asked the president to suspend the issuance of visa on arrival at the borders so as to check the spread of the pandemic. This calls followed a point of order raised by Danjuma Goje (APC, Gombe) during plenary on Wednesday. It comes amidst backlash on the president for failing to address the nation like some presidents of other countries have done. Countries like Ghana, South Africa and Zimbabwe have had their presidents address them since the coronavirus outbreak in those countries. Senators like Oluremu Tinubu, George Sekibo, Sam Egwu and Emmanuel Bwacha took turns to support the call. While some lawmakers said members of the national assembly should not travel out to countries with high cases of the virus, many others said whoever travels out of the country, should self-quarantine for two weeks before coming to the chamber. The lawmakers expressed fears that Nigeria does not have the necessary facilities to contain the virus. This is even as they kicked against the belief that coronavirus cannot survive in Africa. The lawmakers made their demand minutes after the federal government placed a travel ban on 13 countries with over 1000 cases of coronavirus. The government also confirmed five new cases of the virus in Nigeria, bring to eight the total number of confirmed cases. The countries affected by the travel restrictions are China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, Norway, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Switzerland. READ ALSO: The Senate also asked the federal government to take other measures not limited to travel ban such as an outright ban of some countries, tighter border controls, restricted gathering, stringent checking of coming into the country, and compulsory quarantine for two weeks for persons suspected of having the virus. They also urged the federal government and Nigerians to keep abreast of all the measures and development taking place worldwide. Other resolutions include: Urge the Senate to give full support in fighting the spread of Coronavirus and; Ensure that a testing centre is opened in each of the states of the federation. The lawmakers, however, rejected a resolution to urge the ministry of agriculture to restock silos. BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri on Wednesday said that government should clear the Shaheen Bagh area from protesters as it is creating trouble for the general public. Speaking during the Zero Hour, Bidhuri said more than five lakh people coming from Noida to Delhi are facing trouble due to protesters in Shaheen Bagh. He claimed that even ambulances are also not allowed to pass through. The protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in Shaheen Bagh started on December 15 last year. Officials from police and Southeast district administration visited Shaheen Bagh on Tuesday to urge anti- CAA protestors to vacate the area in the wake of coronavirus outbreak. It came a day after the Delhi government 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 scare. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) South Africa: Reprieve for business hit by COVID-19 Companies in distress as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak are set to receive government-backed reprieve, the Department of Employment and Labour has announced. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the department said measures are being put in place to contain the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic and its impact. Addressing the Executive Committee meeting at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac), Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi said: To assist the distressed companies, a period of reprieve will be considered in order for companies not to contribute to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF)." He said the Funds Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme will be used to ensure that workers are not laid off. In instances where companies decide to close for a short period as a precautionary measure, the short term UIF benefit will kick in. If a company contemplates a short term shut down, they are required to inform the Unemployment Insurance Fund. Our team will visit these companies to provide assistance with the processing of the claims, said Nxesi. He said in instances where an employee has to be self-quarantined for 14 days, such a leave will be recognized as a special leave which will be fully paid on condition that the reason for the quarantine meets the requirements and that employees can apply for UIF benefits. In an event that an employee is required to be quarantined for longer than 14 days as a result of having travelled or been in contact with an infected person, such a leave will be recognized as a special leave and that employee will be eligible to apply for unemployment insurance benefits, added Nxesi. The Minister urged employers to conduct a health and safety risk assessment in consultation with the workers, whilst ensuring that measures are put in place to ensure a healthy workplace for the workers as required by law. He said employers are required to provide necessary protective equipment and put in place systems to deal with the outbreak, as well as including all mitigating measures that are to be put in place until the outbreak has been dealt with. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-03-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Washing our hands frequently and thoroughly is one of the simplest ways to limit the spread of Covid-19. Hands are responsible for carrying the majority of germs to your respiratory tract, so washing for 20 seconds and paying special attention to neglected areas like nails and thumbs can make a real difference. Dr. Morgan Rabach, a board-certified dermatologist and the co-founder of LM Medical NYC, typically washes her hands about 40 times throughout the day, including, of course, between each appointment. (Her favorite hand wash is Softsoaps Antibacterial Liquid Hand Wash, though she notes that, in a pinch, regular soap and water, if you are really scrubbing for 20 seconds, is just as good as an antibacterial soap.) But repeated hand-washing can dry out skin because of soaps astringency. Dr. Rabach suggests applying a thick lotion intermittently throughout the day to help rehydrate skin, and recently shared her advice on how to navigate the abundance of options, from classic lotions to newer balms that tout anti-aging benefits. And of course, while it might be tempting to share with other dry-handed friends (in a time that calls for solidarity), its best to keep packaging clean and not pass tubes around at least for the foreseeable future. An American has been suspected to have died of Coronavirus in Ekiti, Southwest Nigeria, the Ekti State Government disclosed on Wednesday. Ekiti Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, said the driver, who contracted Coronavirus in the state was suspectedly infected by the 27-year-old American Caucasian who died in the state. The commissioner, in a statement said the Ekiti State Taskforce on COVID-19, headed by Governor Kayode Fayemi, could confirm that we have recorded an incidence of a Nigerian male, 38 years old, of Ekiti origin, who has tested positive to Covid-19. The confirmed case is suspected to have been infected while driving an American Caucasian, male, 27 years old, who was visiting Nigeria from Richmond, Virginia, USA in the company of his caregiver, a Nigerian female Age 31, of Ekiti Origin. The American male and his Nigerian female caregiver, arrived Nigeria on 3rd March 2020 through the Muritala Mohammed International Airport Lagos. Preliminary investigations revealed that the pair were driven by our confirmed case to Ibadan, where they stayed for two weeks, and arrived Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State on 13th March, 2020, she explained. According to the commissioner, a day after their arrival, the American male fell ill and he was taken to a private hospital where he was referred to a tertiary hospital. Unfortunately, he died from complications of his illness. The hospital authorities alerted the State Taskforce and samples were taken from the American male as well as his two companions. The test for the male driver came back positive; the test for the female caregiver came back negative while the test for the American male was inconclusive. Yaya-Kolade said in line with the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) protocols, the Ekiti State Taskforce on COVID-19 had already quarantined the confirmed case on admission in the State Isolation Centre, while the caregiver who tested negative, was presently under observation in self isolation. We have commenced the process of contact tracing, working with the Federal Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) following the teams itinerary since they landed in Nigeria on the 3rd of March 2020. We have also contacted the Oyo State Government since it was recorded that they stayed in Ibadan for two weeks before arriving Ekiti State. The confirmed case is very stable and not showing any symptoms while NCDC will repeat the test for the caregiver who is also in self isolation. The Ekiti State Task Force on COVID-19 is following the NCDC Case Management Protocols with diligence. We want to urge Ekiti residents to stay calm and ensure they observe the prevention steps that are being publicized on all credible media. It is important to state that this likely index case was on a short visit and had not been in Ekiti State for up to 72 hours before his death. The Ekiti State Taskforce on COVID-19 advises residents to continue to take self-preventive measures by washing their hands with soap and water, covering their mouths when coughing or sneezing, observing social distancing and to alert the authorities of any suspected case by calling the 112 Emergency Number or 09062970434, 09062970435, 09062970436. The Government of Ekiti State will continue to update the public on new developments as necessary in our commitment to ensuring the safety and protection of all Ekiti residents, she stated. Mar 18, 2020 KRR The shooting for actor Santhanams new film has begun. The actor was last seen on screen in the movie Dagaalty, and his Server Sundaram expected to release soon. Santhanam took to his Twitter account and shared the puja picture of the film. Happy to announce that I've begun shooting for my next wholesome entertainer with #A1DirectorJohnsonK, he tweeted. Santhanam joins hands for the second time with director Johnson, with whom he had collaborated last year for the comedy entertainer A1, and this movie is produced by Lark Studios. This untitled movie also stars Anaika Soti, who had played one of the leads in movies like Kaaviya Thalaivan and Semma Botha Aagathey. It has music by Santhosh Narayanan. Click the Movie button below for more info: Dagaalty Santhanam Pictures Ferratum Group publishes preliminary unaudited full-year results for 2019. Reducing 2020 revenue and EBIT expectations Helsinki, 18 March 2020 Ferratum Oyj (ISIN: FI4000106299, WKN: A1W9NS) (Ferratum or the Group) announces preliminary unaudited results for the 12 months ended 31 December 2019 (FY 2019). Financial Highlights Record FY 2019 revenue of EUR 293.1 million up 11.8% year-on-year Record FY 2019 operating profit (EBIT) of EUR 45.5 million (margin 15.5%) up 20.5% year-on-year Profit before tax (EBT) of EUR 27.5 million up 23.3% year-on-year Basic and diluted EPS increased to EUR 1.10 per share (FY 2018: 0.89 per share) Operational Highlights Gross book value of loan portfolio increased 18.8% to 555.9 million (31 December 2018: EUR 467.8 million) Net book value of loan portfolio up 20.5% to EUR 386.2 million (31 December 2018: EUR 320.5 million) Impairment-ratio (impairments divided by Group revenue) increased by 2.3% to 36.1%. Customer deposits increased to EUR 242.2 million (31 December 2018: EUR 183.4 million) 2020 outlook The Covid-19 pandemic is expected to have a material impact on the Groups performance The Board expects both revenue and EBIT to materially decrease compared to 2019 3 months ended 31 December 12 months ended 31 December Key Figures, EUR '000 2019 2018 2019 2018 Revenue 75,018 71,953 293,104 262,148 Operating profit (EBIT) 12,022 12,371 45,532 37,799 Profit before tax 7,850 8,628 27,543 22,333 Profit before tax % 10.5% 12.0% 9.4% 8.5% Earnings per share, basic (EUR) 0.32 0.35 1.10 0.89 Earnings per share, diluted (EUR) 0.32 0.35 1.10 0.89 Continued revenue growth in 2019 Ferratum delivered continued growth in 2019 by expanding its product offering in its existing operational countries. The Group continues to shift its focus away from short-term products to longer-term loans. In 2019, the Groups revenue increased to EUR 293.1 million, an increase of 11.8% compared to the respective period of the previous year (2018: EUR 262.1 million). The growth was mainly driven by the groups flagship product Credit Limit and its relatively new strategic core product Business Lending (SME). Operating profit (EBIT) for the period increased significantly year-on-year by 20.5% to EUR 45.5 million (EBIT-margin: 15.5%) compared to EUR 37.8 million in 2018. The profit before tax (EBT) in 2019 increased by 23.3% to 27,5 million (2018: EUR 22,3 million). The increased EBIT and EBT performance resulted from actions taken by the management to enhance cost efficiency, achieve operative leverage, and improve marketing efficiency. As communicated at the beginning of the financial year 2019, Ferratums management attention has been on cost discipline to improve efficiency and operative margins. Given the managements focus, the Group is pleased to have been able to deliver continued growth for one of the important key performance indicators: gross and net value of loans to customers. The gross value of loans to customers grew by 18.8% to EUR 555.9 million and the net value with +20.5% to EUR 386.2million. Deposits from customers continued to grow and reached EUR 242.2 million by the year end 2019, an increase of 32.0% compared 2018. The Group has issued new loans to customers in Finland under the banking licence since November 2019 and incorporated Denmark into the bank in December, enabling the group to further utilise deposit funding. The net debt to equity ratio stood at 2.59 at the end of 2019, well within Groups bond covenants of 3.5. Impairments increased year-on-year by 19.4% to EUR 105.7 million and the impairment-ratio (impairments divided by Group revenue) increased by 2.3% to 36.1%. In Q1/19 the ratio stood at 39.2%, largely related to a strong loan volume growth in Ferratums SME business and higher impairments on loans which had been distributed to consumer customers in 2018 in some selected markets during a marketing campaign. Over the course of the year, the quarterly ratios normalised and reduced compared to Q1/19 (Q2 2019: 35.4% Q3 2019: 34.0%, Q4 2019: 35,6%). Furthermore, impairments over net loans to customers have been stable at 27.4% demonstrating Ferratums scoring discipline. EBIT guidance of > EUR 45 million reached Operating profit (EBIT) for 2019 increased by 20.5% year-on-year to EUR 45.5 million. The EBIT margin stood at 15.5% which reflects an increase of 1.1PP compared to 2018. EBIT growth is related to a mix of the Groups revenue growth and cost discipline throughout 2019. Profit before income tax increased by +23.3% to EUR 27.5 million, taxes were EUR 3.9 million (tax-rate: 14.1%) and profit for the year grew by +22.7% to EUR 23.6 million, reflecting a profit margin of 8.1% (2018: 7.4%). Operational development Ferratum Business, the SME lending business unit of the Group, continued its rapid growth within Ferratum and is showing solid profitability. In 2019, gross loans to customers grew year-on-year by 61.9% to EUR 96.1 million and net loans to customers with year-on-year 55.5% to EUR 75.7 million representing already 19.6% of Ferratum Groups total outstanding net loans to customers. In 2019, the business units revenue stood at EUR 27.8 million and increased by +32.6% compared to 2018 (EUR 21.0 million). In line with the Group s strategy of decreasing the revenue share and geographical presence of Microloans, the product was discontinued in Australia and the Czech Republic in 2019. Primeloans were introduced into two additional markets in 2019, Sweden and Latvia, bringing the overall amount of Primeloan countries to four. Since March 2019, Ferratums risk-based pricing model has been introduced in the Czech Republic for the Credit Limit product, and for Primeloans in Latvia and Finland. The risk-based pricing allows the Group to offer customers an individually risk-adjusted offering in terms of loan amount and pricing. The model helps optimise the overall yield and risk exposure, and the implementation plays an important role as the Groups product evolution shifts towards longer terms and higher loan amounts (i.e Primeloans). In June, the Group announced a partnership with with Srijony Foundation (Srijony) in Bangladesh. This partnership is the second of Ferratums Lending Through Partnerships strategy for growth outside of Europe. By providing the latest technology, an appropriate product and loan funding, we help Srijony to satisfy significant untapped consumer demand for micro loans in urban and rural areas. Srijony is an association with 900,000 active members across 400 branches with approximately 2,500 employees, covering 90% of the country. As of the end of December 2019, Ferratum operated in 23 countries, with lending having been suspended in Russia, France and Slovakia, Bangladesh was added to the countries of operation in 2019. Personnel At year end 2019, Ferratum employed 834 people (800 Full Time Equivalents) compared to 880 people in 2018. The average number of employees in 2019 is equal to 860 (2018: 903). Pieter van Groos, the former Chairman of the Board of the Group, was appointed as Ferratum Bank CEO (subject to MFSA approval) in April 2019. Pieter has stepped down from this position and the related approval process. The daily oversight and lead of operations of Ferratum Bank continue to be with Antti Kumpulainen, Ferratum Bank Deputy CEO, who is supported by the Chairman of the Bank Board, Charles Borg, until a new CEO will be appointed. Marius Solescu, the former Head of Human Resources took over new responsibilities within the Group in December 2019 and now serves as Director of Partnerships - Financial Institutions. Marius stepped down from the Leadership Team in connection with the change in position. Emmi Kyykka, Head of Group Communications and Investor Relations left on maternity leave, and stepped at the same time down from the Leadership Team, in February 2020. 2020 outlook In 2020, the Board of Ferratum Oyj expects the Covid-19 pandemic to have a material impact on the Groups performance. Revenue and EBIT are expected to materially decrease compared to 2019. Taking into consideration the current macro-economic uncertainty, impairment levels are expected to increase during 2020. An expectation of deteriorating economic indicators would increase impairments driven by the implemented statistical risk reserving model. In addition, the Board expects continued high volatility in FX rates as a consequence of the Covid-19 outbreak and the oil market turmoil which might have a negative impact on net profitability in 2020. Subsequent events after period end Fitch Ratings affirmed, in March, the Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) of both Ferratum Oyj and the senior unsecured callable floating rate bond, issued by Ferratum Capital Germany GmbH (ISIN: SE0012453835), at 'BB-'. The Outlook on the Long-Term IDR is Stable. Ferratum Bank p.l.c. (a wholly owned subsidiary of the Group and a credit institution licensed by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA)) repaid an EUR 40 million 6.25% p.a. above 3 month EURIBOR (incl. floor at 0%) Senior unsecured bond due March 15 2020 (ISIN: FI4000232830). About Ferratum Group: Ferratum Group is an international provider of mobile banking and digital consumer and small business loans, distributed and managed by mobile devices. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, Ferratum has expanded rapidly to operate in 23 countries across Europe, Africa, South and North America, Australia and Asia. As a pioneer in digital and mobile financial services technology, Ferratum is at the forefront of the digital banking revolution. Ferratum has approximately 740,000 active customers that have an open Mobile Bank account or an active loan balance in the last 12 months (as at 31 December 2019). Ferratum Group is listed on the Prime Standard of Frankfurt Stock Exchange under symbol 'FRU.' For more information, visit www.ferratumgroup.com. Contacts: IR@ferratum.com https://www.ferratumgroup.com/investors/ir-contact Portugal declared Wednesday a nationwide 15-day state of emergency to fight the spread of coronavirus, which will make it easier for the government to reduce people's movements. "This is an exceptional decision for an exceptional period," conservative President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said during a televised address in which he explained his reasons for adopting the measure which comes into effect Wednesday at midnight. "This is not an interruption of democracy. It is democracy trying to prevent an irreparable interruption in people's lives." It is the first time that a state of emergency has been declared in the country of around 10 million people since it returned to democracy in the 1970s following decades of rightist dictatorship. The decree declaring a state of emergency allows the government to suspend some constitutional rights and freedoms, such as the freedom of movement and the right to go on strike. It also allows the government to force people into quarantine. The government will unveil what concrete measures it will adopt under the state of emergency on Thursday following its weekly cabinet meeting. Socialist Prime Minister Antonio Costa said the decree -- which was approved by parliament -- would not be used to impose a "mandatory curfew". The measures that are adopted will "reinforce the fight and prevention" of this pandemic, he added. The state of emergency can be renewed once the initial 15-day period is over and the premier said it could last several months. Portugal has so far reported 448 confirmed cases of coronavirus and two deaths, but the government has warned that the number of infections in the country is expected to keep climbing "at least" until the end of April. The country has already limited gatherings to no more than 100 people, shut schools and nightclubs and imposed restrictions on the number of people who can visit restaurants and limited visitors to retirement homes. Earlier on Wednesday the government ordered the central city of Ovar, which is home to around 55,000 people, to be put on lockdown after about 30 people tested positive for coronavirus there. Governments on every continent have implemented measures to contain the disease, which has infected more than 200,000 people and killed over 8,000 since it first emerged. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) [March 18, 2020] Cross River Provides Assistance to Customers, Employees and the Community in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic Cross River Bank ("Cross River"), a leading innovator and provider of banking services for technology companies, today announced a series of initiatives to protect and mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on customers, employees and the community. "Cross River was founded in the wake of the great recession with a singular focus on community service and we continue to be deeply committed to our staff, partners and the community," said Gilles Gade, Founder, President, and CEO of Cross River. "Although we are all working remotely, our team is fully operational, and we will continue to collaborate to deliver the assistance our extended Cross River family may need." Cross River is addressing possible financial hardships to its impacted consumers and their families due to the economic effects of the pandemic. The Company has offered assistance to its borrowers through a number of measures including forbearance options and short-term loan products for eligible small business and commercial real estate borrowers. In addition, Cross River is working with each of its marketplace lending platforms to provide needed relief options to affected borrowers, providing flexible service options to alleviate financial pressures. Cross River's system support functions remain fully operational and branch operations have been adjusted to protect the safety of employees and the community. "No one knows what challenges tomorrow may bring, but in times of need, it's important to know you have a community partner to lean on," said Phil Goldfeder, SVP Public Affairs at Cross River. "We have been in constant contact with our partners, elected officials, industry leaders, peers and the community-at-large to continue to be aresource to those impacted in every possible way." Cross River has provided its 300+ employees a $500 stipend for goods or resources that will help them transition to working from home. The Company has also assured its employees, that in the event that a medical insurance company delays or denies a COVID-19 related medical claim, the Company will cover it. The Company has implemented several new benefits, including access to virtual medical care, expanded coverage as well as flexible schedules. As a notable community partner, Cross River has also been working with local organizations, elected officials and residents to assist with Coronavirus-related relief measures in the Company's footprint and beyond. Born in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, Cross River was built with the goal of providing access to credit to consumers in need. Since then, it has evolved into a national technology leader, providing innovative fintech solutions across the country. Cross River has received outstanding recognition for its leading technology, community commitment, innovations in financial services and unmatched workplace culture. As a New Jersey state-chartered community bank, Cross River has been a pillar of the New Jersey community, driving innovation and job creation in the state, with a strong focus on community service and social responsibility. To see how Cross River can be of assistance, please visit our website at www.crossriver.com. About Cross River Cross River Bank is a fast-growing financial services organization that merges the established expertise and traditional services of a bank with the forward-thinking offerings of a technology company. Cross River combines a comprehensive suite of products into a unique banking-as-a-platform solution, encompassing lending, payments and risk management. Cross River partners with leading marketplace lenders and technology companies enabling them to focus on their own growth without hindering innovation, while maintaining a strong focus on compliance. In December 2018, Cross River secured $100 million in a funding round led by KKR. This was on top of the $28 million VC funding round in 2016 from Battery Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, and Ribbit (News - Alert) Capital. Founded in 2008, Cross River is a New Jersey state-chartered FDIC insured bank. For more information, please visit Cross River's website at www.crossriver.com or on Twitter (News - Alert) @crossriverbank. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005671/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The Madhya Pradesh BJP on Wednesday complained to the Election Commission (EC) that Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh is using his influence and exerting "pressure on 16 rebel MLAs of his party staying in Bengaluru to vote for him in the Rajya Sabha polls. Singh is a candidate in the March 26 polls. Earlier in Wednesday morning, a high-voltage drama unfolded near the resort in Bengaluru where rebel Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh are staying, as Singh staged a protest there, accusing the Karnataka police of not allowing him to meet the party legislators. A Madhya Pradesh BJP spokesman here said a party delegation submitted a memorandum to the EC through the Chief Election Officer in Bhopal. In the memorandum, the BJP said, Digvijaya Singh, who is a candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections from Madhya Pradesh, has gone to Bengaluru along with nine cabinet (MP) ministers and others to influence and pressurise 16 MLAs from the state to vote in his favour." Digvijaya Singh has tried to meet all 16 MLAs in order to pressurise them to vote in his favour in the Rajya Sabha elections but they refused to meet him. "After this, Digvijaya Singh along with the ministers staged a dharna and tried to create a law and order situation for the local administration," it said. The BJP said being a candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections, to pressurise and influence MLAs amount to violation of the model code of conduct. It is, therefore, requested to kindly take appropriate action against Digvijaya Singh and others so that the Rajya Sabha elections are conducted peacefully and in a democratic manner, the memorandum said. In a massive setback for the Congress, its prominent leader Jyotiradtya Scindia quit the party and in a coordinated rebellion 22 MLAs loyal to him resigned last week, pushing the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government to the brink of a collapse. Scindia joined the BJP on March 11. MP Assembly Speaker N P Prajapati has accepted the resignations of six of the 22 MLAs who are staying in Bengaluru. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's southern province of Sindh reported nine more cases of the novel coronavirus, surging the tally to 181, provincial spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said on Wednesday. A total of 246 people have been infected from COVID-19, including 143 pilgrims who returned to Sukkur from the Iran-Pakistan border at Taftan, as per a report by Dawn. The eastern province of Punjab has reported 26 cases, Balochistan 16, capital Islamabad 2, and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 16. Globally, the virus has infected nearly 185,000 people and killed more than 7500 deaths, as per the latest data available on the Health Organisation website. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Washington: Two days in the US capital, two remarkable turnarounds from Donald Trump. After weeks of downplaying the threat of the coronavirus, the US President finally acknowledged the seriousness of the pandemic on Monday (Tuesday AEDT). Trump released new guidelines recommending social gatherings be limited to fewer than 10 people and found language commensurate with the moment, describing the virus as a highly contagious "invisible enemy". A day later he appeared at the White House and abandoned the planned centrepiece of his economic response to the crisis: a payroll tax cut. Its not the Patriots-Buccaneers news you were expecting, but Bill Belichick has made a deal. According to Sirius XMs Adam Caplan, the Patriots have signed Beau Allen, a defensive tackle that spent his last two years in Tampa Bay. The contract is two years and could pay up to $8 million, per Caplan. It makes sense that the Patriots would be in the market for help at defensive tackle, as Danny Shelton signed with Detroit earlier in the day Wednesday. If Allens name sounds familiar, it may be because he was on the Eagles team that upset New England in Super Bowl LII. He played 41% of Philadelphias defensive snaps that season, cashed in with the Bucs, but fell out of favor last season. He only saw 16% of Tampas snaps in 2019, the lowest total of his career. At 28 years old, New England could be the place Allen gets his career back on track. INOX India Pvt Ltd (INOX), global leaders in Cryogenic Liquid Storage, Distribution and Re-Gas solutions have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Shell Energy India Pvt Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc, for partnering and developing the market for LNG supply by Road from Shell's LNG Terminal in Hazira (District Surat), Gujarat. The MoU envisages deployment of distribution infrastructure including logistics and receiving facilities at customer end and will offer LNG access to the customers not connected to the pipelines. This will help in increasing the penetration and consumption of clean, reliable and cost-efficient LNG to commercial and industrial (C & I) users all over the country. The MoU also covers the cooperation in developing a larger market for LNG as a transport fuel for long-haul heavy-duty trucks and buses. Shell Energy India (SEI) owns and operates a 5 MMTPA LNG Receiving, Storage and Regasification Terminal at Hazira in Gujarat. SEI is building a truck loading facility at its Hazira Terminal and the partnership with INOX, will help Shell to develop the market for LNG as a preferred fuel in the rapidly growing city gas distribution, LCNG and industrial sector as well as usage of LNG as an auto fuel. Siddharth Jain, Executive Director, INOX India Pvt Ltd, said: "Our partnership with Shell, underlines INOX's innovativeness and our futuristic approach. LNG is not only a clean and cost-effective fuel but is also safe and reliable. We are delighted that our collaborated efforts will make this green fuel more accessible. A larger gas-based industrial ecosystem augurs well with Indian economy as well as for the environment at the same time and is a win-win situation for all stakeholders." Ashwani Dudeja, country head, Shell Energy India said: "We look forward to working with INOX to deliver LNG by trucks and create access to LNG for customers not connected via pipeline. There is a growing demand for gas, the cleanest-burning fossil fuel, from the City Gas Distribution sector, commercial and industrial customers and as a fuel for heavy-duty transport. We are excited to explore this new segment and develop other such partnerships which will enable us to continue playing a key role in meeting India's long-term need for more and cleaner energy." As a market leader for safe and reliable transportation and distribution of LNG by road, INOX is known for its innovative and future-ready solutions, customized to the needs of global gas consumers. Since commissioning its first small scale LNG installation at the Halol Plant of General Motors in year 2010, INOX has successfully installed more than 35 such facilities across the country, under its GoLNG brand. Propagating the use of LNG as a clean and environment-friendly source of energy, INOX's GoLNG transport tankers have collectively logged more than 6.5 Million KMs and distributed ~100,000 Metric Tonnes of LNG to its consumers spread all over the country. This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Comal County announced its third coronavirus case on Saturday afternoon with officials saying that this one, like the first announced, appears The 2020 Honda Passport is currently available at Hilton Head Honda. Residents of the Hilton Head, South Carolina, area are encouraged to check out the Hilton Head Honda website if they are currently in the market for a new sedan, utility vehicle or pickup truck. Hilton Head Honda is an automotive dealership that specializes in new Honda vehicles, which potential buyers can learn all about, courtesy of its website. Thanks to several model research and competitive comparison pages, shoppers can find most of the necessary information they might be looking for when shopping for a new vehicle. These pages detail things like fuel economy, performance, safety technologies and many other features that are important for car owners to know before they buy. While a test drive should still be an important step in any car buyers journey, sifting through the informative pages on the Hilton Head Honda website should simplify the research process. To give a more specific example, a recently created page highlights the 2020 Honda Passport. The page details a bit of the nameplates history before diving into some of the specific details regarding the crossovers cargo capacity and passenger volume, both important aspects to consider when shopping for a utility vehicle like the Passport. The 2020 Honda Passport page and many others like it can be found on the dealerships website, http://www.hiltonheadhonda.com. Specific questions about the 2020 Honda Passport or other vehicles can be directed to the sales desk at 843-815-2880. Hilton Head Honda is located at 161 Fording Island Rd in Bluffton, South Carolina. As he did for most of his decades-long legal career, James D. Carriere battled with everything he had after he contracted the new coronavirus at New Orleans' Lambeth House retirement home where he lived, his son said. But on Tuesday morning Carriere succumbed at age 80, becoming the second resident of Lambeth House to die within 24 hours during a COVID-19 disease outbreak across multiple floors. Lambeth House is home to Louisianas only cluster of coronavirus cases at this stage of a pandemic that is cropping up fast in parishes across the state. This came out of the blue, Olivier Butch Carriere said. He put on a hard fight, and we thought we may be coming out the other end of it. The son said he knows COVID-19, a respiratory illness, is more dangerous for the elderly. Yet he said his father made it a point to exercise regularly, to stay in good shape and health at his age. Word that Carriere once a high-ranking federal prosecutor and U.S. District Court magistrate judge had died left the family reeling, he said. Louisiana's fourth death from coronavirus is another Lambeth House resident Louisiana confirmed its fourth death from the new coronavirus Tuesday, an 80-year-old who lived at the Lambeth House, a New Orleans retirement Along with Samuel Ted Alcus III, a Lambeth House resident for three years, Carriere is among four people in the state all in New Orleans to die after contracting the coronavirus. Carriere and Alcus were among about 140 Lambeth House residents living independently on floors 5 through 12 of the home. Carriere lived on the fifth floor; Alcus on the ninth. Gov. John Bel Edwards said 12 Lambeth House residents, all of them in the independent-living wing, have tested positive for coronavirus. About a dozen more were awaiting results after showing symptoms and receiving on-site tests. Those dozen positive tests, and two deaths, were among 171 positive results and four deaths from the virus across Louisiana as of Tuesday afternoon, when fewer than 500 contravirus tests were reported having been conducted in the state. A missive delivered to Lambeth House residents Monday afternoon said no residents had undergone new coronavirus testing that day, perhaps indicating no one new had come down with symptoms. Two sons of Alcus, 84, confirmed his death but declined to comment further, saying only that private services were being planned. Butch Carriere spent Tuesday paying tribute to a father of four and grandfather of 11. According to his son, Carriere was a 10th-generation Louisianan, the son of former Orleans Parish Civil District Court Judge Oliviere P. Carriere and great-grandson of ex-Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Oliviere Provosty. Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Carriere joined the familys long lineage of lawyers in 1965, when he was admitted to the state Bar Association, after getting his bachelors degree at the University of Notre Dame and his law degree at Tulane University. In 1967, he became an assistant U.S. attorney at New Orleans federal courthouse. He rose to the position of first assistant for Gerald Gallinghouse, who became the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana in 1969. Carriere was a U.S. District Court magistrate judge from 1975 to 1980 before going into private practice, helping start a firm with a broad practice, including criminal defense and maritime arbitration. They were some of the best trial attorneys in the state, said Butch Carriere, a lawyer himself. Carriere also taught at the law schools of Tulane and Loyola University. Loyola President Tania Tetlow, herself a former federal prosecutor, described Carriere as a dedicated professor who brought a wealth of academic and practical experience to our law students. Despite how busy his father was during his career, Butch Carriere said he was attentive and present for his wife, Margaret, as well as his children and grandchildren. One of his proudest moments was when one of his grandsons was admitted to the states bar association in the fall of 2018. Butch Carriere said he was struck at how quickly his father deteriorated after he received a phone call informing him of the COVID-19 diagnosis. Carriere said his father apparently fell victim to the community spread of the virus that experts believe is occurring in New Orleans. He didnt go get it and bring it back, Carriere said. Carrieres daughter, Ochsner urgent-care nurse practitioner Beth Carriere Sullivan, said she was thankful for the efforts of her fathers caretakers. She said every healthcare person treating COVID-19 patients is risking their well-being in the face of a virus which the medical community knows little about. For it to hit very close to him opened my eyes to the seriousness of this virus, Sullivan said. Besides Margaret, Butch and Beth, Carrieres survivors include daughters Christine Carriere Zazulak and Kate Colletta. US citizens have been stranded in Peru since the South American countrys president, Martin Vizcarra, announced a 15-day national emergency and border closure on Sunday. Without prior warning, the measures introduced to manage the coronavirus outbreak in Peru took Americans by surprise. The government closed land, sea and air borders almost immediately. Foreigners in Peru had around 24 hours between the government announcement and the implementation of the border closure, leaving many to find a seat on fully booked departures from Limas international airport. Hundreds of Americans are believed to be stranded, with most in the Peruvian capital, Lima, and the Andean city of Cusco. Many have been forced to remain in hotels and hostels since the mandatory quarantine came into effect in Peru at midnight on Monday. Kristin Monesmith, an emergency department nurse stuck in Cusco, told CNN that the quarantine caught us by surprise. Im an emergency department nurse for the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, she said. Im stuck and need to be in the States working! In a statement online, the US Embassy in Peru said: American Citizens who remain in Peru should arrange lodging for the duration of the quarantine period and plan to limit their movements. Peruvian officials have since allowed flights to resume in order to repatriate Peruvians from abroad and for foreign governments to repatriate their citizens. Americans have complained that the governments of other countries, including Israel and Mexico, have organised rescue flights to Peru in recent days. Meanwhile, many took to Twitter to voice their frustration at the lack of updates provided by US officials in Lima. Others could not contact the embassy on the emergency phone lines provided. A notice on the door of the US Embassy in Lima, announcing its closure, advises Americans with booked flights out of Peru to contact their airlines to discuss rescheduling. At present, Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima is closed to the public. Similar measures were put in place in Morocco on Sunday night, stranding many Americans. In a statement, NBC reported that the US Embassy in Morocco had organised flights from Agadir and Marrakech to London in recent days despite a US State Department spokesperson saying US citizens should make travel plans using commercial travel options. It is estimated that thousands of Americans could be stranded abroad due to the enforcement of border closures to deal with coronavirus. By Emma Farge LAUSANNE, Switzerland (Reuters) - The World Health Organization will start testing for coronavirus in rebel-held northwest Syria later this week, the agency's regional head said on Monday, adding that he was "very concerned" about the spread of the pandemic to a region where the health system has been wrecked by a long civil war. Only about half of medical facilities in the wedge of rebel-held Syria are operational. Nearly a million people recently displaced by violence are living in make-shift housing or crowded camps. "We are hoping ... to have the machinery and the tests sometime this week so we can start testing," said Dr. Rick Brennan, emergency director for the region, told Reuters. "And we are very concerned. All of the surrounding countries have documented cases." Syria's government has started testing in areas in the rest of the country, although has not yet reported a case to the WHO. Turkey to the north confirmed its first case last week and Iraq has at least 93 confirmed cases. Further east, Iran has the third highest case load after China and Italy, with nearly 13,000 confirmed cases, according to WHO data. However, Brennan, who just returned from a mission to Iran last week, said that 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. "We've said the weakest link in their chain is the data," he said. "They are rapidly increasing their ability to test and so the numbers will go up," he said. Iran's response to the pandemic has drawn strong criticism, both from government critics, and a U.N. official last week. However, Brennan was generally upbeat about Tehran's response. "There's a great commitment and they are taking it seriously from the highest level of government." Story continues Iranian authorities say they have been especially hard hit by global supply shortages for tests and protective equipment, blaming the impact of U.S. sanctions. Brennan described visiting new centers with dozens of beds where everything from the bed sheets, to the oxygen masks had been made locally. However, he said that some of the locally-produced personal protective equipment was exposing medical workers to risks. He acknowledged that some health care workers had been infected, although the cause of infection was not clear. "We are impressed that Iranians have acknowledged their weaknesses and are working on them," Brennan said. (Reporting by Emma Farge; editing by Grant McCool) Australia is set to endure six months of restrictions on citizens' everyday lives unseen since the end of the Second World War, as the country hunkers down to battle the coronavirus. It comes as health officials announced another elderly man has died from the deadly respiratory infection, taking the national toll to six. Australians were warned to expect at least six months of disruption, with mass gatherings banned and families urged to stay away from the elderly. As Prime Minister Scott Morrison spoke to the nation and introduced a wave of new measures, workers were already avoiding the country's gyms and train stations. Patrons have a drink in a near empty pub in Melbourne's CBD on Wednesday (pictured), as the government effectively banned more than 100 people being in the same room The Fitness First in Sydney's Clarence Street, usually full of people working out on their lunch breaks, which completely empty on Wednesday (pictured) Usually bustling with excited families, Dreamworld on the Gold Coast looked like a ghost town on Tuesday (pictured) Pictures showed usually busy gyms with no customers on Wednesday lunchtime, with even theme parks across the Gold Coast sitting empty. Theatres, including all performances at the Sydney Opera House, are also being put on hold indefinitely - with some unlikely to reopen for months. The award-winning Harry Potter the Cursed Child play at Melbourne's celebrated Princess Theatre has also suspended performances. On the Gold Coast, Dreamworld and WhiteWater World are staying open for the time being, but were already quiet on Wednesday as families stayed home. St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney (pictured, right) is having to turn away tourists to ensure worshipers can attend. Staff are even counting the number of patrons (left) Newly-made signs at St Mary's Catherdral warn visitors on Wednesday that only 100 people - including staff, ministers and clergy, can enter (pictured) At St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney, staff were seen holding clickers to count visitors as they went in - ensuring no more than 100 people were in the place of worship. Tourists were turned away, while people hoping to attend mass were counted at the door. Were asking people to spread out because of the coronavirus, a worker at the church said. Because of the new laws we can only have 100 people inside, including the clergy and staff. Health officials have said that 'social distancing' is the best way to fight the killer virus, which originated in food markets in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Sydney's usually bustling harbour was empty on Wednesday (pictured) after Scott Morrison banned all mass gatherings to combat the coronavirus The usually standing-room-only Wollstonecraft to Wynyard train was nearly empty at 7.50am on Wednesday morning (pictured) It is likely to leave Australians without any access to concerts, museums or other cultural events for months - being forced to stay indoors and away from crowds. With 556 people already infected with the disease in Australia, and the number likely to grow, Mr Morrison has also advised against all overseas travel He also banned gatherings of more than 100 people as the country battles the coronavirus outbreak - warning the drastic restrictions were in place for 'the long haul'. In a speech on Wednesday morning, Mr Morrison warned Australia 'won't look like it normally does' for the next six months. Supermarkets, such as this one in Sydney's Marrickville on Tuesday (pictured), will be left open - but are already struggling to cope with stock-piling shoppers At lunchtime on Wednesday, Damien Smith took this picture of a usually busy road in Lidcombe (pictured) almost empty, as thousands of Australians opt to stay at home An almost deserted George Street in Sydney's CBD (pictured) is seen at 9am on Wednesday morning 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 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. 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. Mr Morrison vowed to keep Australia running despite the drastic measures, admitting that 'life was going to change'. '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. Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said a total lockdown would not help. The usually busy Flinders Street train station in Melbourne (pictured on Wednesday) has also seen a huge decline in passengers '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. The sweeping changes to Australian society come as officials announced that a 86-year-old man died overnight in hospital in New South Wales - the fifth person to die from the virus in the state. A NSW Health spokesperson said the organisation's 'condolences are with his family and friends at this time'. An extra 57 cases of coronavirus have been diagnosed since 11am on Monday. The man's death comes after a Queensland woman from Noosaville on the Sunshine Coast died after arriving in Sydney last Friday. As of Wednesday afternoon, there were 556 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia, causing six deaths Gyms in Sydney's CBD stood empty on Wedneday (pictured) and are usually bustling at lunchtime. Thousands of workers are already staying at home, with more likely to follow Empty tables are seen at bars outside the Sydney Opera House (pictured) on Tuesday, with such venues now likely to close entirely A 90-year-old woman - a resident of Sydney's Dorothy Henderson Lodge who was confirmed to have COVID-19 - also died on Saturday. On March 1, a 78-year-old man from Western Australia died in Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital after contracting the virus. He was among 163 Australians evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan. On March 4, a 95-year-old woman died at a Sydney hospital after developing a respiratory illness from the coronavirus, bringing the death toll to two. Then on March 8, an 82-year-old man died after contracting the coronavirus from an infected aged care worker at BaptistCare's Dorothy Henderson Lodge in his Sydney. Usually full of tourists coming to admire street art, Melbourne's Hosier Lane sat empty on Wednesday afternoon (pictured) 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 A total of 531 Australians have been infected by coronavirus since the deadly virus spread in January. Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said the sudden jump in coronavirus cases comes after 'high rates of testing' was conducted. 'That is a very pleasing thing from my perspective because it means we are able to detect cases in the community, identify those contacts and obviously contain them and self-isolate them because we know we are seeing a number of cases in the contacts of cases,' she told reporters on Wednesday afternoon. 'We are also tracking down links and chains of transmission, to block any further community transition. The Sydney Opera House (pictured virtually empty on Tuesday) will also be forced to close under drastic new coronavirus measures 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 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 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. 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.' View of a nearly deserted Bourke Street, a shopping district in Melbourne, on Wednesday afternoon (pictured) BJP leader Lanka Dinakar said that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's statement on coronavirus treatment with paracetamol has become a "laughing stock across the nation". "The comments of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on coronavirus treatment with paracetamol and bleaching powder have become a laughing stock across the nation, but some medical officers and state ministers are still maintaining the same stand without corrective measures like other neighbouring states," Dinakar told ANI."If the coronavirus is not dangerous, why the Health Ministry of Andhra Pradesh had allotted funds for Rs 200 crores and telling (that) safeguarding measures have taken to combat the pandemic coronavirus? Why the Superintendent of Vijayawada Government General Hospital said that coronavirus is not dangerous when compared with some other viruses when the entire globe is working together for preventive measures?" he added. Dinakar said that global leaders have been commending the "relentless efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his co-operation among the SAARC nations". "We all need to work together to combat coronavirus. In this process, anybody who appears irresponsible, such person's mindset should be tuned as per the requirements of WHO and Union Health Ministry's guidelines. No human life should be adversely impacted due to coronavirus...The Union government has been alerting the state governments continuously since the pandemic reached our country," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) TALLAHASSEE, FL The following is a statement from the Florida Department of Health concerning the state's reaction to the coronavirus outbreak. Today (Tuesday, 3/17/20), Governor Ron DeSantis issued an Executive Order that will reduce density and crowds in restaurants, bars, nightclubs and beaches to mitigate the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). Bars and Nightclubs Under the direction of Governor DeSantis, all bars and nightclubs throughout Florida will close for the next 30 days. Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) will be enforcing and providing further guidance. Beaches The Governor is directing parties accessing public beaches in the state of Florida to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance by limiting their gatherings to no more than 10 persons. Restaurants Restaurants across the state of Florida will now be required to limit customer entry to 50 percent of capacity. Seating must be staggered and limited to ensure seated parties are separated by a distance of at least six feet, in accordance with CDC guidelines. Restaurants are encouraged to remain open and expand take-out and delivery services. Additional information will be provided by DBPR. For more info, visit http://www.floridahealth.gov/ Suraj Singhs phone rang Monday afternoon as rumors soon proven true swirled that Harris County bars and restaurants would be shut down except for takeout. It was the staff at Premier Fine Wine & Spirits, his liquor store, asking him to order extra supplies. Tuesday morning, when he arrived at his Heights Marketplace location 30 minutes before it opened, four people were already outside. Its just absolutely crazy, Singh said. As soon as the restaurants and bars shut down, its been almost like the (rush before the) holidays. Store operators said there was no danger of running out of supplies, with the exception of the grain alcohol Everclear, which multiple owners said distributors no longer had in stock. Grain alcohols, with their high-alcohol content, which makes them suitable for cleaning hands and surfaces, have been in special demand. But customers are also stocking up their home bars, said Singh, who reported vodkas, whiskies and wines have sold well. While Singh said his stores had seen three times their usual business since bars were closed in a government attempt to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus throughout the community, other wine, beer and liquor stores reported more moderate increases that began over the weekend. John Rydman, president of the Houston-based chain Specs Wine, Liquor & Beer, also compared recent business to the holidays, when people are not working and are running around to pick up supplies, but he pegged the increase closer to 50 percent. Theyre buying up everything, he said including non-bar supplies such as water, milk, jerky, cheese and frozen bread. Rydman said curbside and Instacart sales have increased, as well as use of Specs mobile app on which customers can place orders for pickup and delivery. He said the pickup in sales began last week, at the same time grocery stores saw a surge in traffic. Antonio Gianola, manager and buyer for Houston Wine Merchant, also said hed seen an sharp increase in deliveries on the scale of 40 percent to 50 percent. After the wine shop made the decision to begin curbside pickup on Monday, it was already getting calls for the service Tuesday morning. Its all selling, Gianola said. But Im noticing the light whites like sauvignon blancs or a very light, clean-style chardonnay are doing well as are dry roses. 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 increase in off-premise business was making up for a decrease in foot traffic, Gianola said. But customers who were no longer coming in the store still asking staff for their recommendations. And they were buying in bulk. Ive had a couple of people text me I need a case of red and white, and you put that together and send it to me? he said. People are stocking up. rebecca.schuetz@chron.com twitter.com/raschuetz Pope Francis stressed Wednesday the importance of families and friends making small gestures such as hugs and phone calls during times of isolation in a pandemic. "We must rediscover the concrete nature of small things, of making small gestures toward those around us -- family, friends," the 83-year-old pontiff told the La Repubblica newspaper. "They are gestures of tenderness, of affection, of compassion, which are nonetheless decisive and important -- for example, a hot dish, a caress, a hug, a phone call." Italian rules instruct everyone to keep one metre (three feet) apart while in public but say nothing about what people can do at home. Most business have been closed and public events cancelled since last week. Italian streets stand deserted except for the few who go out shopping or walk their dogs. The Argentine-born pope has made no secret of his own discomfort at having to communicate with the world's 1.3 billion Catholics via livestream. The Vatican's Saint Peter's Square has also been sealed off. He complained of feeling like he was sitting in a "cage" this month while delivering his first Sunday Angelus Prayer into a camera instead of out of his Vatican window facing thousands of faithful. Italy was the first country in Europe to be seriously hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Its 2,503 official COVID-19 deaths account for more than half of those reported outside China. Some of the "social isolation" measures now being unrolled across the rest of Europe and parts of the United States have been in effect in Italy's northern epicentre of the virus since last month. A Italian government hinted Wednesday that some measure such as school closures will be extended past their April 3 expiration date. "I do not exclude it," Transport Minister Paola De Micheli said. The pope himself has been suffering from a cold since last month. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) [March 18, 2020] PayScale Announces the Appointment of Microsoft Executive Marc Brown to Their Board of Directors SEATTLE, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, PayScale, Inc ., the worlds leading provider of cloud-based compensation software and data, announced that Microsoft Corporate Vice President, Corporate Development, Marc Brown is joining PayScales Board of Directors, effective immediately. With more than 22 years of business and legal experience with a focus on mergers and acquisitions and equity investments, Brown will be lending his guidance to PayScale during a phase of high growth and planned global expansion. Given Browns background in corporate development and M&A initiatives for Microsoft, his appointment to the PayScale Board underscores the companys plans for rapid expansionproviding advanced compensation solutions to a broader base of customers across various industries, while also developing new industry partnerships. I am delighted to welcome Marc to the PayScale board, commented PayScale CEO Scott Torrey. I am confident that Marc will provide an important voice to our board, given his experience operating at large, successful companies. In addition, his guidance will help evolve our goal to democratize compensation data for both employees and the employers that seek to attract an retain them. Torrey and his leadership team recently defined PayScales three-year vision that includes acquiring more customers, introducing additional products, expanding internationally and forging partnerships, among other strategic goals. I am incredibly excited to work with Scott, the other Board members and the entire PayScale team to create value while pursuing the company's broad vision of providing rich, data-driven compensation insights for employers that want to attract and retain the very best talent at their organizations, said Brown. I believe strongly in PayScales mission and look forward to supporting the company during this phase of high-growth. Brown, who joined Microsoft in 2000, holds an MBA from the New York University Leonard N. Stern School of Business, and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. For more information about PayScale, as well as the companys Board of Directors and leadership team, please visit www.payscale.com . About PayScale PayScale offers modern compensation software and the most precise, real-time, data-driven insights for employees and employers alike. More than 8,000 customers, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies, use PayScale to power pay decisions for more than 23 million employees. These companies include, Patagonia, The New York Times, Sunsweet, T-Mobile, United Health Group, Wendy's and Perry Ellis. For more information, please visit: https://www.payscale.com/ or follow PayScale on Twitter: https://twitter.com/payscale . Press Contact: Erica Beyer Email: [email protected] Tel: 206.321.0727 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] JOHANNESBURG - Africa should prepare for the worst as the coronavirus begins to spread locally, the World Health Organizations director-general said Wednesday, while South Africa became the continents new focus of concern as cases nearly doubled to 116 from two days before. South Africas health minister, Zweli Mkhize, this week called that kind of rate explosive in the country with the most cases in sub-Saharan Africa. Fourteen of the latest cases were from local transmission and six were in children under 10. Though the pandemic is in its early days on the continent, health experts have warned that even facilities in Africas richest nation could be overwhelmed by the virus spread. I think Africa should wake up. My continent should wake up, said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who comes from Ethiopia. Crowded conditions in poor areas could lead to even faster transmission, experts say. Countless South Africans continue to pack into commuter trains and minivan taxis. But the annual pilgrimage of the Zion Christian Church, which attracts about 3 million people, was cancelled. We have low-income workers who cannot afford to self-isolate or take time off work, said public health expert Dr. Atiya Mosam, who also worried about the large population without clean water or sanitation or vulnerable from HIV or tuberculosis. Others asked how a person can self-quarantine in a crowded slum. The continent has several of the worlds fastest-growing cities. Despite widespread calls for social distancing, a cashier at a popular pharmacy in Johannesburg confided that some customers found it rude when she suggested they swipe their payment cards themselves to limit contact. Elsewhere in the store a shopper determinedly filled a cardboard box with anti-germ soap, and hand sanitizer was out of stock despite calls to stop panic buying. Also Wednesday, sub-Saharan Africa saw its second death from COVID-19, in Burkina Faso, which has one of the continents highest number of cases but has not imposed measures such as closing borders or banning religious services. Sudan previously reported a death. In Kenya, police said a man accused of having the coronavirus was beaten to death. A police report obtained by The Associated Press said the man was returning home from a night out Wednesday when a group of youth approached and took advantage of his drunkenness. In Ethiopia, the U.S. Embassy noted a rise in anti-foreigner sentiment after cases emerged there. Reports indicate that foreigners have been attacked with stones, denied transportation services, being spat on, chased on foot, and been accused of being infected with COVID-19, a security alert said. Africas most populous country, Nigeria, announced restrictions on the entry of travellers from countries with more than 1,000 coronavirus cases, including China and the U.S., and suspended visas on arrival for their citizens. Nigeria has had eight cases of the virus, all in people recently arrived from abroad one of the latest a 6-week-old baby. The country said one of the new patients, an American, had entered via a land border, a first. Three other African nations announced their first virus cases: Gambia, Zambia and Djibouti. Thirty-three of Africas 54 countries now have cases, with a total of at least 529 midday Wednesday. Somalia, which announced its first case this week, closed schools and universities for two weeks and warned against public gatherings as the country with one of Africas weakest health systems tries to stop the virus spread. This is really a very scary moment, said Hassan Kafi, a medical student in the capital, Mogadishu. The country has suffered from nearly three decades of conflict. Uganda, which has no cases, banned travel to the worst-affected countries. It also suspended religious gatherings and restricted the number of people at weddings to 10 in a country known for mass ceremonies. Health experts from some 20 African nations participated in a video conference with doctors in China on how to contain the virus. This is an extremely important step in terms of knowledge share, said Kenyas cabinet health secretary, Mutahi Kagwe. ___ Mogomotsi Magome in Johannesburg, Tom Odula in Nairobi, Kenya; Elias Meseret in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Mohamed Sheikh Nor in Mogadishu, Somalia; Josphat Kasire in Nairobi, Kenya, Rodney Muhumuza in Kampala, Uganda and Sam Mednick in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, contributed. Plans to scrap a raft of single-use plastic items have been announced by the Welsh government in a move aimed at tackling ocean waste. Under the plans, plastic straws, cotton buds and polystyrene food and drink containers will be outlawed or have their sale restricted. A consultation on the proposals will take place in the coming months, and Welsh lawmakers will need to pass legislation before the measures can be put in place. Hannah Blythyn, deputy minister for housing and local government, said the proposal forms part of a range of measures aimed at cleaning up the countrys coastline. The single-use plastics we want to ban are hard to recycle and often found on the beaches and seas around our coast, blighting our beautiful country and harming our natural and marine environments, she added. It is vital we dont throw away our future which is why we believe taking this direct action will have a significant impact on changing peoples behaviour and make them think about their waste when on-the-go. Campaigners welcomed the announcement and called on other governments to take more action to tackle the plastic pollution crisis. Louise Edge, Plastics Campaigner at Greenpeace, told The Independent: "This is a positive step Wales has taken today which will help reduce the amount of pointless plastics washing around our planet. We urge others to follow suit." England has already moved to clamp down on the use of single-use plastics, with a ban on straws, stirrers and cotton buds due to come into force next month. However, the Welsh proposals go further in that they include a longer list of items set to be axed should the plans go ahead. Plastic pollution in UK rivers: In pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Plastic pollution in UK rivers: In pictures Plastic pollution in UK rivers: In pictures River Trent A survey of 13 UK rivers has found they all contain microplastics - and one is more polluted than the "great Pacific garbage patch", Greenpeace said after they carried out their rivers project Green Peace/PA Plastic pollution in UK rivers: In pictures River Lea A coot sits on a nest composed partly of plastic in the River Lea Green Peace/PA Plastic pollution in UK rivers: In pictures Afon Glaslyn Activists from Surfers Against Sewage collect plastic waste from the Afon Glaslyn in Snowdonia PA Plastic pollution in UK rivers: In pictures River Derwent A water vole encounters a plastic drinks lid in the River Derwent Green Peace/PA Plastic pollution in UK rivers: In pictures River Mersey Plastic samples found in a Greenpeace survey of the River Mersey, the most polluted river in the UK Green Peace/PA Plastic pollution in UK rivers: In pictures River Thames A volunteer shows a bag full of plastic cable ties found along a single stretch of the Thames at Putney in west London PA Plastic pollution in UK rivers: In pictures River Thames Volunteers collect and count plastic bottles littering the shore of the Thames at Queenhithe Dock in central London PA Plastic pollution in UK rivers: In pictures Afon Glaslyn An activist from Surfers Against Sewage collects plastic waste from the Afon Glaslyn in Snowdonia PA Plastic pollution in UK rivers: In pictures River Wye Scientists and activists conduct a survey of plastic pollution o in the River Wye for Greenpeace Green Peace/PA Plastic pollution in UK rivers: In pictures River Little Ouse A grey wagtail among plastic waste on the River Little Ouse Green Peace/PA Earlier this week a study revealed that lego bricks could survive in the ocean for up to 1,300 years. Researchers at the University of Plymouth analysed bricks that had washed up on the coastlines of southwest England. The study, published in the Environmental Pollution journal, estimated that the popular childrens toy could endure for anywhere between 100 and 1,300 years. Dr Andrew Turner, associate professor in environmental sciences, said the findings underlined the harmful impact microplastics are having on marine life. The pieces we tested had smoothed and discoloured, with some of the structures having fractured and fragmented, suggesting that as well as pieces remaining intact, they might also break down into microplastics. In pictures: Plastic pollution around the world Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Plastic pollution around the world In pictures: Plastic pollution around the world Plastic pollution Plastic trashes drifting on the sea surface in Marseille's islands In pictures: Plastic pollution around the world Plastic pollution The Bishnumati river running through Kathmandu in Nepal. The river is full of litter and raw sewage which is emptied into the river. The local people see the river as a rubbish collection service In pictures: Plastic pollution around the world Plastic pollution Garbage in the harbour of Tripoli, Libya In pictures: Plastic pollution around the world Plastic pollution Plastic and other undissolvable wastes float over the polluted Vrishabhavathi River, which a few years back use to supply drinking water to Bangalore 48 km to the north, in Kundanahalli village, Ramnagaram district, India In pictures: Plastic pollution around the world Plastic pollution Children collect plastic to be sold and recycled at a polluted river in suburban Manila In pictures: Plastic pollution around the world Plastic pollution Plastic bags and other rubbish are collected from the waters of Manila Bay during a campaign by environmental activists earlier this year Getty Images In pictures: Plastic pollution around the world Plastic pollution A man collects plastic bags and other rubbish from the waters of Manila Bay In pictures: Plastic pollution around the world Plastic pollution A woman throws out a doll while she selects recyclable plastic bottles, along Tiete river where floating foam blocks emit harmful gasses, in Pirapora de Bom Jesus, 60 Km north of Sao Paulo, Brazil In pictures: Plastic pollution around the world Plastic pollution Baby sea otter pup chews on a plastic cookie wrapper In pictures: Plastic pollution around the world Plastic pollution Bin overflowing with plastic rubbish, central London It once again emphasises the importance of people disposing of used items properly to ensure they do not pose potential problems for the environment. Environmental campaigners Greenpeace said the study highlights the dangers of not disposing of plastic waste properly. Chris Thorne, an Oceans Campaigner at Greenpeace UK, told The Independent: Lego has brought joy to countless children around the world for decades, but this joy comes with a heavy price, an ocean crisis. This study confirms what we already knew, that much of the plastic waste weve left in our oceans, including Lego, will survive there for centuries, possibly even millennia. The impacts of this will be wide ranging, and harm marine ecosystems long after our generation is gone. We must protect our oceans from all the pressures facing them, from climate change to overfishing and plastic pollution. Toilet paper stolen from church amid coronavirus panic Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment 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. London, March 19 : British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that schools in the country will close from Friday for all students except the vulnerable and those with key worker parents. Noting that the government needs to keep the National Health Service (NHS) going to fight COVID-19, Johnson on Wednesday said children of health workers and police officers, among other key workers, together with the most vulnerable children, can still go to school, Xinhua reported. Earlier, local authorities of Scotland and Wales have announced that schools will close from Friday. In Northern Ireland, schools closed at 5p.m. (1700GMT) Wednesday for students, although teachers are understood to be attending for another two days, according to local media. As for the strengthening of actions in fighting COVID-19, the prime minister said: "We keep everything under continuous review and we will not hesitate in bringing forward further and faster measures where we think that is necessary." Meanwhile, he also mentioned that a test to determine whether an individual has developed antibodies to tackle the coronavirus is "coming down the track". British health authorities on Wednesday confirmed that 32 more people have died in the country after testing positive for COVID-19, bringing the death toll to 104. The number of novel coronavirus cases in Britain reached 2,626 as of Wednesday morning, according to health authorities. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Photograph: Michael Reynolds/EPA The Vermont senator Bernie Sanders got thumped in the latest round of Democratic presidential primary contests and, once again, Sanders and his team are reassessing their path forward. Its becoming a familiar cycle: former vice-president Joe Biden beats Sanders, the darling of progressive grassroots voters; the Sanders campaign concedes the situation isnt ideal, and spends some time reassessing. Thats what happened earlier this month after the Super Tuesday contests on 3 March, and this Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. On Wednesday Sanders, the campaign said, would first vote on coronavirus legislation in the Senate and then later in the day he would fly with his wife Jane back to Vermont where he would have conversations with supporters. The next primary contest is at least three weeks away. Senator Sanders is going to be having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign, Sanders campaign manager, Faiz Shakir, said in a statement. In the immediate term, however, he is focused on the government response to the coronavirus outbreak and ensuring that we take care of working people and the most vulnerable. Related: Democratic primary delegate count - latest The Sanders campaign also sent out an email to supporters with a similarly gloomy tone. No sugarcoating it, last night did not go the way we wanted, Shakir wrote in that email. And while our campaign has won the battle of ideas, we are losing the battle over electability to Joe Biden. The email did not include a usual link to make a donation to the campaign. Instead it linked to Sanders response on how the federal government should be responding to the coronavirus pandemic, a signal that the campaign is at least slightly inching away from a relentless campaign mode. There were three contests on Tuesday night and Biden beat Sanders in all of them. More ominous for Sanders, Biden beat him by double digits in all three states. Biden won decisively by about 14 points in Illinois. Story continues In 2016, Sanders narrowly lost to former secretary of state Hillary Clinton there by less than three percentage points. In Florida, Biden beat Sanders by almost 40 percentage points. In Arizona, Sanders lost to Biden by about the same margin he lost to Clinton in 2016. The prospect of Sanders dropping out is so strong that for a few moments on Wednesday a report about Sanders suspending campaign ads on Facebook was misread as Sanders suspending his campaign. The next set of contests are in states that were more favorable to Sanders in 2016 Hawaii and Alaska, in particular. But the larger problem for the Vermont senator is the delegate math. As of Wednesday Biden led Sanders by 1,153 pledged delegates to 874. Even before Tuesday, Sanders would have to have won the lions share of delegates in coming contests. The Biden campaign has been hesitant to declare victory outright but has argued publicly and behind the scenes that Bidens delegate advantage is unassailable. In a conference call with donors ahead of the Tuesdays primary results, Greg Schultz, a top adviser for the campaign, said the Biden team felt they had a very clear delegate trajectory that would require Sanders to so overwhelmingly out-perform in the next few primary contests, according to audio obtained by the Guardian. On Wednesday morning, Unite the Country, a Super Pac supporting Biden, released a memo going even further. Last nights overwhelming victories in Arizona, Illinois and Florida are likely to add at least 150 delegates to Joe Bidens already commanding delegate lead. Even without Ohio voting, Joe Biden effectively ended the race last night, the memo said. He will be the Democratic nominee, and for Unite the Country, the focus now turns to November. The turnout generated by the vice-president continues to surprise everyone. Despite the virus, total turnout in Arizona and Florida exceeded 2016 numbers, and just like in previous states this primary season, there was particularly robust turnout in the types of suburban communities where we need to show strength this fall. Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders greet each other with their elbows at the last Democratic presidential debate, in Washington. Sanders has been forced to cancel the rallies that are a pillar of his campaign. Photograph: Gabriella Demczuk For Cnn/EPA More concerning for Sanders and his progressive movement within the primary contest are the limitations the coronavirus outbreak is putting on the campaign. Because of the pandemic, Sanders campaign cannot hold the energetic rallies that are a pillar of the campaign, Democratic strategist Julian Mulvey, who advised Sanders in 2016, said. Part of the difficult challenge now is they cant hold rallies. The rallies have always been, in one sense, the central part of the campaign, Mulvey said. Its direct connection with Bernie and the grassroots and people. Its him getting on the ground, delivering his 90-minute stump speech delivering his giant stump speech. I think its very important for the energy on the ground, its very important for Bernie. But Sanders allies and strategists from the progressive wing of the party still see value in the Vermont senator continuing the campaign. In this moment of national crisis, Bernies platform is more salient than ever: Republicans and centrist Democrats alike are suddenly echoing his calls for free healthcare, expanded paid sick leave, and unemployment insurance, progressive Democratic strategist Monica Klein said in an email to the Guardian on Wednesday. She added: Weve seen from exit polls that Bernies economic and healthcare platforms are widely supported by Democratic voters so whoever we end up with as our nominee, the Democratic ticket needs to embrace the bold economic solutions that Bernie has championed since day one. During the last five years, 25,782 people belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Pakistan have been given long-term visas (LTVs). Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai gave this information in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday in response to a question. He said that foreigners coming to India are not taken care of on a community basis. Rai said that the government has given various types of facilities to such people living in India on LTV. These include enrollment of children in schools, colleges, universities, techno-professional institutes. For this, permission from the State Government or Union Territory Administration will not be required. Philippines locked up due to Corona, 1500 Indians stranded seeks help from Government Apart from this, in a written reply to another question, Rai said that till March 12, 2020, a total of 35,79,011 Overseas Citizen of India cards have been issued. It is an immigration facility granted to foreign nationals of Indian origin under which they are allowed to stay and work in India indefinitely. In a written reply, the Minister of State for Home Affairs said that 2,214 NGOs registered under FCRA over the course of three years Happened. They have been registered under three categories religious, cultural and educational. Vijayvargiya lashes out at Digvijay Singh, says "Nautanki in Bengaluru" Since the abolition of Article 370, a total of 79 terrorist incidents took place in Jammu and Kashmir and 49 terrorists were killed. Union Minister of State for Home Kishan Reddy said during the Question Hour in Lok Sabha that no major terrorist incident took place within the country from August 5, 2015, to March 10, 2020. In response to another question, the Minister of State for Home said that a total of 450 people are currently in custody in Jammu and Kashmir. These people include stonemasons, rowdy, separatists, and activists. They have been kept in various jails. BJP attacked by raising slogan against Chhattisgarh government Police are investigating vandalism at the home of embattled Whittlesea mayor Emilia Sterjova, as well as a confronting visit by two men to the house of the government-appointed monitor who recommended sacking her. Whittlesea council on Melbourne's northern fringe was sacked this week after Local Government Minister Adem Somyurek accepted recommendations made in a report by government-appointed monitor Yehudi Blacher less than three months into his role. Mr Somyurek was not expecting the monitor's report until June. "But the monitor said I've seen enough now, mid March. And the longer this circus continues, the more the people of the City of Whittlesea are actually missing out," he said. However, in a legal letter the Whittlesea mayor has accused Mr Blacher of "intimidating, threatening and overawing" conduct during a recent meeting. Now that we're trying to understand what 'social distancing' really is, practising it is another step altogether. Keeping a distance from our social circles is what the need of the hour is and it is overwhelming and not so easy to pull off. Life has changed drastically over the last few days. We've physically distanced ourselves from our favourite people, our local hangouts and are going through the worst economic and financial downfall we've ever come across in our time. It's a tough time and the pandemic will not cease to exist anytime soon. Reuters Yes, the Coronavirus fight is here to stay for a few more months and even a year, as some scientists and even doctors have said so clearly. Some may look at [the guidelines] ... and say, well, maybe weve gone a little bit too far. They were well thought out. And the thing that I want to reemphasize ... when youre dealing with an emerging infectious diseases outbreak, you are always behind where you think you are if you think that today reflects where you really are. Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a member of the White House coronavirus task force, said at a Monday White House press conference. We really don't know how long it'll take for us to break out of this apocalyptic situation. Because if social distancing doesn't really work, we'll keep coming in contact with infected people or be carriers ourselves and pass on the virus for it to blatantly carry on, becoming an inevitable outbreak, unless and until there's a confirmed treatment, vaccination or cure for it. And now, we might have to wait another year for it to completely be neutralised or become curable so that we can eventually move on with our normal lives. I think this idea that if you close schools and shut restaurants for a couple of weeks, you solve the problem and get back to normal life thats not whats going to happen. The main message that isnt getting across to a lot of people is just how long we might be in this for, says Adam Kucharski, an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine This virus is going to be circulating, potentially for a year or two, so we need to be thinking on those time scales. There are no good options here. Every scenario you can think of playing out has some really hefty downsides. ... At the moment, it seems the only way to sustainably reduce transmission are really severe unsustainable measures. he adds. Twitter Currently, the only thing that seems to be working, and the only thing we need to bank on is the social distancing policies to fight off this pandemic. If we absolutely drop measures to practice social distancing, then the outbreak will be heavier, more impactful and will target a larger group of people, while gravely threatening public health, especially for the elderly, and chronically ill people. Theres no way [the virus] is going to go away in the next few weeks, Kucharski adds. In fact, a verified news report suggests that severe social distancing is the only way to prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths due to COVID-19, and we must take this a bit more seriously. The COVID-19 Response Team at the Imperial College of London, outlines two scenarios for combating the spread of the virus. One is mitigation, which focuses on slowing but not necessarily stopping the epidemic spread. Another is suppression, which aims to reverse epidemic growth. According to their analysis, isolation of confirmed cases and even the quarantine of infected older adults, without social distancing, will still lead to hundreds and thousands of deaths and a higher demand on medical beds all over, which would exhaust in quantity over time, with the number of people infected. Twitter So, maybe you feel stifled under the new way of life and the changing world order but remember nothing is permanent, everything has a shelf life. We can't predict what lies at the end of the spectrum but we can surely agree upon the fact that if we follow proper policies where social distancing is concerned, we can save ourselves from facing the worst-hit pandemic within our generation. With inputs from Vox 517 Shares Share An excerpt from Of Plagues and Vampires: Believable Myths and Unbelievable Facts from Medical Practice. The concept of a vampire predates Bram Stokers tales of Count Dracula probably by several centuries. But did vampires ever really exist? In 1819, 80 years before the publication of Dracula, John Polidori, an Anglo-Italian physician, published a novel called The Vampire. However, Stokers novel has been the benchmark for our descriptions of vampires. But how and where did this concept develop? It appears that the folklore surrounding the vampire phenomenon originated in that Balkan area where Stoker located his tale of Count Dracula. Stoker never traveled to Transylvania or any other part of Eastern Europe. (The lands held by the fictional Count would be in modern-day Romania and Hungary.) The writer was born and brought up in Dublin. He was a friend to Oscar Wilde and William Gladstone. He was both a liberal and a Home-Ruler in favor of home rule for Ireland. He turned to theatre, and became business manager of the Lyceum Theatre in London. It was his friendship with Armin Vambery, a Hungarian writer, that led to his fascination with vampire folklore. He consulted Vambury in the writing of Dracula, whose main character was loosely fashioned on Vlad the Impaler. But where did the myth of vampires come from? Like many myths, it is based partly in fact. A blood disorder called porphyria, which has has been with us for millennia, became prevalent among the nobility and royalty of Eastern Europe. A genetic disorder, it becomes more common with inbreeding. Porphyria is a malfunction in the process of hemoglobin production. Hemoglobin is the protein molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body tissues. It seems likely that this disorder is the origin of the vampire myth. In fact, it is sometimes referred to as the Vampyre Disease. Consider the symptoms of patients with porphyria: Sensitivity to sunlight. Extreme sensitivity to sunlight, leading to facial disfigurement, blackened skin, and hair growth. Fangs. In addition to facial disfigurement, repeated attacks of the disease results in gums receding, exposing the teeth which look like fangs. Blood drinking. Because the urine of persons with porphyria is dark red, folklore surmised that they were drinking blood. In fact, some physicians had recommended that these patients drink blood to compensate for the defect in their red blood cells but this recommendation was for animal blood. It is more likely that these patients, who only went out after dark, were judged to be looking for blood, and their fangs led to folk tales about vampires. Aversion to garlic. The sulfur content of garlic could lead to an attack of porphyria, leading to very acute pain. Thus, the aversion to garlic. Reflections not seen in mirrors. In the mythology, a vampire is not able to look in a mirror, or cannot see their own reflection. The facial disfigurement caused by porphyria becomes worse with time. Poor oxygenation leads to destruction of facial tissues, and collapse of the facial structure. Patients understandably avoided mirrors. Fear of the crucifix. At the time of the Inquisition, it is reported that 600 vampires were burned at the stake. Some of these accused vampires were innocent sufferers of porphyria. Porphyria patients had good reason to fear the Christian faith and Christian symbols. Acute attacks of the disease are associated with considerable pain, and both mental and physical disturbance. This condition has been ascribed to the English King George III, although subsequent analysis has shed some doubt on porphyria as the cause of his madness. Nowadays, with our scientific knowledge of the basis of porphyria, instead of fearing these folks, we can love and care for them. Porphyria remains incurable, and treatment is mainly supportive: pain control, fluids, and avoidance of certain drugs/chemicals that provoke acute attacks. Some success has been achieved with stem cell transplants. Could Stoker have known of the existence of porphyria, and/or its link to vampire folklore? It was only in 1911, eight years before Stokers book appeared, that H. Gunther classified the diseases of porphyria (there are several types). However, George Harley, of Harley Street, had described a patient with porphyria a few years earlier. Through his gothic novel, Bram Stoker surely wins the prize for the best example of myth entangled with medicine. Michael Hefferon is a pediatrician and author of Of Plagues and Vampires: Believable Myths and Unbelievable Facts from Medical Practice. Image credit: Shutterstock.com An employee uses a flash grinder to smooth out the metal frame of a sports utility vehicle (SUV) on the production line at the General Motors Co. (GM) assembly plant in Arlington, Texas. America's automotive manufacturing will not come to a standstill as the coronavirus spreads throughout the country. General Motors, Ford Motor and Fiat Chrysler have negotiated with the United Auto Workers union to "review and implement the rotating partial shutdown of facilities" and other additional measures in an attempt to keep workers safe and healthy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the union announced Tuesday night. The actions are expected to be a compromise between the companies and union after UAW President Rory Gamble on Sunday urged the automakers to cease production for two weeks due to the spread of the virus in the U.S., including employees from each of the automakers. "All three companies have agreed to new measures that will increase adherence to CDC recommendations on social distancing in the workplace," the union said in an emailed statement. "Most importantly, all three companies have agreed to review and implement the rotating partial shutdown of facilities, extensive deep cleaning of facility and equipment between shifts, extended periods between shifts, and extensive plans to avoid member contact." It's unclear at this time how the union and automakers plan to implement the "rotating partial" shutdowns. The union said it expects "more detailed information to be released in the next 24 hours." GM and Fiat Chrysler did not respond to a request for comment. Ford, in an emailed statement, said: "The health and safety of our workforce is our top priority. We're working closely with the UAW and are aiming to announce details in the next 24 hours." The actions follow the coronavirus brining China's manufacturing to a standstill, followed by several automakers, including Ford and Fiat Chrysler, announcing plant closures or plans to temporarily end all manufacturing in Europe due to the virus. The Bombay High Court has come to the aid of a 19-year-old woman stranded in Dubai in view of the Centre's coronavirus travel advisory by directing the Indian Immigration Bureau to grant her visa to travel to Mumbai. The woman got stuck in Dubai after she was prevented from boarding her connecting flight to Mumbai from the USA in view of the Government of India (GoI) advisory. A division bench of Justices S J Kathawala and R I Chagla was on Tuesday heard a petition filed by the woman's mother seeking a direction to the concerned authorities to grant her daughter the visa to travel to Mumbai. While directing the authorities to grant the woman the visa, the bench referred to her young age and the circumstances that she was stranded in Dubai without any family member accompanying her. The petitioner claimed that her daughter had boarded a flight from Boston in the USA on March 12. However, she was refused permission by airlines authority in Dubai to board her connecting flight to Mumbai on the ground that it was past midnight of March 13, and that the consolidated travel advisory issued by the Indian government keeping all visas in abeyance till April 15, 2020 had come into effect. The bench on Tuesday took up the petition for urgent hearing and in its order noted that as per the travel advisory issued by the government what needs to be seen was the time of departure from the original port and not the time of arrival. "The petitioner's daughter could not have been denied boarding her onward flight to Mumbai on the strength of these circulars nor can the respondents deny her a visa and leave her stranded at Dubai away from her family and permanent place of residence in India," the court said in its order. The bench noted that the petitioner's daughter was wrongly detained and refused permission to board her flight from Dubai to Mumbai. "She (the petitioner's daughter) is 19 years old and is stranded in Dubai with no family member with her," the court said, adding that a compelling case has been made out for granting her visa to return to Mumbai to be with her family. "This in fact ought to have been done by the Indian Diplomatic Commission itself but unfortunately, they did not accede to the request made by the petitioner," the court said. The bench directed the Immigration Bureau to grant the petitioner's daughter visa to travel to Mumbai. The court, however, added that its order shall not be considered as a precedent and that it has ordered for visa to be granted in this case considering the facts and circumstances of the same. The petitioner's counsel Dinyar Madon argued that Immigration Bureau of India and the Indian Diplomatic Mission in Dubai, UAE, had acted in high-handed, arbitrary and wrongful manner. As per the plea, visa was refused to the petitioner's daughter in view of the consolidated travel advisory for novel coronavirus disease issued by the Indian government on March 11, 2020 which levied visa restrictions. According to the petition, while the petitioner is an Indian citizen and holds a passport, her daughter was born in the USA and hence she is an American citizen. The petitioner's daughter completed her graduation in Mumbai and later went back to America to pursue further studies. The Indian government on March 11 announced suspension of all visas from midnight of March 13 till April 15, 2020. The travel advisory further provided that if any foreigners intending to travel to India, they could apply to the nearest Indian Mission for grant of visa making out compelling reasons. Following the advisory, the petitioner modified her daughter's travel plans and advanced her flight to March 12. The petitioner stated that she had requested the Indian Diplomatic Mission in Dubai to consider her daughter's situation in Dubai but they refused to provide assistance, following which she approached the high court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) U.S. experts say there's no reason for people with COVID-19 to avoid ibuprofen like this Advil, or similar drugs. (Mark Lennihan / Associated Press) First, some facts: The over-the-counter pain reliever ibuprofen is not linked to a higher risk of COVID-19 infection. Nor has it been linked directly to complications in those infected with the novel coronavirus that has now reached 164 countries. When treating pain or a fever, you may choose ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) without needing to worry that your decision has any bearing on the disease at the center of the pandemic. And now, the reason for using this space to dispense those bland morsels of coronavirus nonnews: A message tweeted Saturday by Frances minister of Solidarity and Health warning that ibuprofen, an anti-inflammatory drug, could be an aggravating factor in COVID-19 infection. (So could the steroid medication cortisone, the tweet said.) In cases of fever, the health minister added, take paracetamol the generic name used in Europe for acetaminophen. And if you are already taking anti-inflammatory medication or have medical concerns, consult your doctor, he advised. With a novel coronavirus sweeping across the world, consumers are hungry for tips on how to protect themselves and their loved ones from infection. They are keenly attuned to public health advice, whether it is solidly based on evidence, altogether fabricated, or somewhere in between. French Health Minister Olivier Veran's weekend tweet appears to fall in that middle region. As it began circulating widely outside of France this week, it left U.S. doctors, public health officials and communications experts shaking their heads in dismay. #COVID19 | La prise d'anti-inflammatoires (ibuprofene, cortisone, ...) pourrait etre un facteur d'aggravation de linfection. En cas de fievre, prenez du paracetamol. Si vous etes deja sous anti-inflammatoires ou en cas de doute, demandez conseil a votre medecin. Olivier Veran (@olivierveran) March 14, 2020 More research is needed to evaluate reports that ibruprofen may affect the course of COVID-19, the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases said in an emailed response. Currently, there is no evidence that ibuprofen increases the risk of serious complications or of acquiring the virus that causes COVID-19. Story continues Driving home the point, the U.S. institute's statement noted: There is also no conclusive evidence that taking ibuprofen is harmful for other respiratory infections either. University of Nebraska infectious disease specialist Dr. Andre Kalil called it crazy to toss unsupported medical advice into a cauldron of worldwide anxiety. "There is no clinical data and there are no studies in humans showing that ibuprofen or paracetamol are harmful or beneficial" in those with COVID-19 infection, Kalil said in an interview Tuesday. "Absolutely none." This is not my opinion, Kalil said. Its just a fact." On Tuesday, a spokesman for the World Health Organization told reporters that the U.N. health agency's experts were "looking into this to give further guidance." Until those inquiries are complete, "we recommend using rather paracetamol, and do not use ibuprofen as a self-medication. That's important," the spokesman, Christian Lindmeier, said. The back-and-forth over the safety of a common pain reliever underscores how difficult it can be to draw practical advice from the typical conduct of science, especially during a crisis. Medical journals aim to publish completed research that has been reviewed and critiqued by scientists who are expert in a relevant field of study. But they also publish letters that are not as rigorously vetted. Sometimes, these letters offer a preliminary look at research findings before they've been submitted for peer review. Sometimes, they scour recent research and offer a fresh or contrarian take on the findings. And sometimes, these dispatches offer suggestions for new avenues of research. The new worries over ibuprofen appear to be based on a "Correspondence" published March 11 in the Lancet, in which the authors appear to do a bit of all three. Their letter explores the mechanisms by which medications that act like ibuprofen might increase the risk of infection with the coronavirus. It notes that people taking such medications were plentiful among a group of 365 seriously ill COVID-19 patients whose cases were chronicled by Chinese physicians in the epidemic's early days. Almost all of those patients had serious underlying diseases, noted the authors, a Greek professor of pharmacology and a pair of lung-disease specialists at the University of Basel in Switzerland. The most common among them diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease are often treated by medications that suppress inflammation; indeed, that's how they are thought to help protect patients against heart attacks and stroke. Incidentally, however, those medications including ACE inhibitors and a class of diabetes drugs called thiazolidinediones increase the abundance of an enzyme that is used by the coronavirus to latch on to cells and infect them. Ibuprofen also suppresses inflammation by the same means, albeit much more weakly. "We therefore hypothesise that diabetes and hypertension treatment with ACE2-stimulating drugs increases the risk of developing severe and fatal COVID-19," the authors wrote. And so, while they take many leaps of reason and are not backed up by research in any animals, Verans concerns are not entirely baseless: Experts acknowledge they have what scientists call biological plausibility. Both nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen and corticosteroids like cortisone do tamp down the immune systems response to infection. With diseases involving two other novel coronaviruses severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) studies found that very ill patients who got corticosteroids were no more likely to die than were patients who didn't take them. But their viral loads, a measure of both a patient's recovery and his ability to infect others, were slower to decline. As a result, the WHO has recommended against the routine use of corticosteroids (those that work throughout the body) in the treatment of SARS (which no longer circulates) and MERS (which still does). Until Tuesday, WHO had made no such pronouncements about ibuprofen. There's also reason to believe that for very sick patients, tamping down inflammation may be lifesaving. Chinese physicians scrambling to help a first wave of patients infected with the new coronavirus reported that they administered corticosteroids to just under half of the extremely ill patients they were seeing. Those patients were experiencing potentially life-threatening immune reactions to their infections, and the doctors judged that cortisone treatment would reduce the resulting inflammation in their lungs and elsewhere. Their numbers, however, were too small to warrant any conclusions about the effects of such treatment. Kalil said "there is evidence of harm with corticosteroids" in people with COVID-19. But "this is different from ibuprofen," which acts much more weakly than steroids to suppress inflammation, he added. He insisted there is no scientific data in humans in favor or against ibuprofen or paracetamol. He called the Lancet correspondence "just another opinion" that could prompt further inquiry. Medical professionals and public health authorities need to focus on what we need to do, he said: find out what works and what does not in the treatment and prevention of COVID-19. Thats a task that Kalil is on. He is principal investigator of a federally funded clinical trial that last week enrolled its first of a planned 400 subjects to test whether existing medicines can treat COVID-19. The trial, to be conducted at as many as 45 sites in the United States and 20 sites in other countries, will look at whether the antiviral medication remdesivir, as well as similar medications, can shorten or reduce the severity of illness in patients with pneumonia induced by the coronavirus. It wasn't just doctors who took Veran to task for his shaky advice. Dartmouth political scientist Brendan Nyhan, who studies the power that misinformation and conspiracy theories have over patients, citizens and consumers, said the French ministers comments appeared to be at best premature. At worst, they were counterproductive, he said. Public health officials need to avoid making statements that dont reflect evidence we have, Nyhan said. Sometimes, officials do need to rely on educated guesses in a crisis, but this doesnt seem to be a decision that had to be made today. The crisis is confusing enough without public health authorities making it worse. In addition to dispensing advice that could harm, tweets like Verans undermine the publics trust in the leaders they most need to believe when they are corrected, Nyhan said. Trust matters, he said. We dont want to draw down that trust when its important for people to listen to public health authorities. Nyhans research has shown that when misinformation is corrected, the boomerang effect is even more corrosive than the original false statement. When audiences are warned that some of what they hear about a subject is false, they tend to mistrust everything else they hear about that subject. And when misinformation is corrected, there's ample evidence that the oft-repeated misinformation is remembered better than the correction. The antidote for that effect appears to be whats called a truth sandwich, Nyhan said. Its recipe is illustrated in the top of this story: State the established fact first. Then lay on the misinformation that is to be corrected. Then restate the truth. Chronic medicine shortages are likely to last for weeks, after panic buyers stripped the nation's chemist shelves of medications like children's Panadol, Nurofen and asthma medicines just as the cold and flu season begins. The shortages have sparked fears young children could wind up in emergency departments, creating further burdens on a health system that is already coping with coronavirus pandemic. Panic buyers have sparked a widespread shortage of children's Panadol. The Australian Medical Association's ethics and medico-legal committee chair, South Australian GP Chris Moy, said the children's Panadol shortage was of particular concern, given the drug's usefulness in reducing fevers in very young children. Associate Professor Steven Tong, an infectious-disease physician at the Peter Doherty Institute, agreed that paracetamol was a highly effective tool for temperature management. President Moon Jae-in takes off his mask at a meeting with his cabinet members on the new coronavirus in Cheong Wa Dae, Wednesday./ Yonhap By Kim Se-jeong The World Health Organization (WHO) will participate in clinical research being conducted in Korea on COVID-19, which is spreading rapidly around the world, the government said Wednesday. According to the Ministry of Health, WHO officials will join new working-level coronavirus research headed by the National Institute of Health. "The joint research will be focused on data collection and analysis as well as information use," a health ministry official said during a press briefing. Reportedly, the WHO has shown an interest in patients' response to exploratory treatment, case studies of patients in a critical condition and observations by medical service providers in the field. As of 9 p.m. Wednesday, Korea saw 93 additional COVID-19 infections, bringing the total number of cases to 8,413 with 91 fatalities, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Among the 93 was a 23-year-old woman from Busan who had traveled to Spain. The KCDC said the woman left Korea Jan. 2 and returned home Tuesday. She had symptoms when she arrived at Incheon International Airport but got herself tested in Gimhae her final destination because of a long queue at Incheon. She is now being treated at Busan Medical Center. The authorities said the number of COVID-19 infection cases from overseas was clearly on the rise. As of Tuesday, 55 Korean and foreign patients had recently been overseas, up from 50. Among them, 47 were Korean nationals who had mostly traveled to North America and Europe. Starting from midnight Thursday, all arrivals at Korean airports and ports will be screened for the virus in response to the rapid spread of COVID-19 outside the country. To date, the screening was only for people coming from Japan, China, Iran and European countries. The number of new cases reported daily here has decreased substantially to below 100. But while Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province in particular saw their tallies go down, Seoul, Incheon and the capital's metropolitan area have the number of patients increasing. Also among new patients reported Tuesday was Bundang Jesaeng Hospital director Lee Young-sang. The hospital in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province has been treating COVID-19 patients under Lee's leadership. On March 5, Lee tested negative for the virus but now along with him, one administrative staff was also confirmed to be infected. So far, there have been 29 reported infections at the hospital. The director's infection affects Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip, who has been at the forefront of the government's virus containment and quarantine efforts, as he had a meeting with Lee, March 13. Following the news the vice minister put himself into self-isolation immediately. Actor Jared Leto has said that he was isolated from society for the past 12 days, completely unaware of the coronavirus pandemic that had arrived on the shores of his country. Leto came back online and said that he had walked into a very different world. He wrote on Twitter on Tuesday, Wow. 12 days ago I began a silent meditation in the desert. We were totally isolated. No phone, no communication etc. We had no idea what was happening outside the facility. Leto continued, Walked out yesterday into a very different world. One thats been changed forever. Mind blowing - to say the least. Im getting messages from friends and family all around the globe and catching up on whats going on. Wow. 12 days ago I began a silent meditation in the desert. We were totally isolated. No phone, no communication etc. We had no idea what was happening outside the facility. JARED LETO (@JaredLeto) March 17, 2020 The Oscar-winner wrote in conclusion, Hope you and yours are ok. Sending positive energy to all. Stay inside. Stay safe. Letos comments have been met with a certain amount of derision. Send him back, wrote New Zealand TV presenter David Farrier. I dont think coronavirus is going to be thrilled to learn about jared leto either, commented writer David Itzkoff. What if we all banded together to convince jared leto the Berlin Wall is still standing? one person wrote on Twitter. send him back pic.twitter.com/r2NOpgHo0t David Farrier (@davidfarrier) March 17, 2020 i don't think coronavirus is going to be thrilled to learn about jared leto either https://t.co/cijXgW905c Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) March 17, 2020 Leto has now gone back into self-isolation, as the number of coronavirus cases in the US races past the 4000 mark. Globally, close to 190000 people have been infected by the virus, which has claimed over 7000 lives. India has reported 147 positive cases so far, with three deaths. Also read: Jared Leto tried to throttle Joaquin Phoenixs Joker before it was made, complained bitterly to his team Leto will next be seen in the Marvel anti-hero film, Morbius, the latest instalment in Sonys Marvel Universe. Follow @htshowbiz for more We're a family of seven living in Georgia where Andrew's working as a professor at GSU. You can read more about us here Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 19:43 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206bac87e 1 National Moewardi-General-Hospital,surakarta,Central-Java,COVID-19-test,free-screening-test,referral-hospitals,COVID-19,coronavirus Free Dr. Moewardi General Hospital in Surakarta, Central Java is offering free COVID-19 screening to the public at its newly installed testing booth in an effort to curb the spread of the virus, which is becoming more and more worrying in Indonesia. Located in Jebres district, the hospital, among 13 referral hospitals handling COVID-19 patients in Central Java, has been providing the 24-hour screening service since Monday. The test involves a body temperature check and questioning to determine whether someone has developed fever and cough symptoms, as well as if they have been in contact with a COVID-19 patient. If the person has developed symptoms, the hospital will offer a blood test. The COVID-19 testing booth, which operates at the first floor of the Nusa Indah Building inside the hospital's complex, had served 235 people as of Wednesday noon, according to the hospital's spokesperson, Eko Haryati. "Moewardi hospital has set up [the testing booth] as a measure to prevent the coronavirus from spreading any further," Haryati told The Jakarta Post by phone on Wednesday. "We hope there are no more infections." Read also: Think you have COVID-19? Here's how to get tested in Indonesia Moewardi hospital and 131 other hospitals nationwide are listed as referral centers to handle COVID-19 patients in Indonesia. The Surakarta Mental Health Hospital, also in Jebres district, is also providing a similar screening service in accordance with Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowos instruction. The coronavirus, which was first discovered last December in Wuhan of Hubei province in China, has spread at a worrying pace in Indonesia since the first cases were reported in the country. President Joko Jokowi Widodo announced Indonesia's first two confirmed COVID-19 cases on March 2. On March 14, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi was tested positive for COVID-19. Indonesia's death toll from the the disease jumped to 19 on Wednesday, the highest in Southeast Asia to date, as the government announced that the number of infected people had reached 227. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the global tally of COVID-19 positive infections rose to 179,111 confirmed cases with 7,426 deaths as of Tuesday. Moewardi hospital will advise anyone whose screening test result shows a potential health problem to take a lab test and a radiology exam for free. If the lab test and radiology exam results show indicators of COVID-19, the hospital will put that person under surveillance. Indicators include having a fever above 38 degrees Celsius, respiratory infection, light pneumonia, a history of travel to virus-hit countries or interaction with someone who is COVID-19 positive in the last 14 days. If the patient exhibits any of these indicators, they will be hospitalized and put in an isolation room for further treatment. Read also: It was too crowded: Patients find it hard to get COVID-19 tests, treatment Those with normal test results are allowed to go home -- they will not even be monitored by the hospital. Moewardi hospital would keep the emergency unit in operation until the COVID-19 situation in the country passed, Haryati added. As Indonesia is expecting the confirmed cases to peak in the coming days, the hospital is preparing enough rooms to mitigate a sudden and massive influx of patients. "The [Surakarta] mayor has declared an extraordinary situation, so Moewardi hospital has prepared for possible overcrowding, said Haryati. (dfr) L & T Technology Services Limited, India's leading pure-play engineering services company, signed a multi-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology - Kanpur to collaborate on research in industrial and infrastructure cyber-security. The MoU was signed by Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of LTTS, Dr Keshab Panda and Deputy Director at IIT-Kanpur and Padmashri Awardee, Professor Manindra Agarwal in the premises of IIT-Kanpur. According to the MoU, LTTS, and IIT-Kanpur will together set-up a Center of Excellence (CoE) in the IIT-Kanpur campus and conduct research in the areas of Honeypot (network-attached system set up to entrap cyber-attacks and study hacking attempts), intrusion detection systems, malware analysis, block-chain, vulnerability assessment, and penetration testing and provide cyber-security awareness and training programs. The MoU will also give LTTS access to IIT-Kanpur's cutting-edge testbed for critical infrastructure. The CoE will be a part of IIT-Kanpur's C3i Center, a Government of India-funded one-of-a-kind cyber-security research center, which was developed to work on solutions and technologies to protect India's strategic and critical utility infrastructure. "LTTS is a leader in end-to-end cyber-security solutions with a range of assets spread over several domains that cater to a global clientele. Our expertise across security analysis, vulnerability assessments, design security architecture, and security requirements has been further strengthened by our partnership with many of the world's prestigious educational institutions. LTTS' partnership with IIT-Kanpur will open a new chapter in defense and industrial cyber-security and pave the way for the creation of safe, secure and smart solutions for India's industrial sector", said Dr Keshab Panda, CEO & Managing Director, L & T Technology Services. "Cyber-attacks across the globe have affected millions of IT and OT systems over the past few years leading to operational downtime, logistic failures, and production cycle disruption. LTTS' deep-rooted and proven technological expertise combined with the cyber-security research expertise of the C3i Center will help counter such cyber-attacks. LTT boasts of a well-rounded portfolio comprising of - Automotive cyber-security consulting, threat modeling, continuous threat monitoring & security updates patching among others", said Prof Sandeep K. Shukla, Joint Coordinator of the C3i Center and Head of the Computer Science & Engineering Department at IIT-Kanpur. "C3i Center has been at the forefront of vulnerability assessment and penetration testing with more than 8 CVEs published, building and utilizing industrial-scale cyber-security test-bed for OT, Honeypots, malware analysis, and intrusion detection research. This partnership will strengthen the security ecosystem in the country. The company's large pool of experienced architects and engineers along with IIT's research talent will have the capability to change the current cyber-security landscape", he added. This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Cash-strapped Pakistan and the World Bank are in talks for up to USD 200 million in loans to enhance the capacity of resources-deficient 270 public hospitals and laboratories here in the country to control the spread of deadly coronavirus contagion, according to a media report on Wednesday. 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 COVID-19 infection. 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. Headed by the Planning Commission deputy chairman, a concept clearance committee approved the 'Enhancing capacity for preparedness and mounting response to COVID-19' project on Monday, the Express Tribune reported. According to the paper, at this stage, Pakistani authorities expect at least USD 140 million in loan from the World Bank, which it wants to enhance to USD 200 million. After approval of the concept, details of fresh lending and diversion of some of the already approved World Bank loan towards fighting the pandemic will be finalised this week, according to government officials. "The government of Pakistan and the World Bank are discussing a financial assistance package of between USD 100-200 million to effectively respond to the COVID-19 crisis Pakistan is facing," local World Bank office spokesperson Mariam Altaf said. The National Disaster Risk Management Fund will also contribute about USD 50 million by readjusting its existing resources, which will take the overall package cost to USD 250 million. Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Tuesday that if the coronavirus spreads exponentially, Pakistan did not have the capacity and resources to contain the contagion. Pakistan faces acute deficiency of resources to fight the pandemic and its public health system is not capable of coping with a large number of patients if the virus spreads rapidly. So far, the Punjab government appears to be the most ill-prepared while the Sindh government has done well. The project has been undertaken to procure equipment and consumables for 200 hospitals, including 44 tertiary-level hospitals, for effective clinical management of the confirmed cases. Personal protective equipment will be procured for 200 hospitals, 10 quarantine sites and 42 laboratories. The technical review of the project has been undertaken by six public health-sector experts, who have given 15 set of recommendations for better implementation of the project, including identifying the gaps. They have also recommended that the National Action Plan should revolve around prevention, detection and response since the country is already beyond prevention of primary case. They have suggested that strategies should focus on detection, response and prevention of future cases. The experts have recommended the use of loan proceeds to subsidise coronavirus testing at private laboratories that are charging Rs 8,000 per test, which is uneconomical for a majority of the country's population. The World Health Organisation chief has called on countries to ensure maximum testing of the population to curb the disease, which Pakistan has not yet adopted as a strategy due to a lack of facilities and resources. The experts have also underlined the need for stockpiling of critical equipment and other supplies by the government due to shortages in other countries. The cash-strapped Pakistan government has been implementing austerity measures to improve the country's finances. In July last year, Pakistan registered a currency reserve of less than USD 8 billion -- enough to cover only 1.7 months of imports. The International Monetary Fund formally approved a USD 6-billion loan to Pakistan in July 2019, citing "significant" economic challenges. Pakistan has so far received billions in financial aid from friendly countries like China, Saudi Arabia and the UAE during the current fiscal year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A pastor has been arrested for flouting the directives of President Akufo-Addo. The Head pastor of the Open Arms Ministry, Apostle Kofi Nkrumah Sarkodie reportedly organized a church service despite a ban on public gatherings including church services. According to Peace FM Ashanti regional correspondent, Samson K. Nyamekye, the church members initially resisted attempts by the police to pick up the Head Pastor, and started chanting prayers and singing. The church is located at North Suntreso in the Ashanti Region Watch video below The president in a broadcast on Sunday suspended all public gatherings in the country with immediate effect following the increased cases of coronavirus in ghana."I have decided, in the interest of public safety and protection of our population, to review the public gathering advisories earlier announced. You may recall that on Wednesday, 12th March 2020, when I first spoke to you directly on this matter, I announced the first raft of enhanced measures taken in response to the pandemic. At the time, there had been no reported, confirmed case of the Coronavirus in Ghana," President Akufo-Addo said.Ghana has recorded 7 cases of the pandemic so far. The country is currently faced with over 350 people having had contact with the affected persons being observed. 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 Ghislaine Maxwell, a former girlfriend and long-time employee of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has filed a civil lawsuit against the late financiers estate seeking reimbursement of her legal fees and personal security costs. Maxwell, who has been accused in several lawsuits filed by Epstein's alleged victims of facilitating his abuse, claims Epstein had repeatedly made clear and unambiguous promises to always support her financially, according to a court filing in the United States Virgin Islands. Maxwell reasonably and justifiably relied on Epsteins promises and put her trust in Epstein that he would fulfill his promises, according to the lawsuit filed in Superior Court in St. Thomas last week and made public on Wednesday. Maxwell, a 58-year-old British socialite, is currently under federal investigation for her alleged role in Epsteins child sex-trafficking conspiracy, according to multiple sources. She is also a named defendant in three civil lawsuits pending in New York filed by Epstein's alleged victims, including Annie Farmer, 40, who alleges that Maxwell sexually assaulted her at Epsteins New Mexico ranch in 1996 when Farmer was 16 years old. Maxwells current whereabouts are unknown, and she has not been heard from or seen in public for several months. Attorneys for Farmer tried unsuccessfully to locate Maxwell in order to serve her with notice of the lawsuit, according to a court filing in January. Maxwell now faces a court-imposed deadline to file a response to Farmers allegations by March 27. The move was immediately condemned by a pair of attorneys representing Epsteins alleged victims. "It is absolutely appalling that Ghislaine Maxwell, who committed crimes with Epstein against these victims, is seeking to drain funds from the very estate that should be paying the Epstein victims claims," said Sigrid McCawley, a partner at Boies, Schiller, Flexner, LLP, the firm representing Farmer and others suing Epsteins estate, in a statement to ABC News. "We view her actions as unconscionable, but this is an individual who lost sight of right from wrong a very long time ago." Story continues She wants money to hide. Its crazy. And she wants to take money that should be paid to victims, Brad Edwards, an attorney who represents more than 20 of Epsteins alleged victims, told ABC News. She should answer questions -- to the victims, to law enforcement and to the public. Not just about whatever business relationship she may have had, but about the entirety of her relationship with Epstein. Kyle Waldner, an attorney representing Maxwell, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Waldner is a U.S. Virgin Islands-based attorney for the firm Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A. PHOTO: Ghislaine Maxwell attends VIP Evening of Conversation for Women's Brain Health Initiative, Moderated by Tina Brown at Spring Studios on October 18, 2016 in New York City. (Jimi Celeste/Paul Bruinooge/Patrick McMullan/Getty Images) (MORE: 'Truth and Lies: Jeffrey Epstein' podcast, two-hour ABC News special on Epstein and women who survived his crimes) Epsteins estate is valued at more than $600 million. More than 30 alleged victims of Epstein have filed lawsuits against the estate since his death. The estate's assets are currently frozen due to an ongoing dispute between the estate and the government of the U.S. Virgin Islands, which filed its own lawsuit in January, alleging that Epstein and his associated companies in the island territory operated as a criminal conspiracy to conceal the trafficking of women and girls. According to Maxwells lawsuit against the estate, she claims to have been employed by Epstein and his companies from approximately 1999 to 2006 as a manager of the multi-millionaires luxury properties in New York, Florida, New Mexico, France and the U.S. Virgin Islands. She alleges that when she sought to start her own business venture in about 2004, she received a typewritten letter from Epstein with a handwritten note asking Maxwell to remain in Epsteins employ and promising that no matter what Maxwell chose to do, Epstein would always support [her] financially. Several women have alleged in lawsuits that they were sexually abused by Epstein at his properties around the world during that same time frame, but Maxwell contends in the new court filing that she had no involvement in or knowledge of Epsteins alleged misconduct. The most high-profile accusations against Maxwell -- who was well-known in New York for her extensive Rolodex and connections to wealthy and powerful families -- have come from Virginia Roberts Giuffre, 36, who alleged in a defamation lawsuit against Maxwell that Epstein and Maxwell trafficked her as a teenager and directed her to have sex with multiple prominent men, including Britains Prince Andrew in 2001. PHOTO: Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell attend de Grisogono Sponsors The 2005 Wall Street Concert Series Benefitting Wall Street Rising, with a Performance by Rod Stewart at Cipriani Wall Street on March 15, 2005 in New York City. (Joe Schildhorn/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images) (MORE: The rise and fall of Jeffrey Epstein: A timeline of the financier's troubles) The prince has denied Giuffres allegations, most notably in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation last fall. The second son of Queen Elizabeth claimed in the broadcast interview to have no recollection of ever meeting Giuffre. He denied ever having sex with her and contended that a photograph purportedly taken in Maxwells London home, which depicts him with his arm around then 17-year-old Giuffre, might have been faked. The interview was widely regarded as a public relations disaster for the prince, who stepped down from his royal duties in the aftermath. Federal prosecutors in New York, where there is an ongoing criminal investigation into Epstein's potential co-conspirators, have expressed interest in interviewing Prince Andrew about his association with Epstein and Maxwell. But during a news conference earlier this month, Geoffrey Berman, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, contended that the prince had completely shut the door on voluntary cooperation. Buckingham Palace declined to comment on Berman's public statements, referring ABC News' inquiries to Prince Andrew's lawyers, who also declined to comment. Maxwell settled the defamation lawsuit with Giuffre in 2017 for undisclosed terms and without acknowledging any wrongdoing. In deposition excerpts from the case unsealed last year, Maxwell referred to her accuser as an absolute liar and contended that Giuffre, now a mother of three living in Australia, had fabricated the allegations against her in pursuit of financial gain. Following the publication of this report, Giuffre expressed fresh outrage on Twitter. Memo to GM- How dare you play the victim card when you victimised me and countless others. You are a vile, evil, sadistic creature not even worthy of calling a human being. I hope the judge ruling over this laughs you out of court and into jail. #ENOUGH, she wrote. PHOTO: An undated handout photo made available by New York State Division of Criminal Justice showing Jeffrey Epstein, issued 25 July 2019. (New York State Division of Criminal Justice/EPA/Shutterstock) (MORE: Billionaire businessman Leslie Wexner refuses to reveal full scope of Jeffrey Epsteins alleged multimillion-dollar theft) Since Epsteins arrest last July, and his subsequent death in a federal detention center a month later, Maxwell alleges that she has received regular threats to her life and safety, which have required her to hire personal security and find safe accommodation, according to her complaint against the estate. The complaint contends that the expenses are substantial and ongoing due to the extensive global coverage of the Epstein investigation. Maxwell alleges in the lawsuit that -- after Epstein died -- she received assurances from Darren Indyke, a former Epstein attorney and the co-executor of Epsteins estate, that she would be reimbursed for her costs. Indyke told Maxwell that her legal fees would be paid because she would not have incurred any legal expenses but for Epsteins alleged misconduct, and that Epsteins promises would be honored, the court filing reads. But Maxwell says in her complaint that the estate has thus far declined or ignored her requests for payment, which prompted the lawsuit. In a quarterly expense report filed earlier this year with a probate court in St. Thomas, which is overseeing the administration of the estate, lawyers for the estate indicated that they had rejected a claim for more than $600,000 in legal expenses submitted by a Colorado law firm that has represented Maxwell in civil litigation since 2015. Ghislaine Maxwell, citing death threats and extensive legal fees, sues Jeffrey Epstein's estate originally appeared on abcnews.go.com INDIANAPOLIS Gov. Eric Holcomb has activated the Indiana National Guard to be on duty to assist, as needed, during the national and global coronavirus outbreak. Holcomb announced the activation of the National Guard on Tuesday as part of an executive order to hinder the spread of COVID-19. The activation comes as state health officials announced a second Hoosier death as a result of the virus. With limited testing available statewide, nearly 160 people have tested for the virus. Of those, 30 have tested positive as of Tuesday. Under state law, the governor can order the activation of the Indiana National Guard for a set number of reasons: war, invasion, insurrection, public disaster, breach of the peace or imminent danger of breach of the peace, forcible obstruction of the execution of the laws, and at "any other time the governor considers necessary." Holcomb has also ordered bars, nightclubs and restaurants to close to dine-in patrons through the end of March, but allowed them the option of providing take-out and delivery services. Russian forces have pulled back from the northern Raqqa countryside and redeployed in the western Raqqa countryside reports Baladi News. Russian forces have withdrawn equipment and fighters from points where they were deployed in the northern Raqqa countryside to the western Raqqa countryside. Local sources said that more than 20 Russian military vehicles and a number of tanks accompanied by helicopters had withdrawn from the outskirts of Ayn Eissa in the northern Raqqa countryside, where they had been deployed at a number of military points in the area. They withdrew to the Tabqa Military Airbase south of the city of Tabqa in the western Raqqa countryside, where regime forces are stationed with Russian forces. Russian forces retain a number of points north of Raqqa, including the points of al-Tarifouai, Abu Wahal, Tel al-Saman, and al-Jalabiyeh west of Ayn Eissa. These points include dozens of Russian forces and other joint forces with Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which the Kurdish YPG comprises the core of. Russian forces and regime forces deployed in northern Raqqa in October after an agreement with the SDF to confront the advance of the National Army with Turkish backing north of Raqqa. 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. The wheels of progress are quickly turning in Albany, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Legislature race to adapt to the coronavirus pandemic and finalize the state budget. On Wednesday, the state Senate passed an emergency paid sick leave bill that will provide sick leave for employees across the state who are quarantined because of the coronavirus, and also keep those employees from being fired or punished for taking sick leave because they were quarantined. While that emergency paid sick leave legislation may offer some relief to employees across the state who dont currently have paid time off or paid sick days, some of the workers most vulnerable during this public health crisis arent covered by those measures. Gig workers, including Postmates delivery cyclists, Uber drivers and others wouldnt be covered as independent contractors. Cuomos broader paid sick leave proposal not tied to the coronavirus is expected to be part of the state budget, and it too would not apply to independent contractors. The emergency paid sick leave legislation sets different requirements for employers of different sizes. For companies with 10 or fewer employees that have a net income under $1 million, employers must provide unpaid sick leave to anyone ordered to quarantine or self-isolate because of the coronavirus, and those employees must be made eligible for paid family sick leave and short-term disability benefits. Small companies with a net income over $1 million, and larger companies, are further required to provide employees under quarantine or isolation with five or more paid sick days. The legislation, which was endorsed by Cuomo as part of his comprehensive paid sick leave plan, has broad support in the Assembly and is expected to pass in the chamber. The fact that gig workers were left out of the legislation isnt an oversight its a result of their employment status as independent contractors and not employees. We cannot include gig workers in the emergency paid sick leave coverage because they are not considered workers under the law. Changing that definition is a bigger task weve already taken on and hope to address as soon as we have a responsible solution, state Sen. Jessica Ramos, who sponsored the emergency paid sick leave bill that passed the state Senate on Wednesday, said in a statement. These workers play a crucial role in our economy, and were working on ensuring access to a safety net during this trying time. The effort to classify gig workers as employees affording them the same labor protections that employees receive is a battle between labor advocates and the tech companies that want to keep them as independent contractors by coming up with other solutions to provide labor protections, like portable benefits. Gig workers themselves watching this same debate play out in California over its new law classifying most gig workers as employees have come down on both sides of the debate. But with so many gig workers filling the new demand for delivered meals and alternative transportation options and with more people likely to join that workforce during the coronavirus recession some are calling for relief for the people powering the gig economy. How on earth can legislation at this moment in time exclude gig workers or bona fide independent contractors? asked Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, an advocacy group that represents for-hire vehicle drivers like those working for Uber and Lyft. The impact of New York state not including misclassified workers and independent contractors for paid sick leave many of whom are the front-line service workers facing high risk and whose labor allows others to stay safely at home would be not just immoral and financially devastating to workers, but an absolute failure to protect public health. Desai suggested that New York City which already has a paid sick and safe leave law, should amend that law to establish a public-private emergency fund to include all workers regardless of employment classification or immigration status. Under a new minimum pay rule for ride-hailing drivers in New York City, drivers for large companies like Uber, Lyft and Via are able to accrue some paid sick leave. In response to the coronavirus pandemic specifically, many gig economy companies have been working through the crisis to come up with solutions to help their workers. Uber said it would compensate drivers who are diagnosed with the coronavirus or placed under mandatory quarantine. Other companies like Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart and more have announced similar measures. But Desai said that comprehensive relief or mandates by the state or federal government not just voluntary action on a company-by-company basis are called for as well. I think that neither the voluntary programs or the states legislation are enough, Desai said. Some state lawmakers have also raised possibilities for this kind of action. Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal sent a letter on Monday asking Cuomo to include in the budget emergency relief measures not just for app-based gig workers but for freelance and other workers like home health aides and house cleaners. Its not yet clear what those emergency measures would look like, but it might include emergency funds for workers. Thats what Im calling on the governor and others with the Department of Labor and experts to develop to ensure that people who are involved in the gig economy can get some relief from the government, Rosenthal said. She added that she has not heard much feedback from the governors office, except that they are looking into ways to protect gig workers. A representative from Cuomos office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. Other state lawmakers have spoken to a need to protect gig workers, even while supporting the emergency paid sick leave bill that does not include them. I voted for the paid sick leave proposal today, which represents a major step forward during this state of emergency, state Sen. Brad Hoylman said in a statement. But I recognize that for some gig workers it may not be enough, which is why Ill be advocating for further gig worker protections with my colleagues in the Legislature, and pushing for aid from the federal government to every impacted American worker during this unprecedented crisis. Its also possible that emergency relief whether in the form of emergency funds, lost wage replacement or some other solution could be put forward by the federal government. U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for a bailout of tipped, freelance, hourly and gig workers on Tuesday, saying that such a bailout could include cash assistance, rent, mortgage and debt payment suspensions, paid leave for every worker and more. As many national reports have pointed out recently, the flexibility that gig economy companies have long touted as a benefit of their work doesnt come with the kinds of protections that employees enjoy. During a public health emergency in which the demand for gig workers will likely increase, thats more clear than ever. Earlier this year, Cuomo weighed in on the debate over whether gig workers should be classified as employees, but proposed that the question should be handled by a state task force that would make recommendations by May 1. At a press conference in Albany on Wednesday, in response to a question about whether a task force was still the right approach for the state, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said that the state needed to see what it would be getting from the federal government. I really think we have to get an idea of what we believe the federal government is going to give us, before I can tell you what I really think the state will be able to do in terms of how this is going to affect independent contractors and things like that. In the midst of an emergency, some say gig workers cant wait months to figure out what kinds of labor protections they might receive. We should not be waiting, Desai said. Gig workers have been fighting for five years to have their poverty and exploitation be recognized. Because the state has not acted on those issues up to now is why we find ourselves in a greater crisis. Ukrainians, who stay in Egypt hotels should wait until the end of the quarantine in some of them The Ukrainians, who could not leave Sri Lanka, will be returned home on March 18 as Infrastructure Minister of Ukraine Vladyslav Krykliy reported on Telegram. We return Ukrainians who could not leave Sri Lanka, he wrote. As we reported, a flight from Austria will bring Ukrainians back home today, March 18, as they could not leave the country previously. Earlier, Vladyslav Krykliy stated that 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. He also urged the air carriers to return passengers to whom they sold tickets. Besides, 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. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The coronavirus (COVID-19) has yet to halt construction in New York City. To keep projects going across the city, the city Buildings Department (DOB) said its taking precautions for all of its workers while building projects continue. The engineers, architects, inspectors, plan examiners, and support staff at the department play a critical safety function in New York City, which is why the department offices will remain open," said Andrew Rudansky, DOB press secretary. "From conducting structural stability investigations to incident response, facade safety inspections to emergency work plans reviews, DOB operations must continue for the safety of all New Yorkers. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK *** He said DOB has taken the following steps to reduce foot traffic in agency offices, and has notified construction sites about proper work site safety, including: DOB customer service nights are cancelled until further notice. DOB issued two service notices on policy changes to reduce foot traffic by requiring customers to use drop boxes or mail for certain transactions. We are also encouraging our customers to use our existing web infrastructure to file. These changes go into effect on Wednesday, March 18, said Rudansky. Contractors and construction professionals have received an industry-wide notification advising necessary precautions be taken to protect the public and their workers. They have also been provided with the latest DOHMH guidance to limit the spread of COVID-19. Professionals have also been advised to first contact COVID-19@nyc.buildings.gov if they plan to close their work site. While DOB remains open, we expect that these measures will reduce foot traffic in our offices by up to 85%, he said. *** 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. RELATED COVERAGE: Coronavirus: NYC travel industry in triage mode Small business owner: Coronavirus is going to crush us Coronavirus: Staten Island Macys is part of national shutdown Coronavirus: Executive order will postpone all elective surgeries Coronavirus: NYC bans price gouging on these 13 products Coronavirus: Up to $500 fines for price gouging Coronavirus: $2M disaster loans available for small businesses Coronavirus: NYC bars, restaurants limited to takeout and delivery Lees Tavern to temporarily shut its doors amid coronavirus outbreak Photos: Bare shelves inside Staten Island stores during coronavirus outbreak FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK and TWITTER Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe is meeting with bank chiefs today to discuss how the sector is responding to the crisis. A major surge is expected in bad loans as many businesses go under and homeowners struggle to pay their mortgage. It is understood the country's five main banks - AIB, Bank of Ireland, Permanent TSB, KBC and Ulster Bank - will discuss a plan to address the financial impact on customers, which may include a three-month freeze on mortgage payments on business loans. Fergal OBrien from IBEC believes the government needs to treat this as seriously as the bank bailout. "That is the scale of what is going to be required," said Mr O'Brien. "If we do that, this can be a very different crisis. We can come out of this quickly if we do the right things. "We need to keep the essential parts of the economy moving." Fianna Fail has called on banks to freeze all commercial loans because of the current crisis. The party is urging the government to step up its emergency measures to help to deal with the growing crisis. It is also calling for all commercial rates to be immediately suspended along with utility bills on business premises. "What we want to say is, if you can't afford the rent and if you can't afford the mortgage then there will be no moves to evict people from homes," said Fianna Fail health spokesperson Stephen Donnelly. "But we want to go further than that and say if you can't afford to pay your mortgage, it's not just that you would be given forbearance but you would not technically be defaulting." A number of politicians have called on landlords to take measures to help tenants over the coming months. The Labour Party is calling for emergency legislation to bring in a rent freeze and temporary ban on evictions. "We had a housing crisis before we had the Covid-19 crisis and Covid-19 has the potential to impact tenants who are in vulnerable tenancies and who could find themselves with notices to quit," said Labour TD Duncan Smith. "This would have further implications on the public health crisis because if people are evicted, where are they going to go?" [snippet1]987600[/snippet1] The government is preparing to change legislation to enable it to use taxpayers money to prop up major companies under threat due to coronavirus, chancellor Rishi Sunak has said. Speaking to the House of Commons Treasury Committee, the chancellor said he was ready to deliver bespoke bailouts to individual companies hit by the unprecedented restrictions on activity, but refused to say whether airlines and airports could be among those to benefit. Mr Sunak came under attack from Labour MPs who told him the government was way behind countries like Sweden and Norway in support for the low-paid, renters and workers whose jobs are at risk in the crisis. He indicated that a package of further measures for individuals and families was on its way. And he did not rule out the option of a reverse national insurance scheme under which employers would effectively be paid by the state to keep people in work, telling the committee only: We are looking at all potential measures to meet the objectives we have set, which are to provide cashflow support to businesses and fundamentally to preserve employment and productive capacity. 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 chancellor rejected suggestions that his 350bn package of support for business, announced on Tuesday, was less significant than an earlier intervention by Frances Emmanuel Macron, who has promised that no French business will go bankrupt because of the virus. But he made clear that further measures will be announced, telling the cross-party committee that he had asked cabinet ministers to speak with businesses, unions and local authorities to find out where more support is needed, and insisting: No-one is resting on their laurels. Mr Sunak said he was looking to amend clauses in the Industrial Development Act which impose a cap on the size of loans and grants he can offer to individual companies which require bailing out. They have an existing set of headroom in those schemes already, but I wanted to make sure that should I need more or should I want to do something different - particularly when it comes to a bespoke larger company intervention, should that become necessary - that I have the tools at my disposal, he told the committee. Mr Sunak refused to name companies or sectors which he believes might need propping up, though he stressed that he believes banks will not be on the list as the resilience of the sector is currently very strong. Rishi Sunak suggests state may use taxpayers money to prop up major firms He said: We stand ready to do what it takes. There are some very large companies in particular sectors that might need bespoke support. There may well be an argument for the taxpayer, through the state, to step in and provide some short-term liquidity or other financing support to a private business. Ms Sunak said he was very aware that the taxpayer should be compensated properly in the longer run for any support offered to private companies, insisting that he would not create a heads they win, tails we lose situation in businesses favour. Labour committee member Liz Kendall told the chancellor that his package so far had been skewed against ordinary workers, who were being denied the protections offered in other European countries like Norway, which was offering 80 per cent of income to the self-employed, and Sweden, which was giving 90 per cent to those who are laid off. You haven't even said that you will even consider raising Universal Credit, Ms Kendall told the chancellor. And however much we try and preserve employment, more people are going to be unemployed. She asked him: Are you considering helping people with their outgoings, like paying their council tax or their utility bills? isn't the truth that we have not done enough and we are way behind what other countries are doing? And my question to you is Why? She dismissed the 500 million hardship fund offered to local authorities as less than the amount that was cut from council tax benefit when it was devolved, and said the UK response was way behind France. Macron did all of this at the same time, and this government is way behind, said Ms Kendall. But Mr Sunak responded: Factually, I think the numbers would not support that. What he announced was a loan guarantee scheme of 300 billion. Weve got a loan guarantee scheme of 330 billion, which is more. Hes also only giving 1,000 grants to small businesses, not 10,000, not 25,000. So I think it's worth looking at it in in the totality The totality of what we're doing relative to almost any other large economy thus far is very significant. Iraq's Northern Plains Are Key to Assyrian Survival ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that does investigative journalism, isn't known for religion coverage. Why, I have no idea, as the field is indeed rich. But earlier this month, it published a piece on Iraqi Christians that calls out the duplicity of the Donald Trump Administration for calling Iraq too dangerous for Christians on one hand, while deporting hapless Iraqis from the United States whenever it can. It's one of the few pieces of reporting out there this year on how Iraq continues to be a huge mess. Even as U.S. immigration officials have pushed to deport hundreds of Iraqi Christians over the last few years, asserting in court that they are unlikely to be targeted in their homeland, another arm of the Trump administration has insisted just the opposite, saying that Christians in Iraq face terror and extortion. Last September, a senior Trump appointee at the U.S. Agency for International Development told a government commission that in the part of northern Iraq where many Christians live, militias aligned with Iran "terrorize those families brave enough to have returned, extort local businesses and openly pledge allegiance to Iran." Meanwhile: The administration has sought to deport hundreds of Iraqis, many of them Christians, who immigrated to the U.S. years ago. To stay in the U.S., many of the Iraqis have to prove that if they are deported, they are most likely to be tortured by, or with the tacit permission of, the Iraqi government -- a higher standard than what is used in typical asylum cases. That gives DHS a strong incentive to emphasize Iraq's progress and portray the country's government as competent and willing to protect all its people. President Donald Trump said in a January speech in Michigan that he would grant an "extension" to Iraqi Christians facing deportation, but DHS' effort to deport the Iraqis is ongoing, lawyers said. The ProPublica team has been following this story for some time, with the same reporter having published this investigation last fall about the Trump administration's efforts to steer money and aid toward religious minorities in Iraq under the purview of Vice President Mike Pence. So I am a bit confused as to where this story is going. The United States and the United Nations are throwing money at this corner of the world. Yet it doesn't seem to be effective at all and the area is by no means safe to live in. We're not talking about big cities like Mosul; we're talking about the Nineveh Plains, a mostly flat region to the north and east of Mosul where Christians have lived nearly since the dawn of Christianity. I turned to a Kurdish web site to get a better read of the current situation. A Jan. 31 piece gives us some history. When ISIS came to power in 2014, 90 percent of the Christians on the Plains fled to Iraqi Kurdistan. After ISIS was defeated, 30 percent of the diaspora chose to emigrate; 35 percent moved back to the Plains and the remaining 35 percent have stayed in Kurdistan. Even though many internal actors such as the Chaldean, Assyrian, Syriac, and Evangelical Churches, KRG, NGOs, and international actors such as USAID, Aid to the Church in Need, Hungary, Samaritan Purse, SOS, Knights of Columbus, and others have offered important assistance towards reconstruction in the Nineveh Plains, the vast majority of Christians are not returning. Every week, between 4-6 families flee the Nineveh Plains to the Kurdistan Region or go abroad, according to several local clergymen and local official estimates. As a result, hundreds of newly reconstructed houses lie empty. Why? Because Christians do not feel safe at all. Why? Because of the uncontrolled militias that are more powerful than the Iraqi authority in the Nineveh Plains. The Kurdish website is saying much the same thing that ProPublica said last fall. After ISIS was removed from the scene, the Americans controlling the area did not force the Hashd militias (backed by Iran), to also leave the area. The Hashd were originally part of a coalition to fight ISIS, but once ISIS left, the Hashd began terrorizing Christians, Yezidis and other groups that dared to move back to the area. It's up to the United States to clean up this mess because it helped create it. Is that what Pence is trying to do? I found two paragraphs from this story particularly haunting: What happened to the Iraqi Jews in 1948 is happing to Christians now, and more aggressively, but with all the atrocious committed against the Iraqi Jews at that time, at least the Jews had a country to go to. The Christians of the Chaldean, Assyrian, and Syriac Churches ( The Chaldean Assyrian Syriacs, or Sorayee ) have no country other than their ancestral lands: Mesopotamia, Beth Nahrin, the Land of Assyria and Babylon, now known as Iraq. If they leave, they will enter demise generation after generation in the diaspora, and the world will lose one of its most ancient communities and nations. I spent two weeks in this very region in 2004, researching a book on Iraqi Kurds. I visited Al Qosh, one of the Christian villages on the Plains and saw the life these Assyrian Christians had created for themselves. I remember people talking about how Jews had lived in Iraq since Jews were deported from Jerusalem and surrounding territories to Babylon starting in 597 BC. When Jews left after World War II, they left 2,300 years of history behind them. Back to the original ProPublica story, which supports the Kurdish view that the Plains are unstable at best: While the Iraqi government has succeeded in defeating the Islamic State and winning back control of its territory, and does not itself engage in persecuting minority groups, religious and ethnic minorities have little faith the government can protect them against a multitude of active, semiofficial armed groups, experts said. "My view aligns more closely with USAID," said Steven Cook, a Middle East expert at the Council on Foreign Relations, who visited Iraq in December. "Iraq seems to be in a situation of terminal collapse. With the continued presence of extremists and the unreliable central government, I find it hard to believe that Christians are safe and secure." I am curious whether the coronavirus pandemic has made the deportation question moot for now. This Crux piece from last summer says the only villages that are secure are those with their own militias. Otherwise, the Hashd folks control the area and the Iraqi government lacks the will and manpower to force them out. WorldWatchMonitor.org has also done ongoing reporting on this region. I wish ProPublica managers would actually send a reporter to the area to report on the situation on the ground. Having been there, I know it's possible. After all, it's already published two lengthy pieces on the deteriorating situation for Christians and other minority religions in northern Iraq. During the unhappy reign of ISUS in that area, there was a lot of reporting coming out of the region. With them gone, the articles are fewer. Sadly, the problems are not. Dr Emily Duncan is described on the Forbes website as a sea turtle's hero . Image courtesy of Eleanor Church Exeter sea turtle expert on Forbes 30 Under 30 list A University of Exeter researcher has been chosen for the Forbes 30 Under 30 list of innovators in science and heath across Europe. Dr Emily Duncan, 26, studies the impact of plastic pollution on marine life including sea turtles. Described on the Forbes website as a sea turtle's hero, her work has taken her all over the globe, from Cyprus to the Ganges River to Australia. She is now conducting research on young turtles through a grant from National Geographic, as well as her post-doctoral projects looking at plastic pollution and its wider impacts in the Mediterranean and the Ganges River system. "I am extremely chuffed about this, said Dr Duncan, of the Centre for Ecology and Conservation on Exeters Penryn Campus in Cornwall. I am very grateful now more than ever to have had the opportunity to work with amazing people all over the world on the issue of plastic pollution." Dr Duncans current projects include INDICIT II, which is developing standardised tools for monitoring impacts on marine fauna as bio-indicators using loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean. She is also part of National Geographics Plastic: Sea to Source, which uses river expeditions to better understand and document how plastic pollution travels from sources on land to the marine environment. Professor Brendan Godley, who leads Exeter Marine, said: Were really proud to have excellent researchers like Emily as part of our team at the University of Exeter. The fact that Emily is a double graduate of the university is extra cause for celebration. The Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe: Healthcare and Science list contains a collection of thinkers, dreamers and innovators from across Europe who are driving innovation and discovery from genetics to outer space. It includes talented people working within Europe, as well as Europeans who have taken their skills around the world. Dr Duncan studied BSc Conservation Biology and Ecology and completed her PhD on the impact of plastic pollution on marine turtles, both at the Penryn Campus, before taking her current role. Date: 18 March 2020 Read more University News Summers, a former Will County Board member who last year took a job as deputy chief coroner for Will County Coroner Patrick ONeil, said she was pleased with the results and was looking forward to November and getting back to her regular duties, at least for now, as deputy chief coroner. (Newser) It may seem like a 911-worthy emergency if you run out, but police in an Oregon town have clarified the issue. It's not. "Its hard to believe that we even have to post this," Newport police said on Facebook. "Do not call 9-1-1 just because you ran out of toilet paper." There's no denying that many stores are having trouble keeping toilet paper on their shelves during the coronavirus outbreak, but police have more pressing emergencies, USA Today reports. Instead of calling them for toilet paper help, Newport police asked residents to be resourceful. "Mayans used corn cobs. Colonial Americans also used the core of the cob," the post said. "Farmers not only used corn cobs, but used pages from the Farmers Almanac." The Sears catalog used to get a second use, too, police said. story continues below But alternatives, including wet wipes and partial paper towels, aren't flushable. That mistake can cause problems in a home's plumbing as well as city sewer systems, per CBS. "Please remember, wipes clog pipes," a public works commissioner in Michigan posted on Facebook, adding that only toilet paper should be flushed down toilets. Everything else should go in the trash, a UK utility told its customers on Facebook. Improvise, be patient, be creative, Newport police pleaded. "Just dont call 9-1-1. We cannot bring you toilet paper." (Read more coronavirus stories.) Credit: CC0 Public Domain The share of people living in absolute poverty in North Korea is higher than once thought, making it one of the poorest countries on Earth, new research from Vienna University of Economics and Business reveals. According to Jesus Crespo Cuaresma, Professor of Macroeconomics, the share of people living in absolute poverty in North Korea in 2018 can be estimated at around 60% of the population, which equates to roughly 15 million people. GDP per capita is estimated to be around $790, an income level that would be among the lowest in the world. Absolute poverty is when household income is below a certain level, which makes it impossible for the person or family to meet basic needs of life including food, shelter, safe drinking water, education, healthcare, etc. Despite there being virtually no existing information or data on North Korean income and poverty levels, Professor Crespo Cuaresma and his team have been able to establish estimates using satellite data. Harnessing data from innovative satellite imagery taken at night, Crespo Cuaresma was able to gauge the poverty levels of particular regions of North Korea based on the amount of light each area emitted. Nightlight satellite data can be used in this way to estimate income at a detailed level as the brightness of an area often correlates with consumption and production activities. Combining nightlight data with estimates of North Korean GDP, the researchers were able to estimate that poverty levels were significantly higher than previous estimations which suggested the share of people living below the poverty line to be closer to 40% of the population. According to Professor Crespo Cuaresma: "The availability of data from high-quality satellite imagery creates avenues for research into the income and poverty levels of countries and regions whose economy we would otherwise have very little data on. With this technology we have been able to estimate the poverty levels in North Korea, revealing significantly lower levels of income, and drastically higher levels of poverty, than previously thought. According to our estimates, income levels in North Korea have experienced strong shocks over the last decade. The sanctions imposed by countries and international bodies against North Korea in recent years may explain some of the changes in income and poverty levels observed." Explore further Report shows 3 million Australians living in poverty More information: Jesus Crespo Cuaresma et al. What do we know about poverty in North Korea?, Palgrave Communications (2020). Jesus Crespo Cuaresma et al. What do we know about poverty in North Korea?,(2020). DOI: 10.1057/s41599-020-0417-4 Provided by Vienna University of Economics and Business British-Iranian aid worker among thousands of prisoners released as Iran frets about spread of coronavirus. Jailed British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been temporarily released in Iran for two weeks, her husband said on Tuesday. Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 40, a project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was arrested in April 2016 at a Tehran airport as she headed back to the United Kingdom with her daughter after a family visit. She was sentenced to five years in jail after being convicted of plotting to overthrow Irans establishment. Her husband Richard, who has set up the Free Nazanin campaign group and lobbied the British government to secure his wifes release, said in a statement that she had been temporarily released on furlough from Evin Prison and was now staying at her parents home in West Tehran. Unfortunately, Nazanin will be exceptionally required to wear an ankle tag during the furlough, which her parents have now hired from the authorities, Richard Ratcliffe said. Nazanins movements will be restricted to 300 metres from her parents home. Earlier this month Ratcliffe said he feared his wife had contracted coronavirus, but the Iranian judiciary said she was in good health. On Tuesday, a judiciary spokesman said Iran had temporarily freed about 85,000 people from jail, including political prisoners, in response to the coronavirus epidemic. I am relieved that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was today temporarily released into the care of her family in Iran, UK foreign minister Dominic Raab said in a statement. 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. The coronavirus outbreak is affecting social life in more ways than one. In the film industry, not only film releases postponements and cancellation of shoots are happening, but celebrity weddings are also being pushed. A Mid Day report said Varun Dhawan and his girlfriend Natasha, and actors Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal have pushed their respective summer weddings. A source told Mid Day that Varun and Natasha had zeroed in on Thailand for their destination wedding, which later got shifted to Jodhpur and then finally to Mumbai. Now the plan stands cancelled for now amid coronavirus spread. They have, the report added, reverted to their first choice, Thailand. The source added, The initial plan was to have an intimate wedding on a private island in Thailand, but it was scrapped last month in favour of a destination wedding in Jodhpur. Eventually, they called that off too and were considering having a low-key ceremony in Mumbai. But looking at the current scenario, they have decided to tentatively push the shaadi to November and have reverted to their original choice of destination Thailand. On Tuesday evening, the actor went live on Instagram to interact with his fans. When questioned about his wedding plans, he said: Yaar, shaadi kab hai, iss sawaal ka jawaab de de kar main bohot bore ho gaya hoon. Jab hogi, hogi. Dekhenge. Abhi toh kuch nahi ho raha hai, abhi toh sab quarantine mein hai (I am totally bored of answering frequent questions on when I plan to get married; It will happen when it has to. It (wedding) is not happening as of now and we are all in quarantine for now). Also read | Juhi Chawla calls herself pig-headed for rejecting Raja Hindustani: I am responsible for Karisma Kapoors stardom Richa and Ali, too, decided to have an April wedding in Delhi but have reportedly decided to postpone it. Their wedding was also expected to see many of their overseas friends, some being noted actors and film personalities from the US and Europe to attend. A source told the publication, Many of their guests were to fly in from the US and Europe for the do. Also, the couple was hoping to have their nuptials in Delhi, which is currently on a partial lockdown. So, they think its best to delay the wedding to later this year. Follow @htshowbiz for more STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-- The Legal Aid Society is calling for the NYPD to place a moratorium on all arrests and immediately release all New Yorkers held on parole violations or in pretrial detention," in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. We are in the midst of a pandemic and our last priority should be to cycle New Yorkers through our broken criminal justice system, separated from their families, communities and quality of services, said Tina Luongo, attorney-in-charge of the Criminal Defense Practice at Legal Aid Society, in a statement released Tuesday. The facilities housing prisoners held on parole violations or in pretrial detention, "are literal breeding grounds for infectious disease, wrote Luongo. Legal Aid represents defendants in criminal court in lieu of a private attorney, to ensure that New Yorkers are not denied their right to equal justice because of poverty, according to the groups mission statement. Were calling for an immediate moratorium on NYPD arrests. We are in the midst of a pandemic and our last priority should be to cycle New Yorkers through our broken criminal justice system, separated from their families, communities, and quality services. More: pic.twitter.com/hnkno2iwHf The Legal Aid Society (@LegalAidNYC) March 16, 2020 Richmond County District Attorney Michael E. McMahon responded Tuesday with his own tweet: Ive got a better idea: How about a moratorium on criminal activity instead? The Legal Aid tweet came under fire by dozens of commenters, some comparing the end result to the movie The Purge," in which all crimes, including murder, are allowed for a 12-hour period. Commented one user: Have you tried asking people to not break the law during the coronavirus? A woman identifying herself as a public defender in Brooklyn offered her own take, based on personal experiences. About 75% of the cases I arraign are either effectually dismissed or handled at arraignments, meaning they shouldve never been arrested in the first place, she said. Locking up the poor and vulnerable only to release them 48 hours later will only further contribute to this crisis. While visiting a government school in Punjab's Tarn Taran District, strolling across the main corridor I chanced upon the state's drug awareness initiative for youngsters: theBuddy programme. On further enquiry about it from students, teachers and even the principal, I found out that the exercise was limited to poster-making and one free period utilisation on Saturdays. The purpose of the programme, raising drug awareness among students through peer review, had somehow failed to take root. Perhaps purely because it became another syllabus-oriented exercise. Drug abuse has been Punjabs bane and burden. The state's Congress government has made a number of strides over the last three years in a bid to counter the menace. But it seems that hasnt been enough. The intent has been visible and alive, given that this fight against drugs was one of the founding administrative promises of the incumbent government, for which even a film conceptualised by activist and documentary maker Sadhavi Khosla was released in Amritsar by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh. So, an article on the issue by Suresh Kumar, chief principal secretary to the Punjab CM, pushed me to write this piece, the point of which is to highlight what more can be done to add to the fight against drugs so that we are actually in a position to win it. I say more, because steps with the right intent have been taken by Punjab government towards tackling the menace, starting with the constitution of a special task force, framing of the 'enforcement, de-addiction, prevention (EDP)' model and its subsequent programmes such as Drug Abuse Prevention Officers (DAPO) and Buddy ( whose tagline Tu Mera Buddy and its execution on social media platforms was done by me and my company DesignBoxed). Speaking of the EDP model, it has been one of the Punjab government's most remarkable strategies, which deals with drug abuse on three comprehensive levels as the name suggests. So much so that this same model has been adopted by neighbouring regions such as Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, where the drug problem is not as rampant but picking up after the tightening of noose in Punjab. However, within Punjab, this model has not penetrated the social discourse, as the implementation has not matched the policy. And due to this, the strategy has not paid off socially or politically. Therefore, it is imperative that this model is creatively presented, ensuring public involvement, so as to popularise it. This is also underlines the fact that merely establishing policies and programmes is not going to make any difference to the fight. The entire government machinery needs to pack a punch in terms of intent and implementation: to aggressively counter this challenge. This fight needs to get out of administrative quarters and should come to each and every household, and for that the onus is on the government to make its programmes unquestionably interactive and public participative. The 'Buddy' programme was the largest initiative of its kind undertaken at such a grand scale. But sporadic advertising in newspapers is not the way forward to implement such a campaign. Contemporary issues featuring the young generation need to be tackled with contemporary methods. Although this programme targets students in schools, colleges and universities to spread awareness against drug use through establishment of peer groups, the implementation should not just be restricted through educational institutions. Social media platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram should be utilised to draw in youngsters to truly connect with them. Simply speaking to them in the language they understand will show results. The other initiative on the Punjab government's part, the DAPO programme, was put into practice by involving only government officials to help in the establishment of 'drug-free mohallas'. But merely putting the onus on government officials could not have brought desired results, due to obvious work commitments of the nature of their jobs. This leaves a glaring gap in terms of implementation, which can be suitably filled by involving the civil society and private organisations. This will help in keeping the momentum alive and making every citizen a soldier in this battle against drugs. Another important aspect of the implementation of these programmes, is that it should be done on multiples levels, including making comprehensive use of social media, digital platforms and on the ground as well. Although it is primarily the governments responsibility, but private enterprises should also be involved, apart from roping in professional help and not just leaving the job to the bureaucracy. By taking the implementation on multiple platforms, the Punjab government can ensure that its exemplary initiatives such as Out Patient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) centres are spoken about, advertised well, so that they reach the target audience, helping the public avail the benefits of these undertakings. Social media campaigning and its outreach initiatives such as Coffee with Captain and Main Captain De Naal (I'm with Captain) became the talking points of the ruling party's win in the previous assembly election, and if the same modules are put in practice for the fight against drugs, desired results can be achieved. To combat the drug menace in the state, the Punjab government has shown intent in taking the daunting first steps in terms of structuring the action, and also devising programmes, which are more theoretical than pragmatic. Firstly, this is no longer a small-scale battle; this is an outright war to save the future of the state. The stakes are high, and so preparations must match the intent. Secondly, the government must go all out in terms of its action plan, involving people on the largest possible scale and roping in professional expertise, without hesitation. Then only we can expect to win the war; otherwise we are just prolonging the decimation. (The author is a political strategist and director at DesignBoxed, working with Punjab's special task force against drugs since its inception. Views are personal) Bars throughout San Francisco were closed on Tuesday per a shelter-in-place order issued by Mayor London Breed that called for the closure of all businesses in the city deemed non-essential. Tuesday just so happened to also be St Patrick's Day one of the biggest bar holidays of the year, and an especially raucous one for the city's many Irish bars. But Tuesday those same Irish bars (and their non-Irish counterparts) were shuttered, with signs left in the windows lamenting the closure. "Closed due to this s virus," read a handwritten note in a window outside Maggie McGarry's, an Irish bar institution in North Beach. "Will see you on the other side." At the bottom of the note was an Irish phrase "Adh mor agus bi slan," which translates to "Good luck and be safe." "Closed until governor lifts it," read a note handwritten on a menu in the window of Harrington's Bar and Grill in the Financial District. "We love you friends! Stay safe, until further notice we are closed. Take care of each other, take care of your neighbors, take care of your families. Slan for now," read another note outside of the Abbey Tavern in the Richmond that was signed "The Abbey Family." A two-year-old banner outside of Little Shamrock in the Inner Sunset, however, may have been the most heartbreaking. "Celebrating 125 years in a row, 1893-2018" the banner reads. That streak officially stops at 126. Restaurants, unlike bars, were allowed to remain open but forced to shift to a delivery or take-out model, but St. Patrick's Day mega-celebrators like Schroeder's just across the street from Harrington's also opted to close, before the shelter-in-place order was even given. "In response to the government's guidance on social distancing in addition to a steep decline in business due to the Coronavirus public emergency, we have made the decision to temporarily close Schroeder's for three (3) weeks," read a note outside of Schroeder's. The closures are part of an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic which has spread to 148 countries, with 170,000 confirmed cases and 6,513 deaths as of Monday. "I want to make sure all San Franciscans understand we are entering a new phase in our response," Dr. Grant Colfax, the city's director of health, said on Monday during a press conference announcing the shelter-in-place order. "This is a critical intervention that we know can reduce harm and save lives. The coronavirus is spreading in our community and we need to slow it down." MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE: Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here. Grant Marek is the Editorial Director of SFGATE. Email: grant.marek@sfgate.com | Twitter: @grant_marek (Photo : Photo by Fusion Medical Animation on Unsplash) Aussie researchers have found the vaccine for COVID-19 that could end the coronavirus pandemic. With 204,831 cases around the world and 8,272 confirmed deaths due to COVID-19, the coronavirus pandemic is growing at an alarming rate. Unfortunately, the cure is yet to be found and distributed--that is until Australian scientists have cracked the virus's code and are now testing a vaccine. Aussie Scientists Found Vaccine for COVID-19 According to The Australian, Dr. Keith Chappell has been working around the clock since January with his colleagues Daniel Watterson, Paul Young, and Trent Munro to speed up the process of finding and creating the cure for COVID-19. "In terms of getting a vaccine that we think will work, we think we are already there," Chappell said. To come up with the cure, Chappell decided to hijack the virus's infectious properties with a revolutionary tech known as "molecular clamp," and since then, have been experimenting with different formulations. After 250 formulations, the scientists settled on a candidate vaccine known as S-Spike, which is currently being tested at the University of Queensland on laboratory mice before human trials would occur sometime in the middle of this year. A "Commercial Risk" However, the scientist stressed that there is a "commercial risk" that comes with getting the vaccine available to seven billion people around the world, although that is one risk he and his colleagues "are willing to take." The costs to manufacture the vaccine on a large scale would be between $20M to $30M. With the help of Professor Munro, the group is already in talks with regulators and the Therapeutic Goods Administration as well as the European Medical Association for approvals. Meanwhile, the vaccine is being fine-tuned at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity at the University of Melbourne. However, the progress is on track and should be available by the end of the year. ALSO READ: The US EPA Expands the List of Disinfectants Against the Novel Coronavirus Chappell believes that running the manufacturing and the clinical trials alongside is the best way to ensure that there are doses ready to go to the public once they have seen success in the labs. According to the researchers, the vaccine certainly works with MERS--but not on COVID-19, although they are close relatives and the MERS virus is far more fatal than COVID-19, only less infectious. Researchers Claim More Positive Results Previously, another group of researchers at the University of Brisbane, still in Australia, also claims they have already found the cure for COVID-19. Based on a report by The Daily Mail, these drugs are Chloroquine, which is an anti-malarial drug, and a combination of lopinavir and ritonavir, which acts as an HIV-suppressor, have shown promising results in human tests. One of the medications has reportedly been used on the first few patients in Australia who were positive of the novel coronavirus disease. After administration, the symptoms of the disease have "disappeared" and that the patients have fully recovered. Now, research director of the University of Queensland Center for Clinical Research, David Paterson, wants to move the clinical testing to a larger scale, where they are currently looking at 50 hospitals across Australia. Remdesivir, an experimental drug, has also been given a second glance by researchers after anecdotal evidence of curing COVID-19 patients in China as well as in the US. ALSO READ: CORONAVIRUS CURE UPDATE: A Second Look at an Experimental Drug; Could It Save Us From the Coronavirus Pandemic? 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. TANZANIA, Tanzania - U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday appointed Swiss humanitarian expert Philippe Lazzarini to head the beleaguered U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, which has faced a financial crisis following the cutoff of U.S. funding and a crisis of confidence after its previous leader was accused of abusing his authority. The U.N. chief made the announcement following consultations with the Advisory Commission of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. He said Lazzarini has more than 30 years of experience in delivering humanitarian assistance and co-ordinating international efforts in conflict and post-conflict situations for the United Nations, the International Committee for the Red Cross, and the private sector. He is currently the U.N. humanitarian chief for Lebanon. Lazzarini will replace former UNRWA commissioner-general Pierre Krahenbuhl, who resigned in November following a preliminary internal U.N. investigation that raised management issues, reflecting concerns over allegations of possible sexual misconduct, nepotism and other abuses of authority at the agency. Those allegations, in a confidential U.N. ethics office report, came amid an unprecedented financial crisis for UNRWA, sparked by the loss of all funding from the United States, its largest donor. U.S. President Donald Trump said in January 2018 that the Palestinians must return to peace talks with Israel to receive U.S. aid money an announcement that led leaders of 21 international humanitarian groups to strongly criticize the American administration for linking aid and political objectives, calling it dangerous. The U.S. gave $360 million to UNRWA in 2017, but only $60 million in 2018, and nothing last year or so far this year. UNRWA was established to aid the 700,000 Palestinians who fled or were forced from their homes during the war surrounding Israels establishment in 1948. It now provides education, health care, food and other services to 5.5 million refugees, their children and grandchildren in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as well as Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. The ethics office report obtained by The Associated Press in July 2019 claimed UNRWA managers including Krahenbuhl, a Swiss national, had engaged in sexual misconduct, nepotism, retaliation, discrimination and other abuses of authority. Citing information from some 25 current and past UNRWA directors and staff, the ethics report said an inner circle comprising Krahenbuhl, his deputy, chief of staff and senior adviser had bypassed normal decision-making processes and sidelined field and program directors and other senior staff. It alleged that Krahenbuhl started a relationship with his senior adviser that went beyond the professional, created a toxic environment, and caused frequent embarrassment. Lazzarini joined the United Nations in 2003 and has served in various posts in the U.N. humanitarian office. He earlier was head of marketing for the Union Bancaire Privee in Geneva and served for 10 years with the ICRC as deputy head of communication, head of its delegations in Rwanda, Angola and Sarajevo, and as an ICRC delegate in southern Sudan, Jordan, Gaza and Beirut. Dujarric said the secretary-general expressed gratitude to acting UNRWA chief Christian Saunders of Britain, who will continue to serve until Lazzarini starts his new job. No date was given. On the other hand, worry is skyrocketing around what working means for at-risk older teachers, with 30 per cent of Australian teachers aged 50-plus and one in five WA schoolteachers reportedly over 60. The risk of dying if infected with COVID-19 rises to 3.6 per cent for those in their 60s. A Perth man whose wife is a special needs education assistant in close physical contact with her students was aware of one student whose parent was about to return from overseas, but no information was provided about whether the child would still be attending. "Given the advice on social distancing, are the schools now a safe workplace?" he said. "I just think the schools need to be much more rigorous in their management ... [other industries have] a lot more experience around risk management. Education department/schools dont have the skill set or experience to manage this." Other teachers have written to WAtoday voicing similar concerns. The Australian Medical Associations WA branch has daily pushed for a gradual, managed reduction in the school population to mitigate risk and buy time. AMA WA president Andrew Miller has stressed that this means for the moment schools would remain open for the children of healthcare workers and others who would face hardship without them. The Chief Medical Officer and all those other professors and so on are very well educated but they have never worked on the front line. They dont run an ED or an ICU or a general practice ... those people are telling me they are unprepared and they need a few weeks," he told Radio 6PR on Wednesday. No doctor or nurse should be in a position of telling themselves, I could have saved that patient if I had had more time or more equipment. I wouldnt have brought that home to my family if we had a couple more weeks to get some more masks into the country. Some parents are taking Dr Miller's advice to heart and keeping children home. WAtoday has been told one southern suburbs school has 30 to 40 per cent of its kindy and pre-primary school classes missing. But the Education Department has not outlined any further risk management moves aimed at protecting teachers, providing online learning options or reducing school populations. Loading The state schoolteachers union has declined to comment and is deferring to the Education Department. The department's Workforce executive director Damien Stewart said this was an evolving situation and he understood staff had concerns. "We will continue to follow Heath Department advice and provide support and advice to our staff including guidelines for the management of good hygiene in the workplace," he said. Department of Education employees required to isolate themselves because they are in an at-risk group prescribed by the Federal Government, will receive paid time off. "Teachers and school staff who may be diagnosed with COVID-19, or who are otherwise unwell and symptomatic, will be able to access their existing sick/personal leave entitlements. "Where existing paid sick, personal and carers leave entitlements are exhausted, there is capacity to grant up to 20 days paid COVID-19 leave where an employees ability to attend work is impacted by COVID-19." Mr Stewart said these guidelines applied to all the Departments workforce including teachers. "I'd like thank our teachers and school staff who are providing the critical service of educating our kids during this difficult and ever-changing time," he said. Closing schools may have little impact in flattening the curve, says Ian Henderson, a professor of microbiology at the University of Queensland, and former director of the UKs Institute of Microbiology and Infection. He said if excluded from school for a 13-week period it was likely children would mix anyway and continue transmitting the virus, while impacts to the economy and healthcare system could be significant. But he also said older citizens and those with underlying health conditions needed to be protected from exposure. Those most at risk, the elderly and those with comorbidities should consider isolating themselves from potential sources of infection. This includes children, he said. Young children pose a greater risk as transmitters, says Robert Booy, head of clinical research at the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance. On Wednesday, Professor Booy told the Australian Academy of Science he suspected children were catching it but hardly showing systems as their immune systems were different. He said young children with poor personal respiratory hygiene were the most likely to transmit infection. But milder cases in older children who could wash their hands posed a lower risk. Loading Certainly they could pass it on to their families but I dont see them as major transmitters, he said. On Tuesday afternoon John XXIII College in Mount Claremont, which has more than 1500 students and 240 staff, advised the school community a parent had tested positive and the family was now in self-isolation. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar will depose before the Bhima Koregaon judicial inquiry commission (JIC) as witness on April 4, according to an official statement. "Along with Sharad Pawar, the commission has also summoned then Pune collector Saurabh Rao on April 3 and 4, then Pune ACP Ravindra Sengaonkar on April 1 and 3, then SP Mohd Suvez Haq and DSP Sandip Pahale on March 30 and 31," the statement said. According to the statement, no adjournments will be granted in the matter. The commission, headed by former Calcutta High Court Chief Justice JN Patel, had earlier said that it will call NCP chief for deposition in the matter soon. An application was filed by one Sagar Shinde on February 20, requesting the JIC to summon Pawar in the matter. Pawar has already filed an affidavit in the matter. This comes a day after the commission postponed all hearing in the case scheduled for the last week of March at Pune in view of the coronavirus pandemic. The JIC was constituted by the Maharashtra government in February 2018 to find out the reasons which had led to the violence. On January 1, 2018, violence had erupted during the 200th-anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle. One person was killed and several others were injured in the incident. The police have filed 58 cases against 162 people in the matter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 18:23:11|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WUHAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Four buses carrying 98 rural migrant workers arrived in the city of Huanggang in central China's Hubei Province on Wednesday, local authorities said. It was the first time that rural migrant workers returned in organized groups to workplaces in Hubei, the center of the novel coronavirus outbreak in China. "We received the approval for work resumption on March 11 and started organizing workers to come back to their posts," said Luo Botao, general manager of a furniture company in Huanggang. "They will start working after health checks and help the company resume production." Fu Yugang, a worker from the city of Ya'an in southwest China's Sichuan Province, said he applied for the health certificate as soon as he learned that he could return to Hubei via charter buses provided by the government. Huanggang, a neighboring city of Wuhan, the capital of Hubei, discharged its last two COVID-19 patients Wednesday as confirmed cases were reduced to zero, local authorities said. Huanggang, the second-most populous city in central China's Hubei Province with 7.5 million people, had reported the second-highest number of confirmed cases at one point of the outbreak, behind the provincial capital Wuhan. Hubei Province reported one new confirmed case and zero new suspected cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday. "The traffic jam is slowly starting to dissolve," said Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer, adding that officials were trying to work on a more permanent solution. "We're trying to manage the traffic situation as best as possible," he said. Trucks on the A12 highway were backed up for more than 60km near Germany's border with Poland. Credit:Getty Images Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic expressed outrage as his citizens returned, claiming that 40,000 coming from jobs abroad had largely ignored orders to go into self-isolation at home, putting others in the country at risk. Italy has been the second hardest hit country with more than 31,000 cases, behind more than 81,000 in China. Loading But German health authorities warned it was just a matter of time before the numbers spike unless people heed warnings to avoid contact. Lothar Wieler, head of the Germany's disease control institute, warned that unless social contacts are effectively reduced there could be up to 10 million infected people in Germany in two to three months. He said measures taken now could sharply reduce the spread and help ensure that those who do need medical help can be treated. "We are at the start of the epidemic," he said. "We are 1-2 weeks behind Italy. " Around the world, nations faced the same issue of trying to slow the spread. President Donald Trump announced that the US and Canada had agreed close its border to "non-essential traffic," but assured that trade wouldn't be affected. In south-east Asia, the causeway between Malaysia and the financial hub of Singapore was eerily quiet after Malaysia shut its borders, while the Philippines backed down on an order giving foreigners 72 hours to leave from a large part of its main island. Trump's administration was considering a plan to immediately return to Mexico all people who cross America's southern border illegally, according to two officials who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the plan hasn't been finalised. The coronavirus is present in every US state after West Virginia reported an infection. In far-flung Hawaii, the governor encouraged travellers to postpone their island vacations for at least the next 30 days, while the governor of Nevada ordered a month-long closure of the state's casinos. Increasingly worried about the economic fallout of the global shutdown, the US, Britain and the Netherlands announced rescue packages totaling hundreds of billions of dollars, while longtime International Monetary Fund critic Venezuela asked the institution for a $US5 billion ($8.5 billion) loan. Major Asian stock markets fell back on Wednesday after early gains, and the vicious swings on Wall Street continued with the S&P 500 sinking more than 5 per cent in early trading to erase most of the prior's day respite. Markets have been incredibly volatile for weeks as Wall Street and the White House acknowledge an increasing risk of a recession due to the pandemic. The typical day this month has seen the stock market swing by 4.9 per cent. Over the last decade, the typical move was just 0.4 per cent. In Brussels, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said there had been "a unanimous and united approach" to the decision to prohibit most foreigners from entering the EU for 30 days, but so far, EU efforts to smooth the transition have failed. Loading Elsewhere, Malaysians endured traffic jams for hours as they tried to get into Singapore before the border closed. More than 300,000 people commute daily to Singapore and many have chosen to stay there during the lockdown. Malaysia's restricted movement order came after a sharp spike in coronavirus cases to 790, making it the worst-affected country in south-east Asia. Taiwan said on Wednesday that it too would ban foreigners from entry and citizens would have to self-quarantine at home for 14 days. Even tourists on Ecuador's iconic Galapagos islands - 1000 kilometres off the South American mainland - have been affected. Canadian Jessy Lamontaine and her family were stuck on the island when flights were suspended. "I was in tears this morning," Lamontaine said. "I couldn't get any answers from the airline. I had no money and didn't know whether I was going to keep my job." The EU said it was trying to help repatriate around 80,000 citizens stuck outside Europe, but that it faces huge challenges - including finding flights. "This is not always a given because other countries are also cancelling flights to and from Europe," EU executive commission spokesman Eric Mamer said. "From a logistical point of view, it is clearly a major challenge." 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 for a second straight day Wednesday. Hyderabad, March 19 : Telangana on Wednesday reported eight Covid-19 positive cases, including seven Indonesians, taking the total number of cases in the state so far to 13 and prompting Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar to call an emergency meeting on Thursday. An Indonesian had tested positive on Tuesday. The eight Indonesians were part of a 10-member group which had come to Telangana's Karimanagar town earlier this week for a religious meeting. Telangana's health department released a special media bulletin on Wednesday night to announce that seven more have tested positive. Earlier in the day, it was announced that a man who returned from the UK recently has tested positive for coronavirus (Covid-19). All the patients have been admitted to the isolation ward of the government-run Gandhi Hospital here. Their condition is stated to be stable. The state has been reporting a positive case every day since last Saturday. However, Wednesday turned out to be the worst so far with eight people testing positive. A techie, who tested positive on March 2, was discharged on March 13. All others are undergoing treatment at the Gandhi Hospital. Meanwhile, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao on Wednesday night urged the people to be on alert after the Indonesians who travelled to Karimnagar tested positive for coronavirus. He decided to convene a high-level emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss the measures to be taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the state. According to a statement from the Chief Minister's Office, the meeting will discuss the preventive measures to be taken and regulations to be followed. "Since coronavirus is spreading through those coming from abroad, all those coming from foreign countries should undergo tests. People should also be on alert and inform the authorities about those coming from abroad. People should also take measures for their personal health," the statement said. The Chief Minister has instructed the officials concerned to allow people coming from abroad to go home only after going through the complete check-up routine. In the emergency meeting scheduled on Thursday, some more preventive measures will be decided. The Chief Minister has urged people to stay away from festivals and celebrations involving group activities. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) WASHINGTON, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Airport Restaurant & Retail Association (ARRA) and Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) urged airports and Congress to pass financial relief for airport restauranteurs and retailers given the business impact caused by the spread of the Coronavirus and resultant COVID-19 pandemic. Members of both organizations have been seriously impacted given the decline in airline bookings/passenger counts, which are falling at unprecedented rates. A number of state/municipalities are closing restaurants, including at airports, to help contain the spread of COVID-19. All stakeholders in the industry are financially suffering. The associations represent a $10 billion industry made up of firms of varying sizes, including many small and local businesses which contribute $2.5 billion to airport revenue streams. These businesses employ more than 125,000 workers in U.S. airports. The restaurants and retail shops are a vital part of the passenger's travel experience, and a major revenue source on which airports depend for their operations, development and bond financing. John Clark, Chair of AMAC commented, "Our members are suffering tremendous sales losses exceeding 50% and in some cases as high as 90%. The industry is facing a financial crisis. Many businesses, including those classified as small and/or disadvantaged, may not be able to continue operations." Restauranteurs/retailers in the aviation sector are contracted by airports, airlines and third-party developers to provide passengers a full range of food, beverage and retail services. Pat Murray, Chair of the ARRA explained, "Our members' ability to retain and pay employees, as well as pay rents to airports, has been seriously jeopardized. Some of our members will likely be unable to meet our debt obligations and will be forced out of business if quick action is not taken to provide relief." The associations urged airports to engage with their members quickly and adopt mitigating actions to save the businesses: Waive rent, other fees and the imposition of penalties for at least six months with the opportunity to extend depending on the extent/impact of the crisis. Suspend and defer concessionaires' capital investment requirements. Provide operational flexibility including, but not limited to adjustments to operating hours, locations and menus/product selections as well as selective temporary closing of stores and restaurants in order to better align with passenger volumes and flows and reduce the impact on employees. ARRA/AMAC strongly support the airports' request for emergency financial assistance and flexibility to help sustain operations, preserve jobs and bonds, including assistance and flexibility for concessionaires during this critical time. ARRA/AMAC urged Congress and the Administration to provide financial relief/assistance to airport concessionaires to ensure business continuity, secure loans and make debt service payments. Specific measures ARRA/AMAC urge Congress and the Administration to act upon are: Provide grants/low-interest or interest-free loans to concessionaires to allow concessionaires to cover operating expenses. Provide loan guarantees to concessionaires to assure their ability to continue making debt service payments and secure loans for their ongoing capital investment requirements. Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Airport Restaurant & Retail Association (ARRA) and Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development has new resources available for employers and employees impacted by the COVID-19 emergency. The Department updated its www.tn.gov/workforce to put information and resources in a convenient form for Tennesseans to access. The website now has separate sections for employers, employees, frequently asked questions, and for information about any changes at American Job Centers statewide. Employers will find information explaining how to complete mass layoff lists. These lists help the department process unemployment claims faster, making the entire process more efficient for both the company and its workers. Employees have the opportunity to learn more about the unemployment benefits process. They will also find answers to many of the questions they may have as they deal with the impact COVID-19 is having on their source of income. Individuals out of work due to COVID-19 can file for Tennessee unemployment insurance benefits by visiting www.Jobs4TN.gov. Several different eligibility factors will determine the approval of a workers claim. The maximum weekly unemployment benefit in Tennessee is $275 before federal taxes are deducted. The COVID-19 emergency has created a tremendous amount of new unemployment claims. The Department is processing those claims as quickly as possible. Impacted workers can check the status of their claims on their Jobs4TN.gov dashboard. With the number of people self-isolating increasing as the coronavirus outbreak in the UK continues to grow, one group of volunteers in a seaside town have launched a telephone befriending service to shore up community spirit. The initiative is being led by Helen Burton, a local councillor in Eastbourne, East Sussex, and has seen hundreds of people sign up to have friendly chats with anyone cooped up in their homes. She affectionately referred to the willingness of volunteers as the Blitz spirit. Ms Burton, 48, told the PA news agency: We are just trying to provide some positivity in a time that is going to be terrible for a lot of people. People want to do something to help others, which is fantastic. At the moment, its absolutely crisis time and its just a case of getting anyone who is isolated someone on the phone. There has been mounting concern about people in self-isolation, particularly elderly people who are vulnerable to loneliness, as the UK government urged the public to practice social distancing to curb the spread of disease. Ms Burton screens volunteers and matches them with people in the community in the hope anyone who may feel lonely during self-isolation will hear from the Eastbourne volunteers at least once a week. She said the number of people who have contacted her offering help has been heartwarming. Its the Blitz spirit that people have been talking about. I think we are good in a crisis, she added. I would like to think that at the end of this, society might shift a little bit and maybe it will get back to knowing your neighbours. In the UK, nearly 2,000 people have been infected with coronavirus and Boris Johnson has implemented more stringent measures to ensure people stay at home more to control the spread. The group are still looking for more people to get involved in the telephone befriending service, and encourage anyone interested to email eastbournevolunteers@gmail.com. Additional reporting by Press Association Research consistently shows that the presence of diversity across all levels of an enterprise increases performance and revenue," says Dr. Shelton Goode, CEO of Icarus Consulting, DEInamics Strategic Partner, and recognized by Forbes as a top-ten DI trailblazer. DEInamics, Measure What Matters, is selected by Microsoft as part of the #BuildFor2030 Campaign in support of inspiring technologies that are changing the world. #BuildFor2030 launched on International Women's Day to highlight technology that enables an inclusive economy, creating opportunities and positive business outcomes. Microsoft believes technology is vital to driving solutions that allow everyone, everywhere, to achieve more. DEInamics propels organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), advancing the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal of Gender Equality through its use of data and analytics. By showcasing revolutionary products as part of #BuildFor2030, Microsoft is making it easier for companies to reach the UNs gender diversity goals by 2030. DEI are benchmarks of an organizations health, capacity to lead, and commitment to both employees and customers. DEInamics, a female-founded company, identifies barriers around DEI and supports the implementation of programs that make an intentional and collective impact. The Azure-based solution measures organizational DEI with quantifiable metrics and meaningful analytics. Organizations with a DEI mandate can eliminate guesswork, leverage data to highlight where improvements can be made, and ignite change by adopting appropriate best practices. Diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are no longer optional they are table stakes. Its not a want to be inclusive, anymore, its a need to be inclusive, says Cathy Light, Founder and CEO, Lideranca Group. I created Lideranca Group (which means leadership in Portuguese) because I want to empower leaders to lead effectively. I want impactful leaders to create a better company for a brighter world. Our solution is new to the channel. I am so proud that Microsoft already sees the power of DEInamics to drive equality." An abundance of research demonstrates that DEI is an integral part of effective revenue-generating business models. Boston Consulting Group surveyed corporations of different sizes from varying industries across eight countries and found that diversity increases the bottom line for businesses. According to McKinsey, corporations that embrace gender diversity on their executive teams were more competitive and 21 percent more likely to experience above-average profitability. They also had a 27 percent likelihood of outperforming their peers on longer-term value creation. And, the World Economic Forum states, "Companies with gender diversity in leadership outperform their less diverse peers. On average, they see a 48 percent higher operating margin, a 42 percent higher return on sales, and a 45 percent higher earnings per share. In addition, gender-diverse teams make better business decisions up to 73 percent of the time. Research consistently shows that the presence of diversity across all levels of an enterprise increases performance and revenue," says Dr. Shelton Goode, CEO of Icarus Consulting, DEInamics Strategic Partner, and recognized by Forbes as a top-ten DI trailblazer. Yet, many organizations are still wrestling with how to create a culture of inclusivity and reap the rewards that diversity offers. To be competitive in the digital economy, organizations must reimagine their current diversity and inclusion efforts. The time has come to look through the lens of equity to assess how we attain a future of work that gives opportunities to everyone. DEInamics is that lens. DEI isnt just a people and rights issue, its a significant driver for the global economy. The World Economic Forum notes that the business case for diversity in the workplace is now overwhelming. Economists estimate that closing the gender gap will add $28 trillion to the value of the global economy by 2025. It is estimated that gender gaps cost the economy some 15 percent of GDP. Put simply, companies and societies are more likely to grow and prosper when women gain greater financial independence. At Ideagen (a software company striving to create a safer world), we are honored to convene global leaders and luminaries dedicated to achieving the global goals by 2030! One of those leaders is Cathy Light, says George Sifakis, CEO,Ideagen, and another DEInamics Strategic Partner. Cathy and her team have developed a game-changing tool in the Microsoft App Source Marketplace to assist with achieving goal #5 to achieve gender equality by 2030. We applaud these efforts by Cathy and her team at Lideranca Group. They are changing the world! DEInamics measures leadership intention versus workforce perception in eight key dimensions, providing relevant data to initiate sustainable DEI initiatives. The advanced data analytics tool identifies barriers to DEI and provides comparison data to help guide actions for achieving intentional and collective impact. To learn more visit http://www.DiversityEquityInclusion.com. ### The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. For more information, press only: Amy Roberts, Mercer-MacKay Digtial Storytelling, amy.roberts@mercermackay.com https://www.bcg.com/en-us/publications/2018/how-diverse-leadership-teams-boost-innovation.aspx https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/delivering-through-diversity https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/04/gender-diversity-makes-great-business-sense/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2019/11/02/10-diversity-and-inclusion-trailblazers-you-need-to-get-familiar-with/#1d27484940c8 https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/04/business-case-for-diversity-in-the-workplace/ https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/employment-and-growth/how-advancing-womens-equality-can-add-12-trillion-to-global-growth https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/683847 1. Idris Elba Busts 'Weird' Coronavirus Myth, Describes His 'Mad 24 Hours' Post Testing Positive "Something thats sort of scaring me when I read the comments and see some of the reactions is: My people black people, black people please, please understand that coronavirus ... you can get it, all right". "There are so many stupid, ridiculous conspiracy theories about black people not being able to get it. Thats dumb, stupid," he added. 2. On Landing From London, Sonam Kapoor Applauds The Government's Response To Coronavirus Outbreak And Sonam Kapoor instantly took to her Instagram to share with her 26.4 million followers about how well the Indian government is handling the current situation of eradicating coronavirus and curbing its spread. 3. From The Comfort Of Their Home To Yours, Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon Deliver Hilarious Monologues And that's exactly what the world's two greatest talk show hosts, Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon did for their fans. The two separately recreated segments of their respective shows from home and were quite comical but also adorable. 4. Sara Ali Khan's Varanasi Temple Visit Sparks Outrage As Entry For Non-Hindus Is Prohibited At a time when the entire world is choosing to stay at home, Sara was seen roaming around the streets of Varanasi, clearly breaking protocol and avoiding all heath advisory, risking not only herself but millions of others. But that's not the only problem with her visit to temple Kashi Vishwanath. The Kashi Vikas Samiti has raised an objection stating that they did not approve of her visit as she is a non-Hindu. 5. Ayushmann Khurrana Pens A Poem On How Coronavirus Lockdown Is Affecting People Of Low-Income Groups Actor Ayushmann Khurrana on Wednesday shared self-written prose dedicated to low-income groups of the country that are among the most affected by the coronavirus shutdown in the country. Pope Francis has advised Italians to try to make the most of the coronavirus crisis by re-discovering the joy of family, as the country struggles to cope with the most acute outbreak of the virus outside China. "During these difficult days we can find small, concrete gestures expressing closeness and concreteness towards the people closest to us, a caress for our grandparents, a kiss for our children, for the people we love," Pope Francis told Italy's La Repubblica newspaper in an interview published Wednesday. "These are important, decisive gestures. If we live these days like this, they won't be wasted." The Pope told the newspaper that he had asked God to stop the epidemic in Italy, which has taken the lives of 2,503 in Italy, as of Tuesday, up 345 from the previous day. Italy's Civil Protection Agency and Johns Hopkins University, which is keeping a tally of the figures, said there are 31,056 confirmed cases of the virus in the country (the figure includes the dead and those that have recovered ). As with all outbreaks, the true number of infections could be much higher. Pope Francis said society needed to rediscover "small gestures of attention we can offer those close to us." It's a message that has come to the fore in Italy where the entire country remains on lockdown to try to stem the spread of the virus. As citizens are discouraged from leaving their homes and unable to travel, many have been looking for new ways of bolstering their spirits, such as singing from their balconies the perfect place for social distancing while allowing life to continue to some extent. Shows of solidarity and appreciation for hospital workers have been seen in Italy, with citizens taking to their balconies to applaud those in frontline services. Italy's health service remains under severe strain; China, where the outbreak started, is sending medical experts, masks and health equipment to the country. Lombardy, the wealthy northern region of Italy which remains worse-hit by the virus, almost ran out of intensive care beds for coronavirus patients Monday, the region's welfare councilor Giulio Gallera said Tuesday, ANSA news agency reported. A hospital in the Lombardy city of Bergamo on Tuesday said it had run out space in intensive care, the news agency said. Italy is the worst hit country outside China, and is followed by Iran, Spain and Germany. The European Union has closed its external borders in a bid to stop the spread of the virus. The Controller and Accountant Generals Department (CAGD) has debunked social media reports purporting that one of its staff has been quarantined upon arrival from Italy in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. Viral reports on social media claimed that a staff member of the CAGD who returned to Ghana from Italy had been quarantined as part of precautionary measures instituted by the government to prevent the disease from spreading. Refuting the report, the CAGD, in a statement signed by the Acting Controller and Accountant General, Mr Kwasi Kwaning-Bosompem stated categorically that no such incident has occurred at the Head Office and all CAGD Regional Offices. It urged the public to disregard the news as it was false. It has come to the notice of Management of the Controller and Accountant-General's Department (CAGD), a news item circulating on social media about a staff who has been quarantined upon arrival from Italy. Management wishes to state that no such incident has occurred at the Head Office and all CAGD Regional Offices and that the general public should disregard this information, the statement said. The CAGD further indicated that it had made preparations for the payment of March salaries and assured that Government workers will receive their salaries on the scheduled pay date. Fake news As cases of the coronavirus increase around the world, there's been a flurry of misleading or false news stories emerging particularly on social media. Recently, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) cautioned against the spread of false information about the disease, stressing that such practices could undermine efforts to contain the pandemic. To the creators of such falsehoods, we offer a simple message: STOP. Sharing inaccurate information and attempting to imbue it with authority by misappropriating the names of those in a position of trust is dangerous and wrong, it cautioned in a statement. Similarly, the President of the Ghana Journalists Association, Mr Affail Monney has urged journalists to desist from spreading false information about the disease and endeavour to fact-check every detail before publication. Cases in Ghana So far, six cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the country, all of which are imported cases The government has since moved to forestall further spread of the virus by implementing stringent travel and movement restrictions. President Akufo-Addo on Sunday announced a number of measures, including a month-long suspension of schools and social gatherings including church services as part of efforts to contain the outbreak. The disease has killed more than 5,000 people worldwide and continues to spread into many more countries. Read statement below: A general view of an empty Westminster bridge in Westminster as the number of coronavirus cases grow around the world. REUTERS/Hannah McKay Detailed Brexit trade negotiations planned for this week were cancelled yesterday, as government sources indicated the UK is now preparing to seek a mutually agreed extension to the Brexit negotiations in the coming weeks. As the coronavirus crisis deepened, senior Whitehall sources also confirmed that civil servants who had been working on the Brexit no-deal preparations were now being redeployed on to coronavirus crisis management. Although a final decision has yet to be made, it is now understood that the government now accepts it will need to seek an extension before the June deadline. Last weekend, senior officials were adamant that the government remained resolved not to allow coronavirus to blow the talks off course. However, the sheer speed of developments has forced the rethink on both sides. In Brussels, EU diplomats met in person last Friday to discuss changes to a draft text presented by Michel Barnier, the EU chief negotiator, but have now resorted to discussions via email, which are much slower. Negotiators do not rule out the possibility of a basic deal by December 31, but sources said it was accepted that business would now be in no state to implement disruptive new arrangements on January 1. Under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, the UK can request an extension of up to two years. Wednesday brought new restrictions on movement in Malaysia, as well as the start of a European Union ban on entry to foreigners as governments seek to control the spread of the novel coronavirus. Malaysia has more than 500 confirmed cases and will be under a partial lockdown for two weeks. In Saudi Arabia, officials on Wednesday told private sector businesses to have all their employees telework if possible, and for those who have to physically be present to take steps to keep their distance from each other. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared a human biosecurity emergency Wednesday, clearing the way for the government to impose curfews and quarantines. Other countries have already taken those steps to halt public life. Italy, Spain and France are currently under severe bans on movement as they deal with some of the highest number of cases in the world. In Brazil, where there are more than 300 cases, the agency that overseas parks has announced closures in accordance with health official guidance for people to avoid crowds. The ban includes the famous Christ The Redeemer statue that overlooks Rio de Janeiro. Brazil reported its first coronavirus death on Tuesday. The virus has reached 159 countries, with more than 185,000 confirmed cases and 7,500 deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Kyrgyzstan was the latest to report its first case Wednesday. It has already closed its borders to foreigners. China was the first to report a case of the COVID-19 virus and has been the hardest hit with more than 82,000 cases. But the situation there has been steadily improving in recent weeks, and the city of Wuhan, the center of the outbreak, reported a single new case on Wednesday. The virus has been blamed for 100 deaths in the United States where officials are urging people to avoid being in groups larger than 10. About 7 million people in the San Francisco area have been told to shelter in place. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he will decide by Thursday whether to institute a similar order for the countrys most populous city. Late Tuesday, the governors of two states California and Kansas announced that public schools may have to stay closed until the fall. Advertisement A British cruise ship that has been stranded for more than a week in the Caribbean after several cases of the new coronavirus were confirmed onboard is set to dock in Cuba today to allow weary passengers to disembark and fly home. The mostly British passengers stranded on the COVID 19-stricken MS Braemar will then be repatriated by plane. Britain's Foreign Minister Dominic Raab expressed gratitude on Tuesday in parliament to Communist-run Cuba for offering a safe haven to the ship which has more than 1,000 mainly British passengers and crew aboard, after several Caribbean ports refused to let it dock. Coronavirus has plunged the cruise industry into chaos as the global tightening of entry requirements has left many ships stranded or quarantined. Cruise lines have suspended future trips in recent days. British cruise ship MS Braemar remains docked at the harbor in Mariel, Cuba, on March 18, above and below The Braemar is set to dock in Cuba today to allow weary passengers to disembark and fly home The Braemar Cruise Ship is docked at the port in Mariel, Cuba, Tuesday, March 18. Weeks after the ship was blocked from disembarking at several ports in the Caribbean, due to fears of passengers with possible COVID-19 symptoms, Cuban authorities will assist over 600 passengers stranded on the boat to disembark to be evacuated to their home countries Passengers stand on their balconies on board the Braemar cruise ship, docked at the port in Mariel, Cuba on Wednesday. The mostly British passengers stranded on the COVID 19-stricken ship will then be repatriated by plane 'Prevention and contention of new coronavirus require the efforts of entire international community,' said Cuba's foreign minister, Bruno Rodriguez. 'Let's reinforce health care, solidarity and international cooperation.' Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, which operates the Braemar, said it would dock at the Mariel port, just west of Havana, early on Wednesday. Passengers would return to Britain from the capital's international airport in the evening on four charter flights, it said, including a separate one for passengers who had received a positive diagnosis for coronavirus or displayed any flu-like symptoms. Any not considered well enough to fly would be offered support and medical treatment in Cuba. The Braemar Cruise Ship is seen docked at the port in Mariel, Cuba, on Tuesday, March 18 The Braemar cruise ship is docked at the port in Mariel, Cuba, Tuesday, March 18, above and below. The British cruise ship MS Braemar that has been turned away from different ports in the Caribbean after several passengers were confirmed to have the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Passengers would return to Britain from the capital's international airport in the evening on four charter flights, it said, including a separate one for passengers who had received a positive diagnosis for coronavirus or displayed any flu-like symptoms There are 28 passengers in isolation on the Braemar who have shown influenza-like symptoms, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines said. This includes two people who tested positive for the new coronavirus at its last port of call, Willemstad, Curacao, on March 10. Since then the ship was refused docking in Barbados and the Bahamas, which are both part of the British commonwealth - an irony not lost on some passengers. 'We should all remember what #Cuba has done for us, stepping in when none of the British Commonwealth countries and protectorates in the region offered any help,' tweeted one passenger aboard the Braemar, Steve Dale. The coronavirus has been slower to reach and spread in the Caribbean than much of the rest of the globe. There are 28 passengers in isolation on the Braemar who have shown influenza-like symptoms, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines said. This includes two people who tested positive for the new coronavirus at its last port of call, Willemstad, CuraAao, on March 10 Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, which operates the Braemar, said it would dock at the Mariel port, just west of Havana, early on Wednesday The Cuban government has so far confirmed seven cases in the country, after reporting its first ones last week. Authorities are screening travelers at airports and have stepped up the production of face masks while banning large cultural events. Family physicians are paying more home visits to monitor local communities. Yet the government has not canceled flights from countries hardest hit by the pandemic, restricted internal movement or banned social gatherings, in contrast to other countries in the region, eliciting concern among some Cubans, as has the arrival of the Braemar. 'There were only a few cases ... but now we are filling up on more,' said Pablo Cruz Estrada, 28, while polishing up a 1948 Dodge at a car wash in Havana, known for its vintage U.S. cars. 'Who would come up with such an idea?' The Braemar pictured docked in Cuba this morning, above and below. Authorities are screening travelers at airports and have stepped up the production of face masks while banning large cultural events. Family physicians are paying more home visits to monitor local communities NEW YORK, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Microcarrier market worldwide is projected to grow by US$559.9 Million, driven by a compounded growth of 5.8%. Equipment, one of the segments analyzed and sized in this study, displays the potential to grow at over 5.8%. The shifting dynamics supporting this growth makes it critical for businesses in this space to keep abreast of the changing pulse of the market. Poised to reach over US$423.5 Million by the year 2025, Equipment will bring in healthy gains adding significant momentum to global growth. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05799109/?utm_source=PRN - Representing the developed world, the United States will maintain a 4.9% growth momentum. Within Europe, which continues to remain an important element in the world economy, Germany will add over US$19.9 Million to the region's size and clout in the next 5 to 6 years. Over US$17.2 Million worth of projected demand in the region will come from Rest of Europe markets. In Japan, Equipment will reach a market size of US$15.6 Million by the close of the analysis period. As the world's second largest economy and the new game changer in global markets, China exhibits the potential to grow at 8.5% over the next couple of years and add approximately US$150.2 Million in terms of addressable opportunity for the picking by aspiring businesses and their astute leaders. Presented in visually rich graphics are these and many more need-to-know quantitative data important in ensuring quality of strategy decisions, be it entry into new markets or allocation of resources within a portfolio. Several macroeconomic factors and internal market forces will shape growth and development of demand patterns in emerging countries in Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East. All research viewpoints presented are based on validated engagements from influencers in the market, whose opinions supersede all other research methodologies. - Competitors identified in this market include, among others, Becton, Dickinson and Company Corning, Inc. Danaher Corporation Eppendorf AG GE Healthcare HiMedia Laboratories Lonza Group AG Merck KgaA Sartorius AG Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05799109/?utm_source=PRN I. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & REPORT SCOPE II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. MARKET OVERVIEW Global Competitor Market Shares Microcarrier Competitor Market Share Scenario Worldwide (in %): 2019 & 2025 2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS 3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS With Gradual Transition to Cell Based Production, Growing Demand for Cell Based Vaccines Fuels Market Growth Vaccines Crucial Role in Tackling Rising Incidences of Infectious Diseases Presents Demand Opportunities in the Market: Global Vaccines Market (In US$ Billion) for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2022 Strong Demand for Biologics and Emerging Opportunities for Biosimilars Influence Market Prospects Increasing Demand for Biologics Driven by Continuous Investments Extends Growth in the Market: Global Biologics Market (In US$ Billion) for the Years 2017, 2020 & 2023 Expanding Biosimilars Capabilities in Asia Pacific Triggers Demand in the Market Rising Demand for Biosimilars in Asia Ramps up Market Prospects: Total Number of Biosimilars in Pipeline by Country (2018) Pressing Need for Cost Effective Cell Production in Stem Cell and Gene Therapies Boosts Market Demand With Cancer Related Conditions on the Rise in Asia, Ensuing Demand for Stem Cell and Gene Therapies Spurs Growth in the Global Market: Percentage (In %) Breakdown of New Cancer Cases by Geographic Region for the Year 2018 Ballooning VC Investments in the Biotech Space Drives Growth in the Market Global Investment (In US$ Billion) in Biotech Space for the Years 2016, 2017 & 2018 Technological Advancements and New Product Launches Promise Cost Effective Cell Production 4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE Table 1: Microcarrier Global Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: 2018-2025 Table 2: Microcarrier Global Retrospective Market Scenario in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: 2009-2017 Table 3: Microcarrier Market Share Shift across Key Geographies Worldwide: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 4: Equipment (Product) World Market by Region/Country in US$ Thousand: 2018 to 2025 Table 5: Equipment (Product) Historic Market Analysis by Region/Country in US$ Thousand: 2009 to 2017 Table 6: Equipment (Product) Market Share Breakdown of Worldwide Sales by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 7: Consumables (Product) Potential Growth Markets Worldwide in US$ Thousand: 2018 to 2025 Table 8: Consumables (Product) Historic Market Perspective by Region/Country in US$ Thousand: 2009 to 2017 Table 9: Consumables (Product) Market Sales Breakdown by Region/Country in Percentage: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 10: Vaccine Manufacturing (Application) Global Market Estimates & Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: 2018-2025 Table 11: Vaccine Manufacturing (Application) Retrospective Demand Analysis in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: 2009-2017 Table 12: Vaccine Manufacturing (Application) Market Share Breakdown by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 13: Cell Therapy (Application) Demand Potential Worldwide in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: 2018-2025 Table 14: Cell Therapy (Application) Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: 2009-2017 Table 15: Cell Therapy (Application) Share Breakdown Review by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 16: Other Applications (Application) Worldwide Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: 2018-2025 Table 17: Other Applications (Application) Global Historic Analysis in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: 2009-2017 Table 18: Other Applications (Application) Distribution of Global Sales by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 19: Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies (End-Use) Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Region/Country for the Years 2018 through 2025 Table 20: Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies (End-Use) Analysis of Historic Sales in US$ Thousand by Region/Country for the Years 2009 to 2017 Table 21: Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies (End-Use) Global Market Share Distribution by Region/Country for 2009, 2019, and 2025 Table 22: Research Institutes (End-Use) Global Opportunity Assessment in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: 2018-2025 Table 23: Research Institutes (End-Use) Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: 2009-2017 Table 24: Research Institutes (End-Use) Percentage Share Breakdown of Global Sales by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 25: CROs (End-Use) Worldwide Sales in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: 2018-2025 Table 26: CROs (End-Use) Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: 2009-2017 Table 27: CROs (End-Use) Market Share Shift across Key Geographies: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 III. MARKET ANALYSIS GEOGRAPHIC MARKET ANALYSIS UNITED STATES Market Facts & Figures US Microcarrier Market Share (in %) by Company: 2019 & 2025 Market Analytics Table 28: United States Microcarrier Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand by Product: 2018 to 2025 Table 29: Microcarrier Market in the United States by Product: A Historic Review in US$ Thousand for 2009-2017 Table 30: United States Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 31: United States Microcarrier Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018 to 2025 Table 32: Microcarrier Historic Demand Patterns in the United States by Application in US$ Thousand for 2009-2017 Table 33: Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown in the United States by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 34: United States Microcarrier Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018 to 2025 Table 35: Microcarrier Historic Demand Patterns in the United States by End-Use in US$ Thousand for 2009-2017 Table 36: Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown in the United States by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 CANADA Table 37: Canadian Microcarrier Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Product: 2018 to 2025 Table 38: Canadian Microcarrier Historic Market Review by Product in US$ Thousand: 2009-2017 Table 39: Microcarrier Market in Canada: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Product for 2009, 2019, and 2025 Table 40: Canadian Microcarrier Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018 to 2025 Table 41: Microcarrier Market in Canada: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Thousand by Application for 2009-2017 Table 42: Canadian Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 43: Canadian Microcarrier Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018 to 2025 Table 44: Microcarrier Market in Canada: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Thousand by End-Use for 2009-2017 Table 45: Canadian Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 JAPAN Table 46: Japanese Market for Microcarrier: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 47: Microcarrier Market in Japan: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product for the Period 2009-2017 Table 48: Japanese Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 49: Japanese Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Microcarrier in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018 to 2025 Table 50: Japanese Microcarrier Market in US$ Thousand by Application: 2009-2017 Table 51: Microcarrier Market Share Shift in Japan by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 52: Japanese Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Microcarrier in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018 to 2025 Table 53: Japanese Microcarrier Market in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2009-2017 Table 54: Microcarrier Market Share Shift in Japan by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 CHINA Table 55: Chinese Microcarrier Market Growth Prospects in US$ Thousand by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 56: Microcarrier Historic Market Analysis in China in US$ Thousand by Product: 2009-2017 Table 57: Chinese Microcarrier Market by Product: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2009, 2019, and 2025 Table 58: Chinese Demand for Microcarrier in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018 to 2025 Table 59: Microcarrier Market Review in China in US$ Thousand by Application: 2009-2017 Table 60: Chinese Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 61: Chinese Demand for Microcarrier in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018 to 2025 Table 62: Microcarrier Market Review in China in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2009-2017 Table 63: Chinese Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 EUROPE Market Facts & Figures European Microcarrier Market: Competitor Market Share Scenario (in %) for 2019 & 2025 Market Analytics Table 64: European Microcarrier Market Demand Scenario in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: 2018-2025 Table 65: Microcarrier Market in Europe: A Historic Market Perspective in US$ Thousand by Region/Country for the Period 2009-2017 Table 66: European Microcarrier Market Share Shift by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 67: European Microcarrier Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Product: 2018-2025 Table 68: Microcarrier Market in Europe in US$ Thousand by Product: A Historic Review for the Period 2009-2017 Table 69: European Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 70: European Microcarrier Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018-2025 Table 71: Microcarrier Market in Europe: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Thousand by Application for the Period 2009-2017 Table 72: European Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 73: European Microcarrier Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018-2025 Table 74: Microcarrier Market in Europe: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Thousand by End-Use for the Period 2009-2017 Table 75: European Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 FRANCE Table 76: Microcarrier Market in France by Product: Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand for the Period 2018-2025 Table 77: French Microcarrier Historic Market Scenario in US$ Thousand by Product: 2009-2017 Table 78: French Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 79: Microcarrier Quantitative Demand Analysis in France in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018-2025 Table 80: French Microcarrier Historic Market Review in US$ Thousand by Application: 2009-2017 Table 81: French Microcarrier Market Share Analysis: A 17-Year Perspective by Application for 2009, 2019, and 2025 Table 82: Microcarrier Quantitative Demand Analysis in France in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018-2025 Table 83: French Microcarrier Historic Market Review in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2009-2017 Table 84: French Microcarrier Market Share Analysis: A 17-Year Perspective by End-Use for 2009, 2019, and 2025 GERMANY Table 85: Microcarrier Market in Germany: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 86: German Microcarrier Historic Market Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product: 2009-2017 Table 87: German Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 88: Microcarrier Market in Germany: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Application for the Period 2018-2025 Table 89: German Microcarrier Market in Retrospect in US$ Thousand by Application: 2009-2017 Table 90: Microcarrier Market Share Distribution in Germany by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 91: Microcarrier Market in Germany: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by End-Use for the Period 2018-2025 Table 92: German Microcarrier Market in Retrospect in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2009-2017 Table 93: Microcarrier Market Share Distribution in Germany by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 ITALY Table 94: Italian Microcarrier Market Growth Prospects in US$ Thousand by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 95: Microcarrier Historic Market Analysis in Italy in US$ Thousand by Product: 2009-2017 Table 96: Italian Microcarrier Market by Product: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2009, 2019, and 2025 Table 97: Italian Demand for Microcarrier in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018 to 2025 Table 98: Microcarrier Market Review in Italy in US$ Thousand by Application: 2009-2017 Table 99: Italian Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 100: Italian Demand for Microcarrier in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018 to 2025 Table 101: Microcarrier Market Review in Italy in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2009-2017 Table 102: Italian Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 UNITED KINGDOM Table 103: United Kingdom Market for Microcarrier: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 104: Microcarrier Market in the United Kingdom: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product for the Period 2009-2017 Table 105: United Kingdom Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 106: United Kingdom Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Microcarrier in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018 to 2025 Table 107: United Kingdom Microcarrier Market in US$ Thousand by Application: 2009-2017 Table 108: Microcarrier Market Share Shift in the United Kingdom by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 109: United Kingdom Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Microcarrier in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018 to 2025 Table 110: United Kingdom Microcarrier Market in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2009-2017 Table 111: Microcarrier Market Share Shift in the United Kingdom by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 SPAIN Table 112: Spanish Microcarrier Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Product: 2018 to 2025 Table 113: Spanish Microcarrier Historic Market Review by Product in US$ Thousand: 2009-2017 Table 114: Microcarrier Market in Spain: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Product for 2009, 2019, and 2025 Table 115: Spanish Microcarrier Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018 to 2025 Table 116: Microcarrier Market in Spain: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Thousand by Application for 2009-2017 Table 117: Spanish Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 118: Spanish Microcarrier Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018 to 2025 Table 119: Microcarrier Market in Spain: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Thousand by End-Use for 2009-2017 Table 120: Spanish Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 RUSSIA Table 121: Russian Microcarrier Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand by Product: 2018 to 2025 Table 122: Microcarrier Market in Russia by Product: A Historic Review in US$ Thousand for 2009-2017 Table 123: Russian Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 124: Russian Microcarrier Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018 to 2025 Table 125: Microcarrier Historic Demand Patterns in Russia by Application in US$ Thousand for 2009-2017 Table 126: Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown in Russia by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 127: Russian Microcarrier Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018 to 2025 Table 128: Microcarrier Historic Demand Patterns in Russia by End-Use in US$ Thousand for 2009-2017 Table 129: Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown in Russia by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 REST OF EUROPE Table 130: Rest of Europe Microcarrier Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Product: 2018-2025 Table 131: Microcarrier Market in Rest of Europe in US$ Thousand by Product: A Historic Review for the Period 2009-2017 Table 132: Rest of Europe Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 133: Rest of Europe Microcarrier Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018-2025 Table 134: Microcarrier Market in Rest of Europe: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Thousand by Application for the Period 2009-2017 Table 135: Rest of Europe Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 136: Rest of Europe Microcarrier Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018-2025 Table 137: Microcarrier Market in Rest of Europe: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Thousand by End-Use for the Period 2009-2017 Table 138: Rest of Europe Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 ASIA-PACIFIC Table 139: Asia-Pacific Microcarrier Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: 2018-2025 Table 140: Microcarrier Market in Asia-Pacific: Historic Market Analysis in US$ Thousand by Region/Country for the Period 2009-2017 Table 141: Asia-Pacific Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by Region/Country: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 142: Microcarrier Market in Asia-Pacific by Product: Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand for the Period 2018-2025 Table 143: Asia-Pacific Microcarrier Historic Market Scenario in US$ Thousand by Product: 2009-2017 Table 144: Asia-Pacific Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 145: Microcarrier Quantitative Demand Analysis in Asia-Pacific in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018-2025 Table 146: Asia-Pacific Microcarrier Historic Market Review in US$ Thousand by Application: 2009-2017 Table 147: Asia-Pacific Microcarrier Market Share Analysis: A 17-Year Perspective by Application for 2009, 2019, and 2025 Table 148: Microcarrier Quantitative Demand Analysis in Asia-Pacific in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018-2025 Table 149: Asia-Pacific Microcarrier Historic Market Review in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2009-2017 Table 150: Asia-Pacific Microcarrier Market Share Analysis: A 17-Year Perspective by End-Use for 2009, 2019, and 2025 AUSTRALIA Table 151: Microcarrier Market in Australia: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 152: Australian Microcarrier Historic Market Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product: 2009-2017 Table 153: Australian Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 154: Microcarrier Market in Australia: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Application for the Period 2018-2025 Table 155: Australian Microcarrier Market in Retrospect in US$ Thousand by Application: 2009-2017 Table 156: Microcarrier Market Share Distribution in Australia by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 157: Microcarrier Market in Australia: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by End-Use for the Period 2018-2025 Table 158: Australian Microcarrier Market in Retrospect in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2009-2017 Table 159: Microcarrier Market Share Distribution in Australia by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 INDIA Table 160: Indian Microcarrier Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Product: 2018 to 2025 Table 161: Indian Microcarrier Historic Market Review by Product in US$ Thousand: 2009-2017 Table 162: Microcarrier Market in India: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Product for 2009, 2019, and 2025 Table 163: Indian Microcarrier Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018 to 2025 Table 164: Microcarrier Market in India: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Thousand by Application for 2009-2017 Table 165: Indian Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 166: Indian Microcarrier Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018 to 2025 Table 167: Microcarrier Market in India: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Thousand by End-Use for 2009-2017 Table 168: Indian Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 SOUTH KOREA Table 169: Microcarrier Market in South Korea: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 170: South Korean Microcarrier Historic Market Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product: 2009-2017 Table 171: Microcarrier Market Share Distribution in South Korea by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 172: Microcarrier Market in South Korea: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Thousand by Application for the Period 2018-2025 Table 173: South Korean Microcarrier Historic Market Analysis in US$ Thousand by Application: 2009-2017 Table 174: Microcarrier Market Share Distribution in South Korea by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 175: Microcarrier Market in South Korea: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Thousand by End-Use for the Period 2018-2025 Table 176: South Korean Microcarrier Historic Market Analysis in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2009-2017 Table 177: Microcarrier Market Share Distribution in South Korea by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 REST OF ASIA-PACIFIC Table 178: Rest of Asia-Pacific Market for Microcarrier: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 179: Microcarrier Market in Rest of Asia-Pacific: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product for the Period 2009-2017 Table 180: Rest of Asia-Pacific Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 181: Rest of Asia-Pacific Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Microcarrier in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018 to 2025 Table 182: Rest of Asia-Pacific Microcarrier Market in US$ Thousand by Application: 2009-2017 Table 183: Microcarrier Market Share Shift in Rest of Asia-Pacific by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 184: Rest of Asia-Pacific Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Microcarrier in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018 to 2025 Table 185: Rest of Asia-Pacific Microcarrier Market in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2009-2017 Table 186: Microcarrier Market Share Shift in Rest of Asia-Pacific by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 LATIN AMERICA Table 187: Latin American Microcarrier Market Trends by Region/Country in US$ Thousand: 2018-2025 Table 188: Microcarrier Market in Latin America in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: A Historic Perspective for the Period 2009-2017 Table 189: Latin American Microcarrier Market Percentage Breakdown of Sales by Region/Country: 2009, 2019, and 2025 Table 190: Latin American Microcarrier Market Growth Prospects in US$ Thousand by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 191: Microcarrier Historic Market Analysis in Latin America in US$ Thousand by Product: 2009-2017 Table 192: Latin American Microcarrier Market by Product: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2009, 2019, and 2025 Table 193: Latin American Demand for Microcarrier in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018 to 2025 Table 194: Microcarrier Market Review in Latin America in US$ Thousand by Application: 2009-2017 Table 195: Latin American Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 196: Latin American Demand for Microcarrier in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018 to 2025 Table 197: Microcarrier Market Review in Latin America in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2009-2017 Table 198: Latin American Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 ARGENTINA Table 199: Argentinean Microcarrier Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Product: 2018-2025 Table 200: Microcarrier Market in Argentina in US$ Thousand by Product: A Historic Review for the Period 2009-2017 Table 201: Argentinean Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 202: Argentinean Microcarrier Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018-2025 Table 203: Microcarrier Market in Argentina: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Thousand by Application for the Period 2009-2017 Table 204: Argentinean Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 205: Argentinean Microcarrier Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018-2025 Table 206: Microcarrier Market in Argentina: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Thousand by End-Use for the Period 2009-2017 Table 207: Argentinean Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 BRAZIL Table 208: Microcarrier Market in Brazil by Product: Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand for the Period 2018-2025 Table 209: Brazilian Microcarrier Historic Market Scenario in US$ Thousand by Product: 2009-2017 Table 210: Brazilian Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 211: Microcarrier Quantitative Demand Analysis in Brazil in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018-2025 Table 212: Brazilian Microcarrier Historic Market Review in US$ Thousand by Application: 2009-2017 Table 213: Brazilian Microcarrier Market Share Analysis: A 17-Year Perspective by Application for 2009, 2019, and 2025 Table 214: Microcarrier Quantitative Demand Analysis in Brazil in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018-2025 Table 215: Brazilian Microcarrier Historic Market Review in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2009-2017 Table 216: Brazilian Microcarrier Market Share Analysis: A 17-Year Perspective by End-Use for 2009, 2019, and 2025 MEXICO Table 217: Microcarrier Market in Mexico: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 218: Mexican Microcarrier Historic Market Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product: 2009-2017 Table 219: Mexican Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 220: Microcarrier Market in Mexico: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Application for the Period 2018-2025 Table 221: Mexican Microcarrier Market in Retrospect in US$ Thousand by Application: 2009-2017 Table 222: Microcarrier Market Share Distribution in Mexico by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 223: Microcarrier Market in Mexico: Annual Sales Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by End-Use for the Period 2018-2025 Table 224: Mexican Microcarrier Market in Retrospect in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2009-2017 Table 225: Microcarrier Market Share Distribution in Mexico by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 REST OF LATIN AMERICA Table 226: Rest of Latin America Microcarrier Market Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand by Product: 2018 to 2025 Table 227: Microcarrier Market in Rest of Latin America by Product: A Historic Review in US$ Thousand for 2009-2017 Table 228: Rest of Latin America Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 229: Rest of Latin America Microcarrier Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018 to 2025 Table 230: Microcarrier Historic Demand Patterns in Rest of Latin America by Application in US$ Thousand for 2009-2017 Table 231: Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown in Rest of Latin America by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 232: Rest of Latin America Microcarrier Latent Demand Forecasts in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018 to 2025 Table 233: Microcarrier Historic Demand Patterns in Rest of Latin America by End-Use in US$ Thousand for 2009-2017 Table 234: Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown in Rest of Latin America by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 MIDDLE EAST Table 235: The Middle East Microcarrier Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Region/Country: 2018-2025 Table 236: Microcarrier Market in the Middle East by Region/Country in US$ Thousand: 2009-2017 Table 237: The Middle East Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown by Region/Country: 2009, 2019, and 2025 Table 238: The Middle East Microcarrier Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Product: 2018 to 2025 Table 239: The Middle East Microcarrier Historic Market by Product in US$ Thousand: 2009-2017 Table 240: Microcarrier Market in the Middle East: Percentage Share Breakdown of Sales by Product for 2009, 2019, and 2025 Table 241: The Middle East Microcarrier Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018 to 2025 Table 242: Microcarrier Market in the Middle East: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Thousand by Application for 2009-2017 Table 243: The Middle East Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 244: The Middle East Microcarrier Market Quantitative Demand Analysis in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018 to 2025 Table 245: Microcarrier Market in the Middle East: Summarization of Historic Demand Patterns in US$ Thousand by End-Use for 2009-2017 Table 246: The Middle East Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 IRAN Table 247: Iranian Market for Microcarrier: Annual Sales Estimates and Projections in US$ Thousand by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 248: Microcarrier Market in Iran: Historic Sales Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product for the Period 2009-2017 Table 249: Iranian Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 250: Iranian Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Microcarrier in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018 to 2025 Table 251: Iranian Microcarrier Market in US$ Thousand by Application: 2009-2017 Table 252: Microcarrier Market Share Shift in Iran by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 253: Iranian Demand Estimates and Forecasts for Microcarrier in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018 to 2025 Table 254: Iranian Microcarrier Market in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2009-2017 Table 255: Microcarrier Market Share Shift in Iran by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 ISRAEL Table 256: Israeli Microcarrier Market Estimates and Forecasts in US$ Thousand by Product: 2018-2025 Table 257: Microcarrier Market in Israel in US$ Thousand by Product: A Historic Review for the Period 2009-2017 Table 258: Israeli Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 259: Israeli Microcarrier Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018-2025 Table 260: Microcarrier Market in Israel: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Thousand by Application for the Period 2009-2017 Table 261: Israeli Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 262: Israeli Microcarrier Addressable Market Opportunity in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018-2025 Table 263: Microcarrier Market in Israel: Summarization of Historic Demand in US$ Thousand by End-Use for the Period 2009-2017 Table 264: Israeli Microcarrier Market Share Analysis by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 SAUDI ARABIA Table 265: Saudi Arabian Microcarrier Market Growth Prospects in US$ Thousand by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 266: Microcarrier Historic Market Analysis in Saudi Arabia in US$ Thousand by Product: 2009-2017 Table 267: Saudi Arabian Microcarrier Market by Product: Percentage Breakdown of Sales for 2009, 2019, and 2025 Table 268: Saudi Arabian Demand for Microcarrier in US$ Thousand by Application: 2018 to 2025 Table 269: Microcarrier Market Review in Saudi Arabia in US$ Thousand by Application: 2009-2017 Table 270: Saudi Arabian Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 271: Saudi Arabian Demand for Microcarrier in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2018 to 2025 Table 272: Microcarrier Market Review in Saudi Arabia in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2009-2017 Table 273: Saudi Arabian Microcarrier Market Share Breakdown by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Table 274: Microcarrier Market in the United Arab Emirates: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 275: United Arab Emirates Microcarrier Historic Market Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product: 2009-2017 Table 276: Microcarrier Market Share Distribution in United Arab Emirates by Product: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 277: Microcarrier Market in the United Arab Emirates: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Thousand by Application for the Period 2018-2025 Table 278: United Arab Emirates Microcarrier Historic Market Analysis in US$ Thousand by Application: 2009-2017 Table 279: Microcarrier Market Share Distribution in United Arab Emirates by Application: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 Table 280: Microcarrier Market in the United Arab Emirates: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Thousand by End-Use for the Period 2018-2025 Table 281: United Arab Emirates Microcarrier Historic Market Analysis in US$ Thousand by End-Use: 2009-2017 Table 282: Microcarrier Market Share Distribution in United Arab Emirates by End-Use: 2009 VS 2019 VS 2025 REST OF MIDDLE EAST Table 283: Microcarrier Market in Rest of Middle East: Recent Past, Current and Future Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product for the Period 2018-2025 Table 284: Rest of Middle East Microcarrier Historic Market Analysis in US$ Thousand by Product: 2009-2017 Please contact our Customer Support Center to g Read the full report: 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Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 SOURCE Reportlinker Related Links www.reportlinker.com Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-19 01:51:08|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks at a press conference in Ankara, Turkey, on March 18, 2020. Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday announced an economic package of 100 billion Turkish liras (15.4 billion U.S. dollars) as part of the measures to cope with the COVID-19 outbreak. Flexible and remote working models will be encouraged to stem the coronavirus spread, the president added. Erdogan did not declare a lockdown but urged people to stay at home for three weeks. (Photo by Mustafa Kaya/Xinhua) ANKARA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday announced an economic package of 100 billion Turkish liras (15.4 billion U.S. dollars) as part of the measures to cope with the COVID-19 outbreak. The package will be allocated to the private sector, pensioners, elderly people and citizens with low income, he said at a press conference. "With a package, called the Economic Stability Shield, we are deploying a total set of 100 billion liras to reduce the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak," Erdogan noted. Turkey will provide stock finance support to exporters during the temporary slowdown because of the virus, he said. Flexible and remote working models will be encouraged to stem the coronavirus spread, the president added. Erdogan did not declare a lockdown but urged people to stay at home for three weeks. Boeing shares are tumbling. The aerospace giant is down another 18% on Wednesday, piling on monthly losses of more than 60%. The stock is pacing for its worst month ever and sits firmly at the bottom of the Dow. Mark Tepper, president of Strategic Wealth Partners, says it could get worse for the beaten-down name. "No good news at all, and I just really don't think this is a stock where you want to try and call the bottom," Tepper told CNBC's "Trading Nation" on Tuesday. "This is a perfect storm for Boeing. This company is in complete freefall. It could continue to go much lower." Boeing has been hard hit over the past year as it faced the grounding of its 737 Max after two fatal crashes. The company has requested $60 billion in government aid to weather the hardship as the coronavirus crisis deepens. "On top of everything, their asking for a bailout kills investor confidence. So they already have the self-inflicted pain from the 737 Max grounding, you have airlines which either aren't flying, capacity has been cut significantly, or they're near bankruptcy. And then the third thing is their balance sheet, which used to be a fortress, has eroded and now free cash flow is uncertain," said Tepper. "Given all the question marks we have right now in this economy, now is not the time to try and catch falling knives," he said. Ari Wald, head of technical analysis at Oppenheimer, says the charts back up Tepper's bearish case. "The chart we actually shared in December on 'Trading Nation,' where we showed Boeing relative to the S&P 500, at the time we noted this two-year topping pattern," Wald said during the same segment. "Fast forward to today, the update is now it's really just collapsed lower." Boeing has fallen 72% over the past 12 months, far worse than the S&P 500's 15% decline. "This is an important point really for the market broadly. The weak have gotten weaker through the sell-off. The cheapest stocks have been the biggest laggards on the way down," Wald said. "All this is to say that the entire market is trying to find a footing here, but we'd be keen on stocks that rank higher in our relative momentum scores that are from relative strength through the sell-off, and Boeing should be avoided in our work." Narayana Hrudayalaya announced that the step]down subsidiary of the company Health City Cayman Islands has temporarily suspended the operations of its Hospital in Cayman Islands as a precautionary measure in view of COVID]19 outbreak. There was a patient from a cruise ship who was admitted in the hospital for Cardiac Arrest and had a delayed presentation of signs and symptoms of COVID 19, ten days after admission. As per clinical protocol, the Hospital is required to quarantine 50% of the clinical staff, and as an abundant precaution in the larger interest of the people in the Cayman Islands, the Subsidiary has decided to temporarily stop admitting new patients into the hospital. This restriction is initially planned for a period of two weeks. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) (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. The House of Representatives has called for a ban on entry of visitors to the premises of the National Assembly. This was sequel to a motion of urgent national importance moved by Mukhtar Chawai (Kaduna, APC) on Wednesday during plenary. The motion was originally on the need to ban entry into Nigeria from countries badly hit by Coronavirus but was overtaken by events. The House, however, decided to move for amendments of the motion. The federal government on Wednesday morning announced the restrictions of entry into the country for travellers from 13 high-risk Covid-19 countries. The countries are China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, United States of America, Norway, United Kingdom, Netherlands & Switzerland. Each of the countries has over 1,000 cases of the disease, according to the Presidential Task Force on COVID19 which released a statement Wednesday morning. While adopting the amendments, the lawmakers resolved to call for a ban on all open worship and public gatherings in the country in an attempt to curtail the possible spread of coronavirus in the county. While resolving to restrict movement and shut out visitors from accessing the national assembly, the lawmakers resolved that infrared thermometers should be put in place to check staff and members of both chambers. They also agreed that the country should sign an agreement with countries producing test kits and the necessary equipment to manage the virus. COVID-19 Nigeria is one of the six African countries that have reported at least a case of Coronavirus on the continent. Nigeria recorded its first case of Coronavirus on February 27, in an Italian businessman who had flown into the country for business. The man had spent two days within the country and visited Lagos and Ogun state before he fell ill and was diagnosed of COVID-19. The country recorded five new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing to eight the total number of confirmed cases in the country. All five cases have travel histories to the U.K. and the U.S. Of the cases, four were detected from people who flew into the country and one from an American who had entered into the country through the land borders. So far, nobody has died from the disease in Nigeria and one of the initial three cases has completely recovered. The Presbyterian and Methodist churches have suspended services across Northern Ireland because of the coronavirus outbreak. Both organisations said they were forced to move because of the changing situation and on advice from health authorities. They also advised that for funerals and weddings numbers attending are kept to a minimum. Read More Meanwhile, Belfast City Council activated its emergency plan at Roselawn Cemetery. All cremation services are limited to a maximum of 30 people and funeral directors advised that hymn books have been removed from the crematorium chapel and that they should instead advise families to print hymns on an order of service. A council spokeswoman said: "Staff will no longer connect families mobile phones to the music system and only background music will be provided. These temporary health protection measures are effective from today." The Methodist and Presbyterian churches encouraged members to seek out "creative" means of worship. The Rev Sam McGuffin, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland and the Church's General Secretary, the Rev. Dr Heather Morris, said in a statement: "It is with great sadness that we have suspended gatherings for worship in the Methodist Church across Ireland. "Congregations are encouraged to seek creative ways to worship, even if not able to be in one place and to continue to serve those who are most vulnerable in their communities. "We continue to pray for all effected by the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19) particularly for those who are ill and grieving the loss of loved ones, our front-line health care workers, leaders in government and the health service and for business at this time." The Presbyterian Church Moderator William Henry advised funerals should be private if possible with no public announcement made of arrangements. "These are deeply uncertain times, with almost every day bringing challenging news and announcements," he said. "As the Covid-19 pandemic continues daily to grow in severity, we sense fear is also growing. However, God remains sovereign over all things and continues to be at work in the world, often working out His purposes both in us and through us. "We continue therefore to pray that all would know and feel Gods love and close presence at this time and that the Church, scattered throughout our communities, would continue to be salt and light pointing people to the Lord Jesus Christ the hope of world." The moves comes after the the Church of Ireland suspended all services and parish activities until further notice to tackle the coronavirus. The traditional Church of Ireland St Patrick's Day morning sevice in Northern Ireland went ahead yesterday, with the Communion at Saul in Downpatrick taking place in the open air. In a statement, the church advised that "all Sunday and midweek services should be suspended". It too said that the numbers of people attending funerals and weddings should also be kept "as low as possible", with the suggestion that funeral services should be held in private "with no public announcement of the funeral arrangements". While some meetings will still take place among senior "select vestry", the advice given by the Church of Ireland states that those who display any symptoms of the virus - such as a high temperature or a new continuous cough - should not attend, and instead should self-isolate. Those in vulnerable groups have also been advised by the church not to attend any such meetings. In an effort to keep church schedules as normal as possible, the statement also advises that "creative" electronic means of communication and worship should be encouraged in coming weeks. Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Wednesday discussed with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal measures to contain the spread of coronavirus in the national capital. The LG will meet the chief minister and senior officers on Thursday to review the status and take further steps to tackle the emerging coronavirus situation. "Discussed measures to contain Covid-19 outbreak with Hon'ble CM, Delhi Arvind Kejriwal. Deliberated social distancing measures which can be encouraged in government offices, public transport, public places & in general," Baijal tweeted. In another tweeted, he said,"Meeting with Hon'ble CM and senior officers to be held tomorrow to review the status and take further measures." The total number of coronavirus cases in Delhi has risen to 10, which includes one foreign national, the health ministry said on Wednesday. The country has so far reported 151 cases of coronavirus. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) MINNEAPOLIS President Donald Trump on Wednesday moved to invoke a federal law that allows the government to marshal the private sector to deal with the coronavirus epidemic, as the economic damage mounted with word that Detroits Big Three automakers agreed to shut down all their factories to protect workers. On a day of head-spinning developments, stocks tumbled again on Wall Street. More borders slammed shut across Europe and North America, with the U.S. and Canada agreeing to close their shared boundary to all but essential travel. And the Trump administration pressed Congress to swiftly pass a potentially $1 trillion rescue package to prop up the economy and speed relief checks to Americans in a matter of weeks. More than two dozen Senate Democrats have been urging Trump to invoke the Defense Production Act to increase production of needed masks, ventilators and respirators. Use of the law will also help expand hospital capacity to combat the coronavirus. Calling himself a wartime president, Trump said he would sign the Defense Production Act in case we need it" as the government bolsters resources for an expected surge in cases of the virus. With a growing number of Americans thrown out of work by the near-shutdown of much of the U.S. economy, he also said the Housing and Urban Development Department will suspend foreclosures and evictions from public housing through April. Two people briefed on the matter said Wednesday that Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler agreed to close all their factories. The two spoke on condition of anonymity because the closings had not been announced. The move would idle about 150,000 workers, who are likely to receive supplemental pay in addition to unemployment benefits. Meanwhile, across the European continent, desperate travelers choked border crossings after countries began shutting the doors against the coronavirus, which has now infected more than 200,000 people worldwide and killed over 8,000. And the Trump administration was said to be considering a plan to turn back all people who cross into the United States illegally from Mexico. Some bright spots emerged: Wuhan, the central Chinese city where the virus was first detected in late December and which has been under lockdown for weeks, reported just one new case for a second straight day Wednesday. But in a grim illustration of the epidemic's shifting center of gravity, the death toll in Italy moved closer to overtaking China's. Italy had more than 2,500 dead and was averaging about 350 a day; China's toll was just over 3,200. Meanwhile, the United Nations' International Labor Organization estimated that the crisis could cause nearly 25 million job losses and drain up to $3.4 trillion in income by year's end, but that a coordinated global response in the form of fiscal stimulus and other measures could help reduce the toll. In releasing the new global infection figures, Johns Hopkins University said more than 82,000 people have recovered from the virus, which causes only mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough in most cases, though severe illness is more likely in the elderly and those with existing health problems. Still, scientists have no doubt the true number of people infected is higher than the 200,000 reported by health authorities because of the possibility that many mild cases have gone unrecognized or unreported, and because of the lag in large-scale testing in the U.S., where the effort has been marked by bumbling and bureaucratic delay. The U.S. reported more than 6,500 cases and at least 116 deaths, almost half of them in Washington state, where dozens of residents from a suburban Seattle nursing home have died. Across the Continent, European leaders closed borders to nonessential traffic, while leaving many frontiers open to cross-border workers and trucks carrying critical goods like food and medicine. That led to monumental traffic jams. To alleviate some of the pressure from Eastern Europeans stuck in Austria and trying to return home, Hungary opened its borders in phases. Bulgarian citizens were first allowed to cross in carefully controlled convoys, then Romanians had a turn. Serbians were also allowed to pass through. But at one point early on the Austrian side, trucks were backed up for 28 kilometers (17 miles) and cars for 14 kilometers (nearly 9 miles). The traffic jam is slowly starting to dissolve, said Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer. We're trying to manage the traffic situation as best as possible. Thousands of trucks were backed up in Lithuania on roads into Poland. Traffic was similarly jammed along Germany's border with Poland. The European Union said that it was trying to help about 80,000 citizens stuck outside Europe get home, but that it faced huge challenges, including finding flights. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic expressed outrage as his citizens returned, claiming that 40,000 coming from jobs abroad had largely ignored orders to go into isolation at home, putting others in the country at risk. Italy has been the second-hardest hit country with more than 31,000 cases, behind more than 81,000 in China. But Lothar Wieler, head of the Germany's disease control institute, warned that unless social contacts are reduced, his country could have 10 million infected people in two to three months. In Southeast Asia, the causeway between Malaysia and the financial hub of Singapore was eerily quiet after Malaysia shut its borders, while the Philippines backed down on an order giving foreigners 72 hours to leave from a large part of its main island. Taiwan said that it, too, would ban foreigners from entry and citizens would have to quarantine at home for 14 days. Even tourists on Ecuador's Galapagos islands 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) off the South American mainland have been affected. Canadian Jessy Lamontaine and her family were stuck there when flights were suspended. 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. In the U.S., the coronavirus is present in all 50 states after West Virginia reported an infection. In far-flung Hawaii, the governor encouraged travelers to postpone their island vacations, while Nevada ordered its casinos closed. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned that residents should be prepared for the possibility of a shelter-in-place order within days a near-lockdown like the one covering almost 7 million people in the San Francisco Bay area. In the most sweeping measure of its kind in the U.S., they are allowed to leave their homes only for food, medicine or exercise. -- The Associated Press Ten more passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship left quarantine in San Antonio for their home state Tuesday, following 13 others whove already returned home. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday that passengers from Florida, Indiana, Wisconsin and Kentucky left Texas on Sunday to continue quarantine in their home states. A couple left San Antonio on Saturday to return home to Oklahoma. On Tuesday, 10 more passengers from Iowa returned home. In all, 75 evacuees are from Texas a majority of the 125 now at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, with the support of Gov. Greg Abbott, asked federal authorities to relocate those from outside Texas back to their home states as part of an agreement to support the care of Grand Princess passengers. Nirenberg declared a third public health emergency in the city on Monday, prohibiting gatherings of more than 50 people. As he addressed media with Abbott, CDC spokesman Joey Smith said that 135 passengers from the cruise ship remained under federal quarantine at Lackland. Some from other states had opted to remain here for the duration of their quarantine, he said. No new cruise ship evacuees had tested positive on Monday. The virus had been identified in one of the evacuees, a Texan, who arrived several days ago at Lackland, bringing the total number of people sickened to four. Three come from the Diamond Princess, while one was from the Grand Princess. The Grand Princess passenger was transferred from quarantine and placed into isolation with the other three people at the Texas Center for Infectious Disease, which is handling patients from the Lone State State. CDC will send out-of-state evacuees who fall ill with coronavirus from Lackland to one of three San Antonio medical facilities, but Smith said he could not identify them, citing the need to preserve patient privacy. He said the entire number of cases coming from the Grand Princess, which carried a little more than 3,000 passengers and crew, totaled 33 as the week began about 1 percent. More than 60 percent of those people were crew members, he added. Evacuees placed in quarantine were sent to Travis AFB and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, both in California, Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Georgia and Lackland, home of Air Force basic training. The end of quarantine for those arriving March 10 will be March 24, while it ends March 25 for those who came to Lackland on March 12. Smith cautioned that those are the dates when the quarantines expire, not when folks are precisely leaving. When they leave will depend on their individual transportation arrangements, he said, explaining that they will be leaving in a staggered manner over the next several hours as they head for flights out of town or or pick up rental cars. Smith said they would board commercial flights, but did not know what airports they would fly out of while leaving the city. sigc@express-news.net The Houston Humane Society will start offering free pet food this week through a curbside pantry to help families in need during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Beginning Friday, March 20, free pet food will available via curbside delivery at the society's free food pantry located at 14700 Almeda Road, Houston, according to a release. Another brawl has broken out at a supermarket as panic buying grips Australia. Shocking footage showed people kicking and screaming at each other in a vegetable aisle at Spudshed in Jandakot, south of Perth. A worker was seen launching himself over bags of root vegetables to break up the fight as other customers wade in to pull the shoppers apart. Shocking footage showed people kicking and screaming at each other at Spudshed in Jandakot, south of Perth 'Get out of the shop!' one employee can be heard yelling. 'Get out of the shop, mate,' another says, as the two shoppers continue to wrestle. Police were called to diffuse the situation, 9 News reported Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan described the frenzied shoppers as 'jerks, drongos and bloody idiots'. An employee could be seen launching himself over bags of root vegetables to break up the fight Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan described the frenzied shoppers as 'jerks, drongos and bloody idiots' The fight is not the first outbreak of violence in supermarkets, with stockpiling of essential goods such as toilet paper and mince leaving shoppers increasingly frustrated. Some of the ugliest scenes have been Sydney, where two women and a man have been charged in relation to separate alleged brawls. On Tuesday, shocking footage emerged of a shopper in a confrontation with a Coles worker during a heated dispute over toilet paper rationing. The footage showed a female member of staff arguing with the male customer - before he said he would 'smack her face' if she had been a man. Meanwhile, two men were involved in a stoush at a Woolworths in Box Hill, Sydney, on Sunday. The footage show one of the men being led out of the busy store before he quickly turned back and ran towards the other customer Footage show one of the men being led out of the busy store before he quickly turned back and ran towards the other customer. Many people could be heard screaming and yelling amid the chaos. Staff and other shoppers intervened and attempted to separate the pair. 'He hit my dad, I'm going f***ing kill him,' one of the men could be heard shouting. Last week three women were involved fist fight over toilet paper at another Sydney supermarket. The woman were filmed brawling in a Woolworths supermarket in Sydney as they tried to buy toilet paper (pictured) Hysterical screaming broke out as the trio battled in the aisles, with the incident seemingly stemming from a mother and daughter stockpiling toilet paper. But Prime Minister Scott Morrison dispelled rumours at a press conference on Wednesday morning when he bluntly told people to 'stop hoarding' supplies. 'I can't be more blunt about it. Stop it. It's ridiculous. It's un-Australian, and it must stop. It is not sensible and it is not helpful,' Mr Morrison said. 'It has been one of the most disappointing things I have seen in Australian behaviour in response to this crisis. That is not who we are as a people. It is not necessary. 'There is no reason for people to be hoarding supplies in fear of a lockdown or anything like this. It is not something that people should be doing.' Stores across the country have been cleaned out of toilet paper in the last week Australians are sharing the stark reality of buying groceries in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic grips the world Meanwhile, Australia's major supermarket giants have banded together to plead with customers to stop abusing staff as shoppers become frustrated with product shortages and long queues during COVID-19 panic-buying and hoarding. The call made in newspaper advertisements across the country on Wednesday followed a series of incidents of customers verbally attacking retail staff. Aldi, Coles, IGA and Woolworths said they were doing everything they could to get as much produce on the shelves as possible, often under difficult circumstances. 'We ask you to please be considerate in the way you shop,' the ad read. '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. Woolworths, Coles, and Aldi imposed one packet per customer limits on toilet paper and asked the public to show courtesy to staff and other shoppers Australia has had 568 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and six deaths. Globally, the infection has spread to more than 204,000 people and killed at least 8,200 people 'No one working or shopping in any of our stores should experience abusive or aggressive behaviour.' Coles and Woolworths have also implemented a one-pack limit on toilet paper due to shortages. Both supermarkets have now introduced buying limits for basic food items. The panic comes as the coronavirus pandemic threatens to grind the world to a halt. Australia has had 568 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and six deaths. Globally, the infection has spread to more than 204,000 people and killed at least 8,200 people. More than 82,800 people have recovered. The enemy opened fire, employing proscribed 120mm and 82mm mortars, an anti-tank missile system, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms. Russia's hybrid military forces on March 17 mounted 10 attacks on Ukrainian Army positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, with two Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action. "The Russian Federation's armed forces violated the ceasefire 10 times on March 17. Two Ukrainian soldiers were 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 18. The enemy opened fire, employing proscribed 120mm and 82mm mortars, an anti-tank missile system, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms. Read alsoTwo Ukrainian soldiers receive shrapnel wounds amid shelling in Donbas on March 17 Under attack came Ukrainian positions near the villages of Pavlopil, Berezove, Starohnativka, Shyrokyne, Slavne, Novoluhanske, Orikhove, and Novotoshkivske. In addition, the enemy shelled disengagement site No. 3 twice, using an automatic grenade launcher and small arms. The Ukrainian military did not return fire, thus adhering to truce agreements. "Since Wednesday midnight, Russia-led forces have attacked Ukrainian positions once near the town of Maryinka, using a tripod-mounted man-portable antitank gun," the update said. No casualties were reported among Ukrainian troops Wednesday morning. A 29-year-old Romanian national was arrested for allegedly cheating a person by withdrawing money from his bank account in south Delhi's Greater Kailash area, police said on Wednesday. The accused, Claudiu Cosmin Gal, frequently visited Delhi on a business visa and indulged in cyber crime, they said. The victim reported to police after his account was debited. Police analysed the CCTV footage of the ATM from where the alleged transaction was made and learnt about the involvement of a foreign national. The accused was nabbed on March 14 and during questioning, he confessed to committing the crime, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Atul Kumar Thakur said. During interrogation, the accused disclosed that he, along with his associates, used to install skimming device and spy cameras inside unguarded ATMs to get details of debit cards, he said. Later, they withdrew the amount from targeted ATMs, he added. Eight cloned plastic cards, laptops, mobile phones, face masks, head caps, used for hiding their face during commission of the crime were recovered, the DCP said. No previous criminal involvement has been found so far, police said, adding that efforts are being made to nab his associates. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) [March 18, 2020] Molina Healthcare Responds to Coronavirus Pandemic Molina Healthcare ("Molina") today announced that it has temporarily transitioned thousands of its employees to remote status. This is a precaution to prevent potential exposure to coronavirus, which causes COVID-19. The move was enacted in Washington last week and is in effect in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, Ohio, Puerto Rico, Texas, and Utah. Additional state health plan offices will follow this week. "Out of an abundance of caution and to protect the health and wellness of our staff, Molina office-based employees and contractors in various states are temporarily transitioning to remote status," said Larry Anderson, chief human resources officer for Molina Healthcare. Molina and its subsidiary health plans across 14 states and Puerto Rico are working diligently and in alignment with federal, state, and local public health authorities, regulators, and other health systems to ensure no interruption in service or care coordination to Molina's approximately 3.3 million members, and to proactively protect its nearly 10,000 employees nationwide. Molina encourages its members to remain current with their State Department of Health, County Public Health, and CDC guidelines related to COVID-19, and has taken the following steps: Molina is providing virtual urgent care for Marketplace members through its partnership with Teladoc. Members are encouraged to take advantage of this convenient way to receive medical care without leaving their home. For information on how to access this service, members can visit the Teladoc website. Molina is expanding Teladoc to all Molina Medicare and Medicaid members. Molina is continuing to monitor and update all other tele-health services based on Medicaid Agency updates. Molina is reminding members that they can receive free home delivery of prescriptions through any CVS Pharmacy, which is a convenient option for refills or new prescriptions. Members can call their local pharmacy or visit the CVS website. Molina is covering screening tests for COVID-19, including office visits, urgent care, or ER visits associated with testing. Molina is working closely with its executive task force and following guidance from the CDC and multiple departments of health to evaluate and communicate information to members, network providers, employees, and government partners as the situation evolves. About Molina Healthcare Molina Healthcare, Inc., a FORTUNE 500 company, provides managed health care services under the Medicaid and Medicare programs and through the state insurance marketplaces. Through its locally operated health plans, Molina Healthcare served approximately 3.3 million members as of December 31, 2019. For more information about Molina Healthcare, please visit molinahealthcare.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005382/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] SEGUIN, Texas, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Alamo Group Inc. (NYSE: ALG) today announced that it will temporarily close its French operating facilities due to concerns for Alamo's French employees and in response to recent directives issued by the French government outlining strict measures regarding coronavirus (COVID-19) containment. This temporary closure includes the following facilities: Alamo's facility in Daumeray, France , which produces vacuum trucks, high pressure cleaning systems and trenchers under the Rivard brand with its approximately 400 employees; facility in Daumeray, , which produces vacuum trucks, high pressure cleaning systems and trenchers under the Rivard brand with its approximately 400 employees; Alamo's facility in Neuville, France , which produces hedge and grass cutting equipment under the Rousseau and SMA brands with its approximately 150 employees; and facility in Neuville, , which produces hedge and grass cutting equipment under the Rousseau and SMA brands with its approximately 150 employees; and Alamo's facility in Peschadoires, France , which produces replacement parts under the Forges Gorce brand with its approximately 20 employees. The Rivard facility in Daumeray temporarily halted its operations on Tuesday March 17, 2020, while the Neuville and Peschadoires locations will temporarily cease operations beginning on Thursday March 19, 2020. It is currently anticipated that these plant closures will continue for the later of two weeks or until such time as coronavirus impacts are mitigated to an extent which allow for the commencement of full or partial plant operations. Despite these general closures, there are a limited number of personnel on-site at Alamo's French locations and working remotely in order to maintain security and to meet emergency customer needs for spare parts and to handle urgent customer questions. About Alamo Group Alamo Group is a leader in the design, manufacture, distribution and service of high quality equipment for infrastructure maintenance, agriculture and other applications. Our products include truck and tractor mounted mowing and other vegetation maintenance equipment, street sweepers, snow removal equipment, excavators, vacuum trucks, other industrial equipment, agricultural implements, forestry equipment and related after-market parts and services. The Company, founded in 1969, has approximately 4,270 employees and operates 30 plants in North America, Europe, Australia and Brazil as of December 31, 2019. The corporate offices of Alamo Group Inc. are located in Seguin, Texas. Forward Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company's actual results in future periods to differ materially from forecasted results. Among those factors which could cause actual results to differ materially are the following: market demand, competition, weather, seasonality, disease outbreaks such as COVID-19, currency-related issues, and other risk factors listed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update the information contained herein, which speaks only as of this date. SOURCE Alamo Group Inc. Outraged family businesses feel betrayed that George Calombaris' failed firm didn't tell them it was in trouble for years, and now owes them millions. Creditors including dozens of small food suppliers on Tuesday voted to liquidate the 22 companies in the former MasterChef judge's Made Establishment group. The fallen food empire racked up losses of $20.7million in three years, according to a report by administrators KordaMentha. Commonwealth Bank is owed $8.8million and the 400 employees who lost their jobs $1.3million - leaving nothing for anyone else. Outraged family businesses feel betrayed that George Calombaris' failed firm didn't tell them it was in trouble for years, and now owes them millions They met, mostly by proxy, at KordaMentha's office in Rialto Towers Melbourne at 3pm and voted to sell the once-proud group for scrap. 'The amount of money we've lost is excruciating,' Gerry Katiforis, who runs Victorian producer Fresh Generation, told Daily Mail Australia. His 30-year-old family business is the sole fruit and vegetable supplier for all of Made Establishment - every dish in Calombaris' restaurants had something of theirs in it. Mr Katiforis said his company lost $125,000 in the collapse and had to lay off several staff as a result of its ravaged bottom line. 'Our industry has extremely small margins. A bag of cucumbers we might make 11 per cent on, we have to sell a hell of a lot of cucumbers to make this back,' he said. 'So it has a massive impact on a business like ours.' He said another business was owed well over $200,000 and also wouldn't see a cent of it. Gerry Katiforis said his company Fresh Generation lost $125,000 in the collapse and had to lay off several staff as a result of its ravaged bottom line The fallen food empire racked up losses of $20.7 million in three years, according to a report by administrators KordaMentha (pictured is one of the group's restaurants) Mr Katiforis was stunned to find out how badly Made Establishment was bleeding money as it gave the appearance of a thriving business. 'I've known George since he was an apprentice. I'm disappointed to find out now that for the past two-and-a-half years the business wasn't really doing anything at but we were given the impression it was flying high,' he said. 'He launched cutlery and kitchenware and opened new restaurants. It [the health of the business] looks systematically manufactured and contrived.' The final nail in the coffin for Made Establishment was a $2.3million wage underpayment scandal that later blew out to $8million. Mr Katiforis said he and other suppliers had a meeting with Calombaris and his executives when scandal news broke, telling them everything was fine and they would work through it. 'We put our trust in them, on a handshake, and now we're here,' he said. 'They asked us to extend credit again and again when they knew they were already in trouble. That they did that... is not the most honest and fair practice.' Losing so much cash to Made Establishment's collapse hurt even more as it was followed by losses from the cancellation of the Australian Grand Prix and Melbourne Fashion Week over coronavirus. He gave the food to the Foodbank as he couldn't sell it. Lizette Snaith of Warialda Belted Galloways Beef said the government needed to do more to protect small suppliers. 'If the government wants small family-run agricultural businesses to keep on producing food, they need to come up with a way to help protect us,' she told Gourmet Traveller. 'It feels as if the Made group knew this was on the cards and took small businesses, suppliers and people along for the ride.' Commonwealth Bank, as a secured creditor, will get paid first from the carcass of the liquidated company, but only 12 per cent of what it is owed. Employees got their outstanding leave and wages paid, and can access the Commonwealth Government Fair Entitlements Guarantee for owed redundancies. KordaMentha partner Craig Shepard told creditors on Tuesday the business was insolvent and should be liquidated. 'In our view, the winding up of all companies in the group is the most viable option for creditors in that the liquidators will be in a position to wind up the affairs of the group and realise the group's remaining assets for the value of creditors,' he said. 'It is our opinion that it would be in the creditors' interests for each company in the group to be placed in liquidation.' The Jimmy Grants venues in Melbourne (pictured) have since been sold, after MAdE Establishment went into administration Administrators managed to sell five of Calombaris' 12 restaurants but had given up on offloading the rest and would likely just close them. Made Establishment finally went into administration on February 10, which led to its financial nosedived being revealed. Bosses desperately tried to prop up the business with a dizzying series of intercompany loans - which allow businesses to shift cash around in case of a shortfall. According to the report, the company tried to expand in Sydney with the addition of three new Jimmy Grants restaurants across the city in 2017. The venture resulted in failure, with the restaurants losing $2.3million over two years before shutting down. KordaMentha said it has since sold Jimmy Grants in Fitzroy and Hellenic Republic Brunswick, and is finalising the sale of Hellenic Republic Brighton, Hellenic Republic Kew and Jimmy Grants Emporium. For most of the company's other establishments - the Hellenic Hotel in Williamstown and Jimmy Grants in Ormond, Richmond and St Kilda - its assets on site will be sold off in an online auction conducted by Hymans. Post-liquidation, KordaMentha doesn't expect the group to have the $1.34million it estimates it owes employees, including $368,336 in unpaid annual leave and $900,496 in termination entitlements. Calombaris (pictured, centre) was a judge and host on the hit Network Ten show MasterChef from 2009 until 2019 Calombaris' empire was hit by scandal in July 2019, when it emerged it had underpaid staff to the tune of $7.8million. Less than two years later, the business went into voluntary administration, marking the immediate closure of its 12 venues - with up to 400 staff set to lose their jobs. The business had a complex web of debts to more than 200 small creditors, which included food suppliers and tradesmen. The TV star's business partner, millionaire Radek Sali, claims to be owed $13.7m. The Melbourne-based restaurant empire, founded by Calombaris, included the Press Club, Gazi and Hellenic Republic. Former MasterChef host Calombaris said he was 'devastated' by the decision, which was made on February 10. 'It is with deep sadness and regret that today MAdE Establishment has been placed into voluntary administration,' he wrote on social media. 'To all my team, I truly regret it has come to this. On a personal note, the last few months have been the most challenging I have ever faced. 'At this time, while personally devastated, I remain thankful to my family, friends, the MAdE team, our loyal and regular customers. 'I am so sorry all our collective efforts have not provided to be enough. I'm gutted that it's come to this.' FILE PHOTO: A Bank of Montreal logo is seen outside of a branch in Ottawa (Reuters) - Canada's six largest banks will temporarily limit operating hours and close some branches as part of measures to support social distancing and curb the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the Canadian Bankers Association said on Tuesday. Many services will continue to be available through automated banking machines, mobile apps, websites and telephone banking, the industry group said https://cba.ca/banks-in-canada-coordinate-health-response-for-covid-19 on Tuesday. Bank of Montreal will close 134 branches, representing 15% of its total in Canada, over the coming days, a spokesman said on Tuesday. Late on Monday, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce said that, beginning Wednesday, it will close about 206 banking centers that don't offer over-the-counter cash and banking services. [nFWN2B91Z3] Both banks will also adjust the operating hours of their branches, they said. CIBC said many employees in non-client facing roles were working from home starting this week, and the bank is donating C$100,000 to the World Health Organization and C$650,000 to Canadian charities, it said. The banks will maintain critical services for customers and special care will be given to branches in rural communities, the CBA said. The move comes on a day when Ontario, Canada's most populous province, has banned gatherings of more than 50 people and ordered the closure of bars and restaurants in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus. [nL1N2BA0H4] As of Monday, the death toll in Canada had risen to four and the number of infected jumped to 407 from 341. (Reporting by Noor Zainab Hussain and Bharath Manjesh in Bengaluru, Nichola Saminather in Toronto; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Bernadette Baum) New high purity resin advances bioprocessing and brings choice and efficiencies to mAbs production workflow processes and protocols Monoclonal antibody drugs treat a wide variety of clinical indications - for cancer treatments, mAbs enlist natural immune system functions to fight the disease RADNOR, Pennsylvania, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Avantor, Inc. (NYSE: AVTR), a leading global provider of mission-critical products and services to customers in the life sciences, advanced technologies and applied materials industries, today announced a new recombinant Protein A affinity chromatography resin used to purify antibodies during mAbs production. Healthcare demand is increasing rapidly across most of the world, driven principally by aging populations, an increased prevalence of chronic diseases and improved access to healthcare. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are proteins engineered to mimic or enhance the body's immune system. Biopharmaceutical manufacturers are pursuing ways to optimize the mAbs production process for increased efficiency, speed-to-market and cost reduction. Protein A chromatography is a proven downstream purification step in manufacturing mAbs. Yet, there remains a need to reduce the total purification costs while improving purity and yield. The new Avantor recombinant protein A resin addresses these challenges. Dr. Ger Brophy, Executive Vice President for Biopharma Production at Avantor, said, "Biopharmaceutical developers and manufacturers are urgently seeking new tools to drive more efficiency in their production processes. But they cannot compromise on quality standards as they work to provide powerful medicines to patients in a timely, safe and efficient manner." In performance tests conducted against other best-in-class Protein A resins on the market today, Avantor's novel J.T.Baker BAKERBOND PROchievA recombinant protein A resin demonstrated high performance and provided best-in-class purification in the critical Protein A affinity chromatography step of mAbs manufacturing. Avantor's resin is compatible with current manufacturing standards which ensures continuity in workflow processes and compliance protocols. "Our resin provides customers with a best-in-class, high-performing alternative to existing purification technology, with the benefit of greater supply chain flexibility and security," added Dr. Brophy. The BAKERBOND PROchievA resin is manufactured at Avantor's Bridgewater Innovation Center in N.J., USA and is the company's latest example of driving improved bioprocessing efficiencies for the Life Sciences industry. Avantor recently teamed up with the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) in Dublin, Ireland to address downstream bottlenecks in buffer preparation when producing mAbs. More recently Avantor opened its ninth Innovation and Customer Support Center, which is located in Shanghai, China. The new resin enhances Avantor's J.T.Baker family of products for biopharmaceutical research and production. Avantor's J.T.Baker brand chromatography products allow biopharma manufacturers to realize higher production efficiencies, meet stringent regulatory requirements and accelerate regulatory approval in bringing new therapies to market. For more information about the BAKERBOND PROchievA resin and other J.T.Baker chromatography products, visit www2.avantorsciences.com/ProteinA. For information about Avantor's biopharma capabilities in monoclonal antibodies, recombinant proteins, vaccines, cell and gene therapies and small molecule products, visit www.avantorsciences.com/en/biopharma.html. About Avantor Avantor is a leading global provider of mission-critical products and services to customers in the life sciences, advanced technologies and applied materials industries. The company operates in more than 30 countries and delivers an extensive portfolio of products and services. As our channel brand, VWR offers an integrated, seamless purchasing experience that is optimized for the way our customers do business. We set science in motion to create a better world. For information, visit www.avantorsciences.com. Global Media Contact Robert Donohoe Senior Director, Corporate Communications Avantor Office: 610-386-6420 Mobile: 484-688-4730 Robert.Donohoe@avantorsciences.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1122321/Avantor_Protein_A_PROchievA.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/718849/avantor_Logo.jpg [March 18, 2020] Simplicity Esports and Gaming Company Announces Investment by Triton Funds, the Largest Student-Run Fund in the U.S. Boca Raton, Florida, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Simplicity Esports and Gaming Company (OTCQB: WINR) (Simplicity Esports), an established brand within the esports industry, owner and manager of multiple esports teams, including Flamengo Esports, and an operator of Esports Gaming Centers, announced today that it has secured a $500,000 investment from TRITON FUNDS (Triton). The funds from the Triton investment will serve as working capital to support the achievement of Simplicity Esports previously stated goals of owning a team in a franchised game, broadening its offering of competitive events, including play-at-home online tournaments, and being cash flow positive. Jed Kaplan, CEO of Simplicity Esports, commented, Simplicity Esports continues to move closer to our goal of owning a team in a franchised game, as our Brazilian League of Legends team, Flamengo Esports, excels in the highest level of competition in Brazil. Riots announcement of franchising in Brazil validates our business plan of fielding a winning team and laying the operational foundation for owning a franchise spot in CBLoL in 2021. As part of the operational foundation, we have begun generating revenue by selling corporate sponsorships to companies that desire to reach our vast audience of Flamengo Esports and Simplicity Esports fans. Its great to have an investment partner that understands the millennial mindset as deeply as Triton. The investment from Triton will provide us the working capital needed to fully execute our growth strategy. In the current market environment, this will also provide the capital needed to broaden our offering of play-at-home online tournaments. Our play-at-home tournaments will allow us to continue to grow and engage with our customer base from the privacy of their homes. Ashkan Mapar, Principal of Triton, commented, With a great manaement team leading the companys expansion throughout the esports and gaming industry, Triton is excited to back Simplicity Esports growth as both an institutional investor and strategic partner. We look forward to potentially introducing Simplicity Esports to the collegiate esports leagues in California, beginning with UCSD, and providing the capital needed to take them to the next level. About Triton Funds, LLC TRITON FUNDS LLC is the largest student-run fund manager in the USA. Founded by undergraduates from the University of California, San Diego, TRITON FUNDS provides students the invaluable opportunity to gain real-world experience investing alongside experienced financial professionals. It invests in high performing teams with revolutionary aspirations to grow their company into industry leaders. TRITON FUNDS creates an ecosystem that assists talented entrepreneurs in successfully growing their ideas and maintaining strong community ethical standards. It provides strategic capitalization, business development support, and engineered exits to organizations that have a viable future in the modern economy. More information can be found at www.tritonfunds.com . About Simplicity Esports and Gaming Company: Simplicity Esports and Gaming Company (WINR) is an established brand within the esports industry, competing and streaming in popular games across different genres, including Apex Legends, PUBG, Overwatch, League of Legends, Smite, and various EA Sports titles. Additionally, Simplicity Esports operates Esports Gaming Centers that provide the public an opportunity to experience and enjoy gaming and esports in a social setting, regardless of skill or experience. Apex Legends, PUBG, Overwatch, League of Legends, Smite and EA Sports are registered trademarks of their respective owners. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond Simplicity Esports control, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of Simplicity Esports Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on August 29, 2019, as amended or updated from time to time. Copies are available on the SECs website at www.sec.gov. Simplicity Esports undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law. Simplicity Esports Contact: Roman Franklin President [email protected] 561-819-8586 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Under normal operations, the Cairns ICU facility can become so overloaded that ICU patients are occasionally transferred to Townsville Hospital's ICU, with just 5% of ICU patients considered "planned admissions". A large percentage arrive in ICU from the Emergency Department, with a patient mix ranging from critical influenza cases to car crash victims, along with tropical infectious diseases and even the occasional near-fatal snake bite. Patients from Papua New Guinea, the Torres Strait, Cape York are treated in the ICU, along with residents from Cairns, the Tablelands and other towns in Far North Queensland. The hospital's preparations to treat coronavirus patients includes how staff will 'juggle' the range of other non-coronavirus patients requiring ICU treatment. 'WE COPE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO COPE' In January this year, speaking before the coronavirus pandemic, Cairns Hospital's ICU director Dr Drew Wenck told News Corp that influenza was "by far" the biggest contributor to high patient numbers in 2018-19: A typical stay in ICU is around two days depending on how sick they are, but the longest can be up to two weeks," Dr Wenck said. At the end of the day, we cope because we have to cope. Theres no other intensive care unit in the city. Its just us. Gone are the days of someone coming into the hospital overnight for a tune-up. "Youve got to be really sick to get into hospital these days and then we discharge you as quick as we can to make room for the next patient." 700 PATIENTS MAY REQUIRE ICU TREATMENT If Queensland Health modelling proves correct, up to 14,000 people in Far North Queensland will require assistance of some kind from the health system over the next six months. An estimated 5% of those 14,000 people may require intensive care treatment - about 700 people on top of the 1000+ patients who require ICU treatment in any given year. LISTEN TO ADVICE FROM HEALTH PROFESSIONALS Pharmacy Guild Queensland President and Alive Pharmacy chain co-owner Trent Twomey told Tropic Now that people need to remain calm and follow the advice of health professionals and authorities. Mr Twomey said anyone experiencing non-emergency symptoms similar to the common cold must not leave their homes to seek assistance, and instead call their local pharmacy, GP or hospital for advice and help first. "People need to be reminded that COVID-19 is a variant of the common cold - it's not a variant of influenza, which means 80% of people who contract coronavirus will experience mild and moderate symptoms," he said. "If you are sick enough to need medical intervention, do not leave your home - instead you need to call for help and ask for further directions and assistance." Drivers faced daylong waits to cross European borders that nations raced to close on Wednesday, years after proudly throwing them open. Britain closed schools to millions of children amid talk of shutting down London. And Germanys stoic leader made an unusually personal appeal for unity and purpose in the face of crisis. Across an increasingly locked-down Europe, people and their governments struggled to adjust to the grim, immobilized life wrought by the new coronavirus epidemic, their every adjustment seemingly a step behind the worsening reality. The continent passed a bleak milestone that few envisioned last month, when the virus was ravaging China but had barely touched the West: As of Wednesday, by official government counts, it had infected and killed more people in Europe more than 82,000 cases and more than 3,400 dead than in China. And as China slows the rate of new infections to almost zero, in Europe, now at the heart of the global outbreak, the virus is spreading faster than ever. Less than two months after the European Union sent relief supplies to China, the bloc announced that it was receiving badly needed masks and virus testing kits from China. I will not use this moment this moment to supersede my constitutional authority. I will not. There are people out there who want to say, Oh its a crisis, bend the rules and overstep your authority,' Pritzker said during his daily televised coronavirus briefing at the Thompson Center in the Loop. "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. [March 18, 2020] Denodo Continues Exceptional Growth Trajectory Evidenced by Strong Year-End Momentum Denodo, the leader in data virtualization, today announced that its impressive worldwide growth continued in 2019 as evidenced by a 50 percent increase in year-over-year revenue. New customer acquisition, aided by Amazon, Azure and Google (News - Alert) Marketplaces, played a key role as subscription and expansion among existing global customers contributed to the 52 percent surge over the previous year. Interest in the award-winning Denodo Platform expanded globally with customers from around the world factoring into Denodo's (News - Alert) profitability. In particular, revenue from the APAC region grew 275 percent and now makes up more than 10 percent of the Company's total revenue. Employee headcount expanded 30 percent to support this worldwide growth. The data virtualization provider also extended its worldwide footprint by opening offices in China, Mexico, and Canada bringing the total number of worldwide offices to 19. Strategic technology and consulting alliances also intensified as marked by a 56 percent increase in new partner agreements signed and significant expansion of current partnerships, bringing a 192 percent increase in revenue from this important partner channel. During this period, Denodo added advanced capabilities to its Denodo Platform so companies could simply and quickly deliver data science, cloud migration, and logical data lake projects. With advances across performance, cloud, and data catalog capabilities, Denodo 7 addresses the mounting data volumes from diverse data sources accelerating digital transformation projects. New customers from virtually every industry and geography joined the Company's already impressive roster and include leading brands such as PetSmart, University of Rochester Medical Center, UBS, The Bank of New York Mellon, and Walmart de Mexico y Centroamerica. Denodo was recognized in the Gartner (News - Alert) Peer Insights "Voice of the Customer": Data Integration Tools, 4 December, 2019 as the only data integration product that was recommended by 100 percent of the reviewers. With an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5, Denodo received the second highest ranking of the fifteen eligible vendors for Evaluation and Contracting. Further, Denodo was recognized for the second consecutive year as a Challenger in the 2019 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Data Integration Tools, representing the growing importance of Data Virtualization in the broader data integration market. The Company was also named the best data virtualization solution in Database Trends and Applications 2019 Readers' Choice Awards 2019. "Our goal has always been to help our worldwide customers provide order to the complexity of data management and take it to the next level," said Angel Vina, founder and CEO of Denodo. "The remarkable growth we achieved in 2019, demonstrated by the numerous industry analyst accolades and new customers who are leveraging Denodo to keep up with the changing data landscape, is a testament to how we are improving the bottom-line. This year we look forward to adding even more capabilities, including greater support for artificial intelligence and machine learning, to support these evolving trends and grow our already impressive global presence and partner network." Please Tweet: News: #datavirtualization leader @denodo announces double-digit revenue growth and significant #cloud adoption @awscloud @gcpcloud @azure https://buff.ly/2Ujx48x About Denodo Denodo is the leader in data virtualization providing agile, high performance data integration, data abstraction, and real-time data services across the broadest range of enterprise, cloud, big data, and unstructured data sources at half the cost of traditional approaches. Denodo's customers across every major industry have gained significant business agility and ROI by enabling faster and easier access to unified business information for agile BI, big data analytics, Web, cloud integration, single-view applications, and enterprise data services. Denodo is well-funded, profitable, and privately held. For more information, visit http://www.denodo.com or call +1 877 556 2531 / +44 (0) 20 7869 8053. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005227/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. As the coronavirus continues to spread, businesses all over the country are shutting down and laying off employees. That has many Americans worrying about how they'll survive financially. A recent survey from WalletHub found that 67 million Americans anticipate they will have trouble paying their bills because of the coronavirus pandemic. Help for financially strapped Americans may be on the way. The White House has announced plans to provide relief to businesses, as well as individual households, including issuing direct payments to taxpayers. The Senate just passed a bill, which the president is expected to sign, that would expand unemployment benefits, and provide food and medical aid, among other measures. Still, federal assistance may take time to arrive. The worry for many consumers is how to manage financially now and in weeks ahead. Many are working at home, if they have jobs at all, while trying to take care of kids or disabled family members. "It's stressful at the best of times to find ways to save, manage bills, or negotiate with creditors, and it's even more difficult now," says Marguerita Cheng, a certified financial planner in Gaithersburg, Md. Fortunately, you do have options. Weve come up with several steps you can take now to get control of your money. Paying Your Bills If you've recently been laid off, or if you're worried that you may lose your job soon, it's essential to act now to protect your finances. Follow these guidelines: File for Unemployment The coronavirus pandemic has forced offices, factories, retailers and other business to shut down and cut back workers. In a recent NPR/Marist poll, 18 percent of households reported someone being laid off or having reduced hours. If youre hit by a job loss, find out right away if you qualify for unemployment insurance, says Ryan Marshall, a certified financial planner in Wyckoff, N.J. Story continues Be aware that states have different rules governing eligibility for unemployment insurance, based on how much you earned, how long you worked, and other requirements. Generally, if you have W-2 income, you are more likely to qualify, while gig workers typically do not. Check your states unemployment office for details. Bear in mind, unemployment checks are generally less than half of your previous earnings, and they typically last for four to six months (PDF). Negotiate With Your Creditors If you find youre unable to pay your monthly billsthose credit card balances, mortgage payments, and the likestart exploring ways to ease the burden. If you owe credit card debt, for example, one option may be to take advantage of a balance transfer card, which will let you pay zero interest on the amount you transfer for a year or more. Bear in mind, you will need a good credit rating to qualify, and you should abe able to pay down the balance before the zero rate expires. But if you are too far behind, its time to negotiate. Pick up the phone and call, or chat or email and let the creditor know you're struggling a bit financially, says Justin Pritchard, a certified financial planner in Montrose, Colo. Ask what options or payment plans they have, or if they are willing to defer payment. There a good chance the creditor will be accommodating, since the financial crunch is widespread right now, says McBride. Ally Bank, for one, is deferring payments for auto and mortgage customers for up to 120 days. And other banks are making similar accomodationsbut you have to ask. Look for Relief Programs Some states, such as New York, are already putting policies in place to suspend some types of student loan and medical debt, as well as prevent utility shut-offs. California is halting evictions. The Federal Communications Commission is also asking carriers to refrain from telecom cutoffs. Check your local news for announcements. For those with student loans, the White House has said it is waiving interest on federal student loans until further notice. The change will not affect your payment amount, and that money will go toward paying down your principal. Further details about the move have yet be released. Still, federal student loans already have payment options that could help. You can get assistance in sorting through these programs from The Institute of Student Loan Advisors, a nonprofit that provides free one-on-one counseling for student borrowers. Taxpayers will also get a bit of leeway. The White House has announced that the IRS will postpone the April 15 tax-payment deadline, giving Americans an additional 90 days to pay their 2019 income tax bills. Still, the IRS has not posted details about the change. If you are expecting a refund, meanwhile, file as soon as you can, says Marshall. Cutting Your Expenses You can free up more cash for your bills, as well as boost your emergency fund, by trimming your spending. Start by scrutinizing your budget to identify places where you can cut back right away, as well as make more sizeable reductions later, if it becomes necessary, says Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate.com. These tips can help: Cancel Memberships. Most households today subscribe to a variety of serviceseverything from streaming channels to gyms to meals-in-a-box. But some of these services you may not use, and you may even forget that you are paying for them. So review your credit card statements and cancel those services, says Cheng. Cut Down on Takeout. For those who are working at home, you have a budget advantageyou have fewer bills for commuting, and dry cleaning, and restaurant meals. Still, you want to avoid spending all that freed-up money on stay-at-home indulgences, such as ordering takeout, online shopping, or buying video games. "You want to strike a balance," says Cheng. "On the one hand, you may be stressed, and you want to keep the kids happy, but you want to be conscious of how much you're putting in your shopping cart." Focus on Low-Cost Family Time. Probably one of the most healthy and economical options right now is is to get outside, says Marshall, as long as social distance rules are observed. Those with families might enlist the kids in gardening projects or games in the yard. And even in the era of coronovirus, taking walks is still recommended. That way, both you and your wallet can stay in good shape. More from Consumer Reports: Top pick tires for 2016 Best used cars for $25,000 and less 7 best mattresses for couples Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright 2020, Consumer Reports, Inc. North Koreans walk before statues of former presidents Kim Il-Sung (L) and Kim Jong-Il (R) at the Mansudae Grand Monument on New Year's Day in Pyongyang on January 1, 2017. North Korea is preparing for a nationwide birthday celebration for the countrys late founder Kim Il Sung on April 15 by producing large amounts of candy for children despite rising food prices and the ongoing coronavirus crisis, sources in the country say. The birthday of Kim Il Sung (1912-1994), known as the Day of the Sun, and that of his son and successor Kim Jong Il (1942-2011) on February 16, known as the Day of the Shining Star, solidify the cult of personality surrounding the Kim family and the countrys third-generation leader, Kim Jong Un. The preparations seem out of place considering that North Korea scaled down celebrations for the Day of the Shining Star due to the ongoing epidemic. RFA reported in late February that two major events falling on that day had been canceled, disappointing many of the athletes and artists that were looking forward to participating in those events. North Korea has yet to report a single confirmed case of COVID-19 within its borders, but experts believe it is unlikely the virus is not there yet given the excessive measures the government is taking to prevent its spread, including the quarantine of entire counties and the establishment of an isolation center in a large Pyongyang hotel. But the coronavirus is not stopping preparations for the founders birthday even as the epidemic rages on, and food prices skyrocket in the isolated country. These days, food factories in Chongjin have started to make candies for the Day of the Sun, a resident of North Hamgyong province told RFAs Korean Service Sunday. [The factories] didnt have orders to produce anything due to the coronavirus crisis, but as the Day of the Sun is just one month away, the order was given, the source said. The source pointed out that many are complaining that the government is focusing on candy production at a time when food is harder to come by. Due to the coronavirus, we are running out of food and prices in the local markets are rising. Perhaps it is because of the candy order that we dont see sugar and flour sellers around much, the source said. People are complaining that even the flour thats usually for sale in the local market might be going to candy factories, said the source. The source said that candy production did however begin later than usual this year. I thought there was going to be no candy gifts [for the kids] this year because there hadnt been a production order due to the coronavirus, said the source. The source said that the peoples worries about staples being diverted are valid because the candy companies have the same supply chain as food producers. No matter how important the candies are, people complain about the governments decision to mobilize food producers [for candy] without thinking about all the people in need, said the source. Another source, also a resident of North Hamgyong, confirmed to RFA Monday that candy production is in full swing. The authorities banned group activities to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but they are pushing employees at the factory every day, saying they must provide candies to children for Kim Il Sungs birthday, the second source said. According to the second source, people think the candy that was produced for the Day of the Shining Star in February was a waste of resources. [It] was sold at bargain prices in the local markets because it was of poor quality and it tasted awful, the second source said. Some residents are criticizing the Central Committee [of the Korean Workers Party], saying they should focus more on their quarantine efforts instead of focusing on candies for the holidays, the second source added. The effect of diverting raw materials to the production of candy is an increase in food price. Residents here say they dont understand why the government is allowing food prices to rise because of the preparations for the Day of the Sun, especially since they declared a state emergency due to the coronavirus and they have not lifted it yet, said the second source. Despite the lingering danger of becoming infected, the government is preparing their political events without paying attention to our lives. People are rightfully venting their resentment. Reported by Jieun Kim for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong. OTTAWA, March 18, 2020 /CNW/ - As many Canadians continue to return home from international travel, the Canadian Medical Association wants to reinforce that everyone needs to take public health measures around COVID-19 seriously. Here are some key reminders: If you have traveled over the past few weeks, self-isolate for 14 days. Do not have close contact with visitors, especially older adults or those with medical conditions, who are at higher risk of developing serious illness; Monitor your health for fever, cough and difficulty breathing and stay self-isolated if you develop symptoms; Reduce the spread by washing your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds and avoiding touching your face; Cover your mouth and nose with your arm when coughing or sneezing. If using a tissue, discard immediately and wash hands; Avoid social gatherings. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. "We know we are living through extraordinary times and it can feel overwhelming for many of us," says CMA President Dr. Sandy Buchman. "We are following the growing evidence and learning lessons from other countries that we must apply as quickly as possible to ensure Canada's response is as effective as it can be." The medical community has come together to combat this pandemic. Health workers across the country are united in curbing the spread, caring for those affected, and equally important taking care of health care workers on the front lines. Since 1867, the Canadian Medical Association has been the national voice of Canada's medical profession. We work with physicians, residents and medical students on issues that matter to the profession and the health of Canadians. We advocate for policy and programs that drive meaningful change for physicians and their patients. SOURCE Canadian Medical Association For further information: or to conduct interviews, please contact: Eric Collard, Manager, Media Relations, 613-277-1088, [email protected] Pressure has mounted on Silicon Valley to use their expertise to fight the deadly virus, after roughly 50 scientists signed an open letter last week calling on them to act San Francisco: Facebook and Google are in talks with Washington over potentially using individuals' personal data to track and combat the coronavirus outbreak, US media reported. The project would involve collecting location information from Americans' smartphones and using it anonymously to map the spread of the disease and predict urgent medical needs, for example. In a statement to the Washington Post, Google spokesman Johnny Luu confirmed they were "exploring ways that aggregated anonymized location information could help in the fight against COVID-19." The two tech giants did not respond to AFP requests for comment. The use of personal data in the US is highly sensitive after several scandals -- such as in 2011 when the National Security Agency was found to be collecting phone records without permission. But pressure has mounted on Silicon Valley to use their expertise to fight the deadly virus, after roughly 50 scientists signed an open letter last week calling on them to act. "It is clear that large-scale efforts by technology platforms could tip the scales on the right side to contain the pandemic and save thousands if not millions of lives," the doctors, epidemiologists and researchers wrote. Privacy concerns are also being flagged about the website that Google parent Alphabets life sciences arm Verily is developing, where you can check whether you have coronavirus symptoms and where you can get tested. Google said only those who have Google accounts can use the platform as a health resource, and was criticised for using a public health crisis such as the coronavirus outbreak to gather health data on users. The open letter by doctors and scientists also made other suggestions. They recommended social networks broadcast educational videos, Uber distribute disinfectant products to its drivers, and Amazon limit the number of masks and hydro-alcoholic gels that can be sold per person. As for Apple and Google, "they should integrate into the operating system of the phones a tracking tool, which users could choose to activate, anonymously, to find out if they have been in the presence of identified cases." People could quarantine themselves if necessary and monitor the appearance of any symptoms. "In the longer term, such a system would better contain other future epidemics," they added. "Tracking contacts between people has worked well in China and South Korea, and such a tool would make this method usable everywhere, on a large scale." Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Germany faces a challenge not seen since War II and is in need of the population acting in solidarity, Chancellor Angela Merkel said in an unprecedented televised address as the number of coronavirus infection cases in the country shot past 10,000. "Since German unification, no, since War II, there has been no greater challenge to our country that depends so much on us acting together in solidarity," Merkel said, according to a text released ahead of the transmission of her speech. In a first such national address to the entire country in her 15 years in office, Merkel appealed for understanding of the strict measures imposed by the federal and local governments. Merkel also called on the citizens not to panic-buy as the supply of goods will remain intact across the European bloc. Germany, Europe's largest population and economy, has yet to go into lockdown like Italy or Spain despite having the third highest count of coronavirus cases. Schools, public places, restaurants and most businesses have been forced to shut in tandem with most nations precautionary measures. The Health Organization last week declared Europe as the epicentre of the pandemic as cases worldwide exceeded those in China, where the virus originated. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British backpacker Grace Millane's murderer has begun the process of appealing against his conviction and 17-year prison sentence, his barrister said. Auckland-based Rachael Reed QC told the PA news agency: 'I can confirm that I act for him and an appeal against conviction and sentence has been filed' in the New Zealand Court of Appeal. The man was found guilty of strangling Grace Millane to death and sentenced him to at least 17 years in jail last month. British backpacker Grace Millane's (pictured) murderer has begun the process of appealing against his conviction and his prison sentence, his barrister said Auckland defence lawyer, Ian Brookie departs the High Court in Auckland on February 21 after his 28-year-old client was found guilty. Lawyers Brookie and Ron Mansfield led the defence of the 28-year-old, who cannot be named due to a suppression order, during his trial Parents of murdered British backpacker Grace Millane, Dave and Gillian speak to the media outside the High Court, in Auckland, New Zealand last November Lawyers Ian Brookie and Ron Mansfield led the defence of the 28-year-old, who cannot be named due to a suppression order, during his trial. He was convicted of murdering Ms Millane by strangling her in a hotel in Auckland after meeting her via Tinder on December 1, 2018 the day before her 22nd birthday. Ms Millane's body was later found in a suitcase buried in a forested area outside the city. The man claimed Ms Millane died accidentally after the pair engaged in rough sex that went too far. He was convicted of murdering Ms Millane (pictured, left and right) by strangling her in a hotel in Auckland after meeting her via Tinder on December 1, 2018 the day before her 22nd birthday Grace Millane inside a hotel lift with her murderer in the hours before her death on December 1, 2018 A jury in November rejected that argument and found the man guilty. Murder typically comes with a life sentence in New Zealand. Prosecutors successfully argued that the man must serve 17 years before becoming eligible for parole. Mr Brookie and Mr Mansfield had asked for their then-client to serve 12 years, later indicating he would appeal. Detective Inspector Scott Beard addresses media outside the High Court in Auckland on February 21. Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Beard of Auckland City Police said the death was 'senseless and needless' In sentencing, Justice Simon Moore told the murderer his actions amounted to 'conduct that underscores a lack of empathy and sense of self-entitlement and objectification'. Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Inspector Scott Beard of Auckland City Police said the death was 'senseless and needless'. The 'rough sex' defense used during the trial sparked outrage among women's rights activists, who have called for men in murder trials to be banned from using it. British campaign group We Can't Consent to This said men avoided murder charges in a third of 60 cases where they claimed their victim had died accidentally during violent but consensual sex. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram On March 13, 2020, police in the Venezuelan city of Los Teques arrested Jesus Enrique Torres and Jesus Manuel Castillo, hosts of a news program on local privately owned radio broadcaster La Cima, after they posted a video to Facebook, where they sometimes publish their reporting, about alleged coronavirus cases at a local hospital, according to news reports. In Torres and Castillos video, which has been taken down from Facebook but was republished by local press freedom group Espacio Publico, the journalists said that one patient ill with the coronavirus had arrived at the main public hospital in Los Teques and that a second patient was about to be admitted. The video was published the same day as the first two cases of the coronavirus were identified in Venezuela. However, the video inaccurately stated that those patients were being transferred to the Los Teques hospital, while they were not actually being transferred there, according to Espacio Publico and Daniel Murolo, a representative of the Venezuelan National Press Workers Union, an independent trade group, who spoke to CPJ in a phone interview. Hospital authorities denied the report, and police detained Castillo and Torres later that day, Murolo told CPJ. He said that the police also ordered the journalists to make a second video, also republished by Espacio Publico, in which they apologized for their faulty reporting. Castillo and Torres appeared before a judge in Los Teques on March 15, when they were charged with crimes against the state and released, according to Carlos Torres, the father of Jesus Torres, who spoke to Espacio Publico but did not cite any specific laws the journalists were alleged to have broken. The journalists are required to register their whereabouts with authorities once a week as their legal case proceeds, Murolo said. Article 297-A of Venezuelas penal code states that anyone convicted of disseminating false information that causes panic among the public could face up to five years in prison. Police and court officials in Los Teques did not respond to phone calls from CPJ requesting comment. In a separate case on March 14, 2020, Lizeta Hernandez, the governor of eastern Delta Amacuro state, threatened to send police to arrest Melquiades Avila, a reporter at the El Pitazo news website, over a post on Avilas personal Facebook page, where he often shares links to his journalism, according to Gustavo Aleman, an editor at El Pitazo, who spoke to CPJ via phone. In a March 14 radio broadcast, Hernandez, a member of the ruling United Socialist Party, accused Avila of criminal behavior by alarming the public and fomenting hatred over Avilas Facebook post questioning whether a local public hospital was prepared to handle patients with symptoms of the coronavirus, according to news reports. Hernandez demanded that the local police chief detain Avila and teach him a lesson on how to communicate, according to those reports. Aleman told CPJ that the governors words constituted a serious threat against Avila, who he said has since fled the region and gone into hiding. Hernandezs office did not respond to calls from CPJ requesting comment. Christian Petersen / TNS The Giants signed a 16-year-old shortstop from the Dominican Republic, Javier Alexander Francisco, whos 6-foot-2 and has drawn comparisons with a young Fernando Tatis Jr. The Giants minor-league system has risen in stature over the past year as draftees Joey Bart, Heliot Ramos and Hunter Bishop as well as international signings Marco Luciano, Alexander Canario and Luis Toribio helped escalate the Giants in various farm system rankings. A total of nine people were killed and 16 wounded in the latest three tit-for-tat attacks. The US military in southern Iraq is moving troops to larger bases to better protect them. It comes after a series of rocket attacks hit a base where Americans are stationed. Several people were killed and wounded in the attacks. Al Jazeeras Simona Foltyn reports from Baghdad. The aim is to slow down the spread of coronavirus in Europe and globally. EU leaders have agreed to restrict most travel into Europe for at least 30 days in an unprecedented move. The aim is to slow down the spread of coronavirus in Europe and globally and to limit the deadly outbreak's impact on the bloc's internal market of open borders, EUObserver reported. The restrictions, agreed on Tuesday (March 17), will apply to almost all non-EU citizens with exceptions such as people transporting goods, diplomats, and military personnel, health care professionals, and researchers. Long-term residents or visa-holders and relatives of EU citizens can also travel. Read alsoCoronavirus update: nearly 198,000 cases reported worldwide, almost 82,000 recoveries Ireland will not join the travel restrictions, because the UK has not either, and they share a common and politically sensitive border. Non-EU members Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland will be part of the measures, but their citizens and UK citizens can continue to travel into the EU. Member states said they will seal off their external borders "immediately", European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen told reporters after the three-hour teleconference with leaders. The EU Commission, which proposed the move over the weekend, is hoping that the measure will convince EU governments to roll back the internal border closures that have come into place over the last week in an effort to stop the virus. Photograph: Andrew Kelly/Reuters As the coronavirus spreads across America many workers are being directed to work from home but staff at Amazonand Whole Foods are being squeezed to keep up with increasing demand caused by Americans stockpiling food and household products. Amazon is the USs largest online retailer and it also owns Whole Foods, the largest natural foods grocer in the US, and fifth largest overall in the world. Related: Amazon to suspend non-essential shipments to UK and US warehouses Workers say the hectic pace of work amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak is devastating for their physical and mental health as they try to keep up with massive new demand. They also have to deal with their own worries and problems coping with the pandemic. My kids are off from school. A lot of businesses are letting workers work from home. But Amazon workers are going in extra time, were doing the opposite of what everybody else is doing and due to the nature of our work, its hands-on. We have to do that, said an Amazon warehouse worker in Troutdale, Oregon, who requested to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation. I usually work 40 hours a week, four 10-hour shifts. Weve all been called in for a mandatory extra day, a 10-hour shift, which is usually reserved for holiday peak season, the worker added. Another Amazon worker in Troutdale is concerned over having to continue working due to one of their family members being immunocompromised. There are people coughing in here. There arent paper masks. We are getting unlimited unpaid time off, but I still need to pay bills and rent. I cant take that unpaid time off, they said. Amazon said it has offered all warehouse workers unlimited unpaid time off through the month of March, and announced last week workers diagnosed with coronavirus or placed into quarantine would receive up to two weeks of paid sick leave. The paid sick leave bill currently being pushed through Congress exempts workers at Amazon and other large corporations from protections. But workers are demanding commitments to pay Amazon warehouse workers if the spread of coronavirus leads to temporary closures of warehouses. Story continues default Some Amazon workers have criticized the company for continuing to operate warehouses while local schools are closed. What good is it if schools are closed, kids are home and parents still have to work, if parents catch the virus and bring it back to the household? What good is it if schools are closed, kids are home and parents still have to work, if parents catch the virus and bring it back to the household? Then everyone has a virus that they cannot pay for, because a lot of people dont have health insurance, said an Amazon associate in Sparrow Springs, Maryland, where workers are also being called in to work overtime shifts. All public schools in the state are closed until 27 March. Its careless. They dont care about peoples safety. Warehouse workers at Amazons DCH1 delivery station in Chicago, Illinois, are capped at 30 hours a week, and receive no benefits, including any paid sick time. Were given the option to not come into work without negative repercussions. However, we arent getting any type of financial compensation for said time, which puts us in a position where most of us who cant afford to miss work still come in no matter how bad we feel, said an Amazon worker in Chicago. They said the warehouse ran out of protective gloves for them to wear the past couple of days. The current work environment is going to cause my co-workers and I to become sick, if they arent already, from overwork, stress and lack of protections. An Amazon spokesperson said in an email: The health and safety of our employees and contractors around the world continues to be our top priority. As communities around the world are requiring social distancing, were seeing that our teams much like grocery stores, pharmacies and other essential services have a unique role getting customers the critical items they need and this is especially vital for the elderly, people with underlying health issues, and those sick or quarantined. On 16 March, Amazon announced all its employees, including Whole Foods workers, will temporarily be paid an additional $2 an hour through the end of April. The company also announced plans to add 100,000 workers to meet demand throughout the coronavirus outbreak. Whole Foods workers who spoke with the Guardian under anonymity for fear of retaliation described workloads and customer demands similar to busy holidays, such as Thanksgiving. Whole Worker, a group of Whole Foods workers, started petitions calling for a sickout protest on 1 May, for Whole Foods to reinstate health insurance benefits for part-time workers, and to provide Whole Foods workers with expanded paid sick time during the coronavirus outbreak. Working at Whole Foods is currently hell, said a Whole Foods team member in northern California. Were not taking the proper procedures to disinfect everything. There are no hand sanitizer bottles to reach for, not enough time to go to the bathroom to wash our hands. Its a miracle we still have soap in the bathrooms. In an internal email sent to Whole Foods employees from Whole Foods CEO, John Mackey, on 11 March, employees were encouraged to donate paid time off for team members with a medical emergency or death in their immediate family. In the midst of all this, they started handing out these availability forms stating that if we are not able to work 70% of the peak hours we would lose our full-time status, therefore losing all health benefits, said a Whole Foods worker in Los Angeles, California. They have us scrambling to place bigger and bigger orders with not enough people to work the loads, so they are asking everyone as a favor to stay and work overtime. All customer service and retail workers should be getting hazard pay in a pandemic and Amazon can afford to do it, but they wont. A Whole Foods team member in the midwest said their store is too understaffed to keep up with customer demand and maintain sanitation protocols. Its virtually impossible to meet customer demand and keep our workplace sanitary, the worker said. A Whole Foods spokesperson said in an email: As a grocer, we believe our role serving customers and the community during this time is a critical one. The health and wellbeing of our team members remains a top priority and weve implemented numerous measures to support them during this time of uncertainty, including stringent sanitation measures to ensure a safe work environment, relaxed policies for call-outs, and access to two weeks paid time off that was announced for all Amazon employees. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Just when I thought that Mayor Bill de Blasio had a clue about how to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, his true lefty colors come bursting through. Yes, New York City may eventually have to order its citizens to shelter in place, like San Francisco and Hoboken have done. Its one thing that we can do to try and stop the spread of COVID-19. Although, frankly, from everything the experts have told us, the infection is already widespread in the population. Giving the order to shelter in place would be an enormous step. Were not there yet. But De Blasio is rushing head-long into calling for it, turning the temperature up on the question by the hour. This even though the mayor needs the assent of Gov. Andrew Cuomo in order to do it, and Cuomo has most definitely said, and repeatedly, that hes not thinking about it yet. As de Blasio was talking about shelter-in-place with reporters during a live press conference on Tuesday, Cuomos office pointedly put out a statement re-iterating that Cuomo was not on board. At a Wednesday press conference, Cuomo said of a quarantine, Thats not going to happen. In other words: Stand down, Mr. Mayor. Not your call. My call. Its almost funny. De Blasio had to be dragged kicking and screaming less than a week ago to close city public schools. Now he wants to shutter the entire city. Businesses already struggling with existing strictures would be slammed even worse. And you want to talk about panic-buying? What weve seen so far in the stores will look like the Wednesday before Thanksgiving if we pull the trigger on sheltering in place. It would make a dicey situation even worse. We should give it a good hard think before we do it. But de Blasio seems all too eager to cast the pandemic in the most apocalyptic terms possible. On Tuesday, he said that in terms of sheer reach, the only thing that can compare to coronavirus is the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic. It's a gross overstatement. That flu killed upwards of 50 million people worldwide, including as many as 1.5 million Americans. Coronavirus is not that. At least not now. 53 The coronavirus life in New York City: The new normal While De Blasio is right to say that a one-time $1,000 payout isnt going to help economically displaced workers much, were not ready to launch a new New Deal either, as much as some Dems would love to go back to those Big Government days. Times are going to be hard, but lets not fast forward to calling it a new Great Depression, as de Blasio has alluded. All that does is ratchet up panic. And can de Blasio stop all this talk about putting the country on a wartime footing? It borders on the hysterical. Before we get to sheltering in place, can we figure out how the stricture will be enforced? In the pre-pandemic days, people werent even getting arrested for committing actual crimes. And if they were arrested, they were turned right back out onto the street. The threat of a disorderly-conduct summons isnt going to deter anyone from wandering the streets during a pandemic lockdown. Every crisis is also an opportunity for somebody, but coronavirus is not about furthering the progressive agenda or a massive expansion of government control of our lives. Weve already heard talk about New York following the lead of other places and letting some inmates out of jails because of coronavirus. And the Legal Aid Society has called for a moratorium on arrests during the pandemic. Great, so if things really do get crazy out there, well have another overlay of mayhem to worry about. And you wonder why guns are selling out faster than toilet paper and bottled water across the country? Lets worry about keeping people from getting sick, and helping those with the virus to get better. Thats what this crisis is about. FARIDKOT: Universities and colleges in Canada have started informing international students enrolled for diploma courses in May that their intake will be deferred to September after the North American country barred the entry of foreign travellers on Wednesday to check the spread of coronavirus. This has led to panic among students in Punjab keen on pursuing higher education in Canada. The move comes after the announcement by Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau that his country will bar the entry to most non-citizens and non-permanent residents in an attempt to limit the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19), which means that all international students keen on pursuing courses from May will not be allowed to enter Canada from March 18. The diploma courses range from a year to two years but now students will need to wait for six months amid the uncertainty A woman student from Phagwara enrolled for a diploma in business administration for the May intake in a college in Montreal was not allowed to board the flight on Tuesday from the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, by the airline authorities following the entry ban. I came back and contacted the college authorities who told me that they will defer my intake to September. I dont know what will happen now. Ive deposited 17 lakh as fee and now Ill have to wait till September, she said, requesting anonymity. Faridkot-based property dealer Surinder Singh, whose daughter was to pursue the law enforcement studies post-baccalaureate diploma at the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC), said that she got the student visa last week but on Wednesday the college informed her that they have cancelled the May intake for the diploma. They told us that if we have paid the tuition deposit for the May semester, they will defer my daughters intake to September. If we dont wish to defer to September and want to withdraw from the JIBC, they will refund the tuition deposit except for the application fee of $150 (7,800), he said. CANCELLING TRAVEL PLANS I understand that due to the impact of Covid-19, this is a time of uncertainty for many of you. Your health and well-being is our primary concern. Though no confirmed case of Covid-19 has been reported on campus, the JIBC is taking exceptional measures to mitigate the impact of this virus. Our decision-making and measures are based on guidance and direction from the Canadian government. I strongly advise those of you who have already made travel arrangements for March and April to cancel them immediately, said the dean, school of criminal justice and security and office of international affairs, JIBC, Stuart Ruttan in an email to the students. A Jalandhar resident, Arohan Arora, who has been enrolled for the May semester of a diploma course at Matrix College in Montreal, was also asked to defer admission to September. Similarly, Vancouver Community College, St Lawrence College in Kingston and Columbia College in Vancouver have informed students about deferring their intake to September. Narpat Babbar, an immigration consultant in Jalandhar, said there is panic among students, but they dont have to worry as the intake has only been deferred due to steps taken by the Canadian government to stem the spread of coronavirus. Im in touch with the college authorities. They have informed us not to make any tuition fee deposit as they will not be issuing the letter of acceptance for May and those students who have deposited their fee, should defer their arrival for the September intake, he said. A drug that may be able to reduce the impact of coronavirus in hospitalised patients is to be trialled in the NHS. The UK firm behind the once-a-day inhaled medication hopes it could prevent Covid-19 patients deteriorating to the extent they need a ventilator. They also hope it could help to buy time by protecting the lungs of the most at risk patients before a vaccine is developed. Synairgen, a respiratory drug discovery and development company spun out from Southampton University, today announced its interferon-beta lung therapy, known as SNG001, would be tested on 100 patients from next week. Half will be given the aerosol therapy and half will be given a placebo after UK regulators fast-tracked the go-ahead. London hospitals will be involved in the pilot. It is hoped early results will be available in a couple of months. Richard Marsden, chief executive of Synairgen, told the Standard it gave the lungs an enhanced first line of defence. The people who are getting very ill [from Covid-19] are the same people who are recognised to have a problem with their interferon-beta response, he said. If we can protect their lungs that would be a tremendous outcome. The firm includes Professor Stephen Holgate, whose research on the impact of road pollution in asthma was instrumental in getting the inquest into the death of London schoolgirl Ella Kissi-Debrah reopened last year. Interferon-beta is a protein which orchestrates the bodys antiviral responses. The failure to produce enough could explain why some patients are at higher risk from respiratory viral infections. Professor Holgate said the reduced immune response of those most at risk of serious Covid-19 disease makes them ideal candidates to receive the drug to replace their interferon-beta deficiency. The surprise release of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah after over seven months of house arrest and his equally surprising reticence in speaking his mind about the political situation in Jammu and Kashmir made the development curious. The only point Farooq chose to make was to demand freedom for all political detainees, including two other former CMs, his son Omar and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti. While he bought time saying he will share his thoughts in Parliamentpossibly after a fortnight depending on the coronavirus situationformer R&AW chief A S Dulat held back-channel consultations with him a few weeks ago with the Centres concurrence. Dulat is an old fox in political intrigue. That he chose to reveal his secret meeting made the matter all the more interesting. A day later, Farooq had a long meeting with Omar but what transpired is not yet known. Farooqs release comes when the Centre is facing intense global scrutiny over its human rights record as also an unprecedented attempt by the UN Commissioner for Human Rights to implead herself in the apex court in an anti-CAA case. In the past, Farooq was one of Indias mascots in multilateral forums when its image was at stake. By the time Farooq was set free, the Valley lost its stranglehold over power in the state. For, a delimitation panel to redraw constituency maps has just been constituted. It will effectively carve out seven new Assembly seats, which is expected to benefit the BJP as the Jammu region where it holds sway will get better representation. Fresh state polls can be expected after delimitation. Besides, a new party comprising former PDP and NC leaders, called J&K Apni Party, was recently floated. The PM assured its leaders that J&Ks demographic balance would not be altered. While resumption of mainstream political activity appears to be on the cards, restoration of full civil rights, including freedom to all political detenues, ought to be prioritised. As for the octogenarian Abdullah, how combative he is on addressing various issues, including Articles 370 and 35A, which are his partys legacy, will indicate the NCs future trajectory. Authorities have released more information on the 56-year-old Mansfield Township man who is being treated for complications from the coronavirus. The man traveled overseas three weeks ago, Hackettstown police said on Facebook. Police said their information came from the Warren County Department of Health. He returned a week ago and did not visit anywhere in Warren County outside of his home and the emergency department at Hackettstown Medical Center, according to health department information. He had no contact with any county residents, the post says. Additional Information From Warren County Health Department: The confirmed case of COVID-19 traveled overseas... Posted by Hackettstown Police Department on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 The medical center was aware of his travel history before he came in for treatment and was fully prepared to receive him, the post says. Authorities did not release to where the man traveled overseas. The mans test results were forwarded to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation, authorities said. The man, who authorities have not named, is now doing well and recuperating at home, the post said. COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, has sickened at least 267 people thus far in New Jersey, killing three of them. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email him. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Specialist centres to treat patients with coronavirus and reduce the strain on GP surgeries and emergency departments are to be set up Specialist centres to treat patients with coronavirus and reduce the strain on GP surgeries and emergency departments are to be set up. Health bosses are finalising plans for the facilities, which will draft in GPs and hospital doctors to treat patients with respiratory symptoms. It is understood the centres will operate 24 hours a day and could be up and running by next week. It comes as concerns grow that the health service could come under increasing pressure after the Government ramped up its efforts to slow the spread of Covid-19. Under the most recent guidance, entire households must isolate for a fortnight if anyone has a cough or a fever. However, this means that healthcare workers may be unnecessarily absent from work, which could potentially cripple the already fragile health service here. The situation calls for healthcare workers and their loved ones to be tested quickly to allow crucial NHS staff to return to work as soon as possible. Dr Tom Black, chair of the British Medical Association Council in Northern Ireland, said: "It is vital that we do everything we can to make sure staff can be at work. "We are getting an awful lot of prescription requests and we had one of our busiest days on Monday with people ordering prescriptions. "We actually had to bring in some of our retired staff to cope with the volume of prescription requests. "The process of seeing patients with respiratory symptoms is also lengthy; we have a special room and we bring patients through a separate door and the staff wear protective equipment. "The room then has to be deep cleaned so we're having to allocate 30 minutes to deal with each of those patients." Dr Laurence Dorman, chair of the Royal College of GPs in Northern Ireland, has also called for healthcare workers and their relatives to have rapid access to Covid-19 diagnostic tests. He said the current situation, where people with suspected coronavirus are tested when they are admitted to hospital will impact on the ability of the health service to cope with demand. "We are calling for the testing hubs to be increased," Dr Dorman said. "Healthcare workers and their families should be tested. We are hearing from members who have a child who maybe has a high temperature and a cough and they have to take time off work to look after them. "Quite often there are two doctors in a family, meaning that neither of them can go to work. "One of the big things is that increasing the number of tests means that the laboratories are working really hard and ultimately they won't be able to do as many other routine tests. "That will mean things like routine wound swabs or testing routine urinary samples, it will depend on the individual circumstances." Dr Dorman said the establishment of primary care centres that focus on treating coronavirus patients will help ease the pressure throughout the health service. "They will have GPs and orthopaedic surgeons working side-by-side," he continued. "It will help shift a lot of work out of GP practices and out of the emergency departments as they are also being swamped at the moment." Dr Dorman also said it is essential that people do not stockpile medication. "We are asking that people only request their normal 28- or 56-day amount," he said. "At the moment we are getting requests for inhalers from people who haven't used one for years, and they certainly don't need an inhaler because it isn't going to help them." Health bosses are currently developing strategies to ensure the maximum number of health professionals are able to work as the NHS faces its greatest challenge. Northern Ireland has a well-documented shortage of doctors, nurses and community pharmacists and all sectors are coming under increasing pressure as the number of people falling ill with coronavirus grows on a daily basis. At the same time officials are working to increase the number of ICU beds and ventilators available to cater for the expected high number of people who fall seriously ill. However, it has been warned that specialist trained staff will also be required to provide the expert care required. Speaking at a drive-through coronavirus testing facility two weeks ago, the medical director of the Northern Trust warned they were planning for the possibility that 20% of workers could be off at any one time. SAN FRANCISCO, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The global stainless steel market size is expected to reach USD 182.2 billion by 2027, expanding at a CAGR of 6.3%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Increased focus towards customized railing made of stainless steel in housing construction is anticipated to drive market growth over the forecast period. Construction is one of the largest end-use industries of stainless steel products. Various infrastructure and construction sites require a massive amount of product to enhance the aesthetic appeal and corrosion resistance of the structure. The advantages that are offered by the product such as corrosion resistance, formability, weldability, and aesthetic appearance make it an important constituent in the construction industry. Stainless steel is majorly used in the construction industry for architectural cladding, handrails, drainage and water systems, wall support products, roofing, and structures and fixing. Key suggestions from the report: 300 series is anticipated to progress at a CAGR of 6.7%, in terms of revenue over the forecast period owing to increasing demand from marine and aerospace industries on account of its properties such as resistant to corrosion and high temperatures Duplex series is projected to witness a CAGR of 6.2% in terms of volume over the forecast period owing to increasing demand from swimming pool structures, brewing tanks, and hot water tanks Flat products accounted for a volume share of 74.4% in 2019. The growth is attributable to the increasing use of cold-rolled products in energy, home appliances, and construction industries due to its superior properties such as straightness, concentricity, and tolerance Building and construction is anticipated to witness a CAGR of 5.5% in terms of volume over the forecast period owing to increasing modern construction of buildings and structures that require aesthetic appeal and extended life North America is expected to witness a CAGR of 5.1% in terms of revenue over the forecast period owing to the growing construction industry on account of high investments in infrastructure development in the region. Read 133 page research report with ToC on "Stainless Steel Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Grade (200 Series, 300 Series, 400 Series, Duplex Series), By Product (Flat, Long), By Application (Building & Construction, Heavy Industry), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2020 - 2027" at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/stainless-steel-market Increasing use of 200 series in consumer goods owing to its low cost and high strength is anticipated to drive demand for stainless steel. Also, increasing demand for consumer goods such as cookware, kitchen appliances, showpieces, and stoves owing to increasing disposable income and changing lifestyles are anticipated to augment market growth over the coming years. In Asia Pacific, the growth in the manufacturing sector owing to various factors including government initiatives such as 'Skill India' and 'Make in India' by the Indian government is anticipated to drive product demand over the coming years. The initiative has prompted many automakers to set their offices in India and procure high-quality products from stainless steel vendors in India. The growing demand for auto products due to rising automotive production, an increase in export, and diversification of the auto sector have created a positive impact on market growth over the coming years. Some of the key players in stainless steel market are POSCO, Acerinox S.A., Jindal Stainless, Aperam Stainless, Baosteel Group, Outokumpu, ThyssenKrupp Stainless GmbH, Nippon Steel Corporation, ArcelorMittal, and Yieh United Steel Corp. The key players are focusing on capacity expansions and long-term agreements with their customers to increase their market share and to meet the growing product demand. For instance, in March 2017, the company signed an agreement with the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), India, to produce steel for weapons and combat vehicles. Grand View Research has segmented the global stainless steel market on the basis of grade, product, application, and region: Stainless Steel Grade Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027) 200 series 300 series 400 series Duplex series Others Stainless Steel Product Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027) Flat Long Stainless Steel Application Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027) Building & construction Automotive & transportation Consumer goods Heavy Industry Others Stainless Steel Regional Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027) North America U.S. Europe Germany U.K. France Asia Pacific China India Japan Central & South America Brazil Middle East & Africa Find more research reports on Advanced Interior Materials Industry, by Grand View Research: Metal Powder Market Increase in automotive and industrial component manufacturing output is anticipated to drive the demand for metal powders in the industries, which in turn is projected to fuel the market growth. Increase in automotive and industrial component manufacturing output is anticipated to drive the demand for metal powders in the industries, which in turn is projected to fuel the market growth. Gypsum Board Market Growing demand from the residential construction sector coupled with increasing consumer spending on advanced construction materials is expected to drive the growth. Growing demand from the residential construction sector coupled with increasing consumer spending on advanced construction materials is expected to drive the growth. Precast Concrete Market Rising prominence of offsite construction to reduce the material wastage and to increase efficiency is anticipated to drive the growth. Gain access to Grand View Compass, our BI enabled intuitive market research database of 10,000+ reports About Grand View Research Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc. Phone: +1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc. Paul Mines has been the CEO of Biome Technologies plc (LON:BIOM) since 2007. This report will, first, examine the CEO compensation levels in comparison to CEO compensation at companies of similar size. Then we'll look at a snap shot of the business growth. And finally - as a second measure of performance - we will look at the returns shareholders have received over the last few years. The aim of all this is to consider the appropriateness of CEO pay levels. View our latest analysis for Biome Technologies How Does Paul Mines's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies? According to our data, Biome Technologies plc has a market capitalization of UK3.6m, and paid its CEO total annual compensation worth UK328k over the year to December 2018. We think total compensation is more important but we note that the CEO salary is lower, at UK197k. We took a group of companies with market capitalizations below UK166m, and calculated the median CEO total compensation to be UK275k. That means Paul Mines receives fairly typical remuneration for the CEO of a company that size. This doesn't tell us a whole lot on its own, but looking at the performance of the actual business will give us useful context. The graphic below shows how CEO compensation at Biome Technologies has changed from year to year. AIM:BIOM CEO Compensation, March 18th 2020 Is Biome Technologies plc Growing? On average over the last three years, Biome Technologies plc has grown earnings per share (EPS) by 50% each year (using a line of best fit). In the last year, its revenue is up 5.5%. This demonstrates that the company has been improving recently. A good result. 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 Biome Technologies plc Been A Good Investment? With a total shareholder return of 22% over three years, Biome Technologies plc shareholders would, in general, be reasonably content. But they probably wouldn't be so happy as to think the CEO should be paid more than is normal, for companies around this size. Story continues In Summary... Paul Mines is paid around the same as most CEOs of similar size companies. Shareholder returns could be better but shareholders would be pleased with the positive EPS growth. So upon reflection one could argue that the CEO pay is quite reasonable. Taking a breather from CEO compensation, we've spotted 4 warning signs for Biome Technologies (of which 1 doesn't sit too well with us!) you should know about in order to have a holistic understanding of the stock. 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. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 00:27:42|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A Palestinian teacher gives a lesson to students in a broadcasting radio studio at the Education radio station, in Gaza City, March 16, 2020. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) by Sanaa Kamal GAZA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Gaza education ministry has opened live electronic classes for hundreds of thousands of students in the West Bank and Gaza Strip via radio and Facebook, two weeks after the suspension of schools as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. "Every day, we air lessons of Arabic and English languages, maths, science and technology," said Mohammed al-Sharif, director of Educational Radio from Gaza City, adding each subject takes about 25 minutes. It is a good method for teaching, especially that all lessons were saved on the educational radio website, he noted, adding the online education targets all levels of schools. According to al-Sharif, the number of viewers for each lesson has reached 2 million only in a few days. On March 5, the Palestinian Authority declared a state of emergency for one month right after the first COVID-19 case was discovered in the district of Bethlehem. Palestine has so far recorded 41 cases of coronavirus, with one in Ramallah, one in Nablus, two in Tulkarem and 37 others in Bethlehem, according to Ibrahim Melhem, the Palestinian government's spokesman. Because of the state of emergency in Palestine, Alaa al-Khatib, a teacher of the Arabic language who was unable to go to school to teach her students, said she felt happier to get involved in the online education. "It greatly helps to motivate the student toward education," the 25-year-old teacher said, adding the online education allows her to receive immediate feedback from the students. Meanwhile, Mohammed Totah, a 13-year-old from the blockaded Gaza Strip, spends three hours daily learning his lessons online. "I have benefited from it a lot and the teacher is teaching me in a good way," Totah said, adding it is his first time to study through Facebook. [March 18, 2020] Impala Asset Management Files Preliminary Proxy Materials to Solicit Votes for the Election of Leo Hindery, Jr. and Brent Dewar to the Harley-Davidson Board of Directors Impala Asset Management LLC (together with its affiliates, "Impala"), a shareholder in Harley-Davidson Inc. ("Harley" or the "Company") (NYSE: HOG) since 2008, today announced that it has filed preliminary proxy materials in connection with its nomination of two director candidates for election to the Harley Board of Directors (the "Board") at the Company's 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Impala is one of Harley's largest shareholders. Robert Bishop, Impala's Founder and Chief Investment Officer, made the following statement: "Impala believes that with the right leadership, Harley-Davidson can return to its former position of strength. This is why we have nominated Leo Hindery, Jr. and Brent Dewar to the Board - both are exceptional leaders who can provide valuable perspectives on Harley's strategic direction, as well as critical input on the hiring of a new CEO. We have had significant concerns about the strategic direction and actions taken by the Board under former Chairman Michael Cave's stewardship for some time - and we have voiced these concerns privately to Harley. Notably, it took our urging to convince the Board to terminate the prior CEO, Matthew Levatich, despite years of poor performance. In 2019, Mr. Levatich's reported compensation increased to a new annual record of more than $11 million, even as adjusted motorcycle operating income declined by more than 20% and the stock underperformed Harley's peers. The Board has still not shown that it is focused on positive change. To the contrary, one of the first decisions the incumbent directors made after firing Mr. Levatich was to reward their longstanding colleague, Jochen Zeitz, the new Acting President and CEO, with a pay package that could provide up to $8.5 million in salary, bonuses and restricted units for a short assignment. This is yet another instance of this Board being tone deaf to the plight of shareholders and further demonstrates the need for new perspectives on the Board. At the appropriate time, we at Impala will present our detailed case to investors in full. Given the ongoing national emergency posed by COVID-19, and out of respect for all stkeholders of Harley during this time of duress, we believe that now is not the appropriate time to hold this discussion. We will be in touch with our fellow shareholders in due course, as necessitated by the Company's Annual Meeting timeline." Nominee Biographies: Leo Hindery . Mr. Hindery was the President and CEO of Tele-Communications, Inc., then the world's largest cable television system operator. He later became the President and CEO of AT&T (News - Alert) Broadband. Mr. Hindery is an avid Harley-Davidson rider and was a professional race car driver. His racing resume includes a Class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2005 and a Class second-place finish in 2003. Mr. Hindery is currently the Chairman and CEO of Trine Acquisition Corp., a NYSE-listed SPAC that went public on March 15, 2019. . Mr. Hindery was the President and CEO of Tele-Communications, Inc., then the world's largest cable television system operator. He later became the President and CEO of AT&T (News - Alert) Broadband. Mr. Hindery is an avid Harley-Davidson rider and was a professional race car driver. His racing resume includes a Class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2005 and a Class second-place finish in 2003. Mr. Hindery is currently the Chairman and CEO of Trine Acquisition Corp., a NYSE-listed SPAC that went public on March 15, 2019. Brent Dewar. Most recently, Mr. Dewar served as the President of NASCAR after four years as its Chief Operating Officer. Previously, Mr. Dewar was a senior executive at General Motors (News - Alert), serving as the General Manager for the largest volume brand, Chevrolet, across the globe. He also held the positions of Executive Vice President of General Motors Europe and Chief Marketing Officer of General Motors. His assignments at General Motors included leading businesses in Brazil, Asia, Europe and North America. About Impala Asset Management Impala Asset Management is an investment management firm that invests in global cyclical equities. The firm was founded by industry veteran Bob Bishop in 2004. Impala's investment process combines deep, bottom-up research with extensive sector expertise complemented by a macro perspective. The firm manages a fairly concentrated portfolio that seeks to take advantage of the natural volatility in companies within basic industries such as autos, capital goods, basic materials and energy. Impala's strategy gives investors cyclical stock exposure with the benefit of historical context from senior investment professionals who have experienced many market cycles. Impala has 28 employees, including 12 investment professionals, with offices in Connecticut, New York and Florida. Important Information about Participants in a Proxy Solicitation Impala Asset Management LLC ("Impala Asset Management"), Impala Master Fund Ltd. ("Impala Master Fund"), Robert J. Bishop ("Mr. Bishop"), Brent Dewar ("Mr. Dewar") and Leo Hindery, Jr. ("Mr. Hindery," and collectively, the "Participants") intend to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC (News - Alert)") a definitive proxy statement and accompanying form of proxy to be used in connection with the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of Harley-Davidson, Inc. (the "Company"). All shareholders of the Company are advised to read the definitive proxy statement and other documents related to the solicitation of proxies by the Participants when they become available, as they will contain important information, including additional information related to the Participants. The definitive proxy statement and an accompanying proxy card will be furnished to some or all of the Company's stockholders and will be, along with other relevant documents, available at no charge on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov/. Information about the Participants and a description of their direct or indirect interests by security holdings is contained in the preliminary proxy statement filed with the SEC under cover of Schedule 14A by Impala Asset Management on March 17, 2020. This document is available free of charge from the source indicated above. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005733/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] By Chuck Moran Sundays announcement by Gov. Tom Wolf left many people wondering why bars and restaurants were ordered to close. And it didnt help matters that after the order was made, there was significant confusion because of different interpretations of the order until Wolf sent out a clarification several hours later. It was a tough decision, no doubt. But theres a simple answer why Pennsylvania bars and restaurants were ordered to close. We dont want to be the next Italy. Some in the medical community fear that it could happen, and happen quickly. COVID-19 has the unique ability to spread in a very short time period and impact large populations at once, as weve seen across the world. Italy chose not to address social distancing until it was too late. Up until the very last minute, bars and restaurants were filled to capacity. The slow response by the Italian government has left staggering statistics with a health care system that is overwhelmed. News reports make it clear that hospital staffers have had to make devastating decisions about who gets treated and who they must let go. As of this morning, Italy was reporting more than 31,500 coronavirus cases and more than 2,500 deaths. Wolfs order to close the states restaurants and bars was difficult, but it was in the best interest of public health. Hopefully, it will slow the spread, flatten the curve, and give our health care networks the time they need to prepare. Its often been said that health care professionals are on the front lines of the war against diseases, and that they are heroes. Lets add Pennsylvanias tavern and restaurant owners, bartenders, waitresses and waiters, and other staff to the list of heroes. Theyre the tip of the spear in this fight. Theyre sacrificing revenue and salary to play their part in stopping the spread. This crisis will pass. There was a time when the world struggled with polio. That was until a Pennsylvania physician named Jonas Salk invented a vaccine. Today, polio is almost non-existent. Our countrys smartest medical researchers are working on this, and like Salk, theyll find an answer. When they do, patrons will return to restaurants and bars, celebrate life, and declare victory. Chuck Moran is the executive director of the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association. ALTON Scheduled vents at Liberty Bank Alton Amphitheater are not yet halted or altered by coronavirus caution. We have a full summer of concerts and activities, and the planning for those continues, because most of our events are in July, August, September and October, Alton Amphitheater Commission Chairman Robert Stephan told The Telegraph on Tuesday. We hope that as a community we are back to normal long before then. There havent been any headlining concerts set at the amphitheater yet, but that doesnt mean bookings arent in the works. We were set to make an announcement this week, but we are pushing it back two weeks, Stephan said. Currently, the amphitheater has seven events scheduled, beginning with the Alton Fireworks Spectacular on July 3. Additionally, the Alton Food Truck Festival is set for Aug. 22, the Alton Expo begins Sept. 9, the Alton Catfish Classic is set for Sept. 12, with the Alton Jazz & Wine Festival on Sept. 19, the Alton Pride Fall Festival on Oct. 3 and the Givin It All For Guts 5K on Oct. 10. Pending events include Dynamo Pro Wrestling, a cornhole tournament, a gospel concert, a car show and the Senior Services Pluss annual Feed The Need concert. The amphitheater commission was scheduled to meet Monday, but it was canceled. As health officials pare down crowd size mandates and recommendations in every aspect of daily life and routine, amphitheater event status will remain fluid. Some officials predict isolation efforts could drag on well into or beyond summer. We will work with the Madison County Health Department and Illinois Department of Public Health to make sure we are following protocols, should they still be needed later this summer, Stephan said. Despite historic flooding in 2019 that left amphitheater grounds under the Mississippi River for weeks, it was still one if its most successful years. A September performance by hip-hop artist Nelly drew a record crowd of thousands to Liberty Bank Alton Amphitheater. The venue also hosted a sold-out food truck festival. And, although moved to the parking lot of Alton Square Mall, thousands flocked to see Steve Miller Band. Madhya Pradesh chief minister is mulling to go to Bengaluru to meet 16 rebel MLAs currently staying at a resort there, as his government is on a shaky ground following the resignation of these and six more legislators Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh chief minister is mulling to go to Bengaluru to meet 16 rebel MLAs currently staying at a resort there, as his government is on shaky ground following the resignation of these and six more legislators. Talking to reporters in Bhopal in response to a query, Nath said, "If needed I will also go to Bengaluru." Nath's party colleague Digvijaya Singh on Wednesday failed to meet the rebel MLAs in Bengaluru. High drama unfolded as Singh staged a protest near the resort in Bengaluru, where the legislators are staying. He accused the police of not allowing him to meet the MLAs. A source close to Kamal Nath said that he (CM) had already tried to contact Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa over phone to visit Bengaluru, but could not get through. Twenty-two legislators have revolted against the Congress-led government in the state and put in their papers last week. Of them, the resignation of six legislators has been accepted. Congress spokesperson Bhupendra Gupta alleged that the saffron party has held their MLAs hostages in Bengaluru in a bid to pull down the MP government. "They are not allowing our leaders to meet the MLAs. Our minister, Jitu Patwari, had also gone there, but he was manhandled," he alleged. The BJP has sought to distance itself from the revolt in the Congress saying that it was the fallout of the infighting within the party's rival factions in th state. State BJP chief, V D Sharma, said his party had nothing to do with the rebels in the Congress. The Kamal Nath government plunged into crisis after Jyotiraditya Scindia quit the Congress, after which 22 MLAs loyal to him resigned in Madhya Pradesh last week. Buoyed by the revolt in the Congress, the BJP has been vociferously seeking a floor test in the assembly. The Speaker has so far accepted resignations of six of the 22 MLAs, bringing down the effective strength of the House to 222 and the new majority mark at 112. The opposition BJP has 107 MLAs. After the MP assembly was adjourned on Monday till March 26, the BJP petitioned the Supreme Court seeking a direction from it for an early floor test. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 20:57:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close File photo taken on Sept. 24, 2015 shows the national flags of China (R) and the United States as well as the flag of Washington D.C. on the Constitution Avenue in Washington, United States.(Xinhua/Bao Dandan) At a crucial time when the global fight against COVID-19 is still intense, the U.S. government is squandering precious time to combat the virus at home, and is busy finding fault with China, escalating oppression of Chinese media and impeding the free flow of information. BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Facing typical press bullying from the United States, China has voiced resolute opposition and has to fight back. China on Wednesday announced countermeasures against U.S. restrictive measures on Chinese media agencies in the United States. It was a reciprocal, necessary, legitimate and justified move. Despite China's repeated opposition, the U.S. side decided to cap the number of Chinese employees of Chinese media outlets in the United States, a de facto expulsion, after launching a slew of restrictive measures against Chinese media. At a crucial time when the global fight against COVID-19 is still intense, the U.S. government is squandering precious time to combat the virus at home, and is busy finding fault with China, escalating oppression of Chinese media and impeding the free flow of information. Such acts underline its image of press bullying and are detrimental to global coordination to stop the spread of the virus. It is an internationally recognized principle to let media play its role in promoting international cooperation and provide convenience to media outlets for their reporting. But the U.S. side, driven by a Cold War mentality and ideological bias, turned a blind eye to this well-accepted practice and restricted Chinese media from carrying out normal operations in the United States, obstructing the free flow of information and undermining press freedom. Moreover, some U.S. politicians and media executives continued to make a false countercharge by smearing China's countermeasures. Such responses fail to address the problems, highlighting the United States' fondness for shifting blame to others to cover up its ill intent and mistakes. It is the U.S. side who has initiated the row, and it is only natural for China to react and defend itself. The United States will only shoot itself in the foot. Despite these smears and attacks, Chinese news organizations will continue to stick to the ethics of journalism and follow the principles of truthfulness, accuracy, objectivity and impartiality. The United States should refocus its efforts on fighting COVID-19 alongside the international community, rather than restrict Chinese media outlets and spread disinformation. Two groups of religious vigilantes on Monday tried to force their way into important shrines in Iran that were closed to the public as a measure against the spread of coronavirus. One group consisted of pro-Khamenei zealots, the other of fanatical followers of a dissident anti-regime cleric. The incidents have caused a huge scandal with the pro-Khamenei side now being forced to publicly repent. The protesters who believe the shrines have great healing powers, charged that the government was following "anti-religion advice of the World Health Organization". Before it became too obvious that pro-regime fanatics were involved in the incidents in the shrines, the regime media tried to use these incidents and similar instances of religious zealotry to launch another massive propaganda attack against Ayatollah Seyed Sadiq Hussaini Shirazi, a controvercial Qom-based cleric known for refusing to acknowledge Khamenei's religious and political authority. The official media called the protesters "extremists" and "transgressors" that had to be contained and even punished. A pro-regime cleric addressing a mixed sit-in of pro-regime and dissident protesters against the closure of the Shrine of Masoumeh in Qom. The same media and regime insiders, however, had failed to voice any opposition when regime clerics such as Ayatollahs Ahmad Alam ol-Hoda, the Custodian of Imam Reza Shrine of Mashhad and Mohammad Saeedi, Custodian of Mashoumeh Shrine in Qom, put up a strong opposition to the government decision to halt Friday prayers due to coronavirus and shrine closures. Nothing could demonstrate the coming together of the two groups, normally bitter enemies, better than a video of the sit-in at one of the two shrines. The video showed a pro-Khamenei cleric calling on "the Great Leader" to help them keep the shrines open and someone from the other group fearlessly shouting "God's curse be upon him!". He was obviously a follower of Shirazi. The 78-year-old Seyed Sadiq Hussaini Shirazi who is the target of the attacks is from a well-established and influential clerical family with ties both to Iran and Iraq where he was born. He succeeded his brother Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Mohammad Shirazi in 2001 and is himself a grand ayatollah and source of emulation. Pro-regime vigilante calling people to protest to the closure of shrines. He has had to publish a video and "repent" from his actions. The black-listed Ayatollah has never held any office in Iran but the huge religious taxes paid by his followers have enabled him to establish an extensive network of satellite TV channels that broadcast his lectures, religious teachings and political views in Persian, Arabic and English across the Muslim world. Shirazi has a quite impressive international following in countries such Iraq and Kuwait and also funds various schools and places of worship in other countries including Britain. The regime finds it hard to directly target or suppress Shirazi due to his high clerical rank (he is a source of emulation), and being a descendant of the Prophet (a Seyed), as well as the size of his following in Qom and Mashhad, the two religious cities of Iran, and his great influence among Iraqi Shiites. The pro-regime clerical establishment and propaganda bodies allege that Shirazi and his followers take their orders from the government of Britain. In Iranian hard-liners' media they are always referred to by the idiosyncratic title "English Shiites" in an attempt to evoke aversion of Iranians to the historical meddling of Britain in Iranian affairs. The group, in turn, call Khamenei's followers "Russian Shiites" in reference to historical rumors that Khamenei lived and studied in Russia in his youth and is a Russian crony. In some ways the religious behavior of Ayatollah Shirazi's followers is even more fanatical than the pro-regime vigilantes. They advocate bloody self-flagellation in religious ceremonies such as Ashura; something Khamenei and most other Shiite sources of emulation in Iran have banned. The practice of slashing heads with sabres during Ashura is actively suppressed by Iranian regime security forces, mostly because it is against Khamenei's edicts. The followers of Shirazi are also very aggressive in their anti-Sunni propaganda and often provoke Sunnis in Iran and across the world with insults to Sunni sanctities. The London-based Yassir al-Habib, a Kuwait-born Shiite cleric, is famous for provocation of Sunnis on Shirazi-funded television channels by preaching that the Prophet Mohammad was killed by his wives Aisha and Hafsa and successors Abu Bakr and Omar. To Sunnis these allegations are blasphemous. One of the organizers of the protest against closure of shrines repenting his actions in this video. This was not the first time zealots challenged government decisions on coronavirus. In early March, they released videos showing they were licking shrine grids to prove that the "holy" sites were immune to the virus. The defiant act led to anger and criticism by citizens. Pro-regime media and figures used these videos as ammunition against the Shirazi group. In an undated short video the man who started the "shrine-licking challenge" videos and his son are seen sitting next to Shirazi in what appears to be an audience. However, thanks to social media it has now become crystal clear that the organizers of the protests and sit-ins against shrine closures were too close to home, members of pro-regime clergy and Basij militia. The regime had to somehow deal with the scandal so one of the leaders of the protesters, in true Islamic Republic fashion, has been forced to publish a video in which he repents his "emotional" reaction to the closure of the shrines and professes his obedience and allegiance to the "Great Leader of the Revolution". More confessions will be on the way. Five teenage entrepreneurs from Salesian College Celbridge are due to represent Kildare at the Student Enterprise Programme National Finals. Students Sean McGivern, Cormac Kelly and Thomas Gannon from student company The Learning Lads Ltd recently won the senior category of the Kildare Student Enterprise Awards competition. The trio will now compete against student entrepreneurs from all over Ireland in the national finals. The competition was run through Kildare County Councils Local Enterprise Office, which last week held a series of events for SMEs and entrepreneurs to mark Local Enterprise Week 2020. Students who entered this years competition have, since last September, researched, set up and run their own businesses. Some 1,500 students from 21 secondary schools across Kildare took part the annual programme, the final of which was held at the Killashee House Hotel in Naas the week before last. Last years Kildare winners, from St Marys in Naas, took third place overall in the 2019 national finals. Doreen Heavey, programme coordinator congratulated the students, saying: What our students are learning from the programme is that with the right supports and encouragement, they can take an idea from the classroom and develop it into a real-life business. The skills they learn along the way, such as business planning, market research, selling and team-work, will help them become more entrepreneurial throughout their future careers. Newbridge Colleges Woodturning took second place plus the exhibition/stand prize; CPC Kilcullens Well Lad took third place plus the Sales Award; Scoil Mhuire, Clane company Crazy Coins took the KCC Special Merit Award; St Marys Naas, company Little Book, Big Issues won the Product/Service prize; Lumiere from St Conleths Community College, Newbridge, won the Finance Award; Always Be Kind from St Marys, Naas, won the Business Report Award; Defence 1st from Ardscoil na Trionoide won the Innovation Prize and Cherryville Candy from Ardscoil Rath Iomghain was the Marketing winner. 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. 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. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "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 aren't apples to apples, and I regret China's decision today to further foreclose the world's 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. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan, North Sumatra Wed, March 18, 2020 14:04 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b90d82 1 National Italy,Medan,Adam-Malik-Hospital,Jerusalem,Israel Free A medical doctor who had been under surveillance and tested positive for COVID-19 at Adam Malik General Hospital in Medan, North Sumatra died on Tuesday night. Authorities reported the doctor had traveled to Jerusalem and Italy before his death but they did not divulge the timeline of his travel history. His death was the first related to COVID-19 in North Sumatra. The head of the North Sumatra Health Agency, Alwi Mujahi Hasibuan, said the patient died at 8:45 p.m. in the hospital. He said the patient had gone to Jerusalem and Italy with several people. Alwi said the patient was a medical doctor. He just got back from Jerusalem and visited Italy afterwards. He went with a group of people and were tracing them, Alwi said on Wednesday. Adam Malik hospital confirmed later that he was tested positive and among 19 people who died of COVID-19 nationwide. As of Tuesday, the hospital had eight patients under COVID-19 surveillance in isolation rooms, including the doctor who just died. The hospitals coordinator for COVID-19, Ade Rahmaini, said the isolation rooms in the hospital were already full. She said the hospital would refer new patients to other hospitals. Earlier, the North Sumatra administration reported it was tracking about 350 residents of the province who attended a mass religious gathering in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where dozens of people from several countries had contracted the COVID-19 coronavirus. Meanwhile, in Malang, East Java, the administration reported that two patients under COVID-19 surveillance had died. However, the director of Malang Saiful Anwar Public Hospital, Kohar Hari Santoso, said the tests done on them for the coronavirus had come back negative. "It's true they had lung problems but the cause of their death was not the coronavirus but another type of virus," Kohar told reporters after meeting East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa in Surabaya on Tuesday. Kohar, however, said the two patients had met with foreigners several days before being admitted to the hospital. Asip A. Hasani contributed to this story from Surabaya, East Java Editor's note: The status of the patient has been updated from suspect to confirmed. Travelers arrive at the airport as the Taiwanese government announced a ban for most foreigners entering the island, as part of preventive measures against coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at Taoyuan International airport in Taoyuan, Taiwan, on March 18, 2020. (Ann Wang/Reuters) Taiwan to Ban Entry for Many Foreigners in Coronavirus Fight TAIPEITaiwan will ban entry for many foreigners as part of coronavirus prevention measures, excluding resident permit holders, diplomats and migrant workers, the government said on March 18 as it battles a rise in imported cases. Taiwan has won plaudits from health experts for its efforts to rein in the virus, but has begun reporting daily rises in cases among people returning from other countries, especially Europe. Its tally of 100 cases includes 23 reported on Wednesday. With almost all the cases of the last three days imported, the government has already asked Taiwanese not to travel abroad unless necessary, and will step up its controls from midnight (1600 GMT) to stop the entry of most foreigners. No matter whether you are Taiwanese or a foreigner in Taiwan, in the face of the virus we are all in the same boat, President Tsai Ing-wen wrote on her Facebook page, detailing the entry ban. All entrants to Taiwan will have to spend 14 days in home quarantine, Health Minister Chen Shih-chung told a news conference, adding that the number of imported cases had increased sharply. (I) hope this peak period will pass quickly, Chen added. Taiwans travel warnings have advised against visiting China, Japan, and large parts of Europe and Southeast Asia, unless necessary. On Thursday, it added Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the whole of the United States. The government did not say how long the measures would run, adding that would depend on how the virus situation developed. Taiwan is also making an exception for foreign migrant workers, many from Southeast Asia who are a vital part of its economy, employed in factories and as home carers, though they too have to spend 14 days in home quarantine on arrival. Taiwan will also step up cooperation, including research and vaccine production, with the United States, where the virus is spreading fast, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told the same news conference. Wu said the United States will provide Taiwan with material for 300,000 protective suits and the island will export 100,000 masks to the United States each week, once it has enough supply for itself. This symbolizes the close relationship between Taiwan and the United States, Wu said, adding that the two countries hoped their joint effort would benefit the international community. Taiwan has boosted weekly production of masks to 11 million since banning their export in late January, and Chen said it aimed to raise that to 15 million. Taiwan has also set up an electronic fence system that makes use of mobile telephones to alert police and authorities if those in home quarantine step out of bounds. By Yimou Lee It's been a stormy March for much the Middle East, and that trend will continue as another storm threatens the region with more disruptive weather. Last week, heavy rain targeted portions of the area, including Iraq. On Thursday, the governor of Nineveh confirmed more than 1,330 homes were destroyed in flooding in Mosul. The city was placed on lockdown by the governor earlier in the week to help reduce the spread of coronavirus in the area. Heavy flooding in Mosul hampers rebuilding efforts https://t.co/Nbf0lj3sNE pic.twitter.com/YVGTIVhl4H The National (@TheNationalUAE) March 20, 2020 According to the National, neighborhoods surrounding the Tigris river in northern Iraq were the hardest hit by flooding earlier this week. Residents in the region were forced to evacuate their homes. Flash flooding was also reported in Duhok as well, leaving rubble in the streets and picking up and piling cars. The next storm emerged from the Mediterranean Sea and move into the Middle East on Friday bringing another unhelpful dose of wet weather. This storm brought showers and thunderstorms from southern Turkey and northern Iraq to northern Saudi Arabia and Jordan through the beginning of the weekend. Meanwhile, colder air moving in with the storm allowed snow to fall across parts of Turkey, covering roads into the higher elevations. CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP Story continues The rain and thunderstorms on the southern side of the storm were equally as disruptive, especially from northeastern Syria and northwestern Iraq to the coast of the Mediterranean. Heavy downpours created ponding on roadways, especially in lower elevations as well as mountainous and arid locations. Additional rainfall in the hardest hit areas earlier this week, like Mosul in Iraq, could bring even higher water levels and threaten mudslides in addition to flooding. "While the greatest severe weather threat with any thunderstorms will be lightning, isolated cases of gusty winds and hail are also possible," added Houk. Any gusty winds arriving ahead of precipitation helped to stir up any sand, creating a sand or dust storm. As the storm continued to move east into Iraq and Iran through the weekend, it produced more severe weather for locations around the Persian Gulf. The threat for severe weather will continue to move east into the beginning of the week as the storm advances. Gusty thunderstorms will extend into parts of Pakistan, southern Afghanistan and northeastern Oman through Monday. "Bursts of strong winds will accompany thunderstorms sweeping through southern Iran and eastern Saudi Arabia to U.A.E. and northern Oman," said Houk. In addition to the strong winds, which will be capable of causing damage as well as conjuring up a sandstorm, thunderstorms will be capable of producing flooding downpours and hail across this area into Sunday. Isolated waterspouts will even be possible at coastal locations. A waterspout or two in the region may move onto land. Residents in the region should remain alert of the changing weather conditions and have a safe place to seek shelter. The storm will move away from the area through next week, allowing dry conditions to return to the region as a whole. More storminess could return to Turkey by the middle of next week. Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios. You may not always be able to identify if a particular accessory is compatible with your Chromebook. Google wants to ease the confusion with its new 'Works With Chromebook' badge on products. The new badge or logo will be on certified accessories in stores and online. Google says the products marked with the logo have been tested to ensure they comply with Chromebook's compatibility standards. The 'Works With Chromebook' certified accessories will be available in the US, Canada, and Japan from brands including Logitech, Kensington, Anker, and Targus. Customers can also find certified accessories at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Bic Camera. It will be soon extended to other retailers and countries. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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, PhD, 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, PhD, 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 kilohertz -- high 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." In communal houses across Washington right now, there are group texts and house meetings where discussions of who is responsible for scrubbing the toilet have given way to planning for what will happen if when, really the virus strikes. Few of these 20-somethings are worried about the actual symptoms their demographic has among the best survival rates. Rather, its the disruption to their lives and the possibility of transmission that has them on edge. Some of those housemates are longtime friends looking for an extension of college fun, while others are in the unnerving position of having to wait out a deadly pandemic with a near-stranger from Craigslist. Maybe they are lucky to have each other. Or maybe they each should have sprung for a tiny studio apartment instead. Maybe theyll soon find out one way or the other. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 15:27:48|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close COLOMBO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has called on Sri Lankans to temporarily halt travel, public gatherings or celebrations as this would enable the government to completely control the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, the President's Office said in a statement. With Sri Lanka recording 43 COVID-19 patients, Rajapaksa said a large number of Sri Lankans had returned back to the country in recent days from virus-hit countries including Italy and authorities had identified all of them as well as their closest relatives and had asked them to be self quarantined in their own homes. "We have deployed the police, the tri-forces, public health inspectors and local government officers for this purpose and I request that they be given the fullest cooperation," the president was quoted by local media as saying on Wednesday. He further called on all Sri Lankans who had returned from overseas recently to act responsibly and explained that the government had declared a four-day public holiday to minimize the spread of the virus. "At this moment, we must minimize all possibilities of this virus from entering and spreading across the country. We have already identified what needs to be done and have put these into action. We have empowered the Task Force accordingly," Rajapaksa said. "We have faced and won over challenges before. We are ready to face the challenges. What we need is unity. Therefore, I ask from the people to act with responsibility," he added. With businesses hampered due to the outbreak of the pandemic, President Rajapaksa also unveiled relief packages such as offering lentils and canned fish at subsidized rates, and ordered banks and finance companies to allow a recovery period of six month from the loan facilities taken by businesses. "We are in the process of planning more relief to the public," the president said. Across the country, law enforcement agencies are reducing their jail populations to prepare for the coronavirus, striving to reduce infections among incarcerated people and make space for quarantined inmates. New Orleans prosecutors are taking a different approach. In case after case, prosecutors are opposing motions to reduce defendants bond, forcing them to remain behind barseven when they are charged with minor crimes. These prosecutors are not ignoring the coronavirus. Rather, theyre arguing that the pandemic provides another reason why defendants should not be freed. Advertisement Public health experts have warned that jails will soon become an epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States. Its easy to see why: Jails cycle a large number of people in and out of crowded spaces with unsanitary conditions and often subpar medical services. Most jurisdictions are totally unprepared for mass infections behind bars; they lack COVID-19 tests, resources for treatment, and space for quarantines. Defense attorneys have responded, with mixed success, by asking judges to release individuals accused of minor and non-violent crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of Monday, New Orleans had the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases per capita in any American city. Public defenders have filed motions requesting lower bonds for people who may be especially vulnerable to the virus. Yet prosecutors are vigorously opposing these motions. They have, in fact, drafted boilerplate language to argue that people must stay locked up in jail to protect public health. Here is the passage that appears in all seven motions reviewed by Slate: Advertisement Advertisement Pursuant to [state law], the trial court may consider the nature and seriousness of the danger to any other person or to the community that would be posed by the defendants release when setting a defendants bond. The defendant has failed to show that, if released on bond, he will have a residence to stay in while the city battles the Coronavirus outbreak. Nor has he demonstrated that he will adhere to any curfews and other safety measures set in place by city officials. If the defendant is released on bond during the Coronavirus outbreak and goes into public places, it will pose a threat to the general public by potentially spreading the virus to others and increasing the rate at which others are exposed to the virus. Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors sometimes add specific concerns to this language. For instance, in one motion, prosecutors asserted that the defense contend that the defendant is unable to perform basic tasks for himself such as washing his hands. If released, the defendant will pose a health risk to the great community during this emergency. In each motion, prosecutors also allege that the defendant failed to provide any medical documentation in support of his argument that he will be at risk of contracting Coronavirus in the Orleans Justice Center, the local jail. Put differently, the burden falls on defendants to prove that incarcerated people are at heightened risk of infectioneven as Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards halted large gatherings to avoid large crowds in small spaces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ken Daley, a spokesman for the Orleans Parish District Attorneys Office, told Slate that it had no policy of opposing bond reductions on the basis of COVID-19. He said the office was responding to a slew of new boilerplate public defenders arguments citing coronavirus that are based on conjecture and supposition, rather than evidence and law. Daley added he was unaware of any confirmed cases of the virus inside the Orleans Justice Center. (It is unclear if anyone in the jail has been tested.) Daley also said that the office has assented to a reduction of the Orleans Parish jail population over the past week, by choosing thus far not to contest any judges bond or release-on-recognizance decision through appellate court review. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These prosecutors approach is quite different from the one adopted by their colleagues in many other states. Fair and Justice Prosecution, an organization that supports criminal justice reform, published a letter on Monday signed by 31 prosecutors urging the release of as many people as possible to stem the spread of COVID-19. These prosecutors called on local officials to take steps to dramatically reduce detention and the incarcerated population by releasing people who are elderly, especially vulnerable due to health conditions, or incarcerated due to technical violations of probation and parole. They also recommended the release of people within six months of completing their sentence, as well as those detained because they cant afford cash bail, unless they pose a serious risk to public safety. Advertisement New Orleans prosecutors appear to be rejecting this advice. Slate obtained motions opposing bond reduction for individuals who are elderly, accused of minor crimes, and detained solely because they cannot afford to pay. In all of these cases, prosecutors argued that they pose a threat to the general public because they may infect others. But keeping them incarcerated will surely exacerbate the spread.Health care in jails is abysmal, and a substantial proportion of inmates have complicated medical needs and chronic illnesses. As the Fair and Justice Prosecution letter warned, jails will become breeding grounds for the coronavirus if they are not emptied out. And the virus will not remain behind bars: If district attorneys drag their feet, more and more inmates will acquire it, and potentially pass it on when they are finally released. Corrections officers, too, will be exposed to the virus and carry it back to their homes (prison staffers elsewhere in the country are already testing positive). New Orleans prosecutors may claim to be protecting the public. In reality, they are putting their own communities at greater risk. San Antonio-area public companies' annual shareholders meetings are joining a long line of events hit by the coronoavirus pandemic. Biglari Holdings Inc., parent company of Steak n Shake restaurant chain and Maxim magazine, announced Wednesday it has delayed its shareholders meeting set for next month in New York becoming the first San Antonio-based company to postpone its annual gathering. Biglari Holdings meeting was set for April 23 at the ritzy St. Regis Hotel. Past meetings have been well-attended five-hour affairs. Theyre the only time of year shareholders get to pose questions to Chairman and CEO Sardar Biglari. The company said in a statement that it will give notice next month on the new date of the meeting and whether shareholders will be able to attend the meeting in person. On ExpressNews.com: Steak n Shake drags down Biglari Holdings Other San Antonio-area companies are weighing how to stage the annual rite. Cullen/Frost Bankers Inc., parent company of Frost Bank, is scheduled to hold its annual meeting April 29. In past years, it has held the event at its headquarters. Were considering all options and will follow guidance from public health officials and others before making an announcement, Frost spokesman Bill Day said in an email Wednesday. Among the options Frost is exploring is the possibility of allowing shareholders to watch the meeting remotely via a computer or cellphone. The Securities and Exchange Commission announced Friday it was giving public companies the flexibility to change the date and location of their meetings and to use technologies, such as virtual shareholders meetings to avoid the need for in-person shareholder attendance. Pipeline company NuStar Energy LP is considering holding a virtual annual meeting, spokeswoman Mary Rose Brown said. We are still going to conduct one. It just appears that given the circumstances, a virtual meeting may be in the best interest of all, Brown said. We have not made that decision yet. As soon as we do, well make all the required public disclosures. The meeting currently is set for April 28 at its San Antonio headquarters. Typically, no more than 20 guests attend NuStars meeting each year. On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases On Monday, Mayor Ron Nirenberg signed a public health emergency prohibiting public and private gatherings of more than 50 people. The City Council is expected to vote today to extend that prohibition for 30 days. Seguin-based Alamo Group Inc., a heavy equipment manufacturer, has set its meeting for May 7 at the Westin Riverwalk Hotel in San Antonio. Alamo Group is weighing alternatives regarding the meeting but has not yet made a decision, CFO Dan Malone said. Many shareholders meetings are required. Company officers usually give an overview of the firms performance in the prior year. Shareholders are asked to vote for the election of directors, as well as on executives compensation and to ratify an independent auditor. They also may be asked to vote on company and shareholder proposals. Shareholders have the right to vote by proxy by mail, email or phone so they dont need to be present to cast their ballot. The SECs guidance is encouraging companies to provide shareholder proponents with alternative means, such as by phone, to present their proposals at the meetings in light of the difficulties that shareholder proponents face due to COVID-19. On ExpressNews.com: Argo Group paid $3.3M in perks to ex-CEO that were not fully reported Argo Group International Holdings Ltd., the specialty insurer that has its U.S. headquarters in San Antonio, is slated to hold its annual meeting April 16 in Bermuda, where its based. We are planning to hold our annual meeting, but we may need to consider electronic alternatives, Argo spokesman David Snowden said in an email. Argos meeting will mark a changing of the guard, with a number of longtime directors leaving the board following a proxy fight waged by San Francisco activist investment adviser Voce Capital Management LLC. Argo has presented proposals at its annual meeting to reduce its maximum board size to 11 from 13 and to declassify the board. A classified or staggered board is made up of different classes of directors who are elected at different times. A criticism of classified boards is that it insulates a company from a hostile takeover because only a part of the board is up for election each year. Other San Antonio-area companies have yet to announce when they will hold their annual meeting. Those firms include San Antonio refiner Valero Energy Corp., New Braunfels commercial truck dealer Rush Enterprises Inc. and broadcast company iHeartMedia Inc. 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 Bengals first identified carrier of the deadly coronavirus and members of his family moved around Kolkata for more than 48 hours without any restriction, officials aware of the details of the case said on Wednesday. The 18-year-old youths mother is Arunima De, a senior bureaucrat at the state home department. She went to her office at Nabanna, the state secretariat, on March 16, a day after her son arrived from London. She spent a few hours at Nabanna, even as chief minister Mamata Banerjee was taking emergency measures for the general public and issuing warnings. Some officials said De attended a meeting where senior officials were present. Her room at the state secretariat was locked up on Wednesday and every place where she was last seen was disinfected. Also Watch | Coronavirus: Mumbai local train displays awareness messages; Pune hotels shut Till Wednesday noon, the state government made no official statement on this. De lives in a high-rise in south Kolkata with her family. Tracking coronavirus outbreak: Live updates Also read | Coronavirus stays infective in air for hours, on surfaces for days Officials at Nabanna are taking emergency measures. When I heard about the incident, I could not believe that someone who is a bureaucrat, could be so careless, a minister who did not wish to be identified told HT. Officials said on condition of anonymity that on March 16, De took her son to M R Bangur Hospital in south Kolkata, where the youth was examined by a doctor and a health worker. The bureaucrat was advised to admit her son in the infectious diseases hospital at Beliaghata without delay. However the advice was not followed. The youth was taken to the hospital at Beliaghata on Tuesday morning. The doctor and the health worker at M R Bangur Hospital, who examined the youth, are living in isolation at their residences since Tuesday. The youth is admitted in the infectious diseases hospital while his parents and two drivers who work for the family are admitted at the new isolation facility at Rajarhat. Samples have been collected from the youths parents and their employees and sent for tests. The government is trying to trace the passengers of the flight in which the youth arrived in Kolkata. Also read | Mild, undocumented coronavirus cases fuelled spread in China, says new study SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A man watches news about COVID-19 at an empty arrival hall of Incheon International Airport's Terminal 1, Wednesday. / Yonhap By Jun Ji-hye Incheon International Airport is struggling with the plunging number of international travelers amid the continued COVID-19 outbreak, with concerns that the number of daily passengers using the airport could drop to below 10,000 for the first time since its opening in 2001, government and airport officials said Wednesday. In 2019, the number of daily passengers using the nation's main gateway was 190,000 on average, but the figure fell 91.6 percent to 16,000, the lowest level ever, Monday, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The figure is lower than the previous record low of 26,773, tallied on May 20 of 2003, when international travel was hit by the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). "At the early stage of the new coronavirus outbreak, the airport saw a decrease mostly in the number of Chinese and Taiwanese travelers, but the situation has become worse due to the suspension of more international routes," a ministry official said. In 2001, when Incheon International Airport was open, the number of daily passengers stood at 52,000 on average. Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC), which operates the airport, had originally estimated the number of international passengers this year at 72.54 million, but has recently slashed the figure by 57.5 percent to 30.82 million amid the fast spread of the contagious disease. There is a possibility that the number of passengers who actually get on airplanes will be less than expected as people have continued to cancel flight reservations at a time when about 140 countries and territories including Japan are restricting arrivals from Korea, citing the need to protect their own people. The Korean government also implemented stricter screening procedures for all travelers coming from Europe, Monday, and will expand this to all people arriving in Korea, starting Thursday, in a bid to prevent an influx of COVID-19 from other nations. "The number of passengers using the airport is expected to continue to decrease for the time being," an IIAC official said. "This is the worst situation since the opening of the airport in 2001." According to the data that the nation's five state airport, railway and highway operators submitted to Rep. An Ho-young of the ruling Democratic Party, IIAC's annual sales is forecast to decrease by 566.4 billion won ($458 million) this year due to the coronavirus outbreak. The Korea Airports Corp., which operates 14 airports nationwide other than Incheon, is expected to shift to a net loss this month if the COVID-19 situations continues. "The coronavirus outbreak has caused a rapid fall in the number of users of mass transportation, which has led to troubles in management of relevant state firms," An said. "The government should come up with proper measures to overcome the crisis." The husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has revealed her joy at being temporary released from an Iranian prison amid the coronavirus outbreak ravaging the country. Richard Ratcliffe described how his wife, 42, had a 'big smile on her face' as she was able to speak to their daughter Gabriella on Skype following her release from jail for two weeks. Her release came as the government in Tehran warned that the virus, which is wreaking havoc across the globe, could kill millions of Iranian 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. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was seen wearing an ankle tag (left) after her temporary release from an Iranian prison and (right) in a video call with her husband, Richard Speaking today, her husband, who has long campaigned for her freedom, admitted he had been cynical about whether his wife would be released at all, adding that he didn't 'dare dream' of it. He told Sky News: '[This is] definitely good news. I was a bit cautious before it happened, there'd been a build-up [and] I remember getting quite cynical. 'But now it's happened, goodness me. Nazanin had a big smile on her face yesterday, she was able to speak to Gabriella. 'Gabriella showed her around the flat showed her her dollies on Skype 'I don't think I dared dream of it but it was lovely to catch up again, be a bit more normal again.' He added that his wife's ankle monitor limits her movement, meaning she can't go very far. She is currently staying with her parents. But a hopeful Mr Ratcliffe said: 'Let's hope it's the beginning of a step forward. 'Fundamentally there's nothing like a crisis to remind you what's important and what's not. We're all humans and some of the old disputes can be resolved through humanitarian roots. Richard Ratcliffe, who has long campaigned for his wife's freedom, admitted he had been cynical about whether she would be released 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 Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe embracing her daughter Gabriella in Damavand, Iran following her release from prison for three days in August 2018 'She looked much better even the last few days before all this, she got much better from coronavirus.' 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. She was arrested at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Airport while travelling to show her young daughter, Gabriella, to her parents in April 2016. The British mother 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. 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.' Her release was announced yesterday as Iran battles the coronavirus, with the nation one of the worst-hit in the world. Government spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told a press conference the virus, which has now killed 988 in Iran amid 16,169 infections, could claim as many as four million lives if citizens failed to observe new public health rules. The Iranian 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. 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.' British holidaymakers returning to the UK after the Foreign Office warning to avoid non-essential travel have criticised the lack of help from airlines, travel firms and consular staff. The latest travel advice is aimed at reducing the number of British travellers caught by closed borders and flight restrictions as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. It came as a growing number of countries announced bans on international flights with Sri Lanka announcing a ban on arrivals from 4am local time on Thursday 19 March. Many British travellers say they have had to spend hundreds of pounds on new flights. Janice Cakir from Rotherham touched down at Heathrow late on Tuesday night. I was stuck in Istanbul, my flight was cancelled by Pegasus, so I phoned the embassy, she told The Independent. No help whatsoever, they just said I had to keep in touch with my flight company. I think when you phone them up and youre trapped in a foreign country they definitely should give you more help than just say, Get in touch with the airlines. In the end I went to the airport, and my friend got me a ticket through Aegean which went to Athens and through to Heathrow. The original ticket had cost 70, but the replacement was 550. Nicky Fernandez from Cambridge and her husband, Oscar, were sightseeing in Cairo when they got word of an impending flight ban from Egypt. We heard nothing from Expedia, who we booked through, or from Egyptair, who were flying with, so we had to go through our [hotel] concierge. We were advised to go to the embassy, but the British Embassy were not opening the doors, despite there being a queue of us and other nationals. They gave us the Home Office number, but they didnt respond. Eventually we had to come straight to the airport to try to book an earlier flight for an additional 630 each. The Independent estimates that between 500,000 and 600,000 British travellers were abroad when the new Foreign Office advice was announced on Tuesday. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: We recognise that any British people currently overseas may be nervous about the impact of coronavirus on their travel and their health. We are in close contact with travel providers and our international partners to provide support to those British people affected by ongoing measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19. - Belo Medical Group is urging other beauty and wellness clinics to likewise donate their remaining personal protective equipment (PPEs) to the country's health workers - This was in response to the problem of an apparent lack of PPEs hounding frontliners amid the community quarantine - Dra. Vicki Belo personally posted the clinic's official announcement in her IG account - Included in the announcement was a promise of extension of full-pay full-benefits to other workers and the early 13th-month pay release PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Belo Medical Group (BMG) has once more proven why it is among, if not the best, beauty and wellness clinic in the country. Dra. Vicki Belo, in her IG account, posted the official announcement of the Belo Medical Group in response to the ongoing enhanced community quarantine in the fight against COVID-19. In the announcement, BMG is giving away all their remaining stocks of PPEs to health centers that are in need. It also urged other clinics to do the same. Aside from donating PPEs, BMG assured its employees of full-pay full-benefits while the community quarantine has not yet been lifted. They will also be releasing early 13th-month pay to their employees to help them. In the event that the quarantine will last beyond a month, BMG promised a modified no-work-with-pay scheme to support its employees. Netizens lauded the beauty doctor for her courage and for her generosity in trying times. PAY ATTENTION: Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! In a previous report by KAMI, Malacanang has already warned hoarders of face masks and alcohol amid the coronavirus pandemic. The coronavirus outbreak started out in Wuhan, Hubei Province of China. Scientists believed that the virus came from an animal at one of Wuhan's wet markets. Currently, the Philippines is under a state of calamity while the entire Luzon has been placed under an enhanced community quarantine. Please like and share our amazing Facebook posts to support the KAMI team! Dont hesitate to comment and share your opinions about our stories either. We love reading about your thoughts and views on different matters! Are you an avid fan of a celeb? You might want to challenge yourself and see if you can guess the voice of celebs through recordings. Check out all of the exciting videos and celebrity interviews on our KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel! Source: KAMI.com.gh While much of Houston faces the coronavirus by stocking up on toilet paper and hunkering down at home, the wealthy are chartering planes and even opting for plastic surgery. Social distancing is, after all, the perfect opportunity to recover inconspicuously. Airlines like United and American are reducing domestic and international services to deal with the economic impact of drastically decreasing sales. But thats not the case for private aviation. Kinston, N.C.-based company flyExclusive, the nations seventh-largest private charter company, is seeing a 20 percent year-over-year increase in flight requests, including in Houston. It became apparent a couple of weeks ago to the point we have added additional personnel to handle the number of inquiries and trip planning, said executive vice president Allen Thomas. CORONAVIRUS UPDATES: Stay informed with accurate reporting you can trust There are cancellations, of course. But there are twice as many new bookings. People are still going where they need to go. It is just a matter of their resources, said Thomas, who noted that his clients include both families and corporate travel. They are looking to limit exposure to the virus and this is what they feel is a common-sense solution. For some businesses, flying private is strategic. They are repositioning people within the company to create separate work teams in different parts of the country for redundancy, Thomas said. The majority of Houstons outbound flights are heading to New York, Florida, the West Coast and Chicago. The Citation Excel midsize jet, which seats eight, is the most requested at the moment. Whats it cost to charter a flight? From Houston to New York City, you can expect to pay between $15,000 and $25,000 for a one-way trip. With the hefty price tag comes special requests: In light of the coronavirus pandemic, that includes traveling with pets and disinfecting measures.We are getting requests for maintenance of the aircraft. We are following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, Thomas said. And we allow pets. Thomas said the company has reached out to its contemporaries in Europe and Asia for guidance. They are ahead of us on the curve and we can learn from them about how to logistics and how to stage resources. Its been a big help. We are modeling our operations based on it. Thomas sees no reason to think business will slow down. There is still a significant amount of air travel in Europe and Asia. People still have to do business and handle priorities. Unlike Thomas, Ali Davoudi, vice chairman of Houstons Million Air airport, foresees a possible bump in the road. For now, the private air market has an uptick but if people are sequestered, it could come to a halt. Private aviation is a good substitute for flying commercial, according to Davoudi. People that don't own planes but want to fly are paying to lease a flight and companies that are telling their employees not to travel are still sending their top executives. Wealthy consumers arent just taking to the sky. Theyre also self-isolating at home, like the rest of Houston. Just differently. I usually do seven to 10 private dinners a year. I did four last week, said private chef Charles Clark, who owns Clark Cooper Concepts. I can definitely see a difference. Clark was recently hired to travel with a client, who did not want to dine out amid increasing fears of the pandemic. I went with him on a private jet to Miami and Atlanta. He brought me with him out of concern about the coronavirus. In Braselton, Ga., 50 miles outside Atlanta, Clark prepared meals at Chateau Elan Winery & Resort. I cooked for his office team at a private dining facility at the hotel. He let the hotel know his personal chef was with him and they had no problem with it. CORONAVIRUS IN HOUSTON: All of the latest news, numbers and analysis to keep you up-to-date, only on HoustonChronicle.com Clark, who was also recently hired to cook dinner for a party of 12 at a private home in Memorial, prepares the menus based on the type of guests. They are not pulling back on spending on products because the meal is at home. I am making filet mignons and red snapper. Clark doesnt expect the demand to slow down. People are picking out chefs they know and trust so they dont have to be out at restaurants. I am seeing a number of people changing their habits, he said. The pulse of this city is changing. I have a feeling I will be even busier as people do more dinners at home. For many that extended home time means watching Netflix while school and businesses are suspended. But a privileged few are utilizing this free time to recover from plastic surgery. For Dr. Franklin Rose of Utopia Plastic Surgery & Med Spa, business is booming. We are booked. The well-to-do are using spring break to book their surgeries. 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 Bellaire-area hospital Rose uses caters to elective orthopedic or plastic surgery procedures. Thus, his clients are not taking hospital beds from the ill. I have an affluent patient who, instead of cruising with her family in the Mediterranean, is having plastic surgery, he said. Patients are not holding back when it comes to the types of procedures theyre selecting. Rose has received requests for breast augmentations, liposuction and mommy makeovers a tummy-tuck, breast-lift, liposuction combination. Post-surgery, patients can relax home without a reason to hide the bandages and bruising. If they are going the social distance, why not have a procedure done and then lay low and recover at home? They go hand in hand, said Rose. marcy.deluna@chron.com Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 23:18:24|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close RIGA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Latvia economic growth, which had been rather sluggish at the beginning of this year, will be "frozen" by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, an economist at the pan-Baltic Luminor Bank predicted on Wednesday. Presenting the bank's latest economic outlook, Luminor economist Peteris Strautins said that the Latvian economy is likely to contract by some 5 percent this year, according to the latest estimates. If the restrictive measures that are being taken to curb the spread of COVID-19 become protracted, the forecast might be further revised downwards, Strautins said, admitting that the situation is still developing very quickly. According to the Luminor report, the coronavirus pandemic is expected to leave the most devastating impact on sectors like transport, manufacturing, and trade, which are projected to fall 15 percent, 11 percent and 9 percent, respectively, this year. Strautins underlined, however, that the current crisis, which sooner or later has to be over, will be followed by active stimulation efforts, with construction, which this year might drop 7 percent, being expected to feel this support the most. The economist said that some sectors will continue to grow even amid the current emergency. The IT and communications industry, for example, is projected to show a 7-percent growth this year and commercial services exports will probably be doing well too. A t any other time a decision to close all the schools in the country would in itself be stunning news. The row would go on for weeks. Now its just one of the things the Government has got to do the announcement is coming. We all know that the impact on families and employers will be vast: education disrupted, exams on hold, households in lockdown, workers stuck at home, tempers fraying, and no idea when it will end. But its a measure of the seriousness of these times that ministers will soon be making much more dramatic decisions, ruling our lives with the sort of powers that British governments have only ever taken on in wartime. A coronavirus Bill is being rushed through Parliament to put them in place. It is a shocking, sweeping and essential law. The Government is right to deploy it and the Opposition is right to back it. But we should still come to terms with the consequences. For years ministers have been promising a bonfire of red tape. Now they are striking a match and chucking on petrol. There will be shortcut ways to register healthcare workers, a block on suing for clinical negligence, and a volunteer service. It will become easier to detain people under mental-health powers, to close airports, schools and events, to stop public gatherings and close down transport. Elections will be cancelled. Checks on the work of the intelligence services will be stripped back. There will be simple ways to sign off deaths and dispose of bodies. This is not government by decree. We have a strong democracy with institutions like Parliament, the courts and an independent media all of which will be watching. But it will still feel very different to anything we have known in our lives. Some of the changes coming now will be useful ones which we should keep: less paperwork and more done online, in courts for instance. But while we need to hurry to get ready for whatever the next few weeks and months will bring, we shouldnt kid ourselves that everything will go back to how it was. The Bill limits these powers to two years and not all of them will be used immediately, or even at all. But history teaches us that when the state gets tough powers it tends to hang on to them. Past governments said that things like income tax, the Official Secrets Act and pub closing hours were just short-term measures in a crisis. They never went away. So co-operation now with the restrictions should not be taken as consent for conceding these things forever. Nor should it rule out criticism of the way the crisis is being run. Today, for instance, it is obvious that we arent testing enough people for the virus fast enough, especially medical staff, with the result that they dont know if they are infectious and are staying away from the front line where they are needed. Raising the alarm about things like this is vital. In the greatest of national emergencies there are always choices to make. We support the Governments right to make them but must not leave it unchallenged. Listen to today's episode of The Leader: Loading.... New ways to connect We have never been better connected and yet many are now feeling alone. We can communicate online instantly with almost anyone on the planet, but are being urged not to leave our homes. Isolated physically, we will find ways to come together. We can still meet friends, sharing virtual nights out in a digital local although getting a round is out for the moment. We can still listen to concerts but online, not sitting side by side: the fluent and sensitive pianist Stephen Hough is not performing in person in London next week as planned but you can still stream his wonderful playing of Brahms at the Wigmore Hall. We can create online book clubs, hold pub quizzes at a distance, talk to our families as often as ever, if not see them in person. We can read the same newspapers and websites, too the Evening Standard, we hope. Virgin Media is experiencing issues with some of its services, according to customer reports. The outage comes just one day after major phone networks went down across the UK. Hundreds of reports were tracked by the website DownDetector, which monitors the status of websites, apps and online services. The reason for the issues with Virgin Media are not immediately clear. A spokesperson for Virgin Media told The Independent that there was no national broadband outage but that some voice services were affected. "There are no widespread broadband issues on our network," the spokesperson said. "We're aware of an intermittent issue affecting voice services for some of our mobile customers but this has no relation to our other services. WE're working to get this fixed as quickly as possible and apologise for any inconvenience." 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. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. 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 Virgin Media acknowledged customer complaints on social media. I can understand your frustration, a representative for the company told one Twitter user. Were doing everything we can to minimise disruption as much as possible. The internet had mixed feelings when Arielle Charnas, the influencer-designer-mommy blogger behind brand Something Navy, decided to Insta-document her experience getting tested for COVID-19. Over a million followers watched via her stories, as Charnas skipped lines with the help of a friend (Insta doctor) Dr. Jake Deutsch, who swabbed her from her car at an urgent care. A day later, the influencer has announced her diagnosis: coronavirus. Her husband also has symptoms, though she says her two daughters still appear to be healthy. Charnas' diagnosis arrives just as people have begun to question the inequality in who's been getting access to testing. People like Tom Hanks, Idris Elba, Kevin Durant (and the entire Brooklyn Nets) are apparently having an easy time getting tested, while everyday people who suspect they're sick are being turned away, referred incorrectly, or made to wait days for results. (To be fair, Elba and Hanks were tested in England and Australia respectively, while it's America's testing system that appears most mismanaged). While announcing her diagnosis, Charnas seemed to address the backlash. "I realize there are many individuals, both in New York City, and nationwide, who do not have the ability to receive immediate medical care at the first sign of sickness," she wrote. "It is the responsibility of our government offices to ensure all Americans can access necessary tests and I acknowledge how lucky I am to have had that access." Since the virus can manifest in different ways, some are grateful to see Charnas raising awareness about social distancing, offering an in-depth look at her symptoms, and showing a COVID-19 test up close (even if it'll likely be much harder for you to get one). New York Times reporter Tim Hererra recently walked through his hellish journey to a diagnosis, which is probably much more similar to what yours would look like. While we should, of course, eat the rich, Charnas isn't to blame. Most of us would jump to the front of a line given the opportunity and everyone should be getting tested day and night. Widely available testing, for those with and without symptoms, is crucial to slowing the pandemic, given 80% of COVID-19 cases are either asymptomatic or mild enough to be overlooked. Nonetheless, Charnas' situation, and the reality of celebrities serving as posterchildren for a pandemic wreaking havoc on middle and working class people's lives, reveals how literally lethal America's caste system is. While Charnas can alert her family, friends and coworkers that they may have been exposed, and get treated knowing hospital bills won't bankrupt her, others are unknowingly infecting their communities or afraid to seek care at all. Related | How Sex Workers Are Grappling With Coronavirus As of yesterday, according to the New Yorker, the US was only running about 7,000 tests a day (South Korea has been running 10,000 tests a day since February) thanks to lengthy delays in manufacturing and state, city and county facilities getting the green light to start testing. On Friday, Trump announced that companies were ready to start manufacturing tests, but blamed the CDC for everything. "Yeah, no, I don't take responsibility at all," he said. Samsung introduced the Galaxy M21 earlier today and it will be up for sale on Monday at Amazon India. A support page of the device, codenamed SM-M215F/DSN, appeared on Samsung Germanys website, essentially confirming the smartphone will hit the European country as well. That would represent a change of policy by Samsung as originally the Galaxy M series was mostly reserved for India and some other Asian markets with Europe only getting the Galaxy A mid-rangers. A limited number of Galaxy M phones did make it to Western markets eventually but this might be the first one to be released so soon after its announcement. The Galaxy M21 is a cheaper alternative of the Samsung Galaxy M31 and has one less camera that its sibling. Other specs like screen size and battery capacity remain the same - respectively 6.4 Full HD+ and 6,000 mAh with 18W fast charging. If Samsung keeps the pricing policy of asking for 20% for its phones in Europe, compared with India, as was the case with the Galaxy M20, the M21 might start from 189 in Germany. Source | Via Homily "My sisters and brothers, we come to celebrate the Feast Day of our patron saint in the strangest of times. St. Patrick was a figure who led a life of Christian generosity and humility, strong faith and devotion; he poured out his life in solidarity with and concern for the well-being of the communities of faith he founded, and often exhibited breath-taking courage. The fact that in the more recent past, some celebrations of this man, who had such deep trust in God and in Gods ways, have reduced him to a pretext for an opportunistic Spring carnival an Irish Mardi Gras as someone called it might not blind us to the deeper meaning and significance of what and whom we celebrate. We celebrate a young man whose life drew sense from Christ, and who knew first-hand the consolation, hope, and strength that come from him. Celebrating Patrick in the fullness of the faith brings much more than remembering a saintly pest controller of legend who drove the snakes out of Ireland. "The Ireland in which St. Patrick lived was troubled, harsh and dangerous. But of that world came a flowering of faith such as the world has ever seen. St Patrick said, it was for love of God that I live as an outsider and an exile among barbarous tribes (Letter to Coroticus, Part 1). Having arrived as a slave, Patrick returnedin freedom as an apostle who authentically embodied in his life and vibrantly expressed in his missionary activity the values of prayer, faith, courage, generosity, solidarity and compassion with his vulnerable sisters and brothers. It was the Holy Spirit, Patrick said, who talking within him held him together during his Irish captivity and brought him back to Ireland, stood by him when others opposed him. In Patrick, we see the story of God that is written in his life, the story that God is telling us through Jesus, who infused Patricks life his Spirit. "The spirit of St Patrick is needed in our country today when his Feast Day is overshadowed by fears and concerns about the Covid-19 epidemic. In these frightening days, the fear and concern are very understandable, but they must not be allowed to lead to a loss of hope, or of despair. The restrictive measures introduced by the Government and the Church will help to protect people, especially the most vulnerable. St Patrick endured a torrid time; he was isolated from his family and tested, but he did give in to the spectre of despair. Patrick put his trust in God. "As we read St Patricks Confession we gain an insight into a man who was strong, courageous, deeply dedicated to Christ; a person not easily defeated or discouraged. In the long history of Ireland and the world our forebearers in the faith have faced immense and seemingly overwhelming challenges down through the centuries, and yet they overcame enormous adversity. In the past, people on this island had to overcome a nearly constant fear of major outbreaks of TB, smallpox, or cholera or typhoid which could often be lethal. As concern for the coronavirus deepens day-by-day we know that because of medical advances and good communication we are in a much stronger position to deal with what might be termed a modern plague, that is, the coronavirus. "In these extraordinary times, we pray earnestly and promise to work in harmony with the State agencies for an end to the pandemic. St Patricks breastplate where he invites Christ to surround him with shield of protection can provide us a way to pray: Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left. "The gravity of the situation brings home to us of the fragility of human life and our dependence on one another and on God. "We pray for an outpouring of the corporal works of mercy, for a spirit of generosity and self-sacrifice, solidarity, concern for the well-being of others, compassion and charity in our Diocese and throughout the country. "I ask you to pray for the virtues of patience and perseverance and for composure to overcome any temptation to despair or selfishness which can sometimes accompany panic which is lack of trust in Gods providence and a lack of solidarity with other people. "We come together in faith and offer our prayer for the healing of the many sick people, remembering the victims of these past days, and asking that their families and friends might find consolation and comfort. We pray for all who are called to carry the burden of the pandemic especially people who work in the health services these frightening days to guarantee the smooth functioning of society, and for all who support them. "Today we pray that we might be caught by St. Patricks belief in the power of prayer, the convictions of his faith, and in the closeness of God, as well as the support and prayers of our sisters and brothers. As we turn towards God for protection, as Saint Patrick did, may the Lord bring us inner freedom, a dedication to the call of God, and a deep trust in the active presence of the Holy Spirit. St Patrick, Apostle of Ireland, pray for us. Padraig Aspal, gui orainn. Beannachtai na Feile oraibh go leir. Chile declared a "state of catastrophe" and delayed a constitutional referendum while several countries announced nighttime curfews as Latin America expanded its coronavirus lockdown on Wednesday. The Chilean measures were set to last for 90 days and would help protect the country's hospitals and medical personnel, said President Sebastian Pinera. "The armed forces will be able to act as true health forces, collaborating with all the officials in our health system," he added of a provision that allowed military members to participate in the relief efforts. The measure also allows restrictions on freedom of movement. In a later TV interview, he said it would be "prudent" to delay a referendum on changing Chile's dictatorship-era constitution until September. News that a minister in Brazil had tested positive for the virus came as the Sao Paulo stock exchange was suspended for the sixth time in eight sessions after plummeting more than 10 percent. National Security Minister Augusto Heleno is the latest official to be diagnosed with COVID-19 following a state visit to the US. Sixteen people who accompanied Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro have now tested positive for the virus, although he and his American counterpart Donald Trump tested negative. Brazil has confirmed 529 coronavirus cases and four deaths -- the highest in Latin America, with more than 1,200 cases across the continent. The regional death toll rose to 14 after Costa Rica reported its first COVID-19 fatality. Five others were killed in a mass prison breakout after Venezuelan authorities banned family visits to prevent possible contagion, Zulia state governor Omar Prieto said. -- Cruise docks in Cuba -- A 61-year-old Italian tourist became the first person to die of the disease in Cuba, the health ministry said. Cuba relies on tourism revenue and has bucked the regional trend in keeping its borders open without strict quarantine measures for visitors. Earlier on Wednesday, Cuba allowed a British cruise ship carrying five infected people and more than 50 others showing flu-like symptoms to dock on the island. It had been turned away by both the Bahamas and Barbados. More than 1,000 passengers and crew aboard the vessel were being repatriated to Britain on Wednesday evening. "We are very grateful to the Cuban government for swiftly enabling this operation," said British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab. El Salvador's status as one of the few remaining countries in the hemisphere without a COVID-19 case came to an end on Wednesday. President Nayib Bukele said the unidentified patient had been isolated. Markets elsewhere in the region continued their slide, with Buenos Aires nearly 15 percent down and Colombia announcing an emergency $15 billion economic package. Airlines are refusing to check in passengers trying to get on flights out of Australia if they are headed to countries locked down over coronavirus. Daily Mail Australia was told how dozens of tourists are now stuck in Sydney because their destination would immediately deport them. Meanwhile, departure desks are flooded with tourists desperately trying to get an early flight home in case their country's borders close too. Numerous governments including Malaysia, Israel, and most of Europe have shut down their airports, banned non-residents from entering, or imposed strict conditions for entry. Sydney International Airport is flooded with tourists desperately trying to get an early flight home Tommy (third from left) and Madeleine (right) Nyman only arrived from Sweden to visit their daughter Alicia, 22, (second from left) and her Australian boyfriend Jackson Smith, 22, (far left) on Saturday and now are trying to go home two weeks early before flights are all gone An Air Asia worker said anyone who tried to check in to a flight where they would be denied entry on arrival would be refused a boarding pass. 'We had three this morning who were flying to Sri Lanka and Malaysia and their borders are closed so we couldn't let them on,' they told Daily Mail Australia. Qantas staff gave a similar answer, as there was no point in flying a passenger overseas only for them to be sent straight back. Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday morning took the unprecedented step of raising the travel advice to 'do not travel' for the entire world. Australians would not be banned from getting on a plane, but he said overseas travel was increasingly difficult and tourists could get sick or stranded. 'The travel advice to every Australian is do not travel abroad. Do not go overseas,' he said at a press conference. Robert Gomez, 20, (left) and Karly Myles, 21, (right) put on latex gloves to protect themselves from coronavirus on the flight they managed to get back to the U.S. Canadian couple Danielle Hung (left) and Tyker Purcha (right) were planning to stay in Australia until at least July but are now hoping to leave immediately However, airlines said they would not be advising passengers not to fly or pointing them to the PM's advice. 'They're adults, it's their responsibility to know the advice and the risks,' one airline worker said. Australians appeared to be heeding the advice as not a single Australian traveller could be found trying to board a plane out of Sydney airport that morning. Instead thousands of tourists and even temporary residents were jumping on planes or lining up at counters to grab earlier flights home. Tommy and Madeleine Nyman only arrived from Sweden to visit their daughter Alicia, 22, on Saturday and are now desperately trying to leave. The couple spent $4,000 on flights alone and were supposed to stay for two weeks travelling the east coast, having not seen Alicia since she moved to Australia in November. 'It was a hard choice this morning,' Mr Nyman told Daily Mail Australia as he stood stranded with his family and Alicia's Australian boyfriend Jackson Smith, 22. 'This is the longest we've not seen our daughter for and we've only had a couple of days with her. 'We were all supposed to be on a tour of the Hunter Valley right now. Instead we are here (at the airport).' A traveller puts her head in her hand as she tries to figure out how on Earth she is going to get home form Australia Travellers show up to Sydney Airport with their luggage, either with their new tickets booked or hoping to jump on the next flight home A woman checks into her flight home from Australia at the Qantas zone on Wednesday morning. She is lucky enough to have got on a plane Ms Nyman said Sweden's airports would be closed to non-citizens on Thursday and they were worried all flights would be cancelled as a result. 'We have to fly direct as Europe is shutting down and we don't want to be stranded on the way,' she said. Canadian couple Danielle Hung and Tyker Purcha were planning to stay in Australia until at least July but are now hoping to leave immediately. 'It's a bit chaotic, everything that's going on. Every day something changes - borders are closing, airports are closing... only four in Canada are still open,' Mr Purcha said. He said they just found out their insurance would no longer cover them for illness in eight days time 'so we don't want to stay here and risk it'. 'We were trying to stay even longer than July but if everything is going to close down we'd rather be at home,' Ms Hung added. 'Everyone we know who is travelling has already gone home too.' Qantas staff said the few flights left to the U.S., Britain, Bangkok, and many other destinations were completely full of desperate travellers trying to get home Numerous governments have shut down their airports, banned non-residents from entering, or imposed strict conditions for entry, meaning many are stranded in Sydney Travellers heading home to Asia put on masks to protect themselves form infection on the plane Ms Hung said they tried to contact Air Canada by phone but due to the number of calls they were told to go to the airport at 7am and try to get on standby. 'There's only three a week and it has to be a direct flight as if we transit through somewhere we might get stuck in quarantine,' she said. Many other travellers were seen slumped on the floor, madly trying to find flights on their phones, or discussing a trip to the Blue Mountains while they wait for the next available flight home after theirs was cancelled. Virgin Australia cancelled all international flights from March 30 to June 14 in the face of crashing demand. Qantas staff said the Virgin check in desk was cleared out on Wednesday morning and was empty until a few remaining flights later in the afternoon. Staff were called into a meeting, and many casual workers were let go and others sent on leave with an uncertain future. 'It's really sad, the girls were in tears as they cleared out the desk this morning. So many people are losing their jobs right now,' a Qantas staffer said. 'I've been here 30 years and I've never seen anything like this.' Qantas staff said the Virgin check in desk (pictured empty) was cleared out on Wednesday morning and was empty until a few remaining flights later in the afternoon Staff were called into a meeting, and many casual workers were let go and others sent on leave with an uncertain future Air Asia was also empty and a worker said anyone who tried to check in to a flight where they would be denied entry on arrival would be refused a boarding pass One said co-workers sent on unpaid leave were thinking of going back to previous careers or even working at a supermarket. Another said her daughter had lost her job as a travel agent that she worked so hard to get after finishing university. Staff said Qantas flights to London would soon be going via Perth as transiting through Singapore soon wouldn't be a problem. The few flights left to the U.S., Britain, Bangkok, and many other destinations were completely full of desperate travellers trying to get home. Australians overseas were on Tuesday urged to return home as soon as possible and would-be holidaymakers told to 'reconsider their need for travelling'. This is the entire board of departing international flights out of Sydney on Wednesday - usually there would be many times more but dozens have been cancelled A passenger rugs up in a P2 mask, beanie, a long coat, and gloves as they check in for their flight home This group were among dozens who had just been let off a cruise days early and now have to find a way home Just a day later they were advised, for the first time ever, not to travel anywhere overseas. '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,' Mr Morrison said. Coronavirus has killed six people in Australia and infected 531, with dozens of new cases popping up every day. Domestic flights have been advised to be low risk and will continue unrestricted, though airlines are slashing their capacity by up to 50 per cent. Non-essential indoor gatherings of more than 100 people and outdoor ones of more than 500 are banned. Schools will remain open for now. San Francisco is doing it. France, Spain and Italy, too. They have locked down their residents to fight the exponential spread of the new coronavirus. Oregon is taking some tough but incremental steps Gov. Kate Brown just extended K-12 school closures through April 28 and banning dining inside restaurants but hasnt embraced more extreme measures. The logical question now on many peoples minds: Has the time come for a societal lockdown? What does it look like? And how long would it last? San Francisco and some neighboring communities on Tuesday became the first large metro area in the nation to take such drastic measures after California leaders issued a shelter-in-place order. It mandates that about 7 million residents stay home except to get food, seek necessary medical care or go to essential jobs for at least the next three weeks. France also has joined Spain and Italy in sequestering its residents -- with French President Emmanuel Macron saying he was instituting the 30-day measure because: We are at war. The enemy is invisible and it requires our general mobilization. Oregon has identified 68 cases of the new coronavirus in 14 counties and two people have died. Two have died just across the river in Clark County. Limited testing in both states means the number of COVID-19 cases is drastically undercounted. Nationwide, more than 5,500 have been diagnosed, with more than 100 deaths, according to The New York Times tracker. The number of confirmed cases has more than quadrupled in a weeks time in the U.S. -- in part because more testing has become available but has not come anywhere close to demand. Oregon doctors have written to Gov. Kate Brown and Vice President Mike Pence laying out an aggressive coast-to-coast response that includes closing schools proactively and instituting social isolation measures immediately. That means no one should leave their homes in affected regions except for medical care, essential supplies, essential work services and compelling other reasons that are clearly defined, the letters read. More than 430 doctors have signed the state letter and nearly 5,000 medical professionals have signed the letter to Pence, leader of the U.S response. They say theyre bracing for a massive wave of people requiring hospitalization because of COVID-19. They also want to keep people with mild cases or those not showing symptoms from infecting others without knowing it. We see ourselves making decisions in the next weeks and months on who will live, and who will die because we dont have resources sufficient to care for them, read the letter to Pence, which similar to the one to Brown. We have heard the stories second- and farther-hand from China and Italy and have no reason to think the United States wont suffer the same fate, the letter continues. We must flatten the curve of this pandemic to save lives. *** A study published Monday by the American Association for the Advancement of Science found that asymptomatic people or people whose symptoms were so mild they didnt realize they were infected were a major driver of the disease from its epicenter in Wuhan, China, to the rest of the world. The study found that this group of roving people -- whose infections were never diagnosed -- were responsible for spreading the disease to 79 percent of the people who were diagnosed in China. The study concluded that this massive category of people will make containing COVID-19 particularly challenging and will require governments to radically increase testing and isolation of these people. Some politicians and celebrities in recent days have announced their diagnoses which were made even before they felt any symptoms. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said he was tested last Thursday and he received a positive test result Friday, the same day he started feeling a slightly scratchy throat, like a cold was coming on. Two days after that, he said he had only mild to almost no symptoms right now, so Im very fortunate that I seem to be for the moment in that 80 percent category thats experiencing mild to no symptoms. In my fifth digital journal, I explain how my condition directly ties into the importance of social distancing, as well as another bold action the @CityofMiami is now taking to promote that. #InThisTogether pic.twitter.com/oM3dB4wK47 Mayor Francis Suarez (@FrancisSuarez) March 17, 2020 Suarez said his case could bolster the case for social distancing. He said he wouldnt have known he had the disease unless he got tested after twice being in the same rooms as Fabio Wajngarten, the press secretary to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, earlier this month. On Monday, English actor Idris Elba -- known to Americans for playing Russell Stringer Bell on The Wire and the lead in the English detective show Luther -- tweeted out a video announcing hed been diagnosed with COVID-19, even though he feels normal. 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, you know, Elba said in a video viewed more than 30 million times. Nows the time to really think about social distancing, washing your hands. Beyond that, there are people out there who arent showing symptoms and that can easily spread it. He emphasized: Stay home people and be pragmatic. *** Oregons governor as recently as last Wednesday morning had instituted no social distancing measures of significance and said she would keep schools open. But Brown has taken more dramatic steps in the days that followed. She first banned public gatherings of more than 250 people, then closed all schools until April 1. Then this past Monday she banned gatherings of 25 people or more, but advised Oregonians to avoid groups of 10 or more people. She also said she was shuttering restaurants, with the exception of takeout and food delivery for at least four weeks, followed by Tuesdays extension of the schools closing. The governor has acknowledged that the increasingly stringent measures have enormous financial impacts on businesses and people who need their jobs to support themselves and their families. She and Oregons public health officials also have said shutting schools is detrimental to the learning process and disproportionately affects low-income students and their parents, who rely on the schools for free or reduced-price meals for children and childcare. Dr. Maxine Dexter, a pulmonary and critical care physician for Kaiser Permanente in Clackamas, said she thinks the governors recent steps are moving in the right direction. But they arent enough, said Dexter, who co-wrote the letters to Brown and Pence. Dexter believes the governor should issue a stay-at-home directive that allows people to leave home only for groceries, gasoline, medical needs or essential service jobs (such as medical staff, people who work in the grocery industry, garbage collectors and workers who run utilities that provide heat, water and electricity). Restaurants should be completely closed and schools should remain closed, too, she said. Dexter is running for state House District 33, which covers parts of Multnomah and Washington counties, but said she has suspended her involvement in her campaign to focus on her medical work as the coronavirus continues. Elsewhere in Oregon, medical providers are nervous about the onslaught they expect in coming weeks. Along the Oregon coast, some medical staff are bracing for spring break vacationers to arrive, expecting an influx of people who are relieved to get respite from being cooped up at home with their kids for the past week. One nurse, who asked not to be identified because of the backlash shes already received from businesses in Tillamook County, said shes asking people from other parts of the state to cancel their vacation plans. Please stay home, she said, noting that Oregon coastal towns dont have enough hospital beds for area residents, let alone out-of-towners who might become feverish and develop a dry cough while in town. Those are the top two symptoms of the disease. The nurse also worries about people from one part of the state spreading the virus to new parts of the state through travel and further depleting dwindling supplies of groceries. *** Bay Area engineer Tomas Pueyo analyzed the growth curves of coronavirus in China, the U.S. and other countries around the world in a piece -- Coronavirus: Why You Must Act Now that has been translated into 28 languages and viewed more than 35 million times. One of Pueyos main findings is that an all-out lockdown in China -- which literally meant locking some residents in their apartment complexes and barricading neighborhoods -- worked to stem the spread of the disease. "Every day that there isnt social distancing, these cases grow exponentially." These graphs will help you understand what's happening as #COVID19 spreads. On Medium: Coronavirus: Why You Must Act Now, by Tomas Pueyo https://t.co/tW6muc8pzU Medium (@Medium) March 12, 2020 On Tuesday, the Chinese government reported just 21 new cases -- 20 of them imported from people traveling into the country. At the peak of the epidemic, the country was logging more than 3,000 new cases per day. (It remains to be seen if the government can contain the disease when roughly half of the 1.4 billion people whose movements were restricted return to work.) Pueyo also looked at why the number of new cases has exploded exponentially in, for example, Italy and Iran. Thats striking when cases havent in Taiwan, Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong, which all have much closer ties to mainland China. Pueyo and many experts say thats because those nations were hit hard by another coronavirus -- SARS -- in 2003 and they developed aggressive pandemic plans that they swiftly put into motion. As of Tuesday, Taiwan, with 23 million residents, had just 77 cases. They very quickly limit people coming in, identify the sick, immediately isolate them, use heavy protective gear to protect their health workers, track all their contacts, quarantine them, Pueyo said of the successful governments. Its too late for other countries such as the U.S. to enact similar measures to limit the spread because too much time has been squandered by gradually instituting social distancing measures like limiting large public gatherings that do decrease the spread of disease, he said. But whats needed at this point, he argued: If you want to be safe, do it Wuhan style, he said. People might complain now, but theyll thank you later. *** Chunhuei Chi, the director of the Center for Global Health at Oregon State University, believes the state and the rest of the country dont need a dramatic lockdown yet. But that means a serious investment in public health. In order to do that, government must closely track each person who has had contact with a known case, Chi said. He has studied many nations responses to the novel coronavirus and agrees that Taiwans is the most effective. In Taiwan, Chi said, every asymptomatic person with close contact to a confirmed case is ordered into home quarantine for 14 days, tracked through GPS on their cellphones and tested both at the beginning and end of the two weeks. Compared to Oregon, Taiwan also appears to define close contacts widely -- quarantining not only family members of a confirmed case but also colleagues and students if, for example, their teacher has been diagnosed. Officials from the Oregon Health Authority told The Oregonian/OregonLive earlier this month that they were asking some but not all -- asymptomatic people whod had close contact with diagnosed people to self-quarantine at home, under the honors system. Officials had been monitoring their status. Oregon Health Authority officials also said they werent testing people in this group unless they developed symptoms. But Thursday, a spokesman said the agency is stretched so thin that it would no longer monitor this group at all. Chi said if people who have been ordered to quarantine in Taiwan go out in the community against orders, theyre fined. Chi also said Taiwan has sent out clear public health messages that has educated the population. For example, people are advised to change their outside clothes and wash them when they get home, replacing them with indoor clothes, Chi said. Of course, its a tradition not to wear shoes inside, too. From the beginning, Taiwan treated this as a war, like we are fighting for their survival, Chi said. We have to take this threat far more seriously. If we think we are fighting for our survival, then the state should spare not resources, put everything into it. -- Aimee Green; agreen@oregonian.com; @o_aimee Subscribe to our Oregon Coronavirus newsletter: On March 16, the department said results showed four of those tests came back negative for COVID-19, while two were still pending. The following day, village officials said the Illinois Department of Public Health would begin to only report positive cases, but not the negative tests. The Commission and the European External Action Service expect endorsement of the proposal in view of the Eastern Partnership Summit in June 2020. The European Commission has proposed new, long-term Eastern Partnership policy objectives for beyond 2020. "Today, the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy have put forward a proposal for the long-term policy objectives of the Eastern Partnership beyond 2020," they said in an official statement on March 18. "These aim at increasing trade, strengthening connectivity and deepening economic integration with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, strengthening democratic institutions, the rule of law, environmental and climate resilience, supporting the digital transformation, and promoting fair and inclusive societies." The Commission and the European External Action Service expect the Member States and partner countries to endorse the proposal in view of the Eastern Partnership Summit in June 2020, which will give a mandate to develop a new set of tangible deliverables building on the current 20 Deliverables for 2020. Read alsoUkraine meets criteria for NATO Enhanced Opportunity Partner status defense minister "Our neighbours' strength is also the European Union's strength; the Eastern Partnership remains a crucial element of the EU's foreign policy. Our proposals will further strengthen our six partner countries, reflecting the priorities and challenges that we share, while maintaining the emphasis on delivering tangible, positive results for all citizens," High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell said. "We are sending a very clear message to our Eastern partner countries: we will help you to build strong economies and to create growth and jobs by attracting foreign direct investment and by strengthening connectivity in key sectors, such as transport, energy and environment. We will work closely together to address today's challenges across the board, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic," Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi said in turn. As UNIAN reported earlier, France rejects proposals that the European Union's initiative regarding the six countries of Eastern Europe, known as the Eastern Partnership, may contribute to the likelihood of future membership of Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Belarus in the European Union. Diplomats say France does not want to disappoint Moscow and proposes 50% of the Eastern Partnership program's budget be funneled into environmental protection efforts. The Eastern Partnership was launched in 2009 with the aim to strengthening and deepening the political and economic relations between the EU, its Member States and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine. The Partnership has developed according to the interests, ambitions and progress of each partner, allowing for differentiation, but in a flexible and inclusive way to tackle common and global challenges jointly and foster regional integration. Current policy objectives were defined through agenda 20 Deliverables for 2020, agreed in 2017. A shovel and knife allegedly carried on a Belfast street by a blood-covered man had been thrown at him as he fled from a beating, the High Court heard today. Lee Whelan claimed he was subjected to the attack before his arrest in north Belfast last week. The 24-year-old, of Duncairn Parade in the city, was granted bail on two counts of possessing an offensive weapon in public. Crown lawyer Fiona O'Kane said a concerned member of the public contacted police on March 11 about a man covered in blood carrying a large shovel on the Cliftonville Road. Whelan was located and stopped in the area, with blood over his face and shirt. The court heard he set down the shovel when detained, and searches also led to the recovery of a knife. He claimed that he had been assaulted and chased, picking up the "weapons" after they were hurled at him but denying any intention to use them. Defence counsel Joe Brolly said his client suffered a serious beating. "He was very disorientated, covered in blood and taken to hospital immediately," Mr Brolly added. Describing the accused as a vulnerable adult, the barrister disclosed that he suffered a brain injury following a road accident in 2012. It was also claimed that if Whelan was denied bail he could spend a lengthy and uncertain period in custody due to the coronavirus outbreak. "In these extraordinary times cases are just going to be racked and stacked," Mr Brolly submitted. "One doesn't know when they are going to be dealt with." Mr Justice Scoffield ruled that the accused can be released under conditions including a curfew and electronic tagging. President Donald Trump on Wednesday doubled down on his claim he has 'always' treated the coronavirus seriously and then pivoted to complaining about last month's impeachment inquiry, demanding to know 'where's the whistleblower.' The president spent the morning tweeting on a variety of subjects, including his response to the coronavirus epidemic, opined on the Democratic presidential primary and complained about impeachment. His defensive posture comes as his administration asked Congress to allocate $500 billion for two direct payments to Americans - one in April; one in May - to counter the economic affects of the coronavirus. President Donald Trump doubled down on his claim he has 'always' treated the coronavirus seriously The White House is also requesting $300 billion to help small businesses and $50 billion for the airline industry, according to Treasury Department documents being circulated. The details were released after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned lawmakers on Tuesday that the unemployment rate in American could drop to 20 per cent. Mnuchin met with Republican senators at the Capitol Tuesday afternoon where he posed risks the economy could face if a coronavirus stimulus package is not passed quickly, Bloomberg News reported. But Mnuchin's office pushed back on the report. 'During the meeting with Senate Republicans today, Secretary Mnuchin used several mathematical examples for illustrative purposes, but he never implied this would be the case,' Treasury spokeswoman Monica Crowley said in a statement. The administration is also facing questions about whether the United States has enough hospital beds and supplies to treat those infected with the coronavirus. A 100-page government document, issued Friday and reported on by The New York Times, warned the pandemic will last 18 months or more, could come in several waves and cause critical shortages of medicines, equipment, and staff. 'Shortages of products may occur, impacting health care, emergency services, and other elements of critical infrastructure,' the plan warned. 'This includes potentially critical shortages of diagnostics, medical supplies (including PPE and pharmaceuticals), and staffing in some locations.' P.P.E. refers to personal protective equipment. In his Wednesday morning tweet flurry, President Trump touted his approval rating, which he claims is 53 per cent but it was 44 per cent in the latest Gallup poll and sits at 44 per cent in the RealClearPolitics average. Trump argued his rating is 'not bad considering I get nothing but Fake & Corrupt News, day and night. 'Russia, Russia, Russia', then 'the Ukraine Scam (where's the Whistleblower?)', the 'Impeachment Hoax', and more, more, more.' The president regularly complains that news reports he doesn't like are 'fake news.' During the impeachment inquiry, Trump demanded that the whistleblower, who revealed the details of Trump's phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which then sparked the impeachment process, testify in the inquiry. Trump was impeached on two articles in the House but cleared in the Senate trial. It's not the first time Trump has tweeted about politics as the United States battles the pandemic. He's been critical of governors who have criticized his administration's response to the virus and he has blamed the Obama administration for the lack of testing kits. Health care workers tend to patients at the drive-in center at ProHealth Care in Jericho, New York as a report warns there may not be enough supplies to treat the disease Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned lawmakers unemployment could hit 20 per cent, Bloomberg News reported, amid economic fears about the coronavirus He said Tuesday he has the right to defend himself and would continue to do so when he saw something on the news he didn't agree with. 'I only do that when I have to respond,' he said of his politically-themed tweets. 'I will continue to do that if they're not going to play fair. Because, you know, they have the media on their side; I don't. I just have me,' he said about Democrats. 'I want it to be bipartisan and nobody's going to be better than me,' the president said during a briefing in the White House press room. 'But when they attack me or these incredible people behind me - I'm not going to let them get away with that. I can't do that.' The president on Wednesday also pushed back at reports his response to the pandemic has taken on a more serious tone in recent days, again calling it the 'China virus,' a term some find racially insensitive. 'I always treated the Chinese Virus very seriously, and have done a very good job from the beginning, including my very early decision to close the 'borders' from China - against the wishes of almost all. Many lives were saved. The Fake News new narrative is disgraceful & false!,' Trump wrote. President. Trump has been criticized for minimizing the disease in its early days but told reporters on Tuesday he's 'always' taken it seriously. 'I've always known this is a real - this is a pandemic. I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic,' he said during a press briefing on the virus. Last month, on Feb. 26, the president down played the effects of the virus. 'We're going to be pretty soon at only five people. And we could be at just one or two people over the next short period of time. So we've had very good luck,' he said. A successful firing test shows that Europe's lightweight Vega launcher is well on its way to cheaper and more efficient launches in 2025, officials say. Video footage from the "hot-fire" test of a 3D-printed thrust chamber prototype for Vega's new M10 engine showed it successfully firing on a rainy day. Flames jut out from the thrust chamber, with the pressure causing ripples in the puddles below. The thrust chamber assembly fired 19 times for 450 seconds (about 7.5 minutes) at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama a common location for developing rocket technology. It's one small step on a longer road to development for Vega, which is now facing tight competition from private companies eager to grab a slice of the small-launcher space. The M10 engine uses liquid oxygen and liquid methane (which are two environmentally friendly fuels) to replace the second- and third-stage engines in the current Vega rocket, the European Space Agency said in a statement. Video: Hotfire! Future Vega rocket's 3D-printed engine component tested Related: Meet Ariane 6 and Vega C: Europe's new 'rideshare' rockets The 3D-printed thrust chamber assembly of the methane-fueled M10 rocket engine passed its first series of hot-firing tests at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, in February 2020. The M10 engine will power the upper stage of future Vega evolutions in 2025. (Image credit: ESA/NASA) "These test results are encouraging, confirming that our propulsion teams are right on track along the development path identified for such novel technology for Vega evolutions," Giorgio Tumino, the manager of ESA's Vega development program, said in the statement. The M10 is not only cheaper to manufacture but is also billed as more environmentally friendly. It is restartable and uses smart pressure control, which will save on fuel. (Rocket propulsion tends to be one of the most expensive costs for space missions.) The big challenge in building the M10 via 3D printing, or additive layers, is trying to do product inspections, ESA said. "Non-destructive inspection such as tomography and ultrasound is used to detect defects, geometry distortions and potential obstructions within cooling channels," the agency added. The first development model of the M10 engine should undergo its first hot firing at the end of 2020. Ground qualification is scheduled for 2024, and then the engine will be put into launch vehicles starting in 2025. Vega is operated by Arianespace , a commercial launch service provider, to send small spacecraft and payloads to polar and low Earth orbits, and had its first launch in 2012. Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. The Supreme Court Wednesday refused to accept the proposal for producing 16 rebel MLAs of the Madhya Pradesh Congress in judges' chamber, and observed that they may or may not go to the Assembly but they cannot be held captive. A bench comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta said it is not going to come in the way of the legislature to decide who enjoys the trust but it has to ensure that there is a free exercise of choice which these 16 MLAs can make. The bench declined the offer of the rebel Congress MLAs saying it would not be appropriate and also refused to send its Registrar General to meet them. It then deferred the hearing for tomorrow at 10.30 am. "As a constitutional court, we have to discharge our duties," said the bench, adding, as of now it knows that the 16 rebel MLAs in Madhya Pradesh tilt the balance one way or the other. The court asked lawyers to assist it on modalities for ensuring free access to the Assembly and choice. The bench was hearing cross petitions filed by former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Congress on the ongoing political crisis in the state after 22 rebel MLAs of the ruling combine purportedly offered to resign. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Chouhan, offered to produce all the 16 rebel MLAs in the judges' chamber, which the court denied. He also said that as an alternative, Registrar General of Karnataka High Court could go and meet the rebel MLAs on Thursday and video record everything. Rohatgi questioned maintainability of the Congress plea and said how can a political party ask for access to rebel MLAs in their petition. The problem is Congress wants the rebel MLAs to go to Bhopal so that they can be lured and it can do horse trading, said Rohatgi. The rebel MLAs told the bench that they were ready to face consequences as per the Constitution and expressed their unwillingness to meet Congress leaders. "Speaker cannot sit on our resignations. Can he choose to accept some resignations and not others because political game is going on?", asked the MLAs. Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the MLAs, said their right to resign was constitutional and asked what was the corresponding duty of the Speaker for accepting resignations. Singh said all these MLAs held a press conference declaring that the decisions they took was based on their own free will and the same has been sworn in their affidavits as well. "We aren't abducted and are producing this evidence in a CD to the court. We don't want to meet the Congress leaders, there is no principle of law to compel us," the MLAs told the bench. Earlier in the day, the Madhya Pradesh Congress Party sought trust vote in the state assembly to be deferred till by-polls for the vacant seats are concluded, saying "heavens are not going to fall" if its government led by Kamal Nath is allowed to remain in office till then. The contention was opposed by Rohatgi saying, after the resignations of 22 Congress MLAs, out of which six resignations have been accepted, the state government should not be allowed to continue even for a day. The Madhya Pradesh Congress Legislature party (MPCLP) had Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking direction to the Centre and the BJP-led Karnataka government to grant it access to communicate with its rebel MLAs allegedly kept at Bengaluru. The court had on Tuesday asked the Kamal Nath government in the state earlier in the day to respond by Wednesday to a plea by senior BJP leader Chouhan seeking immediate floor test in the Assembly. The plea filed by Chouhan and nine BJP lawmakers was moved in the top court just after the Speaker cited coronavirus concerns and adjourned the House till March 26 without taking the floor test apparently defying the directions of Governor Lalji Tandon. On Saturday night, 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. 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.) Ms. Martinez, the same Democratic Party officials who didnt want you as court clerk now will be buttering you up and trying to get their cronies on the payroll. You can forgive and forget. But why wouldnt you instead ignore those to whom you owe nothing? Gun stores across the Bay Area did brisk business Tuesday, selling firearms and ammunition to customers rattled by the coronavirus pandemic and staying open in apparent defiance of the shelter-in-place order intended to slow the spread of disease. Firearms dealers from Novato to Sunnyvale reported a spike in sales, and buyers in multiple cities waited in long lines that spilled out doors and into parking lots. More than two-dozen people mostly men lined up outside the City Arms gun store in Pacifica. No other business in the Eureka Square shopping center was open during the mandated shelter in place hovering over San Mateo County and five other Bay Area counties. Not the yoga studio next door or the dance and exercise studios a few doors down. But the beefy man in the blue-and-white City Arms polo shirt who stepped outside to see a reporter and photographer approach his store wasnt about to answer questions about why his place was open. Please leave, the man said. This is private property. He might have called the police or he might not have depending on whether a gun store can legitimately be called an essential service. Either way, the people in line seemed glad that City Arms was open. The government is trying to do everything it can to keep society intact. But if society is unraveling, its up to us to protect ourselves, said Andrew Dominguez, 36, a real estate agent in Pacifica who waited near the end of the slow-moving line to buy ammo for his shotgun. John Chen, 40, agreed. He lives in Oakland but has construction outlets around the Bay Area, including in Pacifica. He was at City Arms to buy his first pistol for personal defense. This virus gave me the motivation, Chen said. Ive always wanted to have a gun, but Ive been lazy. I see the news now, and the outbreak and the chaos. Chen said crime is on the rise, although stories across the country show that homicides and certain other crimes are way down. But Chen saw a video of a cruel beating and robbery in San Franciscos Chinatown in November, and said he believes otherwise. I dont like guns, he said. But crime is getting worse. Jackson Lu, 24, came bounding out of the gun store, carrying a new $500 Glock 19 in its black plastic case. He wasnt about to open it to show it off, though. I feel like theres a lot of crazy stuff happening around the world, he said. I want to feel safe. At Marin Firearms in Novato, four men and one woman stood in line outside the entrance at 1:30 p.m. as a FedEx truck delivered fresh merchandise. The driver pushed a cart piled with about 20 cardboard boxes, some of them long and thin, the right size for rifles or shotguns, into the store. Inside, a young man working the counter explained that business started picking up about a week ago. He was limiting the number of customers inside the store to three at a time, he said, and in coming weeks, the store would stay open to serve the firearms community until I drop dead. He said he didnt want to give his name because only the owner spoke to the press and the owner wasnt there. Asked if the store was supposed to be open at all, given that only essential businesses are exempt from the lockdown, the Marin Firearms employee said, As far as I know, were essential. No ones told us were not. Outside, Sharon Femenia, 49, waited to buy ammo for her familys handguns and rifles. Just decided we needed to stock up a little bit, said Sharon, a Novato resident and gun collector. Mainly for home defense, said her son, Peter, who held their dog, Stig, a Siberian Husky, on a leash. Because we dont know how much longer well be on lockdown. Its kind of eerie, Sharon said, referring to the recent wave of panic-buying that has emptied the shelves of groceries and drugstores. Reached on the phone in the early afternoon and asked if his store was seeing a high volume of sales, Gabriel Vaughn, owner of Sportsmans in Petaluma, started laughing. God bless you, he said. Yeah, thats an understatement. His store is in Sonoma County, which has not issued a shelter-in-place order. Vaughn said that 40 people were standing in line as he was speaking and that Monday was the single busiest day in the stores history. People are panic-buying guns for the same reasons that grocery stores are sold out, Vaughn said. Once anybody sees that people are willing to commit violence over toilet paper, a nonessential (item), then people start thinking worst-case scenario. He added that about 90% of his customers in recent days have been first-time gun buyers. John Parkin, owner of Coyote Point Armory in Burlingame, said the city shut down his shop Tuesday morning. But a half hour later, after discussing the situation with Burlingame police, Parkin said he was allowed to open. We are essential for providing tools for the safety in your home, Parkin said. In times like this, people need security in their homes. 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. He said Burlingame police were going to check with San Mateo County officials for guidance. Hes already worried that customers waiting for the mandatory 10-day waiting period to pick up firearms will have their background checks delayed due to the shutdown. Now Playing: A FedEx employee delivers supplies to Marin Firearms in Novato on Tuesday afternoon as Sharon Femenia, 49, a Novato gun collector, waits in line to buy ammunition for her family's handguns and rifles. Video: SFGATE People are being denied their Second Amendment right, Parkin said. Yet his business was booming, thanks to coronavirus fears. Parkin estimated business surged 500% in two weeks. Its been absolutely off the charts. Im completely out of hand guns. Im just preselling stuff, he said. Its obvious people feel very insecure with what the government is doing he said. And people feel they need to protect their home if things get strange with the coronavirus. Parkin took social-distancing steps at his store, allowing only three people in at once, while others had to line up outside. An employee from U.S. Firearms Co. on South Mary Avenue in Sunnyvale, who asked not to be identified, said his shop is closed under the countys shelter-in-place policy. But the store saw a huge uptick in clientele at the end of February. People are afraid, he said. Theyre afraid that (the coronavirus) is going to cause uncertain times and theyre afraid theyre going to have to defend themselves. A lot of people say theyve been meaning to get protection for their safety and this has spurred them to do that, he said, adding that most customers want their guns repaired. In the weeks before he closing, he said, business quadrupled. Law enforcement agencies in Novato, San Rafael and Pacifica did not respond to requests for comment about whether gun stores fall under the essential services provision of Bay Area shelter-in-place edicts Jason Fagone, Matthias Gafni, Tatiana Sanchez and Nanette Asimov are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jfagone@sfchronicle.com, matthias.gafni@sfchronicle.com, tatiana.sanchez@sfchronicle.com and nasimov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfagone, @mgafni, @TatianaYSanchez and @NanetteAsimov Delhi High Court on Wednesday evening dismissed one of the three last minute pleas filed by the Delhi gang rape convicts in different courts hours before their scheduled hanging at 5 am on March 20 and termed the petition frivolous which was only aimed to delay the execution of the sentence imposed upon the petitioner. The court rejected all the claims of alleged concealment of material facts by the prosecution regarding arrest of convict Mukesh Singh and his torture in jail and said the petitioner was convicted fairly and was now claiming a botched trial only to delay justice. It does not vitiate the trial for the reason that there were number of opportunities available to the petitioner to raise the plea before the trial court where trial was going on or this court where the appeal was filed or even in SLP before the Honble Supreme Court. This frivolous plea has only been taken to delay the execution of the sentence imposed upon the petitioner, the court order says. Mukesh Singh had challenged the lower courts rejection of his contention that he was not present in the city during the time of the crime and that the police had not shown his actual date of arrest. He had also claimed to have been tortured in the jail by authorities, resulting in a coerced confession which cannot be relied upon. The court, however, rejected all the claims and said the alleged irregularity in the arrest had no bearing on the case. This Court has further observed that in any event it is settled preposition of law that any irregularity in the arrest has no bearing on the trial, it said. Mukesh along with his three co-convicts-- Akshay Thakur, Pawan Gupta and Vinay Sharma-- were found guilty of brutally gang raping a 23-year-old paramedic student on a moving bus on December 16, 2012, and were sentenced to death by hanging by the trial court, which was confirmed by the high court and the Supreme Court in prolonged trials. All the four convicts have exhausted all their legal remedies before the courts and the President of India but their counsels have been accused of coming up with several last-minute petitions to thwart their hanging thrice already and this petition was one of the three aimed to procure the fourth stay on their execution. One of the other two petitions filed in a local Delhi court by Akshay Pawan and Vinay seeks suspension of execution citing revised mercy petitions filed before the President by the first two petitioners as one of the reasons. That case will be heard tomorrow afternoon. Another convict Pawan Gupta has filed a last-minute curative petition claiming he was a juvenile at the time of the incident. Akshay, Pawan and Vinay have also approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a stay on the execution of their death sentence. Apart from the above petitions filed by the convicts themselves, there are two other know related petitions-- one for divorce by Akshays wife in a Bihar court and another allegedly in Delhi High Court by Pawan Guptas fathers against a key witness in the case. The delay in hanging has triggered outrage from the victims mother and a section of the civil society who have accused the convicts of using loopholes in the law to frustrate justice. The Delhi High court seemed to agree with the contention. In the opinion of this Court, the plea is taken at this stage only to delay the proceedings and therefore, the contention of the petitioner cannot be accepted and the same is rejected, the court said. The national e-commerce policy is under consideration but there is no timeline as to when it will be released, the government said on Wednesday. The draft policy seeks to create a facilitative regulatory environment for growth of the e-commerce sector, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. "A series of meetings have been held at the level of Secretary, DPIIT with different stakeholders, including major e-commerce companies, startups, industry associations, think-tanks, academicians etc as well as data centre providers, logistics companies, export promotion councils to discuss the issues facing the sector and the provisions contained in the draft policy," he said. Since e-commerce is a new issue, it has necessitated detailed consultations over the last few months to ensure that the policy is crafted in a manner that interests of all stakeholders are taken into account. "Therefore, no timeline has been fixed for release of the same," he said. Goyal also said formulation of the new industrial policy is under consideration of the government. He said with regard to the new industrial policy, a Working Group has been constituted with representation from central ministries/departments, state governments, and industry associations. The first meeting of the group was held on October 24, 2019 and an inter-ministerial consultation is going on for framing the policy. In a separate reply, he said representations have been received in the ministry alleging that some e-commerce platforms are engaged in predatory pricing and are providing excessive discounts. "If any violation is reported, necessary action may be taken by the competent authority," he said. "Further, Competition Commission of India in one case filed against Flipkart Internet Pvt Ltd And Amazon Seller Services Private Ltd., vide order dated January 13...has directed the DG to conduct an investigation and submit its investigation report," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) MBABANE Panic gripped the Salvation Army Clinic on Monday when they attended to a suspected coronavirus case. Major Jeqeza Timothy Mabaso said they were troubled by the turnaround time of the ministry of health emergency response team to attend to the case, which took them over one-and-a -half hours to arrive. According to Mabaso, they expected that the response team would arrive within time, especially because they were at close proximity but that was not the case. He was submitting during the Coordinating Assembly of Non-governmental Organisation (CANGO) meeting to discuss ways of combating Covid-19 at Royal Swazi Spar yesterday, where he wanted to know what the turnaround time was. Explaining the situation, he said the patient had visited the clinic for consultation as she was feeling unwell and presented signs and symptoms of the COVID-19, which included high temperature and difficulty breathing, among other symptoms. Mabaso stated that the patient was first screened as per their procedure and when she was received at the consultation room, she was observed and it was concluded that she was among the suspect cases. Antibiotics However, he said the patient was treated and given antibiotics and further advised to get tested for COVID-19. He added that when tracking the patients history, it showed that about a week ago, she had visited neighbouring South Africa. We advised that due to the symptoms presented by the patient, she could be placed in a separate room to await the response team from the ministry. Mabaso said the patient was cooperative and tests were run by the emergency response team who also noted that the symptoms presented a suspected case of COVID-19. Currently, he said the patient was being monitored every after four hours by the response team and was under self-isolation at home. We are expecting an update soon from the ministry about the condition of the patient, he said. Hailey Bieber and Justin Bieber have decided that the grass may be greener in Canada. As people are traveling back to their homes to wait out the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Biebers have chosen to leave the U.S. and head to Canada. Justin Bieber and Hailey Bieber | Robert Kamau/GC Images Why did Justin Bieber and Hailey Bieber go to Canada? Justin and Hailey have an $8.5 million home in Beverly Hills, California but decided to leave it once the pandemic got more serious and social distancing (staying at least six feet from others and avoiding crowded areas) became a rule of thumb, they decided to leave for Canada. They plan on socially distancing themselves, a source close to Justin told People. In Canada, their home is very secluded and they are able to be out in nature still. They plan on staying in Canada until its safe for everyone to resume their regular lives. Justin has been taking coronavirus seriously for a while and has urged his followers to do the same. Obviously this is a really scary time, he captioned a video on Instagram. I wanted to remind everyone what we can do when we come together!! LETS COME TOGETHER BY ISOLATING OURSELVES UNTIL WE HAVE MORE ANSWERS! Our grandparents are counting on us. Canada is closed On Mar. 16, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau closed the Canadian borders to all people who are not Canadian citizens, US citizens, or permanent residents. For the moment, that measure does not apply to U.S. citizens, Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa, according to USA Today. However, today Canada and the United States closed the border between them to nonessential travel, according to tweets from Donald Trump. We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic, he wrote. Trade will not be affected. Details to follow! As of Mar. 17, there have been 566 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Canada and Trudeaus wife Sophie also tested positive for the virus. Sophies symptoms remain mild, but we are following medical advice and taking every precaution. She will remain in isolation for the time being, Trudeau said in a press conference. We are thinking about all the families across the country whove received the same diagnosis, but were in good hands. We have full confidence in Canadas health officials and professionals. As of the same date, there had been 4,226 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S., according to the CDC so the move to Canada might have been a smart one for the Biebers. Justin and Hailey Biebers relationship Hailey and Justin havent always behaved as a unit. They dated once before but werent able to make it work that time around. But in between dating, Justin and Hailey both worked on themselves. I think I was just hurt from my previous relationshipIn my previous relationship, I went off and just went crazy and went wild, just was being reckless, Bieber told Zane Lowe in a recent interview. [With Hailey] I took the time to really build myself and focus on me, and try to make the right decisions and all that sort of stuff. And yeah, I got better. An Eco-Friendly Retreat in Northeastern France $352,000 (316,000 EUROS) This modular home in Hultehouse, a commune in the Grand Est region of northeastern France, is built entirely from natural materials to blend into its environment near the edge of the Northern Vosges Regional Nature Park. The way the house was conceived, you feel like you are completely alone with nature, said Sebastien Gazso, of Espaces Atypiques, the listing agent for the property. Designed by the architect-owner in 2006, the three-bedroom house borrows from the Alsatian tradition of half-timbered houses, using local materials and an internal timber structure without steel or other manufactured supports. Even if it looks contemporary, the interior is an ancient technique, Mr. Gazso said, adding that it was the owners intention to create a prototype that could be easily and sustainably reproduced. Are we the best at judging our own attractiveness? New research out in Frontiers in Robotics and AI shows that we might not be after all. Researchers from the Experimental Virtual Environments (EVENT) Lab at the University of Barcelona examined the difference between how we believe we look, and how we view our own body from an outsider's perspective. What they found was that people rate their own body more negatively when embodied in it, compared to viewing their exact same body except as an outsider. So, how exactly do we view our own body as an outsider? The researchers set out to answer this by recruiting 11 men and 12 women from the University of Barcelona. Participants filled out one questionnaire on eating disorders and one on body shape perception. The team used virtual reality to create three virtual bodies ("avatars") for each participant: one based on how participants indicated measurements of their own body as their own image of it, one based on their ideal body shape, and one based on their real body measurements. Once these computer models were created, participants were immersed in virtual reality to view these three avatars from two different perspectives - first-person (like how we see our own bodies day to day) or third-person (how others in public would see us). They were then asked to rate the attractiveness of each of these virtual bodies. "Our results suggest that a change in perspective affected the evaluation of the attractiveness of a virtual body. For female participants, when the same virtual body was perceived from a third person perspective, it was evaluated as more attractive than when it was perceived from a first-person perspective," says lead author Dr. Solene Neyret. "Importantly, we also observed that the internal representation that people create of their own body is highly inaccurate." The researchers found that individuals' prior beliefs about 'the self' may be responsible for this effect and could prevent people from accurately judging their real appearance. Interestingly, the researchers also noted that the "ideal body" described by participants often had similar physical attributes one to another. This points towards the predominance of an 'ideal body shape' within the study's cultural environment. By using virtual reality, the researchers were able to give participants a new perspective on themselves - in more than just a physical sense. The gap between the reality of how we look versus how we perceive how we look can often be at the root of many body perception disorders, and the techniques described here may have future applications for treatment. "By showing their real body to our female participants from a third person perspective, it appeared more attractive to them than when the same body was seen from a first-person perspective. We believe that this method can be particularly efficient for increasing body satisfaction in patients with eating disorders", states Neyret. "This method could help patients to understand the biased representation they have of their own body. This knowledge could re-orientate their attention to the real features of their body shape in a more accurate and objective way, that isn't affected by the negative prior beliefs they have about themselves", says Neyret. By being able to see ourselves as from an outside perspective, we might learn to get a more objective perception of our bodies, and start to live with a healthier and more accurate body image. ### Notes to Editors Please link to the original research article in your reporting: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frobt.2020.00031/full Corresponding author: Dr. Solene Neyret Email: solene.neyret@gmail.com Corresponding Author's Institution: University of Barcelona Frontiers is an award-winning Open Science platform and leading Open Access scholarly publisher. Our mission is to make research results openly available to the world, thereby accelerating scientific and technological innovation, societal progress and economic growth. We empower scientists with innovative Open Science solutions that radically improve how science is published, evaluated and disseminated to researchers, innovators and the public. Access to research results and data is open, free and customized through Internet Technology, thereby enabling rapid solutions to the critical challenges we face as humanity. For more information, visit http://www.frontiersin.org and follow @Frontiersin on Twitter. 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. [snippet1]987600[/snippet1] Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 14:19:03|Editor: zh Video Player Close COLOMBO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Tourism Ministry, on Wednesday said it had decided to revise tourism arrivals and earnings forecast for 2020 following the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and the two week suspension of arrival flights at the Bandaranaike International Airport. Sri Lanka Tourism Chairperson Kimarli Fernando told the media that the tourism sector was currently one of the hardest hit by the outbreak of COVID-19 in the island country and considering the evolving nature of the situation, it was too early to fully estimate the impact of COVID-19 on earnings and arrivals, but clearly there would be a negative impact. "The COVID-19 outbreak has decimated many top source markets of Sri Lanka, but for us the timing of the plunge is particularly unfortunate as the industry was on its path to recovery from the Easter Sunday terror attacks last year," Fernando said. "Originally 2020 was supposed to be a big year for Sri Lanka, as we had planned for a significant surge in visitor traffic. However, the ambitious plans of Sri Lanka Tourism for 2020 are now under the threat of the COVID-19 crisis," she added. Prior to the emergence of COVID-19, Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga in January said the target of tourist arrivals for 2020 was 3.5 to 4 million tourists and 5 billion U.S. dollar in earnings. As a direct result of COVID-19, tourist arrivals in February declined by 17 percent to 207,507. Cumulative tourist arrivals over the first two months of the year fell 12 percent to 435,941, the ministry said. These are the instructions now, simple and bleak: Stay home if you can. Only essential personnel report for duty. Do not travel unless absolutely necessary. And here, on Tuesday, were the attendant questions, at least as grim: Are voters essential personnel in a pandemic? Is an election that grand replenishing of government, where the supply shelves can feel bare absolutely necessary under these conditions? Can staying home really be the civic duty this time? And what good is politics if thats true? There are no clean answers and, this week, no particularly consistent ones. The collision of social distancing and the social fabric seemed to threaten the aims of both, producing a Primary Day at once disjointed and borderline dystopian. Three states Florida, Illinois and Arizona pushed ahead with their elections amid public health guidelines to avoid large crowds, and the virus, if nothing else, often yielded an in-person electoral thinning that allowed many participants to conform. They marked their choices at times in the eerie quiet of polling places that smelled of disinfectant wipes or, more troubling, nothing at all. (Poll workers in Chicago complained about a dearth of proper cleaning supplies.) The hasty shuffling of polling locations, to protect the vulnerable at senior centres and other sites, produced reports of voters being turned away in the initial chaos. Volunteers dropped out at the last minute. Some venues saw long lines born not of high turnout, exactly, but distancing measures intended to keep people from clustering in large numbers inside. The plain math Tuesday will show that former vice-president Joe Biden swept each state, adding to a significant delegate lead against Sen. Bernie Sanders. But for all the stakes of this Democratic primary the pandemic has reinforced nothing if not the inescapable fact that the presidency matters it was hard to dwell much on the county-by-county returns. In separate appearances over livestream Tuesday, both candidates focused far more on the virus than the vote. I know we as a people are up to this challenge, Biden said, allowing himself an aside to note his campaigns very good night. We always have been. Sanders, outlining progressive policy proposals to counter the crisis, did not discuss the results. Before Tuesday evening, some states had determined that they could not abide democracy in this form at all. In Ohio, where a primary had been scheduled for Tuesday, Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, put off the election with a series of legal actions and declarations on the eve of the vote. This is a gathering of people, DeWine told The View (remotely) on Tuesday. And what weve tried to do is explain to Ohioans we cannot have large gatherings. Other states, like Georgia, Louisiana, Kentucky and Maryland, have likewise postponed or moved to postpone their elections. And in one of the headiest turns in a primary full of them from the debacle of the Iowa caucuses to the pandemic that makes that fiasco feel quaint presidential campaigns hard-wired to drive support to their cause have found themselves making a more nuanced case of late: Vote for me. If you feel comfortable. Going to the polls amid the coronavirus outbreak is a personal decision, Sanders tweeted Tuesday, as his campaign said it was forgoing traditional get-out-the-vote efforts, and we respect whichever choice voters make. The message lands uneasily in a country that has generally been told, by Sanders as forcefully as anyone, that voting is a cure for what ails it. Vote out the scoundrels. Vote in the change. Vote as if your life depends on it. It is a call as familiar as it is bipartisan. Whether you love me or hate me, President Donald Trump instructed over the summer, tying his success to the economys, you have to vote for me. Dont boo, Barack Obama has long advised his audiences. Vote. Yet such is the cruelty and precariousness of the present bind, when public safety and ballot-casting can appear to be in conflict. Telling residents to stay home, in an age of voter purges and fierce debates over voting rights, is bound to be fraught under any circumstances. Its like watching these two colliding trains, said Carol Anderson, a professor of African-American studies at Emory University, who has written extensively about voter suppression. How do we maintain the publics health and also democracys health? She suggested the two were not mutually exclusive, floating options like no-excuse absentee voting and expansions of early voting. Tom Perez, the Democratic National Committee chairman, seemed to have similar remedies in mind Tuesday, calling on the remaining primary states to embrace such approaches and vote-by-mail as often as possible. Arizona, where most Democrats had filled out ballots ahead of this weeks primary, would appear to be a relevant data point. Despite the virus, the state was reporting no major issues Tuesday. Among the early voters was Marlene Brown, 66, a retired insurance executive who voted in Surprise, Ariz., on Saturday. She said she was not concerned for her safety, even as she worried some about others who might leave their homes. But Brown had never missed an election, she said. This was not the moment to endanger the streak. I was not going to start now, she reasoned, when we really need to do something. Read more about: The UAE has announced a temporary suspension on issuing of visas-on-arrival for holders of exempted passports, effective 01:00 (UAE local time) on March 19 as part of the precautionary measures adopted by the country to contain the spread of COVID-19, said a report. Holders of diplomatic passports are exempted from this decision, WAM reported, citing a statement from the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship. According to the statement, the decision will apply to holders of exempted passports until a medical clearance process is activated at the departure country. The decision comes within the framework of the UAE's support for efforts by the international community to contain the virus, the statement concluded, the report said. The official render reveals the rear of Redmi K30 Pro. The handset can be seen sporting a quad rear camera setup in a circular camera module. Another teaser shows that the Redmi K30 Pro will have custom VC liquid cooling technology. Redmi K30 Pro is all set to be launched on March 24 in China. However, ahead of the launch, the company has released official render of the handset. Further, it is revealing K30 Pro features in bits and pieces. The latest teaser talks about the presence of a faster UFS 3.1 storage and LPDDR5 RAM. The phone is already confirmed to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset. The latest development comes from Weibo. Redmi has released several teasers on the Chinese social media platform. The Redmi K30 Pro has been confirmed to come with UFS 3.1 storage. It is claimed to deliver write speeds of up to 750 Mbps on the device. Redmi chief Lu Weibing says UFS 3.1 provides a greatly improved experience over the existing UFS 3.0. Further, it is teased to come with LPRDD5 RAM. Another teaser shows that the Redmi K30 Pro will have custom VC liquid cooling technology. It is tipped to provide a promising heat dissipation performance using a 3,435 square millimetres of a liquid-cooled heat sink. The official render reveals the rear of Redmi K30 Pro. The handset can be seen sporting a quad rear camera setup in a circular camera module. The render also reveals the top edge of the phone, which houses a 3.5mm audio jack, a pop-up camera module and what appears to be an IR sensor. We can also see the 64MP branding at the center of the camera module. The Redmi K30 Pro is expected to sport the 64MPS Sony IMX686 primary shooter. The handset is tipped to arrive in standard and Zoom Edition. The latter was first spotted in a recent MIUI 11 build and noticed by the folks over at XDA Developers. Soon enough, Redmi head Lu Weibing officially confirmed its existence on Chinese social media. It may feature 50x zoom capabilities. NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The personal injury law firm Steinger, Greene & Feiner now offers its legal services to injury victims in the Nashville, Tennessee, area. The firm launched its first Tennessee office in the heart of Downtown Nashville, with plans for expansion to other Tennessee markets within the year. Michael Steinger, Founding Partner of Steinger, Greene & Feiner, says the partners, lawyers and employees of the law firm are eager to take on the challenge of expanding into Tennessee. "We see Nashville as the perfect area to set up a new branch," Steinger says. "We are intimately familiar with state laws and the challenges local residents face after they've been injured, and we feel fortunate that we have the opportunity to be able to help injured victims of Tennessee get the compensation they deserve." Michael Feiner, Managing Partner, has more than a decade of experience as a leading partner of the firm and will be heading up the Tennessee division. As a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates, Feiner has recovered over hundreds of millions of dollars for his clients and will aggressively represent injury victims of Tennessee, fighting the insurance companies on his clients' behalf and getting them every dollar they truly deserve. Steinger, Greene & Feiner's Nashville office is located in the UBS Tower at 315 Deaderick Street #1550, Nashville, TN 37238, a few blocks from the Tennessee State Capitol Building. The law firm offers free, no-obligation consultations 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call (615) 590-3106 to speak to someone now about a personal injury case. About Steinger, Greene & Feiner Founded in 1997, Steinger, Greene & Feiner is one of the nation's leading plaintiffs' law firms, representing individuals who have been injured due to the negligence of others. A law firm with more than 45 attorneys, across seven offices in Florida and one office in Tennessee, Steinger Greene & Feiner has recovered over $1 billion for clients. Steinger, Greene & Feiner represents accident victims in personal injury cases, such as automobile, motorcycle and truck accidents, workers' compensation, slip-and-fall, and wrongful death. Learn more about the law firm at www.injurylawyers.com. Contact: Cerissa Stevens (561) 408-6511 [email protected] Related Images image1.png Related Links Nashville Car Accident Lawyer Steinger, Greene & Feiner Nashville SOURCE Steinger, Greene & Feiner Luisa Zissman has escaped the 'madness' of coronavirus with a girls' holiday in Barbados. The ex Apprentice star has been documenting her five star trip on Instagram, sharing photos of the stunning beaches and her wild antics with her pals. Luisa told her followers that there was 'nowhere else I'd rather be' two days ago but on Tuesday, the day before she flew home, she admitted she was keen to be reunited with her husband and three children who are back in the UK. Paradise: Luisa Zissman has escaped the 'madness' of the coronavirus pandemic with a girls' holiday in Barbados Luisa jetted to the sunshine isle with her mother Hilda and a group of friends, staying at the celeb-favourite Sandy Lane resort. On Monday the star shared a photo of herself dressed in a floral crop top and matching skirt, posing on a balcony with the Barbados beach as a backdrop. 'Theres nowhere Id rather be,' she captioned the smiling snap. Fun and family: Luisa jetted to the sunshine isle with her mother Hilda (pictured) and a group of friends, staying at the celeb-favourite Sandy Lane resort Another photo shared by the star showed her posing with her girlfriends as they enjoyed lunch at Sandy Lane, as she told her 551k followers: 'Girls holiday loving our trip away from the madness sunshine in Barbados.' A day later, and Luisa was preparing to fly home though as she documented her last night in Barbados with an outfit selfie. 'Have to be honest Im not looking forward to coming home,' she admitted in the caption. 'It just seems like the world has gone to s**t. Plan on drinking lots of wine & having lots of fun tonight as think it will be the last night out with my friends for a long time!! #ootn #zimmermann #girlsnight.' Pals: A photo shared by the star showed her posing with her girlfriends as they enjoyed lunch at Sandy Lane, as she told her 551k followers: 'Loving our trip away from the madness' Beach life: 'Theres nowhere Id rather be,' she captioned another smiling snap A follower asked her if she couldn't 'stay out there longer? You really don't want to come back... No one actually knows what their meant to do.. Guidelines are not very clear.. Xx if you have your family with you, stay there... Honestly x' But Luisa was quick to explain that she wanted to get home to her three young daughters and husband Andrew Collins. 'If my kids and Hubbie were here no doubt we would stay, but this was a girls holiday & I want to come home now and be with them ' she replied. Cheers! The ex Apprentice star has been documenting her five star trip on Instagram, sharing photos of the stunning beaches and her wild antics with her pals This is the life: Luisa stuck out her tongue as she posed with a friend at their luxury resort Coming home: A follower asked her if she couldn't 'stay out there longer amid the global crisis but Luisa was quick to explain that she wanted to get home to her daughters and husband On Wednesday Luisa took to Instagram Stories to document her flight home, telling fans as she arrived at Barbados airport that it was 'manic'. 'So I'm in Barbados airport trying to fly home and it is utter f**king chaos,' she said in a video as she walked through the busy terminal. She pointed put a huge crowd of tourists queuing alongside a mountain of luggage, explaining they were all cruise ship passengers trying to get home. 'I do feel sorry for all those people, what chaos,' said Luisa. The star managed to make it onto her British Airways flight, sharing a photo as she relaxed in first class with a friend, both dressed in tracksuits. Home she goes: Luisa was also keen to point out that she was sure she didn't have to self quarantine once she was home Airport: On Wednesday Luisa took to Instagram Stories to document her flight home, telling fans as she arrived at Barbados airport that is was 'manic' Chaos: She pointed put a huge crowd of tourists queuing alongside a mountain of luggage, explaining they were all cruise ship passengers trying to get home A top fundraiser for U.S. presidents and members of Congress secretly lobbied for years to advance the interests of foreign governments and people, including a Ukrainian oligarch fighting extradition for criminal prosecution in the U.S., according to prosecutors. Imaad Shah Zuberi funneled millions of dollars in illegal foreign contributions into the campaign accounts of U.S. politicians and hid the source of the funds by making the donations in the name of third parties, prosecutors said in a court filing Tuesday. The Los Angeles businessman's clients included Saudis, Kuwaitis, a faction of the Libyan government, Sri Lanka and Turkey, as well as Dmitry Firtash, who paid Zuberi $1 million to burnish his image as he has fought U.S. efforts to prosecute him on foreign-bribery charges, according to the filing. Zuberi's prosecution comes as the Justice Department has intensified its focus on secret foreign influence peddling amid growing concern that U.S. foreign policy has been swayed at times by hidden forces. It has come to a head in the aftermath of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the prosecution of Americans who were secretly working to advance foreign interests, such as Paul Manafort. "Public opinion is already rife with suspicions that foreign influence has compromised our elections and confidence in our democratic institutions has weakened," prosecutors said. The Zuberi case verifies "pervasive, corrupt foreign interference with our elections and policy-making processes," they said. Zuberi raised funds for the campaigns of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and the inaugural committee of President Donald Trump, and steered hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Republican and Democratic congressional campaign committees. U.S. prosecutors in New York and Los Angeles charged Zuberi with tax evasion, secret foreign lobbying and obstruction of justice. He has pleaded guilty to some of the charges, and the cases were consolidated in Los Angeles. The new allegations of influence peddling were raised in a court filing by prosecutors in Los Angeles, who asked a judge to impose a stiff penalty when Zuberi is sentenced May 18. The filing noted that other defendants charged with similar crimes have faced as long as five years in prison. Zuberi's work influenced U.S. foreign policy as it related to Sri Lanka, Turkey and Libya and fooled a dozen members of Congress into pressuring Bahrain's foreign minister, according to prosecutors. A foreign national paid Zuberi millions of dollars to put U.S. pressure on Bahrain, because the government had frozen his assets, prosecutors said. "Nearly the entirety of defendant's business activities and profits involved trading on his ability to influence U.S. government officials by engaging in concerted lobbying efforts and making enormous campaign contributions that, unbeknownst to the recipients and the public, were funded by prohibited foreign sources," prosecutors said in the filing. A lawyer for Zuberi, Thomas P. O'Brien, declined to comment. In October, Zuberi agreed to plead guilty to making almost $1 million in illegal campaign contributions from 2012 to 2016. He was also charged in New York with obstruction, stemming from the investigation into the Trump inaugural committee, for backdating a check to a donor and deleting email evidence. Zuberi's firm contributed $900,000 to Trump's inaugural committee. For that, Zuberi got a table at the president's candlelit dinner, next to a table where Republican fundraiser Elliott Broidy and Vice President Mike Pence were seated. Tuesday's filing lays out allegations about Zuberi's lobbying efforts in great detail: - Zuberi's work for Firtash involved trying to convince U.S. lawmakers that the Ukrainian's prosecution was politically motivated and getting congressional support for a "Ukraine development fund" that would have created business opportunities for Firtash's company after the collapse of the pro-Russian government in Ukraine and the imposition of U.S. sanctions on Russia. He got meetings with members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and two U.S. senators to whom he had previously steered $70,000 in contributions. - His Libya work occurred in 2015 and 2016, at a time when rival factions were competing for control of the country's government in the aftermath of Muammar Gadhafi's death and the civil war that followed. He sought help from members of Congress to lift a U.S. freeze on $200 billion of assets stashed in overseas bank accounts, on behalf of the so-called Tobruk faction. Zuberi undertook the work in exchange for a promise that a commission on the unfrozen funds would be steered into an offshore entity created by a Saudi national and a Libyan businessman and paid to him and others. The effort was abandoned after the leader of the Tobruk faction was no longer in the government. - For Turkey, Zuberi lobbied members of Congress to drop support for a House resolution in 2015 calling on the country to respect human rights and freedom of expression, in the lead-up to national elections. An unidentified senior Turkish official asked Zuberi to work against the measure in exchange for free land in the country to pursue development projects. Zuberi worked contacts in Congress to oppose the measure, which never made it out of committee. STAMFORD The attorney representing Michelle Troconis wants her electronic monitoring unit removed because he claims its interfering with her defense by telegraphing her every move to probation officers and prosecutors. The defendants exact location information is accessible 24/7 to agents of the state and her whereabouts are known at all times through monitoring and mandatory self-reporting to the probation officer, defense attorney Jon Schoenhorn wrote in a motion filed Wednesday in state Superior Court in Stamford. Troconis, 45, has been required to wear an electronic monitoring unit since she was first released on bond last June after being charged with tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution in the May 24 disappearance of Jennifer Dulos. Troconis has since also been charged with conspiracy to commit murder. Her former boyfriend, Fotis Dulos, 52, died in January from an apparent suicide while facing murder, kidnapping and other charges in connection with the death and disappearance of his estranged wife. In a note left in his car, Fotis Dulos proclaimed he was innocent of the charges and that Troconis and his former attorney, Kent Mawhinney, who is also charged with conspiracy to commit murder, were not involved in the crime. Troconis has been required to alert authorities for any trips outside her home for medical appointments, church and shopping since the conspiracy to commit murder charge was filed in January a requirement Schoenhorn also wants to stop. The fact the Ms. Troconis cannot schedule a meeting with her attorney, go to locations relevant to the investigation of her case, or seek out a potential defense witness without disclosing the information to the state interferes with the attorney-client relationship and inhibits her right to effective assistance of counsel, in violation of the Sixth Amendment and Article I of the state constitution, Schoenhorn wrote in the motion. Schoenhorn wants the GPS unit and any other non-financial conditions removed as part of his clients release on $2.1 million bond, Schoenhorn said. The attorney also filed a series of motions this week seeking to suppress evidence gathered during the execution of search warrants in the case. The most recent evidence he wants suppressed is data gathered from a cellphone tower dump police sought in June to determine if any phones connected with Fotis and Jennifer Dulos or Troconis had been in the Hartford area the days surrounding the 50-year-old mother of fives disappearance. Schoenhorn contends the tower dump was an unconstitutional and unjustified fishing expedition of not only the defendants data but that of everybody else. Police obtained a search warrant for the cellphone tower dump after finding videos of two people who appear to be Troconis and Fotis Dulos on Albany Avenue in Hartford the night Jennifer Dulos went missing. The videos show Fotis Dulos placing garbage bags that police say contained clothing and items stained with the blood of Jennifer Dulos in bins along the Hartford street, arrest warrants said. According to arrest warrants, police believe Fotis Dulos attacked his estranged wife in the garage of her New Canaan home when she returned from dropping off their children at a nearby school around 8 a.m. on May 24. Police said they found signs Jennifer Dulos was the victim of a serious physical assault based on blood evidence they found in the garage, arrest warrants state. Ukraine starts handling crude oil transit shipments heading to Belarus 01:20, 18.03.20 3092 Azeri Light arrived at the border between Ukraine and Belarus on March 17. Somoyerkagoj.com 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 7 Jun 2014, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. The total number of people who shared the somoyerkagoj homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the somoyerkagoj homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the somoyerkagoj homepage on Twitter + the total number of somoyerkagoj followers (if somoyerkagoj has a Twitter account). This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the somoyerkagoj homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if somoyerkagoj has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the somoyerkagoj homepage on Delicious. Basic Information PAGE TITLE DESCRIPTION KEYWORDS OTHER KEYWORDS CoolSocial advanced keyword analysis tool is able to detect and analyze every keyword on each page of a site. The title found in the head section of the homepage. The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is the address of the site. The description meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. Domain and Server DOCTYPE HTML 5.0 CHARSET AND LANGUAGE UTF-8 SERVER Microsoft-IIS/7.5 (ASP.NET) OPERATIVE SYSTEM Windows Server 2008 R2 Windows Server 2008 R2 The language of somoyerkagoj.com as detected by CoolSocial algorithms. Character set and language of the site. Operative System running on the server. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) Type of server and offered services. Site Traffic trend during the last year. Only available for sites ranked <= 100000 in the world. Referring domains for somoyerkagoj.com by MajesticSeo. High values are a sign of site importance over the web and on web engines. Facebook link FACEBOOK PAGE LINK NOT FOUND Facebook Timeline is the new layout of Facebook pages. 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. 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 type of Facebook page. Twitter account link TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 01:11:38|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- A number of overseas political parties have recently expressed gratitude to the Communist Party of China (CPC) for sharing China's experience and practices in its combat against COVID-19. While making an effective effort against the novel coronavirus epidemic at home, China has been committed to international collaboration, injecting confidence and strength into the global fight of the disease, they said in messages addressed to the International Department of the CPC Central Committee. Buya Tulga, general secretary of the Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party, said the international community should learn from China's experience and practices in fighting COVID-19. At the difficult moment of the virus outbreak, Xi Jinping, general secretary of CPC Central Committee, has made wise decisions that has led to a series of strong measures to be taken in China, and China's combat of the disease has set a fine example for the ongoing global fight, he said, adding the CPC's call for countries to make a concerted anti-virus effort to handle the current difficulty is warmly responded and supported by the international community. Ace Magashule, secretary-general of South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, said they are moved by the CPC's timely experience-sharing following the significant progress made in China's fight against COVID-19, which shows the CPC's high sense of responsibility for safeguarding the global public health security as well as building a community with a shared future for mankind. China's experience will be instructional to South Africa in its coping with the virus, and the ANC is willing to work with the CPC to jointly safeguard the international public health security, he said. Maria Rizzotti, president of Italy's Parliamentary Association "Friends of China", said Italy has updated its anti-virus measures based on the advice from the Chinese expert team dispatched to her country. The Italian people are grateful for the CPC outlining China's anti-virus practices in its letter -- an embodiment of the notion in Xi's proposal of building a community with a shared future for mankind, she said, who meanwhile voiced the confidence that Italy and China will jointly defeat the virus, with their friendship to grow stronger as time goes by. Mohsen Rezaee, secretary of Iran's Expediency Discernment Council, expressed his sincere thanks to China for its support for Iran's epidemic prevention and control. Saying that enhancing the Iran-China friendly cooperation is a significant way to tackle the current challenge, Rezaee said that the Iranian side expects to benefit from China's remarkable battle against the coronavirus, and expand cooperation with China in joint anti-virus efforts. Yemeni Socialist Party General Secretary Abdulraham Al-Saqqaf said that the measures that China has taken embodied its strong governance capacity and the great importance that it has attached to the lives and security of the general public, and demonstrated its extremely high moral standard and tremendous courage. China's experience and practice will play an important role in combating the epidemic across the world, he added. Chairman of the EU-China Friendship Group in the European Parliament Jan Zahradil said that at present, Europe has become the epicenter of COVID-19 worldwide, and China's experience in carrying out rapid and precise detection of the virus, and providing adequate protection for the medical staff will provide the most efficient help for Europe to combat the epidemic. Zahradil added that China's generous help fully proved that China regards the European Union (EU) and its member states as its true strategic partners. He expressed his hope that the EU and China could join hands to win the battle against the epidemic, and together usher in a new era featuring a closer EU-China relationship. Iraklis Tsavdaridis, executive secretary of the World Peace Council, said that China's epidemic prevention and control has entered a new phase, with the number of confirmed cases decreasing and economic recovery gaining momentum, adding that China's professionalism, scientific methods and strong organizational and mobility ability in fighting the virus has won respect globally. Tsavdaridis said that at this critical moment when the epidemic is spreading to other countries and areas, all governments should learn from China's experience and outcomes in combating COVID-19. By Trend Chairperson of the Azerbaijani parliament Sahiba Gafarova signed on March 18 an order on measures in the Azerbaijani parliament in connection with the fight against COVID-19, the implementation of which is considered necessary, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani parliament. The holding of meetings of the committees and commissions of the parliament, the Office and the Department of Affairs of the Azerbaijani parliament is temporarily suspended, while management is carried out only via telephone (intercom system), internet and mobile communication. The business trips and trips abroad of MPs and employees of the Azerbaijani parliament are temporarily suspended. The Department for Work with Documents and Citizens Requests of the Office of the Azerbaijani parliament has been instructed to temporarily suspend the reception of citizens. Without direct communication with voters in constituencies, assistants to Azerbaijani MPs will receive their appeals via internet and by phone. The head of the Office of the Azerbaijani parliament and the head of the Department of Affairs of the Azerbaijani parliament have been instructed to apply preferential working conditions for women with a young child (children). If employees or members of their families have symptoms of respiratory illness, malaise and other similar symptoms, they must inform the management, and they must be advised not to go to work until they completely recover. The staff of the Office and the Department of Affairs of the Azerbaijani parliament must not leave their rooms during the working day and not to contact with other people without special need. The staff of the Office and the Department of Affairs of the Azerbaijani parliament must take precautions against the spread of the virus and follow the advice of doctors and sanitary-hygienic rules. The medical center of the Azerbaijani parliament has been instructed to carry out enlightenment in the Azerbaijani parliament to prevent the spread of the virus. All technical personnel of the Azerbaijani parliaments Department of Affairs must undergo the medical checkup once a day. All vehicles on the balance of the fleet of the Azerbaijani parliament must be disinfected once a day. The Azerbaijani parliaments Department of Affairs must ensure the availability of antiseptic agents in the corridors of all the administrative buildings of the parliament and renew them daily. Control over the implementation of measures envisaged upon the order was entrusted to the head of the Office of the Azerbaijani parliament and the head of the Azerbaijani parliaments Department of Affairs. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz ANCHORAGE, Alaska - As a young boy growing up in Norway, Thomas Waerner spent idle hours thinking long and hard about two different kinds of iconic American modes of transportation: muscle cars and the sled dogs in the Iditarod. Waerner, 47, made one of those dreams reality on Wednesday, winning the nearly 1,000-mile (1,609-kilometre) Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race across Alaska. He took a commanding lead in the late stages of the race and held a five-hour advantage over the next closest musher, three-time champion Mitch Seavey. This is awesome, Waerner said after winning the race. This is something special. Waerner took his dog team over mountain ranges, on the frozen Yukon River and across treacherous Bering Sea ice to the finish line on Nomes main street in 9 days, 10 hours, 37 minutes and 47 seconds. The race started March 8 north of Anchorage and was one of the few sporting events in the U.S. that wasnt cancelled because of the new coronavirus. The Iditarod encouraged fans not to travel to Nome for the finish as the city closed public buildings to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Events like the mushers banquet were postponed. But fans didnt employ social distancing as they poured out of bars and hotels to cheer Waerner as he drove the team off the Bering Sea ice and down Nomes Front Street to the finish line just after 12:30 a.m. He will earn a minimum of $50,000 and a new pickup truck for winning the race. The actual cash amount will depend on how many mushers finish the race, a factor in how the prize money is divvied out. Waerner immediately thanked the 10 dogs in harness, petting and rubbing each dog, ending his with lead dogs K2 and Bark before handing out treats. He called K2 an amazing dog. He has this inside engine that never stops, Waerner said. Bark is the tough one, the winning musher said. Hes the one just charging through everything. It doesnt matter what comes, he will just go through it, storms or whatever, Waerner said. So they two together are an amazing team. Waerner, who began mushing in 1984, won the Iditarod in only his second attempt. He finished 17th in 2015, when he earned Rookie of the Year honours. Wearner last year won the 745-mile (1,200-kilometre) Finnmarkslopet, the longest sled dog race in Europe. As an 11-year-old boy in Norway, he read mushing magazines touting the achievements of some of the Iditarods most famous mushers of that era. Their ranks included the races only five-time winner, Rick Swenson, and a four-time winner, the late Susan Butcher, who in the 1985 race had to fight off an angry moose with an axe after it killed two of her dogs. Waerner told reporters at the finish line that it was always his dream to come here and do the race. Waerner became the second Norwegian musher in the last three years and third this century to win the race. Joar Leifseth Ulsom won in 2018 and Robert Sorlie took titles 2003 and 2005. All three Norwegians earned Rookie of the Year honours before winning. Waerner encouraged other Norwegian mushers to follow in their footsteps. This is a great race you can do, he said. Just start training. Warners victory was also a moment of pride for the Anchorage Sons of Norway chapter. Members considered throwing a banquet in his honour at a lodge, but restrictions put into place by the city over fears of the coronavirus derailed those plans. We are super excited, said Lise Falskow, the Norwegian honorary consul in Alaska Whenever a Norwegian is involved in the Iditarod, its something that we all rally behind and get very excited because the Norwegians, theyre tough and theyre determined and like Alaskans, they dont shy away from the Iditarod, she said. Waerner lives in Torpa, Norway, with his wife, Guro. She is a veterinarian who helps out with their kennel. He also owns an electrical business. Nome wasnt the only Iditarod race location where fears over the coronavirus prompted changes. Some local officials in communities along the races route asked that the checkpoints be moved outside of the villages to prevent any spread of the virus. The Iditarod suffered a big monetary blow this year when two longtime sponsors with deep Alaska ties dropped their financial support for the race. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals took credit for Alaska Airlines and the Anchorage Chrysler dealership dropping their support after targeting the airlines headquarters in Seattle and the Fiat Chrysler Automobile offices in Detroit with protests over what the group has called the races cruel treatment of dogs. Alaska Airlines said PETA had nothing to do with its decision, which it called a change in the companys corporate giving strategy. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles didnt mention PETA when it confirmed that the independently owned and operated dealership would no longer sponsor the race. The Anchorage dealership was one of the Iditarods top-tier sponsors and provided the pickup for the race winner for 30 years. __ Associated Press researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report. National Awareness Campaign Launches to Educate Americans on Simple Way to Support Local Business Community During Coronavirus Shutdown BOSTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / Across the nation, as restaurants, bars, salons, movie theaters, coffee shops, boutiques and hotels continue to shut down, a new initiative aims to bolster small businesses in their time of greatest need. The BuyAGiftCard campaign encourages consumers everywhere to financially support their beloved local service businesses during mandatory closures by purchasing gift cards now to be used at a later date. "Funds and websites are being set up daily in communities across the country to support those workers being affected by small business closures," said Marlo Fogelman, Founder and CEO of marlo marketing, an agency specializing in the hospitality and consumer lifestyle space. "BuyAGiftCard is simply a general awareness campaign designed to educate consumers on the value of essentially pre-purchasing services that you know you will use in the future - and to ensure small business employees will have a job to return to once the COVID-19 crisis has passed." With many asking how they can help, BuyAGiftCard is basically a no-cost, easy lift way to support the businesses in your community in getting through these challenging times by offering them the equivalent of a no-interest loan, with money you plan to spend anyway. A gift card purchase provides immediate funds to a business at the time of purchase, not at the time of use, so buying gift cards to use for monthly services such as the hair salon and yoga studio, and at restaurants and other local businesses you frequent, puts money immediately in their pockets. "This is an alarming time for small business owners everywhere," said restaurateur Garrett Harker, Owner of Eastern Standard Kitchen & Drinks, The Hawthorne, Branch Line, Island Creek Oyster Bar, and Row 34. "With enough support, the BuyAGiftCard initiative will enable businesses to maintain the critical baseline cash flow needed to reopen after the current health crisis is over. After all, we'd all like something to celebrate and return to once this is behind us." People are encouraged to share the effort widely on their social channels using hashtag BuyAGiftCard; corresponding images for use on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter may be found at https://marlomarketing.egnyte.com/fl/ZjvhrYjZ1V. CONTACT: Lisa MacGillivray lmacgillivray@marlomarketing.com 617-823-2709 marlo marketing is a Boston-based integrated marketing agency serving regional and national clients ranging from early-stage startups to Fortune 500 companies, specializing in Food & Beverage, Hospitality, Consumer and Lifestyle sectors. www.marlomarketing.com. SOURCE: marlo marketing View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/581349/BuyAGiftCard-Helps-Keep-Small-Businesses-Afloat KYODO NEWS - Mar 18, 2020 - 22:12 | All, Japan A woman in western Japan sued the state and a former finance bureaucrat on Wednesday, alleging her husband, who killed himself in 2018, suffered severe mental distress after being ordered to alter documents related to cronyism allegations against Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Her husband, Toshio Akagi, was an official of the Kinki Local Finance Bureau when he committed suicide at the age of 54 in March 2018. He belonged to a section that negotiated a heavily discounted sale of state-owned land in Osaka to a school operator linked to the prime minister's wife. (The plaintiff's lawyers) The Finance Ministry, which oversaw the land sale in 2016, admitted that documents related to the transaction had been altered, and references to the sale price and Abe's wife had been deleted. Nobuhisa Sagawa, then chief of the ministry's Finance Bureau in charge of managing state assets, denied doctoring the documents and the ministry said his subordinates decided to alter them before releasing them to lawmakers debating the cronyism allegations in parliament. (Nobuhisa Sagawa) Seeking 110 million yen ($1 million) in damages, the plaintiff alleges that the order to alter the land sale documents came directly from Sagawa and her husband was forced to repeatedly make changes to them to delete parts referring to Abe's wife, eventually causing him to suffer from depression. In a note written by Akagi that was made public by the plaintiff's lawyer on Wednesday, he stated that matters related to the Osaka school operator were handled entirely by the Finance Ministry and that orders to alter the land deal documents came from Sagawa. (Akagi's notes) In 2019, Osaka prosecutors decided not to press charges against Sagawa and other Finance Ministry officials over the alleged alteration of the documents. Related coverage: Auditors reopen investigation into murky state land sale Ex-Finance Ministry official denies Abe, wife ordered papers altered Opposition calls for Japan parliament extension over contentious govt event Reliance Industries Limited on Wednesday said it has taken over some of the debt liabilities of Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited following approval from the Ahmedabad bench of the National Company Law Tribunal. "We refer to the disclosure made by Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited ('RJIL'), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, dated March 18, 2020 regarding approval of the Scheme of Arrangement amongst RJIL and certain classes of its creditors (the 'Scheme') by the Hon'ble National Company Law Tribunal, Ahmedabad Bench, for transfer of certain identified liabilities to the Company," RIL said in a BSE filing. The company neither disclosed the name of the creditors nor the quantum of liabilities. "Accordingly, the Identified Liabilities of RJIL stand transferred to the Company. There shall be no impact on the consolidated debt of the Company on account of assumption of the Identified Liabilities of RJIL," the filing said. Shares of RIL closed at Rs 968.85 a unit, down by 3.97 per cent compared to the previous close, at BSE on Wednesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Street protests paused as govt declares state of catastrophe, but movement continues with pots and pans, other methods. Antofagasta, Chile Chilean president Sebastian Pinera declared a 90-day state of catastrophe Wednesday to address the spread of COVID-19 in the country, which has 238 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus. In these times of crisis, the health of all Chileans is at risk, Pinera said Wednesday. The measure, which will take effect at midnight, is to prepare ourselves to properly confront the steps to come during this pandemic, he said. Pinera did not detail specific measures to be implemented under the state of catastrophe, saying its primary purpose was on protecting and facilitating medical attention, supplies, transport and quarantine enforcement. The armed forces will be able to collaborate with health officials, he said. By law, a state of catastrophe puts the armed forces in charge of public order and security and enables military control of the movement of people and goods. Military officials will be able to issue direct instructions to public employees and local governments and establish measures deemed necessary to maintain public order, including curfews. Maria Soledad Guerra celebrated the news, and she hopes the government will go further and instate and enforce a complete lockdown to keep people inside. The more people continue to circulate and congregate, the more her life is at risk. Guerras husband and kids do not approach her when they come home. They take off their shoes and clothes, shower and change. Anything they may have touched on the way in is immediately disinfected. Then, they come over to greet her. I have lived my whole life like this, she told Al Jazeera. This is nothing new for people like me. View of Plaza Italia Square, the centre of Chiles five months of protests against Chilean President Sebastian Pineras government, in Santiago, Chile [Claudio Reyes/AFP] Guerra has primary ciliary dyskinesia, a rare genetic condition that primarily affects the respiratory tract. Now 44, she spent much of her childhood in the hospital, and has had to return many times since. Any infection or illness can easily become life-threatening for Guerra and others at high risk for various medical conditions or age. Guerra usually self-quarantines at home from April to August during the worst of the flu season, but she started earlier this year due to coronavirus. She is somewhat bored and very concerned that some people are taking no precautions. I think people lack awareness, she said. They feel healthy, so they think it is fine, but their actions could kill me. Guerra thinks part of the problem is that many people have no faith in anything the government says or does at this point. A political crisis has rocked the country for months, and Pineras approval rating has been hovering around 13 percent. Distrust with the government The state of catastrophe announcement Wednesday coincided with the five-month anniversary of nationwide mass protests against structural inequality. High school student protests in October sparked months of protests for systemic change, including the overhaul of education, health and pension systems. Police crackdowns on protests have resulted in thousands of arrests and injuries. More than 30 people have died in connection with the crisis, and four killings were attributed to members of the military during an initial nine-day state of emergency. Ten days ago, more than a million women took to the streets for International Womens Day protests and feminist strike actions. But after confirmed cases of COVID-19 began to spike, evening pots-and-pans noise demonstrations have now returned as an alternative to in-person protests. Mall workers protest with a banner reading, We are an unnecessary source of infection, Go home while a customer tries to access a store during the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Santiago, Chile [Pablo Sanhueza/Reuters] Nearly two-thirds of Chileans do not think the governments response to coronavirus has been timely or adequate, according to a poll Monday, but other leadership has emerged. The authorities the public most trusts to manage the situation are mayors, with 75 percent support, followed by the National Doctors Association. Several mayors, most of them from political parties belonging to Pineras ruling alliance, have been in the spotlight, enacting local restrictions before and beyond the national government, which has pushed back against attempts to close shopping malls. The National Doctors Association has been calling for more drastic measures for days to enforce social distancing, meeting with and advising the government, mayors, and political parties across the ideological spectrum. Its leaders frequently inform the public about the situation, preventive measures and recommendations, refuting scepticism and calling for unity. As a professional body that documented and condemned human rights violations and injuries amid crackdowns on protests, the National Doctors Association has legitimacy among many sectors and protesters inclined to distrust government information and intentions. Those are the people with authority in Chile, Guerra said of the associations president and leadership. Collective awareness Social movements have paused protests for the time being to focus on the health crisis and unite behind the recommendations of the National Doctors Association and other professionals. Some are underscoring the importance of widespread protester demands, including free universal healthcare. For Barbara Astudillo, a feminist environmental activist in the drought-stricken Petorca province north of Santiago, the key issue has always been water, and even more so now that frequent hand washing is key to limiting the spread of coronavirus. The state of catastrophe measure allows the deployment of the armed forces, Astudillo told Al Jazeera. But I am still waiting for [the government] to guarantee access to water, she said. We live without water and now a pandemic. Dealing with both battles is complicated. Barbara Astudillo, activist Water was privatised in Chile during the 1973-1990 military dictatorship. In Petorca, avocado plantations are well irrigated but Astudillo and many residents only have access to limited water rations trucked in for household consumption. Cows, goat and sheep that provide a livelihood for many have been dying. We live without water and now, a pandemic, said Astudillo. Dealing with both battles is complicated. As is the case with many protesters and social movements, Astudillo and other organisers in Petorca are using their organisational capacity for public health awareness and community support. We are living under a model that attacks us in a thousand ways, said Astudillo. We have to raise collective awareness to take care of each other. In view of the prevailing threat of coronavirus, the meeting of Tihar prisoners with their family and visitors, which was normally twice in a week, will remain suspended from March 19 to 31. "The meeting of prisoners with their family/visitors (normally twice in a week) shall remain suspended from tomorrow till March 31," the Tihar Jail officials said. The authorities informed that the meeting of prisoners with their legal counsels will however continue. An isolation ward has been set up at the jail to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Around 17,500 inmates are lodged at the jail currently. A total of 151 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in India so far, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Wednesday. Three people have so far died of the infection in the country. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. The virus had first emerged in China's Wuhan city in December last year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court said on Wednesday that non-availability of mid-day meals to children, as schools in many parts of the country have been shut due to the coronavirus pandemic, should not deprive them of nutritious food. While dealing with one crisis, the situation may not lead to creation of another crisis as on account of the shutdown of schools and Anganwadis, children as well as lactating and nursing mothers would be deprived of the nutritional food, the top court said while seeking response of the states and Union Territories. Taking suo motu (on its own) note of the situation, it said all the states and UTs should come out with a uniform policy so as to ensure that while preventing spread of COVID-19, the schemes for providing nutritional food to the children and nursing and lactating mothers are not adversely affected. A bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant said that non-supply of nutritional food to the children as well as lactating and nursing mothers may lead to large-scale malnourishment. "Particularly, the children and the lactating and nursing mothers in rural as well as tribal area are prone to such mal-nourishment. Such mal-nutrition may affect their immunity system and as such, such children and lactating and nursing mothers would be more prone to catch the infection. While dealing with one crisis, the situation may not lead to creation of another crisis," the bench said. The top court issued notice to the Secretary, Union Ministry of Women and Child Development as well as the Chief Secretaries/Chief Administrators/Administrators of all the States and the Union Territories and sought their response on an affidavit within a period of one week from today. The top court also issued notice to the Resident Commissioners of all the State and Union Territories in Delhi by their respective e-mails. It appointed senior advocate Sanjay R Hegde as amicus curiae to assist the Court in the matter and posted the matter for further hearing on March 27. The bench said that it is reported, that in some districts, though the schools and Anganwadis have been shut down, the parents have been told to pick up nutritional food for their children from such centres. It noted that in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, most of the States have directed closure of schools and some of the States have also directed closure of Anganwadis. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An EFCC witness, Stanley Ani, on Tuesday, told an FCT High Court, that N36.5 million was not remitted to the Joint Admissions and Ma... An EFCC witness, Stanley Ani, on Tuesday, told an FCT High Court, that N36.5 million was not remitted to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) as revenue. He made similar statement at the last court hearing. The EFCC had charged Philomina Chieshe, a JAMB revenue officer who claimed a snake swallowed the money in her custody and her boss, Samuel Umoru, the state coordinator in Makurdi office. They were slammed with eight counts bordering on conspiracy, breach of trust and misappropriation. NAN reports that both, however, pleaded not guilty. Testifying as the prosecution fourth witness (PW2), Ani told the court that EFCC discovered that N29 million was credited to Chieshes account between January 2014 to February 2017. N2 million came in as her legitimate earnings from JAMB as salaries, allowances as well as dividends as a member of JAMB co-operative society. We also discovered that N26.9 million came in from various agents who were contracted by her to sale e-facility cards and remit to the Zenith account. From her account we discovered that there were no remittance to JAMB rather, almost all her withdrawals were through ATM, he said. On cross-examination by A. I. Ihejirika, Umorus counsel, Ani stated that there was no outright statement written as money from the sale of e-facility. He revealed that Chieshe explain to detectives that Umoru usually collects money from the proceeds of e-facility as IOU. Justice Peter Affen thereafter adjourned the case until June 1. U.S. hospitals bracing for a possible onslaught of coronavirus patients with pneumonia and other breathing difficulties could face a critical shortage of mechanical ventilators and health care workers to operate them. The Society of Critical Care Medicine has projected that 960,000 coronavirus patients in the U.S. may need to be put on ventilators at one point or another during the outbreak. But the nation has only about 200,000 of the machines, by the organizations estimate, and around half are older models that may not be ideal for the most critically ill patients. Also, many ventilators are already being used by other patients with severe, non-coronavirus ailments. Hospitals are rushing to rent more ventilators from medical-equipment suppliers. And manufacturers are ramping up production. But whether they can turn out enough of the machines at a time when countries around the world are clamoring for them, too, is unclear. The real issue is how to rapidly increase ventilator production when your need exceeds the supply, Dr. Lewis Kaplan, president of the critical care society, said Tuesday. For that I dont have a very good answer. In the most severe cases, the coronavirus damages healthy tissue in the lungs, making it hard for them to deliver oxygen to the blood. Pneumonia can develop, along with a more severe and potentially deadly condition called acute respiratory distress syndrome, which can damage other organs. Ventilators feed oxygen into the lungs of patients with severe respiratory problems through a tube inserted down the throat. The machines are also used routinely to help other hospital patients breathe, namely those undergoing surgery while under general anesthesia. If everyone in the country wants to order some, that will get rapidly depleted in a heartbeat, Kaplan said. The other problem is that there are only enough respiratory therapists, specialist nurses and doctors with the ideal type of critical care training in the U.S. for about 135,000 patients to be put on ventilators at any one time, the critical care organization said. Postponing non-emergency surgeries in the event of a big surge in coronavirus cases could help free up some ventilators as well as anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists to deal with the crisis, Kaplan said. On Tuesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the Pentagon will provide 2,000 specialized ventilators to federal heath authorities to help handle the outbreak. He said the machines are designed for use by troops, and the military will need to train civilians how to use them. President Donald Trump said Monday that the government is seeking to acquire more ventilators. But he angered some when he said governors should feel free to take matters into their own hands if they can obtain the equipment more quickly elsewhere. To hear the leader of the federal government tell us to work around the federal government because its too slow is kind of mind-boggling, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, said on MSNBC. The critical care groups estimate of the number of ventilators nationwide includes those in the U.S. governments Strategic National Stockpile, which keeps medical supplies on hand for states to use in emergencies. The stockpile has nearly 13,000 ventilators, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Trump administrations infectious-disease expert, told ABC on Monday. Whether that is enough depends on how well the nation can contain the virus, he said. For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. Most patients recover in a matters of weeks, as seen in mainland China. Evidence from China suggests that some coronavirus patients who develop severe breathing problems need to be on ventilators for weeks, if not longer, said Dr. Jacqueline Kruser, an intensive care physician and professor at Northwestern Universitys medical school. The most important thing right now is to plan ahead and start mobilizing all the resources at hospitals in the city and at the state and national level to get ventilators to places that need them the most, Kruser said. Waiting until a shortage occurs or appears imminent is going to be far too late. Philips Healthcare of the Netherlands; GE, which manufactures ventilators in Wisconsin and sells them globally; and Vyaire Medical Inc. of Mettawa, Illinois, all said they are stepping up production. Vyaire is adding a second shift at its Palm Springs, California, factory and hiring more workers, spokesman Cheston Turbyfill said. As a global supplier, it has previously shipped ventilators to China and now is getting requests from Italy. Were prioritizing by where the hot spots are, he said. One major rental company, US Med-Equip, reported that U.S. hospitals have rented 60 percent more ventilators, monitors and other equipment over the past few weeks than at any time last year. It said it has 6,500 ventilators on rent and expects 1,200 more to arrive within the next few weeks at its Houston headquarters. Our team is working around the clock to provide patient-ready equipment so medical staff can focus on their lifesaving work, CEO Gurmit Singh Bhatia said in a statement. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ___ Follow AP medical writers Lindsey Tanner at @LindseyTanner and Linda A. Johnson at @LindaJ_onPharma. Biden spoke to that need when he addressed the country in a live-stream presentation, saying that while he and Sanders might differ on tactics, they shared many of the same goals. Senator Sanders and his supporters have brought remarkable passion and tenacity to these issues, and together, they have shifted the fundamental conversation in the country, he said. And let me say, especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Senator Sanders: I hear you. I know what is at stake. And I know what we have to do. The Health Minister has moved to reassure older people the Government will look after them as the number of cases of Covid-19 is expected to rise to 15,000 by the end of the month. Speaking in Dublin on Wednesday, Simon Harris said: We expect anywhere between 10-15,000 tests for Covid-19 being ordered in the coming days. It is going to take several days for your test to be processed. Some countries have decided to go against WHO guidelines and have stopped testing in the community we will test, test, test. I really dont want anybody in our country to be scared because we have to look after the health of all our people. Older people should not be worried it is an uncertain time, but we are going to mind you. Testing and social distancing are hugely important in the fight against Covid19. Today @SimonHarrisTD and I got a chance to say thanks to @CillianDeGascun and all the staff at the National Virus Reference Lab in @ucddublin. Thanks for all your hard work! pic.twitter.com/79nf42c7j2 Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) March 18, 2020 Im very conscious of older people reading newspapers and looking at broadcasts there should not be a sense of panic or fear. My advice today is that if you are an older person or a person with an underlying health condition do try and stay at home as much as possible. If we arrive to a point where that advice needs to change, we will be working with community organisations, we will be working with older people to make sure they all have the support that they need. The Government may have to introduce measures to support people who are unable to pay rent because they are not able to work amid the Covid-19 outbreak, Regina Doherty has said. The Minister for Social Protection called on landlords to acknowledge that we are all in this together. Up to 150,000 people have lost their jobs due to the outbreak, and the figure is set to rise in the weeks ahead. There are 292 confirmed cases in the Republic of Ireland. Ten new cases were announced in Northern Ireland on Tuesday, bringing the total number there to 62. Were in this together. Somebody who doesnt have anything more than 203 quid a week, theyre going to buy food, Ms Doherty said. On Tuesday night in an address to the nation, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that everyone in our society must show solidarity in this time of national sacrifice. Everybody needs to be mindful and cognisant that we will get through this and come out the other endRegina Doherty Ms Doherty said she understood the new Pandemic Unemployment Payment of 203 euro per week to help people who have lost their job may not be high enough for those paying rent. She called on landlords to have some understanding during this time. Ms Doherty said: If people cant afford to pay their rents, theyre not going to be able to magic up some money between now and the end of the month, the end of next month. Everybody needs to be mindful and cognisant that we will get through this and come out the other end. Meanwhile, people who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19 and are unable to pay their mortgage need a simple solution from the Government, Michael McGrath said. For information on the new #COVID2019 Pandemic Unemployment Payment, click here: https://t.co/tekI7ziKjX Please do not visit your local Intreo Centre if at all possible Our dedicated phone line for #COVID19 queries is open from 9am - 5pm today: 01-2481398, 1890-800-024 pic.twitter.com/EQnw6PIQGA Department of Social Protection (@welfare_ie) March 18, 2020 The Fianna Fail finance spokesman said thousands of people will be unable to make their repayments in the weeks ahead, and they need simplicity and speed. Speaking to RTE radio, he said there are thousands of Irish people who pay their mortgages to vulture funds instead of banks and will require help in the weeks ahead. Mr McGrath: Increasingly over the the last number of years, the banks have been selling on loan portfolios to non-bank loan owners, including vulture funds. They now own well in excess of 100,000 mortgages in Ireland. They too need to be spoken to and the people whose loans have been sold need an assurance that they too will be treated with respect and will be afforded the time and space to get through this difficult period. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe is to meet the chief executives of the major banks on Wednesday afternoon to discuss a joint plan to provide support for customers affected by Covid-19. The five main banks include Bank of Ireland, AIB, Permanent TSB, KBC and Ulster Bank. Ms Doherty said the banks will make an announcement of supports to homes and businesses later on Wednesday afternoon. It comes as Mr Varadkar warned issues related to the outbreak of Covid-19 in Ireland could go on for a number of months. In what could be one of the first penalisations relating the HSFO carriage ban that came into effect earlier this month, the United Arab Emirates has banned an MSC containership and will take legal action against its master for violating the rules The United Arab Emirates has prohibited an MSC boxship from operating in the countrys waters for a year in connection with violations linked to the 0.5% sulphur cap. The UAE Federal Transport Authority said it has banned the Panama-flagged, 2006-built, 9,178 teu MSC Joanna for carrying non-compliant fuel oil and not following orders from local port authorities, according to a circular seen by Lloyds List. After introducing the 0.5% sulphur cap on January, which prohibits the use of high-sulphur fuel oil without scrubbers, the International Maritime Organization then brought in a ban on the carriage for use of HSFO on board all vessels without scrubbers, from the start of March. MSC Joanna does not appear to have scrubbers on board. The ship was found to be carrying more than 700 MT [metric tonnes] of HSFO when boarded at Jebel Ali Port, despite the repeated warning given to her in advance to de-bunker the non-compliant fuel before calling UAE ports, the FTA circular said. The regulator further reported that although port authorities ordered the vessel to offload the HSFO before leaving Jebel Ali to comply with the carriage ban, the ship sailed without doing that and without getting permission from Port State Control officials to leave. It also said the master of the vessel has been barred from working on any ship calling at UAE waters and would face legal action from the UAE due to the violations the ship committed. The circular did not specify on what date the incident occurred. Lloyds List Intelligence data showed the vessel last called at Jebel Ali port on the morning of March 12 and departed the morning of the following day. The ship is currently headed towards Indias Jawaharlal Nehru port, followed by a stop at Colombo before heading back to the Mediterranean Sea. Lloyds List Intelligence data on the vessels history shows MSC Joanna uses ports between the Mediterranean Sea, including Greek and Turkish ones, and the Arabian Sea, calling frequently at the UAE and other ports in the region. MSC did not respond to requests for comment. The vessel is covered by the UK P&I Club. The club did not respond to requests for comment. First published on www.lloydslist.com Deputy Chief Executive Officer [CEO] of Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation, Dr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu, has cautioned against the politicization of issues relating to the coronavirus pandemic, calling on political party Communicators to educate the public anytime they get the opportunity to represent their various parties. To him, Ghana is not better than countries that have badly experienced the effects of COVID-19 on their economy, therefore apportioning blame on the part on President Akufo-Addo for lack of proactiveness on precautionary measures. . . Human beings at all four corners of the world are all at risk so why keep blaming government for not acting fast on precautionary measures, ignoring the most important information that needs to be made public? he quizzed. The former MP for Bantama Constituency in the Ashanti Region on UTVs 'Adekye Nsroma' newspaper discussion insisted that government must provide insurance policies for Doctors, Health Assistants and Nurses who have laid down their lives to control coronavirus. Government has played his part, so we as citizens must continue to do our best to safeguard the nation by finding ways to get rid of the fear and panic in the country. Government should do well to provide Doctors, Health Assistants and Nurses with insurance policies to cover their risk taking, he said. Source: Elizabeth Semiheva Bedi/ peacefmonline.com / [email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Reuters) Paris Wed, March 18, 2020 14:00 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b8f457 2 Lifestyle Hermes,Paris,luxury-bags,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free Hermes, the French luxury goods group known for its pricy Birkin handbags, will close almost all its production sites in France until March 30 amid an unprecedented lockdown to fight the coronavirus outbreak, AFP reported on Tuesday. Hermes' plant closures will affect most of its 42 sites in France except for a factory that produces perfumes and which could be used to manufacture hand sanitizer gels instead, AFP said, citing an internal memo sent to employees. Hermes did not respond to requests for comment. France on Tuesday stepped up restrictions on people's movements after non-essential retail stores, bars and restaurants were ordered to close over the weekend. Read also: With lipsticks, Hermes branches into competitive cosmetics world LVMH, the conglomerate behind Louis Vuitton, on Sunday said several perfume factories in France, which normally turn out fragrances and cosmetics for Christian Dior, Guerlain and Givenchy, would start producing sanitiser gel to be distributed for free to hospitals and health workers. Hermes said it was taking the measures to protect staff, according to the memo cited by AFP. Its 42 production sites in France include its workshops that make leather handbags, which are then exported, as well as tanneries. A watchmaking factory in Switzerland would also be shut, AFP said. Luxury goods makers have so far taken an ad hoc approach to growing shutdowns across Europe, which in countries including Italy, Spain and France have forced them to close their stores, while some factories are still operational. Kering's Gucci brand said last week that its production sites in Italy would be closed until March 20. Editorial: Giving the Right Name to the Virus Causing a Worldwide Pandemic There has been controversy recently about what to call the virus that has unleashed a worldwide pandemic. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) prefers novel coronavirus. Others have referred to it as the Wuhan virus, after its place of origin, as is common in naming diseases. The Epoch Times suggests a more accurate name is the CCP virus, and calls upon others to join us in adopting this name. The name holds the CCP accountable for its wanton disregard of human life and consequent spawning of a pandemic that has put untold numbers in countries around the world at risk, while creating widespread fear and devastating the economies of nations trying to cope with this disease. After all, CCP officials knew in early December that the virus had appeared in Wuhan, but they sat on the information for six weeks. They arrested those who tried to warn of the danger, accusing them of spreading rumors, and employed the regimes rigorous censorship to prevent media coverage and to delete any mentions of it from social media. What might have been contained was allowed silently to spread, showing up in all of China. Individuals who might have protected themselves became victims, in numbers far greater than the CCP has admitted. By late January, there were reports that all of the crematoria in Wuhan were operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week to deal with the crush of dead bodies. Medical workers in overalls stretch a patient under intensive care into the newly built Columbus Covid 2 temporary hospital at the Gemelli hospital in Rome on March 16, 2020. (Andreas Solaro/AFP via Getty Images) Meanwhile, the measures taken to quarantine and treat the population of Wuhan were grotesquely inhumane. Apartment buildings were welded shut. Temporary hospitals were created that actually served as jails for those believed to be sick with the virus. Locked into these places with no medical treatment and little food, the unfortunates were trapped there until death. In lying about the danger facing China, the CCP was acting according to its usual script. The CCPs dominant narrative is that the Party is great, glorious, and correct. The presence of the deadly CCP virus in Wuhan, or, in 2003, of the SARS virus, doesnt fit the script. As with SARS, the first response was denial. But in dealing with this virus, denial is not acceptable. The world needs to know its origin, and the CCP has refused to cooperate. Outside experts have not been allowed into Wuhan. And there is understandable concern about the activities of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinas first P4 lab, one meant for working with easily transmitted pathogens that can cause fatal illness. As the official narratives offered for the source of the virus have been disproven, questions have been raised about whether the CCP virus leaked from the institute. In any case, as questions about the origin of the virus have gone unanswered, the CCP has begun throwing out wild charges that the United States is responsible. This will be met around the world with perplexity, if not ridicule. President Donald Trump has pushed back by referring to the Chinese virus. 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 mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. But the CCP likely intends these charges of U.S. responsibility for its domestic audience. The CCP has victimized the Chinese people in its first denial of the virus and now seeks to victimize them again by shifting responsibility for its actions to others. And this points out why the name CCP virus is needed, to distinguish the victims from the victimizer. The people of Wuhan and of China are the victims of the CCPs arrogance and incompetence, expressed in this viral pandemic. The name CCP virus also sounds a warning: Those nations and individuals close to the CCP are the ones suffering the worst effects from this virus, as is seen in the raging infections in the CCPs close ally Iran and in Italy, the only G-7 nation to sign onto the Belt and Road Initiative. Taiwan and Hong Kong, which have rejected the CCPTaiwan in a recent landslide national election and Hong Kong in months of massive demonstrationshave had relatively few infections. Finally, the CCP virus reminds the people of the world that the source of the virus is itself evil. This is a communist virus, and with the name CCP virus, The Epoch Times reminds the world of the cure: ending the CCP. QUEBEC CITY, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (HEO.V) H 2 O Innovation Inc. (H 2 O Innovation or the Corporation) is pleased to present an update on the current status of the Corporations activities surrounding COVID-19. First, a supply chain risk assessment was carried out for the various business lines of the Corporation, but more particularly for Piedmont because of the international nature of its business. As a first step, lets recall that Piedmont designs, manufactures and distributes flexible couplings and filter housings made of fiberglass, each representing 50% of its revenues. These filter housings are manufactured by a partner in Tunisia, and no significant delays have been recorded in connection with the current pandemic. Piedmont experienced minor delays in the manufacturing of flexible couplings made in China due to temporary closure of the foundry from January 23 to March 2. Operations have since resumed at 100% capacity. Piedmont maintains its delivery targets for June 30, 2020. On the PWT side, the specialty chemicals distributor in China continues its operations. Annual sales should not be significantly impacted because of the nature of its customers, mostly food & beverage plants, as well as municipal drinking water plants in China. In order to offset a higher demand for specialty chemicals and possible delays in the supply of raw materials, PWT and Genesys teams have voluntarily increased the levels of inventories, enabling them to ensure the supply of their products until the end of June 2020. H 2 O Innovations 675 employees are located in Canada, the United States, Spain and United Kingdom. The majority of these employees are working in offices or plants with minimal staffing levels, which minimize exposure and transmission of the virus. Also, more than 50% of all other employees are widely dispersed in the field for the operation and maintenance (O&M) of water and wastewater treatment systems, essential community services. In order to ensure the services offered to O&M customers, we have implemented preventive and contingency plans specific to the nature of O&M activities. Story continues Employees are the most important resources that we have. Without them, it wouldnt be possible to achieve our goals, support hundreds of distributors around the world, manufacture products and provide best-in-class services to our customers. Together, we must ensure the continuity of our operations, particularly those related to O&M of more than 200 water and wastewater plants. Also, the manufacturing of specialty chemicals in Vista (California) and Cheshire (UK) must continue, in order to provide our products to thousands of water treatment plants around the world. I can insure you that our IT infrastructure is robust in Europe and America, and ready to support all users in USA, UK, Spain and Canada. H 2 O Innovation is solid and we do everything in our power to act safely in order to ensure the sustainability of our operations. We have built together a strong, reliable and resilient business based on high recurrent sales and diversified revenues, stated Frederic Dugre, President and Chief Executive Officer of H 2 O Innovation. The maple business line, specializing in the manufacturing of equipment and products for maple syrup production, is aimed at producers and not restauranteurs of sugar shacks. The measures taken by the Quebec government to close establishments offering catering services should not affect the equipment sales, since it is not the Corporations target clientele. Finally, we have created an internal COVID-19 intervention team (gathering human resources, legal, operations and communications) which is meeting daily to ensure continuous communication to all stakeholders. About H 2 O Innovation H 2 O Innovation designs and provides state-of-the-art, custom-built and integrated water treatment solutions based on membrane filtration technology for municipal, industrial, energy and natural resources end-users. The Corporations activities rely on three pillars which are i) water & wastewater projects, and aftermarket services; ii) specialty products, including a complete line of specialty chemicals, consumables and specialized products for the water treatment industry; and iii) operation and maintenance services for water and wastewater treatment systems. For more information, visit www.h2oinnovation.com. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) nor the NYSE Euronext Growth Paris accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Monday was just another day for the Monterey Bay Aquariums sea otters as they lounged on the rocky enclave of their exhibit, rising only to chomp down on an afternoon snack or drift through the water on their backs, free from the distractions of visitors. Meanwhile, over 351,000 Facebook users watched from home as the day-long broadcast of their escapades coincided with a shelter-in-place order spanning six Bay Area counties. The "Sea Otter Cam" is providing solace to the stir-crazy and it's one of ten other webcams streaming live from the aquarium, which will remain closed until at least March 27 as a precautionary measure amid coronavirus concerns. The webcams arent new, but theyve seen a tenfold surge in viewership as people turn to them for comfort during the current crisis. "People are so stressed out and things are so uncertain," said Ken Peterson, a spokesman for the Monterey Bay Aquarium. "Having something positive that connects them outside the four walls theyre in is so important right now and were glad to be able to provide that." Though the Jelly Cam has been a longtime peaceful lunch break favorite Atlas Obscura once likened it to an aquatic lava lamp aquarium enthusiasts can turn their laptop screens into a tropical fishbowl, peek at sharks and turtles or tune out to hypnotic moon jellies and swaying kelp forests. "They are so adorable to watch," one viewer said of the sea otters, "and its really uplifting to the soul during this stressful time. Thank you." Through the end of the week, Peterson said, the aquarium will expand their online outreach efforts. They'll provide meditation sessions guided by soothing ocean imagery each morning at 8 a.m. PT, as well as daily educational seminars on marine life from 2:30-3 p.m. PT. Also while the facility is closed, rescued sea otters four young females being rehabilitated at the aquarium after a stranding will be able to explore the larger exhibit usually populated by resident otters and practice diving in deeper water, "which increases their chances of doing well once we return them to the wild," explained Peterson. With no visitors in attendance, circumstances are ideal for the otters to learn these skills without growing accustomed to the presence of humans. U.S. Fish and Wildlife, which oversees sea otter recovery programs, gave the aquarium permission to livestream the animals. They can be viewed on the "Sea Otter Cam" for the rest of the week, before they eventually return to their natural homes. In San Francisco, the California Academy of Sciences is live streaming their Philippine coral reef exhibit and African penguin colony while also providing views of blubbery sea lions snoozing on the craggy shorelines of the Farallon Islands. People also have the option of downloading the Pocket Penguin app, which is exactly what it sounds like: 24/7 access to the facilitys penguins for you to keep tabs on at your leisure. On Monday, virologist Shannon Bennett, the Academy's Chief of Science, hosted a Q&A about COVID-19 which was also streamed to the public. Typically, the Academys webcams average about 600 viewers per day with 110 hours of view time, according to Kelly Mendez-OConnor, the California Academy of Sciences director of communications. Thats increased more than 110 percent in the last week. Its really good for your mental health if you need that kind of serenity and if you want to maintain a connection to the facility, especially if youre a member, said Celeste Moen, a biologist for the Academy. Animal care staff at both institutions have been practicing social distancing and a limited number of people are allowed to work onsite at the Academy, employees are staggering shifts and working just three or four days a week. Moen said institution will likely remain closed until April 7, per recent shelter-in-place orders. Well try to engage with you guys as much as possible in this interim." MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE: Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here. Amanda Bartlett is an SFGATE associate digital reporter. Email: amanda.bartlett@sfgate.com | Twitter: @byabartlett LAPD officers patrol skid row in downtown L.A. last year. (Jabin Botsford / Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles County's two largest law enforcement agencies made significantly fewer arrests in recent weeks, reflecting the changing realities of policing amid the coronavirus outbreak. The Los Angeles Police Department made 14% fewer arrests during the first 15 days of March compared with the same period last year, according to the department. The LAPD recorded 2,944 arrests during that time, compared with 3,406 the previous year. The decline mirrors what has been happening at the the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Sheriff Alex Villanueva announced earlier this week that arrests by his deputies have plummeted from a daily average of 300 to 60. Arrest figures may continue to decline as the agencies adapt. As the response to the coronavirus outbreak intensified this week, both departments ordered officers to cite and release people as much as possible while still arresting violent offenders. "We dont want to tie up resources and impact the population in our court system or jails," LAPD spokesman Josh Rubenstein said. The Sheriffs Department is releasing inmates from its jails and cutting down on how many people it books into custody to protect those housed in close quarters. Additionally, the L.A. County court system has suspended all proceedings for several days. In L.A., overall crime is down 5.8% so far this year through March 15 compared with the same time last year, according to LAPD figures. Crime will probably decline as people change their routines, said UC Irvine criminology professor George Tita, who is part of an interdisciplinary working group studying the effect of the coronavirus on crime trends in L.A. With residents working from home and avoiding restaurants, bars and gyms, there is less potential for street crime. With so many people staying in their homes, burglaries and property crime could decline while spousal abuse incidents may increase, Tita said. LAPD officers receive training at the police academy on how to deal with people who have communicable diseases and are taking the necessary precautions, said Rubenstein, the department's spokesman. Story continues "Right now there is no indication whatsoever that officers are backing off in any way or not responding to calls or not dealing with people because of this issue," he said. "We ask our officers to go into dangerous situations, and often they have to put their safety aside for the greater good of the public's safety. That's the challenge of being a police officer." On Sunday, LAPD officials confirmed the department's first coronavirus case after a supervisor in the Pacific Division felt ill and went home last week. He is expected to make a full recovery. The LAPD has been taking precautions to deal with the spread of the coronavirus. Starting Wednesday, the department closed the front desks at its 21 stations, asking residents to email instead. All patrol officers and officers likely to come into contact with infected people have been issued a kit consisting of multiple sets of gloves, a bacteria protection mask and goggles. Officers are directed to use the items when responding to a call or making contact with a possible virus patient. The department has already ordered 100,000 extra masks, but officers will not wear masks as a routine matter. Eugene ODonnell, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, praised those measures, saying police officers are "very crucial if this thing ratchets up." "Who enforces the curfews if things go into mandatory shutdown?" he said. "Police are overstretched to begin with, and now you are entering this uncharted territory. A former New York police officer and prosecutor, ODonnell said officers have the same anxieties as the general public, but they are much more in harms way. The job of a police officer is inherently close-contact work with strangers and some of the most marginalized people, including many people with no access to healthcare, ODonnell said. Are kids immune to the Covid-19 virus? The answer is no, but most infected children experience relatively mild symptoms that differ from those observed in adults, scientists said. Several studies showed that children tend to have longer incubation and longer virus-shedding periods than adults. Family cluster infection is the major cause of cases in children, which can trigger community outbreaks if not identified in time, researchers warned. Wuhan Childrens Hospital is the only designated hospital for children confirmed with or suspected of Covid-19 infection. As of March 8, the hospital had treated 683 children, including confirmed and suspected cases. Of them, 419 have been discharged. Staff at the hospital told Caixin that 32 newborns with Covid-19 were cured, and four infants in critical conditions now no longer need ventilators. Most infected children and infants have mild conditions, and severe cases account for only about 5% of confirmed cases, according to Lu Xiaoxia, director of the respiratory department at the childrens hospital. Unlike adult patients, some children or newborn patients often have atypical symptoms, such as vomiting, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms, several studies on childrens clinical data showed. This may make it even harder to identify infected kids. A study published March 14 by Nature Medicine assessed 10 children with Covid-19 at Guangzhou Women and Childrens Medical Center. Researchers found that none of them experienced symptoms common in adult patients, such as difficulty breathing, muscle pain, headache and nausea. The study found that seven children had fever, but no higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit, and one showed no symptoms at all. All 10 children were tested for the virus because they had close contact with diagnosed patients. Chest X-rays of the children were either normal or showed only coarse lung markings without unilateral or bilateral pneumonia. Few cases had leukopenia, leukocytosis, lymphopenia or elevated transaminase, which are frequently seen in adult patients, the study found. Another preprint paper published by The Lancet medical journal of 50 children reported similar findings. Forty-six patients, or more than 90%, had mild or very minor symptoms, and two had no symptoms at all, according to the authors, a team at Wuhan Childrens Hospital and Wuhan Tongji Hospital. The study showed that percentages of symptoms such as fever, cough and fatigue were all lower than in adults, but slightly more children had diarrhea than adults. Read more Caixins coverage of the new coronavirus The underlying mechanism for less-severe symptoms in children is unknow, but scientists speculate it may be because of a fully functional thymus in children. The thymus gland aids in the production of T cells, which are crucial for the immune system. It is largest and most active in children and begins to shrink and fade away in adolescence. Another phenomenon of concern in children with coronavirus is a longer intestinal detoxification cycle. As some child patients have diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms, special attention should be paid to avoid infection through feces and urine, researchers warned. One of the studies found that eight of 10 child patients had rectal swabs that tested positive, suggesting potential fecal viral excretion. Moreover, eight of 10 children demonstrated persistently positive tests of rectal swabs after their nasopharyngeal testing turned negative. The findings suggest that rectal swab-testing may be more useful than nasopharyngeal swab-testing in judging the effectiveness of treatment and determining the timing of termination of quarantine, researchers said. Contact reporter Denise Jia (huijuanjia@caixin.com) and editor Bob Simison (bobsimison@caixin.com) Advertisement The Taal Volcano in the Philippines woke from a 43-year long slumber in January, spewing a nine mile stream of ash into the area that desolated the surrounding landscape. Two months after the eruption, NASA has shared images of the Pacific Island that show the once tropic terrain still looks more like the moon. Aside from a few green patches on the north side of the island, ash has altered much of the surrounding area, including several villages along the coasts. Since the eruption on January 12th, the remaining ash became wet and transformed into a mud-like texture before drying and sticking to the ground like cement. Scroll down for videos Slide me NASA snapped an image of the island on March 11th (right) using the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on its Landsat 8 satellite that orbits the Earth the agency also shared an image of the area snapped on December 6, 2019 (left) before Taal erupted to show how much of the island has changed Taal, one of the world's smallest active volcanoes, sits in the middle of a lake about 45 miles south of the center of the capital, Manila. The volcano sent ash nine miles into the air, which was followed by a gushing lava fountain that forced thousands to flee their homes. Clouds of ash blew more than 60 miles north of the volcano, reaching Manila and shutting down the country's main airport with hundreds of flights cancelled. Nearly 40,000 people evacuated the area with thousands refusing to leave their homes the volcano claimed a total of 6,000 lives once the dust settled. And the altered landscape is a stark reminder of the devastating event. Taal, one of the world's smallest active volcanoes, sits in the middle of a lake about 45 miles south of the center of the capital, Manila (Pictured is the island before the eruption in January) The volcano sent ash nine miles into the air, which was followed by a gushing lava fountain that forced thousands to flee their homes (Pictured is a recent image snapped of the island this month) NASA snapped an image of the island on March 11th using the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on its Landsat 8 satellite that orbits the Earth the agency also shared an image of the area snapped on December 6, 2019 before Taal erupted to show how much of the island has changed. Erik Klemetti, a volcanologist at Denison University, said: Most of the ash has likely washed away by now, but signs of it will persist for millennia in the rock record. Most of the ash that fell within the caldera is in the process of getting concentrated into gullies and streams or deposited into the lake. NASA explains ash not blown or washed away became wet following the months after the eruption, which turned into a mud-like texture and hardened into something similar to cement trapping it on the island. A range of different crops, including coffee, rice, corn, cacao, and banana crops were damaged from the amount of ash left on the land, according to news reports. Experts have estimated that at the loss accounted for $11 million worth of damage. However, plants and crops have since recovered and the layer of new ash keeps the soil fertilzied. NASA explains ash not blown or washed away became wet following the months after the eruption, which turned into a mud-like texture and hardened into something similar to cement trapping it on the island A range of different crops, including coffee, rice, corn, cacao, and banana crops were damaged from the amount of ash left on the land, according to news reports. Experts have estimated that at the loss accounted for $11 million worth of damage Not only was the landscape affected, but many of the residence have been displaced from their homes and livestock and pets were also left behind during the evacuation. And fish being raised in pens, specifically tilapia and milkfish, were impacted by the ash. According to the Taal Lake Aquaculture Alliance, Inc., about 30 percent of the fish cages in the lake were destroyed during the eruption. To keep the remaining fish alive, farmers appealed to authorities to allow them to feed and harvest the fish despite lockdowns that prevent people from getting near the still-active volcano. Environmentalists stepped up to help elevate the amount of ash on the island by mixing the residue with plastic waste to make bricks in response to the country's persistent problems of pollution and frequent natural disasters. The ash is combined with sand, cement and discarded plastic, which officials said allows them to make 5,000 bricks a day in order to rebuild parts of the city that was destroyed by the devastating eruption. Not only was the area blanketed in thick ash, the Philippines is also battling a waste crisis, which officials said has nearly 60 million throwaway sachets each year. It is also plagued by some 20 major storms annually and regular, powerful earthquakes which together kill hundreds of people each year. With volcanic ash and plastic both in plentiful supply, the officials in Binan see their project as a silver lining. 'During these times, our creativity becomes apparent,' said the mayor of Binan, Arman Dimaguila. During the eruption earlier this month, lightning was seen crackling in the smoke that many officials feared could trigger a tsunami surging across the lake. CNN reported that many of the bricks are making their way to Batangas towns that were devastated by the eruption. Sick leave simple Each time I read a story about paid sick leave I am reminded of the company a relative works for. They get paid time off (PTO) and get X number of days a year to use for vacation, sick leave and doctors appointments. Why dont they institute this policy at other places of employment? Am I missing something? J. A. Green The Alamo in 1836 Re: Line drawn in the sand on project at Alamo, Front Page, March 6: Does Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick know what the Alamo looked like in 1836? How about Land Commissioner George P. Bush? Or even San Antonio City Councilman Roberto Trevino? If they are determined to recreate the 1836 mission-fort, insisting the restored Alamo should resemble, as closely as possible, the actual fort as it was in 1836 then, to be accurate, the arched parapet added by the U.S. Army should be removed. Would anyone recognize or visit the Alamo then? Ginger Burkholder, Grey Forest On ExpressNews.com: On eve of Alamo battle anniversary, lieutenant governor starts new fight To cancel or not? Ill just say Im glad Im not in charge of any decision dealing with the coronavirus except for myself. People who are in charge are damned if they do and damned if they dont. If events are canceled and nothing comes of the pandemic, they will never live down their decision especially in light of economic impact. Except, how would we know if their decisions did prevent the spread? If they dont cancel and the spread occurs, they will never live down their decision. The only way a decision maker comes out OK is if they dont cancel and the spread does not occur. I guess it comes down to risk tolerance. I wouldnt want to be in those shoes. Mary Lou Roemer The Lagos state government has banned religious gathering of over 50 worshippers amid the outbreak of coronavirus. Anofiu Elegushi... The Lagos state government has banned religious gathering of over 50 worshippers amid the outbreak of coronavirus. Anofiu Elegushi, the state commissioner for home affairs, disclosed this at a meeting with religious leaders on Wednesday. Present at the meeting were Alexander Bamgbola, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and Suleiman Nolla, grand chief imam of Lagos. Gbenga Omotoso, commissioner for information, had earlier said the government would suggest to religious leaders to suspend large gatherings. We are all aware that the federal government asked the National Youth Service Corps to shut down orientation camps; yesterday, the commissioner for home affairs said there will be a meeting with religious leaders today, he had said. It is going to be suggested to them to maybe stop Friday and Sunday services wherever we have large gatherings I am sure they will be advised to shut down the services in the interest of the public and all of us. I am sure they are going to comply. Some countries, including Saudi Arabia and Ghana, have warned against congregational prayers as a means to tackle spread of the virus. On Tuesday, Nigeria confirmed the third case of the virus through a 30-year-old Nigerian who came into the country on March 13 through a British Airways flight. Additional five cases were recorded on Wednesday; the patients having a travel history to the United Kingdom and the United States. Several actions have been taken globally to contain the spread of the virus. The federal government has placed a travel ban on 13 countries, including China, the UK and the US. Countries across the world must take a comprehensive approach to fighting the coronavirus pandemic and isolate, test and trace as many cases as possible, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday. To suppress and control the epidemic, countries must isolate, test, treat and trace, the WHOs Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a media briefing. If they dont, transmission chains can continue at a low level and then resurface once physical distancing measures are lifted, he added. He said the test and trace strategy must be the backbone of the response in every country, adding the coronavirus was an unprecedented opportunity to come together as one against a common enemy: an enemy against humanity. Tedros also said to speed the search for potential therapies and drugs for the COVID-19 infection, the WHO and its partners are organising a multi-country study to analyse and compare some as-yet-untested treatments. This large international study is designed to generate the robust data we need to show which treatments are the most effective, Tedros said. We have called this study the solidarity trial. Market scramble WHO officials also called for order and discipline in the market for health equipment needed to fight the coronavirus pandemic, and said WHO was in discussions with China and others to ramp up supplies. There is a scramble on the market, and we need order and discipline on that, Mike Ryan, head of WHOs emergencies programme, told a virtual press briefing. Countries like China and others have immense capacities for ramping up production and we are working with them to see how that can be achieved, and other large scale producers of such equipment, he added, referring to supplies such as ventilators. More than 200,000 cases of coronavirus have been reported worldwide, although death rates have varied across countries and have been particularly high in Italy, where 475 new deaths over 24 hours were reported on Wednesday. Ryan said the difference was likely caused by the astonishing number of cases within the clinical system as well as the high number of elderly people in Italy. When patient numbers begin to overwhelm, it becomes a simple factor of your ability to provide adequate care, he said, praising the courage and bravery of the healthcare workers treating more than 1,200 patients in intensive care. Its an astonishing number. The fact they are saving so many is a miracle in itself, he said. STEPHANIE Pemberton has a missionto nurture the next generation of the middle class. And not just in T&T. But in the Caribbean. The way to do that, she reasons, is through the development of entrepreneurs. So she established an entrepreneurship development company, Planting Seeds, which focuses on growing/promoting small and medium sized businesses (SMEs). 'All schools have been closed till 2 April', Additional Chief Secretary, Education Renuka Kumar said in a order issued on Tuesday night Lucknow: Students of classes one to eight of all government primary schools in Uttar Pradesh will get promoted without having to appear in examinations in view of the coronavirus outbreak, an official said on Wednesday. Examinations in primary schools were scheduled between 23 and 28 March. "Orders have been issued to promote all students, studying in schools run by the basic education department, of class one to eight to next classes without examination. All schools have been closed till 2 April," Additional Chief Secretary, Education Renuka Kumar said in a order issued on Tuesday night. Follow LIVE updates on Coronavirus Outbreak The state government on Tuesday extended the closure of all educational institutions, cinemas, mulitplexes and tourists places in the state till 2 April and implemented work-from-home protocol to the extent possible to contain the coronavirus spread. Competitive and other examinations too have been postponed till 2 April. Download photo Photo: Brian Stethem The most pressing matters in the lives of 20,000 Mexican immigrants in Ventura County can get lost in translation. Because of a misunderstanding, they might lose their freedom. Their attacker could go unpunished. Their illness might go untreated. To be sure, the courts, the police departments and the medical providers in this county routinely employ workers fluent in Spanish. So what is the problem? Mexican immigrants who speak Mixtec, Zapotec or another Indigenous language are not served by Spanish interpreters. (In Southern California, these languages are often referred to by their names in Spanish. But neither Mixtec nor mixteco is the preferred term from the perspective of native speakers. In the various dialects of Mixtec, Indigenous people refer to themselves with an expression meaning people of the rain and to their language with another that translates as word of the rain.) It is a popular misconception that these are dialects of Spanish, said Arcenio Lopez 19, who graduated from the Bachelors Degree for Professionals program with a BS in accounting. They are unique languages. Mixteco alone has 80 different variants. As executive director of the Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project (MICOP), Lopez is on the forefront of the language-justice movement. He is responsible for the creation of an Oxnard-based corps of professional Indigenous-language interpreters. Lopez came to Oxnard in 2003 from Oaxaca, Mexico, where he grew up speaking Mixtec. Spanish, his second language, was demanded of him by the Mexican public schools. A quick study, he learned English picking strawberries in California. Three years later, he was working as MICOPs first community organizer among farmworkers in the fields of El Rio. There, he witnessed how the inability of many Mixtec speakers to communicate either in Spanish or English resulted in workers being denied labor rights. He also heard of cases in which Indigenous defendants were jailed because a translator failed to help them understand the charges against them. At that time, MICOP had a few promotores who spoke indigenous languages but lacked training in interpretation. Lopez believed more education would bolster their confidence when interacting with authority figures like judges, police officers and doctors, not only to translate the words but also to explain the cultural norms of indigenous people. As an example, Indigenous women believe only a female physician should examine their reproductive organs, whereas in other cultures the doctors gender makes no difference. As trained interpreters, they would become a bridge between the community and the providers, he said. Lopez developed a 40-hour training course and then contracted out the interpreters to organizations in touch with Indigenous residents. We started very small, only 20 hours of contracts a month, he said. The Oxnard Police Department contracted for the service eight years ago. We knew we needed to provide a better environment for victims of confidential crimes like sexual assault and domestic violence, said Cmdr. Sharon Giles. Sometimes neighbors were pulled in to translate, she said, or officers attempted to question victims in Spanish. We were up against the wall. We were losing information, Giles said. Now, an English-speaking detective can work with a professional interpreter who speaks English and Mixtec, cutting Spanish out of the equation. This makes questioning more private for an indigenous victim of crime and provides clarity for the detective who must write the report in English, Giles said. Today, MICOP translators are billing 200 to 300 hours a month and serving in health clinics, school districts, hospitals, workers compensation offices, an agricultural relations board, and even a state of Maryland Superior Court. In addition, MICOP launched Radio Indigena 94.1FM, one of the first radio stations in the United States to broadcast in indigenous languages and the subject of a recent NBC News report. Listeners are greeted with tanindii good morning. Mixtec uses its own writing system and tones that vary by the dialect. Offering platforms for the native language of a people to be heard and spoken is a way to empower them. When a language dies you have lost your identity, Lopez said, and when that happens, it is hard to be a success. For more about MICOPs work, visit mixteco.org. Colleen Cason is an award-winning journalist and longtime columnist for the Ventura County Star. A Thousand Oaks resident, she has served as adviser to The Echo student newspaper and currently edits Central Coast Farm & Ranch magazine. CLU Magazine By Doina Chiacu and Maria Caspani WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, March 17 (Reuters) - The streets of major U.S. cities were eerily empty on Tuesday morning after officials from President Donald Trump on down stepped up warnings about the coronavirus pandemic, while the number of cases mushroomed and deaths topped 80. Millions of Americans hunkered down in their homes instead of commuting to work or school. New York and other major cities escalated "social distancing" policies by closing schools, bars, restaurants and theaters. 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. It was St. Patrick's Day but the mood was sober, not joyous, after traditional parades and parties celebrating the Irish heritage of many Americans were cancelled across the country. Financial markets will look to stabilize after the stock market suffered a historic loss on Monday. The S&P 500 tumbled 12 percent, its worst single-day loss since the stock market crash of 1987. But politics will proceed mostly as scheduled in three of four states that have primary elections on Tuesday to select a Democratic presidential candidate to challenge Trump in the November general elections. Democratic candidates Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders square off in Florida, Illinois and Arizona, but Ohio officials canceled their primary due to coronavirus fears hours before the vote was to begin. 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 various state and local public health agencies, with the hardest-hit state, Washington, accounting for the bulk of the fatalities, including six more announced on Monday. Story continues The United States has lagged behind other industrialized nations in its ability to test for the novel coronavirus. In early March, the Trump administration said close to one million tests would soon be available and anyone who needed a test would get one, a promise it failed to keep. After previously downplaying the danger and declaring the situation under control, the White House urged Americans on Monday to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people and called for closing bars, restaurants and other venues in states where local virus transmission exists. The president's change in tone followed newly urgent messaging from governors and mayors across the country who have taking their own drastic measures. 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. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, would not say whether the Trump administration was close to issuing some sort of domestic travel restriction. "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. She said integrating data and understanding how the new outbreaks are occurring - from travel between states, or within states - is crucial to formulating the response and updating guidelines. "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. Asked if people were getting sick on airplanes, Birx said, "We don't know." Birx also said authorities remain focused on ramping up testing in communities "so that people in the hospitals are not overrun by continuous need for diagnosis." In one ray of positive news, actor Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson, who tested positive for coronavirus last week, are out of a hospital in Australia, according to a video posted by their son Chet on Instagram. "They're still self-quarantined obviously, but they are feeling a lot better," he said. (Reporting by Doina Chiucu and Maria Caspani; Writing by Daniel Trotta Editing by Alistair Bell) The Lagos State Government on Wednesday banned all religious gathering of over 50 people within the state in a bid to curtail the spread of the deadly Coronavirus. The decision was arrived at after a meeting of the Lagos State Government with religious bodies in the state. The religious bodies include the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN and Muslim leaders. Reading a communique after the meeting held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Government Secretariat, in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, Commissioner for Home Affairs, Prince Anofiu Elegushi said the meeting agreed that all large religious gathering of over 50 people should be suspended immediately. He said the suspension would last for four weeks, with necessary review carried out if need be. Elegushi added that a committee had been set up to monitor the enforcement of the suspension to ensure that both Muslims and Christians in the state abide by the decision. The 15-member committee comprises representatives of Muslims and Christians in the State. Elegushi also said the meeting agreed that the state government should embark on massive sensitisation of people at the grassroots on the need to embrace proper hygiene. So also, the Ogun State Government today banned all high-density gatherings that would bring together 50 or more people in the same place including religious gatherings. A statement issued by Kunle Somorin, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Ogun State, said further to measures so far taken to ramp up its efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus, the Ogun State Government has found it expedient to announce an immediate ban of all high-density gatherings that would bring together 50 or more persons in the same place, such as social clubs, halls, cinemas, night clubs, restaurants, cafes, and sport arenas. This measure will be in effect for the next 30 days in the first instance, the statement said. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates By AFP BERLIN: Political leaders "underestimated" the magnitude of the danger posed by the coronavirus, the president of the European Commission admitted Wednesday, as the EU shut its borders. "I think that all of us who are not experts initially underestimated the coronavirus," Ursula von der Leyen told Germany's Bild newspaper in an interview published Wednesday. "But now it is clear that this is a virus that will keep us busy for a long time yet." "We understand that measures that seemed drastic two or three weeks ago, need to be taken now," she added. The coronavirus outbreak, which first emerged in China late last year, has quickly marched across the globe, infecting nearly 200,000 people and killing 7,900 as governments scramble to contain it. But von der Leyen rejected the language of French president Emmanuel Macron, who likened the outbreak to war this week, and ordered almost the entire population to stay at home for at least two weeks. "I will not personally use that term but I understand the motivation of the French president as the coronavirus is a worrying enemy." Germany's economy minister Peter Altmaier said the United States under Donald Trump had taken the threat of the virus even more lightly. "The outbreak of the crisis was probably underestimated even more so in the US than in some countries in Europe," Peter Altmaier told Germany's regional press group Funke. "That is the reason we very much hope that the US will manage to control the situation, also in our own interest," he added. "No-one hopes that the US economy would fall into an uncontrolled recession." By Laman Ismayilova After the cold winter, Azerbaijani people are celebrating arrival of spring with a colorful feast. Novruz is regarded as one the most beloved holidays in Azerbaijan. The spring festival marks vernal equinox, symbolizing the renewal of nature. Although celebrated in different countries, the festival brings peace, prosperity, and solidarity within communities. Novruz is widely celebrated in countries like Azerbaijan, Albania, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and others. Spring officially arrives in Azerbaijan on March 20-21, awakening everyone from winter hibernation. Numerous researches have found out the link between Novruz Holiday and the prophet Zardush. Novruz celebrations start one month before the actual holiday. Azerbaijani people celebrate four pre-holiday Tuesdays before spring festival. Each Tuesday is dedicated to the awakening of one of the natures elements: Su Chershenbesi (Water Tuesday), Od Chershenbesi (Fire Tuesday) Hava Chershenbesi (Wind Tuesday) and Torpaq Chershenbesi (Earth or Last Tuesday). On the last night of the old year all family members spray each other with water before going to bed "to wash off" all hardships of the old year. Young people light bonfires on mountain tops at night and remain awake till morning. Everyone should jump over the burning fire saying a special spell. On Novruz, all families gather at home and enjoy delicious traditional pastries like shekerbura, pakhlava and shor gogal. Each of the sweets baked for Novruz has a symbolic meaning. Pakhlava represents the four parts of the world, gogal symbolizes the sun, shakarbura the moon, while the eggs painted for Novruz are a symbol of life. Holiday sweets, candles and samani (wheat seeds) are put on a tray and sent to neighbors and friends. Sprouting samani symbolizes rich harvest and abundance. The process of samani cultivation starts from the first week and ends up at the last week of Novruz. It is believed that if samani grows well, then the year is expected to be very productive. Various ceremonies, traditional games and shows such as Kos-kosa, Khidir Ilyas and fortune-telling are traditionally held in country. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 17:34:57|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MANILA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- China has decided to donate 100,000 more test kits and other urgently-needed medical supplies to the Philippines to help the southeast Asian country fight COVID-19 spread. Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian said Wednesday the assistance includes another 100,000 test kits, 100,000 surgical masks, 10,000 N95 masks, and 10,000 sets of personal protective equipment. China donated 2,000 test kits to the Philippines on Monday. "The Chinese people stands ready to help their Philippine brothers and sisters to go through this difficult time," Huang said in a statement. "Thank you, my brother," Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin tweeted after he was informed of the new donations. The Philippines now has 202 confirmed coronavirus cases, including 17 deaths. The department of health said that seven patients have recovered from the viral disease. Shut down all non-essential production to halt the spread of the coronavirus! Distribute our statement, How to fight the COVID-19 pandemic: A program of action for the working class and form rank-and-file committees at your workplace. For assistance and to distribute information about actions workers are taking at your plant, contact us immediately at autoworkers@wsws.org or on Facebook. Update 1:25 PM EDT: The Detroit Free Press is reporting that General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler will shut down all US plants. More information will be posted as it becomes available. Workers at Fiat Chryslers Sterling Heights (SHAP) and Jefferson North (JNAP) assembly plants in Metro Detroit took matters into their own hands last night and this morning and forced a shutdown of production to halt the spread of coronavirus. The work stoppages began at Sterling Heights last night, only hours after the United Auto Workers and the Detroit automakers reached a rotten deal to keep plants open and operating during the global pandemic. Faced with a fait accompli and with the union, which had temporarily prevented a walkout at Warren Truck on Monday and Tipton Transmission on Tuesday, having completely lost control of the situation, management sent workers on the night shift home early at 10:30 p.m. local time. This morning, workers on SHAPs first shift followed suit, staged a sit-in and refused to touch vehicles rolling down the line once their shift began. Because hundreds of people handle the vehicles in rapid succession on the assembly line, they are a major potential source of transmission for the virus. Management again sent workers home and canceled the second shift today. This is awe-inspiring, one young SHAP worker told the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter, referring to the workers action to force the closure of the plant. Workers also stopped working at JNAP this morning at around 10:30 a.m. Workers reporting for the morning shift have refused to work for more than an hour. Workers have told the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter that managers have threatened them with firings, with no opposition from local UAW officials, and some have returned to their workstations but are refusing to handle vehicles on the assembly line. The union sold us out. We dont need rotating shiftswe have to shut down the plants. They dont even care about us and our familiesthe UAW showed that last night. Management finally relented at 1:00 PM and sent the shift home. Empty corridors at Jefferson North Assembly Plant (JNAP) after work stoppage Workers at Dundee Engine Plant in Ann Arbor and Toledo North Assembly followed suit with their own job actions shortly afterward. Shifts at Warren Truck Assembly and Ford's Michigan Assembly have also been sent home. A Facebook Live video from Toledo showed dozens of furious workers crowded around Local 12 Vice President Brian Sims, demanding that the plant be shut down, who then retreats through the back door yelling at workers to "calm down." Reeling from the independent action taken by workers, Fiat Chrysler is fully engaged in damage control. Representatives for the company flatly denied that a walkout at SHAP has occurred, even though local news media filmed the walkout, and claimed that workers were sent home as a precaution. By canceling a few shifts management clearly hopes that they will buy time for the UAW to restore order. But all signs indicate that the situation has already rapidly spiraled out of their control. Autoworkers confronting UAW Local 12 Vice President Brian Sims at Toldeo North Assembly Plant Only yesterday, the UAW worked with management to successfully browbeat hundreds of workers at FCAs Tipton Transmission near Kokomo, Indiana into reporting for work, threatening them with immediate termination for job abandonment. On Monday, the union also managed to keep a temporary stoppage at Warren Truck Assemblys paint shop from developing into a full-scale lockout. But the shabby maneuver last night reached in the joint company-union coronavirus task force, which potentially exposes 150,000 autoworkers to infection, has made clear that that the UAW will do everything to enforce managements dictates, even at the cost of hundreds, or even thousands, of lives. This is a developing story and the World Socialist Web Site will continue to provide updates during the day. But it is clear that these actions will be the first of many throughout the United States. A wildcat strike wave has already overtaken much of the European auto industries, with walkouts occurring in Spain and Italy in defiance of management-union attempts to keep them on the job during national lockdowns. Canadian autoworkers also temporarily stopped production at Windsor Assembly last week. This wildcat wave must be made the tip of the spear for a movement of the entire working class to shut down all non-essential production. To organize this, workers must form rank-and-file committees, completely independent of and in opposition to the unions. A rational response to the pandemic is blocked by the capitalist profit motive. Workers must demand a massive, globally coordinated response to the pandemic, taking trillions of dollars of wealth hoarded by the rich and the major corporations and placing them at the disposal of society. We urge workers to read and discuss the Socialist Equality Partys program of action to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. To organize such committees in your workplace and to get in touch with other workers, contact us at autoworkers@wsws.org . Sonam Kapoor with husband Anand Ahuja returned to India from London on Tuesday amid the Coronavirus scare, and lauded the efforts taken by the Indian officials to combat the spread of the virus. The 34-year-old actor documented her experience of flying back to India from London on Instagram stories. The 'Neerja' actor started the video by thanking everybody at the airport, and the ones on the flight for a 'smooth and responsibly done' journey. The actor also addressed how she and her husband was surprised to see not much of a screening happening back in London. She further detailed about how after landing in India, before immigration, they were asked to fill a form that took a past 25-day travel history. She, Anand and her sport-boy, who is like a 'family' to her, was checked for their temperatures, which were 'fine'. The 'Veere Di Wedding' actor also lauded the incredible ways in which the authorities and the governing bodies are handling the situation. "Everybody is doing their best ..we are together..I'm back in India with my husband and have no symptoms of the virus because we have been not in any countries that have a rampant spread of the virus." "But we are self-quarantining as we live with our parents and our grandmother," she added. She concluded the video by requesting everyone to be responsible, vigilant and adhere to the measures taken by the authorities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mumbai : Four Germany-returned passengers with 'home quarantine' stamp on their hands were de-boarded from the Bandra Terminus-Delhi Garibrath Express train at Palghar station, around 100 kms from Mumbai, on Wednesday after co-passengers raised an alarm, the Western Railway said. The four passengers were de-boarded from coach number G4 and G5 of 12216 Garibrath at Palghar station when travel ticket examiner and co-passengers raised an alarm after seeing the stamp on their hands, a Western Railway (WR) spokesperson said. "They had arrived from Germany and were headed to Surat," the spokesperson said. The four passengers were screened at the Mumbai international airport, where they were found negative for coronavirus. However, they were advised 14 days of home quarantine, as mentioned in the stamp on their hands, the official said. After being de-boarded, they were taken to a government hospital in Palghar, he said. "The doctor and the local authorities checked them and later allowed them to go ahead by road," he added. The railway authorities said that the Garibrath Express does not have a halt at Palghar, but when the passengers raised alarm after seeing the stamp on their hands, the train was given an unscheduled halt there. Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan took to Twitter on Wednesday for raising awareness towards the Maharashtra Government's latest initiative to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. Big-B shared a picture of a person's hand, stamped with the label: "Proud to Protect Mumbaikars. Home Quarantined till 30 Mar 2020". The caption of Bachchan's Tweet read: "Stamping started on hands with voter ink, in Mumbai .. keep safe, be cautious, remain isolated if detected". The post comes as the authorities in Mumbai have commenced the stamping of people who are suspected to be infected with COVID-19 and are instructed to put themselves under home quarantine. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics Zurich, 18 March 2020 Swiss Life publishes 2019 Annual Report The Swiss Life Group is publishing its 2019 Annual Report today. The report is available in the interactive formats PDF and HTML in German and English at www.swisslife.com/ar2019. In addition to the Consolidated Financial Statements, which were already published when the 2019 annual results were presented, the annual report also includes information on corporate governance and risk management, as well as the sustainability report. 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Furthermore, Swiss Life undertakes no obligation to publicly update or change any of these forward-looking statements, or to adjust them to reflect new information, future events, developments or similar. Former vice president Joe Biden swept to decisive wins in Florida, Illinois and Arizona on Tuesday, extending his run of victories on a primary election day in which the growing national response to the coronavirus pandemic complicated voting as it threatened to disrupt future contests. The emphatic wins raised further questions about the viability of the campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. It set Biden, who began the day leading the contest by more than 100 delegates, on a clear course to a first-ballot victory at the Democratic National Convention in July barring a seismic shift in the race's dynamics. This was the third consecutive week of voting in which Biden dramatically outperformed Sanders, including 16 of the past 21 contests before Tuesday's. "Our campaign has had a very good night," said Biden, speaking briefly Tuesday evening on a live stream from his home in Wilmington, Delaware. "We moved closer to securing the Democratic Party's nomination for president. And we're doing it by building a broad coalition," he said, pointing to support from minorities and suburban women. Biden offered a message aimed at unifying the party, much as he did after his victories last week, telling Sanders' supporters that he shares many of the senator's priorities. "I hear you. I know what is at stake. I know what we have to do," Biden said. Photo by Youngrae Kim for The Washington Post In the general election swing state of Florida, the biggest prize of the night, with 219 pledged delegates, Biden was winning more than twice as many voters as Sanders after the vast majority of votes had been counted. He won every county in the state, claiming voters at least 45 years old by 6 to 1, according to a statewide voter poll by Edison Media Research. Sanders won voters younger than 45 by just over 10 percentage points, far too little to overcome Biden's lead with older voters. In Illinois, with 155 delegates at stake, over 6 in 10 voters said they trusted Biden more than Sanders to handle a major crisis, and nearly 7 in 10 said Biden has the better chance of defeating President Donald Trump in November. Biden's speech to the nation provided a striking coda to a complicated primary day. As he moved ever closer to becoming the Democratic nominee, he stood alone in front of a camera without a cheering crowd - symbolizing the example Americans have been asked to follow by isolating themselves from others in the midst of the novel-coronavirus outbreak. "Tackling this pandemic is a national emergency that is akin to fighting a war," Biden said. "This is the moment for each of us to see and believe the best in every one of us." Voters braved historic conditions in the three states that cast ballots a day after Trump requested that Americans stop congregating in groups of more than 10 people to reduce transmission of the virus, which has sequestered millions in their homes, closed businesses across the country and hammered the financial markets. Reports of polling place disruptions - with unopened precincts, a dearth of cleaning supplies and long lines in some places - emerged across the country. Both candidates urged voters to take extra precautions. The Sanders campaign told supporters that "going to the polls amid the coronavirus outbreak is a personal decision and we respect whichever choice voters make." Biden told voters that they should vote by mail or from curbside if possible. "If you vote in person, please wash your hands, don't touch your face, and stay 6' from others in line," Biden tweeted. Sanders made no mention of the elections Tuesday night when he addressed the nation about his proposed responses to the coronavirus pandemic. Shortly before Florida closed the last of its polling places, Sanders offered a long list of responses to the viral outbreak that would cost about $2 trillion, he said, including a monthly $2,000 check for every American household for the duration of the crisis. Signaling an intent to stay involved in the political conversation, Sanders directed people to his campaign website and concluded by saying, "I look forward to continuing to communicate with you to tell you where we are coming from, what our ideas are and look forward to hearing from you." Sanders was not expected to speak publicly again Tuesday night, according to a campaign official. Sanders and his wife, Jane, spent the day in Washington, where the Senate is working on relief packages to respond to the virus, according to a campaign official. Biden met with advisers and public health experts at his Delaware home before his televised address. Voting in Ohio, the fourth state that was to cast ballots Tuesday, was delayed at the last minute by Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, as a result of the growing viral infection, despite a court ruling that voting should take place. DeWine said Monday night that he wanted to postpone in-person voting until June 2 and extend absentee balloting into the intervening weeks. Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland and Kentucky also have rescheduled their contests for later in the year. Under Democratic Party rules, states have until June 9 to complete their delegate selection primaries or caucuses, and party leaders have the authority to seek rule changes to accommodate states that fail to meet the deadlines. Democratic Party Chair Tom Perez urged states to adopt vote-by-mail, no-excuse absentee voting and to expand polling place hours to prevent more delays in the primary calendar. "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 a statement Tuesday afternoon. A key question for Tuesday was to what extent voters would stay home to avoid exposure to the virus. So far this year, turnout has increased by about 30 percent over 2016 levels. Initial estimates by Edison on Tuesday night showed turnout in Florida up about 8 percent from four years ago, bolstered by a substantial early vote. In Illinois, turnout appeared lower than in 2016. Before polls closed, the Biden campaign expressed confidence that the results would all but seal the nomination for their candidate. "It would take a drastic, historically-incomparable swing for Sen. Sanders to win more delegates than Biden today or to close the delegate differential," wrote Kate Bedingfield, Biden's deputy campaign manager in a memo issued Tuesday afternoon. Biden's team laid out a case that the primary results would be valid, rebutting questions raised by Sanders' allies that the potential for a depressed turnout because of the virus might cast doubt on the validity of the outcome. "The American people are resilient and strong," Bedingfield wrote. "We have maintained our democracy through war and peace, economic downturn and prosperity, and in previous moments of public health crisis. We held elections during the Civil War, the 1918 flu pandemic, and World War II." Both campaigns have dramatically shifted their strategies as a result of the pandemic, forgoing travel and rallies for the past week in favor of virtual town halls for Biden and a streaming "fireside chat" and a "digital rally" for Sanders. The Sanders campaign said Tuesday that its programming had been viewed more than 5 million times. "Our digital organizing infrastructure is unmatched, and in this moment of fear and uncertainty, we are proud to be able to speak directly to Americans," Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir said in a statement. Biden's campaign also plans to hold virtual high-dollar fundraisers in which the candidate will interact online with donors. Biden's team is increasingly focusing on the assumption he will win the nomination. Biden himself announced at a Sunday night debate that he would pick a woman to be his vice president. The campaign plans soon to detail who will be in charge of vetting potential running mates. Sanders' defeats Tuesday were a reprise of four years ago, when Sanders lost the primaries in Arizona, Florida and Illinois to Hillary Clinton. She crushed him in Florida, winning by more than 30 percentage points, and bested him by nearly 20 percentage points in Arizona. The margin was tightest in Illinois, where the two candidates were within two percentage points. In this primary, after a string of devastating losses, Sanders started offering blunt public appraisals of his campaign's efforts, admitting that he has failed to convince Democrats he is more electable than Biden but arguing that he has won the battle of ideas and the support of young people. In the starkest terms yet, he warned Democrats on Monday night not to overlook the youth vote. "It really does stun me to what degree the Democratic establishment continues to ignore the needs and the ideas of younger people," Sanders said during his digital rally. But the results Tuesday made clear those strategic recalibrations had not solved his problems. Even close confidants said they couldn't predict what Sanders ultimately would decide about his candidacy. He and his wife are expected to reach a decision together, people in frequent contact with them said. Some allies have privately speculated that the coronavirus crisis might make it more likely for Sanders to stay in the race. As a longtime advocate of creating a Medicare-for-all system in which the government is the sole provider of health insurance, Sanders has said the pandemic shows precisely why universal health care needs to be enacted swiftly. RoseAnn DeMoro, a close Sanders friend and a former head of an influential nurses union, said Monday that the volatility across the country is justification for the senator from Vermont to stick it out. "Anything can happen," she said in an interview Monday. DeMoro expressed disdain for Biden and his supporters, accusing some of being "out of touch" and taking "cheap shots." Larry Cohen, who heads a pro-Sanders nonprofit, saw a different benefit to staying in for the long haul: a slow and steady accrual of delegates to the national convention. In Cohen's view, this will give the Sanders movement leverage against the Biden forces when it comes to forming key party panels and shaping the party's approach to health care and climate change. "It's a big difference between one-third of the Florida delegates versus zero," Cohen said. Results of a new preliminary study from China have stated that people with Type-A blood are more vulnerable to coronavirus. The same study has concluded that people with Type-O blood could be more resistant to coronavirus. Researchers conducted this study at two hospitals in Wuhan, the place of origin of the coronavirus outbreak, and one hospital in Shenzhen, China. The study compared blood types of 2,173 patients, who were confirmed positive for COVID-19 using the SARS-CoV-2 test, with more than 3,694 healthy inhabitants of Wuhan. "A total of 1,775 patients with COVID-19, including 206 dead cases, from Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Wuhan, China were recruited. Another 113 and 285 patients with COVID-19 were respectively recruited from Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan and Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China," says the study. "ABO group in 3694 normal people in Wuhan showed a distribution of 32.16%, 24.90%, 9.10% and 33.84% for A, B, AB and O," says the study. This showed that people with Type-A blood are the most common in Wuhan while people with Type-O blood are the least common. More results were deduced when the healthy samples were compared with people infected with the virus. According to the study, among the 1,775 patients studied in Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, 37.75 percent were Type-A and 9.10 percent were Type-O. This meant Type-A blood was most common among patients infected with the coronavirus while Type-O blood was the least common. Among the 206 patients who died from the virus, 41.26 percent, had Type A-blood. While only around 25 percent of the deaths were of people with Type-O blood. The observations from the study stated that the proportion of people with Type- A blood infected or killed by the virus was found to be much higher than other blood groups. It also clearly demonstrated that in comparison to other blood groups the proportion of people with Type-O blood infected or killed by the virus was lower. "People of blood group A might need particularly strengthened personal protection to reduce the chance of infection," wrote the researchers at the Centre for Evidence-Based and Translational Medicine based out of Wuhan, according to the New York Post. "If you are type A, there is no need to panic. It does not mean you will be infected 100 percent," Gao Yingdai, a researcher in the city of Tianjin, told the daily. "If you are type O, it does not mean you are absolutely safe, either. You still need to wash your hands and follow the guidelines issued by authorities," added Yingdai. The team leader Wang Xinghuan has said that the study is just "preliminary" and more research needs to be done before concrete results can be observed. Across the world, around 196,000 people have been confirmed positive for the coronavirus. The virus has already claimed more than 7,800 lives from all over the world. Also Read: Coronavirus in India Live Updates: Confirmed cases surge to 138; S&P lowers India's growth forecast to 5.2% Also Read: Coronavirus impact: Mukesh Ambani pads up to protect half a million Reliance employees Traders work during the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) at Wall Street in New York City on March 16, 2020. (Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images) Is It 9/11 or 2008 on Wall Street? Bailout for the stock market is just the beginning, but where will it end? Commentary In these unprecedented times, were seeing radical changes in everything from the stock market, to oil prices, to toilet paper purchasing habits that are all a result of a global pandemic thats shaking the country to its foundations. Unfortunately, the side effects of the pandemic are much worse than the disease itself. Wall Street is a prime example. As a bellwether of how investors feel about the future, Mondays nearly 3,000-point drop in the Dow painted a stark picture of where markets will likely be heading at least for the short term. The accompanying volatility is whipsawing markets almost daily. According to Yahoo Data, the Dow has gone up or down by 1,000 points or more for seven straight days, and 11 times total in the last month. Clearly, optimism is in short supply and fear is the overwhelming force driving the market. Sure, Tuesdays 1,048-point gain is positive, but so what? Its more likely in response to the possibility of a $1 trillion-dollar bailout than it is from optimism about the future of the economy. That level of volatility has got to stop. Its much worse than it needs or ought to be. This is especially true in light of the fact that, according to Dr. Drew Pinsky, in a bad flu season, up to 80,000 people will die in the United States. This season, weve only seen about 18,000 deathsso far. Contrast that death count with the 100 or so deaths of Americans from COVID-19. Its not even close. Why the panic? Still, with the Federal Reserve reacting to the market freefall by announcing a $700 billion bailout for Wall Street on Monday, the whole narrative has a very familiar ring to it. How Long Will This New Normal Last? Of course, thats because in 2008, as the global financial system was freezing up with debt, the Federal Reserve bailed out many of Wall Streets biggest banks to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars. Our nations central bank would continue to pump money into the system for the next seven years or so, before reversing itself. Now, with the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, were back to the bailout levels of 2008 all over again. And yet, the shock factor also feels quite similar to the post-9/11 era as well. The empty streets and quiet panic that the nation felt then is, unfortunately, back among many of us as well. As people used to say in the days immediately following the 9/11 attacks, is what were seeing now the new normal? Lets hope not, because economists are issuing some rather dire warnings with every morning. Estimates Say U.S. GDP to Plunge 10 Percent For example, according to Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, the GDP dropping by 10 percent in the second quarter on an annualized rate is a real possibility. Given the steep drop in consumer spending, the business closures, and a growing lockdown thats expected to continue into the second quarter, how could it not? The panic is hitting the economy harder than the virus ever could. Stop the Gloom and Doom Talk Within a matter of weeks, the coronavirus pandemic has turned the U.S. economy into something almost unrecognizable. The empty city streets, vacant grocery stores, and shuttered businesses and restaurants have cast an eerie pall over everyday life. Whats more, those official government pronouncements broadcast across news channels every morning, announcing what the federal government will be taking control of next, is disconcerting, to say the least. It makes one feel as if one were living in the old Soviet Union rather than in the greatest capitalist economy on the planet. Theres nothing normal about whats going on with the economy, and thats what scares some of us much more than the coronavirus. The federal takeover of virtually every aspect of how we do business, determining whether ones store or office stays open or closed, and even how we conduct our social lives, is contrary to the American way of life, not to mention our constitution. The real shortage in America isnt toilet paper, but rather, common sense leadership. And the Draconian measures from Washington, D.C., arent helping either. Overreaction and institutional panic are driving the economy and the country southward. Its as if were being herded over a cliff of fear, doubt, and uncertainty by the constant emissions of doom and gloom from every media source possible. That in itself becomes self-fulfilling. And yet, theres positive news to talk about as well. For example, the key thing to keep in mind about this pandemic is that its, in fact, a temporary situation. It passes through a country over the course of a month or two and people get over it. More to the point, some nations are successfully handling the pandemic without shutting down their entire social and economic framework. They arent being talked about much, but they should be. Unfortunately, it doesnt appear that the protocols from Taiwan or Hong Kong are being seriously considered as policy options. Of course, Wall Street will likely get its billions or even trillions at some point. Meanwhile, the rest of the nation has the vapors, and finds itself in some version of a Kafkaesque metamorphosis, where weve shed our freer selves and embraced the lesser human spirit that remainsless American, less free. So, is it 9/11 or 2008 again on Wall Street? The popular answer, of course, would seem to be Yes. But its not. James Gorrie is a writer and speaker based in Southern California. He is the author of The China Crisis. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Photo: Photo by 20th Century Fox/Michael White Prods/Kobal/Shutterstock This post is updated frequently to reflect the latest movies to leave and enter Amazon Prime. *New additions are indicated by an asterisk. Amazon Prime is one of the better streaming services for horror fans (and thats even before you add on the essential Shudder service for a little extra blood and guts). Someone over at Amazon HQ is clearly a fan of the genre, because there are an unusually abundant number of quality films on the service that will make you double check that the doors are locked at night when youre done watching. Here are the 40 best of them. Sleep tight. Leave all that stuffy history nonsense to Steven Spielberg fans and check out the other Abraham Lincoln movie that came out in 2012. Based on the book by Seth Grahame-Smith, who adapted it himself, this goofy movie imagines what would happen if one of the most famous leaders in world history also happened to hunt vampires. Movies changed forever with the 1979 release of Ridley Scotts sci-fi/horror classic. Sigourney Weaver leads the crew of the Nostromo, answering a distress call in the far of reaches of space that puts them in contact with the ultimate killing machine. Not only did Alien launch a franchise, it created a template for horror set in outer space, rewriting the rulebook in a way thats still incredibly powerful over four decades later. James Ward Byrkit wrote and directed this 2013 gem that has developed quite a cult following over the years since its Fantastic Fest premiere. The idea is one that Rod Serling would have loved. A group of people get together for a dinner party when the whole neighborhood goes into a blackout except for the house at the other end of the street, in which the same dinner party appears to be taking place. Strap in. Sometimes youre looking horror a bit off the beaten path. Take the trip to this Ant Timpson film that premiered at Tribeca in April of 2019. Elijah Wood stars as a young man who seeks out his estranged father (the great Stephen McHattie), and the two attempt to bond, but, well, something isnt quite right with daddy. With some clever twists and turns, this could become a cult hit on services like Amazon Prime. Horror remakes are almost always awful, but the 2010 remake of the masterful George A. Romero original is an exception. Its deadly simple: A virus turns people in a small Iowa town into violent maniacs. Given the state of the world in the 2020s, The Crazies might be the kind of cautionary horror tale thats even better now than when it came out a decade ago. The Deeper You Dig Billed as an Adams Family Production, this is a real labor of DIY indie filmmaking love for a husband/wife writing/directing team, who also star alongside their daughter. Its the tale of a single mother whose daughter is killed one night in a roadside accident. The driver covers up the accidental death, leading to a tear in the fabric of supernatural happenings. Creepy and effective. Writer/director Richard Bates Jr. burst onto the genre scene in 2012 with this kooky horror film that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Its a dark and bloody story of madness in a teenage girl (AnnaLynne McCord) that ends in absolute buckets of blood. It also has a hell of a supporting cast that includes Traci Lord, Malcolm McDowell, Ray Wise, and none other than John Waters himself. John Carpenter used the success of Halloween to make a very different kind of horror film, one that wasnt really well-received when it came out but has grown in esteem over the last four decades. The legendary Adrienne Barbeau stars in a ghost story about a crew of mariners who descend on a small town in California when the fog rolls in. The problem is that theyve been dead for a century. Frailty The late Bill Paxton directed and co-stars in this stunning psychological thriller that didnt get a lot of attention in 2001 but has developed a following over the years. Matthew McConaughey stars as a young man who tells the FBI that his brother is the man behind a string of serial killings, inspired by their upbringing at the hands of a man (Paxton) who told them he had been visited by God and told to destroy demons in human form on Earth. Yes, its more thriller than horror, but you get a pretty dark, vicious, horrific view of the world especially if you watch the entire Millennium trilogy (The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest are on Prime too). This film was famously remade by David Fincher, but this is the powerful, foreign original, the film that made Noomi Rapace a star. After the second John Carpenter film basically ended the story of Michael Myers, the producers of the series had the thought that each entry could be a standalone venture, leading to the only film in the series without The Shape. Audiences hated it at the time, but critics have reappraised it over the years as an unjustly maligned 80s horror classic. Hard Candy More of a thriller than a traditional horror film, this David Slade pic captures real terror in a way thats scarier than most movies on this list. The film stars Elliot Page as a young vigilante who has planned an elaborate trap for a sexual predator, played perfectly by Patrick Wilson. Terrifying and intense, it feels like this is a flick ready for a reappreciation. Hell House LLC A cult following has been growing around the smart 2015 found-footage indie by director Stephen Cognetti. (So much so that there have already been two sequels.) Its a cleverly made film about a group of documentarians investigating a tragedy at a haunted house when they realize that the place might actually have a few real supernatural secrets. Hellraiser Forget that recent Clive Barker movie on Hulu and dig back into the franchise that helped make the author a household name, at least in households with horror fans. Hellraiser is still an incredibly powerful film, the only one really to get that mix of surreal horror and human frailty that defined the Barker brand. (And they just announced theyre remaking it!) One of the best things about Bong Joon-ho winning multiple Oscar for his brilliant Parasite is the exposure likely led more people to his other works, including the wonderful monster movie The Host. In fact, this story of a creature in the Han River also stars the leading man from Parasite, the great Song Kang-ho. Its a gorgeous piece of work that really put Bong on the map worldwide. House of 1,000 Corpses Rob Zombies directorial debut rocked the horror world when it dropped in 2003. Clearly inspired by gore masters like Lewis and Argento, but with his own hillbilly horror style, Zombie was a filmmaker who felt like he had a loyal following from his very first shoot. House on Haunted Hill Not the cheesy remake but the 1959 original with its wonderful scenery-chewing performance from the singular Vincent Price. The horror legend plays Frederick Loren, an eccentric millionaire who invites five strangers to his haunted house and tells them that he will pay anyone who can stay the night a whopping $10k. It doesnt go well. Remember these movies? After the success of Scream, writer Kevin Williamson became one of the hottest voices in Hollywood, and this 1997 offering became nearly as popular as Cravens film. The concept is so beautiful in its simplicity: A bunch of friends cover up a car accident and then suffer for their sin. Starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Freddie Prinze Jr., I Know What You Did Last Summer is a great example of how this resurgence of the slasher pic worked in the mid-to-late-90s. How big was the homicidal fisherman? Big enough to stay at No. 1 for three weeks and spawn two sequels (both of which are also on Amazon Prime). Theres a reason that this story of pod people has been remade pretty much for every generation. It taps into something timeless about the fear of distrusting our fellow man (and seems pretty ready for a 2020 update). The 70s version by Philip Kaufman is arguably the best, anchored by one of Donald Sutherlands best performances and that creepy sense that the sense of community fostered by the late 60s was being dismantled from within. The Island of Dr. Moreau No, not the truly crazy one with Marlon Brando but the first direct film adaptation of the classic novel by H.G. Wells. This one was released in 1977 and stars Burt Lancaster and Michael York in the tale of a scientist who has developed an island of animal/human hybrids. Its pretty dated, but the strength of the source material keeps it interesting enough for a pass on Amazon Prime. When it was released in 2009, Karyn Kusama and Diablo Codys horror-comedy was largely ignored and generally poorly reviewed, but history has turned this into an undeniable cult hit. Megan Fox stars as a high school girl who has been demonically possessed in a film that now seems ahead of its time in the way it captures gender roles and female empowerment. Ju-On: The Grudge Its hard to overstate what a juggernaut the Ju-On franchise has become over the last two decades. There are over a dozen films in this franchise and three American versions, including one earlier this year. Theres also a Netflix prequel series (which is actually pretty good). But this is still the tentpole of them all, the 2002 flick that really defined the style of these vicious ghost movies. It still works as well today as when it came out. Lake Mungo Barely seen on its release, the last 14 years have turned Lake Mungo into a true cult hit. It feels like more people are watching this clever horror mockumentary every single day. You should be one of them! Unlike a lot of found footage films, this one has a true emotional core as a family deals with the drowning death of their daughter, and the possibility that shes not entirely gone. The Last Exorcism Before found footage films were overdone, Daniel Stamm made one of the best in 2010 in this surprise smash hit. Patrick Fabian stars as a man who agrees to participate in a documentary about his exorcism business, one thats largely a scam. The problem is that the charlatan stumbles onto a real possession when a farmer reaches out and tells him that his daughter is acting, well, strange. Who could have guessed how much Leprechaun, a low-budget 1993 horror flick about a murderous leprechaun who believes a family has stolen his pot of gold, would catch on. Not only did it feature a pre-Friends Jennifer Aniston, but it led to seven sequels, the last of which was released in just 2018. Its the cheapo horror franchise that wont die; see where it all began on Amazon Prime. Amazons horror selection is even better if you have the Shudder add-on, but they do have exclusive streaming rights to Ari Aster and A24s excellent Midsommar, the story of a vacation gone horribly awry. Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor play a couple who go to Sweden for a festival. A comedy of cultures gives way to something much darker when the true purpose of the festival is revealed in a series of final scenes that youll never forget. Monkey Shines Every time theres a George A. Romero horror movie available on Amazon Prime, its going to make this list. The genre master helmed this 1988 thriller starring Jason Beghe, Kate McNeill, and John Pankow, about an athlete who become paralyzed and has to rely on the assistance of a helper monkey named Ella. Things go very wrong when Ella is injected with experimental serum and becomes homicidal. Mulberry St. Were digging deep for this film, which originally premiered as a part of a DTV series from After Dark Films called 8 Films to Die For. This was the best of the eight, helmed by a young Jim Mickle, who would go on to direct We Are What We Are and Stake Land. Its the story of an outbreak of a deadly infection in downtown Manhattan but it works more with mood and tension than action. An indie gem. No one makes movies quite like Nicolas Winding Refn. The director of Drive delivered one of his most unforgettable flicks in this horror film about the fashion industry, featuring a fearless performance by Elle Fanning. And Keanu Reeves is in it too! Peeping Tom Most people have seen Alfred Hitchcocks voyeurism masterpiece about Mr. Norman Bates, but heres a film from that era about a similar kind of madman thats nearly as good. Directed by Michael Powell, the 1960 effort is about a photographer who has a habit of shooting the people hes killing, recording their final moments. So controversial at the time that it derailed Powells notable career, Peeping Tom is a landmark piece of art that was a generation ahead of its time. The movies in this franchise seem to bounce around the streaming services like the murderous silver ball within them but the Don Coscarelli original (and still best) is on Amazon Prime now. The 1979 horror classic that introduced the world to the Tall Man was reportedly made for around $300k and spawned a multi-million dollar franchise thats still going. Lets do the time warp again! Its been almost half a century since arguably the biggest cult movie of all time landed in theaters. No one involved could have known what this horror/musical/comedy would have done to the pop culture landscape. Starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, and Barry Bostwick, this parody of B-movies became a midnight movie staple in the 80s, influencing countless others. In 2000, Wes Craven returned to the world of Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and her friends, delivering what felt like an end to this saga of the Ghostface Killer (at least until a fourth movie in 2011 and a fifth one coming in 2022). Once again a meta take that blends comedy with horror, Scream 3 is not as strong as the first two but its still a Craven film, which means its better than a lot of other Amazon Prime streaming choices. One of the best horror films of all time is this Jonathan Demme classic, a winner of Best Picture, Director, Actor, and Actress Oscars. Demmes adaptation of the Thomas Harris novels created a legend in Hannibal Lecter, a character instantly put on the Mount Rushmore of movie villains. Its a rare early 90s masterpiece that plays just as well three decades later. One of the lesser-known Stephen King adaptations, this 1985 werewolf flick is based on the novella Cycle of the Werewolf by the horror master. Considered a cult classic now, it stars Corey Haim and Gary Busey in the tale of a creature of the night who is haunting a small town in Maine. Luca Guadagnino directed the 2018 remake of the Dario Argento classic, one of the best horror movies ever made. This one may not hold up to the original, but it has an intense, gory power of its own thanks to Guadagninos visual gifts and fearless performances from Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Mia Goth, and more. Train to Busan A legitimate phenomenon that has grossed almost $100 million worldwide, this 2016 South Korean movie is one of the best zombie flicks of its era. Train to Busans premise is simple zombies on a train but thats one of the reasons it works so well. It has a propulsive, non-stop energy and it feels like its legacy is just getting started. Claire Foy is phenomenal in this 2018 psychological thriller directed by Steven Soderbergh. She plays a woman who is convinced that shes being stalked but the rest of the world seems to be gaslighting her into thinking shes crazy. Shot entirely on an iPhone 7, it has some questionable visual choices but Foy holds it all together in a riveting way. Vampires Kiss A legitimate cult classic, Vampires Kiss gained a following on VHS and DVD in the years after its release thanks to the increased fame of Nicolas Cage and his fearlessness in this movie. Its the story of an ordinary guy who believes hes becoming a vampire, but most people remember it as the movie where Cage really ate a cockroach. The modern image of Crazy Cage really started here. Na Hong-jins 2016 film is not one you should pick to watch on a casual date night. It takes a commitment of over 150 minutes, but its worth every one of them. Theres a cumulative power to this story of a policeman who investigates a strange series of events in a small town and basically discovers ancient evil. The Wailing is epic, and it rewards your commitment to it with a final act thats devastating and unforgettable. Amazon Prime doesnt currently have the Nicolas Cage remake, choosing instead to stock the 1973 original on its virtual shelves. Ignoring the memes, its the superior film anyway, starring Edward Woodward as a police sergeant who visits a remote island to find a missing girl and discovers the deadly cult that calls it home. 2020-03-18 02:43:59 The measures will take effect from Wednesday Movement of refugees and migrants hosted at reception camps will be restricted in an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus, Deputy Citizen Protection Minister Nikos Chardalias announced. It was one of a few measured aimed to curb the spread of coronavirus, which also include a ban of non-Greeks or EU citizens into the country, effective tomorrow (Wednesday) at 6am. All foreigners entering Greece will be placed under a compulsory 14-day quarantine. As Mr. Chardalias said citizens of non-EU countries may not enter our country except for a strictly necessary condition related exclusively to emergency work or family. Greeks and foreigners from EU countries can enter the country, but with the strict recommendation that they should be quarantined for 14 days, he stressed. anatakti A team led by Noida SDM Rajeev Rai arrives at Hyde Park society in Noida Sector 78. The team will carry out checks on each and every person in the society for the symptoms of COVID-19. After two more cases of coronavirus surfaced in Uttar Pradesh's N Image Source: IANS News After two more cases of coronavirus surfaced in Uttar Pradesh's Noida, the concerned societies have banned the entry of outsiders in the premises. Screening is also being done of all the members residing in the societies. The Hyde Park society in Sec Image Source: IANS News After two more cases of coronavirus surfaced in Uttar Pradesh's Noida, the concerned societies have banned the entry of outsiders in the premises. Screening is also being done of all the members residing in the societies. The Hyde Park society in Sec Image Source: IANS News After two more cases of coronavirus surfaced in Uttar Pradesh's Noida, the concerned societies have banned the entry of outsiders in the premises. Screening is also being done of all the members residing in the societies. The Hyde Park society in Sec Image Source: IANS News Noida, March 18 : After two more cases of coronavirus surfaced in Uttar Pradesh's Noida, the concerned societies have banned the entry of outsiders in the premises. Screening is also being done of all the members residing in the societies. The new cases have been found in Sector 78 and 100, one in each. Both have a recent travel history of France and have been hospitalised. The Hyde Park society in Sector 78 has been closed and screening of all the members is being done. There are around 3,000 residents in the society. Atul, a member of the Apartment Owners Association, told IANS: "The entire building has been quarantined. The members of the society have been asked to leave the house only when needed. They have also been told that all the things they need will be delivered to their doorstep. "All the towers of the society are being sanitized. The administration has provided the goods and we are getting the buildings cleaned three times a day. We are receiving goods from all the delivery boys and vendors at the gate itself as a precautionary measure," he added. The CMO Noida told IANS, "We are following the entire process like sanitizing buildings and screening people." Noida SDM Rajeev Rai also took stock of the situation. Talking to IANS, he said, "We are adopting all precautionary measures so the corona infected person could not infect others. Our team is checking each and every person. If anyone is found with the symptoms he or she will immediately be taken for check-up". He said that the teams will go house to house and sensitize people about the symptoms of novel coronavirus and steps for its prevention. They will also find out and document any symptomatics in their area and also collect the travel history of all symptomatics. The SDM said that the symptomatic person should stay indoors, practice hand hygiene and cough hygiene, use a handkerchief while coughing and wash hands frequently. According to the precautionary measures, if a symptomatic traveller is found with a foreign travel history over the past 14 days or a history of contact with any of the positive patients, he will be isolated (at Isolation Hospital) immediately and his sample will be collected for testing. Venue allows for proper social distancing; all donors will be required to make appointments to manage flow and avoid crowding 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 Story continues Attachments Roger Ruiz BioBridge Global 210-296-9026 roger.ruiz@southtexasblood.org Attestiv, Inc., a Boston, MA-based digital data validation platform, closed a seed funding round of over $2m. The round was led by Castle Island Ventures, with participation from Plug and Play Ventures and Mentors Fund. Co-founded by Nicos Vekiarides (CEO), John Bates (CTO) and Mark Morley (COO), Attestiv provides a platform that uses AI and blockchain technology to validate and secure the authenticity of digital media. The platform offers a foundation for applications and 3rd party integrations that utilize AI and blockchain ledger fingerprinting to provide enterprise solutions for the Insurance, IoT, Media and related industries. The technology powering the platform utilizes patent-pending, AI-based perceptual fingerprinting on a blockchain (distributed ledger), enabling the following digital media to become virtually tamper-proof: photos videos documents sensor data telemetry data metadata. FinSMEs 18/03/2020 Frozen-planet states in exotic helium atoms Exotic subatomic particles that are like 'normal' particles apart from one, opposite, property - such as the positron, which is like an electron but positively rather than negatively charged - are collectively known as antimatter. Direct studies of collisions between particles of matter and those of antimatter using giant facilities such as those at CERN can advance our understanding of the nature of matter. A new study by Tasko Grozdanov from the University of Belgrade in Serbia and Evgeni Solov'ev from the Institute of Nuclear Research near Moscow in Russia has mapped the energy levels of an exotic form of helium produced in this way. This work, which is published in EPJ D, has been described by one commentator as '... a new jewel in the treasure of scientific achievements in atomic physics theory". An atom of ordinary helium consists of a nucleus with two protons and two neutrons surrounded by two electrons. Experiments at CERN have involved colliding slow antiprotons with these helium atoms to form an exotic form of helium called antiprotonic helium, in which one of the electrons is replaced with an antiproton (a particle like a proton but with the negative charge of an electron). Thus, an atom of antiprotonic helium is uncharged, like ordinary helium, but includes one negatively-charged particle over 1800 times heavier than an electron. Antiprotonic helium atoms can only survive in configurations in which the antiproton cannot 'fall' into the nucleus and annihilate. Until now, the only widely studied configuration involves antiproton making circular orbits around the nucleus, shielded by the remaining electron. Grozdanov and Solov'ev describe a different configuration, named a 'frozen planet' state, in which the electron rapidly circulates round the nucleus, generating a potential well that traps the antiproton. The period of time in which the antiproton can remain trapped in this well depends on its energy and the distance from the nucleus. The researchers plan to extend their studies to include similar configurations that rotate, which they suggest may be more amenable to experimental research. ### Reference: T.P. Grozdanov and E.A. Solov'ev (2020) Hidden-crossing explanation of frozen-planet resonances in antiprotonic helium; their positions and widths, European Physical Journal D 74:50, DOI: 10.1140/epjd/e2020-100565-0 This story has been published on: 2020-03-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. New Delhi: The popular jodi of 'Bigg Boss 13' Asim Riaz and Himanshi Khurana are all set to entice their fans with their first song titled 'Kalla Sohna Nai' which is up for release in a day. The buzz around the song is high and fans have started trending #AsiManshiDebut on Twitter already. Meanwhile, Himanshi Khurana took to Instagram and shared a romantic unseen picture with Asim Riaz. The two have got eyes only for each other. The picture will surely melt the hearts of all AsiManshi fans (Asim and Himanshi). Check it out here: Their debut song has been sung by Neha Kakkar and the music is composed by Rajat Nagpal. The lyrics are penned by Babbu and Gurinder Bawa has directed the track. Asim and Himanshi's chemistry inside the 'Bigg Boss 13' house remained one of the highlights during the show and fans loved to see them together. In fact, Himanshi re-entered the house to support Asim and together they braved all the questions related to their respective personal lives. In other news, their fellow inmates Shehnaaz Kaur Gill and 'Bigg Boss 13' winner Sidharth Shukla's first single 'Bhula Dunga' is also up for release. Bazaar Corporate Radar | Feb 22, 2021, 12:00 AM IST Bazaar Corporate Radar Bazaar Corporate Radar is your window into the minds of top CEOs, Boardrooms, global economists, fund managers and sector analysts. If it?s making news, you?ll find it on Bazaar Corporate Radar. A day after the Kejriwal government in Delhi allowed three luxury hotels near the India Gandhi international airport to offer quarantine facilities for a price, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation designated three hotels in the city as pay and use quarantine facilities. Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation commissioner Pem Chandra Chaudhury in an order allowed three hotels - Ginger Hotel, Empires and Hotel Kalinga Ashok to quarantine people suspected of coronavirus at Rs 2500 a day plus taxes. Those quarantined will be served breakfast, lunch, dinner and two bottles of water. A large number of quarantine facilities are needed to contain the spread of Covid-19 for which most of the government buildings as per the suitability have already been designated as quarantine facilities. It appears pay and use quarantine facility is also an essential requirement to contain the spread of Covid-19 and the quarantined persons at their own cost may also like to avail the pay and use facility in private hotels if they desire. These hotels are declared as quarantine facilities and the facilities can be availed on payment, said the commissioner in an order. Track live updates on coronavirus outbreak here. The maximum number of days a person can avail the quarantine facility is 14. The hotels and the guests would have to adhere to the quarantine protocol as issued by the health and family welfare department. BMC will send designated medical officers who will visit as per need basis and keep regular contact over phone with the persons availing quarantine facilities. Earlier Wednesday, the government spokesperson on coronavirus, Subroto Bagchi said 540 beds are available in the 30 districts for quarantine purposes. Bagchi said the grampanchayats and blocks would be given Rs 5 lakh each from the coronavirus fund to build quarantine facilities. At least 2,131 people returning from 80 countries have signed up with the Odisha governments portal for home quarantine. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik signed up with the government portal on Wednesday for home quarantine of his sister Gita Mehta, a renowned author who returned from the US. Similarly, Gajapati Maharaj Dibyasingha Deb, the titular king of Puri, also opted for home quarantine after attending multiple programmes at Jagannath temples in different American cities over the last few days. To ensure that the quarantine regulations are adhered to, the state government will pay Rs 15,000 to each of the quarantined persons at the end of their 14-day isolation An Attleboro hospital confirmed a presumptive coronavirus case on Tuesday, as news outlets reported 10 more patients were tested for the respiratory infection called COVID-19. A spokesperson for Sturdy Memorial Hospital told MassLive that a person was positively diagnosed with the illness. The patient was residing in an assisted living home, The Sun Chronicle reported. The results for the 10 other Sturdy Memorial patients who were tested are pending, according to the Chronicles report. The number of coronavirus cases in Massachusetts climbed to 218 on Tuesday. In Bristol County, where Attleboro is located, five people have been positively diagnosed. Related Content: Hangman Pawan Jallad on Wednesday conducted a dummy hanging of the four Nirbhaya case convicts as their execution in Tihar jail on Friday is all but certain after three postponements with the Delhi High Court rejecting yet another plea by of one of them. Pawan reached the capital from Meerut on Tuesday and conducted the mock execution to test the Manila ropes, which will be used to hang the four convicts, jail officials said. It will be for the first time in the history of Tihar Jail- the largest prison complex in South Asia-that four convicts will be hanged at the same time for the same crime. Pawan, who is a third-generation hangman, had earlier said his grandfather had carried out the hanging of two men--Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh--in connection with the assassination of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi besides notorious criminals Ranga and Billa. On March 5, a trial court issued fresh death warrants for March 20 at 5.30 am as the fresh date for the execution of Mukesh Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31). The death warrants have been deferred by a court thrice on the grounds that the convicts had not exhausted all their legal remedies and that the mercy petition of one or the other was before the President. 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 in a Singapore hospital after battling for life for 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 while the juvenile was released in 2015 after spending three years in a correctional home. The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed Mukesh Kumar's plea challenging a trial court order which rejected his claim he was not in the national capital when the offence was committed on December 16, 2012. Justice Brijesh Sethi said there were no grounds to interfere in the detailed and reasoned order of the trial court. The high court further said there was nothing on record to suggest that the trial in the case stood vitiated due to concealment of any material evidence. "There is, thus, no infirmity, illegality or irregularity in the order passed by the trial court," it said and dismissed Mukesh's plea. Meanwhile, three of the four convicts sought a stay on their death penalty, saying the second mercy plea of two of them is still pending. Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana issued notices to the Tihar jail authorities and the police on the plea and said he will hear it tomorrow. The judge then asked advocate A P Singh, appearing for the three convicts, as to why he was filing the application at the end of the working day when he knew there was only one day left for the hanging. The application was filed on behalf of Akshay, Vinay and Pawan. To this, Singh said he was busy with work as numerous petitions filed by the convicts were pending in different courts. The plea claimed the review mercy petitions filed by Akshay and Pawan were pending before the President. The plea said the stay would apply to the fourth convict Mukesh also since they cannot be separately hanged. It also said that the divorce petition filed by Akshay's wife was pending before a local court in Bihar. The plea further said the applications would require time for consideration and hence the fresh execution date of March 20 was unsustainable and should be set aside. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Oprah Winfrey has denied the claims she was arrested due to involvement in a trafficking ring. (Photo by: Zach Pagano/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images) Oprah Winfrey has been forced to deny being arrested for sex trafficking crimes after rumours about her began swirling on the internet on Tuesday. It came after a number of unverified Twitter posts alleged the TV host's home in Boca Raton, Florida had been raided due to her involvement in a global trafficking ring. Winfrey, 66, dispelled the rumours, many of which referenced her friendship with convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein, on Twitter as she emphatically stated they were "not true". Read more: Katy Perry cleared of plagiarising Dark Horse She wrote: "Just got a phone call that my name is trending. And being trolled for some awful FAKE thing. Its NOT TRUE. Havent been raided, or arrested. Just got a phone call that my name is trending. And being trolled for some awful FAKE thing. Its NOT TRUE. Havent been raided, or arrested. Just sanitizing and self distancing with the rest of the world. Stay safe everybody. Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) March 18, 2020 "Just sanitizing and self distancing with the rest of the world. Stay safe everybody." The Guardian reports that the fake claims have similar origins to rightwing conspiracy, QAnon. The Washington Post previously described the conspiracy theory as one that centres on the idea that an anonymous government official, or Q, has been secretly sharing messages and symbols that serve as evidence of a hidden plot to overthrow Trump". Ava DuVernay and Oprah Winfrey attends a taping of "Queen Sugar After-Show" at OWN on November 7, 2017 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic) Filmmaker Ava DuVernay came to Winfreys defence, pointing out her philanthropic work over the years as well as her openness in discussing her own experience of abuse. She tweeted: Trolls + bots began this disgusting rumor. Mean-spirited minds kept it going. #Oprah has worked for decades on behalf of others. Given hundreds of millions to individuals + causes in need. Shared her own abuse as a child to help folks heal. Shame on all who participated in this. Al Jazeera has called on the Egyptian government to release Mahmoud Hussein, an Al Jazeera journalist held in Egypt for more than three years, citing deep concerns about his health amid the coronavirus outbreak. The Qatar-based network on Wednesday urged authorities in Egypt to immediately release Hussein and other detained journalists. Overcrowded Egyptian prisons are notoriously known for unhygienic conditions, which can potentially lead to a rapid spread of the coronavirus among prisoners, Al Jazeeras management said in a statement. It is unacceptable that Mahmoud has been held by the Egyptian authorities for nearly 1,200 days for merely being a journalist with baseless accusations and trumped-up charges, the acting director-general of Al Jazeera Media Network, Mostefa Souag, said. Under current circumstances, with the spread of the coronavirus and the health hazards associated with it, Mahmoud and other journalists are exposed to extreme risks, Souag added. He added that Al Jazeera would hold the Egyptian government fully responsible for the journalists wellbeing and safety. Its scandalous that these detained journalists are subjected to such inhumane conditions, he said. We strongly urge the Egyptian authorities release Mahmoud and all other imprisoned journalists immediately. The network further urged all journalists, human rights advocates and people of conscience to stand with Hussein and other imprisoned reporters, to express their solidarity through all available means and demand their immediate freedom, allowing them to reunite with their families and loved ones at this critical juncture. We cannot and will not remain silent in the face of this abhorrent injustice that our colleagues remain to endure, the network stated. Hussein, an Egyptian national, was arrested shortly after his arrival in Egypt December 20, 2016, while on a personal visit. He has not been officially charged. In May 2019, an Egyptian court rejected an order by the state prosecutor to release him. Authorities opened a new investigation against him with unspecified charges and returned him to prison. MEDFORD, Ore. As Oregon increasingly goes on lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus, hospitals are at last gaining the ability to more rapidly collect samples from potential patients and send them off for testing. On Tuesday, Asante allowed NewsWatch 12 to get a closer look at their pop-up collection site in Medford. The site sits alongside an Asante building on Center Drive in south Medford, between Fred Meyer and Harbor Freight Tools. Here, people are able to drive up, have a nasal swab performed by medical staff, and then the swab will be sent to a private lab somewhere in the country. The tests themselves only take a few minutes to perform. The Oregon State laboratory is still doing testing for our inpatients and were sending these tests to commercial laboratories. Commercial laboratories that have the ability to have high throughput testing, but everybody in the country is also using those same laboratories, said Dr. Scott Wilber, vice president of medical affairs at Rogue Regional Medical Center. SPECIAL SECTION: Coronavirus Watch However, the collection site isn't for just anyone to drive up and get tested. The location is specifically for people who have been referred by a doctor to get the test after meeting necessary criteria. "Were really trying to funnel all of our nasal swab testing to this site," said Dr. Wilber. "We do recommend though, that people who are relatively well that they take advantage of video visits. That allows us to keep the social distancing and keep us from having sick people congregating together in waiting rooms. Dr. Wilber said that Asante has set up a call line for patients to call in and get advice and the line has promptly been inundated with calls from the community. On Monday, Dr. Wilber said, they fielded more than 600 questions. I think the biggest benefit that were seeing . . . were keeping hundreds of people from going to the emergency department when theyre sick with upper respiratory illness and congregating together in crowded waiting rooms, said Dr. Wilber. Another person has died from coronavirus in Australia, as the country sees a massive surge in its confirmed cases. An 86-year-old man died overnight in hospital in New South Wales - the sixth death in Australia from the virus. There are now 561 people who have tested positive for the deadly illness across the country. An extra 57 cases of coronavirus have been diagnosed since 11am on Monday. NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said there was a pattern between travellers returning from overseas and the rise in cases. The spike in cases comes as Scott Morrison announced strict new measures to combat the pandemic. The Prime Minister has advised against all overseas travel and banned gatherings of more than 100 people as the country battles the coronavirus outbreak. Coronavirus has brought travelling to a halt, with Scott Morrison essentially banning overseas trips (Pictured: A woman lands in Brisbane wearing a face mask) Australia's coronavirus cases have soared, with 561 people now testing positive for the deadly illness 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. 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 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. 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. There have been 16 new cases reported in Queensland, taking the total for the state to 94 - up from 78 on Tuesday Symptoms of the virus include a fever, cough, sore throat and shortness of breath '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. Following the state governments ban on non-essential mass gatherings of more than 500 people, some of Victoria's public spaces are expected to thin out for at least four weeks (Pictured: Bourke Street Mall in Melbourne) Globally, the infection has spread to more than 150,000 people across 112 countries, and killed at least 5,500 people. The virus has forced Italy, Spain and France into lockdown in a bid to stop the spread of the killer illness. Restaurants, shops, cinemas, nightclubs and cafes will shut for the foreseeable future in France. However supermarkets, pharmacies, banks and petrol stations will remain open. AN Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has warned the effects of coronavirus will be felt in Ireland well into the summer. In an unprecedented televised St Patrick's Day night address, he also warned that at present we are only experiencing "the calm before the storm", with thousands out of work, and the country's population in self-isolation. He said while the country will emerge from this pandemic, the damage to Ireland's economy will be "significant and lasting" The St Patrick's Festival is one of many events which has been cancelled or postponed in the wake of the global outbreak. Further to this, the Taoiseach urged people to cancel or curtail social gatherings like parties, weddings and other celebrations. "I know these choices won't be easy, but they are necessary. More will be required in the coming weeks to reduce the spread of the virus," he said, "At all times we will be guided by our public health emergency teams led by the chief medical officer. We will always put your life and your health ahead of any other concern." Schools and pubs are closed until March 29 at least. Mr Varadkar said: "Many of you will want to know when this is over. The truth is, we just don't know yet. This emergency is likely to go on well beyond March 29. It could go on for months into the summer. So we need to be sensible in the approaches we take. We will deploy our full resources to ensure that essential shops, workplaces and transport can continue to operate. People still need to buy goods and avail of personal services in the weeks and months ahead." However, he called on businesses and the general public to afford their co-operation, including staggered opening hours, breaks, video-conferencing rather than face-to-face briefings, and ultimately working from home. He also said people should shop online at local businesses, rather than going into shops. "In short, we are asking people to come together as a nation by staying apart from each other," he said. "I know it's going to be very difficult to stay apart from our loved ones. Most of our parents just want to give their grandkids a hug around about now," An Taoiseach said, "But as hard as it is, we need to keep our physical distance to stop the virus." He called on people apart from loved ones to use Skype, and other social media tools to check in with loved ones "and promise to see them soon". Mr Varadkar also appealed to the youngsters watching, to remember that this time is tough on their parents. "I am asking you to ask your parents at least once a day what you can do to help them," he said, "Keep up your schoolwork, and call your grandparents". He also extended huge praise to Ireland's army of healthcare workers, stating: "I am so proud of them all. Not all superheroes wear capes. Some wear scrubs and gowns." "All of our healthcare workers need us to do the right thing in the weeks ahead," he said, pointing out that healthcare systems across Ireland are being "tooled up" for the weeks ahead. "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 of so few," the country's leader said in an 11-minute address to the nation. Tens of thousands of people in the hospitality sector have been laid off virtually overnight as pubs, clubs and restaurants close down on public safety grounds. Mr Varadkar warned this will continue. "More will be worried it might happen to them, especially as we do not know when the emergency will end. I know this is causing huge stress and anxiety to you and your families on top of the fear of the virus. While we don't have all the answers now, we are doing, and will do all we can to help you through the time ahead." "When we're through the worst, we will get businesses open again and people back to work," he pledged. He said while Ireland will bounce back, the damage will be "significant and lasting". "The bill will be enormous and it may take years to pay it. Government has already signed off on a 3bn package for health, social welfare and business, and will take further action as needed." Mr Varadkar also urged people not to share messages from "unreliable sources". "So much harm has already been caused by these messages and we must insulate our communities and the most vulnerable from the contagion of fear. Fear is a virus in itself," he said, asking people to take breaks from the news, the media, and social media. "Look after your mental health and well being as well as your physical health," he added. Mr Varadkar's intervention comes with 292 cases now recorded in this country alone.ll Full text below tweet. WATCH: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar delivers Ministerial Broadcast to the country about the Covid-19 pandemic | Read more: https://t.co/5DnhnO5zAz https://t.co/irOPKnN3Ci RTE News (@rtenews) March 17, 2020 Text of the National Address by the Taoiseach, St Patrick's Day Published: 17 March 2020 From: Department of the Taoiseach Check against delivery La Fheile Padraig shona daoibh! This is a Saint Patricks Day like no other. A day that none of us will ever forget. Todays children will tell their own children and grandchildren about the national holiday in 2020 that had no parades or parties but instead saw everyone staying at home to protect each other. In years to come let them say of us when things were at their worst we were at our best. Our country is making big demands of our healthcare staff big demands of every single one of us. Tonight I want you to know why these actions are being taken and what more needs to be done. We are in the midst of a global and national emergency a pandemic the likes of which none of us has seen before. So far the number of cases in Ireland has been relatively small. However, we believe that number will rise to fifteen thousand cases or more by the end of the month and rise further in the weeks thereafter. The vast majority of us who contract Covid-19 will experience a mild illness but some will be hospitalised and sadly some people will die. We cannot stop this virus but working together we can slow it in its tracks and push it back. We can, as you have heard by now flatten the curve. But only if everyone takes sustained action. Nothing less will do. We all need to take steps to reduce close human contact. That is how the virus is spread. Not just at public gatherings or public places but also in our own homes places of leisure and work. Large public gatherings are cancelled. All pubs and bars are shut. We have also asked people to curtail or cancel social gatherings like parties, weddings and other celebrations. I know these choices wont be easy, but they are necessary. More will be required in the coming weeks to reduce the spread of the virus. At all times we will be guided by and take the expert advice from our Public Health Emergency Team led by the Chief Medical Officer. We will always put your life and your health ahead of any other concern. All resources that we have financial and human are being deployed to serve this great national effort. We are watching whats happening around the world and will learn from the experience of other countries affected by Covid-19 before us what works and what doesnt. We know the best strategies focus on testing contact tracing and social distancing. So, that is our strategy. We will keep our essential services supply chains and utilities operating. Many of you want to know when this will be over. The truth is we dont know yet. This Emergency is likely to go on well beyond March 29th. It could go on for months into the summer so we need to be sensible in the approach we take. We will deploy our full resources to ensure that essential shops workplaces and public transport can continue to operate. People will still need to buy goods and avail of personal services in the weeks and months ahead. However to do so we need your co-operation and that of business and industry to make social distancing workable. This may mean changing how you do your business but we will work with you to find safe and creative ways to do this. This may mean adjusted opening hours Staggering breaks phone calls rather than meetings and if possible working from home. As you plan your life it will mean avoiding unnecessary journeys. Shopping online from local businesses and getting things delivered rather than physically going to the premises. In short we are asking people to come together as a nation by staying apart from each other. The most basic messages of washing your hands properly and practicing good hygiene around sneezing and coughing are still the most important. And if you have a new cough that isnt going away or a high temperature stay at home and phone your doctor. A test will be arranged for you. At a certain point we will advise the elderly and people who have a long-term illness to stay at home for several weeks. We are putting in place the systems to ensure that if you are one of them, you will have food, supplies and are checked on. We call this cocooning and it will save many lives particularly the most vulnerable the most precious in our society. Its going to be very difficult to stay apart from our loved ones. Most grandparents just want to give their grandkids a hug and a kiss but as hard as this is we need to keep our physical distance to stop the virus. Technology can help check in with your loved ones on Skype or Facetime and promise them youll see them again soon. Weve already seen our fantastic community spirit spring into action. Phone your neighbours see if they need helpand make sure those who are living alone are not left alone. To all the young people watching I know you are bored and probably a bit fed up. You want to see your friends and you might even be wishing you were back at school. Youre going to have to wait a while longer for that. I hope you remember that this time is tough on your parents as well. So Im asking you to ask your parents at least once a day what you can do to help them. Keep up your schoolwork and call your grandparents. Keep up your schoolwork call your grandparents and try not to fight with your brothers and sisters. Like you, my family has spoken about little else in recent days. My partner my two sisters and both their husbands are working in the health service here in Ireland and in the UK. They are all apprehensive. They have heard the stories from China and Italy of hospitals being overwhelmed and medical staff getting sick. I am so proud of all of them. Not all superheroes wear capes some wear scrubs and gowns. All of our healthcare workers need us to do the right thing in the weeks ahead. Our community services and hospitals are being tooled up. Essential equipment is on the way. Retired staff are returning to service. People are training for changed roles. 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 of so few. We will do all that we can to support them. I am also grateful to the many people who have joined this great national effort. Not just our healthcare staff but also our army cadets librarians and civil servants who are learning how to do contact tracing. The early education and childcare workers offering to look after the children of our front line staff so they can go to work. The teachers and lecturers finding new innovative ways to teach students on-line and putting together contingency plans for the Leaving Cert and College exams. The people who are stocking our shelves every day and those who are serving customers. Our hauliers who leave their families on a Sunday evening and travel across the continent to ensure that we have the products, medicine and equipment that we need. All who have kept our supply chain moving we thank thema different kind of frontline service. Our journalists and broadcasters who are helping to inform and educate. All are deserving of our respect and thanks. Coronavirus is already having a deep impact on jobs and economic activity and will continue to do so. Some people watching will have seen their jobs lost businesses closed or their working hours reduced. More will be worried that this might happen to them too especially as we do not know when the Emergency will end. I know this is causing huge stress to you and your families on top of fear of the virus. While we do not have all the answers now we are doing and will do all we can to help you through the time ahead. You will receive income support as quickly and efficiently as possible and when we are through the worst we will work as hard as possible to get people back to work and get business open again. Everyone in our society must show solidarity in this time of national sacrifice. For those who have lost their jobs and had their incomes reduced temporarily there must be help and understanding from those who can give it particularly the banks government bodies and utilities. We went into this crisis with a strong economy and the public finances in good order. We have the capacity and credit rating to borrow billions if we need to. I am confident that our economy will bounce back but the damage will be significant and lasting. The bill will be enormous and it may take years to pay it. The Government has already signed off a 3 billion package for health, social welfare and business we will take further action as needed. Tonight I know many of you are feeling scared and overwhelmed. That is a normal reaction, but we will get through this and we will prevail. We need to halt the spread of the virus but we also need to halt the spread of fear. So please rely only on information from trusted sources. From Government from the HSE from the World Health Organisation and from the national media. Do not forward or share messages that are from other, unreliable sources. So much harm has already been caused by those messagesand we must insulate our communities and the most vulnerable from the contagion of fear. Fear is a virus in itself. Please take regular breaks from watching news and media, and from consuming social media. Constantly scrolling on your phone or obsessively following the latest developments is not good for anyone. Look after your mental health and well-being as well as your physical health. Tonight on our national holiday I also want to send a message around the world that we are all in this together. To the people of China, Spain and Italy who have suffered untold heartbreak and loss we are with you. To all of those across the world who have lost a loved one to this virus we are with you. To all those living in the shadow of what is to come we are with you. Viruses pay no attention to borders race nationality or gender. They are the shared enemy of all humanity. So it will be the shared enterprise of all humanity that finds a treatment and a vaccine that protects us. Tonight I send a message of friendship and of hope from Ireland to everyone around the world this Saint Patricks Day. La Fheile Padraig shona daoibh! Oiche mhaith. ICMR has roped in private labs as well as started 49 additional testing centres to try to stem the spread of the virus. At a press conference held at Delhi on Tuesday, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director-General Balram Bhargava spoke about the spread of coronavirus in India. He said that India is in the second stage of transmission i.e. local transmission. He also said that there is no sign of community transmission which is the third stage reported Livemint. Local transmission means that if a person gets infected with coronavirus we can trace the person who passed on the infected. It could be a family member or friend that travelled aboard or came in contact with someone else who has a positive travel history. The person most likely got infected and then passed it on. This tracing of the infection is called contact tracing and it is a very useful tool to understand and even put a stop to the spread of the virus. "We already know that we are in stage two. We are not in stage three, clearly as of now. There are four stages. The third stage is community transmission which we hope we shouldn't have," said Bhargava. "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." Bhargava also said The lock-down that India currently is under is absolutely necessary. India has a 30-day window period to halt the beginning of community transmission of COVID-19 cases. The time to act is now." What are the different stages of the spread of the virus? Stage 1 - imported cases These cases are the people who have travelled to foreign countries; places that have confirmed cases of the virus and have come back to India. Stage 2 - local transmission Like mentioned above, these cases are those people who have come in contact with those have have a travel history. Stage 3 - community transmission This is the stage we need to avoid as there is no way that the virus can be traced back to a certain person. Stage 4 - epidemic This is the last stage and what the world saw China grapple with. Joining hands with private labs ICMR has called upon private labs to begin coronavirus testing and has even sent them guidelines. The research institute has also asked these labs to consider conducting these test free of cost. "We are having a dialogue with high-quality private labs that are accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). This is being done to understand the modalities of increased access to the test in an endeavour to prepare for future," said Bhargava. Dr R Ganga Ketkar of ICMR said: "We are not averse to include the private sector. We have multiple safeguards in place. The discussions are on. Once it is done we will be proceeding to action. We are not averse to include the private sector in testing. However, we need to have multiple safeguard frames in place." Additional Testing centres ICMR is going to start operating two rapid testing laboratories and 49 additional testing centres by the end of this week. There are already 72 centres that are working around the country. These rapid testing laboratories will be equipped to test as many as 1,400 samples each day. They will be set in Delhi-NCR and Bhubaneswar to exponentially increasing rapid diagnosing of COVID-19. The additional centres will be at various medical colleges and other places. It includes the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) among others. Bhargava said, "As of now, we have 72 laboratories in the country to test the samples. Still, we are expanding our capacity. We are going to start rapid testing laboratories which have high throughput systems to test COVID-19 samples. In a day, it can test 1,400 samples. We have got enough reagents to start them. We have placed orders for 1 million probes from the World Health Organisation (WHO). We should have them very soon." Bhargava informed the press that ICMR has tested at least 11,500 samples nationwide since 21 January. So far, India has reported 147 confirmed cases of coronavirus. Out of this, 14 patients got cured and have been discharged and three people lost their lives due to the virus. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18 By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend: Fund of Kazakhstans First President Elbasy will allocate 200 million tenge ($457,594) to battle coronavirus spreading in Kazakhstan, Trend reports with reference to the official website of the Elbasy. The report said that the funds are being allocated by the direct order of Elbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev. The allocated funds are to be evenly distributed between akimats (administrative centers) of Nur-Sultan and Almaty cities. The financial support will be used to reward health workers involved in coronavirus battle, acquisition of additional number of medical masks and disinfectants. A part of the sum will be allocated to supply orphanages and specialized hospitals of Nur-Sultan with food items, the report said. Furthermore, 50,000 medical masks already were supplied to the department of public health of Nur-Sultan. On March 15, 2020, Kazakhstans President Kassym Jomart Tokayev signed a decree introducing an emergency state in Kazakhstan due to coronavirus outbreak, which will be relevant from 08:00 (GMT +6) on March 16 till 08:00 on April 15, 2020. By a decision of State Commission on Provision of Emergency State under the president of Kazakhstan quarantine regime is being introduced at 00:00 (GMT +6) on March 19, 2020 in Kazakhstans Nur-Sultan and Almaty cities due to coronavirus outbreak. On March 13, 2020, first two cases of coronavirus infection were detected in Kazakhstan among those who arrived in Almaty city from Germany. The latest data said that the overall number of coronavirus cases identified in Kazakhstan is 35 people. 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 7,980. Over 198,500 people have been confirmed as infected. Meanwhile, over 82,700 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) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11. --- Vietnam: Christian released after 16 torturous years in prison; future uncertain amid failing health Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Vietnamese Christian jailed for almost 16 years for demanding land rights and religious freedom has been released. Yet his future remains uncertain as he battles health issues stemming from his time in prison. According to Radio Free Asia, Y Ngun Knul was released from prison last week after spending nearly two decades in Nam Ha and Thanh Chuong prisons in Nghe An province. He was first arrested and imprisoned on April 20, 2004, for launching protests calling for a Protestant church shut down by authorities to be reopened and for the members of his community to be allowed to live according to their traditions. Knul was initially issued an 18-year sentence which was later reduced. As those rights were being taken away, people were becoming upset, and so I called on everyone to take part in the protests. As a result, I was arrested and sentenced to 18 years in prison, Knul said, speaking to RFAs Vietnamese Service. The Christian was visited by his family only four times during his time behind bars, notes RFA, and he and his family have suffered in the past decade. Knul's family lost their house and land, and he now struggles with poor health due to years of incarceration. I have kidney failure and high blood pressure and had a gastrointestinal hemorrhage, he told RFA. Now I can eat only a bowl of rice per day because I have stomach problems that make it hard for me to breathe. My foot is swelling, too, making it hard for me to move ... I would like to go to a hospital for treatment, but I have no money now. Nguyen Van Hai, a U.S.-based blogger held for a time with Knul at the Thanh Chuong prison, told RFA that prisoners from Vietnams Central Highlands see their families only rarely and that many who suffer ill health in prison live for only a few weeks after their release. Nguyen told the outlet that Knul was beaten by guards, who kicked him in the stomach, and his body bore many scars. Following his release, Knul was sent to Saigon for a medical check with the support of the Vietnamese human rights organization Defend the Defenders. Knuls release was applauded by rights groups, including Gina Goh, International Christian Concerns Regional Manager for Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, Knul is just one of the many prisoners of conscience in Vietnam imprisoned for their religion, political views, or ethnicity, she said. While we celebrate Knuls release after many agonizing years, we know that dozens of Christians are still incarcerated and should be released unconditionally by the Vietnamese authorities. Open Doors' World Watch List ranks the southeast Asian country as the 21st most dangerous nation for Christians. According to Open Doors, the countrys Communist government monitors Christians' activities and exerts a high level of pressure on them. In recent years, Vietnam has sentenced and jailed a number of Catholic activists, bloggers and Protestant pastors. The government has some level of tolerance for Christian groups, particularly Catholics, but if any believers are deemed to be politically active, they can be imprisoned. In places where religion and ethnic identity are closely tied, Christians who convert from traditional religions are often the victims of pressure and violence from their families and communities, notes Open Doors. The group estimates that approximately 80 percent of the countrys Christians belong to the countrys ethnic minorities, like the Hmong, and face social exclusion, discrimination, and attacks. Since the reelection of Vietnams leader, Nguyen Phu Trong, in 2016, the party has also intensified a crackdown on political dissidents and tightened regulations on online communication. In November, Vietnam jailed three people for anti-government posts on Facebook deemed to defame the ruling Communist Party and the government. In August, Pastor Le Dinh Luong, who is also an environment and democracy activist, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on trumped-up charges of attempting to overthrow the government." The charges were later dropped. Sri Lanka on Wednesday imposed a curfew in the Western coastal areas - identified as one of the hotspots where the deadly coronavirus was at risk of spreading. Senior police spokesman Ajith Rohana said that areas of Puttalam district in the northwestern region will be under a police curfew from 4.30 pm this afternoon (local time) until further notice. The police said that around 1,500 people had evaded quarantine and they are believed to be in the region. Rohana said the curfew covers the Mundalama, Udappuwa, Kalpitiya, Nawagaththegama, Pallama, Kaluwaragaswewa, Anamaduwa, Wanathawilluwa and Saliyawewa areas under the Puttalam Police Division. Meanwhile, Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi said the number of confirmed cases has risen to 50. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in an address to the nation on Tuesday night refused to order a lockdown of the country as demanded by many to facilitate the prevention of spread of the virus. Rajapaksa said the medical professionals should look into the prevailing situation in a thoughtful manner and should take the most appropriate decisions to control the crisis. "The doctors are the cream of our society and in this critical situation they should take the best decision," he said. "The COVID-19 pandemic is not a challenge to us," he said. Sri Lanka is currently observing a 4-day special holiday in order to minimize crowd gathering and to promote social distancing. The curfew came as the police requested all Sri Lankans who had arrived from European countries including Britain, and Iran, Italy and South Korea from March 1 to 15 to register at the nearest police station or inform the police as a measure to curb the virus outbreak. The authorities said that legal action would be taken under the Quarantine and Prevention of Diseases Ordinance against those who fail to register with the police. In view of the rising number of the novel coronavirus cases globally, Sri Lanka on Tuesday suspended all international flights arriving in the country. The deadly virus, which originated in China in December last year, has spread to 155 countries, infected 182,406 people and claimed over 8,000 lives. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Update: A new stay-at-home order issued by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on March 23 changed much of this information. Please refer to a story about whats open and closed under that order here. Michigan has shut down places like bars, restaurants and gyms to stop the spread of coronavirus. But not everything is closed. Banks, retail stores and grocery stores and other areas are among the places that remain open. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also limited gatherings to 50 people or fewer, but the restriction doesnt apply to many of the things listed here. That will be noted in each category. The reason for the closures, Whitmer has said, is to stop the spread of coronavirus. Here are some types of businesses and amenities still open as of Wednesday, March 18: 1) Banks Banks remain open for business, according to the Michigan Bankers Association. However, theyre also encouraging banking that minimizes person-to-person interaction. Many banks will encourage their customers to utilize their drive through window, atms, itms, online and mobile banking options. Never before, has the strong banking industry in Michigan be better poised to enable their customers to utilize their services in a variety of ways that minimize living in the comfort of your living room, or your office chair," said T. Rann Paynter, president & CEO of Michigan Bankers Association, in a press release. "Consumers who need to visit with a banker are encouraged to call them and set an appointment to visit by phone by possible, or in person if critical. Banks are not exempt for the rule banning gatherings of more than 50 people. 2) Grocery stores Grocery stores remain open for business, and the rule against gatherings of more than 50 people does not apply to them. Whitmer has placed an emphasis on allowing for consumer access to goods, including by taking away seasonal truck weight restrictions to get more products delivered to stores. In recent weeks, grocery stores have seen a huge demand for everything from hand sanitizer to food items to toilet paper. Some stores are shifting hours to keep the shelves stocked and taking extra cleaning measures. 3) Alcohol-to-go establishments Places that hold licenses to sell to-go alcohol, like grocery stores, convenience stores, breweries, tasting rooms and liquor stores, can continue to do so, according to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. However, theyre subject to an even stricter rule than the 50-person limit. Theyre treated like take-out food options under the governors order, meaning only five customers at a time can be in an establishment picking up food or drinks and those customers must be six feet apart. According to LARA, businesses can also fill growlers to go. 4) Malls Malls are still open and not subject to the 50-person gathering limit, which exempts assemblages for the purchase of... consumer goods. Whitmer explained that rationale in a call with reporters on Tuesday. Our concern is having a certain number of people in one small, shared space. Being able to observe the 6-foot radius that the CDC recommends is really a critical component of this, Whitmer said. Malls are bigger spaces where people dont necessarily congregate, so long as the food court is not open. And if people are needing to get supplies, we dont want to hamper that ability. 5) Small retailers Small retail businesses like gift shops and boutiques remain open for business and are exempt from the 50-person gathering limit because theyre selling consumer goods. However, many have seen declines in business over the past few days as people become wary of going out in public. Related: 6 ways Michigan residents can help local businesses during coronavirus outbreak 6) Daycares Whitmer ordered K-12 school buildings closed, but daycares and preschools are allowed to remain open and many have. Childcare facilities located in school buildings are also allowed to remain open and do not have the 50-person gathering limit applied to them. Related: Preschools face difficult decisions on whether to remain open 7) Salons and barbershops The governor ordered spas closed, but the order didnt apply to salons and barbershops, which are allowed to remain open. They arent, however, exempt from the 50-person rule. Asked about the move yesterday, Whitmer didnt rule out closing these businesses in the future. There is an ongoing national conversation about whether or not that should be the next wave of things to close, she said. 8) Gas stations Gas stations and their accompanying convenience stores remain open. They are not subject to the 50-person gathering limit, which doesnt apply to the number of people outdoors and also doesnt apply to places consumer goods are being sold. 9) Outdoor recreation spaces Michigans outdoors is still open for business. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has closed some of its high-traffic gathering areas, but state parks, trails and boat launches remain open to the public. Some local and county parks are also open. The 50-person gathering limit does not apply to outdoor spaces. Related: Is your fitness center closed? Switch to Michigans big green gym 10) Workplaces Workplaces not open to the public are specifically exempt from Whitmers recent ban on gatherings of more than 50 people. While some companies in Michigan have asked workers to work from home, others remain open. 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 India's Ambassador to the US TS Sandhu has said that the embassy staff are in touch with the shipping company and US authorities regarding the welfare of the Indian crew quarantined on cruise ship Grand Princess. "In touch with shipping company and US authorities regarding the welfare of Indian crew on Grand Princess. They are required to undergo mandatory quarantine. We're extending necessary assistance and will facilitate their return on completion of quarantine," Sandhu said in a tweet. His tweet was re-tweeted by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Earlier this month, US Vice President Mike Pence had said that at least 21 people on board the Grand Princess cruise ship stranded off the coast of California were tested positive for the coronavirus. "Twenty-one individuals on the Grand Princess tested positive," Pence had told reporters at a White House briefing, reported Sputnik. He added, "Among those positive for coronavirus were 19 crew members and two passengers." After confirming the coronavirus presence, the authorities had decided that the ship will be brought to a non-commercial port and all the people on board tested for the disease, Pence added. The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus worldwide has surpassed 1,50,000 while the death toll has crossed 6,500. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) SEATTLE Staff members who worked while sick at multiple long-term care facilities contributed to the spread of COVID-19 among vulnerable elderly in the Seattle area, federal health officials said Wednesday. At least 30 coronavirus deaths have been linked to Life Care Center in Kirkland. A report Wednesday from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided the most detailed account to date of what drove the outbreak. Public health authorities who surveyed long-term care facilities in the area found facilities didn't have enough personal protective equipment or other items such as alcohol-based hand sanitizer. They also said nursing homes in the area are vulnerable because staff members worked with symptoms, worked in more than one facility, and sometimes didn't know about or follow recommendations about protecting their eyes or being careful while in close contact with ill patients. Nursing home officials also were slow to think that symptoms might be caused by coronavirus, and faced problems from limited testing ability, according to the report. Life Care officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the findings. Long into the outbreak, facility officials said they didn't have enough tests for residents and that staff had gone untested. Several family members and friends who visited Life Care before the outbreak told The Associated Press that they didnt notice any unusual precautions, and none said they were asked about their health or if they had visited China or any other countries struck by the virus. They said visitors came in as they always did, sometimes without signing in. Staffers had only recently begun wearing face masks. And organized events went on as planned, including a Feb. 26 Mardi Gras party, when residents and visitors packed into a common room, passed plates of sausage, rice and king cake, and sang as a band played When the Saints Go Marching In. We were all eating, drinking, singing and clapping to the music, said Pat McCauley, who was there visiting a friend, told the AP. In hindsight, it was a real germ-fest. About 57% of the patients at the nursing home were hospitalized after getting infected. Of those, more than 1 in 4 died. No staff members died. The findings in this report suggest that once COVID-19 has been introduced into a long-term care facility, it has the potential to result in high attack rates among residents, staff members, and visitors," the report says. "In the context of rapidly escalating COVID-19 outbreaks in much of the United States, it is critical that long-term care facilities implement active measures to prevent introduction of COVID-19. Infected staff members included those working in physical therapy, occupational therapy and nursing and nursing assistants. Researchers who have studied nursing home workers say the jobs are low paying, with many earning minimum wage. Many employees don't get paid when they are out sick, they said. "It is very common for them to work two jobs in order to make ends meet especially if they have a family, said Charlene Harrington, of the University of California, San Francisco. Harrington said her research shows that large for-profit nursing home chains such as Life Care have the lowest staffing levels of any ownership group. David Grabowski, of the Harvard Medical School, said nursing home employees often leave for retail and restaurant jobs. Were going to see a lot of outbreaks like the one we saw in Kirkland, he said. Its the front lines for containing the virus." --The Associated Press T hese are strange and anxious times we're living through. With all the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, many of us will be looking for something to take our minds off it all. Music can be that something to cling to. Putting on your headphones and forgetting about the world for a little while is an excellent way to unwind. Here, our writers have picked their favourite comfort songs the tunes we turn to in times of trouble, from mood-boosting pop bangers to soothing ballads. Check out our picks below, and be sure to also read our guide the best self-isolation films to watch when cooped up indoors. The best films to watch during self-isolation 1 /13 The best films to watch during self-isolation Bridget Joness Diary "If working here means staying within 10 yards of you, frankly, Id rather have a job wiping Saddam Husseins arse." Who knew that Bridget Jones was the original social distancing icon? The beauty of Bridget, Samuel Pepyss main rival for Britains greatest ever diarist, is she knows how to amuse herself just as much when she stays in as when she goes out. As we all lock ourselves in our flats, we can all follow the wise example set by our favourite singleton: choosing vodka and Chaka Khan. JT Available to buy on Amazon Prime Video Pride If the world ever needed a reminder of the good in people, its now. Pride is one of the most powerful British films ever made, and it has the feel-good factor by the bucket load. It follows the LGBTQ+ activists who joined forces with the Welsh miners during the strikes of 1984, with fantastic performances from George MacKay, Andrew Scott, Dominic West, Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, and plenty more. The films central message is the power people can have when they come together and mobilising as one. It's the exact opposite of staying home alone in self-isolation, but the spirit of triumphing over adversity is something everyone can get behind. HF Available to buy on Amazon Prime Video Wallace and Gromit A particular happy place of mine is the Films for ages 8 to 10 section of Netflix. Forget your true crime, or your mob epics, or your delicately assembled cinematic masterpieces give me Matilda, Shrek or (the original) Jumanji. A recent browse led me to the four Wallace and Gromit shorts. Delightfully simple, slyly intelligent and with no shortage of nostalgia, theyre perfect for some comfort viewing. And theyre barely half an hour long, which means the ones on Netflix (A Close Shave, A Grand Day Out, A Matter Of Loaf and Death, and, best of all, The Wrong Trousers) are perfect for a back-to-back session. JE Available on Netflix The Remains of the Day Kazuo Ishiguro's well-mannered novella is beautifully rendered here, in a film that was nominated for eight Oscars. It is a quiet, polite film; it moves slowly, the frames gliding. And yet its entirely absorbing, a film to be lost in. It is a story of war, of corrupt power, of misguided gentility, of the changing of the world and those who commanded it. It is a story of fading social graces, of quiet reserve, of inner pain. It is also, really, a love story. An unrequited love story, in fact, those being the most painful and poignant of all. Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins captivate. A film to watch over and again. DE Available to buy on Amazon Prime Video Cool Hand Luke Thought self isolation was bad? It has to be better than being trapped in a Florida prison camp in the 50s, paving the roads on a chain gang. Here, Paul Newman delivers a career-defining performance as Lucas "Luke" Jackson, a war veteran imprisoned for drunkenly breaking parking metres; despite his army background and the way of the prison camp submit, submit, submit something in Luke refuses to bend. Watching him stand strong against the stinging lash of authority is inspiring, a reminder of just how much people can endure. That he stays laughing is better, a reminder of just how much people can survive with good humour. The end is a blunt instrument, but Newman is glorious. DE Available to buy on Amazon Prime Video Paddington 2 Watched The Godfather Part II too many times? Plump for Paddington 2 instead, which gives Michael Corleone and family a run for his money in the best sequel stakes. Being stuck at home with the kids (or without) is an excellent excuse to indulge in the utterly joyous jaunts of Ben Whishaws Paddington, Hugh Grants self-skewering, pompous actor, and Brendan Gleesons marmalade sandwich-making prison cook. AB Available to watch on Amazon Prime Video Ticks So-bad-theyre-good horror films are the eternal guilty pleasure. Recent additions to my watchlist are Unfriended, The Pyramid and Evil Aliens (all heartily recommended) but one I keep coming back to is Ticks. It tells the story of some troubled inner-city kids who are taken on a well-intentioned wilderness retreat, only to be plagued by a swarm of mutated ticks. The dialogue is hilariously awful and the ticks themselves are distinctly unscary. But the best thing is a genius bit of casting in which Alfonso Ribeiro, aka Carlton from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, plays a try-hard bully named Panic (They call me panic, cause I never do.) Its all ridiculous. Need we say more? JE Available to watch on Amazon Prime Video Legally Blonde At a time when all the odds feel stacked against us, who better to teach us how to cope than the fabulous and indefatigable Elle Woods. Admittedly, were trying to overcome a global pandemic and she was just trying to win back her snobby ex-fiance Warner, but the sentiment is the same. After Warner dumps her, she will not be immobilised by the crisis it brings to her life. Instead, she bags herself a place at Harvard Law School where he is also studying. He spots her in the corridor and incredulously asks: YOU got into Harvard Law? Her response? What, like its hard? An inspiration to us all. JT Available on Netflix Groundhog Day Is this day eight of self-isolation, or day nine? If the sunrises and sunsets are starting to merge, Phil Connors knows how you feel. Groundhog Day tells the story of a weatherman seemingly bound to relive the events of February 2 over and over and over again sound familiar? Bill Murrays exasperation may ring a little truer than ever before. AB Available on Netflix Sony Pictures A Quiet Place We, like millions of movie fans, were devastated by the news that A Quiet Place Part II is being postponed from March 18 until further notice. Luckily, the original dropped onto Netflix over the weekend, and theres no better time to enjoy a cathartic scare and rewatch the horror hit of 2018. Director John Krasinsky achieved something remarkable with the first film, managing to produce a horror which isnt overly gory and doesnt rely on cheap jump scares to keep audiences interested. The central premise make a sound and you die is as simple as it is effective, and Emily Blunt delivers one of the strongest performances of her career as family matriarch Evelyn Abbott. Even when the future of the industry is in doubt, its a comfort to return to modern classics like this one even if it does make us jump out our skin. HF Available on Netflix Jonny Cournoyer Ambient 1: Music for Airports Brian Eno Brian Enos 1978 masterpiece is an unfailing go-to in times of stress. Initially conceived by Eno while waiting in a German departure lounge, the idea was to make an album to be played on loop at an airport to soothe any passenger tensions. But this music works far beyond the terminal its spacious ambient tones are extraordinarily calming, and it gives an immediate stillness. In these times of chaos, its a godsend, especially when all four songs on the 48-minute album are taken consecutively. JE A Case of You Joni Mitchell With couples cooped up, living on top of each other for the foreseeable future, theres bound to be inevitable disagreements and irritations. While its not an out-and-out love song, this ineffably beautiful ballad might just be the perfect song for anyone self-isolating with a loved one. I could drink a case of you, and I would still be on my feet, is a line that resonates in these strange times, with Mitchell singing of the kind of love that always comes good in the end something to remember if youre sick of the sight of each other soon, perhaps. HF Cut To The Feeling Carly Rae Jepsen Put this on repeat at full volume and get ready to dance around sorry downstairs neighbours, but Carly Rae Jepsen deserves no less. Right from the opening claps, her 2016 pop banger is the ultimate feel-good four minutes for turning your mood around. Whether you like it or not, its impossible to stay still as soon as the chorus kicks in. ZP Africa Toto The beauty of Totos Africa is in its versatility. It can be wailed at 3am after several wines, and it can also be played soothingly in the background to calm you down at times of stress. Put that down to the ingenious combination of pan pipes and a chorus that no one on earth can sing without sounding like a strangled cat. JT Bless The Telephone Labi Siffre If you cant get to your loved ones right now, take some advice from Labi Siffre and be warmed at least by the benefits of modern technology. A love song for the self-isolation age, Siffre contemplates how a phone call can take you away from the feeling alone. AB Itll All Be Over The Supreme Jubilees I like to think there is barely a situation in life that couldnt be soothed, at least a teeny tiny bit, by the opening few chords of Itll All Be Over. Its absolutely divine, which is fitting seeing its the work of a California gospel band, the Supreme Jubilees. But you dont have to be a believer to take solace here especially when those heavenly harmonies arrive during the chorus. JE I Am the Resurrection The Stone Roses You could whack on any song from The Stone Roses debut album and feel instantly better, from the spangly sounds of Waterfall to the 80s romcom vibes on She Bangs the Drums. But its I Am the Resurrection that embodies the lazy sunny afternoons well all be looking forward to when were allowed back out of the house. JT Do I Love You Frank Wilson Simply the most joyous two minutes and 21 seconds in the history of music. Frank Wilsons northern soul classic is a direct and uncomplicated ode to love, which will leave you beaming ear to ear even when youre slumped on the sofa in a self-isolation funk. The song had a very limited release in 1965 on the Motown subsidiary label Soul, and at one time it was one of the rarest singles on the planet. Northern Soul nuts used to scour record bins around the world on the off-chance theyd come across it thankfully, its just a click away on Spotify for music fans in 2020. HF I Got Plenty O Nothing Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong Who doesnt love a song that has a full minute of trumpet solo before any singing happens? Nothing says comfort like the marriage of Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgeralds voices. Perfect for when youve got plenty o nothing to do with your time. ZP Always Look On The Bright Side Of The Life Eric Idle Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved the order on the plea of one of the four death row convicts in the 2012 Delhi gang-rape case. Convict Mukesh moved Delhi High Court challenging the trial court order that had dismissed his plea seeking quashing of the death penalty. Mukeshs plea had claimed that he was not in Delhi when the gang-rape incident took place. In his plea, filed through advocate ML Sharma, Mukesh had sought to set aside trial courts order passed on March 17. 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. The petitioner said that the trial is the outcome of concealment of vital documents and fixing the petitioner in place of actual accused persons. On Tuesday, the trial court had 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. (With inputs from ANI) Every spring, NASA brings 64 teams of rocketeers from across America to Huntsville for its annual Student Launch. Enter coronavirus. With travel and major gatherings deemed a social distancing no-no, NASA did what it does it innovated. Instead of bringing the rocket teams to Alabama April 4 for a weekend of rocketry at Bragg Farms in the rural Madison County community of Toney, each team will now launch their rockets and payloads in their hometowns, video it all, and send the results into NASA by May 25 for judging. There will be an awards ceremony virtual, of course in June. The Rocket City didnt hesitate in meeting the challenge. A team from the University of Alabama in Huntsville took to a field in Woodville on March 14, and successfully launched a rocket with a rover as its payload. Named Baedor, the 11-foot-tall, 6-inch diameter rocket sported a Level 2 Aerotech L2200G solid fuel motor. It weighed 61.5 pounds with a loaded motor and payload. This year our rocket reached an apogee of 4,454 feet above ground level, says Nicholas Roman, the project manager and a senior in aerospace engineering from Cullman. The teams goal was 4,500 feet. When it landed, the rocket successfully deployed the rover, named Little Dipper. The rover was piloted by remote control to a mission collection area. There, Little Dipper used its scoops to collect samples of simulated ice. Our rover is designed to run on treads and is symmetric so that it can operate regardless of which side it is deployed on, Roman said. The UAH team is advised by Dr. David Lineberry, a research engineer at the UAH Propulsion Research Center, and mentored by Jason Winningham, who assisted with rocket launches and advised the team. Funding for the UAH team was provided by the Alabama Space Grant Consortium, the Propulsion Research Center and the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Roman said managing the project, including finding funding, creating a working system to deploy the rover, and dealing with cancellations both from rain and coronavirus quarantines -- has been a great learning experience. I have learned that a detailed schedule is very important in ensuring that everyone is properly tasked and that work is completed before deadlines, Roman says. I have also learned to put a large amount of faith in my team as they put incredible amounts of time and effort into this project to ensure it is the best it can possibly be. Besides Roman, team members are: Joshua Jordan, chief engineer; senior, mechanical engineering, Mount Vernon, Wash. Peter Martin, vehicle team lead; senior, mechanical engineering, Coopersburg, Penn. James Venters, payload team lead; senior, mechanical engineering, Huntsville, Ala. Jessy McIntosh, safety officer; senior, mechanical engineering, Beaufort, N.C. Maggie Hockensmith, technical writing coordinator and vehicle safety deputy; senior, aerospace engineering, Lexington, Ky. Claudia Hyder, payload safety deputy; senior, mechanical engineering, Knoxville, Tenn. Patrick Day, project management team; senior, aerospace engineering, Johnson City, Tenn. Will Snyder, project management team; senior, aerospace engineering, Cleveland, Ohio Rodney L Luke, vehicle team; senior, aerospace engineering, Pleasant Grove, Ala. Roman Benetti, vehicle team; senor, aerospace engineering, Woodbury, Minn. Rachel OKraski, vehicle team; senior, aerospace engineering, Huntsville, Ala. Ben Lucke, vehicle team; senior, aerospace engineering, Saint Petersburg, Fla. Jeremy Hart, vehicle team; senior, aerospace engineering, Gainesville, Ga. Jacob Zilke, vehicle team; senior, aerospace engineering, Wilmington, N.C. Joseph Agnew, payload team; senior, mechanical engineering, New Market, Ala. Johnathon Jacobs, payload team; senior, aerospace engineering, Valley Head, Ala. Thomas Salverson, payload team; senor, mechanical engineering, Gretna, Neb. Kevin Caruso, payload team; senior, mechanical engineering, Lawrenceburg, Tenn. Jacob Moseley, payload team; senior, aerospace engineering, Gaylesville, Ala. Shelly Haskins writes about points of pride statewide. Email your suggestions to shaskins@al.com, or tweet them to @Shelly_Haskins using #AlabamaProud. A former police officer involved in the Anita Cobby murder case has sued NSW Police claiming he developed post traumatic stress disorder from Ms Cobby's death and other distressing incidents, including pretending to be a hitman in an undercover operation. Paul Davies, who is in his late 60s, joined NSW Police in 1981 and remained an officer for more than two decades. He worked on cases including the killing of Ms Cobby, 26, a nurse who was grabbed from a Blacktown street in 1986 by five men who raped, bashed and murdered her. Anita Cobby, 26, was murdered in Sydney's west in 1986. Mr Davies was also involved in the murder case of five-year-old Tess Debrincat, who was killed in a drive-by shooting in 1987; the deaths of three children from SIDS; and the 1996 arrest of an attempted murder suspect who shot arrows at him. He was medically discharged from NSW Police in 2003 after two years of sick leave, and filed a case in the NSW Supreme Court in June 2018 seeking damages for negligently inflicted psychiatric injury. In college, my professors taught me that journalism played an essential role in democracy by helping voters make informed decisions. Reporting meant making an impact. So when I was job-hunting and I saw an open position on the climate beat, it seemed like an ideal opportunity to make a difference. Climate change was a solvable problem, I figured. If I served readers the facts, my job would one day become obsolete, and the earth would be saved. I started in November 2013 as a climate reporter for ThinkProgress, a liberal news site. My first assignment was about a prospective Senate candidate from Texas who said that global warming was Gods punishment for women who got abortions. Obviously, that was wrong; the guy was a dangerous idiot. But I kept those thoughts to myself. In order to be an effective reporter, Id been taught, I couldnt editorialize. So I kept my story dry. The most recent report issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change confirmed that it is extremely likely that more than half of the observed increase in global average surface temperature was caused by human action, I wrote. Then I added, The report did not mention abortion. Over the next two years, I fact checked dozens of instances of climate misinformation without passing judgment on those who lied. I explained terrifying scientific studies without explicitly remarking that they were terrifying. I reported on environmental injustices perpetrated all over the country without saying that the victims deserved better. Even though I was writing for a progressive readership, my goal was to appear neutral. But I was not actually neutral. Because in reality, I didnt want climate change to get worse. I didnt want people to suffer. Every time I didnt say so, I felt like I was failing readers. In 2014, I covered a World Meteorological Organization report showing that carbon was accumulating in the atmosphere far more rapidly than expected. Once carbon concentrations reached a certain point, the report stated, the subsequent warming would trigger feedback loops of further carbon release and more warming, causing unpredictable levels of suffering for the worlds poorest and most vulnerable populations. We must reverse this trend, the WMOs secretary said. We are running out of time. It was difficult to hide my sense of alarm. I was also exasperateda natural consequence, perhaps, of reporting on the willful ignorance of those tasked with solving a looming environmental crisis. Instead of preparing for climate change, state agencies were removing scientific information about it from their websites. Instead of trying to limit the damage, politicians were contriving ridiculous excusesglobal warming couldnt be all that bad, one argument went, since Mars was warming, too. Worst of all, readers didnt seem to be paying attention. I knew my stories were about important problems, but they were rarely picked up by bigger outlets. My reporting never sparked activism campaigns or changed policy. I felt like a child drowning at a crowded beach as everyone ignored my screams for help. Was I not screaming loudly enough? In August 2015, I cracked. Frightened about the climate crisis, pessimistic about the future, and self-conscious about my own ineffectiveness, I asked my boss if I could switch to politics. The answer was yes. For the next eleven months, I traveled the country covering the presidential election, trying to reignite the spark that climate reporting had snuffed out. At first it was great. Political reporting was fast-paced and competitive. The subject matter was more wide-ranging. On my first trip to Iowa, I covered Ted Cruzs promises to be antiestablishment, womens-health activists throwing condoms at Carly Fiorina, and a Republican college student confronting Marco Rubio about climate change. Readers seemed to care about what I was writing. Traffic-wise, my stories did well. I received some nice emails. After not very long, however, I realized that clicks werent a real measure of impact. Writing for ThinkProgress, I wasnt changing minds; I was flinging fodder into the discourse of progressive rage. So in July 2016, when Trump became the Republican nominee, I took a political-reporting job at Sinclair Broadcast Group, which was known for leaning conservative and had stations in swing districts all over the country. The job at Sinclair felt like an opportunity to move the needle on public understanding of many subjects, climate change chief among them. For months, I worked on a segment about how sea level rise was threatening Langley Air Force Base, in Virginia. I got several high-level military officials on camera explaining the threats to the environment. I interviewed a conservative think-tanker who admitted that sea level rise was a danger the military ought to tackle. But then I waited for viewers reactions, and they never came. When Trump was elected president, I was standing in Times Square doing a Facebook Live video about how tourists were reacting to the news. It felt just as pointless as any climate story I had reported. Fear about the future washed over mefear not just for the climate, but also for democracy. For the first time in my adult life, I questioned the path I had chosen. A few months later, I quit Sinclair. I needed to turn my despair into rage. I knew the truth about climate change. And the truth was we were running out of time. Americas new president and the fossil fuel industry that helped elect him were content to allow people, animals, and ecosystems to suffer and die. Those people, animals, and ecosystems included not just the most vulnerable members of society, but me and the ones I loved most. The more I thought about that, the more I realized: I wasnt depressed, I was angry. I decided that from then on my reporting would be driven by passion, not obligation. With a climate change denier in the White House, a stiff presentation of facts would not suffice. I took a job covering the climate crisis at the New Republic, where I would have to learn how to bring my feelings to the page. It felt weird at first when, in May 2017, I wrote an article calling Scott Pruitt, a Republican politician and the newly confirmed head of the Environmental Protection Agency, a hypocritical liar. My editor assured me that my terminology was okaythats what the facts about Pruitt showed, in the end. I got used to it. Over time, I felt increasingly confident about being a moral arbiter as well as an information gatherer. As I developed my voice, my climate grief regenerated as rage, and my writing became better, more honest, and more fulfilling. Plus, my work finally got noticed in high places. Still, I didnt feel like I was connecting to the general publicthe New Republic is a high-flown magazine that can be inaccessible to many readers. And while I was commenting on other peoples reporting, I lacked opportunities to do my own investigations of the forces that made me so mad about climate change: the bosses, the wire-pullers, the campaign givers and takers. So in September 2019, I left the New Republic to start my own publication, HEATED. HEATED, a daily newsletter, publishes stories about how the powerful fail the vulnerable. One story demonstrated the hypocrisy of corporations that claim to be climate-friendly while funding the reelection campaigns of climate-denying politicians. Another exposed the oil company Chevrons suggested climate talking points for employees. An investigation into how an ad policy announced by Twitter in October would benefit fossil fuel companies sparked a national conversation; ultimately, Twitter changed its rules. At last, I had made a meaningful impact. Knowledge without anger can stagnate into mere cynicism and apathy, Jack Newfield, the Village Voice journalist, once wrote. Anger improves lucidity, persistence, audacity, and memory. Thats how journalists of the past were effective, and that is how we will be effective now. Recently, I asked my readers to tell me why they enjoy or dont enjoy HEATED. I got one hundred and eleven responses and compiled them into a spreadsheet. Eighty-four people, or 77 percent, said they appreciated a shift in tone about climate from dispassionate to passionate. Six people said that it made them feel less alone. In order to make an impact on climate journalism, Ive learned, I need to turn my despair into rage. Only then can others feel the burning importance of the story. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Emily Atkin is the author and founder of HEATED, a daily newsletter dedicated to reporting and analysis on the climate crisis. Previously, she was the climate staff writer at the New Republic. A pregnant woman wears face mask as the country works to stop the spread of the coronavirus on March 15, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) recommended the fertility industry suspend certain treatments because of the coronavirus, according to a statement from the organization. ASRM advised health professionals to hold off on in vitro fertilization procedures and intrauterine inseminations. The group also said doctors should "strongly consider" canceling embryo transfers and urged them to suspend elective procedures. ASRM also recommended doctors minimize in-person interactions and rely on telehealth services instead. "This guidance addresses a gap in current guidelines addressing COVID-19, which only indirectly mention infertility and its treatment," ASRM said in the statement. However, the organization also noted "patients' time-sensitive aspirations to achieve pregnancy" and said it would periodically revisit the guidelines with the goal of resuming normal patient care as soon as possible. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Riska Rahman and Made Anthony Iswara (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 08:49 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b669fa 1 Business business,Kadin,APINDO,BritCham,COVID-19,coronavirus,lockdown,social-distancing Free Major business players are split over the idea of a lockdown to slow the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus disease (COVID-19). However, they seem to support President Joko Jokowi Widodos push to limit face-to-face interactions by having people work, study and worship from home. Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) chairman Rosan Roeslani said Tuesday that businesses would support the governments recommendation for social distancing to contain the COVID-19 global pandemic, but cautioned that, if a lockdown was in place, businesses and low-income workers would need a cushion. The cushion, Rosan said, could come in the form of more and wider tax relaxations from the governments first and second stimulus packages, which waived manufacturing workers income tax payments and deferred corporate income and import duty taxes for the tourism and manufacturing industries. The Financial Services Authority (OJK) also needed to relax rules on debt restructuring at times of crisis, especially for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), he added. Read also: Indonesia deploys second stimulus amid market, rupiah routs We let the government decide [whether to impose a lockdown] so long as it conducts a thorough assessment. But the point is to prepare for [change]. For the business world to keep on running, [tax and debt-restructuring] relaxations need to be widened, Rosan told reporters. Every single industry is affected, be it imports, exports, consumer goods, tourism. Everything was hit. The President said he would not impose a lockdown even though two of Indonesias neighbors Malaysia and the Philippines and several European countries have decided to take the drastic measure to slow the transmission of the disease. As officials scrambled to contain COVID-19, which has spread to at least eight provinces, infecting more than 130 and killing five, Jokowi stressed the government was "not leaning toward issuing a lockdown policy". Indonesian Employers Association (Apindo) executive director Danang Girindrawardana, who opposed a lockdown scenario, said the measure would require a thorough assessment as around 70 percent of the countrys economic activities needed to be done outside the home. He cited the supermarket, manufacturing, hotel and restaurant businesses as those that would be greatly affected. Read also: COVID-19: Government calls for limits to all tourist activities Aside from causing an economic shutdown, he also feared that a lockdown could impact businesses ability to repay their debts to banks. Lockdowns could affect debt repayments, so the government really needs to think about the impact on financial industries as well, he told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday. Slower repayments from the real sector could lead to bad loan ratios, which could lead to a financial crisis, he warned. Should the government decide to impose a lockdown, Danang suggested the introduction of incentives or relaxation measures to counter its likely adverse effects on businesses and the banking industry. Meanwhile, Indonesian Shopping Center Tenants Association (Hippindo) advisory board member Tutum Rahanta said on Monday a lockdown appeal would not only impact shopping mall tenants, but also online transportation services and informal workers who operate near shopping malls. For now I think a lockdown needs to be an option, although the impact will be negative, especially on the mid- to low-earners, particularly those in the informal sector. Therefore, the government needs to thoroughly think about it, Center of Reform on Economics (CORE) Indonesia executive director Piter Abdullah. The government should prepare for a worst-case scenario, plan ahead for the day when a lockdown is no longer an option but a necessity, so when the time comes the government is ready with a detailed plan. The government announced last Friday that it would allocate Rp 120 trillion (US$8.1 billion) from the state budget to stimulate the economy by providing tax incentives and subsidies for workers, businesses and families affected by the pandemic. It also deployed two stimulus packages worth Rp 22.9 trillion and Rp 10.3 trillion each, with individual and corporate tax breaks and the relaxation of loan disbursements and restructuring requirements. The executive director of the British Chamber of Commerce (Britcham) in Indonesia, Chris Wren, said that while it was good to campaign for social distancing, there was only so much the government could do given that policing individual behavior was an impossible task. Therefore, it was critically important to educate the public about honest and relevant information so that people would discipline themselves and keep their loved ones safe, he said. Read also: COVID-19: Well-prepared emergency status, lockdown keys to protecting economy, economists say We are in extraordinary times and these require extraordinary measures and will result in impacts. Some members of the public have been calling for President Joko Jokowi Widodo to issue a lockdown as the country braces for its worst pandemic in recent memory. The World Health Organization urged Jokowi to scale up the countrys emergency response mechanisms in containing the COVID-19 outbreak by declaring a national state of emergency. Jokowi has yet to do so, having only recommended that people distance themselves from others in order to slow the spread of the disease. Banten and Tangerang in West Java and Surakarta in Central Java did not wait for an order from the top. The three regions have all declared an extraordinary occurrence status, while Jakarta and Surakarta have closed schools temporarily. On the night of March 16, following a six-hour session, the Israeli government issued state of emergency regulations allowing the deployment of special measures vis-a-vis its civilian population without the approval and supervision of the Knesset. Specifically, the measures allow the Shin Bet to use digital surveillance developed in Israel to monitor cell phone locations. Until now, the Shin Bet had only used it to fight Palestinian terrorism. As of now, the agency is also authorized to monitor the movements of suspected novel coronavirus carriers. While the approved use is limited in scope and time designed in principle to locate people who were in contact with those infected by the virus it is nonetheless a slippery slope that has generated a wave of criticism, especially from liberal circles. Use of these special means against terrorists is under close parliamentary supervision by the Knessets Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, whereas the governments middle of the night decision this week circumvented parliamentary oversight in order to save time and save lives, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained. On the morning of March 17, Israelis were informed that they were under a voluntary lockdown. They were asked not to leave home other than for essential errands such as buying food and medicine. A restricted number of people are also allowed to go to work. Israel, like the rest of the world, is in the throes of a broad national struggle against the spread of the coronavirus. However, at the same time, a titanic fight is underway to preserve Israels democracy. The country has not had an elected government for over a year, since December 2018. Netanyahu has since been serving as a caretaker prime minister, head of a transitional government. He last won the confidence of the peoples elected officials five years ago, in the 2015 elections. In three successive elections held since then in April and September 2019 and in March 2020, Netanyahu failed to garner a Knesset majority. This week, President Reuven Rivlin tasked Blue and White leader Benny Gantz with forming the countrys next government upon the recommendations of 61 elected opposition lawmakers (compared with 58 who recommended Netanyahu), but he is unlikely to succeed, either. Israel has never found itself at such a political impasse, not to mention one occurring at the height of an unprecedented global crisis expected to result in a recession and mass layoffs. In the midst of this chaos and in the epidemics shadow, Netanyahu is desperately clinging to office and in so doing eroding the democratic institutions and way of life guaranteed by the principle of separation of powers. Two of three branches of government the legislative (Knesset) and judicial (the courts) have been all but suspended by some type of government order or other. The executive branch is the only one still in pro forma operation, but it is not an elected government and is being run according to decisions made in the middle of the night by one man, Netanyahu, the leader rejected by more than 50% of the voting public, which voted on March 2 to replace him. Worst of all, the only way out of the mess is for Netanyahu and Gantz to get off their high horses and form a power-sharing government, with Netanyahu serving for its first two years, followed by Gantz. Over the past week, Netanyahus Likud has been scuttling all efforts by Gantzs Blue and White party to make good on the majority (61 of 120 Knesset seats) achieved by the anyone but Netanyahu bloc in the latest elections. Knesset Speaker and Likud stalwart Yuli Edelstein refuses to convene the legislature to vote for a new speaker, coming up with various excuses and dubious procedural evasions. The identity of the Knesset speaker is essential for control of the legislative agenda. By law, the Knesset is supposed to vote for a speaker right after being elected and no later than the date of the swearing-in of a new government. Edelstein is taking advantage of this deadline leeway to hole up in his office. At the same time, he is refusing to allow the formation of a special Knesset committee for the manning of the parliament's various committees, thereby preventing deliberations on proposed laws. His refusal is especially significant in view of the first bill that was placed before the new 23rd Knesset on March 16, the day it was sworn in. Yisrael Beitenu head Avigdor Liberman is proposing a law that would prevent an indicted person from being tasked with forming a government. If adopted, this law would immediately put an end to Netanyahus political career. Thus, the Likud will do absolutely everything to torpedo the functioning of the Knesset and the passage of the bill. Liberman himself told Al-Monitor that unless the sides work out a compromise and if Edelstein continues to prevent the work of the newly elected Knesset, he would call on the heads of all Knesset factions to join him in petitioning the Supreme Court on March 22 and urge all lawmakers who still believe in a democratic Israel to present themselves in the Knesset plenum on March 23 and stay in their chairs until Edelstein reconsiders. In the fight against Netanyahu, overshadowed by the coronavirus epidemic, Liberman appears to be the toughest and most obstinate opponent. Right now, it is hard to tell whether that will suffice. Liberman was joined in recent days by Knesset member Yair Lapid of the Blue and White leadership quartet, who posted a Facebook video clip arguing that a prime minister who does not enjoy the confidence of the people cannot instruct them to stay home. Lapid came in for harsh criticism over his post, and he, too, knows that right now Israelis are closing ranks around Netanyahus leadership. Netanyahu, for his part, diligently faces the nation every evening, issuing new instructions and demonstrating how to use a tissue and cough into the elbow. Even some Blue and White voters view attempts by their party to engage in politics during a historic crisis as small-minded and unnecessary. Netanyahu, as is his wont, is capitalizing on this sentiment, riding the coronavirus panic to an unknown destination. He is playing for time. His favorite scenario is a fourth election, but at this point, elections are not feasible. Netanyahu hopes to form a six-month emergency government with Blue and White, after which buoyed by the waves of popularity he will garner for his management of the crisis he will run in a fourth election and finally snag the coveted 61-seat majority he needs in order to rule. Sounds unbelievable, but then that is Netanyahu. He must never be underestimated. Tom Cruise 'never thought' a Top Gun sequel would happen. The 57-year-old actor reprises his role as pilot Peter 'Maverick' Mitchell in the upcoming sequel Top Gun: Maverick, 34 years after starring in the original. However, Tom admits that at first he struggled to envisage making a second movie. He told Empire: 'Everywhere I went, people would be like, "Do Top Gun", and I'm like, "Guys, I don't know how to do it." He's back: Tom Cruise 'never thought' a Top Gun sequel would happen but he agreed when they decided to use no CGI, he told Empire Back for more: The 57-year-old actor reprises his role as pilot Peter 'Maverick' Mitchell in the upcoming sequel Top Gun: Maverick, 34 years after starring in the original 'I don't know what the story is. I don't make movies just to make movies. I was like, Jerry (Bruckheimer, producer), it's never going to happen. I honestly never thought I would make it.' The Mission: Impossible star wanted to make the movie cinematically authentic and avoid using CGI. Tom explained: 'We just started talking. And I realized that there were things that we could accomplish cinematically. How to do it? Tom admits that at first he struggled to envisage making a second movie. He told Empire: 'Everywhere I went, people would be like, "Do Top Gun", and I'm like, "Guys, I don't know how to do it"' 'And I started getting excited about this big challenge of, How do we do it? So I said to Jerry, "I'll do it if..." meaning, I'm not going to do the CGI stuff.' Jerry Bruckheimer also returns to produce the motion picture having served in the same role for the original and has said Tom wanted his co-stars, including Miles Teller and Glen Powell, to experience piloting the planes. The 76-year-old producer said: 'What's different about this movie is that [in the original Top Gun] we put the actors in the F-14s and we couldn't use one frame of it, except some stuff on Tom, because they all threw up. He had to suffer: All the actors, even Glen Powell, had to learn to act while at top speeds in an F-18 plane 'It's hysterical to see their eyes roll back in their heads. So everything was done on a gimbal. But in this movie, Tom wanted to make sure the actors could actually be in the F-18s.' The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a twin-engine, supersonic, all-weather, carrier-capable, multirole combat jet, designed as both a fighter and attack aircraft. One plane costs around $50M. Tom added he warned the studio about how challenging the film would be to make. He remarked: 'I said to the studio, "You don't know how hard this movie's going to be. No-one's ever done this before." There's never been an aerial sequence shot this way. I don't know if there ever will be again, to be honest.' The film is scheduled for release in the US on June 24. Cruise is currently filming another Mission: Impossible movie in the UK. Iraq's typically divided Shiite political parties lined up on Wednesday to signal their opposition to premier-designate Adnan al-Zurfi, less than 24 hours after his nomination. The 54-year-old lawmaker and former Najaf governor was nominated Tuesday to be Iraq's new prime minister, the second attempt to replace outgoing premier Adel Abdel Mahdi this year. Zurfi has 30 days to form a cabinet, which must earn a vote of confidence from Iraq's 329-member parliament. But several Shiite blocs have already signalled their displeasure with the way Zurfi was selected. On Wednesday, the State of Law coalition, led by ex-prime minister Nuri al-Maliki, and lawmakers linked to the relatively moderate cleric Ammar al-Hakim said they opposed the president's unilateral selection of the prime minister. President Barham Saleh, they insisted, should have referred to parliament's largest bloc to select a nominee. The powerful Fatah bloc, the political arm of the Hashed al-Shaabi military network, had also slammed Zurfi's nomination as unconstitutional. Along with some smaller parties, those opposed could add up to more than 100 lawmakers voting against a Zurfi-led cabinet. One key Shiite leader, cleric Moqtada Sadr, said Wednesday he would not announce a position on Zurfi's nomination. Kurdish and Sunni blocs, meanwhile, will likely be supportive of the candidate. Zurfi was a longtime member of the Dawa party, the historic opposition force to dictator Saddam Hussein, who was ousted in a 2003 US-led invasion. A dual US-Iraqi national, Zurfi spent roughly a decade in the United States and returned after the invasion to serve as governor of his native city of Najaf under the US-dominated occupying force. Respected as a statesman focused on improving public services and security, many hope he could shelter Iraq from spiralling tensions between Tehran and Washington. In his first public statement late Tuesday, Zurfi pledged to hold elections within a year of forming his cabinet and vowed to respond to the demands of protesters hitting the streets for months over government graft and inefficiency. He also promised to improve security in the country, which has seen more than two dozen rocket attacks targeting foreign installations since late October. But his programme made no mention of a parliament vote earlier this year to order the departure of thousands of foreign troops deployed across Iraq. The vote was a response to a US drone strike that killed top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and deputy Hashed chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in Baghdad on January 3. Hardline Iraqi factions with close ties to Tehran had reportedly conditioned their support of any new prime minister on his willingness to enforce the decision. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In total, 14 cases of coronavirus infection were registered in country Open source Over the past day, March 17, there were no new cases of coronavirus infection Covid-19 in Ukraine. The Center for Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine reported that. "As of the evening of March 18, 14 cases of Covid-19 were recorded in Ukraine: Chernivtsi region - 10 (one lethal), Kyiv region - 3, Zhytomyr - 1 (lethal)," -the messsage says. The Ministry of Health provided the same data on the health facilities in the evening of March 17. As we reported before, Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) has suspended international flights during quarantine to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection. "UIA has suspended planned operations along its entire route network in accordance with the decree of the President of Ukraine and the decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) to temporarily suspend the crossing of the state border in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19 on the territory of Ukraine," it says. Today, March 18, 57 flights are carried out, and 11.5 thousand citizens will return to Ukraine. The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated this. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Market Definition: Calcium silicate is a powder procured from limestone and diatomaceous earth. It is extensively used across different end-user industries and is likely to witness rising applications in the years to come. Market Research Future (MRFR) has conducted an analysis recently which states that the global calcium silicate market is poised to expand at a moderate CAGR over the assessment period 2016 to 2023. The growth pace of the market can be accredited to the key advantages offered by the product such as passiveness towards the fire. Study Infographics @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/infographics Get a Free sample of This Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5712 Market Scenario and Growth Factors: Calcium silicate has paved its way across the construction sector which is poised to influence the revenue growth of the market primarily. It is anticipated to catalyze revenue creation for the players of the calcium silicate market over the next few years. In addition, the implementation of favorable regulatory laws for protecting the health of the workers at construction sites are also projected to support the expansion of the market in the forthcoming years. In addition, rapid industrialization has also unleashed developmental opportunities to the calcium silicate market. The use of the product for insulation in industries is likely to lead the proliferation of the market in the years to come. Calcium silicate is expected to observe an upsurge in demand for the production of sealants. It helps in sealing micropores which are anticipated to expedite demand generation across the projection period. In addition, it is also likely to gain popularity as an anti-caking agent in food preparation. Also, the product is poised to pave its way across the food & beverage industry as a food additive. These factors are poised to accelerate revenue creation for the participants of the Calcium Silicate Market Analysis over the next couple of years. The product is expected to witness proliferating applications across industries such as paints & coating materials, pharmaceuticals, fertilizers & insecticides, etc. The growth of these industries is anticipated to boost revenue growth over the next few years. Competitive Dashboard: The key players operating in the global Calcium silicate market and profiled in this MRFR report are: Promat International NV (Belgium) American Elements (U.S.) Morgan Advanced Materials (U.K) Spectrum Chemical Manufacturing Corp. (U.S.) Prochem, Inc. (U.S.), Materion Corporation (U.S.) Mil-Spec Industries Corporation (New York) Associated Ceramics & Technology, Inc. (U.S.) Pyrotek (India), ZIRCAR CERAMICS (India), Skamol (Denmark), Industrial Insulation Group, LLC (U.S.) Market Segmentation: The global Calcium Silicate Market has been segmented on the basis of application for a detailed segmental analysis. Based on application, the segments include insulation, building materials, sealants, pharmaceuticals, food additive, and others. Regional Analysis: On the basis of region, the global calcium silicate market has been segmented into five regions viz. Asia Pacific, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East & Africa (MEA), and North America. Asia Pacific is expected to retain the leading position over the next couple of years. The regional segment resonates strong growth potential and is anticipated to strike a healthy growth rate in the years to come. Rapid industrialization and urbanization are the key factors expected to encourage the growth pace of the calcium silicate market in the region across the projection period. Fast-developing nations such as China and India are prognosticated to contribute significantly to the development of the regional segment in the foreseeable future. In addition, the growth of the end-user industries such as paints & coating, construction, adhesives & sealants, etc. is also anticipated to catapult the regional segment on upward trajectory. North America and Europe are also significant growth pockets expected to expand at a substantial pace in the forthcoming years. Technological innovations and increasing consumption levels are forecasted to favorably influence the expansion of the calcium silicate market in these regions. Watch Videos @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/videos Study Complete Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/calcium-silicate-market-5712 WASHINGTON The Trump administration called Tuesday for urgent action to speed $1 trillion into the economy, including sending $250 billion worth of checks to millions of Americans, as the government prepared its most powerful tools to fight the coronavirus pandemic and an almost certain recession. The Federal Reserve took the rare step of unleashing its emergency lending powers, and President Donald Trump called on Congress to quickly approve the sweeping economic stimulus package. Trump dispatched his Treasury secretary to Capitol Hill to begin hammering it out, as large sections of the economy shut down and companies began laying off workers. With markets experiencing levels of volatility not seen since the 2008 financial crisis, the White House vowed to use every weapon at its disposal to combat the crisis. We want to go big, Trump said at a news conference at the White House, adding that he had instructed the Treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, to introduce measures that would provide more immediate economic support over the payroll tax cut holiday that he had been promoting. During lunch on Capitol Hill not long after, Mnuchin privately told Republican senators that he envisioned the direct payments covering two weeks of pay and going out by the end of April, according to three people familiar with the discussion who described it on the condition of anonymity. Additional checks would be possible if the national emergency persists, Mnuchin told the group. The tone of the lunch conversation was grim. Mnuchin warned darkly that without forceful government intervention, the unemployment rate could rise to nearly 20%, according to people familiar with the session, who described his comments on the condition of anonymity. A Treasury spokesperson said that Mnuchin was just using a mathematical example and that he did not believe the jobless rate would get that high. Hopes for a more powerful stimulus package combined with the move from the Federal Reserve to keep credit flowing to households and businesses by buying up commercial paper, short-term promissory notes companies use to fund themselves helped markets bounce back on Tuesday from their worst day in decades. The S&P 500 rose about 6%, rebounding from a 12% collapse on Monday, which was its steepest drop since 1987. With anxiety over the virus rising around the country and in the Capitol, Trump and his advisers tried to play down fears of a federally mandated nationwide quarantine or speculation that Wall Street could go dark. We absolutely believe in keeping the markets open, Mnuchin said. Americans need to know they have access to their money. In another extraordinary move, Mnuchin said 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 in payments. 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 U.S. 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 Trump and his coronavirus task force, Mnuchin went to Capitol Hill where 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 Trump had previously signaled that he wanted the payroll tax to be the centerpiece of that effort, it faced bipartisan opposition in Congress, and Mnuchin said time was of the essence. This is a very unique situation in this economy, Mnuchin said after the meeting, where he faced questions from more than a dozen individual senators. We have put a proposal on the table that would inject a trillion into the economy. The Treasury secretary declined to share details of his proposal, including a dollar figure for the direct payments to Americans, but said the administration would work with Congress to ensure that a combination of loans, direct checks and other support for businesses and workers can be put in place quickly. It is a big number, Mnuchin told reporters on Capitol Hill, describing the checks that would be delivered to households across the country. Earlier at the White House, he said the proposal would be targeted so it would not go to the highest earners, such as those making $1 million or more. The administration has been negotiating with lawmakers in the House and Senate over the timeline and contents of a stimulus package. Republicans had been reluctant to embrace a narrower relief package the House passed early Saturday that includes paid leave, unemployment insurance, free coronavirus testing and additional food and health care aid, which Mnuchin and Speaker Nancy Pelosi have characterized as a first step to provide relief ahead of a broader stimulus plan to stabilize the economy. But on Tuesday, as anxiety mounted over how long Congress would be able to stay in session amid the crisis, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. and the majority leader, said the Senate would in fact try to pass the House bill first then move onto another economic package of much larger proportions. Urging the usually deliberative chamber to move at warp speed for the Senate, McConnell said he had doled out blunt advice to colleagues unhappy with the House-passed measure: My counsel to them is to gag and vote for it anyway. What I can tell you is we are not leaving town until we have constructed and passed another bill, McConnell said. Among the proposals under discussion was an airline assistance package being helmed by Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, John Thune of South Dakota and Roger Wicker of Mississippi, according a Senate Republican aide unauthorized to disclose details of the discussions publicly. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the Finance Committee chairman, is leading a task force on how to best support individuals and businesses. The White Houses abrupt shift to embrace direct payments to individuals was a clear reaction to sentiment in the Senate, where Republicans and Democrats alike have raced to propose direct payments and shown little enthusiasm for the payroll tax holiday that was previously the centerpiece of Trumps stimulus proposal. Thune, the second-ranking Senate Republican, said his conference was largely supportive of the move. We have a high level of interest in that idea, he said. You are not going to find unanimous consensus on any of these ideas, but I would say that that idea has a lot more resonance with our members than, say a payroll tax cut. Trump said on Tuesday that additional help could be in store for Boeing, the aviation company that already faced serious problems after the grounding of its 737 Max airplanes amid technical problems that led to two crashes. Widespread travel restrictions are throttling both industries and are expected to be a major drag on global economic growth. Economists at Capital Economics predicted that tourism worldwide could drop 50% over the next six weeks, sapping seven-tenths of a percentage point from the worlds annual gross domestic product. The White House proposal emerged amid a growing sense of urgency among lawmakers to step in with aggressive measures to stanch the economic pain and mounting worry that Congress was running out of time to do so. With public health officials counseling significant measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus, and states and cities ordering the closing of businesses, limitations on travel and other restrictions on movement, it is not clear how long lawmakers can continue gathering in Washington. While Trumps proposed payroll tax cut had drawn opposition from members of both parties, a growing chorus of Republicans and Democrats had begun calling instead for cash payments to Americans. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said this week that every adult American should receive a $1,000 check from the government. A group of Democratic senators, led by Michael Bennet of Colorado, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Sherrod Brown of Ohio, proposed sending as much as $4,500 to nearly every adult and child in the United States this year, as part of a sustained government income-support program to counter the economic slowdown. Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, also shared a PowerPoint of proposals with his caucus on how to spend at least $750 billion to counter the outbreak. The idea of a payroll tax cut remains controversial, but it is not entirely off the table. Trump acknowledged that a payroll tax cut holiday could take time to trickle through the economy and that more immediate relief was necessary. However, he suggested that a more modest payroll tax cut could still be part of a future stimulus package. Economists on both sides of the aisle have pressured lawmakers to adopt direct payments over payroll tax cuts because they would bolster the economy more quickly and better help workers who lose their jobs or have their hours cut back as economic activity contracts from social-distancing measures meant to slow the spread of the virus. Conservative proponents of those proposals have included N. Gregory Mankiw of Harvard, a former adviser to President George W. Bush, and Michael Strain of the American Enterprise Institute. Liberal proponents include Jason Furman, a former adviser to President Barack Obama, and Claudia Sahm of the Washington Center for Equitable Growth. Economic events, public health events, have lit a fire under policymakers, Sahm said. This is the policy we need to have. We should have had it three weeks ago, but its good to see it moving. The Senate has yet to act on the measure the House passed last week, which was the product of negotiations between Democrats and Mnuchin. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is also pushing for a vote on an amendment that would pay for the new spending, in part by ending U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan, according to a spokesman. The House substantially scaled back the scope of the paid leave provisions Monday as part of an agreed-upon package that passed quietly without a formal vote in the chamber. Workers affected by the pandemic because they are ill, quarantined, caring for a family member or lack child care with schools closed would still receive two weeks of sick leave. But health care providers or emergency responders could be excluded by the labor secretary. And any additional leave provided would be limited to workers with children whose schools or child care have been closed. The original legislation offered 10 additional weeks of paid leave at two-thirds pay for all workers affected by the pandemic. Pelosi, who spoke with Mnuchin on Tuesday evening to discuss the third coronavirus package, said that she and her lieutenants planned to return to the issue, saying in a statement that her caucus working to advance additional steps to expand the emergency leave mandate. In a letter to her Democratic colleagues, Pelosi said she continued to emphasize the need for a cure to be developed soon in her conversations Tuesday, which included separate discussions with Jerome Powell, the Federal Reserve chair; airline executives; and Richard Trumka, head of the AFL-CIO. The White House and Treasury Department are also considering an array of other proposals to help individuals and small and mid-size businesses, which are facing cash flow problems. One of those ideas, according to people familiar with the discussions, would make it easier for businesses to restructure debt. Other ideas under consideration include providing more funding to hospitals and measures such as loan workouts to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. About a third of museums surveyed in the United States were operating in the red or close to it before coronavirus, Ms. Lott added; three-quarters have now closed and one-third will not reopen if the crisis continues. This situation is by far more dire than anything I have experienced in my 25 years of being an arts finance professional, she said. The Tenement Museum on Manhattans Lower East Side which has a $2.7 million cash endowment and depends on earned revenue for over 75 percent of its operating costs has laid off 13 employees, which amounts to a 20 percent reduction in staff. Our budget projections now take us through the end of June showing no revenue, said Morris Vogel, the museums president, adding that the institution owes about $9.5 million in bonds with covenants that restrict its ability to borrow money. We still have to make those monthly payments. The Met, preparing for its own financial hardship, has developed a three-phase response: having all staff members work from home and continue to be paid through April 4 as the museum evaluates possible furloughs, layoffs and voluntary retirements; from April to July, evaluating how to control spending and reduce operating costs, including freezing discretionary expenditures and hiring; and from July to October, reopening with a reduced program and lower cost structure that anticipates lower attendance for at least the next year due to reduced global and domestic tourism and spending, according to the letter. ROMA - Sara, a 29-year-old from Formia, has recently graduated from the college Universita Telematica Internazionale Uninettuno in cognitive processes and technologies amid the coronavirus emergency. ''I discussed my thesis and I felt enveloped in a warm virtual hug by my family and my university'', she said. ''Although long-distance was the chosen way to discuss my thesis, the emotion was still strong. I thank the dean, all professors, the presidency and computer technicians who have dealt with this immense obstacle with great delicacy and professionalism. They gave me courage. I was extremely tried by this terrible virus which infected my father, my rock'', she said. ''My father is currently improving day after day, thanks to treatment. He is strong and stubborn. I am waiting for him at home to celebrate my degree cum laude, which he desired so much. Everything will be all right'', she said in a statement released by her university. On March 12-13, 22 candidates from the psychology faculty of Uninettuno discussed their thesis online, through the initiative of interactive classes organized by the university amid the national emergency. In the interactive classes, professors and candidates discussed their thesis as part of a process that was simulated in the previous days. The long-distance discussion saw the participation of an average of over 80 people including the students' families and friends. The university's students will also be able to take their exams online. Uninettuno has made available technology, content and know-how online to support other Italian universities amid the emergency. ''The success we had with the first degrees discussed online is truly extremely important because in these dark times we have brought some joy and a celebratory climate to the homes of some of our students'', said Maria Amata Garito, dean of Uninettuno. ''Looking at the results of these hours once again we were able to demonstrate that having a platform that is more or less advanced is not enough for long-distance learning, technology needs to be at the service of the objective that we want to reach and not vice versa. We at Uninettuno have always done this and this is the success of our model''.(ANSAmed). Yves here. I hope readers wont get sidetracked from this posts discussion of how to implement a debt jubilee by quibbling with its set-up. Some (in particular Lambert) take issue with the notion that COVID-19 is a black swan, since epidemiologists had been warning of the risk of a pandemic for well over a decade. But economists live in a bubble and are unwilling to incorporate the findings of other social sciences into their work, so a discipline like public health is barely on their radar. Or to put it another way, despite a pretty popular movie, Contagion, showing how a pandemic would lead authorities to require people to shelter at home, outcomes like that were treated as fiction by too many politicians and policy makers. Hence the risk of a global sudden shock was something to wild-eyed even to consider. I dont think Oncu fully comes to grips with who lenders are. For instance, debt investments are important parts of the assets of pension fund, endowments and foundations. Oncu seems to think that they are held significantly by wealthy individuals, when in the US, that isnt the case. He finesses the core problem that was dodged in 2008: how to apportion losses on bad loans. Oncu seems to think they can be redistributed. But instead, the priority then was on preserving institutions and existing power structures, and no one cared much if that meant throwing borrowers under the bus. After all, they must have been profligate to have gotten themselves in this mess. By T. Sabri Oncu (sabri.oncu@gmail.com), an economist based in Istanbul, Turkey. This article was written on 8 March 2020 and first published in the Indian journal Economic and Political Weekly on 14 March 2020 Whether a black swan or a scapegoat, Covid-19 is an extraordinary event. Declared by the WHO as a pandemic, Covid-19 has given birth to the concept of the economic sudden stop. We need extraordinary measures to contain it. Initially referred to as the novel coronavirus 2019, the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) originated late in 2019 in Wuhan, China and was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office in China on 31 December 2019. Rapidly becoming an endemic, it was declared by the WHO a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January 2020. Covid-19, now present in more than 100 countries, has been declared a pandemic by the WHO. However, the global financial markets had declared it a pandemic in the week that started on Monday, 24 February 2020, by overwhelmingly vouching for pandemic. They did this through the fastest equity market correction of all time that took place in about six to seven days, where a correction is defined as at least a 10% drop from the peak. There remains a second question which still is debated, and it is about whether Covid-19 is a swan or a goat. Swan, Goat or Both? While the origin of the concept of goat (specifically, scapegoat) is Chapter 16 of Leviticus, one of the early books of the Bible, the origin of the concept of swan in the current context is from Black Swan. There is also the white swan, which originated in Crisis Economics: A Crash Course in the Future of Finance. A scapegoat is a person or an event blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others, especially for reasons of expediency. As for the two swans, a black swan, as defined by Taleb (2007), is an unpredictable outlier event with an extreme impact, and a white swan, as defined by Roubini and Mihm (2010), is the same as a black swan except that it is predictable. Although, in a recent essay, Roubini (2020) identified several white swans for 2020 that could trigger severe economic, financial, political, and geopolitical disturbances, such as the escalation of the ongoing cold war between the United States (US) and China to a near hot war, and the potentially catastrophic effects of climate change, even he did not refer to Covid-19 as a white swan as it was an undeniably unpredictable event. So the real debate is whether Covid-19 is a black swan or a scapegoat. Although we could not have predicted it, Covid-19 was not the reason, but just the trigger for the ongoing financial crash as all we needed was the proverbial straw to break the finance sectors back (Oncu 2015). With asset price bubbles everywhere and the total global debt over 322% of the world gross domestic product in the third quarter of 2019 (IIF 2020), something had to trigger what is happening now. Economic Sudden Stop But Covid-19 was not just any trigger as it gave birth to the concept of the economic sudden stop. When the global equity markets dropped on 31 January 2020 following the WHO declaration of the Public Health Emergency of International Concern, El-Erian (2020) warned the investors on 2 February 2020 that they should snap out of the buy the dip mentality. Pointing out two vulnerabilities, namely structurally weak global growth and less effective central banks, he introduced the concept of sudden stop economic dynamics. Although El-Erian is yet to define what exactly an economic sudden stop is, I take it as an abrupt onset of a deep recession. In the case of Covid-19, it is a sudden stop of economic activity resulting in supply and demand shocks to the global economy as major cities in infected countries, more than 100 and counting, are put on lockdown. And, add to that the deepening oil price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia. Shortly after 6 pm on 8 March 2020 in New York, the futures markets opened and oil futures (both Brent and WTI) are trading about 21% down, gold is above $1,700 per ounce, and all United States (US) equity index futures are trading about 4% down. What is worse is that with the long-term US Treasury yields at their historical lows (10-year yield below 0.5% and 30-year yield below 1% as I write), the capital markets are frozen (not to mention many oil projects that will go bust at these prices). Disorderly Deleveraging All this means that what I claimed inevitable in my column (Oncu 2019) has already started: a disorderly global non-financial private sector debt deleveraging, which is likely to lead to deep global debt deflation, followed by a recession (and possibly a depression), thereby creating financial and economic instabilities, and further tensions in international relations with dire consequences for emerging and developing countries, not to mention developed countries. As mentioned in Oncu (2019), while in developed and high-income developing countries, the non-financial private sector is more over-indebted, in middle-income and low-income developing countries, the public sector is more over-indebted. Given that the global non-financial private sector debt deleveraging has already started, the analysis in Oncu (2019) indicates that the public sector debts of the developed and high-income developing countries will also go up and the governments ability to rescue their economies will also decline in these countries. Furthermore, this will severely constrain the governments ability to spend on climate change-related projects to address the potentially catastrophic effects of climate change for many years to come, diminishing our hopes to make the necessary investments and innovations to address the now existential climate crisis on time. Last, but not least, the measures we have to take to control the spread of Covid-19 before a cure is found will further challenge the financial system, as people stop earning an income and businesses go bankrupt (Keen 2020b). Orderly Deleveraging In this column last year, I looked at the German Currency Reform (GCR) of 1948 as a modern example of debt restructuring to see if it could be adapted for use now (Oncu 2019). Recall that the original plan of the GCR consisted of (i) conversion of currency and debts at a ratio of 10 reichsmarks for one deutschemark, and (ii) a fund built with a capital levy for the equalisation of burdens (Lastenausgleich) to correct part of the inequity between owners of debt, and owners of real assets and shares of corporations. As the actual GCR deviated from the planned GCR in that it required all financial institutions to remove from their balance sheets any securities of the Reich and cancel all accounts and currency holdings of the Reich, it impaired the balance sheets of nearly all of the financial institutions. The equalisation claims were the solution, which were interest-bearing government bonds of a then non-existing government and had no set amortisation schedules. They later became bonds of the Federal Republic of Germany, established on 23 May 1949. In his two Patreon posts, Keen (2020a, 2020b) proposed several extraordinary measures including the Modern Debt Jubilee (MDJ) of Keen (2017) that the governments, central banks and financial regulators should take now to stop the health effects of Covid-19 triggering a financial crisis that could in turn make Covid-19 worse. Supporting these immediate measures wholeheartedly, I add a globally coordinated deleveraging framework to be considered later that Ahmet Oncu and I have proposed in Oncu and Oncu (2020a, 2020b). Our proposal is a blend of the MDJ and the GCR. In our framework, there would be three authorities to maintain a deposit account at the central bank in each country: a deleveraging authority for leverage reduction, Lastenausgleich authority for capital levies, and a climate authority for financing needs in developing national climate plans. These national authorities should be globally coordinated through the appropriate United Nations agencies. The Lastenausgleich authority would be under the finance ministry, whereas the deleveraging and climate authorities would be not-for-profit corporations promoted by the government. The government would capitalise the deleveraging and climate authorities by the Treasury-issued zero-coupon perpetual bonds, that is, our proposed equalisation claims. The deleveraging authority would then sell its equalisation claims to the central bank in exchange for an increased balance in its deposit account at the bank, while the climate authority would wait until the deleveraging concludes. Further, the climate authority would not be allowed to open deposit accounts to its borrowers to ensure that it would be a pure financial intermediary, not a bank. Assuming that a globally agreed-upon debt reduction percentage that would bring the global non-financial sector leverage well under 100% is determined, and that all countries agree to act simultaneously, the framework is as follows (i) the financial institutions comprising the banks and non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) write down all the loans and debt securities on both sides of their balance sheets by the required percentage; (ii) the deleveraging authority compensates the banks and NBFIs for the loss if any; and (iii) the deleveraging authority pays each qualified resident their allocated amount less than the debt relief if any. If an NBFI gains after the above debt reduction, it should owe equalisation liabilities to the deleveraging authority of its jurisdiction. Note that as all debts mean all debts, public sector debts will also be written down by the same percentage except the official debts of the sovereigns that fall out of the scope of our proposed framework and should be handled by other means. After Deleveraging After deleveraging, the balance of the deleveraging authority account at the central bank goes down whereas the total balance of the bank accounts (reserves) at the central bank go up by the total payment made by the deleveraging authority. Hence, the base money goes up by the total payment of the deleveraging authority. Since NBFIs and residents cannot maintain deposit accounts at the central bank, they have to be paid through a bank which creates deposits for the NBFIs and residents against reserves. Hence, the broad money goes up by the amount of the payment to the NBFIs and residents. One issue is that in many countries, the bank and NBFI balance sheets are multi-currency balance sheets. However, the deleveraging authority payments are in domestic currency, which may create currency risk for some banks and NBFIs. Backed by the central banks, the globally coordinated national deleveraging authorities should stand ready to intervene to avoid potential crises. The authorities would require their domestic banks and other financial institutions to spend an internationally agreed-upon percentage of their newly found money, if any, after the deleveraging on the interest-bearing, finite-maturity bonds the national climate authorities would issue. Since the promoter of the climate authority is the government, the bonds of the climate authority would have the same credit with the government bonds, and the central bank would accept the climate authority bonds in its open market operations. Therefore, the climate authority bonds would be the main tool to manage the reserves and deposits created through the equalisation claims. In addition, the climate authority bonds could be used for the greening of the financial system through the investment of foreign exchange reserves of the central banks proposed by the Bank of International Settlements (BIS 2019). Lastly, equipped with a globally coordinated wealth registry (Stiglitz et al 2019), the Lastenausgleich authorities would collect progressive wealth taxes from the owners of real and non-debt financial assets for the equalisation of burdens. While a part of these taxes could be used to retire some of the equalisation claims and the corresponding reserves and deposits created in the deleveraging process, another part could be transferred to the climate authorities, and the rest could be spent in the interests of the society. References BIS (2019): Green Bonds: The Reserve Management Perspective, Bank of International Settlements, https://www.bis.org/publ/qtrpdf/r_qt1909f.htm, viewed on 18 December 2019. El-Erian, M (2020): Coronavirus Should Snap Investors Out of Buy the Dip Mentality, Financial Times, 2 February. IIF (2020): Global Debt Monitor, International Institute of Finance, January, https://www.iif.com/Research/Capital-Flows-and-Debt/Global-Debt-Monitor. Keen, S (2017): Can We Avoid Another Financial Crisis? Cambridge and Malden: Polity Press. (2020a): A Modern Jubilee as a Cure to the Financial Ills of the Coronavirus, 3 March, https://www.patreon.com/posts/modern-jubilee-34537282. (2020b): Thinking Exponentially about Containing the Coronavirus (corrected), 3 March, https://www.patreon.com/posts/thinking-about-34565061. Oncu, T S (2015): When Will the Next Financial Crisis Start? Economic & Political Weekly, Vol 50, No 24, pp 1011. (2019): Non-financial Private Debt Overhang, Economic & Political Weekly, Vol 54, No 45, pp 1011. Oncu, A and T S Oncu (2020a): A New Framework for Global Debt Deleveraging: Globally Coordinated Deleveraging Authorities, forthcoming. (2020b): Debt, Wealth and Climate: Globally Coordinated Climate Authorities for Financing Green, forthcoming. Roubini, N and S Mihm (2010): Crisis Economics: A Crash Course in the Future of Finance, New York: Penguin. Roubini, N (2020): The White Swans of 2020, Project Syndicate, 17 February, https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/white-swan-risks-2020-by-nouriel-roubini-2020-02. Stiglitz, J E, T N Tucker and G Zucman (2019): The Starving State: Why Capitalisms Salvation Depends on Taxation, https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states/2019-12-10/starving-state. Taleb, N (2007): The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable, New York: Penguin. A Delhi court on Wednesday summoned as accused a London-based lawyer in a criminal defamation complaint filed by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi. Singhvi has accused Sarosh Zaiwalla of allegedly making speculative statements against his deceased father in a book claiming that it harmed his reputation. Metropolitan Magistrate Sumeet Anand asked Zaiwalla to appear before the court on May 29 and said prima facie all essential requirements of defamation stand meted out in the case and there exist sufficient grounds for proceeding further. According to Singhvi, Zaiwalla in his book made a "speculative" reference to his late father L M Singhvi which was inherently defamatory and clearly libelous on the face of it. The complaint also claimed that the statements were made with an intention to cause serious harm to Singhvi's reputation and hurt the feelings of his family and relatives. It alleged that the statements were made without verifying the truth and transform into an imputation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United has come out with the specifics of its latest coronavirus-inspired service reductions, and its not pretty. During April, the airlines existing schedule will shrink by a massive 60 percent overall, with many domestic and international non-stop routes being dropped from its hubs, including San Francisco. Intrepid (or foolish, depending on your outlook) travelers will still be able to get where they are going, but might have to make more stops along the way. While many point-to-point domestic routes are being cut, United noted it doesnt currently plan to halt all service to any single U.S. city except for Mammoth, Calif., which will see the usual seasonal shut-down of flights from San Francisco and Los Angeles. On the international side, the company said its April schedule will shrink to a bare-bones 45 daily flights, so its easier to report where United will maintain non-stop service instead of where it will stop flying. Despite all the cuts, the SFO is frequently tweeting that it is open during the mayor's shelter-in-place order as an essential service, though travel though "non-essential" travel is barred by the six-county order. From San Francisco International during April, United will keep operating one daily flight to Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo Haneda and Tokyo Narita, along with five flights a week to Osaka and three a week to Melbourne and Seoul Incheon. To Latin America, the carrier will continue to fly non-stop once a day from SFO to three Mexico destinations Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta and Cancun (although service to seven more Latin American destinations is available via connections in Houston). And thats it. United will drop all non-stop transatlantic service during April except for a limited schedule from the East Coast, so customers in other regions will require a connection to get to Europe or beyond. The only remaining transatlantic service next month will be daily flights from Newark to London Heathrow, Brussels, Frankfurt, Mumbai, New Delhi and Tel Aviv, and a daily Washington Dulles-London flight. Other transatlantic routes are being phased out from March 20 through March 31; Houston-London and Denver-London flights have already been suspended. Uniteds domestic schedule for April includes suspension of non-stop service from SFO to 18 U.S. destinations: Nashville, Baltimore/Washington, Columbus, Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Madison, Omaha, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Raleigh/Durham, San Antonio, St. Louis, Tampa, Mammoth (Calif.), Ft. Lauderdale, New Orleans and Fayetteville, N.C.. Across the northern border, SFO-Toronto flights are being dropped. At Mineta San Jose, non-stop United service to Houston and Chicago OHare is also getting the axe. However, access to all those points (except Mammoth) is still available by connecting through Denver or other United hubs. You can see the details of Uniteds April schedule reductions here. United has also posted online instructions for customers to rebook or cancel their flights. Read all recent TravelSkills posts here. Chris McGinnis is SFGATE's senior travel correspondent. You can reach him via email or follow him on Twitter or Facebook. Don't miss a shred of important travel news by signing up for his FREE biweekly email updates! SFGATE participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday decided to conduct (OMOs) on March 20 in the form of purchase of an aggregate amount of Rs 10,000 crore of government securities through a multi-security auction using the multiple price method. With the heightening of COVID-19 pandemic risks, certain financial market segments have been experiencing a tightening of financial conditions as reflected in the hardening of yields and widening of spreads. "It is important to ensure that all market segments remain liquid and stable, and function normally," said the central bank in a statement. "There is no notified amount against any of these securities within the aggregate ceiling of Rs 10,000 crore set for the operation." The RBI said it reserves the right to decide on the quantum of purchase of individual securities, accept offers for less than or higher than the aggregate amount of Rs 10,000 crore (including due to rounding off) and also to accept or reject any or all the offers either wholly or partially without assigning any reason. The result of the auction will be announced on the same day and payment to successful participants will be made during banking hours on March 23. Successful participants should ensure availability of the requisite amount of securities in their subsidiary general ledger accounts by 12 noon on that date. BARAGA COUNTY, MI Upper Peninsula authorities have released the cause of death for two Michigan teenagers found dead inside a running vehicle in February. WLUC-TV reports that 17-year-old Dylan Roberts of LAnse and 17-year-old Christopher Turpeinen of Pelkie show both died of carbon monoxide poisoning, The Baraga County Sheriffs Department received toxicology reports back this week. Both teenagers were found dead in LAnse Township on Feb. 17. 2 Baraga County teens found dead in car, another hospitalized Seventeen-year-old Hunter Pelon of Baraga was also found unconscious inside the vehicle. She was airlifted to a hospital in Green Bay following the incident. She woke up from a coma on Feb. 20, according to the TV station. Keweenaw Bay Tribal Police and Bay Ambulance assisted at the scene in February. Completion of several structuring projects Regulatory News: Clasquin (Paris:ALCLA): FINANCIAL STATEMENTS APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON 17 MARCH 2020 The Statutory Auditors have completed their audit procedures on these accounts and the report relating to certification of the consolidated accounts will be issued when the annual report is published. 2019 (incl. IFRS 16) 2019 (excl. IFRS 16) %GP 2018 (excl. IFRS 16) %GP 2019 v 2018 (like for like, excl. IFRS 16) CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS* Number of shipments 273,875 273,875 264,179 +3.7% Sales(m) 331.3 331.3 308.3 +7.4% Gross profit (m) 76.7 76.7 100.0% 68.9 100.0% +11.4% EBITDA (m) 13.9 11.0 14.4% 9.3 13.4% +19.0% Current operating income (m) 8.6 8.5 11.1% 6.5 9.4% +30.5% Consolidated net profit (m) 4.5 4.5 5.8% 3.4 4.9% +32.4% Net profit Group share (m) 3.9 3.9 5.1% 2.8 4.1% +39.0% *Note: Sales is not a relevant indicator of business in our sector, as it is greatly impacted by changing air and sea freight rates, fuel surcharges, exchange rates (particularly versus USD), etc. Changes in the number of shipments, volumes shipped and, in financial terms, gross profit are relevant indicators. 2019 HIGHLIGHTS Acquisitions and office openings Development of new niche markets and strategic segments: Creation of a Food division in Rungis handling controlled temperature overseas transport of food products. and Continued expansion of our network in core regions (Western Europe, Asia, North America): Acquisition of an 80% equity stake in Canadian freight forwarder Cargolution Inc. on 1 October 2019 Opening of an office in Nice (France) Opening of an office in Tianjin (China) Stepped up development in the United States in core regions (Western Europe, Asia, North America): Robust growth in North Africa, the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa IT systems/Digitisation Successful deployment of new generation finance IT system (Workday/Kyriba) covering accounting, reporting, budget and cash flow management. Two-thirds of Group companies migrated to the new platforms in 2019. Manager share ownership Successful implementation of the Clasquin SA share joint investment plan for managers together with a 5-year bonus share plan. 33 managers have invested in the company, including 10 overseas managers The maximum number of bonus shares awarded under the 5-year plan represents 1.7% of the share capital. Group financing 27 November 2019 signing of a 60.8m inaugural syndicated credit facility with a pool of 8 banks. ANNUAL BUSINESS VOLUMES AND EARNINGS Despite a slowdown in global trade, which impacted the global air freight market (3.3% decline in volumes) more than the sea freight market (up 1%-2%), the Group continued to considerably outperform market growth (number of shipments up 3.7%). Gross profit rose sharply (11.4%) bolstered by: The Q4 acquisition of Cargolution Inc. Strong growth in the USA Buoyant business with North Africa and the Middle East Robust unit margins EBITDA increased by 19.0% (excluding IFRS 16) due to sharp growth in gross profit and tight management of operating expenses despite the gradual IT system switch to SaaS mode. Current operating income soared 30.5% thanks to the stabilisation of depreciation and amortization. Finally, net profit Group share jumped 39.0% driven by a reduction in non-recurring expenses. FINANCIAL POSITION 2019 (incl. IFRS 16) 2019 (excl. IFRS 16) 2018 Gross operating cash flow (m) 13.3 10.4 8.3 % of gross profit 17.3% 13.5% 12.0% Shareholders' equity (m) 26.8 27.0 24.5 Net debt (m) 26.5 18.6 18.8 Leverage 1.9 1.7 2.0 PAYMENT OF DIVIDENDS To make allowance for changes in the economic situation related to Covid-19, the Board of Directors will meet again before the end of April to set the dividend to be proposed to the Combined General Meeting on 10 June 2020. 2020 OUTLOOK Market The health crisis related to the COVID-19 pandemic will very likely lead to a recession this year, which will have a significant impact on global trade. At present it is impossible to estimate the duration and impact of the COVID-19 crisis. CLASQUIN Naturally, Clasquin is gearing its 2020 targets to this recession environment. The Group has taken the required steps to ensure staff safety and business continuity. Obviously, the Group is implementing all possible measures to lower its breakeven point while maintaining production facility operation in order to continue to support customers once the crisis is over. The effects of the present health crisis will not jeopardise the Group's fundamentals and growth strategy, which remain solid over the medium and long term. UPCOMING EVENTS (publication after-market closure) Thursday 30 April 2020: Q1 2020 business report Thursday 27 August 2020: Q2 2020 business report Wednesday 23 September 2020: H1 2020 results Thursday 29 October 2020: Q3 2020 business report CLAQUIN is an air and sea freight forwarding and overseas logistics specialist. The Group designs and manages the entire overseas transport and logistics chain, organising and coordinating the flow of client shipments between France and the rest of the world, and more specifically to and from Asia-Pacific, North America, Maghreb and Sub Saharan Africa. Its shares are listed on EURONEXT GROWTH, ISIN FR0004152882, Reuters ALCLA.PA, Bloomberg ALCLA FP. For more information, see www.clasquinfinance.com. CLASQUIN confirms its eligibility for the share savings plan for MSCs (medium-sized companies) in accordance with Article D221-113-5 of the French Monetary and Financial Code established by decree number 2014-283 of 4 March 2014 and with Article L221-32-2 of the French Monetary and Financial Code, which set the conditions for eligibility (less than 5,000 employees and annual sales of less than 1,500m or balance sheet total of less than 2,000m). CLASQUIN is listed on the Enternext PEA-PME 150 index. LEI: 9695004FF6FA43KC4764 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005572/en/ Contacts: Philippe LONS Directeur General Delegue/Group CFO Domitille CHATELAIN Group Head of Communication 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. "The kids love to do anything arts and crafts and thinking about how stressed everybody is, [we] thought, 'What can we do to make everybody happy? How can we help?'" mom Vanessa France of Westminister told "Good Morning America." PHOTO: Mom Vanessa France of Westminister, Massachusetts, said her four children have been busy at work drawing pictures and writing well wishes to people in nursing homes around the state amid the coronavirus crisis. (Vanessa France) PHOTO: Mom Vanessa France of Westminister, Massachusetts, said her children have been busy at work drawing pictures and writing well wishes to people in nursing homes around the state amid the coronavirus crisis. (Vanessa France) (MORE: Family sings 'Happy Birthday' to 100-year-old outside nursing home amid coronavirus crisis) She went on, "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." PHOTO: Cameron France, 7, of Massachusetts, writes handmade cards to seniors who are quarantined in assisted living facilities amid the coronavirus crisis. (Vanessa France) 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: 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) Michele Morin of Sterling Village in Sterling, Massachusetts, said the commissioner of public health has restricted visits to the facility with few exceptions. (MORE: 'I love you all. Take care': Amid coronavirus crisis, good news is happening) "Letters from the children will bring them joy and will hopefully comfort them during this difficult time," she told "GMA." "We will also be encouraging our residents to write the children back as an activity." 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) 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. Siblings send handmade cards to nursing home residents during coronavirus quarantines originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com 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 Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 13:23 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b8c124 1 National BNPB,coronavirus,emergency,COVID-19,Wuhan-coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus-in-Indonesia,pandemic,outbreak,outbreak-in-Indonesia Free The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has declared that Indonesias emergency disaster status due to the COVID-19 pandemic would be extended until May but explained that the status did not mean an actual state of emergency. The BNPD declared on Jan. 28 the COVID-19 outbreak to be a "particular state of disaster emergency" as regulated by Presidential Regulation No. 17/2018 instead of declaring a disaster emergency, as regulated under the Disaster Mitigation Law. The status itself classifies the situation as "where the status of a disaster emergency has not been established or the status of a disaster emergency has expired and/or is not extended, but actions are still needed to reduce the disaster's risk and wider impact", as quoted from the agency's statement. BNPB spokesperson Agus Wibowo said the state of disaster emergency period had begun Feb. 29 and would continue until May 29. The agency initially declared the emergency from Jan. 28 to Feb. 28 when the country was planning to pick up its citizens stuck in Wuhan, China after a lockdown was enforced. But because the scale of the outbreak got bigger and the President ordered the acceleration of the mitigation process, we extended the status again, Agus said at a press conference on Tuesday broadcasted by the agency. The emergency status was meant to speed up administrative matters, allowing the BNPB to use its and regional administrations' emergency funds for the pandemic mitigation efforts. The status would also allow regional heads to declare a state of emergency in their respective regions, which will also give regions access to their emergency funds. Regional heads, particularly governors, mayors and regents, were asked by President Joko Jokowi Widodo to apply two statuses to their respective precinct, namely emergency response for regions with confirmed cases of COVID-19 and emergency alert for regions without. When the regions have declared their statuses, the BNPB emergency period will no longer apply to them. As of Tuesday, neither the President nor any of the regional administrations have declared the COVID-19 outbreak a disaster emergency. The disaster emergency status itself would be separated into three categories, namely "emergency alert" for the pre-disaster period, "emergency response" for when the disaster has occurred and "emergency transition to recovery" for the post-disaster period. The agency has called the pandemic a disaster on a national scale and that the government requested the National Military, National Police, companies and media to help with the mitigation. The government has been advising remote working for companies for social distancing. In the press conference, government COVID-19 spokesperson Achmad Yurianto said there were currently 172 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Indonesia, a jump from 134 on Monday. Nine have recovered from the disease while five have died. (mfp/glh) Holding a Navi Mumbai-based hospital guilty of deficiency in service for not providing timely treatment to a boy bitten a venomous snake that led to his death, the Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission asked it to pay Rs 8 lakh compensation to the victim's family. The commission also directed the doctor, who had treated the boy, to pay Rs 2 lakh to his family. The complainant, Parshuram Landage, said his 12-year- old son was bitten by a cobra at around 6.45 pm on October 15, 2017 and he was taken to the Mahatma Gandhi Mission Hospital in Navi Mumbai within 15 minutes. He alleged that he requested the doctor to start the treatment immediately, but the doctor on duty told him deposit some money and bring medicines. Landage told the commission that he arranged around Rs 6,000 by pawning gold ornaments of his wife. "However, as the treatment was not given on time, it led to the death of my son," he told the commission. Initially, Landage filed a complaint in Additional Thane District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum against the hospital as well as the doctor. The forum had concluded that there was no medical negligence on the part of the hospital and also dismissed the complaint. Thereafter, Landange approached the commission. In its defence, the hospital submitted that the patient was brought to the hospital late and in a serious condition. It also claimed that despite immediate treatment, he could not be saved. The hospital also said the snake-bite patient was not given ventilator support as it did not have one then. The commission, in its order passed on Monday, said it was of the opinion that the decision to treat the snake-bite patient when a ventilator was not available at the hospital, was not reasonable and prudent. It also observed that there was around 45 minutes of delay in providing treatment to the patient after his arrival at the hospital. The commission also said that the consumer redressal forum erred in relying on the report of the internal inquiry committee that gave a clean chit to the hospital and the doctor on duty. "Since the hospital's internal inquiry committee was also a party, it cannot be relied upon," the commission said. Setting aside the Thane forum's order, the commission declared the hospital and the doctor deficient in providing treatment tothe complainant's son. The commission then asked them to pay a compensation of Rs 10 lakh, of which Rs 8 lakh will be paid by the hospital, and rest by the doctor. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Germany is facing its biggest challenge "since the Second World War" in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a television address urging citizens to heed sweeping confinement measures. In a dramatic appeal, Merkel urged everyone to play a part in slowing down a virus that has raced across the globe and triggered unprecedented peace-time lockdowns. "The situation is serious. Take it seriously. Not since German reunification, no, not since the Second World War has our country faced a challenge that depends so much on our collective solidarity," she said. Although her 15 years in office have been marked by blows like the financial crisis, the 2015 refugee crisis and Brexit, the veteran leader has never taken to the airwaves to address citizens directly outside of traditional New Year's greetings. "I truly believe we can succeed in this task, if all citizens truly understand their own tasks," Merkel said. Federal and local governments have shut down schools, many businesses and public spaces in recent days in increasingly desperate attempts to slow the spread of the virus. The country has however stopped short of ordering people to stay home, in contrast with the tougher restrictions introduced in France, Belgium, Italy and Spain. But Germans have continued to go outside to enjoy the spring sunshine and socialise, highlighting the authorities' struggle to hammer home the message that people must avoid social contacts. Merkel, who hails from Germany's former communist East, said she understood how hard it was to give up "hard-fought rights" like freedom of movement and travel. Such decisions were never taken lightly in a democracy, she said, and could only be temporary. "But they are necessary right now to save lives." Her speech echoed that of French President Emmanuel Macron, who in a sombre address on Monday likened the outbreak to war and ordered almost the entire population to stay at home for at least two weeks. Germany is among the countries worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic, with latest figures showing 12 deaths and 8,198 confirmed cases on Wednesday, a jump of 1,042 from the previous day. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for public health warned there could be 10 million cases within two to three months if people do not avoid contact. "Germany has an excellent health system," Merkel said, thanking doctors and other medical workers "on the front line for us in this battle". Nevertheless, "even our hospitals will be overwhelmed if too many patients are brought in with serious symptoms of the coronavirus in a short time," the conservative leader added. To ramp up medical capacity, German state and federal governments announced steps Wednesday to double intensive respiratory care and commandeer new spaces for treatment. Germany currently has around 25,000 intensive care beds with respiratory capacity, and Berlin has ordered thousands of new respirators to boost that number. In a separate statement, federal and state officials said spaces like hotels, rehabilitation centres and public halls could be converted into spaces for treating people with milder symptoms. In her speech, Merkel reiterated that Berlin "will do everything it can to cushion the economic impact and preserve jobs" and discouraged citizens from hoarding. "Even if some (supermarket) shelves are emptied on one day, they will be replenished," she promised, adding her thanks to those working in the food industry. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) This article is part of our continuing Fast Forward series, which examines technological, economic, social and cultural shifts that happen as businesses evolve. At a production plant in western Tennessee, about 100 3-D printers, arranged in pods for different tasks and parts, spit out hundreds of pairs of individually fitted insoles and sandals a day. Every pair has someones name on it. The footwear is based on foot scans that customers make with smartphones, using the manufacturers app. Customers transmit the images via the app, along with their choices of colors and patterns. The manufacturer, the Canadian-American start-up Wiivv, extracts hundreds of data points from each scan to produce a three-dimensional image of each foot and then prints footwear fitting that customer and no one else. To make the product even more personal, Wiivv adds the customers name; in the case of sandals, the name appears inside the arch. March 17, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - An alarming scientific report compiled by British researchers and shared with the Trump White House warns that, in the absence of drastic and coordinated government action, the novel coronavirus could kill as many as 2.2 million people in the United States alone. The new research (pdf), led by epidemiologist Dr. Neil Ferguson and published Monday by the Imperial College of London, shows that merely acting to slow rather than completely stop the spread of COVID-19 would "still likely result in hundreds of thousands of deaths and health systems (most notably intensive care units) being overwhelmed many times over." "For countries able to achieve it, this leaves suppression as the preferred policy option," the researchers wrote. "In the U.K. and U.S. context, suppression will minimally require a combination of social distancing of the entire population, home isolation of cases, and household quarantine of their family members. This may need to be supplemented by school and university closures." Successful suppression of the virus could take a significant amount of time, the researchers noted"potentially 18 months or more." The New York Times reported late Monday that the researchers' "terrifying" projection of as many as 2.2 million possible deaths in the U.S. was shared with the White House's coronavirus task force last week, when President Donald Trump was still downplaying the threat posed by the COVID-19 outbreak. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter "We don't have a clear exit strategy," Ferguson told the Times. "We're going to have to suppress this virusfrankly, indefinitelyuntil we have a vaccine. It's a difficult position for the world to be in." Ferguson likened the possible health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic to those caused by the 1918 influenza outbreak, which killed an estimated 675,000 people in the United States and tens of millions more worldwide. This new modeling of #COVID19 by leading epidemiologists is grim reading: It suggests that no strategy works terribly well, and that any relaxation leads to a resurgence. https://t.co/AD40GDAOfp Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) March 17, 2020 The team of researchers "also shared its fatality estimates with the CDC," according to the Times, "including that eight to nine percent of people in the most vulnerable age group, 80 and older, could die if infected." During a press conference on Monday, Trump falsely claimed that "nobody ever thought about" the coronavirus threat a month ago. "This is a bad one," said Trump, who on Sunday recommended that people in the U.S. avoid gathering with more than 10 people. "This is a very bad one. This is bad in the sense that it's so contagious. It's just so contagious. Sort of, record-setting-type contagion." Trump: "We have a problem that a month ago nobody ever thought about." False. Both with regard to pandemics generally, coronavirus pandemics in particular, and this specific coronavirus. And the US had its first confirmed case in January. https://t.co/GipI01oUBg Daniel Dale (@ddale8) March 16, 2020 In an interview with CNN Sunday, Harvard University epidemiology professor Marc Lipsitch said the coronavirus crisis "was foreseeable, and foreseen, weeks and months ago." "Only now is the White House coming out of denial," said Lipsitch, "and heading straight into saying it could not have been foreseen." " Source " The exhibition and conference of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan (UIET) started in Ashgabat. The event marks the 12th anniversary of establishment of the UIET. The opening ceremony was attended by the government officials, leaders of parliament, representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Turkmenistan, as well as heads of ministries, departments, public associations, higher education establishments and mass media. This year's business exhibition demonstrates the achievements and capacities of Turkmenistans entrepreneurs in all sectors of the national economy. Over 200 exhibitors presented their stands in the hall of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, including private enterprises and business entities specializing in agribusiness, food and processing industries, construction, production of building materials and electrical equipment, IT technologies, as well as trade, tourism, education, transport and other fields. Products manufactured by Turkmen businesses are very much popular not only in Turkmenistan but also abroad. The UIET Trading Houses in China, the UAE, Austria, as well as Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Afghanistan and China work to promote exports of products manufactured by Turkmenistan's entrepreneurs. The tasks set for Turkmen businessmen in the Program of Socio-Economic Development of Turkmenistan for 2020-2025 were discussed during the conference in the afternoon. The conference participants heard the reports on the work of the UIET and its regional branches, exchanged views on pressing business issues, including those related to identification of the most promising areas for business, manufacturing import-substituting products and increasing exports of goods produced in Turkmenistan. Winners of the UIET contest Best Entrepreneur of the Year in 13 nominations were announced as part of the forum. TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2022 Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan gets himself the all-new Creta as the deliveries of the car began yesterday. The actor took the wraps off the new Creta at the 2020 Auto Expo where the car was unveiled for the first time India. The Creta has been one of Hyundai's most successful products in India. And as the competition stiffens with offerings like the Kia Seltos, the new update for the car was much needed. The new Creta comes as a brand-new car, both in terms of cosmetics and mechanicals. On the outside, the car comes with three-part LED headlamps and squared wheel arches. The updated Creta also gets a new grille, a new set of alloy wheels, and a brand new cabin. Speaking of which, the car gets a dual-tone black & beige cabin which is optional alongside black interiors with red accents. Also on offer is new leatherette upholstery and ventilated seats at the front. Hyundai has equipped Creta with a variety of new features including a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Advanced Blue Link Connectivity System, a 7.0-inch instrument cluster with digital display, Bose sound system with 8 speakers, tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and a flat-bottom steering. In terms of mechanicals, the new BS6 engine options on the Creta include a 1.5-litre petrol engine and a 1.5-litre diesel engine that are available with both a 6-speed manual transmission and an automatic transmission. There is also a 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine available with a 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT). The car comes with three driving modes (Eco, Comfort & Sport) and traction control modes (Snow, Sand & Mud) that are meant to optimise driving across different terrains. In this season of coronavirus scare, some politicians have found the word with enormous public-connect nowadays very handy for derision of opponents or their standpoints they want to show as harmful. In the two Telugu states particularly, the coronavirus expression has become quite popular among the politicians, starting right from Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. During the assembly debate on the COVID-19 situation in the state last week, Rao has called the Congress party as the gravest corona(virus) that was inflicted upon the nation". For latest updates on Coronavirus outbreak, click here In the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and his predecessor Chandrababu Naidu are being routinely labelled as a virus by their rivals. Corona(virus) is devastating China but is surpassed by the YSRCP virus here wrecking Andhra Pradesh, Naidu tweeted on February 8 pointing to the industry-investors situation. On March 1, the day the first positive case was reported from Telangana, TDP leader Buddha Venkanna tweeted that instead of Covid-19, Scientists have prioritized a cure for Jagans personality disorder. Former MLA Vangalapudi Anitha assured that the virus would keep away from the state scared of the YSRCP. YSRCP is also acerbic in its retorts. China has corona(virus); AP has a virus called Chandranna which ruined the state, said YSRCP MLA Gudivada Amarnath. Chandrababu has transmitted his virus to the State Election Commission, said another YSRCP MLA Jogi Ramesh, referring to the commissions Sunday decision deferring local body polls by six weeks. YSRCP convinced of a massive victory is furious with the SEC called. COVID-19 is also a reference point in Madhya Pradesh political pandemonium. The Congress CM Kamal Nath said that Coronavirus has been inflicted upon politics, in an apparent reference to the BJPs Jyotiraditya Scindia move. BJPs friend turned foe Shiv Senas mouthpiece Saamana too has likened the MP events as a spread of virus. A political virus trying to destabilize 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, the magazine said. Some more Chief Ministers are using the virus for political attacks. Earlier this month as COVID-19 cases were being reported from more states, West Bengals Mamata Banerjee while addressing a rally has reportedly accused the Narendra Modi government as spreading panic to divert attention from Delhi riots. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan called a circular from the Centre asking Itlay etc. returnees to prove they are Covid-19 negative as uncivilized. Security guards stand in front of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, Calif., on June 12, 2017. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Brooklyn DA Says His Office Wont Prosecute Some Low-Level Offenses Amid COVID-19 Crunch Courts in Brooklyn have been asked to decline to prosecute low-level offenses that dont jeopardize public safety amid the COVID-19 outbreak, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced Tuesday. The move is part of a thrust by his office to deploy social distancing strategies, aiming to protect employees and visitors from coming into contact with the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus. The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. 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, Gonzalez said in a statement on Twitter. Therefore, in the interests of public health and safety, and in appropriate exercise of prosecutorial discretion, we will immediately decline to prosecute low-level offenses that dont jeopardize public safety, he added. Gonzalez said he would be calling on defense attorneys to notify his office about clients in pretrial detention who are vulnerable to infection and that he should consider releasing during the outbreak. There are currently at least 923 confirmed COVID-19 patients in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on MSNBC, according to the New York Post. De Blasio said on Wednesday that he was almost to the point of recommending to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo that the city implement a shelter-in-place policy that would have people stay in their homes. 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. Restaurants and bars in the three stateswhere more than 22 million people livewill serve takeout and delivery only. Virus Can Linger on Steel and Plastic for Up to 3 Days Meanwhile, a recent study found that the CCP virus is stable on surfaces for hours and can survive for up to three days on some. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) said in a news release that a new study has provided key information about the stability of the virus. It concludes people may pick up the virus through the air and after touching contaminated objects. Through a number of recent experiments cited by NIH, researchers tracked the viruss viability on different surfaces. On copper, the virus survived just four hours, while on cardboard it could last for up to a day. But on some surfaces, it remained active much longer, researchers wrote, with the virus able to survive for up to three days on plastic and steel. Researchers said that in aerosol form, the virus lasted for three hours after being sprayed. The conclusions come from a joint study by the NIH, Centers for Disease Control, UCLA, and Princeton University scientists, and was first published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Reuters contributed to this report. The term civil uprising, or insurrection, has been used to describe a ruling by Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, one of the top spiritual leaders of the ultra-Orthodox world. Despite an unequivocal directive from the Ministry of Health to close all educational institutions, Kanievsky ordered his followers on March 14 to continue studying in their yeshivas as usual. An ultra-Orthodox public figure who focuses on the relationship between the ultra-Orthodox and the state told Al-Monitor, I was horrified when I heard this ruling. No one in our community would ever speak out against the rabbi, because what he says is final, but it goes against the religious injunction of Follow the laws of state. In other words, it is a call for a civil uprising. The man, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, further explained, Instructions by the rabbis, whom we follow, touch on all aspects of day-to-day life. They rule on what is kosher, on prayer, on marital status, etc. Every so often, there are gray areas in which there might be conflicts with the law or instructions from the authorities, such as whether or not to serve in the military. These are then subjected to a lengthy debate and handled in dealings with the government. In this particular case, the problem is much more serious, because the Ministry of Healths directives are unequivocal and affect the entire population. It was as if the rabbi said, No one under my authority will follow these instructions. When it comes to following the laws of the state, we have extra-territorial status. Instructions from the Ministry of Health in response to the spread of the novel coronavirus are released at frequent press conferences in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, who is ultra-Orthodox, and other ministers take part. This was how the public was informed on March 12 that all schools would be closed, gatherings of more than 10 people would be banned and various other measures introduced to reduce economic activity. Regardless, on the night of March 14, Rabbi Kanievsky released his own instructions to the public: Sacred religious studies in schools, yeshivas, and kollels [yeshivas for married men], and all other forms of Torah study will continue as usual, since the very existence of the world depends on them. Great care must be taken to be meticulous in following all instructions regarding hygiene, since this is in keeping with the biblical injunction of Watch over yourselves very carefully (Deuteronomy 4:15). As for girls, his instructions were to follow the directives of the Ministry of Health. Kanievsky is the most senior spiritual leader of the Lithuanian faction of the ultra-Orthodox community. His ruling was backed by Rabbi Gershon Edelstein, dean of Ponevezh, the flagship yeshiva of the Lithuanian faction, and the ultimate arbiter on all matters pertaining to yeshivas in general. They published the ruling on yeshivas while Litzman was engaged in efforts to exempt at least some ultra-Orthodox institutions from the state-ordered comprehensive measures, effectively allowing them to function as usual. Netanyahu and his national security advisor, Meir Ben Shabbat, refused to compromise on the issue. On March 15, the schools and yeshivas aligned with the Lithuanian faction opened as if it were business as usual. In certain municipalities, including Petah Tikva and Jerusalem, police and inspectors moved to shut them down. In most instances, the heads of the yeshivas responded positively to their demands. Other rabbis do not share the position advocated by the Lithuanian leaders. Israel's two chief rabbis, Yitzhak Yosef and David Lau, even issued instructions of their own, calling on the public to follow the Ministry of Health's directives to the letter. At this time, any health-related directive has the same status as Jewish law, they announced. Ultra-Orthodox rabbis from other factions, including Mizrahi rabbis affiliated with Shas and rabbis associated with the various Hassidic factions, seconded this position. Having been updated on the situation, Netanyahu requested a meeting with a group of rabbis representing the various ultra-Orthodox factions and with the chief rabbis. The meeting convened the night of March 15, and a few hours after it, Kanievsky and Edelstein agreed to amend their instructions. Their new directives, however, still failed to follow the same rules as those put in place by the government. Their new instructions said that studies would continue almost as normal, but in smaller groups of just 10 learners or students per classroom. This too went against the advice of the professionals at the Ministry of Health, who opposed the idea for medical reasons, i.e., fear of infections, and also because of how the broader public might react if some were allowed to flaunt health instructions. Al-Monitor has learned that a senior official in the Ministry of Health told an internal forum that due to the nature of ultra-Orthodox society with large families living in densely populated neighborhoods if, God forbid, there were an outbreak of the virus because of the yeshivas, there would not be a single ultra-Orthodox home without an infected member. If that were to occur, the spread of the virus would be expedited across all sectors of Israeli society. The ultra-Orthodox town of Kiryat Yearim illustrates this dynamic well, with 15 people originally found to have been infected but now with more than a quarter of all residents quarantined. The government is considering placing the entire town under closure. This brings us back to Rabbi Kanievskys instructions. An ultra-Orthodox public figure told Al-Monitor, It's as if there arent enough suspicions and accusations about us, that we dont carry our share of the burden, or that we dont fulfill our obligations like everyone else, and that we ignore the state and its needs. The rabbis instructions provide vast amounts of ammunition to anyone who hates the ultra-Orthodox. Conversations with senior officials at the Ministry of Health and in the Prime Ministers Office, the two entities responsible for handling the coronavirus pandemic, suggested the degree of shock over the rabbis behavior. A senior security official told Al-Monitor on the condition of anonymity, Imagine if some member of the Knesset or the head of a local authority, or some preacher in a mosque for that matter, would instruct his followers to ignore our instructions. He would immediately be hauled in for interrogation on charges of inciting rebellion and insurrection. The instructions of the Ministry of Health must be followed. Violating them is subject to punishment, and it goes without saying that the same is true of any public figure who calls on his followers to violate them. In response, the ultra-Orthodox explain that the rabbis remarks were based, among other things, on the deep belief that study of the Torah is a commandment of the first order, equivalent to military service in the Israel Defense Forces because of the role it plays in defending the people of Israel. If the IDF continues to function, we must too, Edelstein was quoted as saying. This story underscores the conflict within the ultra-Orthodox sector between obeying its rabbis and following the law of the land. It also highlights the lax nature of the status quo surrounding this issue. The ultra-Orthodox have come a long way over the last few years in drawing closer to and connecting with the Israeli public at large. The decision by the community's rabbinic leadership to ignore government directives intended to save lives is a big step backward and a devastating blow to any trust that the broader population may have had toward them. By Agustinus Beo Da Costa and A. Ananthalakshmi JAKARTA/KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Thousands of Muslim pilgrims from across Asia gathered in Indonesia on Wednesday, despite fears that their meeting could fuel the spread of a coronavirus, just two weeks after a similar event in Malaysia caused more than 500 infections. Organisers and regional officials said the event in the world's fourth most populous nation had begun, although the regional police chief said he was making a last ditch-effort to persuade organisers to call it off. "We are more afraid of God," one of the organisers, Mustari Bahranuddin, told Reuters, when asked about the risk of participants spreading the virus at the event in Gowa in Indonesia's province of South Sulawesi. "Because everyone's human, we fear illnesses, death," he said. "But there's something more to the body, which is our soul." Organisers had rejected a formal request from authorities to postpone the gathering, said a regional official, Arifuddin Saeni. He estimated that 8,695 people had already assembled in Gowa, near the provincial city of Makassar, adding that the numbers would make it hard to put a halt to the proceedings. "They are still coming," he said. "There are people from Thailand, Arabia, India and the Philippines." The Malaysian event, held from February 27 to March 1, drew 16,000 followers. Both gatherings in Indonesia and Malaysia were organised by members of Tablighi Jama'at, a global movement of evangelical Muslims that promotes proselytising, known as dakwah. HUNDREDS INFECTED IN MALAYSIA About two-thirds of Malaysias 790 infections have been traced to the meeting at a mosque complex on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, the capital. Tiny neighbour Brunei has confirmed 50 infections linked to it, while Cambodia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam have also said citizens were infected there. Organisers in Indonesia were checking pilgrims' temperatures as a precaution, Bahranuddin added. Saeni said health officials had visited the site and asked to monitor participants. Story continues By Wednesday, Indonesia's tally of infections stood at 227, with 19 deaths. The nation of 260 million had run just 1,255 tests by Tuesday. By contrast, South Korea, with a population of a fifth that size, is doing more than 15,000 tests a day. The Indonesian and Malaysian meetings had been organised by different groups, Bahranuddin said. Even so, he added, "Our purpose is one, even if the name changes, which is how we take religion to other people." The same social media accounts were used to promote both events. One Facebook account displayed a photograph of a prominent Indian Tablighi cleric, Sheikh Maulana Ibrahim Dewla, leaving Kuala Lumpur airport on Tuesday for the Indonesia event. Images on the account, Aalmi Tablighi Shura Elders, showed men setting up huge tents at the Indonesia site, and described them as having arrived early from Gulf nations to offer help. Promotional material for the Indonesian gathering reviewed by Reuters read, "The pleasure of living in this world is only a little, compared to the afterlife." (Reporting by Agustinus Beo Da Costa, A. Ananthalakshimi and Tom Allard; Writing by Tom Allard; Editing by Matthew Tostevin and Clarence Fernandez) MADRID, March 17 (Reuters) - 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. ($1 = 0.9117 euros) (Reporting by Inti Landauro, Jesus Aguado, Belen Carreno, editing by Andrei Khalip) The Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) is calling on all Christians to pray for the world, in the phase of the CONVID 19 pandemic, which continues to make people all over the globe, restless. God has assured us that if we call on Him in prayer He will hear us and heal our land the Council reminded all Christians in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency and signed by Rev Dr Cyril Fayose, General Secretary of the CCG. It said as part of the fasting and prayer in the Lent season, Christians should pray for the deliverance of the world from the deadly virus. The council called for prayer for all Presidents of nations as they needed to take important decisions at this crucial time. It also called for prayer for all health workers all over the world for wisdom and Gods protection as they work on those affected by the virus and find solution to it. It asked for prayer for the healing of those who have been affected by the virus across the world, as well as for the entire world so that God would take away this virus from the world and save it from collapse. Meanwhile, the Council has cautioned Ghanaians against sending wrong information on social media to cause fear and panic among the citizenry. It also urged people to verify any information before putting it on social media in order not to spread rumors that might impede the work of health workers. We plead with the media to be circumspect in their reportage on the updates on COVID-19 and be sure that any information put in the public space has been verified from the Ministry of Health the CCG said. The Council also called on Ghanaians to continue to remain calm and composed whilst taking serious precautions to avoid the spread of the virus. The Christian Council of Ghana assures all Ghanaians that we will continue to pray for the peace and prosperity of the nation and be guided by the principles of the Holy Bible. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Delhi High Court Wednesday expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by the central government in getting in touch with and bringing back most of the Indian students stranded in Iran in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Justice Navin Chawla was informed by the counsel for the Centre that 119 Indians students, who were stuck in Iran and had moved the court through their parents, were tested for COVID-19 and that one student has tested positive and is undergoing treatment there. Central government standing counsel Anurag Ahluwalia, representing the ministries of home, external affairs, health and aviation, told the court that out of those 119 students, 110 have returned to India and while five did not go for sampling, four have tested negative for the virus and are in Iran. After perusing the status report filed by the government, the judge said, "I am satisfied with the steps taken by the respondents (authorities)". The court also noted that authorities have done more than what was expected. It was hearing a plea moved by the parents of the Indian students, who were stranded in Iran due to travel restrictions following the coronavirus outbreak, seeking directions to the Centre to evacuate them. Advocate Fozia Rahman and M Qayam Ud Din, who appeared for the parents, said they have been able to contact several Indian students in Iran and as and when they will get in touch with other students, they will inform the Indian authorities. The court also noted that in case the parents are able to contact the remaining students there, they shall inform the authorities who will then act expeditiously. The petition was disposed off by the bench. The court had earlier directed the Centre to ensure that the Indian embassy in Iran gets in touch with the Indian students stranded there in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, instead of "merely issuing advisories", and to assure them of all assistance. It had asked the central government to "do a little more" than what it was doing till then to evacuate over 3,000 Indian nationals, including pilgrims, fishermen and students, presently stranded in Iran. The Centre's counsel had earlier told the court that all possible efforts were being made to work out modalities to operate a limited number of flights to enable early and safe return of Indians stranded in Iran. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) [March 18, 2020] Commerce.Ai Running Equity Crowdfunding Campaign on StartEngine SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Every year over 30,000 new consumer products hit the market piling on top of the existing billions of products already available for purchase. For various reasons including competition, poor design and improper pricing 80% of these new products fail. With a myriad of products all competing for consumer eyeballs, it's getting increasingly difficult for a new product launch to make a splash and shine through. Commerce.AI harnesses the power of AI and Big Data to give brands and corporations the ability to see what works and what doesn't. It uses Deep Product Learning technology to see, read and listen to the world's product information. As more and more retail sales continue to transition to eCommerce, the opportunity for corporations to gain an edge in the digital marketplace is ballooning. In an IDC study it was found that 90 percent of the data in any organization is unstructured (text, voice, images, video). Commerce.AI believes it is a gold mine for corporations with the capability to parse through this data and end up with insights and actionable data they didn't have before. Research & Development for new consumer products is expensive and time consuming making it critical for brand and retailers to get a new product right the first time. Businesses cannot afford to rely simply on the luck of the draw when it comes to the success of their products. Research conducted by Commerce.AI indicates that there's simply no sophisticated infrastructure for companies to understand the unstructured data which contains thoughts and opinions of consumers at scale. Commerce.AI puts together all of the pieces of the puzzle to deliver a clear picture organization can use to roll out new offerings that resonate with consumers right out of the starting gate. Elements of market research, product design, product management as well as marketing & merchandising are brought together in a cohesive solution that facilitates the successful introduction of a new offering to market. Presently the company is generating revenue from customers including Walmart, Cisco, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Chanel, Netgear, Midea, The United States Postal Service, SC Johnson with over 50 brands in the pipeline. Two prior crowdfunding rounds were successfully oversubscribed and the current round is closing soon. Investors are invited to explore this investment opportunity at - http://bit.ly/2TWYUbt The official corporate website - https://www.commerce.ai/ Contact: Howard Sherman 833-276-9377 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/commerceai-running-equity-crowdfunding-campaign-on-startengine-301026133.html SOURCE Commerce.Ai [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Tom Perez is a fucking idiot. Why are you putting people in danger? Reply Thread Link They dont care. Reply Parent Thread Link Postponing elections is almost unheard of. They voted during the Civil War. Rachel Maddow just said that if Bernie stays in, it's his staying in that will force states to make these hard public health decisions about holding primaries. People will be put at risk. That's her take on it. It would be good if all voting was by absentee ballot. People don't have to take off work, drive, wait in endless lines and face hassles at the polling stations. Of course that won't happen until a Democrat is President. Reply Parent Thread Link did you like sleep thru the massive voter suppression that happened during the obama years or what Reply Parent Thread Expand Link This is an unprecedented event, stop being a shill for MSNBC and acting like this is democratic in any respect. This is voter suppression and the primaries need to be postponed. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link It's the Governors and Secretaries of State that make the call. Reply Parent Thread Link Since its mathematically impossible for Bernie for win is he putting people in danger by refusing to drop out and having millions of people be forced to disregard social distancing? Reply Thread Link would down ballot elections not exist if bernie dropped out? Edited at 2020-03-18 12:06 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link This is still the dumbest take considering that Sanders isn't the one running the elections or telling people to go out and vote. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link You know what never mind, his fans will attack. Edited at 2020-03-18 12:17 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link No. Have you ever voted in your life? There are several other races on the ballot. Sick of this idiotic talking point. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link This is honestly the stupidest fucking take I've seen people try today. Reply Parent Thread Link is democracy endangering society? the fuck? Reply Parent Thread Link Steve Kornacki on MSNBC said Bernie was mathematically eliminated the day after SuperTuesday. He ran the numbers that night and calculated that Bernie would need to win every single state from that point on at a rate of 60% and he knew that wasn't going to happen. Today the rate became 63% margins needed to beat Biden, who is not my candidate. The goal of the election is to remove Trvmp. The problem with Bernie staying in is that it forces Biden to fight against Bernie instead of beginning to fight against Trvmp. Since Bernie can't win, it's important that he drops out and supports the nominee right now, not three months from now. He should be campaigning against Trvmp, not Biden. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Ontd are you surviving self isolation? yeah i'm doing pretty well. just been searching for assistance for my staff because i know they're freaking out not making tips. besides that just enjoying this unfortunate 2 week vacation and finding things to laugh at to keep my mood light. Reply Thread Link Yeah, so far it's been good. I'm fortunate that I can work remotely for my job and not have such a long commute to/from work. Reply Parent Thread Link that's awesome. i'm happy i'm salary, even though we all just got temporarily laid off until we're back up and running, i can still get unemployment, our jobs are promised back, we're getting our health insurance paid for for the next two months, regardless if we open after this month or not, and we get to cash out or vacation and sick time. i just feel bad for my servers/ bartenders and kitchen staff who are really about to struggle from this shutdown. Reply Parent Thread Link i'm on day one and already going a little stir crazy. keep having mini freak outs over being unemployed right now. i'm a bartender in brooklyn but i filed for unemployment today and our owners and managers set up a gofundme for our staff. trying to decide what hobby to take up lol. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link All primaries today should have been postponed to allow people to request absentee ballots. This whole shit went down in the middle of early voting. When we are telling people to stay home they want you going out to vote? Ridiculous Reply Thread Link Yep I agree. I know a lot of people didn't go because of coronavirus fears. I saw those long lines with the elderly from Illinois and was thinking about how it should've been cancelled. Reply Parent Thread Link Absolutely this. It's cruel to ask people to choose between their safety and their vote. Reply Parent Thread Link The Sanders campaign was asking for the primaries to be postponed and actually wrote a nice post on sm basically telling supporters that going out to vote was up to them but their safety came before anything else. Compare that to Bidens surrogate Symone Sanders and the DNCs Tom Perez insisting it was fine. Smh. Reply Parent Thread Link But look at my cute I Voted sticker Voted for Bernie but I don't have any hope for FL.But look at my cute I Voted sticker Reply Thread Link aww this is so cute. Reply Parent Thread Link wow in all my years voting in florida i never got a cute sticker like that! jealous Reply Parent Thread Link omg, that is adorable! I just got the plain sticker though (also voted for Bernie in FL). Was your location as empty as mine was? I ended up going to 2 polling places since the first where I always vote was apparently not where I was meant to be this time. <5 in both places, everyone keeping their distance, and I was a nerd who brought my own pen. Reply Parent Thread Link It was pretty empty, though there were a handful of others voting - fewer poll workers as well. But it's hard to judge how off it was because when I voted in the primary a few years ago it wasn't busy then either. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link That's adorable <3 Reply Parent Thread Link This is cute. Thanks for voting. Reply Parent Thread Link omg that's sf cute Reply Parent Thread Link I'm super jelly, that's so cute! Reply Parent Thread Link Cute!!! My dad lives in Bradenton half of the year, so so nice! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link hi county neighbor! sarasota, native here. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I voted this morning and at my polling station they didnt have hand sanitizer Reply Thread Link if trump manages to (barely) survive through covid-19/this recession i wonder how he'll spin the DNC/Biden's camp pushing for the election and penalizing states for postponing their primaries Reply Thread Link I honestly have no hope. Its going to be a disaster either way. Reply Parent Thread Link i'm happy to have this post as a distraction from my classes Reply Thread Link Need to make mail-in ballots more regular/popular (though I worry about signature match shenanigans). Reply Thread Link Our decision desk expects turnout for the Florida Dem primary will end up around 2.25 million. In 2016, it was 1.7 million. Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) March 17, 2020 Reply Thread Link Wasnt the argument that Biden doesnt excite voters and Bernie does? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link there really is nothing exciting about biden. he promises nothing, and states nothing will change. he's right leaning. the only think people like about him is he was obama's vp. Reply Parent Thread Link People aren't coming out because they are excited specifically for Biden, they are showing up because they want Trump out. I know people who have never voted in their lives who are voting this time around because of Trump. The hatred of him inspires. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Voter turnout was always expected to be larger this year and democrats are going to turn out more with a republican in office. Got nothing to do with Biden. Reply Parent Thread Link That was the line. The only place Bernie is winning is with mail in ballots. The revolutionaries can't even be bothered to go to the polls. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Update: Our decision desk has revised this estimate downward, now expected to hit just over 2 million, compared to 1.7 million in '16. Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) March 18, 2020 Reply Parent Thread Link After that debate people still went out and do this. SMFH People are dumb as shit. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Turnout was strong today. Also the number of registered Democrats voting in Florida are much higher than the number of Republicans. Democrats: 581,588 Republicans: 329,167 And this thread explains how Bernie can't catch Biden's delegate lead from now on. https://twitter.com/NoTeamsIndy/status/1239885596430143489 Debate on Sunday night drew almost 11 million viewers. The debate on Dec. 20th drew 6 million viewers.Turnout was strong today. Also the number of registered Democrats voting in Florida are much higher than the number of Republicans.Democrats: 581,588Republicans: 329,167And this thread explains how Bernie can't catch Biden's delegate lead from now on. Reply Parent Thread Link i voted in chicago and i was in and out in less than 5 minutes, it's crazy how people were waiting hours just a few miles away i was glad to see that there were a lot of young election judges, i don't think there was one that was over 60 all that being said, this never should have taken place today Reply Thread Link I went at 6:15 this morning with my dad Reply Parent Thread Link This should have been postponed. Reply Thread Link hahahaha Good luck on the 4 more years of Trump, dumbasses! Reply Thread Link Were in hell. Reply Parent Thread Link What makes you think Bernie could have stopped Trump. If he can to get his own party to vote for him, how could he have gotten any moderates or conservatives? I don't understand this argument at all. Reply Parent Thread Link What makes you think Biden can? Trump is gonna eat his ass for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. LMFAOOOOOO Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Because he doesnt just appeal to registered Democrats. Less than 40% of the country is even affiliated with a party rn but GOOD LUCK winning those elections you speak of without independents, young voters, Latinos, etc. Thanks for 4 more years of Trump tho! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Funny how when Bernie had a path to the nomination, the DNC fell in line. Humanity is doomed anyways soooo... you get what you voted for, trash colonizing, invading, murdering hell hole! Reply Parent Thread Link Wouldn't the dumbasses be anyone who doesn't vote to defeat Trvmp? I mean, where is the sense of self-preservation? Trvmp has bungled this virus crisis, many people will be dead before November. You wanna give him another chance to kill you? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I mailed mine and my husbands ballots earlier today! Reply Thread Link Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 22:48:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close RAMALLAH, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Palestine on Wednesday called on the international community to prevent Israeli attempts to annex territories of the occupied West Bank. The appeal by the Palestinian foreign ministry came after Miki Zohar, an Israeli lawmaker of the Likud party, presented two bills to allow annexation of the Jordan Valley, the north of the Dead Sea and the Hebron hills. "This plan is the actual implementation of the U.S. peace plan, known as the Deal of the Century," the ministry said in a press statement. Zohar also proposed a bill aimed at allowing death penalty for the Palestinians. The ministry statement warned of the "serious repercussions" of the two bills on achieving peace on the basis of the two-state solution. Courtney Fox felt bad. Shed gone to Draegers Sunday night to buy groceries for an Instacart customer in East Palo Alto, but, as usual these days, many shelves were bare. At least she got the last two bags of french fries and found a substitute for the Marie Callenders frozen meals. When Fox delivered the food, the elderly customer thanked her, saying she didnt usually place such small orders. But the governor says we cant leave our houses now, said the customer, speaking shortly after Gov. Gavin Newsom asked all Californians over 65 and people with chronic illness to isolate themselves at home as a safeguard against the coronavirus. That poor lady, said Cox, whos been pulling lengthy days shopping and delivering via Instacart in recent weeks. I was feeling so defeated, but when she said that, it gave me the resilience to go back out again the next day. Were the equivalent of first responders now. Indeed, delivery services have become a lifeline during the coronavirus pandemic, bringing food and supplies to homebound people, and helping those who are stocking up for any contingencies. Underscoring this role, the sweeping shelter-in-place orders issued for six Bay Area counties that shut down nonessential commerce specifically exempt delivery people. But the lifeline can be tenuous. Food delivery services such as Instacart, Good Eggs and Amazon Fresh were already backlogged on Monday with waits of two or three days for delivery. On Tuesday, a spot check of those services in San Francisco showed no current slots available. Good Eggs did not immediately respond to a request for comments. Instacart said in a statement that delivery windows vary during the busiest request times. More windows can open up as more shoppers become available for specific stores, it said. Amazon said that serving customers during this time was critical: Weve seen an increase in people shopping online for groceries and are working around the clock to continue to deliver grocery orders to customers as quickly as possible, the company said in a statement. Were really taxing the system, said Phil Lempert, editor of SupermarketGuru.com. This has pointed out that theres a frailty to delivery. It can handle 3% or 4% of the nations groceries, but if we double, triple, quadruple that, it just doesnt work. His advice: People have to plan ahead now, he said. Dont count on being able to get milk in an hour the way you used to. Inside the newsroom Anonymous sources: The Chronicle strives to attribute all information we report to credible, reliable, identifiable sources. Presenting information from an anonymous source occurs extremely rarely, and only when that information is considered crucially important and all other on-the-record options have been exhausted. In such cases, The Chronicle has complete knowledge of the unnamed person's identity and of how that person is in position to know the information. The Chronicle's detailed policy governing the use of such sources, including the use of pseudonyms, is available on sfchronicle.com. See More Collapse Another tip, for those who can, is to use click and collect, he said order online, then drive to the store or restaurant to pick up the bagged food. So many people now rely on delivery services that some are actively seeking thousands of new workers to meet demand. Safeway is hiring more than 2,000 workers for northern California stores, including both part-time and full-time delivery drivers, as well as in-store positions. Raleys advertised that it is mass hiring for shoppers to handle online orders at dozens of its stores in the Bay Area and Sacramento. Amazon is seeking 100,000 people nationwide to work at warehouses, delivery centers and Whole Foods grocery stores and adding $2 per hour to their pay, even as it warned in a blog post that many items were out of stock and deliveries would take longer than usual. On Tuesday, Amazon said that for the next three weeks its distribution centers will prioritize incoming shipments of high-demand products such as household staples and medical supplies. Instacart, which relies on independent contractors, says it currently has the most shoppers its ever had working for it and has capacity to add still more. This past weekend, we saw the highest customer demand in Instacarts history in terms of groceries sold on our platform, it said in a statement. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Many new customers are signing up, with daily downloads of its iPhone app increasing fourfold last week, it said. Its streamlined procedures for faster checkouts, canceling of out-of-stock orders. And its cutting off hoarders, introducing limits on some items. All the delivery services said that health and safety are paramount and they encourage workers to take measures such as using hand sanitizer, and customers to opt for contactless delivery in which items are left outside a door. Instacart said about a quarter of customers are now using this new feature. But some delivery people said theyre concerned about their exposure to infection. I just delivered to a customer who told me she has had a fever for the last 10 days and is getting tested for the coronavirus! wrote an Instacart shopper named Connie on a Facebook post. In a phone interview, Connie, a San Jose resident who declined to give her last name because she worried about having her personal information becoming public, said she left as soon as she could, and used copious amounts of hand sanitizer and cleaned her cars interior with Clorox wipes. Long-term, said Lempert, the food industry analyst, the current strain on delivery systems could accelerate their moves to robot and drone deliveries. Instacart shopper Fox said the doomsday prepper panic buying started in earnest in late February. One day, she got an order with 16 cases of water and lots of canned goods. She delivered it, checked her app and Boom, another big order, she said. More of these chunky monkeys, as I call them kept coming even as some store shelves were stripped bare. At least customers were appreciative. For one giant order that required six trips up and down stairs, she scored a $100 tip. After those first three days, my body was shot, she said. It was mentally and physically draining. The number of waters from Costco and other places I was transporting, sometimes to second-story apartments. They were fricking heavy. Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid The Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA), which handles the majority of toll roads in the Houston area, announced March 12 that toll booth operators will no longer handle cash or coin payments. In recent days, other transportation authorities across the country including Delaware, Illinois and Pennsylvania have undertaken similar measures in an attempt to limit the number of new coronavirus cases in the U.S. Houston area toll roads have eliminated the "physical handling and exchange of cash on the toll road system" to reduce coronavirus exposure to drivers and employees, according to the HCTRA. "Cash customers should drive through and pay later online. If the customer is unable to go online, a bill will be mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle," HCTRA said in the announcement. HCTRA said drivers who normally pay tolls with cash can pass through their regular lane and will receive an invoice in the mail later. HCTRA said it will waive the standard $1.50 administrative fee. The Illinois Tollway also recently initiated a similar measure, announcing March 13 it has implemented all-electronic tolling as a precaution "to limit the potential spread of coronavirus to customers. Customers can pay either via I-PASS, E-ZPass or online." The Pennsylvania Turnpike is also not accepting cash payments from motorists temporarily, and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has closed all driver's license centers for two weeks and road construction projects have been halted. Any Pennsylvania motorist who wants to pay by cash will become a Toll-By-Plate customer, which means the turnpike will take a photo of their license plate when they pass through a toll booth and send them a bill by mail within 30 days. They can pay online, by telephone or by mail. "This temporary measure is critical to enable us to support the Commonwealth in its efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19," Pennsylvania Turnpike CEO Mark Compton announced on March 16. "I want to be clear that we will return to normal toll-collection operations as soon as it becomes practical." Story continues The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) announced March 16 that all "public facing" buildings that deliver various services will be going cashless across the state including toll plazas and all Division of Motor Vehicle locations as of Tuesday, March 17. There are currently 4,752 reported cases of coronavirus in the U.S. as of Tuesday, with 93 deaths and 74 patient recoveries recorded. Image by Markus Spiske from Pixabay See more from Benzinga 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. KISS FM Breakfast Show host Daisy Maskell has tested positive for coronavirus, a representative confirmed to MailOnline. The presenter, 22, has been forced to self-isolate and miss her shows this week following her over-the-phone diagnosis by a NHS doctor, with host Tyler standing in for her and Tom Green. Daisy - who joins the likes of actors Idris Elba and Tom Hanks in having contracted COVID-19 - shared a candid post on Instagram on Wednesday, where she urged fans to 'look after their physical and mental health'. 'It's hard to feel this right now': KISS FM Breakfast Show host Daisy Maskell has tested positive for coronavirus, a representative confirmed to MailOnline The brunette has insisted she's pushing through the pain of the virus by the support she's been met with from her loved ones. Daisy said: 'So, Ive been really sick these past few days and as much as my dreams of beaches and boys in grey joggers have helped indefinitely !! the support from the [angles]s in my life has filled my heart with so much joy. 'Thank u thank u thank u always !! I also just want to say that I urge u all to look after the physical and mental health of yourself and your loved ones over the weeks and months to come. 'Its important to channel our energy into various outlets in life and right now we are being stripped of a lot of these. We each have different ways of coping with the different pressures we experience day to day with optimism being the key to pushing through.' [sic] Unfortunate: The presenter (pictured last month), 22, has been forced to self-isolate and miss her shows this week following her over-the-phone diagnosis by a NHS doctor Encouraging fans to maintain a positive approach to the crisis, the 4Music star added: 'Its hard to feel this right now due to the mass disruption we are all facing to our usual routines. 'Today never feels as bad if tomorrow youve got things scheduled in that you know will lift your spirit :) yet as this situation continues to develop, its difficult to try to force yourself to look forward to a future that feels so unknown. 'Check in with each other and make sure that everyone around you is aware that there is always someone at the end of the phone who can offer up a laugh and a cry and a sanitised hug from afar' [sic], the north London native ended her post. Alongside her length caption, the social media influencer shared a defiant snap, where she posed in a sheer lace bra and leggings by Gymshark while flashing peace signs. Positive words: Daisy shared a candid post on Instagram on Wednesday, where she urged fans to 'look after their physical and mental health' Calm before the storm: Daisy attended the Audio Radio & Industry Awards earlier this month (pictured) Daisy kicked off her career as a TV presenter on 4Music's Trending Live show, and has since fronted Kiss FM's award-winning breakfast show, taking over from former hosts Melvin Odoom, Rickie Williams and Charlie Hedges in 2018. Coronavirus was classed a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) last week, leading countries such as Italy, Spain and China to implement nationwide lockdowns. Sporting events, music festival and other social gatherings have been either cancelled or postponed due to the crisis. Nearly 200,000 people around the world have been infected and almost 8,000 have died since the outbreak began last December. Earlier in the week, screen star Idris, 47, revealed he's also tested positive for coronavirus via Twitter. The Luther star said 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 TV and film thespian sat next to his wife Sabrina to give fans an update on his condition. 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. She announced she tested positive for the virus last week and will self quarantine. Isolating: Earlier in the week, screen star Idris Elba, 47, revealed he's also tested positive for the coronavirus via Twitter (pictured with wife Sabrina) 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.' Event: Idris attended the WE Day UK Charity event in London last Tuesday with Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, spouse of the Canadian Prime Minister, and Lewis Hamilton. She has also tested positive (pictured) Idris confirmed that wife Sabrina had not yet been tested but said that she also 'feels ok' at the moment. The Wire 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 this morning. Keep calm: The Luther star added that he only got tested after coming into contact with someone who later confirmed that they had coronavirus '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. Filmmaker 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?' Support: Fans were quick to share their best wishes with the star, praising him for using his platform to encourage people to take more precautions Actor Tom and his wife Rita Wilson hit headlines last week when tested positive for the novel coronavirus during a holiday to the Gold Coast in Australia. The Forrest Gump actor and his long-term partner, both 63, announced the positive test results on Instagram and told 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. On Sunday night, former Bond girl Olga Kurylenko announced she also contracted the now-widespread virus. Star fever: Bond girl Olga Kurylenko - who starred opposite Daniel Craig in Quantum of Solace (pictured 2008) - has also contracted the wide-spread 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!' Taken ill: The actress (pictured in a photo she shared with her social media followers) said she was taking paracetamol and eating garlic ight-time restrictions on delivery lorries in London have been suspended to help shops restock after the Covid-19 outbreak sparked panic-buying. London Councils announced the London Lorry Control Scheme, which aims to reduce lorry noise, would be suspended with immediate effect. The scheme normally operates between 9pm-7am on weekdays and from 1pm on Saturday until 7am on Monday. Peter John, chairman of London Councils, said: This will give hauliers peace of mind as they work under incredible pressure to supply shops and with vital goods. We have requested the activation of what we call the Strategic National Stockpile. Thats a federal government thing that keeps a stockpile of medical equipment. They are going to move some of that into here so that we can fill up our supplies where areas are low. There is going to be, however, a priority with that. The first one is acute area in hospitals. The second one is nursing homes. The third one is ADPH because they are getting ready to do collections. So we will be starting tests pretty soon. The final one is our EMA personnel. Brown said EMA is looking into steps that would make having to go into some public buildings not necessary. Were looking at allowing expired carry permits, drivers licenses and tags so people dont have to go in and get them renewed at the DMV, he said. Were going to see what we can do to do more of it by mail and waive some of the fees that come with that. Whats next? Brown said EMA has worked with the Alabama Hospital Association. Galveston Mayor Jim Yarbrough believes there are likely many people walking around his city with the coronavirus. While Galveston County had only reported two presumptive coronavirus cases as of Wednesday, public health experts say that people without symptoms can still be vectors for the virus, potentially transmitting it to many others through indirect or direct contact. So while Galveston County officials continue to wrestle with whether they have the legal authority to follow Harris Countys lead and enforce restrictions on public gatherings in bars and restaurants, Yarbrough decided to stop waiting. Knowing there was a chance Houstonians would flock to his seaside island for St. Patricks Day celebrations, he decided Tuesday to sign two ordinances closing public amusement venues bars, theme parks, museums and limiting restaurants to takeout service for 15 days. Obviously the ripples of what happens around us are real, Yarbrough said. But its more of our own circumstances that dictate it My gut feeling, my common sense is we have a lot of cases in the county and the city we dont know about. The divergent approaches of the city and county reflect a divide among local officials over how severely to restrict businesses and in effect day-to-day life in the face of the growing coronavirus threat. While some local officials advocate radical measures to head off a doomsday scenario, others favor adhering to less-stringent federal guidelines on public gatherings. The result is a person in Houston with cabin fever cant go to the local pub for a beer, but can drive to suburban Montgomery County for dinner. Houston and Harris County elected officials announced Monday that bars and clubs would be closed starting Tuesday and restaurants would be restricted to takeout, delivery or drive-thru service. The decisions we make, and you make, to go out in groups or to stay home will very much determine whether people live or die, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo warned Monday. She was joined in her plea by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, a fellow Democrat. Turner tweeted Tuesday night: There will be no shelter in place in Houston. Fort Bend County announced in a press release Tuesday that bars in all incorporated and unincorporated areas would close until April 1. Restaurants would also only be open for takeout. We will continue to allow the science, not the fear or panic, to drive our decision-making in Fort Bend County, said County Judge KP George, a Democrat. We need everyone to do their part. Meanwhile, in Waller County, which borders the northwest corner of Harris County and where a handful of positive coronavirus cases have been identified, Republican Trey Duhon, the county judge, has no such plans. He said for now he will only issue a declaration of emergency and some restrictions on mass gatherings. I dont plan on closing the restaurants or bars in Waller County, which, in all honesty, we dont have a really high number of, Duhon said, acknowledging, That could change three days from now. In Montgomery County, Republican County Judge Mark Keough on Tuesday issued an amended order limiting gatherings at restaurants and bars to 50 people, with tables spread 10 feet apart. Movie theaters are also limited to 25 people. The CDC has requested that gatherings of 50 people or more cease for eight weeks, the order noted. Brazoria and Chambers counties are similarly urging residents to follow CDC guidance. Although Montgomery County restaurants can remain open, for now, it was of little comfort to staffers at one Irish establishment on St. Patricks Day. Server and bartender Sarah Buehler said business was slow Tuesday at the Gooses Acre Bistro & Irish Pub in The Woodlands. Theres no one here, said Buehler, glancing out at the patio, where just three tables were occupied early in the day. We thought last year was bad. This is nowhere near it. Its like a million times worse. On top of business being slow, restaurant general manager Brandi Watkins said she had to send some of her staff home because the 50-person limit includes employees. The business needs at least 15 workers to operate. She expects her dining room to be closed to the public in the near future but said the company plans to continue operating by offering takeout meals. Were just rolling with the punches minute by minute, she said. Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday abstained from providing a clear mandate from the state to close restaurants or bars or to suspend evictions and utility shutoffs, saying he would leave those decisions to local officials. But local health authorities say federal guidance on the virus is a moving target. During a press conference Tuesday, Philip Keiser, the Galveston County health authority, noted a discrepancy between White House guidelines urging Americans to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people and previous CDC guidelines saying assemblies should be limited to 50 people. Were looking at CDC recommendations which were issued on Friday, the presidents task force issued different recommendations on Monday, and CDC hasnt reconciled those things yet, Keiser said. Were trying to make sure we get the most clear, best guidance to people. Rural counties in particular could be ill-equipped to handle the expected influx of coronavirus patients as the testing capacity grows. Texas first coronavirus-related death occurred in Matagorda County; the man was the second positive case in the small, coastal county. Matt Sebesta Jr., the Brazoria County judge, noted that as a rural county of 380,000 people, its hospital system will be stretched hopelessly thin if reported coronavirus cases increase. Brazoria has five hospitals in the county with a total of only 325 staffed beds. Yet Sebesta is recommending that county residents follow CDC guidance for now and will continue to keep restaurants and bars open. I think the majority of people will do the common-sense thing, said Sebesta. If we see this get worse, and we see a huge spike in cases then we may have to be a little bit more forceful with closing bars and restaurants. Some county leaders are taking a more philosophical stance in opposing such closures. Galveston County Judge Mark Henry doubled down Tuesday on previous remarks he made that Harris Countys directive was illegal, saying, the U.S. Constitution forbids me from depriving liberty of property without due process. Henry added he would not make forceful recommendations to cities beyond following CDC guidance. The cities can make the decisions themselves, Henry said. Theyve got the same access to the same information. Yarbrough, the Galveston mayor and a former county judge, said he had no such qualms making that call. He agreed with Henry that county judges are more limited in the laws they can impose, but Galvestons emergency statutes give him the latitude to close bars and restaurant dining rooms. I dont want to get into the argument whether whos right and whos wrong, it doesnt matter at this stage, Yarbrough said of the citys and countys positions. We think we have the ability under the statutes and under the emergency declaration to close bars and restaurants and take the actions we deem necessary. Staff writers Rob Tate, Catherine Dominguez, Brooke A. Lewis and Kristi Nix contributed to this report. nick.powell@chron.com While that money bought waves of television ads Conway used to build name recognition and attack Foxx, it also attracted allegations that he was a fake progressive whose father was trying to purchase him a political post. Foxx campaigned on her record of contributing to a dip in the jail population by pulling back on prosecuting lesser crimes and focusing on more violent offenders. The closed off seating area inside a McDonald's restaurant in Leicester, as all McDonalds restaurants in the UK and Ireland become takeaways as the company attempts to cope with the coronavirus. (PA) All branches of Mcdonalds (MCD) in the UK and Ireland will close their restaurant seating areas and operate as takeaway outlets only in an attempt to tackle the spread of coronavirus. Every restaurant will ditch dine-in options, shut seating and close childrens play areas, but carry on with takeaways, drive-thrus and delivery operations. The public will also be able to use toilet facilities. Mcdonalds chief executive Paul Pomroy wrote in a statement: Our restaurants will remain open for as long as it is safe to do so. In the last 24 hours it has become clear that we need to temporarily change our operations to ensure the wellbeing of our employees and customers consistent with the governments guidance on social distancing. Therefore from 5am (Wednesday, 18 March) all restaurants will close seating areas and temporarily move to being takeaway, drive-thru and McDelivery only. He also said that all orders placed through Uber Eats (UBER) and Just Eat (JE.L) would be contact-free, with no physical contact between customers, employees and couriers, wherever possible. The fast food chain will continue with takeaways, drive-thrus and delivery operations. (PA) The fast food chain will give free drinks to workers in the emergency services and health and social care sectors if they present their work pass when ordering. A McDonalds spokesperson said that all employees of restaurants owned by the company, on both guaranteed hour contracts and flexible contracts, who need to self-isolate would be paid for the 14 day period, based on their average working hours. We are closely monitoring the situation and may review this as the Covid-19 response develops, the spokesperson said. Read more: Pubs and restaurants not covered by insurance even in government shutdown The fast food giants popular annual Monopoly promotion, which was due to be launched later this month, is being scrapped until later in the year, the company added. Pomroy said: This years prizes include a number of luxury holidays, European city breaks and cruises which will have all been impacted by current and ongoing restrictions on international travel. Story continues Following conversations with our suppliers and prize partners, we feel it is appropriate to delay the promotion until later this year. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK As a precaution against the coronavirus, the federal court in Tucson is suspending most proceedings that involve large groups of people. All civil and criminal jury trials scheduled to start in federal courts in Arizona before April 10 are postponed until further notice, Chief U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow wrote in an order Friday. Jury duty is suspended until April 10 for trials that have not yet begun, said Deb Lucas, acting district court executive/clerk of court. The suspension of jury duty could be extended, she said. All grand juries that were scheduled to convene before April 17 are suspended, Snow wrote in an order Monday. Snow cited the recent outbreak of the coronavirus and the declarations of public health emergencies by President Trump and Governor Ducey. The purpose of the orders was to protect public health through the aim of reducing the size of public gatherings, as well as balancing the fair administration of justice, Snow wrote. The exceptions to Snows orders are ongoing trials that will proceed as scheduled. Defendants charged with felonies will make their initial appearances before judges. Detention hearings will still be held. Federal court proceedings in Phoenix will remain as currently scheduled, Snow wrote. Snow did not specifically address Operation Streamline, a fast-track prosecution program for border-crossing cases, but the program was suspended this week. On a typical weekday, about 70 migrants plead guilty to misdemeanor border-crossing charges through Operation Streamline here. Last year, more than 18,000 cases went through the program in Tucson, court records show. By Michael Martina and John Whitesides DETROIT, March 10 (Reuters) - Joe Biden hopes to take a big step toward the Democratic presidential nomination on Tuesday when six states cast votes, while Bernie Sanders aims for an upset win in Michigan that would keep his White House hopes alive. Biden, who claimed the position of Democratic front-runner with a sweeping series of wins last week in Super Tuesday nominating contests, could build a formidable lead in the race to pick a challenger to President Donald Trump with another round of decisive victories. The biggest showdown between Biden and Sanders will take place in Michigan, a political battleground where Sanders sprang a stunning 2016 upset over Hillary Clinton that ensured a long nominating fight - something Biden hopes to avoid this time. With 125 delegates, Michigan is the largest prize of the six states voting on Tuesday, when a total of 352 delegates to July's Democratic nominating convention will be up for grabs. Missouri, Mississippi, Washington, North Dakota and Idaho also hold nominating contests. Since last week's romps on Super Tuesday, Biden has roared into the national lead in polling and delegates, knocked out his remaining viable rivals except Sanders and swept up another wave of endorsements from prominent Democrats and former rivals such as Senators Kamala Harris and Cory Booker. Democrats who were worried that Sanders' democratic socialist proposals to restructure the economy would doom the party to defeat in the November election have rushed to rally behind Biden, the former vice president under Barack Obama. Biden has a double-digit lead in the four most recent polls taken in Michigan. But Clinton held a similar lead in Michigan polls over Sanders, a senator from Vermont, before the 2016 primary, making predictions of the outcome this time even less reliable than usual. Like his resounding win in South Carolina that was powered by overwhelming support from African Americans, Biden was again lifted in Super Tuesday contests by strong support from black voters. Story continues In 2016, about one-fifth of Democratic primary voters in Michigan and Missouri, and an overwhelming 70% in Mississippi, were black. VIRTUAL KNOCKOUT OR LONG PRIMARY FIGHT? In Michigan, Sanders has pressed his criticism of Biden's past support for global trade deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement. The trade pact is unpopular in Michigan, where it is blamed for costing jobs. Biden has countered by recalling the Obama administration's decision to bail out the auto industry, an economic pillar in Michigan, and help its biggest city, Detroit, navigate a municipal bankruptcy. Biden is "viewed pretty favorably here. So, it does have that different element compared to 2016," said Steven Rzeppa, the mayor of Trenton, Michigan, an auto industry community south of Detroit, who added Sanders had a stronger organization in the state. A Biden breakthrough in Michigan, and big victories in Missouri and Mississippi, where he is heavily favored, would put him in prime position to strike a virtual knockout on Sanders in next week's March 17 contests, when the big states of Florida, Ohio, Illinois and Arizona all cast votes. If Biden retains a significant lead in delegates after next week's voting, Sanders will be out of realistic possibilities to catch up. By the end of March, about two-thirds of the delegates up for grabs in the race will be allocated. Heading into Tuesday's voting, Biden leads Sanders by 628-545 in pledged delegates, according to Edison Research. A total of 1,991 is needed for the nomination. The other big state where Sanders hopes for a win on Tuesday is Washington, which has 89 pledged delegates. Sanders beat Clinton there in 2016, when the state held caucuses, but it has switched to a primary this year and recent polls show a close race. Idaho and North Dakota, with 20 and 14 delegates respectively, also held caucuses in 2016 that went for Sanders. Both states are expected to be more competitive this time. Idaho has switched to a primary this year, and North Dakota's contest is called a caucus but functions as a primary, allowing voters to show up at polling sites during an eight-hour window during the day. (Reporting by Michael Martina and John Whitesides; Writing by John Whitesides; Editing by Soyoung Kim and Peter Cooney) Bengaluru, March 18 : A group of women continued to protest the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at Bilal Bagh in the city amid Coronavirus scare. "I am not scared of Coronavirus. Even if I fall sick and if that it is such a big issue, first annul the CAA and National Register of Citizens (NRC)," said a lady protesting at Bilal Bagh. She said if the government is so concerned about the protesters' safety, it can arrange for our protection. "Remove the CAA and the NRC, we will go back to our homes and relax. Do not subject us to the difficulties like that of Assam," she said. The protesters appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to undo the CAA and the NPR. Most of the women, numbering around 50, are wearing masks to avert Coronavirus contracting them and are maintaining distance between each other. The protesters have fumigated and sanitized the site of their showdown. The Delhi's Shaheen Bagh style Bilal Bagh protest in Bengaluru has already entered into sixth week. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) WOOD RIVER Madison Countys first COVID-19 case is a male in his 30s who recently traveled to a high-risk area of Europe, according to Madison County officials. Madison County Health Department Administrator Toni Corona and County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler spoke at a press conference Tuesday night at the health department in Wood River. Prenzler also announced he has signed an emergency disaster declaration that will enable the county to access assistance and funding from state and federal agencies. Corona said the department was notified Tuesday afternoon about the positive test. Theres a limit to the information we can share about him, she said. She noted that he did everything right and is in isolation at home. Corona also said the case is not yet on the Illinois Department of Public Healths case count, and will be included in Gov. J.B. Pritzkers briefing Wednesday. We felt it was very important to come to the public to know that we did receive a positive test result, she said. Corona emphasized they expect to see more cases. Since testing occurrence has been increasing, we are likely to see an increase in positive cases in Madison County, and this is to be expected, she said. Do not be alarmed by rising numbers, because when you look for disease you often find it. She re-emphasized the best ways to stop the spread of COVID-19 is to practice social distancing and basic hygiene. Weve been asking you to take these precautions for weeks, now, she said. Wash your hands, cover your mouths, stay home. Its crucial at this time for people to stay near home and in small numbers to help flatten the curve, she added. This effort will help decrease the spread and not overwhelm the hospitals or other resources. She also said anyone showing the key symptoms shortness of breath, respiratory distress, a fever of 100.3 degrees or higher, or a cough should seek medical treatment. Please call your health provider, do not just show up at the emergency rooms, she said. Do not show up at the health department. This is important: if you think you are ill you need to talk to your health care provider. She also said it is important to get information from credible public health sources. The Madison County Health Department webpage, madisonchd.org., has links to the IDPH and U.S. Centers for Disease Control. That is your best place to get resources and information, she said. This is a very fluid situation and information changes daily, frankly by the hour. We want you to be informed, we want you to have all the information you need. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) on Tuesday announced the first death of an Illinois resident who tested positive for coronavirus disease. The individual was a Chicago resident in her 60s who tested positive earlier this month and had contact with a known COVID-19 case. I am deeply saddened by the news that weve dreaded since the earliest days of this outbreak: the first COVID-19 related death in Illinois, said Gov. J.B. Pritzker. All of Illinois stands with this patients family and loved ones in mourning her loss and honoring her memory, he said. May her memory be a blessing. There are going to be moments during the next few weeks and months when this burden feels like it is more than we can bear, Pritzker said. This is one of those moments. But we will get through this together. The IDPH on Tuesday reported a total of 160 cases in 15 counties in Illinois. Cases have occurred in ages 9 to 91. WASHINGTON - Joe Biden swept to victory in Florida, Illinois and Arizona on Tuesday, increasingly pulling away with a Democratic presidential primary upended by the coronavirus and building pressure on Bernie Sanders to abandon his campaign. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 16/3/2020 (666 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. People stand in line to vote at the City of Rockford Election Office on Monday, March 16, 2020, in Rockford, Ill. Gov. J.B. Pritzker and state officials said Monday that despite restaurants, bars and other businesses being ordered closed, the Illinois Primary will be held as planned. (Scott P. Yates/Rockford Register Star via AP) WASHINGTON - Joe Biden swept to victory in Florida, Illinois and Arizona on Tuesday, increasingly pulling away with a Democratic presidential primary upended by the coronavirus and building pressure on Bernie Sanders to abandon his campaign. The former vice-president's third big night in as many weeks came amid tremendous uncertainty as the Democratic contest collides with efforts to slow the spread of the virus that has shut down large swaths of American life. Polls were shuttered in Ohio, and although balloting went ahead as scheduled in the three other states, election workers and voters reported problems. Still, Biden's quest for his party's nomination now seems well within reach. His trio of wins doubled his delegate haul over Sanders, giving the former vice-president a nearly insurmountable lead. Top Democratic leaders and donors have also increasingly lined up behind Biden as the best option to square off against President Donald Trump in November. Using a livestream to address supporters from his home state of Delaware, Biden seemed ready to move past the primary. He paid tribute to the Vermont senator for advancing key issues like affordable health care and combating climate change. "Sen. 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," Biden said. "So let me say, especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Sen. Sanders, I hear you. I know whats at stake. I know what we have to do." A voter walks into a polling station 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. There had been concern some polling places might not open on time Tuesday because of worker absences, but no problems have been reported. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) With the exception of North Dakota and the Northern Mariana Islands, Sanders hasn't scored a victory since Super Tuesday on March 3. He made no immediate move on Tuesday to contact Biden, according to people familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak for the candidates. During remarks early in the night, Sanders said little about the future of the race and instead focused on the coronavirus outbreak. Trump, meanwhile, formally clinched the Republican presidential nomination after facing minimal opposition. But much of the action was on the Democratic side, where higher vote totals in some key states suggested enthusiasm that even the coronavirus couldn't contain. Turnout in Floridas Democratic primary surpassed the 1.7 million who cast ballots four years ago. 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. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak) Sanders' path to the nomination is quickly narrowing, and some Democrats are now calling on him to drop out in the name of party unity. Top advisers have said he's considering whether the political landscape could look different as the virus continues to reshape life across the country. Still, the race increasingly favours Biden. He maintained strength on Tuesday with African Americans and older voters who have been the hallmark of his campaign. He also appeared to chip away at Sanders' previous advantage with Hispanics that helped him win Nevada and California early in the race. In Florida, Latinos made up roughly 20% of Democratic primary voters, and they largely sided with Biden. The former vice-president received the support of 62% of Puerto Rican voters and 57% of Cubans, according to AP VoteCast, a broad survey of primary voters. An Arizona voter delivers her mail-in ballot at a polling station for the Arizona presidential preference election Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) The public health and economic havoc wreaked by the coronavirus will nonetheless influence how the presidential contest unfolds. Rallies and other big events have been cancelled. Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez urged states with upcoming primaries to expand vote-by-mail and absentee balloting, as well as polling station hours trying to ensure the primary isn't further hampered going forward. "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 statement. But the damage may have already happened. A voter enters the parking lot of a polling station to vote in Florida's primary election, Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Orlando, Fla. As Florida officials try to contain the spread of the coronavirus, the state's voters headed to the polls and cast ballots in the Democratic presidential primary. (AP Photo/John Raoux) Four states Louisiana, Georgia, Kentucky and Maryland have joined Ohio in moving to push back their upcoming primaries, and others may yet do so. That has left the Democratic primary calendar empty until March 29, when Puerto Rico is scheduled to go to the polls. But island leaders are working to reschedule balloting there, too. That means there is nowhere for Sanders to gain ground on Biden anytime soon, even if he could find a way to mount a sudden surge. At least one of Sanders' top advisers chided party officials for going forward with voting on Tuesday. Former Vice President Joe Biden, participates in a Democratic presidential primary debate at CNN Studios in Washington, Sunday, March 15, 2020. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) "The Democratic Party rightly berates the GOP for ignoring scientists warnings about climate change," David Sirota tweeted. "The same Dem Party just ignored scientists warnings & pushed to continue in-person elections during a lethal pandemic, rather than delaying until there is vote by mail." There were problems across the country on Tuesday. In Illinois, for instance, there was a push to relocate about 50 Chicago-area polling places after locations cancelled at the last minute. Jim Allen, a spokesman for the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, said the board asked Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker last week to cancel in-person voting, but the governor refused. Pritzker countered that state law doesn't give him the authority to make the sweeping changes that elections officials wanted. Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks about the coronavirus Thursday, March 12, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) "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," the governor said. There weren't problems, everywhere, though. Mel Dockens, a 49-year-old small-business owner, voted in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale and said it was a tough choice. But he went for Biden because he thought Sanders progressive views might turn off some Democratic voters. "Its all about electability," Dockens said. "Its not that I dont trust Bernie Sanders, but I trust (Biden) a little more." Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. ___ Associated Press writers Bill Barrow in Atlanta, Katie Foody in Chicago, and Seth Borenstein and Alexandra Jaffe in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast, "Ground Game." ___ 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. BENZIE COUNTY -- After the first cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Michigan, medical facilities have changed their policies to protect patients and residents. On Thursday, Muson Healthcare sent out a press release about limiting visitor access. Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital's Living and Rehabilitation Center is now closed to visitors Munson Healthcare Chief Medical Officer Christine Nefcy said the changes are necessary to ensure the safety of patients and staff as the virus causing the disease continues to become more prevalent in the nation and potential cases are identified in the state. "COVID-19 continues to cause a public health threat and as a health care provider we have an obligation to meet the needs of the communities we serve and protect those most at risk which include the elderly and people with underlying health conditions," she said. Loved ones are encouraged to establish phone, email, or other means to stay connected. Effective March 16, 2020, all visitors will be prohibited from entering Munson Healthcare hospitals and facilities, with the following exceptions: Two visitors may accompany a pediatric patient. Visitors, including children who are 21 years of age or under, who are visiting patients that are at the end of their life. One visitor may accompany a surgical patient. If the surgical patient is admitted to the hospital post-surgery, the visitor must leave the hospital at that point. Visitors necessary for the provision of medical care for a patient (i.e. visitors who need to understand medical instructions for patients). Visitors who support activities of daily living for a patient. Visitors who must exercise power of attorney or court-appointed guardianship for a patient. Parents, foster parents or guardians of patients who are 21 years of age or under. Visitors to a patient who is in serious or critical condition or in hospice care. Those who are visiting under emergency or end-of-life circumstances. Visitors performing official governmental functions. Any visitor who meets the exception criteria must also meet health screening criteria. Visitors need to be prepared to answer questions about their current health, travel history, and contact with people exhibiting signs of COVID-19. Also effective March 16, 2020, in accordance with new recommendations from the American College of Surgeons and consistent with our pandemic response plan, Munson Healthcare has asked providers to cease scheduling and cancel all existing non-urgent and elective surgeries. A non-urgent or elective surgery is defined as any surgical procedure that may be postponed for two months without harming the patient. Oncology patient and inpatient surgeries will receive special consideration Urgent and emergency cases will be accommodated per normal practice Future cases falling under special consideration may be scheduled more quickly when possible The health and safety of our patients is of primary importance. Munson Healthcare staff will be contacting patients in response to this policy change. Munson Healthcare continues to work closely with local health departments and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to follow World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control guidelines to confront the disease. For more information on these and other COVID-19 topics and policies visit munsonthealthcare.org. The Frankfort Pines also is suspending any visitation. "We feel it is the most important thing to keep residents safe," said Steve Kelly, owner of the Pines. "It is a slight inconvenience for the short term, but we're following the same criteria Paul Oliver is. We're doing this in order to keep people safe. We'll do this until we feel there is more clarity from the health organizations. Until they say it is safe, we won't allow outside visitors." Family members have all been notified. Steve also said they have plans for if anybody in the facility gets infected. Pam Kelly, chief nurse, said there are also plans to have some employees stay at The Pines, to reduce the risk of bringing in COVID-19, if cases arise in Benzie. The Maples Medical Care Facility closed to all visitors on Friday. "We're healthy right now, no cases of flu or coronavirus in house, and we'd like to stay that way," said Kathy Dube, executive director of The Maples. "We're striving to stay that way.We're working with our medical director and local health department." COVID-19 Munson Healthcare continues to work closely with local health departments and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to follow World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control guidelines to confront the disease. Symptoms of COVID-19 include: fever, a dry cough, shortness of breath, and fatigue. At this time there is no treatment for COVID-19. Anyone who suspects they have the disease should quarantine themselves and be treated with supportive measures such as fluids, rest, and avoiding contact with others. Because of the number of test kits available in the state of Michigan, at this time testing is being limited to those patients who meet CDC and health department criteria only. People should not go to the Emergency Department, Urgent Care, or Primary Care office just for coronavirus testing. This could potentially expose others to the virus, and it could direct resources away from others who have emergent or life-threatening needs. Instead, people who think they may have the disease should stay home from work or school, drink plenty of fluids, rest, and isolate themselves. People who suspect they have COVID-19 and need to be evaluated should contact their primary care provider or the local hospital for further instructions. The appropriate time to seek emergency care is when there is an urgent need, such as difficulty breathing, or another life-threatening illness. Also, people at higher risk for contracting COVID-19 should stay home as much as possible. Those at higher risk include older patients, older adults, and people with serious chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease. To help prevent the spread of coronavirus in the state, Nefcy recommends using the same standard precautions for the flu: Wash hands frequently, for 20 seconds with soap, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent - 95 percent alcohol Cough into a tissue when possible (throw it away immediately) or into your arm if necessary Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, or nose Avoid contact with those who are ill Stay home from work if ill and keep sick kids home from school Avoid contact with other people's hands (handshakes, high fives, and fist bumps can all transfer viruses) Avoid crowds Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. More information on the virus is available at who.int and CDC.gov. To learn more about Munson Healthcare preparations, go to munsonhealthcare.org. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday defended calling the coronavirus 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 its a very accurate term. I didnt 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 dont think so. I think saying that our military did to them creates a stigma, he asserted. Also read: Govt scales up kits, labs for coronavirus, but not tests During the news conference, Trump said he took the right decision by imposing a travel ban on China. Also Watch | US President Donald Trump announces first human trial of coronavirus vaccine He replied in the negative when asked about disruption in the supply chain given that many precursors for pharmaceuticals come from China. No, I dont 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 US President said he did not expect China not honouring its trade deal commitment of buying things from the US as a result of the coronavirus. Well they need our product very badly... We have a good relationship with China. We have a signed agreement. Theyre 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. Also read: Novel coronavirus can survive on surfaces or in air for several hours, says study 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. Trumps 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. Trumps comments were also criticized inside the US, with warnings it could incite a backlash against the Asian-American community. Also read: At 5 Delhi quarantine facilities, passports taken, complaints over hygiene Our Asian-American communities -- people YOU serve -- are already suffering. They dont 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 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. 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 Beijings 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. PTI LKJ IJT I want to thank all the stakeholders in the district and the community of Elmwood Park for their continuous support and belief in what we are doing, and what we are able to provide for our students, said Wade. I look at this result as a continued investment with what our vision is for, what we can provide for our students. Police will be forced to enact a graduated withdrawal of service from their normal duties if the coronavirus outbreak worsens, senior officers have said. Emergency laws are being enacted to give officers the power to detain people with symptoms or force them to undergo testing. But forces across the country are drawing up contingencies to lose up a fifth of their staff to illness or self-isolation, putting pressure on their capacity as they are required to take on new duties. Deputy Chief Constable Paul Netherton, the national lead for civil contingencies, said the impact on policing depends how severe the UK epidemic becomes. At this moment in time we dont see it impacting on day to day service delivery, but as things change and absence rises and we can see that is coming things will have to change and we will adjust our service accordingly, he told the Home Affairs Committee. As things become more and more challenging, we will withdraw from some activities, prioritise, and take a graduated withdrawal of service approach. Mr Netherton said the decision on which services to withdraw is up to the chief constables of each regional force, but national guidance was being drawn up. Responding to crimes and threats to public safety will be prioritised above routine patrols and neighbourhood policing, he said, admitting: That will mean services are reduced in some areas. Mr Netherton said police leaders were planning for the reasonable worst case scenario, which he described as quite scary without giving details. Assistant Chief Constable Owen Weatherill, strategic lead for the National Police Coordination Centre, said priorities would change between different forces but the core functions we will deliver is around emergency response and threat to life. He told MPs: There are quite a lot of things we can take away that dont have a visible impact and wont make the public feel less secure and safe. Cressida Dick: Met Police not ruled out boosting numbers in London amid Coronavirus The officers were giving evidence for the Home Affairs Committees inquiry into the preparedness of police and other agencies for the coronavirus outbreak. At the time of the hearing on Wednesday, 104 people with the virus had died in Britain and more than 2,600 cases had been confirmed. Mr Netherton said police expected the key challenge to be supporting the NHS, and that fears of disorder and looting had not yet been realised. We have seen some panic buying when people think food will run out, but then they stop and the shops are restocked, he added. I am seeing more altruistic behaviour by our communities than the opposite. Planners are using data from Italy and other countries with more advanced coronavirus outbreaks to predict changes in call patterns, crime and demand. Police officers are not yet being given masks and protective equipment as standard, but can request them if they are visiting people with symptoms. Some forces, including Devon and Cornwall, have created covid cars containing specialist kit that can be deployed to incidents where needed. At least one police officer in South Wales Police has so far tested positive and many more are in isolation as a precaution. Police officers will prioritise responding to emergencies and helping the NHS (Getty) Mr Netherton said new government guidance saying that anyone who has a family member with coronavirus symptoms must self-isolate for two weeks was having an impact on staffing. Our request is if we could speed up testing for emergency service workers, he added. The officers confirmed that discussions about drawing on support from the military were ongoing, but said there was no current indication that soldiers will be needed for police work. The military will probably be called on by the NHS before we need to do it, Mr Weatherill said. New laws give officers the power to direct a person with coronavirus symptoms for screening or assessment, or to forcibly isolate them. Following concerns raised about the scope of the legislation, Mr Netherton said police would not use the powers willy nilly. He added: I wouldnt want the public to think the police suddenly have draconian powers where they can lock up anyone when they cough it is there to support the NHS. In the majority of cases theres not going to be a problem because people will do what theyre asked to do. He said police already have the powers needed to enforce a lockdown of the type seen in France, if the government enacted it. It is definitely a phased approach, Mr Netherton said. The endgame is a vaccine and then we start to make sure everyone is immune. Officials from the Border Force were also called to give evidence amid criticism of a lack of mass health screening at airports. Emma Moore, the chief operating officer, said only 34 people had either been identified or flagged themselves as having coronavirus symptoms when entering the UK. Temperature checks are not effective, and that has been the very clear scientific advice throughout, she added. Angela Perfect, coronavirus incident commander for the Border Force, said two hotels with a combined capacity of almost 600 beds were to be used as isolation centres for arriving migrants and asylum seekers. Following calls to free people from immigration removal centres amid questions of whether such detention was legal at a time when people cannot be deported, she said there was no plan to have a wholesale systematic release. Two detention centres near Heathrow Airport are currently quarantined for what is believed to be a seasonal flu outbreak, but officials admitted that detainees have not been tested for coronavirus. A representative of the Immigration Services Union told MPs several members of staff have already been quarantined because of contact with Iranian migrants who had symptoms. Lucy Moreton said there were no arrangements to test Border Force staff beyond those for the general public, even those who travel daily to and from France. The Home Affairs Committees inquiry into preparedness for coronavirus continues. The Trump administration is heading to Congress to ask for a $850 billion stimulus package to stabilize an economy shaken by the dramatic response to the novel coronavirus, according to multiple reports. Citing multiple sources, stories in the Washington Post, New York Times, and CNBC report that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is presenting details to Senate Republicans later on Tuesday. While the specifics of the planned stimulus package are limited, the White House is pushing for a payroll tax cut and another $50 billion in direct stimulus to help the airline industry, which has cratered as global quarantine rules have stymied air travel. Reportedly, the White House is also hoping to add more economic benefits for small businesses and employees in a new stimulus package, according to administration officials cited by The Washington Post. The aid package is on top of another $100 billion in funding for programs aimed at providing paid sick leave, food assistance, and other aid to American workers. That bill was passed by the House of Representatives last week. Details surrounding these legislative maneuvers remain sketchy as the country's political leadership continues to jockey for political points around aid as the country's economy crashes and is frozen by the need for social distancing and health precautions necessary to save off the worst effects of the global pandemic. As the price tag for aid approaches $1 trillion, the differences in approach from Democrats and Republicans are becoming apparent and could threaten to slow down efforts to get the economy moving. The White House and its supporters are pushing for a payroll tax cut that would essentially help wage earners who keep their jobs during the downturn along with direct assistance to the businesses that are affected. Meanwhile, Democrats are focused on assistance to workers, public health care providers, schools and senior citizens. In a sign of how fractured the political class remains, Senate Democrats are conferencing to discuss a $750 billion aid proposal which would include expansions to unemployment insurance, school financing, public transportation, Medicaid, additional healthcare funding, loan assistance and a freeze on evictions and foreclosures. Republicans are discussing the White House proposal with Secretary Mnuchin. Story continues Some of the opposition to payroll tax cuts stems from their position at the heart of the current benefits system as the primary source of funding for Medicare and Social Security. The concern among Democrats is that a payroll tax cut won't benefit people who have lost their jobs as small businesses shutter because of lost income. They're not alone. On Sunday, Utah's Republican Senator, Mitt Romney, embraced a modified version of a policy popularized by Democratic Presidential candidate Andrew Yang universal basic income. Romney's proposal, made with Arkansas Republican Senator Tom Cotton, called for the federal government to send checks directly to Americans. Romney called for a $1,000 one-month payment to Americans to help cover costs of rent, food, and other necessities for citizens impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. The last time Congress threw around these kinds of numbers was in 2008, when a $700 billion relief package moved through government to respond to the global financial crisis which had wrecked the world's economy. That last economic crisis was caused by financial speculation and over-leveraging in America's housing markets. This new crisis is impacting American businesses more directly as business in restaurants, bars, hotels, travel and tourism broadly, airlines and manufacturing grinds to a halt under the weight of social distancing requirements to stop the disease's spread. KALAMAZOO, MI The usual motto at One Well Brewing is high fives over handshakes." Customers and staff slap hands in the air to greet each other at the favorite Milwood brewery, in its fifth year of business. The meeting spot is often crowded with people lining up to get pints of unique brews that cover a variety of styles, from sours to stouts and blondes to barrel-aged ales. Children play in a family-friendly area of the brewery, and sounds of conversation and pinball machines fill the air. But now, with the threat of coranovirus forcing a statewide ban of dine-in service at restaurants, things look a little different. Employees, a much smaller group than usual, are still dispensing food and beer with a smile. But instead of high fives, they are exchanging verbal pleasantries only, while wearing gloves and carrying food out to customers cars. One Well Brewing Owner Chris ONeill said he started talking with his management team about the virus being reported in the news on Monday, March 9, and how it could impact the business. A week later, the governor instituted a ban closing One Wells usually crowded dining room, and shutting down onsite dining at most other restaurants across Michigan. As the government made rounds of announcements leading up to the ban, One Well and other businesses had to adapt on the fly. The business first voluntarily changed its capacity to 150 people. Soon after as ONeill wondered whether he would be forced to choose to close the restaurant amid government advisories against large gatherings the governor issued the executive order closing dining rooms across the state. ONeill said he spoke with employees and told them he is feeling the same uncertainties they are, and reached out to each employee by phone. I said, look man, I know youre scared, anxious, all these things. You know why? Because Im feeling the same way," he said. Hourly employees were advised to file for unemployment benefits, he said. ONeill is providing limited hours for some of them to work carryout service one element of his business that remains operational. But with the dining room closed, he said, the amount of total hours needed has dropped off for the company, which employed about 50 people. The company cannot pay all the hourly employees now that overall hours are reduced to almost nothing, and they have been laid off. The salaried management team is continuing to work, ONeill said. If employees receive unemployment benefits, that money will be a fraction of their usual pay, ONeill said. Soon after the dine-in ban began, ONeill blasted a message to fans of the brewery, and pledged to match the first $10,000 in donations to support the staff that had to be laid off. A Gofundme page that went live March 17 attracted more than $5,750 in about one day. In the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, One Well continues to offer to-go beer, cider, and a limited food menu. Customers can place orders at onewellbrewing.com/food-to-go. Customers are asked to stay in your car and wait for staff to bring the order out. The menu may change on a daily basis, the company said. ONeill said a lot of positive things have happened at his company in the past five years, and he is confident they will make it out the other side of the coranavirus issue, with hopes of throwing a big party to welcome people back to the neighborhood gathering place. He said employees and regular customers are used to seeing each others smiling faces, and that creates a positive atmosphere at the brewery. Now its all COVID-19 this and that, ONeill said. That doesnt make you feel good. The good thing is were all going through the same thing. He is also working on another idea to auction off some tie-dyed apparel to support the fundraising effort. The uncertainty, such as about how long the impacts will last, is on his mind, ONeill said, and he thinks about the product loss and other adjustments the business may have to make as the impacts continue. There isnt a magical date everybody knows when were going to open, ONeill said. Restaurants, breweries and other businesses across Michigan are facing similar challenges. Heres a look at some other local places that have modified operations to stay in business during the coronavirus outbreak: Also on MLive: Michigan officials confirm first fatality, 15 new coronavirus cases, 80 total Sandi Patty concert in Michigan was possible coronavirus exposure location One Well family will celebrate brewerys growth after 5 years in Kalamazoo 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". Expand Close Daria Klenovaya and Mary Manning / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Daria Klenovaya and Mary Manning 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. Expand Close Daria first came to Ireland through Adi Roches Chernobyl project / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Daria first came to Ireland through Adi Roches Chernobyl project 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. School closings and limiting business operations are meant to flatten the curve of people who are exposed to the coronavirus, said Commissioner Laura Blaney, D-South, adding she hoped young people understand they have to stay at home for the good of the community and to limit the risk to older people, who are more susceptible to the virus. With many school districts in Southeast Texas relying heavily on free-and-reduced meal programs to provide students with both breakfast and lunch, schools are putting together programs that will allow them to do so as coronavirus shutters campuses all across the state. Port Arthur ISD, with 65% of students eligible for the federal free-and-reduced meal program, will begin providing food for students Wednesday and throughout the duration of the closures. All lunches will be grab-and-go services designed to keep people in their cars and socially distanced as much as possible, although walk-up service is allowed as well. The school joins others across the state in taking advantage of a waiver provided by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, exempting them from a requirement to keep schools open to provide school lunches. Millions of young Texans are eligible for free lunch programs, and families across the state rely on schools to provide their children with nutritious meals each day, Sen. John Cornyn said last week. While closing schools is critical to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus, Im grateful to the administration for realizing the toll these closures could take on some Texas children and families and ensuring access to school lunches will continue. Feeding sites will be evaluated and some could close due to low participation and turn out, according to district officials. Port Neches-Groves ISD, who announced over the weekend that they would shut campuses through April, will begin a similar service on Monday. The program for the school, which will run from Monday, March 23 through Friday, April 3 intended for students 18 and under. More Information *This is not a comprehensive list, and districts across the region will list information on their websites as it becomes available. Port Arthur ISD: Breakfast 8-9 a.m. M-F Lunch 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. M-F Locations: Memorial High School 3501 Lucian Adams St. Jefferson Middle School 2200 Jefferson Dr. Lincoln Middle School 1023 Abe Lincoln Ave. Houston Elementary 3245 36th St. Port Acres Elementary 6301 Pat Ave. Port Neches-Groves ISD: Breakfast pickup time is from 7:30-9 a.m. Lunch pickup time is from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Pickup locations for Port Neches are: Ridgewood Elementary School 2820 Merriman St., Port Neches Woodcrest Elementary School 1522 Heisler St., Port Neches Taft Elementary School 2500 Taft Ave., Port Arthur Van Buren Elementary School 6400 Van Buren St., Groves Nederland ISD: 7:30-9:00 a.m. breakfast 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. lunch Locations: Central Middle School 200 N. 17th St. C.O. Wilson Middle School 2620 Helena Ave. Hillcrest Elementary School 2611 Avenue H. Nederland High School 2108 N. 18th St. Bob Hope School: M-F (this week only, times could change next week) Breakfast 7:30-8:30 a.m. Lunch: 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. All campuses See More Collapse Those picking up meals must have the students present in the drive-thru pickup line, district spokesperson Mike Tobias said. Meals will only be given for students present in vehicles. The breakfast menu includes Pop Tarts or cereal, fruit and a milk, and the lunch menu includes a sandwich, fruit, carrots and a milk. Dan Maher, the executive director of the Southeast Texas Food Bank, also is expecting to pitch in as more districts prepare to feed students during the closures, which could last anywhere from weeks to months. It is premature to have firm plans on how we are going to help the school districts at this point, and they will be the primary providers for their meal offerings, Maher said. But we are in conversations and will support them. Maher said the demand is similar to what the food bank sees during summer break, when economically disadvantaged people struggle to provide meals for their kids. We always focused on those who are economically disadvantaged, but during a disaster everyone needs, he said. The food bank already partners with districts, including Beaumont ISD, to provide backpack lunches, which could be used in the first days of the school closures. BISD, which announced Tuesday morning that it would close campuses and not return as planned after Spring Break, has not released specific details yet, although they said plans would be coming soon. The district has one of the highest needs in the region, with over 80% of their students eligible for free-and-reduced lunch. Susana Gonzalez, who has children in the district, said both the free meals and backpack lunches are appreciated. I know many kids who are fortunate enough to also participate in the Backpack Program with the SETX Food Bank where a backpack is given on Friday and the child has access to a meal while not in school, Gonzalez said. But if the district adopts a pick-up system like the other area schools, Gonzalez worries that not all parents will bring them to school just for the food. My concern is for the kids who rely on receiving their meals from BISD, she said. If a pick-up system is in place, what happens to those kids whose parents aren't able or willing to pick up breakfast/lunch to them? That worries me. Maher said he expects districts to use their backpack supplies first as they begin to distribute food. We expect that they will penetrate that as their first line of distribution, he said. The food bank said many schools have enough on hand for a month, but after that, grocery shortages could impact the distributions. For now, the volunteer organization is ramping up efforts to keep the food and distribution safe. We have beefed up our sanitization efforts in terms of having volunteers wash their hands more, he said. We are also downsizing our overall volunteer staff and asking anyone who feels sick not to come in. At the Bob Hope School, which has locations in Beaumont and Port Arthur, students will be served at all campuses as long as permitted, but with no start-dates yet. Lumberton ISD is still in the planning process, but will use regular vendors until they cant provide for us. isaac.windes@hearstnp.com twitter.com/isaacdwindes Syracuse, N.Y. With about a days notice, the Syracuse city school district handed out more than 8,600 meals for students on Tuesday, the first day schools were canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Each brown bag contained breakfast and lunch: a muffin, applesauce, milk, juice, a PB&J sandwich, graham crackers and fruit. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon announced Monday morning that schools would close at 4 p.m. the same day -- and four days before officials had previously planned. So the word went out Monday through robocalls, emails and the news media that the school district would continue to serve breakfasts and lunches. The message was simple, said Lynelle Francis, the principal at Bellevue Elementary in the citys Strathmore neighborhood. You are going to be cared for, she said as she and the schools staff and teachers handed out bagged meals and homework packets to students and parents Tuesday morning. The execution, though, was much more complex. By Tuesday, the district had prepared 18,000 meals to go, according to spokesman Michael Henesey. So far the district is using food it has on hand to pack the meals, said Rachel Murphy, the districts director of food nutrition services. The bags are packed at three of the citys high schools, then shipped out to 30 community centers and schools like Bellevue. Students and/or parents can pick up the meals 10 a.m. to noon on weekdays. About 5,000 of the bagged meals were put on 55 yellow school buses that followed newly established routes to deliver food to students who have a hard time moving about, she said. This is something weve never done before, Murphy said. Any student can go to any location, and parents can pick up for their children, she added. Theres no need for students to go to their own school if another location is closer to home. No questions asked, Murphy said. Grab it and go. All of the nearly 21,000 students in Syracuses school district eat for free. More than 80 percent qualify for free or reduced lunches. For many, the breakfast and lunch they get at school are their most reliable nutrition, officials say. Tuesdays turnout was a fraction of what the district normally serves. In January, the district served about 11,000 breakfasts and 14,000 lunches each weekday on average, Murphy said. Bellevue Elementary, for example, has 412 students, from pre-Kindergarten to fifth grade. On Tuesday, about 100 bagged meals were given away. Franklin Elementary on the North Side served more than 140 families. I think all the teachers are trying to figure out how to take care of our kids here at Franklin, while taking care of our own families at home," Franklin vice principal Dawn Kivlehan said. "A lot of us have older parents or young children at home just like everyone else. There were a few kinks to work out. The meals didnt arrive at the Central Library in downtown -- another pickup site -- until after 10:30 a.m. A parent who came in at 10 a.m. left, but he returned shortly after 11 a.m. to pick up two bags for two boys, 13 and 15. For now, the library is giving away books with every meal. The school district will adapt as students and families figure out routines: Some locations may prove busier, Mondays might draw more students after the weekend. The bus routes will change as families and officials figure out which corner makes the most sense to make a delivery. The food will evolve, too, Murphy said, to different types of sandwiches and more carrot sticks. One of the challenges is packing a bag that contains shelf-stable food. That means no hamburgers, no tuna fish salad, she says. It also means a challenge to get a variety of vegetables in the bags, she added. The district already has experience packing take home meals in the Blessing in a Backpack program. Using grants and donations, the district packs up weekend food bags for about 2,000 students at Delaware, Seymour and Dr. King elementary schools. That will continue every Friday, Murphy said. At Bellevue on Tuesday morning, some students ran through the front doors like it was the first day of school. Others took bags for siblings at home. Many also took home prepared packets of homework that were packed specifically for each child. The bundles contained about three weeks worth of work. Im going to love seeing the kids every day, Francis said, even if I cant hug them. READ MORE Coronavirus cases: A county-by-county count of confirmed cases Help starve the virus: Keep kids away from each other How Syracuse-area restaurants are adapting NY speeds up applications for unemployment pay Reporter Katrina Tulloch contributed to this story. Got a story idea or news tip youd like to share? Please contact me through email, Twitter, Facebook or at 315-470-2274. Thanks for visiting Syracuse.com. Quality local journalism has never been more important, and your subscription matters. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work. Allyson, of Philadelphia, Pa., gives a blood donation to the American Red Cross. Allyson found out about the blood donations from a text alert she signed up for from Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management. I just thought about the people that are sick that might need it, Allyson said. Im concerned about my parents in their early 70s and I want someone to take care of them if they needed it. Read more The American Red Cross and the medical facilities it supplies are experiencing a massive blood shortage as an unprecedented number of blood drives have been canceled regionally and across the country, as workplaces and schools have closed due to the coronavirus outbreak. The shortage means local hospitals are working to conserve the blood supplies they do have. In Southeastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey, and Delaware, more than 200 blood drives have been canceled over the last eight days, resulting in a shortfall of more than 7,000 donations, said Alana Mauger, communications manager for Red Cross Blood Services for the Penn Jersey region. To meet regional hospital demand, the Red Cross must collect about 600 blood donations daily. As the pandemic has grown, shutting down workplaces, schools, and public places, 4,000 drives have been canceled nationally, leaving more than 100,000 expected blood donations uncollected. Local officials have asked those who are healthy to donate blood as soon as they are able. Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Rachel Levine on Tuesday urged blood donation as she announced the number of positive cases of the novel coronavirus in Pennsylvania had reached about 100, although experts believe the true number of those infected is likely much higher. Don Siegel, director of the division of transfusion medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, is asking clinicians to be on the conservative side when placing orders for blood transfusions. For example, if they normally order two bags, theyre being asked to order one and, see how it goes, and if they need another bag, they will get one. He said the halting of elective surgery is also helping conserve the blood supply, which he described as not at a critical level at this point. There are shortages of blood that occur regularly throughout the year, he said. This is particularly bad" because many potential donors over the last week did not understand that blood drives are essential operations. What we and others are doing is conserving what we have, eliminating the need by putting off nonessential patient procedures. READ MORE: How to keep your immune system healthy during the coronavirus pandemic, according to experts Officials in Jeffersons network are taking similar steps. Julie Karp, medical director at Jeffersons blood bank, said the blood supply is a moving target, more so now than ever before." She and her staff are making a concerted effort to talk through nearly every blood order with clinicians to ensure waste is as close to zero as humanly possible. Karp also said Jeffersons in-house blood donation center had seen an uptick over the last week or so. Many of its regular donors are Jefferson students and staff who understand the importance to really step up when things like this happen. Siegel said hes working with the Red Cross to set up a drive near the hospital in the coming days and hopes to make it a weekly occurrence. About 80% of the blood the Red Cross collects comes from drives, as opposed to individual appointments at collection centers, of which there are six in the region. I dont think were ever going to get to a point where we can make up for all that 80%, Mauger said, but were certainly trying to chip away at it. Mauger said the Red Cross is still operating blood drives and has the ability to conduct them while following social distancing guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, so any entity with the ability to host a drive should reach out, she said. The Red Cross has implemented additional precautions, including taking the temperature of all staff and donors and asking every donor to use provided hand sanitizer before they enter the drive and while the donation process is ongoing. Theyre also spacing donation cots farther apart. READ MORE: Coronavirus & cleaning: Which green products are effective against viruses? Mauger said donors who have traveled to China, Italy, Iran, or South Korea should defer their donation for 28 days after arriving home. She also said anyone who has come into contact with somebody who has the virus should similarly defer donation for 28 days even if they are not showing symptoms. The Red Cross doesnt have guidance on whether to wear gloves or a mask, but Mauger said donors would need to remove those items to have their temperature taken and finger pricked. The Iraqi Oil Minister, Thamer al-Ghadhban, has asked OPECs head, Mohammed Barkindo to call an extraordinary meeting of OPEC+ to discuss all possible ways to reverse the oil price slide that began after Saudi Arabia announced it was going to start raising production and cutting prices. In a letter seen by Reuters, al-Ghadhban told Barkindo an extraordinary meeting could help to avoid adverse impacts on (the) short, medium and long term. Iraq is among the oil-producing countries most dependent on their oil revenues, so it is natural for al-Ghadhban to be the first to voice concern after Brent slipped closer to $30 yesterday. The OPEC basket of crude grades is also trading at a little over $30. Oil prices, already depressed by the slump in oil demand caused by the coronavirus outbreak, fell sharply after earlier this month Saudi Arabia announced it would be raising its production from below 10 million bpd to over 12 million bpd. The Kingdoms announcement came in response to Russias decision to not take part in a deeper round of production cuts proposed by OPEC, aimed at stymieing the oil price slide. Related: Saudi Aramco Is Very Comfortable With $30 Oil This is the same tactic that Saudi Arabia used in 2014 to stifle the growth of the U.S. shale oil industry. Then, the attempt failed when prices tanked so low that Saudi Arabia too began to feel the pain. Things have not changed since then. The Kingdom is still one of the lowest-cost producers of oil in the world but to balance its budget, it needs Brent at more than $80 a barrel. If it doesnt balance its budget, there will be no money for all the ambitious economic reform projects Riyadh was planning in a bid to reduce its dependence on oil. Russia, meanwhile, will also be pumping more. Energy Minister Alexander Novak said at the Vienna meeting in early March that Russian producers could add between 300,000 bpd and 500,000 bpd to daily production starting next month, adding to an already sizeable global supply glut. Story continues By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Read this article on OilPrice.com Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are finally together in Canada, but their reunion was met with a lockdown. The couple is in their $14 million Canadian bolthole when the Prime Minister made an announcement to lock down the borders of Canada amid the coronavirus epidemic. Canada Is on Lockdown Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are spending their sweet time together at their temporary home in North America. The two are back in Canada just in time before the announcement of its lockdown. Last week, the royal couple could not help but feel worried about their good friend Sophie Trudeau, wife of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Sophie is currently in isolation after contracting the virus during her visit to London. It remains unknown if Meghan or Harry met with her while she was in the U.K. Prime Minister Trudeau addressed the Canadians outside his home while he is in quarantine himself. The head of the state is currently under self-isolation for he might have been exposed to the virus himself. He has declared a lockdown in all the borders of Canada to keep people in their homes. This would help the government prevent the virus from spreading any further. On the other hand, Jessica Mulroney, Meghan's best friend, celebrated her 40th birthday while in isolation. On Instagram, the mom of three posted "Quarantine birthday is a new rage and I'm not mad about it." It remains unknown if Mulroney has met with the Trudeaus with whom she is also known to be friends with. Canada has put in place its new measures to keep the coronavirus from spreading. Hopefully, the massive education drive would help people understand the ramifications if the virus spreads out and more people get sick. Together Again After attending the Commonwealth Day service in Westminster Castle, her last engagement as a senior member of the royal family, Meghan immediately flew back to Canada to be with Prince Archie. Prince Harry, on the other hand, was left in the U.K. to attend to some unfinished business concerning their resignation from the royal family. However, a source close to the couple confirmed that the two are finally together in Canada. After several meetings in Buckingham Palace, the Duke of Sussex returned back to Canada at the end of last week to be with his wife and their young son. Airline companies have put more stringent measures to ensure that passengers with flu-like symptoms are not able to board planes and enter Canadian borders. Only four airports across North America -- including Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary -- will be allowed to accept international flights. "As the virus continues to spread all over the world, we have decided to take an extra step of precaution to keep you and your families safe," Trudeau said. There are at least 324 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Canada as of March 16, 2020. At the moment, the health workers are looking at 17 prospective cases of coronavirus in the country. Three new deaths were reportedly linked to coronavirus, bringing the total of fatalities in Canada to four. Writer/actress Jill Kargman seems like she would have been an obvious choice to join the cast of The Real Housewives of New York City. Her Bravo scripted show, Odd Mom Out was a satirical commentary of high society parenting, which made her a ripe choice for producers. But she recently revealed she probably wouldnt truly fit in with the cast. She dished on Out in the Wild podcast about why she never got into the Housewives franchise and which Housewives shes met. Tamra Judge and Jill Kargman | Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images Kargman says that despite sending her children to exclusive private schools, she still tried to keep the family environment down to earth. That is one reason, among many to why she and Housewives simply werent a match. She never watched the Housewives Kargman said you couldnt pay her to watch the Real Housewives. The podcast hosts were flummoxed because the world she described in Odd Mom Out was so RHONY. But Kargman insists her world and the RHONY world is different. This is going to sound really snobby but Im gonna lay it out there, she said. The people on the shows they might be rich, and they might be in fact richer than Upper East Side people. But its just a different kind of refinement. Or lack thereof. Especially in New York, these are not people who are, and Im not I dont go to these clubs, I dont care, she continued. But they would never get into the clubs. They would never get into proper schools. Theyre not refined. So you can be loaded, and probably have way more money than these preppy, waspy people, Im sure they have mansions and whatever. But whether its the plastic surgery or the lips that look like labia, or whatever. Its just not a look thats high fashion. She doesnt love the fighting too RHONY was originally supposed to be called Manhattan Moms. But Kargman pointed out no one would give producers actual access to the truly elite in the city. I think there is a particular type of person in New York or anywhere and its usually like an old-line family, Mayflower thing. They believe that press is tacky. And you should only have your name in the paper at birth, marriage, and death. They dont want exposure, they think its cheap. As far as watching the show, she just isnt into the smackdowns notorious to the Housewives. I just dont want to watch people fighting, Kargman said. Its just not my thing. Id rather watch Mad Men or Game of Thrones. Shes met a few cast members, including Heather Dubrow from The Real Housewives of Orange County. Kargman was always partnered with a Housewife when she appeared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. She says every Housewife shes met was nice. Plus, she met Aviva Drescher from RHONY too. We share a mutual friend, Adam, Kargman says. And I like her too. Aviva said, I know you dont watch the show, but I want you to watch for me kind of thing. I couldnt. I said I love you but I cant do it. Lucia Harmeling sat cross-legged in front of a laptop, waving excitedly at the screen as more students (and one excited dog, Maya) joined the class. Hello! Oh, hi Maya! The yoga teachers mat was positioned in front of a blue swirl mural on the wall of Atrium Yoga Studio on Westheimer. The studio began offering yoga classes twice daily via internet livestream on Monday. Students are asked to register online at least an hour in advance for a virtual session. Fifteen minutes before class starts, an email goes out with a link to join the class via Zoom, a virtual conferencing service. A Spotify music playlist called S&S + spice was provided for students to play in their homes during the 60-minute practice. Harmeling recommended streaming the class on a separate device than the Spotify playlist, which contained therapeutic melodies combined with softer covers of pop songs like Take My Breath Away. Now Playing: Sarah Gordon leads a livestream yoga class at Atrium Yoga Studio Video: Melissa Phillip, Staff photographer/Houston Chronicle The class started with a movement to wipe all off all the negative energy from the arms, legs, stomach and neck. Then, the flow began. When we get overwhelmed, its so nice to look at one thing, Harmeling said from downward-facing dog. The ability to stay soft even when the world is shaky. On HoustonChronicle.com: How to set up an at-home yoga studio Since the coronavirus outbreak became a reality in Houston, several local and franchised gyms have closed their doors in an abundance of caution. But the owners know that people need exercise to stay in physical and mental shape. So, theyve turned to technology. And with the exception a few digital hiccups, its working. Through a livestream video, students are able to watch their teachers do movements in real time, call out the next steps and give real words of encouragement. On March 13, owners Jen Yuhas and Madonna McManus decided to close the studio doors to in-person classes. They felt it was their responsibility as community leaders to set an example and encourage social distancing. They closed the following day. Exercise classes thrive on community. Its that hour a day away from the stress of the real world. How does that work online? Starting last week, McManus noticed students coming in with sad, stressed looks on their faces and knew it was partly their responsibility to keep their students going in the midst of coronavirus panic. We see companionship here in this space, so we wanted to livestream so we can still see faces. You can see one another, your teacher and talk to one another the way you would in a normal yoga class, McManus said. We try to give people a sense of community as best we can in a virtual sense. At Dance House Fitness on Richmond Avenue, Jenny Sanchez has been offering at least one livestream class a day. Her first class had 60 people join in via Zoom; the next day had 90 people, joining from Texas, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Florida and France. On HoustonChronicle.com: Shape up with these easy at-home exercises Sanchez said word-of-mouth from current clients have been the reason behind the packed classes. Social media followers from other cities now have the opportunity to participate in the virtual classes, which range from dance cardio to choreography. Its so inspiring. This time more than ever, people need movement and stress relief and the ability to sweat it out, Sanchez said. Being able to offer that to people in quarantine, and those working from home, so people can have a normal schedule and keep on track with their routines. Its unclear how long coronavirus-induced quarantines and social distancing will be the new normal. But Sanchez is ready to help her members with their physical, mental and spiritual goals. Everyone in the fitness community is coming together to provide what we do best: making people feel good, strong, empowered, she said. For us to continue that, we feel proud. Lets get through this quickly and get back to working out in the studio. DEFINE Body and Mind in Bellaire is offering free livestream workouts to its clients and non-members. Founder Henry Richardson said self-care is as important as social distancing to ensure health and wellbeing. On HoustonChronicle.com: How to keep your mental health in check during the coronavirus pandemic The No. 1 contributing factor to our well-being is our biology. How we sleep, what we eat, and the exercise we do ( and dont do) all influence our bodies and our brains response to our present moment, Richardson said in a news release. Find connections that bring positivity take a deep breath, stretch, have dinner with a friend via speakerphone, etc. As we create social distance with others, how we fill that space is going to influence our physical, mental, and emotional well-being for the coming months. Another free option is exercise classes at Discovery Green via Facebook Live. Many classes will be rescheduled and reprogrammed for a digital format. Yogi John Tran has led a free session at the Houston park since 2008; his Tuesday virtual class was viewed 10,000 times on Facebook. Toward the end of Harmelings practice at Atrium Yoga, she encouraged her students to close their eyes and feel the earth beneath their feet. She told them to feel the energy of everyone here here being this communal space on a digital conference call. Feel and know you are never alone, Harmeling said. Feel connected to the Earth; we are all connected. We are all breathing for each other. julie.garcia@chron.com Twitter.com/reporterjulie Renew Houston: Get the latest wellness news delivered to your inbox I think its always important for young people to vote to get their voices out, said Collins, who admitted he was a little bit worried about going to a public polling place. I avoided the touch screen because of that but overall, I felt it would be safe. It was my first-time voting and it was pretty cool and nice to be part of the political process. Colombo, March 18 : Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has called on the citizens of the country to temporarily halt travel, public gatherings or celebrations as this would enable the government to completely control the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, the President's office said in a statement on Wednesday. With Sri Lanka recording 43 COVID-19 patients, Rajapaksa said a large number of Sri Lankans had returned to the country in recent days from virus-hit nations including Italy and authorities had identified all of them as well as their closest relatives and had asked them to be self quarantined in their own homes. "We have deployed the police, the tri-forces, public health inspectors and local government officers for this purpose and I request that they be given the fullest cooperation," the President was quoted by local media as saying on Wednesday. He called on all Sri Lankans who had returned from overseas recently to act responsibly and explained that the government had declared a four-day public holiday to minimize the spread of the virus. "At this moment, we must minimise all possibilities of this virus from entering and spreading across the country. We have already identified what needs to be done and have put these into action. We have empowered the Task Force accordingly," Rajapaksa said. "We have faced and won over challenges before. We are ready to face the challenges. What we need is unity. Therefore, I ask from the people to act with responsibility," he added. With businesses hampered due to the outbreak of the pandemic, President Rajapaksa also unveiled relief packages such as offering lentils and canned fish at subsidized rates, and ordered banks and finance companies to allow a recovery period of six months for the loan facilities taken by businesses. "We are in the process of planning more relief to the public," the President said. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text The U.K. government said Wednesday it plans to shut schools in England as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Speaking at the government's daily press conference on the coronavirus outbreak, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "Looking at where we are now, we think now that we must apply further downward pressure on that upward curve by closing the schools." "So, I can announce today that after schools shut their gates from Friday afternoon, they will remain closed for the vast majority of pupils until further notice." It comes shortly after Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland announced their schools would close from Friday. All schools and colleges in the Republic of Ireland have also been closed. "This does mean that exams will not take place as planned in May and June, though we will make sure that pupils get the qualifications they need and deserve for their academic career," Johnson said. As of Wednesday, the U.K. had more than 2,600 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 72 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. On Tuesday, the U.K.'s finance minister announced a 330 billion ($398 billion) aid package of loans for businesses, as well as a business rates holiday and grants. Finance Minister Rishi Sunak said the government would "support jobs ... 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 scale of government interventions in the economy were "unimaginable" just weeks ago. A majority of women work in agriculture or in other labour-intensive sectors in the country. Image credit: By CIAT - NP Himachal Pradesh 68Uploaded by mrjohncummings, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30330009 According to a report by Bain & Company and Google, the labour force participation rate (LFPR) of women in India, already amongst the lowest in the world, is taking a further hit as women bear the brunt of the country's unemployment crisis the most. Indias LFPR, which is the share of people in the 16-64 age group who are employed or seeking employment, has seen the sharpest decline in the 15-24 age group. Despite having half of its population in the working-age group, India is the only country which has seen womens workforce participation fall so drastically. As per the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report, India ranks a dismal 149th position out of 153 countries on Economic Participation and Opportunity for women. India is way behind sub-Saharan Africa which has four of the top 10 best performers. Gender gap in India is amongst the widest worldwide in the category - India has just closed 35.4 per cent of the gender gap and is just slightly better than Pakistan (32.7 per cent), Yemen 27.3 per cent), Syria (24.9 per cent) and Iraq (22.7 per cent). As per an SDG India-Index Report, 2019-20, the gender wage gap between sectors is also high as much as 50-75 per cent. A large percentage of those in the workforce is in the informal sector with little or no social protection, while agriculture still has the highest share of women. White-collared jobs are out of reach for a majority of women, and more women are employed in labour-intensive or low-paying jobs such as domestic work, agricultural labour and as salespeople. According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), there is also a huge disparity between men and womens care responsibilities. While globally, women perform three times as much work as men, in India, women do as much as 10 times more unpaid work than men. The burden of unpaid work falls on women, and as per a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), women spend as much as 352 minutes per day on unpaid work as opposed to men who spend only 52 minutes amongst the least. Story continues There are a number of reasons for the low and declining LFPR among the positive ones are higher education and increase in rural income, however, societal constraints, the burden of family and childcare falling primarily on women, the absence of job opportunities, quality support and assistance and gender wage gaps, have also contributed to this reduced rate. Further, as routine jobs get automated, women are expected to be hit the most. Of around 432 million working-age women in the country, approximately 343 million are not in paid work. This will prove to be a major impediment in the way of India fulfilling its sustainable development goal (SDG) of eliminating gender inequalities by 2030. This also has huge economic implications. With Indias working-age population breaching the 1 billion mark by 2030, the economic potential of around 400 million women will remain untapped. As per a United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) India study, by raising Indias women participation numbers to the same level as men, the countrys GDP could rise by 27 per cent. Opportunities exist Despite the rather dismal picture, the sheer number of women who are employable shows potential. As per the report by Bain & Co in collaboration with Google, titled Women Entrepreneurship in IndiaPowering The Economy With Her, a heightened focus on fostering entrepreneurship among women will help generate employment for around 17 crore people in the next decade. An estimated 13.5 million to 15.7 million women-owned and controlled enterprises are creating direct employment for 22 million to 27 million people in India. Enterprises created and run by women will have strong outcomes as women entrepreneurs are more likely to hire other women and be less influenced by gender stereotypes. By increasing womens participation and enabling female entrepreneurship, women can help make a gradual shift from high fertility, low education and poor health to making more conscious reproductive choices, higher education and better health for self and family, states the report. Further, women entrepreneurs can also foster innovation - as more women set up businesses, they can focus on and cater to areas and needs which may otherwise be overlooked. Currently, most of the ventures are single person owned businesses which have low returns and employment. As per the report, only 17 per cent of women-owned enterprises employ hired workers. This needs to change in order to bring more women into the workforce. The report states that by establishing high growth entrepreneurs with annual revenue or employment growth of more than 20 per cent, enabling willing and ambitious solo and small business owners to scale by providing access to structures knowledge, bringing in more women who are currently not in the workforce, and providing a more financially viable, attractive and aspirational agri-business model, the country can unlock the immense potential that women in the labour force present. For this, the Government should work towards formulating policies that encourage organisations to recruit more women, and which encourage women to set up more business, facing fewer hurdles. In its India@75 road map, the NITI Aayog had suggested that the government should work towards enhancing the female labour force participation to 30 per cent. A concerted, joint effort is needed between the Government and the private sector to ensure that this immense potential is tapped. By Trend A full commissioning of the Southern Gas Corridor will enable Turkey, Greece, and Italy to more significantly diversify their gas imports, which will enhance their energy security, Nathan Reich, Energy Diplomacy Officer, Bureau of Energy Resources, US Department of State, told Trend. "For Bulgaria and potentially some of its neighbors, the Corridor could be transformative because it would undermine Russias position as monopoly supplier of natural gas to those markets. Since options tend to strengthen a countrys ability to negotiate prices, the Corridor should enable these countries to reduce their total expenditures on energy purchases and pass those savings on to consumers, freeing up financial resources to be invested in other productive ways," said the energy diplomacy officer. "Once completed, it will provide Europe with a new long-term source of supply to meet its natural gas demand. By diversifying Europes natural gas imports, the Corridor will enhance European energy security and thus advance our shared national security interests," he said. Reich went on to add that for the US Government, the Southern Gas Corridor is valuable for two main reasons: one has to do with energy security, the other with political and economic integration. The Southern Gas Corridor project aims to increase and diversify European energy supply by bringing gas resources from the Caspian Sea to markets in Europe. The Southern Gas Corridor comprises the following four projects: (i) operation of Shah Deniz natural gas-condensate field ("SD1" project) and its full-field development ("SD2'" project), (ii) the operation of the South Caucasus Pipeline ("SCP" project) and its expansion ("SCPX" project), (iii) the construction of the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline ("TANAP" project) and (iv) the construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline ("TAP" project) (SD2, SCPX, TANAP and TAP collectively, the "Projects"). The Projects have an estimated investment cost of approximately $40 billion. Upon completion, the SD2 project will add a further 16 bcm of natural gas per annum to 10.9 bcma (maximum production capacity) already produced under SD1 project. Total length of the newly constructed SCPX, TANAP and TAP pipelines will be more than 3,200 kilometres. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz (Natural News) After more than three decades of research, scientists in what has been called a landmark discovery have finally synthesized a powerful anti-cancer compound. The compound, named E7130, is a type of halichondrin, and was synthesized by a team of researchers from Harvard University in collaboration with researchers at Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai. The team published their findings in the journal Scientific Reports. Halichondrins, according to the researchers, have shown potent anti-cancer properties in mouse studies. These compounds, however, are only found in minuscule quantities in Halichondria okadai, a species of sea sponge. In addition to their rarity, the compounds are so structurally complex that prior to this study, they had never been synthesized on a meaningful scale in a laboratory environment. It is particularly challenging to replicate because it has 31 chiral centers, asymmetrical points that must each be correctly oriented. In other words, there are roughly 4 billion ways to get it wrong, the researchers said. We spent decades on basic research and made very dramatic progress, Yoshito Kishi, a professor of chemistry at Harvard, said after their research team successfully synthesized sufficient quantities of E7130. According to Kishi, whose research was supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), this will enable rigorous studies of E7130s biological activity, pharmacological properties and efficacy. (Related: The power of food cures: Study shows foods like carrots, grapes and oranges have CANCER-FIGHTING properties.) Halichondrins were first identified 33 years ago by Japanese researchers and sparked immediate interest after scientists recognized that they affected the formation of microtubules, which are essential for cell division. At that time, they realized the halichondrins looked exceedingly potent, Takashi Owa, chief medicine creation officer for Eisais oncology business group and a co-author of the paper, said. Due to the very unique structure of the natural product, many people were interested in the mode of action, and the investigators wanted to do a clinical study, Owa explained, adding that until the recent development, a lack of drug supply prevented researchers from doing it. As detailed in their report, Kishi and the team were able to synthesize E7130 on a scale larger than 10 grams with more than 99.8% purity, thus allowing more opportunities for the researchers to conduct a number of pre-clinical evaluations. We are very delighted to see our basic chemistry discoveries have now made it possible to synthesize this compound at [a] large scale, Kishi said. In their paper, the scientists also described newly-discovered insights into how E7130 operates. Aside from confirming the results of past studies which showed that halichondrins can inhibit microtubules, the newly-synthesized E7130 also showed a unique property during in vitro and in vivo studies on animal models: It changes the tumor environment. According to the researchers, E7130 does this by increasing intratumoral CD31-positive endothelial cells and reducing alpha-SMA-positive cancer-associated fibroblasts, components of the tumor microenvironment that may be involved in the growths transformation to malignancy. As per the researchers, this mechanism may improve how well other cancer drugs work. This discovery, according to Vivian Berlin, managing director of strategic partnerships at Harvard, may hold the key to accelerating the development of new classes of therapeutics that may address important unmet medical needs. Sources include: MedicalNewsToday.com Nature.com Eurekalert.com A pounding on the door of his motel room alerted Lovepreet Singh to the fire that was burning doors down from where he was sleeping this morning. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 18/3/2020 (664 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A pounding on the door of his motel room alerted Lovepreet Singh to the fire that was burning doors down from where he was sleeping this morning. Singh, 22, was a guest at the Capri Motel on Pembina Highway in Fort Garry. Firefighters were called to the motel at about 6:10 a.m. Heavy smoke and flames were billowing out of the buildings roof when crews arrived. Singh said the motels front desk clerk beat on his door at about 6:15 a.m., after being alerted to the fire by nearby taxi drivers who noticed the flames. "We were wondering who it might be, so we looked through the window at whats happening, and we saw smoke coming out," Singh said. "We were scared that someone was knocking on our door that loud. "Then I went out and saw the roof of room number six or seven was on fire." Singh, who is travelling by car from British Columbia to Toronto and stopped overnight at the motel, said he had enough time to collect his belongings before evacuating the suite.There was smoke in his room when he awoke, but the smoke detector did not go off, he said. The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said some occupants of the motel had evacuated before firefighters arrived. No injuries were reported, but a cat is missing. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press) No injuries were reported. One cat was found by fire crews and brought to safety, and another is missing. Crews remained on site extinguishing hot spots throughout the morning. The cause of the fire will be investigated. Damage to the motel is extensive. A large portion of the roof spanning at least two suites on the east end of the motel was destroyed by flames. Contents of the suites mattresses, night stands, bicycles and furniture were piled outside as firefighters continued to extinguish hot spots through a hole cut into the roof. The facility is home to long-term tenants and short-term guests. Calls to the motels owner were not answered Wednesday morning. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. This is the second major fire at the building since November. Firefighters were called to the hotel at about 9 a.m. on Nov. 17 to extinguish a blaze in a suite on the first floor of the building, where crews found a body. The death was determined non-criminal, police said. Last month, the motels parking lot was the site of a violent dog attack. On Feb. 29, four dogs attacked numerous people before crossing Pembina Highway and leaving the area. Two people were taken to hospital with what police called "severe, life-altering injuries," and another was treated for less serious wounds. After the attack, an employee of the Capri Motel told the Free Press the dogs may have belonged to a couple who live at the motel. The dogs were apprehended and euthanized, and the owner has since been charged under the city's Responsible Pet Ownership By-law. danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca Flags are waved ahead of the final of the Eurovision Song Contest in the B&W Halls in Copenhagen, Denmark, Saturday, May 10, 2014. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) Coronavirus The Eurovision Song Contest has been cancelled for the first time in its 64 history due to the worldwide coronavirus outbreak. The decision was announced on Wednesday in a statement from the European Broadcasting Union. The message read: "It is with deep regret that we have to announce the cancellation of the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam. Read more: Glastonbury Festival postponed until 2021 "Over the past few weeks we have explored many alternative options to allow the Eurovision Song Contest to go ahead. Duncan Laurence of the Netherlands, center, celebrates with the trophy after winning the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest grand final with the song "Arcade" in Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday, May 18, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) "However the uncertainty created by the spread of COVID-19 throughout Europe - and the restriction put in place by the governments of the participating broadcasters and the Dutch authorities - means the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has taken the difficult decision that it is impossible to continue with the live event as planned. 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 "We are very proud that the Eurovision Song Contest has united audiences every year, without interruption, for the past 64 years and we, like the millions of fans around the world, are extremely saddened that it cannot take place in May." The 2020 final of the annual music event was due to be held in Rotterdam on Saturday 16 May, with Graham Norton returning to commentate for UK viewers. Josh Dubovie of United Kingdom and Graham Norton attend the press conference held after a final dress rehearsal of the Eurovision Song Contest on May 28, 2010 in Oslo, Norway. (Photo by Nigel Waldron/Getty Images) Jon Ola Sand, Executive Supervisor added: "We are very proud of the Eurovision Song Contest, that for 64 years has united people all around Europe. And we are deeply disappointed about this situation. The EBU, together with the Host Broadcaster NPO, NOS, AVROTROS and the City of Rotterdam will continue to talk to see if it's possible to stage the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam in 2021. I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in the process of staging a great Eurovision Song Contest this year. Unfortunately, that was not possible due to factors beyond our control. We regret this situation very much, but I can promise you: the Eurovision Song Contest will come back stronger than ever." In February, James Newman was announced as the UK's entrant to the competition with his song My Last Breath. It is yet to be confirmed whether or not this year's acts' songs will be eligible for 2021, if they are guaranteed a return. Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has announced a $10 million small business recovery loan fund to help companies struggling because of efforts to slow the coronavirus pandemic. Baker said Monday the fund will provide emergency capital up to $75,000 to Massachusetts-based businesses with under 50 full- and part-time employees, including nonprofit groups. Loans are immediately available to eligible businesses with no payments due for the first six months. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Commercial Lines Business Insurance New Markets Massachusetts The two sides reached the agreement at working sessions held during a visit of Vietnamese Ambassador to Algeria and Senegal Nguyen Thanh Vinh, accompanied by the defence attache and trade counsellor of Vietnam to Algeria, to Senegal from March 8th 14th. Ambassador Vinh presented his letter of credentials to Senegalese President Macky Sall on March 10, followed by a reception hosted by the president. Vietnamese Ambassador to Algeria and Senegal Nguyen Thanh Vinh (L) meets Senegalese President Macky Sall on March 10th. (Photo: VNA) President Sall highlighted the Vietnam Senegal relations, saying the two countries are friends with long-standing ties. He reiterated that Senegal wants to further boost cooperation with Vietnam in multiple sectors, particularly trade, investment, agriculture and industry. The president emphasised the close partnership between the two nations in agriculture, with Vietnam sending many experts to share experience and helping the Senegalese people develop paddy rice farming, contributing to strengthening the African countrys food security. The Vietnamese diplomat, for his part, said Vietnam always attaches importance to traditional relations and multi-faceted cooperation with Senegal in areas where both sides have advantages, such as agriculture, sea-based economy and trade. He vowed to do his utmost in his new position to foster friendship and cooperation between the two countries. Ambassador Vinh also had separate working sessions with Senegals Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, and Chamber of Commerce and Industry, during which the two sides again affirmed they hold great potential to expand partnerships in agriculture, trade, marine economy and information technology. The two sides agreed to continue completing a legal framework for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on industry and trade and agreements on investment protection and double taxation avoidance to encourage more of their businesses to invest and do trade with each other./. Hours after making an appeal to the people returning home from abroad to register themselves with the official COVID-19 portal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday registered his sister Gita Mehta's name on the portal after her return from the US. Patnaik's elder sister Gita Mehta (77) stays in the USA and usually visits her late father Biju Patnaik's house every year in March. She remained in "home isolation" at the Naveen Niwas, the chief minister's residence near the city airport. "I have registered my sister's details on the government portal for persons coming from abroad," Patnaik said in a tweet. The chief minister lodged his sister's details in the designated portal within 24 hours of her arrival, an official said. While making an appeal to other foreign returnees to inform the government about their tour, Patnaik thanked Gajapati Maharaja of Puri and his family members for themselves intimating about their arrival from the US and going into the self- quarantine. The state government has already announced an incentive of Rs 15,000 for registration of foreign returnees and isolating themselves at their homes. "I appeal to everyone coming from abroad to mandatorily register themselves through the toll-free number 104 or online portal -- covid19.odisha.gov.in -- within 24 hours of arrival in Odisha, to prevent the spread of the disease in the state," Patnaik said in a video message. Self-disclosure will help the administration in tracking and containing the virus outbreak, he said. As many as 1,239 people have already registered their names with the portal and through helpline number by Tuesday. Police on Wednesday raided some hotels and guest houses in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack for allegedly ignoring the government's advisory and not informing the administration about their guests. A guest house in Jaydev Vihar in the state capital was sealed, a senior official said. "A group of people from Maharashtra and Delhi had stayed in this guest house, but the owner did not inform the administration. Therefore, we have sealed the facility," he said. As part of its measures to tackle the spread of the disease, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) ordered that the seven major 'haats' in the state capital will function between 6 am to 6 pm. The state government also issued an advisory to all religious institutions within the state to strictly adhere to the advisories and stress on social distancing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pope Francis has asked God to stop the coronavirus epidemic and said people should use their time in quarantine to reconnect with their families. It comes as Italy is battling with the most acute outbreak of COVID-19 outside of China, with 27,980 infections and 2,503 deaths as of Tuesday. The Pope has been spending the last few days in the Vatican, although he defied the country's nationwide lockdown on Sunday afternoon to pray for victims of the disease at two churches in the Italian capital. Pope Francis has asked God to stop the coronavirus epidemic and said on Wednesday people should use their time in quarantine to reconnect with their families. Pictured during a weekly private audience in the library of the Apostolic palace in the Vatican on Wednesday Pope Francis holds a private weekly audience in the library of the Apostolic palace in the Vatican on Wednesday Pope Francis addresses attendees during a private weekly audience in the library of the Apostolic palace Speaking to daily Italian publication La Repubblica on Wednesday, he said he had asked God to stop the epidemic in Italy 'with his hand'. The 83-year-old pontiff continued: 'We must rediscover the concrete nature of small things, of making small gestures toward those around us - family, friends.' 'They are gestures of tenderness, of affection, of compassion, which are nonetheless decisive and important - for example, a hot dish, a caress, a hug, a phone call.' A man wearing a protective face mask walks in front of an empty St. Peter's Square as Pope Francis holds his weekly general audience virtually, as part of measures to contain the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at the Vatican on Wednesday Italian rules instruct everyone to keep one metre (three feet) apart while in public but say nothing about what people can do at home. Addressing those who have lost loved ones in the coronavirus crisis, the Pope said: 'I ask everyone to stay close to those who have lost loved ones, to be close to them in every possible way.' The pope himself has been suffering from a cold since last month. His comments come after the Pope defied Italian government advice to stay indoors and on Sunday walked to church through Rome's deserted streets to pray for the end of the virus. Pope Francis defied Italian government advice to stay indoors and on Sunday walked to church through Rome's deserted streets to pray for the end of coronavirus Flanked by his security detail, Francis strolls down the usually bustling Via del Corso in Rome 'as if on a pilgrimage,' the Vatican said He left the Vatican to visit two churches in the Italian capital, first praying in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore before strolling down the usually bustling Via del Corso. He headed to the St Marcello al Corso, which poignantly hosts a crucifix carried in a 1522 procession in Rome when the city was stricken with plague. Flanked by his security detail, the 83-year-old pope, who has been nursing a cold, decided to walk through the streets 'as if on a pilgrimage,' Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said. Starting today, the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) will require ID checks at store doors and block all non-authorized shoppers from entering, system officials announced in a Facebook post this morning. "To better serve our customers starting on Wednesday, March 18, we will begin 100% I.D. card checks at the entrance of all stores and will revoke the visitor policy," the post states. "We believe this will reduce the number of people in our stores and help with social distancing and crowd control." The visitor policy allows an authorized patron to bring guests into a commissary during shopping visits, according to the systems website. Your guest is not authorized to make commissary purchases, and you are not permitted to make commissary purchases for your guest. The rule change blocks spouses and family members of disabled veterans and Purple Heart recipients, newly authorized to shop early this year, from entering the store. Those veterans are permitted to shop by using their Department of Veterans Affairs Health ID Card. Their family members, however, are considered visitors. Related: Here's the Guest Policy for Newly Eligible Commissary and Exchange Shoppers Other authorized shoppers include anyone holding a Defense Department ID card, including active-duty family members and retirees, and shoppers known as "authorized agents," typically given a long-term pass by the base so that they can shop on behalf of a sick or elderly family member. DeCA also announced plans to eliminate stores' "early bird" hours starting Thursday to allow workers more time to restock and clean. While the list of those permitted to shop during that time block varies base by base, "early bird" hours typically allow a sub-group of patrons, such as uniformed troops or disabled veterans, to come into the store 30 minutes before official opening. They are also requiring users to scan their own ID cards at check out to reduce the customer-to-customer spread of germs, they said in a release. Meanwhile, base officials nationwide are making their own changes to shopping rules at their local commissary. Officials at Fort Gordon, Georgia, for example, are blocking all non-active-duty troops and family members from shopping before noon. At Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, shopping is restricted to mission-essential personnel only for the first two hours of operation. "Installation commanders are making decisions at many installations to adjust shopping times for specific shopping categories such as active duty or retirees, etc.," Kevin Robinson, a DeCA spokesman, said in an email. Elsewhere, patrons have reported military police officers dispatched to the stores to control crowds. For example, on March 13 at Fort Hamilton, New York, police officers were dispatched after a shopping cart shortage resulted in crowding and long lines. -- Amy Bushatz can be reached at amy.bushatz@military.com. Read more: More coronavirus coverage This story was updated March 18 to reflect new customer ID card scanning rules. CHICAGO, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The AAE announced several recommended considerations to its 8,000-plus endodontist and dentist members amid COVID-19. The announcement came at a time when other dental organizations revealed similar recommendations regarding dental care and emergency vs. non-emergency treatment. American Association of Endodontists Provides Considerations for Dental and Endodontic Care Amid COVID-19 "Given the rapid and global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is the responsibility of everyone health care providers and fellow citizens to do everything possible to reduce the spread of this infection," said Dr. Keith V. Krell, AAE President. "While there is no simple solution to balancing delivery of oral health care and minimizing the spread of the coronavirus, there is much we as endodontists and dentists can do to help reduce its spread." Along with these recommendations, the AAE also published on its website, ahead of its publication in the May issue of the Journal of Endodontics, a review co-authored by Dr. Ken M. Hargreaves providing an overview of the epidemiology, symptoms and routes of transmission of COVID-19. In addition, specific recommendations for dental practice are suggested. "Advance publishing of this very important guidance has been critical in getting our members up to speed on the situation we're facing," Dr. Krell said. "In the coming days, we'll continue to respond accordingly as the situation changes." The AAE's recommendations are as follows: We agree with the CDC as well as professional organizations such as the ADA in recommending postponement of non-urgent oral health care for up to three weeks. Examples of urgent conditions requiring oral health care may include severe dental pain, abscess with lymphadenopathy, or a dental infection-related fever. Some urgent conditions may be treated with appropriate analgesics or antibiotics. A recent report from the British Medical Journal recommends acetaminophen over ibuprofen. While providing pharmacological treatment, practitioners can continue to monitor patient responses by telephone contact. recommends acetaminophen over ibuprofen. While providing pharmacological treatment, practitioners can continue to monitor patient responses by telephone contact. If pharmacotherapy is insufficient, the recent review co-authored by Dr. Ken M. Hargreaves summarizes considerations for appropriate dental care. summarizes considerations for appropriate dental care. As of now, the impact of the epidemic varies across the country. Accordingly, the recommendations of our members' local and state dental societies should be reviewed. As this pandemic evolves, new recommendations will likely emerge. In addition to updates being made to aae.org/covid, below we provide a list of websites with useful information: About the American Association of Endodontists The American Association of Endodontists, headquartered in Chicago, represents more than 8,000 members worldwide. Endodontics is one of nine dental specialties formally recognized by the American Dental Association. The AAE, founded in 1943, is dedicated to excellence in the art and science of endodontics and to the highest standard of patient care. The Association inspires its members to pursue professional advancement and personal fulfillment through education, research, advocacy, leadership, communication and service. For more information about the AAE, visit the Association's website at aae.org. Contact: Kimberly FitzSimmons, 312-872-0458 Elisabeth Lisican, 312-872-0460 Michael Dobrow, 312-872-0462 SOURCE American Association of Endodontists (AAE) Related Links https://www.aae.org On Monday, states across the US announced the implementation of emergency measures to belatedly fight the COVID-19 pandemic, including shuttering restaurants, bars, movie theaters, libraries, salons and more. This means that millions of predominantly low-wage workers are suddenly without a source of income and must figure out how to survive without any emergency savings. A petition to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer calling for the suspension of rent, mortgage and utilities payments overwhelmed a Google server and was temporarily broken after going viral on social media. In New York, the state office fielded nearly 9,000 incoming phone inquiries about unemployment benefits, a number comparable to post-9/11, according to the New York Times. California, Ohio, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Washington, Kentucky, Maryland, Indiana, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania have all issued orders to close schools, restaurants and/or bars, with more states being pressured to do the same. On Tuesday the Marriott hotel chain announced that it will furlough thousands of its employees Many service industry workers are blindsided by the immediate loss of jobs or cuts in hours. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 11.9 million Americans are employed in the restaurant and food industry. A significant share of them must now deal with immediate unemployment. The World Socialist Web Site has been speaking to service workers across the US to get their reaction to the sudden closures of their workplaces and the prospect of indefinite unemployment. Louisville, Kentucky Clara and her boyfriend are both kitchen workers at a restaurant in Louisville. They make $14 an hour and require at least 40 hours a week in order to make ends meet. Last week the hours of work for both of them were cut in half. On Monday the state of Kentucky announced the closure of all restaurants and bars, effectively ending employment for both of them for the foreseeable future. Unemployment pay is not enough to cover their rent and utilities. We dont have a plan. We didnt have enough time to make a plan, Clara told the WSWS. We just went about our day, and me and my coworkers joked about selling drugs because we dont have a plan. The plan is not to die. It sucks. Our plan was: dont stress and lets be there for each other. It makes me want to cry. We dont know. Its breaking my heart even just talking about it. In Louisville, the main economy is restaurants. We have more restaurants per capita than a lot of other cities, she said. There are 1,089 restaurants in the city proper. Weve got a restaurant on every single block. Its really hard. Its really affecting us because pretty much most people in the inner city of Louisville are [service] industry workers. For things like derby being canceledits not canceled yet, but whos to say it wont be? The Kentucky Derby is a major source of revenue for many service industry workers. As of this writing the Derby has been postponed from May 2 until September 5. This is financial suicide. Weve had a couple new restaurants open up here every few months and it sucks for new business owners who just started, trying to get their business on their feet, and then this happened. We just hired a bunch of people because [the restaurant] finally started doing really good, and then Thursday the national emergency hit and it was over. People havent been coming in to eat. Theyve been scared, she said. I dont know what Im going to do. The government has to figure out something. Louisville Gas and Electric werent going to shut off anybodys heat or anything, but what Im worried about is this: once everythings okay, are they going to penalize people or give them a $700 bill later when the economy is back up, if it even does get back up? Its really scary. Clara expressed her concern for people who are still lacking basic necessities like housing and utilities. Where is Flint now? she asked, referring to the fact that Flint residents continue to live through the pandemic without access to clean water. Does anybody care about what happened in Tennessee a couple weeks ago? Where are all these other disasters at right now? she continued, referencing the recent tornadoes that killed 25 people in Nashville, and other natural disasters. Its going to be a really scary moment when were all like, Oh noI cant pay rent and I dont have any money. What are people going do? Lamar, another restaurant worker in Louisville, is facing the same problems. Im a cook and Im also a musician. Both of those fields are taking a hit right now, he explained. Thats greatIm all for it, to do whatever we have to do to stop the spread of it. But Im not hearing a lot of plans for what theyre going do for people in my position. I know a lot of musicians who are losing gigs left and right. I know tons of service industry peoplecooks, servers, hotel peoplewho are losing hours. And the best that weve gotten is that you can file for unemployment. But unemployment is a pretty small portion of what most of us would normally make. Im not really hearing a whole lot of plans for how this is going to work for us. The idea is that we want to make sure that people who are sick and need treatment have access, but as a service industry person, most of us dont have health insurance. Im already going to have to pick up second and third-hand job stuff. I have a friend whos helping me pick up a job doing home decoration stuff, laying tile, that sort of thing. Thats not anything Ive ever done, its a whole new skill set Im going to have to learn, and theoretically this is a temporary thing because this is only going to last a few weeks, a couple months, who knows, but the whole thing is really kind of scary honestly. Lamar agreed that restaurants should remain closed, but without any income he doesnt know what will happen. Three weeks right now is the minimum. Ive been reading that now theyre saying maybe four to eight weeks of isolation, and thats frightening. I dont have money saved! Im supposed to move out of this apartment by the end of May. How am I going do that if Im not making money? We are being put in the position: whats more important, the general welfare of everyone else, or keeping my lights on? Its completely unfair. That is not a position I should be forced into. I shouldnt have to make that decision. If our government was doing what its supposed to do, which is to look after and help its citizens, this wouldnt be a thing I would have to worry about. Dallas, Texas Hanna, a server at a restaurant in Dallas, does not know what shes going to do either. Im in a lead server position so I get paid $8 an hour. My experience at this restaurant is a little bit different than my other server coworkers who get paid $2.13 an hour. This place is a bit more high-end so the tipout is a bit more than what Im used to at other restaurants, she told the WSWS. Our cover count has been dropping like crazy, she said, referring to the number of patrons during her shift. Fewer covers means less money for a worker who relies on tips to get paid. Normally on a Sunday well have about 100 covers and a ton of walk-ins. We had 28 covers and maybe five walk-ins this past Sunday. The weekend was pretty brutalreally slow, not a lot of people coming in, so Ive already been making a ton less money. Tipped employees wages vary state by state, but generally employers are able to force the cost of labor onto patrons through tips. Another subset of employeesbussers, barbacks, food runners, hosts, and othersreceive a slightly higher hourly wage on their paychecks but rely on tipout from servers and bartenders to make up the rest. This, along with paying kitchen staff minimum wage, is how restaurants keep the cost of labor low. Forcing their employees to pay a portion of their wages to another group of employees also creates social tension in the workplace. Hanna said shes been stiffed on her tabs this week and has barely made $80 on her dinner shifts, decreasing the amount she can tip out to her bussers and bartenders. Hanna does not have a back-up plan for being out of work. Her employer, who she said treats their staff better than most, is extending pay for the next week even though theyre cutting hours. It is unclear what will happen beyond the first week. Honestly I just plan on not paying my rent, she said. They can wait. If things get back to normal, Im just hoping theyll have some compassion and not charge late fees. In Dallas a lot of people live off tips. There are a ton of restaurants in this city. Even after the initial scare wears off, the recovery is going to be insane. Were definitely living in history right now. This is going to be in the history books in the future. I dont think the Dow has ever fallen this much since 1929. Its hard not to be worried. Its pretty serious. I really dont know what Im going to do. Im going to pay my electrical and internet bills but I have no plans on paying rent. I live in a tiny studio, the size of a modest hotel room, and I pay $1,100. Thats Dallas for you! Hanna also expressed concern about the lack of health care in the restaurant industry. I feel like I do work for a pretty good restaurant group and they just started offering health insurance. Its not the best, but its pretty radical for any restaurant to offer health insurance at all, she explained. I dont know what Im covered for, I know Im not covered for any in-patient hospital stays or anything. I have insurance enough to get tested for the virus, but if I get sick its all on me. It technically is affordable but you dont really get much for when you would need it. If I actually was sick and had to go to the ICU, thats all out-of-pocket. She described her recent hospital bill: I sprained my wrist and it was $5,000. They charged me $300 to clean a wound on my knee. They dont tell you, but they gave me gauze to take home with me and I got my itemized list and they charged me $100 for gauze. The cost of living and unexpected medical bills have left her without savings while she now faces unemployment. Between my credit cards and what I have in my bank account right now, Ive got like a solid $800 to last me until I can maybe go back to work again. That doesnt cover my rent. It can cover food and basic necessities. I just bought a bunch of cat food before all this happened. Ive got two cats and I need them to be taken care of, of course. Im really scared and really interested to see how things will play out with the economy and jobs after all this. A lot is going to be different. Theres no way that things are ever going to go back to the way that they were. Are you a working in the service industry? The WSWS wants to hear from you. Comment below with your experience with the business closures which are being taken as part of the efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus. On a St Patrick's Day like no other, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar issued a historic rallying cry for the nation to help slow down an unstoppable virus. Mr Varadkar called for community spirit to prevail but also warned that this is just "the calm before the storm - before the surge". "And when it comes - and it will come - never will so many ask so much of so few," he said. Staring down a television camera placed outside his office in Government Buildings, the Taoiseach said it could take months for the coronavirus to be brought under control. The clear implication was that unprecedented restrictions already placed on our daily lives will extend far beyond March 29. The emergency "could go on for months into the summer so we need to be sensible in the approach we take". The Government is preparing to ask the elderly and people who have a long-term illness to stay at home for several weeks. "We call this 'cocooning' and it will save many lives particularly the most vulnerable the most precious in our society," Mr Varadkar said. He had a message for young people too who are less affected by the virus, saying they need to be patient and give their grandparents moral support by phoning them. Mr Varadkar paid tribute to the thousands of healthcare workers on the front lines, saying: "Not all superheroes wear capes some wear scrubs and gowns." Expand Close Health Minister Simon Harris. Photo: Gerry Mooney / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Health Minister Simon Harris. Photo: Gerry Mooney And he warned families that even when the health threat passes, the country must then fight an economic battle before life returns to normal. "The bill will be enormous and it may take years to pay it," he said. The Taoiseach addressed the fear in society. "I know many of you are feeling scared and overwhelmed. That is a normal reaction, but we will get through this and we will prevail. "We need to halt the spread of the virus but we also need to halt the spread of fear." He urged people to only rely on information from trusted sources and spoke of the devastation that will be caused to the economy. "We went into this crisis with a strong economy and the public finances in good order. "We have the capacity and credit rating to borrow billions if we need to," he said. "I am confident that our economy will bounce back but the damage will be significant and lasting." His message for young people was to keep up their school work and offer to help their parents. "Call your grandparents and try not to fight with your brothers and sisters." Mr Varadkar's address came as the Government also issued a dramatic call to arms in the fight against the coronavirus after launching a massive recruitment drive for doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff. Health Minister Simon Harris said the "health service can hire everybody and anybody who is suitably qualified". Meanwhile, it emerged a large backlog of patients suspected of having the virus after contacting their GP are enduring delays of several days before being tested due to a dwindling number of swabs. The HSE admitted it could run out of the swabs, which are taken from the patient and sent to a lab, but said it was confident of getting a batch of around 30,000 tomorrow. The escalating human toll of the coronavirus and growing demands it is putting on the health service was starkly highlighted in figures showing 69 more people were found to have the infection yesterday, bringing to 292 the number of people here who have tested positive. HSE chief Paul Reid said the recruitment campaign was aimed at qualified healthcare workers including medical, nursing and therapy staff who would go on a panel and be hired as the crisis escalates leaving more full-time employees at risk or self-isolating. He said work has already secured additional ventilators for hospitals which will be needed to provide breathing support for Covid-19 positive patients who are seriously ill and have suffered lung failure. It could secure an additional 100 ventilators a week if the demand by patients jumps as the cases continue to climb. He said there are now 500 intensive care beds secured. It is also planned to secure beds for patients in private hospitals and this was a valuable resource which the public system could utilise. The HSE said a large backlog of patients suspected of having the coronavirus are waiting days for tests despite having potential symptoms. The patients may be at risk of infecting others if they do not self-isolate while waiting for the result as instructed. A shortage of suitable viral swabs is causing the delay . Dr Colm Henry of the HSE said the delay would not affect the persons outcome but it can cause anxiety. He appealed to the public to be patients and said the backlog would be cleared shortly. Nursing Homes Ireland representing private nursing homes appealed to people within our hospitality and retail sectors to look for opportunities that will present in providing care to older people during the emergency. A spokesman said staffing needs will arise for nursing homes in meeting the care needs of older people, with the disciplines in nursing homes being wide-ranging. "Roles on a temporary basis that may interest people could include those of healthcare professionals including nurses and physios, healthcare assistants, catering, activities, ancillary or administrative support." India will set up a Covid-19 research consortium to bring together the best scientists to meet the challenges of prevention, diagnosis, and therapy for the new coronavirus. The department of biotechnology will invite research proposals for the consortium within a day. We have been having meetings every day and have come up with a strategy to prioritise our research work. The focus will, of course, be on developing improved diagnostic kits, looking for novel molecules or repurposed drugs for the treatment of the disease, and developing a vaccine, said Dr Renu Swarup, secretary, Department of Biotechnology. The research group will work under the guidance of the Science and Technology core group set up by Prof K VijayRaghavan, principal scientific advisor to the government. My office has set up an S&T Core-team on Covid-19, of experts, who will reach out to each of the clusters, help define problems that need urgent and immediate solutions. They will also work with academia and industry to help link teams to solve these problems speedily, Prof Vijay Raghavan wrote in a tweet. This core team will work not only on Covid-19 but also on any future pandemics. The group will ensure science and tech preparedness for dealing with Covid-19 and any other future pandemics. The focus of the consortium will be on better prevention of the disease by looking at vaccine development, better diagnostics, and therapy both in terms of ancillary treatment needed and new molecules for treatment. Basically, the healthcare sector is currently focussing on how to deal with Covid-19 with what we have, our job is to look at what we should have and make it happen, said Dr Anurag Agarwal, director, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB). The decision was taken at a Niti Aayog meeting chaired by member, health, Vinod Paul and attended by VijayRaghavan, senior officials from the department of biotechnology, department of science and technology, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), IGIB and the National Cooperative Development Corporation of India Any new diagnostic kits that are developed can help in scaling up of testing facilities. Currently, the government imports all its test kits from the World Health Organisation (WHO), like most other countries. Across the globe, there are 40 diagnostic kits under development. There is no treatment for Covid-19, and scientists across the world are looking at developing therapeutics. The India government has clearance for restricted use of an anti-HIV AIDS drug, already used on four patients, on those infected by the virus. As for vaccines, globally there are 20 vaccine candidates that scientists are working on. Human trials started on Tuesday on the first Covid-19 vaccine, developed by Moderna Inc. of the United States. It uses a genetic code copied from the Sars-Cov-2 virus to immunise people. With the disease becoming a pandemic, research has been fast-tracked across the world. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON 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 Led by hereditary chiefs of the Wet'suwet'en indigenous band, thousands took to the streets of Toronto on Feb. 22 to protest a gas pipeline in British Columbia. (Richard Lautens / Toronto Star) For weeks, indigenous Canadians blocked passenger and freight trains. They made it impossible to travel by rail from Montreal to Toronto. They disrupted the movement of grain, construction materials and propane gas in Western Canada. More than 1,000 rail employees were laid off. Food rotted. Calls for military intervention filled the air. The target of their ire: a natural gas pipeline that would run 416 miles from northeastern British Columbia to the Pacific Coast. This week, the Canadian Supreme Court declined to hear several appeals related to the Coastal GasLink pipeline, which would cut across traditional lands of the Wet'suwet'en community. The nation's hereditary chiefs said they never approved the project and have objected to its potential impact on the land, the water and their community. For now following a tentative agreement, details of which remain murky the blockades have come down. Trains are running again. It appears that the pipeline project will go ahead, but the protests have severely tested Canada's political system. They have exposed the contradictions in this vast nation's relationship to its aboriginal people a history that includes broken promises and treaties, wide disparities in education and healthcare, and decades of privations, abuses and insults. The protests have also eroded Canada's long-cultivated sense that it was a place of civility, civic accommodation and compromise. That ethos dated to at least 1904, when Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier told an audience at Torontos Massey Hall that for the next 100 years, Canada shall be the star towards which all men who love progress and freedom shall come." Lately, that star seems to have dimmed as Canada grapples with its past; fends off secession threats from Quebec and, more lately, Alberta; and struggles to balance regional and federal governmental powers. For long periods of time, Canada goes along in relative peace, and then there are occasional periods, maybe once in 10 years, when a confluence of forces make Canada look like a hard country to govern," said Paul Thomas, a political scientist at the University of Manitoba. We always think that at least we dont have American divided government, but this has been a hard time, one of extreme events and destabilization, and it has tested Canada. Story continues The crisis demonstrated that modern Canada with its trendy urban centers in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, its vast energy resources, and its shimmery international reputation as a trusted interlocutor and vanguard of peacekeeping still faces strains and vital questions about its civic ideals, political identity and national character. The questions begin with the nature of its political structure and the powers inherent in the office of the the prime minister. In Canada, provincial leaders wield powers that national leaders might otherwise claim. This country in some respects resembles the United States before the Constitution, when, under the ill-fated Articles of Confederation, it had a weak executive and strong roles for the states. Canadas provinces have powers that in many developed nations are conferred to the national government. Just as the United States has experienced periods of weak presidential rule (during Reconstruction after the Civil War, for example) to periods of the imperial presidency (in the Nixon years, for example), Canada has experienced both with its leaders. Pierre Elliott Trudeau, the father of the current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, exercised enormous power, especially in the October Crisis of 1970, when he limited civil liberties following the bombing of mailboxes and the kidnapping and killing of Quebecs deputy premier by the nationalist Quebec Liberation Front. In contrast, in the latest crisis, the younger Trudeau ruled out calling in the army, pleaded for patience, expressed outrage, described the situation as unacceptable and accomplished little. If nothing else, the crisis underlined the younger Trudeaus lack of power to compel the protesters to desist and underlined the limits of his office. At the same time, the crisis focused attention on longstanding questions of the place of the indigenous in Canadian life and culture. Though both the United States and Canada have trampled on treaties, mounted attacks on native people and suppressed the culture of the original settlers of the North American continent, these matters are of far greater visibility in Canada. Bob Josephs 2018 examination of the Indian Act of 1876 "21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act" became a best-seller here, a notion inconceivable below the border; in its pages, he argues that there was a foregone conclusion that Indians would simply die out, cease to exist, thereby absolving the government of any financial responsibility and giving clear access to the lands reserved for Indians. While these issues are seldom front-burner concerns in the United States, Canada a dozen years ago created a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to examine the relations between whites and Natives, especially the residential school system where Native children were taken away from their parents, abused and had their cultures sublimated. The result of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was a 94-point checklist of tasks to ameliorate the legacy of Canadas treatment of indigenous people. Many of these tasks have not been addressed. And while Trudeau made justice for indigenous people a prominent part of his 2015 campaign, his unmet promises fueled the frustration of tribal activists and leaders frustration that was stoked by plans to traverse the lands of the Wetsuweten indigenous band in northwestern British Columbia. As Wetsuweten, we are the land, and the land is ours, Frank Alec, a chief who goes by his hereditary indigenous name Woos and who was speaking for eight such hereditary leaders, told reporters early this month in Smithers, British Columbia. The recent crisis shined a searing light on divisions between Native activists, who fueled the controversy, and traditional tribal leaders, some of whom were skeptical of the strategy and tactics behind the protests. It was the Wetsuweten hereditary chiefs whose negotiations with government leaders began the long process of breaking the impasse that brought commerce and travel to a near-standstill in many parts of the country. The crisis grew out of opposition to a natural gas pipeline project to cross the traditional territory of Wetsuweten and spawned broad protests against pipelines in general. Protesters blocked traffic in Kahnawake south of Montreal, marching with a banner proclaiming, Protect our future. No more pipelines. The British Columbia pipeline swiftly became a proxy for broader grievances held by indigenous peoples, including generations-old resentment about the seizure of Native lands for Canadian railroads. It also focused attention on the next Canadian stress point: the role of energy in the country's economy. Canada is the world's fifth-largest energy exporter. It provides more than 11% of the country's gross domestic product, accounts for $10.5 million (U.S.) in government revenues and affects about 820,000 jobs in a nation of only about 38 million people, according to Natural Resources Canada, a federal agency. Some 60% of Canadas energy production comes from oil, natural gas and coal. As a result, energy policy is a major issue in a country where concern over global warming is far more prominent than it is in the U.S.. Environmental activists oppose pipelines out of fears of leaks and express continuing concern that greenhouse gas emissions result from the extraction of the Alberta oil sands. Trudeau spent $3.45 billion to purchase Kinder Morgans Trans Mountain pipeline and then approved its expansion, a move that failed to mollify his critics in Alberta even as it outraged his putative environmental supporters. Last month, Teck Resources canceled its Frontier project in northern Alberta, which its supporters said would produce more crude than the African nation of Gabon, a major exporter. These two actions raise questions about the future of the energy business in a country where that sector accounted for about a quarter of total exports in 2018. Some 89% of Canadas energy product exports went to the United States. For now, rail transport, commerce and pipeline construction have returned to normal. But the episode has displayed the frays in Canadas sense of normalcy. This conflict may be close to being settled, but the country is left with the unsettling feeling that more conflict lies ahead. Shribman is a special correspondent. Robert Frost concludes his 1916 poem Choose Something Like a Star with slightly ironic advice. It isnt greeting card stuff. It cant be taken at face value. The conclusion nevertheless comes to mind under conditions like the current panic: when at times the mob is swayed To carry praise or blame too far, We may choose something like a star To stay our minds on and be staid. In this spirit we might turn to Winston Churchill. The Tikvah Funds Eric Cohen included this Tikvah Classic lecture by Andrew Roberts on Churchill in his daily email update yesterday. He wrote: Winston Churchillperhaps the greatest man of the 20th centurywas also an early supporter of Zionism. At last years Conference on Jews and Conservatism, Churchills preeminent biographer, Andrew Roberts, explored the British Bulldogs philo-Semitism and support for a Jewish state. Even if you know a lot about Churchill even if you have read Martin Gilberts or Michael Makovskys books on Churchill and the Jews you may learn, or relearn, something from this. Roberts gave the speech at this past Novembers Jewish Leadership Conference. It is posted here with a brief summary. By Ofeliya Afandiyeva The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project, which envisages the transportation of Azerbaijani gas to Europe, is completed by 93.5 percent, local media reported on March 17. As of late February, TAP - the final European leg of the Southern Gas Corridor, a complex value chain of energy projects that links natural gas supplies from the second development stage of the Shah Deniz field in Azerbaijan to Europe, reached its final implementation phase. TAP is currently moving further into the project construction phase. Every day hundreds of meters of TAPs Right of Way (ROW) are cleared, strung, welded, lowered into the trenches and backfilled, in line with the project construction steps and schedule. At the end of February 2020, the TAP project was 93.5 percent completed, the official website of the TAP AG consortium posted. TAP project worth 4,500,000,000 ($ 4,939,823,994) is one of the priority energy projects for the European Union (EU), which aims to ensure energy security and diversification of energy sources in Europe. Connecting with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Greek-Turkish border, 878 km TAP will cross Northern Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea before coming ashore in Southern Italy to connect to the Italian natural gas network. TAP's initial capacity is expected to reach 10 billion cubic meters by 2020 when it will be commissioned. In the future, it is expected to reach 20 billion cubic meters through additional compressors. The project is currently in its construction phase, which started in 2016. TAP was selected as the shortest and most direct way to export gas from Azerbaijan to European markets. The Intergovernmental Agreement on the TAP project was signed among Albania, Italy, and Greece in February 2013. TAP shareholders include BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam S.p.A. (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagas (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent). It should be noted that the Southern Gas Corridor project aims to increase and diversify the European energy supply by bringing gas resources from the Caspian Sea to markets in Europe. The Southern Gas Corridor comprises the following four projects: The operation of Shah Deniz natural gas-condensate field (SD1 project) and its full-field development (SD2' project); The operation of the South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP project) and its expansion (SCPX project); The construction of the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP project); The construction of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP project). The projects have an estimated investment cost of approximately $40 billion. Upon completion, the SD2 project will add a further 16 billion cubic meters of natural gas per annum to 10.9 billion cubic meters of gas per annum (maximum production capacity) already produced under the SD1 project. The total length of the newly constructed SCPX, TANAP and TAP pipelines will be more than 3,200 km. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Description - The Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security is doing its utmost best to reduce the consequential impacts of the pandemic COVID-19 on the national food security level by encouraging self-sufficiency in those agricultural products where it is possible. The Attorney General and Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Maneesh Gobin made this statement at a press conference, this morning, at the seat of the Ministry in Port-Louis. Prior to the press conference, the Minister chaired a meeting with stakeholders of public and private bodies to discuss the impacts of the novel coronavirus on the Food Security in Mauritius. Mr Gobin highlighted that despite no case of Covid-19 has been reported in Mauritius, the country remains vulnerable to such a threat, hence self-sufficiency is a necessity to generate an increase in local production. Even if there is no shortage of agricultural food on the market, Mr Gobin indicated, it is important that in the wake of such pandemic, local production of food crops is encouraged. The Ministry, he added, is striving to contain the risks of the virus and limit its impact on the agricultural sector. The Minister further appealed to the population not to give in to panic buying and to avoid creating artificial shortages of products. He stated that the Ministry is acting proactively and will ensure that meetings be held regularly with stakeholders so as to communicate effectively important information to the public as the situation evolves. Government Information Service, Prime Ministers Office, Level 6, New Government Centre, Port Louis, Mauritius. Email: gis@govmu.org Website: http://gis.govmu.org Mobile App: Search Gov Bengaluru, March 18 : With growing number of positive coronavirus cases surfacing in Karnataka, global software major Infosys is sending back trainees from its Global Education Centre in Mysuru. "Infosys has advised trainees residing at its Global Education Centre in Mysuru to return home as soon as possible," an Infosys spokesperson told IANS. The company is making travel arrangements for the trainees, whose number is expected to run into thousands. The spokesperson said that training for the new recruits will continue to happen online. "Wherever it is feasible, we are enabling more and more employees and trainees to work and learn from home," she said. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the software major operating in 46 countries is limiting the number of people on Infosys campuses globally. BYRON CENTER, MI -- A parent in the Byron Center Christian School community has tested positive for COVID-19. School administrator James Onderlinde confirmed the case in an email Tuesday, March 17. He said the school is working with the Kent County Health Department and communicating with families about coronavirus case. We will continue to consult with health officials about additional steps we may need to take, he said. We have been advised to encourage everyone to monitor for symptoms and follow the recommendations the KCHD and CDC continue to publish. Onderlinde said he was unable to answer any specific questions about the situation. All K-12 schools across Michigan have been closed since March 16. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered the shutdown until April 6. As of March 17, five people in Kent County and one in Ottawa County have tested positive for coronavirus. In Michigan, 65 cases have been diagnosed in 15 counties, while the number of U.S. cases has grown to more than 5,000. Here is a county-by-county map of Michigan tracking confirmed COVID-19 cases, followed by a map of possible exposure sites and a chart based on the states daily reports. PREVENTION TIPS Michigans State Emergency Operations Center is coordinating state-government resources and the response to the coronavirus spread. It has shared the following tips: What you can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases: Always cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue or sleeve. Stay home if you are sick and advise others to do the same. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, if soap and warm water are not available. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces(computers, keyboards, desks, etc.). Its not too late to get your flu shot! While the influenza vaccine does not protect against COVID-19 infection, it can help keep you healthy during the flu season. More Coverage on MLive: Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus Spectrum Health employee tests positive for coronavirus COVID-19 Nurses say Mercy isnt properly screening for coronavirus, protective gear inadequate IKEA Closes All US Stores Over CCP Virus Pandemic IKEA, the worlds largest furniture retailer, said it will close down all its U.S. stores amid the worldwide virus pandemic. Ingka Group, the owner of most IKEA stores, announced it will also shutter stores in Canada, Denmark, Portugal, Belgium, and Holland. Stores in Germany and other European countries have been closed. This decision was taken by IKEA leadership as a precautionary measure due to the rapidly evolving situation surrounding the CCP coronavirus, the Swedish company said in a statement announcing the closure of all stores in the United States. Online shopping will be offered in the interim, IKEA said. Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures. This is the most responsible way IKEA can continue to care for our co-workers and our customers in a manner that is healthy and safe, said Javier Quinones, IKEA Retail U.S. President, in a statement on Wednesday. We are taking our role in containing this epidemic seriously, and we recognize the positive impact our actions could have on making life better for the millions of people who have been impacted by this crisis. Like other large chains, IKEA said it would implement more measures to make sure workplaces are cleaned and sanitized to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. Dawn breaks over Manhattan as New York City struggles to contain the number of coronavirus cases, on March 18, 2020. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) IKEA will continue to support co-workers through its comprehensive benefits package and paid leave policy. All non-essential co-worker travel and large group meetings have been canceled. IKEA will assess all measures on a regular base, the chain said. It came after President Donald Trump earlier this week said that Americans should avoid groups of 10 or more people, while numerous non-essential businesses and schools have been shuttered across a number of states. Concerts, sporting events, worship services, and more have been closed in the wake of the outbreak. IKEA wrote, Globally, to date, IKEA has announced temporary closures in heavily impacted countries including Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, and Switzerland. With the situation across China now slowly improving, IKEA stores in China are being reopened gradually. Walmart, Target, Kroger, Publix, Dollar General, and other stories that sell groceries have shorted their closing times and have allowed for seniors to purchase items during the first hour after opening times. Meanwhile, Amazon, the largest online retailer, said it would delay or suspend the sale and delivery for non-essential items from third-party vendors. It also announced that some deliveries will be slower than usual amid a 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 mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. Most of the schools across the globe have been shut down and many cities have gone on lockdown to protect the citizens from dismally increasing deadly novel coronavirus or Covid-19. However, the teachers have been making constant efforts to disseminate important information during this ongoing pandemic. Educators in Gujarat have come up with innovative ways thatll attract and educate the students at the same time about the deadly virus and will also persuade them to maintain social distancing and hygiene. BCCL Recently, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg gave a shout out to Gujarat schools, for informing students through videos and infographics about the pandemic, in her post. She took to her Facebook handle and wrote, I want to take a moment to say thank you to all the teachers, education officials and others who are doing everything they can to keep their kids and their communities informed during the COVID-19 outbreak. She took the example of Gujarat where more than 1 lakh educators from across thousands of schools are using 'Workplace by Facebook', an online team collaboration tool, to disseminate information about Covid-19 and its preventive measures. She wrote, "In the state of Gujarat in India, there are more than 100,000 educators across thousands of schools using Workplace from Facebook to share videos, infographics, and news in real-time - everything from the latest government advice to videos like the one in the picture, showing how to encourage children to wash their hands. Checkout the full post here- Along with the post, she shared a screenshot from a September 2019 video which was filmed at Amargadh Primary School, that shows the right technique to wash hands. The video was shared on 'Workplace by Facebook' in March. The post was also shared by Sheryl on Instagram and has garnered around 1K likes and many comments. Heres what the people on social media have to say about the post: Instagram Sheryl Sandberg Instagram Sheryl Sandberg The novel coronavirus has claimed over 7000 lives worldwide and the number of infected cases in India is around 137 people, said the health ministry on Tuesday. BCCL All we can hope is for this to end and meanwhile, keep on taking preventive measures and stay indoors to keep ourselves safe from the pandemic. Stealing around barbed wire barriers through fields and side streets, dozens of black-clad Shiite pilgrims in Baghdad defied curfews and coronavirus this week to visit the shrine of a revered imam. Seeking to stem an outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than half of Iraq's 18 provinces have declared curfews of several days. Baghdad, the Arab world's second most populous capital with 10 million in habitants, imposed a curfew from Tuesday evening for six days. But the government's social distancing efforts are facing a hurdle, as pilgrims defy restrictions to commemorate the anniversary of the death of revered Shiite Imam Musa al-Kadhim. The anniversary, which will be marked on Saturday, typically draws millions of pilgrims from around the world each year to Baghdad, to visit and kiss the gold-domed shrine housing the imam's resting place on the banks of the Tigris River. Traditionally, pilgrims converge on foot on the imposing complex to pray and take part in mourning ceremonies that lasts several days. Top cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani has urged Iraqis not to gather in large numbers for prayers, where risk of contamination could be high, and declared the fight against the novel coronavirus a "sacred duty". Iraq has imposed travel restrictions and shuttered shrines across the country, including that of Imam Kadhim. On Wednesday, Iraqi troops stationed around the site tried to persuade fervent pilgrims to return home. "It's for your own health that we're doing this," one soldier told an elderly woman in the street. "No one can prevent us from visiting our imams! Not terrorism, not war, not a virus!" she shot back. Musa al-Kadhim, the seventh of 12 imams venerated by Shiite Muslims, died in 799 while in detention by Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid. At another checkpoint, a group of around 20 men waved flags bearing yellow and green religious emblems as they tried to make their way past soldiers blocking the street. In contrast, the holy Shiite shrine city of Najaf, south of Baghdad, was markedly quiet. The mausoleum of the Prophet Mohammad's son-in-law Ali was shut and its usually busy esplanade empty, an AFP photographer said. Health authorities have reported 13 deaths and 164 infections in Iraq from the novel coronavirus. However, many suspect the number of cases could be higher, as fewer than 2,000 people have been tested in a country of 40 million. Iraqis have expressed fear over the impact of a large outbreak in the country, as years of conflict and poor investment have ravaged the country's health system. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 18 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Turkeys export of steel to Georgia from January through February 2020 made up $8 million which is almost 43 percent less compared to the same period of 2019, Turkeys Ministry of Trade told Trend on March 18. Turkeys export of steel to Georgia in February 2020 decreased to make up $3.8 million, which is 16.7 percent less compared to February 2019, the ministry noted. From January through February 2020, export of steel from Turkey to world markets dropped by 9.5 percent compared to the same period of 2019, amounting to $2.1 billion. Turkeys steel export amounted to 7.4 percent of the countrys total export in January through February 2020. In February 2020, Turkeys export of steel to world markets amounted to $1 billion, which is 15 percent less compared to the same month of 2019. Turkeys steel export in February 2020 made up 6.9 percent of the countrys total export. From February 2019 through February 2020, Turkey exported steel worth $13.6 billion. Turkeys foreign trade turnover in January 2020 exceeded $33.9 billion. In January 2020, Turkey's total export exceeded $14.7 billion, which is increase by 6.4 percent compared to January 2019. Turkey's total import increased by 18.8 percent in January 2020 compared to the same month of 2019 and exceeded $19.2 billion. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu A chain-link fence went up at San Franciscos Pier 39. Knick-knack vendors disappeared from a trendy stretch of the Mission District, where streets were all but deserted. Grocery stores allowed only a few shoppers in at a time. Outside, all seemed calm on the first day of an unprecedented shelter-in-place order for six Bay Area counties. Inside behind closed doors there was dread, uncertainty. People hid in their homes and merchants wondered whether their businesses would collapse. The regions virtual lockdown is the most severe yet in the United States, and it is to remain at least through April 7 a strategy to contain the coronavirus pandemic about which little is known and for which there is no vaccine. Even with increasingly stringent interventions, the number of positive cases in the Bay Area shot up from 299 on Monday to 356 on Tuesday. Statewide, 12 have died from the virus. Nationally, cases and the death toll shot up Tuesday: 6,362 confirmed in the U.S. and 108 dead, including 55 in Washington state. I was here for September 11. ... I was here for the global economic meltdown. Nobody has been to a rodeo like this before, said San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who spent Tuesday morning on a weary drive through his district in the densely populated northeast quadrant of San Francisco. This is impacting everyones bottom line, especially employees. But everyone is doing what they can to flatten the curve and slow the spread of COVID-19. The uneasiness was apparent in Bay Area gun stores, which stayed open despite the shelter-in-place orders, and sold firearms and ammunition to customers rattled by the pandemic. In San Francisco, shops had shut their doors and drawn blinds along the entire north side of 24th Street between Shotwell Street and South Van Ness Avenue, with the exception of the Wise Sons deli. Shoppers looking for votive candles, a foot massage, a haircut, a vinyl record, a bowl of Pad Thai, or pearl earrings were out of luck. Those seeking a pastrami sandwich on rye could still get one. Wise Sons manager Cecil McCracken was resolute. Im trying to take care of the people who take care of me, he said. To make sure we make enough money to survive this. On West Portal Avenue, a normally busy shopping street, empty parking spaces abounded. Jesse Kidd, sitting cross-legged on the sidewalk requesting donations from passersby, said it was slow going. Theres nobody on the street, Kidd said. Its already hard to ask people for help. When people are scared, I think theyre a little less generous. Its understandable. Not every place was vacant. Despite the assurances that grocery stores would not run out of supplies, about 40 people were waiting in line Tuesday morning at the Grocery Outlet on South Van Ness. I was the one who didnt panic yesterday, said Julie Castro, who lives downtown near the Powell BART Station. And now Im panicking. Im looking for water and toilet paper. Everywhere downtown was sold out. Im late to the game. On Stockton Street in Chinatown, nearly 100 people streamed into Dong Hing Supermarket. Discarded pallets and boxes hadnt been removed from the sidewalk, but the stalls were full broccoli, bok choy, beans, ears of corn, pomegranates and apples. Now Playing: Several Bay Area counties have ordered residents to shelter in place through April 7 as health officials scramble to keep coronavirus from spreading. The order mandates that people stay indoors and isolate themselves except to attend to certain essential activities. Video: San Francisco Chronicle And while the shelter-in-place order that covers nearly 7 million residents restricts most nonessential expeditions beyond ones home, theres an exception for fresh air and exercise. In Oakland, on the promenade-like path around Lake Merritt, this translated to a steady stream of joggers, strollers and bicyclists. But the commercial strips of Grand and Lakeshore avenues were largely empty, except for long lines in front of Arizmendi Bakery and Trader Joes. Elisabete Tavares, 42, of Oakland, said she welcomes the new, stricter shelter-in-place rules. The former resident of Canada was in Hong Kong in 2002 when the SARS virus hit. This is good. Youre trying to keep people safe, there are elderly people, there are babies. You want to be a good citizen and take care of your neighbors. Anything to keep people safe, Tavares said, waiting to get into Trader Joes for meat and other items. Scenes like this were what Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf wanted to see. I feel like Oaklanders are stepping up, Schaaf said in a Tuesday afternoon phone interview. Im receiving so many offers of help. People want to know how they can help in this moment. It always makes me hella proud to be an Oaklander, even in moments of crisis. 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 biggest act of defiance she could report? I did hear about a hair salon that is still letting their customers come in and get their roots touched up, Schaaf said. Police reported no evidence of crimes or civil disobedience related to the current situation. In San Francisco, a Police Department spokesman reported that after the shelter-in-place order took effect at 12:01 a.m., both pedestrian and vehicle traffic were almost nonexistent. Nor did officers find bars or restaurants defying the Public Health Order close by 12:01 a.m. Given the duration of the shelter-in-place requirement, all this could change. And hints of unease could be seen. On Valencia Street, the family-owned restaurant Lolo was being boarded up to lessen the chance of a break-in in coming weeks. Fresh plywood also covered the windows of Dogwood in Oakland, at Telegraph Avenue and 17th Street. For the most part, though, incidents of any sort were few and far between. Instead, there were scenes like the one in downtown Berkeley. It was all but empty at around 10 a.m. except for a college-age couple walking hand-in-hand while each wore a mask. Otherwise, most of the people on the street were individuals who looked as if they had nowhere else to go. At the Peets at Shattuck and Kittredge, tables topped by chairs were shoved against the wall of the roped-off seating area. There was just one customer at the counter Mike Vaughn, who ordered coffee and then added with a flourish and Ill get it to go! Youve got to keep your sense of humor, smiled Vaughn, a regular patron who was downtown picking up his computer from his office so he could return home to work. I wouldnt say gallows humor, but we need a little levity. Chronicle staff writers Steven Rubenstein and Rachel Swan contributed to this story. John King, Peter Hartlaub, Dominic Fracassa and Lizzie Johnson are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jking@sfchronicle.com, phartlaub@sfchronicle.com, dfracassa@sfchronicle.com, ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @johnkingSFChron @peterhartlaub @dominicfracassa @lizziejohnson Officials in Donald Trumps administration have been briefed on plans to block all asylum seekers and foreigners from entering the United States as a response to the coronavirus epidemic. The measures will see all persons bar American citizens on the southwestern border with Mexico turned back. Multiple sources told CNN the plan could also see all illegal border crossers returned without due process and neither will asylum seekers be held in American immigration facilities. According to the briefed plans, anybody caught entering the US illegally will be transported to the nearest point of entry to Mexico without detention by Border Patrol agents. The same policy is set to apply to the northern border with Canada, which has already closed its borders to most foreign nationals in a bid to control the spread of coronavirus. It has not yet restricted US citizens from entering. Several government agencies are reported to oppose the new measures on the basis it could violate both US and international law on refugees, particularly without confirmation from the Trump administration that Covid-19 had been identified among migrants arriving at the US-Mexico border. A senior security official at the Department of Homeland Security described the imminent introduction of border closure as unprecedented. The New York Times reported that four White House officials have expressed concerns that the coronavirus cannot be allowed to spread among Border Patrol agents and within detention facilities. They argue an outbreak of the virus on the border would put American national security at risk. Some within the Trump administration cite migrants arriving without sufficient medical history documents and in ill-health. At present, there are 82 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Mexico, compared to around 5,600 in the United States. Mr Trump has previously suggested he would close the USs southern border with Mexico, but had been blocked by legal challenges. In 2018, the Supreme Court refused to allow the introduction of a policy that would deny asylum to illegal border crossers. An official announcement is set to come within the next 48 hours. The New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled that an employee can pursue a disability discrimination claim under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD) after being fired due to his legal use of medical marijuana outside of work. This decision could provide some clarity in how medical marijuana use by employees outside of work should be handled by New Jersey employers. The decision comes after plaintiff Justin Wild brought an unlawful discrimination suit against his former employer, Carriage Funeral Holdings Inc., and others under NJLAD after he was fired following a drug test that showed positive for marijuana use. Wild alleged that he began working for Carriage in 2013 as a licensed funeral director, and in 2015, he was diagnosed with cancer. As part of his treatment, his physician prescribed marijuana as permitted by the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act. Wild claimed that he only used marijuana legally off-site and outside of working hours. While working at a funeral in May 2016, a vehicle being driven by Wild was struck by another vehicle that ran a stop sign. Wild explained to the treating physician at the hospital that he had a license to possess medical marijuana, and the physician stated it was clear Wild was not under the influence and did not require a blood test. Defendant David Feeney, however, stated Wild would need a test to return to work. Several days later, Feeney told Wild that corporate was unable to handle his marijuana use and was terminating his employment because drugs were found in his system. Feeney also stated he had called defendant Ginny Sanzo to explain that Wild had been terminated due to drugs. In a June 3, 2016, letter, however, corporate told Wild that he had not been terminated because of drug use, but because he failed to disclose his use of medication that could negatively impact his ability to perform his responsibilities at work. A couple of months after Wilds termination, his mother received a telephone call from someone who worked for another funeral home, stating she had heard Wild was fired because he was a drug addict and that rumor had made the rounds at the Bergen County Funeral Directors Association meeting. As a result, Wild claimed Carriage could not lawfully terminate his employment without violating NJLAD. The trial court initially granted the defendants motion to dismiss after determining that The Compassionate Use of Medical Marijuana Act doesnt contain employment-related protections for licensed medical marijuana users. The Compassionate Use of Medical Marijuana Act decriminalized the use of medical marijuana for any qualifying patient, primary caregiver, alternative treatment center, physician, or any other person acting in accordance with its terms, according to the New Jersey Supreme Court opinion. The New Jersey Legislature passed the act on January 11, 2010, and it was signed by then-Governor Jon Corzine on January 18, 2010. On July 2, 2019, current New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law the Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act, which makes several changes to New Jerseys medical marijuana program. These include providing job protections to medical marijuana users and creating new drug testing procedures. The Appellate Division reversed the dismissal of Wilds NJLAD claims, citing Wilds assertions that a disability qualified him to use medical marijuana, that he only sought to use it off-site and outside of working hours, and that the NJLAD makes it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against an individual with a disability unless it reasonably impedes job performance. The appellate court did reject Wilds claim that the Compassionate Use Act conflicts with the NJLAD, asserting that the Compassionate Use Act was intended to cause no impact on existing employment rights. It cited the acts provision stating that nothing in this act shall be construed to requirean employer to accommodate the medical use of marijuana in any workplace. The New Jersey Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the Appellate Division, agreeing that Wilds claim under NJLAD should not be dismissed. However, the court declined to adopt the Appellate Divisions view that the Compassionate Use Act intended to cause no impact on existing employment rights. The court instead sided with Wilds claims at oral argument that if the New Jersey Legislature had not enacted the Compassionate Use Act, he would have no NJLAD claim for disability discrimination or failure to accommodate following the termination of his employment. The court stated that in cases like this, where a plaintiff alleges the Compassionate Use Act authorized use of medical marijuana outside of work, the acts provisions are consistent with the law governing NJLAD disability discrimination claims. That said, the court added that two provisions of the act could affect a NJLAD discrimination or failure to accommodate claim in certain settings. One is that an employer is not required to accommodate the medical use of marijuana in the workplace, and the second is that a person is not permitted to operate, navigate or be in physical control of a vehicle, aircraft, railroad train, stationary heavy equipment or vessel while under the influence of marijuana. In this particular case, however, the New Jersey Supreme Court agreed with the Appellate Division that Wild properly stated a claim under the NJLAD. The case is Justin Wild v. Carriage Funeral Holdings, Inc. d/b/a Feeney Funeral Home, LLC; David B. Feeney, and Ginny Sanzo. Topics Cannabis New Jersey Drugs Photo Illustration by Sarah Rogers/The Daily Beast / Photos Getty As Congress works to pass a coronavirus relief bill authored by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Senate Republicans are approaching the next round of response to the outbreaka possibly trillion-dollar-plus stimulus billwith a blunt message to Democrats: This ones ours. Both privately and publicly, Senate Republicans have groused in recent days about having been sidelined during negotiations over what has become known as the Phase 2 deal to address the coronavirus pandemic. That bill, which passed by an overwhelming bipartisan margin last week in the House, focused on expanding paid sick leave, unemployment insurance, and food security for those affected by the outbreak, plus increasing testing capability for the virus. Republican leadership told members on Tuesday to swallow their gripes and pass the bill, citing the harsh demands of addressing a national crisis. Those members have found solace in the possibility of turning the tables on Pelosi and House Democrats when the next phase of coronavirus response is soon considered. That bill, known as Phase 3, is set to be a sweeping response to a cratering economy. And with the House of Representatives on recess and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) vowing to keep the Senate in session until a stimulus is approved, the GOP will almost certainly have the first shot. As a Senate GOP aide put it: The Senate Republican conference is going to write Phase 3... This is gonna be a far bigger item, dollar-wise, and there are a lot of people with what they think are chits owed them. Some lawmakers appear to be cashing those chits early. This week has seen a boomlet of proposals regarding what the stimulus bill should look like. In an ironic twist, an idea that didnt seem to have overwhelming buy-in among House Democrats a week agogiving cash directly to Americans affected by the COVID-19 outbreakis being pushed by several prominent GOP senators, most notably Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT). Story continues A party that used to recoil from sticker shock in past times of crisis is now running with abandon toward a bill that could have a price tag of up to $1.3 trillion. Trump Administration Wants to Send Every Worker a Check Amid Coronavirus Pandemic Im about as conservative fiscally as you can be, said Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA). This is not a time to be cheap. He did admit, however, we will have to do some clean-up later. But while Senate Republicans seem poised to craft a big, bold stimulus plan that reflects their priorities, they still face two obstacles in doing so. The first is congressional Democrats who dont appear to be spooked by McConnells threat to pass a bill and demand that they take it or leave it. One senior House Democratic aide said that if the Senate sent them a stimulus proposal put together squarely by Republicans theyd simply make changes to the legislation. Whats McConnell going to do? Dare us to add more things to his bill and send it back to him? How hard is that? the aide asked, sarcastically. But Democrats arent the only hurdle Trump and McConnell will have to clear. Fiscal hawks close to the president could present issues as well. Already, some high-profile Trump allies and conservative economists are actively lobbying the president and his administration to ditch large-scale economic stimulus in the face of the coronavirus economic slowdown. On Tuesday, Stephen Moore, Art Laffer, and Steve Forbesall luminaries in conservative economicsblasted out a joint statement urging the White House not to expand welfare and other income redistribution benefits like paid leave and unemployment benefits that will inhibit growth and discourage work. One senior Trump administration official told The Daily Beast that this statement had been printed out and flagged for the president to read in his daily batches of press clips and reading materials. As of Tuesday evening, it is unclear if hed read it. However, Moore, a Heritage Foundation economist who continues to informally advise Trump and administration officials, said in an interview Tuesday afternoon that key people in the White House were given an advance copy of the statement and that I know they liked it. It was something that people [in the administration] paid attention to, I was told. Though Moore is close to Trump, it is not clear how open the president is to being swayed from his current instinct of endorsing a big stimulus, especially when the U.S. economy and his re-election are on the line. In the past two weeks, Trump has complained to confidants that if it were truly up to him, he would want billions more dollars for a dramatic economic stabilization package, but that he felt constrained by conservative spending hawks and lawmakers who he has to appeal to, according to two sources whove independently discussed this matter with Trump. Over the past few days, Republican lawmakers have moved toward Trumps thinking, with members of the party embracing proposals that would get cash directly in the hands of people affected by the coronavirus outbreak. In his lunch meeting with senators Tuesday, Mnuchin floated the idea of a one-time, means-tested payment to Americans via the Internal Revenue Service. Its more targeted than Romneys approach but appeared to have a broad degree of buy-in within the GOP conference. But the sentiment is not universally shared in the party. I want to give a loan to the companies to float their payroll on generous terms, said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a close Trump ally. Im not going to give a check on top of a checkif I gave everybody here a thousand dollars, what would you do with it right now? With the possibility of fissures inside the GOP ranks, Senate Democrats and their leader, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), do have real leverage over the scope and direction of the Phase 3 bill, since it will require 60 votes to pass. Though some Democratic lawmakers are already outbidding the GOPs cash-infusion ideas, a senior Senate Democratic aide told The Daily Beast they will demand increased unemployment insurance and real structural changes. The real next crisis is capacity issues, hospital beds, and supplies at the hospitals, said the aide. Additionally, Democratic lawmakers mentioned another area of pressure: industry-specific bailouts. They plan to push for tight strings on any relief money that is targeted at the sectors most hard-hit by the coronavirus downturnparticularly the airline industry, which most on both sides agree is going to need some kind of help. On Tuesday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), who herself reviewed the implementation of the 2008 bailout, released proposed conditions for industry bailoutsincluding guaranteeing workers a $15 minimum wage, banning corporate stock buybacks, and prohibiting federal funds from going to executive bonuses. Why would we bail out any company thats been making record profits without a clear guarantee that they will protect workers rights around pensions, collective-bargaining provision of sick leave, and pay? asked Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE). If companies want to come forward and say, weve been hit hardso, hospitality, travel, othersand we need even more tax relief Id want to see that what we were doing was achieving some real protection. While McConnell has talked about going it alone on Phase 3, Schumer has pushed for the top Democrat and Republican of each chamber to work directly with the White House to craft some sort of large-scale compromise. The aforementioned senior House aide conceded that there would be utility to a four-corners negotiation so long as it did not involve Trump himself. The president never once spoke to Pelosi during the crafting of the Phase 2 deal, her office confirmed. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. A month after Egypt confirmed its first case of the coronavirus on Feb. 14, the government announced that it would close its airports and restrict air travel starting March 19 until the end of March, as part of efforts to slow the spread of the virus. Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly told a news conference March 16 that the number of infected cases of the coronavirus is increasing, so we started taking quick preventive measures, including suspension of classes. Our plan includes three phases to deal with the virus. The government had to move to the second phase. He announced other measures that include reducing the number of workers in the public sector, particularly those working in the government amounting to about 6 million public employees. He appealed to all Egyptians to take preventive measures and to not underestimate the virus. On March 14, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced the closure of schools and universities across the country, and allocated 100 billion Egyptian pounds (roughly $6.3 billion) to deal with any possible repercussions of the coronavirus. Stepping up the preventive measures came as the country faced its sixth fatality; the number of confirmed cases reached 196 on March 18. An analysis conducted by researchers from the University of Toronto, however, has estimated that thousands of people could be infected in Egypt. They said the number could be more than 19,000 while the conservative estimation stands at 6,000. Using the airline data and exported case data, as well as some information on the average length tourists stay in the region, we estimated an outbreak size of about 19,000 cases with a confidence interval of 6,000-45,000, Ashleigh Tuite, specialist of Division of Epidemiology at the University of Toronto, told Al-Monitor. Tuite said they conducted their analysis on March 6, when there were three reported cases in Egypt and at least 14 exported cases from Egypt to four countries. Cairo confirmed the first recorded case in Africa on Feb. 14. She explained, "[Because Egypt has a young population] this could result in a lot of mild infections that might not be detected even with widespread transmission, particularly if there isn't active testing and case finding happening in the country. Egypts Health Ministry dismissed the estimation saying it reports the confirmed cases to the World Health Organization (WHO) only. The problem is that the government has not provided citizens with credible information on how to combat it in due course, said Ayman Wafik, a researcher at Right to Health, a local nongovernmental organization. Meanwhile, WHO praised the Egyptian efforts in containing the spread of the coronavirus. On March 15, WHO representative in Egypt John Jabbour told CNN that Egypt and Jordan have the best monitoring systems in the region, and he praised Egypt's containment of the virus' infection rates. Others argue that the government has been late in taking required measures, such as closing schools and suspending flights from and to infected countries like China and more recently Italy. Following the decision to cancel classes, panicked shoppers have swept supermarket chains across the country, stockpiling on foodstuffs as rumors circulated on social media that the government would impose a curfew. But the government denied planning to take such a step. The recent precautionary measures although needed and timely added to the citizens confusion and increased panic, Wafik said. He noted that people have a role to play, too, and that the government alone is not capable of dealing with such a global pandemic. Alaa Ghanaam, an expert in health-care sector reform, said the Egyptian government has dealt with the coronavirus crisis in a balanced manner, compared with other countries. It gradually raised the degree of preparedness and did not overestimate the crisis, to prevent the panic of its people and minimize the economic losses, he told Al-Monitor. He said Egypt has reached the second stage in its plan to face the virus. This crisis is the first serious test of medical initiatives and of the medical insurance system adopted by the government in the past two years, he added. Regarding the government's capacity to control the virus, Ghanaam said Egypt has the strongest preventive system in the region, along with firmly quarantine measures. He said passengers arriving at the country's airports and seaports are being subjected to medical tests and that anyone suspected of having the virus is quarantined for 14 days. Meanwhile, the minister of health ensured that isolation departments in hospitals in every governorate entrusted with dealing with such cases have been equipped. Egypt had also gained experience from previous crises such as the 2005 swine flu epidemic, according to Ghanaam. During the last swine flu wave in Egypt back in 2014, 38 people died of the 318 people diagnosed with the virus. The current challenge for the government is to minimize the losses, he concluded. Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe For some Chinese immigrants, social distancing is literally impossible. That's because many of them are packed into apartments, condos, and garage conversions -- and by many, I mean 10, 15, even more. These places are called "boarding houses" or "family motels" -- and they are all over the San Gabriel Valley, especially in Monterey Park. Last week, LAist published my extensive coverage of overcrowded Chinese boarding houses. Yesterday, I caught up with a few of my sources. A NERVOUS 'SECOND-HAND LANDLORD' Hengbin Wu rents two units at a building in Monterey Park and sublets beds to several tenants for about $15 a night. He's known as a "second-hand landlord." He says the neighborhood is still bustling and he's seeing many new boarding house tenants at other apartments in the 26-unit the complex where he lives. Wu told me: "It's obvious that there are more people in Monterey Park, especially around the Dingpangzi plaza. More people mean more problems, and more problems mean it's easy to lose control of the situation." He told me he's scared of the coronavirus spreading through overcrowded boarding houses. And he's only letting five people stay in each of his two bedroom units. Usually he tries to keep a rotation of nine tenants in each unit on any given day. ELSEWHERE, LESS DISTANCE I'm hearing that as restaurants close, workers are spending more time in boarding houses. Chunsheng Zhang, a construction worker, told me he's been living in a three-bedroom apartment with 15 other people. That's four people in each room and four people in the living room. Zhang said that the sanitation at boarding houses is worrisome. Workers from countless cities and states come and go on a daily basis. He told me no one wears a mask inside, and nothing gets disinfected. He said that someone at his boarding house was sick with a fever but refused to go to the hospital. Zhang told me he was terrified, and left the city for Sacramento. THE ENFORCEMENT CONUNDRUM So what can be done to make a terrible situation slightly less bad? Not much. City officials are concerned that the overcrowded and unsanitary boarding houses are a risk factor for the spread of COVID-19. But they don't want to break up these homes and put people on the street. They're focused on the big picture right now, trying to keep institutions functioning and informing the public. I asked Peter Chan of the Monterey Park city council if there were any plans to address the potential health hazards posed by overcrowded boarding houses during the current pandemic. He told me: "There is no specific action or special means for any specific groups." "I recognize, too, that many of those individuals may not have health insurance, may not have access to health care. So it's an extremely dangerous situation." And here's what San Gabriel Mayor Jason Pu told me:He admitted that the situation is "challenging," then added, "however, at this point in time, the focus is on trying to keep the overall community healthy and safe." MORE ON CORONAVIRUS: The coronavirus pandemic has sparked concerns about a fresh surge in bad loans at Indias lenders, and the industry body representing the banks plans to appeal to regulators to provide some reprieve in bad-debt classification, two sources told Reuters on Tuesday. Discussions are on at this stage and we will make a representation to the regulator to see if we can get some relief regarding non-performing asset classification in the small and medium enterprises sector, one of the bankers said. The appeal to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will be made via the ... Coronavirus Will Slam African Economies, Experts Say By Simon Marks March 17, 2020 As the coronavirus spreads across Africa, countries are taking stronger measures to curb its spread. The restrictions may contain the virus, but will likely have a deep impact on the continent's economies. With several African governments closing borders, canceling flights and enforcing strict quarantine requirements to curb the spread of the virus, experts say there will be consequences for the continent's economy. The United Nations said it now estimates Africa's GDP rate will fall from 3.2 percent to 1.8 percent this year. "This is going to deal a very severe blow to growth," said Vera Songwe, secretary-general of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, "even though the numbers of cases on the continent are quite small. If you look at that Africa does not seem to be affected. But then when you look at the economics, I think that is where the big story is for Africa. We are being severely affected." Over the weekend Kenya shut its border to foreigners, while Ghana banned entry to anyone who visited a country with the coronavirus in the last two weeks. South Africa, already in a recession, declared a national state of emergency and banned travel to and from China, Europe and the U.S. Economists say these restrictions and others around the world will disrupt global supply chains and decrease travel, which in turn should cause oil prices to drop. Songwe said African oil exporters will feel the impact. "If you're a country like Nigeria, which is a net oil exporter one, we're demanding less oil from you, but secondly the amount of oil that we're demanding from you has dropped [in price]. We've estimated that Nigeria could lose almost $19 billion if the trend continues and that's a big shock to Nigeria's economy, which was already growing at quite a low rate of 2.8 percent." In order for Africa to meet its global targets under the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, economists say Africa must grow at a minimum of 8 percent. Stephen Karingi, the director of the trade division at the UN's Economic Commission for Africa, told VOA that the impact on Africa's economy and health systems would be devastating. "As things stand now the 3.2 percent growth has actually been insignificant when it comes to meeting these SDG goals," he said. "That's the point that we want to make. In other words, we are going to see an increase in the number of people who are actually poor or below the poverty line." The coronavirus also resulted in the cancellation of talks in Addis Ababa that were aimed at completing the African Continental Free Trade Area, which is scheduled to launch on July 1. Wamkele Mene, the secretary-general of the free-trade bloc, told VOA that without the talks, the deadline will be hard to meet. "We will have to find a way to expedite the work," he said. "To give you an example in 2018, we worked for 26 days nonstop from nine in the morning until 2 or 3 am, 25 to 26 days nonstop to meet the deadlines of March 21, the signature of the agreement. So we will have to find a way and do something similar to expedite the work." For the moment, most African government are focused on simply containing the coronavirus. South African Finance Minister Tito Mboweni said Monday the government would need to set aside additional funding to deal with the crisis. More than 50 cases have been identified in South Africa to date, while both Ethiopian and Cameroon on Monday confirmed their fifth case respectively. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address California Gov. Gavin Newsom gives an update to the state's response to the coronavirus, at the Governor's Office of Emergency Services in Rancho Cordova, Calif., on March 17, 2020. (Rich Pedroncelli, Pool/AP Photo) California Governor: Most Schools Wont Reopen This School Year Many schools in California wont reopen this school year, Gov. Gavin Newsom said. Nearly every school in the state, or 98.8 percent of the schools, has closed as part of nationwide efforts to stem the spread of the CCP virus, the new illness that causes the COVID-19 disease. I would plan and assume it is unlikely that many of these schools, few if any, will open before the summer break, Newsom said at a press conference on Tuesday. I dont want to mislead you: to six-plus million kids in our system and their families, they need to make some plans at a time when a lot of plans are already being curtailed, he added. But planning with kids is some of the most challenging planning. Newsom recounted telling one of his daughters on Monday that schools would likely remain closed. He said he wanted to be honest with Californians and that he hopes he is wrong. An empty school front is seen at the Ramon C. Cortinez School of Visual and Performing Arts in downtown Los Angeles, Calif., on March 16, 2020. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images) The state plans on releasing educational information for children every Friday, including online learning programs. The state has applied for a federal waiver for children for academic tests because of the major disruption. We think it is totally inappropriate for kids to worry about coming back and being tested, he said. The California government released a round of guidance to schools on Tuesday, including resources that support distance learning and advice on how to design a high-quality online course. It also focuses on child care and school meals, including recommending local officials consider using schools as pop-up child care services and sites to serve meals to students. Newsom said that everyone 65 or older should shelter in place, or stay inside except for emergencies, a day after San Francisco and nearby counties announced a shelter in place order for everyone, regardless of age. The governor sounded a similar alarm to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in preparing for an expected surge of COVID-19 patients, saying the state might need thousands of additional hospital beds to care for patients with severe cases of the new illness. A $1 billion appropriation was the state to bolster capacity. 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 mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. California has one of the highest case counts in the nation, with 472 patients as of Monday, according to the state Department of Health. According to one tracker, the state had 718 confirmed cases as of Wednesday. Amid concerns about the public spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, the Gray House at St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral had to think differently about the fate of its major annual fundraiser, a spaghetti dinner. The 29th annual event, scheduled for March 26 at the Greek Cultural Center, is now a No Show, which will allow the Gray House to conduct an online fundraiser. The dinner typically accounts for nearly 10% of the agencys annual budget, meaning funds are still needed to help provide food, educational services and youth programming to neighbors living in poverty in the citys North End neighborhood. The people most impacted by this pandemic are the vulnerable individuals we serve on a regular basis and who need our help more than ever," said Teresa Liberti, Gray House executive director. We are anticipating increased demand for our services, especially in terms of food assistance due to the economic implications of COVID-19. We are taking precautions to protect our staff, volunteers and those we serve, especially in our market where we serve over 140 households within a three-hour period every week. With sponsors like Freedom Credit Union, PeoplesBank and the Springfield chapter of UNICO offering to allow Gray House to retain the sponsorship funds as donations, Gray House will now use social media to encourage other donors who would have attended the dinner to make pledges online, according to Liberti. In lieu of buying a ticket, we encourage them to have their own spaghetti dinner at home, she said. Supporters will also be able to participate in a raffle and the winners will be pulled on Facebook Live around 5:45 p.m. on March 26. Raffle tickets can be purchased online at go.rallyup.com/spaghettisupper or by mailing a check to Gray House, 22 Sheldon St., Springfield, MA 01107. Donation or raffle ticket checks can be made payable to The Gray House. For more information and to see the sponsors and supporters , go online to GrayHouse.org/Spaghetti-Supper. The Gray House will continue to provide food assistance to those in need and has implemented precautions to protect staff, volunteers and those served. Individuals are advised to visit the website, GrayHouse.org, for the most up-to-date information and hours. Sprint is closing down a majority of its retail stores in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Sprint closing down 71% of retail stores due to coronavirus The fourth-largest carrier (and new T-Mobile acquisition) announced today on its blog that it is closing down 71% of all but its most highly critical retail stores. The store closures are due to coronavirus and the demand for social distancing from US President Donald Trump. The retail stores closing include those in indoor malls, all Puerto Rico locations, and all Walgreens Sprint Express locations. Sprint is leaving some retail stores open for a large number of employees. The carrier is also leaving some service locations open for customers who need phone repairs. 29% of Sprint stores will remain open, but thats a very small number than before. Its slightly more than 25% of its retail stores across the country. Closing retail stores: part of social distancing Coronavirus is a disease that spreads. In light of how the virus works, sick persons can pass it to others without showing any symptoms themselves. In crowds of 100 or more, there could be at least 6 people who fall victim at any given event. Its silent infection rate and rapid spread into communities are what make it so dangerous. Advertisement Social distancing is what happens when people isolate themselves in order to avoid getting sick. There is no cure for COVID-19 (coronavirus) at the moment. There arent nearly enough coronavirus testing kits, which means that infected persons could go days or weeks before getting the proper diagnosis. In the time it takes a person to become eligible for coronavirus testing, he or she could infect others around them. Since coronavirus is a threat to all who come into contact with an infected person, staying indoors, at home, away from large crowds and traveling persons is a wise decision. Social distancing is not fun, but its the last alternative in what has become a pandemic. The Washington Post said last month that COVID-19 has pandemic potential. Its outbreak to now over 197,000 people and 164 countries, with 7,954 deaths, qualifies the disease as a pandemic. Sprint follows other top US carriers in store closures Sprint is following in the footsteps of other major US carriers in shutting down a majority of retail stores. Verizon and T-Mobile are shutting down the majority of their stores as well. AT&T is telling employees to work from home if they can, though the wireless giant hasnt said it is closing down stores in light of the pandemic. Advertisement Tech giants Google and Microsoft are joining others such as Facebook and Twitter in encouraging their staff to work remotely for at least a few weeks. Microsoft says it will continue to pay its employees. Google is encouraging its North American and beyond employees to work remotely after two of its employees (in Zurich and Bangalore) contracted COVID-19 recently. Diabetic Neuropathy Treatment Market Overview: Global diabetic nephropathy treatment market has been witnessing a constant rise in its size due to the increasing number of cases registered worldwide. Diabetic neuropathy is the second-highest reason leading to global disability, and it is estimated that around 30% to 40% of people across the globe live with the condition. Diabetic neuropathy is common in the developed as well as developing regions due to the numbers of diabetic patients exploding at an alarming rate year by year. Diabetes requires lifelong care and, if not treated well in time, can lead to severe & life-threatening conditions such as kidney failure. With the rising advances in diabetic care, the treatment procedures have evolved drastically, which, in turn, fosters the market growth, increasing the uptake of diabetic nephropathy treatments. According to Market Research Future (MRFR), the global diabetic nephropathy treatment market is expected to cross the valuation of USD 5.80 BN by 2025, growing at 5.1% CAGR during the assessment period (2019-2025). Avail Free Sample Copy at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/8359 Diabetic Neuropathy Treatment Market Drivers & Restraints: Increasing reimbursement offered to patients by health insurance providers is another key factor influencing the growth of the market. Besides, the rising prevalence of diabetic disorders and various kidney disorders propel market growth. Additionally, the growing global geriatric population alongside, the increasing cases of diabetic neuropathy disorders, push the growth of the market. Moreover, the rising R&D activities to discover new drugs to treat diabetic neuropathy disorder influence market growth. Rising awareness about the condition and availability of novel treatment methods, alongside the emergence of technologically advanced devices for the diagnosis and treatment of diabetic neuropathy, impacts the market growth positively. On the other hand, lack of awareness among people is leading to inhibiting the growth of the market. Nevertheless, increasing healthcare expenditures and government funding programs would support the growth of the market. Diabetic Neuropathy Treatment Market Segments The analysis has been segmented into four major dynamics. By Disorder: Autonomic Neuropathy, Peripheral Neuropathy, Proximal Neuropathy, and Focal Neuropathy. By Treatment: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), Drugs, and others. By End-User: Hospitals & Clinics, Retail Pharmacy, Online Pharmacy, and others. By Regions: Europe, Americas, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Rest-of-the-World. Diabetic Neuropathy Treatment Market Regional Analysis North America leads the global diabetic nephropathy treatment market, heading with the presence of a vast patient population, well-developed healthcare sectors, and industry leaders in the region. The prevalence of diabetic neuropathy & various kidney diseases is quite high in North America. Also, the region has state-of-the-art healthcare infrastructure, which, as a result, impacts the market growth positively. Additionally, the increasing emphasis in the region for diagnosis and continuous monitoring of diabetes & high blood pressure, using advanced diagnostic tests and devices, substantiate the market growth. Furthermore, increasing funding support from the government and private companies to improve diabetes care in the region drives the growth of the diabetic nephropathy treatment market in North America. Europe stands second in the global diabetic nephropathy treatment market due to the rising cases of diabetic neuropathy disorder. Also, factors such as the government support that encourage the players to develop high-quality technologies for diabetes care and favorable reimbursement policies are driving the regional market growth, predominantly. Certainly, the resurging economy is playing a causal role in supporting the regional market growth, availing the best possible healthcare & increasing the per-capita healthcare expenditures. The Asia Pacific region is emerging as a promising market for diabetic nephropathy treatments. Factors such as the rapidly growing healthcare sector and awareness among individuals towards diabetic care and the advantages & availability of therapeutics drive the growth of the diabetic nephropathy treatment market in the region. Besides, the growing prevalence of diabetes and kidney disease, alongside the ever-increasing geriatric population, acts as a major driving force for the regional market growth. Diabetic Neuropathy Treatment Market Competitive Landscape Fiercely competitive, the diabetic nephropathy treatment market appears widely expanded, with several well-established players forming a competitive landscape. To gain a larger competitive share of the market, players incorporate strategic initiatives such as mergers & acquisitions, collaborations, expansion, and new therapeutics launch. Providers strive for additional treatments that are cost-effective and can provide the best outcome for all patients. Also, they try their best to ensure patient satisfaction with other solutions that will keep them moving. Companies involved in providing therapies for DKD focus on areas with high unmet clinical needs and require further innovation in addition to the progress that has been made already. They make substantial investments to drive R&D and clinical trials to develop effective therapies to treat the syndrome. They also invest in acquiring a promising company to meet the expansion plans. Diabetic Neuropathy Treatment Market Major Players: Players active in the global diabetic nephropathy treatment market include Abbott Laboratories (US), Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd (Switzerland), Eli Lilly and Company (US), Johnson & Johnson (US), GlaxoSmithKline Plc (UK), Lupin Limited (India), Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Limited (India), Depomed, Inc. (US), Astellas Pharma Inc. (Japan), Pfizer Inc. (US), and MEDA Pharma GmBH & Co. KG (Germany), among others. Diabetic Neuropathy Treatment Industry/ Innovation/ Related News: November 04, 2019: Vifor Pharma Group (Switzerland), a leading global pharmaceuticals company, announced a strategic partnership with a US-based pharmaceutical company Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. (a part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson), for the commercialization of its innovative drug for diabetic nephropathy (DKD) INVOKANA (canagliflozin) in the US. Alongside the DKD treatments, INVOKANA is also indicated for reducing the risk of heart failure in type 2 diabetes patients and people suffering from diabetic kidney conditions. When added to the current standard of care, INVOKANA represents a major advancement in treatment options for this large, yet under-served patient population. Browse Complete Report with TOC at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/diabetic-neuropathy-treatment-market-8359 Table Of Contents 1. REPORT PROLOGUE 2. MARKET INTRODUCTION 2.1. Definition 2.2. Scope Of The Study 2.2.1. Research Objective 2.2.2. Assumptions 2.2.3. Limitations 3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1. Overview 3.2. Primary Research 3.3. Secondary Research 3.4. Market Size Estimation 4. MARKET DYNAMICS 4.1. Overview 4.2. Drivers 4.3. Restraints 4.4. Opportunities 5. MARKET FACTOR ANALYSIS Continued For More See Healthcare Related Reports News Hospital beds Market Global Surgical Equipment Market Healthcare Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) Market 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. MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Logistics and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions. In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members. Contact: Akash Anand Market Research Future +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com RBI's moratorium on crisis-hit private sector lender Yes Bank has been lifted. Yes Bank customers can now withdraw money from ATMs and access other banking services. Taking it to Twitter, the troubled bank said, "Our banking services are now operational. You can now experience the full suite of our services. Thank you for your patience and co-operation." Our banking services are now operational. You can now experience the full suite of our services. Thank you for your patience and co-operation. #YESforYOU @RBI @FinMinIndia - YES BANK (@YESBANK) March 18, 2020 The bank also informed that its branches will open one hour earlier at 8:30 hours from March 19 to 21, 2020. It has also extended banking hours across branches for its senior citizen customers from 16:30 hours to 17:30 hours between March 19 to March 27, 2020. Administrator Prashant Kumar said on Tuesday that all the ATMs are fully stocked. "There is no absolutely no issue on liquidity side from Yes Bank, all our ATMs are full of cash," he stated in a press conference. He also assured depositors that there was no need to withdraw cash in panic. Earlier 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. "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. The RBI had put Yes Bank under moratorium in wake of deteriorating financial conditions, governance issues as well as outflow of liquidity. The apex bank had limited the withdrawals to Rs 50,000 for a month. Boosted by the development, shares of Yes Bank gained almost 50 per cent in intraday trade on Wednesday. The stock price opened with a gain of 9.97 per cent and later touched an intraday high of Rs 87.95, rising 49.96 per cent on BSE, against the previous closing value of Rs 58.65. By Chitranjan Kumar Also Read: YES Bank share price rises up to 50% as normal services to resume today Also Read: Yes Bank: No cap on withdrawal from 6 pm today; full banking services to be restored Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks at a campaign rally in Dover, New Hampshire, on September 1, 2019. Brian Snyder/Reuters Sen. Bernie Sanders is proposing that each US household receive a cash payment of $2,000 until the COVID-19 crisis is resolved. The proposal comes in the wake of a proposal from Sen. Mitt Romney, who on Monday suggested a one-time payment of $1,000 to all US adults. "There's increasing agreement on sending out checks to everyone," Mike Konczal, director of the Roosevelt Institute, told Business Insider. Sen. Bernie Sanders is calling for the federal government to pick up the tab for all Americans' health care costs during the COVID-19 pandemic an emergency version of Medicaid-for-all and for each household to receive $2,000 in cash each month until the crisis is resolved. Sanders unveiled the proposals in a Tuesday night address, which he plans to share with Senate Democratic leaders. Sanders lost to former Vice President Joe Biden in three primaries on Tuesday night in Illinois, Florida, and Arizona. The primary in Ohio, which was also set to vote Tuesday, was called off over concerns it would contribute to the spread of the novel coronavirus. "People are sitting out there and they're saying, 'My god, what am I going to do? How do I take care of my families?' That has got to be the major, major economic priority that we address," Sanders said on a Facebook livestream. "How do we take care of the working families in this country who are negatively impacted by this crisis?" To that end, the senator from Vermont called for providing a "direct, emergency $2,000 cash payment to every household in America every month for the duration of the crisis." While providing less upfront, the proposal, part of a broader plan detailed on Sanders' campaign website, is more aggressive than a measure unveiled Monday by Sen. Mitt Romney, under which each American adult would receive a one-time payment of $1,000. Sanders' proposal is more comparable to a plan introduced by Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown, Michael Bennet, and Cory Booker, under which individuals not households would receive an initial payment of $2,000 and, depending on the length of the crisis, additional payments of $1,500 and $1,000. Story continues "There's increasing agreement on sending out checks to everyone," Mike Konczal, director of the Roosevelt Institute, a liberal think tank, told Business Insider. "Sanders's plan is important because it emphasizes that this can't be a one-time thing but instead something that continues through the recession." Direct cash payments as a means of responding to an economic downturn are not unheard of in US politics. In 2008, following the collapse of the financial sector, President George W. Bush signed economic stimulus legislation that provided individuals up to $600 in the form of a tax rebate check. Sanders' proposal emphasizes the need to provide any such payments in a way that can serve Americans who may not have bank accounts or a means of cashing a check. Unlike the competing proposal from Democratic senators, which tapers off based on income, the Sanders plan would also provide cash to all Americans, including the wealthy. "It is key that we get this money out and to families as soon as possible, which means we must make the payments universal with little bureaucracy," Sanders' website states. Those who do not really need the assistance "can contribute their payments to fighting the coronavirus pandemic," it adds, saying it will assist such "patriotic families" in finding organizations to help. "Cash" grabs the headlines, but Konczal told Business Insider that the proposal from Sanders contributes to the policy discussion in far more significant ways, namely by "prioritizing a new agency to cover the payroll of affected businesses and execute a recovery policy." Indeed, Sanders is calling for an emergency agency modeled off the Depression-era Reconstruction Finance Corporation a new New Deal that would take over responsibility for paying workers in industries "such s restaurants, bars, and local retail that need immediate relief." Instead of staff being laid off, their checks would keep coming, just from the US government. Read the original article on Business Insider Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Wednesday said providing a corruption-free and transparent government is possible even without a Lokayukta. However, Rawat said that he was not against the creation of the anti-corruption ombudsman organisation in the state. "In the last three years of our tenure we have proved that corruption-free good governance can be given to the people even without the Lokayukta," the chief minister said. "Though I am not saying the Lokayukta will not be created, our government believes in working in a manner that the need for a Lokayukta does not arise," Rawat told a press conference on completing three years in office. The Lokayukta Bill was introduced in the state assembly in its very first session after the BJP government took over and the legislation is now a property of the House, the chief minister said. Rawat said his government launched a massive crackdown on corruption within a week of sweeping to power in 2017 by ordering an investigation into the multi-crore rupees NH-74 scam. "Many officials, including the senior-most were either suspended or jailed for their involvement in the scam. Corruption in governance was a big issue in the last polls and we started our fight against it as soon as coming to power," Rawat said. He said the last three years of BJP rule in Uttarakhand had seen the state secretariat getting free from the clutches of the mafia. Rawat also spoke of the steps taken by his government towards e-governance for the sake of greater transparency. He also highlighted steps to bring big ticket investments to the state that will generate employment opportunities for locals and curb migration. The chief minister said a large-scale investors summit was held in Dehradun in 2018. It has already brought investments worth Rs 21,000-crore to the state which will provide employment to 56,000 people, he said. The state government has set up a Rural Development and Migration Commission to explore methods not only to stop migration from the hills but also to begin the process of reverse migration, Rawat said. Schemes like '13 Districts-13 New Destinations', homestay for tourists and rural growth centres where locals can market their products, are some of the major programmes aimed at stopping migration from hilly areas, he said. Noting that Uttarakhand is already reaping the advantages of double engine governance, Rawat said the Centre has already sanctioned infrastructure development projects worth Rs 94,000 crore to the state. The BJP is in power both at the Centre and in Uttarakhand. "If you draw a comparison between our performance and those of previous governments, we have done more in three years than they did in 10 years," he said. Rawat also highlighted the efforts made by the state government to give a push to green energy like solar energy and generating power out of dry pine leaves. The chief minister said during the remaining two years of his government, it will continue to work on the agenda of giving corruption-free governance focused on development. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The hospital system has considered whether it could work with the universitys engineering department to build its own ventilators an option that Kelen described as extreme, given that theyve never built the complex machines before and has also convened a group of doctors and ethicists to figure out how to essentially ration the use of ventilators if there are more patients than machines. Travel bans, border closures, and recommendations for self-isolation amid the coronavirus pandemic have aggravated fears of a global recession and pushed money managers to intensify the sell off of crude oil and fuels contracts, data reported by Reuters John Kemp shows. While just two weeks ago things were beginning to look up for oil after the first sell-off wave, now the future looks bleak. Money managers sold some 180 million barrels of oil and fuel contracts since February 18, Kemp reported, which doesnt bode well for this particular commodity market as prices have been falling in this period and it hasnt deterred funds from selling. Just how much things could change over two weeks becomes apparent when one compares the mood in the oil market in early March to what we are witnessing now. In early March, days before the OPEC+ meeting, most expected an agreement on deeper production cuts that would mitigate the devastating effect Covid-19 was already having on the global economy. And then Russia refused to play ball and said it was going back to normal production rates. Saudi Arabia was quick to respond by saying it would turn up the taps and start pumping 12.3 million bpd in April, in addition to raising its production capacity to 13 million bpd. Oil prices were even quicker to respond, with Brent and West Texas Intermediate crashing below $40 and WTI even slipping below $30 a barrel this week. Meanwhile, quarantines expanded across Europe as new coronavirus cases multiplied. Banks and consultancies rushed to revise their oil demand forecasts for the year with every one bleaker than the previous one. Expectations are now for billions of barrels daily in lost demand, which is not doing anything for prices but pressuring them further. Related: How Coronavirus Is Saving Lives Consultancy Eurasia Group summed up the situation in a recent report, With international aviation virtually at a halt, land transportation (especially private vehicle usage) also stalling, and even shipping experiencing a decline amid factory closures and the shutdown of the cruise sector, oil consumption heading into the second quarter could endure the biggest contraction on record during what will probably be a global recession. There is, however, a silver lining. For starters, bargain hunters are emerging from the shadows. As Reuters reported earlier today, Brent and WTI jumped by more than a percent from Mondays close thanks to bargain hunting along with short covering, although the latter is not necessarily a good sign for the oil market. Reports that the U.S. government will buy some 77 million barrels of local crude for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve also had a positive implication for prices although the move aimed to not just help local producers but also take advantage of the low prices, which means some producers would end up selling oil below the cost of production. Related: Supertanker Rates Soar 678% As Saudi Arabia Floods The Oil Market Speaking of U.S. producers, and specifically shale oil producers, they are starting to trim production because, for most, production costs are above current WTI prices. In fact, according to Rystad Energy, only 16 shale oil producers have production costs of below $35 a barrel. Even these, however, are in a rush to curb spending and this means, among other things, idling rigs. This, in turn, means that we could see a slowdown and possibly even a reversal of U.S. shale oil production growth later this year, which would send a strong bullish signal to the market. Risks remain, however, and they are not just coronavirus-related. According to a Reuters report from this week, the U.S. is not the only one filling up its reserves of crude oil. Other countries are taking advantage of the low prices, too. Storage space, alas, is not infinite, especially in the current demand situation. If storage does fill, quashing that demand, oil prices are sure to collapse further, and the global markets will then have to hope that the dispute between Saudi Arabia and Russia is resolved before we reach that point of no return, Stephen Innes, chief markets strategist at AxiCorp told Reuters. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: WASHINGTON As news about coronavirus continues to touch every part of daily life, voters' thoughts on the Democratic primary election, and likely the general election, are already being influenced by the pandemic. Recent polling has shown voters trust former vice president and Democratic president candidate Joe Biden over fellow candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders to handle a crisis like coronavirus. And history shows that how a sitting administration responds to a national tragedy can influence voters at the polls in the general election. I think on the Democratic side, there's a lot of Democrats, especially at a time when there's unease about a massive epidemic, there's less uncertainty about what Joe Biden will do, said Eitan Hersh, associate professor in the Department of Political Science at Tufts University, adding that Biden would likely reinstitute the Obama administration, more or less. Response to Trump's coronavirus address: Another market plunge, airport chaos, anxious lawmakers Biden on the trail often argues that his campaign is fighting to "restore the soul of America," while Sanders frequently argues for the necessity of a political "revolution" in the United States Hersh, a data analyst who studied voter behavior after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and recently released a book entitled "Politics Is For Power," noted the trust in Biden likely stems from him having already being a part of the Obama Administration and the thought that Biden would "basically just do what has already been done on the Democratic side." A man uses hand sanitizer after voting in the presidential primary election at the the Summit View Church of the Nazarene on March 10 in Kansas City, Mo. The polling place served two precincts as voters who were scheduled to vote at a nearby senior living facility were directed to vote at the church after the facility backed out due to coronavirus concerns. On the other hand, Hersh said, there are more "question marks" as to how Sanders would run an administration because he is "overtly more interested in changing things up." I think (with) someone like Bernie Sanders there's a lot more uncertainty about what that would look like, Hersh added. What do voters think? Story continues Jennie Kuckertz, who specializes in psychology at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass., said the coronavirus pandemic could affect voting patterns, but there is not enough data yet to see just how. Kuckertz said when there's a lot of uncertainty in a situation, sometimes people "look for comfort and what they already know and don't necessarily want a lot of change." "I think other people may panic, and really become upset and very angry and really want something drastically different," Kuckertz added. Recent surveying and Election Day polling give a glimpse into what voters are thinking as the campaign rolls along. Amid the coronavirus outbreak Tuesday, Biden is seen as the candidate voters trust most to lead in a crisis. In Florida, Biden led Sanders 71%-23%; Biden led Sanders 64%-31% in Illinois; and in Arizona, 63% chose Biden compared to Sanders at 31%, according to a National Election Pool primary poll, which was conducted in lieu of exit polls. For the March 10 primaries, 60% of voters in Missouri chose Biden as the candidate more trusted to handle a major crisis, according to exit polling from ABC News, while 25% chose Sanders. In Michigan, among same-day voters, Biden topped Sanders 51%-32, as being seen as more trusted in crisis. And in Washington state, according to preliminary data, Biden again topped Sanders, 44%-27%, when it came to trust in a crisis. Biden swept all three states Tuesday night, and last week won both Missouri, Michigan and Washington, among other states. Another recent poll asked respondents who they believed was best equipped to handle the coronavirus outbreak and included a question with President Donald Trump. Exclusive poll: Americans are more worried about finances than their health amid coronavirus outbreak According to the Newsy poll conducted by YouGov, 29% of Americans believe that Biden is best equipped to handle the coronavirus crisis, compared to Sanders at 18%. But the plurality of respondents (38%) chose neither. However, both Democratic candidates were seen as better equipped to handle the pandemic over Trump. In a head-to-head match up, 40% said Biden was best equipped while 34% said Trump was. Between Sanders and Trump, there was a slimmer margin but the Democratic candidate still led, with Sanders at 37% and Trump at 35%. The survey was conducted by YouGov on March 9-10 with 1,000 U.S. adults contacted, not just Democratic voters, like the ABC News exit poll. There is a margin of error of +/- 3.3 percentage points. How can trauma or fear affect how people vote? Voters' decisions in the general election could also be altered by how the Trump administration handles the pandemic. One example, Hersh pointed to was former President George W. Bush, who saw his approval rating skyrocket after 9/11, when the country was being called on to unify and some voters felt Bush "was sending the right message." But Hersh also said approval for the Bush administration fell following their response to environmental catastrophes, like Hurricane Katrina, in 2005. During the 2006 midterms, Republicans in the House lost 22 incumbent seats and eight open Republican-held seats to Democrats. Although Bush's approval peaked at about 92% following his response to 9/11, it fell significantly amid the 2008 financial crisis and Iraq war to 28% in April 2008. More: Pelosi pushing for swift passage of coronavirus bill despite Republican concerns If the Trump Administration does not contain the coronavirus, Hersh warned, it could hurt the president in November. "I think that if things don't go very well, people will blame the incumbent administration or Republicans ... for mismanagement and there'll be plenty of things to point to of what decisions that they might have made differently that might have resulted in less hardship," he said. The 2008 financial crisis is also seen as a worrisome event that likely shaped a presidential race. Then Sen.-Barack Obama's response to the crisis, which was the most serious economic crisis since the Great Depression, likely gave him a boost and he went on to win in November. While campaigning in 2008, Obama at times tied Republican nominee Sen. John McCain to Bush when it came to the financial crisis. "This is what happens when you see seven years of incomes falling for the average worker while Wall Street is booming and declare, as Sen. McCain did earlier this year, that we've made great economic progress under George Bush," Obama said during a campaign stop at the time. McCain, the late-Senator from Arizona, responded late to the crisis after suspending his campaign momentarily to return to Capitol Hill to join his colleagues in dealing with the crisis. Daron Shaw, a politics professor at the University of Texas and a public polling expert, said the financial crisis was important because "a candidate was in a position to reassure the country that, in this case, he was sufficiently engaged and presidential to deal with it appropriately." "I think people did come away from that situation with a bit of reassurance about Obama," Shaw said. Now the Democratic presidential candidates are in a similar situation. Both Biden and Sanders have responded to the pandemic and taken aim at times at the Trump administration's actions. During a national address Wednesday night, Trump announced a travel ban of non-U.S. citizens from EU countries for the next 30 days to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus. More: How coronavirus is changing the 2020 presidential campaign for Trump, Biden and Sanders The two Democratic candidates criticized that response in their own speeches Thursday. The travel restrictions based on favoritism and politics, rather than risk, will be counterproductive, Biden said in a speech Thursday, adding that the ban could slow down the spread of coronavirus but it won't stop it. In this time of international crisis, it is clear to me at least, that we have an administration that is largely incompetent and whose incompetence and recklessness have threatened the lives of many, many people in our country, Sanders said of the Trump Administration. The candidates also laid out their own plans to combat the crisis, which include economic relief for families that have lost work due to the virus. In Biden's plan, the former vice president calls for more tests to be distributed and frequent updates about the pandemic from health care officials. This disease could impact every nation under any person on the planet, Biden said Thursday. We need a plan about how were going to aggressively manage it at home. Sanders calls on free treatments or vaccines when they become available, as well as calling for more health care professionals. He also plugged his signature policy, Medicare For All. "In this moment, we need to make sure that in the future, after this crisis is behind us," Sanders said. "We build a health care system that makes sure that every person in this country is guaranteed the health care they need." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2020 Election: Coronavirus could change how voters see Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The global biosimulation market size is expected to reach USD 3.77 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc., registering a CAGR of 15.4% during the forecast period. Soaring need for advanced generation therapeutics owing to growing prevalence of chronic diseases, such as cancer and diabetes, is stoking the growth of the biosimulation market. Moreover, widening base of geriatric population worldwide is playing an imperative role in the growth of the market. Aged people are highly susceptible to chronic diseases, which is augmenting the need for highly efficacious drugs. In addition, growing number of drug resistance cases, high drug relapse rate, and limited availability drugs to treat diseases such as AIDS are leading to high clinical urgency for adoption of biosimulation in applications such as drug development and drug discovery. Surging demand for biosimulation software and services can also be attributed to their higher cost efficiency. This cost efficiency is a result of ability to predict toxicity, adverse reactions, and efficacy of investigational drugs during early stages of product development, thus limiting the probability of drug relapse & adverse events at later stages. Further Key Findings from the Report Suggest: Software accounted for the largest share of the product segment in 2015 owing to growing adoption in personalized medicine resulting in improved patient outcomes The services segment is expected to exhibit growth at a significant CAGR as a consequence of rising inclination of the big pharmaceutical companies to outsource their biosimulation process so as to reduce the overall cost The drug discovery segment is predicted to witness a lucrative CAGR throughout the forecast period owing to elimination of probable drug failures and prediction of unfavorable drug interactions Drug development accounted for the largest share owing to growing usage of in silico software by major pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies for increased drug efficacy of their existing products by identification and evaluation of optimal synergistic combinations & dosage forms In 2015, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies held a substantial share owing to growing efforts to develop better treatment options at a cheaper and faster rate through in silico biology models Academic research institutes are anticipated to grow at consistent rate owing to presence of various academic research groups involved in complex biological systems studies that use computer models, such as by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) In 2015, North America accounted for majority share of overall market as a result of increased usage of in silico models by regulatory authorities to ensure patient safety Asia Pacific is predicted to spearhead the market as a consequence of increasing outsourcing research activities across this region Key players are deploying collaborative strategies and expansion of product portfolio to capture a large share. For instance, in April 2016, Simulation Plus, Inc. introduced DDDPlus Version 5.0, an in-vitro dissolution experiment software that helps researchers in study of different drug dosage forms Request a Sample Copy of the Global Biosimulation Market Research Report @ www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/biosimulation-industry/request/rs1 Grand View Research has segmented the global biosimulation market report on the basis of product, application, end-use, and region: Biosimulation Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2013 - 2024) Software Services In-house Contract Biosimulation Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2013 - 2024) Drug Development Drug Discovery Others Biosimulation End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2013 - 2024) Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies Contract Research Organizations (CROs) Regulatory Authorities Academic Research Institutes Biosimulation Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2013 - 2024) North America U.S Canada Europe Germany UK Asia Pacific China India Middle East & Africa Latin America Mexico Access full research report on global biosimulation market: www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/biosimulation-industry-analysis/biosimulation-industry A man who suspects he could have COVID-19 tries to enter the Ministry of Healths Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research in Dhaka to be tested, March 18, 2020. Hospitals in Bangladesh lack facilities to isolate coronavirus patients and doctors have not been provided with protective gear, senior health and medical officials said Wednesday, acknowledging that some people seeking testing and treatment for suspected COVID-19 symptoms had been turned away. Meanwhile, authorities confirmed the countrys first death and four new infections for a total of 14 confirmed cases. We have come to know that the patients are moving from one hospital to another for treatment. The doctors are not receiving them because they are considering the safety of other patients, Dr. Meerjady Sabrina Flora, a senior Health Ministry official, told BenarNews. There are many types of patients in a hospital. The doctors think if the coronavirus patients are admitted without ensuring properly designated facilities, the virus may infect other patients. This is the problem for treating coronavirus patients in Bangladesh, she said. Flora, director of the Ministry of Healths Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), said most hospitals had no designated facilities to treat COVID-19 patients. We have been in discussion with doctors regarding the treatment of the coronavirus patients. We are trying to devise a way to encourage doctors to treat them, she said. I admit that this is a challenge for us, she said. One of the biggest challenges is to ensure that the patients will get treatment. Dr. Kanak Kanti Barua, the vice chancellor of the Bangladeshs only medical university, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, agreed that some doctors were not treating the suspected COVID-19 patients. If the personal protection of doctors is not ensured, why would they treat coronavirus patients? I think the government should ensure an adequate supply of personal protective gear for physicians, he said. But what I can say is: if any doctor refuses a patient for a particular disease, that is unfair. Flora said Bangladesh has received protective gear donated by the World Health Organization and China. She confirmed that Bangladesh has seen four new COVID-19 cases, bringing the number to 14. The IEDCR has taken samples from 341 people. With heavy heart I am declaring the first death caused by the corona virus today. We have lost a person who is around 70 years old and had many medical issues, including heart and kidney disease, damaged lungs, diabetes and high blood pressure she told reporters. The new cases three males and a female are in their 20s to 50s, according to Flora. One has a relative who has been treated for COVID-19 while two came from Italy and one from Kuwait. Number of cases could be higher A.F.M. Ruhal Haque, a former health minister and chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on science and technology, said he believes the IEDCR report of 14 cases based on the number of tests is accurate. But I think the real number of COVID-19 cases could be much higher [if more tests are carried out], he told BenarNews. For instance, nearly 100,000 people returned to Bangladesh from various countries where COVID-19 infections have been reported. Most of the expatriate returnees have been moving outside, so, I am really worried about the coronavirus situation in Bangladesh, he said. He said Bangladesh cannot follow South Koreas protocol and test every returnee. We have limited capacity. So, we are in a danger, Haque said. On Wednesday, a 60-year-old Bangladeshi man and his wife traveled to the IEDCR hoping to persuade doctors to take his blood sample because he had been suffering from fever and suffocation since he came into contact with a relative who returned from Italy. I have visited all hospitals in Dhaka to confirm whether I have coronavirus. But none of the hospitals tested me, he told BenarNews. Some hospitals did not allow me in. The private hospitals behaved in the same manner, said the man, identifying himself as just Alam. Where will I go? Will we die without treatment even though we have so many doctors, he asked. Neighboring West Bengal has confirmed its first COVID-19 case. An 18-year-old man who recently returned from London tested positive on Tuesday night, according to Ajay Chakraborty, West Bengals director of health services. After returning, the man went to the state secretariat building where his mother works as an officer. Because she met with Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay, the government instructed him to self-quarantine. Paritosh Kanti Paul in Kolkata contributed to this report. New York City mayor Bill de Blasio has told residents they should be prepared for a possible a shelter-in-place order over the coming days. In his statement on Tuesday, de Blasio said he wants city and state officials to make a decision within 48 hours given the ongoing spread of the coronavirus. New York would be the second US location to issue such an order after six San Francisco Bay-area counties put a shelter-in-place order into effect on Tuesday. Were absolutely considering that, de Blasio said at what has become a daily coronavirus briefing at City Hall. Were going to look at all other options, but it could get to that for sure for the whole country. Governor Andrew Cuomo, however, has dampened expectations of such an order. 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, Cuomos office said in a release shortly after de Blasios comments. 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. A shelter-in-place order calls for all residents to stay indoors apart from essential reasons to leave the house. It is most likely that instructions specific to New York would be given if an official order is put in place. In California, residents are allowed to leave their homes to buy groceries and go to the pharmacy, with supermarkets remaining open, and restaurants providing pickup and delivery. Similarly for work, people would likely be told not to go unless they have essential jobs. This would exempt people who work in food stores, pharmacies, collect garbage, and work in certain healthcare roles. People are not meant to travel aside from essential reasons. It is likely people would be allowed to exercise - as they have been in California - as long as they practice social-distancing. According to the California order, failure to comply is a misdemeanour punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both. De Blasio said the New York Police Department and fire departments would enforce the potential order. More than 1,500 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in New York - 814 of those in the city - and twelve people have died in the state. 'Shelter-in-place' is seen by some as a controversial term, due its common usage in incidents such as school shootings. As the coronavirus crisis rolls on, many in positions of authority across the US have avoided the term, instead urging people to 'stay at home'. A man wears a mask at a makeshift barricade wall intended for deliveries that is meant to control entry and exit of outsiders to a residential compound in Wuhan, China, on March 14, 2020. (Stringer/Getty Images) The Web of Lies Spun Around the CCP Virus Commentary The world can learn much by paying attention to how the outbreak of the CCP viruscommonly known as the novel coronavirushas been handled in China. There were at least two well-known doctors at Wuhan Central Hospital during the outbreak, the whistleblower Dr. Li Wenliang and whistle-provider Dr. Ai Fen. Ai is the emergency room director who saw a SARS coronavirus-positive test report for a patient on Dec. 30, 2019, and sent the report to a friend. The report immediately circulated in a circle of eight doctors that included Li. The reaction was almost instantaneous. At 10:20 p.m., the hospital sent a message conveying a Wuhan Health Commission notice that anything about the unknown pneumonia shouldnt be made public. One hour later, the hospital sent another, similar notice. Then, on Jan. 2, Ai was called to the hospital office and was rebuked by a hospital official, who also conveyed orders from higher authorities. Ai didnt talk about the virus afterward, not even to her husband, until Jan. 20. Li and seven other doctors who were considered whistleblowers got more serious punishment. They also were censured, and not by hospital officials, but by police on Jan. 3. The censorship effort turned out to be very successful; all of the doctors who knew about the outbreak kept silent. Meanwhile, the rest of China and the world were kept in the dark for at least another 20 days. The coverup and censorship had begun before Ai shared the test report. Wuhan Central Hospital sent out the first unknown pneumonia patient sample on Dec. 24, 2019. The report, which the hospital received Dec. 27, indicated that a coronavirus was found in the sample, with 70 percent similarity to SARS coronavirus. A report from a second test facility stated simply, SARS. Both facilities were private companies. The hospital reported the results to the Wuhan Health Commission the same day, which means that Wuhan officials knew of the disease three days earlier than Ai. While the Wuhan Health Commission can directly order the hospital to silence doctors, only administrative officials can order the police to punish whistleblowers. The coverup was already at the city government level as early as Jan. 3. Other organizations also covered up the outbreak. On Jan. 1, the Hubei Provincial Health Commission notified gene-sequencing companies not to take the Wuhan pneumonia samples, not to test the samples, not to submit scientific papers, and not to reveal the results to the public. It also was ordered that all samples must be destroyed. On Jan. 3, the National Health Commission formally banned all non-governmental facilities from testing samples related to the Wuhan pneumonia case, which the Beijing financial magazine Caixin recounted, in the report Tracing the Novel Coronavirus Gene Sequencing: When Did the Alarm Sound. The Caixin article was taken down several hours after being published. Human-to-Human Transmission An esteemed, senior doctor named Zhong Nanshan was used to manage part of another coverup. Zhong went to Wuhan on Jan. 19. Before he left Wuhan to go to Beijing the next day, he announced that the virus was capable of human-to-human transmission, which authorities at different levels had denied. Before Zhong, two groups of experts had been sent to Wuhan by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC). Why is it that Zhong could find something within one day while so many experts visiting Wuhan couldnt? Caijing, another Beijing-based financial magazine, interviewed an expert from the second group, and asked those in the group whether hospital staff had been infectedthe key evidence for human-to-human transmission. The experts never got an answer. Zhong had earned a good reputation for fighting SARS and is the leading Chinese official for fighting respiratory infectious diseases. An outsider to Wuhan, he hadnt been involved in the previous coverup. He had the authority to change the status of the epidemic disease, and could change the tone without exposing government wrongdoing. Zhong, then, was just another tool of the Party. During this outbreak, even partial truth from the CCP becomes part of the lies. From day one, every Party and government organizationand the hospitals and individuals inside the systemhas been involved in weaving a web of lies. Anyone who intentionally or unintentionally exposed the lies was immediately silenced, by different organizations, at different levels, and by different authorities. Disasters Make the Nation Strong The CCPs institutions are designed for keeping its power, not for preventing and handling natural disasters, especially not for something like the novel coronavirus. The pattern is usually like this. When a large-scale natural disaster such as an earthquake or flood occurs, the CCP doesnt need to do much for the victims and survivors. Digging up survivors is for taking photos or videossaving lives is the least concern. During the Sichuan earthquake in 2008, classrooms collapsed, killing schoolchildren, while government buildings remained standing. But officials were never held accountable for the corruption that caused the shoddy school construction. The CCPs solution was to jail parents and activists who sought the truth and justice. In fighting disasters, the most important work is to brag about how great the CCP is. The people can only see the gratitude of the survivors to the Party, the red-flag-waving rescue teams, the award and victory celebration ceremonies, and other similar actions. As time goes by, people who have no direct experience of the suffering can only remember the propaganda, while totally forgetting the victims and the officials responsible for the disaster. This pattern is captured in the CCP slogan, disasters make the nation strong. It might be difficult to understand that natural or even man-made disasters can be transformed into a good thing to enhance the CCPs power. After the victims, the survivors, and the activists are silenced, CCP can easily generate the support of those who havent suffered personally. The disasters dont make the nation strong. They make the CCP strong. Scapegoats During this virus outbreak, the CCP has gone even further. Disasters make the nation strong has become CCP saves the world. The CCP has claimed that China bought time for the world, a boast that has been echoed by some Western media. But if the CCP didnt cover things up, there was no need to buy time. The CCP is very good at allowing a small problem to grow, then using all resources to fight the big problem. People see the CCP fighting the big problem so efficiently that they tend to forget the problem was originally created by the CCP. This is part of the Partys information war. From the beginning, Chinese authorities have sought to pass the blame for the outbreak. The first scapegoat was Huanan Seafood Market (HSM). HSM was formally mentioned as the source by Chinese authorities on Dec. 30, 2019, on Jan.11 by the Wuhan Health Commission, and on Jan. 22 by Gao Fu, the director of China CDC. However, three papers, including two from Lancet and one from the New England Journal of Medicine, and all by Chinese doctors and scientists, published between Jan. 24 and 30, tell a different story. In the first 41 cases, 13 of them had no HSM contact history, and the first case, and two of three subsequent cases, had no HSM history. Since those cases were all confirmed before Jan. 11, the Wuhan Health Commission was aware that HSM could only be the first cluster, and not the original source. Denial of human-to-human transmission is one thing, while intentionally misleading about the origin of the disease is a totally different issue. What did they want to hide? The second scapegoat is the pangolin, the odd mammal with scales whose meat is considered a delicacy. On Feb. 7, a research group at South China Agriculture University announced that they had found a virus in the pangolin that has a 99 percent similarity to the coronavirus causing the Wuhan pneumonia. However, one of the researchers, Shen Yongyi, pointed out in an interview with Nanfang Daily that the pangolin sample wasnt from the universitys collection but from a certain specific government unit. Shen said that under heavy pressure, results were revealed to the public, rather than publishing them in a scientific journal first. Since those two scapegoats didnt work well, the United States has become the new target. Zhao Lijian, the spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry Department, has claimed that a U.S. military team brought the coronavirus to Wuhan. This was not Zhaos personal mistake. Before Zhaos accusation, the SARS-fighting Dr. Zhong said that because the coronavirus outbreak appeared in China doesnt mean it originated in China. Since then, Zhaos accusation and similar finger-pointing have flooded Chinas social media. If the HSM and pangolin were put forward to find someone, anyone, to blame, out of a spontaneous response, the decision to point at the United States is an equally well-orchestrated strategy from the top circle of the leadership. Why does the CCP want to do something so obviously wrong that nobody around the world would believe? The CCP is trying to turn the coronavirus controversy to its advantage, especially in China. What else could be more effective and convenient than blaming the United States? The United States has been the No. 1 scapegoat for all the CCPs own problems for the past 70 years. Did the CCP lie about the Wuhan outbreak at the early stage? Yes. Is the CCP still lying now? No doubt. Will the CCP lie in the future? Definitely. What should we do? Dont trust anything from the CCP. Thats what Taiwan has been doing, and doing so well. During the SARS outbreak in 2003, Taiwan was abandoned by the World Health Organization (WHO), which favors the CCP. Facing the coronavirus, Taiwan can only rely on itself. The most important lesson the rest of the world can learn from Taiwan is not to trust the CCP or WHO. While some countries believe that Taiwan should be accepted by WHO, it turns out that its not Taiwan that needs WHO, but the whole world needs Taiwan. 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 mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. Heng He is a commentator on Sound of Hope Radio, a China analyst for New Tang Dynasty TV, and a writer for The Epoch Times newspaper. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. (HedgeCo.Net) The Securities and Exchange Commission has charged three individuals who, while working for an investment adviser, falsified and withheld documents that were requested by staff of the SEC during an examination and ensuing enforcement investigation. According to the SECs complaint, Stacey Beane, of Florida, Justin Deckert, of Virginia, and Travis Laska, of North Carolina, helped conceal a fraudulent offering of more than $10 million in promissory notes by Stephen C. Peters, the owner and principle of VisionQuest Wealth Management, LLC, to Peterss advisory clients. The SEC previously charged Peters and his companies based on the fraudulent offering, and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina filed criminal proceedings against Peters based on the same misconduct, as well as Peters providing false information to Commission staff. On June 6, 2019, following a trial by jury, Peters was convicted in the criminal case of twenty counts, including counts alleging investment adviser fraud, fraudulent sale of unregistered securities, mail and wire fraud, and falsification of documents provided to the Commission. Beane, Deckert, and Laska allegedly fabricated documents to suggest that Peters had disclosed potential conflicts of interest to VisionQuests compliance officer, altered other documents to make certain clients appear to be accredited investors, and forged or backdated client signatures on various agreements, all of which Beane, Deckert, and Laska knew would eventually be provided to the SEC. In addition, in response to SEC staff requests for emails sent to and from Peters, the complaint alleges that Beane and Laska used keyword searches provided by Peters to identify certain responsive emails that should be withheld from the production to the SEC. The SECs complaint, filed yesterday in federal court in Raleigh, North Carolina, charges Beane, Deckert, and Laska with aiding and abetting VisionQuests violations of the books and records provisions of Section 204(a) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and Rule 204-2 thereunder. The complaint seeks injunctions and civil monetary penalties against each defendant. Deckert has, without admitting or denying the allegations in the complaint, consented to a judgment that enjoins him from aiding and abetting violations of these provisions, and orders him to pay a $30,000 penalty. Deckert has also consented to an order by the Commission that bars him from association with any broker, dealer, investment adviser, municipal securities dealer, municipal advisor, transfer agent, or nationally recognized statistical rating organization, with the right to apply for reentry after five years. In accepting Deckerts offer to settle the Commission considered Deckerts cooperation in the criminal case against Peters. (Correction this is cancelled our mistake!) The Community Synagogue of Rye will hold a special screening of Director Brad Rothchild's new documentary, "They Ain't Ready for Me." Rothchild and star Tamar Manasseh will be in house for a Q&A session after the movie has finished. The screening will be held at the Community Synagogue on Thursday, March 19th, 2020 at 7:00 pm. They Ain't Ready For Me is the story of Tamar Manasseh, the black rabbinical student who leads the fight against gun violence on the south side of Chicago. Tamar's identity and personality combine to make her a force to be reckoned with. There is no cost to attend, RSVPs are requested to clergyassistant@comsynrye.org. The Chicago Sun Times said: "(the film) It follows Manassehs daily efforts at 75th Street and Stewart Avenue to reduce neighborhood gun violence, placing her efforts in the context of national conversations about gun violence, racial tensions and inequality. Manassehs faith, a catalyst for her neighborhood activism, is also explored in the documentary. This film is not just about me as a black woman or a mother, Manasseh said. Its also about me as a rabbinical student and how I use my brand of Judaism to fix the world. Manasseh explained that Judaisms concept of Tikkun Olam, which means repairing the world, inspires her anti-violence efforts. Gun violence, poverty, homelessness, joblessness all of these things are cracks that can be repaired, Manasseh said. Manasseh started occupying the corner of 75th and Stewart in 2015 after a young mother was shot and killed trying to break up a fight at the corner. Frustrated with waiting for others to act, Manasseh began occupying the block daily, grilling meals, playing music, playing games and more with the community." Read the rest. See the preview: As markets plummet around the globe, Malaysia, Belgium, France, Italy, and Spain have all banned the short-selling of some stocks to stanch the market bleeding. The bold moves that halted the short-selling overseas have led some to wonder whether the United States and Canadian regulators may impose similar restrictions to ensure market stability. Dutch regulators are said to also be monitoring financial markets for possible trading restrictions should the need arise. For now, the European Union is asking hedge funds to share more information when theyre betting on a stocks decline. Traders must also let regulators know if their net short positions rise to the level of 0.1 percent of a companys net share capital, Bloomberg reported, citing the European Securities and Markets Authority. Previous requirements required funds to notify when they held 0.2 percent in short positions. That the United States could impose a ban or tighter restrictions on short selling is not out of the realm of possibility. In September 2008, the United States SEC banned short sales for almost 1,000 financial company stocks to protect the integrity and quality of the securities market and strengthen investor confidence. But this time around, oil-related stocks are enticing traders to bet against them, and short-sellers are making a killing. In Malaysia, oil and gas stocks were the target of a one-day short-selling ban earlier this month as oil prices plummeted. Related: Supertanker Rates Soar 678% As Saudi Arabia Floods The Oil Market As of a few weeks ago, short-selling on oil had tripled since the start of the year, according to Bloomberg. Since then, oil prices have fallen further. A ban on short selling oil stocks would nix market manipulation and, as the story would go, restore equilibrium to the market. Proponents of short-selling bans in difficult markets argue that rampant short-selling contributes to a stock market price slump, while opponents of bans argue that it is a necessary market tool for adding liquidity to the market. With oil prices down more than 17 percent on Wednesday alone, it will certainly be something the regulators in the U.S. and Canada are considering. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Annually from March 1 until August 31, restrictions on hedge cutting come into affect. I thought this week I would provide information on the law that protects wildlife and their habitats on the island of Ireland, the Wildlife Act of 1976. Why does Ireland have this law? Ireland is an island and although St Patrick is credited with banishing snakes from this island if you were to focus on the science behind this story it could also be suggested that many species did not make it to our shores before the Irish Sea was formed approximately 125,000 years ago. Therefore when you look at Irish wildlife as an example we have three amphibians, less that 80 different mammals and 35 different butterflies. Taking into account the millions of species identified around the world, Ireland as an island does not have the diversity of species when compared with other regions of the world. As a sea-locked country, not taking into consideration human intervention, it is unlikely we will increase this diversity of species. We have also experienced historic species extinction including the great Irish elk, the brown bear, wildcat and grey wolf while many of our birds of prey were also hunted to extinction by the start of the 20th Century. The main aims of the Wildlife Act 1976 is to provide for the protection and conservation of wild fauna and flora, to conserve a representative sample of important ecosystems, to provide for the development and protection of game resources and to regulate their exploitation, and to provide the services necessary to accomplish such aims. When introduced into Irish law on June 1, 1977, it was the first time in 45 years that legislation changes had been brought protecting wildlife and habitats in Ireland. This information has been sourced from the website of the National Parks and Wildlife Service. You can learn more by visiting www.npws.ie. If you would like help identifying or to learn more about a wildlife species contact me at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre on 045-860133 or bogs@ipcc.ie. Kim Jong-un is rushing to build a new hospital amid reports scores of North Korean soldiers have died of coronavirus. The secretive state maintains it has no confirmed cases of COVID-19, despite tens of thousands of cases in neighbouring China and South Korea. The dictator has ordered the construction of a new hospital in the heart of Pyongyang without acknowledging the escalating crisis. The move echoes Russia - which unveiled plans to speed-build a second 500-bed hospital in Moscow on Monday - and China, which opened one in Beijing today. Kim Jong-un is rushing to build a new hospital amid reports scores of North Korean soldiers have died of coronavirus The dictator has ordered the construction of a new hospital in the heart of Pyongyang without acknowledging the escalating crisis In a speech detailed by state propaganda, Kim said the project was to celebrate 75 years since the ruling party was founded and was agreed at a meeting months ago. But a report of the meeting makes no mention of a hospital and sets out only the vague goal of 'improving public health'. Kim Jong-un never acknowledged the pandemic directly in his speech, but admitted the country faced its 'harshest-ever internal and external situations', a full transcript shows. He also said it was 'urgent' to 'improve the health of the people' and warned 'conditions are bad and many difficulties lie ahead'. The secretive state maintains it has no confirmed cases of COVID-19, despite tens of thousands of cases in neighbouring China and South Korea In a speech detailed by state propaganda, Kim said the project was to celebrate 75 years since the ruling party was founded and was agreed at a meeting months ago The 36-year-old (pictured) further demanded the facility be ready by the 'earliest possible date' while warning builders not to cut corners The 36-year-old further demanded the facility be ready by the 'earliest possible date' while warning builders not to cut corners. Photographs of the groundbreaking ceremony show the hospital will be built close to the Workers' Party Foundation Monument, near Pyongyang's Taedong River. General Robert Abrams, a commander of US Forces Korea, said it was unlikely the hermit kingdom remained free of infection. Photographs of the groundbreaking ceremony show the hospital will be built close to the Workers' Party Foundation Monument, near Pyongyang's Taedong River Kim said in his speech it was 'urgent' to 'improve the health of the people' and warned 'conditions are bad and many difficulties lie ahead'. Pictured: The hospital plan He said: 'It is a closed-off nation, so we can't say emphatically that they have cases, but we're fairly certain they do.' A source in the North's military told South Korea's Daily NK newspaper 180 soldiers had succumbed to coronavirus, with most deaths happening near to the closed border with China. A further 3,700 soldiers were under quarantine, they added. Meanwhile, a Seoul government official told the Chosun Ilbo newspaper Kim had fled Pyongyang to escape the virus, heading for Wonsan, a coastal resort town. Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, we are living in the United States of Propaganda. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan holds an online meeting with department directors Tuesday from her office as the city braces for a massive wave of coronavirus patients. (Karen Ducey / For The Times) With coronavirus bearing down on her city and state, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan held a video meeting with her department chiefs Tuesday that was extraordinary by any definition. Durkan, wearing a blue blazer with a shamrock lapel pin and green necklace for St. Patrick's Day, sat behind her large wooden desk in her corner office overlooking Elliott Bay. A reporter and photographer stayed several feet away on strict instructions of a staff member, who had ushered them through offices vacated by the mayor's telecommuting staff to wash hands before entering her office. First up in the meeting was Laurel Nelson, interim director of the city's Office of Emergency Management. She began with the latest numbers: three more COVID-19 deaths in King County as the Washington state total rose to 55. Nelson also reported a major shortage of PPE personal protective equipment for first responders and hospital workers. Of 600 requests to the Washington Emergency Management Division, "they have been able to deliver on 52 of those," she said. Next up was Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins. In light of the protective gear shortage, paramedics and emergency medical technicians were conserving gear by initially deploying only two people at a time instead of four-member teams to suit up and assess risky situations. "The other side of that is we're trying to reduce the number of firefighters who actually end up in quarantine or isolation because of these exposures" to coronavirus, he said. Durkan leaned toward the computer screen. "Hey chief, could I just stop you for a second?" she asked. "What is the current status on the availability for us for testing kits, the swabs and the vials?" Scoggins replied that public health officials had promised to send 4,000 test kits a week for at least two weeks. "When is that going to happen?" the mayor asked. "Well, two days ago it was supposed to happen Tuesday, and now ..." Scoggins said. Story continues "Like, today?" the mayor asked. Yes, said Scoggins, adding: "That's not just for Seattle, that's for all of King County." Then Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best reported that managers learned on Monday night that a custodian in the department's traffic unit had tested positive for the coronavirus. They arranged for disinfection of offices and quarantines for staff. She also said that her department had contingency plans in case of civil unrest or imposition of a curfew. Other department directors said that some owners of commercial kitchens that had been forced to close were volunteering to prepare food for homeless shelters or emergency needs. Durkan, who said she had read a news article saying that residential compost could carry coronavirus, asked officials to consider whether all city garbage should be bagged from now on. Financial department directors said emergency needs were draining city coffers, someday perhaps to be reimbursed by the federal government. The mayor suggested that at least some money could be saved by suspending bus routes with few passengers, and shutting down the South Lake Union Streetcar, a trolley with European-style cars that wind through Amazon's urban campus. Seattle and Washington state officials have tried to slow the spread of the virus with increasingly draconian steps, closing schools and banning ever smaller gatherings of people. They could soon require residents to stay in their homes for anything but food shopping or emergencies. But there's a growing sense that whatever measures are taken won't hold back a tidal wave of infections. Durkan planned to continue the Cabinet calls each day. At the end of Tuesday's video conference, which lasted less than an hour, she thanked her department heads. "It's unprecedented times," she said. "We're just going to have to power through it." BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18 By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend: Sanitary-quarantine points will be established at the checkpoints on Kazakhstans state border, Trend reports with reference to the press office of Kazakhstans Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure. The list of the points will be approved by State Commission for Provision of Emergency State under the President of Kazakhstan. The possibility of temporary closing of some checkpoints will also be considered. Currently 51 road checkpoints operate on Kazakhstans border, including 37 on Eurasian Economic Union border, and 14 on the borders with China, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. On March 15, 2020, Kazakhstans President Kassym Jomart Tokayev signed a decree introducing an emergency state in Kazakhstan due to coronavirus outbreak, which will be relevant from 08:00 (GMT +6) on March 16 till 08:00 on April 15, 2020. By a decision of State Commission on Provision of Emergency State under the president of Kazakhstan quarantine regime is being introduced at 00:00 (GMT +6) on March 19, 2020 in Kazakhstans Nur-Sultan and Almaty cities due to coronavirus outbreak. On March 13, 2020, first two cases of coronavirus infection were detected in Kazakhstan among those who arrived in Almaty city from Germany. The latest data said that the overall number of coronavirus cases identified in Kazakhstan is 35 people. 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 7,900. Over 198,000 people have been confirmed as infected. Meanwhile, over 81,000 people have reportedly recovered. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019. Several countries are working on a vaccine against the new virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic. --- An aviation group says airlines could need up to $200bn in government support. Australia on Wednesday joined a growing list of countries offering financial aid to its ailing aviation sector as global airlines announced deeper capacity cuts due to plummeting demand and stricter border controls associated with the coronavirus. With airlines halting plane deliveries and new orders to conserve cash, plane maker Boeing Co called on the United States government to provide at least $60bn in access to liquidity, including loan guarantees, for the aerospace manufacturing industry. US carriers have already asked Washington for $50bn in grants and loans, plus tens of billions in tax relief. The long term outlook for the industry is still strong, but until global passenger traffic resumes to normal levels, these measures are needed to manage the pressure on the aviation sector and the economy as a whole, Boeing said in a statement. Europes Airbus also signalled some government support may be needed if the coronavirus crisis lasts for several months, three people familiar with the matter said. The Australian government said it would refund and waive charges to airlines such as domestic air traffic control fees worth 715 million Australian dollars ($430m), including 159 million Australian dollars ($96m) upfront, as it advised citizens against all travel outside the country. Sweden and Denmark on Tuesday announced $300m in loan guarantees for Scandinavian carrier SAS on Tuesday, becoming early movers in an expected rush of pledges to the sector. The airline industrys main global body, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said the total government support needed worldwide could reach $200bn. At the risk of being alarmist, the airline industry is on the brink of collapse as governments are quarantining large portions of their populations and closing off borders to foreigners, Helane Becker, a senior analyst who covers the aviation industry at US investment bank Cowen, told clients. US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that travel restrictions within the US are being considered, which would be a further blow to its domestic carriers. You can do a national lockdown. Hopefully, were not going to need that, Trump said. Its a very big step. American Airlines Group Inc said it had extended the time on voluntary unpaid leave options for flight attendants, mechanics and gate agents to up to 12 months, a sign that it does not expect depressed travel demand to rebound any time soon. Asia Pacific situation worsens The situation in the Asia-Pacific region has worsened for airlines this week as governments have tightened travel restrictions. Air New Zealand Ltd on Wednesday suspended trading for another two days to further assess the financial implications of drastic capacity cuts announced on Monday. Australias No 2 carrier, Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd, said it would suspend all international flying from March 30 to June 14 and cut its domestic capacity in half, in a move that could lead to job losses. We have entered an unprecedented time in the global aviation industry, which has required us to take significant action to responsibly manage our business while balancing traveller demands and supporting the wellbeing of Australians, Virgin Chief Executive Paul Scurrah said in a statement. Rival Qantas Airways Ltd on Tuesday announced plans to cut 90 percent of international capacity and its Singapore-based low-cost airline Jetstar Asia said it would stop flying altogether for three weeks from March 23 to April 15. Singapore Airlines Ltd plans to halve its capacity through the end of April, with further cuts possible as it braces for a prolonged period of difficulty. Make no mistake we expect the pace of this deterioration to accelerate, Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong said in a statement on Tuesday. The Philippiness largest budget carrier, Cebu Air Inc, said it was cancelling all domestic and international flights starting from March 19 to April 14 as the countrys main island is placed under enhanced quarantine measures. Philippine Airlines said it will halt its international flights starting March 20. It started cancelling all domestic flights on Tuesday and said they will resume on April 13. British budget carrier FlyBe went into administration earlier this month, as the coronavirus added to pressure to its already fragile finances, making it among the first airlines to go out of business since outbreak began in China towards the end of 2019. (Newser) The San Francisco Bay Area is under the "strictest measure of its kind" in the US amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, with residents forced to shelter in place at home for three weeks. Also included in the regional mandate from officials in seven California counties was an order that "nonessential businesses" temporarily close shop, but Tesla is taking issue with the meaning of the word "nonessential." Per the Verge, the company's Fremont factory didn't shut down Tuesday, the first day the order took effect, and an email from its HR department to employees explains why. "People need access to transportation and energy, and we are essential to providing it," the email read, per Electrek. "As a result, Tesla and our supplier network will continue operations that directly support factory production, vehicle deliveries, and service. If you work in these areas, you should continue to report to work." story continues below County officials and the Alameda County Sheriff disagree. "If Tesla was a hospital, if Tesla was a laundromat, if Tesla was a mechanic shop, we wouldn't be having this conversation," a sheriff's office spokesman says, per the Mercury News. "But Tesla makes cars, and that's not essential for us to get through this health crisis." Musk himself has been dismissive of the pandemic, tweeting earlier this month that "the coronavirus panic is dumb," as well as noting to employees that he'd "personally be at work," per the Mercury News, though he added that anyone who felt ill or uncomfortable wasn't obligated to come in. In a recent email to SpaceX employees, Musk also said the risk of dying from COVID-19 "is *vastly* less than the risk of death from driving your car home." He also noted that "my frank opinion remains that the harm from the coronavirus panic far exceeds that of the virus itself," per the Verge. (Read more coronavirus stories.) 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. Columbia College logo View Photo Columbia, CA New operating procedures are coming to the Mother Lodes community college system due to the coronavirus. Today, Yosemite Community College District (YCCD) Chancellor Henry Yong informed all employees at Columbia College, Modesto Junior College and YCCD Central Services via an internal communication that all offices will close next Monday, March 23 and remain so until April 3. He notes that the closure of the offices will be seamless to students as remote instructional programs will continue without interruption. Yong explains, MJC and Columbia are transitioning to remote or Distance Ed environments for most of their course offerings and many of our workstations and spaces are not designed to meet Governor Newsoms new requirement for social distancing. He continues, The rapidly changing community dynamics, and the lack of adequate testing at this time have made it clear that we must be proactive and take steps to protect the health of our students and employees. During the office closure, Yong says managers will closely work with their teams to complete their work remotely and that ahead of the planned reopening date, officials will reassess and determine if a continued closure might be necessary. Since facilities must be maintained to keep electrical, plumbing and facilities infrastructure functioning, Yong says some departments may still operate onsite due to the vital functions they perform. For those, he shares, Managers will adhere to health guidelines with specifics to distancing and other safety concerns. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. SpaceX successfully launched a new batch of 60 Starlink satellites into orbit today (March 18), despite an engine cutout during the flight, but was unable to stick a rocket landing at sea to cap the mission. The extra sooty Falcon 9 which made a record fifth launch with today's flight lifted off at 8:16 a.m. EDT (1216 GMT) from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center here in Florida, its white exterior marred by its four previous trips through the atmosphere. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said the Falcon 9 experienced the loss of one of its nine engine during the trip to space, but was still able to deliver its Starlink satellite haul into orbit. "There was also an early engine shutdown on ascent, but it didn't affect orbit insertion," Musk wrote on Twitter after the launch. "Shows value of having 9 engines! Thorough investigation needed before next mission." An attempt to land the Falcon 9's first stage in the Atlantic Ocean on SpaceX's drone ship "Of Course I Still Love You" was not successful. "Our first stage successfully separated from the second stage, but unfortunately we did get confirmation that we were not able to land that first stage today," SpaceX manufacturing engineer Jessica Anderson said during live launch commentary. While that was disappointing, she added, but the primary Starlink mission went on as planned. Today's on time liftoff came three days after SpaceX's first attempt. That initial flight was postponed when an engine issue triggered a last-second abort . Related: See the evolution of SpaceX's rockets in pictures Yeah. There was also an early engine shutdown on ascent, but it didnt affect orbit insertion. Shows value of having 9 engines! Thorough investigation needed before next mission.March 18, 2020 See more Image 1 of 4 (Image credit: SpaceX) A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars toward space carrying 60 new Starlink satellites, the sixth batch of internet satellites for the company, on March 18, 2020. Image 2 of 4 (Image credit: SpaceX) A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 60 of the company's Starlink internet satellites for a growing constellation from Pad 39A of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on March 18, 2020. Image 3 of 4 (Image credit: SpaceX) SpaceX deploys 60 new Starlink internet communications satellites into orbit from a Falcon 9 rocket upper stage following a successful launch from Pad 39A of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on March 18, 2020. Image 4 of 4 (Image credit: SpaceX) SpaceX's Starlink-5 mission Falcon 9 rocket on the launchpad. The rocket's first stage made its fifth flight during its March 18, 2020 launch. It was a foggy morning on the space coast, but luckily the fog cleared just before liftoff. The rocket's nine Merlin 1D engines lit up the morning sky as the rocket climbed towards orbit, the rumble from the engines setting off nearby car alarms. Todays flight also marks the sixth time a batch of Starink satellites have been deposited into orbit, bringing the total number of satellites to more than 350. The company has several more Starlink missions planned for this year, with an additional 180 satellites due to launch. According to the program's website , SpaceX plans on rolling out that coverage to the United States and Canada sometime this year. With one more flight, the company could potentially have the minimum number of satellites to do so, as Musk previously said that the company needs somewhere between 400 and 800 satellites in orbit to begin offering its service. SpaceX's new rocket reflight record The satellites rode into space atop a veteran Falcon 9 first stage, marking the first time the company has flown a booster five times. The booster, dubbed B1048.5 by SpaceX, previously launched three different communications satellites as well a previous Starlink mission. "Yeah, most reflights ever!" Musk exclaimed on Twitter after the launch. SpaceX introduced the rocket that flew today an upgraded version of its Falcon 9, called the Block 5 back in 2018. This souped up version was designed to help the aerospace company achieve its reusability goals. Each block 5 Falcon is designed to fly 10 times with little refurbishment in between flights, and 100 times before the vehicle would be retired. Yeah, most reflights ever!March 18, 2020 See more This particular first stage first flew in July 2018 , when it lofted a batch of Iridium satellites into orbit. Its next mission, the launch of an Earth observation satellite for Argentina , followed less than three months later. The next two flights occurred in 2019, with one in February and one in November . But that's not good enough for SpaceX. Musk frequently laments that he would like to see space travel emulate air travel. Meaning, all the rocket would do is gas up between flights. In that same vein, Musk has a lofty goal for the company: to see the same Falcon 9 launch and land and launch again within the same 24-hour period. SpaceX is not quite there yet. This particular first stage has averaged about four months between flights. The shortest turnaround time for any booster is two months. That's because after each flight, engineers and technicians have to go in and inspect everything to make sure its in working order, SpaceX representatives have said. However, the team is continually learning, so as they gain more flight data (especially after multiple flights of the same vehicle), they can better determine what does and doesnt need to be inspected each time, they added. Ultimately, the company would like to see down time reduced to just 30 days. SpaceX's philosophy has always been that a fully reusable rocket is the key to reducing the cost of space flight. To that end, the company designed its workshore the Falcon 9 to be reusable. Initially the company worked to recover the most expensive part of its rocket: the first stage. According to Musk, the first stage accounts for nearly 60% of the vehicles cost. To date, SpaceX has recovered 51 first stage boosters, including todays. But SpaceX isn't stopping there. It wants to reuse as much of the rocket as possible. Recovering rocket payload fairings Currently, a Falcon 9 rocket costs around $62 million, and even though SpaceX has been successful in reusing its first-stage boosters, Musk would like to get to the point where much more is reused, leaving the fuel as the only major expense. To that end, SpaceX is also attempting to recover and reuse the payload fairings the protective nose cone that shields the rockets cargo as it travels through the atmosphere with the help of a pair of recovery vessels equipped with giant nets. Each fairing costs about $6 million, accounting for approximately one-tenth of the vehicles overall cost. Historically this hardware has been disposable, but the ability to recover and reuse them would be a big win for SpaceX. To facilitate reuse, the Falcon 9's fairings are programmed to navigate themselves back to Earth, and equipped with a parachute that enables them to touch down gently either in the ocean or in the outstretched net of a recovery vessel. Acting as a mobile catcher's mitt, the two vessels dubbed GO Ms. Tree and GO Ms. Chief are designed to catch the fairings as they glide back to Earth. To date, GO Ms. Tree has made three successful catches , while GO Ms. Chief has yet to snag a falling fairing. During today's launch, SpaceX's recovery boats were unable to catch the falling payload fairings, but did manage to quickly pull them from the ocean. "Todays Falcon 9 launch was the second time SpaceX has re-flown a full payload fairing," SpaceX representatives wrote in a Twitter update. "After landing in the water, both fairing halves were quickly recovered." Todays Falcon 9 launch was the second time SpaceX has re-flown a full payload fairing. After landing in the water, both fairing halves were quickly recovered. pic.twitter.com/JF9y7yrkxpMarch 18, 2020 See more SpaceX is continually pushing the boundary of reuse. With this mission, in addition to flying a Falcon 9 five times, the company is also reusing the payload fairings. Both pieces were previously flown on the very first Starlink mission back in May 2019. Following that launch, they were scooped out of the ocean, refurbished, and flown again. That means the only major piece of hardware thats new is the rocket's upper stage. Follow Amy Thompson on Twitter @astrogingersnap. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook. This story was produced as part of a joint effort among Spotlight PA, LNP Media Group, PennLive, PA Post, and WITF to cover how Pennsylvania state government is responding to the coronavirus. Sign up for Spotlight PAs newsletter. Pennsylvanias lawmakers may be working from home, but theyre still introducing a number of bills to deal with the fallout from the coronavirus. Heres a rundown of what theyve proposed so far. Emergency planning and powers When Gov. Tom Wolf declared a disaster emergency on March 6, he was able to claim expansive powers. Rep. Russ Diamond (R., Lebanon) plans to issue a resolution to terminate Wolfs COVID-19 emergency declaration if the need arises. Rep. Frank Ryan (R., Lebanon) plans to introduce a bill that would establish a continuity operation center within the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. Health system preparedness To encourage Pennsylvanias health systems to make the investment in more ventilators, Rep. Martina White (R., Philadelphia) will introduce a measure to create a state buyback program for unused equipment. She wants to use this legislation for Pennsylvania to build up a strategic reserve of health supplies that could be purchased or borrowed by other states. Privacy Sen. Doug Mastriano (R., Franklin) is drafting a resolution that would call on the federal government to suspend privacy regulations for people who have tested positive for COVID-19. There should be full disclosure of anyone who came within immediate contact of any contaminated citizen, Mastriano said in a statement, until the COVID-19 crisis passes. Rent Lawmakers are drafting a bill to limit landlords right to evict tenants when a governor declares a state of emergency. The measure, from Rep. Mary Isaacson (D., Philadelphia) and Rep. Summer Lee (D., Allegheny), would provide an exemption from eviction for workers who are unemployed, separated from their employment, or unable to find employment. Rep. Robert Matzie (D., Beaver) wants to extend the application deadline for LIHEAP, or the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, a cash grant for families who need help paying their hearing bills. Rep. Martina White (R., Philadelphia) plans to introduce a measure that would speed up the states Property Tax and Rent Rebate program to issue payments before the scheduled start date of July 1. Schools Sen. Andy Dinniman (D., Chester) is drafting a measure that would give school districts authority to deliver online instruction until the end of the academic year. Sen. Scott Martin (R., Lancaster) has proposed a bill that would require colleges and universities closed because of COVID-19 to refund all fees paid in advance, including room and board. The prorated refund would only apply from the date the institution shuttered through the end of the semester. Rep. Adam Ravenstahl (D., Allegheny) wants to build on the Flexible Instructional Day program, which was created last year so schools could meet online for up to five days in the event of a school cancellation from bad weather. Ravenstahls proposed measure would allow schools to submit their flexible instruction plans at any time and allow the Department of Education to add additional days during an emergency declaration. To address the many requirements students and teachers must meet to receive credit for a given school year, Sen. Wayne Langerholc (R., Cambria) and Rep. Curtis Sonney (R., Erie) will introduce legislation to waive many of these time requirements like the 180 instructional days for students, the standardized exams for technical education students, and the 12-week student teacher preparation requirement. This bill would also ensure teachers and charter schools receive payments as scheduled. Sick leave Rep. Joe Hohenstein (D., Philadelphia) and Sen. Larry Farnese (D., Philadelphia) want to require paid sick leave for any workers left out by a federal bill signed by President Donald Trump, which is limited to workers who need to care for their children. The state legislation would also require employers to reinstate workers when they return from leave. Small businesses To lessen the impact on small businesses, Sen. Tom Killion (R., Chester) plans to introduce legislation that would direct table game revenue to the Department of Community and Economic Development to create zero-interest loans. Reps. Valerie Gaydos (R., Allegheny) and Jared Solomon (D., Philadelphia) also plan to introduce legislation to create low-to-no interest loans to help small businesses survive. The bill will outline two types of loans: one will be short-term funding to meet payroll and overhead expenses; the other will be for long-term resiliency to help businesses recover over time. Some companies have business interruption insurance that doesnt apply to outbreaks during public health emergencies. Sen. Vincent Hughes, (D., Philadelphia) wants to temporarily override this provision and all businesses to submit claims. Rep. Aaron Kaufer (R., Luzerne) plans to introduce a measure that would request a waiver from the federal government to allow those who are self-employed to collect unemployment compensation. Student loans A measure by Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D., Philadelphia) would allow a 60-day grace period for repayment of student loans issued by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. Rep. Morgan Cephas (D., Philadelphia) plans to introduce a package of bills that would waive interest on loans issued by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency and the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency until further notice. Taxes and filing Rep. David Rowe (R., Union) and Rep. Frank Ryan (R., Lebanon) are writing a measure that would suspend sales and personal income tax collection until the disaster declaration is lifted. The IRS has changed its tax-filing deadline from April 15 to July 15. Rep. Joe Ciresi (D., Montgomery) plans to introduce legislation that would apply a 60-day extension for Pennsylvanians to file state income taxes when the state is under a disaster declaration. Voting All Pennsylvanians are now eligible to vote by mail. Rep. Kevin Boyle (D., Philadelphia) and Sen. Daylin Leach (D., Montgomery) want to encourage that by mailing all voters that kind of ballot ahead of the April 28 primary. Rep. Dan Williams (D., Chester) plans to introduce legislation to allow elections officials to open votes submitted by mail before the polls close. House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler (R., Lancaster) previously said this is a part of discussions with Gov. Tom Wolf to clean-up a comprehensive voting reform bill passed last year. As county elections officials plead with the state to push back Pennsylvanias primary, Sen. Anthony Williams wants to amend the state elections code to give the governor a one-time authorization to postpone the April 28 election to a date not later than 15 days prior to the first nominating convention. Worker rights and consumer protections A proposed state Senate bill would support workers while quarantined or in isolation during a public health emergency. Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D., Bucks) said in a memo to his colleagues that Pennsylvania does not have a law that addresses whether an employer can fire a worker under these conditions during a state of emergency. A measure by Rep. Ed Neilson (D., Philadelphia) would provide unemployment compensation for people who have been ordered to quarantine or isolate because of the coronavirus. His bill would not offer extended benefits to people who used paid time off or paid sick days during quarantine or isolation. For anyone who bought tickets to an event that has been canceled due to COVID-19, Rep. Mike Driscoll (D., Philadelphia) will introduce a bill that would require the ticket issuer to provide a full refund within 30 days of a consumer request when the state is under an emergency declaration. 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. Patterson Law Group sponsors the Downtown Fort Worth Rotary Clubs 4-Way Speech Contest for the fourth (4th) consecutive year The YWLA is educating and shaping the next generation of local female leaders, and the 4-Way Speech Contest allows some of those future leaders an invaluable public speaking experience. I am passionate about supporting our local community, and I am grateful for Patterson Law Groups support of this. This past month, the Downtown Fort Worth Rotary Club announced the winner of its fourth 4-Way Speech Contest. First place went to Kassandra, a 10th grader at the Young Womens Leadership Academy. Through sponsoring the contest, Patterson Law Group provides students from Fort Worths Young Womens Leadership Academy with an invaluable opportunity to speak before a room of 100+ Downtown Fort Worth Rotarians some of the top business and civic leaders in the Fort Worth-Dallas area. Tennessee Walker, Patterson Law Group attorney, Downtown Fort Worth Rotarian, and chair of the event, says, Patterson Law Group is proud to have sponsored the 4-Way Speech Contest for four (4) consecutive years and looks forward to many more. Working with the outstanding students from the Young Womens Leadership Academy (YWLA) is meaningful and fulfilling. The YWLA is educating and shaping the next generation of local female leaders, and the 4-Way Speech Contest allows some of those future leaders an invaluable public speaking experience. I am passionate about supporting our local community, and I am grateful for Patterson Law Groups support of this contest. Contestants gave 3-5 minute speeches using the Rotarys 4-Way Test to analyze critical issues. The Rotary 4-Way Test is a well-reasoned approach to decision making and consists of four (4) questions: 1) Is it the TRUTH? 2) Is it FAIR to all concerned? 3) Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? 4) Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned? Downtown Fort Worth Rotary President, Rachel Marker, shared her thoughts, YWLAs participation in the Rotary 4-Way Speech Contest was an inspiration to everyone who attended. These young women will be forces to be reckoned with as they grow and become leaders in our society. I believe we all walked away with a renewed appreciation for our young peoples insight and outlook on some of todays issues. I know that I was truly inspired and walked away in amazement! The winner, Kassandra, a 10th grader at the Young Womens Leadership Academy, will receive a $200 cash prize for winning the contest. She also qualified to move on and compete against other local Rotary club contest winners at the regional level of competition. All other speech contest participants will also receive a cash prize. About Downtown Fort Worth Rotary Club The Rotary Club of Fort Worth is a unique institution. Few worthwhile endeavors take place in Fort Worth without Rotarians being in the forefront making things happen. And that fact leads men and women who want to make their city a better place to live, to want to be Rotarians. It is this magical combination that has led our club to become such an important element in the business and civic fabric of Fort Worth. About Young Womens Leadership Academy YWLA offers girls a dynamic learning experience that encourages critical thinking, inspires confidence and nurtures the intellectual and social development necessary for success in college, career, and life. About Patterson Law Group Patterson Law Group is a leading personal injury law firm dedicated to helping injured victims throughout Texas. Our headquarters is located in Fort Worth, Texas, with locations in Arlington, Texas, and San Antonio, Texas. The attorneys at Patterson Law Group understand the physical, emotional, and financial drain an injury can cause. Thats why we wake up every day with one goal to get justice for those hurting. We are lead, efficient, and accessible. No cost unless we win. # # # Patterson Law Group Media Contact: Anna Crowe 817-784-2000 anna.crowe@pattersonlawgroup.com A man says he has 'struck gold' after finding a large supply of vintage toilet paper rolls in his father's storage room that had been there for about 30 years. Michael Guirgis, from Sydney, said he has been flooded with messages after posting pictures of the vintage rolls online on Tuesday and asked if anybody was in need after stores were cleaned out of the item. 'We are giving away free 1980s-1990s Petal vintage single ply toilet rolls to those in desperate need. No this is not a joke.' Mr Guirgis posted to Facebook. After sharing the photos, Mr Giurgis said he was inundated with requests from needy people. 'I'm in a confused state right now - hundreds of people messaging me from this morning and last night,' Mr Giurgis told Daily Mail Australia. A man says he has 'struck gold' after finding a large supply of vintage toilet paper rolls in his father's storage room that had been there for about 30 years Michael Guirgis, from Sydney, said he has been flooded with messages after posting pictures of the vintage rolls online on Tuesday Sobhi Guirgis migrated to Australia from Egypt in the late 1960s and lived in the suburb with many other immigrants 'I don't know how to prioritise who to give them to. Obviously the elderly and disadvantaged should be looked after first. I have a list of about ten places to go and deliver some this afternoon.' Mr Giurgis' father, who passed away ten years ago, owned the store room off a unit in the suburb of Marrackville. He said the store room is full of items from the 80s and 90s and he knew the toilet paper might have been in the back but he would just clear out space as he needed to. 'Thankfully in the far corner I found these babies, approx 270 rolls. It's like winning the jackpot. Never have I been so excited to see toilet paper,' he posted. Sobhi Guirgis migrated to Australia from Egypt in the late 1960s and lived in the suburb with many other immigrants. 'A helping hand was always near as most locals were all in similar situations. So Dad would definitely want this to be shared around.' Michael said. People commenting on the post said praised Mr Guirgis generosity. 'This is awesome of you. I am down to two rolls, one unopened, and could use an extra one however, I will only accept if those in real need are covered.' one person said. 'Wow what a find!' another said. Mr Giurgis said he would not be taking any money for the rolls and he already had organisations in mind to donate some of the paper to including local aged care facilities and disabled children's groups. He even said some members of his own family had requested some rolls. 'There's also a garage at the same unit as the storage room so there could even be more gold there,' he said. Supermarkets across the country have been cleaned out of toilet paper in recent weeks amid concerns of a coronavirus pandemic. Coles, Woolworths and Aldi have restricted shoppers to a one pack per customer limit. Michael Giurgis said he would not be taking any money for the rolls and he already had organisations in mind to donate some of the paper to including local aged care facilities and disabled children's groups Mr Guirgis said he could not take money for the item but would donate the items supermarkets have been cleaned out of the item in recent weeks and have brought in customer limits on purchases A 61-year-old retired constable allegedly killed his son over a domestic dispute at Ganesh Nagar in suburban Powai, police said on Wednesday. The Powai police arrested Gulab Galande after he allegedly attacked his son Harish (40) with a sickle, following a heated argument late on Monday, an official said. The victim was posted as a constable with the Government Railway Police (GRP) at Andheri, while the accused retired after 15 years of service in Mumbai police and worked in the security department of a construction firm, he said. Galande and his son frequently quarelled over the latter's addiction to alcohol and neglect of his wife and two sons, the official said. On the day of incident, Harish came home drunk and had an argument with his father, following which the accused attacked him with a sickle, he said. The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead before admission, the official said, adding that the accused has been arrested under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Go Rio, the Houston-based company that runs the 35-minute boat tours along the San Antonio River Walk, has operated some of its tours with nearly full boats, despite repeated pleas by city officials over the last three weeks for businesses to take extra precautions to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. A river barge with at least 34 people, including an infant, several children and a few elderly passengers, cruised through downtown Monday afternoon, hours after Mayor Ron Nirenberg said he would recommend limiting public and private gatherings in San Antonio of more than 10 people in the wake of an additional travel-related coronavirus case locally. The sight caught the attention of at least a few onlookers, including a local restaurant employee who questioned why so many people were packed on the boat, which holds 40 people. The passengers sat side-by-side, with no empty spaces between them. Later in the evening, lines of passengers formed at the dock while waiting to board. The companys operations attracted attention on social media, too. After the San Antonio River Walk Association posted Monday on Facebook about where to catch a boat tour, several users commented on whether that was a safe, given all the advice about social distancing. Great! A chance to co-mingle with people from all over the world, one user wrote. Just what the doctor ordered! Go Rio San Antonio said in a statement Tuesday that it has been following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about social distancing by permitting only 20 passengers on a boat. However, a boat or two may have been overloaded recently, a spokeswoman said. We immediately investigated and have (taken) steps to enforce the rules to insure we continue to be in line with the CDC social distancing recommendations. The company did not specify when it enacted its policy. When asked by a reporter whether the company was allowing 10 or 20 passengers on board as local and national officials have suggested limiting gatherings over 10, not 20 the spokeswoman said staff was currently meeting to make adjustments. The spokeswoman said employees have encouraged families and tourists waiting in line to spread apart. She said many people in line have traveled together and prefer to remain in close proximity. On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases Go Rio said it has taken other safety measures: frequently sanitizing surfaces, reinforcing appropriate hygiene among staff and prohibiting employees from returning to work if they have traveled to a country deemed of high risk. On Tuesday afternoon, a day after a San Antonio Express-News reporter inquired about the number of passengers on boats, barges continued to cruise the river. The boats had fewer people on them, about 15, still above the local and federal recommendations. Landrys, the Houston-based company that owns 49 percent of Go Rio, did not respond to an email and phone call Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning seeking comment about the number of passengers on the tours. Hope Andrade, a local businesswoman and board chairwoman of VIA Metropolitan Transit, is the CEO of Go Rio San Antonio, according to a 2019 state business filing. Andrade was instrumental in helping the company receive a controversial 10-year city contract in 2017 worth $100 million to run San Antonios fleet of river barges. Nirenberg, then a city councilman running for mayor, was the only council member to vote against the deal. Andrade did not respond to a phone message or an email sent through her executive assistant at VIA early Tuesday afternoon. Nirenberg, alongside City Manager Erik Walsh, said later Tuesday that city staff is working with Go Rio employees to make sure the barges are being operated in ways to prevent spread of the coronavirus. Walsh said changes would be announced but declined to answer additional questions. Starting last month, businesses started to encourage social distancing the practice of avoiding mass gatherings and maintaining a safe distance from others, preferably at least six feet. On Monday, Nirenberg declared a public health emergency, banning public or private gatherings over 50 people. His order strongly encouraged no groups larger than 10. We are going to stay ahead of this curve, Nirenberg said then. I think thats the way we ultimately delay and contain the virus as best we can, is that we dont lag behind the best recommendations and be overprepared if necessary. Staff Photographer Josie Norris and Staff Writer Lauren Caruba contributed to this report. Emilie Eaton is a criminal justice reporter in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | eeaton@express-news.net | Twitter: @emilieeaton In less than two weeks, the daily lives of residents throughout the state have been flipped upside down as routines were interrupted in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19. Few likely gave much notice to the coronavirus as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer formed a task force March 3, to combat the spread of the coronavirus. However, on March 11, when the state released its first mitigation strategies after its first presumptive positive case, attention started to turn. On March 12, schools across the state began to close at the order of the governor. In the days that followed, residents saw restrictions tighten as group gatherings were limited, bars and restaurants were closed for dine-in services. So, following an unprecedented move by state and federal governments, how does COVID-19 compare to other pandemics throughout history? Spanish flu (H1N1) Believed to be one of the most severe pandemics in documented history, the Spanish flu of 1918 was caused by an H1N1 virus believed to be of avian origin, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The Spanish flu spread worldwide during 1918-1919, although local reports in Huron County suggest the flu epidemic was ongoing until 1920. The Spanish flu killed approximately 50 million people worldwide and about 675,000 in the United States. At the time, there were no vaccines or antibiotics to treat the flu or secondary infections associated with the illness. The fatality rate for the Spanish flu is estimated to be greater than 2.5%. The CDC reports that the Spanish flu had an unusual characteristic, where its death rate was unusually high in otherwise healthy adults between 15 to 34 years of age. Asian flu (H2N2) Between 1957 and 1958, the world was again gripped by an influenza virus, known as the Asian flu. The Asian flu was an H2N2 virus that emerged out of East Asia, according to the CDC. First reported in Singapore in February 1957, the virus spread to the coastal cities in the United States by the summer of 1957. In total the CDC estimates 1.1 million people died worldwide and 116,000 died in the US. However, over the course of subsequent infections, the virus went through a series of genetic modifications before disappearing. Hong Kong flu (H3N2) In 1968 another influenza reared its head, this time known as the Hong Kong flu. According to the CDC, the Hong Kong flu was first noted in the United States in 1968 and was estimated to have killed 100,000 people in the US and 1 million worldwide. Most deaths associated with this strain of flu were in people 65 years and older. The H3N2 continues to circulate worldwide today as a seasonal influenza. A study by Global Health Professor Christopher Mores estimates the 10-year mortality rate for seasonal influenza to be approximately 0.1%, which equates to approximately 30,000-40,000 deaths annually. Another aspect to take into account is the difference between epidemics, such as Ebola and the Zika virus and pandemics, such as the coronavirus. Essentially the difference between the two terms is how wide-spread the viruses are. Ebola and Zika were considered epidemics, spreading across only a few continents. Ebola, which has an average fatality rate of more than 50% is widely considered more deadly than contagious, because it requires direct human contact to spread. So, how does COVID-19 compare to other pandemics throughout history? It is hard to say for certain, but according to the data, as of March 18 the death rate for COVID-19 is much higher. As of midday March 18, the World Health Organization reports 193,475 confirmed cases in 164 countries or territories and a 7,864 deaths, resulting in an estimated casualty rate of just over 4%. The five countries with the highest infections are China, with 81,151; Italy with 31,506; Iran with 16,169 and Spain with 11,178. According to the same data, the United States is eighth on the list with 4,356 confirmed cases. Where do we go from here? Health industry experts agree the important move is flattening the curve or slowing the infection rate while the infected recover, decreasing the burden on the public health system. Doctor Howard Markel with the University of Michigan Medical School say many emergency rooms and hospitals already operate close to capacity, and when compounded with an issue such as the coronavirus, treatment might not be available for everyone. If you dont have as many cases coming to the hospitals and clinics at once, it can actually lower the number of total deaths from the virus and from other causes, he told Michigan Health. And, importantly, it buys us time for university and government scientists, and industry, to create new therapies, medications and potentially a vaccine. The Associated Press reported vaccination testing has already begun, as U.S. researchers work to find a solution. Mondays milestone marked just the beginning of a series of studies in people needed to prove whether the shots are safe and could work, the AP story reads. Even if the research goes well, a vaccine would not be available for widespread use for 12 to 18 months, said Dr. Anthony Fauci of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Researchers developed the potential vaccination less than 65 days after Chinese scientists shared the virus genetic sequence, which Fauci said he believed was a record. The potential vaccine was developed by the National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc., and the AP reports there is no chance of clinical study participants getting infected because the shots do not contain the virus itself. Dozens of other research groups around the world are also reportedly working to develop a vaccine. From Washington D.C. to Lansing, and virtually everywhere else in the word, political leaders appear to be setting aside their differences while experts work to contain the spread of the virus and try to return the world to its regular programming. In the meantime, people are finding themselves quarantined to their homes either through strict orders or at the governments request. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ardila Syakriah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 17:55 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206ba0ef1 1 National #coronavirus,coronavirus,domestic-worker,#DomesticWorkers,COVID-19,#SouthTangerang,South-Tangerang Free When President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo made a televised appeal for Indonesians to work from home on Sunday as part of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) containment efforts, 40-year-old Asri knew the message was not for her. Rather, it might even mean longer working hours for her and millions of fellow domestic workers across the country. Asri, who has been working as a domestic worker for 16 years, often stays in an apartment owned by her employer, a British woman, in South Tangerang on the outskirts of Jakarta, although she mostly stays at a rented place nearby. South Tangerang has recorded five confirmed COVID-19 cases so far, with one person recently dying from the disease. "I'm not that worried about myself and the virus [...] But I know there are some other workers nearby who aren't provided with face masks and hand sanitizer by their employers. Now that employers and their children are home all the time, they are bound to have an increased workload, too," she said on Wednesday. As Indonesia reports increasing confirmed COVID-19 cases since the first two cases were recorded on March 2, fears have mounted, prompting panic buying and hoarding of face masks and hand sanitizer that has led to massive shortages and surging prices. This situation has made it difficult for lower-income groups, which already lack access to health care, to purchase their basic needs. "I hope the government prevents rich people from hoarding because the poor are the most affected," Asri said. The social distancing called for by the President appears to be possible only for some white collar workers, given that as many as 74.1 million Indonesians work in the informal sector, further limiting their chances of working from home. At least 4.2 million domestic workers take care of almost all the housework for their employers, but their unclear work contracts and weak bargaining positions have often led to long working hours, low salaries and few or no days off. The long-stalled deliberation of a bill on domestic workers protection, drafted in 2004, does not help either. Advocacy group the National Network for Domestic Worker Advocacy (Jala PRT) polled 668 domestic workers in seven regions in 2019 and found that 98.2 percent of the respondents earned only between 20 and 30 percent of the respective regional minimum wage. Only 42 percent of those surveyed are contribution assistance recipients under the national health insurance scheme -- low-income patients who have their premiums paid by the government -- and almost none of them are recipients of social security from the Workers Social Security Agency. "I'm brave enough to negotiate with my employer on my earnings and working conditions. Not all domestic workers have the same courage. It's the government's job to require employers to fulfill domestic workers' rights," said Asri, who said her employer had ensured her wellbeing amid the outbreak. She said she was relying on information from Jala PRT network on how to mitigate the risks of COVID-19, believing it would prompt other domestic workers to be more aware of their rights amid the pandemic. "The government only thinks of office workers," she said. Domestic workers can no longer rely on the government and their employers, Lita of Jala PRT said, but rather on each other at times like this. She said an apartment complex in Jakarta was barring entry to domestic workers who did not stay with their employers, adding that her organization was now preparing for domestic workers suddenly having their contracts terminated in the near future. Jala PRT is preparing its members on how to negotiate with their employers and promises to provide them with legal assistance when necessary, given that the majority of employers still adopted an approach of no work, no pay. "Domestic workers don't even have the courage to ask if their employers have symptoms of the disease, because there's a power imbalance. It's always the workers who are suspected of bringing the diseases," Lita said. The concept of social distancing might also not fit the nature of their job, given that droplets can remain on surfaces for quite a long time, especially as some workers have to share a room with their employers, Lita said. Jala PRT urged the government and employers to ensure that not only domestic workers, but also middle- and lower-class people, would still earn their income and have equal access to healthcare services and that their children would have access to education. Many classes are running online now, while only about 60 percent of Indonesians have access to the internet. Calls for the government to impose a lockdown are mounting amid a spike of cases, with a 2018 law requiring the central government to provide basic needs for the people once they are imposed. Low-income households would be the worst-hit by a lockdown given that most of them could not put money aside for emergency savings, Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF) researcher Eko Listiyanto said. The government must disburse direct and non-direct assistance to informal workers by making use of existing data from the government-funded social assistance Family Hope Program (PKH), he said. The 62nd patient is an 18-year-old Vietnamese students returning from the UK on March 16 on a flight of Vietnam Airlines which landed in Van Don airport, Quang Ninh province. Testing at the airport showed he was positive for SARS-CoV-2 and the result was confirmed later. He is now hospitalized at the Vietnam-Thuy Dien Uong Bi hospital in Quang Ninh, in stable health condition. A quarantine area for COVID-19 patients (Photo: VNA) The 63rd case is also a Vietnamese student returning from the UK. After her flight landed in Noi Bai airport, Hanoi, on March 15, she was tested and confirmed to be positive for the coronavirus. The 20-year-old girl is in stable health condition and being treated at the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases No2. The 64th patient is a 34-year-old woman residing in Ho Chi Minh City. She travelled from Switzerland through Dubai to Vietnam on March 12, and was taken to a concentrated quarantine facility on March 16th. She tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on March 17, but showed no symptoms. The 65th patient, who resides in Ho Chi Minh City, had contact with and worked together with the 45th and 48th patients on March 7 and 10. The 28-year-old woman was taken to a concentrated quarantine facility on March 13, and confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus on March 17th. The 64th and 65th patients are now hospitalized in the Cu Chi acute respiratory disease hospital. They are both in stable health condition. The 66th case, also a resident in Ho Chi Minh City, flew from Pennsylvania, the US on March 14 to Toronto (Canada) then Taiwan (China) and arrived in Vietnam on March 16. Tests the same day confirmed the 21-year-old woman was infected with SARS-CoV-2. She has so far showed no symptom. As of 19:00 of March 17th, the number of COVID-19 cases in Vietnam was 66, with 16 patients already cured./. Felicia Jackson wasnt taking any chances as she walked into the Flying J truck stop near Carlisle on Wednesday morning. The Memphis, Tenn., truck driver was wearing a surgical face mask. She was keeping her distance, avoiding hand-to-hand contact. Truckers, like many Americans, are scared about catching the coronavirus that has shut down many aspects of society, she said. Were all taking extra precautions, Jackson said. For drivers, the pandemic is causing some additional hassles, from closed rest stops to price gouging, several truckers said during their stops for food, fuel and showers at the busy-as-usual Flying J. In Pennsylvania, its hard to find a place to park. A lot of places are shut down, Jackson said. Those shutdowns include the rest stops along the Pennsylvania Turnpike and other highways. State Rep. Daryl Metcalf, R-Butler, called on Gov. Tom Wolf to reverse that policy, which Metcalf said is depriving truckers of places to rest and food and sanitary services. Truckers also lambasted the closures on PennDOTs Facebook page. For a lot of the guys (the rest stops) are a place to sleep, said an interstate driver who identified himself only as Bob from Tennessee. Its affected some of my friends. Criticism of the rest stop shutdowns spurred a reaction Wednesday. In order to address safety concerns raised, PennDOT has identified 13 of its 30 rest areas that are most utilized by truckers that will be available again by tomorrow, agency spokeswoman Alexis Campbell said. At these locations, PennDOT will be taking down the barricades on some facilities in critical locations and making them available for truck parking. Portable restroom facilities will be available at these locations; each location will have five portable toilets, one of which is ADA-accessible, that will be cleaned once a day, she said. Electronic message signs will be used near the applicable centers to notify drivers near the opened areas. In order to prevent further spread of COVID-19, we will not be opening any of the indoor facilities because there is no staff to keep them clean and properly sanitized. We will continue to evaluate and will determine whether additional rest areas can be reopened. Campbell said rest stops to be reopened on that limited basis are on Interstate 81 in Luzerne and Cumberland counties; I-80 in Venango, Centre and Montour counties; and I-79 in Crawford County and northbound only in Allegheny County. State Sen. Camera Bartolotta, a Republican who represents three western counties, sent out a message stating some Pennsylvania Turnpike rest stops will reopen to a degree as well. Rest stops aside, Bob the Tennessee trucker said his biggest concern is price gouging. Things like water, drinks, are getting more expensive. It seems that in the last week or so the prices have really gone up, he said. Traffic in some areas is dramatically reduced as businesses and government offices shut down and people heed advice or edicts to stay home, Bob said. Interstate 81 is as busy as ever, though, he said, adding 81 is always a mess." Usually in New York and New Jersey traffic is horrible, Bob said. When I came through today there wasnt even a slowdown. This (pandemic) has really affected traffic in places like that. Jackson said she, too, has seen the virus impact on the pavement. Last night, (the highway) was pretty much empty except for trucks, she said. She added that in New York everyone has to be off the highways by 9 p.m. In the last couple of days theres been a big difference in traffic, said Dauda Morris, a driver-trainer from Morgantown, Pa. I dont see the amount of traffic that I usually see. Morris and Jackson said drivers and those they come into contact with at pickup and delivery points are dealing with one another from a distance and being extra careful about disinfecting everything they touch. In one place in New Jersey we were told we had to stay at least six feet from the employees, Jackson said. Everybodys scared to talk to other people, shake hands, get too close, sit together, said Jovani Lindo, a driver from Connecticut. Dawud Shamsid-Deen, a driver from Augusta, Ga., said, Pennsylvanias been a tough customer all the way around in terms of anti-viral regulations. They take so many precautions. He wasnt criticizing. Shamsid-Deen was all for playing it safe. Rather than waiting inside and in line for a shower, he was standing outside the truck stop, sipping his coffee and staying clear of any possible infection while waiting for his number to be called. Outside, I think I have a better chance, he said. He and fellow drivers said that despite the pandemic they were bent on continuing doing what they always do transporting the goods that are the lifeblood of the U.S. economy. Everything continues on like it usually does. Ive just got to take extra precautions, Shamsid-Deen said. Right now, Im heading to Kentucky. Agra, March 18 : Though a case has been filed (first in India) against the father of the 25-year-old woman, wife of the Bengaluru techie who tested COVID-19 positive, no action has been taken so far by the police, as the whole family is under 'home quarantine' in the railway colony, near Agra Cantonment railway station. Senior Superintendent on Police (SSP) Babloo Kumar has, however, indicated that strict action would follow after 14 days. The FIR was registered on Sunday at the initiative of District Magistrate Prabhu Narain Singh, under section 269 (unlawfully or negligently doing something which is likely to spread infection of any disease dangerous to life) and section 270 of the IPC, at the Sadar Bazar police station. A complaint was lodged by the additional CMO Vinay Kumar, on the basis of reports from the Aligarh and Lucknow Medical colleges. The woman presently is in the isolation ward of the S.N. Medical College, here, and receiving treatment. Her father, a railway employee, was charged with misleading officials about her whereabouts. She had returned to her parents home from Bengaluru, after a honeymoon trip in Italy. Her husband had tested COVID-19 positive, and is under treatment. The deadline to claim from a government fund designed to help farmers affected by last year's flooding in Lincolnshire and North Yorkshire is nearing. The Farming Recovery Fund provides money to help farmers whose land has been affected by flooding, with the money going toward the costs of restoration. It provides financial assistance up to 100%, with a minimum grant level of 500 and a maximum grant level of 25,000. The scheme is administered by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) on behalf of Defra. Last year's fund opened on 20 September 2019 for those farmers affected by the breach in the Wainfleet Relief Channel on 12 June 2019. The small town in Lincolnshire saw around 600 homes evacuated after torrential downpour in June. The fund also opened for those farmers affected by the flash flooding that occurred on 30 July 2019 in Swaledale, Arkengarthdale and Wensleydale. A month's rain hit the Yorkshire Dales in just four hours on that day, causing damage to rural roads and farm walls. The NFU has now reminded farmers in those areas that the deadline to claim is 31 March at 5pm. "Applications must be received by the RPA by this time," the union said in a statement, "This date does not include any questions the RPA may ask on an application that they are processing. "Applicants must ensure that they have properly completed the application when they submit by 31 March, answered all the questions, filled in the list of items they are requesting and used the tickbox to remind them of any supporting information they need to send to the RPA." B ritish backpacker Grace Millanes killer has launched an appeal against his murder conviction and life sentence, his barrister has said. Jesse Kempson, whose name is being kept secret in New Zealand, was convicted of murdering Ms Millane by strangling her in a hotel in Auckland. Last month the 28-year-old was jailed for at least 17 years for her killing that followed their Tinder date on December 1, 2018 - the day before her 22nd birthday. But Kempsons barrister on Wednesday confirmed an appeal against his conviction hand sentence has been filed. The parents of Grace Millane, David and Gillian Millane speak to media outside Auckland High Court after their daughter's killer was convicted / Getty Images Ms Millane's body was found in a suitcase buried in a forested area outside Auckland. Kempson claimed Ms Millane, from Wickford, Essex, died accidentally after the pair engaged in rough sex that went too far. A jury in November rejected that argument and found him guilty of murder. Timeline of events leading up to Grace Millanes murder Murder typically comes with a life sentence in New Zealand. Prosecutors successfully argued that Kempson must serve 17 years before becoming eligible for parole. His defence had asked for their then-client to serve 12 years, later indicating he would appeal. In sentencing, Justice Simon Moore told the murderer his actions amounted to "conduct that underscores a lack of empathy and sense of self-entitlement and objectification". Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Inspector Scott Beard of Auckland City Police said the death was "senseless and needless". The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir administration to inform by next week if it is releasing former chief minister Omar Abdullah, who has been detained since the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year. A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and M R Shah told the counsel appearing for the Centre that Abdullah's sister Sara Abdullah Pilot's plea against his detention will be heard on merit if he is not released soon. "If you are releasing him, then release him soon or we will hear the matter on merits," the bench said. The observations came after counsel for the Centre and the J-K administration informed the court that Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was appearing in the matter, is arguing in another court. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner, said the court should fix a short date for hearing the matter. To this, the bench said only six benches are functioning due to the ongoing arrangement in the apex court and it does not know when the next turn will come. "Probably next week we are sitting and the matter will be taken up at that time," the bench said. The Jammu and Kashmir administration had said in the court that freeing Abdullah will pose imminent threat to public order, a claim which was disputed by Sara on Monday. Pilot, in her rejoinder, said that on scrutiny of the verified Facebook account of her brother she was shocked to discover that the social media posts, purportedly attributed to him and maliciously used against him, were not made by him. Pilot claimed that the official Facebook account of Abdullah, being a blue tick marked verified account, has not made any post as claimed in the relied upon material. The rejoinder said the entire exercise from the very inception was "malicious, mala fide, vexatious and suffers from manifest non-application of mind" on part of the senior superintendent of police as well as the Jammu and Kashmir administration and is liable to be quashed with immediate effect with exemplary costs/ strictures being imposed upon the respondents for such blatant and arbitrary abuse of power. It said certain material was not provided to the detenu earlier and it has now been placed on record along with the affidavit by the Jammu and Kashmir adminstration and non-supply of material, at the inception, impaired the detenu's constitutional right of effective representation under Article 22(5) of the Constitution. The material which has formed the basis of order of Abdullah's detention does not even remotely lead credence to the apprehension that the detenu was likely to indulge in activities that are prejudicial to maintenance of public order, it said. Pilot had also denied the contention of the Jammu and Kashmir administration that she should have moved the Jammu and Kashmir High Court to avail his remedy before approaching the apex court. The rejoinder added that the Republic of Pakistan is in close geographical proximity to three other states of India (Gujarat, Punjab and Rajasthan) as well and by the extended logic of the Respondent no. 2, the 'public order' in such states would also be contextually modified. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CARBONDALE Incumbents grabbed big wins in key races in Jackson County. In the race for circuit clerk, incumbent Cindy Svanda held off a charge from Leslie McComb Mulholland to land the nomination on the Democratic side of the ticket. Svanda won with a little more than 53% of the vote. In the closest contested race at the county level, Coroner Thomas Kupferer downed challenger Pat Kelly with 52% of the vote. Kupferer will face Republican Alex Crawshaw on the November ballot. And at states attorney, Mike Carr (63% of the vote) beat Charles Ewell for the Democratic nod. He will face Republican Joe Cervantez on the November ballot. Perry County The sales tax proposition to raise the sales tax in Perry County did not pass, with a little more than 63% of voters saying no. The tax would have raised the county sales tax 0.5%, with the monies going toward the county police force. Earlier this month, the county was unable to provide 24/7 law enforcement coverage. With the critical staffing shortage facing the Sheriffs Office, Perry County Sheriff Steve Bareis was asking the public for the tax. It would likely have generated about $600,000 dedicated solely to the Sheriffs Office. Ive put out the slogan, Back the Badge because thats really what its about. Its about providing backup for my guys, Bareis said in a story earlier this month. Right now, Im running one guy on patrol for the entire county. On nights and weekends, Ive got one person in the jail. Saline County In a highly anticipated race for County Clerk on the Republican ticket, incumbent Jimi Williams-Cox beat out former Clerk Kim Buchanan, 1,749 votes to 1,017. Buchanan was county clerk from late 2010 until 2018, when she lost a primary challenge. The later years of Buchanans term were plagued by her contentious relationship with the county board that included several lawsuits, a forensic audit of the clerks office and grievances filed by county employees. Also in Saline County, seven Republicans will advance to the November election on the county board. They are Mike McKinnies (1,662 votes), Todd Horton (1,602 votes), Roy Oldham (1,527 votes), Ryan Lambert (1,476 votes), Chris Penrod (1,452 votes), Jeremy Maloney (1,241) and Casey Perkins (1,107 votes). Ellis "Eli" McEwan (925 votes) and Clarence D. Yarber (748 votes) fell short. Williamson County In a hotly contested race on the Republican ticket for County Commissioner, Tim Atkisson (26% of the vote) beat out Justin Maze (23%), David Milburn (5%) and Stuart Adkinson (2%) According to previous reporting in The Southern, Atkisson, of Marion, is a plumbing contractor, union member, serves on the Illinois Plumbing Examining Board, and was a trustee on the board of Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Marion. As a businessman, he has negotiated contracts, hired and managed employees, and has to create and follow budgets. Franklin County Voters in Royalton voted against becoming a home rule unit, with no votes at 130 and yes at 93. In the race to be the Republican representative on the November ballot for county coroner, Brandon Odle (44% of vote) beat out Matthew Warren (26%) and Seth Povidinski (13%). For Franklin County Board, on the Republican side, Brad Wilson (63%) took down Ken Burzynski in District 2, and John Gossett (59%) beat Lloyd Gregory in District 3. State House: District 116 David Friess won the nomination on the Republican ticket to face incumbent State Rep. Nathan Reitz, D-Steeleville, in the November election. Friess, with 42% of the vote with 84% of precincts counted, held off challengers Kevin Schmidt and David Holder. Friess, an attorney from Red Bud, lost to Jerry Costello II for the seat in 2018. Costello left the seat in 2019 and is currently the state ag director. US House: District 15 Mary Miller won the GOP nomination, while Erica Weaver won the Democratic nomination for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Eight candidates four from each party ran in the Republican-leaning territory that runs along a stretch of the Indiana border. Miller emerged with 59% of the vote with 64% of precincts reporting, while Weaver beat her competitors with 51% of the vote with 64% of precincts reporting, according to the Decatur Herald & Review. Miller and Weaver will square off in November to claim John Shimkus seat in the U.S. House. Shimkus announced last year that he is retiring. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 3 anatakti Twenty of the 72 gravestones in the Ortakoy Christian Cemetery in Ankara were destroyed on Feb. 14, according to news reports. Six people who carried out the attacks were briefly detained and then released.These attacks against cemeteries are making the Christian community across Turkey feel incredibly sad and desperate, Ankara-based pastor Ihsan Ozbek told Ahval. Nobody can watch over the graves of their loved ones like a guard.One of the destroyed graves belonged to Olga Komshdogans son.My son lies here, Komshdogan told the Sozcu newspaper. He died last year. He was 17-years-old. Children his age came here and destroyed his grave. What type of conscience can accept this?Komshdogan said it was not the first attack on the cemetery.They hid the attack on the graves from us. We learned of it through a stonemason. Im hurting inside so much. If my son were alive, he would not do such a thing. They have carried out similar attacks before, and no one was caught. I want those who attacked the graveyard to be punished. We will sue for material and moral damages, she said.Another attack was carried out on a grave in the cemetery of the Santa Maria Catholic Church in Trabzon, northeast Turkey, said the news website, Hristiyan Haber.Zehra Colak lost her life on Jan. 17 and was buried the next day in the cemetery of the Aya Filbo (Arafilboyu) neighbourhood, 500 m from the church. A wooden cross was temporarily placed at the head of the grave. According to those who attended the funeral, a small group tried to disrupt the ceremony, shouting Allahu Akbar (Allah is the greatest). Hoosiers who believe they've paid unconscionable prices for consumer goods due to the coronavirus pandemic can file a complaint online for possible investigation by the Indiana attorney general's office. Attorney General Curtis Hill Jr. is encouraging Indiana price gouging victims to visit the website indianaconsumer.com and click the "file a complaint" button in the middle of the page. While Indiana's anti-price gouging law is limited to fuel costs, which have been dropping steadily during the COVID-19 outbreak, Hill believes his authority under the state's Deceptive Consumer Sales Act allows him to investigate retailers charging excessive prices for all products. Numerous anecdotal reports from across the country suggest some stores have used the coronavirus panic to hike prices on in-demand consumer goods, such as hand sanitizer and toilet paper, well above any reasonable charge for those products. Suspected price gouging in Indiana also can be reported by telephone to the attorney general's consumer protection division at 800-382-5516. Lyle Waggoner, the sable-haired heartthrob best remembered as the announcer and a comic performer in the early years of The Carol Burnett Show and for playing opposite Lynda Carter on the 1970s television versions of Wonder Woman, died on Tuesday at his home in Westlake Village, Calif. He was 84. The cause was complications of cancer, his agent, Robert Malcolm, said. Mr. Waggoners dulcet voice, square jaw and muscular physique made him seem cut out to be a leading man. But his most recognizable parts were in support of others Ms. Burnett on her hit comedy-variety show, and Ms. Carter, who played Wonder Woman on ABC and then CBS in the 1970s. Mr. Waggoner started on The Carol Burnett Show when it began in 1967 and stayed with the program for seven seasons, going from eye-candy announcer to important player in an ensemble cast that also included Harvey Korman, Tim Conway and Vicki Lawrence, in addition to Ms. Burnett. UPDATE: Where is the coronavirus on Thursday, March 19, 2020? New Jersey is up to at least 427 coronavirus cases, with two news deaths announced, bringing the total number of fatalities to five, Gov. Phil Murphy said Wednesday. The actual total including positive COVID-19 tests being reported by local and county health officials continues to show a sharp increase in cases statewide. Both of the people whose deaths were reported Wednesday were older than 60 and had pre-existing conditions. Murphy announced an additional 162 positive tests including the two additional deaths at at news conference Wednesday. Of the 162, 27 have not been assigned a county. The county-by-county breakdown from the state is updated once daily around 2 p.m. But local officials have been releasing more specifics as it becomes available, including breakdowns by towns. Eighteen of the states 21 counties have a person with coronavirus after Atlantic County disclosed its first case Wednesday morning. There are no known coronavirus cases in Salem or Sussex counties.. The age of people who have tested positive ranges from 5 to 96, according to the state officials. NJ Advance Media has assembled the latest information available on the cases where details have been made available below and will continue to update this list. Typically, this list, which is presented in alphabetical order of counties with information on confirmed tests, will include more cases than reported by the state because it incorporates information from local officials. Heres a closer look where the coronavirus is in New Jersey: ATLANTIC COUNTY (3 cases) A man in his 60s with underlying health conditions is being treated at home. BERGEN COUNTY (113 cases) An 84-year-old Lyndhurst man is in stable condition at an area hospital. His adult son and daughter, with whom he lives, are in self-quarantine at their home. A 69-year-old man from Little Ferry who died Tuesday morning. His health history included diabetes, hypertension, gastro-intestinal bleeding and emphysema. He came down with a fever and cough that were treated with antibiotics and Tamiflu. When his condition didnt improve he was admitted to Hackensack University Medical Center on March 6. A staff member at George Washington school in Edgewater. A Dumont resident tested tested presumptive positive for coronavirus, the towns mayor, Andrew LaBruno, said Friday. A woman, age unknown, from Teaneck. She was exposed to a confirmed case at a synagogue carnival on March 1. A 33-year-old man from Teaneck. A 30-year-old man from Teaneck. A 30-year-old from Teaneck began showing symptoms on March 3 and was hospitalized at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck. A 44-year-old Teaneck man. A 70-year-old Teaneck man, who is a healthcare worker, had an onset of symptoms Feb. 28, officials said. Two other Teaneck cases where additional details were not provided. A 16-year-old girl from Englewood. This positive test was performed through Labcorp, rather than at the state lab. She is being treated at Englewood hospital. An Englewood woman in her 30s who got treatment at Englewood Health Hospital. Officials said she was released from the hospital and is self-quarantined at her home. A 55-year-old Englewood man who was admitted to Englewood Hospital and Medical Center on March 4 in stable condition, according to state officials. The Englewood man attended services at Temple Young Israel in New Rochelle, New York which a number of New York coronavirus cases has been tied to on Feb. 23. The Englewood man attended the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland, a spokeswoman for Gov. Phil Murphy told NJ Advance Media. A 29-year-old man and a 35-year-old man from Bergenfield were previously reported as positive cases, though Bergen officials said Friday night there was just one case in town. A 32-year-old man who lives in an apartment in Fort Lee and works in New York City, where he maintains another residence, and was being treated for the coronavirus in Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack. BURLINGTON COUNTY (11 cases) The county health department has reported 11 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Wednesday evening: A 62-year-old man and 60-year-old woman from Riverton, a married couple who recently returned from a trip to Italy . The man works at a cardiac care center in Robbinsville, which was closed for cleaning. A 60-year-old man from Chesterfield. A 43-year-old man from Moorestown. A 63-year-old woman from Eastampton. A 53-year-old man from Burlington Township. A 35-year-old woman from Delanco. A 20-year-old man from Evesham. A 29-year-old woman from Florence. A 61-year-old woman from Evesham. An 80-year-old man from Mount Laurel. CAMDEN COUNTY (3 cases) A 61-year-old man from Cherry Hill, who was admitted to Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital on March 3 and is in stable condition, according to state officials. A woman in her 60s, was in self-isolation at her home in Cherry Hill, according to the Camden County Department of Health. A Haddon Township woman in her 50s, is in self-isolation at her home. CAPE MAY COUNTY (1 case) A 30-year-old man visiting Cape May County from New York City tested positive at a local health care facility. ESSEX COUNTY (45 cases) A 66-year-old woman from Montclair. She is hospitalized at Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center. A 73-year-old Montclair woman, who tested positive on Tuesday. There have been four positive tests in Montclair. A Comcast tech who worked in Bloomfield. The worker is not a Bloomfield resident. GLOUCESTER COUNTY (2 cases) A 59-year-old man and a 57-year-old woman from Glassboro who have a history of international travel. The man, who works in the radiation oncology department at Inspira Medical Center Vineland is hospitalized at Inspira Medical Center-Mullica Hill and improving, officials said. The woman, who works in the surgical services departments at Inspira Medical Centers Elmer, Mullica Hill and Vineland is at home and continues to be asymptomatic. HUDSON COUNTY (7 cases) Two Hoboken residents, a woman in her early 20s and a man in his early 30s to bring the citys total to seven. Both will self-quarantine. A 61-year-old woman living in downtown Jersey City, according to Mayor Steven Fulop. A 41-year-old Jersey City woman. A Hoboken man in his 40s. Hoboken officials said the man is experiencing mild symptoms and is under self-isolation at home. A 32-year-old man from West New York, who was being treated at Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack. A resident at a nursing home on Belgrove Drive began exhibiting mild symptoms on Friday and was taken to Clara Maass Medical Center on Sunday. The person tested positive for coronavirus. HUNTERDON COUNTY (1 case) A patient admitted to Hunterdon Healthcare tested positive on Sunday, according to the hospital. The person is doing well and was discharged to isolate at home. This is the first case involving a Hunterdon County resident. MERCER COUNTY A 48-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman, both from Hamilton, are isolating in their homes. A 49-year-old woman from Princeton who attended a private party Feb. 29 in her hometown with two individuals from the Boston area who later tested positive for coronavirus. This is the first case involving a Mercer County resident. The town of Princeton said Sunday it now has four cases, all whom attended the Feb. 29 party. They reported being at following locations while potentially infectious: Stuart Country Day School March 4 to March 9; Rutgers University March 5 to March 9; and the University of Delaware on March 6. A 49-year-old Trenton woman has been under self-quarantine since being tested on March 11. A Westminster Conservatory student, who is not enrolled at Westminster Choir College or Rider University, and his or her parents all tested positive. All are under self-quarantine. MIDDLESEX COUNTY (40 cases) A Perth Amboy resident is being treated an a hospital in Middlesex County. A 58-year-old woman from East Brunswick. There is also a second case in East Brunswick. A 74-year-old man from Edison who recently took a cruise. A 72-year-old woman from Edison. She is married to the 74-year-old man, and they cruised together. A 53-year-old man from Edison, who attended a convention in Boston. After returning home he was tested and is self-quarantined, according to the township. A 26-year-old Edison woman. A 51-year-old Edison woman has been self-quarantined. The parent of a student at Walter M. Schirra Elementary School in Old Bridge. The parent is currently in isolation, and the rest of the family is in self-quarantine. A Highland Park resident tested positive, according to Mayor Gayle Brill Mittler. A South River resident is under home quarantine, borough police said. There is also one case apiece in Metuchen, Monroe, New Brunswick, South Amboy, South Brunswick and South Plainfield. Woodbridge and North Brunswick have two cases apiece. Middlesex County said it will provided updated numbers at 3 p.m. each day on its Twitter account. MONMOUTH COUNTY (32 cases reported by the state, 35 by the county) A Wall resident tested positive, township police said Wednesday, March 18. An 83 year-old Ocean Township brought to a local hospital from her home on March 11 has tested positive for coronavirus, officials said Monday. As a precaution a police officer has been directed to self-isolate for 14 days and two EMS workers have been advised to self-monitor themselves for any changes in their heath. A 53-year-old man from Manalapan. He is being treated at CentraState Medical Center in Freehold Township and had exposure to a confirmed case. A 66-year-old woman from Hazlet. A 17-year-old from Little Silver. She is a student at Red Bank Regional High School. A 27-year-old Little Silver man who attended the Biogen conference in Boston from Feb. 24-28 showed an onset of symptoms on Feb. 29. An 83-year-old Hazlet woman fell ill on March 3 and was hospitalized at Hackensack Meridians Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel. There are also cases in Bradley Beach, Highlands, two others in Manalapan and thee in Freehold, county officials said MORRIS COUNTY A 51-year-old man from Bulter. He is being treated at Chilton Medical Center in Pequannock. A Morris County resident who works at Shalom Yeladim Nursery School in Morristown. The employees hometown and other details were not provided. An employee of Florham Park. Borough officials said the infected employee is not a police officer. Other details were not disclosed. A Montville resident. A man who lives in Madison and is older than 50. A 43-year-old woman from Mount Olive is in isolation. A 66-year-old man from Mount Olive is also under self-quarantine. OCEAN COUNTY (4 cases) A 72-year-old was reported as a presumptive positive case in Manchester, according to local officials. PASSAIC COUNTY (4 cases) An 18-year-old from Clifton was exposed to coronavirus after having close contact on March 2 with a person in New York who was a known positive case. Two parents and their 5-year-old child, Paterson residents. The husband is in his 40s, the wife in her 30s. The child attends a day care in Kearny. SOMERSET COUNTY (1 case) A 23-year-old man from Bridgewater. He might have been exposed through close contact with a Pennsylvania resident who has coronavirus. UNION COUNTY A Fanwood police officer. The officer doesnt live in Union County and had minimal interaction with the public. A 48-year-old Berkeley Heights resident was exposed to coronavirus after having contact with friends who traveled from Milan, Italy. The Union County resident showed an onset of symptoms March 1 and was hospitalized at Overlook Medical Center in Summit. A Garwood resident became the countys second confirmed case, Mayor Sara Todisco said. The individual is in their 60s and has been isolated at home. A Linden resident. This person is on home-quarantine, and family members are also self-quarantining, Linden Mayor Derek Armstead said. A person affiliated with Roselle Catholic High School, according to Mayor Christine Dansereau. The mayor didnt say if the person is a student, faculty or staff or where the person resides. An employee at Hubbard Middle School in Plainfield tested positive, district officials said Tuesday. An adult who lives in Cranford. The positive patient was with 11 others, five of whom are Cranford residents. All five were told to self-quarantine. A 35-year-old Westfield woman is stable and managing her symptoms at home. The three positive Westfield cases are unrelated, officials said WARREN COUNTY (1 case, according to the county) A 56-year-old Mansfield resident who traveled overseas beginning three weeks ago. He was treated at Hackettstown Medical Center and has since returned home, where is doing well, according to Hackettstown police. If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter. 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. The Facility Management program in Ferris State University's College of Engineering Technology has been given access to Integrated Workplace Management Systems (IWMS) software by two industry leaders, Boston-based Planon and FM: Systems, of Raleigh, North Carolina. The Facility Management program in Ferris State University's College of Engineering Technology has been given access to Integrated Workplace Management Systems (IWMS) software by two industry leaders, Boston-based Planon and FM: Systems, of Raleigh, North Carolina. The Bachelor of Science in Facility Management program at Ferris State University, a leader in facilities management education, has welcomed support from Planon and FM:Systems, two prominent Integrated Workplace Management Systems (IWMS) software providers. The products, along with visitation and lecture support, were designed to assist in structuring content for instruction in facility management technology. The collaborative goal was to introduce IWMS and demonstrate to the students how such a platform can contribute to the effective management of facilities. Planon is a powerful state-of-the-art IWMS platform, said Tanzia Sharmin, an associate professor in Ferris Architecture and Facility Management Department. The consistent structure of the user interface of Planon modules and the shared information in the integrated platform makes it user-friendly, as well as presenting opportunities for users to make better decisions. Christopher Ryans, a consultant with Planon, was a guest lecturer on the topic of Integrated Workplace Management Systems and their benefits. Planon staff also contributed knowledge and content to support an additional three lectures on IWMS technology. Through the series, the class learned how to navigate and use core aspects of an IWMS. We are proud to be asked to collaborate with one of the leading facilities management university programs in North America by assisting in the education of future FM leaders about facility management technology, said Fred Guelen, president of North American Operations at Planon, based in Boston. Sharmin said FM:Systems, based in Raleigh, North Carolina has provided a two-year license for Ferris use of their IWMS software, which includes six training modules, valued at $590,000. I also received three days of training from FM:Systems at their headquarters, prior to the start of the Fall 2019 semester, Sharmin said. I accomplished a great deal of learning, myself, which was very valuable support for my instruction with their software. Estimates indicate that more than half of todays facilities management practitioners will retire in the next five to 15 years, which would create opportunities for younger generations to explore the world of facilities management and make it their career of choice. Research in 2017 showed that more of the Facility Management professional members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors are over 70, compared to the membership under 30, and less than 15 percent affiliated with the international organization are under 40 years of age. The International Facility Management Association faces a similar challenge, based on a 30 percent sample of its 24,000-plus members, which shows that the average IFMA member is 50.9 years old. To learn more about Planon, visit its website. Deep in the throes of a deadly pandemic, nations everywhere are grappling with the grim reality of a global community on lockdown. Travel bans and restrictions have soared; businesses and schools have closed shop, public events have been put on hold while remote work and telecommuting have become the new norm. The global economy is facing its worst disruption since the 2008 financial crisis, with scores of governments scrambling together stimulus packages to prevent a complete meltdown. The silver lining, though, is this: A slowing economy is leading to a significant reduction in harmful carbon emissions. The bad news, however, makes that silver lining somewhat duller: The effect is likely to be only temporary, with the pandemic expected to hamper the ongoing transition to clean energy and climate action. Undermining Clean Energy Investments With many nations restricting or banning international travel outright with overall economic activity remaining depressed, it was only a matter of time before the effects began to be felt. Now the IEA says the economic fallout of Covid-19 will slash global demand for oil, gas, and coal, which will obviously lead to a reduction in harmful emissions. And the reduction could be huge if China is any indication. Last month, Carbon Brief reported that the global epidemic had cut Chinas CO2 emissions by a staggering 100 million metric tonnes just two months after the first infections were reported in the countrys sprawling city of Wuhan. Thats about a quarter of the countrys average emissions (or the entire output by Chile) with reductions of 15 percent to 40 percent in industrial output recorded by key sectors. China was the epicenter of the novel coronavirus but has recently been superseded by Europe with Italys current tab of 23,073 active cases dwarfing Chinas 8,965. With nearly 170 nations now affected, the global reduction in emissions as a direct result of the virus is bound to be substantial. Related: Oil Plunges As Saudis Boost Exports To Record High But thats about where the good news ends. The coronavirus will end up doing more harm than good for the environment and clean energy sector. The IEA has warned that the reductions in emissions are only likely to be short-lived, with the pandemic likely to adversely impact long-term investments in the clean energy sector. The IEA says that multi-billion-dollar investments in clean energy are likely to evaporate into thin air, with the current year set to record the first fall in solar energy growth in four decades. Meanwhile, sales in electric vehicles - commonly viewed as the lynchpin to the electrification drive and transition from ICEs - are expected to come to a standstill for the first time in more than a decade. Even more worrying is the fact that the global energy watchdog sees a dramatic reversal in the incremental shift away from coal-fired power plants - something that lowered harmful emissions from the global electricity grid by 2 percent in 2019 - happening in the current year. Although clean energy and ESG have become the latest megatrends in investment circles, they have not been spared the ongoing turmoil with the sectors benchmark, the iShares Global Clean Energy ETF (ICLN), crashing 25 percent year-to-date. Source: CNN Money Scrap Fossil Fuel Subsidies All is not lost, though. IEA executive director Fatih Birol says some of the stimulus packages being rolled out by governments should be invested in clean energy technologies. We have an important window of opportunity. Major economies around the world are preparing stimulus packages. A well-designed stimulus package could offer economic benefits and facilitate a turnover of energy capital which will have huge benefits for the clean energy transition, he said. And it appears there will be plenty to go around. Related: Saudi Arabia Books Supertankers To Flood U.S. Markets With Oil After a dramatic rate cut and launch of a $700 billion QE program by the Fed, the Washington Post has reported that the Trump administration wants Congress to approve a huge stimulus package of around $850 billion. Meanwhile, Australia has announced a $17.6 billion package to keep the economy afloat while New Zealand followed suit by doling out a stimulus package equivalent to 4% of GDP Birol has also urged governments to use the ongoing oil price collapse to scrap subsidies on fossil fuels. A 2019 report by the Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI) contends that just 10 to 30 percent of the $370 billion spent by governments annually on oil, gas, and coal subsidies could be enough to pay for renewable projects worldwide. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: US President Donald Trump has become the Republican Party's presumptive presidential nominee after his home state of Florida awarded him with enough numbers to cross the pledged delegate threshold. As per the national delegate count, Trump on Tuesday had 1,330 pledged delegates in his kitty. A Republican presidential aspirant needs 1,276 of the total 2,550 pledged delegates. A formal nomination would be announced at the Republican National Convention in August. Trump's campaign in a statement said that the primary in his home state of Florida put him above the delegate threshold to become the presumed 2020 Republican nominee for president. The primary season saw him shatter records for vote totals and vote percentages. With Florida's 122 delegates awarded to the President, he has 1,330 delegates, above the 1,276 needed to win the nomination. The Republican Party is more unified and energized than ever before and it's because of President Trump's leadership and clear record of accomplishment on behalf of all Americans, said Brad Parscale, Trump's 2020 campaign manager. As his response to the coronavirus has shown, and as the broad and strong economy demonstrates, the President wakes up every day putting America first in every decision he makes. And voters have responded, he said. Counting vote totals from states which have held primary contests so far, Trump has earned at least four million votes more than the previous record for total votes cast for an incumbent president in those same states, held by former President Bill Clinton in his 1996 re-election campaign. Trump also set vote total records in several states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Washington, which have had primary contests so far in 2020. For example, Trump won 18,89,006 votes in Texas, easily crossing total votes for recent previous presidents running for re-election: Barack Obama (520,410), George W. Bush (635,948) and Bill Clinton (796,041). In Michigan, Trump received 6,39,143 votes, compared to 1,74,054 for Obama and 2,65,425 for Clinton (In 2004, there was no Republican Preference Primary election in Michigan). "Nobody motivates our base more than President Trump, as evidenced by the historic turnout we've seen in state after state this primary season," said GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. "Fueled by both our longtime supporters and the thousands of new voters that continue to join our movement, we are united and enthusiasm is on our side. We have the strongest record of success, an unparalleled grassroots infrastructure and are thrilled to have President Trump as our party's presumptive nominee once again," McDaniel said. As the global aviation industry grapples with the largest demand shock in history, there are nudges from all quarters for governments to intervene and provide support to airlines. While the industry is no stranger to black swan events, the sheer magnitude of the coronavirus pandemic impact has left the industry with very few options. For purposes of comparison, the 1990/1991 Gulf War resulted in a 7-9 per cent reduction in passenger demand; the SARS outbreak resulted in a 20 per cent decline in demand in Hong Kong; the 2004 Indian ocean earthquake/tsunami led to up to 35 per cent reduction in demand in the region; and the 2010 Eyjafjallajokull volcanic eruption resulted in a 20-30 per cent decline in demand in the region. The 2020 Coronavirus outbreak, however, will surpass all of these. A demand decline of more than 50 per cent is forecast and is likely to go higher. Decimation of Demand Usually the demand shock is limited to a geography and demand takes time to dissipate. This time though, demand has simply evaporated. It does not help that entire countries are being closed off with extreme travel advisories. Currently, thirty countries have restrictions on foreigners flying in and this number is expected to rise. For airlines, especially global airlines, their marketplaces have effectively been shut. Even where markets are open, the booking forecast looks bleak. Industry watchers have indicated that load-factors (which is the percentage of aircraft that are filled) are falling in the double digits. Needless to say, no amount of cost cuts will suffice to make up for such an extreme decline in demand. The best option is to drastically cut capacity, ground aircraft and conserve cash. Airlines are doing just that. Drastic Capacity Cuts To deal with the situation airlines are cutting capacity and grounding aircraft. This time though the cuts are akin to using a hacksaw as opposed to a carving knife. Whether it is FinnAir or SAS, or AirFrance-KLM with capacity cuts of up to 90 per cent; or RyanAir that is cutting capacity by 80 per cent and may ground its entire fleet; or Cathay Pacific with capacity cuts of over 75 per cent; or Lufthansa with capacity cut of 50 per cent; or Delta Airlines and the decision to park 300 aircraft and cut capacity by 40 per cent; or United Airlines with capacity cuts north of 50 per cent. The list is endless and more cuts are on the way. As of this writing, ten global airlines have announced a complete grounding of their fleet. Massive layoffs, bankruptcies and airline shutdowns are likely. How a Recovery Will Look All said and done, eventually folks will take to the skies again. But there is no denying that the nature of aviation has been changed forever. Whether it is visa policies, de-risking of supply chains and an uptick in remote-work or the use of technology the nature of flying is set to change. In the medium term though, labour, capital and people flows will resume. And this effectively will constitute the recovery. Two key questions are what shape the recovery of demand will take and how long the recovery will take. Each prior black-swan has seen a different nature of recovery and different timelines. The Oil crisis of 1979 took three years before global traffic returned to pre-crisis levels; the Gulf-War impact took six months to dissipate (note: this was limited to certain geographies while others were racing ahead); 9/11 took two years before global demand returned to pre-crisis levels; and the global financial crisis of 2008 took six to nine months (again certain geographies and emerging markets helped). The past may give some ideas but it is worth repeating that the sheer magnitude and speed of the decline has not been seen previously in global aviation. Shape of Recovery Industry watchers and insiders, at least those who are thinking ahead, are looking to what shape the recovery will take. That is, how soon global traffic will revert to pre-crisis levels (on a country-level this will be significantly different than when looked at as a whole). A V-shaped recovery is actually the best case. This was seen in the Oil Crisis of 1979 where global air travel demand started to rise post the crisis. But this nature of recovery has all but been ruled out. Chances are of a U shaped recovery. This was seen after the terrorist attacks of Sept 11, 2001. A situation where demand will continue to fall, flatten out and then start to rise. When it comes to how long the recovery will take, this is anybodys guess. There are simply too many variables to forecast a timeline. And thus the decision of airlines to ground aircraft. Because even when demand picks up, the only way to entice travellers will be via price. Effectively, airlines will be buying their sales for a while before they return to a profitability zone. Some promoters may also use this as an excuse to demand sops or to exit the business completely. Post-recovery Aviation to Change Forever Even when traffic levels start to stabilize, aviation as we know it will not be the same. A revision of business models and a rethink high-density configurations may be on the horizon. Short ground times and quick turning around of aircraft may not be feasible anymore if sanitizing the cabin after each flight becomes mandatory. A comparison of costs of new aircraft versus cost of old aircraft (given price of fuel) may lead to different fleet decisions. A revision of regulations to include other mitigation measures (with cost impacts) is also likely. The most stressful and unpleasant element of travel, namely airport security may get an additional element of health security. Market-access that was conveniently doled out to foreign carriers via bilaterals and open-skies agreements may be revisied and aviation policy changes by countries is likely. The author is an India market expert and has held a variety of roles within the aviation business. He is also a certified pilot with an instrument rating. 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. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 18:25 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206ba4d1e 4 National COVID-19,coronavirus,outbreak,staple-food,National-Police,task-force,panic-buying Free The National Polices food stability task force has enforced a limit on the amount of staple foods available for purchase in a bid to ensure availability in the long term amid panic buying prompted by the COVID-19 outbreak. Rationing will be implemented for rice, sugar, vegetable oil and instant noodles, as reported by kompas.com. The task force will limit every customer to a maximum of 10 kilograms of rice, 2 kg of sugar, 4 liters of vegetable oil and 2 boxes of instant noodles. The police issued a letter regarding the policy on Monday, and sent it to several business associations such as the Indonesian Retailers Association (Aprindo), the Jakarta office of the Market Sellers Cooperatives (Puskoppas) and the Indonesian Provincial Government Association (APPSI) We have issued a letter [regarding the rationing] to make sure nobody takes advantage of the situation, task force head Brig. Gen. Daniel Tahi Monang said on Tuesday, as quoted by kompas.com. Read also: Government expedites imports of staple needs to stabilize prices He added that the policy would take effect starting Tuesday and end when authorities declared the situation normal. The task force acknowledged the rise in staple food prices. The prices have increased somewhat due to rising demand after some panic buying, Daniel said. The polices task force, he went on to say, would make sure that the supply of staple foods remained sufficient. I urge the public not to panic buy, he added. (nal) It did not come as a surprise that Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole would survive the latest move to sack him as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). His opponents have been hitting the tail instead of the head. The gist is that Oshiomholes tenure of crisis cannot be divorced from the overbearing ambition of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to rule Nigeria at all costs. Therefore, instead of chasing shadows, it has become imperative to muster the courage and go all out to tame the former Lagos State governor. Make no mistake: Tinubu, the National Leader of APC, has every right to seek the presidency. More essentially, his role in the Nigerian democracy can never be belittled. This informs why I had to admonish President Muhammadu Buhari earlier in his first tenure for alienating the Asiwaju. I asserted then (and still believe) that, if dynamic opposition is the life-wire of a democracy, it is very fitting then to name him (Tinubu) the saviour of Nigerias current democratic journey. Regrettably, the manner Tinubu has been pursuing his presidential ambition is not only becoming an existential threat to APC as a party but also to the same democracy he helped to save. The problem is rooted in Tinubus naked godfatherism. The canker began to grow when the Asiwaju was made to believe that he solely influenced the nomination of Buhari. Further, after his failed bid to grab the vice-presidential ticket, Tinubu was allowed to handpick his longtime ally for the position, so that peace could reign. Worst still, the former Lagos State governor would retain the titular title of National Leader, thereby creating an impression of two captains in one ship. As if that was not enough, he attempted to also dictate the leadership of the Legislature but failed. This failure, remember, led to the first major crisis in the party and the mass decampment that followed before the 2019 general elections. The most mystifying, however, is that, despite the fact that his primary fiefdom, Lagos, is constantly ranked as one of the worst estates on earth, it has not deterred Tinubu from the morbid desperation to rule other Nigerian states by proxy. The more troubling is his do-or-die approach. For instance, the next major crisis after the National Assembly debacle was his plot to hijack the 2016 Ondo State governorship primary election against the rightful winner, the current governor, Rotimi Akeredolu. The outcome was a nasty fallout between the Asiwaju on one side and both the then National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun and President Buhari on the other side. In attempt to restore a sense of normalcy before 2019 elections, Buhari had to go out of his way to appease Tinubu by easing out Oyegun. Enter Adams Oshiomhole. President Buhari misread him as a simplistic khaki-wearing independent-minded party man who could contain Tinubu. But Oshiomhole was understandably desperate for attention after leaving office as Edo State governor and did not want to end the Oyegun way. The new chairman quickly accepted to function as a mere lackey. Oshiomholes main function, therefore, has been to perfect Tinubus plot to install his cronies across the country towards a presidential bid. Not surprisingly, the APC would go on to suffer the most crisis-ridden party primary exercise in the national history. Every APC structure, from the states to the federal, including the Legislature, and President Buhari and his cabinet, had a bitter taste of the crisis. Only Coronavirus could have been as toxic and widespread. The saving grace for the APC in the 2019 electoral cycle was that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the main opposition party, fielded a deeply flawed presidential candidate in Atiku Abubakar. Tinubus style of godfatherism is a threat to national unity and has worsened since Buhari won a second term. Recall how the Asiwaju shamelessly cornered all the important positions zoned to the South to himself or his cronies from Western Nigeria, as if somehow the APC in the South is a one-man show. Lest we forget, the APC came into being as an amalgamation of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) led by Buhari; the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) led by Tinubu; the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) led by Ogbonnaya Onu; a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) led by Rochas Okorocha, and the new PDP led by Alhaji Kawu Baraje. Needless to mention the powerful roles of Southern Igbo, such as Pat Utomi, Chibuike Amaechi, Osita Okechukwu, Chris Ngige, Annie Okonkwo, Joe Igbokwe, among others. Yet, today, there is no meaningful office holder within the APC as a party or its government from the entire Eastern Region besides statutory ministerial appointments, thanks to Tinubus southern strategy of divide and conquer. In short, at no time in post war Nigeria has a region suffered this type of political blackmail. The height of the hypocrisy is that Bola Ahmed Tinubuin terms of shrewd godfatherism and shadinessis even far worse than his targets in the East, Rochas Okorocha not excluded. Now, consider that Tinubu now believes that he has successfully humbled the East with a montage of opportunistic politics. Combine that notion with the assumption that the North is now under his palm, especially given the fact that the Asiwaju dictated the content and the character of the current governmentfrom the leadership of the ruling party to both the executive and the legislative arms of power. Visualize such political oddity with the reality that the former Lagos governor is now zeroing in on his potential 2023 opponents in the West, as can be gleaned from the current crisis blazing through Edo and already rearing its ugly head into Ondo. There and then emerges the danger inherent in Tinubus role within APC and beyond. Even Vladimir Putin of Russia Republic has not shown this type of pestilent appetite for power. O to ge! This is a perfect time for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to step aside. He no longer has the credibility to grandstand as the face of the APC. His exit as a National Leader will solve two fundamental problems. First, it will effortlessly sweep off Oshiomholes tenure of un-ending crisis. Second, it will not only reposition the party leadership with men and women of impeccable character, but also in line with true democratic ideals, particularly a level playing ground for electoral offices, including the presidency. Dr. SKC Ogbonnia, an APC member, writes from Ugbo, Enugu State, Nigeria Twitter @ SKCOgbonnia Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 15:11:19|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- China's centrally administered state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have played a vital role in the nation's battle against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak and its shock on the economy, an expert and former senior commerce official has said. Wei Jianguo, vice chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges and former vice minister of commerce, said the early production resumption at central SOEs has injected confidence in China's anti-virus fight and showcased China's institutional advantages. More than 90 percent of the approximately 48,000 subsidiaries of China's 96 central SOEs had returned to work as of late February to support nationwide epidemic control, official data showed. Wei said the central SOEs have gone all out to fight the COVID-19 outbreak and safeguard the national economy and people's livelihood, citing efforts to ensure steady gas and oil supplies during the outbreak by state-owned oil and gas producers and refiners including PetroChina and Sinopec. The central SOEs have taken the lead in meeting surging demand for medical supplies and protective gear, swiftly shifting production lines to essential materials like masks and disinfectants and contributing significantly to the total production capacity, according to Wei. Since the epidemic broke out, the central SOEs have raced to boost the production of melt-blown nonwoven fabric, used in the filtering layer in the middle part of a mask, whose daily production capacity of the fabric had reached 26 tonnes as of early March. Wei also noted that the quick work resumption at central SOEs has boosted factory activities at tens of thousands of smaller firms on their production chains and helped maintain the stability of the global supply chain. For instance, by commencing a number of new electric power projects, China Huadian Corporation is expected to drive production at nearly 1,000 private firms in related sectors such as power generation and transmission, as well as insulating materials and cable manufacturing, he said. Wei said he expected that the central SOEs would continue to play a strong role in tapping China's economic potential and achieving China's economic and social development goals in the future. Scott Morrison stepped up to the podium and was the voice of calm and clarity that a deeply worried nation needed. Amid the coronavirus chaos engulfing the world, the Prime Minster emerged from his Parliament House office at 9am and told Australians how he plans to keep them safe. It was the most important speech of his life. Political jargon was replaced as he looked directly at the camera and frankly told the nation that life Down Under is about to change dramatically. 'Life is changing in Australia, as it is changing all around the world,' Mr Morrison said. 'Life is changing in Australia, as it is changing all around the world,' the Prime Minister said He then announced drastic new measures to slow the virus, including banning overseas travel and limiting non-essential gatherings. And, crucially, he answered the question on every Australian's mind: How long will this go on? 'We are looking at a situation of at least six months for how we deal with this,' he said. It was an admission that went straight to the point and was, importantly, devoid of spin. Gone was the defensive 'Scotty from Marketing' caught so terribly flat-footed during the bushfire crisis. 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 No-one knows for sure how long the virus will wreak havoc, he confided. 'It could be much longer than six months. It could be shorter.' When a once-in-a-century event throws the country into chaos, the government cannot be expected to know or control everything. Leaders can only react with the best information and advice available. On Wednesday, the Prime Minister did exactly that. Until now Mr Morrison and his government had rightly attracted criticism for lacking clarity, particularly over hygiene advice and shaking hands. But just four days after a wishy-washy PM boldy declared he was going to the footy, before pulling out at the 11th hour, Mr Morrison was definitive. 'The travel advice to every Australian is "Do not travel abroad". Do not go overseas,' he said. You can't get much clearer than that. Then the Prime Minister answered another pressing question: Will schools be closed? 'The health advice is that schools should remain open,' he said. He clearly explained why - because children are not in danger and closing schools will take parents away from vital work - and then added a personal touch for extra reassurance. '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.' In that single sentence, Mr Morrison reminded us why voters had elected him. He's a suburban dad from the Shire. He's relatable. He's one of us. The Prime Minister reinforced that image when he slammed food hoarders in the headline-grabbing moment of his speech. 'Stop hoarding. I can't be more blunt about it. Stop it,' he said. The Prime Minister announced drastic new measures to slow the virus, including banning overseas travel and limiting non-essential gatherings A woman lands at Brisbane International Airport on Wednesday '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.' It was an appeal to Australian values that echoed his plea for the country to come together. 'We're all up to this. We're all able to deal with this. We are up to this challenge,' he said. The Prime Minster also thanked state leaders for staying up throughout the night to work together on the measures. Unlike during the Spanish flu of 1919 when Australia's states fought and blamed each other for the spread, he has fostered strong co-operation. Mr Morrison's friends say he is the smartest person in any room but always listens to those around him. True to that approach, he has reached out to state and territory leaders to ensure a co-ordinated response, whether on health, the economy or law enforcement. 'Every state government and the federal government are working closely together,' NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed after Mr Morrison's speech. The Prime Minister's national cabinet of state leaders and medical experts is co-ordinated and represents the 'true spirit of national unity,' as he put it. Make no mistake, the state leaders deserve great credit - but the Prime Minister should be lauded for his leadership on Wednesday. After his speech, Mr Morrison listened to Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy address the media and then answered a dozen questions from reporters, providing extra details and re-affirming his message to keep calm. His performance was statesman-like and assured - and helped (at least in part) to put the bushfire catastrophe where he went missing in action firmly behind him. As borders are closed, countries are locked down and entire industries are pushed to the brink of collapse, the world is facing an uncertain future. But today Scott Morrison was the calm amid the chaos. 4 takeaways from Democratic debate: female VP promised, Hyde Amendment attacked Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment On Sunday, Democratic presidential candidates former Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont debated each other on a host of issues. Hosted by CNN-Univision and held in Washington, D.C., the debate came days before Democrats in Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio hold their respective primaries. In the race to get the minimum 1,991 delegates to secure the nomination, as of Monday morning Biden leads with 860 delegates, Sanders is in second with 706, and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii is in a distant third with two delegates. Here are four takeaways from the Sunday debate. They included Biden saying he would have a female running mate, the Hyde Amendment and the coronavirus. 1 2 3 4 5 Next Photo: The Canadian Press President Donald Trump and Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Seema Verma listen 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. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Ahead of an expected surge in coronavirus cases, President Donald Trump on Tuesday moved to blunt the impact of the pandemic on a U.S. economy fundamentally altered by a push for the nation to stay home. As the global markets fluctuated amid fears of a recession, the president conferred with tourism executives as well as restaurant leaders, retailers and suppliers. His administration was expected to propose a roughly $850 billion emergency economic stimulus to address the free-fall, including considering the sending of checks to American workers trying to make their way in the deeply unsettled economy. U.S. businesses large and small were reeling from shutdowns, cancellations and public fear about the virus as the number of cases rose nationwide. Stocks moved higher on Wall Street on Tuesday, a day after plunging to their worst losses in more than three decades. The president again urged Americans to follow sweeping guidelines that for the next two weeks would temporarily rewrite the norms of society, including for older residents to stay home and for all people to avoid gatherings of more than 10 as well as restaurants and bars. By making shared sacrifices, we can protect the health of our people and our economy and I think our economy will come back very rapidly," Trump said. If we do this right, our country and the world, frankly, but our country can be rolling again ... very quickly." Trump, maintaining his newly sombre tone about the crisis enveloping the globe, urged Americans to work from home and urged the nation's cities and states to issue restrictions to promote distancing in line with new federal guidelines. He promised a dramatic increase in access to coronavirus tests, ventilators, hospital beds and telehealth services. His administration said it would co-ordinate responses with the states, push for construction workers to give masks to health care workers and, if needed, use the Army Corps of Engineers to build more hospital space. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, the administration's lead negotiator with Congress, said tax filings could be delayed and vowed that the stock markets would remain open but their hours could be shortened. The president pledged to maintain the safety of elections while voters in three states went to the polls Tuesday even as Ohio postponed its primary. Officials said assistance could be offered to the airlines, hotels cruise ships and airplane manufacturers. In a meeting with hotel industry leaders, Trump listened as executives outlined the impact to their business. They told him that business was dropping by the day and that some hotels had occupancy rates in the single digits. That compared to a 67% per cent occupancy rate for the industry last year, said Chip Rogers, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Were probably under 20% nationwide and headed south," Rogers said. If by the end of the year we get up to 35 per cent and nothing else happens, that will be about 4 million jobs lost. Trump sought to emphasize how much the economy would improve once past the outbreak. One day were going to stand up here and say, We won,'" Trump told the White House briefing where reporters sat in alternating seats to maintain a safe distance. As sure as you're sitting there, we're going to say that. The president's declaration of resolve came a day after, for the first time, he acknowledged that the pandemic may send the economy into a recession and suggested the nation may be dealing with the virus until July or August. The president and his team on Tuesday cautioned Americans to prepare for a lengthy change to their daily routines as it could be more than a month before the impact of his 15-day guidelines outlined Monday could even be measured. Trump said his coronavirus task force had considered, but was not ready to implement, any sort of domestic travel ban, but he urged Americans to forgo trips even to places not heavily impacted by the virus. Enjoy your homes, enjoy your living room," he said. Describing the budget for Jammu and Kashmir as hollow, the Congress on Wednesday said it falls short of people's expectations in view of the unprecedented situation and changes in the aftermath of revocation of special status and bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories. The Centre on Tuesday presented a Rs 1 lakh crore budget for Jammu and Kashmir for 2020-21, and said the "highest ever" allocations reflect its commitment to make the Union Territory "a model of development". Reacting to the budget proposals, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma termed it as a routine statement of receipts and expenditure which is less than Planning Commission norms of at least 20 per cent increase over last year. The budget is short of the people's needs and expectations in various sectors in view of the promised massive development and infrastructure creation after coming directly under the central government, he said in a statement here. Sharma said there was a lot of shortfall of funds in various sectors due to the alleged mess created by the previous PDP-BJP coalition government due to large scale neglect and pendency of development works and liabilities besides the increased unemployment and unprecedented price escalation. The budget is hollow...no adequate allocation and allotment of funds earmarked to fulfil the promises, he said. The Congress leader said there was no allocation for over 1 lakh youth seeking regularisation from daily wage categories and over 50,000 others working on temporary and contractual basis. There is a hollow slogan for the rehabilitation of refugees but no provision of funds while only a meagre amount was earmarked for Kashmiri migrants, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Libby Purves (pictured) argues women who take part in pageants are using their assets to get ahead in a competitive world YES By Libby Purves I came of age with Womens Lib and attended some of the movements first meetings though not the one where protesters came up with a plan, as seen in new film Misbehaviour, to flour-bomb the 1970 Miss World pageant. Im glad they did it though: the pageants creepy founder Eric Morley and crass dinosaur of a host Bob Hope deserved the flour-bombs. As did the cameramen who zoomed in on bums and breasts as the swimsuited, often bright and ambitious, young women paraded. And yet I still think pageants can and even should be an empowering experience for young women. When you listen to recordings of the winner and runner-up from 1970s Miss World, Jennifer Hosten and Pearl Jansen (both black women for the first time in its history), you notice they were never cattle; not in their own hearts and minds. Jennifer challenged Bob Hope, did a Masters degree and became a diplomat; Pearl suffered more from South Africas apartheid than from sexism. They chose to be at the pageant, and they knew what they wanted in return. And at least under the Morley regime, while they were exploited for his companys profit, they were treated as ladies. These women were no fools. It was a time, remember, of disgusting sexism on every level: old men phwoaring and groping and getting away with it. Beauty pageants, frankly, were the least of it. Nor are those women who have a go today fools. Theyre just using assets to get ahead in a competitive world where everything counts. Many, like Jennifer before them, are looking onward not to tabloid fame but to aspirational careers. Theyre no fools, theyre using assets to get ahead Miss World 2019, Toni-Ann Singh, plans to be a doctor and now can afford the training; 2018s runner-up Nicolene Pichapa Limsnukan works with autistic children and was given an award by Barack Obama. Fifty years on, does Miss World bother me? Not in the least. We get commodified and judged in far worse ways, now, through Instagram. And theres one gratifying change: women are daring to look at men in an equally judgmental manner. Daniel Craig has to pose semi-naked with his jeans a bit undone, too. So good luck to any girl who has worked on her physique and competes, knowing what nonsense it is, while keeping her eyes on the future. If you want to parade in a bonkers national costume, just make sure they treat you like the lady you are. NO Julie Bindel (pictured) argues pageants should be banned By Julie Bindel During my teens I remember watching Miss World with my mum it would have been around the mid-Seventies. Looking at my denim-clad legs and face without a scrap of make-up, I felt like a creature from another planet compared with the hand-on-hip goddesses on the screen. Contestants were primped and preened in a way that beggared belief. Every single inch of their bodies was waxed, bleached, curled or straightened, tucked in or modified. Thought you looked your best? Take one look at the Miss World finalists and think again, swamp creature! Those feminist protesters at the 1970 Miss World pageant knew the whole thing was harmful to women everywhere. And yet, 50 years later, we still ask women to parade on stage like human Barbie dolls. Even worse, the intensive pageant queen beauty regime has spread throughout society until many young women today believe it is totally normal to tweezer or laser off every hair on their bodies, while spending an hour putting on make-up before leaving the house. Far from being empowering, contests such as Miss World have taught a generation of girls that they will, and should be, judged on their looks and that every other woman is in competition for that male gaze. Prior to such pageants, of course there was sexism, but womens bodies had not been commercialised to such a disturbing extent. It teaches girls theyre judged on their looks Despite reaching audiences of 30 million in the UK at its height, ITV dropped Miss World in 1988. It returned to screens briefly on Channel 5 in 1998 and 1999, and then ITV in 2001, before disappearing into the oblivion of satellite TV. Yet we must go further and ban this sort of ridiculous vanity parade altogether. Such shows may have fewer viewers today, but the ideals they push are everywhere. Pageants pressurise girls and young women into believing their bodies can be moulded into an ideal shape. The inevitable consequence of this quest for perfection is body dysmorphia and low self-esteem. And to those who argue that competitors are also tested on their intellect, I say: could you be more patronising? Like making a dog dance for biscuits, these she also has a brain, folks interludes are somehow the worst part of all. Lets encourage girls growing up today not to be held hostage by their bodies, nor a mans expectation of them. Lets teach our daughters to collaborate rather than compete. Beauty pageants in 2020? Nope, the partys over, gents. The Nairobi County government plans to train at least 3,500 health workers by Friday to combat the Coronovirus pandemic in the Capital city. Speaking to the press at City Hall on Tuesday, Nairobi County Health Executive Hitam Majevdia said as of Monday, 80 health officers had been trained at Mbagathi hospital, 112 in Mama Lucy, 60 in Pumwani Maternity and 38 at Mutuini. An additional 100 health workers underwent training on Tuesday. 50 are at STC Casino health centre and 50 at Pumwani Maternity, Majevdia announced. The Health official maintained that the county is prepared to handle coronavirus cases. This shows as a county Nairobi is ready and prepared to handle corona cases and with the help with collaboration with stakeholders from the ministry of health and transport, he said. Mbagathi Hospital chairman George Osewe noted that the workers strike on Monday was under control. There is denial that the coronavirus is not here with us and people are not taking preventative measures seriously. We need to give the public the correct information and report as it is, he said. The public should not fear to visit Mbagathi in case of any suspicious case on coronavirus, Osewe added. Nairobis deputy director for health Mr Wilson Langat also announced that they will conduct air fumigation in the CBD and its surroundings from Wednesday to ensure street families are also sanitized. Street families and children are still part of us and we shall ensure they are also safe, he said. On Tuesday, Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe confirmed the fourth case of Covid-19 in Kenya. In a major shift in their outreach strategy, the Maoists in Chhattisgarh have decided to tap into burning national controversies such as Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR), and treatment of minorities in general, as a new offensive to fight against the State. In a major shift in their outreach strategy, the Maoists in Chhattisgarh have decided to tap into burning national controversies such as Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR), and treatment of minorities in general, as a new offensive to fight against the State. Earlier, their approach was designed to appeal to the local population of Bastar with issues that affect tribal lives - Jal, Jungle, Zameen (water, forest, land). The issues chiefly centred around alleged atrocities by the local police, "unwelcome" development work, mining companies and road contractors among others. In an official statement issued recently, the Left-Wing ultras have taken on the Hindutva agenda of the Indian Right and extended support to the minorities. This comes in the backdrop of sustained attack from the right-wing, who have been referring to intellectuals supporting the Left as Urban Naxals. In a statement issued on 7 March, the banned CPI (Maoist) made scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party and its ideological fountainhead Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for allegedly pursuing Brahminical Hindutva ideology in India to oppress and gag the voice of Dalits, Adivasis, minorities, farmers, women and progressive groups. It also attacked policies by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. "By using CAA and NRC, the government has prepared a list of 19 lakh Indians and planning to declare them as non-citizens. A large number of poor people in Assam have been deported to detention centres as they failed to provide documents to prove their citizenship. By bringing in triple talaq bill, the Modi government pretended to be a benefactor for Muslim women, which is false," Sainath, secretary of Darbha Divisional Committee of the CPI (Maoist), Dandakaranya, claimed in the statement. Maoist Statement by Devparna Acharya on Scribd Why are Maoists targeting national issues? It is probably an attempt by the Ultra-Left group to broaden their social base beyond the tribal lands and get into urban territories, and gain sympathy and tacit support of those who are either critics of the current government or have apparently suffered in some way due to the Centre's policies formulated under the Modi government. As Mao Zedong, the founding father of the Peoples Republic of China, said, while armed struggle and movement in rural areas would be the first priority, importance should be given to urban struggle. The final objective of revolution is the capture of the cities, the enemys main bases and this objective cannot be achieved without adequate work in cities," said Mao in Selected Works of Mao Zedong. Maoist document The Strategy and Tactics in Indian Revolution states, "Apart from the working class and the urban poor, we also have to pay special attention to working women, students, youth, teachers and middle class intellectuals in other professions...and also activities of the city movement." An official of the Anti-Naxal Operation wing in Chhattisgarh spoke to Firstpost on condition of anonymity. "As Maoists aim at expanding their ideological base beyond Bastar and other forest territories, and also recruit cadre, which has declined over a decade, they are specifically using these burning national issues which have created controversy as a propaganda tool. This is also a way to garner indirect support for their cause (Naxalism) in Indian mainstream and reach out to their target groups." Over the years, there has been a considerable decline in Maoist cadre, as getting recruits for Dalams (small units of armed Guerrilla force) from tribal areas has become increasingly difficult due to governments two-pronged action plan increasing offensive by security forces and development works in Naxal-affected territories. Tribals are also realising the hollowness of Maoist ideology and violence being perpetuated on them in the name of police informers. As a result, over a period there has been a rise in Naxals surrendering to the State compared to their recruitment. 'Anti-Naxal ops by State 'fake with malafide intention' The propaganda machinery of CPI (Maoist) is not limited to attacking the BJP and the RSS or Centres policies; it has dubbed anti-Naxal offensives of the government as fake with malafide intention. A series of offensives launched recently by security forces under Operation Prahar to combat Naxalism in the core Maoist strongholds of Bastar has added a new dimension to the face-off between the State and the Naxals in Chhattisgarh. Operation Prahar is an anti-Naxal operation by a joint force comprising CRPFs CoBRA battalion, Chhattisgarh Polices Special Task Force (STF) and District Reserve Guards (DRG). Negating States claim on the success of the operation in February, Maoists dubbed it as fake and an attempt by the state to suppress the revolutionary peoples movement of the Naxals. Security forces have made false claims about the success of Operation Prahar against us. Through these operations, the government wants to construct a network of roads in Bastar, so that it can give access to corporate houses and contractors to loot iron ore and minerals, and destroy tribal culture. To fructify this objective, the government has been using security forces to kill innocent tribals through fake encounters by branding them as Maoists, south sub-zonal bureau, Dandakaranya of CPI (Maoist) claimed in another statement accessed by Firstpost. Maoists have always opposed road construction, as it gives security forces access to their hideouts lodged deep inside the forest. The CPI (Maoist) claimed in the statement that its military wing Peoples Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) killed eight jawans of security forces during the period of operation in Bastar, against one casualty on their part. Contrary to their claim, we recovered three bodies of Maoists killed during the operation. We lost two jawans and not eight. Its part of Maoist propaganda strategy. They attack the credibility of security forces in order to motivate their demoralised cadres. Particularly they do not admit major losses suffered by their PLGA formations, since these cadres are their core strength, P Sundarraj, inspector general (Bastar Division), Chhattisgarh Police told Firstpost. What gives teeth to Maoist propaganda? Failure on the part of the government to reach out to a large section of tribals with schemes meant for the target groups, alleged fake encounters and atrocities by security forces and incidents like Sarkeguda encounter have helped Maoists to strengthen their base and garner support from locals. One may recall the judicial commission report on Sarkeguda encounter of 2012, in which 17 people including six minors were killed by security forces in Chhattisgarh. None of them were Maoists. Many experts believe that there continues to be a trust deficit between a large section of the tribal population and the establishment. Despite development in Bastar, there are several grievances amongst villagers, especially in remote areas. They lack access to safe drinking water, medical facilities and basic education, which Naxals take advantage of. There is a disconnect between the ongoing development and rehabilitation issues in the tribal belt of Bastar. Under the Forest Rights Act, a large number of tribals are unable to get their land deed (Patta). Tribals living in interior villages fail to get access to medical facilities and safe drinking water even today, remarked CPM state secretary Sanjay Parate. Posing as comrades in arms, the Maoist statement has finally asked the exploited and oppressed tribals to join hands with the Naxals under the Red flag, stating that the PLGA is determined to strike hard by attacking the Fascist forces (read government and security forces) riding on national issues. In the wake of the deadly coronavirus pandemic, the Fisheries Commission (FC) has called on fishers and fishmongers to adopt the health protection measures to prevent the spread of the flu-like coronavirus. It called on fishmongers who travel from place to place to market their fish to pay attention to public announcements being made in the media and the public announcement vans to regularly use sanitizers and thoroughly wash their hands with soap after any interaction with members of the public. Madam Rebecca Sackey-Mensah, an officer at the Marine Fisheries Management Division in Accra, said this to canoe owners, chief fishermen, fishmongers and other stakeholders from the Fisheries Commission at the Fisheries Closed Season Stakeholders Dialogue at Agona-Nkwanta in the Ahanta-West Municipality. The Fisher to Fisher dialogue afforded the stakeholders the opportunity to solicit views on the ideal month for this year's closed season. The Western Regional Fisher to Fisher Dialogue is being sponsored by the USAID. Madam Sackey-Mensah said the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified the scourge as very disheartening and stressed the need for Ghana to be on high alert as the pandemic was gaining grounds globally. She said just as preventive measures were adopted during the Ebola outbreak, same must be done to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus in the country. She advised fishmongers, fishers to avoid handshakes just as the President has directed. Professor Godfrey Baidoo-Tsibu, the Western Regional Director of Fisheries, warned that the use of DDT, dynamite and light fishing among others, made the fish caught toxic which is harmful to consumers. He called on fishers to halt all forms of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in the country. Mr Abaka Edu, Secretary to the Ghana National Canoe Fishermen Council (GNCFC), said to ensure a successful Closed Season which is the spawning period of the fish stock, it behooves on government to ban the trawlers on the high seas whose unchecked activities destroy the juvenile fishes. Madam Henrietta Eyison, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ahanta-West, whose speech was read for her, asked the fishermen to sacrifice in the short term and gain in the long term by allowing the juvenile fishes in the sea to grow. She said government would dialogue with fishermen on how best to leverage pre-mix fuel to boost fishing activities in the country to ensure food security. Madam Eyison called on the fishermen to pay their dues to help the association flourish. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More With the rise in the number of reported novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease cases in India, the government is exploring the possibility of allowing private laboratories to ramp up testing. As of now, the entire testing for coronavirus infection is done by government laboratories under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The tests are done by 52 viral research and diagnostic laboratories (VRDL) spread across India. The National Institute of Virology (NIV) at Pune - the apex laboratory - is monitoring VRDLs, marshalling resources and setting standards. Currently, the government is testing only those people who are sick, came into contact with infected people, and those with a travel history to high-risk countries such as China, South Korea, Italy and Iran. Despite best efforts, the government labs are only able to do 6,000 tests a day with a waiting period of two days. Health care experts say the capacity is woefully short for a country with a population of 1.3 billion. To date, India has reported 137 cases and three deaths, although those numbers may not reflect reality because of low testing rates. This is where the 100 odd NABL-accredited commercial diagnostic laboratories can play a big part. 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 Private participation According to executives of private diagnostic firms, allowing private labs would help scale up testing by 10 times the current numbers. They also say that the waiting time for the patients will come down significantly from the current two days to 12 hours. The improvement in access to testing and better turnaround times will help doctors identify cases at an early stage. They cite the example of South Korea, which is able to contain COVID-19 to large extent by aggressive testing and quarantine measures. "The government told us to be ready, we are waiting for the licence to go ahead," said Dr Sushil Shah, Chairman of Metropolis Healthcare. Metropolis is one of India's largest diagnostic chains with a network of 119 laboratories. A dozen labs are accredited by NABL. Shah said they have the capability to scale it up to 15,000 tests per day. It isn't Metropolis alone, other lab chains such as Suburban Diagnostics, iGenetic Diagnostics and Core Diagnostics have all told Moneycontrol that they are prepared to conduct tests for COVID-19. Calls and messages sent to Om Manchanda, CEO of India's largest diagnostic chain Dr Lal Pathlabs, remain unanswered. "NIV is the nodal body in India. They are creating standard operating procedures (SOPs) with ICMR. So we will wait to hear from them on what sort of protocols they want us to follow. They're only looking at giving it to NABL-accredited private labs that are biosafety level compliant," said Dr Sanjay Arora, Managing Director of Suburban Diagnostics. The World Health Organisation advises biosafety level-3 for labs that deal with coronavirus. Expensive test The test for COVID-19 will be expensive, the executives say. The cost of processing a single sample by the government labs is about Rs 6,000. So the cost of the test is estimated to range between Rs 9000 and Rs 11,000. The government is also expected to fix the pricing of the tests to avoid profiteering. In India, ICMR is prescribing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to detect the virus. The PCR test basically works by amplifying the genetic material of the virus. If the novel coronavirus is present in the swab samples of the person, then it gets amplified. The test requires primers, probes, PCR reagents, positive and negative controls, and SOPs. Moreover, transportation and logistics, the infrastructure of the lab like biosafety, and the expertise and experience of lab technicians are key to quality tests and reliable results. "The PCR test is not that complex and is scalable," says Zoya Brar, Founder and CEO of Gurgaon-based CORE Diagnostics. "We can reduce the waiting time to four to six hours by increasing throughput," Brar said. Meanwhile Roche Diagnostics, Thermofischer Scientific and many others are bringing high throughput machines to India, which will increase the capacity to test significantly. Safety concerns However, an ICMR official who didn't want to be named said the biggest concern of the government was safety issues like cross-contamination and test quality. "Firstly, the disposal of biomedical waste is very important. Secondly, the sample collection method should be proper. One needs to use a proper kit for collection. Otherwise, you're exposing phlebotomists. Another aspect that worries the government is the lab itself; you need to have a biosafety cabinet where you open these samples and they have to have an extraction process, they have to go through Hepa filters before they're exposed to the environment," said Arunima Patel, Founder and MD, iGenetic Diagnostics. T he chief executive of Revolution Bars on Wednesday warned of site closures due to coronavirus disruption, and called on the government to urgently update on how it will help employees across the industry. Rob Pitcher welcomed the Chancellors plan announced yesterday for a business rates holiday. But, he said he is waiting for details on what will be proposed "as far as employee assistance is concerned". Lay-offs across the wider leisure and hospitality industry are expected as firms close sites because of footfall plunges. The government has advised people to avoid pubs and travelling. Pitcher's comments came as his firm updated the City on how the virus could hurt the cocktail bars chain. The shares plunged over 21%, or 5.24p, to 19.26p. The firm saw comparable sales rise 1.1% in the 37 weeks to March 14, but trading has suffered in very recent days. Revolution Bars expects a material deterioration in trading for the remainder of the year to June 30. Among measures Pitcher is looking at to cope are restricting hours or closures for the foreseeable future. The company is also in talks with landlords about arrangements. Elsewhere today, Simon Emeny, the chief executive of pubs firm Fullers, also shared his thoughts on the Chancellors pledges. Emeny told the Evening Standard: "We welcome the update, and view the suspension of business rates as a tangible benefit. But, he added: I am worried about the lack of detail given by the government on how specifically it will help people that lose their job, something that looks likely across the wider industry particularly in London. With pubs and restaurants already closing there is a major human element here for hospitality colleagues. How will people pay rent and feed their families. We need more details and we need this before we close pubs and reduce overheads." Fullers will review each pub on a day to day basis. A person with travel history to Indonesia has tested positive for coronavirus, Gautam Buddh Nagar Chief Medical Officer Anurag Bhargav said on Tuesday. "A person, with a travel history to Indonesia, has tested positive for coronavirus. This is the fourth case of COVID-19 in Gautam Buddh Nagar," Bhargav said. Yesterday, two persons had tested positive in the city. Both had a travel history to France. There have been 17 coronavirus cases in Uttar Pradesh, including a foreigner, according to official data. Three people have so far died of the infection in the country. The virus had first emerged in China's Wuhan city in December last year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) WASHINGTON, D.C. - The White House is weighing an economic stimulus program for a coronavirus-sickened economy that would involve immediately sending cash to workers, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin told reporters on Tuesday. We are looking at sending checks to Americans immediately, and what we have heard from hard-working Americans, many companies have now shut down, whether its bars or restaurants, Mnuchin said. Americans need cash now and the President wants to give cash now, and I mean now, in the next two weeks. President Donald Trump said there would likely be income limits on who gets the checks, because obviously some people shouldnt be getting checks for $1,000. Well have a pretty good idea by the end of the day what we are going to be doing. The pressure on family budgets is only going to get worse as we deal with coronavirus. Congress should pass a bill sending every middle class and low-income adult an initial check for at least $1,000 ASAP. We cant leave the hardest-hit Americans behind. Sherrod Brown (@SenSherrodBrown) March 16, 2020 Members of Congress ranging from Utah GOP Sen. Mitt Romney to Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown have expressed support for sending $1,000 checks to every American adult, with Romney on Monday releasing a proposal that calls for immediately issuing checks to help ensure families and workers can meet their short-term obligations and increase spending in the economy. 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, said Romney. Brown on Monday posted a statement on Twitter to endorse the idea. The pressure on family budgets is only going to get worse as we deal with coronavirus, said Brown. Congress should pass a bill sending every middle class and low-income adult an initial check for at least $1,000 ASAP. We cant leave the hardest-hit Americans behind." Excited to see my & @RepRoKhanna's proposal for a cash infusion for working Americans gaining bipartisan support from @SenatorRomney, @SenTomCotton, and now @stevenmnuchin1. Let's make it happen, @LeaderHoyer https://t.co/2ren0hMeZ8 Congressman Tim Ryan (@RepTimRyan) March 17, 2020 Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman told reporters Tuesday that direct payments to workers is should be on the table and is something Congress should look at. He said previous efforts to send direct payments to workers had a 10- to 12-week turnaround period, which is too long. This is why we are looking at other things, as well, to help people more rapidly, including the unemployment compensation system, said Portman. In the U.S. House of Representatives, Niles Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan on Friday proposed legislation that would establish an emergency Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) in response to the coronavirus pandemic, providing a check of between $1,000 and $6,000 to every American who earned less than $65,000 last year. He said his plan would provide an emergency boost to more than three quarters of U.S. workers, including those most likely to be affected by the public health crisis, such as hourly workers and independent contractors. As more folks are staying in and taking necessary steps to avoid spread of the coronavirus, more Americans will struggle to cover basic needs like rent, groceries, and medicines," said a statement from Ryan, who introduced the measure with California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna. We cant have Americans choosing between losing a paycheck or a job and taking the necessary precautions to keep their families safe. Other coronavirus coverage: Federal judge halts upcoming food stamp cut amid coronavirus concerns Sen. Sherrod Brown criticizes President Trump over pandemic office closure claim Sen. Sherrod Brown and Rep. Anthony Gonzalez close DC offices over coronavirus Ohio gets more than $15 million in federal money to fight coronavirus Does lack of paid sick days put Ohio at risk of coronavirus outbreak? Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown introducing bill to give workers sick days during public health emergencies like coronavirus Laurel School students self-quarantined after attending AIPAC conference in Washington D.C. Heres the latest list of coronavirus closings, for Tuesday, March 10 Three Ohioans, all from Cuyahoga County, have coronavirus, Gov. Mike DeWine says Could Ohio shut down travel for coronavirus quarantine? Summit County judge to return to courthouse on March 16 after self-quarantine due to coronavirus concerns Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on Wednesday urged people to remain calm in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. In an Ask Me Anything session on the discussion forum Reddit, Gates was asked about how long "this" will last. "If a country does a good job with testing and 'shut down' then within 6-10 weeks they should see very few cases and be able to open back up," he responded. Gates has been focused on health for many years as part of his work at the nonprofit Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The comments come days after Gates said he was leaving the boards of Microsoft, which he co-founded in 1975, and Berkshire Hathaway. He said he wanted to focus more on philanthropy. On Reddit, Gates elaborated on what shutting down means. "The current phase has a lot of the cases in rich countries. With the right actions including the testing and social distancing (which I call 'shut down') within 2-3 months the rich countries should have avoided high levels of infection," Gates wrote. "I worry about all the economic damage but even worse will be how this will affect the developing countries who cannot do the social distancing the same way as rich countries and whose hospital capacity is much lower." He said people should remain calm despite the circumstances, in response to a question about what Americans can do to help other others in the country. tweet Gates has answered people's questions on Reddit several times before. Last year, after a person asked him to identify the top threat of humanity, he pointed to major unlikely incidents, including a pandemic. "This is the 100th anniversary of the Spanish flu and if it came back the amount of travel would make it spread faster than it did last time," he wrote. In recent weeks people have rediscovered a "TED Talk" Gates gave in which he talked about how the world could do more to be prepared for an outbreak. He brought that up in one response Wednesday, after someone asked what people could do to be more prepared for the next one. "We need to have the ability to scale up diagnostics, drugs and vaccines very rapidly," Gates wrote. "The technologies exist to do this well if the right investments are made. Countries can work together on this. We did create CEPI = Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation which did some work on vaccines but that needs to be funded at higher level to have the standby manufacturing capacity for the world." WATCH: Gates steps down from Microsoft: 3 trades Credit: Shutterstock The UK Government is currently asking people to limit non-essential contact and travel to work from home, in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. But it has notto dateput in place a system of enforced regulation of movement, unlike some other countries in Europe. The UK action relies heavily on individuals complying with official messagingdoing what they're told. Will it work? What does behavioral science tell us about whether people comply with measures that are not compulsory? If you appeal to people's sense of "doing the right thing," they tend to do it, according to Dr. Kate Orkin, senior research fellow in behavioral economics with Oxford's Blavatnik School of Government, in two recent interviews on BBC's "Beyond 100 Days." behavioral economics' research from non-pandemic contexts suggests that making behaviors a moral duty will be effective, Dr. Orkin says. This suggests the UK Government's compliance-based approach may have some success. By contrast, it can be ineffective to try to change a problematic behavior by highlighting that many other people are doing it. Dr. Orkin quotes one study which documents efforts in the Arizona's Petrified Forest National Park to stop people removing petrified wood. Researchers tested signs with different messages. One sign said "Many people keep taking the wood and it is changing the state of the park." When that sign was up, more wood was taken. According to Dr. Orkin: "In contrast, when signs simply asked people please not to take the wood, much less wood was taken." She argues that the recent statements by the Italian foreign minister, Luigi Di Maio, have been a model here. On 12 March, he made a strong appeal to civic duty, saying: "Our grandfathers were drafted to go to war; we're being asked to stay at home." He also highlighted that 'the huge majority of citizens are respecting the rules' a key factor in encouraging people to comply is for them to know others are doing the same. People should realise how much they influence one another. Dr. Orkin says: "A strong influence on people's decisions to protect themselves from risk is what people around them are doing." She says, if people take Government advice, that will influence those around them to do so too. These lessons also applied during recent water shortages in Cape Town, South Africa, and Bogota, Colombia. Dr. Orkin says, people 'pulled together' to make massive, fast cuts in water consumption before cities ran out of water, after strong appeals by local administrations. So why are people panic buying toilet paper, even when they have been told not to do so? There are two main reasons, according to Dr. Orkin. She says: "Research shows that, when people feel they lack control, they are more likely to buy useful items, items with a purpose." But, she says, the content of messaging is another factor: "If you tell people that everyone is doing a bad thing [such as panic buying toilet paper], they will do it as well." There are, however, simple solutions. For example, she says that many stores have placed limits on the number of essential items consumers can buy, helping them to overcome their own emotional reactions. "It's really important that people understand the psychology behind why they do things," says Dr. Orkin. Maria Pointer held one final party at her home overlooking the SpaceX facility outside of Brownsville, with guests visiting from early morning until the stars twinkled goodnight and said farewell to the woman who shared her front-row seat of Elon Musks rocket activities in Texas. I cried three times, and then I laughed three times, Maria Pointer said, and then I opened up another bottle of wine and hugged a few more people. Her husband Rayford, however, couldnt bring himself to attend the party, devastated by the way things played out. The Pointers purchased the property for its isolation and birdwatching. They spent years building their perfect retirement home. On HoustonChronicle.com: The question in Boca Chica: Do you take Elon Musks money and run? Then SpaceX moved next door and began building prototypes for its Starship vehicle that could one day take people to the moon, Mars and beyond. Maria Pointer, making the best of the situation, turned her energy toward photographing the companys progress, building a reputation among SpaceX enthusiasts as Boca Chica Maria. But the Pointers relationship with SpaceX grew tenuous last year when the company sought to buy their house and other nearby properties, saying it had become increasingly difficult to minimize disruption. SpaceX offered to pay three times the propertys market value, based off an independent appraisal. Residents, however, said the appraisals provided by SpaceX werent accurate, calling them a lowball offer from the companys billionaire owner Elon Musk. Negotiations continued, and some residents have since moved out. The Pointers hope to be out by this weekend. Maria Pointer thinks the home will be used by SpaceX employees and doesnt expect it will be torn down. She wouldnt say what SpaceX paid, but she acknowledged it was higher than the first offer of $231,000. SpaceX paid me to move, she said. SpaceX committed to building a launch site in Boca Chica in 2014. Progress was initially slow but saw an eruption last year as the company began testing prototypes for its Starship vehicle. Work has maintained its rapid pace this year as SpaceX hosts hiring events, builds new facilities and continues testing. This activity has been captured on Maria Pointers Twitter (@BocachicaMaria1), her Facebook page (SpaceX Boca Chica) and a 24/7 livestream video from cameras mounted in her yard. Shes also welcomed people into her yard to watch the activities in person, becoming a gathering spot for many. As she prepared to move, it was the cameras and their ability to inspire the children of Brownsville that worried Maria Pointer. But the cameras have found a new home, and the Pointers are ready to move on. When LabPadre found another spot, it just changed my world, she said. I was just like, Oh my god, it gets to continue, and I get to continue. I just have another chapter to continue. Not the same chapter. South Padre Island resident Louis Balderas runs the cameras on Maria Pointers house and shares the footage through the LabPadre YouTube channel. The cameras on the Pointers home are right next to the area SpaceX uses to build its prototypes, which Maria Pointer calls the Boca Chica Rocket Shipyard. Balderas also has a camera on a South Padre Island condominium that provides a view of the SpaceX launch site. Balderas had been looking for alternative locations I knew eventually everybody would sell when the price was right and found an undeveloped piece of land about a mile from the Pointers home. It is closer to the launch site and can still see the Rocket Shipyard. He will soon erect a 30-foot tower to hold his cameras, including a new camera that will produce 4k video. This equipment was made possible by donations from some of LabPadres 27,300 YouTube subscribers. On HoustonChronicle.com: SpaceX connects Brownsville to a new world of space enthusiasts The majority of the funds have come in from the nerdle. Theyre a great community that weve put together, Balderas said. The nerdle is a term we came up with: A herd of nerds, or group of nerds, is a nerdle. And the Pointers arent getting too far from SpaceX enthusiasts. Maria Pointer said SpaceX will still grant her access to Boca Chica during launches. Their new home in Port Isabel overlooks the same bay as their old house. In fact, the Pointers can still see SpaceX with their naked eyes, though a telescope is needed to capture details previously seen through their window. Port Isabel probably wont be their permanent home. Rayford Pointer is searching for a more secluded property where they can build their next dream home. But it will do for now. I dont want to stay that close, and I dont want to stay that connected, Maria Pointer said, but I do have fun. And I am a photographer, and Im really enjoying watch the space technology develop. andrea.leinfelder@chron.com Twitter.com/a_leinfelder Highlights The image was shared by the doctors daughter It quickly captured peoples attention The picture has now left many emotional With a massive outbreak of the novel coronavirus, nurses, doctors and healthcare professionals are working selflessly to treat people infected with COVID-19. Even if not in isolation wards, medical professionals working in emergency rooms are at high risk of being infected. Still many are voluntarily taking that risk to perform their duties towards mankind. Just like this septuagenarian emergency room doctor whose image has now tugged at the heartstrings of many. Shared by his daughter, a journalist, the photo shows the 73-year-old emergency room doctor from Texas wearing a mask. This is my Dad. Hes a 73 year old Emergency Room physician in Texas who loves his job and will never retire, writes the journalist. He texted me this picture tonight after Id asked him how he was doing, and I burst into tears the second I saw it, she adds. This is my Dad. Hes a 73 year old Emergency Room physician in Texas who loves his job and will never retire. He texted me this picture tonight after Id asked him how he was doing, and I burst into tears the second I saw it. My reaction came out of nowhere... pic.twitter.com/YOiMT5sImy Kristin Fisher (@KristinFisher) March 17, 2020 Posted on March 17, the photo has garnered over 74,000 likes and counting. The picture has sparked tons of reactions and applause from netizens. It also prompted people to share stories of their family members who are working in similar situations. My daughter is in charge of a large clinic. She has two kids...I begged her to find a way to quarantine. She said, "Mom, Im a nurse...my staff are on the front line...I would never abandon them or our patients!" Ppl shes the norm, not the exception! True American heroes! Virgie (@turnvirg6) March 17, 2020 Mine was nearly identical. My daughter is a charge RN at local hospital. They have one confirmed patient & 2 others tested inpatient on her floor. She called me Sunday night to tell me, "Mom, its not a matter of if I get it, its a matter of when. " /1 carol (@beachws) March 17, 2020 God Bless and protect your dad. Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) March 17, 2020 Front-line hero. Hats off to your dad. I, Red Leader (@I_BANTOR) March 17, 2020 Earlier, a similar post by a woman about her husband working with coronavirus infected patients left people emotional. In her post, she detailed how the pandemic has changed their lives. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Even the heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are expected to practice social distancing. With that said, Spider-Man has started the movement this time (sort of)! While the number of coronavirus-infected individuals continuously rises, the director of all the Marvel's solo Spider-Man films, Jon Watts, found a way to minimize the anxiety of all their fans while reminding them the things they should do during the outbreak. On Instagram, Watts posted a Spider-Man parody art created by Dorklord Collectibles alongside the caption, "Stay safe everyone!! Amazing photo by @dorklordcollectibles". The web-slinger hero, who can be seen working at a desk, wears one of his pre-Tony Stark costumes PLUS the goggles. While it looked like a teaser poster of the next Spider-Man instalment at first glance, the director added the "Spider-Man: Far From Home" logo but changed the title to "Work From Home." Watts shared the fan art to remind people to stay at home now that the coronavirus spreads around the world, resulting in more cautionary measures (including staying at home and avoiding places with large crowds). The friendly neighborhood fans then started to leave their comments on the post, saying that they really thought that the title of the next film of the franchise had been revealed. Spider-Man 3 Details Leaked? While the people got busy fantasizing about the fan art, a lot of interesting rumors regarding the next Spider-Man film emerged. According to a post on 4Chan, the next film will be called "Spider-Man: Home Run." In addition, Marvel Studios reportedly plans to cast Henry Cavill or Jason Momoa to play the role of Kraven The Hunter. If the coronavirus will permit them, the next part of the Spider-Man trilogy will start its production in Atlanta this July. However, despite the possible delay, "Spider-Man" actor Tom Holland told Inquirer that he is already preparing for the next film following his 2019 sequel "Spider-Man: Far From Home." This came after he made the effort to resolve Disney and Sony's disputes after facing conflicts whether they would still allow Spider-Man to continue to feature in the MCU in its future films. The two studios bargained and tried to agree to each other's conditions and finally arrived with the good news of Spider-Man staying in the MCU. Fortunately, after a few negotiations, Sony and Disney decided to renew the terms in 2019. Tom persevered in talking with both companies secretly, and he received help from Disney's CEO Bob Iger. Now that he secured his spot again, the 23-year-old actor also revealed that Zendaya will come back with him as MJ in the next movie. "In Spider-Man 3, Zendaya will most definitely be in the film. As to the relationship between Peter and MJ, I'm not too sure what it will be," Holland said. They may also face the same fate which "Shang-Chi and the Legends of the Ten Rings," another MCU film, experienced because its director, Destin Cretton, has been tested for the viral disease. But fans are still willing to wait for Tom no matter what. ALBANY The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is headed to New York to meet with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Wednesday to discuss a plan to create more hospital beds in New York, U.S Defense Secretary Mark Esper told Fox News Tuesday night. Cuomo, who for days has publicly needled President Donald Trump to send in the military to help the state fight COVID-19, sain in an interview with MSNBC that he had a "very good conversation" with the president. "I said, look, forget Democrat and Republican. We're Americans and we're talking life and death. We're going to have a tragedy in this state," Cuomo told MSNBC's Rachel Maddow and Brian Williams Tuesday night. New York as of Wednesday had 2,382 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus that emerged in China late last year. Twenty New Yorkers have died. New York has 53,000 hospital beds, including 3,000 intensive care unit beds. Cuomo said the state estimates, based on the rates of spread in other countries and New York's current trajectory, that it could be short between 55,000 and 110,000 hospital beds within 45 days. New York is also facing a shortage of respirators which will be needed to treat the respiratory disease, Cuomo said. Currently, the state has 3,000 respirators, when it would need about 30,000. Latest coronavirus-related cancellations, postponements Map of the coronavirus in NY Sign up for the Times Union coronavirus newsletter Full coronavirus coverage Cuomo, who led the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development during the Clinton administration, wants to use the Army Corps to help retrofit unused buildings, including now-vacant public college campuses and dorms, into hospital wards. Jim Urso, spokesman for the State University of New York system, oversees 64 public colleges and universities across the state, said officials are prepared to lend a hand if the health crisis requires. "SUNY and our campuses stand ready to do everything in our power to support the states public health system as it confronts this rapidly evolving health crisis," he said. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Cuomo on Monday called on local governments to identify vacant buildings that could be used to house hospital beds. Albany County says it's considering the Washington Avenue armory and the Sage College armory, while Saratoga County officials say they looking at spaces like "seasonal Airbnbs, rental properties, and large commercial real estate." The governor's emergency plan also include potentially canceling elective surgeries statewide, which Cuomo said could free up 30 percent of the states 53,000 hospital beds. On Wednesday, Cuomo announced that the federal government was planning to send a 1,000-bed Navy hospital ship to New York as well as mobile hospitals that are capable of treat 200 patients at a time. New York's Democratic governor and President Trump, both from Queens, N.Y., have a long-standing relationship that has fluctuated between friendly and contentious. The two politicians frequently spar over policy and petty slights on social media, but for now, they appear to be putting differences aside. "I believe he's sincere. More than just belief, he has acted on it," Cuomo said of the president. Voters went to the polls Tuesday to choose who will run on Nov. 3 in several DuPage County key races, including county auditor, circuit court clerk and recorder as well as a state House seat. In a rare move, the Supreme Court Wednesday invoked its plenary powers and ordered forthwith removal of BJP lawmaker and Manipur Forest Cabinet Minister TH Shyamkumar, restraining him from entering the Assembly till further orders. The top court rarely invokes its plenary power under Article 142 of the Constitution to remove a cabinet minister from any government. Shyamkumar had won the Assembly polls in 2017 as a Congress candidate but later joined the BJP government. The plea of his disqualification is still pending with the Speaker. The top court had on January 21 taken note of inordinate delays in deciding 13 pleas for disqualification of lawmakers pending since April 2017 and had asked the Manipur Assembly Speaker to decide within four weeks the plea of a Congress leader seeking disqualification of Shyamkumar. The Speaker on Tuesday appealed to the top court for deferment of the matter till March 28 and said that by that time, there would definitely be a judgment on the disqualification applications by the Speaker. A bench of Justices R F Nariman and S Ravindra Bhat said that given the extraordinary facts in the present case, "we are constrained to use our powers under Article 142 of the Constitution of India". "Respondent Number-3 (TH Shyamkumar) is restrained from entering the Legislative Assembly till further orders of this Court. Needless to add, he will cease to be a Minister of the Cabinet immediately," the bench said, posting the matter for further hearing on March 30. The top court said that in its January 21 verdict, it had gone out of the way to give the Speaker a chance to perform his functions under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution of India by stating, "given the fact that such a long period had already gone by without any decision, one month should suffice for the Honourable Speaker to decide the disqualification petitions before him". It said after one month expired, an application was filed by the speaker requesting for eight more weeks in order to decide the cases before him. The top court said that on March 4, when the matter was taken up for hearing, the Speaker had not pressed his application and stated that a decision would be forthcoming within 10 days from that date. It said that when the matter was taken up today, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the Speaker and sought deferment of the matter till March 28 saying that by that time, definitely, there would be a judgment on the aforesaid disqualification applications by the Speaker. Mehta also said that March 28 has been notified for pronouncement of judgment by the Speaker on the disqualification plea. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner Congress leader Keisham Meghachandra Singh, said the court should decide the disqualification pleas as even after the one month period given an application for adjournment of eight weeks has come up followed by prayer for 10 days time. He said the court should decide the matter on Wednesday itself. The top court on January 21, in a path breaking ruling had said Parliament should "rethink" whether the Speaker of a House should continue to have powers to disqualify lawmakers as such a functionary "belongs to a particular political party". Parliament may seriously consider amending the Constitution to substitute Speaker of Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies as arbiter of disqualification issues with "a permanent Tribunal headed by a retired Supreme Court Judge or a retired Chief Justice of a High Court" or some other mechanism to ensure swift and impartial decisions, the apex court had said. While taking note of the role played by Speakers and inordinate delays in deciding pleas for disqualification of lawmakers, the top court had asked the Manipur Assembly Speaker to decide within four weeks the plea seeking disqualification of Shyamkumar. "In case no decision is forthcoming even after a period of four weeks, it will be open to any party to the proceedings to apply to this Court for further directions/ reliefs in the matter," the bench had said. A time has come when Parliament should have "a rethink on whether disqualification petitions ought to be entrusted to a Speaker as a quasi-judicial authority when such Speaker continues to belong to a particular political party either de jure or de facto", the top court had said. The high court had refused to direct the speaker to decide the plea for disqualification of Shyamkumar on the ground that the "very same issue" whether the speaker can be directed by the courts to decide disqualification was pending adjudication before a 5-judge bench of the top court. The polls for 60 seats of the Manipur Legislative Assembly were conducted in March 2017 in which Congress Party emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats and BJP came second with 21 seats. However, a BJP led government was sworn in and Shyamkumar, a Congress MLA, switched side and became a minister in the state government leading to filing of several pleas in April 2017 with Speaker seeking his disqualification under the anti-defection law. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The president calls on stranded Ukrainians to undergo the voluntary registration of Ukrainian citizens travelling abroad. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says that all Ukrainians who have been trapped abroad amid a coronavirus lockdown will be able to get home. "The most important thing: We will [help] all of you return. Some [will reach home] sooner, some [will be there] a little later, but you will definitely get home," he said in a video address to the nation late on Tuesday, March 17. Read alsoCOVID-19 in Ukraine: 14, incl. two babies, test positive; second death confirmed The president encouraged the stranded Ukrainians to get registered with the Druh ("Friend") system, which provides the voluntary registration of Ukrainian citizens travelling abroad. This will facilitate Ukrainian diplomats' work and ease their efforts to draw up lists of Ukrainians requiring urgent return home, he said. Zelensky noted that those who were unable to get themselves registered should contact a Ukrainian embassy or consulate in a host country by sending an email or calling the hotline. "For those on vacation who travelled by charter flights: the government provides maximum assistance to travel agencies and airlines so that they could pick up Ukrainian tourists from faraway places," the president said. Zelensky also announced return flights had been arranged for Ukrainian citizens from Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, the Dominican Republic, island resorts in the Asia-Pacific region, North and South America. The president emphasized that citizens planning to return to Ukraine by car or by bus would need to check restrictions imposed by the countries their route would run through. Church online services reach record-breaking numbers as coronavirus shuts down large gatherings Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment With swiftly changing circumstances and new guidelines regarding COVID-19 in relation to large gatherings, churches have turned to livestreaming, garnering millions of views. Megachurch pastor Joel Osteen canceled all his worship services at Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, over the weekend to help contain the coronavirus. Osteens sermons were instead broadcast on Facebook, YouTube, Roku, AppleTV and online at JoelOsteen.com. We saw 4.51 million people tune in throughout the weekend across platforms, the church shared with The Christian Post on Monday. This broke our previous record of 4.17 million in November of last year when we broadcast Kanye Wests Sunday service from Lakewood. This number could increase throughout the week. On Sunday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that there not be gatherings of 50 people or more for the next eight weeks to reduce the virus' spread. Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities. Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies. These events can be planned not only by organizations and communities but also by individuals, the CDC said Sunday. Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Dallas also saw a high turnout for his church's online service. We had a TREMENDOUS day of worship at First Baptist Dallas! Also, had over 150,000 watch on internet, Jeffress tweeted. As of Wednesday morning, more than 204,000 people worldwide have tested positive for COVID-19 and 8,241 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. President Donald Trump was also among hundreds of thousands of people who attended church online across the nation on Sunday. I am watching a great and beautiful service by Pastor Jentezen Franklin. Thank you! @Jentezen, Trump tweeted. Churches across the United States will continue to stream their services online until instructed otherwise. However, research from the Nashville-based LifeWay Research conducted last fall showed that not every church might be prepared to take services online. The 2019 survey found that just 22% of pastors livestream their entire service while about 10% livestream their sermon only. As the number of coronavirus cases in San Antonio more than doubled to 25 on Wednesday night, Mayor Ron Nirenberg ordered bars and restaurants to close to further reduce the spread of the virus. Restaurants can continue operating drive-throughs and filling take-out orders for curbside pickup or delivery under Nirenbergs fourth public health emergency declaration. Nightclubs, gyms, bowling alleys, bingo parlors and theaters, among other businesses, also must close under the order. But essential businesses, such as grocery stores, gas stations and pharmacies, will remain open. The closure order unprecedented in recent memory was to go into effect at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday. Its not going to be comfortable, Nirenberg said. But its going to be necessary. San Antonio was the last major Texas city to order some form of restriction on bars and restaurants in an effort to combat COVID-19. As late as Tuesday, Nirenberg wasnt ready to follow along. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio coronavirus cases jump to 11, including four contracted from travelers The mayors change in position coincided with a steep rise in the citys cases from a day earlier, when 11 were confirmed. Thirteen of the cases remain under investigation by Metro Health to determine how the people were infected. Its not yet clear if any of those resulted from community spread, or transmission from an unknown local source. The 12 other cases are related to travel out of state or internationally or close contact with one of those travelers. University Health System said two more of its health care employees had tested positive for the coronavirus, after announcing earlier this week that one of its doctors had the virus. A nurse and a resident physician at University Hospital are in isolation at home. UHS said all three cases appear to be linked to travel. The hospital system is tracing the employees recent contacts to identify the potential exposure of others. While hospital personnel had been screened and required to report recent vacations to reduce the risk of coronavirus spread in its facilities, UHS said it is impossible to completely reduce the risk of exposure of its employees to the virus. Nirenberg expects the number of positive results will increase along with increased local testing, which only recently has gotten underway in San Antonio. As of Wednesday night, Metro Healths laboratory has processed 135 tests, 111 of which have come back negative. This is not surprising, nor is it a cause for undue alarm, Nirenberg said. On ExpressNews.com: We cant test everyone: San Antonians grow frustrated as they run up against limited coronavirus testing The new restrictions will have a sizable impact on the local restaurant industry, already losing business as the virus has spread. More than 140,000 San Antonians work in the leisure and hospitality industry, which includes restaurants, Bureau of Labor Statistics show. A wave of layoffs and restaurant closures likely will result from Nirenbergs order, said Geoffrey Bezuidenhout, president of the San Antonio Restaurant Association. The declaration lasts for seven days. But the City Council likely will vote today to extend it for 30 days. This is going to have a terrible impact on our community if its a prolonged closure, Bezuidenhout said. But, he said: Were happy that he delayed a decision for as long as he could. Nirenberg said the likely fallout for restaurant workers from his decision isnt lost on him. Already, some efforts are underway to provide relief for those whose livelihoods are impacted by the virus. CPS Energy and San Antonio Water System have paused service disconnections for customers unable to pay their bills. And theres a countywide moratorium on evictions. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio has its first travel-related coronavirus case On Friday, Nirenberg plans to convene City Council members along with business and nonprofit leaders to discuss potential recovery measures. Those folks are really who we all need to be concerned about, Nirenberg said. For most people, this is a major inconvenience. For some people, these choices are life and death regardless of whether they become infected. Nirenbergs order doesnt apply to shopping malls and large retailers as long as patrons keep their distance from each other. Also exempt from the order are funeral homes, schools, child care facilities, places of worship, hotels and apartment buildings and museums. The city also is asking that people stay at home overnight starting at 10 oclock, but the recommendation isnt an official curfew. Its not going to be enforced, Nirenberg said. Were asking people to please observe staying home as much as possible, particularly during the nighttime hours. The mayor issued another emergency order earlier this week that restricted public and private gatherings to no more than 50 people. But that order didnt apply to bars and restaurants. On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases As the city and county step up efforts to fight a major outbreak, a new temporary testing site for the coronavirus opened at Freeman Coliseum. Like the first testing site that opened last week in the South Texas Medical Center, tests at the new location wont be available to the general public. The site primarily will serve doctors and other health care workers, first responders and VIA bus drivers. Some people who might have been exposed to the virus also may be tested there. An appointment and a doctors referral is required. The site is able to process 16 tests an hour, officials said. Its being operated by the city, Bexar County and the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council, which manages emergency services for the region. The lab at Methodist Hospital also has a limited number of tests, said Dr. Paul Hancock, chief medical officer for Methodist Healthcare. But those will be prioritized for emergency department patients and existing patients who are under suspicion of having the virus, as well as those who are sick enough to justify admission to the hospital. For all other patients, the hospital system will rely on the tests that also available through commercial labs like LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics, Hancock said. The city soon will begin releasing the age and gender of each patient who tests positive for the coronavirus, Nirenberg said. He also expects the city to receive more information from private labs regarding how many tests have been administered. Previously, private labs were only reporting confirmed positive tests. The states coronavirus testing capacity should rise to 15,000 to 20,000 kits per week by the end of this week, Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday, as the state recorded its third death. Lauren Caruba covers health care and medicine in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | lcaruba@express-news.net | Twitter: @LaurenCaruba | Joshua Fechter is a staff writer covering San Antonio city government and politics. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jfechter@express-news.net | Twitter: @JFReports Oprah Winfrey has responded to rumours that her home in Boca Raton, Florida had been raided by law enforcement and she had been arrested for sex trafficking. Oprah shot down unverified posts circulating on social media in her name as fake news and tweeted, "Just got a phone call that my name is trending. And being trolled for some awful FAKE thing. Its NOT TRUE. Havent been raided, or arrested. Just sanitizing and self distancing with the rest of the world. Stay safe everybody (sic)." Prior to Oprah's clarification tweet, #Oprah was one of the top trends on the Twitter. Just got a phone call that my name is trending. And being trolled for some awful FAKE thing. Its NOT TRUE. Havent been raided, or arrested. Just sanitizing and self distancing with the rest of the world. Stay safe everybody. Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) March 18, 2020 The conspiracy theory regarding Oprah came out of nowhere and claimed that disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein received a 23-year sentence for rape and assault instead of a longer one in exchange for blowing the whistle on the supposed trafficking activities of not just Oprah but also the likes of Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Ellen DeGeneres and politicians Bill Clinton and Joe Biden, reported ndtv.com. Follow @News18Movies for more Amy Hart has revealed she is taking a break from social media after being sent nasty messages from trolls about her appearance. The Love Island star, 26, decided to take the step back after critics took aim at her veneers, with one telling her that her 'pony had better teeth' than her. Amy shared a message on Twitter saying she no longer wanted to read the comments and said that the 'be kind' message only lasted 'two days'. Stepping back: Amy Hart has revealed she is taking a break from social media after being sent nasty messages from trolls about her appearance Celebrities and social media users encouraged 'kindness' online in the wake of late star Caroline Flack's death, after she took her own life last month. Amy wrote on Twitter: 'Well after a day of really positive messages about helping each other and being kind, I think I'm gonna take a break from social media. 'I don't need to read stuff like this everyday. The whole be kind thing literally lasted 2 days. [sic]' Cruel: The Love Island star, 26, decided to take the step back after critics took aim at her veneers, with one telling her that her 'pony had better teeth' than her Underneath the message, Amy shared a selection of the comments she had received both underneath her Instagram pictures and private. One message read: 'Those veneers [crying face emoji]' While a reply said: 'Literally the worst I've ever seen. My ponies have better teeth.' Twitter: Underneath the message, Amy shared a selection of the comments she had received both underneath her Instagram pictures and private Comments: One message read: 'Those veneers [crying face emoji] Shocking: Amy has long-suffered abusive messages from trolls regarding her teeth In response to the trolls, Amy said: 'thanks gals. Actually have 20 veneers/crowns on my teeth, the front 6 are just more prominent as they are bridges as I have teeth that never appeared. Thanks for your comments though. With all the #bekind movement at the moment maybe just keep it to your group chats? (sic)' In November, Amy revealed that she was planning a 100,000 teeth makeover to transform her smile after being trolled for her appearance online. The dental work, which includes crowns and a bone graft, take a total of six months to complete, after beginning just a week after she revealed the plans. Full makeover: In November, Amy revealed that she was planning a 100,000 teeth makeover to transform her smile after being trolled for her appearance online. Amy said: 'I'm starting a full teeth makeover next week costing 100k. I'll be having some of the work done at the same time as filming Celebs Go Dating. 'They said they could do it in two weeks and it would be good or it will take six months and it will be perfect so I've decided to do that.' Explaining what work she was planning to transform her smile, Amy said it will involve several treatments including crowns and a bone graft. She said: 'I will be having braces to move my teeth back, I will then be having bone grafts in my gums to put implants in. Then the rest of my mouth will be crowns and veneers. New smile: The dental work, which includes crowns and a bone graft, take a total of six months to complete, after beginning just a week after she revealed the plans 'It is something I have wanted for so long. I had my teeth done when I was 17 but now it is time to have them done properly.' Speaking about receiving abuse online at the time, Amy said that this had gone quiet but then picked up again. She said: 'Trolling abuse had died down lately but it has been really bad again since it was announced I will be on Celebs Go Dating. 'I try not to read it but I would be lying if I say I didn't look sometimes and it didn't hurt.' The star explained how she ended up crying after reading comments during a photoshoot for InTheStyle. Amy said: 'I was shooting along with Yewande, Anna, Fran and Joe which was so nice to be all back together. 'Then the next thing I was crying and my make-up was running everywhere. Anna instantly knew I'd been reading things online and told me to stop. Plea: Amy, who will spend six months having her teeth done during the makeover, has previously posted on social media to ask 'hurtful' trolls to stop criticising her looks 'I'm just an ordinary girl': She lashed out on Instagram in September and admitted she has felt 'insecure' about her smile for years 'You can laugh off the first five horrible comments but I get so much abuse about my appearance. People were commenting saying I was too old for Celebs Go Dating, how I was too ugly to find love, how my teeth were horrible.' In September Amy launched an impassioned plea for 'hurtful' trolls to stop criticising her looks. She lashed out on Instagram, admitting she's felt 'insecure' about her smile for years after receiving numerous comments calling for her to get her teeth 'fixed'. The former air hostess posted a smiling selfie alongside a long caption, writing: 'To everyone who has taken time out of their day to point out my flaws - thank you. 'I have my insecurities': Amy went on to remind her followers that, despite being a television personality, she is just an 'ordinary girl from Worthing whose dreams are coming true' 'I know you probably think that the comments you make about my appearance dont get read, well they do - and they hurt. Not just me, but my friends and family, too. 'I've seen so many comments telling me to get my teeth fixed, and they've been heard. Loud and clear. I've actually been unhappy with them for years, but I havent really been in a position to get them sorted out.' Amy went on to remind her followers that, despite being a television personality, she is just an 'ordinary girl from Worthing whose dreams are coming true'. Amy suffered a tumultuous time on Love Island when she was unceremoniously dumped by 'half boyfriend' Curtis Pritchard, 23, when he developed feelings for other women during the Casa Amor segment of the show. The former British Airways cabin crew member won the heart of the nation when she bowed out of the ITV2 reality series with a dignified speech after being one of the original Islanders. Curtis went on to finish the show in fourth place alongside Irish grid girl Maura Higgins, 28, after they got together following Amy's departure. The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell has written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, requesting support for Australias small business sector, including the nations 1.4 million sole traders. Read up on: COVID-19 economic plans and the governments stimulus package. The COVID-19 driven downturn is already taking an unprecedented toll on the Australian small business sector, Ms Carnell says. Sole traders, which account for more than 60 per cent of Australian businesses are currently ineligible for cash flow assistance of up to $25,000 because it is only available to businesses that directly employ staff. Our view is that government support should be extended to small businesses, including sole traders who are facing dire circumstances amid this COVID-19 health crisis. The Ombudsman has suggested a suite of measures that could be implemented by the federal government that could help sole traders, independent contractors and small businesses particularly those operating in tourism, events, training, catering and hospitality industries in the short term. Sole traders and independent contractors need income support right now without the administrative burden of asset testing, Ms Carnell says. New Zealands recently announced wage subsidy scheme providing eligible businesses, including sole traders and self-employed people with $585 per week (employers can receive a maximum of $150,000), for each full-time employee for a period of 12 weeks, is a model the government should consider. We also believe New Zealands COVID-19 leave and self-isolation support package providing all small business employees, including sole traders, who are unable to work or are caring for others with weekly payments of up to $585 for a period of up to 8 weeks is worthy of government consideration. Sole traders should be eligible for immediate rebates of PAYG quarterly instalment payments paid during the 2019/2020 financial year and PAYG payments on income drawn from the business. Cash flow is absolutely vital for all small businesses, including sole traders, who should be given one-off access to their superannuation at this critical time. Low interest loans should also be extended to those small businesses and sole traders impacted by a loss of trade due to COVID-19, similar to what has been offered to bushfire affected small businesses. Finally, a national small business recovery program, including fast-tracked regional infrastructure projects and mandated small business supplier quotas in all Government procurement is required for the nation to get back to business. 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Why it matters: This is in opposition to guidance from the World Health Organization, which requested back in February that the epidemic be referred to as coronavirus or Covid-19, rather than terms that could stigmatize individuals with Chinese ancestry. As the outbreak first entered the news cycle in mid-January, phrases such as China Virus, Wuhan Virus, Chinese Coronavirus, and Wuhan Coronavirus were used widely. in mid-January, phrases such as China Virus, Wuhan Virus, Chinese Coronavirus, and Wuhan Coronavirus were used widely. But when the World Health Organization introduced the terminology "COVID-19," news outlets began to widely adopt it. Driving the news: March 7: Sec. of State Mike Pompeos appearance on CNBC and Fox and Friends resulted in an 800% increase in the phrase Chinese Coronavirus, per the report. Sec. of State Mike Pompeos appearance on CNBC and Fox and Friends resulted in an 800% increase in the phrase Chinese Coronavirus, per the report. March 8: Increases in the use of the term "Wuhan Virus," named for the region of the country where the virus first broke out began to spike after U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), referred to coronavirus as Wuhan virus in a tweet. Increases in the use of the term "Wuhan Virus," named for the region of the country where the virus first broke out began to spike after U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), referred to coronavirus as Wuhan virus in a tweet. March 9: House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy used the term Chinese Coronavirus in a tweet. President Trump subsequently retweeted Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, referring to the coronavirus as China Virus, a term he now uses more often. Trump has also referred to coronavirus as the "foreign virus." The big picture: Their language mimics the language used by the Trump administration to try to subtly frame other national security issues as problems created by foreigners. President Trump has many times used the term "invasion" to describe migrants from Mexico and South America. His rhetoric was echoed by a mass shooter in El Paso, Texas last year, who referred to a "Hispanic invasion" in his manifesto. Between the lines: Reports suggest that Chinese restaurants around the world are taking a hit all over the world. A recent Los Angeles Times article details ways that Chinese Americans are beginning to feel marginalized because of unfounded virus shaming. One student says they feel judged when they cough or sneeze. Go deeper: Beijing's coronavirus propaganda blitz goes global An engaged couple due to marry over the Easter weekend made a mad dash to the altar to get hitched yesterday after their church announced it was going into lockdown due to the coronavirus. Jessica Whitfield, 34, and farm manager Andrew Peal, 31, from Norfolk, were due to get married on April 11. But yesterday lunchtime they received a call from their vicar, Reverend Sian Reading, to say Southrepps Church was closing its doors at 6pm - and she didn't know when it would reopen to perform marriages. They were offered a quick service at 5pm, provided the register was signed within an hour, so the couple decided to go for it. Jessica Whitfield, 34, and farm manager Andrew Peal, 31, from Norfolk, made a mad dash to the altar to get hitched yesterday after their church announced it was going into lockdown due to the coronavirus Jessica, operations director at jewellers Winsor Bishop, told FEMAIL: 'We didn't want to lose sight of why we were getting married. We had prepared and looked forward to it for a long time and decided to go for it. 'Andrew had to dash home from the farm, throw a suit on and select and pack my dress, which I changed into at the church before the intimate ceremony in front of immediate family who were available.' The couple had 200 people booked to attend their Easter nuptials, travelling in from all over the world, but just 10 people watched them tie the knot yesterday, including their parents and Susan the Corgi as a bridesmaid. Andrew's father, Patrick Peal, stepped in as Andrew's best man. 'The ceremony was small, intimate and romantic - the church managed to get an organist last minute so that I could walk down the aisle,' Jess continued. Yesterday lunchtime the couple received a call from their vicar, Reverend Sian Reading, to say Southrepps Church was closing its doors at 6pm - and she didn't know when it would reopen to perform marriages Jess and Andrew were offered a quick service at 5pm, provided the register was signed within an hour, so the couple decided to go for it The couple had 200 people booked to attend their Easter nuptials, travelling in from all over the world, but just 10 people watched them tie the knot yesterday, including their parents and Susan the Corgi as a bridesmaid. Andrew's father, Patrick Peal, stepped in as Andrew's best man 'It lasted 30 minutes and we had a reception at a local restaurant, Gunton Arms - and the reverend came too! 'We were the only table in the restaurant and the owners kindly found us a private room to stay the night in. 'We had breakfast as husband and wife this morning and then I went into work! It feels surreal but we're on cloud nine - it was the best impulsive decision we've ever made.' It's too early to know whether the couple are set to lose any money from cancelling their Easter reception. They plan to hold their celebrations later in the year. Jessica said getting married after spending just four hours organising it was 'the best impulsive decision we've ever made' It's too early to know whether the couple are set to lose any money from cancelling their Easter reception. They plan to hold their celebrations later in the year. Pictured left: Jess with her father and right: the happy couple cut the cake at the Gunton Arms On her arrival at work today, Jess received a very warm and celebratory welcome from her colleagues at Winsor Bishop Jess' colleague Emily Warden said: 'From all of us here at Winsor Bishop we wish them a lifetime of love and happiness. Jess was back to work today to a very warm welcome by the team.' Meanwhile other defiant couples are making emergency plans to reschedule their dream weddings due to the coronavirus pandemic. With new government advice being dished out daily, brides-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 friends and family. She explained: '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 yesterday amid the 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 newlywed 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***, lads, I'm a WIFE!' she added. It wasn't such a happy ending for Gemma Stubbs, 30, and Derek Nally, 36, who have been engaged for seven years and hoped to tie the knot on their anniversary. The couple have been forced to cancel their special day due to the coronavirus, and admit the decision has left them 'broken'. It wasn't such a happy ending for Gemma Stubbs, 30, and Derek Nally, 36, who had to cancel their wedding. They have been engaged for seven years and hoped to tie the knot on their anniversary They were due to marry this Saturday - to coincide with the date they first went out together - and the ceremony would have come seven years after Derek's proposal all the way in August 2012. Despite their enormous disappointment, the pair said they believe it was the right thing to do. Another couple forced to cancel their wedding later this month is Sophie Hancill, 30, and Graeme Jones, 32, who live in Essex with their two-year-old daughter Clara. They had planned to go ahead with the nuptials, booked for March 28 at St Mary's Church in Astbury followed by a reception at Alcumlow Wedding Barn in Cheshire, but on Monday night Graeme arrived home from work with a persistent cough. Another couple forced to cancel their wedding later this month is Sophie Hancill, 30, and Graeme Jones, 32, who live in Essex with their two-year-old daughter Clara Sophie told FEMAIL she is pretty sure Graeme has coronavirus and he is now quarantined in their bedroom - much to her daughter's confusion. 'He feels ok in himself, its a really bad cough, his temperatures been going up and down and hes got achey legs,' she explained. 'He can only hold his breath for two seconds before he starts choking. You dont do the test unless you are in a risk two category and you need medical attention, so we won't ever know for sure if he's got it, but I'm pretty sure he has. 'Our daughter is a very confused and a bit stressed out because Daddys locked in the bedroom and she cant see him. Hes been watching us play outside from the bedroom window, thats how we see him.' The couple, who both work in insurance and have been together almost five years, had planned to forge ahead with the wedding and video it for guests that could no longer make it, but Graeme's condition has meant Sophie and Clara have to self-isolate for two weeks, during which it was due to take place. They now plan to tie the knot on December 4 and are re-planning their spring nuptials for a winter wedding - meaning they won't be able to have their wedding photos on the daffodil-packed lawn where Graeme proposed (pictured) as they'd planned 'It forced us to make a decision we were probably going to have to make anyway,' Sophie said, adding that her venue and suppliers have been very understanding, letting them re-book for alternative dates at no extra cost. They now plan to tie the knot on December 4 and are re-planning their spring nuptials for a winter wedding. 'We wanted our wedding in March, because it was exactly a year from when my partner proposed, on Mothers Day weekend last year,' she said. 'The green in front of the church where we were getting married has daffodils in front of it that's where he proposed, and we did it a year later so that the daffodils would be out again on our wedding day and we could get lovely pictures on the daffodil green. It's upsetting we won't get those. 'But I dont want to wait another year - we were so close and I cant bear the thought of waiting another year.' The couple, who both work in insurance and have been together almost five years, had planned to forge ahead with the wedding and video it for guests that could no longer make it, but Graeme's condition has meant Sophie and Clara have to self-isolate for two weeks, during which it was due to take place While they've been lucky that relatives coming from overseas have had accommodation and flights refunded, Sophie said she'll have to find her little girl a new outfit, as hers will no longer fit in December. 'I also have a young bridesmaid who had her dress specially made - it might fit her in December,' she said. 'And we'll have to pay out for warmer attire!' Having to cancel their wedding has caused an extra headache for Andy Shaw 34, from Guisborough, and his fiancee Sarah Felpel, 25, from Philadelphia, USA, who have conducted a long-distance relationship for three years. Andy, who is currently based in Whitby and works in a supermarket, and Sarah were due to wed at Robin Hoods Bay in North Yorkshire on April 4, after planning their wedding in just two months. We finally decided to make the jump as it would make life easier, as with our visa situation only one of us at a time can work at the moment depending on which country were in, Andy told FEMAIL. Having to cancel their wedding has caused an extra headache for Andy Shaw 34, from Guisborough, and his fiancee Sarah Felpel, 25, from Philadelphia, USA, who have conducted a long-distance relationship for three years The wedding was going to put an end to all the difficulties of a long distance relationship and make our love and lives easier, so that we could focus on our lives together without all the red tape, back and forth travel and time distance. After a difficult three years, the end was almost in sight. After looking at our slim options we decided to get Sarah the marriage visitor visa for the UK and get married here so that we could then apply for immigration status in the US, to minimise our time apart. Doing it the other way around would have been very expensive. Sadly Andy and Sarah have had to cancel their ceremony and the reception, but are still hoping to go ahead with the legal side of things on their original date, without their beloved friends and family. Sadly Andy and Sarah have had to cancel their ceremony and the reception, but are still hoping to go ahead with the legal side of things on their original date, without their beloved friends and family We had friends coming from all over the world who had to cancel, Andy explained. We dont have wedding insurance when we started to thing we might need it, we missed the cut off by a few hours. Obviously its very sad, and its worse for Sarah because shes isolated from her family in the US. We had broken our backs trying to make this all happen over a couple of months, only to see it collapse overnight. Its an anxious waiting game now to see if we will still be able to do the legal side of things. Its a tense time, but at the same time you have to be subjective and understand how much worse this is for other people and the losses they will face. Another couple due to get married on Saturday 28 March was Ronja Richards, 27, and her partner Dominic Rogers, 26, after two years of planning and eight-and-a-half years together. Another couple due to get married on Saturday 28 March was Ronja Richards, 27, and her partner Dominic Rogers, 26, after two years of planning and eight-and-a-half years together The couple, from Newport, South Wales, were holding the entire event for 80 guests at Orchardleigh Estate, a stately home, getting married at an on-site church. Many of Ronjas family members are Swedish, meaning they had more than 20 guests coming from the region, and another family member currently lives in Spain. The couple paid for everything in full, costing around 28,000, last month - never expecting the spread of the virus to escalate so quickly. We were aware that things could be non-refundable and were just hoping that the insurance we had gone with would be good enough should the worst happen. You just dont expect this! Ronja told FEMAIL. We cancelled on Saturday evening last week, after Sweden banned international travel. This came hours after finding out that our honeymoon was to be cancelled too. We just sat there in shock and cried. The couple, from Newport, South Wales, were holding the entire event for 80 guests at Orchardleigh Estate, a stately home, getting married at an on-site church I think we had been in the mindset that we would be the lucky ones and that the coronavirus wouldnt be peaking for quite some time, but it seems to have gone from zero to 100 within a matter of days. We were devastated as we saw our wedding as an opportunity to finally have our families come together and have something to celebrate for a change. We also have family members that fall into the high risk category and as much as we knew they would want to be there, its a risk that we would never feel comfortable with. Ive decided to take my honeymoon leave early to just take some time to process it all. Its been a lot to deal with and the thought of having to pack all of our wedding stuff away makes me very upset. Thankfully Orchardleigh Estate has been very supportive and let them reschedule, and Ronja said they now feel relieved that they no longer have the stress of worrying about their elderly relatives who were due to attend. Youre supposed to be excited and we were sick with worry, constantly checking the news and it was really taking its toll, she said. Many of Ronjas family members are Swedish, meaning they had more than 20 guests coming from the region, and another family member currently lives in Spain I feel for the brides who are still going through that. Were extremely deflated that the day weve been looking forward to and planning for so long isnt for another seven or eight months, but at least were getting married! Our honeymoon has been completely cancelled and as our insurance will only speak to passengers flying within 10 days, we really dont know where we stand. We were supposed to be going the day after the wedding for three-and-a-half weeks, flying over to California to do a road trip and then to Mexico to finish there. The majority of our trip was booked with a package travel provider who have also been fantastic, but a lot of our America trip we had booked separately, so we know trying to sort this out will be a headache. We are also worried that if we rebook anything now we wont be covered by insurance which is a real worry for us. Weve not been on holiday for a couple of years whilst saving for the wedding, so we were so ready to switch off from the world. Brentford-based couple Salman Shaheen and Anna Ward, who got engaged in Spain in September last year, were meant to be celebrating their special day at the end of May, but have taken the difficult decision to reschedule. Brentford-based couple Salman Shaheen and Anna Ward were meant to be celebrating their special day at the end of May, but have taken the difficult decision to reschedule They spent last weekend on the phone frantically re-organising their nuptials, due to be held at Strawberry Hill House in Richmond, south west London, because they were concerned about the risk it could pose to their parents and elderly relatives who are in the high risk category for catching coronavirus. Salman, 35, told MyLondon: 'We were really excited about itWe were preparing for the wedding, we had just booked the cake, Anna had got her dress. We booked the string quartet and a DJ. 'Slowly this coronavirus was creeping and creeping up and at first we had a discussion, should we postpone the wedding? At that moment it was a month ago, only a small handful of cases here in the UK. But in the last week everything kicked off. 'Unfortunately the peak is slap bang when we'd have our wedding. We have got family, relatives who are in the higher risk category It would be such a shame if they couldn't come.' He added that 'a cloud of fear' was gathering over what was supposed to be the happiest time of their lives. It's likely the couple, both former journalists, will also have to abandon their planned hen and stag dos. Anna was due to be heading to Spain while Salman was looking forward to a London pub crawl. The couple got engaged in Spain in September last year but were worried about the health of their older relatives if they went ahead with their May wedding. Pictured: Anna after the surprise proposal Luckily Salman and Anna have managed to reschedule their big day for September, by which point they hope the UK will be over the worst. The venue has been very accommodating and allowed them to move the dates, as has the registrar and suit hire company. 'Fingers crossed we don't have to postpone it again,' Salman told FEMAIL. He also expressed his wish to thank Strawberry Hill House and Madeleine's cakes, as well as Richmond Council for their help and support. Meanwhile 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. Spokesperson for Bingham Riverhouse 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 '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. '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.' Another couple in limbo are Colette, 25, and Jamie, 27, from Belfast, who got engaged in April last year and were due to marry in Marbella, Spain, on June 18. 'We have been planning this for over a year and have flights, accommodation for five nights and a venue booked - everything is ready to go,' Colette told FEMAIL. 'We don't have many guests - only 10 - but we have all been looking forward to a big family get together. Another couple in limbo are Colette, 25, and Jamie, 27, from Belfast, who got engaged in April last year and were due to marry in Marbella, Spain, on June 18 'We have planned a humanist wedding in Spain, so have booked the legal part at a registry office in Belfast City Hall the week before we fly. 'Now if we can't fly to Spain, we don't know if we will postpone the whole marriage and wedding or go ahead with the official registry. 'We have talked about it and we would rather wait and have our dream wedding - but who knows what the future holds and how long it will be before we can have our day.' Colette and Jamie (pictured) had a humanist wedding planned in Spain with a registry office ceremony in Belfast before, and are now unsure whether to postpone the whole marriage and wedding or go ahead with the official part Colette, a mental health blogger, added: 'The wedding means so much to us! We are still quite young and decided to get engaged and married young because we wanted our whole family to be able to attend. 'On both sides of our family we have had cancer and really stressful health situations, and so we wanted to celebrate together while we could. We have all planned to stay in the same villa and have a big holiday together. 'Sadly Jamie's mum passed away in January of this year very suddenly, and when that happened we felt we needed this time together even more. This has been a very hard year and we are really disappointed about the likelihood of the wedding being cancelled.' After a difficult start to the year which saw Jamie lose his mother very suddenly, Colette told how the wedding meant everything to them as they'd decided to get married young so their family could all attend Luckily the couple had only paid their deposits as it isn's until June, and they are able to get a refund from their Airbnb villa and should be able to claim back their flights if they're unable to travel to Spain. 'I'm not sure how much money we will lose, maybe 1,000 to 2,000, but we aren't even thinking about that. Hopefully if we have to postpone, everyone will maintain good health and we will get our dream wedding.' 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.' A woman rides along an almost deserted Piazza Navona in Rome, Thursday, March 12, 2020 as a sweeping lockdown is in place in Italy to try to prevent it from becoming the next epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic. 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. (Roberto Monaldo/LaPresse via AP) The death toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in Italy has surged in the last 24 hours by 475 to 2,978, an increase of 19pc, the biggest jump in numerical terms since the contagion came to light last month, officials said on Wednesday. The total number of cases in Italy, the European country hardest hit by the virus, rose to 35,713 from a previous 31,506, up 13.35pc, the Civil Protection Agency said. Of those originally infected, 4,025 had fully recovered compared to 2,941 the day before. Some 2,257 people were in intensive care against a previous 2,060. The northern region of Lombardy, on the frontline of Italy's battle against the coronavirus, appealed to recently retired doctors and nurses on Wednesday to return to work and help colleagues overwhelmed by the crisis. Adding to the problem, doctors, nurses and hospital porters have themselves fallen sick, and some have died. The Gimbe Foundation research group, using data supplied by the national health authority, said that between March 11-17, some 2,529 health workers had tested positive for coronavirus - 8.3pc of the national total. "I make a heartfelt appeal to all the doctors, nurses and medical personnel who have retired in the last two years ... to help us in this emergency," Lombardy Governor Attilio Fontana told a news conference. He also urged staff in private medical facilities and first aid specialists to step forward as the region rushed to convert the Fiera Milano exhibition centre into a makeshift hospital to add badly needed intensive care beds. Underscoring the urgent need for more medical staff, the government announced on Tuesday it was rushing 10,000 student doctors into service nine months ahead of time, scrapping their final exams in an effort to relieve the mounting pressure. Officials warned on Wednesday that if the incidence of new cases did not slow, they might have to extend an unprecedented lockdown imposed last week to halt infections. The government ordered restaurants, bars and most shops to shut down until March 25. In addition, it shut schools and universities and told everyone to stay at home unless absolutely essential until April 3. Since the restrictions were ramped up on March 12, the number of new cases has more than doubled, while deaths have more than tripled. "I do not know if the measures will be extended beyond April 3. We will make a decision based on the numbers and events. I cannot rule it out. We will see in the coming days," said Infrastructure Minister Paola De Micheli. Fontana said even tougher curbs might be needed if the situation did not improve and said too many people were defying the lockdown. "Unfortunately, the contagion numbers are not falling, they continue to be high," he said. "Every time you leave your home, you are putting yourself and others at risk. We are asking people to make sacrifices to save lives." Official data show that nearly 30,000 people have been confirmed as positive for the coronavirus in Italy, the highest number outside China where the virus first emerged. But strict testing rules mean only patients hospitalised with severe symptoms are normally being swab tested. While no detailed data is available, officials, nurses and relatives say there has been a spike in nursing home deaths in the worst affected regions of northern Italy since the virus emerged, and they are not showing up in coronavirus statistics. "There are significant numbers of people who have died but whose death hasn't been attributed to the coronavirus because they died at home or in a nursing home and so they weren't swabbed," said Giorgio Gori, mayor of the town of Bergamo. Gori said there had been 164 deaths in his town in the first two weeks of March this year, of which 31 were attributed to the coronavirus. That compares with 56 deaths over the same period last year. Even adding the 31 coronavirus deaths to that total would leave 77 additional deaths, an increase that suggests the virus may have caused significantly more deaths than officially recorded. Emilio Tanzi, director of Cremona Solidale, a 460-bed residence in the northern town of Cremona, said nursing homes were on the front lines of a crisis that predominantly affected the elderly, who nevertheless have not had adequate support. He said there had been a significant and "anomalous" increase in deaths since about March 2, when the spread of the epidemic began to gather pace in Italy. But there was no way of knowing for sure whether they were due to COVID-19, the disease associated with the coronavirus, he added. Tanzi declined to give full numbers, but said on just one day last week there had been 18 deaths at his facility of patients with respiratory difficulties - symptoms associated with the coronavirus. "We don't know if there have been coronavirus deaths because the swabs haven't been done," he said. "We've certainly seen high fevers and breathing difficulties." "If we'd been in a position to know, we could have isolated these patients properly and avoided the epidemic." China Aviation Daily | Mar. 17, 2020 Northern Capital Gateway (NCG), the operator of Pulkovo St. Petersburg Airport (Russia), is implementing a set of measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus infection. An emergency response centre has been established at St. Petersburg airport for joint work with airlines, state control bodies, local authorities and the Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) on coronavirus matters. All aircraft arriving at Pulkovo from regions with an unfavourable epidemiological situation are subject to disinfection. The frequency and thoroughness of cleaning is being intensified in all Pulkovo Airport premises including elevators, check-in counters, information desks, inspection areas, offices and staff break rooms. Antiviral agents are being used for disinfection. Steps and passenger buses are disinfected regularly. The air in the terminal is being purified using disinfecting units installed in areas designated for passengers. Air recirculators are operating in lavatory rooms in the international arrivals hall. An unscheduled inspection of the airport ventilation system has been made. The Pulkovo Airport staff has been informed about preventive measures against spreading the coronavirus infection and the need to use personal protection equipment. The airport staff is equipped with protective masks, gloves, antiseptic wipes and gels. In case of feeling unwell, passengers, visitors and staff of Pulkovo Airport may go to the first-aid station. The first-aid station is located on the second floor of the passenger terminal and operates 24/7. As a part of the measures to counteract the spread of the coronavirus infection, NCG has limited the number of public events for the staff, switched corporate communication to electronic and telephone format, cancelled business trips to countries with an unfavourable epidemiological situation and limited the number of international and regional business trips. Contributed by Pulkovo St. Petersburg Airport Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 18) - The Government Services Insurance System (GSIS) confirmed on Wednesday that another employee from its main office tested positive for coronavirus disease or COVID-19 The person is confined at Las Pinas General Hospital. On Monday, a female employee from the GSIS main office, who has travel history to Japan, tested positive for the virus. She is confined at San Juan De Dios Hospital. We are currently in the process of contact tracing and notifying the persons whom these two employees have had close contact with to self-quarantine, said GSIS President and General Manager Rolando Macasaet in a statement. Macasaet ordered the temporary lockdown of all GSIS branches nationwide and asked employees to work from home. The number of COVID-19 cases in the country had reached 202, with 17 deaths recorded. Casper City Hall will be closed to the public starting Thursday, a Casper Police Department spokeswoman said Wednesday. Rebekah Ladd, the spokeswoman, said at the daily briefing that business within the building will continue as normal. The city is asking residents to make all payments online, in a check deposited in a drop box outside of city hall or through the mail. Similar instructions are given for those trying to turn in various documents to the city. Ladd said that all of the area's firehouses are open and still responding to calls. Emergency dispatchers have begun screening people calling 911 for medical problems; depending on what those dispatchers learn, first responders can decide whether to have fewer personnel respond to a scene. Additionally, Eric Nelson, the Natrona County attorney, said at the news conference that all jury trials in district court will be suspended until mid-May. As of Tuesday, the only court in Casper that had changed substantially was the federal court. He said that it was otherwise "business as usual at the county courthouse" and the justice center. But he asked that people paying property taxes, people dealing with licenses or applying for new license plates are asked to do so remotely. The attorney also said that individual district court judges will provide more details to media, including the status of other in-person court appearances. A Wyoming Medical Center spokeswoman said at the news conference that the hospital is limiting visitors to one per patient per day. The hospital is asking people about their respiratory symptoms before they are allowed to visit. 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. The Sky Is Pink- Netflix Directed by Shonali Bose The Sky Is Pink, starring Farhan Akhtar and Priyanka Chopra is based on the true story of a couple who lost their 18-year-old daughter to severe combined immunodeficiency - a fatal disease. The talented star cast will make you laugh and cry with their emotional story. Street Dancer 3D- Hotstar Now of all times, we need a film that will show us how to set our differences aside, featuring Varun Dhawan and Shraddha Kapoor, Street Dancer 3D tells the story of rival groups hailing from India and Pakistan who leave their differences aside to represent their Asian routes on a global platform. Badla- Netflix Badla is a must-watch because of the star cast which includes Amitabh Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu, and because the thriller will keep you at the edge of your seat till the last minute. The film follows a businesswoman (Pannu) and her lawyer (Bachchan) after she's been arrested for murder and is awaiting her trial. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara - Amazon Prime Video Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara has always been a must-watch during any situation. If you haven't been able to watch this one yet, now is the perfect time to get your mind off coronavirus. The Zoya Akhtar masterpiece follows the life of three friends who plan a bachelor trip which teaches them a lesson or two about life. Bala- Hotstar Along with the subject of premature balding, Ayushmann Khurrana's Bala also tackles the subjects of India's obsession with fair skin and why divorcing someone does not necessarily have to translate into unhappiness as commonly perceived in Bollywood flicks. The comedy-drama is a must-watch because of Ayushamann's conviction to the character, and the hilarious TikTok videos Good News- Amazon Prime Video The multi starrer, comedy-drama shares a new take on marriages in the 21st century. With many feel-good moments, it also talks about Vitro fertilisation (IVF) and highlighting different kinds of couples and how they deal with an unusual situation. Queen- Netflix Kangana Ranaut in Queen plays a girl who is gets dumped just days before her wedding but instead of locking herself up in a room, she decides to go on her honeymoon all by herself leading to a life-changing journey. Along with Kangana you too are bound to go on an emotional journey along with her. Panga- Hotstar Kangana Ranaut's feel-good film Panga was inspired by the real-life story of a national level Kabbadi player, along with sharing the struggles of a former medalist the film highlights the importance of love and family Raazi - Amazon Prime Video Raazi is the story of an Indian spy who enters Pakistan territory after getting married to one of their Army generals. The suspense thriller, unlike any other, will bring you to the edge of your seat. Tanhanji: The Unsung Warrior - Hotstar The historic film that is based on Tanhaji Malusare's Battle of Sinhagad with the Mughals has been highly appreciated for the cast and screenplay. Ajay Devgn in the film plays the lead role as Tanhaji Malusare, one of the military assistants of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj while Saif Ali Khan plays the antagonist, Udaybhan Singh Rathore. The Minister of Health, Zweli Mkhize, has announced that the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in South Africa has increased by 23. There are now 85 cases of the Coronavirus which has been declared a national disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Globally, there are now 184,976 confirmed cases if COVID-19, and 7,529 deaths. The virus has spread to 159 countries/territories. Among the new cases in the country is a 2-year-old boy from the Western Cape who has not travelled internationally. This is the youngest confirmed case. It is notable that there are eight cases of local transmission, said the Minister in a statement. There are 14 new cases in Gauteng: A 45-year-old male who had travelled to Belgium, UK, France and the US A 37-year-old male who had travelled to the UK A 54-year-old female who had travelled to the USA A 52-year-old male who had travelled to the UK A 25-year-old male who travelled to the UK A 52-year-old female who had travelled to Italy A 59-year-old male who travelled to the UK and Dubai A 57-year-old male who travelled to the USA A 60-year-old male who travelled to the USA A 37-year-old female who travelled to Italy and Dubai A 21-year-old female with no travel history A 34-year-old male with no international travel history A 26-year-old female with no international travel history A 32-year-old female with no international travel history There are four new cases in KwaZulu-Natal: A 48-year-old male who travelled to Dubai A 59-year-old female with no international travel history A 5-year-old male with no international travel history A 3-year-old male with no international travel history There are five new cases in the Western Cape: A 3-year-old male who travelled to the UK A 58-year-old male who travelled to the UK and Austria A 2-year-old male with no international travel A 62-year-old female who travelled to the UK and Ethiopia A 71-year-old female who travelled to the UK The Minister said there was a debate with clinicians, epidemiologists, virologists on when government must release results to the public. These experts raised an issue of an ethical obligation to immediately alert patients as soon as the results become available. This therefore means that by the time a confirmation test is conducted in public laboratories, patients would have been notified of their initial results. This clarification is important because as government, we had announced to the public that all positive results will be verified through our public laboratories and the NICD, explained the Minister. He said in an effort to ensure transparency, government had decided to release results as they are submitted by both public and private labs. In instances where our confirmation tests give contrary results, we will inform the public, make reference to that specific result previously announced and give the outcome of the confirmation results. Whilst we respect that private laboratories have the capacity to test and on their own issue results, our intention and approach is to ensure that there is credibility in the information and results given to the public. Whilst we appreciate the importance of being transparent with South Africans, we will not do so irresponsibly and not take into account all clinical and any other broader implications of the information we give to you, he said. Repatriated South Africans Mkhize further announced that the South Africans who were repatriated from Wuhan City, in China have tested negative for COVID-19. The group arrived in South Africa on Saturday and are in quarantine at The Ranch Hotel in Limpopo. It gives us great pleasure to also announce to South Africans that all the citizens from Wuhan were tested and their results came back negative for COVID-19. We continue to keep them in quarantine for the prescribed period and will thereafter initiate the process of reunifying them with the community, said the Minister. SA News Now read: All South African universities to close due to coronavirus Today, Crimean citizens are celebrating the sixth anniversary of referendum on reuniting with Russia. The official solemn events and a car rally will take place in Crimea today, RIA Novosti reported. Russian President Vladimir Putin will arrive in Crimea today. In Sevastopol, he will meet with members of the public of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol. Putin will also present state decorations to the Crimean Bridge builders and hold meetings with Head of the Republic of Crimea Sergei Aksyonov and Acting Governor of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozhayev. On March 16, 2014, a referendum on reuniting with Russia was conducted. Over 80% of voters participated in the plebiscite, most of them supporting the idea (96.7% in Crimea and 95.6% in the city of Sevastopol). On March 18, 2014, a treaty on Crimeas reunification with Russia was signed by President Vladimir Putin, Russias Federal Assembly approved the document on March 21. English French MONTREAL, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Management of SIRIOS (TSX-V: SOI) is pleased to announce the start of a diamond drilling campaign, totalling 2,000 metres on the Aquilon gold property in Eeyou Istchee James Bay, Quebec. This drilling campaign is the first phase of a planned 10,000-metre program. In addition to testing the depth extension of the three main high-grade gold showings, drill holes will also test for potentially new gold mineralization in the Loup structural corridor. This corridor covers an area of approximately 5 km2 and contains all of the currently known gold showings on the property. More than fifteen high-grade gold vein showings have been discovered over the years on the Aquilon property by Sirios and its partners. Several of these showings have been tested by surface channel sampling and shallow diamond drilling. Examples of the better previous intersections include: 3,230.89 g/t Au over 0.8 m on the Lingo 3 West vein (ref.: press release 06/26/2008), as well as 834.4 g/t Au over 1.71 m on the Moman vein and 133.67 g/t Au over 0.82 m on the Fleur de Lys vein (ref.: press release 01/19/20110). All the showings remain open at depth with an interpreted north-northeast plunge. Please refer to the various previous press releases on Aquilon at the following link: https://sirios.com/en/aquilon/ . The Aquilon property, 100% owned by Sirios, comprises 140 claims covering nearly 70 km2. It is located approximately 1,750 km north of Montreal and 490 km east of Radisson, the property is easily accessible year round by a network of roads via the road leading to the Laforge 1 hydroelectric power complex (LA-1), 20 km north of the Trans-Taiga Highway. Sirios implements precautionary measures in response to the COVID-19 Sirios Resources Inc. considers the health and safety of its employees and contractors of utmost importance. This is why the management has, for precautionary measures, decided to temporarily close its administrative office in Montreal until further notice. All staff working in the administrative office in Montreal have been working from their homes since last week. Teleworking allows the staff to perform their usual tasks from home, as Sirios has an efficient computer network system that allows secure remote access to the main server. In addition, preventive measures have also been implemented for members of the technical team and contractors that are currently working in the field at Eeyou Istchee James Bay. Diamond drilling continues at the Cheechoo and Aquilon properties. We will continue to follow the development of the COVID-19 situation and any and all recommendations issued by the government in order to effectively implement the necessary safety measures. Roger Moar, Geo., and Dominique Doucet, P. Eng., Qualified Persons pursuant to National Instrument 43-101, prepared and verified the technical information of this press release, as well as reviewed the final text. About Sirios Founded in 1995, Sirios Resources develops and explores its own mining exploration projects. Pioneer in the discovery of significant gold deposits in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Quebec, Canada, over the years, Sirios focuses mainly on its Cheechoo gold deposit while actively exploring the auriferous potential of the Eeyou Istchee James Bay area in Quebec. 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. [March 17, 2020] Parcel Perform accredited by IMDA under the [email protected] Digital programme, set to propel nationwide rollout of Locker Alliance Prestigious accreditation positions Parcel Perform as a qualified service provider to government and large enterprise buyers in Singapore Post the successful Locker Alliance pilot, Parcel Perform product is ready for its nationwide rollout. SINGAPORE, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Parcel Perform, the leading carrier-independent parcel tracking SaaS platform covering 600+ logistics carriers worldwide, today announced that it was officially accredited by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) in Singapore under the [email protected] Digital programme. This prestigious award ( https://www.imda.gov.sg/programme-listing/accreditation-at-sgd ) affirms Parcel Perform as an innovative Singapore-based high-growth information classification and management (ICM) business and positions the company as a qualified service provider to government and large enterprise buyers on the strength of its software capabilities. Being accredited is an extension of Parcel Perform's long-standing partnership with IMDA having developed and operated the interoperability platform behind IMDA's Locker Alliance pilot project ( https://www.lockeralliance.net ). The successful pilot was rolled out in Dcember 2018, giving Singaporeans access to a high-density network of parcel lockers in two neighborhoods in Singapore. This pilot enabled a four times performance improvement and cost savings compared with doorstep deliveries. Building on the pilot's encouraging results, IMDA earlier this month announced plans to expand the rollout of these parcel locker stations nation-wide. This network of 1,000 stations will be progressively rolled over the next two years. "As a Singapore-headquartered company, we're proud to be accredited under the [email protected] Digital programme. This reaffirms our long-standing partnership with IMDA and track record with a successful Locker Alliance pilot to benefit the e-commerce logistics industry in Singapore, and we look forward to working more closely in future initiatives," said Dr. Arne Jeroschewski, Founder and CEO, Parcel Perform. "We first started working with Parcel Perform through our SG:D Spark programme, as we saw great potential in their e-commerce logistic management platform to help merchants increase their productivity, customers' satisfaction and scaling their operations. Over the past 12 months, they have demonstrated tremendous growth and we are now pleased to have Parcel Perform be part of our [email protected] Digital programme to continue our partnership in furthering their growth. We hope they will continue to revolutionise the e-commerce logistics service industry," said Mr. Edwin Low, Director of Enterprise Growth Acceleration, Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore. About Parcel Perform Parcel Perform is the leading carrier-independent parcel tracking software platform for e-commerce merchants covering 600+ logistics carriers worldwide. Established in 2016, Parcel Perform offers the most comprehensive parcel tracking data for e-commerce businesses to track, analyze and optimize their e-commerce delivery experience. Parcel Perform is based in Singapore, Vietnam, Germany and the United Kingdom and serves thousands of customers globally. In addition to its core B2B business, the company also offers a tracking service for end-consumers called Parcel Monitor ( www.parcelmonitor.com ). Accessible to the general public, users can subscribe to delivery updates, see results in multiple languages and save their parcels for future reference. For more information, visit www.parcelperform.com SOURCE Parcel Perform [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] South Africa on Wednesday recorded its highest 24-hour increase in coronavirus infections to date, with 31 new cases taking the country's tally up to 116, government announced. Africa's most industrialised economy is the most affected in sub-Saharan Africa and second-most impacted on the continent after Egypt, which has recorded 196 cases. The country's first coronavirus infection, confirmed on March 5, was detected in a man who had arrived from Italy -- the new centre of a pandemic that has infected more than 19,000 people worldwide and killed over 7,800. "As of this morning, 18 March 2020, South Africa now has 116 confirmed cases of COVID-19," Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said in a statement. Of the new cases announced this week, six were children aged five or under. Most of the people who have tested positive in South Africa had recently travelled to highly-affected countries in Europe and the Middle East. But at least 14 internal transmissions were detected this week, raising fears the novel virus could spread into overcrowded townships with poor access to sanitation and little scope for self-isolation. "Now we are seeing transmission between people in South Africa," said Lynn Morris, a senior executive at the country's National Institute for Communicable Diseases. "What we are trying to avoid is seeing those clusters spreading into the community," she explained on local radio, adding that the "true rate of transmission" was still unknown. President Cyril Ramaphosa declared a state of national disaster after numbers more than tripled over the weekend. "It is spreading, so it is necessary that we close ranks as we stand together," Ramaphosa told reporters after meeting with opposition political party leaders on Wednesday. Yet he warned that the impact on the economy would be "quite devastating" and described the situation as "unprecedented". South African Airways -- the country's debt-ridden national carrier -- cancelled 162 flights scheduled to depart this month in response to low demand for air travel. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Australian dad is pleading for help after his son was taken by child protection services because his autism was mistaken as a sign of psychological abuse. Conrad and Katya den Hertog lost their son Martin, now seven, to Dutch authorities during a night-time raid of their home in Amsterdam in February 2018. A neighbour dobbed the parents in to police for keeping Martin, who was speech delayed but had not yet been diagnosed as autistic, in a room with closed curtains - a cultural faux pas in the Netherlands interpreted as a sign of abuse. The IT Manager said they have only seen Martin 12 times since he was placed in an institution, with the child services department threatening to sever all contact if they do not sign him into foster care. 'Were in a Mexican standoff with Dutch child protection services (CPS),' Mr den Hertog told The Australian. Martin den Hertog and Katya den Hertog are pleading for Australian politicians to help them get their son back after he was erroneously removed by Dutch authorities 'According to expert assessments from a psychologist and our family doctor, we are the best people to care for Martins short- and long-term needs, but Dutch CPS refuse to give Martin back until we sign a contract to place him in foster care.But if we sign that contract, Martin wont come back to us anyway; hed go to foster care, so were caught in a catch-22 situation. 'Theyre waiting for us to crack and sign those papers but weve told them that will never happen as long as we breathe.' Mr den Hertog, originally from Port Stephens on the NSW mid-north coast, said the couple receive two to three emails a week from the Dutch CPS demanding they agree to the conditions or their parental rights will be stripped. Martin has been in De Hondsberg - a specialist institution more than an hour away- for two years since five police officers, a judge, and social workers stormed into the family's Amsterdam home and wrenched him away. The room with closed curtains was not Martin's bedroom as the neighbour had reported, but rather an empty spare room. Authorities noticed that he had a development delay and presumed it had been caused by neglect or abuse. Despite several experts identifying autism as the cause, Mr den Hertog said the CPS refuse to confirm their opinion in a bid to avoid embarrassment. Instead, he said the agency is trying to justify their original decision by applying continuous pressure for Martin to be placed into state care. The now seven-year-old (pictured with his mother Katya) has spent the past two years in an institution after authorities mistook symptoms of his autism as signs of abuse Mr den Hertog said he has only seen Martin (pictured together) 12 times since he was placed in an institution The father-of-one, who moved to the European country in 2002 for work, said statistics show foreigners are four times more likely to have children removed in the Netherlands. The devastated parents are now calling on Foreign Minister Marise Payne to intervene so Martin, an Australian- Netherlands dual citizen, can be returned. 'Our whole family feels unfortunately very discriminated by the Dutch CPS system,' Mr den Hertog told Daily Mail Australia. 'I feel not listened to as a foreigner father, it seems the system classifies having foreign parents as a 'risk factor' for children. '[And] despite CPS being aware of a preliminary autism diagnosis, Martin has been labelled by the system as a 'wolf child'. 'But to us, Martin is a precious, charismatic and wonderful boy.' The den Hertogs hold concerns over the level of care Martin is currently receiving and pledge to continue fighting until he is brought home. They hope the Senator Payne can take direct diplomatic action to reunite them with their son. When questioned about the den Hertog's case, Senator Paynes office referred The Australian to the Department of Foreign Affairs. It said the DFA could not comment on the matter for privacy reasons. The Dutch Ministry of Justice did not respond to questions about the deadlock. The Sherwood couple spent the past four months planning their March 22 wedding. As is the case in such matters, nothing had been left to chance. Invitations had been sent to 175 people. Checks were cut to rent a Portland ballroom, pay for food and drink, and hire a DJ, makeup artist and photographer. And then came COVID-19. On Monday, the coronavirus outbreak made them decide to get married that evening. In a ceremony in front of just family and a few friends, Dan and Allison Keese were married in the living room of her parents Tigard home. The ceremony was officiated by his sister, who went online to get ordained as a minister. His best man was his other sister, standing in for his friend in Washington D.C. It was crazy town, said Allison Keese, 35. The couple had thought about rescheduling, but feared officials in the coming weeks would mandate an order to shelter in place and no one would be able to show up. I felt like it was World War II and Id just received orders to ship out, said Dan Keese, 34. The couple toasted each other with bottles of Corona beer because they changed their wedding plans because of the cornoavirus.Jay Eads Even though the couple canceled everything, they said they have not asked for refunds from the businesses theyd already paid. He said he and his wife plan on a big post pandemic party, most likely in September. We are aware that peoples livelihood is imperiled right now, said Dan Keese. We decided the best thing to do was let everyone keep the money we paid. In the past week, thats not typically been the case in the floral industry, as small businesses and gig and hourly workers face the economic impact of the coronavirus. The wedding cancellations are rolling in, and if people have paid, they want refunds, said Michelle Headrick, owner and lead designer at Portlands Image Floral and Event Design. Restrictions on the number of people who can gather in Oregon and Washington have also caused corporate parties, church services and funerals all events that call for flowers to be canceled. Theres a bit of panic in the industry right now, she said. This is a huge hit. Jeri Barr, owner of Bella Bloom Florals in Sherwood, said she makes 75 percent of her yearly income during June, July and August. A chunk of that is now gone, said Barr. All her corporate accounts events, fundraisers, wineries, nursing homes have canceled orders, she said. Every wedding client has either canceled an upcoming wedding or said they would reschedule. Im no economist, said Barr, but Im sure going forward those weddings are going to cut back on buying flowers. Michelle Headrick is owner and lead designer at Portlands Image Floral and Event Design. Barr, in business for 10 years and working out of her home, opened a commercial space last year, meaning she is dealing with a loss of business as well as rent and other overhead. In the past few days she has told freelance floral designers she has used in the past she has no business for them. I had planned for a slow year, Barr said. But nothing like this. I squirreled money away, but I am wiping out savings. For those who dont have a nest egg, its scary. Linda DePersis, owner of Clatskanie Floral LLC, grows flowers to sell to vendors. She said her tulips and daffodils are coming up by the thousands." I will bring them to the Portland markets and hope florists buy them and use them in arrangements, she said. If they dont buy them, I will donate them to the community and to nursing homes. The rest I will have to trash." I have some weddings scheduled for later in the summer, she said. I can see there will be a financial loss. Im trying to keep a calm head. The big picture is that everyone is healthy, and the spread of the virus is stopped. Headrick said retail florists are also feeling the impact. Even though locally sourced materials are the trend, the majority of florists still working from products from another state or country, she said. They all come on planes, she said. Embargoes and whats happening to the airline industry is having an impact in terms of price and availability. Going forward, those in the industry are going to be grappling with issues both financial and emotional, said Headrick. Will people refund money paid or hold a client to the contract? she asked. Some of it comes to the humanity of what we do. We deal with people in celebrations of life, she said. Do we do the right thing by the person or do the right thing for our family and our business? It will fall somewhere in between those two extremes. -- Tom Hallman Jr; thallman@oregonian.com; 503-221-8224; @thallmanjr Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Representative Image Gold prices rose Rs 651 to Rs 40,537 per 10 gram in the Mumbai bullion market on rupee depreciation. The yellow metal gained after US Federal Reserve announced liquidity measures to stabilise the economy. The rate of 10 gram 22-carat gold in Mumbai was Rs 37,131 plus 3 percent GST, while 24-carat 10 gram was Rs 40,537 plus GST. The 18-carat gold quoted at Rs 30,402 plus GST in the retail market. Kumar Jain, Vice President Mumbai Jewellers Association told Moneycontrol, the jewelers are sitting idle in the showroom despite the recent fall in gold prices. This is because retail customers are scared to step out of homes to shop due to coronavirus. Rumors that the bullion market has also been shut down due to COVID-19 also hit sales. Goldsmiths are pinning their hope on the upcoming festivals such as Gudi Padwa and Akshay Tritiya to see revival in sales. The recent fall in gold is a good opportunity to buy, added Jain. Since the start of this week, there has been a growing awareness about COVID-19 with many events, festivals and celebrations getting postponed and malls getting shut in certain markets. It would be correct to say that people are being cautious when moving around. We see a drop of approximately 20 percent in walk-ins," said Ramesh Kalyanaraman, Executive Director, Kalyan Jewellers. But Kalyanaraman does not expect a similar revenue hit due to various in-store promotions. "We are hopeful that this is a temporary phenomenon, and things will turn around, before the upcoming season," he said. According to Navneet Damani, Vice President, Motilal Oswal, gold prices snapped out of the falling trend due to various liquidity boosting measures by the US Fed. The continuous jump in the count of virus cases, and the negative economic data from the US and other major economies, also supported prices on lower levels, he said. The broader trend on Comex could be $1,490-1,550 and on the domestic front, prices could hover in the range of Rs 40,000-40,850, Damani said. The gold/silver ratio that refers to the amount of silver required to buy an ounce of gold, stood at 114.14 to 1. Silver prices gained Rs 370 to Rs 35,515 per kg from its closing on March 17. In the futures market, the gold rate touched an intraday high of Rs 40,447 and an intraday low of Rs 39,318 on MCX. For the April series, the yellow metal touched a low of Rs 37,530 and a high of Rs 44,961. Gold futures for delivery in April eased Rs 525, or 1.3 percent on the MCX trading at Rs 39,719 per 10 gram in evening trade in a business turnover of 7,108 lots. Gold contracts for June delivery slipped Rs 629, or 1.56 percent, at Rs 39,821 per 10 gram in a business turnover of 12,934 lots. The value of the April contract traded so far was Rs 6,417.86 crore and the June contract saw the value of Rs 839.74 crore. Similarly, Gold Mini contract for April was down Rs 532, or 1.32 percent at Rs 39,747 in a business turnover of 5,790 lots. Axis Securities advised its clients to sell April Gold at Rs 40,000 with a stop loss at Rs 40,200 and a target of Rs 39,700. MCX Gold has intraday resistance at Rs 40,470-40,925 whereas support is at Rs 39,295-38,950 levels, according to Motilal Oswal. The brokerage firm said spot gold has support at $1,485-1460 whereas resistance is at $1,528-1,545. At 13:40 pm (GMT), spot gold was down $15.90 at $1,509.90 an ounce in London trading. In its fight to contain the secondary infection and possible community transmission of the coronavirus, Kerala has decided to open corona care homes near all four international airports of the state. This will enable the state to curb the movement of travellers and help quarantine them effectively. Tracking Coronavirus Outbreak: Live Updates We are entering a critical phase. We need more care and alert. There are some instances that people on home quarantine slipped out and interacted with others. It will foil our planning and preparedness. It is a social responsibility and everyone should go by the directives of health officials, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He chaired a meeting at the state capital on Wednesday with medical experts, scientists and health activists. Home quarantine is not fool proof. We have to be more careful as a large number of people are returning from various parts of the world. Concerned district administrations have identified places outside the airports for care homes, said state health minister K K Shailaja. Kerala has large number of expatriate population - at least 10 per cent of 3.34 crore population - and four international airports - Thiruvananthapuram, Cochin, Kozhikode and Kannur. A senior health ministry official said that some of these homes will be equipped to lodge people 4,000-5,000 people and enough health staff, doctors and lab facility will be arranged there. It will help the state to manage suspected cases of coronavirus and others who are coming from high-risk areas and curb their interaction with people of the state. The official also said that medial students and health volunteers will be roped in and help of private doctors will also be sought. This will also help remove possible stigma and scare attached to the hospital isolation, he said. The state health ministry has recently released the food menu of those who were admitted to isolation wards - on Tuesday they were given dosa with chutney, sambhar, boiled egg, orange and one litre mineral water for breakfast; at 10.30 am orange juice; at lunch rice, fish curry, thoran, curd and pappad; in the evening tea with biscuit or vada and dinner appam and vegetable stew with a banana and one litre water. The foreigners were served non-vegetarian items. In care homes also we will maintain the standard of in-flight food. We are ready for a long haul, the official said, adding it was a battle for them. Kerala is the first state to report the virus in January - three students returned from coronavirus epicentre Wuhan in China, and were discharged after being free of disease. Now 24 positive cases are in the state and more than 18,000 under observation - 17,743 in their homes and 268 in hospitals. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Congress Party sought in the Supreme Court on Wednesday that the trust vote in the state assembly be deferred till by-polls for the vacant seats are concluded, saying "heavens are not going to fall" if its government led by is allowed to remain in office till then. A bench, comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta, was hearing cross petitions filed by former Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan and on the ongoing political crisis in the state after 22 rebel MLAs of the ruling combine purportedly offered to resign. "Heavens are not going to fall if Congress government is allowed to continue till by-polls and the Shivraj Singh Chouhan's government must not be saddled on the people," said senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for Congress. "Let them face re-elections and then hold trust vote... You (BJP) have engineered it. My petition raises the frontal attack that you have launched a conspiracy," he said. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Chouhan, vociferously opposed the submission saying that the party which killed the democracy by imposing emergency in 1975 is now referring to "lofty ideals" of B R Ambedkar. He said that after the resignations of 22 Congress MLAs, out of which six resignations have been accepted, the state government should not be allowed to continue even for a day. "It is lust of power because of which all these lofty arguments are being made. "It is unheard of that a person who had lost majority says that he wants to continue for six months and there should be re-election before the trust vote. Rohatgi said the government wanted to stay in power by hook or crook. Earlier in the day, the Congress told the bench that a probe is needed on the resignation letters of its rebel MLAs that have been submitted by BJP leaders to the Speaker of the state Assembly. Dave said the Governor has no business to send messages at night asking the Chief Minister or Speaker to hold floor test. "The Speaker is the ultimate master and the Madhya Pradesh Governor is overriding him," he said. The party alleged that resignations of its rebel MLAs were extracted by force and coercion and they did not act as per their free will. It also said that its rebel MLAs were taken away in chartered flights and are currently incommunicado in a resort arranged by the BJP. The advancing of arguments will resume after lunch. The Madhya Pradesh Congress Legislature party (MPCLP) had Tuesday moved the Supreme Court seeking direction to the Centre and the BJP-led Karnataka government to grant it access to communicate with its rebel MLAs allegedly kept at Bengaluru. Earlier on Tuesday, the court had asked the 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 MLAs in Bangaluru. The plea, filed through senior lawyer Devdutt Kamat, said the trust vote would be a "sham" if 22 MLAs did not take part in it as almost 10 per cent of constituencies go unrepresented. The plea filed by Chouhan and nine BJP lawmakers was moved in the top court just after the Speaker cited coronavirus concerns and adjourned the House till March 26 without taking the floor test apparently defying the directions of Governor Lalji Tandon. The plea alleged that the Speaker, the Chief Minister and the Principal Secretary of the Assembly have "flagrantly violated the constitutional principles and have deliberately and wilfully defied the directions" issued by the governor asking the government to prove the majority on the floor of the house on March 16 when when the budget session was to commence. On Saturday night, 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. 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. A Revolutionary Court in Tehran has sentenced the son of former Chief Commander of the Iranian Army to ten years in jail for corruption, the Islamic Republic Judiciary spokesman announced at his weekly news conference on Tuesday, March 17. Ammar Salehi, the only son of the former army commander, Major General Ataollah Salehi (2005-17), has also been banned for life from serving in the public sector. Salehi was charged with receiving a more than $26 million "illegal loan" from Bank Sarmayeh (Capital) and disrupting the economic order." Sarmayeh Bank is deeply mired in corruption investigations. The main issue is Iran Teachers' Reserve Fund investments in the bank and the disappearance of nearly $3.5 billion of the fund's money. Retired teachers depend on income from their investment and have frequently been protesting in the past few years for their unpaid and inadequate pensions. The primary suspect in Bank Sarmayeh's financial corruption case is a shady character, Mohammad-Reza Jahanbani, owner of tens of conglomerates and "front companies" active in brokering and importing essential products to Iran. Jahanbani who was arrested in October 2016, is also charged with helping several people, including Ammar Salehi, to receive millions of dollars of illegal loans from Bank Sarmayeh. The prosecutor at the court said that Ammar Salehi also used Bank Sarmayeh facilities to buy luxurious property in a posh neighborhood in Tehran, as well as a $154,375 Mercedes Benz. The court was also told that Ammar Salehi still owes nearly nine million dollars to Jahanbani. According to the Judiciary's spokesman, the court has sentenced Jahanbani to twenty years in jail, 74 lashes at a public place, permanently deprived of serving in in public office and returning more than one billion dollars to Bank Sarmayeh. Several trials concerning the bank have been held so far. In 2019, the bank's former chairman, Parviz Kazemi, labor minister from 2005 to 2006 in hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's cabinet, was sentenced to twenty years, and 24 lashes. Sarmayeh Bank managers Ali Bakhshayesh, and Mohammad Reza Tavassoli have also been convicted. Mask-clad commuters get off a train at a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stop in Taipei on Jan. 30, 2020. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images) Taiwans Swift Response to Virus Threat Allowed It to Contain Outbreak TAIPEI, TaiwanIts been roughly three months since the CCP virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan. It has now spread to more than 140 countries and territories around the world, killing thousands outside China. The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. Despite Taiwans proximity to mainland Chinajust 80 miles awayit has managed to control the outbreak with a relatively low 100 confirmed cases and one death as of March 18. Community spread has not occurred among Taiwans population. Thus, life on the island is largely uninterruptedwithout the widespread restrictions currently adopted in the United States and Europe. Taiwans response has earned praise from health experts. Local lawmaker Chao Tien-lin, a member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), said the islands successful containment efforts demonstrate that countries need not adopt draconian measures such as those in authoritarian nations. We can share with other countries how the outbreak can be contained under a democratic system, Chao said. The World Health Organization (WHO) has made it difficult for Taiwan to do so, as it has refused to grant Taiwan membership, or invite Taiwanese health experts to recent health meetings related to the pandemic held by the WHO Emergency Committee. As the Chinese regime claims Taiwan as part of its territory, it has asserted that Beijing can sufficiently represent the island in international organizations. Since 2017, Taiwan has been barred by China from taking part in WHO-related meetings. Local experts criticized the WHO for catering to Beijing and not responding swiftly to the viruss threatleading to a global pandemic. Taiwans Response When it comes to fighting enemies, we must anticipate the worst and prepare for the worst, said Chao, using a Chinese idiom to explain Taiwans approach to limiting the viruss spread. He added: Whether it is border control, regulations on peoples movements, or the control of equipment and supplies, I think we are way ahead compared to other countries. On Dec. 31 last yearthe same day Wuhan authorities publicly acknowledged that there was an outbreak of a mysterious pneumonia-like illnessTaiwans Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced that it activated its border quarantine measures. These included having Taiwanese officials board planes and assess passengers for fever and pneumonia symptoms on direct flights from Wuhan. On Jan. 5, Taiwans CDC urged people who traveled to Wuhan in the past 14 days to be tested at hospitals if they exhibited a fever or respiratory symptoms. Fifteen days later, the CDC activated the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) and named Taiwans minister of health and welfare as its commander, to coordinate efforts among different government ministries to combat the virus. On Jan. 25, Taiwan suspended all group tours to China and on Feb. 6 the island banned entry to all mainland Chinese visitors. These early actions lowered the possibility of the virus spreading in local communities, Chao said. A staff of Taiwans Universal Incorporation, one of the major mask maker, operates machines at a factory in Tainan, southern Taiwan, on March 6, 2020. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images) The Taiwan government also recognized the importance of having adequate supplies of medical equipmentin particular, protective masks for health professionals and the public. It banned the export of surgical masks on Jan. 24 while boosting local production of masks to 10 million per day. Local authorities also adopted big data analysis, integrating the national insurance database with customs data to draw up peoples travel history during clinical visits. Wu Ming-tsang, distinguished professor at the public health department of Taiwans Kaohsiung Medical University, explained that another key factor in Taiwans success fending off the virus was how the government was able to build up public trust. The government found a commander, who is willing to be transparent and holds daily press conferences to build up a foundation of trust among people, said Wu in a phone interview, praising the CECCs commander Chen Shih-chung. WHO Meanwhile, the WHO may have neglected early warnings from Taiwan about the virus. Taiwans Vice President Chen Chien-jen recently told a local magazine that Taiwanese authorities warned a WHO point of contact on Dec. 31, about the risk of human-to-human transmission of a pneumonia-like disease in China. Beijing did not openly acknowledge the virus was being transmitted between people until Jan. 20. Chen said that the WHO should have taken action after Taiwans warning, instead of waiting until Jan. 30 to declare the outbreak a public health emergency. Asked about the VPs warning, WHOs spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic did not admit to or deny it. Jasarevic said in an email response to The Epoch Times that the WHO was informed of a pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan on Dec. 31, and since then it has regarded the event as very serious and applied the full range of attention to it from across the organization. Lawmaker Chao accused the WHO of making erroneous judgments and decisions by considering the outbreak in political terms, wary of upsetting the Chinese regime. Taiwans Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung arrives at a press conference at the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Taipei on March 11, 2020. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images) The poor judgment led to the virus spreading from China and nearby Asian countries to the rest of the world, Chao added. On Jan. 27, the WHO admitted in a report that it had wrongfully assessed the risk of the virus. In a footnote, it explained that it had stated incorrectly the global risk as moderate in its earlier reports from Jan. 23 to 25. It added that the risk is in fact very high in China, high in the region, and high globally. Professor Wu similarly said that the WHO has failed to recognize the virus is an enemy to all people. It seems that the WHO has dealt with the [outbreak] as if it were a political event. But the virus does not distinguish your political affiliations, said Wu. Currently, there are over 26,000 signatures on a White House petition, calling on the United States government to nominate CECC commander Chen to be WHOs new secretary-general, replacing Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Future Coordination Taiwans containment measures have garnered international recognition. On March 15, New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern stated that her country was going to follow, pretty closely, the Taiwanese model, including by canceling mass gatherings, according to New Zealands news website Stuff. On March 4, Taiwans CDC announced a set of guidelines on large-scale public gatherings, such as the importance of having air ventilation in indoor venues. Cooperation between the United States and Taiwan also intensified on March 18, when the two sides agreed to cooperate on research and development of rapid diagnostic tests and vaccines, according to a joint statement by Taiwans Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the American Institute in Taiwan, the U.S. de-facto embassy on the island. #Taiwan & the #US are expanding our cooperation to jointly develop tests, treatments, vaccines & more to better combat #COVID19. Our countries are not only partners in prosperitywe are partners through adversity & partners with integrity. pic.twitter.com/W4jfmZZU8U Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) March 18, 2020 Also on Wednesday, Taiwans Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said the new partnership with the United States will include Taiwan exporting 100,000 protective masks every week, once the island has enough supply for itself. Meanwhile, Wu said the U.S. government will provide the island raw materials for making 300,000 protective suits, according to local government-run outlet Central News Agency. In the immediate future, Wu urged other countries to take on a strategy based on the precautionary principle. For instance, he called on hospitals to set up temporary tents outside of their buildings to check suspected patients, in an effort to prevent patients with the virus from roaming around inside hospitals and infecting those particularly vulnerable to the virusthe elderly and people with underlying illnesses. Wu also called on people to drop the social stigma surrounding protective masks, since it is an effective way to limit the spread of the virus. Keeping a distance from others and avoiding direct personal contact are also effective measures, Wu added. The U.S. CDC does not recommend wearing masks for healthy individuals who do not exhibit symptoms of the virus. In May, the World Health Assembly (WHA), the decision-making body of the WHO, will hold its 73rd assembly. Taiwans participation is important to the global effort in containing the outbreak, Chao said. The WHA has not yet invited the island state. In early March, 16 U.S. lawmakers wrote a joint letter to Ghebreyesus, urging Taiwan to be included in the WHO. Taiwan could still hold meetings on the sidelines of the WHA if it is not invited, said Chao. Coming to participate in meetings organized by Taiwan, who is not accepted by the WHO, can be more helpful than taking part in other [WHO] meetings, Chao concluded. More deaths expected Coronavirus has killed from coast to coast. It devastated a nursing home in Washington state and crept into the heartland. Across the United States, more than 100 people infected with the highly contagious new virus have now died a toll that experts expect to rise quickly. This countrys first fatal cases offer a preview of the challenges ahead, as Americans battle a disease that has killed thousands of people worldwide. What is known about the scale of transmission and the high number of deaths among vulnerable populations like at the Life Care Center of Kirkland in Washington state, where 27 of the facilitys 120 residents have died has experts deeply concerned. A Kaiser Family Foundation report published last week hints at Americans vulnerabilities: Four in 10 adults are older than 60 or have serious underlying medical conditions. That means 105 million adults in the United States are at high risk of becoming severely ill if infected. (Washington Post) Featured stories Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin speaks Tuesday during a press briefing with the coronavirus task force at the White House as President Donald Trump looks on. (Evan Vucci, Associated Press)AP U.S. virus plan anticipates 18-Month pandemic and widespread shortages (New York Times) Global cases approach 200,000 as lockdown becomes the new normal (NBC News) Coronavirus in N.Y.C.: Drastic shelter in place might be next (New York Times) White House, Senate GOP working on $1 trillion stimulus package, cash payments to Americans (ABC News) House pares back paid sick and family leave benefits in coronavirus bill (CNN) Trump dismissed coronavirus pandemic worry in January now claims he long warned about it (CNBC) Florida governor refuses to shut down beaches amid spread of coronavirus (NBC News) National news Joe Biden wins all 3 primaries in Arizona, Florida and Illinois (CBS News) Trump becomes presumptive GOP nominee after sweeping primaries (The Hill) Fauci: At least several weeks needed to measure coronavirus restrictions impact (The Hill) Its inconceivable: 5 family members in critical condition from COVID-19 after relative dies (nj.com) Pentagon to free up 5 million respirator masks and 2,000 ventilators for coronavirus efforts (CNBC) Nevada governor orders statewide shutdown of hotels, casinos, nonessential businesses (USA Today) Amid coronavirus supplies shortage, Utah is now telling most patients not to seek testing (Salt Lake Tribune) Police department urges residents who have run out of toilet paper to stop calling 911 (USA Today) Videos showing Miami Beach arrests of black spring breakers slammed as racist by NAACP (NBC News) World news Coronavirus: European Union seals borders to most outsiders (BBC) U.S., Canada working on mutual ban on non-essential travel (Associated Press) Tensions between China and Trump administration over coronavirus escalate with expulsion of U.S. reporters (Washington Post) Whatever it takes: UK pledges almost $400 billion to help businesses through coronavirus (CNBC) Brazil seeks state of emergency, Bolsonaros second coronavirus test negative (Reuters) Hong Kong is putting electronic wristbands on arriving passengers to enforce coronavirus quarantine (CNBC) Manchester Arena bombers brother guilty of killing 22 at Ariana Grande concert (NBC News) Pipeline Master Limited Partnerships, (MLPs) were once the darlings of the energy industry. The CEOs of companies like Kinder Morgan, (NYSE:KMI), Energy Transfer, (NYSE:ET), and Enterprise Products Partners, (NYSE: EPD) and a host of others were on the business channel morning shows regularly. Circa 2009 was a great time to be CEO of an MLP. Worth noting is that the CEOs of all the MLPs mentioned became billionaires over the last couple of decades, counting the time before they went public. And, why not? They had a cant lose business model. Pitching themselves as Energy Toll Roads, they didnt have capital tied up in the hydrocarbons being pumped through their line, or direct commodity pricing risk. They skipped the exploration and production risks and expenses that burdened upstream operators, and just collected tolls. Accordingly, customers lined up to pay their money to move their products to market and signed long-term multi-year contracts to secure take away space in pipelines forecast to be built. Thus, providing a long term stream of cash flow for the MLPs. The investing case for MLPs got better for investors. MLPs were obligated to pay most of their profits in the form of Distributions to them, leading to fat checks per unit if an investor was willing to do a little extra paperwork for the I.R.S. Growth and yield rarely come together in such a neat package. (Note-MLPs have complicated tax structures that shift some tax liability to unitholders and often involve the need for sophisticated tax assistance!) With a license to essentially print money, starting in 2009 the share prices of these company units- in an MLP you are buying units, took off. What is a little curious is why the stocks of these two companies didnt go even higher. With dividend yields often approaching double digits for most of their history, who wouldnt want on this gravy train? Why indeed. A lot of investors wondered about this and passed on the handsome returns offered by ET, and EPD. Something just wasnt right, they reasoned. Double-digit returns are often a sign of risk in equity. Thats investing 101. But, for a number of years, the lure of easy money seemed to outweigh any risk, and many investors jumped in. Those who held off might be congratulating themselves right now as ETs dividend (after a 50% cut a year or so ago), hit 18% the other day. This is the result of their share price hitting 10-year lows, lower than it entered the decade for a total return for the period of about 4% including those distributions. If you only go back five years the total return is -17.53%. (Click to enlarge) Source: Yahoo Financials, chart by author In fairness as regards stock price movement in the last couple of weeks, it is driven more by the tiff between Russia and Saudi Arabia, than their own fundamentals. As you likely well know virtually all energy-related stocks have been decimated following the decision March 6th, by two of the worlds largest energy producers to go for market share and flood the market with oil. In this article, we take a look at the resource fundamentals that drive the MLP business. Then we will narrowly focus in on a couple of metrics that might give investors pause as they decide whether or not to go bottom-fishing, in the MLP space, at all. And what companies might have the best prospects to rebound. Oil and Gas fundamentals It is putting it fairly mildly to say the hydrocarbon industry is in a state of flux right now. The core problem is that the market is drastically over-supplied with each commodity, and has been for some time. This point has been well covered in recent articles so I am not going to develop this point extensively in this article. Related: OPEC+ Scraps Meeting As Oil War Heats Up What is worth mentioning is that the business case (supportive commodity prices) for a huge amount of energy development upon which the MLPs have based their investment decisions, has deteriorated seriously in the last few weeks. This can be seen in the most recent release by the Energy Information Agency, (EIA) of its Short Term Energy Outlook, STEO. (Click to enlarge) STEO Prices for oil and gas have just collapsed over the last year, as storage volumes for each has risen. Simply put there just isnt a spare tea kettle or crock pot to put another liter in and companies are resorting to floating storage to cope. What is alarming and germane to this article is that many of the customers of the MLPs being discussed are largely financially distressed and are cutting back their development plans. If you extend this thinking out a year or so production could fall off, and lessen demand for pipeline transport. Tolls will decline in that scenario and that might create cash flow problems for the pipeline MLPs. Debt It can be instructive to look at the debt to capital ratios of the pipeline MLPs. This metric is a combination of a companys capitalization and its total debt. Optimal or acceptable ratios of debt to capital vary somewhat according to the industry, but good ratios are in the 1:1 to 1:1.5 range. Generally, experts agree that this ratio should not exceed 1:2.0. (Click to enlarge) Yahoo Financials, Chart by author Of the three companies we have been discussing, only Energy Transfer is seriously out of step with the debt to capital guidelines. So indebtedness doesnt explain the markets disdain for these entities over the past few years. What might? Public Perception One thing these companies simply cant get away from is a negative public perception of their presence. Put aside for a moment that they carry the hydrocarbon stain, that inspires avoidance in the investing circles today. Pipeline companies by necessity must secure permits and rights of way to build out their networks. This fact brings them into and under the purview of the various local, state, and federal regulatory agencies who must decide for the public at large if its interest is being met. Any one or several of these regulators can stop work on the project without concern for the financial impact it will have on the commercial enterprise. All the companies we are focusing on today have had project delays or cost overruns from regulatory intervention. Related: Saudi Arabias Oil War Could Bankrupt The Kingdom Another vector for potential problems is that much of the routes that these pipelines must travel cross or come close to the boundaries of reservations set aside for American aboriginal tribes. Fierce resistance, often aided by the courts system, has been encountered in recent years as the tribes have sought to delay or deny forward access to pipelines. A good example of this would be the tribal protests around the Dakota Access Pipeline, DAPL. Many of the other pipeline projects undertaken in the last few years have run into similar push back to the DAPL. WSJ It is worth noting that most of these projects are ultimately completed and go into service, albeit somewhat behind schedule. What investors should note is that this risk really cant be mitigated and could and has had adverse impacts on the stocks of the MLP companies in the past. The past impact has been to insulate the stock from upward trends in the industry, and exacerbate downward trends. In the investing game, this is called Dead Money, and represents a real risk to capital. Insider buys Open Market Buys by senior executives in a company are often a way of telegraphing confidence in a companys prospects. These are acquisitions where real money is exchanged for common stock, as opposed to planned buys or planned dispositions. Open Market Buys are bullish indicators, Dispositions less so. It should be noted that this is not a perfect indicator of management's thinking as there are all kinds of reasons to sell stock. Insiders at Energy Transfer have been scooping up their stock over the last three at a hectic place, with broad participation by the companys officers and directors. Not the least of which was a nearly $3.8 mm buy from Kelcy Warren (ETs Founder and CEO) on Feb-28th. Insiders have been busy at Enterprise Products Partners as well, but not on the same scale as the execs at ET. At Kinder Morgan, Richard Kinder (Founder and CEO) has been a busy little bee scooping up 1.4 mm shares since the 26th of February for an average cost of ~$16.00/share. Mostly on his own save for a small purchase by one of the firms officers. I wouldnt go overboard here, but I read this is a bullish sign broadly. Your takeaway On the bullish side of things, these companies have the real cash flow to cover capex and dividends, at least for now. My point about the possibility of these cash flows diminishing down the road, is not a problem for today. It could be one 6-months from now though. On the bearish side, which Ive already tipped my hand on, the industry fundamentals are still weakening day by day. The turmoil is relentless and trillions of dollars of market capitalization across the upstream and downstream industry have been lost in the last 2-3 weeks. I doubt that it is entirely over. What this means, although the external signs like yesterdays Monthly Drilling Productivity Report from the EIA shows shale production still rising incrementally to over 9-mm BOEPD, there is no relief in sight for oil prices. Companies are starting to implement drastic cuts that will over time act to bring some relief to oil prices. ExxonMobil, (NYSE:XOM) just announced a major cost-cutting move in light of the reduced demand from the Corona-virus impact. The easiest place for it to cut in its portfolio is in the Permian, so although there were no specifics, thats where I am looking for big cuts. You will see more of this in the days ahead. The growth phase of shale production is behind us, and I will detail in a future article how I see that playing out over the next couple of years. Bottom-line, I am not ready to tie-up capital in a pipeline MLP. You have a fair amount of information now to guide your own investment decisions, and if your investing temperament includes high risk, high reward companies, you might well want to consider one of the companies discussed herein. By David Messler More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Philadelphia: The Philadelphia Police Department has been instructed to postpone arrests for low-level criminal offenses to limit officers' exposure to COVID-19 and prevent the spread of disease. The department announced the decision in an internal memo obtained by Billy Penn and WHYY states. According to the memo, Philadelphia authorities will stop arresting for certain nonviolent crimes, including all narcotic offenses, retail theft, vandalism, burglary, and prostitution. Beginning from Tuesday, arrests for these offenses will instead be effectuated via arrest warrant, according to Outlaws memo. That means officers may detain and identify a suspect in order to gather evidence, but the alleged offender will then be released. Officers will then submit an arrest affidavit to the District Attorney's Charging Unit: "If the charges are approved the assigned detective will obtain an Arrest warrant," the memo reads. "The warrant will be served at a later time, as conditions dictate." "We are supportive of Commissioner Outlaws directive on making arrests during the Coronavirus crisis," John McNesby, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #5, told Fox29. "The directive was released to keep officers safe during this public-health crisis. Meanwhile, violent offenders will be arrested and processed with the guidance of a police supervisor." 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 She is never shy when it comes to showcasing her enviable frame for her 25.7 million Instagram followers. And Emily Ratajkowski did it again on Wednesday when she flashed her washboard abs in a mirror selfie video. The 28-year-old wore her husband Sebastian Bear-McClard's sweat pants while posing for the camera. Not camera shy: Emily Ratajkowski drew attention to her washboard abs on Wednesday when she posed up a storm for a mirror selfie 'Thank god for Sebos excessive sweatpant collection,' she penned. Emily added a multi-colored crop top and Sebastian's grey joggers for the video. She styled her brunette hair into a slicked back high bun and wore a natural amount of makeup. Comfort first: Emily added a multi-colored crop top and Sebastian's grey joggers for the video Gorgeous: She styled her brunette hair into a slicked back high bun and wore a natural amount of makeup Emily also took the time to share a series of throwback images from her younger years. 'Going through the archive. I had just turned 17 here,' she shared on Instagram. The model sported her signature natural plump lips and wore very little makeup in the monochrome shot. She also shared one of her 'first grams' from 2011. She wore denim overalls and sat cross legged on the ground. Going through the archives: Emily also took the time to share a series of throwback images from her younger years Nine years ago: She also shared one of her 'first grams' from 2011. She wore denim overalls and sat cross legged on the ground Another photo had young Emily pose at home with her first dog, Rosie. The Blurred Lines model is now the mom to 80 lbs Husky-German Shepard, Colombo. She and husband Sebastian celebrated the pup's first birthday earlier in the week. The loved up duo added Colombo to their family shortly after they celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary. Emily married Sebastian, her then boyfriend of only a few weeks, at the end of February 2018 at a New York City courthouse. Dog makes three! The Blurred Lines model is now the mom to 80 lbs Husky-German Shepard, Colombo. She and husband Sebastian celebrated the pup's first birthday earlier in the week She recently told Ashley Graham on her Pretty Big Deal podcast that she knew her actor/producer husband was 'the one' as he 'scares' her. 'I love him so much and he scares me a lot, which I think is also a way that you know,' she said. 'Because if you're scared of someone and also love them, that means the love is real big because you're putting away your own fears to be with someone.' She added: 'And we just knew. There was sort of a moment of, 'We're gonna make a family,' just us two, I'm not talking about kids. A partnership.' United and American also temporarily closed some airport lounges. At OHare, United Clubs in Terminal 1 near gates B18 and C16 and Terminal 2 near gate F8, as well as its Polaris lounge for international business travelers, arent open. A United Club in Terminal 1 near Gate B6 is open. American temporarily closed Admirals Clubs in OHares Terminal 3 on the G and L concourses. The concourse H/K club will remain open, American said. Mumbai/New Delhi, March 18 : Essel Group chairman Subhash Chandra and former Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal on Wednesday skipped the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons for questioning in connection with the money laundering probe involving arrested Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor. A senior ED official related to the probe in Delhi told IANS: "Chandra did not appear before the ED for questioning citing ongoing Budget session in Parliament. He has asked for another date for questioning after the Budget session." Chandra is a BJP Rajya Sabha MP from Haryana. On Monday, after the ED summoned Chandra, the Essel Group in a statement said the central financial probe agency has requested 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 cooperation 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. Meanwhile another official related to the probe in Mumbai said that Goyal also did not appear for questioning in connection with the case and asked for another date. He, however, did not reveal the reason given by Goyal for skipping the ED summons. On Tuesday, DHFL chief Kapil Wadhawan also skipped the ED summons for questioning in connection with the case. The ED 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. 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. The ED also registered a fresh case of money laundering against Kapoor and his wife on Tuesday. In answer to questions that highlighted measures being taken by grocery stores, restaurants and child care centers to respond to the health challenge, Ricketts said 500 Nebraskans have been tested thus far for the virus. As of Wednesday evening, 29 had tested positive. "We're looking at ways to increase testing capacity," he said. "We're looking at drive-up testing when we have the capacity. That is in the works." Ricketts said he has been pleased by voluntary compliance with his directive that no more than 10 persons congregate together at one time in order to help contain the virus. "Nebraskans have stepped up to meet the challenge," he said. And that includes bars that were financially impacted by the limitation on St. Patrick's Day, the governor said. Guidance from the state Department of Health and Human Services says retailers, including pharmacies, grocery stores and home improvement stores, are not expected to uphold the 10-person limit. "Generally, customers of these businesses are not in close proximity to one another," the guidelines state. At a later news conference in Omaha, Mayor Jean Stothert reiterated that Omaha bars must close. The Tanaiste has criticised the British government's announcement that they would be ending certain investigations into British soldiers. British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis said his government would be ending repeated re-investigations, where there is "no new compelling evidence", to protect former soldiers from "vexatious claims". The proposals come after the British Government's previous promise to deliver a way forward on legacy matters within 100 days of the New Decade New Approach deal. These new proposals include a pledge to ensure that Northern Ireland veterans receive equal treatment to their counterparts who served overseas and would introduce a five-year cut-off point from the date of an incident unless there are "exceptional" circumstances. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney, says proposing such significant changes must be approved by both Governments and the parties in the Northern Ireland Executive. The position of the Government is clear," Mr Coveney said. "The Stormont House Agreement framework is the way forward on these issues. "It was agreed by both Governments and the political parties after intensive negotiations, and it must be implemented. "Only through a collective approach can we hope to deal with these issues comprehensively and fairly, and in a way that responds to the needs of victims and survivors, and society as a whole. "In terms of the issues the UK Government has raised today about the treatment of British military veterans, our position is again clear. "There should be effective investigations into all Troubles-related deaths, regardless of the perpetrator. "We would not support a proposal to introduce any special measure or treatment, regarding the investigation of state or non-state actors in Northern Ireland. "Victims and survivors have had to wait for far too long for a suitable and effective system in Northern Ireland to deal with the legacy of the Troubles." Mr Coveney added he would be speaking to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on the issue to discuss next steps. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 10:09:46|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close An aircraft carrying medical aid from China to help Spain combat the COVID-19 arrived at Zaragoza airport in northern Spain on Tuesday. The shipment consisting of 500,000 medical masks donated by the Jack Ma Foundation and the Alibaba Foundation, was received by officials from the Spanish Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Services. If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here About 7:10 a.m., officers responded to the 1500 block of Merrimac Drive in Langley Park and discovered an unresponsive man with trauma to the upper body, Prince Georges County police said in a statement. Whenever (youre) dealing with a felony case, its a traumatic event as it is, he said. "People want to be done with this as soon as possible, thats the whole concept behind due process. ... But now, because of the extenuating circumstances, thats very, very difficult. And the effect its going to have on people is going to be very, very difficult. The Philippine government has imposed a strict community quarantine order amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. Residents, however, have concerns, as the guidelines require that everyone should as much as possible stay at home. Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in the Republic of the Philippines. Image Credit: Bekulnis / Shutterstock The guideline of 'enhanced community quarantine' includes the suspension of all mass transportation, closure of schools and universities, checkpoints at borders, and the cancellation of domestic air, sea, and land travel. International flights have also been halted. Under the new measure, the government will also implement strict quarantine and the regulation of the provision of food and essential health services. The idea is to keep everybody in home quarantine. The mindset should be, in case of doubt, stay at home, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said. For outbound international passengers traveling from Luzon, he said they would be allowed to leave the country within 72 hours from the start of the enhanced quarantine. Those who want to leave will leave within that period. We assume that after 72 hours, it is your decision to stay here, he added. Millions in their homes Millions of people in the Philippines were left confined after the implementation of the new community quarantine order, causing chaos in the countrys capital, Manila. The National Capital Region (NCR) first reported the cases of confirmed COVID-19. As of writing, the country has 187 confirmed cases and 12 deaths, with the highest fatality rate globally of 8 percent. In the capital, there are long queues of workers wanting to cross the border to attend work. Some companies have already suspended work, including non-essential businesses that are ordered to close. Companies that offer basic necessities and services remain open, including takeaway restaurants, water stations, supermarkets, banks, and pharmacies. On Mar. 17, the President, Rodrigo Roa Duterte placed the entire Luzon region into lockdown to combat the coronavirus disease, which has now taken more than 7,900 lives worldwide, with a total of 197,496 confirmed cases. In the entire Luzon region, public transport is suspended, with residents who still need to work crowding the borders in the hopes of hitching a ride to and from work. Several companies have promised to maintain the salaries of affected employees, while others continue their operations. Health care workers, government workers, police officers, military, and other front liners are still required to work, facing the threat of infection and serving the country. Lockdown confusion Still, there is confusion and frustration concerning the orders which aim to hinder the spread of the coronavirus, estimated to infect as many as 70,000 Filipinos. The Philippines does not have adequate resources to face a pandemic, with the healthcare system groaning for more supplies of PPEs for its health workers. Many Filipinos are worried about how to make both ends meet. The World Bank has projected that the poverty incidence in the country is at 24.5 percent for 2016, and 21.9 percent for 2018, based on the lower-middle-income poverty line of $3.20 per day. Workers are confused and frustrated about how to earn income for their families amid the quarantine orders. However, the government has assured that there are food and basic supplies in the Barangays (smallest administrative division) of each local government, especially for those in dire need during the quarantine period. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced a financial assistance program for employees affected by the new measures, with a USD $25 million (P$1.3 billion) COVID Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP). Each employee in private establishments will receive cash assistance of nearly USD$100. About 250,000 workers will benefit from the program. Private companies have also assisted their employees, while others still gave out salaries and assistance to their constituents. Baguio Citys strict measures The local government of Baguio City, located north of the NCR, has imposed strict implementations of the enhanced community quarantine. Mayor Benjamin Magalong has released measures in an attempt to maintain the citys COVID-free status. As of Mar. 17, the city has been placed on a 24-hour curfew, beginning at 5 a.m. of Mar. 18. Authorities will regularly and strictly check the purpose of people who go out in the streets. They will ensure that residents will stay at home, while barangay local authorities oversee the implementation of the measures among their constituents. For critical personnel, such as health workers and government officials, the curfew remains between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Public transport has been suspended, while non-residents were given a 48-hour window to leave the city. Further, non-residents going into the city will not be allowed entry. Only one person is permitted by the government to go out of the household and buy essentials. Private vehicles and motorcycles can be used, provided that only one person per vehicle. Special permits may also be issued to vehicles to ferry employees, including health care workers, critical personnel, and employees of private establishments. In the city of more than 300,000 people, eight cab units have been assigned for emergency medical care services. These units are on-call to address the need for transportation in cases of emergencies. Public utility jeepneys were also assigned to transport people to buy their essentials in supermarkets and markets in the city. The government has assured that the movement of essential goods and services will remain unhampered, to ensure that all residents are safe and secure amid the quarantine order. In all supermarkets, pharmacies, and other essential businesses, social distancing is strictly imposed. Manta ray tagging. Credit: Hugo Lassauce The first data collected on the diving behavior of reef manta rays in New Caledonia considerably extend the known depth range for this vulnerable species in decline, according to a study published March 18 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Hugo Lassauce of the University of New Caledonia, and colleagues. These results add new information on the habitat use of the species in a region where manta behavior has not previously been studied, and increase their known depth range by more than 200 m. Reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi) are declining worldwide, in large part due to fishing pressure. More detailed information on the distribution and habitat use of the reef mantas is necessary to inform conservation and fisheries management measures to ensure the long-term survival of the species, now listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Pop-up satellite archival tags (PSAT tags) are one of the most effective methods to investigate fine-scale movements and habitat use in manta rays, but until now, there have been no such studies conducted in New Caledonian waters. In the new study, Lassauce and colleagues report the results from nine PSAT tags deployed in New Caledonia, recording the world's deepest known dives for reef manta rays. All tagged individuals performed dives exceeding 300 m in depth, with a maximum depth of 672 m. Most of the deepest dives occurred during nighttime, possibly to access important food resources. The authors hypothesize that these results may indicate zooplankton abundance in the surface waters surrounding New Caledonian coral reefs is insufficient to sustain reef manta rays. According to the authors, many of the marine protected areas throughout the known range of reef manta rays are coastal and do not extend into deeper offshore waters. As deep-water fisheries increasingly exploit this zone, the study highlights the importance of incorporating offshore waters and deep-water foraging grounds in manta conservation initiatives. The authors add: Tagged Manta rays (Mobula alfredi) from the never-studied-before population of New Caledonia showed unprecedented deep dive behaviour. More frequent and deeper dives than ever recorded before, Manta rays of New Caledonia set a new depth range to 672 meters. Explore further Citizen scientists offer ray of hope More information: Lassauce H, Chateau O, Erdmann MV, Wantiez L (2020) Diving behavior of the reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi) in New Caledonia: More frequent and deeper night-time diving to 672 meters. PLoS ONE 15(3): e0228815. Journal information: PLoS ONE Lassauce H, Chateau O, Erdmann MV, Wantiez L (2020) Diving behavior of the reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi) in New Caledonia: More frequent and deeper night-time diving to 672 meters.15(3): e0228815. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0228815 Several candidates for Rajya Sabha, including NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Union minister of state for social justice Ramdas Athawale, and deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh won unopposed on Wednesday with no nominations filed against them NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale were among several candidates who won the election to Rajya Sabha, unopposed on Wednesday. With no nominations filed against them and the last date for withdrawal of nomination ending at 3 pm today, at least 21 leaders from across six states won these polls unopposed. Maharashtra saw the maximum of seven candidates winning unopposed on Wednesday, while five won from Bihar and West Bengal each, four from Odisha, three from Haryana, and two From Chhattisgarh, among others. Some of the other prominent leaders who won the election to Upper House of the Parliament were deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh. Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda, BJP's Indu Goswami from Himachal Pradesh and BJD leader Munna Khan, were also declared winners unopposed, among others. Meanwhile, Rajasthan will see a tough fight for three seats on 26 March when elections are held as none of the four candidates in the fray withdrew their nomination. All 5 in Bihar win unopposed All five candidates for as many Rajya Sabha seats in Bihar were on Wednesday declared elected unopposed as no other nominations were filed, an official said. Bihar Assembly secretary-cum-returning officer Bateshwar Nath Pandey told PTI that certificates were handed over to all the five candidates after the deadline for withdrawal of nomination papers at 3 pm. Two candidates each were from the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and one from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Elections were necessitated for the seats as they were falling vacant next month upon the expiry of term of the sitting members all of whom belonged to the JD(U)-BJP combine in the state. The JD(U) candidates were Harivansh, who is currently the deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha, and Ram Nath Thakur. They will serve a second consecutive term. Harivansh is a veteran journalist, who has edited the Prabhat Khabar for long and is considered a confidant of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is also the JD(U)'s national president. Ram Nath Thakur is the son of former chief minister Karpoori Thakur, arguably the tallest OBC leader from Bihar whom Kumar and other socialist leaders of his generation consider their political guru. BJP candidate Vivek Thakur, a former MLC who makes his parliamentary debut, is the son of former Union minister CP Thakur, whose Rajya Sabha tenure ends next month. The RJD candidates are Prem Chand Gupta and Amarendra Dhari Singh. Gupta, who is a close aide of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, hails from Haryana and had served as a minister in the UPA-I government at the Centre. Singh, who is an entrepreneur, is not known for prior involvement in politics. His candidature had caused much bewilderment in the five-party grand alliance headed by the RJD, one reason being that he is a Bhumihar, the upper caste known to be most vocally opposed to Lalu Prasad Yadav in Bihar. Sharad, Pawar, Ramdas Athawale win unopposed in Maharashtra NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Union minister of state for social justice Ramdas Athawale were on Wednesday elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha. Also elected unopposed to the Upper House were NCP leader and former minister Fauziya Khan, Shiv Sena's Priyanka Chaturvedi, former Congress MP Rajiv Satav and BJP's Udayanraje Bhosale and Bhagwat Karad. On the basis of their strength, the three ruling parties (Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress) fielded four candidates, while the main Opposition party BJP fielded three candidates, leaving little chance for an additional candidate in the fray. Independent candidate Rakesh Chavan filed his papers on the last day of filing nomination on Friday but it was rejected later during scrutiny. The biennial elections for the seven seats of Rajya Sabha were announced along with 48 other seats across the country. Along with Pawar and Athawale, NCP's Majid Memon, BJP's Amar Sable, Shiv Sena's Rajkumar Dhoot and an Independent member Sanjay Kakade are retiring on 2 April from Rajya Sabha. Four TMC candidates, one CPM nominee win in West Bengal Elections were necessitated for five seats in West Bengal as they were falling vacant next month. However, after TMC-backed Independent candidate, Dinesh Bajaj's nomination was cancelled due to technical reasons on Tuesday, voting scheduled on 26 March was done away with, and five candidates -- four from Trinamool Congress and one from CPM -- were declared elected unopposed on Wednesday. Trinamool Congress candidates Arpita Ghosh, Dinesh Trivedi, Subrata Bakshi and Mausam Noor, and CPM's Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, backed by the Congress, were declared elected after the deadline for withdrawal of nomination papers at 3 pm, officials said. Two from BJP, one Congress MP wins from Haryana In Haryana, two BJP nominees Ram Chander Jangra and Dushyant Kumar Gautam and one Congress' aspirant Deepender Singh Hooda were elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Haryana on Wednesday. The declaration of the three candidates elected to the Rajya Sabha was made on the last date for withdrawal of nominations. The BJP had named its backward class leader Jangra and party vice-president Gautam while Congress had named Hooda, its former MP from Rohtak. Two of the Rajya Sabha vacancies had arisen due to resignation of BJP's Ram Kumar Kashyap, who was elected as party MLA in assembly polls last year, and the impending expiry of the term of veteran Congress leader Kumari Selja next month. A third vacancy had arisen following the resignation of former Union minister and BJP leader Birender Singh. Gautam has been elected to the Upper House against this vacancy for the remainder of Singh's term, which would last till August 2022. Deepender had been a three-time Lok Sabha member from Rohtak. In 2019, he narrowly lost to BJP's Arvind Sharma as the saffron party had won all 10 parliamentary seats from the state. Meanwhile, in Himachal Pradesh, former state president of the BJP's Mahila Morcha, Indu Goswami was on Wednesday elected to Rajya Sabha from Himachal Pradesh. Goswami, 52, had filed her nomination on 13 March and the scrutiny of her papers was done on 16 March. Accompanied by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, state BJP chief Rajeev Bindal and Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, Goswami was handed over a certificate of her election to the Upper House by state assembly secretary Yash Paul Sharma. Goswami had resigned from the post of chief of state BJP's Mahila Morcha in July last year. Earlier, she had unsuccessfully contested the last assembly elections from Palampur constituency where she lost to Congress candidate Ashish Butail. One of the three Rajya Sabha seats from the state will fall vacant as Vipolve Thakur of the Congress is set to retire from the Upper House on 9 April. The other two seats from the hill state are currently represented by BJP national president JP Nadda and senior Congress leader Anand Sharma. Nadda's term in the Rajya Sabha will end in 2024, whereas Sharma's term will be completed in 2022. ALl four BJD candidates win from Odisha All the four BJD candidates were on Wednesday elected to the Rajya Sabha unopposed as opposition BJP and Congress did not field any nominee for the polls scheduled to be held on 26 March. Odisha Assembly Secretary-cum Returning Officer for the Rajya Sabha polls, Dasarathi Satpathy announced the election of the four BJD candidates -- Subhas Singh, Munna Khan, Sujit Kumar, and Mamata Mahanta. While Singh, an OBC, is a trade unionist, Khan, a party old-timer and close associate of late BJD founder Biju Patnaik, comes from the Muslim community. Kumar, who was an adviser to the Special Development Council, is a general category candidate and hails from Kalahandi district. Mahanta is a BJD women's wing member from Mayurbhanj district. The announcement came after the time for the withdrawal of nomination papers came to an end at 3 pm. Satpathy also handed over certificates to the victorious BJD candidates at the state Assembly. Though four Independent candidates had filed nomination papers, their candidature were rejected for not having the required 10 MLAs as proposers. While the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has 113 MLAs in the 147-member House, the BJP has 23, followed by nine of the Congress and one of the CPI(M). There is also an Independent legislator. A candidate required at least 29 first-preference votes to win the election. Four of the 10 Rajya Sabha seats from Odisha are falling vacant on 2 April, after completion of tenure of BJD lawmakers - Anubhav Mohanty, Narendra Kumar Swain, and Sarojini Hembram and Congress member Ranjib Biswal. Congress wins both seats from Chhattisgarh Congress nominees KTS Tulsi and Phulo Devi Netam, the only candidates in the fray for the two seats of the Upper House of Parliament from Chhhatisgarh, were on Wednesday elected unopposed. Of the five Rajya Sabha members from Chhattisgarh, the term of two of them Motilal Vora (Congress) and Ranvijay Pratap Singh Judeo (BJP) - is ending in early April. The main opposition BJP did not field any candidate in view of its low strength in the current Assembly. The other three Rajya Sabha members from the state are Saroj Pandey and Ramvichar Netam of the BJP and Chhaya Verma of the Congress. Tough fight likely for 3 seats from Rajasthan A tough fight for the three Rajya Sabha seats from Rajasthan became imminent on Wednesday with none of the four candidates for the biennial 26 March polls for the Upper House withdrawing their nominations on the last day for it. Congress has named KC Venugopal and Neeraj Dangi as its candidates while the BJP has named Rajendra Gehlot for the polls. The BJP, however, sprang a surprise by fielding Omkar Singh Lakhawat, who filed his nomination on the last day. With Lakhawat staying in the fray, a keen contest is on the cards for the three seats in the Upper House. Lakhawat is perceived to be the choice of the BJP to cash in on the factionalism within the Congress, party leaders said. They said though MLAs are tied to their party whips and chances of cross-voting are limited, the BJP fielded Lakhawat amid the growing dissent against the Congress government among other legislative parties, besides the discontent within the Congress itself. The three seats from Rajasthan are presently held by BJP leaders Ram Narain Dudi, Vijay Goel, and Narayan Lal Panchariya and are going to be vacated next month after the expiry of their incumbents' terms. Rajasthan has a total of 10 Rajya Sabha seats and nine of them, including the three which are going to polls on 26 March, are held by the BJP. Congress party's only Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan is former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was elected unopposed in the RS bypolls held last year after the seat fell vacant following the death of BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Madan Lal Saini, who was also the party's state president. The Congress party, which came to power in December 2018, has a total of 107 MLAs in the house of 200 while the BJP has 72 MLAs. With inputs from PTI All YMCA of Greater Birmingham locations closed their doors Monday night. This morning, they reopened to provide emergency childcare for healthcare workers and first responders who dont have childcare during the coronavirus outbreak in the Birmingham area. Employers will identify employees who qualify for the service and refer them to the YMCA. The YMCA is working with four local hospitals. The service is not open to the public and is intended for first responders and healthcare workers who truly have no options, said YMCA President and CEO Dan Pile. Its hard to fathom a hospital or medical provider not having staff because of a lack of childcare, Pile said. We want to serve those who have no other options. Reflecting our Judeo-Christian values, we feel compelled that its our job to care for the caretakers. Services will prioritize employees who provide critical services. Childcare will cost $20 per day with a price reduction for each additional child. However, Pile said no one will be turned away based on their ability to pay. Pile said 180 YMCA employees will be working to take care of kids. He said those employees will be paid. With those workers and facilities, the YMCA is prepared provide care for 800-900 children, he said. However, he doesnt expect to care for that many. Pile urged members to keep their YMCA accounts active even while they cannot access services and facilities at the YMCA. Pile urged members to keep t even while they cannot access services and facilities at the YMCA.YMCA membership. Closure for any length of time represents a significant threat to meet these emergency services. Your membership with the YMCA will go a long way to fund our efforts to serve our healthcare workers during this crisis, he said in a letter to members. All public schools are closed. Effective Wednesday, in Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Blount, St. Clair and Shelby counties, all private schools, pre-school and child care centers with more than 12 students must close until April 6, Gov. Kay Ivey ordered Tuesday morning. First responders and healthcare workers who want more information should send email to dpile@ymcabham.org. The coronavirus outbreak has many working Alabamians nervous about the future, should they lose their jobs or skip a paycheck because of quarantining or home shelter plans. With businesses shuttered and workers facing uncertain futures, companies are announcing ways to cope with your immediate financial needs. Utilities Most Alabamians receive their power from Alabama Power. The utility says it has not disconnected any customers for non-payment since the state of emergency declaration. Anyone affected by the outbreak, or who has lost their job, should contact the utility before bills lapse. The company says it can offer payment options, or refer them to community action agencies such as Project SHARE, a program in partnership with The Salvation Army, which helps pay energy bills for low-income Alabamians or for the disabled. Spokesman Michael Sznajderman said there are no plans to disconnect anyone who has been impacted by COVID-19. Those who are affected and have difficulty paying their bills should contact Customer Service at alabamapower.com or 1-800-245-2244. Many other communities, particularly in north Alabama, are served through cooperatives that receive power from the Tennessee Valley Authority. TVA spokesman Jimmie Ray Hopson said the utility has provided guidance to local power companies offering flexibility, which will allow them to temporarily prevent the disconnection of electric service for non-payment during the current COVID-19 outbreak. Specific decisions on how to structure those policies are under the control of the leadership of each local power company, however any new practices must be fairly and consistently applied to all of its customers, Hopson said. As a result, for any specific questions on policies in your area, you would need to contact your local power company. Spire says it is suspending disconnects and late fees until May 1 for residential and business customers, and any customer affected by the virus can contact the company. Cable, Internet and phone Several companies, such as Comcast and Charter, say they will not disconnect Internet service or assess late fees if customer contact them about trouble paying bills. Verizon is also waiving late fees for residential and small business customers negatively impacted by the pandemic. Contact your providers, many of which have coronavirus protocols on their websites. Credit cards and mortgages Some credit card companies are extending payment deadlines, lowering the annual percentage rate (APR) on the card and waiving late fees in response to the crisis. Citi earlier this month announced it was offering assistance to impacted customers in the U.S. through fee waivers for Citibank customers, hardship programs and offering small business support. Wells Fargo says it is providing assistance on credit card, auto, mortgage, small business and personal lending with customers who contact the bank. Discover said its customers may receive assistance related to payment timing, fees and late payments. BBVA announced several initiatives available through April 17. The bank has set up a page with information if you need loans or credit card extensions. It has also waived and refunded ATM fees charged by other banks/ATM networks to use their ATMs, and is offering penalty-free CD withdrawals, for CDs opened prior to March 1. Available upon request. Credit card holders should contact their companies or visit the websites to find out how to take advantage of these plans. For mortgages, the same applies. Birmingham-based Regions, for example, has hotlines for credit card payments and mortgage/loan hardship. Regions has an established customer assistance program and we have many years of experience working with customers through natural disasters and other situations to address their specific needs, Evelyn Mitchell, a senior vice president with Regions said. We are encouraging customers experiencing a financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to contact Regions directly for assistance with loan payments and other needs. Regions bankers are also reaching out to business clients directly to discuss their unique situations and how Regions can assist. Analysts say you should call now if you expect to miss a payment and not wait until a payment lapses. Taxes Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Tuesday individuals and businesses will get an extra 90 days to pay their income taxes this year, due to the coronavirus. Individual and small business filers will be able to defer payments of up to $1 million and corporations can defer up to $10 million without incurring interest or penalties. But Mnuchin encouraged people who could to go ahead and file before the April 15 deadline in order to receive tax refunds, if eligible. The Alabama Department of Revenue this week said it will mirror the federal guidelines for individual taxpayers. Those with individual return questions should call (334) 353-0602. The department is also waiving late payment penalties for some small retail businesses through June 1. Similar sales tax relief may be available on a case-by-case basis to other businesses significantly impacted by the coronavirus. Unemployment If you have lost your job, the Alabama Department of Labor has modified its existing unemployment compensation rules to allow workers to file claims. This includes people quarantined by a medical professional, those who are laid off or sent home without pay for an extended period by their employer due to COVID-19 concerns, caregivers, and those diagnosed. Workers can file for benefits at the website or by calling 1-866-234-5382. Online filing is encouraged. If youre still seeking a job, you will most likely have to do so online. All of Alabamas 51 Career Centers are closed until further notice. However, Career Center services are still available locally through telephone calls with the staff, or through email. You can also search through a database of jobs with the Job Link service, the states free online jobs database. The U.S./Canada border has remained open despite measures by both countries to block and limit international flights and mobility in light of the coronavirus pandemic, but that is changing today as the two countries have agreed, "by mutual consent," to suspend any movement between the two beyond "essential traffic" and "trade," as first revealed via President Donald Trump on Twitter, and confirmed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a briefing on Wednesday. Earlier this week, Canada announced during a press conference with Trudeau that it would be closing its borders to all non-citizens and residents, with the exception of American citizens. He was asked multiple times during the Q&A session at that briefing about why the U.S. was exempted, given that the rate of new cases in the U.S. was now large and growing larger at a rapid pace. Trudeau said that closing the border to the U.S. was still on the table as an option, but emphasized the intertwined nature of the economies of both countries as one key factor in why they were not included in the original travel limitations. The exception for traffic deemed "essential" as well as for trade transportation between the two countries in the measures announced by Trump today appear to be an attempt to keep at least part of that economic activity intact. The Canadian Prime Minister said during Wednesday's briefing that the definition of non-essential travel as barred in this case applies primarily to "tourism and cross-border shopping." Urgent essential business travel, trade and other commercial transportation is not included in the current temporary travel suspension. Trudeau said that in terms of timing, Canada is "working with the U.S. to ensure that these measures come into force as quickly as possible," while declining to set a specific beginning date or time for them to come into effect. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said during a White House press briefing that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will be tasked with effecting the travel ban on the American side of the border. Australia is set for an explosion in coronavirus cases in the next 14 days before the potential effects of social distancing kick in, experts have warned. Globally, more than 204,000 people have been infected with COVID-19 - and cases in Australia have skyrocketed from 73 to 568 in less than two weeks. With cases of the virus now doubling every three days on home soil, more than 1,000 Australians will likely be struck down with the virus by the weekend. University of New South Wales head researcher at Kirby Institute, Raina MacIntyre, said that trend would continue for at least a fortnight, when the impact of Scott Morrison's social distancing measures would begin to take effect. 'We're very much on the upward part of the curve. We can expect there to be a lot more cases tomorrow and even more cases the day after... things are going to get a lot worst a lot faster,' she told The Australian. 'We're looking like the countries in Europe that are experiencing quite severe surge in cases. It means that the epidemic is getting bigger very fast. Three women wearing face masks in Neutral Bay on Wednesday following spike in coronavirus cases Coronavirus cases in Australia have soared in recent days - and experts fear they are likely to continue to grow in the coming days 'Whether we get as bad as Italy depends on how we handle the response from here on and how much we manage to reduce contact between people with the measures we're undertaking.' Prime Minister Scott Morrison insisted he would not replicate Europe's implementation of total lockdowns, instead suspending international travel and banned indoor gatherings of more than 100 people. Last week, he introduced a social distancing policy, asking people to keep at least 1.5m distance between each other to avoid catching coronavirus. Pictured: Empty tables at food and drink outlets at the Sydney Opera House as they announce the cancellation of all performances until the end of the month There have been 568 cases of coronavirus identified in Australia - but more are expected in coming days and weeks View of a nearly deserted Federation Square in Melbourne, on March 18 following the nation's ban on non-essential mass gatherings 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 to avoid the 'war-like conditions' Italy is currently experiencing. 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 passenger wearing gloves and a face mask waits in the arrival hall at the international airport in Sydney on March 18 University of New South Wales head researcher at Kirby Institute, Raina MacIntyre (pictured), said while the measures are a step in the right direction, Australians won't be able to gauge their success for at least a couple of weeks '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. 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 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. 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. 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. 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 of the social distancing policies but say they need to be pushed even further and be strictly enforced. Adjunct Professor Bill Bowtell, from UNSW's Kirby Institute of Infection and Immunity, put forward a radical blueprint for fighting COVID-19 - and delivered a scathing verdict on the government's policies. Mr Morrison on Wednesday announced a ban on indoor gatherings of more than 100 people, unprecedented 'do not travel' advice and the lifting of restrictions on 20,000 student nurses. But Prof Bowtell - who was behind Australia's HIV/AIDS response in the 1980s - said the policies are too little too late, as Australia remains on the trajectory to follow Italy's dreadful plight. 'All of this should have been done a week ago. It wasn't,' he said. Leading critic: Adjunct Professor Bill Bowtell, an infectious diseases expert, said the government's plans are 'so far behind, it's not funny' 'The advice on gatherings is way out of date ... We're on the trajectory for the Italian outcome. We have been trying to say it for weeks.' The medical expert, who unloaded on the government's policies on the ABC's Q&A program this week, said the government's response was still no better than it had been a week or even months ago. That was hotly disputed by government sources, who said the measures were fashioned with advice from leading virologists and epidemiologists - and took time to design. In light of Prof Bowtell's scathing criticisms, Daily Mail Australia asked the doctor what his blueprint for the nation would be to stopping the virus. Here's what he had to say. 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 Ramp up testing - and no special treatment First and foremost, the country must ramp up its testing and follow the model of countries such as South Korea, Prof Bowtell said. They're rushing in tests now because they didn't get on Amazon.com in January and order ten times as many Infectious diseases expert Bill Bowtell Korea alone has tested more than 270,000 people since the outbreak began, according to Science magazine. It appears to be managing the outbreak well. He argued the government must be less secretive about how many test kits there are in Australia, and the areas of the nation that are short. 'We have to know the truth about the tests and we have to test more,' he said. 'We should know how many test kits there are in Australia,' he said. 'They're kept secret by a secretive government. 'We should know the regions that have run out of test kits.' (A high-level source said 97,000 test kits arrived in the country last night, and Melbourne's Doherty Institute has developed an alternative testing process.) Leading the way: Medical professionals at a South Korean testing facility in Seoul, South Korea Rationing - and cops at the supermarket and clinics Authorities need to 'impose order and discipline' to the panic buying crisis, Prof Bowtell said, by bringing in police to help enforce the rationing of goods. 'It's time to impose order and discipline,' Mr Bowtell said, pointing to chaotic scenes at supermarkets and elderly people struggling to complete their weekly shop. Stop hoarding. Stop doing it. It's ridiculous Prime Minister Scott Morrison 'We have to accept there's got to be rationing,' he said. 'The police have to be present at the supermarkets and the hospital waiting rooms. 'If you go to the supermarket you've got to be told, you can have one pack of this, one tub of butter... and if you've got any problems go see the cop in the corner?' 'We have to accept the market economy as we've known it has ceased to function, and we have to take order and control.' The major supermarkets, Coles and Woolworths, have already imposed strict limits on purchases of some products, including staples such as toilet paper, pasta and rice. Coles and Woolworths have introduced dedicated shopping hours for the elderly and disabled from 7am to 8am, which has been popular. Mr Morrison demanded Australians 'stop hoarding' on Wednesday and said it was one of the most 'disappointing' aspects of Australian behaviour he had seen. 'Stop hoarding ... Stop doing it. It's ridiculous. It's un-Australian and it must stop,' he said. Totally bare: The toilet paper aisle at a Coles supermarket last Friday TRAGIC MOMENT A DEJECTED ELDERLY AUSTRALIAN REALISES THERE IS NO BREAD LEFT IN IGA Pictured: Good Samaritan Helena Ellis A photo of an elderly man staring at an empty shelf of bread offers a tragic insight into the impact coronavirus panic-buying is having on older Australians. Sydney-based DJ Helena Ellis shared the 'heartbreaking' photo with her followers on Monday as she urged people to consider the elderly before they clear supermarket shelves. While visiting a south Hurstville IGA in Sydney's south, Ms Ellis came across a man who she believed was 'at least 84'. He had 'an empty trolley [and was] staring at empty shelves of bread,' she said. 'My heart broke.' Ms Ellis had picked up the last two packets of hot dog buns, so decided to give him one out of her own trolley. The small act of kindness was enough to make the man smile, which Ms Ellis said was the best outcome she could've hoped for. Ms Ellis suggested communities work together to protect elderly people and ensure they've got everything they need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ms Ellis shared this photo of an elderly man staring at an empty bread shelf after it was cleaned out by coronavirus panic buyers 'If you see an old person, please stop and ask them if they need anything... give them something from your trolley that is no longer on the shelves,' she said. The performer reminded her followers that for most people, ducking to the store is no more than a minor inconvenience. But for some of the nation's most vulnerable, it might be considered a major task. 'You could easily come back and get [items] tomorrow,' she said. 'Who knows where they came from or how long it took them to get to the shop... only to get there and find empty shelves. 'In a time of complete and utter madness and chaos, please don't forget to look out for each other and look out for those who need it most.' Ms Ellis urged people not to be 'consumed by greed' during the crisis. Advertisement Shut down the schools except for those who need it Schools should be 'scaled back' to encourage social distancing. But staff should still be available so children can be supervised, Prof Bowtell said. Anaesthetist Rob Hackett protested outside Paddington Public School - urging parents to leave their kids at home 'When I say the schools should be shut down, all the children and the parents who can make arrangements to drop them at home should be fine,' he said. 'But I don't think the schools should shut down as physical institutions - certainly there should be some way of caring or looking after children (at the school) if parents for one reason or another can't take responsibility for them during the day.' The prime minister told reporters was keeping the nation's schools open on health advice. He said Singapore - which has had success in limiting the virus - had not shut their school system. 'I am telling you that, as a father, I'm happy for my kids to go to school,' he said. He said closing schools would have a 'severe' economic impact, forcing up to 30 per cent of health workers to have to stay home. 'There is a national public interest here in keeping schools open and our advice is that is not being done at the detriment at the health of any child,' he said. The only reason kids shouldn't go to school is if they're sick, he said. Freeze the economy The government is busy preparing a second stimulus package, after already announcing $17 billion in measures to brace the economy from a terrible shock. But Professor Bowtell argued radical measures should be taken amid government warnings that businesses will close and people will lose their jobs. He said the Federal government should essentially 'freeze' the economy in place, as best it can. 'Companies need money to pay wages, and they need that unlimited,' he said. 'The Federal Treasury's got to go to them and say... what's your wages bill? You've got that going forward'. Meanwhile, Professor Bowtell said a moratorium should be placed on mortgages, lease payments and credit card bills. 'Freeze the economy in place, pump it up with money - and let's see where we get to in two or three weeks time'. Don't 'lockdown' - come down together as a country Professor Bowtell said talk of a lockdown is 'just so much rubbish'. The term implies 'police or cyborgs going around' preventing people from going outside, he joked. 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 only thing we can do is explain truthfully to the Australian people the mess we are now in,' he said. Australians must mobilise their families, their households, apartment buildings and their streets and 'put together order and discipline', he said. Professor Bowtell said Australians should be pulling together initiatives as Sydney MP Alex Greenwich is suggesting. Mr Greenwich is making a list of electorate restaurants offering direct delivery and take-away during the crisis. Professor Bowtell said the bottom line was: 'We're going to have to have a new way of doing things for awhile'. You are here: China 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. Rajya Sabha Congress MP Ripun Bora on Wednesday highlighted problems being faced by people due to shortage and high prices of sanitisers and masks amid outbreak of coronavirus. Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in the House, he said the government has asked people to take precautionary steps like cleaning of hands. Bora said there was shortage of sanitisers, soaps and masks not only in metro cities, but also in rural areas of the country. He said these items were being sold at exorbitant prices. The Congress member urged the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to monitor the supply, and ensure their availability and proper prices so that there is no panic among the public. Making a special mention on the coronavirus issue, Sanjay Singh (AAP) stressed on increasing number of testing centres, and follow the model adopted by South Korea in this regard. He also made a case for increasing the number of quarantine centres as the country should be prepared for a "medical emergency". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) We've lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. On the other hand, we'd be remiss not to mention that insider sales have been known to precede tough periods for a business. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Shinvest Holding Ltd. (SGX:BJW). Do Insider Transactions Matter? Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock in the company. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required. We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. For example, a Columbia University study found that 'insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own companys stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers'. View our latest analysis for Shinvest Holding The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Shinvest Holding MD & Director Teck Leong Teo made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for S$230k worth of shares at a price of S$1.67 each. We do like to see buying, but this purchase was made at well below the current price of S$3.40. While it does suggest insiders consider the stock undervalued at lower prices, this transaction doesn't tell us much about what they think of current prices. Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid S$646k for 409.30k shares. But they sold 10000 shares for S$17k. Overall, Shinvest Holding insiders were net buyers last year. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below! SGX:BJW Recent Insider Trading, March 18th 2020 Shinvest Holding is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying. Story continues Insiders at Shinvest Holding Have Bought Stock Recently We saw some Shinvest Holding insider buying shares in the last three months. Independent Director Sik Ting Chau bought S$16k worth of shares in that time. We like it when there are only buyers, and no sellers. But in this case the amount purchased means the recent transaction may not be very meaningful on its own. Insider Ownership Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. It's great to see that Shinvest Holding insiders own 62% of the company, worth about S$66m. Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders. So What Do The Shinvest Holding Insider Transactions Indicate? Insider purchases may have been minimal, in the last three months, but there was no selling at all. That said, the purchases were not large. However, our analysis of transactions over the last year is heartening. It would be great to see more insider buying, but overall it seems like Shinvest Holding insiders are reasonably well aligned (owning significant chunk of the company's shares) and optimistic for the future. While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. When we did our research, we found 3 warning signs for Shinvest Holding (1 can't be ignored!) that we believe deserve your full attention. If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading. The Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) has cautioned the government over the possibility of higher defaults in the export business sector due to novel coronavirus (COVID 19) outbreak linked cancellations and reduction in orders. The exporters wanted to apprise the government there would be delay in declaration of company accounts. Also, it warned lack of business, coupled with fixed costs, would soon make many accounts technically NPAs . "The spread of Covid 19 to over 144 countries points to the most challenging times for the exports sector. Near lock down and quarantine in many advanced economies has given a jolt to the demand and added to the rising uncertainties with looming recessions in large number of economies with consequent fallouts", Sharad Kumar Saraf, President, FIEO says. The MSMEs particularly in employment intensive sectors like carpets, handicrafts, apparels, footwear, gems and jewellery, marine and perishable with their major market in Europe and the USA are likely to be worst affected, particularly in first quarter of FY 2020-2021, as per the current trend, FIEO estimates. "The export sector has started feeling the pinch with many requests from buyers to hold back shipments till further instructions. We feel that a significant number of such requests may eventually lead to cancellation of orders. Even in cases where Indian exporters are adhering to the terms of contract, the force majeure clause are likely to be invoked by buyers to deny claim/liability raised by exporter", Saraf says. Stating that all businesses (with few exceptions) will take a hit in revenue and margins, with fixed cost remaining the same, FIEO wanted the government to enhance the existing working credit limits of exporters with the banks automatically by 25%. The apex exporters' body wanted collateral free lending upto Rs 2 crore to be implemented in its 'true spirit' and cap the collateral requirement beyond Rs 2 crore lending at 35-40%. The agency called for continution of all existing export promotion schemes till at least 31 March, 2021. FIEO called for immediate release of all benefits that are due to exporters to ease liquidity issues. It wanted release of dues to even risky exporters after taking bonds from them. According to FIEO, the export obligation period under Advance Authorisation and EPCG needs to be extended by 1 year in the forth coming Foreign Trade Policy (FTP). The policy should also provide automatic revalidation to all duty-free authorisations by 1 year to enable the industry to import inputs at the right price, the exporters' body said. The exporters' wishlist included extension of remittance period from 9 months to 15 months, extension of exemption from caution listing of exporters from March 31, by another year; both to be done by the Reserve Bank of India. Saraf said that if situation improves rapidly in the second quarter of the next fiscal, Indian exporters may gain in some products so as to offset the losses. However, at this point of time, survival of many MSME exporting units looks challenging, he added. Also read: Coronavirus in India Live updates: Noida, Bengaluru report new COVID-19 positive cases; tally crosses 150 Also read: Mumbai woman praises quarantine centre for cleanliness, BMC elated Facebook is making its advanced Workplace platform available to governments and emergency services for free in a bid to help those dealing with the coronavirus. Workplace from Facebook provides connectivity and communications tools such as video conferencing, chat, groups and safety check features, built on the back of the main social networks site. We believe that were doing the right thing for the ecosystem and that we can be helpful with organisations that need it the most right now, which are, for us, people fighting the coronavirus every day at the frontline of the fight, in situations where they have to be both productive and connected, sometimes for the very first time, Julien Codorniou, vice president of Workplace from Facebook, told the PA news agency. All government organisations globally, at a national or local level, as well as emergency services, including ambulance, dispatchers and law enforcement, are eligible to claim a years access to the advanced tier. Asked whether the platform would be able to handle the extra demanded, Mr Codorniou added: We know we are leveraging an infrastructure that has been built for billions of people, on Facebook, on Instagram, on Messenger, on Workplace and WhatsApp, so believe that we can take the extra load. Workplace is already used to support the London Fire Brigade, as well as the government of Singapore, Oslo Kommune and Ambulance Victoria in Australia. The World Health Organisation (WHO) is also using the service to keep relevant parties informed about Covid-19. The World Health Organisation has set up a Covid-19 Workplace group (Jonathan Brady/PA) Thanks to Workplace, we are able to deliver real-time, essential updates to our staff on the Covid-19 outbreak, said Carey Kyer, lead of internal communications at WHO. Workplace ticks the box on our need to communicate, engage and connect real-time with our colleagues around the world, especially during this public health emergency of international concern. Story continues Our Covid-19 Workplace group is the second most-followed group at WHO. Its become an easy-to-access channel for our staff around the world to watch the daily press briefings, staff seminars and to find resources, while providing an open forum for staff to ask questions and receive instant feedback. Other tech giants, including Microsoft and Google, have opened up their platforms for free to assist businesses adopting more work-from-home conditions during the coronavirus crisis. On Monday, Microsoft Teams appeared to struggle under the added pressure, as employees logging on across Europe suffered outage issues, affecting their ability to communicate with other members of staff. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 01:12:19|Editor: ZD Video Player Close An aircraft carrying medical aid from China to help Spain combat the COVID-19 arrives at Zaragoza airport in northern Spain on March 17, 2020. (Photo by Qiu Yijing/Xinhua) ZARAGOZA, Spain, March 17 (Xinhua) -- An aircraft carrying medical aid from China to help Spain combat the COVID-19 arrived at Zaragoza airport in northern Spain on Tuesday. The shipment consisting of 500,000 medical masks donated by the Jack Ma Foundation and the Alibaba Foundation, was received by officials from the Spanish Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Services. Sources from the two foundations said the aid was made to help the Spanish government combat the COVID-19, which has so far affected over 11,000 people in Spain and claimed almost 500 lives. Tuesday's shipment of aid to Spain follows a similar shipment of 300,000 masks from China to Belgium on Monday. This is not the only donation to Spain from China, with the Chinese community in Zaragoza also donating 15,123 facemasks, 5,544 pairs of gloves and 1,254 bottles of alcohol and disinfectant gels to local authorities. Saturday saw the Spanish government declare a State of Alarm in the country, with people only permitted out to work or to purchase essential goods. Spain has also closed its land borders to everyone except for returning Spanish citizens or residents. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh says he hasnt ruled out the possibility of a shelter-in-place order to prevent the spread of coronavirus, telling reporters on Wednesday that it could be a realistic option. I dont think its a question of how bad it gets. I think its a question of when is the right time if it has to be done, Walsh said during a news conference that was live-streamed by WCVB-TV. Walsh said the city currently has no plans to lockdown its residents. The Boston Democrat said it would constitute a very serious step in the citys measures to combat the spread of COVID-19. Listen, inevitably there could be possibly a reason for shelter-in-place, but I think right now were monitoring this literally hour-by-hour," Walsh added. Walshs comments come in response to New York Mayor Bill de Blasios statements on Tuesday suggesting that New York City residents may face the prospect of a shelter-in-place order in the coming days. Nearly 7 million people in Northern California are on lockdown after a shelter-in-place order was issued Monday evening. In Massachusetts, there are now 256 cases of the coronavirus, according to the latest data from the states Department of Public Health released Wednesday. Sign up for free text messages about important updates on coronavirus in Massachusetts Related Content: Industry leaders are encouraging enterprises to diversify their products to match the demand of consumers. Photo: Le Toan Vietnams total seafood export value fell by 17.7 per cent on-year to $912 million in the first two months of 2020 due to the impact of the novel coronavirus, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers. The pandemic has greatly affected China, one of Vietnams main markets, and caused a strong reduction in seafood exports. However, despite general difficulties in the sector, there is optimism about the future of exported shrimp. According to statistics released by Sao Ta Foods JSC (FMC), in February, 937 tonnes of processed shrimp were exported, with a revenue of $10.7 million. These figures are 187 tonnes and $8.3 million lower than during the same period of last year. Ho Quoc Luc, chairman of FMCs Board of Directors, said, The company has yet to face any difficulties in exporting products to traditional markets, namely the US, Japan, and Europe. No customers from these markets have raised concerns about the impact of the COVID-19 on their business. Even in South Korea, which makes up 5-6 per cent of the companys exports, activity has been stable. FMC has made an effort to expand export channels to Australia, Luc continued. In order to meet the demand of both traditional and new markets, the company raised new shrimp colonies in 220 existing ponds and accelerated the construction of new ponds so we can start to raise new batches in April this year. Luc went on to say that although the company has yet to be affected by the virus, in early March they established a COVID-19 taskforce. The mission is to raise awareness about the outbreak among staff and develop preventive measures, he said. Boosted exports FMCs move is an example of how seafood processing companies can see opportunities in these difficult times. Furthermore, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the US decision to increase tax on goods imported from China is also a chance for seafood producers to boost exports to this market. According to Truong Dinh Hoe, general secretary of the VASEP, at present, 70-80 per cent of Vietnamese exported shrimp is sent to Japan, the US, and Europe, with the remaining 20-30 per cent exported to China and South Korea. The COVID-19 outbreak will encourage large markets to reduce imports from China and increase imports from other countries, including Vietnam. The expected rise in shrimp exports may be backed up by the statistics. According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, in January, Papua New Guinea ranked as one of Vietnams top 10 largest export markets with a turnover of $2.8 million, up 1,358 per cent on-year and 108 per cent compared to last December. In the first month of 2020, the US accounted for 20 per cent of Vietnams total shrimp export turnover with a total value of $37.9 million, a significant on-year increase. In 2019, the US reported a decrease on the total imported shrimp volume, including a drop in imports from Indonesia, Thailand, and China. Meanwhile, the turnover of shrimp imported from Vietnam along with India, Ecuador, and Mexico still rose on-year. Improving quality Hoe from the VASEP stated that the peak shrimp farming season is usually at the end of June, by when the COVID-19 pandemic may have been brought under control and the market could be vibrant again. The sooner the outbreak stops, the better the sectors prospects are, he said. Hoe also recommended diversifying products to match consumption demands, saying that, Fresh and clean shrimps are favoured by markets such as the US and Europe. While the virus is spreading and impacting numerous areas of the economy, the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) should prove to be an invaluable tool for the Southeast Asian nation, allowing it to cut taxes and approach new, potentially lucrative export markets and giving it a distinct advantage over competitors such as India and Thailand. In order to seize this opportunity, Vietnamese businesses must satisfy many requirements relating to technical and quality standards and rules of origin. Moreover, they should develop an efficient supply chain in order to ensure food safety and hygiene, and enhance the competitiveness of products, said the VASEP general secretary. However, this is not an insurmountable obstacle for Vietnam to overcome. As one of the leading shrimp export companies, shipping thousands of tonnes of shrimp annually, Thai-backed C.P. Vietnam has applied numerous solutions to enhance productivity and improve the quality of shrimp farming to match the requirements of demanding markets, and explore new ones. In 2019 alone, more than 4,000 new farms were developed and put into operation, following the companys advanced CPF-Combine shrimp farming model. This remarkable growth expanded the shrimp farming industry by 9,000 households. The CPF-Combine approach produces organic, safe, and traceable shrimp, utilising baby shrimp imported from the parent company C.P. Group, new high-quality feed, and advanced technology, resulting in large shrimp and high productivity. Boonlap Watcharawanitchakul, senior vice president of C.P. Vietnam, said that this provides a sustainable foundation for the company to strengthen output, as well as improve export volume and seize opportunities created by the EVFTA to reach new overseas markets. After fish fillets, shrimp is the second-biggest seafood product exported by Vietnam to the EU. It makes up 4.3 per cent of the EU market, behind Thailand (4.5 per cent), India (9.1 per cent), and Ecuador (12.4 per cent). Therefore, as a result of factors like the outbreak, the EVFTA, and significant investment into farming and processing lines, as well as prominent businesses experience in entering new overseas markets, the Vietnamese seafood industry is expectedly well placed to make even bigger inroads into the EU and US in the near future. 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. A prison officer at Rikers Island correctional facility where convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein was being held behind bars has tested positive for coronavirus. Union officials announced Wednesday that an unidentified New York City correction officer who works at Rikers Island has been struck down with the virus. This makes them the second Department of Correction employee to test positive for the virus, after an investigator died from the disease on Monday. This comes as notorious inmates across US prisons are seeking 'get out of jail free' cards, citing concerns that the virus could spread among the prison system. Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff and infamous cocaine kingpin Gilberto Rodriguez-Orejuela have both made cases to be released. A prison officer at Rikers Island correctional facility (above) has tested positive for coronavirus Union officials announced Wednesday that the unidentified New York City correction officer who works at Rikers Island has the virus News of the confirmed case in Rikers Island comes just hours after Weinstein was returned to the facility after spending five days in hospital for 'dangerously high blood pressure'. His spokesperson Juda Engelmayer told DailyMail.com Wednesday morning that the disgraced producer, 67, is 'fine' and said he had not come into contact with the infected individual. 'Harvey is fine and has not been in contact with the officer. He also is expected to be taken to a state facility within a few days,' said Engelmayer. Weinstein has since left the notorious prison and is being transferred to the Downstate Correctional facility in Fishkill, New York, DailyMail.com can reveal. The site, which houses 1,800 inmates, is about 60 miles north of New York City and is the processing center for new inmates. Weinstein could remain there or could be taken to another facility -the Mohawk Correctional Facility in Rome. He spent the last two days at Rikers before being taken to Fishkill, which houses 1,800 inmates. Weinstein was sentenced last Wednesday to 23 years behind bars for rape and a criminal sex act in the landmark case. He had been transported to Rikers Island after sentencing but was rushed to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan hours later after he complained of chest pains. Harvey Weinstein is seen leaving a Manhattan courthouse Wednesday afternoon after being sentenced to 23 years in prison for rape and sexual assault. News of the confirmed case in Rikers Island comes just hours after he was returned to the facility after spending five days in hospital for 'dangerously high blood pressure' His spokesperson confirmed the convicted rapist is 'fine' and had not been in contact with the officer He was later released from hospital and transferred back to Rikers Island. The rapist is in poor health, having also spent multiple days in the hospital after his conviction last month with different ailments. Concerns have been mounting for prison officers and inmates across the US amid the coronavirus pandemic, as high prison populations, confined spaces and poor hygiene could make facilities hotbeds for the disease. New York's Department of Correction confirmed that an employee in the Investigation Division died on Monday from the killer virus. David Perez, 56, had a pre-existing health condition and only had limited contact with inmates, officials said. In the latest case in the Rikers Island correction officer, it is not yet known who or how many inmates and staff they may have come into contact with. David Perez, 56, (above) died on Monday from coronavirus. He worked for New York's Department of Corrections However, New York City's jail system is home to around 8,000 inmates, with the majority at Rikers Island so the implications could be significant. Dozens of inmates at Rikers Island are now pleading to be released amid fears that the facility could fast become a breeding ground for the disease. In New York, public defenders have asked judges to release older and at-risk inmates from the city's jails, saying pretrial confinement 'creates the ideal environment for the transmission of contagious disease.' 'I truly believe the jails are ticking time bombs,' said David Patton, executive director of the Federal Defenders of New York. 'They're overcrowded and unsanitary in the best of times. They don't provide appropriate medical care in the best of times, and these certainly are not the best of times.' The global outbreak has become something of a 'get out of jail' card for hundreds of low-level inmates across the US, and hard-timers too are seeking their freedom citing concerns that it's not a matter of if but when the deadly illness sweeps through the prison system. Among those pleading for compassionate release or home detention are the former head of the Cali drug cartel, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen and Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff. Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela (left), head of the Cali drug cartel, in 2004 when he was arrested and handed over to the US Drug Enforcement Administration: The global outbreak has become something of a 'get out of jail' card for hundreds of low-level inmates across the US, and hard-timers including the former head of the Cali drug cartel The 81-year-old Bernard Madoff (above) is serving a 150-year sentence for bilking thousands of investors in a $17.5 billion Ponzi scheme. He has also requested release due to the virus 'He is in poor health. He is 81 years old,' David Oscar Markus, the attorney for cocaine kingpin Gilberto Rodriguez-Orejuela, wrote in emergency court papers this week seeking his release after serving about half of a 30-year drug-trafficking sentence. 'When (not if) COVID-19 hits his prison, he will not have much of a chance.' The 81-year-old Madoff, who is serving a 150-year sentence for bilking thousands of investors in a $17.5 billion Ponzi scheme, had asked last month to be released early in light of his terminal kidney disease. His attorney is now calling on all at-risk federal prisoners to be released for their own safety. 'The federal prison system has consistently shown an inability to respond to major crises,' Madoff attorney Brandon Sample told The Associated Press. 'My concerns are even more amplified for prisoners at federal medical centers and those who are aged.' Prosecutors have argued against Rodriguez-Orejuela's emergency request and noted that the federal prison in Butner, North Carolina, where both he and Madoff are serving time has not had any staff or inmates diagnosed with the virus, and staff are being screened upon entry. America's nearly 7,000 jails, prisons and correction facilities are an ideal breeding ground for the virus, as dangerous as nursing homes and cruise ships but far less sanitary. Fears are mounting that stepped-up cleanings and a temporary halt to visitations at many lockups across the country will not make up for the fact that ventilation behind bars is often poor, inmates sleep in close quarters and share a small number of bathrooms. Prisons across several US states have started ramping up measures to protect inmates, releasing hundreds to decrease prison populations in an effort to combat the potential spread. A Rikers Island cell: Concerns have been mounting for prison officers and inmates across the US amid the coronavirus pandemic, as high prison populations and confined spaces could make facilities hotbeds for the disease New York City's jail system is home to around 8,000 inmates, with the majority at Rikers Island (above) New York City's Board of Correction has made calls for all high-risk inmates to be released immediately from the city's prisons, but officials are yet to approve the move. 'The City must begin this process now,' it said in a statement Tuesday. 'The City's jails have particular challenges to preventing disease transmissions on a normal day and even more so during a public health crisis.' The NYC Correction Officers' Benevolent Association also warned that correction officers' lives are being put at risk by the 'reckless' rules. 'It's very sad that we have to remind the Board of Correction that their mandate, per the city's Charter, is to advocate for the welfare of everyone in the Correction Department, not just the inmates. Their latest asinine proposal to start letting inmates out of jail who are 'high risk' to this virus, regardless of their risk to public safety, is beyond irresponsible,' the statement from President Elias Husamudeensaid Tuesday. 'Instead of recklessly letting inmates out, call for the city to ramp up its efforts to bring in more masks, gloves, hand sanitizers, and other vital supplies for the men and women who must also put their health at risk by showing up to work every day, providing care, custody, and control. Correction Officers' lives matter too.' New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday that the city is considering such a move to release inmates. City officials are 'evaluating right now people who might be particularly high-risk in terms of vulnerability to the virus and determine if, case by case, any of those individuals should be taken out of our jail system,' de Blasio said. This would mean the release of inmates with pre-existing health conditions who are deemed low risk to the rest of the population. De Blasio also announced that if people have 'flu-like symptoms' when being arrested, 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. In Brooklyn, 'low-level crimes' will also not be prosecuted, to limit potential exposure to the virus for employees and visitors. '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,' District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said Tuesday in a statement posted to Twitter, adding that they will 'immediately decline to prosecute low-level offenses that don't jeopardize public safety'. 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 In Los Angeles County, the prison population has decreased by 600 people already 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. Prison staff 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 All 122 federal prisons and many of the 1,700-plus state prisons across the US have banned visitors and volunteers to try to prevent an outbreak in the facilities. The Federal Bureau of Prisons announced its ban Friday, joining most state and county prisons. Lawyer visits have also been banned 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. '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. 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 sanitizer 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. Miller-Keystone Blood Center serving the Lehigh Valley and St. Lukes University health networks has seen more than 50 blood drives canceled over fears of the coronavirus. That adds up to about 1,500 life-saving donations, spokeswoman Marie Clemens said. "That's a significant number," Clemens said Tuesday. "We typically like to have a three-day supply on our shelves and that right there is approximately a three-day supply." The American Red Cross Northeastern Pennsylvania Region says it has seen 28 blood drives canceled, resulting in 698 fewer blood donations, and New Jersey Blood Services says it's experiencing low appointments and drive cancellations, as well. Blood is perishable -- platelets have a five-day shelf life and red blood cells are good for 42 days -- and the only source is the volunteer donor. The need for blood is constant to treat cancer patients, trauma victims, premature infants, surgical patients and others, donation coordinators say. Protective equipment worn by staff; sterile and single-use blood bags, tubes and needles; sanitizing and disinfection of signature pads, tables and tablets; and special instructions to remain healthy during the COVID-19 outbreak all serve to maintain a safe environment for blood donation. This American Red Cross flier addresses concerns about donating blood during the COVID-19 pandemic.American Red Cross No, contrary to some rumors, donated blood is not tested for the coronavirus, so it's not a way for someone concerned they're infected to bypass expanding but still limited opportunities to be tested. And while most coronaviruses are not transmitted through blood transfusions, COVID-19 is new -- so centers like Miller-Keystone are taking extra precautions. That means donors who have traveled to areas of major outbreaks or who have been exposed to a person diagnosed with COVID-19, or donors who have recovered from the virus, should postpone blood donation for 28 days. It also means that donors who are feeling healthy are being asked to step up. Miller-Keystone asks all eligible donors to call 800-223-6667 (B-A-DONOR) or visit GIVEaPINT.org. Blood drives are being scheduled, and the center is expanding hours at its blood donation centers in the Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and Reading areas, plus Trenton, New Jersey, and Pittston in northeastern Pennsylvania. Outside the Lehigh Valley, the American Red Cross invites eligible donors to schedule an appointment to give blood by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, calling 800-733-2767 (RED-CROSS) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device. New Jersey Blood Services can be reached to donate blood or for information on organizing a blood drive by calling 800-933-2566 or visiting nybloodcenter.org. Upcoming blood drives are scheduled in Hunterdon County from 2 to 8 p.m. April 3 at the Califon Fire House, 41 Main St., and 2:30 to 8:30 p.m. April 13 at the Flemington Elks Lodge 1928, 165 Route 31. Donors generally must be 17 years old or older (16 with written consent from a parent or guardian), at least 110 pounds and in good health. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email him. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. The U.S. Embassy in Seoul said Wednesday that it will suspend all routine visa interviews this week in line with a State Department measure to respond to the new coronavirus outbreaks. The measure, set to take effect on Thursday, will not affect the visa waiver program for Korean citizens or services for U.S. citizens, the embassy said. "The U.S. Embassy to the Republic of Korea will cancel all routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments as of March 19, 2020," the embassy said in a press release. The State Department is suspending routine visa services in all countries with a level 2, 3 or 4 travel advisory, the embassy said. Last month, the department raised its travel advisory for Daegu, South Korea's southeastern city hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, to Level 4 on a four-tier scale, urging Americans not to travel there. The rest of the country remains under Level 3, which means "reconsider travel." The embassy said that it will resume routine visa services "as soon as possible," although it is unable to provide a specific date of the resumption. On Wednesday, South Korea reported 93 new infections in its daily tally, bringing the total to 8,413 with the death toll at 84. (Yonhap) This was supposed to be the presidential primary race in which the progressive wing of the Democratic Party put it all together. The left was coming for power, not only moral victories. One popular podcast promised that the partys moderates would soon bend the knee, as working Americans flocked to a left-wing presidential agenda. But after a disastrous month of electoral drubbings that continued with Tuesdays primaries in Arizona, Florida and Illinois, it has become clear that the presidential promises of political revolution and big structural change will once again have to wait. Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. is not just beating liberal rivals, all but vanquishing Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and outlasting Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. His candidacy has poked significant holes in the strategy of their wing of political thought. Their big investments in organizing could not overcome his name recognition. They could not reshape the primary electorate, while Mr. Biden has surged among more moderate voters in Democratic suburbs. They could not cut into his advantage with black voters. And they could not overcome his electability argument that he is the best candidate to defeat President Trump as evidenced by the fact that Mr. Biden bested Mr. Sanders with many liberal voters in Florida on Tuesday. The Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency, Kashifu Abdullahi, has described partnership with an organisation such as the Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA) as imperative to the growth of the information technology economy. He said it would aid President Muhammadu Buharis resolve to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years. Mr Abdullahi expressed this view on Monday while playing host to the Management of AEA at the NITDA headquarters in Abuja. The NITDA Director-General noted that the support AEA is giving to over 100,000 entrepreneurs in providing finances, workplace and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) support will help in driving the vision of the government. Partnering with an organisation like yours will help in creating job opportunities for Nigerians that will aid economic growth and development of the country He stated further that capacity building is one of the key pillars of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and NITDA, stressing that it is necessary to build capacity of Nigerians in order to prepare them to participate in the digital economy. Our doors are always open for collaborations that will move the country forward. The AEA management and staff are free to come to the Agencys IT Lab (Hub) and use the facilities for researches and contents development. The Agency is building ICT Innovation Hubs where ideas and innovations are to be nurtured with the objective of bringing out solutions that will impact on the economy and also create either direct or indirect jobs. Earlier in his remarks, the AEA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Arabi Tukur, solicited for collaboration with NITDA in revamping the AEAs ICT Hub with networking and computing devices for it to operate fully in IT value chain, create jobs and meet demand for IT goods and services in Federal Capital Territory. Other areas of collaborations identified by Mr Tukur include upgrading of the One-Stop-Shop to accommodate virtual interface, capacity building on ICT for staff and clients of the Agency, support for trainees of the creative industry with start-up kits and inclusion of AEA in the NITDA Digital Economy intervention and also to include the AEA in the membership of Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Programme (REAP) being promote by Massachusetts Institute of Technology, (MIT.) Mr Tukur said the agency has been supporting thousands of entrepreneurs with access to finances and working space, market linkage, mentorship, capacity building, continuous excellent support services covering Entrepreneurship and ICT training, Business Advisory, policy advocacy, microcredit and business expansion support and Information Technology support adding that the agency is confident that the support will greatly assist in achieving the deliverables of the MIT- REAP which will promote the Agencys goal for facilitating business growth and eradicating poverty in Nigeria. While commending DG of NITDA for gracing the closing ceremony of AEA skill acquisition training on photography and cinematography, Mr Tukur noted that the participation of NITDA boss provided insight into opportunities that abound in ICT sector. The MD of AEA also presented an Award of Appreciation to DG of NITDA for his contribution in harnessing the growth and development of IT in Niger. A Good Samaritan was today fighting for his life after being attacked confronting a scrambler bike yob. The man, 41, was left in a critical condition after being assaulted in Coventry, West Midlands, last night. Witnesses told how the man, who was out celebrating St Patrick's Day, tried to step in to stop a lad tearing up green space on a dirt bike. He suffered a 'very serious' head injury. West Midlands Police said the victim was attacked after confronting 'an off-road biker believed to have been riding recklessly'. Police cordon off the scene after a Good Samaritan was left fighting for his after confronting a scrambler bike yob The man was left in a critical condition after being assaulted in Coventry, West Midlands A video posted on social media purportedly before the attack shows an off-road bike being spun round in 'doughnuts' and being raced at speed. A 37-year-old man from Coventry has been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm. Detective Inspector Justin Spanner said: 'The victim has suffered a very serious head injury and his condition in hospital is life threatening. 'We need to hear from anyone who was in the Jubilee Crescent area of Radford between 6 and 7pm last night and saw an off-road bike being ridden around. 'I understand several people were in the area at the time and may have recorded what happened on their mobile phones. I really need them to share any photos or videos they have with us as it could be vital evidence. 'Similarly, if anyone has CCTV or dash-cam footage then I'd urge them to get in touch.' A St Patrick's Day hat could still be seen on the ground as the area was cordoned off A taxi driver, who asked not to be named, said: 'The old guy and his mate were walking along the green and a teenage lad was causing mayhem. 'He's decided to be a Good Samaritan and tried to go up to him to get him to stop. Then the kid on the bike has just hit him with his fists. 'The paramedics were doing resuscitation on him for 20 minutes.' A large cordon was last night put in place at the junction of Jubilee Crescent and Links Lane. The force helicopter was summoned to try and find the yob. A green St Patrick's Day hat could still be seen on the ground this morning. A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: 'We were called to reports of an assault in Jubilee Crescent, Coventry at 6.44pm last night (Tuesday). 'Two ambulances and a paramedic officer were sent to the scene. A man was in a critical condition and was being given excellent first aid by police. 'Crews administered advanced life support before the man was conveyed on blue lights to hospital for further emergency care.' Witnesses are asked to message West Midlands Police via live chat on the forces website or to call 101, quoting log 2824 of March 17. The forensics team tend to the scene of the crime in Coventry last night Locals spoke of their shock at the incident. Umar Ahmed posted on Facebook: 'A young lad was riding his dirt bike in the middle, causing mayhem. 'Another male, who had been having a good day celebrating St Patrick's Day approached the lad to move him off. 'The lad on the bike got off and assaulted the man, who fell smashing his head on the floor and was out cold and had stopped breathing. My prayers are with him and I hope he makes a full recovery.' Micky Bell added: 'At times when we need peace and togetherness this is what we get so sad. On Saturday, a teenager was shot dead in a drive-by shooting in the city. Abdul Xasan, 19, was shot twice in the back as he walked in the Hillfields area on Friday. Carren Monga, 19, and a 15-year-old boy have been charged with murder. British tourists are being stranded abroad and face a battle to return home as airlines lock down and limit flights due to coronavirus quarantines. From Morocco to the Philippines, reports have surfaced of British travellers stuck at airports, waiting for the chance to return home. Spain's closure of its land borders on Monday sent British tourists at popular resorts Benidorm and Mallorca fleeing for the airports in a mass exodus to reach home before being trapped. One British tourist trapped in Marrakesh, Rory O'Connor, told the MailOnline: 'We've been in a queue for easyJet for four hours. 'We're probably still another hour to an hour and a half from the front.' As well as the growing queues O'Connor, who has been in the north African country with his girlfriend since Friday, said passengers are being provided with contradictory information. 'The information being provided by the British Embassy is completely different to whats being said at the airport,' O'Connor told the MailOnline. Tourists are pictured queuing to check in for a flight to London Stansted today at Marrakesh airport in Morocco People are seen queuing for a flight today, unaware if it will depart, at Marrakesh airport, Morocco today Pictured: Queues winding around the airport in Marrakesh, Morocco today 'The ambassador claimed he was getting 30 planes sent over but easyJet, Ryanair and BA have no information on the flights.' 'The Embassy have been useless,' he added. After arranging for someone at home to book an escape route to get him back to the UK at 7pm this evening, Rory said a member of staff at the information desk told him there was no record of the flight. Thomas Reilly, the British ambassador to Morocco, said that BA, EasyJet, Ryanair and Tui were planning to send out rescue flights in the coming days. Eight thousand miles away in the Philippines, Benjamin Cooper and his partner Holly Younger are trapped at an airport in Manila. Younger told the MailOnline: 'Were just about to try and sleep on the floor amongst hundreds of others outside the airport as our flight home is not for another 15 hours.' She added '[We're] in a country that has given us no support, guidance or information during our time here and left us 2 grand down over the last 3 days after paying for mercy transport.' The couple escaped from Palawan, a small island 620 miles from Manila, and were given a space on a 'mercy' flight from Puerto Princesa to Clark, for stranded tourists by the Filipino government after they shut down air routes with just hours notice. 'This mercy flight was supposed to safely evacuate us so we could get home,' Younger told the MailOnline. The couple (pictured at Manila airport today) escaped from Palawan, a small island 620 miles from Manila, and were given a space on a 'mercy' flight from Puerto Princesa to Clark, for stranded tourists by the Filipino government after they shut down air routes with just hours notice The view from the floor: Eight thousand miles away in the Philippines, Benjamin Cooper and his partner Holly Younger are trapped at an airport in Manila People are pictured congregating in a makeshift lounge area at Manila airport today in the Philippines amid widespread coronavirus flight cancellations 'Instead we landed in Clark international airport a dirty, dangerous city with a lot of poverty and, since the lockdown, very limited access to the international airport. 'We had 72 hours to leave the country or be stuck for 30 days. 'We queued for 8 hours outside an airline ticket office just to find out there were no flights under 1000. 'Thankfully the next day the government changed the policy yet again and we were able to buy a flight home online.' In Clark, restaurants had been shuttered down because of the virus and supermarkets were emptying, Younger told the MailOnline. People awaiting a flight out of Manila are pictured in an airport lounge today People are pictured queuing outside Manila airport in the Philippines today 'We waited for a bus to Manila with hundreds of others, sat on the floor outside for hours, just so we could sleep in the airport before our morning flight. 'Feeling scared and trapped was nothing in comparison to how unwelcome and uncomfortable the locals here have made us feel. 'They laughed when they saw me crying outside the airline office, inflated transport prices so high we have been stranded and posted awful things about westerners on social media.' She said that locals were not the only ones to turn nasty amid the coronavirus panic. 'Backpackers and tourists have also turned on each other, pushing in lines, withholding information to benefit themselves and a general selfish attitude from most people.' Meanwhile in Spain, countless British tourists have been in touch with the MailOnline to express their concern at being stuck without the prospect of a land crossing to get home. Steve and Cheryl Roberts told the MailOnline they are stuck on a campsite near Malaga in their motorhome. 'We are all under lock down,' they said. 'The campsite may be forced to close and we are two days from the French border. By the time we get there the border could be closed.' 'It's a total nightmare', they added. The couple's comments came just hours before the Spanish government told British tourists to leave the country within days due to the closure of hotels nationwide next Tuesday. The Foreign Office today warned British travellers to 'make travel plans to return as soon as possible' after Madrid announced the shutdown. Holidaymakers are urged to 'contact their tour operator or airline as soon as possible' to make arrangements to fly home. Another traveller trapped in Marrakesh, Beth Marletta, said that British Airways told her they would not be able to send out a rescue flight for weeks despite them promising a repatriation service. 'Just off the phone to BA who have said they can't reschedule our flight until April now,' she told the BBC. 'There are no rescue flights despite what the news are saying.' Marletta and her partner were due to fly back to Heathrow on Saturday, but have been stuck in Marrakesh with little help from British authorities, she said. Another traveller trapped in Marrakesh, Beth Marletta (pictured with her partner in an undated photograph), said that British Airways told her they would not be able to send out a rescue flight for weeks despite them promising a repatriation service A picture posted by @_olivelg shows a customer service queue 'worm[ing] its way around [the] edge of Marrakesh airport' today Pictured: Scenes of chaos at Marrakesh airport today, as travellers are made to wait with no certainty of a return flight. British Ambassador to Morocco Thomas Reilly claims that airlines will be arranging repatriation services within days Pictured: Hotel blocks in Benidorm are completely deserted today amid coronavirus containment measures put in place by the Spanish government Pictured: Shops are shuttered in the popular Spanish tourist resort of Benidorm today amid coronavirus containment measures Today, Ryanair announced that it would be cutting its scheduled flights due to the coronavirus pandemic. Between 18 March and 24 March, the airline said it would cut flights by 80 per cent. The operator added that customers would be emailed with options, and asked customers not to call as they are overloaded with enquiries. From 24 March, Ryanair said that 'most if not all Ryanair Group flights will be grounded, except for a very small number of flights to maintain essential connectivity, mostly between the UK and Ireland'. Pictured: Passengers queue for a flight out of Morocco on the penultimate day before airspace closes tomorrow Pictured: Weary passengers queue at the departures section of Marrakesh airport today British tourists are pictured on their balconies in Benidorm after the Spanish government implemented a state of emergency this week Another British tourist, Amir Mahmood, managed to secure a flight home after tweeting a video from Marrakesh airport about his struggle to get back. In the video Amir said: 'We don't know what to do. We feel completely stranded along with hundreds of other British people.' One traveller, Sarah Baxter, told the Telegraph that she is 'one of 150 Britons stranded in Peru'. In an article for the Telegraph, Baxter explained how she came into contact with a group of 150 abandoned British tourists through Twitter, who are now trying to put pressure on the government to help them get out of the country. English tourists can be seen in long queues at Palma de Mallorca airport in Mallorca, Spain on Monday Travellers await for their flights out of Peru on Monday at the Jorge Chavez international airport in Callao, Lima, minutes before the borders were closed She said she was made aware of the sudden dash to escape the South American country just 24 hours before she would have to leave, or face a 14-day quarantine, and be unable to get home. 'Confusion reigned', Baxter wrote in the Telegraph. 'There were rumours that extras flights were being put on. Or that even scheduled flights were cancelled.' After she had exhausted the airborne options, she said that some people tried to flee by taking taxis to neighbouring Bolivia, in the hopes of crossing the border before Peru was locked down. After deciding there were too many potential dangers, Baxter said she decided to stay. Travellers await their flights out of Peru on Monday at the Jorge Chavez international airport in Callao, Lima, minutes before borders were closed. On Sunday, President Martin Vizcarra announced a State of Emergency and a two-week nationwide home-stay curfew together with the closure of all borders on account of the coronavirus pandemic Travellers await their flight out of Peru on Monday at the Jorge Chavez international airport in Callao, Lima, minutes before borders were closed 'So here I am. Confined to a house, only allowed out to pop to the shop or pharmacy (the streets being policed), with little official support,' she said. Of the 150 people abandoned Britons she is now in contact with on Whatsapp, she said that some have health conditions, while others are running out of much-needed medication. Two of the 150 people in contact with Baxter could be a pair of British women who are in lockdown at a Peru hostel. Tess Bettison and Stevie Chandler said they were unable to book flights out of the country and have been locked down in a hostel amid rising 'xenophobia' against Europeans. 'We have been locked inside our hostel for safety alongside other British nationals but we don't know how long we'll be allowed to stay here,' Tess told the BBC. Similarly to Baxter, they were given just 24 hours to leave, but received no word from the British Embassy or their travel company. They tried to get a flight to other locations, like the US or Chile, but some prices were too high. The number of pedestrians on Melbournes usually packed city streets has collapsed, leaving many CBD thoroughfares eerily deserted as more people opt to work from home. Significant drops have been recorded at almost every one of 51 pedestrian counting sensors installed by Melbourne City Council, which publishes its data on foot traffic hourly. A deserted Bourke Street Mall on Wednesday. Credit:AAP On Monday morning, sensors outside Southern Cross Station tallied 3258 people walking past during the usually frantic 8am and 9am period 20 per cent less than on a typical day. By Tuesday, even more avoided the city: at the same place and time of day, foot traffic fell again with 772 fewer people than Monday. By Wednesday morning, there were almost 500 fewer again. St. Patrick's Day: John Rhys-Davies film highlighting life, ministry of Ireland's saint hits theaters Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment UPDATE MARCH 17: Due to the coronavirus, the release of "I am Patrick" has been postponed. In a statement to The Christian Post, Fathom Events said: "Given current circumstances and to ensure the health and safety of our attendees, 'I Am Patrick' has been postponed. New event dates and ticketing information will be communicated when they become available. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for understanding. NASHVILLE The name St. Patrick is commonly associated with green beer, shamrocks, and deeds such as casting the snakes out of Ireland. But few know the incredible true story behind the indomitable man credited with singlehandedly bringing Christianity to Ireland. Hitting theaters on St. Patricks Day, March 17, the new docudrama "I Am Patrick: The Patron Saint of Ireland sheds new light on the life, ministry, and incredible sacrifices of St. Patrick. By the end of the movie, you're going to know Patrick. You're going to know what his life was like, and you're going to hear it in his own words, Executive Producer Gordon Robertson told The Christian Post. I want to change everyones perception of St. Patrick. I want them to meet the man behind the legend. Weve gotten lost in the Shamrock; St. Patricks Day has become a cultural thing as opposed to, why do we celebrate this day on March 17? Most people don't know that it was established to commemorate the day of Patrick's death. It was originally a day to honor and to remember and to grieve a great man of God who had been taken. Weve gotten away from that. Starring "Lord of the Rings" star John Rhys-Davies, "I am Patrick" digs past legend and myth to tell the story of the famed missionary using historical reenactments, expert interviews, and Patricks own letters and writings, including The Confession of St. Patrick and Letter to Coroticus. Through a series of flashbacks, viewers meet Patrick in 5th century Britain, where he is living a comfortable life as the son of a government official. Despite being part of the Roman Catholic Church, his faith didnt mean anything to him until he was kidnapped by pirates at the age of 16 and enslaved in Ireland. For six years, Patrick was forced to work as a shepherd in perilous conditions. During this time, Patricks faith was strengthened, serving as a source of sustenance and encouragement. Through divine intervention, Patrick managed to escape slavery and was reunited with his family in Britain. However, it was there he experienced a prophetic dream calling him to take Christianity back to the land of his captivity. Against the wishes of his family and the Church, Patrick returned as a missionary bishop to Ireland, where he converted thousands to Christianity. God spoke to him and told him to become a missionary to the very people who once enslaved him, Robertson said. I think the film really does a great job of portraying how hard it was for Patrick, based on what he wrote in the Confession, to leave his mother, to leave his father, to leave his position, to leave all that he knew, to go back to the very people who had persecuted him. During his ministry, Patrick spoke out against sex trafficking, slavery, and other forms of evil, all in the name of Jesus. Yet despite his mission work, he faced tremendous backlash from an unlikely group of people his fellow Christians. Patrick didnt preach in Latin; he preached in the Irish language. So when he goes to preach the Gospel, he's not speaking some foreign tongue. He's speaking what they speak. That was unusual for that time period and upset Christian leaders, Robertson shared. "He reasoned with their culture, which reflected the ministry of St. Paul in the New Testament." And the second thing he did, which St. Paul also did, was from the converts, he would make ministers. So instead of importing an educated priest from Europe, Rome, or Britain, he would ordain from the converts he had just made. He would go to a village, raise up a congregation, and then, during that process, be training the person who would take over. And then he would go to another village and do the same thing. This upset Christian leaders." Patricks contributions to modern society are notable, Robertson said, pointing out that anyone of Scottish or Irish descent owes both their Christianity and education to the missionary. He didnt just stop with sharing the Gospel. He wanted to teach them how to read and write so that they could read the Bible on their own, which, again, was novel and completely different, Robertson explained. The networks of monasteries that he started, which were to train priests on how to read and write, led to what we now call the university. They became centers of learning, they became the place for education. And for centuries, the primary purpose of education was so you could read the Bible. Notably, Patrick refers to himself as Patrick, a sinner in his writings. This acknowledgment of personal failings, Robertson said, is something the modern Church would do well to emulate. I think to a degree you can accuse American Christianity of being therapeutic Christianity, or therapeutic theology: What are the steps I need to follow in order to become a better person? But Patricks whole identity was, I am a sinner, following the example of St. Paul. Christ came into the world to save sinners, Robertson continued. That's an identity that I think we should all have but we've all missed the mark. We've all fallen through our sin. Yet Jesus has shown us a way out, and that's the essence of the good news. The essence of Patrick's message is the essence of Paul's message, which is the essence of the Gospel. Although Patrick lived several thousand years ago, his mission and example is one that modern-day Christians can learn from, he said. Patrick didnt pull any punches. He was one of the first Christians to ever take a stand against slavery, against sex trafficking all things were still battling today. These things arent just a problem in some remote areas of the world; theyre problems right here in America. I think we need to be re-inspired by St. Patrick to take a stand. Patricks remarkable life is evidence that God still speaks today, Robertson said, adding, If you do what Patrick did, spend time in prayer and with God, He will speak to you. And if youre willing to obey what He asks you to do, incredible things can happen. From CBN Documentaries and Director Jarrod Anderson, I Am Patrick also stars Robert McCormack as Young Patrick. The film is in movie theaters nationwide March 17 and 18 only. Visit FathomEvents.com for tickets, locations and showtimes. Being stuck at home for an indefinite amount of time can be a real bummer for anyone whos anticipating the cabin fever that is to come. As bad as you might find it, it can be even rougher for you kids. If youre not lucky enough to have a big backyard you can send you children out into, they may end up spending a lot of time rotting their brains in front of the TV. Fortunately, every option to watch isnt mindless and awful (by the way, Disney Plus released Frozen 2 early, so if youve got little ones, be prepared to watch that every day until August). If youd like to find some programming that can keep your kids entertained but also teach them a few things, here are five interesting options from Netflix Night on Earth (TV-PG): This 7 episode mini series uses new night-vision technology to take a clearer look into the darkness to show just what happens when night falls in the wild. From the African savanna to be Peruvian desert, youll see things youve never seen before, in a way youd never imagine. 72 Cutest Animals (TV-PG): This series examines the nature of cuteness and how adorability helps some animal species to survive and thrive in a variety of environments. That description came directly from Netflix. If thats not enough to convince you, the first episode has Koalas and trust me, youll be all-in after that. Check out 12 episodes here. Dream Big: Engineering Our World (TV-G): This short (42 min) documentary will let you examine some incredible achievements of engineering from across the globe. From the Great Wall of China to sustainable cities, this documentary looks at some true engineering marvels. Oh, and as a bonus, if youre a fan of The Big Lebowski, this one is narrated by The Dude himself, Jeff Bridges. Ask the StoryBots (TV-Y): Okay now this one may seem like something for the little ones (and it totally is) but holy cow its fun. I watched a few episodes and its hard to stop. Five inquisitive little creatures track down the answers to kids biggest questions, like how night happens or why we need to brush our teeth. These questions may be for kids, but everyone will get something out of it. Watch all 22 episodes here. The Mars Generation (TV-PG): This documentary follows along as self-professed teenage space nerds at Space Camp chase their dreams of traveling to Mars, while experts reflect on NASAs history and future. Neil deGrasse Tyson, Bill Nye, and others take a look at how a trip to Mars isnt as crazy as you might think. D onald Trump has said Beijing should have acted faster to warn the world about coronavirus as he dismissed criticism that labelling the strain the Chinese virus was racist. The president ramped up his rhetoric against China during a White House press conference which marked an escalation in a bitter war of words between the worlds top two economies. While Mr Trump had previously left it mostly to his top aides to openly criticise Chinas response to the virus, the Republican leader joined the fray in earnest during the public event on Wednesday. He said: I dont know if youd say Chinas to blame. Certainly, we didnt get an early run on it. It would have been helpful if we had known about it earlier." President Donald Trump during a news briefing on the latest development of the coronavirus outbreak in the US / Getty Images In his opening statement, Mr Trump described what he termed Americas war against the Chinese virus. And he told the press conference: But it comes from China, and its not a question about that - nobodys questioning that. A reporter asked him whether it was wrong and potentially harmful to Asian-Americans to give the disease that name, which has been widely condemned as racist. No, not at all. Not at all. I think they probably would agree with it 100 per cent, Mr Trump said. It comes from China, theres nothing not to agree. The fast-spreading disease that was first identified in Wuhan has infected over 200,000 people and caused nearly 8,500 deaths in 164 nations, triggering emergency lockdowns and injections of cash unseen since World War Two. In the US, cases of the respiratory illness have now been reported in all 50 states, with known infections surging past 7,300, prompting millions to stay at home. More than a hundred Americans have died from the virus. Lights go out in Las Vegas during Coronavirus 1 /12 Lights go out in Las Vegas during Coronavirus A sign at an entrance at the Tropicana Las Vegas displays a message after the Las Vegas Strip resort was closed Getty Images A sign at an entrance at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino displays a message after the Las Vegas Strip resort was closed Getty Images The marquees at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino, Park MGM and the Aria Resort & Casino display messages after the Las Vegas Strip resorts were closed as the coronavirus continues to spread across the United States Getty Images A sign at an entrance at MGM Grand & Hotel & Casino displays a message after the Las Vegas Strip resort was closed Getty Images The marquee at MGM Grand & Hotel & Casino displays a message after the Las Vegas Strip resort was closed Getty Images An exterior view shows the New York-New York Hotel & Casino after the Las Vegas Strip resort was closed as the coronavirus continues to spread across the United States Getty Images Ana Gabriel-Ramos cleans a pedestrian overpass at Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard as the coronavirus continues to spread across the United States Getty Images Police vehicles and security personnel are shown at the porte cochere at MGM Grand & Hotel & Casino after the Las Vegas Strip resort was closed Getty Images The marquees at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino, Park MGM and the Aria Resort & Casino display messages after the Las Vegas Strip resorts were closed as the coronavirus continues to spread across the United States Getty Images Mr Trump has come under criticism for continuing to use the term Chinese virus in a series of tweets. Chinese officials accused the president of smearing the country and the Mayor of New York slammed Mr Trump for inciting bigotry. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said it was not appropriate to use the term Chinese coronavirus and The World Health Organisation warned that government, citizens, media, influencers and communities all have an important role to prevent and stop stigma. In his latest tweet, Mr Trump said: I always treated the Chinese Virus very seriously, and have done a very good job from the beginning, including my very early decision to close the borders from China - against the wishes of almost all. Many lives were saved. The Fake News new narrative is disgraceful & false In another tweet, he said: For the people that are now out of work because of the important and necessary containment policies, for instance the shutting down of hotels, bars and restaurants, money will soon be coming to you. The onslaught of the Chinese Virus is not your fault! Will be stronger than ever! Responding to Mr Trump on Twitter, New York Mayor, Bill de Blasio said: Our Asian-American communities people YOU serve are already suffering. They dont need you fuelling more bigotry. Chinas foreign ministry spokesman, Hua Chunying also tweeted to say: It is absolutely WRONG and INAPPROPRIATE to call this the Chinese coronavirus. The Supreme Court will on Wednesday hear the petition filed by former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and others seeking a floor test in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly amidst the ongoing political crisis in the state. On Tuesday, the top court while hearing the petition, had issued notices to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath and Assembly Speaker NP Prajapati among others. A division bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud and also comprising Justice Hemant Gupta had issued notice to the Chief Minister, Speaker, principal secretary of Assembly, state of Madhya Pradesh and Governor and slated the matter for further hearing on Wednesday. While appearing for the BJP leaders, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi said that the floor test is required in the matter. The petition sought a floor test in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly in the wake of 22 Congress MLAs resigning from the party as well as from the state legislative Assembly. The resignation of these many MLAs has left the Kamal Nath government below the majority mark. The developments happened after former Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia quit Congress and joined the BJP. The petitioners have 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. The Madhya Pradesh Assembly, which met on Monday morning for the Budget session was adjourned till March 26, immediately after the Governor's address, in view of the coronavirus outbreak. Earlier, Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon had 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.) The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed Pennsylvanias first COVID-19-related death Wednesday, an adult from Northampton County, as Gov. Tom Wolf urged Pennsylvanians to stay home amidst ongoing business closures. Every day that goes by that people continue to freely interact is a day that the virus continues to unknowingly infect more and more people, Wolf said in a brief address Wednesday evening. The Northampton County fatality was being treated at a hospital, according to the state health department, which said it did not plan to release any additional information about the patient because of medical privacy provisions in the Pennsylvania Disease Control and Prevention Act. Statewide, 133 presumed positive COVID-19 tests had been reported from commercial, hospital and state labs as of Wednesdays release, with 1,187 tests having come back negative. About two-thirds of confirmed cases have been in southeastern Pennsylvania, and the majority of testing has now moved to private labs. 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. Penn State moves online As it told students to remain home, Penn State also announced Wednesday that commencement will be postponed. The universitys president, Eric J. Barron, said the school will honor its graduates in some form. Graduation is a significant milestone for our students and while it may not be the same as our traditional ceremony, we are committed to finding the best way possible to recognize the achievements of our graduates, he said. Officials said students will be told when they can return to pick up personal belongings inside campus residences. Exams will take place remotely. The school says tens of thousands of students have already signed up for remote learning. Truckers get relief Pennsylvanias highway department is opening up portions of 13 of its 30 rest areas for use by truck drivers, following concerns that the blanket closures would cripple truck traffic and endanger safety. The Transportation Department had closed all of its welcome centers and rest areas as of Tuesday. It said Wednesday that trucks will be able to park at the 13 locations and that portable toilets will be available. The agency will post electronic signs for rest stops along Interstate 81 in Luzerne and Cumberland counties; Interstate 80 in Venango, Centre and Montour counties; and Interstate 79 in Crawford and Allegheny counties. The welcome centers will remain closed. State senators to vote remotely Pennsylvania state senators convened Wednesday for a brief session to change the Senates rules to allow members to participate and vote remotely in committee meetings and floor sessions. The change came two days after the state House passed a similar rule. The rule has expirations built into it, and Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Centre, said that, in the near term, the rule would be used strictly for legislation to respond to the pandemic. Unemployment claims spike The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry reported Wednesday afternoon that it has received roughly 121,000 unemployment filings since Monday. Pennsylvania had about 12,000 unemployment claims in the entire first week of March, according to federal data. That data also shows just under 138,000 people receiving unemployment insurance compensation in the state as of the end of February, meaning that the state has likely doubled its unemployment rolls in only 48 hours. Supreme Court issues emergency orders The Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued an opinion Wednesday closing all courts in the state, including local common pleas and magisterial district courts, to the public for any nonessential functions, and specifically suspending any evictions until at least April 3 in light of the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. The order comes two days after the courts Monday order allowing local judicial districts to make decisions on a case-by-case basis. Cumberland Countys president judge, Edward Guido, subsequently declared a judicial emergency for the county, allowing for the use of remote proceedings and the delaying of nonurgent proceedings. On Tuesday, the Cumberland County commissioners declared a countywide disaster, restricting access to the courthouse except for those proceedings explicitly authorized by Guido. The Supreme Courts Wednesday order tells courts statewide to conduct only hearings on emergency matters such as domestic violence and search warrants, as well as initial arraignments and bail hearings. The order also specifically delays landlord-tenant actions, with the court writing that economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic may cause individuals to suffer a loss of income, which in turn may delay rent payments, mortgage-loan payments, or the like including payments to be made by individuals who may be under self-imposed quarantine or who may otherwise be either carrying the virus or vulnerable to infection. Email Jeff at jpratt@cumberlink.com. Follow him on Twitter @SentinelPratt. 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, March 18 : Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to put forward reasons for not framing the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority and the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority Appellate Tribunal Recruitment Rules in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The House will deliberate over Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (Performance Standards relating to Quality, Continuity and Reliability of Services for Major Airports) Rules and the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority Appellate Tribunal (Group A and B Posts) Recruitment Rules, under the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India Act, 2008. TMC member Abir Ranjan Biswas lay the first report of the Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (2019-2020). The Rajay Sabha member Vandana Chavan to lay report of the Committee on Empowerment of Women (2019-2020) and Bhupender Yadav to lay reports of the Committee on Public Accounts on "Management of Funds" by Ministry of Coal and "Doubtful Recovery of Outstanding Dues because of Failure of Fiduciary Duty-Bangalore International Airport Limited, Bangalore (BIAL)" of Ministry of Civil Aviation. The House will continue deliberations on two Bills -- National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill, 2019 and National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill 2019 - moved by Union Minister of State Shripad Yesso Naik on Tuesday. The Bill will provide a medical education system that improves access to quality and affordable medical education, ensures availability of adequate and high quality medical professionals of Indian System of Medicine in all parts of the country. It will promote equitable and universal healthcare that encourages community health perspective and makes services of such medical professionals accessible to all the citizens. It will also promote national health goals and encourages such medical professionals to adopt latest medical research in their work and to contribute to research. The Bill has an objective periodic and transparent assessment of medical institutions and facilitates maintenance of a medical register of Indian System of Medicine for India and enforces high ethical standards in all aspects of medical services. It also provides flexibly to adapt to the changing needs and has an effective grievance redressal mechanism and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto, be taken into consideration. European Union leaders agreed to restrict most travel into the continent in an unprecedented move aimed at slowing down the spread of the deadly coronavirus pandemic and curbing its effects on the bloc. Soon after the move was announced, the global death toll crossed 8,000 and the total number of infections surpassed 200,000. Europe has now recorded over 3,400 deaths, leapfrogging Asias 3,380 fatalities. Italy on Wednesday reported 475 new deaths, the highest one-day official toll of any nation since the first case was detected in China late last year. Total deaths in Italy have reached 2,978, more than half of all the cases recorded outside China, while the number of infections stood at 35,713. The EUs new restrictions will apply to all non-EU citizens and last for an initial 30 days, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters after a video conference. She said that the group expressed a great readiness to do whatever is necessary to contain the outbreak. Banning all travel to foreign nationals adds to a series of restrictive measures that would have been unthinkable in western democracies only a few weeks ago. Several EU member states have imposed curfews and lockdowns, shutting shops, bars, schools, and restaurants in a last-ditch effort to stop the disease from overwhelming the continents healthcare systems. While the moves are deemed essential by many epidemiologists, they are bound to deal a severe blow to the European and global economies. EU governments officially acknowledge the bloc is heading to a recession this year - the first since the sovereign debt crisis. The sealing of Europes external border is 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. 850 million students not at school: UNESCO More than 850 million young people, or nearly half the worlds student population, are barred from their school and university grounds because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Unesco said. Calling it an unprecedented challenge for education, Unesco said schools had been closed in 102 countries. Pakistan reports first fatality Pakistan on Wednesday confirmed its first death from coronavirus as the total number of infected patients in the country climbed to 260, the health minister said on Twitter. The death was reported in northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where so far 19 cases of have been confirmed. [March 18, 2020] Allied Corp. and Radient Technologies Inc. Announce Agreement to Facilitate Premium Quality CBD Products to be Sold in Canada KELOWNA, British Columbia and EDMONTON, Alberta, March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allied Corp. ("Allied" or the "Company") (OTCQB: ALID), an international medical cannabis company focused on creating and providing targeted cannabinoid health solutions to address todays medical issues, and Radient Technologies Inc. (Radient) (TSX Venture: RTI; OTCQX: RDDTF), a global commercial manufacturer of high quality cannabinoid-based ingredients, formulations and products, are pleased to announce they have signed a definitive agreement (the Agreement) as part of a three way agreement with the Dhaliwal Group (Dhaliwal) to manage the supply chain, manufacturing and sale of high quality CBD distillate and isolate. Under the terms of the Agreement, Allied will facilitate the supply and purchase of high quality CBD distillate and isolate between licensed cultivators and licensed buyers. Industrial hemp biomass will be converted by Radient, for a processing fee, into finished premium quality CBD consumer products, and sold into the Canadian market through a purchasing arrangement made by Dhaliwal. Allied will be responsible for full supply chain management, which involves product moving from legal licensed Canadian industrial hemp farmers, to bonded transport, to Radients Edmonton I processing facility, through to legally licensed buyers who hold a license to buy and sell Cannabis products in Canada. The Agreement is for an initial 12-month term with an annual option to renew. The three parties expect 7,500 kg of biomass to be processed during the first three months of the Agreement, with the amount increasing thereafter. Under the terms of the Agreement, Radient may also elect to be paid a portion of its processing fees in biomass rather than cash. This is a significant milestone achievement for Allieds 5th vertical facilitation of the Canadian and European cannabis product supply chain. Retailers are currently facing a challenging environment in receiving quality product. Our executive team, based on our knowledge and experience, is beginning to become a trusted partner in facilitating quality product and we expect many more deals like this to follow, said Calum Hughes, CEO of Allied. This continues to enable Allied to develop a large reaching sales and distribution network while our Colombian production continues get closer to commercial harvest. Radient is very pleased to enter into this Agreement with Allied and the Dhaliwal Group, said Radient President & CEO Denis Taschuk. This Agreement will allow us to create the high quality products that our proprietary continuous-flow extraction and processing technology was intended for. The strength of our manufacturing platform, coupled with Allieds trusted reputation as a responsible and reliable sales partner, enables us to bring premium products to more Canadian consumers, and we look forward to working with both Allied and the Dhaliwal Group. This is an exciting milestone for our company, highlighting our efforts to not only secure a foothold in the industry, but also to have a positive impact in the global cannabis industry said Sukh Dhaliwal, CEO of the Dhaliwal Group. We are on track for growth and are focused on our strategic corporate plans as we continue to expand globally. About Allied Corp. Allied Corp. is an international medical cannabis production company with a mission to address todays medical issues by researching, creating and producing targeted cannabinoid health solutions. Allied Corp. uses an evidence-informed scientific approach to make this mission possible, through cutting-edge pharmaceutical research and development, innovative plant-based production and unique development of therapeutic products. For more information on Allied Corp., visit www.allied.health Media Contact for Allied: [email protected] Investor Relations for Allied: Anthony Zelen [email protected] About Radient Radient Technologies is a commercial manufacturer of high quality cannabinoid based formulations, ingredients and products. Utilizing a proprietary continuous-flow extraction and processing platform that recovers up to 99% of cannabinoids from the cannabis plant, Radient develops specialty products and ingredients that contain a broad range of cannabinoid and terpene profiles while meeting the highest standards of quality and safety. Please visit www.radientinc.com for more information. Media Contact for Radient: Caitlin Cheadle, Director of Communications: [email protected] Investor Contact for Radient: Adam Deffett, Senior VP of Corporate Development: [email protected] About the Dhaliwal Group The Dhaliwal Groups mission is to be the premier global cannabis oil provider through a strong commitment to people, product quality and innovation. Via strategic alliances with Canadian Health Canada licensed hemp farmers, and some of Canadas top tier Health Canada licensed Cannabis and Extraction companies, Dhaliwal will bring Canadian and European end buyers to purchase high CBD products from this three way agreement. SOURCE: Allied Corp. and Radient Technologies Inc. Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws in Canada or forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbour provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, forward-looking information). Forward-looking information may relate to the Companys future outlook and anticipated events, plans or results, and may include information regarding the Companys objectives, goals, strategies, future revenue or performance and capital expenditures, and other information that is not historical information. Forward-looking information can often be identified by the use of terminology such as believe, anticipate, plan, expect, pending, in process, intend, estimate, project, may, will, should, would, could, can, the negatives thereof, variations thereon and similar expressions. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is based on the Companys opinions, estimates and assumptions in light of managements experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that management currently believes are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances. There can be no assurance that the underlying opinions, estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. Risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information in this release including the Companys exposure to legal and regulatory risk; that the medical benefits, viability, safety, efficacy, dosing and social acceptance of cannabis are not as currently expected; that adverse changes or developments affecting the Companys main or planned facilities may have an adverse effect on the Company; that the medical cannabis industry and market may not continue to exist or develop as anticipated or the Company may not be able to succeed in this market; risks related to market competition; that the Company has a limited operating history and a history of net losses and that it may not achieve or maintain profitability in the future; risks related to the Companys current or proposed international operations; risks related to future third party strategic alliances or the expansion of currently existing relationships with third parties; that the Company may not be able to successfully identify and execute future acquisitions or dispositions or successfully manage the impacts of such transactions on its operations; risks inherent to the operation of an agricultural business; that the Company may be unable to attract, develop and retain key personnel; risks resulting from significant interruptions to the Companys access to certain key inputs such as raw materials, electricity, water and other utilities; that the Company may be unable to transport its cannabis products to patients in a safe and efficient manner; risks related to recalls of the Companys cannabis products or product liability or regulatory claims or actions involving the Companys cannabis products; risks related to the Companys reliance on pharmaceutical distributors; that the Company, or the cannabis industry more generally, may receive unfavourable publicity or become subject to negative consumer or investor perception; that certain events or developments in the cannabis industry more generally may impact the Companys reputation or its relationships with customers or suppliers; that the Company may not be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage in respect of the risks that it faces, that the premiums for such insurance may not continue to be commercially justifiable or that there may be coverage limitations and other exclusions which may result in such insurance not being sufficient; that the Company may become subject to liability arising from fraudulent or illegal activity by its employees, contractors, consultants and others; that the Company may experience breaches of security at its facilities or losses as a result of the theft of its products; risks related to the Companys information technology systems; that the Company may be unable to sustain its revenue growth and development; that the Company may be unable to expand its operations quickly enough to meet demand or manage its operations beyond their current scale; that the Company may be unable to secure adequate or reliable sources of necessary funding; risks related to, or associated with, the Companys exposure to reporting requirements; risks related to conflicts of interest; risks related to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; risks related to the Companys potential exposure to greater-than-anticipated tax liabilities; risks related to the protection and enforcement of the Companys intellectual property rights, or the intellectual property that it licenses from others; that the Company may become subject to allegations that it or its licensors are in violation of the intellectual property rights of third parties; that the Company may not realize the full benefit of the clinical trials or studies that it participates in; that the Company may not realize the full benefit of its licenses if the licensed material has less market appeal than expected and the licenses may not be profitable; as well as any other risks that may be further described in and the risk factors discussed in the Company's continuous disclosure including its Management's Discussion and Analysis sections in its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed under the Company's profile at www.sec.gov. Although management has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information in this presentation, there may be other risk factors not presently known to the Company or that the Company presently believes are not material that could also cause actual results or future events to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking information in this presentation. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers and viewers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information, which speaks only as of the date made. The forward-looking information contained in this release represents the Companys expectations as of the date of this release or the date indicated, regardless of the time of delivery of the presentation. The Company disclaims any intention, obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities laws. 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. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] An NYPD officer in New York City's Lower Manhattan has tested positive for coronavirus, while 31 others at the precinct have called out sick. He is the fourth NYPD officer to test positive for the virus since the pandemic began. The latest case was from the city's 1st Precinct. Another 31 officers that have called out sick - including the precinct's commanding officer and executive officer. Of those, 17 have complained of having flu-like symptoms and are self-quaranting. The police officer who tested positive for coronavirus works at the NYPD's 1st Precinct (shown), in Lower Manhattan. Thirty-one others from the station have called out sick recently Officials have said that the officers are being 'monitored' but have not yet been tested for the virus. All told, 17 per cent of the 1st Precinct's staff is currently out sick - a number officials called 'a very large percent of the precinct.' The precinct, however, remains open at this time as officials are investigating to see if the officer who tested positive contracted the virus while on duty, CBS 2 reported. To combat any staffing shortages in the future, the precinct said that it does have a contingency plan. Sources told CBS 2 that the department would institute mandatory 12-hour shifts - similar to tactics used after 9/11. NYC now has 923 confirmed coronavirus cases. The are 6578 confirmed cases across the US Among the tactics police officers are being asked to use to stay safe are to avoid having unnecessary staffing at crime scenes and, in the event of non-emergency calls, asking people to exit their homes and talk on the street instead of entering homes, NY1 reported. The 1st Precinct officer, who has not been named, is now the fourth NYPD officer to have been publicly confirmed as having tested positive for coronavirus. The other who have the virus are NYPD Transit Bureau Chief Edward Delatorre, Deputy Commissioner for Employee Relations Robert Ganley and a Queens School Safety Agent. The NYPD has 36,000 officers and almost 20,000 civilian employees. Despite NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio warning Tuesday that city denizens should be prepared to shelter-in-place within the coming days, New York State governor Andrew Cuomo said that the city will not be going into lockdown. During a press conference Wednesday, Cuomo said that 'The fear, the panic is a bigger problem than the virus.' Cuomo also said 'I don't believe any policy works unless the geographic footprint is large enough. It can't just be New York City. 'Also shelter in place, you close down your health care system, you close down your food system, you close down your transportation system . And you close down businesses. That doesn't make sense to me because people need to eat travel etc.' A statement posted on the New York State's website noted that '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.' Despite Cuomo's latest statement, de Blasio said that he intends to continuing discussing the idea of locking down the city with the governor. As of Wednesday morning, 2,382 people had tested positive in New York State, up more than 800 since Tuesday. In New York City cases went up from 814 on Tuesday to 1,339 people testing positive by Wednesday. 'Right now there are two battles, the one in our heads about the pandemic and 2, the actual pandemic itself.' IMAGE: Commuters at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj terminus in Mumbai. Photograph: Arun Patil "As we face this crisis together as a people, we will emerge stronger," clinical psychologist and medical researcher at Mumbai's Jaslok Hospital Maherra Desai, co-author of The Coronavirus: What You Need To Know About The Global Pandemic, tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih. People are anxious, many are in panic about Covid-19. What should be the proper way to deal with this pandemic by the people? People tend to polarise into two reactions -- one set of people are getting extremely anxious and constantly getting updated with the storm of information -- on news channels, wtaspp and sometimes get conflicting information and don't know what to believe. The lack of adequate knowledge from reliable sources is causing a lot of panic. The other reaction is of people dismissing the information. They feel that they will be invincible through this and nothing will happen. What is required is to tread a fine line between these two reactions. Both these situations -- panic or complete oblivion -- does not help in dealing with the situation. There are very few who are calm and collected through this and that number needs to increase. The fear comes from this question -- how do I protect myself and my loved one. What should we be doing and what is the best way for citizens to look at this crisis? We need adequate information about the disease and know how it spreads. To explain: 1. There is the virus and 2. The disease it causes. We are heading to a situation where the virus is going to be all around us. You can have the virus on your hand and still not have the disease. The disease happens when the virus attacks us and the only way it can happen is through our eyes, nose mouth and broken skin. Till I'm doing everything to prevent that from happening by adequately washing my hands before touching my eyes, nose and mouth, irrespective of where I go, I can prevent the virus from getting into me. The other thing is to keep 1 to 2 metres distance. One must avoid the sneezes from coming onto you. Hence, keep 1 to 2 metre distance and sneeze into your sleeve. These two things are most important. There seems to be some kind of stigma being attached to those who have been quarantined or have recovered, also foreigners. Stigma is coming from half information. Lack of awareness is leading to this kind of situation. We are moving into survival mode and everyone wants to protect themselves. Anyone seen to be vulnerable or a suspected case, people tend to react as if they have committed a crime. This pandemic is real and around us, but it is not the only thing in our lives. It is very important to find that balance between being informed about it and being stormed with information. We are increasingly being home because of this pandemic and every new information comes as a new scare. Our attitude is going to be absolutely critical. Do what is in control by protecting yourself rather than blaming people. There are many who are constantly seeing the news, checking their phones -- try to maintain a balance. Keep a routine for the day, get adequate sleep, eat nutritious food to ensure that you are mentally and physically in the best health to face the infection. Many people feel imprisoned, but make the best of the time on your hands and use it effectively. Read a book and spend time with family, talk to friends on the phone you haven't spoken to in a while. IMAGE: Maherra Desai, centre, flanked by co-authors Dr Swapneil Parikh, right, and Dr Rajesh Parikh. Photograph: Kind courtesy The Coronavirus: What You Need To Know About The Global Pandemic As a psychologist, how do you see the human response to this crisis? The model to look at is South Korea that has dealt with SARS and MERS before. They are so proactive and because of their past experience the stigma is less, and people are aware about what to do. In India, public awareness needs to increase about what are the effective ways to do that. India has a lot of social support because we are a collective society. China tried to hide the outbreak which led to a lot of anger and social outrage. Keeping people informed is key. Once people understand it is in their self interest to take care of other people, I think we can battle this. Right now there are two battles, the one in our heads about the pandemic and 2, the actual pandemic itself. If people are getting anxious, then telemedicine is very possible in India where if someone is anxious s/he can call a helpline and have a professional talk. Internationally, many health platforms have dropped their paywalls and allow free access so that people can benefit. How do you think this crisis will mark our times? British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it is the biggest health crisis of our generation. It will bring us together in spirit -- though not physically -- and make us aware and improve our basic behaviour routine. It is not going to be easy, but we are going to get out of this for sure. It is not going to be soon, but scientists and researchers are working globally like never before. As we face this crisis together as a people, we will emerge stronger. I feel India has acted well ahead inspite of our health care constraints. How is this going to affect us in the long run because at some point of time all of us have to get back to the business of life as we know it? What happens then? The frustration among many is how long will this last. For the government to ask companies to work at half manpower capacity has huge economic consequences. In some countries loans have been waived for a few months, in Mumbai the Maharashtra government has given Rs 45 crores (Rs 450 million) to districts in wake of Covid-19. At this point, we have to trust the decisions of the government. The sooner we contain it, the better. It's a sign of just how bad things are for airlines. On Wednesday (March 18) Ryanair - Europe's biggest budget carrier - said it would ground almost all its planes from next week. Just a handful of flights, mostly between the UK and Ireland, will continue. The move comes as countries around the world are rushing to prop up airlines battered by the coronavirus outbreak. On Wednesday EU transport ministers discussed whether to offer carriers tax relief. Australia said it would waive or refund hundreds of millions of dollars in fees paid by airlines. And Taiwan said air travel firms there could apply for subsidies and loans backdated to mid-January. Those just the latest in a long list of interventions worldwide. U.S. airlines have asked for $50 billion in grants and loans, plus tens of billions in tax relief. In Scandinavia SAS has got over $300 million in credit guarantees from Sweden and Denmark. Struggling Norwegian Air Shuttle is asking Oslo for something similar. But even that kind of aid won't be enough for some. Italy - Europe's worst-hit country - is taking control of Alitalia. No big surprise, perhaps, when the company is a perennial lossmaker. But experts fear much stronger airlines will fail. The International Air Transport Association says the sector needs about $200 billion in assistance. There is one bright spot though. Fuel costs are tumbling, with U.S. crude futures sinking to 18-year lows on Wednesday. That's not much help for airline bosses though, when their planes aren't flying. U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden said Wednesday he will introduce legislation to delay federal Real ID requirements until at least September 2021, citing the ongoing coronavirus public health crisis. In a statement, Oregons senior senator, a Democrat from Portland, said he had rallied support from Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., and Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., in addition to Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich. Oregon is expected to be the last state in the country to comply with the 2005 Real ID Act. Federal officials set a Oct. 1, 2020 for domestic air travelers to have a federally recognized form of identification to board planes. The law also governs entry to military bases and government buildings. Oregons current drivers license is not compliant, because the state doesnt check rigorously enough for proof of citizenship, and the state wont start issuing Real ID-compliant licenses until July 6. That time crunch was an anxiety-inducing fact for state officials even before the coronavirus crisis struck the nation. Now, it appears to be even more of an issue. In the middle of this public health crisis, it would be irresponsible and dangerous to ask Oregonians to crowd into lines at their Department of Motor Vehicles to receive the Real ID documents they need, Wyden said in a statement. This legislation would postpone this document deadline of Oct. 1, 2020 for a year so people can comply without risking their health or the health of those around them. Under the Real ID law, travelers will be permitted to board planes with a passport or passport card even without a Real ID drivers license. Wyden wants to delay implementation until Sept. 30, 2021 at the earliest. In a letter sent Wednesday to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf, Wyden cited that President Trump had urged Americans to cut down on discretionary travel. I urge you to use your administrative authority to take this step, Wyden wrote of the delay, if you believe it beyond your ability publicly support swift congressional action. For months, Oregon urged people to get a passport as a stop-gap measure to avoid delays at the DMV. It can take six to eight weeks to obtain a passport, according to federal agencies. Passports can be expedited in certain cases or issued the same day in certain locations. Oregon is in this situation of its own accord, although it was not the only state to oppose the federal legislation during the George W. Bush administration. Oregon lawmakers stiff-armed federal regulators in 2009 and prohibited the state from spending money to comply with the federal act. Oregon it is likely to be the last state to comply with the federal rules. In 2018, the state Legislature repealed the previously bill and set a path toward compliance by 2020. Earlier this week, U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee, called on the Department of Homeland Security to postpone the October deadline. Federal officials did not respond to The Oregonian/OregonLives inquiries earlier this week and they have not immediately responded to subsequent attempts Wednesday. Oregon transportation officials estimate that some 960,000 residents may be interested in obtaining a Real ID card this summer, a figure that would lead to significant delays at DMVs across the state. David House, an Oregon DMV spokesman, said some offices across the state are already temporarily closed amid the public health crisis and at others, surfaces are being cleaned and disinfected more frequently. But with this changing situation and the potential for staff illnesses of any kind, we expect to need to close offices more often in the coming weeks, especially among the smallest offices, he said. Oregon has 60 DMV offices. In the meantime, House said, the state has canceled all drivers tests for the rest of March, but some third-party companies may still be taking clients. Larger and medium-sized offices in the metro area and other cities are considering putting employees at the door to count customers and limit the number of people in the lobby. We may remove some chairs from lobbies to increase space between customers, he added. House urged people who can delay a visit to do so, and he recommended people file paperwork online or via mail if possible. He added that drivers can still register to vote and change their affiliation online on the Secretary of States website. -- Andrew Theen; atheen@oregonian.com; 503-294-4026; @andrewtheen Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More A businessman from the Khopat locality of Maharashtras Thane district has been asked to pay Rs 152 crore to Yes Bank even though he has never dealt with the bank. Sachin Talawdekar, who deals in power supply and back-up equipment, has received a notice from the Yes Bank in September last year, Mumbai Mirror reported. Talawdekar owns Global Techno India, a company that deals with power back-up solutions, UPS, batteries, generators and inverters. He operates from his flat in Prabhavati Tower in Khopat and has an annual turnover of just Rs 25 lakh. Shocked to receive the notice, Talawdekar has been running from pillar to post to have it withdrawn, the report said. He has sent a legal notice to the bank, asking it to withdraw its notice. But he has not gotten any reply. He has reportedly approached the local Rabodi police station seeking action against the bank for harassment. The notice states that he should pay the entire amount that he owes to one Dion Global Solutions directly to Yes Bank, the report quotes Talawdekar as saying. However, he claimed that he has nothing to do with the mentioned firm. The bank claimed that Dion owes some Rs 152 crore to it and Talawdekar was one of the debtors of the firm, the report said. Talawdekar said he has never dealt with Dion or Yes Bank. After receiving the notice, Talawdekar visited the local branch of Yes Bank at Thane's Talav Pali. He later approached the Rabodi police station where police 'fixed his meeting with bank officials', the report stated. Bank officials took all relevant documents from him and told him that they will communicate with their Delhi office, which had issued the notice, but they have not yet reverted, the report quoting Talawdekar as saying. Deepak Varhade, a police officer attached to the Rabodi police station, told the publication that the bank officials claim that the notice was probably sent to the man by mistake and he does not need to worry. On March 5, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a moratorium on the troubled private sector lender, including capping withdrawals at Rs 50,000 per depositor. The moratorium would be lifted by 6 pm on March 18. Dev Ashish You already know that Budget 2020 brought in an option in the personal income tax structure. The old one stays as it is, unchanged, and still has all the exemptions and deductions. The new option offers lower tax rates, but does away with the exemptions available in the old structure. As of now, the tax-payer has the option of staying with the old system or shifting to the new alternative (with lower taxes and no exemptions). And from what I understand (and I am no tax expert), the choice of which is better for whom has become individual-specific. That is, the old tax system may work better for some, and the new option for many others. Before I say a word more, let me tell you that I am all for simplification of the tax structure. After years of tweaking by various governments, it was high time that someone put a stop to this and cleaned it up. And simplification in the new system comes at lower tax rates. Phasing out exemptions The government has also hinted (quite clearly) that it will gradually do away with all the exemptions. Its not clear by when, but that seems to be the intent. And assuming that the government doesnt backtrack on this intent, it is more or less clear that the new low-tax-no-exemption regime will be the new normal in the years to come. While lower tax rates are always welcome, I also feel that the removal of exemptions from income tax will have other consequences as well. Lower tax (of the new regime) means higher disposable income. But it also means that the nudge to save and invest by wrapping it in tax-saving exemptions will also go away. And that means people will have reduced incentive to save. Of course, tax-saving should not be the reason to save your goals should define how and where you invest. But how many people actually think like that? Only a few and those that are financially aware. I am not trying to paint everyone with the same brush. But the fact is that a majority of the population is used to setting aside funds (in savings) as it got tax benefits! In some ways, the old tax regime with its exemptions was a blessing-in-disguise for such people as it, in some ways, forced people to save for their future. The financially aware will invest, tax-saving or not As and when the tax exemptions are phased out, the financially prudent ones will still be saving and investing. But others who do not prioritize saving will be free to choose as to how they spend their money. A few of them will still be savers at heart and continue to do the same. But many others wont. And that is the issue. If due to lack of incentives (such as tax exemptions, etc.), these people dont save, then they will remain financially vulnerable. And rising consumerism further reduces the desire to not spend today but save for future too. Also, they will not be able to accumulate enough savings for long-term goals such as retirement. And we dont have much in the name of social security in India. So, this reduced savings will mean less money/income during retirement. And that will be disastrous. More so because people these days live much longer after retiring at 60. They, in fact, need more money. Do you see the problem? I cannot blame the government here, as the intent of tax simplification is in the right spirit. But it will have an adverse impact on many who arent financially disciplined. They still need that nudge. They still need that push to save something. I dont know what the best solution here is. May be, in due course, people will adjust to the new reality and begin saving on their own. But there is no doubt that the tax exemptions offered till now did act as a powerful incentive to encourage saving. More importantly, these nudges helped to gradually and unconsciously convert the non-savers at heart into savers and investors in the long term. And that was one desirable side effect of the old system. (The writer is the founder of StableInvestor.com) This is Wednesday night youth group. We dont do Bibles here. Were here to have fun. Thats what a high school senior told me during my first week as a youth minister nearly two decades ago. At that church, I was only threatened with termination once, after several parents came to the senior pastor with the same criticism: Their children werent having as much fun as they did during the previous youth ministers tenure. Clearly, in their minds, youth ministry was for fun. The memory of that uncomfortable conversation resurfaced in my mind as I read Andrew Roots new book The End of Youth Ministry?: Why Parents Dont Really Care about Youth Groups and What Youth Workers Should Do about It. In the opening pages, one youth minister laments that every complaint and every expectation about her ministry kept coming back to fun. . . . As if fun were freedom instead of a chain around my whole body. As someone who spent years fettered by the soul-draining weight of that chain, I was encouraged by the alternative that Root recommends: Youth ministry is for joy. Changing Values Root, professor of youth and family ministry at Luther Seminary, sets the stage for this claim by analyzing the history of American adolescence. His focus is not on how to do youth ministry but rather on why to do it at all. Its here that Root is at his best. Working from the moral philosophy of Charles Taylor, best known for books like Sources of the Self and A Secular Age, Root illustrates complex social changes in easily understandable ways. In the process, he mounts a cogent argument for the obsolescence of the type of youth ministry that dominated the 1980s and ... 1 You have reached the end of this Article Preview You have reached the end of this Article Preview To continue reading, subscribe now. Subscribers have full digital access. Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here. Usually when the Justice Department files charges against hackers linked to foreign governments, the defendants just issue blanket denials and then ignore the indictments, knowing theyre safely out of reach of the U.S. legal system. But not this time. In 2018, when Robert Mueller filed charges against a group of Russian individuals and three Russian companies for interfering in the 2016 U.S. elections, two of those companies decided to respond in U.S. courtand, incredibly, they now seem to have won. Advertisement This week, in a story you would be forgiven for having missed given the ubiquity of coronavirus coverage, the Justice Department announced its intentions to drop the charges filed by Robert Mueller in 2018 against two Russian shell companies allegedly involved in 2016 election interference efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those charges were already a not-entirely-satisfying response to Russias manipulation of the 2016 U.S. presidential election through social media campaigns and data breaches. But they at least provided a dose of naming and shaming online adversaries and a sense that the U.S. government could investigate what was happening on the internet. Now, the government wants to drop charges against two of the companies named in that indictmentConcord Management and Concord Consulting, both owned by Russian catering magnate Yevgeniy Prigozhinbecause they have tried to fight those charges in court, instead of ignoring them completely. Advertisement Advertisement Upon careful consideration of all the circumstances, and particularly in light of recent events and a change in the balance of the governments proof due to a classification determination 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 a conviction, promotes neither the interests of justice nor the nations security, the government wrote Monday in a motion to dismiss. The motion made reference to Concords attempts to access sensitive evidence for the purposes of its defense, something the United States was apparently unwilling to provide in light of a classification determination. On Dec. 20, 2018, Concord filed a motion to request that sensitive discovery related to the charges be released to it so it could prepare for the trial. The United States filed a response to that motion in January 2019, arguing that it would be damaging to release that sensitive discovery, which included information describing the governments investigative techniques, identities of cooperating individuals and companies, and personal identifying information related to U.S. persons who were victims of identity theft. The U.S. government feared that if these materials were made available to the defendants, then Concord would share them with others, and perhaps even use them for further misinformation campaigns online aimed at discrediting ongoing investigations into Russian interference in the U.S. political system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats not an unfounded fearit stemmed at least in part from what the government believed the defendants had already done with the nonsensitive materials given to them as part of the case. The government response to Concords motion highlights a tweet sent by (now-suspended) Twitter user @HackingRedstone on Oct. 22, 2018: Weve got access to the Special Counsel Muellers probe database as we hacked Russian server with info from the Russian troll case Concord LLC v. Mueller. You can view all the files Mueller had about the IRA and Russian collusion. Enjoy the reading! The government noted that the tweet included a link to a webpage located on an online file-sharing portal. This webpage contained file folders with names and folder structures that are unique to the names and structures of materials (including tracking numbers assigned by the special counsels office) produced by the government in discovery. Advertisement Advertisement It makes perfect sense to worry that Russia would release the information disclosed to it as part of this caseof course it would! But it doesnt make sense to let that fear stop this case in its tracks. Why should we be afraid of Russia releasing the evidenceor even doctored evidencewhen publicizing this information was a crucial reason for filing charges in the first place? The whole point of the charges filed against Concordin addition to the Internet Research Agency and the 13 Russians also named as defendants in the indictmentwas to make more information about the election interference efforts publicly known. Far from fearing that the defendants will make this information publicly available, the United States should be doing that themselves. Perhaps some of the evidence involved in this case is highly classified and cannot be released, but we know that much of it is not based on the initial, public indictment. Moreover, former Facebook chief security officer Alex Stamos told the Washington Post that Facebook had provided unclassified evidence relevant to the investigation to the Department of Justice in 2017. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the Trump administration announced its new National Cyber Strategy in 2018, it looked like we were on the verge of an era of more aggressive cyber conflict based on a philosophy of persistent engagement. I was wary of that approach at the time for fear it could needlessly escalate things, but it seems this administrations idea of persistent engagement is more like tentative retreat. Indeed, the Trump White House seems even more reluctant than the Obama administration to go after the perpetrators of cyberattacks or try to hold them accountable for their actions. By dropping these charges, the United States is signaling to all other defendantsnot just in this case but in many others related to overseas cyberattacks and cyberespionagethat the Justice Department indictments are only for show. It says that the DOJ is not willing to actually use the full arsenal of legal tools at its disposal to even try to hold perpetrators accountable. Its a baffling act of retreat that signals just how half-hearted the U.S. governments efforts to tackle cybersecurity incidents truly are. And other defendants facing similar charges now know the easiest way to get those charges dropped: show up in court and demand all the evidence the United States has gathered against them. Given that there appears to be plenty of unclassified evidence in this case, its hard to guess what the governments real motivations for dropping the charges are. Perhaps its a sign that this administration is not really all that interested in investigating or publicizing election interference operations, which is bad news for all of us, as we head into yet another election. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. As the coronavirus threat worsens, towns along the Connecticut Shoreline including Guilford, Madison and North Branford have rolled out restrictions meant to curb the spread of disease. Those measures include library closures, event cancellations and limiting public access to town offices. All have declared local civil preparedness emergencies, giving each municipalitys chief executive officer more decision-making power. Its a move thats meant to quicken local response to the virus. Heres what else you need to know about the steps each town has taken. Guilford Guilford has closed its public library and community center, according to First Selectman Matt Hoey. The community center closure affects dozens of seniors in town who participate in a meals program, Hoey said. Mindful of the impact the cancellation will have, Guilford Interfaith Volunteers is working to increase Meals on Wheels service, according to Hoey. Hoey encouraged anyone who wishes to volunteer to contact the organization at 203-453-8359. Some 20 new volunteers came forward over the weekend, he said. As of Wednesday, the town had not closed its offices but was encouraging residents to conduct business via email or phone when possible, and only go to Town Hall when absolutely necessary, Hoey said. He also instituted social distancing measures for staff, he said. Guilford canceled any meetings not of a regulatory, statutory or fiduciary nature, according to a release from the first selectmans office. The town is working to broadcast the meetings that will be held so residents can view them at home, Hoey said. For more updates specific to Guilford, visit the towns website. Madison Guilfords next-door neighbor has taken similar measures. Madison has, for example, canceled all non-essential meetings, according to Lauren Rhines, town services coordinator. Only the Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance, Board of Education and Zoning Board of Appeals will continue to meet, she said. The town also has closed its offices to the public except by appointment, asking residents to call or email where possible, according to a release from First Selectwoman Peggy Lyons, who is issuing regular online updates on the situation. Madison also closed its Senior Center, town gym, Surf Club, Memorial Town Hall, arts barn and Bauer classroom, and canceled all related programs and events, Lyons announced in another release. In a Wednesday announcement, Trent Joseph, who heads the health department, directed all massage therapists and businesses in the cosmetic industry, such as hair and nail salons, to cease operations indefinitely. COVID 19 is spread mainly from person-to-person contact. The nature of your profession puts you in direct contact with your clients and customers, he advised. North Branford North Branford was the first of the three towns to declare a state of emergency, doing so Friday in a move meant to ensure the procurement of resources from the federal government, town officials said. The town is focused on obtaining personal protective equipment, such as masks and gloves, to prevent first responders such as EMTs and police officers from being exposed to the virus, Town Manager Mike Paulhus said Tuesday. The municipality also closed Town Hall to the public, asking that residents who need assistance on crucial matters call 203-484-6000, according to an online release. The town also is limiting possible coronavirus exposure by canceling unnecessary meetings, such as Tuesdays public hearing on the Police Department building project, another release said. It closed Tuesday nights Town Council meeting to the public, Paulhus said. The North Branford Food Pantry will be open to registered guests from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, but will subsequently close for at least two weeks, per the release. Other updates specific to North Branford can be found online. meghan.friedmann@hearstmediact.com; 781-346-5236 Advertisement Venetian canals are the clearest they have been in living memory after Italy's coronavirus lockdown stopped boats from bringing sediment to the surface. In a rare welcome side-effect of the health crisis, the usually murky waterways are clear enough to see the schools of fish under the water. White swans are also roaming the canals in a city where the usually overloaded piazzas and alleyways have become almost deserted, while air pollution has declined across northern Italy. With no tourists taking gondola rides along the canals, the sediment in the water has been able to settle at the bottom without being churned about - making the surface clearer. One Venetian local, Marco Capovilla, said he 'had never seen' the water so clear after filming some of the fish under the surface. Clearer than ever: Schools of fish are visible under the usually murky water of Venetian canals in the wake of Italy's coronavirus lockdown. Sediment is no longer being brought to the surface since boat rides have effectively stopped Schools of fish (left) and white swans (right) on the Venetian canals after pollution levels dropped in northern Italy as the country grinds to a halt Fish swimming in the canals in Venice yesterday with the Italian economy grinding to a halt because of coronavirus, sparking a drop in pollution The usual picture: Tourists enjoy gondola rides through the murky canals in May 2019, with a nearby bridge also packed 'The water now looks clearer because there is less traffic on the canals, allowing the sediment to stay at the bottom,' a spokesman for the Venice mayor's office told CNN. 'It's because there is less boat traffic that usually brings sediment to the top of the water's surface.' 'The air, however, is less polluted since there are less vaporetti and boat traffic than usual because of the restricted movement of residents.' Local resident Capovilla, 40, described the 'striking' clarity of the water in contrast to the usually dirty canals, which he filmed during the lockdown. 'The city doesn't have sewers, so normally everything goes into the canals, including detergents and cosmetics,' the estate agent said. 'Thanks to the quarantine, we are experiencing a cleaner environment.' Bank worker Martina Bettoni, 33, said: 'Seeing so many fish in the canals was extremely rare before the quarantine. 'I hope we'll learn from this tragic time, and that when this is over Venice will be able to strike a balance between tourist crowds and cleanliness.' Images from a European Space Agency-backed programme have already shown pollution in sharp decline over northern Italy. They include significant reductions in NO2 levels in Venice and other major Italian cities such as Milan, Turin and Bologna. There are also signs of falling NO2 levels in Rome, although the quarantine measures have not been in place for so long there. White swans near a bridge (pictured left) clear water in the canals (right) and in Venice where the usually overcrowded streets and piazzas have been left deserted because of the coronavirus outbreak What they usually look like: A murky canal is pictured on February 28, before most of northern Italy had been locked down The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service said nitrogen oxide levels appeared to have fallen by around 10 per cent in the last four weeks. 'Most of its emissions sources are located at the surface and are generated by human activities such as traffic, production of energy, residential heating, industries,' the group said. However, they warned that some sources of pollution could increase. For example, people may use private cars more often to avoid public transport. Venice landmarks such as St Mark's Square have become almost deserted with gondolas empty in a reversal of the city's usual overcrowding problem. Last month's Carnival was cancelled, flights have been scrapped, borders are closing and foreign governments are advising against travel to Italy. Health workers have been seen spraying streets, swimming pools, plazas, pavements and bridges in what the local council describes as 'exceptional measures'. Nitrogen dioxide has dropped in northern Italy over a three-week period - February 14 (top left), February 24 (top right), March 4 (bottom left) and March 8 (bottom right) - following a month of coronavirus restrictions. The orange shading shows a heavy concentration of air pollution. These images were taken by a European Space Agency-backed satellite An empty Venice after the Italian government locked the country down over coronavirus, with flights scrapped and borders shut With fewer ships and ferries around Cagliari, locals were recently treated to the sight of dolphins swimming up alongside a dock The city is usually one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, attracting more than a million visitors from China alone last year. But the Venice tourist industry had already suffered a blow last year when 'apocalyptic' floods ravaged the lagoon city. The head of the Veneto region which includes Venice has said virus tests will be ramped up from 3,000 to more than 11,000 per day. 'Even if we find just one positive case, it means we will have 10 less infections,' said Luca Zaia. 'I don't really care about the budget. It is less important than the lives of our citizens.' The governor has called on 'everyone to remain in isolation' to avoid putting hospitals under further strain. 'If you do not follow the rules, the healthcare system will crash and I will have to impose a curfew,' Zaia said. Meanwhile, with fewer ships and ferries around Cagliari, Sardinia, locals have been treated to the sight of dolphins swimming up alongside a dock. And as people increasingly shelter indoors, wild boar have been seen roaming around the streets of Sassari on the island. Belfast's Lyric Theatre has closed for the first time in its 52-year history to help slow the spread of Covid-19 Belfast's Lyric Theatre has closed for the first time in its 52-year history to help slow the spread of Covid-19. Executive producer Jimmy Fay said: "This is the first time in the Lyric's history that we've been forced to close our doors. Even during the very darkest days of the Troubles the Lyric remained open. "The closure of theatres and other cultural venues will have a very real and devastating impact on the theatre industry and arts community as a whole. "Cancelling upcoming performances means that artists will not work and audiences will not get a chance to see shows that we've put our hearts and souls into creating. "These are strange and uncertain times for us all but if we can help prevent the spread of this virus then this is the most important action we can take for our industry and our society." Even during the theatre's 18m rebuild a decade ago the show still went on at temporary home the Elmwood Hall. Mr Fay added: "We send solidarity to all our friends and colleagues across the theatre sector, and to our fantastic audiences. "We urge you all to take care of yourselves; to self-isolate if required and to stay healthy. "We look forward to welcoming you back to your Lyric Theatre when we open again." Playwright Martin Lynch was due to launch his latest production, a one-man show based on the life of the Guildford Four's Gerry Conlon, In The Name Of The Son, at the theatre last night. "We had over 3,000 tickets sold for the shows but on Sunday we contacted the Lyric to say we should pull out," he said. "They were supportive of the decision but we felt that we had to take this radical action. "We performed four nights of the tour last week to packed houses and standing ovations in Armagh, Cookstown and Derry so we were all ready to go for two weeks in Belfast. "Everybody involved is now unemployed but we're hopeful that a new slot can be found so the show can be rescheduled for later in the year." Journalist and theatre actor Ivan Little was among those due to attend last night's opening night and says the news is devastating but inevitable. "The show has always gone on at this exceptional theatre, even at the height of the Troubles," he said. "I remember watching a production of Arthur Miller's Death Of A Salesman with a soundtrack of Belfast bomb blasts going off outside in the 1970s when there were only 19 of us in the audience. "And I think there were even lower attendances than that. "From memory, the only time the theatre went dark was for a few nights during the Ulster Workers' Council strike in 1974. "I know everyone across the world is suffering but the theatre is a precarious enough profession without having an enforced interval that could last for months until the curtain goes up again." The Lyric's Stranmillis site was founded by Mary O'Malley and opened its doors in 1968. Over the years many recognisable faces have tread the boards including Adrian Dunbar, Dan Gordon, Conleth Hill, Ciaran Hinds, Stella McCusker, Ian McIlhinney, Frances Tomelty and Liam Neeson. It has also premiered the works of playwrights such as Stewart Parker (Northern Star in 1982), Christina Reid (Tea In A China Cup in 1983) and Marie Jones (Stones In His Pockets in 1997). The people of Kilkenny are resilient and equal to the challenge of the coronavirus but we must be united, look out for one another, and we absolutely must heed the advice of experts now and in the coming weeks. So say community leaders, including senior hurling manager Brian Cody, Bishop of Ossory Dermot Farrell, the Mayor of Kilkenny and the council chairman. They say medical staff and the most vulnerable in society are counting on us all to do our part. Many here have already taken up the baton, volunteering to deliver meals to people or help out in some other way. The thing to do is to listen to the doctors, the HSE, and the experts with the public working together and looking out for the most vulnerable, says hurling legend Cody. We will get back to what we have always done. In the meantime, we need to adapt to this situation. We need to fill our days with something - there is not a huge amount anyone can do, but keep in contact with each other. We use technology so much when things are normal; we can use it now in a meaningful way. None of us have all the answers: the GPs and the doctors have some, and they are putting themselves out there and going the extra mile. The way we can help is to listen to them. Doctors, nurses, and so many people in the firing line are just seeing it as doing their duty, and we can help them by doing the right thing. Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council Peter Chap Cleere says the pandemic represents an unprecedented challenge to the people of Kilkenny and Ireland but one that we can meet. Every aspect of our public service and private sector will come under extraordinary pressure and every citizen in every community will be required to play their part, says Cllr Cleere. However, I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that the people of Kilkenny are equal to this challenge. Cllr Cleere said the manner in which the entire medical community has come together in the face of this threat has been inspirational. Kilkenny has a deep understanding and love for community, he said. We need to draw on our deepest values and harness that community spirit. The advice on what each of us needs to do is clear: we all need to follow that advice not just for our own health, but for the benefit of all those around us. Each one of us needs to think of vulnerable people in our midst and ask ourselves what we can do to help them through this. Covid-19 will pass. By staying strong and united in our communities we will minimise the damage that it causes. Together we will show our enormous spirit and resilience and we will beat this. Stay safe, and mind each other. Money changes hand frequently, and cash even more so. But in times when the COVID-19 outbreak is putting entire populations under threat, and social distancing has become the norm, it does make sense to avoid transacting in cash. Some countries have already quarantined cash, while others like South Korea, have burnt, or high-heat laundered their notes. The World Health Organisation has advised switching to contactless payments too. No wonder, the Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das, too, urged customers to go digital on Monday. Says Vikas Saraogi, vice president, acceptance development, Mastercard: Given the current situation, contactless could provide conscious consumers with a new option to pay. Adds Mandar Agashe, managing director and founder of Sarvatra Technologies: Considering the current situation, contactless payments could be the way ahead, and payment modes like UPI, IMPS, RTGS, mobile wallet and could contribute effectively in reducing human interactions. Unified Payments Interface: It offers instant money transfer without the bank details. Instead of bank account number and IFSC code, the virtual payment address (VPA) is used to pay through UPI. If you choose this mode, which is the most popular payment option in India, keep a few things in mind. UPI has a feature where you or a merchant can send the user a request to collect money. You dont need to authorise a transaction if money is being transferred to your account. However, due to this simplicity, a common type of fraud is when a fraudster convinces you to share the PIN, and money gets debited. Says Agashe: You should never share your PIN. If you share it, its like sharing the key to a lock. : Due to the virus, RBI has now made NEFT, IMPS, and UPI available round the clock to facilitate fund transfers, purchase of goods/services, payment of bills, etc. Says Rajesh Mirjankar, MD and CEO, InfrasoftTech: Phishing is the mostcommon type of fraud for wallets and all online transactions. Regardless of what the context of the conversation in an email is, the client should never provide login credentials or other details on an email or should not click any links within an SMS or email. At times, due to heavy traffic or technical glitches like server down, funds cannot be transferred. The user needs IFSC code, account number and other details to be submitted. Check these details thoroughly. Mobile wallets: These gained popularity post demonetisation in 2016. Right from Paytm to PhonePe and Mobikwik, to name a few. Bala Parthasarathy, CEO and co-founder, MoneyTap says: The advantage of mobile wallets is that it allows you to go cardless. It doesnt require any card number, CVV, Pin or mobile number. It is independent of such information and cant be manipulated or hacked. Cashback or discount rewards are available. However, a necessary precaution while using wallets, Mirjankar says, is that mobile users should not click on any images or links from unknown sources on SMS or any messaging app. Also, its best to download only popular apps and mobile wallets. Adds Mirjankar: Do not install and use any remote screen mirroring tool. These tools are indeed convenient for genuine use-cases such as remote technical support, but if a trickster gets access to your device remotely, he can wipe out the account. Cards: Tap and pay, or whats commonly known as wifi card by shopkeepers, is a contactless card. You dont even need to punch in a PIN in the point-of-sale machine, and payments of ~2,000 can happen without a PIN. As far as regular go, ensure you take customary precautions when doing online or offline transactions. Irrespective of the types of digital payment, Sanjay Katkar, joint managing director and chief technology officer, Quick Heal Technologies, says: Buy and install good antivirus software. Yes, pay for it! It wont cost you more than a dinner in a fancy restaurant. Diversify: Many top private sector banks have suffered technical difficulties. So, relying on just one bank isnt a good idea. Have two or three options. Use e-wallet for smaller payments, UPI for home deliveries, contactless or for larger payments and QR code at a shop. Finally, just because its safer not to handle cash doesnt mean you dont keep some handy. Ketan Doshi, managing director, Paypoint India, says: Theres no question theres merit in going contactless at the moment. But, theres another side to this story. In panic situations, shopkeepers and other vendors will seek cash. In situations of cash shortage at ATMs, make use of micro ATMs installed in grocery shops or mom and pop stores that allow payments using Aadhaar. Two men have been arrested after 163,000 worth of suspected cocaine was seized. Yesterday, gardai attached to the K District Community Action Team conducted a search of two vehicles at Porterstown Road, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15. Gardai said that during the course of the searches, a package containing approximately 82,600 of suspected cocaine, pending analysis, was seized. Two men in their 30s were arrested at the scene and detained at Blanchardstown Garda Station under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Drug Trafficking Act, 1996. Gardai carried out a further search in the vehicles where another package containing around 81,200 of suspected cocaine, pending analysis, was seized as well as 24,985 in cash. Gardai said that during a follow-up operation at a number of locations in the Dublin 15 area as part of their enquiries, they recovered around 6,000 in cash as well as designer clothing and apparel with an estimated value of 24,000. They said that investigations are ongoing. A couple and their three-year-old daughter who returned from Italy 10 days ago tested positive for coronavirus, or Covid-19, Rajasthan health minister Raghu Sharma said late on Wednesday evening. The minister said a decision had been taken to impose curfew in the one-kilometre radius to prevent the infection from spreading. People who live in this area have been told not to come out of their houses, he said. The three cases were reported in Jhunjhunu, about 140 km north of state capital Jaipur. A state government official said the man, 33, his wife, 30, and their three-year-old daughter are being treated by a team of doctors. Dr SK Kaler, Principal Medical Officer of Jhunjhunu district, told HT that the family had returned from Italy on March 8 and had been placed under observation. They showed symptoms of the virus and were admitted in the government hospital in Jhunjhunu on Tuesday. Their samples were taken on Tuesday and sent to SMS hospital in Jaipur for testing, Dr Kaler said. He described their condition of the three patients as stable. That the family had been at home after their return sparked concerns about the possibility of the infection spreading and led chief minister Ashok Gehlot to hold a quick review meeting. Soon after, Gehlot announced the decision to impose prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the criminal procedure code. Officials said the health department is trying to trace people who came in contact with the couple after their return. SMS hospital medical superintendent Dr DS Meena, who confirmed that three samples had tested positive, said a medical board had been formed to assess the condition of patients. Rajasthan had earlier reported four coronavirus cases including an Italian couple, part of a larger tourist group, who had tested positive for the virus on March 2. An 85-year-old Jaipur resident who returned from Dubai also tested positive for the virus on February 28 and tested positive for the virus on March 9. Doctors at SMS hospital claimed to have successfully treated the three coronavirus patients. The fourth patient, a 24-year-old who returned from Spain, tested positive on March 14. He is also undergoing treatment at SMS hospital. The doctors cured the patients by giving them a combination of drugs used to treat swine flu, malaria and HIV. The ICMR has also approved the protocol followed by the doctors. Doctors from India and abroad have been in contact with the doctors at SMS to get information regarding the treatment regimen, said Dr Sudhir Bhandari, principal, SMS medical college. The total samples tested so far in the state are 469 of which 458 are negative and 7 are under process. There are 1,223 persons under observation in the state while 164 symptomatic persons are in hospitals. A total of 1,081 persons are in home isolation. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A wind-generating storm is going to kick up big waves and beach erosion. Inland areas will also have low-end strong gusts - enough to make a mess in your yard. The winds will gust from two different directions. As the storm approaches, the winds will gust from the southwest. These southwest gusts will last for a few hours. Several computer weather models show a burst of wind coming onshore to southwest Lower Michigan Thursday night. Wind gust forecast for 2 a.m. Friday, March 20, 2020 The Lake Michigan shoreline from South Haven to Muskegon may have a couple of hours of 50 mph gusts. As the storm moves east of Michigan, the winds will turn to blow out of the northwest. The northwest wind will last for a longer time period. Wave forecast for Friday, March 20, 2020 Waves are forecast to build to nine feet Friday. The highest wave energy will strike Michigans Lake Michigan shoreline between Grand Haven and South Haven. It will be a 12 hour high wave event. The area between Muskegon and South Haven will actually get a one-two punch thrown at it from the weather. Strong southwest winds, and then longer-duration northwest winds will again change the shoreline along Lake Michigan. Inland the wind gusts will be strong due to two factors. The storm system will produce 40 mph to 45 mph winds across far southern Lower Michigan Thursday night. Wind gust forecast early Friday morning. These gusts forecasted just above are the most likely wind speeds. If a few severe thunderstorms get going, we could add 10 mph to 20 mph onto some of these forecasted wind gusts. Those 50 mph gusts will be enough to shake a lot of dead limbs off trees, and make your yard a mess. Additionally you should know that part of Michigan has been placed in the severe weather risk area for Thursday night and early Friday morning. By Naomi Klein March 17, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - Ive spent two decades studying the transformations that take place under the cover of disaster. Ive learned that one thing we can count on is this: During moments of cataclysmic change, the previously unthinkable suddenly becomes reality. In recent decades, that change has mainly been for the worst but this has not always been the case. And it need not continue to be in the future. This video is about the ways the still-unfolding Covid-19 crisis is already remaking our sense of the possible. The Trump administration and other governments around the world are busily exploiting the crisis to push for no-strings-attached corporate bailouts and regulatory rollbacks. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is moving to repeal financial regulations that were introduced after the last major financial meltdown, as part of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act. China, for its part, is indicating that it will relax environmental standards to stimulate its economy, which would wipe out the one major benefit the crisis has produced so far: a marked drop in that countrys lethal air pollution. But this is not the whole story. In the United States, we have also seen organizing at the city and state levels win important victories to suspend evictions during the pandemic. Ireland has announced six weeks of emergency unemployment payments for all workers who suddenly find themselves out of work, including self-employed workers. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter And despite U.S. presidential candidate Joe Bidens claims during the recent debate that the pandemic has nothing to do with Medicare for All, many Americans are suddenly realizing that the absence of a functioning safety net exacerbates vulnerabilities to the virus on many fronts. This crisis like earlier ones could well be the catalyst to shower aid on the wealthiest interests in society, including those most responsible for our current vulnerabilities, while offering next to nothing to the most workers, wiping out small family savings and shuttering small businesses. But as this video shows, many are already pushing back and that story hasnt been written yet. Naomi Klein is a senior correspondent at The Intercept and the inaugural Gloria Steinem endowed chair of media, culture and feminist studies at Rutgers University. She is an award-winning journalist and best-selling author, most recently of "On Fire: The Burning Case for A Green New Deal." She has also written "The Battle for Paradise," "No Is Not Enough," "This Changes Everything," "The Shock Doctrine," and "No Logo." - " Source " The Supreme Court on Wednesday lashed out at Department of Telecom (DoT) for its plea seeking approval for staggered payment of adjusted gross revenues (AGR) dues by telecom companies. The self-assessment decided by the government department is a violation of our orders and sheer contempt, the bench of justices Arun Mishra and MR Shah said. Justice Mishra told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Centre, that this is a question of courts prestige. Mehta tried to clarify that the government is just seeking extension of time, and not reassessment of dues, but Justice Mishra said that AGR dues are public money. Vodafone and Hughes Telecom Company requested recalculation and staggered payment, but the court said it will not go back on the judgement, and that contempt has already been committed. If we want, we can send managing directors of the companies to jail, said Justice Mishra. It said that the telecom companies must pay penalty and interest as per judgement and posted the matter for for hearing after three weeks. The top court in its judgment delivered on October 24, 2019, had upheld the interpretation given to the definition of AGR by the DoT and included revenues from various heads for calculation of AGR thereby imposing a cumulative burden of over 1.69 lakh crore on 16 telecom companies. Review petitions against the judgment were dismissed by the court on January 16. HAMPTON, Ga. (March 18, 2020) With the health and safety of event attendees and participants at top of mind, Atlanta Motor Speedway is postponing this years edition of Summit Racing Equipment Atlanta Motorama scheduled for April 25-26. Though a rescheduled date has not yet been selected, AMS hopes to host the 7th Annual Atlanta Motorama later this year. Show participants who have already registered for the event will be able to take part in the show when it is rescheduled. Those who are unable to attend on the rescheduled date can contact the Atlanta Motor Speedway ticket office for a refund. Summit Racing Equipment Atlanta Motorama is one of the largest weekends of our year and it saddens me to postpone it, but right now, this is the right thing to do. The safety of our employees, show participants, vendors, and families that attend this great festival is our top priority, said Atlanta Motor Speedway Executive Vice President and General Manager Brandon Hutchison. We will share more information as soon as possible. In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers are with everyone as we navigate this pandemic together. At this time AMS plans for its summer racing series OReilly Auto Parts Friday Night Drags and Thursday Thunder to run as scheduled beginning May 8. AMS continues to monitor this unprecedented and fluid situation and, with the guidance of public health officials, will make adjustments to its summer events schedule as necessary. Fans are advised to monitor AtlantaMotorSpeedway.com for information and further updates for all events currently scheduled at the Speedway. Atlanta Motor Speedway is located approximately 25 miles south of Atlanta on GA Highway 19/41 and approximately eight miles west of I-75 off of GA Highway 20. Amid Coronavirus spread, the Indian Army on Wednesday issued an advisory to all commands postponing all war games and conferences until further orders. All training activities have also been advised to either postpone or cancel, in view of the current circumstances. As per the advisory, the authorities have been told to grant leave only on essential or compassionate grounds until the situation improves. The Indian Army medical teams have geared up to fight the COVID-19 by establishing quarantine facilities and screening camps in coordination with the civil administration of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. "During morning PT/parade/roll call all troops will be screened by medical officers. Those reporting with complaints or symptoms of cough, cold or fever will be reported to the nearest military hospital to prevent cross-infection," an advisory stated. In the first case of coronavirus affecting military personnel, an Indian Army soldier from Leh is reported to have been infected by the virus. He was on leave from February 25 to March 1 and rejoined on March 2. The soldier's father had returned from a pilgrimage in Iran. The Indian Army has placed its soldiers, who came in contact with a 34-year-old trooper from Leh infected with coronavirus, in quarantine and under observation, defence sources told news agency IANS on Wednesday. The infected soldier from Ladakh Scouts Regiment, an infantry regiment of the Army known as the `Snow Warriors`, was found positive for COVID-19 and thereafter placed in an isolation ward at a hospital in Ladakh. The Indian Army has been on the forefront in setting up quarantine bases in the country. The force has set up quarantine bases for around 4,000 people. The Army was running facilities in Manesar and Jaisalmer with 300 and 1,000 capacity respectively. The total number of the Coronavirus cases in India reached 147 even as the government issued directives to seal the country's borders urging people to take precautions in the wake of the spread of the deadly virus. So far, three deaths have been reported from the outbreak. [March 18, 2020] The Tokyo Footage & PR Video Collection, Offering Visual Assets for Promotions and Tourism of Tokyo, Has Been Updated The Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau are taking advantage of the logo and the slogan, "Tokyo Tokyo Old meets New", in efforts to effectively share the wonders of Tokyo both within Japan and abroad. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005020/en/ Scenes from "Tokyo Tokyo Promotion Video" (Graphic: Business Wire) As part of this effort, the Tokyo Footage and PR Video assets have been updated. This collection was originally created for organizations and government offices, to be used for highlighting the wonders of Tokyo. The latest update of the collection includes new assets that capture the beauty of tourist attractions within Tokyo, as well as promotional footage. The Tokyo Footage & PR Video Collection The Tokyo Footage & PR Video collection has been updated and made available within the Tokyo Tokyo Official Website. The videos available on this website can be used in news coverage, as well as for public relations and industrial promotions for Tokyo. The visual assets can be used without charge on application basis. When using the assets in online media or social media, we would ask that you should include link(s) to video(s) within the official Tokyo Tokyo YouTube (News - Alert) channel. So long as the link(s) are included, application for using te assets is not required. 1. Available Videos 11 Promotional Videos for Tokyo Videos that convey the brand concepts of Tokyo where traditions and innovations co-exist, and express the wonders of Tokyo as a travel destination. Note: Videos cannot be edited. Approx. 70 Footages for Tourism Videos that capture Tokyo's major tourist destinations and experiences: major areas and tourist attractions, transportation options, and the dining and cultural experiences. About forty new videos have been added this time. Each video is more or less three minutes in duration and can be used with editing. (Please add the credit: Tokyo Tokyo) 2. Who Can Use the Assets? Any organization, mainly in media and in the travel industry, as well as government organizations. The content is to be used for news coverage, for public relations and industrial promotion purposes of Tokyo. 3. Application Form For list of available assets and details of application, please visit the link: Business support https://tokyotokyo.jp/business-support/ 4. Latest Branding Assets in 2020 In January 2020, new PR videos with a theme of Always Surprising were released. "Energy" video expresses movement, and "Calm" video shows peacefulness. They are made to show contrasting wonders of Tokyo. The videos proceed from the perspective of a visitor, and the viewers will enjoy watching them as if they are actually visiting attractions in Tokyo themselves. We encourage you to view them for yourself. Energy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0F61fsD2g0 Calm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm4sH_iwrsA Tokyo Tokyo Official Website: https://tokyotokyo.jp/ The original source-language text of this announcement is the official, authoritative version. Translations are provided as an accommodation only, and should be cross-referenced with the source-language text, which is the only version of the text intended to have legal effect. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005020/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] MBABANE - The Law Society of Swaziland (LSS) has called upon Majahenkhaba Dlamini, who is also a Supreme Judge, to issue an apology on his usage of the phrase nigger in the woodpile. According to the urban dictionary, a nigger in the woodpile is a person who is the cause of the problem or is an obstacle to solving a problem. Justice Majahenkhaba used this phrase in the matter where he has been taken to court with five others over the chieftaincy dispute at Nkhaba. A faction that consists of ETVA Chief Executive Officer, Bongani Sgcoko Dlamini, Indvuna Vusi Petros Kunene and Gwajumbe Hezekiel Dlamini has taken Majahenkhaba, Palestine Jonga (nee Dlamini), Thumbumuzi Dlamini and Absalom Shabangu to court. Nkhaba is the home area for both the judge and the ETVA boss. The bone of contention emanates from a chieftaincy dispute in the area that has been dragging for some years. The faction that consists of Sgcoko claim that a family council unanimously agreed to designate Mandla Napoleon Dlamini as the chief while the judges faction wants Mbuso Dlamini. In his affidavit, Majahenkhaba stated that: Needless to say, in all this, Sgcoko is the nigger in the woodpile. The prolonged installation of a chief benefits Sgcoko and the other applicants as it gives a sense of authority, however, temporary and passing, he argued. The LSS yesterday called an impromptu press conference where it expressed its concerns about the usage of the phrase by the judge. LSS member Jose Rodrigues, who was with Acting President Lucky Howe, Secretary General Thulani Maseko and Charity Simelane, said their concern was the usage of the phraseology by a highly respected judge of the Supreme Court of Eswatini. embarrassed We feel extremely embarrassed by the usage of such words or expression, particularly with regard to the use of the word nigger. Such words were used in the slave era in America and they do not belong to this day and age, said the LSS. According to the law society, such words were not only racist but also demeaning and insulting to the esteem and dignity of the other person and therefore unacceptable. The learned judge could have used or expressed himself similarly to the expression, skeleton in the closest or tiger in the woodpile, without offending anyone, said the society. The LSS said as much as the matter (Nkhaba chieftaincy dispute) was highly charged, it was unacceptable that such words or expression were used. We therefore hope our learned judge will unreservedly apologise to the nation and all stakeholders for using such expression, said the lawyers council They further implored the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to take up this matter and deal with it in the seriousness that it deserves. The society stated that in terms of the common law, such words could also be described as a criminal offence of crimen injuria. Crimen injuria is an act of unlawfully, intentionally and seriously impairing the dignity of another. The society highlighted that in some jurisdictions such could be tantamount to hate speech. The LSS said by way of example, that recently a Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom (UK), Ann Marie Morris, was suspended for using the phrase a real n***** in the woodpile at a meeting about Brexit. According to international media reports, the MPs secretly recorded remarks triggered outrage when they were revealed in July and were condemned by Theresa May, then UK Prime Minister. According to the LSS, Majakhenkhaba was allegedly the second judicial officer to use alleged derogatory language. magistrate They alleged that a Manzini-based senior magistrate once uttered offensive language towards LGBTIs. They claimed that this matter was reported to the JSC but no disciplinary measures were taken against the magistrate by the JSC. We are calling upon the JSC to act on the present matter as we do not want this to be a trend, said the LSS. On the other hand, the LSS said there was a concern on accepting dual positions. They further pointed out that as a judicial officer, you lose certain rights, benefits and you gain other rights and privileges that were only afforded to judges. They said judges should adhere to their code of ethics and the Bangalore principles. We realised that he (Majahenkhaba) deposed to the affidavit as a citizen but that does not take away that he is a judge, said the lawyers council. Canada and the United States are working out the details of a mutual ban on non-essential travel between the two countries amid the new coronavirus pandemic, a Canadian official said late Tuesday. The official was not authorized to discuss details amid discussions and ahead of an announcement and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Both countries are hoping to choke off the spread of the virus but also eager to continue the critical economic relationship. Canada relies on the U.S. for 75 percent of its exports. To curb the spread of the coronavirus, the United States and Canada are working on a ban of non-essential travel to either country Truckers and Canadians who live in the U.S. for the winter are expected to get exemptions from the ban Roughly 18 percent of exported goods from the United States goes to Canada Truck drivers and Canadian snowbirds, who live in the U.S. for part of the year, are among those expected to get an exemption. Completely closing the border would cause severe economic damage to both the U.S. and Canada as the two economies are integrated. Much of Canadas food supply comes from or via the U.S. and and 98 percent of its oil exports go to the U.S.. About 18 percent of American exports go to Canada. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday he would close the country's borders to anyone not a citizen, an American or a permanent resident - and even they have to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival - due to the coronavirus pandemic. Trudeau said an exemption for Americans, despite the rapid rise of cases in the U.S., would be due to 'the level of integration of our two economies.' 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 virus. Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said the border is vital to the daily life to people on both sides. 'Nearly 200,000 people cross that border every day and that border and that traffic that goes across that border is literally a lifeline for both the Canadians and the Americans on both sides of that border,'' Freeland said. 'We get our groceries thanks to truckers who drive back and forth across that border,' she said. 'Very urgently needed medical supplies and medicines go back and forth across that border. And essential workers go back and forth across that border every day. So it is a unique relationship for Canada and it's important for us in handling our situation on the border to be sure that we act to get things right.'' But many in Canada criticized the decision to give Americans an exemption. British Columbia Health Minister Adrian Dix said he vehemently disagreed with the American exemption given the surge in cases in neighboring Washington State. Click here for the March 19 update The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported there were 133 positive cases of coronavirus in the state as of noon, March 18, 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. Four additional people from this county have been diagnosed. 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. A second person from this county has been diagnosed. Berks County A person from the county, whose age or gender was not released, has been diagnosed. 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, both who had exposure to someone with the virus. EAST MARLBOROUGH TOWNSHIP: Two cases have been reported - A 51-year-old woman and a 53-year-old man, both who had exposure to someone with the virus. MALVERN: A 33-year-old woman, who was exposed during travel. NORTH COVENTRY TOWNSHIP: A 30-year-old man who had exposure to someone with the virus. WEST CHESTER: Two cases have been reported - a 44-year-old man who was exposed during travel and a 34-year-old man who had exposure to someone with the virus. WEST PIKELAND TOWNSHIP: A 56-year-old woman who had exposure to someone with the virus. 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. Twelve other people from the county, whose ages or gender was not released, were diagnosed. Lackawanna County A person from the county, whose age or gender was not released, has been 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 four additional people from this county have been diagnosed. Their ages and gender have 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 eight 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 46-year-old woman who is in isolation at home. A 57-year-old woman who is in isolation at home. LOWER MORELAND TOWNSHIP: A 20-year-old has been diagnosed. LOWER POTTSGROVE TOWNSHIP: A 51-year-old man has been hospitalized. LOWER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP: Seven 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) A 67-year-old man who 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) MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP: A 59-year-old man, who is hospitalized. NEW HANOVER TOWNSHIP: A 2-year-old child has been diagnosed. PERIKOMEN TOWNSHIP: Three 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. The third is a 44-year-old woman who is in isolation at home. ROYSFORD: A 1-year-old boy has been hospitalized. 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. SPRINGFIELD: A 35-year-old man, who is 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 Carmine Fusco, a 55-year-old horse trainer from Bath, is the first person being treated in Pennsylvania to die from COVID-19. He passed away on March 18. Fusco was hospitalized at St. Lukes Bethlehem Township campus. Pike County An adult resident is in isolation at home. A person from the county, whose age or gender was not released, has been diagnosed. 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. Fourteen additional people 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. York County Two people from the county, whose age or gender was not released, were been diagnosed. 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. It was announced on Monday that rules would have to be strengthened if existing measures regarding the coronavirus pandemic are not respected. To make sure Luxembourg's residents are taking the government's measures seriously, police patrols have been going around the country since Monday. Those who fail to comply with current restrictions will have face fines starting from today. It was also announced on Monday just how far the government will go with these fines. Infractions can be penalised with fines between 500 and 10,000, building up to prison sentences ranging from 1 month to 2 years for the most serious infringements. The public is reminded to only leave the house for the following reasons: procurement of food, pharmaceuticals and basic necessities; travel to health facilities; travel to your workplace for the exercise of professional or commercial activity; assistance and care for the elderly, minors, the dependent, the disabled and the particularly vulnerable; travel to financial and insurance institutions in case of emergency due to force majeure or a situation of necessity; leisure activities (walking, jogging, playgrounds, etc.), subject to respecting an interpersonal distance of 2 meters. A New Hartford companys chief financial officer was arrested Tuesday after stealing $776,000 from his firm to invest it partly in African diamonds, federal prosecutors said. Michael Bartusek, 57, was charged with wire fraud and money laundering. Bartusek, who lives in Fairport outside of Rochester, stole three-quarters of a million dollars from the New Hartford company where he worked as CFO, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a press release. Prosecutors did not disclose the name of the New Hartford company. Prosecutors said Bartusek used the diverted funds for his personal expenses, and to make a high-risk investment in African diamonds. Bartusek was arraigned and released pending trial by U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Therese Wiley Dancks. He faces up to 20 years in prison on the charges as well as fines of up to $250,000 and supervised release of up to three years. 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 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 Vistara Airlines on Wednesday issued a statement in which it said that all its international operations will be suspended from March 20 to 31, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. "We are temporarily suspending our international operations from March 20 to March 31. We have also temporarily adjusted domestic capacity for March and April in view of reduced demand. Customers booked on the affected flights will be fully refunded," Vistara Airlines said in a release. The Ministry of Health on Wednesday said that the number of positive cases of coronavirus has climbed to 151, including 25 foreign nationals. As per the latest data by the Ministry of Health, Delhi has 9, Karnataka has 11, Kerala has 25, Maharashtra has 39 and Uttar Pradesh has 15 positive cases of coronavirus. On Tuesday, the first positive case of COVID-19 was confirmed in West Bengal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) ASHLAND, Ore. The Ashland YMCA will be suspending operations at our facility from March 18 to March 31st, except for emergency childcare. The YMCA plans to reopen April 1st, depending on COVID-19 developments. Emergency childcare will be available for medical personnel, healthcare workers, first responders and vulnerable populations. They YMCA says they will be working with local organizations to roll out registration immediately and information will be available online. The YMCA will be rolling out online health and fitness courses so people can exercise at home and will offer consultations and helpful information on how to boost your immune system while youre at home. In a statement on their website, Ashland YMCA stated, We do apologize for this interruption to your health and wellness routines, but we hope that you consider keeping you Y membership active. You joined a cause-driven organization, not just a gym. Help us stay strong, support the community and avoid having to make cutbacks in the future. Patrons will be able to call the YMCA during the closure and updates will be posted online. Patients referred from fever hospitals on suspicion of infection will be able to undertake PCR test free of charge Egypt's health ministry will open 13 new laboratories across governorates on Thursday to conduct tests for the novel coronavirus, a health ministry official said. The number of labs are expected to be increased later, Nancy El-Gendy, Head of the ministry's Central Department of Laboratories said in TV comments late on Tuesday. "All citizens can head to fever hospitals to be checked...and they will be then referred to the central laboratories once they show any symptoms," she said in comments to state TV. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for the coronavirus costs 1,000 Egyptian pound ($ 63.5), but patients referred from fever hospitals can do the test free of charge, El-Gendy said. Ministry staff members are currently being trained to use new corona detection kits and medical equipment Egypt has imported as part of efforts to stem the spread of the virus, she said. Egypt has 196 confirmed coronavirus cases and six deaths, including three foreigners. The country has imposed a series of sweeping measures to curb the spread of the global pandemic, including the suspension of international flights to and from the country, which will begin on Thursday and last until the end of the month. The country has also closed schools and universities, halted all sporting events, imposed restrictions on the duration of prayers, and said it will reduce the number of public sector employees who need to go into work. Search Keywords: Short link: Kullu : , March 18 (IANS) With NDPS cases registered in Himachal considerably more compared with the rest of the country, state authorities feel that a considerable increase in the surety amount sought from foreigner, mainly from African countries, for bail in such cases may help fight the drugs scourge. Official cite a recent Himachal Pradesh High Court order to grant bail to a Nigerian national on furnishing a surety calculated on the basis of the country's per capita income of $2,033 (or approximately Rs 145,000). Authorities believes the amount is 'meagre' and could encourage foreign nationals to jump bail. The state has since challenged the High Court order before an appropriate bench to demand a steep hike in the surety amount. The involvement of foreigners, including those from African countries, UK, Russia, Israel etc in the murky drug trade in the picturesque Kullu Valley is an open secret. In less than four months, 15 nationals from African countries, mainly Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Zambia, were arrested in Kullu district in drug trafficking cases. Official figures indicate that in the last five years, as many as 767 cases were registered under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and 1,020 persons arrested, including 125 foreigners, on charge of drug peddling. The crime rate under NDPS Act in the hill state is 7.7 per cent compared with 2.8 per cent average in the rest of the country. Police say that involvement of youths in possessing and trafficking of drugs in Kullu district alone is nearly 80 per cent in 1,820 NDPS cases registered in the last 12 years, with sharpest increase witnessed among those in their twenties. Foreigners too get involved for earning a quick buck. According to officials, over 60 per cent of the poppy and cannabis produced in Himachal is smuggled to countries like Israel, Italy, Holland and other European countries. The rest finds its way to Nepal or other Indian states like Goa, Punjab, and Delhi. Interestingly, the High Court has time and again rapped state authorities over their response, or lack of it, to the growing drug menace in Himachal. Kullu Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh, who has played a crucial role in the arrests of many African nationals in NDPS cases, told IANS that most were arrested from New Delhi. "The arrested Africans were mostly operating from Delhi through small-time peddlers based in Himachal and nearby states," he said. According to police, cannabis and poppy (opium) plants are grown illegally on vast tracts in Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, and Chamba districts. Police records show that 50,000 acres in Kullu Valley alone is under cannabis cultivation. Apart from the notorious 'Magic Valley' in the upper reaches of Malana, some 50 km from Kullu, easy availability of narcotics in McLeodganj and surrounding areas in Kangra district and Karsol in Kullu district has turned these areas into a haven for addicts, say police officials. The police say 'chitta' -- an derivative of opium and laced with synthetic drugs -- is the new fad among addicts, especially the youth, in the state. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has admitted that about 27 per cent Himachal youths are involved in drug abuse. "Maximum cases are in the younger age group and mostly are addicted to 'chitta'," says a senior doctor posted at the Civil Hospital in Kullu. The hospital has been running a de-addiction centre for three years. (Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in) Wasima Khan stopped attending school six years ago. She has yet to complete her studies. The 19-year-old is not an exception. She is like many other young women in Nuh, where she lives, in northern India. Only about 30 percent of the women there can read and write. That is about half the national average. Wasima Khan left school because she had to do housework and help her mother with younger brothers and sisters, she said. And there was no middle school in her community. At the same time, boys living in Papika, in Haryana state, walk to the nearest high school, about four kilometers away. Yet girls are not permitted to leave the small village. In Papika, many of the women work in fields or care for farm animals. Young girls get water, while children play. Men often sit outside their homes in the sun after a cold winter. A group of young women from this mostly Muslim community made it to college by overcoming prejudices against women. Now they are working to get more girls into school. Every Sunday they spread out in Papika and other villages to talk to people about why they should let their daughters study. The young women persuaded Wasima Khans mother to keep her younger daughter at school. They ease her concerns about dowries the money or goods that a womans family must give to her husbands family when they marry. She fears that educated girls will want to marry educated men who will demand a bigger dowry. This is a difficult for many poor families who see no reason to educate girls. Arastoon is a postgraduate student studying history. She says her college education has given her the strength to fight the dowry tradition. I will only marry into a family which does not demand dowry, she said, however well-to-do they may be. The young women tell Wasima Khan that she can return to school. As a girl, her goal had been to join Indias police force. She does not know if she can go back, but she says she will do whatever she can to make sure her sister does not leave school. I loved my classes, she said. But I was helpless. A non-profit organization called the Selfie with Daughter Foundation is leading the campaign to empower and educate women in these villages. Its aim is to bring change by publicizing the success stories of girls who came from the villages and now serve as role models for other families. Rizwana Khan began her campaign by persuading her extended family to educate their daughters. She tells these women that educated girls could help the villages. In some areas, women are not permitted to interact with male lawyers, be taught by male teachers or get treated by male doctors. Khan is training for a job in health care as a nurse. When she was a teenager, she became terribly sick, but her treatment was a problem. Her parents could not read and medical centers in the area were very poor quality. It made her decide to get her own education. Khan said she wants to bring medical aid to women in the area. This is a goal her father urged her to go for even selling belongings to pay for her nursing school. They dont want to educate their daughters, but if women are ill, they want a lady doctor. How will that happen? Khan said. Another girl in the campaign, Shahnaz Bano, wants to teach in a local school. She said, I tell them that if your daughters dont attend schools, how will they find female teachers? It is a message the young women repeat as they go from house to house. They point out how they had to fight with their families to get the right to study. Sometimes, even when parents agree to let them study, others in the village raised objections. Most boys who complete college move away to look for better jobs outside the villages. But the girls hope to use their skills and education in the community. Anjum Islam is studying law. She wants to provide free legal aid to women. I dont want to do that for men, she adds. But her bigger goal is to change minds. Here men think that women are only meant to do housework and give birth to children, Islam said. We have to change this thinking. If we have quality under the law, how can society have this gender discrimination? The campaign is having success influencing some women. They do most of the work, both at home and in the fields. Aslima Khan is 30 years old. She is determined to educate her three daughters. She wants to make sure they can escape her life story of hard, backbreaking work. All day long she works with the animals, finds firewood, cleans, cooks and washes dishes, she said. If I had studied I would have been saved from this. I'm Jonathan Evans. And Im Anne Ball. Anjana Pasricha wrote this story for VOA. Anne Ball adapted it for Learning English. The editor was George Grow. What do you think of this story? Do girls go to college in your hometown? Write to us in the comments section below. Quiz - Young Indian Women Urge Parents to Send Daughters to School Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story prejudice n. an unfair feeling of dislike for a person or group because of race, sex, religion, etc. postgraduate adj. of or relating to studies done after earning a bachelor's degree or other degree interact v. to talk or do things with other people ill adj. not well or health, sick gender n. the state of being male or female determined adj. having a strong feeling that you are going to do something and that you will not allow anyone or anything to stop you The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday directed the Uttar Pradesh government to file its response to a petition challenging the constitutional validity of the recently promulgated Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damages to Public and Private Properties Act. A bench of Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Samit Gopal passed the order while hearing the petition filed by advocate Shashank Shri Tripathi. In the petition it is alleged that the ordinance is a "mischief" played on the Constitution. The court has sought the state government's reply by March 25 and fixed the next date of hearing as March 27. Directing the state government to file the reply in the matter, the court refused to stay the operation of the Act. The ordinance provides for the constitution of quasi-judicial bodies to assess the damages to public and private properties caused during public protests and to recover the same from the protesters. The Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damages to Public and Private Properties Act was promulgated on March 15 after the high court came down on the state administration for erecting banners in public places displaying the names, photographs and addresses of persons accused of committing violence during anti-CAA protests. The Act would allow the state's authorities to recover losses to public and private property caused during riots, demonstrations, political processions and illegal agitations. It says that it will be the duty of the tribunal to determine the damages caused to public or private properties in cases and it may appoint a claims commissioner to estimate the damages and investigate liabilities. It may appoint an assessor in every district. The claims commissioner will submit a report to the tribunal within a period of three months or such time as may be granted by the tribunal. According to the petitioner, the law is an attempt to give post-facto validity to the recovery notices issued by adjudicating authorities to anti-CAA protesters.PTI CORR. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) MICHIGAN CITY While police services will be uninterrupted, officials announced changes are coming to the Michigan City Police Department. On Tuesday police announced changes to protect city and public safety employees which are effective immediately. We are living in unprecedented times that require us to do things that we have never done before. As we navigate the front lines of a global pandemic, it is necessary to take precautions for all staff, Michigan City police Chief Dion Campbell. We will remain resolute in our commitment to provide leadership and direction for all citizens of Michigan City while considering our personal safety. The safety of every MCPD employee is a priority. We owe it to ourselves and our families to implement safety measures while effectively servicing our community. Non-essential employees will work remotely and will be provided with laptops. The records division will monitor emails and phone calls but will not be at the police station. Because of the staff working remotely, city dog tags and handgun permits cannot be processed until further notice, according to Sgt. Cisco Rodriguez. Photo: Shutterstock Here is the update on the Woody Allen memoir you certainly were not waiting for and do not want: Apropos of Nothing exists. New York Times columnist and longtime internet antagonist Bret Stephens (yes, the bedbug Bret Stephens) has taken up his pen in defense of the director and his memoir, recently canceled by Hachette Book Group. But just to be sure the critics didnt have a point, I decided to ask for a copy of the book and read it. Turns out, its pretty good, Stephens wrote in his March 18 column titled Woody Allen Meets the Cancel Culture. Stephens goes on to report that the book is cleverly written: Allen writes well. Theres humor on nearly every page. Hes been a major creative presence on the stage of American arts for 60 years, so his cast of characters is large. The background is peopled with the likes of Ed Sullivan, Dick Cavett, Johnny Carson, Pauline Kael, Scarlett Johansson and Timothee Chalamet; the foreground by Louise Lasser, Diane Keaton and Mia Farrow. Hachette Book Group announced that it would no longer publish Allens memoir after the publisher was lambasted by Ronan Farrow and members of its own staff protested the books publication. Stephens often devotes his column to arguments that are ill-conceived and poorly argued, but usually he doesnt fall on his free speech sword in the middle of a global pandemic. Cheers! Photo: Contributed Kelowna fire crews extinguished the blaze near Canadian Tire on the morning of Aug. 20, 2019. A Kelowna man who was looking to get jail time by lighting two fires last summer got his wish on Tuesday, when he was sentenced to two years. Jesse Pearce, 27, was arrested on Aug. 20, 2019, for setting two separate fires that morning and calling the RCMP on himself. Pearce, who had no prior criminal record, lit several bushes, shrubs and trees on fire near Kelowna's Canadian Tire store about 6 a.m., using an aerosol spray and a lighter as a kind of a flamethrower, according to Crown prosecutor Jean-Benoit Deschamps. A witness told police that Pearce was yelling about wanting attention from the media and police so he could get disability payments and welfare assistance. Police and fire crews arrived to extinguish the blaze, and Pearce left the scene on his bicycle. Just after 8 a.m., Pearce called police from the Mac's Convenience store on K.L.O Road, and told police that he had started the fire. He stated that he was upset that police were not giving him the attention he deserved and that he was waiting at the store, Deschamps said. While he waited for police to arrive, he demanded the store clerk give him a pack of cigarettes, threatening to light the store on fire. When the clerk refused, Pearce went outside to a stack of propane tanks against the side of the building and set fire to a piece of cardboard, before shoving it in between the tanks. Police arrived soon after, and Pearce again fled on his bike. An officer was able to pull the cardboard out from the propane tanks before much damage was caused. Shortly after, officers apprehended Pearce on nearby Christleton Avenue. Finally, this is what I had to do to get your attention, Pearce told police upon his arrest. After the first fire, Mr. Pearce said that he had the feeling that police were not taking him seriously, Deschamps said, adding that Pearce said he needed assistance. On Tuesday, Pearce pleaded guilty to two counts of reckless damage by fire. During his sentencing, he appeared unremorseful. I was afraid that the first fire wouldn't be sufficient, like I was afraid that if and when I went to jail, I wouldn't get enough time to get on welfare, Pearce told the court Tuesday. I stepped my game up, so I had enough time to get the work done. Judge Robin Smith pondered if Pearce may be found not criminally responsible by way of a mental disorder, since it was clearly bizarre what he was doing, but defence counsel Tiffany Zanatta said a fitness assessment had already been completed on Pearce. It's obvious to me that this accused has ongoing mental health issues and that he externalizes blame for this day and he's unable to demonstrate remorse. He needs some help, Smith said. I don't send him to jail just so he can get mental health treatment, that's not the purpose of jail. Going along with a Crown and defence joint submission, Smith sentenced Pearce to two years in jail, followed by three years of probation. Pearce has been in custody since his arrest last summer, and with enhanced credit for time served, has 414 days left. _________ The word sortie has appeared in five articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on May 8 in These Jewish World War II Veterans Would Be Legends, if People Knew Their Stories by Aron Heller: Unlike their American counterparts, the Canadians and the Royal Air Force flew their missions at night. Their aircraft had no belly gunners and were at the mercy of Luftwaffe fighters that attacked from below. Whenever they lifted off on a mission, they departed with the knowledge that this sortie could easily be their last. The Germans used to come up from the bottom, and boom, that was it, my grandfather told me in a rare revelation. In addition to flying in daytime, American crews flew en masse, and they had five or six gunners in each plane, and lots of firepower, so the Germans couldnt get close to them, he said. The Royal Air Force and Canadian forces, by contrast, had a terrible time. An intensive care nurse from New York has told how she's been buying her own protective masks as supplies run low amid the coronavirus pandemic. Michelle Gonzalez, who works at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, said nurses are being asked to re-use masks if they have only been with patients a short time - raising their risk of infection. New York is the state worst-hit by coronavirus, with almost 2,400 confirmed patients - a third of the US total. Michelle Gonzalez, an ICU nurse from the Bronx, said her team is 'scared' over coronavirus as supplies of protective equipment are already running low Gonzalez, who works at Montefiore Medical Center, said she was asked to re-use protective masks due to a shortage before going to buy her own from a pharmacy Governor Andrew Cuomo has warned that the health system is being rapidly overwhelmed by the virus, and will need federal help to deal with the peak of the infection which is expected to hit in 45 days. Speaking to CBS2 New York, Gonzalez said: 'We're being told to reutilize some of these masks if we're not in the patient's room for a long time. 'We don't want to reuse a mask that we're going to touch with our hands, our bare hands, and then go and put it back on our face when it could have the COVID virus on it. 'We find it important that we don't reutilize these masks so that we don't put the rest of our community and our fellow co-workers at risk.' Despite warnings over the healthcare system, Cuomo has so far resisted calls to shut down New York City with a shelter-in-place order of the kind that has seen seven million people in San Francisco all-but confined to their homes. More than 7,000 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the US - with almost a third of them in New York. 115 people have so-far died from the disease Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort has been sent to New York to help the state increase its number of ICU beds to 55,000 which authorities think they will need as the virus peaks Cuomo rejected the idea again on Wednesday as he criticized the 'panic and fear' being created by calls for a lockdown, including by city mayor Bill de Blasio. The governor announced Wednesday a hospital ship, The Comfort, will be sent to New York city while ordering employers to keep 50 per cent of their workers at home. The mayor had said Wednesday he would be talking with Cuomo later in the day. Asked on the Today show if he will recommend the order, de Blasio said: 'I am almost at that point, I have to say, it has to be considered seriously.' But Cuomo, who would make the final call on a lockdown, said in a press conference Wednesday morning: 'The fear, the panic is a bigger problem than the virus'. Cuomo called decision to bring 1,000 bed military 'floating hospital' The Comfort to New York City harbor an 'extraordinary step'. Governor Cuomo has so-far resisted calls to issue a shelter-in-place order, but has warned that the state's healthcare system will not cope without federal help He warned the state needs to increase its hospital bed capacity by 50,000 in the coming weeks. The USNS Comfort came to New York City in the days after September 11 2001, terrorist attacks. It's not clear when it would arrive. Cuomo said healthcare experts have told him the virus is going to peak in New York in 45 days. Then, he anticipated needing between 55,000 and 110,000 hospital beds, along 18,600 and 37, 200 ICU beds. At the moment, the state only has 53,000 beds and 3,000 ICU beds It seemed like a good idea at the time. Air Force civilian attorney Rebecca Lively and her husband, scientist Alex Bokov, turned their home office into a nursery last year, ahead of the birth of their second son. With the threat of the coronavirus forcing Lively to work remotely, theyre now second-guessing their decision. Were not really set up to work at home, unfortunately, Lively said. A lot of what Ive done today is just trying to get my email to load. They havent yet set up a work station Lively moves around the house with her laptop and Bokov still is going to the office in the evenings and on weekends for now. And the couples 8-year-old son is home from Lieck Elementary School on an extended break, a measure to help contain the virus spread. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonios school districts extend campus closures two weeks, A&M S.A. out for semester Many companies and public agencies, including NuStar Energy, Frost Bank, city-owned CPS Energy and the Texas Department of Transportation, are giving office workers the option of working from home during the COVID-19 crisis. Other employers are requiring employees to do their jobs remotely. Either way, many San Antonians are figuring out how to navigate the mash-up of domestic and work life. For workers with school-age children, the challenge can be even thornier. Public and private schools have closed until late March or early April, and parents are scrambling to find child care, whether theyre working from home or not. Some companies are giving extra paid time off to employees with children. San Antonio financial services and insurance company USAA has rolled out a 14-day emergency pay policy. The company employs more than 19,000 in the city and said employees wont be expected to use their paid time off through April 30 for absences related to COVID-19. These unprecedented circumstances are causing strain for our employees, their families and our entire community, USAA chief executive Wayne Peacock said. We believe providing financial support to those employees who must be home but cannot work is the right thing to do. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio coronavirus cases jump to 11, including four contracted from travelers Employees at financial planning firm Capital Group in San Antonio said they were given three extra days at full pay during the pandemic. Fresenius Kidney Care, which operates several dialysis clinics in the area, is offering a stipend to employees with children under 14 to help cover child care costs during school shutdowns. Lindsay Armstrong, director of marketing at Jefferson Bank, said employees who cant come into the office but also cant work from home can take a week off with pay without dipping into their paid time off. So far, few employees have needed it, she said. About 80 of the banks 340 employees plan to work remotely, herself included. Armstrong said she planned to forward all calls to her cellphone this week and work from home. Thats because her husband, who normally works remotely, has meetings he cant reschedule and their 8-year-old is home because his school has closed. Bexar Countys public hospital plans to help employees find child care now that schools are closed. Elizabeth Allen, spokeswoman for University Health System, said administrators are developing an online platform so employees can connect with co-workers to share babysitters or family members willing to help. On ExpressNews.com: Coronavirus worries prompt San Antonio employers to ban travel, work remotely and even close When IDEA Public Schools, which operates about a dozen campuses in San Antonio, notified parents that its schools will be closed through March 30 for an extended Spring Break, it offered a solution for some families. Starting next week, the charter-school district will provide free weekday child care for pre-K through 12th grade at some campuses for IDEA parents who work jobs essential to community health and safety, including health care workers and first responders. For her part, Rebecca Lively said she and her husband, who specializes in biostatistics, are trying to figure out how to work remotely while their sons school is shut down. She doesnt want to lean on her parents to take care of the kids because shes worried about potentially getting the grandparents sick older adults appear to be more vulnerable to COVID-19. The couple had wondered whether to give the 8-year-old lessons while schools out. On Monday, they pulled their infant out of day care because his older brother was home anyway. Its all sort of unclear right now, Lively said. Were planning that this is going to be long-term. Establishing a routine is crucial in balancing work and home life, experts say. On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases Michelle Tenzyk, CEO of New York-based human resources consulting firm called East Tenth Group, said some remote workers find that waking up by 6 a.m., before their children get up, to respond to emails makes the balance easier to manage. They also should take advantage of the childrens nap time to get some work done. Most important, she advised creating a schedule with activities that will allow children to stay busy without needing direct supervision. Also, if two parents are at home, they can work in shifts. Remote workers should take 10- to 15-minute breaks to spend time with their children. Parents can ask their kids to make a stop-and-go sign for their home office door. The stop sign means mom or dad is working and needs alone time, and the go sign means its OK to go in. Tenzyk said parents shouldnt allow themselves to become overwhelmed by dwelling on the frustrations of working from home. Instead, they should look for some levity. Im a strong believer in taking things one day at a time, she said. Laura Garcia covers the health care industry in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her stories and more local coverage on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | laura.garcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @Reporter_Laura FLINT, MI -- Talk to your children about coronavirus. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to addressing coronavirus with children, they will be looking to the adults in their lives right now to figure out how to respond, says Dr. Sarah Domoff, assistant psychology professor at Central Michigan University and psychologist at the Center for Children, Families and Communities. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread across Michigan, more and more people are practicing social distancing and staying at home. Schools are closed, and bars and restaurants to shut down their dine-in services. It is very important for parents and their children to talk about the coronavirus. Children of all ages will be looking to adults in their lives during this time to gauge how they should respond and to find out if this something they should worry about, Domoff said. Parents should be encouraging open conversations with their children, no matter the age, and validating their fears while comforting them the best they can, Domoff said. Its completely normal and understandable for everyone to have some worry and concern. This is a very new situation and our schedules and our lives are changed, Domoff said. Anything that sparks a huge change in our lives brings some fear. For younger children, Domoff recommends keeping language simple and straightforward. If they raise any fears or concerns, parents should listen and try to reassure them by sharing the information they have. It can help to reassure them that there are a lot of doctors, nurses, and public health officials working to help sick people become healthy again, and that people all around the world are working to help prevent the disease. Older children and teens are probably already hearing and seeing a lot about the situation from their friends and on social media, and theyre most likely already having discussions about it, Domoff said. She encourages parents to start having those conversations with them, too. Parents could also get their older children and teens engaged by giving them assignments to help them learn more about the situation, like evaluating news coverage, Domoff recommended. Dr. Courtney Szucs, executive director of Social Emotional Learning at Fenton Area Public Schools, said shes received questions from her 3-year-old daughter about why she isnt going to school and why she cant go to her grandmas house. Above anything, Szucs stresses being truthful. Kids are picking up on what is being said in the news, in adult conversations going on in the home and from the television and internet, Szucs said. We need to be able to help guide them in how to process that information and to help them be able to sort through fact versus fiction. Although it can be tempting to have the news on constantly, Szucs and Domoff both said parents should do their best to restrict how much their children are exposed to it, to help limit their worries as much as possible. While its important for kids to be washing their hands, parents can stress the importance without scaring them by making sure they lead by example. Our kids are watching what we do and by washing our hands often we are showing them how important it is, Szucs said. Make it fun by mixing up the song they sing while washing their hands, use a timer and make washing their hands part of their daily routine. Health experts advise that everyone wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Adjusting to quarantine Isolation brought on by social distancing and quarantine is going to be the most confusing part of the coronavirus pandemic for children, Domoff said, so parents should explain why its happening, and why they wont be going to school for a few weeks. Tell them whats going on to keep them and other people safe and one of those things is were going to stay inside for a while. Tell them it will help them remain healthy and safe, Domoff said. Keeping a consistent routine is key in helping children perform their best, Domoff said. Parents and their children should be waking up at the same time everyday and sticking to a routine with a plan of activities throughout the day. Parents should be scheduling time for their work, play time and possibly outdoor time, while keeping their child informed so they know what to expect, too, Domoff said. While a lot of parents will be trying to work from home too, being a parent is a full-time job, Domoff said, and most employers will be keeping that in mind during this period of so many adjustments. She urges parents not to be discouraged if working from home doesnt go as smoothly as theyd hoped. Cut yourself some slack and try not to be too hard on yourself if your productivity isnt anywhere near you want it to be, Domoff said. Domoff recommends saying something to your children along the lines of, Even though were here (at home), we have to imagine that Mom or Dad or another caregiver is at work, even though theyre present. Szucs suggested parents incorporate anchor events in their daily routine, or a new event or activity the family will do together around the same time each day the child can look forward to. This could be anything from paying games, reading, cooking or baking, listening to an audio book, taking a walk or any other activity. "Anchor events are important as they bring structure, predictability, connection, and comfort, Szucs said. "Kids thrive on routine, so having a daily schedule can help alleviate some stress they may be experiencing and it also provides them with predictability of what is coming next. While keeping a routine is important, Szucs said parents should try to take advantage of finding new and unique learning opportunities to keep their kids engaged and learning while they at home. Be creative, she said, as learning opportunities can be anything: cooking, building things, taking a walk outside, drawing and playing games can all be learning opportunities. The internet can be a vital resource to parents during this time. Domoff said parents should lean on this resource and try not to worry too much about their childrens screen time, as its a connection to the outside world. This is a unique situation. We need to not blame or shame anyone for what theyre trying to do to maintain sanity in their home, and that could mean extra screen time, Domoff said. Parents need to give themselves a break and cut themselves some slack as far as whats bad for them. Domoff suggested families browse their favorite museums virtual collections by searching for engaging content. For example, children can search for art or animals are the Art Institute of Chicago. The Detroit Institute of Arts and The Henry Ford Museum also have digital collections. The social skills are one of the vital things children gain from going to school. Because the extent of this social-distancing situation caused by the coronavirus is like none weve seen before, Domoff said the long-term impacts that missing so much school-time will have on childrens social development is still up in the air. To try to fill that void, parents could do friendship skill-building activities, Domoff suggested. For younger children, this could be things like writing a letter or drawing a picture for a friend or teacher, and for older children Domoff suggested letting them play multi-player video games online with their friends. For all ages, Domoff suggested utilizing phone calls, Facetime and Skype, messaging and anything else that helps them stay connected with their peers. Its especially important for parents to encourage adolescent-aged children to keep up healthy social connections during the quarantine, she said. Above all, she encourages parents to create an open environment at home for everyone to feel comfortable talking about how theyre feeling. Its important for us to still be connected and try to stay connected, Domoff said. We know isolation is not conducive to positive mental health and we need to connect to others, even if its virtually. More related stories: Tuesday, March 17: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan Coronavirus pandemic may impact Michigans May election, Secretary of State says Coronavirus closures devastating for Michigans bars, restaurants ordered to shut down before St. Patricks Day How to find free lunch for Michigan kids with schools shut down WASHINGTON President Donald Trump wants to send Americans a check for about $1,000 to help them cope with the financial stresses of the coronavirus crisis, but Sen. Chris Murphy is pushing for double that. No doubt this would be expensive. But, I just think the moment is serious enough that we need to prevent an economic collapse, Murphy said. And I think that the best way to prevent an economic collapse is not to bail out industries, but to put cash directly into the economy through families. The White House and Congress on Wednesday continued on somewhat divergent paths to spend as much as an additional trillion dollars to combat the coronavirus pandemic. But there was bipartisan agreement that the federal government must spend freely to try to blunt the impact of COVID-19. The White House outlined a plan that would bail out airlines, hotels, casinos and small-to-medium-sized businesses. The package, to cost more than $850 billion, would provide $50 billion for the hard-hit airline industry and $250 billion for small business support. In a Wednesday press conference with the president and other administration officials, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the package would also include sending direct cash payments to Americans in the form of checks for about $1,000. Mnuchin said there would probably be a cutoff for the wealthy, saying millionaires dont need the money. Were going big, Trump said of the overall package, which would require congressional approval. I think we want to get it done. And have a big infusion as opposed to going through little meetings every every couple of days. We dont want to do it that way. We want to go big. Democrats are pushing their own massive bill and many of their provisions dont overlap with the White Houses proposal. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and other Democrats support a package of at least $750 billion that would include billions in additional emergency aid for hospitals and provide more money for expanded unemployment insurance, more help to small businesses, broad availability of child care, especially for first responders, and food assistance for seniors. Schumers bill would also halt evictions and foreclosures on homes and businesses whose mortgages are backed by the federal government. Murphy said hes glad the president seems to have dropped his insistence that a tax break be included in the third coronavirus package. But he objected to plans to bail out the airlines and other industries, especially if there are no strings attached to the money. I dont want the airlines to lay off flight attendants and ground crew and then pocket the money, Murphy said. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said any bailout of the airline industry must include the commitment to better service. No blank check industry bailouts, Blumenthal tweeted. To receive taxpayer money, airlines must stop fleecing flyers with fees & shortchanging safety. Consumers & workers need protection. Murphy: $2,000 per person Murphy said he is working with Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Michael Bennet, D-Co., and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, on his plans to send every man, woman and child a check for $2,000, with a cutoff for the wealthy, which he said might be individuals who earn $100,000 or more a year and families whose annual income exceeds $180,000. Murphy also said he supports Schumers efforts to address a shortage of childcare, especially for medical professionals and first responders. A member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Murphy also said he will also press for food stamp recipients to be able to use their EBT cards at restaurants. Although many have been closed, restaurants still offer carryout service and will need an influx of customers when they are able to reopen, Murphy said. But theres no clear picture of what a final bill will look like, with so many players seeking to shape the legislation. The second coronavirus bill - passed by the House on Monday and awaiting approval by the Senate -would give workers two weeks sick leave at full pay and up to a month of family leave at two-thirds pay to many workers who do not have those benefits. But the legislation would allow companies with fewer than 50 workers to apply for hardship exceptions and would not apply to businesses with 500 or more workers. The changes secured by the GOP included capping paid sick leave at no more than $511 a day and capping family leave at no more than $200 a day. In a statement Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for the next bill to ensure sick workers can access longer-term leave, expand the allowable reasons for using family and medical leave, allow refundable tax credits to help self-employed and gig economy workers and ensure first responders and health care workers have access to paid leave. Connecticut has already procured more than $7 million from the first coronavirus bill approved by Congress, an $8.3 billion measure that aimed to shore up federal and state health agencies. But thats just a drop in the bucket if Congress manages to approve the second and third coronavirus packages. Meanwhile, the president is using his executive authority to address the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis. On Tuesday, the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve took steps to make it easier for companies to borrow money, while the White House gave more flexibility to taxpayers to delay for an additional 90 days tax payments they owe on April 15. Walking the tight rope of appearing not to spread panic and yet not drop the caution on COVID-19, the ruling BJP on Wednesday decided not to hold any public rally or public protest for next one month given the coronavirus scare. This was days after its ideological fountainhead Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) cancelled the three-days annually meet of its the highest decision-making body Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), which was scheduled in Bengaluru from March 15 to 17. The BJP will now raise issues related to people interest through posters, petitions and other alternative methods. The party has also issued a circular to all its state units asking them to maintain a vigil on Coronavirus. In a press statement, BJP chief JP Nadda said the party has directed all state units to the dos and donts of coronavirus in small groups after the party decided not to hold any protest or demonstration for a month given the coronavirus outbreak. For latest updates on Coronavirus outbreak, click here On a different note, Congress leader Digivjaya Singh rued that the BJP government at Centre instead of fighting coronavirus is busy toppling Opposition governments BJP is not keen to accept the demand some of it leaders including former Union Minister Vijay Goel to adjourn the Parliament sine die before the scheduled end of the session as the top government brass feels, it could set a panic alarm. PM Narendra Modi had said the lawmakers should be seen to be doing their work at a time when a health concern stares at the masses. Nadda in the press statement said while raising public issues, four to five office bearers of the party will submit memorandums to authorities concerned whenever necessary to avoid conglomeration of people. Earlier the President of NDA ally Ram Vilas Paswans Lok Jan Shakti Party Chirag Paswan had postponed his party's 'Bihar first, Bihari first' rally in Patna scheduled for April 14, besides deferring his ongoing yatra in the state in view of coronavirus threat. Leader of another NDA ally RPI (A), Ramdas Athavale raised the slogan "Corona Go..Corona Go" in the company of Chinese diplomats that went viral on social media some days ago. Other parties have also voiced concerns. BJD member Pinaki Misra had on last Thursday demanded thermal imaging cameras be installed in Parliament complex in the wake of coronavirus outbreak, a demand that has been heeded. While Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi on Tuesday had merely 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, he had refrained from seeking closure of Parliament session. His colleague and Congress MP for Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor shed the inhibition on the issue. While taking note of Parliament security on Wednesday starting conducting fever checks on occupants of all cars entering the premises, he pointed out that the problem is that fever only starts on Day 3 of COVID 19 and warned that carriers may still be coming in. We need to adjourn, he pitched saying it is ironic that Members of Parliament, who must exhort their constituents to take necessary precautions against COVID 19 continue to congregate in Parliament, where they sit cheek-by-jowl on narrow benches. Far from practice what you preach, MPs msg is: do as I say, not as I do!, he said sarcastically. Photo credit: martin-dm - Getty Images From Men's Health As a Clinical Psychologist with a disaster stress management background I have experience scrambling to respond to the psychological needs of people affected by traumatic events. However, at 3:00 in the morning of March 2, as I joined a line of 60 Texas college students dragging their suitcases down a steep, deserted street in an isolated town in Italy, I found myself at the center of an unfolding, worldwide coronavirus disaster. After a 4-hour bus ride on a road that literally tunnels through mountains, we navigated the new normal of international travel; cancelled flights, masked TSA agents and the insidious fear that a border will close before you can cross it. Although there were no cases of virus in the town where we were studying, and we are all asymptomatic, our Study Abroad program was cancelled 5 weeks into a 13-week semester. We are now on our tenth day of monitored self-isolation in our homes. Of course, we are hardly unique in the ranks of people whose lives have been upended by the coronavirus, and the priority right now has to be minimizing the spread of the virus and providing care for those who get it. However, the ramifications of this situation are already rippling across the world in political, economic, and psychological waves. As governments struggle to figure out what to do, beloved rituals including sporting events, parades, and even religious services are being cancelled and stock markets are swinging wildly, it is easy to feel that the world is collapsing around us. The clamoring voices in the media jockeying to gain our attention, arent helping. Gaining perspective So how can we maintain a modicum of perspective during this unprecedented event? First and foremost, we need to focus on what we can control. We dont know who has the virus, or where it will spread. But we can wash our hands properly, get enough sleep, and be thoughtful about not sharing our germs with others. We can also take this opportunity to learn more about immunology and epidemiology. I know from years of teaching a course on Psychology and Health that the average college student cant articulate the difference between bacteria or a virus, doesnt know what an antibody is or does, and hasnt gotten a flu shot. I suspect that most adults arent much different. Why dont we, as individuals, take more responsibility for understanding the science and research that literally impacts our survival? The internet is awash with videos and tutorials on both immunology and epidemiology. If you cant explain how a vaccine works, or why there is so much conflict about what the denominator of the COVID-19 lethality equation should be, it is time to start studying. Otherwise, you arent in a position to make educated decisions about this viral outbreak. Story continues How do you know what information to trust? That brings me to another concern. In an age when there is too much information, not too little, how can you figure out which information sources to trust? Fortunately, there are ways to improve your media literacy. Before you pass on a news story or viral clip, assess who created it, why they have chosen that particular message, how they framed and transmitted it, and how it might impact people with different viewpoints. A number of reputable sites online are dedicated to helping people educate themselves, and others, on how to be a responsible consumer in the age of the internet. We need to create a world where we are able to justify why we hold a particular opinion, and hesitant to be the person that shares false news. How to cope in an out-of-control world Finally, from a psychological point of view, we have to accept the fact that when we cant control the world around us, we can control our responses. This viral outbreak is scary, and particularly threatening to older people with pre-existing health conditions, or poor access to health care. The lack of scientifically informed policies and solutions is unsettling, and the disruption of our daily lives is disorienting. But it is a temporary situation. We have evidence to suggest that 80% of the people who get this virus have mild symptoms. In China, where the outbreak started, infection rates are decreasing. Scientists are testing a variety of existing anti-viral and cancer treating drugs to see what will interfere with the replication of this viral strain. Vaccines are in the works. In the meantime, we are all being given something rare in the modern world, a chance to slow down, and perhaps take a break from the frenzy of our daily lives. Have you been meaning to read a classic book, learn how to meditate or do yoga, or paint a bookcase? Going on calmly with our lives doesnt seem particularly dramatic, or heroic, but it is the most effective way to combat this panic pandemic. You Might Also Like BALLSTON SPA - The two men who are accused of killing a 22-year-old restaurant worker and dumping her body along the Northway are now being charged with first-degree murder. Georgios Kakavelos, 51, and James Duffy, 34, were originally charged with second-degree murder, evidence tampering and concealment of the body of Allyzibeth A. Lamont who worked with the men at Local No. 9 in Johnstown. But Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen said on Wednesday that the grand jury added murder in the first degree as well as more counts to the evidence tampering and concealment of the body charges. Kakavelos of Ballston Spa, who was the owner of the shuttered restaurant, now faces two counts of concealment of a body and six counts of evidence tampering. Duffy who lives in Johnstown and was the restaurant's manager, also faces two counts of concealment of a body and four courts on evidence tampering. "The superseding indictment reflects the evidence that has been identified in the continuing and ongoing investigation into the death of Allyzibeth A. Lamont," Heggen said,without elaborating. Kakavelos' attorney Kevin O'Brien said the additional charges are "certainly unusual." When asked if he was concerned, he said he was because any punishment could be more severe. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. "But its not concerning for the defense of our case," O'Brien said. "Our defense remains the same. If there were a new theory, then I would be concerned, but as far as I can tell they are primarily relying on the co-defendant. He has a criminal history and my guy doesnt." Both men will be arraigned on March 25 in Saratoga County Court with Judge James Murphy III presiding. First Assistant District Attorney Alan Poremba said Lamont's body was found hidden in a shallow grave at Northway Exit 13S in Malta a few days after she went missing in October. Lamont, who was from Gloversville, was allegedly bludgeoned to death and found in tall grass covered in concrete, branches, paving stones and fertilizer in hopes her body would decompose quickly, authorities have said. The Iraqi Oil Minister, Thamer al-Ghadhban, has asked OPECs head, Mohammed Barkindo to call an extraordinary meeting of OPEC+ to discuss all possible ways to reverse the oil price slide that began after Saudi Arabia announced it was going to start raising production and cutting prices. In a letter seen by Reuters, al-Ghadhban told Barkindo an extraordinary meeting could help to avoid adverse impacts on (the) short, medium and long term. Iraq is among the oil-producing countries most dependent on their oil revenues, so it is natural for al-Ghadhban to be the first to voice concern after Brent slipped closer to $30 yesterday. The OPEC basket of crude grades is also trading at a little over $30. Oil prices, already depressed by the slump in oil demand caused by the coronavirus outbreak, fell sharply after earlier this month Saudi Arabia announced it would be raising its production from below 10 million bpd to over 12 million bpd. The Kingdoms announcement came in response to Russias decision to not take part in a deeper round of production cuts proposed by OPEC, aimed at stymieing the oil price slide. Related: Saudi Aramco Is Very Comfortable With $30 Oil This is the same tactic that Saudi Arabia used in 2014 to stifle the growth of the U.S. shale oil industry. Then, the attempt failed when prices tanked so low that Saudi Arabia too began to feel the pain. Things have not changed since then. The Kingdom is still one of the lowest-cost producers of oil in the world but to balance its budget, it needs Brent at more than $80 a barrel. If it doesnt balance its budget, there will be no money for all the ambitious economic reform projects Riyadh was planning in a bid to reduce its dependence on oil. Russia, meanwhile, will also be pumping more. Energy Minister Alexander Novak said at the Vienna meeting in early March that Russian producers could add between 300,000 bpd and 500,000 bpd to daily production starting next month, adding to an already sizeable global supply glut. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam has been cancelled. It is the first time in the shows 64 year history it will not proceed. The European Broadcasting Union confirmed the news overnight, expressing deep regret at an inevitable outcome. It expects to return stronger than ever in 2021. In a statement the EBU said, Over the past few weeks, we have explored many alternative options to allow the Eurovision Song Contest to go ahead. However, the uncertainty created by the spread of COVID-19 throughout Europe and the restrictions put in place by the governments of the participating broadcasters and the Dutch authorities means the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has taken the difficult decision to not continue with the live event as planned. The health of artists, staff, fans and visitors, as well as the situation in the Netherlands, Europe and the world, is at the heart of this decision. We are very proud that the Eurovision Song Contest has united audiences every year, without interruption, for the past 64 years and we, like the millions of you around the world, are extremely saddened that it can not take place in May. Jon Ola Sand, Executive Supervisor: We are very proud of the Eurovision Song Contest, that for 64 years has united people all around Europe. And we are deeply disappointed about this situation. The EBU, together with the Host Broadcaster NPO, NOS, AVROTROS and the City of Rotterdam will continue to talk to see if its possible to stage the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam in 2021. I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in the process of staging a great Eurovision Song Contest this year. Unfortunately, that was not possible due to factors beyond our control. We regret this situation very much, but I can promise you: the Eurovision Song Contest will come back stronger than ever. Sietse Bakker, Executive Producer Event added, For the artists from 41 participating countries, our opening and interval acts that put their hearts and souls into their performance. For the fans who have always supported us and have kept confidence until the last moment. And not least, for the fantastic team, which has worked very hard in recent months to make this 65th edition a great success. We understand and share that disappointment. Some perspective is appropriate because, at the same time, we also realise that this decision and its consequences dont compare to the challenges faced by people affected, directly or indirectly, by the coronavirus and the difficult but necessary measures. The news is a blow to Europe which had been hoping the event would reunite a fragile continent, Australian broadcaster SBS and producers Blink TV who had chosen Montaigne to represent the nation. The EBU says it will discuss whether the 41 selected artists can perform their songs next year with its Reference Group. We ask some patience as we work through the ramifications of this unprecedented decision and patiently await further news in the coming days and weeks. During that time, we would like to pay tribute to all the Host Broadcaster team in the Netherlands and our 41 public service broadcasters who have worked so hard planning this years event, said the EBU. We are all heartbroken that the Eurovision Song Contest will not be able to be staged in May but feel confident that the whole Eurovision family, across the world, will continue to provide love and support for each other at this difficult time. South Africa: Confirmed cases of COVID-19 stand at 116 South Africa now has 116 confirmed cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19). This means that there has been an increase of 31 new cases from yesterdays announcement, said the Health Department on Wednesday morning. Among the new cases are two males, one from Gauteng with no international travel history, and one from the Western Cape, who had travelled to New Zealand. On Tuesday, COVID-19 cases stood at 85 in the country, with eight local transmissions confirmed. As of Wednesday, the department confirmed an additional six local transmission cases from the newly announced cases. The details of the cases are as follows: Gauteng: 16 - A 25-year-old male, who travelled to the UK - A 45-year-old male, who travelled to Austria - A 52-year-old male, who travelled to Austria and Italy - A 49-year-old female, who travelled to Austria and Italy - A 35-year-old male, who travelled to the UK and Netherlands - A 34-year-old female, who travelled to the UK - A 30-year-old female, who travelled to Switzerland and Austria - A 36-year-old female, who travelled to Switzerland and Austria - A 30-year-old female, who travelled to Italy - A 35-year-old male, who travelled to Italy - A 34-year-old male, who travelled to Italy - A 37-year-old male, who travelled to Finland and France - A 20-year-old male, with no international travel history - A 3-year-old male, with no international travel history - A 21-year-old female, with no international travel history - A 71-year-old female, with no international travel history KwaZulu-Natal: 3 - A 59-year-old male, who travelled to Austria and Italy - A 54-year-old male, who travelled to Italy - A 55-year old male, who travelled to Italy Mpumalanga: 2 - A 64-year-old male, who travelled to Italy - A 56-year-old female, with no international travel history Western Cape: 10 - A 2-year-old male, who travelled to New Zealand - A 51-year-old male, who travelled to Egypt an Dubai - A 35-year-old female, who travelled to Switzerland and Dubai - A 27-year-old female, who travelled to Switzerland and Dubai -A 60-year-old male, who travelled to Portugal and the UK - A 51-year-old male, who travelled to the UK - A 54-year-old female, who travelled to Portugal and the UK - A 51-year-old male, who travelled to the UK - A 26-year-old female, who travelled to the UK - A 68-year-old male, with no international travel history As part of its tracking and tracing, the Department of Health said it has collated background information on how these patients were infected. We will provide information to the public, so as to give a sense of how these local transmissions occur. We will, however, not disclose full details as this information is subject to patient confidentiality, which we are bound by, said the Health Department. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2020-03-18. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Indictment set to be approved against Russian professor accused of student murder RAPSI 12:25 18/03/2020 MOSCOW, March 18 (RAPSI) A criminal case against the St. Petersburg State Universitys history professor Oleg Sokolov, who stands charged with the murder of his postgraduate student Anastasia Yeshchenko, has been forwarded to prosecutors for the indictment to be approved, the Investigative Committees spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko reports Wednesday. Investigation into the defendant has been completed. In addition to the murder, the historian is accused of ammunition trafficking. According to investigators, rescuers pulled the 63-year reader out of a local river early on November 9 and hospitalized. Womans severed hands and a nonlethal pistol were found in his backpack. Other parts of her body were found in his flat. The man was arrested when left the hospital the next day. He voluntary surrendered. The victim was identified as the 24-year postgraduate student of the St. Petersburg State University and Sokolovs partner. The professor pleaded guilty. He said that he gunned the woman and broke up her body. Sokolov is a historian and ideologist of reconstruction of Napoleonic period battles. He has been conferred the Legion of Honor, the French national award instituted by Napoleon Bonaparte. NCP chief Sharad Pawar will appear before the Koregaon Bhima Commission, which is conducting an inquiry into the January 2018 caste violence in Pune district, on April 4, Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik said here on Wednesday. Malik, who is the NCP's national spokesperson, said the commission had asked Pawar, who is a Rajya Sabha member, when it would be convenient for him to depose as a witness before it. "Pawar said April 4 in the afternoon will be convenient for him as Parliament session would be over by then. Accordingly, the Commission has summoned him on April 4," Malik told reporters at the state secretariat here. He also said that the NCP continues to believe that the 2018 caste violence was "pre-planned", while adding that that commission headed by Justice (retd) J N Patel, whose term ends on April 8, could get a fourth extension. While Pawar has already filed an affidavit before the panel, others such as BJP leader and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis haven't, he claimed. "We have been maintaining from day one that the violence was pre-planned. Pawar will put forth his stand before the commission," Malik said. Asked about the commission's term ending on April 8, he said the government will think about it and grant an extension. Earlier in the day, the commission's lawyer Ashish Satpute had said the panel had summoned Pawar as a witness. The NCP chief will appear before the commission in Mumbai. The panel sat in Pune earlier, but its hearings were shifted to the state capital in view of the coronavirus outbreak in Pune. Apart from Pawar, the commission has also summoned then Superintendent of Police (Pune Rural) Suvez Haq, then Additional SP Sandip Pakhale, then Additional Commissioner of Police Ravindra Sengaonkar and then Pune Collector Saurabh Rao, advocate Satpute added. Pawar had filed an affidavit before the commission on October 8, 2018. In February this year, Sagar Shinde, a member of the social outfit Vivek Vichar Manch, filed an application before the commission, demanding that Pawar be summoned in view of certain statements made by him in the media about the 2018 caste violence. Shinde claimed that at a press conference in February 2018, Pawar alleged that Hindu right-wing activists Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide had created a "different atmosphere" in Koregaon-Bhima area. "In the same press conference, Mr Pawar also alleged that the role of Pune city police commissioner is doubtful and must be investigated," Shinde's plea said, adding that he had reasons to believe that Pawar had more information beyond what the NCP chief had stated in his affidavit. In his affidavit, Pawar had accused the then state government (led by the BJP) and law and enforcement authorities of failing to protect the interest of common people who lived in Koregaon Bhima area. However, Pawar had also said he would not be able to describe the "chronology of the said events as that would be the domain of the existing law and order machinery," or to make specific allegations against any organisation. But an active role of "right-wing" forces behind the violence could not be ruled out, the NCP chief had said. Gathering of anti-social elements in large numbers at Koregaon-Bhima indicated a failure of law enforcement agencies, he had added. Last month, the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government in Maharashtra gave a "final extension" to the commission till April 8. Violence erupted in the area around Koregaon-Bhima War Memorial on January 1, 2018, during the 200th-anniversary celebrations of the 1818 battle of Koregaon-Bhima. Dalits commemorate this battle in which forces of the East India Company, which included soldiers of the Mahar caste (a Dalit community), defeated the Brahmin Peshwa of Pune. But some right-wing groups opposed the celeberation in 2018. The Pune Police later alleged that "provocative" speeches at the Elgar Parishad conclave held on December 31, 2017, triggered the violence the next day. The conclave organisers had links with Maoists, the police claimed. In December 2019, Pawar had termed the arrests of Left-leaning rights activists in the Elgar Parishad case "wrong" and "vengeful" and demanded a Special Investigation Team to probe the action taken by Pune police. The Union government, meanwhile, transferred the Elgar case to the National Investigation Agency. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special Indigo flight airlifted 185 Indians from Jeddah, completing the process of evacuating pilgrims from the Middle Eastern country. "With the departure of 185 pilgrims from Jeddah to Mumbai through a special Indigo aircraft, the final phase of the evacuation of 3035 Indian pilgrims culminated today," Indian Consulate General in Jeddah said on Twitter. The Consulate also thanked the Indigo airline, Saudi government and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for "their timely support" in evacuating the Indian pilgrims. Saudi Arabia, earlier this month, imposed temporary restrictions on its own citizens as well all foreign travellers from visiting pilgrimage sites within the Kingdom, including performing Umrah, over the fears of coronavirus that has killed at least 171 people. The aim is to "limit the spread of the coronavirus and prevent its access to the Two Holy Mosques, which are witnessing permanent and intense crowds, which makes the issue of securing these crowds of utmost importance," a spokesperson of the Saudi Interior Ministry was quoted as saying. In addition, the Kingdom has temporarily suspended all international flights for two weeks to slow down the spread of coronavirus. The US-allied Gulf states have registered more than 1,000 cases, many linked to travel to neighbouring Iran, an epicentre for the outbreak in the Middle East, Al Jazeera reported. The total number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus worldwide has now surpassed 200,000, according to Johns Hopkins University, while the death toll has topped 8,000. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 22:26:52|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close LONDON, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The brother of the Manchester Arena bomber has been found guilty of the murder for 22 people as they left an Ariana Grande concert in May, 2017, British media reported Wednesday. 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, according to the London-based Evening Standard newspaper. Abedi was in Libya with his family when the bomb went off, but was found guilty of 22 counts of murder, attempted murder, and a charge of conspiracy to cause explosions. The brothers bought huge amounts of chemicals online for their bomb, and met with a convicted Islamic State (IS) terrorist as they plotted the atrocity. Salman 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, according to the newspaper. In the 2017 concert attack, 22 people were killed and hundreds of others wounded. It was the worst terror attack in Britain since the London bombings in 2005 in which 52 people died. San Francisco 'smells like p***', Dubai is nothing but a massive burden on the wallet and Paris is clogged with fumes. That's according to a lively debate on an online forum. Travellers taking part been discussing the places they've visited that don't live up to the hype, with 'pretentious' London and 'miserable' Times Square also in the firing line. Travellers have been discussing the most overrated places they've visited. One said that San Francisco, pictured, 'smells like p***' The discussion started on U.S-based site Reddit after one user, 'u/_CAD3', posed the question: 'What is the most overrated place in the world?' Redditors were quick to name places in the United States. User 'the_willow_witch' wrote: 'Los Angeles. It smells like pee and it takes two hours to get anywhere. Its also extremely hot all the time.' While 'Giant_Anteraters added: 'I went to LA for vacation last winter, and somehow, I had this impression that the "Hollywood Walk of Fame" meant that it would be a hotspot for celebrities to hang out and "walk" down the boulevard. 'So I specifically went to the Walk of Fame to see if I could find some celebrities. And yep, the only people I spotted were strangers handing out CDs.' Another Californian city, San Francisco, was named as overrated by 'shesagoatgirl', who explained: 'It's super expensive to live, streets smell like p***, high taxes, terrible traffic.' One Redditor said they were left feeling miserable after visiting Times Square on New Year's Eve One Redditor, 'eDgAR', called out Times Square, saying it was especially overrated on New Year's Eve. He said: 'Went there a few years with my girlfriend, her brother, and his girlfriend. 'It was miserable. We ended up leaving and watching the countdown on TV at a Korean BBQ place and the four of us felt that was a much better experience.' While AngeryOhioan agreed, saying: 'Its like physically being in a sketchy website without an adblocker.' Moving over to the Middle East, 'Cody_Garbrandt' berated Dubai saying that it's 'so expensive'. Some Redditors berated Dubai for being 'expensive' and having 'f***ing sand everywhere' And 'Btafoh5' also named Dubai as overrated, adding: 'And... It's the f***ing desert! Nothing but expensive cars, hotels and f***ing sand everywhere.' When it came to European destinations, 'scenesequel' named the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen as overrated, saying: 'Tourists stampede out there in droves to see it, and most leave disappointed, saying things like, "It's just a small copper sculpture on a rock in the harbor".' While 'RayaaSaphyre' said: 'Paris? City of love my a**! I'm French and I don't understand that Paris hype. It's grey, polluted and people living there are a**holes. WTF?' For 'Yargle_of_Uborg', Bruges is not impressive: 'It's pretty, but there's so little to do there.' One traveller was not impressed by Bruges, pictured, saying it's pretty 'but there's so little to do there' 'ChrisJamesCostello' berated London, saying: 'It is full of pretentious a**holes who dont give a damn about anyone but themselves.' And 'Happy_goth_pirate lambasted the English seaside resort of Blackpool. They explained: 'It's a right of passage that every Brit goes there at some point and it's s***. Everyone knows it's s***. 'But nostalgia is a hell of a drug and you forget just how s*** it is, until you go back and go "oh yeah, this place is s***". And y'know what, you yearn for that s*** a year later.' While 'backrowmetronome' simply added: 'Everything is overrated and its better just to stay home.' Today, Signal AI has announced it has used its AIQ engine to train the first ever "disease topic" on Coronavirus in its platform, giving clients unparalleled ability to track and analyse the explosion of information on the topic. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005310/en/ Sample COVID-19 Briefing Signal AI realises the importance of relevant information and insight in such unprecedented times, and so is offering, free, widely available daily AI briefings, powered by Signal AI's AIQ engine, surfacing the most impactful stories related to Coronavirus (COVID-19) across a range of industries. Businesses wishing to receive these briefings can sign up at the Signal AI website. COVID-19 is having a significant impact on businesses around the world. There were 1,059,776 stories published globally about COVID-19 in the last 24 hours and 11,757,371 in the last 30 days. Organisations need to be able to quickly and accurately understand the changing environment in which they operate. To put the current situation into perspective, the volume of media mentions around other major outbreaks (as of 16 March 2020) demonstrates the scale of information that businesses are currently having to manage: Ebola (16.2 million), SARS (66.3 million) and COVID-19 (2.1 billion). Signal AI leverages AI to conduct real-time analysis of online, print and broadcast media for relevant and valuable insights that empower business leaders and their teams. With the introduction of the 'Coronavirus' topic, Signal AI users will be able to cut through the noise across geography, sector and competitive landscape from over 200 markets and 100 languages. This will enable them to find the stories most relevant to their business by refining searches that can detect every iteration of COVID-19 mentioned in published media. David Benigson, CEO and co-founder of Signal AI: "We are all aware of the implications that this outbreak has on our everyday lives. Businesses are struggling with a whole range of issues from huge fluctuations in global markets, to supply and demand issues and raising capital. Having trained this topic on the platform, we can provide invaluable insight to businesses across sectors from financial services to FMCG to tax regulatory, empowering them to make smarter, faster business decisions at a very critical time." On the platform, users can set up real-time feeds for mentions of the virus from trusted sources, as well as key competitors/comparators, to provide content that is hugely valuable to business and ongoing communications strategies. These can be sent out to key team members, as well as other functions within the business such as human resources and accounting. About Signal AI Signal AI is an AI-powered business intelligence and media monitoring company that aggregates, analyses, and provides business leaders with insights into digital, print and broadcast media, news, and regulatory data. Signal's cutting-edge machine learning enables businesses to track their competitive landscape, changes to regulation, and monitor their reputation-empowering them to make smarter, faster business decisions. For more information on the Signal AI platform, visit the Signal AI website: https://www.signal-ai.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005310/en/ Contacts: Stephanie Libous signal@allisonpr.com CLEVELAND, Ohio Tuesday brought more restrictions of access to public buildings and new limits to testing for the COVID-19 coronavirus. The Cleveland Clinic announced Tuesday night that only the highest-risk patients will be tested after receiving an overwhelming demand in recent days. The Clinic is defining high-risk patients as people who currently are hospitalized or are age 61 and older. Patients will no longer be tested at the Clinics Landerbrook location in Mayfield Heights. In another medical-related development, the states Department of Health is ordering hospitals to delay elective surgeries. The order is, in part, because of a shortage of masks needed to protect medical professionals against coronavirus. Check below for the most recent restrictions and closings. An earlier listing of closings and delays can be found here. Wednesday, March 18, 2020 The Cleveland Clinic says it will start limiting testing for the coronavirus to the highest-risk patients. Ohios Department of Health is ordering that the states hospitals postpone elective surgeries. Cuyahoga County is closing most of its offices and buildings to the public until further notice. The Rolling Stones have postponed their summer tour, which includes a stop in Cleveland on June 19. Ohio State University has postponed spring commencement ceremonies. The University of Akron has postponed spring commencement ceremonies. Cleveland State University has postponed spring commencement ceremonies. John Carroll University has postponed spring commencement ceremonies. The Akron Zoo is closed through the end of the month. The Cleveland Library has canceled plans to provide take-home meals for children at its branches. The Soap Box Derby in Akron is still scheduled from July 19 to 24, but all of its related activities, races and rallies will be suspended or canceled through May 1. Mitchells Homemade Ice Cream is temporarily closing its locations in Northeast Ohio until further notice. Parma Municipal Court is limiting its schedule because of the coronavirus. The city of Akron has ordered that all non-essential employees not report to work beginning Friday. The city of Kent has temporarily restricted access to all public offices. Lake County is restricting access to all public offices. All barbershops, hair salons, tattoo parlors, nail salons and spas in Ohio will be closed indefinitely at the end of business Wednesday. Bureau of Motor Vehicles offices statewide will close at the end of business on Wednesday. The governor is asking the legislature to pass a grace period for expired licenses. The Parade of Circle, scheduled for June 13, has been canceled. Ohio courts may suspend jury trials, according to a written opinion from the Ohio attorney general. The Cuyahoga Valley National Parks Boston Mill Visitor Center is closed but park trails, parking lots and restrooms in remain open. Chagrin Valley Little Theatre has suspended scheduled performances through the end of April. The musical PIPPIN has been rescheduled Fridays and Saturdays May 29 - June 20, and Sundays, June 7 and 14. The deadline for farmers in 14 Northwest Ohio counties to submit an application for the H2Ohio anti-algal bloom program has been extended from March 31 to June 2. Holden Arboretum grounds to members and the general public beginning Thursday. The Cleveland Botanical Garden remains closed to members and the general public. May 28 order on granting citizenship not related to CAA: MHA tells SC Complacency, laxity has crept in: Stern warning by MHA to states on COVID-19 appropriate behaviour Discourage troops from taking leaves: Home ministry advisory on coronavirus India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Mar 18: A day after a 34-year-old jawan in Leh tested positive for coronavirus, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday asked the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to discourage its personnel from taking leaves. As per the advisory, the leave granting authorities have been told to grant leave only on essential or compassionate grounds till situation improves. "Troops returning from leave, especially from COVID hotspots or likely to be in contact with persons having international travel history may be screened and quarantined on arrival in the unit," it added. 34-year-old Army jawan in Leh tests positive for coronavirus, say sources The advisory asks personnel to "avoid international or domestic air, bus or train travel for at least one month. Long-distance travel is biggest cause of spread". Army has also asked the formations to regulate entry into canteens and essential item stores in shopping complexes. All non-essential stores have been asked to be shut down. A 34-year-old soldier has tested positive for novel coronavirus in Leh, making it the first COVID-19 case in the armed forces. The soldier, a resident of Chuhot village in Leh, came in contact with his father who had already contracted the infection. His father had returned from a pilgrimage in Iran by an Air India flight on February 20 and is in quarantine at the Ladakh Heart Foundation since February 29. The soldier was on leave from February 25 and rejoined duty on March 2. He was quarantined on March 7 and tested positive on March 16, sources said. The soldier has been isolated at the Sonam Nurboo Memorial (SNM) Hospital. A total of 147 patients have been diagnosed with coronavirus in India so far. The affected persons have a history of travel to foreign countries including Italy and Iran - the two worst-affected nations after China, where the virus first emerged late last year. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, March 18, 2020, 17:21 [IST] [March 18, 2020] Entrepreneur Rajashree Varma Recognized as 'Star' by Women's Business Enterprise National Council SUNNYVALE, California, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Rajashree Varma, Founder and CEO of Arth Systems and VP of Alliances at Xoriant, has been recognized as a Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) Star by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), for her achievements as a diverse leader and advocate in the field of enterprise information technology. The WBE Star Award is the nation's premier recognition for excellence among women-owned businesses, and honors fourteen women leading in American business communities across their respective fields. Varma found her passion for diversity unmet by the world of enterprise IT, until she first joined forces with Xoriant early in her career. There, she was able to nurture her passion for technology without sacrificing her advocacy for diverse technologists and leaders. After many years of close collaboration with her, Xoriant acquired Arth Systems' enterprise business in 2019, in a move Varma calls one of her 'proudest moments in business'. In growing Arth Systems from an early stage to acquisition stage startup, Varma embraced her commitment to female representation in technology. "When I first started my business, the first 10 employees were women. It is hard for women to continue to work, especially after having a baby, so being able to empower them was rewarding," said Varma. As a result, Arth System developed an outstanding record as a system integration services provider, earning them a prestigious partnership with Microsoft as an 'Approved and Preferred Technology Vendor' and a 'Microsoft Silver Partner'. Xoriant's acquisition of Arth Systems further cemented their alliance with Microsoft, as well as their shared vision of an equal-opportunity, open, and collaborative work culture. The founder and CEO credits her entrepreneurial success to her involvement in WBENC's robust network of female business leaders and entrepreneurs. "I strongly believe in the power of network," said Varma. "Through the WBENC there are intelligent and savvy female entrepreneurs that I have the privilege to learn from. It's also incredibly rewarding to provide support to emerging WBEs (Woman-Owned Business Enterprise) that are just beginning their journeys." As one of the few female leaders in the technology industry, Varma has made it her mission to support up -and-coming female entrepreneurs and technologists. She is not only a part of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council, or WBENC, but also a part of their regional partner organization WBEC-Pacific. Her advocacy also includes organizations such as CloudGirls, WIT, WPO, and Ada Academy. In awarding Varma a 2020 WBE Star Award, WBENC recognizes Varma's robust history of advocacy and achievement. Varma is also a past winner of WBEC-Pacific chapter 2018 President's for Volunteer of the Year Award, as well as the WBE of the Year 2019 award in class 1. "This honor is a well-deserved testament to the collaborative power that Raj brings to all of her work. Xoriant recognizes and nurtures talent irrespective of any biases and Raj is a true example of this," said Girish Gaitonde, Founder and CEO of Xoriant. "Her ability to build effective teams, bring in high potential business alliances and client centric solutions makes her an indispensable asset for clients and an integral member of the Xoriant leadership team." About WBENC WBENC is the largest third-party certifier of businesses owned, controlled, and operated by women in the United States. WBENC partners with 14 Regional Partner Organizations (RPOs) to provide its world-class standard of certification to women-owned businesses throughout the country. Throughout the year, WBENC provides business development opportunities for member corporations, government agencies and more than 15,000 certified women-owned businesses at events and other forums. Learn more at www.wbenc.org About Arth Systems Arth Systems is a software engineering professional services company and a systems integrator, enabling small and mid-market businesses to improve their productivity and streamline IT operations - through the integration of Microsoft cloud technology in verticals like Hi-Tech, retail and healthcare sectors. Arth experts work with clients to add value in appropriate areas of need, as well as enable them to maximize their investments in technology by integrating the right solutions. Arth Systems past and present clientele include big name companies such as Microsoft, Vulcan, Costco, and more. About Xoriant Xoriant is a Silicon Valley-headquartered global company with 14+ locations and 3600+ software professionals focused on software product engineering, system integration and digital transformation solutions and managed services for Hi-tech, finance, manufacturing, retail, healthcare industries. Clients choose Xoriant for its deep focus on new, integrated, end-to-end digital transformation managed services. For both technology companies and enterprises, from startups to the Fortune 100, they leverage their expertise in emerging technologies to deliver innovative solutions that accelerate time to market and keep their clients competitive. Across their technology focus areas Product Engineering, DevOps, Cloud, Infrastructure & Security, Big Data & Analytics, Data Management & Governance, Digital, and IoT every solution they develop benefits from their product engineering pedigree. For 30 years and counting, they have taken great pride in the long-lasting, deep relationships they have with their clients. Contact: Ritu Rungta [email protected] +91-22-30511000 +1-408-743-4400 Related Links http://www.xoriant.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/entrepreneur-rajashree-varma-recognized-as-star-by-womens-business-enterprise-national-council-301026066.html SOURCE Xoriant [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] China reported just one new domestic case of the coronavirus for the second day in a row today. For the second consecutive day there was only one more fresh infection in Wuhan, the central city where the virus first emerged late last year, the National Health Commission said. New cases in surrounding Hubei province have now been in the single digits for the past seven days, down from a peak of several thousand per day in early February. This photo taken yesterday shows medical workers from Guizhou province being celebrated in a ceremony as they depart from Wuhan, in China's central Hubei. The first groups of medical teams from around China who went to Wuhan to assist with the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak began leaving Wuhan yesterday Passengers wearing face masks queue to have their tickets checked as a train arrives at Jiujiang railway station in Jiujiang, a city which sits on the border between China's central Jiangxi province and Hubei province, the epicentre of the country's COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, today 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 for the second day in a row Wuhan and its 11 million people were placed under strict quarantine on January 23, with the rest of Hubei entering lockdown in the following days. But there has been an easing of restrictions in some parts of the province in recent days, with China saying it has 'basically curbed' the spread of the virus. A number of smaller cities are now allowing healthy people to leave the province to return to work or their hometowns elsewhere. But imported cases are a rising concern for China, with 12 more reported Wednesday, bringing the total number to 155 and fuelling fears of an influx. Police officers salute as a medical worker from outside Wuhan arrives at the Wuhan Railway Station to leave the epicentre of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Hubei province, China yesterday An average of 20,000 people are flying into China every day, according to the government, and 10 Chinese provinces and cities are imposing mandatory quarantines on those arriving from abroad. Beijing is requiring almost all international arrivals go into a 14-day quarantine at designated hotels in the capital. Five of the new imported cases reported Wednesday were in southern Guangdong - China's most populous province, which announced quarantines on Monday. Beijing and Shanghai each had three, and there was one elsewhere. China also reported 11 deaths Wednesday, raising its toll from the virus to 3,237, and total infections on the mainland reached 80,894. Another Texas Southern University board of regents member has resigned. Hasan Mack, who served as chair for TSUs board of regents, stepped down and has been appointed to serve another state board, university spokesman Steve Scheffler confirmed. Gov. Greg Abbotts office announced Monday that Mack was appointed to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a term through Nov. 15, 2025. The commission oversees the agency that inspects, supervises and regulates every phase of businesses related to alcoholic beverages, including manufacturing, selling, distributing and more, the governors release said. The announcement that Mack was serving on a new board came the same day he and TSU board vice chair Albert Myres released a letter on the TSU website saying board of regents were still conducting an external investigation and review into the universitys admissions, enrollment and scholarship practices. The regents also laid out a timeline for its search for a new president and announced initiatives to improve the university. Mack, an Austin attorney, has not responded to Houston Chronicle requests for comment. Gov. Greg Abbotts office did not return requests for comment on Monday or Tuesday. Mack was appointed to TSUs board on April 23, 2018, and was set to serve through Feb. 1, 2023.. On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas Southern investigation still ongoing, board says; new initiatives announced His resignation as chair 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 after saying he had a different philosophical view from his former colleagues on the TSU board. This has been a huge distraction, Mitchell said at the time. Its one of those things where Id rather be on a board where theres more logic and just a sense of decency, and unfortunately thats not the right board. The board announced an investigation into improprieties in November, voted to place Lane on leave in January without public explanation, and voted for his termination 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. On HoustonChronicle.com: New bombshells revealed in Texas Southern University admissions scandal. Many TSU alumni have called for Macks resignation for weeks. In a recent letter, an alumni group called #RemovetheRegents wrote that the current regents have embarrassed (their) university enough and have caused irreparable damage to Texas Southern. While you may believe that you are honorable in your actions, the truth of the matter is your actions have and continue to embarrass TSU. You have proven to be unwilling and unreasonable in the execution of your duties, the organizers of the group wrote, adding that the regents have not given their full cooperation to TSU, have made demeaning complaints, and have limited experience to serve on the board. Alumni, students and the TSU community have also requested that Abbott appoint regents who are undergraduate alumni and care about the well-being of Texas Southern. brittany.britto@chron.com As the coronavirus has turned the world upside down, locksmiths are seeing the fallout: Shuttered businesses, notably restaurants, bars, and other retail stores, have idled thousands of workers, many of whom may still have a key to their place of employment. Business owners view downtime as a chance to order repairs, maintenance, and upgrades to doors and windows that otherwise would be in use. With fewer people on the streets, theres a fear of property crime such as thefts and vandalism, especially since low-level arrests are being curtailed. Were the first people in a business and the last people out of a business, said Jim Doyle of Delaware Valley Lock & Safe Co., who secures hundreds of restaurants and other businesses in the Philadelphia area. (He is loath to identify his clients, but if you can think of a downtown restaurant, its likely on his roster. We had a running joke when we started this business back in 1994: We service the restaurants we cant afford to eat at, said his wife, Nancy.) The silver lining is that he and his clients have plenty of time to work unimpeded by customers. Its hard to service a front door when you have a breakfast rush and then a lunch rush and then a dinner rush, Jim Doyle said. But just because business is steady right now, were hurting like everyone else, said Nancy Doyle. If the shutdowns are extended, ongoing locksmith maintenance may not be needed. Plus, Jim Doyle is trying to safeguard himself from the virus while on the street. The job has to be done, he said. Rene Perez of LockOut Pros locksmiths said some customers have expressed worries of smash-and-grabs, and are beefing up security. I live near South Street, and I remember all of those Greek picnics [a decade ago] when cinder blocks were being thrown through windows and police cars were being flipped, he said. Our data indicates workers truly began to take the social distancing guidance seriously on March 9 Workers are heeding recommendations to stay home amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new analysis of meeting scheduling behavior by x.ai, the leading platform to schedule meetings. Virtual meetings have risen more than 20.09% since the beginning of March, while in-person meetings declined sharply beginning March 9, x.ais analysis found. In the week between March 9 and March 16, 15.79% of all meetings moved online, as in-person meetings fell to just 8.55% of meetings being scheduled in the x.ai network. This coincides with the decision by several major tech firms, including Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon, to advise their employees to work remotely. The World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a pandemic on March 11th. Our data indicates workers truly began to take the social distancing guidance seriously on March 9, said Marcos Jimenez, x.ais Chief Data Scientist and founder. Virtual meetings now represent 91.45% of meetings being scheduled in the x.ai network, as of March 16th, up from 75.66% the week prior. Video conference meetings now make up 60.57% of all virtual meetings, while phone calls fell below for the first time to just 34.96%. Zoom is being used in 69.13% of all video conference meetings scheduled using x.ai, with Google Hangouts Meet being used in 24.83% of meetings. Other video platforms, including WebEx and Microsoft Teams, make up the remaining 6.04%. Were seeing in the data that meetings are still being scheduled at the same rate, if not slightly higher. With all the uncertainty and school closures, its clear that work is still being done, said Dennis R. Mortensen, CEO and founder of x.ai. At the start of 2020, x.ai saw around 30% of meetings being scheduled with physical locations such as conference rooms, office buildings, and coffee shops. These in-person meetings began to decline at the end of February to just above 20% and began to drop sharply on March 9th, a day before the CDC recommended workers use video conferencing for meetings when possible and to consider adjusting or postponing large meetings or gatherings. Methodology: x.ai analyzed a randomized sub-sample of 36,383 meetings scheduled with a location (virtual or physical) between January 17 and March 16, 2020. On average, 70 percent of x.ai meetings are scheduled in the United States, with remaining usage spread across the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and other countries. About x.ai Founded in 2014, x.ai is a leading productivity tool powered by artificial intelligence that lets you schedule meetings effortlessly. x.ai handles the most tedious parts of scheduling for you things like finding compatible times, coordinating and following up with multiple guests, as well as managing cancellations and rescheduling requests. Learn more at x.ai. For press inquiries, please email press@human.x.ai. Representative image Corporate India has absorbed the benefits of gender diversity. As a consequence, more companies now have one woman on their boards, and several boards have more than one. Regulations, it appears, have rejuvenated the focus on gender diversity in boardrooms. Yet, progress is slow compared to global benchmarks. Having more women in the workforce and at leadership levels requires a focussed effort from corporate India. There is enough research that suggests that diversity and inclusion factors correlate with better financial performance of companies. A 2018 McKinsey study shows that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 21percent more likely to outperform on profitability and 27 percent more likely to have superior value creation. Yet, while correlations are not necessarily causation, the correlation does indicate that quality of earnings and performance improves when leadership commits itself to diversity. Having more women in the workforce is widening the talent pool and enabling a more sensitive work culture. To quote Mao Zedong, if women hold up half the sky, then including them consciously in the workforce makes practical sense for organisations. While there is enough being said about Indias demographic dividend with a large working age population there are constraints of skill development. Empirical evidence seems to suggest labour market tightness even when jobs are available, there are not enough skilled workers to fill them. In an age where the #MeToo campaign raised testing questions, having a better gender balance also tends to result in a more sensitive work culture. In India, regulatory changes continue to drive the dialogue on gender diversity in boardrooms. Recent regulatory changes make it mandatory to have at least one independent director on board for the top 500 companies from April 1, 2019. The effects of the regulatory push are clearly visible NIFTY 500 companies have 16 percent of board directorships held by women (769 of the total 4,667 directorships) on November 30, 2019. This is significantly higher than five years ago, when women held just 6 percent of directorships in NIFTY 500 companies on March 31, 2014. The tone of every organisation is set at the top. Therefore, the drive towards gender equality rests with the boards. There are positive signals for gender diversity at the board level. A 2016 MSCI study suggests that three or more women on a companys board of directors helps companies perform better financially. For India, of the NIFTY 500 boards, 223 boards have exceeded the regulatory requirements these boards had two or more women directors on November 30, 2019 (against 106 boards on March 31, 2017). The impact of gender diversity is also a function of the size of the board having one woman in a board size of 15 is not the same as one in six. Here too there has been considerable improvement over the past 30 months. One hundred and thirty-six of the NIFTY 500 companies had women comprise over 20 percent of the overall board size on November 30, 2019, against just 59 on March 31, 2017. Despite the considerable progress, corporate India with 16 percent board representation of women in NIFTY 500 companies, remains behind the curve. In the United Kingdom, the 30 percent club that was launched in 2010 had set out an extended goal to achieve a minimum of 30 percent women on the FTSE-350 boards by 2020, which has been achieved. The 30 percent club has several chapters across the globe including in the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and Malaysia. Others like Brazil, France, Norway, and Spain are more resolute and have set a target of 40 percent board representation by women. The challenge for gender equality is probably greater at the rungs below the board especially at senior levels. This is likely a function of the gender pool in the workforce itself. The IiAS assessment of the NIFTY 100 companies on their ESG factors shows that 55 companies claim to be equal opportunity employers and 41 have articulated gender parity in remuneration. Yet, this does not seem to be demonstrated in the statistics. Of the NIFTY 100 companies, only eight companies have women comprising more than 30 percent of the workforce five of these are in the information technology industry. Other services businesses including financial services tend to have lower strength of women in the workforce. Women, on an average, tend to form about 10 percent of the workforce of the NIFTY 100 companies. Given the correlation between performance and diversity, there is a compelling case for investors to push the gender diversity agenda. BlackRock, in its voting guidelines, encourages its investee companies to have at least two women directors on boards. At the World Economic Forum 2020 held in Davos, David Solomon, CEO of Goldman Sachs, announced that effective July 1, 2020, Goldman Sachs will only underwrite IPOs in the US and Europe of private companies that have at least one diverse board member. Starting in 2021, it will raise this target to two diverse candidates for each of its IPO clients. With stewardship codes becoming mandatory for almost all Indian asset managers, this is an agenda that must be focused on. The World Economic Forum, based on a McKinsey Global Institute report, suggests that India could add up to $770 bn more than 18 percent to its GDP by 2025 simply by giving equal opportunities to women. The same applies to corporate India that having more women in the workforce will perhaps widen the appeal of their product and service offerings, and possibly result in improved financial performance. While there has been an improvement in gender parity for corporate India and the economy as a whole, a lot more needs to be done. KYODO NEWS - Mar 18, 2020 - 16:54 | All, Japan, Coronavirus The Japanese government decided Wednesday to cancel court banquets to be held in April for Crown Prince Fumihito in celebration of his elevation to first in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne, as the new coronavirus continues to spread. The crown prince was scheduled to hold the buffet-style banquets for some 750 international guests on April 21 after formally announcing his new status in a ceremony on April 19. "We were left with no choice but to decide on the cancellation from the standpoint of containing the spread of the virus," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said at a meeting on imperial succession ceremonies, noting that numerous participants will eat, drink and converse in a close range in a closed space. The banquets were part of the ceremonies for the proclamation of the crown prince, known as "Rikkoshi no rei," which will be the last in a series of ceremonies held for the imperial succession after former Emperor Akihito abdicated on April 30 last year, the first by a Japanese emperor in over 200 years. His subsequent enthronement left three heirs to the throne -- the crown prince, the crown prince's 13-year-old son Prince Hisahito, and Prince Hitachi, the 84-year-old uncle of Emperor Naruhito. Related coverage: Osaka to offer free school lunches as coronavirus hits local economy More parents in Japan turn to apps for child care as virus shuts schools Chartered flight departs for Greece to bring Olympic flame to Japan Three county police officers and a state trooper were hit while on the scene of a crash near Largo Road and Campus Way South, said Officer Antonia Washington, a spokeswoman for the county police. The county officers suffered injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening, she said. TEHRAN Iran on Wednesday reported its single biggest jump in fatalities from the coronavirus as another 147 people died, raising the countrys overall death toll to 1,135. The nearly 15% spike in deaths amid a total of 17,361 confirmed cases in Iran marks the biggest 24-hour rise in fatalities since Iranian officials first acknowledged infections of the virus in mid-February. Even as the number of cases grows, food markets were still packed with shoppers and highways were crowded as families traveled ahead of the Persian New Year, Nowruz, on Friday. Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi urged the public to avoid travel and crowds, telling Iranians the days ahead represented two golden weeks to try curb the virus. He criticized people for not adhering to the warnings to stay home. This is not a good situation at all, he said. President Hassan Rouhani defended his governments response to the outbreak in the face of widespread criticism that Iran acted too slowly and might even have covered up initial cases. He told his Cabinet the government was being straightforward, saying it announced the outbreak as soon as it learned about it Feb. 19. We spoke to people in an honest way. We had no delay, he added. For weeks, officials implored clerics to shut down crowded Shiite shrines to halt the spread of the virus. The government was only able to close them this week. It was difficult, of course, to shut down mosques and holy sites, but we did it. It was a religious duty to do it, Rouhani said. Iran also said it would close mosques for communal Friday prayers for a third consecutive week. Other Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates have done so as well. The virus, which causes the COVID-19 illness, has infected more than 200,000 people globally and killed more than 8,000. For most people, it 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 recover. World Health Organization director for the Eastern Mediterranean region, Ahmed Al-Mandhari, said the many travel restrictions imposed by various countries are hurting efforts to combat the virus by delaying both the deployment of health experts and the delivery of urgently needed medical supplies. Millions across the Middle East were under curfews, quarantines or almost total lockdowns. In Egypt, the Hilton Green Plaza hotel in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria was quarantined after a British guest showed symptoms. A hotel employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to talk to the press, declined to say how many people were in the hotel but added the Health Ministry gave foreign guests the option of leaving to return to their home countries before a suspension of all flights goes into effect Thursday. Egypt, which has reported nearly 200 cases and six deaths from the virus, has also quarantined more than 300 families in a Nile Delta village, and imposed a lockdown in the Red Sea resort town of Hurghada. All workers at hotels and tourist sites in Sharm el-Sheikh, Luxor and Aswan were ordered to self quarantine for 14 days. In the capital of Cairo, coffee shops and restaurants were closed in the city of over 20 million, with plain-clothes security forces telling people to go home. I am financially ruined. How can I earn my living now? said Mohammed Gamal, a worker in a coffee shop that was shut down. In Israel, which reported 427 infections, authorities put the country in near-shutdown mode, ordering tens of thousands into home quarantine, turning unused hotels into hospitals and setting up drive-through testing centers. Most controversially, the government instructed the shadowy Shin Bet internal security service to deploy phone surveillance technology to track movements of those infected. Israels Population and Immigration Authority said it was barring entry to all foreign nationals. It was also closing its land borders to exits by Israeli nationals. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh announced a halt to all movement out of Bethlehem and two neighboring towns with coronavirus cases and urged Bethlehem residents to stay home starting Wednesday night. Palestinians also were instructed not to work in Israeli settlements or enter Israel starting Sunday. In Iraq, a week-long curfew began in Baghdad, allowing pedestrians on the streets only to buy necessary food and medicine. Armed police patrolled the city and set up roadblocks. Some Iraqis flouted the curfew by reopening shops and taking family strolls. Some grocery stands and bakeries stayed open, but many appeared to be obeying the curfew. Iraq has had 11 deaths among 154 confirmed cases. Pharmacist Shadha Jawad, 65, said her customers showed a lack of awareness regarding the consequences of the virus. I dont think anyone will stay indoors for seven days, she said. A 12-hour evening curfew was also announced in Libyas east, which is governed by the self-styled Libyan Arab Armed Forces and commanded by Gen. Khalifa Hifter. They also closed borders with neighboring Sudan, Chad, Niger and Algeria. No virus cases have been reported in Libya, where the health care system has been decimated by years of conflict. Pakistan confirmed its first death from coronavirus: a 50-year-old man who had returned from Saudi Arabia. The man tested positive Tuesday at a hospital in Peshawar, said government spokesman Ajmal Wazir. Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who visited China this week along with President Arif Alvi, said he is protectively quarantining himself. Pakistan has nearly 300 cases of the virus, with many having returned from Iran. In Saudi Arabia, those in the public and private sectors were asked to work from home for two weeks. Only essential staff for supply-chain services, food delivery, grocery stores, pharmacies, health care and security are not working from home Leaders of the worlds 20 biggest economies may hold an extraordinary meeting next week about advancing a coordinated response to the pandemic. Saudi Arabia, which currently leads the G20 presidency, said it is communicating with countries to convene the virtual meeting. As global stock markets remain volatile, the United Arab Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority said local exchanges would only be able to fluctuate 5%, rather than 10%, before trading is suspended. ___ Batrawy reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran; Aron Heller and Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem, Samya Kullab in Baghdad, Munir Ahmed in Islamabad and Samy Magdy, Maggie Michael and Noha El-Hennawy in Cairo contributed. ___ The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Chennai, March 18 : Tamil Nadu Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar on Wednesday said a second person has tested positive here for coronavirus. In a tweet, he said: "#Coronaupdate: #RGGH, Chennai reports the 2nd positive case for #Covid19. The Pt (patient) hails from Delhi, is in isolation & stable is under the observation of the expert team treating #Covid19." The patient is at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital here and his health condition is stable. The first coronavirus patient in Tamil Nadu, a native of Kancheepuram, was discharged from the hospital on Tuesday. According to Vijayabaskar, a total of 189,750 persons has been screened for the virus till Wednesday and 2,984 persons are under follow-up monitoring. The state has set up 1,120 beds in isolation wards and 32 persons have been admitted so far. Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI A convicted embezzler is facing a similar charge again, this time for allegedly stealing $50,000 from a Norton Shores-based company. Carmen DeFabrizio, 49, of Norton Shores has been charged as a second-time offender with embezzlement between $20,000 and $50,000. Its alleged that she stole an estimated $50,000 from West Michigan Power Cleaning Equipment, said Muskegon County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Timothy Maat. The alleged dates of the theft are between May 23, 2016, and May 2019, he said. DeFabrizio was convicted in 2016 of embezzlement of $1,000 to $20,000. In that case, DeFabrizio stole from the gift shop at Mercy Healths Hackley Campus, 1600 Clinton St., where she was the manager, Maat said. The thefts occurred between December 2012 and February 2016, he said. Defabrizio was ordered to pay restitution of $23,450 in that case, Maat said. She also was placed on probation for 24 months and ordered to spend 30 days in jail following her plea in October 2016, Maat said. Her probation was later reduced to 12 months, he said. Defabrizio did not provide a comment when contacted by MLive. Jerry Wiersma, president of West Michigan Power Cleaning Equipment, said DeFabrizio had not yet been convicted when he ran a background check as part of the hiring process. He said she had been arrested in the prior case, but he was not aware of that because it didnt show up on the background check. More than two years after Wiersma hired her, DeFabrizio began garnishing her own wages to pay restitution for the gift shop case. But Wiersma said he was unaware of that because she was in charge of payroll. In September 2018, West Michigan Power Cleaning Equipment began garnishing $25 per week of DeFabrizios wages to pay off restitution in the 2016 case, Maat said. Wiersma said he was a little too trusting, and had treated DeFabrizio like family, as he does all employees. It was just so shocking and sad when we discovered this, he said. Wiersma said he became suspicious when cash deposits at the bank did not seem to jibe with cash sales. He began investigating and determined there was a large shortfall. When he confronted her, DeFabrizio said she was borrowing money she intended to pay back, he said. It later was determined there was ten times more money missing than what she admitted to borrowing, Wiersma said. DeFabrizio was arrested on Feb. 21, and posted a $5,000 surety bond to gain release from jail pending trial, court records show. Also on MLive: Former CEO files whistleblower lawsuit against Muskegon Family Care clinic Troubled Victory Inn shut down by judge again Ex-school worker sentenced to prison for raping child at elementary Death cause of Chernivtsi resident with diagnosed COVID-19 to be established by police Police have launched a criminal investigation into the death of a resident of Chernivtsi, who was diagnosed with a COVID-19 coronavirus, the National Police of Ukraine told Interfax-Ukraine. "Information is being entered into the Unified Register of Pretrial Investigations under Article 140 of the Criminal Code - improper performance of professional duties by a medical worker," the National Police told the agency on Wednesday. The case is open to establish the causes and circumstances of the woman's death. It was reported that at around 19:00 on March 16, a woman died in hospital with suspected COVID-19 died in the infectious ward of the Chernivtsi Regional Clinical Hospital. According to the press service of the Chernivtsi Regional State Administration, death occurred as a result of severe concomitant neurological pathology that was not associated with manifestations of coronavirus infection. A six-week-old baby, one of newly confirmed five cases, is the youngest COVID-19 patient in the country, the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, said on Wednesday. Mr Ehanire, while briefing journalists in Abuja said Nigeria has recorded five new cases of COVID-19, bringing to eight the total number of confirmed cases in the country. He said all five cases have travel histories to the U.K. and U.S. Of the five cases, four were detected from people who flew into the country and one from an American who had entered into the country through the land borders. Mr Ehanire said it unfortunate that the newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country is within the last 36 hours, in which the third case was confirmed. So far, nobody has died from the disease in Nigeria and one of the earlier three cases has completely recovered. The announcement was made just as the country announced travel restrictions from 13 countries with high coronavirus cases. The affected countries are; China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, United States of America, Norway, United Kingdom, Netherlands & Switzerland. The travel restriction will commence on March 21. New cases Meanwhile, of the five new positive cases three arrived from the U. S., while two came in from the UK. Mr Ehanire said the government is still collating information on the travellers. He explained that two of the three from the U.S. are Nigerian a mother and child, making the six-week old baby the youngest COVID-19 patient in the country. The third is an American national, who crossed the land border, the first Covid-19 case not arriving by air. Meanwhile, the other two cases from the U.K. are also Nigerians. This implies that a total of six Nigerians and two foreigners (one Italian and American) have been infected in the country. Travel history In the meantime, Mr Ehanire said a detailed travel history of each person is being compiled and persons who have been in contact with them are currently being traced. The National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) led by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and supported by partners, is supporting response in the states. The federal government, through the ministry of health, is conducting (a) risk assessment to help guide decision making, he said. Mr Ehanire also urged citizens not to panic, but allow experts in public health to guide responses in a calculated, scientific manner. He said so far, all the cases of COVID-19 reported in the country so far appear to have mild symptoms and are in recovery. READ ALSO: To protect yourselves and your families, I urge everyone to continue to take care and caution as advised. Government will do the needful to protect citizens health, he added. Restrictions While new cases are being reported, the Presidential Task Force for the Control of Coronavirus (COVID-19), has prohibited all travel by public servants and a suspension of the visa on arrival policy till further notice. With these newly confirmed cases, Nigeria is now at par with Rwanda. The government has issued a firm travel advisory against non-essential travel to high burden countries, especially in view of the number of Nigerians who arrived from the U.S. and Europe and are being diagnosed in the past 48 hours with coronavirus infection. Advertisements It has also been made mandatory that all persons returning from overseas self-isolate for observation for 14-days, even if they feel well. NCDC said it will disseminate information on this practice. It ordered a Supervised self-isolation, including testing of persons returning from nations with community transmission of more than 1,000 cases cumulatively, for 14 days by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Port Health Services. Carlos Rodriguez Herrera, a part-time barista at a Mediterranean restaurant in New York City, was told not to come in for his morning shift on March 14. The next day, just before Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered all restaurants and bars to cease dine-in service, Mr. Rodriguez Herrera and his co-workers were sent home several hours early. As the coronavirus has continued to spread, making social distancing a nationwide norm, foot traffic into coffee shops and restaurants has fallen to a light patter. Food service workers around the country are losing their jobs. Mr. Rodriguez Herrera understands his employers predicament, he told me. He would prefer to stay home, out of harms way. But as a minimum-wage worker, earning just $15 per hour plus tips without any paid sick time or health insurance, losing work was almost as scary as getting sick. I dont know how Im going to pay the rent in the coming month, he said. I have no savings, no money right now. I guess Im going to ask somebody if I can borrow some money. On top of that, Mr. Rodriguez Herrera is undocumented, and so ineligible for unemployment insurance, Medicaid, food stamps, cash and housing assistance, despite two steady decades of living and laboring in the United States. Even those who qualify for benefits are encountering holes in the system. Willow Manuel, a barista and coffee-roasting technician in Philadelphia who uses the pronouns they/them, told me that they were laid off without any notice from their job at a local coffee chain on March 12. Now I have to scramble to find any kind of work that I can, they told me. Im going to have a conversation with my landlord about my situation and hope that I dont get evicted. A photograph of an elderly man standing among empty shelves at a supermarket amid the coronavirus pandemic has garnered a huge reaction online. Ever since news emerged of the virus spreading around the world some people have started buying food and home essentials in bulk. However, doing so places a disadvantage on other members of society who may be unable to visit their supermarket first thing in the morning or cannot afford to buy large quantities of items in one go. Supermarkets have been urging consumers to be considerate when shopping, with some introducing dedicated hours for the elderly and their carers to shop before the masses. To highlight the magnitude of the situation, Milli Taylor, of Millis Catering, shared a photograph on Instagram showing an elderly man looking down at a piece of paper in a supermarket aisle, the shelves stripped of produce. The picture was taken by her sister, Lauren Taylor, who spotted the man at a Sainsburys store near her home in Epsom, Surrey. Millis Instagram post has accumulated more than 235,000 likes and plenty of comments from people expressing their concern over the situation. Lauren, who took the photograph, said it was awful and just really sad to see the elderly man that day. That was only one aisle and the others were in a similar state of empty shelves, she said. People were grabbing lots of stuff that were still on the shelves. Its really just sad and disappointing in society that its got to this point, she added. Everyone needs stuff, but he had been left with nothing. After taking picture, Lauren shared it with her family on Whatsapp. She said she didnt expect" the enormous reaction to the picture after her sister, who was in Sri Lanka at the time, shared it on Instagram. I just wanted to share it with my family who are dotted around the world to compare and prepare my sister for what she was coming back to after a holiday, Lauren said. I just want people to think about their own grandparents who will have to go through more suffering. It must be scary for them. Milli said she felt compelled to share the picture on Instagram as she found it shocking". I didnt know what we were coming home to, she stated. It was pretty bleak. You have to be careful not to judge a full trolley because they might be shopping for a large family in isolation but it seems that people have been over-buying and not thinking about everyone else that may be in the same or worst situation. BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Amid the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in China, more than 2.6 million deputies of the people never stopped their service. From submitting epidemic-related suggestions to the legislative bodies at various levels to fighting the disease on the front line as pioneering professionals or volunteers, they have made a difference in the country's anti-virus battle. Among them, nearly 3,000 are deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislature. MAKING SUGGESTIONS As of March 10, the General Office of the NPC Standing Committee had received 133 suggestions from NPC deputies on epidemic prevention and control. Their suggestions offer valuable insights from different perspectives for the decision-making process in the country's fight against the epidemic, according to the NPC Standing Committee. For example: -- Dang Yongfu, an NPC deputy who has conducted intensive research on the epidemic situation in rural areas, proposed measures to curb the spread of the virus in rural areas as migrant workers returned to their hometowns during the Spring Festival holiday. -- NPC deputy Nie Pengju, an entrepreneur, suggested accelerating the production of face masks. -- NPC deputy Cai Weiping, a doctor working on the front line, proposed expanding hospitals dedicated to the treatment of infectious diseases. -- Ma Yuhong, an NPC deputy working in auditing, submitted a suggestion on giving financial aid to small and medium-sized enterprises in the near term. Their suggestions also include placing a full ban on eating wild animals, revising the laws on infectious disease prevention and treatment, and improving major public health emergency response mechanisms. In late February, the NPC Standing Committee swiftly adopted a decision on thoroughly banning the illegal trading of wildlife and eliminating the consumption of wild animals to safeguard people's health. FIGHTING ON FRONT LINE Coming from different walks of life, deputies to people's congresses at various levels serve on a part-time basis. Except for exercising their duty as members of legislative bodies, many of them are also fighting on the front line in their professional fields, especially those with medical expertise. On Jan. 27, NPC deputy Zhang Boli, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering who was directing epidemic prevention work in Tianjin, flew to the outbreak epicenter city of Wuhan on short notice, devoting himself to battling the virus there ever since. Having pushed himself to the breaking point, Zhang fell ill and had his gall bladder removed on Feb. 16. He returned to work only three days after the surgery. Chen Jingyu, cardiothoracic surgery expert and vice president of Wuxi People's Hospital in east China's Jiangsu Province, led a team in treating critically ill COVID-19 patients. In his capacity as an NPC deputy, Chen also submitted a suggestion on establishing a special medical team treating COVID-19 patients in Wuhan with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machines. Deputies from non-medical fields are also making contributions: some company executives volunteered to deliver medical masks to the epicenter, some offered hotel rooms to accommodate people under medical observation, and some ensured the production of essential drugs during the holiday. Deputies working at the primary level can be found engaged in containment efforts in communities, including recording health conditions of residents and discouraging public gatherings. Ji Mingdong, an NPC deputy and a village Party chief in the outbreak epicenter province of Hubei, led village officials to persuade every family of the village not to hold any banquet until the outbreak is under control. NPC deputy Zhang Liansheng, also a community Party chief in east China's Fujian Province, promoted epidemic prevention knowledge on a livestreaming platform with catchy jingles. The Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova (PSRM) and the Democratic Party of Moldova (PDM) formed a majority in the Parliament of Moldova. It was unexpected, since the two parties were considered antagonists, if not totally, then at least in matters of the country's foreign policy. Moreover, it was through the efforts of the socialists that a crisis was provoked, as a result of which the democrats lost power, and their leader, the informal ruler of Moldova, tycoon Vladimir Plahotniuc, fled the country, persecuted by the laws of both his homeland and several other states. According to unconfirmed rumors, Plahotniuc fled to the United States. But it turns out that neither criminal prosecution, nor distance prevents him from participating in the political life of Moldova. Moreover, to participate effectively, preserving the position of an informal ruler, of which he was accused by the same socialists. The agreement on the new coalition was signed by the chairman of the parliament, leader of the PSRM Zinaida Greceanii and the chairman of the PDM, former Prime Minister Pavel Filip. "We take responsibility for managing the country along with the PSRM," Filip said. "We agreed on the formation of a parliamentary majority ... This implies the creation of a social-democratic alliance," Grechaniy said. "The new majority will pursue a balanced foreign policy. We have committed ourselves to comply with the association agreement with the EU, as well as all international agreements that have been concluded so far." However, observers note that the agreement makes no mention of Chisinau's interest in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), in contrast to European Union aspirations. Nothing was said about the EAEU. So,one thing can be assumed - Moscows attempts to drag Moldova into its orbit by courting the informal leader of the PSRM, President Igor Dodon have so far failed. All of his statements, declaring interest in the EAEU, hinting at Moldova's possible entry into the alliance, even as an observer, were empty. At least for now. The assumption takes on real shape, given the fact that the pro-Western democrats who are supposed to have 5 seats in the government, take on the key ones - foreign affairs, defense, integration, the economy and education. In addition, Prime Minister Ion Chicu, who was a member of the Democratic Party and left after being elected head of the Cabinet, which by law implies political apathy. President Dodon expressed satisfaction with the agreement and the coalition. According to him, the country will finally have a government, and if it turns out to be sustainable, then it will also have long-term political stability and effective power, which will help to avoid early parliamentary elections undesirable for the country. In the parliament, the Socialists have 36 seats out of 101, the Democrats have 23 seats. This is enough to form a majority and approve various decisions requiring at least 51 votes. Therefore, experts have already said that after the approval of the Cabinet, one should expect not only strengthening of the pro-Western and weakening of the pro-Russian vectors of Chisinau, but also changes in the negotiation process to resolve the conflict in Transnistria and weakened Moscows influence on negotiations. It cannot be otherwise, if the foreign policy and national security strategy are controlled by pro-European forces - expansion of cooperation with NATO, the U.S. and the EU; further rapprochement with Romania, up to the long-planned unification of the energy sector; and at the same time curtailing ties eastward, i.e. with Moscow and the EAEU, right up to the outburst of anti-Russian rhetoric and anti-Russian actions will be evident in the near future. Thus, the emergence of an unexpected coalition once again crossed out Moscows actions to restore its influence in Moldova. As many experts predicted, Dodon turned out to be a weak ally. But he could not be a strong one, according to the Constitution of Moldova. As though Moscow didn't know or forgot it. Or it just turned out that it had no one else to put on. And even if Igor Dodon wins the presidential election in autumn and extends his powers, one shouldn't pin hopes on it - other forces and persons bear rule in Moldova. While some county courts have already shut down in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued an order to close all courts statewide to the general public for at least two weeks. According to the statement from the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, all proceedings, including trial and intermedia appellate courts, are closed to the public for non-essential functions through at least April 3. This includes all magisterial district courts, Philadelphia Municipal Court and Pittsburgh Municipal Court Arraignment Division, the AOPC said. Because of these closures, all deadlines and time calculations related to court cases and other judicial business have been suspended, the AOPC said. For emergency proceedings, the AOPC is encouraging judicial offices to use advance communication technology to conduct the hearings. Essential functions in the Courts of Common Pleas include: Emergency bail review and habeas corpus hearings; Gagnon 1 hearings; Bench warrant hearings pursuant to Pennsylvania Rule of Criminal Procedure 150; Juvenile delinquency detention; Juvenile emergency shelter and detention hearings; Temporary protection from abuse hearings; Emergency petitions for child custody; Emergency petitions for guardianship; Civil mental health reviews (50 P.S. 302) Any pleadings or motions relating to public health concerns and involving immediate and irreparable harm; and Any other function deemed by a president judge to be essential consistent with constitutional requirements. Jury and non-jury trials are suspended and jurors do not need to report for jury duty on or before April 3, 2020, the AOPC said. The only exception is for currently ongoing trials. For magisterial district courts, Philadelphia Municipal Court, and Pittsburgh Municipal Court, Arraignment Division (minor courts) these are considered essential functions: Preliminary arraignments (bail setting) for bailable cases; Criminal case filings and subsequent processing; Preliminary hearings for incarcerated persons only; Issuance of search warrants; and Emergency protection from abuse petitions. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court also ordered that no eviction, ejectment or other displacement from a residence based on failure to make a payment is allowed. Minor courts should accept payments by mail, electronically or by phone. Some counties, like Dauphin, Lebanon and Cumberland counties had already announced closures and operating procedures for essential hearings. A Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice is under quarantine with his family after testing positive for coronavirus. Read more on PennLive: 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. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders announced Tuesday a plan to give American households $2,000 a month and for gig economy workers to receive unemployment payouts during the novel coronavirus outbreak. What he's saying: "In this unprecedented moment, this will require an unprecedented amount of money. My own guess is that well be spending $2 trillion in funding to prevent deaths, job losses, and to avoid an economic catastrophe." A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted. The big picture: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said earlier Tuesday the Trump administration is discussing sending checks to Americans "immediately" to help alleviate the economic impact of the outbreak. Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. The world is continuously witnessing a series of lockdowns due to the deadly novel coronavirus pandemic, says an article. The response of Mexico to the COVID-19 epidemic had not been at downplaying. Citizens of the country are still living life normally. Check these out: Alibaba Founder Jack Ma Donates Big to the US Kevin Durant Tests Positive for COVID-19 President Trump Announces Strict Guidelines to Combat COVID-19 Mexican officials are not exerting enough measures to contain the virus. Also, they are still unprepared in case an outbreak occurs. This is true regardless of a warning given from the previous week by the deputy health minister. The warning says there is a possibility of a widespread outbreak of the dangerous COVID-19 virus. Additionally, community transmission can start in a few weeks. What will happen to Mexico? When the outbreak happens, there is a possibility that Mexico will deteriorate rapidly. Upon the happening of the outbreak, it is highly certain that the entire country will get affected. It will affect the Mexican economy and will probably crumble the already struggling Mexican government. As of Saturday, there is a total of 41 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Mexico. The deadly disease first reached the country in February. A month after the dangerous disease was detected in the United States of America. There is a chance of the novel coronavirus infecting more all over the country. The ABC Hospital's head of internal medicine Francisco Moreno Sanchez stated last week that there is a possibility of more COVID-19 cases in Mexico and the Mexican government is receiving that risk lightly. According to Sanchez, the effects of an undetected outbreak will be a brutal one. Taking the Threats Lightly Despite the possible threats of an outbreak of the COVID-19 in the country, the government seems to be taking it lightly. In the previous week, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had been surrounded by his supporters at the Hermosillo airport before he flew to Acapulco. He was about to speak at a banker's conference. He will then hold a series of campaign-style rallies in the area. Recently, the Mexican president had been making statements that dismiss the need for caution involving the COVID-19. He even encourages hugging, saying nothing will happen with the gesture. Taking His Advice The Mexican president had been seen taking his advice in a video circulating social media. The video had been on social media over the weekend. It showed the president kissing and embracing his supporters during a rally. He even claimed that the worries caused by the pandemic will not do anything to them. All of the totals confirmed cases of the COVID-19 in Mexico had come from Spain, Italy, and the United States. However, the Mexican president did not yet order any international travel bans. Also, he did not take any measures to tighten the security at the US-Mexican border. Passengers of a Flight from Spain In one news report, the passengers of a flight originating from Spain on Friday had easily passed through customs and passport control without any forces taking temperatures and health surveys. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Reuters) London Wed, March 18, 2020 19:00 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206ba7a98 2 Entertainment Glastonbury,festival,music,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free Britain's Glastonbury Festival, the largest greenfield music festival in the world, has been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus outbreak, organizers said on Wednesday. Kendrick Lamar, Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift and Diana Ross were set to headline at Glastonbury in its 50th year in June. "Clearly this was not a course of action we hoped to take for our 50th anniversary event, but following the new government measures announced this week and in times of such unprecedented uncertainty this is now our only viable option," said founder Michael Eavis and his daughter Emily Eavis. "We're so sorry that this decision has been made. It was not through choice. But we look forward to welcoming you back to these fields next year and until then, we send our love and support to all of you." We are so sorry to announce this, but we are going to have to cancel Glastonbury 2020. Tickets for this year will roll over to next year. Full statement below and on our website. Michael & Emily pic.twitter.com/ox8kcQ0HoB Glastonbury Festival (@glastonbury) March 18, 2020 More than 135,000 tickets had been sold for the festival held on Eavis's dairy farm in southwest England, while millions more watch the performances on television. Organizers said those who had the coveted tickets - they sold out in just 34 minutes last October - would be guaranteed an opportunity to attend in 2021. Welcome to Money Diaries, where were tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. Were asking women how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period and were tracking every last dollar. Today: a horse rancher who makes $28,000 per year and spends some of her money this week on beets. Content warning: this diary contains a graphic animal injury. Occupation: Horse Rancher Industry: Cowgirl Age: 25 Location: Montana Salary: $28,000 plus tips Paycheck Amount (1x/week): $600 Gender: Woman Monthly Expenses Rent: $0 (I work about 50 hours week for free rent and utilities) Car Payment: $189 Phone: $0 (family plan) Car Insurance: mom helps to pay for this (very grateful) Netflix: dont really use this to be honest, but have access to my sisters husbands account Retirements: $0 (Dont make enough money for this) Health Insurance: Not 26 yet, thankfully I am on my dads plan. Savings: I try to put in as much as possible a month. WiFi: free public wifi Day One 6 a.m. Today is Sunday. I get one day off a week from my ranching duties and that is when I try to be social. I live in a town of fewer than 50 people, BUT I went to college about two hours away so I drive there to meet with my bestie for a scone and tea at our favorite coffee shop. My body is so sore from riding horses so many hours a weekI try to rest my body on my off day but when you live in Montana, you try to soak up the beauty each and every day you can. Off to go hiking. Maybe fly fishing too. $7.46 9 a.m. Gas fill up. Something to make note of, living in a small town, I dont have a gas station within 15 miles of me, so I have to plan this wisely and be smart about never going to the ranch on empty. $32 3 p.m. Head to the local co-op in town for random items. Veggies, bread, wine, snacks, and, of course, beets. When I have my days off, I typically spend a lot of money on useless things but the six days I am ranching, I typically dont spend any money. or very little. The grocery store near the ranch is crazy expensive so I shop when I am in the city. $46 Story continues 6 p.m. Top off the gas before heading back to the ranch. $7 7:15 p.m. I pick up a snack for the horses, some apples and carrots. $6.50 8:30 p.m. Get back to the ranch. I run into a moose and her baby while Im walking up the driveway with my groceries. They can be extremely aggressive so I quickly go into the cabin and watch from the window. I know I am so blessed for this life, I try to remind myself every day. I make dinner. I have to be up early tomorrow, so I catch up with the other ranch hands, talk shit about bad horses, and get into bed around 8:45. Daily Total: $98.96 Day Two 6 a.m. Wake up comes a little early for me. Currently 13 degrees, brr. The ranch hands and I throw on our warm clothes, bitch about the weather, and head out the door. We walk down to the horses, catch about 13 horses and one mule and bring them to the barn. The ranch I live on is public, we do trail maintenance and we also do public tours since we live close to a national park. 12 p.m. I ride all morning and my butt is so sore. I am new to this lifestyle of ranching so its been a huge adjustment for my body. Anyways, I make lunch since I am burning a crazy amount of calories each day. For lunch, I have peanut butter and jelly and an apple. Typical ranch girl lunch. Head back out to ride more horses and clear some trails. 3 p.m. Take a 15-minute break because I know this will be a 12-15 hour day. Eat some chips and watch the horses out the window. 4 p.m. CW: graphic animal injury. We have a horse break through the barbwire and cut a main artery in her leg. I have never seen anything like this happen The ranch hand (my boss) tells me to grab the gun (in case we need to put her down), a towel, and a rope to help stop the bleeding. We run to the barn and try to stop the bleeding. Sorry if this is TMI but this is ranch life. We calm the horse down and put a couple of ropes and a towel around the leg and load her into the trailer. We drive an hour to the vet ER and I start praying while crying. You can see the blood from the trailer door as we opened it. She is in total shock from blood loss but shes doing great. She is one of my favorite horses on the ranch. Its normal in the ranching world to have loss, hurt, and death, but seeing it first hand is really heartbreaking. 7 p.m. I grab snacks at a gas station while we waited for the horse to get stitches. I believe the bill will be about $450 but thank god I wont be paying that. $7 10 p.m. I drive back to the ranch, unload the horse, and give her medicine. I am exhausted, but the day is never finished until the horses are happy. I walk back to the barn to make sure the horses are safe and fed. I take the sick horse to her own pasture and gave her some carrots. I kiss her goodnight and walk home. Today I crushed about 23,000 steps and very little money Daily Total: $7 Day Three 5:45 a.m. I wake up and eat some breakfast. I do the normal horse stuff in the morning. Ranching can get a little tiring but I get to call my office the outdoors and for that, I am a lucky chick. 12 p.m. My boss asks me to drive into town to get him something for lunch. I buy myself a salad and some snacks. Any excuse to get out of the saddle for a couple of hours is a good time. $11 12:15 p.m. While Im out, I cap my gas off, just in case. $12 7:30 p.m. Today has been a long day. I didnt eat enough or drink enough water. The ranch ladies and I go out for a beer after work. Working in such a tough job has made me really bond with all the badass chicks around me. I buy myself two beers, a burger, and some fries. $34.11 9 p.m. I get back to the ranch with a buzz, work on the sick horse, giggle at the mules, and walk home. I get in bed and watch some TV (no Netflix or anything because the wifi doesnt work out here). I have a degree in Public Health and I hope to get my masters. Sometimes, on slow days, I drive into town 25 minutes just for a wifi binge. I miss the social media scrolling but, everyone around me is so much happier not glued to their phone. Daily Total: $57.11 Day Four 6 a.m. Wake up, make breakfast, catch 15 horses, and ask the ranch hands for help with saddling. I care for the sick horse, if anyone is still reading this..she is doing pretty good. Happy for her. I have a goal of spending no money today. I dont make a lot of money and I have been a little reckless with my spending. 1 p.m. I spend five hours in the saddle this morning. I run inside for a quick lunch break of apples, chips, kale, and carrots. I eat weird things on the ranch. 2 p.m. The weather really impacts our income, livelihood, and happiness..let me tell you! This afternoon, it rains for about three hours. It doesnt rain much in this valley so we do a rain dance and we are happy for the soil and the crops but not happy for wet saddles, no money being made, and wet trails. We take a break to discuss horses and the plan for next week. 5 p.m. We call it an early day wow this never happens. I head to the gym in town. Its the size of a bedroom, but I run a couple of miles. I am the only person there. After my workout, I sit in my car to call my parents. I miss them dearly as they live across the country. I talk about finances, life goals, and how much my body hurts. I decide to schedule a massage for next week to help with my back pain. 7 p.m. I drive up to the ranch and notice the local boys from the neighboring ranch came to visit. They are smokin hot but they are our competition so we dont love them either. All the ranchhands at my ranch are women except our boss. We make a total of seven cowgirls who pretty much run this place. 52 horses, seven cowgirls, and too many dogs to count life is good. I eat dinner made from the groceries I got the other day. I pretty much eat anything I can find. I didnt buy enough when I was in town. 9 p.m. I call my college bestie, talk about guys, food, and how much we miss each other. The ranch can be tough on my mental health, but I chose this lifestyle and I am really happy about it. Eat some cookies from my ranch buddy and call it a night. Fall asleep around 9:50. Daily Total: $0 Day Five 7:15 a.m. We get a late start as the weather has been crazy. It was 13 degrees earlier this week then it was 40 and raining. Today its 45 degrees, cloudy and about to rain. We sleep in until 7:15 because we need a dang break. You might not know this, but ranching is a lifestyle, not just a job so anytime you can spend an extra 30 minutes in bed, you take it. 11 a.m. I drive into town to get my cowboy boots fixed. Dang that was expensive. $75 12:30 p.m. Back to the ranch. I eat lunch, which is a salad with carrots, apple, kale, and some seeds. I also have leftover chicken so I heat that up. 4 p.m. The day turns out to be okay. I ride for about three hours and do some barn chores. 6:30 p.m. I help my boss fix the broken fence, which is a lot of work. My least favorite chore is picking rocks from the barn floor. I do that for a bit, bitch about some mules with the ranch girls, and have a good laugh. I eat more chicken and call my crush (who is a cowboy in the valley, I know hes bad news but YOLO). 9 p.m. I go to sleep with a hungry belly so I need to drive into town soon for food. Daily Total: $75 Day Six 6 a.m. My boss asks me if I want to get tea in town, of course! When we get back I put my barn clothes on, do morning chores, catch some horses, and ride for about six hours today. Oofta. $2.50 2 p.m. Quick lunch since its a busy day! I have pasta and a kale smoothie. I check on the hurt horse and she is looking really good. I pull the drain out for her and she seems comfortable. 6 p.m. I ask my boss if I can drive to the close (but expensive) grocery store for some quick food. I get bread, apples, mango, chicken, and veggies. $29 7 p.m. I fill up on gas, do you see the pattern here? $13 8 p.m. I make a nice chicken dinner. My eating habits here on the ranch are very poor but honestly working 50 hours a week, I dont have time to meal prep. 9 p.m. I talk horses with my boss, go out to the barn to fix some saddles, and wash my bridle. I call it a day around 10:45. Daily Total: $44.50 Day Seven 7 a.m. Its a typical morning I roll out of bed, throw on warm clothes, walk to the horses, and catch about 18 for the day. I bring the sick horse to the barn to give her some TLC. For those that dont know much about horses, they heal very fast and are solid animals. I have a bagel while putting on saddles for the horses. If we are lucky, the ranchers wife will make us warm breakfast on special days like today. I ride for six hours and see grizzlies and a couple of deer. The grizzlies were a mama and her cub, I was quite nervous but being on a horse makes it better. 2 p.m. I make lunch veggies and rice. I put some ice on my back and lay down for 10 minutes. I go back outside to ride for a couple more hours. Today, we were called to clear a trail about 10 miles south, so we ride for the rest of the day clearing the trail and looking for bears. 9 p.m. After a long day, my body hurts but I am a happy girl. Saw no bears in the afternoon but lots of deer and a mountain lion track, which is nuts!!!!!!!! I have never seen a mountain lion, but I dream of it. Anyway, I have a smoothie and a couple of snacks and call my crush. He got bucked off his horse and hurt his arm. Hes out for a couple days, so maybe Ill go into town tomorrow to see him, but I should really stay on the ranch to help out. Daily Total: $0 Editors Note: This diary was written before COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic and current CDC guidelines about social distancing and travel restrictions were put into effect. Go to the CDC website for the latest information on symptoms, prevention, and other resources. Money Diaries are meant to reflect individual womens experiences and do not necessarily reflect Refinery29s point of view. Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity or harmful behavior. Have you had any work from home mishaps as we transition to social distancing? Whether your dog accidentally video conferenced with your boss or your coworker noticed an inappropriate painting on your wall, we want to hear from you. Click here to share your work from home snafus for a chance to be featured in an upcoming story. The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day. For more money diaries, click here. Do you have a Money Diary youd like to share? Submit it with us here. Have questions about how to submit or our publishing process? Read our Money Diaries FAQ doc here: r29.co/mdfaqs Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here? A Week Working Online After Evacuating From China A Week In New York, NY, On A $35,000 Salary A Week In Detroit, MI, On A $69,657 Salary An 85-year-old man name Renzo Carlo Testa died of coronavirus in a hospital in Bergamo Northern, Italy. After five days, his remains are still in a coffin in line with others who fell victim to the coronavirus in a church that is closed to the public. Testa is just one of the many victims of coronavirus who were not given a proper funeral no matter how his wife Franca Stefanelli to whom he was married for 50 years wanted. This is due to the national restrictions that Italy has ordered against gatherings making traditional funeral services illegal in the country. Restrictions that were set in an effort to control the spread of coronavirus within the country with the largest density of cases outside China. However, even if there were no restrictions on funerals, Stefanelli and her son would still not be able to attend Testa's funeral for they are also sick and are under quarantine. The 70-year-old Stefanelli expressed that she cannot explain what she was going through at the moment but narrowed it down to frustration after being rendered impotent by the virus. Elderly Woman in Britain dies in COVID-19 isolation Meanwhile in Britain, an autism campaigner expressed grief as her mother died while in the coronavirus isolation after being admitted for only a day. Fifty-seven-year-old Caroline Hopton from Windsor Berkshire was heartbroken after she was not event given the chance to hold much less stay with her mother as she took her final breath. Despite not being a confirmed coronavirus case, Hopton's mother was placed in isolation as healthcare workers wanted to be sure and ready in case she tests positive, however, she died before any confirmation was made. Devastated by the events, Hopton took it to twitter to express her sadness after COVID-19 stopped her from holding her mother's hands in her final moments. Read also: Coronavirus Vaccine Begins Human Trial, Seattle Woman First to Receive Test People are dying and being buried alone The COVID-19 pandemic raged through Italy and has forced the government to order a nationwide lockdown. The country's streets are now empty, shops are shut down and more than 60 million Italians are trapped inside their own homes. In addition to that, is the exhausted healthcare front-liners who are working hard to battle the coronavirus crisis. However, the ultimate measure of the pandemic is the number of bodies that it leaves behind. In Italy for example, the death toll has reached more than 2,100. In the northern region of Lombardy, particularly in the province of Bergamo bodies are already piling up. As the hospital morgues have become overwhelmed by bodies, for the first time since World War II, closure of cemeteries in the province has been ordered by Bergamos's Mayor Giorgio Gori, who, however, assures that the mortuary would still accept coffins. Despite the ban on gatherings which include funerals, officials still allowed priests to say prayers at burials which are attended by a limited number of the bereaved, some even being buried alone after their families are also put in isolation. Due to the danger of contagion, family members spirited away from their relatives who have fallen victim to the virus. Most people die in hospitals without any friends and family present. In acts of humanity, some local associations have had the initiative to collect donations in order to procure tablet devices which were given to hospitals so that patients sick with coronavirus will be able to stay in touch with their families. Some even saying their final goodbyes tot heir loved ones through the screens as the virus takes them into oblivion. Related article: Italians Sing from Balconies as a Symbol of Solidarity Amid Coronavirus Outbreak @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Saratoga Springs Police Department Drug Possession: Samual Hogan, 19, of Saratoga Springs was arrested at 10:04 p.m. on March 13 on East and Union Avenues and was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance seventh degree, a misdemeanor. Trespass: Jeffrey Favreau, 43, of Cohoes was arrested at 3:39 a.m. on March 14 on Clinton Street and was charged with criminal trespass second degree, a misdemeanor. Trespass: Shawn Johnson, 37, of Saratoga Springs was arrested at 5:35 p.m. on March 14 on Railroad Place and was charged with criminal trespass third degree, a misdemeanor. Public Lewdness: Brian Raymond, 49 of Saratoga Springs was arrested at 7:38 p.m. on March 14 on Woodlawn Avenue and was charged with public lewdness, a misdemeanor. Drug Possession: Khylan Hunt, 33, of Ballston Spa was arrested at 8:10 p.m. on March 14 following a traffic stop on South Broadway and Avenue of the Pines and was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance third degree: narcotic drug with intent to sell, criminal possession of a narcotic drug fourth degree, both felonies; criminal possession of marihuana fourth degree: with an aggregate weight over two ounces, and criminal possession of a controlled substance seventh degree, both misdemeanors. Petit Larceny: Kaitlyn Flint, 29, of Fort Edward was arrested at 9:55 p.m. on Ballston Avenue and was charged with petit larceny, a misdemeanor. DWI: Meaghan Barnett, 21, of Simsbury, Connecticut was arrested at 1:50 a.m. on March 15 following a traffic stop on Broadway and Huestis Court and was charged with driving while intoxicated: first offense, and operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or more: first offense, both misdemeanors. Trespass: Kim Brigman, 52, of Saratoga Springs was arrested at 7:24 p.m. on March 15 on Church Street and was charged with criminal trespass third degree: property fenced in or enclosed, a misdemeanor. Last Sunday, hundreds of American churches closed their doors to congregants, many of whom watched via livestream. It may be like this for weeks. That same day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged Americans not to congregate in groups larger than 50. These types of restrictions will have significant repercussions for many churches, where groups of 50 or larger gather on a weekly basis, especially with Easter just weeks away. As church leaders and pastors wrestle with these restrictions as well as navigating weddings and funerals, theres a larger question we wanted to explore: What type of opportunity does a pandemic like this allow Christians to be remembered for? A strong empathy for the suffering of other people characterized much of the churchs response to sickness during the Roman Empire, says Gary Ferngren, a history professor at Oregon State University who studies the social history of ancient medicine, religion, and ancient medicine. The compassionate model in health care is, I think, the very distinctive contribution that Christians have made, said Ferngren. Ferngren joined digital media producer Morgan Lee and president and CEO Tim Dalrymple to discuss the state of health care in the Roman era, why the Christian response to the plague of Cyprian stood out, and how Christians came together to open hospitals. What is Quick to Listen? Read more Rate Quick to Listen on Apple Podcasts Follow the podcast on Twitter Follow our hosts on Twitter: Morgan Lee and Timothy Dalrymple Music by Sweeps Quick to Listen is produced by Morgan Lee and Matt Linder The transcript is edited by Bunmi Ishola Find all of Christianity Todays coronavirus coverage Read What Martin Luther Teaches Us About ... 1 A composite image of Main Street at Disney's Magic World. Gregg Newton / Reuters Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, is one of the most visited theme parks in the world. It gets about 93 million visitors annually. On March 15, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended canceling gatherings of 50 or more people to stop the coronavirus from spreading. As of March 18, the US had 4,661 confirmed cases with 114 deaths. To stop the virus from spreading Disney World closed its doors on March 16 and won't reopen until March 31. These before-and-after photos show how different the amusement park looks from one day to the next. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. On March 15, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommended avoiding gatherings of 50 or more people. That evening, hundreds of people went to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, to watch fireworks before the park closed. Guests gather in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World to watch fireworks before the park closed on March 15. Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service / Getty Sources: Business Insider, CDC Walt Disney World closed on March 16 and won't reopen until March 31. According to Disney World, the closures were taken as "an abundance of caution." The following aerial photos show the difference from March 15 to March 16. Guests leave the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in the final minutes before the park closed, Sunday night, March 15, 2020, Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service / Getty Sources: Disney World, Deseret News BEFORE: Each year more than 93 million people visit the six parks within Walt Disney World, including the Magic Kingdom, Hollywood studios, and Epcot. Here's the car park on March 15. It was nearly full. Disney World car park full day before closing. Gregg Newton / Reuters Source: The New York Times AFTER: By March 16, the Magic Kingdom theme park was nearly empty. The nearly empty parking lot of Disney's Magic Kingdom theme park after it closed Gregg Newton / Reuters BEFORE: Of the six theme parks in Disney World, Magic Kingdom is the most popular. In 2018, it had 20.8 million visitors. A parade along Main Street at Disney's Magic Kingdom on the final day before closing. Gregg Newton / Reuters Source: USA Today AFTER: Main Street, which leads to Cinderella Castle, was deserted on March 16. Cinderella Castle empty Main Street at Disney's Magic Kingdom theme park after it closed. Gregg Newton / Reuters Sources: The New York Times, The Verge Story continues BEFORE: On March 15, people were swimming and enjoying Disney World's Blizzard Beach Water Park. Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park on final day before closing. Gregg Newton / Reuters AFTER: The next day, the water was empty, and the beach umbrellas were down. This isn't the first time Disney World has closed. It also closed in 1999, 2004, and 2016, due to hurricanes. Disney's Blizzard Beach water park is empty after it closed. Gregg Newton / Reuters Source: The New York Times BEFORE: A large crowd milled about Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios on March 15. A large crowd inside Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios on the final day before closing. Gregg Newton / Reuters AFTER: The next day, it was empty streets in Toy Story Land. Disney World employs 75,000 people and said they would continue to get paid while the parks were closed. Empty streets at Toy Story Land inside Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park after it closed Gregg Newton / Reuters Sources: The New York Times, The Verge BEFORE: The space in front of Cinderella Castle on Main Street in Disney's Magic Kingdom was teeming on March 15. Crowds walk along Main Street toward Cinderella Castle at Disney's Magic Kingdom before closing. Gregg Newton / Reuters AFTER: The space was clear on March 16. Cinderella Castle at the end of an empty Main Street at Disney's Magic Kingdom theme park after it closed Gregg Newton / Reuters BEFORE: The Star Wars-themed section of Hollywood Studios was still busy on March 15. Crowds Millennium Flacon spaceship Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disney's Hollywood Studios Gregg Newton / Reuters AFTER: On March 16, the Millennium Falcon, a ship from the Star Wars films, sat amid empty streets. The Millennium Falcon spaceship at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge inside Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park after it closed. Gregg Newton / Reuters BEFORE: In Disney's Epcot theme park, people walked between a Mesoamerican pyramid and the Mexico Pavilion on March 15. Guests walk near a Mesoamerican pyramid and the Cantina de San Angel at the Mexico Pavilion at Disney's Epcot before closing Gregg Newton / Reuters AFTER: The next day the streets in Disney's Epcot theme park were empty. Despite the closures Walt Disney's executive Chairman Robert Iger remained positive. On Twitter, he said: "We've been through a lot over the years. We've always bounced back. Be strong. Stay healthy." Mesoamerican pyramid and the Cantina de San Angel at the Mexico Pavilion at Disney's Epcot theme park after it was closed. Gregg Newton / Reuters Source: Twitter Read the original article on Business Insider MPs in New Zealand have passed a landmark bill that treats abortion as a health issue rather than a crime. Until the vote, the procedure was still regulated under the Crimes Act, requiring women to prove to a doctor that their pregnancy presented a danger to their physical or mental health before they could get an abortion. Justice minister Andrew Little said that requirement forced most women to lie about their mental health and caused unnecessary delays which added health risks. The new law removes those obstacles, allowing women who are up to 20 weeks pregnant to get an abortion and those over 20 weeks to get one with approval from a health practitioner. MPs voted 68 to 51 in favour of the bill. Conservative member Simeon Brown, who opposed the move, said an unborn child had a heartbeat and felt pain, and should be considered a person who is treated with dignity and respect. Jackie Edmond, the chief executive of Family Planning, New Zealand's largest referrer of women to abortion services, said she was thrilled with the vote and that women are finally being trusted to make their own health decisions. She said: "It's fantastic Parliament has addressed something that they should have addressed 40 years ago." Doctor and campaigner Margaret Sparrow, 84, said the law stayed on the books for so long because people found a work-around, and MPs were worried about the political consequences of opening up a debate about it. That changed when Jacinda Ardern was elected prime minister in 2017 and followed up on a campaign promise to bring the issue to a vote. Ms Sparrow said it was not so much her own experience of having an illegal abortion that motivated her work over the decades but more recognising that there was an unfilled need for women. She began her career helping students get access to contraception and for several years helped send people to Australia to get abortions before the first New Zealand clinic opened. She said the landmark 1973 US supreme court decision Roe v Wade gave people hope for change in New Zealand. Ms Sparrow, who has received one of New Zealand's top honors for her work, said the new law is a step forward but her work is not done yet. "It will be safer for women and better for access," she said. "The next stage is making sure it's implemented." [March 18, 2020] Lytics Hires New President to Accelerate Future Growth Initiatives Lytics, the real-time Customer Data Platform (CDP), announced that Jascha Kaykas-Wolff will join the company in the newly created role of President. Mr. Kaykas-Wolff will initially be responsible for go-to-market strategy using his vast experience in product direction, customer success, and operations at the company. He will report directly to CEO and co-founder, James McDermott. Mr. Kaykas-Wolff brings a wealth of high-tech experience and leadership to Lytics, both in the security/privacy space and, most recently, as the Chief Marketing Officer at Mozilla (News - Alert). A respected authority in the fields of organizational efficiency, data privacy, and start-up growth, Kaykas-Wolff is also an award-winning creative talent who is expected to energize and accelerate the company's growth trajectory. "We are both delighted and humbled to have Jascha join the team," said James McDermott, CEO of Lytics. "His experience, creativity, and commitment to customer-centric leadership will have an immediate impact on our organizational culture and delivering exceptional solutions to our customers. His experience will help us quickly get to the next level in terms of growth and execution. The CDP market is poised to break out, and Jascha's leadership will help ensure we stay at the front of the pack." While at Mozilla, Jascha Kaykas-Wolff helped create millions of new customer relationships and grow revenue with its flagship product, Firefox. Prior to Mozilla, he served in leadership roles at BitTorrent, Microsoft (News - Alert), and Yahoo! In addition, Kaykas-Wolff is the author of Growing Up Fast: How New Agile Practices Can Move Marketing and Innovation Past the Old Business Stalemates and serves as the producer and co-host of the popular podcast This Is Your Life in Silicon Valley. "I believe organizations understand that at the center of digital transformation is the necessity to truly understand your customers" said Jascha Kaykas-Wolff. "CDPs are the technology that is finally delivering on this need, and Lytics is the only CDP solution that enables marketers and businesses to know their customers, develop insights about what they want and need and make connections with them, at scale and in real-time, across all the channels their customers are in. This is a great time to be a marketer, and a great time to be a part of Lytics." In recent months, Lytics has continued to lead the industry announcing partnerships with industry leaders such as Google Cloud BigQuery, Google Marketing Platform, and SalesForce, launched new services such as StartSmart, and repackaged its CDP offerings to better serve a broad range of marketing needs and organizations. The addition of Jascha Kaykas-Wolff arrives as Lytics embarks upon a new phase of growth for the company. About Lytics Lytics, the real-time customer data platform (CDP), helps organizations create a single view of their customers. Organizations can unify data and surface insights in order for marketers to deliver and automate a personalized journey based on customer behavior and preferences to improve overall efficiency and drive growth. Lytics enables some of the most innovative brands including Nestle Purina, The Economist, AEG, Atlassian, and Yamaha (News - Alert). Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, Lytics is led by marketing and technology veterans who've held leadership positions at Webtrends, Airship, Tripwire, and Puppet. Lytics is backed by JMI Equity, Comcast Ventures, Two Sigma Ventures, Voyager Capital, Rembrandt Venture Partners (News - Alert), and EPIC Ventures. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005143/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] A large container of sanitizer is affixed to a quadcopter drone. Then, it takes flight, spraying down city quarters where groups of people have recently congregated and, in theory, destroying left-behind pathogens before they can spread. That scene was captured in a video shot in China last month as that government ramped up its coronavirus response, days after the World Health Organization declared a global emergency, with more than 7,700 cases confirmed and a death toll of 170 and counting. But as cases of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, continue to rise in the U.S., Defense Department officials said they have no plans to turn drones into disinfecting machines, despite propositions from companies presenting the method as simple and effective. "The National Guard does not have this capability and is not pursuing it with any other agencies," said Army Maj. Rob Perino, spokesman for the National Guard Bureau. Related: DoD to Provide 5 Million Masks, 2,000 Ventilators to States From Strategic Reserves Air and Army National Guard personnel have been called up to assist in coronavirus response efforts in Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, New York, Rhode Island and Washington, the Guard said in a statement last week. Shortly after, New Jersey and Illinois also requested assistance from local units. By Tuesday, those requests grew: The National Guard Bureau said that more than 1,560 Guard members in 22 states are now on duty for coronavirus support. Hours later, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott activated the National Guard as COVID-19 cases continued to increase. Public affairs officials at U.S. Special Operations Command and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) -- two organizations that explore innovative advancements in warfare -- told Military.com the organizations do not have disinfecting drones and are not seeking to create the capability. The United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases did not respond to request for comment by press time. The practice of misting disinfectants in large, outdoor spaces has featured heavily in China and South Korea response efforts, but has yet to produce conclusive results. But staff with the nonprofit group DRONERESPONDERS are interested to see how the method might work in smaller, more enclosed spaces. DRONERESPONDERS is exploring "all use case options in response to COVID19," according to Charles Werner, director of the program. "This is to identify ways that drones are being used, how they might be used and the effectiveness of each," Werner said in an email Tuesday. "We have obviously seen that spraying has been done in China and we are exploring the effectiveness and realistic deployment. We are also trying to learn what needs to change to make drones more effective." While Werner didn't disclose whether the group has pitched the military on these ideas, he said they are "exploring, learning and sharing" as they go. "We are also working with counterparts overseas as well. This includes use cases, air traffic management and more," he said. Another organization, Building Momentum, an emerging technologies firm, is planning on testing a high-powered, ultraviolet robot that can be programmed to blast light to kill viruses, according to its founder and CEO Brad Halsey. UV robots have been adopted by the health care industry to combat bacteria and viruses. For example, Xenex Disinfection Services, a Texas-based company, has created UV robots for medical staff that are in use in more than 500 facilities across the U.S., according to the Jerusalem Post. The company even provided a machine to the Air Force's 633rd Medical Group at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, during the height of the Ebola outbreak. But Halsey, a Navy veteran who specialized in explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), said he isn't planning to create a one-size-fits-all robot, but rather one that can be enhanced and tweaked for various germ-fighting tasks, much like configuring an algorithm over and over again until the optimal solution is achieved. Some machines, for example, are dropped off in a room, "but don't move. It's like trying to spray-paint a building with spray cans 10 feet away," Halsey said. "So the idea of this robot was not just to make a robot, it was to bring the light closer to surfaces, and have it sort of do a 'Roomba' thing, [letting it move] around the edges of a room." Engineers and experts are giving themselves just one week to create an ad hoc prototype with parts bought from local hardware shops. Halsey said it could be configured to move methodically around a whole room, "until it has killed everything in the room." "And then, rinse and repeat that until you come in in the morning," back to the office space, restaurant or wherever, he said. Building Momentum members have worked in disaster zones such as the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian, using drones to locate survivors. The group has worked with EOD technicians to explore new bomb-defusing robotics, and has even taught young Marines how to use 3D printing, laser cutting, welding, robotics and drone building through its "Innovation Boot Camp" program at facilities around the world. As with his previous efforts, Halsey said he would like to work with the military to employ the technology rapidly and train personnel on its use. The Roomba-like robot is not intended to be high cost, unlike some medical UV equipment. "This robot is not a $30,000 robot. It might be a $900 robot or something like that," Halsey said. The goal is to create a robot that hosts a UV light that produces "800 watts per second, per square meter" in energy output over a surface, Halsey said. Building Momentum is still exploring how best to power that robot -- controlling how fast or slow it moves, and even determining whether to make it airborne. "From our experience and doing this in these types of scenarios and environments, you just get something out there and get something working, and then you continue refining it as needed," he said. The group plans to test the robot March 20, with help from a funding grant from the city of Alexandria, Virginia. If proven successful, it could soon be used to disinfect area businesses. Building Momentum wants to make a point that technologies like this have the ability to be executed in days, Halsey said. "Not months or years," he said. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Read more: More Coronavirus coverage Telehealth companies are struggling to handle the influx of patients turning to online and phone services as the coronavirus outbreak continues to spread. Some companies say their number of visits have doubled or quadrupled over the last two weeks, and as a result - people are seeing longer wait times. Then, on Tuesday, President Donald Trump expanded telemedecine services to all Americans covered by Medicare. This will help millions of older people - and others at high-risk - to receive care while following public health advice to stay home. But this also means that these companies will be receiving millions of new patients with systems that can only handle so many people and not enough doctors to treat all of them. Telemedicine companies say they're seeing a huge increase in the number of patients as the coronavirus outbreak spreads across the US (file image) Some companies say their number of visits have doubled or quadrupled over the last two weeks. Pictured: Family nurse practitioner Schquthia Peacock prepares to do a nasal swab for a coronavirus test in the parking lot of Preston Medical Associates in North Carolina, Tuesday Workers and CEOs worry their systems can't handle the influx and that there are not enough doctors to provide virtual care. Pictured: Medical personnel work at a drive-thru coronavirus testing station at the West Jefferson Medical Center in Marrero, Louisiana, Tuesday Telehealth companies told STAT they were first excited about the increase in new customers, but they are now experiencing a large pileup. 'You can get the technology to support these astounding volumes,' Roy Schoenberg, CEO of telemedicine company American Well, told the website. 'But you're very quickly getting to a point where the supply of medical services isn't there. We need to have enough clinicians to allow us to handle that incoming volume.' Several companies are trying to upgrade their systems, both to handle the rising number of patients and the numbers of doctors providing virtual care. American Well said that despite two recent system updates, patients often have to wait half-an-hour or more for a visit. Jefferson Health, a telemedicine company based in Pennsylvania, says it has generally seen a rise in business during flu season, when miserably sick people want to avoid an in-person visit. But in the last week, the number of telemedicine visits quadrupled, according to HealthDay. Dr Judd Hollander, an emergency medicine physician at Jefferson Health, told the site that new providers are being trained to meet the demand. 'We're basically begging anyone with some spare minutes to take on a visit,' he said. Despite the difficulty to provide virtual care to so many, he says he encourages everyone to stay home as much as possible. More backlogs are sure to come after President Donald Trump expanded telemedicine services to Medicare patients. Pictured: Trump at the daily coronavirus briefing at the White House on Tuesday Doctor on Demand, a San Francisco-based telehealth company, said it has seen a two-fold increase in patients and that wait times have gotten longer. The number of suspected cases of COVID-19 we are seeing doubles each day,' president and chief commercial officer, Robin Cherry, told STAT. Worldwide, more than 204,000 people have been infected and more than 8,000 people have died. In the US, there are more than 6,500 confirmed cases across all 50 states and more than 100 people have died. But the new orders from Resolute Support could stretch that quarantine period for far longer, as the United States-led NATO command puts measures in place to try to slow the spread of the virus into Afghanistan. One allied official said that even in a worst-case scenario, the readiness of their forces should be only marginally affected. The pause in rotations will make sure personnel coming into Afghanistan are virus-free and minimize any risk that troops leaving would infect others in their home countries. Allied countries also plan to develop new protective measures, like isolating troops ahead of deployments. In addition, the official said, NATO nations are looking to send more medical staff to Afghanistan to help protect and treat troops deployed there. One Defense Department official said that the new measures were also intended to stop the spread of the virus via troops coming into Afghanistan from Europe. The fear, another official said, is having virus cases overwhelm a military medical system that is meant to support the war effort. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss plans that have not yet been made public. There are other reasons to hold off on any rotations of European troops in and out of Afghanistan. With other European countries expected to follow Frances domestic military deployments to try to enforce social-distancing rules at home, NATO countries could quickly discover they are running out of available troops. American officials are particularly worried about the potential impact of the coronavirus on Afghanistan, and deeply concerned that the Afghan security forces, the troops they have trained to protect the country, will end up spreading it there. In a statement Thursday, General Miller said his forces had reduced in-person meetings with Afghan forces and had adjusted their positions on bases to create physical distance. As the number of coronavirus cases continues to the rise across the world, the Indian government has revealed the number of infected citizens abroad. Answering an unstarred question related to the number of infected citizens country-wise, Union Minister V Muraleedharan listed six countries along with Hong Kong region where Indian nationals infected from the virus are currently present. Iran has the highest number of Indian nationals who are infected by COVID-19, followed by the United Arab Emirates and Italy. While Iran has 255 confirmed Indian patients, UAE is a distant second with 12 Indian nationals. Italy, the worst-hit country in Europe, has confirmed five Indian patients. Other countries include Kuwait, Rwanda, and Sri Lanka which has reported one Indian patient each. The Indian Embassies in the respective countries are in touch with such Indian citizens regarding appropriate medical attention in cooperation with local authorities, said the Union Minister in a statement. Read: Big Brother Germany Breaks The News About Coronavirus Outbreak; Contestants Shocked Assistance to China The External Affairs Minister also told the Parliament that India has provided masks, gloves and emergency medical equipment to China on February 26 to combat the novel coronavirus. Muraleedharan said that the government provided assistance as a mark of friendship and solidarity from the people of India towards the people of China. The Union Minister highlighted that the two countries are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Around 15 tonnes of supplies were delivered by an Indian Air Force C-17 special flight, which landed in Wuhan, and were handed over to the Hubei Charity Federation. The medical supplies include one lakh pieces of surgical masks, five lakh pairs of surgical gloves, 75 infusion pumps, 30 enteral feeding pumps, 21 defibrillators, and 4000 pieces of N-95 masks. Read: Indian Carriers May Ground 150 Planes; Stare At Quarterly Loss On Coronavirus Impact: Report While China has registered a significant decline in the number of coronavirus cases, India has issued several advisories to contain the coronavirus as the threat of community transmission looms large. According to the latest report, 152 people have been tested positive for COVID-19 and three people have succumbed to the infection. Read: NCW Chief Rekha Sharma Slams Rahul Gandhi's Latest Coronavirus Doomspeak Attack On Govt Read: Massive Anti-CAA Protest Held In Chennai Despite Govt's Coronavirus Advisory DNA Model Kaia Gerber spent yet another day of the coronavirus quarantine surrounded by friends while strolling in Los Angeles on Tuesday. The 18-year-old Malibu native dressed way down in a varsity jacket over a grey sweatshirt, black leggings, and matching Adidas sneakers. The Chanel catwalker let her natural beauty shine through for the outing and wore a white knit beanie over her ultra-short bob. Carefree: DNA Model Kaia Gerber spent yet another day of the coronavirus quarantine surrounded by friends while strolling in Los Angeles on Tuesday And while Kaia would like her 5.8M social media followers to believe that she's 'social distancing' just like Kevin McCallister from Home Alone in a meme she posted, that's clearly not the case. Gerber also shared a video of fellow IMG Model Cara Delevingne assembling a chair with Jane the Virgin actor Tommy Dorfman. 'Day four activities,' the nepotistically-privileged socialite captioned her Instastory. 'Furniture building is a great way to pass the time.' Athleisure: The 18-year-old Malibu native dressed way down in a varsity jacket over a grey sweatshirt, black leggings, and matching Adidas sneakers Fuss free: Kaia wore a white knit beanie over her ultra-short bob. Later the trio stepped outside for fresh air with Cara's girlfriend Ashley Benson and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood starlet Margaret Qualley, who had a fling with SNL star Pete Davidson right before Kaia. Meanwhile, Gerber's famous mother Cindy Crawford was organizing photo albums at home where she discovered a snap of herself as a 'mat maid' for Rosette Middle School wrestling that looked just like Kaia. As for the not-so-typical teenager's big brother Presley, he took to Instastory to clarify that his so-called second face tattoo was just a filter. 'It was a filter lol damn,' the heavily-tattooed 20-year-old wrote on Tuesday. 'Guys I'm eating junk': And while Kaia would like her fans to believe she's 'social distancing' just like Kevin McCallister from Home Alone in a meme she posted, that's clearly not the case Tagged: Later the trio stepped outside for fresh air with Cara's girlfriend Ashley Benson and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood starlet Margaret Qualley, who had a fling with SNL star Pete Davidson right before Kaia Wow factor: Margaret even performed an impressive flip Make room: Kaia was also shown in the quick clip Hanging out: Ashley posted this funny TikTok video featuring Cara Good times: Cara pulled funny faces 'Also I don't "want to be hood" wtf u don't know me chill I'm grateful if I wanted to I could be posting money n s*** but I don't so stfu please or imma delete my gram it stressful.' The 54-year-old nineties supermodel and her second husband - Casamigos co-founder Rande Gerber - are reportedly concerned about Presley's new ink. 'He is definitely going through something bigger and more than that,' a source told Us Weekly on Tuesday. 'It's hard for his parents to see.' 'Mat maid': Meanwhile, Gerber's famous mother Cindy Crawford (L) was organizing photo albums at home where she discovered a snap of herself as a Rosette Middle School wrestler that looked just like Kaia Maharashtra Cyber Police has warned of strict action against rumour-mongers who spread misleading and unverified information on social media regarding COVID-19, an official said on Wednesday. According to the official, police have stepped up online surveillance to identify senders of such fake and other content. At 42, Maharashtra has reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country so far. The official said many instances of spreading of false and unverified regarding coronavirus on various social media platforms have come to the fore. These kind of posts can potentially lead to panic and terror among the common people, he said. "Maharashtra cyber police are monitoring social media activities and will take stringent action against those found spreading such kind of false and unverified and other contents," he said. Meanwhile, police have also appealed to all television news channels, newspapers and web portals to publish news related to coronavirus after confirming it from authorised sources. The official said even common people can file complaints against rumour-mongers with local police stations or on www.cybercrime.gov.in. As per the 'Maharashtra COVID-19 Regulations 2020' issued by the state Health department on Saturday those who spread rumours or fake news about coronavirus will be held responsible under section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 and will be booked under section 188 of the IPC, the official added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) School Service to Change Radically as from Monday Her Majestys Government of Gibraltar has said it notes the decision announced this evening by the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Education to close schools in the United Kingdom. Additionally, and as a result, the UK examination bodies have determined that they should cancel all GCSE and A-Level examinations for the spring/summer term 2020. These decisions remove an important fetter which have been a key consideration for the Gibraltar Department of Education and NASUWT Gibraltar in deciding how to continue to impart education in Gibraltar in coming months in the context of the measures being implemented to slow the spread of the COVID 19 virus. Importantly, in Gibraltar, the advice of the Director of Public Health REMAINS that schools are a safe place for children and for teachers. However, today, school attendance is already down to 35%. The Department for Education has already made clear it will not enforce the requirement for children to attend school. In the circumstances, and given the announcement by the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Education in the United Kingdom, it is likely that school attendance in Gibraltar will be reduced even further from tomorrow. This will likely especially be the case given that examination classes have now found that external examinations are not going to go ahead this spring/summer term. As a result, in Gibraltar, the Government and the NASUWT have agreed that it will not be practically possible for schools to remain open to impart the National Curriculum beyond this week. Government schools will therefore operate in a different way as from Monday. "In the light of this, we have decided that, as from next Monday, schools will continue to provide a service to the community primarily by providing a safe environment for children of all workers who are not otherwise able to make suitable childcare provision without involving relatives over the age of 70 years. We will extend the times when these facilities will be available for extended hours and additional days to be agreed between the Department and the NASUWT and potentially for extended age groups. The Department and NASUWT will be working on the details together in the coming days. We will review in the next 48 hours whether all schools are required to provide this facility. This will depend on the numbers of children. We will consider, in particular, which schools will be used for this purpose. These will include schools which have the facility to provide lunches for children. We would like to reassure all students of examination year groups, that we will be keeping a close eye on the latest information provided by OfQual, to ensure that students ability to obtain their qualifications is not compromised. It would be helpful to the Department of Education to have an idea of the number of children who will be making use of these facilities. There has not been a change in the medical position, but we are taking a necessary pragmatic approach in the developing circumstances. Key workers will include ANYONE in our economy who is at work and needs the assistance of the Department of Education with their children as they continue to provide their services at this difficult and sensitive time." Whoever wishes or needs to avail themselves of this service should please register for this service by informing the Department of Education by a note from the parents to the teachers tomorrow morning or Friday. Additionally, parents can also communicate with the Department of Education on queries arising from these issue on the email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. will be available as from tomorrow The Government has made this decision in the closest possible consultation with the Minister and Director of Education, key representatives of the committee of the NASUWT, the Director of Public Health and the Acting Medical Director. All factors have been weighed carefully in reaching these determinations. We have been conscious that matters have been changing by the hour in this sensitive area of education. The decision by the UK to cancel GCSEs and A-Levels relieves decision makers of the important concern we had about those children were sitting exams. It means we are now free to remodel how school buildings are used during this Pandemic. We envisage continuing to provide facilities for all key workers who need their children to be looked after whilst they are at work. We envisage longer hours of operation, opening earlier and closing later, and we envisage being able to feed children in those periods by rationalising the use of school buildings down to those that already have kitchens or serving facilities for hot meals. I want to thank the Director of Education, the representatives of the committee of the NASUWT, the Director of Public Health and the Medical Director for their help as we have made this difficult decision. They continue to work in structuring the way in which we will continue to operate for key workers and for those who wish to send their children to school next week and in coming weeks. I especially want to thank the representatives of the committee of the NASUWT for their hard work with us on this issue and the teachers and all the staff of our schools. Every single one of them is a key worker too and they are a hugely important part of how we are going to get our community through this pandemic crisis. We are changing the shape of our society and in doing so we are going to rely on our teachers and our school staff at every level as much as we are going to rely on our GHA staff, our utility workers, our law enforcement staff and everyone in Gibraltar. This is a #TeamGibraltar effort. Our school buildings will be transformed to provide a different service and our teachers will need the support of all of us as they will be assisted by many volunteers and others in a manner designed and agreed between the Department of Education and the NASUWT. We will now review this decision weekly. Our aim is to continue in this way for at least the next two weeks, which would have been the end of this term, and the two weeks of what would have been the Easter break, and see how things are progressing then. The situation is however so fluid that it is difficult to provide more certainty at this time. As a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the entry of foreign tourists in Kashmir has been banned. "Entry of all foreign tourists in Kashmir has been banned as a precautionary measure. #CoronavirusPandemic," District Magistrate Shahid Choudhary tweeted. The administration on Tuesday extended J & K Epidemic Disease (COVID-19) Regulations 2020 to both the divisions of Jammu and Kashmir to step up efforts to tackle the disease. The regulations were extended to the whole of Jammu and Kashmir under the orders of Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu which define powers, duties and responsibilities to the surveillance personnel, duties and responsibilities of medical officers and practitioners, enforcement and offences. Meanwhile, according to the daily media bulletin on novel coronavirus, 2615 travellers and persons in contact with suspected cases have been enlisted for surveillance and so far three cases have tested positive in Jammu and Kashmir. A total of 137 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in India so far. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared 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.) Nokia Corporation Stock Exchange Release March 18, 2020 at 10:00 (CET +1) Nokia cancels Annual General Meeting due to coronavirus epidemic; convenes a new meeting later Espoo, Finland - Due to the coronavirus epidemic, the Finnish government has issued presidential decrees to commission the Emergency Powers Act on March 17, 2020. Furthermore, public gatherings of over 10 people are banned. The health and safety of our employees, shareholders and other stakeholders is our first priority. We take the measures to mitigate the coronavirus seriously and therefore Nokia's Board of Directors has resolved to cancel the Annual General Meeting initially scheduled to be held on April 8, 2020. Nokia will convene the Annual General Meeting at a later stage as soon as it is practically possible to organize the meeting. Furthermore, in line with our mission to create the technology to connect the world and as a forerunner of offering our shareholders an on-line advance voting solution in the Finnish market, Nokia strongly advocates for measures to allow fully virtual general meetings to enable efficient shareholder participation. About Nokia We create the technology to connect the world. Only Nokia offers a comprehensive portfolio of network equipment, software, services and licensing opportunities across the globe. With our commitment to innovation, driven by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, we are a leader in the development and deployment of 5G networks. Our communications service provider customers support more than 6.4 billion subscriptions with our radio networks, and our enterprise customers have deployed over 1,300 industrial networks worldwide. Adhering to the highest ethical standards, we transform how people live, work and communicate. For our latest updates, please visit us online www.nokia.com and follow us on Twitter @nokia. Media Enquiries: Nokia Communications Tel. +358 (0) 10 448 4900 Email: press.services@nokia.com Katja Antila, Head of Media Relations Investor Enquiries: Nokia Investor Relations Tel. +358 4080 3 4080 Email: investor.relations@nokia.com Stormont will not hold back on allocating funds for an emergency package to help tackle the coronavirus crisis, the Finance Minister has said. Conor Murphy said a three-month rates holiday for businesses announced on Tuesday was only the first measure in a series of forthcoming steps. Mr Murphy said he expected that grants of up to 25,000 being offered to businesses in England would be available to companies in Northern Ireland. Its not a question of holding back and being prudent, there is an emergency happening all around us and it needs an emergency response and we will direct whatever resource we get at it, he said. Testing has resulted in six new positive cases in Northern Ireland, bringing the total number to 68. The total number of tests completed is 1,482. Mr Murphys comments come as hundreds of jobs continue to be lost in the region amid an unprecedented wave of businesses closing down. Executive ministers, health chiefs and emergency services are among those attending a meeting of Northern Irelands Civil Contingencies Group to discuss the crisis on Wednesday. Just finished todays Civil Contingencies Group. Working collectively to be prepared for what is coming down the tracks. Doing everything possible to protect people. We cant do it alone. Our preparations will only be effective if we all work together. Arlene Foster (@DUPleader) March 18, 2020 First Minister Arlene Foster tweeted: Working collectively to be prepared for what is coming down the tracks. Doing everything possible to protect people. We cant do it alone. Our preparations will only be effective if we all work together. Economy minister Diane Dodds has expressed hope a financial package could be unveiled by the close of Wednesday. I hope that by the end of today we will be able to announce measures that we want to take in relation to the economy, she told BBC Radio Ulster. Story continues At Minister Dodds meeting with business leaders today she said money from Chancellor must be ringfenced for the needs of local businesses and communities. pic.twitter.com/UPm1R7J0CR Economy NI (@Economy_NI) March 17, 2020 We now know this money is coming. Its a significant amount of money and we need to be sure there is that mixture of loans at the national level, that we have the rates relief, that we have additional help for businesses that will help us alleviate some of the pressure in a very, very difficult situation and a very fast changing situation. Mr Murphy accused the UK Government of a dangerously slow response to the crisis and said Stormont had been in limbo waiting for confirmation of the money being made available by Treasury. Northern Ireland is receiving 640 million as part of the 350 billion package announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak on Tuesday. The Executive had already received an additional allocation of around 200 million in last weeks budget. I am glad the British Government are finally waking up to both health realities and the economic realities in terms of the severity of the issues that are facing us, Mr Murphy told Radio Ulster. He acknowledged that a priority was to help companies struggling to pay staff wages. (PA Graphics) Meanwhile, pressure continues to mount on Stormonts Education minister Peter Weir to close the regions schools. Several schools have been denied permission for exceptional closures by the Department of Education. Many are using their allocation of discretionary closure days to close their doors to pupils anyway. The five main teaching unions have written to Mr Weir asking him to set a date for closures. In the Irish Republic, schools have been closed since Friday. In Belfast High Court on Wednesday afternoon, a Co Armagh mother whose daughter has a respiratory condition has adjourned a legal challenge against the decision to keep schools open. A doctor at Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknows leading hospital who was part of the team attending to suspected and positive coronavirus patients, has tested positive for Covid-19, spokesperson of the citys King Georges Medical University said on Wednesday. His sample tested positive for the virus while samples of his 14 other colleagues in the same team tested negative. The doctor who tested positive had collected samples of many patients, said Dr Sudhir Singh spokesperson KGMU. This is the first case in Uttar Pradesh where a doctor attending to positive and suspected coronavirus patients has been tested positive. The countrys first case of a doctor contracting the infection from a patient was reported from Karnataka. A 63-year-old doctor who had treated a 76-year-old man who had returned from Saudi Arabia and was the first Indian to die of the new coronavirus had also tested positive for the disease. The doctor was sent to an isolation ward and his family quarantined. Wednesdays fresh case in Uttar Pradesh raises the number of people who have tested positive in the state to 16. His colleagues found symptoms and reported the matter after which he was first isolated and samples were taken. His team members were also isolated but as they have tested negative, they shall be out of isolation, said Prof SN Sankhwar, the chief medical superintendent of the KGMU. The doctor, who was posted in the department of medicine, was attending to patients in the isolation/treatment ward for coronavirus positive and suspected patients for two weeks. Over ten suspected and two confirmed positive Covid-19 cases had been admitted here. A list of contacts of this doctor is being made by the university administration. Though he was deployed for the isolation ward and instructed to minimise his movements, we are gathering information on people he met in the past few days as precaution, said Dr Singh. Lucknow has reported three positive cases, eight in Agra, two in Ghaziabad and three in Noida. In Lucknow, a woman doctor who came from Canada was tested positive on March 11 and later one of her contacts also tested positive. Three cases from Agra have been declared as treated and were discharged from hospital in New Delhi where they were under treatment. They have, however, been advised to stay in home quarantine for a few days as a precaution. Prof SN Sankhwar said the team attending to such patients had been given high priority in adopting safety measures that shall be reviewed again now. Uttar Pradesh has, as a precaution, ordered schools, gyms, swimming pools, cinema halls, multiplexes and anganwadi centres to remain closed. The Lagos state Ministry of Health has confirmed four new cases of coronavirus cases, one short of the five announced by Health Minister... The Lagos state Ministry of Health has confirmed four new cases of coronavirus cases, one short of the five announced by Health Minister Osagie Ehanire. In a tweet Wednesday afternoon, the Lagos Ministry described the four as: a mother and child who arrived Lagos on 13th March, 2020 from California on Virgin Atlantic flight number VS411, an American citizen who came into Lagos through Benin Republic border on 13th March, 2020, Another Nigerian who returned to Lagos from London on 13th March, 2020 via Virgin Atlantic Flight number VS411. According to the figures by Lagos, there are now 7 coronavirus cases in the country. But the Federal authorities said there are eight. Perhaps the Federal authorities added the suspect case of an Indian, who was also admitted into the coronavirus facility. But Lagos said the Indian national tested negative. He is doing perfectly well in our isolation unit. His case will be reviewed in the morning, LSMOH said. The shelter in place order, which began Tuesday across much of the Bay Area, brought confusion as to which businesses were essential and could remain open. Owners, managers and workers faced a complex set of challenges, from protecting themselves from the widening pandemic the orders were meant to stem, to dealing with swiftly changing rules handed down by authorities. Grocery, hardware and convenience stores are among those considered essential, but retailers selling consumer goods are not. Stores supplying other businesses could be considered essential, if they cater to essential businesses. The lines swiftly grew blurry. Cannabis stores in San Francisco, for example, were initially told to shut, and then on Tuesday the city allowed them to remain open. All nonessential businesses were ordered to shut down by six Bay Area counties starting Tuesday until at least April 7, in the strictest measures taken in the country to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The Bay Area has half of the confirmed cases in California. San Franciscos Office of Small Business did not respond to The Chronicles questions, and a spokeswoman from the Office of Economic Development said it did not have information. Those offices themselves closed Tuesday. A spokeswoman for the Department of Public Health, which issued the city order, referred questions to the economic development office. Major retailers that sell food and essential household supplies have said they will continue operations, but some have cut hours. Trader Joes began limiting store hours to 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday. The company said it was making additional paid sick leave time available and had suspended in-store food sampling. (San Francisco requires employers to provide paid sick leave to all employees, including part-time and temporary workers, in the city.) Target said last week it intends to keep its nearly 1,900 U.S. stores open, and an employee at a downtown San Francisco Target said the store was open Tuesday. Beginning Wednesday, Target will close all stores by 9 p.m. to allow more time for cleaning and restocking. It is also dedicating an hour every Wednesday morning to let vulnerable guests shop and offering 14 days of pay for workers who are quarantined and those diagnosed with coronavirus. Safeway is also blocking time on Tuesdays and Thursdays for at-risk people to shop. Hardware stores are an essential business, and Rick Karp, president of Cole Hardware, said all seven stores remain open. However, three San Francisco stores North Beach, downtown near Powell Street and South of Market have reduced their hours. We feel a heavy responsibility for the community to be there for people, he said. We dont expect it to be great business. We want to be here. Only around eight employees out of 130 have decided not to work so far and theyre mostly using paid vacation time, he said. Some staff may be shifted from stores near quiet downtown San Francisco to busier locations, he said. Our goal is to keep people employed fully, he said. HostWell, a cleaning and concierge service in San Francisco that works with Airbnb hosts, appears covered under the order as essential, since cleaning and janitorial services can operate. But customer demand is another question. Airbnb has made cancellation policies flexible, and travel generally has crashed. Keith Freedman, owner of Hostwell, said he is not in a position to pay his employees while they shelter in place. He employs 12 workers, one full-time and 11 part-time. Hes helping them all apply for unemployment benefits and is asking them to sign up for shifts to cover what work there is. Two of his workers are older than 50 and have not offered to take shifts, he said. Im worried about the financial viability of my business and how my workers are going to manage their needs, Freedman, said. We have bills and employees to pay. Without money coming in, its a little hard to do. Freedman is exploring ways to keep the business going, including applying for local and federal grants. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Other businesses got last-minute exemptions to remain operational like arts and crafts store Michaels, which was judged essential for educational purposes. A manager at the store at Pinole Vista Shopping Center said the location reopened at noon Tuesday. Some businesses deemed essential that are able to operate under the order are still choosing to shut either because they dont have customers or to protect the health of their employees if they dont offer vital services. Coffee shops can stay open for to-go and delivery only. But Philz Coffee announced Tuesday the chain would be closing temporarily and tracking the situation daily to see when it was safe to reopen. The company is still paying for scheduled shifts and maintaining benefits for employees. They company has waived shipping charges from March 20 to April 20 to send coffee to people at home. We know this is the right decision the health of our communities is paramount, CEO Jacob Jaber said in a statement. Other chains like Peets Coffee have not totally shut to the outcry of some workers. Spokeswoman Elizabeth Ricardo said in an email that our priority is the well-being of our team members, guests, and the neighborhoods we serve, and the company is modifying our operations to comply with the situation. As of Tuesday opening time, the chain transitioned all coffee bars to to-go and mobile orders only. If a team member is diagnosed or if coffee bars have to close, the company will pay employees for two weeks and explore ways to support them beyond that time frame. Anahita Cann, who works at a Peets in Campbell, said she told her manager she wasnt comfortable coming to work because she lives with her parents in an at-risk population. Im deciding not to for my health and familys health, and take the financial fall, Cann said. She worries whether shell be able to make her car payment and whether her parents will struggle financially if she cant pitch in on the mortgage. Shwanika Narayan, Mallory Moench and Roland Li are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: shwanika.narayan@sfchronicle.com, mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com, roland.li@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @shwanika, @mallorymoench, @rolandlisf The Bernie Sanders revolution is about to wind down and be sold for spare parts. This is happening in part because Sanders suffers from an unwillingness to fight for it. Many of Sanderss supporters are going to be bitter that Joe Biden is defeating him while constantly lying and dissembling about his own record as a senator and about his own positions since then. As the race narrowed to two men, Sanders has hammered Biden for his votes related to the Iraq War, for his endorsement of cutting Americas main entitlement programs like Social Security, and on a number of other issues such as gay marriage. Biden has been willing to lie about his own record to win. Sanders has been unwilling to tell hard truths about Bidens record. On the Iraq War, Biden just lied about his vote for the Authorization of Military Force that preceded the conflict. He has tried to portray it as a vote for a multilateral process of holding Saddam Hussein accountable to U.N. inspectors. This is a farcical untruth. Biden acted as a Democratic whip in the Senate on behalf of the war. As part of his committee work, he promoted hawkish witnesses in the Senates hearings on the forthcoming war. But then, Bidens overhyped reputation for foreign-policy competence has always been a joke. During the war, he suggested breaking up Iraq into three separate nations to stop the sectarian conflict. This kind of partitioning always intensifies sectarian conflict (IndiaPakistan, Northern Ireland), and besides, at least one if not two of his proposed states would have been economically unviable. But Biden bluffed his way through. Biden also dodged his previous comments in which he endorsed major entitlement reform to lower long-term federal commitments. He turned himself into an early champion of gay marriage, even though he was, like most Democratic politicians, opportunistic and lagging behind most activists. Biden also hammered Bernie Sanders on China, and Sanders got defensive. Biden lied outright when he said that Chinas economic and quality-of-life gains in the past few decades have been marginal; they have been astonishing. Further, Biden has no business making himself look like a China hawk. Recently Biden has brushed back concerns that Chinas rise presented any difficulty for the United States. I mean, you know, theyre not bad folks, folks. But guess what, theyre not competition for us, he said. Biden was a big and early supporter of Chinas entry into the World Trade Organization, a fateful move that was popular among policymakers in 2001. But most of all, Bidens own son accompanied his father on a diplomatic trip and was swiftly granted a license to operate a business there a few days later, receiving generous investments from Chinese interests. Story continues But just as in 2016, when Bernie Sanders specifically said he did not want to talk about Hillary Clintons emails, Sanders again ruled out making completely fair-game criticisms of his opponents ethical lapses. Sanders is just interested in his revolution and ideology, not in actually disqualifying the opponents who represent the system he would radically alter. And even if you like Joe Biden, you have to wonder if Sanders has done a disservice to the eventual nominee. Part of the reason to hold a primary is to see whether the candidates can withstand tough scrutiny, whether they can answer the expected charges made against them. Sanders never did this for Clinton, and he hasnt done it for Biden. He is like the sparring partner who fails to test the prizefighters weaknesses in the training camp before the big match. Donald Trump will not hold back on potential ethical issues. Because Bernie Sanders never did what was required to win, Democrats now go into a consequential general election not knowing if Joe Biden has a glass jaw. More from National Review Pernod Ricard works on a global scale to supply alcohol for hand sanitiser shortage Pernod Ricard said it is mobilising affiliates globally" to deal with the shortage of hand sanitiser. The drinks producer said its subsidiaries around the world are working to contribute to local efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and help their communities. In France its business Ricard SAS has partnered with Laboratories Cooper, supplier to all pharmacies in France to donate pure alcohol for the production of hand sanitiser. It said Ricard SAS will donate 70,000 litres of pure alcohol to Laboratories Cooper to produce hydro alcoholic gel. This will amount to the equivalent of around 1.8 million individual 5cl vials. Other Pernod subsidiaries around the world are making similar moves. In Sweden the distillery of Absolut Vodka is offering spirits on a large scale to produce hand sanitiser for public health care. In the US Pernod Ricards Ft Smith, Arkansas manufacturing plant and distilleries for Rabbit Hole (Kentucky), Smooth Ambler (West Virginia) and TX Whiskey (Texas) are now producing hand-sanitiser. In Spain and Ireland, Pernod Ricard Spain and Irish Distillers have announced they will put their "technical, human and production facilities" at the service of the authorities to produce hand-sanitiser. Other initiatives are being rolled out in other areas including the UK, which will be announced shortly, Pernod said. Alexandre Ricard, chairman and chief executive officer of Pernod Ricard, said: As the world is facing a major pandemic, companies must mobilise, not only to ensure the safety of their employees, but also to contribute to collective efforts in accordance with their capabilities. "By sharing our resources and making our production facilities available wherever they are needed, we are supporting our fellow citizens and local authorities. I would like to thank our employees who have worked hard to make everything possible in record time, all over the world. Sebastien Lucot, managing director of Laboratories Cooper, said: We are very pleased with this partnership with Ricard SAS. Since January we have been steadily increasing our production capacity. It has already increased five-fold in one month, with the demand of pharmacists and consumers being a top priority for us. Related articles: New Delhi: A branch office of Yes Bank after it resumed full-fledged banking operations, in New Delhi on March 18, 2020. There were initial glitches with customers complaining of problems in using online banking services and the mobile app.The 13-day Image Source: PK New Delhi: A branch office of Yes Bank after it resumed full-fledged banking operations, in New Delhi on March 18, 2020. There were initial glitches with customers complaining of problems in using online banking services and the mobile app.The 13-day Image Source: PK New Delhi: A branch office of Yes Bank after it resumed full-fledged banking operations, in New Delhi on March 18, 2020. There were initial glitches with customers complaining of problems in using online banking services and the mobile app.The 13-day Image Source: PK New Delhi, March 18 : Yes Bank resumed full-fledged banking operations on Wednesday. However, there were initial glitches with customers complaining of problems in using online banking services and the mobile app. The 13-day moratorium on the crisis-hit bank ended at 6 p.m. and under the reconstruction scheme, online services were to resume thereafter, while the offline services and the bank branches would start operations on Thursday morning. However, customers have complained of the mobile app crashing down as soon as the moratorium was lifted. "Even the payees added to my mobile app have gone missing and it shows error," said Delhi-based Pranay Bhardwaj who has been a Yes Bank customer for over 11 years. The Yes Bank net bank site also showed "unable to process", he said. In tweet, Yes Bank said that "Our banking services are now operational. You can now experience the full suite of our services. Thank you for your patience and co-operation. #YESforYOU @RBI @FinMinIndia." People also expressed the inconvenience faced on social media. A twitter user with the handle @veerahinjal displayed her anger and said that the app has crashed and the banks customers are being "fooled". "@YESBANK the app has crashed within minutes! You are fooling & robbing customers! @RBI this was your plan to revive the bank!" said the twitter user. Another Twitter user with the handle @MNausha90194412 asked Yes Bank when its services on Google Pay and PhonePe work. On Tuesday, the bank's administrator Prashant Kumar had assured the depositors by saying that Yes Bank has emerged a stronger entity. "There is no need to worry about safety of deposits in the bank. The bank has emerged stronger with the equity support of domestic banks and quick action by the RBI and the government. So when normal banking services resume tomorrow, customers can expect to get much better experience," Prashant Kumar, Yes Bank administrator and the next MD and CEO of the bank's newly-constituted board. Responding to questions whether there would be a flurry of withdrawals from the depositors once normal banking services resume on Wednesday, he said that Yes Bank has sufficient funding lines available with it and based on analytics and positive vibes generated by the restructuring scheme, there would not be a flurry of withdrawals. "Even during moratorium period, only one-third of depositors withdrew their savings to the extent of Rs 50,000 while the remaining did not withdraw at all. In fact, in last four days, Yes Bank has seen more inflows than outflow," Kumar said. How were you planning to spend your time promoting and talking about your book? We had a few events lined up. The book launch was March 24, scheduled to be at the Center for Fiction, and I was excited to be in conversation with Shirin Neshat, the Iranian visual artist and filmmaker. Then I was heading to Australia in late April for the Sydney Writers Festival (which is canceled, too), and then another festival in New Jersey. It was about half a dozen events, all of them canceled. Some postponed well, hopefully all postponed. Then there is the baby my wife just had yesterday, who was overdue, a week after due date. I was looking forward to the birth of these two things, one human, one book. One born all right, the other one facing a lot issues. How are you spending it now? Ill still be doing an NPR interview. To be honest with you, Im so preoccupied with the baby that I dont care very much at the moment. Its kind of a blessing in disguise. I was concerned that I would be away from my family, and its nice to be with them. I also teach at CUNY in Harlem. Those classes are also canceled. Its weird to think it feels like everything was put on hold as soon as he was born. Is there anything else you want to add or thats been on your mind in connection with this? I dont really know. Its a very weird coincidence. To have your life, all of these events of intensity meeting at one point within the span of a couple days. Its very complicated. I havent really thought through it that much yet. If you have any kind of belief in the fact that no coincidence is entirely coincidental, then this is good material for obsessive thinking. Image Elisabeth Thomas, Catherine House, May 12 Describe your book in a sentence. Catherine House is a gothic literary suspense novel set at a mysterious cultlike college with a dangerous secret agenda. How were you planning to spend your time promoting and talking about your book? We were planning to do podcasts and interviews, book giveaways, social media pushes, bookseller dinners, media events and, of course, launch events at bookstores when it comes out. [March 18, 2020] Laplink Partners with Microsoft to Support Remote Workers Laplink Software, Inc., the global leader in PC migration and creator of the only software of its kind recommended by Microsoft (News - Alert), Intel and all major PC manufacturers, today announced free and significantly discounted versions of its PCmover software for Microsoft Windows users to support the growing number of remote workers due to the COVID-19 virus. According to a survey by Willis Towers Watson, nearly half (46%) of American organizations have implemented remote work policies because of the COVID-19 pandemic-a big jump from the normal 29% of the workforce that was working from home just a few weeks ago. Many new remote workers are attempting to use older technology not intended for professional use. As a result, many of these new remote workers are upgrading their PCs and Laplink will make that process easier. Now through June 30, 2020, Laplink is ofering Microsoft Windows users a free download of its PCmover Express software for personal use or a discounted download of PCmover Professional. PCmover Express automatically moves files, settings, and user profiles from an old PC to a new one. PCmover Professional also automates the migration of files, settings, and user profiles, as well as the transfer of applications. The partnership between Microsoft and Laplink was established in 2014, after Microsoft stopped offering Windows Easy Transfer and partnered with Laplink to provide Windows users with data transfer software for Windows XP end-of-support customers. The partnership was later extended with the release of Windows 10 to help all Windows users move to that new version. Now the companies will again cooperate to provide additional assistance during a difficult time. "At a time like this, Laplink wants to do what it can to help. From the home office, to the enterprise, and throughout the world, an emergency like COVID-19 leaves everyone with a lot of unknowns, especially in how employees will stay productive when urged to work from home. We want to remove at least one of those unknowns and provide a trusted tool that will get a new PC set up and working quickly," said Thomas Koll, CEO at Laplink. "Laplink is dedicated to simplifying the data migration process, and we're eager to do our part by extending this offer of free data migration to the thousands of PC users that need to update their home technology in order to stay productive." About Laplink Software, Inc. For over 36 years, Laplink has been a global leader in consumer, SMB and enterprise PC migration software, and has earned the loyalty and trust of millions of organizations and customers worldwide. The company's PCmover software saves time and budget, reduces migration risks and increases efficiency. Only PCmover's proprietary technology includes full selectivity that transfers data, applications and settings from an old PC to a new one, even if the versions of Windows are different. The privately-held company was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005092/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Not even at the height of the Theresa May/Jeremy Corbyn years have the green benches been so empty for Prime Ministers Questions. Only those on the order paper were allowed in, plus the front benches of all parties, and they sat two metres apart. Corbyn asked all the right questions, and got most of the right answers. Though some simply cant be answered. There is no precedent for any of this. But none of it should have happened. What good is it, seeing MPs sitting two metres apart, when youve also seen the packed platforms on the Victoria line, which commuters and MPs are commuters are still using to get to the office? On Wednesday morning, Neil Ferguson, the scientist whose research for Imperial College forced the government to move through the gears of its action plan faster than anticipated, said he himself had coronavirus. There is a lot of Covid-19 in Westminster, he said, on Twitter, live from his own self-isolation. And still they come, more than a week after one of their number, Nadine Dorries, announced she too had been diagnosed with it. There are still signs up on her office door, reading Covid-19: Do Not Enter. At the start of PMQs, the speaker Lindsay Hoyle took a moment to point out the house is following the advice of Public Health England. Which it may well be, but the advice is one thing, the example is quite another. On Wednesday morning, Sir Peter Bottomley, 75 years old and Westminsters father of the house, said the following: If the House of Commons were empty people would say, Why arent we there? We should be reducing contact by degree but we shouldnt panic and disappear. They are words to make you weep. Even now, even after all the examples from all around the world, of all the towering evidence that is made available, the spirit of stoicism, that we must carry on, that we will not be cowed, will not die, even though it is so catastrophically wrongheaded. No, Sir Peter. People would not say, why arent they there? The point is that you are there, and people are saying, Why ARE they there? Why is the prime minister telling the country to work from home if you can, to avoid non-essential contact, and yet the MPs are carrying on as normal? Members of parliament are not the only people who think their job is essential. Everybody thinks that. And, to be blunt, most members of parliament are very, very non-essential indeed. On Tuesday night, the House of Commons finished with what is called an adjournment debate, as it always does. They last a very short amount of time, and they usually pertain to some entirely parochial matter like a planned new link road in some MPs constituency. These debates are usually attended by around three people, one of whom is always an obscure Northern Irish DUP MP called Jim Shannon who, for reasons best known to himself, takes perverse pride in being the first person to intervene in every single adjournment debate that is ever held. On Tuesday night, as chance would have it, the MP to be granted the adjournment debate was Jim Shannon himself, and MP after MP lined up to intervene on him. How they laughed and laughed to themselves at the hilarity of it all. This was about as non-essential not just as politics get, but as any line of work can possibly be. By Friday, these MPs will have taken themselves from a place that arguably the countrys leading expert on coronavirus has said has a lot of Covid-19, and where, in all likelihood he has caught it himself, to return to every corner of the land. It is not yet two weeks since the prime minister held a press conference in 10 Downing Street and bragged, entirely inaccurately as it turned out, that he had been to a hospital where there were a few coronavirus patients and I shook hands with everybody. Already those words have aged like an open oyster under the summer sun. Future generations will look back and judge us, Corbyn told the prime minister, over the despatch box at PMQs. Which they will. But future generations are a problem for another year. Already, nobody can understand why the House of Commons is failing by example, why MPs are taking the precise opposite of the advice the prime minister has issued, which nobody understands. The most urgent problem the country faces is that pubs and bars and trains are all packed with people, against the advice theyve been given. If people could perhaps look at Westminster and see that there was no one there, they might start listening. But if MPs are too self-important to listen to the advice they themselves are issuing, dont be surprised when it turns out everybody else is too. The atmosphere they found at the Marriage Bureau was at once business as usual and strangely altered in the wake of the outbreak. Outside, George Taxi, a flower vendor who has set up near the entrance for the last six years, was in his usual spot. He had woken that morning unsure if the bureau would be open, after reading that New York State courts were closing for all nonessential functions. He said he wondered if getting married was an essential function. It was. For now. And couples were still making the necessary trip there to be legally joined. And still buying bouquets. Mr. Taxi, though, had noticed bridal parties wearing face masks, and was himself squirting sanitizer on his hands after each cash transaction. Its for my protection and theirs, he said. Got to be extra careful.(On Friday, a post on the New York City Clerks Twitter feed indicated that the Marriage Bureau and all of the offices of the City Clerk would be closed until further notice.) The second man charged with using drones to smuggle drugs and other contraband to Fort Dix federal prison inmates surrendered to authorities Tuesday, officials said. Adrian Goolcharran, 35, of Union City, appeared in Trenton federal court and was released on a $100,000 secured bond, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Goolcharran and Nicolo Denichilo, 38, of Jersey City, were charged last week in the scheme to smuggle marijuana, steroids, syringes, cell phones and other items into the low security Burlington County federal lockup. We are pleased [Goolcharran] is out, his attorney, Brian J. Neary said late Tuesday. It will help us properly prepare for his defense. Goolcharran was initially at-large after federal agents arrested Denichilo last Thursday near the prison, according to authorities. Both men were charged with conspiring to smuggle contraband and to defraud the United States, and one count of smuggling contraband. Investigators discovered at least seven deliveries of contraband using drones dating to July, according to court documents. The shipments included marijuana, steroids, more than 160 cell phones, 150 SIM cards, 74 cell phone batteries and chargers, 35 syringes and two metal saw blades. Goolcharran arranged the drone deliveries, according to authorities. He allegedly communicated with a then-inmate at the prison by text message about the planned airborne drop-offs. The unnamed co-conspirator, a then-inmate, texted Goolcharran, "U think that u cud do something 2m." "2m too windy 2omph, Goolcharran replied, a reference to weather that could hinder a possible flight, an agent wrote in a criminal complaint. A person fitting Goolcharrans description was spotted on a surveillance camera carrying and flying a drone in a wooded-area near the prison, according to the complaint. Agents found his DNA from electrical tape found on one of the drones used in a July drop. Goolcharran also brought several drones for repairs, including a broken part connected to propeller pieces that investigators recovered near Fort Dix, according to the document. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. 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. The Bernie Sanders campaign released a statement saying the Vermont senator would assess his campaign in the wake of another disappointing primary night which saw Joe Biden further his delegate lead and all but secure his path to the nomination. The next primary contest is at least three weeks away. Sen. Sanders is going to be having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign, Sanders Campaign Manager Faiz Shakir said. In the immediate term, however, he is focused on the government response to the coronavirus outbreak and ensuring that we take care of working people and the most vulnerable. Shakir later emailed a message to reporters saying that Sanders and his wife would return to Vermont to assess the path forward for our campaign. New: Sanders campaign manager emails note to supporters saying Bernie and Jane will go back to VT to assess the path forward for our campaign. pic.twitter.com/uJCjOURVEW Alexi McCammond (@alexi) March 18, 2020 The announcement comes after Joe Biden swept all three primaries on Tuesday, winning convincing victories in Arizona, Florida, and Illinois to widen his overall delegate lead by nearly 300 delegates, 1,147-861. In his victory speech on Tuesday night, Biden made a pitch for Sanders voters, saying I hear you. I know what is at stake. And I know what we have to do. Our goal as a campaign, and my goal as a candidate for president, is to unify our party and to unify our nation, the former vice president declared. Calls for Sanders to drop out of the race have increased since Super Tuesday, which saw Biden jump out to a commanding lead in the Democratic primary. President Trump tweeted Wednesday that Bernie has given up, just like he did last time. He will be dropping out soon! The DNC will have gotten their fondest wish and defeated Bernie Sanders, far ahead of schedule. Now they are doing everything possible to be nice to him in order to keep his supporters. Bernie has given up, just like he did last time. He will be dropping out soon! MAGA/KAG Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2020 But so far, his close allies have resisted the notion. Story continues I want the senator to stay in, Nina Turner, one of the campaigns national co-chairs, said in an interview on Monday. I think other voters have a right to have a choice. This is not a coronation. We know what happened last time in 2016 it gave us Donald J. Trump. The New York Times reported Tuesday that Sanders aides and supporters want him to stay in the race all the way to the convention, in order to gain more delegates to leverage for progressive causes to be included in Bidens platform for the general election. More from National Review CAMBRIDGE, MA -- As flowers bloom and fruits ripen, they emit a colorless, sweet-smelling gas called ethylene. MIT chemists have now created a tiny sensor that can detect this gas in concentrations as low as 15 parts per billion, which they believe could be useful in preventing food spoilage. The sensor, which is made from semiconducting cylinders called carbon nanotubes, could be used to monitor fruit and vegetables as they are shipped and stored, helping to reduce food waste, says Timothy Swager, the John D. MacArthur Professor of Chemistry at MIT. "There is a persistent need for better food management and reduction of food waste," says Swager. "People who transport fruit around would like to know how it's doing during transit, and whether they need to take measures to keep ethylene down while they're transporting it." In addition to its natural role as a plant hormone, ethylene is also the world's most widely manufactured organic compound and is used to manufacture products such as plastics and clothing. A detector for ethylene could also be useful for monitoring this kind of industrial ethylene manufacturing, the researchers say. Swager is the senior author of the study, which appears today in the journal ACS Central. MIT postdoc Darryl Fong is the lead author of the paper, and MIT graduate student Shao-Xiong (Lennon) Luo and visiting scholar Rafaela Da Silveira Andre are also authors. Ripe or not Ethylene is produced by most plants, which use it as a hormone to stimulate growth, ripening, and other key stages of their life cycle. Bananas, for instance, produce increasing amounts of ethylene as they ripen and turn brown, and flowers produce it as they get ready to bloom. Produce and flowers under stress can overproduce ethylene, leading them to ripen or wilt prematurely. It is estimated that every year U.S. supermarkets lose about 12 percent of their fruits and vegetables to spoilage, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In 2012, Swager's lab developed an ethylene sensor containing arrays of tens of thousands of carbon nanotubes. These carbon cylinders allow electrons to flow along them, but the researchers added copper atoms that slow down the electron flow. When ethylene is present, it binds to the copper atoms and slows down electrons even more. Measuring this slowdown can reveal how much ethylene is present. However, this sensor can only detect ethylene levels down to 500 parts per billion, and because the sensors contain copper, they are likely to eventually become corroded by oxygen and stop working. "There still is not a good commercial sensor for ethylene," Swager says. "To manage any kind of produce that's stored long-term, like apples or potatoes, people would like to be able to measure its ethylene to determine if it's in a stasis mode or if it's ripening." Swager and Fong created a new kind of ethylene sensor that is also based on carbon nanotubes but works by an entirely different mechanism, known as Wacker oxidation. Instead of incorporating a metal such as copper that binds directly to ethylene, they used a metal catalyst called palladium that adds oxygen to ethylene during a process called oxidation. As the palladium catalyst performs this oxidation, the catalyst temporarily gains electrons. Palladium then passes these extra electrons to carbon nanotubes, making them more conductive. By measuring the resulting change in current flow, the researchers can detect the presence of ethylene. The sensor responds to ethylene within a few seconds of exposure, and once the gas is gone, the sensor returns to its baseline conductivity within a few minutes. "You're toggling between two different states of the metal, and once ethylene is no longer there, it goes from that transient, electron-rich state back to its original state," Fong says. In bloom To test the sensor's capabilities, the researchers deposited the carbon nanotubes and other sensor components onto a glass slide. They then used it to monitor ethylene production in two types of flowers -- carnations and purple lisianthus. They measured ethylene production over five days, allowing them to track the relationship between ethylene levels and the plants' flowering. In their studies of carnations, the researchers found that there was a rapid spike in ethylene concentration on the first day of the experiment, and the flowers bloomed shortly after that, all within a day or two. Purple lisianthus flowers showed a more gradual increase in ethylene that started during the first day and lasted until the fourth day, when it started to decline. Correspondingly, the flowers' blooming was spread out over several days, and some still hadn't bloomed by the end of the experiment. The researchers also studied whether the plant food packets that came with the flowers had any effect on ethylene production. They found that plants given the food showed slight delays in ethylene production and blooming, but the effect was not significant (only a few hours). ### The MIT team has filed for a patent on the new sensor. The research was funded by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center Environmental Quality Technology Program, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and the Sao Paulo Research Foundation. Today, March 18, 57 flights are carried out, and 11,500 citizens will be returned to Ukraine. The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated this. The broadcast was carried out by the 112 Ukraine TV channel. Today, 57 flights are carried out, which return home 11,500 Ukrainians. Among them are our citizens who are stuck in Austria and Sri Lanka. The flight from Vienna at 13:30 has already returned our people to their native land. Some Ukrainians from Sri Lanka has also returned. The rest will be in Ukraine by the end of today," the President said. He also noted that 33 citizens are returning to Ukraine with a special presidential board. Among them are 18 women and five children. Elderly people are present, too. "In addition, together with the Polish railway, we are working on the launch of special trains on the evacuation of Ukrainians from Poland," the president added. This morning, local residents who were in Sharm el-Sheikh returned to Zaporizhya. The first plane arrived in the morning, all passengers went through temperature screening, everyone is absolutely healthy. Another aircraft landed at 19:00. All arrivals will be at home on self-isolation. By the end of the day, planes will arrive in Boryspil from Madrid, Hurghada, Barcelona, Sharjah, Vienna, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bulgaria, Great Britain and other countries and cities. Here, everyone also measures the temperature during boarding and landing. All boards land in terminal F, because in connection with quarantine, the largest terminal at the airport closed terminal D. The airport also reduced the number of employees. The Ukrainian ambassador to Austria said that all Ukrainians who were in the resort city of Tyrol should be quarantined due to the fact that a case of coronavirus was recorded there. Nikita Andreev, the Ukrainian located in Cyprus said that it would be extremely difficult to return from there without the help of the state. He said that about five hundred Ukrainians were in Cyprus. Keeping in touch with the consul is difficult. He also noted that the proposed preferential tickets from Cyprus to Kyiv cost 200 Euros (for his family, the flight was cost $950), while before quarantine tickets on both sides cost 25 euros. But the flights for which these tickets were canceled due to quarantine. "In fact, in Cyprus, it seems that only Ukrainians remained among foreigners. Russians were all taken out for the last two days, other citizens as well. Germany sent its planes, Great Britain did. And, in fact, only Ukrainians can be found now," Andreev said. As we reported before, Border guards will be able to let Ukrainians enter and leave Crimea during quarantine, taking into account the humanitarian needs of such movements. This became known at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un acknowledged that his country lacks modern medical facilities and called for urgent improvements, state media said Wednesday, in a rare assessment of the North's health care system that comes amid worries about the coronavirus in the impoverished country. Outside experts say a coronavirus epidemic in the North could be devastating due its chronic lack of medical supplies and outdated health care infrastructure. Kim's comments were made during a ceremony Tuesday marking the start of construction on a new hospital. North Korea has engaged in an intense campaign to guard against the new virus, though it has steadfastly maintained that no one has been sickened, a claim many foreign experts doubt. During a groundbreaking ceremony for a modern general hospital" in Pyongyang, the capital, Kim said it's crucial for the state's efforts to be directed "to prop up the field of public health, according to the North's official Korean Central Agency, or KCNA. It cited Kim as saying the construction must be completed before October's 75th founding anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party. Kim said the ruling party decided on building the hospital during a key party meeting in late December and was working to have it finished in the shortest time. In an unusual admission on a troubled state system, Kim also said, Frankly speaking, our party ... criticized in a heart-aching manner the fact that there is not a modern medical and health care facility even in our capital city, according to KCNA. Kim appears to be using the hospital construction to burnish his image as a leader caring about public livelihoods at a time when his country is grappling with international sanctions amid stalled nuclear diplomacy with the United States, said Ahn Kyung-su, head of the Seoul-based private Research Center of DPRK Health and Welfare. He said North Korea has several modern general hospitals in Pyongyang but an analysis of construction drawings for the new hospital shown in KCNA photos suggested it would be the most sophisticated hospital in North Korea when it's built. In a report to the World Health Organization, North Korea said it had 135 general and other major hospitals throughout the country as of 2017, according to South Korea's Unification Ministry. Some observers said North Korea may have hurried the hospital's construction since China reported the first cases of the new disease in December. While the new coronavirus 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. Kim's attendance at the hospital ceremony also confirmed that he returned to Pyongyang after supervising artillery firing exercises on North Korea's east coast. His visits to the rural coastal areas had prompted outside speculation that he may have been trying to avoid the virus. North Korea clearly stated the date for the groundbreaking ceremony was March 17, and that clearly showed Chairman Kim Jong Un is back to Pyongyang and is governing state affairs normally, said Kim Dong-yub, an analyst at Seoul's Institute for Far Eastern Studies. North Korea banned foreign tourists, delayed the school year and quarantined hundreds of foreigners and thousands of locals to avoid the virus that has spread worldwide. Last week, KCNA described authorities inspecting and disinfecting vehicles, vessels and goods at border areas and ports and said some imports remained sealed for 10 days before being handed over to recipients. Groups that monitor North Korea from South Korea, say the country has had cases of infection with the new coronavirus as well as fatalities. Some experts say the Kim government considers public disclosure of those cases harmful to its tight grip on power. The chief of the 28,500 U.S. troops in South Korea said last week that he was fairly certain North Korea has not been spared from the virus. Army Gen. Robert Abrams noted that the North had halted military training for a month, essentially putting its troops in a lockdown, but has since resumed training exercises and flying. Earlier this month, Kim Jong Un sent a letter to South Korea's president to express condolences over the soaring coronavirus outbreak in the South. Kim's letter was delivered a day after his powerful younger sister insulted and criticized Seoul. Some experts speculated that the development suggested that Kim was aiming to throw South Korea off balance before asking for coronavirus-related aid items such as test kits. About 290 foreigners who were quarantined in North Korea have been released, including some diplomats who were flown to Vladivostok, Russia, on a special North Korean flight. It wasn't immediately known whether North Korea plans another flight. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tracking a virus is like a detective work; it needs careful and planned monitoring, says Dr Giridhar R Babu, professor and head, Lifecourse Epidemiology, Public Health Foundation of India. Instead of waiting for people to show up with symptoms, the household of an infected person and those in close contact with him or her should be tested immediately and isolated to contain the spread of the virus. That would mean testing thousands of people but in a planned manner. Now is also the time to prepare for critical care once community transmission is established, said Babu, who has worked on curbing polio transmission, measles surveillance and has studied parental milieu, air pollution and psychosocial environment during pregnancy and how they affect development of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in childhood. Edited excerpts from an interview with Jayashree Nandi: Q. Does India need more testing to identify community transmission? A. The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) is planning to do rapid tests with a few samples from each of their centres. If the fire is in one place and you are looking for damage in another place altogether, you will not find it. For maximum impact, we need to test people within the household where infection has been detected. There is a 15% chance that those in the household may be infected. People the infected person has spent considerable time with [close contacts] need to be tested. Testing allows you to identify and isolate more cases and stop transmission through effective contact tracing. Dont wait for symptoms to show up, just test. Q. Should testing parameters be revised from travellers and contacts to include people with symptoms? A. This is also the flu season. Every person with a viral illness will want to get tested. There will be panic. To test every person with symptoms is definitely not the best strategy. When you want to trace an epidemic you have to work like a detective and follow the virus. In Bangalore, for example, there are seven cases, so we have to monitor 7,000 people including {those} who could be contacts of those seven. Symptoms alone can dictate the criteria for testing. Contact tracing is crucial because its like a matrix. Q. Do you think the private sector should be involved in testing for Covid-19? A. Yes, it should. But it should follow the World Health Organization (WHO) protocol and the tests should be validated by the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune. There shouldnt be any unverified random testing or people may also be exploited. Q. The government has been saying there are a limited number of test kits. If we have to track community transmission, how do we increase testing infrastructure in India? A. The NIV is preparing its own rapid diagnostic tests. Right now, these tests are available from China and South Korea. We can validate those tests for India. The NIV can do it pretty fast. We are talking of millions of tests because this is not going to end now. We dont know the timeline. Q. Do we need to import anything to conduct these tests here? A. There is a primer that is available with WHO. It can provide more of that primer. NIV has isolated 11 viruses. They can standardise their own kits. Its an administrative decision. Q. Once we start testing more dont you think our hospitals will be overburdened? A. Of all the people infected, not everyone will require hospitalisation. Only about 15% will need hospital care and about 5% will need critical care. We need a strategy now on how we will deal with critical care. There is no point waiting. (Dr Giridhar R Babu, professor and head, Lifecourse Epidemiology, Public Health Foundation of India.) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In a room that normally can accommodate more than 80 people, along with designated seating for officials, there were only five seats on the dais, instead of nine, and 16 seats in the rest of the room to maintain social distancing and prevent the possible spread of COVID-19, officials said. The US-Canada border will be temporarily closed to "non-essential traffic" in an effort to combat the spread of the coronavirus, President Trump announced on Wednesday. In a tweet, the president revealed it was "mutual consent" between the United States and Canada to close off the border for the near future. "We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected. Details to follow," Mr Trump wrote. Reports circulated on Tuesday about the border between the two countries potentially closing within the next 24 to 48 hours as both governments worked on a mutual agreement for the ban. Canada's federal government already announced on Monday it would be closing its border to most foreigners in an effort to stop more people from bringing the virus into the country. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement saying only Canadian citizens or permanent residents would be allowed to cross back into the country. I know that these measures are far-reaching, Mr Trudeau said. They are exceptional circumstances calling for exceptional measures. At the time, he said restrictions would not include US citizens, foreign diplomats, aircrews, and immediate family members of those living in Canada. But these restrictions have since changed with most US citizens who are under the "non-essential traffic" rule being closed off from the country and vice versa. In the US, the country has placed Level 4 travel bans on China, Iran, Italy, and other parts of Europe after these countries have seen rapid increases of Covid-19 cases. Mr Trump also announced last week Europeans would be restricted from coming into the US if they were in the Schengen border-free area in the last 14 days. This mandate, which the White House had to clarify after it sparked confusion globally, does not apply to US or United Kingdom citizens. But US citizens who did come home would be required to fly into one of 13 designated airports and undergo "enhanced entry screening". In total, more than 200,000 coronavirus cases are confirmed globally and 8,246 people have died, as of Wednesday morning. In the US, the country is seeing a rapid increase in cases as testing escalates, with 6,519 cases confirmed and 115 deaths. For Canada, the country has seen a slower increase with 598 confirmed cases and eight deaths. Mr Trudeau's wife, Sophie Trudeau, was one of the confirmed cases. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 19:18:56|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on March 17, 2020 shows 50 boxes of masks donated to Italy's Venice by eastern Chinese city of Suzhou. (Photo provided to Xinhua) NANJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The eastern Chinese city of Suzhou has donated 20,000 N95 masks to Venice, its sister city in Italy, to support the fight against the coronavirus outbreak, the municipal government said. On Wednesday, 50 boxes of masks were sent to Italy via a temporary flight from Shanghai to Milan operated by China Eastern Airlines. Photo shows Chinese and Italian characters including 'Go Venice' attached on the box packages of masks. (Photo provided to Xinhua) Photo taken on March 6 shows a letter of sympathy by the city mayor of Suzhou to the mayor of Italy's Venice. (Photo provided to Xinhua) The masks were part of Suzhou's humanitarian aid to Venice amid the outbreak and showed its support to the people in the Italian city, according to the Suzhou municipal government. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the sister city relationship forged between Suzhou and Venice in 1980. / GPD GREENWICH Police are searching for an armed robber who was wearing a surgical mask who held up a business on Mill Street in the Byram section of Greenwich on Wednesday. Police said a handgun was displayed at the local business, and no one was injured in the incident. A 22-year-old man with travel history to the Philippines tested positive for the coronavirus in Pimpri-Chinchwad on Wednesday, taking the number of infections in Pune district to 19, said an official. A senior health official from the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) said samples of the person were sent for testing and a positive report was received on Wednesday. "Close contacts of the patient have been tracked and the process of keeping them under home quarantine has been initiated," said the officer. With this, the total number of positive coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial township on outskirts of Pune city, has gone to 11, while the district count has increased to 19. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Life as we knew it changed when Gov. Ned Lamont on Sunday ordered all schools closed in the state to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. Some places, such as New Haven, had already done so. Shuttering schools, with students home for weeks, possibly months, has the unintentional effect of exposing education disparities among districts. We know of differences in educational resources and lawsuits over the years have sought remedies. Just about every year municipalities beseech the General Assembly to adjust the complex Educational Cost Sharing formula so they can receive more money per pupil. But the coronavirus scare, unlike the lawsuits or formula, puts an unfiltered lens on the disparities. Students in some school districts can continue learning from home on the Chromebook laptops provided for free for every second grader through high school senior. Not all districts supply them for every grade. And not every student has internet access at home to operate a Chromebook, if they do have one. Some school districts were prepared to immediately give students assignments; others expect to do so in a week. Bethel began distance learning on Monday, for example, whereas New Milford wont be ready until March 25. Distance learning days will count as school days, state Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona announced on Tuesday. That is a prudent decision to waive the 180-day in-school requirement when its not known when, if at all this academic year, schools can reopen. But we are concerned about how much learning can actually take place when resources differ among districts and homes. Will children who are behind lose more ground and widen the learning gap? At least the state is providing educational resources for school districts, which will save time as they switch from reinforcing previous learning to giving new instruction. School superintendents on Tuesday were given an 18-page resource guide containing links to online sites for students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12. The ramifications of closing schools are many, from addressing the needs of special education students to feeding children who otherwise would receive free breakfast and lunch at school. The concerns, obviously, arent relevant only to Connecticut. U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3, queried federal Education Secretary Betsy DeVos last week about plans for students with disabilities while schools are closed. How will you address access to remote learning opportunities for families with children with disabilities, including those living in low-income communities with limited personal and school-related resources? DeLauro asked. With feeding children, fortunately many school districts in our state have responded quickly. Many have set up sites where parents or guardians can pick up a free breakfast, lunch and milk for students, regardless of eligibility for free or reduced rates. As schools remain closed week after week, it will be a strain on parents who must work and parents who must supervise their childrens learning. One lesson from the pandemic should be, however, that educational disparities must be flattened. BIG RAPIDS, REED CITY, EVART -- Local restaurants worked through the weekend to alter their cleaning policies and procedures due to the threat of coronavirus. On Monday, they began the process of implementing more changes, as Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order stating that all restaurants be closed, except for delivery service, window service, walk-up service, drive-through service or drive up service. Linda Proctor, owner of Sawmill Saloon in Big Rapids, said they will remain open and will offer take out and pick up service on the patio from 11 a.m. to dusk every day. Beer and wine will also be available for pick-up. "We will bring orders to the parking lot if customers want, so they don't have to walk through the bar," she said. Proctor plans to keep workers busy doing odd jobs around the facility like painting, she said. "They'll be taken care of as much as possible," Proctor added. "This will be devastating for the economy as a whole." "I'll weather it okay," she added. "We've been here for 50 years, and we're not going anywhere." Schuberg's Bar and Grill manager, Jennifer Rumsey said, as of today, they will be going to take out, curb-side pick-up, and delivery only. "We are pretty panicky over it all, but remain optimistic," Rumsey said. "We've never done delivery before, but we're trying to figure that all out." Delivery will be done only within the city limits and will be free. It will require a credit card payment when placing the order. Curbside orders can be placed by phone and also will require a credit card payment when the order is placed. Customers can park in front or in back of the restaurant and someone will bring the order out to them. Rumsey said, although going to take-out and delivery only will impact the need for staff, they have plans to keep them employed. "We are trying to work out hours to keep our staff employed," she said. "We have 20 families we support through our employment. They are our main concern and our top priority right now. "We will try to give them hours doing deep cleaning and that type of thing," Rumsey said. "Some will be doing deliveries. They will lose hours, but it will give them something to do. ... We're just going to hunker down and make the most of it. We have our merchandise sales, and we hope the local community will continue to support us." Connie Freiberg, manager at Blue Cow and Raven Brewing and BBQ in Big Rapids, said they are planning to remain open for take-out and free delivery up to two miles. "We will offer that during regular business hours from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.," Freiberg said. They will also be offering a daily family meal for four, for $19.95, available for pick up from 5 to 7 p.m. every day, she said. It will be posted on their Facebook page the day before, and customers can call ahead to place an order. Beer growlers and unopened wine will also be available for pick up, she said. Freiberg said they plan to keep the kitchen staff and some delivery staff employed. "We are just praying our customers will keep us going through this," she said. Garrett Murphy, manager at Reed City Brewing Company in Reed City, said they will begin take out and delivery only. "Curbside take out is available now, and delivery service is in the works," Murphy said. "We are working out the logistics for that." They will have canned beer and growlers available for take out as well as menu items. Murphy said the impact on the employees would be minimal because they only have one staff member at the bar and serving at a time. "The greatest impact on the business will be because it will keep visitors away," Murphy said. "Our business is probably 60-percent local and 40-percent visitors in town, so that will impact us pretty harshly." Murphy said they will rely on the local residents to keep them going during this time. Lamplighter Cafe in Evart will also be going to take-out and delivery orders only, said owner Deb Garner. "This is definitely going to lower our sales," Garner said. "We just want to try to make sure we use up the supply of food we have right now." Garner said the staff would also be hurt by the change. "There's not a whole lot I can do for them," she said. "We typically have five or six working at a time, but now we will only need one or two to do orders." Hopefully they can take advantage of the government assistance available, she added. Norm Graff, manager at Ruby Tuesday in Big Rapids, said as of today they will be going to carry out only from noon to 8 p.m., but will continue to deliver for catering orders. "This is definitely going to be a huge cut in our business," Graff said. "But we will judge it day by day. We will be down to just a few employees on each shift. We will have fewer kitchen staff and almost no staff out front." Employees are encourage to check the government website for assistance during this time, he said. A sign posted on the door at Buffalo Wild Wings in Big Rapids Monday afternoon said they were open for take out orders only. Manager Steve Cassiday said they will follow the governor's directive that no more than five people can be inside the facility at a time, and orders will be available for pick-up only. They will have only kitchen staff and someone to answer the phone on hand and it will be mostly managers, he said. "It's the hardest thing to do to post a new schedule with no hours for anyone on it," Cassiday said. "We will take it day by day." Cassiday said the employees were informed about where to go to find out about government assistance that might be available to them. The drive-through at McDonald's on Northland Drive was full, while a sign posted on the door of the restaurant informed customers that the dining room was closed. The executive order restrictions are to remain in place until March 30. The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the ad industry's major awards festival and conference held in France each summer, is postponing its June gathering due to the coronavirus, organizers announced Wednesday. The festival, originally scheduled for June 22 through 26, is now planned for Oct. 26-30. Conference organizers said earlier that passes, sponsorship arrangements and bookings will roll over and remain valid. "The decision comes following much deliberation with our partners and customers, as well as, consultation with public health officials, the mayoral office of Cannes and the French Authorities," the festival's organizers said in a statement. "Although we have sound mitigation plans, we shall continue to monitor this situation carefully and continue to engage closely with our customers, as we start to work in collaboration to ensure we can recognize the world's best creativity in 2020." Last week, as the virus was spreading in countries like Italy, whose border is about 40 miles from Cannes, conference organizers said that French authorities had advised a ban on gatherings over 1,000 people would be lifted on April 15. On Friday, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced the country was tightening restrictions on public gatherings by banning groups of more than 100 people, and earlier this week President Emmanuel Macron ordered the French to stay at home for at least the next 15 days. The postponement comes as countries take increasingly strict steps to curb the spread of coronavirus. Cannes Lions was scheduled to take place a month after the Cannes Film Festival. The film festival's organizers said over the weekend they didn't anticipate making a decision on whether to cancel until April, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Moving the Cannes ad conference to October will create some congestion for the industry's important events. Advertising Week New York is scheduled for early October, while the Association of National Advertisers' "Masters of Marketing" conference, typically highly attended by brands' top marketers, is scheduled for Oct. 20-23 in Orlando, Florida. This year's festival was expected to bring presentations from Amazon and Netflix for the first time, with sessions from Claudine Cheever, Amazon's global head of brand and advertising, and Jean Tanis, Netflix's global marketing creative lead. Other big names on the schedule include Microsoft's Kathleen Hall, Molson Coors' Michelle St Jacques, Procter & Gamble's Marc Pritchard and Burger King's Fernando Machado. Organizers said the festival's awards would be given out during the new October dates, and the festival is planning to extend the deadline and eligibility date. President Donald Trump speaks to the press at the White House in Washington on March 18, 2020. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo) Trump Invokes Korean War-Era Defense Production Act to Fight CCP Virus President Donald Trump announced at a White House briefing that he was invoking the Defense Production Act (DPA) to expand the supply of resources available to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak. Thats always the toughest enemy, the invisible enemy, but were going to defeat the invisible enemy, Trump said at the March 18 briefing. I think were going to do it even faster than we thought. The DPA allows the president to direct the production of private sector firms of critical manufactured goods to meet urgent national security needs. Trumps move seeks to marshal additional resources for Americas emergency response to the CCP virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus. The Epoch Times refers to the novel coronavirus as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Partys coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. Trump said he would sign the DPA measure on March 18, adding that it was being deployed just in case and that it could do a lot of good things, if we need it. We Must Mobilize Earlier, more than two dozen senators urged Trump to invoke the Korean War-era program to increase production of masks, ventilators, and respirators, as well as expand hospital capacity to combat the outbreak. I join 27 of my colleagues in a letter to President Trump urging him to invoke the Defense Production Act of 1950, which authorizes the president to strengthen capacity and supply in extraordinary circumstances, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on March 18. Its used in times of war, but we must mobilize as if it is a time of war when it comes to hospitals, beds, supplies, equipment. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) also has called for the deployment of the program. He said in a statement that the nations hospitals face a serious shortage of personal protective equipment for staff and infected patients, including gowns, gloves, face shields, surgical masks, and N95 respirators. He added the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) estimates that the United States could need up to 3.5 billion respirators, while the Strategic National Stockpile has only 12 million. Leaning Forward Defense Secretary Mark Esper said at the March 18 briefing that the military is leaning forward in its response against the virus. Esper said the military would provide more than 5 million respirators from its own strategic reserves and supply them to the HHS. He added that 1 million masks would be available immediately. The Pentagon said on March 17 that it would also provide 2,000 specialized ventilators to federal health authorities. Esper also said that on March 17, he received a briefing at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick, Maryland, which he called probably the militarys premier research institute. The secretary said the Fort Detrick facility is part of an interagency team working on a COVID-19 vaccine and therapeutics. Theyre making great progress there, he said, adding that the Pentagon would certify its 16th lab to help process COVID-19 tests from across the country. He said a number of field and expeditionary hospitals were ordered to prepare for deployment if needed. Esper also said he would meet with New York state authorities to determine how the military could potentially assist in their efforts to contain the virus. There are currently at least 923 confirmed COVID-19 patients in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on MSNBC on March 17. De Blasio said on March 18 that hes almost to the point of recommending to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo that the city implement a shelter-in-place policy that would have people stay in their homes. In a massive federal effort on March 17, Trump asked Congress to speed emergency checks to Americans, enlisted the military for MASH-like hospitals, and implored ordinary peopleparticularly socially active millennialsto do their part by staying home to stop the spread of the virus. Trumps proposed economic package alone could approach $1 trillion, a rescue initiative not seen since the Great 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 of the measure at a March 17 briefing. 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. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 07:49:53|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations is helping countries and communities respond to and prepare for the coronavirus, including in Libya where it seeks a halt in fighting for delivery of humanitarian aid, a UN spokesman said on Tuesday. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that some of the 140 countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic are already in crisis due to conflicts, natural disasters and climate change, said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "They are home to millions of people who already need our emergency assistance." The United Nations and its humanitarian partners are determined that crucial, life-saving work for the world's most vulnerable communities must be sustained, said Haq. That means continuing coordination across the global humanitarian system, swift fundraising to ensure critical programs have the resources they need and maintaining effective humanitarian operations, leaving no one behind. The UN Mission in Libya has joined the call by international partners on all parties in the conflict to declare an immediate cessation of hostilities and a halt to military equipment and personnel entering Libya to allow local authorities to respond to the unprecedented public health challenge posed by COVID-19, he said. "While the mission continues its efforts in facilitating an inter-Libyan dialogue on the political, military and economic tracks, the UN mission urges all parties in Libya to take the bold step in unifying their efforts in facing this pandemic," the spokesman said. The World Health Organization (WHO) already has appealed for 675 million U.S. dollars to fund the initial COVID-19 response and the OCHA is working with the WHO and other partners to coordinate a consolidated appeal, he said. Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock, head of the OCHA, has released 15 million dollars from the Central Emergency Response Fund to help fund efforts by the two agencies to contain the virus in vulnerable countries. Other OCHA-managed funds in individual countries are stepping up and country-based pooled funds have released money to scale up immediate preparedness in Afghanistan, Sudan and Jordan, the spokesman said. Haq said UN agencies and their partners are assessing where and how humanitarian operations on the ground are being disrupted to identify solutions as quickly as possible. At a sparsely attended regular briefing for correspondents, because of telecommuting, he gave a sampling of additional UN efforts in different areas of the globe. At the request of the government of Zimbabwe, the world organization is supporting the most immediate preparedness needs such as training of health care workers on caring for patients with COVID-19, he said. The United Nations is supporting the Zimbabwean government in preparing the school system with posters for schools and leaflets for students to take home and share with families, while also preparing for potential home-schooling needs, Haq said. The world organization, the private sector and civil society are working for a whole-of-society response to COVID-19, the spokesman said. In parallel, the United Nations is also supporting the Zimbabwean government in developing community preparedness and response plans. In China, the UN team has been supporting national and local efforts to share information on COVID-19 through traditional and social media channels targeting various age groups and communities, he said. UN entities also translated COVID-19 preparedness messages in more than 40 languages and dialects tailored to the elderly or those in ethnic minority communities. On social media, the most prominent is the social distancing campaign, Haq said. A subsequent online survey conducted in early March indicated a 34 percent increase in people maintaining social distancing since the outbreak. In Southeast Asia, the WHO called on member states to urgently scale up aggressive measures to combat COVID-19, he said. Eight of the 11 countries in the WHO's Southeast Asia region have confirmed cases of COVID-19 and the numbers of cases are increasing quickly. "The UN Refugee Agency tells us that, in Pakistan, 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," the spokesman said. "This is due to the government's precautionary measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19." What is clear is that Chicago elections officials, in charge of one of the largest election operations in the United States with approximately 1.5 million registered voters in 2,069 precincts, more precincts than the State of Iowa, according to their website, wanted to be on the record raising concerns about coronavirus. And the governor, who also announced on Tuesday the states first coronavirus death, didnt like being put on the spot. At all. COVID-19 rapid test kit ready for trials THAILAND: Thai researchers have developed a rapid test kit for COVID-19 and plan to launch clinical trials next month. healthCoronavirusCOVID-19Safety By Bangkok Post Wednesday 18 March 2020, 09:05AM An official sprays disinfectant in a bid to control the new coronavirus at Wat Suthat Thepphawararam in Bangkok yesterday (Mar 17). Photo: Wichan Charoenkiatpakul According to the research team led by Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC), the new kit will deliver results in 30 to 45 minutes, compared to the four to six hours currently required. Chayasith Uttamapinant, a lecturer at the Faculty of Biomolecular Science and Engineering at VISTEC, said more kits are being produced for the planned trials, adding that initial tests were conducted at the Microbiology Department under the Faculty of Medicine at Siriraj Hospital. VISTEC council chairman, Pailin Chuchottaworn, said researchers hope test kits will be more widely available so transmissions can be effectively controlled. The project has won support from the Broad Institute in Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, the Public Health Ministrys Department of Medical Sciences, Mahidol Universitys Faculty of Science, Prapokklao Chanthaburi Hospital, PTT Plc and Siam Commercial Bank. It is estimated that up to 4,000 test kits will be produced daily and will cost approximately 475 baht apiece. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned people to not to opt for COVID-19 test kits sold online, saying none of them have been approved by the Thai FDA. FDA deputy secretary-general Surachoke Tangwiwat said about 10 operators have applied to import coronavirus test kits from China, Singapore, South Korea and Europe, but none of these applications have been approved. He also warned people to avoid using these kits on their own and instead seek medical help if they have symptoms or face the risk of infection. Immediately after Boris Johnson completed his Monday evening news conference, which saw a sombre prime minister encourage his fellow citizens to avoid all nonessential contact with others, his aides hustled reporters into a second, off-camera briefing. That session presented jaw-dropping numbers from some of Britains top modellers of infectious disease, who predicted the deadly course of coronavirus could quickly kill hundreds of thousands in both the United Kingdom and the United States, as surges of sick and dying patients overwhelmed hospitals and critical care units. The new forecasts, by Neil Ferguson and his colleagues at the Imperial College Covid-19 Response Team, were quickly endorsed by Mr Johnsons government to design new and more extreme measures to suppress the spread of the virus. The report is also influencing planning by the Trump administration. Deborah Birx, who serves as the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, cited the British analysis at a news conference Monday, saying her response team was especially focused on the reports conclusion that an entire household should self-quarantine for 14 days if one of its members is stricken by the virus. The Imperial College group reported that if nothing was done by governments and individuals and the pandemic remained uncontrolled, then 510,000 would die in Britain and 2.2 million in the United States over the course of the outbreak. These kinds of numbers are deeply concerning for countries with top-drawer healthcare systems. They are terrifying for less-developed countries, global health experts say. If Britain and the United States pursued more ambitious measures to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, to slow but not necessarily stop epidemic over the coming few months, they could reduce mortality by half, to 260,000 people in the United Kingdom and 1.1 million in the United States. 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. We might be living in a very different world for a year or more, Ferguson told reporters. The modellers did not give numbers for the United States for the most intense suppression efforts. The researchers reminded governments that these forecasts are based on current observed trends in China, South Korea, Britain and Italy but that much remains unknown about the virus. The Imperial College report, which was shared with the British government over the weekend ahead of its official release on Monday, was responsible in large part for Mr Johnsons turnaround decision to begin rolling out what 10 Downing St. described as life-altering, drastic measures to control the spread of the novel coronavirus, aides said. Mr Johnson said the virus would overwhelm any health system in the world if quarantines and limits on social contact are not taken. Although the measures we have already announced are extreme, we may have to go further in the coming days, the prime minister said on Tuesday. Mr Johnson urged his fellow citizens to immediately start to avoid all nonessential contact with others, work from home and self-isolate now if they are elderly or suffer from underlying medical conditions. The measures are still voluntary, but Johnson warned that his government had the power to make them mandatory. Mr Johnson said that healthy and asymptomatic Britons should avoid pubs, clubs and theatres. In London, the bars were still open Monday. Most schools, museums and restaurants were, too. But the prime minister said closing schools was under consideration. Roy Anderson, an infectious disease specialist at Imperial College London, who was not a part of this study, said Britain likely had much more to do. I dont know if these measures are enough yet, he said. And I wish we had done them last week. If Britain had continued on the go-slow, step-by-step course that it set just days ago, the Imperial College modelling envisioned hundreds of thousands of deaths and a tidal wave of cases that would overwhelm the National Health Service and its hospitals. There are currently just 7,000 ventilators available for all of England, the largest nation within the UK with a population of 56 million. The British forecast also influenced thinking at the White House. On Monday evening in Washington, president Donald Trump said that Americans should avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 people, eating in restaurants or taking nonessential trips his most significant push yet to combat a viral outbreak. At a news conference Monday at the White House, Ms Birx said her group has been working with modellers around the globe, including in Britain. So, we had new information coming out from a model, and what had the biggest impact in the model is social distancing, small groups, not going in public in large groups. But 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 percent of the transmission outside of the household, she said. To suppress spread in Britain, widespread school and university closings might also be necessary, though Ferguson worried about its impact on staffing at NHS hospitals, where as many as a third of nurses have school-age children, the Guardian newspaper reported. In their forecast, the modellers envision that strict measures over the coming months will occasionally be loosened, but as soon as they are, viral spread could come roaring back. The major challenge of suppression is that this type of intensive intervention package . . . will need to be maintained until a vaccine becomes available (potentially 18 months or more), given that we predict that transmission will quickly rebound if interventions are relaxed, the study concludes. Intermittent social distancing triggered by trends in disease surveillance may allow interventions to be relaxed temporarily in relatively short time windows, but measures will need to be reintroduced if or when case numbers rebound, the research team said. The Washington Post The United States can and should go big to fight the coronavirus. It has done so before, at extraordinary speed and scale. It has tools like the Defense Production Act to help do it again. And it can be transformative: The industrial mobilization during World War II had a military purpose but lasting economic and social effects, helping build the foundation for a remarkable era of postwar prosperity. To get it right, we must understand how it worked, where it fell short and what the nation needs to mobilize again. This war is a new kind of war, President Franklin Roosevelt declared in early 1942, a few months after the United States formally entered World War II. It is warfare in terms of every continent, every island, every sea, every air-lane in the world. The nations response was as all-encompassing as the war itself: an enormous government mobilization of industry that ramped up production, employed millions and spiked federal spending to over 40 percent of G.D.P. Eight decades later, America again is in a new kind of war. The coronavirus pandemic has ground daily life to a halt, tanked the stock market and begun to overwhelm the medical infrastructure with more critically ill patients than hospitals can handle. As the crisis mounts, the nation is embarking on another extraordinary mobilization. President Trump invoked the Defense Production Act on Wednesday morning, expanding the powers of the executive branch to direct American factories to produce urgently needed medical supplies. On Tuesday the administration proposed an economic stimulus package that could approach $1 trillion. As Mr. Trump promised from the White House lectern on Tuesday, were going big. But Americans need to understand that the structure of industrial intervention during World War II was far different from the bailouts being proposed now. Instead, it was something the historian David M. Kennedy calls an ingenious commingling of the private and public realms rather than by roughly closing the hand of state power over the free market. Using a combination of sticks (regulatory restrictions, wage and price controls) and carrots (tax breaks, subsidies), the Roosevelt administration mandated that American manufacturers swiftly turn their operations over to defense production. Tanks instead of cars rolled off Detroits assembly lines. War workers by the thousands squeezed into apartments in Seattle and Los Angeles as they flocked to work in newly retrofitted defense plants. KYODO NEWS - Mar 19, 2020 - 09:16 | All, Coronavirus, World The U.S. State Department is suspending routine visa services in countries facing heightened travel alerts, including Japan and South Korea, amid the coronavirus pandemic, embassy websites for the two countries showed Wednesday. The administration of President Donald Trump, who said the country is now fighting a "war" against the virus, is ramping up efforts to slow its spread through tougher border controls and an envisioned $1.3 trillion stimulus package to ease the economic pain stemming from the containment measures. (File photo) [Getty/Kyodo] Beginning Thursday, the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo and all consulates in Japan will suspend routine nonimmigrant visa appointments, while most services for U.S. citizens will continue. Visa applications that do not require an in-person interview will still be processed, the embassy said. The visa waiver program that allows short-term stays for tourism and other purposes will not be affected. The State Department decided to suspend visa services in "response to worldwide challenges related to the outbreak of COVID-19," with countries subject to travel advisories higher than level 1 set to be affected, the U.S. Embassy in South Korea said in a statement. The travel advisory for Japan is at level 2, which calls for U.S. citizens to "exercise increased caution," while that for South Korea is at level 3, or "reconsider travel." In South Korea, the U.S. embassy said it will cancel all routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments as of Thursday. "We will resume routine visa services as soon as possible but are unable to provide a specific date at this time," it said. Trump also said Wednesday that the United States and Canada have agreed to temporarily close their border to non-essential travel, although he added that trade will not be affected. The administration has already imposed travel restrictions against foreigners from mainland China, where COVID-19 was first confirmed, as well as from Iran and many European countries. Shops, restaurants, schools and other facilities are closing in the United States and people are instructed to work from home as well as avoid gathering in groups of more than 10. Over 7,000 infection cases have been confirmed across the country's 50 states plus the U.S. capital. Indicating the seriousness of the situation, Trump announced the same day that he will invoke a wartime law enabling the government to expedite the production of medical and other necessary supplies. "We'll be invoking the Defense Production Act, just in case we need it," Trump said at a press conference, referring to a law that was initially passed in response to the 1950-1953 Korean War. He said he now views himself as a "wartime president." "It's a very tough situation...We had the best economy we've ever had. And then, one day, you have to close it down in order to defeat this enemy," the president added. The Defense Production Act grants the president the authority to "expedite and expand the supply of resources from the U.S. industrial base to support military, energy, space, and homeland security programs," according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's website. Trump said the country is in need of masks, respirators and ventilators. He also said two hospital ships will be mobilized, one to the hard-hit state of New York and another to the West Coast. The Trump administration, meanwhile, is working with Congress to compile an economic stimulus of $1.3 trillion that may include direct cash payment to individuals. After media reports that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had warned Republican senators Tuesday that a lack of Congress action could drive up the U.S. unemployment rate to 20 percent, Trump emphasized at Wednesday's press conference that it is an "absolute total worst-case scenario." Related coverage: Japan to ask 14-day self-quarantine for travelers from Europe China reports 1 locally transmitted coronavirus case, 12 imported ones Malaysia lockdown over coronavirus spurs workers' rush to Singapore facebook like button Tweet tweet button for twitter Published March 13, 2020 University of Louisiana Monroe President Nick J. Bruno, Ph.D., released a letter to the students, faculty and staff, providing updated information on the university's preparations for the spread of coronavirus. The University will be transitioning to online learning for the remainder of the spring semester and cancelling all University events until further notice. The president's letter is as follows: In response to the ongoing threat of COVID-19, University face-to-face classes will be cancelled March 16, 17, and 18, 2020. Courses already offered exclusively online will continue as scheduled; Face-to-face courses will resume in an online format on March 19, 2020 for the remainder of the semester; All University events will be cancelled or postponed until further notice; University offices will remain open and operational; all University-sponsored domestic and international travel is prohibited effective March 16, 2020. This includes any travel which has been previously approved. See travel policy linked below. Our priority is the health and safety of the campus community. By moving face-to-face classes online, this will allow us to help prevent community spread of the virus and will also help us to protect friends and family from exposure. At this time there are no reported cases of COVID-19 in Northeast Louisiana. ULM is prepared to provide technical support to faculty and students during and after the transition to digital instruction. Faculty will be in constant contact with students. Lab-based courses will also be online. The University Library computer labs and Student Success Center computer labs will remain open and will implement social distancing best practices as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Faculty will still be allowed to access their offices during this time period. The updated travel policy is still in place. The University will remain open and operational during this time period. Students residing in residence halls will be allowed to remain on-campus but cannot gather in groups of greater than 50 people. Food service operations will continue to remain open but may have limited menus. Student workers will continue to report if they are needed in the department. If they are not needed or cannot report to work, student workers are not eligible for paid leave. Graduate assistants are expected to work their assigned hours. The ULM Activity Center will remain open but will have limited recreational services. According to the CDC, people at higher risk for developing severe COVID-19 illness are: older adults ages 60 and above those with underlying health conditions such as, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, hypertension, and cancer If you fall within these categories and would like to make alternate work accommodations, please contact your immediate supervisor for consideration. Please remember; 1) wash your hands regularly, 2) cover your mouth with your arm when sneezing or coughing, 3) use greater than 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer whenever you return from ANY activity that involved locations where other people have been, 4) try to avoid large groups. This is an evolving situation with new information hourly. For accurate and timely information, please visit ulm.edu/coronavirus. ULM will continue collaboration with the UL System, Governor's Office of Homeland Security, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, and the Centers for Disease Control on how to proceed in the future. For additional resources, visit the Louisiana Department of Health website. Thank you, Nick J. Bruno President Boris Johnson's chief adviser Dominic Cummings once pinned a political rival to a wall and threatened them, a new documentary claims. The BBC programme is the first in-depth look at the controversial former director of the Vote Leave campaign and pulls together interviews from more than 20 Cummings's supporters and critics. Taking Control: The Dominic Cummings Story examines the man at the heart of Boris Johnson's Conservative government at a time when it is under immense scrutiny over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Colin Perry, formerly of the Confederation of British Industry, claims that Cummings pushed him against a wall and raised his fist to him after the pair engaged in a fiery radio interview in 1999. Taking Control: The Dominic Cummings Story airs tonight on BBC Two. It will feature thoughts from more than 20 supporters and critics of the PM's chief adviser, including former cabinet members and colleagues from the Brexit campaign Dominic Cummings pictured in July 2016 with Boris Johnson and Michael Gove. Mr Cummings was chief of Vote Leave and together with Mr Johnson and Mr Gove, orchestrated Britain's decision to leave the European Union He told presenter Emily Maitlis in the programme: 'We had to come down a rather narrow flight of steps from the studio. 'Suddenly I felt he'd grabbed my shoulders from behind and was trying to push me down the steps. I managed to keep my footing and make my way to the bottom. 'I turned around to confront him and he seized me by the tie, pushed me against the wall and raised his fist. 'My main feeling was one of self-preservation, to get out of his clutches.' 'If somebody in my business had assaulted somebody from a rival organisation, you'd have been summarily dismissed.' A formal complaint was made against him following the incident, but Cummings kept his job at the anti-Euro campaign. Cummings hasn't responded to the BBC's request for comment but claimed at the time that the two men had simply 'stumbled into each other'. As well as gaining plaudits for swinging the 2016 EU Referendum, Mr Cummings is also credited as helping to deliver the Conservative Party's largest majority since 1987 last December. Tonight's BBC Two documentary will look at his career, from its origins as a strategist for the anti-Euro campaign in the late 1990s and how he rose to be one of the most powerful non-elected figures in today's government. More than 20 supporters and critics will share their thoughts on Dominic Cummings, pictured with his wife Mary Wakefield in September last year. Three months after this picture was taken Mr Cummings would be credited with helping the Conservative Party obtain its biggest majority since 1987 The claim features alongside a series of other long forgotten archive TV and radio appearances of Cummings from earlier in his career, including his first TV appearance in the late 90s and an interview on BBC Breakfast in 2003 with Bill Turnbull where he discusses calling the then Conservative leader Iain Duncan-Smith 'incompetent'. More than 20 interviewees spoke to the programme about their experiences of the man who is said to have 'masterminded' Brexit and now appears to be the number one person Prime Minister Boris Johnson turns to in Downing Street. The programme includes testimonies from Cummings' supporters and critics alike. It speaks to a series of former Conservative MPs including Rory Stewart, David Gauke, Daniel Hannan and Dominic Grieve. Former Justice Minister and Conservative MP David Gauke described Cummings' approach in September 2019 when dealing with Conservative MPs threatening to block a no-deal Brexit. Gauke said: 'Greg Clark got a call from Dominic Cummings and was told in no uncertain terms, "you effing people need to learn that this is what we're doing." Quite a few people sort of said well if that's going to be the way you want to play it, I'm not going to be intimidated.' Political strategist and former CEO of Vote Leave Matthew Elliott said: 'It didn't surprise me that Boris turned to him. 'He can do the market research, he can do the comms like Alastair Campbell could, he can organise things based on his time at the Department for Education, so really his skill set spans all the different areas you need to run an effective machine.' Former Conservative MEP Lord Hannan said of Cummings: 'When it comes to understanding how the state is failing he is absolutely the best guy in the business.' Former Labour MP Lord Mandelson said: 'Dominic Cummings has a one hundred percent clear objective. No half measures, no going so far and then stopping, it's all the way. That is both the magic and the richness of the man as well as his horror.' Watch Taking Control: The Dominic Cummings Story on BBC Two at 9pm tonight. Indian equities continued to be swept by the selloff wave on March 18 with the benchmark indices closing at a fresh 3-year low. The Sensex plunged 1,710 points to clsoe at 28,869.51 while Nifty fell 498 points to end at 8,468.80. "Technically, Nifty has broken 8,555 level, which is the previous lowest support level. Closing below the same has now opened the levels of 8,200, 8,150 and 7,890 for the index. The level of 7,890 has special importance. After the episode of demonetisation of the Indian currency, the market found a final breather at 7,894. We feel it could act as a major support for the market, said Shrikant Chouhan, Senior Vice-President, Equity Technical Research, Kotak Securities. 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 8208.05, followed by 7947.3. If the index moves up, key resistance levels to watch out for are 8928.55 and 9388.3. Nifty Bank Nifty Bank closed 7.11 percent down at 20,580.20. The important pivot level, which will act as crucial support for the index, is placed at 19717.37, followed by 18854.53. On the upside, key resistance levels are placed at 21993.56 and 23406.93. Call options data Maximum call open interest (OI) of 8.10 lakh contracts was seen at the 9,000 strike price. It will act as a crucial resistance level in the March series. This is followed by 8,500 strike price, which holds 5.72 lakh contracts in open interest, and 8,000, which has accumulated 1.72 lakh contracts in open interest. Significant call writing was seen at the 8,500 strike price, which added 2.9 lakh contracts, followed by 9,000 strike price that added 1.9 lakh contracts. Call unwinding was witnessed at 8,100 strike which shed 24,900 contracts, followed by 8,300 strike which shed 12,300 contracts. Put options data Maximum put open interest of 20.22 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 18.85 lakh contracts in open interest, and 8,100 strike price, which has accumulated 18.5 lakh contracts in open interest. Put writing was seen at the 8,000 strike price, which added 2 lakh contracts. Put unwinding was seen at 9,000 strike price, which shed 1.93 lakh contracts, followed by 8,500 strike price which shed 1.51 lakh contracts. Stocks with a high delivery percentage A high delivery percentage suggests that investors are showing interest in these stocks. 10 stocks saw long build-up 79 stocks saw long unwinding Based on open interest (OI) future percentage, here are the top 10 stocks in which long unwinding was seen. 45 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. 10 stocks witnessed short-covering A decrease in open interest, along with an increase in price, mostly indicates a short-covering. Bulk deals (For more bulk deals, click here) Board meetings AGI Infra: The board will meet on March 19 to consider and approve the interim dividend. Amber Enterprises India: The board will meet on March 19 to consider and approve quarterly results. City Union Bank: The board will meet on March 19 to consider and approve the interim dividend. Emami: The board will meet on March 19 to consider and approve the interim dividend and buyback of shares. NTPC: The board will meet on March 19 to consider and approve the interim dividend. Sobha: The board will meet on March 19 for general purposes. Manappuram Finance: The board will meet on March 19 for general purposes. Stocks in news VST Tillers Tractors: February power tillers sales dropped to 1,361 units from 1,495 units YoY, tractors sales fell to 564 units from 581 units. Karur Vysya Bank: Lender enters into precious metals business. Alphageo (India): Company received Rs 76.67 crore contract from Oil India for 2D and 3D seismic data acquisition and processing services in Oil's OALP areas of Mahanadi Basin, Odisha. Navneet Education: Company issued commercial paper of Rs 50 crore to Mahindra Liquid Fund and Mahindra Ultra Short Term Yojana. NLC India: Board approved the issuance of commercial paper up to Rs 6,000 crore in tranches and issuance of bonds in the nature of debentures up to Rs 5,000 crore in tranches. Wipro: Company launched Microsoft business unit for digital transformation solutions. Srikalahasthi Pipes: Commercial operations of 2nd furnace of 9 MVA to produce Ferro Silicon has commenced. Vakrangee: RBI renews the authorization issued to Vakrangee for white label ATMs till March 31, 2021. FII and DII data Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold shares worth Rs 5,085.35 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares of worth Rs 3,636.44 crore in the Indian equity market on March 18, 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 19. 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. The story of Chinese-Kazakh Sairagul Sauytbay has gained international attention recently something she never expected. Three years ago, Sauytbay faced torture in Chinese detention camps in the Xinjiang area.The 43-year-old Kazakh woman said she was surprised last Wednesday. That is when U.S. first lady Melania Trump gave her the U.S. State Department's International Women of Courage Award in Washington. She was recognized for providing testimony about human rights violations in the Chinese camps. I am also thankful to this country and the Trump administration forsending a strong signal to China to stop its abuses against both Kazakhs and Uighurs who are being oppressed, Sauytbay told VOA. She said she hoped her story would help other people in Xinjiang to speak up about the human rights violations they are facing. I strongly hope that this award would help raise awareness to the human tragedy in East Turkestan, and other countries around the world also step out and helpthe voiceless Uighurs and Kazakhs oppressed in China, she said. East Turkestan is a term often used by the Muslim community in China to refer to Xinjiang. Stepped-up campaign Sauytbay worked as a medical doctor when Chinese officials increased their campaign against minorities in Xinjiang in early 2017. First, she was forced to work in a camp teaching detainees Mandarin and Chinese Communist Party propaganda. Then, she was detained. Chinese authorities confiscated my passport long before I was first detained in 2017, Sauytbay told VOA. She explained that she was prevented from moving to Kazakhstan with her husband and two children in early 2016. She said she was tortured and imprisoned in the detention camps for about six months before her release in March 2018. She crossed the border illegally into Kazakhstan in April 2018 because of fears that she could be detained again. The only dream I had at the time was to unite with my family in Kazakhstan. So, I decided to take the risk to cross the border without legal documents, she told VOA. While in Kazakhstan, Sauytbay was jailed for illegal border-crossing. She was denied asylum. Sauytbay and her family later moved to Sweden. There, she gained international attention as a female activist spreading awareness of the Chinese campaign in Xinjiang. 'Continues to inspire' During the award ceremony, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sauytbay bravely gave details of the detention camps. He said her efforts will help other former detainees and family members to come forward to tell their stories to the world. Xinjiang is known as a Uighur autonomous region. About 1.5 million Kazakhs live there. Many Chinese Kazakhs who flee the area go to neighboring Kazakhstan, which shares a 1,770-kilometer border with China Those who arrive in Kazakhstan say that Kazakhs and Uighurs are facing severe government human rights violations. More than one million people are believed to be detained in the camps. China has denied the claims. It says the camps are job training centers that help the local community get new skills. Chinese officials have said the actions taken in Xinjiang are part of Chinas war on extremism, terrorism and separatism. Pompeo visited Kazakhstan in February. He urged Kazakh officials to offer asylum to those fleeing China. He met with Aqiqat Qaliolla, who became a naturalized Kazakhstan citizen in 2018, four years after his move from China. Aqiqat told VOA that he was worried about his family. I first lost contact with my family in March 2018. Later, friends told me that my father, mother and two brothers were taken to concentration camps. I also heard that China even sentenced my father to 20 years in prison, he said. Immigrating to Kazakhstan For years, the government in Kazakhstan welcomed Kazakhs living around the world, including from Xinjiang. By 2016, nearly 1 million Kazakhs had gained citizenship in Kazakhstan. It is believed that almost 15 percent have come from China. The Chinese Kazakhs share a language and culture with Kazakhstan and had strong ties with Xinjiang. China cut those ties in 2017 as it increased its campaign. Im John Russell. Voice of America reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr.was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words In This Story testimony n.to provide details about something in a legal context awareness n.to be conscious of, to know of confiscate v.to take without permission autonomous region adj.an area or territory that has a limited amount of independence concentration adj.a large number of people or things The deep tones of Tibetan sound bowls reverberated through laptop speakers as Vanessa Marrufo and Rachelle Pean sat cross-legged on the floor in front of a phone, surrounded by roses and candles. Hi Facebook, hi Instagram, welcome, Marrufo said. We appreciate you joining us online. Marrufo and Pean are instructors at Root3d, a yoga studio that offers support group in Albany's South End. The small business is one of many that are attempting to shift their services online as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps the nation, forcing shops to close their doors in order to prevent the diseases quick spread. Root3d is based on community so still being able to provide some healing space for you and being able to find sacredness wherever you are, Marrufo said. Just find that space for yourself and cultivate it. Root3d announced on Sunday they would be canceling in-person classes for at least the remainder of the week, offering live streaming for certain offerings instead. Co-founders Jamel Mosely and Pean said it was a difficult decision, particularly because the studio serves as a healing space for communities of color that have less access to emotional, mental and physical healing. With a pandemic sweeping the globe, causing anxiety and stress, such programs are as important as ever. We had people reaching out to us over the past week after classes and saying, Wow, we really needed that, Mosely said. But a major factor that went into the pairs decision was not just protecting their staff and clients from exposure to the disease, but the neighborhood in which their business is located. People who are left at the margins, are in recovery, dont have access to quality health care, the assisted living community right down the street, the homeless, the hungry these are the people who walk by Root3d every day, Mosely said. We want to be able to be conscious of the people we are bringing in to this delicate, vulnerable community within the South End. The young business is not sure yet how their financial state will pan out during the pandemic. But instead of focusing solely on the classes they usually offer, Root3d is looking at different ways to serve their clients. Online yoga classes will be great for some people that have access to toilet paper. For others, not so much, Pean said. Were looking to partner with local organizations on how we can use the spaces we have to set up some kind of concrete resource circulation. In addition to running Root3d, Pean is a therapist. She said she and her other colleagues in the mental health profession have also been switching to video sessions. The MopCo Improv Theater in Schenectady canceled in-person classes and shows this week. Instead, they're hosting them virtually. Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years. Co-founders Michael Burns and Kat Koppett are using Zoom, which they said helped maintain the integrity of improv theater. Their first trial run was live-streaming their shows last weekend. One of the things thats great about improv is its really interactive, and it still was, Burns said. The audience was making comments and suggestions, and one persons job was to be on the laptop as an intermediary. MopCo has been able to hold on to its employees so far, and the company is looking at where it can cut costs and find new revenue. But, like Root3d, MopCo is focusing on the importance of making their improv continually available during an increasingly stressful time. The theater represents a small community within the larger community of people who like and support and create together, Burns said. We think its really important to keep putting that energy out. Koppett added the skills of improv theater have been helping her and the MopCo community grapple with the uncertainty the coronavirus pandemic brought. Everything is new, and there is no way to understand or expect or plan for whats coming next, she said. If we cant handle this, nobody can, and this is our moment to put our money where our mouth is. 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. BERLIN When Austrias Parliament announced severe restrictions on movement on Sunday, two young Austrian roommates rushed to two supermarkets and a pharmacy before the rules came into force. Andreas Bencic and Thomas Christl, both 25, werent stocking their own larder. Instead, they posted handmade signs outside each shop, each an offer to help the elderly or the infirm with their shopping during the coronavirus shutdown. You sit at home, youre bored, you see the whole world is going nuts, said Mr. Bencic, a student at the Vienna University of Economics and Business. We thought it was a nice thing to do, just to protect the older generation. The early days of the coronavirus shutdown have sometimes been interpreted through the prism of intergenerational tension: The young, seemingly less at risk to the virus, party on as older people retreat into terrifying isolation. To be recognized this year as a top firm both locally and globally was really amazing. We couldnt have asked for better clients along the way. Knowing this recognition is based on their third-party reviews reassures us that we are really doing the best we can in all aspects of our business. JJR Marketing Inc. in Naperville, Illinois celebrates its 14th year in business with top rankings from Clutch in seven categories covering both Chicago awards and national awards. Clutch is a prominent B2B ratings and review firm in Washington D.C. Clutchs research process includes in-depth phone interviews with former clients, helping guarantee accurate and detailed reviews. JJR Marketing Inc. was thrilled to receive the results that it was named a top global company for corporate communication, event management, and public relations. The business was named top branding, public relations, social media marketing and web design firms for Chicago. In todays media-saturated world, businesses must emphasize creating a high-quality, unique marketing campaign to stand out, said Clutch Business Analyst Ethan Lutz. Our results can help those searching for an advertising or marketing firm pick a partner with confidence. These leaders have proven they can communicate well, produce high-quality campaigns or products, and get businesses the results they need to succeed. Clutch selected companies stand out as leaders through their extensive industry knowledge, customer service, organized project management and high-quality results. The results are based on Clutchs advanced rankings methodology, which considers: The satisfaction of the companies former clients The depth of the companies expertise The companies overall market presence To be recognized this year as a top firm both locally and globally was really amazing. We couldnt have asked for better clients along the way. Knowing this recognition is based on their third-party reviews reassures us that we are really doing the best we can in all aspects of our business, said JJR Marketing Inc. CEO Jacqueline S. Ruiz, This speaks so much about our teams strong dedication and commitment to our clients while also adding value to them. About JJR Marketing: JJR Marketing is a full-service, award-winning marketing and public relations agency. Were passionate about taking your business to "ascending" mode. Our integrated approach harnesses the power of your brand to create leads, increase sales, drive digital traffic, tap into new markets and make things happen. Thats why companies, from innovative start-ups to Fortune 500, choose JJR Marketing. For more information, visit https://jjrmarketing.com/. About Clutch: Clutch is the leading ratings and reviews platform for IT, marketing, and business service providers. Each month, over half a million buyers and sellers of services use the Clutch platform, and the user base is growing over 50% a year. Clutch has been recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the 500 fastest growing companies in the U.S. and has been listed as a top 50 startup by LinkedIn. With the coronavirus officially called COVID-19 spreading across New Jersey and the rest of the world, much of the concern has rightfully been placed on at-risk populations like the elderly. But what about expecting mothers? The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists stresses on its website that little is known about how the coronavirus affects pregnant mothers and infants, and that there are currently no recommendations specific to pregnant women regarding COVID-19. But the group warns that because of the uncertainty, pregnant women should be considered an at-risk population for the virus. This is what the experts are saying so far about how the coronavirus affects pregnant women. Are pregnant women at a higher risk of infection? No, not that experts are aware of. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is currently unclear if pregnant women have a higher chance of getting the coronavirus than the general public. The CDC advises that pregnant women take the same precautions to avoid infection as everyone else. The ACOG echoes the CDCs point that current data does not indicate that pregnant women are at a higher risk of infection. But the group states on its website that pregnant women should be considered an at-risk population for COVID-19, because its known that pregnant women are at a higher risk of mortality from other respiratory infections like the flu and SARS. Can the coronavirus cause pregnancy complications? According to the CDC, we dont yet know if COVID-19 can causes issues with a pregnancy, nor do we know if a mothers infection can affect the health of a baby after birth. The ACOG notes there have been some adverse birth effects, like premature birth, reported among infants born to mothers with COVID-19, but the group adds that this is from limited data and it is not clear that the problems were related to the coronavirus. Can the coronavirus be passed from mother to fetus? It is also still not known if the coronavirus can be passed from mother to child in the womb or during delivery. According to the CDC, no babies born to mothers with the coronavirus have tested positive for the disease. The CDC adds that in those cases, the virus was not found in amniotic fluid or breastmilk. In February, a Chinese study published in The Lancet found that of nine pregnant women with COVID-19, all gave successful births and none of the babies were found to have the virus. Chinese doctors released a study last week about the first neonatal case of coronavirus. In that case, a pregnant mother with COVID-19 gave birth, and the infant was determined in less than 36 hours to have the virus as well. But the doctors found no sign of the coronavirus in the mothers breastmilk, placenta or umbilical cord blood. The doctors concluded that it could not be determined if the infant had been infected before birth. After birth, the CDC and ACOG both recommend that the newborn child be considered person under investigation for the coronavirus, and isolated as such. They also recommend that if a mother has the coronavirus, the birthing facility should consider separating the the mother and child in order to keep the newborn safe. Can mothers with the coronavirus breastfeed? In the limited studies done on women with COVID-19, and on women with SARS, neither virus has been found in breastmilk, according to the CDC. If the virus is in breastmilk, it is unclear if it can be transmitted to an infant through breastfeeding. The CDC has no specific guidance for breastfeeding during an infection for either SARS or MERS, both of which are similar to COVID-19. In cases where the mother has the flu, she is encouraged by the CDC to continue breastfeeding as long as steps are taken to ensure the virus is not spread to the child. Are hospitals still able to handle births normally? All of New Jerseys hospitals are required to have emergency plans that ensure routine services, like maternity care, will continue during times of crisis. All of the routine acute services that hospitals provide go on even in a public health emergency, and that of course includes maternity care, Kerry McKean Kelly, a spokeswoman for the New Jersey Hospital Association, told NJ Advance Media. Hospitals emergency plans include measures to ensure the continuity of all of those services, so they have plans in place to remain prepared with the adequate number of maternity beds and staff. Kelly said that the biggest change to maternity care in New Jerseys hospitals will be the new restrictions on visitors. Under new guidelines issued by the NJHA for the coronavirus, hospitals will only allow one family member or support person to be with each mother in delivery. We know that support is very important and for the rest of the family, the best thing right now is to wait until mom and baby are safely home before they visit, Kelly 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. Sign up for text message alerts from NJ.com on coronavirus in New Jersey: If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter. NJ Advance Media reporter Blake Nelson contributed to this report. Michael Sol Warren may be reached at mwarren@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MSolDub. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. North-west Governors in Nigeria have shut down schools for 30 days due to the outbreak of coronavirus, an official said on Wednesday. Currently, Nigeria has eight confirmed cases of the virus. Katsina State Government recorded its first suspected case on Wednesday. According to the Cable Newspaper, the Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Masari, addressed journalists at the end of a regional meeting in Kaduna on Wednesday. Mr Masari, who is also the chairman of the North-west Governors Forum, said the decision was taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the region. Mr Masari said the closure will take effect from March 23. The governor also said there would be sensitisation campaigns to discourage large gatherings until further notice. States will continue to wage aggressive campaigns to encourage citizens to uphold personal hygiene, including hand washing and environmental sanitation, he said. The North-west governors as well as their colleagues in Niger and Kwara states which share boundaries with the zone, also resolved to jointly fund security operations aimed at conclusively addressing the security challenges bedeviling their various states, he added. Reportedly pesent at the meeting were Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna) Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Bello Matawalle (Zamfara) and Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger). The governor of Kwara State joined the meeting virtually. Other preventive measures The federal government on Wednesday 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. Also, many countries, including China, Italy, USA have already shut down their schools and reverted to home schooling and and online classes. The United States has confirmed at least 7,000 cases of coronavirus, according to the latest local and state data, as hospitals prepare to be potentially inundated with patients amid a severe shortage of critical supplies. With testing ramping up nationwide and governors declaring states of emergency, tens of millions of Americans have isolated themselves in homes and apartments. The death toll in the country has meanwhile risen to at least 117. Cases of the new coronavirus have surged in recent days as testing continues to get rolled out in medical facilities across the country. On Tuesday, West Virginia became the 50th state in the country to officially confirm a case of the sweeping pandemic after local officials cited significant issues in receiving testing kits. If we dont even have the tests to identify who is ill, who needs treatment what do we do? West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin told CNN earlier this week. "I don't have the ventilators. I don't have the respirators. I don't have anything available to that many people that are that vulnerable." Those fears were prevalent across many other states in the country, like Florida and South Carolina, which became two of the latest states on Tuesday to shutter bars and restaurants to patrons. Those states have limited dining options for consumers while expanding delivery options like New York City, which has changed its local ordinances to allow bars to deliver drinks and food to local patrons. The White House has meanwhile sought an economic relief package nearing a reported $1 trillion, including a floated plan to provide checks to virtually all Americans (save for millionaires, according to officials) in an effort to combat the slowdown seen in the stock market amid fears surrounding the global pandemic. Those checks could amount to more than $1,000 in some cases, according to the Treasury Department, which said the president was hoping to send the form of relief to everyday citizens "immediately". Meanwhile, the administration was also hoping to supply a bailout package to the airline industry, which has requested aid from the federal government after suffering a historic downturn as society came to a grinding halt and countless passengers cancelled or delayed flights in recent weeks. Medical facilities and hospitals across the country have meanwhile warned that they will soon run out of critical supplies to provide life-saving services to Covid-19 patients, including face masks and ventilators. Mr Trump's administration has begun supplying military assistance to states battling major outbreaks of the coronavirus, like New York, which will soon receive a military hospital ship that will supply an additional thousand beds to the state. New York currently has the most confirmed cases of any state in the country. The federal government released a 100-page report on Friday, just as the president announced a national emergency, warning that the virus could impact the country for 18 months or more. That report, which outlined how the government could provide broad powers to the president to release critical medical supplies from the nation's stockpile, also warned that the pandemic could impact the country in "multiple waves". Niti Aayog Member V K Paul on Wednesday chaired a meeting with the government's Principal Scientific Adviser K Vijay Raghavan on the R&D requirement for developing a vaccine for Covid-19. The deadly virus, which originated in China in December last year, has spread to 155 countries, infected more than 180,000 people and claimed over 8,000 lives. "NITIAayog Member Dr VK Paul chaired a meeting with @PrinSciAdvGoI on the R&D requirement for developing the vaccine for #COVID19," the Niti Aayog said in a tweet. Representatives from the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology; Department of Science and Technology; Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Delhi; CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology; and the National Cooperative Development Corp of India also attended the meeting, it added. The number of novel coronavirus cases in India rose to 151 on Wednesday after four more were reported from various parts of the country, according to the Health Ministry. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Africa's largest innovation incubator, CcHub, will offer funding and engineering support to tech projects aimed at curbing COVID-19 and its social and economic impact. The Lagos and Nairobi based organization posted an open application on its website this week, CcHub CEO Bosun Tijani told TechCrunch on a call. CcHub will provide $5,000 to $100,000 funding blocks to companies with COVID-19 related projects covering last-mile communication, support for the infected and the most vulnerable, production of essential medical supplies and support for disrupted food supply-chains. The organization, and its iHub affiliate, will also open up engineering support and resources from its CcHub Design Lab to funded companies, according to Tijani. He noted that established startups that want to create COVID-19 related projects on the side of their core-business can apply. The initiative stems from concerns Africa could be less prepared than other regions in dealing with an outbreak of the virus that has spread in China, Europe and the U.S. and is wreaking economic havoc globally. Tijani hopes CcHub can employ its network and resources to limit the spread and damage of COVID-19 in Africa. The Lagos based innovation-space acquired Kenya's iHub in 2019, bringing together two of Africas most powerful tech hubs by membership networks, VC, volume of programs, startups incubated and global visibility. "Quite a number of African countries, if they get to the level of Italy or the UK, I don't think the system... is resilient enough to provide support to something like that," Tijani said. Reported cases in major population countries, such as Kenya and Nigeria, were in single digits as late as last week, but those numbers are spiking. By the World Health Organization's latest stats Wednesday there were 463 COVID-19 cases in Africa and 10 confirmed deaths related to the virus. Governments are taking action. South Africa, which has the second-largest reported COVID-19 outbreak on the continent, declared a national disaster this week, banned public gatherings and announced travel restrictions on the U.S. and U.K. Kenya has also imposed its own travel and crowd restrictions. Story continues Only two cases have been recorded in Nigeria, but CcHub's Tijani fears the actual scenario for the West African country and Kenya could be much worse. CcHub CEO Bosun Tijani1 "I think Lagos and Nigeria are in denial. Some governments in Africa are taking action, but the focus in Africa has been relying on port of entry [measures], which isn't reliable because...I suspect it's already here...people may not have symptoms yet," said Tijani. If there is a rapid outbreak, he fears it will overwhelm a number of sectors in countries such as Nigeria and Kenya. "We don't have the health systems to contain it. We don't have the the welfare system that can work for the most vulnerable, such as elderly... we don't manufacture most of these medical supplies and our food [supply-chain] is not reliable," Tijani added. Addressing these pending challenges related to COVID-19 in Africa is what CcHub hopes to support in its latest open call to fund projects. The innovation incubator isn't the only tech player on the continent shifting to respond to a possible crisis as a result of the coronavirus. Pan-African on-demand trucking logistics company Kobo360 has asked employees who can work remotely to do so in Ghana and Nigeria, according to the Chief Strategy Officer Kagure Wamunyu. The Goldman Sachs backed startup is also planning contingencies to ensure supply-chain continuity, should COVID-19 disrupt business and mobility in its markets. In Kenya, the country is turning to its leading mobile-money product, M-Pesa, to reduce the the chances of an outbreak. Safaricom waived transaction fees on the app this week to increase digital-payments use and lower the risk of spreading the COVID-19 through physical handling of cash. Calaveras Public Health View Photo San Andreas, CA Calaveras County Health officials have released some recommendations and resource information. The Calaveras Health & Human Services Agency, Public Health Division released this update: On March 15, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom asked for the closure of bars, wineries, nightclubs, and brewpubs. Restaurants should be closed for in-restaurant seated dining and should be open only to drive-through or other pick-up/delivery options. For more information on food and beverage venue recommendations visit, click here. Governor Newsom also strongly urged seniors 65 years of age and older, and people with chronic health conditions, to isolate themselves at home in an effort to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19. The Calaveras County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) would like to remind community members of available resources that may be of assistance at this time, many of which can be applied for online or by telephone. Resources include cash assistance programs, food benefit programs, Medi-Cal, and more. Also, HHSA has a 24-hour Mental Health Crisis Hotline accessible to all community members by calling 209-754-3239 or 1-800-499-3030. If you have questions or concerns about your county benefits, please call HHSA at 209-754- 6448. Kuo to focus on strengthening overseas business By Kim Bo-eun Kuo Ming-cheng I debated whether I should make a passel of good news public, for fear it may lessen the deep concerns and efforts by millions of Americas who are pleading we take the coming coronavirus much more seriously. In my mind we are being far too cavalier as a nation in what will be a health and economic catastrophe. On the other hand, we are the greatest country in the world, and I suspect we will rise to the occasion, as fearsome as the current prognosis most definitely is. Im a huge advocate and firm believer in the fact there is sunshine behind every dark cloud. To this very day, even after a couple of months on my own stormy seas, I can tell you truthfully that losing my leg wasnt as bad as I thought it would be. That, and the fact my prosthetic leg will be ready this Friday! This morning I received an email jam-packed with GOOD NEWS that is coming in from other parts of planet Earth. Trust me, our world family isnt letting any grass grow under its feet. Like you, I am increasing leery of fake news but there are three things about this email: * -- 1. I know who sent it to me. The source has never sent me anything that was false news. * -- 2. This reportedly came from a group of West Point graduates one classmate to other classmates. In todays corporations, top leadership roles no longer go to Ivy League leftists theyve become too loopy so the plum jobs await officers from the militarys service academies (after they have fulfilled their military commitment) because they lead instead of talk. I dont know one person among many Im talking up close and personal -- who graduated from our services academies who I wouldnt trust to tell the truth. * -- 3. As you read the list of extraordinary news, there is a source for every claim. * * * WHY I BELIEVE THE SUN IS STILLL GONNA SHINE NOTE TO MY WEST POINT CLASSMATES -- This is what the worldwide media should be reporting. Not inciting baseless panic. But providing reassuring messages that like every other major calamity that has befallen humankind in history, we too shall overcome this. Humans have an immense capacity for good in times of crisis, with many talents to bring to bear in unity to find solutions. This is what needs to be reported. Not ratings-driven craven apocalypse crap designed to appeal to the worst in us. How about some good news? * -- China has closed its last coronavirus hospital. Not enough new cases to support them. (SOURCE: https://www.businessinsider.com/wuhan-medical-workers-remov ) * -- Doctors in India have been successful in treating Coronavirus. Combination of drugs used: Lopinavir, Retonovir, Oseltamivir along with Chlorphenamine. They are going to suggest same medicine, globally. (SOURCE: https://www.businesstoday.in//coronaviru/story/397941.html ) * -- Researchers of the Erasmus Medical Center claim to have found an antibody against coronavirus. (FACT: Located in Rotterdam, Netherlands, affiliated with Erasmus University and home to its faculty of medicine, it is the "largest and one of the most authoritative scientific University Medical Centers in Europe." It is ranked No. 1 among clinical & medical research centers in Europe and No. 20 in the world by Times Higher Education; SOURCE: https://www.universal-sci.com//dutch-scientists-claim-to-h ) * -- A 103-year-old Chinese grandmother has made a full recovery from COVID-19 after being treated for 6 days in Wuhan, China. (SOURCE: https://www.dailymail.co.uk//Chinese-grandmother-103-recov ) * -- Cleveland Clinic developed a COVID-19 test that gives results in hours, not days. SOURCE: https://www.cleveland19.com//cleveland-clinics-new-corona.../ ) * -- Good news from South Korea, where the number of new cases is declining. SOURCE: https://inews.co.uk//coronavirus-south-korea-new-cases-dec ) * -- Italy is hit hard, experts say, only because they have the oldest population in Europe. (SOURCE: https://www.nytimes.com//eu/coronavirus-italy-elderly.html ) * -- - Scientists in Israel likely to announce the development of a coronavirus vaccine. (SOURCE: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com//articl/74592807.cms ) * -- Three Maryland coronavirus patients fully recovered; able to return to everyday life. (SOURCE -- https://www.fox5dc.com//3-maryland-coronavirus-patients-fu ) * -- A network of Canadian scientists are making excellent progress in Covid-19 research. (SOURCE: https://montrealgazette.com//coronavirus-canadian-research ) * -- A San Diego biotech company is developing a Covid-19 vaccine in collaboration with Duke University and National University of Singapore. (SOURCE: https://www.cbs8.com//509-110c3c4f-1d0c-46e4-b2df-663789 ) * -- Tulsa County's first positive COVID-19 case has recovered. This individual has had two negative tests, which is the indicator of recovery. (SOURCE: https://kfor.com//report-first-person-to-test-positive-fo - All 7 patients who were getting treated for the virus at Safdarjung hospital in New Delhi have recovered. (SOURCE: https://kalingatv.com//coronavirus-81-confirmed-cases-in ) * -- Plasma from newly recovered patients from C-19 can treat others infected by Covid-19. (SOURCE: https://syfeed.com/en/news-details/injecting-blood-from-recovered-coronavirus-patients ) So, it's not all bad news. Let's care for each other and stay focused on safety of those most vulnerable. * * * WANT SOME MORE? * -- The virus struck only four months ago, yet we already know its genetic features. It took scientists years to get that far with HIV/AIDS. Antiviral drugs are in development, and a vaccine could be available within 18 months. The pace of scientific progress is breathtaking. (SOURCE: www.frontlinegenomics.com/news/29231/the-genetics-of-coronavirus ) * -- The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will soon offer home coronavirus testing kits, starting in the hard-hit Seattle area. Anyone who's worried can fill out an online questionnaire, receive a nasal swab kit in the mail, use it and send it to the lab. Positive results will be shared with public health officials, who will help infected people get medical care and self- who will help infected people get medical care and self- who will help infected people get medical care and self- quarantine. (SOURCE: https://www.king5.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/gates-foundation-to-help-with-coronavirus-testing-in-seattle/ ) * -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Monday that in Korea, no one under 30 has died from coronavirus. In Japan, no one under 50 has died. Our children appear safe. (SOURCE: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/09/many-americans ) * -- Public health experts advise staying calm and following the same precautions recommended for preventing flu or any other respiratory virus. Stick with the basics: Wash your hands, cover your coughs and sneezes, and stay at home from work or school when youre sick ... Public health experts say the threat of a coronavirus outbreak shouldnt feel like a death sentence. Though it poses a serious risk for some namely older individuals and those with underlying health conditions for the majority it will likely be a relatively mild illness. (SOURCE: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/coronavirus-81-of-cases-are-mild-study ) * -- How the Coronavirus can take a deadly turn: This from NPR -- The first symptoms of COVID-19 are pretty common with respiratory illnesses fever, a dry cough and shortness of breath, says Dr. Carlos del Rio, a professor of medicine and global health at Emory University who has consulted with colleagues treating coronavirus patients in China and Germany. "Some people also get a headache, sore throat," he says. Fatigue has also been reported and less commonly, diarrhea. It may feel as if you have a cold. Or you may feel that flu-like feeling of being hit by a train. Doctors say these patients with milder symptoms should check in with their physician to make sure their symptoms don't progress to something more serious, but they don't require major medical intervention. But the new coronavirus attacks the lungs, and in about 20% of patients, infections can get more serious. As the virus enters lung cells, it starts to replicate, destroying the cells, explains Dr. Yoko Furuya, an infectious disease specialist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. "Because our body senses all of those viruses as basically foreign invaders, that triggers our immune system to sweep in and try to contain and control the virus and stop it from making more and more copies of itself," she says. But Furuya says that this immune system response to this invader can also destroy lung tissue and cause inflammation. The result can be pneumonia. That means the air sacs in the lungs become inflamed and filled with fluid, making it harder to breathe. Del Rio says that these symptoms can also make it harder for the lungs to get oxygen to your blood, potentially triggering a cascade of problems. "The lack of oxygen leads to more inflammation, more problems in the body. Organs need oxygen to function, right? So, when you don't have oxygen there, then your liver dies and your kidney dies," he says. Lack of oxygen can also lead to septic shock. The most severe cases about 6% of patients end up in intensive care with multi-organ failure, respiratory failure and septic shock, according to a February report from the WHO. And many hospitalized patients require supplemental oxygen. In extreme cases, they need mechanical ventilation including the use of a sophisticated technology known as ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), which basically acts as the patient's lungs, adding oxygen to their blood and removing carbon dioxide. The technology "allows us to save more severe patients," Dr. Sylvie Briand, director of the WHO's pandemic and epidemic diseases department, said at a press conference In February. (SOURCE: www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/02/14/805289669/how-covid-19-kills-the ) * * * BE NOT DISCOURAGED, OR FEARFUL, OR ANXIOUS: WELL GET THROUGH THIS * -- Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race. -- Calvin Coolidge * -- Look at a stone cutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred-and-first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not the last blow that did it, but all that had gone before. -- Jacob A. Riis * -- Only in the darkness can you see the stars. ? Martin Luther King Jr. * -- None of us knows what might happen even the next minute, yet still we go forward. Because we trust. Because we have Faith. ? Paulo Coelho * -- Keep Going. Your hardest times often lead to the greatest moments of your life. Keep going. Tough situations build strong people in the end. ? Roy T. Bennett * -- The best way out is always through. Robert Frost * -- The courage of life is often a less dramatic spectacle than the courage of a final moment, but it is no less a magnificent mixture of triumph and tragedy. A man does what he must -- in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures-and that is the basis of all morality. -- - John F. Kennedy * -- In times of stress, be bold and valiant. Horace *-- Bad weather always looks worse through a window. Anonymous * -- Its the heart thats afraid of breaking that never learns to dance. * -- Real courage is when you know you are licked before you begin, but you begin any way and see it through no matter what. Harper Lee royexum@aol.com More than 850 million young people, or nearly half the world's student population, are barred from their school and university grounds because of the coronavirus pandemic, UNESCO said Wednesday. Calling it an "unprecedented challenge" for education, UNESCO said schools had been closed in 102 countries, with partial closures in 11 more -- and there would be more closures. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Budget airline easyJet has brought its annual winter flight sale forward amid the coronavirus shutdown - allowing customers to push holiday dates back to October and February next year. The global aviation industry has been hammered by the collapse in demand caused by coronavirus as well as Donald Trump's decision to shut America's borders to travellers from Europe. Staff at BA and Ryanair are set to be hit with job losses while easyJet said it would ask employees to take pay cuts and unpaid leave. Norwegian announced it would lay off half of its 11,000 with a view to re-employing them when the crisis was over. In the meantime easyJet is now offering customers all of its autumn 2020 to winter 2021 flights for 29.99 one way, including taxes and charges. Customers need to book before midnight on March 24. The airlines sale, which goes live today, will allow customers who have had their recent travel plans disrupted more choice of dates to move their flights to with no change fee including Christmas and February half term breaks. easyJet is now offering customers all of its autumn 2020 to winter 2021 flights for 29.99 one way, including taxes and charges (a plane at Heathrow yesterday) The global aviation industry has been hammered by the collapse in demand caused by coronavirus as well as Donald Trump's decision to shut America's borders to travellers from Europe (Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport today) easyJet said it was extending its no change fee 'indefinitely' but would not confirm whether the policy would still be in place should coronavirus still be causing disruption during the winter. And there are fears it could be after Boris Johnson this week 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. Professor Azra Ghani, an infectious disease expert who is in the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team, which has been advising the government, said they couldn't see a way out of the current shutdown unless a vaccine can be made. She said: 'We have explored a scenario where these measures stayed in place for five months, which is what is taking us through to the summer. 'We haven't found any way, at least in our understanding of this so far, that we can ever release these methods until some other intervention can be put in place. 'So really, we are essentially waiting for a vaccine. A vaccine is not five months away. We know it's at least 12 to 18 months away. So we will have difficult choices to make.' British Airways check in desks had no queues in Gatwick yesterday amid a massive scaling back of service across airlines Some passengers at Heathrow Airport today wore face masks as they passed through a significantly quieter airport easyJet's announcement follows yesterdays FCO announcement that Brits should avoid all but essential travel for the next 30 days. Robert Carey, easyJet Chief Commercial Officer said: 'Weve taken the decision to put our flights for the winter season on sale today in order to support customers as much as possible during this time. For the first time flights will also go on sale with a flat fee of 29.99 including taxes and charges. 'Customers are also able to change their existing plans should they need to, or book a new break, with the reassurance that a change fee will not be applied. 'To further assist customers who have had their travel plans affected easyJet has waived the change fee associated with changing their flights. 'All customers are now able to change the dates of their upcoming flights to any time before February 2021. 'The change fee waiver applies to both existing and new bookings until further notice.' It comes as 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. 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 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. 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. Amaravati, March 19 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the decision of the Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission (SEC) to postpone the local body elections due to the growing threat from coronavirus (Covid-19). A division bench dismissed the petition of the Andhra Pradesh government challenging the SEC's move. The apex court ruled that the SEC is the final authority to take a decision on conducting elections. It, however, found fault with the poll panel for continuing the model code of conduct even while postponing the election process. The SEC was directed to lift the model code of conduct for now and observed that the same could be reimposed four weeks before the announcement of the revised election schedule. The court also asked the government not to announce any new schemes that would influence the voters. It, however, said the government can continue with the ongoing developmental programmes. The SEC was directed not to interfere with the developmental activities. State Election Commissioner N. Ramesh Kumar had postponed the elections to rural and urban local bodies by six weeks, citing the threat posed by the outbreak of coronavirus. The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government, however, reacted strongly to his action with Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy complaining to the state governor. The Chief Minister had also alleged that the SEC acted at the behest of opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) as the ruling party was heading to sweep the polls. Meanwhile, the ruling and opposition parties interpreted the Supreme Court order differently. YSRCP termed it as a big blow to SEC which has overstepped its limits by unilaterally postponing the election process of local bodies and announcing that the model code of conduct (MCC) will continue. YSRCP spokesman Ambati Rambabu said the apex court passed serious comments on the conduct of the SEC and pointedly questioned as to how can it postpone elections on one hand and continue MCC on the other. TDP said the Supreme Court judgment was a slap on the face of the YSRCP government. Senior TDP leader Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said the apex court has justified the action taken by the SEC. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also welcomed the Supreme Court order and asked the YSRCP government to respect the SEC which is a constitutional authority. A pair of twins who have been dubbed 'the most identical in the world' have revealed they only eat one meal a day and work out for six hours everyday. Anna and Lucy DeCinque, 34, from Perth, Australia, said they were 'addicted to exercise' and 'often feel exhausted' as a result of their draining lifestyles. Speaking on their YouTube channel the twins, who share a bed with their joint boyfriend Ben, 39, said they become stressed when they can't exercise. Anna and Lucy DeCinque, 34, from Perth, Australia, said they were 'addicted to exercise' and 'often feel exhausted' as a result of their draining lifestyles Lucy said: 'We only eat once a day, we know that's bad. 'It comes from our mum. We know that's unhealthy but we only eat at night.' Anna added: 'Whatever works for you works for you. Everybody can take things differently. Everything in moderation.' They added that they don't encourage their followers to copy their unhealthy habits. Speaking on their YouTube channel the twins, who share a bed with their joint boyfriend Ben, 39, said they become stressed when they can't exercise. Lucy (pictured) said: 'We only eat once a day, we know that's bad. 'We know that's bad it comes from our mum. We know that's unhealthy but we only eat at night.' 'We exercise too much. We are addicted to exercise. The scary excessive kind,' the explained. 'We went on the treadmill for two hours, then we weight trained for two hours, then we walked around the house.It took up most of the day. 'Today we were so exhausted we couldn't even get up.' 'The other day we were so exhausted we couldn't really finish the workout but we did anyway.' The twins (pictured) added: ''We exercise too much. We are addicted to exercise. The scary excessive kind.' The sisters, who live with Ben and their mother said on the show: 'We sleep in a king size bed, bigger than a king size bed - about six inches more.' They added their doctor has told them off, and they 'tend to go overboard' with things. The twins previously revealed they share a bed with their boyfriend of nine years, Ben Byrne. Speaking on Australian TV programme Hughesy, We Have a Problem, last year they discussed their relationship with the mechanic who they first started dating in 2012. The sisters, who live with Ben and their mother said on the show: 'We sleep in a king size bed, bigger than a king size bed - about six inches more.' The twins previously revealed they share a bed with their boyfriend of nine years, Ben Byrne (pictured) Anna said: ''We always have each others backs there's always two against one. He gets double the love double the attention.' They said that they would sleep either side of Ben and when host Dave Hughes asked if they were both present when the other had sex they replied 'yes.' Lucy added: 'There's no jealousy in the relationship if Ben will kiss Anna he will kiss me Lucy.' Anna added: 'Ben accepts us he doesn't mind that we dress alike and want to be together, he doesn't judge us. 'We always have each others backs there's always two against one. He gets double the love double the attention.' The siblings said they initially wanted the 'biggest' of everything, including their lips and chest The twins often share glamorous pictures of their meals out with their partner The siblings, who splashed out nearly $250,000 (138,917) on cosmetic surgery to make themselves look more alike before reversing the effects, went on to detail the lengths they go to stay identical. The sisters also expressed their desire to marry their longterm boyfriend, however polygamy is banned under the Australian Marriage Act 1961. 'Okay, so we share a partner Ben and we would like marry him one day but the law in Australia says we can't, so what do we do?" they told the panel. The twins uploaded the sneak peek of the appearance with the caption: 'We share a unique problem. WE WANT TO MARRY THE SAME MAN.' Hughes and two other fellow guests struggled to wrap their heads around the sisters' plight laughing and cracking jokes about their unusual issue. The sisters (pictured with Ben) first found fame after they spent thousands on matching surgery to remain identical. The siblings, who splashed out nearly $250,000 (138,917) on cosmetic surgery to make themselves look more alike before reversing the effects, went on to detail the lengths they go to stay identical. Lucy said: If she goes to the toilet I have to go at the same time because we eat and drink the same, we shower together, we're just never apart. 'It's stressful being us, we have to measure our plates, every thing has to be identical.' When they reached their 20s, the sisters (pictured with Ben) opted for years of lip fillers, breast implants, facial tattooing, skin needling, laser treatments and even eyebrows and hair extensions. The twins - who once had 14 beauty procedures in two weeks - later decided to have their eyebrow and lip tattoos removed and let their fillers dissolve after realising they'd overdone the procedures The sisters went on to admit that they even plan to be pregnant at the same time, claiming it's 'Ben's job' to make sure that happens. The sisters first found fame after they spent thousands on matching surgery to remain identical. When they reached their 20s, the sisters opted for years of lip fillers, breast implants, facial tattooing, skin needling, laser treatments and even eyebrows and hair extensions. But the twins - who once had 14 beauty procedures in two weeks - later decided to have their eyebrow and lip tattoos removed and let their fillers dissolve after realising they'd overdone the procedures. China Aviation Daily | Mar. 16, 2020 The Cathay Pacific Group today released combined Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon traffic figures for February 2020 that show decreases in the number of passengers carried and the amount of cargo and mail uplifted compared to the same month in 2019. Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon carried a total of 1,008,644 passengers last month, or 4,735,301,000 revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) - a decrease of 54.1% compared to February 2019. Passenger load factor decreased by 28.6 percentage points to 53.1%, while capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASKs), decreased by 29.3%. The two airlines carried 118,711 tonnes of cargo and mail last month, or 698,019,000 revenue freight tonne kilometres (RFTKs) - a decrease of 6.9% compared to the same month last year. The cargo and mail load factor increased by 5.8 percentage points to 66.6%, while capacity, measured in available freight tonne kilometres (AFTKs), was down by 15.1%. Cathay Pacific Group Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Ronald Lam said: "We are facing an unprecedented challenge as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause widespread disruption to our operation and business. In February alone, we made a significant unaudited loss of more than HK$2 billion at the full-service airline level (Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon). "The situation has further deteriorated since February. We have already announced around 65% passenger flight capacity reduction for March. Governments around the world have since introduced more travel restrictions, with the most recent ones starting to affect our major long- haul markets including Europe, the United States and Southwest Pacific. Given the expected further drop in travel demand , we are planning to only operate a bare skeleton passenger flight schedule for April, which represents up to 90% capacity reduction. "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. "While our freighter capacity remains intact, the reduction of our passenger flights has had a significant impact on our overall cargo capacity as well as our ability to carry cargo to destinations only served by our passenger flights. However, we remain flexible in deploying additional cargo capacity, including mounting additional freighter flights as well as cargo-only passenger flights. Passenger "Back to February, the first two weeks were poor and the situation deteriorated even further in the latter half of the month. Our regional routes, most notably mainland China, Taiwan, Korea and the Philippines, saw the most significant drops in passenger volume. "Overall passenger numbers were down 64% in February when compared with last year. On a typical day following the Chinese New Year peak we would normally carry around 90,000 passengers; towards the end of February, that figure dropped to below 20,000. Our load factors dipped to 53.1% with yield also significantly impacted. Cargo "The prolonged Chinese New Year holiday together with efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak in early February led to a delay in the resumption of production in mainland China. Demand for outbound airfreight from the mainland and Hong Kong only began to recover progressively from mid-February. "In contrast, there was an overflow of demand for cargo services into mainland China and Hong Kong partly due to significant capacity cutbacks and a surge of pharmaceutical-related orders. Our cargo load factor grew 5.8 percentage points with stable yield in February when compared with last year. Outlook "The scale of the challenge we are currently facing is unprecedented and no one can predict when conditions will improve. Our advance passenger bookings show no clear signs of recovery at this stage, and the gap in bookings compared to 2019 continues to widen. "We already made it known last week that a substantial loss in the first half of this year is expected. Nevertheless, Cathay Pacific is a resilient company and we remain confident in the future of the company, of Hong Kong as an aviation hub, and in our ability to thrive in this region over the long term." Contributed by Cathay Pacific The Irish Times reports that the Finance Minister is set to meet the CEOs of five banks at 4pm today, looking to be updated on what banks have been doing to offer loan payment breaks for households and businesses affected by the crisis. RTE News also indicates that the banks and the Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland (BPFI) have collaborated on the plan that will include an initial three-month freeze on mortgage and business loans for those whose livelihoods have been impacted by the partial shutdown of the economy, with the possibility to extent that period. However, RTE notes that the banks will need certain regulations relaxed so that customers are not considered to be defaulting on their loans and also want a simple application process to be approved. As such, RTE adds that the bank CEOs are set to meet officials in the Central Bank tomorrow. According to Goodbody Stockbrokers, "Clearly the banks need to do their part in the weeks and months ahead, but the challenges faced include dealing with a likely surge in impairments, draw-down of liquidity and the sheer operational requirements of dealing with distressed and struggling customers." Source: www.businessworld.ie Border Patrol agents near a section of U.S.-Mexico border fence in La Joya, Texas. (John Moore / Getty Images) The Trump administration is taking steps to close the southern border to certain migrants, citing the rapid spread of the coronavirus. U.S. immigration authorities could soon begin immediately removing migrants who enter the U.S. between official ports of entry and turning them back to Mexico, saying it will help stanch the expansion of the pandemic, officials told The Times. The administration has yet to formally announce the proposal, first reported by the New York Times on Tuesday night, but it is hammering out final details. Earlier Tuesday, administration officials began laying the groundwork for the shift. Under the new policy, Border Patrol agents who apprehend Mexican adults attempting to cross the border between ports of entry will return them to Mexico at a nearby port of entry instead of detaining them, according to Brandon Judd, president of the union that represents 15,000 agents, the National Border Patrol Council. Agents will have to check migrants information, including criminal records, in the field. Equipment to help them perform those checks was already being distributed Tuesday, Judd said. Judd, who is close to the Trump administration, added that the new policy could take effect as soon as Tuesday night. This will greatly limit the potential for spread of the coronavirus, he said. The administration was looking at ways to minimize exposure. The administration also began recalling asylum officers and other employees of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services the arm of the Homeland Security Department that administers the legal immigration system from detention facilities and postings across the country on Tuesday. While some asylum screenings will continue telephonically, other immigration interviews have been canceled until April 1, agency sources told The Times on condition of anonymity, to protect against professional retaliation. Earlier Tuesday, the agency canceled all in-person services and shuttered offices. Story continues Yet confusion abounded Tuesday night, as officials charged with implementing the proposal remained unclear as to its details. Before the global outbreak of the coronavirus, U.S. officials already had been swiftly removing many migrants, and forcing many asylum seekers back to Mexico or other countries farther south under other policies designed to deter migration to the southern border. And this would not be the first time that President Trump has threatened to close the southern border. Homeland Security and White House officials declined to confirm the plan regarding its coronavirus response, or provide more clarity. "President Trump is one hundred percent focused on protecting the American people from the Cornavirus and all options are on the table," Homeland Security Department spokeswoman Heather Swift said in a statement. If enacted, the proposal is also likely to face immediate legal challenges. Judd said the policy would not apply to families, children or Central American migrants, who can only be returned to Mexico with the Mexican governments approval, while other publications reported that all migrants apprehended between ports of entry, regardless of nationality, would be returned to Mexico. Neither U.S. Homeland Security Department officials nor Mexico's immigration institute responded to questions as to whether Mexico has been informed that the U.S. intends to unilaterally return migrants to its territory, without any screening or, reportedly, whether or not they are Mexican citizens. It also was not immediately clear Tuesday whether asylum seekers, who have a legal right to seek protection in the United States wherever they enter, will be allowed to begin the process during this time, though the pullback of asylum officers indicated that applications could be curtailed. The U.S. has exponentially more coronavirus cases than Mexico and most every other country to the south in the Western Hemisphere. Trump administration officials also have yet to confirm that any Homeland Security employees in the government's third-largest agency or any migrants in its detention facilities have the coronavirus. Judd said that so far, no agents or detained migrants have tested positive. He acknowledged that there have been far fewer cases reported in Mexico than in the U.S., but he said theres still concern the virus could spread from Mexico. The White House also has resisted calls to cease interior immigration enforcement, stop immigration court proceedings or release any migrants from detention facilities that are highly vulnerable to the spread of the pandemic, despite concerns from Trump administration and other regional officials, health experts and immigration advocates that the government is risking worsening the spread of coronavirus within the United States or to other countries. Earlier Tuesday, Guatemala became the first nation to refuse U.S. deportation flights, either of Guatemalans or of other citizens under a controversial asylum agreement with the Central American nation. Under that agreement, since November the U.S. has sent more than 900 Hondurans and Salvadorans seeking asylum in the United States to Guatemala instead. Homeland Security authorities such as David Marin, the director of enforcement and removal operations for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Los Angeles, had expressed concerns that if other countries refused to accept deportation flights amid coronavirus fears, detention space in the United States might soon fill up. At Adelanto detention center in California, for example, Marin said, if officials can't remove 150 people per week about half of whom typically are Mexican citizens whom authorities drive to the border they'd be at maximum capacity in roughly two weeks. Under a court decision, people can't be held in custody longer than 180 days once they have a final order for removal if there's not a significant likelihood of removal in the foreseeable future. "Mexico won't be far behind," Marin said. "If we had somebody and this went on for more than six months, we'd have to revisit every single one of those cases. We'd get backed up." As of last Thursday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement began taking the temperature of detainees placed on a plane to be deported to another country, officials told The Times. They have done the same for those getting on a flight to be transferred to another detention center. Marin rejected the criticism that by continuing enforcement amid the coronavirus, the agency could endanger the public and migrants in their custody. He asked, So every detention center, every place where youre keeping people in close proximity, jails, prison, should just release people?" Eleanor Acer, director of refugee protection for Human Rights First, said the Trump administration is using the coronavirus as a cover for its clearly stated goals of restricting immigration. Decisions relating to the pandemic should be guided by public health officials," Acer said in a statement, "not by the Trump Administration's long-standing agenda to close the border to refugees seeking asylum." O'Toole reported from Guatemala City, Hennessy-Fiske from New Orleans. Times staff writer Brittny Mejia in Los Angeles contributed to this report. Using data from the National Park Services Annual Park Ranking Report for Recreational Visits, Stacker identified the most popular National Historic Sites (NHS) around the United States. These include museums, forts, homes, and railways. The historical sites are ranked based on the number of recreational visits each saw during 2019, with data released March 2, 2020. America is home to nearly 90 National Historic Sites, stemming from the Historic Sites Act of 1935. Just two years later, the first one was created with the Salem Maritime NHS. In 1966, all NHSs automatically joined the National Register of Historic Places. Today, famous American sites on this list abound from the East Coast to the West Coast, and even to Puerto Rico. How many of these most popular sites have you visited or planned to visit? From an important military outpost from the 1800s to colonial-era sites in the Caribbean, something on this wide-ranging list is sure to spark some educational inspiration, a memory, or an upcoming road trip. Read on to see the 50 most popular historic sites in the country. 1. Vision 2. Focus 3. Defining Success 4. Capabilities 5. Management Systems The moral of themovies is this: Don't let something as powerful as artificial intelligence run amok. For government organizations looking to improve their operations with AI, that requires a comprehensive strategy.AI is essential technology. Our Deloitte Center for Government Insights estimates that the federal government could free up 1.2 billion work hours annually through AI-powered automation. One large state government we examined could free up nearly 34 million person-hours, saving taxpayers more than $900 million.We're only beginning to tap AI's potential. Businesses use it to revolutionize everything from customer interactions and logistics to predicting outcomes. The public sector has also used it to automate chatbots, track disease outbreaks, filter satellite images and expand a growing list of analytic capacities.But AI can end up growing unpredictably , from a robotic hand learning to trick cameras rather than grasp objects to artificial-life simulations designing a fast animal by evolving a very tall creature that, at high velocity, falls down. A comprehensive AI strategy can ensure that AI grows quickly, to effective use, like a vine guided by a trellis. A strategy needs to incorporate both technology and management choices; you can't get much out of technology if you can't manage it. Here, as is explored in a recent Deloitte report , are five elements for an AI strategy for government:How ambitious is your organization? A vision should address not just an organization's AI requirements but also it's specific goals for AI and how those will fit in with the larger mission. Whether you're approaching a distinct problem or proposing agencywide transformation, a specific AI vision helps determine which initiatives to undertake.For smart cities, this has meant considering many possibilities. Take Medellin, Colombia, which has installed its hills with soil sensors to anticipate mudslides and identify weaknesses in the municipal drainage system. Medellin also has more than 800 cameras monitoring its highway system. Many of them are "smart," predicting traffic jams and informing drivers as well as automatically calling emergency services to accidents and issuing tickets with photo evidence. Medellin has seen an 80 percent drop in traffic violations over five years At the focus stage, government leaders determine which initiatives should receive AI investment. This stage includes asking which applications to develop and what technological and human resources will be needed to develop them. The project might address back-end technologies, mission-focused needs or customer engagement.Pittsburgh has focused on AI-enabled traffic lights, cutting travel time where they are installed by 25 percent . NASA plans to set up a bot management office to explore robotic process automation, hopefully assisting any employee who would like to automate a repetitive task. The Australian Navy has tested an automated gunnery assistant and a cognitive weapons engineer , reducing human effort by 85 percent. Each focus has different requirements. This is the stage to decide who will be the end user of the AI, whether it should assist or augment human intelligence or operate more independently, and how to prepare for future developments in the underlying technologies.It's important to determine how the AI deployment will create value. For instance, the U.S. Department of Defense has recognized that many AI applications create value at the "forward edge," where users invent uses that designers never imagined. With that in mind, DoD designed its system to increase AI adoption and communicate new uses.Strategy architects should identify appropriate performance metrics for the AI, adopt data ethics guardrails, and explicitly define performance standards in terms of accuracy, explainability, transparency and preventing bias.An AI upgrade may require platform, data and technical upgrades. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, for example, recognizes that its multitude of data sets would yield more information if they were standardized, comparable and stored in a central repository.Excellent planning still requires execution. Public-sector organizations will have to attract talent by offering the opportunity to do important work and to grow professionally, as well as training current employees in the skills needed to develop AI, or at least to work with it.Governments have many options besides recruitment. Public-sector organizations might crowdsource through prizes and challenges, engage in private-sector partnerships, or share data across agencies with accelerators or an AI "guild" model.Implementing an AI strategy will require the flexibility to adapt and grow with a rapidly changing, possibly unpredictable technology. Strategies will need to address technical scale-up as well as change management.The U.S. military's Joint Artificial Intelligence Center has steeled its management for the AI future by developing a Center of Excellence , a hub that enables organizations across the Pentagon to share data, ask questions and request standardized approaches to common AI problems. Shared management approaches make it easier for talent to swap between initiatives. Established systems for scaling, pilots and deployment can grease the rails for projects as they grow. Good communication will be crucial for multiple AI initiatives to complement each other.It's a jungle out there. That knock on the door may not be a T2000 sent from the future to eliminate you from the timeline, but any deep-learning project could be discovering ways to meet its objectives while embarrassing yours. For all the difficult decisions and rapidly evolving variables in AI, stability and clarity will accompany those who begin prepared. Designing a comprehensive AI strategy is the firmest way for government agencies to start. Africa should ``prepare for the worst'' as the coronavirus begins to spread locally, the World Health Organization's director-general said Wednesday, while South Africa became the continent's new focus of concern as cases nearly doubled to 116 from two days before. South Africa's health minister, Zweli Mkhize, this week called that kind of rate ``explosive`` in the country with the most cases in sub-Saharan Africa. Fourteen of the latest cases were from local transmission _ and six were in children under 10. Though the pandemic is in its early days on the continent, health experts have warned that even facilities in Africa's richest nation could be overwhelmed by the virus' spread. ``I think Africa should wake up. My continent should wake up,'' said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who comes from Ethiopia. Crowded conditions in poor areas could lead to even faster transmission, experts say. Countless South Africans continue to pack into commuter trains and minivan taxis. But the annual pilgrimage of the Zion Christian Church, which attracts about 3 million people, was cancelled. ``We have low-income workers who cannot afford to self-isolate or take time off work,'' said public health expert Dr. Atiya Mosam, who also worried about the large population without clean water or sanitation or vulnerable from HIV or tuberculosis. Others asked how a person can self-quarantine in a crowded slum. The continent has several of the world's fastest-growing cities. Despite widespread calls for ``social distancing,'' a cashier at a popular pharmacy in Johannesburg confided that some customers found it rude when she suggested they swipe their payment cards themselves to limit contact. Elsewhere in the store a shopper determinedly filled a cardboard box with ``anti-germ'' soap, and hand sanitizer was out of stock despite calls to stop panic buying. Also Wednesday, sub-Saharan Africa saw its second death from COVID-19, in Burkina Faso, which has one of the continent's highest number of cases but has not imposed measures such as closing borders or banning religious services. Sudan previously reported a death. In Kenya, police said a man accused of having the coronavirus was beaten to death. A police report obtained by The Associated Press said the man was returning home from a night out Wednesday when a group of youth approached and ``took advantage of his drunkenness.`` In Ethiopia, the US Embassy noted a rise in anti-foreigner sentiment after cases emerged there. ``Reports indicate that foreigners have been attacked with stones, denied transportation services, being spat on, chased on foot, and been accused of being infected with COVID-19,'' a security alert said. Africa's most populous country, Nigeria, announced restrictions on the entry of travelers from countries with more than 1,000 coronavirus cases, including China and the US, and suspended visas on arrival for their citizens. Nigeria has had eight cases of the virus, all in people recently arrived from abroad _ one of the latest a 6-week-old baby. The country said one of the new patients, an American, had entered via a land border, a first. Three other African nations announced their first virus cases: Gambia, Zambia and Djibouti. Thirty-three of Africa's 54 countries now have cases, with a total of at least 529 midday Wednesday. Somalia, which announced its first case this week, closed schools and universities for two weeks and warned against public gatherings as the country with one of Africa's weakest health systems tries to stop the virus' spread. ``This is really a very scary moment,'' said Hassan Kafi, a medical student in the capital, Mogadishu. The country has suffered from nearly three decades of conflict. Uganda, which has no cases, banned travel to the worst-affected countries. It also suspended religious gatherings and restricted the number of people at weddings to 10 in a country known for mass ceremonies. Health experts from some 20 African nations participated in a video conference with doctors in China on how to contain the virus. ``This is an extremely important step in terms of knowledge share,'' said Kenya's cabinet health secretary, Mutahi Kagwe. Search Keywords: Short link: Iraqi president names Adnan al-Zurfi as new PM-designate, draws criticism Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2020 11:33 AM In his latest bid to end Iraq's months-long political stalemate, President Barham Salih has designated Adnan al-Zurfi as prime minister, tasking him with forming a government within a month, a decision which has been met with opposition from several factions. State TV reported the appointment of Zurfi, head of the Nasr (Victory) parliamentary alliance, to the Iraqi premiership. Zurfi, the ex-governor of the holy city of Najaf, is a former official of the US-run authority that took over Iraq after the 2003 invasion. He lived in the United States as a refugee in the 1990s after fleeing the regime of ex-dictator Saddam Hussein. His appointment came more than two weeks after former premier-designate Mohammed Allawi withdrew his candidacy for the post following the parliament's failure to approve his cabinet. Allawi said he had made the decision after seeing that "certain political factions are not yet ready for reform," and that continuing his tenure under such circumstances would run contrary to his promises to the Iraqi people. He was tasked early February with forming a new administration after Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi resigned in late November in the wake of demonstrations calling for economic reforms and a meaningful fight against corruption in state institutions. Zurfi has to win the confidence of parliament for his new cabinet, a difficult task as several Iraqi groups have objected to his nomination. "Zurfi will face tough resistance inside parliament and he will need a miracle to pass his government," Reuters cited a lawmaker as saying on condition of anonymity. If Zurfi can secure parliamentary approval for his cabinet, he would run the country until early elections can be held. Prior to the official nomination, a leader of Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, which is part of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces or Hashd al-Sha'abi, reacted to news of Salih's decision to nominate Zurfi. He described the appointment as a conspiracy against the axis of resistance. In a statement carried by Al Ekhbariya TV network, Jawad al-Talibawi said the appointment is a betrayal of the blood of martyrs. Some members of the Nasr alliance also told Iraqi media that al-Zurfi's appointment had not been made on behalf of the group. Since October, Iraqis have staged street protests in several cities over unemployment and a lack of basic services, calling for early elections. The anti-government rallies, however, took a violent turn later. Reports say more than 550 people have been killed and about 25,000 injured in the course of the violent protests. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address HSBC has finally confirmed Noel Quinn as its permanent chief executive HSBC has finally confirmed Noel Quinn as its permanent chief executive. The Birmingham-born banker had been holding the role on an interim basis since his predecessor John Flint was ousted last year. But after HSBC declined to hand Quinn the full-time job when the bank revealed its full-year results last month, investors began to wonder whether chairman Mark Tucker was still hunting for someone new. Tucker said yesterday: 'He is a strong and proven leader with extensive global banking expertise, deep client relationships and the energy and skill to drive the business forward.' HSBC surprised the market in February when it failed to confirm Quinn, 58, as chief executive, despite him unveiling an ambitious shake-up plan involving 35,000 job losses. Unicredit's Jean Pierre Mustier was said to be in the running, but ruled himself out. Flint resigned last August as senior colleagues grew frustrated with the pace of change at HSBC. Quinn's plans will see the lender cut back its investment bank, slim down its presence in the US and increase its focus on Asia, to save 3.5billion by 2022 Flowers are left as a mark of respect for Jacqueline McGovern. Photo: Steve Humphreys Gardai have made three arrests after a woman was killed in a hit-in-run by a number of men fleeing having robbed a shop The funeral of Jacqueline McGovern (54), the special needs teacher who was fatally struck in the incident, will take place today. Gardai, arrested three men today, all in their 20s in relation to the investigation into her death. Ms McGovern was walking with her friend and colleague Audrey Behan on Avondale Road, Killiney, Dublin, at 9.20pm on March 10 when a Nissan Almera car came speeding down Ballinclea Road. The car, carrying the robbery gang, shot across the junction and hit Ms McGovern and Ms Behan. The men involved had entered a convenience store on Barnhill Road, Dalkey shortly beforehand. Its understood they threatened staff before making off with a sum of cash before escaping the scene in the Nissan Almera, which collided with Ms McGovern. Ms Behan, escaped with what are described as minor injuries, while Ms McGovern died. The arrested men are currently detained at Dun Laoghaire and Dundrum Garda Stations under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. Gardai in Dun Laoghaire are appealing for information on the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact Dun Laoghaire Garda Station on 01 666 5000 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111. World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Wednesday described the coronavirus pandemic as an unprecedented threat. This coronavirus is presenting us with an unprecedented threat. But its also an unprecedented opportunity to come together as one against a common enemy, Adhanom told reporters. The WHO chief described the trial for coronavirus vaccine as an incredible achievement in just two months after the outbreak began. The first vaccine trial has begun, just 60 days after the genetic sequence of the coronavirus was shared. This is an incredible achievement. We commend the researchers around the world who have come together to systemically evaluate experimental therapeutics He said the WHO needs strong evidence about treatments which help to save lives. Multiple small trials with different methods may not give us the clear, strong evidence we need about which treatments help to save lives. WHO and partners are organizing a study in many countries in which some of these untested treatments are compared with each other. Tedros Adhanom said he was hopeful that the world will eventually prevail over coronavirus. I continue to be inspired by the many demonstrations of solidarity from all over the world. The COVID19 Solidarity Response Fund has now raised over $43 million from more than 173 thousand individuals and organizations. Id especially like to thank FIFA for its contribution of $10 million. These and other efforts give me hope that together, we can and will prevail. Around two lakh people have been affected by the virus and more than 8000 have died of it around the world. Countries such as China where it originate d, Iran and Italy have seen the largest casualties. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A quarter of the Army will be robots by the 2030s, the head of the Armed Forces has predicted. General Sir Nick Carter said Britains military will need to be more dispensable to cope with the fast changing pace of technology. In a rare interview, the Chief of the Defence Staff warned the world was the most insecure he had ever known. Heavy metal: Will Army use Terminator-style robots? A quarter of the Army will be robots by the 2030s, the head of the Armed Forces has predicted And he said Britain was living through a greater amount of change than perhaps the two World Wars combined. The Government is currently carrying out the biggest review of defence and security since the Cold War ended. Sir Nick, 61, told The Truth Trade podcast with Sven Hughes that the review will lead to the modernisation of the Armed Forces and be profound, with the money levelled with it. He said the battlefield in the 2030s would be much more about competition between hiding and finding, as opposed to conventional warfare. He added: There will be a very different balance between unmanned and manned and autonomous technologies. To put it tritely, youll see more robots in all of the domains, land, air, maritime, but also in space. You will want things more manoeuvrable, probably smaller and faster and probably often dispensable. Sir Nick, 61, told The Truth Trade podcast with Sven Hughes that the review will lead to the modernisation of the Armed Forces and be profound (file photo) Ministry of Defence data shows the Army had 78,620 full time staff in January, with 29,860 reserves a total of 108,480, not including civilians. The general said the size of the Army could be 120,000 in a decade but this would include robots and tech-savvy civilians able to counter cyber threats. He said: Its got 30,000 robots, 30,000/40,000 reservists, 40,000 what we might call regulars at the moment, its got 20,000 civilians. It will be a mix of skills and technologies that give a collective output different to today. He said wars would still be visceral and violent but the Armed Forces needed more youngsters with computer skills. Sir Nick said both the strategic landscape and technology had meant the world had changed a lot since 2010. We are living through one of the greatest periods of change that there have been at any stage in our lifetime and arguably a greater amount of change than perhaps the two world wars combined and that is happening at a rate that is ever increasing, he said. He added the world was a much more competitive environment, driven by the rise of China, a Russia that wants to reposition itself as a great power, and the threat of extremism. Sir Nick also warned Islamic State was spreading globally despite claims by Donald Trump last year that it had been defeated. In what will be seen as a thinly-veiled swipe at the US President, he said: The plain fact is the phenomenon ISIS represents is spreading, you see that particularly in central Africa and sub-Saharan Africa but also globally. In a rare move, he also criticised the Government for failing to have a political strategy when it came to Syria. He said the military was an honourable profession and that the public knew that with the threat of coronavirus the last resort, the insurance policy, is the Armed Forces. WILMINGTON, Del., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the State of Delaware continues taking drastic measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, today Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware Campaign Manager Chris Coffey released the following statement: "Across the country we are seeing unprecedented measures to limit the spread of COVID-19. From San Francisco to Washington, DC, governments are closing schools, bars, restaurants and even gyms to contain this virus while also doing everything possible to ensure that businesses and their workers are as unaffected by these actions as possible. In New York, the courts have even halted all eviction proceedings. But of course, in Delaware's elitist legal community, where nothing works as it's supposed to, that's not the case. Rather than follow the lead of governmental and judicial institutions across the nation, Skadden Arps the firm that has already collected over $14 million in court-ordered legal fees for alleged work as TransPerfect's custodian, had attempted to convince the court to proceed with a hearing on March 30th. Documents filed with the Chancery Court by former Skadden Custodian, Robert Pincus, an old friend and partner of Chancellor Bouchard, and Jennifer Voss stated that "postponement of the hearing would only prolong this litigation and serve no good purpose." This is a staggeringly misguided argument that shows a concerning lack of awareness for the challenges facing average Americans with families to care for as we all grapple with how best to protect ourselves and our communities in the face of this pandemic. Only a group of highly privileged lawyers from a white-shoe firm like Skadden Arps, who obviously can afford full-time childcare, could be so deliberately ignorant of the impact of this crisis. Skadden has never even produced an itemized invoice for the alleged secret services it claims to have performed, so why rush the court to hold a hearing during a sweeping public health crisis? It is clear that Skadden was deliberately attempting to prevent TransPerfect's lawyers from preparing effectively during the COVID-19 outbreak. It's a wildly unfair and reckless attempt to gain preferential treatment. This was a bridge too far, even for Chancellor Bouchard, who normally grants any request from his former firm without question. Thankfully, Bouchard denied Skadden's shameful objections and delayed the hearing. Though rulings for Skadden often appear predetermined and automatic under this Chancellor, TransPerfect attorneys still deserve the right to prepare and make arguments for appeal." Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware is a group made up of more than 5,000 members including employees of the global translation services company TransPerfect, as well as concerned Delaware residents, business executives and others. They formed in April of 2016 to focus on raising awareness with Delaware residents, elected officials, and other stakeholders about the issue. While their primary goal of saving the company has been accomplished, they continue their efforts to fight for more transparency in the Delaware Chancery Court. For more information on Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware or to join the cause, visit DelawareForBusiness.org . Contact: Chris Coffey, [email protected] SOURCE Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware Related Links http://www.DelawareForBusiness.org T he first known case of a UK prisoner infected with coronavirus has been confirmed at HMP Manchester. A statement from the prison, formerly known as Strangeways, said there was one instance of the infection there. It said no other staff or prisoners were known have Covid-19 at this time. "There is a confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19) at HMP Manchester," a statement read. 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 "No other prison staff or prisoners have tested positive and we are following PHE guidance to minimise the risk of further infection. "Visits are going ahead as usual at this time." A prison service spokeswoman confirmed that the infected person was a prisoner. They said: A prisoner at HMP Manchester has tested positive for COVID-19 is currently in hospital. Staff are working closely with experts from Public Health England to take appropriate action, including measures to minimise the risk of further infection. In addition to the wellbeing of all our hard-working staff, along with visitors and prisoners, our priority is to maintain a normal regime for as long as possible, including visits. The number of confirmed cases in the UK today hit 2,626 - though it is thought many thousands more people may be infected but have not been tested. A prisoner officer at HMP High Down in London previously tested positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating at home due to the diagnosis. Previously, the general secretary of the Prison Officers Association said releasing prisoners to prevent the spread of coronavirus may come in the future. Union general secretary Steve Gillan described the coronavirus situation in prisons as unprecedented for both prisoners and staff. Speaking on Sky Newss Sophy Ridge On Sunday, he said: This is one of the most critical issues going and Im pleased to say were working constructively with government and with employers. A glamorous Instagram model who moonlighted as a cocaine dealer while flaunting her luxury lifestyle online and posing in skimpy bikinis has avoided jail. Vera Zinger, 23, was pulled over by police in Barangaroo near Sydney's CBD on November 29, 2019. Officers found four bags of cocaine and $2,150 in cash in her car. Just days after her arrest, Zinger shared photos of herself walking up the stairs to Bronte baths in Sydney's east during a swimwear photo shoot to her 87,000 Instagram followers. The 23-year-old was sentenced to a 13-month intensive corrections order when she appeared at Downing Centre Local Court on Friday, The Daily Telegraph reported. Zinger was convicted of supplying prohibited drugs, possessing prohibited drugs and dealing with the proceeds of crime after pleading guilty. Scroll down for video Vera Zinger was pulled over in Barangaroo on November 29 and police searched her car where they found four bags of cocaine and $2,150 in cash The 23-year-old was sentenced to 13 months intensive corrections order and fined $3,950 on Friday Along with the corrections order, Zinger was fined $3,950 and is also to undergo psychological treatment and counselling. She must not commit any offence and must submit to supervision by a community corrections officer. Zinger was one of 84 people arrested over six days for alleged cocaine supply and distribution. Others included a Royal Australian Air Force employee, a pregnant woman and a taxi driver. Police allege 46 of those were dealers. It is not suggested Zinger is connected to any of the alleged dealers. Zinger (pictured) was one of 84 people arrested over six days for alleged cocaine supply The young model shared an image just days after her arrest showing her walking up the stairs to the Bronte baths in Sydney's east (pictured) Zinger has previously flaunted her jet-setting life on Instagram with flashy shots taken all over Europe. In June she posted her first glamorous travel picture, posing in front of a picturesque view of Turkey. Her travels saw her visit some of the world's most desirable locations including Barcelona, Ibiza, Amsterdam, Mykonos and Santorini. For two months Zinger posted luxurious travel shots promoting skimpy underwear in Italy's Amalfi Coast, Croatia and resorts in Dubai. 'After two months of travelling, I clearly have still not found what I am searching for,' she wrote alongside a picture in Italy. 'I will continue to do the 'hand on head - it's sunny' pose until then.' Her travels saw her visit some of the world's most desirable locations such as Italy's Amalfi Coast (pictured) For two months Zinger posted luxurious travel shots promoting skimpy underwear in locations such as resorts in Dubai (pictured) Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Bell has previously said New South Wales police were astounded by how brazen the alleged drug transactions had become. Inspector Bell said: 'We didn't target a specific location. 'This is a proactive operation using old-fashioned policing, with police being out in the streets observing customer behaviour and targeting what they see.' Since its inception in 2017, Strike Force Northrop investigators have charged 251 people with drug-related offences, including 160 for supply. In Derby Line, Vt., where the Haskell Free Library and Opera House sits on top of the border half of the building is in Canada, the other half in the United States the closure will mean that people cannot grab a pizza in Canada and bring it home to Vermont, and that family members will be unable to pop across the border and say hello. For residents there, Canada is the same street: Main Street in Derby Line turns into Main Street in Stanstead, Quebec. Morrisons has announced it will pay farmers earlier than usual as the retailer deals with the impact of coronavirus. Farmers, local foodmakers and small businesses will be paid early to support them amid the spread of the disease. Morrisons said the faster payments will support their cashflow during a 'difficult time for the British economy'. The supermarket is also temporarily re-classifying a smaller supplier from those with 100,000 of business-a-year to those with 1 million. This will mean that an extra 1,000 small food businesses will qualify for these new payment terms. The move will help businesses that provide up to 1m of turnover, including farmers that deal direct with Morrisons, such as those providing eggs and livestock. David Potts, Chief Executive of Morrisons, said: We are Britains biggest single foodmaker and we want to be there for the smaller foodmakers, farmers and businesses that supply Morrisons. "Were a British family business and we will be doing our best to support them through this challenging period. The retailer has around 3,000 small suppliers including 1,750 farmers that will benefit from the new measures. The temporary payment terms will commence from next week and it is expected they will last until the end of May before being reviewed. In this Feb. 10, 2020 photo released by Xinhua, Chinese president Xi Jinping gestures near a heart shaped sign and the slogan 'Race against time, Fight the Virus' during an inspection of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in Chaoyang District in Beijing. As the rest of the world grapples with a burgeoning virus outbreak, China's ruling Communist Party has turned to its propaganda playbook to portray its leader as firmly in charge, leading an army of health workers in a "people's war" against the disease. (AP) 2020 is the Year of the Rat in the Chinese zodiac, and the social media is exploding with memes of Chinese president Xi Jinping wrestling a plague -- the coronavirus outbreak that first took place in Wuhan, in Hubei province, and then spread across the world. Indeed, the vaunted efficiency of the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP's) 'authoritarian capitalism' is being sorely tested by the CCPs disastrous mishandling of 'Xis Disease' -- a global pandemic that could crash the world economy and infect and kill millions of people. The China Price has a cost; the normalisation of the worlds largest and richest dictatorship, where human life comes really cheap, and power and control come first. Communist China has been thoroughly integrated into the international economic order by the global elites who willingly exploited the slave labour of the Chinese people while abetting the crimes of their Communist masters. Chinese firms are not audited by the New York Stock Exchange. Chinas human rights abuses are shrugged off by the United Nations. The mainstream media in the West has for years printed Xinhua propaganda as fact, and never reports on the vicious power struggle that has for years raged within the CCP; the Red Hands Faction of Jiang Zemin and Bo Xilai versus the White Hands faction of Xi Jinping and Wang Qishan, a cabal of old men who rule Chinas 1.3 billion people with an iron fist. With the coronavirus raging and half of China under quarantine, Xi Jinpings 'White Hands' faction is busy burning mosques, churches and temples and arresting Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong, when they should be mobilising citizens to contain the pandemic. The spectacle of the World Health Organisations (WHO's) delegates flattering Xi Jinping in Beijing provoked outrage across the globe. In December 2019, Dr Li Wenliang of Wuhan alerted the authorities in Beijing about the virus. In an open society Dr Li would have been hailed as a hero, but the CCP punished him for spreading rumours about the government. On February 7, Dr Li died from the coronavirus and is a martyr to the Chinese people. For decades, the CCPs manifold atrocities -- genocide, concentration camps, forced organ harvesting -- none of this proved an impediment to FDI. Rosemary Gibsons seminal book China RX documents how American medical companies moved their factories to China, with no consideration for national health and security consequences. The last US penicillin factory closed in 2004, and today 90 per cent of the core chemicals of most medicines are made in China. The logic of relocating vital supply chains in a Communist empire half a world away is colliding with reality, as Americans will soon discover when their medications run out -- some analysts give that 2-3 months. Chinas global partners are trying to spin the narrative while the stock market careens towards catastrophe; everywhere are op-eds and talking heads condemning travel bans and praising the CCPs leadership, while Twitter feeds from China show footage of the police beating children, shoving screaming parents into police vans, chaos and death in makeshift quarantine centres. The CCP is now blaming the pandemic on the United States -- on January 26, a Chinese military blog published an essay stating that the coronavirus is a biochemical weapon produced by the US to target China Later, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo reacted with clarity: No less an authority than the Chinese Communist Party has said that it came from Wuhan. It is long past time for the West to reexamine its support for the CCP. No one would think of walking into a party in New York, Paris or London wearing a T-shirt of Hitler or Stalin, but it is chic to display the grim visage of Mao Zedong, historys greatest mass murderer. Western think tanks have for years published tomes proclaiming that China is the 21st centurys true hegemon. Which China? The China of Dr Li and Hong Kongs democrats? Or the China of the CCPs Red Hands and White Hands, whose methods of torture would make a Nazi proud? Nations that tethered their fortunes to the CCP, like Italy and Iran, are now overwhelmed by the virus, whereas India and Taiwan, which are not on Xi Jinpings Belt and Road Initiative roadmap, have far fewer cases. Liu Xiaobo, author, poet and recipient of the Nobel Peace for Literature, has castigated the CCP for "clinging to an authoritarian political way of life, which has caused an unbroken chain of human rights disasters and social crises, held back the development of the Chinese people, and hindered the progress of human civilization. Liu Xiaobo was jailed for the same crime as Dr Li: spreading rumours about the government -- and he died in prison in 2017. Let us stand with the Chinese people, but not the men in black who have kept them in bondage for over 70 years. Opposition Rajya Sabha MPs on Wednesday demanded curtailment of the ongoing Budget session of Parliament in view of spread of coronavirus but the Chairman said any decision on it will have to be taken by the government in consultation with stakeholders. TMC members came to the House wearing protective face masks and were asked by Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu to remove them immediately. However, when senior Congress leader P Chidambaram urged Naidu to allow MPs to decide on using protective gear depending on their perception of vulnerability, the chair agreed. Opposition MPs suggested the Budget session be curtailed to practice social distancing being advocated by the government to limit spread of Covid-19. The session is scheduled to end on April 3. While M V Rajeev Gowda of the Congress urged the government to either curtail or postpone the Budget session, his senior party colleague Anand Sharma said the government was preaching social distancing but is not following it in Parliament. Gowda said Rajya Sabha had amongst it many senior citizens as MPs who are extremely vulnerable to coronavirus. Naidu responded, saying any decision on curtailment of the session will have to be taken by the government in consultation with other stakeholders. Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, however, said Parliament should not show panic by adjourning early and instead show the fighting spirit. Naidu said the Parliament house complex has been sanitised and temperature checking is being done at the gates before allowing anyone inside. Also, hand sanitisers have been kept at various points, he said. Two sanitisers were also placed inside the House as well. Immediately after reading out obituary reference to passing away of former member Puttappa Patil, Naidu said no masks are allowed in the House and asked TMC members to go out to remove them. He said rules do not allow members to sport masks in the House and "it will be difficult to conduct" proceedings if the chair was defied. At this point, Chidambaram rose to state that the issue should be left to the judgement of individual members. Any member feeling vulnerable should be allowed to wear face masks. It won't be fair to make a blanket rule without considering vulnerability, he said. "It is unfair to ask members to leave the House" because they feel vulnerable and are wearing masks. Naidu accepted his argument but said the House was setting a precedent. If members feel vulnerable, they can make preventive arrangements, he said, adding, "I leave it to the members." He said MPs can make suggestions on further strengthening measures in the Parliament House complex to check spread of coronavirus. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) ANN ARBOR, MI Students and residents around the University of Michigan and Michigan State University campuses did the public a service this St. Patricks Day, abiding by the state ban against large gatherings. With multiple St. Patricks Day celebrations canceled amid Gov. Gretchen Whitmers order prohibiting events and gatherings of 50 people or more, Ann Arbor and East Lansing police urged people to do the right thing and abide the order. Police say students appeared to listen, avoiding large parties and doing their part to limit the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, Im happy to report that our fine city has been doing a tremendous job at following the governors directives and we could not be more appreciative of their efforts, Ann Arbor Police Deputy Chief Amiee Metzer said, stating that the department made no arrests and found no code violations during the holiday, March 17. With one coronavirus case on each campus, UM and MSU urge students to go home East Lansing residents and Michigan State University students can also give themselves a pat on the back for abiding by the public gathering ban, as the East Lansing Police Department reported no arrests or citations issued for violating the governors order, Deputy Chief Steve Gonzalez said. We did not have to enforce the Governors 50-person limit order yesterday, Gonzalez said. We certainly had some gatherings at houses, but nothing approaching that level. As of Wednesday afternoon, 80 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been discovered in Michigan since Whitmer declared a state of emergency March 10. The first COVID-19 death in Michigan, a man in his 50s, was reported early Wednesday morning at a Beaumont Hospital in Wayne County. First Michigan coronavirus death reported from Beaumont Hospital in Wayne County Whitmer has ordered the temporary closure of all K-12 schools, as well as dine-in restaurants, bars, theaters and any other large public gathering until the end of March. The University of Michigan and Michigan State University have ceased in-person classes, moved courses online when possible, canceled commencements and urged students to leave their residence halls. With the exception of a few joggers, people walking their dogs and a handful of disillusioned college students, both Michigan and Michigan State Universitys campuses were mostly void of life on St. Patricks Day, with many students either staying inside or preparing to leave campus. Somber St. Patricks Day feels surreal to University of Michigan, Michigan State students Although the holiday is over, police said they will continue to enforce the ban in the same manner they enforce other laws and ordinances. Police noted that anyone who violates the public gathering order is subject to a misdemeanor carries 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 Michigan officials confirm first fatality, 15 new coronavirus cases, 80 total Report: Detroits Big 3 to close all auto factories over coronavirus Wednesday, March 18: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan University of Michigan giving employees 2 weeks paid time off due to coronavirus concerns Depart for the US immediately; Michigan State University tells all study abroad students to come back to US Ann Arbor agencies aim to continue food-security programs amid coronavirus outbreak Federal courts in eastern Michigan postponing nearly all court hearings amid coronavirus concerns Ann Arbor Film Festival in-person events canceled due to coronavirus concerns Michigan Flyer suspends bus services to Detroit Metro Airport through April 15 Big Ten puts Michigan State football spring practice on hold, Spartans pro day canceled To the annoyance of some shareholders, China Electronics Huada Technology (HKG:85) shares are down a considerable 30% in the last month. That drop has capped off a tough year for shareholders, with the share price down 36% in that time. 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 China Electronics Huada Technology Does China Electronics Huada Technology Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry? China Electronics Huada Technology's P/E of 10.01 indicates relatively low sentiment towards the stock. The image below shows that China Electronics Huada Technology has a lower P/E than the average (13.0) P/E for companies in the semiconductor industry. SEHK:85 Price Estimation Relative to Market, March 18th 2020 Its relatively low P/E ratio indicates that China Electronics Huada Technology shareholders think it will struggle to do as well as other companies in its industry classification. While current expectations are low, the stock could be undervalued if the situation is better than the market assumes. It is arguably worth checking if insiders are buying shares, because that might imply they believe the stock is undervalued. How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios Companies that shrink earnings per share quickly will rapidly decrease the 'E' in the equation. That means even if the current P/E is low, it will increase over time if the share price stays flat. A higher P/E should indicate the stock is expensive relative to others -- and that may encourage shareholders to sell. Story continues China Electronics Huada Technology shrunk earnings per share by 31% over the last year. And EPS is down 21% a year, over the last 5 years. This growth rate might warrant a below average P/E ratio. A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank Don't forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. So it won't reflect the advantage of cash, or disadvantage of debt. Hypothetically, a company could reduce its future P/E ratio by spending its cash (or taking on debt) to achieve higher earnings. Spending on growth might be good or bad a few years later, but the point is that the P/E ratio does not account for the option (or lack thereof). So What Does China Electronics Huada Technology's Balance Sheet Tell Us? China Electronics Huada Technology has net debt worth a very significant 156% of its market capitalization. This level of debt justifies a relatively low P/E, so remain cognizant of the debt, if you're comparing it to other stocks. The Bottom Line On China Electronics Huada Technology's P/E Ratio China Electronics Huada Technology has a P/E of 10.0. That's higher than the average in its market, which is 8.9. With meaningful debt and a lack of recent earnings growth, the market has high expectations that the business will earn more in the future. Given China Electronics Huada Technology's P/E ratio has declined from 14.4 to 10.0 in the last month, we know for sure that the market is less confident about the business today, than it was back then. For those who don't like to trade against momentum, that could be a warning sign, but a contrarian investor might want to take a closer look. When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. If the reality for a company is better than it expects, you can make money by buying and holding for the long term. We don't have analyst forecasts, but you might want to assess this data-rich visualization of earnings, revenue and cash flow. You might be able to find a better buy than China Electronics Huada Technology. 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. Richard Jewell Rated R for language including some sexual references, and brief bloody images Rotten Tomatoes Score: 76 percent Available on Disc and Streaming Clint Eastwoods latest biopic came and went with little fanfare late last year, but for the adults in the room, this is a great little film to catch up on as you are stuck at home. Taking place during after the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Richard Jewell is a wannabe cop who takes his park security job very seriously. Imagine Paul Blart: Mall Cop without the Segway. When he discovers a bomb at a well-attended concert, his swift actions saved hundreds of lives, but rather than getting the heroes reception he deserved, he became the FBIs chief suspect, vilified by the media and the public alike. With a strong cast including newcomer Paul Walter Hauser as Jewell, Kathy Bates as his mother, as well as Sam Rockwall, Jon Hamm and Olivia Wilde, the film serves as an excellent example of representing an unsung hero that we might not have even known was a hero due to how they were portrayed on our TVs. It also shows us that no matter what side of the aisle we are on, sometimes the people we listen to are wrong. Its not overly preachy, but it will hit you with a tinge of guilt if your memories of this event are different than what ended up the reality. B+ A Hidden Life Rated PG-13 for thematic material including violent images Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80 percent Available on Disc and Streaming Based on real events, A Hidden Life tells the story of an Austrian peasant farmer who refuses to fight for the Nazis during World War II. Told from the canvas of filmmaker Terrence Malick, the film moves along like visual poetry rather than sticking to a traditional script, much like Malicks other films such as The Tree of Life and The New World. At times the film is stunningly beautiful and puts you in a trance-like dream state. But at three hours long, it meanders without seeming purpose for too long, making it hard to finish in one sitting. The acting is fine and as long as you are comfortable with Malicks style, the way the story is told should feel comfortable. But in the end, it just wasnt a film I could love or rave about. So I would recommend to watch if you are one of Malicks fans, but maybe skip out if not. B- Charlies Angels Rated PG-13 for action/violence, language and some suggestive material Rotten Tomatoes Score: 52 percent Available on Disc and Streaming Charlies Angels has always been a franchise based on girl-power, but in order to make it more of a Me Too statement, Actress Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games) turns to writer/director to push forth a new vision for the resourceful squad of fighting investigators. The ridiculous plot follows the girls chasing down an assassin and an evil corporation responsible for a. never mind. It doesnt matter what the plot is because it's that silly. Here we get to watch Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska kicking butt while looking good, all the while we are getting preached at about equality. At times the film has a good sense of humor with some decent laughs, and the fight sequences are entertaining enough, but as a whole, the film fails from its very new concept of who the girls really are now and what their organization is about. C Uncut Gems Rated R for pervasive strong language, violence, some sexual content and brief drug use Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92 percent Available on Disc and Streaming Adam Sandler heads up this neurotic crime thriller from the Safdie Brothers (Good Time), which follows a New York City jeweler who, on the lookout for the next big score, works his way into problem after problem on his way to the hustle that will hopefully change his life. This is not a comfortable ride to say the least, but between Sandlers brilliant and Oscar-worthy performance, and the strange nervous energy that pervades the entire film, the movie keeps you on anxious edge for the more than two hours until its final crazy moments. I have to admit that this film isnt for everybody. If you are looking for whacky Sandler, he isnt here. For those of you like me, who love to see the deep range of a talented actor, you might just love this project. A- Danny Minton may be reached at danny@dannyminton.com. The Houston-based company that runs boat tours along the San Antonio River Walk announced additional changes Wednesday in its operations, including limiting the number of passengers on barges to nine, as concerns mount about the global coronavirus outbreak. Go Rio San Antonio, which has a $100 million agreement with the city to operate the barges, also said it would restrict hours from noon to 8 p.m and begin disinfecting all surfaces, including railings, panels and seats, after every tour. Previously, only railings were being cleaned after each tour and all other surfaces were cleaned after three rides. There were 11 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection in San Antonio as of Tuesday night. Four cases are travel-related, and four resulted from close contact with those travelers, officials said. The Metropolitan Health District is conducting tracing investigations to learn how the remaining three people were infected. On Monday afternoon, a river barge with at least 34 people, including an infant, several children and a few elderly passengers, cruised through downtown San Antonio, hours after Mayor Ron Nirenberg said he planned to issue an order limiting public and private gatherings. The order, issued later that day, bans gatherings over 50 people and strongly discourages groups larger than 10. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio tour company fills some river barges amid coronavirus concerns, need for social distancing The sight of the boat caught the attention of at least a few onlookers, including a restaurant employee who questioned why so many people were packed on the boat, which holds 40 people. The passengers sat side-by-side, with no empty spaces between them. Later in the evening, lines of passengers formed at the dock while waiting to board. On Tuesday afternoon, a day after a San Antonio Express-News reporter inquired about the number of passengers on the boats, barges continued to cruise the river. They had fewer people on them, about 15, though still above the local and federal recommendations. In a statement Tuesday, Go Rio said it was following advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about social distancing by permitting only 20 passengers on a boat. However, a boat or two may have been overloaded recently, a spokeswoman said. We immediately investigated and have (taken) steps to enforce the rules to insure we continue to be in line with the CDC social distancing recommendations. On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases The company did not specify when its policy was implemented. When asked whether the limit was 10 or 20 passengers as the local and national recommendation is 10, not 20 the spokeswoman said staff was meeting Tuesday to make adjustments. Then, on Wednesday morning, Go Rio announced its tightened policy. Moving forward, a total of 10 people will be on each boat nine passengers and one captain and the shuttle service that stops at 15 designated stops along the River Walk is no longer in service, the spokeswoman said. Family groups will be seated together, apart from other family groups or individuals. Boat tours will operate on timed departures from noon to 8 p.m. at each of Go Rios ticket stations: the Historia station, across from the Hilton Palacio del Rio, at the bottom of the hour; and Rivercenter Mall and the Aztec Theater stations at the top of the hour. Guests will be asked to check in at the window before they stand in line to board. Go Rio said it has also reinforced appropriate hygiene among staff and prohibited employees from returning to work if they have traveled to a country deemed of high risk. Joe Conger, a spokesman for the city, said in a statement Wednesday that city officials were closely watching how the barges are being operated. Emilie Eaton is a criminal justice reporter in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | eeaton@express-news.net | Twitter: @emilieeaton In order to minimize the spread of Coronavirus, Bollywood celebrities have been urging their fans to take all the necessary precautionary measures and practice social distancing to keep the contagious disease at bay. Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, who has already released a few videos about preventive measures, recently posted a story about what being civilised actually means. The actor wrote, "Years ago, anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked by a student what she considered to be the first sign of civilization in a culture. The student expected Mead to talk about fishhooks or clay pots or grinding stones. But no. Mead said that the first sign of civilization in an ancient culture was a femur (thighbone) that had been broken and then healed. Mead explained that in the animal kingdom, if you break your leg, you die. You cannot run from danger, get to the river for a drink or hunt for food. You are meat for prowling beasts. No animal survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal." He further wrote, "A broken femur that has healed is evidence that someone has taken time to stay with the one who fell, has bound up the wound, has carried the person to safety and has tended the person through recovery. Helping someone else through difficulty is where civilization starts, Mead said." Referring to his fans, he continued, " You are all the medics that repair that 'broken femur'." He ended the post with a message for his fans that read, "We are at our best when we serve others. Be civilized. be safe .. be cautious .. be in care .." Earlier, Big B had tweeted a picture of a quarantined person who are being stamped to keep a tab on their numbers and captioned it as, "Stamping started on hands with voter ink, in Mumbai .. keep safe. be cautious, remain isolated if detected." Meanwhile, Amitabh Bachchan's Piku co-star Deepika Padukone is making the best use of her spare time by indulging in some self-care love. Posting a picture of herself, wearing a striped blue and white night suit and holding a face massager in her hand, the actress wrote, "Season 1:Episode 2 Productivity in the time of COVID-19! #selflove #selfcare." Earlier, Deepika had shared a glimpse of her spring-cleaning on her Instagram page and captioned it as, "Season 1;Episode 1 Productivity in the time of COVID-19! #cleaning #wardrobe." Sonam Kapoor Under Self-Quarantine; Actress Lauds Indian Government's Efforts To Fight Coronavirus Coronavirus Lockdown: Kareena Kapoor And Deepika Padukone Channel Their Inner Foodie! We're doing our utmost for our employees, customers, and their families to stay safe as our society grapples with the current situation. Key Housing, a best-in-class service to find hard-to-find corporate, short term and serviced apartments in California at http://www.keyhousing.com/, is proud to announce an alert for its customers on finding alternatives to hotel accommodations in California. Business travelers on non-essential travel are justifiably concerned with staying in crowded hotels. "We're doing our utmost for our employees, customers, and their families to stay safe due to recent events," explained Robert Lee, President of Key Housing. "For those who must travel to California for essential government and business travel, we're issuing this alert on the advantages of short-term corporate rentals as an alternative to hotel stays." Persons who are coming to California for essential travel, can visit the website at https://keyhousing.com/ to learn more, including reaching out to a rental consultation who can help them find hard-to-find corporate housing in California, from San Francisco to Los Angeles, San Diego to Sacramento, and all points in between. HOTEL ALTERNATIVES AND NON-HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS Here is the background for this release. Obviously, the first priority of Key Housing is to protect the health and safety of its employees, clients, and their families. However, many companies and the government are still requiring employees to engage in essential travel. Travel to California is thus continuing, but the business traveler is concerned about crowded hotels including exposure to other guests, staff, crowded buffets, and restaurants, etc. For this reason, Key Housing is issuing an alert on the advantages of short-term rentals vis-a-vis hotels. These are: a) Key Housing is closely monitoring and implementing all CDC recommendations for the travel and hospitality industry, b) Key Housing is not a hotel, that is an accommodation where multiple guests use the same furnishings, and instead each client enjoys the advantages of an individual residence, c) clients can rest assured in the knowledge that each Key Housing residence is set up for their exclusive use. As for the last point, each and every piece of furniture, housewares and linens in a temporary residence is being delivered fresh from the warehouse. Every item has been cleaned and disinfected. Additionally, special attention is paid to disinfecting all hard surfaces in the residence prior to a client's arrival. Journalists, bloggers, and clients who wish to learn more are encouraged to visit the website. ABOUT KEY HOUSING Key Housing Connections Inc. (http://www.keyhousing.com/) specializes in serviced apartments, corporate housing, and corporate rentals in Northern California cities like Oakland, San Francisco, and Palo Alto. Whether the need is for a San Francisco serviced apartment or San Jose corporate housing, interested parties should browse listings on the website to find the rental that fits one's short term corporate housing needs. The service is competitive with extended stay hotels in cities such as Redwood City, Mountain View, and San Francisco. Many Europeans on holiday and people seeking pet-friendly short-term rentals or vacation rental apartment services depend on Key Housing for their serviced apartment or other temporary housing needs. Whether a person is after a Silicon Valley serviced apartment, short term rentals in San Jose, or a serviced apartment near San Francisco, Key Housing can aid the search for the right apartment in the Golden State. Key Housing Tel. (800) 989-0410 The officials will conduct the dummy execution of the four death row convicts in the 2012 Delhi gang-rape case today. Hangman Pawan has reached for the March 20 hanging of the convicts. Meanwhile, Pawan Kumar Gupta, one of the four convicts, on Tuesday filed another curative petition before the Supreme Court, claiming that at the time of committing the offence, he was a minor and thereby, his death sentence should be commuted to life imprisonment. A official said that another convict Akshay on Tuesday filed a second mercy petition to the jail authorities, addressed to the President of India. This will also be forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) through Delhi government, the official stated. ALSO READ: Nirbhaya convict Akshay files second mercy petition after ICJ rejects stay 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. A Delhi court on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by Mukesh Singh seeking quashing of death penalty claiming that he was not in Delhi when the crime was committed. 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. These virtual tours take you right inside some of the worlds most iconic institutions. Been putting off that trip to Amsterdam to explore the Van Gogh Museum? Heres your chance to take it all in. Dreaming of a trip to Paris that includes taking in the Louvre? You can do that, too. Yahoo! Local Longford councillor and farmer, Paraic Brady, has issued his support to calls from the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) for factories to stop Covid-19 profiteering. Westmeath farmer and ICSA sheep chair Sean McNamara earlier this week called on the Government to condemn profiteering by meat factories in the midst of a massive unified national effort to push back Covid-19. The sheep farmer stated: Lamb prices are being slashed by up to 50c/kg this week even though supply cannot meet demand in domestic markets. Yesterday, we had several examples of meat shelves being absolutely empty. How can the meat factories explain cutting prices when they cant even keep lamb on the shelves in Irish stores? The difficulties in the Chinese market just dont cut it. Irish farmers have seen no benefit whatsoever to date from Chinese sales and the head of ABP recently stated that China was of very limited benefit. So, it is completely hypocritical to turn around and now use China as an excuse. Mr McNamara called it blatant profiteering. This is blatant profiteering. There is a pent-up demand for meat in Irish stores. he said. People have to eat and prices are already low enough without this blatant profiteering. Food security was never as important, and it is high time factories showed a bit of respect to hard working farmers who cannot be done without. Now more than ever. It is unacceptable to allow meat factories to drain even more money out of rural Ireland at a time when every euro is vital. Nobody can be allowed to profiteer from this, even if it takes Government legislation. Cllr Paraic Brady issued his full support of the calls calling lamb price cuts nonsensical. He stated: I fully support the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association in accusing meat factories of profiteering during the global health crisis. It makes absolutely no sense for lamb prices to be cut by up to 50c/kg when meat has never been in more demand. At a time when we are making a national effort to combat the COVID-19 virus, we are seeing profiteering on an unacceptable scale. The excuse that there has been disruption to the Chinese markets is not sustainable. Supply cannot meet demand in our domestic markets and prices are already low enough. Our farmers are vital to our food supply and they should be supported in their efforts and treated fairly. he concluded. Also read: Longford bull makes 15,000 at Charolais show and sale Kathmandu, March 18 Flights from Kathmandu to a total of 22 destinations have been suspended amid the growing fears of coronavirus infection, worldwide. As a result, the city is now slowly being isolated from the world. According to the Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Rajan Pokhrel, various airline companies operate about 65-70 international flights from and to Kathmandu everyday. However, they are gradually suspending the flights after the governments decision to halt issuing on-arrival visas at the Kathmandu airport and issuing labour permits for outbound Nepali workers. CAANs data on Tuesday shows that as many as 16 airlines have withdrawn their flights from Nepal. Among them, the number of flights operated by Chinese airlines is the highest. Nepals national flag carrier, Nepal Airlines Corporation, has suspended flights to eight international destinations while Himalayan Airlines has also cancelled flights to seven destinations. The recent cutoff includes flights to Malaysia on Tuesday, following the ban from the Malaysian government on the arrival of foreigners. Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Kenyan government officials have confirmed three more cases of COVID-19 bringing the total number of confirmed cases to seven in the east African country. Mutahi Kagwe the Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Health stated Kenyan doctors had a video conference with doctors in Wuhan, China, and shared knowledge on how to best combat the disease. 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. Worldwide, more than 201,000 people have been infected and more than 7,900 have died. Over 81,000 have recovered, most of them in China. On Tuesday, 17th March, Scores of Party faithfuls, Concerned Executives, Polling Station Coordinators met at the party office at Adansi Asokwa to vent their anger at the acting Ashanti Regional Youth Organizer, Mr. Dennis Kwakwa for some unsavory comments made on radio against the Member of Parliament for the area, Hon. KT Hammond. Furious Hon. Kwabina Tahir (KT) Hammond told Accra FMs parliamentary correspondent, Richard Appiah Sarpong in an interview on Tuesday, 10 March 2020 that when he was helping to establish the NPP in the past Chairman Wontumi was nowhere to be found. His comment comes on the back of claims by Chairman Wontumi that he will ensure Mr Sammy Binfoh Dakwa is allowed to contest Mr Hammond. We have seen better Ashanti regional chairmen like Antoh. Who are you to allow disqualified aspirants? Mr Hammond asked. Moments after the purported statement of the MP, Mr. Kwakwa sat on various radio platforms and stated that, KT Hammomd wouldn't be the first NPP MP to lose a seat to another party. Mr. Kwakwa openly spoke against KT and indicated that he will marshall forces against KT Hammond in the primaries. He added that," if KT is the only person to retain the seat, let us lose it and that would not be the first time the party would lose a seat to our opponents." Suprisingly, the party chairman in the area, Mr Kwame Owusu, held a press conference on 12th March, 2020 at Adansi Asokwa to render an unqualified apology to Chairman Wontumi on behalf of their MP, Hon. KT Hammond and the constituency who's interested he serves. He stated, "We equally would like to appeal to the entire executives of the party in the region to accept our apology for the poor attitude of Hon.KT Hammond". On that basis, the NPP Youth of Adansi Asokwa Constituency, Concerned Executives, Patrons, Electoral Area Coordinators and Polling Station Executives led by the Constituency Youth Organizer of the party, Frank Nti Wae said, they are sending a strong warning to Mr. Dennis Kwakwa because of his followed up interviews he has granted on the release. "The press statement and its ensuing commentaries are not only mischievous, incoherent and lacks substance but disrespectful to Honorable K. T Hammond and the people of Adansi Asokwa Constituency." We respond as follows: It is instructive to note that Hon. KT Hammond never 'dismissed' or disrespected Chairman Antwi Boasiako. It is the Chairman who was seen and heard 'dismissing' a question Hon. KT Hammond asked about a petition filed against his contender at the vetting. It is therefore false to suggest that KT Hammond 'dismissed' and disrespected the Regional Chairman. KT over the years has shown utmost respect to party officials and he continues to do so. It is funny to note that Dennis Kwakwa, someone who has lost three elections to become Ashanti Regional Youth Organiser and who only became the Youth Organiser by appointment by the Regional Chairman, Mr. Antwi Boasiako talks about records. His claim that Hon. KT Hammond wins with 4,000 votes and cannot see himself as a better MP suggests that he knows and sees no shame. Someone who could not win an election which had an electorate of a little over 800 should not be talking about the impeccable records of KT Hammond. It is not only laughable to hear Mr. Kwakwa, a monumental loser, openly declaring support against KT and indicating that he will marshall forces against KT Hammond in the primaries. If he had such forces, they could have helped him to win one of the elections he contested and lost miserably. It is absurd and reckless on the part of Kwakwa to suggest that if KT is the only person to retain the seat, let us lose it and that would not be the first time the party would lose a seat to our opponents. For this reckless statement, we invite the Regional party to call him to account for this reckless statement even though we know that the Regional Chairman will not do that. Hon. KT Hammond's statement was that, the Regional Chairman is the one who wants the 'boy'(Sammy Binfo) to contest him even though he is not qualified. If Kwakwa wants to drag the honorable member to the Disciplinary Committee, he has to do it through the national body as applies to Members of Parliament and stipulated in the party's constitution. *"By the way, as a matter of interest,we will be happy to know if Mr. Dennis Kwakwa will share the reason why he was sacked from Kumasi Girls Senior High School as a teacher with us?* Adansi Asokwa Constituency had remained calm until Mr. Kwame Owusu became the Chairman of the constituency. He has rallied his few followers and with the support of the Regional Chairman as he claims, be working against KT Hammond even before nominations were opened. Chairman Kwame Owusu had openly said this on countless occasion. It is no wonder that he hurriedly organised a news conference to offer an apology to Chairman Antwi Bosiako, when nothing has happened. We are aware of the clandestine plan of the Regional Chairman to have him qualified despite all the facts which do not support his qualification. This was corroborated on radio by Hon. Kennedy Agyapong who stated on Oman FM's Boiling Point that he called Chairman Antwi Boasiako about his intervention to get Samuel Binfo to contest the Asokwa primaries, who said yes, he wants someone to contest KT because he (KT) does not respect him. Clearly the decision to allow Samuel Binfo to contest is not based on merit but on Chairman Antwi Boasiako's dislike of KT Hammond. WE CANNOT ACCEPT THIS! We are calling on the Regional Chairman and all persons involved to take their hands off our "HANDS OFF OUR HON. KT HAMMOND NOW. SIGNED OBARIMA KWADWO GYAMFI, TIME FM The Lok Sabha on Wednesday approved demands for grants for Jammu and Kashmir for the next fiscal and the supplementary demands for grants for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir from April 1, 2019 to October 30, 2019. The House also approved demands for grants in respect of the Union Territory of Ladakh from October 31, 2019, to March 31, 2020. Replying to a debate in the Lok Sabha on the supplementary demands for grants and demands for grants for Jammu and Kashmir, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said that "a lot has changed" in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year and there is no corruption in governance now. Replying to a debate in the Lok Sabha on the supplementary demands for grants and demands for grants for Jammu and Kashmir, she refuted allegations of the opposition and said the people were getting benefits, which they had been denied in the past. The debate saw opposition members sharply attack the government over its decisions relating to Jammu and Kashmir and BJP members hitting back. The two sides also exchanges barbs on the issue of forced exit of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley. The House passed the relevant Appropriation Bills. The budget for Jammu and Kashmir for the next fiscal is over one lakh crore rupees. Thirty-three members took part in the debate. Sitharaman said, unlike the past, the projects in the state were allocated through a transparent tendering process. "There is no corruption," she said. The minister said democracy was being fostered at the grassroots and there had been 98 per cent voting in Block Development Council elections. Referring to the meeting of representatives of various sections with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Sitharaman said the people can come to Delhi and have interaction at the highest level to sort out economic and other issues related to union territory. She accused opposition members of not having cared for the human rights of people of the erstwhile state and said beneficial laws had been extended to women, scheduled tribes and other weaker sections. She said opposition members had also not talked of the rights of Kashmiri Pandits. "Do they not have rights," she asked. Congress member Manish Tewari said that Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave the Valley when VP Singh government, which was supported by the BJP, was at the Centre. Sitharmaman said the BJP had later withdrawn support to the VP Singh government. She said the Congress could have rehabilitated the Kashmiri Pandits when it came to power months later in the government led by PV Narasimha Rao. "If the intent was there, you could have done it. "You could have instituted an inquiry," she said. Referring to JKLF leader Yasin Malik, she said those involved in the killing of air force officers were put behind bars. On concerns of opposition members including Hasnain Masoodi of Conference, she said that the demands for grants did not provide "disproportionate" allocation to the home department. The minister said three tourist circuits including a tourist circuit have been approved. She said lakhs of beneficiaries were getting money direct in their accounts after the government revoked Article 370 in August last year and the state was bifurcated into two union territories. The minister said people were getting benefits from new schemes also. She said 1355 acres of land in the Union Territory will be brought under high-density apple plantation and money allocated for horticulture had been significantly increased. Sitharaman said the Centre was working to revive traditional jewellery craft in the state. "We are promoting start-ups, We will fund start-up activities," she said and added that people from other parts of the country will share their skills. The minister said the youth in the state will be encouraged to find local issue-based solutions through start-ups. The minister said thousands of projects had started in the union territory after August 5 and projects that were languishing were being speeded up. She said local-level planning was also being given a boost by providing appropriate support. "The health sector has been a stellar performer," she said, adding that seven new medical colleges were being created. The minister noted that exports from Jammu and Kashmir were increasing. The House also passed the second batch of supplementary demands for grants in 2019-20. It includes 78 grants and four appropriations. Sitharaman said that authorisation has been sought for gross additional expenditure of Rs 4,80,881 crore of which Rs 3,63,201 crore is for repayment of market loans, which is cash neutral item and the net cash outgo is Rs 53,963 crore. She said demands for grants includes payment arising out of court decrees, additional expenditure on account of enhanced dearness allowance, increase in the number of pensioners, payment of leave encashment of judges of high courts and payment of interest on delayed deposit on contribution under the defined contributory pension scheme. The minister said Rs 7000 crore was for meeting additional expenditure for army, navy, air force machine and equipment. The minister said that allocation for the rural employment guarantee scheme has also been increased from Rs 60,000 and to over Rs 71,000 crore so that money goes in hands of those who need in rural areas. Participating in the debate, Minister of state for home G Kishan Reddy said the Modi government was working in a way that youth of the Jammu and Kashmir hold the tricolour and books, instead of flags and stones. He rejected Trinamool Congress member Saugata Roy's reference that Jammu and Kashmir has been converted into an "open jail". "It is open for all today. It is open for tourists and shut for terrorists," he said. He said that casualties of security forces have come down by 76 per cent after the abrogation of Article 370. Union minister Jitendra Singh said the last eight months has been the most peaceful period in Jammu and Kashmir in the last 30 years. He said opposition members had been talking about detention of three former chief ministers but over 40,000 people who have been killed due to militancy in the last 30 years. He said some people say that there had been more peace in the last eight months as some leaders were under detention. His remarks drew protests from opposition benches. The minister, who is MP from Udhampur, said that prophets of doom have been proved wrong. Referring to the efforts of the government, he said a special package had been announced for Jammu and Kashmir by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said Modi spent his Diwali after becoming Prime Minister in 2014 in Kashmir with flood victims and will be in Ladakh in June for International Yoga Day. Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, BJP MP from Ladakh, accused the Congress of not having carried for sentiments of people of Ladakh. He said Modi government has enhanced allocation for the new union territory. The House approved with voice vote supplementary demands for grants for state of Jammu and Kashmir from April 1, 2019 to October 30, 2019. The Lok Sabha also approved demands for grants for Jammu and Kashmir for the next fiscal and demands for grants in respect of the Union Territory of Ladakh from October 31, 2019, to March 31, 2020. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Joe Biden has won the Florida, Arizona and Illinois Democratic primaries, giving him what is increasingly becoming an insurmountable delegate lead over Bernie Sanders. Why it matters: The contests on Tuesday marked the first round of state primaries since President Trump declared a state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic. Sanders and Biden have canceled rallies and traditional outreach efforts in order to stop the spread of the virus. Biden is projected to win all three states as of 11pm ET Tuesday. Sanders, who is facing calls to drop out, did not address the press or his supporters on Tuesday night. Ohio was also set to vote Tuesday, but Gov. Mike DeWine stepped in and ordered the closure of polling sites, citing a public health emergency. He is seeking to delay in-person voting to June 2. Our thought bubble: Sanders has continually lost states where a majority of Democratic voters supported Medicare for All. And if you cant win places like Florida and Illinois, whats the case for the general election? The bottom line: The coronavirus has been smothering Sanders already difficult path to a comeback. The Bernie movement was built on massive rally crowds and huge canvassing efforts, all of which have come to a grinding halt with social distancing. Sanders' chance to make his case on TV and social media has been crowded out by the public and media focus on the virus. For example, cable networks broke away from their primary coverage last night to discuss the virus. Florida Biden was projected to win the state within minutes of polls closing. The state's final precincts closed at 8pm ET. 219 delegates are up for grabs. Illinois Biden was projected to win the state within a half-hour of polls closing. The state's final polling places closed at 8pm ET. 155 delegates are up for grabs. Arizona Biden was projected to win the state. The state's final polling places closed at 10pm ET. Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Construction, Housing and Utilities Minister Vladimir Yakushev during a meeting in Moscow, Russia February 10, 2020. Aleksey Nikolskyi | Sputnik | Kremlin via Reuters Global cases: At least 184,976, according to the latest figures from the World Health Organization Global deaths: At least 7,529, according to the latest figures from the WHO The coverage on this live blog has ended but for up-to-the-minute coverage on the coronavirus, visit the live blog from CNBC's U.S. team. All times below are in Beijing time. 7:52 pm: Putin is being protected from coronavirus around the clock, Kremlin says Russian President Vladimir Putin is being protected from coronavirus around the clock, the Kremlin said on Wednesday, Reuters reported, saying all Kremlin staff involved in his events schedule were undergoing mandatory testing for the virus. Russia has recorded 147 cases of coronavirus so far and the authorities have temporarily barred foreigners from entering the country in an effort to prevent it spreading further. "Everything needed to protect the president from viruses and other illnesses is being done around the clock," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "The president's work schedule is public and the best proof of the state of his health." Holly Ellyatt 7:29 pm: Worldwide coronavirus cases top 200,000 for the first time The number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide has surpassed 200,000. According to Johns Hopkins University, there are now 201,436 confirmed cases of the virus worldwide. The real number of cases is likely to be much higher given the different testing regimes in operation in individual countries. Holly Ellyatt 7:13 pm: UK music festival Glastonbury canceled for 2020 The U.K.'s largest music festival Glastonbury is canceled this year, the event's organizers said, and tickets will roll over for 2021. Holly Ellyatt Tweet 6:54 pm: Ikea to temporarily close stores in Europe and North America Swedish home retailer Ikea is to temporarily close stores in the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, the U.S. and Canada. Stores in Denmark are already temporarily closed, Reuters reported. U.K. and Ireland stores remain open, for now. Holly Ellyatt 6:48 pm: Iran's death toll from coronavirus jumps to 1,135 Iran's death toll from the coronavirus climbed to 1,135 with 147 new deaths in the past 24 hours, a health ministry official told state TV on Wednesday, Reuters reported. The total number of infected people across the country has reached 17,361. "Unfortunately there were 1,192 cases of infected people in the past 24 hours ... please follow the guidelines and stay at home," Iran's Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi said. Holly Ellyatt 6:09 pm: Toyota to stop output at more plants in Europe Toyota on Wednesday said it planned to stop output at more vehicles plants in Europe. In a statement, the Japanese automaker said it had stopped operations at plants in the U.K. and Poland from Wednesday, and those at its Czech site would be halted Thursday. Operations at its French site are already suspended. Operations at its Turkey site would be suspended from Saturday but U.S. plants have not been affected so far, it said. Holly Ellyatt 6:02 pm: Celebrities are 'touring' social media to counter coronavirus gig cancellations Coldplay's Chris Martin, superstar John Legend and French lyricist Christine and the Queens are among a host of musicians taking to touring online in a bid to boost morale, and replace planned performances as the coronavirus outbreak wreaks havoc on the entertainment industry. The string of virtual performances come as the entertainment industry suffers a huge hit from the escalating coronavirus outbreak. Karen Gilchrist 5:30 pm: European Union will close external borders for 30 days to slow coronavirus pandemic 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. Silvia Amaro 5:09 pm: Pope Francis tells Italians: 'Don't waste these difficult days' Pope Francis has advised Italians to try to make the most of the coronavirus crisis by re-discovering the joy of family, as the country struggles to cope with the most acute outbreak of the virus outside China. "During these difficult days we can find small, concrete gestures expressing closeness and concreteness towards the people closest to us, a caress for our grandparents, a kiss for our children, for the people we love," Pope Francis told Italy's La Repubblica newspaper in an interview published Wednesday. His comments come as coronavirus has taken the lives of 2,503 people in Italy as of Tuesday, up 345 from the previous day. There have been 31,056 confirmed cases of the virus now in Italy. Holly Ellyatt 4:53 pm: Philippines reports 15 news cases of coronavirus The Philippines' Department of Health reported 15 new cases of the virus on Wednesday, bringing the total number to 202. The department said 17 people had now died from the virus. Holly Ellyatt 4:20 pm: France hopes for slowdown in coronavirus infections in 8-12 days France could start seeing a slowdown of coronavirus infections in about eight to 12 days following the government's decision to lock down the country, Health Minister Olivier Veran said Wednesday. "We will intervene where necessary to make sure people respect the confinement. When I look outside my window, I see that gradually people are getting the message," Veran told LCI TV, Reuters reported. Holly Ellyatt 4:00 pm: European markets open lower despite multi-billion dollar stimulus pledges European markets opened lower Wednesday, despite Western governments promising to unleash billions of dollars to help businesses and citizens get through the coronavirus pandemic. The pan-European Stoxx 600 fell 2.7% at the start of trading, travel and leisure stocks dropping 4% to lead losses as all sectors and major bourses slid into negative territory. Holly Ellyatt 3:00 pm: Virus outbreak presents a 'twin crisis' for all countries, says Singapore minister Countries globally are facing "a twin crisis of unprecedented proportion" of a public health threat in the form of a new coronavirus and heightened risk of an economic recession, said Lawrence Wong, Singapore's minister for national development. "The challenge is that the more we do to flatten the infection curve, we are actually also steepening the recession curve because as we do more of these measures, the right measures, to save lives ... economic activity will be reduced and it will increase the risk of an economic downturn," said Wong, who's also second minister for finance and co-chair of a multi-ministry task force to fight COVID-19. "So really, we are dealing with a twin crisis of unprecedented proportions: One, a public health emergency; and second, an economic crisis. An economic crisis which will be more severe than ... anything we have ever seen in modern history," he added. Yen Nee Lee 2:10 pm: Olympics 'would not make sense' if countries can't send athletes, Japan's minister says Japan's Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso said that even if Japan can control the COVID-19 outbreak, the 2020 Summer Olympics "would not make sense" if athletes from other countries cannot come, according to a Reuters report. The 2020 Summer Olympics is set to take place in Tokyo in July, and there has been much debate about whether it would go on as the pandemic continues in Japan and globally. Aso, who is also Japan's finance minister, said, according to Reuters: "As the prime minister said, it's desirable to hold the Olympics in an environment where everyone feels safe and happy. But that's not something Japan alone can decide." That follows, and contradicts, comments from 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." Weizhen Tan 1:50 pm: Hong Kong is using electronic wristbands to enforce quarantine Hong Kong is using electronic wristbands as part of its effort to enforce quarantines and reduce the spread of the new coronavirus.The measure comes as the government announced that starting at midnight on March 19, it is putting all arriving passengers under a two-week quarantine and medical surveillance. Declan Chan received a wristband upon returning to Hong Kong to monitor his movement while under 14-day quarantine. Declan Chan The city's leader Carrie Lam said that of 57 new cases Hong Kong recorded in the past two weeks, 50 were travelers from overseas. One recently returned resident Chan said he was instructed to walk around the corners of his house, upon arriving home, so the technology could precisely track the coordinates of his living space in which he would remain under quarantine. Uptin Saiidi 12:45 pm: Australian stocks plummet 7% Australia's S&P/ASX 200 dropped around 7% as most sectors fell. That's even as other major markets in Asia returned to positive territory, with China's Shenzhen stocks jumping more than 2%, and Japan's Nikkei shares up around 1%. Weizhen Tan 11:50 am: Taiwan to bar entry to most foreigners, everyone entering to be put into quarantine Taiwan will ban most foreigners from entering as it seeks to contain the coronavirus outbreak, its government said, according to a Reuters report. Anyone who enters Taiwan will also have to serve out a home quarantine period of 14 days, the report said, citing its health minister Chen Shih-chung. He said the number of imported cases have "increased sharply." The island has reported 77 cases to date. The new measures will be effective from midnight, and the government did not say how long they will be in effect, according to the report. Weizhen Tan 11:12 am: Investors in World Bank's 'pandemic bonds' face big losses Prices of two World Bank-issued "pandemic bonds" have plunged as fears rise amid the coronavirus outbreak. Investors are facing big losses of up to 80%, analysts say. Those bonds, issued by the World Bank's International Bank for Reconstruction and Development in 2017, were designed to pay out funds to countries that need help to contain a pandemic. They offer investors high-interest payments in return for taking on the risk of losing a certain amount or all of their money if pandemics occur. That includes the current coronavirus pandemic. Weizhen Tan 10:40 am: Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan see rise in new cases Those places have been credited with their effective management of the virus outbreak to contain its spread. Still, as the number of cases outside mainland China spiked, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan saw fresh confirmed cases of infection in recent days. Singapore reported 23 new cases on Tuesday night, with most of them imported from overseas as people returned from trips to areas like Europe and the United States. The city-state currently has 152 active cases, while 114 people have recovered. Last week, Singapore banned new visitors with recent travel to Italy, France, Spain, and Germany. Hong Kong reported new cases that brought its total from 157 on Monday to 167 on Tuesday. Chief executive Carrie Lam yesterday announced all inbound travelers would be subject to quarantine measures and the government also issued the second-highest alert for outbound travel. Residents were urged to avoid all non-essential travel. Taiwan reported 10 new cases of infection on Tuesday that brought its total to 77. It advised residents to avoid non-essential travel as that heightens the risk of bringing the infection back to the island. Saheli Roy Choudhury 9:54 am: UAW, Detroit automakers negotiate rotating partial shutdowns of US plants General Motors, Ford Motor and Fiat Chrysler have negotiated with the United Auto Workers union to "review and implement" rotating partial shutdown of facilities and other additional measures in an attempt to keep workers safe and healthy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the union announced. The union said it expects "more detailed information to be released in the next 24 hours. The outbreak previously brought China's manufacturing to a standstill; several automakers, including Ford and Fiat Chrysler, announced plant closures or plans to temporarily end all manufacturing in Europe due to the virus' rapid spread. Michael Wayland 9:46 am: South Korea says 3 more people have died from the virus South Korea reported 93 new cases and 3 additional deaths, according to the country's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The total number of confirmed infection cases in South Korea stands at 8,413 and 84 people have died. The majority of the cases are from the city of Daegu. Swift measures from the government, which included testing thousands of people daily and promptly isolating affected individuals, appear to have slowed the virus' spread in recent weeks, following an initial implosion. Saheli Roy Choudhury 9:18 am: China reports 13 new cases, 11 additional deaths China's National Health Commission said there were 13 new cases of infection in the country and that 11 more people have died from the virus; all of the deaths occurred in Hubei province, where the outbreak was first detected. Altogether, China has 80,894 confirmed cases, of which, 69,601 have recovered and 3,237 died. As of now, China accounts for less than 50% of the total number of cases confirmed globally. Other countries, such as Italy, Iran, Spain, Germany, France, South Korea, and the United States have seen a sharp spike in infections in recent weeks. Saheli Roy Choudhury 8:54 am: American Airlines extends time on voluntary unpaid leave options for flight attendants, others American Airlines said it has extended the time on voluntary unpaid leave options for flight attendants, mechanics and gate agents to up to 12 months, Reuters reported. That indicated the company doesn't expect travel demand to rebound any time soon. Unpaid leave of absence for staff is one of the ways some airlines are trying to save costs as more people cancel their trips in light of the global pandemic. Saheli Roy Choudhury 8:48 am: S&P says recession in Asia-Pacific region is now guaranteed Asia-Pacific economic growth for the year will more than halve to less than 3% as the global economy enters a recession, according to S&P Global Ratings. "An enormous first-quarter shock in China, shutdowns across the U.S. and Europe, and local virus transmission guarantees a deep recession across Asia-Pacific," said Shaun Roache, chief Asia-Pacific economist at the ratings agency. "Our estimate of permanent income losses is likely to at least double to more than US$400 billion," he added. S&P lowered its growth forecast for China, India, and Japan for 2020 to 2.9%, 5.2%, and negative 1.2%, respectively. Saheli Roy Choudhury 8:14 am: Australia raises travel restriction to the highest level, tells citizens not to travel overseas Australia raised its advisory for all overseas travel to the highest level and told citizens not to travel at this time, regardless of their destination, age or health condition. The "Level 4: Do Not Travel" designation suggests that if people choose to travel, despite the advice, the Australian government may not be in a position to help them if they land in trouble abroad. The government also said Australians overseas who want to return to the country should do so immediately and that upon their arrival, they would be required to self-isolate for two weeks. Separately, Australia has banned non-essential indoor gathering of more than 100 people starting Wednesday. That could potentially affect cinemas, theaters, restaurants, clubs, and cafes. Australia has recorded at least 375 confirmed cases as of 6 a.m. local time on March 17; of them, 27 have recovered and five people died, according to the health ministry. Saheli Roy Choudhury 8:05 am: NASA says all employees, contractors to move to mandatory telework until further notice NASA said its leadership is monitoring developments regarding the coronavirus around the U.S. A limited number of employees have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new, rapidly spreading coronavirus. In a statement, the agency said: "This evening, NASA leadership has decided to elevate all centers and facilities to Stage 3 of NASA's Response Framework. Effective immediately, all employees and contractors will move to mandatory telework until further notice. Mission-essential personnel will continue to be granted access onsite." Saheli Roy Choudhury 7:30 am: Malaysians working in Singapore scramble to beat travel ban deadline Malaysia announced it was banning its citizens from traveling abroad starting Wednesday as part of its efforts to contain the spread of the virus. Foreign travelers will also not be allowed into the country. The decision potentially affects some 400,000 people who make the daily trip into Singapore for work. Local reports said there was a frantic rush on the causeway linking the two countries on Tuesday as people tried to beat the approaching deadline; that led to gridlock at the Singapore checkpoint and bumper-to-bumper traffic on the causeway. A general view of the bumper to bumper traffic as vehicles are seen crossing into Singapore a day ahead before Malaysia closes its borders at the causeway bordering Malaysia's southern state of Johor Bahru and Singapore on March 17, 2020 in Singapore. Suhaimi Abdullah | Getty Images The Straits Times reported many Malaysian workers scrambled to return home to collect their clothes before rushing back into Singapore to continue with their employment. For its part, Singapore said it was making available short-term accommodation options for affected workers who are unable to arrange for places to stay. Saheli Roy Choudhury 7:08 am: Italy's death toll passes 2,500 Italy had at least 2,503 virus-related deaths as of 6 p.m. local time on March 17, according to the country's health ministry. Fatality numbers jumped by 345 from a day earlier where the death toll was at 2,158 people. Total cases in the country are now at 31,506 and among them, 2,941 people have recovered. Italy remains in complete lockdown where the government has ordered bars, restaurants and most shops to close. Saheli Roy Choudhury 7:03 am: Virus spreads to all 50 states as US death toll crosses 100 The coronavirus has now infected more than 5,809 people across the United States and killed at least 100. At the beginning of the month, there were just 62 confirmed cases in the country, according to the World Health Organization. Almost half of all confirmed U.S. cases are in Washington state, California and New York, where major epidemics have erupted, prompting the governors to declare states of emergency to free up funding for communities battling outbreaks. Will Feuer All times below are in Eastern time. 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 5:45 pm: 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 By Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The European Union on Wednesday emphasized its desire to negotiate an end to a longstanding dispute with the United States over aircraft subsidies even as Washington raised duties on Airbus aircraft by 50%. European Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan underscored the EU's desire to negotiate a settlement when he spoke with the top U.S. trade official on Monday, two days before the tariff increase went into effect, an EU spokesman said. "The EU had made concrete proposals related to existing subsidies and future disciplines in this sector and the Commission negotiating team will follow up actively with their U.S. counterparts in the coming days," the spokesman said. The U.S. government on Wednesday cast aside concerns about the impact of higher tariffs on U.S. airlines already hammered by a drop in air traffic due to the coronavirus outbreak, and proceeded to hike duties on EU-built aircraft to 15% from 10%. The tariff increase will not be paid by Airbus, but by U.S. airlines. A spokesman for U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer had no immediate comment on the EU statement, or the timetable for further talks on the issue. Washington is trying to pressure the EU to comply with a World Trade Organization ruling on illegal aircraft subsidies, and Brussels has threatened to respond in kind once the WTO rules on a parallel case challenging U.S. government aid to U.S. planemaker Boeing later this spring. Airbus spokesman Clay McConnell in Washington urged the U.S. government to work out an agreement with the EU and end a dispute over aircraft subsidies that dates back over 15 years, underscoring the global impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Major U.S. airlines are seeking more than $50 billion in government help as part of a White House financial assistance package, while Boeing has asked for a $60 billion lifeline for the struggling U.S. aerospace manufacturing industry, which faces huge losses from the coronavirus pandemic. USTR on Tuesday said it continued to seek a negotiated outcome and hoped the additional duties would spur Brussels to halt illegal government subsidies to Airbus. Story continues The Eurasia Group on Wednesday said it did not expect the situation to escalate into a full-blown trade war. "Officials on both sides of the Atlantic are currently focused on battling the coronavirus, which will also dampen the appetite in both the US and the EU to engage in a tit-for-tat tariff fight," the group said. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; editing by Diane Craft) She is now set to marry partner and 'soulmate' Richard Holmes, 43, this summer Was left with no hair, lips, nose or fingers and just one foot has had 50 operations Terri Calvesbert, 23, from Ipswich in Suffolk, was in house fire at 18-months-old A young woman who suffered 90% burns as a baby has found love at last and is to marry her 'best friend and soulmate'. Terri Calvesbert, 23, who now lives in Halstead, Essex, was horribly injured when she was 18-months-old in a devastating blaze at her home in Ipswich, Suffolk. Doctors at first feared she would not survive after being left her with no hair, lips, nose or fingers, and just one foot. But Terri's bravery story captured the hearts of the nation, and she underwent more than 50 operations to help repair her torched skin. Now, more than 20 years on, she has embraced her life and is to marry her partner Richard Holmes, 43, this summer. Terri Calvesbert, 23, who now lives in Halstead, Essex, who suffered 90% burns as a baby has found love at last and is to marry her 'best friend and soulmate,' Richard Holmes, 43 (pictured together) The couple of Halstead, Essex, have spoken of their happiness and their plan to marry this summer (pictured together) Terri who has won numerous awards for her bravery described her fiancee as 'the kind of man everyone wants'. She said: 'He is everything to me. He's my best friend and soulmate. 'I'm really excited about the wedding. Obviously I'm going to be nervous on the day but I can't wait to be with my friends and family. 'I've always wanted to get married but I never thought this would happen at my age, especially to me.' Terri suffered her burns after her mother Julie Minter accidentally left a burning cigarette near her cot late at night in their Ipswich flat on November 21, 1998 Firefighters who found her lying in her cot initially thought she was a black plastic doll. She spent six months at the St Andrew's burns hospital in Chelmsford, Essex, and became one of a only handful of people in the world to survive such extensive burns to her body, requiring more than 40 skin grafts. Terri Calvesbert suffered 90 per cent burns in a devastating house fire. Pictured, as a baby before the fire Terri (pictured left) who has won numerous awards for her bravery described her fiancee (pictured right) as the kind of man everyone wants Terri said she is going to be nervous on the day but is excited to be with her friends and family. She added: 'I've always wanted to get married but I never thought this would happen at my age, especially to me' (pictured, with Richard) Terri was brought up by her factory worker father Paul Calvesbert who had split up from her mother two months before the fire. Her mother was left wracked by guilt and suicidal over the fire and did not see her for ten years. The pair had an emotional reunion when she was a teenager. Terri said she would never truly know what happened on the night of the fire as she was too young to remember. But she admits that she 'doesn't know any different' about her physical appearance. 'When it comes to that night in November, I kind of get a horrible feeling inside,' she explained. 'But that's the only time it really affects me.' 'What happened does stay with me, but I'm really proud of myself for what I have achieved.' Terri met Richard on Facebook around five years ago and says that they 'hit it off' instantly, establishing a strong connection and falling in love. Whilst she was studying animal care at Otley College near Ipswich she fell pregnant with their daughter Poppy-Mae, now aged three. Terri who now lives with Richard in Essex, described her as their 'miracle' child, although they are keen to keep her away from the limelight. Terri spent six months at the St Andrew's burns hospital in Chelmsford, Essex. Pictured, as a baby after the fire Terri required more than 40 skin grafts and is one of only a few people in the world to survive such extensive burns. Pictured, aged three She added: 'It's scary to be a mum and I never thought I would be able to be one. But it is great and I love it. She's a good girl.' Richard got down on one knee and proposed at her 21st birthday party, catching her slightly off-guard. The couple are to finally marry on July 18, with more than 100 friends and relatives invited to celebrate on the big day. 'In previous relationships my partners have never really understood me or what happened to me,' explained Terri. 'Obviously I've only got the one leg now, but Richard took it really well and he understands me. 'But no one thought we would get this far as a couple.' Terri now volunteers three days a week at the RSPCA charity shop in Sudbury, Suffolk, and owns two beloved dogs. She has been targeted by 'trolls' on social media in recent years, but the inspirational young woman is keeping her head held high. Terri commented: 'Sometimes it has been difficult to build relationships with people, especially when I was younger. But I'm much more confident in myself now.' Full time carer Richard said he loved everything about her and described her as a 'fighter'. 'I could never meet a nicer woman than Terri,' he explained. 'I can't wait to marry her and I'm really excited about the big day. It has taken a lot of planning.' Terri is continuing to undergo operations on her damaged skin, but said she had become more comfortable with how she looks. Terri's burns were so severe that fire-fighters at the scene thought she was a charred doll lying in a cot. Pictured, in Februry 2011 18 months old, Terri received 90% burns after her mother Julie Minter, accidentally started the fire by leaving a lit cigarette in her daughter's bedroom at their Ipswich home. Pictured, aged 12 'I wouldn't take my leg off at first in front of Richard,' she said. 'But he made me feel really comfortable very quickly and now I take my wig and my leg off at night. He really does love me.' Terri has been overwhelmed by the support she has received over the years from friends, family and people all over the world. An appeal for her organised by the Ipswich Star newspaper had raised 500,000 for her care from well-wishers by 2012. 'The trust fund has been amazing, I have lost count of how much money people have raised for me,' said Terri. 'I have also been really surprised about how many people continue to send me nice messages of support. 'I even get messages now on Facebook still, with people from Canada or America, which is crazy. It means so much to me.' Teri was presented with a Pride of Britain child of courage award by the Duchess of York in 2004. Once married, she and Richard are hoping to find a bigger home in Halstead. Terri is also hoping to return to college to continue her animal care course, and in the future she wants another dog, and will continue her work with the RSPCA. Chile goes live with Global Fishing Watch by Christian Molinari March 18,2020 | Source: SeafoodSource Global Fishing Watch (GFW), the partnership between Google and the advocacy groups Oceana and SkyTruth, now features public vessel tracking data from Chile. The tracking data will include the countrys more than 700 fishing ships and over 800 vessels that provide support for aquaculture. Entering the GFW which tracks the movements of commercial fishing vessels in near real-time for anyone to remotely monitor, free of charge is a result of Oceana collaborating with Chiles government under the latters new law that looks to modernize the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service, Sernapesca, and is a follow-up of an agreement signed May 2019. Part of the law requires vessel monitoring systems (VMS) to be made publicly available. In a press release, Oceana lauded the launch of this previously private data as evidence of Chiles commitment to greater fishing transparency. Oceana has been working for many years to increase transparency in the fisheries sector and to establish large marine parks, Oceana Chile President Liesbeth van der Meer said. We believe that Global Fishing Watch will be a great tool to help local communities and other groups observe and evaluate the level of compliance in the recently created marine protected areas. GFW employs machine learning to interpret data from various vessel tracking sources, giving entities such as governments, fishery managers, seafood buyers, researchers, and nonprofit organizations an unprecedented view of global fishing activity by accessing the public map. Sharing this data publicly can be challenging due to its volume and complexity, Sernapesca Director Alicia Gallardo said. She added GFW was an effective way to disclose this data. The increased transparency allows for better control of illegal fishing, human trafficking and other threats facing the ocean, Oceana Chief Policy Officer Jacqueline Savitzsaid. Long, narrow Chile has a coastline of some 2,500 miles, and is the worlds eighth-largest fishing nation with approximately USD 6 billion (EUR 5.5 billion) in yearly seafood exports. It has three marine protected areas, which cover roughly 450,000 square miles and include a rich diversity of marine life. In 2017, Indonesia became the first country to make its proprietary VMS data available via GFWs platform, putting 5,000 smaller commercial fishing vessels that do not use Automatic Identification System (AIS) on the map. Peru followed in October 2018, and Panama shared its VMS data in October 2019. Costa Rica and Namibia have made public commitments to join the GFW platform. 2020 Diversified Communications. All rights reserved. Theme(s): Others. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Denise Richards glammed up while social distancing inside The Q360 Club in Malibu on Tuesday. The 49-year-old mother-of-three flashed her mega-watt grin while wearing a white T-shirt promoting the non-profit cancer charity Go With Courage. Denise paired her sheer top with blue skinny jeans, and black booties. Big smile: The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Denise Richards glammed up while social distancing inside The Q360 Club in Malibu on Tuesday The Q360 Club was where she met her second husband Aaron Phypers, who serves as CEO of the holistic clinic claiming to make people and animals 'look younger,' 'heal disease,' and 'repair DNA' with 'light and sound therapy.' Richards returned from Spain once director Jose Luis Moreno shut down production on his medieval drama Glow and Darkness due to the coronavirus pandemic. 'I got out a day in time,' the Illinois-born beauty told Extra via FaceTime on Tuesday. 'It took me two days to get home. I went through London and, landing in LAX, I will say they were screening. It took quite some time to get out. They took my temperature once they heard where I was and the CDC was there...They definitely are screening people, I will assure everyone of that.' For a good cause: The 49-year-old mother-of-three flashed her mega-watt grin while wearing a white T-shirt promoting the non-profit cancer charity Go With Courage Put on some make-up: Denise paired her sheer top with blue skinny jeans, and black booties Boss: The Q360 Club was where she met her second husband Aaron Phypers, who serves as CEO of the holistic clinic claiming to make people and animals 'look younger,' 'heal disease,' and 'repair DNA' with 'light and sound therapy' (pictured January 6) Denise added: 'It was very surreal to be on the flight. I was on British Airways and they found out the UK was also involved in the ban as well. [I thought], "What are flight crews even doing once they land?"' As for her castmate, fellow Bond Girl Jane Seymour, Richards said the 69-year-old Golden Globe winner was 'doing good' and left a 'few days earlier because she was concerned about her health.' The Bold and the Beautiful actress and the Canadian 47-year-old are trying to keep their eight-year-old daughter Eloise and her teens Sam, 16; and Lola, 14 (with ex-husband Charlie Sheen) calm. 'The kids are happy to not be in school, but it's also caused a lot of anxiety,' Denise admitted. Halted: Richards returned from Spain once director Jose Luis Moreno (R) shut down production on his medieval drama Glow and Darkness due to coronavirus (posted Sunday) The Illinois-born beauty told Extra via FaceTime on Tuesday: 'I got out a day in time. It took me two days to get home. I went through London and, landing in LAX, I will say the [CDC] were screening. It took quite some time to get out. They took my temperature once they heard where I was' Denise added: 'It was very surreal to be on the flight. I was on British Airways and they found out the UK was also involved in the ban as well. [I thought], "What are flight crews even doing once they land?"' Fellow Bond Girl: As for her castmate Jane Seymour (R), Richards said the 69-year-old Golden Globe winner was 'doing good' and left a 'few days earlier' (posted on Sunday) 'I tell them this will pass. It will. We all just can't panic. It's something that the entire world is going through This is something none of us have experienced before.' Richard added: 'The silver lining is the reconnecting with everyone and also resetting and finding all the things we used to do in the olden days when we were kids.' RHOBH executive producer Andy Cohen announced Tuesday that the trailer for the 10th season - premiering April 15 on Bravo - will officially drop on Wednesday. 'We need every bit of positivity right now,' the 51-year-old WWHL host tweeted. 'I tell them this will pass': The Bold and the Beautiful actress and the Canadian 47-year-old are trying to keep their eight-year-old daughter Eloise and her teens Sam, 16; and Lola, 14 (with ex-husband Charlie Sheen) calm (pictured in 2019) Richard added: 'The silver lining is the reconnecting with everyone and also resetting and finding all the things we used to do in the olden days when we were kids' I want students and parents to know that [Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam] and I are committed to taking every step possible to minimize the impact of coronavirus on students and to ensure that our seniors are able to graduate, Lane said in a statement. This includes exploring exemptions from requirements unrelated to coursework for students due to graduate this spring. Trader Joe's frozen food, ranked. (Martina Ibanez-Baldor and Lucas Kwan Peterson / Los Angeles Times) 2020, if you haven't noticed, isn't going particularly well. Social distancing and self-quarantining are two gerunds we've all become very familiar with over the last weeks, and as far as food goes, it means one thing: You're eating at home more. Whether you're getting takeout from your favorite restaurants or scouring the CVS shelves for beans and hand sanitizer, we're all eating more meals on the couch. Which brings us to Trader Joes, the place for millennials who dont like to cook but do like to drink. Joe Coulombe, who died last month at 89, ingeniously created a chain where each branch somehow seems as friendly as a small-town grocery store. Hand-written signs, the signature Aloha-shirt uniform, the fact that employees are actually, you know, reasonably helpful and friendly. Their little Fearless Flyer newsletter, looking cribbed straight from the Farmers Almanac, as old-timey as a shop that spells the word shoppe, might distract you from the fact that the chain was sold in 1979 to the Albrecht family, founders of the multibillion-dollar German behemoth Aldi. I have a Martin Luther-esque list of grievances about the store: Why is it Trader Joe's-branded everything? Do you expect me to believe that yogurt and those peanut butter pretzels and that fried rice all came out of one magical factory in Monrovia? Why can't you buy, like, normal grocery store things like aluminum foil? But those are for another time. People are stressed out, and people gotta eat. Here are the scientifically proven and totally correct Trader Joes Frozen Food Power Rankings, freshly wiped down this morning with the last can of Clorox wipes on earth. I have tried no fewer than 37 different Trader Joes frozen food products (Did I omit your favorite? Im sure I did!), which I have ranked based on two metrics: 1) Taste and 2) Laziness Factor how easy was the prep and cleanup? (Factors in oven time if thats recommended. A higher ranking means its easier.) As Trader Ming would say, ! Story continues 1) Maitre Pierre Tarte dAlsace This very good take on an Alsatian tarte flambee or a flammkuchen will make you feel like youre a kid in eastern France, getting annexed all over again. Its a crispy, buttery dough base layer smeared with creme fraiche and sprinkled with Gruyere cheese and little batons of ham. This has been a staple of the T.J. frozen food pantheon for as long as I can remember, and for good reason: The flaky crust combines impeccably with the delicate onions, nutty cheese and sweet-smoky ham. Also: Maitre Pierre? Wheres Trader Jacques? 2) Korma fish curry Hey. This is a winner. Are those mustard seeds in that rice? Is the fish a swai (a freshwater shark catfish) fillet flaky and tender? Is that just the right balance of heat in the creamy, coconut-ty, tamarind-tinged sauce? The answer to all of these is a resounding yes, as is my response to the question, should I buy this? 3) Korean-style beef short ribs These marinated flaps of L.A. galbi (so-named because Koreans who moved to Los Angeles had to adjust to how meat was butchered in the U.S. and brought that flanken-style across-the-bone cut back to Korea) compellingly balance sweet and savory. The brown sugar in the marinade helps with the caramelization to the meat, offsetting the funky rice wine and garlicky thrust, but without getting into sticky teriyaki territory. The prep and cleanup is a little tough, but its worth it to feel like youve landed a seat at a totally decent Hawaiian lunch counter somewhere. 4) Cauliflower gnocchi Slow clap. Count me as a member of the Sarcastic Clapping Family of Southampton , because Im duly impressed. I had my doubts about this product because of its popularity (one of the bestselling items, according to the Trader Joes crew leader I spoke to at my local store), but I was surprised how good these are. Unlike the prep of other frozen T.J. gnocchi, wherein you just toss the little suckers into a hot pan, these cauliflower gnocchi are steamed back to life first before they get crisped up in the pan. The extra step results in a mouthfeel that could nearly convince you that they werent from the freezer. If youre generally a fan of the bitter pepperiness of Brassica oleracea, which includes cabbage and Brussels sprouts, youre going to like these. Served with cheese sprinkled on top, they conjure broccoli, but youll probably be happier dousing them in sauce TJs jarred arrabiata or its frozen turkey bolognese arent bad choices. 5) Butter chicken with basmati rice Butter chicken isnt as complex or interesting as some (many?) other Indian dishes, but it, like kung pao chicken, has broad appeal. And this is an earthy, satisfying, faithful representation of the dish. Butter chicken was supposedly created in the kitchen of Moti Mahal , a Delhi restaurant that opened in 1947. The sauce in this rendition has a tomato-inflected creaminess and some slight smokiness to give it depth. Would I like it if the sauce werent quite so thin? I would, but I cant carp about the flavor. The rice holds up well, even after half an hour in the oven. (Martina Ibanez-Baldor and Lucas Kwan Peterson / Los Angeles Times) 6) Chicken & mushroom pelmeni I enjoyed these but I am a fan of pelmeni. These cute, aural Russian dumplings pelmeni comes from a word that translates to ear bread are stuffed with a bouncy-textured filling that almost crosses the line into rubbery but manages not to go too far. Theres a nice dill flavor to the dish, which cuts the salt and umami of the chicken and mushroom filling. ! 7) Fiery chicken curry Described as a Goan-inspired recipe with turmeric rice the fiery chicken mostly delivers. The sweet and sour tomato-based sauce, flavored with tamarind, lulls you into satiation before a sneaky heat comes over and backhands you. Its slightly more herbal and bitter than some of the other T.J. curries and good if you want a little extra kick. 8) Chicken cilantro mini wontons Cute is an operable descriptor for these tiny, adorable little meat pockets. Theyre not that different than most of the other T.J. dumpling offerings, but theres an added herbal tanginess to the filling imparted by the cilantro. You do, of course, have to not be one of those people who thinks cilantro tastes like soap. 9) Palak paneer Whats with the Indian food at Trader Joes? Its better than any other category of frozen food in the store by, like, a metric ton. This palak paneer, spiced with fenugreek and turmeric, has the right amount of heat in the creamy, slightly grassy spinach. Cheese cubes, swimming in the sea of green, add a pleasing squeak. 10) Burrata, prosciutto & arugula flatbread In an interesting prep experience, you completely remove the prosciutto package before backing the flatbread, then add the somewhat skimpy meat portion to the completed product. The cheese mixture is sharp and tangy, but the arugula, after sitting in a hot oven, essentially has all the oomph of spinach, totally lacking any peppery sharpness. The ham imparts needed salt and the overall flavor is good, with an above-average crust, but Tombstone isnt quaking in their boots over it. 11) Spanikopita In the hard to mess up category, its still important to acknowledge when something is done right. Frozen phyllo dough crisps up awesomely in the oven, and the slick, cheesy spinach filling is no better or worse than we need it to be. Serve these up at a little dinner party for your friends and make them think youre fancier and more skilled in the kitchen than you are. (Actually, they wont be fooled and will 100% know you got these from Trader Joes but hey, its not like they invited you over!) 12) Joes Diner Mac N Cheese This doesnt look like much going into the oven, and it doesnt look like much coming out, either: a tray of lumpy, alabaster slop. But it has the pleasing graininess that only thiamine mononitrate has, as well as satisfying gooey stretchiness. Its souped-up cafeteria fare, better than Kraft or Velveeta, but not quite Diner in its quality or evocation of warmth and comfort. 13) Trader Giottos gnocchi al gorgonzola To Trader Giotto I ask this: Perche? Perche non dai piu sapore? This gnocchi gets a passing grade, barely, because the combination of cheesy-creamy-salty is rarely a bad one. But it lacks teeth and the punch and funk that the word gorgonzola promises. Speaking of teeth, the bite on these frozen gnocchi is off. They are bouncy and squeaky, like a dog chew toy or a racquetball. Thankfully the prep on these, like a lot of the pastas, is easy: Dump the contents of the bag in a pan and stir. (Martina Ibanez-Baldor and Lucas Kwan Peterson / Los Angeles Times) 14) Channa masala This version of the Indian chickpea dish is heavy-handed with the cumin and a little too sweet, but its filling and robustly spiced. Its one of the weaker entries in the (extremely strong) Indian food lineup at T.J., though the chickpeas dont reconstitute as nicely as they should. Instead of tender, the texture is mealy and grainy, like an old French fry. Opt instead for one of the comparably excellent fish or chicken curries. 15) Trader Giottos authentic Italian penne arrabiata If your foodie fantasies tend to be spicy, reads the packaging, Trader Giottos Italian penne arrabiata may just be the pasta of your dreams! May is the operative word here, and its doing an awful lot of lifting in this sentence. Are we so lazy as a society that we cant boil pasta, open a jar of marinara and throw some chile flakes in it? Apparently so. The sauce is bright and a little spicy but Im slightly afraid of the greater societal implications of this frozen dinner. 16) Chicken gyoza potstickers The La Brea Tar Pits literally translates to The The Tar Tar Pits. I mention this because gyoza are dumplings and potstickers are dumplings and so the name of this product is, effectively, chicken dumplings dumplings. Why the redundancy? Are they trying to cover their SEO bases by name-checking both Japanese and Chinese foodstuffs? Like the Beatles album Yellow Submarine these are not going to be anyones favorite, but theyll do in a pinch when nothing else is around. And they stay together in the pan, which is a win for any bag of frozen dumplings. Fry for best results. 17) Yellow jackfruit curry with jasmine rice A reasonable vegan option coconut-ty, creamy and somewhat spicy but the eggplant in the mix dominates and it could use a little more of the meaty jackfruit. 18) Trader Giottos linguine with pesto & tomatoes Im slightly shocked by the look of most of T.J.s pasta dishes while theyre still in frozen form: The sauce is frozen separately into about a dozen silver-dollar-sized discs and scattered throughout the icy pasta. The effect is that it looks like play food, something that would be scattered around the floor of a childs toy kitchen. The pesto has an aggressive basil flavor and a slight grassiness. It needs more of another ingredient to balance that out more cheese? Butter? Pine nuts? Giotto could have done better with this one, but itll do in a pinch. 19) Tempura shrimp with soy dipping sauce Ten little shrimp soldiers come lined up side-by-side in plastic foam packs. Heated, they lack the delicate, intricate structure and lightness of better-battered tempura. The sauce is overly gloppy and sweet. Is it unrealistic to expect more from Trader Joes freezer case? Probably, but if we cant put high standards on our multibillion-dollar conglomerates, where can we? 20) Trader Giottos linguine with clam sauce While not sharp or garlicky enough, it doesnt overtly offend. Like many of the T.J. pastas, they come in frozen pasta nests that are cooked and slowly unravel in the pan. There are a few springy clams in there, but this pasta alle vongole misses any of the rich brininess you want from the dish. When the linguini hits your plate and it dont taste too great, thats a-disappointment! (Martina Ibanez-Baldor and Lucas Kwan Peterson / Los Angeles Times) 21) Scallion pancakes (pa jeon) Theres a lot thats wrong here, the main thing being that these conflate the Chinese cong you bing, scallion pancake, with the Korean pajeon. Pajeon are made with a batter, not dough, so theyre a lot different than most Westerners ideas of what scallion pancakes are and will probably lead to a lot of confused shoppers. This doesnt taste terrible, but it suffers the problem most undistinguished pajeons suffer: too bready and not enough green onion. The batter should serve the veggies and not the other way around; give me a pancake thats completely green and lousy with scallions, and Ill show you a happy man. 22) Peruvian style chimichurri rice Im not sure why chimichurri, a condiment most typically seen alongside Argentine food, is attributed to Peru in this frozen offering. Then again, Im not sure why they use the wrong accents on creme fraiche on the packaging either. (Creme fraiche, or CRAY-m fresh, is how Trader Joes spells it). Is that overly pedantic? Sure, but I am a man who just ate 37 frozen dinners. The chimichurri in question isnt particularly chimichurri-like, totally lacking in any allium wallop. Instead, it leans mild, peppery and cilantro-y more of a mild, creamy aji sauce. The prep is easy and the overall tomato flavor doesnt offend, but it tastes like someone dumped too much citric acid into this, giving the dish a punchy but unconvincing feel. 23) Cuisine Adventures French onion soup I was psyched to see that this was even an option frozen French onion soup? The greatest of all soups with none of the work? My next reaction was to wonder exactly how this was going to work. It turns out you get a frozen cylinder of soup, vacuum-packed in plastic. You unwrap the soup lump and place it directly into a cup or bowl, and then bake. In theory, this is ingenious. In practice, it falls short. The cheese is rubbery, the broth is so-so, and the croutons are practically nonexistent, having almost completely disintegrated in the soup after 40 minutes in the oven. Is disappointing French onion soup better than none at all? 24) Trader Joes potato pancakes I love a good latke, but I want to actively feel the shreds of potato breaking between my teeth not the mushiness of bready batter. They crisp up promisingly in the pan, but the mealiness inside is real. 25) Trader Mings Mandarin Orange Chicken One of the crew members at my local store asserted that this is the most popular item it sells. But why? Its not awful, but it lacks the appeal and craveability of its cooler cousin at Panda Express, to which comparisons will inevitably be drawn. The sauce on this dark meat chicken is a little too tangy, a little too sharp It almost crosses the line into stomach acid territory. The breading on the meat is, thankfully, not overly thick, but thats not enough to get this into my reusable bag. Oh, and one more thing: The name of this product can go straight to hell. Trader Mings? The racism is less offensive than the inaccuracy. Anyone with a modicum of knowledge of Chinese knows that the name clearly should be, if anything, Trader Zhous. 26) Chicken chilaquiles rojo The sauce is average, the chicken in these has a forcemeat quality, but the real issue is with the chips that are crumbled to bits right out of the package and dissolve to practically nothing in the cooking process. I also enjoy how the cooking instructions tell you to cook this until an internal temperature of 165 F has been reached, which is a sneaky bit of legalese. If youre eating frozen chilaquiles, what are the chances youre using a reliable instant-read thermometer? 27) Stacked eggplant Parmesan The box on this stacked eggplant parm makes a lot of promises and doesnt deliver on any of them. The eggplant is cut far too thick I dont need to feel like Im eating a steak. The eggplant should be thin enough to nicely caramelize and almost (but not quite) fall apart. Instead, this eggplant is stacked like a Big Mac in a soup of tomato-bread mush. Theres not nearly enough cheese and a sharp, reedy basil flavor overpowers everything. 28) Chicken Chile Verde Burritos I usually use the oven over a microwave but I went the radioactive route on this dish because, 30 minutes to heat up a burrito? Do I look like Methuselah? But I fear no appliance would have helped these burritos, which are filled with a slurry that has the taste and consistency of turkey jook. Thats not a problem per se, but it isnt what I signed up for. I dont get much chili flavor, and the gummy tortilla is far too thick and dominates the proceedings. (Martina Ibanez-Baldor and Lucas Kwan Peterson / Los Angeles Times) 29) Mini vegetable samosas Cumin mush are the two operative words in this, the sole disappointing T.J. Indian food I tried during this tasting. They crisp up somewhat decently in the oven, but are filled with an over-cuminated pulp thats hard to get excited about. 30) Beef shepherds pie The shepherd has sheep, which is why their pies are usually filled with lamb. I imagine the people from TJs corporate probably felt a gamier meat like lamb would be a hard sell, so they went with beef instead. Does it help? Not really. Theres an Armed Forces-like chipped beef quality to meat, the veggies arent substantial enough to get anyones attention and the mashed potato covering the top has a funny, grainy texture. You hate to see it. 31) Chipotle vegetable quesadillas While not overtly offensive, the casing of these quesadillas is about five times thicker than it needs to be, more pita than tortilla. The insides are an uninspiring glop of queso mixed with vegetables, and the chipotle is AWOL. 32) Mushroom & black truffle flatbread Truffles AND mushrooms? Why? The truffle taste is ... so powerful. I was curious as to how anything containing more than a modicum of truffle could cost just $4.49, so I checked the ingredient list. They sneakily list Latin fungus names on the back without explaining what all of them are Tuber aestivum (summer truffle), but also Agaricus bisporus (portobellos) and Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushrooms). Theres none of the sweet nutty aroma you want from a truffle, and the overall flavor is one of old porcinis. Get a rich aunt to take you out to a fancy restaurant where they have the real deal. 33) Trader Giottos pizza margherita This screams bad buffet or subpar 7-Eleven. While theres only a seven-minute bake time, you end up with a stiff crust covered in a pasty sauce and plasticky discs of cheese that dont melt properly. Pass. 34) Creamy spinach & artichoke dip The dip comes in a cylinder, much like the French onion soup, and, much like the French onion soup, it misses the mark. Its far too thin and runny, and tastes like a weak cream of spinach soup from Corner Bakery. Wheres the cheese? Wheres the heft? This subpar offering limps along and coasts on name alone, a little like the Biden campaign thus far. 35) BBQ chicken pizza An institutional foam cracker covered in sad ketchup and some stray chicken. Theres absolutely none of the zing or brightness you need in a good BBQ chicken pizza. Next! 36) Honey walnut shrimp Oh, these are bad. These are real bad. Think pineapple, sour milk and shellfish. Imagine a big bowl of church-basement ambrosia. Now imagine someone spiked that with a bunch of warm shrimp. HARD PASS. 37) Philly cheesesteak bao buns Marry an ancient bao bun recipe with one of Americas favorite foods, it says on the package. The fluffy bao bun is the perfect vehicle for every beefy, cheesy bite, it says on the package. ALL LIES. The bao is as stiff and humorless as Mitch McConnell, and the insides filled with a slick, vile concoction that looks like the inside of a newborns diaper and only passingly resembles food. Any resemblance to a cheesesteak is purely coincidental. Let this be a lesson to those who like to throw darts at a board, pick two random names, and combine them into some sort of fusion-esque food sometimes two rights make a wrong! Clinical trials to test for a potential COVID-19 vaccine have kickstarted in the US and the first person who volunteered was 43-year old mum of two Jennifer Haller from Seattle. AP Reports state that Haller received the first of two injections on March 16. The medical trial is taking place at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle. A long-awaited study in healthy people testing a potential vaccine against the new coronavirus is underway in Seattle. Read and watch exclusive @AP coverage: https://t.co/6eWnjsMgJ9 pic.twitter.com/vs3EmsKSjs AP Health & Science (@APHealthScience) March 16, 2020 Apart from Haller, there are 45 healthy individuals to participate in phase one of the trial, which has been funded by the National Institutes of Health. The National Institutes of Health, an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, has been working with Moderna, which is a biotech company. Together, they used the genetic sequence of the new coronavirus and engineered a vaccine called mRNA-1273. We all feel so helpless. This is an amazing opportunity for me to do something, Jennifer Haller told AP before getting vaccinated. Her two children think its cool that shes taking part in the study. In an interview with the Refinery Jennifer Haller said, "It was about two weeks ago that they put out a call for volunteers. A friend of mine posted it on Facebook, so I immediately filled out the survey. The next day I got a phone call to review my health history." AP The vaccine candidate, code-named mRNA-1273, is not the only potential vaccine in the pipeline. Dozens of research groups around the world are racing to create a vaccine against COVID-19. Another candidate, made by Inovio Pharmaceuticals, is expected to begin its own safety study next month in the U.S., China and South Korea. The Seattle experiment got underway days after the World Health Organization declared the new virus outbreak a pandemic because of its rapid global spread, which has infected more than 169,000 people and killed more than 6,500. All Inputs AP Layoffs and cutting costs... companies are trying to adapt as the coronavirus hits demand and the draconian measures taken to contain the spread of the illness undercut both production and demand. With the economic impact of the coronavirus threatening the survival of many firms, governments have pledged tens of billions to help them limp along, or failing that, to bankroll outright rescues or nationalisation if necessary. Here are some measures companies have implemented. - Suspending production - Several industrial giants, in particular in the automobile industry, have moved to reduce or even suspend their production. French automobile manufacturer Peugeot-Citroen is shutting down all of its production sites in Europe, and Italian-US carmaker Fiat Chrysler with which it is in the process of merging, intends to close most of its facilities in Europe. Germany's VW said Tuesday it would shutter most of its European plants for two to three weeks. France's Renault is halting production at plants in France, Spain and Slovenia. Tyre giant Michelin is halting production at its sites in Spain, France and Italy for at least a week. Airbus said it was suspending work at its French and Spanish plants for four days to take measures to improve workplace safety in light of the coronavirus. Even the luxury industry is taking steps. Gucci, part of the Kering group, is closing all of its sites until March 20. Meanwhile Hermes is shutting its manufacturing sites until the end of the month. In Germany, long-distance bus companies Flixbus and Blablabus said they were halting services to and from Germany as new travel restrictions take effect. - Reduced hours, forced leave, layoffs - Italian shipyard Fincantieri, which has also halted output, has asked its workers to use their annual vacation time. Airlines have been been hit by a double-whammy: plunging demand and sweeping travel restrictions imposed by governments. They have taken different measures to adapt. Russian airline Aeroflot has asked employees who have accumulated extra time off to use it. Air France says it will look at reducing working hours, a measure that several countries have facilitated with easier access to state benefits for workers now forced into part-time work. Low-cost airline Ryanair, which has forecast an 80 percent drop in flights for April and May, said it is looking at that option along with voluntary departures and temporarily suspending work contracts. Forcing workers into unemployment temporarily is also an option that several countries have made easier, with Volkswagen Spanish subsidiary Seat taking that course when it began having trouble receiving parts. UK mobile phone retailer Dixons Carphone meanwhile said it was axing 2,900 jobs as it faces "turbulent times". - Cost cutting - Firms have also moved swiftly to cut costs. Air France-KLM, which is being forced to cut as many as 90 percent of flights, has said it will reduce its planned investments for 2020 by 350 million euros and make 200 million euros in savings elsewhere as it seeks to ensure it has enough cash on hand. Firms are not sparing shareholders from the pain either. Lufthansa, which is chopping as much of 90 percent of flights, said it would not distribute a dividend from 2019 earnings as it seeks to keep hold of cash. - State support - Companies are not hesitating to take up offers of state support. German tourism giant TUI, which employs 70,000 people worldwide and has suspended the "majority" of its operations over the coronavirus, has made a request for state aid. Germany's government has promised "unlimited" loans to stricken firms via the state bank KfW. US airlines have asked for a $50-billion bailout. The Italian government said it intends to re-nationalise the bankrupt former national carrier Alitalia under an emergency economic rescue plan for the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, France stands ready to nationalise large companies "if necessary", Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Tuesday. In the UK however, long-struggling clothing and household goods retailer Laura Ashley Holdings collapsed into near bankruptcy as refinancing talks failed. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The global intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) market size is expected to reach USD 474.3 million by 2025 at a 6.1% CAGR during the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Rising investments in the medtech industry, increasing R&D activities, and surge in product launches are key factors driving the market. Emerging economies have been offering new investment avenues to global market players. Developing healthcare infrastructure and increasing patient pool are driving demand for advanced medical devices in these countries. Point of contact (POC) ultrasound is used for diagnostic procedures generally involving portable ultrasound devices. It is relatively cheaper and can be widely used in patient care. IVUS ultrasound is one such device, which is smaller and can be used to detect abnormalities in the vascular system. Some of the key players in this market are Koninklijke Philips N.V.; GE Healthcare; Hitachi, Ltd., Fujifilm Medical Systems; Boston Scientific Corporation; Siemens Healthineers; and Canon Medical Systems Corporation.In June 2017, GE Healthcare and Heartflow announced a partnership for the diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease. Further Key Findings from the Study Suggest: The intravascular ultrasound market was valued at USD 298.9 million in 2017 and is expected to grow lucratively over the forecast period By product, the accessories segment is anticipated to grow at the fastest rate over the forecast period. It is also the largest product segment On the basis of end use, the diagnostic centers segment is anticipated to register the fastest growth over the forecast period, owing to increasing establishments of standalone diagnostic centers Asia Pacific is expected to exhibit the highest CAGR of 7.7% over the forecast period owing to improved healthcare infrastructure, rising disposable income, and investments from global market players. Request a Sample Copy of the Global Intravascular Ultrasound Market Research Report @ www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/intravascular-ultrasound-ivus-devices-market/request/rs1 Grand View Research has segmented the global IVUS market on the basis of modality, product, end use, and region: Intravascular Ultrasound Modality Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Virtual Histology IVUS iMap IVUS Integrated Backscatter IVUS Intravascular Ultrasound Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Consoles Accessories Catheters Guidewires Others Intravascular Ultrasound End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Hospital Diagnostic Centers Academic and Research Institutes Intravascular Ultrasound Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany U.K. Asia Pacific Japan China Latin America Brazil Mexico Middle East and Africa (MEA) South Africa Saudi Arabia Access full research report on global intravascular ultrasound market: www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/intravascular-ultrasound-ivus-devices-market Angela Merkel today declared coronavirus the 'biggest challenge for Germany since WWII' in a televised address to the nation. The Chancellor urged Germans to heed the stringent confinement measures imposed this week as the number of infections in her country soared over 11,000 today, including 28 deaths. 'The situation is serious. Take it seriously. Not since German reunification, no, not since the Second World War, has our country faced a challenge that depends so much on our collective solidarity,' the veteran leader said in her first-ever direct television appeal to the nation. 'I truly believe we can succeed in this task, if all citizens truly understand their own tasks,' Merkel added. Angela Merkel said this evening: 'The situation is serious. Take it seriously. Not since German reunification, no, not since the Second World War, has our country faced a challenge that depends so much on our collective solidarity' A police vehicle patrol the A12 motorway as trucks are stuck in a traffic jam stretching more than 65 km towards Berlin from the German-Polish border near the eastern German town of Frankfurt (Oder) due to travel restrictions to counteract the spread of COVID-19 on Wednesday A health official checks temperatures of people arriving on foot or by car crossing the Polish-German border from the eastern German town of Frankfurt Federal and local governments have shut down schools, many businesses and public spaces in recent days in increasingly desperate attempts to slow the spread of the virus. The country has however stopped short of ordering people to stay home, in contrast with the tougher restrictions introduced in France, Belgium, Italy and Spain. But Germans have continued to go outside to enjoy the spring sunshine and socialise, highlighting the authorities' struggle to hammer home the message that people must avoid social contacts. Merkel, who hails from Germany's former communist East, said she understood how hard it was to give up 'hard-fought rights' like freedom of movement and travel. Such decisions were never taken lightly in a democracy, she said, and could only be temporary. 'But they are necessary right now to save lives.' Trucks on the A12 highway stand backed up approximately 70km before Germany's border to Poland on Wednesday A single man walks on a platform of the subway station Hafencity University in Hamburg, Germany Her speech echoed that of French President Emmanuel Macron, who in a sombre address on Monday likened the outbreak to war and ordered almost the entire population to stay at home for at least two weeks. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for public health warned there could be 10 million cases within two to three months if people do not avoid contact. 'Germany has an excellent health system,' Merkel said, thanking doctors and other medical workers 'on the front line for us in this battle'. Nevertheless, 'even our hospitals will be overwhelmed if too many patients are brought in with serious symptoms of the coronavirus in a short time,' the conservative leader added. To ramp up medical capacity, German state and federal governments announced steps Wednesday to double intensive respiratory care and commandeer new spaces for treatment. In this aerial view trucks on the A12 highway stand backed up approximately 70km before Germany's border to Poland on March 18, 2020 near Spreenhagen, Germany Germany currently has around 25,000 intensive care beds with respiratory capacity, and Berlin has ordered thousands of new respirators to boost that number. In a separate statement, federal and state officials said spaces like hotels, rehabilitation centres and public halls could be converted into spaces for treating people with milder symptoms. In her speech, Merkel reiterated that Berlin 'will do everything it can to cushion the economic impact and preserve jobs' and discouraged citizens from hoarding. 'Even if some (supermarket) shelves are emptied on one day, they will be replenished,' she promised, adding her thanks to those working in the food industry. Merkel's announcement comes after French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe detailed the measures of his nation's own measures contained in its coronavirus bill. Merkel's announcement comes after French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe (pictured) detailed the measures of his nation's own measures of its coronavirus bill Speaking from Elysee Palace, Mr Philippe said: 'Our country is going through a health crisis unprecedented in a century. This crisis requires strong measures to prevent, contain and manage the epidemic.' A 'state of health emergency' will be declared by decree in the Council of Ministers after the adoption of the bill. This will mean that the Prime Minister will be able to enforce 'the general measures limiting the freedom to come and go, the freedom to undertake and the freedom of assembly and allowing to proceed to the requisitions of all goods and services necessary in order to fight against the health catastrophe'. Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2020) - Bonavista Energy Corporation (TSX: BNP) ("Bonavista" or the "Company") has worked extensively over the past twelve months in an effort to realign its near term debt maturities and maintain adequate liquidity to continue ordinary course operations in extraordinary market conditions. As part of these efforts, Bonavista issued a draw request for $175 million available under its existing $500 million bank credit facility (the "Facility") with a syndicate of eight Canadian banks consisting of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce ("CIBC"), The Toronto-Dominion Bank, Royal Bank of Canada, Bank of Montreal, The Bank of Nova Scotia, National Bank of Canada, Alberta Treasury Branches and Caisse Centrale Desjardins (the "Banking Syndicate"). Notwithstanding Bonavista's belief that the draw down conditions under the Facility were met, CIBC (the administrative agent) advised Bonavista that the draw request would not be honoured by the Banking Syndicate. Bonavista is currently in discussions with our creditors to provide a facility to meet its operating liquidity requirements over the next several months, while concurrently we continue to create a path forward to reorganize our near term debt maturities. Bonavista's capital budget announced on February 13th, 2020 has contemplated only modest maintenance capital spending over the next few months. All measures mentioned above are intended to provide us with liquidity, sustainability and the stability required to navigate the recent and unprecedented global market challenges. FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION Except for the historical and present factual information contained herein, the matters set forth in this news release, relating to our future plans including, our plans to pursue other options, including obtaining an operating facility and a reorganization of our near term debt maturities, that such options will preserve liquidity, sustainability and stability and our 2020 capital spending plans are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based on certain assumptions, which management considers reasonable, and include, among others, our ability to access sufficient capital. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause our actual performance to differ materially from such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, volatility of commodity prices, currency fluctuations, stock market volatility, and our ability to access sufficient capital. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing lists of factors are not exhaustive. Additional information on these and other factors that could affect our operations or financial results are included in reports on file with applicable securities regulatory authorities and may be accessed through the SEDAR website (www.sedar.com). 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 forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and we disclaim any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT Jason E. Skehar President & CEO or Dean M. Kobelka Vice President, Finance & CFO Bonavista Energy Corporation 1500, 525 - 8th Avenue SW Calgary, AB T2P 1G1 Phone: (403) 213-4300 Website: www.bonavistaenergy.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/53568 The Executive Board of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) elected Milton Guerry of SCHUNK USA as new President. Klaus Koenig of KUKA Robotics has been appointed as IFR's new Vice President. "I feel very honored to serve as new IFR President and look forward to a successful collaboration with Klaus Koenig and our IFR members," says Milton Guerry. He held the position of IFR Vice President since December 2019. Milton succeeds Steven Wyatt (ABB, Switzerland), who is leaving ABB. Steven held the rotating post of President since December 2019 and prior to that served on a two-year term as IFR's Vice President. Milton Guerry thanked Steven Wyatt for his many years of successful work for the International Federation of Robotics: "Steven did a wonderful job to support the world of robotics. He inspired the robotics industry and their stakeholders, such as the representatives of national robotics associations from all over the globe, delegates of robot manufacturers and research institutes as well as the media. We will continue his mission to further improve the understanding of the rapidly changing world of robotics and automation." Milton Guerry heads the SCHUNK USA team as its President based in Morrisville, North Carolina. He joined SCHUNK in 2000 and has held various leadership roles, assuming his current role as President in 2007. Milton is a member of the Robotic Industries Association's (RIA) Board of Directors. He began his career in the automotive industry in a number of engineering and technical functions. Klaus Koenig serves as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KUKA's Robotics division based in Augsburg, Germany. He joined KUKA AG in July 2017 as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Before, he had held various leadership positions in the German automotive industry. During his career he also took on international jobs, with multi-year assignments operating out of Canada and Italy. Klaus holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the University RWTH in Aachen, Germany. Download Please find pictures for download here: https://ifr.org/ifr-press-releases/news/ifr-elects-milton-guerry-as-new-president About IFR The International Federation of Robotics: www.ifr.org View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005043/en/ Contacts: IFR Press Office Carsten Heer econNEWSnetwork phone +49 (0) 40 822 44 284 E-Mail: press@ifr.org Bengaluru: High drama prevailed in Bengaluru, hours before Supreme Court took up hearing of Vote of Confidence by Madhya Pradesh government, when Bengaluru police detaining former MP Chief Minister Digvijay Singh and others. Singh, who landed in Bengaluru on Wednesday morning, along with Madhya Pradesh minister Mr Jitu Patwari and other Congress leaders tried to barge into Ramada Resorts near Yalahanka, where 22 MP Congress rebel MLAs are camping. There was verbal altercation between Mr Singh with the local police, when the entry was refused. Later, all the Congress leaders, including KPCC President D K Shivakumar were taken to Amruthalli police station, where they were detained. Trouble broke out when Bengaluru Rural SP Bhimashankar Guled tried to explain Singh that the Congress MLAs had given a letter saying that they did not wanted to meet anyone and they needed protection. However, Singh asked Guled to tell the names of MLAs, who had given him the letter. Speaking to reporters, Singh said that the MLAs had sent words to him, requesting for their release from captivity. He alleged that BJP MLA Aravind Bhadoriya had kept them captive here. "I am candidate for upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, for which voting will take place on March 24. They are all my voters and they wanted to meet me,'' he claimed. When Singh tried to barge into the closed gate of the resort, police detained him, along with D K Shivakumar and others. They were taken to Amruthalli police station for detention. Speaking to reporters, Shivakumar said that the police were acting at behest of the Chief Minister and there was no point in arguing with them. "We are not here to create any law and order situation. We have some problems and police are obstructing us from meeting MLAs. We will take up the issue with higher officials and file a complaint with Bengaluru city police commissioner,'' he added. Valmet Oyjs press release on March 17, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. EET Valmet has completed the co-determination negotiations in the Fabrics Business Units operations in Tampere, Finland. The negotiations were started on January 21, 2020. The target is to ensure the units profitability and future competitiveness. Valmet will relocate the dryer fabric and wide filter fabric production from Finland to Portugal. As a consequence of the relocation and re-organizing of the work, the need for workforce reduction in Tampere will be 78 persons mainly during 2021. In addition, the possibility for temporary lay-offs and part-time work remains if capacity adjustments need to be done later this year. For those affected by the reductions, Valmet will provide support measures like support for studies and re-employment. Earlier Valmet estimated that the co-determination negotiations would lead to a workforce reduction of 90 persons at the maximum and possible lay-offs and part-time work. Fabrics Business Unit employs altogether approximately 500 persons in Tampere. Fabrics develops and manufactures press felts, shoe press belts, dryer fabrics and wide filter fabrics in Tampere. Valmets location in Portugal, to which the dryer fabric and wide filter fabric production is relocated, develops and manufactures filter fabrics and other industrial textiles. VALMET Corporate Communications For further information, please contact: Aki Niemi, Business Line President, Services, Valmet, tel. +358 40 515 1145 Valmet is the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. We aim to become the global champion in serving our customers. Valmet's strong technology offering includes pulp mills, tissue, board and paper production lines, as well as power plants for bioenergy production. Our advanced services and automation solutions improve the reliability and performance of our customers' processes and enhance the effective utilization of raw materials and energy. Story continues Valmet's net sales in 2019 were approximately EUR 3.5 billion. Our more than 13,000 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers' performance forward - every day. Valmet's head office is in Espoo, Finland and its shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki. Read more www.valmet.com, www.twitter.com/valmetglobal Processing of personal data North American river otters are a species whose population can indicate how healthy (or not) the environment is. The otters experienced a steep drop in numbers in the 1900s because of fur trapping and pollution, but they are not considered endangered today. The nomadic animals often travel miles over land or through rivers and streams, seeking habitats with clean water and a healthy fish population. At Wednesdays briefing, a reporter also asked the president what he thought of an unnamed White House official referring to the coronavirus as the Kung Flu. Mr. Trump skirted that question before asserting that the Chinese probably would agree with the coronavirus as the Chinese virus, though Chinese officials have made it clear they do not. Medical historians and public health experts including some in Mr. Trumps administration have emphasized that pandemics have no ethnicity and stressed that associating them with an ethnic group can lead to discrimination. But since the beginning of the outbreak in Wuhan, Mr. Trump has repeatedly signaled in his public remarks that he viewed the virus as a foreign threat, and has repeatedly highlighted his early decision to close American borders to Chinese travelers. We closed it down to China, the source, very, very early, Mr. Trump said to reporters on Tuesday. Far earlier than even the great professionals wanted to do. And I think, in the end, thats going to be that will have saved a tremendous number of lives. But Yanzhong Huang, a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations, said Mr. Trumps travel measures fell far short of a comprehensive approach that would include testing and quarantines, and overall were too little, too late. The virus most likely emerged in China in November or December, and it is clear that some travelers from China were already spreading the virus within the United States in January, before the restrictions went into place at the beginning of February, Mr. Huang said. Still, since the beginning of the outbreak, Mr. Trump and high-ranking administration officials have sought to pinpoint blame for the spread of the virus on China, and Beijing has responded in kind. The finger-pointing over which country has done less to contain the disease has caused tensions between the two nations almost daily. - Ellen Adarna shared on Instagram an important update on her personal and family life - The celebrity mom expressed her concern after her recent trip to Bali, Indonesia - According to Ellen, shes happy to go back to the Philippines but is sad because she will undergo a two-week quarantine when she gets back to the country - The 14-day quarantine means that she will have to spend more time away from her family members and loved ones - The actress-model went to Bali to undergo mental training to help her in her battle with depression PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Ellen Adarna took to social media to share an important update on her personal and family life. KAMI learned that Ellen expressed her concern after her recent trip to Bali, Indonesia. The actress-model said that shes happy to go back to the Philippines but is sad because she will undergo a two-week quarantine when she gets back to the country. This means that she will have to spend more time away from her family members and loved ones. Happy Ill be home soon. But not really happy to be quarantined and away from my family for another 14 days. So close yet so far, Ellen posted on Instagram. PAY ATTENTION: Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! As previously reported by KAMI, Ellen went to Bali to undergo mental training to help her in her battle with depression. Ellen Adarna and John Lloyd Cruz left the showbiz world in 2017 to concentrate on their relationship and on their baby, Elias Modesto. However, rumors spread online last year that Ellen and John Lloyd are no longer a couple. Please like and share our amazing Facebook posts to support the KAMI team! Dont hesitate to comment and share your opinions about our stories either. We love reading about your thoughts and views on different matters! KAMI had a hilarious time with some Kapuso Stars who took on our Tricky Questions Challenge! Check out all of the exciting videos and celebrity interviews on our KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel! Source: KAMI.com.gh Those attacks on Washington and New York followed five weeks later by anthrax-laced letters sent to two senators prompted a sweeping review of doomsday planning for how to keep Congress running in the event of a terrorist attack or other calamity. The past few days have sparked anew talk about the continuity of Congress but against an entirely different threat a threat from within, literally, a virus that two members of the House announced late Wednesday that they had been diagnosed with, setting off a round of self-quarantining by other lawmakers. Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required! Stay logged in to skip the surveys. 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. Rebecca Panico may be reached at rpanico@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @BeccaPanico. Global economy has been severely affected with the rapid spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), with both supply and demand chain disruptions arising for goods and services. As increasing number of cases are being reported around the world, major stock market indices have fallen by more than 20% from their highs in last 2 months and have entered in the bearish territory/region. International oil prices have also crashed by more than 50% since World Health Organisations (WHO) first meeting on Covid-19 on 24 January amid lowering demands and increased supply glut. The effects of Covid-19 on global businesses are also becoming visible, with companies scaling down operations, asking employees to work home, slashing production targets. Sectors such as aviation, tourism, hospitality are particularly affected. In its interim economic assessment report in first week of march, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has estimated that COVID-19 will lower global GDP growth by 50 basis points for 2020 (from 2.9% in 2019 to 2.4%).100 basis points is equal to one percentage point. The Asian Development Bank, in a press release in the first week of March, stated that the Covid-19 outbreak would have significant impact on developing Asian economies. It had estimated a global economic loss of Covid-19 between $77 billion to 347 billion or 0.1% to 0.4% of global gross domestic product (GDP). Even with a moderate case estimate when precautionary behaviours are eased in 3 months, it had estimated that global losses could reach $156 billion or 0.2% of global GDP. It had stated that while China would account for $103 billion of those lossesor 0.8% of its GDP, the rest of developing Asia would lose $22 billion, or 0.2% of its GDP. Since the ADB release, the severity of the crisis has only intensified outside China, which may lead to revised estimations. According to a Goldman Sachs report (in the last week of February), the disruption in economic activity in China due to Covid -19 has resulted in the largest commodity demand shock since global financial crisis of 2008.The economic slowdown in China due to Covid-19 had resulted in both manufacturing and non-manufacturing activity Purchasing Manager Index (PMI) to fall to historic lows in February 2020. The PMI acts as economic indicator. According to a JP Morgan report, by its chief global strategist Dr David Kelly, the negative impact of the social distancing will be majorly felt in the second quarter of the calendar year 2020. The report says, The negative impact of social distancing should begin to hit the economy hard, with very sharp declines likely in cruises, airlines, hotels, casinos, sporting events, movies, theatres and restaurants among other industries. It predicts that all this will result in a negative quarter growth for both the United States and global economy which, in turn, would result in job losses in following months. The report predicts that the suddenness and severity of this economic slowdown could make unemployment rise at a faster pace. It also suggested that the impact of the virus on the economy and markets should also be softened by monetary and fiscal policy. Kristalina Georgieva, the managing director of International monetary Fund(IMF) in her recent blog suggested that additional fiscal stimulus by governments would be necessary to prevent long-lasting economic damage to the global economy. Acknowledging the fiscal measures already announced that are prioritizing health spending she stated that Governments should continue and expand these efforts to reach the most-affected people and businesseswith policies including increased paid sick leave and targeted tax relief. Apart from individual country actions, the IMF chief also suggested that as the virus spreads the case for a coordinated and synchronized global fiscal stimulus is becoming stronger by the hour. Fiscal stimulus is an attempt by government to increase economic activity by reducing taxes and increasing government spending activity. Gita Gopinath, chief economist of the International monetary Fund (IMF), in a blog last week, suggested targeted economic policies by governments to help affected households and businesses. While stating that borrowing costs could rise as banks suspect consumers and firms may be unable to repay their loans on a timely basis, the chief economist suggested, Central banks should be ready to provide ample liquidity to banks and nonbank finance companies, particularly to those lending to small- and medium-sized enterprises, which may be less prepared to withstand a sharp disruption. China province tightens quarantine to reduce infection from overseas People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 09:35, March 17, 2020 HEFEI, March 16 (Xinhua) -- East China's Anhui Province has tightened quarantine rules for people traveling from abroad in a bid to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. All people coming from abroad, regardless of their nationalities and whether they come directly to Anhui or via other cities nationwide, are subject to a 14-day centralized quarantine and nucleic acid testing, according to the foreign affairs office of the Anhui provincial government. With a recovery rate of 99.4 percent, the province was cleared of the COVID-19 patients on March 8. The new rule aims to curb the potential spread of the virus as the epidemic situation worsens in many foreign countries. The office called people who plan to return to Anhui or come to Anhui for study or work to stay where they are if possible. If they choose to proceed with their trips, they are advised to notify communities, schools or companies in Anhui in advance and take personal protection measures during the journeys. All people arriving from overseas should fill out the health information forms truthfully, the office said. Those who conceal information or refuse to be quarantined or treated will be punished, and all confirmed or suspected cases will be sent to designated hospitals for treatment, it said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address One of Irelands largest student landlord firms has refused rent refunds to students who have chosen to go home during the Covid-19 crisis. Student leaders at University College Cork (UCC) urged Uninest, which operates two large student residences in Cork, as well as complexes in Dublin and around Europe, to show compassion during the unprecedented global public health crisis. It comes as UCC confirmed Read More: UCC student union president, Ben Dunlea, described Uninests stance as "unfair and upsetting". "Some students, it must be remembered, have gone home to support or care for vulnerable parents," he said. UCC closed its campus last Thursday and introduced online teaching on Monday. When the announcement was made, some students returned to their family homes. The parent of one student who left his 9,000-a-year rented room in Uninests Amnis House on Corks Western Road said he contacted management at the complex to discuss a partial refund or a credit against next years rent. But he was told that Uninest is not able to refund the remainder of the room fee or arrange credit. In correspondence, they were told that Uninest understands if students decide to return home during this difficult time. "But as the building is still operating as normal, the room will legally be under the students name until the signed contract expires," they said. "We of course have had a lot of students decide to return to their family homes, but as it was their own decision, a refund is not applicable." The parent criticised the stance as "unfair" in the extreme. "Were not looking for a total refund - just some fair play given the circumstances," he said. "We will probably be able to take this hit but other families may not be in this fortunate position." Uninest was not available for comment today. Top of the line legal eagle, Congress leader and former Union Minister Kapil Sibal wears many hats, adept as he is at multi-tasking. Speaking to Sandeep Bamzai, Editor in Chief, and Executive Editor Deepak Sharma of IANS TV on several contentious issues, Sibal rejected the notion of religion being used as the basis of granting Indian citizenship, debunking the very template of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Using his long years of intellectual heft sharpened on the whetstone of law and legality, he explained why Ranjan Gogoi should not have accepted a Rajya Sabha nomination. According to him, it is ex-CJI Ranjan Gogoi who himself had said that any judge who accepts a sinecure would be a blot on the institution, which means it has now got nothing to do with law but his own credibility. Excerpts: Q. Mr Sibal, you have said that CAA does not necessarily impinge on the fundamental rights, but taken together with the NPR, the NRC is an issue? A. No, no I never said that. This morning I explained in an article where I said that in the history of the country or the democratic world, you will find that religion has never been the basis for citizenship and this is contrary to the basic structure of the Constitution. What is the basis of granting citizenship? That you were born in India, whether Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, or that your parents were born here -- they may be Hindu, Muslim whatever. Or you were residing here for 10 years as a Hindu or a Muslim or anybody. So both under the Constitution and the Citizenship Act of 1955, religion has never been the basis for grant of citizenship. So there is a fundamental constitutional issue which is now pending in the Supreme Court. Apart from that, the NPR/NRC issue will integrate into the CAA. The NPR will be the basis and then NRC will be prepared. The NPR is going to be prepared in such a fashion that even a low level officer will be entitled to say that, "I doubt the citizenship of this particular individual." The Home Minister said in the Parliament that he has given an assurance. But that assurance is of no value because under Rule 44 of the rules pursuant to a notification by the government of India under the Act, the power is given to the local registrar and enumerator to doubt the citizenship of anybody. Q. But he says there is no doubt, he keeps saying there is no doubt regarding this... A. But Rule 44 says he can be doubted by the officer concerned, so how does his assurance take away the statutory rule, unless he abrogates it? Q. Now many states have passed resolutions against it and the matter is pending in the Supreme Court. So where do you think this is headed, because what we have seen over time, particularly since it came into existence, is that today after so many years, India stands divided? A. Not just divided, we are really looking at non-issues. The real issues of the country... coronavirus, massive economic downturn, the global economy will probably go into a recession. No jobs, no earnings, so no revenues for the government. The government has to make expenditures. Where are they going to get their expenditures from? NPAs are rising so you sell your house silver. The silver of your nation. You sell them for a song, you sell them to foreign entities. So really, the East India Company is coming back in a manner by way of MNCs and big corporations buying up real estate and assets in India. So why is the nation concerned with NRC in the middle of such a crisis? I don't understand. Q. So would you like this to be abrogated? A. No, the PM's statement must be honoured that there will be no NRC and if there is no NRC, there need not be any population register to determine if a person is a citizen or not. Q. You are a legal luminary, so do you think a Chief Justice should accept this position only four months after retirement? There is a precedent as the same government appointed Justice Sathasivam as Governor and I don't remember CJIs being given sinecures in this manner. A. Let us not go into the legality of it. That will be the wrong question to ask and the wrong answer for me to give. The issue is of public perception and confidence of the people in the judicial system. We have seen a lot of controversies on Ranjan Gogoi when he was the CJI, very unsavoury controversies. One day on a holiday he presides over a Supreme Court bench in respect of his own cause and then a judicial order comes where his signature is not there and he gives a defence sitting in Court No 1. It's unheard of. There are many other issues. He went along with three other judges and said "future generations of the country will not spare us unless we tell them that the institution is in danger". He said if any judge accepts a position after retirement, it will be a blot on the institution. Having said all that and then accepting this, it has nothing to do with law but with credibility. Q. You equated him with Justice Khanna... A. I said in a tweet that we remember Justice Khanna because he dissented with the majority as life and liberty cannot be suspended. The verdict may have been legal but in public perception it was wrong. So if they say Justice Gogoi's nomination is legal, even then in public perception it is wrong. Q. What's the difference between Justice Ranganath Mishra's case and Justice Gogoi's case? A. Why do governments change? Because the earlier government made some mistakes, so the new government should not repeat those mistakes. It's like blood feuds in villages are sometimes justified by some people as revenge, but it's still a crime in the eyes of the law. So what is this argument of comparing Ranganath Mishra with Gogoi? What is wrong is wrong. By Ramzy Baroud March 17, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - I am a Zionist. You dont have to be a Jew to be a Zionist, current Democratic Presidential candidate, Joe Biden, said in April 2007, soon before he was chosen to be Barack Obamas running mate in the 2008 elections. Biden is, of course, correct, because Zionism is a political movement that is rooted in 20th-century nationalism and fascism. Its use of religious dogmas is prompted by political expediency, not spirituality or faith. Unlike US President, Donald Trump, or Bernie Sanders, Bidens only serious opponent in the Democratic primaries, Bidens stand on Israel is rarely examined. Trump has made his support for Israel the cornerstone of his foreign policy agenda since his inauguration into the White House in January 2017. The American President has basically transformed into Israels political genie, granting Tel Aviv all of its wishes in complete defiance of international law. Sanders, on the other hand, came to represent the antithesis of Trumps blind and reckless support for Israel. Himself Jewish, Sanders has promised to restore to the Palestinian people their rights and dignity, and to play a more even-handed role, thus ending decades of US unconditional support and bias in favor of Israel. But where does Biden factor into all of this? Below is a brief examination of Bidens record on Palestine and Israel in recent years, with the hope that it gives the reader a glimpse of a man that many Democrats feel is the rational alternative to the political imbalances and extremism of the Trump administration. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter August 1984: Palestinians and Arabs are to Blame Bidens pro-Israel legacy began much earlier than his stint as a vice-President or presidential candidate. When Biden was only a Senator from Delaware, he spoke at the 1984 annual conference of Herut Zionists of America. Herut is the forerunner of Israels right-wing Likud party. In his speech before the jubilant right-wing pro-Israel Zionist crowd, Biden derided the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Arab governments, for supposedly derailing peace in the Middle East. Biden spoke of three myths (that) propel U.S. policy in the Middle East which, according to the American Senator, are, the belief that Saudi Arabia can be a broker for peace, the belief that King Hussein (of Jordan) is ready to negotiate peace, and the belief that the Palestine Liberation Organization can deliver a consensus for peace. April 2007: I am a Zionist Time only cemented Bidens pro-Israels convictions, leading to his declaration in April 2007 that he is not a mere supporter of Israel as has become the standard among US politicians but is a Zionist himself. In an interview with Shalom TV, and despite his insistence that he does not need to be Jewish to be a Zionist, Biden labored to make connections with the Jewish State revealing that his son is married to a Jewish woman and that he had participated in a Passover Seder at their house, according to the Israeli Ynet News. March 2013: Qualitative Edge This commitment to Israel became better articulated when Biden took on greater political responsibilities as the US vice-president under Obamas administration. At a packed AIPAC conference in March 2013, Biden elaborated on his ideological Zionist beliefs and his presidents commitment to the Jewish state of Israel. He said: It was at that table that I learned that the only way to ensure that it could never happen again was the establishment and the existence of a secure, Jewish state of Israel. I remember my father, a Christian, being baffled at the debate taking place at the end of World War II .. that any country could object to the founding of Israel on the ruins of the Palestinian homeland. Thats why weve worked so hard to make sure Israel keeps its qualitative edge in the midst of the Great Recession. Ive served with eight Presidents of the United States of America, and I can assure you, unequivocally, no President has done as much to physically secure the State of Israel as President Barack Obama. December 2014: Moral Obligation In one of the most fiercely pro-Israel speeches ever given by a top US official, Biden told the annual Saban Forum at the Brookings Institution in Washington on December 6, 2014, that, If there werent an Israel, we would have to invent one. In his speech, Biden added a new component to the American understanding of its relationship with Israel, one that goes beyond political expediency or ideological connections; a commitment that is founded on moral obligation. Biden said, We always talk about Israel from this perspective, as if were doing (them) some favor. We are meeting a moral obligation. But it is so much more than a moral obligation. It is overwhelmingly in the self-interest of the United States of America to have a secure and democratic friend, a strategic partner like Israel. It is no favor. It is an obligation, but also a strategic necessity. April 2015: I Love Israel My name is Joe Biden, and everybody knows I love Israel, Biden began his speech at the 67th Annual Israeli Independence Day Celebration held in Jerusalem in April 2015. Sometimes we drive each other crazy, the US vice-president said in reference to disagreements between Israel and the US over Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahus refusal to halt construction of illegal Jewish settlements. But we love each other, he added. And we protect each other. As many of you heard me say before, were there no Israel, America would have to invent one. Wed have to invent one because you protect our interests like we protect yours. July 2019: US Embassy Stays in Jerusalem In response to a question by the news website, AXIOS, which was presented to the various Democratic party candidates, on whether a Democratic President would relocate the American embassy back to Tel Aviv, the Biden campaign answered: Vice President Biden would not move the American embassy back to Tel Aviv. But he would re-open our consulate in East Jerusalem to engage the Palestinians. October 2019: Support for Israel Unconditional In an interview with the Wall Street Journal on October 31, 2019, Biden was asked whether he agrees with the position taken by his more progressive opponent, Bernie Sanders, regarding US financial support to Israel and Jewish settlement. Sanders had said that, if elected president he would leverage billions of dollars in U.S. military aid to Israel to push Jerusalem to change its policies toward the Palestinians, The Hill news website reported. Bidens response was that, .. the idea that we would draw military assistance from Israel, on the condition that they change a specific policy, I find to be absolutely outrageous. No, I would not condition it, and I think its a gigantic mistake. And I hope some of my candidates who are running with me for the nomination I hope they misspoke or they were taken out of context. March 2020: Above Politics, Beyond Politics Bidens fiery speech before the pro-Israel lobby group, AIPAC, at their annual conference in March 2020, was a mere continuation of a long legacy that is predicated on his countrys blind support for Israel. Bidens discourse on Israel a mixture of confused ideological notions, religious ideas and political interests culminated in a call for American support for Israel that is above politics and beyond politics. Israelis wake up every morning facing an existential threat from their neighbors rockets from Gaza, just like this past week .. Thats why Ive always been adamant that Israel must be able to defend itself. Its not just critical for Israeli security. I believe its critical for Americas security. Palestinians need to end the rocket attacks from Gaza, Biden also said. They need to accept once and for all the reality and the right of a secure democratic and Jewish state of Israel in the Middle East. Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of five books. His latest is These Chains Will Be Broken: Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons (Clarity Press, Atlanta). Dr. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA), Istanbul Zaim University (IZU). His website is www.ramzybaroud.net Annapolis, MD; March 18, 2020--If you cleared fallen leaves from your lawn last fall, did you deposit them along the edge of your lawn, where grass meets woods? If you did, you might have unwittingly created an ideal habitat for blacklegged ticks. In areas of the United States where ticks that carry Lyme disease-causing bacteria are prevalent, residential properties often intermingle with forested areas, and ticks thrive in the "edge habitats" where lawn and woods meet. While many homeowners heed the advice to clear their lawns of fallen leaves in autumn to avoid creating tick-friendly habitat in high-use areas, a new study on tick abundance in leaf litter says raking or blowing leaves just out to the forest edge is not enough. "Our study showed that the common fall practice of blowing or raking leaves removed from lawns and landscaping to the immediate lawn/woodland edges can result in a three-fold increase in blacklegged tick numbers in these areas the following spring," says Robert Jordan, Ph.D., research scientist at the Monmouth County (New Jersey) Mosquito Control Division and co-author of the study published today in the Journal of Medical Entomology. Instead, Jordan and co-author Terry Schulze, Ph.D., an independent medical entomologist, suggest homeowners either take advantage of municipal curbside leaf pickup (if available), compost their leaves, or remove leaves to a location further into the woods or further away from high-use areas on their property. "The thing homeowners need to keep in mind is that accumulations of leaves and other plant debris provide ideal host-seeking and survival conditions for immature blacklegged ticks," says Jordan. In their new study, Jordan and Schulze set up test plots on three residential properties in Monmouth County, New Jersey, in the fall of 2017 and 2018. Each property had plots at both the forest edge and deeper within the wooded area. Some edge plots were allowed to accumulate leaves naturally, while others received additional leaves via periodic raking or leaf blowing. These "managed" edge plots resulted in leaf-litter depths two to three times that of the natural edge and forest plots. The researchers then compared the presence of nymphal (juvenile) blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) and lone star ticks (Amblyomma americanum) in the test plots the following spring. In both years, the results for lone star tick nymphs were inconsistent, but the number of blacklegged tick nymphs in the managed edge plots was approximately three times that of the natural edge and forest plots. "While we expected to see more ticks along lawn edges with deeper leaf-litter accumulation, we were surprised about the magnitude of the increase in ticks that resulted from leaf blowing or raking," Jordan says. Fallen leaves provide blacklegged ticks with suitable habitat via higher humidity and lower temperatures within the leaf litter, as well as protection from exposure over winter. Previous research, meanwhile, has shown that people more commonly encounter ticks on their own properties than in parks or natural areas. And that, Jordan says, is a major reason why he and Schulze have been evaluating a variety of residential tick-prevention strategies in recent years. Landscape management is an important--and affordable--strategy to keep ticks at bay, he says. "On properties with considerable leaf fall, the best option would be complete removal of leaves from areas most frequently used--such as lawns, outdoor seating areas, and in and around play sets," Jordan says. "If this is not possible or practical, leaf piles should be placed in areas least frequently used. Where neither of these options is possible, or where leaf fall is minimal, mulching in place may be a good option, since this encourages rapid decomposition of leaves, which may reduce habitat suitability for ticks." ### "Artificial Accumulation of Leaf Litter in Forest Edges on Residential Properties via Leaf Blowing is Associated with Increased Numbers of Host-seeking Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) Nymphs" will be published online on March 18 in the Journal of Medical Entomology. Journalists may request advance copies of the article via the contact below or download the published paper after 10 a.m. March 18 at https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaa033. CONTACT: Joe Rominiecki, jrominiecki@entsoc.org, 301-731-4535 x3009 ABOUT: ESA is the largest organization in the world serving the professional and scientific needs of entomologists and people in related disciplines. Founded in 1889, ESA today has more than 7,000 members affiliated with educational institutions, health agencies, private industry, and government. Headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, the Society stands ready as a non-partisan scientific and educational resource for all insect-related topics. For more information, visit http://www.entsoc.org. The Journal of Medical Entomology publishes research related to all aspects of medical entomology and medical acarology, including the systematics and biology of insects, acarines, and other arthropods of public health and veterinary significance. For more information, visit https://academic.oup.com/jme, or visit http://www.insectscience.org to view the full portfolio of ESA journals and publications. Children Making Christmas Decorations with Grandmother Two years ago, my sister Janike and I decided to start a Latinx children's publishing company named Veoleo Press. I am a lawyer who had never worked in publishing, and my sister is a college professor who had worked for a small indie press in NYC in a past life. It is an understatement to say we didn't know much. However, we knew what we wanted, that we could figure out how to do it, and that it could be great. And in retrospect, it's thanks to our grandmother's advice that we were well equipped to become entrepreneurs. My sister and I are type A go-getters who don't give up easily. We tackle questions in our own way, take on challenges, and rarely stop before figuring things out to our satisfaction. We might have our genes to thank for this, and a long line of strong female ancestors - starting with my indefatigable mother and going all the way back to a matriarch who exchanged chicha for bullets during Colombia's Thousand Days' War of 1899-1902. But the truth is, it was our grandmother who instilled an openness in us that has been paramount in our entrepreneurial path. By the time I came into this world, mi abuelita had been living in the US for 18 years or so after moving from Bogota. She actually takes credit for me existing since she nursed my mother during an episode early in her pregnancy. "Yo la salve!" she tells me frequently. She was also the reason my sister and I were born 10-pound babies - she made traditional Colombian soups for my mother during her pregnancies. "La salud esta en la muela. Mija, ya almorzo?" Our bond has always been strong. She took care of us after school during elementary school, and her love language was food and a strict no-nonsense demeanor mixed with a killer deadpan humor. She kept track of our favorite foods and spoiled us rotten. "Mas platano? Mas jugo? Mas sopa?" she'd ask us. She no longer cooks, but still makes sure we eat until we are full. "Segura quedo bien?" She instilled a sense of independence by assigning the potato peeling to me on the kitchen stool, from where I had a great vantage point of whatever was cooking. She also passed on her perfectionism, just last week making me undo my knitting and start again for the hundredth time, because I'm still learning and it showed. "Las cosas se hacen bien o no se hacen" is one of her favorite sayings. Story continues My grandmother arrived in the US in the 1960s with my 9-year-old mom, when US immigration policies were quite welcoming. She met up with my grandfather who had come before them. Arriving in a new country where you don't speak the language requires an inner strength that not many possess. My grandparents clearly had a special sort of drive and did not let things like not knowing the language hold them back. My mother quickly took on the responsibilities that so many immigrant children have to: translating at banks, government offices, supermarkets - you name it. Eventually that task fell to my aunt, and then to my sister and me. My sister and I would run errands with her and we were her de facto mouthpieces. "Mija, vaya pregunte, porque el que lengua tiene a Roma llega," she'd say. If we were ever shy or hesitant about asking questions, she made sure we understood that asking for information or clarification was the only way to get to where you wanted to be. It also applied when she felt like we were avoiding something. She'd say: "Vaya mamita, que la peor vuelta es la que no se hace." Although she knew then that she was imparting a life lesson, I don't think she knew how much we were going to take it to heart. By not being afraid to ask questions, my sister and I have been able to start a company, figure out how to make a book, get it published, and market it. Where others feel too shy or embarrassed and avoid asking, we walk up to people, research, and network. People assume that my sister and I were well-entrenched in the publishing world before launching Veoleo. When I tell them that it was quite the contrary, they express even more surprise: how did you know what to do? How did you know where to look? How did you know who to ask? And I tell them, "I ask a lot of questions until I figure it out, porque el que lengua tiene a Roma llega." Coronavirus panic buying has left supermarket shelves empty all over But Jordana Brewster managed to get her hands on some groceries when she stepped out to a Gelson's in Los Angeles on Tuesday. The 39-year-old was prepared for the day's chilly weather and rainfall, wrapping up in a long olive green coat for her outing. Staying nourished: Jordana Brewster managed to get her hands on some groceries when she stepped out to a Gelson's in Los Angeles on Tuesday Sweeping her hair up into a bun, she slipped into a pair of leggings and rounded off the look with a casual pair of sneakers. Jordana, who shot to fame through the Fast And The Furious franchise, could be seen lugging a paper grocery bag out of the store with both arms. That morning amid the constant stream of coronavirus news Jordana shared a glimmer of optimism on Instagram. Warm and cozy: The 39-year-old was prepared for the day's chilly weather and rainfall, wrapping up in a long olive green coat for her outing Posting a snap of a rainbow behind a palm tree, she wrote: 'Really hoping this [rainbow] is a harbinger of better things to come'. A day earlier she uploaded a sweet Instagram album of herself and her elder son Julian, six, chowing down on some ice cream. 'Online shopping isnt really doing it for us so were just going to eat our feelings,' wrote the Panama-born actress. 'Harbinger'?: That morning amid the constant stream of coronavirus news Jordana shared a glimmer of optimism on Instagram Jordana has been married to movie producer Andrew Form since 2007, and along with Julian they also share a three-year-old son called Rowan. The film star is a mainstay of the Fast And The Furious Franchise and reprises her role as Mia Toretto in the upcoming installment F9. Although this feature was meant to come out on May 22 this year, its release has been bumped to April 2, 2021 owing to coronavirus. Quality time: A day earlier she uploaded a sweet Instagram album of herself and her elder son Julian, six, chowing down on some ice cream Concurs repetat pentru selectarea unei companii sociologice, care sa efectueze un studiu tematic "Barometrul opiniei publice in domeniul schimbarilor climatice" H ealth authorities are urging people to not use ibuprofen to treat the symptoms of the coronavirus, and instead take paracetamol where possible. The Department of Health and Social care states that, while there is currently no evidence that ibuprofen can make coronavirus (COVID-19) worse, people should take the other drug instead. The latest information adds that people who have been told by their doctor to take ibuprofen, or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), should not stop taking their medication unless told by their doctor. The Governments chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, gave the same advice on Tuesday. The use of the drug in connection with Covid-19 has come into question in recent days after French health minister Olivier Veran suggested that anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, could worsen the infection. Speaking before the Health and Social Care Committee, Sir Patrick said: The ibuprofen example it may or may not be right, I dont know but the sensible thing to do would be to say dont take it at the moment, take something else paracetamol or something. Public Health England is following the samed advice as the DHSC, following earlier confusion. Most people with Covid-19 will have a mild illness and some people may need to take medicines, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, to help with raised temperature, headache and other pains; always follow the instructions on the label if you do take these medicines and do not exceed the stated dose, PHE said. In a statement, Reckitt Benckiser, the makers of Nurofen, said: Reckitt Benckiser is aware of the ongoing spread of information, mainly through social media channels, concerning the use of steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) products, including ibuprofen, for the alleviation of Covid-19 symptoms. Consumer safety is our number one priority. Ibuprofen is a well-established medicine that has been used safely as a self-care fever and pain reducer, including in viral illnesses, for more than 30 years. We do not currently believe there is any proven scientific evidence linking over-the-counter use of ibuprofen to the aggravation of Covid-19. As with any medicine, we would remind consumers and their caregivers to carefully read and follow the instructions provided on the packaging and in the patient information leaflet. If you have any additional concerns speak to your healthcare provider. 18.03.2020 LISTEN Ghana has suspended all flights from Schengen countries into its territory due to the spread of the coronavirus. The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority made this known in a statement. The Schengen Region comprises 26 European countries. The countries are those that have officially abolished all passport and all other types of border control at their mutual borders. In most cases, the Schengen Region operates as a single jurisdiction for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy. It is named after the 1985 Schengen Agreement signed in Schengen, Luxembourg. The US had earlier banned travelers from the region into its territory due to Covid-19. ---Daily Guide 'The new trains should be fast, but the roll-out of the privatisation plan should be slow and well-considered,' recommends T N Ninan. Photograph: Reuters The issues to do with privatising railway services are not matters of principle, but practical questions to make the exercise a success. Many countries have privatised parts or all of their railway operations: The UK, Japan, Canada, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, and so on. Egypt has started the process while Argentina has moved much further down the road (or rail track). Many of these countries had begun a century or more ago with private railways, nationalised them when railway companies ran into trouble, and are now rolling back state ownership and/or operations. India too began with private railway companies in the middle of the 19th century, nationalised them in 1951, and is now taking the first tentative steps in the opposite direction. Habibganj, the first private railway station (outside Bhopal), will soon be joined by 50 others; the initial plan was for 400. The two 'private' Tejas trains (private in name only, because they are run by a State-owned company) will grow to 150 -- hardly a big deal when there are 7,000 passenger trains being operated daily. Besides, the private dominance of most other forms of transport is already a fact of life: Ports and shipping, airports and airlines, toll roads, and passenger bus and trucking services. Only the railways remains a government monopoly. So the issue is not an ideological one, of State or private ownership, but the fact that the privatisation of rail operations is far more complicated than with other forms of transport. Indeed, private railways has a chequered history. The construction and operations of the Indian Railways in the mid-19th century were done by private companies with capital that was given a guaranteed return of 5 per cent. The scandalous history of how this turned out (the Indian taxpayer ended up paying Britain up to 4 per cent of GDP every year, much of it on account of the railways) was forgotten when the first private power generation companies were also offered guaranteed returns late in the 20th century. When the first coast-to-coast railway line was laid in the United States in the latter half of the 19th century, among the incentives offered was free land that was bigger in acreage than entire states. The more contemporary privatisation of British rail, Thatcher style, has also been endlessly controversial, but Japan operates more than half a dozen private railway systems with overlapping operations on common rail networks. India had little success when it launched private container freight operations a few years ago. And a proposal in the 1990s to privatise railway workshops was short-lived. The risks and problems are obvious. With the railways operating in competition with new private trains, the obvious conflict of interest could lead to disputes -- but there is no regulator proposed for settling them. There is serious lack of carrying capacity on the trunk routes, on which many of the proposed private trains are supposed to run. And viability is an obvious question when the railways routinely cross-subsidises passenger traffic with the revenue from freight operations, and when air fares can often be surprisingly cheap. On top of all this, the mutual dependence between the existing railways and new private train operators will work smoothly only if the charges for services provided are manifestly fair. In the case of airports, some airlines have complained of excessive airport charges, once asserting that these are among the highest in the world. One hesitates once again to suggest the need for a sector regulator, given the unsatisfactory experience with such regulators in other sectors (telecom, aviation, etc). But there is no alternative. Given these unresolved issues and complexities, it is just as well that the government is hastening slowly, one step at a time. The experience with 50 stations and 150 trains should be a learning experience, helping those in charge to frame sensible rules that are not unfair to the new operators but without attracting charges of crony capitalism, criticism by the government's auditor, and thereby potential scandal and court battles. The new trains should be fast, but the roll-out of the privatisation plan should be slow and well-considered. HONG KONG An increasingly rancorous rivalry between the United States and China entered a new phase on Wednesday as Beijing accused the Trump administration of starting a diplomatic clash that led it to expel almost all American journalists from three newspapers. The Chinese government cast its expulsion of the journalists from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post as necessary to defend Beijing against what it perceived as an ideological campaign by the United States to impose its values on China. Around a dozen reporters could be required to leave, in a move that Beijing said was reciprocation for the United States forcing out of about 60 Chinese reporters, who worked for propaganda outlets, this month. The United States cannot proceed from ideological prejudice, use its own standards and likes and dislikes to judge the media of other countries, let alone suppress the Chinese media unreasonably, Geng Shuang, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, said at a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday. Beijing has said that the expulsions were a response to the Trump administrations decision to limit the number of Chinese citizens from five state-controlled media outlets who could work in the United States to 100. On Wednesday, the Chinese government indicated that it was prepared to take more measures if needed. The 2020 legislative session took an ominous turn near its midpoint when a TV reporter was kicked out of a committee hearing for filming, but lawmakers righted the wrong and made progress in other areas of transparency that deserve recognition during Sunshine Week. A small portion of the Senate was blemished on Feb. 6 when KRQE 13 reporter Rachel Knapp was kicked out of a Senate Conservation Committee hearing. To the best of anyones memory, Knapp was the first reporter ousted from a public meeting by state lawmakers. Acting chairwoman Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, D-Albuquerque, interrupted testimony to ask Knapp if she had permission to film. I just figured it was a public meeting, Knapp said. Sedillo Lopez then said Knapp would have to pack up her camera gear and leave the hearing that was absolutely public. A resolution introduced a week later by Sen. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, eliminated the requirement to seek the chairs permission to film and was unanimously approved by the full Senate. Even Sedillo Lopez voted for the rule change, albeit with egg on her face. On a positive note, Sen. Sander Rue, R-Albuquerque, spearheaded a bill that removed a 180-day delay in releasing public records concerning claims against governmental entities. The 180-day delay was replaced by Senate Bill 64, with language giving the public the right to inspect records more immediately. It passed the Senate and House unanimously, and was signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on March 4. In another success, House members unanimously passed HR 1, which publicizes committee votes on tabling legislation. House lawmakers have been able to table bills without a roll call, an obvious affront to transparency that needed fixing. While its unfortunate the new House rule exempts two committees, it is a step into the sunshine. The Senate should pass a similar rule change next year. Another step into the sunshine came with Senate Bill 96, which appropriates $3 million for an online school financial reporting system, enabling comparisons between schools. SB 96 is a step forward for those who want to know how their education tax dollars are spent. It passed the Senate and House unanimously, and was signed by the governor March 6. On the negative side, a partisan and rushed bill signed by the governor on March 5 hinges on the interpretation of the word notwithstanding in making a distinction between government employee information to be provided privately to unions and information that has historically been public. Government employers could begin making secret employment records that have always been public, based on their interpretation of notwithstanding. The bill was a setback for transparency and needs to be fixed next session. Other transparency setbacks in the session were failed efforts at requiring lawmakers final capital outlay allocations to be posted and a measure authorizing the Ethics Commission to set the salaries of elected officials. On the whole, we tally three transparency successes, three defeats and one tie, which came at the expense of humiliating a reporter who was just doing her job. Its noteworthy the transparency successes all came via unanimous votes, demonstrating its hard to argue publicly against the sunshine. The commitment to transparency is being seen elsewhere, such as the Albuquerques City Clerks Office, which is processing 8,500 public records requests per year. Acting City Clerk Ethan Watson says his office is working to clear a three-month backlog in IPRA requests, while requests are increasing at about 30% per year. New Mexicos city clerks are the vanguard of the publics right to information and also deserve credit during Sunshine Week. 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| 2020-03-18 15:26:17|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close CANBERRA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister (PM) Scott Morrison on Wednesday declared an unprecedented human biosecurity emergency, warning Australians to stay at home and not to travel abroad. The government also banned non-essential indoor gatherings of more than 100 people. "This is a once-in-a-100-year-type event," said Morrison. The emergency state would give the government extra powers to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. "We are looking at a situation of at least six months for how we deal with this. It could be much longer than that. It could be shorter. That is unlikely, given the way we are seeing events unfold." The prime minister said there is no "two-week answer", short-term and quick fix to what the country is facing. The new measures were agreed during a meeting between Morrison and other state and territory leaders on Tuesday night. Indoor gatherings of more than 100 people have been banned effective immediately, while the limit for outdoor events will remain 500. "We are going to keep Australia running. We are going to keep Australia functioning," Morrison said. The government has issued a level-four travel ban for the entire world. It comes after the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) on Tuesday night urged all Australians abroad to return home as soon as possible. "The travel advice to every Australian is do not travel abroad. Do not go overseas. That is a very clear instruction," Morrison said. "Don't go overseas. The biggest risk we have had and the biggest incidents of cases we have had has been from Australians returning from overseas." Despite the ban on mass gatherings, Morrison and Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said schools would remain open on the advice of experts. "We believe very strongly that it's in the best interest of our children and the nation at this time to keep schools open," Murphy said. "There may be occasions when there's a big outbreak in a community that some local school closures might be necessary. But at this time, across the community, our view is that schools should stay open." Morrison also announced limits on visits to aged care facilities where three of the five deaths in Australia from COVID-19 occured. Anyone who has been overseas or in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 within 14 days will be banned from visiting such facilities and residents will only be allowed to have two visitors at a time. Australians have also been warned not to visit remote indigenous communities in an attempt to prevent COVID-19 from reaching them. According to the latest data from the Department of Health of the Australian government, there have been 454 confirmed cases as of Wednesday morning. This is an increase of 21 percent compared with 375 as of Tuesday morning. Health Minister Greg Hunt on Tuesday said the government is expecting 97,000 more testing kits to arrive in Australia within days. Morrison on Wednesday pled Australians to stop "hoarding" food and medical supplies. "It's not sensible, it's not helpful and I've got to say it's been one of the most disappointing things I've seen in Australian behavior in response to this crisis." Health Minister of Ukraine Ilya Yemets has called for the Ukrainian business to provide assistance in preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus Covid-19. The relevant letter has been sent to the Federation of Employers of Ukraine, Confederation of Employers of Ukraine, Ukrainian Business Council, Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ukrainian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs, European Business Association and American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine, according to a statement on the Health Ministrys Facebook page. The funds raised will be focused and used to coordinate the procurement of quality and reliable personal protective equipment for healthcare workers (respirators, masks, gloves, suits and gowns, protective spectacles), as well as for the purchase of diagnostic tests, artificial lung ventilation devices, heartbeat monitors, disinfectants and medicines, Ilya Yemets wrote in the letter. The minister stressed that engaging socially responsible businesses in the fight against the coronavirus spread is a worldwide trend supported by the World Health Organization (WHO). iy People who have traveled in Bengaluru can vouch for the terrible condition of traffic, noise and air pollution. But no more. The coronavirus pandemic has helped in achieving what years of stringent traffic control measures have failed empty streets with no traffic congestions. As the coronavirus outbreak sends ripples of panic across different states and countries, multiple services across various verticals have been severely impacted. However, few impacts of the pandemic have seen unexpected outcome. According to reports, the pandemic has seen a 30-50 per cent cut down of traffic in the Bengaluru, which now dones an unfamiliar look. A New Indian Express reports states that areas including JC Road, Mysore Road, KG road, Lalbagh Road, KH Road, Trinity Circle, MG Road, Cunningham Road and Race Course Road, which otherwise saw very heavy traffic congestions are suddenly experiencing a smooth traffic. With offices in the city going under a lockdown and general bodies asking its employees to take work from home, social media has been flooded with images of surprisingly empty Bengaluru streets. Netizens were taken aback and shocked to see traffic levels dipping this low. Talking about traffic.. Bengaluru today is looking exactly as calm and spacious as it was 10-15 years ago..#NammaBengaluru lk$hmi (@_sri_lakshmI_) March 15, 2020 One of the more positive outsomes of the #coronavirus outbreak... Traffic-free roads Quite a rarity in #Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/U7F6gZN63M Chirag K C (@KcC0) March 17, 2020 Monday Evening Peak Traffic @ Namma Bengaluru, KR Puram Junction.#COVID19_Effect pic.twitter.com/dqj37B1RMP PARTHIBAN (@PARTHI2912) March 16, 2020 The only advantage of Corona is that Bengaluru traffic has reduced immensely #GoCoronaGo Chesna Ann John (@Chesna_J) March 13, 2020 Corona virus has achieved the impossible. Basavanagudi to Devarabeesanahalli in less than an hour on a working day.#coronavirusindia #Bengaluru #Traffic Bengaluru Bharath (@bnbharath) March 11, 2020 Meanwhile, the Indian government on Wednesday said the number of positive cases of Coronavirus in India has risen to 151, including 25 foreign nationals. The highest number of cases have so far been reported from Maharashtra (39), with Kerala (25) and Uttar Pradesh (15) following behind. Bharti Airtel Ltd shares dropped as much as 5%, while those of Vodafone Idea Ltd plummeted over 44% after the Supreme Court denied providing any further relief to telecom companies in the adjusted gross revenue (AGR) case. A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court on Wednesday held that no further objections to its orders would be allowed against payable AGR dues. It further stated that no exercise of self-assessment can be done by telcos regarding the quantum of payments. All dues as per our judgement will have to be paid, including interest and penalty. The Solicitor General had filed a plea seeking reasonable time, we will consider this plea on the next date, the order stated. The Supreme Court will hear the case next after two weeks. The bench is led by Justice Mishra, with the other two judges being Justices S Abdul Nazeer and MR Shah. This is the same bench that had upheld the Department of Telecommunications (DoTs) definition of AGR in its verdict on October 24 2019 and ordered telcos to clear dues of Rs 1.47 lakh crore. Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel, and Tata Teleservices owed the highest amounts to DoT. The order further said that the court does not appreciate telcos actions and will hold MDs personally accountable. Wont tolerate this. Companies want to hoodwink us. If required we will summon the MDs of all the telcos. Telcos are the usurpers of public money and dont even want to pay a fraction of revenue earned, Justice Mishra said. The Supreme Court also said that it would summon DoT officials responsible for self-assessment. We would neither spare DoT, nor telecom companies, it said. At 12:21 pm, shares of Bharti Airtel were trading at Rs 444.75, down 2.2%, while those of Vodafone Idea were down 30% to Rs 3.40. It is time to bid a gentle and grateful farewell to Bernie Sanderss quest for the presidency. On Tuesday, even as the coronavirus pandemic roiled the primaries and kept some voters away from the polls, Joe Biden swept to victory in three states Illinois, Arizona and Florida. The results were not close. In Florida, with 219 delegates on the line, Mr. Biden bested Mr. Sanders by some 40 points, winning every county in the state. In Illinois, with its 155 delegates, his margin of victory topped 20 points. The harder you look at the math and at the voting coalition that Mr. Biden has put together, the harder it is to see a way for Mr. Sanders to make a comeback. On Wednesday morning, his campaign manager, Faiz Shakir, announced that the candidate would be having conversations with supporters to assess his campaign. Such conversations are tough for any candidate. For Mr. Sanders, who has inspired a passionate following with his image as an unbending fighter, dropping out would be all the more excruciating. Even as his electoral prospects have dimmed, many of his supporters have urged him to stay in the race to keep his ideological vision and his revolution alive. If anything, they see the coronavirus crisis, and the economic havoc it is wreaking, as an argument to keep Mr. Sanderss voice front and center, arguing for the interests of the people over the powerful. And with a growing number of states postponing voting out of health concerns, some of Mr. Sanderss allies see an opening to keep the cause alive a bit longer. Mr. Shakir suggested that a decision about dropping out was not imminent, noting that the next primary contest is at least three weeks away. A man cleans his hands before filling out his ballot to vote at Bensalem High School in a special election for a Bucks County state House seat on March 17, 2020. Read more Everyday life is suspended. Democracy is not. And now its on officials to figure out how to keep it going as pandemic strikes during a presidential election year. County elections officials in Pennsylvania are urging the state to postpone the April 28 primary election because of the coronavirus, and Gov. Tom Wolf has said its under consideration. But the national Democratic Party has asked states not to move their elections, and lawmakers in Harrisburg, especially Republican ones, appear so far unwilling to take such drastic action. A handful of states, including Maryland which had been scheduled to vote the same day as Pennsylvania have postponed their primaries. The Republican governor of Ohio decided to delay that states Tuesday primary hours before the polls were scheduled to open. In Pennsylvania, a special state House election went forward in Bucks County after local officials unsuccessfully petitioned a court to stop it. During a public health crisis that has upended every corner of life in America, who has the power to change an election? Pennsylvania is now grappling with the question. Election dates and processes are normally set by state legislatures Pennsylvanias primary election date is set by state law in presidential years, for the fourth Tuesday in April and the U.S. Constitution gives state legislatures and Congress the power to set the times, places, and manners of federal elections. A postponement would be virtually unassailable if the state House and Senate passed a bill to amend the election code and the governor signed it. That would be best, said Adam Bonin, a Democratic election lawyer in Philadelphia. This is fundamental American constitutionalism, that we are happiest and the system is best when all the branches have the opportunity to weigh in on a question. READ MORE: Pennsylvania elections officials are pleading with the state to move the primary: Were pulling fire alarms all over the place But lawmakers in Harrisburg, at least right now, dont agree Right now, theres no consensus in the state legislature on what to do. Geography, more than partisan ties, appears to explain differences of opinion. Especially in the early stages, lawmakers from unaffected areas had expressed skepticism about the severity of the coronavirus outbreak. That was the case, for example, with some lawmakers from rural Western Pennsylvania, said Mike Straub, spokesperson for the House Republicans. Definitely its more geographic for our members than anything else, he said. Would you want the policies in effect in New York City to also cover some small restaurant out in the desert in Utah? asked Rep. Russ Diamond, a Republican who represents Lebanon County, which has yet to report a case. Lawmakers in the southeastern part of the state, which has the most cases, have particularly urged delay. We simply have to move it, said Rep. Michael Zabel, a Democrat whose district includes much of Delaware County. And if we dont, were putting Pennsylvanians lives at risk. He was concerned by the cavalier attitude he said he observed from colleagues representing less affected counties. But not everyone is on board yet. I think its too early to say, Diamond said. We had a Civil War and that didnt delay anything. One of the bedrocks of the American democratic process is that we dont interfere with elections, and I think thats a pretty high bar to cross. Diamond introduced a resolution to once the crisis has passed end the governors emergency declaration, which ordered nonessential businesses closed. But to some Democratic lawmakers, that proposal sends the wrong message. It speaks to frustration many of us in the Democratic caucus have in Republican caucuses and social media posts that arent recognizing the seriousness of the situation, said Rep. Kevin Boyle, a Democrat representing Northeast Philadelphia. I would not support that resolution in a million years. Straub said lawmakers were beginning to discuss how to address the primary election, and he cited the unanimous vote to conduct business remotely as proof that lawmakers across the state now understand the seriousness of the emergency. The Democratic National Committee on Monday implored states not to move their primaries if they can instead increase opportunities for remote or mail-in voting. But Sen. Sharif Street, who is vice chair of the Pennsylvania Democrats, says he worries about the feasibility and safety of keeping Pennsylvanias where it is. I respect the perspective of Chairman Perez, but Im more focused on whats best for the people of Pennsylvania than I am worried about the implications of either national party, including the one Im a member of, Street said. It might come down to the governors emergency powers. In an emergency, the governor has expanded powers to suspend some portions of state law. Those powers could be interpreted as allowing him to put aside the Election Code and set a new primary. Its the second-best scenario, Bonin said, because that would give lawmakers, candidates, and potentially voters the opportunity to challenge such an order in the courts, which could bring clarity to the issue. READ MORE: Voters saw a special election in Bucks County as just too important to stay home even to avoid coronavirus Governors have made emergency changes to election procedures before, including when Ed Rendell changed the deadline for submitting nomination petitions in 2008 due to a snowstorm. Gov. Tom Ridge took a similar action in 2000, which withstood a court challenge. State law on the use of emergency powers is unclear, and what little precedent is available comes from isolated court decisions, said Christopher R. Deluzio, a lawyer and policy director of the University of Pittsburgh Institute for Cyber Law, Policy, and Security. That doesnt strike me as a sound way to address something as fundamental as our democracy in the midst of a crisis, he said. After the Blue Ribbon Commission on Pennsylvanias Election Security studied the issue, it last year recommended updating state law to provide a clear answer as to who can modify elections during emergencies. If people are unsure whether an elections happening, where its happening, whether times have changed, that is the kind of discord that can fundamentally shake our faith in whether someones won an election, Deluzio said. We have time to plan. We have more than a month to deal with what were going to do around the pandemic and our election, and we should take advantage of every second we have to plan properly and give voters clear and decisive answers. Anand Mahindra, the Chairman of Mahindra and Mahindra Group, has asked the government to allow the private sector to start testing for coronavirus. Currently, the government has only established 62 testing facilities for COVID-19. Mahindra, in a tweet, said, "India has done a fine job, so far, of managing the crisis. Preemptive measures for containment have been lauded the world over." Mahindra mentioned that the testing rate for coronavirus could be India's "Achilles Heel". He then requested the government to allow the private sector to begin testing for coronavirus as this would drastically increase the capacity and number of test centers. India has done a fine job, so far, of managing the crisis. Preemptive measures for containment have been lauded the world over. But our testing rate could be our Achilles heel. We need to allow the pvt sector to begin testing & scale up our capacity dramatically. @drharshvardhan pic.twitter.com/iNq0RWDX6O - anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) March 18, 2020 Attached to Mahindra's tweet was a graph, which showed that India has conducted the least number of tests per million population when compared to other countries such as Italy, France, and the UK. Mahindra pointed out that Taiwan, which is a neighbour of China, has conducted a lot more tests per million population than India even though the number of cases in Taiwan is less than in India. Each test center in India is catering to a large population in India. Uttar Pradesh, which has the highest population of any state in India only has three test centers. According to ICMR, each of these COVID-19 facilities is serving around 77 million people in UP. In Bihar, only one test center is there for a population of 122 million. The total number of COVID-19 positive cases have now crossed the 150-mark in India. Three people have already died because of the coronavirus. Across the world, around 196,00 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed. Over 7,800 lives have already been lost due to the deadly virus. Also Read: Coronavirus in India Live Updates: Confirmed cases surge to 138; S&P lowers India's growth forecast to 5.2% Also Read: Coronavirus impact: Mukesh Ambani pads up to protect half a million Reliance employees Karnataka to undertake Triaging: What does it mean and how do you pronounce it Entry of passengers from 36 countries banned temporarily; 11 others to be quarantined India pti-PTI New Delhi, Mar 18: India has temporarily banned entry of passengers from 36 countries while people travelling from 11 countries will be mandatorily quarantined in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the Home Ministry said on Wednesday. The ministry also said Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holders, except from the restricted countries, will be required to obtain fresh visa from the Indian mission and allowed to enter India. 'No airline will bring any passenger from Australia, Belgium, Bulgeria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom effective 12 GMT March 12 at Port of departure,' a home ministry spokesperson said. 75 crore PDS beneficiaries can lift 6-month quota of grains in one go: Paswan amid coronavirus scare Airlines are barred from bringing passengers from Phillipines, Malaysia and Afghanistan with effect from March 17 at port of departure. The spokesperson said there will be no transit through these countries as no aircraft will board passengers for India in these countries. All passengers coming from/transiting through the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait after 12:00 GMT on March 18 (port of departure) will be quarantined. Those who have visited China, Republic of Korea, Iran, Italy, Spain, France and Germany on or after February 15 will be quarantined, the spokesperson said. Those Indians who are coming from the Republic of Korea or Italy, it is mandatory to get COVID-19 negative certificates. Passengers from Italy shall not be allowed with from March 18 (port of departure). Indians transiting through China, Korea, Iran, Italy, Spain and France will be quarantined on arrival in India. The spokesperson said Indians are strongly advised to avoid non-essential travel to the coronavirus affected countries. Foreigners who are currently in India can extend their visas and for that they should approach their jurisdiction of FRRO/ FRO online. Foreigners currently in India can go out of the country. However, they can return to India with fresh visa issues from mission only. The OCI card holders are required to obtain fresh visa from mission and allowed to enter India except from restricted countries. Infants/children who hold foreign passports with OCI cards will be required to get fresh visa from the Indian mission. Ford Motor Co., General Motors and Chrysler have agreed to shut down their U.S. plants to stop the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, bowing to pressure from the union representing about 150,000 hourly workers at those facilities, including 4,000 at the General Motors plant in Wentzville, industry officials said Wednesday. Wentzville workers are relieved to be taking more precautions, said Darin Gilley, financial secretary for the UAW Local 2250. People want to be safe, he said. On the other hand theyre also worried about their income. Ford, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and General Motors confirmed the decisions to shut U.S. plants, as well as factories in Canada and Mexico. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles was expected to follow suit. The three automakers shares took a beating on Wednesday, with GM falling more than 25%. Ford fell 17% and Fiat Chrysler was down 16%. The automakers North American factories build their most profitable trucks and sport utility vehicles, such as Fiat Chryslers Jeep Wrangler, GMs Chevrolet Silverado pickup and the Ford F-series truck line. Ruling Congress MLAs on Wednesday met Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon and requested him to ensure the release of their rebel colleagues from the "captivity" of the BJP in Bengaluru. In a memorandum, the Congress requested the governor to use his Constitutional office to ensure release of the 16 MLAs being held "captive" by the BJP at a resort, said state Congress spokesman Bhupendra Gupta. The letter stated that former chief minister Digvijay Singh and other MLAs were prevented from meeting the legislators in the Karnataka capital by Bengaluru Police on Wednesday morning. Being a Rajya Sabha candidate, Singh wanted to meet the MLAs but the Bengaluru police and local administration detained him and other leaders of the Congress, it stated. Meanwhile, Congress workers staged a protest in front of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Minto Hall, the old Assembly building located in front of Raj Bhavan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) SAN FRANCISCO It was just after 11 a.m. last Wednesday when Jaime Maldonado, 51, pulled his rented Nissan into a lot outside San Francisco International Airport. He figured he had a long wait ahead about two hours before Lyft would ping him to pick up a passenger. Occasionally, jets roared overhead but not many, which meant not enough passengers for Mr. Maldonado, who said that before the coronavirus outbreak, he spent just 20 to 40 minutes waiting outside the airport for customers. To kill time, he got out of his car, looping the mask he recently started wearing around his wrist, and went to talk to other drivers. As the minutes ticked by, Mr. Maldonado wondered out loud, What am I going to do to pump gas and feed my kids tomorrow? His number of rides in a typical week had dropped to around 50 from 100 earlier in the month, he said, and his payout had plunged by half to about $600 a week, from which Lyft would subtract the rental fee for his car. The coronavirus pandemic is exposing the fragile situations of gig economy workers the Uber and Lyft drivers, food-delivery couriers and TaskRabbit furniture builders who are behind the convenience-as-a-service apps that are now part of everyday life. Classified as freelancers and not full-time employees, these workers have few protections like guaranteed wages, sick pay and health care, which are benefits that are critical in a crisis. As part of social distancing due to the coronavirus, restaurants, bars and move theaters have closed. More Americans are working from home. And Boston Mayor Martin Walsh has discouraged house parties. But Worcester Animal League Rescue wants to take advantage of this extra time at home. Oftentimes what we hear is, especially for dogs, people dont often sign on to foster dogs because of the time commitment. They either feel they work long hours, or theyre fearful theyre not going to be able to give the animal the adequate care, said Kristin Mullins, executive director or Worcester Animal League Rescue. Now that people are staying home, many of those barriers no longer exist, she said. Various studies have found that pets help people who are experiencing depression, anxiety or loneliness something health professionals are worried about with increased social distancing. Looking for a quarantine companion? During these uncertain times, in an effort to prepare the shelter to help as many... Posted by Worcester Animal Rescue League on Monday, March 16, 2020 A study from Japans Azabu University found that pet owners get an oxytocin spike when looking into their dogs eyes. While a 2018 survey found that women who slept in the same beds as their dogs reported fewer sleep disturbances than women who slept with a human partner next to them. Many mental health professionals and doctors informally recommend animals to patients, especially for loneliness and depression, SteveFeldman, the executive director of the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI), told Allure Magazine. Getting animals out of the shelters and into homes isnt just about helping people, though. It also helps both the dog and the rescue, Mullins explained. The shelter environment is not a real environment, she said. Sometimes you cant tell a true animals behavior or temperaments because its stressed out in a kennel situation. Putting animals in homes, even temporally, helps them relax and for the rescue to be able to see how theyd react once adopted which helps them actually get adopted. Because of staffing difficulties and social distancing, not all rescues in Massachusetts are currently taking new foster homes. Instead, theyre encouraging more adoptions. Theres a lot of people that are home and theyre looking for distraction and positive distraction, said Mike Keiley, director of adoption centers and programs at MSPCA-Angell in Boston. Organizations are doing virtual visits with pets and possible new pet owners and meeting with people based on appointment. Worcester Animal League Rescue is also asking for animal food and cat litter donations, so they can help the people and animals that come to them. We have regular people from our community that we would rather provide them with food than have them surrender their pet, Mullins said. Rescues and shelters are also preparing for the worst. Theres an economic component to ownership of animals, and theres a possibility that people may be separated from their animals, Keiley said. Weve certainly seen that in other relevant times, like post 9/11 and the 2008 housing crisis. Animal relinquishment increases when there are people who are experiencing a downturn economically. Keiley encourages people to check in with their neighbors, and help out where they can. Related Content: The Supreme Court will hear on Wednesday a plea by Sara Abdullah Pilot, seeking release from detention of her brother and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. On March 5, the apex court had said that it will hear, after Holi break, the petition filed by Sara Pilot, challenging her brother's detention under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA), 1978. The matter was listed before a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra on March 5 but could not be taken up as Justice Arun Mishra was hearing a Constitution bench matter. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who appearing for Sara Pilot, had mentioned the matter before the bench, following which Justice Mishra had told him that the matter would not be taken up on March 5. Sibal requested the court to take up the matter as soon as possible as it is a habeas corpus case. The court had said that it will hear the matter post the Holi break. On March 2, the Jammu and Kashmir administration had told the Supreme Court that Omar Abdullah has been a "very vocal critic" of the abrogation of Article 370 and his presence would pose an "imminent threat to public order". The administration also objected to the petition filed by Omar Abdullah's sister challenging his detention under the Jammu and Kashmir PSA, 1978. "Omar Abdullah has been a very vocal critic of any possible abrogation of Article 370 prior to its abrogation in August 5, 2019, considering the very peculiar geopolitical position of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and its geographical proximity with Pakistan, the concept of 'public order' needs to be examined contextually," stated the affidavit submitted by Srinagar District Magistrate. Last week, Omar Abdullah's father Farooq Abdullah was released after being in detention for several months. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) T he parents of a nine-month-old baby boy who doctors believe has coronavirus have described the shocking moment they were given the diagnosis. Myroslava Coates and her husband Callum took their son Cassian to see doctors on Monday, having been concerned he had been poorly for a few days. Doctors then examined their son and told the pair he had coronavirus. Doctors told them that babies are diagnosed by symptoms rather than tests, they said. He's had a chest infection before so I think that's how we got an appointment, it's been difficult to get them," Mrs Coates told Sky. Myroslava Coates with her nine-month-old son Cassian / Sky News When we got there, we had to go through special measures and ring a certain number for them to let us in. The waiting room actually had a big sign up saying suspected case. After the concerned parents saw the notice, a nurse walked passed and told them yeah, thats you guys, Mrs Coates said. How to manage coronavirus anxiety Following this, they were called in to see a doctor, who performed checks on Cassian. We went in, then the doctor came in with a mask on, did some basic checks, temperature, checked his ears and said yeah, it's the coronavirus strand, Mrs Coates said. Loading.... The parents said they werent expecting that and that despite Cassian having had a fever, they did not think he had the key signs of the infection which have been pointed out by health experts. He's nine months old so any time they have anything wrong with them it's horrific but this, we were like wow, Mrs Coates said. As bad as it sounds, the first thing we did when we heard was laugh because we just couldn't believe this was a thing and that Cass had it, she said. I did panic but I cannot express how fantastic and reassuring our GP was. The pair were sent home to self-isolate with the child and told to treat his symptoms with Calpol. Despite their concerns, they said Cassian appears to be over the worst of it though there are peaks and troughs in his condition. It comes as the number of people thought to have Covid-19 in the UK rose to 55,000 and the death toll climbed to 71. The majority of deaths have been people aged over 60 and with underlying health issues. Sadness is not the normal emotion associated with planning a wedding. But these are not normal times, and the coronavirus pandemic has forced Brighton couple Alan King and Hanna Schumacher to call off their March 26 nuptials. Plans on hold: Alan King and fiancee Hanna Schumacher. Credit:Joe Armao Mr King, 39, and Ms Schumacher, 33, have spent six months organising a beautiful ceremony to be held in front of 30 family and friends at Crittenden Estate vineyard in Dromana. A few weeks ago, one of their chief worries was the weather. The inspection of all cultural sites comes during the period when all of them are closed following the preventive measures against spread of coronavirus The culture minister Ines Abdel Dayem initiated a series of inspections of numerous cultural buildings and sites during the time when they are closed to public. The campaign includes cultural palaces, theatres, museums and exhibition halls. The decision comes also after the heavy rains that hit Egypt last Thursday, which as the ministry revealed, caused slight damages to a couple of edifices. Abdel Dayem's inspection campaign aims to review the buildings' condition to plan for the increased maintenance where necessary. Earlier this month, Egypt's culture ministry decided to halt all public activities after a prime ministerial decree on 9 March forbid large gatherings until further notice as a precautionary measure against the spread of the new coronavirus. For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: Detainees in UK immigration centres say they feel unable to protect themselves from contracting coronavirus due to poor hygiene, inadequate healthcare and a lack of information on what precautions are being taken in the facilities. The Home Office is facing a legal challenge over claims it is unlawfully maintaining the detention of people who have underlying health issues making them more susceptible to the virus and people for whom there is no realistic prospect of deportation due to widespread travel bans. A pre-action letter to the department from lawyers, seen by The Independent, warns unless steps are taken to release a significant number of people for whom there is no longer a legal basis to detain, they will proceed to take the case to court. A number of detainees have been tested for coronavirus, all of whom are believed to have tested negative. They said that they were kept in one part of the detention centre, the officers on duty moved freely between the quarantined area and other parts of the centre, and the people they shared cells with were not quarantined. One of the claimants in the legal case, a 60-year-old Russian man who has been detained since last June and is currently in Morton Hall, near Lincoln, suffers from high blood pressure and is concerned that because of his health conditions, he is at increased risk from Covid-19. The man said no healthcare professionals had spoken to him about the risk the virus could pose to him. He said the only information he had received about it was from the television in the centre and he was not aware of any increased provision of hand sanitiser or encouragement to wash hands regularly and maintain hygiene standards. A Home Office spokesperson told The Independent handwashing facilities were available in all immigration removal centres and said they were working closely with suppliers to ensure adequate supply of soap and cleaning materials. They said all removal centres had dedicated health facilities managed by the NHS or appropriate providers, that all detainees received a medical screening by a nurse within two hours, and that measures such as protective isolation would be considered to minimise the risk of the virus spreading to vulnerable groups. Another detainee, Reshawn Davis, who has been in Colnbrook removal centre in Harmondsworth, west London, for nearly six weeks, told The Independent he felt not enough had been done to protect people including those who are older and have underlying conditions from contracting the disease. The 30-year-old was further angered by the fact he remains in detention despite the fact Jamaica the country the Home Office wishes to remove him to has imposed a travel ban on people from the UK. It is really frustrating. I wrote to the Home Office yesterday to ask why I cant be released to see my family because my flight isnt imminent, theres no way it can be, he said. According to Mr Davis, the centre had stopped admitting new people, but has now started again, without testing them before entry. He said last month five people were put into self-isolation, whom he hadnt seen since. A lot of people are worried. An officer said to me last week: If you knew what I know, you would wear a mask constantly. A lot of them have gloves on. If they know someone new is coming in, they all have their masks. This is not right. Why are they protected and we are not? he said. They dont have masks for us. I asked about the hand sanitiser and there is none. Apparently they had some and theyve all gone and havent been replaced. Ive bought myself three bars of soap and wash my hands every time I go in or out of my cell. But you still have people walk around spitting on the floor, coughing, sneezing everywhere. Some of them dont care. Were like tunas in a can. People get regular visits here and the visitors dont get hand sanitiser. If one person comes in with it, everyone is going to get it. Every single person, including the older men. Mr Davis said this had led to some detainees fearful of contracting the virus to stop seeing their relatives: One man in his fifties has had to sacrifice his family come to visit because he doesnt want to risk his children or partner passing it onto him. Its difficult for him because hes a family-oriented person. 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 Another detainee, a 38-year-old Albanian man who has been in Harmondsworth removal centre for nearly four weeks, said he recently had flu symptoms, but had to wait for two weeks before he could see a health professional. I got a cold. Every morning I made a requests to see a nurse or doctor. I had fever and I was sneezing a lot, my nose and eyes were all red. I couldnt sleep all night. And they said I had to wait on the list. I waited for two weeks. What if I had coronavirus? he said. They dont give information. Everyone here is in panic. There are some very old people here and a lot of people are smokers, but no one seems to care about what would happen to them. The man, who did not want to be named, said he was also concerned about the lack of hygiene facilities, including non-functioning plumbing, saying: Even the sink is blocked. You cannot wash your hands. You have to buy your own soap. He added: Even the guards are panicked, but they cant show it because theyre afraid they will lose their jobs. One of them told me I should raise my voice, because there was nothing more he could do about it. It comes following reports that the Spanish government has decided to release people from immigration detention due to the inability to return them as a result of travel bans across the globe. Eight detainees have so far been released from removal centres in the country and the entire removal centre population is expected to be released in the coming days, according to Spanish newspaper Levante. Bella Sankey, director of Detention Action, which is pushing the legal case for immigration detainees to be released in the UK, said: Covid-19 poses a grave threat to life in detention, where many people have underlying health conditions and where hundreds are warehoused in unsanitary conditions. Now that borders are shutting and flights are being suspended there is no prospect of people being removed from the UK and so no justification for detention anyway. The government should act now but if they dont we will see them in court. Home Office forced to defend refusal to disclose detention of hundreds of modern slavery victims Toufique Hossain, director of public law at Duncan Lewis Solicitors, who is representing Detention Action in the legal challenge, said: The government cannot mete out compassion selectively if it is to be considered humane. No one should be left behind. This virus does not discriminate as to who it infects and takes from loved ones, and neither should the state. There are many in detention who are vulnerable and where removal is no longer imminent. We hope a decision on suspending further detentions, and expediting the release of such people at risk of serious illness and death, is made soon by the home secretary without the need for litigation. Emma Ginn, director of Medical Justice, which supports medically vulnerable people in immigration detention, said the Home Office had ignored the charitys request to know what measures it was taking to address the outbreak She said she was extremely concerned for its vulnerable clients and described it as unconscionable that the Home Office was continuing to hold them in detention for its own administrative convenience. Immigration detention can exacerbate existing medical conditions and our volunteer doctors see concerning levels of medical mistreatment in immigration removal centres, she added. This is particularly germane as immigration detention is not part of any criminal sentence; immigration detainees are held purely for the administrative convenience of the Home Office who have the power to release all detainees immediately to prevent an outbreak of Covid-19 inside detention. The Home Office denied all the claims. A spokesperson said: The health of people in these centres is of the utmost importance. We have robust contingency plans and are following all Public Health England guidance. Speaking to the Home Affairs Committee on Wednesday, Angela Perfect, COVID-19 Incident Gold Commander in UK Border Force, said the legality point was something the force would take due accord of. She added: The Home Secretary is looking at how we might prioritise and what decisions might follow about our capabilities. There is no plan to have a wholesale systematic release from our removal centres. PITTSBURGH, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- "In becoming a bus driver, I had to view several safety films, some of which depicted horrific accidents," said an inventor from Chicago, Ill. "I thought that there had to be a safer, faster, more efficient way to evacuate children from the bus in an emergency." He developed the REAR EVAC EXIT SLIDE (R. E. X. S/S & STAIRS) to provide an efficient way for schoolchildren to exit the bus in the event of an emergency. The system allows for rapid exit from the rear of the bus in the event that the front door is inaccessible. The design saves children from having to jump out of the back of the bus, which minimizes the risk of injuries due to falls. This is designed to enhance personal safety. Furthermore, the invention is easy to deploy and use. The original design was submitted to the Chicago sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 18-CCP-1349, 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 CLEVELAND, Ohio Amish bishop Sam Mullet, one of more dozen people convicted in a series of nighttime raids and beard cuttings on his enemies in eastern Ohio, wants out of federal custody because of the coronavirus. The 74-year-old asked U.S. District Judge Dan Polster on Wednesday to reduce his 10-year, nine-month sentence to time served because of underlying health issues. He is in a halfway house in Youngstown and his official release date is Jan. 18. Federal public defender Edward Bryan wrote in the motion that Mullet underwent triple bypass surgery in 2017 to fix blockages in his arteries and that he poses an increased risk of illness or death from the coronavirus because of his age and heart condition. Bryan said the Federal Bureau of Prisons would not allow Mullet to finish the rest of his sentence on house arrest until July. "Mr. Mullet has completed the vast majority of his sentence and is currently in the transition stage back to his community," Bryan wrote on behalf of his client. "In light of the serious health risks currently at play in the community and individually related to Mr. Mullet's health and age, this Court should grant Mr. Mullet's compassionate release forthwith." It was not immediately clear whether federal prosecutors would oppose Mullet's request. An email sent to a U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman was not immediately returned. Mullet led a breakaway sect of an Amish community made up of 18 families in the village of Bergholz, about 100 miles southeast of Cleveland. They were convicted of several crimes in September 2012 for carrying out five nighttime raids in 2011. Members of the community rousted five victims out of bed and chopped off their beards and hair with horse mane shears and battery-powered clippers. The attackers documented the attacks with a disposable camera. Men's beards and women's hair have spiritual significance to the Amish. Prosecutors said the attacks were carried out at the behest of Mullet against the bishop's enemies and brought hate-crime and obstruction charges against 16 members of the Amish community. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals later overturned the hate-crime convictions, citing faulty jury instructions. Polster re-sentenced all of them to shorter sentences in March 2015 with Mullet's sentence being reduced from 15 years to 10 years, nine months in federal prison. The judge noted that it was clear the attacks were religiously motivated. He later knocked down another attempt by Mullet to vacate his sentence. Mullet is the only defendant who remains in custody. "The (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has strongly advised all persons over the age of 70 to self-isolate in their homes to avoid contracting the virus," Bryan wrote. "Mr. Mullet cannot do this at a Bureau of Prisons halfway house that is continuing to receive transitioning inmates from the Bureau of Prisons." If the judge is not inclined to release Mullet, Bryan asked Polster to allow him to complete the rest of his sentence on house arrest. Read more: Amish bishop Sam Mullets move to overturn sentence for beard and hair-cutting attacks rejected Judge reduces sentences for Amish beard cuttings Sam Mullet, Amish bishop who orchestrated beard-cutting attacks, asks judge to overturn his sentence Federal appeals court overturns Amish beard-cutting convictions, citing erroneous jury instructions A Noida resident who recently returned from Indonesia has tested positive for coronavirus, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases to four here, Gautam Buddh Nagar health officials said on Wednesday. As the administration and local authorities ramped up efforts to prevent the virus from spreading further, the Noida police invoked Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) to prohibit mass gatherings like social or political congregations, trade fairs and rallies etc till April 5. "The sample of this person, who lives in Sector 41 of Noida, was taken four days ago and he has tested positive for coronavirus. He has been admitted to the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in Greater Noida for treatment," Chief Medical Officer Anurag Bhargava said in a statement. He said the infected person's house and nearby areas are being sanitised and suspected persons put on surveillance. On Tuesday, two persons, residents of Noida's Sector 78 and Sector 100, who recently returned from France, had tested positive for coronavirus, according to officials. They said a resident of Delhi had earlier tested positive for coronavirus in Noida. The Noida police on Wednesday evening said it was using its powers under the CrPC Section 144 to prohibit mass gatherings. "In view of the situation, all social, political, cultural, religious, sports-related events and trade programmes, rallies and demonstrations are being banned till April 5, Additional Commissioner of Police, Law and Order, Ashutosh Dwivedi, said. Any information related to any person infected with coronavirus must not be withheld and health officials or hospitals should be informed immediately. Failure to do so would invite legal action under IPC Sections 188, 269 and 270, Dwivedi added. District Magistrate B N Singh said regular tests are being conducted for coronavirus in the district and a new facility has been set up in a Gautam Buddh University hostel to keep suspected patients quarantined there. The hostel in the university has 300 beds and the facility for separately quarantining the suspects for 14 days, as per the standard procedure. After 14 days, if they test negative, they will be discharged but if they test positive, then they will be kept in an isolation ward, Singh added. The administration has already set up an isolation ward with 400 beds at the newly-constructed district hospital in Noida's Sector 39. People can dial 8076623612 or 6396776904 or 0120 2569901 for any query related to coronavirus and also use email dmgbncorona@gmail.com for it, according to officials. All schools and colleges have already been closed while swimming pools, gyms, cinema halls and multiplexes have been ordered to remain shut in the wake of the pandemic. The number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 151 on Wednesday after 14 fresh cases were reported from various parts of the country, according to the Union Health Ministry. Uttar Pradesh alone has recorded 16 such cases, according to officials. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) anatakti As coronavirus spreads along Turkeys borders, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ministersremained in denial. Just last week, Turkeys health minister denied any cases existed in the country, a claim made against evidence that travelers to Turkey had been infected there. Ergin Kocyildirim, a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon at the University of Pittsburgs School of Medicine, wrote a brilliant essay describing both the Turkish governments claim to have established an effective testing kit and the fraudulence of its claims.When faced with both local and international disbelief about why coronavirus would bypass Turkey, Turkish authorities took a dual approach. As in China, they arrested whistleblowers. They went beyond simple repression as panelists on the state-controlled Turkish press insisted that Turkish genes rendered most Turkic peoples immune. Many Turks, Erdogan included, may embrace the notion of both Islamic and Turkish supremacy, but his basic ignorance of science may have condemned Turks to once again prove Darwin correct.What might have motivated Erdogan to lie about coronavirus and gamble with the lives of 80 million Turks?Part of the reason might be Erdogans dangerous combination of arrogance and ignorance. The Turkish leaders arrogance is reflected in the thin skin he has toward criticism. According to the Turkish Justice Ministry, Turkish police charged an average of 4,500 people each year from 2014 through 2017 with insulting the Turkish leader for criticizing Erdogan or speaking about his corruption. (Full disclosure: I am one of them). In 2018, the Erdogan regime initiated 26,000 new cases. Aa cracks began to show in the Turkish economy, Erdogan spared no effort to muzzle growing criticism. Nor is the Turkish leaders ignorance any secret as the crackdown on the free press has meant the surviving media merely amplifies the conspiracy theories in which Erdogan and his top aides believe, such as the Jews targeting them with telekinesis, or that bands on migratory birds to be evidence of Israeli espionage. The Turkish accusation that followers of exiled theologian Fethullah Gulen contributed to the spread of the virus likely is only a matter of time. In a major boost to the 'Make in India' initiative,the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has paved way for procurement of 83 indigenous Tejas fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF). New Delhi: In a major boost to the 'Make in India' initiative,the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has paved way for procurement of 83 indigenous Tejas fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF). The first meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was held on Wednesday. "Consequent to the separation of duties between Department of Defence (DoD) and Department of Military Affairs (DMA), the first meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) under the chairmanship of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh was held with the Acquisition Wing being the Secretariat of the DAC. This would lead to better coordination and faster processing of cases with the Acquisition wing being in the overall charge of the Capital acquisition process," read a release from the Ministry of Defence. The ministry said that the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas indigenously-designed by Aircraft Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is going to be the backbone of Indian Air Force in future. "While orders of 40 Tejas aircraft had been placed with HAL in initial configurations, DAC paved the way for procurement of 83 of the more advanced Mk1A version of the aircraft from HAL by finalising the contractual and other issues. The proposal will now be placed for consideration of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS)." "This procurement will be a major boost to 'Make in India' as the aircraft is indigenously designed, developed and manufactured with participation of several local vendors apart from HAL," the release said. The ministry said the council also accorded approval for the acquisition of indigenous defence equipment for about Rs 1,300 crore. "The proposals were for procurement of Aerial Fuses and Twin-Dome Simulators for Hawk Mk32 aircraft for the Indian Air Force," the ministry said. The DAC also approved an amendment to the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) 2016 to enable review by a Costing Committee of bids submitted by Joint Ventures of Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs)/Ordnance Factory Board (OFB)/DRDO from whom procurement of Defence items is undertaken on a nomination basis. "This will bring about more transparency in costs and compress the timelines for negotiation of the contract," the release said. SURREY, B.C.If living near the epicentre of the worst COVID-19 outbreak in North America has been surreal to Rebecca Schwartz, making it across the border to Canada was a carefully calculated call. My mom is having surgery (in B.C.) its not scheduled yet, she said after driving from Seattle, Wash., with companion Colin Oswin on Tuesday. Even before the prime minister announced travel restrictions, I was anticipating they would close this border. Schwartz spoke to The Star Tuesday from the Peace Arch border crossing the crossing on the most direct route between Seattle and Vancouver. Less than 24 hours later, Canadian and American officials announced border crossings would be closed to all non-essential travel as the battle against the pandemic goes on. Its the move British Columbia said it wanted. As provincial officials announced 83 new cases and three additional deaths Tuesday, they also repeated calls to limit travel from the U.S., particularly through land crossings where every day roughly 18,000 cars come into B.C. from Washington state the state worst hit by the outbreak. Schwartz and Oswin know theyll have to self-isolate for 14 days in Canada, but thats worth it to know they wont end up on the other side of the border from Schwartzs mother. Theyve watched how quickly the outbreak has disrupted the world around them. One day everyone is working and going to yoga, the next day everything is closed. Its surreal; its like tumbleweed blowing in the street, Oswin said. Washington state had the first community outbreak of COVID-19 in North America at the Life Care Centre nursing home in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland and has more than 1,000 confirmed cases of the disease, with more than 50 deaths. Thats why, earlier this week, when the prime minister announced restrictions on entries by foreign nationals but initially left the border open to Americans, B.C. leaders were quick to say thats not what they wanted to hear. Dont come, B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said Monday, two days before the halt to non-essential travel was announced. We have an interconnected economy, interconnected services and goods that move across our borders all the time some of the essential goods that we need right now move across that border, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said. What we are requesting and what I agree with is that the border be closed to visitors people who are coming across the border to visit B.C. Tom Koch, an epidemic expert at the University of British Columbias geography department, said there are good reasons for maintaining flow through U.S.-Canada border crossings, including for cargo and to process returning Canadians, both of which will be allowed to continue. Canada-U.S. borders are distinct from all others given the physical proximity and the close exchanges between both countries, Koch said. So full closure, unless where it is made exigent, would be politically and economically difficult. Since many of Washingtons cases are within care homes, he said, its not clear community spread of the disease has become overwhelming in the state as it has in, for example, Italy. And its likely public health warnings to avoid travel had also already decreased traffic into Canada, he said. The Canada Border Services Agency on Tuesday said it could not provide any information on the flow of people through Canada-U.S. borders until next week due to a large volume of requests for information. But at the Peace Arch border crossing in Surrey, one of the countrys busiest land border crossings, there were only two lanes of cars lined up to enter Canada on Tuesday, with no more than three cars in each lane at a time. Most of the cars entering had B.C. licence plates marking Canadian citizens and residents coming home. And travellers from the U.S., like Schwartz and Oswin, said they werent coming in for travel, but to reunite with family. Jeff St. Mary from Ridgefield, Wash., got a call from his daughter, Rebecca, who studies at UBC in Vancouver this week. She asked for a ride home in case travel restrictions between the countries ramp up, so he drove to the border. Washington is the worst in the whole country, for coronavirus, St. Mary said after crossing the border. We normally stop to have dinner when we do this drive at a restaurant or hotel not today. Especially the Seattle area you just dont know how many cases are really out there. He doesnt think the U.S. or Canada should close their borders though. There are so many who need to go back and forth, he said. Read more about: Some of Louisiana health officials worst fears over the new coronavirus that it would find the sick and elderly where they live, defy defenses as it spread and kill in numbers are now playing out daily inside the gates of Lambeth House, the senior complex in Uptown New Orleans that by Wednesday had accounted for four of the seven COVID-19 deaths recorded statewide. And a top state health official said he expects at least a few similar deadly COVID-19 clusters at nursing homes and other retirement facilities in Louisiana, a state that heavily supports nursing homes over home- and community-based care, before the pandemic slows. +16 Isolation, fear grow for New Orleans area seniors as they navigate coronavirus crisis In a line that stretched for several blocks around Zuppardos Supermarket in Metairie early Wednesday, some anxious shoppers leaned on walkers COVID-19, the disease caused by the new virus, claimed the lives on Wednesday of a pair of respected, retired psychiatrists, Dr. Robert Lancaster, 98, and Dr. Charles Smith, 92. Their deaths attributed to the respiratory disease doubled the illness death toll at Lambeth House over a day. Lancaster was also the first Lambeth House patient to die after testing positive for coronavirus while living in a wing dedicated to nursing care. The senior complex's staff had diligently tried to shield the wing's frail residents from infection by a virus that preys most brutally on the weakened and elderly. Deadly coronavirus outbreak at Lambeth House moves to new section of facility, spokesman says For a week, the staff at Lambeth House in New Orleans has taken pains to keep a coronavirus outbreak in the independent living section away fr Dr. Alex Billioux, assistant state health director, said in an interview that the man identified by relatives as Lancaster had likely contracted the virus while living in the independent-living portion of the facility until he was admitted recently for hospice care on one of two floors dedicated to nursing care. That switch came before Lambeth House officials knew the novel coronavirus had arrived in the facility, he said, though he declined to provide dates. Billioux also revealed that two other Lambeth House residents from the nursing care floors had since tested positive for coronavirus, and that both of them were hospitalized. He also said a staff member of the retirement home had tested positive and was isolated outside of the facility. The independent-living section of the facility, with about 140 residents across eight floors, has been the epicenter of the Lambeth House outbreak. Three independent-living residents have died from the respiratory illness over a weeks span, as of Wednesday. Each lived on a different floor. The chairwoman of Lambeth House's board of directors, Christina Fay, said in a statement Wednesday, "The intensity of sadness that accompanies what our community is currently enduring is almost indescribable." Lambeth Houses cluster of cases illustrates the perils that COVID-19 has posed for the infirm and elderly as the virus has swept across the world in recent weeks. Communities housing seniors whether living independently or with assistance have taken drastic steps to keep the virus outside their walls, mainly by barring visits that are deemed non-essential. But controlling infection has been an eternal struggle for such facilities. Louisiana relies heavily on nursing homes to care for its elderly. A 2017 report by The Advocate showed that Louisiana spends a bigger share of the Medicaid money it gets for long-term care on nursing homes than almost any other state, defying a national trend toward public spending on home or community-based care. Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Baton Rouge lawyer Jeffrey Jeter, who previously worked as a state healthcare compliance officer, said the close quarters and shared communal spaces at retirement communities can fuel an outbreak. Once that coronavirus breaches its walls, theres potential for it to spread like wildfire, Jeter said. The families of Lambeth Houses dead Lancaster, Smith, 80-year-old James Carriere and Samuel Alcus, 84 have spent this week grappling with that reality. +2 'He put in a hard fight': Ex-lawyer, judge James Carriere dies from Lambeth House coronavirus outbreak As he did for most of his decades-long legal career, James D. Carriere battled with everything he had after he contracted the new coronavirus A short time after officials announced Lancasters death, his son, Dr. Michael Lancaster, said he knew his father was a member of a vulnerable population. The son said both the facility as well as Tulane Medical Center supported the elder Lancaster in every way they could during his final days. Nonetheless, he said, Its unfortunate it ends like this. Robert Lancaster spent more than 30 years of his career as the medical director at what was once known as DePaul Hospital. He was the former president of the Louisiana Psychiatric Association, and Tulane University Medical School his alma mater named a prize for most caring psychiatrist among graduating residents in his honor. Taking care of people with mental illness was his love, Michael Lancaster said. Smiths family issued a statement saying he had spent more than 50 years in psychiatric practice. He founded the Burdon-Smith Clinic and served on the faculties of both Tulane and LSU medical schools. Smiths family said relatives who had been in contact with him are in quarantine. The one who had the closest contact tested negative for COVID-19, according to the family. We urge everyone to take this current global situation seriously and to take all measures possible to protect their families, friends and co-workers, especially the elderly and those most vulnerable, the familys statement said. Staff writer Youssef Rddad contributed to this report. - The Anglican Church announced it had put in place mechanisms to mitigate the impact of the prevailing coronavirus situation - The Archbishop will be conducting special broadcast services on Sundays at 8am and Wednesdays at 6pm - This will be streamed live on the official archbishops Facebook Pages - The church also directed its members to worship from their homes as families - It also noted there will be no commissioning of the Holy Communion save for special arrangements The Anglican Churches of Kenya (ACK) on Tuesday, March 17, suspended all physical services for 30 days in line with government's directive in curbing the spread of coronavirus in the country. The church also directed its members to worship from their homes as families, using the Morning Prayer Book but cautioned the gathering should not attract large groups. READ ALSO: Kenyans praise CS Mutahi Kagwe's composure during coronavirus updates The Anglican Churches of Kenya (ACK) on Tuesday, March 17, suspended all physical services for 30 days in line with government's directive. Photo: Daily Nation. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Ex-founder of St Mary's Mission Hospital opens new facility after losing court battle to Kenyan nuns In a statement signed by Reverend Jackson Ole Sapit, ACK further noted there will be no commissioning of the Holy Communion save for special arrangements. "In addition to all the other arrangements for worship, the Archbishop will be conducting special broadcast services on Sundays at 8am and Wednesdays at 6pm," said the Church. "This will be streamed live on the official Archbishop's and ACK's Facebook Pages; including other platforms. Additionally, we encourage the use of technology in the Ministry," it added. READ ALSO: Meet 36-year-old university student who sat for KCPE 9 times Ole Sapit further encouraged parents to take care of their children and discourage them from visiting public places. Photo: ACK. Source: UGC Ole Sapit further encouraged parents to take care of their children and discourage them from visiting public places and also monitor their interactions. He also called upon all Christians to set aside 10 minutes at 8pm every day to pray for the Nation in their homes or wherever they will be. "In addition, all Christian should make this Sunday of March 22, a National Prayer day," he said. READ ALSO: Court awards ex-Safaricom employee KSh 14.6m for unfair sacking, lets her keep KSh 46.2m bonuses Following the directive to observe social distancing, ACK also announced the suspension of the Archbishop's pastoral visits to Baringo and Meru Dioceses. The church commended the government for the efforts and measures that have been put in place to manage the pandemic despite insufficient preparation to handle it. It asked the government to put in place more effort to ensure those who are directly involved in essential services such as medics and security sectors are cushioned from the pandemic effects. READ ALSO: Gertrude's Hospital to retain 13-year-old boy's body until family clears bill "We further urge employers to be sensitive to their workers as we go through this trying season. For the business community, we urge you not to take advantage of the situation to exploit consumers," said the chuurch The Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) also suspended all church activities including Sunday services amid the coronavirus scare. Kenya has so far recorded four coronavirus cases since the first one was confirmed on Friday, March 13 after a 27-year-old lady tested positive of the virus. 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 JERUSALEM - Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank surged ahead in 2019, a watchdog group said in a report Tuesday, maintaining a rapid pace that has drawn strength from the friendly policies of the Trump administration. Peace Now, a monitoring group that opposes the settlements, said that Israels average annual construction rate has risen 25% since President Donald Trump took office in 2017. Perhaps more significantly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government last year approved plans to build thousands of new homes, laying the groundwork for a sharp spike in construction in the coming years. That included an explosion in plans for new settlement projects approved early this year. In my opinion, theyre trying to take advantage of the window of opportunity that they have under the Trump administration, knowing that it might change in a few months, said Hagit Ofran, a researcher for the group. There was no such supportive administration for the settlements previously, ever. Most of the world considers the West Bank, captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, to be occupied territory and Israeli settlements illegal obstacles to peace. In a break from his Republican and Democratic predecessors, Trump has taken a much softer line toward the settlements. Surrounded by a group of advisers with close ties to the settlement movement, Trumps administration declared last year that it did not consider the settlements to be illegal under international law. Then, in January, he unveiled a Mideast plan that envisions placing large parts of the West Bank, including all of the settlements, under permanent Israeli control. The Palestinians, with wide international backing, seek all of the West Bank and east Jerusalem, also captured in 1967, as parts of a future independent state. With nearly 500,000 settlers now living in the West Bank, and over 220,000 more in east Jerusalem, the Palestinians say the chances of establishing a state in those territories are quickly dwindling. They have rejected the Trump Mideast plan, saying it would extinguish any remaining hopes of independence. According to the Peace Now figures, Israel began construction on 1,917 new homes in the West Bank last year. That marked a slight dip from 2,100 construction starts in 2018. But overall, Israel has begun construction on an average of 2,267 homes per year since Trump took office, compared to an annual average of 1,807 units during the Obama administration. The construction was scattered throughout the West Bank, including small settlements deep inside the territory. That new annual construction could house roughly an addition 9,000 people per year in settlements, based on Peace Nows estimate of four people per a household. Under Israeli law, settlements must go through several stages of bureaucratic planning before construction begins. According to Peace Now, Israel last year advanced plans to build nearly 8,457 new homes, putting them on track to potentially be built in the coming years up from 5,618 units last year and 6,742 in 2017. By comparison, Israel advanced plans for a total 4,611 new homes during the final two years of the Obama administration, when ties with the U.S. were strained. Peace Now gathers its data from official Israeli sources and by conducting aerial photography of settlements. Israeli settlement groups, using different sets of measures, have also reported rapid growth in the settler population during the Trump era. Oded Revivi, mayor of the settlement of Efrat and the chief foreign envoy of the Yesha settler council, said it was no secret that the Trump administration has been more tolerant of construction. Whether the thousands of units in the pipeline are built, he said, will depend on who leads Israels next government and who wins the U.S. presidential election in November. If we still have the same players, Netanyahu and Trump, I predict the figures you will see in 2020, or more accurately 2021, will actually be higher than 2019, he said. Netanyahu, fighting for his political life, took a number of pro-settlement steps while campaigning for re-election early this year. Immediately after Trump unveiled his Mideast plan, Netanyahu vowed to begin annexing the settlements. When the White House balked, he pushed forward a flurry of new settlement plans as he tried to cater to his hard-line base. During the first two months of this year, Israel pushed ahead plans for an additional 7,500 homes nearly half of them in the sensitive E1 area, according to Peace Now. Developing that area, jutting deep into the West Bank east of Jerusalem, would hinder Palestinian hopes of creating a contiguous state. Israel has previously refrained from building in E1 due to opposition by prior U.S. administrations. Israel also moved ahead with plans to build over 1,500 units in a contentious area of east Jerusalem. Despite these steps, Netanyahu came up short as the March 2 election ended in deadlock. Netanyahus rival, Benny Gantz, is now trying to form the countrys next government but also appears to face long odds of success. If neither man can cobble together a governing coalition, the country could plunge into a fourth consecutive election, placing Netanyahus future into question as he prepares to go on trial for corruption charges. Trumps future, meanwhile, also is suddenly in question following widespread criticism of the slow U.S. response to the coronavirus crisis. The virus could also play a role in the growth of the settlements in the coming months. An economic slowdown, for instance, could potentially slow demand in the Israeli housing market, including in settlements. In the West Bank, there are also risks from Israelis and Palestinians who are covered by two different health systems and governments coming together. Revivis settlement, for example, is next to the Palestinian city of Bethlehem, and residents often come into contact with one other. Thousands of Palestinians, including construction workers, work in the settlements. With all the potential of catching the virus, all these things become a much more relevant issue that needs to be discussed, determined, decided upon and definitely acted upon, Revivi said. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will wind down their UK foundation and headquarter their new charitable venture in North America, it was revealed last night. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who carried out their final round of royal duties in Britain last week, are planning the launch of their new non-profit organisation for next month. Yet it is feared the announcement scheduled for April could be derailed by the ongoing coronavirus crisis and forced to delay. The foundation was already dealt a blow when the Queen refused to allow the couple to use the brand Sussex Royal after they quit the Family. Harry and Meghan have already jetted back to Canada and are plouging ahead with their new transatlantic life. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who carried out their final round of royal duties in Britain last week (pictured at the Commonwealth Day service on March 9), are planning the launch of their new non-profit organisation for next month Blue sky-thinking consultants from Stanford University have already been instructed to draw up plans for their organisation new in North America, according to the Daily Telegraph. Harry and Meghan's intention to forge their new non-profit entity away from British shores was laid bare in the departure of their UK foundation director who was not replaced. Natalie Campbell, a former director of Sussex Royal and the sole director of MWX Tradings Ltd which was established to support the foundation, has quit her post, according to Companies House paperwork. None of the other Sussex Royal directors, which included broadcaster Kirsty Young, have been lined up for leadership positions in the new endeavor, it is believed. The Sussexes are yet to flesh out what their new entity will look like, other than outlining it will support their 'global charitable, campaign and philanthropic work'. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will wind down their UK foundation and headquarter their new charitable venture in North America (pictured in London this month) After attending the Commonwealth Day service last week (Duchess pictured) Harry and Meghan have already jetted back to Canada and are plouging ahead with their new transatlantic life Yet Harry did address the project during a prank call with Russian hoaxers, who lured the prince into opening up by pretending to be Greta Thunberg. In the embarrassing conversation, Harry said: 'We thought we'd just take a moment and see if there was some form of other organisation or different entity we could create that could bring people together, rather than us just starting a foundation.' Earlier this week, it was revealed Harry had been duped into taking the calls from pranksters Vladimir Kuznetsov and Alexei Stolyarov because the former head of his royal foundation inadvertently put them in contact Lorraine Heggessey unwittingly acted as the bridge between the Duke and the frauds, who posed as Thunberg and her father Svante, by forwarding their message to Harry's personal email, believing it was genuine. Las month, it emerged Harry and Meghan had abandoned their bid to trademark the Sussex Royal brand. Documents filed at the Intellectual Property Office showed a request to use the names Sussex Royal and Sussex Royal Foundation for commercial and charity activities in the UK had been removed. In another major blow to the telecom companies, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said the telecom companies would have to pay the due AGR amount as it's "public money". "Dues are public money that they have not paid for past 20 years," said an SC bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra. Asserting that no self-assessment exercise will be allowed, the Supreme Court said the telecom companies would have to pay interest and penalty as per its October 24 judgement. In a scathing reaction to the AGR reassessment plea filed by the Department of Telecom, Justice Mishra said it would not spare officials who allowed reassessment of the pending telecom dues. Expressing its surprise over the plea, the SC said the government earlier fought tooth and nail, while suggesting penalty against telecom companies but now it wanted to do away with the interest. The SC said the self-assessment done by the telcom companies was a sheer violation of the Supreme Court order -- a "sheer contempt". Expressing shock on the recent development following the SC order, Justice Mishra said the act of reopening of the SC order was sheer "contempt". The apex court said some players had suggested at least 8-10 months were required for corroborating numbers on self-assessment done by the telecom companies, which couldn't be allowed. The Supreme Court also asked the Centre to withdraw the DoT order, which allowed the telcos to do self-assessment of their pending dues. "There can be no further exercise regarding dues payable. Even telcos should not have any further litigation regarding dues payable. There is subterfuge at play regarding the dues. This is more than a serious kind of fraud being played on this court," the Supreme Court bench said. Also read: 'Paid in full', says Sunil Mittal as Airtel pays Rs 13,000 crore self-assessed AGR dues In its response, Vodafone lawyer Mukul Rohatgi told the Supreme Court that there were some errors in calculation of the statutory dues. The SC said that it was fact that companies had earned (revenues) and they had to pay (dues) since 2002. "Telcos are usurpers of public money and you don't even want to pay a fraction of the revenue earned," it added. The Supreme Court has scheduled the government's plea on fixing of "reasonable time" for making AGR dues payment for next three weeks. Also read: Vodafone Idea needs 15 years to pay AGR dues; wants Rs 8,000-crore GST refund A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and MR Shah on Tuesday had directed that the Centre's application be listed before the same bench which had given the October 24, 2019 verdict for payment of AGR dues, amounting to Rs 1.47 lakh crore, owed by telecom companies. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, had mentioned the application for urgent listing, saying that if a telecom company went bankrupt due to the dues, it would have a major impact on the sector. Vodafone Idea has already threatened to shut shop in India if the government continues to demand full payout of the AGR dues, which could affect its 13,000 direct employees working in the country. Despite the DoT pegging dues of Airtel and Vodafone Idea at Rs 35,586 crore and Rs 53,000 crore, telcos claim the actual amount is quite lower than that. Also read: AGR issue: Vodafone Idea tells SC it can only pay Rs 2,500 crore; gets no relief Australia's restaurants, pubs, cinemas and theatres face six months of ruin as the coronavirus forces the government to ban indoor gatherings of more than 100 people and the national cabinet considers further measures to stop people socialising. In an escalation of the containment strategy that distinguishes Australia from the rest of the world, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the longer-term restriction of entertainment activities would allow schools and supermarkets to keep functioning and avoid the total lockdown of society sweeping through Europe. Chefs from Verandah are preparing food care packages for employees who have to be stood down at Nick Wills' venues across Sydney, which include Verandah. Credit:Wolter Peeters "There is no short-term quick fix to how this is dealt with in Australia," said Mr Morrison. "The idea that you can just turn everything off for two weeks and then just turn it all back on again and it all goes away, that is not the evidence." The government is preparing for the virus to halt the working lives of 300,000 casual workers, entertainers and freelancers across restaurants, bars, cinemas and theatres in every city for the next six months. The move will throw thousands onto the welfare queue as the government prepares a multi-billion dollar survival package to make up for lost wages. 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 WYOMING, MI -- Parents on the front lines of fighting the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are getting some assistance at Metro Health Hospital. Metro Health University of Michigan Health announced Wednesday, March 18 that it will offer free child care services to almost 3,100 employees. The care is also available to employed medical providers and contracted staff such as those in food services. Additionally, the Metro Health Hospital Foundation has established a $1 million needs-based assistance fund for employees who encounter COVID-19-related hardships. Jennifer Gonzalez, chief human resources officer for Metro Health, said theyll be offering the free child care services as long as they can. One of the challenges that we started to hear from our staff was a lot of concern about schools being closed and not having a backup plan in place, she said. They obviously wanted to come and provide care and be able to treat our patients and we needed to help them find a solution. The hospital and foundation are partnering with the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids to provide the free and reliable'' backup child care services. The services are provided on its campus at the SpartanNash YMCA location by qualified child care workers. The child care center is currently equipped for 86 kids, and there are backup plans for overflow, Gonzalez said. So far, theyve had 24 kids on the site, but they expect the amount of kids to change daily. We are proud to partner with Metro Health and do our small part to help the medical community during this challenging and unprecedented time, said Scott Lewis, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids. We believe collaborative efforts like these make us all stronger as we lean in together in support of our community. With the coronavirus spreading, last week Governor Gretchen Whitmer ordered all K-12 schools closed from March 16 through April 5. Michigan is now up to 80 confirmed cases of the virus, with one confirmed death as of Wednesday. Five of those cases are in Kent County. Everything at this point is changing day by day, said Gonzalez, about the timeline for the child care services. At this point it is permissible to do what we are doing. As long as we are allowed to do it, we will continue to do it. Gonzalez said this ranges from having a spouse thats out of work to car troubles. She said its especially useful for employees whose paychecks might change because of the uncertainty of the hours they can work. PREVENTION TIPS Michigans State Emergency Operations Center is coordinating state-government resources and the response to the coronavirus. Heres what they say you can do to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases: Always cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue or sleeve. Stay home if you are sick and advise others to do the same. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, if soap and warm water are not available. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces(computers, keyboards, desks, etc.). Its not too late to get your flu shot! While the influenza vaccine does not protect against COVID-19 infection, it can help keep you healthy during the flu season. More on MLive: Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus First Michigan coronavirus death reported from Beaumont Health in Wayne County How some Michigan golf courses are adapting to opening despite coronavirus Michigan distillery giving away hand sanitizer made from spirits during coronavirus pandemic Macao orders entry ban for non-residents People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 16:34, March 17, 2020 MACAO, March 17 (Xinhua) -- All non-residents, with the exception of residents from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and China's Taiwan region, and work permit holders, will be barred from entering Macao starting from midnight of March 18, the Macao SAR's Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng announced Tuesday. The update on local entry restrictions came as Macao reported two imported COVID-19 cases on Sunday and Tuesday respectively, one from Porto of Portugal and the other from Madrid of Spain. The chief executive made the announcement in accordance with the Basic Law of the Macao SAR and Law on the Prevention, Control and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, a communique by the Macao SAR government said. Macao had not reported any COVID-19 cases for 40 consecutive days until Sunday. All the previous 10 confirmed cases had recovered and were discharged from the hospital. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NEW YORK - The Latest on action in the financial markets (all times local): 10:20 p.m. Shares in Asia have fallen, with Japans benchmark failing to hold onto early gains as investors scrounged for cash amid recession fears. Tokyos Nikkei 225 fell 0.2% to 16,691.45 while the Kospi in South Korea sank 5%. Australias S&P ASX 200 gave up 1.6% and Hong Kongs Hang Seng lost 2.3%. The Shanghai Composite index dropped 0.8%. Stocks fell in Tokyo, Sydney and Seoul in early trading Thursday. Markets have been skidding as fears of a prolonged coronavirus-induced recession take hold. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost more than 1,300 points, or 6.3% on Tuesday. It has now given up nearly all of its gains since President Trumps inauguration. Wednesdays losses deepened after a temporary halt was triggered in the early afternoon. Even prices for investments seen as very safe, like longer-term U.S. Treasurys, fell as investors rushed to raise cash. The price of oil fell 24%, dropping below $21 per barrel for the first time since 2002. ___ 6:11 p.m. The New York Stock Exchange will temporarily close its iconic trading floor in lower Manhattan and move to all-electronic trading beginning Monday as a precautionary step after two people tested positive for COVID-19. The trading floors of the NYSE and the NYSE American Options market in New York will be closed, as well as that of the NYSE Arca Options in San Francisco. The moves comes after a member of the NYSEs trading floor community and an employee of the exchange tested positive for the virus on Monday, according to International Exchange, the parent company of the NYSE. Both individuals last entered the NYSE building on Friday. On Saturday, the trading floor and common spaces in the facility were sanitized, the company said. The exchange operator is waiting until Monday to close the trading floor to offer participants a few days to be ready for the transition to fully electronic trading, said Josh King, a spokesman for Intercontinental Exchange. The exchanges will continue to operate under normal trading hours, said Stacey Cunningham, the NYSEs president. NYSEs trading floors provide unique value to issuers and investors, but our markets are fully capable of operating in an all-electronic fashion to serve all participants, and we will proceed in that manner until we can re-open our trading floors to our members, she said. Several thousand brokers and others used to crowd the trading floor of the NYSE as recently as the 1990s. But in the years since, the rise of electronic trading grew to dominate the action on Wall Street. These days, there are about 500 floor traders at the NYSE, King said. ___ 3:45 p.m. Oil prices had another jaw-dropping skid Wednesday, sending the price of U.S. crude oil below $21 a barrel for the first time since 2002. Benchmark U.S. oil lost $6.58, or 24.4%, to settle at $20.37 a barrel. Brent, the international standard, dropped $2.85, or 13.4%, to close at $24.88. Investors are betting that demand for oil will be down sharply as factories close and as people have put off vacations and business trips in order to stay home and minimize the risk of spreading the coronavirus. Those concerns of weaker oil demand have been heightened in recent weeks as economists have issued forecasts predicting that the economic fallout from the viral outbreak will push the U.S. into a recession in the second quarter. Oil prices have also been hurt by large producers engaging in a price war and refusing to ease back on how many barrels of oil they produce, pushing prices lower. ___ 5 p.m. European markets closed with heavy losses Wednesday on concerns that the coronavirus outbreak will cause even more lockdowns on businesses around the world and put large numbers of people out of work. Frances CAC 40 dropped 5.9% to 3,754.84, with shares in planemaker Airbus nosediving 22% on concerns that airlines struggling with the near-complete shutdown of air travel will slow down purchases. Britains FTSE 100 fell 4.1% to 5,080.58 and Germanys DAX lost 5.6% to 8,441.71. The British pound endured steep losses of 4.4% against the dollar to $1.1538, levels not seen since the mid-1980s, on speculation that the country might face a lockdown as severe as those seen in Italy and Spain. ___ 1:15 p.m. President Trump says no decision has been made on the size of the checks the administration hopes to send Americans, although a figure of $1,000 has been frequently mentioned. Trump told reporters that everyone wants to go big but that the size of the checks was still being worked out with Congress in talks to craft an aid package that could total $1 trillion. A Treasury Department fact sheet first obtained by the Washington Post says the individual payments could come in two chunks: $250 billion starting April 6 with another $250 billion disbursed starting May 18. The fact sheet says an additional $300 billion would be appropriated for a small business loan program. It could be used to support businesses, including restaurants and bars, that have suffered from government-ordered efforts to contain the coronavirus. The stock market extended its losses as Trump and other members of an administration task force spoke about efforts to combat the coronavirus outbreak. ___ 9:45 a.m. Shares in European plane maker Airbus plunged Wednesday after it suspended operations at all facilities in France and Spain. Airbus announced the four-day suspension Tuesday because of new virus confinement measures imposed in both countries. It said the suspension would allow time to put new safety and hygiene measures in place. But the move puts thousands of people temporarily out of work and is a sign of the larger trouble for the aviation industry caused by the virus. After falling Tuesday, Airbus shares sank another 15% by midday Wednesday, much deeper than the overall decline on Frances CAC-40 exchange. Airbus is one of Europes leading manufacturers and a major employer in France. It said its constantly assessing the situation and working with airlines and suppliers to minimize the impact of the virus on their operations. The Union Square Hospitality Group, one of the nations most prestigious restaurant companies, laid off 2,000 employees on Wednesday morning due to a near-complete elimination of revenue, the company said in a statement. That number represents 80 percent of the companys total staff, at 18 restaurants in New York City, two in Washington and its corporate office in Manhattan. Mass layoffs at other restaurant companies around the country have already begun. The chef and restaurateur Tom Colicchio also announced 300 layoffs at his Crafted Hospitality restaurant group in New York and Los Angeles. Other big employers, like the Major Food Group and the Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurants, began layoffs last week, when employers were making the difficult calculation of whether to close altogether out of safety concerns, or remain open for takeout and delivery in order to maintain some cash flow. Few pedestrians walk along Powell Street during commute hours on March 16, 2020 in San Francisco, California. Public areas around the country are mostly empty as people around the country are staying away from from large gatherings in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) SF Bay Area Orders Shelter in Place for 7 Million Residents SAN FRANCISCOThe usual morning bumper to bumper traffic disappeared from freeways and streets. Previously congested bridges are empty. Cities are significantly quieter and emptier, resembling ghost towns. On Monday, seven Bay Area health officials ordered shelter in place in six counties. People are required to stay home and should only go out when it is essential to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19. The order (PDF) went into effect at 12:01 a.m. on March 17, and goes through April 7, 2020. For three weeks, people living in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Santa Clara, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties, including the City of Berkeley, should only go out for essential needs and travels. Essential businesses like healthcare, grocery stores, gas stations, banks, laundromats, post offices, and the media can continue to operate. Sheltering in place is a core strategy, said Dr. Tomas Aragon, public health officer of the City & County of San Francisco. By staying home, you reduce your risk of becoming exposed, which means that we reduce the risk of transmission, we reduce the risk of illness and severe disease, we reduce the demands on our healthcare system, and thereby we improve the health and social impacts in the long term. The homeless are exempt from the order, but are encouraged to seek shelter. San Francisco Mayor London Breed (C) speaks during a press conference as San Francisco police chief William Scott (L) and San Francisco Department of Public Health director Dr. Grant Colfax (R) look on at San Francisco City Hall on March 16, 2020 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) These measures will be disruptive to day to day life, but there is no need to panic, said San Francisco mayor London Breed at the press conference on March 16. Essential government services like our police, our fire, our transit, and sanitation will continue. So your garbage will be picked up, police officers will be out there on the front line. Restaurants that offer food delivery service can remain open, as well as other businesses that supply and support those essential businesses, allowing them to function. Were going to use some non-traditional approaches as well, said Sam Liccardo, mayor of San Jose at the San Jose press conference. Well certainly rely on private sector players. Weve reached out to DoorDash, and others and were going to do this the Silicon Valley way. And were going to do this in a way that integrates everyone working together to ensure that none of our residents is left behind. Non-essential businesses like bars and gyms will be closed. Its important to remember that social distancing and sheltering at home does not mean disconnection. You can get your medicine from your pharmacy. You can still visit your doctor if you have an urgent medical need. You can even take your dog for a walk, said Dr. Matt Willis, Marin County public health officer. Lets be innovative and stay connected with our neighbors, our friends, and our vulnerable elders through calls, texts, and online communication. In shared spaces or outside, people are asked to stay at least six feet away from each other, wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using hand sanitizer, and not shake hands. If you have symptoms of fever, cough, shortness of breath, or any of those symptoms of getting a viral infectionyou must stay home, said Dr. Sara Cody, Santa Clara county public health officer. Especially if you are an essential worker, you must stay home and self-isolate, and not spread. Dr. Cody said it isnt possible for everyone with symptoms to test as of now, but the testing capacity is expanding each day. According to a Reuters graphic, the six Bay Area counties under lockdown account for about 30 percent of Californias GDP, or $887 billion of economic output. Transportation like BART, a transit line in the Bay Area, still has regular service during shelter in place, but it has seen a significant drop in riders. According to BART, BART ridership for Monday, March 16, 2020 was 118,572 representing a 70% drop compared to an average Monday in February 2020. Major tech companies like Apple, Google, Facebook, Intel, and Cisco were among the first in the Bay Area to ask employees to work from home. David Wong is a technician at a high tech company in Santa Clara. I am working (on a volunteer basis); I feel safe to do so. I have to be extra vigilant watching what I touch and how close I stand next to someone when meeting them. said Wong. Mike Kushner works in outsourced IT support at BACS Consulting Group in Mountain View. All the companys employees are working from home. When asked how he deals with the current situation, Kushner explained he had to wait for 30 minutes in a self checkout line at the store yesterday. The line was down the whole isle and around. Really frustrating to buy milk, butter and eggs. Also, almost completely sold out of eggs. Got the last dozen. Otherwise, staying home as much as possible, said Kushner. But kids are bored out of their minds. Diane, a nurse in the Bay Area, says she would like people to not wear gloves in the grocery store. Thats just contaminating other people and other things. Yes, they may be protecting themselves, but theyre making it even worse for other people. And theyre not even washing their hands, says Diane. She is also a bit disappointed that she cant run certain errands she wants. And now that my husband is at homesometimes, he drives me even more crazy, she jokes. Its not bad news for everyone, some can view it in a good light. I like working from home, being around with my dog and my wife, says John, who works at a non-profit in the Bay Area. You dont have to be at work, and you get to spend more time with your family. And thats the best I can really see it. For it to be positive. David Lam and Steve Ispas contributed to this report. Beechcraft King Air turboprop aircraft are seen on the assembly line at the Textron Aviation Inc. production facility in Wichita, Kansas, U.S., on Thursday, June 7, 2018. Business jet-maker Textron Aviation on Wednesday said it will furlough thousands of U.S. employees, as the rapid spread of coronavirus hurts the aviation industry and other sectors. The maker of Cessna and Beechcraft airplanes said it will furlough workers on a staggered schedule from March 23 through May 29. The company declined to say how many it is furloughing but a spokeswoman said it applies to "most" of its U.S. workers, which number 12,000. Shares of Textron fell 8% to close at $25.79. "This decision will allow us to do our part in mitigating and containing the spread of COVID-19 through social distancing, while continuing to support our customers," Ron Draper, the Textron unit's CEO told employees in a note, which was seen by CNBC. "Due to anticipated market conditions, we are adjusting production to align with anticipated market production. This is a very difficult first step in responding to a situation that has affected our entire world." Air travel demand has been devastated by coronavirus as companies scale back on business trips and travel restrictions. Boeing on Tuesday said it was seeking government support of $60 billion for itself and the aviation industry. OTTAWA, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / Today, the federal government unveiled its economic stimulus package to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. While COVID-19 is spreading, impacting the economy, and changing how students are completing their studies all across the country, the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations is pleased that today's announcement includes relief for students and recent graduates entering into a tough economy. Today's stimulus package will help 1 million students across the country get through these difficult times by putting an interest free pause on student loan payments until September 2020. The average student loan borrower will save $160 a month. The federal government has also extended the deadline to file taxes until June 1st, 2020 which will provide students with additional time to file their taxes and claim their tuition tax credits. "COVID-19 is changing the post-secondary landscape on a daily basis right now," said Adam Brown, Chair of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations. "This pause on student loan payments is much needed relief for Canadian students and recent graduates as many will struggle to maintain their current income levels and even more will struggle to find work in the months ahead." In recent weeks, the post-secondary landscape has been rocked by the COVID-19 crisis as post-secondary institutions all across the country closed their doors and moved learning online. "We urge all students to practice social distancing and try to focus on the end of term, as hard as that may be," urged Adam Brown. "We will continue to work with the federal government to ensure that students in Canada will be adequately supported through this crisis." Contact Information: Jared Maltais Communications and Public Relations Officer communications@casa.ca 613-236-3457 SOURCE: Canadian Alliance of Student Associations View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/581427/CASA-Supports-Student-Loan-Relief-in-Governments-COVID-19-Economic-Response Vice President Mike Pence aboard the USNS Comfort in 2019. Joe Skipper/Getty Images The US Navy is deploying a hospital ship to assist health care providers in New York who could be strained with resources amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. "This will be an extraordinary step," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. "It's literally a floating hospital, which will add capacity." Navy officials stressed that preparations for the Comfort, which have been "expedited," will take weeks before it is ready to assist. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. The US Navy is deploying a hospital ship to assist health care providers in New York who could be strained with resources amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Navy announced that efforts to deploy the USNS Comfort to the state were underway. Cuomo said his discussions with President Donald Trump on the coronavirus were productive, and the plan was approved. The governor activated the state's National Guard on March 10, as the number of cases in the state jumped to over 2,300 as of Wednesday morning. "This will be an extraordinary step," Cuomo said on Wednesday morning. "It's literally a floating hospital, which will add capacity." Defense Secretary Mark Esper previously confirmed he ordered the Navy to "lean forward" in deploying two of its hospital ships, the Comfort and the 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. Navy officials stressed that preparations for the Comfort, which have been "expedited," will take weeks before it is ready to assist. The Mercy is expected to be ready to assist "before the end of this month," Esper said. 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. Story continues Secretary of Defense Mark Esper visits the USS Boise on September 25, 2019. US Department of Defense The two ships will specifically focus on trauma cases if deployed. 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. The extended timeline for the Comfort's deployment was not only incumbent on its scheduled maintenance or the amount of medical equipment on board. The number of qualified medical staff aboard the ship was a primary concern for the Navy, according to Esper. "The big challenge isn't necessarily the availability of these inventories it's the medical professionals," Esper said. "All those doctors and nurses either come from our medical treatment facilities or they come from the Reserves." "We've got to be very conscious of and careful of as we call up these units and use them to support the states, that we aren't robbing Peter to pay Paul, so to speak," Esper added. 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. Read the original article on Business Insider Over the past 50 years, the rate of autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes (T1D) has increased significantly in many developed countries around the world. Canadians are at the top of the list, having the third highest rate of type 1 diabetes in the world. Previously known as juvenile diabetes, the onset of T1D usually occurs during childhood or adolescence and has been occurring at younger age in the recent decades. The disease results from the immune system attacking insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. As a result T1D patients are prescribed insulin injections for the rest of their lives. But why does the immune system attack these insulin-producing cells? Variants in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes are known determinants of disease risk. However, since human genes change slowly over time, genetic changes cannot explain the recent increase in T1D rates. Instead, data suggests that changes in our modern environment have increased the risk for autoimmune diseases including T1D. Recent studies looking for a link between the gut microbiome composition and T1D onset have found patients with T1D have less microbe diversity compared to healthy controls. However, no link has been found between specific bacteria and future disease risk. To investigate further, researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) looked at the immune responses beyond the gut microbiome. A team led by Dr. Jayne Danska, Senior Scientist and Associate Chief, Faculty Development at SickKids, together with Dr. Alexandra Paun, Research Fellow, Genetics and Genome Biology at SickKids and Christopher Yau, Ph.D. student at SickKids and The University of Toronto investigated patterns of antibody responses detected in the blood from children with recent onset T1D or pre-diabetic children with genetic risk factors for the disease. They found that the patterns of antibody responses to gut bacteria in children who were recently diagnosed with T1D differed from those without T1D. They also looked at anti-bacterial antibody responses in children with genetic risk factors for T1D, collected months before half the kids went on to develop and the other half of the kids did not develop T1D. The antibody response patterns they observed were strongly associated with a future disease diagnosis. In addition, these antibody response patterns were strongly associated with variants in the HLA genes which are the most impactful genetic risk factor for this disease. This research, published in the February 2019 issue of Science Immunology, is the first to clearly connect immune responses to gut microbes with the future development of T1D in children. Our results suggest that the influence of gut microbes on type 1 diabetes is controlled by immune recognition, says Dr. Danska. This recognition depends on HLA genes that are the foundation of the immune systems ability to respond to diverse proteins of both microbial and human origin. The next step will be to determine if any of these anti-bacterial antibodies cross-react with human molecules that may underlie autoimmune responses. The analysis platform Danskas group developed may be useful for predicting T1D risk before the disease appears, and for monitoring responses to drugs that seek to balance the immune system, which are the focus of clinical trials being done to prevent and treat autoimmune diseases. This study was supported by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the SickKids Foundation and the Anne and Max Tanenbaum Chair, University of Toronto. This is an example of how SickKids is making Ontario healthier, wealthier and smarter (www.healthierwealthiersmarter.com). The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) Probe opened into attack against Russian embassy in Ukraines Kiev RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov 13:50 18/03/2020 MOSCOW, March 18 (RAPSI) Investigation has been launched after the recent attack against Russian embassy in Ukraine, according to a statement of the Russian Investigative Committee. On March 14, a group of radicals crying anti-Russian claims attacked the building of the Russian embassy in Kiev. They shot the diplomatic building by pyrotechnic products and desecrated the Russian flag. A criminal case has been opened over an assault on individuals or institutions under the international protection, and desecration of the national flag of the Russian Federation, the statement reads. SAN DIEGO, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Tribal government leaders of the Barona Band of Mission Indians, Campo Kumeyaay Nation, Jamul Indian Village, Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation and Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians today jointly announced that they are temporarily closing their casinos amid concerns over the Coronavirus (COVID-19) beginning on Friday, March 20 at noon through the end of the month. The Tribes are united in this decision to close for the health and well-being of the community, their guests and approximately 9,000 employees. Despite this closure, it is their hope that they can continue to provide emergency services for their respective communities. As uncertainty escalates, the Tribes have determined this is the best course of action. They are following the COVID-19 outbreak as it progresses and will take further necessary precautions as their Tribal governments deem necessary. SOURCE Barona Band of Mission Indians; Campo Kumeyaay Nation; Jamul Indian Village; Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation; Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians Ten Montanans within the state's borders had tested positive for coronavirus by Wednesday afternoon, as the governor's office announced two new cases in Gallatin County, including one previously disclosed by the county the night before. The state public health laboratory has run tests for 509 people statewide, though that number does not include any tests health care providers sent to private labs. Local public health offices and the state Department of Public Health and Human Services are notified from private laboratories and health care providers about results from those tests. The two cases in Gallatin County are both men in their 20s. Cindi Spinelli, the county's Communicable Disease Program manager, said both self-isolated quickly and responsibly. One of the men traveled to Europe recently, though Spinelli would not say where specifically, and suspected that he had COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. He self-isolated then was tested. He was isolated the entire time he was symptomatic. The other man was notified in the middle of travel and got tested, and then self-isolated. He'd had close contact with a known case from someone else within the United States. The cases are not related, Spinelli said. "We just wanted to acknowledge the diligence both of these individuals practiced that prevented the spread and exposure to other people," Spinelli said. She added health care workers who came into contact with the men had proper personal protective equipment. Even with people following isolation or quarantine recommendations, Spinelli said Wednesday "These probably won't be the last cases in Gallatin or Montana and just to expect more in the future." Daily life in the state looks much different than it did a week ago, with public K-12 schools closed for at least the next two weeks, bars and gyms closed and restaurants offering take-out or delivery only in many cities and towns around the state and people dramatically altering their day-to-day routines to adhere to social distancing recommendations and suggested limits on gatherings of more than 10 people. The U.S. Census Bureau said Wednesday it would suspend field operations, which includes leaving questionnaires at homes and training enumerators, for two weeks. The deadline to respond to the census is July 31, and making sure as many people as possible in Montana fill out the questionnaire is critical to secure federal funding that's based on population, as well as to determine whether the state would pick up a second congressional seat. Josh Manning, media specialist with the Dallas Regional Census Office, said Wednesday in an email census employees in Montana are still reaching out to tribal, state, local government and other partners to work to promote turnout "during this choppy start to census field operations during a public health emergency." A study from the Center for Urban Research shows about 14% of Montanans would normally get hand-delivered census packets from the field work that's being paused for two weeks. While people can fill out the census online at my2020census.gov for the first time this year, not everyone in Montana has the internet and a portion of state residents rely on census forms left on their doors to respond. The census can also be done by phone at 1-844-330-2020. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock said Wednesday he would put into place measures to encourage access to health care over the phone or internet. That includes allowing patients and their doctors to communicate over phone or secure online systems, which is a change from current policy that only allows for tele-medicine through video chat. Bullock is also waiving a requirement that those on Medicaid establish face-to-face relationships with primary care providers, as well allowing Medicaid to pay for tele-medicine services even if a patient and provider are in the same community. Those changes begin March 20. Bullock encouraged private insurance providers to follow suit. The changes came after Bullock spoke with the Montana Hospital Association, the Montana Medical Association and the Montana Primary Care Association. Starting March 23, the state will pay for access to COVID-19 testing and treatment for the roughly 6% of the state's population who are uninsured, and made changes to hasten unemployment payments to those who lose their jobs because of the pandemic and aid to small businesses affected. On Wednesday, leaders of the states Emergency Coordination Center (SECC) and Joint Information Center (JIC) invited members of the media to tour their operations at Fort Harrison. About 46 people work at the JIC, seven days a week and roughly 11-12 hours a day. The center serves as a coordination hub for local emergency operation center at the local level. The SECC, which also coordinates responses to things like floods and wildfires, designates its response level on a scale of 1 to 5, with most day-do-day operations classified at a Level 5. It's at a Level 2 now. 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. A mother whose prison sentence for killing three of her children was slashed will be re-sentenced after a High Court victory for prosecutors. Akon Guode was jailed for 26 years in 2017 after intentionally driving her car into a lake in Wyndham Vale, killing her four-year-old twins Hangar and Madit and 16-month-old son Bol on April 8, 2015. She also pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of her then five-year-old daughter Alual, who was in the car but survived after being pulled from the water. Victoria's Court of Appeal cut her sentence to 20 years with a minimum of 14 on appeal in 2018. In a note sent to sellers on Tuesday, Amazon said it is seeing increasing online shopping demand. As its household staples and medical supplies are running out of stock, it will prioritize certain categories in order to quickly receive, restock, and ship these products to customers. New York: Amazon.com Inc will only receive vital supplies at its US and UK and other European warehouses until 5 April, its latest move to free up inventory space for medical and household goods in high demand as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. The change does not mean Amazon will stop selling non-essential items like phone cases and toys for now, only that products may be more likely to run out of stock in the next few weeks or that sellers have to ship directly to consumers. The move reflects how the global spread of the virus has created challenges for retailers, from supply chain to delivery. In a note sent to sellers on Tuesday, Amazon said it is seeing increasing online shopping demand. As its household staples and medical supplies are running out of stock, it will prioritize certain categories in order to quickly receive, restock, and ship these products to customers. Amazon defined several categories as essential products that can continue shipping, including baby products; health and household items; beauty and personal care; grocery; industrial and scientific; and pet supplies. Books are included as well. We understand this is a change for our selling partners and appreciate their understanding as we temporarily prioritize these products for customers, Amazon said in a statement. The company said the new protocol applies to its retail inventory as well as to the products of third-party sellers on its platform. The move follows Amazons Monday announcement that it will hire 100,000 more workers, as the worlds largest online retailer is trying to meet growing online shopping needs from people who stay home amid the coronavirus outbreak. Less ad revenue? The news may hurt demand for lucrative services that Amazon offers to merchants, like advertising. Amy Roskelley, the owner of Utah-based Health Beet, said she pays Amazon around $1,000 a month to promote her flatware products that help consumers portion their meals. Now that she cant add inventory to Amazons warehouses, she plans to cut ad spend in half. Its hard for me to justify spending money if I dont have enough inventory to fill customers orders, she said. Roskelley is considering other ways to reduce her dependence on Amazon, too, whether shipping directly to customers or driving traffic to her own website. I have been concerned that theyll shut down Amazons warehouses and wont ship out at all, and that would just devastate me, she said. Amazon has yet to indicate any such closures. Still, the months-long outbreak is posing challenges to the Seattle e-commerce companys operations. Merchant Zengxie Pang said Amazons change came just as the China-based sellers factories had resumed production. Now we cant ship to warehouses until April, Pang said. We are already seeing a rising demand for kitchen supplies, and they will likely run out of stock. Chief executive of personal massager company LuLu, Michael Gawrychowski, said his supplier in China woke him in the middle of the night with news of Amazons change. People are freaking out, he said. Gawrychowski immediately sent a request for a 25,000-unit shipment. That was rejected, but a second request went through, he said. Amazons two-day shipping guarantee has in some cases slowed to up to seven-day delivery, Baird Equity Research analyst Colin Sebastian said in a note. Tuesdays announcement aims to speed up the operation, at the risk of limiting the availability of non-essential items like electronics that typically are a big part of Amazons business. This change will likely force some third-party sellers currently dependent on Amazon to shift sales to other marketplaces (eBay, Wish, Walmart, Facebook Marketplace, etc.), or onto their own websites, Sebastian said. Customer searches for popular items including iPhone cases, AirPods and Apple Watch bands have fallen from the week prior, an indication of shifting shopper interests, according to research from Helium 10, which provides tools to sellers. Workers at bars, gyms, theaters and other non-essential businesses have been furloughed to help contain the spread of the deadly virus, and President Donald Trump on Monday said the US economy may be sliding into recession. For sellers, which account for over half of sales on Amazon, the new warehouse policy only adds to the economic uncertainty they are facing, said Chris McCabe, founder of Amazon seller consultancy ecommerceChris.com. Sellers are rethinking their entire strategies for selling in 2020, he said. As the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus reached 98 in Turkey March 17, creative Turks have come up with their own "cures," from cannabis to sheep's trotter soup. Cannabis tops Turks list of absurd cures for COVID-19. Abdurrahman Dilipak, a prominent Islamist columnist for daily Yeni Akit, advocated its use in his March 12 column, suggesting the use of hemp, a subtype of Cannabis sativa plant that grows in central Anatolia, to fight the virus. Dilipak wrote that the best remedy against the coronavirus is CBD and THC, and that people can order these substances from abroad or use pure hemp oil if they can find it in Turkey. It is said that the development of a vaccine against the coronavirus would take six months, he wrote. If Turkey decides to increase its cannabis plantation in April, the strong harvest we would get in four months can create a major barrier to the global spread of the virus. He urged his readers against receiving vaccines developed abroad, because these would likely contain sterilization agents, tying the whole thing to an Aryan plot. Medical circles laughed off Dilipak, who has around 700,000 Twitter followers about six times more than his paper's. Could we just authorize this guy, who thinks hemp is the mother of all medicines, to grow his own cannabis? tweeted physician Hakki Irgil. Several people called on the judiciary to initiate a case against Dilipak for promoting drug use. Dilipak, a staunch Islamist, provoked the wrath of the Turkish medical sector two years ago, when he boasted of treating his high eye pressure with the ancient method of bloodletting. A firm advocate of hemp as a miracle plant, he claims it will heal diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma and psychological disorders. He sees its unhindered production as a major tool to increase Turkeys geopolitical and economic importance and has been lobbying for its liberalization. He has supported President Recep Erdogan's pledge to increase hemp production which has been restricted for several decades due to anti-narcotics regulations. As the coronavirus dominated Turkey's agenda, a foreign journalist who used to live in Turkey and tweets under the handle @AnkaraliJan, said the Twittersphere had three gangs: Why coronavirus isn't as bad as you think, why coronavirus is much worse than you think," and "Why coronavirus proves my cultural practices were superior all along. The last group, in both the virtual and the real world, is confronting the outbreak with two local items: lemon-scented cologne and a traditional soup made of sheep's head and trotter, known in Turkish as kelle paca, an acquired taste that Turks believe cures hangovers and colds. Most foreigners steer clear of it. Professor Canan Karatay, a popular cardiologist turned healthy living guru, first voiced "the kelle paca cure." It was readily adopted by the public, who considered flocking to esnaf lokantalari, or traditional small restaurants, for a meal of kelle paca was a far better option than social distancing or, worse, social isolation. The outbreak of coronavirus led to high demand for kelle paca, Hurriyet reported March 16. The report shared a tweet of Erik Weststrate, the media-savvy deputy head of mission of the Netherlands Embassy in Ankara: At the embassy, we took precautions against #coronavirus: no more handshakes, sanitizer, paper towels, and kelle paca soup for increased resistance. After the news articles, the kelle paca orders both at the restaurant and as take-away have increased, said a waiter at Ismet Usta, a popular restaurant in downtown Izmir. Not sure it would last, though. More and more people are staying home. All of these remedies from gorging your throat with vinegar to whatever soup, has no use, Mehmet Ceylan, the president of the nongovernmental Infectious Diseases Association, said in a news program on NTV March 16. These are unscientific and should not be spread [through the media or word of mouth]. But the medical sector is less hostile to lemon cologne, a liquid that is 80% alcohol and offered to guests as a sign of hospitality in Turkish homes, cafes, restaurants and even intercity buses. Some municipalities now use it in public transport, too, to sanitize passengers' hands. The traditional ethanol-based disinfectant, also used widely for kolonyali mendil, the lemon-scented wipes handed out in traditional restaurants, has been in such high demand that markets, pharmacists and perfumeries increased prices, shoppers lamented. Engin Tuncer, the CEO of the cologne producer Eyup Sabri Tuncer, told NTV March 12 that the high street sales had quintupled, and online sales had septupled. But we did not increase the prices in the last one year, he said, though some other retailers and small producers admitted that they had to increase the prices by 30% because the cost of alcohol had increased. A 200 milliliter bottle of cologne can cost between 7 to 70 Turkish liras ($1.20 to $12), depending on the brand. Given Turkeys liberal vs. conservative political polarization, it came as no surprise that the renewed glamour of 80% alcohol cologne became an issue. Some conservative circles long lobbied against the cologne wipes that were served in the Turkish Airlines, trying to replace them with nonalcohol wet wipes, wrote Kemal Okuyan, a columnist at Sol news website, on March 12. What happened? Corona brought the cologne back. A few days later, Turkeys top religious affairs body, Diyanet, made a statement saying that it was allowed in Islam to use alcohol for sanitation and medical purposes as long as you did not drink it. Keith Lemon has been pictured drinking beer in a pub and hugging a friend just two days after falling ill with a fever and a cough on the set of Celebrity Juice, resulting in the production being shut down amid fears he had contracted coronavirus. The comedian, 46 - real name Leigh Francis - was flouting government advice to practice social distancing in the wake of the pandemic as he joined a pal at the The Lansdowne Pub & Dining Room in Primrose Hill, north London, on Wednesday. Keith's appearance comes just two days after Holly Willoughby was reportedly left 'panicked' on Monday after she 'fled' the Celebrity Juice studio following his announcement that he had coronavirus-like symptoms. Feeling better? Keith Lemon has been pictured drinking beer in a pub and hugging a friend just two days after falling ill with a fever and a cough on the set of Celebrity Juice, resulting in the production being shut down amid fears he had contracted coronavirus The episode was hastily cancelled moments before filming began following Boris Johnson's speech advising people to avoid all 'non-essential' contact with others. Keith appeared to be ignoring Prime Minister Boris Johnson's words that Brits should work from home and stay away from bars, clubs and restaurants for 12-weeks on Wednesday as he met his friend. 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. Keith was spotted tucking into food and sipping on a pint of refreshing beverage at the popular pub in Primrose Hill. Against government guidelines: The comedian, 46 - real name Leigh Francis - was flouting government advice to practice social distancing in the wake of the pandemic as he joined a pal at the The Lansdowne Pub & Dining Room in Primrose Hill, north London, on Wednesday Panic: Keith's appearance comes just two days after Holly Willoughby was reportedly left 'panicked' on Monday after she 'fled' the Celebrity Juice studio following his announcement that he had coronavirus -like symptoms No self-isolating here! Keith appeared to be ignoring Prime Minister Boris Johnson's words that Brits should work from home, stay away from bars, clubs and restaurants and avoid 'all non-essential contact' for 12-weeks on Wednesday as he met his friend Later, the comedian was seen hugging his pal, despite being advised to avoid all 'non-essential' contact with others, as he headed home in his grey MINI Clubman. The comedian cut a casual figure in baggy ripped jeans with a funky patterned shirt jacket, green scarf and black Chelsea boots. The comedian finished his ensemble by tucking his signature fiery locks into a beige beret and a pair of black sunglasses. Warning: 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 Cheery: Despite complaining about feeling ill on Monday, Keith appeared cheery during his pub outing Good spirits: Keith was spotted tucking into food and sipping on a pint of refreshing beverage at the popular pub in Primrose Hill (The Lansdowne Pub & Dining Room pictured) 'Non-essential' contact: Later, the comedian was seen hugging his pal, despite being advised to avoid all 'non-essential' contact with others MailOnline has contacted Keith's representatives for comment. It comes after Keith admitted he wasn't feeling right in the midst of coronavirus fears, and those in attendance to watch Celebrity Juice on Monday were sent home from Elstree Studios in Borehamwood. It was decided by the producers that the live studio audience should leave following the Prime Minister's speech about the country's latest plans regarding COVID-19. Home time: Keith later headed home in his grey MINI Clubman after meeting his friend at the pub Keeping it casual: The comedian cut a casual figure in baggy ripped jeans with a funky patterned shirt jacket, green scarf and black Chelsea boots Care-free: Keith finished his ensemble by tucking his signature fiery locks into a beige beret and a pair of black sunglasses Keith feeling unwell cemented the decision - a doctor had already been on standby to test his temperature. He told fans on Instagram: 'Crazy times. Sorry to our loyal @celebjuiceofficial audience tonight. 'If you came to Juice tonight it got cancelled cause of what's going on. We've just filmed a comp show just doing links to the best bits of Juice. It was weird without an audience, no audience.' Guests including Paddy Mcguinness, Joel Dommett and Roman Kemp made a quick appearance to apologise to the audience. Paddy later wrote: 'Well that escalated quickly. We were all set to record @celebjuiceofficial audience in and then we hear Boris Johnson's speech and that was that! Cancelled: It comes after he admitted he wasn't feeling right in the midst of coronavirus fears, and those in attendance to watch the show were sent home from Elstree Studios in Borehamwood Sent home: It was decided by the producers that the live studio audience should leave following Prime Minister Boris Johnson's speech about the country's latest plans regarding COVID-19 'Audience out, show cancelled... for now!!!! Still I got to spend a bit of time with my boy @keithlemon! Stay safe, keep an eye out for the elderly and wash them hands!!!' Ahead of the show, host Keith had caused concern after admitting he'd been feeling unwell since last Thursday. He said: 'I haven't been very well since Thursday. I went to a friends birthday party and I ended up leaving and I puked up. 'I think I got food poisoning, not from the birthday party but from where I'd eaten prior to that. I won't say where.' Pandemic: The host of the show, 46, admitted he wasn't feeling right in the midst of coronavirus fears, and those in attendance to watch the show were sent home from Elstree Studios in Borehamwood The presenter went on to say that he had no choice but to appear on the show explaining: 'I had a really chilled weekend cause I'm not feeling too good but there's no one to fill in for me for Celebrity Juice so they have a medic outside who took my temperature and stuff and apparently I'm alright. 'I've got no symptoms of coronavirus. I'm just feeling how you imagine you feel when you go to a gym. I've only ever filmed at a gym.' Despite getting the greenlight from medics, a flustered-looking Keith admitted he was having hot and cold sweats, aching limbs and a small cough. He added: 'If you are coming to Juice I know it's going to be a smaller audience this week cause they are cutting down due to coronavirus, I probably won't give you a high five in case I give you what I've got. No show: Guests including Paddy Mcguinness, Joel Dommett and Roman Kemp [pictured] made a quick appearance to apologise to the audience 'Its not man flu. I'm just a bit dizzy and as I say achey and got a little cough but not worth talking about. I'm just really tired. 'I let the dog out and I felt like a 90-year-old man. I keep feeling right cold. I keep getting hot and cold. In bed I'm super hot and then I'm shaking freezing. I've got fatigue. 'I've got my hat and scarf on because I feel freezing, it should be a big scarf but then I start sweating.' The episode that was cancelled was meant to be shown on Keith's birthday at the end of the month. Disappointed: Joel, pictured left, was noticeably disappointed by the cancellation It's unclear what will happen going forward when it comes to the current series of the show - with TV productions shutting down all over the country. Loose Women and The Jeremy Vine Show cancelled their studio audience attendance at their tapings on Monday. And the likes of Line Of Duty and Peaky Blinders have ceased shooting their latest seasons for now. Major film productions have also been halted from the likes of Fantastic Beasts 3, The Matrix reboot and Jurassic World: Dominion. Photo credit: FETHI BELAID From Town & Country At midnight on Monday, sweeping travel restrictions took hold across American airports to slow the spread of the Coronavirus. They prevent foreigners from at least 26 countries, including Ireland and the United Kingdom, from entering the United States. Domestic travel is unrestricted at the moment, but the Trump administration has said that may change soon to curb travel from cities with a high number of cases. Americans abroad can still travel to return home, but airlines have cut back on international flights. As of Monday, Norwegian temporarily laid off 90% of its staff, American Airlines is reducing many of its international routes (New York, Chicago and L.A. to London and Sydney are among the cities affected) until May, Delta is operating one flight daily from Atlanta to Amsterdam, London, and Paris, and direct flights between smaller hubs and major destinations (Austin to London, for instance) are cancelled. (Americans in high-risk countries are requited to fly back to the U.S. through one of 13 airports.) One company that stepped up to make its fleet of long-haul chartered jets available to those stuck overseas is Blade. It will do so by tapping into its large network of operator flights and keeping costs down, relatively speaking, by not taking a profit asking the operators not to as well, and, following the Blade model, crowdsourcing seats. That's not to say that this is necessarily a bargainthese are still chartered jets and prices depend on a variety of factors, like whether the seats on the plane have been filled by other passengers or whether the plane is already at the departure destination or needs to be flown over from the U.S. to pick people up. If the circumstances are right, prices could be about the same as a first-class commercial ticket. "While private jet travel is significantly more expensive than airline seats, it creates the ability to fly between locations that have seen commercial service discontinued due to the Covid-19 pandemic," says Will Heyburn, Blade's head of corporate development and business processes. Story continues While this is one way to avoid seven-hour customs lines at major airports in the U.S.and the immense crowds stranded thereit does not exempt travelers from screenings at entry points, or the quarantine requirements that might be in place there. Travelers will still have to comply with all restrictions, but without the added stress of large crowds, long wait times, or suddenly-cancelled commercial flights. For information, contact Blade at flyhome@flyblade.com and the company will attempt to coordinate a flight home for you on a shared private jet from an international location back to the U.S. You Might Also Like According to several researchers familiar with the situation, some of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity about the sensitive internal dispute, such experiments could be particularly fruitful. Just months ago, before the new coronavirus began to infect people around the world, other U.S. scientists made two highly relevant discoveries. They found that specialized mice could be transplanted with human fetal tissue that develops into lungs the part of the body the new coronavirus invades. These humanized mice, they also found, could then be infected with coronaviruses to which ordinary mice are not susceptible closely related to the one that causes the new disease, covid-19. Scammers purporting to sell pandemic essentials such as face masks, hand sanitizer and medication have stolen at least $2 million in cryptocurrency from panicking consumers, claims blockchain security firm AnChain.AI. The haul comes from low-budget malicious actors putting a fresh riff on a classic ruse: money paid for products never delivered. Striking amid a public health crisis in which hospital systems from Milan to Seattle are getting crushed by COVID-19 patients and governments are fretting if their emergency stockpiles can meet unprecedented demand, scammers are looking to consumers, also weary of the novel coronavirus, as a boon. Criminals are exploiting the fear and uncertainty created by COVID-19 to prey on innocent citizens who are only looking to protect their health and that of their loved ones, said INTERPOL Secretary General Jurgen Stock, in a recent coronavirus consumer fraud notice from Europes police force. Related: Data Sets You Free: Self-Quarantine Diary, Day 3 Some of these scams are being facilitated through crypto, said Steven Yang, AnChain.AIs marketing director. His firm claims to have traced millions of dollars worth of swindled crypto funds in the first two weeks of an investigative partnership with an unnamed affiliated law enforcement agency in Asia. Scammers strike AnChain.AIs leadership has taken a top-down approach to investigating the coronavirus medical supply scams. Our CEO actually ordered some face masks off of Amazon and had this done to him, Yang said of AnChain.AI CEO Victor Fang, who in early February paid for a 100-pack of surgical masks that still have not come. (Fang did not pay in crypto for these masks). Fang brought the scam to AnChain.AIs immediate attention, but coronavirus fraud schemes have already been raging for months. Primarily in Asia, and particularly in regions infected well before the contagions recent march west, consumers have thronged to any apparent source of hard-to-come-by medical supplies, sometimes paying dubious vendors in crypto. Story continues Related: Can Open Source Networks Address Medical Shortages? Feat. Bruce Fenton AnChain.AI said that two weeks ago it began investigating at the request of the unnamed law enforcement agency. Investigators noticed a pattern: Scammers posted supplies on trusted e-commerce sites including Amazon, eBay, and social media marketplaces; then lured consumers off the sites, to messaging platforms with no third-party oversight; they then took payment and printed a phony shipping label as proof to fool the marketplace and the consumer. Buyers were left thinking their medical supplies were days or weeks from arriving at their doorstep, realizing only weeks later they had been scammed. In some instances, Yang said, the scammers sent an empty box. By that point the victims crypto was long gone. They launder the money through a large number of jumping and pass-through addresses, or using things like tumblers and mixers, before liquidating through exchanges, Yang explained. So far, more than 90 percent of the scam crypto transactions were received in tether (USDT), 5 percent in bitcoin (BTC), 2 percent in ether (ETH) and a small amount in a wide breadth of other cryptocurrencies. Many of the scams began in east and Southeast Asia, but some are now popping up around the world even in the United States, according to Yang. The swindled crypto does flow back to Asia, though. While we are still investigating this process, and the scam itself is observed worldwide, the liquidation itself is primarily going through big Asia-based exchanges, said Yang, who suspects this is because of exchange rate and liquidity concerns (he declined to name the exchanges). What to look out for Yang said AnChain.AIs investigation is ongoing and may begin expanding to other nationalities. Coronavirus shows no signs of stopping, and as such it is unlikely scammers will die down either. In the long term AnChain.AI hopes to identify scammers at the point of exit the exchanges which would likely need to happen through official law enforcement inquiries and legal procedures. More immediately, though, the firm wants to raise awareness with a general public desperate to buy supplies and protect themselves during the ongoing public health crisis. Yang offered some recommendations for pandemic shoppers: Dont buy medical supplies from untrusted marketplaces; never conduct deals over WhatsApp and WeChat; and approach crypto-first vendors skeptically some are indeed legitimate, but others may well be scammers. Anyone who is thinking of buying medical supplies online should take a moment and verify that you are in fact dealing with a legitimate, reputable company, otherwise your money could be lost to unscrupulous criminals, Interpol Chief Jurgen Stock said in his presser. Related Stories Hollywood legend Richard Dreyfuss' chocolate volcano showstopper on Great British Bake Off left viewers in hysterics last night - with many joking it belonged in James Buckley's toilet cake. In last night's episode of the Channel 4 show, the Hollywood legend and the Inbetweeners star were tasked with creating two-tiered themed cakes as part of the showstopper challenge. But while Richard tried to impress with a chocolate volcano for his showstopper, based on his film Close Encounters of the Third Kind, James created a detailed toilet cake. Many viewers couldn't help but joke that the cakes were unintentionally coordinated, with one commenting on Richard's creation: 'Looks like it should be flushed down the toilet cake'. Meanwhile another viewer jokingly dubbed the actor: 'Richard the Turd.' Great British Bake Off viewers were left in hysterics last night over Richard Dreyfuss' volcano cake showstopper, with Paul Hollywood comparing it to the poo emoji Many questioned the volcano cake after the judges compared it to the poo emoji on the baking programme During the show, the second batch of famous faces were asked to make a chocolate roulade, canaloni, and the tough showstopper challenge in just three-and-a-half hours. And Richard impressed Paul Hollywood by explaining the meaning behind his themed cake, with the judge immediately revealing it was his 'favourite film'. The star of Jaws revealed: 'I'm building a volcano in layers.' And after a frantic few hours, Richard exclaimed he felt he had 'already won' by taking part in the competition. Many viewers were left in hysterics over the volcano cake, with several commenting that it looked like it belonged in James Buckley's toilet cake Presenting his showstopper to Prue Leith and Paul, he explained: 'Nothing negative you could say about this, I haven't already said. So, do your worst.' The group were left giggling as Paul said: 'It does remind me of an emoji'. Meanwhile Prue exclaimed: 'I don't want to know about that...perhaps a very large cow pat.' And presenter Sandi Toksvig added: 'More like Close Encounters of the Turd kind.' Many joked that the bake looked as though it belonged down the toilet cake, baked by Inbetweeners star James Buckley Richard impressed the judges as he revealed his plan to make a showstopper based on his film Close Encounters As Paul cut into the showstopper's thick brown icing, he questioned Richard over 'whether there is a cake in here.' Richard responded: 'Is there a cake? Just the rest of my career I think.' But after sampling the bake, the judges couldn't help but admit they were impressed by the flavour of the chocolate cake. Paul said: 'Looks hideous, tastes amazing.' Meanwhile Prue added: 'It's very rich. It could do with a bit of vanilla ice cream.' Paul added: 'Decoration is not your strong point. But certainly baking possibly is.' But while the judges were impressed by Richard's cake, they were blown away by actor James Buckley's creation. The Inbetweeners star created a toilet, complete with balls of chocolate placed inside the bowl. And while actor James Buckley impressed the judges with his toilet bake, many viewers felt the effort was perfectly coordinated with Richard's cake And many viewers couldn't help but point out how the two cakes 'belonged together'. One commented: 'That volcano belongs in James' toilet.' Another tagged both of the contestants, writing: 'Cute couples cake idea.' Meanwhile another wrote: 'Well, Richard Dreyfuss making a poo emoji out of cake has made me feel marginally better about the failure at existing that is me. 'Maybe even Oscar winners aren't necessarily incredible at absolutely everything.' Prince William has broken his silence amid the coronavrius pandemic and praised the UK's 'unique ability' to pull together whenever and wherever adversity strikes. The Kensington Royal Twitter account shared a video of the Duke of Cambridge, 38, giving a speech, where he can be heard saying: 'The way that local communities support those affected shows the very best of our values and human nature.' A caption posted alongside the short clip reads: '@TheNatEmergTrust has launched an appeal to raise funds to help local charities support individuals suffering hardship as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.' It comes just moments after it was announced that all schools across the UK will close their doors for foreseeable future on Friday. The Kensington Royal Twitter account has shared a video of Prince William 38, (pictured), speaking out about the current coronavirus epidemic The royal (pictured) praised people of the UK's ability to pull together whenever and wherever adversity strikes In the video, Prince William continues: 'The publics desire to help in the wake of tragedy needs to me managed and channelled in the best possible way which is why the establishment of the National Emergencies Trust was so important.' 'I said at its launch last year that I dreaded the day when it would be needed. 'Sadly, with the outbreak of Covid-19, that day has come faster than any of us would have hoped.' 'But now, more than ever, I am grateful that the National Emergencies Trust exists. It will ensure that support reaches those across the UK who need it most, as quickly and efficiently as possible.' Prince William added that he is 'grateful' that the National Emergencies Trust exists. Pictured, during a short clip Alongside the video, Kensington Palace penned: '@TheNatEmergTrust has launched an appeal to raise funds to help local charities support individuals suffering hardship as a result of the coronavirus outbreak' 'And it will help to ensure that all our efforts to overcome this challenge are channelled in the best possible way.' It comes following the confirmation that all schools in England will close on Friday along with those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as coronavirus continues to wreak havoc in the UK. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced the move and said that when school gates shut on Friday they will not reopen for the foreseeable future. However, a skeleton operation will be kept in place across the country so that the children of key workers can be looked after and enable their parents to continue to work. GCSE and A-Level exams planned for May and June will be postponed while nurseries and private schools have also been told to close. GPs are calling for telehealth Medicare rebates to be extended to all coronavirus-related phone consultations, saying more patients must be treated remotely to prevent doctors from running out of protective face masks and minimise their risk of spreading COVID-19. Royal Australian College of General Practitioners president Harry Nespolon said state-run coronavirus information lines were being "overwhelmed" with calls, leading patients with cold and flu symptoms - frustrated by long delays or unhappy at being refused testing - turning to GPs for advice. RACGP president Harry Nespolon says doctors must be allowed to bill Medicare for all coronavirus phone calls. Credit:Dominic Lorrime "It's much better for everyone to be dealt with on a non-face-to-face basis," Dr Nespolon said. But, restrictions on the federal government's telehealth Medicare rebates mean GPs can only bulk bill patients who have recently travelled overseas, been in contact with a confirmed case or fall into the category of "vulnerable" patients such as pregnant women and the elderly. New Delhi, March 17 : Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Tuesday reviewed preparedness of states along India's eastern borders over measures to combat coronavirus outbreak. The review exercise on Tuesday covered 12 states bordering Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. The Home Secretary held a video conference with administrative and police department heads of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya, besides Secretary Border Management and Directors General (DsG) of BSF, SSB, and Assam Rifles. The states informed the Home Secretary that regular screening is being done by doctors at various transit points and the community in border areas has been sensitized through gram sabhas about the precautions to be followed for avoiding infection. The Home Secretary urged officials to ensure round-the-clock deployment of doctors with requisite testing kits and other medical supplies so that hundred per cent screening is achieved. The COVID-19 outbreak in India has been steadily rising with cases being reported from many states. On Monday the number of confirmed cases in the country rose to 137, with three people reported dead. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday suspended the Vaishno Devi Yatra in view of coronavirus outbreak. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra has been closed from today. Operations of all inter-state buses, both incoming and outgoing from J&K, are banned from today, the Department of Information and Public Relations said in a statement. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) had on Tuesday asked pilgrims to put off their visit to the famous cave temple as more Covid-19 positive cases emerged in the country. After orders from the government, all the pilgrims visiting the shrine had to fill Self Reporting Form available at yatra registration counters, accommodations and the helipad terminal. They were also required to undergo thermal image scanning at Katra, the base camp for the yatra, before proceeding for the pilgrimage. A total of 147 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in India so far and three people 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. Medical officials in Idleb are working to implement measure that they hope will prevent the spread of coronavirus across the province writes Alsouria Net. The Idleb Health Directorate has announced a package of measures which will be applied in the northwestern Syrian province to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, despite no official announcement of there being any observed cases on Syrian territory. Dr. Yahya Naimeh, head of the healthcare department in Idleb under opposition control, told Alsouria Net on Tuesday that the directorate had mobilized its entire staff and had started the first steps to spread awareness among residents by distributing posters that included instructions and advice to ward off the virus. Naimeh said that the directorate had allocated four hospitals in Idleb governorate just to receive patients infected with the coronavirus (if they exhibit symptoms), adding that they would put medical personnel on alert and close all clinics in the governorate with the exception of the womens, childrens and surgery sections. The head of the secondary care department in the directorate told Alsouria Net that the announcement of any case of the virus in northwestern Syria would be through the ICU organization which monitors epidemics. Isolation camps for the injured The measures announced by the Idleb Health Directorate also included establishing community isolation camps. The relevant authorities will begin setting up the first camps on Wednesday in an area near Harim, north of Idleb. Naimeh said that the directorate had contacted the relevant authorities to obtain other sites to establish similar camps between villages, cities and rural areas. The aim of the isolation camps is to receive coronavirus-infected patients and provide simple healthcare there, Naimeh said, adding, As is well known, 80 percent of those infected with the coronavirus do not need health carethey are only isolated until they recover, while 15 percent need minor care, and five percent intensive care. According to Naimeh, the Idleb Health Directorate has prepared a list of requests for the World Health Organization and donor agencies, including care beds, respirators, testing devices, thermometers, sterilizers, and disinfectants, which people must use to prevent the virus. The Health Directorate held a meeting on Monday that included hospital directors in Idleb, and which resulted in recommendations including the launch of a screening program, which will be applied at all medical points and hospitals. 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. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is still running for president, but he does not want to talk about his campaign right now. Like many Americans, his primary focus is on the coronavirus pandemic, which he called the "unprecedented crisis of our lifetime," and things got testy when things veered off topic Wednesday. While speaking with reporters, Sanders was asked if he had a timeframe in place for when he would make a decision about whether to drop out of the race after his competitor, former Vice President Joe Biden, reaped the rewards of another strong night of primary voting Tuesday, helping him secure his place as the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. Sanders wasn't having it. Sen. Bernie Sanders grew angry when asked about his campaign plans. During a gaggle with reporters in the Capitol, I asked Sanders about his timeframe for making a decision, and he lashed out: "I'm dealing with a fucking global crisis. You know, we're dealing with." Manu Raju (@mkraju) March 18, 2020 CNN's Manu Raju, who asked the question, then pointed out that Sanders was a presidential candidate, to which the senator replied he didn't have time to think about such things. I noted he's running for president, and he said: Well right now, right now I'm trying to do my best to make sure that we don't have an economic meltdown and that people don't die. Is that enough for you to keep me busy for today?" Manu Raju (@mkraju) March 18, 2020 Raju reported that things calmed down shortly after that, as Sanders returned to answering coronavirus questions. More stories from theweek.com The best way to avoid a coronavirus depression 7 funny cartoons about coronavirus hoarding Trump briefing notes show he replaced 'coronavirus' with 'Chinese virus' in Sharpie 18.03.2020 LISTEN Ghanaian musicians Awotse Kelly has declared himself bankrupt due to the outbreak of the infamous coronavirus (Convid 19). The Samantha crooner made this known in an interview with DJ Sirray that apart from the music business he is into, he also makes a lot of money during the Easter festivities in Kwahu. According to him, he normally goes to the places to hire some of the houses months before the festival which he then hires it to visitors who travel to Kwahu during the festivities. I have hired about thirty (30) houses as at now, Charlie I have invested all my savings into this business but the coronavirus has really made me go bankrupt he stated. The President of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo on the Sunday 15th of March suspended all gathering including festivals, funerals churches and mosques due to the outbreak of coronavirus to prevent the widespread of the pandemic. Due to this announcement by the President, the organisers of the yearly Easter Festival in Kwahu cancelled this years celebration and this according to the Pressure Baby hitmaker have really cost him a fortune. Awotse Kelly says Akufo Addos ban is making him go bankrupt He continues to elaborate that apart from the rented houses he uses to sell some food and other items during the festivities in Kwehu but due to this directive all the goods which have been supplied to him already are all perishing. He also stated that he is finding it difficult to even raise funds to pays his suppliers the rest of the money and this has been a malicious experience in his business. As a reminder, Awotse Kelly is a Nungua based musician who is known for his traditional African dressing on most stages. He has hit songs like Samantha, Pressure Baby, Love is Beautiful among others. As the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise in Connecticut, the daily routines of many around the city have ground to a halt. Heres the latest news of what is happening around Norwalk on Wednesday: Second confirmed coronavirus case in Norwalk A second Norwalk resident has tested positive for coronavirus, according to Mayor Harry Rilling. Rilling confirmed the case in a phone call made to residents Wednesday morning. It was not immediately apparent whether or not this case was related to Norwalks first confirmed coronavirus case which was announced by Rilling at a press conference Saturday. City hall begins daily briefings Rilling will begin issuing a digital daily briefing at 6 p.m. The briefings will provide Norwalk specific updates starting on Wednesday. Visit norwalkct.org/citynews or the citys social media platforms to view these briefings. SoNo Collection to cut hours, other malls close their doors The SoNo Collection announced that it would be cutting its hours from noon to 7 p.m., starting on Monday. The Stamford Town Center, Danbury Fair mall and Westfield Trumbull mall also slashed their hours, while the Milford Connecticut Post mall will close its doors entirely, starting Thursday. Norwalk Parking Authority suspends paid meters As part of his civil preparedness emergency, Rilling ordered the Norwalk Parking Authority to suspend paid parking for all city meter spaces until at least April 1. Parking time limits are still in place. Future uncertain for Norwalk workers laid off due to coronavirus The state-mandated closure of restaurants, bars, gyms, fitness studios and movie theaters is already having a ripple effect on the local workforce. For Daphne Grizzle, a beloved waitress who has served patrons at Famous Pizza House in South Norwalk for more than 20 years, the new restrictions were a bleak and worrying prospect. I live by myself and Ive got to figure it out, she said, unsure what an indefinite layoff will bring to her or many others. As a result of closures, workers who run the retail side, including bartenders, dishwashers, and wait staff like Grizzle, are at least for the immediate future obsolete and, in most cases, laid off. Since Friday, there have been 20,000 jobless claims statewide. Norwalk schools pivot to long-distance learning With brick-and-mortar schools coming to a close last week, Norwalk teachers now find themselves in the unique position of teaching their students from a distance. For middle and high schoolers, that means daily lessons via their Chromebooks. For elementary students, 10-day instructional packets were distributed and will be used in conjunction with online learning, where available. The district also created an online learning day from 8 a.m. to noon, to create an instructional block that allows the proper amount of time for reading, math, writing and science. According to head of the Norwalk Federation of Teachers Mary Yordon, teachers and students are engaging in a variety of ways, including Google Classroom and Hangout, telephone, Class Dojo and email. For students who may not have access to a computer, principals can contact parents and send instructional videos and other materials via phone or email. Rilling announced Wednesday Altice is offering 60 days of free Internet to new customers to accommodate families with students who may now be using digital learnign. NCC moves to online classes, cancels commencement On Tuesday, Connecticut State Colleges and Universities which includes Norwalk Community College announced all classes will be online for the rest of the spring semester. It was also announced that no commencement ceremonies will be held this spring, either. Norwalk police take precautions against the coronavirus The Norwalk Police Department announced precautions to avoid spreading the coronavirus through the community. Police are asking citizens not to come to the department in person, but instead to make reports and requests via its routine telephone number, 203-854-3000, if it is safe to do so. They are also asking that callers advise dispatch if they are sick or experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough or difficulty breathing. During calls, officers will maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet, if possible, Zwickler said. They will also try to make contact by phone, rather than in person, when appropriate. Wilton moves nail salons, hair salons and barbers to appointment-only First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice announced Tuesday that all town nail salons, hair salons, and barbers must operate on an appointment-only basis. This was Vanderslices first executive order since the town declared a public emergency. In Norwalk, no such order has yet been made. Our Divisions Copyright 2021-22 DB Corp ltd., All Rights Reserved This website follows the DNPA Code of Ethics. Revelations that non-urgent cancer surgeries are to be postponed will cause anxiety to patients, the Irish Cancer Society warned yesterday. St Vincent's Hospital said it has to rearrange a number of surgeries owing to pressures of the coronavirus. "In response to Covid-19, consultants are reviewing their patients based on clinical need and some surgeries are being rearranged for the coming weeks. If in doubt, all cancer patients scheduled for surgery should contact their consultant immediately to confirm their appointment," it said in a statement. Averil Power, of the Irish Cancer Society, said: "Postponement of non-urgent care is to be expected during this unprecedented public health crisis. However, it will cause a lot of anxiety for patients." The postponement is just the tip of the iceberg, however, as hospitals across the country have to scale down on a lot of operations and outpatient clinics because of the strain of the virus. The Mater Hospital in Dublin confirmed yesterday that it had cancelled all non-essential elective surgeries, including orthopaedic and spinal services. "All elective outpatient appointments are cancelled until further notice. Patients whose appointments are being deferred are being contacted by phone. In addition, the Mater Hospital will be moving all fracture clinics to the Mater Smithfield Rapid Injury Clinic starting from today," said a spokeswoman. "We are taking these actions in order to preserve and prioritise emergency care and care for those with Covid-19 during these unprecedented times." University Hospital Limerick Hospital Group said it is curtailing outpatient radiology services from today. A spokesman said the decision was taken in the interests of patient safety, and it regrets the inconvenience to patients. All GP-referred outpatient X-ray appointments have been postponed at University Hospital Limerick. X-ray services will continue as normal, for now, at Ennis, Nenagh and St John's Hospitals. Patients who are scheduled to have X-ray appointments will be contacted by phone and offered an appointment at Croom Hospital. Non-urgent CT, MRI and ultrasound outpatient imaging is being postponed at Limerick, Ennis, Nenagh and St John's Hospitals. Cork University Hospital has reduced or is rescheduling outpatient appointments from Monday this week. The Royal College of Surgeons said yesterday that scheduled surgical care and outpatient clinics will inevitably be curtailed and "we cannot overestimate the impact this will have on our patients". [March 18, 2020] Zylotech Names Ernie Cormier as Chief Executive Officer CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zylotech, the customer intelligence platform building strong customer connections for B2B enterprises, today announced the appointment of veteran tech executive Ernie Cormier as Chief Executive Officer and President. Mr. Cormier steps in as the company prepares to scale on the heels of their 145% year-over-year growth in 2019. The company looks to expand initiatives across all departments and increase market presence. Founder Abhi Yadav, who has served as CEO, will continue to lead the companys innovation efforts as Chief Technology Officer. A well-regarded AI technologist & data industry pioneer, Yadav will use his strong vision, technical skills, and knowledge of enterprise customers pain points to lead Zylotechs product, engineering, and extensive AI and machine learning efforts. Cormiers experience and successes span a broad range of companies from startups to Fortune 20, including CEO and President at Nexage, the pioneering advertising technology platform now serving as a major component of Verizon Medias advertising platform. Cormier has delivered successful outcomes and business results for many companies across several sectors, including serving as Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Media (UK), Chief Product Officer at AOL, VP Product Management at Nextel, and founder, CEO, or senior executive at several bootstrapped and venture-backed startups. The Customer Data Platform (CDP) market is fragmented, but there is no denying that a strong CDP can be a game changer in this day when customer experience, personalization, and data consent and privacy have moved to the forefront of businesses oals, Cormier said. Zylotech has been developing and applying advanced AI and machine learning-based technology for several years, putting them well ahead of the pack in bringing trusted insights and capabilities to organizations worldwide. Zylotechs solutions enable enhanced performance for advanced marketing, sales, revenue operations, and data teams through continuous contact and account data updates, intent data, and personalization. Customers gain better business outcomes while at the same time addressing data compliance and privacy mandates. According to Yadav, Founder, and CTO, This is a pivotal time for Zylotech. We are faced with a hypergrowth year. Ernies expertise, focus and respect as a leader coupled with his experience in scaling disruptive companies will help propel Zylotech to its full growth potential. Zylotech has gained early traction and visibility in the data and CDP market, including a roster of demanding enterprise customers, said Rudina Seseri, Founder and Managing Partner of Glasswing Ventures. They are on the brink of rapid growth. The addition of Ernie will help drive the company to the leadership position it deserves. The Glasswing team is excited to see what 2020 and beyond will bring for Zylotech and its customers. Launched in 2017 by MIT analytics and machine learning visionaries, Zylotechs technology has been adopted by discriminating enterprises such as Cisco, Dell, Palo Alto Networks, and Google, and was identified as an up-and-coming Challenger by Forrester in its well-regarded Wave report for B2B Customer Data Platforms (CDP). About Zylotech Zylotech is a B2B customer intelligence platform that has been recognized by Gartner and other leading analyst firms as a key player in the fast-growing Customer Data Platform (CDP) space. Powered by automated Machine Learning, the companys self-learning customer data and analytics platform provides continuous information updates to improve data quality, personalization and actionable insights for marketing, sales and data operations teams. For more information please visit: www.zylotech.com. Media Contact Melodye Mueller [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] WASHINGTON (AP) The White House is postponing an upcoming state visit by Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia because of the coronavirus pandemic. The visit, including a black-tie state dinner to be hosted by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump, had been announced for April 21. White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham cited the coronavirus pandemic in announcing the postponement on Wednesday. She said in a statement that the decision was made so the U.S. and Spain can continue to devote their full resources and attention'' to responding to the crisis. Grisham said the Trumps look forward to welcoming the royals in the near future. The state visit would have been the third under Trump. French President Emmanuel Macron received the honor in April 2018, and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in September 2019. Spain has been on indefinite lockdown as the country struggles to control infections and deaths caused by the coronavirus. In the U.S., Trump recently advised Americans to basically hunker down for a 15-day period and avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 people. Older and health-compromised Americans are encouraged to stay home. The visit by Spain's king and queen had been scheduled for the week after the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, which was being planned for April 13. The first lady announced this week that she had canceled the holiday event because of coronavirus concerns. 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 need three weeks to six weeks to recover. ___ Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap ___ 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. As the sun warms the horizon, a platoon of soldiers huddles up on a gravel road in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Thumps of artillery become background noise as units practice on the nearby range. A few wisecracks start off the morning, along with some last instructions before the ruck march. Then Cornelius Muasas voice rises over the soldiers to ask a blessing on their days tasks, the chaplain carefully articulating the English words that are challenging after his native Kenyan tongue of Kikamba. Growing up as a stuttering pastors kid in Africa, Muasa never imagined he would one day be serving God in the American military. But the Lord led him from a Kenyan church to a United States seminary to discover a global calling and a burden for soldiers. Muasa is one of many foreign-born evangelical chaplains whose experiences have equipped them to minister to the growing diversity of the US and the American military. Nineteen percent of US Army chaplains and 10 percent of Navy chaplains were born outside the US, according to military spokesmen (The Air Force did not respond to CTs request for data). These include Buddhists from East Asia, Roman Catholics from Europe, Muslims from Africa, and many evangelical Christians like Muasa from around the world. Diversity drew Muasa to this ministry, and its why he loves it. There are about 1.3 million active-duty personnel in the US military, and the service members are more diverse than theyve ever been16 percent black, 16 percent Hispanic, 4 percent Asian, and about 5 percent who are immigrants to America. Ministering to American soldiers presents an opportunity like no other ministry, Muasa said. We can minister ... 1 You have reached the end of this Article Preview You have reached the end of this Article Preview To continue reading, subscribe now. Subscribers have full digital access. Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here. By Belen Carreno and Jesus Aguado MADRID (Reuters) - Spain announced a massive 200 billion euros ($220 billion) package to help companies and protect workers and other vulnerable groups affected by the spiralling 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 Europe's second worst-hit country. Half of the assistance measures, which are worth 20% of Spain's 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 country's 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." He said the health crisis had put the brakes on the economy, but would not say whether a contraction was on the cards as in countries like France. He said the government would need a new "reconstruction budget" to deal with the aftermath of the epidemic when it subsides. 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. "I have a little saved up, but I have absolutely zero income at the moment," said Raquel Las Heras, who runs a booth selling lottery tickets in Albacete, in south-east Spain. "If I stay home like this, I reckon I can last about two months." Spain's 47 million people have been under partial lockdown since Saturday night, allowed to leave their homes only to go to work, buy food or visit a pharmacy or hospital, and hundreds of thousands have been sent home temporarily from companies such as Volkswagen and Burger King [BKCBK.UL]. Story continues The government reported 182 new fatalities overnight, bringing the total to 491 and making Spain the country with the world's fastest-rising death toll after Italy. The number of people infected rose to 11,178. Spain shut its land borders on Monday to all but Spaniards, permanent residents and cross-border workers. Trade in goods is not affected. The Balearic Islands - among Europe's most popular holiday destinations - closed their air space and ports to visitors. 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, a Portuguese man, wanted to drive through Spain to get back to France, where he has lived for more than 50 years. "It's terrible because we live there (in France), we have family there, we have health problems that are being treated there," he said. (Additional reporting by Jesus Aguado, Emma Pinedo and Belen Carreno; Writing by Andrei Khalip and Sonya Dowsett; Editing by Giles Elgood) From: Frank King -- Your TED Talk Coach Eugene , OR Wednesday, March 18, 2020 Frank King, The Mental Health Comedian Video Clip: Click to Watch New suicide prevention toolkit for Caregivers VA recently released its "VA Suicide Prevention Toolkit for Caregivers," a comprehensive guide aimed at providing caregivers with resources to help them care for not only Veterans, but also themselves. More than 2.4 million people devote a significant part of their lives to taking care of Veterans. From household chores to doctor's appointments, caregivers tackle a seemingly endless list of tasks to care for the Veteran in their life. With the number of roles and responsibilities caregivers take on, it can be difficult to care for one's own well-being. Knowing how and when to seek support can be challenging, and life events, careers, families, and other stressors can distract caregivers from seeking care. It's imperative to know how to easily find and access resources that may help. All caregivers should visit VA's Caregiver Support Program (CSP) website which offers tips, tools, and other information for those that care for Veterans. The site includes online courses, in-person classes, telephone support, and peer support, among other support features. VA has many resources to help caregivers of Veterans of all eras improve their health and well-being: VA's Caregiver Support Line is staffed by caring licensed professionals who can connect you with VA services or a Caregiver Support Coordinator at your nearest VA medical center or just listen if that's what you need. Call 1-855-260-3274. Resources for Enhancing All Caregivers' Health (REACH) Intervention is an evidence-based intervention that helps caregivers of Veterans with dementia, spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, and other serious ailments. Building Better Caregivers (BBC) is a six-week online workshop for caregivers who are caring for someone with dementia, memory problems, posttraumatic stress disorder, serious brain injury, or any other serious injury or illness. Finally, VA's CSP Peer Support Mentoring (PSM) Program enables caregivers to receive guidance from VA-trained peers and to share their experiences, wisdom, skills, and passion with other caregivers. The Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) supports caregivers of Veterans who experienced or aggravated a serious injury in the line of duty on or after September 11, 2001. This program provides enhanced services for caregivers, including a monthly stipend, the Civilian Health and Medical Program of VA (CHAMPVA), counseling and mental health services, respite care, and certain travel benefits. VA will expand eligibility for the PCAFC to caregivers of all eras as the MISSION Act is fully implemented. In addition, the Caregiver Support Program offers a budget sheet and, along with the USAA Educational Foundation, has developed a series of videos on financial resources and other relevant topics to help balance a budget and maintain financial stability. These are just some of the resources available. The guide includes more detail on programs available not only from VA, but also from our partners. If you are a caregiver of a Veteran, we are incredibly grateful for the work you do each day to support your Veteran. You are the first line in defense and typically are first to detect areas where your Veteran needs added care. You are not alone. VA cares about caregiver health and wellness and is here to support you in caring for yourself, as you care for your Veteran. If you are a caregiver and need help, please reach out. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive free, confidential support and crisis intervention available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, text to 838255 or chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat. Reporters covering this issue can download VA's Safe Messaging Best Practices fact sheet or visit www.ReportingOnSuicide.org for important guidance on how to communicate about suicide. Leah Christensen is a Clinical Program Coordinator for VA's Caregiver Support Program and Aimee Johnson is a Program Analyst for VA's Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. #mentalhealthspeakers #mentalhealthspeaker #garyveechallenge #suicideprevention #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #depression #anxiety #suicide #suicideawareness #mentalillness #love #ptsd #endthestigma #mentalhealthmatters #depressionhelp #selfcare #worldmentalhealthday #support #bipolar #mentalhealthadvocate #poetry #healing #recovery #youarenotalone #hope #therapy #happydays #suicidepreventionmonth #awareness #selflove #help #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #anxiety #depression #selfcare #love #selflove #health #mentalillness #therapy #recovery #motivation #wellness #mindfulness #healing #ptsd #mentalhealthmatters #fitness #wellbeing #loveyourself #psychology #life #meditation #happiness #worldmentalhealthday #suicideprevention #endthestigma #inspiration #positivity #bhfyp #dental #veterinarians #physicians #nurses #chiropractors #construction #healthcareworkers #osteopaths #pharmacists #digitalmediaaddiction #frankking #thementalhealthcomedian #chronicsuiciality #publicspeaker #suicidepreventionspeakers #farmerssuicide #farmers #nirmanforyouth #drought #purposedrivenlife #meaningfullife #meaning #purpose #mkgandhi #decentralization #empowerment #agariancrisis #karkedekho #drranibang #tribalhealth #iamchange #drabhaybang #search #whoseami #whoami #nirman #iamnirman #youthforpurposefullife #youthforsocialchange #socialchange #socialchallenges #gadchiroli #change #socialworker #bhfyp #childhoodtrauma #trauma #mentalhealthawareness #ptsd #mentalhealth #cptsd #depression #anxiety #innerchildwork #healing #complexptsd #traumarecovery #traumainformed #innerchild #childhood #traumahealing #selflove #abuse #childhoodabuse #therapy #innerchildhealing #emotions #childabuse #vulnerability #cptsdrecovery #recovery #cptsdawareness #feelings #love Chennai, March 18 : Global credit rating agency Standard and Poor's (S&P) on Wednesday lowered the forecasts for India to 5.2 per cent from the earlier 5.7 per cent. In a statement S&P Global Ratings said: "We lower our forecasts for China, India, and Japan for 2020 to 2.9 per cent, 5.2 per cent and -1.2 per cent (from 4.8 per cent, 5.7 per cent, and -0.4 per cent previously)." According to S&P, the timing of a recovery depends, most of all, on progress in containing Coronavirus spread. "Even if major progress is made during the second quarter, after a sustained period of stressed cash flow many firms will be in no position to resume investing quickly. Households that have either lost their jobs or have worked fewer hours will spend less. Banks will be busy managing the deterioration in asset quality. There will be pent-up demand but the longer the crisis drags on, the weaker it will be," S&P said. Citing its report titled "Asia-Pacific Recession Guaranteed" S&P said the economic growth in 2020 in the region will more than halve to less than three per cent as the global economy enters a recession. "An enormous first-quarter shock in China, shutdowns across the U.S. and Europe, and local virus transmission guarantees a deep recession across Asia-Pacific," Shaun Roache, the chief Asia-Pacific economist at S&P Global Ratings was quoted as saying in the statement. According to S&P, by recession, it means at least two quarters of well below-trend growth sufficient to trigger rising unemployment. "Our estimate of permanent income losses is likely to at least double to more than $400 billion," said Roache. "For credit markets, a key question is how these losses are distributed across sovereigns, firms, banks, and households." According to the statement, China is gradually recovering from an enormous economic blow early in 2020. February data confirm a huge shock to activity in the first quarter. Investment accounts for about 45 per cent of China's economy -- and fixed asset investment in January and February combined plunged by almost 25 per cent compared with a year ago. Over the same period, industrial production and retail sales fell by 14 per cent and 21 per cent. "These are unprecedented numbers," said Roache. "This not only confirms a hard hit to China's growth but indicates that the authorities are not smoothing the data." External shocks from the fallout of global viral spread add a new dimension. People flows from the US and Europe will be decimated for at least two quarters, heaping more pressure on the tourism industry. The global policy response, including the Federal Reserve's policy-rate cut to zero and the Bank of Japan's scaled-up asset purchases, will help cushion but not quickly reverse these shocks. Local measures aiming to support vulnerable sectors and workers may help but their effect will wane the longer the crisis lasts. The amplifier of the real economic shocks, which has taken an outsized role, is tightening financial conditions. This could tip an economic recession into financial stress, said S&P. "If lingering uncertainty results in a strong preference for US dollars, policymakers in Asia's emerging markets may be forced into a damaging round of pro-cyclical policy tightening," Roache said. "The countries most vulnerable to capital outflows remain India, Indonesia, and the Philippines," he said. "The scars that may be left on balance sheets and in labour markets threaten a more drawn out U-shape recovery in Asia-Pacific," said Roache. The Lagos state government on Wednesday said it may advise religious leaders in the state to stop Friday and Sunday services as part of the measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the state. It said the recent development on COVID-19 in Nigeria calls for social distancing and proper hand-washing. The Commissioner for Information in Lagos, Gbenga Omotosho, said a meeting was being held with religious leaders on how to handle the present situation, where it might be suggested that they stop Friday and Sunday services. He said in the interest of the public, all stakeholders must comply with the outcome of the meeting. Mr Omotosho spoke at the state secretariat while addressing the press on the recent increase in the confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country. The Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, also spoke at the press conference. This is the time citizens need to practise proper hand-washing and social distancing to avert the spread of the virus, he said. The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire on Wednesday said the confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country has increased to eight, with five newly recorded cases who had a travel history to the U.K and U.S. Mr Abayomi said seven of the eight confirmed cases were tested positive in Lagos facility and while six of them are on admission, the second case, who has fully recovered has been discharged. The Commissioner added that some people from high-risk countries were tested, after showing symptoms of the infection. He said one of them is an India national who travelled to Nigeria through Cairo, Egypt airline and developed a fever but tested negative. He said the person is still being monitored for other respiratory symptoms. Another sample belonged a traveller from Houston, Texas, based in Lagos, who flew into Nigeria on March 13 and developed a fever but also tested negative, he said. Yesterday, we received four samples that tested positive. The first two samples belonged to a Nigerian mother and her six weeks child who tested positive and are on admission. They had been in the United States and returned on the 8th of March through Virgin Atlantic flight, VS 411, Mr Abayomi said. He added that the third positive sample belonged to an American citizen who crossed into Nigeria on March 13 through the Nigeria-Benin land border and tested positive, while the fourth belonged to a Nigerian who returned through Virgin Atlantic airline. The commissioner said the state government is in control of the situation and has recommended social distancing and proper hand-washing for the citizenry. The federal government on Wednesday also announced a travel restriction on 13 high-risk countries, which will take effect on March 21. Prosecution seeks up to 14 years in jail for Tatarstan policemen in torture case pixabay. com 16:16 18/03/2020 MOSCOW, March 18 (RAPSI) Prosecutors have demanded high security prison terms ranging from 10 to 14 years for ex-police officers of the Niznekamsk District of Russias Republic of Tatarstan involved in a case over torture of detainees, the advocacy group Zona Prava has told RAPSI. Moreover, prosecutors have asked a court to prohibit them from holding law enforcement posts for terms varying from 3 to 6 years. Defendants Rinat Akhmetshin, Gadel Rakhimov, Nail Mindubayev, Igor Filimonov and Mikhail Logachev, depending on their role are charged with abuse of office with use of violence, special equipment, causing grave harm to health, and conspiracy by a group of people to drive a person to suicide by threats, cruel treatment and systematic humiliation of human dignity. All five defendants are detained. The sixth defendant Ilnar Garipov is evading investigators and was put on a wanted list. According to investigators, in 2017, Rakhimov, Filinov and Mindubayev seeking to improve their crime solving statistics, tortured Ilnaz Pirkin into admitting guilt of 47 thefts that he was innocent of. In the end, cruel treatment drove Pirkin to suicide. The victim recorded his last word incriminating police on a mobile phone. Also, Akhmetshin and Logachev using threats forced two other victims in the case, Vladimir Timofeyev and Nikolay Udiryakov to admit guilt for Pirkins death. In November 2016, Akhmetshin, Logachev and Garipov forced detainee Ildar Kamaleyev to admit crimes he did not commit. Law enforcement officers hit the victim 20 times in various body parts including head and kidneys. State Democratic leaders announced they are closing the Oregon Capitol to the public and nonessential employees starting Wednesday. Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney and House Speaker Tina Kotek said they hoped the closure would help slow the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus. This is a difficult decision, the leaders said in a statement issued Tuesday. The Capitol is the peoples building. Keeping it open and accessible will always be important to us. Courtney and Kotek already had canceled group meetings, rallies and tours at the Capitol last week but said Gov. Kate Browns call for increased social distancing led to more extreme measures. However, the Democratic leaders said they still planned to hold a special session in coming weeks to address ways to help Oregonians manage through the pandemic. To address public health issues, they said theyll employ social distancing, allow people to testify at hearings remotely, limit staffing and increase cleaning. The Oregon Legislatures Special Joint Committee on Coronavirus Response will meet for the first time at 10 a.m. on Wednesday. Testimony will be accepted via email through 5 p.m. Wednesday. The committees hearing will be live-streamed through the legislatures website. -- Laura Gunderson lgunderson@oregonian.com Twitter @lgunderson Subscribe to our Oregon coronavirus newsletter: Email: Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. Several years ago, I sat on the top floor of World Visions nine-story office building on Yeouido Island in Seoul, South Korea. It was located blocks from the National Assembly and was dwarfed by soaring skyscrapers in the nations main political and financial district. The real estate was elite. The building, befitting a humanitarian nonprofit organization, was not. I interviewed a series of Korean executives over bottles of orange juice, surrounded by sturdy vintage furniture from the 1970s. I had traveled to Korea to research the origins of World Vision, one of the largest humanitarian organizations in the world. I was expecting to confirm the accepted narrative of a dynamic evangelist named Bob Pierce, who in 1950 was undone by the sights of Marxist cruelties in Seoul. Working alongside the US Army, Pierce started schools, orphanages, and churches that helped lift Korea to capitalist heights out of wartime devastation. The myth of World Visions foundingan altruistic American evangelical organization born in the anxious ferment of the Cold Warhas stood for well over a half century. As I talked with Jong-Sam Park, the just-retired president of World Vision Korea, he jolted me out of this conventional narrative. The distinguished, silver-haired executive fielded my persistent questions about Bob Pierce, but he wanted to talk much more about a Korean pastor I had never heard of. Kyung-Chik Han had helped Park during the Korean War when he was a homeless refugee child covered only by a straw mat as he slept on the streets of Seoul. I listened impatiently, hoping to return to my questions about American missionaries. But when I tried to guide him back, he grew exasperated. Han, he explained, was ... 1 You have reached the end of this Article Preview You have reached the end of this Article Preview To continue reading, subscribe now. Subscribers have full digital access. Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here. BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18 Trend: The Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences has disclosed ways to combat coronavirus, Trend reports on March 18 referring to the Academy. There is no vaccine or special medicine against coronavirus, the Academy said. Most people recover from this virus themselves. The individuals with coronavirus symptoms must see a doctor immediately. However, to help prevent infection, it is important to take prophylactic measures which are used to protect against cold. It is necessary to wash hands with soap and warm water or alcohol based hand sanitiser, avoid close contact with infected people, the Academy said. People must not touch the eyes, nose and mouth with hands and fingers and must not often use public transport and visit crowded places. It is necessary to make purchases online or pay with plastic cards (paper banknotes contain a lot of cellulose fiber that transmits virus, the academy said. Despite Azerbaijani banks disinfect cash, coronavirus may spread through sick people. Therefore, it is advisable to stay away from the street trade). In most cases, infected people do not have symptoms of the disease and they play the role of a carrier, so it is important for everyone to follow the rules of hygiene, the Academy said. In case of being infected with coronavirus, it is necessary to undergo the same medical treatment as in case of cold to alleviate symptoms. It is necessary to have more rest, drink a lot, avoid dehydration, take medications for sore throat and temperature (a shower may also relieve a sore throat pain) and to use sterilization methods regularly, the Academy said. Facepalm: At this point, it would be weird if a Windows 10 update didnt cause major issues, so this shouldnt come as a surprise. The latest cumulative update has resulted in performance slowdown, boot failures, and a host of other problems for some users. Released on March 12, the KB4551762 update comes after a security vulnerability in SMBv3 was prematurely leaked online. Microsoft says the latest release "updates a Microsoft Server Message Block 3.1.1 protocol issue that provides shared access to files and printers." Windows Latest reports that while KB4551762 is an important update that includes all fixes from the previous releases, its yet another Microsoft update that can cause more problems than it corrects. According to user comments on Microsofts forums, Feedback Hub, and Reddit, the update has resulted in system crashes, including a black screen with spinning circles/dots. There have also been incidents of the update failing to install, massive system slowdowns, BSOD, audio problems, apps not starting, and more. Most people have fixed the issues by simply uninstalling the patch. While the worst problems seem only to be affecting a smaller number of users, the installation issues are more widespread. Microsoft is no stranger to releasing updates that cause problems. Weve seen patches that dont work, plenty that break something else, and fixes to correct previous fixes. Despite the operating systems problems, Windows 10 has finally reached Microsofts goal of running on one billion devices, although it missed the original forecast by about 20 months. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 01:28:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday announced countermeasures against restrictive measures on Chinese media agencies in the United States, according to an official statement. The statement said that in recent years, the U.S. government has placed unwarranted restrictions on Chinese media agencies and personnel in the United States, purposely made things difficult for their normal reporting assignments, and subjected them to growing discrimination and politically motivated oppression. In December 2018, the United States ordered certain Chinese media organizations in the United States to register as "foreign agents." In February 2020, it designated five Chinese media entities in the United States as "foreign missions" and imposed a cap on the number of their employees, in effect expelling Chinese journalists from the United States. Such outrageous treatment prompted strong representations from China. China firmly objected to and strongly condemned the U.S. move, and stressed its reserved right to respond and take actions, said the statement. The statement said that China hereby announces the following measures, effective immediately: First, in response to the U.S. 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. Second, in response to the United States slashing the staff size of Chinese media outlets in the United States, which is expulsion in all but name, China demands that journalists of U.S. 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 Wednesday and hand back their press cards within 10 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. Third, in response to the discriminatory restrictions the United States has imposed on Chinese journalists with regard to visa, administrative review and reporting, China will take reciprocal measures against American journalists. The statement said that the above-mentioned measures are entirely necessary and reciprocal countermeasures that China is compelled to take in response to the unreasonable oppression the Chinese media organizations experience in the United States. They are legitimate and justified self-defense in every sense. The U.S. moves exclusively targeting Chinese media organizations were driven by a Cold War mentality and ideological bias. It has seriously tarnished the reputation and image of Chinese media organizations, seriously affected their normal operation in the United States, and seriously disrupted people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries. It has therefore exposed the hypocrisy of the self-styled advocate of press freedom, the statement said. "China urges the United States to immediately change course, undo the damage, and stop its political oppression and arbitrary restrictions on Chinese media organizations. Should the United States choose to go further down the wrong path, it could expect more countermeasures from China," the statement read. The statement said that China's fundamental state policy of opening up has not changed and will not change. "Foreign media organizations and journalists who cover stories in accordance with laws and regulations are always welcome in China, and will get continued assistance from our side." "What we reject is ideological bias against China, fake news made in the name of press freedom, and breaches of ethics in journalism. We call on foreign media outlets and journalists to play a positive role in advancing the mutual understanding between China and the rest of the world," the statement said. Northern actors have threatened to leave the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) if Senator Elisha Abbo is removed as a patron of the group. News surfaced yesterday that the Adamawa-born lawmaker was enlistment as a patron of the group, a move that has led to controversy in the last few days, leading to calls by actresses for his (Abbo) delistment. Read Also: We Dont Want To Be Slapped Kate Henshaw Reacts To Appointment Of Elisha Abbo As Patron Of Actors Guild Reacting to the outcry Abbos appointment has ignited, Chairman of the Adamawa state chapter of the AGN, Jimi Lot stated that the lawmaker was appointed as a patron of the group because of his philanthropic acts. In an interview with Daily Post, he said that Abbo has apologized and should not be held down or delisted by the AGN. He said; Even Jesus forgives so why wouldnt Nigerians accept Senator Abbos apologies and forgive him over the assault. The guild is not going to withdraw the appointment. We the northern actors will not agree on this and will not take this if the guild tries to do otherwise. If they attempt to do that, we are going to secede. The northern actors will break up from the guild and form our own in the North, since our choice cannot be respected. A hoax announcement claiming Australia will go into an almost complete coronavirus lockdown is circulating widely on social media. The viral message claims the Australian Government has decided to close all schools and businesses, ban religious gatherings, and close the borders. However, it is actually a press release from the Malaysian Government about strict measures imposed in that country to combat the virus. A dead giveaway, which thousands online seem to have missed, is a reference to a meeting of Malaysia's Muzakarah council. 'Following from a good source in government,' the hoax begins. 'From a cabinet briefing this morning - appears to be underway: Gents, country lock down has been announced effective Wednesday 18th March to 31st March.' A hoax announcement claiming Australia will go into tight coronavirus lockdown is circulating widely on social media. It is actually a press release from the Malaysian Government about strict measures imposed in that country to combat the virus (stock image) A ridiculous hoax claiming Australia will go into tight coronavirus lockdown is circulating on social media. The text comes from a Malaysian government press release The hoax message warned of a pending ban on 'all religious, sporting, social and cultural gatherings. All business and religious premises to close.' 'Exemption on groceries, public markets, provision stores. Restriction on mosques and Islamic events subject to Muzakarah meeting. 'Nationwide travel restrictions on all citizens. Those who have just arrived from abroad must undergo self-quarantine. All tourists and visitors barred from entry. 'All public and private schools including kindergartens, nurseries, residential school and other educational institutions to close. 'All private and public higher institutions of learning to close.' Full text of the hoax restrictions Ban on all religious, sporting, social and cultural gatherings. All business and religious premises to close. Exemption on groceries, public markets, provision stores. Restriction on mosques and Islamic events subject to Muzakarah meeting. Nationwide travel restrictions on all citizens. Those who have just arrived from abroad must undergo self-quarantine. All tourists and visitors barred from entry. All public and private schools including kindergartens, nurseries, residential school and other educational institutions to close. All private and public higher institutions of learning to close. Closure of all government and private premises except essential services such as water and electricity, telecommunication, postal service, transport, fuel, gas, lubrication, broadcasting, banking, health, pharmacy, fire-fighting, ports, airports, prisons, security and defence, sanitary services, provision and food supply Advertisement The hoax message warned of the closure of all government operations except essential services such as water, electricity, telecommunication, transport, banking and hospitals. Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned Australians to be aware of such hoaxes and ignore 'rubbish' circulating on social media. 'There's a lot of misinformation out there,' Mr Morrison said on Wednesday. 'There's a lot of ridiculous stuff that's circulating on text messages and the internet about lockdowns. 'Don't believe it - it's rubbish,' Mr Morrison said. 'Go to health.gov.au and go to the state websites to get your information there. 'Avoid that nonsense that you're seeing on social media.' Joe Biden was given a last-minute boost before three states voted for the Democratic presidential nominee yesterday when he was projected to have won Washington state, piling more pressure on his rival Bernie Sanders to drop out. Mr Sanders won the state with more than 70pc of the vote in the 2016 primaries, but former vice-president Mr Biden was named by Associated Press as the winner of last week's vote after delays in counting. The result means Mr Biden won five of the six states voting last week and provides more evidence the party is rallying around him rather than Vermont senator Mr Sanders, the self-styled democratic socialist. Three more states went to the polls yesterday - Florida, Illinois and Arizona. Mr Sanders lost in all three of them in 2016 when he faced Hillary Clinton, meaning he was not expected to secure victories there this time. Ohio, the fourth state that was due to vote, had its primary cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak, with state governor Mike DeWine directly citing the "health emergency". He said: "During this time when we face an unprecedented public health crisis, to conduct an election would force poll workers and voters to place themselves at an unacceptable health risk of contracting coronavirus." The announcement came just nine hours before the polls in Ohio were due to open and was made despite a court ruling on Monday that the primary should go ahead as planned. The split approaches to the primaries, with Ohio cancelling its vote but three other states carrying on, reflects the confusion the pandemic has placed upon the Democrats' nomination race. On Monday night, President Donald Trump issued new government guidance urging people to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people, however he declined to say that the primary votes should be called off. Georgia, Kentucky and Louisiana have already delayed their Democratic primary votes and others might do likewise, with around half the country's states still to make their choice for which Democrat should take on Mr Trump in November's presidential election. Public campaign events, expected to draw large crowds, have now been scrapped with both candidates instead holding "virtual" events that are live-streamed online. The developments have placed pressure on Mr Sanders, who is trailing Mr Biden in the race, to pull out, given his path to the nomination is looking increasingly difficult. Mr Biden won 10 out of the 14 states that voted on Super Tuesday and five of the six states that voted last week, with all eyes now on yesterday's votes. Although Mr Sanders declined to quit after last week's results, he has repeatedly said that, should it become clear he cannot win the nomination, he will not unnecessarily drag out the race and damage the front runner. Democratic figures fear a repeat of what happened in 2016, when Mr Sanders was locked in a prolonged battle with Ms Clinton over the presidential nomination. When Mr Sanders lost, many of his supporters voted for Jill Stein, the Green Party candidate at the presidential election, costing Ms Clinton vital votes and helping Mr Trump. The presidential race is entering uncertain territory. Mr Biden and Mr Sanders have dropped off the campaign trail to help prevent the spread of the virus, and the race could face an extended hiatus if more states postpone voting. The next scheduled primary in Georgia on March 24 has been delayed, along with the April 4 primary in Louisiana, one of four states scheduled to vote that day, and Kentucky's May 19 primary. Wyoming, which is also scheduled to vote on April 4, has suspended in-person voting in favour of ballot drop-offs and vote-by-mail. Meanwhile, Mr Biden, who has been repeatedly accosted by protesters on the campaign trail, is receiving Secret Service protection beginning this week. Mr 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 metres of Mr Biden during a Super Tuesday victory speech. His wife Jill and several staff members restrained the women and carried them from the stage. Pacific Scientific Energetic Materials Company (California), LLC. (PacSci EMC) announced today the execution of a Memorandum of Understanding with Space Information Laboratories (SIL) to provide plug-and-play Autonomous Flight Termination Systems (AFTS) for launch vehicles, missiles, hypersonic vehicles, reentry vehicles, strike weapons and unmanned aerial systems. PacSci EMC Safe and Arm high voltage electronics will be integrated with the SIL Vehicle Based Independent Tracking System (VBITS) AFTU with internal GPS L1/L2 Receivers, IMU, together in a Consolidated Avionics unit with reduced Space, Weight and Power (SWAP) requirements. Attributes include open, modular, stackable and reconfigurable (OMSR) avionics. SIL has very unique, leading-edge technology for the AFSS mission that when combined with the PacSci EMC flight qualified ordnance flight termination system provides a low cost, comprehensive solution for this critical need, said Greg Scaven, President, PacSci EMC. The AFSS architecture is RCC-319 compliant with the flexibility and safety necessary for platform success, and the system can be customized for unique applications. SIL is a leading provider of high-end Li-Ion Polymer Intelli-Pack Avionics/Telemetry and FTS Batteries, VBITS GPS Tracking and Autonomous Flight Termination Systems (AFTS), Space Based Range, and Consolidated Avionics flight units for DoD programs of national significance. Originally developed in 2006, VBITS has successfully flown many times without loss of GPS receiver lock and this heritage is being leveraged. SILs patented Vehicles Based Independent Range System (VBIRS) will track, destroy and send high data rate BLOS telemetry without the need for ground range instrumentation Radar, Flight Termination and/or Telemetry Systems, and thus greatly reduces launch, and weapon system test and evaluation, costs. Edmund Burke, President of Space Information Laboratories, said: I am very impressed with PacSci EMCs broad product offering and technical capabilities. They rapidly filled a need for us that will result in accelerated growth. About Pacific Scientific Energetic Materials Co. PacSci EMC provides state-of-the-art safe and arm high voltage electronics firing circuitry for multiple DoD and commercial launch vehicle, missile, weapons and aircraft. PacSci EMC missile control safety and arming products are suitable for application in all weapon systems. PacSci EMC has seven decades of pyrotechnic and energetic materials experience for mission and flight critical safety systems. (https://psemc.com) About Space Information Laboratories Headquartered in Santa Maria, CA near Vandenberg AFB, SIL is a world-class small business supplier of innovative avionics and power system technologies and solutions for mission-critical programs for the MDA, NAVAIR, USAF, DARPA, Aerospace Industry, and other U.S. Government Agencies. SILs expertise includes development and production of Li-Ion Polymer Intelli-Pack batteries, Intelli-Avionics, VBITS GPS Tracking and Autonomous Flight Termination System, Space Based Range and Chameleon 12U to 27U Flexible Bus product lines. SIL is AS9100D Quality Management System certified to design, manufacture and test flight units. (www.spaceinformationlabs.com) View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200317005002/en/ VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. (NYSE: FSM) (TSX: FVI) reports today that it has been closely monitoring the effects of the spread of the coronavirus respiratory disease (COVID-19), particularly in the jurisdictions that host our mining operations. The rapid worldwide spread of COVID-19 is prompting governments to incrementally implement restrictive measures in an attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19. During this period of uncertainty, our priorities are to safeguard the health and safety of our personnel and our local communities; support and enforce government actions to slow the spread of COVID-19; and to assess and mitigate the risks to our business continuity. The Company has activated its Emergency Response Plan. It has placed its Health Safety Security and Environmental Committee in permanent session and is continually assessing the related health and safety risks to the Companys personnel and contractors at its operations and offices. Preventative measures implemented at our offices and mines include: restrictions on travel, enhanced communication on prevention of contagion and viral effects, increased hygiene initiatives, monitoring personnel and visitors at our sites for symptoms of COVID-19, identification of personnel in high risk categories, reducing mine site personnel to a minimum level essential for continued operations and limiting visitors to those whose visits are considered critical. Each of our sites management teams at the San Jose Mine located in Mexico, the Caylloma Mine located in Peru, and the Lindero Project located in Argentina are continually assessing the situation as it evolves and are implementing business continuity measures to mitigate the potential impacts of COVID-19 on the Companys operations. The Company has postponed all non-critical capital projects and has temporarily suspended all Greenfields and Brownfields exploration activities. At all our sites, management teams have established specific channels of communication with authorities in our areas of close influence to support local action plans to reduce the spread of the virus. Caylloma Mine, Peru On Sunday, March 15, 2020, the Government of Peru introduced a series of measures to contain the rapid spread of COVID-19 which include: the closing of international borders and a declaration of a fifteen-day period of mandatory national social isolation. The Company is working under the regulatory framework issued by the Ministerio de Energia y Minas (MINEM) and the Ministerio del Interior (MININTER), which allows mines to continue to operate during this period with essential personnel. Management is in the process of demobilizing non-critical personnel and will continue to operate drawing ore from its 30 day coarse ore stockpile. The transportation of concentrates and essential supplies is permitted, and the Caylloma mine has a sufficient supply of critical stock, consumables and camp provisions for over a month. San Jose Mine, Mexico There are currently no COVID-19 related restrictive measures in place in Mexico that might have a material effect on the daily activities at the San Jose Mine. Our business continues to be conducted under the Companys business risk mitigation and preventative health and safety procedures. Lindero Project, Argentina On Sunday, March 15, 2020, the Government of Argentina closed its international borders for 15 days. The Lindero Project team is taking necessary actions to mitigate the impact of this measure on the rotation schedule of international staff and vendor representatives. The supply chain of the Project is not impacted at this time. The Company will continue to assess the materiality to our business of COVID-19 containment measures imposed by governments and will provide updates as it deems necessary. About Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. Fortuna is a growth oriented, precious metals producer focused on mining opportunities in Latin America. Our primary assets are the Caylloma silver Mine in southern Peru, the San Jose silver-gold Mine in Mexico and the Lindero gold Project, currently under construction, in Argentina. The Company is selectively pursuing acquisition opportunities throughout the Americas and in select other areas. For more information, please visit our website at www.fortunasilver.com . ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Jorge A. Ganoza President, CEO and Director Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. Trading symbols: NYSE: FSM | TSX: FVI Investor Relations: Carlos Baca T (Peru): +51.1.616.6060, ext. 0 Forward-looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements which constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, Forward-looking Statements). All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are Forward-looking Statements and are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the Forward-looking Statements. The Forward-looking Statements in this news release may include, without limitation, statements about the duration and effects of COVID-19 and any other pandemics on the Companys workforce, business, operations and financial condition, and the risks relating to a global pandemic, which unless contained could cause a slowdown in global economic growth and impact the Companys business, operations, financial condition and share price. Often, but not always, these Forward-looking Statements can be identified by the use of words such as estimated, potential, open, future, assumed, projected, used, detailed, has been, gain, planned, reflecting, will, containing, remaining, to be, or statements that events, could or should occur or be achieved and similar expressions, including negative variations. Forward-looking Statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward-looking Statements. Such uncertainties and factors include, among others, the worldwide economic and social impact of COVID-19, the duration and extent of COVID-19,changes in general economic conditions and financial markets; changes in prices for silver and other metals; technological and operational hazards in Fortunas mining and mine development activities; risks inherent in mineral exploration; uncertainties inherent in the estimation of mineral reserves, mineral resources, and metal recoveries; changes to current estimates of mineral reserves and resources; changes to production estimates; governmental and other approvals; changes in government, political unrest or instability in countries where Fortuna is active; labor relations issues; as well as those factors discussed under Risk Factors in the Company's Annual Information Form. 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 Statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking Statements contained herein are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management, including but not limited to the management of the worldwide economic and social impact of COVID-19, that the duration and extent of COVID-19 is minimized and not long-term, the expected trends in mineral prices and currency exchange rates; the accuracy of the Companys current mineral resource and reserve estimates; that the Companys activities will be in accordance with the Companys public statements and stated goals; that there will be no material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties; that all required approvals will be obtained; that there will be no significant disruptions affecting operations and such other assumptions as set out herein. Forward-looking Statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any Forward-looking Statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in its legal proceedings or that these Forward-looking Statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on Forward-looking Statements. SpendEdge has been monitoring the global erythritol market and the market is poised to experience spend growth of more than USD 36 million between 2017-2022 at a CAGR of over 7% during the forecast period. Request Free Sample Pages This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005473/en/ Read the 110-page research report with TOC and LOE on "The Global Erythritol Market, Pricing Outlook in Geographies that include APAC, North America, South America, and MEA, and insights into best practices to optimize procurement spend." Consumers' growing penchant towards low-calorie food products is driving the major food manufacturers to reformulate their products to reduce the sugar content. Erythritol is a zero-calorie food ingredient used as a substitute for sugar and is currently witnessing an extensive application in a range of processed food and beverage products such as chocolates, frozen desserts, cookies, yogurt, milk, coffee, and confectionaries. This extensive application is driving the spend growth in the global erythritol market. The rise in the enforcement of favorable regulations on the use of erythritol in F&B products in mature markets such as North America and Europe is driving spend momentum of this market across these regions. Subscribe to our procurement platform to get instant access to over 1000 market-ready procurement intelligence reports without any additional costs or commitment. The Top Erythritol Suppliers Enlisted in this Report: An exponentially increasing demand for ethanol is resulting in the supply shortage of corn that is used in the production of erythritol. This supply shortage is triggering a sharp hike in the price of this raw material which is acting as a key cost attribute to suppliers' OPEX. To sustain their cost margins, suppliers re expected to pass on a significant portion of their OPEX to buyers. Considering this possibility, this report has listed the top erythritol suppliers, SLA agreement insights, and the selection and negotiation strategies that buyers must undertake to achieve optimal and cost-effective procurement in this market. Cargill- Cargill features among the large-scale suppliers who are known to participate in contract farming for the production of raw materials to ensure quality and enhance the traceability of products right from harvesting to packaging. This type of farming is also minimizing the need for analytical tests for assessing product quality at each stage of the supply chain. Archer Daniels Midland- This erythritol supplier is known to focus on achieving self-sufficiency of energy for its production methods by continuous improvements in energy efficiency and investments in renewable energy systems such as solar panels. This will significantly minimize the impact of the rise in energy costs during the production of erythritol products. Ingredion- Buyers are advised to assess the efficacy of this supplier's contracts with growers in terms of pricing, delivery, and samples. Engagement with this supplier is expected to facilitate buyers with higher cost-savings. Generally, suppliers who are involved in bulk commodities trading have a stronger role in influencing growers on the type, quantity, and area of the crops to be grown. They also have strong leverage in deciding the purchase price due to their high market power. Buy 1 report and get the second for 50% off. Buy 2 reports and get the third for free. Download the free sample of this report on the erythritol market. Some of the key topics covered in this report are: Erythritol market spend segmentation by region Erythritol supply market analysis Regional spend opportunity for erythritol suppliers Erythritol suppliers cost structure Total cost of ownership analysis in the erythritol market Erythritol pricing models analysis Category management objectives Cost saving opportunities in the erythritol market Free sample of reports that you may like: Global Sorbitol Market Procurement Intelligence Report Global Food Thickeners Market Procurement Intelligence Report About SpendEdge: SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. To know more, https://www.spendedge.com/request-free-proposal View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005473/en/ Contacts: SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager US: +1 630 984 7340 UK: +44 148 459 9299 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us Fred Rogers said, Its easy to say Its not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem. Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes. Thats how I think about kinship caregivers: heroes. Kinship care is not new to South Carolinians. Our state has a history of family and friends stepping up to care for children. These unsung heroes, connected by blood and/or love, have kept siblings together, in schools and communities and brought stability and comfort to their lives. Kinship care is common but complicated. Changing times and outdated laws have left many kinship families behind. Caregivers, often grandparents, find themselves dipping into retirement funds or taking on additional employment to cover the costs of unexpectedly raising young children. They often live in limbo: caught between day-to-day living and preparing themselves and the children in their care for a very uncertain future. Although we will not be gathering this year for Kinship Care Day at the Capitol due to COVID-19, we need to advocate for and support these unsung heroes. Providing kids with safe, stable placements is important to their well-being. Ensuring these families have the support to do that is critical to giving our youth a strong start to a great life. To learn more about supporting kinship caregivers, visit: bit.ly/2wcE92n. MEGAN BRANHAM Chairwoman of the Sisters of Charity Statewide Kinship Council Hollydale Drive West Columbia Gilbreths hunch With due respect for Edward Gilbreths medical training and experience, his recent column on COVID-19 did a disservice to the community and to the guidance offered by Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and others with expertise in epidemiology. Those experts treat the COVID-19 threat with the utmost seriousness. Dr. Gilbreth does not. Notwithstanding the disclaimer in his column, a hunch from a physician in this context is potentially harmful to those at higher risk and those whose actions may either slow or facilitate the spread of COVID-19. As Dr. Fauci pointed out, COVID-19 appears to be up to 10 times more lethal than a seasonal flu. With widespread testing, which the United States is not now capable of doing, and time, the fatality rate may come down, but we dont know that. Sadly, Italy has become the poster child for the consequences of an unprepared country, with hospital staffs overwhelmed by critically ill patients and left to stand by and watch patients die due to lack of resources and the rapid spread of the disease. I fervently hope there will be a swift and relatively benign ending to this pandemic. Several countries in Asia and the western Pacific have been able to use widespread testing and the information it yields to slow and contain the disease. Not so here. It has become clear that our federal government was unprepared for such a situation. Dr. Gilbreth sees a nation in complete hissy fit, freak-out panic mode. I see a nation potentially in great peril. Better the ounce of prevention now, warranted or not in hindsight, than trying to come up with the pound of cure later on. BILL SETTLEMYER Joggling Street Mount Pleasant Red flag laws Are red-flag laws for gun owners a good idea, a slippery slope, not needed or needed in another format? More thought and discussion is needed. While we are at it, we all know people who pose or might pose a danger in one way or another. So, why focus red-flag laws on gun owners? What about those prone to drunken driving, reckless driving, alcohol abuse, drug abuse or even child, spouse or elder abuse? Game poachers and trespassers? Law-abiding citizens know people who are more likely to commit these crimes than others. Are these examples of people who commit these crimes or just talk about them in a threatening manner? Do we need a red-flag law for each situation? Or, do we need a broader law to act as a safety net to protect citizens or property where a threat is made or perceived? Is the threatening person sane, boisterous or truly unbalanced? On the other hand, do we already have enough laws to cover these and other threats to society and individuals? Yes, think about it. Talk about it, write about it and then decide what the real issues are and what are better solutions. COLEMAN W. DANGERFIELD JR. Lazy Hill Road Moncks Corner The Ayushman-PMJAY scheme, which does not deal with preventive healthcare cover, offers hospitalisation packages for intensive care units, high-dependency units and normal wards.Theres no provision for isolation wards. The National Health Authority is on a war footing to ready a COVID-19 special package under the governments flagship Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY scheme as the number of coronavirus cases continue to rise and many states go for a lockdown. NHA chief executive Indu Bhushan told Business Standard that this is among the steps being taken by the Authority just in case theres a need. Specific coronavirus-related plans for isolation wards are being finetuned, after which it would be reviewed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in terms of protocol. It will have to be approved by the NHAs governing board after that. Officials pointed out that such a package would be needed if coronavirus spreads to the community level. Currently, the Ayushman-PMJAY scheme, which does not deal with preventive healthcare cover, offers hospitalisation packages for intensive care units, high-dependency units and normal wards. Theres no provision for isolation wards under the universal health assurance scheme, which caters to underprivileged citizens with an annual cover of Rs 5 lakh per family. Since isolation wards, a necessity for patients infected with the virus, will be like private wards, the cost, to be borne by PMJAY, will be significantly higher. NHA is also keeping a close watch on its live data as well as on the call centre details that the Ayushman scheme sits on to detect any unusual pattern. The measure is expected to help in minimising the impact of coronavirus in India, Bhushan said. Officials monitoring the data at Ayushman are looking for unusual spikes in influenza like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI). If theres any abnormal increase, this has to be reported to ICMR to ensure theres no outbreak. Officials said that this data would not be shared without proper vetting. Similarly, PMJAY officials are sifting through the data from call centres carefully. If the number of calls for any district goes up extraordinarily, the trend would be captured for further analysis of whether this has any relation to COVID-19. According to an official, a spike was found recently in flu cases in southern Tripura, bordering Bangladesh. "The data is being closely watched," he said. "We are preparing ourselves in case theres a spread. That includes ensuring private sector facility to support treatment of COVID-19 cases," Bhushan pointed out. The NHA is assessing the capacity and readiness of private hospitals on this. In addition, NHA and ICMR are in talks to allow testing for coronavirus by authorised Ayushman centres, while trying to ensure that the disease does not spread any further in the country. Even as Ayushman Bharat had not played a proactive role in the corona warfare so far, things may change depending on how long the virus lasts. Photograph: PTI Photo Were seeing the increased needs in the community and the very real, lasting challenges this is creating for families across the region in ways that are hard to even imagine, Garrett said. On the flip side, were seeing an outpouring of support and energy from so many people who want to do something to help. Theres a basic human need to connect with one another and help one another, and were really seeing that right now. CLEVELAND, Ohio A Case Western Reserve University law professor said employees have protection under the law from being fired if they dont show up to work because theyre self-quarantining to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Attorneys who practice employment law in Ohio, however, said the professors view may be idealistic at best and may not account for how courts in the state have viewed lawsuits over firings, let alone how long the legal system would take to rule on such cases. Katharine Van Tassel, a visiting professor at The Law-Medicine Center at Case Western Reserve Universitys law school, said in an interview Monday that staying home if you have flu-like symptoms, test positive for the virus or come into contact with someone who did is not unlike jury duty or serving in the National Guard. Ohio law has protections for those situations baked in for at-will employees, which means an owner or boss can fire someone for almost any reason. Because officials are now telling people to stay home to protect the virus from spreading, the same protections apply, Van Tassel said. Basically, what people are doing are sacrificing their individual liberty and paychecks in order to protect the public good, the professor explained. Thats actually a civic duty. The professor said knowing these rights is essential as the coronavirus spreads, and the economic fallout from it continues. Many in the service industry are already out of work as a result of orders by the state to close dine-in restaurants, gyms, hair salons and other commonly traveled businesses, as well as banning gatherings of 50 people or more. As the virus continues to spread and the government encourages people to stay home, more businesses might close even temporarily because of the lack of foot traffic as residents hunker down. Still, many businesses are telling employees to work from home. The U.S. Senate also passed a bill Wednesday, which President Donald Trump is expected to sign, to ensure paid leave for many affected by the coronavirus and its economic impact, according to The New York Times. Van Tassel said she didnt think this section of the law is talked about much because the recent measures are unlike anything U.S. citizens have seen in several generations. This is just not something that people have had to face before, she said. Its not something thats part of the lexicon. The virus and the fallout are still relatively new, and the professor did not point to any recent lawsuits or court decisions that said a business owner fired an employee because the employee self-quarantined. She did, however, pointed to an Oklahoma Supreme Court case in which an employee at a nursing center was fired for not showing up to work when he had. That states high court said that firing a nurse for missing work because of the flu would violate public policy. She also pointed to other Ohio Supreme Court cases that, while perhaps not as on the nose as the one in Oklahoma, still spell out the type of protections she says workers have during the pandemic. If a former employee gets to the point where they want to take a case to court for being wrongly discharged, Van Tassel said specific steps employees take might help them in court. Getting a doctors note would be helpful, she said, or even a letter from a city or county health department. The professor also said people who are more at risk of catching the virus including people over 60 years old and those who have asthma or heart disease may be protected under federal law if a business doesnt make accommodations. Two lawyers who spoke to cleveland.com, however, said the professors interpretation of the law may not pan out in practice. Subodh Chandra, a Cleveland lawyer whose firm handles employment law cases, pointed to an Ohio Supreme Court case from February that he said effectively gutted a portion of Ohio employment law. The courts 5-2 decision upheld the firing of a former employee at the Riverstone Taverne in Medina County who said she was wrongly let go for creating drama after complaining that the owner was underreporting her income to the state. The justices said state law provided for other ways to address the issue the employee highlighted. Chandra said lawyers could previously make claims regarding a public policy even if there wasnt a specific Ohio law that spelled out that an employee was protected. That is now gone, he said. Its illogical, it lacks common sense, but thats where we are, he said. Fellow Cleveland lawyer Matthew Besser said he doesnt think that decision entirely lines up with what Van Tassel was talking about. It is, however, another example of the states high court chipping away at employment law as it pertains to public policy concerns. They made it like threading a needle, Besser said of the Ohio Supreme Court. Lawyers know to look at those claims as the claim of absolute last resort. They are so disfavored. Van Tassel said in an email Wednesday she was familiar with the recent Ohio Supreme Court case but said they are different enough because with a quarantine, the employee is the one who has a duty to act under the law. There may be other protections spelled out under state and federal laws that could apply in certain situations, from the Family Medical Leave Act to the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, both lawyers said it is far from a given that a lawsuit filed by a former employee who self-quarantined will win on court. Chandra pointed out that not every judge confronts realities in the same way, while Besser noted that cases could take years to wind through the courts, and even then that could come after delayed investigations by federal agencies. Unfortunately, we will probably be learning answers through trial and error, Besser said. MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE Want to help Onondaga County neighbors get through coronavirus? 'Please donate to this one fund Coronavirus: Stocks fall another 5%; investors dash for cash amid recession fears Burger King offering free kids meals during coronavirus pandemic Coronavirus update: NY begins distributing free hand sanitizer to counties Coronavirus: Trump invokes emergency authority; Big 3 automakers closing Interview: China earns world precious time to fight COVID-19 with high sense of responsibility, says Indonesian JAKARTA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- China has earned precious time for the world in the battle against COVID-19 and embodied a high sense of responsibility for global public health, a renowned Indonesian expert has said. "China has made great progress in fighting COVID-19, which contributed so much to the world because of winning precious time for containing the global spreading of the virus," Jusuf Wanandi, a senior fellow of Indonesia's think tank, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), told Xinhua recently. China sent medical groups to other countries suffering from the epidemic, which shows a high sense of responsibility for global public health, Wanandi said. He also highly praised China for its tremendous strength and courage in fighting the epidemic. "China has effectively controlled the epidemic, which is a great achievement," Wanandi said. The expert also said that some ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries, including Indonesia, are currently facing difficulties in dealing with the epidemic. Due to a lack of necessary medical facilities and testing reagents, there may exist a large number of undetected cases. He hoped that China and ASEAN will continue to fight the epidemic together. China-ASEAN foreign ministers held a special meeting on the joint fight against COVID-19 and reached important consensus on Feb. 20 in Laos. Wanandi said that the special meeting provided impetus for bilateral cooperation. Talking about the outbreak's impact on the world economy, Wanandi believed that China will still be one of the important driving forces to pull the world economy out of the haze. Wanandi said that as an international cooperative mechanism, the Belt and Road Initiative has been widely accepted by the international community and has become more important when the global economy faces a downturn. "I believed that the world will have a deeper understanding of the Belt and Road Initiative and a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind after the epidemic," Wanandi said. MANILA, March 17 (Reuters) - The Philippines' largest budget carrier, Cebu Air Inc said on Tuesday it is canceling all domestic and international flights starting from March 19 to April 14. The airline, which operates under the brand Cebu Pacific, said it is supporting the Philippine government's quarantine measures to help prevent the further spread of the coronavirus. "We are ensuring the safety of our passengers and operations teams, in compliance with the stricter quarantine measures, land travel restrictions and regulations in place," the carrier said in a statement. (Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales, editing by Louise Heavens) India would bring home every citizen who wishes to come and is in various stages of bringing back the latest batch of infected individuals from Iran and the United Arab Emirates, sources said. India would ultimately bear responsibility for its citizens, but its not feasible to send a plane every time an Indian is found to be infected abroad. The logistics need to be planned, a senior official ... Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor A 25-year-old junior resident doctor of the King George Medical University here has tested positive for coronavirus after coming in contact with two patients undergoing treatment for the disease at its premises, a hospital spokesperson said on Wednesday. The KGMU subsequently, in a statement, announced suspension of all under graduate academic classes and examinations till April 2 as a preventive measure to stem the spread of COVID- 19. The doctor has been kept in an isolation ward and is undergoing treatment, the spokesperson said. "A woman from Canada and one of her relatives, who came in contact with her, are undergoing treatment for COVID-19 at an isolation ward of the KGMU. "A 25-year-old junior resident doctor had taken the samples of these patients. Suddenly, some symptoms were seen in him and he was tested at the university laboratory, where he was found positive for coronavirus affliction," the KGMU spokesperson, Dr Sudhir Singh told PTI. "The resident doctor has been kept in an isolation ward and is undergoing treatment," he said. Singh said 14 other people working in the isolation ward were also tested and they were found negative for the affliction. "The junior resident doctor is being treated, and he is fine. The other two coronavirus patients admitted in KGMU too are recuperating," he said. In a statement, KGMU Registrar Ashutosh Kumar Dwivedi later said, "As approved by vice-chancellor of King George's Medical University UP, Lucknow, all under graduate (MBBS, BDS, B Sc Nursing and Paramedical) classes and examinations have been suspended till April 2 as a preventive measure to avoid the spread of coronavirus." Dr Vikasendu Agrawal, the joint director-cum-state surveillance officer of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) in a statement said, "As on March 17, total number of samples found positive is 15 (Agra-8, Ghaziabad-2, NOIDA-3, Lucknow -2). Three have been declared recovered." Meanwhile, students of classes one to eight of all government primary schools in Uttar Pradesh will get promoted without having to appear in examinations in view of the coronavirus outbreak, an official said on Wednesday. Examinations in primary schools were scheduled between March 23 and 28. "Orders have been issued to promote all students, studying in schools run by the Basic Education Department, of class one to eight to next classes without examination. All schools have been closed till April 2," Additional Chief Secretary (Education) Renuka Kumar said in a order issued on Tuesday night. The state government on Tuesday extended the closure of all educational institutions, cinemas, mulitplexes and tourists places in the state till April 2 and implemented work-from-home protocol to the extent possible to contain the coronavirus spread. Competitive and other examinations too have been postponed till April 2. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) TOPEKA, KS (AP) -- Gov. Laura Kelly has ordered financial institutions to temporarily suspend business and residential evictions to help those financially affected by the spread of the coronavirus. The executive order signed by Kelly Tuesday says the action will allow Kansans to "retain their homes and businesses to avoid immediate danger to their health, safety and welfare." EUSA Pharma, a global biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology and rare disease, today announced the initiation of the Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital sponsored study of siltuximab, an interleukin (IL)-6 targeted monoclonal antibody, for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 who have developed serious respiratory complications (Siltuximab In SeriousCOVID-19; SISCO Study). Ergomed plc (LSE: ERGO), a company focused on providing specialized services to the pharmaceutical industry, is providing clinical research services for the study. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005218/en/ Professor Alessandro Rambaldi, MD, PhD, Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital, Bergamo, Italy, Study Sponsor-Investigator and Director of the Hematology Unit and Department of Oncology and Hematology, said: The team at Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital are thankful to EUSA Pharma for the supply of siltuximab for compassionate use in patients with serious complications of COVID-19 and the opportunity to generate data to understand the potential for IL-6 blockade in these patients. The SISCO Study will allow us to generate credible data as evidence to guide future treatment and research decisions and we look forward to publication of these data as quickly as possible. The Hospital is in a very difficult emergency situation and rapid collection and analysis of data by way of a case-control study will provide much needed information to help address this critical situation and appropriately guide the use of medicines in an off-label situation. Lee Morley, Chief Executive Officer, EUSA Pharma, said: We are delighted to support this study to investigate the potential for siltuximab to help patients severely ill as a result of COVID-19. Following the release of initial data from China suggesting a role of IL-6 in the development of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome as a result of COVID-19, EUSA Pharma was pleased to assist Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital with the supply of siltuximab under compassionate use and to support the collection, analysis and publication of initial outcome data from this series of patients. We look forward to working further with the Hospital as well as Italian and Worldwide Regulatory Authorities, and other research bodies to fully understand the potential of siltuximab at this critical time in the global pandemic. About the SISCO Study Sponsored by the Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital, the SISCO Study is an observational case-control trial of siltuximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody targeting human interleukin (IL)-6, for the treatment of patients infected with COVID-19 who develop serious respiratory complications. The study represents the data collection and analysis of a series of patients treated under an ongoing emergency compassionate use protocol. The study will investigate two cohorts retrospectively, hospitalised patients prior to admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) or patients already requiring intensive care, and will compare to matched controls. Primary endpoints are reduction in the need of invasive ventilation, time spent in ICU or 30-day mortality. Emerging evidence suggests that exacerbated production of the inflammatory cytokine IL-6 is associated with the severity of COVID-19 related pulmonary pathology associated with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Therefore, direct targeting of this cytokine may improve clinical outcomes in these critically ill patients. This study will provide important data to inform future clinical studies, discussions on which are ongoing, to further investigate the efficacy of siltuximab in patients with COVID-19 who develop serious respiratory complications. Initial data are expected in late March 2020. #ENDS# About siltuximab Siltuximab is a monoclonal antibody that blocks the action of interleukin (IL)-6, a multifunctional cytokine detected at elevated levels in multiple inflammatory conditions. It is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) under the brand name of SYLVANT for the treatment of patients with multicentric Castleman disease (MCD) who are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) negative and human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) negative (idiopathic MCD; iMCD). iMCD is a rare, life-threatening and debilitating lymphoproliferative disorder, which causes abnormal overgrowth of immune cells and shares many symptomatic and histological features with lymphoma. EUSA Pharma has exclusive rights to SYLVANT globally. EUSA Pharma has granted BeiGene, Ltd., exclusive development and commercialization rights to SYLVANT in Greater China. Indications and Usage of SYLVANT - See full Prescribing Information for additional information. SYLVANT (siltuximab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with multicentric Castleman disease (MCD) who are HIV negative and HHV-8 negative. Limitations of Use: SYLVANT was not studied in patients with MCD who are HIV positive or HHV-8 positive because SYLVANT did not bind to virally produced IL-6 in a nonclinical study. Contraindications: Severe hypersensitivity reaction to siltuximab or any of the excipients in SYLVANT. Dosage and Administration Administer SYLVANT 11 mg/kg over 1 hour as an intravenous infusion every 3 weeks until failure. Perform hematology laboratory tests prior to each dose of SYLVANT therapy for the first 12 months and every 3 dosing cycles thereafter. If treatment criteria outlined in the Prescribing Information are not met, consider delaying treatment with SYLVANT. Do not reduce dose. Do not administer SYLVANT to patients with severe infections until the infection resolves. Discontinue SYLVANT in patients with severe infusion related reactions, anaphylaxis, severe allergic reactions, or cytokine release syndromes. Do not reinstitute treatment. About EUSA Pharma Founded in March 2015, EUSA Pharma is a world-class biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology and rare disease. The company has extensive commercial operations in the United States and Europe, alongside a direct presence in select other markets across the globe. EUSA Pharma is led by an experienced management team with a strong record of building successful pharmaceutical companies, and is supported by significant funding raised from leading life science investor EW Healthcare Partners. For more information please visit: www.eusapharma.com. About Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital is one of the biggest hospitals in Lombardy, covering 320 thousand square meters in total and comprising more than 900 beds. Among the areas of excellence, an important role is covered by the Cancer Center that brings patients from the whole national territory and also from foreign countries. The Hospital is playing a leading role in the Italian response to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005218/en/ With wins in every state voting on Tuesday night, President Donald Trump secured the Republican Partys presidential nomination. Trump became the GOPs presumptive nominee for 2020, the party said on March 17. Our party is united, our grassroots movement is fired up, and we are ready for FOUR MORE YEARS! Republican Party Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement. Brad Parscale, Trumps campaign manager, said that the campaign has been seeing record vote totals, unprecedented enthusiasm, and a unified party. Trumps wins in Florida and Illinois pushed him over the 1,276-threshold to secure the Republican nomination. He has won all but one delegate in the 2020 race. Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld won the single delegate in the Iowa caucuses. Trump faced little opposition to securing the nomination. Two other candidatesformer members of Congress Joe Walsh and Mark Sanforddropped out before voters in Iowa went to the polls. Some state Republican parties canceled primaries, citing the costs involved and the desire to support Trump as he fights for another four years in office. Trump has remained highly popular among Republicans, with support hovering around 90 percent for years. The GOP touted high vote totals in the primaries, producing a chart that showed Trump earned more votes in 10 states than either President Barack Obama or President George W. Bush when they were running for reelection. Heading into 2020, President Trump is leaps and bounds ahead of where the past two successful reelection campaigns were. The party is united and enthusiasm is on our side, wrote Steve Guest, a rapid response director for the party, in a blog post containing the chart. Former Vice President Joe Biden, meanwhile, moved closer to clinching the Democrat Party nomination with wins in Florida, Illinois, and Arizona. Several other states were scheduled to vote on Tuesday including Ohio but postponed primaries because of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. 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 mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. From The Epoch Times When Wuhan and the surrounding areas started to suffer from COVID-19 in early January, the hard but then largely ignored reality was that the virus would respect no borders. Two months later convenient illusions collapsed and this hard reality is being dramatically felt in the West. The current situation in Italy, a country that was among the first helping China in January, is worrying. Fatalities are rising and the total number of infected people exceeds 23,000. It is not now the appropriate time to look to assign responsibilities for the belated response to this expanding contagion. It is time to offer solidarity to Italy to help it to be done with the nightmare. A friend in need, is a friend indeed. This is what the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs was reiterating in January and February. After two months of draconian measures and herculean efforts, China has already brought the problem under control at the national level. It is currently determined to show global responsibility and support other countries such as Italy. An emotional message was recently published on the social media accounts of the Chinese Embassy in Rome: "Maybe you have forgotten about it, but we will always remember. Now it's our turn to help you." This message reflects the traditional Chinese thinking and culture. Italy not only provided China with help during the COVID-19 pandemic but did the same thing 12 years ago in response to the Wenchuan earthquake that killed more than 69,000. Following recent communications between Foreign Ministers Wang Yi and Luigi di Maio, China began to exhibit its solidarity. In particular, it decided to send tons of medical supplies and dispatch a team of experts. The medical team, symbolically sent from Sichuan province where the 2008 earthquake occurred, is sharing experiences with the Italian Ministry of Health, the Red Cross and other institutes of health and infection control as well as hospitals. Chinese expertise in raising awareness of self-protection is equally valuable in a period during which people are naturally afraid and can become victims of internet fake news on supposed cures. No surprise, Beijing's initiative has been welcomed by Italian citizens. More importantly, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte have held a telephone conversation and discussed future steps. Xi confirmed China's commitment to sending more medical supplies and doctors to Italy. Approximately one year after the visit of the Chinese president to Italy, where Beijing and Roma agreed to work together to construct the Belt and Road Initiative, the two sides are strengthening mutual cooperation under different, certainly more difficult conditions. Friendship is thus forged and optimism for future multilateral synergies might be generated. The critical question is whether the international community will emerge stronger from the global fight against COVID-19. China looks towards the future envisaging the creation of a community of shared future for all humanity. A Health Silk Road goes hand-in-hand with its ambition. The Director General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom had supported the idea, giving a talk at the Belt and Road Forum for Health Cooperation in Beijing in 2017. He spoke about the necessity of putting in place systems to contain outbreaks or crises. Sharing several goals with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Health Silk Road concept is expected to be widely discussed in the medium-term. International collaboration remains the key. China and Italy tend to share common ground. The COVID-19 outbreak should lead all people to greater appreciation of human life. The prevention of pandemics is not any longer a theoretical or abstract goal. It is a tangible obligation that should unite world leaders. George N. Tzogopoulos is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/GeorgeNTzogopoulos.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. Fast growing home loan lender, Pepper, has shifted to Microsoft-based cloud infrastructure to simplify its processes and keep pace with an increasingly regulated Australian financial services sector. Pepper Moneys chief information officer, Jeremy Francis told CIO Australia that the organisation had several vendors providing different services. He said some services were not being used, and a more simplified and resilient IT environment that supported staff, third party brokers and external customers was needed. Pepper Money is part of the Pepper Group and it is majority owned by US investment firm KKR & Co. Since 2000, it has grown to 750 staff across Australia and New Zealand. It opened its first European office in London in 2012, and also has offices in Ireland, Spain and South Korea. The company has moved from internally-managed older versions of Microsoft Office tools to Office 365 and Azure. So instead of trying to go down the route of upgrading and managing everything internally, we went down the Office 365 route, said Peppers senior manager, enterprise services, Nilang Shah. Shah said this was a risk-oriented decision and moving to the next generation of the cloud solutions was the driver, but it also came with the added benefit of access to the latest software updates. Pepper had previously started moving a signficiant portion of its workloads to Azure and the shift to Office 365 has been its biggest step away from an IT environment run from its own premises. Before implementing the technologies, Pepper had to change the way its staff worked. We went through a big process last year to move to an agile way of operating. And that was a big change that helped us deliver applications more rapidly. It helped us embed things like Azure and the infrastructure technologies in a much faster way, Francis said. The Office 365 roll out took around six months. It was a multi-stage project, which started with a refresh of devices. This was followed by the move to the latest versions of the Windows OS and Office and then eventually to Office 365. The changes also allowed the business to leverage Azure and scale up infrastructure without having to purchase additional equipment for its data centres. Francis said shifting to the cloud wasnt an isolated move but part of a wider strategy to make sure that the whole IT environment was moving in the same direction. Although the company has been around for 20 years, it is nimble enough to easily adopt new technology, he said. Were unlike a FinTech in the sense that weve been around for a long time. But were in a position where were still small enough to be very nimble with technology and adopt new technologies and do new things in the same way that a smaller organisation might . So I think Id describe Pepper from a technology perspective as being in that middle ground where we get the best of both worlds, Francis said. Improved collaboration Apart from simplifying the business, another benefit from the move to Office 365 and Teams was improved collaboration and productivity. And that was everything from our rollout of Microsoft Teams we created an environment where our people were able to use the sort of things that they were familiar with using at home or on their mobile device, Francis said. Even simple things like being able to put gifs in messages and post on teams sites. Its a lot more familiar to the way that people interact at home these days as well. We got really simple benefits, like the ability to collaborate on a document or a PowerPoint together. These are very small things but they can make a big difference when you extend it out across the whole organisation, Francis added. We realise that theres a direct link between the experience that our employees have and the experience that then flows onto our customers and so were always conscious of both. The cloud move also allowed Francis team of 80 people to focus on building proprietary applications. Pepper works mostly with third party brokers selling mortgage and personal loans as well as auto and auto equipment loans. Digital tools are used quickly determine whether a customer will be approved for a loan. Weve just built two broker support tools that allow our broker to be able to get a really quick response to their customers on what solutions are available to them, Francis said. For instance, if a broker goes to a bank and their customer is rejected, Pepper can automatically provide two or three other potential solutions that they can present to the customer. These are also online tools that integrate external data from credit bureaus with Peppers internal data for credit decision allowing for an immediate response to customers. Francis expected that Pepper will have more flexibility to access and use data and also scale the technology platforms to keep pace with the companys growth trajectory. He added that the company will continue to move more services to the cloud from its own data centres which makes up about one-third of its infrastructure with one-third running in Azure, and the remainder provided as SaaS apps. Actors Ted Danson, 72, and Mary Steenburgen, 67 stepped out to walk their dog in Santa Monica, California on Tuesday. Much of Los Angeles County is currently self-isolating in the face of the growing coronavirus pandemic and residents are encouraged to practice social distancing. However, in the face of the crisis, the Danson family appeared in good spirits as they got some fresh air on a sunny day. Fresh air: Actors Ted Danson, 72, and Mary Steenburgen, 67 stepped out to walk their dog in Santa Monica, California on Tuesday amid the coronavirus panic Mary was dressed down in sweatpants and a graphic T-shirt under an unzipped jacket. She flashed her mega-watt smile while appearing to be makeup-free with her brunette bob tucked under a knit beanie. Ted, meanwhile, grinned while holding their adorable dog on a leash and wearing head-to-toe denim and a quilted green jacket. At one point, the couple stopped to relax and the Cheers star plopped down on the green grass to soak in some sunshine. Casual: As Los Angeles begins to shut down in order to help slow the spread of coronavirus, Danson and Steenburgen appeared to be in good spirits while going for a stroll Walking the dog is one of the few things that Los Angelenos are still able to do as the city tries to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Bars have been shut down in LA and restaurants are no longer allowing customers to dine-in, offering take-out options only. And, the business of Hollywood has ground to a halt. After shows like Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune and late-night shows stopped filming with studio audiences, others completely suspended productions. Steenburgen has been filming the upcoming Bradley Cooper thriller Nightmare Alley directed by Guillermo del Toro Just a few days ago, del Toro made the decision, along with the rest of Disney, to suspend filming indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic. Disney said in a statement: 'While there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on our productions, after considering the current environment and the best interests of our cast and crew, we have made the decision to pause production on some of our live-action films for a short time. 'We will continue to assess the situation and restart as soon as feasible. Danson's hit comedy The Good Place aired it's series finale just a few weeks ago and he is currently starring in this season of HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm on Sunday nights. The NIA on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against nine members of Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) terrorist group for their alleged involvement in a case relating to dropping of arms and ammunition in Punjab Mohali: The NIA on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against nine members of Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZF) terrorist group for their alleged involvement in a case relating to dropping of arms and ammunition in Punjab by drones from Pakistan. All the accused, including two senior citizens, have been charged with relevant provisions of the IPC, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act and Explosives Substances Act, an NIA spokesperson said. Akashdeep Singh (21), Balwant Singh (48), Harbhajan Singh (65) , Balbir Singh (70), Maan Singh (43), Gurdev Singh (40), Shubhdeep Singh (21), Sajanpreet Singh (22) and Romandeep Singh (20) have been named in the charge sheet filed before the special NIA court here, the official said. The case relates to the information that Pakistan-based chief of KZF, Ranjeet Singh in connivance with Gurmeet Singh have smuggled arms, ammunition, explosives and Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) into India via drones from Pakistan, the premier investigation agency said. These consignments were received by their associates Akashdeep, Balwant, Harbhajan, Balbir and Shubhdeep in India in order to revive a huge terrorism in Punjab and carry out a terror attack in the country, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) spokesperson said. They were preparing to execute a huge terrorist incident so as to create an atmosphere of disharmony, communal tension and instability in Punjab and other states of India, the official said. Subsequently, Akashdeep, Balwant, Balbir and Harbhajan were arrested from Punjab's Tarn Taran district on 22 September last year along with a huge cache of arms, ammunition, explosives, communication devices and FICN, the NIA official said. Akashdeep was recruited in KZF by Maan and Gurdev and the terror conspiracy was hatched in Amritsar Central Jail during 2018-2019 when the three were in judicial custody in other crimes, the NIA said. Further investigation revealed that the consignments were sent through a total of eight sorties of drones on five days in August and September last year. The consignments were received by Akashdeep, Subhdeep, Sajanpreet and Romandeep, the premier investigation agency said. Further investigation against absconding accused Gurmeet and Ranjit and other suspects continues, the NIA added. Hyderabad: Recently, the entire team of Prabhas 20 was off to Georgia to shoot some important portions despite the Coronavirus pandemic. Later, filmmaker Radha Krishna Kumar took to Twitter and thanked their Georgian team. 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 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. The filmmaker then posted a picture with actor Prabhas and some members of the team on their return to Hyderabad. Darling with his darlings back in Hyderabad #Prabhas20 pic.twitter.com/3fFTHzjjLJ Radha Krishna Kumar (@director_radhaa) March 18, 2020 The film's leading lady Pooja Hegde also took to instagram to post a picture from her schedule wrap in Georgia. It is also being said that the first look and the title of the film could be released on the occassion of Ugadi. At a time when the world is grappling against the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, people have been compelled to self-isolate and quarantine themselves to contain the spread of the virus. While the infectious virus poses a major threat to the immunity system of all age, elderly people are more at risk, as the likelihood of having chronic conditions increases remarkably as you age. With the COVID-19 spreading across the globe and claiming nearly 8,000 lives, multiple nations have undergone a virtual lockdown. Amidst such a time of emergency and social distancing, a 'free mobile food support' initiative has begun in Slough, a town in Berkshire, England. Started by the Sikh community of the town, the service will provide "healthy and nutritious" food essentials to people above the age of 65, and quarantined. Taking to Twitter, an associate of the community Harjinder Singh Kukreja said, "Are you 65+ plus? In #Coronavirus isolation? Need support to get food? Sikhs in Slough, UK have come up with Mobile Food Support for the elderly & isolated & are Providing FREE HEALTHY & NUTRITIOUS essentials to help them! Pls share!" Are you 65+ plus? In #Coronavirus isolation? Need support to get food? Sikhs in Slough, UK have come up with Mobile Food Support for the elderly & isolated & are Providing FREE HEALTHY & NUTRITIOUS essentials to help them! Pls share! #COVID19mx #CoronavirusOutbreak #Sikh pic.twitter.com/l0kqpATzk9 Harjinder Singh Kukreja (@SinghLions) March 17, 2020 Speaking to News18, Harjinder, a close associate with the MP from Slough said, "Sikhs have been at the forefront of philanthropic work throughout the world. The community ongoingly delves into social causes which make a mammoth difference." He further added that this particular initiative is run by the Sikh of Slough, "a vibrant group of people". Given that youngsters are a low-risk group with regards to the COVID-19, this initiative is run by them at large. The food is cooked and distributed by them throughout Slough, which has reported 12 confirmed cases. The entire operation is being funded by the worshippers at the Guru Maneyo Granth Gurdwara in Slough. The initiative has been hailed by netizens, who even praised the initiative taken by the Sikh communities across the world in times of severe crisis. Sikhs are always leading the way in the midst of crisis. Thank you for your dedication and service! Hanna (@hanna_meiners) March 17, 2020 Fortunate enough to take a cultural anthropology class from a Prof. that focused his academic career on the Sikh culture. Amazing people with a true warrior spirit encompassing every positive attribute of what Warrior means. Every Singh I've known made me strive to be better John M Bennett (@JMB1122AZ) March 17, 2020 God bless you... Godwineo Knight #G_K (@jgodwin2k2) March 17, 2020 You're so helpful! I am so grateful for your patience and dedication. Florence (@flore_turcio) March 17, 2020 Sikhs are by far the most compassionate people i have ever seen. Banker (@Anki_Bhardwaj16) March 17, 2020 Chak dai phattai Sardar Ji...Keep up the good work Shaz Mallick (@ShahzadMalik271) March 17, 2020 Nice gesture from Sikhs Bir Singh (@birsinghsawhney) March 17, 2020 According to reports, on Tuesday 14 more people were reported to have died after being diagnosed with coronavirus in England, bringing the United Kingdom's death toll at 71. On Sunday morning, Scott Sternberg sent an email to customers of Entireworld, his primary-colored, Instagram-friendly direct-to-consumer line. He was writing about how the spread of the coronavirus was affecting his business, and he was not alone in doing so: seemingly every email list Id ever unwittingly signed up for, from exercise studios to e-commerce shops to an old chiropractor, had done the same. Most of those emails hewed to a template. Due to the spread of coronavirus, we are altering our schedules/canceling classes/open for business/closed indefinitely. Sternberg, who honed his marketing voice while running his first label, the cult-loved Band of Outsiders, wrote something slightly different. He led with a selfie: him, in a mint-green version of his brands sweatsuits, and his trusty sidekick Zod the dog. And then he got fairly transparent. Theres the awkward and seemingly trivial question of what a brand does during a time like this, he noted. Business as usual with product release emails and sunny IG posts? That didnt feel right, hed decided. But neither did not doing anything. Theres also the question of what a small business does in a time like this, he continued. Entireworld is just thattheres under 10 of us here making this all happen day to day, without big fancy financial backers supporting us. Our day to day sales are what supports our business and allows us to keep going. Since launching the brand nearly two years ago, Sternberg had seen the most success with sweatsuits, primarily on the womens sideand so, given the broad work-from-home requirements among his customer base, he put them on sale, from Sunday until Tuesday night. I called Scott up to ask about his impulse toward transparency and how he plans on running a direct-to-consumer clothing line in a time of pandemic. Story continues GQ: How are you holding up? Scott Sternberg: On a personal level, I'm just chilling with Zod and going on socially-distanced hikes with my LA friends as we pretend that that's okay. Which I think it is. And on a business level, it's DEFCON, you know, 5. So its thereit's a mortal threat. Listen, I'll be as transparent as I've always been about stuff. Of course it is! On all sides of things. And this is something that is not new to us, because we work with factories in China. We're manufacturers; we're a small business. That means that we rely on the supply chain on one end and on consumers on the other end, and on a distribution channel in the middle. We make stuff that has to be made, at high quality, and get to us in a certain amount of time. And then we have a warehouse that has to ship stuff. And then we have customers, who have to buy that stuff. We're not a wholesale business, so we don't get checks from Saks or Nordstrom (for the most part) after we make the stuff. It's our job to sell it. It's our inventory that we own. And we're a business that has been doing great! But doing great in a way that a small business does great. I didn't go after a ton of fancy VC financing for this company, because we're not that type of company. And when something like this happens, you're just incredibly vulnerable. The vulnerability comes from: we have great investors who really believe in our future, but when the future is a black hole, when it's totally uncertain past a few weeks, maybe months, that source of capital becomes precarious as well. So right now, we have two, three, 15 jobs. But generally we're about: how can we reach our customer and engage them in an honest way, and maintain the same dialogue and voice, and be true to the brand and our values. And in the midst of that, sell some stuff, number one. And on the other end, how can we mitigate expenses and change how we're doing business and make sure to give ourselves as much runway as possible? And give our investors as much confidence as possible that we have a plan to get through this? So that's what we're doing, in real time, all at once. So when you have a multi-tentacled, touches-every-part-of-the-business issue like this, where do you start trying to deal with it? To me, it's about taking a breather and looking at it from a 30,000 foot level, and identifying: What can we control here? What do we have control of? And that is creating demand for the product, and communicating with our customers. We're running a big sweatsuit promo right now, which is our best-selling item, especially on the womens side. We never mark those down, and it really felt like the right thing to do, because everybody's chilling at home. Why not do it in a sweatsuit? On the other side, what else can we control? To some extent, we're a very, very lean operation. There's not many people that work at Entireworld. So what can we mitigate in terms of expenses? It's those broad points. And then the nuances within all of that are: what are other sources of income? Can we get an SBA loan? [Ed.: a loan from the Small Business Administration.] Can we get extended debt from this line of credit? And then: what are three go-forward plans based on what we hear over the next couple weeks? That's in an effort to mobilize our investors, to get them really behind us. One of the things you decide you can control is the sweatsuit promo. I was struck by the email you sentin a sea of cookie-cutter COVID-19 emails, yours felt unusually transparent. What was the impetus behind really leveling with people like that? There seemed to be no other way around it. My first instinct, as this was all starting to really snowball, was: We have to instigate demand. We have to bring in money. Because we don't have that many expenses we can cut. So what is the carrot we have to dangle? It's the sweats. How do we normally communicate stuff? An IG post and an email to our subscribers. Last Wednesday or Thursday, I went to our art director and said, This is the priority, start thinking about it. Let's get the back-end together, all of that stuff. And right before I went to work, I took a selfie of Zod and I, and thought it was probably the best creative for this. And I thought, I'm just gonna write a letter. I wrote it in five minutesit wasn't that well thought out. It was exactly what I was feeling. And like with that launch video I did, I truly think the best way to communicate with people is on that level. Because anything else is going to be disingenuous. I don't think anybody wants to hear from a marketing team right now. Entireworld This email went out yesterdayhas there been a measurable response yet? Yeah, we had a great, great Sunday. A fantastic Sunday. So from a sales perspective, it was great. And a few nice media folks called and wanted to get my take on why I was so painfully honest with everybody. The sweatsuits are great; it's a great product. So I think it was a well-timed promotion. Hopefully we'll keep it up over the next couple days, and then put our heads down and figure the next one out. Last time we'd talked, you mentioned Trump's tariffs maybe having an effect on your business because of your production happening in China. So when did you clock the fact that there was a novel coronavirus spreading through the country where you produce your goods? I was paying attention to it as my sourcing team, who is one person, was paying attention to it, in December. This is major, and it's something beyond what SARS or MERS was, but this has happened before. This isn't new, right? And what's so mind-boggling is that our government wasn't reacting in December by, like, proliferating tests on a level that would allow all of us to be tested right now, so we had some sense of the future and what this bell curve looks like in terms of infections. But yeah, we were thinking about it, of course. Because at first it was like, okay, some shipments are going to be delayed. And then it was like: this is now in South Korea and Japan, where my investors are. And they're all quarantined, so that's gonna slow that stuff down. And eventually it's here, so that hits us on a consumer level. And really pragmatically, our warehouse, which ships our product, they might have to close. So where are you then? Does the runway for the business shift in a time of crisis like this, or is it something you've budgeted in from the start? You know, we were in the middle of a round of financing, so it's a particularly precarious time right now. Do you have a sense of what that span of time is? What this has to look like for you to come out whole? It shifts on a daily basis, and it depends on so many levers, other than practical day-to-day sales. It depends on how fast we can close this round of financing, basicallyit's purely dependent on that. But doing that in the time of cholera [laughs] is not easy. This might sound like a silly question, but when you're talking about something like a small business loan, have you heard...anything...from...anyone...in a position of authority? I know, it's so funny. One thing I've realized as I've gotten older, and I'm on my second business, is that you're always looking for, like, dad, or your uncle, or whoever the hell it is, to tell you the answers. Somebody. And that person doesn't really exist. There really obviously is a crisis of leadership right now, in terms of anybody at the top. But SBA loans have existed before. There are SBA disaster loans. Unfortunately, they're not currently available to anyone in Los Angeles County. We already looked into that. But you're navigating this stuff by yourself. That's the reality of the situation. What is something the layperson might not understand about how a moment like this impacts running a small business like yours? Listen, we have a set of fixed expenses, and a set of revenue assumptions against those. When any of that doesn't align, and you don't have a reserve of cash to rely upon, that equation goes off the rails really quickly, and you have to make some really quick adjustments. It's really that simple. And if I learned anything from my past business, it's that the earlier you pivot, the more flexibility you have. The other challenge of Entireworld is: we're about two years in, and in about a year, we'll hit profitability. It was always planned that way. The reason it wasn't from day one is: the customer's getting product that is at the same quality, or higher, in terms fabric and construction, of Band of Outsidersreally, really beautiful Japanese fabrics and yarns and nice stuffbut you're paying a direct-to-consumer price. So our margins, once our quantities get to the point they will in a year, will be great. But right now, they're not quite enough to support the business. We have to rely on outside capital. That was always the plan; that's how you do something like this. So that's really where it's super, super challenging. Where are you right now in terms of evaluating expenses? On the marketing level, anything we had planned in terms of potential spendingpop ups, direct mail, any sort of spend that doesn't have a direct return on investmentthat gets cut right away. Freelance employees, we have to look at their time, and that focus. Looking at fall: we have goods in development, and we have fabric on order. We're being really conservative about those orders, to make sure we have the cash to pay for them at that time, and that it reflects where the market's gonna be, god knows, at that time. But expenses are tough for us, because, beyond payrolland it's a pretty lean staff as it iswe're not spending tons of money. We have a pretty cheap office rent, although we're gonna request relief there. It's brutal. I think I can guess, but what is your work-from-home outfit? It is a sweatsuit. Today it's a little differentit's a cozy, felted-wool sweater, because all of my sweatsuits are in the wash. Originally Appeared on GQ Mumbai, March 18 : In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, when cinema halls and multiplexes across the country have been shut down following the state government's order, movie buffs are left with no choice but to remain confined at home and binge on digital content or watch television. While theatre owners naturally suffer losses, there is yet another section that has been badly hit. These are people whose livelihood depends indirectly on cinema halls. Small business owners who have shops and eateries outside theatres that target the audience about to enter a show or leaving it, are left with little or no sales. With the halls shut, the entire vicinity is deserted and these small shopkeepers are either forced to shut shops or wait helplessly for a customer or two to turn up. "My daily customer count has gone down by 60 to 70 percent. My customers are mostly the ones coming out of the theatre, as my shop is located exactly outside the ticket counter. Mostly, kids and students come to my shop to buy caps, belts, sunglasses and earphones, but now there are hardly any customers," Abdul Azeez, an accessories shop owner outside Mira Road's Rassaz Multiplex, told IANS. Of course, the businessman has been quick to adapt. Azeez has started selling masks because roght now no other product seems to be selling. "I sell masks as cheap as Rs 30. Only masks have been selling over the past few days. There is no other sale for other products." Similar is the story with eateries outside theatres. With the police closing most eateries in the area, these shops are suffering huge losses. Even while the shutdown was yet to become official, with no shows in the theatres, there was no spillover customer base for the eateries, who would walk in for a quick bite or a sip of soft drink. Pappu owns a small eatery outside the theatre, where he sells sandwiches, burgers and pizzas at a very cheap price. While the police has closed most eateries now, he opens his shop for a few hours in the evenings. "The policewalas have ordered us to keep our shops shut. I have opened at 8pm for two hours only. The public is scared owing to coronavirus and nobody comes to my shop now. But if I don't take a chance and open my shop for a few hours, what will my family eat? On top that, I am having to pay all the staff working at my shop, even though I am not earning a single rupee," he said. The eatery owner further informed that while his daily requirement of chicken for the shop is almost 20 kilos, these days if he orders even five kilos, he has to take some of it home or try selling it off. While Coronavirus is indeed a big threat but in a country like India, the bigger concern for the small-level business that banks on the cinema trade to thrive is sustenance. These businessmen are just hoping for things to get back to normalcy while they wait behind their empty counters with patience and helplessness. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) As educational institutions remain closed in Gujarat due to coronavirus threat, the state government on Wednesday said students of Classes 7 to 9 and 11 will be able to revise and practice their subjects while sitting at home using regional TV channels in a daily hour- long tutorials starting on Thursday. Students of these classes can avail the service of revision and practice of the subjects of their choice online using Gujarat TV channels so they do not have to waste their time due to school shutdown, the government said. The service will begin from Thursday, it said. Subjects on offer will be Mathematics, Science and English for Class 7-9 students, and Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, and Accountancy for Class 11 pupils. The Gujarat High Court, which had decided to take up only urgent matters till March 31,said on Wednesday that no case list will be prepared starting March 19 and till March 31. Lawyers desirous of obtaining an urgent order shall file a note stating the urgency for court's consideration, the HC said. No positive case of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) has been recorded in Gujarat so far. In Surat, a part of the Veer Narmad University hostel was converted into a 500-bed quarantine ward for persons returning from abroad, more specifically those coming from Sarjah, with a team of city municipal corporation and police being present there, officials said. A man, who returned from Nagpur and had close contact with a coronavirus positive patient, was admitted to an isolation ward of the government hospital in Surat and his sample sent for examination, they said. Similarly, a person with suspected exposure to the virus, who recently returned from Spain, was sent to the isolation ward of the Sayaji Hospital in Vadodara, they said. In Ahmedabad too, two new suspected cases were admitted to the government hospital. Amid the coronavirus scare, local transportation also took a severe hit, with city transportation services BRTS and AMTS reporting a drop in the number of daily commuters by around 95,000 in the last two days, the officials said. Even the state transport buses witnesses around 10 per cent drop in daily passenger flow. Amid countries shutting down borders to contain the coronavirus, around two dozen people from the state, who are among 43 Indians stranded at Warsaw Chopin Airport in Poland since last two days, appealed for help through a video on the social media after their flights were cancelled. A man, identified as Varun, said he was stranded at the airport along with others due to constant rescheduling of flights since the last three days, and they have nothing to eat as restaurants are closed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-19 00:34:49|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close COLOMBO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 in Sri Lanka has risen to 51 after eight more patients were detected with the virus on Wednesday, the Health Ministry said. All those confirmed with the COVID-19 are receiving treatment at the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) on the outskirts of Colombo, while another hospital is being equipped in Welikanda in the north central province in case more cases may be found in the coming days. In order to curb the spread of the virus, Sri Lankan Police earlier on Wednesday imposed a curfew in the Puttalam District in the north western province and Negombo in the west coast. Sri Lanka on Monday declared a four-day public holiday which ends on Thursday to contain the spread of the epidemic. Enditem Local institutions are rapidly adjusting on the fly after a series of cascading emergency announcements from state and national authorities mandating increasingly harsh measures to stop the spread of the new virus that has infected nearly 190,000 worldwide and killed more than 7,500 as it overwhelms some healthcare systems. Preventing that kind of quick and overwhelming spread is what the new restrictions are all about. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced March 13 that schools statewide would close. Then Monday, he said restaurants, bars, theaters, salons and some other businesses would have to close, and he restricted public gatherings to no more than 50. If youre thinking about having a group of 49 people in the same room, think again, Inslee said, urging organizations and businesses to figure out how to limit public gathering as much as possible. Healthcare After consulting with state officials and other hospitals Monday, Coulee Medical Center, which has seen an influx of patients with respiratory symptoms, is looking for experienced health volunteers it can call on if need be. And patients who look like they might be infected with the virus will be checked in, then asked to wait in their vehicles for a call or text to come in and be seen. CMC outlines a number of measures its taking in an advertisement on page 2. Grant County A total of seven confirmed cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, have been found in Grant County, clustered in the Quincy and Mattawa areas. Grant County Health District said there are also several additional linked, suspect cases under investigation. These case clusters in Quincy and Mattawa, are evidence of community spread, the GCHD said, and it is likely that cases will be confirmed in additional Grant County communities in the next several days. Staff are working around the clock to identify and put into quarantine all those who had close contact with these individuals, a press release from GCHD said. The Yakima Diocese of the Catholic Church said Monday that a priest, Rev. Alejandro Alex Trejo, pastor of Our Lady of the Desert Parish serving 800 families in Mattawa, had tested positive for the virus. He has been in Kadlec Medical Center in Richland since March 1, being treated for pneumonia, which the virus causes. Two earlier tests were inconclusive. The 48-year-old is scheduled for release to a private residence in a few days. With the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, GCHD urges Grant County residents to take very seriously the recommendations to limit social contacts and minimize the spread of COVID-19 in the community. Grant County has seen one death from the illness, for which it has received 36 negative tests with 41 more still pending. One of those is thought to be a probable positive test. Those infected include five men and two women. Two are in the 19- to 40-year-old age bracket; two are 41-60, two are 61-80. One is 80-plus. Daily updates will be posted on http://www.granthealth.org as well as GCHDs Facebook page. Lincoln County has one confirmed COVID-19 case, Okanogan and Douglas had not had any by Tuesday afternoon. Okanogan County Health District said 41 samples had been sent in for testing, of which 13 were negative. The county was still waiting on results for 28 more. Library The Grand Coulee Library is closing until at least April 24, but people can still borrow items through the mail system, according to a March 13 notice from North Central Regional Libraries, of which the Grand Coulee Library is one of many branches. When schools are closed, our public libraries have always become gathering places for children and their families. As a result, there isnt a way for us to remain open while ensuring the safety of our staff and members of our communities, the notice, signed by Executive Director Barbara Walters. said. More information on how to use the librarys mail system, online resources, updates, and more can be found at http://www.ncrl.org. Restaurants and bars Several local restaurants are offering takeout services including Pepper Jacks, The Fusion Cafe, La Presa, The Electric City Bar & Grill, and Siam Palace, the latter also offering delivery. All three 12 Tribes Colville Casinos closed last night at 5 p.m. They won't reopen until April 1. R&A Cafe, and The Hi Dam Tavern, didnt answer the phone before deadline. Bigger Picture According to the Washington State Department of Health, as of Tuesday, there are at least 907 cases of COVID-19 in the state, and at least 50 deaths. Gov. Inslee on Monday ordered that restaurants, bars, clubs, theaters, gyms, and other venues close until March 31, with restaurants still allowed to do take-out meals and delivery. Inslee also said he is limiting gatherings to 50 people or fewer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommended no events with more than 50 people, and President Donald Trump on Monday recommended avoiding groups of 10 or more people. According to Johns Hopkins University, there are 5,145 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States as of Tuesday, with at least 91 killed by the virus. THE Department of Health (DOH) said Covid-19 cases in the country have surpassed 200 while mortalities increased to 17 Wednesday. In its 4 p.m. March 18, 2020 bulletin, the DOH said it recorded 15 new cases that brought the total to 202. Three more deaths were logged, bringing the mortality count to 17. Three other patients recovered for a total of 7 recoveries. Patient (PH) 201, PH57 and PH160 have passed on, according to the agency. PH201, 58, was a Filipino male from Lanao del Sur. He had travel history from Malaysia and was confirmed as a Covid-19 case after his death. He died at the Amai Pakpak Medical Center in Marawi City at 6:41 a.m. on March 17. The test result was known on March 18. The patient had pre-existing diabetes mellitus and died of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) secondary to Covid-19. PH57 was a 65-year-old Filipino male from Pasig City who traveled from London. He was admitted at The Medical City in Ortigas on March 10 and was confirmed positive of Covid-19 on March 13. He died at 10:10 p.m. Tuesday, March 17, of ARDS secondary to Covid-19 and pneumonia. He had pre-existing hypertension and diabetes mellitus. PH160 was a Filipino female, 86 years old, from San Juan City. She neither had recent travel history nor exposure to a known Covid-19 case. She died at 2:25 a.m. Tuesday, March 17, a day after she tested positive for Covid-19 at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center. Cause of death was septic shock secondary to pneumonia secondary to Covid-19. She had pre-existing chronic kidney disease secondary to hypertension nephrosclerosis, ischemic heart disease and peripheral arterial occlusive disease. Those who have recovered, meanwhile, are PH15, PH26 and PH13. PH15 is a 24-year-old Filipino male from Makati City with travel history to United Arab Emirates. PH26 is a 34-year-old Filipino male from Camarines Sur and one of two repatriates from MV Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan who tested positive for Covid-19. PH13 is a 34-year-old Filipino male from Quezon City with travel history to Australia. PH15 and PH13 were both admitted at the Makati Medical Center while PH26 was admitted at the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital. (From Jove Moya/SunStar Philippines) St. Patricks Day is generally one big party in Buffalo, but Coronavirus concerns have people across the United States avoiding gatherings of more than 10 people. In addition to St. Patricks Day, Buffalo Bills fans had plenty to celebrate on Tuesday with Tom Brady announcing that he would be leaving the New England Patriots. With temptation at an all-time high, Buffalo mayor Byron Brown stepped in and reminded the Bills Mafia to celebrate responsibly from the comfort of their homes. For those of you who want to celebrate Tom Brady leaving the New England Patriots--and hopefully the AFC East--there are no mass gatherings," Brown said on Tuesday. "Celebrate responsibly, celebrate at home and with less than 10 people. New England dominated the AFC East throughout Bradys time as Patriots QB. The Patriots have won the division for the last 11 seasons, but Bradys departure gives Bills fans legitimate hope that the division is there for the taking. The Bills have not won the AFC East since 1995. In addition to dominating the division, the Patriots have dominated Buffalo with Brady as their starting QB. Brady held a 32-3 record all-time against Buffalo. Although Brady has not officially signed with another team as of this writing, its being reported that he will be joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Buffalo does not play Tampa Bay in 2020. READ MORE 5 thoughts and a grade on Buffalo Bills signing LB Tyler Matakevich Bills sign Jordan Poyer to two-year extension (report) 5 thoughts and a grade on Buffalo Bills signing LB A.J. Klein Are Buffalo Bills AFC East favorites after Tom Bradys departure from Patriots? (Latest AFC East odds) 6 things to know about new Buffalo Bills EDGE Mario Addison - Fitch, an international rating agency has indicated that Ghana's growth rate could fall below the intended target of 6.5% - Fitch explained that African countries would generally record reduced growth levels due to the coronavirus - It added that the fall could be traced to the reduction in world oil prices following actions taken by OPEC Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in An international rating agency, Fitch, has predicted that Ghanas growth rate is likely to fall from 6.5% to 6.2%. The 0.3% fall in the growth rate has been attributed to the effects of the coronavirus on the economy. Fitch explained that it, therefore, expects the real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to also expand by 6.2%. READ ALSO: Gold mining firms predict boom as coronavirus lead to slowdown in several economies Per a Business Insider report, Fitchs analysed the impact of the coronavirus on sub-Saharan economies and concluded that Africas oil producers countries could record reduced growths and export earnings. The reason for the decline, it has been revealed, is the sharp decline in global oil prices as a result of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to agree on additional production cutbacks. The countries expected to be affected by this new development include Nigeria, Angola, South Sudan, Congo Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Chad and Cameroon. Fitch went on to say that the reduction in the growth in the production of hydrocarbons could lead to a deceleration of the real GDP growth. Oil is responsible for about a third of Ghanas export of goods and forms a key component in the countrys capital generation agenda. The rating agency, however, indicated that the impact would be less, compared to Nigeria, Angola or South Sudan. This is because Ghana enjoys the benefits of a strong service sector and there is an ever-increasing demand for services as well as an increase in the mining and manufacturing sectors. For the year 2020, the World Bank predicted Ghana would have an economic growth rate of 6.8%, per its January 2020 Global Economic prospects Report. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) meanwhile estimates that the rate could be 7.5%. In other news, The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has estimated a 20% reduction in revenue as the number of flights allowed into Ghana reduces. According to the GCAA, the coronavirus has negatively affected its operations and it may, therefore, have to resort to other means to make up for the shortfall. GCAAs Director-General, Ing. Simon Allotey, explained that the company depends largely on charges levied on passengers. READ ALSO: Hope for possible cure for coronavirus leads to boom in world markets Enjoyed reading our story? Download YEN's news app on Google Playstore now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news! Faces of Ghana: A Mysterious Voice Speaks to Me When I'm Working - Engineer Explains | #Yencomgh Want to be featured on YEN.com.gh? Send us a message on our Facebook page or on Instagram with your stories, photos or videos Source: YEN.com.gh Queen Elizabeth II receives Commodore Stephen Moorhouse (centre, outgoing Commanding Officer, HMS Queen Elizabeth) and Captain Angus Essenhigh (incoming Commanding Officer). (Press Association) The Queen has conducted her weekly audience with Boris Johnson over the phone as the UK continues to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. Queen Elizabeth hosts a weekly audience with the prime minister and the event was in her diary despite changes to her upcoming engagements. The court circular indicates her meeting was held via telephone on Wednesday. She also held an audience with Captain Angus Essenhigh, the new Commanding Officer of the Royal Navy warship HMS Queen Elizabeth, and his predecessor Commodore Stephen Moorhouse. However they did not shake hands during the audience, with the captain and commodore bowing to the 93-year-old monarch. The Queen, dressed in a bright royal blue dress, smiled broadly as she spoke to the pair, who were in military uniform complete with medals. 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 There were no handshakes, just bows at the audience. (Press Association) The Queen's audience is likely to be one of her last. (Press Association) The trio sat in separate chairs around the fire in the palace, appearing to be more than 1m apart from one another. Buckingham Palace said the Queen would be following government advice with relation to the pandemic. She will be decamping to Windsor for Easter Court a week early, leaving on 19 March. Its not clear when she will return, and its likely to be a longer spell in Windsor than usual. Her Maundy Service there on 9 April has been cancelled. Her meeting with Johnson comes as the government prepares to pass emergency legislation which will help the country cope with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The Queen hosts weekly audiences with the prime minister. (Press Association) Read more: How Prince Andrew or Prince Harry could be called on if the Queen gets coronavirus Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, announced a package of measures to help businesses and homeowners, and the prime minister has promised more to come to help the self-employed, freelancers, and those who rent their homes. Schools in Wales and Scotland will close from Friday and Nicola Sturgeon warned parents should not expect them to re-open after Easter. Story continues Read more: Will the Queen have to self-isolate? How world's royal families are affected by coronavirus Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey has suggested that the central bank was considering printing money and giving it directly to UK households, noting that everything is on the table. The Queens audiences are brief, one-on-one meetings which happen regularly throughout her working week. She often receives members of the diplomatic community, as well as political, religious and military leaders, and people who have won prestigious cultural prizes. No readouts are given for the Queens meetings with the prime minister. Tuolumne County Public Health Department View Photo Sonora, CA Tuolumne County Health officials released the Tuesday update that provides testing numbers while noting that there is still no confirmed case in the county. Below is the latest information provided by the county: *Tuolumne County testing numbers include only those routed through Public Health to a Public Health Laboratory. The numbers do not include those routed through a commercial laboratory. Total positive numbers include all tests submitted to both Public Health Laboratories and commercial laboratories. The most recent updates are here. Local Activations & Declarations: PUBLIC HEALTH COVID-19 CALL CENTER: Public Health has activated a call center that will go live on 3/18/20 at 9 a.m. The call center will be open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The call center phone number is 209-533-7440. We still encourage community members to call the Adventist Health COVID-19 Advice Line at 844-542-8840 with questions or concerns about visiting an Adventist Health clinic or hospital, but phone calls with other questions or concerns may be made to the Public Health COVID-19 Call Center. The Public Health Department has activated its Department Operations Center (DOC) to most 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. Dr. Sergienko issued a revised Health Officer Order on 3/17/20 (applicable until 4/30/20) regarding gatherings (summarized in Mass Gatherings section below). Please see the attached Health Officer Order. The Tuolumne County Office of Emergency Services, with the approval of the Board of Supervisors, declared a local state of emergency on 3/17/20. COVID-19 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 Community Agency Updates: 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. 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, click here. The Meals on Wheels Program is continuing service as usual The Sonora, Jamestown, and Groveland Congregate lunch sites have ceased on-site serving ATCAA ATCAA has made some changes to their services. Please review the attached letter from ATCAA. Mass Gatherings: Per the 3/17/20 Tuolumne County Health Officer Order (applicable until 4/30/20): All events that have more than 50 participants shall be canceled or postponed to such a time as this Health Officers Order has lapsed All events that may have fewer than 50 participants where it is not feasible to maintain social distances of six feet shall be canceled or postponed to such a time as this Health Officers Order has lapsed Gatherings for those who are at high risk of severe illness, such as those older than 65, those with existing heart or lung disease, and those with diabetes, shall not exceed more than ten participants who are at high risk Issuance of assemblage permits and facility use permits shall be canceled View the CDPH Guidance for Gatherings, here. 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. Private school closure is at school administrator discretion Please view the CDPH COVID-19 Schools guidance here. 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 Food, Beverage, Other Services: Bars, wineries, breweries, and pubs should be closed, except for venues that are currently authorized to provide off sale beer and wine to be consumed off premises Restaurants should be closed for in-restaurant seated dining, and should be open only to drive-through or other pick-up/delivery options For the full guidance, click here. Self-Isolation for Older Adults (age 65 and older) and Those Who Have Elevated Risk Remain at home until further guidance is issued Continue with outdoor activities Practice social distancing, both in and outside the home Stay in touch with others by phone, email, or other online tools Identify family, friends, neighbors, and caregivers who can provide support Have supplies on hand Have a plan for if you get sick Practice hand washing Use respiratory etiquette Clean and disinfect your home to remove germs For the full guidance, click here. 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. 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 MacArthur Blvd., 22400 block, March 8. While police conducted an investigation for the report of a disturbance, a man began yelling and causing a disturbance outside the residence, and began walking backward in the roadway. Police repeated instructions to cease his behavior, but the man continued drawing the attention of nearby residents. He pulled away from officers that attempted to take him into custody and refused to be placed in a patrol vehicle. The 39-year-old man, of no fixed address, was charged with disorderly conduct, failure to obey a reasonable/lawful order and resisting/interfering with arrest. Just one day after announcing that the district would be closed until at least April 10, the CISD trustees approved an emergency resolution related to COVID-19 to grant Superintendent Curtis Null to address the ongoing health and safety emergency. In a Monday address from Facebook Live, Null announced that Conroe ISD will be closed until at least April 10, with a tentative return date of April 13, in order to help curb the spread of COVID-19. This is a move that all other districts in Montgomery County took, along with schools in Harris County. But it has left a lot of questions for parents and students about what happens next that the district is still working on answering. Tuesdays resolution gives a few answers. Additonal authority With the passing of the resolution, the board gives Null the authority to act in the place of the board and make all decisions regarding payment of employees during an emergency closure, to implement the provisions of Board Policy DEA (Local), and to make determinations regarding the purpose and parameters of any such payments. To that end, Null reiterated what he promised to staff in his Facebook Live announcement Monday evening: staff will be paid during the closing. Board member Skeeter Hubert asked Null to clarify who is considered staff during the closure. What were asking is to pay those employees that work for us on a daily basis. That would include teachers, para-professionals, bus drivers, nurses, all employees, Null said. But there are some special circumstances that Null highlighted for the board. Staff payroll For example, substitute teachers that have accepted a long-term position with the district throughout the closure will be paid. Substitute teachers working at other districts wont be included. He also recommends paying some employees who may not be full-time but still contribute to the district regularly. Null said he does not expect this to create a financial burden for the district. The Texas Education Administration has told the district that it will continue the funding district receives, at the level it currently receives. Public promise Null also made a public promise to keep board members informed of all decisions he makes under the power of the resolution, after board member Ray Sanders asked about what kind of oversight these decisions might have and how they would be notified of decisions made. Im happy to offer you that assurance that we would communicate that with you, Null said. Sanders told Null he had full faith in Null to make the right decisions, but initially considered amending the resolution to include a stipulation that the board be notified. All members agreed that they were comfortable with the public promise. The resolution also grants Null the authority to alter the 2019-20 school calendar by changing or adding instructional hours and work days as necessitated by the emergency closure; create guidelines and make determinations regarding regarding absences, leave time, leave days, and compensation of any employee who is quarantined as a result of COVID-19 and/or who tests positive for COVID-19 and who presents appropriate medical documentation regarding themselves and/or an immediate family member; seek necessary waivers from TEA regarding missed instructional days, low attendance, or other matters related to the closure, without further action from the board; and declare a catastrophe, and take all actions as appropriate in accordance with the Texas Government Code regarding temporary suspension of the Texas Public Information Act. jamie.swinnerton@chron.com London Goheen and Reece Hawkins arrived at Brisbane International Airport on Wednesday after a holiday in Thailand. The couple will have to immediately return to their home on the Gold Coast and self-isolate for 14 days in accordance with the government's new rules on international arrivals. Reece, 24, shares two children with his ex-fiancee, Tammy Hembrow, but it's unlikely he will be able to see them during the two-week isolation period. We're back! London Goheen and Reece Hawkins arrived at Brisbane International Airport on Wednesday after a holiday in Thailand London, 22, appeared carefree as she flaunted her figure in black booty shorts and an oversized hoodie. The Texas-born model looked like a superstar strutting through the terminal in white sneakers and reflective sunglasses . She accessorised with a $1,030 Prada handbag and a large grey suitcase. Enjoy quarantine! The couple will have to immediately return to their home on the Gold Coast and self-isolate for 14 days in accordance with the government's rules on international arrivals Separated: Reece, 24, shares two children with his ex-fiancee, Tammy Hembrow (pictured), but it's unlikely he will be able to see them during the two-week isolation period Meanwhile, Reece kept things casual in black trackpants and a crew neck sweater. They rolled along Louis Vuitton, Prada and Gucci travel bags, and appeared to have stocked up on duty free while on a stopover in Singapore. While at Changi Airport, Reece told his Instagram followers he would 'die' if he couldn't find a Burger King after their shopping spree. Looking good! London, 22, appeared carefree as she flaunted her figure in black booty shorts and an oversized hoodie It comes after London hit back at her boyfriend's ex in February, after they'd reunited in a YouTube video two years after their break-up. London said that Tammy's video was a 'dig at her' and that her friendliness with Reece was just 'put on'. In the vlog, Tammy had made it clear to fans that she and Reece were now getting along after a lengthy feud. Glamorous: The Texas-born model looked like a superstar strutting through the terminal in white sneakers and reflective sunglasses In response to the video, London said: 'I feel it was very put on and a dig at me, which is fine. 'I don't care for the drama, it's a little ridiculous, some people do things for the wrong reasons.' Reece and Tammy were known to have an acrimonious relationship in the past, which was reportedly made worse by Tammy's desire to relocate to LA. Expensive taste: She accessorised with a $1,030 Prada handbag and a large grey suitcase Precaution? She covered her mouth at one stage, perhaps to protect herself from COVID-19 In an interview with Daily Mail Australia in March 2019, Reece said he wasn't on speaking terms with the mother of his children. 'At the moment there is no contact,' he said at the time. Meanwhile, Reece and London will have to observe 14 days of self-isolation in accordance with the government's new rules to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Big spenders: Reece and London stocked up on duty free while on a stopover in Singapore Fair enough! While at Changi Airport, Reece told his Instagram followers he would 'die' if he couldn't find a Burger King after their shopping spree As of Wednesday afternoon, there were 556 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia, including six deaths. Penalties for not self-isolating will be determined separately by each state and territory. 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. Catfight: It comes after London hit back at her boyfriend's ex in February, after they'd reunited in a YouTube video two years after their break-up Faking their friendship? London said that Tammy's video was a 'dig at her' and that her friendliness with Reece was just 'put on' Hero Electronix announced the acquisition of Test & Verification Solutions (T&VS), a leading provider of chip design services. The acquisition was made through Tessolve, a Hero Electronix venture and a leading engineering solutions company. The acquisition provides strong impetus to Tessolves chip design offering taking its overall company strength to over 2,000 engineers and firmly cements Tessolve as a leading end-to-end provider of semiconductor engineering services. Founded in 2008 in UK by Mike Bartley, an industry veteran with over 25 years of experience in the design verification domain; T&VS is a leading provider of Design Verification solutions to semiconductor companies having steadily expanded its offerings into Design for Test (DFT) and Embedded Software with a 400+ team across multiple markets including UK, India, Japan, US and Singapore. T&VS is the fifth acquisition by Tessolve in the past 4 years. Complementing its aggressive approach in growing the capabilities organically, these strategic acquisitions have put Tessolve in a unique position to offer a comprehensive spectrum of services to semiconductor companies. The acquisition adds a strong team and capability depth in a critical area like chip design and expands Tessolves presence into the UK and Japan markets. Commenting on the acquisition P Raja Manickam, CEO, Tessolve said, We are excited to welcome the T&VS team. The addition of T&VS talent and technologies will enable us to provide more integrated and optimized 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. Nikhil Rajpal, CEO, Hero Electronix 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. The acquisition reaffirms our commitment to keep expanding our team and capabilities to service all engineering requirements of a semiconductor company. Mike Bartley, CEO and Founder, T&VS added 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. Open source President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky held the phone talk with President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Peter Maurer. They agreed on the supplies of the medical equipment to Ukraine as the presidential press service reported. The Ukrainian side formed the request in which it included all necessary medical means and equipment. The supply will take place in accordance with the request. The sides agreed that the visit of the ICRC president to Ukraine, particularly, for the personal familiarisation with the humanitarian situation in Donbas will take place soon. Besides, the sides discussed the importance of the cooperation for the search of Ukrainians missing in the territory of occupied Donbas and occupied Crimea, security situation in Donbas and the possibility of the ICRC access to the occupied territories and prisoners. As we reported, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the law, aiming for the prevention of Covid-19 spread. When Nationals senator Susan McDonald first noticed she had a sore throat and a mild temperature on Friday, her first thought wasn't coronavirus. After Peter Dutton confirmed he had tested positive to COVID-19 on the same day, the Queensland senator decided she better be tested for the virus despite not having been in contact with the Home Affairs Minister for several weeks. Nationals senator Susan McDonald tested positive to coronavirus on Monday. She then went into self-isolation while awaiting the test results, cancelling a number of events she had on the weekend including the North Queensland Cowboys' first game of the season in Townsville's new NRL stadium. "When I went to be tested I felt a little bit foolish, I wasn't really aware of having been in contact with anybody who had coronavirus, it was only that Peter Dutton was diagnosed that day," she told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. The government will later today [Wednesday] meet the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) as part measures to cushion the economy against the expected impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The President earlier in the week met representatives from the pharmaceutical and banking industries regarding the production of local materials and drugs to help in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta said: We are meeting with AGI but all in all, there is clarity on the action that is going to come and what type of stimulus plans we will be able to do and able to afford to ensure that our country is safe. In his engagement with Parliament, the Finance Minister also noted that the government will rely on a mix of funds from the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and withdrawals from the Stabilisation Fund to finance the budgetary gap expected to be created by the fiscal impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic. This is needed because receipts from the petroleum industry, revenue from the tourism and aviation industries among others, have been projected to suffer a massive hit. Also today, the Bank of Ghana's Monetary Policy Committee will be meeting to assess the possible impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the domestic economy. This is to enable the regulator to take the necessary steps to mitigate its impact and ensure financial and economic stability. Last week, President Nana Akufo-Addo assured that the government was taking steps to handle any adverse impacts the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus could have on the country's economic fortunes. He said the state has engaged some relevant industry players to produce inputs needed to tackle the possible spread of the virus into Ghana. Government is analyzing the potential impact on our economy to the virus and will trigger the relevant response to minimize it. We have begun to engage the domestic pharmaceutical industry to assist in producing as much of the logistics to prevent and combat the virus as it is possible under the circumstances, the President said. ---citinewsroom In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies are sending their employees home to work, while schools and day cares are also closing nationwide. Currently, 33 states and the District of Columbia have closed public schools, according to a tally maintained by Education Week, with more states likely to follow. That's about 32.5 million public school students attending at least 64,000 schools. For many parents, this means working from home while their children are also present. "Whether you've worked from home for years or if you're completely new to remote work, these circumstances are incredibly challenging," said Sara Sutton, founder and CEO of FlexJobs. To help working parents adjust to these new and unusual conditions, FlexJobs an online job service for professionals seeking flexible work in more than 50 categories has highlighted 9 tips for parents working at home with children during emergencies. 1. Be upfront about expectations. It's important to proactively communicate with your employer that your children are at home so they are aware that you cannot guarantee your work or work calls will be interruption-free. This applies to children as well: Explain to them that working from home means you really are trying to do work. While it may seem like a regular weekend or a vacation day because you are all at home, these are highly unusual circumstances. 2. Set up virtual babysitters. Reach out to friends, aunts, uncles, grandparents, babysitters, teachers. These individuals are amazing resources, because you can use them to arrange virtual playdates for your kids. They can talk, read, play games, sing, do dances and much more, all online. 3. Plan activities that don't need supervision. Different activities apply to different age groups, of course, depending on your schedule and the age of your children. While babies will give you a breather during nap times, you can rely on swings and bouncy chairs or put on music or Baby Einstein. Create activity boxes that contain games and puzzles that require minimal adult supervision for toddlers and grade-schoolers. They can also be kept busy with trustworthy apps and their favorite shows. Have a backup activity jar ready to go for when these activities become boring. Older kids will most likely be busy with online schooling. 4. Prioritize your schedule. Aim to schedule your most engaging/reliable activities for the kids to be on their own during the time you need to be most productive. 5. Split the work. If you have a partner, and if your work allows, you may consider taking shifts. For instance, one person watches the kids in the morning while the other works, and vice versa in the afternoon. This can better guarantee at least some hours where your focus is purely on work. Nearly a dozen seniors living in an assisted living facility in San Pablo face potential eviction in about two weeks, amid a deepening health crisis surrounding the new coronavirus and calls for a temporary halt on all displacement of tenants. The looming eviction comes after the property owners decided last year to sell the building. Most of the residents moved away, but for the last remaining seniors, their futures are uncertain as concerns rise over the rapid spread of the coronavirus. Many of the residents dont know where to go amid both the public health and housing crisis. We are not just worried about the eviction itself, but the virus makes everything so much more difficult for us, said Carley Angell, 82, one of the residents. I have pretty severe lung and kidney problems and Im also over 80. So that puts me in the most susceptible group. Contra Costa County is one of six Bay Area counties that announced a shelter-in-place order until at least April 7. The residents at Brookdale are seniors, many of whom have health conditions and are a high-risk population. City officials throughout California are passing emergency ordinances to stop evictions and others are calling for eviction moratoriums. Gov. Gavin Newsom authorized local governments to halt evictions for residents affected by COVID-19 through May. But some city leaders and advocates say the order doesnt go far enough in protecting people during a volatile crisis. And instead of enforcing a sweeping order that postpones all evictions, local jurisdictions that are already scrambling to deal with the public health crisis are left to interpret the order. The executive order that he issued ... to address evictions did almost nothing, as far as we can tell, and basically said local jurisdictions you figure it out, said Meghan Gordon, director of the housing team at East Bay Community Law Center. Tenants need to be responding depending on which county they live in and whether those courts are open. He couldve done something and he didnt. In Contra Costa County, the courts are closed until April 1. During that time, all evictions were postponed by the Sheriffs Department. Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia said the county is working with the health department to develop an eviction moratorium based on the governors order. Gioia said the countys attorneys are determining what jurisdiction they have over cities and certain facilities, including Brookdale San Pablo. What Im unclear is what is authority and scope do we have and what kind of facilities does it cover, he said. The goal is to give the maximum amount of eviction protection to residents, especially to vulnerable populations. Elsewhere in the Bay Area, similar measures are being taken to curb evictions and help tame the uncertainty that some tenants are feeling. City leaders are taking the governors directive and trying to figure out how they can apply it to their city. San Francisco Mayor London Breed issued a moratorium on evictions last week, but it only applies to tenants who lose income related to a business closure, loss of employment or hours or out-of-pocket medical costs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On Tuesday, Supervisor Dean Preston said he plans to take the moratorium a step further by introducing an emergency ordinance to include no-fault evictions, which isnt covered under Breeds order. Preston said he hopes to have the emergency ordinance passed within a few weeks and also plans to send a resolution to the governor calling for stronger action on evictions. Passing these kinds of laws is really disappointing and (its) kind of ridiculous that right now a residential landlord would move forward with an eviction, Preston said. Weve got a city order telling people not to leave their homes. San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo has also issued similar eviction moratorium for people affected by coronavirus-related issues. Sheriffs departments in San Francisco and Alameda counties announced plans to postpone evictions during the crisis. Sheriffs are tasked with carrying out evictions. Oakland Councilwoman Nikki Fortunato Bas introduced an ordinance this week to halt all eviction court proceedings and reject new filings in Alameda County. Bas applauded the Alameda County Sheriffs effort and said the city needs to ensure housing economic security longer term. As it stands, its unclear whether Angell and her fellow residents would be covered by any moratoriums. Brookdale alerted residents in November that their facility was shutting down and the property owners planned to sell the space. Brookdale, a national corporation that operates 800 senior living facilities in 45 states, leases the San Pablo facility. They notified the property owners in the fall that they wouldnt renew the lease. The property owners are in negotiations to sell the building. We are strongly calling on Brookdale and the owners of the property to halt and stop the eviction, said Melvin Willis, a lead organizer for the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment. Do not evict these tenants during the time of a shelter in place in a pandemic. 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. Brookdale said it asked the property owners to suspend the closing of the community for the time being, but to no avail. Tuesday afternoon, Brookdale said it will not pursue further legal action for the time being, including filing for any evictions. The property owners could still move forward with eviction proceedings. The eviction date is March 30, though it could be delayed by the county. Steve Arnold, one of the property owners, said the responsibility is on Brookdale to keep its residents safe. He said he would be willing to sit and talk with Brookdale, but that any requests to extend the residents stay cant be open-ended. Do we think that coronavirus is a bad thing? Yes we do, Arnold said. The residents need to be relocated to a place that provides them the same protection they have now. Nearly 80 people lived at the facility before eviction notices were sent out in January. Now, only about a dozen remain and they plan to fight the eviction. Vince Dunn, 73, has lived at the facility for 14 months. He doesnt know where he could go for the same price that he pays now at the San Pablo facility $895 per month for a one bedroom. This was going to be my gateway to heaven, he said. It turned into being my corridor to hell. I wanted to die here. I wanted to have a peaceful place to go out, and its turned out I have to go somewhere else now. It just kind of hurts. Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter@SarRavani We have been without excuses for more than 46 years. It is time for action. One of my first college writing assignments was in an American history class. We were required to research and write an essay on a recent history-making event. I can only imagine why I chose to write an essay on the Teamsters Union and the pension plan scandal that sent many union leaders to prison. That scandal led to the passing of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. Known as ERISA, that law still controls all retirement funding. That was more than 46 years ago. So, why have so few Americans saved adequately for retirement? The statistics are staggering. You can do a Google search on retirement savings in America to find out how poorly we are saving. Now that we are living longer, many experts believe we should have $750,000 to $1 million in retirement savings before we quit working. Do you find that overwhelming or depressing, considering your age and account balance? If not, good for you! If you need encouragement, let me talk about good news. There is plenty of it. The SECURE ACT was passed in December and became effective Jan. 1. Designed to make retirement funding easier and more accessible, it offers new variations on old ERISA ideas. Workers can now make IRA contributions as long as they have earned income there is no longer an age limit. The requirement to withdraw IRA money (so it can be taxed) has been delayed to age 72, compared to 70. Also, most 401k plans allow workers to contribute as long as they continue employment and participation in the plan. Employee deferrals in traditional 401k plans can be as much as $26,000 per year over age 50, and small-business owners can now retroactively establish retirement plans as late as the due date of the business income tax returns. For tax year 2019, that means you do not have to fund the contribution to the plan until Sept. 15, 2020. Maximum tax-deductible contributions are now as much as $63,500 per year. Earning limits and other tests must be satisfied. At a marginal tax rate of 30 percent, taxpayers can save more than $18,000 by simply moving money from one account to another account. Its like manufactured profit. Almost. The benefit is actually a timing matter: a deferral of tax, not an abatement, unless the Roth IRA or Roth 401K plan devices are used. For many people, Roth is likely to be a better alternative. With todays tax rates as low as they are, many taxpayers are incentivized to pay tax earlier than required, to save money on taxes that will be higher later. Thats why you hear so much about back-door Roths and Roth conversions. Do yourself and your family a favor: Save more for retirement. No more excuses. No more procrastination. Just do it today. Afraid of the stock market? Take a look at Mat Sorensons book, The Self-Directed IRA Handbook, (SOKO Publishing LLC 2014) for tips on investment alternatives. (Roger Nagel, CPA/PFS, CMA, CGMA, is the managing director of Nagel CPAs, LLC Accountants and Advisors, serving the middle Rio Grande Valley and beyond. Learn more at nagelcpa.us.) Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) raids on targets around the country are to be halted for the coming weeks but officers say they will be busy with the massive backlog of cases that need to be prepared for court. While the Covid-19 virus may have halted planned searches of the homes of suspected criminals and their associates, it has freed up officers to do much-needed case work to move a glut of proceeds of crime matters before the courts. Having time to clear the paperwork backlog is likely to mean suspected criminals, money launderers and revenue dodgers will find investigations into their activities advance to legal proceedings quicker than they would in normal circumstances. On Monday, the monthly list was adjourned until May due to the ongoing situation as gatherings are limited and business grinds to a halt. Many of those involved in listed cases, including those due for hearing, had failed to turn up at the courts as fears grew about coronavirus across Europe. But instead of shutting up shop, CAB sources said officers would welcome the time to concentrate on files that have to be put together for solicitors so they can begin cases against targets. CAB is also preparing its annual report for Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan, which is expected to show 2019 was the busiest year in it's history with record numbers of profilers now working around the country to identify potential targets. By the beginning of 2020, the bureau had 1,367 targets on its books and has already got more than 60 cases before the courts at various stages in the process. It is in control of 45 seized properties including a house in Dublin 8 which it was granted receivership over last month and was owned by a mid-ranking member of the Kinahan cartel. The portfolio of houses will come on the market before the end of this year and are likely to include the Raleigh Square home of Liam Byrne, which was renovated to the tune of 750,000 before the keys to the property were handed over to the bureau. UPDATED As the nation shifts to online learning during the novel coronavirus outbreak, language and access barriers may shut many of the nations nearly 5 million English-learner students out of the learning process. A December 2019 report from the U.S. Department of Education found that few teachers reported assigning English-learners to use digital learning resources outside of class, in part because of concerns about students lack of access to technology at home. The same report also revealed that teachers who work with English-language learners are more apt to use general digital resources rather than tools designed specifically for English-learners and that English-learner educators reported fewer hours of professional development with digital learning resources than did mainstream teachers. Those findings suggest the spread of outbreak-related school closures could have severe consequences for the millions of students with limited access to digital devices or the internet, limited understanding of English, and limited ability to work independently without support. This crisis has emphasized the inequities and gaps that exist in our [education] system, said Kristina Robertson, the English-learner program administrator for the Roseville, Minn., schools. This is a wakeup call about the value of having technology for all. English-learner educators often offer tailored support for their students in class, something that is not available in many of the online programs schools have implemented, said Joseph Luft, the executive director of the Internationals Network for Public Schools. The New York City-based network operates 28 high school and middle school campuses in New York city, the San Francisco Bay Area, the Washington, D.C.-area, and Minneapolis that educate more than 10,000 English-learners and newly arrived immigrant students. The widespread closures have left teachers and administrators scrambling for ways to connect with students they may not see face-to-face again for weeks or months. In New York City, schools are closed until at least April 20, and perhaps the rest of year, Mayor Bill de Blasio said this week. Education Week created an interactive map to track school closures across the nation : As of Wednesday, at least 39 states have closed schools to help slow the spread of coronavirus; the closures have affected more than 40 million public school students. In some of the International Networks New York schools, teachers spent the weekend printing paper packets for student pickup. The organization has also created a network-wide resource for teachers to share curriculum ideas and suggestions for connecting with families. This makes online learning a lot more difficult, Luft said. Were trying to be very creative but its very hard to transition so quickly. Language Barriers Across the country, public schools educate about 4.9 million English-learners from hundreds of different language backgrounds. While the numbers for several other languages are on the rise, 76 percent of the nations English-learners speak Spanish. Many of the nations largest school districts have had significant English-learner populations for years, but communication challenges even exist for many of those school systems. In Seattle, where schools will remain closed until April 24, the district offers translations for materials in six languages: Spanish, Somali, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Amharic, and Tagalog. That still leaves some families out of the loop. The district has nearly 7,000 English-learners and they speak a total of about 160 languages. "[English-learners] who dont speak one of the major languages have much less support, Judie Haynes, an author and English-learner-educator consultant, wrote in an email to Education Week. All distance learning will probably be in English or Spanish unless another language group has a big concentration. The state of New Jersey, where Haynes in based, has a concentration of Portuguese students and teachers that would allow their needs to be met at school, she said. Roughly 40 percent of the 7,000 students in Robertsons district, the Roseville schools, speak a language such as Spanish, Hmong, Karen, Somali, or Nepali at home. The district employs 11 cultural liaisons, whose duties range from providing interpretation and translations, advising students, cultural navigation, and working to bridge the language and cultural gaps that emerge between district staff and families. The district also plans to establish a multilingual Facebook page to communicate with families and send daily robocalls and emails in multiple languages to inform families about meals and other efforts to support families. Families need to have somebody they trust to communicate what they need from schools, Robertson said. They want to their children to be safe and have learning opportunities just like everyone else. Banding Together Colorin Colorado, a site for English-learner educators, has compiled a list of resources and suggestions for school staff and English-learner families . The guide includes tips for ensuring that families have access to information about online learning and that their district or school online-learning plans account for English-learners. In addition to providing links to COVID-19 information in several languages, the site also offers tips on staying connected with English-learner families during the extended shutdowns by communicating with families via phone calls, texts or video chats and providing translated information whenever possible. We want to ensure immigrant and English-learner families arent left behind, said Giselle Lundy-Ponce, an English-learner advocate with the American Federation of Teachers. Its going to require a monumental effort. In an ongoing online survey of teachers conducted by the site, respondents have reported that many of their English-learners dont have laptops or tablets to access online lessons; in some cases, they dont have internet access. We would like not to lose anything [in terms of learning progress], but thats not very realistic, Robertson said. Some families are going to be left behind. A longtime English-as-a-second-language teacher, Haynes started #ellchat about a decade ago. On Monday, the Twitter chat focused on online learning for English-learners during the coronavirus outbreak. The exchange focused on tools that could help students access online lessons and remain in touch with teachers. TESOL International Association, an organization for teachers who specialize in working with English-learners, has also collected resources that teachers and administrators can use to help guide their discussions with students about this pandemic . Losing Ground Luft is especially concerned about a particular subset of English-learners: older students who are nearing graduation. School districts have long struggled to meet the educational needs of these students, including refugee and immigrant students who often have gaps in their formal education. Laws allow students to enroll in traditional public schools until they reach age 21, but many times theyre pressured to leave campuses or funneled into alternative programs. Luft fears that, with extended school closures, some of these students may leave school without graduating, unless some districts waive exam requirements or amend state laws on how many days schools must be in session. Its just throwing another roadblock in their way, Luft said. We dont know how long this is going to last. Theyre in real danger of losing ground. Robertson has asked district staff, including the cultural liaisons, to monitor whether families have enough food and understand when to seek medical help during the coronavirus outbreak. Staff in the districtwhich has a one-to-one computing initiativewere also pressing to get tablets to students as schools shut down Wednesday through at least March 27. You can digitize instruction, but education is about connections, Luft said. We dont really know what this is going to look like over the next couple of weeks. Im not looking for miracles; Im just looking for people working to keep kids connected to school. Photo Credit: Students Valerie Mejia-Terry, left, and Karina Medina, right, focusing during class at Spirit Lake Elementary School in Spirit Lake, Iowa, in 2017. -- Bryon Houlgrave /The Des Moines Register Today we are going to look at South Port New Zealand Limited (NZSE:SPN) to see whether it might be an attractive investment prospect. Specifically, we'll consider its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), since that will give us an insight into how efficiently the business can generate profits from the capital it requires. First, we'll go over how we calculate ROCE. Next, we'll compare it to others in its industry. Then we'll determine how its current liabilities are affecting its ROCE. What is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)? ROCE is a measure of a company's yearly pre-tax profit (its return), relative to the capital employed in the business. All else being equal, a better business will have a higher ROCE. In brief, it is a useful tool, but it is not without drawbacks. Author Edwin Whiting says to be careful when comparing the ROCE of different businesses, since 'No two businesses are exactly alike. So, How Do We Calculate ROCE? Analysts use this formula to calculate return on capital employed: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets - Current Liabilities) Or for South Port New Zealand: 0.27 = NZ$14m (NZ$59m - NZ$5.5m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2019.) So, South Port New Zealand has an ROCE of 27%. Check out our latest analysis for South Port New Zealand Is South Port New Zealand's ROCE Good? ROCE is commonly used for comparing the performance of similar businesses. In our analysis, South Port New Zealand's ROCE is meaningfully higher than the 8.5% average in the Infrastructure industry. We consider this a positive sign, because it suggests it uses capital more efficiently than similar companies. Regardless of the industry comparison, in absolute terms, South Port New Zealand's ROCE currently appears to be excellent. You can click on the image below to see (in greater detail) how South Port New Zealand's past growth compares to other companies. Story continues NZSE:SPN Past Revenue and Net Income, March 17th 2020 Remember that this metric is backwards looking - it shows what has happened in the past, and does not accurately predict the future. ROCE can be misleading for companies in cyclical industries, with returns looking impressive during the boom times, but very weak during the busts. ROCE is only a point-in-time measure. You can check if South Port New Zealand has cyclical profits by looking at this free graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow. Do South Port New Zealand's Current Liabilities Skew Its ROCE? Short term (or current) liabilities, are things like supplier invoices, overdrafts, or tax bills that need to be paid within 12 months. Due to the way ROCE is calculated, a high level of current liabilities makes a company look as though it has less capital employed, and thus can (sometimes unfairly) boost the ROCE. To counter this, investors can check if a company has high current liabilities relative to total assets. South Port New Zealand has total assets of NZ$59m and current liabilities of NZ$5.5m. Therefore its current liabilities are equivalent to approximately 9.2% of its total assets. South Port New Zealand has low current liabilities, which have a negligible impact on its relatively good ROCE. What We Can Learn From South Port New Zealand's ROCE This should mark the company as worthy of further investigation. There might be better investments than South Port New Zealand out there, but you will have to work hard to find them . These promising businesses with rapidly growing earnings might be right up your alley. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading. NEW YORK A restaurant owner wonders how she can stay in business if she cant sell food and drink. A hair salon operator shuts down to protect his clients and employees. A photographer who expected to take pictures at an Ivy League school has lost that work now that classes have moved online and campus events are cancelled. Across the country, in industries of every kind and size, the coronavirus outbreak has devastated small businesses. If they havent been ordered to close by government officials, many are shutting down out of concern for employees, customers and clients or simply because business has vanished. Those that are still managing to operate are struggling mightily. Among the most hard-hit are restaurants, which have had to stop serving diners onsite as government officials in states, counties and cities have ordered them to close to try to contain the viruss spread. At The Barrel Room, a restaurant in San Franciscos financial district, Sarah Trubnick had already laid off two-thirds of her staff because of slow business before closing down altogether, along with many other restaurants and bars in the Bay Area. Trubnicks restaurant isnt set up for permitted takeout and delivery. But shes keeping some staffers working on maintenance and refurbishing projects she had long put off. This allows us to maintain health care and reasonable pay for everyone, she says. We can sustain this for about two months but have had to defer debt payments and negotiate rent payments. If this situation lasts more than two months, she adds, we will need financial assistance. Small businesses are a vitally important economic sector of the economy, and their hardships constitute a grave threat to the U.S economy and to tens of millions of workers and their families. There are nearly 31 million small businesses in the U.S., according to government figures. They range from florists and bakeries to barber shops and hardware stores to small factories, restaurants, bookstores and hair salons. Last year, 52% of Americans who were employed in the private sector worked for businesses with fewer than 500 employees. Roughly one-quarter worked for companies with fewer than 50 employees. Because so many small businesses lack the cash reserves and credit thats typically available to larger companies, they are often highly vulnerable to disasters like the coronavirus outbreak. And many dont survive. By some estimates, between 170,000 and 200,000 small companies failed during the Great Recession. Many business owners also dont have the luxury to build rainy-day funds. Rather, their cash flow goes to payroll and other regular costs, as well as to such other expenses as renovations and expansions. For small businesses with debts outstanding and little or no revenue coming in, making loan payments may be impossible. Outstanding small business loans those under $1 million totaled $370 million at the end of 2019, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. That figure doesnt even include loans from online banks or from private sources like other companies, relatives and friends. Especially at risk right now are the youngest small businesses, notes Gene Marks, owner of The Marks Group, a small business consulting firm in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. If youre running a restaurant or low-margin business, Mark says, youre really vulnerable when you start up and in the first few years. Likewise, companies owned by women and minorities may be in particular danger now because they struggle disproportionately to obtain to credit that would tide them over during crises. Business at Sweetcatch Poke, a five-restaurant chain in New York, began falling March 6 and by last Friday, it was down 80% from the previous week. Now limited to takeout and delivery, owner Frank Vellucci has had to reduce employee hours. He now has enough work for about 25 workers, down from his usual 45. Shifts have been cut in half. Id rather put more people on the schedule and am actually giving them four hours instead of eight, Vellucci says. That way, I can get more people getting some income. For the time being, he plans to keep all his locations open. But Mark Garrison has closed his Manhattan hair salon. Though New York City officials havent shut down salons, we have to do the socially responsible thing, Garrison says. He will keep his 12 stylists and colorists on partial pay while theyre not working, but his office staff will work from home. Garrison expects to be closed at least two weeks. Hes well-aware, though, that it could be longer, which would make it hard to pay bills, including $15,000 in property taxes each month. How far can I really go before were out of business? I dont even want to entertain that thought. The federal government has taken steps to make Small Business Administration disaster loans easier to obtain. Theyre now available statewide in states that are hard-hit by the virus, rather than limited to specific counties or parishes where companies have suffered substantial losses. The SBA also said in a statement that it had reminded lenders that they could defer loan payments for six months. For now, work has fallen off at many businesses as customers and clients have sharply reduced spending. Everyone is worried about making big commitments amid an uncertain economy and tumbling stock market. All of our projects are either on hold or are almost finished with construction, says Leslie Saul, owner of an architect and design firm that bears her name in Cambridge, Massachusetts. We literally have zero income coming in, so we know that every hour that we pay staff is an expense. Saul struggled over the weekend over whether to furlough her staff. In the end, she decided to pay them 40% of their salaries. She realized there was still work they could still do, and they could be ready to roll once theyre back to work as usual. Were going to push forward doing things that we hope will bring in new work, like contacting old clients, Saul says. The near-complete cancellation of events across the country has left many business owners who are freelancers or who work in the gig economy vulnerable or in limbo. Cornell University suspended classes at its Ithaca, New York, campus and told students they should return home and begin online classes April 6. Photographer Tom Hoebbel, who expected to spend the spring shooting events at Cornell, now finds himself with an empty schedule and an enormous revenue shortfall. Its usually a huge percentage of what I do, so its going to have a huge impact, Hoebbel says. Finding work to replace his Cornell gig may prove impossible. Other schools are closed. Though he can approach businesses, Hoebbel says, theyre cutting back or cutting hours, and they dont know where their money is going to come from. Everything is just up in the air. The outbreak has hit just as many owners were preparing to sell crafts and other products at spring fairs, markets and shows. About half of Patti Gibbons annual revenue come from events in Washington state, where she sells personal products under the label Heavenly Soap. But many events have been canceled or rescheduled, and Gibbons, who usually attends as many as 50 a year, worries about how many shell be able to go to. The uncertainty has left her rethinking her business model and focusing more on online advertising for her e-commerce site and store in Monroe, Washington. Im spending more time on online marketing I have my first ad on Instagram and Im using Facebook more, Gibbons says. Im making sure all my customers know that I have a website. _____ Rugaber reported from Washington. _____ Follow Joyce Rosenberg at www.twitter.com/JoyceMRosenberg. Her work can be found here: https://apnews.com. Follow Christopher Rugaber at Twitter.com/ChrisRugaber. Medical Education Minister Dr Sudhakar on Wednesday said that the government is increasing the number of labs for COVID-19. "For the last two months, screening has been done at airports. Quarantine is also being done. The situation was reviewed by the state cabinet. All passengers from abroad will be home quarantined or they can stay at government facilities or budget hotels or resorts or private hospitals," Sudhakar said in the Assembly. "We have issued many advisories. Until 31st March, pubs and hotels, religious events, should not have an assembly of more than 100 persons. Two bulletins will be issued twice a day. All those who arrive from abroad will be stamped that they have arrived from abroad. Covid-19 is growing at a phenomenal pace. We need not panic but we need to be cautious," he said. Sudhakar continued: "There are 54 labs in the country. Karnataka has five labs, the most among all states. We are increasing the number of labs. In our country, we have tested less than 10 per cent. In Karnataka, we should conduct test on more people." The minister said the government will devise a way to be able to track down all those home quarantined through their mobile phones. "Karnataka stands fourth after Maharashtra, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh. We are in the second stage. The next 2-3 weeks are detrimental. This is a pandemic situation. People have to also take responsibility. Social distancing is the real solution and key to eradicating this COVID-19. In the larger interest of the health of the state, we have to take drastic measures," he said. "We are now in the 2nd stage. The next 3 weeks are very important. If we take care, the state can escape what's happening worldwide," he said. Congress MLA UT Khader demanded action against those people who do not follow rules. "Only shutting airports will not help. What about domestic passengers? Coronavirus must come under Ayushman Bharat. Keep isolated patients away from normal people in the ICU in government hospitals. Take action against those who do not follow the rules," he said. Congress MLA Dr Yathindras said that screening is not enough and travelers need to be lab tested. A total of 151 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported in India so far, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Wednesday. Thirteen positive cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Karnataka till today. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Frenchman who damaged coral to be fined minimum B100k, authorities say PHUKET: It has been confirmed that a fine of at least 100,000 baht will be charged to the 67-year-old Frenchman, Jean Girard, who damaged coral when he dropped anchor at Patok Bay on the northwest side of Racha Yai Island on Mar 6. marineenvironmentnatural-resourcestourism By The Phuket News Wednesday 18 March 2020, 03:37PM Mr Girard outside Chalong Police station. He faces fines of at least 100,000 baht for the damage he inflicted on the coral at Patok Bay. Photo: DMCR Marine and Coastal Resources officials concluded their analysis of the damaged coral yesterday (Mar 17) and confirmed they will be sharing their findings with Chalong police who will include the information in their final report before submitting to Phuket Provincial court on Friday (Mar 20). We discovered the damaged coral to measure approximately one square metre which equates to about B20,000 in costs, commented Somnuek Boonyai, Chief of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) Region 6 office of the Preservation of Marine Life Section. However, there may well be additional costs for recovering the coral which I am waiting for from relevant officials and hope to receive later today (Mar 18), he added. In total, the fine will be more than B100,000 in accordance with the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act 2019 although other costs may be added and the final decision on the amount of the fine will be determined by the judge in court, Mr Somnuek confirmed. Honestly, I do not want to make it a difficult situation because Mr Girard is relatively old and, with everything I do, I am mindful of his health. On March 8, Mr Girard was taken to Chalong Police Station and faced two charges, Mr Somnuek confirmed. One charge is a breach of a regulation introduced by the DMCR under Section 17 of the Act on the Promotion of Marine and Coastal Resources Management B.E. 2558 (2015), which can incur a penalty of up to one year in prison or a fine of up to B100,000, or both. The second charge is for breach of Section 12 of the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act 2019, which can incur a penalty of up to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to B1 million, or both. (See original story here). Mr Somnuek concluded by requesting people be mindful and cooperative in efforts to protect the environment. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 10:16:55|Editor: zh Video Player Close SYDNEY, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Australia's supermarkets have attempted to tackle anxious customers "panic-buying" bulk items due to COVID-19, with the country's largest chain Woolworths introducing its strictest limits yet. As of Wednesday, purchases of most packaged items in store were limited to two per transaction, from any category, to stop the over purchasing of necessities which is leaving others with none. "There is now a per customer, per shop limit of two items from any single category on most packaged products across Woolworths Supermarkets," a company spokesperson explained. "This means that you'll only be able to buy two products from any single category or section (such as coffee), regardless of the brand or variety." Some exemptions to the limits included fresh produce and meat, bread, milk drinks, baby food and pet food, while a one pack per transaction limit remained on items including toilet paper, antibacterial wipes, paper towels and rice. Many Australians have expressed frustration at not being able to buy basic items, as others cleared shelves in supermarkets across the country. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison condemned the practice on Wednesday, describing it as "un-Australian" and urging the public to stop. "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. That is not who we are as a people. It is not necessary," he said. Space News space history and artifacts articles Messages space history discussion forums Sightings worldwide astronaut appearances Resources selected space history documents advertisements Apollo astronaut Al Worden, who orbited the moon, dies at 88 March 18, 2020 Apollo astronaut Alfred Worden, who performed the first-ever spacewalk in deep space while on his way home from the moon in 1971, has died at the age of 88. Worden's death was announced by his family on Wednesday morning (March 18). He recently had developed an infection that led to a collapse at his home in League City, Texas, for which he received care at the Medical Center in Houston. He was moved to a convalescent home in Sugar Land, Texas prior to his death. "'Al' died in his sleep last night. The family thank [sic] you all for your kindness, thoughts and prayers," a statement posted to Worden's Twitter account read. "NASA sends its condolences to the family and loved ones of Apollo astronaut Al Worden, an astronaut whose achievements in space and on Earth will not be forgotten," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said. "We remember this pioneer whose work expanded our horizons." Chosen by NASA with its fifth class of astronauts in 1966, Worden made his first and only spaceflight as the command module pilot of Apollo 15, the fourth mission to land humans on the moon. Launched on July 26, 1971, Worden remained in lunar orbit on board the Apollo 15 command module "Endeavour" while his two crewmates, David Scott and James Irwin, spent almost three days exploring the moon's Hadley Rille. "Only 24 humans have left Earth orbit and journeyed to the moon. I'm one of them," wrote Worden in his 2011 autobiography, "Falling to Earth," written with author Francis French. "It's an exclusive club so small that I am still surprised they let me in." Alone in orbit around the moon in 2015, Guinness World Records recognized Worden as the "most isolated that any human has been from another person," having reached a distance of 2,235 miles (3,600 kilometers) from Scott and Irwin on the lunar surface Worden was not without a mission of his own. He spent the same three days keeping the command module running and on course, while operating science experiments and collecting imagery of the moon below. "I was on my own solo science mission now," wrote Worden. "The spacecraft would be in sunshine, in shadow, in and out of radio contact with Earth. I needed to use the sextant, the windows and the SIM [Scientific Instrument Module] Bay, each of which would need to be pointed in different directions for different tasks. But I couldn't just turn the spacecraft any time I felt like it: my fuel was precious, and finite." Worden deployed booms tipped with instruments to measure the moon's very thin atmosphere and to search for radiation emitting from the lunar surface. He also used a panoramic camera to capture sweeping vistas, including uncharted areas on the moon's far side. "The camera was a modified version of the device used by the U-2 spy plane and Air Force spy satellites," Worden described. "That camera was a phenomenal instrument the lens and film moved together in one precise motion to image a huge swath of landscape. Using over a mile of film, I took over 1,500 photographs, capturing details only a few feet across." "When we returned to Earth, I found I'd even captured the shadow of [the lunar module] 'Falcon' on the moon and the disturbed lunar dust around the spacecraft where Dave and Jim had walked," he wrote. Worden felt his work in orbit was just as important as his crewmates' exploration down on the lunar surface. "The [moon] rocks collected on the surface would be the ground truth, an important part of the puzzle," Worden wrote. "We could then compare them to the data I would collect of the whole area from orbit and work out a system where the two sets of data agreed with each other." To return that data to Earth, Worden needed to exit the Apollo 15 spacecraft and retrieve film cassettes from the mapping and panoramic cameras mounted on the outside of the service module. After reuniting with Scott and Irwin from the moon's surface and leaving lunar orbit, Worden made history by performing the first deep space extravehicular activity (EVA) on Aug. 5, 1971. For 39 minutes and 7 seconds, he floated in the vacuum of space at a distance of more than 196,000 miles (315,500 km) from Earth. "I realized I had a unique viewpoint: I could see the entire moon if I looked in one direction. Turning my head, I could see the entire Earth. The view is impossible to see on Earth or on the moon. I had to be far enough away from both. In all of human history, no one had been able to see what I could just by turning my head. It was incredible," Worden said. Two days later, Apollo 15 splashed down in the North Pacific Ocean. Worden had logged 12 days, 7 hours and 11 minutes on his journey from the moon and back. Born on Feb. 7, 1932, in Jackson, Michigan, Alfred "Al" Merrill Worden graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1955. He earned his masters in astronautical and aeronautical engineering, as well as instrumentation engineering from the University of Michigan in 1963. That same year, Worden reported to the instrument pilots instructor school at Randolph Air Force Base in Texas, prior to graduating from the Empire Test Pilots' School in Farnborough, England in February 1965. He then graduated from the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in California in September 1965 and was serving there as an instructor training some of his future fellow astronauts when he was recruited by NASA. Before launching on Apollo 15, Worden served on the support crew for Apollo 9 in 1968 and was backup to command module pilot Richard Gordon for Apollo 12, the second moon landing mission, in 1969. After returning from the moon, Worden became embroiled in a congressional investigation over some of the mementos that were flown on the Apollo 15 mission to the moon. At issue were a set of 100 envelopes that were flown for and subsequently sold by a German stamp dealer, who had compensated Scott, Irwin and Worden for the service. Although the deal for the flown envelopes (or "covers") was not illegal nor was it unprecedented within the astronaut corps, the resulting scandal effectively ended Worden's spaceflight career. In 1972, he was reassigned to Ames Research Center in California, where he served as chief of the systems study division until his retirement from NASA in 1975. "I had been involved in something wrong and I knew it," Worden wrote in 2011. "I had ended up at this low point simply because I had nodded my head at a social evening and agreed to go along with a plan that I had no part in creating." After departing the space program and retiring from the Air Force with the rank of colonel, Worden served as vice president of Goodrich Aerospace. In 1982, he ran an unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives for Florida's 12th District but lost in the Republican primary. He later served as the chairman of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, an organization founded by the Mercury astronauts. In 2019, Worden partnered with Kallman Worldwide to establish the Astronaut Al Worden Endeavour Scholarship to reward "aspiring young space explorers" and their teachers with training experiences at U.S. Space Camp in Alabama. In addition to his 2011 autobiography, Worden published a collection of his poetry, "Hello Earth: Greetings From Endeavour," and a children's book, "I Want to Know About a Flight to the Moon" in 1974. Between 1972 and 1975, he made seven guest appearances on "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" and in 2018, he served as the on-set technical consultant for the feature-length Neil Armstrong biopic, "First Man." Worden was honored by NASA with its Distinguished Service Medal in 1971 and Ambassador of Exploration Award in 2009, the latter featuring a moon rock that he placed on display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. He was inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame in 1983, the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 1997 and the International Air & Space Hall of Fame in 2016. Worden was married to his first wife, Pamela Vander Beek, from 1955 to 1969, with whom he had two daughters, Merrill and Alison. He married Jill Lee Hotchkiss (d.2014) in 1982 and adopted her daughter, Tamara. Apollo 15 command module pilot Alfred "Al" Worden, who orbited the moon and was the first to walk in deep space in 1971, has died at the age of 88. (NASA) Astronaut Al Worden trains inside a command module simulator for NASA's 1971 Apollo 15 moon landing mission. (NASA) Astronaut Al Worden performs a spacewalk outside the Apollo 15 command and service module on the way back from the moon on Aug. 5, 1971. (NASA) Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden inside a command module simulator prior to the 1971 moon landing mission. (NASA) Apollo 15 command module pilot Al Worden is the namesake of the Astronaut Al Worden Endeavour Scholarship. (Kallman Worldwide) 2022 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved. BETHESDA, MD March 18, 2020 | The ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine is proud to present the 2020 ACMG Foundation/David L. Rimoin Inspiring Excellence Award to Thelma Alessandra Sugranes, MD for her platform presentation, Age of First Cancer Diagnosis and Survival in Bloom Syndrome. Dr. Sugranes is a first-year medical genetics resident at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical College. She received her medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston and completed a residency in pediatrics at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical College. During her pediatrics training she observed the great impact that genetic conditions had on patients she cared for, which led her to pursue a career in medical genetics. Her current research interest is focused on monogenic cancer predisposition syndromes, particularly Bloom syndrome and other DNA repair disorders. The David L. Rimoin Inspiring Excellence Award was created in memory of the late Dr. David L. Rimoin, one of the founders of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) who passed away in 2012. Dr. Rimoin touched the lives of generations of patients as well as trainees and colleagues. The award is a cash award given to a selected student, trainee or junior faculty ACMG member whose abstract submission was chosen for a platform presentation to be given at the ACMG Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting. Upon receiving the award, Dr. Sugranes said, Im so honored and grateful to be the recipient of the David L. Rimoin Inspiring Excellence Award. I had known that Dr. Rimoin was the first president of ACMG and the winner of multiple awards throughout a long and distinguished career. It was only later, when discussing him with my genetics colleagues, that I learned of his reputation as a master clinician, his tireless devotion to his patients, and his generosity toward colleagues and trainees. For me, this award will always be a source of inspiration to continue Dr. Rimoins legacy of leadership, intellectual engagement, and compassion for his peers, his patients and their families. Dr. Rimoin set an example for us all in his commitment to training the next generation of medical geneticists. We are proud to recognize his many contributions to training with this award, said Bruce R. Korf, MD, PhD, FACMG, president of the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine. Dr. Ann Garber, Dr. Rimoins widow, said, With her outstanding research, focused on monogenic cancer predisposition syndromes, the Rimoin family is excited to recognize Dr. Thelma Alessandra Sugranes for her work, which offers a greater understanding of the long-term survival of individuals with Bloom syndrome. We are delighted to congratulate Dr. Sugranes and support her valuable contributions to medical genetics with the David L. Rimoin Inspiring Excellence Award. ### About the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine The ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is a community of supporters and contributors who understand the importance of medical genetics and genomics in healthcare. Established in 1992, the ACMG Foundation supports the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) mission to "translate genes into health." Through its work, the ACMG Foundation fosters charitable giving, promotes training opportunities to attract future medical geneticists and genetic counselors to the field, shares information about medical genetics and genomics, and sponsors important research. To learn more and support the ACMG Foundation mission to create "Better Health through Genetics" visit acmgfoundation.org. Note to editors: To arrange interviews with experts in medical genetics, contact ACMG Senior Director of Communications and Public Relations Kathy Moran, MBA at kmoran@acmg.net. Ronan co-owner Daniel Cutler heads into work on his day off to transition the restaurant into a takeout and delivery-only business. (Allison Zaucha / For The Times) At 10:08 on Monday morning, Caitlin and Daniel Cutler pulled their Jeep Cherokee into the parking lot of Ronan, their Melrose Avenue Italian restaurant. Their 7-month-old daughter McKenna sat smiling in a car seat in the back. On any other Monday, their one day off a week, Caitlin, 35, and Daniel, 34, would just be getting out of bed, thinking about a trip to Coni Seafood in Inglewood for marlin tacos and shrimp aguachile. Instead, Caitlin stood outside clutching a piece of paper on which shed scribbled a to-do list. On it were rent, to-go staffing? and looting/riots. We have to figure all that out today, she said. A little more than 12 hours earlier the restaurant was almost full; Ronan was hosting its twice-a-month retro Italian American night called Parmboyz. Revelry screeched to a halt around 8:30 when Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that all Los Angeles restaurants needed to close their dining rooms by midnight and keep them closed through March 31. By the end of the evening, many of the staff were in tears, and the Cutlers attempted to form a game plan. The couple decided to open for a three-hour window on Monday. Delivery and takeout was a small part of Ronans business; now it would be the only way for the restaurant to make any money. The first thing on Caitlins to-do list was a meeting with the other tenants of the building: Mike Khorosh, 36, and Alexandra Dickison, 31, run a small coffee shop called Toasted and Roasted; Ashley Chung, 49, and Daniel Chung, 48, own Chantell, a clothing store thats been in the building for 25 years. The night before Caitlin had been tasked with drafting a unified letter to the landlord to ask for guidance on what to do if and when they cant afford to pay. Rent at Ronan is $8,500, and its due the first of the month. From left, Daniel Cutler, Alexandra Dickison, Caitlin Cutler, Mike Khorosh and Ashley Chung, gathered at Toasted and Roasted coffee shop, discuss a letter to their landlord. (Allison Zaucha / For The Times) The small group sat quietly opposite the coffee counter at Toasted and Roasted. Daniel pushed McKenna around in a stroller, dodging the handful of customers who dropped in for their morning coffee. Story continues Lets just get by and survive right now, Caitlin said. After everyone in the group approved the letter, fingers were crossed and the letter was sent. The Cutlers left the coffee shop under a graying sky and headed east to Hail Mary, David Wilcoxs pizza restaurant in Atwater Village. Wilcox had organized a meeting of a half dozen restaurant owners and chefs to strategize and share information on the best ways to deal with the effects of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Im just looking for some guidance on what to tell my employees, Caitlin said. Im hoping someone there has talked to a lawyer already and we can group share our lawyer contacts. The Cutlers arrived at Hail Mary and took seats in the back. Chairs were set up in the dining room in a U shape; a table in the middle was stocked with individually packaged pastries, water and hand sanitizer. In attendance were Chad and Chase Valencia, the brothers who run Lasa in downtown L.A.; Sarah Bessade and Antoine Blandin, owners of Loupiotte in Los Feliz; Akira Akuto and Nick Montgomery of Echo Parks Konbi; Kitchen Culture Recruiting founder Kristel Arabian; Roxana Jullapat from Friends and Family in Hollywood; and Na Young Ma, the chef-owner of Proof bakery in Atwater Village. Daniel Cutler, left, pumps elbows with Hail Mary owner David Wilcox and restaurant recruiter Kristel Arabian. (Allison Zaucha / For The Times) The group discussed rent abatement, the uselessness of loans, unemployment for their employees, the need for credit cards and delivery apps to waive their fees, and what they can do to keep their staff employed. What if we have our own employees deliver the food? someone asked. Youll need to check with your insurance, Daniel said. What if that person is delivering food for you and kills someone with their car? What if we have our staff stay in the restaurant and we go out and deliver the food ourselves? Arabian suggested. What are you guys doing about security? Caitlin asked. Are you doing anything to prevent break-ins? With questions mostly unanswered, the group ended the meeting with a plan for a Change.org petition to bring awareness to the needs of small businesses and the formation of the Los Angeles Hospitality Coalition, a group of restaurants that will work together to lobby for action and provide mutual support for one another. Around 1 p.m., as it started to drizzle, Daniel dropped Caitlin off at Ronan and drove to the bank with McKenna to make a deposit. Caitlin Cutler emailed multiple delivery companies to ask if they would consider lowering or waiving their fees. She didn't hear back from any of them. (Allison Zaucha / For The Times) Caitlin punched in the code to the back door of Ronan and stepped inside. Instead of turning on all the lights and removing chairs from the tops of tables as she usually would have, she turned on the kitchen lights and removed a few chairs at the bar to make a work space. She fired up her computer and gathered three tablets in front of her. The sleek black tablet was for Postmates, the black tablet wrapped in a heavy-duty case was for DoorDash and the white one was for Caviar. She signed in and made adjustments to let the services know that the restaurant would be open that night. Resy is building a to-go platform, so Im going to build that today as well, she said. We saw this thing that Grubhub had waived fees, so we will be receiving a tablet from them shortly, but we looked and [the fees are] actually higher. Most are around 20% and Grubhub is around 30%. So we need to figure out how to cancel it. She slid on her tortoiseshell glasses and furrowed her brow, then fired off emails to Postmates, Caviar and DoorDash, inquiring about reduced fees. Then she grabbed a servers notepad and started to break down the restaurants financials. In our business account today we have $32,000, she said. I also have a bunch of bills to upload today to see our true liability and where we stand right now. After doing the math in her head, she estimated that Ronan has $7,600 in bills due this week and an additional $4,000 in bills due before the end of the month. At least another $4,000 will go to payroll and $12,000 is due in sales tax. Plus, she still has to pay out about $2,500 in tips. "There are four weekends in a month. One pays rent, one pays sales tax and the other two pay payroll. Weekdays go towards your daily bills," Caitlin said. She paused her spiral into accounting hell and took a quick peek at her email. She got a notice that a faculty member at her daughters school has a family member who tested positive for coronavirus. She took her glasses off, let out a sigh, then kept reading. Her landlord responded. He agreed to look into options, a response Caitlin saw as a win. Daniel returned and ran through the inventory available for the evening. Having prepped and shopped for a busy weekend that never reached its peak, Daniel was confident that hed have enough food to sustain the three hours theyd be open that evening, but he wouldnt have everything. Daniel Cutler, left, and Jesse Soto prepare for Ronan's first night of takeout and delivery only. (Allison Zaucha / For The Times) Were out of bread, Daniel called to his wife as she updated the delivery menus on each of the tablets. We have tiramisu. I think we have eggplant. We need to eighty-six clams. And cheesecake. We have sea bass, but we need to do a smaller portion. For a lower price, she called back. At 2 p.m. Caitlin, with McKenna balanced on one hip, joined a Zoom call to speak with her accounting firm and some other local business owners. As Daniel wrapped dishware in plastic wrap to store until the restaurant reopens, the accountants advocated for requesting reduced delivery fees and rent abatement and suggested using checks to pay out employees to avoid payroll taxes. They also suggested Caitlin call utility companies and vendors to ask for extensions. Caitlin asked if she could use her employees as delivery drivers. The answer was no. When the call ended, there was silence in the room as the reality of the situation settled in a little deeper. Well, Im definitely more stressed after that call, Caitlin said with a nervous laugh. Just after 3 p.m., two cooks, Jesse Soto, 28, and Isaac Fordham Jr., 38, walked through the back door. They put on aprons and surveyed the kitchen; they spent the next two hours slicing and dicing ingredients and folding pizza boxes. Caitlin Cutler takes a break to play with her daughter Logan. (Allison Zaucha / For The Times) Caitlin sat in front of her computer and composed an email to the restaurants mailing list, made a plan to post something on Instagram later in the day and decided on a gift card promotion: $60 cards would be $50; $125 cards would be $100. She emailed her vendors to ask for extensions. The wind howled outside and the tarp covering the patio shook violently. Rain started to pour. Just after 3:30 p.m., Logan, their 4-year-old daughter, bounced into the room holding Caitlins mothers hand. In addition to having the business model turned on its head the night before, the cancellation of school in L.A. meant the Cutlers were now responsible for the full-time care of their two children. Caitlin checked her email again. None of the delivery apps had responded and all the vendors refused to change their terms. A little after 5, two front-of-house employees, Brian OFarrell, 33, and Jessica Morris, 26, arrived. Caitlin gathered the four employees for a meeting; they stood in a semicircle at the bar, arms folded across their chests. Were trying to ride out the momentum, but we dont know how this is going to go, she said. The tip pool will be evenly distributed. Daniel and I decided this was the most fair going forward. From left, Jessica Morris and Brian O'Farrell call reservations to let them know they can no longer eat in the dining room. (Allison Zaucha / For The Times) The announcement was met with measured enthusiasm. OFarrell and Morris cleared out the liquor shelves and wiped down counters while Soto and Fordham worked with their heads down in the kitchen. There was a lull as everyone waited for the first order to come in. The tablets make this dinging noise and Im usually thinking, Shut up! Caitlin said. Daniel stacked pizza boxes while Morris called customers with reservations to make sure they knew they couldnt dine in. With no music playing and the only ambient sound provided by the kitchen vents, the tension in the room was palpable. By now it was dark, and rain pounded the windows. I never really thought about what the last day of this restaurant would look like, Caitlin said. How we would take it apart and move out. At 6:27 p.m. the DoorDash tablet fired off a loud bring, bring. Everyone stopped what they were doing and listened. Fire calzone, Caitlin yelled. Yea, yea we got an order, bellowed Fordham with a clap. McKenna we got a calzone, baby! And in that moment the energy shifted from one of despair to elation. The order ticket machine hissed and Daniel got to work, rolling out dough. Daniel Cutler feeds his daughter McKenna at Ronan before starting the restaurant's takeout and delivery-only business that evening. (Allison Zaucha / For The Times) Five minutes later there was another order: broccolini, Caesar salad and three pizzas. Then another: two calzones. And another: margherita and a Sweet Cheeks pizza. Im still feeling nervous, Caitlin said. She was interrupted by a loud ding ding from the Postmates tablet. My fear is that this is not only going to be two weeks. I appreciate the support of people responding to us on Instagram, but how many times can our regulars order to-go from us? As she gathered her things to leave for the night and put the kids to bed, the excitement of the moment faded and she mentally ran through the next days tasks: double check that the website is up-to-date; figure out what to do about their 22 employees; decide whether they should expand the menu; talk to the landlord; email the accountants about a tax relief plan; write up a business proposal for a small business loan; worry about their own rent. Well take things as they come, she said. The Postmates tablet chimed again. Oh, thats two orders! 7315 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 917-5100, ronanla.com Patrons eat at Tom's Restaurant in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn on March 16, 2020 in New York City. The National Restaurant Association is asking the federal government for financial relief for the industry as it forecasts sales declines of $225 billion over the next three months due to the coronavirus outbreak. The lobbying group is predicting the loss of between 5 million to 7 million jobs more than a third of the total U.S. restaurant jobs if the restaurant industry is shut down for three months. At least two dozen states across the country have mandated that restaurants close their dining rooms, while some national restaurant companies are shifting to takeout, drive-thru or delivery service only across the country. Full-service restaurants saw their traffic decline by 3.7% in the week ended March 8, according to Black Box Intelligence. In a letter addressed to President Donald Trump, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Major Leader Mitch McConnell, the NRA asked for a $145 billion recovery fund from the Treasury Department for the restaurant and foodservice industry. "Without aggressive and immediate action from the federal government, many restaurants that are a staple of local communities will simply never resume service," wrote Sean Kennedy, the vice president of public affairs for the NRA. The industry group also proposed $100 billion in business interruption insurance that would be backed by the federal government. While many restaurants have business interruption insurance, most insurers can deny claims because policies do not include a pandemic or virus, according to the NRA. A federal loan program to equal lost revenue, $130 million in disaster unemployment assistance and $35 billion in community development block grants for disaster relief were among the NRA's other suggestions. The NRA also asked for a number of tax measures, including a temporary Social Security payroll tax cut of two percentage points. Trump on Tuesday spoke with executives from the largest U.S. restaurant companies. 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 Tuesday, saying that "I think you're really going to like what we're doing," the source said. Chinas crackdown on journalists from The Times and other American news organizations is an unfortunate echo of the Cold War, and it couldnt come at a worse time. The global spread of the coronavirus demands independent and trusted information from the country where the scourge began. On Tuesday, China announced that it was expelling correspondents for The Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, and demanded that these organizations, as well as the Voice of America and Time magazine, provide the government with detailed information about their operations. The actions were presented as retaliation for the Trump administrations cap on the number of Chinese citizens working in the United States for five state-owned media outlets, and their designation as foreign missions. The measures were redolent of Cold War clashes with the Soviet Union, when reporters often became victims of tit-for-tat expulsions over matters for which they carried no responsibility and over which they had no control. The executive editors of The Times, The Post and The Journal all issued statements decrying the expulsion of their reporters at a time when reliable information about the coronavirus was essential to China, the United States and the world. Dean Baquet, the executive editor of The Times, 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. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Navy is isolating sailors at a major Florida base because they may have contracted the coronavirus, Florida lawmakers will be screened before they are allowed into chambers, and a third beach popular with spring breakers will close next week. State health officials were preparing to jump on any clusters of confirmed infections that might arise at a nursing home, hospital or elsewhere as the number of cases jumped by almost half Wednesday. They want to prevent an outbreak similar to one that happened at a Seattle-area nursing home, which has been linked to more than 30 COVID-19 deaths. If a cluster of confirmed cases were to be discovered in Florida, the department would move quickly to engage with and isolate any infected individuals to prevent further spread, said Alberto Moscoso, the state health departments spokesman. The Navy said at least 18 sailors and others at Naval Air Station-Jacksonville are in self-isolation awaiting tests to see whether they have the virus, which has infected more than 320 people in Florida and killed at least seven. Base spokeswoman Kaylee Larocque said there have been no positive tests so far. She couldnt say what led the personnel to be isolated from the 21,000 sailors and others who work at the base. Meanwhile, the Florida Legislature was scheduled to reconvene for the final day of its annual session on Thursday, but lawmakers said they would dispense with some usual traditions, including the ceremonial hanky drop signalling to both chambers that they can gavel the session closed. Instead, state House members were to undergo screenings, including a temperature check, before being allowed into the chamber. As a final piece of business, the House and Senate will consider a $93.2 billion budget to send to Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis said Wednesday that he wanted to ramp up testing. Only about 3,700 Floridians have been tested so far as efforts to expand testing capability are pushed so state officials can get a more accurate picture of the diseases spread. Combined, more than half of the confirmed cases are in neighbouring counties, Miamia-Dade and Broward. We need to do way more tests, DeSantis said. He said kits that will allow 625,000 people to be tested have been distributed. But there are not enough swabs to collect samples from mouths and noses. The state has about a million swabs on order, officials said. The number one questions is: How many people are carrying it that are asymptomatic? And if I knew the answer to that question, that would be a great thing to know, the governor said. State and local officials have told people to self-isolate, have shuttered the states bars and limited restaurant capacity and hours. Walt Disney World, Universal-Orlando Resort and other theme parks are closed, as are some beaches. Houses of worship have called off services, including Catholic churches in the Miami and Tampa areas, which made announcements Wednesday. The states biggest malls, Sawgrass Mills and Aventura, announced Wednesday that they would close starting Thursday. To date, 19 senior living facilities have had patients tested. Five firefighters and a police officer were self-isolating after they had contact with residents at Fort Lauderdales Atria Willow Wood assisted living community, where one person died of the disease. Two other people who died tested negative for the disease. Jacksonville officials said four of the citys 13 infections were linked to a senior living facility, Camelia at Deerwood. Managers there said they were working with investigators. Garay Holland travelled Wednesday from Bee Branch, Arkansas, to visit his 97-year-old mother at Camelia. I might just stand outside her window and wave, (while) talking to her on the cellphone. At least shell know I got here as quick as I could, said Holland, 78. Despite national warnings to stay home and practice social distancing, tourists and locals flocked Wednesday to Clearwater Beach, which was open and packed beneath clear, sunny skies Wednesday. The city announced in the afternoon that it would close the beach on Monday, following the lead of other communities including Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale. Sarah Kelley, a St. Louis grocery store section manager, agreed that visiting the beach with her two teenage sons may not have been the best idea. It is a great festering Petri dish, she said. But with everyone trying to stay apart, she and her sons took the risk and even went inside a surf shop. We are trying not to touch anything, she said. The new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, for most people, but older adults and those with existing health problems can develop severe complications, including pneumonia. 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. ___ This story has been edited to clarity that lawmakers will be screened, not tested. ___ Spencer reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Associated Press reporters Brendan Farrington in Tallahassee, Florida; Adriana Gomez Licon and Freida Frisaro in Miami; Tamara Lush in St. Petersburg, Florida; Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida; and photographer Chris OMeara in Clearwater, Florida, 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. At CNNs Democratic debate Sunday night, even the moderators were stunned when Joe Biden, out of the blue, pledged to pick a woman as his running mate. It was a calculated move designed to put President Trump in a box while embarrassing Bernie Sanders for his reluctance to do likewise. Biden is vulnerable with women voters, with videos documenting his groping of women and girls. But his female running mate will try to deflect this issue by going on the offensive, as Sens. Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar proved they are capable of doing. Biden hopes to make gender a top issue in the presidential race this fall. In addition to picking a woman for vice president, Biden promised to appoint the first black woman to the Supreme Court. Upcoming high court rulings on three major gender-related issues no doubt influenced his strategy. Each case could yield a 5-4 decision that will drop like a bombshell in the presidential campaign. In one case, the court will decide if states can require abortionists to comply with basic standards such as being available for follow-up on their complications. Oral argument two weeks ago did not go as well as feminists hoped; a divided ruling could inject abortion into the fall presidential debates. In another case, the court will decide if a federal law that bans discrimination on account of sex should also prohibit discrimination on account of sexual preference. In a third case, the court will decide if sex means biological sex or whether it now includes gender expression or transition to the opposite sex. No matter how the court rules in these cases, Biden will use them to invoke feminist theories about gender. But misusing the courts to change the meaning of our written law is the essence of judicial activism, which Republicans rightly oppose. Biden may even toss in his support for the failed Equal Rights Amendment which also contains the loaded phrase on account of sex. A president has no role in amending the Constitution, but ERA was the final point of contention between Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter during their only debate in 1980. Reagan was fully prepared to address the issue and defended his opposition to ERA well. Rather than amend the Constitution, Reagan said, ERA supporters could have worked on revising any discriminatory laws. ERA would invalidate the Violence Against Women Act Biden brags that he wrote and passed in 1994. Gender distinctions would not be allowed in any federal or state law if ERA were to become part of the Constitution, as Biden seeks. In 2000 the Supreme Court invalidated as unconstitutional Bidens handiwork in trying to extend federal jurisdiction, in United States v. Morrison. But ERA would vastly expand federal mischief over gender. Biden was vice president for eight years, and before that was in the U.S. Senate for decades. While there he cast many votes totally out of sync with todays progressive Democratic party, not to mention the populist coalition that elected President Trump. Biden presided over the Clarence Thomas hearings, and it was Biden who voted to send the nomination to the floor of the Senate without a recommendation. Thomas has served with distinction for nearly three decades, yet Biden has never apologized for allowing that proceeding to become a high-tech lynching as Thomas accurately described it. Bidens reputation as a moderate is undeserved and can be easily debunked after he gets the Democratic nomination. He supports sanctuary cities and opposes President Trumps policy of deporting criminal aliens which would prevent many of the horrific crimes by illegal aliens against women and girls. John and Andy Schlafly are sons of Phyllis Schlafly (1924-2016) and lead the Phyllis Schlafly Eagles. Azeri Turkish businessman arrested over alleged Gulen links, police says FILE PHOTO: A man poses with an effigy of U.S.-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen during a ceremony marking the first anniversary of the attempted coup at the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Azeri Turkish businessman Mubariz Mansimov Gurbanoglu has been arrested in one of the highest-profile detentions of a crackdown against suspects linked to a network accused of carrying out an attempted coup in 2016, Istanbul police said on Tuesday. Gurbanoglu is the founder and chairman of the Istanbul-based Palmali group, which operates a fleet of freight vessels. After he was detained at the weekend, a court ordered his formal arrest over ties to the network of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen which President Tayyip Erdogan blames for the failed putsch in which about 250 people died, police and state-owned Anadolu news agency said. Gurbanoglu's home and company were searched. Nobody from Palmali was available to comment. The Istanbul court ordered that he be kept in custody on a charge of belonging to a terrorist group, Anadolu said. He was listed by Forbes as worth $1.3 billion in 2015, with interests in dairy products, media, resorts and planes, as well as having a fleet of oil tankers. Born in the Azeri capital Baku, he became a Turkish citizen in 2006, taking the name Gurbanoglu. Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, has denied any involvement in the attempted coup. He was once an ally of Erdogan but became his arch foe. Gulen's supporters have for years been accused by Ankara of establishing a "parallel state" by infiltrating the police, judiciary and other state institutions. About 80,000 people have been jailed pending trial and some 150,000 civil servants, military personnel and others sacked or suspended from their jobs since the coup attempt. Prosecutors last month ordered the arrest of another nearly 700 people, including military and justice ministry personnel. The European Union and rights groups have criticized the scale of the crackdown, while Ankara has defended the measures as a necessary response to the security threat. (Additional reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen; Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by Dominic Evans and Andrew Cawthorne) Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas are still all smiles after their romantic vacations. The actors were seen going out for a coffee run in California on Wednesday days after returning from vacation in Cuba and Costa Rica. De Armas even brought her dog along as the two dressed casually and chatted during their outing. This is the first time the pair have been seen together since vacationing on the beach in Costa Rica, where Affleck, 47, was seen taking pictures of de Armas. The Knives Out actress, 31, later posted the romantic shots on Instagram, showing off Afflecks skills. In the first photo, de Armas is captured looking softly into the camera while in the other pictures, she can be seen frolicking on the shore, wearing a crochet halter dress. Though the two havent publicly confirmed their relationship, a source told PEOPLE the two had an instant connection while filming the upcoming thriller Deep Water this winter. RELATED: Ana de Armas Shares Photos That Ben Affleck Took of Her on the Beach During Costa Rica Vacation BACKGRID Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas They had great chemistry right from the start, the source said of the pair, who play a couple in the movie from Fatal Attraction director Adrian Lyne. Ben always seemed very relaxed and happy around Ana, but at the time there were no signs of romance. He was very focused on making a fantastic movie. He arrived early and was one of the last people to leave. In early March, the new couple were spotted vacationing together in de Armas hometown of Havana, Cuba, where they visited several restaurants and shops. Affleck, who speaks Spanish, was seen interacting with several fans in the local language. Ana was his tour guide and took him to all her favorite places. Ben seemed to love the trip. He was in a great mood and very friendly, a source told PEOPLE of the trip. They are definitely dating. After arriving back in the U.S. from their trips around Latin America, Affleck and de Armas, who is also starring in the upcoming Bond film, No Time To Die, spent Saturday night together and the actress joined The Way Back actor at his home. The White House is putting out First Lady Melania Trump as part of an organized campaign of public service announcements on the coronavirus that deploys media organizations the president often derides as 'fake news.' The first lady, who has her own 'Be Best' campaign dealing with online bullying and other issues, will join U.S. health officials in the effort. Their work will 'appear in national broadcast PSAs that communicate the most important ways Americans can protect themselves and those most at risk,' according to the White House. Others taking part will be Surgeon General Jerome Adams, infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, and Dr. Deborah Birx, who coordinates the coronavirus task force. First Lady Melania Trump is taking part in a national campaign of public service announcements on the coronavirus Those health officials have regularly joined President Trump at press briefings, where he has also been telling Americans what they can do to stay safe, even as he fields questions about why the administration didn't do more to build hospitals, order masks, or get testing online sooner. Trump has told people to wash their hands regularly, stay away from bars and restaurants, and take part in 'social isolation.' Fauci is a TV savvy medical expert who has popped up on all manner of programs to try to urge precautions and explain complex medical issues to the nation. Other first ladies have engaged in PSAs. Michelle Obama did one against voter apathy that encouraged people to vote. First Lady Melania Trump is heading up PSAs to provide information about the coronavirus. Networks donate the airtime for free Joining the effort will be NBCUniversal, parent of a network that gave Trump a launchpad with 'The Apprentice' but that he derides as 'fake news' for some of its coverage. 'Other Administration officials will NBCUniversal will create a series of videos and graphics, available in both English and Spanish, to inform high-risk populations about the steps they can take to protect themselves and to inform the public how to help stop of the spread of coronavirus,' according to the White House. Another parent company, ViacomCBS, is 'leveraging its portfolio of brands to deliver multi-channel, multi-platform PSA campaigns that educate audiences around public health imperatives related to COVID-19,' according to a release. ABC/Walt Disney Television will put out messages for parents and families, while iHeartMedia will focus on social distancing and high-risk populations. The airtime is donated by the networks and other entities. The media will be coordinated through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services. Trump took heat at the start of his administration by bringing daughter Ivanka Trump into the White House and her husband Jared Kushner as a senior advisor. Ivanka is currently at home in self isolation due to contact with a foreign official who tested positive for the virus. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have been two of the top faces responding to the crisis, with the president appearing at press conferences three days in a row at the White House. He was asked Tuesday about resistance from some of his own followers about taking steps to combat the disease, and whether his own comments might have bolstered their views. Trump just days ago was comparing it to the flu and telling rally goers it would soon be over. Trump said Jan. 30 at a Michigan rally: 'We have it very well under control. We have very little problem in this country at this moment five. And those people are all recuperating successfully.' Trump retweeted one CDC digital video and urged people to 'SLOW THE SPREAD!' It provided basic instructions and concluded with his signature. He retweeted another explaining that antibiotics don't work on viruses. The president's approval rating dipped to 44 per cent this week from 40 per cent last week k amid the outbreak in the latest Gallup survey, although pollsters said it could be due to an impeachment bounce fading. The three year old child, under treatment for novel coronavirus at Ernakulam government medical college hospital, is recovering and the swab sample sent for lab test has turned negative. The authorities are waiting for the final result only after which the child will be declared as fully recovered. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed this during a press conference after the daily review meeting on COVID-19 in Thiruvananthapuram. However, sources at the medical college hospital said that they are yet to get any official communication in this regard though the child is on recovery path. The child, who returned from Italy with its parents, was tested positive on March 9 and was admitted at the Ernakulam government medical college hospital. Later, the parents were also said to have been infected and were put under treatment at the medical college hospital. The total number of COVID-19 patients under treatment in Kerala is 24 and no new cases were reported on Tuesday. Since the experts have warned about chances of community transmission, the phase III of the virus, which will occur in next two or three weeks, the Kerala government has made quarantine measures stringent. If the guidelines on social distancing and public hygiene are strictly followed, the community transmission can be prevented to a great extent, according to experts. Hence, more people are being quarantined and preventive measures are being made stricter. Meanwhile, the government has decided to constitute a medical expert committee to guide it in the virus prevention and control measures. An interactive web portal will also be set up for dissemination of information on COVID-19 to the public. Photo: Jeff Gunn/Flickr Missed the most recent top news in New York City? Read on for everything you need to know. New York mayor Bill de Blasio says he may issue a 'shelter in place' order in the next 48 hours There are now 814 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced. Read the full story on Business Insider. NYC mayor: 'Torrent' of new coronavirus cases coming, military aid may be needed New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio confirms that the largest city in America has confirmed new cases of coronavirus and expects many more to come, while suggesting military intervention may be needed. Read the full story on MSNBC. Seven test positive for COVID-19 at two Queens churches Seven people who were at two Catholic churches in Queens have tested positive for coronavirus. Read the full story on New York Daily News. Defying virus rules, large Hasidic Jewish weddings held in Brooklyn The Fire Department dispersed revelers at one celebration that more than 200 attended in defiance of restrictions on public events. Read the full story on New York Times. 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. Northern Irelands education minister has said he cannot give a date for when schools will be closed. Peter Weir said that when schools close over coronavirus, it will not be short term, but potentially until the end of August. He said that the taking of children out of school and pre-schools would lead to enormous disruption to the health service and take health care workers out of the system just at the time we need them. Northern Irelands education minister Peter Weir appeared before Stormonts Education Committee (NI Assembly/PA) Several schools have been denied permission for exceptional closures by the Department of Education. Many are using their allocation of discretionary closure days to close their doors to pupils anyway as the number of cases of Covid-19 multiplies. The five main teaching unions have written to Mr Weir asking him to set a date for closures. Appearing before Stormonts Education Committee on Wednesday, Mr Weir emphasised that it is a fluid situation in unprecedented times. He insisted he does not have a doctrinaire position and wants to be guided entirely by the scientific and medical evidence. Permanent secretary Derek Baker described coronavirus as now the single issue in the department. He said staff are withdrawing from all non-essential work to focus on the impact of the virus. Mr Weir said there will come a point at which schools will need to be closed, revealing that teachers are currently preparing material so that education can continue after closures. Its important that in this horrific crisis that people dont miss out on their education, he added. He outlined some of the factors under consideration in terms of school closures, which included childcare, free school meals and state examinations. The minister said the preferred option would be for schools to continue to operate normally, and that exams would be able to be held, but added there is a realisation that may well not be practical. Story continues Committee chairman Chris Lyttle (Alliance) pressed Mr Weir to work to provide a date. I can only go on the best advice that I can get, I completely agree that as we chart a way ahead the more certainty that is there, and the more that we can actually phase timing in relation to this to indicate where there can be then dates for the closures, it will be at a point at which schools will not be taking in pupils and then a period where there can be some additional level of preparation for staff, he said. As part of any picture will have to be also the impact we have on the frontline medical staff and there will be a bit of work done to try and ensure there are provisions and done as best as they possibly can. Mr Lyttle earlier asked Mr Weir to clarify the medical advice he said he is taking over school closures. The minister responded by saying advice was from Northern Irelands chief medical officer, the Public Health Agency and the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies. Realistically when children are removed from school you are talking about the end of August the chief medical officer said now is not the time to do that, he told the committee. Mr Weir added that there are likely to be large numbers of deaths. If we can try to keep that to a minimum, my overriding duty is to try and preserve life but frankly there are no easy choices and we are moving in a fluid environment, he said. Teacher Brian Nevin closes the gates to Beneavin De La Salle College, Dublin, following the closure of schools across Ireland due to the coronavirus outbreak (Brian Lawless/PA) Referring to the Republic of Ireland, where schools were told to close for two weeks, Mr Weir said such a break in light of a long-term virus isnt going to do much good. Two weeks is a token gesture, he said. Former Vice President Joe Biden is projected to win the Arizona Democratic primary, according to the New York Times and NBC News. Why it matters: It's Biden's third and final victory of the night, after sweeping wins in Florida and Illinois. With a Latino population of 30%, the highest percentage out of the three states voting today, Arizona was considered Sen. Bernie Sanders' best shot for a victory. Latino voters have been a core part of Sanders' base, helping propel him to victories in Nevada, Colorado and California. But he evidently came up short in Arizona, likely putting the Democratic nomination fully out of reach. Arizona has 67 delegates up for grabs, the least of the three states voting today. Worth noting: Ohio was also scheduled to vote today, but Gov. Mike DeWine ordered polling places closed in a last-minute intervention intended to stop the spread of the coronavirus. DeWine is seeking to delay in-person voting until June 2. Ukrspyrt launches more distilleries to increase medical alcohol output amid COVID-19 19:45, 18.03.20 2567 The enterprise is ready to further boost output. Partnering with FitnessOnDemand, global fitness giant will provide free 90-day access to virtual workout platform, which includes popular workouts from Sweat Factor, SH1FT, Daily Burn, and more CHANHASSEN, Minnesota, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Snap Fitness, the world's premier 24/7 fitness brand, today announced a partnership with FitnessOnDemand to offer free 90-day global access to the market-leading virtual fitness platform for all those looking to "stay fit, stay healthy and stay home" amidst growing coronavirus concern and recommended social distancing efforts. With the industry's most diverse fitness video library of powerhouse brands including Sweat Factor by Mike Donvanik , Nora Tobin , SH1FT , Daily Burn , and many more, FitnessOnDemand virtual workouts are designed to optimize space and offer unparalleled variety, creating an ideal fitness experience for any environment. The general public can take advantage of custom content that was specifically curated to facilitate at-home workouts, all with little to no equipment and no studio required. "We know that exercise and movement are contributing factors to a person's mental wellness and ultimately, a well-balanced life," says Weldon Spangler, CEO of Lift Brands, parent company of Snap Fitness and FitnessOnDemand. "As people are asked to practice social distancing and amidst gym and business closures - for many, working out at home provides not only a way to stay fit, but also a way to stay well, both body and mind. We want to provide help where we can as responsible members of our local communities and corporate citizens of the globe. This is about making sure everyone is healthy and safe while we weather this storm together." Snap Fitness is committed to providing members with safe and hygienic clubs to exercise in where local government permits, and teams have been briefed on what actions they need to take, per government guidance, to reduce the risk of the virus spreading. For details on additional precautions taken at Snap Fitness gyms across the globe, visit www.snapfitness.com/coronavirus/. Photos and additional information can be found in the digital media kit HERE . For more information on Snap Fitness or FitnessOnDemand or to sign up for the free 90-day offer (no membership required), visit snapfitness.com/freeapp for access. About Snap Fitness: Snap Fitness is the world's most rewarding 24/7 fitness concept with over 850 clubs in the United States and over 1,800 clubs open or scheduled for development in over 20 countries. Snap Fitness offers members the opportunity to see real results. We provide the latest in fitness technology, diverse workout options, personal training, and the most supportive fitness community around the globe. A major fitness brand since 2003, we continue to evolve sustainably along with key fitness trends to provide results for every body! About FitnessOnDemand: FitnessOnDemand is a global leader in the collection, curation and provision of high-quality, premium digital fitness content from some of the world's leading names and experts in personalized fitness. The company is the only provider of Omnichannel content in the fitness industry, meaning customers can experience branded content via mobile app, smart device or in-club and in-room installation. The introduction of FLEX by FitnessOnDemand allows clubs to offer their members the same, seamless library of fitness and wellness content anywhere in the club, at home or on the go. This allows clubs to build member loyalty and brand-affinity beyond the club walls. FitnessOnDemand is a leading provider of digital fitness to many industries including health clubs, premium residential and business property developers and leading, luxury hotel chains. Content creators include Jillian Michaels, Sweat Factor, SH1FT, Zumba & Strong by Zumba and many more. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1135113/Snap_Fitness_Logo.jpg The first person to die from novel coronavirus in Upstate New York was a Rochester hospital worker, according to a new report from the Democrat & Chronicle. Rochester Regional Health, which operates the Rochester General Hospital, told the newspaper that a 54-year-old man who died Tuesday of COVID-19 was an employee at the hospital. WHEC-TV reports the man was identified as Alvin Simmons, a Monroe County resident who worked in housekeeping at the hospital for just a few weeks before getting sick on March 10. Rochester Regional said Simmons was the first COVID-19 case at the hospital, denying rumors he contracted it from a patient. The hospital operator also said Simmons had multiple, serious underlying conditions, including hypertension, liver disease, and tobacco use," all health factors that increase risk of dying from coronavirus. He died a week after showing symptoms. He started off with coughing really bad it was hurting his chest, Simmons stepdaughter told WHEC. So he stopped smoking Black and Mild [cigars] because he thought it was the Black and Milds causing his cough. Simmons family said he was tested for coronavirus and initially diagnosed with pneumonia, getting sent home with antibiotics. By Friday, he was rushed back to the hospital in an ambulance and put on a ventilator. WHEC reports Simmons is believed to have succumbed to severe acute respiratory syndrome, a condition seen in the most serious COVID-19 cases. When that happens, a patients fluid-filled lungs are no longer able to get enough oxygen to the bloodstream and vital organs. Rochester Regional said Monroe County officials are still trying to trace Simmons activities to determine where he was infected with the virus, and who else may have been exposed. A number of hospital employees have been told to quarantine at home for the time being. Its unclear if any patients or recent hospital visitors are believed to be at risk. WHAM reports Rochester hospitals banned visitors on Thursday, March 12, to prevent further spread of the virus. New York state has confirmed at least 1,380 cases of coronavirus as of Wednesday morning, including 14 cases in Monroe County. Sixteen people have died in the state from COVID-19 causes, according to Johns Hopkins University. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS A county-by-county map of cases, deaths in New York State Central NY cancellations, closings list due to coronavirus pandemic (updated list) Out of work because of the coronavirus? How to quickly apply for unemployment benefits We all have a part to play in stopping coronavirus (Editorial) Laredo police have increased presence at local stores for security reasons. READ MORE: Laredo businesses will be fined for gatherings of 50+ people amid coronavirus Investigator Joe E. Baeza, police spokesman, said stores such as Walmart, H-E-B and Sams Club hired off-duty officers to work as security. Officers are there to maintain order and deal with the crowds. Baeza said that as of Tuesday, police have not arrested panicked shoppers. Authorities said they have received reports of price gouging. People have forwarded the department pictures taken from the Facebook group Clasificados Laredo showing sellers offering overpriced hygiene products. Police are not taking reports of price gouging. Rather, they are assisting victims of price gouging on how to report the incident to the Texas Attorney General. But the person filing the report must be a victim of price gouging, meaning that the person bought an overpriced item, Baeza pointed out. Last week, Attorney General Ken Paxton warned that state law prohibits price gouging in the wake of a declared disaster. Any person or business selling goods must be aware that they are prohibited by law from engaging in price gouging if they unreasonably raise the cost of necessary supplies at any point during a declared disaster, Paxton said in a statement. 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. State authorities said price-gougers may be required to reimburse consumers and may be held liable for civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation with an additional penalty of up to $250,000 if the affected consumers are elderly. READ MORE: 58 arrested in Laredo for DWI last month Texans who believe they have encountered price gouging should call the Office of the Attorney Generals toll-free complaint line at (800) 621-0508 or file a complaint online at texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection. Fundamental research supported by supercomputers could help lead to new strategies and better technology that combats infectious and genetic diseases. Viruses such as the dreaded severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 rely on the host cell membrane to drastically bend and eventually let loose the replicated viruses trapped inside the cell. Scientists have used supercomputer simulations to help propose a mechanism for this budding off of viruses. What's more, a related study also used simulations to find a mechanism for how the DNA of all life adds a base to its growing strand during replication.. The study on cell membrane remodeling, important for viral reproduction, cell growth and communication, and other biological processes was published online in the Biophysical Journal in February 2020. The study co-author Qiang Cui also was part of a study on DNA base addition, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, December 2019. Qiang Cui is a professor in the Departments of Chemistry, Physics, and Biomedical Engineering, Boston University. Cui is also the principal investigator on both studies for supercomputer time awarded through XSEDE, the Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment funded by the National Science Foundation. "Supercomputers with massive parallelization are very much required to push the boundary of bimolecular simulations," Cui said. His science team developed supercomputer simulations of the cell membrane, in particular filaments of the Vps32 protein, a major component of the endosomal sorting required for transport complex (ESCRT-III), which was the prime suspect for the driving force that causes the cell membrane to form buds in a process called membrane invagination. ESCRT proteins function in the cytosol, the liquid inside cells surrounding organelles, the cell subunits. They perform various jobs such as making organelles; sorting recyclable material in the cell and ejecting waste, and more. Electron microscopy shows the Vps32 protein polymerizes, or assembles itself into a corkscrew shape during membrane invagination. The study authors sought to establish whether the atomistic forces inside Vps32 cause it to bend and twist, ultimately tugging and budding off the membrane. Unfortunately, experimental studies currently lack the resolution to characterize the protein-membrane interactions that lead to the membrane deformations. The science team employed atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to investigate protein-protein interfaces in one-dimensional filament structures in solution and also to find the residues holding the filament together. They also studied the protein-membrane interface using a Vps32 trimer model. "I think the most interesting observation is that the ESCRTIII polymer that we studied features a clear intrinsic twist," Cui said. "This suggests that twisting stress that accumulates as the polymer grows on the surface might play a major role in creating the three-dimensional buckling of the membrane. People focused more on the bending of the filament in the past." "We also showed explicitly that the N-terminal helix does generate explicit curvature," Cui added. "People speculated about this before, since amphipathic helices are known to do so in other systems." Amphipathic molecules contain both water-loving (hydrophilic) and water-hating (hydrophobic) parts. "Nevertheless, explicitly showing the curvature generated by atomistic forces is important because even more recent studies appear to argue that Vps32 alone is unable to generate membrane curvature," Cui said. The proposed mechanism supported by simulations basically involves initially dimpling and then pushing out of the membrane as the corkscrew Vps32 protein filament grows, eventually causing the neck of the membrane invagination. Simulations of systems containing up to two million atoms posed a large hurdle for Cui and his colleagues. They applied for and were awarded supercomputing time through XSEDE, and completed their simulations on the Stampede2 system at the Texas Advanced Computing Center of UT Austin. "Stampede2 has been crucial for us to set up these relatively large-scale membrane simulations," Cui said. While this study is pure research, the knowledge gained could help benefit society. "Membrane remodeling is an important process that underlies many crucial cellular functions and events, such as synaptic transmission and virus infection. Understanding the mechanism of membrane remodeling will help propose new strategies for battling human diseases due to impaired membrane fusion activities -- or preventing viral infection -- a timely topic these days given the quick spread of the new coronavirus," Cui said. Cui also co-authored a computational study that used supercomputer simulations to determine a chemical mechanism for the reaction of nucleotide addition, used in the cell to add nucleotide bases to a growing strand of DNA. "By doing that, computationally, we are also able to determine the role of a catalytic metal ion of magnesium that's in the active site of the enzyme DNA polymerase," said study co-author Daniel Roston, an assistant project scientist in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UC San Diego. "This metal has been a bit controversial in the literature. Nobody was really sure exactly what it was doing there. We think it's playing an important catalytic role." DNA polymerase adds the nucleotides guanine, adenine, thymine, cytosine (G-A-T-C) to DNA by removing a proton from the end of the growing strand through reaction with a water molecule. "When we say in the study that a water molecule serves as the base, it serves as a base to remove a proton, an acid base chemistry. What's left there after you remove the proton is much more chemically active to react with a new nucleotide that needs to be added to the DNA," Roston said. The chemistry needs multiple proton transfers in a complex active site. Experimental probes using X-ray crystallography have been unable to distinguish among the many possible reaction pathways. "Simulations offer a complement to crystallography because you can model in all the hydrogens and run molecular dynamics simulations, where you allow all the atoms to move around in the simulation and see where they want to go, and what interactions are helping them get where they need to go," Roston said. "Our role was to do these molecular dynamics simulations and test different models for how the atoms are moving around during the reaction and test different interactions that are helping that along." The number of energy calculations needed to complete the molecular dynamics simulations was huge, on the order of 10e8 to 10e9 for the system with thousands of atoms and many complex interactions. That's because timesteps at the right resolution are on the order of femtoseconds, 10e-15 seconds. "Chemical reactions, life, doesn't happen that quickly," Roston said. "It happens on a timescale of people talking to each other. Bridging this gap in timescale of many, many orders of magnitude requires many steps in your simulations. It very quickly becomes computationally intractable." "One of the great things about XSEDE is that we can take advantage of a ton of computational power," Roston added. Through XSEDE, Roston and his colleagues used about 500,000 CPU hours on the Comet system at the San Diego Supercomputer Center. Comet allowed them to simultaneously run many different simulations that all feed off one another. Said Roston: "DNA replication is what life is about. We're getting at the heart of how that happens, the really fundamental process to life as we know it on Earth. This is so important, we should really understand how it works at a deep level. But then, there are also important aspects of technology, such as CRISPR, that take advantage of this kind of work to develop systems to manipulate DNA. Understanding the details of how life has evolved to manipulate DNA will play a role in feeding our understanding and our ability to harness technologies in the future." 'Molecular simulation of mechanical properties and membrane activities of the ESCRT-III complexes' was published online in the journal Biophysical Journal in February 2020. The study co-authors are Taraknath Mandal and Qiang Cui of Boston University; Wilson Lough, Saverio E. Spagnolie, and Anjon Audhya of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Study funding came from the National Science Foundation. Computations are also supported in part by the Shared Computing Cluster, which is administered by Boston University's Research Computing Services. 'Extensive free-energy simulations identify water as the base in nucleotide addition by DNA polymerase' was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in December 2019. The study co-authors are Daniel Roston of the University of California San Diego; Darren Demapan of the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Qiang Cui of Boston University. Study funding came from the National Institutes of Health. ### The Arc of Midland is a non-profit organization, established 68 years ago, with a mission to promote the general welfare of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and foster their presence, participation, and inclusion in the community. Historically, our community has been at the forefront of innovative ideas, and The Arc works with many community agencies with a common goal to ensure all individuals live full, active, and inclusive lives. Midlanders often proudly recount to Arc staff and board members stories of friendships formed with the people we support when talking about school, sports, community activities, and work, and yet there is more to accomplish to achieve true inclusivity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), 17% of children between the ages of 3 and 17 have a developmental disability; and importantly, this percentage has increased over time. So how does the outbreak of a pandemic such as coronavirus affect people living in our local community with intellectual and development disabilities? First, most people with intellectual and developmental disabilities live on Social Security, which typically amounts to under $1,000 per month, causing many to live in some of the least desirable housing in Midland. While they receive Medicaid, they lack access to good healthcare as many providers accept only limited numbers of patients with Medicaid. After paying for housing and utilities, very little money is left for nutritious food; and without some guidance and support, individuals may choose less healthy food options. Affording antibacterial wipes, stocking up on toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and special soaps at the market is probably not possible logistically or financially for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities who do not have a family member, a neighbor, or a friend who is helping them. Most people with intellectual and developmental disabilities struggle with understanding the importance of practicing good hygiene, understanding social distancing, and often have gross and fine motor skill deficits that create difficulties for them. Many of these individuals struggle with the skills needed to function in daily life, such as communication, social participation, inclusion, and independent living without support. It takes time, repetition and consistency in teaching people what constitutes good hygiene, what social distancing means, and why they should remain in their homes instead of being out and about. All while stressing the importance of the virus while minimizing the fear if places are suddenly closed, people can't find toilet paper, and store shelves are empty. With the help of community living supports (staffing assistance), family, friends or neighbors can support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities during this health crisis. Finally, many rely on public transportation, which is generally considered not to be a "germ-free" environment and can pose various health risks for individuals who have compromised immune systems. In summary, individuals with intellectual disabilities spend a lifetime struggling to be seen, to be accepted, to be included or even considered. For people without a loved one with intellectual and developmental disabilities, this may be difficult to comprehend. Our challenge to the Midland community would be to "look out" for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities as you would for an elderly neighbor, a new family moving onto your street, or a family with a newborn baby. After all, that is what Midland is all about. Make a daily phone call, send a card, ask if anything is needed or offer a ride to the store. And what can you expect to receive in return for your kindness? A new, loyal and genuine friend. What more does anyone want? This column was authored by Kathy Dolan and Sarah Murchison, both board members for The Arc of Midland, as part of the Daily News' Community Connections initiative. The UK has advised British nationals in India that if they have symptoms of coronavirus they should self-isolate for seven days and contact the Government of India's helpline in case their condition worsens. UK's Acting High Commissioner to India Jan Thompson, in a video posted on Twitter, also said the situation remains "fluid" and it is recommended that all British nationals should continue to monitor any advice on state-level restrictions and follow the instructions of local authorities in India. UPDATE: We now advise against all non-essential travel overseas. Acting High Commissioner to @JanThompsonFCO talks about the implications of #Coronavirus for British Nationals currently in, or planning to travel to India. Follow @FCOtravel https://t.co/F4EhI9YcSx pic.twitter.com/ET0SFdx9db UK in India (@UKinIndia) March 17, 2020 "Given the current circumstances, we understand that many people currently in India may want to return to the UK sooner than planned. Provided you are not subject to quarantine, anyone who wishes to do so should contact their airline or travel provider in order to arrange for their journey home," Thompson said. Follow live updates of coronavirus cases in India here "We are working closely with Indian authorities to monitor developments," she said. Thompson said the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has advised against all but essential travel to India. This follows the Indian government's announcement that passengers from the UK, the EU and Turkey will be prohibited from entering India. ] Thompson asked British nationals due to travel between the UK and India after March 18 to contact their airline or travel provider as soon as possible. "If you are currently in India and suffering from symptoms associated with coronavirus then you should self isolate for seven days. If you feel the symptoms worsening contact government of India's 24/7 helpline," she said Press Release 18 March 2020 Showing further COVID-19 impact, the U.S. hotel industry reported negative year-over-year results in the three key performance metrics during the week of 8-14 March 2020, according to data from STR. In comparison with the week of 10-16 March 2019, the industry recorded the following: Occupancy: -24.4% to 53.0% Average daily rate (ADR): -10.7% to US$120.30 Revenue per available room (RevPAR): -32.5% to US$63.74 Performance declines were uniform across chain scales, classes and location types. "To no surprise, the hurt continued and intensified for hotels around the country," said Jan Freitag, STR's senior VP of lodging insights. "The performance declines were especially pronounced in hotels that cater to meetings and group business, which is a reflection of the latest batch of event cancellations and government guidance to restrict the size of gatherings. "The questions we are hearing the most right now are around how far occupancy will drop and how long this will last. Through comparative analysis of the occupancy trends in China and Italy over the past weeks, we can with certainty say that we are not yet close to the bottom in the U.S. However, the timeline for that decline and the eventual recovery are much tougher to predict because there is still so much uncertainty around the COVID-19 case numbers in the U.S. and how serious citizens are when practicing social distancing. China and Italy saw a more abrupt decline in occupancy because of stricter lockdowns. That will dictate the speed of recovery." Each of the Top 25 Markets registered double-digit occupancy and RevPAR decreases. ADR was also down in each market. Seattle, Washington, saw the steepest declines in each of the three key performance metrics: occupancy (-55.0% to 32.9%), ADR (-24.7% to US$109.28) and RevPAR (-66.1% to US$35.97). San Francisco/San Mateo, California, posted the week's second-largest drop in RevPAR (-63.3% to US$68.56), due to the second-steepest decreases in occupancy (-51.6% to 38.9%) and ADR (-24.2% to US$176.38). New York, New York, experienced the third-largest declines in occupancy (-43.9% to 48.8%) and RevPAR (-54.6% to US$88.29). New Orleans, Louisiana, posted the third-steepest drop in ADR (-22.8% to US$138.11) Trinamool Congress MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray said on Wednesday that he has gone on home quarantine in wake of the coronavirus pandemic and would not take part in the rest of the Budget Session Kolkata: Trinamool Congress MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray said on Wednesday that he has gone on home quarantine in wake of the coronavirus pandemic and would not take part in the rest of the Budget Session. A few other Trinamool Congress MPs are also likely to follow suit, Roy, the party's deputy leader in Rajya Sabha, told PTI. "I have written a letter to the chairman of the Rajya Sabha where I have said that to avoid large gathering, I have decided to go on self-quarantine," he said. In the letter, he said that "in view of such unprecedented alarming situation which is fast deteriorating, I have decided to remain in self quarantine at home for the remaining part of the ongoing Budget Session. Hence, I request for grant of leave accordingly". Qantas boss Alan Joyce has praised the federal government's decision to waive more than $700 million in charges on the nation's airlines to ensure they can survive the coming months as the industry grinds to a halt during the coronavirus outbreak. The federal government 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. Mr Joyce said on Wednesday the decision was "very welcome support" for the industry and aviation had been the "first and hardest" hit industry during the global pandemic. "For all players to receive this support early on is a great help," Mr Joyce said. By Andre Vltchek March 17, 2020 " Information Clearing House " - The U.S. is insulting the Chinese media. It is affecting both countries. My colleagues in Beijing believe, correctly, that Washington should have tried to increase communication, not to bring it to a halt. Twist what is happening; reverse facts. That is what the Western media does when dealing with China, Russia, Iran or several unfriendly Latin American countries. It is an extremely old game, with roots in the colonial era. If you have monopoly on disseminating information to all corners of the Planet, such cynical approach might actually work. If only one person is allowed to talk, then what he says could become, inevitably, the truth. Washington loves to snap at undemocratic nations. But the truth is, both the United States and the United Kingdom, in unison, have managed to create a thoroughly and truly undemocratic global system of governance, economic practices and information (in fact disinformation). Countries that defend their own people are painted as regimes, even dictatorships. Their media outlets which are using simply common logic are smeared as propaganda channels. In summary, if you pay for information invented, manufactured and refined in the U.S. and Europe, by the Western press agencies and television networks, you will be just fine and get patted on the back. Especially if that information is helping to maintain global political and economic dictatorship of the West. So, if you pay for getting your people brainwashed and indoctrinated, you will be ranked high on the various freedom of information indexes. But be warned: if you tell the truth, or if you expose Western lies, you will get smeared, insulted as a demagogue and an undemocratic liar. That is what is happening right now to China. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter I am writing this commentary in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a marvelous country now collapsing after having being lured into fascism by local right-wing media, which has been trained and financed by the Western mass-media outlets. What is the background to dispute between the U.S. and China? In early February 2020, The Wall Street Journal published an article China Is the Real Sick Man of Asia. It was an insulting piece, vulgar in many ways. Some saw it as racist. It was taking advantage of pain Chinese people are experiencing due to the recent coronavirus epidemy, turning medical emergency into a political issue. It is something that could be easily defined as cheap journalism, and obvious propaganda. Stuff that is often written on order, in both North America and Europe. Indignant, Beijing took action against the newspaper. Under circumstances, this was the most natural thing to do. But instead of apologizing, Washington intensified war against the Chinese press. On March 2, 2020, The Guardian reported: The United States has slashed by nearly half the number of Chinese nationals allowed to work for their state-run media in the United States, vowing reciprocity as Beijing restricts foreign press A state department official said that five media outlets, which last month were reclassified by the United States as foreign missions, would be allowed to employ a maximum 100 Chinese nationals as of 13 March, down from around 160 now The organization most affected by the order will be the state news agency Xinhua, which will be allowed to keep 59 Chinese staff in the United States, according to a state department official. The China Global Television Network will be permitted 30 nationals. The China Daily can have nine Chinese employees and China Radio International will be permitted two. What is really behind all this? Russian, Chinese, Latin American and even Iranian media outlets are becoming extremely influential in the educated circles in the West. It is because many citizens in Europe and the United States do not trust their own media, anymore. They are turning for information to such media outlets as RT, China Daily, CGTN, PressTV, NEO and Telesur. Washington promotes competition, ideological and commercial, but only when it suits its interests, meaning, when it is winning. When its ideology or products begin to stumble behind the competitors (China, Russia, for instance), it immediately imposes sanctions, or introduces censorship. The same happens to the countries which could be defined as the U.S. allies, particularly the U.K., a state which has been helping with establishing the U.S. regime. In a report UK press acts as appendage of the state when reporting on foreign policy, new analysis shows, RT wrote: A new analysis of British medias coverage of foreign policy has found that, by and large, the UK press acts as an appendage of the state and has been misinforming the public and failing to report completely on key issues. These key issues, of course, include China. China is seen in the West as the most dangerous adversary, particularly by such anti-Chinese and extreme right-wing ideologues/worriers as Peter Kent Navarro, the Assistant to the President Donald Trump and Director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, but also by many other individuals in and outside the Administration. It is because China is extremely successful, not only socially and economically but also politically. And the more it is, the more terrified the outdated systems and the regimes of the West become. Their years are numbered. Chinas BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) is liberating dozens of nations worldwide from the neo-colonialist shackles of the West. Chinese (but also Russia, Iranian, Latin American and other non-Western media outlets) are informing global, including Western, audience, about the birth of the new world. They are replacing the sad, nihilist present, with optimistic future. And the West is terrified. If it cannot break or defeat China, it tries to insult or at least silence it. It is attempting to smear and provoke Beijing, and when it fails again and again to enflame the mighty but harmony-seeking dragon, it begins to act irrationally, spreading chaos and depriving people of the alternative views and sources of information. Apply facts and it becomes clear: China is by no means some real sick man of Asia. By now it has almost defeated that new and dangerous type of coronavirus. It has managed to protect its people. Its economy did not collapse. And despite the attacks from the West, the ideological system is strong and sound, people are living better lives, and Chinese cities and countryside are blooming, on the one hand. On the other hand, the Western system is collapsing. People in France, Spain and elsewhere are rioting, in desperation. Misery is everywhere. In the U.S. and U.K., very few individuals have any trust left in their own media. Western media has sold out. It is despised, ridiculed. It is paid to attack countries such as China, Russia or Venezuela. Washington may deport several Chinese journalists. But it will not be able to silence the truth, anymore. The world is watching. And it is laughing. The United States, a country that has been lecturing the entire earth about free speech, is now terrified of the alternative views. It is scared of being exposed as a giant on clay legs. Several foreign reporters may be forced to leave Washington, soon. But thousands of new ones, all over the world, are refusing to be silenced. We are in solidarity with brave Chinese writers. We are proud of them. And we are determined to help exposing lies of the Empire! Andre Vltchek is a philosopher, novelist, filmmaker and investigative journalist. He has covered wars and conflicts in dozens of countries. Five of his latest books ae China Belt and Road Initiative: Connecting Countries, Saving Millions of Lives , China and Ecological Cavillation with John B. Cobb, Jr., Revolutionary Optimism, Western Nihilism , a revolutionary novel Aurora and a bestselling work of political non-fiction: Exposing Lies Of The Empire . View his other books here . Watch Rwanda Gambit , his groundbreaking documentary about Rwanda and DRCongo and his film/dialogue with Noam Chomsky On Western Terrorism . Vltchek presently resides in East Asia and the Middle East, and continues to work around the world. He can be reached through his website and his Twitter . His Patreon A shorter version of this article was published by China Daily Global. Photo: John Seb Barber/Flickr Missed the most recent top news in Seattle? Read on for everything you need to know. Hospital workers make masks from office supplies amid US shortage Hospital workers in Washington state have been making protective medical gear out of office supplies and other run-of-the-mill materials, as they deal with a severe shortage of equipment needed to care for patients who may have COVID-19. Read the full story on Bloomberg. Seattle parents struggle to balance work, child care One of the first major cities to face coronavirus is now dealing with a child care shortage. Read the full story on The New York Times. Supermarkets are in chaos; grocery store worker explains what its like at work For Chris, dwindling supplies and hostile customers are just the beginning of COVID-19 fears. Read the full story on Vox. Beacon Hill restaurant Musang making transition to community kitchen Chef Melissa Miranda plans to prepare meals for those in need, particularly food-insecure families. Read the full story on Eater Seattle. Complete guide to Seattle restaurants now offering curbside takeout, delivery As Seattleites work from home and Emerald City businesses scramble to stay afloat, here's where you can nab takeout in your neighborhood. Read the full story on SeattlePI . 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. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ganug Nugroho Adi and Fadli (The Jakarta Post) Surakarta/Batam Wed, March 18, 2020 07:10 665 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b633a3 1 National COVID-19,novel-coronavirus,SARS-CoV-2,Surakarta-mayor,manado,Batam,information,misinformation,hoax Free Despite the country having two months to prepare for the arrival of the novel coronavirus outbreak, Indonesian people say they have limited knowledge about the virus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, and what little they know they have learned from the media or social media, not from any government institutions. Residents of Surakarta, Central Java, one of the cities reporting confirmed COVID-19 cases, said they began to get more information after Indonesia reported its first confirmed cases on March 2 and before the city reported its first death. Erlangga Bima Sakti, 23, said before the first deaths were reported in the country on March 11, he did not receive much official information about the virus. Earlier, he learned about it from the media, including social media. There has been limited information about the virus from the government. It began to trickle after someone died, he said. Another resident, Iwan Adi, 23, also found the information on his own from social media and news portals. I learned about how it spread, how to prevent it, what the symptoms are, from the media. Before, there was not much from the government, he said. Astuti Herliani, 45, a neighbor of the deceased victim in Surakarta, said a health official came to the subdistrict office and invited residents on March 14, three days after the COVID-19 patient died in Moewardi General Hospital. Before that, no information. Many residents do not know anything about the coronavirus. Honestly, we are worried now because the patient was our neighbor, she said. She said she needed detailed information about the virus, especially about the symptoms and what to do not to spread it to others. We know about how to maintain our hygiene. But we need more information about the symptoms and how it spreads. Im sure many residents are still in the dark, she went on. Surakarta administration claims it has disseminated information about the novel coronavirus in public spaces such as markets, shopping centers, bus terminals and stations. Officials say they have reached out to subdistrict and even to neighborhood (RT) units. We have to move fast so people will know what the coronavirus is, Siti Wahyuningsih, the head of Surakarta Health Agency said on Sunday. She said the main points of the information included hygiene and good nutrition. Residents should not panic, she said, the coronavirus was the same as other viruses. The important thing is to maintain immunity, keep up our hygiene and our health standards. We also encourage people not to get close to crowds, she said. Surakarta Mayor FX Hadi Rudy Rudyatmo said his administration was serious about it and had allocated Rp 2 billion (US$ 131.8 million) for extraordinary measures. North Sulawesi administration has allocated extra funding to handle the coronavirus crisis. The funding will be used to add an isolation room as there are currently only 10 available. Manado Health Agency head Ivan Marthin said it had distributed information in the community. The North Sulawesi provincial capital has reported one COVID-19 case and Lion Air operated flights from the city to Guangzhou in China before the outbreak. Ivan acknowledged the limited information most people had about the coronavirus, but they knew that it could be deadly. Most people know about the coronavirus from social media, thats why we give them information about the spread, that it is not airborne, he said. Latest research has said that the novel coronavirus is mostly likely not airborne, but this is not conclusive. Deisy Makawata, a Manado, North Sulawesi, resident, said she knew only a little about the virus. Im kind of in the dark. What I know, for example, is to avoid people whove just returned from abroad and that the virus stays on things but not in the air. The administration in Batam in Riau Islands, which borders Singapore, says it relies on the media to spread information about the novel coronavirus because of budget constraints. Batam Health Agency Didi Kusumajadi told The Jakarta Post on Saturday that it did not have any plan to reach out to local communities. We dont have enough budget or manpower to go to neighborhoods. We rely on the media, he said. But he said he had deployed medical personnel to schools to provide information. Sometimes we get requests from companies or factories, and we do that, he went on. He said the administration had sent a circular, telling people not to panic. He admitted that many people knew only a little about the virus. Sigit Pramono, 38, who runs a food stall, said he got information from social media. I dont know the symptoms in detail, I know very little, he said. What I know is to keep up our hygiene, maintain our immunity and avoid leaving the house if not really necessary, he said. Sarma Siregar, an employee of a private company, said he did not know how to prevent the spread of the virus. Another resident, Susi Lee, said she had some knowledge about the virus but she learned about it from social media. Last week, the police arrested at least six people for spreading misinformation and fake news about the virus on social media. Agust Hari contributed to this story from Manado, North Sulawesi TDT | Manama The Supreme Criminal Court of Appeal yesterday upheld the imprisonment of a Gulf national who was convicted earlier this year for smuggling hashish into the Kingdom through King Fahd Causeway. As reported earlier, the man received a 10-year imprisonment sentence and was fined BD5,000 by the First High Criminal Court, which also ordered his deportation. In addition to the drug smuggling charge, the man was also convicted of selling the drugs here. The court also acquitted a second defendant who was involved in the same crime. According to court files, both defendants were caught with a piece of hashish concealed in the car while entering Bahrain through the Causeway back in June 2018. They raised suspicion after the customs k9 dog barked continuously at their vehicle, signalling to the officers that the car consists of banned materials. The officers asked the defendants if they have any prohibited materials onboard, but they both denied. Apiece of hashish wrapped in black foil was found in the gloves compartment of the vehicle when searched. During interrogation, the first defendant confessed that the piece belonged to him and that it was for personal use. However, further investigation showed that the man frequently smuggled hashish into the Kingdom through the Causeway, sells it here and leaves the country after receiving the money. Malawi's leader Peter Mutharika on Tuesday fired the country's army commander whose men have in recent months protected demonstrators protesting against fraudulent elections that returned the president to office. A statement from the presidency said General Vincent Nundwe was replaced by the former air force commander, Major General Andrew Lapken Namathanga. Nundwe will be assigned to other duties in the public service, the statement said. The move comes days after Mutharika dissolved his cabinet, his latest political move after his May re-election was annulled over irregularities. In a landmark ruling last month the Constitutional Court ordered officials to hold a fresh presidential poll within 150 days in the poor southern African nation. 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 new balloting that would require him to win more than a 50 percent majority to secure a second term. He has refused to ratify new electoral laws and filed an appeal against the court's decision to nullify election results that had declared him the winner with just 35.8 percent of the vote. A retired army general suggested that the army reshuffle was linked to Mutharika's uncertain political future. "He wants to put people who work for his interests and from his home area," said the former senior official who asked not to be named. "Discipline (in the army) will be highly compromised," the general said. Mutharika has replaced the army chief four times since his election in 2014. After Nundwe was appointed as army commander last June he won praise for the army's handling of six months of protests over Mutharika election victory. The military stepped in as confrontations between police and protesters turned violent. Moldova reported its first death from coronavirus, the countrys healthcare ministry said on Wednesday, Trend reports with reference to Reuters. Moldova, a nation of 3.5 million, has reported 30 confirmed coronavirus cases as of March 18. The Moldovas parliament on Tuesday imposed a state of emergency in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 22:02:30|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Aerial photo taken on March 18, 2020 shows the container dock of Yangshan Port in Shanghai, east China. The international container port saw an increasing flow of cargo ships during the past two weeks. (Xinhua/Ding Ting) (PHOTO: Getty Creative) By Cathy Chan and Katia Porzecanski (Bloomberg) -- 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 Group AG, wealth management executives have realized trips to see clients werent as crucial as thought. In California, an investor in hedge funds said hes pleasantly surprised by how much faster he can confer with them remotely. Virtual finance may far outlast the coronavirus. 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 thats long mythologized the handshake. Thats likely to hearten working parents whove 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. The outbreak has created the urgency to try out new ideas, said Mehdee Reza, Morgan Stanleys head of Asia institutional equity distribution. He oversees the firms annual investor summit in Hong Kong next week. Registrations jumped 50% from last year after the event moved online, with the number of participating companies topping initial estimates fourfold. The New York-based bank has moved other events focused on European and Indian financial companies online, too. The latter also saw registrants surge. The Hong Kong summit has now attracted a number of registrants from outside Asia for the first time, including several from Qatar, Canada and France, according to Reza. UBSs travel costs for Asia plunged 90% in February after the outbreak restricted movement, one person familiar said. Now local executives are discussing whether a long-term shift toward remote meetings is viable for bankers who cover the sprawling region, people familiar said. Story continues The firms dealmakers recently completed at least five pitch meetings on about $2 billion of stock sales with corporate clients via Skype and Zoom as they dialed in from home or from separate rooms, the people said. Citigroup Inc. bankers have been pitching via video conference on five to 10 transactions a week this year across mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt issuance, said Jan Metzger, head of Asia Pacific banking, capital markets and advisory. With todays technology you can interact quicker with a client than ever before and this could be a model for the future even when this situation resolves itself, Metzger said. Back at UBSs headquarters in Zurich, wealth management leaders are considering eliminating a lot of travel they were doing too, according to a person with knowledge of their thinking. Yet in both regions, executives are still willing to fly to clients who prefer it, or for certain business that must be conducted in person. In New York and London, traders and salespeople are just getting set up in dens or at dining tables for the long haul. And behind the scenes, some already are grumbling about piecemeal access to the resources in the office. But among them are also parents and others who have been arguing for years its possible to handle transactions remotely. This may be their chance to prove it can be done. Michael Rosen, a Los Angeles-based investor in hedge funds, said hes enjoying the efficiency. Instead of spending time traveling to meetings, hes using it for more conversations via video-conferencing programs like Zoom. To be sure, he said, there are times when seeing someone face-to-face is critical, such as when making gut-checks before allocating millions of dollars to a fund manager. We will return, one day, to in-person meetings, but video technology is here to stay and will only grow in importance, he said. I suspect it is now a core feature of how we will work in the future. Its not just small gatherings. Manulife Financial Corp. organized a virtual town hall for 800 staff in Hong Kong and has been sharing its experience with its offices in the U.S. and Canada. Vanguard Group Inc.s chief economist for the Asia-Pacific region has been holding webcasts for clients to discuss the outlook for the economy and markets. Even the crucially face-to-face world of recruiting has temporarily moved virtual, according to Ilana Weinstein, the founder and chief executive officer of Wall Street headhunter IDW Group, which counts some of the worlds biggest hedge funds as clients. The markets swings are stirring up demand for hedge fund managers who can make money in times like these, said Weinstein, who instituted a 10-foot-distance policy before taking her meetings virtual with Skype. As this proves efficient, it may be utilized more frequently, she said. Still, theres nothing better than in-person when convincing someone to make a move. Its about comfort with the unknown, and a layer of distance does not help. Some corporate clients have shown a willingness to go virtual on even their most important transactions. InnoCare Pharma Ltd., a biotech firm which priced a $288 million initial public offering in Hong Kong this month, originally planned to meet investors after the Chinese New Year. But after the virus erupted, executives decided to conduct the roadshow online, according to bankers involved. Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. arranged the deal. The degree to which virtual dealmaking continues will depend on the wants of clients, bankers said. But for now, the industry is showing an unusual openness to do things differently. The going-virtual phenomenon is likely to spread to rest of the world and can have a significant impact on reaching clients and productivity, Gokul Laroia, Morgan Stanleys co-chief executive officer of Asia-Pacific and co-head of global equities, said in an interview. There will be a change, theres no question, he said. I dont know that were going to go all the way back to where we were. I think we will end up somewhere in the middle. 2020 Bloomberg L.P. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un acknowledged that his country lacks modern medical facilities and called for urgent improvements, state media said Wednesday, in a rare assessment of the North's health care system that comes amid worries about the coronavirus in the impoverished country. Outside experts say a coronavirus epidemic in the North could be devastating due its chronic lack of medical supplies and outdated health care infrastructure. Kims comments were made during a ceremony Tuesday marking the start of construction on a new hospital. North Korea has engaged in an intense campaign to guard against the new virus, though it has steadfastly maintained that no one has been sickened, a claim many foreign experts doubt. During a groundbreaking ceremony for a modern general hospital" in Pyongyang, the capital, Kim said its crucial for the states efforts to be directed "to prop up the field of public health, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA. It cited Kim as saying the construction must be completed before Octobers 75th founding anniversary of the ruling Workers Party. Kim said the ruling party decided on building the hospital during a key party meeting in late December and was working to have it finished in the shortest time. In an unusual admission on a troubled state system, Kim also said, Frankly speaking, our party ... criticized in a heart-aching manner the fact that there is not a modern medical and health care facility even in our capital city, according to KCNA. Kim appears to be using the hospital construction to burnish his image as a leader caring about public livelihoods at a time when his country is grappling with international sanctions amid stalled nuclear diplomacy with the United States, said Ahn Kyung-su, head of the Seoul-based private Research Center of DPRK Health and Welfare. He said North Korea has several modern general hospitals in Pyongyang but an analysis of construction drawings for the new hospital shown in KCNA photos suggested it would be the most sophisticated hospital in North Korea when its built. Story continues In a report to the World Health Organization, North Korea said it had 135 general and other major hospitals throughout the country as of 2017, according to South Korea's Unification Ministry. Some observers said North Korea may have hurried the hospital's construction since China reported the first cases of the new disease in December. While the new coronavirus 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. Kims attendance at the hospital ceremony also confirmed that he returned to Pyongyang after supervising artillery firing exercises on North Korea's east coast. His visits to the rural coastal areas had prompted outside speculation that he may have been trying to avoid the virus. North Korea clearly stated the date for the groundbreaking ceremony was March 17, and that clearly showed Chairman Kim Jong Un is back to Pyongyang and is governing state affairs normally, said Kim Dong-yub, an analyst at Seoul's Institute for Far Eastern Studies. North Korea banned foreign tourists, delayed the school year and quarantined hundreds of foreigners and thousands of locals to avoid the virus that has spread worldwide. Last week, KCNA described authorities inspecting and disinfecting vehicles, vessels and goods at border areas and ports and said some imports remained sealed for 10 days before being handed over to recipients. Groups that monitor North Korea from South Korea, say the country has had cases of infection with the new coronavirus as well as fatalities. Some experts say the Kim government considers public disclosure of those cases harmful to its tight grip on power. The chief of the 28,500 U.S. troops in South Korea said last week that he was fairly certain North Korea has not been spared from the virus. Army Gen. Robert Abrams noted that the North had halted military training for a month, essentially putting its troops in a lockdown, but has since resumed training exercises and flying. Earlier this month, Kim Jong Un sent a letter to South Koreas president to express condolences over the soaring coronavirus outbreak in the South. Kims letter was delivered a day after his powerful younger sister insulted and criticized Seoul. Some experts speculated that the development suggested that Kim was aiming to throw South Korea off balance before asking for coronavirus-related aid items such as test kits. About 290 foreigners who were quarantined in North Korea have been released, including some diplomats who were flown to Vladivostok, Russia, on a special North Korean flight. It wasn't immediately known whether North Korea plans another flight. ___ 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 Several areas in the Visayas and Mindanao have shut down their borders, following the enhanced community quarantine imposed on Luzon by President Rodrigo Duterte early this week. In the Visayas, several provinces have decided to impose travel restrictions in a bid to curb the spread of the highly contagious and deadly coronavirus, or COVID-19. These areas include the following: Negros Occidental - March 15 to April 14 Capiz - Starting March 15 Iloilo - March 15 to April 14 Bohol - March 16 to March 20; entry is restricted, while outbound travel is allowed Antique - March 17 to March 31 Biliran - March 17 to March 31 Southern Leyte - March 17 to March 31 Leyte - March 18 to April 1 Cagayan de Oro City - March 19 Samar - March 19 to April 15 Tacloban City - March 21 to April 12 Several areas in Mindanao also declaring lockdowns include: Davao region - 14-day lockdown starting March 14 Lanao del Sur, including Marawi City - starting March 19 Zamboanga City - starting March 20 Cotabato City - starting March 19 to April 14 Misamis Oriental has been placed under general community quarantine, starting 8 p.m. on March 24 until April 14, "unless otherwise extended to contain Covid-19 local transmission." The province of Surigao del Sur, as well Valencia City in Bukidnon and Iligan City have also been placed under community quarantine and are implementing border controls. In Luzon, Bacoor, Cavite said it was closing its borders starting on March 19 Earlier, President Duterte declared a nationwide state of calamity to enable government units to access funds they can use to better equip themselves for the fight against COVID-19. As of March 24, the Philippines has recorded 552 COVID-19 cases, with 35 fatalities and 20 recoveries. Valencia City in Bukidnon as well as Iligan City have also been placed under community quarantine and are planning to implement border controls. Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has berated the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, for alleging that the PDP is responsible ... Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has berated the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, for alleging that the PDP is responsible for the plot to remove Adams Oshiomhole as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress. Many of us, leaders of the party, are aware that those clamouring for the chairmans removal are working with the PDP to destabilise the party, Uzodinma told reporters on Saturday. In an interview at the Government House Port Harcourt on Tuesday, Governor Wike said the comments credited to Senator Hope Uzodinma are baseless, untrue and unfortunate. I read that Senator Hope Uzodinma said that the PDP conspired to plot the attempted removal of APC National Chairman. That is an unfortunate lie. It is unfortunate that Senator Hope Uzodinma will have the temerity to make that false allegation. Hope Uzodinma was an APC agent while he was in PDP. That was why APC used him as an agent to support Ali Modu Sheriff, but they failed. It is unfortunate that people of questionable character are in Government. Hope Uzodinma cannot talk about the attempted removal of APC National Chairman and mention the PDP. What is our business in the attempted removal of Oshiomhole? APC does not mean well for Nigeria. It is a party of strange bedfellows merely formed to take over power. If Senator Uzodinma dares to make such false comments again about the PDP, we will tell the world about him. That he fraudulently took the mandate of PDP does not mean that PDP is weak. Hope Uzodinma lacks the capacity to discuss the PDP. Governor Wike also urged Nigerians to be vigilant and work towards protecting the Judiciary, adding that the APC has destroyed the Judiciary. We must protect the Judiciary to do its work. But the Judiciary should protect itself. APC has destroyed the Judiciary, he said. Governor Wike wondered why the Judiciary should allow leaders of the APC to toss it around as has been witnessed during the partys internal crisis. He decried the situation where the Court of Appeal granted a stay of execution on the suspension of the APC National Chairman, but the FCT High Court went ahead to declare another person the Acting National Chairman. He said only the National Executive Committee of political parties have such powers. The Judiciary should be very careful. The Judiciary should be alert. It should not allow itself to be used. It should not allow itself to be destroyed. APC should not be allowed to destroy the Judiciary. Judiciary was there before APC. It was there before any political party. I cannot see the Judiciary being destroyed and keep quiet. I am not interested in what happens in the APC. But I am concerned with the Judiciary and its survival. He urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria to caution judges. With what the APC is doing today, we may not have the Judiciary and everyone will pay the price. The party is trying to destroy the hope of the common man, he said. Governor Wike regretted that the APC and her supporters attack the Judiciary when judgment is not in their favour. He pointed out the attacks on Justice Mary Odili in the Bayelsa State Governorship matter. The Governor said that the recent order by the wife of the member of a House of Representatives wherein she reaffirmed the freedom of the former Emir of Kano, was hailed, even though she was the wife of a PDP member. He said that the APC is an association that was only concerned about the removal of former President Goodluck Jonathan. He said that having removed Jonathan, APC has been unable to use power to the advantage of Nigerians. The Governor wondered how a national official of the APC who resigned to contest the Deputy Governorship position in Rivers State, would still go to court to seek to be Acting National Chairman. Governor Wike, however, agreed with the Former Governor of Lagos State that the struggle in the APC is about 2023. I agree with the former Lagos State Governor, Senator Bola Tinubu that the crisis in APC is about 2023. Everyone wants to be President or Vice President. This virus is indeed worse than coronavirus, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-17 01:38:25|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close VIENTIANE, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Laos is comprehensively ready to deal with possible outbreak of COVID-19 especially in terms of personnel, medical equipment, health facilities, said Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith in capital Vientiane on Monday. The prime minister on Monday visited border checkpoints at the First Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge, the Wattay International Airport and Mittaphab Hospital in Vientiane to inspect COVID-19 surveillance and preventive measures taken by relevant authorities. He urged immigration authorities and relevant sectors to attach greater attention to the screening of people entering and leaving the country and ask the Lao people of all ethnic groups to comply with measures the government has taken and keep themselves updated about the disease on a regular basis and not to disseminate to the public groundless information and misinformation about the disease. According to the Lao News Agency (KPL), in an effort to prevent possible outbreak of the disease in the country, the government has taken a number of preventive measures including the recent announcement of an order to suspend mass gatherings, celebration of days of national importance, the 11th National Games, weddings and social events, and close kindergartens. Enditem Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has dared Imo state Governor Hope Uzodinma to make any more disparaging comment against the Peoples Democratic Party, Party. Governor Wike throwed the challenge while briefing newsmen at Government House Port Harcourt. The Governor who berated Governor Uzodinma for alleging that the PDP is responsible for the attempted removal of National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, said that the allegation is baseless. While accusing Uzodinma of working with the Ali-Modu Sheriff group to destroy the PDP, Wike warned that there will be grave consequences if the Imo state Governor does not desist from accusing the PDP of APCs crisis. He advised Governor Uzodinma to face governance and improve the livelihood of Imo people, else a can of warms will be exposed, adding that the ruling APC is not a true political party. It is unfortunate that Senator Hope Uzodinma will have the temerity to make that false allegation. Hope Uzodinma was an APC agent while he was in PDP. That was why APC used him as an agent to support Ali Modu Sheriff, but they failed. It is unfortunate that people of questionable character are in Government. Hope Uzodinma cannot talk about the attempted removal of APC National Chairman and mention the PDP. What is our business in the attempted removal of Oshiomhole? APC does not mean well for Nigeria. It is a party of strange bedfellows merely formed to take over power. If Senator Uzodinma dares to make such false comments again about the PDP , we will tell the world about him. That he fraudulently took the mandate of PDP does not mean that PDP is weak. Hope Uzodinma lacks the capacity to discuss the PDP. Twitter: @daviqy_sabad Post Views: 3 Pubs here that stayed open for St Patrick's Day celebrations - despite advice from the Prime Minister that people should avoid them to curb the spread of coronavirus - have been lambasted online. Among those advertising that they were open for business yesterday were Filthy McNasty's and The Rock Bar in west Belfast. Quinns in Newcastle held a St Patrick's Eve party on Monday night, although they did announce they were shutting their bar yesterday. Boris Johnson stopped short of ordering pubs to shut their doors, so they have been legally entitled to stay open since his address to the nation on Monday. But that didn't stop a backlash which saw many furious messages posted on social media. The Rock Bar had advertised drinks promotions and 10 hours of music, including a set by convicted IRA bomber Brendan 'Bik' McFarlane. But yesterday there were dozens of comments on Twitter in response to the advertisement, including from Sinn Fein Senator Niall O Donnghaile who said: "Delete your account." Other comments included a post from a user called Steve saying: "You guys have got this so wrong." Caoimhe Rua said: "Ah cop on lads. No amount of takings is worth the health of your staff and customers. Get 'er closed. We'll buy a load of pints when we come out the other side." A user called Marymo said: "What are you playing at. Literally in the middle of a pandemic?" Green Party councillor Brian Smyth called it "a total disregard for the community around you". Meanwhile, Filthy McNasty's on Belfast's Dublin Road came in for flak for advertising on Facebook that it was "business as usual" as they wished punters a "Happy St Patrick's Day". They said on Monday: "We want to ensure that you and all our customers feel safe during the St Patrick's celebrations with us today and tomorrow. "We are continuing to monitor the situation, following the advice from WHO and keeping our hygiene to the highest standard to safeguard all our staff and customers. We are still open for business and want to invite you to our events that will be controlled in a safe and healthy manner!" But they faced condemnation on their Facebook page, including from Paul O'Hare, who said: "Lots of other bars are closing! Do the right thing by closing, for the collective good!" And Rory Brolly posted on their page: "Every other bar has voluntarily closed its doors. All bars down South ordered to close. "Nothing 'safe' or 'healthy' about it ... close your doors." The Belfast Telegraph contacted the bars yesterday and was unable to get through to The Rock Bar or Filthy McNasty's. Quinns confirmed yesterday that they were open for their St Patrick's Eve event on Monday and remained open for "carry-out food and off-sales, but the bar is closed". On Monday evening Mr Johnson announced a number of recommendations to try and combat the spread of coronavirus, including advising everyone to avoid gatherings and crowded places such as pubs, clubs and theatres. On Sunday in the Republic the Irish Government asked all pubs, including hotel bars, to close from Monday until at least March 29 to curb the spread of Covid-19, and also strongly advised against house parties while the pubs are closed. World smartphone market leader Samsung allegedly plans to fix nearly all of its Galaxy S20 flagships problems with a single update. Thats based on a recent tweet shared by Max Weinbach, detailing the fixes that are incoming. The fix will apply to each of the devices in the Samsung Galaxy S20 series. So theyll arrive for the Samsung Galaxy S20, S20 Plus, and S20 Ultra. Which Samsung Galaxy S20 issues are getting a fix here? The Samsung Galaxy S20 fixes that are listed in the tweet are fairly vague. On the one hand, the update is said to bring an end to overheating problems that occur when Qi-based wireless charging is used. But it will also improve and fix battery management and Wi-Fi stability. Finally, the Camera app should no longer freeze after the update. Advertisement That doesnt necessarily provide an in-depth look at whats been going wrong with the Galaxy S20 series. But details are given to some extent by subsequent responses and other information thats already been available. Among other problems, the stability of Wi-Fi connections has been such that devices are kicking over to mobile data even when Wi-Fi appears to be on and connected. The overheating problem appears to be more universal, with some users reporting overheating without the device being actively charged. Thats using wireless or wired charging. Overheating during charging is arguably more dangerous though, so its good to see Samsung addressing that issue if the leaked information is true. Meanwhile, battery management fixes should address any problems with both battery life. But it should also address battery management features that may lead to latency or other issues in apps. Advertisement The exact timeline for an update is still a bit dodgy Now, it is certainly good news that Samsung plans to offer a fix for such a wide array of Galaxy S20 issues. If all of those arrive in a single update, thats even better. Some smartphone manufacturers have a tendency to take several updates and that varies from device to device. Even a global leader such as Samsung has had some history with the problem. The leaked information doesnt necessarily provide too much detail either. In particular, theres no exact date or even a range of dates associated with the incoming update. The most recent firmware update put out by Samsung, specifically for this series, was only just revealed in late February. That followed just days after a similar update was actually launched in Korea. That update didnt contain the fixes outlined here and Samsung users elsewhere may still be waiting for it to arrive. So theres a good chance that the next update is a month or two out at the earliest. Advertisement Conversely, Samsung may launch a new firmware version before that if it deems the issues worthy of a quicker fix. But, historically, smartphone OEMs havent gone that route, even with flagships. So it seems unlikely the changes will land anytime soon. The UK's Stobart Group has warned investors that it is evaluating how to manage liabilities it has to Dublin-based Stobart Air. Stobart Air is part of Connect Airways, in which Stobart has a 30pc stake. Virgin Travel Group, a subsidiary of Virgin Atlantic, also has a 30pc stake, while Cyrus Equity Partners owns 40pc. Stobart Air operates the Aer Lingus Regional service on a franchise basis. Stobart Group, whose CEO is Warwick Brady, said that a number of guarantees and potential lease obligations exist between it and the separate subsidiaries of Connect Airways, being Stobart Air and Propius, which have been impacted by the collapse of Flybe. Flybe, which was also part of Connect, collapsed last month. "Stobart Group is actively evaluating how best to address and manage these liabilities and is in discussion with stakeholders regarding the most appropriate solutions," the company said in a statement. Stobart Group also owns London's Southend Airport. "Given the current market conditions, additional liquidity is likely to be required and the group is actively reviewing the most appropriate sources of funds to cover the period during which the airport is affected by the Covid-19 virus," the company said. "In addition, the group has moved swiftly to take measures to conserve cash and reduce its cost base in order to provide further resilience through this period," it stated. Last week, Stobart Air boss Andy Jolly wrote to workers, urgently seeking staff to take unpaid leave or to accept reduced hours. It has also halted recruitment and frozen pay rises. Prior to the collapse of Flybe, Stobart Air was operating more than 1,000 flights a week on 38 routes. "The short-term uncertainty driven by the Covid-19 outbreak has impacted on global airport passenger traffic generally, and London Southend Airport specifically," Stobart Group said in a trading update. It added: "The airport's airline partners have cautioned that they are undertaking significant route cancellations. "These actions are likely to continue on a rolling basis for the foreseeable future and could result in the grounding of the majority of airline fleets." Elise Wilkerson has survived cancer, heart failure and lung complications, but the prospect of visiting one of Houstons crowded immigration facilities amid a growing pandemic puts the 74-year-old attorney in a panic, especially the thought of attending court with one of her elderly clients. I have no desire to go in and put myself in harms away, she said, noting the ripple effect exposure to coronavirus would have on her clients, friends and family. Ive had other attorneys call me crying people really are very worried and very upset by the idea that the government wants them to go to work under these circumstances. Although many government entities, including courts, have suspended business in the wake of the expanding outbreak, the teeming immigration courts have continued operating in close quarters with limited postponements although the closures ratcheted up on Wednesday in some areas of the country. The ongoing proceedings united parties on all sides of the courtroom Tuesday in a singular goal: to halt in-person hearings. Following calls to stop the mass gatherings, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), canceled court settings for non-detained immigrants Wednesday and shuttered its court building on South Gessner Road and several other facilities around the country based on its continuing evaluation of information from local, regional, state, and federal officials regarding the coronavirus pandemic. But the Justice Department, which oversees EOIR, will press forward with settings for detained immigrants, including those under so-called remain in Mexico orders. And all other hearings have continued unabated with the exception of those held at the closed specific locations in Houston, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Seattle, New York City, Newark, Atlanta, Louisville and Memphis. Elizabeth M. Mendoza Macias, the local liaison for the American Immigration Lawyers Association to EOIR, said closing non-detained hearings this week was a very big deal. It accounts for the vast majority of the 50,000-case docket and helps flatten curve and alleviate some of the risk. But proceedings before five judges who oversee detained immigrant cases in Conroe will continue amid the risk of viral transmission, she said: The history of ICE providing health care to detainees is spotty at best, and the detainees in there have no choice because theyre in federal custody. In addition, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has close field offices and suspended in-person service around the country for asylum, naturalization and adjustment of status matters through April 1. USCIS staff remain on duty but will work without access to the public and can provide emergency services in limited cases through its contact center, according to an online post Wednesday. On Tuesday immigration judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys called for an immediate closure of the countrys 64 immigration courts amid the public health crisis, which President Donald Trump declared a national emergency. Alternatively, the group is asking the Justice Department to hold proceedings via telephone or video link. Everyone who works at court and everyone who has to go to court for a hearing is at risk of getting sick, said Mendoza Macias. She is worried if she goes to court and fulfills her legal and moral obligation to her client she could expose her daughter, who has asthma to the disease. Its very terrifying that as an attorney Im facing this stark choices. Judge Ashley Tabaddor, who heads the National Association of Immigration Judges, said in a press call that her colleagues had just learned this week about an immigration judge in Denver who reported COVID-19 symptoms. The judge had taken a break from her duties, but her courtroom was still operating, Tabaddor said. Brandon Roche, a Houston lawyer who has a pregnant wife and a toddler at home, said on Monday he probably crossed paths with more than 100 people along the way to a proceeding inside a tiny shipping container in Brownsville for a client who is detained under Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) the remain in Mexico law in Matamoros. And Fanny Behar-Ostrow, who represents 900 members of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 511, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement trial lawyers, , said she was baffled by Justice Deparments refusal to close or postpone immigration hearings during a global health crisis. We oppose an edict that forces respondents to choose between attending court or exposing themselves, she said, adding that it made no sense to press on under the conditions. We dont understand their logic or policy concern. The ICE lawyers group, the immigration lawyers association and the judges association, joined forces to demand the emergency closure of the courts in keeping with public health protocols regarding the highly contagious virus. Detained immigrants elsewhere in the country still must make master calendar appearances, the equivalent of arraignments, where dozens of people are often jammed cheek-to-jowl inside a small room. Attorney Magali Suarez Candler said even with Wednesdays closures, she is concerned that ICE is conducting business as usual, with no postponements of civil cases for detained defendants or new orders at detention centers and or MPP courts at the border. The united group opposing business as usual said in its Tuesday statement that these are extraordinary times and the Justice Departments response to the outbreak and potential spread of the disease was insufficient and not premised on transparent scientific information. Dr. Ashish Jha, a professor of global health at Harvard, said at the groups press briefing that the danger at these courts is that it is impossible to determine which people at a hearing may be ill with the COVID-19 virus and infection can happen when people are asymptomatic. I believe if were going to have a shot at dealing with the outbreak, we should have no gatherings of five or more, said Jha, who directs Harvards Global Health Institute. We really are in the middle of the most important public health crisis of the last century. During these very unprecedented times, I believe we need to make decisions that will have substantial consequences, he said. Staff writer Brooke A. Lewis contributed. gabrielle.banks@chron.com The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and the Petroleum Commission (PC) have agreed to collaborate to standardise oil measurement in the country. The decision was arrived at during a meeting between Professor Alex Dodoo, Director-General of the GSA and Egbert Fabaille Jnr, the Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Petroleum Commission in Accra. The discussions centered on ensuring compliance in the upstream petroleum fiscal metering, cooperation between the two bodies and the way forward. The meeting followed the call by parliament to PC to work with the GSA to check the measurement of Ghanas oil meant for export. It followed concerns raised by some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) about the metering system used by multinational companies producing oil in Ghana. Prof. Dodoo has maintained that the measurement of oil meant for export cannot be left in the hands of foreigners, calling on relevant state institutions in the oil and gas industry to collaborate with the GSA to protect Ghanaian interest in the export of oil. Currently, we dont have an independent way of checking what is being paid for the oil, Prof Dodoo said. The GSA has the scientific competence, but we also believe that we need to talk to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) as well as the PC to be sure that when the fuel comes out, the proper levies are collected, the State makes its money and the GSA will get a small bit, and then the PC is aware, he noted. According to him, relying on the buyer to determine the amount of barrels of oil exported puts the country in a disadvantage position, commending Parliament for urging the PC to come out with a standardised system that will be accepted by oil and gas industry players. Section 3 (d) (v) of the Petroleum Commission ACT 821, mandates the Commission to ensure compliance with fiscal metering requirements in petroleum production activities in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. The PC has engaged the GSA on a number of occasions on metering related issues in pursuance of Section 37 of the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) ACT 2016, ACT 919. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Chicago residents line up for early voting at the Roden Library Monday, March 16, 2020, in Chicago. Read more WASHINGTON Joe Biden swept to victory in Florida, Illinois, and Arizona, increasingly pulling away with a Democratic presidential primary upended by the coronavirus and building pressure on Bernie Sanders to abandon his campaign. The former vice president's third big night in as many weeks came Tuesday amid tremendous uncertainty as the Democratic contest collides with efforts to slow the spread of the virus that has shut down large swaths of American life. Polls were shuttered in Ohio, and although balloting went ahead as scheduled in the three other states, election workers and voters reported problems. Still, Biden's quest for his party's nomination now seems well within reach. His trio of wins doubled his delegate haul over Sanders, giving the former vice president a nearly insurmountable lead. Top Democratic leaders and donors have also increasingly lined up behind Biden as the best option to square off against President Donald Trump in November. Using a livestream to address supporters from his home state of Delaware, Biden seemed ready to move past the primary. He paid tribute to the Vermont senator for advancing key issues like affordable health care and combating climate change. Sen. 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," Biden said. So let me say, especially to the young voters who have been inspired by Sen. Sanders, I hear you. I know whats at stake. I know what we have to do. With the exception of North Dakota and the Northern Mariana Islands, Sanders hasn't scored a victory since Super Tuesday on March 3. He made no immediate move on Tuesday to contact Biden, according to people familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak for the candidates. During remarks early in the night, Sanders said little about the future of the race and instead focused on the coronavirus outbreak. Trump, meanwhile, formally clinched the Republican presidential nomination after facing minimal opposition. But much of the action was on the Democratic side, where higher vote totals in some key states suggested enthusiasm that even the coronavirus couldn't contain. Turnout in Floridas Democratic primary surpassed the 1.7 million who cast ballots four years ago. Sanders' path to the nomination is quickly narrowing, and some Democrats are now calling on him to drop out in the name of party unity. Top advisers have said he's considering whether the political landscape could look different as the virus continues to reshape life across the country. Still, the race increasingly favors Biden. He maintained strength on Tuesday with African Americans and older voters who have been the hallmark of his campaign. He also appeared to chip away at Sanders' previous advantage with Hispanics that helped him win Nevada and California early in the race. In Florida, Latinos made up roughly 20% of Democratic primary voters, and they largely sided with Biden. The former vice president received the support of 62% of Puerto Rican voters and 57% of Cubans, according to AP VoteCast, a broad survey of primary voters. The public health and economic havoc wreaked by the coronavirus will nonetheless influence how the presidential contest unfolds. Rallies and other big events have been canceled. Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez urged states with upcoming primaries to expand vote-by-mail and absentee balloting, as well as polling station hours trying to ensure the primary isn't further hampered going forward. 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 statement. But the damage may have already happened. Four states Louisiana, Georgia, Kentucky and Maryland have joined Ohio in moving to push back their upcoming primaries, and others may yet do so. That has left the Democratic primary calendar empty until March 29, when Puerto Rico is scheduled to go to the polls. But island leaders are working to reschedule balloting there, too. That means there is nowhere for Sanders to gain ground on Biden anytime soon, even if he could find a way to mount a sudden surge. At least one of Sanders' top advisers chided party officials for going forward with voting on Tuesday. The Democratic Party rightly berates the GOP for ignoring scientists warnings about climate change," David Sirota tweeted. "The same Dem Party just ignored scientists warnings & pushed to continue in-person elections during a lethal pandemic, rather than delaying until there is vote by mail. There were problems across the country on Tuesday. In Illinois, for instance, there was a push to relocate about 50 Chicago-area polling places after locations canceled at the last minute. Jim Allen, a spokesman for the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, said the board asked Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker last week to cancel in-person voting, but the governor refused. Pritzker countered 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, the governor said. There weren't problems, everywhere, though. Mel Dockens, a 49-year-old small-business owner, voted in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale and said it was a tough choice. But he went for Biden because he thought Sanders progressive views might turn off some Democratic voters. Its all about electability, Dockens said. "Its not that I dont trust Bernie Sanders, but I trust (Biden) a little more. Associated Press writers Bill Barrow in Atlanta, Katie Foody in Chicago, and Seth Borenstein and Alexandra Jaffe in Washington contributed to this article. Planet of the penguins? Now that most of Chicago is in self quarantine as the world grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, penguins at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago seem to be having the time of their lives. At present, over one lakh people have been infected by coronavirus which has already claimed seven thousand lives. In the United States and around the world, social distancing and self isolation are being hailed as only ways to contain the virus which is spreading faster than fire. Naturally, in Chicago too, people are avoiding public places like the Aquarium. Taking advantage of the situation, managers at the Aquarium decided to set the penguins free temporarily and allowed them to roam about the place. In photos and videos that have now gone viral, penguins can be seen waddling about the property. With no humans to get in the way, the penguins seem perfectly in their element as they visit their fellow zoomates. One particular penguin named Wellington seemed particularly impressed by the fish there! While this may be a strange time for us, these days feel normal for animals at Shedd. Our caregivers are constantly providing new experiences for the animals to explore and express their natural behaviors with. Let us know what penguin activities you would like to see! (3/3) pic.twitter.com/ftlow7iPHl Shedd Aquarium (@shedd_aquarium) March 16, 2020 In the wake of coronavirus pandemic and deteriorating global economic outlook, ratings agency Moody's has changed its forecast for the shipping industry to negative for the next 12-18 months from stable. "We have changed our outlook for the global shipping industry to negative from stable. This outlook reflects our expectations for the fundamental business conditions in the industry over the next 12 to 18 months," the agency said in a statement. According to Moody's, the EBITDA of shipping companies will decline in 2020 amid sharply reduced demand for shipping services in the wake of the coronavirus. "This is because of the expected impact of the outbreak on Chinese manufacturing output and demand for coal and iron ore in China, especially during the first half of 2020, as well as related economic disruption. As a result, we have changed the outlook for the global shipping industry to negative from stable," it said. Moody's expects the EBITDA of rated shipping companies to decline by around 6-10 per cent in 2020 compared with EBITDA growth of almost 40 per cent in 2019. The EBITDA of shipping companies globally could decline by 25-30 per cent, similar to levels last seen in 2016 when Hanjin Shipping Co went bankrupt in one of the largest recent failures in the sector, it said. The agency had maintained a stable outlook for the global shipping industry since May 2017. "We expect the supply-demand balance to tilt toward oversupply for the container shipping and dry bulk segments, especially in the first half of this year. The situation is more positive for tankers at the moment given the recent sharp drop in oil prices. We had previously expected demand and supply growth to be largely balanced across these three key shipping segments in 2020," Moody's said. It further noted that the revised supply and demand forecasts reflects its expectations for the conditions in the specific industry sectors taking into account historical industry trends as well as the likely effect of the coronavirus. The agency had recently revised down its 2020 baseline growth forecasts for all G-20 economies because it expect the coronavirus to hurt economic growth in many countries through first half of 2020 and to hamper trade. Even if it has maintained a negative outlook for container segment, the recent drop in oil prices is a positive sign as it will help offset fuel costs, especially in light of the IMO 2020 low sulphur fuel regulations that came into effect in January, Moody's said. According to the agency, some container liners have indicated that the activity in China is picking up, which is a positive, but we are also mindful of the potential for reduced commercial activity in Europe and North America as these regions battle the coronavirus. "Although there are a number of large deliveries of new vessels anticipated in 2020, we would expect many of them to be postponed. Also, the outlook for the dry bulk segment has changed to negative from stable. China is the largest importer of dry bulk commodities and the sharp reduction of Chinese demand sent the Baltic Dry Index (BDI), a key benchmark for dry bulk shipping, toward historical lows," it said. Moody's, however, noted that it would consider revising the outlook to stable if both the oversupply of vessels declines materially such that shipping supply growth does not exceed demand growth by more than two per cent and year-over-year EBITDA growth appears likely to be between -5 and +10 per cent. "The industry outlook does not represent a sum of upgrades, downgrades or ratings under review, or an average of the rating outlooks of issuers in the industry, but rather our assessment of the main direction of business fundamentals within the overall industry," it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) (L-R) Transport Minister Marc Garneau, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, and Health Minister Patty Hajdu participate in a press conference on COVID-19 at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on March 16, 2020. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press) Following WHOs Lead on CCP Virus Not the Wisest Approach Commentary The outbreak of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, that began in China and quickly spread around the world has finally led to a ban on travel to Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on March 16 that only Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and U.S. citizens would be allowed in. This decision was based on the advice of both Canadian health experts and the World Health Organization, Employment Minster Carla Qualtrough has said. But WHOs own response to the outbreakand to Beijings handling of ithas been criticized for being weak and basically following Beijings lead, given that the organization has close ties to the Chinese regime. By rights, Ottawa should have banned travellers from China immediately after news of the outbreak became public. But that would have upset Beijing. On Jan. 23, China reported 557 cases of COVID-19 and 17 deaths. There were already fourth-generation cases, infection clusters outside of Wuhan in Hubei provincethe epicentre of the outbreakand confirmed cases in Japan, Korea, Thailand, and possibly Singapore. China put Wuhan and its population of 11 million under quarantinebut 5 million had already left. They joined travellers from across the world converging all over China for its New Year celebrations on Jan. 25. Pandoras box was already open. Yet, following a meeting by WHO officials on Jan. 23, Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, This is an emergency in China, but it has not yet become a global health emergency. On Jan. 30 a WHO statement warned, It is expected that further international exportation of cases may appear in any country. Yet two weeks prior, and for many that followed, WHO advised against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on China. China had aggressively suppressed citizen reports that suggested the outbreak was worse than state media let on. On Jan. 28, Tedros travelled to Beijing to meet with Chinese Communist Party head Xi Jinping, then publicly praised Chinas efforts. On Jan. 30, WHO announced 7,781 CCP virus cases across 18 countries and declared an international emergency. John MacKenzie, a member of the WHO executive committee, said the international response would have been different had China not engaged in a reprehensible cover-up, The Financial Times reported. Almost immediately, the United States, Australia, and Singapore decided to block foreigners from entry if they were from China or had been there recently. On Feb. 3, the same Tedros who praised China for its travel ban chastised other nations for theirs, saying at an annual WHO meeting: There is no reason for measures that unnecessarily interfere with international travel and trade. We call on all countries to implement decisions that are evidence-based and consistent. By then, that evidence consisted of more than 17,000 infections in 23 countries. Tedros told the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 15 that China has bought the world time. It hadthrough travel bans he failed to recommend. It took until March 11 for WHO to declare COVID-19 a worldwide pandemic. By then 118,000 cases were found in 110 jurisdictions. Why so long? Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or carelessly. It is a word that, if misused, can cause unreasonable fear, Tedros explained, as he warned of a crisis that will touch every sector. Ah, so the CCP virus would affect travel and trade after all, only now it was too late to hold back the disease as well! WHO responded more decisively to SARS in 2003. Led by Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, WHO advised against travel to the disease epicentre in southern China. He even chastised the country over its arrest of whistleblowers and censorship of media regarding the outbreak. Tedros, however, could not forget the support Beijing gave him to become director general. Speaking at Peking University shortly before he was elected on May 24, 2017, he hailed Chinas potential to improve health measures in Africa. At his first bilateral meeting he assured Li Bin, minister of Chinas National Health and Family Planning Commission, that WHO would continue to affirm the one-China principle. Taiwan has been shut out of WHOs World Health Assembly ever since. Tedros has other reasons to not offend Beijing. In April 2017, the U.N. hosted a gathering in South Africa of health ministers from 31 African countries to facilitate initiatives there. Chinese Communist Party head Xi Jinping has pledged substantial development through its Belt and Road initiative, in 2018 committing US$60 billion in new financing for Africa. Even closer to home for Tedros is what the regime has done and continues to do in Ethiopia, where he was formerly the minister of health and of foreign affairs. China loaned Ethiopia $13.7 billion between 2000 and 2018. Now China is putting up most of the $800 million for the nations first six-lane highway and $2.9 billion toward a railroad to get exports to port in Djibouti. On March 16, Trudeau finally announced a travel ban for Canada. By then the CCP virus had killed 16 Canadians and infected 424, including his own wife. One hopes after the disease hit homequite literallythat he realized home is where the decisions for Canada need to be made. 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 mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic. A former think tank researcher, Lee Harding is now a journalist based in Saskatchewan. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Brexit LIVE: Johnson takes fishing war to EU with new 20m surveillance planes by Bill Mcloughlin March 18,2020 | Source: Express The Environment Secretary George Eustice has warned that British firms exporting fish to the EU will face friction after the post-Brexit transition period ends. The surveillance aircrafts were originally hired for rescue missions and to monitor pollution. However, leaders have hired the planes to monitor the waters. Brexit negotiations between the EU and UK had been scheduled this week but were cancelled following the coronavirus outbreak. There have also been calls for both sides to initiate an extension to the Brexit transition period which ends on December 31, 2020. So far, Boris Johnson has rejected any extension despite parts of the EU being in lockdown. The deadline to extend the period ends on June 30. If an extension is agreed, there is the possibility of having a two-year window for talks to take place. Trade expert David Henig said: I dont see how you can realistically, by the end of June, make a decision on how trade talks are going. You would be doing it with a lot of people under pressure, dealing with something that really is an arbitrary deadline. "This is the classic force majeure cause an unforeseen circumstance of the extreme degree." Theme(s): Post Harvest Technology and Trade. L ondon is emptying, fast. We are approaching lockdown. Businesses have sent staff home. Restaurants, shops, theatres are shutting; buses and tubes are running half-empty. The stock market is collapsing at a frightening pace. You can feel the money draining out of the city. Chancellor Rishi Sunak has taken firm steps to make it easier for small businesses to borrow and offer cash and business rates holidays. But its increasingly clear that many will go bust in the coming weeks as cashflow dries up. Big businesses are suffering, too. Airlines, oil explorers, cinemas are on the brink of collapse. Banks are under threat of being swamped by bad loans. Metro Bank shares have plunged 51% in the past fortnight. Barclays is trading at just 70p. Investors are fretting about the prospect of a dismal spring and summer and a potential sting in the tail if the virus returns in the autumn. Central banks are powerless to stop the anxiety. After the longest bull run in history, we are hurtling into recession. Redundancies, particularly in service businesses, will be fierce as managements fight to keep their companies afloat. Pay will be cut. Families will be poorer. Chief executives and entrepreneurs are concerned for their businesses and worried for their staff, but they are also convinced that they, and London, will recover. As City entrepreneur Michael Spencer says: Coronavirus is frightening because none of us has a really clear view of how it will pan out. Fear is always worse when you cant quantify it. But I remain an optimist. We will get through this. London, he says, always bounces back from crises. And its had some zingers Black Monday, LTCM, the global financial crisis. All seemed like end of days scenarios but were survivable. It was only a month ago that markets were flirting with record highs. Even if you measure from the boom before the financial crisis (see graphic), most key industries have grown in real terms. These recoveries are due to this citys creative brainpower. Not just the creativity of its famed TV, music, film and adland talent, but in its ability to solve the worlds biggest companies financial, legal and marketing problems. Those blue-chip clients may be hunkering down for now, but they wont forever. Basil Geoghegan, M&A partner at PJT, says: I was video-conferencing with a client this morning and he was planning his strategy not for 2020, but for 2023-25. There are long-term decisions that still need to be made. That could include takeover deals made possible by weak share prices that will create stronger companies than before. More than ever, the bounceback, when it comes, will be fuelled by the citys new industries in technology, particularly AI, which is transforming nearly all businesses. Nigel Toon, the founder of AI chips designer Graphcore, says that in China, companies such as Alibaba found being forced to use more home-working tech during the virus shutdown made them more efficient. This could be a wake-up call for firms to invest in tech and boost productivity, Toon says. Midland County Jail is restricting non-essential personnel and visitors from entering the building to reduce the risk of exposure to coronavirus. Attorney and clergy contacts may be made remotely as well as family visitation, according to Sheriff Scott Stephenson. The road patrol division will continue to respond to all calls for service, Stephenson advised in a news release. Officers will practice social distancing and wear protective gear when dealing with persons who appear sick. Starting Thursday, the Lehigh Valleys two major hospital networks are postponing some elective surgeries for at least the next two weeks, heeding advice meant to prepare for the anticipated surge in COVID-19 cases. Lehigh Valley Health Network and St. Lukes University Health Network issued a joint statement Tuesday evening laying out the new policy. Beginning Thursday, March 19, some elective surgeries will be postponed and affected patients will be contacted individually. This will not affect urgent/emergent surgery or any other elective surgery where delay could cause a negative impact on our patients health, according to the joint statement. Postponing elective surgeries helps prevent illnesses like the coronavirus from spreading, and helps hospitals conserve blood, ventilators and protective equipment for providers, the networks said. We are managing our equipment and supplies so that we are prepared for any potential escalation, LVHN spokesman Brian Downs said. Both U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams and the American College of Surgeons recommend that hospitals take this step to allow them to prepare for the anticipated surge in COVID-19 cases, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus sweeping the globe. This step helps them limit patient and caregiver exposure. All of us are working together by taking steps to avoid scenarios that happened elsewhere, especially in other countries, Downs said. I also want to encourage people to be educated and follow the protocols that have been put in place regarding social distancing and self-quarantining if youre affected by the disease. These are the things that also will hopefully keep us from reaching any next level. Pennsylvania has 96 cases of the new coronavirus as of Tuesday evening. The Lehigh Valley has two reported cases, one each in Lehigh and Northampton counties. Those figures have not changed since last weekend. Warren County reported its first case Tuesday. The Pennsylvania Department of Health says more tests results are coming in now as commercial labs become the primary source of testing, lifting some of the burden from state and hospital facilities. Negative tests far outnumber positives in Pennsylvania but the coronavirus is still spreading, which has led to aggressive measures all non-essential businesess in Pennsylvania have been asked to shut down to prevent people from congregating. All of these steps are aimed at slowing down the spread of the virus to avoid overwhelming the U.S. health care system with too many patients infected by the coronavirus at once. Hospitals have a finite number of ventilators, which the most seriously ill COVID-19 patients need, and a patient surge could strain hospitals supply of personal protective gear worn by health care workers. Downs declined to address whether LVHN is experiencing any shortages or say how many beds or ventilators the network currently has. We have plans in place. We have locations at our hospital sites we would use if the situation escalated, Downs said. We would consider the surge tents but that has not happened. Shortage concerns led Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday to ask construction companies to donate all of their N95 face masks to local hospitals and stop ordering new ones. The surgeon general in February on Twitter asked people to stop buying the masks. Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS! They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers cant get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk! https://t.co/UxZRwxxKL9 U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) February 29, 2020 New data released from the Harvard Global Health Institute illustrates how the U.S. health care system is expected to be overwhelmed by an influx of patients infected by the coronavirus and illustrates how demand will vary dramatically across the nation. The research found that in a moderate scenario, where 40% of the regions population -- an estimated 80,000 coronavirus patients -- contracts the disease over a year, the Lehigh Valley would need to expand capacity, according to ProPublica. The patients would need 2,700 beds over that year, which is 2.1 times the number of available beds over that period, ProPublica reports. In 2018, the region had 3,270 total hospital beds, of which about 61% were occupied, potentially leaving 1,270 beds open for new patients, ProPublica reports. This includes 330 intensive care unit beds, according to data from the American Hospital Association and the American Hospital Directory. ProPublica reports that under researchers best-case scenario, Americans heed calls for using social distancing to slow the spread of the virus, and the adult infection rate stays low at 20%, or 49.4 million people over 18. Thats less than twice the amount of people who get the flu each year. St. Lukes and LVHN reminded residents that each person plays a major role in this unprecedented crisis and urged folks to practice proper hand washing, avoid large crowds, know the symptoms and stay home. Both health networks have already put strict restrictions on visitors in place, launched coronavirus hotlines and LVHN has opened walk-in testing centers across the region. If you suspect you have COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone that does, heres what to do: St. Lukes Call your St. Lukes Physician Group practice. Download the St. Lukes App and utilize the video visit feature to connect with a doctor Call the St. Lukes Coronavirus hotline at 866-785-8537 (STLUKES), option 7 Email: coronavirus@sluhn.org For more information on the coronavirus, consult the Pennsylvania Department of Health or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 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. Joe Biden swept to victory in Florida, Illinois and Arizona on Tuesday, increasingly pulling away with a Democratic presidential primary upended by the coronavirus and building pressure on Bernie Sanders to abandon his campaign. The former vice president's third big night in as many weeks came amid tremendous uncertainty confronting the Democratic contest as it collides with efforts to slow the spread of the virus that have shut down large swaths of American life. Polls were shuttered in Ohio, and although balloting went ahead as scheduled in the three other states, election workers and voters reported problems. Biden's quest for his party's nomination now seems well within reach. He needs less than half of the remaining delegates. The party establishment has also lined up behind him as the best option in November to try and unseat President Donald Trump. Using a livestream to address supporters from his home state of Delaware, Biden seemed ready to move past the primary. He paid tribute to Sanders for advancing key issues like affordable health care and combating climate change. Technavio has been monitoring the retail market in Indonesia and it is poised to grow by USD 42.34 bn during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of almost 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 of 2020-2024 This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005255/en/ Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Retail Market in Indonesia 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire) The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation 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. Expansion of the retail landscape has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market. Retail Market in Indonesia 2019-2023: Segmentation Retail Market in Indonesia is segmented as below: Product Food and Beverages (F B) Electrical and Electronics Apparel and Footwear Home Improvement and Household Products Others Distribution Channel Offline Online Retail Format Convenience Stores Department Stores Drugstores and Pharmacies Supermarkets and Hypermarkets Online Retailers 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=IRTNTR31513 Retail Market in Indonesia 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 retail market in Indonesia report covers the following areas: Retail Market in Indonesia Size Retail Market in Indonesia Trends Retail Market in Indonesia Industry Analysis This study identifies growth in e-commerce as one of the prime reasons driving the retail market in Indonesia growth during the next few years. Retail Market in Indonesia 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the retail market in Indonesia, including some of the vendors such as PT Circleka Indonesia Utama, PT Hero Supermarket Tbk, PT Indomarco Prismatama, PT Multipolar Tbk and PT Sumber Alfaria Trijaya Tbk. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the retail market in Indonesia 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 Retail Market in Indonesia 2019-2023: Key Highlights CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023 Detailed information on factors that will assist retail market in Indonesia growth during the next five years Estimation of the retail market in Indonesia size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior The growth of the retail market in Indonesia Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of retail market in Indonesia 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 PRODUCT Market segmentation by product Comparison by product Food and beverages Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Electrical and electronics Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Apparel and footwear Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Home improvement and household products Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Others Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by product PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE PART 08: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL Market segmentation by distribution channel PART 09: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY RETAIL FORMAT Market segmentation by retail format Comparison by retail format Convenience stores Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Department stores Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Drugstores and pharmacies Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Supermarkets and hypermarkets Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Online retailers Market size and forecast 2018-2023 Market opportunity by retail format PART 10: DECISION FRAMEWORK PART 11: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES Market drivers Market challenges PART 12: MARKET TRENDS Growing preference for local brands Growth in e-commerce Rising market activities by retailers PART 13: VENDOR LANDSCAPE Overview Landscape disruption Competitive scenario PART 14: VENDOR ANALYSIS Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors PT Circleka Indonesia Utama PT Hero Supermarket Tbk PT Indomarco Prismatama PT Multipolar Tbk PT Sumber Alfaria Trijaya Tbk PART 15: APPENDIX Research methodology List of abbreviations Definition of market positioning of vendors 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/20200318005255/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ Can't allow every person who thinks of some solution to COVID-19 to file petition: SC MP floor test: SC to hear matter today India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Mar 18: The Supreme Court will today hear a batch of petitions seeking a directive for a trust vote to be held in Madhya Pradesh. The court had on Tuesday directed the Kamal Nath government to respond to a notice by 10.30 am today. The side appearing for the Kamal Nath government did not show up at Supreme Court on Tuesday, 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. Meanwhile, the Kamal Nath government has also moved the SC seeking the release of 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. Madhya Pradesh: Governor well within his right to order floor test 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. 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: Wednesday, March 18, 2020, 8:02 [IST] Employees look over 2018 Honda Accord vehicle before being driven off the assembly line at the Honda of America Manufacturing Inc. Marysville Auto Plant in Marysville, Ohio, U.S., on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2017. Honda North America and BMW are closing plants throughout the U.S. and Europe this week due to an anticipated decline in demand for cars related to the global coronavirus outbreak. Honda North America announced it will be closing four U.S.-based plants starting March 23 due to an anticipated decline in market demand. In a statement, Honda said it would halt production for six days with plans to return by the end of the month. The hiatus will reduce production by approximately 40,000 vehicles, the company said. "As the market impact of the fast-changing COVID-19 situation evolves, Honda will continue to evaluate conditions and make additional adjustments as necessary," the company said in a statement. "In undertaking this production adjustment, Honda is continuing to manage its business carefully through a measured approach to sales that aligns production with market demand." Approximately 27,600 Honda associates in North America will be affected by this temporary suspension of production, but the company said it will continue full pay for all its associates. Honda said it will utilize the time to continue deep cleaning its production facilities and common areas to further protect associates upon their return to the plants. The hiatus will also enable working parents to adjust their lifestyles and determine how to manage the needs of children staying home, Honda said. In Europe, BMW announced it has started to shutter its dealerships and plants, which will close by the end of this week. The interruption to the plants is scheduled to run until mid-April, the company said. BMW said its production is geared toward sales forecasts, and the company is adjusting production volumes in line with demand. "Demand for cars, like many other goods, will decrease significantly," BMW said in a statement. The factory closures come after the United Auto Workers union reached a deal with Ford, Fiat Chrysler and General Motors on Tuesday that would partially shut down facilities in the U.S. The actions are a compromise between the companies and the union after UAW President Rory Gamble on Sunday urged the automakers to cease production for two weeks due to the spread of the virus in the U.S. It's unclear at this time how the union and automakers plan to implement the "rotating partial" shutdowns. The union said it expects "more detailed information to be released in the next 24 hours." The coronavirus has now infected over 200,000 people across the globe and has killed at least 8,000 people. In the U.S., it has infected more than 6,400 and has killed at least 114. CNBC's Michael Wayland contributed to this report. There is growing outrage among workers in the United States and internationally over the fact that they continue to be kept on the job in the face of the spreading coronavirus pandemic and that no measures are being taken to secure their lives and livelihoods. On Tuesday afternoon, autoworkers at a Fiat Chrysler plant in Tipton, Indiana gathered outside their plant before their shift began to protest being made to work even as large gatherings outside of work have been prohibited throughout the state. Management told them that if they did not work, they would be fired, a threat that was supported by the United Auto Workers during a plantwide meeting held to bully workers to get back to the line. The same day, scores of workers at the Lear Seating plant in Hammond, Indiana refused to work, forcing the shutdown of the parts factory and the nearby Chicago Assembly Plant. Bus drivers in Detroit have also refused to work in unsafe conditions. Workers assemble Ford trucks at the Ford Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, KY (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley) This follows a job action by paint shop workers at Fiat Chryslers Warren Truck Assembly Plant in suburban Detroit on Monday and a similar work stoppage by Canadian Fiat Chrysler workers last Thursday in Windsor, Ontario. Workers in the auto and other industries have engaged in widespread strikes in Italy and Spain over being forced to continue working amidst a nationwide lockdown. Several autoworkers have already tested positive, including at the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant outside of Detroit. There can be no doubt that, as a result of the criminal decision to keep production going, a far larger number of workers are already infected. Manufacturing plants throughout the US are being kept in operation. Boeing, which is requesting tens of billions of dollars in government bailout money, is forcing workers to maintain operations, even as senior management have been instructed to work from home. Several Boeing workers have already contracted coronavirus, and it has certainly spread much further. Workers in the service industry, who come into contact with hundreds of people every day, continue to work. Amazon is hiring hundreds of thousands of workers to meet the surge in demand for online shopping. While management is working at home, the horrific conditions in Amazon warehouses remain the same. One worker told Buzzfeed News, They're offering no preventative solutions, only payment for workers after weve been infected, which doesn't help to slow the spread of the pandemic or alleviate the suffering [and] risk of death from contracting it. In other words, Amazon considers the lives of its workers to be expendable, and any paid leave it offers to those who contract the virus is considered part of the cost of business, more than made up for by the surge in profits. There is no reason that workers in industries that are not essential to the functioning of society should continue to work. Workers in essential industries, such as health care, must be provided with safe working conditions. Medical workers throughout the country are outraged over the fact that they are being forced to carry out their critical jobs under highly dangerous conditions without the most basic safety equipment. Other workers have been laid off or have had a sharp cut in their hours and income. Unemployment is already beginning to rise, and estimates are that it could increase to as high as 20 percent. Uber and Lyft drivers and other workers in the gig economy continue to be exposed to dangerous conditions if they are able to get work. The striving of workers to take collective action to protect their health and safety and those of their communities has been blocked at every step by the trade unions. For these corporate lackeys, the profit interests of the companies take precedence over the lives of the workers they claim to represent. Late Tuesday, the United Auto Workers, a criminal syndicate whose entire top leadership is under indictment or threat of indictment on federal corruption charges, announced that it would take no action. Instead, it said it would only work with the companies that put in place new measures that will increase adherence to CDC recommendations on social distancing in the workplace. The UAW has touted this deal as a partial shutdown. In fact, production will continue, with at most a reduction in shifts. The aim is to keep the lines running to extract every last penny of profits from workers whose lives are in danger. On Tuesday night, workers responded with outrage on social media. Comments on the UAW Facebook post announcing the deal included: So again, nothing will get done, and the workers arent protected; How about a mass walkout?; Shut down the plants already; You [the UAW] spent hours talking and concluded to do exactly what we were already doing sounds like the contract negotiations! To prevent the further spread of the virus and to save millions of lives, all nonessential workplaces must be shut down immediately! No worker should be expected to place his or her life in danger. All production must be redirected to producing urgent necessities, including health care equipment. Workers will gladly continue to work when they know that what they are doing will save lives, but this work must be carried out under safe conditions, overseen by scientists and health care professionals. All workers who are laid off must receive full pay, financed by the corporations and state resources. All workers must have access to paid sick leave. Rent, mortgage and utility payments must be suspended during the coronavirus crisis to ensure that any worker seeing a reduction in his or her income is able to afford basic necessities. The claim that there is no money to meet these demands is the most absurd claim of all. All these corporations have piled up billions in profits through the exploitation of their workers. Trillions have been turned over to Wall Street. These resources must instead be directed to meeting urgent social needs. To fight for these demands, workers should form rank-and-file factory and workplace committees, independent of the corrupt unions, to defend their health and safety. Workers should use all the means at their disposal, including social media, to organize opposition, hold meetings and discussions, reach out to workers in other industries, and coordinate with workers internationally. The rights of workers cannot be secured through individual action, but only through collective struggle. This must be combined with a program of action to defend the whole working class, including demands to provide full testing, free and equal health care for all, and a massive reallocation of resources to fight the deadly virus. Trillions of dollars must be taken from the hands of the financial oligarchy and placed at the disposal of a globally-coordinated response to the pandemic. As the Socialist Equality Party National Committee stated yesterday: The essential principle that must guide the response to the crisis is that the needs of working people must take absolute and unconditional priority over all considerations of corporate profit and private wealth. It is not a matter of what the ruling class claims it can afford, but what masses of people need. Now is the time to organize and fight for this program. Millions of lives are at stake. We love all of our visitors from Pennsylvania, North Jersey, New York and farther away, Thornton said. But this is not the time to be visiting the shore as we try to focus resources needed during this pandemic to our residents. Ocean County College donates perishable food amid shutdown: Education briefs TOMS RIVER Ocean County College has directed its food service provider to gather all peris Officials are also concerned about putting an undue burden on Cape Regional Medical Center, Thornton said. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} We are hoping that people act responsibly now so we can minimize the health impacts in as short of a period of time as possible, Thornton said. It would be best if people could stay in their full-time residence for now as we address this current outbreak. Joan Frizzell, of Upper Dublin, in Pennsylvanias Montgomery County, is a registered nurse and a professor at a private university. Shes had this week, her spring break, on her calendar for months. She didnt come to her condo in Ocean City because of the spread of COVID-19, but it didnt help that she had toilet paper and a freezer full of food. She and a friend, a year-round Ocean City resident, got into an argument over her coming to the shore town. Shes staying out of stores, spending her time grading papers and keeping her distance from other walkers on the Boardwalk. UPDATED: These South Jersey businesses remain open amid the COVID-19 pandemic EDITORS NOTE: As of March 31, this story will no longer be updated. An update list of restau Advertisement A series of photographs taken in recent days show how motorways, tourist attractions and places of worship have emptied in response to world government's attempts to battle coronavirus. Government restrictions have tightened from Singapore to Libya this week, with citizens either cocooning themselves away or fleeing to borders to return home before time runs out. One poignant image shows the Woodlands Causeway between Singapore and Malaysia, rammed with vehicles yesterday, but completely deserted today. The haunting images come after Malaysia implemented a border closures, forcing Singaporeans to flee. Another shows Shi'ite pilgrims as they visit the Imam Ali Shrine in Iraq's holy city of Najaf on Monday. A combination image shows the shrine abandoned today after the Iraqi government tightened controls to stem the spread of the disease. The worldwide infection toll for the killer coronavirus has now topped 200,000 after doubling in less than two weeks. Cases of the highly contagious virus now exceed 203,000, according to data compiled by the John Hopkins University. The global toll reached six figures on March 7, more than two months after the outbreak first began in Wuhan, China, in late December. A combination photo of the Woodlands Causeway between Singapore and Malaysia, before (top) and after Malaysia imposed a lockdown on travel over the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak March 17 (top) and 18, 2020 A combination picture shows Shi'ite Muslim pilgrims walking at Imam Ali Shrine in the holy city of Najaf, Iraq March 16, 2020 and the shrine seen empty of people on March 18, 2020, as the Iraqi government takes measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus. A combination picture shows passengers wearing protective face masks as they wait at Najaf airport, following the outbreak of coronavirus, in Najaf, Iraq March 15, 2020 and the airport seen empty of passengers as flights are suspended, amid concerns over the disease spread March 17, 2020 A combination picture shows men in traditional costumes riding horses at Souq Waqif, following the outbreak of coronavirus, in Doha, Qatar March 12, 2020 and the Souq seen almost empty, amid concerns over the disease spread March 17, 2020 Another startling picture shows people outside Buckingham Palace in London on March 13 (bottom) and the same scene on March 18 (top) A combination photo of the Woodlands Causeway between Singapore and Malaysia, before (left) and after Malaysia imposed a lockdown on travel over the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak March 17 and 18, 2020 (right) A combination picture shows children playing on swings at the beach in Ashkelon, Israel March 16, 2020 and the same area on March 17, 2020, as Israel takes stringent steps to contain the coronavirus A combination picture shows young men exercising at a bodybuilding club in Benghazi, Libya, March 15, 2020 and the same club seen empty of people as a precaution against the coronavirus, March 17, 2020 A combination picture shows people visiting an outdoor shopping area at the marina in Ashkelon, Israel March 16, 2020 and the same area on March 17, 2020, as Israel takes stringent steps to contain the coronavirus A combination picture shows Iraqi people walking at a market near Imam Ali Shrine, in the holy city of Najaf, Iraq March 16, 2020 and the market seen empty of people on March 18, 2020, as the Iraqi government takes measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus A combination photo of the Woodlands Causeway between Singapore and Malaysia, before (left) and after Malaysia imposed a lockdown on travel over the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak March 17 (left) and 18, 2020. A combination picture shows visitors gathering in an area near the entrance of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City March 9, 2020 and the same area on March 17, 2020, as Israel takes stringent steps to contain the coronavirus Combination picture shows one of Lisbon's most emblematic monuments, Torre de Belem, on 8 August 2015 (top) and 18 March 2020 (bottom). The number of confirmed cases in Portugal raised to 642 today One of the main underground lines in downtown Lisbon, Portugal, on 15 November 2016 (top) compared with today (bottom). The number of confirmed cases in the country has raised by 194 more since yesterday The combination image shows one of the main squares in Lisbon, Portugal, on 3 October three years ago (top) compared with today, 18 March (bottom) The side-by-side picture shows one of the main squares in downtown Lisbon on 13 August 2015 (left) and today (right) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Thousands of Roman Catholic families on Staten Island are anxiously awaiting word from their parishes about upcoming First Holy Communion Masses that most likely will be postponed due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. During the sacrament of First Holy Communion, considered one of the holiest and most important occasions in a Catholics life, a person receives the sacrament of the Eucharist for the first time. In each of Staten Islands bustling parishes, the First Holy Communion Masses draw hundreds of children, along with family and friends, to celebrate the occasion in worship, and again later at private parties. With large gatherings currently prohibited in New York City amid the coronavirus outbreak, and all Catholic Masses canceled by the Archdiocese of New York until further notice, it seems unlikely any of the events -- planned for April and May -- will take place as planned. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK *** Im very upset for my daughter, said Jennifer Buthorn, whos daughter, Victoria, had been preparing to receive the sacrament on April 25 at Holy Child R.C. Church, Eltingville. She said that parish families received an email from the church Wednesday explaining that the April 25 Communion Mass was not happening, but a future date has not yet been set.. I want to see her receive her sacrament and celebrate with everyone, she said. But Im trying to look at the bright side. It will happen. Its not the churchs fault. Its just one of many things we have to deal with now. At other Island parishes, families also await word. Calls to several parish pastors and the Archdiocese of New York made by the Advance/SILive.com have not yet been answered. At Blessed Sacrament R.C. Church, West Brighton, the same situation is unfolding. Some students have been informed by religious education instructors that the Communion Mass would be postponed, but formal notification has not yet been given. Parishioners at Sacred Heart R.C. Church, also in West Brighton, have also heard rumors of cancellation, but havent gotten official word yet. Plans for large family celebrations are being cancelled daily there. I can tell you from my group of Communion moms, none of us have sent out our invitations, said Janine McGinley, whose daughter, Hope, was expecting to receive the sacrament on May 8. Its March already. They already cancelled CCD. Theyre basically done with their year of learning for it, so hopefully theyll let them do it as soon as this (pandemic) ends. McGinley said the ripple effect of cancelled First Holy Communion Masses will be a hard hit to Staten Island catering businesses, where many had planned celebrations. Shes already seeing the effect of the coronavirus pandemic at Flagship Brewery, the business she and her husband, Matt, run with Tricia and Jay Sykes. Its a losing battle, said Tricia Sykes, who has several Communion celebrations booked at the Flagship Brewery, in Tompkinsville, along with birthday parties and engagement parties all being cancelled. Last week, looking at my calendar, I was booked solid. And now, my calendar is completely open. Its a scary feeling.'' This week, the Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced an 8 p.m. closure time for the states restaurants, bars, gyms, movie theaters and casinos in regional coordination with Connecticut and New Jersey. The mandate, which also includes limits of 50 people gathering, went into effect at on Monday. 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. RELATED COVERAGE: Coughs, sneezes, surfaces: Heres how coronavirus is and isnt spread How the coronavirus hit Staten Island: A timeline of the pandemic in our borough Governor seeks to limit coronavirus impact on hospitals NYPD Commissioner: Cooperation, not closures, expected for ban on dining at restaurants and bars Two Australian scientists believe they have found the cure for coronavirus Coronavirus case confirmed at St. Ritas School New York coronavirus cases near 1,000 with 19 on Staten Island Doctors should keep offices open for chronic disease patients, cancel non-essential visits, expert says S.I. to be first borough with drive-thru testing for coronavirus A country in coronavirus lockdown: An account from Italy Julie Curry Photography / Contributed photo Buddy The Buddy Holly Story has been rescheduled. Instead of running March 20 through April 5 at Music Theatre of Connecticut MainStage in Norwalk, the show will be presented Friday, May 15, through Sunday, May 31. The theater announced the change on its website, saying, Like so many of you, MTC has witnessed COVID-19 spread from an isolated outbreak to a distressing global pandemic. Here at MTC, the health, safety and well-being of patrons, students, staff and artists is tantamount. With that in mind, we have rescheduled our production... Advertisement The finalists for Australia's most celebrated surf photography competition have been revealed. The Nikon Surf Photo and Video of the Year Awards celebrate the best surf photography from across the country in 2019. The 20 images selected as finalists were chosen by a panel of 10 high-profile judges, including seven-time World Surfing Champion Stephanie Gilmore. 'Nikon Australia invited local surf photographers and videographers of all levels to have their work acknowledged and celebrated across the industry,' an official statement read. 'Revealing the incredible energy and beauty of the ocean, and the high calibre of local talent.' The images were judged on innovation, creativity, dramatic affect, sensory impact, uniqueness and composition of the panel. Surfing Australia CEO Chris Mater said the competition plays an important role in Australia's surfing scene. 'The Awards are a hugely important event on our calendar because they give the Australian surfing community a chance to honour our best,' he said. The winners of the Nikon Surf Photo and Video of the Year awards will be announced over the coming months. Nikon Australia has announced the finalists for the prestigious Nikon Surf Photo and Video of the Year Awards along with releasing the top 20 images chosen. This picture by Travis Johnson is titled 'Froth Monster' Nikon Australia invited local surf photographers and videographers of all levels to have their work acknowledged. The above stunning image, captured by Stu Gibson is titled 'Danny sunset stern' A panel of 10 high-profile judges from within the surfing industry including Nikon Brand Ambassador and seven-time World Surfing Champion, Stephanie Gilmore. Photographer Tom Pearsall called this image 'An unusual relationship' The judges were tasked with selecting the best of the best surfing photos and videos submissions based on a list of criteria. Photographer Gergo Rugli titled the above image 'Warrior' Photographer Tom Pearsall called this photo 'Jack in a Box'. The images were judged on innovation, creativity, dramatic affect, sensory impact, uniqueness and composition of the panel. This image is titled Driftwood and was taken by photographer Tom Pearsall Surfing Australia CEO Chris Mater said the competition plays an important role in Australia's surfing scene. The above photo, by Trent Slatter, is titled 'Empty' 'We are proud to continue our support in celebrating the breathtaking stories captured by our talented surf photographers and videographers for the eighth year running,' Mr Mater said. Pictured is an image by Andrew Leach whcih he titled 'David and Goliath' The 2020 Nikon Surf Photo and Video of the Year Awards celebrate the best surf photography and videography from across Australia. Photographer Ren McGan captured this shot, calling it 'Free Fall' This year's competition saw an increase in submissions from various surfing landscapes around the world. The picture is titled 'Cascade' and is from Ray Collins 'The Awards are a hugely important event on our calendar because they give the Australian surfing community a chance to honour our best, whether it be in the water competing or behind a lens,' Mr Mater said. Peter Jovic named this photo 'No Looking Back' The winners of the Nikon Surf Photo and Video of the Year awards will be announced over the coming months through a new television format. Ren McGann's second entry into the competition is titled 'The Right.' The winner of the Nikon Surf Video of the Year Award will receive a Nikon Z 6 kit while the winner of the Nikon Surf Photo of the Year Award will take home a Nikon Z 7. This photo is by Jamie Scott, titled 'I can't hear you' The 2020 Nikon Surf Photo and Video of the Year Awards celebrate the best surf photography and videography from across Australia. Photographer Peter Jovic titled this photo 'Gun Barrel' The wards have been running for eight years now and has drawn out some of the country's best surf photographers. Jamie Scott entered this image and titled it 'In the thick of it' Australia is well known world wife for its surfing scene and the awards give people a chance to showcase the beauty and force of the ocean. Another entry from Ray Collins, this one is titled 'The Big Bang' The 20 finalist photos range form night shots to landscape shots showcasing ythe creativity of Australia's surf photographs. Surf photographer Paul Smith titled this image 'Flume' Some images give people new insight into what it's like to ride the barrel of a monster wave or to see the surf from a new perspective altogether. Simon Punch of Punch Photography entered this photo called 'Breathing' Creativity is one of the most important aspects of the judging which has created a wide variety of finalists photos. Matt Dunbar got creative with this shot which he called 'Duck Dive' The aim of the competition has always been to 'reveal the incredible energy and beauty of the ocean, and the high calibre of local talent. Peter Wilson named this photo 'Portugal' DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland will consult with Britain before it decides whether to participate in a European travel ban endorsed by fellow EU member states on Tuesday to contain the spread of coronavirus, a government spokesman said. EU leaders agreed to close Europe's external borders for 30 days to foreigners to combat the disease and the head of the bloc's executive said it would be up to each country to implement. Ireland's participation is complicated by the fact that it shares an open land border with the British-run province of Northern Ireland and a common travel area with the whole of the United Kingdom, which ensures freedom of movement between both islands. Neither Ireland nor Britain, which left the EU at the end of January, are members of Europe's Schengen zone of open borders. "Ireland will consider participation in the context of the common travel area and in consultation with the UK," an Irish government spokesman said after following a video conference of EU leaders. Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, who will make a televised address on coronavirus at 2100 GMT, spoke to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday and stressed that Ireland will never close its border with Northern Ireland. The 500-km land frontier is a key part of a 1998 peace agreement that ended three decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland, in which some 3,600 people were killed. Dublin feared the return of border controls throughout Britain's messy Brexit divorce saga, holding up its neighbor's departure from the bloc on several occasions and eventually leading to an agreement that there would be no such controls. But while Ireland has closed schools, universities, bars and childcare facilities to try to slow the spread of coronavirus, Britain has kept all of those open in Northern Ireland, flipping the Irish border issue on its head. Ireland upgraded its travel advice on Monday to limit all non-essential travel overseas until at least March 29, including Britain but not Northern Ireland. Anyone coming into Ireland, apart from Northern Ireland, will be required to restrict their movements on arrival for 14 days, including Irish residents, the foreign ministry said. (Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Chris Reese and Grant McCool) The number of coronavirus cases in India is on a sharp rise. On Wednesday, the Ministry of Health updated the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases to 147. Out of these 147, 122 are Indians and 25 foreigners, the ministry further said. Three people have lost their lives due to the infection while 14 have recovered. According to reports, over 40,000 people are currently under quarantine across the country. Heres a look at the coronavirus situation across various states. Maharashtra The state accounts for the highest number of coronavirus cases with 41 people testing positive for the virus. According to government data, Maharashtra has reported one death. The state government is closely monitoring over 900 people while over 700 people have been placed under quarantine. Kerala The state is the second-worst hit when it comes to the number of coronavirus cases. Kerala has reported 27 cases and has discharged 3 patients who successfully recovered. Over 18,000 people are currently under quarantine while more than 200 people are being closely monitored. No deaths have been reported so far from the state. Also read: Private labs to be allowed to test Covid-19 but not without prescription Uttar Pradesh and Haryana Both the states have reported 16 coronavirus cases each with no fatalities. In Uttar Pradesh, five coronavirus patients have recovered from the infection. While over 2,000 people are under quarantine in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh has just 21. Karnataka As many as 11 confirmed coronavirus cases have been reported from the state which has over 2,000 people under quarantine. Karnataka has reported one Covid-19 death so far. Delhi The national capital has reported a total of 10 Covid-19 cases of whom two have successfully recovered. One person from Delhi has died of the infection. Delhi currently has nearly 200 people under quarantine. Besides these, the Union Territory of Ladakh has reported a total of 8 Covid-19 cases while Jammu and Kashmir confirmed 3 people to have tested positive for the infection. Together, both Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir have over 2,000 people under quarantine and no fatalities. Telangana has seen 5 coronavirus cases so far, one patient has been cured. Rajasthan has four people infected of Covid-19, 3 people have successfully recovered. States with just one positive coronavirus case include Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and West Bengal. When Lauren Braun-Strumfels received the good news, she fell out of her chair. Literally. It was April 2019, and Braun-Strumfels, a history professor at Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg, checked her cellphone during a historians conference in Philadelphia. She opened an email and learned she had been selected as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar in Rome, Italy one of the most prestigious honors in academia. I was over the moon, she said. It was an absolute dream. Like, career-making. Braun-Strumfels, 40, had been working toward the coveted honor her entire college and professional life. Sixty Fulbright alumni have been awarded the Nobel Prize, 37 have served as heads of state or government and 86 have won Pulitzer Prizes. It was her third time applying her third time going through the excruciating and time-consuming process. But, finally, she learned she would be fulfilling a lifelong dream, spending four months teaching and studying at the University of Roma Tre, starting Feb. 27. Her dream lasted less than two weeks. Twelve days after landing in Rome with her husband and two children, Braun-Strumfels was informed the Fulbright program was being suspended due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. All grantees had to leave the country as soon as possible. Two days later, she and her family landed back at JFK airport and headed home to Lambertville to quarantine for 14 days. Its like being in a very bad dream, Braun-Strumfels said. Even my suffering, I cant even really compare. The country that I left is suffering tremendously worse than me, and now Im here. Its just really unsettling in a lot of different ways. Braun-Strumfels said she and her family are displaying no symptoms of the virus and have been taking their temperatures twice daily. They will continue to quarantine just in case. She knows the global pandemic and trying to slow the outbreak is most important. But she cant help but mourn the career-defining opportunity shes missing out on. Its a concept nearly every person in the country is going to have to reckon with seeing life plans upended, weddings canceled, and years of planning evaporate. Theyre left to grapple with the uncertainty of if or when those special plans or occasions will ever come together again. After learning she had been selected as a Fulbright scholar, Braun-Strumfels spent the next 11 months frantically preparing to live, teach and study in Italy. It meant negotiating a four-month hiatus with her college, organizing visas for her family, making arrangements to enroll her kids in school in Rome all while preparing to research and teach the history of immigration gatekeeping at the turn of the 20th century. We were going to build this life, and then we literally were over there for two weeks, she said. I feel like we didnt even leave New Jersey. When Braun-Strumfels and her family landed in Rome, the virus mostly was affecting the northern portion of the country. They spent one of their first nights dining at a popular restaurant called Da Francesco in Piazza Del Fico, eating pasta alla gricia (pasta with cured pork jowl, Pecorino Romano and black pepper) and carciofi alla giudia (deep-fried artichoke). They took the tram around the city and spent time in the public parks. Then, about five days into their stay, more and more of Italy started shutting down as the virus spread at lightning speed. It just all started to change dramatically, almost by the hour each day, Braun-Strumfels said. Even more unsettling, Braun-Strumfels now is watching the same scene unfold for the second time and in a second country cities shutting down and people being forced indoors as the number of deaths surge. In effect, the U.S. is about 11 days behind Italy. In total, Italy has confirmed more than 31,506 coronavirus cases and more than 2,500 deaths as of Tuesday. We had this traumatic experience of watching the disease set in there, and now Im just waiting for it to happen here, she said. Because it looks like were tracking those numbers in the U.S. and our response is not as coordinated, to say the least. On March 3, she taught her first day of classes. It also would be her last. The next day, the university closed and a week later the city shut down. Braun-Strumfels doesnt know if Fulbright will allow her to return to Italy to live out her dreams. Now, she will do the only thing she can: Wait. For me, this was a huge opportunity, Braun-Strumfels said. And I just dont know whats going to happen now. Matthew Stanmyre may be reached at mstanmyre@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattStanmyre. Find NJ.com on Facebook. / -- Hedera Hashgraph, an enterprise-grade distributed ledger platform, today announced that Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, has joined the Hedera Governing Council. The Council, designed to be the most decentralized governance model for a public ledger, will include 39 enterprises from a diverse array of industries and geographies. Mance Harmon, CEO and Co-founder of Hedera Hashgraph, said, "The conversation around distributed ledger technology (DLT) governance is gaining prominence, with enterprises, developers, and regulators all recognizing the importance of fair, decentralized, and effective governance models. The Hedera Governing Council delivers a governance model that is designed for ongoing decentralization and is considered industry-leading for DLT governance a status strengthened by the addition of Wipro to the council." Members of the Council are responsible for approving updates to the Hedera platform codebase and setting policies for the nodes in Hedera's decentralized network. Hedera's governance model protects users by eliminating the risk of forks, guaranteeing the integrity of the codebase, and making the source code open for review. Members serve a maximum of two consecutive three-year terms, ensuring the Council's decentralization and diversity. Harmon concluded, "Wipro joining the Hedera Governing Council highlights our commitment to developers, and a rapidly emerging need for blockchain innovation. With a global presence, Wipro is a prime example of a leading multinational entity making the right moves in the future and adoption of DLT. Joining the Hedera Governing Council, alongside other top enterprises, is a strong signal of their intent to be at the forefront of distributed ledger technology as Hedera grows in the months and years ahead." For more information, visit https://hedera.com/councilAbout HederaHedera Hashgraph is a public distributed ledger for building decentralized applications. Developers can build secure, fair, blazing-fast decentralized applications on top of the Hedera platform. Dr. Leemon Baird, Hedera Hashgraph Co-founder and Chief Scientist, and Mance Harmon, Co-founder and CEO of Hedera, patented the groundbreaking hashgraph technology after working together at the United States Air Force Academy and as founders of Trio Security, BlueWave Security, and Swirlds, Inc. For more information, visit https://www.hedera.com, or follow us on Twitter at @hashgraph, Telegram at t.me/hashgraph, or Discord at https://www.hedera.com/discord. The Hedera whitepaper can be found at https://www.hedera.com/whitepaper. About Wipro Limited Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. We harness the power of cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics and emerging technologies to help our clients adapt to the digital world and make them successful. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, we have over 175,000 dedicated employees serving clients across six continents. Together, we discover ideas and connect the dots to build a better and a bold new future. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/725385/Hedera_Logo. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Security forces cross a reservoir in Yalas Maung district during an operation to track down insurgents suspected of carrying out a major attack in November in the province, March 17, 2020. Updated at 8:12 a.m. ET on 2020-03-19 International rights groups on Wednesday condemned a bomb attack the day before on a Thai government office in Yala province, where officials were meeting to discuss COVID-19, as clashes between soldiers and insurgents in the Deep South claimed more lives. Thai officials said a soldier was killed and two others were injured Wednesday while pursuing militants near Pattani Dam in Yala province. On Tuesday, three militants were killed hours after the attack at the Southern Border Province Administration (SBPAC) office. Entering the seventh day of pursuit beginning on March 12 a new clash resulted in one soldier killed and two others wounded, said Col. Watcharakorn Oanngern, a spokesman for the military command in Thailands heavily militarized southern border region, ISOC-4. Col. Pramote Prom-in said the militants killed Tuesday were members of a group responsible for attacks on Nov. 5, 2019 on a village in Yala that killed 15 officials, defense volunteers and civilians. From our initial investigation, we can confirm that the three slain men participated in the killing at Lampaya, Pramote said. On Tuesday, attackers tossed a hand-held device into the yard of the SBPAC building, then remotely detonated a car bomb in front of the compound, the local police chief said. Ten of the 25 people injured by the blast remained hospitalized on Wednesday, officials said, adding that all of the victims were expected to survive. Condemnations The bombings drew condemnations from the United Nations and Human Rights Watch (HRW). The indiscriminate use of weapons targeting civilians is prohibited under international customary law and carrying out such attacks during a public health emergency is unconscionable, said Cynthia Veliko, regional representative of the UN Human Rights Office in Bangkok. We condemn this attack in the strongest terms and urge full respect for international legal obligations, Veliko said in a news release. HRW called the attack a war crime because it targeted civilians. A double-tap bombing outside a government building has no aim but to cause the greatest loss of human life, said Brad Adams, HRW Asia director. In carrying out this attack during a meeting to address COVID-19, separatist insurgents have again demonstrated cruel disregard for the lives of all civilians. HRW urged the Thai government to bring all those responsible to justice in accordance with human rights law, and also to examine what it called long-held grievances of the local population in Thailands southern border region. As long as Thai security forces are shielded from criminal responsibility and long-held grievances in the ethnic Malay Muslim community are ignored, the insurgents will use the situation to try to justify unlawful attacks, Adams said. More than 7,000 people have been killed in the region since insurgents renewed their campaign against Buddhist-majority Thailand 16 years ago. The most recent clashes were part of a military operation that began on March 12 on the border of Yala and Pattani provinces, where security forces were pursuing militants they believe responsible for the deadly attack in Yala in November. Four suspects remained at large as of Wednesday, officials said. Lt. Gen. Pornsak Poolsawat, commander of army troops in the south, said security forces had sought to avoid clashes with the militants. We tried to convince them to lay down their arms and surrender, we dont mean to harm them, he told reporters. Religious leaders came to help try to save their lives and bring them to justice, peacefully. 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. Since the start of this year, 29 civilians and Thai security personnel have been killed and 59 others injured in violence in the Deep South, according to figures compiled by BenarNews. At least 12 suspected militants have been killed. An earlier version of this story used an incorrect rank for Col. Pramote Prom-in. Sub-Saharan Africa on Wednesday recorded its first COVID-19 death, a high-ranking politician in Burkina Faso, as the head of the World Health Organisation urged the continent to "prepare for the worst". "Africa should wake up," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference in Geneva, pointing out that "in other countries we have seen how the virus actually accelerates after a certain tipping point". Africa has lagged behind the global curve for coronavirus infections and deaths, but in the past few days has seen a significant rise in cases. Experts have repeatedly warned about the perils for the continent, given its weak health infrastructure, poverty, conflicts, poor sanitation and urban crowding. Medical authorities in the poor Sahel state of Burkina Faso announced Wednesday that the number of infections there had risen by seven to 27 -- and that one of them, a 62-year-old diabetic woman, had died overnight. The country's main opposition party, the Union for Progress and Change (UPC), said in a statement that the victim was its lawmaker Rose-Marie Compaore, the first-vice president of the parliament. South Africa, the continent's most industrialised economy, reported a more than one-third jump in cases, with 31 new infections bringing its tally to 116. Nearby Zambia announced its first two confirmed cases -- a couple that returned to the capital Lusaka from a 10-day holiday in France. As of Wednesday, a tally of reported cases, compiled by AFP, stood at more than 600 for all of Africa. Of these, 16 cases have been fatal: six in Egypt, six in Algeria, two in Morocco, one in Sudan and one in Burkina Faso. Those figures are relatively small compared to the rest of world -- the global death toll has passed 8,800 with almost 210,000 total infections. WHO chief Tedros said sub-Saharan Africa had recorded 233 infections, but warned the official numbers likely did not reflect the full picture. "Probably we have undetected cases or unreported cases," he said. - 'We live day to day' - Watching from afar as disaster unfolds in Asia and Europe, some African countries have wasted little time in ordering drastic measures. Air traffic has been particularly hard hit, as many of Africa's initial cases were detected in people who had returned from affected countries in Europe and the Middle East. Some countries, such as Somalia, Chad, Guinea-Bissau and, most recently, the island of Madagascar have moved to stop all flights into their countries. On Wednesday, Cape Verde -- a tropical archipelago off Africa's west coast that is heavily dependent on tourism -- and the continent's most populous nation, Nigeria, joined others in banning flights from the countries most affected by coronavirus. Burkina Faso has ordered the closure of all schools and barred all public and private gatherings until the end of April. There was concern on the unusually quiet streets of the capital Ouagadougou on Wednesday. "It's worrying what is happening with this virus, but we cannot barricade ourselves like developed countries. We lack everything here -- we live day to day," said bicycle seller Boureima Baguian. "We cannot, for example, close the big market. If that happens, it's not the coronavirus that will kill us but misery and hunger." South Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa's worst-hit country, has banned cruise ships from its ports. More than 1,700 people are stranded on a liner off Cape Town over fears that some have the virus. It is just the latest blow to tourism across the continent, with coronavirus fears also cancelling sporting, cultural and religious events. Christian and Muslim leaders in Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Senegal said they would suspend services to protect their faithful. - 'Disease hot spot belt' - A 2016 analysis by the Rand Corporation, a US think-tank, found that of the 25 countries in the world that were most vulnerable to infectious outbreaks, 22 were in Africa -- the others were Afghanistan, Yemen and Haiti. The report identified a "disease hot spot belt" extending across the southern rim of the Sahara through the Sahel to the Horn of Africa, where many countries are struggling with conflicts. "Were a communicable disease to emerge within this chain of countries, it could easily spread across borders in all directions, abetted by high overall vulnerability and a string of weak national health systems along the way," the report warned. Tedros recommended that mass gatherings be avoided, urging Africa to "cut it from the bud, expecting that the worst can happen." "The best advice for Africa is to prepare for the worst and prepare today," he said. Africa has lagged behind the global curve for coronavirus infections and deaths, but in recent days there has been an uptick in cases Burkina Faso has ordered the closure of all schools and barred all public and private gatherings until the end of April Nigeria has issued a travel ban on citizens from 13 countries worst-hit by coronavirus Members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday called for a ban on public gatherings especially at churches, mosques and other places of worship. The lawmakers pushed for this after adopting an amendment by the Minority leader, Ndudi Elumelu, to a motion brought under matters of urgent national importance. The motion which was sponsored by Mukhtar Chawai (Kaduna, APC) was originally on the need to ban entry into Nigeria from countries badly hit by coronavirus but was overtaken by events. The House, however, decided to move for amendments of the motion. The federal government on Wednesday morning announced the restrictions of entry into the country for travellers from 13 high-risk Covid-19 countries. Mr Elumelu proposed an amendment to urge the aviation ministry to stop airport touts from forming crowds at the airport. He added that the federal government should ban all forms of open gathering of worship in Nigeria. Other prayers Other prayers adopted by the house were to restrict movement and shut out visitors from accessing the National Assembly and that infrared thermometers be put in place to check staff and members of both chambers. They also agreed that the country should sign an agreement with countries producing test kits and the necessary equipment to manage the virus. COVID-19 Nigeria is one of the African countries that have reported at least a case of coronavirus on the continent. Nigeria recorded its first case on February 27, in an Italian businessman who had flown into the country for business. The man had spent two days within the country and visited Lagos and Ogun states before he fell ill and was diagnosed of COVID-19. The country announced five new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing to eight the total number of confirmed cases in the country. All five cases have travel histories to the U.K. and the U.S. Of the cases, four were detected from people who flew into the country and one from an American who had entered into the country through the land border. So far, nobody has died from the disease in Nigeria and one of the initial three cases has completely recovered. As of March 17, 2020, the number of coronavirus cases in the United States has reached 4,743 with the number of deaths at 93. In lieu of the government's attempt to control the spread of the virus, Albuquerque's Metropolitan Detention Center has suspended visitation until further notice. The jail is working on providing alternative means to ensure that the inmates are still able to communicate with their families at this time. MDC continues to screen incoming inmates and has not experienced any positive COVID results as of yet. The Santa Fe County Department of Public Safety and San Miguel County Detention Center have halted visitation amid the pandemic. They foresee the suspension of visitation to last for a minimum of three weeks. On top of the cancelled visitation, these detention centers have prevented their volunteers from entering the facility to minimize the risk of spreading the virus. New Mexico has implemented a social-distancing recommendation that restricts restaurants to service 50% of their normal seating capacity. This measure also demands museums and other public places to close and encourage workers to work from home. If infected by the virus, most people will experience cough, colds, and flu, similar to influenza. However, younger, older and people with pre-existing conditions may experience severe illness which may lead to pneumonia, and in worst-case scenarios, death. Based on the information shared by the World Health Organization (WHO), those infected by the virus and have strong immune systems may recover as quickly as two weeks while those with weaker immune systems may take up to 6 weeks to get well. During the teleconference with President Donald Trump, Governor Michelle Lujan Grishman raised that the New Mexico health officials have reached out to the federal government for additional testing equipment and processing materials but have not received help as of yet. They were reassured that help is coming after a follow up with the Vice President. As of today, New Mexico has 21 positive Coronavirus cases over 1,270 tested. Health officials reiterated to their citizens the importance of social-distancing and how it is the best strategy to reduce or limit the spread of the virus. The state of New Mexico has issued five executive orders which gives the state additional funding of $3 million specific for emergency response and humanitarian relief. Furthermore, the funds will also be used for additional public health measures and assist families that are affected by the public health emergency declaration earlier this month. The public emergency declaration was announced in response to British Film Star Idris Elba's positive coronavirus test after he visited New Mexico. Businesses visited by Elba suspended their operations, had their stores cleaned up and had all employees tested for the virus. Cases of coronavirus were previously reported in Bernalillo, Sandoval, Santa Fe, and Socorro counties. Governor Michelle Lujan Grishman said that they expect an increase in the number of cases as they become more aggressive with their drive-thru screening centers. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 22:32:39|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BANGKOK, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The Thai ministry of public health on Wednesday reassured the public that there will be sufficient hospital beds to accommodate COVID-19 patients. "There is no reason to worry about shortage of hospital beds, we are supplying extra 400 beds in Bangkok by this week," said Dr. Somsak Akhasilp, director-general of the ministry's Department of Medical Services. The ministry on Wednesday reported 35 new cases of the COVID-19, raising the number of local infections to 212. "We have not reached the kind of level like in Italy yet where medical resources were overwhelmed by the scale of the outbreak," said Somsak. Somsak said that the "crisis level" meant that the number of COVID-19 cases admitted to hospitals exceeds 1,000 per day. The ministry also said it is working closely with all state hospitals, university, army and private hospitals to prepare beds for COVID-19 patients. Wealthy celebrities, the nobility and many of the UK's largest businesses are swerving government rules by paying for private coronavirus tests. More than 2,000 people have ordered a 375 home testing kit from a Harley Street clinic in London after being turned down by the NHS, according to the Daily Telegraph. In addition to individuals, some 60 firms including oil and telecoms companies, have bought them for their staff. Last week Public Health England said that people would no longer be tested for COVID-19 unless they presented symptoms which warranted such analysis. On its website, the item can be easily 'added to cart,' much in the same way as conventional online products It comes as a growing number of VIPs, such as actor Idris Elba and athletes have tested positive, despite not appearing to meet the NHS criteria. Dr Mark Ali, director of the Private Harley Street Clinic on London's world-renowned medical avenue, said his practice was offering a new kit for 375 each. On its website, the item can be easily 'added to cart,' much in the same way as conventional online products. The practice says the test is 'performed by a world renown UKAS accredited British laboratory and the test results are 100% accurate and do not require further tests to confirm any diagnoses.' The website hastens to add, that though it oversees the entire process, patients should not attempt to pick up their kits from Harley Street. 'Please note under no circumstances can this test be done in our clinic or be collected from our clinic.' The website states. 'It is sent to your designated address by courier service within 48 hrs. Please refer to the details below and order through the link at the bottom of this page.' Dr Ali told The Telegraph he has received countless requests from buyers. 'People are worried sick. They want to get some clarity back in their lives,' he told The Telegraph. 'We've got university students in England who want to go back to Nepal, but need to know if they have the disease so they can be let back into their own country. 'We've got a businessman who owns a construction company employing 60 people. He needs to know the state of play, or he risks letting down his customers. So every single person in that company is being tested.' It comes as the death toll from coronavirus rose from 16 to 71 and Tuesday, with 407 patients diagnosed in the past 24 hours meaning 1,950 Britons have now caught the life-threatening virus. It comes after the government's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, admitted there are likely to be around 55,000 cases of coronavirus currently in the UK, calling the staggering figure a 'reasonable ballpark'. 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 ... A Charter Communications installer truck. Charter cable TV, phone and Internet service is sold under the Spectrum brand. (Charter Communications) With millions of students and employees striving to work from home, the nation's internet and telephone providers have pledged not to cut off service for customers for two months amid the coronavirus pandemic. Last week, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai rallied the industry to accept his "Keep Americans Connected Pledge," in recognition that millions of people will be reeling from a sudden loss of income and unable to pay some of their bills. "I dont want any American consumers experiencing hardships because of the pandemic to lose connectivity," Pai said. As the coronavirus outbreak spreads and causes a series of disruptions to the economic, educational, medical, and civic life of our country, it is imperative that Americans stay connected. Broadband will enable them to communicate with their loved ones and doctors, telework, ensure their children can engage in remote learning, and importantly take part in the social distancing that will be so critical to limiting the spread of this novel coronavirus." Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai (Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press) Here are how major Internet companies are responding: AT&T said it would drop data caps for its residential internet customers. The Dallas telecommunications giant also said it would not terminate any wireless, home phone or broadband residential or small-business service because of an inability to pay bills due to disruptions caused by the massive shut-down. AT&T said it would waive late-payment fees and keep Wi-Fi hotspots open for anyone not just AT&T customers. AT&T also will continue its Access from AT&T program to provide internet access for qualifying low income households at $10 a month. Charter Communications, which operates its cable TV, phone and internet service under the Spectrum brand, also agreed not to disconnect customers' internet service for residential subscribers and small businesses experiencing economic hardship. It also will not assess late fees. The Stamford, Conn., company doesn't impose data caps. Story continues Charter also said it would offer free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and college students that don't have Spectrum service. Charter said it would waive installation fees. The company also will continue its existing program called Spectrum Internet Assist to provide service to low-income homes with school-aged children. And it will open its Wi-Fi hotspots across its footprint for all users. Charter is a major provider in Los Angeles. Verizon Communications, the nation's largest phone service provider, has been closing retail outlets. Last week, Basking Ridge, N.J., phone giant said it won't cut off service and will waive late fees for residential and small business customers due to economic disruption related to the coronavirus. Verizon said it would donate $10 million to nonprofits that support students and first-responder healthcare workers. Verizon also is providing increased data speeds for middle-school students taking part in its Verizon Innovation Learning program. Cox Communications, which provides service to parts of Orange and Los Angeles counties, also said it would not disconnect service for 60 days for residential and small business customers who are unable to pay their bill due to the coronavirus disruption. The Atlanta company will waive late fees for customers dealing with economic hardship and open Cox Wi-Fi hotspots to those who do not have Cox service. Residential customers with Starter, StraightUp Internet and Connect2Compete, which is designed for school-aged children who are enrolled in a low-income assistance program, will be automatically upgraded to speeds of 50 megabits per seconds. Comcast Corp., the nation's largest internet provider, said it would stop enforcing its data caps temporarily. For 60 days, its customers will have unlimited data. The Philadelphia behemoth, which sells products under the Xfinity brand, also said it would not disconnect a customers internet service or assess late fees as long as customers "contact us and let us know that they cant pay their bills," the company said in a statement. It also is making its Internet Essentials $9.95 a month program for low-income families, available free for two months for new customers. Other companies that signed onto Pai's pledge not to disconnect customers for 60 days include CenturyLink, AlticeUSA, Google Fiber, Atlantic Broadband, Cable One, Granite Telecommunications, Pioneer Communications, and Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative. On Monday, Pai announced modifications to FCC rules to make it easier for Americans who are deaf or have a speech disability to communicate using Telecommunications Relay Service. The modifications, which take effect immediately, are geared at enabling translators to work from home. This latest step making regulatory adjustments to enable Americans with disabilities to continue to rely on telecommunications relay services is an important component of our overall goal of ensuring that we Keep Americans Connected," Pai said. With many of its own members at elevated health risk from the virus and bracing for potential travel restrictions, the Senate may have only a handful of days to sign a deal before leaving town for what could be an extended recess. And though the House is not in session and has not scheduled a return to Washington, many of its members were ready to fly back if there were a deal. Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, said his party was coming close to an agreement with the White House and could begin talks as early as Thursday with Democrats, whose support would be needed to pass anything into law. Republicans hope shortly to have a consolidated position along with the administration, then we intend to sit down with our Democratic colleagues to see what we can agree to, he said Wednesday afternoon. Just how long it will take to get through these steps is unclear, but as everyone knows, we are moving rapidly because the situation demands it. In a conference call with Democratic leadership and committee chairmen on Wednesday afternoon, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she was pushing for a bipartisan negotiation between House and Senate leaders that could yield a final agreement on the next economic rescue package by early next week. The Trump administrations proposed relief package, outlined in a document circulated to lawmakers and lobbyists, called for the authority to send two waves of checks, each totaling $250 billion, directly to American taxpayers, the first on April 6 and the second on May 18. Payments would be fixed and their sizes dependent on income and family size, the summary said, in line with a proposal by Senator Josh Hawley, Republican of Missouri. It would extend loans to small businesses equaling six weeks of their payroll up to $1,540 per employee, on the condition that the companies must keep paying their employees for eight weeks after receiving the loan. It also called for $50 billion for secured loans for the airline industry and another $150 billion for secured loans or loan guarantees for other sectors of the economy that have been devastated by the global economic shutdown as the virus spreads. PR-Inside.com: 2020-03-17 23:15:53 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1146 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 17, 2020 / Luke Lintz is a serial entrepreneur with starting more than 3 businesses at the age of 20. Luke is on his way to be actively running 3 corporations, all being over 7 figure businesses by the time he turns 21. He is being asked by millennials that are a part of his following, how he was able to reach his level of success. When we asked him the same question he simply put "It's been a snowball effect over the past few years of giving the most value I could, in the areas and industries that are rapidly growing." Currently, Luke is focusing most of his time on his social media branding agency and social growth company that operate under the respective names HighKey Agency and HighKey Clout. The social media branding agency has been working on every aspect of what makes an elite personal brand. "We do complete full service management because we know the high level clients we work with need to be establishing a massive social media presence, but have no time to be working on these menial tasks. That's where we come in," Luke explains.HighKey Agency is on track to win awards throughout the next few years of fastest growing agencies and best personal branding agencies. Their focus is on the main aspects of an online personal brand which is great content and articles. As of writing this article they currently have fifteen video editors, three graphic designers and a team of social media managers and growth specialists. Luke told us several times that any person who is going to be in business for the next 5+ years has to start establishing an elite social media presence, because it is becoming the basis of culture and is where all the attention currently is and will continue to exponentially grow.Luke is at a miraculous place right now, and to most people it probably seems like he got very lucky. The truth of the matter is that Luke had impeccable timing, mixed with the combination of finding and capitalizing on needs in the market. He was able to see the arbitrage by taking advantage of the ever rapid growing platforms of social media. While the average person has been consuming content over the past four years, Luke has been working on how he can produce more content for himself, his brands, and his clients.We asked how Luke's businesses are operating and how they are being affected by the recent outbreak of Coronavirus and the plummeting economy. "Business has been running as usual. The fact of the matter is our clients are extremely high level clients, so the majority have savings, liquid investments, and cash flow that allows them to maintain their current structures during economic downturns and even recessions," assured the serial entrepreneur.With his most recent company, Luke knew he struck gold when he came across the idea of giveaways with his brother and business partner Jordan Lintz. The idea was specifically for Instagram giveaways, where they would work with large scale influencers and host a giveaway on their page. This idea led to the beginning of HighKey Clout. He immediately knew that this company was like striking gold because it's a business model based around giving so much value to every person that is involved in the process. "The influencer receives a lot of value because my company pays them a large sum of money. The Influencers followers receive a lot of value because they all have the chance at winning a large giveaway prize. And finally our HighKey Clout clients that sponsor the giveaway all receive a lot of value because they gain all of the influencers followers during the giveaway to grow their personal brand," Luke explains.Every company needs to have some edge when coming into the market, to differentiate themselves from competition. HighKey Agency is very unique in their ways of doing full service management. They are not participating in any direct advertising methods, so instead of guaranteeing an ROI (return on investment), they are proving their model of building personal brands that will last a lifetime. The two brothers that started HighKey Agency are equally working on building and growing their personal brands as a way of showcasing the value they are capable of bringing to potential clients. As of writing this article, @lukelintz and @jordanlintz are both over a respectable 290k+ followers.To start so many companies at such a young age, Luke Lintz explains what got him motivated in the beginning. He started his first corporation before he was legally allowed to sign the papers and be a co-founder of a business. At the age of 16 Luke started HighKey Co, a futuristic technology company. Like any great story, very few believed in the concept and his efforts to take this company from a name to a sustainable business. Luke pioneered this company with his brother Jordan as well, who was in university at the time. Together they had unique marketing strategies on social media that incorporated comedic and school videos while placing their HighKey products in every single video. A personal brand / company page hybrid. From this unique content they received a tremendous amount of hate across social media. Even at a young age Luke was able to conceptualize that hate was actually a good thing as it means that you are creating controversy and allows your message to spread faster. As Luke says "To make an impact on a community you have to inflict a strong emotion," and over the years, that is exactly what he did.Luke's business journey definitely was not all sunshine and rainbows, as most successes come with some sort of failures. Within the first year of starting his ecommerce business, Luke incorrectly predicted the amount of inventory needed for a new product that was in development. This error led to a one hundred and fifty thousand dollar mistake with manufacturing costs, storage fees, and so much opportunity cost. This one mistake put a massive temporary stunted on the growth of HighKey Technology. "I believe that everything happens for a reason and I can genuinely say that if I did not make that inventory mistake I would have never started HighKey Agency, and in turn HighKey Clout which has led to unbelievable connections and a lot of high volume contracts," says Luke.Physical health is very important to Luke, but he's also avid about the importance of his mindset. Just by being around Luke for a short period of time, you can feel his high energy and understand that he is very positive in his thinking. He has portrayed the ability to turn everything in his mind into positive thoughts and a positive outlook no matter how hopeless or negative it seems to the average person. Three men suspected in a smash-and-grab theft at a cellular phone store were captured after a felony traffic stop March 16 in the 2200 block of South Friendswood Drive, authorities said. The suspects Terry Jarome Simmons III, 26, of Spring; Joel Wilson, 22, of Houston; and Jaquaree Lejohn Simmons, 22, of Houston were each charged with theft after police claimed the three took cell phones from the AT&T store at 101 W. Parkwood Ave. The thefts occurred at at 6:51 p.m., and suspects reportedly left in a black Cadillac CTS with paper license plates, police reported. A Friendswood officer in the area stopped the vehicle and waited for backup units to arrive, according to the report. The suspects were ordered from the vehicle at gunpoint and taken into custody, police said. Officers confirmed the trios involvement after viewing surveillance video from the store, the report said. Jaquaree Lejohn Simmons, who police reported had been out on a $15,000 bond in Harris County for a Feb. 9 robbery involving bodily injury, is being held in the Galveston County Jail. Terry Jarome Simmons III was released on $1,500 bond and Wilson was being held on $1,500 bond in the county Jail. Theft Police charged a Houston man, 26, with unauthorized use of a vehicle and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon after a traffic stop March 2 in the 4900 block of FM 2351. Two additional adults and two children were inside the vehicle, stolen in Houston, police said. The officer reportedly found a one-pint bottle of promethazine in the drivers seat and a second bottle under the front passenger seat. As the officer continued to search the vehicle, he found six shotgun shells, according to the report. Inside the trunk, he found a 12-gauge shotgun loaded with four more shells, police said. Two ceiling fans and two light fixtures were stolen from a home in the 0 block of Whittier Drive, according to a March 7 police report. Cameras inside the residence captured a contractor moving the items toward the front door, police said. Burglary Four guns were stolen sometime between 7:30 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. March 2 from a home in the 1400 block of Oak Hollow Drive, police said. The resident reportedly arrived home to find the gate between the driveway and backyard open and the window beside the back door broken. Police are seeking surveillance video from neighbors, according to the report. Fraud Police charged a two Houston women, ages 25 and 27, with possession of drug paraphernalia March 5. Officers had received a report that a woman attempted to cash a check on a flagged account linked to a stolen wallet at Compass Bank, 301 E. Parkwood Ave., police said. The same person allegedly passed a forged check Feb. 24. The women left in a vehicle before officers arrived but were stopped nearby, according to the report. The officer allegedly found marijuana during vehicle search. An additional passenger, a 36-year-old Houston man, was arrested on an outstanding Harris County Warrant, police said. A Friendswood woman discovered 12 unauthorized charges on her credit card after attempting a withdrawal from her bank and noticing a low balance, according to a March 5 police report. The charges were made within a 40-minute time period, police said. Assault A Friendswood man received a citation for assault after a disturbance with a neighbor March 6 in the 16400 block of Blackhawk Boulevard, police said. Officers arrived to find the neighbor on the ground, intoxicated, with beer cans scattered around him, according to the report. The dispute allegedly began when the intoxicated neighbor confronted the suspect about a woman in whom both are interested. A 41-year-old League City man was charged with assault, family violence March 7, police said. He allegedly assaulted and attempted to strangle his wife in a moving vehicle in the 2400 block of South Friendswood Drive. He exited that vehicle and was found nearby in the back of another vehicle driven by his mother, according to the report. Narcotics Police charged a 20-year-old Friendswood man with possession of drug paraphernalia March 3 in the 3300 block of FM 528. He reportedly was parked at a closed business, prompting the officer to conduct a suspicious vehicle check. The man told the officer he was smoking marijuana, police said. The officer conducted a vehicle search and found two metal grinders, marijuana, bags, rolling papers, lighters, a glass pipe, a THC vaping device, unopened bottles of alcohol and spent THC cartridges, according to the report. Police arrested an El Lago man, 38, on a Travis County felony drug warrant and charged him with possession of a controlled substance after a reported verbal disturbance involving the man and his girlfriend March 3 in the 2500 block of South Mission Circle. Officers arrived to find the man gone, police said. However, a short time later, he called police to report his girlfriend had stolen his vehicle from the Shell station at 2255 W. Parkwood Avenue, according to the report. Before transporting the man to jail, officers reportedly found him in possession of a meth pipe and methamphetamine. Police charged a Pearland man, 28, with possession of a controlled substance after a traffic stop for a defective brake light March 5 in the 100 block of Skyview Terrace. He reportedly admitted to having marijuana and a meth pipe and handed the officer a small bag of marijuana. The officer found a bag of methamphetamine during a search, according to the report. A 17-year-old League City woman was charged with possession of a controlled substance after a traffic stop March 7 in the 1100 block of South Friendswood Drive, police said. The woman, a passenger, reportedly exited the vehicle and told the officer she had acid in her backpack. The officer searched the backpack and found marijuana, two scales, a grinder and 28 units of LSD, according to the report. Bond was set at $15,000. Driving while intoxicated A Pearland man, 44, was charged with DWI after a traffic stop for speeding March 4 in the 500 block of North Friendswood Drive, police said. He reportedly failed a field sobriety test. Police charged a Pearland man, 34, with DWI after a traffic stop for failure to maintain a single lane and speeding March 7 in the 1500 block of South Friendswood Drive. He reportedly failed a field sobriety test. A 24-year-old Pearland man was charged with DWI after a traffic stop for speeding and failure to maintain a single lane March 8 in the 400 block of East Parkwood Avenue, police said. He reportedly failed a field sobriety test. Police arrested a Houston woman, 28, on a charge of DWI with child passengers March 8 in the 2300 block of West Parkwood Avenue. The four children in the vehicle ranged in age from 1 to 11, and none were restrained, police said. The children were transported to the police department, where they waited until a family member who could care for them was found, according to the report. A Webster man, 37, was charged with DWI March 9 in the 1800 block of FM 528, police said. He allegedly failed to maintain a single lane and made an unsignaled lane change. He also failed a field sobriety test, according to the report. Public intoxication Police charged an Alvin man, 25, with public intoxication after a suspicious person report March 3 in the 3100 block of West Bay Area Boulevard. He allegedly had passed out in front of an apartment building. Tobacco A 15-year-old Friendswood High School student was found in possession of an electronic cigarette while on campus, according to a March 3 police report. The contraband was turned over to the school resource officer, and Friendswood Municipal Court will issue a summons, police said. Traffic Police charged a Houston man, 33, with no drivers license, no insurance and unauthorized reproduction, purchase, use or sale of a temporary license plate March 5 in the 1400 block of West Parkwood Avenue. Found property An iPad was found near the corner of West Parkwood Avenue and Brill Drive in late February, according to a March 6 police report. The person who found the device reportedly attempted to locate the owner on social media and then turned it over to police. The world can be a very cruel place, sometimes, and can make one believe that words like empathy, kindness and love are not common attributes for many. Last month, a video of an 8-year-old boy crying and begging for a knife to kill himself after he was bullied went viral, as it left everyone heartbroken. Identified as Quaden Bayles, the young Australian kid was bullied for his condition of dwarfism and his mother put out the video as a way of sending a message to people, who need to understand what bullying can do to the innocence of a kid. A tidal wave of love and support poured in from across the globe for Quaden and in no time, he became an internet star spreading a positive message of how we all need to be there for each other. One of the many people extending their support was Malayalam cinema actor Guinness Pakru aka Ajay Kumar, who wrote a long message on social media for Quaden. Pakru explained how dwarfism had made him suffer throughout his life, and it only made him come out stronger and fight through it all. In fact, he is an inspiration to many people out there who have a similar condition. His hard work has taken him places and he has done over 50 movies, including some major lead roles. Also, he holds the Guinness World Record for being the shortest actor to play a character in a full-length film. Dear kid, just like you, I too have cried once. It was those tears that became fuel for my future journey. When you cry, your mom fails, his post read. Twitter Eventually, the news reached Quaden and his mom who expressed their gratitude and thanked the actor for his support. Quadens mom even shared how her son wanted to meet the actor and wished to become a movie star like him someday. "He wants to be an actor too. So it has been a huge inspiration for him. Very very happy to see Mr Kumar, because he inspired Quaden. Quaden wants to be an actor too. And to see other people from a different ethnic background, with dwarfism succeeding is very encouraging and inspiring for him. If they can do it he can do it too," she said. Thousands of businesses hit by Covid-19 in Northern Ireland are to receive 370 million official assistance, Stormont deputy first minister Michelle ONeill said (Liam McBurney/PA) Thousands of businesses hit by Covid-19 in Northern Ireland are to receive 370 million official assistance, Stormont said. Many workers have been laid off and pubs forced to close following warnings about social distancing. An official rescue package will include 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. Stormont deputy first minister Michelle ONeill said the money was being made available to the most vulnerable businesses. She said she would explore how to support people who rent as well as other measures. She added: We are pledging to you all that the sole focus has now turned to doing everything that is necessary to secure our public services, to ensure our employers, workers and their families are supported. Our powersharing government is determined to ensure that we act swiftly and decisively in your interests. New Jerseys first pediatric coronavirus patient was taken out of preschool in Hudson County days before testing positive for COVID-19 and right after his father tested positive, officials said Wednesday. The Paterson 5-year-old, who attended Loving Hands Daycare and Preschool on Highland Avenue, tested positive for COVID-19 around midday on Monday, according to city health officials. The student was taken out of school on 3/9/20 before the student exhibited any symptoms of the disease, Kearny officials said on the township website. The students classmates are at low risk for contracting the disease and will be monitored for signs and symptoms of COVID-19." Loving Hands is part of Kearny Christian Academy. About 200 children from birth through grade 12 attend the daycare, preschool and school. Pastor David Manzo, the schools principal, said the childs last day at the school was Thursday and not March 9 as reported by the township. Shortly after picking up the child and a younger sibling up from the school, the father learned he had tested positive for COVID-19 and immediately called the principals office, the pastor said. The father called me when he learned of his test results, Manzo said, adding they both agreed that the 5-year-old and a sibling should not return. Mayor Alberto G. Santos on Wednesday said neither he nor township health officials could say when the child attended his last day of school. Santos referred further questions to Paterson officials and to the school. Manzo said despite the discrepancy, he believes the Kearny Board of Health and township officials have acted responsibly. Were dealing with families and kids and people are panicked, Manzo said. We accept that the health department says theres low risk and theres no need for people to start questioning which child was exposed on what day. This is not the time for that." Manzo said school officials, as a precautionary measure, decided to close Kearny Christian Academy and Loving Hands on Friday, days ahead of Gov. Phil Murphys executive order closing all public and private schools. The academy has since shifted teachers and students to an online format. Parents in need of daycare are being assisted off-premises through members of the church and people in the community, Manzo said. My focus has been to help our families to find out whos going to be watching our kids," he said. Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh announced Monday afternoon that the child who tested positive and his parents represent the citys first three cases of coronavirus. He said the father is in his 40s and the mother is in her 30s. Health officials said the couples second child was also being tested. The Paterson Division of Health is actively monitoring the parents and child, along with a second child (age 4), the mayor said. All are isolating at home until cleared by the Health Division. Sayegh said Wednesday officials have not received word on whether the 4-year-old had tested positive for COVID-19. In a second case in Kearny, a resident at a Belgrove Drive nursing home about a block from the school tested positive after experiencing mild symptoms on March 13. The person was taken to Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville last Sunday. All those in contact with the resident during those two days were notified and are being monitored, the township said in a statement. The nursing home has restricted visitors to the facility and is following New Jersey Department of Health requirements. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. by Alexius The Shanti Daan house in Mumbai hosts 175 people. Missionaries care for poor people who die on the streets, on sidewalks, along sewer drains, at bus stops, at train stations and in public places. For them, a coronavirus patient who knocks on the door is like Jesus. The missionaries following government instruction so as not to put at risk their other residents. Mumbai (AsiaNews) Brother Alexius is a member of the Missionaries of Charity (the male branch of the congregation founded by Mother Teresa of Kolkata). For 31 years he has been taking care of the "poorest of the poor" in Shanti Daan, in Borivali, Mumbai. For him, the sick and suffering are Jesus in disguise". In India, the number of coronaviruses cases is rising, 147 at present. Given the situation, the missionaries are carrying out preventive checks on all new residents and will follow government orders in the matter. The Archdiocese of Bombay has also issued more restrictive instructions to stem the contagion. Archbishop Card Oswald Gracias, who heads the catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), has released the faithful from attending Mass until 31 March. He has also asked those over 60 who are sick or with fever not to go in church, telling them instead to pray the rosary at home and meditate a passage from the Bible. Meanwhile, he has asked the liturgical commission to prepare a liturgy of the Word for use at home. Below is Brother Alexiuss testimony: Shanti Daan is a home run by Mother Teresa's Missionaries of charity. We have accepted the mission [of caring] for people who are destitute, sick, physically and mentally disabled, dying and needy all over the world. We provide them with basic necessities (food, clothing and accommodation), medical care and we look after them with loving human concern. Due to the spread of the epidemic, we have asked the police to test patients for the coronavirus before bringing them to the centre. The doctors told us to take the poor to hospital only after taking the test. Doctors also advised us not to accept people for the next 15 days. In an emergency situation, if a dying person knocks on our door, we must evaluate all aspects. Mother Teresa always said that these people have the features of Jesus; therefore, we cannot avoid them. We have to see all sides of the question. If a person who arrives tests positive, then all the other people who are already in the home will be at risk of infection. We must follow guidelines and rules. Our centre hosts 175 people aged 18 and over. Including staff, we are 200 people. Some 30 are under the age of 20 with mental and physical disabilities. We find people in the streets, the needy, the most disadvantaged, and take them with us. The poor die on the streets, on sidewalks, along sewer drains, at bus stops, in train stations, in public places. Usually, the needy are malnourished, have chronic diseases, suffer from open wounds infected with worms; some suffer from severe tuberculosis, pneumonia, have lost their sight, are deaf-mute, with mental and motor difficulties, rejected by their families and relatives, by society and hospitals. When the police find the poor and homeless on the streets and in hospitals, they take them to Shanti Daan. We give them a place and take care of them. Our service for the poorest of the poor is done in a simple way. They are Jesus in disguise. (Nirmala Carvalho contributed to this article) Police on Wednesday filed an FIR against 58 people for allegedly engaging in rioting and criminal intimidation during a protest staged by the Congress outside the Madhya Pradesh BJP office here after their senior leader Digvijaya Singh was barred from meeting his party's rebel MLAs in Bengaluru. The BJP claimed protesters hurled stones at its office and attacked its members with lathis, a charge refuted by the ruling Congress. We have registered an FIR againstRahul Rathore among eight unidentified persons and 50 unidentified persons on the complaint of BJP district president Vikas Virani," Habibganj area City Superintendent of Police (CSP) Bhupendra Singh told PTI. He said the accused were charged under IPC sections 147 (rioting), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation). Efforts were on to apprehend them, the police officer said. Earlier, the BJP claimed protesters hurled stones at its office and attacked its members with lathis, a charge refuted by the Congress whose government in the state is facing crisis after 22 party MLAs rebelled and resigned. Some of the protesters were detained, but no one was hurt during the demonstration, police sources said. "The Congress government's exit is imminent in Madhya Pradesh, which is why they attacked our office. We were sitting quietly when protesters hurled stones and rained lathis on us,' BJP state spokesman Rahul Kothari alleged. Refuting Kothari's claims, state Congress spokesman Bhupendra Gupta said his party workers did go there (BJP office), but were detained by the police. "They went to protest against the BJP-led Karnataka government for not allowing our leader Digvijaya to meet our MLAs in Bengaluru,' he said. The BJP is cooking up stories and creating drama over a peaceful protest, Gupta alleged. Instead of levelling baseless allegations, they (the BJP) should show the person who was hurt in the peaceful protest, he added. Meanwhile, inspector Rakesh Shrivastava of the Habibganj police station said no one was hurt during the protest and the police had not received any report of violence. High drama unfolded on Wednesday morning when Singh staged a protest near the resort in Bengaluru where rebel Congress MLAs are staying, accusing the police of not allowing him to meet the legislators. The senior Congress leader, who was detained by the police, accused the BJP of holding the MLAs captive and threatened to go on a 'hunger strike'. The BJP has consistently denied holding the rebel Congress MLAs in captivity and claimed they are in the Karnataka capital on their own accord. 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 collapse. Of these, the speaker has accepted the resignations of six MLAs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) ORLANDO, Fla., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ready to grow a customer base and gain a presence in the industry? Monster VoIP is proud to announce that their CEO, Collin Mitchelle, is chosen as one of the speakers for the Growth Marketing Summit hosted by Evolved Office. Collin is the CEO and top VoIP licensed provider nationwide - VoIP service provider based in Los Angeles, California. It has been in the phone service industry since 2012 and has continued to serve clients to help them thrive and reach their business goals. The Growth Marketing Summit is one of this year's most important events for business solutions providers to expand professional networks and learn from the best dealers and vendors in the industry. Join Evolved Office at this two-day summit where participants can learn from industry experts on learn to acquire net new business, upsell your customer base in a competitive business environment and more. It is limited to 50 dealers only and business solutions providers are required to stay at the host hotel to be qualified to attend the event. The event will be held in Gaylord Palms Resort and Resort, Florida on April 14 to 15. Any business that is serious about growing your dealership in 2020 and beyond, this is the must-attend event of the year! Join Evolved Office, successful dealers, and prominent vendors at this two-part summit to learn how to acquire new business and upsell your customers in today's competitive market. CEO of Monster VoIP - Collin Mitchelle Collin is the CEO and the business owner of the top VoIP service provider that is based in Los Angeles, California. His company has been in the phone service industry since 2012 and has continued to serve clients to help them thrive and reach their business goals. About Monster VoIP Based in Los Angeles, California, Monster VoIP is a licensed nationwide VoIP service provider that was founded in 2012. By leveraging expertise and gaining partnerships, the Monster VoIP service now reaches past local markets across the nation to help businesses achieve their VoIP goals. For more information, visit Monstervoip.com. Monster VoIP - VoIP Provider For Enterprise and Small Businesses Collin Mitchelle (CEO) Phone: 877 818 9696 Contact Email: [email protected] Related Files Growth_Summit_Rev4.pdf Related Images collin-mitchelle-ceo-of-monster.jpg Collin Mitchelle CEO of Monster VoIP Collin is the CEO and top VoIP licensed provider nationwide - VoIP service provider based in Los Angeles, California. It has been in the phone service industry since 2012 and has continued to serve clients to help them thrive and reach their business goals. Related Links Evolved Office Growth Summit SOURCE Monster VoIP Teck Resources Limited TECK continues to operate the Antamina mine under an exemption from the recently-announced restrictions imposed by the Peruvian Government amid the coronavirus outbreak in Peru. The Antamina mine is one of the worlds largest Zinc and Copper mines. Teck has 22.5% interest in this mine. Although there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the mine site, Teck Resources has taken proper precautions to protect its workforce during this tough time. The company noted that it will continue to maintain its critical operations with lower workforce throughout the 15-day national quarantine period. Teck expects there will be no further negative impact of coronavirus and hence, any temporary reduction in production is anticipated to be recovered in line with the current-year guidance. The company is a significant copper producer in the Americas, with four operating mines in Canada, Chile and Peru, and copper development projects in North and South America. Its main projects are Highland Valley Copper in Canada and Antamina, Quebrada Blanca and Carmen de Andacollo in South America. The companys business units are focused on steelmaking coal, copper, zinc and energy. For the current quarter, the company projects the Steelmaking Coal segment sales volumes at 4.8-5.2 million ton, down from the previous estimate of 5.1-5.4 million ton due to weather-related issues in British Colombia and rail blockades. Given the potential weak demand due to the coronavirus outbreak, and the high inventory levels due to rail and port constraints, the company plans to shut down Neptune Bulk Terminals, in order to progress the facility upgrade, which might dent quarterly coal production. In order to slow the spread of the virus, miners are shutting down its operations. Newmont Corporation NEM has also halted its mining operation at Yanacocha gold mine in Peru. Copper and zinc prices have plummeted following the outbreak of the coronavirus, while macroeconomic slowdown poses a threat to the Copper and Zinc metal markets. As China produces majority of copper, zinc, aluminum and other base metals, coronavirus fears caused copper prices to trend lower. Teck Resources will gain from the Neptune Bulk Terminals facility upgrades, construction of Quebrada Blanca Phase 2 copper project and the companys cost-reduction initiatives. Notably, Neptune Bulk Terminals project will significantly boost the terminal-loading capacity and improve its capability to meet delivery commitments to customers, while the Quebrada Blanca Phase 2 copper project will transform the companys copper business, making it a major global copper producer. The company intends to complete major plant outages in 2020. Though these outages are likely to lower steelmaking coal production in the first half of the current year, it will eventually pick up in the second half. Share Performance The companys shares have depreciated 65.1% over the past year compared with the industrys loss of 30.2%. Story continues Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider Teck Resources currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) Some better-ranked stocks in the basic materials space are Daqo New Energy Corp DQ and Sibanye Gold Limited SBSW, each currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here Daqo New Energy has a long-term earnings growth rate of 29%. The companys shares have surged 73.2% in the past year. Sibanye has an expected long-term earnings growth rate of 20.4%. Its shares have soared 109.5% in a years time. Looking for Stocks with Skyrocketing Upside? Zacks has just released a Special Report on the booming investment opportunities of legal marijuana. Ignited by new referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $6.7 billion to $20.2 billion in 2021. Early investors stand to make a killing, but you have to be ready to act and know just where to look. See the pot trades we're targeting>> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Newmont Goldcorp Corporation (NEM) : Free Stock Analysis Report DAQO New Energy Corp. (DQ) : Free Stock Analysis Report Teck Resources Ltd (TECK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Sibanye Gold Limited (SBSW) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. A reformed drug trafficker who caught coronavirus after travelling on the same flight as Peter Dutton has called for prisoners to be released to stop them from catching the virus. Debbie Kilroy and Boneta-Marie Mabo were on the same plane as the Home Affairs Minister when he travelled to the United States last week. After hearing of Mr Dutton's positive diagnosis of COVID-19, the pair were tested and also received a positive result on Monday. Debbie Kilroy (left) and Boneta-Marie Mabo (right) were both on the same plane as Peter Dutton last week Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton (pictured) tested positive for coronavirus on Friday As the pair begin their fourth day of isolation, Ms Kilroy said the country shouldn't standby and wait for coronavirus to reach children prisoners. 'Being remanded or sentenced to a prison term is not a death penalty in Australia,' the lawyer and human rights advocate wrote on Wednesday. 'When COVID-19 hits our prisons many will die. 'We must release people now before the virus hits. Prisons are incubators of disease.' She said the majority of children are on remand and are of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent. 'We cannot stand by and risk our children's lives. 'In a pandemic, the health of the general population is intrinsically linked to the health of the detained population. Immediate attention to the health needs of prisoners is necessary to contain the spread of coronavirus.' Ms Kilroy, a lawyer and human rights advocate, took to Twitter and said child prisoners should be released because coronavirus could easily spread in jail Since testing positive for coronavirus, Ms Kilroy said she has experienced different symptoms everyday. 'I am feeling quite nauseous, chesty and nasally this morning. I actually feel like I need to throw up,' she said. CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 27,244 Victoria: 20,269 New South Wales: 4,273 Queensland: 1,161 Western Australia: 692 South Australia: 473 Tasmania: 230 Australian Capital Territory: 113 Northern Territory: 33 TOTAL CASES: 27,244 ESTIMATED ACTIVE CASES: 269 DEATHS: 897 Updated: 5.31 PM, 11 October, 2020 Source: Australian Government Department of Health Advertisement Boneta-Marie Mabo, who was with Ms Kilroy, said she began to feel quite ill on the plane but initially suspected it was being in the cabin. On the plane she had a sore throat and felt an ache in her body. She said she was hyper aware of her health as she was going home to her daughter, her daughter's father and her own father and didn't want to make them ill. The pair said they weren't taking any medication - just drinking lots of water and eating healthy. They are also the first Australians to be isolated within their own home following a positive diagnosis due to limited bed space. Ms Kilory revealed the pair's test results came back showing they had COVID-19 on Monday. 'Boneta-Marie Mabo and I have the virus,' she tweeted on Monday morning. 'We are not being hospitalised as there's limited beds. We are the first ones being quarantined in community. 'Yes it's frightening but I'm healthy and should be fine after 14 days.' She urged people to take care of themselves as coronavirus grips the world. Debbie Kilroy (pictured), who was on the same plane as Mr Dutton, and Boneta-Marie Mabo tested positive for COVID-19 On Monday she revealed their test results came back showing they had COVID-19 Ms Kilroy told Daily Mail Australia she was two rows behind Mr Dutton on an international flight to Los Angeles. 'On Saturday we landed with several messages from friends about his diagnosis and we had low-level symptoms so we went straight to the hospital,' she said. Ms Kilroy said that staff at the hospital asked three questions; if she had been in close proximity to anyone who had tested positive, if she had travelled overseas and whether she had any symptoms. She said while it isn't definite that Mr Dutton passed on COVID-19, due to the unpredictability of the illness, it was concerning that others he had been around weren't being tested. Ms Kilroy also questioned why others - such as Prime Minister Scott Morrison - who came into contact with Mr Dutton weren't also being tested. 'A major concern is that he has been in close proximity with the Prime Minister and the Cabinet yet none of them are self-isolating,' she said. 'We need to be listening to medical advice - not politicians who are playing with people's lives.' The pair are the first to be quarantined in the community following a diagnosis, rather than in hospital Mr Dutton responded to the claims by Ms Kilroy and Ms Mabo on Sky News on Monday. He said people need to 'listen to medical advice and putting to the side what you hear on social media'. 'Don't listen to the advocates who hate me or hate the Prime Minister or have the government,' he said. 'Listen to the facts people are getting from the government website, the health website or the Prime Minister, the Chief Medical Officer or the Premiers of states are saying.' He said it was 'ridiculous' people were blaming him for their diagnosis or wanted those he came into contact with to be tested. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday Mr Dutton said he has been told Ms Mabo and Ms Kilroy sat no where near him and said people are using coronavirus to push their own agenda. 'Those two people have have been long-standing opponents of the government. They detest me because of Manus Island and Nauru and our border protection policies,' he said. He said they were using this to their advantage. 'What's that got to do with COVID-19 Mr Dutton,' Ms Kilroy responded on Twitter. 'It's about people not taking responsibility and spreading the virus. 'Anyone who had contact with you needs to be isolated for 14 days whether they have symptoms or not. Leadership is not blaming 'two women' asking you to be responsible.' Ms Kilroy was sent to the notorious Women's Correctional Centre on Boggo Road in Brisbane after she sold marijuana to an undercover officer in 1989 and has since 'dedicated her life to fight' for criminalised women Ms Kilroy was sent to the notorious Women's Correctional Centre on Boggo Road in Brisbane after she sold marijuana to an undercover officer in 1989 and has since 'dedicated her life to fight' for criminalised women. The 58-year-old previously witnessed the only murder to ever be commit inside an Australian women's prison, and was stabbed in the process of defending her friend. Following the harrowing incident she said she contemplated exacting revenge on the inmate who had committed the heinous crime. But when her plan was foiled by a prison guard, she instead vowed to turn her life around and used the rest of her time in prison to study for a university degree. Defeating all the odds, when Ms Kilroy was released from prison she made history by becoming the first ever woman with a serious criminal past to be sworn into the bar in Queensland. A good year ahead can be seen in a good spring, goes a popular Persian proverb. The idea might ring true enough for Iranians looking back at the Persian year 1398, which comes to a close March 20. Despite the problems that our enemy was determined to cause it, our nation managed to end the year in triumph, President Hassan Rouhani said in a televised speech among mask-wearing cabinet members in Tehran March 18. But to many Iranians, the year was a collage of fast-paced developments opening with country-wide floods that killed scores and marred the last new year holidays. All homes of the flood-stricken were either renovated or rebuilt, Rouhani said of the government response to the disaster, though critics have called it slow and poor. Less than three months into the devastating downpours, Tehran and its arch-enemy Washington entered a fresh cycle of tensions after Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) downed an American drone as it flew into the Iranian territory near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the international passageway for over a third of the worlds seaborne oil traffic. While the dust settled and the shadow of war faded, more trouble struck at home. The Rouhani government, backed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, approved and implemented a contentious economic plan involving tripled gas prices. Already squeezed by dwindling purchasing power in a crumbling economy hit hard by US sanctions, ordinary Iranians took to the streets to vent their rage. The government responded with zero tolerance in the form of bullets that left many dead by some accounts 1,500 on streets across Iran in mid-November. The crackdown included a crippling nationwide internet blackout. Thousands, among them children, are still languishing in Irans detention centers in connection with the protests. Nevertheless, Rouhani made no reference to the November turmoil in his end-of-year speech. In January, Iran and the United States were on the brink of war again. The US military assassinated the commander of the IRGCs Quds Force, Gen. Qasem Soleimani, striking his convoy outside Baghdad International Airport. In shock and disbelief, Tehran vowed a crushing response. Yet Soleimani's slaying proved to be an opportunity for the Iranian government to rally the nation behind the flag and patch up the rift caused by the November protests. Millions of Iranian took part in the state-organized funeral for the soldier of the nation as the top echelons of the Islamic Republic deliberated revenge against US forces. Only five days after the assassination, Irans IRGC aerospace command showered the Ain al-Assad airbase hosting American soldiers in Iraq with a barrage of missiles. The US government announced weeks later that the attack had only caused brain injuries to over 100 soldiers. The Iranian side of the story involved over 80 deaths, however. We did not and wont leave it unanswered, Rouhani said of Iran's retaliation for the generals death, repeating the Islamic Republics promise that true revenge will be exacted only after all American forces are ousted from the region. But Iran's moment of celebration following the reciprocal attack was short-lived. On Jan. 8 a Kiev-bound flight crashed outside Tehran, killing all 176 people on board. As international evidence mounted, Tehran gave in and made the bitter confession. Irans armed forces had shot down the plane mistakenly with two missiles at a tense time in anticipation of US retaliation. In the case of the Ukrainian flight, our armed forces spoke to our nation in full honesty, Rouhani said in his March 18 address. But the perceived cover-up in the aftermath of the tragedy brought many Iranians back to the streets as they saw the divide between themselves and the government widening and an all-time-low election turnout marred the countrys parliamentary polls in February. In mid-February, Iran became a hub for the coronavirus epidemic only weeks before the Persian new year. Again, the Rouhani government faced accusations of cover-up, mishandling and refusing to release the real statistics of the crisis. Rouhani denied the accusations, saying his government had been transparent about the outbreak from day one. Now, Iranians are ringing in the new year in the midst of a worsening epidemic that is keeping them indoors and shattering their festive moods. With the transition into the new year already gloomy, Iranians may well be hoping for an exception from the proverb this time. Advertisement Shocking pictures have emerged showing how a picturesque beauty spot has been blighted 'beyond belief' by the scourge of fly tipping. Popular with walkers, nature lovers and fishermen, the steep Cliviger Gorge has fallen victim to a deluge of bin bags, abandoned mattresses and even washing machines. Admirers of the picturesque valley in Burnley, Lancs., that was shaped by glacial erosion during the last ice age, are up-in-arms at how it has become an unofficial dumping ground. Slide me A before-and-after view of the land and the dreadful impact that the flytippers have had on the view of Cliviger Gorge Flytippers have dumped heaps of rubbish in the picturesque Cliviger Gorge in Lancashire, spoiling the view of the area The Cliviger Gorge area in Burnley, Lancashire is an extremely popular spot with walkers, nature lovers and fishermen But the nature spot now resembles more of a landfill site than a picturesque area for people to walk around A view of the Cliviger Gorge nature area free from flytippers dumping all of their rubbish across the land The latest mass littering, with hoards of plastic bags - posing a threat to the environment - makes the view look more like a landfill site. Local Kevin Thompson, 64, who lives on Long Shay farm near a viewpoint that overlooks the gorge said: 'It's absolutely horrendous. 'It is a real blight on a beautiful landscape. The council cannot remove rubbish due to the risk to health and safety. 'The council needs to install CCTV to catch the perpetrators out. Nothing ever seems to be done.' He blames the council for imposing charges on those who wish to get rid of their waste at the tip. He said: 'People can essentially dump their waste for free in the woodland.' John Thornton, 75, who spotted the waste four weeks ago when enjoying his breakfast at a sandwich van in the lay-by said 'he had not seen anything like it before.' The horrendous expanse of waste is even located near to posters saying 'Let's stop fly-tipping.' Burnley council reportedly cannot try and remove all of the rubbish due to the risk posed to health and safety Locals are furious about people dumping their rubbish there, with one claiming that nothing is ever done to stop it People have called for the council to insert CCTV in order to catch the people who are dumping their rubbish there Of the latest tip, a Burnley Council spokesman said: 'It's beyond belief that someone could destroy our beautiful countryside without a thought or a care for the devastating impact this kind of mindless behaviour has. 'This is fly tipping on an industrial scale and must have taken several trips to complete. 'There is no excuse for this selfish, criminal act. If anyone has any information on who is responsible for this outrageous act we want to hear from you so we can catch and prosecute them. 'We are working with Lancashire County Council and other partners to find a safe and effective way of removing this waste. Burnley council say that they are 'working with Lancashire County Council... to find a safe way of removing this waste' The council adds that the steepness of the terrain means it is a difficult job to remove all of the waste from the valley Some local residents believe people are dumping rubbish because they have to pay to get rid of it when they go to a tip 'It's going to be a difficult job given the steepness of the terrain and the quantity of rubbish but we'll get it done. 'We're also looking at ways of preventing this kind of thing from happening at this site again. 'This incident reinforces our Let's SCRAP flytipping campaign which urges everyone to ensure they only use accredited and professional waste carriers to take away their rubbish. 'Most waste carriers are responsible but there are some 'cowboys' out there that don't care where they dump rubbish as long as they're paid.' Fly-tipping is a serious criminal offence for which you can be prosecuted. The courts have various powers available to them to tackle fly-tipping, including imprisonment, substantial fines of up to 50,000 orders to pay costs and an order to deprive rights to a vehicle used to commit the offence. With the West Bengal government extending the closure of educational institutes till April 15 in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak, several schools in the city have decided to conduct online classes to complete their syllabus on time. The principal of Ram Mohan Mission School, Sujoy Biswas told PTI on Wednesday that the institute will conduct classes over Skype. Teachers will give lectures over Skype and students will submit their homework through portals, he said. A spokesperson of the Heritage School said the teachers will hold online classes to cope with the loss of time. Teachers will share study materials and conduct tests through the internet, the spokesperson said. The principal of Central Modern School in Baranagar, Nabarun Dey said, We have put in place a mechanism where students can submit their work online. The Future Foundation School is also offering online classes for all students. Classes 10 and 12 students must complete their syllabi on time, Principal Ranjan Mitter said. Mitter said the students will learn lessons online, complete homework and submit them online. Hand sanitizer is seen at an escalator in Seoul, South Korea, on March 13, 2020. (Chung Sung-jun/Getty Images) Price Gouging Commentary We dont have any! Fill in the blank. People are stocking up on things, fearing that we will be stuck in our homes, under quarantine, without essential supplies. Some hoard toilet paper. A popular internet video features someone driving up to what appears to be a drug dealer but is really someone selling toilet paper. When it became hard to find hand sanitizer in New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo said the state would produce its own, made by prison labor. Yet in-demand items like masks and hand sanitizer can still be found. Its just that we have to pay an inflated price. People on social media are outraged by that. They post pictures showing stores charging high prices, like $19.99 for a can of Lysol spray and $22.99 for a 12 oz bottle of Purell. Were encouraged to report such high prices to the government because gouging is illegal. New York has an online price gouging complaint form that people can fill out if they are charged unconscionably high prices. On my watch, we will not tolerate schemes or frauds designed to turn large profits by exploiting peoples health concerns, said New Yorks economically clueless Attorney General Letitia James. Some people are looking to prey on others anxiety and line their own pockets. Well, yes. People always look for ways to line their own pockets. But what politicians call gouging is just supply and demand. Prices rise and fall all the time. Most states anti-gouging laws never even say exactly what is unconscionably excessive. That invites abuse. Vague laws give politicians dangerous power. They can use anti-gouging law to punish any merchant who doesnt give them money or kiss their rings. It seems cruel to charge customers more during a crisis, but when there are no laws against sharp price increases, people dont experience long lines and shortages. Think about what happens when stores dont raise their prices: People rush to buy all they can get. The store sells out. Only the first customers get what they want. But if the store charges more for items in extraordinary demand, people are less likely to hoard. Customers buy what we need and leave some for others. Prices should rise during emergencies. Thats because prices arent just money; they are signals, information. They tell suppliers what their customers want most. Entrepreneurs then make more of them and work hard to get them to the people who need them most. If anti-gouging laws dont crush these incentives, prices quickly fall to normal levels. Stossel in the Classroom contest winners explained that in a video. Last week, some people bought lots of hand sanitizers and masks and then sold them on the internet. One couple boasted that they made over $100,000 reselling Lysol wipes. Theyre not bad people. Their actions allow people desperate for supplies to buy what they need, even if its at a higher price. Were supposed to stay indoors, so its good that we can get these products online. Then we dont leave home and infect others. Unfortunately, Amazon, eBay and Facebook, worried about accusations of profiteering, cracked down on resellers. The companies removed listings for masks, hand sanitizers and disinfectants. This will only cause more shortages. Bigger profit was what encouraged people to sell online. Now no one gets those products until the market returns to normal. In China, there was a severe mask shortage. That raised the price of masks and kickstarted production of face masks all around the world. A factory in France hired more people and raised its production of face masks from 170 million a year to half a billion. The French company didnt do it only because they want to help people in China. Extra profit motivated them. Price gouging saves lives. In a crisis, we like to think that everyone will volunteer and be altruistic. But its not realistic to believe that all will. If we want more supplies, we ask sellers to risk their money, their safety and comfort. (Sellers often travel long distances to reach people most in need.) Most sellers wont do that unless theyll profit. Government should dump its anti-price gouging laws and let the free market help those in need. John Stossel is an Award-winning news correspondent and best-selling author. His latest book is No, They Cant: Why Government FailsBut Individuals Succeed. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Defending his decision to call the coronavirus spreading rapidly across the world as Chinese Virus, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (March 17) said that he is simply trying to defeat Beijing's false narrative that the US military was involved in the outbreak of deadly virus. 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 said at a press conference in White House. So I think its a very accurate term. I didnt appreciate the fact that China was saying that our military gave it to them. Our military did not give it to anybody, Trump added. Later, during a meeting with CEOs of the hotel and tourism industry by using the term China Virus and rejected claims that the term created a stigma against the Chinese. I dont think so. I think saying that our military did to them creates a stigma, he asserted. On Monday (March 16), President Trump tweeted 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. 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. . , The Hill, , ... The United Nations and nine countries on Tuesday called on Libya's warring parties to cease hostilities to allow health authorities to fight against the new coronavirus. In a joint statement, the ambassadors of Algeria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Britain and the United states, as well as the European Union delegation to Libya and the governments of Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates called for a "humanitarian truce". They called on the warring parties to "declare an immediate, humanitarian cessation of hostilities... to allow local authorities to respond to the unprecedented public health challenge posed by COVID-19." The United Nations Support Mission in Libya joined the call, urging asking all parties "to join forces immediately before it is too late to face this overwhelming, fast-spreading threat". War-torn Libya is largely divided between forces backing the Government of National Accord (GNA) and those of eastern-based military commander Khalifa Haftar, who backs a rival administration in the country's east. To date, no cases of COVID-19 have been reported by either adminstration, but experts fear an outbreak could be catastrophic due to the country's degraded health system. A fragile truce entered into force on January 12, but there have been repeated violations. After closing schools last week, the GNA said on Monday it was closing land borders and halting flights in the west of the country to keep out the virus. In the east, borders remain open with Egypt, which has reported 166 cases of COVID-19. Strict monitoring, social distancing and surveillance have started yielding some results in Kerala as no fresh case of coronavirus was reported for the second consecutive day but the number of people under observation rose sharply to 25,603 on Wednesday, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The situation is under control now. But we cant sit idle. There are chances that it may aggravate at any time. We have to be alert and the government will do everything possible to check further spread, he said. The CM said religious leaders have pledged all support to the government and he appealed people not to attend large gatherings, festivals and other functions in view of the delicate situation. Kerala currently has 27 positive cases of coronavirus. Two of them are foreigners. The total number of infections in the country rose to 151 on Wednesday. As part of the social distancing, Vijayan held his press conference in an open space. Follow coronavirus outbreak here. Among those under observation in the state, 25,306 are in their homes and 237 in different hospitals. More than 2550 samples have been tested out of which 2140 wre negative while the results of 400 people are awaited, the CM said. Track live updates on coronavirus outbreak here: https://www.hindustantimes.com/topic/coronavirus Now the virus has been reported in 159 countries. Death rate is also going up steadily. In Kerala we want to confine it to imported cases. For this voluntary disclosure and social distancing are important, he said. Vijayan said the Kerala High Court and Supreme Court have lauded the states initiatives and they will act as a boost to health workers and others who toil day and night. The SC has lauded the states initiatives to deliver free mid-day meals to children at their homes while hearing a plea in this regard on Wednesday. Meanwhile, bankers on Wednesday made a commitment to the state government that they will announce a years moratorium on farm and small-scale loans in view of the situation. The volatile situation has affected daily wage earners, small-scale units, tourism and auto and taxi drivers and traders badly. Kerala was the first state to report the virus in January when three students who returned from China contracted the virus. They later recovered and were discharged before a spurt of new cases earlier this month. Re: COVID-19 outbreak sparks explosion in sales for Canadian gun stores, March 17, 2020 In a pandemic, Canadians need access to health care not guns. At a time of national focus on preventative public health care and COVID-19, news of an explosion of gun sales should concern all Canadians. The gun industry lobby's perpetual efforts to create a climate of fear is an American phenomenon that we are now seeing in Canada. The evidence is clear: the proliferation of guns in society is a public health risk. Health providers have to focus our attention on protecting the public from this pandemic. We cannot afford added risks created solely for private profit and interest. It is imperative that Bill Blair and the federal government, among their other important responsibilities, act to protect the public by banning the further sale of assault weapons now. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 18/3/2020 (664 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Sivananthan Sivarouban is trapped in Peru. The 31-year-old Winnipegger is one of more than 400,000 Canadians currently stranded abroad as countries implement sweeping travel restrictions in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Like most of them, Sivarouban doesnt know when hell be able to come back home. "Im pretty stressed. I think its starting to sink in that Im going to be in this country for at least another 14 days with no way out. You cant even go for a walk or anything," he said. "My biggest fear is that at the end of the quarantine, the government will say, The 15-day quarantine worked, so were going to extend it." Sivarouban left Canada for Peru on March 7. At the time, there were no travel restrictions in place he was aware of. While he knew about the COVID-19 virus, he said the situation was not as dire as it currently is. Up until Sunday, everything in Peru was fine, and he was enjoying his vacation as planned. But that night, the government announced it would soon close the borders in response to the pandemic. "At nighttime, about 9 p.m., there was an announcement saying all foreigners should get out of the country by the end of the next day, or youre going to be stuck here for 15 days, because were shutting down the borders," he said. "A state of emergency had been declared by the Peruvian government." At the time, Sivarouban was on his way to Machu Picchu, a popular tourist destination nestled in the mountains of Peru. He was staying the night in a small rural community far from an international airport. In the morning, he boarded a bus at about 6 a.m., drove to a city with a regional airport, then flew to Lima, the countrys capital, where he hoped to catch a flight to somewhere anywhere else. By the time he made it to the international airport at 4 p.m.roughly eight hours before the borders were to close and all flights out of the country were booked. A trip to the Canadian Embassy did not lead to much help, he said. Thats when it sank in that he was stranded. In a written statement sent to the Free Press, Global Affairs Canada said there are at least 3,872 Canadians currently stuck in Peru. Sivarouban said he's in a hotel with many other Canadians and Americans. Outside, military personnel are on patrol with masks covering their faces. "It was pretty terrifying. On the drive from the airport to the hotel, they were walking four at a time: two of them would be in military fatigues, two would be in the blue police officer uniforms. They were fully masked, walking down the street every street," Sivarouban said. "Theres approximately 10 other Canadians in this hotel. At least six are retired, who are elderly. Id say in this one hotel in Peru theres at least 30 people who cant get out. I assume it would be the same in every hotel." Sivarouban wants the Canadian government to put pressure on Peruvian officials to organize repatriation flights, he said. Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. It's not clear what, if any, help is on the horizon or when the stranded will be able to return. On Monday, Ottawa announced it would loan Canadians abroad up to $5,000 to help get home and cover their basic needs until they reach Canada. Global Affairs Canada also said it would soon announce some form of help "to Canadians directly affected by COVID-19 and unable to immediately return home." With files from Dylan Robertson ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @rk_thorpe Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Wednesday that he will self-isolate for five days after his recent trip to China as a precautionary measure to limit the spread of the deadly coronavirus that has infected 249 people in the country. Qureshi was part of the delegation of President Arif Alvi who visited China this week to express solidarity and seek cooperation in different sectors, especially defeating COVID-19 in Pakistan. "Before leaving for China, we had a swab test done, which came back negative, Qureshi told Geo TV. "When we reached China, a blood and swab test was done again, which also came back negative and only after that we had our meetings. Before leaving, another blood test was conducted, whose result will be issued today, Qureshi said. Qureshi said still he decided to go into self-isolation for five days as a precautionary measure. "After five days, I will do another swab test and if that also comes back negative, I will then go out and interact with people. This is what the experts have suggested and I intend to do it to set an example for others, he said. Qureshi said that China would provide testing kits, protective gear and portable ventilators to Pakistan as well cash grants. "China has [also] decided it will provide us with a cash grant to set up a state-of-the-art isolation centre to combat the coronavirus outbreak in the country, he said. He said that their visit was first by any foreign delegation to China and the main purpose of the trip was to show solidarity with China. "They told us we were the first delegation to visit China since the virus broke out, which re-affirmed our iron brother' status," he said. Qureshi lavished praise on China for controlling the epidemic through effective measures. Talking about Pakistani students with whom he had spoken during the visit, Qureshi said that they were happy and had already started their studies. He said Pakistan would also overcome the crisis and urged all provinces to follow an approach which suited it. "Every province will need to be approached differently. Every province has a different need. We need to take decisions keeping in mind the province, he said. Meanwhile, more cases surfaced in Sindh where so far 181 coronavirus patients were identified, according provincial spokesman Murtaza Wahab. Another 26 in Punjab, 19 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, 16 in Balochistan, 5 Gilgit-Baltistan and 2 in Islamabad were identified. Education minister Shafqat Mahmood told media that all examinations were cancelled until June 1 and universities asked to delay their admissions to accommodate students. He said all hostels in universities were vacated but foreign students were allowed to stay in their hotels. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Moroccan journalist and human rights activist Omar Radi said Tuesday he had been handed a four-month suspended sentence for criticising a judge in a tweet. A court in the Casablanca district of Ain Sebaa also ordered Radi to pay a fine of 500 dirhams ($52), said the journalist, who reported the verdict in a tweet as courts in Morocco are closed to the public under measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus. "I had expected the trial to be scrapped. It is an attack on my freedom of expression," Radi told AFP, adding that he will appeal the verdict. The ruling was immediately criticised by Amnesty International, which urged Moroccan authorities to quash the sentence. "Even though today's verdict means Radi won't serve time in prison, he should never have been put on trial in the first place or sentenced for expressing peaceful views on social media," Amnesty's regional director Heba Morayef said in a statement. "This sentence reinforces the message that anyone in Morocco who stands up for human rights will be punished." In April last year, Radi criticised judge Lahcen Tolfi after he upheld sentences of up to 20 years in jail against leaders of a protest movement that rocked the country's north in 2016 and 2017. Radi was detained briefly in December and charged with "insulting magistrates" before being released following a social media outcry over his arrest. Sterling and Wilson Solar (SWSL), a Shapoorji Pallonji group company, is set to execute its order book, which is valued at Rs 13,000 crore, despite the delay in shipping of solar panels from China and forthcoming debt repayments. Bikesh Ogra, global chief executive officer, SWSL, told Business Today that the company with its current projects would be able to retain the leadership position as the world's largest solar EPC solution provider. SWSL has projects of around 9,200 MW constructed and under various stages of construction currently across India, Europe, Australia, Africa, USA, Latin America and MENA region. SWSL, which commenced operations in 2011, is a global pure-play, end-to-end solar engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) solutions provider which went public last year in August. The company provides EPC services primarily for utility scale solar power projects along with operations and maintenance (O&M) services, including for projects constructed by third parties. In November, the promoters of SWSL - Shapoorji Pallonji Group and Khurshed Yazdi Daruvala - failed to honour their repayment commitments and sought more time from the company's board to repay loans worth Rs 2,341 crore. They repaid Rs 1,000 crore in December 2019 and proposed to facilitate entire repayments of balance loan amounts in phases by September. According to the commitments, the promoters will have to pay Rs 500 each by March and June. The rest will have to be repaid in September. Ogra said that the company's procurements from China have been affected because of the virus outbreak "Almost 90 per cent of our solar panels procurement is from China," he said. "While it was estimated that there will be major delays in shipments, however, basis our discussion with suppliers in China, it is promising to know that deliveries will happen on time and will not severely affect our project schedules," he added. The company has a portfolio of over 220 solar power projects with a collective power generation capacity of around 9200 MW globally - constructed and under various stages of construction. Bikesh says, "We are the only EPC company in India who has the largest global footprint with presence in 25 countries." "We are expecting to add another 10,000 MW in next 3-4 years. We have recently won two solar power projects in Australia which is under commissioning level. Both these projects are with the oil giants Shell and Lightsource BP. Other than commissioning the projects, we do the operation and maintenance of the 90 per cent projects that we build," he said. The world is moving towards renewable energy space considering the growing concerns about climate change and reducing carbon emissions. Ogra sees it as an opportunity. As per the GTM Research Q2 Report, countries like China, Japan and India will account for 20 per cent of the total global renewable market by 2030, whereas North America and Europe will account for 28 per cent by then. SWSL had a 4.6 per cent global market share - double the size of the second largest company in the world. The company was also the largest solar EPC solutions provider in Africa and the Middle East with a market share of 36.6 per cent and 40.4 per cent, respectively. The global portfolio includes a 1,177 MW single location solar PV plant in Abu Dhabi - one of the world's largest single-location Solar PV plants. The company posted a profit of Rs 176 crore in the first nine months of this financial year, on a revenue fo Rs 3,515 crore. The total number of Oregonians tested for coronavirus surpassed 1,000 on Tuesday as Gov. Kate Browns administration again provided mixed messages about when expanded testing will be available. This time the confusion stemmed directly from comments by Brown, in response to a question from reporters about what was being done to increase testing in Oregon. The short answer is, yes, we are expecting testing capacity to ramp up substantially, Brown initially said in a conference call, in the next three weeks. Brown explained that White House officials provided assurances Monday to states that 1 million tests would be available nationwide this week, 2 million next week and 5 million the week after. Brown said Oregon would consider doing drive-thru testing, noting that it was already available in about a dozen other states. But Brown then shifted the timeline for a meaningful increase in Oregon from three weeks to this week. You should see our testing capacity ramp up, I dont want to say exponentially but substantially, this week, as we expand testing capacity through a private provider, she said. After the conference call with reporters, The Oregonian/OregonLive asked Browns office and the Oregon Health Authority for details. The newsroom asked what provider Brown was talking about, when the provider would begin testing and how many tests it could analyze at its own lab. It quickly appeared there was no provider. Robb Cowie, an agency spokesman, said in an email that Brown was talking generally about commercial labs providing test results to the state. We dont have a contract with a lab to conduct additional testing, he said, but the health authority has been receiving an increasing number of test results from commercial laboratories. Browns office, meanwhile, said in a statement that it is a top priority for Brown to secure more lab capacity and testing materials. As a smaller state, we do not have the same number of facilities or volume of processing capabilities of larger states that are currently facing outbreaks, spokesman Charles Boyle said in a statement. Governor Brown and her administration have been working with the hospital system in Oregon to bring private labs online, which is reflected in the growing number of tests that are being completed in Oregon each day. State officials have long acknowledged the need to test more Oregonians but have blamed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for providing a limited supply of kits. State officials have rationed tests to those they consider most in need, with analysis done at the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory in Hillsboro. Oregon through Tuesday reported that 1,033 residents have now been tested for coronavirus. Sixty-seven people have been infected. Cowie, the state spokesman, said 211 of the reported tests and eight positives were analyzed somewhere other than the state lab. The lack of adequate testing nationally has suppressed the number of identified cases, leaving people who are infected with mild symptoms potentially able to spread the virus unknowingly. More than 5,500 infections have been identified nationally, according to The New York Times database, but the actual number is higher. The federal government does not track the number of people who have been tested, and individual states dont always publicize or disclose their figures. The Oregonian/OregonLive last week conducted a point-in-time survey that found Oregon was far behind California and Washington but in line with many other states in terms of the raw number of people tested. Browns statements Tuesday about the potential for more testing in Oregon comes less than a week after Dean Sidelinger, the state health officer and epidemiologist, said commercial labs were already offering testing and several hospital systems were expected to be up and running this week. But state officials wouldnt disclose which hospital systems those were even though Browns office announced there were agreements with five chains. OHSU Hospital, which had been most optimistic about being able to quickly test, said this week that on-site lab capabilities may not happen until March 25, although the hospital hopes its sooner. Legacy Health said it expects to have limited ability to perform in-house lab testing within the next two weeks. Providence Health & Services, meanwhile, could be ready to begin testing and lab work within the next few days, spokesman Gary Walker said. Theyre eager to get going, he said. -- Brad Schmidt; bschmidt@oregonian.com; 503-294-7628; @_brad_schmidt Alfred M. Worden, who orbited the moon in the summer of 1971, taking sophisticated photographs of the lunar terrain while his fellow astronauts of the Apollo 15 mission roamed its surface in a newly developed four-wheel rover, died overnight at an assisted living center in Sugar Land, Texas, his family said on Wednesday. He was 88. His son-in-law Bill Penczak said that Mr. Worden, who had lived in League City, Texas, apparently had a stroke. Apollo 15 was NASAs first moon mission devoted mainly to science. The flight of Apollo 11 in July 1969 had fulfilled President John F. Kennedys call for America to reach the moon by the end of the 1960s. But the three lunar landings that preceded Apollo 15 had yielded relatively modest insight into the moons origin and composition. Major Worden, of the Air Force, spent three days in orbit operating a pair of cameras in his space capsule Endeavour. FameLab participants at Amazwi South African Museum of Literature By Karabo Baloyi, MA student Rhodes University, in association with the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), hosted the first annual FameLab regional science heat at the Amazwi South African Museum of Literature on Monday, 16 March 2020. The Faculty of Pharmacys Head of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Dr David Khanye, welcomed the participants and encouraged them to learn to communicate their research to people outside their field. FameLab is very important in helping scientists communicate science to the public, he said. He added that the creation of knowledge is important: Some of the research you will tell us about may one day be translated into policies that will be incorporated into parliament. FameLab is one of the biggest science communication competitions in the world. It aims to teach young scientists to communicate their research to the public through a series of heats where participants have three minutes to explain the significance and purpose of their research. The winners advance to national, and finally to the international competitions in the United Kingdom. The regional participants were from Rhodes University, Walter Sisulu University, and Nelson Mandela University. They presented research ranging from science learning and teaching in mother tongue languages to the value of using nanoscience to target cancer cells for better treatment. The organizer and Rhodes University Pharmacy Senior Lecturer, Dr. Nosiphiwe Ngqwala congratulated the participants on their courage to enter the competition: Younger students will look up to you for inspiration and will also be encouraged to go for a career in science, she said. By changing the narrative associated with science, you will change the world. The winners of the regional heat were Rhodes Universitys Yenziwe Mbuyisa and Nelson Mandela Universitys Sendibitiyosi Gandidzanwa. They will participate in the national competition in Johannesburg later this year. * Please note that this event was pre-planned and it happened immediately after the President pronounced a national state of disaster due to the Covid-19 outbreak. As a result, SAIAB and University of Fort Hare pulled out and the event was adjusted to run over a one day period instead of two. Hygiene conditions and rules as set out by the President were strictly adhered to for the duration. Source: Communications [March 18, 2020] Four Companies Offering Talent Intelligence Platforms Named IDC Innovators International Data Corporation (IDC) today published an IDC Innovators report profiling four companies offering ground-breaking tools in Talent Intelligence. The four companies are Claro (News - Alert), Eightfold, SeekOut, and Stratigens. IDC defines Talent Intelligence (TI) as the gathering and subsequent analysis of internal and/or external labor data in order to inform talent strategies and tactics. Data includes government resources as well as publicly available information which is then normalized and cleansed to inform and drive competitive talent management outcomes. TI platforms enable human resources (HR) professionals to create a holistic view of talent pools throughout the world by aggregating labor market data consisting of people, skills, functions, competitors, and locations from thousands of public sources. This information enables HR teams to be more efficient and effective when attempting to find, engage, and retain talent in a labor market economy that is short on skills and diverse talent pools. "TI platforms are at the forefront of a growing category within the talent acquisition and human resources functions. TI technology enables recruiters, workforce planners, and people strategists with the data needed to transform organizational people strategies and compete in a hyper-competitive talent market," said Megan Buttita, research director of IDC's (News - Alert) Emerging Trends in Talent Acquisition program. The report, IDC Innovators: Talent Intelligence Platforms, 2020 (IDC #US46115220), profiles four companies offering ground-breaking tools in Talent Intellience. Claro enables users to quickly find diverse talent, perform competitive talent benchmarking and workforce planning, provide market mapping, gain early insights in potential employee disengagement, and model employee attrition. enables users to quickly find diverse talent, perform competitive talent benchmarking and workforce planning, provide market mapping, gain early insights in potential employee disengagement, and model employee attrition. Eightfold is an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered talent intelligence platform that helps global organizations manage their talent acquisition, talent experience, talent diversity, and talent management programs globally. is an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered talent intelligence platform that helps global organizations manage their talent acquisition, talent experience, talent diversity, and talent management programs globally. SeekOut provides talent acquisition teams a competitive edge by curating a comprehensive database of candidate profiles for in-demand professionals powered by an intuitive machine learning (ML)-powered people search engine. provides talent acquisition teams a competitive edge by curating a comprehensive database of candidate profiles for in-demand professionals powered by an intuitive machine learning (ML)-powered people search engine. Stratigens provides decision makers with location, competition, supply, and diversity data to uncover talent pool characteristics within a location or function to support holistic people-based decisions. About IDC Innovators IDC Innovators reports present a set of vendors - under $100 million in revenue at time of selection - chosen by an IDC analyst within a specific market that offer an innovative new technology, a groundbreaking approach to an existing issue, and/or an interesting new business model. It is not an exhaustive evaluation of all companies in a segment or a comparative ranking of the companies. Vendors in the process of being acquired by a larger company may be included in the report provided the acquisition is not finalized at the time of publication of the report. Vendors funded by venture capital firms may also be included in the report even if the venture capital firm has a financial stake in the vendor's company. IDC INNOVATOR and IDC INNOVATORS are trademarks of International Data Group, Inc. For more information about IDC Innovators research, please contact Karen Moser at [email protected]. About IDC International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC's analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading tech media, data and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com. Follow IDC on Twitter (News - Alert) at @IDC and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the IDC Blog for industry news and insights: http://bit.ly/IDCBlog_Subscribe. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005018/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Cert NZ the New Zealand Government body that monitors and advises on cyber attacks is warning New Zealanders to be wary of SIM swapping. It has uncovered the first of these to hit the country, with victims suffering, on average, losses of $30,000. In a SIM swapping attack also known as SIM hijacking the attacker uses social engineering techniques to persuade a mobile service provider to transfer the victims phone number to the attackers SIM card. Then, if the attacker has been able to gain the primary credentials to access the victims bank or other account, the attacker can to validate two-factor authentication that relies on a numeric code being sent via SMS to the victims phone and transfer money from the account. In Q4 of 2019 Cert NZ says it received multiple reports of successful SIM swap attacks the first for more than a year. Anecdotal reports show that incidents of SIM swapping are increasing, as motivated attackers find ways to circumvent additional security controls, CERT NZ said. Cert NZ also suggested that, given the effort required to mount and exploit a SIM swapping attack, the incidents were the work of motivated attackers focused on particular individuals. It declined to provide any further details of these attacks. It said there was little individuals could do directly to prevent SIM swapping, but they could reduce the chances by keeping very tight control on the sort of personal information attackers use to dupe mobile operators into porting the number. Australia moves to prevent SIM hijacking, but NZ has not In Australia the telco regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), last month introduced new rules requiring telcos to add additional identity verification when transferring (porting) customers mobile numbers. The new Telecommunications (Mobile Number Pre-porting Additional Identify Verification) Industry Standard 2020 contains provisions that should prevent almost all SIM hijacking. It requires an agent in store or in a call centre to call the mobile number that the caller wants transferred to make sure they are calling from that number. Or the agent can send a code via text message which the recipient must then enter. In New Zealand, mobile number porting is regulated under the Telecommunications Act, and administered by the Commerce Commission and administered by the New Zealand Telecommunications Forum (TCF). The current rules were put in place in 2016 and are due to expire in December 2021. They do not impose any requirements on service providers to verify that porting requests are genuine. The TCF has a Code for Transfer of Telecommunications Services when a service is being transferred between providers, rather than to a new SIM with the same provider. It puts the onus on the acquiring service provider to valid a customers porting request but does not prescribe any ways in which this is to be done. The New Zealand telecom regulator ComCom told Computerworld that TCF is aware of the issues and has been working with ComCom to come up with a revised process to address such issues. The TCF maybe under a bit of pressure due to the current coronavirus-cased disruption in peoples ability to work, said ComCom spokesperson Simon Thomson. More SMS phishing attacks and phone scams seen, too CERT NZ also reported that, in Q4 of 2019, it had seen a large SMS phishing campaign targeting the customers of a New Zealand bank. The campaign used an online bulk text messaging service to send text messages to 27,000 New Zealand mobile phone numbers, about 12,000 of these were customers of the bank. It gave no details of the nature of the attack, or the damage it caused, saying only that it had coordinated a joint response with the bank, the Police and the Department of Internal Affairs to protect the banks customers and stop the campaign before further harm was done. In other findings from the report: CERT NZ said it had seen an increase in scam calls trying to extract information from people. A large portion were tech support scams. Automated calls claiming to offer credit card holders an increase on their credit limit or notify them of a supposed suspicious transaction were also common. SPRINGFIELD Since Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker declared a state of emergency eight days ago, all public and private schools have closed, restaurants and bars have shuttered to sit-down customers, gatherings of more than 50 people have been canceled and the state employee workforce was cut to only its essential numbers. Granting the governor and Illinois Department of Public Health these powers are two statutes one effective during times of disaster and the other when a health situation demands certain actions. When Pritzker signed the the disaster proclamation on March 9 to mitigate the potential effects of COVID-19 a novel severe acute respiratory illness that can spread among people through respiratory transmissions and present with symptoms similar to those of influenza on Illinoisans, he activated provisions of the Emergency Management Agency Act. Chiefly, that law created the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, once called the Illinois Emergency Service and Disaster Agency, to better prepare for and coordinate state actions in response to a disaster. And for at least 30 days, it allows Pritzker to: manage who enters and leaves the state and who can travel within it; appropriate resources as needed; acquire any personal property as may be necessary; and block price increases for materials, among other abilities. In a daily COVID-19 briefing Tuesday, the governor said he refused to use the current situation to supersede my constitutional authority. Every step that weve taken during this crisis, my legal team has understood and laid out our legal authority to do it, Pritzker said. Where we felt my authority didnt extend to some action that we felt we needed to take to keep people safe, we worked with the individuals or entities involved to get to the right answer. The Department of Public Health maintains wide authority to investigate, restrict and suppress the spread of dangerously contagious or infectious diseases, according to statute. Officials have supreme authority to quarantine or isolate Illinoisans it deems a threat to public health and can restrict access to places to avoid virus spread. Anyone who knowingly or maliciously shares false information about such a virus or ignores a quarantine order is guilty of a misdemeanor. Several additions to the law were added in 2004 through legislation sponsored by Chicago Democratic Sen. Sara Feigenholtz when she was a representative and then-Sen. Barack Obama. The changes were modeled after an initiative drafted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ensure that there could be an effective response to an incidence of bioterrorism, Obama said then. It passed the House and Senate unanimously. State health officials at all levels are allowed to share medical records and other information to prevent the spread of a virus or disease as long as patient privacy is observed. Local officials, under law, are also tasked with enforcing IDPH orders. If they do not, the department may enforce such measures as it deems necessary to protect public health, and all necessary expenses so incurred shall be paid by the locality for which services are rendered. Thus far, Pritzker has issued five executive orders related to the novel coronavirus. In part, they: Extend application deadlines for aspects of the adult-use recreational marijuana program and allowing applications by mail. Ban events of 1,000 or more people, close the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago to the public and more easily grant sick leave for state employees. Shutter restaurants and bars for in-house dining and further the event ban to those with 50 people or more. Close public and private K-12 schools, lift chronic absence rules for students and allow electronic learning programs. Clarify schools operated by several state agencies the Department of Juvenile Justice, State Board of Education and Department of Human Services will remain open for education purposes, as long as officials can guarantee health and safety precautions will be exercised. Three weeks into Italy's coronavirus crisis, Dr. Sergio Cattaneo has seen an unused ward outfitted into an intensive care unit in six days, a hospital laundry room converted into a giant stretcher-filled waiting room and a tented field hospital erected outside to test possible new virus patients. But Cattaneo, head of anesthesiology and intensive care at the public hospital in Brescia in northern Italy, still can't get his head around the curve the upward slope of new infections in Italy that tracks almost exactly the trajectory of cases in Wuhan, China, where the global pandemic began three months ago. "What is really shocking something we had not been able to forecast and brought us to our knees is the quickness the epidemic spreads, Cattaneo told The Associated Press during an exclusive tour of Brecia's newest ICU. "If the spreading of this epidemic is not put under control, it will bring all hospitals to their knees." 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 1.2 million, is second only to nearby Bergamo in positive cases in Lombardy, the epicenter of the pandemic in Europe. 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. By Tuesday, Italy recorded 31,506 positive cases and 2,503 deaths, more than anywhere outside China. 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. 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 two groups demanded adequate protective masks, gloves and other equipment as a matter of national security for the 900,000-strong medical workforce in Italy. We have to redefine the priorities in the fight, said Filippo Anelli, head of the doctors' federation. It's unfathomable, unworthy of a civil society and puts public health at risk. Italy's civil protection agency has blasted countries for failing to follow through on orders of protective masks, including 20 million that were under contract but were never delivered. Civil protection chief Angelo Borrelli has named India, Russia, Romania and France as countries that have blocked exports of the specialized masks, which Italy doesn't produce domestically. What we're seeing is a closure of borders to exportation, he lamented this week. Prisoners are being put to work to make surgical masks, since there's a shortage of them, too. The Justice Ministry estimates that inmates could produce as many as 10,000 a day. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nearly all educational establishments across Vietnam have been closed since Lunar New Year Photo: Le Toan Last week, 150 private education institutes filed a document to the government and relevant ministries, calling for help in avoiding interruptions in their business. We are exhausted in that there is no specific timeline to allow students to come back to school, the document said. During this period, we have to pay full salaries to teachers and employees as well as make payments on bank loans and land or facility leasing. We are nearly running out of financial capacity, energy, and mental health. All of these schools, which include kindergartens up to colleges, as well as foreign language centres, explained that they will be brought to ruin unless receiving support from the government. They forecasted that if the epidemic lasts until June, 80 per cent of non-public schools will lose at least 50 per cent revenue, and up to 90 per cent will go bankrupt due to the imbalance of revenue and expenditure. According to the document, the average cost to open a language teaching institute is about VND2-5 billion ($87,000-217,000), based on a minimum of 30 staff. Developing a school requires an average investment of VND80-200 billion ($3.5-8.7 million), in which bank loans are significant. Such establishments can only suffer the risk for three months, the document attested. Discussing with VIR about the issue, economist Nguyen Tri Hieu said that the performance of most private schools is usually at break even point, leading to steady loss of liquidity. Furthermore, with a lending rate of 9-11 per cent annually, small-scale schools are unable to pay. If the deadlock keeps lasting, their bankruptcy will be foreseen, Hieu said. A cry for help One educator who wished to be unnamed told VIR that newly-founded schools are in a tight fix. School revenues in normal conditions usually covers about 50 per cent for teacher salaries, 20 per cent for land and facility leasing costs, 10 per cent for water and electricity costs, and 10 per cent on bank loans, with only 10 per cent for their profits. As a result, annual profits only cover one month without income, said the educator. Therefore, schools with a few years of operation cannot maintain their performance if lacking the earnings within a couple of months. However, the move from schools with supposedly great financial potential and long experience such as as Apollo, Apax English, Equest, and Newton Grammar School, has surprised educators, who are finding it hard to believe that the health crisis could so easily put them on edge. This cry for help seems to be inappropriate, said one expert. According to the document sent to the government, Apollo Vietnam runs 42 branches, about 20,000 students, and 800 employees across the country. Apax English is in no way inferior with 130 branches, 120,000 students, and 6,000 employees. Additionally, Equest also manages more than 80,000 students and 2,000 workers. Nguyen Kim Dung, head of Apollo Vietnams Legal, Compliance, and Government Relations department said, Similar to other businesses, we have to ensure the balance between earnings and costs. However, as revenue from teaching activities has been interrupted, other expenses are maintained. This is the big impact we face if the epidemic keeps lasting. ILA Vietnam and KDI Education also asked the government for help despite their large-scale operation. ILA is driving 46 branches and 30,000 students, while KDIs performance depends on 68 branches and 35 students. Newton Grammar School has operated for more than 10 years with 4,000 students, 600 staff members, and three branches in Hanoi, while kindergarten system STEAMe GARTEN is also in charge of 13 branches and 3,000 pupils. Despite claiming vast spending to pay for teachers, major schools have significantly cut salaries of teachers since early February due to the outbreak and closure of facilities. That has led onlookers to believe that expenditure in this area is not the great burden some schools insist, while other expenses are consequently narrowed massively. Moreover, a representative of Vietnam-Australia School in Hanoi told VIR that major schools should not face such difficulties because any institute in operation should have set provisions to prevent unexpected risks. Our expenditure, for example, could help us survive at least one year without any earnings, the representative insisted. Calling for responsibility Otherwise, schools with less experience like Everest, despite experiencing hardship, have yet to voice any backing for the move to ask for government help. We acknowledge the huge damage that we are experiencing, but now we choose to accompany the government to overcome the challenge. Any compensation should be calculated after the epidemic is gone, Everest chairman Tran Kim Phuong told VIR. Stressing the importance of schools social responsibilities, the educator said that the health crisis is a common hazard of society, and therefore joining hands to pass the obstacle is the best action for all businesses. Phuong said that their teachers still get salaries of two months, similar to the payment received during the two months of summer. On the other hand, the school will use the time to keep teaching the years curriculum instead of organising extracurricular activities. Hence, we accept losing a sizeable income from holiday courses as a sharing with the common dilemma, he added. Schools should find ways to adapt instead of waiting for the governments backing, economist Hieu concluded. The government cannot make up the shortage in their revenue. D owning Street has held its last daily Covid-19 briefing today as Boris Johnson announced that lockdown measures will be further eased on July 4. Since March 16, Mr Johnson and other ministers have been addressing the nation with a televised statement to give the latest updates in the fight against coronavirus. From Tuesday, the Government will no longer host daily press conferences, but will instead be holding them when an announcement will be made. The final daily press conference came after the Prime Minister told the House of Commons on Tuesday that hairdressers and pubs will be able to open in less than two weeks. Boris Johnson leading the conference / 10 Downing Street/AFP via Getty The two-metre rule has also been switched to one-metre plus which means people can stand closer together as long as there are other measures in place to limit transmission. As the daily press conferences come to an end, take a look at the timeline of Government updates below: June 23 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson: Boris Johnson praised the actions of the public during the lockdown but warned there would be local outbreaks and restrictions may have to be reimposed. He said police would still have the powers to break up large gatherings despite the easing of lockdown measures from July 4. The Governments chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said the R number for the transmission of the coronavirus remains below one across the UK. Professor Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England, said there was a risk coronavirus could start to increase in its spread if restrictions involved with the one metre-plus rules were not followed. Sir Patrick Vallance said the Oxford vaccine study was probably the most advanced in the world. Prof Whitty predicted that the country could have to cope with Covid-19 into 2021. June 22 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock: Mr Hancock said that the daily number of people testing positive for coronavirus has fallen to below 1,000 for the first time since the peak of the epidemic. For the first time since the peak, there were now fewer than 5,000 people being treated in hospital for the virus. He said that it was now estimated that just one in 1,700 people had the disease compared to one in 400 a month ago, enabling Boris Johnson to set out a further easing of the lockdown on Tuesday. All these figures are coming down and pointing in the right direction. It shows that while there is still much to do, we are clearly making progress, he added. Dr Jenny Harries, deputy chief medical officer, said those shielding should take advantage of the expected good weather this week to become accustomed to reintegrating themselves back into society. "Now were out of the peak of the epidemic in the UK and estimated levels of community transmission and infection are back to those before shielding commenced, we are in a position to start relaxing the shielding advice over the next few weeks. We may well have some summer weather a little in our favour too and therefore our advice to those shielding is to take some steps now to start coming back to a more normal lifestyle" Mr Hancock said that while the shielding programme was being paused it could be reinstated if the clinical guidance changed. He said: I use the word pause very deliberately because the (shielding) list will continue and should the clinical advice be that we need to bring it back in, then that is what we will do. The Health Secretary confirmed that localised shielding advice could be given out in future as outbreaks emerge.We will have the ability to do that. We would consider that as part of a local lockdown if that is what was clinically advised. Dr Harries said even as the rules were relaxed people still needed to follow social distancing, including regular handwashing and good respiratory hygiene. There is a critical point here that says just because life is feeling a bit more back to normal dont suddenly jump to where you were this time last year. We need to learn to go forward with restrictions in our lives. June 19 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Education Secretary Gavin Williamson: Mr Williamson said the limits on class sizes, called "bubbles", could be expanded to the whole class to allow all pupils to return to school. "We've been creating bubbles of children in the classroom, creating a protective environment for those children," he said. "Currently that is at 15, what we would be looking at doing is expanding those bubbles to include the whole class." The Education Secretary said there would still be protective measures put in place to keep children and school staff safe. He added: "We are going to be issuing further guidance in the next two weeks." The new "bubbles" could contain up to 30 pupils. Mr Williamson did not confirm whether or not the current 2 metre social distancing rule would be relaxed. He also the virus's R number in the UK remained unchanged, between 0.7 and 0.9, as the alert level has been downgraded to level 3. June 18 updates: Here is summary of the briefing led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Dido Harding, Head of Test and Trace: Mr Hancock confirmed that the government was no longer using the contact tracing app it had been trialling on the Isle of Wight. "We found that our app works well on Android devices but Apple software prevents iPhones being used effectively for contact tracing unless you are using Apples own technology," he said. "As it stands, our app wont work because Apple wont change their system, but it can measure distance." Mr Hancock said the Google and Apple's rival app was also flawed, claiming it did not measure distance well enough to a standard that we are satisfied with. He said the government was now developing an app which would merge the best features of both versions. Dido Harding said: "Precisely because weve developed our own and developed some really sophisticated distance calculations we think that we can enhance the Google-Apple platform such that it will work." She also said she wanted more people to be tested for Covid-19, because there were many asymptomatic cases which made the virus more difficult to detect. June 17 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden: Mr Dowden suggested that the government was planning to bail out theatres, because they were likely to remain shut for some time. He added that indoor live entertainment venues were even more constrained by social distancing than outdoor venues, such as sports arenas. "I know for theatres in particular as we open - and we've set the challenging target of July 4 - it is going to be exceptionally difficult to open, consistent with social distancing," he said. "And that is why I continue to have discussions across government to see what further support we can give theatres during this challenging time." The Culture Secretary suggested that relaxing the two-metre rule to one-metre would help cinemas "because I think they are better able to operate at lower capacities" - but added that even a one-metre rule would not be enough to allow theatres to operate in a financially viable way. Mr Dowden also said that the return of Premiere League football on Wednesday night was "an important step forward in our careful journey back towards normality". June 16 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, accompanied by Oxford Professor of Emerging Infectious Diseases Peer Horby. Mr Johnson defended the government's plan to merge the Department for International Development with the Foreign Office, saying: "It means the sums we spend on aid are used not just to tackle poverty and deprivation around the world, but they're far better in line with UK government policy." The Prime Minister said he had "congratulated" Manchester United and England footballer Marcus Rashford after his successful campaign to stop the government scrapping free school meals in summer. "I hope it will make a big difference to those kids and to those families," Mr Johnson said. The Prime Minister also said that once levels of coronavirus in the UK fall sufficiently, there will be a "strong case" for changing the two-metre social distancing rule to one metre. Prof Horby said the drug dexamethasone reduces the risk of death by around 30% in ventilated patients. June 15 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, without any medical or scientific professionals alongside him. He said that the reopening of non-essential shops was "very much a managed process" to avoid a second wave. Mr Raab revealed that school children will receive more funding for after school clubs during the summer holidays - while kids of key workers will have more activities to avoid the need for grandparents and vulnerable carers to look after them. He backed businesses struggling during the pandemic, refusing to call it a "national disgrace", and saying instead it was "incumbent" that employers protect their workers and their families. He also reiterated that a "comprehensive" review will be completed in a few weeks surrounding the reopening of pubs and restaurants, as the Government continue to face calls to reduce the two-metre social distancing rule. June 12 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. He was accompanied by National Medical Director of NHS England Professor Stephen Powis: Mr Shapps said the R rate - rate of transmission - remained unchanged from a week before at between 0.7 and 0.9. He added that transport operators would be able to refuse permission to travel to people who aren't wearing a face covering from Monday onwards. Those refusing to comply with the face covering rule could face fines, Mr Shapps added. Professor Powis said the NHS had been working hard to prepare for a possible second wave of coronavirus in the winter. June 11 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock. He was accompanied by Baroness Dido Harding, who is overseeing the NHS Test and Trace coronavirus service: Mr Hancock praised the Government's Test and Trace system, telling the press conference: I think that the system has worked well and to get two-thirds in the first week of operation, it beat my expectations." Baroness Harding promised the system "will get better" after it was revealed a third of people who tested positive for coronavirus could not be contacted. It was made clear that the system is a priority for the government in the coming weeks. June 9 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Business Secretary Alok Sharma: The business Secretary confirmed that non-essential shops can reopen if they can comply with social distancing rules. I can confirm today that retail outlets which have been required to be closed will be able to open their doors again from Monday June 15 so long as they comply with the Covid-secure guidelines we published on May 25," he said. He added that pubs, bars, restaurants and hairdressers will not be able to reopen until July 4 at the earliest and added: Of course, there are businesses which still remain closed. As soon as we can we will publish further safer working guidance for restaurants, pubs and bars, as well as hairdressers, barbers, nail bars and related services." On social distancing, Mr Sharma said the Government is keeping the two-metre social distancing rule under review.When it is safe to do so, we will see whether you can move to a shorter distance but ultimately we keep all of these things under review, he told the No 10 briefing.There are other countries in the world that have moved from two metres to closer distances. Of course, they are further along in terms of their road map, in terms of opening up businesses. We are taking a cautious view on this. I completely understand why for economic reasons businesses will want to have a look at this two-metre rule. June 8 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock. He was accompanied by David Pearson, the new chair of the national Covid-19 social care support task force: Mr Hancock said data was "pointing in the right direction" concerning the Covid-19 outbreak and showed "we are winning the battle with this disease but have further to go". He added the Government was ready to take action in response to local outbreaks of the virus if the R number - rate of transmission - was seen to rise. Mr Hancock announced the launch of a national Covid-19 social care support taskforce, led by Mr Pearson. The Health Secretary also dismissed claims the Government was making a trade-off between the economy and health amid reports officials are considering further easing lockdown measures. Mr Hancock announced an extension of the coronavirus testing regime in English care homes. He said the Government had already sent more than a million test kits to almost 9,000 elderly care homes and added that from today, all remaining adult care homes in England - some 6,000 facilities - will be able to order the whole care home testing service for residents and staff. June 5 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock: Mr Hancock warned people against attending Black Lives Matter protests on the weekend, saying "we're still facing a health crisis and coronavirus remains a real threat". He said people "should not attend large gatherings, including demonstrations, of more than six people. The Health Secretary said he was "appalled" by the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer, but said it was "vital" that people continue to follow coronavirus lockdown rules. Mr Hancock also announced that hospital visitors and outpatients in England will be required to wear face coverings from June 15 - and hospital staff will need to wear surgical masks from then. "One of the things that we've learnt is that those in hospital [...] are more likely to catch coronavirus whether they work in a clinical setting or not," Mr Hancock said. June 4 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and Network Rail chairman Peter Hendy. Mr Shapps said that face coverings would become mandatory on English public transport on June 15 He added that people who don't wear face coverings may not be allowed onto public transport Mr Hendy said that he expects the majority of people to comply with the new rules, and said fines could follow for those who don't Mr Shapps said that travel companies must provide refunds for people who have had to cancel their holidays The Transport Secretary also urged people to stay away from crowded beaches June 3 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing fronted by Boris Johnson, flanked by chief medical officer Chris Whitty and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance: Boris Johnson warned that no-one is safe from coronavirus as he urged the public not to gather in their homes as the weather worsens. The Prime Minister said that meeting people indoors who do not live in your household "undermine and reverse all the progress we've made together". Sir Patrick Vallance also revealed at the No 10 briefing there could be 8,000 new cases of coronavirus a day in the UK. He said that while the latest figures showed more than 1,800 a day had tested positive, data from the Office for National Statistics suggested the true figure was significantly higher. Sir Patrick also said the R the rate of transmission was still close to 1 which meant the numbers were not coming down quickly. June 2 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock: Professor John Newton, the national testing coordinator, defended Public Health Englands report into Covid-19s impact on BAME communities taking six weeks to deliver. Normally a report like this would take us a good six months, so we have actually produced this level of analysis in a relatively short time," he said. We need to get the report widely disseminated and widely discussed before deciding exactly what needs to be done. But clearly there are some fairly obvious conclusions that can be drawn, even from the data we have. Prof Newton said Covid-19 had emphasised existing health inequalities across the country. Theres a lot more than just the ethnic differences in the report, there are differences to do with levels of deprivation and where people live and occupation and so on. And all these causes are the causes of health inequalities, anyway. What Covid-19 has done is to emphasise the existing health inequalities in the country. It shows us again that we need to address those inequalities, whether theyre to do with deprivation or to do with peoples background." Mr Hancock said antibody tests would be rolled out across the country after the health and social care sector. He said: "We are delivering around 40,000 a day across the NHS and social care sector just over 40,000 a day on the latest figures. And then well roll them out across the country. But he stressed that we havent yet been able to pin down the science on whether having an antibody means a person can catch coronavirus again or transmit the virus. Mr Hancock said those from BAME communities worried about returning to work should consult the safety at work guidance published by the Government. The Health Secretary promised that the Government would act rather than wait for a further review of the impact of coronavirus on BAME communities. He said the link between ethnicity and the occupations that people do is an important part of this conundrum. Prof Newton said contact tracing for travellers arriving in the UK could be used as an alternative to quarantine measures. However SAGE is still backing quarantine. June 1 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock: Mr Hancock said there is still work lots of work to be done and added: "We must all remember that in the war against this virus we are all on the same side. We have come so far together, we can take these steps together. But do not step too far, the disease is not done yet. We mustnt throw away the progress that has been made. The latest figures showed testing capacity was 206,444 and the Health Secretary said this shows that there is extra capacity for more tests. Lockdown measures could be reimposed nationally if necessary. Mr Hancock said: We are attempting to move the system from these national, blanket measures to a more targeted approach this is why test and trace is such an important part of that. But we have always said that we are prepared to reintroduce measures whether that is nationally or in response to a localised outbreak if that is necessary. He also said there was a range of measures available to combat local flare-ups of coronavirus. It could mean shutting to new admissions a hospital A&E if there was an outbreak in that hospital. The health Secretary said the vast majority of new infections and their contacts had been traced since the Test and Trace system launched. Many of them are able to put their details in on a web-based portal rather than directly on the phone, he told the Downing Street press conference.Testing tsar John Newton added: The numbers of tests feeding through and contacts being identified are high, so we are very pleased with the level of completeness. Its operating pretty much as we had hoped. May 31 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick, accompanied by government adviser on rough sleeping Dame Louise Casey, and Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Jenny Harries: They confirmed that 38,489 people had died from coronavirus, and 274,762 people had now caught the disease. They added that the Covid-19 threat is still at Level 4, but said the alert level "is changing". Robert Jenrick said people staying indoors to stay safe can spend time with family members from Monday. He added that if they live alone, they can go outside with one other person from another household. The Housing Secretary said 6,000 new supported homes - 3,300 of which will become available in the next few months - will be made available for rough sleepers beyond the pandemic. He said the government will spend 433 million to fast track necessary safe accommodation. Dr Harries said there is a "very very low risk" of virus transmission when outdoors, but reminded people to be "very careful". May 30 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden and Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam: Mr Dowden said live sport would return as further lockdown measures ease from June 1. The Culture Secretary said the new sporting guidance was an example of the government working "hand in glove" with scientists. Mr Dowden said it was for "individual sports" to apply new guidelines and determine how they do so. Mr Van-Tam said playing elite sports with "carefully controlled measures" would not have a "meaningful impact" on the R number, but would help people psychologically. Mr Dowden also said the government was looking into public toilets, and would reopen them as soon as they could safely do so, while acknowledging their importance for people with disabilities. May 29 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Chancellor Rishi Sunak: Mr Sunak said the coronavirus furlough scheme "cannot continue indefinitely". The Chancellor said that from August, companies will be asked to pay National Insurance and employer pension contributions - which would on average amount to 5 per cent of employment costs. He said that from October, the government will pay 60% of furloughed staff's wages, while employers will be expected to contribute 20%. He said after this, the scheme would close. Mr Sunak also announced that the support scheme for the self-employed, which was due to expire on Sunday, would be extended. The Chancellor admitted: "I can't and we can't protect every single job and every single business." He said Friday's announcement marked the start of "a new national colllective effort... reopen our country and kick-start our economy". May 28 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He was accompanied by Chief Scientific Officer Sir Patrick Vallance and Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty: Mr Johnson said all five of the Government's tests for further relaxing lockdown have been passed. He added that forthcoming changes would be limited and cautious, but reiterated that schools have the go-ahead to reopen to some pupils from the beginning of next week. Mr Johnson said non-essential shops could begin reopening from Monday, with outdoor retail and car showrooms the first businesses permitted to welcome customers once again. From Monday, up to six people will be able to meet outside, providing members of different households continue to stay two metres apart, he added. Sir Patrick Vallance said the R rate - the measure of how many new people are infected by each case - is currently somewhere between 0.7 and 0.9. It remains close to 1, and it could be much closer to 1 in some areas, he added, warning that while the numbers were coming down, they were not coming down quickly. Professor Whitty emphasised it was essential that people meeting under slightly relaxed measures from next week onwards stay two metres apart. May 27 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock: The Health Secretary told the press briefing that the coronavirus testing system is being expanded to include anyone with symptoms. He confirmed that people who are displaying symptoms of coronavirus can now get checked from tomorrow. Mr Hancock also confirmed further details on the UK's test and trace approach, which is set to go live tomorrow. May 26 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock: Mr Hancock said he understood the anger that some people feel over Dominic Cummings' actions, but added that he believed the adviser acted "within the guidelines" He added that local areas could be locked down in future if there are future flare-ups of the virus confined to a particular region Mr Hancock described a new trial of the Remdesivir drug as the biggest step forward since the start of the coronavirus pandemic May 25 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Professor Yvonne Doyle, Public Health Englands medical director: Speaking after Mr Cummings' own press conference, Mr Johnson said that the adviser retained his backing and that "people will have to make their own minds up" about the case Mr Johnson said that open-air markets and car showrooms could reopen from June 1, while non-essential shops would be allowed to reopen from June 15 Ms Doyle said the rate of infection of the virus was "fairly stable" in the UK May 24 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and NHS England medical director Stephen Powis. Mr Johnson defended Mr Cummings, saying that he believed the adviser behaved "responsibly" and "with a view to defeating the virus and stopping the spread" But he added that he "can totally get" why people are "confused and offended" by Mr Cummings' actions Mr Johnson reiterated that schools will begin a phased reopening from June 1 for reception, year one and year six, with years 10-12 following on June 15 Mr Powis said there had been a fall in the number of critically ill coronavirus patients in the UK May 23 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries. Mr Shapps defended Dominic Cummings, telling reporters that he made a decision to protect his family by driving to his parents' estate in Durham He added that Mr Cummings had Boris Johnson's "full support" despite the lockdown breaches Dr Harries said that there are "safeguarding clause in all of the advice" but that the interpretation of that advice is probably for others May 22 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Home Secretary Priti Patel, chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and Border Force director general Paul Lincoln. Ms Patel said that the UK would introduce a quarantine on international arrivals "at the time when it will be most effective" In response to a question about why the UK was planning this now rather than earlier, Ms Patel said the move was "about managing the risk of transmission being reintroduced from elsewhere" Mr Lincoln said that the UK would carry out spot checks on arrivals from abroad to make sure they had filled in forms correctly Sir Patrick added that the spread of coronavirus is "flat or declining" in the UK May 21 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and Director of Health Improvement Professor John Newton. Mr Hancock revealed estimates that suggest one in six people in London have had coronavirus, and one in 20 people in the UK more broadly have been infected This estimate is based on a study that shows 17 per cent of Londoners have protective antibodies for coronavirus, with this figure at 5 per cent in the wider country The Health Secretary said that UK had agreed contracts with pharmaceutical companies Roche and Abbott for ten million antibody tests, with health and care staff, patients and residents to have the first tests from next week. Antibody tests show if a person has already had the virus. Mr Hancock also announced a trial of a new 20-minute coronavirus "prick test" that does not have to be sent off to a laboratory for processing The new tests will be trialled on 4,000 people in Hampshire A&E departments, GP testing hubs and care homes May 20 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden alongside National Medical Director for England in the NHS Stephen Powis: Mr Dowden revealed that more than 70m has been raised and is being distributed by Children in Need, Comic Relief, and the National Emergencies Trust. He also said 200m will be handed out to support smaller local charities helping in the coronavirus fight. Mr Dowden announced that the Queen's Birthday Honour's List would be delayed until autumn, so those who have battled coronavirus could be recognised, including Captain Tom Moore, who is set to receive a knighthood. The Culture Secretary also said that a renewal task force of notable people in the sport, tech and creative sectors who will advise how to get these areas back up and running is to be set up this week. Former Arsenal and England women's footballer Alex Scott is in the task force. May 19 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Environment Secretary George Eustice and Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Dame Angela Mclean. Mr Eustice urged British people to apply for jobs as fruit pickers, in order to compensate for the fact that only a third of eastern Europeans who normally come to the UK to do this are expected to arrive, advising people interested to try a new Pick for Britain website. The Environment Secretary said it was a "caricature" that the government did not protect people in care homes from Covid-19, but acknowledged that some patients with the virus had been discharged into care homes. Prof McLean said scientists have told ministers they should only relax the lockdown restrictions once a "highly effective track, trace and isolate system" is in place. Prof Mclean added that scientific advisers were due to be told on THursday whether the Government could roll out the contract tracing system. Prof McLean said the government had to limit its testing in March because it did not have the capacity to test everyone who had suspected coronavirus. She added that government advisers were examining whether lockdown measures should be lifted at staggered times in different places. May 18 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab alongside Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam: Mr Raab said Brits could not remain in lockdown indefinitely The Foreign Secretary added that the government was watching the situation "very closely". Mr Raab would not commit to the government having its new contract tracing app ready for 1 June, when some primary schools in England might reopen. Prof Van-Tam said the app would be just "one part of the test and trace system". He said he accepted that virus test results needed to be processed more quickly, saying: "We need to work as hard as we can to improve the timeliness of the testing system as we go along." Prof Van-Tam warned that the UK must prepare to live with coronavirus for several years. He said the country may only be rid of Covid-19 once a vaccine is created. He also said the country must prepare for a second wave of the virus in autumn and winter. He added that the government is currently considering whether to allow different households to meet up as part of a "bubble". May 17 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Business Secretary Alok Sharma and NHS Medical Director, Professor Stephen Powis: Mr Sharma revealed a global licensing deal has been signed between AstraZeneca and Oxford University to get 30million doses of the coranavirus vaccine for the UK This means that nearly half of the UK population could get the vaccine by September The Business Secretary also announced a fresh 84million injection of cash for Oxford University and Imperial to scale up production of their ground-breaking potential vaccines Death toll figures from the conference also revealed that today saw the lowest daily rise since lockdown began after 170 more people died from the disease. May 16 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Education Secretary Gavin Williamson and Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Jenny Harries: Mr Williamson said both primary and secondary school pupils could return to school in just two weeks' time, with plans for students in Reception and Years 1, 6, 10 and 12 to return. The Education Secretary revealed that pupils in Year 10 and Year 12 will be back "on a limited" basis to help them plan for exams next year. He also sought to reassure parents concerned about pupils returning to school, insisting that the government's decision-making is based on the "best scientific advice with children at the very heart of everything we do". He warned that there was a "consequence" to schools not opening, saying children would "miss out". May 15 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock: Matt Hancock said elderly care home residents and staff will finally be tested for coronavirus by the start of June. The Health Secretary revealed a 600million fresh package of help for struggling care homes who aren't able to control the spread of the virus. Matt Hancock said: "Well test every resident and every member of staff in our elderly care homes between now and early June. "This 600 million Infection Control Fund will help as we continue to reduce infections in care homes and save lives." The briefing came after the government published the latest R number - rate of transmission - saying it was between 0.7 and 1. However, the figures do have a two to three week lag, officials admitted. May 14 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and Jonathan Van-Tam, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England: Mr Shapps said the Government will spend 2 billion on transport infrastructure, like repairing roads and railways The UK has carried out over 1,000 railway upgrade projects over lockdown, he said The Transport Secretary urged Brits to walk, cycle or use cars as much as possible, to reduce the burden on public transport and help keep to social distancing rules Mr Shapps added that "bureaucratic bindweed" slows down British infrastructure building, but said the Government wants to overcome this In a response to a question about the Premier League, Mr Van-Tam said elite football would be able to return slowly and gradually, like other sectors May 13 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick and Dr Jenny Harries, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England: Mr Jenrick said the government was providing an extra 600m of funding to care homes in order to help them with infection control. Asked about support for the cultural sector, the Communities Secretary said the Government was in conversation with institutions about how theatres and other similar outlets could reopen with social distancing in place. He added that building sites in England will be allowed to operate until 9pm Monday to Saturday in residential areas and beyond that in non-residential areas as part of the Governments efforts to restart the economy. Dr Harries meanwhile said the best comparison for international Covid-19 death rates would be when all-cause mortality figures are available in about a years time. She also said there was no sustained community transmission of coronavirus before March 13, when the Governments advice that it was very unlikely care home residents would become infected with Covid-19 was withdrawn. May 12 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Business Secretary Alok Sharma, National Medical Director of NHS England Professor Stephen Powis and Health and Safety Executive Sarah Albon. Mr Sharma said 2 million, 7146 coronavirus tests have now been carried out, including 85,203 tests yesterday. He detailed the next phase of the fight against the disease, including a new Covid alert level system with five levels, based on the R value and the number of coronavirus cases. This will determine social distancing measures in place. Mr Sharma said from this week those who cannot work from home, should speak to their employer about going back to work. "You can now spend time outdoors and exercise as often as you look. You can meet one person outside of your household, outside, providing you stay two metres apart." The government aims to re-open primary schools on June 1, and non-essential retail will re-open when and where it's safe to do so. Updated messaging means people should stay alert, control the virus and save lives. Mr Sharma stressed people should stay at home as much as possible. Face coverings should be worn in enclosed places. Regarding workplace safety, an extra 40million is now available for the Health and Safety executive Mr Sharma also said the job retention scheme will be extended by four months, with 7.5million jobs currently furloughed. He addressed workers, saying: "We want you to feel confident that you are financially supported, and returning to a safe workplace. We all need to work together safely as we rebuild our economy." May 11 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson: Mr Johnson went into further detail about the easing of lockdown restrictions in the UK. He said the lower the rate of infection the more freedoms the nation will enjoy and added: " After each step we will closely monitor the impact of that step on the R and the number of infections. We'll only take the next step when we are satisfied it is safe to do so." We'll only take the next step when we are satisfied it is safe to do so." The Prime Minister said only those who cannot work at home should do back to work. He said employees should discuss any safety concerns with their managers. Mr Johnson said the nation is allowed to see people from one other household, but must still abide by social distancing rules. This can only be done outside of the home and in public. From Wednesday Brits can enjoy unlimited exercise sessions and can travel to another location to partake in activities, although they are not allowed to go on holiday. They can also play basketball, golf and outdoor sports with members of their household and up to one other as long as the two metre distance is observed. Mr Johnson said scientists were no nearer to finding a vaccine, although there had been positive comments. He added: "Even after 18 years we still don't have a vaccine for SARS." May 10 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson: Boris Johnson told MPs the reopening of society and the British economy should go ahead with "utmost caution". He said the R rate has dropped from between 2.6 and 2.8 in April to between 0.5 and 0.9 now. The PM said making sure coronavirus doesn't spread and reopening the economy will be a "supremely difficult balance to strike". He added some parts of the UK may need to stay in "full lockdown" longer than others. Mr Johnson said social distancing requirements will limit capacity on public transport. He said new advice to wear face coverings on public transport does not include the wearing of medical face masks. These should be "reserved for people who need them", he confirmed. The PM also said people will be allowed to drive as far as you like". He confirmed the fine for breaking the lockdown rules will be increase from the 60 up to 100. Mr Johnson said: "Every day we shall monitor our progress. "If we stay on the downward slope, then and only then will it become safe to go further and move to the second step." He said this will include schools reopening and holding sport events behind closed doors. To wrap up his statement he said: "People should stay alert by working from home if you possibly can, by limiting contact with others, by keeping your distance and by washing your hands. "If everyone stays alert we can keep the infections down.That is how we will be able to save lives and save livelihoods." May 9 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps: He announced a 2billion package to put walking and cycling at the heart of transport policy, and to encourage people to cycle and walk to work extra safety measures will be put in place. Mr Shapps also said the public transport capacity will be severely restricted to just a tenth of what it was before the lockdown and emerging from lockdown will be a "gradual process". May 8 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Environment Secretary George Eustice and National Medical Director of NHS England Professor Stephen Powis: The Environment Secretary insisted the government would continue with Brexit, despite the ongoing pandemic. Mr Eustice said: "We're still going ahead with it. Brexit is in fact something that happened in January." When asked what Boris Johnson would be discussing in his speech on Sunday, May 10, 2020, Mr Eustice revealed the prime minister would unveil his plans for relaxing lockdown. He said: "He's going to set out effectively a roadmap of how we can evolve our restrictions at the moment. There isn't going to be any dramatic overnight change. Regarding fast food restaurants, he explained they're not essential but could operate "safely" in the current climate. The Environment Secretary urged Brits to stay at home this weekend, despite the predicted warm weather. He said it is "vitally important" the public continues to follow guidelines in spite of the "sunny bank holiday weekend". May 7 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab: Mr Raab confirmed that the UK death toll has hit 30,165 after an increase of 539 fatalities since yesterday He also confirmed that 86,583 tests carried out yesterday, with 5,614 positive new cases Mr Raab said the virus is not beaten yet despite a fall in the death rate He said: The virus is not beaten yet. It remains deadly and infectious Because we held firm three weeks ago we are in a position where we can start to think about the next steps. To get this right we will have milestones. At each point when we take these decisions they will be based on the five steps and the scientific advice. Mr Raab thanked the British public and the NHS for a monumental effort, as he confirmed the UK has "passed the peak" of the virus. May 6 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab , accompanied by medical director of Public Health England Prof Yvonne Doyle, and medical director of NHS England Nikki Kanani: Mr Jenrick said 69,493 tests were carried out yesterday, meaning the the government has missed the target of 100,000 tests a day for the fourth day in a row. He said there have now been 30,076 total confirmed coronavirus deaths, after 649 people died yesterday. He also said that 67 million PPE items were delivered in England in April. The Housing Secretary said Prime Minister Boris Johnson will set out on Sunday how the government plans to move ahead and level up despite coronavirus. He added that his department will help local communities recover, looking at ways to make public transport safer. Dr Kanani emphasised that NHS primary care services were still there for people to use, although more consultations will be over the phone or online. Prof Doyle said it might take a year to get figures that fairly compare countries' coronavirus death rates. Mr Jenrick said it was a difficult time for faith groups, but added that it is right to stick to medical advice. He said it was "not right" that some families were not allowed to attend funerals, and added that his department has allowed people to hold small family funerals. The Housing Secretary said he believed the 3.2bn given to councils so far is enough to meet their needs, and they should continue to do essential work. He took questions from local media, adding that the "local press are under significant financial pressure" and urging people to buy newspapers. May 5 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and deputy Chief Scientific Adviser Angela McLean: Mr Raab announced that the number of coronavirus-related deaths in the UK in hospitals, care homes and the community has increased by 693 to reach a total of 29,427.. He added that the next phase of the coronavirus crisis won't be easy. Mr Raab confirmed that the update on the lockdown measures will come later this week, but added the country will need to adapt to a new normal. The Foreign Secretary warned that cyber criminals are exploiting the coronavirus crisis, and targeting organisations who are helping in the fight against the pandemic. Mr Raab said the government are aware of the cyber threat and will take steps to mitigate the harm. It comes as the UK's coronavirus death toll passes 29,000 after England recorded another 366 deaths in hospital. May 4 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock: Mr Hancock said the contract tracing app would go live in the Isle of Wight. It will alert people if they have been in contact with someone diagnosed with coronavirus. The Health Secretary said each of the 80,000 households on the Isle of Wight will get a letter on Thursday from the chief nurse with information about the trial. Islanders will then be able to install the app. Mr Hancock urged Isle of Wight residents: "By downloading the app you are protecting your own health, you are protecting the health of your loved ones and the health of your community." He added that he would hire more than the 18,000 contact tracers already being recruited if needed. He also said that while the contact tracing scheme would help the government to suppress the coronavirus, lockdown measure could be eased before the national system was put in place. Mr Hancock said that 85,186 coronavirus tests were carried out in the 24 hours to 9am on Monday morning - meaning the government was again under its 100,000 tests a day target. Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, the deputy chief medical officer for England, said scientists did not yet know whether people who have had coronavirus develop immunity - but the "overwhelming majority" of people who have had the disease have antibodies, a precursor to immunity. Mr Hancock said that as he had formerly had the virus, he was participating in trials to check his antibody levels. But the Health Minister added that he would not feel confident going into a crowded room, because he could not know for certain that he was immune. Prof Van-Tam also said the number of cases was still too high. "We have to get the cases lower, he added. May 3 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Cabinet Office minister, Michael Gove: Mr Gove said more than 200,000 key workers and their families had been tested for coronavirus. He said criteria for testing had been extended beyond key workers to anyone over 65 displaying symptoms and anyone who has to travel to get to work. The Government said it is increasing "spread of distribution and supply" of personal protective equipment (PPE). Mr Gove added: From February 25 to May 2 we had delivered over 1.08 billion items of PPE across the health and social care system within England. And tens of millions more have been distributed by our colleagues in the devolved administrations. This overall figure includes 149 million masks, 173 million aprons, two million gowns and 614 million gloves. On May 2 alone we delivered an additional 20 million items of PPE within England. He added there is much more to do. The Cabinet Office minister said the Government had committed 100 million for remote learning for those who need it most and 180 video lessons per week were being supplied through the newly launched Oak National Academy.Were particularly keen to help vulnerable and disadvantaged children to carry on with their education during the pandemic, he said. Mr Gove said that 90 per cent of rough sleepers known to councils have been given an offer of accommodation since the end of March, Providing an update on work that was being done to help vulnerable people, he said the Government was nearing delivering its one-millionth parcel of essential food. When asked if he agreed with Transport Secretary Grant Shapps that lives could have been saved if testing had been in place earlier, Mr Gove said the Government will reflect on what we did right and what we did wrong.This Government like all governments will have made mistakes, but it will be impossible to determine exactly which were the areas of gravest concern until some time in the future when we have all the information that we need, he said. NHS Englands national medical director, Professor Stephen Powis, said the exact date of the peak of coronavirus in the UK "cant really be precisely answered.He explained: Theres been a series of peaks theres been peaks in deaths, peaks in hospital admissions and peaks have occurred at different times around the country because different regions of the country have been in different stages. However, he added: I think broadly we saw that plateauing of a variety of measures around the middle of April. Mr Gove said the easing of lockdown restrictions had to be done in a cautious fashion. He added: The transport secretary (Grant Shapps) was right to say that we can begin to see perhaps more people use public transport, but provided they are helped to stagger or to control the times when they use public transport, in the way that people have already adjusted to how they might use supermarkets and food shops and so on. May 2 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick: Mr Jenrick announced a package of more than 76 million in new funding to support the most vulnerable in society, including survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, vulnerable children, and victims of modern slavery.The Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary said: This additional support will ensure more safe spaces and accommodation for survivors of domestic abuse and their children, and the recruitment of additional counsellors for victims of sexual violence. Announcing that victims of domestic violence will get priority access to local housing, Mr Jenrick said: For some in our society these measures involve sacrifices that none of us would wish anyone to bear.For victims of domestic abuse it means being trapped in a nightmare. Mr Jenrick said the Governments Domestic Abuse Bill, which had its second reading in Parliament last week, would create the first ever legal definition of domestic abuse. Mr Jenrick said more than 5,400 rough sleepers known to councils have been offered safe accommodation in the past month, ensuring that some of the most vulnerable people can stay safe during the pandemic.He said Dame Louise Casey, who is already spearheading the Governments response on rough sleeping, has been appointed to oversee the national effort on helping the homeless.Mr Jenrick added: She will work hand-in-hand with councils and with other groups across the country to plan how we can ensure that as many people as possible can move into the long-term sustainable and safe accommodation that they deserve once the pandemic is over. Deputy chief medical officer for England Dr Jenny Harries answered a question from Ashley in Yorkshire on whether people can catch Covid-19 twice.Dr Harries said: The WHO (World Health Organisation) position is very similar to the one we would have, which basically says we actually dont have enough information yet to be very clear on the immune status.We know that some people will have different status. We would normally expect to see some sign of immunity about 10-12 days after an infection, and then a very consistent pattern about 28 days. Mr Jenrick said the Government is considering long-term plans to support people who are shielding at home due to underlying medical conditions which could make them particularly vulnerable to the virus.At the start of lockdown, 1.8 million people in England were asked to stay indoors for 12 weeks for medical reasons.Mr Jenrick acknowledged the huge emotional impact of lockdown on shielded people, adding the Government has been providing 300,000 food box deliveries a week. Mr Jenrick and Dr Harries were asked if mass gatherings would likely be allowed to resume before pubs are permitted to reopen when the lockdown is eased.Mr Jenrick said it is right to say that the rate of transmission of the virus is significantly less outdoors, and when lockdown measures are eased that will be a factor to be considered.Dr Harries agreed that generally, outdoor environments are safer, but said it depends how you go to your outdoor environment and what you do. She explained: If you go as a family unit and sit in one place and youve got the same exposure there that you would in your house at home, thats probably quite a safe environment.If you go with a whole load of friends that you havent seen from before the coronavirus lockdown, sit in a pub in a very small environment, lean well over each other on the table and stay there for some hours face-to-face, thats really not a good thing to do. May 1 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock: Mr Hancock confirmed the Government has reached its target of 100,000 tests per day. He said it was an "incredible achievement" and added the milestone will help "unlock the lockdown". The Health Secretary said the Government was prepared to increase the number of staff needed for the track-and-trace operation that was being rolled out. He told the room: By mid-May, we will have an initial 18,000 contact tracers in place, he said. That work is underway as we speak and if it needs to be bigger, we will scale it as required. The combination of contact tracers and new technology, through our new Covid-19 NHS app, will help tell us where the virus is spreading and help everyone to control new infections. NHS Englands national medical director, Professor Stephen Powis, said new coronavirus cases had increased a bit in recent days, but that the increase in testing was likely to be behind it. He said: Overall I think the number is relatively stable and that is a good sign and reflects that the level of infection is falling. Prof Powis said officials will be studying whether stricter measures will or will not have to continue to apply to the elderly when the lockdown is eased. He said: The over-70s can be absolutely fit and healthy, its not the case that everybody over 70 has a chronic health condition or underlying disease." Prof Newton said there was evidence of a small but important discrepancy when it came to the number of people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds (BAME) that had died of coronavirus.The statistics do show increased rates in some people from ethnic backgrounds, he said. The effects are relatively small, although very important, and we do need to also look at other aspects of the virus" NHS staff from BAME backgrounds are being offered specialised assistance, he confirmed. April 30 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who led the briefing for the first time since his hospitalisation with coronavirus. He was accompanied by Chief Scientific Officer Sir Patrick Vallance and Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty: Mr Johnson said the UK was "past the peak" of the outbreak of coronavirus, although the number of confirmed cases rose sharply by more than 6,000 and there were an additional 674 Covid-19-related deaths reported in hospitals The Prime Minister also promised a "comprehensive plan" next week on how the lockdown will be lifted, after a Number 10 spokesman said earlier on Thursday that restrictions will be in place for some time He added that the use of face masks in public may be advised when the UK comes out of lockdown, bringing the UK more in line with other European countries like France and Germany, days after Health Secretary Matt Hancock and senior cabinet minister Michael Gove expressed skepticism about masks Sir Patrick said the remdivisir drug, which is used to treat ebola and now being tipped in the US for use on coronavirus patients, is effective on "a particular part" of the virus Mr Whitty acknowledged concerns about deaths from other causes increasing because of the coronavirus outbreak He said: Its not just cancers, we are very concerned that there has been a fall away in people coming to accident and emergency with things like strokes and heart attacks" April 29 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, accompanied by director of health protection for Public Health England Yvonne Doyle and deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam: Mr Raab confirmed the total UK coronavirus death toll, which now includes care homes and non-hospital deaths, to be 26,097. He added that deaths in hospitals have fallen. Yvonne Doyle described the decreasing hospital death rate as "broadly good news". Mr Raab said the government was now carrying out 73,000 virus tests per day. He said the UK would continue to source PPE and ventilators at home and abroad. The Foreign Secretary also congratulated the Prime Minister on the birth of his son. Hancock announced testing would be expanded to all care home residents and staff and all over-65s with symptoms and their households. April 28 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock, flanked by Angela McLean, chief scientific adviser to the Ministry of Defence. Mr Hancock announced testing would be expanded to all care home residents and staff and all over-65s with symptoms and their households Mr Hancock said the death toll for people who have died with coronavirus in care homes will now be announced daily. He said that it was still too early to say when schools might reopen. The Health Secretary added an existing drug was on Tuesday entering an early clinical trial phase to treat coronavirus. He also said the Government was on track to meet the goal of 100,000 tests a day and now had the capacity to carry out more than 70,000 tests a day. Professor Angela McLean, the deputy chief scientific adviser, said the latest data showed coronavirus hospital admissions and deaths in hospitals were falling. April 27 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock, alongside Prof Chris Whitty the governments chief medical adviser: Mr Hancock said the NHS will restart some vital services, including cancer care, from tomorrow. He also said there were 3,190 spare critical care beds. He said that the government has a "lot of work" to do to hit its 100,000 a day testing target, but added that the government would be able to run a contract tracing system using the tests. Mr Hancock said the government was "broadly where we expected to be" in terms of testing capacity. According to the latest figures , 29,068 tests were carried out in Britain over the 24-hour period between 9am on Friday and Saturday 9am. Families of NHS and social care workers who die while working to combat coronavirus will receive payments worth 60,000, Mr Hancock announced. Mr Hancock yesterday confirmed that 82 NHS workers and 16 social workers have died during the pandemic. Mr Hancock said he was "very worried" by reports that children have needed intensive care treatment for a condition linked to coronavirus. He did not rule out the government introducing quarantine for travellers arriving in Britain in the next stage of the pandemic. Prof Whitty said the pandemic had "a very long way to run", and implied that the death toll would have further peaks as social distancing measures begin to ease. April 26 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Environment Secretary George Eustice, alongside Prof Stephen Powis, medical director for NHS England: Mr Eustice said Brits have stopped panic buying in supermarkets, explaining that "at the beginning of the outbreak of this virus we saw significant problems in panic buying", but food availability is now "back to normal levels". He said that half a million food parcels have been delivered to the most vulnerable Brits, adding "so far, 500,000 parcels have been delivered to the shielded group, that is those who cannot leave home at all due to a clinical condition they have." Mr Eustice said the number of food delivery slots has increased by 500,000 since the pandemic started, with supermarkets looking to increase capacity to 2.9 million in the coming weeks. However, he cautioned that "it will still not be enough to meet all of the demand that is out there." Mr Powis focused on the increase in car use. He said: "There is maybe a hint of maybe a little bit of an increase in the use of motor vehicles, and, as I said yesterday, we need to ensure that this does not mean that we are not continuing to comply with the government instructions on social distancing." April 25 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Home Secretary Priti Patel, Prof Stephen Powis, medical director for NHS England, and Lynne Owens, director general of the National Crime Agency: Ms Patel said despite crime overall being down, "the most sophisticated" criminals are seeking to "exploit and capitalise" on the coronavirus pandemic The Home Secretary said: "Our world class law enforcement is also adapting and they are on to you." She referred to a Border Force raid which seized 1m of cocaine concealed in a shipment of face masks as well as websites carrying out phishing scams and selling bogus PPE and test kits. She also said police have received 1,300 reports of child sexual exploitation. Apparently, among the criminals trying to exploit others were two people allegedly trying to sell unregistered coronavirus testing kits. Losses to coronavirus-related fraud currently stand at 2.4m The Home Secretary criticised the "dangerous driving" of a minority of drivers, who are using quiet roads as their "own personal race track". She said drivers had been witnessed at 150mph on the M1 and 134mph in a 40mph zone within London. Director general of the National Crime Agency Lynne Owens says serious and organised criminals are looking to take advantage of these unprecedented time. Ms Patel also paid tribute to the selfless front-line workers who have been struck down" and says their sacrifice "will not be forgotten. Stephen Powis said it is important people continue to adhere to social distancing. He said it would be "foolish" if the UK lost the benefits it has gained in recent weeks. April 24 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and Dr Jenny Harries, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England: Mr Shapps urged people to stay at home over what is expected to be another warm and sunny weekend. He confirmed the government would keep airport scanning and temperature checks under review, saying the amount of flights coming into the UK is only "about 4 per cent" from before lockdown. He referred to the government's efforts to bring Britons back from overseas, confirming there are "no British holidaymakers stranded on cruise ships anywhere in the world". As the roads have been busier across the country, the public was urged to only "travel if you need to". The public was also urged to only "travel if you need to" as the Deputy chief medical officer for England said roads have been busier across the country. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Boris Johnson is "on the mend in a big way" and described the Prime Minister as being in an "ebullient" state while recovering at his Chequers country retreat A decision is yet to be made regarding Mr Johnson's return to No. 10 Around 16,000 coronavirus tests were booked by essential workers via the new online system. April 23 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Director of Health Improvement at Public Health England Professor John Newton and Chief Scientific Officer Sir Patrick Vallance: Mr Hancock said that people whose work is critical to the Covid-19 response, and those they live with, will be able to register for a test if they have symptoms This means that millions of people, including NHS and social care staff, police officers, teachers, social workers, undertakers, journalists and those who work in supermarkets and food production are among those now eligible for a test The Health Secretary added that the Government will hire 18,000 people to carry out contact tracing, to help track the spread of the virus Professor John Newton said that the Government was on track to meet its target of 100,000 tests performed each day by the end of April Sir Patrick Vallance said that hospitalisations from coronavirus were flat or declining in most of the UK Sir Patrick added that deaths would continue to be flat for around two weeks, before starting to drop April 22 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, flanked by Chief of Defence Sir Nick Carter and Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty: Dominic Raab said the UK "is not out of the woods yet" in its battle against the virus Mr Raab also paid tribute to the armed forces, who have helped build the NHS Nightingale field hospitals Chris Whitty warned social distancing measures are likely to be in place for the "next calendar year", as Mr Raab admitted it will be weeks before ministers "think about" an exit strategy from lockdown Sir Nick Carter said dozens of military personnel have been bolstering the national effort to deliver PPE to the NHS frontline, adding that their work, "the single greatest logistical challenge" in his career, have seen about 50,000 more locations receive supplies. April 21 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Matt Hancock: Mr Hancock said lockdown is working and the spread of coronavirus is slowing down. He reassured the nation that "if you or someone you love needs hospital care with COVID-19, then you will always get that care." Human coronavirus vaccine trials will begin in the UK on Thursday. Mr Hancock said the country is throwing "everything we've got" at developing a vaccine". He added that tests at Oxford University and Imperial College London were making rapid progress. The government has also given more than 40 million to these projects. The health secretary said there is a record high of 2,963 spare critical care beds available across the NHS. He added: "At no point in this crisis has anyone who could benefit from critical care been denied that care because there werent enough staff, or beds, or ventilators to treat them". The health secretary said he looked forward to hearing from the Governments Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) after a meeting on whether the public should wear facemasks. Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, the deputy chief medical officer for England, said Sage was keeping the evidence under review and would change the advice if they felt the evidence warranted that but added that enough PPE for health and social care workers was of prime importance. Mr Hancock denied the UKs failure to take part in an EU scheme to procure equipment to tackle coronavirus was a political decision as claimed by the Foreign Offices top civil servant Sir Simon McDonald. He said: I havent seen that exchange but I have spoken to the Foreign Secretary and as far as Im aware there was no political decision not to participate in that scheme. We did receive an invitation in the Department of Health and it was put up to me to be asked and we joined so we are now members of that scheme. However, as far as I know that scheme hasnt a single item of PPE (personal protective equipment). Mr Hancock said he was determined to ensure that all staff had the personal protective equipment that they need. He said the Government was working to expand its supply base in the UK and overseas and had entered direct talks with the factories that produce the PPE and the fabric that it is made of. He said 8,331 companies had come forward with offers of PPE some of which had led to very large-scale purchases. He said: I am very grateful to all of those who have come forward and we are now actively engaged with hundreds of these companies. I can announce that we are working with 159 potential UK manufacturers which are starting to come on stream. Mr Hancock defended the Governments approach to dealing with UK companies offering to supply PPE, saying checks were needed on companies offering their services.We are always trying to improve the processes we have in place to make purchases, he said before adding But we have had to make sure we sort out the creditable offers from those that are not." April 20 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, scientist Angela McLean and public health specialist Yvonne Doyle: The Chancellor said PPE shortage were an international challenge for all countries, and added the government is working hard to ensure NHS staff get the PPE they need. He added that the government is "working to resolve the Turkish shipment following unexpected delays." Mr Sunak said today the UK "unloaded 140,000 gowns from Myanmar", and the government are continuing to pursue "every possible option" for procurement He added that medics "deserve to have the equipment they need to do their job safely". Moving on to the furlough scheme, the Chancellor said more than 140,000 firms have applied for grants from the UK government's furlough scheme. These grants will help pay the wages of more than a million people, with the government aiming to keep as many people as possible in their existing jobs. Dr Yvonne Doyle then confirmed 12 million pieces of PPE were delivered to 141 trusts over the weekend, but added "it is a concern, we want people to have what they need." She said the situation is challenging due to the "very high burn rate" but authorities are working to secure more items Mr Sunak said the UK has now carried out 501,379 tests for coronavirus, with 19,316 tests carried out yesterday. April 19 updates: Here is a summary of the April 19 briefing led by Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, flanked by Dr Jenny Harries, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England: The Education Secretary apologised directly to young people for the disruption to their learning, as he admitted "I can't give you a date" on when schools will reopen. Ahead of the first day of summer term for many state schools, Mr Williamson said they would not reopen until the Government's five tests had been met. However, Mr Williamson added: "There are currently no plans to have schools open over the summer period." He also announced a raft of measures to support online learning for pupils, including free 4G routers in homes and IT equipment for disadvantaged children, as the Oak National Academy prepared to deliver its first day of virtual lessons. Defending the PM against criticism over him missing five emergency Cobra meetings during the pandemic, Mr Williamson said "many Cobra meetings" are led by departmental ministers. He added: The focus the Prime Minister was putting on this and has continued to put on this has meant that this is the whole Government effort. Dr Jenny Harries declined to say whether or not Britain had passed the peak but insisted the country's containment plan had been "very successful". April 18 updates: Here is a summary of the conference from April 17: April 17 updates: Here is a summary of the conference from April 17: A task force has been launched to develop a vaccine in the UK. The importance of a vaccine was detailed by Sir Patrick Vallance. Mr Sharma said: I can announce today that the Government has set up a vaccines taskforce to co-ordinate the efforts of Government, academia and industry towards a single goal to accelerate the development of a coronavirus vaccine. He added: This taskforce is up and running and aims to ensure that a vaccine is made available to the public as quickly as possible." April 16 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Foreign Secretary, and First Secretary of State, Dominic Raab, who is deputising for Prime Minister Boris Johnson: Mr Raab confirmed the lockdown extension. He said: There are indications the measures put in place have been successful. We still don't have the infection rate as far down as we need to. Any change to our social distancing measures now, would risk a significant increase in the spread of the virus and could lead to a second peak. The government has decided the current measures must remain in place for the next three weeks. He continued: "It would not be responsible to prejudge the evidence. I can reassure people we carefully follow what is happening in other countries.Ultimately we've got to do what is right for the British people. That's what we've done so far, and that's what we will continue to do. I appreciate the impact of these measures are considerable. We know it's rough going at this time. I know that together, united, we must keep up this national effort for a bit longer, especially when we see our efforts are beginning to pay off. We are now at a delicate and dangerous stage in this pandemic. The lockdown has now been extended until Thursday May 7. April 15 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Prof Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England, and Prof Angela McLean, the UKs deputy chief scientific adviser: Mr Hancock thanked everyone for staying at home, saying: Together we are slowing the spread of this virus. He also paid tribute to Captain Tom Moore, 99, who ha raised more than 12m for the NHS by completing 100 laps of his garden. Mr Hancock revealed a four-part plan to address a growing crisis in care homes - 2,000 of which have already seen an outbreak of the virus. Focusing on social care he said: Our goal throughout has been to protect residents. We will do whatever it takes. He announced that now all symptomatic care home residents will be tested, and there'll be testing for all workers and their households. He also said there will be more PPE for workers, supplied directly by the Royal Mail. Mr Hancock said: We're today introducing a single brand for social workers to symbolise the entire care profession. He then showed a 'badge of honour' which will allow social care staff to proudly and publicly identify themselves. April 14 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing led by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, flanked by National Medical Director of NHS England Stephen Powis and Professor Yvonne Doyle, Public Health England medical director: Mr Sunak warned of more "tough times" ahead with the economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis. He insisted the economy will "bounce back" from the unprecedented lockdown, but added: "As I have said before, we cannot protect every business and every household." Reacting to an OBR report that warned GDP could fall 35 per cent, the Chancellor said: "We won't stand back and let this happen." Mr Sunak and Prof Doyle said work was underway to fasten data-recording for deaths in care homes, which are currently collected by the Office for National Statistics but not included in the daily tolls. The Chancellor added: "There's absolutely no desire not to respect what's happening in care homes and to provide that data." April 13 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing held by First Secretary of State Dominic Raab, Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty: Mr Raab thanked the public for staying at home, saying: We thank you, we pay tribute to you, and we are immensely proud of all you're doing. He added: The overwhelming majority of people stayed at home and understood the importance of doing so. Mr Raab continued to ask people to stick to the guidelines, in order to protect the NHS, saying otherwise the virus will spread faster and kill more people. He stated that the government's plan is working, and urged the public to adhere to social distancing measures in place. Regarding lockdown, he doesn't expect any changes this week. Later, he added: Weve still got a long way to go Weve still not passed the peak of this virus". The government's chief scientific advisor Sir Patrick Vallance said measures will only be lifted "when we are firmly the other side" of the peak, with numbers coming down. April 12 updates: Here is the summary of the briefing held by Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Public Health England Medical Director Yvonne Doyle: Mr Hancock said: "Today marks a sombre day in the impact of this disease as we join the list of countries who have seen more than 10,000 deaths related to coronavirus." He added: "The fact that over 10,000 people have now lost their lives to this invisible killer demonstrates just how serious coronavirus is and why the national effort that everyone is engaged in is so important." He said that more had to be done to curb the spread of the virus - but said there had been a "record" number of PPE had been delivered to frontline workers. Mr Hancock announced the launch of an app for NHS workers who have shown symptoms. He confirmed the UK has 9,775 ventilators and Britain has 2,295 spare critical beds, adding: "There is more capacity now for critical care than before coronavirus". Yvonne Doyle claimed Britain is "tracking" France and "close" to Italy in its coronavirus death toll - but said hospital admissions in London were "stabilising". She added: "But on the other hand for Great Britain we start to see other areas increasing, particularly the North West and Yorkshire. Its very important that the message about staying home and social distancing is adhered to because we are certainly not past this crisis damage yet. April 11 updates: Here is the summary of the briefing held, for the first time, by Home Secretary Priti Patel, alongside Chair of the National Police Chiefs' Council Martin Hewitt, and National Medical Director of Public Health England Stephen Powis: Ms Patel said the government's priority was to slow the spread of the virus, "so that fewer people are sick at any one time and our brilliant NHS remains able to do cope". She continued: "as this virus continues to devastate families across the nation my thoughts, prayers and heartfelt condolences are with their family, friends and loved ones." The Home Secretary also said police would act if rules were broken, adding: "If you don't follow the guidance you will be endangering the lives of your own friends, family and loved ones. There is just one simple thing we ask you all to do: that is to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives." Professor Powis said that patients with non-coronavirus related concerns should still attend hospital. He added: "The NHS is open for business and capable of managing people with a wide range of illness." He also revealed that a drug treatment could come before a vaccination. April 10 updates: Here is the summary of the briefing held by Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, Jonathan Van-Tam and Chief Nursing Officer for England, Ruth May. With the Easter bank holiday approaching, Mr Hancock urged the nation to maintain social-distancing after some Brits flouted the rules, and encouraged "everyone to stay at home". Regarding NHS workers, he announced there is the capacity to test key social carers and NHS staff for Covid-19. He also used the address to update the public on Mr Johnson's health and said the Prime Minister's "condition continues to improve." He added: "Our amazing NHS staff have given our PM the very best care possible, in the same way they'd give anyone the best care possible. It doesn't matter who you are, the NHS is there to care for you." April 9 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing held by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance: Sir Vallance spoke of how social-distancing is minimising the spread of the virus, and relieving NHS workers. He said: "Social distancing is breaking transmission. It's preventing more people going into intensive care and it will prevent deaths." Assuring the nation hospitals can cope, he insisted there were "still room in intensive care" and emergency services across the UK. Mr Raab said people adhering to social distancing rules has meant the UK is "avoiding an even worse situation". He also praised carers ahead of the Clap for Carers, as well as police officers for their efforts. Mr Raab said carers and front line workers are "doing an amazing job" and added that the police were "doing a great job". April 8 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing held by Chancellor Rishi Sunak: Chancellor Rishi Sunak revealed 232, 708 people in the UK have now been tested, with 7,097 deaths, an increase of 938. He also promised to pump 750 million into the charity sector, with the government to provide 360 million for small, local charities, supporting vulnerable people and providing essential service. Regarding Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Mr Sunak said: "The PM remains in intensive care where his condition is improving. He has been sitting up in bed and engaging positively with the clinical team." Professor Angela McLean, the Deputy Chief Scientific Advisor, showed graphs she said showed "good" and "encouraging" signs about the battle to slow the spread of the virus. She said: "The rate at which this is rising is definitely getting slower. It looks as though we're getting towards a flat curve there." However, she added that the number of deaths is expected to keep rising even after "the curve has flattened" for other indicators about the outbreak. April 7 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing held by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab: In his second day standing in for the PM, Dominic Raab told the nation that his condition in critical care was stable and that he was receiving the very best care. Mr Raab said: He is not just the Prime Minister. For all of us in Cabinet, he is not just our boss. He is also a colleague and he is also our friend. So all our thoughts and prayers are with the Prime Minister at this time, with Carrie (Symonds) and his whole family. He added: "And I'm confident he will pull through because if there is one thing that I know about this Prime Minister is he is a fighter and he will be back leading us through this crisis in short order." He dismissed questions from reporters that there is a gulf at the top of Government with decision making, insisting the Cabinet operates on collective responsibility. He said he had "total confidence" in the arrangements the Prime Minister had put in place to allow the Foreign Secretary to deputise for him. April 6 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing held by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, Professor Chris Whitty, the Governments chief medical adviser, and Professor Dame Angela McLean, deputy chief scientific adviser: Mr Raab said existing lockdown measures were "beginning to work" in tackling the coronavirus pandemic. He added any shifting of focus could mean "we wont get through the peak as fast as we need to". Asked when the current social distancing measures could be lifted, Professor Whitty said the Government must first establish when the peak of the epidemic will come. He warned that to start "having that discussion" before then would be a mistake. Professor McLean said the growth in Covid-19 hospital admissions "is not as bad as it could have been" had the lockdown not been put in place. But she added that authorities need to "know how well the current restrictions are working before we can say anything sensible about what the next stage might be". April 5 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing held by Health Secretary Matt Hancock and England's deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries: Mr Hancock said that two people he "was fond of" have died as a result of the outbreak. He said he "cannot rule out further steps" being introduced in terms of social distancing, but none are imminent. The NHS has more than 9,000 ventilators, but this is being ramped up over the next week to reach a target of 18,000. He said "key goal" was to keep the number of critical care beds above demand. Mr Hancock said there are currently more than 2,336 spare critical care beds for the NHS in England. Dr Harries emphasised the importance of testing in prisons and care homes. She said PPE guidance has been adapted after seeing a "slightly different prevalence of disease". Mr Hancock and Dr Harries said there is an adequate supply of oxygen in UK hospitals. April 4 updates: Here is a summary of the press conference held by Minister for the Cabinet Office Michael Gove and NHS England medical director Professor Stephen Powis: Mr Gove said there was no fixed point at which the Government could say the lockdown will end. He said there were now more than 8,000 ventilators in the NHS - including 300 from China. There were 10,984 tests of NHS staff carried out on Friday, Mr Gove said. He said the Midlands was "a particular area of concern", after it has seen a 47 per cent increase in hospital admissions. Mr Powis condemned the actions of people acting on a conspiracy theory linking 5G technology to the pandemic. He said: "It is absolute and utter rubbish and I cant condemn it stronger terms than that." He said a reduction in transmissions would be reflected in a reduction in infections, hospitalisations and then in deaths. April 3 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing held by Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Professor Jonathan Van Tam: Mr Hancock urged the public to maintain social distancing ahead of a weekend of warm weather. He said no G7 country has found a home antibody test for the virus that works yet, but sample tests have been ordered. He said the UK had provisionally ordered 17.5m antigen tests, but he said they will only be used if they work. He said there is a "clear goal" of 100,000 tests a day by the end of April and 7,000 NHS staff have been tested. Professor Jonathan Van Tam said there will be further cases of the virus which have not been counted in the official statistics. He said he has asked the Governments advisory committee to look at the symptom of lack of taste. He said there are three treatment trials up and running the UK. April 2 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing held by Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Professor Stephen Power, NHS England medical director, and Professor John Newton, Public Health England director of health improvement: Mr Hancock said more beds, staff and equipment are being made available and that 13.4bn of NHS trust debts have been written off. He announced that he has made 300m available for funding community pharmacies. He set a goal of 100,000 tests per day by the end of this month, outlining a "five-point" plan. This involves swab testing to check if people already have the virus, using commercial partners such as Amazon and Boots to carry out swab tests, introduce antibody blood tests to check whether people have had the virus, surveillance to determine rate of infection, and building a British diagnostics industry. He said demand for materials had led to a shortage of both swabs and reagents, saying the swabs issue has been fixed but the reagents issue is still being worked on. Mr Hancock also acknowledged that most of the NHS staff who had died from the virus had been migrants to the UK. Mr Powis said there had been a big reduction in the use of public transport, but use of motor vehicles had increased, which he would like to see come down. He said we are still seeing an increase in infections, but the curve is not getting steeper as time goes on and there is some indication that going forward, it might start to flatten - but this will take a week or two. April 1 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing held by Business Secretary Alok Sharma and Professor Yvonne Doyle, medical director of Public Health England: Mr Sharma said Chancellor Rishi Sunak, the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority have written to the chief executives of UK banks, urging them to make sure the benefits of the Covid Business Interruption Loan Scheme are "passed through to businesses and consumers". He added the Government had bailed the banks out in the wake of the financial crash of 2008 and it was time for them to "repay the favour" to taxpayers. Ms Doyle said that 10,000 Covid-19 tests per day were now being carried out and the aim was to get to 25,000 tests by mid-April. She added the intention was to "get from thousands to hundreds of thousands in the coming weeks". Ms Doyle also described an uptick in recent motor vehicle traffic as very concerning and urged people to stay at home. March 31 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing held by Minister for the Cabinet Office Michael Gove and deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Jenny Harries: It was said that thousands of new ventilators will be distributed to hospitals across to UK next week. To help the NHS deal with coronavirus, the Chancellor will waive some taxes on medical equipment. Medics whose visas will expire before October 1 will have them automatically renewed. Around 25,000 people have been tested for the Covid-19 strain by April. The UK death toll had its biggest daily increase of 381 fatalities. March 30 updates: Here is a summary of the briefing held by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, Professor Yvonne Doyle, medical director at Public Health England, and Patrick Vallance, the Governments chief scientific adviser: Mr Raab announced a 75 million package to help Brits stranded abroad get home if there are no commercial flights available. Charter flights will bring back UK nationals from 'priority countries' and travellers in countries where commercial flights are still running will be provided with subsidies for tickets. Partner airlines include British Airways, Virgin, easyJet, Jet2 and Titan and this list will be expanded. He said around 150,000 British nationals had been helped back from Spain, while 8,500 were brought back from Morocco and 5,000 from Cyprus. Mr Raab added he was feeling terrific after three fellow Cabinet members were forced to self-isolate, including the Prime Minister, following a positive test for coronavirus or showing symptoms. Mr Vallance said there had been a dramatic reduction in social contact since lockdown measures were introduced, but number of people being admitted to hospital with coronavirus is going up in a constant amount. Yvonne Doyle said 170 million items of personal protective equipment had been delivered to hospitals and clinics. March 29 updates: Here is a summary of the press conference held by housing secretary Robert Jenrick and deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries: Mr Jenrick said that an emergency distribution team would be taking personal protective equipment to people who needed it across the country. The equipment includes 170,000 face masks and ten million items of cleaning equipment, to be taken to "58,000 NHS trusts and healthcare settings". Mr Jenrick said the team would be supported by the armed forces and emergency services. The housing secretary added that the NHS would be providing home deliveries of medicines to the most vulnerable, who can sign up online. Mr Jenrick said that the Government will also deliver food parcels to vulnerable people, with 50,000 to be delivered this week. Meanwhile Dr Jenny Harries said that the country may not return to "normal" for six months. She added that while a complete lockdown would not last for six months, social distancing measures should be phased out "gradually" to avoid a second major outbreak. Dr Harries said that the quarantine measures would be reviewed after three weeks and then again after three months. She warned that the Government expects virus-related deaths to increase possibly for the next two weeks. March 28 updates: Here is a summary of the press conference held by Business Secretary Alok Sharma and NHS England's medical director Professor Stephen Powis: Mr Powis said that 20,000 deaths related to coronavirus would be a good result for the UK. He added that "now is not the time to be complacent" about social distancing as the number of deaths continued to rise sharply. Mr Sharma said that the Government was changing insolvency rules to give companies more flexibility amid the ongoing economic fallout from coronavirus. He said that "red tape" would be cut to allow companies to produce hand sanitiser within a few days. March 27 updates: Here is a summary of the press conference held by held by Minister for the Cabinet Office Michael Gove and NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens: Senior Cabinet minister Michael Gove said that positive tests for Boris Johnson and health secretary Matt Hancock showed that "we are all at risk" from coronavirus. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster restated the need for social distancing to slow the spread of the virus. Mr Gove added that people who were key to the Government's response to coronavirus who showed symptoms are tested. He announced that the Government has brought together universities, businesses and research institutes to boost testing capacity for frontline workers. NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said that testing for frontline NHS workers would begin next week. Mr Gove added that the Government believed that coronavirus infections has been doubling every three to four days. March 26 updates: Here is a summary of the press conference held by Chancellor Rishi Sunak and deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Jenny Harries: Rishi Sunak announced a "generous and comprehensive" package of support for up to 3.8m self-employed workers. The scheme will pay a cash grant worth 80 per cent of average monthly trading profit over the past three years, capped at 2,500 a month. Mr Sunak said the scheme would be available "no later than June". The scheme is open to anyone with trading profits of up to 50,000 and will be only available to those who make the majority of their income from self-employment. There is no help available for people who have recently become self-employed. But Mr Sunak said those who are self-employed can now access Universal Credit in full to help them during the pandemic. He hinted that he could ask the self-employed to pay more in national insurance once the outbreak is over. Dr Jenny Harries defended not ordering coronavirus tests earlier, emphasising "every single country is ordering at the same time." She said the Government may want to test a sample of the population, once an antibody test becomes available, to get a sense of how coronavirus has spread. March 25 updates: Here is a summary of the press conference held by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Professor Chris Whitty, the Governments chief medical adviser, and Sir Patrick Vallance, the Governments chief scientific adviser: Mr Johnson revealed that 405,000 people have signed up to be volunteers for the NHS in less than 24 hours. Professor Whitty said the coronavirus peak would probably be manageable for the NHS if people kept to the lockdown rules. He also blamed global shortages for the fact that the Government was not carrying out more coronavirus tests. Once the Government is confident antibody tests work, they will initially be used for NHS staff. Mr Johnson said the Government might introduce wartime-style legislation to outlaw profiteering during the coronavirus pandemic. Some of the social distancing measures might be in place for a reasonably long period of time. March 24 updates: Here is a summary of the press briefing held by Matt Hancock and the first where the PM did not make an address to the nation: Matt Hancock announced that the Government is launching a new scheme to recruit 250,000 volunteers in good health who can help the NHS support the vulnerable. The Health Secretary also confirmed that a new hospital called the Nightingale Hospital with capacity for 4,000 people will open next week at the Excel Centre in east London after being set up with help from the military. He added that 35,000 extra NHS staff would be joining the fight against the virus and that 11,788 retired NHS staff responded to the call to return to the service. The Health Secretary said that enforcement actions would be taken on businesses that remained open despite being ordered to close. Mr Hancock then announced that a new testing facility would open in Milton Keynes that day and the UK has bought 3.5 million antibody testing kits. He also said 7.5 million pieces of protective equipment, including facemasks, had been shipped out in the last 24 hours. March 23 updates: Here is a break down of what was covered during the Prime Minister's pre-recorded address to the nation on Monday, March 23: Mr Johnson described the Covid-19 crisis as a "moment of national emergency" and announced sweeping restrictions on public life as part of a nationwide lockdown. The Prime Minister said the extraordinary measures would become effective immediately. He added the Government would review the effect of the restrictions in three weeks and relax them if possible. Mr Johnson confirmed police will have the power to enforce the rules by imposing fines on people who do not abide by them and the right to disperse gatherings. The Prime Minister also said the Government was "accelerating" search for treatments, "pioneering work on a vaccine" and purchasing millions of coronavirus testing kits. He warned that "without a huge national effort to halt the growth of this virus, there will come a moment when no health service in the world could possibly cope". March 22 updates: Here is a break down of what was covered at the press conference on Sunday, March 22: The public were urged to uphold social distancing measures. Further information was given about the 1.5 million vulnerable Britons that will be asked to self-isolate for 12 weeks starting on March 23. Social hubs will be set up to provide supplies for those asked to stay in their homes for the next 12 weeks. March 21 updates: Here is a break down of what was covered at the press conference on Saturday, March 21: The public was urged to not panic buy amid the outbreak. NHS England medical director said those who did should be ashamed. The importance of social distancing was reiterated. Later on: Mr Johnson warned of the NHS being overwhelmed if the public does not heed social distancing advice. He said the UK could be a few weeks away from the situation in Italy if people don't follow the guidance. The Prime Minister encouraged people to not see their parents on Mother's Day , as he urged people to limit their activities. He said the situation was "stark" and acknowledge the measures imposed had never been seen before. March 20 updates: Here is a break down of what was covered at the press conference on Friday, March 20: Mr Johnson ordered the closure of pubs, bars, restaurants and theatres in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus. The Prime Minist Bhopal, March 18 : The preliminary round of the Rajya Sabha election on March 26 seemed be fought on the streets of Bhopal and Bengaluru on Wednesday with Congress candidate Digvijaya Singh and nine Cabinet ministers from the state being rounded up by police in the Karnataka capital. For all the optics, Digvijaya and Co could draw no success from their visit to Bengaluru to meet Madhya Pradesh's rebel Congress MLAs. Beleaguered Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath whose government is gasping for breath, dropped his visit to Bengaluru while his party activists fought a pitched battle with BJP counterparts at Bhopal. Pushing and shoving between the two sides ensued when Congress supporters were on their way to 'gherao' the state BJP office to protest the BJP's alleged move to hold captive rebel Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh in a Bengaluru resort. Police had put up barricades to hold back Congress protesters, but they broke through and began marching towards the BJP office while holding banners and party flags. The marchers came face to face with BJP supporters on the way, leading to an ugly confrontation. "The Congress supporters hit me with a baton. The BJP will teach Congress a lesson," said BJP leader Rahul Kothari. In a related action Madhya Pradesh unit of BJP complained to the Chief Election Commissioner against former Digvijaya Singh for trying to cause undue pressure on the 16 rebel Congress MLAs. Singh who had gone along with nine members of the state Cabinet to meet the 16 rebel MLAs holed up in a Bengaluru resort. The BJP that has been 'guarding' these MLAs claims that Singh is unduly pressurising them to meet the MLAs who do not want to meet him and his party colleagues. The BJP complained that the Congress leaders staged a dharna to create a law and order situation for the local administration. The BJP's letter signed by Shantilal Lodha, the election agent of the BJP candidate Sumer Singh Solanki, says since Singh is a candidate for the election his conduct amounts to violation of the model code of conduct. The letter urged the EC to take action against Singh and nine others so that the elections are conducted peacefully in democratic manner. Besides, election authorities in Delhi and Madhya Pradesh, the letter copies have been marked to Karnataka Chief Minister and police chief "for necessary action please". The others named for action include Jaywardhan Singh (minister and Digvijaya Singh's son), Sajjan Singh Verma, Jitu Patwari, Umang Singhar, Tarun Bhanot, Lakhan Ghanghoria, Lakhan Singh Yadav, Sachin Yadav and Harsh Yadav. In another setback to the Congress, Karnataka High Court rejected Digvijaya Singh's plea seeking directions to the police to allow him to meet the "detained" rebel MLAs. The Congress, on the other hand, wrote to Governor Lalji Tandon to use his constitutional authority to get the 'captive' MLAs released. The party said the Chief Minister has already made the request to him earlier in this regard. Digvijaya Singh as a candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat is entitled to meet the MLAs, said the letter. But the police have not allowed him to use his right. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced an $82 billion support package equal to 3 per cent of Canadas GDP to support the economy and Canadians finances during the coronavirus outbreak. Individuals and businesses get $27 billion and $55 billion is earmarked to meet liquidity needs of Canadian businesses and households through tax deferrals to help stabilize the economy. The crisis package outlined by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today will help to cushion the blow from the disruption caused by the coronavirus outbreak, said Stephen Brown, senior Canada economist, at Capital Economics, in a note. That said, while the package reduces the chance that weakness in the coming months will morph into a prolonged slump, we still think the government needs to do more to secure a strong recovery further down the line. The Prime Minister says hes ready to take further action as needed. After waiving the one-week waiting period to receive employment insurance (EI) payments in the last package, Ottawa is offering aid for affected workers who arent covered by EI. They will get up to $900 every 2 weeks for 14 weeks, at an amount comparable to EI. No Canadian should have to worry about paying their rent or buying groceries during this difficult time, said Trudeau. That is why we are taking the strong action needed to stabilize our economy and help those impacted by the COVID-19 virus. Together, we will get through this difficult time. The deadline for individuals to file their taxes is pushed back to June 1, 2020 and people who owe money will not have to pay until August 31, 2020. Low and modest-income families will get a top up on their GST credits. Individuals get $400 and couples get $600. The Canada Childcare Benefit is also being increased by $300 per child. Students also get relief in the form of a 6 month moratorium on student loan payments. The measures seem better targeted than a US plan under discussion that would send a cheque to all, given that income disruptions arent evenly spread, said Avery Shenfeld, chief economist at CIBC Capital Markets. Story continues Some are designed to help insure against a wave of household and business defaults, including extending benefits to those losing jobs who wouldnt currently qualify for employment insurance payments, such as part-timers, those in quarantine not able to report to work, those looking after someone who is ill, and the self-employed. Small businesses get a 10 per cent wage subsidy for the next 90 days, up to a maximum of $1,375 per employee and $25,000 per employer. In a joint news news conference with Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz following the Prime Ministerss announcement, Finance Minister Bill Morneau says hes prepared to do whatever it takes to keep the economy strong and stable. We have the fiscal fire power to respond. When asked about why the Bank of Canada hasnt matched the U.S Feds latest rate cut to basically zero, Poloz said he was waiting to see what Ottawa would announce today and cautioned that Canada has its own monetary policy. Poloz hasnt ruled out further cuts or quantitative easing. Jessy Bains is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jessysbains. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. It started for me with a pretty severe sore throat. I started to feel symptomatic five days after traveling. Its different than the bronchitis that Ive gotten before. Everything had kind of settled in my lungs. And I was just coughing a ton. I had a headache and felt feverish. It felt like I had a bowling ball on my chest. Nobodys willing to see me, and nobody has the test kit and even C.D.C. is refusing to test me. I traced back, you know, my wife, she works at Amazon. They had a confirmed case. Four different planes in four different airports. So I dont know who sat next to me or who I was in contact with. Its one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. Its going to be just fine. Were going down, not up. Were going very substantially down. Not up. Anybody that needs a test, gets a test. Theyre there. They have the tests. And the tests are beautiful. We have a president saying anyone who wants tests can get a test. And Im thinking, That is so not true. It was just interesting, because there was this kind of gray area for a while of people who felt like they were really sick and should have been tested just as, even as a rule out. And the state of Washington just did not have the capacity to do that, because the government had not supported us at that point essentially. I got through to public health after about an hour, and they told me that I did not meet the criteria for being tested. They said, Theres no way to get tested. We dont have tests right now. Theres nothing set up in Delaware. I looked at the C.D.C. website and it said, call your doctor if you have the symptoms. So I called the doctors office and they told me to go to an urgent care facility. I called an urgent care facility and they said that theres nothing that they can do. And they dont have the tests. And they told me to go to the E.R. And I called a hospital, and they told me that they dont have the test either. I just felt like I was getting the run-around. It was clearly obvious that they just are under capacity, and theyre not able to test. I eventually just gave up because, at that point, the testing criteria was so strict. It was, you travel to China or have you been in contact with someone known diagnosed Covid. And I didnt meet any of that. As a nurse in an E.R., its pretty vital if I have an infectious disease that I know what it is because I could be spreading it to people who are really vulnerable. I actually work in a building thats a fairly public place. Theres people of every generation coming in there. Theres a private school there. Theres a senior center. Southwest Florida is full of elders. There is a lot of snowbirds coming here. Theyre all in their 70s and 80s. I cannot get myself, like I cannot convince my conscience to leave the house just thinking about that, Hey you went grocery shopping and now like five people died. So I just self quarantined myself and basically started working from home. We stocked up on food items as much as possible. I bought a 25 pound bag of rice. We bought beans. We got ready basically just to hunker down for those two weeks. At this point, Im telling people like make if you have a decision to make, think about survival and make the decision based on survival for yourself, your family and your community. We knew this was coming. The federal government is just completely bungling this, and our lives are at stake. I feel like theyre just leaving us here to die in Seattle. The most overwhelming feeling was you are on your own. Im just really concerned for those that this is going to affect the hardest. And I think we pretty much failed at early testing, early containment. We had more time than other governments. Travel restrictions are being deployed as a key weapon in the war against the coronavirus (COVID-19). Much publicised bans and restrictions have decimated the airline industry, forcing widespread capacity cuts and leaving many airlines fighting for survival. It is now almost certain that government intervention will be required to stop a number of airlines going out of business, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. Nicholas Wyatt, head of R&A Travel and Tourism at GlobalData, commented: Such a request now looks to be very much a case of when rather than if. Governments will be forced to step in and either bail out airlines directly or extend support by way of time to pay and tax relief arrangements. Even if there is public opposition to such intervention, governments will be left with no choice but to intervene and save what is, in some countries, a systemically important industry. Despite taking measures such as capacity cutting and asking staff to take extended periods of unpaid leave, the danger is that airlines the world over will burn through cash over the coming weeks and months. Companies are often under pressure not to sit on large cash reserves but decisions taken by several airlines to buy back their own shares will likely come under serious scrutiny, especially when airlines are forced to ask governments for support. Wyatt said: In the US, the assistance required could exceed $50 billion according to the Wall Street Journal. Despite this, the Trump administration has said it plans to back the airline industry 100 per cent, illustrating just how grave the situation is. We can expect other governments to make similar noises in the coming weeks as this unprecedented crisis takes hold and which, according to Iata, could cost the industry $113 billion in lost revenues this year. - TradeArabia News Service Exotic subatomic particles that are like 'normal' particles apart from one, opposite, property - such as the positron, which is like an electron but positively rather than negatively charged - are collectively known as antimatter. Direct studies of collisions between particles of matter and those of antimatter using giant facilities such as those at CERN can advance our understanding of the nature of matter. A new study by Tasko Grozdanov from the University of Belgrade in Serbia and Evgeni Solov'ev from the Institute of Nuclear Research near Moscow in Russia has mapped the energy levels of an exotic form of helium produced in this way. This work, which is published in EPJ D, has been described by one commentator as '... a new jewel in the treasure of scientific achievements in atomic physics theory". An atom of ordinary helium consists of a nucleus with two protons and two neutrons surrounded by two electrons. Experiments at CERN have involved colliding slow antiprotons with these helium atoms to form an exotic form of helium called antiprotonic helium, in which one of the electrons is replaced with an antiproton (a particle like a proton but with the negative charge of an electron). Thus, an atom of antiprotonic helium is uncharged, like ordinary helium, but includes one negatively-charged particle over 1800 times heavier than an electron. Antiprotonic helium atoms can only survive in configurations in which the antiproton cannot 'fall' into the nucleus and annihilate. Until now, the only widely studied configuration involves antiproton making circular orbits around the nucleus, shielded by the remaining electron. Grozdanov and Solov'ev describe a different configuration, named a 'frozen planet' state, in which the electron rapidly circulates round the nucleus, generating a potential well that traps the antiproton. The period of time in which the antiproton can remain trapped in this well depends on its energy and the distance from the nucleus. The researchers plan to extend their studies to include similar configurations that rotate, which they suggest may be more amenable to experimental research. ### Reference: T.P. Grozdanov and E.A. Solov'ev (2020) Hidden-crossing explanation of frozen-planet resonances in antiprotonic helium; their positions and widths, European Physical Journal D 74:50, DOI: 10.1140/epjd/e2020-100565-0 English French TORONTO, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yesterday, Sunwing announced that the company was shifting their efforts to focus solely on repatriating customers who are currently in destination. As a result, the carrier has temporarily suspended all southbound flights from March 17th until April 9th to concentrate resources on returning customers home safely. Yesterday, the first rescue flights departed, repatriating over 500 Canadians from countries that had announced closures of their borders. By the end of today, over 11,000 customers will be brought home to Canada. The travel company is committed to ensuring all its guests are brought safely home. Customers are returning home on their scheduled flights, with any remaining seats being used to accommodate other Sunwing customers wanting to return earlier at no additional cost. Sunwing Experiences representatives are situated in resorts across the travel companys destinations and are available 24/7 to support customers during this time. President of Sunwing Airlines, Mark Williams, commented, This unprecedented situation has had a drastic impact on our business during a short space of time. While we have communicated a temporary suspension of our southbound flights up until April 10th, at this time we cannot confirm when commercial southern flight operations will resume. That is why Sunwing was forced to communicate layoffs to our flight and cabin crew members yesterday evening. Our pilots and flight attendants play a crucial role in our operations and this was not a decision that we took lightly. Once we have confirmation on a return to service date of our southbound flights, we fully intend to recall our flight and cabin crew members. These are incredibly difficult decisions to make. But the circumstances we face are dire and we must take action to ensure the long-term viability of our business. Given the severe impact COVID-19 has had on our business, and the efforts we are putting in place to bring thousands of Canadians home, we are actively seeking government support. As an organization, we have never sought government support previously. But these are exceptional circumstances. Our customers need us and were doing everything we can to support them. About Sunwing The largest integrated travel company in North America, Sunwing has more flights to the south than any other leisure carrier with convenient direct service from over 33 airports across Canada to more than 45 popular sun destinations across the U.S.A., Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. This scale enables Sunwing to offer customers exclusive deals at top-rated resorts in the most popular vacation destinations as well as cruise packages and seasonal domestic flight service. Sunwing is consistently voted the top leisure airline by travel agents and is the perennial winner of the Consumer Choice Award. Customers can look forward to starting their vacation off with award-winning inflight service, which features a complimentary glass of sparkling wine*, non-alcoholic beverage service; together with a buy on board menu of light meals and snacks, including kids choices, the World Famous Original Smoked Meat from the iconic Montreal-based Schwartzs Deli along with delicious menu options inspired by Food Network Canada Celebrity Chef, Lynn Crawford. Sunwing customers also benefit from the assistance of the companys own knowledgeable destination representatives, who greet them upon arrival and support them throughout their vacation journey. Sunwing supports the communities where it operates through the Sunwing Foundation, a charitable initiative focused on the support and development of youth and humanitarian aid. Sunwing matches all donations the Foundation receives through its Spare Change Program on board Sunwing Airlines, no administrative fees are collected and 100% of the proceeds go to charity. *Service may be unavailable on select flights For all media enquiries, please contact: Rachel Goldrick Senior Corporate Communications Manager Sunwing Vacations 1-800-387-5602 | media@sunwing.ca https://www.facebook.com/SunwingVacations https://twitter.com/SunwingVacay https://www.instagram.com/sunwingvacations https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzjZ-lcuaqBQH7Sq0u3ru7A The group that has provided humanitarian aid to migrants at the San Antonio bus station downtown for years has halted its operations as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. It was just an incredibly difficult decision to make, said Jan Olsen, director of the Interfaith Welcome Coalitions bus station program. Its a risks versus benefits decision. As the threat of coronavirus has mounted, the nonprofit grew increasingly concerned for the health of many of its bus station volunteers, who tend to be older retirees. On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases Olsen said that while the program has been suspended temporarily, there is a volunteer on call, day and night, in case of an emergency. The coalition is relying on the Greyhound bus station staff to make the call if help is needed. Everyone there is being extra vigilant to keep their eyes out for anybody who needs extra help, Olsen said. The volunteers provided backpacks, medicine, toiletries and other items to migrants at the bus station who are released by Customs and Border Protection and need to travel to destinations across the U.S. to live with their family sponsors. The migrants often dont speak English and have little sense of where they are geograpnhically in the United States and how far they have to travel to get to their spsonors. The Interfaith Welcome Coalition has also pressed pause on sending volunteers to the airport, where they aided migrants, many of them families, released from detention facilities in Dilley and Karnes. On ExpressNews.com: Migrants inundating San Antonio bus station downtown Olsen said the migrants will still be able to make their journey safely even without the aid. These days, only a few families arrive from the border at a time, and not every day, she said a far cry from the hundreds a week that were arriving at the bus station last spring. Its not like theyre going to be endangered or imperiled at the bus station, Olsen said, adding, however, Im deeply saddened theyre not going to get the support we have to offer. Silvia Foster-Frau covers immigration news in the San Antonio, Bexar County and South Texas area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | sfosterfrau@express-news.net | Twitter: @SilviaElenaFF We can only guess how high unemployment will rise as the coronavirus crisis wares on. But the early numbers, based on state unemployment applications, are already staggering: In Colorado, 6,800 people attempted to file on Tuesday, compared with just 400 a week before. Connecticut residents filed 30,000 unemployment claims between Friday and Monday; the state usually receives 3,000 to 3,500 per week. New Jersey saw 15,000 applications on Monday, a one-day record. In New York, state officials are comparing the spike in claims to what occurred after 9/11. Advertisement Massachusetts residents filed almost 20,000 claims on Monday alone, more than all of February. In Ohio, where the governor has ordered all bars and restaurants closed, residents filed more than 48,000 claims over two days, compared with 1,825 during the same two days a week before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Slates Aaron Mak wrote Tuesday, the extraordinary surge of layoffs has sent state unemployment websites crashing. The situation is not good. These numbers are shocking but not surprising. The entire leisure and hospitality sector, which employs 16.9 million people, or about 10 percent of the entire labor force, is going into hibernation, as Americans avoid bars, restaurants, and travel, and states and cities begin to order establishments closed. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin reportedly told Republican senators on Tuesday that, unless they passed a massive stimulus package, the country could face 20 percent unemployment, a number last seen in the Great Depression. He might be exaggerating, but given the particular contours of this crisis, which is essentially gutting the services industry, its not an entirely crazy thought. Advertisement Advertisement Congress needs to act now. And it needs to do more than send checks to families, which seems to be the leading plan on Capitol Hill right now. As I argued on Tuesday, the bureaucratic process of actually sending that money to households could take a fair amount of time, which we do not have. The current White House plan reportedly calls for sending two rounds of $1,000 payments, which according to Politico would be made on April 6 (almost three weeks from now) and May 1, Beyond that, the sorts of payments the administration is envisioning will only cover a fraction of the income some people are now losing. The fastest, most efficient way to help the jobless would be to dramatically boost unemployment benefits, and increase support for states to handle the flood of applications. Sending a check to every family is a useful, catchy idea. But its not enough. We have to help the unemployed now. Maggiolo said Wednesday the cause of the fire is undetermined and remains under investigation. He said Meredith was the sole occupant of the apartment and that she had a working smoke detector that sounded. A person who lives above her apartment heard the alarm and called the buildings front desk, Maggiolo said. As COVID-19 cases continue to skyrocket, both within the United States and abroad, there is a serious chance the country will face a shortage of ventilator machines in the coming weeks. Ventilators, which often run between $25,000 to $50,000 each, are intensive care machines designed to push oxygen into the lungs of patients with acute respiratory distress. They are critical to stave off total respiratory failure, a typical cause of death for patients with COVID-19. Per numbers from the Society of Critical Care Medicine, U.S. hospitals have a total of 160,000 ventilators62,000 modern units immediately available and 98,000 obsolete ones that can be pulled out of storage in an emergency situation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Strategic National Stockpile has an additional 13,000 ventilators, which can be accessed by request from state health officials and deployed within 36 hours. Like the CDC, states can order and maintain their own stockpiles of ventilators for emergency deployment. Yet, as American COVID-19 case numbers track just days behind those of Italy, the American Hospital Association estimates that up to 960,000 patients may need ventilatory support. Our current supply is woefully insufficient. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given the nonanswers from senior administration health officials on a potential ventilator shortage and President Donald Trumps comment to state governors to try getting it yourselves, its unclear how the country will respond to what seems like an inevitable shortage of the most critical piece of medical equipment needed for our nations most severely affected patients. But here are some options for what the federal government could do to help. Manufacturers of ventilators, such as Medtronic and Generic Electric, can boost their production output. Its true that this would take time and require additional investment in manufacturing capacity, but even if it takes months to boost deliveries and scale up the supply chain for ventilator parts, the government ought to be following the CDCs historical lead and placing massive orders immediately. Hospitals, already strained with both space and personnel, might not be able to afford a surge of extra equipment that will go unused as coronavirus infections settle, but national governments can. Advertisement Advertisement The German government just placed an order for 10,000 mechanical ventilators. Italy has deployed members of its armed forces to help the countrys only ventilator manufacturer meet the nations demand. The U.K. has called on luxury automaker Rolls-Royce to help build ventilators. ResMed, another U.S. manufacturer, is filling higher than usual orders from China and South Korea. Why isnt the U.S. following suit? Advertisement Weve done this kind of thing before. In 1940, during World War II, Franklin Delano Roosevelt called on America to build 50,000 combat aircraft over the next year at a time when the country had only 3,000 planes under its wing. Despite a seemingly impossible request, starting in 1941, the Ford Motor Co. made one B-24 bomber per hour during the course of the war. Fifty-seven members of Congress are urging the White House to act in kind now. For war, we needed planes; for pandemics, we need ventilators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The federal government could not only purchase at least 50,000 ventilators from private manufacturers, it could also offer tax credits to help them invest in new manufacturing capacity to both help existing suppliers produce up-to-date equipment for hospitals and prepare the country with a modernized stockpile for future pandemics. Further, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration should grant Emergency Use Authorization, which allows unapproved medical products to be used in an emergency, for lower-cost but equally effective ventilators to treat COVID-19 patients. COVID-19 diagnostic tools and personal protective equipment have already received this authorization, so ventilators are the logicaland necessarynext step. Subsequently, building low-cost ventilators with federal workers, akin to how Italy has redeployed its army technicians, would help emergency ventilators reach hospitals with urgent demand and avoid supply chain bottlenecks that arise when trying to import ventilator parts abroad during a crisis. For example, a student team from Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has developed and clinically tested a low-cost breathing device that can help patients struggling to breathe at just 10 percent of the cost of traditional intensive care unit ventilators. Innovations like these can be quickly manufactured domestically and delivered to critical areas. Finally, offering hospitals funding and personnel to staff the additional ventilators and tune them to the needs of each patient will be just as crucial as the new machines themselves. Its impossible to predict the shape of the epidemiological pandemic curve in the U.S. and peak demand for ventilators. However, Italys grim, utilitarian rationing of care, in which patients who seem unlikely to survive are left without treatment, is an ethical crisis our country may be headed toward. Its one we still have time to avoid. Outrage as Egypt revokes Guardian journalists credentials and censures Times reporter for sharing incorrect data. Egypt has revoked the press credentials of a British journalist with the UKs Guardian newspaper, and censured the New York Times Cairo bureau chief over bad faith reporting on the countrys coronavirus cases. The correspondents rush to promote incorrect data does not justify them relying on an unpublished and scientifically unrecognised study, the State Information Service (SIS) said in a statement on Tuesday. It shows their intentional bad faith to harm Egyptian interests, said the SIS, which is responsible for foreign media accreditation. The statement followed an article published on Sunday by UK journalist Ruth Michaelson, citing Canadian epidemiologists who estimated Egypts COVID-19 infections had surpassed 19,000. The SIS also denounced tweets by the New York Times Cairo bureau chief, Declan Walsh, referencing the same figures. Walsh later deleted the tweets following a backlash from Egyptians online. In a statement on Wednesday, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned the move, accusing Egyptian authorities of reacting disproportionately and abusing their powers by withdrawing a Guardian reporters press credentials and issuing a warning to a New York Times reporter for questioning the official figures for coronavirus cases in Egypt. It added that Egyptians reporters were also being prevented from covering the coronavirus epidemic properly. Egypt has officially reported 166 COVID-19 cases and four deaths, including two Germans and two Egyptians. Michaelson and Walsh declined to comment. A Guardian spokesperson told the AFP news agency, We regret the reports coming out of Egypt regarding the alleged banning of the Guardian or our reporter. We have offered the Egyptian government opportunity to comment and respond to our reporting in the normal way. Walsh, previously the New York Timess bureau chief in Pakistan, was expelled by Islamabad on the eve of an election in 2013; officials provided vague accusations that he carried out of undesirable activities. Authorities in Cairo have warned of tough measures, including jail terms, for anyone who spreads false information concerning the virus. On Tuesday, police arrested what they called a Muslim Brotherhood member for allegedly publishing false information about the death toll of the virus. Egypt is the worlds third-worst jailer of journalists, according to rights group Committee to Protect Journalists, and has deported foreign journalists in recent years. Mumbai, March 18 : Reliance Industries has initiated a work from home protocol for all its employees across the country and overseas in response to the evolving coronavirus situation. The company has made provisions for essential services. A senior RIL official said on Wednesday that work from home protocol will be effective till March 31. "The company has migrated to an 'Agile Work From Home' protocol that encourages all employees to work from home and to utilise all productivity and digital tools at their disposal to maximise productivity," the official said. "Staff have been advised to communicate more often among each other than on normal days and to stay connected over Outlook, MS Teams and enterprise platforms as well as the company's other internal platforms." However, considering the public requirements, RIL said that it will continue to provide all essential services to the citizens and will keep open its main retail grocery stores, telecom connectivity services, hospital and any other essential services required for public or business continuity. "To perform these essential services, RIL hopes to keep staff requirement to the minimum possible, and expects about 10 per cent of its staff to be deployed, on a rotation basis, as feasible," the official said. "RIL is providing adequate health and safety training to all its essential staff through frequent advisories and communication. The company will also reimburse app taxi fare for such staff for work related commute during this period so as to reduce pressure on public transport." In addition, RIL said that it will continue to monitor the situation and evaluate its response mechanisms on a real time basis. DUBLIN, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Orphan Drug Clinical Trials, Patent & Guidelines Insight 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Global Orphan Drug Market Opportunity: US$ 300 Billion US Dominates Global Orphan Drug Market: 50% Market Share US Orphan Drug Opportunity To Surpass: US$ 150 Billion Global Orphan Drug Clinical Insight: More Than 900 Drugs Clinical Insight on Marketed Orphan Drugs: More Than 400 Drugs Oncology To Dominate Orphan Drug Development: 35% Share FDA & EMA Regulations For Orphan Drugs Orphan Drug Designation Criteria & Reimbursement Policy by Country This report discusses about the recent trends and opportunities that the orphan drug market has brought into the pharmaceutical sector. The information related to the current status of the evolving market strategies and ongoing clinical studies by the companies involved in development of the orphan drugs is elaborately discussed in the report. The research report shares the information related to drugs that have been successfully designated as orphan drugs by respective approval authorities, with an exclusive insight on clinical uniqueness and patent information. In addition to the commercial information, the report brings a deep insight about the efforts that have been put to establish the market as it is now. Global Orphan Drug Market is Estimated to Witness 150% Market Growth by 2026, Compared to 2018 Orphan drugs market has been recently recognized as a promising therapeutic market as the diseases that are covered under the market are life-threatening diseases. The FDA & EMA have designated a drug as orphan drug for which the cases in the US are less than 0.2 Million and not more than 5 in 10,000 people across the EU. Earlier the orphan drug segment was overlooked by the big pharmaceutical companies as developing and marketing of these drugs was considered not so profitable. Majority of the research and development activities related to orphan drugs were done by small size pharmaceutical firms and less than 25% of the orphan drugs were being researched and developed by the big firms. The enactment of 1983 US Orphan Drug Act, as well as similar Acts in 1991 in Singapore, 1993 in Japan, 1997 in Australia and in 2000 by the European Union led to rapid transformation of global orphan drug market landscape which was earlier neglected by the multiple stake holders of the pharmaceutical industry. The structured regulatory and policy framework favoring the research and development of orphan designated drugs resulted in the much needed thrust for the development of global orphan drug market. These laws allowed the various financial incentives, market exclusivity, patent protection, high price allotment and government grants, which resulted in favorable economic environment for the entry of big pharmaceutical companies in the orphan drug segment. The entry of mid and large size pharmaceutical companies helped in the speeding up the clinical research activities related to orphan drugs. The number of clinical trials increased drastically in last 10 years to more than 500 for orphan drugs as compared to few hundred trials in beginning of 21st century. Currently, more than 400 orphan designated drugs are commercially available in the marketed and close to 1000 drugs are undergoing clinical trials. The number of clinical trials covering the rare diseases has been observed to increase in the recent years with a major participation of the players such as Roche, Celgene, AbbVie, Johnson & Johnson, Shire, Alexion, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi and Bayer. The various major key players and the rising demand of the orphan drugs clearly depicts about the escalation that the market will experience in the future. The availability of large number of orphan drugs by limited firms provides an excellent fundamental benefit to the emerged market in the present as well as in future. The dynamic interest scenario that has been delivered by the users since its arrival has completely changed the landscape of the market. The drastic change from few users in the past to millions of users till now has been successful in proving the importance of orphan drugs in the market. It is well witnessed from analyzing the market value of orphan drugs that clinicians as well as rare disease patients are now more inclined towards its use, thereby, promoting a form of treatment that is more mainstream. As per report findings, the orphan drug market is open to serve the globe with an approach that is about to bring a fresh new era for the life threatening diseases. The ongoing clinical research at preclinical and clinical levels and the major trends followed by the regions such as North America and Europe are about to introduce a drastic change in overall scenario of the approach. The market is driven by the anticipation of the players and the huge commercial success that the market has foreseen in few years. The enhancement and the shape that the market has developed since years is about to get evolved as a serious option for rare diseases. Key Topics Covered 1. What Are Orphan Drugs? 2. Global Orphan Drug Designation Criteria 2.1 US 2.2 Europe 2.3 Asia & Australia 2.3.1 Japan 2.3.2 Taiwan 2.3.3 South Korea 2.3.4 Australia 3. Market Exclusivity & Patent Protection for Orphan Drugs 4. Global Orphan Drug Reimbursement Policy 4.1 US 4.2 Europe 4.3 Asia 5. Global Orphan Drug Market Opportunity Insight, 2026 5.1 Global Orphan Drug Sales Opportunity 5.2 Market by Class Variation 5.3 Market by Therapeutic Application 5.4 Market by Regions 6. FDA Regulation for Clinical Trials Orphan Designated Drugs 6.1 Content & Format Of A Request For Written Recommendations 6.2 Provision For Granting & Refusing Written Recommendations 6.3 Content And Format Of A Request For Orphan Drug Designation 6.4 Verification Of Orphan Drug Status & Resident Agent For Foreign Sponsor 6.5 Timing Of Requests For Orphan Drug Designation & Designation Of Already Approved Drugs 6.6 Deficiency Letters And Granting Orphan Drug Designation 6.7 Refusal To Grant Orphan Drug Designation 6.8 Amendment & Change In Ownership To Orphan Drug Designation 6.9 Publication & Revocation Of Orphan Drug Designations 6.10 Annual Reports Of Holder Of Orphan Drug Designation 6.11 Scope & FDA Recognition Of Orphan Drug Exclusive Approval 6.12 Protocols for Investigations & Availability of Information 7. EMA Regulations for Clinical Trials of Orphan Designated Drugs 7.1 Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products 7.2 How to Apply for Orphan Designation in Europe 7.3 Marketing Authorization & Market Exclusivity 7.4 Transferring An Orphan Designation To Another Sponsor 7.5 Mandatory Submission Of Annual Report On Development 7.6 Incentives For Micro, Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises 7.7 Fee Reductions For Designated Orphan Medicinal Products 7.8 Procedure for Orphan Designation & Incentives for R&D (Regulation (EC) No 141/2000 ) 8. Asian Regulations for Clinical Trials of Orphan Designated Drugs 8.1 Taiwan Rare Disease and Orphan Drug Act 8.2 Japan Orphan Drug Regulation 9. Global Orphan Clinical Pipeline Overview 9.1 By Company 9.2 Drug Class 9.3 Formulation 9.4 Indication 9.5 Region 9.6 Priority Status 9.7 Patient Segment 9.8 By Phase 10. Unknown Phase - Orphan Drugs Clinical Pipeline By Company, Country & Indication 10.1 Overview 10.2 Clinical Pipeline Insight 11. Research Phase - Orphan Drugs Clinical Pipeline By Company, Country & Indication 12. Preclinical Phase - Orphan Drugs Clinical Pipeline By Company, Country & Indication 13. Clinical Phase - Orphan Drugs Clinical Pipeline By Company, Country & Indication 14. Phase-I - Orphan Drugs Clinical Pipeline By Company, Country & Indication 15. Phase-I/II - Orphan Drugs Clinical Pipeline By Company, Country & Indication 16. Phase-II - Orphan Drugs Clinical Pipeline By Company, Country & Indication 17. Phase-II/III - Orphan Drugs Clinical Pipeline By Company, Country & Indication 18. Phase-III - Orphan Drugs Clinical Pipeline By Company, Country & Indication 19. Preregistration - Orphan Drugs Clinical Pipeline By Company, Country & Indication 20. Registered - Orphan Drugs Clinical Pipeline By Company, Country & Indication 21. Marketed Orphan Drugs Clinical Insight By Company, Country & Indication 22. Competitive Landscape 22.1 AOP Orphan 22.2 Agenus 22.3 Alexion 22.4 Bristol Myers Squibb 22.5 Biogen Idec 22.6 Celgene 22.7 Eli Lilly 22.8 Genethon 22.9 Genzyme Corporation 22.10 Glaxosmithkline 22.11 Merck 22.12 Novartis Pharmaceuticals 22.13 Orphan Europe 22.14 Pfizer 22.15 Prosensa 22.16 Rare Disease Therapeutics 22.17 Roche 22.18 Sanofi 22.19 Shire 22.20 Teva Pharmaceutical For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/7oklzv 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 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com Mizoram Health Minister Dr R Lalthangliana on Wednesday said the state government is making efforts to set up a virology laboratory at state-run Zoram Medical College to test suspected cases of coronavirus infection. He said a detailed project report (DPR) has been submitted to the National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi and the Department of Health Research of the Centre for establishing a novel coronavirus-testing laboratory in Mizoram. "The state government is making efforts to set up a virology laboratory at the ZMC," Lalthangliana told reporters. The health minister said seven blood samples were sent to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital and six of them tested negative for coronavirus while the result of one sample is awaited. He said patients with coronavirus-like symptoms are being admitted to the isolation ward at the ZMC and the state government is conducting screening at inter-state and international borders and at Lengpui airport. Lalthangliana said the state government will create awareness about the disease through hoardings. Chief Secretary Lalnunmawia Chuaungo said the state government is encouraging social distancing to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus. Urging people not to panic or believe in rumours, Chuango said any information about coronavirus infection should be deemed fake unless it is issued by the state health department. Health Department Principal Director Dr F Lallianhlira said at least 163 people have been quarantined so far, of whom eight have been discharged upon completion of 14 days observation period. Meanwhile, the Health Department is facing financial difficulties in taking preventive measures against the spread of novel coronavirus due to the state government's failure in sanctioning adequate funds for the purpose, a top health official told PTI. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, with a face mask on, interlocking arms with fellow party workers sat on a dharna outside the Ramada hotel in Bengaluru early Wednesday morning after he was allegedly not allowed to meet the Congress MLAs inside the hotel. In a video clip, it can be seen how the police are trying to remove him from the spot as he resists being evicted. Im a Rajya Sabha candidate from Madhya Pradesh, voting is scheduled for March 26. My MLAs have been kept here, they want to speak to me, their phones have been snatched, police are not letting me speak to them saying there is a security threat to MLAs, said Digvijaya Singh. The Madhya Pradesh leader, who arrived early this morning in the city, said he has been receiving messages from the families of the lawmakers who have been held captive in Bengaluru. We were expecting them to come back, but when we saw theyre being held back, messages came from their families, the leader added. He also alleged that there is police presence in every hotel room and the lawmakers are being followed at all hours. Watch: Digvijaya Singh stopped by cops from meeting MP rebel MLAs in Bengaluru Away from Bengaluru, the Supreme Court is set to hear BJP MLAs plea seeking an immediate floor test while the Congress had filed a separate plea saying the test could not be conducted as lawmakers were held captive in Karnataka. The floor test can happen only when all the elected lawmakers are present in the assembly, the Congress party said in its petition. Facing a constitutional crisis, the Kamal Nath-led Congress government did not hold a floor test in the state assembly on Tuesday despite governor Lalji Tandons suggestion to go for it. The 22 Congress lawmakers from Madhya Pradesh in Bengaluru appeared before the media on Tuesday and said they were with BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia and had not been held captive. The MLAs said they were open to the idea of returning to their home state immediately if provided Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) security. The Congress governments problems began last week after 22 MLAs resigned from the assembly in the wake of former senior party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia joining the BJP. The speaker later accepted the resignations 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. Notably, 17 of these 22 MLAs including the six ministers went incommunicado on March 9. They were later found staying in a resort in Bengaluru. Two Congress MLAs had already been staying there since March 3 while the others joined them later. In reply to a question whether they would join the BJP, the rebel MLAs said they would sit together and decide later. There is nothing preventing the UK introducing mass, South Korean-style, drive-through coronavirus community testing within a matter of days, a disease expert has suggested. Hugh Pennington, emeritus professor of bacteriology at Aberdeen University, said Britain needs to do a hell of a lot more testing to discover where the virus is going under the radar and where its lurking, adding: Weve got to find the hotspots. Prof Pennington, 81, who led the public inquiry into the 1996 E.coli outbreak in Lanarkshire, told the PA news agency: Without that kind of intelligence were fighting it with one hand tied behind our back. There is no reason we have to wait to start really ramping up our testing regime, it could be rolled out on a grand scale by the end of the week. He welcomed the Governments announcement on Wednesday that the NHS was now moving to carry out 25,000 coronavirus tests per day within four weeks. Testing is prioritised for hospital patients and those at most risk of serious illness, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said. But Prof Pennington said anybody in self-isolation or with concerns should have the option of getting tested in a 24/7 nationwide regime to help arrest the virus spread. Laboratories, universities, research centres, and environmental staff from local authorities, could be enlisted en masse to conduct the non-invasive swab tests at places like supermarket car parks, he said, pointing to the example of South Korea. The UK has seen some drive-through testing in places including Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury, but the priority is on in-hospital testing. University centres have lots of staff not doing lab work of this kind, but they could be brought in almost overnight, he added. He acknowledged there would be administration and ethical issues in holding and processing the data, but said it is an achievable aim for the UK, adding: I think it would make a substantial improvement in our ability to control the pandemic. Story continues The World Health Organisation has called on all countries to test, test, test. Currently the NHS and Public Health England are carrying out about 5,000 tests per day, which is expected to rise to 10,000 per day by next week, the Government said. Mr Hancock said: Public safety is my top priority, and radically ramping up testing for coronavirus is a key part of our plan to protect lives. The Government also said it is testing a sample of the population to help us understand the level of virus circulating in the community, in a robust surveillance programme. As of Wednesday morning, 56,221 people had been tested in the UK, of whom 53,595 were confirmed negative and 2,626 positive, the Government said. South Korea has so far tested more than 270,000 people, according to the Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. It added more than 16,000 people were currently being tested. As we seek answers in the current climate of coronavirus, we look to leadership. At this stage, there is a degree of uncertainty as to how the virus will impact communities. Residents need information, and to know that a plan exists to handle a worst-case scenario. While there have been mixed messages from the federal government in many areas, having strong, transparent regional leadership is critical for a community to keep its residents informed and safe. On Friday, the Republican editorial board met with Baystate Health CEO Dr. Mark Keroack and Dr. Andrew W. Artenstein, chief physician executive and chief academic officer. Keroack and his team have met with the media, area hospitals and our legislative delegation to outline preparation and response of the areas largest hospital. Both Keroack and Artenseins background is in the study and treatment of infectious disease. We would like people to be concerned and basically be informed and to be prudent in terms of taking precautions to avoid exposure, but it is not like they have to lock themselves in their closets for three weeks. Thats a strong statement given the hoarding of toilet paper and other staple items at grocery stores. In other words, dont panic. Hand washing, (and) avoiding direct person contact and large crowds are at the center of how to protect yourself because we dont yet have a vaccine or treatment for this infection," Keroack said. On Monday, Baystate began setting up a rapid response triage for coronavirus outside the emergency department. Officials are looking for the temporary facility to be completed on March 23 and will be designed to handle between 30 and 40 patients. We dont know what the demand is going to be. Instead of squeezing them inside, we will screen and treat them separately, said Niels Rathlev, chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine. The Massachusetts Legislature is also stepping up efforts to create community engagement. Working groups are taking shape in the House and Senate to convey information and answer questions from residents. On Sunday, Gov. Charlie Baker issued an order to close all Massachusetts K-12 schools for 3 weeks and banned restaurants and bars from serving patrons on site through April 6. Baker reiterated getting information from credible sources, Everyone needs to get their news from legitimate places, not their friends friends friend. In order to facilitate getting the word out, Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, chair of the public health committee, was tapped to lead a group of senators to offer advice to the body on approaching challenges. Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow, is also part of the group and will be the point person for economic recovery efforts. Comerford is planning 14 community conference calls through May 2. For information regarding scheduling of conference calls visit: https://senatorjocomerford.org/covid-19-community-conference-calls/. Other senators on the group include Cynthia Friedman of Arlington, Cindy Creem of Newton, Bruce Tarr of Gloucester, Will Brownsberger of Belmont, Jason Lewis of Winchester and Julian Cyr of Truro. At this pressing time, my team and I want to be as accessible to our constituents as possible. These conference calls are a way to provide updates and answer questions directly, Comerford said. Rep. Jon Santiago, D-Boston, part of a working group to help guide the House with emergency response, is also a captain in the U.S. Army reserve and emergency room doctor in the city. Santiago, @IamJonSantiago, offers regular social media updates on Twitter on what hes seeing at Boston Medical Center. And on Wednesday, Rep. Richard E. Neal and Baystate Health President and Keroack conducted a telephone call-in informational session for people interested in learning more about protecting themselves from the spread of COVID-19. Residents need to know the facts. If leadership doesnt have all the answers, that, too, is important information. And as information on the virus changes daily, if not hourly, having access to community leaders is essential. And as there are rules in place banning gatherings of more than 25 people, having access via calls and other technology is critical to keep the citizenry informed. The news is overwhelming and conversation depressing. We seem to have nothing important to talk about except Coronavirus in every waking minute. Or nothing matters to us anymore when the virus spreads like wildfire, claiming thousands of human lives during a short period of time. School closed, business shut down, large events banned, and people are panic. The whole world is experiencing the inconvenience and feeling the pain this incredible virus imposes on us. Coronavirus unites us all! Through pain and fear, unfortunately. For a long time, human being has eventually found a common enemy to fear for and fight against and a shared mission of eliminating the virus to accomplish. For a long time in this increasingly dividing world, nature presents us an opportunity to put aside all differences whether it is ideology, culture, religion, race, or nationality, and fight together not as Chinese or American, Muslims or Christians, republicans, democrats, or socialists, but as human species. Because this is a war that no individual, party, class, nation can fight and win alone. We are all in this together. Needless to say, the spreading of this deadly virus among us human is a consequence of human choices over past decades or centuries: Our overpopulation of the earth, overuse of the land, reckless expanding of our territory and invading into the space of wildlife All in all, it is the greed, the insatiable greed of human race that brought this on all of us. Coronavirus is laughing at us: Look at you, Home Sapiens. Have you learned your lesson yet? Will you? Like or not, Corona virus will most likely stay with us for a while. With time, we may be able to find a cure: Either a vaccine or a drug. Or we may have to wait and wish they evolve into something less deadly, after they have all the fun in tearing our family apart and turning our life upside-down. Coronavirus tells us how fragile we actually are. Humans are, after all, not god, and we need to stop playing GOD. Coronavirus reminds us of the fact that we share the earth with over a million other species, and our existence and wellbeing are dependent on those species and the whole ecosystem. And we must treat our fellow residents and the ecosystem with respect and set clear boundaries in pursuing our own wellbeing development. Coronavirus is a test not only to our health care system but also our collective wisdom and courage. Can we, for humanitys sake, put aside all the differences and fight together across borders and ideology? Can our people in power take this crisis as an opportunity to unite us rather than divide us even further? Can we, as ordinary citizens, think independently and make efforts to initiate and impact positive changes instead of merely follow the flow? Regardless, we will get through this crisis. Coronavirus will become history. But history tends to repeat itself. Nothing will stop the next pandemic to take place; however, if we have learned or will learn any lesson in this crisis, we may be able to postpone the next one from happening so soon, and we may be able to mitigate its destructiveness better the next time. Editor's Note: With so much market volatility, stay on top of daily news! Get caught up in minutes with our speedy summary of today's must-read news and expert opinions. Sign up here! (Kitco News) - Mick Wilkes is resigning as president and chief executive officer of OceanaGold Corp. (TSX, ASX: OGC), as well as his position on the board of directors, for personal reasons, effective Wednesday, the company announced. Michael Holmes, who had been chief operating officer, is taking over as acting president and CEO. He was also appointed to the board. The company said it will launch a search for a permanent president and CEO, with Holmes invited to take part in the process. Wilkes joined OceanaGold in 2010 and led a transformation in which the company grew from a single asset in New Zealand to a mid-tier gold producer with four mines. He helped develop the Didipio gold-copper mine in the Philippines, which began commercial production in 2013. In 2015, the company acquired both the Waihi gold mine in New Zealand and Romarco Minerals, Inc., which meant the addition of the Martha project in New Zealand and Haile gold mine in South Carolina. Haile went into commercial production in 2017, and the company has been encouraged by exploration at Waihi. Ian Reid, chair of the OceanaGold, cited Wilkes significant contribution and dedication to the company over the last 10 years. He also called Holmes an experienced mining executive, adding that he has been with OceanaGold for seven years, and said that the company will be in good hands. He has a deep understanding of OceanaGolds business and is highly respected within the organization and well regarded throughout the industry, Reid added. For full-year 2019, OceanaGold reported consolidated production of 470,601 ounces of gold and 10,255 tonnes of copper. Wilkes said OceanaGold has grown from a junior-mining company to a high-margin, multinational business that is highly regarded for its operating capability in the gold sector, and has a strong future through its world-class assets. The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) says that at least three political activists in Tehran's Evin prison have joined imprisoned human rights activist Nasrin Sotoudehs hunger strike demanding freedom for all political prisoners. Sotoudeh's hunger strike was launched after Iranian judicial officials announced the temporary release of 85,000 inmates to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has killed 1,135 people in Iran. Iranian officials have not provided official lists of who has been released or indicated why some remain behind bars while others have been granted temporary release. Sotoudehs husband, Reza Khandan, told CHRI on March 17 that other prisoners of conscience, including Rezvaneh Khanbeigi, Hossein Sarlak, and Morteza Nazari, were also refusing food in solidarity with Sotoudeh. Iran has been the hardest-hit country by the virus in the Middle East, with a total of 17,361 confirmed cases, roughly 90 percent of the region's total. Sotoudeh, the co-winner of the European Parliament's 2012 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, was arrested at her home in Tehran in June 2018. She was sentenced to a total of 38 1/2 years in prison and 148 lashes over her defense of political prisoners, including women protesting the compulsory hijab law. Khandan told CHRI that his wife was aware of the dangers of going on a hunger strike amid the deadly outbreak, given chronic shortages of medicines and sanitary supplies in Iranian prisons. She started the hunger strike only as a "last resort," he added. "Nasrin says, 'If we're going to die, let us be by our families' sides,'" Khandan told CHRI. The United States border with Canada will temporarily close to "non-essential traffic" due to the coronavirus pandemic, the leaders of both countries said Wednesday morning. The U.S.-Canada is the world's longest border between two countries. The closing will affect tourism, but not trade, or workers involved in so-called essential work. "We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic," President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter. "Trade will not be affected." Tweet Canada's prime minister Justin Trudeau, at a press conference in Ottawa, said "I just spoke to President Trump again this morning, and we have agreed that both Canada and the United States will temporarily restrict all non-essential travel across the Canada-U.S. border." "Travelers will no longer be permitted to cross the border for recreation and tourism. In both our countries, we're encouraging people to stay home," Trudeau said. "We're telling our citizens not to visit their neighbors unless they absolutely have to. Well, this colloborative and reciprocal measure is an extension of that prudent approach." Trudeau emphasized that "essential travel will continue." That, he said, includes Americans and Canadians crossing the border to do "essential work and for other urgent reasons." Tweet "Our governments recognize that we preserve supply chains between both countries," he said. "These supply chains ensure that food, fuel and life-saving medicines reach people on both sides of the border. Supply chains including trucking will not be affected by this new measure." At the same press conference, Trudeau announced a nearly $21 billion fiscal stimulus package to bolster Canada's economy in the face of the coronavirus crisis. The announcement is just the latest in a flurry of dramatic action in recent days aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus. On Monday, Trudeau said he was closing his country's borders to foreigners, with the exception of American citizens. But that doesnt mean that food trucks are doing well during this period. Damian Warzecha, the owner of Lucys Food Truck, says that he usually serves 120 customers on Mondays, but this past Monday he only had 20. Its a giant dip, says Warzecha. Its such a big dip, we did not go out today (Tuesday). I cant cover the bill with 20 customers. Coronavirus: Spain to close hotels, tells tourists to leave By March 24, some may become temporary hospitals (ANSAmed) - ROME, MARCH 18 - Spanish authorities on Wednesday ordered the closure of all of the country's hotels by Tuesday, March 24, and invited tourists to leave the country, as part of its measures to contain the coronavirus emergency, according to the British edition of Metro. It said the country is considering turning some of the hotels into temporary hospitals.(ANSAmed). Maharashtra minister Jayant Patil on Wednesday said that 39 tourists from the state are stuck in Tashkent in Uzbekistan due to unavailability of flight in the wake of coronavirus outbreak. He assured that necessary steps would be taken to ensure their safe return. Patil also shared on Twitter a clip of his video call with one of the tourists stranded in Uzbekistan. The water resources minister said that if required, he will speak to NCP chief Sharad Pawar for raising the issue with the External Affairs Ministry to ensure their return to India. "Abhijit Chimanna, brother of advocate from Sangli Amol Chimanna and my friend, is stuck in Uzbekistan's Tashkent along with 39 tourists from Maharashtra due to unavailability of flight service in the wake of coronavirus outbreak. Spoke to them through video call," Patil tweeted. "Abhijit Chimanna and colleagues called me from Tashkent given the concern over their return to the homeland. Will make all the efforts to ensure return of these citizens of Maharashtra. If need be, will request @PawarSpeaks Saheb to speak to the External Affairs Ministry," he said. Meanwhile, Patil held a meeting of Sangli district administration officials, politicians and social activists in view of the coronavirus outbreak. In another tweet, the minister said that the district administration is prepared to tackle the crisis. He said isolation wards have been set up in the district. Patil said events where people converge in big numbers have been disallowed and schools, colleges and weekly markets have been kept shut till March 31. Only essential services will be operational, he added. At 42, Maharashtra has reported the highest number of coronavirus cases in the country so far, which includes one death. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi, March 18 : The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday was told that 47 cases were registered till February 29 by the Delhi Police regarding attacks on the police personnel in the national capital with 66 people arrested. Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply that in 2017, 230 cases were registered by the Delhi Police regarding the attack on police personnel in Delhi, 435 persons were arrested that year. "In 2018, 220 cases were registered while 451 people were arrested regarding the attack on police personnel in Delhi," Reddy said. Last year, while 203 cases were registered in this regard, 446 people were arrested. This year, up to February 29, there have been 47 cases and 66 people were arrested regarding the attack on police personnel in Delhi. "In order to avoid these types of unhealthy trends, directions have been issued by the Delhi Police to their personnel to make sincere efforts to sort out grievances amicably and to avoid provocation in any form," the Rajya Sabha was told. On November 5, 2019, the national capital witnessed an unprecedented protest by the Delhi police personnel, who took the streets and sat in front of the police headquarters here with placards to seek action against those who attacked the police officers. The protest came after there were clashes between lawyers and police, with the security forces saying they were attacked by the lawyers. Coronavirus has caught many countries of the world. In view of the transition, it has been decided to ban all flights to Sri Lanka for 2 weeks. This decision will be implemented from Wednesday to deal with the Coronavirus. Imran died due to coronavirus in Pakistan, chaos across the country On Tuesday, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's spokesman Mohan Samarnane told that this rule will not be applicable for flights that have landed in Sri Lanka. Germany's big decision on Corona, border seal with 5 neighboring countries Before this, the Sri Lankan government has become strict against those who hide the symptoms of Coronavirus and spread false information. It has been decided by the government that if any person hides the symptoms of this virus or spreads the wrong information among the people, then it will be sentenced to 6 months. On Monday, a senior police officer told the news agency IANS. Corona havoc in Europe, over 2000 people died in Italy A research paper published by Trinity College Dublin professor Doug Leith found that Microsoft Edge has the worst privacy of the worlds most popular web browsers. Leiths paper analysed the privacy of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Brave, Edge, and Russian browser Yandex. The research focused on how the browsers send data and how this could be used to track users. It found that Brave is the most secure of the browsers, while Chrome, Firefox, and Safari all received medium ratings. Edge, alongside Yandex, was the worst-ranked of these browsers. The least secure browsers From a privacy perspective Microsoft Edge and Yandex are qualitatively different from the other browsers studied, explained Leith. Both send persistent identifiers that can be used to link requests (and associated IP address/location) to backend servers. Edge also sends the hardware UUID of the device to Microsoft and Yandex similarly transmits a hashed hardware identifier to back end servers. Leith said that as far as he could tell, this behaviour cannot be disabled by users. In addition to the search autocomplete functionality that shares details of web pages visited, both transmit web page information to servers that appear unrelated to search autocomplete. Leith said both Edge and Yandex send identifiers that are tied to hardware, and these remain the same even if the browser is cleanly reinstalled. In the case of Edge, the universally unique identifier is sent to a Microsoft server found at self.events.data.microsoft.com. Brave The most secure browser The study found that Brave was the most secure of the tested browsers, as it did not collect identifiers which allow the tracking of IP addresses. Brave also does not share the details of the webpages which users visit with back-end servers. Brave has autocomplete disabled by default and makes no network connections at all as we type in the top bar, Leith added. Now read: Massive Netflix streaming surge due to coronavirus Farmers and crofters in Scotland are being encouraged to prioritise filling out their Single Application Forms online before the 15 May deadline. The current uncertainty around the impact of coronavirus and future trade arrangements, combined with the pressures of spring work, lambing and calving, means that many farmers will have other things on their mind at this busy time of year. But NFU Scotland is now urging applicants to start filling out their SAF as soon as possible and reminding them that, as things stand, it is business as usual for all CAP schemes. The online application process has been significantly improved in recent years and the clear majority of applications are now made online. In line with recent years, paper forms will not be automatically posted out and must instead be requested from Local Area Offices. Individuals can also book appointments with their Local Area Office where staff will be on hand to assist those completing their form online. Scottish government will be moving to an online only system from 2022. NFU Scotland President Andrew McCornick said: The headlines are currently dominated by confusion and uncertainty, but the crucial thing for all farmers and crofters to bear in mind is that, as things stand, it is business as usual for all CAP schemes and that includes completing this years SAF. The SAF window will run from 15 March to 15 May and we dont want anyone to inadvertently be distracted from this important process. I would encourage all members to begin working on their SAF forms, which are the most important forms that Scottish farmers fill out every year, to ensure they meet the 15 May deadline." A change to online from paper application has benefits, as it checks for errors throughout the process which allows speedier processing for the support. Scottish government will be moving to an online only system from 2022. Mr McCornick said going online is worth the effort as farmers will receive an acknowledgement of receipt at the time of submission. "Local Area Offices offer valuable support and farmers and crofters should consider booking an appointment where staff can assist them in completing their SAF online," he said. The important thing is to take plenty of time and not leave it to the last minute. Remember, it is the most important days work in any farmers year. Voice of America director Amanda Bennett explains the impact of the coronavirus on programming, as reporters, technicians, and other media personnel work from remote locations, to avoid contracting the virus. Bennett assures audiences around the world that news quality will not be compromised. 1 of 2 Frozen 2 actor Rachel Matthews tests positive for coronavirus 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. Im 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, lets please be mindful of our decisions now is the time to be smart and responsible. Lets 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. Read More... Japan has decided to revoke visas already issued to citizens of almost all European countries, Iran and Egypt. It also plans to impose mandatory two-week quarantine for arrivals from these countries. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced this on Wednesday as the global number of COVID-19 cases is on the increase. Due to the spread of the virus, it has been determined that it is necessary to further strengthen quarantine measures for 38 countries, such as Iran and Egypt, as well as European countries including all Schengen member states. Single and multiple entry visas already issued for people from these countries will be invalidated, Abe said. The prime minister added that people arriving from the listed countries should self-isolate at government-designated places. The measures are identical to those previously taken by the Japanese government for China and South Korea and will be in place from March 21 until late April. According to Abe, Japan has also decided to ban entry from some regions of Italy, Switzerland, Spain and Iceland beginning on March 19. However, as of Wednesday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Japan has exceeded 1,600. (Sputnik/NAN) A new study has found that youngsters who use e-cigarettes are less likely to use cigarettes in the future compared to those who use other tobacco products. The researchers called this the gateway effect moving on the full-fledged smoking and say it is small among those who use e-cigarettes to start with. The study titled, Association of initial e-cigarette and other tobacco product use with subsequent cigarette smoking in adolescents: a cross-sectional, matched control study, was published in the latest issue of the journal Tobacco Control. This study assessed whether initiating e-cigarette use increases the uptake of cigarette smoking in US adolescents compared with behavioral and synthetic controls. Image Credit: NeydtStock / Shutterstock What this study was about? There have been studies about the harmful effects of youngsters vaping or using e-cigarettes. There is also evidence that the use of e-cigarettes could be one of the best possible ways for smokers to quit smoking. The researchers wrote that many studies are looking at the number of teenagers taking up vaping but none following them up to see if they become smokers in the future. This study was conducted to see if the initiation of e-cigarettes among the youth increased the uptake of traditional cigarette smoking later in life among teenagers of the United States. The use of e-cigarettes was compared with behavioral and synthetic controls, wrote the researchers. What was done? The study was part of the National Youth Tobacco Survey conducted between 2014 and 2017. In this study, a total of 78,265 adolescents were included. Among these teenagers, a total of 38 630 answered questions regarding the first tobacco-containing products they used in 2014 and 2015. Those using e-cigarettes for the first time were called the exposure group while the rest were called non-cigarette combustible (CT) group and other non-combustible tobacco (NT) group. These were the behavioral controls. Those who did not use e-cigarettes at the start were the synthetic controls. Those who had ever tried a puff or two were classified as ever smokers while those who had smoked at least a single cigarette in the past 30 days were classified there. Those who smoked over 100 cigarettes were classified as established smokers. Combustible tobacco products included cigars, hookahs, pipes, or cigarillos. Non-combustible tobacco products included chewing tobacco and snuff etc. After that the team of researchers compared 30-day use of cigarettes and a 100 plus lifetime of cigarettes used among the groups. They also derived a propensity score from seeing synthetic controls and exposure groups take up smoking in the future. Results The researchers noted that more girls were open to try new products and with age the propensity to experiment with products rose in both genders with age. The study revealed that compared to behavioral controls (non-cigarette combustible), those using e-cigarettes first were less likely ever to smoke cigarettes by 26 percent. Those smoking other non-combustible tobacco products were at a 52.7 percent greater risk of smoking in the future. Less than 1 percent of teenagers who tried e-cigarettes first went on to become smokers later, they noted. For those using non-cigarette combustible products, the conversion rate to smoking was 9 percent, and those using non-combustible products for the first time the conversion to smoking was 16 percent. The conversion rate to smoking was 2.7 percent among first-time e-cigarette users, they found. E-cigarette initiators were also at a lower risk of ever having smoked a cigarette, be a smoker in the last 30 days or turn into established smokers compared to synthetic controls, found the researchers. The team wrote, the association of subsequent use of e-cigarettes was stronger for adolescents initiating with cigarettes than the association of subsequent cigarette smoking for e-cigarette initiators. They added, This underlines the fact that cigarettes act as a much more important gateway for any product use. Implications and conclusions The researchers concluded that over the time period considered, e-cigarettes were unlikely to have acted as an important gateway towards cigarette smoking and may, in fact, have acted as a gateway away from smoking for vulnerable adolescents; this is consistent with the decrease in youth cigarette smoking prevalence over the same time period that youth e-cigarette use increased between 2014 and 2017. They added, Our results explain the seemingly opposing observations that e-cigarette use is associated longitudinally with a greater likelihood of starting to smoke cigarettes and that youth cigarette smoking rates have continued to fall over the last decade in countries which have seen an increase in e-cigarette use by adolescents, both in the USA and elsewhere. Cancer Research UK funded this project. It all started as an outbreak in Wuhan at the Hubei Province of Central China. The novel coronavirus 2019, officially christened, COVID-19; according to the World Health Organisation, is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The source of the virus, which is largely believed to have jumped to humans from a wild animal, probably a bat, is traced to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, Wuhan. With Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, located some 11,904 km away from Ghana; Ghanaians generally did not pay any attention to it. Indeed, it was viewed as Chinas problem. President Trump even labeled it Chinese virus. Actually, the entire world, only took interest in the disease when it observed how rapidly the disease was spreading. According to the South China Morning Post, confidential Chinese government documents it sighted suggested that the first case of COVID-19 was recorded on the 17th of November, 2019. Curiously, the WHO captured December 8 as the date of the first confirmed case; a date which was supplied to it by the Chinese Government. Notwithstanding, at the initial stages, the World left china to fend for itself, with many people stigmatizing against anybody who looked like a Chinese. Ironically, whilst the world stigmatized people of Chinese origin; in China, people from Wuhan were treated with scorn. However, by mid-January, 2020 the disease had spread to other provinces and by January 20, infected people dotted all corners of China. The first case outside China was recorded in Thailand on January 13. Several countries in the following days reported cases of the virus within their domain. Whilst the disease spread, the death of some of those infected followed in its path. The world is now alarmed, governments all over the globe started making frantic efforts to contain the rapid spread of the virus. By January 30, a total of 7,818 cases and 170 deaths, were recorded not only in Asia but Europe, the Americas and Australia. The WHO Chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, consequently, declared COVID-19 a public health emergency of international concern. This makes it only the sixth time such an emergency has been declared. At the same time, an unscientific and crude claim started making the rounds to the effect that the African, specifically the Blackmans gene was in a way immune to the coronavirus. This claim which was widely shared on social media and some mainstream radio stations only yielded inertia on the part of Africans with regards to making adequate emergency preparation towards containing the virus in an event of an outbreak in Africa. As fate will have it, on the 14th February, 2020, Africa recorded its first case in Egypt. The continent was caught unprepared. The people were gripped with fear and panic. From then on, 30 more African countries recorded cases of the COVID-19, albeit, most of the cases were initially imported. With COVID-19 now reported in almost all continents, the WHO on the 11th March, 2020 officially declared it a pandemic. By then, the total number of cases globally had shot up to 118,000, causing 4,291 deaths. Two days later, with more cases and deaths reported in Europe than the entire world (with the exception of China), the WHO declared Europe as the new epicentre of the pandemic, taken over from Wuhan. As more and more cases were reported, the rate of global deaths correspondingly soared, reaching 5,000. A figure, Dr. Tedros, the Chief of WHO described as a tragic milestone. Currently (March 18, 12:30GMT), according to Johns Hopkins Universitys Coronavirus Resource Centre, 155 countries have been hit by the virus with a total of 201,672 confirmed cases, bringing about 8,008 deaths. 476 of those confirmed cases were recorded in Africa, resulting in 10 confirmed deaths. Thus far, the official numbers appeared to suggest that Africa, especially, sub-Saharan Africa had been lucky. One thing, however, is for sure; the Blackman is not immune to the virus. Indeed, some scientists are certain COVID-19 is circulating silently in Africa. Ghana reported its first cases of the COVID-19 on the 12th March, 2020. Although the two cases were said to have been imported, the announcement by Hon. Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, the Minister of Health reverberated across the country. Misinformation about the COVID-19, coupled with the constant reference by the media of how Ghanas poor health system could quickly be overwhelmed, caused unreasonable fear among the population. This situation sparked panic buying across the country. Straightaway, almost all shops run out of hand sanitisers. Instead of assisting to alleviate the situation as humanity demands, some crooks took advantage of this existential problem to hoard the hand sanitisers. Others increased prices of the product several folds, making astronomical profits at the expense of the poor, desperate Ghanaian. They made nonsense of the WHO chiefs plea for us to all look out for each other, because we need each other. On the evening of March 17, I entered one of the most popular Pharmacy shops in Eastern Region, the Hillside Pharmacy (Popularly known as the Isaac Drugstore) to purchase Gripe Water; in came a disheveled, perspiring and hasty-looking man; without regard to the people waiting patiently for their purchases, he rushed forward to the counter and asked: Do you sell Savlon Antiseptic in wholesale? The Pharmacist responded in the negative. The man stood briefly and walked out. Seeing the products he greedily hanker after, provocatively displayed in the shelves, the mystery man couldnt resist. Like someone suffering from acute diarrhea attack, he dashed right back into the shop, again, sidestepping other shoppers and heading straight to the counter. This time he offered to buy the entire quantity of Savlon Antiseptic in the shop. The Pharmacist, to my shock, simply told him, he is entitled to buy just one. Apparently, the Pharmacist realized that the mystery man is one of the avaricious Ghanaians who go about buying products meant for the prevention of the coronavirus at normal prices, only to resell to desperate Ghanaians at prohibitive prices. The Pharmacist, obviously, the odd one among those ripping Ghanaians off, was enraged at the behaviour of the bad nuts. He, again, expressed his disquiet when he received information from one of the shoppers that someone he sold some quantity of hand sanitizers to the previous day for GHC2.00 is reselling it at an outrageous price of GHC18.00. More despicable, is the fact that hand sanitizers that were sold previously at about GH3.50 are now sold at GH75 or even GH80 in shops in Accra and Kumasi. Some go as high as GHC150.00. The likes of these insensitive people are dotted across the country, praying for disaster to strike in order to cash in. They must not forget that Karma leaves no stone unturned. It is now clear why some unreligious and unpatriotic people were wishing the country recorded cases of the coronavirus. Now theyve got their wish. But they must remember that the virus has no eyes, hence does not discriminate. The President, had, on Sunday, March 15, 2020 issued a raft of measures to curb the virus spread, including school closures (a welcome news for teachers, except for those teaching candidates), travel restrictions, and bans on religious and other social gatherings. This was after the President had announced a financial package of $100 million dollars to assist in the fight against COVID-19. Thankfully, the nation responded, Pastors and Church Leaders suspended religious services, the Chiefs followed; and just yesterday (March 17), Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, the National Chief Imam in consultation with other Muslim Stakeholders announced that: Jummuah [Friday] prayers in Ghana have been suspended beginning 20th March, 2020 for the next four weeks. Refreshingly, the nation is now coming to grips with the devastative effects of the virus. Everyone is making efforts to protect himself against the virus. With a total of seven (7) cases as at the 18th of March, 2020, we can safely say, the Lord has so far been merciful to us. Let us continue to pray while adhering to the precautionary measures. Disease and disaster, our elders say, come and go like rain. Alhassan Ahmed By Tangi Salaun and John Irish PARIS (Reuters) - France's army transferred six patients in critical condition due to coronavirus to a military facility on Wednesday as it sought to ease the strain on hospitals in the east of the country that are struggling to cope with the spiralling number of cases. The decision to move patients in intensive care to the southeastern city of Toulon, where several military medical hospitals are located, comes as doctors in the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in the eastern French cities of Mulhouse and Colmar warn that the system is at breaking point. "In the last three days, we have been submerged by emergencies and an incessant flux of patients who need to be hospitalised," an internal memo from a doctor on the ground and seen by Reuters read. The French government on Tuesday put its 67 million people under lockdown, in an unprecedented act during peacetime, after an almost 20 pct rise in deaths and reported cases in just 24 hours. Eastern France has been worst hit. Doctors are reporting 10 new critical cases a day, a shortage of equipment and masks, increasing fatigue and growing number of hospital workers also falling ill. They have said they may need to start deciding which patients to prioritise. France in total has about 5,000 intensive care beds across the country. Out of more than 7,500 cases in France, Mulhouse has some 1,800 with the numbers increasing by 300 a day. President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday France was in a "health war" against the illness. As a result the government ordered the army to begin using its 'Morphee system', which has been in use by the military since 2006. This involves military transport planes that are equipped with intensive care units and are used to evacuate troops from conflict zones. Until now it has only ever been used five times in Afghanistan and Kosovo. "It is the first time that the Morphee system is used for the benefit of civilian patients," a French military spokesman said. "The critical situation in Alsace justifies this." Story continues The transfer is likely to be the first of several. Five other military hospitals across the country are also on alert. In Mulhouse, at least 30 people are in intensive care, with a further 10 each day and the hospitals in the region are running out of bed space. The French army is also preparing to put in place a field hospital with 30 more intensive care units near the main Mulhouse hospitals. "The implementation on the site in Mulhouse should be completed in the coming days," the army said. (Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Gareth Jones) Affiliates of Derry Trades Union Council have taken the decision to cancel this years, Workers Rights and Social Justice Week, including our annual May Day celebrations. DTUC hold our responsibility and strong connections to the working class people of Derry as fundamental to our very existence. DTUC Chairperson Niall McCarroll said: "We have taken this decision based on public health advice and also to enable our activists to play their part in what lies ahead for the people of Derry. "As the largest organised workers movement in Derry we will without hesitation join the fight against COVID-19. "No one should be under any doubt that this virus will impact greatest on the already socially isolated, marginalised and vulnerable. "Through their jobs many workers will find themselves on the frontline in the fight against this virus a frontline bolstered by the ordinary man and women, who as always will show leadership in such times.Local trade unionists will be joining working class people on the frontline as we stand together against this latest threat to our livelihoods. "DTUC would like to thank everyone who participated in the various workshops, in preparation for Workers Rights and Social Justice Week. "Collectively we will mobilise again, as we remember the died and fight for the living." United Airlines Holdings UAL has provided an update on how deeply coronavirus is impacting its business, as the health crisis intensifies across the globe, including the United States, forcing the state and local governments to shut down schools and restricting people to their homes. Amid this turmoil, President Donald Trump announced fresh travel restrictions to the United Kingdom and Ireland over the last weekend. With a significant decline in travel demand as hesitant customers are avoiding air travel and following large-scale travel restrictions, the carrier transported more than one million fewer customers in just the first two weeks of March compared with the year-ago period, especially given that March is usually its busiest time of the year. As a result, the Chicago, IL-based airline expects March revenues to be down $1.5 billion year over year. In fact, the carrier anticipates the number of customers and revenues to decline sharply going forward. To mitigate the effects of the adversities, United Airlines is planning to reduce payroll expenses. To this end, the company will be slashing corporate officers' salaries by 50%. Additionally, the airline will cut back capacity for April and May by 50%. The capacity reductions are expected to extend into the summer travel period. Despite the significant reduction in capacity, the airline expects load factor (percentage of seats filled by passengers) to fall in the 20-30% range, assuming things to worsen in the future. In addition to significant schedule reductions, the airline previously took measures such as freezing hiring (except for crucial roles), delaying 2019 merit salary increases, and giving employees the option to apply for voluntary, unpaid leave of absence to counteract the demand slump. Due to setback from coronavirus-induced low demand, shares of United Airlines have plunged 52.4% since the beginning of February compared with the industrys 37.7% decline. Story continues Zacks Rank & Key Picks United Airlines currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the broader Transportation sector are Azul AZUL, Ryanair Holdings RYAAY and GATX Corporation GATX. While Azul and GATX sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Ryanair carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). 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See their latest picks free >> Click to get this free report Ryanair Holdings PLC (RYAAY) : Free Stock Analysis Report United Airlines Holdings Inc (UAL) : Free Stock Analysis Report GATX Corporation (GATX) : Free Stock Analysis Report AZUL SA (AZUL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research SYRACUSE, N.Y. A knife-wielding man who was shot and killed by a Syracuse police officer Sunday had been hospitalized days earlier due to drug-induced psychosis, according to police and the mans ex-girlfriend. Darrell Mobley, 48, stabbed an officer in the neck outside an apartment on Crippen Avenue on Sunday, police said. The officer, whose name has not been released, shot Mobley at least once, and Mobley died later at the hospital. The police officer has been treated and is expected to make a full recovery, police have said. Mobley regularly consumed a drug that made him violent and delusional, said Renesha Cage, his ex-girlfriend. And he wanted to die after years of hardship and loss, she told Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. Hed lost his son to gun violence in 2015, and his brother and mom died this year, Cage said. Mobley was addicted to cigarettes dipped in embalming fluid," and has been using the drug for more than 30 years, she said. Its a mixture that often contains PCP, a powerful hallucinogen and stimulant, according to the National Institute of Health. When he smokes that, he could become crazy. He could become bonkers, she said. He was depressed and he had things going on in his life but he was a good person....Darrell was a good guy, when hes not high. Six days before the shooting, on March 9, Mobley was taken to the hospital after a house fire at the Croly Street apartment he shared with his girlfriend and their young son. Witnesses described Mobley behaving in a bizarre manner. His state was induced by the dipped cigarettes, Cage said. Mobley stood on the patio while flames licked the structure near him, unwilling to believe the fire was real despite neighbors shouting at him. He finally jumped down from the patio and began eating grass and dirt, witnesses said. A nursing supervisor told Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard that Mobley was in critical condition after the fire, though Mobleys ex-girlfriend and prosecutors say this was never the case. Mobley was released the next day after coming to his senses, they said. Investigators determined the fire was accidental, and Mobley was never charged or detained. A pot containing oil was left on a lit stove burner for so long that it melded to the stove, setting a fire throughout the apartment and to other parts of the building, according to Shaun Case, a prosecutor with the Onondaga County District Attorneys Office. Information about Mobleys activity over the days leading up to him being shot was not immediately available. Cage blocked his number and broke up with him after the fire, she said. After the fire and hospital ordeal, however, Mobley was apparently in good enough physical condition to try to enter his fathers apartment Sunday night, armed with a knife. Its where he stays when not with Cage, Cage said. On Sunday, someone called the Onondaga County 911 Center to say a man was trying to break down a door at Crippen Apartments, 218 Crippen Ave., dispatchers said. The caller warned emergency responders the man was acting erratically, police said. Officers arrived within minutes and saw the man with a knife, Syracuse police spokesman Sgt. Matthew Malinowski said. At some point, Mobley stabbed the officer in the neck with the knife, he said. The officer fired his firearm multiple times, striking Mobley three times, according to officials at the scene. Case heard about it soon after. When I heard about him getting shot multiple times, I already knew it wasnt a good outcome, Cage said. I wish he could have done something elseinstead of going out this way. 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. West Virginia reports first coronavirus case, meaning all 50 US states have now been hit by the virus. West Virginias governor said on Tuesday night that the state has reported its first positive case of coronavirus, meaning all 50 US states now have confirmed cases. Governor Jim Justice said the confirmed case was detected in the states Eastern Panhandle, an area close to Washington, DC. He did not immediately disclose the county where the illness occurred. In a televised address, he also ordered bars, restaurants and casinos to close, except for carry-out food services. We knew it was coming. Weve prepared for this and we shouldnt panic. We should be cautious and we should be concerned, but we should not panic, Justice said. We should go ahead and try to live our lives as best we can. Death toll surpasses 100 The confirmation of the West Virginia case came as the death toll across the US passed the 100 mark on Tuesday after Washington state reported six new fatalities, bringing the countrys total to 103. Washington has experienced the most deaths, with 54. Thirty of those deaths were connected with a nursing home in a Seattle suburb. New York on Tuesday reported more confirmed cases than Washington state for the first time. New York has topped 1,300 cases, while Washington was just over 1,000. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and the vast majority recover in several weeks. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause severe illness, including pneumonia. Worldwide, the coronavirus has infected more than 184,000, according to the World Health Organization. More than 7,500 people have died as a result of the virus. More than 80,000 have recovered from the virus, according to John Hopkins University. 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. (Image credit: OneWeb) 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. Related: OneWeb launches 34 internet satellites into orbit to boost broadband megaconstellation 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." Follow collectSPACE.com on Facebook and on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Copyright 2020 collectSPACE.com. All rights reserved. Almost universally, North and South, Virginian and Confederate General Robert E. Lee is regarded both as a great man and as one of the greatest military generals in American history. Hes viewed that way despite having caused the greatest loss of casualties during Picketts Charge at Gettysburg in the American Civil War in July of 1863. After his soldiers were routed, he later stopped by Longstreets bivouac and said the same thing to him he had said earlier to General Picket, Its all my fault. How could such a proud man of character, intelligence and military excellence make such a strategic blunder that got so many of his men wounded and killed and then humbly confess Its all my fault? He could do it because his full statement was this, Its all my fault. I thought my men were invincible. Robert E. Lee was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia on January 19, 1807. He didnt necessarily agree with all of the politics of the South, but hed grown up educated to love Virginia. Earlier in his military career Lee had been called upon by his country to successfully put down John Browns gun raid at Harpers Ferry designed to arm the slaves to fight for their freedom. President Lincoln had actually offered him the top Union military job at the start of the Civil War, but Lee turned him down for military service to lead Virginia instead. In July 1863 Lee was emboldened because he had just won a recent superb victory in the Battle of Chancellorsville. The western part of the war around Vicksburg, Mississippi was in trouble because of the actions of Union General Ulysses S. Grant. Confederate generals wanted to rescue Vicksburg, but Lee disagreed and convinced Confederate President Jefferson Davis to attack the North instead for supplies and to demonstrate that the South still had the power to invade the North. But on Independence Day of 1863 the Confederacy had lost both at Gettysburg and in Vicksburg. Because Lees strategy had lost Gettysburg and Vicksburg and cost the lives of thousands of his soldiers, Lee offered a letter of resignation on August 8, 1863 but Davis rejected it. The historian Shelby Foote stated, "Gettysburg was the price the South paid for having Robert E. Lee as commander." But the deeper question of why Lee did it isnt often or ever asked, and the key isnt in, Its all my fault. Its in, I thought my men were invincible. Why would any general think he could send his soldiers directly into enemy cannon fire in a frontal assault and believe they would survive? Lee was raised in the stratified culture of Virginia elitist white owners of land who owned black slaves; these elites were better than the dignified white farmers who didnt own slaves; who were better than the poor white workers; who were better than the uncivilized and enslaved African Americans who were somehow less than fully human. In other words, Lee believed in white southern supremacy and he believed in white superiority! So, indeed, he could send his white agrarian Confederate soldiers, who also believed in southern white superiority, into battle against inferior white industrialized northern soldiers - and win. I thought my men were invincible. Why has President Donald Trump failed to adequately deal with the coronavirus? Could it be that, like Lee, his Make America Great Again theme is built, in his mind, on the old idea of America as a stratified white majority country where whites have all the power? Trump blamed the virus on outside racial forces i.e., it came from China and hes locking others out. Does he carry the view that white America has a special blessing from God that made his white America superior to other nations and therefore thought this special white America was invincible to the coronavirus? Was his initial unwillingness to take a coronavirus test based on this same assumption i.e., Of course, as a superior white man on a mission ordained by God, I couldnt be subject to a coronavirus! And will his negative testing reinforce this white superiority? He might have unceremoniously come to this view intuitively. His father was arrested in 1927 at a KKK rally in Queens. Together they constructed housing, but refused to allow blacks in until sued by the Justice Department. He wanted to bring back the death penalty for the Central Park Five, refused to believe in their innocence when proven with DNA and complained when New York awarded them money for their time in prison. Trump became the poster boy and established his initial political base by saying Barack Obama was born in Kenya birtherism trying to make the first African American president illegitimate. He stereotyped Mexicans after coming down the escalator to announce his presidential campaign by calling them criminals, rapists and drug dealers. He locked Muslims out of the country. He tried to discredit a federal judge of Mexican heritage hearing his Trump University case. Hes attacked African American athletes and black congresswomen. He belittled Rep. Elijah Cummings and called his City of Baltimore disgusting and rodent infested. He referred to African countries as s___holes. Trumps racist meme of Make America Great Again may have blinded him and his judgment to the reality that we are all Children of God, human beings with no substantive distinctions, and global citizens who live in what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called a World House. Domestically, Trump picks and chooses mostly white Republican favorites, and globally mostly autocrats, which has not worked well for him politically or for the countrys national interests or global stability. Commander-in-Chief? Really? He accepts neither blame nor responsibility for anything. He has no shame or guilt. He is only capable of resentments and grievances, but never regrets, including the inaction and delays in getting tests out that have resulted in the escalation and more rapid spreading of the plague - the coronavirus. Its Donald John Trumps fault! Donald John Trump thought Americans were invincible. Hes no Commander-in-Chief. Hes more like an Adjunct General to Robert E. Lee. Jesse L. Jackson Jr., was Illinois congressman for 17 years, earned an undergraduate degree in Business Administration, and graduate degrees in Law and Theology, and is author of A More Perfect Union. French President Emmanuel Macron (L) gestures as German Chancellor Angela Merkel listens on during a press conference on the situation in Sahel during the G7 summit in Biarritz, south-west France on August 25, 2019. The euro area is under pressure once again as the coronavirus outbreak shakes up countries in the bloc and brings historic differences to the fore. The euro zone, in which 19 countries share the same currency, has struggled to grow since the sovereign debt crisis of 2011. At the time, highly-indebted nations, such as Spain, Portugal and Greece could not get financing from financial markets and asked for external help to support their economies. Their financial difficulties raised concerns for the bloc's future: analysts warned it was ill-equipped to deal with financial shocks and may not survive. Almost a decade later, the same debate is back on the table, with the euro area struggling to come together to combat the coronavirus crisis. "We could see a euro breakup," Karel Lannoo, chief executive officer at the Brussels-based think tank CEPS, told CNBC Wednesday on the phone, adding that the costs of this would be "enormous." The World Health Organization (WHO) said earlier this month that Europe had become the new epicentre of the virus, experiencing new cases at a higher rate than anywhere else in the world. Countries such as Italy, France, Spain and Belgium are in lockdown in an effort to prevent the virus spreading further, which is dramatically hurting their economies. The euro area has so far failed to deliver a massive fiscal stimulus package like that of the United States. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed a $8.3 billion emergency spending bill to deal with the coronavirus and on Tuesday, CNBC learned that the White House was considering a fiscal package of more than $1 trillion. However, euro countries have individually announced fiscal stimulus programs. For instance, Italy has promised a 25-billion-euro ($27.26 billion) rescue plan and France said it will deploy 45 billion euros to mitigate the impact of coronavirus on businesses, among other measures. Lannoo told CNBC the euro zone needs a common fiscal policy this would make their response in times of crisis much quicker. "Let's use this opportunity to come up with EU-wide fiscal policies," he said. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) director general Balram Bhargava has credited Indias pre-emptive and proactive steps for relatively lesser number of coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in the country. He spoke to Rhythma Kaul about these steps and issues like community transmission. Edited excerpts: What is the reason for the relatively low cases. Many speculate the numbers may not be true? People can speculate about whatever they want, but the fact is India has managed to keep the numbers low because of several pre-emptive and proactive steps. Since almost all our positive cases are travel related, it was effective to close international borders at early stages of the outbreak. We started screening of passengers at airports from January 17 when the World Health Organisation [WHO] declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on January 30. Our contact tracing protocol has also been very effective, because of which about 70,000 people are under community surveillance. All these measures have worked well. Why are not we testing more? Some say if we do not test more, we would not know the magnitude of problem... We are testing every single person that needs to be tested. There is a testing protocol put in place by a high-level expert committee chaired by the director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, Dr Randeep Guleria. The committee reviews the protocol regularly keeping in mind local and global developments as it is an evolving situation. The protocol can be revised depending on the country-specific requirement. The committee has met twice and decided that only symptomatic people with travel history or contact history with a laboratory positive Covid-19 case should be tested. People suspected to having Covid-19, without symptoms, must keep themselves quarantined at home for 14 days. They should watch out for symptoms such as fever, dry cough and difficulty in breathing. Those who develop symptoms must seek testing at a designated government hospital. Not everyone needs to get tested as we have not reached the stage of community transmission. There is no need to panic. How can you be so sure we have not reached the community transmission stage? Our scientists have been monitoring the outbreak even before the disease came to India. We were assessing the data the WHO was sharing from China and other affected countries and also our local situation based on that. We got ample time to put in place a robust surveillance mechanism that we have been using for community surveillance since day 1. The first batch of random testing was done in February and the second on March 15. All samples so far have tested negative, indicating there is no community transmission yet. These are 20 samples each from intensive care unit patents admitted over past two weeks to 51 hospitals across India that work as ICMR test sites also for acute respiratory tract infections that are similar to what Covid-19 patients also experience. These are severely ill people with no travel history or contact history with any of the laboratory positive Covid-19 patients. So it will provide the researchers an indication of the disease pattern within community. Countries like South Korea have begun aggressive testing and even the WHO has emphasised on aggressive testing of suspected cases. Why cannot India adopt the same strategy? The WHO did emphasise on testing, and many affected countries did begin aggressive testing. But that is only when community transmission has been established within a country. You do not start indiscriminately testing people at the stage of local transmission, where India is at the moment. We cannot predict the course of the disease in future which is why we are staying prepared to deal with any eventuality. The mainstay of our strategy at the moment should be to stay under quarantine for suspected cases or those with travel history to help break the transmission cycle. A lockdown will actually help in achieving that. However, if we get a positive case from these random samples that we are testing, then it would indicate infection has reached the community, and that will change the entire disease screening, testing and management strategy. There are several commercial diagnostic kits manufacturers. Is the ICMR looking at their products that will help in fast increasing the stockpile? Many manufacturers have approached us and the ICMRs apex laboratory--National Institute of Virology [NIV] in Puneis in the process of evaluating a few anti-bodies based commercial testing kits as well as real-time based PCR [polymerase chain reaction] test kits for testing. For any test kit, sensitivity and specificity is important. Only after the NIV validates those kits will the government be using them for testing. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Bambang Muryanto (The Jakarta Post) Batang, Central Java Wed, March 18, 2020 14:41 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b93942 4 Art & Culture batik,rifaiyah,Central-Java,Batik-Day,batik-artisans,batik-village,arts-and-culture Free A small village in Central Java remains the only hub that produces a special kind of batik that is almost on the brink of extinction. A number of middle-aged women sit in a dry paddy field as they apply wax to cambric to produce a special kind of batik from the Batang region in central Java. Batangs unique batik design is popularly known as Rifaiyah and it bears the teachings of cleric and national hero Ahmad Rifai (1786-1869). Not many people are aware that this particular design has almost gone into extinction. I started making batik as a child, learning from my mother, said Zaliyah, one of the women demonstrating the Rifaiyah design creation during the Rifaiyah Batik Celebration II program in Kalipucang Wetan village, Batang, from October 26 to 27, 2019. Around 60 women are still engaged in this activity in Kalipucang Wetan, the only village that preserves this tradition. In her modest house, Zaliyah produces batik after finishing her household chores every day. Painting a cambric sheet with intricate motifs on both sides in bright colors characteristic of the coastal region takes three months to complete. Im getting old, my batik cloth sells for Rp1.5 million [US$98.42]. When I produced finer batik in the past, the price could reach Rp3 million per piece, said the mother of 12. Rifaiyah batik is also worn as sarongs for males and lower garments for females. During wedding ceremonies, people following bridal processions used to wear Rifaiyah batik suits, Zaliyah said. Zaliyah attributed the drop in sales of Rifaiyah batik today partly to the current preference for wearing chemises as Muslim wear instead of batik. Multi-function: A Rifaiyah batik cloth in the 'dapel' motif commonly used as a male sarong. (JP/Bambang Muryanto) However, as an heir to the ancestral tradition Zaliyah continues to craft batik and has handed down her talent to her second child, Dewi Fatmawati, 33, who has also learned the skill since her childhood. The production of Rifaiyah batik, like other traditional clothing in the Indonesian archipelago, has belonged to the female domain of activity for centuries. Ahmad Rifai, whose teachings are reflected in Rifaiyah batik motifs, was a contemporary of Prince Diponegoro. After studying Islam in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, he set up a boarding school in his native village, Kalisalak, Batang and had many followers especially around Batang, whose descendants are now members of the Rifaiyah community. Apart from teaching Islam, he also guided his followers to oppose Dutch colonizers. As a consequence, he was captured by colonial authorities and banished to Ambon and later moved to Manado, North Sulawesi, where he lived until the end of his life. A researcher in Indonesian clothing and Batang heritage activist, MJA Nashir, said Rifaiyah batik making might have been initiated by Rifaiyah adherents themselves in Batang, about 7 kilometers east of Pekalongan city, known as a batik center. To date, it is unclear when the batik art emerged in Batang and there is no historical evidence to prove that Rifai either taught or ordered batik making. If he did teach batik making, it constituted an ulema order that should have been observed by Rifaiyah devotees in Batang, but in reality, batik makers are only found in Kalipucang Wetan, as well as a small number in Kedungwuni, he added. Nashir in his article, Batik Rifaiyah, Nafas Spiritual yang menyejarah (Rifaiyah Batik, the Spiritual Inspiration that Makes History) in Tabloid Bhinneka, June 2016, mentions 24 motifs identified as Rifais teachings about life. For instance, the motif of pelo ati (gizzard and liver), drawn in the form of a peacock with its head separated from the body that still retains its liver while leaving its gizzard outside, is a teaching of Sufism telling humans to maintain virtue symbolized by the liver and discard all foul matter represented in the birds gizzard. Meanwhile, batik observer Kwan William Kwan Hwie Liong said Islamic influence was very strong on batik in Batang, such as the Rifaiyah version. One of its designs is the absence of whole pictures of animals because of the prohibition on drawing living creatures. In the detail: Batik expert Kwan William Kwan Hwie Liong explains the 'pelo ati' (gizzard and liver) motif on a Rifaiyah batik sheet. (JP/Bambang Muryanto) If theres any animal motif, its head and body are separated and the motif is disguised, William said. Javanese philologist Manu J. Widyaseputra said that in the 19th century the regent in Semarang, Raden Suryakusuma, and district head assistant of Magetan, Joyosubrata, wrote a book, Repen Ripangi, about the life of Ahmad Rifai. Repen means lyrics of Javanese traditional macapat (sung poetry) and Ripangi is the Javanese pronunciation of Rifai. Its an important source of the history of Ahmad Rifai and his batik, he said. In an article entitled Literature as a source for history, The case of Repen Ripangi (1886) in Wacana, October 2008, published by the University of Indonesia, Willem Van Der Molen, a researcher from the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asia and Caribbean Studies (KITVL), explains that Repen Ripangi is about Rifai and his Islamic reform teachings, then seen as controversial. It is recounted that Rifai was invited to a debate with Pekalongan regional chief Haji Pinang in the Pekalongan regents office. Rifai was declared the loser and asked not to further spread his teachings. In 1859, the Dutch arrested and expelled Rifai to Ambon for endangering peace on Java Island. Despite Rifais demise about 150 years ago, his reform spirit lives on among Rifaiyah supporters around Batang and other cities, who still study his doctrine called Tarajumah, and women in Kalipucang Wetan and a few others in Kedungwuni continue to celebrate it through Rifaiyah batik making. As a member of the younger generation, Dewi Fatmawati makes batik in her spare time while working with the National Handicraft Council (Dekranasda) of Batang. She feels happy because she can freely channel her artistic expressions in this activity. When I craft batik, I always remember Kyai Rifais teachings, she said. The government of Andhra Pradesh has issued an order for the closure of all educational institutes from Wednesday onwards till further notice in order to curb the spread of coronavirus. Chief Secretary PV Ramesh took to twitter to announce the decision: "To strengthen ongoing measures to prevent & contain #COVID19 in #AndhraPradesh, #government has decided to close all #Educational #Institutions with immediate effect. Strong advice to every person to act #responsibly & contribute to me mitigation of the #pandemic." One positive case of coronavirus has been reported in Andhra Pradesh so far. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday announced that the number of positive cases of coronavirus in India rose to 151 including 25 foreign nationals. As many as 14 people have been discharged so far and three people have been reported to be dead. Globally, the virus has infected more than 1,84,000 people and killed more than 7,500, as per the data available on the World Health Organisation website. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) [March 18, 2020] Square Receives Conditional FDIC Approval for Industrial Loan Charter Application for Deposit Insurance The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Board has voted to conditionally approve Square's application for deposit insurance related to its Industrial Loan Company (ILC) bank charter. Square has also received charter approval from the Utah Department of Financial Institutions. The bank, Square Financial Services, is expected to launch in 2021. It will operate independently, as a direct subsidiary of Square, Inc. Its primary purpose will be to offer small business loans for Square Capital's commercial lending business, and to offer deposit products. "We appreciate the FDIC's thoughtful approach to our application, and their recognition that Square Capital is uniquely positioned to build a bridge between the financial system and the underserved," said Jacqueline Reses, Square Capital Lead and Executive Chairwoman of the board of directors for Square Financial Services. "We're now focused on the work ahead to build out Square Financial Services and open our bank to small business customers." Square Financial Services CEO Lewis Goodwin and CFO Brandon Soto will lead the bank's executive team; both bring decades of banking leadership experience to Square and have managed multiple ILCs over their banking careers. As the ILC prepares to open, Square Financial Services will make additional hires for its bank headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah. Square Fnancial Services expects to continue to sell loans to third-party investors and limit balance sheet exposure. As a result, we do not expect the bank to have a material impact on Square's consolidated balance sheet in 2020. We also do not expect the bank to have a material impact on our consolidated total net revenues, gross profit, or Adjusted EBITDA in 2020. SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact could be deemed forward-looking, including, but not limited to, statements regarding Square Financial Services' expected launch timeline, purpose, personnel plans, treatment of loans and financial impact. Risks that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include, among others, the ability to satisfy certain approval conditions required by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Board in a timely manner, or at all; the possibility that final approval may be delayed or not achieved; as well as other risks and uncertainties relating to the Company listed or described from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC (News - Alert)), including the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is on file with the SEC. All forward-looking statements are based on information and estimates available to the Company at the time of this press release. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update any of the statements in this press release. EXECUTIVE BIOS Lewis Goodwin is President and Chief Executive Officer of Square Financial Services. Previously, Lewis served as President and CEO of Green Dot Bank and has held other senior banking roles at Toyota Savings Bank, Chrysler Financial Bank, and West One Bank (merged with US Bank). He is a licensed CPA in Utah. Brandon Soto is Chief Financial Officer of Square Financial Services. Previously, Brandon served as Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Financial Officer at Green Dot Bank and held other senior finance and accounting roles at Sallie Mae Bank, Chrysler Financial Bank, Toyota Savings Bank, Allegiance (News - Alert) Direct Bank and JPMorgan Chase. He is a licensed CPA in Utah. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005752/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Coronavirus Vs. The Church: Orthodox Traditionalists Stand Behind The Holy Spoon By Ron Synovitz March 17, 2020 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. Ukraine's 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. It's 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 Vatican's 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. Georgia's Orthodox Church has rejected calls to stop using the common spoon for communion. Georgian church officials say -- much like Ilarion does -- that it's 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 Greece's 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." Bulgaria's 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/RL's Georgian, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarus, Bulgarian, Armenian, Romanian, Moldovan, and Balkan services Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/coronavirus-vs -the-church-orthodox-traditionalists-stand- behind-the-holy-spoon/30492749.html Copyright (c) 2020. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Matt Patricia has not been shy about acquiring players from his former team. In fact, its starting to get out of hand. With the Detroit Lions acquiring three members of the 2019 New England Patriots in recent days, Patricias team is now up to 15 players on its current roster that spent time in Foxborough. Thats not even including guys like LeGarrette Blount, who was previously signed by Patricia. Patricia left to take the head job in Detroit after serving as Patriots defensive coordinator, but isnt the only former New England figure in charge over there. The current general manager for the Lions is Bob Quinn, who previously served as the Patriots director of pro scouting Patricia and Quinn have kept the pipeline from New England flowing. As of Wednesday, here are all the former Patriots who are currently in Detroit (in alphabetical order by last name): Arnold Schwarzenegger had a case of the sniffles as he rode his bicycle through Los Angeles on Wednesday morning. The 72-year-old action star, best known for The Terminator, was seen wiping his nose with a white Kleenex as he pedaled his way through a quiet street. This comes after the former Governor of California told fans to stay home during the spread of the coronavirus. Under the weather? Arnold Schwarzenegger had a case of the sniffles as he rode his bicycle through Los Angeles on Wednesday morning He wiped his face several times. The twins actor wore a black cap that said Sheriff and also modeled a varsity jacket in black and maroon. Arnold added black slacks and sensible slide-in sneakers in black with a white sole. His bicycle looked much better than ones sold at target as it had extra wide tires and plenty of hardware. Sporty look: The twins actor wore a black cap that said Sheriff and also modeled a varsity jacket in black and maroon. Arnold added black slacks and sensible slide-in sneakers in black with a white sole Smartly, Arnie stayed in the green painted bicycle lane; surely the former Governor does not want to break any laws. The former bodybuilder seemed to have a friend by his side in a red-and-black bike. Over the weekend, he filmed a video of himself self-isolating with his beloved equine companions, encouraging others to adhere to the strict rules enforced upon citizens in his state. Two days after sharing a hand-washing tutorial, Schwarzenegger is back on a mission to reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) amid the global pandemic. The day before: On Tuesday the icon was seen in a blue jacket as he rode through Muscle beach He made his followers smile with a sweet video of himself feeding his beloved pets carrots before wrapping them up in a hug. Sitting at his kitchen table with a pony under one arm and a donkey under the other, The Terminator star addressed the world. He captioned the video: 'Stay at home as much as possible. Listen to the experts, ignore the morons (foreheads). We will get through this together.' The star wrote: 'See the important thing is that you stay at home. Because there is a curfew now. Quarantined: Schwarzenegger has been giving his followers some much-needed light relief as he battens down the hatches at home with his miniature horse Whiskey and pet donkey Lulu Arnie on a mission: The former Governor of California, 72, filmed a video of himself self-isolating with his beloved equine companions, encouraging others to adhere to the strict rules enforced upon citizens in his state 'No one is allowed out, especially someone who is like 72 years old. After you're 65 you're not allowed out of the house anyway in California. So we stay home, and we eat here.' He paused his spiel to feed his furry friends some carrots, cooing: 'Oh yeah! That was yummy, huh. I'm with Whiskey and that's Lulu. 'Whiskey loves carrots, Lulu loves carrots. I just had my little bit of vegan food.' Arnie continued: 'We don't go out, we don't go to restaurants, we don't do anything like that anymore. We just eat. We just eat and have a good time Amused: The star's followers were amused by the video, with his son Patrick Schwarzenegger joking, 'I hope to see memes from this' One fan enthused: 'I wish this guy was in office', while another joked, 'Lmao Arnolds lost it' 'We get entertained. Look at that beautiful smile she has. We just have a good time, eating here together. So much more fun than going outside! 'No more restaurants OK! Forget all that! Public gatherings, gymnasiums, out the window! We stay home.' The veteran Hollywood star concluded his video by grabbing each animal and kissing them on the head. 'I have you both! Look at this picture here!', he cooed. 'No biting! You've got to get along. Good girls.' The star's followers were amused by the video, with his son Patrick Schwarzenegger joking, 'I hope to see memes from this'. Barking mad: Over the weekend, Schwarzenegger first displayed his wacky sense of humour by filming a hand-washing tutorial... for his dog Cherry One fan enthused, 'I wish this guy was in office', while another joked, 'Lmao Arnolds lost it'. Over the weekend, Schwarzenegger first displayed his wacky sense of humour by filming a hand-washing tutorial... for his dog Cherry. He wrote: 'Wash your hands. I tried to do a hand-washing tutorial for Cherry but I think you guys will pay more attention. Be safe. Wash your hands. 'Listen to scientists and experts, not foreheads. Together, we can slow this down and protect each other. #COVID19.' The amusing clip sees the film star telling his nonplussed pet pooch: 'Look at this Cherry, this is how you wash your hands. Watch this! You wash it very, very clean!'. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Sunday night advised against holding large gatherings of more than 50 people for at least eight weeks to fight coronavirus. The recommendations led to four states ordering bars and restaurants to effectively shut - limiting them to take out only - and New York City ordered the same as well as the shutting down of nightclubs, cinemas and theaters. California was the first state to take such action when Gov Gavin Newsome called for all bars to shut their doors and advised restaurants to cut seating capacity by 50 per cent. In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said he would order all bars and restaurants to close their dine-in options to customers effective on Tuesday. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 09:43:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TEHRAN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Tuesday said U.S. "unlawful" anti-Iran sanctions have impaired its ability to combat the coronavirus outbreak. "Unlawful U.S. sanctions (have) drained Iran's economic resources, impairing its ability to fight COVID-19," Zarif said on Twitter. The sanctions "literally kill innocents," he wrote. "Join the growing global campaign to disregard U.S. sanctions on Iran," Zarif added. China on Monday urged the United States to lift sanctions on Iran immediately, amid the country's struggle to respond to the coronavirus outbreak. "Continued sanction on Iran is against humanitarianism and hampers Iran's epidemic response & delivery of humanitarian aid by the UN and other organizations," China's Foreign Ministry said in a tweet. Iran is among the countries which have been severely hit by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. Thousands of Americans are still stuck abroad in various countries around the world and are asking for help from officials to help them return home. The request for aid comes as governments of various countries have restricted travel in an attempt to limit the spread of coronavirus as much as possible. Phil and Jerri McMannis from Boston were on the last leg of a round-the-world trip and are currently stuck in Fez, Morocco after their flight for this Sunday was cancelled. So far, the couple have been unable to rebook. Morocco has suspended all international flights. It has 37 confirmed cases of the virus and one death. Phil and Jerri McMannis from Boston were on the last leg of a round-the-world trip and are currently stuck in Fez, Morocco unable to get back to the United States 'The local people are offering to help and are talking to us, but our own government has said nothing,' said the McMannis' A group of American tourists have set up their own Facebook group after becoming stranded in Morocco 'It's 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. The State Department has said that they have '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.' The U.S. Embassy has since organized 30 flights from Agadir and Marrakech to London over the coming days. The stranded group were given a small card with a few details on about how to contact the American embassy. It was shoved underneath the door of their hotel room Another American family also stuck in Morocco is Mary Marland of Boulder, Colorado along with her husband and two children. They had rebooked to come home on Sunday but like the McMannis' their flight was cancelled. 'Information is unreliable. Every cancellation happened without a rebooking option, and I've spent hours on the phone will the airlines,' said Marland, 42. The family say they have received no help from the U.S. government and are now resigned to staying at a hotel in Tangiers, but that might close very soon. 'I am terrified of the idea that this is going to go on beyond this week,' she said. Another American family also stuck in Morocco is Mary Marland of Boulder, Colorado along with her husband, Milton and two children Kate and Jack The Marland family say they have received absolutely no help from the U.S. government and are now resigned to staying at a hotel in Tangiers, but that might close very soon One traveler who managed to make it back to the States is 20-year-old Etta Moen. She was studying in Spain, which has become the fourth-most infected country with 12,000 cases and more than 500 deaths. The country has been under partial lockdown since Saturday with residents only allowed to leave their homes to go to work, buy food or visit a pharmacy or hospital. She managed to return home back to Washington State after her semester abroad program was been canceled. Her trip back was relatively simple and she flew from Alicante via Barcelona and London before finally flying back to Seattle. 'It felt like taking a gamble booking a flight and not knowing if it would be canceled,' said Moen. 'I was checking the websites for all the airports and the airlines that I would be flying through every day.' 20-year-old Etta Moen was studying in Spain, which has become the fourth-most infected country. She has managed to book herself onto a flight to London and then to Seattle In neighboring France, 21-year-old Reid Richesin, from Birmingham, Alabama, is trying to get back to the U.S. from Paris after lockdown began at noon on Tuesday. 'It feels like everything is up in the air and could be canceled we will just have to see,' he said from the airport. He is hoping to return to New York and will then head to Connecticut to stay with a friend. French President Emmanuel Macron has ordered France's citizens to stay home, only leaving their home to buy groceries, travel to work if absolutely necessary, exercise or for doctor and hospital visits. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide has now risen to almost 188,000, and nearly 7,500 people have died. 21-year-old Reid Richesin, from Birmingham, Alabama, is trying to get back to the U.S. from Paris after a lockdown began at noon on Tuesday. He has been waiting at the airport CLEVELAND, Ohio The Cuyahoga County Board of Health and the United Way 2-1-1- First Call for Help Program have set up coronavirus help line for anyone who has questions about the disease. The number is 1-855-711-3035. Callers will get a recorded message with general information. They will then be given a series of options to help them learn more about COVID-19, such as how its transmitted and whether you should wear a mask. If callers have additional questions, they can reach the County Board of Health at 216-201-2000 between 8:30 a.m and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The message portion of the help line will operate 24 hours, seven days a week. The help line was created to relieve stress on the County Board of Health emergency line and the Ohio Department of Health hotline, said Kevin Brennan, County Board of Health spokesman. Four members of Pakistan's security forces and seven militants have been killed during a shoot-out in the northwestern tribal district of North Waziristan, Pakistan's military says. A statement from Pakistani security forces said the clash took place on March 18 in the area of Datta Khel when government troops raided a "terrorist" hideout. The statement said one of the slain soldiers was an officer. It said one soldier also was wounded. A large cache of arms, ammunition, and improvised explosive devices were recovered from the hideout, the statement said. Officials were quoted as saying at the suspects belonged to a Pakistani militant group that was planning to carry out attacks. Pakistan launched a massive military operation in North Waziristan in 2014 to clear the region of militants. But the region on the border of Afghanistan has continued to be the scene of violent attacks, targeted killings, and roadside bombs. With reporting by AP This is the shocking moment shop staff tackle suspected thieves to the ground as they attempt to steal a trolley full of goods amid the coronavirus panic. Video filmed in the car park of The Food Warehouse in Leigh, Greater Manchester yesterday shows four staff members confronting the group. They start pulling food objects from the back of a navy blue Zafira before one of the 'thieves' is thrown to the ground as a maul breaks out. A colleague then grabs one suspect and throws him to the ground. The man attempts to get back to his feet, but is knocked back down again. Meanwhile, food items are pulled from the rear of the car. One member of staff then pulls his phone out in order to take a picture of the registration of the vehicle, before the car pulls away and speeds off. Store owner Iceland confirmed two men 'attempted to leave The Food Warehouse in Leigh with a trolley full of stock for which they had not paid'. A spokesperson said 'it is extremely frustrating that some individuals regard this as an opportunity to steal... at a time when our stores and colleagues are under unprecedented pressure' as Britons panic-buy amid coronavirus hysteria. They added the matter had been reported to police. This is the shocking moment store staff tackle suspected thieves to the ground as they attempt to steal a trolley full of goods amid the coronavirus panic Posted to Facebook yesterday, social-media users were aghast at the scene, with one writing: 'Well done lads the thieving b******* hope they crash the car' Store owner Iceland said 'it is frustrating that some individuals regard this as an opportunity to steal at a time when our stores and colleagues are under unprecedented pressure' Posted to Facebook yesterday, social-media users were aghast at the scene, with one writing: 'Well done lads the thieving b******* hope they crash the car.' Another said: 'What is wrong with some people as if things are not bad enough you get the likes of that. Robbing b****** well done to the lads who stopped him.' A third wrote: 'Well done to lads standing up to these scum.' Shoppers queue outside Asda at 6am and strip shelves bare by 7am while Sainsbury's limits customers to two packs of loo roll, soap and milk in new rationing measures to curb coronavirus panic-buying By Henry Martin and Amie Gordon for MailOnline Panic-buying across the country is intensifying today as supermarkets under mounting pressure are taking drastic rationing action in a bid to deal with the unprecedented demand for goods. Britain's grocery industry has struggled for over a week to keep shelves stocked in the face of intense panic buying, which worsened on Tuesday despite weekend appeals for calm from supermarket bosses and politicians. But experts have asked why supermarkets have introduced different limits on certain goods, creating confusion for customers and competition among rivals. Customers queuing at Costco in Croydon, south London this morning People queuing outside Waitrose in Clapham Junction waiting for the shop to open today There were lengthy queues outside a Saver Centre in Willesden, London this morning Martin Lockwood of Waitrose told the queue outside the store he had less than 20 units of toilet paper delivered today and they would only be sold to 'vulnerable' HEARTBREAKING PHOTO OF ELDERLY SHOPPER LOOKING AT EMPTY SUPERMARKET SHELVES Lauren Taylor, 34, took this image of a man in a Sainsbury's in Epsom, in the hope of encouraging the public to stop stockpiling and help take care of the elderly A mother's heartbreaking photo capturing the reality of coronavirus panic buying is being shared across social media today. Lauren Taylor, 34, took the image in the hope of encouraging the public to stop stockpiling and help take care of the elderly. The mother-of-two took the photo in Sainsbury's in Epsom, Surrey, at 1pm on Friday when she spotted the elderly man trying to find the items he needed. Her picture has since amassed more than 200,000 likes on social media. Ms Taylor said: 'It was awful and just really sad. That was only one aisle and the others were in a similar state of empty shelves. 'People were grabbing lots of the stuff that were still on the shelves. It's really just sad and disappointing in society that it's got to this point. Everyone needs stuff, but he had been left with nothing. 'I just want people to think about their own grandparents who will have to go through more suffering. It must be scary for them. If everyone just bought responsibly in the first place these issues wouldn't have arose in the first place but if everyone buys double, it might be enough to empty the shelves.' Advertisement Sainsbury's has announced it is closing its in-store meat, fish and pizza counters and cafes from Thursday to free up lorry and warehouse capacity, as well as shelf-stacking time, for essential items to be replenished. The supermarket will restrict people to only buying three of any single grocery item, in addition to a two-item limit on the most popular goods such as toilet paper and long-life milk which is already in place. From March 23, disabled customers and those over 70 will take priority for online delivery slots. Morrisons plans to create 3,500 new jobs and expand its home delivery operation to help it deal with coronavirus. Aldi became the first UK grocer to introduce rationing, limiting customers to buying four items of any one product during each visit. Tesco is limiting shoppers to five items, and Asda has introduced a limit of two items. Despite the new measures, shelves at a Tesco in Ely, Cambridgeshire, were stripped bare just two hours after the store opened this morning. And customers at an Asda Walmart in Hampshire, were queuing outside the door at 6am this morning and within just one hour, shoppers claim shelves were empty as worried households continue to stockpile against government advice. The Tesco in Cambridgeshire closed overnight for the shelves to be re-stocked and there were huge queues outside the doors when it opened at 6am today. Empty pasta shelves in Tesco in Ely, Cambridgeshire, at 8am - two hours after the store opened The Tesco in Ely, Cambridgeshire closed overnight for the shelves to be re-stocked and there were huge queues outside the doors when it opened at 6am today Customers queuing at Costco in Croydon this morning. The first customer arrived at 7am Supermarkets are cracking down on what shoppers can purchase as panic about the coronavirus epidemic leads to wide-spread stockpiling. Pictured: Two men with trolleys full of goods are pictured outside a Costco store in Manchester Croydon Costco: Just before opening time there were several hundred waiting and the queue was growing. An employee warned that action would be taken against any 'queue jumpers' Just two hours later the supermarket had already run out of many essential household goods, including toilet roll, disinfectant, washing capsules. It was also running low on dried foods such as pasta, long life milk and cat and dog food. Panic buyers also stripped the shelves of a Sainsbury's store in Colchester Essex, as the supermarket giant slapped shoppers with strict rationing. The locust-like wave of shoppers have nearly emptied the supermarket chain's biggest store of vital goods. Pictures taken today reveal paracetamol, toilet paper, past, canned goods and bottled water have sold out. The empty shelves are a stark contrast to the bustling carpark with worried shoppers queuing up in the aisles at 7.30am this morning. One elderly shopper said: 'I can't believe it, I thought there would be more stock coming in. It is like locusts have been through here and gone mad. I only popped in for my weekly shop and I don't know what I'm going to do.' Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday shut down social life in Britain and advised the most vulnerable to isolate for 12 weeks. Albert Mohler rejects the idea of 'Christian yoga' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler Jr. recently denounced the idea of Christian yoga, arguing that the origins of the practice are incompatible with Christianity. In an episode of his podcast The Briefing that aired last Friday, Mohler described the origins of yoga, which hail from Hindu and Buddhist practices and philosophy. It is deeply based in both Hinduism and Buddhism and the traditional meditative practices that are inseparable from yoga as physical movement involve those traditional Buddhist and Hindu teachings, and it shows up not only in the word Namaste, it shows up even in the basic philosophy of what the body is doing, said Mohler. It also shows up in a distinct theological understanding of the body in motion and the body in pose. It also shows up in a deep conflict between Christianity and both Hinduism and Buddhism and yoga as a dimension of both when it comes to the purpose of the mind and how we are as Christians to exercise the mind. While acknowledging that there are many churches that have yoga classes, Mohler cautioned that the mainstreaming of yoga in the United States was driven at least in part by groups such as the Transcendentalists and New Thought, and they were intentionally trying to create a spiritual practice and spirituality that would serve as a clear alternative to biblical Christianity. The Bible doesn't have a list of acceptable and unacceptable stretches, exercises, or poses, but the Bible does make very clear what is to be a Christian understanding of the relationship between the soul and the body and furthermore, what it means to meditate, he continued. Christians ought to agree that if we have an understanding of yoga and its historical context and in its religious origins, then at the very least we have to understand that there really is no such thing as Christian yoga. If it's Christian, it's not yoga. If it's yoga, it's not Christian. Mohlers comments came in response to a proposed bill in the Alabama Legislature that would lift a ban on the practice of yoga in public schools, albeit without the overt religious content. Known as House Bill 235 and introduced last month by Representative Jeremy Gray of Opelika, the proposal was recently approved by the House education policy committee. The bill would allow local school boards to approve yoga classes under certain conditions, among them making the class an elective rather than a requirement. All instruction in yoga shall be limited exclusively to poses, exercises, and stretching techniques, stated HB 235 in part. Chanting, mantras, mudras, use of mandalas, and namaste greetings shall be expressly prohibited. Currently, the State Board of Education Administrative Code bans the practice of yoga as part of a broader prohibition on the use of hypnosis and dissociative mental states. School personnel shall be prohibited from using any techniques that involve the induction of hypnotic states, guided imagery, meditation or yoga, reads the Code in part. The Code defines yoga as a Hindu philosophy and method of religious training in which eastern meditation and contemplation are joined with physical exercises, allegedly to facilitate the development of body-mind-spirit. Representative Will Dismukes of Prattville expressed support for HB 235 and felt that it did not constitute an endorsement of a specific religion, saying he knew of churches that do yoga. We talk about prayer and meditation a lot. I think you can pray to God and do yoga, or you can think about whatever you want to, stated Dismukes, as reported by al.com. But Joe Godfrey, executive director of the conservative Christian group the Alabama Citizens Action Program, made similar arguments as Mohler, contending that "you can't separate the exercises from the religious meditation aspect of it." Mohlers podcast comments echo sentiments he expressed in a 2010 opinion column in which he argued that yoga cannot be neatly separated into physical and spiritual dimensions. The physical is the spiritual in yoga, and the exercises and disciplines of yoga are meant to connect with the divine, wrote Mohler at the time. There is nothing wrong with physical exercise, and yoga positions in themselves are not the main issue. But these positions are teaching postures with a spiritual purpose. Public gatherings have been forbidden, social distancing has become New Orleans newest custom, and the unbridled coronavirus contagion is all anyone talks about. Yet a Madisonville couple held a wedding anyway on Tuesday afternoon in New Orleans. It was a very small, very brief, very quiet outdoor affair that wasnt at all what the bride and groom had hoped for. But it took place on St. Patricks Day near Finn McCools Irish Pub, and that was the important thing. Frederick Young and Erica Jacob are Irish in spirit if not by heritage. Ive always loved anything Irish, Jacob said. My family always had Irish Setters for dogs. While serving in the Army in Europe, she made a pilgrimage to the Guinness brewery on the Emerald Isle. Jacob said she learned to appreciate Irish style and tradition from her mother who passed away last year. Young and Jacob intended to be married in the midst of the block party that annually pops up around Finn McCools on St. Patricks Day. They planned to invite a handful of family and friends. After the ceremony, the wedding party would join the stout-fueled crowd. It would have been the biggest after-party ever, said Young. But roughly 24 hours before the wedding was to commence, the curtain came down on any St. Pattys Day festivities. In an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus, the governor shut down all the bars, Finns included, and limited gatherings of any sort to 50 people or fewer. Bourbon Street braces for bar and nightclub closures - 'I'm kind of in shock' By Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards' orders, the bars and nightclubs along Bourbon Street will close their doors at midnight on Monday (March 1 The weekend before, hundreds of St. Patricks Day celebrants had gathered for an annual Irish Channel block party in defiance of the governments attempts to quell crowds. They had received a public dressing down from Mayor LaToya Cantrell for their obliviousness of the danger such a concentration of possible disease vectors posed. As of Tuesday, four people had died of coronavirus infection in Louisiana, with 196 cases diagnosed. Young and Jacob were well aware that the venerable Finns on Banks Street would be shuttered on Tuesday and that the shamrock-stenciled pavement around it would be empty. But they wanted to be married near the place on St. Patricks Day, for sentimental reasons. Remarried, that is. Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up As Young explained, he and Jacob had tied the knot once before, back in 2005. Theyd met through their jobs with the U.S. Postal Service, where they are still employed. Things went well for a while, but after a couple of years of marriage during the post-Katrina recovery era, they called it quits. Sharing responsibility for their 13-year-old daughter kept them in touch, though. For reasons neither can quite put into words, they began attending Saints games together a few months back at Finn McCools. There, somehow, long-dormant sparks flew again. We said, Wow, we like each other. We know a lot about each other. We love each other, Young marveled. Everyone was so shocked when we told them we were getting married, Jacob said laughing. After the state closed the bars, Young and Jacob knew everything had changed, but they decided to forge on. Both said they felt their daily responsibilities could put them in contact with the virus anyway. So they decided their St. Patricks Day wedding was worth the added risk. Young said that a friend of his, who had originally agreed to be a witness, bowed out at the last minute. He said we were crazy, Young said. But the couple found a minister willing to perform the sidewalk service. Youngs daughter from a previous marriage and a friend of hers agreed to be witnesses. A Finn McCool's employee looked on and a newspaper writer and photographer documented the scene. Young said that telling his elderly mother and aunt that they wouldnt be able to attend the wedding was the toughest part. The bride wore a mint-green frilly dress, the groom wore a pastel green seersucker suit. They both wore emerald-colored Converse sneakers. The minister waved at the newlyweds in lieu of shaking hands. When he asked if anyone objected to the marriage, a passerby wearing a green shirt said his only objection was that the bar was closed. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 22:05:37|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close JUBA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's Ministry of Petroleum on Wednesday suspended its preliminary oil and gas bidding round set for March due to the deadly coronavirus spread globally. Awow Daniel Chuang, Undersecretary in the Ministry of Petroleum revealed that they will delay the oil and gas bidding round which was supposed to be held soon because of the COVID-19 which has since spread to neighboring countries like Kenya and Ethiopia. "Right now, we were in the middle of preparing for the first oil and gas licensing round. It was actually planned to be here by March but because of the coronavirus we could not even move," Chuang told journalists in Juba. He disclosed that they had planned licensing round for 14 oil blocks in the northern oil fields. "We are going to defer it (licensing) a bit, but the plans are still there for us to attract new investors to South Sudan especially from the Western world," he said. The oil companies operating in South Sudan include China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), India's Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Malaysia's PETRONAS. Oil production has peaked to 175,000 barrels a day from less than 130,000 BPD due to prevailing peace in South Sudan. Chuang disclosed that they are also set to begin refining fuel in the Bentiu refinery over the next few days. South Sudan depends on 98 percent on oil revenue to finance its fiscal budget annually, and also Juba relies on Sudan's oil infrastructure to transport it's crude for export. Juba has recently called on international companies to apply to undertake an environmental audit in a bid to control oil pollution which has led to children being born with deformities in the northern oil-producing regions. One day in 1990, a friend of mine asked if I would have lunch with Al Gore, who was then the junior senator from Tennessee. Gore was writing his first book, Earth in the Balance, which, when it was published, in 1992, would warn of an impending crisis of global warming. (The term climate change was less commonly used in newspapers in those days.) Gore had told my friend that he wanted to talk about the gravity of the subject and make a pitch for more coverage. At the time, I was a science reporter at the Washington Post. Global warming was only vaguely on my radar. My main responsibility was to focus on the aids epidemica distressing, full-time jobbut I also wrote more generally about medicine and, occasionally, about the environment. The movement to address climate change was building, having begun in earnest just two years prior, around the time that James Hansen, a nasa climate scientist, delivered congressional testimony saying that global warming was caused by human activity and that it posed significant risks to our planet. There were many doubterssomehow there still arebut it was already clear to anyone who cared to look that something untoward was underway. The decade of the 1980s was the hottest since climate experts began keeping records a century ago, I had written in a story published in the Post on January 13, 1990. And it included six of the 10 hottest years on record. In the three decades since I and others covered that news, the planetary weather vane has only moved in one direction. Gore had read my story in the Post, and when we met for lunch, in Washington, he told me that he had been annoyed by various caveats I had included. It is hard to imagine that he would remember that lunch, let alone his problems with the piece, but I have never forgotten. (Many climate scientists have predicted that the earth will get warmer as carbon dioxide and other heat- trapping gases increase in the atmosphere, I had written. But there has been sharp disagreement about how great that warming will be or when it will be first detected.) Gore argued that there was already plenty of evidence to suggest that we needed to curb our industrial and personal excesses. He considered reporters who gave equal coverage to realists and denialists to be deeply misguided. Gore wanted more passionate climate storytelling. Im not sure I had a reporting philosophy thirty years ago, but I did not come from a world of conviction or advocacy. I was taught to talk to people, present the facts, and file on time. In the piece Gore read I had done all that, I insisted. No matter how ominous one hot decade might seem, I told him, climate data from ten years of human history was simply not sufficient for scientists to draw meaningful conclusions about anything. (Believe it or not, in those days the magnitude of the disaster, while predictable, was not nearly as obvious.) Gore was dismayed at what he thought was a general journalistic indifference to climate trends and what they implied about the future. I was not indifferent, I said; nor did I suspect that most of my colleagues were. But we didnt work for him or for Greenpeace or any other pressure group. Activists had one job, I felt, and journalists had another. It remained, I was certain, a world where facts would prevail. And my job was to lay them out for the reader. In the end, my meeting with Gore was inconclusive. I respected his commitment, but he did not persuade me to approach my job in a new way. I dont think we ought to discard the values of journalism and join an activist movement. It took another conversation, not long afterward, to force me to recalibrate my conception of fairness and truth. One day, as I was on the verge of missing my deadline on a particularly explosive piece of aids policy news, I looked up to see my editor standing menacingly by my desk. Where is your copy? he asked. I told him I couldnt file until I got a comment from a well-known California representative who regularly denounced homosexuality and considered aids a plague visited upon sinners. My editor was astonished: Are you joking? There are not two sides to every story, he said. We pay you to exercise some judgment, not to type. File right now! I did as I was told, feeling uneasy about it. The next day, though, when I looked at the story in print, I saw that my editor was right. What on earth did I think readers would gain from being exposed to comments uttered by a notorious homophobe? My approach to my job began to shift, slowly at first, but more dramatically as I moved from the Post to the New York Times, where impartial detachment was the official goal, and then to The New Yorker, where I had more space and more of a responsibility to construct an argument in my pieces. As a reader of news, I became increasingly attuned to false equivalences in stories. Theyre detestable, I realized, and theyre ubiquitous. You can always find a true believer to tell you, based on nothing, that vaccines will kill your children, that GMOs will give you cancer, that climate change is a hoax. But preposterous statements should not share equal space with facts. Choosing what to leave out of a piece is just as important as deciding what to include. The central question for our profession has never really been about whether we should remain objectivereporting can never be wholly neutral. Instead, it is about whether our reporting is fair and thorough. I am not an advocacy journalist; there are people who will dismiss anything I write if they think that I am taking a stand. But when I tell a story, my point of view is often easy to discern. I see no benefit to running down the middle of every aisle. Its dishonest. The subject of the climate is complex. Changes are slow and often hard to recognize. Many readers dont see the disaster looming, or they dont think it matters. Yet the greenhouse effect has already had a profound impact in many countries, including the United States. Try growing wheat in Americas breadbasket, Kansas, where the weather is already too hot and unreliable to plant the way farmers did in the past. Or getting a house insured in many of our coastal communities. Or buying raspberries at a grocery store while unpredictable crop seasons disrupt the supply chain. For years, many excellent writers have covered the subject exhaustively, fairly, and with insight. But there has been little significant progress. To stave off the worst effects of climate change, we have to cut carbon emissions sharply, yet in the past three years the world has released more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than at any time in human history. It is hard to ignore the fact, as the Global Carbon Project has demonstrated, that carbon dioxide emissions rose by an estimated 1.6 percent in 2017 and 2.7 percent in 2018. A few years ago, toward the end of his editorship of The Guardian, Alan Rusbridger tackled the question of how to persuade readers to care about climate change, writing that journalism has so far failed to animate the public to exert sufficient pressure on politics through reporting and analysis. One could argue that fairness and accuracy have never been enough to get the job done. Which raises a question: Since we are plunging rapidly toward the abyss, is activism, rather than journalism, the way to make the strongest case? Maybe, but journalists should do their job and focus on helping the public see and understand the world in front of them. This may seem like a bleak time to occupy the high ground of dispassionate reporting, but I dont think we ought to discard the values of journalism and join an activist movement. After all, journalism that is honest and thoughtful and unafraid is a movement. It poses questions that challenge traditional ways of thinking, it surfaces information that has been hidden by powerful interests, and it draws attention to people and problems that are otherwise ignored. To tell the whole story of climate change, we need to deploy our best reporting to make the terrifying conclusions obvious. When we write about the consequences of policy inaction, we should do so with human beings at the center. We need to illustrate the stakes for people who are economically displaced or flooded out of their homes. Theoretical tragedy doesnt make an impression. Lay out the facts and use your judgment to build a story that makes your point. Take a stand, sure, but do so in a measured and direct way, so that your reporting speaks for itselfloudly and clearly, but not in the tone of an angry commentator. That is the only way journalism will continue to matter. How bad will things get before we take action, as a society, to mitigate climate change? It will get worseperhaps much worse. One day, though, I believe, the public will value facts again. So lets not abandon our principles at this dreadful, crucial moment. Gore, for his part, never told me to do that. His argument, which he made clear in the wholly fact-based 2006 documentary An Inconvenient Truth, was that the truth would eventually help rescue the world. I have no choice but to agree. And as journalists, if we dont believe that, Im not sure what we can believe. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Michael Specter has been a New Yorker staff writer since 1998, focusing on science and public health. He is an adjunct professor of bioengineering at Stanford University. In the interest of health and safety of Agricultural Consultants Association members in the face of the unprecedented coronavirus crisis, their staff and clients, member offices have been closed to the public until further notice and meetings will be strictly by appointment only. All member offices will continue to be operational to meet the demand from farmers for the critical deadlines of the 8th of April for the Nitrates Derogation applications and associated documents and the 15th of May for BPS and all related applications. These are exceptionally challenging times for everyone in Ireland. ACA members will ensure that all deadlines are met on behalf of our 55,000 farmer clients. The majority of issues can be discussed through phone calls and emails according to Tom Canning, ACA President. He added ACA members will be contacting their clients individually in the forthcoming days and weeks to ensure their applications are submitted in time for all deadlines. We are working very closely with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to resolve any issues and find solutions collectively to ensure workflows can continue as smoothly as possible for our clients under the current circumstances. ACAs current arrangements: Bombay high court raps Maharashtra govt, Centre over 'faulty' CRZ maps by Rosy Sequeira March 18,2020 | Source: The Times of India Bombay high court has sought the responses of the state and the Centre on the accuracy of the final Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) maps for Greater Mumbai. "Your clients will proceed on defective maps? Perhaps your clients are not bothered," a bench of acting chief justice Bhushan Dharmadhikari and justice Nitin Borkar said on March 12 after told the Union's advocate for the Ministry of Environment and Forest said instructions would have to be taken from the National Centre for Earth Science Studies, Kerala. The court heard a petition by NGO Vanshakti that the maps, prepared in 2018, under Coastal Regulation Zone notification, 2011, were "erroneous, inaccurate and incomplete." The NGO's advocate, Zaman Ali, argued that such defective maps were going to form the basis of new maps that are required to be updated under the 2019 CRZ notification. He said the whole exercise would be redundant if the present maps were not corrected. Asked by the judges to point out one defect, Ali answered different colour codes were required within CRZ-I areas such as mudflats, mangroves, sanctuaries and heritage sites. He showed the final coastal maps for the eastern coast of Mumbai and said, "The entire CRZ-1 A (eco-sensitive areas) is given one colour. The Thane creek flamingoes sanctuary has not been given a distinct colour code as required by the 2011 notification." The petition states "various plots/lands which would fall under different categories of CRZ are now marked as 'non-CRZ' without any justification" and that existing authorised development on the seaward side are not demarcated. Pointing to further lapses, the plea says relief centres for disaster management during cyclones, rain, storms and tsunamis have not been indicated. The petition informs that suggestions and objections to the draft Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) maps were ignored and that "authorities have failed to take into account the danger of natural hazards in the sensitive coastal stretches of Maharashtra." The NGO has urged for a stay on the operation of the CZMP maps in their present layout and sought a directive for publication of fresh maps. It wants Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority to stop all ongoing construction/landfilling activities in CRZ areas until then. Miffed at the Centre seeking time to reply, the ACJ also said, "Your clients are not co-operating with the court." The court gave a "last chance" and adjourned the hearing to March 27. Amid the coronavirus global pandemic, it is still unclear which government measures are useful in curbing the spread of the virus. Some countries had imposed lockdowns and community quarantines, while others took time to restrict population movement before they closed schools and nonessential businesses. Others are still allowing regular routines despite an increasing number of infections. Now, new research by scientists at Imperial College London has modeled the spread and impact of COVID-19. The data is informing the current U.K. government policy on the pandemic. Public health measures reduce deaths Published in the 9th report from the WHO Collaborating Centre for Infectious Disease Modelling within the J-IDEA, Imperial College London, and the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, the study has found that strategies that aim to reduce the epidemic may reduce the deaths by half, and decrease the peak healthcare demand by about two-thirds. Though promising, these measures will still not be enough to prevent health systems from being overwhelmed due to the influx of patients and the high demand for resources. The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged manufacturers to increase the supply of personal protective equipment to help those on the front line and health workers to protect themselves. The number of doctors and nurses is decreasing, with many contracting the disease. The team suggests that more rigorous and intensive, socially disruptive interventions are needed to suppress transmission to low levels, which include large scale social distancing for months before a vaccine or treatment is available for use. 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 What measures are needed? Some countries have imposed health measures to reduce the transmission of the virus. Macau, for one, had reported that their actions to halt the outbreak are effective since they have no new cases, and most patients have now recovered. China, which imposed the lockdown of Wuhan in Hubei Province, has reported that new infection rates have slowed down, allowing more people to return to their daily routines. In the current absence of vaccines and effective medicines for COVID-19, there are public health measures that countries can apply to slow the spread of COVID-19. These include home isolation of cases, wherein those manifesting symptoms of the disease should remain at home for seven days after the onset of symptoms. Home quarantine measures for all those in close contact with people who have symptoms for 14 days. Social distancing to reduce overall contacts that people have outside their homes, closure of schools and universities, and social distancing for older adults and those with an underlying medical condition. These measures can be implemented alone or in combination. Many countries have already adopted these measures, especially those that are desperate to stem the spread of the virus, including Italy, which has reported the most cases outside China, with 31,506 cases and 2,503 deaths. Meanwhile, the U.K. and the U.S. have yet to impose strict measures to limit population movement and reduce the spread of the deadly virus. We show that in the U.K. and U.S. context, suppression will minimally require a combination of social distancing of the entire population, home isolation of cases, and household quarantine of their family members. This may need to be supplemented by school and university closures. However, it should be recognized that such closures may have negative impacts on health systems due to increased absenteeism, the researchers said. Two scenarios The team modeled available data, and they revealed that depending on the magnitude of the interventions, two possible scenarios. Firstly, interventions or public health measures can help slow the circulation of the infection, but it will not entirely stop its spread. Slowing the infection rates can, however, help reduce the strain and demand on healthcare systems, while protecting vulnerable populations. Outbreaks with this measure are projected to peak over a three to four-month period. Slowing the spread can be done through a combination of home quarantine measures, isolation of cases, and social distancing for at-risk people. These measures can help reduce the peak healthcare demand by as much as two-thirds and reduce the death toll by half. However, the resulting epidemic may still lead to about 250,000 deaths, even overwhelming the healthcare system, particularly intensive care units. The second scenario shows that strict and more intensive interventions can interrupt transmission and reduce the number of infections, but once these interventions become lax, the cases will again rise. Though there are low case numbers in this scenario, a later epidemic might arise in the winter months, unless the interventions can be sustained. In this scenario, which aims to suppress the outbreak, the team revealed that this might need a combination of social distancing of the whole population, home isolation of cases, and household quarantine for family members, and in some cases, shutting down of schools. These measures, however, may tend to become relaxed as the situation becomes better. As a result, cases may again rise, and the government may need to reimpose these measures. For further information, the team believes the data they will acquire from China and South Korea may shed light on which strategy is better in halting the coronavirus outbreak. The current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic is evolving rapidly; governments and societies, therefore, need to be flexible in responding to the challenges it poses, Professor Azra Ghani, Chair in Infectious Disease Epidemiology from the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, said. Our results indicate that widescale social distancing measures that are likely to have a major impact on our day-to-day lives are now necessary to reduce the further spread and prevent our health system from becoming overwhelmed. Close monitoring will be required in the coming weeks and months to ensure that we minimize the health impact of this disease, Ghani added. For these measures to be effective, they would need to last between 12 and 18 months. If these measures are not sustained, new cases might arise again. Image Credit: CDC U.K. and U.S. public health measures The study has advised the government of the U.K. on its response strategy in an attempt to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, which has so far affected more than 150 countries and infected nearly 200,000 people worldwide. The death toll has so now reached almost 8,000 people. Europe has become the new epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, with Italy, German, Spain, and France reporting the most cases. The U.K. has nearly 2,000 cases and 71 deaths related to COVID-19, and to slow down its spread, the government has now encouraged vulnerable people to stay at home and isolate themselves for 12 weeks. The government has also introduced a multitude of quarantine and social distancing recommendations. The United States government also released a 15-day plan to slow the emergence of new infections in the country. The government has imposed restrictions on gatherings of more than ten people or more, and older adults and those with health conditions should self-isolate to protect themselves from the virus. Global COVID-19 situation More than 150 countries have now reported cases of the disease. Italy has the highest number of infections outside China, with 31,506 cases in just one month since its first confirmed case. In the country, which has now been locked down, there were 2,503 deaths. On a more positive note, South Koreas cases are now slowing down, as it was before a hotspot country for the COVID-19 pandemic. There are 8,413 cases and 84 deaths. Europe, however, is now experiencing the rapid spread of the virus. The geography and travel accessibility in the continent have contributed to the vast proliferation of the virus. Spain has 11,826 confirmed cases and 533 deaths, while France has reported 7,695 confirmed cases and 148 deaths. Iran also has a high number of cases, with 16,169 infections and 988 deaths. The United States, meanwhile, experienced a sharp increase of confirmed cases, now topping 6,362 cases and at least 100 deaths. Washington, D.C. remains the epicenter of the outbreak in the country, followed by New York and California. NEW ORLEANS - The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which attracts hundreds of thousands of people for eight days of music, food and culture, has been postponed over coronavirus concerns, officials announced Tuesday. The announcement about one of the citys premier events is the latest in a wave of cancelled or postponed concerts, classes, games and other large-scale events across the country as officials try to contain COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. This years Jazz Fest was expected to feature such international artists as Lizzo, The Who and the Foo Fighters as well as hundreds of musicians from across Louisiana. The annual event started in 1970 and continues to be the anchor of the spring festival season in the citys tourism-dependent economy. The festival attracts about 400,000 people every year, according to its website. The music ranges from Cajun zydeco bands to gospel choirs to brass band jazz and takes place on numerous stages across the fairgrounds and race track where the festival is held. The announcement comes as Louisiana reported its fourth death from the coronavirus Tuesday, with increased testing showed the virus had reached the states capital city and the number of reported cases statewide nearing 200. The latest victim, according to the state health department, was an 80-year-old man who lived at a New Orleans retirement home where at least a dozen people have tested positive for the virus that has proven more lethal for older people than other age groups. Gov. John Bel Edwards earlier said an 84-year-old resident of the retirement home in New Orleans became the third victim. Two other New Orleans residents also have died. Lambeth House was awaiting results on more than a dozen other tests, spokesman Greg Beuerman told The Associated Press. Beuerman said the home requested and received the go-ahead from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to begin on-site testing last week after the first resident who showed symptoms tested positive. He said Lambeth House visitation was restricted. They are free to walk the property. I was just out in the parking lot; there was a gentleman riding his bicycle, there was a woman walking her dog, Beuerman said. Theyre free to be out, but they are not empowered or enabled to congregate or spend time together outside of their individual apartment units. Public health officials stress that the virus is spreading much faster in New Orleans than in other U.S. cities. The governor has ordered K-12 public schools, bars, gyms, casinos and movie theatres to close and has limited restaurants to delivery and takeout until at least April 13. Public gatherings of more than 50 people are banned. All nonessential dental procedures are prohibited. In New Orleans, Mayor LaToya Cantrell issued a proclamation banning all public and private gatherings. Louisiana lawmakers have temporarily adjourned their ongoing legislative session. And the states presidential primary slated for April 4 has been pushed back to June, joining Maryland, Ohio, Kentucky and Georgia in postponing primary elections. The number of positive tests for the virus in Louisiana reached 196 by Tuesday, according to the state health departments latest figures. Most of those confirmed to have the virus are in New Orleans. But there are also cases in the northwest corner of the state. Baton Rouge joined the list Tuesday, when Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome announced a person in her parish tested positive. It is vital that residents adhere to practicing social distancing and self-isolation if you have symptoms, Broome said in a statement. More cases were expected, but testing capacity remained scarce. A drive-thru testing centre set up in Baton Rouge opened Monday, but ran out of testing kits Tuesday after nearly 400 referred patients were tested during the two-day period, Broome said. For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover. Edwards office said hes requested the U.S. Small Business Administration to provide disaster loans for Orleans and Jefferson parishes and plans to ask for such aid for all 64 parishes. The Democratic governor emphasized his restrictions are aimed at slowing the spread of the virus to avoid strain on the health care system. But one GOP congressman was highly critical of Edwards actions. These people that own these businesses, they can make up their own mind. Theyre not stupid, U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins said in a Facebook video. Louisiana law enforcement agencies said they intend to enforce Edwards limitations on events and businesses, releasing a joint statement Tuesday that said violators could see licenses revoked or face citations. Edwards actions are mirroring decisions by governors in other states, which have taken drastic measures upon the urging of public health officials to try and contain the virus spread. Though the Louisiana Legislature adjourned its lawmaking session until March 31, its staff are being required to continue with their usual work schedule in person at the state capitol building unless they are sick, have symptoms of the virus or have come into contact with someone exposed to the virus. That requirements comes though health officials and Edwards are urging people to work from home if possible. ___ Deslatte reported from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. ___ 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. Fortunately, when Colin called his physician's office at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, the office was able to offer reassuring news: It had just unveiled a telemedicine program that would allow him to check in with him for a virtual visit. On Friday, he did just that, chatting with Michael Hochman, M.D., for about 20 minutes about his symptoms. Despite a bad connection I just had a tiny little picture of him, but he could see me, Colin says Hochman was able to get a good grasp of his patient's symptoms and prescribed both an antibiotic (shown to reduce the risk of a flare-up) and a steroid (to treat inflammation that worsens symptoms). It was much friendlier and not as stressful as having to drive 90 minutes and sit in a waiting room with other potentially sick people for what amounts to a 15-minute doctor visit, Colin says. What usually takes an entire afternoon was done in 20 minutes." Scenarios like Colin's are fast becoming the new norm, especially for older adults. Over the last couple of weeks, Hochman's practice has been calling all patients scheduled for wellness and follow-up visits to see if they can convert them to virtual checkups instead. What we want to do is avoid anyone coming into clinic unnecessarily, explains Hochman, director of the Gehr Family Center for Health Systems Science and Innovation at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. Over the last three years, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has encouraged the rise of telemedicine by allowing doctors to bill for their time talking to patients over the phone and doing video chats to help triage medical issues. But for the most part, this has been limited to patients who traditionally have a harder time gaining access to physicians, such as those who live in rural areas. News on expanded Medicare coverage On March 6, the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act was signed into law, which among other things gives the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the authority to temporarily waive certain Medicare requirements for telehealth services. If a Medicare beneficiary is looking for advice, they can call their doctor and receive medical direction on whether they should come into the office for an exam, explained CMS Administrator Seema Verma during an AARP town hall last week. At a press conference on March 17, CMS announced that Medicare will now cover telemedicine for routine follow-up visits as well so if you need to check in with your doctor for a chronic condition such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes, for example, you'll be able to do it via Skype instead of schlepping in for an in-person visit. "It helps us prevent the spread of the virus, Verma explained at a press conference announcing the news, pointing out that the benefits go beyond individual welfare to stemming the tide of coronavirus infections overall. Physicians who take care of older adults, including geriatricians, are thrilled with this development. With the advent of the coronavirus pandemic, there's greater urgency because we do not want to expose our older patients who are more vulnerable to its complications the risk of illness, explains Ronan Factora, M.D., a geriatrician at the Cleveland Clinic. Like many doctors, he is calling his patients to encourage them to book a virtual visit whenever possible. What to expect in a virtual visit In reality, a telehealth appointment is very similar to what would happen in person, Hochman explains. Patients have a scheduled time where they phone in, followed by an email link that takes them to a computer check-in. (USC uses the software program OneTouch.) When the physician is ready to see a patient, both parties are connected via videoconference so that they can see each other. I have their chart in front of me, and we do a medical history, just as we would in a typical visit, Hochman says. A 23-year-old woman college student, who had returned from Bengaluru, was on Wednesday admitted to the Government Hospital here with suspected symptoms of coronavirus. Apart from the student, five more people have been under observation for the disease in the hospital and ESI hospital here. The student had returned to her native place at Kangeyapalayam in the district some days ago after the private college declared a holiday due to the disease. She developed cough and cold and was taken to Government hospital in Sulur near here early Wednesday. With suspected symptoms, the student was then shifted to the government hospital here and her blood samples and swab to the King's Institute in Chennai. Meanwhile, a 35-year-old man from Udumalpet in Tirupur district, who returned from Singapore and quarantined in ESI Hospital on Monday, tested negative and was discharged but he has been asked to be at home for 14 days. District collector K Rajamani inspected the preventive measures taken by the medical team in Walayar bordering Kerala. Rajamani, in a statement, said there are nine checkposts bordering Kerala and all vehicles and passengers are under intensive screening to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Nilgiris district collector J Innocent Divya told reporters in Udhagamandalam there was no coronavirus case reported in the district. However, one person, who returned from Kozhikode in Kerala, was quarantined in the Government Hospital as a preventive measure as he developed cough, she said. She requested the media not to sensationalise the disease instead publish only official version, as people are already panicky due to the pandemic. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As you might know, Haitian International Holdings Limited (HKG:1882) last week released its latest full-year, and things did not turn out so great for shareholders. Results look to have been somewhat negative - revenue fell 3.8% short of analyst estimates at CN9.8b, and statutory earnings of CN1.10 per share missed forecasts by 2.5%. Earnings are an important time for investors, as they can track a company's performance, look at what top analysts are forecasting for next year, and see if there's been a change in sentiment towards the company. So we collected the latest post-earnings statutory consensus estimates to see what could be in store for next year. View our latest analysis for Haitian International Holdings SEHK:1882 Past and Future Earnings, March 18th 2020 Taking into account the latest results, Haitian International Holdings's six analysts currently expect revenues in 2020 to be CN9.94b, approximately in line with the last 12 months. Statutory per share are forecast to be CN1.08, approximately in line with the last 12 months. Before this earnings report, analysts had been forecasting revenues of CN11.0b and earnings per share (EPS) of CN1.27 in 2020. Analysts seem less optimistic after the recent results, reducing their sales forecasts and making a substantial drop in earnings per share forecasts. It'll come as no surprise then, to learn that analysts have cut their price target 8.4% to CN17.19. That's not the only conclusion we can draw from this data however, as some investors also like to consider the spread in estimates when evaluating analyst price targets. The most optimistic Haitian International Holdings analyst has a price target of CN21.74 per share, while the most pessimistic values it at CN12.82. As you can see, analysts are not all in agreement on the stock's future, but the range of estimates is still reasonably narrow, which could suggest that the outcome is not totally unpredictable. Another way to assess these estimates is by comparing them to past performance, and seeing whether analysts are more or less bullish relative to other companies in the market. It's pretty clear that analysts expect Haitian International Holdings's revenue growth will slow down substantially, with revenues next year expected to grow 1.3%, compared to a historical growth rate of 8.7% over the past five years. By way of comparison, other companies in this market with analyst coverage, are forecast to grow their revenue at 12% per year. So it's pretty clear that, while revenue growth is expected to slow down, analysts still expect the wider market to grow faster than Haitian International Holdings. Story continues The Bottom Line The biggest concern with the new estimates is that analysts have reduced their earnings per share estimates, suggesting business headwinds could lay ahead for Haitian International Holdings. Unfortunately, analysts also downgraded their revenue estimates, and our data indicates revenues are expected to perform worse than the wider market. Even so, earnings per share are more important to the intrinsic value of the business. The consensus price target fell measurably, with analysts seemingly not reassured by the latest results, leading to a lower estimate of Haitian International Holdings's future valuation. With that said, the long-term trajectory of the company's earnings is a lot more important than next year. At Simply Wall St, we have a full range of analyst estimates for Haitian International Holdings going out to 2022, and you can see them free on our platform here.. You can also see our analysis of Haitian International Holdings's Board and CEO remuneration and experience, and whether company insiders have been buying stock. 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. Shreeprabha Kshetri (name changed) is in the middle of her second-year studies of the three-year Bachelor of Arts programme offered by the Tribhuvan University. One of her majors is social work; she knows the subject requires a lot of practical skills. But the teachers just teach at class, that too quite superficially, and go off, this student of a private college located in Dillibajaar of Kathmandu says. I joined social work because I saw many people studying this, but I found the course not adequate to make me a social worker, and the teaching methods and available teachers even worse, Kshetri says with a confused face, By the end of the next year, I will graduate, but I am sure I wont be a social worker, professionally. Every year on the third Tuesday of March, World Social Work Day is celebrated globally. Even in Nepal, this day has been celebrated since 2013 though many events were cancelled due to coronavirus fears this year. And, every year on this day, concerned institutions, teachers, and thousands of students of social work, which as an academic course has become a fashion for the urban freshers, raise the agenda of professionalisation of the discipline and state licensing of social workers. The leaders of social work education in Nepal have constantly raised their voices for the identity and professionalisation of social work so that anyoneranging from corporate tycoons to political leaderscannot term their petty welfare activities conducted to achieve some vested interests social work. However, some experts, aware of the mindset of students like Kshetri, still question if Nepal has already achieved the Hfundamentals required for professionalisation. Fault in curricula Since formal education of a social work course at the Bachelors level began in 1996, tens of thousands have already graduated and thousands are still currently pursuing a degree in the colleges affiliated to the Tribhuvan University. However, the scope of the students is limited to the national and international NGOs currently. The knowledge and skills of the discipline are limited to administrative works. While there is a limited scope, also there is confusion on its purpose since the curriculum is not well-evaluated, according to the experts. They argue that the existing social work education has failed to produce an adequate number of sufficiently qualified professional social workers as well as researchers. Dr Raj Yadav, who completed his PhD in social work from the University of Newcastle in Australia, argues that the current and past social work curricula are insufficient to produce skilful professionals. Since the curricula are borrowed from other developed countries blindly, the pedagogy of the discipline is yet to accommodate the Nepali context and it cannot provide the aspiring students with the skills to solve the problems of Nepali society. The courses are designed in a manner without having to go into the details of what kind of social work is needed in Nepal; what social work education is; what its history in Nepali context; what its potentials are and what its weaknesses are. Dr Sujeet Karna, a social anthropology scholar from the University of Hull, voices similar concerns. There is a huge gap between the courses designed and what kind of human resources this subject will produce. The Tribhuvan University is the largest social work teaching institution in Nepal based on affiliation and numbers of the students, with hundreds of colleges teaching thousands of students. While the quantity of aspiring social workers is high in number, the quality of education at the bachelors and masters levels is questionable for these experts. Practice-based profession without proper practice Dr Yadav and Dr Karna believe that social work taught in the classroom is used to provide logical, rather than evidence-based, examples. Dr Karna argues, The social work education should be designed in a way that the students learn the skills from the fieldwork. But many teachers in Nepal do not have the capacity to teach them. They do not know how to use the data that students bring from the field, the result of which affects the overall professional development. Social work is a practice-based subject, says Dr Yadav, The students should learn the skills more from practice and internship. But, with the educators unable to supervise their students, the base of the discipline is still not established. Sanjeev Dahal, a PhD candidate at the Boston College, says, A robust curriculum in social work could guide the process of nourishing social workers who are adequately equipped for professional practice, but there are many other variables in addition to a robust curriculum. The variables include skilled human resources to support the academic endeavour including facilitation of teaching, fieldwork supervision, and availability of opportunities to implement classroom learning into practice through practicum/internships, according to him. Having said that, I do not think the current (and past) social work curricula in Nepal provide that strong guidance needed toward the development of professionals adequately equipped to take on the challenges of social work practice. Only a handful of researchers have emerged during the 24-year journey of social work education in Nepal. Dahal points out that the curricula themselves are limited. I dont think the current (and past) social work curricula in Nepal adequately prepare social work academicians because, first, it is not designed for that purpose. Second, it doesnt sufficiently encourage critical thinking. Third, it doesnt adequately equip students with the skills to be academicians. And, fourth, it doesnt provide deep engagements with theories of social work that are paramount in both direct practice and academic practice. If five out of 50 students become academicians, educational institutions should not get credit, Dr Karna explains. The remaining 45 should also come out as good learners. Multidimensional problems Dr Yadav argues that the current structure of the social work department (in the TU) is not accountable and responsible for the subject or its students. The Ministry of Education and the university, which are at the top of the pyramid, do not seem to be flexible in bringing necessary changes to education. He sounds right as the curriculum of social work offered by the university has recently been reviewed after 19 years. Yadav, the author of Decolonised and Developmental Social Work: A Model of Nepal, a Routledge publication in 2019, argues, The educational history of Nepals social work can be divided into three phases: the beginning phase from 1996 to 2004 when the subject was introduced; the popularity phase from 2004 and 2009 when the subject was expanded, and; the disillusion phase from 2009 onwards. Dr Karna has similar views, The purpose and justification of social work were clear in the beginning. Everyone was working hard, driven by a fear of failure, to make it successful. He argues further that the expansion of the market before extending the discipline to masters and PhD was the primary reason why skilfully qualified educators could not be produced and let alone the qualified professionals could not work in the social settings. The problem of the discipline is not one-dimensional, and, thus, the structure or a person should not be blamed solely. These are complex and multidimensional. But, the people and organisations with leadership roles have become embroiled in internal politics and they are currently ignoring how social work can be improved. In Dahals understanding, many of the educational institutions are running merely to cater to the demands of students and thus generate profit without adequate resources. The problem aggravates with sloppy monitoring and evaluation of the programmes and the curricula that are hardly cohesive. I have heard from students in several institutions that they dont have to go to fieldwork placements; they dont have any books on social work in the library; they are taught social work courses by teachers who are not trained in/exposed to social work, to name a few. Such sharing from students from several institutions, including constituent colleges of the Tribhuvan University, calls for serious attention from stakeholders. Professionalisation or what else? With the issue of professionalisation raised mostly during the Social Work Day celebrations only, Dr Yadav argues that other issues must be dealt with before entering into the discourse. A profession has a certain set of knowledge and skills; more importantly, it has ethics. But our agenda has never included professional ethics of social work in practice, let alone the code of ethics. So the debate of professionalisation is senseless without the foundation of social work. First, there has to be a meeting with the stakeholders the institutions, educators and students and social work graduates to shape these knowledge, skills, and ethics before even entering the debate of professionalisation. According to Dahal, social work in Nepal has no alternatives to being professionalised. Professionalisation is a process that includes building adequate structures and resources including establishing a Council on Social Work, accreditation of social work programmes, training of social work educators and practitioners, investing in inter and intra-national collaborations in social work practice and education. Likewise, it should ensure a robust curriculum and its effective implementation, carrying out researches on the knowledge, attitude, and skills necessary for effective social work practice in relevant areas, among others. By then, Dahal hopes the students like Kshetri will grow confident enough to become real social workers in society. Event organizers were the first to be hit hard. As fear of the spread of COVID-19 began to sweep cities and countries around the world last month, one by one, large conferences with long uninterrupted histories -- Mobile World Congress, SXSW -- began reluctantly pulling the plug on their plans. It wasn't just a shock for these organizations; it will cost them and the vendors with which they work and surrounding service providers like hotels and car services millions of dollars in lost revenue. Little wonder that many of those involved in the planning of such events are now testing the power of force majeure clauses, which are a typical provision in contracts that excuses a partys performance of its obligations when confronted with circumstances beyond its control. Yet they won't be alone for long. With every passing day, it's become clear that event organizers were just the proverbial canaries in the coal mine. As the world shuts down and people are urged to quarantine themselves, it seems no one will be spared from COVID-19 -- not from its economic impact anyway. That includes startups and venture capital firms. Indeed, as the global markets tank, many of the institutions that fuel the venture capital industry are seeing their assets hammered. At some point, money flow to venture funds -- and from funds to startups -- could well become a problem. Startup lawyers see it coming, too. Nate Cooper, a member of Cooley's 1,100-attorney-strong firm, says it's "mostly just clients right now, coming to us, anticipating this or that," but he also says that because the "impact to the financial markets has obviously been significant," there exists the "potential for disagreement about whether it's enough to force changes to a financing agreement or suspend the timing of payment." Whether they can rely on force majeure clauses is less certain. Even for conference organizers or participants, he says, the "devil is in the details." For one thing, most force majeure clauses enumerate as applicable acts of God or government actions, but there's no precedent for whether a pandemic qualifies as an "act of God" unlike flash floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters, where there is precedent. Story continues Further, while some governments, as in Italy, have banned outright public gatherings, other governments are merely strongly advising populations not to gather in numbers. "Depending on the specific provision, there can be a lot of gray," says Cooper. As it pertains the startup industry, these types of issues aren't bubbling up quite yet, but Cooper notes you could "see a situation where you're raising a round or it closed, and the investors no longer like the deal, or where the "acquisition of capital is necessary to perform a contract, and there are concerns about that regarding the timing." Of course, absent a market turnaround, these scenarios will no longer remain theoretical, and when that happens, Cooper hopes people will try diplomacy first. "You have the legal side of things, and the human side, and the more persuasive is the human side," he says. "Everybody recognizes we're in uncharted territory; everyone needs to be flexible." If you're curious to learn more, Cooley just shot out a client alert to help its business customers understand better whether they can use the force majeure clauses in their own contracts to protect themselves -- and what its limitations are. It's worth a read for anyone wondering whether these contractual caveats might rescue them from writing a check to a startup or a venture fund at a less-than-ideal time. Certainly, the firm suggests it's unlikely. As says one section of the alert, "[I]n the aftermath of the 2008 financial crises, courts consistently concluded that market forces do not count as force majeure. While there were exceptions to this, it was generally because the specific force majeure clause contained nonstandard language (such as a reference to a 'change in economic conditions') that might apply to financial turmoil." The general rule, suggests Cooley, is that a harrowing market doesn't qualify as an unforeseeable circumstance that prevents someone from fulfilling a contract -- even if what precipitated it was as hard as this one to imagine. More people have walked on the Moon than have visited the bottom of the Mariana Trench. (stock photo) A UK-US travel firm intends to take six "civilian" voyagers to the deepest point on the planet, billed as "the most exclusive destination on Earth". According to the website Elite Traveller, for 620,000 adventurers can go to Challenger Deep, the deepest point in the ocean, in the 1,580-mile-long Mariana Trench in the Pacific. More people have walked on the Moon than have visited the bottom of the Mariana Trench, which is 35,853ft - nearly seven miles - below the ocean's surface. Only seven people have been there, among them James Cameron, the film director responsible for Titanic (1997). In 2012 he became the first person in 50 years to descend to the bottom. The travel company EYOS Expeditions is working with Caladan Oceanic to allow three tourists along. They will require no formal training, but will have to spend up to 14 hours in the Limiting Factor submersible, which has already dived to the location five times. The descent will take four hours and divers will spend four hours on the ocean bed. High demand for preventive machine condition monitoring from industry executives has become a major contributor towards growth of the condition monitoring system market. DUBAI, UAE / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / The global condition monitoring system market is set for an impressive 9.5% CAGR during the forecast period (2019-2029), as projected by a new report of Future Market Insights (FMI). Leading market players are investing in the integration of software with systems, with greater emphasis on recording performance data. "With the need for highly accurate results in petrochemical and power generation facilities, manufacturers are pushing for the development of condition monitoring software which facilitates in-house integration," states the FMI report. Request report sample with 250+ pages to gain in-depth insights https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1046 Condition Monitoring System Market: Key Findings Portable machine diagnostics will remain highly preferred; driven by the demand for reducing operational time. Vibration analysis and oil analysis will account for more than 55% of the total market revenue. Adoption in the oil & gas industry will generate lucrative opportunities, driven by an upsurge in exploration activity. North America and Europe will remain at the forefront of the condition monitoring system market. Asian market will display strong growth owing to high industrial output. Condition Monitoring System Market: Key Driving Factors The integration of condition monitoring software with computer based maintenance systems is a key growth driver. Increasing adoption of portable machine diagnostic tools continues to complement the market growth . Increasing focus by end use industries on maintenance to cut down asset downtime is fueling market growth. The development of power generation facilities and the resultant demand for condition monitoring systems is driving market growth. Automotive & transportation and chemical industry applications are major drivers for global demand. Condition Monitoring System Market - Key Restraints Inadequacy of trained technical human resources for data analytics applications is a key restraint to market growth. Explore the complete condition monitoring system market report with 172 illustrative figures, 41 data tables, and the table of contents. Also find detailed market segmentation on https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-1046 Competition Landscape of Condition Monitoring System Market Some of the key players in the global condition monitoring system landscape that are covered in this study include, but are not limited to, SKF, Fluke Corporation, Fuji Electric, Rockwell Automation Inc., Siemens AG, Parker Hannifin Corp., ABB, General Electric, Honeywell International Inc., Meggit PLC, and others. Leading manufacturers remain focused on bolstering their product portfolios. Manufacturers are also targeting collaborations with end user industries to strengthen their foundation in the global condition monitoring system market. More About the Report This Future Market Insights' study of 300 pages offers actionable insights on the condition monitoring system market. The market analysis is based on technique (vibrational analysis, corrosion monitoring, infrared thermography, ultrasound testing, motor condition monitoring, and oil analysis), operation (route-based monitoring, portable machine diagnosis, online machine monitoring, online machine protection, and factory assurance tests), and end-use (oil & gas, power generation, aerospace & defense, automotive & transportation, marine, mining & metal, food & beverages, chemicals & petrochemicals) across seven regions (Latin America, North America, Europe, South Asia, East Asia, Oceania, and MEA). Explore Extensive Coverage of FMI's Industrial Automation & Equipment Landscape Industrial Magnetrons Market- Obtain valuable insights on the global industrial magnetrons market with exhaustive segmental analysis, market statistics, key influencing factors, prominent players and critical developmental strategies adopted by them for a predefined projection period. Conveyor Maintenance Market- FMI's report on the global conveyor maintenance market offers an in-depth commentary on the market poised for prolific growth during 2016-2026. The study covers comprehensive evaluation of key impacting forces, revenue sources, and market leaders along with instrumental market strategies. Robotic Gripper Market- Get a deep-dive analysis on the global robotic gripper market with crucial insights on growth levers, opportunities, restraints, regulatory policies, regional market forecast and key forte of market leaders. About Future Market Insights (FMI) Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India. FMI's latest market research reports and industry analysis help businesses navigate challenges and take critical decisions with confidence and clarity amidst breakneck competition. Contact: Abhishek Budholiya Unit No: AU-01-H Gold Tower (AU), Plot No: JLT-PH1-I3A, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates MARKET ACCESS DMCC Initiative For Sales Enquiries: sales@futuremarketinsights.com For Media Enquiries: press@futuremarketinsights.com Market Report: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/condition-monitoring-system-market Press Release Source: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/press-release/condition-monitoring-system-market SOURCE: Future Market Insights View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/581329/FMI-Forecasts-Robust-Sales-of-Condition-Monitoring-System-Through-2029-Application-in-Vibration-and-Oil-Analysis-Account-for-55-Demand VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2020 / Organto Foods Inc. (TSXV:OGO)(OTC:OGOFF) ("Organto" or "the Company"), an integrated provider of fresh organic vegetables and fruits today provided an update on commercial operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Steve Bromley, CEO, Rients van der Wal, COO & CEO of Organto Europe B.V, and Peter Gianulis, Executive Vice President, will be hosting an investor call on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 at 11:00 am EST to discuss current market conditions and operations during the pandemic. Business Operations During COVID-19 Pandemic With the health and wellness of the Company's personnel, customers, business partners and communities top of mind, all personnel working from Organto's commercial office located in Breda, the Netherlands plus other international locations are working remotely and are not required to attend offices. In addition, all business-related travel has been suspended and technology is being utilized to facilitate ongoing communications with personnel and commercial partners. The Company's information technology and communication systems permit full operational and administrative capabilities from remote locations and are working as intended per the Company's continuity plan. Demand for food at retail locations remains strong throughout key European markets, as consumers shift from eating outside the home to eating at home during the pandemic. Governments are focused on keeping essential businesses operational including retail foods businesses, and to this point there have not been disruptions in the Company's supply chains. While some European countries have closed their borders to human traffic, to this point essential commercial cargo has not been significantly impacted and continues to flow across international borders. Demand for Organto's key products is very strong, and the Company believes its supply chain is well positioned to continue to provide nutritious organic food products as all customers, suppliers, warehousing and logistics partners continue to operate. Every effort is being taken to ensure that critical foods supply is maintained during these difficult times and into the future, in order to meet this increased demand. Organto continues to carefully monitor developments and will adapt further policies and practices and update stakeholders as new information becomes available. Investor Update Call - Monday, March 18, 2020 at 11:00 AM EST Organto plans to host a conference call at 11:00 AM EST on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 to discuss current market conditions and operations during the pandemic period. After opening remarks there will be a question and answer period. This call may be accessed through one of the following numbers: U.S.: +1 929 436 2866 U.K.: +44 203 481 5237 Germany: +49 695 050 2596 Canada: +1 647 558 0588 Netherlands: +31 20 794 0854 Please enter the following Meeting ID#459706742. Alternatively, you can enter the Zoom portal by the following link at https://zoom.us/j/459706742. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, Steve Bromley Chair and Interim Chief Executive Officer 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. For more information contact: Investor Relations 604-634-0970 1-888-818-1364 info@organto.com ABOUT ORGANTO Organto's business model is rooted in its commitment to sustainable business practices focused on environmental responsibility and a commitment to the communities where it operates, its people and its shareholders. The Organto Foods Group is an integrated provider of year-round value-added branded organic vegetables and seasonal organic and non-GMO fruit and vegetable products using an asset-light business model to serve a growing socially responsible and health conscious consumer around the globe. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release may include certain forward-looking information and statements, as defined by law including without limitation Canadian securities laws and the "safe harbor" provisions of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 ("forward-looking statements"). In particular, and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements respecting Organto's business model and markets; Organto's commitment to the health and wellness of its personnel, customers, business partners and communities; Organto's belief that demand at European retail remains strong; Organto's belief that certain governments are focused on keeping food retail businesses and supply chains operational; Organto's belief that supply chain partners will continue to operate and the Company is well positioned to provide nutritious organic foods products; management's beliefs, assumptions and expectations; and general business and economic conditions. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions that may prove to be incorrect, including without limitation assumptions about the following: the ability and time frame within which Organto's business model will be implemented and product supply will be increased; cost increases; dependence on suppliers, partners and contractual counter-parties; changes in the business or prospects of Organto; unforeseen circumstances; risks associated with the organic produce business generally, including inclement weather, unfavorable growing conditions, low crop yields, variations in crop quality, spoilage, import and export laws and similar risks; transportation costs and risks; general business and economic conditions; and ongoing relations with distributors, customers, employees, suppliers, consultants, contractors and partners. The foregoing list is not exhaustive and Organto undertakes no obligation to update any of the foregoing except as required by law. SOURCE: Organto Foods Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/581347/Organto-Provides-Update-on-Operations-During-COVID-19-Pandemic Shares slumped yet again on Wednesday as investors struggled to be inspired by global stimulus pledges. The FTSE 100 closed down another 4 per cent, or 214.3 points, just holding its head above the psychological 5,000 mark at 5,080.6. Its sister index, the FTSE 250 gave a big thumbs down to the Chancellor's rescue package yesterday, closing a further 7 per cent in the red at 13,008.2. In the US, the S&P 500 fell 5.2 per cent and the Dow Jones dropped 6.3 per cent. In company news, supermarket giant Morrisons cautioned that it was facing 'unprecedented challenges and uncertainty' dealing with the coronavirus. The grocer said that over the last fortnight, there has been considerable stocking up by customers. Pub operator Marston's says that it was preparing for a 'significant' sales hit because of the coronavirus. The NHS has warned people to stay away from pubs and restaurants to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 illness. British fashion brand Superdry said on Wednesday it would miss its 2020 targets due to the coronavirus. It said 78 stores were shut due to government-mandated closures in Europe, which accounts for 40 per cent of its weekly sales forecasts. Former vice president Joe Biden continued his string of primary victories on Tuesday, scoring wins in Florida, Illinois, and Arizona, beating out Vermont senator Bernie Sanders in at least two states. There are 441 delegates up for grabs between them, though the final distribution won't be determined until all votes are in. Before this latest round of votes, Biden was leading with 898 delegates to Sanders's 745. Biden's latest wins come as the country is in the grip of the novel coronavirus pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is urging people to avoid gatherings of more than 50 people, which would realistically make most polling locations off limits. No officials in Arizona, Florida, or Illinois chose to reschedule their states' primaries, forcing voters to choose between abstaining from voting or potentially endangering themselves and their loved ones. Originally, Ohio was supposed to also hold its presidential primary on Tuesday, but Republican governor Mike DeWine ordered the election be pushed back to early June in light of the coronavirus outbreaka judge briefly overruled DeWine, but ultimately the head of the state's Health Department declared that opening the polls would constitute a "health emergency." Ohio joins Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, and Kentucky in pushing back its primary date in light of the coronavirus outbreak. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is staunchly opposed to states changing their primaries though. Chair Tom Perez said in a statement that changing dates over public health concerns risks "confusion, which could lead to disenfranchising voters." The DNC also has rules that penalize any state that has failed to hold its primary before June 9 by cutting its number of delegates in half. According to the New York Times, officials in all three states hoped that any drop-off resulting from fears of coronavirus would be offset by mail-in ballots and early voting. But the coronavirus outbreak has also made holding primaries much more logistically difficult. In Illinois, for example, multiple polling locations closed because they were located in nursing homes or other areas that are especially vulnerable. Many election judges and volunteers reportedly pulled out at the last minute, and BuzzFeed News reports that the city of Chicago asked "able-bodied voters" to act as last-minute poll workers. On top of everything else, many locations lacked even hand sanitizer. In Florida, according to Politico, a single county had 175 volunteers, many of them senior citizens, quit in the days leading up to the primary. Story continues Sanders failed to win any of these states in 2016, and Biden was expected to win all three states. The former vice president had a lead of 40 points in Florida polling, a little under 29 points in Illinois, and 18 points in Arizona. The Great Buenos Aires Bank Heist They were an all-star crew. They cooked up the perfect plan. And when they pulled off the caper of the century, it made them more than a fortuneit made them folk heroes. Originally Appeared on GQ F ilming on EastEnders and BBC Studios dramas including Casualty, Doctors, Holby City, Pobol y Cwm and River City will be postponed until further notice, the BBC has said. In a statement about EastEnders, the corporation said: In light of the spread of Covid-19, after much consideration, it has been decided that filming on EastEnders will be postponed until further notice. "The decision was made after the latest Government update. We will continue to follow the latest news and advice from the World Health Organisation and Public Health England. "We have also taken the decision to reduce the amount of episodes we broadcast each week to two, so that we can ensure the audience can continue to enjoy EastEnders in their homes for as long as possible. EastEnders comebacks 1 /9 EastEnders comebacks The boys are back in town: Ross Kemp, who played balding bruiser Grant Mitchell in EastEnders has been convinced by TV bosses to return to the soap...

A All pictures PA The boys are back in town: Ross Kemp, who played balding bruiser Grant Mitchell in EastEnders has been convinced by TV bosses to return to the soap... ; All pictures PA Lesley Grantham, aka Dirty Den, was another character to return to Albert Square after years away - much to the shock of his on-screen family who'd buried him. Lesley Grantham, aka Dirty Den, was another character to return to Albert Square after years away - much to the shock of his on-screen family who'd buried him. Kat Slater is currently holidaying in the sun after leaving poor Alfie, but in real life Jessie Wallace had time off after the birth of her daughter Tallulah. Kat Slater is currently holidaying in the sun after leaving poor Alfie, but in real life Jessie Wallace had time off after the birth of her daughter Tallulah. Letitia Dean who has played Sharon Watts in the soap since 1985 has had more breaks than Dirty Den's had affairs. But will she come back again? Letitia Dean who has played Sharon Watts in the soap since 1985 has had more breaks than Dirty Den's had affairs. But will she come back again? Dot's junkie son the nasty Nick Cotton, played by John Altman, is another original character who 'disappeared' and then reappeared as if by soap magic. Dot's junkie son the nasty Nick Cotton, played by John Altman, is another original character who 'disappeared' and then reappeared as if by soap magic. The Mitchell matriarch played by Barbara Windsor has had more than a year away from the soap due to ill-health, but she's due back as well... hurrah! The Mitchell matriarch played by Barbara Windsor has had more than a year away from the soap due to ill-health, but she's due back as well... hurrah! And finally, the oldest Mitchell brother, Phil, made his EastEnders comeback last night. Who can wait to see the boys in action again?.. And finally, the oldest Mitchell brother, Phil, made his EastEnders comeback last night. Who can wait to see the boys in action again?.. A similar statement was released to add that all other BBC Studios productions - Casualty, Doctors, Holby City, Pobol y Cwm and River City - will also be postponed. The BBC's drastic measures come after it was reported that ITV bosses have "banned kissing scenes" on the set of Coronation Street in a bid to curb the spread of the virus. Halted: Coronation Street is altering certain scenes / PA "Coronation Street shoots about six to eight weeks in advance, so viewers might see some kissing in the next month or so, but the scenes theyre shooting right now will have nothing of the sort in. They are taking no chances," a source told The Sun. "The longer they can keep cast and crew well, the better, and if a storyline has to suffer slightly by losing a kiss so be it. ITV said: Scenes with kissing or close contact are being altered to minimise contact. The decision comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned the general public against mass gatherings, urging people to avoid pubs, clubs and theatres for the foreseeable future to prevent coronavirus being spread further. The cars began lining up early Tuesday morning in Birmingham as hundreds of people waited for a coronavirus test at Jefferson Countys only drive-through testing clinic. The clinic had been moved that morning to the Church of the Highlands larger Grandview campus in Birmingham, but it quickly became overwhelmed. Officials shut down the clinic within two hours, as the line of cars stretched for more than a mile down U.S. 280 and blocked nearby hospital traffic. Assistant Pastor Layne Schranz said the testing site had hit capacity thousands too many before it even opened. Coronavirus testing is off to a rocky start in Alabama due to a shortage of testing kits thats hampering testing efforts nationwide. State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris announced Tuesday morning that the state currently has six testing sites open, although one of those appeared to be the Jefferson County site that abruptly shut down. Harris said he hoped another 5-10 sites would open by the end of the week, but the barrier to that has been being able to obtain supplies like personal protective equipment, swabs for testing and the like. We have a particularly acute issue in our state, as do most states right now, with obtaining specimen swabs needed to test people for coronavirus," he said. Staff at one rural medical center in Bibb County, while explaining their preparedness to Al.com, said they had materials to test only two patients. The entire country is clamoring for coronavirus testing supplies that are hard to find, at least for the average person. And because the federal government was slow to allow private sector coronavirus tests, the United States has been able to test far fewer people than countries like South Korea. Most Alabamians who have symptoms dont have a way to get tested other than showing up at their local emergency rooms, something public health officials have warned against. At the few clinics open for testing, long lines and high demand dwarf the clinics capacity. In Birmingham, the drive-thru clinic operated by the Church of the Highlands medical ministry once again reached capacity of 500 patients on Wednesday before the clinic opened. In Montgomery, a hotline run by Baptist Health took 680 calls on Monday. Its clinic was able to schedule 65 drive-up appointments and tested about 20 people who met testing criteria. Baptist Health CEO Russ Tyner said Monday that the clinic had about 180 test kits. In Lee County, the East Alabama Medical Centers hotline has fielded more than 1,000 calls since Friday and some calls arent making it through due to volume, said the hospitals marketing director, John Atkinson. The hospital operates a drive-thru coronavirus collection clinic by appointment only at nearby HealthPlus. All 40 time slots were filled Monday and all 60 spots were filled Tuesday, Atkinson said. In Huntsville, plans for a drive-thru testing clinic were scuppered this week after Huntsville Hospital officials said they couldnt get enough tests to meet expected demand. Were having an issue with lab vendors ability to consistently supply test kits, said David Spillers, CEO of Huntsville Hospital System, in a press conference Tuesday afternoon. None of us want to open up a drive-thru only to find out weve got 50 test kits, because more people than that may show up. He said the hospital system wants to have a minimum of 200 test kits per day available before opening a drive-thru clinic. On Wednesday, Pam Hudson, CEO of Crestwood Medical Center in Huntsville, said the lack of testing kits has been the biggest barrier to her hospital getting a testing clinic up and running. "Its important to note that the limiting step is the availability of the test kits and the ability to get tests run so we get back timely results, she said. We will be required to have some sort of physician order or healthcare provider order in order to get the tests. It won't be up to your discretion and we certainly don't want to use any test kits on folks that are asymptomatic." Hudson said there were lessons learned for Huntsville officials from watching the long lines and high demand at the Birmingham drive-thru clinic. Alabama labs offer testing kits But help may be on the way. Two Alabama-based labs joined the fray this week, rolling out their own test kits. Huntsville-based lab Diatherix announced Tuesday that it has developed a one-day test kit for the virus that can be ordered by physicians. The company is based at Huntsvilles HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology. Spillers said Huntsville Hospital has been in contact with Diatherix about possibly using the tests, and Madison County Commission Chair Dale Strong touted the labs capabilities in a press conference Wednesday. The University of Alabama at Birminghams Department of Pathology has been collaborating with Childrens of Alabama to develop its own coronavirus test in response to the nationwide scarcity. This test should be available by the end of the week and will allow us to begin processing 100 tests per day, said Sixto Leal, assistant professor at UAB Pathology, who is leading the effort. The tests will first be available just for patients at UAB hospital, but Leal said he hopes that within three to four weeks his lab will be able to run 800 tests per day, opening it up to other physicians or clinics. ALBANY Initially stunned by an unprecedented government order that shut down most of their industry, restaurateurs pivoted quickly this week to address two new fronts: operating on a takeout/delivery-only basis, for those that choose to do so, and finding ways to help. For the latter, that meant assistance for both the general public, some of whom are facing new or worsened food insecurity, and for hourly restaurant employees who are suddenly out of work. Its all part of the mindset of much of an industry that considers its job to be taking care of people, not just providing food and beverage. In restaurant parlance, patrons are guests rather than mere customers. On Tuesday, an organization called Feed Albany was launched by restaurant and business executives and a local official. It is soliciting donations with the goal of providing at-risk people with free or low-cost meals and offering unemployed restaurant workers the chance to receive financial assistance by preparing and distributing food throughout the Capital Region. The first meals are projected to be available Friday, organizers said. In addition to soliciting financial donations from the public and seeking government and private grants, Feed Albany is asking restaurants with commercial kitchens, now unused or largely dormant, to donate their use for meal preparation. The nascent organizations website, feedalbany.com, has sections for people to apply for meals, unemployed restaurant workers to volunteer time in exchange for financial assistance and restaurateurs to offer kitchen space. In less than a day, several kitchens had signed up, as had more than 30 volunteers, organizers said. The goal is to have at least six kitchens producing food. MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE Coronavirus live updates A guide to grocery delivery service during coronavirus Subscribe to our coronavirus newsletter. Feed Albanys founders are Joe Bonilla, managing partner and co-founder of the marketing firm Relentless Awareness, which counts members of the food and beverage industry among its clients; Matthew T. Peter, executive director of the Albany Parking Authority and an Albany County legislator; Jason and Kay Pierce, co-owners of Savoy Taproom in Albany; and Dominick Purnomo, wine director and co-owner of the Albany restaurants Yonos and dp: An American Brasserie. Purnomo is also involved with another effort being introduced this week: Tip Your Bartender. The site, at tipyourbartender.online, allows the public to donate online directly to the personal PayPal or Venmo accounts of bartenders, servers, chefs and cooks. (The effort has also reserved the URLs tipyourserver.online, tipyourchef.online and tipyourcook.online; all redirect to the main site.) Officially due to launch Friday, Tip Your Bartender is soliciting profiles from area restaurant workers that site visitors will be able to browse among and select for tips, in $5 increments; and it is seeking donations of gift cards from restaurants and other businesses that will be raffled off daily. When the site went live, dp/Yonos and Plumb Oyster Bar in Troy had committed gift cards. Also involved with Tip Your Bartender are Jeff Buell and Jessica Sheridan of Redburn Development, which has committed $80 million to a 10-building renovation deal in restaurant-rich downtown Albany; and Heidi Knoblauch, owner of Plumb. As a prelaunch incentive, Redburn promised $2,000 would be donated to restaurant workers through the site, Buell said in a Tuesday video introducing Tip Your Bartender. Bonilla, who is also helping with this effort, said Relentless Awareness would donate $500 in tips. Servers and bartenders are among those expected to be particularly hard hit by the ban on bar and dine-in service. As tipped employees, most are paid the minimum of $7.85 per hour, though gratuities in many cases bring their wages to $20 or $25 per hour or higher. According to academic and industry research, tipped food-service employees are twice as likely as the rest of the working population to live paycheck to paycheck. A group of Saratoga Springs restaurateurs has been meeting this week to set up a fund to aid unemployed restaurant workers in an around the Spa City, and some individual restaurants, including Sunhees Farm & Kitchen in Troy, have already launched online fundraising pages for their donations to their staff. Our restaurant critic, Susie Davidson Powell, has been assembling a list of takeout and delivery options for restaurants and food businesses around the greater Capital Region. Below are several; if you have any you would like to add, comment on the Table Hopping blog post blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping about takeout and delivery specials. ("Curbside" indicates curbside delivery.) Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Cuckoos Nest (Albany): Offering to-go menus, delivery, curbside, gift certificates, wine Crave (Albany): Offering to-go menus, delivery, curbside, gift certificates Hamlet & Ghost (Saratoga Springs): Offering to-go menus, delivery, curbside, gift certificates, booze 288 Lark (Albany): Offering gift certificates Solevo (Saratoga Springs): Offering to-go menus, curbside, gift certificates, wine, dry goods Milano (Latham): Offering to-go menus, delivery, curbside, gift certificates, wine Lark St. Poke (Albany): Offering to-go menus, delivery, curbside, gift certificates, booze Malcolms (Schenectady): Offering to-go menus, curbside, gift certificates, wine Nighthawks (Troy): Offering to-go menus, delivery, curbside, gift certificates, wine Gracies (Catskill): Offering to-go menus, curbside, gift certificates, online store Sunhees (Troy): Offering to-go menus, delivery, curbside, gift certificates, dry goods Perfect Blend (Delmar): Offering to-go menus, curbside, dry goods Franklin Alley (Troy): Offering to-go menus, delivery, curbside, booze Collar City Cold Pressed (Troy): Offering delivery, curbside Troy Kitchen (Troy): Offering to-go menus, curbside, gift certificates The Daisy (Troy): Offering to-go menus, curbside, gift certificates Delaware Supply (Albany): Offering to-go menus, curbside, gift certificates Albany Ale & Oyster (Albany): Offering to-go menus, curbside, gift certificates, wine, beer New World Bistro Bar (Albany): Offering to-go menus, delivery to Albany and Delmar locations, curbside, gift certificates, wine, beer 3Fish (Albany): Offering to-go menus, curbside, gift certificates Grahams Coffee (Schenectady): Offering to-go menus, curbside, gift certificates Walt & Whitman (Saratoga Springs): Offering to-go menus, curbside, gift certificates, wine, beer Hennings Local (Catskill): Offering to-go menus, curbside, gift certificates Mermaid Cafe (Catskill): Offering to-go menus, delivery, curbside, gift certificates June Farms (Averill Park): Offering gift certificates Nine Pin Cider (Albany): Offering to-go menus, curbside, gift certificates Alb. Distilling Co. (Albany): Offering to-go menus, curbside, gift certificates, booze Dyad (Kinderhook): Offering to-go menus, curbside, gift certificates, wine, beer Saissoner (Kinderhook): Offering to-go menus, curbside, gift certificates, wine, beer Plumb Oyster Bar (Troy): Offering cocktail delivery only Wishing Well (Wilton): Offering occasional takeout dinners, gift certificates Docs (Glens Falls): Offering curbside, gift certificates AJs Pizzeria (West Sand Lake): Offering to-go options, gift certificates El Loco (Albany): Offering to-go options, gift certificates Rip Van Winkle Brewing (Catskill): Offering gift certificates Superior Merch (Troy): Offering online store, gift certificates Front Street Social (Ballston Spa): Offering takeout, delivery, gift certificates Bartlett House (Ghent): Offering takeout, gift certificates Crossroads Food Shop (Hillsdale): Offering gift certificates Bake 4 U (Delmar/Slingerlands): Offering to-go menus, curbside, gift certificates Rivertown (Hudson): Offering to-go menus, curbside, gift certificates, wine Lucas Confectionery/Pecks (Troy): Offering to-go menus, delivery, curbside, gift certificates, wine Pieconic (Chatham): Offering to-go menus, curbside Talbott & Arding (Hudson): Offering to-go menus, curbside, gift certificates, wine Carmens (Troy): Offering to-go menus, delivery (weekends only) Twisted Vine (Delmar): Offering delivery to Delmar and Slingerlands area, online ordering, curbside, gift certificates, wine, beer Local chambers of commerce and business improvement districts have been collecting similar details from their members, and those lists are continually being updated. Some sites to visit: Shortly after opening in green, the domestic equity indices on Wednesday continued to erase early gains extending the sell-off as global markets failed to hold on to gains and resumed their downward spiral amid coronavirus fears. The BSE Sensex plunged over 1000 points and the broader NSE Nifty 50 was down over 200 points. At 12:40 pm, Sensex slipped 1,170.32 points or 3.74% to trade at 29,429.50, while Nifty was down 238 points or 2.7% at 8,728. The drop comes in the backdrop of number of coronavirus cases in India rising to 147 and the Supreme Court lashing out at the Department of Telecom (DoT) for its plea seeking approval for staggered payment of adjusted gross revenues (AGR) dues by telecom companies. Nifty Bank fell 4.5%, Vodafone Idea dropped 37% and Bharti Infratel slipped 13% post the Supreme Court order. The apex court made it clear that there could not be another attempt at calculating the AGR dues of telecom companies. Shares of Yes Bank traded 6% higher at Rs 62.15 apiece after hitting an intra-day high of Rs 87.85 on the BSE. Of 30 Sensex shares, 26 were in the red. Hours before markets began operating, rating agency S&P Global Ratings lowered Indias economic growth forecast to 5.2% for 2020, saying the global economy is entering a recession amid the coronavirus pandemic. The agency had earlier projected a growth rate of 5.7% during the 2020 calendar. (With agency inputs) Johns Hopkins University press will make 1,400 books and 97 journals accessible for free for the remainder of the spring semester to both students and the general public via the Project MUSE platformthe latest in a number of university presses making similar arrangements. Starting March 18, all JHU Press content currently hosted on the Project MUSE platform will be freely available to readers worldwide until at least May 31. Other presses who have taken similar steps are Ohio State University Press (all books and journals), University of Nebraska Press (all books and journals), University of North Carolina Press (all books), Temple University Press (all books), and Vanderbilt University Press (selected books). MUSE expects to announce new participants and will continually update a list of publishers offering free access to content. Serving the needs of libraries, publishers, and scholars has been core to the MUSE mission since day one, said Wendy Queen, the director of Project MUSE. The global Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in enormous and rapid changes to the lives of all our constituents, with the need to adapt daily to new methods of communicating and working. MUSE is grateful for the opportunity to support our community through this crisis, as a hub to connect users and the content they need, from wherever they can. The move represents one of many major changes in strategy among publishers of all kinds in response to the Covid-19 global pandemic. It is only the latest major action taken by Johns Hopkins University as a whole in response to the novel coronavirus; the school's Center for Health Security is currently one of the most consistent and factual sources of current information on the pandemic, and offers a daily newsletter with updates for those hoping to keep abreast of the situation. Access to the best research and scholarship is essential for students completing their studies, for faculty members in their teaching and research, for policy makers weighing critical decisions, and for health professionals working to save lives, JHU Press director Barbara Kline Pope wrote in a message to the JHU Press community. It is comforting and empowering during this uncertain time to do everything we can to stay true to our mission and to help each other navigate unprecedented challenges to daily lifeincluding being a student and conducting research. In the fourth ceasefire violation in as many days, the Pakistan Army on Wednesday resorted to intense mortar shelling on forward areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, a defence spokesman said. At about 11.45 am, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by small arms firing and intense shelling with mortars in Shahpur and Kirni sectors. The Indian Army is retaliating befittingly, the spokesman said. He said there was no report of any casualty on the Indian side in the Pakistani firing so far. The shelling from Pakistan was heavy, causing panic among the border residents, a police official said adding that the firing from across the border forced the people to stay in underground bunkers for their safety. This was the fourth ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the LoC in the district since Sunday. Earlier, Pakistan targeted Shahpur, Kirni, Qasba, Mankote and Mendhar sectors. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) For more coverage, visit our complete coronavirus section here. As the United States comes to terms with a new reality in the midst of a nationwide coronavirus outbreak, many are looking abroad to see which measures have actually helped slow the spread of COVID-19. While Italy is currently the "worst-case scenario" for the United States, the small Italian town of Vo has not reported any new cases of COVID-19 since last Friday and the spread of the illness has been completely stopped there. Vo, a town of 3,300 just outside Venice, was part of an experiment that involved aggressive testing and quarantine measures. Every single resident was tested for coronavirus in late February when Northern Italy was first rocked by the outbreak, and three percent of inhabitants were found to be carrying the virus. Andrea Crisanti, an infections expert at Imperial College London, was involved with the experiment and told news outlets that half of the carriers exhibited no symptoms. In the UK, there are a whole lot of infections that are completely ignored, Crisanti told the Financial Times. We were able to contain the outbreak here because we identified and eliminated the submerged infections and isolated them. That is what makes the difference. Anyone who tested positive was placed under quarantine, as were individuals that came into recent contact with the infected. The town's residents were then tested again 10 days later, and just .3 percent of the population was found to be carrying the virus. However, at least six infected individuals were asymptomatic and would not have been tested in most other countries. This experiment obviously cannot be replicated on a larger scale especially as the United States is currently failing to test even those displaying symptoms but Crisanti believes that testing asymptomatic individuals may be the key to stopping the spread. "It is clear that you cannot test all Italians but you can test people close to those who are asymptomatic," Crisanti told Sky News. "We must use asymptomatic cases as an alarm bell to widen our action." Crisanti also warned Sky News that, "for every patient that shows symptoms for COVID-19 there were about 10 who don't." Mass asymptomatic testing has also helped South Korea withstand the epidemic without the major city-wide shelter-in-place orders, restaurant closures and travel restrictions being implemented elsewhere. The number of new cases in South Korea has been steadily decreasing in recent days, in large part due to the fact that the country can test tens of thousands of people per day. As of Tuesday, the United States has tested 60,000 people total. MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE: Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here. Eric Ting is an SFGATE digital reporter. Email: eric.ting@sfgate.com | Twitter:@_ericting RBC commits $2-million in support of COVID-19 community response efforts Donations will support at-risk populations and communities affected by the global spread of COVID-19 TORONTO, March 18, 2020 /CNW/ - To support vulnerable populations and communities, RBC has committed an initial $2-million to COVID-19 community response efforts. Donations will be directed to communities dealing with the repercussions of the global health challenges posed by COVID-19 and will be used for programs serving at-risk populations, addressing food insecurity, scaling mental well-being support access as well as providing other necessary services that are vital during challenging times like these. As a first step, RBC will be donating funds to respond to community needs in Canada, the U.S. and globally to charitable partners including Food Banks Canada ; Feeding America and The World Health Organization's Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund . We acknowledge that this is an evolving situation that requires a coordinated and sustained response. RBC is actively working with our community partners, subject matter experts, and the public and private sectors to understand and determine where the greatest community needs are and how to continue delivering the right support where it's needed most. About RBC Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 85,000+ employees who bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank, and one of the largest in the world based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our 17 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 34 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com .? We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact . Elynn Wareham, RBC Communications, 647-533-8152, elynn.wareham@rbc.com Highlights 398 Indians are infected with coronavirus globally says govt 255 of them are in Iran, which is the third worst-affected country 126 Indians were detected with the virus at home so far Coronavirus has affected more Indians abroad than at home the government said revealing the figures in Lok Sabha on Wednesday. A total of 276 Indians including 255 in Iran, 12 in UAE and five in Italy, were confirmed to be infected with the virus that has inflicted 151 cases in the country including 25 foreigners. Minister of state for the external affairs V Muraleedharan said Hong Kong, Kuwait, Rwanda and Sri Lanka all had declared one infected Indian national each and eight Indians living in the UAE were under quarantine. Iran and Italy are the two worst coronavirus impacted countries outside China with 16169 and 27980 cases respectively as per the latest Covid 19 data released by the World Health Organisation. The junior minister told parliament that over 6,000 Indians were currently in Iran including about 1,100 pilgrims mainly from Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir and Maharashtra, over 1,000 fishermen from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat and approximately 300 students apart from others who are either employed in the Islamic republic or following religions studies using long term visas. India has so far managed to repatriate 389 citizens, including 205 pilgrims and 183 students, from Iran in four special flights. For full coverage on Coronavirus: Click here or Full coverage: Coronavirus outbreak In order to facilitate the process, a team of six Indian health officials from ICMR are taking samples of Indians which are flown to India to be tested here before they are allowed on flights home. The medical team is attempting to set up a lab in Iran for testing. The minister added that the Indian consulate have established contact with the Indian fishermen in southern provinces of Iran and they are reportedly in good health with sufficient essential supplies. Efforts are being made to facilitate early return of the Indian nationals stranded in Iran after testing them, Muraleedharan said. Track live updates on coronavirus outbreak here | He also added that Indian embassies and consulates in the region had launched helplines to stay in touch with the Indian nationals and were continuously working with the local authorities to assist them. Three deaths due to coronavirus have been recorded in India so far compared to nearly a 1,000 in Iran, while the global death toll stands over 7500. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ivany Atina Arbi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, March 18, 2020 20:15 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206badd1d 1 National COVID-19,coronavirus,Kendari,Southeast-Sulawesi,outbreak,referral-hospitals,face-mask,shortage Free Bahteramas Regional General Hospital, the only referral center for COVID-19 patients in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, reportedly ran out of surgical masks on Wednesday, resulting in the postponement of several elective surgeries. The hospital head Sjarif Subijakto said on Wednesday that five scheduled non-urgent surgeries would be pushed back to the following day due to the lack of protective gear. "We decided to prioritize urgent surgeries and delay the non-urgent ones, because of the situation," Sjarif said. "Weve run helter-skelter looking for the masks, but weve only managed to get one box of them." He said the masks had been distributed to patients and medical workers who needed them most. Some medical personnel at the hospital were forced to wear cloth masks, which can only trap large particles and are not effective at blocking virus particles, Sjarif added. Read also: COVID-19: Indonesia bans face mask exports to cater to domestic demand Regions across the archipelago have reported a shortage of face masks as people rush to buy them amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in the country. As of Wednesday, health authorities had confirmed 227 positive cases, 19 of which had died from the disease while 11 others had recovered. Panic buying has caused mask shortages in several hospitals in Indonesia, putting medical personnel taking care of COVID-19 patients at high risk of infection. At least one nurse had died of COVID-19 as of Wednesday. The World Health Organization has said that face masks should be worn only by people who are ill especially anyone who is coughing or sneezing and by those caring for suspected COVID-19 patients, particularly health workers and those sharing living space with someone in self-isolation. Two Pairs of Hands You, age 47, marry a man, age 65. There is no gap in your mental or motor skills. Then one day you are 62. He is 80. Over morning coffee, he says, I need to write a thank-you note to Paul. You reply, Uh-huh. Do that. He does not respond. You look up from your laptop. His eyes are misty. I cant write. That damn shake. His doctor says the hand tremor is benign. Just old age. So here it is, writ large: age gap. You say, Ill write it for you. He reaches over, grasps your hand. Holly Mullen The Punjab Police here on Wednesday claimed to have recovered from an accused a portion of the 30-kg gold robbed at gunpoint from a branch of a financial services company in Punjab's Ludhiana last month. Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, IG, Organised Crime Control Unit of the Punjab Police, said 10 kg of gold was recovered from a hideout of gangster Amritpal Singh in Mohali. Amritpal was nabbed by an OCCU team on Tuesday, he said, adding that a pistol and two rifles were recovered from him. Amritpal is the brother of notorious gangster Jaipal Bhullar and was one of the six people who were involved the case. The accused had targeted a branch of India Infoline Finance Limited (IIFL) on Gill Road in Ludhiana last month, robbing the gold worth Rs 13 crore at gunpoint. Police have so far arrested four people in the case. The remaining gold and other two accused, Jaipal and Gursewak Singh, will be arrested very soon, said the IG. The police on March 12 had nabbed gangster Gagan Judge from Chandigarh for his involvement in the robbery. The police had recovered around Rs 31 lakh, a pistol, two magazines and 50 live cartridges from Judge. Following questioning, two more accused, Pardeep Singh of Gardiwala village in Hoshiarpur; and Harpreet Singh, a resident of Peer Mohammad village in Ferozepur, have also been arrested. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Australia and Taiwan joined a growing list of countries offering financial aid to their ailing aviation sectors as global airlines announced deeper capacity cuts due to plummeting demand and stricter border controls associated with the coronavirus. With airlines halting plane deliveries and new orders to conserve cash, Boeing Co called on the US government to provide at least $60 billion in access to liquidity, including loan guarantees, for the aerospace manufacturing industry. US carriers have already asked Washington for $50 billion in grants and loans, plus tens of billions in ... Scroll through the gallery above for photos of the Bay Area under a shelter-in-place order. LATEST, March 18, 4:50 p.m., After Solano County health officer Dr. Bela Matyas initially stated he believed shelter-in-place orders caused unnecessary panic, the county issued a similar "shelter-at-home" order Wednesday night. The announcement means residents of every county in the Bay Area are now taking significant precautions to curb the spread of coronavirus. March 18, 4:30 p.m., BART will halt its extra yellow Antioch-bound line routes "until further notice" due to extremely low ridership beginning Thursday, the agency reported. In a post on BART's website, Tuesday's ridership dipped 87% below what would constitute an average Tuesday in February. The extra train cancellation is not unprecedented, as the post continued, but is generally a system change BART makes during the December holiday period. Normal train schedules during commute hours will remain unaffected and passengers will still be able to socially distance. "Social distancing will remain possible on the yellow line all day," BART clarified. "BART staff pulled data from Wednesday morning showing cars that make up the extra commute trains carried an average of 7 riders per car. Moving these riders to the base trains that run every 15 minutes will not cause crowding and riders will be able to maintain social distancing." March 18, 4:10 p.m., Alameda County's Santa Rita jail has released 67 non-violent inmates on their own recognizance from court, in an effort to reduce the jail's population, the East Bay Times reports. Visitations at the jail have also been significantly reduced, as officials aim to prevent a spread at the jail. Video calls, however, have been allowed. March 18, 3:08 p.m., Napa County has issued a "shelter-at-home" order effective 12 a.m. March 20 to continue through April 7, the county reported Wednesday afternoon. As in other counties, the order requires that residents must stay inside, with the exception of when it comes to performing essential activities like shopping for groceries and medical prescriptions and supplies, exercising outside or going to work (if it cannot be done at home). In any case where an individual leaves the home, they should practice social distancing. The county also states that if a resident is feeling sick, he or she should self-isolate. Napa County joins seven other Bay Area counties which have issued similar shelter-in-place orders. The last remaining holdout is Solano County; that county's health officer, Dr. Bela Matyas, maintains that such orders have caused overreactions. "If you actually look at the language of those orders, there is nothing different between them and what the governor and the president have been talking about for quite a while," Dr. Matyas said. "I think theres been a lot of significant misrepresentation of the content of those orders. And its unfortunate because theyve been accompanied by a lot more panic and concern." March 18, 2:07 p.m. Concern over spreading novel coronavirus has led to a dramatic decline in people riding the Bay Area transportation system that crosses the San Francisco Bay, so much so that it's on track to lose $37 million per month in fare and parking revenue, according to a statement. On Monday, ridership was down 70% compared to a typical weekday. On Tuesday, it was down 85%. Read the full story. March 18, 10:45 a.m. Santa Clara County public health officials announced Wednesday an adult male in his 60s passed away from coronavirus-complications yesterday. The patient had been hospitalized since March 5. This is the sixth death in the county. Health officials also said there are 20 new cases. The county total is now 175. San Mateo reported 16 new cases Tuesday morning, bringing the county total to 80. San Francisco's case count increased to 51. March 18, 9:30 a.m. California State Parks announced Tuesday night all campgrounds are temporarily closing. "As of today, non-campground outdoor areas of parks, including trails and beaches, remain open," officials said in a statement. "Visitors are reminded to practice social distancing and maintain at least six feet between other visitors and anyone who is coughing or sneezing. Restrooms also remain open, and visitors are advised to take soap for hand washing and alcohol-based hand sanitizers when water is not available." March 18, 8:45 a.m. San Francisco Mayor London Breed signed a declaration Tuesday to speed up the process of hiring more healthcare workers. The Department of Public Health announced 100 nursing vacancies. To fill those spots, the department is holding an invitation-only hiring fair this weekend at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. Suitable candidates will be hired on the spot and will not be required to go through the typical six-month-long process. More hiring fairs will be held until all vacancies are filled. Todays action will allow us to bring on more nurses quickly to be prepared to meet the demands of the response and to augment and support the workforce that is already there in place working hard every day, often overtime, extra days in order to staff our hospitals and clinics, Dr. Susan Philip, San Francisco Department of Public Health deputy health doctor, said at a press conference. "Our health care workers are on the front lines of this public health emergency. We need to make sure we have enough nurses available to care for our residents," Breed tweeted. "I'm temporarily waiving provisions to allow us to hire health care workers on the spot in response to this pandemic." Also on Tuesday, Breed 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. COVID-19 cases climbed around the Bay Area on Tuesday. Alameda County reported nine new infected patients, bringing the county's total to 27. In San Mateo County, the number of patients testing positive increased from 41 to 64. San Francisco's count bumped up to 43 with three new infected individuals reported Tuesday. Marin County's case count rose to 15. Santa Clara County announced 17 new cases; the total now stands at 155. The county also reported its fifth death. Where cases have been confirmed in the Bay Area: ALAMEDA COUNTY: 31 confirmed cases Fore more information on Alameda County cases, visit the public health department website. CONTRA COSTA COUNTY: 41 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: 51 confirmed cases For more information on San Francisco County cases, visit the public health department website. SAN MATEO COUNTY: 80 confirmed cases, 1 death For more information on San Mateo County cases, visit the public health department website. SANTA CLARA COUNTY: 175 confirmed cases, 6 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, 14 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported 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. The mayor of the South Korean city worst-hit by the coronavirus says 87 new cases have been discovered from local nursing hospitals, raising concerns about a possible spike in infections after they waned over the past week. Daegu Mayor Kwon Young-jin said Wednesday that 74 of the cases came from a single hospital and that the 57 patients who were infected would be transferred to other facilities for treatment. The infections at nursing homes werent fully reflected in national figures announced by South Koreas Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or KCDC, which said the cases in Daegu rose by 46 in the 24 hours ending midnight Tuesday. South Korean officials have struggled to stem infections at hospitals, nursing homes, disability institutions and other live-in facilities, which critics say have been poorly regulated for years. The KCDC says 116 cases and 10 deaths have been linked to a hospital in Cheongdo, near Daegu, where infections surged among patients hospitalized at a psychiatric ward. South Korea has confirmed at least 8.413 coronavirus cases, including 84 deaths. The leaders of the worlds 20 biggest economies are trying to organize a virtual meeting next week to discuss a coordinated response to the coronavirus pandemic. Saudi Arabia, which currently leads the G-20 presidency, said it is communicating with countries to convene the virtual meeting of leaders. The kingdom said in a statement Wednesday the Group of 20 countries will act in any way deemed necessary to alleviate the impact of the pandemic and will put forward a coordinated set of policies to protect people and safeguard the global economy. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, has come under criticism by some officials around the world, including members of the U.S. Congress, over its moves to ramp up oil production to more than 11 million barrels a day after an agreement with major oil producer Russia fell apart. The Saudi decision to flood the market sent oil prices plummeting below $30 a barrel at a time when markets around the world are also plunging. A Canadian government official said late Tuesday that Canada and the United States are working out the details of a mutual ban on non-essential travel between the countries. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss details ahead of an announcement. Chen Shih-zhong, Taiwan's health minister and commander of the Central Epidemic Epidemic Command Center, announced the ban that starts Thursday. Taiwanese people returning will have to quarantine at home for 14 days. Taiwan has 77 cases of infection with the virus that causes COVID-19. South Koreas vice health minister who gave daily televised briefings on the countrys anti-virus efforts is quarantining himself after meeting a hospital official who has COVID-19. Ministry official Yoon Tae-ho on Wednesday said the vice minister, Kim Gang-lip, was among eight ministry officials who met with a group of hospital chiefs at a restaurant in Seoul last Friday to discuss quarantine and treatment for the coronavirus. Yoon says the ministry officials were sent home Wednesday morning after the head of the Bundang Jeseng General Hospital in Seongnam, near Seoul, was confirmed to have COVID-19. South Korea has more than 8,000 cases and a series of infections have hit government departments. Oceans and Fisheries Minister Moon Seong-hyeok has been in quarantine after more than two dozen ministry officials tested positive for the virus, leaving health workers scrambling to sanitize rooms and shut down some of the corridors at a government complex in Sejong City. The governor is directing bars and clubs to close and for restaurants to focus on takeout, delivery and drive-through service. He called for gatherings to be limited to a maximum of 10 people. Officials have closed schools and facilities and postponed events to prevent the disease from spreading widely in the community and overwhelming the healthcare system. Hawaii has recorded 14 cases of the new coronavirus. New York, March 18 : Dismissing Beijing's criticism for calling COVID-19 a "Chinese virus", US President Donald Trump has accused it of spreading false information about the US. "I didn't appreciate the fact that China was saying that our military gave it to them," Trump said on Tuesday when he was asked at a news briefing in Washington about the China's criticism. "Our military did not give it to anybody." "China was putting out information, which was false," he said. He said, "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." COVID-19 originated in Wuhan in China, China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang took exception to Trump using the term "Chinese virus" in a tweet on Monday to describe COVID-19. He said the US should "correct its mistake and stop its groundless accusations against China". US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had accused China of impeding world efforts to fight the coronavirus through censorship. "Had China permitted its own and foreign journalists and medical personnel to speak and investigate freely, Chinese officials and other nations would have been far better prepared to address the challenge," he had said. Earlier in a tweet, Speaker Nancy Pelosi had accused House of Representatives Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of being "bigoted" and "spreading misinformation" because he had called COVID-19 "Chinese coronavirus". However, she has repeatedly referred to another virus that originated in Africa - Ebola Virus - by the name of the river and region where it was found. (Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in) Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany launched their programs and conducted their first "Merck Foundation Health Media Training" in Windhoek, Namibia in partnership with H.E. Monica Geingos, the first lady of Namibia and the Ambassador of Merck More Than a Mother together with Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education to break the stigma around infertility and build healthcare capacity in Namibia and rest of Africa. Talking about the Health Media Training program Dr Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of Merck More Than a Mother said: "The Health Media Training program is a part of 'Merck More than a Mother' community awareness Program and is organized for the first time in Namibia for local media representatives and media students to emphasize their critical role to create a culture shift and to be the voice of the voiceless in order to break the stigma around infertile women." The first lady of Namibia, HE Monica Geingos said: "I am very excited to be appointed as ambassador of 'Merck more than a Mother' and to officially launch Merck Foundation programs in our country. Moreover, I am very happy to host this important training program. Media plays an important role is sensitizing our society. It can help in creating awareness about female & male infertility and in breaking the stigma around infertility." "It is important to initiate this important training program as I strongly believe that media has the capacity and ability to break the silence in our communities in a regular and effective basis." Dr Rasha Kelej added. The training was addressed by Fertility specialists who are Merck Foundation Alumni and stalwarts of Media. It provided a great opportunity for the journalists to listen to childless women experience with infertility stigma and to meet the experts and also to network with each other and work as a unit to eradicate the stigma around infertility and its resulted domestic violence in Namibia and rest of Africa. Merck Foundation together with Namibia's first lady acknowledged the graduates of Merck Foundation programs in different fields of Oncology, Fertility and Embryology, Diabetes and Hypertension. and welcomed to be Merck Foundation Alumni for Namibia. Merck Foundation in partnership with Ministry of Health of Namibia has provided training for doctors from Namibia to be the first oncologist and fertility specialists in public sector in the country. Moreover, they provided one year online diploma in cardiovascular preventive medicines and master's program in diabetes management for two doctors. Merck Foundation has committed to continue providing these specialty training to more doctors from different provinces in Namibia. Merck Foundation recently announced the winners of 'Merck More Than a Mother' Media Recognition Awards 2019. They also announced for Namibian Media, the Call for Application of "Merck More Than a Mother" Media Recognition Awards 2020 for English speaking countries. The aim of these awards is to emphasize the role of media in enhancing the public engagement and understanding of infertility stigma and the need to change its social perception in African communities. The applications are invited by media professionals to showcase along the year their work to raise awareness about infertility prevention and breaking infertility stigma. Who can apply? Journalists from print, online, radio and multimedia platforms from Namibia and rest of English-speaking countries from Africa. Last date of submission: Entries can be submitted till 15th June 2020. How to apply? Entries can be submitted via email to mystory@merckmorethanamother.com. Sending multiple applications will increase the chances of winning the award. "Merck More Than a Mother" is a strong movement that aims to empower infertile women through access to information, education and change of mind-sets. This powerful campaign supports governments in defining policies to enhance access to regulated, safe and effective fertility care. It defines interventions to break the stigma around infertile women and raises awareness about infertility prevention, management and male infertility. In partnership with African First Ladies, Ministries of Health, Information, Education & Gender, academia, policymakers, International fertility societies, media and art, the initiative also provides training for fertility specialists and embryologists to build and advance fertility care capacity in Africa and developing countries. With "Merck More Than a Mother", we have initiated a cultural shift to de-stigmatize infertility on all levels: By improving awareness, training local experts in the fields of fertility care and media, building advocacy in cooperation with African First Ladies and women leaders and by supporting childless women in starting their own small businesses. It's all about giving every woman the respect and the help she deserves to live a fulfilling life, with or without a child. Merck Foundation is making history in many African countries where they never had fertility specialists or specialized fertility clinics before 'Merck More Than a Mother' intervention, to train the first fertility specialists such as; in Sierra Leone, Liberia, The Gambia, Niger, Chad, Guinea, Ethiopia and Uganda. Merck Foundation launched new innovative initiatives to sensitize local communities about infertility prevention, male infertility with the aim to break the stigma of infertility and empowering infertile women as part of Merck More than a Mother COMMUNITY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN, such as; *'Merck More than a Mother' Media Recognition Awards and Health Media Training *'Merck More than a Mother' Fashion Awards *'Merck More than a Mother' Film Awards *Local songs with local artists to address the cultural perception of infertility and how to change it *Children storybook, localized for each country This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government of Chad has announced its decision to close its airports to all flights for two weeks over fears of Coronavirus entering into the country. The decision was made on Monday with the north-central African countrys government disclosing in a statement that the measure will start at midnight on Thursday. Also Read: Coronavirus: Italian Patient Still Contagious Lagos Health Commissioner It was also noted in the statement that the ban does not apply to planes transporting goods. The government called on Chadians living abroad and wanting to return to the country do so within the required timeframe. So far, no coronavirus case has been reported in Chad. Omar Abdullah (Image: Twitter/@MamataOfficial) The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir administration to inform by next week if it is releasing former chief minister Omar Abdullah, who has been detained since the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year. A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and M R Shah told counsel appearing for the Centre that Abdullah's sister Sara Abdullah Pilot's plea against his detention will be heard on merit if he is not released soon. "If you are releasing him, then release him soon or we will hear the matter on merits," the bench said. The observations came after counsel for the Centre and the J-K administration informed the court that Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was appearing in the matter, is arguing in another court. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner, said the court should fix a short date for hearing the matter. To this the bench said only six benches are functioning due to the ongoing arrangement in the apex court and it does not know when the next turn will come. "Probably next week we are sitting and the matter will be taken up at that time," the bench said. CREDIT unions say they will be understanding and flexible towards members in genuine financial difficulty. Kevin Johnson of the Credit Union Development Association (Cuda), which represents many of the larger credit unions, said the movement was aware many members are already bearing the financial brunt of the Covid-19 national emergency. His comments come as the States banks are due to meet Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe to discuss their response to consumers and businesses impacted by the pandemic. Mr Johnson of Cuda said: When it comes to repayments of loans we can assure members that all credit unions will be understanding and will be flexible towards their members genuine financial limitations over the coming months. He said credit unions have asked the Central Bank for guidance to ensure credit ratings of members are not impacted if they miss payments due to the virus outbreak. Credit unions have always been there for people in both the good times and the bad times and will engage fully with all members in difficulty over the coming weeks and months. My advice would be to make contact with your credit union and explain your situation. The best way to do this at the moment would be via email or over the phone and avoid going in office if at all possible. Minister Donohoe is due to meet the bosses of the banks this evening to question their responses to homeowners falling behind on mortgage payments and business hitting financial problems. There are fears of up to 450,000 job losses due to the Covid-19 crisis. The meeting is being attended by the chiefs of the banks and the head of the Banking and Payments Federation Brian Hayes. Banks have reported a surge in calls from mortgage holders and firms in the past few days seeking payment holidays. AIB said last week it will offer payment breaks to mortgage holders and personal borrowers of up to six months. Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank said they will offer up to three months of payment breaks or other flexible arrangements to mortgage holders and personal borrowers affected by Covid-19. However, interest would continue to accrue on loans during the forbearance period. The banks also said that they would offer forbearance measures and emergency working capital loans to businesses whose cash flow has been hit by the fallout from the pandemic. Pepper, which services 60,000 residential mortgages on behalf of vulture funds, said its team was available to discuss solutions with customers and is very experienced in helping people manage financial difficulties. As always we will review each individual case on a case-by-case basis to find the best possible solutions and will consider a range of potential reliefs to address issues arising from the Covid-19 situation. In line with other financial institutions this will include short payment holidays and other measures. However, as the loans are owned by different funds, it means there are different approaches likely to applied depending on the view of the vulture that owns the mortgage. CEDAR FALLS The county auditor is strongly encouraging voters in the Cedar Falls City Council special election which has been moved to March 31 to vote by mail to avoid going to the polls if possible due to the virus threat. The County Election Office will be sending absentee ballot request forms to all active registered voters. If you do not get one, call (319) 833-3007 or election@co.black-hawk.ia.us. For voters to receive a ballot by mail, their request form must be received in the Election Office by 5 p.m. March 27. Ballots will then be mailed to voters requesting them, and must be postmarked March 30 or earlier to be counted. Postage will be prepaid for both the request forms and the ballots sent to the county. The county auditor urges voters to send in request forms and the resulting ballots as soon as possible to make sure all ballots arrive on time to be counted. Voting on Election Day will be limited to one location: St. John Lutheran Church, 715 College St. While voters are asked to vote by mail if possible, voters who need to register or update their registration on Election Day will be able to do so at St. John. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. March 31. Voting absentee at the Election Office in the Black Hawk County Courthouse for the March 31 Cedar Falls council vacancy election is suspended. The County Board of Supervisors has closed the courthouse with the exception of essential court functions until further notice. Questions may be directed to the Election Office; contact the Election Office at 833-3007 or election@co.black-hawk.ia.us. Absentee ballots that have already been submitted are not affected. No voter who has submitted an absentee ballot for the Cedar Falls council vacancy election needs to re-vote. Voters dont need to wait for ballot request forms to come in the mail to make a request. To find an absentee ballot request form online, go to the Black Hawk County website and under Government select Elections, and then Absentee Ballots or use this link: https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/pdf/absenteeballotapp.pdf. Minister for Business, Enterprise, and Innovation Heather Humphreys has said that the government will not be found wanting in providing the necessary supports to get businesses back up and running and people back to work following the impact of the coronavirus. It was not possible to put a figure on what will be required until the full impact on the economy of the virus had been determined, she told Newstalk Breakfast. This is an evolving situation. All necessary steps will be taken to get businesses back up and running and people back to work, she said. We have acted quickly and will continue to monitor the situation. When asked about calls for a halt to the payment of rates, Ms Humphreys urged businesses to pay rates if they could, but if they couldnt they should talk to their local authority. The government will take a common sense approach and local authorities will have to look at the situation in a sensible way, she said. The number one priority is public health. We ask people to work with us and to work together on this. The countrys largest business organisation IBEC has said that the response to the coronavirus will require bravery from the government, but also from everyone in society. IBEC Director General Danny McCoy told RTE radios Morning Ireland that if an economic crisis were to happen, it is potentially temporary. Policy mistakes must not be made in trying to treat any such crisis, he warned. Governments around the world should do whatever it takes to provide temporary cover, he urged. If the pubs were to open again, the demand is there. It's not as if the demand has gone away, it's rationed at the moment. "We need to protect the incomes of those who are losing their jobs, we need to protect businesses so that they can reopen. It requires a community effort but it also requires the government stands ready to provide adequate cash liquidity into the system. Mr McCoy said there needs to be a freeze moment for the economy where it is put on lock down. This will require some bravery from government, but also from everyone in society, he said. "Ultimately this will have to be paid for, but that's for the future. Today is about preserving. "Getting people isolated to make sure we get the virus under control, but then be ready with a package to get business and people back to work as quickly as possible. [snippet1]987600[/snippet1] National Bank says Ukraine's banking system liquidity at high level 12:20, 18.03.20 1954 The NBU remains on guard of financial stability, the senior official says. Meincke, who spends winters in Arizona, is a part-time Channel 7 contributor of mostly human-interest stories. He said he did not miss the hoopla that surrounded Blagojevichs release. I do miss whats going on now with coronavirus and other stories that have legs and meaning and are important for people to know. When you have to wade your way through a lot of information that you may not initially understand, we all kind of become quasi doctors during this process, so youve got to be able to zero in on whats important for people to know, and youve got to do it in a fashion that informs and not alarms. Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 20:40:09|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WUHAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Wuhan, China's "motor city" and the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak, has allowed car producers and auto part suppliers to resume work, a Hubei provincial official said Wednesday. Wuhan-based enterprises that are important to the national and global industry chains and those closely related to people's livelihood are allowed to continue operation or resume work, said Cao Guangjing, deputy governor of Hubei, where Wuhan is the capital, at a press conference. Highlighting the province's status as the nation's major producer of cars and phosphate fertilizer, Cao said such companies are of considerable significance to the industry chains, and further delays in their work resumption could cause a major impact. Wuhan is China's major auto production base, home to local joint ventures that produce Buick, Chevrolet, Renault, Peugeot and Honda, as well as a number of auto part-makers. Other enterprises, except those on a "negative list," can restart no earlier than March 21 in Wuhan, according to Cao. Companies on the "negative list," including cinemas, book stores, bars, gyms and restaurants, can not resume work before the epidemic ends, the official said, citing higher risks of infections there. Restrictions are further relaxed in other parts of Hubei, where low-risk areas can allow resumption of all companies but those on the "negative list," while nationally or locally important companies and projects can restart operation in medium-risk areas, according to the official. Cao, however, admitted that the province still faces several challenges in restarting factories, including complicated paperwork in getting migrant workers back to work, traffic restrictions and shortage of funds. The industrial central province of Hubei reported just one new confirmed case of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), from Wuhan, and no new suspected cases on Tuesday. Even Jennifer Lopezs packed schedule has come to a halt as coronavirus cases continue to increase across the US. Speaking with ELLE magazine on what was meant to be the launch day for her shoe line with DSW, Lopez opened up about how turning 50 in July has really impacted her life. I'll tell you what I wish I'd known about being 50 when I was younger: Its not over. When I was in my 20s, I dont know what I thought about being 50 except that it was basically just the end, she told the magazine. Jennifer Lopez / Designer Brands Inc. I didnt think Id be in the best shape of my life. I didnt think Id be able to say that in a way, my career is taking off, even though Ive been going for a long time, you know? Lopez said about aging. I have so much experience now. I have the knowledge that, if I use it, is a huge advantage. The narrative women are told is that youre kind of put out to pasture at a certain age. And what Ive found is that its the total opposite, she added about what shes learned over the years. If you keep working hard and pushing yourself, you can be better as a person physically, mentally, emotionally. Stop asking, 'Will I look like that?' and just ask, 'What do I want to do next?' Because you can make it happen. Getty Images Of course, Lopez also shared a few details about her new shoe collection, exclusively available at DSW, which she announced just last month on Instagram. Among the more expected stiletto options, fans will find in the lineup, Lopez said that there are also plenty of sneakers to choose from. I was a tomboy growing up. And even when I was a dancer in my late teens and early 20s, it was all about Doc Martens, Timberlands, and combat boots, Lopez explained. And Im from the Bronx, so Im kind of a born sneakerhead - where I come from, your sneakers say a lot about you. So sneakers are a big part of the new line. Believe it or not, I do wear them a lot. Invision/AP Noting that shes adhering to the government recommendation that Americans stay home and avoid social gatherings of 10 or more people, Lopez stated her hope that her shoes could serve as a bit of a distraction. We have to find ways to focus and work from home, but also finding things to keep our spirits high, she said, having shared shes in Los Angeles with her 12-year-old twins, Max and Emme. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's plan to move at "warp speed" to pass an emergency coronavirus bill hit a familiar bump on Tuesday night: Senator Rand Paul, his fellow Kentuckian. The GOP leader had teed up a measure sent over by the House that would provide free coronavirus testing, paid leave for some workers, beefed up unemployment insurance, and enhancements to food security and Medicaid programs. Mr McConnell acknowledged Tuesday that some in his caucus are frustrated with the House-passed bill, seeing "considerable shortcomings." In an attempt to garner more Republican votes for a crisis that has slowed much of normal American life, the Senate GOP offered his caucus some advice. "My counsel to them is to gag and vote for it," he said. It appeared most would do just that Tuesday, until Mr Paul, as he often does, put up one last speed bump. Mr Paul dashed Mr McConnell's plans by offering an amendment to the House-passed bill that reportedly would "require a social security number for purposes of the child tax credit, and to provide the President the authority to transfer funds as necessary, and to terminate United States military operations and reconstruction activities in Afghanistan." That amendment is expected to fail in what has become something of a Washington ritual. Mr Paul often waits until the eleventh hour to offer an amendment to a major legislation. Knowing he lacks the vote, he grabs the spotlight -- and headlines -- to make a point. Mr McConnell, eager to move to a final vote on that major bill, allows the amendment debate and vote and essentially lets his Kentucky delegation mate vent some steam. That second emergency virus measure the Senate could take up and pass as early as Wednesday would come before votes perhaps later this week on a massive economic stimulus measure to counter the coronavirus, which some analysts say could leave millions jobless by this summer. The service industry is expected to lay off scores of hourly workers, and the US stock markets, despite gains Tuesday, have been losing value for the last two weeks. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Speaker Nancy Pelosi have been leading discussions about that stimulus bill, with no signs that sizeable blocs of either party plan to block what sources say could be a bill as large as $850bn -- larger even than the annual Pentagon budget. "We're able to rise above our normal partisanship and many times our normal positions because these are not ordinary times. This is not an ordinary time," Mr McConnell said Tuesday. His comments came amid a report that Mr Mnuchin warned senior lawmakers that some administration projections showed unemployment possibly hitting 20 per cent at the peak of the outbreak crisis. But top White House aides are disputing that report. "Nobody is right now that I know forecasting a 20% unemployment from the coronavirus," Marc Short, Donald Trump's former top envoy to Congress and now Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff, told Fox Business Network. "The foundation of our economy remains incredibly strong. This is a short-term, we believe, challenge. U.S. President Donald Trump listens during a press briefing with the coronavirus task force at the White House on Tuesday. AP By Jung Min-ho U.S. President Donald Trump has branded COVID-19 the "Chinese virus," deepening Washington-Beijing diplomatic tensions over the outbreak. After speaking about recession risks Monday afternoon (local time), Trump tweeted that "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!" His use of the term, which he repeated in his next tweet, drew criticism from Geng Shuang, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, who said some American politicians are trying to stigmatize China. Asked about his use of the term at a White House press briefing the next day, Trump said it was the Chinese government that started a blame game. His comment was apparently aimed at accusations from Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, who claimed without evidence that the U.S. military brought the virus to Wuhan. "I didn't appreciate the fact that China was saying that our military gave it to them," Trump reportedly said. "Our military did not give it to anybody. "China was putting out information, which was false, that our military gave 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. So, I think it's a very accurate term." He also denied he was creating a stigma by using the term. "No, I don't think so," he said. "I think that saying our military gave it to them creates a stigma." Previously, Trump referred to COVID-19 as a "foreign virus." [March 18, 2020] ZOOM+Care Names Mike Payne as Chief Growth Officer PORTLAND, Ore., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ZOOM+Care has appointed a new Chief Growth Officer to its growing leadership team. Joining the company is Mike Payne, who previously served as an executive at Ancestry, Virta Health, and Omada Health. "ZOOM+Care has been responsible for several healthcare 'firsts,' such as our online scheduler and virtual chat care," says ZOOM+Care CEO Torben Nielsen. "Mike's deep understanding of current and future healthcare trends will push us to keep creating those firsts. It's time to move healthcare into the 21st centurywith Mike's help, ZOOM+Care will make it happen." Payne most recently served as Ancestry's VP of Health Strategy & Business Development. Before his role at Ancestry, Payne held several other corporate leadership positions, including Head of Commercial& Policy at Virta Health, Chief Commercial Officer at Omada Health, and Senior Director of Commercial Strategy at Gilead Science. As Chief Growth Officer at ZOOM+Care, Payne is responsible for leading strategic growth in revenue and increasing patients served. His duties include spearheading ZOOM+Care's employer market strategies through work with brokers and employers, facilitating partnerships to help the company improve its telehealth offerings, aiding ZOOM+Care's geographic expansion, and optimizing the growth of ZOOM+Care's specialty service lines. "I couldn't be more excited and humbled to join the dynamic team at Zoom," says Payne. "We are providing positive experiences weekly to thousands of people, and have the opportunity to expand that impact drastically. I fundamentally believe in the power of new consumer-facing care and payment modelslike those we are continuously developing at Zoomto change healthcare in the US." ZOOM+Care is growing quickly in response to patient demand across the Pacific Northwest. In addition to opening more clinics in strategically-placed locations, the company plans to expand its telemedicine capabilities over the coming months. Under Payne's guidance, Zoom will also work directly with employers to bring the benefits of ZOOM+Care to their employeeswhile simultaneously driving financial rewards for those companies. About the company: ZOOM+Care is the leading provider of on-demand retail and digital healthcare. They care for over 200,000 people per year at over 45+ clinics across Portland and Seattle, providing urgent care, primary care, specialty care, mental health, telemedicine, and more. ZOOM+Care has been named one of Oregon's most admired healthcare companies for the past five years. For more updates, follow the company on LinkedIn and Twitter at @zoomcare. You can learn more about ZOOM+Care or schedule a visit at zoomcare.com. For follow-ups, contact [email protected]. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zoomcare-names-mike-payne-as-chief-growth-officer-301023221.html SOURCE ZOOM+Care [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The Salvation Army Eastern Michigan Division is pausing all weekly activities at its corps community centers throughout the eastern and central areas of the state. However, essential social services such as food and utility assistance are still available and will continue to serve people in need with limited person-to-person interaction. Worship services will also be held virtually and livestreamed on Sunday mornings. This new policy is in effect until March 31. Emergency Disaster Services will still be serving first responders and victims of disasters when called upon. The Salvation Army Eastern Michigan Division continues to closely follow guidelines outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to ensure the health and safety of the public, as well as Salvation Army officers and employees, in light of the pandemic. We want to reiterate that while The Salvation Army is taking these measures to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus, we know this is whats best for the thousands of people who rely on our services every single day, said Lt. Colonel John Turner, divisional commander for The Salvation Army Eastern Michigan Division. We are here to help our most vulnerable citizens in any way we can. We know our clients will trust us and trust God that this short-term decision is whats best for The Salvation Army in the long-run. In order to maintain the social distancing recommendations put forth by health professionals, each corps community center will offer pre-packaged food boxes for clients. In addition, depending on the location, clients will be asked to either enter the building one at a time or a Salvation Army staff member will deliver a food package to a client waiting outside. Social workers will continue to assist clients, but limiting non-essential interaction via the phone or online. For guests who attend weekly Sunday service at their local corps community center, The Salvation Army has created a livestream of the service at 11 a.m. on Sundays on the Royal Oak Salvation Army YouTube channel. All Eastern Michigan Division corps community centers will be open during normal business hours. For a list of all centers operating in the Eastern Division, visit The Salvation Army Eastern Michigan Divisions locations page. Additional information about The Salvation Armys response to the COVID-19 outbreak can be found at www.salmich.org/COVID19. People can support The Salvation Army Eastern Michigan Divisions effort with the COVID-19 pandemic by: Texting COVID to 24365 Visiting www.salmich.org Calling 877-SAL-MICH Sending a check made payable to The Salvation Army, to: 16130 Northland Dr., Southfield, MI 48075 A woman jailed for killing her four-year-old son will be re-sentenced after the High Court upheld her appeal. Heidi Strbak (centre) before a previous court appearance. Credit:AAP Heidi Strbak was sentenced to nine years' jail in 2017 after she pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of her son Tyrell. She will be re-sentenced in the Queensland Supreme Court at a date to be fixed. AAP In this Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2014 file photo, Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden wipes his hands after creating a cast of his hand prints that will be part of a permanent display at Apollo High School in St. Cloud, Minn. Worden, who circled the moon alone in 1971 while his two crewmates tried out the first lunar rover, has died at age 88, his family said Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (Jason Wachter/St. Cloud Times via AP) Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden, who circled the moon alone in 1971 while his two crewmates test-drove the first lunar rover, has died at age 88, his family said Wednesday. His family said he died in his sleep in Houston. No cause of death was given. "Al was an American hero whose achievements in space and on Earth will never be forgotten., said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine in a statement. He also praised Worden for his appearances on "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," to explain space flight to children. Worden flew to the moon in 1971 along with David Scott and Jim Irwin. As command module pilot, Worden remained in lunar orbit aboard the Endeavour while Scott and Irwin descended to the surface and tried out NASA's first moon buggy. Scott is one of four moonwalkers still alive. Irwin died in 1991. Once his crewmates were back on board and headed home, Worden performed the first deep-space spacewalknearly 200,000 miles (322,000 kilometers) from Earth. He inspected the service module's science instrument bay and retrieved film. His foray outside lasted just 38 minutes. Worden said of the mission: "Now I know why I'm here. Not for a closer look at the Moon, but to look back at our home, the Earth." This undated photo made available by NASA shows Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden. Worden, who circled the moon alone in 1971 while his two crewmates tried out the first lunar rover, has died at age 88, his family said Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (NASA via AP) Apollo 15 was Worden's only spaceflight. He was in NASA's fifth astronaut class, chosen in 1966. He retired from NASA in 1975 and went to work for a few aerospace companies. Of the 24 men who flew to the moon from 1968 through 1972, only 11 are still alive. Born and raised on a farm in Jackson, Michigan, Worden graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1955 and was commissioned in the Air Force. He attended test pilot school. "As I was growing up, aviation was not really something that was foremost in my mind," Worden said in a 2000 oral history for NASA. "From the age of 12 on, I basically ran the farm, did all the field work, milked the cows, did all that until I left for college." While in the Air Force, "I began to realize that flying was kind of my game. It was a thing that I was very attuned to." Going to the moon was "like flying an airplane," Worden said in the NASA oral history. "It's a skill that you learn. It takes some knowledge. It takes some analytical ability if something goes wrong, but outside of that it's like driving a car." This March 26, 1971 photo made available by NASA shows astronauts Al Worden, center, Dave Scott, left, and Jim Irwin in the Command Module for an altitude chamber test at Cape Canaveral, Fla. Worden, who circled the moon alone in 1971 while his two crewmates tried out the first lunar rover, has died at age 88, his family said Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (NASA via AP) Working as a senior aerospace scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California, after the flight was more intellectually stimulating, he noted. In his 2011 book "Falling to Earth: An Apollo 15 Astronaut's Journey to the Moon," Worden wrote that NASA was leery about young children watching a rocket launch and so he called Fred Rogers in Pittsburgh. Worden, the father of three, ended up doing a special show. "It was so outside of what most astronauts did, many thought I was crazy. Astronauts liked to think they were super jocks who hunted, fished, drank, and chased girls. We didn't do kiddies' shows." A list of children's questions eventually led to Worden's 1974 book for children "I Want to Know about a Flight to the Moon." After returning from the moon, all three Apollo 15 astronauts became embroiled in a controversy over a few hundred stamped postal covers that flew with them to the moon. The astronauts planned to sell them to help pay for their children's education, Worden said in the NASA oral history. Worden said he assumed the stamped covers were on the official flight manifest, but wasn't sure now that they ever were. All this resulted in "quite a flap." This undated photo made available by NASA shows astronauts Al Worden, center, Dave Scott, left, and Jim Irwin with a moon rover mock-up. Worden, who circled the moon alone in 1971 while his two crewmates tried out the first lunar rover, has died at age 88, his family said Wednesday, March 18, 2020. (NASA via AP) None of the three ever flew in space again. He blamed NASA management. "Some senator or some congressman asked the question, and they caved under right away and tried to get rid of us," he said in the oral history. "Nobody stood up for us. Nobody." Worden sued the U.S. government in 1983 and got his covers back. "We probably didn't do the smartest thing in the world, but we didn't do anything that was illegal," he said. "We didn't do anything that anybody else hadn't done, but the consequences were rather severe to us." Explore further NASA investigating first crime committed in space: report 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Frank J. Bellino, 85, owner of hundreds of Standardbred during his life including 2010 Horse of the Year Rock N Roll Heaven, passed away Tuesday morning (March 17) of a heart attack. Bellino, who founded a successful construction firm and also owned commercial real estate throughout the United States, started in the harness racing industry in 1982 and has owned a number of top pacers and trotters by himself and in partnership with his sons Joe and George. In addition to Rock N Roll Heaven, a 2017 Harness Racing Hall of Fame inductee who earned $2,748,818 during his career and went on to stallion duty, Bellino owned Pet Rock ($1,780,454), another stallion who stands at Midland Acres. While the resident of Bronxville, NY may be best remembered for some high-priced yearling purchases along with the above stallions, his eye for upper-level conditioned horses was second-to-none. The list includes several horses that earned hundreds of thousands as part of Bellinos stable. Classic Rock Nroll earned $814,556 during his career, nearly three-quarters of that for Bellino. Casimir Jitterbug spent six years on the track for Bellino and brought in approximately $800,000 while American Rage and Polak A also earned well north of $300,000 each for the stable. He loved harness racing more than any business he was ever involved with, said Joe Bellino, who added that his fathers favorite race was when Rock N Roll Heaven won the Little Brown Jug in 2010. Bellino is survived by his son Joe and many grandchildren. Funeral arrangements were not available at this time. Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the friends and family of Frank Bellino. People with high blood pressure are being urged by health authorities across the world to continue taking their medication despite burgeoning online rumours of a link with coronavirus. Letters to medical journals written by doctors in Switzerland suggest a possible connection between two drugs used to treat high blood pressure angiotensin receptor blockers and ACE inhibitors and an increased risk of COVID-19 infection. Keep taking the blood pressure tablets - there's no firm evidence they'll make you more likely to catch coronavirus. Credit:Andrew Quilty The possible links, which are not based on any published data, have been quickly amplified by social media There is strong evidence using the drugs can decrease the risk of strokes and heart attacks which is why they are prescribed to many people with high blood pressure. : Highlights from southern region at 6 pm. MDS1 KA-CONG-MP-MLAS-DIGVIJAY Stopped from meeting rebel Cong MLAs Digvijay Singh protests outside Bengaluru resort, detainedBengaluru: High drama unfolded on Wednesday morning near the resort where rebel Congress MLAs from Madhya Pradesh are staying, as senior party leader Digvijay Singh staged a protest accusing the police of not allowing him to meet the legislators. MDS4 CORONAVIRUS-TL Fresh COVID-19 case in Telangana, number goes up to six Hyderabad: A fresh coronavirus case has been reported in Telangana on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases in the state to six. MDS7 CORONAVIRUS-KA-CASES 2 more COVID-19 cases in Karnataka, number goes up to 13 Bengaluru: Two more persons have tested positive for coronavirus in the city, taking the total number of cases in Karnataka to 13, Health Minister B Sriramulu said on Wednesday. MDS10 CORONAVIRUS-KA-GOVT Karnataka to earmark Rs 200 crore to contain COVID-19 spread Bengaluru: The Karnataka cabinet has decided to earmark Rs 200 crore to combat the spread of coronavirus in the state, Chief Minister Yediyurappa said on Wednesday. MDS14 CORONAVIRUS-KL-FOREIGNERS Kerala issues guidelines to foreign tourists for safe return home Kochi: Strengthening surveillance and control measures against the coronavirus in Kerala, the state government on Wednesday issued guidelines to ensure safe return of around 5,000 foreign tourists in the southern state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The contract with the head of NAK Naftogaz-Ukraine Andriy Kobolev was extended for four years. The corresponding decision was made by the supervisory board of the company, as the Ukrainian News wrote, which has documents confirming the adoption of such a decision. To extend the term and term of the contract of the head of the Board of the Company A. Kobolev for four years, provided that the head of the board ensures that all decisions of the supervisory board are implemented in accordance with the requirements of his contract, - the document says. Further, the Cabinet of Ministers must confirm this with an appropriate decision, and only after that the contract with Kobolev can be signed As we reported before, Naftogaz-Ukraine last week held consultations with investment banks and potential investors on the prospects for the group to enter an IPO (initial public offering), receiving positive feedback The success of this process will depend on the ability to demonstrate customer focus. In particular, creating value for the end consumer through amenities (digitalization) and consumption management (energy efficiency), - Kobolev wrote. 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. A 20-year old man who travelled by train from Delhi to the city tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday, becoming Tamil Nadus second COVID-19 patient, over ten days after the first case surfaced in the state, Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar said. Incidentally, the first patient, a 45-year old engineer, has been discharged from hospital after his recovery, the Minister announced. On the latest case, he indicated the patient did not have any history of foreign travel, describing him as a domestic case. The youth, hailing from Delhi was currently in the isolation ward at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) here and being monitored closely, he said adding efforts would be launched immediately to trace those whom he had come into contact in recent days. He is a 20-year-old hailing from New Delhi While coming to Chennai he was not showing any symptoms. But, yesterday he visited the RGGGH with symptoms of coronavirus and we collected his samples. "A few hours ago, I received message from the Dean (of the hospital) that he has tested positive for the virus. Now we will be tracking the epidemiology link, Vijaya Baskar told reporters on Wednesday evening. The Minister, however, declined to entertain questions on when the patient arrived here and about his travel history. "All I can say is the first positive case was imported since that patient had visited Oman. This is a domestic case. He has come to Tamil Nadu through train", he said. The Minister said the patient initially did not show any symptoms upon his arrival from New Delhi but later he developed symptoms of coronavirus. "We will trace his contacts immediately." Earlier, in a social media post, he said: "Chennai reports the second positive case for #Covid19. The patient hails from New Delhi, is in isolation and stable under the observation of the expert team treating #Covid19." Replying to a question, Vijaya Baskar said the first COVID-19 patient in the state had already been discharged and was currently under home quarantine. The Minister had recently said the man from neighbouring Kancheepuram, who tested positive on March 7, had twice tested negative for coronavirus and would be discharged soon. So far 1,89,750 people had been screened at airports and 32 had been admitted to isolation wards in various hospitals, he said on Wednesday, adding of the total 222 samples tested in the state, as many as 166 had tested negative and results of the remaining were awaited. Meanwhile, continuing his inspection of preventive measures at various places, the minister accompanied by Health Secretary Beela Rajesh, Director General of Police (Railways) Sylendra Babu and other senior officials reviewed the preventive steps taken at the Chennai Egmore Railway Station. The state government has already announced a lockdown, declaring holidays for all educational institutions and closure of places thronged by public in large numbers such as liquor bars, theatres, malls and resorts till March 31. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) David Quammen, the legendary National Geographic reporter, wrote the book on coronavirus almost a decade ago. He published it in 2012. Its called Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic and it expounds on a threat that epidemiologists have known about for decades, animal-borne or zoonotic diseases jumping the species barrier and becoming global disasters. Quammen didnt want to write a sequel, but now hes been calling up old sources, checking in with his contacts, and poking around. Working out of his home outside Missoula, Montana, hes revisiting the prophecy he borrowed from front-line PhDs. Theres nothing much else to do as the novel coronavirus COVID-19 spreads across the country and the world. This is a replay of SARS without the happy ending, he says matter-of-factly. That Quammen is studiously less than stoic in the face of the threat posed by this pandemic is chilling. For the better part of four decades, hes worked at the edge of the apocalypse, publishing The Chimp and the River about the origin of HIV, Monster of God about animals that eat people, and The Song of the Dodo about extinction. Quammen is a measured man, the sort that can contain fear in a cage of reason. And he is frightened. He knows enough to know what we dont know. He knows enough to ask the big questions and interpret the silence that follows. Hes that guy. The National Geographic guy with the mustache and the pet snake and as you read this hes probably secluded in his home. He may be washing his hands. In search of guidance for how to behave around and communicate about a truly global threat, Fatherly spoke to Quammen about what it means to treat a virus with respect and a pandemic with the seriousness it deserved a decade ago. You have reported on zoonotic diseases for a fairly long time and from a variety of difficult locations. What about living under the threat of disease have you learned from working alongside researchers and virus hunters? Story continues Ive gone to the places viruses emerge. Ive been around ebola sites in the Congo though never during an outbreak, in Chinese caves looking for SARs, and on rooftops in Bangladesh looking for Nipah. Those situations were not terrifying because I trust the scientists Ive been with. They love their jobs and life. What I do is take whatever precaution they take and then I stand a few feet behind them. How did you get into this in the first place? Why did you want to focus on writing about disease? I remember walking through a stretch of forest in northeast Gabon with Mike Fay when he was doing the Megatransect, 2000 miles of bushwacking through the African forest. We did a stretch through known ebola habitat and we didnt know what the reservoir host was. So were walking through the forest with 12 Gabonese guys with machetes and it was interesting. Mike told his cook, Listen, do not pick up any dead monkeys you find and feed them to us. But they knew. An outbreak had occurred five years earlier in their village. We talked about it around a fire. One of the guys said that when Ebola was killing people in their village he found a pile of 13 dead gorillas in the forest. I think thats what started me on the journey of writing about zoonotic diseases, this idea of shared jeopardy. Do you have a story about being near an outbreak that you think is indicative of what can and should be done by those Americans right-thinking Americans who are taking the coronavirus threat seriously? In 2010, I was researching Nipah [a viral infection that often puts victims in a coma in two days] in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and went to see a US health official. Nipah comes out of bats is amplified in pigs and kills people. Sometimes bats defecate in date palm sap that sappers collect like maple syrup and use to flavor drinks. Of the people that get infected, a sizeable portion die. So I go to see this guy Steve and he gives me the fist bump handshake and says he doesnt shake hands, no offense. I find out this front-line guy has published papers on the value of handwashing. I thought, come on. But I listened and he explained that many diseases follow the respiratory route, meaning they spread via spit, which flies five feet and lands on stuff, but it doesnt hang in the air. Touching is required for transmission. The solution is handwashing. Soap because it breaks down viral envelopes. Im not a germaphobe, but I wash my hands a lot. In the winter they crack and bleed. Some of that is because of the air here in Montana where I live. Some is that I just wash my hands a lot. My parents are gone. If they were alive now I would be terrified for them. Its interesting. In Bangladesh and elsewhere, the threat of disease is always present. In America, it doesnt seem that way. Do you think that we treat diseases with the respect they deserve? Do you think our attitudes around preparedness not politically, but personally are skewed by our history? The truth is that weve been lucky with disease. The Iroquois and the Sioux were less lucky. We brought them smallpox and measles and other diseases that killed off 90 percent of their population. The people who proceeded us as the occupiers of North America werent so lucky. We should remember that. We should have respect for disease. Native people do. Young Masai braves protecting their precious cows against lions know that they have a lower chance of dying from a lion or a fight with a different tribal people than they have of dying of Malaria. That said, native peoples sometimes do think differently. The life expectancy of children in the sorts of villages where Ebola represents a threat isnt 75 or 80. When you say to these people, This can kill you, they are entitled to say that malnutrition and elephants and falling trees and other threats can as well. They are entitled to say, Whats the big deal? We are not, but we do. You are demonstrably knowledgeable not just about diseases, but about novel coronaviruses in particular. What are you saying to the people that you care about and the people that you love right now? I am talking to people that I love who are scared. Some are knowledgeable and some arent. They are glued to their computers. Im trying to be supportive and respectful of their fear and trying to turn it into concrete action. Lets think about what we should do for ourselves and the people we love. Lets not be alarmed at all the scary reports, some of which will be wrong or ill informed. I try to help with fact-checking. What would you recommend for those of us unprepared or simply inadequately educated to be fact-checkers? Remember this is not just a conversation about fear of a virus, but fear of death. How scared should we be? I try to be polite when Im asked, but its the wrong question. Being scared is useless. Ask me what we should do or how seriously should we take this and how much should we modify our lives. People want to get to the bottom line: Are we all going to die? That drives me nuts because its lazy. Yeah, guess what, were all going to die. Were also going to pay taxes. Now lets get a bit more reflective. Lets be more subtle. Lets have a plan. Whats your plan? I am an older man. God help me, Im 72. So Im in the demographic and my wife is saying, Dont forget youre elderly. Im not traveling or on the front lines, but this will be everywhere soon, even in Montana. It will come to me. Still, I live a life with a lot of social distance under ordinary circumstances. I have two dogs, a cat, a wife, and snake not in that order and we dont see many people. That sounds ideal, but Im presuming that there are friends and family youre in touch with that are in far worse shape. My parents are gone. If they were alive now I would be terrified for them. We are concerned about my wifes father, who is 79. She loves her father over the moon and hes had heart issues. Our responses will circle around him because hes of the demographic at greatest risk. Everything we do will be about keeping him safe and lending him support. Were a close family so we consider collective responses. Mounting a collective response isnt something America has been great at historically or in regards to this crisis so far. I wonder if youre optimistic about the endgame here or if you think this will be, like SARS, a horrible thing from which we dont seem to pull any lessons. Rahm Emmanuel said, You never let a serious crisis go to waste. I hope this crisis does not go to waste. SARS went to waste. Public health professionals told us a novel coronavirus could be a very dangerous pathogen. Where did that lesson go? I dont know. When we get control, before or after thousands or millions die, Im hoping we dont just say that was horrible and now its done. This will have been episode two. We should be better prepared for episode three or lives will go to waste. Related Articles: The post The Pandemic He Predicted: David Quammen on How We Talk About Pandemics appeared first on Fatherly. Like many of the rest of us, NASA employees are now working from home in a bid to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. Over the weekend, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine urged the agency's nearly 17,000 employees to stay away from the office if their jobs allowed it. But on Tuesday evening (March 17), he made it an order. "Effective immediately, all employees and contractors will move to mandatory telework until further notice," Bridenstine said in an update . "Mission-essential personnel will continue to be granted access onsite. Please contact your supervisor as soon as possible if you have any questions." Related: Live updates about the coronavirus and COVID-19 More: Coronavirus outbreak shakes the space industry: The effects so far The move elevates all of NASA's research centers and facilities to Stage 3 of the agency's " response framework ," Bridenstine explained. Two agency centers were already at Stage 3: Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley and Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, both of which had employees test positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. Bringing the other NASA centers up to Stage 3 does not imply that the virus is running rampant through the agency, Bridenstine stressed. "Although a limited amount of employees have tested positive for COVID-19, it is imperative that we take this preemptive step to thwart further spreading of the virus among the workforce and our communities," he said. The response framework only goes up to Stage 4. At that final stage, no exceptions are made for mission-essential personnel; all NASA facilities are closed, "except to protect life and critical infrastructure," and all travel is suspended. As of Tuesday evening, there were about 200,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide and nearly 8,000 deaths, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. But those numbers will get much higher over the coming weeks, health experts have stressed. The outbreak has already had a serious impact on the space industry, as Tuesday's NASA news shows. A number of high-profile spaceflight and astronomy conferences have been canceled or shifted to online-only mode, and travel restrictions emplaced to slow the virus' spread may have contributed to the delay of a European-Russian Mars mission from 2020 to 2022. Mike Wall is the author of " Out There " (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate ), a book about the search for alien life. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall . Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook . Posted on March 16, 2020 We are collaborating with FactCheck.org, a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, in an effort to identify misinformation and to ensure news consumers get the facts. Quick Take A viral image circulating online is falsely advising social media users that gargling water with salt or vinegar eliminates the coronavirus. There is currently no specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat the new coronavirus, according to the World Health Organization. Full Story Its worth reiterating again: Beware of posts on social media claiming to offer tips or cures for the novel coronavirus. One of the latest falsehoods concerning the coronavirus to spread widely on Facebook and Instagram tells users, wrongly, that simply gargling water with salt or vinegar eliminates the virus. The viral image spreading the claim erroneously purports that, before it reaches the lungs, the coronavirus remains in the throat for four days and that drinking a lot of water and gargling with warm water & salt or vinegar eliminates the virus. The World Health Organization, however, notes that to date, there is no specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat the new coronavirus, which causes the COVID-19 disease. While saline water or water with vinegar is sometimes used to help soothe a sore throat, it doesnt kill the virus, Charles Dela Cruz, an associate professor of medicine in pulmonary and critical care at Yale University, told us. Youre not rinsing it away so it doesnt go to your lungs, Dela Cruz, also director of the universitys Center for Pulmonary Infection Research and Treatment, said in a phone interview. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that symptoms often fever, cough or shortness of breath appear within 14 days of exposure. As for actual advice, Dela Cruz said the key is to limit getting infected. He emphasized health officials guidance that people should frequently wash their hands with soap and water; avoid touching their faces; and avoid large crowds and close contact with people who are sick. Editors note: FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on social media. Our previous stories can be found here. Sources Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public: Myth busters. World Health Organization. Accessed 16 Mar 2020. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) | How to Protect Yourself. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 16 Mar 2020. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) | Symptoms. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 16 Mar 2020. Dela Cruz, Charles. Associate professor of medicine in pulmonary and critical care, Yale University. Phone interview with FactCheck.org. 16 Mar 2020. [March 18, 2020] Can-Fite to Participate in Digital Bio-Europe Spring Partnering Conference; Looks to Partner on Co-Development of Piclidenoson for Coronavirus Treatment Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (NYSE American: CANF) (TASE:CFBI), a biotechnology company with a pipeline of proprietary small molecule drugs that address inflammatory, cancer and liver diseases, announced today that Dr. Sari Fishman, the Company's Director of Business Development, will participate in the digital Bio-Europe Spring partnering conference from March 23 to 27, 2020. The conference, which had originally been scheduled for an in-person format in Paris, will now be conducted as the world's largest fully digital life science partnering event. In addition to conducting meetings regarding Can-Fite's lead drug candidates, Piclidenoson and Namodenoson, for their established indications in Phase II and Phase III trials, Can-Fite has garnered interest from prospective partners for Piclidenoson as a potential treatment for coronavirus. Piclidenoson, currently in Phase III clinical studies for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, has begun pre-clinical testing for the treatment of coronavirus. Piclidenoson is an anti-rheumatic drug with positive efficacy signals in Phase II clinical studies and currently in Phase III. The drug is also known to have anti-viral effects against single stranded RNA viruses. Coronavirus is known to be a single stranded RNA virus. Today, drugs with this profile are under clinical studies for the treatment of coronavirus to combat the uncontrolled immune response created by the disease. China recently approved Roche's Actemra, a rheumatoid arthritis drug, to treat coronavirus patients with lung damage. In conjunction with Temple University's Lewis Katz School of Medicine in Philadelphia, Can-Fite is currently testing Piclidenoson's anti-viral effects against coronavirus. Piclidenoson's anti-viral properties are protected by U.S. patent US7589075. "This is an important time for potential partner meetings, as we expect to announce our Phase II NASH results for Namodenoson by the end of March, and Piclidenoson is being evaluated as a potential treatment for coronavirus. If our studies with Temple University in the U.S. produce positive data, we intend to apply for a compassionate use program in Israel for Piclidenoson in the treatment of coronavirus," stated Can-Fite CEO Dr. Pnina Fishman. Can-Fite's drugs have an excellent safety profile, having treated more than 1,500 patients. Namodenoson is curretly being used to treat advanced liver cancer patients in Israel under a compassionate use program. Approximately $18 million in upfront and milestone payments have been received to date by Can-Fite from out-licensing and distribution deals in certain countries located in Asia, Europe, and North America for indications including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, liver cancer, and NASH. Achieving future milestones may trigger additional milestone payments plus royalties. About Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (NYSE American: CANF) (TASE: CFBI) is an advanced clinical stage drug development Company with a platform technology that is designed to address multi-billion dollar markets in the treatment of cancer, inflammatory disease and sexual dysfunction. The Company's lead drug candidate, Piclidenoson, is currently in Phase III trials for rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. Can-Fite's liver cancer drug, Namodenoson, recently completed a Phase II trial for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer, and is in a Phase II trial for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Namodenoson has been granted Orphan Drug Designation in the U.S. and Europe and Fast Track Designation as a second line treatment for HCC by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Namodenoson has also shown proof of concept to potentially treat other cancers including colon, prostate, and melanoma. CF602, the Company's third drug candidate, has shown efficacy in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. These drugs have an excellent safety profile with experience in over 1,500 patients in clinical studies to date. For more information please visit: www.can-fite.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements, about Can-Fite's expectations, beliefs or intentions regarding, among other things, market risks and uncertainties, its product development efforts, business, financial condition, results of operations, strategies or prospects. In addition, from time to time, Can-Fite or its representatives have made or may make forward-looking statements, orally or in writing. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "believe," "expect," "intend," "plan," "may," "should" or "anticipate" or their negatives or other variations of these words or other comparable words or by the fact that these statements do not relate strictly to historical or current matters. These forward-looking statements may be included in, but are not limited to, various filings made by Can-Fite with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, press releases or oral statements made by or with the approval of one of Can-Fite's authorized executive officers. Forward-looking statements relate to anticipated or expected events, activities, trends or results as of the date they are made. Because forward-looking statements relate to matters that have not yet occurred, these statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause Can-Fite's actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Many factors could cause Can-Fite's actual activities or results to differ materially from the activities and results anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: our history of losses and needs for additional capital to fund our operations and our inability to obtain additional capital on acceptable terms, or at all; uncertainties of cash flows and inability to meet working capital needs; the initiation, timing, progress and results of our preclinical studies, clinical trials and other product candidate development efforts; our ability to advance our product candidates into clinical trials or to successfully complete our preclinical studies or clinical trials; our receipt of regulatory approvals for our product candidates, and the timing of other regulatory filings and approvals; the clinical development, commercialization and market acceptance of our product candidates; our ability to establish and maintain strategic partnerships and other corporate collaborations; the implementation of our business model and strategic plans for our business and product candidates; the scope of protection we are able to establish and maintain for intellectual property rights covering our product candidates and our ability to operate our business without infringing the intellectual property rights of others; competitive companies, technologies and our industry; statements as to the impact of the political and security situation in Israel on our business; and risks and other risk factors detailed in Can-Fite's filings with the SEC (News - Alert) and in its periodic filings with the TASE. In addition, Can-Fite operates in an industry sector where securities values are highly volatile and may be influenced by economic and other factors beyond its control. Can-Fite does not undertake any obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005272/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Late night shows have suspended production in the wake of the growing coronavirus global pandemic. However, both Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon figured people could use a laugh right about now and shared what would have been their opening monologues on YouTube Tuesday night. Fallon posted a video from his home in what appeared to be a tricked out playroom, complete with a slide built right into the wall. Too funny: After suspending taping due to the coronavirus, Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon figured people could use a laugh and shared what would have been their opening monologues on YouTube Tuesday night He began by welcoming viewers: 'Hi guys! This is Jimmy Fallon and The Tonight Show: Home Edition, I guess you can call it. 'We really don't know what this is but I wanted to put something out there for you guys so that we can have some levity in these bizarre times.' The late night host then introduced his camera operator, which happened to be his wife Nancy, his first guest which was his golden retriever and then his adorable young daughter came running into the frame. It was a 'work from home' moment many parents can currently relate to. Jimmy and Nancy's two girls interrupted the filming several times and when asked to draw their dad a shamrock in honor of St. Patrick's Day, Jimmy was hilariously presented with 'a green poop emoji.' He began by welcoming viewers: 'Hi guys! This is Jimmy Fallon and The Tonight Show: Home Edition, I guess you can call it' Working from home: Like many Americans, Fallon is working from home and filmed this segment in his kids playroom All in the family! Fallon's camera operator was his wife Nancy and the artwork (and interruptions) were provided courtesy of his two young daughters The comedian explained to fans that he would be recording in a new video daily to highlight a different charity doing amazing work during troubling times, the first of which was Feeding America. During the 10 minute long DIY Tonight Show episode, Fallon spoke seriously about those struggling to eat as they potentially face months of joblessness and self-isolation. He then launched into some monologue jokes, which wife Nancy chuckled at from behind the cameras, causing Jimmy to giggle in turn. Fallon even cobbled together a food segment and enjoyed some Irish treats, which was one of the funniest parts of the video, since wife Nancy was laughing more at her husband than with him. Doing good: The comedian explained to fans that he would be recording in a new video daily to highlight a different charity doing amazing work during troubling times, the first of which was Feeding America Hysterical: During the 10 minute long DIY Tonight Show episode, Fallon launched into some monologue jokes, which wife Nancy chuckled at from behind the cameras, causing Jimmy to giggle in turn Wow! Fallon's playroom for his children at home came with a built in slide that his blonde little girl went zooming down All and all the video added some needed joy for watchers during a dark time as Jimmy desperately tried in vain to host like a professional and his daughters caused a total ruckus outside. On the West Coast, Jimmy Kimmel similarly took to YouTube with his own 'self-quarantine' video, also with the help of his children. 'We are not on Live this week for obvious reasons,' Kimmel said to the camera. 'Since I have nothing to do and, the fact that you're watching this, makes me assume you have nothing to do I'm gonna shoot a mini monologue everyday until we get back from my house where I am currently incarcerated, camping out with my family.' Late night laughs: On the West Coast, Jimmy Kimmel similarly took to YouTube with his own 'self-quarantine' video, also with the help of his children 'Since I have nothing to do and, the fact that you're watching this, makes me assume you have nothing to do I'm gonna shoot a mini monologue everyday until we get back from my house where I am currently incarcerated, camping out with my family.' 'You know, you learn a lot about yourself when you're isolated at home,' Kimmel joked. 'For instance, I learned that I have two young children.' Jimmy joked that he and his family have watched Frozen 2 more than 'the animators' who actually drew the characters, and they've run out of snacks and crafts. 'We made macaroni necklaces yesterday, today I ate them for lunch,' he said deadpan. Stir crazy: Jimmy joked that he and his family have watched Frozen 2 more than 'the animators' who actually drew the characters, and they've run out of snacks and crafts 'We made macaroni necklaces yesterday, today I ate them for lunch,' he said deadpan. Since the pandemic began shutting down much of Hollywood, the men who host late-night, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, Stephen Colbert, Conan O'Brien and James Corden, all suspended taping. On the morning side, Al Roker and Craig Melvin from The Today Show were self-quarantining after a staffer in the show's third hour tested positive for coronavirus. And, Savannah Guthrie actually anchored the show from her basement at home out of an abundance of caution as she started to feel mild symptoms related to the illness. LIMERICK Redemptorist rector, Fr Seamus Enright said the people of Limerick have invoked the protection of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in times of difficulty for more than 150 years. A candle of intercession was lit by Bishop Brendan Leahy during St Patricks Day Mass in the Redemptorists Church on St Patricks Day. Prayers were said at the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help for those suffering from the Covid-19 pandemic and for those who are on the frontline fighting it. We are now in a time of great need not just here in Limerick but across the world due to the Covid-19 pandemic. At such times we turn to Our Lady and the lighting of the candle is Bishop Leahys invitation to the faithful to take part in the nationwide Novena in this time of COVID-19 crisis, said Fr Enright. The Novena will culminate with the Consecration of Ireland to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on March 25, the Feast Day of the Annunciation. Fr Enright hasnt been afraid to speak out in his sermons. At Sundays Mass behind closed doors of course he requested the Government to close the pubs immediately. Masses have been suspended, hospital appointments cancelled, schools and playgrounds closed. It is beyond belief that pubs are still open. In the same sermon, Fr Enright urged people to follow the government guidelines and to reduce social interaction to a minimum. We need to find imaginative and creative ways of supporting each other and to watch out for the elderly and the vulnerable. Please dont see others as the enemy and dont demonise individuals or groups. Fr Enright urges people to continue supporting charities like Trocaire and the Society of St Vincent de Paul. Think of those who are worse off than we are and who are suffering more than we are. Jesus asks us to remember the least of our sisters and brothers. Please dont hoard food. Jesus also challenges his followers not to be afraid. Every time we are tempted to give in to fear we are invited to remember the challenge of Jesus and to make a conscious decision not to panic and not to give in to fear. Lent for Christians is a time for sacrifice. We are invited to incorporate the Governments guidelines about hand washing, sneeze / cough hygiene and limiting social interaction into our Lenten observances, said Fr Enright. He is inviting people to visit Our Ladys Shrine virtually during these difficult times. It is possible to visit the Redemptorist Church virtually 24/7 and to light a virtual candle on www.novena.ie. It will also be possible to visit the church on weekdays between 10.30am and 7pm and on Sundays from 1pm to 7pm. Fr Enright also invites people to email their prayers to msasacristy@cssr.ie Mass will continue to be celebrated in the Redemptorists at the usual times but behind closed doors. Only the Redemptorists, the lay ministers and the musicians will be in attendance. All our Masses will continue to be broadcast on www.novena.ie said Fr Enright. Weekday Masses: 8am, 10am and 7.15pm Novena Masses on Saturday: 10am and 7.15pm Sunday Masses: 8am, 12 noon and 7.15pm NEW YORK, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Purcell Julie & Lefkowitz LLP, a class action law firm dedicated to representing shareholders nationwide, is investigating a potential breach of fiduciary duty claim involving the board of directors of IDEX Corporation (NYSE: IEX). If you are a shareholder of IDEX Corporation and are interested in obtaining additional information regarding this investigation, free of charge, please visit us at: http://pjlfirm.com/idex-corporation/ You may also contact Robert H. Lefkowitz, Esq. either via email at [email protected] or by telephone at 212-725-1000. One of our attorneys will personally speak with you about the case at no cost or obligation. Purcell Julie & Lefkowitz LLP is a law firm exclusively committed to representing shareholders nationwide who are victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty and other types of corporate misconduct. For more information about the firm and its attorneys, please visit http://pjlfirm.com. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. SOURCE Purcell Julie & Lefkowitz LLP Related Links http://www.pjlfirm.com Confirmed coronavirus cases have topped 200,000 worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 8,000 people who have tested positive for the virus have died, a tally has found. Meanwhile, the number of recovered patients around the world has exceeded 82,000, according to the American universitys figures. The Johns Hopkins Centre for Systems Science and Engineering found that the countries with the most confirmed cases were China, Italy, Iran, Spain and Germany with the first four joining France in having the greatest number of coronavirus patient deaths. Covid-19 a flu-like disease which can turn into pneumonia was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation last week. Countries around the world including France, Spain and Italy have gone into lockdown as authorities work to battle the spread of the virus. The British prime minister urged people earlier this week to avoid all non-essential travel and going to social venues, including bars, pubs and clubs. Nearly 2,000 people have been infected with coronavirus in the UK, with the death toll standing at 71, according to Tuesdays figures. The rate of infections in China where the virus originated in the central city of Wuhan is slowing, with 99.9 per cent of new cases in the last week being reported elsewhere in the world, according to a Reuters tally. Italy has been the worst-hit country in Europe, with more than 31,000 confirmed cases and nearly 3,000 deaths. France and Spain have also gone into lockdown to try and limit the spread of the virus, with people being ordered to stay at home unless it is essential to go outside. Since the outbreak started towards the end of last year, people have been diagnosed with coronavirus in more than 160 countries and territories. Additional reporting by agencies Nurseries being closed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic is absolutely devastating news that will see early years providers forced to shut down, an industry body has claimed. The chief executive of National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) has demanded the Government support the nursery sector in the same way other businesses are being supported. It came after Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced schools and early years providers across England would close, with similar measures also announced in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on Wednesday. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced in the Commons that all nurseries in England will close from Monday. This is shocking news. How can the private nursery sector remain sustainable in the face of mass closures and expensive overheads? https://t.co/rvZqJU1jBx NDNA (@NDNAtalk) March 18, 2020 Chief executive Purnima Tanuku said: This is absolutely devastating news. I have just expressed my total shock and disappointment to the minister, who had previously assured us they would keep nurseries open as long as possible. How can the private nursery sector remain sustainable in the face of mass closures and expensive overheads? We must have reassurance from government that as well as continuing to pay the early years entitlement funding, they will support the sector in the same way they have promised for other sectors badly affected by this catastrophe. Nurseries will lose income from parents but will still have staff to pay and rental or mortgage costs. Chancellor Rishi Sunak said on Twitter that nurseries will be eligible for a business rates holiday from April 1, which was welcomed by the NDNA. Ms Tanuku added that it was vital parents can access high quality care once they return to work, and that nursery businesses and their staff are in a position to deliver this. Story continues To support nurseries at this time, we have decided that they will also be eligible for a business rates holiday for one year from 1 April. Local authorities will be fully compensated for the cost of this and we are applying the Barnett formula to the additional support. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/jn13TBAWPZ Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) March 18, 2020 She added: We also need to know how some nurseries, who care for children of key workers and for vulnerable children, can continue to remain open with few children. I will be pressing the Government on all these issues at the early years sector Covid-19 response meeting tomorrow. According to the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years, the closure of early years educational settings in England includes childminders. Chief executive Liz Bayram said more information on the closures is due to be published on Thursday, while acknowledging that childcare providers will be extremely worried about surviving temporary closures. In a statement, she said: The decision to close schools in England and Wales and, in England only, childcare settings too will not have been made lightly and is part of the UKs on-going effort to defeat this terrible virus. We know our members and other childcare providers will be extremely worried about how they can survive if they are temporarily closed due to Covid-19 or forced to close down for all but vulnerable children or children of key workers. (PA Graphics) The support already announced by government will help but far more is needed to ensure childcare providers can survive this period of closure and rebuild the service so many families rely on to balance work and home, once we have beaten Covid-19. She added that registered childcare and play settings in Wales are due to remain open at this time. Elaine Pitteway, executive director of Childminding UK, told the PA news agency that childminders were already asking the charity questions about payment. She said: Some insurance companies do cover childminders for a loss of earnings, but in this case, some are saying that although you would normally be covered for a notifiable disease, this particular virus isnt yet on the list of insurers notifiable diseases. So therefore they wont be paying them for a loss of earnings. At the moment, there doesnt seem to be any insurance cover, and theres certainly no government support or directive about loss of earnings. She also raised concerns about childrens care when schools are closed, as childminders work to a ratio with most unable to take any more than six children at a time. Ms Pitteway added: Where would those children go? And I think this is going to be a real problem, because it means parents will just have to take time off, and then what will their employer do? Will they have to take all their leave, leaving families with no leeway or holiday to take later in the year? Theres huge repercussions. A respiratory therapist at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in New Jersey sets up a ventilator in the intensive care unit. Hospitals bracing for coronavirus patients may face a critical shortage of equipment. (Mike Derer/AP) President Trump says the federal government has stockpiled massive numbers of ventilators and tremendous amounts of equipment to help hospitals respond to a crush of seriously ill coronavirus patients. The problem, experts say, is that the government's cache of supplies probably wont be nearly enough to satisfy the demand. That's because its stockpile was designed to be a temporary lifeline to healthcare workers in a particular place or region, until they can get more equipment and medicine from the private sector not to provide all the gear they need, and to caregivers nationwide, simultaneously. There will likely soon be a surge all over the country and every state is going to be asking for material, and I think the concern is that its going to be depleted very quickly, said Dr. Anand Parekh, chief medical advisor for the Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington-based think tank. The government's stockpile is a great asset to have nationally, but if its taxed, it wont have enough supplies. Many people have called for greater stockpiles, but unfortunately we are where we are. Hospitals and clinics nationwide are expected to face shortages of safety equipment and devices needed to treat patients with the coronavirus, which originated in China and causes a potentially deadly respiratory infection that has spread across the globe. States have closed schools, restaurants, bars and gyms, while limiting or banning large gatherings, in the hopes of reducing the contagion and death toll. Yet in the U.S., the virus has killed at least 115 people and infected nearly 7,000 in the two months since the first case in the country was confirmed in late January. Nearly 8,000 have died and at least 200,000 have been infected worldwide. A key U.S. backstop in responding to pandemics is the federal government's secretive $8-billion stockpile. Stashed in a dozen warehouses nationwide and maintained by the Department of Health and Human Services, the Strategic National Stockpile contains a trove of medicines, vaccines and protective clothing and equipment that it dispatches to local authorities to distribute to hospitals and medical workers. Over two decades, it has evolved from a specialized shop to speed the response to biological and nuclear terror attacks to the warehouse of disaster and pandemic relief. Story continues When an emergency strikes, former federal officials said, hospitals and other medical-care providers first tap state and local governments' stores of medicine and gear. When those run out, state and local officials request supplies from the federal stockpile. Former federal officials have said that among the stockpile's equipment that can help battle the coronavirus are millions of N95 masks, which can filter out 95% of airborne particles. Such masks limit medical workers' exposure to the virus, which can spread when patients cough or sneeze. Vice President Mike Pence disclosed Wednesday that the stockpile has more than 10,000 ventilators, mechanical devices that have proved critical in keeping alive those with acute respiratory infections. Assuming that the cache fall short of demand, federal officials will face difficult decisions on how to parcel out such critical supplies, experts said. "We are going to walk really close to the line on making tough calls," said Greg Burel, who oversaw the stockpile until retiring in December. "The stockpile was meant to provide some breathing space for the private sector to get on its feet. There was never an anticipation that the stockpile would hold so many ventilators we could ventilate every individual who needed it in a pandemic." The stockpile also cannot fill gaps caused by systemic changes in the healthcare system, according to experts. They said hospitals have cut back on their stashes of supplies to boost profits. Medical supply chains have come to rely heavily on materials produced in Asia, which has been hard hit by the virus. Local governments have slashed public health staff and budgets in the last decade. The department launched the stockpile in 1999 to purchase and store medicine and supplies that had little commercial value but could help mitigate the damage of a biological or nuclear attack. Over time, it set up warehouses across the country to also help with hurricanes or epidemics. The stockpile played a key role during the H1N1 swine flu in 2009, dispatching 12.5 million regimens of antiviral drugs, nearly 20 million pieces of protective equipment and 85 million N95 respirators, federal officials have said. In 2016, it purchased mosquito spray and netting for kits it assembled and dispatched to U.S. territories to blunt the spread of the Zika virus. A year later, it sent six medical stations each containing 250 beds and enough medical and pharmaceutical supplies for three days to Texas and Louisiana in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. While the stockpile has provided invaluable assistance in such emergencies, experts said, its broad portfolio has spread it thin. It didnt suffer from mission creep, it suffered from mission gallop, said Tara OToole, a former Department of Homeland Security official who chaired a National Academy of Sciences committee that examined the stockpile from 2016-18. It started as this thing intended for these weird attacks, like a city being sprayed with anthrax, providing the medicines it might need. And then over time the mission kept expanding and expanding, and it has not received a commensurate increase in funding or staffing. Citing national security, department officials have refused to say how many items it has ready to deploy. A department spokeswoman did not respond to emails seeking comment on the stockpile. The Trump administration in 2018 shifted responsibility for the stockpile from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the Health and Human Services Department's assistant secretary for preparedness and response. Administration officials and some experts said the move helped streamline management. Other experts said the move needlessly complicated the already complex process of disaster relief. Former officials said choosing what gets stockpiled is a tricky endeavor. "It took extensive study, risk estimation, and educated assessment of which are the most likely incidents to determine what and how much to stockpile," said Deborah Levy, who oversaw the stockpile in 2013 and 2014. "This is really hard." Bengaluru, March 18 : A 35-year-old man tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, taking the total cases in Karnataka to 14, an official said on Wednesday. "Till date, 14 COVID-19 positive cases have been reported in Karnataka including one death," Suresh Shastri, special officer in the information, education and communication (IEC) wing of the Health Department told IANS. The 35-year-old man, Karnataka's 14th positive case, returned to Bengaluru from the US on March 10 and slipped into home quarantine, however, he started developing symptoms on Monday and has been confirmed positive on Wednesday. Earlier on Wednesday, a 25-year-old Bengaluru man tested positive upon returning from Spain on March 13, currently he is admitted in a hospital and is under isolation. The Health Department has identified seven primary contacts of the 12th positive case who are under home quarantine. Similarly, a 56-year-old woman also tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday. She returned from USA on March 6 and is under isolated observation but stable. The Health Department has traced 50 primary contacts of the woman and put them on home quarantine. On Wednesday, three new people tested positive for coronavirus and the Health Department is on the hunt for all of their secondary contacts. Currently, 10 people are being monitored under isolation at the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases and 39 more in other hospitals in Bengaluru. In the district hospitals, one each in Chikmagalur, Udupi, Bidar and Gadag, two in Ballari, four each in Kodagu and Dakshina Kannada, five in Uttara Kannada and 12 in Kalaburgi are admitted. Across the state, 80 people are under observation in hospitals. "As many as 1,068 samples of symptomatic persons were collected for testing of which 869 have returned negative," said an official statement. Nearly 2,281 people are going through home quarantine across the state while 2,935 people have enrolled for observation. A total of 1.19 lakh passengers have been thermal-screened for the virus in Karnataka till now at the Kempegowda International Airport in the city and the Mangaluru International Airport. Another 5,662 passengers were also checked for the virus at Karwar and Mangaluru seaports. Meanwhile, The Karnataka State Board of Auqaf has called on all the Muslims in the state to shorten their prayers in the wake of spreading Coronavirus. "The Jamath Salah (Prayer) shall be offered in minimum time and disbursed at the earliest. Duration of salah (prayer) to be minimized. Friday sermons to be shortened like in Middle East countries," said the Auqaf Chairman Mohamed Yousuff in a statement. Yousuff said Friday prayers should be shortened like in Middle East. Bayan/Khutba sermon for 10 minutes and salah for 10 minutes and the entire process to be finished in 20 minutes. He also called for Ijtema and traditional urus to be celebrated with minimum attendance and recommended the madrasas and makatibs to be closed on par with the state government directives to schools and colleges. "The persons suffering from respiratory or immunity related issues are requested to void coming into public places and in particular to masjid, madrasa, makatid and dargahs. In a related development, the South Western Railway zone (SWR) has cancelled five trains on Wednesday due to lack of patronage fearing Coronavirus. "Trains are cancelled temporarily in view of poor patronage due to outbreak of COVID-19," said a SWR statement. Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has appealed that only sick and medical emergencies should visit hospitals in the state. "It is hereby informed that only sick and patients requiring emergency care may visit the hospitals for treatment at medical college hospitals, super specialty hospitals and autonomous institutions," additional chief secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department Jawaid Akhtar said. All other patients with mild illnesses, requiring outpatient care, follow-ups, and dental examinations have been asked to not visit hospitals for the next fortnight to prevent rising coronavirus. Akhtar said private hospitals should also take similar steps. State Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey on Wednesday highlighted that some people under home quarantine are not following the procedures properly. He said the health department will stamp such people. "It has been decided to stamp the back of palm of left hand of such passengers with a specially designed stamp which will indicate the last day of quarantine," Pandey said in a statement. The rectangular stamp will read: Proud to protect Karnataka, home quarantined till. With another stamp indicating the date in dd/mm/yy format. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) As stricter guidelines are being put in effect to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus, Conroe Mayor Toby Powell urged residents to take precautions but encouraged consumers to continue supporting local businesses by shopping online and ordering take out. On the heels of Powell and County Judge Mark Keough ordering no more than 50 people at area bars and restaurants at any given time, some local businesses are feeling the effects of the growing pandemic as they closed their doors and ramped to go and delivery services. This is one of the costly events we can have, Powell said. But we need to still support our local businesses and keep these people in business to help avoid a break down of services in our area. Joe Haliti, owner of Joes Italian Restaurant on Frazier Street, had adjusted his daily operations in light the crisis. We have reduced the seating capacity down to 48-50 people maximum , Haliti said. For anybody not feeling comfortable to come inside to pick up their meal, we are gladly offering curb side pickup. Just call us when you arrive in our parking lot and we will bring your order out to your car. Haliti added daily lunch and dinner specials will still be available for dine in or take out. Officials with BeanPunk Coffee were also making changes and now close at 3:30 p.m. until further notice. We are doing our utmost to keep our shop clean, germ free and keep our employees and customers safe, a post read on Facebook. We are keeping sugar, creamer, etc behind our counter and hand it to you. We will be happy to take your order over the phone, using a credit card and run your order out to your car. While there have been no cases of COVID-19 within the Conroe city limits, as of Wednesday there were six positive cases in the county with 102 tests being processes for results. Officials with the Montgomery County Health Department said there are likely others in the community that are positive with the virus. For more information on the new coronavirus, visit the city of Conroe web page at www.cityofconroe.org. cdominguez@hcnonline.com AMSTERDAM, March 17 (Reuters) - The Dutch central bank said on Tuesday it would lower capital requirements for the biggest Dutch banks in order to keep credit flowing and to limit the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the economy. The central bank said the measure would free up more than 8 billion euros ($8.78 billion) in capital for the three dominant banks in the Netherlands, ING , Rabobank and ABN Amro, which could ultimately lead to 200 billion euros in extra loans. ($1 = 0.9113 euros) (Reporting by Bart Meijer Editing by Gareth Jones) Business leaders in Northern Ireland have established a Cobra-style committee aimed at supporting firms through the coronavirus crisis. (Ben Birchall/PA) Business leaders in Northern Ireland have established a Cobra-style committee aimed at supporting firms through the coronavirus crisis. The Business Alliance is a partnership between the Confederation of British Industry Northern Ireland (CBI NI), Centre for Competitiveness, Institute of Directors Northern Ireland (IoD NI) and Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It said its Cobra committee would also act as a "direct conduit to government". "We have been in contact with the Department for the Economy who, along with Invest Northern Ireland, wholly supports our course of action and today we will begin by surveying our memberships to understand the most pressing issues facing the business community in order to develop a wider strategy to assist," said the Business Alliance in a statement. "We will also provide businesses, through webinars, with expert counsel on issues as diverse as employment law, deferment of taxation, new strategies for the manufacturing sector and possibly the redeployment of business staff to assist within the community. "Law, accountancy and business advisory firms are on board to offer guidance at this extremely challenging time. "The business community has a vital role to play in supporting the wider community in the months ahead." In light of the continuing threat of COVID-19, Allahabad University (AU) on Tuesday decided to extend suspension of all classes on its campus as well as the campuses of all its constituent colleges till March 31. Earlier, the central university had suspended the classes till March 22. The central varsity has also decided to postpone all under graduate exams, falling between March 18 and March 31 until further notice, informed AU officials. AUs UG exams had kick-started on March 3 and were scheduled to continue till April 27 with around 40,000 students of the varsity and constituent colleges appearing in them. Confirming the development, AUs controller of examinations Prof Ramendra Kumar said that the decision in this regard was taken in view of the advisories of ministry of health and family welfare and state government and also that of the ministry of human resources and development (MHRD) with regard to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) disease. The next dates for the deferred examinations of different subjects, scheduled to be held between March 18 and 31 will be announced later. All students are advised to return to their homes and take adequate precautions as per guidelines, issued by the centre. The students are also advised not to huddle in a group anywhere, he added. AU PRO Shailendra Mishra said that all conferences, seminars and workshops, cultural activities, meetings etc on the campus till March 31 would also remain cancelled. All common facilities like central library and departmental libraries etc will remain closed till March 31, he added. All faculty members, officers and staff members will, however, continue to attend their duties and responsibilities. Routine office work will remain unaffected during this period, he added. Rajju Bhaiya University also defers exams Prof Rajendra Singh (Rajju Bhaiya) University, Prayagraj on Tuesday announced its decision to suspend all ongoing annual examinations for session 2019-20, scheduled to be held between March 18 and April 2 till further orders. The varsity has also decided to close its campus till April 2 for students, staff and teachers alike, informed varsity vice-chancellor Prof Sangeeta Srivastava. She said that the university had planned to issue a fresh examination schedule later on. Acting controller of exams Prabhash Dwivedi said that all nodal centres had been ordered to place all confidential materials related to examinations in their respective strong rooms. The varsitys annual exams started on March 3 and were set to conclude on April 6. Around 3.95 lakh students of the varsity and colleges affiliated to the university in Prayagraj, Kaushambi, Pratapgarh and Fatehpur were appearing in these exams. As the COVID-19 coronavirus rattles industries, its more important than ever for IT leaders to ensure employees have the tools they require to work remotely and securely. When traditional channels and operations are impacted by the outbreak, the value of digital channels, products and operations becomes immediately obvious, according to Gartner analyst Sandy Shen. This is a wake-up call to organizations that focus on daily operational needs at the expense of investing in digital business and long-term resilience. For most organizations, that means a boost in business continuity (BC) planning. From executing fire drills associated with cyberthreats to spinning up additional data centers and communicating about the challenges of remote work, IT leaders are facing down COVID-19. Here IT leaders share their plans to bolster BC, providing templates for peers to keep businesses humming smoothly in preparation for disasters no matter what shape they take. IT leaders shore up remote access Since joining AvidXchange as CIO in 2018, Angelic Gibson has invested in BC planning to ensure that the SaaS provider of accounts payable software can serve employees and customers without a hitch. This includes enabling AvidXchanges 1,400 employees to work from anywhere no matter what role they occupy. There are pieces of business continuity planning that were starting to activate, Gibson tells CIO.com. As the pandemic unfolded, Gibson stepped up role-playing activities, essentially testing to ensure that remote staff had the proper tools, including computers and collaboration software to ensure virtual meetings at scale through applications such as Microsoft Teams and Cisco WebEx. Shes also ensured that she has a handle on network traffic through the VPN, including testing volume, to make sure staff can connect to their business applications. Gibson says the role-playing is akin to cybersecurity drills many companies execute to prepare staff in the event of breaches that lock them out of operations. This entails ensuring staff know how to do their jobs when they cannot physically come to the office. I feel well prepared to run our business and support our customers through various scenarios, Gibson says. The cybersecurity drill provides a good template for facilitating BC for the current pandemics, says Gartners Shen, adding that C-level, operations and IT staff should practice emergency drills at least once a year to prepare for cybersecurity incidents but also disruptive events such as COVID-19 that threaten the continuity of operations. The goal, Shen says, is to identify gaps in policies, processes, technologies and workforce planning so they can make contingency plans to better prepare for future incidents. Sound time management for remote workers CIO Alastair Pooley has switched exclusively to remote working at Snow Software, a provider of SaaS-based software asset management tools based in Stockholm, Sweden. Pooley took pains to ensure that employees use corporate-issued laptops to perform their work, in accordance with Europes Global Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules that forbid employees from putting work data on a home computer. One advantage Pooley has is that more than 95 percent of Snows 120-plus applications run in the cloud and require employees to use multi-factor authentication. This zero-trust network access model affords Snow with more security, while enabling employees to access their apps and data from anywhere. Were well set up for remote work, Pooley says. Even so, Pooley had to ensure that Snow employees had enough capacity to access an order management system, software products the company develops and legacy file servers from the VPN. We rarely have this number of people working remotely, Pooley says. He also had to set up a call-forwarding system to allow customer service staff for field calls from home. The technical challenges are minor; Pooley says he frets about the cultural aspect of remote work. At an all-hands meeting earlier Monday, executives stressed the importance of advising the rank-and-file not to overwork themselves, which can impair productivity, as well as the importance of setting up a quiet place to work and taking regular breaks. It can be hard when they suddenly dont have a commute and find themselves working more hours, Pooley says. Turning crisis into opportunity During the current health scare it is incumbent on IT leaders to shore up flat spots in their organizations, says Stan Lowe, CISO for cloud security vendor Zscaler, who previously ran cybersecurity at PerkinElmer, the Department of Veteran Affairs and the Federal Trade Commission. Never let a crisis go to waste, Lowe says, adding that the coronavirus offers CIOs the perfect time to take a good look at things that matter to your organization. Lowe, who helped spin up an additional data center in Milan to ensure Zscaler had enough computing firepower to support its operations as well as its customers, offered the following advice for CIOs and CISOs looking to get their arms around the challenge: Apps and data. CIOs must ensure that the right IT systems are fully operational. The top app? Email. Without email, places come to a screeching halt, Lowe says. Of critical importance is ensuring that employees can access any top-tier software they require to do their job at home. Hardware and bandwidth. A lot of people in non-knowledge work sectors have desktops, so CIOs should consider whether to let those staff use their home devices in lieu of their work PCs. And they should ensure they have enough bandwidth to handle the external traffic. For most corporations, 70 percent of the bandwidth requirement is outbound. But with the rush to remote work flipping that model, CIOs should assess whether they have the network capacity to handle increased inbound traffic. Reassess your risk profile. As do data breaches, pandemics offer great opportunities for IT to evaluate their risk tolerance and consider creative ways to enhance security through technology or administration. Is IT equipped to fend off emerging cyberattacks and other threats? For example, Zscaler is seeing new phishing scams piggybacking on COVID-19, including one that purports to use AI to protect users from the coronavirus. You have to make sure your business can deliver goods and services to drive revenues, Lowe says. Communications culture. Mastering communications is the mark of a good leader, but many executives fail to loop in the rank-and-file staff during a crisis because they forget that theyre not sitting in the same meetings with the C-suite, Lowe says. Its imperative that executives close the loop and keep all employees up-to-date regularly each business day. Microsofts handling of communications during the coronavirus outbreak is Exhibit A of how to be proactive and keep staff informed. Your employees are more worried than you are because they dont have access to the planning information, which could cause serious morale and production problems, Lowe says. At these high- level meetings, we forget that we know what we know, but they dont know what we know so you cant communicate often enough. Facilitating trustworthy information is also paramount, says Gartners Shen, adding that data from unverified sources or the lack of data can impair sound decision-making and escalate employee anxiety. Shen recommends that organizations set up a website, app or hotline featuring curated content to provide guidance to employees. These sources include local governments, healthcare authorities and international organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO). Gartner is offering additional analysis on the actions CIOs and IT leaders should take to remain resilient during coronavirus business disruptions during a webinar Coronavirus Outbreak: CIOs Short- and Long-term Actions on March 24 at 11 a.m. ET. Pennsylvania liquor license holders now risk citations, suspension and forceable closure if they allow on-premises consumption of food or alcohol. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announced the stricter approach Wednesday, following Gov. Tom Wolf's order Monday that all restaurants and bars close their dine-in facilities for at least 14 days effective at midnight. The mandate to close or face penalties takes effect at midnight Wednesday "until further notice, in the interest of slowing the spread of the COVID-19 virus and mitigating the unprecedented public health crisis the commonwealth faces." PLCB officials say the prohibition applies to all retail licensees, clubs, permittees and producers. Mondays order was attached to guidance from the Wolf Administration that strongly urged non-essential businesses to close for at least 14 days. It came one day after the administration on Sunday ordered all restaurants and bars to close their dine-in facilities at midnight in Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties for 14 days. All of Pennsylvanias Fine Wine & Good Spirits liquor stores were then ordered to close as of 9 p.m. Tuesday until further notice. As of Wednesday: "Any licensee that fails to comply with this mandate now risks citation by the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement and suspension of operating authority by the PLCB. Any licensee that continues to operate after its license is suspended risks further enforcement action and closure by the BLCE. Ultimately, citations may put the businesss liquor license at risk, both through the citation process and upon application for renewal to the PLCB," the board said in a news release. Sales of food and drink to-go are still permitted, as are hotel sales of food and alcohol for consumption in a private room. Additionally, beer distributors are permitted to continue operating, just as other retail licensees are permitted to sell beer to-go. Beer distributors are strongly encouraged to employ social distancing best practices and avoid public gatherings of 10 or more people. As an example of how beer distributors are responding, Tanczos Beverages Bethlehem on Wednesday began doing curbside pickup only through its mobile app and website, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Medical experts and public health professionals from around the world agree the best step we can take to slow the spread of COVID-19 is to stop gathering in public spaces, PLCB Chairman Tim Holden said in a statement. Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures, and this decision is not made lightly. But saving lives and protecting the health and safety of our communities is our highest priority right now. Pennsylvania on Wednesday reported its first COVID-19-related death, an adult from Northampton County died while being treated at a hospital. The state also announced 37 new positive tests for the coronavirus illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen that began spreading in Wuhan, China, last December and is now a global pandemic. Its symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath can be mild or lead to deadly complications. The positive count remains one each in Northampton and Lehigh counties, with Berks Countys first case reported Wednesday and totals of seven cases in Monroe County, nine in Bucks County and 42 -- the most in Pennsylvania -- in Montgomery County. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email him. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Andhra Pradesh State Election Commissioner N Ramesh Kumar on Wednesday requested the Centre to provide him central police force security cover, saying he apprehends threat to his life and that of his family members Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh State Election Commissioner N Ramesh Kumar on Wednesday requested the Centre to provide him central police force security cover, saying he apprehends threat to his life and that of his family members. In a five-page letter to the Union Home Secretary, the SEC alleged intimidation by the ruling YSR Congress party following his decision to put off elections to rural and urban local bodies for six weeks in view of coronavirus scare. "All this intimidation is meant to demoralise me and force me to revisit the postponed elections for their sole political advancement," the SEC alleged. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to interfere with the decision of Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission (APSEC) to postpone the local body elections in the state by six weeks due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The top court was hearing a plea of Andhra Pradesh government against the decision of State Election Commission (SEC) while contending that a large number of developmental activities have been suspended due to the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct for the local body elections in the state. "Now the Supreme Court had upheld my actions. But the road ahead is a testing time beset with challenges and acrimony as the government of the day lacks in grace to treat constitutional bodies with due dignity and deference," Ramesh Kumar said. He said the axing of "partisan and inefficient bureaucrats and police officers" was meant as a signal to bring home the necessary course correction, neutrality and fair play in the next phase of elections (stage 2 and 3 elections) from the poll machinery, but the state government chose not to implement the SEC orders on the pretext of pending writ petition in the Supreme Court. He said, "There are real apprehensions of physical threats, attacks directed against me and family members." He said under the circumstances, he has no other recourse other than appealing to the Centre and the Union Home Ministry to come to his rescue and provide a security cover through appropriate Central Police Force "commensurate with the current risk perceptions." Ramesh was appointed as State Election Commissioner in 2016 by the previous TDP government. Prior to that, he served as Principal Secretary to state governor E S L Narasimhan for about seven years. He also served as Executive Officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. Two Italian citizens were advised self-quarantine in their rooms at a city hotel while four foreign students were sent back to their countries from Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College (MGMCH) here in Jamshedpur on Wednesday in view of the coronavirus outbreak, an official said here on Wednesday. We have advised the two Italian citizens self-quarantine in their hotel rooms for next 14 day and their throat swabs have been sent to MGMC-based Virus Research and Development Laboratory (VRDL) for confirmatory testing as a precautionary measure. Preliminary screening late last night found no symptom of corona in both the Italians. They had reached India on January 3 and have been touring the country since then and reached here yesterday after visiting Chennai, Shillong and other cities, said Ravishankar Shukla, East Singhbhum deputy commissioner. Passport verification of both the Italians revealed that they first reached Chennai and then moved to other cities. They have been kept in isolation under the observation of the health department team and district civil surgeon Dr Maheshwar Prasad was monitoring the situation round the clock. Italy has the highest casualty due to coronavirus outbreak after China and has so far reported 2,503 deaths against 31,506 registered cases of coronavirus infection as on Tuesday. However, 2,941 such patients have, however, recovered in Italy during the period. The matter came to fore on Tuesday evening when the two Italians approached a leading hotel under Bistupur police station area seeking two rooms and a banquet hall for hosting a marriage ceremony and party. The hotel authorities informed me immediately and I directed the DC and the civil surgeon to take care of the situation, said Banna Gupta, Jharkhand health minister. As per available information, the Italians reached Jamshedpur on Tuesday and tried to books rooms in several hotels in Sakchi but were denied accommodation. Finally, they approached the hotel in Bistupur. They have come here to marry a city-based girl from posh Sonari locality. Meanwhile, MGMCH principal Dr Prashant Kumar Barla confirmed that at least four foreigner students studying in MGMMC have been asked to return to their countries in view of the present situation. Farzana Islam and Sugandha Rani Gupta from Bangladesh of 2016-17 MBBS batch and Puja Yadav and Snigdha from Nepal of 2017-18 MBBS batch have been asked to return to their countries as classes have been suspended in view of corona pandemic. However, some students may leave after completion of their ongoing examinations, said Dr NK Sinha, MGMMCH dean (students). SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Microsoft has launched a free Bing COVID-19 coronavirus tracking website for desktop and mobile platforms. The website shows a map of the world with bubbles which indicate the extent of the viruss spread in various countries. A pane on the left shows the total number of confirmed cases and a breakdown of the active, recovered, and fatal cases. A list of countries is also displayed, ranked by the number of confirmed cases. Country-specific statistics Users can zoom in on the map to view more information about particular regions and click on the bubbles or countries in the pane to check the number of confirmed cases for each country. Underneath these statistics, a feed displays news reports and videos relating to COVID-19 in the applicable country. Microsoft said it updates the site based on data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organisation (WHO), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), and Wikipedia. Clicking on the information button in the left-hand pane will show when the data was last updated. Google working on coronavirus website Various other coronavirus tracking platforms have been launched by other companies, including a portal from Worldometer and multiple news sites. US President Donald Trump announced on 13 March that Google would launch a website where people could check symptoms, arrange for and get test results for the virus. Google has since told The Verge that the website Trump was referring to was a limited platform from its sister company Verily, which only covers the San Francisco Bay Area. It indicated that it will need more time to bring its own website live, which will provide authoritative information on the virus, including available screening and testing locations. The website will at first only be available in the US, but Google has plans to roll out an international version in future. The image below shows the information displayed on Microsofts Bing COVID-19 tracker when clicking on South Africa. When military mom Vanessa Ghinea first heard about the coronavirus, she had just moved to a new country and shared excitement with her husband about showing their children around Europe. Today, the growing family of five is quarantined in their home, doing their part to slow a global pandemic. I didnt think much of it in the beginning as we werent affected in any way, Ghinea told TODAY Parents from a U.S. military base in Naples, Italy. The Ghinea family relocated to Italy from Honolulu, Hawaii, in early 2020. They were in the process of finding and setting up their home when news began to trickle in about a new strain of virus. Vanessa and Samuel Ghinea and their kids are maintaining a positive attitude despite mounting cases of COVID-19. (Vanessa Ghinea) My oldest was told first by her teacher," Ghinea said. She was encouraged to stay home if sick, wash hands thoroughly and cough away and into her arm. She didnt think much of it as its something we practice when we are sick. Ghinea, due in May with her fourth child, and her husband, Samuel, are parents to Audrey, 10, Weston, 6, and Hudson, 1. Audrey Ghinea, 10, was first told about coronavirus at school by a teacher. (Vanessa Ghinea) My 6-year-old knows very little, but he knows that people are getting really sick and if we dont do our part to help, people cant get better, Ghinea said. Similar to the United States, Italian authorities did not initiate sweeping changes at once, but on March 9, 2020, Italian Prime Minister Guiseppe Conte ordered residents into full quarantine, impacting more than 60 million people across the country. It took a few weeks before we saw any drastic changes, but [as soon as] we did it seems its been a downward slope, she said. We were still trying to plan our spring break three weeks ago, but my husband and I were hesitant to book something because it seemed things began to shut down or get restricted. The military base where the Ghinea family is stationed is governed by Italian law, which means that residents living there must abide by the country-wide quarantine. Vanessa and Samuel Ghinea are maintaining a positive attitude despite mounting cases of COVID-19. (Vanessa Ghinea) You can get fined for not being at home and leaving base requires a special document stating the reason to be off base, she said. I think most of us on base are concerned, but trying to do our best to help and be patient. Story continues When asked what she wished she could tell families in the United States, Ghinea stressed the serious nature of the virus. People should not panic, but do take precautions, she said. If schools are shutting down, theres a reason for that. It doesnt mean its extra time for trips or sleepovers. The sooner people take it seriously, the sooner this virus can go away. In Italy we are practicing social distance. Italians are friendly and love to hug and kiss, so if they can practice social distance Im not sure why Americans cant. The Ghinea children -- Audrey, 10, Weston, 6, and Hudson, 1 -- are using their imaginations to keep them occupied during quarantine. (Vanessa Ghinea) For now, Ghinea, who will deliver her baby within the next two months at a hospital that is located on the military installation, is doing her best to maintain a positive attitude, despite recognizing the potential risks. Im nervous primarily for the staff if theyve been exposed, she said. We run the same risks [as Italian residents not living on a base], because locals work on base. Health & Wellness Through it all, Ghinea's children are making the most of their time in quarantine. Their mom said they are relying on creativity to keep them busy. The kids have tuned into their imaginations, Ghinea shared. Theyve built forts, escape rooms, multiple picnics for breakfast and lunch on our balcony, homemade hopscotch, charades, reading and helped around the house; however, they do have virtual classes which take a good portion of their time. MIDDLETOWN, Conn., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- PursueCare (pursuecare.com), a Connecticut-based telemedicine provider treating individuals struggling with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), has announced a Series A capital raise to help meet growing demand for its virtual medication-assisted treatment programs due to COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) outbreaks. The capital raise was lead by Chicago-based venture firms Seyen Capital and OCA Ventures, along with a syndicate of existing and new investors. PursueCare: Telehealth addiction treatment at home PursueCare's app and services were launched in 2019 to address rural populations suffering from high rates of OUD, and a lack of comprehensive treatment options in their communities. The innovative "tele-MAT" model gives patients convenient and private access to care, including medical providers who can prescribe medication like Suboxone, addiction counselors, behavioral therapists, and at-home toxicology screening. Care coordinators help patients get started with a treatment plan, and provide support throughout care. Additionally, the company's Joint Commission-accredited pharmacy, CompreCare Rx (comprecarerx.com), can ship medications directly to patients' homes in 25 states. Earlier this year it launched an online pharmacy where patients and family members can order the life-saving overdose reversal drug Narcan and the generic-equivalent naloxone. The PursueCare app is designed for use on any smart phone or tablet, and can be used by individuals with limited data plans in areas with poor cellular service. The telehealth care provided is covered by most insurances. Ordinarily, treatment with buprenorphine medications like Suboxone requires a a one-time visit to a partnering medical facility before treatment can continue at home. However, on March 16th, 2020, the DEA published a COVID-19 Information Page containing guidance waiving this requirement during the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services public health emergency declaration. "People with OUD and other substance use disorders may be at greater risk due to the effects of those substances on lung and heart health," said PursueCare's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Steven Powell, MD. "By transitioning patients out of physical interaction and ensuring they can safely receive consistent care from home, we can help reduce unnecessary exposure for vulnerable populations." PursueCare establishes transition-of-care programs with partnering community health centers, hospitals, primary care, and residential programs using its PursueCare Connect portal product. The portal makes it possible to quickly collaborate with on-site providers, and immediately assess and smoothly transition patients into virtual care at home. The company recently announced it will be waiving PursueCare Connect portal implementation fees to support adoption and use by health partners during the COVID-19 outbreak to refer patients to PursueCare's telehealth providers. "We already work with healthcare organizations in rural and underserved areas that are short on resources and don't ordinarily treat substance use disorders directly," said CEO and Co-Founder Nick Mercadante. "We can immediately take some of the burden off of emergency departments and walk-in centers that anticipate being overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients. By increasing availability to our partner portal, we hope more facilities take advantage of our ability to immediately triage patients into effective evidence-based treatment so they can free up staff and resources for COVID-19 care." SOURCE PursueCare Related Links https://www.pursuecare.com HALIFAXThey have to shout down to the bottling floor to find Thomas Steinhart. Thats where hes been spending all of his time for the past couple of days, an extremely turbulent couple of days in the history of Steinhart Distillery. He used to fill those bottles with vodka and gin some of the best gin in the world, according to his awards from just last year: Best Classic Gin, Best Canadian Gin, Best Gold Canadian Flavoured Gin at the 2019 World Gin Awards in London. Today, though, hes filling bottles with hand sanitizer, yet another reminder of how strange things have become in a coronavirus world. If it seems like a long journey from boutique spirits to producing bottles of hand sanitizer, its not; Thomas Steinhart made that trip in a day. In a pinch because of a massive slump in orders for his boutique gins and vodkas, Steinharts distillery in Arisaig, N.S., about 200 kilometres northeast of Halifax, looked to be facing a bleak summer. And then things began to happen quickly. On Thursday, Steinhart sat down with his staff for a brainstorming session. With no end in sight to the coronavirus outbreak, restaurants and bars had cut back on their orders. Steinhart was projecting a 50 to 90 per cent drop in sales. He worried about how he was going to pay his six full-time workers, let alone his seasonal staff. They talked about the coronavirus. One of his staff mentioned they had been looking for hand sanitizer and couldnt find any. A light bulb went on. On Friday, he was in the hand sanitizer business. I started calling around. Where can I get bottles? Where can I get the ingredients? I already have the alcohol, but I didnt have the rest, he says over the phone from his distillery. In the background is the rattling sound of hundreds of bottles being filled. An effective hand sanitizer needs to have a minimum of 60 per cent alcohol. Just to be on the safe side, Steinhart upped that number to 70 per cent. That level of alcohol will kill the coronavirus. But if you use just that on your hands, theyll dry out in a couple of days and start cracking. It needs a moisturizing agent. Many sanitizers use aloe vera, but Steinhart opted for coconut oil and olive oil as a moisturizer. Add in a little elemental oil of lemon and orange to enhance the smell and dissuade anyone who might try drinking it and you have Steinharts All-Natural Hand Sanitizer. By Tuesday, he had his entire staff, bookkeepers and sales people included, on the bottling line. Right now, were concentrating on production and then distribution will happen. Probably through convenience stores, he says. He started off selling just a few bottles, then word spread. Today, he says, hes getting orders not only from his hometown of Antigonish, but also from nearby Pictou County, and most recently from Halifax. At seven oclock this morning, somebody posted on Facebook. I havent been on my phone in two hours, and I have over 200 messages. And our phone here hasnt stopped ringing, he says. At $15 for a 200-millilitre bottle, Steinhart figures hell make enough to pay his staff for the immediate future, and maybe turn a little profit for himself. But hes also planning to donate 20 per cent of each order to local food banks. Some of his customers are following suit. We had customers this morning, they bought five bottles for themselves, and another five for their food bank, he says. Of course, in this coronavirus-outbreak economy, there can be a convergent evolution of ideas. In Toronto, Spirit of York, a distiller of gin, vodka and whiskey, has also begun producing hand sanitizer from ethanol. Spirit of York founder Gerry Guitor says the decision was inspired, in part, by recent stories of hoarding. We were appalled at this person who was hoarding this hand sanitizer and trying to sell it on Amazon and eBay, he says. And we were talking about how, in times of crisis, you always get people who try to take advantage of the crisis. And we said, Well, what can we do? What they had lots of was ethanol and some room on their production line. What they needed was a recipe for hand sanitizer. They got that from the World Health Organization. After a few tweaks, Guitor said, theyre now in a position to distribute it. Like Steinhart, Spirit of York has also felt the economic crunch of the times. But, says Guitor, part of his companys mandate has always been community service. This wasnt really a shift for business reasons, it was just a utilization of capacity. Mind you if we were at full-fledged capacity then we may not have been able to do that flexible change and adapt this way. But it was really more a values motivation than an economic one. He says all the proceeds from Spirit of Yorks hand sanitizer are destined for the food bank. He also says that theyll give the sanitizer to people who cant afford to buy it themselves. We should all be doing this. Full-court press on trying to help our communities, right? And if anybody wants to know what the formula is? Any distilleries out there that want to do this to help their communities? The World Health Organization has a formula. So lets get it done. Correction March 18, 2020 An earlier version of this story misstated the location of Arisaig, N.S. The story has been updated. Read more about: A couple of days ago, Rajith Kumar, a college teacher and a contestant in popular TV reality show 'Big Boss' run by actor Mohanlal for a leading Malayalam channel was expelled for allegedly attacking a female co-contestant. Kumar called up his 'fans' in Kerala and asked them to organise a 'royal welcome' on his way back home from Chennai. Braving state government directives on Covid-19 preventive measures, he was given a rousing heroic welcome by 74 fans assembled at Kochi airport on Sunday. Within hours, Ernakulam district collector S Suhas directed the police to arrest all of them. Police slapped Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 143, 147, 149, 188 and 283 against them. While the actor is absconding, at least 13 supporters have been arrested. The Collector, in a Facebook post, later said while the world was cautious and orders had been issued advising against gatherings, such an incident was shameful and endangered public health. Beware, rights as a citizen in these global emergency times and violating public health orders can end up one in jail. Kerala has already directed the police to arrest COVID-19 infected people kept under isolation and home quarantine, if found roaming in public places. As per IPC 269, which is about acting carelessly to endanger the public health and life, can lead to up to six months imprisonment and fine. In order to identify those quarantined or infected, Maharashtra, which has the largest number of Covid-19 infections, has started marking a stamp with date using voting ink on the hands of the infected as part of the vigil. Saudi Arabia is reportedly imposing a fine of up to 500,000 riyals ($133,000) on people who do not disclose health-related information and travel details at entry points and Italy imposes a fine (EUR 206; around GBP 178) or jail (3 months) if people leave quarantine zones. As per the Constitution, though public health is a state subject, the Concurrent List or List-III in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India shares over 52 rules which empowers both state and centre to enforce various rules. While the State list 6 includes Public health and sanitation, hospitals and dispensaries, the Concurrent list 26 covers legal, medical and other professional rights. List 29 covers prevention of the extension from one State to another of infectious or contagious diseases or pests affecting men, animals or plants. Besides, an epidemic is also covered under the Disaster Management Act, notes Dr KK Aggarwal, President CMAAO, HCFI and Past national President IMA. The Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 for better prevention of the spread of dangerous epidemic diseases, empowers the state governments and the Central government to take measures as may be warranted or necessary to control further spread of disease. Any person who disobeys any regulation or order under the 1897 Act may be charged with an offense under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code. By this, the disobeying person is punishable with imprisonment of either for a term up to six months, or with fine up to Rs 1,000 or both. Similarly, the Section 270, which talks about any malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life, is punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both. During the times of public health emergencies, governments can enforce reasonable restrictions on the fundamental right "to move freely throughout the territory of India.' for its citizens. The Supreme Court has also clarified that the right of privacy is an essential component of the right to life, but that it is not absolute and may be restricted to prevent crime or disorder, or to protect health, morals, or the rights and freedom of others. Besides, the Epidemic Disease Act, there are several other rules that can be enforced during a health emergency like the Essential Commodities Act, NLEM, Municipal corporation acts, state public health acts and the like which gives the government any measures to ensure orderly public life and relief during a health emergency. ALSO READ: Coronavirus in India Live updates: Confirmed COVID-19 cases rise to 137, Maharashtra worst hit ALSO READ: Coronavirus update: Here's a list of 62 test centres for COVID-19 Intravenous Iron Drugs Market: Snapshot Iron is one of the most significant minerals required for the correct working of human bodies. Iron insufficiency prompts various medical problems, for example, anemia and could have a grave and direct association with the several of hospitalizations and deaths. The global market for intravenous drugs is foreseen to display a solid CAGR over the reports forecast period attributable to the rising pervasiveness of anemia cases over the globe, the rising utilizations of intravenous iron medication treatment, and an empowering pace of advancement of novel items. The market is likewise fundamentally profiting by the increased use of intravenous iron drugs treatment for pregnant ladies, and patients suffering from IBD and interminable heart ailment. The category of non-dextran intravenous iron drugs is by and by drawing more traction over the conventional dextran intravenous iron drugs. The capacity of the former category to deliver heavier dosage of intravenous iron as compared to later is powering the demand for non-dextran intravenous iron drugs. Request a Sample Copy of the Intravenous Iron Drugs Market Research Report: @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=2312 The market in North America is directly the main generator of revenue to the global intravenous iron drugs market. The prevalence of iron inadequacy anemia and the presence of some of the leading players in the region are among the key elements owing to the high future development prospects of the North America intravenous iron drugs market. The vendor scenario of the global market is profoundly fragmented due to the advent of a high number of global and regional organizations. Organizations are highly competitive in nature with a high concentration on the non-dextran iron treatments, improvement of novel medication applicants, and global expansion of promising regional markets and other areas of applications. Global Intravenous Iron Drugs Market: Overview Iron is one of the most crucial minerals required for the proper functioning of human bodies. Iron deficiency leads to a number of health issues such as anemia and could have a grave and direct connection to the number of hospitalizations and deaths in a region. Oral iron is prescribed to reverse anemia, but this course of iron intake could lead to frequent non-adherence and gastrointestinal toxicity. Intravenous iron drugs are reserved for cases where the patients show unresponsiveness to or are intolerant of oral iron intake therapy, have severe anemia, or are suffering from iron malabsorption. With very rare chances of leading to adverse events, the ability of intravenous iron drug therapies to infuse a sufficient dosage of iron to a patient has been considered an attractive option for the past many years. This report presents a detailed overview of the global intravenous iron drugs markets present state of development and forecasts its growth prospects over the period between 2017 and 2025. Request TOC of the Report for more Industry Insights @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=2312 Global Intravenous Iron Drugs Market: Drivers and Restraints The global market for intravenous drugs is expected to exhibit a healthy CAGR over the reports forecast period owing to the rising prevalence of iron deficiency anemia cases across the globe, the rising set of applications of intravenous iron drug therapy, and an encouraging pace of development of novel products. The market is also significantly benefitting from the increased usage of intravenous iron drugs therapy for pregnant women, and patients with inflammatory bowel diseases and chronic heart failure. Active involvement of public and private bodies, especially across developing and less developed countries, in the process of increasing awareness regarding the need for safe levels of iron in pregnant women is also driving the market. Global Intravenous Iron Drugs Market: Market Potential The segment of non-dextran intravenous iron drugs is presently gaining more traction over the segment of the conventional dextran intravenous iron drugs. The ability of the former to deliver larger dosages of intravenous iron as compared to the latter is fueling the demand for non-dextran intravenous iron drugs. Several other benefits of non-dextran intravenous iron drugs, including their ability to challenge the numerous challenges faced by the segment of dextran intravenous iron drugs, such as safety concerns and unsatisfactory response, are also working in the favor of the non-dextran intravenous iron drugs segment. Global Intravenous Iron Drugs Market: Regional Overview From a geographical scenario, the report covers regional markets such as North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Middle East and Africa. Of these, the market in North America is presently the leading contributor of revenue to the global intravenous iron drugs market. The rising prevalence of iron deficiency anemia and the presence of some of the global markets leading players in the region are some of the key factors attributable to the high future growth prospects of the North America intravenous iron drugs market. High disposable incomes and awareness among consumers are also expected to also fuel the demand for intravenous iron drugs in the region in the next few years. Global Intravenous Iron Drugs Market: Competitive Overview The vendor landscape of the global market for intravenous iron drugs is highly fragmented owing to the presence of a large number of regional and global companies. Companies operate in the highly competitive environment with a rising focus on the development of novel drug candidates, non-dextran iron therapies, and expansion across promising regional markets and areas of application to outplay competitors. Some of the leading vendors operating in the global market for intravenous iron drugs are Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA, Pharmacosmos A/S, Galenica Ltd., AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc., American Regent, Inc., Vifor Pharma Ltd., Rockwell Medical Technologies, Inc., Sanofi Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Actavis, Inc. Check Discount at: https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=2312 About TMR Research: TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends. Contact: TMR Research, 3739 Balboa St # 1097, San Francisco, CA 94121 United States Tel: +1-415-520-1050 Website : TMR Research Visit Blog : https://tmrresearchblog.com/ A San Francisco-based professor has been slammed by people and authorities in China after sharing a picture depicting the country's flag with an image of the coronavirus. The flag also bore the word 'coronavirus' and a stamp reading 'made in China'. Shanghai-born professor Liu Yunjie, also known as Jay Liu, called the image 'very appropriate' after one friend questioned the decency of his post on Facebook, according to a report. He replied in Chinese: '[The purpose] is to let the whole world know. Otherwise, they will shift the blame to America.' Professor Liu Yunjie's Facebook account is now restricted for viewing, but his controversial post was captured by Chinese outlet Beijing Daily , which reported the outcry yesterday A picture on San Francisco Conservatory of Music's website shows Prof Liu teaching a student Professor Liu's Facebook account is now restricted for viewing, but the controversial post was captured by Beijing Daily, which reported the outcry yesterday. The news comes as Beijing and Washington lock horns in a new diplomatic row after US President Trump called the coronavirus 'the Chinese virus' three times despite official warnings from China. It also comes as one of Prof Liu's friends, American-Chinese violinist Jiang Yiwen, was sacked by a Chinese college after referring to Chinese people as 'pigs' in a social media reply to Prof Liu. Liu is the Professor of Viola at San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He also serves as the Associate Principal at San Francisco Symphony. His original Facebook post shows a modified version of the Five-star Red Flag, which is the national flag of China. 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: Trump used the term 'the Chinese Virus' again despite being warned by China 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 In the picture, the biggest of the five stars, which stands for the Communist Party, was replaced by an image representing the coronavirus. Four Chinese characters, translated as 'made in China', appeared next to the illustration of the virus. Underneath the stars, the word 'Coronavirus' and a stamp reading 'made in China' were laid out. The musician's post sparked an outcry among Chinese social media users, who labelled him as an 'er gui zi', a derogatory expression for someone who betrays their own country. On Weibo, the Chinese equivalent to Twitter, one typical comment warned 'don't you come back' while another person wrote 'er gui zi are most hateful'. The League of Chinese Orchestras, an organisation affiliated to the Chinese Musician Association, condemned Prof Liu's behaviour, calling it 'unappropriated'. In a statement yesterday, the authority criticised him for 'defaming and humiliating' the Chinese flag. MailOnline has reached out to Prof Liu and San Francisco Symphony for comments on the matter. President Donald Trump on Wednesday defended his use of the term 'China virus' to describe the coronavirus, saying 'it's not racist at all.' 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 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 The president, repeatedly this week, has talked about the 'China virus,' a moniker that has been called racist. China expelled journalists from three major American news outlet in the wake of Trump's words. Trump, who started his Wednesday briefing by saying he had 'important developments in our war against the Chinese virus,' told reporters at the White House he used the description because the virus originated in Wuhan province of China. 'It's not racist at all. It comes from China, that's why. It comes from China. I want to be accurate,' he said during a press briefing. 'I have a great love for all the people from our country, but as you know, China tried to say at one point that - maybe they've stopped now - that it was caused by American soldiers. That can't happen. It's not going to happen. Not as long as I'm president. It comes from China,' he said. Early Tuesday Beijing demanded 'the U.S. side correct the mistake immediately and halt its groundless accusations' Six high-end hotels and resorts in Vietnam elevate luxury experience with Grohe bathrooms. Living up to its brand motto, "Pure Joy of Water," Grohe is one of the first choice bathroom brands for luxury hotels and resorts worldwide. Developers, architects and interior designers of these high-end properties rely on Grohe for its German-quality, technology, sustainability values and sophisticated design. Travelers around the world appreciate the luxurious water experience that Grohe showers and fittings deliver, helping them relax and revitalize. Banyan Tree Lang Co (Da Nang) Located on the shores of one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, the Banyan Tree Lang Co is a leading luxury resort in central Vietnam. It is a good starting point for travelers for exploring Hue and other hotspots in the region. Located in a crescent-shaped bay, the Banyan Tree Lang Co is the most luxurious brand in the Laguna Lang Co integrated resort. Banyan Tree Lang Co symbolizes the cultural and historical heritage of Vietnam by incorporating the traditional style of Hue houses into its architecture. Its interiors reflect the cultural heritage of the region with Champa sandstone sculptures, Dong Son bronze drums, Vietnamese calligraphy, Dong Ho paintings, water puppets, silk embroidery, pottery and royal fabrics. Grohe's luxury bathroom fittings have well matched the 5-star resort settings. The Banyan Tree Lang Co Hotel, known for its relaxing, luxurious ambience, surprises customers with its bathroom interiors. X2 Hoi An Resort & Residence The design of this superb luxury resort harmoniously combines nature, local culture and modern architecture. Located just minutes from the UNESCO-heritage ancient town of Hoi An, and just 30 minutes from the Danang International Airport, the site of X2 Hoi An Resort & Residence resembles a silk strip on the banks of Co Co River. Each villa has a modern living space that is in harmony with nature and a dedicated private pool. Residents and visitors can relax in utmost privacy amidst luxury. And a highlight of this experience is the luxury bathrooms equipped with Grohe Spa color fittings. The deluxe PVD gold Grohe fittings exude timelessness as they combine beautifully with traditional Vietnamese motifs. At the X2 Hoi An Resort and Residence, Grohe bathroom fittings help to combine the charm of Vietnams ancient town with contemporary luxury. JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi is one of the top 5-star hotels in Vietnam. It features luxuriously palatial rooms, cutting-edge interior design and superlative service. JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi won "The Best New Hotel Construction and Design" at the Asia Pacific 2014 awards. Designed by the renowned Carlos Zapata Studio based in the U.S., the hotel building strikingly resembles a resting dragon against the skies of the East China Sea. The interiors of JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi provide a deluxe-level of relaxation and tranquility. Its bathrooms extend the five-star experience with Grohe fittings that emphasize European sophistication and luxury. A room equipped with modern interiors in JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi. Premier Village Phu Quoc Resort Premier Village Phu Quoc Resort has earned a name for itself with its stylish design - from architecture to its interiors. The luxuriousness of this property is reflected, among other things, in the high quality marble used in the bathrooms. After a long day on the beautiful white sands of the islands beaches, theres no better feeling than a refreshing moment under a Grohe shower, meticulously designed to maximize comfort. Soaking in luxury gets real in the exquisite bathrooms of the Premier Village Phu Quoc Resort. Oakwood Residence Hanoi With its prime location, outstanding facilities, exclusive service and purposeful design, Oakwood Residence Hanoi is one of the best serviced apartments for both short and long stay travellers in the capital city. The bathrooms in the apartments are beautifully designed with a contrasting black and white color palette, giving them an extremely eye-catching appearance. The elegant and minimalist bathrooms are a haven of serenity, delivering a calming and relaxing experience for busy travelers to unwind and recharge. Oakwood Residence boasts a prime location in the capital city. FLC Grand Hotel HaLong The FLC Hotel & Resorts group has asserted itself as one of the top brands in the hotel industry with many outstanding projects in choice locations. FLC Hotel & Resorts requires equipment and products used in its hotels to meet stringent international standards. The pinnacle design and quality of Grohe bathroom fittings and ceramics with their technological sophistication, German-quality standards, and outstanding design fit well with FLC Hotel & Resorts luxury brand ethos. Reading a magazine while warm water massaging your skin is a memorable moment at FLC Grand Hotel HaLong. Reuters (Reuters) - Apple Inc said on Tuesday it has closed retail stores across the world until further notice, except in Greater China, as companies try to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The iPhone maker had said on Saturday its stores would remain closed until March 27. Retailers have been closing shops around the globe in response to the fast-spreading virus, which has killed over 7,500 people and infected more than 187,000, while disrupting supply and production chains. (Reporting by Munsif Vengattil in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. In a landmark order, the Supreme Court on Wednesday restrained Manipur minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar Singh from entering the Legislative Assembly. The bench headed by Justice Rohinton Nariman also ordered that Singh, who defected to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from Congress, will cease to be a minister from immediate effect. The court resorted to this drastic step after noting that Speaker Y Khemchand Singh failed to decide the disqualification petition pending against Singh within the four-week period stipulated by the top court. The court had observed in a case in January this year that the Speaker cant sit on a disqualification petition indefinitely. The court emphasised that it is essential for the Speaker to decide on the matter within a reasonable time period. The court had also said that elected Members of Parliament or the legislative assemblies should not be allowed to continue, if they have been disqualified on issues such as anti-defection. Singh was expelled from Congress for six years after he crossed over to the BJP. Singh was elected on Congress ticket from Andro constituency in Imphal East district. The Congress had won 28 seats in 2017 Manipur Assembly election and BJP got 21. BJP aligned with National Peoples Party (NPP) along with Singh from the Congress who later became a minister. The Congress filed an application of disqualification against him but Speaker did not take any action, post which a writ petition was filed. New Delhi, March 18 : The Press Council of India (PCI) has taken suo moto cognizance of a leading newspaper's headline that made a satirical reference to the President of India. The PCI issued a showcase notice to the editor of the 'Telegraph' newspaper on Tuesday. A press statement issued by the Press Council on Tuesday, noted that the PCI Chairman, Justice Chandramauli Kumar Prasad has noted with concern the satirical use of the President of India's name in a derogatory manner. The editor of the newspaper has been issued a showcause under sections 17(i)(a)(b) and 31(vi) of Norms of Journalistic Conduct. Norm 17(a) indicates that "Provocative and sensational headlines are to be avoided", while as per Norm 17(b) "Headings must reflect and justify the matter printed under them. Sub rule (vi) of Section 31, states that "Satirical comments, ridiculing and denigrating the first citizen of the country are uncalled for and beyond the call of fair journalistic comment." The controversial headline that appeared on the front page of 'The Telegraph', daily on March 17, pertained to the nomination of former Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi, to the Rajya Sabha. China Launches Global Disinformation Campaign in Attempt to Shift Blame for CCP Virus A sprawling and aggressive disinformation campaign unleashed globally by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), sparked by a motley mix of internal failures, aims to upend the narrative over the pandemicand its happening in real time. The propaganda push, which has escalated in recent weeks, aims primarily to deflect blame over the Chinese regimes botched handling of the CCP virus (widely known as the novel coronavirus), sow discord internationally, and portray the image that the regime has contained the outbreak. Former U.S. government officials, China experts, and national security consultants told The Epoch Times that the disinformation campaign points to a bigger issueBeijings global aspirations. The campaign has helped stir anger from Chinese citizens away from the regime and toward the United States, which has increasingly been a target of its propaganda. And some in the United States are buying it. Deception, disinformation, manipulation, distortion of the facts, obscuring their true intentions, and the patient steady erosion of the will to resist on the part of others is something that very much feeds into the global ambitions of the Chinese Communist Party to dominate the world, Frank Gaffney, former assistant secretary of defense for international security policy during the Reagan administration, told The Epoch Times. Its just one manifestation of it, but its a particularly insidious one, and its one that we ought to be alive to now, said Gaffney, who is the executive chairman of the Center for Security Policy. Because, in some ways, its the leading edge of the larger, longer-term, and even more dangerous effort they [China] are mounting. Internal government documents obtained by The Epoch Times have highlighted how the regime purposefully underreported cases of the CCP virus and censored discussions of the outbreak, helping to fuel the spread of the disease, which is now confirmed to have infected more than 240,000 people internationally. Chinese officials and state-run media have amplified conspiracy theories on social media platforms such as Twitter, most recently pushing claims that the origin of the virus isnt clear, or came from the U.S. military, or that the CCPs containment efforts bought time for the rest of the world to prepare. State-run Chinese outlets, many of which have an English-language website, have pushed these theories almost daily, with some articles even threatening the United States directly, as seen in a March 17 editorial in Xinhua, which stated, The U.S. side should immediately correct its wrongful behaviors before it is too late. Although Chinese citizens are blocked from using Twitter, bots have been swarming the platform to defend the communist regime, attack the United States, and parrot propaganda narratives. A Twitter spokesperson didnt respond to a request for comment about whether the company is aware of the bots and if it has any plans to remove them. Another narrative gaining traction in U.S. media holds that calling the pathogen the Wuhan virus is racist, despite the fact that Chinese state-run media have used the term themselves, as seen in Xinhua, the Global Times, and elsewhere. Previous diseases such as Ebola, Zika, the West Nile virus, Lyme disease, and the Spanish flu are all named after the location where the virus emerged. Joseph Bosco, a former China country desk officer in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (20052006), told The Epoch Times the aim of the regimes sprawling disinformation campaign is to shift blame and escape responsibility for its gross negligence and lack of cooperation with international health organizations. Bosco, a national security consultant and a fellow at the Institute for Corean-American Studies, said theres an underlying reason why the United States was specifically targeted. Communist China sees the U.S. as the main obstacle to its aggressive global ambitions, he said. It seeks to enhance the CCPs credibility and legitimacy, and to delegitimize the U.S. and the West. The United States can combat the disinformation push by fighting CCP lies with the truth, Bosco said. He said the administration should demand and impose reciprocity on all aspects of U.S.China relations, as President Donald Trump has mentioned before. The disinformation campaign hasnt gone unnoticed. In recent days, Trump administration officials and U.S. politicians have spoken out against Chinas recent propaganda push. At a March 17 briefing, Trump said: China was putting out information which was false, that our military gave this [virus] to them. That was false, and rather than having an argument, I have to call it where it came from. It did come from China. Bonnie Glaser, a former consultant for the departments of Defense and State, said Beijing seeks to protect the portrayal of its country internationally, as well as internally. She noted that there already several legal cases that Americans are filing against China, including The Berman Law Group, which recently filed a federal class-action lawsuit against the Chinese regime for causing the pandemic. It will harm Chinas global image if Beijing is blamed for mismanaging the epidemic early on and allowing it to affect the rest of the world, Glaser told The Epoch Times via email. Glaser is a senior adviser for Asia and director of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. China seeks to be seen as a responsible global player that can contribute effectively to addressing global problems, she said. By demonstrating the effectiveness of Chinas domestic governance system, Beijing can advance its goal of leading global governance reform and promote the Chinese model as an option for developing countries to copy. If the regime successfully portrays itself handing the crisis effectively, the CCP can further undermine the appeal of democracy and capitalism around the world. Internally, China is actively pushing its propaganda about the virus on its own citizens. U.S. national security adviser Robert OBrien, during a speech at Washington-based think tank Heritage Foundation on March 11, said the regime had initially attempted to censor doctors who tried to speak about the outbreak, so that word of this virus could not get out. It probably cost the world community two months to respond, OBrien said. In recent weeks, China has also pushed the narrative of a declining number of infections, and encouraged people to return to China. Li Lanjuan, a senior expert at Chinas National Health Commission, told Chinese state media that if all goes well, China might be cleared of all new infections by March 20. Gaffney said: We should be ensuring that the people of China are exposed to the truth. Theres a lot of talk now about reciprocity, especially with respect to journalists. The CCP 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. There are additional perceived benefits for the regime in focusing on America. By targeting the United States, the CCP garners widespread attention and enables them to renege on some of their recent agreements with Washington on trade investment and intellectual property, according to Peter Huessy, president and founder of GeoStrategic Analysis, a defense and national security company in Potomac, Maryland. Huessy told The Epoch Times that Chinas disinformation has dire effects and makes it more difficult to protect the health and welfare of people not only the United States, but globally. The entire Chinese strategy is one of mass disinformation and misdirection, he said. While China pretends to be a responsible member of the international community, in reality, they are doing much to undermine the rule of law and human rights. 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. Seattle Taxpayers Ask Supreme Court to Overturn Public Campaign Finance System Seattle taxpayers are asking the Supreme Court to review a public campaign financing system in local elections that they say compels them to provide funding for political candidates against their will by way of a democracy voucher program. The justices are expected to consider the petition for certiorari on March 20, according to Ethan Blevins, a staff attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF), who represents Seattle property owners Mark Elster and Sarah Pynchon, in the case known as Elster v. Seattle. PLF is a public interest law firm based in Sacramento, California. When individuals are forced to fund other individuals private speech, it violates their rights of conscience under the First Amendment, Blevins told The Epoch Times in an interview. The bottom line here is that the First Amendment includes the right to speak but also includes the right not to speak. You should have a right not to speak. PLF sued in hopes of overturning the local ordinance mandating public campaign financing. Under Seattles democracy voucher program, each city resident receives four $25 vouchers to support eligible candidates for local political office. The money to fund the program comes from a special tax on property. The lawsuit argues that these compelled subsidies violate the First Amendment right to refrain from speakingor funding the speech of another person. Seattle enacted this voucher system after voters approved Initiative 122. The measure was touted at the time as giving more people an opportunity to have their voices heard in our democracy, and as vital to ensure the people of Seattle have equal opportunity to participate in political campaigns and be heard by candidates, [and] to strengthen democracy, the city stated in legal documents. The law went into effect in 2017. The initiative added an Honest Elections Seattle subchapter to city law, which introduced several reforms. The city codified much of the initiative in the Seattle Municipal Code. The first vouchers, paid for by property owners by way of a tax on their land, were distributed to residents who then used them to contribute to eligible candidates for local city offices. There is no refund mechanism or exemption for conscientious objectors. Some property owners, including Pynchon, own property within the city and are subject to the tax even though they reside outside the city limits and are themselves not eligible to receive vouchers. Elster and Pynchon, the petitioners in the case, both object to bankrolling political speech that they dont want to support, according to PLF. The trial court ruled against the taxpayers, as did the Washington Supreme Court on appeal in July 2019. The petition seeking review of that decision was filed with the Supreme Court in November 2019. Blevins was sanguine about his chances at the high court. Its always a long shot at the Supreme Court, he said. The question is whether it gets granted. If it is granted, then we have a very good chance at reversing that decision. I think this petition is more likely to interest the court than the average petition because of the courts interest in the First Amendment and the compelled subsidy doctrine, he said. Roger D. Wynne, assistant city attorney for Seattle, declined to discuss the details of the case when contacted by The Epoch Times. He said the opposition brief the city filed with the court speaks for itself. This Court should deny the Petition, that brief states. Seattles Democracy Voucher program does not merit this Courts attention because it is a new, one-of-a-kind program that rests on a minimal tax. The brief emphasized that the voucher program is the first and only of its kind. No other voucher program exists in the nation. Other jurisdictions have considered such programs, but none has enacted one. The state Supreme Court noted that the program resembles other content-neutral ways the government facilitates political speech, for example, when the government distributes voters pamphlets, the citys brief stated. That court also found that the program cannot show the tax individually associated them with any [particular] message, according to the document. As coronavirus concerns lead people to clean out stores and avoid restaurants, the Wolf administration issued guidance Tuesday for families in need to get access to emergency food assistance. During this time of major precautions to reduce risks of spreading COVID-19, those out of work, those who rely on college meal plans, school meals to feed their children, and those who are isolated may not know where to turn for food, Agriculture Secretary Redding said. No Pennsylvanian should go hungry, even in these extraordinary times. Russell offered the following instructions for those in need of emergency food: Who is eligible to get food from a food bank or food pantry? Pennsylvanians out of work without pay are eligible to receive federally and state-funded food from a food bank or food pantry in Pennsylvania. This includes service workers who cannot get shifts or hourly wage employees of non-essential businesses that have closed as a precaution. You can read an explanation of non-essential businesses, per Gov. Tom Wolfs office, here. Pennsylvanians seeking food from a food bank or pantry will be asked to verbally complete a Self-Declaration of Need form and will be asked to provide household size and weekly income level when applying. Will food banks be open? Food banks are open and delivering food to pantries, shelters soup kitchens and more. People can call or check the websites of regional food banks for information. Food banks are also doing special drive-through distributions and can be called for more information. Where can I find a food bank or food pantry near me? If you need to find a food bank or pantry nearby, contact the following Feeding Pennsylvania and Hunger-Free Pennsylvania member food banks to find out about food assistance services being offered in your county. Russell provided the following list of organizations around the state: Alliance for Nonprofit Resources Inc. (serving Butler County) Bucks County Opportunity Council Inc. (serving Bucks County) Central Pennsylvania Food Bank (serving Adams, Bedford, Blair, Bradford, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Union and York counties) Chester County Food Bank (serving Chester County) Community Food Warehouse of Mercer County (serving Mercer County) Fayette County Community Action Food Bank (serving Fayette County) Food for Families (serving Cambria County) Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank (serving Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Somerset and Washington counties) Greater Washington County Food Bank (serving Washington County) Helping Harvest (serving Berks and Schuylkill counties) Indiana County Community Action Program (serving Indiana County) Philabundance (serving Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties) Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania (serving Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, Pike and Wayne counties) Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania (serving Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, McKean, Venango and Warren counties) Share Food Program (serving Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties) Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank (serving Lackawanna, Luzerne, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties) Westmoreland County Food Bank (serving Westmoreland County) York County Food Bank (serving York County) How do I get food from a food bank if I cant leave my house because I am under isolation or quarantine? For people under quarantine or isolation, contacting your local food bank about delivery options is the first step. Anyone concerned about potential exposure should follow certain steps along with the food banks to limit risk. Guidance on those steps was sent to the food banks and can be found here. What do I do if my local food pantry is closed? Checking with your local food banks to determine which nearby pantries is encouraged. People can use the list above to find other nearby food pantries. How will students access meals while schools are closed? The Pennsylvania Department of Education has partnered with local school districts to put together programs to get students food. You can read more about those programs here. For complete coronavirus coverage, click here. Read more on PennLive: 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. Countries around the world have taken drastic measures, including border closures, in an attempt to curb COVID-19. Countries around the world are increasingly adopting sweeping measures, including full lockdowns, shutting down airports, imposing travel restrictions and completely sealing their borders, to contain the new coronavirus. Below is a list of countries that have taken such measures in recent days. Travellers should visit government websites for updated information and more details. Albania On March 22, Albania suspended all commercial flights to and from the country, allowing only flag carrier Air Albania to fly to Turkeys Istanbul and operate humanitarian flights. Algeria The government suspended air and sea travel with Europe from March 19. Authorities had previously halted flights with Morocco, Spain, France and China. Angola Passengers and airline crew who have been in China, France, Iran, Italy, South Korea, Portugal or Spain are not allowed to enter Angola. Residents of Angola, airline crew and nationals of Angola who arrive from, or have been in those seven countries, will be put in quarantine. Anguilla All airports were closed for 14 days on March 20. Passengers who have travelled outside of the Caribbean region within the past 14 days, will be quarantined for 14 days upon arrival. Antigua and Barbuda According to a March 12 travel advisory published on the Antigua Barbuda Tourism Authoritys website, foreign nationals who have travelled to Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Italy, South Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United States or the United Kingdom in the previous 28 days will not be allowed to enter the country. Diplomats are exempted. Any cruise ship with suspected cases may also be blocked from docking. Argentina Argentina announced on March 15 that it would close its borders to all non-residents for at least two weeks, and all flights from the United States and Europe would be cancelled, starting from March 16. The closure was later extended until April 12. Armenia Armenia cancelled visa-free entry for Chinese and Iranian nationals with ordinary passports. Passengers who have been in Austria, Belgium, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Iran, Italy Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland or the United Kingdom in the past 14 days are not allowed to enter Armenia. This does not apply to nationals or residents of Armenia, spouses or children of nationals and diplomats or representatives of official international organisations. Nationals of Armenia who have been in Austria, Belgium, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland or the United Kingdom in the past 14 days must undergo 14 days of quarantine or self-isolation. Aruba Passengers are not allowed to enter Aruba, residents included, however, outbound flights are still allowed. The restriction does not apply to airline crew. Australia Passengers are not allowed to transit or enter Australia, except for nationals of the country, immediate family members of nationals, permanent residents and their immediate family members, airline crew and diplomats. The restriction also does not apply to transit nationals of Fiji, Kiribati, Marshal Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa (American), Solomon Island, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Nationals of Australia are not allowed to travel out of the country, except those with a residency in another country, airline and maritime crew and associated safety workers, those travelling to offshore facilities for essential work and people travelling on official government business. Austria Foreign travellers from outside the Schengen area are prohibited from entering Austria until further notice. EU citizens and foreigners who are entitled to enter are obliged to do a 14-day self-monitored home quarantine immediately after entering the country by air. With few exceptions, much of the countrys land borders with Hungary, the Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland and Italy are blocked. But on May 13, Tourism Minister Elisabeth Koestinger said that the border between Germany and Austria will be open from June 15. Azerbaijan Foreigners, except residents or work permit holders, are not allowed to enter Azerbaijan. Passengers will be tested for COVID-19 and placed in quarantine for 14 days. The issuance of e-visas and visa on arrival has been suspended. Bahamas The Bahamas borders were closed until April 15, except for repatriation flights of foreign nationals from the Bahamas. Bahrain Bahrain announced a reduction in the number of incoming flights until further notice, starting on March 18. The country also suspended the visa-on-arrival scheme. Foreigners who have been in Austria, Belgium, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Iraq, South Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States in the past 14 days are not allowed to transit and enter Bahrain. Passengers who have been in Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Singapore or Thailand in the past 14 days must have a valid visa prior to arrival. The restrictions do not apply to airline crew, military personnel, residents of Bahrain, nationals of Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. All passengers arriving in Bahrain will immediately be tested and be subject to quarantine. On April 4, Manama-based Gulf Air said transit through Bahrain International Airport is open again for international travellers, but entry to the country remains restricted to citizens and residents. Bangladesh On April 13, the nationwide general holiday in Bangladesh was extended until April 25 as the country tries to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Previously, flights from Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka were suspended until April 7. Flights from Bahrain, India, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates were suspended until April 14. The visa-on-arrival facility has been suspended for all nationalities. Barbados Passengers arriving from China, Europe, Iran, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States will be quarantined for 14 days. Belgium Passengers arriving from outside the European Union are not allowed to enter Belgium. The country is implementing land border controls. This does not apply to passengers with a British passport, British Overseas Territories citizenship issued by Gibraltar and British passports with a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode issued by the United Kingdom, who are returning home. The restriction also does not apply to passengers with a long-term residence permit or a long-term visa issued by EEA Member States, Switzerland or the United Kingdom. Passenger flights are only allowed to operate between 7am and 9pm local time. Belize Belize has closed most of its ports of entry, but its Santa Elena Border and Philip Goldson International Airport remain open, according to the countrys Ministry of Health. Cargo vessels may continue to use all ports of entry. Foreigners who have been in a European country, China, Hong Kong, Iran, Japan, or South Korea in the past 30 days are not allowed to enter Belize. Benin Passengers are subject to quarantine for 14 days. Bermuda Bermuda is closed for incoming passenger flights for two weeks starting from March 20. Bolivia Bolivia closed its borders to non-residents and suspended all international flights since March 17. The restriction will be in place until March 31. Flights from Europe are suspended until April 15. All foreign nationals, except those on a diplomatic mission or with residency, are barred from entering the country. Bosnia and Herzegovina Foreigners who hold ordinary passports, except residents, are not allowed to enter the country. Botswana Foreigners, except residents, arriving from Austria, Belgium, China, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United States or the United Kingdom are not allowed to enter Botswana. Passengers can no longer obtain a visa on arrival in Botswana. Brazil Foreigners, except residents and immediate family members of Brazil nationals, are not allowed to enter Brazil until April 30. Brunei Non-resident foreigners are not allowed to transit or enter Brunei. All visa exemptions and visas on arrival are temporarily suspended. Bulgaria On May 21, Bulgaria scrapped a ban on the entry of visitors from the European Union and Schengen visa zone countries. In mid-March, European Union member Bulgaria banned entry to its territory to travellers from many countries in an attempt to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. The lifting of the entry ban also covers San Marino, Andorra, Monaco and Vatican City. Burkina Faso The countrys Bobo Dioulasso (BOY) and Ouagadougou (OUA) airports were closed. How can you deal with stress and anxiety amid #coronavirus? We asked a doctor about the steps to combat uncertainty and anxiety https://t.co/Cgsil0szd5 | #AJDoctorsNote Note: Always seek the advice of your physician this is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. pic.twitter.com/MQE5XbRJrm Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 18, 2020 Cambodia Effective from March 30, all visa exemptions, visas on arrival and e-visas are suspended until April 30. Also from March 30, all foreigners must have a medical certificate issued no more than 72 hours prior to the date of travel, certifying that they have not tested positive for COVID-19 and have proof of an insurance policy with minimum medical coverage of $50,000. Foreigners, excluding residents, travelling from France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Spain or the US are banned from entering Cambodia. Excluding airline crew, nationals and residents of Cambodia, diplomats and officials of foreign embassies and international organisations and their family members who have a Diplomatic Visa Type A and Official Visa Type B who live or have been in France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Spain or the US in the past 14 days will be quarantined for 14 days. Cameroon On March 17, the government said it shut down land, air and sea borders indefinitely, starting from March 18. All international flights were suspended, except for cargo planes, until April 17. Canada On April 20, the United States, Mexico and Canada announced they are extending restrictions on non-essential travel across their shared borders for an additional 30 days, US Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said on Twitter. On March 16, Canada announced it was closing its borders and denying entry to anyone who is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, except for immediate family members of Canadian citizens, aeroplane crew members, diplomats and US citizens. On March 18, the US and Canada said they were closing their border to all non-essential traffic. Trade is not affected, the countries leaders said. Most international flights to Canada will be directed through four airports from March 18. Domestic flights and those arriving from the Caribbean, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Mexico and the US will be exempted. Chile Chile announced that it will shut its borders to non-resident foreigners starting on March 18 until April 10. Additionally, nationals of New Zealand are not allowed to transit Chile. Any citizen returning from high-risk areas must quarantine for 14 days. World races to contain coronavirus in pictures https://t.co/QzJ4nJVyRA pic.twitter.com/EfINr8N1vd Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 17, 2020 China Chinese authorities announced on April 8 that the city of Suifenhe would be placed under a lockdown after an influx of infected travellers crossing the border from Russia. On March 26, China announced that it was temporarily banning the entry of most foreign nationals, excluding diplomatic workers, in an effort to curb the number of imported cases of the coronavirus. The foreign ministry said that even foreign citizens with residence permits would be prevented from entering starting on March 28. It said foreign citizens coming to China for necessary economic, trade, scientific or technological activities or out of emergency humanitarian needs can still apply for visas. In January, China stepped up measures to deal with cases from overseas, with Beijing and other regions forcing international arrivals to go into a 14-day quarantine. The civil aviation ministry also limited passenger numbers on inbound international flights. Colombia Colombia announced that from March 16, all land, air and sea borders will remain shut until May 30. This includes its border with Venezuela where thousands of migrants and refugees cross daily. Colombia will also halt domestic flights from March 25. Congo (Republic) The Republic of the Congo has closed its borders and all airports. Costa Rica After declaring a state of emergency, Costa Rica closed all borders to foreigners on March 18. Cote dIvoire The countrys borders have been closed since March 25. Croatia The countrys borders are closed for non-EU visitors until April 18. On May 13, health minister Gari Capelli said his country is expected to open its borders to Slovenian tourists and German nationals no later than June 15. Cyprus Foreign visitors are not allowed to enter Cyprus from outside the European Union. Nationals and residents of Cyprus must have a certificate of health stating they are free from COVID-19 issued within a maximum of 4 days before departure. They will be quarantined for 14 days. Cuba All non-resident foreigners are barred from entering Cuba. Nationals and residents arriving on the island are subject to a 14-day quarantine. Effective from April 2, all flights, except humanitarian, to Cuba were suspended. Czech Republic The Czech prime minister said on March 12 the country would close its borders to travellers from Germany and Austria and ban the entry of foreigners from other high-risk countries. Czechs were prohibited from travelling to those countries, and to and from other countries deemed risky, effective from March 14. The full list includes other European Union members Italy, Sweden, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Denmark, as well as the UK, Switzerland, Norway, China, South Korea and Iran. International public transport vehicles with more than nine seats will also be banned from crossing borders. More social restrictions are being implemented worldwide in an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/9uwJiMsygV Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 17, 2020 Cyprus Cyprus extended a ban on commercial air traffic until May 17. The ban, first introduced on March 21 and extended by decrees since then, would now extend from April 30 to May 17, Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos said in a tweet, citing a decision by the islands cabinet. Passengers who are not citizens or resident in Cyprus are not allowed to enter the country. Nationals and residents must acquire a certificate of health stating they are free from the new coronavirus within a maximum of 4 days before departure. They will also have to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. Denmark On March 13, Denmark said it would temporarily close its borders to non-citizens, except residents. All tourists, all travel, all vacations and all foreigners who cannot prove a creditable purpose of entering Denmark, will be denied entrance at the Danish border, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said. The closure would not apply to the transport of goods, including foods, medicine and industrial supplies. Dominican Republic The government said on April 20 that all flights are suspended until April 30. Djibouti On March 15, Djibouti said it was suspending all international flights. East Timor Travellers are not allowed to enter the country. Ecuador From March 16, borders were completely closed, including to citizens and residents, for 21 days. Egypt All flights to Egypt were suspended, except humanitarian, repatriation and United Nations flights with a pre-authorisation from the countrys civil aviation. El Salvador El Salvador shut down its airport on March 16 to all commercial flights. On March 11, it had banned entry to all foreigners, excluding accredited diplomats and legal residents of the country. Those allowed to enter were subject to a possible 30-day quarantine. Estonia All non-resident foreigners are barred from entry. Ethiopia On March 20, the Ethiopian government announced that its state-carrier, the African continents biggest airline, would suspend flights to 30 countries. From March 23, all arriving passengers face mandatory quarantine. Ethiopia also announced that it would shut its land borders to nearly all human traffic as part of efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Fiji Passengers and airline crew are not allowed to enter Fiji. The restriction does not apply to residents who will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days. Finland Passengers are not allowed to enter Finland, except for nationals, EU residents and passengers with a residence permit issued by Finland. The restricting measure does not apply to EU residents, including their family members, and passengers with a British passport, family members included, who are returning via Finland to their respective country of residence. Healthcare workers, transport personnel, diplomats and a few other cases are also exempted from the travel restrictions. France French President Emmanuel Macron on April 13 announced he was extending a virtual lockdown to curb the coronavirus outbreak until May 11, adding that progress had been made but the battle not yet won. He said that by May 11, France would be able to test every citizen presenting COVID-19 symptoms. Passengers arriving from a non-Schengen Member State are not allowed to enter France. This does not apply to nationals of EEA Member States, Switzerland, passengers with a British passport, and those with residence permits issued by France. Healthcare professionals and researchers working on coronavirus are also exempted from the travel restrictions. Gabon Gabon banned entry for anyone except nationals and residents who have been in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, South Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, the US or the UK in the last 14 days. Gambia The Gambia decided on March 23 to close its borders with neighbouring Senegal for 21 days as part of measures to stem the spread of the coronavirus, local media reported on Monday. Georgia The Caucasus republic imposed a ban on all non-resident foreign citizens entering the country and closed its borders. Georgia also halted air traffic with other countries on March 20. Germany Passengers arriving from a non-Schengen Member State are not allowed to enter Germany. This does not apply to nationals of EEA Member States, Switzerland, British citizens and passengers with long-term right of residence in an EEA Member States, Switzerland or the UK, returning home. Passengers must present a completed Public Health Passenger Locator Form upon arrival. Ghana Starting on March 17, Ghana banned entry to anyone who has been to a country with more than 200 coronavirus cases in the previous 14 days, unless they were official residents or Ghanaian nationals. The country closed all borders from March 22 and ordered a mandatory quarantine for anyone who entered the country before midnight that day. Greece Greece suspended all flights to and from Italy, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom. On March 15, it had said it would ban road and sea routes, as well as flights to Albania and North Macedonia. Only cargo and citizens who live in Greece will be allowed to travel to and from Albania and North Macedonia, authorities said. Athens also banned passenger ship routes to and from Italy, while no cruise ships would be allowed to dock at Greek ports. Greece said it would put anyone arriving from abroad in quarantine for two weeks. Turkeys land borders with Greece have been closed to entry and exit of passengers. Grenada Maurice Bishop International Airport (GND) and Lauriston Airport (CRU) were closed for all passenger traffic from March 23. Visitors are banned from entry when arriving within 14 days of travel in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Italy, South Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the US or the UK. Guatemala Guatemala banned all non-resident arrivals and suspended all flights from March 16 except for cargo. It also banned cruise ships from docking. On March 17, the country also announced it was suspending all deportation flights from the US. All nationals, residents and diplomats are required to be quarantined upon arrival. On April 4, President Alejandro Giammattei also banned travel between the different departments inside of the Central American country before and during Easter. Guyana Starting on March 18, all airports were partially closed for 14 days. The closure mainly affects international passenger flights, local media reported. Haiti On March 19, Haitis government declared a state of emergency over the coronavirus outbreak, closing the borders of the nation and imposing a curfew after authorities detected the first two cases of infection. It has also suspended all international flights, except for those coming from the US, and it closed its border with the Dominican Republic. Honduras Honduras has ordered all borders closed except for cargo. Hungary On April 9, Hungary prolonged a nationwide lockdown indefinitely to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on his Facebook page, asking citizens to observe the order despite the Easter holiday. Hungary will close its borders to international passengers, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told Parliament on March 16. India India banned all international flights, except cargo, until April 14. On March 18, India said it would suspend the vast majority of visas to the country. Millions of foreign nationals of Indian origin, who are traditionally granted visa-free access, will now also need to apply. It urged Indian nationals to avoid all non-essential travel abroad. On March 17, India had suspended issuing visas to citizens of France, Spain and Germany until further notice. Such restrictions were already in place for citizens of China, Italy, Iran, Japan and South Korea the five countries worst hit by the outbreak. It closed a border with neighbouring Myanmar. Indonesia Indonesia will temporarily ban domestic and international air and sea travel, with some exceptions, starting from April 25 to prevent a further spread of the coronavirus, the transport ministry said in a statement. The announcement came as the holy month of Ramadan began in the worlds largest Muslim majority country, and the government has already banned citizens traditional annual exodus from the cities to the provinces during the holiday period. The ban on sea travel took immediate effect, but the ban on air travel started on April 26 so that some pre-booked flights could go-ahead. The ban will apply across-the-board until May 31. The ministry had previously given different dates for the end of the ban for different modes of transport. Cargo transport is exempted. Other exceptions would include flights to repatriate Indonesian and foreign citizens, as well as travel by state officials, diplomatic staff and representatives of international organisations, the officials said. The government has banned Indonesias traditional annual exodus for Muslim holidays. Iran Nationals of China with ordinary passports, passengers with a Hong Kong passport and passengers with a Macao passport are no longer visa-exempt. However, they can obtain a visa on arrival. They are required to clear the medical and health check upon arrival. After that, they will be given a certificate. Iraq The Iraqi government said it will close all airports until April 24. Schools, universities, shopping centres and other large gathering places will also remain closed. Israel The Israel border is closed for all, except nationals, residents and those with a specific entry approval from the Immigration Authority. Transit facilities at Tel Aviv (TLV) are temporarily suspended. Italy In Italy, government officials placed the country of 60 million people on lockdown on March 10 in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus. On June 3, Italy reopened its borders to travellers from European countries. Arrivals in Italy from Europe will not be required to self-isolate unless they have recently travelled from another continent. Tourists from outside Europe are not allowed to enter Italy via airports in the Lombardy region and the provinces of Alessandria, Asti, Modena, Novara, Padova, Parma, Pesaro and Urbino, Piaceza, Reggio Emilia, Rimini, Treviso-Venice, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola and Vercelli. You've heard about #socialdistancing to 'flatten the curve' but what does that mean? Flattening the curve aims to give health systems more time to care for patients who need help by slowing the spread of the #coronavirus: https://t.co/QpiuwiXlTW pic.twitter.com/INAirHWV6c Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 17, 2020 People travelling for business, for health reasons, in an emergency or if they are residents must inform their arrival to the regional department of prevention and are subject to heath surveillance and isolation for 14 days. Italy banned domestic travel and shut down a range of industries on March 23 in a last-ditch push against the spread of a coronavirus. Ivory Coast All borders are closed in Ivory Coast until further notice. Jamaica Jamaica has imposed travel restrictions on travellers from Iran, China, South Korea, Italy, Singapore, Germany, Spain, France and the UK, local media reported. The government also said anyone arriving from countries where there is community spread will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days. Japan The country initially imposed an entry ban to travellers who have been in China, Iran or Italy in the 14 days before arrival. On April 3, it extended that ban to 73 countries, including the US, UK and Canada. The ban includes at least 44 European countries, 12 Asian countries, four countries in the Middle East, five African countries, six Latin American countries, as well as Australia and New Zealand. ANA Holdings Inc and Japan Airlines Co Ltd (JAL) are operating at nearly half their domestic capacity even though the coronavirus outbreak has left seats on flights mostly empty. The two normally fly around 800 or more domestic flights daily. The countrys two biggest airlines, have cut around 90% of international flights but left much of their domestic network intact, industry data showed. Jordan Jordan on March 17 closed border crossings with Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank and its seaports to shipping from Egypt. It also barred overland passenger traffic from Iraq. The government banned travel to Lebanon and Syria and also barred entry to travellers from France, Germany and Spain. The measures included reducing airline services by half to Egypt. Kazakhstan Kazakhstan will extend its state of emergency declared over the coronavirus outbreak until the end of April, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayevs office said. The state of emergency, which has allowed the government to lock down all provinces and major cities and shut down many businesses, was originally due to end on April 15. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on March 15 declared a state of emergency, barring entry to the country for everyone except returning citizens, diplomats and those invited by the government. Kazakhs are also barred from leaving the country. Kenya All international flights to Kenya are suspended. Kuwait Authorities banned all commercial passenger flights to and from Kuwait from March 13. Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan on March 17 said it would ban entry to all foreigners. Latvia Latvia stopped nearly all foreigners from entering the country, with all international travel, by air, rail, sea and road cancelled from March 17. Latvians and foreigners with residency rights in Latvia can enter the country. Lebanon On April 9, Lebanons government extended its almost month-long coronavirus shutdown by another two weeks until April 26 to combat the spread of the disease, the information minister said. The Lebanese government on March 11 announced the suspension of flights from Italy, Iran, China and South Korea. On March 12, the Lebanese government decided to close indefinitely all land border crossings into Syria. Libya Libyas UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli suspended all flights at the Misrata Airport for three weeks on March 16. Borders have also been closed. Lithuania Lithuania on March 16 shut its borders to nearly all foreigners. Lithuanian citizens were also banned from leaving the country, except for business trips. The ban, which has exceptions for truck drivers, diplomats and people passing through the country on their way home, will be in force until March 30. Madagascar All flights to Madagascar were suspended until April 20. Malaysia Malaysia has extended movement and travel restrictions that have been put in place to contain a coronavirus outbreak until May 12. The curbs, first imposed on March 18, were originally set to end on April 14. Maldives The government banned entry to travellers from China, Italy, Bangladesh, Iran, Malaysia and the UK, as well as to those coming from specific regions in Germany, France and South Korea. All direct flights to China, South Korea and Italy have also been suspended. Mali Mali will indefinitely suspend flights from countries affected by the virus starting on March 19, except for cargo flights. Mauritius Non-resident foreign nationals are not allowed to transit or enter Mauritius. Airline crew will be isolated in their hotel rooms. Mexico On April 20, the United States, Mexico and Canada announced they are extending restrictions on non-essential travel across their shared borders for an additional 30 days, US Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said on Twitter. On March 20, the US and Mexico agreed to restrict non-essential travel over their shared border, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, placing limitations on one of the worlds busiest borders. The restrictions will be reviewed after 30 days, Pompeo said at a White House news briefing. Moldova Moldova temporarily shut its borders and suspended all international flights from March 17. Morocco On March 14, Morocco said it would halt flights to and from 25 countries, extending an earlier ban that covered China, Spain, Italy, France and Algeria. The countries affected are Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chad, Denmark, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Jordan, Lebanon, Mali, Mauritania, the Netherlands, Niger, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Senegal, Switzerland, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey and the UAE. Morocco then suspended all flights into the country. Myanmar All visa issuances are suspended until April 30. All international flights to Myanmar are suspended until April 13. From fast-moving myths to an avalanche of news #coronavirus has dominated the conversation online and off. Weve put a handy guide and answered your most-asked questions: https://t.co/lH6F8IduFo#COVID19 A thread pic.twitter.com/pe5FEDN0LC Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 16, 2020 Nepal As of March 14, all foreign nationals who enter Nepal must remain in self-quarantine for 14 days, according to the countrys Department of Immigration. Nepali nationals and residents must stay in home quarantine for 14 days from their arrival date. All these measures are in place until April 30. The country has stopped issuing on-arrival visas to foreigners from March 14 through April 30. All international flights to Nepal are suspended until April 15. Netherlands The Dutch government announced that entry restrictions will be tightened for non-EU citizens who wish to travel to the Netherlands starting from March 19. The travel restrictions do not apply to EU citizens (including citizens of the UK) and their family members, as well as citizens from Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Lichtenstein and their family members. Check here for more details on exceptions. New Caledonia Flights to New Caledonia are suspended until 31 May 2020. New Zealand From March 19, New Zealand will close its borders to all non-citizens or non-permanent residents. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on March 15 everyone arriving in New Zealand will require to self-isolate for 14 days, excluding people from the Pacific Islands. Nigeria On April 20, Nigeria extended the closure of its airspace and airports by two weeks, aviation minister Hadi Sirika said on Twitter. On April 13, Nigeria extended the lockdown in three key states of Lagos, Abuja and Ogun by 14 days to slow the spread of coronavirus in Africas most populous country. On March 18, the government announced it was restricting entry into the country for travellers from China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, the US, Norway, the UK, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Those coming from high-risk countries are asked to self-isolate for 14 days. Nigeria expanded its restrictions on March 21 announcing it will close its two main international airports in the cities of Lagos and Abuja from March 23 for one month. The country also plans to suspend rail services starting on March 23. North Korea Tourists are not allowed to enter. Business travellers must spend 14 days in quarantine upon arrival. Norway On March 14, Norway said it would shut its ports and airports from March 16, although exemptions will be made for Norwegians returning from abroad, residents of Norway, and goods. The country also said it will implement extensive controls of its land entry points, but will not shut its 1,630km (1,000-mile) border with neighbouring Sweden. Oman Oman suspended tourist visas from all countries and banned cruise ships from docking. From March 18, it enforced an entry ban on all non-Omanis, including expatriates with residency visas. Pakistan The Pakistan government has extended the suspension of domestic and international flight operations in the country until April 21, a notification issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said. On March 21, the country suspended all international flights until April 4. The move came as the country had already shut all its land borders a week before. It has been decided that all borders will remain closed for 15 days, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told the local ARY and Dunya TV networks. International flights will operate only out of Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad airports. On March 29, Islamabad said its borders would remain closed for another two weeks, as the number of people infected with the coronavirus surpassed 1,400. The environment here is so filthy that if a person stays here for a while they will get coronavirus. A rare look inside a camp that has become the epicentre of Pakistans #coronavirus outbreak. pic.twitter.com/KQ52YjMaSk Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 17, 2020 Panama On March 16, the government announced that only Panamanians and foreign residents would be allowed to enter the country. On March 22, the country banned all international flights and on March 25, Panama suspended all domestic passenger flights from both local and international airports. Paraguay On March 14, Paraguay suspended flights from Europe until at least March 26. It has also restricted traffic across Friendship Bridge, which connects the country with Brazil, to authorised cargo traffic. Peru After declaring a state of emergency on March 15, Peru announced it would shut down its border for at least 15 days starting on March 16. The measure includes the cancellation of all commercial international flights into the country. Philippines A month-long lockdown on Luzon the largest Philippine island home to nearly 60 million people is in place while the Philippines major airlines said their domestic and international flights will remain suspended until mid-May. Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and the Philippine unit of Malaysias Airasia Group Berhad said passenger flights, which were halted in March, will remain suspended. Cargo and special recovery flights will continue. Poland On March 13, Poland said it would ban foreigners from entering the country from March 15 and impose a 14-day quarantine on its citizens returning home. Those with a residence permit in Poland would also be allowed to enter, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said. No international inbound flights or trains would be allowed from March 15, except for some charter flights bringing Poles back from holidays. On May 19, Polands national carrier PLL LOT says it is extending its ban on international flights until June 14, but is resuming some domestic flights June 1. Portugal Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa announced the closure of all airports to commercial flights during the usually busy Easter holiday period to stop the spread of the virus. The airports will shut between April 9 and April 13 and only flights repatriating citizens or transporting goods will be allowed to operate. Last month, flights from outside the EU were suspended, excluding the UK, USA, Canada, Venezuela, South Africa and Portuguese-speaking countries. Costa had said that travel restrictions on the land border with Spain should guarantee that free movement of goods continues and protect the rights of workers, but that there must be a restriction (on travelling) for the purposes of tourism or leisure. Puerto Rico On April 6, Puerto Rico announced passengers will be quarantined for 14 days, and they must present a completed Puerto Rico Department of Health form upon arrival. Qatar On March 15, Qatar said it would ban inbound flights, except for cargo and transit flights, starting from March 18. The entry ban does not apply to Qatari citizens. Nationals of Qatar are not allowed to exit the country. Romania Romanias government barred most foreigners from entering the country on March 21 and tightened restrictions on movement inside the country. Foreign citizens and stateless persons are banned from entering Romania through all border points, Interior Minister Marcel Vela said during a national address. Exceptions would be allowed for those transiting through Romania using corridors to be agreed with neighbouring states, he added. Russia Russia announced that it would close its borders starting on March 30 in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The Russian government has ordered the civil aviation authority to suspend all regular and charter flights to and from Russia from March 27. On March 14, the Russian government said it was closing the countrys land border with Poland and Norway for foreigners. Citizens of neighbouring Belarus and official delegations were exempt. Rwanda Rwanda on March 22 closed its borders completely, except for goods and cargo and returning citizens, authorities said. Anyone arriving in Rwanda will be subject to a 14-day quarantine at designated locations. Saint Kitts and Nevis The Caribbean country asked anyone who has travelled to China, Italy, Iran, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, the UK, France, Germany and Spain to not visit, the Miami Herald reported. If an individual does arrive from one of these countries, he or she must go through a 14-day quarantine. Saint Lucia Saint Lucia imposed restrictions on travellers arriving from France, Germany, Spain, the UK, China, Japan, South Korea, Italy and Singapore, according to local media. As of March 23, the island nation closed its airports to incoming traffic until at least April 5. Saudi Arabia On March 15, Saudi Arabia suspended all international flights for two weeks. Serbia Serbia decided on May 21 to reopen the countrys borders more than two months after sealing them shut. On March 19, Serbia closed its airport and said it would shut all road and rail borders other than to freight traffic, as well as halt all internal passenger transport, in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus. Passenger flights were banned from Belgrades Nikola Tesla Airport for the first time since 1999 when flights were halted during the NATO bombing of the country and the war in Kosovo. The airport remained open only for humanitarian flights and planes with special permits. Seychelles All international flights to Seychelles are suspended. Singapore All short-term visitors are banned from transiting or entering Singapore. Singapore residents and pass-holders will be quarantined or asked to self-isolate for 14 days. Slovakia Slovakia banned international passenger travel on March 12 but the border remained open for freight. On March 27, Slovakia announced it was closing border crossings with Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria for the transit of trucks over 7.5 tons delivering non-essential goods. Slovenia Slovenia on March 11 said it was closing some border crossings with Italy and began making health checks at those remaining open. Passenger train transport between the two countries was also cancelled. Somalia Somalia has banned all international flights. South Africa On April 9, South Africas President Cyril Ramaphosa said he will extend a nationwide lockdown by two weeks. The lockdown, which started on March 27 and was due to last for 21 days. South Africa barred entry to foreign travellers arriving from or transiting through high-risk countries, including Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Germany, France, Switzerland, the US, the UK and China. South Africans were also advised to cancel or postpone all non-essential foreign travel. South African Airways announced on March 20 it would suspend international flights until May 31. South Korea On March 17, South Korea said it would tighten border checks for all overseas arrivals. The government had already imposed strict border checks on visitors from China, Italy and Iran, requiring them to sign up by a smartphone application to track whether they have any symptoms, such as fever. The government also issued a special travel advisory on March 23, calling on its citizens to cancel or postpone their trips abroad over the spread of the new coronavirus. The Foreign Ministry said that the special travel advisory applies to all countries except those that are already under higher alerts that call for the withdrawal of citizens or are subject to a travel ban. South Korea has also enforced a two-week quarantine period and virus tests for all long-term arrivals from Europe, regardless of symptoms, to contain imported virus cases. Spain Spain will restrict entry for most foreigners at air and seaports for the next 30 days to help stem its coronavirus epidemic, the Interior Ministry said on March 22. The ban starting at midnight comes a few days after Spain imposed restrictions on its land borders with France and Portugal, after European Union leaders agreed to close the blocs external borders for 30 days. Spanish nationals, foreigners living in Spain, aircrew, cargo and healthcare workers and diplomats will be allowed to travel as normal, the ministry said in its statement. On March 16, the Spanish government announced the closing of its land borders, allowing only citizens, residents and others with special circumstances to enter the country. Direct flights from Italy to Spain have been banned until March 25. Sri Lanka On March 22, the Sri Lankan government imposed a ban on all passenger flights and ships until March 31. The order was later extended until at least April 7. A government had previously said in a statement that all passenger flights and ships will not be allowed to enter the Indian Ocean island until the situation returns to normalcy. Sudan On March 16, Sudan closed all airports, ports and land crossings. Only humanitarian, commercial and technical support shipments were excluded from the restrictions. Suriname Suriname closed all of its land and sea borders on March 14. Sweden The government has temporarily stopped non-essential travel to Sweden from countries outside the EEA and Switzerland. The decision took effect on March 19 and will initially apply for 30 days. Seychelles The international airport in Seychelles is closed to all international flights. Tajikistan All flights are suspended starting from March 20. Travellers who have been in or transited through, China, Iran, Italy or South Korea in the 14 days before arrival are banned from entering the country. Thailand Foreigners, except those with a work permit, diplomats or their family members, are not allowed to enter or transit Thailand. The countrys aviation agency announced on April 6 the extension of a ban on all passenger flights from landing in Thailand until April 18. Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago closed its airports until April 30. Tunisia Tunisia, which declared 24 cases of the virus, closed mosques, cafes and markets, closed its land borders and suspended international flights on March 16. Tunisia also imposed a curfew from 6pm to 6am starting on March 18, Tunisias president said, tightening the measures to counter the spread of the coronavirus. Turkey Turkey shut down borders of 31 cities and towns and imposed a partial curfew for citizens under the age of 20 to contain the coronavirus outbreak. Turkeys land borders with Greece and Bulgaria have been closed to the entry and exit of passengers as a measure against the coronavirus outbreak. The government further expanded flight restrictions on March 21 to a total of 68 countries, including Angola, Austria, Azerbaijan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Czechia, China, Colombia, Djibouti, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Georgia, Hungary, India, Italy, Iraq, Iran, Ireland, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Montenegro, Mongolia, Morocco, Moldova, Mauritania, Nepal, Niger, Norway, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Oman, the Philippines, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, Slovenia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Taiwan, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, United Arab Emirates, the UK and Ukraine. Turkmenistan Turkmenistan, which has so far reported no coronavirus cases, has suspended all international flights until April 20. Domestically, people travelling to and from Ashgabat were told by officials at checkpoints installed around the capital that non-essential travel was banned, according to Reuters. Uganda On March 18, Uganda restricted travel to some of the affected countries such as Italy. Uganda suspended all passenger planes in and out of the country starting from March 22. Cargo planes will be exempted. Ukraine Ukraine said on March 13 that foreign nationals would be barred from entering the country. United Arab Emirates The government indefinitely suspended flights to and from Lebanon, Turkey, Syria and Iraq from March 17. On March 23, Dubai carrier Emirates announced the suspension of all passenger flights. Hours later, Abu Dhabis Etihad announced the suspension of all passenger services, except for some returning UAE nationals and diplomats to Abu Dhabi. On May 13, Emirates Airline announced its plans to operate scheduled flights starting from May 21 from Dubai to London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Chicago, Toronto, Sydney and Melbourne. United Kingdom The government on March 17 advised citizens against all non-essential travel worldwide, initially for a period of 30 days. According to Neil Ferguson, a government adviser and leading professor of mathematical biology at Imperial College, the UK will not be able to relax its stringent lockdown rules until the end of May. United States On April 20, the United States, Mexico and Canada announced they are extending restrictions on non-essential travel across their shared borders for another 30 days, US Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said on Twitter. The US has banned the entry of all foreign nationals who have travelled to China, Iran, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK or Ireland 14 days before their arrival. US citizens or permanent residents who have visited a high-risk area must fly into one of the 13 international airports with enhanced entry screening capabilities. We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected. Details to follow! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2020 On March 18, President Donald Trump announced that the US would close its northern border with Canada by mutual consent to non-essential traffic such as tourists and other visitors. On March 20, the US and Mexico agreed to restrict non-essential travel over their shared border for 30 days, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, a decision that will be revisited after the period. Uruguay On March 15, Uruguay announced it would ban all flights from Europe starting from March 20. Earlier, it had announced that passengers from China, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Iran, Spain, Italy, France and Germany had to go through a 14-day quarantine. Uzbekistan Uzbekistan has barred entry for all foreigners. On March 22, the country announced it was closing its borders for its citizens, preventing them from leaving from March 23 onwards. Venezuela On March 12, Venezuela announced it would cancel all flights from Europe, Colombia, Panama and the Dominican Republic for at least 30 days. The country has also announced a nationwide quarantine. Vietnam Vietnam announced on March 21 that it will suspend all inbound international flights to contain the spread of coronavirus in the country, without giving a time frame. The government also announced it would bar entry for all foreigners from March 22, except for special cases. Yemen On March 14, the internationally-recognised government of war-torn Yemen said it would suspend all flights to and from airports under its control for two weeks starting on March 18. A statement from the office of Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed said the move exempted flights for humanitarian purposes. The key airports his government controls are in Aden, Sayoun and Mukalla. Zambia All international flights must arrive at Kenneth Kaunda International Lusaka Airport (LUN). Passengers and airline crew must be quarantined for at least 14 days at their own cost. Zimbabwe Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced on March 24 that all borders will be closed to human traffic, except for returning residents. Google today announced the appointment of Karan Bajwa as Managing Director of Google Cloud in India. He will be responsible for driving all revenue and go-to-market operations for Google Clouds extensive solution portfolio that includes Google Cloud Platform and G Suite. Google Clouds field sales, partner and customer engineering organizations in India will also report to him, and he will advise Google Clouds continued work with the local developer ecosystem and India-based Global System Integrators (GSIs). Making the announcement, Rick Harshman, Managing Director of Google Cloud in Asia Pacific said, Karan is a veteran in the industry with a proven track record of building and growing successful enterprise businesses. His experience will be a tremendous asset to Google Clouds business, our partners and our customers as we embark on this next phase of growth. Karan Bajwa, Managing Director, Google Cloud in India, said, Im very excited about this new challenge and I look forward to extending Googles global momentum in India. Leveraging cloud computing technology to modernize and scale for growth is on the agenda of almost every enterprise CEO and CIO and Google Cloud is committed to help every organization accelerate their digital transformation. A senior leader with over three decades of leadership experience, Karan joins Google Cloud from IBM where he served as Managing Director for India and South Asia. Prior to IBM, he worked with Microsoft for nine years, his last role being the Managing Director for the companys operations in India. He has also worked with Cisco Systems in India and Singapore. In India, the customers that are working with Google Cloud to help them solve their most complex business and technology challenges include Dr. Reddys Laboratories, Indiamart, Hero Motocorp, ICICI Prudential, L&T Finance, LIC HFL, Manipal Hospitals, OYO Hotels and Homes, Truecaller, Wipro and many more to deliver high performing, low latency cloud-based services to their users, no matter where they are around the world., to name a few. Earlier this month, the company also announced plans to expand its presence in India by launching a cloud region in Delhi, adding to its Mumbai region which was opened in 2017. Also Read: Ex-Facebook Siddharth Banerjee now bets big on gaming McCann WorldGroup India Elevates Jitender Dabas to Chief Operating Officer General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has begged to differ on the assumption made by Center for Ethical Governance and Administration (CEGA) that the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country should cause the Electoral Commission (EC) to postpone the new registration scheduled for 18th April 2020. CEGA has called on the EC to suspend the compilation of a new Voters Register in the wake of the Coronavirus scourge. In a statement dated Monday, 16th March 2020, the CEGA said it has received information that: some of the vendors and equipment contracted by the Electoral Commission are coming from Europe . . . in this regard the Electoral Commission is being called upon not to take any steps that will jeopardize the life of any single Ghanaian in the pursuit of their entrenched position in re-registering Ghanaians into the new but needless Voters Register. The Centre also noted that some Ghanaians living outside Ghana would have preferred travelling to their various polling stations in Ghana to be registered but with the current pandemic nature of the Coronavirus infections, almost all flights have been cancelled denying these Ghanaians the opportunity to register and fulfill their civic responsibility of voting". Reacting to the statement on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, General Mosquito as affectionately called said the coronavirus which just hit the country four (4) days ago should not be the reason for the EC to suspend the new registration. I dont believe that coronavirus will be enough reason to postpone the new voters registration on 18th April, 2020. When the EC fixed the date on 18th April 2020, I came out to say that it is not possible to compile a new registration for the 2020 general election, and so if the EC wants an excuse to postpone the new registration, they should not use coronavirus, he stated. . . Coronavirus cannot be the reason why . . . if the EC is being truthful to us and they have not already procured and bought the new machines for the new registration but they are now going to procure and buy the machines for the registration, then it is not possible that within those timelines we will be able to have the new machines in the country to conduct a registration, he stressed. He, however, pointed out that even if the Electoral Commission (EC) should insist that it is ready to go ahead with the registration on the said date, the current situation will not be conducive for the exercise as the President has issued directives against mass public gatherings. Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video [March 18, 2020] Open Access BPO Secures PCI DSS Certification MAKATI CITY, Philippines, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Open Access BPO achieved Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard certification from the PCI Security Standards Council. Open Access BPO, a leading multilingual outsourcing firm, recently passed the stringent audits of its transaction safety and security protocols and infrastructure. The PCI DSS is an international information security standard developed by the PCI Security Standards Council, a consortium of major credit card companies. Their mandate aims to secure ecommerce by requiring businesses that store, process, or transmit cardholder data to conform to a list of technical and on-site security specifications. "We take information security of our clients and their customers' data very seriously," said Jomar Paz, Open Access BPO's Senior Manager for Corporate Compliance. "That's why we constantly work on maintaining a secured environment for all our facilities in the Philippines, China, and Taiwan to meet international and industry standards." Open Access BPO always enforces rigorous data prtection policies and this certification highlights the firm's continuous dedication to high quality and highly secure services. The audits confirmed the company's data security compliance, including its secure infrastructure and restricted and monitored access to vital information. Open Access BPO CEO Benjamin Davidowitz stated that the certification will benefit the company and its clients. "With our information security policies and our PCI DSS certification , Open Access BPO guarantees our clients' peace of mind. They know they can trust us to keep their personal information private and secure." About Open Access BPO Open Access BPO is a multilingual outsourcing firm headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. Since its inception in 2006, it evolved from being a telemarketing company to a full-suite provider of scalable multichannel business solutions. The company extends its expertise to both growing enterprises and established global brands from its operations facilities in Makati and Davao in the Philippines; Taipei, Taiwan; and Xiamen, China. Its multicultural workforce provides a wide range of outsourcing solutions, including multilingual customer support and content moderation in more than 30 languages. About the PCI Security Standards Council The PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) leads a global, cross-industry effort to increase payment security by providing industry-driven, flexible, and effective data security standards and programs that help businesses detect, mitigate and prevent cyberattacks and breaches. CONTACT: Janelle de Guzman +63917-800 0989 [email protected] 11F, Glorietta 2 Corporate Center, Makati City, 1224 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/open-access-bpo-secures-pci-dss-certification-301025646.html SOURCE Open Access BPO Prayagraj, March 18 : Does a sedentary lifestyle make you forgetful? Yes, if psychiatrists are to be believed. And it is this that has now made Prayagraj the third most forgetful city in the country. The survey, conducted by the cab service Uber's lost-and-found index released a few days ago, says that Prayagraj has ranked third when it comes to passengers forgetting their belongings in the cab after the ride. Uber's fourth edition of 'Lost and Found Index' throws up some surprises when it comes to the kind of things that passengers are leaving behind in the cab. Mobile phones, cameras, umbrellas, keys, spectacles, wallets, water bottles are among the usual items that people forget to carry back when the ride ends. The more surprising items include dentures (false teeth), balloons, teddy bears, books, brooms and icebox. Dr R.N. Mathur, a psychiatrist (retired) in Prayagraj, said that the sedentary lifestyle that a large population in this city leads is responsible for this. "The city has large population of retired persons. Prayagraj has several government institutions like the High Court, Public Service Commission, Accountant General and Railway Recruitment Board, among others. People who retire, settle down here and this elderly population is prone to dementia because they do not lead an active lifestyle," he said. Dr Mathur said that in cities like Mumbai and Delhi, people are agile and lead an active life which keeps them mentally active too. Though the Uber index ranks Mumbai and Kolkata as the two most forgetful cities when it comes to cab passengers, Dr Mathur said that the ranking was probably proportionate to the population that travels in the cab in these cities. He said that in Prayagraj, it was common for elderly people to leave their keys with neighbors because they tend to forget them during their outing. Another retired bureaucrat in Prayagraj, who did not wish to be named, said that more than once he had forgotten his umbrella and keys in the cabs. "It is probably because of the age but now I have stopped travelling alone and my mobile is held by a boy who accompanies me," he said. The Uber report further said that most of the items were left behind in the cabs during 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Dr Mathur said that this was because the time is when most elderly people take a nap. GREENWICH The Greenwich United Way has launched its newest call to action the Greenwich COVID-19 Community Relief Fund to deal with the economic impact of the outbreak of the coronavirus. We need the generosity of Greenwich residents to help us get through this crisis, said David Rabin, CEO of the Greenwich United Way. The funds raised will be used to relieve the economic hardship on nonprofit agencies in Greenwich that provide aid, assistance and relief to Greenwich residents, Rabin said. I think folks who already are our most vulnerable are going to become even more vulnerable, Rabin said. And he expects the number of individuals who need of human services support to grow in the coming days or weeks. I think our most vulnerable list is going to be added to meaning the numbers are going to grow because of this crisis, Rabin said. The fund was started with a $100,000 grant from the town, which was unanimously approved the Board of Estimate & Taxation on Monday night. He is calling on individuals, companies and corporations to make financial contributions to the new fund. The funds will be distributed to agencies most in need of assistance to support their clients, according to Rabin. To address the coronoavirus outbreak, Greenwich United Way leaders have worked recently with all the human services agencies in town, especially the local food pantry at Neighbor to Neighbor, he said. According to the most recent statistics from the Greenwich United Way, 6,000 Greenwich households, or about 17,000 people, struggled to make ends meet in 2018. The United Way calls this the ALICE population or Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed which means they have income above the official Federal Poverty Level but often face difficulty purchasing basic necessities, such as food and clothing. As companies lay off or furlough employees during the economic downturn resulting from the virus, Rabin and his colleagues expect the number of ALICE households to grow, creating an even bigger need for donations to the community relief fund. I need Greenwich corporations and companies to step up and help your neighbors during this time of crisis and the best way to do it is through the Greenwich United Ways Greenwich Covid-19 Relief Fund, said Rabin. Weve been in business a long time, and weve been doing it the right way. We just need the support. For 86 years, the Greenwich United Way has focused on ensuring donor dollars are swiftly and effectively distributed to the town nonprofits that need them most, said Rabin. He has invited Selectman Jill Oberlander to join the Greenwich United Ways grants committee team to oversee the work of the covid-19 community fund. Her experience lends itself greatly to the role, and I want the town involved, Rabin said. Alan Barry, commissioner of town human services, is collecting information from each human services agency to gain a better understanding of staffing, fundraising and operating needs over the next quarter. Rabin recently created a database for all human services agencies to share plans as the outbreak evolves. The COVID-19 Relief Fund is driven by the idea that we all work better by working together. Our work is more effective, outcomes are more substantial and resources are leveraged more efficiently, Rabin said in an email. Currently, our main priority is ensuring that the ALICE population, our seniors and less-than-mobile community members have the food and water they need for as long as this crisis unfolds. To donate to the Greenwich Covid-19 Community Relief Fund, visit the Greenwich United Way website at greenwichunitedway.org/. Click donate and type covid-19 into the special instructions section. For more information, contact David Rabin at drabin@greenwichunitedway.org. tatiana.flowers@thehour.com Two juries have begun deliberations and two juries continue to hear evidence in four criminal trials which are ongoing in otherwise reduced court sittings in the capital. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions on social interactions the Courts Service have said that only urgent custody cases, or cases not involving witnesses, will go ahead in the coming weeks. Today, Wednesday, March 18, the Courts of Criminal Justice building was quieter than usual with only four Dublin Circuit Criminal Court judges, about half the normal number, sitting. In court five Judge Melanie Greally heard a short list of cases for arraignment and adjourned to June 15 all sentences where defendants are out on bail. These defendants were not present in court, having previously being told not they did not have to attend in light of the Covid19 restrictions. Judge Greally finalised the two cases which involved defendants who were in custody and dealt with a handful of other cases listed for mention. Five cases, including one involving an allegation of dangerous driving causing serious harm, were listed to go on trial and Judge Karen O'Connor adjourned all these to June 19 next. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court President Patricia Ryan has directed that all non-custody matters listed for the Circuit Court for the rest of this term, other than ongoing trials, should be adjourned to dates in June and July. The other two Circuit Criminal Court judges sitting are at trial. The jury in the trial of a care worker accused of sexual assault of children at a creche in Leinster have begun deliberations. The jury has also gone out in the trial, also at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, of a Monaghan man accused of sexual assaulting a number of juveniles. The Courts Service have put in place special accommodations for juries that continue at trial. Jurors are now sitting spread out across the court room, rather than just in the jury box, in order to maintain the recommended social distancing. In the cases where deliberations have begun jurors remained in the court room rather than retiring to the smaller jury room and the courtroom was otherwise cleared. At the Central Criminal Court one jury continues to hear evidence in a rape trial while another jury is still hearing evidence in a murder trial. The jury in the trial of a husband accused of murdering his wife were discharged after three jurors contacted the court to indicate they were not in a position to attend. Ms Justice Eileen Creedon said one of the three jurors will probably never be in a position to attend the trial, while the availability of the other two jurors is "unknown" and would not be clear for at least a week. Another murder trial is due to resume in evidence before a jury next Monday. SCHAUMBURG, Ill., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In the coronavirus pandemic, businesses around the world have urged their employees to work from home to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Remote work on the scale we're experiencing heightens cyber risks like never before. For financial, healthcare and other businesses as well as federal and state agencies that deal with sensitive data, there's little room for cracks in cyber security systems, said Nikki Ingram, a Senior Cybersecurity Risk Engineering Consultant for Zurich North America. "As an employee, ensure you are complying with your company's security standards as a remote worker," Ingram said. "Everyone wants to get their job done, but if, for example, you're having internet trouble at home and your service provider tells you to lower your security settings, talk to your employer's technical support before doing that." Employers should offer guidance to employees to help ward off threats. Employees should be reminded of the following: Be wary of suspicious emails, downloads, USB drives or other things that could introduce malicious software onto your computer and into the network. These could include spoofing and phishing attacks from hackers pretending to be IT personnel asking for your credentials. Promptly install patches and updates, including to your anti-virus software, to all devices on your home network. Go into your Wi-Fi router's management software to ensure it's running the latest firmware, which can update security flaws. "And make sure you have a strong password on your home Wi-Fi that's unrelated to your work computer password," Ingram said. Connect to corporate networks using a secure means (e.g., a virtual private network), and store data on available encrypted network drives to avoid loss in the event of a computer virus or other malfunction. Wi-Fi networks may be strained as more people use them at home. Workers with newer Wi-Fi routers and with higher service levels from their internet service provider may be in better shape during peak usage. If bandwidth is an issue, disconnecting lower-priority devices from the Wi-Fi network can help, Ingram said. About Zurich SOURCE Zurich North America Related Links www.zurichna.com As already reported, Wacker Chemie AG's total sales for 2019 almost matched the prior-year level. On presenting its annual report, the Munich-based chemical company announced that Group sales came in at 4.93 billion in 2019 (2018: 4.98 billion). The slight decline of 1 percent was mainly due to lower prices, particularly for solar-grade polysilicon, but also for standard silicones. Sales were supported by generally higher volumes, product-mix effects and the year-over-year rise in the US dollar. In 2019, EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) totaled 783.4 million (2018: 930.0 million). That was 16 percent less than the year before and corresponded to an EBITDA margin of 15.9 percent (2018: 18.7 percent). Earnings were primarily dampened not only by markedly reduced average prices for solar-grade polysilicon and the related effects of inventory valuation adjustments, but also by lower standard-silicone prices and by the steep rise in Germanys electricity prices. EBITDA included special income of 112.5 million in insurance compensation for damage due to the 2017 incident at Charleston. WACKER recognized this compensation under cost of goods sold. Group EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) totaled -536.3 million last year (2018: 389.6 million). The EBITDA margin was -10.9 percent (2018: 7.8 percent). EBIT was negative primarily because of an impair-ment charge of 760.0 million on the carrying amount of WACKERs polysilicon production facilities. The impairment reflects the companys subdued expectations for the future trend in solar-grade polysilicon prices. Total depreciation amounted to 1.32 billion in 2019 (2018: 540.4 million). The net result was -629.6 million (2018: 260.1 million). For 2020, WACKER expects to grow slightly, despite challenging conditions. It aims to lift its sales by a low-single-digit percentage. The Groups EBITDA is likely to decline compared with 2019. This is chiefly due to insurance compensation received in 2019 for the damage in-curred at the production site in Charleston (Tennessee, USA). Adjusted for this non-recurring effect, EBITDA is likely to decline by a mid-single-digit percentage versus last year. The Groups net result for 2020 should rise significantly. This forecast, though, does not include the economic impact of a possible coronavirus pandemic. During the first two months of this year, Group sales were somewhat lower compared with the same period last year. This is partly due to restrictions in China on shipping products to customers. The restrictions are dampening every divisions sales there. Overall, WACKER forecasts sales of some 1.2 billion for the first quarter of 2020 (Q1 2019: 1.24 billion). The Group expects EBITDA in Q1 2020 to be substantially above last years level (142.0 million), with operational improvements in the polysilicon business having a positive influence. From todays perspective, 2020 is going to be another very challenging year, said CEO Rudolf Staudigl in Munich on Tuesday. In our polysilicon business, we still face strong competition and price pressure. Trade conflicts and geopolitical crises harbor downside risks. In addition, the uncertainties arising from the coronavirus currently top all other risks. On the other hand, we are confident that we will grow sales at all divisions thanks to our outstanding products. Given this situation, Staudigl once again called for an industrial electri-city price of below 4 cents per kilowatt-hour for energy-intensive com-panies in Germany: Our Chinese competitors pay less than 2 cents per kilowatt-hour thanks to state subsidies, and that electricity comes from environmentally harmful coal-fired power plants. If we had the same electricity prices as in China, WACKER would be by far the worlds most efficient producer of high-quality polysilicon. WACKER has launched an efficiency program to realign its organizational structure clearly with customer requirements and, thus, support the Groups profitable growth. As already announced, the company expects to save 250 million a year by reducing material costs and in-house services and by creating a leaner company structure. With this program, more than 1,000 jobs are expected to go by the end of 2022. The job cuts will affect WACKERs administrative departments and the indirect and non-operational functions of its business divisions. Most of the job losses over 80 percent will be at its German sites. Capital Expenditures In 2019, the Groups capital expenditures amounted to 379.5 million (2018: 460.9 million), a year-over-year decline of 18 percent. Investment activities last year continued to focus on capacity expansion at WACKERs three chemical divisions. A new pyrogenic silica plant came on stream at Charleston (USA). In Ulsan (South Korea), WACKER now has a new spray dryer for dispersible polymer powders for construction applications. In Zhangjiagang (China), the company has built a new plant for solid silicone rubber to serve the Asian market. At Holla (Norway), a new silicon-metal production facility started up last year. The captive production of this key starting material makes WACKER more independent of price fluctuations on raw-material mar-kets and enhances its supply security during times of peak demand. Employees The number of Group employees rose by around 120 in 2019. As of December 31, 2019, WACKER had 14,658 employees worldwide (Dec. 31, 2018: 14,542). Its German sites had 10,356 employees (2018: 10,291) and its international sites 4,302 (2018: 4,251). Net Cash Flow, Net Financial Debt and Equity Ratio In 2019, WACKER generated cash inflow in the triple-digit millions. Net cash flow more than doubled to 184.4 million (2018: 86.2 million). Aside from cash inflows from operating activities, the increase was due to the insurance compensation received for the incident at Charleston. A special payment into the Wacker Chemie VVaG pension fund had the opposite effect, reducing net cash flow by some 70 million. The Groups net financial debt rose year over year, totaling 713.7 mil-lion as of December 31, 2019 (Dec. 31, 2018: 609.7 million). This 17-percent increase was due to the new IFRS 16 accounting standard, which stipulates that lease liabilities must now also be factored in when calculating financial liabilities. WACKERs total assets amounted to 6.49 billion as of December 31, 2019 (Dec. 31, 2018: 7.12 billion). This 9-percent decline chiefly stemmed from the drop in fixed assets due to the impairment charge on polysilicon facilities. In addition, Group equity contracted markedly because pension provisions rose amid lower discount rates. On the reporting date, equity amounted to 2.03 billion (Dec. 31, 2018: 3.15 billion). The corresponding equity ratio was 31.3 percent (Dec. 31, 2018: 44.2 percent). Business Divisions In 2019, WACKER SILICONES sales came in at 2.45 billion (2018: 2.50 billion). This decline of 2 percent was attributable to lower prices for standard silicones, and to volume and product-mix effects. EBITDA also declined year over year. It fell by 22 percent to 478.5 million (2018: 616.6 million) At WACKER POLYMERS, sales for 2019 rose 3 percent, reaching 1.32 billion (2018: 1.28 billion). This increase was fueled by higher volumes for dispersions and dispersible polymer powders, and by positive exchange-rate effects. EBITDA of 194.2 million was 32 percent above the year-earlier level (2018: 147.7 million), benefiting from higher sales and the divisions good cost structure. WACKER BIOSOLUTIONS lifted its 2019 sales by 7 percent to 243.0 million (2018: 227.0 million) amid higher volumes and positive exchange-rate effects. EBITDA of 31.1 million (2018: 23.5 million) was up 32 percent versus the year before. The increase was driven by volume growth and by higher plant utilization for biopharmaceuticals. At WACKER POLYSILICON, sales decreased 5 percent in 2019, coming in at 780.0 million (2018: 823.5 million). The main factor here was markedly lower average prices for solar-grade polysilicon. Volume growth did not compensate for this. EBITDA of 56.9 million (2018: 72.4 million) fell 21 percent due to price effects. EBITDA included 112.5 million in insurance compensation for the damage from the 2017 incident at Charleston (USA). Proposal on Appropriation of Profits In 2019, Wacker Chemie AG posted a retained profit of 1,324.9 million under German Commercial Code accounting rules. The Executive and Supervisory Boards will propose a dividend of 0.50 per share at the Annual Shareholders Meeting. Based on the number of shares entitled to dividends on December 31, 2019, the total cash dividend corresponds to a payout of 24.8 million. Calculated in relation to WACKERs average share price in 2019, the dividend yield is 0.7 percent. Outlook For 2020, economists expect global economic growth to be at last years level or below it. Trade conflicts and geopolitical crises harbor downside risks, as do the potential effects of the coronavirus on the global economy. At its chemical divisions, WACKER sees good opportunities to grow sales and earnings this year. WACKER SILICONES and WACKER POLYMERS expect sales to climb by a low-single-digit percentage. At WACKER BIOSOLUTIONS, sales are likely to grow by a high-single-digit percentage. EBITDA at WACKER SILICONES should be at last year's level due to lower average prices. The division forecasts a slight decline in its EBITDA margin. WACKER POLYMERS anticipates slightly higher EBITDA year over year amid higher volumes. The EBITDA margin should be slightly higher, too. WACKER BIOSOLUTIONS expects its EBITDA and EBITDA margin to be clearly higher than last year. For its polysilicon business, WACKER predicts that sales will increase slightly by a low-single-digit percentage in 2020. Growth will be driven by an improved product-mix, which is shifting toward high-value products. Cost savings will offset low average polysilicon prices. When adjusted for the non-recurring effect of the insurance compensation received in 2019, the division expects EBITDA to be on par with last year. WACKERs forecast for the Group is that sales are likely to climb by a low single-digit percentage in 2020. Adjusted for the non-recurring effect of insurance compensation, EBITDA is expected to decline by a mid-single-digit percentage versus last year. The Groups EBITDA margin is projected to be somewhat lower than a year ago. WACKER's guidance covers not only part of the economic uncertainty, but also the fact that the result from investments could be lower than last year. Due to the drastic developments since the end of February, though, WACKER rates the risk of a coronavirus pandemic as likely, with a potentially high impact (>100 million) on its earnings and financial position. EBITDA, in consequence, could decline by a two-digit percentage versus last year. At around 350 million, capital expenditures will be below the prior-year level. Depreciation and amortization will come in at around 425 million, down significantly from last year. WACKER expects Group net income to rise significantly. Net cash flow is likely to be clearly positive and substantially higher than last year. Net financial debt will decline due to the positive cash flow. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 18) Most of you have probably seen the viral video that claims eating bananas can keep you safe from the coronavirus pandemic. Some may have fallen for it, including a high-ranking government official. But the Health Department was quick to dismiss this claim. Health spokesperson Ma. Rosario Vergeire on Wednesday said there is no science to back this up. "Ang saging, sinasabi nila it can help prevent COVID-19. Wala pang ebidensya, wala pang masusing pag-aaral na makapagbibibgay ng hard science o ebidensya para sabihin na bananas will prevent the transmission of COVID-19 or prevent a person from having COVID-19," she said during the Laging Handa briefing. [Translation: They're saying bananas can prevent COVID-19. There is no evidence based on hard science that this will prevent a person from contracting it or that bananas will stop the transmission of the virus.] Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Monday said he believed what he saw on the internet about bananas fighting off viruses, leading him to eat tons of them. "I read a few things about how to destroy or contain the virus," Panelo said during a media briefing. "You know, even without me knowing it, Ive been fond of bananas. Then I saw on the internet that bananas are a good way to fight [viruses]. So here I am, eating bananas every day." Vergeire said bananas have health benefits, but people shouldn't eat it to feel protected from COVID-19. "Ang saging ay mabuti sa katawan, so hindi naman ipagbabawal na kainin nila. Huwag lang nila iisipin na hindi sila magkakaroon ng sakit na ito dahil kumain sila ng saging," she said. . (Translation: Banana is good for the body, so they're not prohibited from eating them. Just don't think they won't contract the virus by eating bananas.) To prevent infection, authorities are urging people to practice frequent hand washing with soap and water for 20 seconds, cover the mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, and avoid close contact with those who show respiratory symptoms. During an outbreak, stay home as much as possible and limit contact with people. The disease is spread through small droplets from the nose or mouth when people infected with the virus cough or sneeze, according to medical experts. If you have a knee replacement scheduled in coming weeks, Dr. Rachel Levine recommends you think about postponing the procedure. Levine, the Pennsylvania Secretary of Health, on Wednesday said individuals should consider cancelling elective surgeries in anticipation of an expected surge in coronavirus cases in Pennsylvania and the demands that surge will place on hospitals and health systems. People need to talk to their doctor about that, Levine said. Elective could mean different things to different people, but the overall answer is yes. If something needs to be done to protect someones health, that proceed should be done, but its very important that hospital and health systems prepare for the expected surge of patients, particularly ill patients, requiring in-patient admission that could very likely occur over next several weeks. FULL COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS Some hospitals are already being pre-emptive: Penn State Health, for instance, beginning Thursday morning will cease non-essential, elective surgeries at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center. The Department of Health on Wednesday morning had confirmed 13 additional positive cases of COVID-19 two in Allegheny County; one in Bucks County; six in Montgomery County; two in Monroe County; and two in Philadelphia County. The statewide total of cases stands at 76. As of Wednesday morning, 670 patients have tested negative either at the state public health lab, a commercial lab or a hospital laboratory. Levine stressed that Pennsylvania would likely in coming weeks see an uptick of community spread cases of Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus and that all medical attention needed to be focused on mitigating the surge but also preparing for it at the same time. Even routine elective surgery, she said, poses several risks - both to the individual having the elective procedure as well as hospital staff, and other patients in that hospital. Levine said medical officials need to ensure that capacity in the areas of hospital beds, ICUs and personal protective equipment remain high. All that needs to be taken into consideration, she said. READ RELATED STORIES: 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. Amid the steady rise in coronavirus cases in India, there is no evidence of community outbreak of the COVID-19 in India as of yet. 500 of the thousand samples tested for community transmission of coronavirus have come out negative while the results for the other half are awaited, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). ANI Prof (Dr) Balram Bhargava, Secretary, Department of Health Research and Director General, ICMR told news agency ANI, "It is reassuring that at the moment there is no evidence of community outbreak from this study." Explaining the process, Dr Nivedita Gupta, scientist at ICMR was quoted by ANI saying, "Till date, we have picked up 20 samples from 51 sites over a duration of 15 days, and between March 1 and 15 we have collected more than a thousand samples from the 51 sites from individuals who were admitted with severe acute respiratory distress or pneumonia-like symptoms, but they did not have any travel history or contact with any known patient of COVID-19." AP "Our results are pouring in and as of now we have results of more than 500 patients and all are negative. If we find a positive case at any of the sites then the cluster containment strategy, as per government of India guidelines and testing strategy according to that plan will be implemented," she added. Gupta added that the samples will now be taken on a weekly basis because of the increase in the number of cases across the country. In a bid to strengthen the COVID-19 testing capacity, the India Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is going to operationalise two rapid testing laboratories and 49 additional testing centres by the end of this week. PTI With reports saying less coronavirus cases in India could be because of low number of testing, ICMR is quickly looking to set up laboratories to add to the already existing testing centres. A rapid testing laboratory will be equipped to test as many as 1,400 samples each day. These high throughput systems will be set up one each in Delhi-NCR and Bhubaneswar to exponentially increasing rapid diagnosing of COVID-19. The additional 49 testing centres will be at various medical colleges and other places. It includes the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) among others. These would be fully equipped to test COVID-19 within this week. As of Wednesday 9 am, India has reported 147 confirmed positive cases of coronavirus, including 25 foreign nationals. Out of this, 130 are active cases, 14 patients got cured and discharged while three people lost their lives due to the virus. India: Pastor hospitalized after Hindu extremists tie him to tree, brutally beat him for 3 hours Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A pastor in India was hospitalized after Hindu extremists tied him to a tree and brutally assaulted him for over three hours, accusing him of blasphemy. International Christian Concern reports that on March 1, Pastor Manju Keralli was leading a worship service in Bennakoop village, located in the Gadag district of Karnataka, when a group of 150 radical Hindu nationalists broke into the service. The radicals reportedly hurled abusive language at the Christians, physically assaulted those present, and destroyed the churchs instruments and furniture before attacking the pastor. I fell to the ground after receiving several punches and kicks, Pastor Keralli said. Then, they dragged me out of the meeting hall, tied me to a tree outside, and further released blows and punches. They took me to two other places in the same village and tied me to an electrical pole and a pillar in the marketplace. All the time they continued their physical harassment for more than three hours. Later, police arrived and took me to the police station. Even the police threatened me with foul language, saying that I dont have right to live in this country as I am practicing foreign faith. At the station, the police then filed a criminal case against Keralli under Indias blasphemy law, yet failed to file a criminal case against the radicals that broke into the church and assailed the Christians. I am unable to sit, as there is an injury on my back, he told ICC. Doctors are suspecting that there could be fracture on my spine. I have severe pain in my lower abdomen and have difficulty breathing. In addition to all these things, there is a legal case filed against me that I am involved in illegal conversions, Keralli said. Fearing arrest, the pastor remains hidden and is currently seeking anticipatory bail for the false blasphemy charges that have been filed against him. Indias Freedom of Religion Act 2019, which eight out of 29 states in the country have passed, bans religious conversion as a result of force or inducement. Those who violate the forced religious conversion law face anywhere from three to seven years in prison. Critics say these laws are often abused by Hindu radicals to persecute Christians and other religious minorities. Local sources told the outlet that such stories in the region are not uncommon, as attacks on pastors have increased in recent weeks due to police inaction. Recently, there have been five attacks on pastors in Gadag district alone, a local Christian leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told ICC. Across the entire state, the number of incidents have grown sharply because of the complicity of the police and the free hand given to Hindu radicals. This will make it even more difficult for Christians in the state. India is listed as 10th on persecution watchdog Open Doors 2020 Watch List of the 50 countries where Christians suffer the most severe persecution. The country rose from a 2013 ranking of 31 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi gained power in 2014 with the Bharatiya Janata Party. According to Open Doors, at least 1,500 Indian Christians faced some kind of violence or threat do to their religious beliefs between November 2018 and October 2019, while as many as 295 Christians were detained for faith-related reasons. After a two-day visit to India in February, President Donald Trump raised the issue of religious freedom during conversations with Modi. Following the visit, Trump said Indias PM wants people to have religious freedom, and very strongly. However, the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback told CP at the 2020 Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland that he would not go as far as to say improvements are being made when it comes to the condition of religious freedom in India. The president did raise the issues with Modi privately. I think it was important that you raise those issues, Brownback said. But you got a lot of communal violence that is happening in India. They have got a lot of things that they are pushing that push religious buttons. So people get really fired up. You saw the violence that took place during the presidents trip. Thats the level of angst going on in the country. There is a lot of Hindu nationalism that has been going on more aggressively and you are seeing some of the consequences. 03/18/2020 Photo (c) NoDerog - Getty Images Consumers may have a harder time getting their hands on certain items via Amazon over the next few weeks. In a statement issued Tuesday to third-party vendors, the company announced that it would be prioritizing certain high-demand items in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The company is asking vendors to not send discretionary items to its warehouses until April 5 so that it can get essential items to the consumers who need them. 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 deliver these products to customers, the company stated. Increasing hiring and pay The decision follows what Amazon has called a significant increase in demand in recent weeks with the spread of COVID-19. To help handle that demand, the company says it is opening 100,000 new full- and part-time positions in the U.S. to bolster its fulfillment centers and delivery network. The openings may be a saving grace to consumers working in certain industries that have had to shut down in the wake of the outbreak. 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. 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, the company stated. In addition to the influx of hiring, Amazon said it will also be increasing pay by $2 per hour worked through April in the U.S., C$2 per hour in Canada, 2 per hour in the UK, and around 2 per hour in many EU countries. Do not go to your friends house for dinner tonight. That was the blunt message from Dr. Eileen de Villa at city hall on Wednesday afternoon as the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Toronto continued to rise. The citys medical officer of health is asking residents to do more to practise social distancing as health-care workers braced for additional cases in the first week of a provincial emergency. De Villa reported seven new cases in Toronto as of Wednesday afternoon and an increase in local transmission 11 cases are now under investigation. Those 11 cases, she said, cannot be traced to any kind of recent travel. We are new to social distancing, so I want to be perfectly clear: Having your friends over for dinner or for coffee is not social distancing, de Villa said at a regularly scheduled briefing. Arranging play dates for your children is also not social distancing. Visiting friends or family in long-term care homes or hospital is not social distancing. Stopping at a grocery store to stock up after travel including travel to the United States is not social distancing. De Villa took most of her time at the microphone on Wednesday to stress the need for all residents to follow her advice and that of other health professionals. She outlined good practices, asking everyone to make every effort to follow them. Social distancing means keeping six feet apart to help prevent virus spread. Social distancing means staying home and only going out for the absolute essential needs like food or medicine. Social distancing means reducing contact with others. Social distancing means working from home. Social distancing means helping your employees to either stay home or to work from home. Social distancing means doing your grocery shopping online or maybe having somebody else do your groceries for you. When asked how Toronto is faring compared to other global cities and regions, de Villa said: You can never really tell the story until the end. She said places like Italy and Iran are clearly further along than Canada in terms of the outbreak rate, but that Toronto is now seeing a steep incline of cases over time. We are just at the beginning of that increase. She said other jurisdictions have proven social distancing works to reduce the spread of the virus, citing China, Singapore and South Korea. But just like any other medicine or treatment, she said, it has to be applied appropriately, in the right dose, for the right amount of time. The extent to which that curve peaks, how high that peak is, all depends on how effective we are at social distancing, de Villa said, noting its not yet clear how long social distancing measures will need to be in place. The power to change the story is entirely in our hands. De Villa said Wednesday they were amazed to see the level of compliance by businesses with provincial orders to close. On Tuesday, hours after bars were directed to shutter along with dine-in services at restaurants, de Villa said staff went out to survey compliance and found just four per cent of those businesses observed had not yet closed. But we can still do better, she said. Also on Wednesday, the city announced additional changes to non-essential city services, including the closure of one city-run animal shelter and reduced hours at two others, as well as the suspension of all non-emergency building, bylaw and Toronto Public Health inspections. And Mayor John Tory announced Toronto Police will suspend parking enforcement in on-street permit parking areas, when on-street time limits are exceeded, in areas subject to the North York winter maintenance bylaw, of expired validation for licence plates, of boulevard parking and in school zones. In a statement, Tory encouraged people to continue paying for parking, calling it the right thing to do. Airlines serving Australia and New Zealand are implementing drastic service cuts as a result of a steep fall in passenger demand and government announcements last weekend that all travelers entering the countries must self-quarantine for two weeks. Qantas and subsidiary Jetstar together will cut about 90% of international passenger capacity from the end of March through the end of May, up from the 23% capacity reduction announced a week earlier due to concerns over the coronavirus. On the domestic side, the airline group is cutting 60% of flights compared to the 5% reduction previously announced. About 150 aircraft, including almost all of the group's widebody fleet, will be grounded. Previously announced cuts in place from late May through mid-September remain in place and are likely to be increased, the company warned Tuesday. Qantas said its fleet of freighters continues to be fully utilized and that it will shift some domestic passenger aircraft to freight-only flights to replace lost capacity from regularly scheduled services. Qantas is addressing its surplus labor situation through the use of paid and unpaid leave. Cost cuts include significant pay cuts for top executives and board members, as well as no pay for the chief executive and chairman for three months. Annual bonuses and stock buybacks are canceled. Air New Zealand said it is reducing its long-haul network by 85% over the coming months. It will operate a minimal schedule to allow New Zealanders to return home and to keep trade corridors with Asia and North America open. The airline is suspending flights between Auckland and Chicago, Honolulu, Houston and San Francisco in the U.S.; Buenos Aires, Vancouver, Tokyo Narita, Denpasar, and Taipei from March 30 to June 30. It is also suspending its London-Los Angeles service beginning March 20 through June 30. Air New Zealand's domestic network will be reduced by about 30% in April and May, but no routes will be suspended, the airline said. Story continues It warned that it will need to reduce headcount in partnership with the four main unions representing its 8,000-person workforce. "We are now accepting that for the coming months at least Air New Zealand will be a smaller airline requiring fewer resources, including people. We have deployed a range of measures, such as leave without pay and asking those with excess leave to take it, but these only go so far," Chief Executive Greg Foran said in a statement."These are unprecedented times that we are all having to navigate. And it is clear that if we don't take all the appropriate measures to lower costs and to drive revenue, our airline won't be in the best position to accelerate forward once we are through the worst of the impact of COVID-19." Meanwhile, Hawaiian Airlines announced Tuesday it will temporarily suspend nonstop service between Honolulu and its Australia and New Zealand gateways starting later this month. Hawaiian, which currently flies five times per week between Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) and Sydney Airport (SYD), will suspend service through April 30. The carrier will pause three-times-weekly Brisbane service through May 31 beginning March 23. In New Zealand, which Hawaiian also serves with three-times-weekly flights, service will stop through May 31 after the last flight from Auckland on March 22. The flight suspensions eliminate service for cargo, as well as passengers. Image Sourced from Pixabay See more from Benzinga 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Hair salons and barbershops in Northeast Ohio contacted Tuesday by cleveland.com say state regulators have given little or no advice about whether to temporarily close or take other precautions in response to the states COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. Rather than wait for direction, Renee Dreshaj said she made the painful decision to voluntarily cancel all appointments through at least March 31 at her Cleveland business, Green Opal Salon on Clifton Boulevard, where 11 cosmetologists work. Theres really no way for us to remain six feet away from people when were performing our services, she said. Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Health have issued orders to temporarily close many businesses - bars, restaurants, fitness centers, recreation centers, bowling alleys, movie theaters, water parks and trampoline parks. But neither the health department nor the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board has placed such restrictions on salons or barbershops. In response to a request by cleveland.com, the state board provided on Tuesday what it called the information available right now. The message to licensed cosmetologists and barbers said the board has received many calls, texts and emails about the coronavirus and the boards response to it, and encouraged licensees to watch DeWines daily 2 p.m. news conferences. Please know, the situation is changing rapidly in Ohio and across the country, the message reads. At this time, the Governor has ordered that events or businesses that can accommodate up to 100 people at a time be closed. This includes K-12 schools, restaurants and bars, etc. The Governor has not ordered individual businesses such as salons and barbershops to close. As of now, that decision is in the hands of each salon or barbershop. The board said it also issued a message to licensees about an unauthorized product that claimed to have been endorsed by the board to combat the coronavirus. Otherwise, it has issued no special guidance about containing the spread of COVID-19, only telling businesses to continue practicing sanitation. They [the messages from the board] basically just stated that we could stay open until the governor mandates that we close, Dreshaj said. But we just didnt feel like it was the responsible choice given how much close contact we have with people, and how many people are in and out of the salon on a daily basis. Ryan Hardwick, owner of Black Cat Barbershop in Gordon Square in Cleveland, said he plans to stay open until the governor mandates that they close, though he is limiting the number of people in the shop to fewer than 10 at a time. To be totally honest, we really dont know how to feel about it all, Hardwick told cleveland.com. I dont know if its irresponsible. Were not taking walk-ins, but we are taking the clients we have booked this week. Hardwick said he and co-owner, Patrick Corrigan, will reassess the situation each week to determine whats best for the business. Were taking preventative measures to keep the shop clean and sanitary as much as we can, but we really are just going week to week and staying current with that the state boards are saying, Hardwick said. Two of the shops five barbers have been staying home, and the three men working in the shop have maintained strict cleanliness procedures, Hardwick said. After every client, were sanitizing our chairs, were washing our hands, were wearing gloves while we cut hair, he said. The phones get sanitized. We have Purell hand sanitizer on our desk for everyone that comes in the door and out the door. Were trying to keep positive, and it seems like a lot of the people coming through are happy were open, he said. It gives them something to do during this time, but it does feel weird, I have to be honest. The state may consider closing salons, according to Ohio Department of Health spokeswoman Rachel Feeley, but is currently leaving it up to owners to decide "what they feel is best for their workers and clients. Again, the most important things to do to prevent spread of infection have to do with each person, Feeley said. They can follow preventative tips and measures to help limit the spread of disease. We would recommend that salons follow the tips available on our website for businesses, and to especially send workers home if they are having symptoms. We would also suggest anyone frequenting the salons cancel any appointments and stay home if they are having symptoms. Dr. Amy Acton, director of the Ohio Department of Health, said at Mondays news conference that she has been asked by her hairdresser about whether she should continue working, but the director was unable to provide a simple answer. Ive been reached out to by the person who cuts my hair... even she, who is pregnant right now, reached out and said, What do we all do? Should I keep doing my work? Acton said. And these are hard answers, and we dont have every scientific answer yet, so we will keep guiding you as best we can, but were all having to make some very hard decisions right now. After 23 years in the brewing business, Kainz said they decided to participate in Restaurant Week in an effort to attract locals who may not have gotten the chance to try their delicious craft beer. The addition of Lands End, a market leader in the classic, casual lifestyle, into Kohls brand portfolio further strengthens our product leadership and our ability to deliver unmatched national brands to Kohls customers, Kohls CEO Michelle Gass said in a news release. Lands End brings its strong brand recognition, leadership in casual style and fit authority, and gives new and existing customers something to discover at Kohls. The environmental effects of agriculture and food are hotly debated. But the most widely used method of analysis often tends to overlook vital factors, such as biodiversity, soil quality, pesticide impacts and societal shifts, and these oversights can lead to wrong conclusions on the merits of intensive and organic agriculture. This is according to a trio of researchers writing in the journal Nature Sustainability. Credit: Yen Strandqvist/Chalmers The environmental effects of agriculture and food are hotly debated. But the most widely used method of analysis often tends to overlook vital factors such as biodiversity, soil quality, pesticide impacts and societal shifts, and these oversights can lead to incorrect conclusions on the merits of intensive and organic agriculture. This is according to a trio of researchers writing in the journal Nature Sustainability. The most common method for assessing the environmental impacts of agriculture and food is the life cycle assessment (LCA). Studies using this method sometimes claim that organic agriculture is actually worse for the climate because it has lower yields, and therefore uses more land to compensate. For example, a recent study in Nature Communications that made this claim was widely reported by many publications. However, three researchers from France, Denmark and Sweden have presented a meta-analysis of many LCA studies in the journal Nature Sustainability, and say that this implementation of LCA is too simplistic, and overlooks the benefits of organic farming. "We are worried that LCA gives too narrow a picture, and we risk making bad decisions politically and socially. When comparing organic and intensive farming, there are wider effects that the current approach does not adequately consider," says Hayo van der Werf of the French National Institute of Agricultural Research. Biodiversity, for example, is of vital importance to the health and resilience of ecosystems. But globally, it is declining. Intensive agriculture has been shown to be one of the main drivers of negative trends such as insect and bird decline. Agriculture occupies more than one-third of global land area, so any links between biodiversity losses and agriculture are hugely important. "But our analysis shows that current LCA studies rarely factor in biodiversity, and consequently, they usually miss that wider benefit of organic agriculture," says Marie Trydeman Knudsen from Aarhus University, Denmark. "Earlier studies have shown that organic fields support biodiversity levels approximately 30% higher than conventional fields." Usage of pesticides is another factor to consider. Between 1990 and 2015, pesticide use worldwide has increased 73%. Pesticide residues in the ground and in water and food can be harmful to human health, terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and cause biodiversity losses. Organic farming, meanwhile, precludes the use of synthetic pesticides. But few LCA studies account for these effects. Land degradation and lower soil quality resulting from unsustainable land management is also an issueagain, something rarely measured in LCA studies. The benefits of organic farming practices, such as varied crop rotation and the use of organic fertilizers, are often overlooked in LCA studies. Crucially, LCA generally assesses environmental impacts per kilogram of product. This favors intensive systems that may have lower impacts per kilogram, while having higher impacts per hectare of land. "LCA simply looks at the overall yields. Of course, from that perspective, it's true that intensive farming methods are indeed more effective. But this is not the whole story of the larger agroecosystem. A diverse landscape with smaller fields, hedgerows and a variety of crops gives other benefitsgreater biodiversity, for example," says Christel Cederberg of Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. LCA's product-focused approach also fails to capture the subtleties of smaller diverse systems that are more reliant on ecological processes and adapted to local soil, climate and ecosystem characteristics. LCA needs a more fine-grained approach. "We often look at the effects at the global food chain level, but we need to be much better at considering the environmental effects at the local level," says Marie Trydeman Knudsen.The researchers note in their study that efforts are being made in this area, but much more progress is needed. A further key weakness is when hypothetical "indirect effects" are included, such as assuming that the lower yields of organic agriculture lead to increased carbon dioxide emissions because more land is needed. For example, another prominent studyfrom a researcher also based at Chalmers University of Technologysuggested that organic agriculture was worse for the climate because the requirement for more land leads indirectly to less forest area. But accounting for these indirect effects is problematic. "For example, consider the growing demand for organic meat. Traditional LCA studies might simply assume that overall consumption of meat will remain the same, and therefore, more land will be required. But consumers who are motivated to buy organic meat for environmental and ethical reasons will probably also buy fewer animal-based products in the first place. But hardly any studies into this sort of consumer behavior exist, so it is very difficult to account for these types of social shifts now," says Hayo van der Werf. "Current LCA methodology and practice is simply not good enough to assess agroecological systems such as organic agriculture. It therefore needs to be improved and integrated with other environmental assessment tools to get a more balanced picture," says Christel Cederberg. Explore further Organic farm advantages in biodiversity and profits depend on location More information: Hayo M. G. van der Werf et al, Towards better representation of organic agriculture in life cycle assessment, Nature Sustainability (2020). Journal information: Nature Sustainability , Nature Communications Hayo M. G. van der Werf et al, Towards better representation of organic agriculture in life cycle assessment,(2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41893-020-0489-6 PR-Inside.com: 2020-03-18 16:13:01 TUV Rheinland issues Lynk & Co 05 China-mark certification for vehicle-level solid particulates/aerosol filtering protection Eunice Wu, TUV Rheinland Greater China Tel: +86 21 6081 1868 Eunice.Wu@TUV.com On March 18th, the international independent third-party testing, inspection and certification organization TUV Rheinland awarded the flagship model of Lynk & Co with China-mark certification for vehicle-level solid particulates/aerosol filtering protection. Zhong Yuebing, Senior Director of Product Management at Lynk & Co., and Xia Bo, Vice President of TUV Rheinland Greater China Solar and Commercial Products, attended the ceremony. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005 Xia Bo, Vice President of TUV Rheinland Greater China Solar and Commercial Products (Photo: Business Wire) In his speech, Zhong Yuebing said: "During this time of epidemic, Lynk & Co is showing its caring for consumers with practical actions and escorting the health of drivers and passengers. Lynk & Co has always practiced the user-centric brand model, and will continue to improve its technological strength, to bring experiences to consumers worldwide that are more environmentally safe and of superior product value." "As the world's leading technical service provider, TUV Rheinland has been committed to benchmarking advanced standards with its own advantages, and providing support and solutions in areas where standards are urgently needed," said Xia Bo. "Considering the urgent needs of domestic consumers to improve the air quality in vehicle interiors, TUV Rheinland has launched the industry's first solid particulates/aerosol filtering protection performance standard for whole vehicles, helping car companies to continuously improve the air quality in cars and protect the health and safety of drivers and passengers." Through research and comparison of more than 40 international and domestic standards, TUV Rheinland's technical experts have referenced the protective mask standard GB 2626-2006, the medical mask standard GB 19083-2010, the domestic air purifier standard GB/T 18801-2015, the cabin filter standard GB/T 32085.1-2015, and other requirements, combined with the vehicle characteristics, to develop the vehicle-level solid particulates/aerosol filtering protection performance standard 2PfG CH0005:2020-02, along with detailed test methods and certification processes. The certification process starts with verification of the protective mask-level filtering efficiency of the air-conditioning filter, assessing the speed with which the air-conditioning ventilation system purifies polluted air flowing in when doors and windows are open and maintains micro-positive pressure throughout the interior (shielding entry of external pollution into the interior without passengers being aware). Requirements are in place comprehensively testing the aerosol filtration efficiency of the vehicle interior under current technical conditions, reaching more than 95%. It is worth mentioning that China-mark certification is TUV Rheinlands response to the needs of local customers in the Chinese market. Its main goals are to enhance awareness of domestic brands and pursue quality excellence. The certification relies on TUV Rheinland's testing experience in China, a strong technical team, and brand advantages to help consumers identify high-quality, high-performance products in the domestic market. As the world's leading technical service provider, TUV Rheinland has more than 100 years of extensive experience and technical accumulation in the automotive field. TUV Rheinland has been rooted in China for more than 30 years, and has continuously helped local companies grasp the cutting-edge information and standards of the global automotive market. Its professional services cover all aspects of the whole vehicle, parts and supply chain, encompassing system management, software and hardware development, product safety, market access, production, sales, after-sales, personnel capacity building, etc., providing one-stop solutions and comprehensive support for improvement of vehicle quality and safety, as well as for the operation and management of car companies. About TUV Rheinland TUV Rheinland is a global leader in independent inspection services, founded nearly 150 years ago. The group maintains a worldwide presence of more than 20,000 people; annual turnover is EUR 2 billion. The independent experts stand for quality and safety for people, technology and the environment in nearly all aspects of life. TUV Rheinland inspects technical equipment, products and services, oversees projects, and helps to shape processes and information security for companies. Its experts train people in a wide range of careers and industries. To this end, TUV Rheinland employs a global network of approved labs, testing and education centers. Since 2006, TUV Rheinland has been a member of the United Nations Global Compact to promote sustainability and combat corruption. Website: www.TUV.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005 TUV Rheinland issues Lynk & Co 05 China-mark certification for vehicle-level solid particulates/aerosol filtering protection Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey makes announcement on postponement of March 31 primary runoff. Joined by Attorney General Steve Marshall and Secretary of State John Merrill. Posted by al.com on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 Gov. Kay Ivey has postponed the March 31 primary runoff because of the coronavirus pandemic until July 14. Ivey cited the risk to voters and poll workers in making the decision to delay the March 31 runoff. We would be taking a human health risk just by having people stand in line waiting to vote, the governor said. "Im also aware that our faithful poll workers are often retired and among those who have the highest risk of the disease." Ivey made the announcement in a press conference this morning with Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill and Attorney General Steve Marshall. New dates for pre-election deadlines, such as sending in absentee ballots are being announced. The governor announced her decision one day after Marshall issued an opinion that she had the authority to postpone the election under the states Emergency Management Act. Marshall issued the opinion after a request from Merrill. Some local officials had spoken out about the need for postponement to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus to voters and to poll workers, who tend to be older people who are generally more susceptible to serious illness from the infection. Louisiana, Georgia, and Ohio postponed their primaries. The biggest statewide race on the ballot is the runoff for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a statement today supportive of the postponement decision. The statement said, in part: We intend to maintain our vigorous campaign up until the last day, even as we are careful to do so in a manner that puts the health and safety of the public first. Sessions also called on his opponent, former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville to debate. The Tuberville campaign had said it was too late in the campaign to debate. It will be very difficult for Tommy Tuberville to hide from debates for four months. He will have to conquer his fears, and face me and the voters, Sessions said. Tubervilles campaign sent a statement about the postponement this afternoon. I understand Gov. Iveys decision to postpone the runoff until July 14 and join her in encouraging all Alabamians to stay safe, be kind to their fellow citizens, and follow all guidelines related to the Coronavirus, Tuberville said. I pray that the current health crisis will be brought under control and that lives will be saved. Former state Rep. Barry Moore of Enterprise, a candidate in the runoff for the Republican nomination in Alabamas 2nd Congressional District, issued a statement supporting the postponement. I think Governor Ivey did the right thing by moving the election," Moore said. Many of our poll workers are Seasoned Citizens, and theyre one of the most vulnerable groups. Theres no way wed be able to limit the polls to 10 people or keep several feet of distance between them. Having the election on March 31st, we would run the risk of hurting voter turnout and that is an affront to our democratic process. Moore faces Dothan businessman Jeff Coleman in the runoff. Alabama Republican Party Chairman Terry Lathan issued a press release about the runoff delay Wednesday morning. With the uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus as it moves across our nation and confirmed cases in Alabama continue to increase, we support the administrations prudent measures and decisions to protect Alabamians, Lathan said. While these are concerning and unknown times, we appreciate our leaders implementing a safe atmosphere for our probate and election officials, poll workers, campaigns, candidates and voters. The old saying better safe than sorry is truly applicable in these unknown circumstances. Merrill said the July 14 election day would allow local election officials time to adjust to the new date. The postponement changes several deadlines for voters. People can now register to vote in the runoff until June 29. They have until July 9 to apply for an absentee ballot. Absentee ballot applications already successfully submitted will be valid, Merrill said. Absentee ballot applications can be obtained online at the Secretary of States website or at county absentee election manager offices. The deadline to turn in an absentee ballot by hand is July 13. Absentee ballots sent by mail must be postmarked by July 13. Merrill encouraged people who dont want to go to the polls because of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus to vote by absentee ballot. State law requires voters to check a box on the absentee ballot application stating why they are voting absentee. Merrill said people who are concerned about the coronavirus should check the box that says: "I have a physical illness or infirmity which prevents my attendance at the polls." Merrill has previously supported legislation removing the requirement to give a reason for voting absentee. Lawmakers have introduced legislation for no excuse absentee voting this year. U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, who will face the winner of the Sessions-Tuberville runoff in November, issued a statement commending the postponement of the runoff. Amid this COVID-19 public health emergency, I commend Governor Iveys decision to delay the runoff election until July 14th," Jones said. "Right now, everyones top priority should be to stop the spread of the virus and keep folks safe at home, and that includes allowing Alabamians to vote absentee and vote by mail. Its crucial that we expand access to the ballot box, enact early voting and expand opportunities to vote by mail in Alabama so that all eligible voters are able to participate in our democracy. Aside from talking about the election today, Ivey stressed the need to follow guidelines on social distancing, avoiding large gatherings, and staying home as much as possible. The governor, attorney general and secretary of state tried to set an example by standing apart at todays press conference. A limited number of media outlets were invited to the press conference and seating for the press was widely spaced. This too shall pass folks, Ivey said. It truly will pass. But it will only pass by following doctors advice, by using a little common sense and by having some patience. Facebook has announced that it will grant $1000 bonuses to its employees in the times of coronavirus pandemic, the Information reports. The announcement was made by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in an internal memo on Tuesday. This is being done to help out the Facebook employees with additional assistance in the times of the pandemic. These additional expenses would include setting up home offices or helping out its employees with childcare. The company which has 45,000 employees shall get an exceeds rating in the first six-months review in 2020, The Verge reports. This rating could further lead the employees to benefit bonuses which will help them in the dire times. As of 2018, the median compensation of a Facebook employee was $228,651 according to a listing in The United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Facebook advised its employees to work from home from March 5 after one of its contractors contracted COVID-19 in its Seattle office. The company, however, has not made it mandatory for the employees to stay put. According to CNN Business, the $1000 bonus will only be made available to the full-time employees and not the contractors. It is, however, not clear, if the contractors are benefitting from the bonus or not. On Tuesday, Facebook, in its official blogpost, also announced that it will give cash grants of $100 million dollars to small businesses. The tech giant also offered ad credits to these companies. 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, the blog post read. With the coronavirus scare spreading faster than ever, tech companies all over the world are resorting to work from home policy. Last week, Twitter made it mandatory for all of its employees to work from home. Zuckerberg had earlier announced that he was joining Bill Gates to contribute private funds for coronavirus testing in the San Francisco Bay area. His philanthropic groups have invested in machines that have been approved for testing diseases like COVID-19. Taiwan Fighter Jets Confront Chinese Military Aircraft By VOA News March 17, 2020 Taiwan says it scrambled its air force to drive away Chinese military planes that had flown into its airspace late Monday. The island's Defense Ministry said a group of Chinese fighter jets and surveillance planes flew into the waters off of Taiwan's southwestern coast as part of nighttime exercises, coming close to its air defense identification zone. Beijing has been conducting numerous naval and aviation exercises in the Taiwan Strait since the election of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016 as a means of pressuring Taipei from declaring its independence. China and Taiwan split after Chaing Kai-shek's Nationalist forces settled on Taiwan after they were driven off the mainland by Mao Zedong's Communists after the end of the 1949 civil war. China considers the self-ruled island a breakaway province and has vowed to annex the island by any means necessary, including a military invasion. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Throwing the social distance advice from various quarters to the wind, hundreds of people having alleged affiliation with Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath converged in various cities across the state to protest against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The protests took place in Chennai and other cities and towns in the state even as several Muslim organisations called off their protests against CAA and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) as a precautionary measure against outbreak of COVID-19. Follow live updates on coronavirus On Tuesday night, the month-long protest by women in Washermanpet area here on the lines of Delhis Shaheen Bagh was called off to prevent further spread of coronavirus in the state. DMK president M K Stalin had visited Washermanpet on Monday night and made a personal appeal to the protesters to call off their agitation till March 31. Nearly 50 organisations, which were protesting against CAA since December, have suspended their agitation in the interests of public health. However, the TNTJ had announced that its protest march outside the Madras High Court premises in the already-crowded Broadway area will be held as planned on Wednesday. Hundreds of TNTJ cadre and sympathisers, holding umbrellas to protect themselves from scorching heat, converged and raised slogans against the Centre and state governments. The mass gathering was organised despite the government asking people to avoid social contact and visiting crowded places. The government had also asked police not to give permission for protests and agitation. The TNTJ cadre said CAA and NRC are more dangerous than COVID-19, which has so far killed only two people but the former has consumed the lives of several. The mass protests at the time of COVID-19 outbreak has drawn outright condemnation from social media users who termed the agitation as an irresponsible act. TNTJ is allegedly connected with the National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ) which carried out the dastardly Easter bombings in Sri Lanka last year. However, TNTJ said it does not have any links with the organisation, though NTJ is a splinter group of its affiliated unit in Sri Lanka. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Jerussalem Wed, March 18, 2020 15:15 664 7f440ff09e92db75a02bbad206b967c3 2 World Israel,coronavirus,Wuhan-coronavirus,COVID-19,novel-coronavirus,SARS-CoV-2,pandemic,health Free Confirmed coronavirus cases in Israel have jumped by 40 percent to 427 in the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday, predicting a steeper rise as mass-testing is implemented. Having urged Israelis to stay home and approved cyber-monitoring of their movements to reduce infection risks, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at least 3,000 coronavirus tests would be conducted daily, including at new drive-through stations. "We will reach a situation in which there are many hundreds of new patients each day, and possibly more," Moshe Bar Siman-Tov, director-general of the Health Ministry, told Israel's Army Radio. Up from the 304 confirmed cases reported on Tuesday morning, five of the 427 patients were in a critical condition, the ministry said. There have been no reports of coronavirus fatalities in Israel or the Palestinian territories. In the occupied West Bank, Palestinians health officials have confirmed 44 cases. None have been detected in the densely populated Gaza Strip. Karnataka High Court on Wednesday rejected the plea by Congress leader Digvijay Singh seeking directions to the police to allow him to meet rebel Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs who are lodged in Bengaluru. Earlier in the day, Singh said at a press conference, "I have filed a plea in the Karnataka High Court, seeking permission to meet Madhya Pradesh Congress MLAs who are putting up at Bengaluru. I have decided to be on fast and shall take a call on that after the decision of the Supreme Court and the High Court," Singh said at a press conference here earlier. Singh said, "The BJP is busy in toppling duly-elected governments. We had successfully thwarted their plans to destabilise the MP government but we were let down by Jyotiraditya Scindia who had a very successful career in Congress." "We never expected that he would ditch us and join hands with the BJP," he added. The Congress leader also said that the BJP government had become insecure since the Kamal Nath-led government started tightening the laws on mining. "Chief Minister Kamal Nath drafted a new mining policy for the sand under which the mines were allotted through auction. All this was unpalatable to the BJP and from Day 1 they started offering money to our Congress legislators," he said. "In BJP, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee's kind of leadership no longer exists. The leadership which controls the BJP now includes people who have joined hands to do all kinds of unscrupulous things which has led to a stage in India where the banks are collapsing, non-performing assets and unemployment are growing," he added. Earlier today, he was put under preventive arrest after he sat on a dharna near Ramada Hotel here allegedly for not being allowed to meet the 21 rebel Congress MLAs lodged in the hotel. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus alongside Vice President Mike Pence and members of the Coronavirus Task Force in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, DC, March 9, 2020. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the Department of Housing and Urban Development will temporarily suspend "all foreclosures and evictions" amid the coronavirus crisis. That "immediate relief" for renters and homeowners will last through the end of April, Trump said during a press briefing at the White House. Markets continue their slide as Trump delivered those remarks and took numerous questions from reporters in the White House briefing room. The Dow Jones industrial average and the S&P 500 dropped more than 7% during the briefing, triggering a temporary "circuit-breaker" trading halt. The daily briefing came shortly after Trump announced that the U.S. would temporarily close its border with Canada to "non-essential traffic." "Trade will not be affected," tweeted the president, whose administration has signaled grave concerns about the impact of the virus on the economy. The White House is currently scrambling to hash out the details of a massive stimulus plan that could total $1 trillion. Trump in recent days has said that he expects the struggling economy to "pop back," but he has also admitted that the U.S. "may be" headed for a recession. The administration's latest moves come as officials at every level of government take unprecedented steps to slow the transmission of the coronavirus. State and city leaders have banned large gatherings of people and forced restaurants and bars to shutter their storefronts, allowing them only to offer takeout services to customers. U.S. lawmakers and White House officials, meanwhile, are negotiating multiple proposals to potentially allocate more than $1 trillion to boost the economy, fund agencies and provide relief to Americans whose livelihoods could be threatened by the disease. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Tuesday that the White House is hashing out the details of a proposal that could include hundreds of billions of dollars in direct payments to Americans. That plan could be crucial to Americans who lose their jobs or businesses as a result of the crisis though Mnuchin told CNBC that the U.S. will not have a 20% unemployment rate, which is a figure he had reportedly warned Republican senators about. In casu (in this case), applicant is dictating his own terms as to when he feels he is likely to return to Zimbabwe to present himself to the court. He is doing that to his peril and in the face of the warrant nor having been vacated and in the absence of the applicant making an effort to return to explain himself, he is deemed to be in contempt of court. Accordingly, on hindsight, this court ought to have denied the applicant its audience because the applicant has not purged his contempt, Mushore said. Author Yong Chen, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL), Switzerland, where he lectures in marketing and economics of tourism and hospitality. His research interests include tourist happiness, tourism demand, economic impacts of tourism and hospitality, the sharing economy, and Chinese outbound tourism. Dr. Chen's research has been published in diverse outlets, including Tourism Management, the Journal of Travel Research, and the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. His opinions on the sharing economy, Chinese tourism demand and the hotel industry also appeared in CNN, MarketWatch, South China Morning Post, and EHL Hospitality Insights. He is also a Research Fellow at Lausanne Hospitality Research Center of EHL, where he shepherded the research project of Swiss Tourist Happiness Index funded by the University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland (HES-SO). More about Dr. Yong Chen Source: Xinhua| 2020-03-18 00:39:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, sees off medics departing Hubei at a former temporary hospital in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 17, 2020. Sun on Tuesday required the orderly, safe and smooth withdrawal of the medical staff supporting virus-hit Hubei Province. Leading a central government group to guide the epidemic control work in Hubei, Sun made the remarks while seeing off the medics departing Hubei at a former temporary hospital in Wuhan. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, Sun expressed gratitude to the medical staff for their tremendous efforts to curb the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). (Xinhua/Li He) WUHAN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan on Tuesday required the orderly, safe and smooth withdrawal of the medical staff supporting virus-hit Hubei Province. Leading a central government group to guide the epidemic control work in Hubei, Sun, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks while seeing off the medics departing Hubei at a former temporary hospital in Wuhan, capital city of the province. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, Sun expressed gratitude to the medical staff for their tremendous efforts to curb the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Sun urged the medical workers to take good care of themselves and carry forward their fine conduct to ensure the wellbeing of the public after returning. The medical staff had worked tirelessly on the front line against the epidemic despite danger and hardship when the country was in urgent need of their efforts, showing the noble spirit of benevolence, Sun said, adding that they had made great contributions to containing COVID-19 in Hubei and Wuhan. She lauded the medical personnel as "the most admirable people in the new era" who deserved the highest commendations. Medical teams with treatment missions will not return for the time being, Sun stressed, and the medical teams targeting severely ill patients shall not withdraw until finishing their duties. Sun also required local governments to properly arrange rest and physical examinations for the medical workers after returning. Over 42,000 medical workers from across the country were dispatched to aid Hubei in fighting the epidemic since the virus outbreak, and 15 medical assistance teams left the province Tuesday as the epidemic situation in Hubei has been greatly eased. More than a dozen and a half airlines have temporarily canceled flights to and from Armenia after travel restrictions were introduced in the South Caucasus country as part of a coronavirus-conditioned 30-day state of emergency. According to the press service of the Armenian government, suspension of flights concerns a number of destinations, including Moscow, Rome, Milan, Tbilisi, Tel-Aviv, Doha, Minsk, Sharm El Sheikh, Lyon, Warsaw, Kyiv, Dubai and others. Armenia declared the state of emergency on March 16 amid a spike in the number of novel coronavirus cases that have now reached 84. The regime implying a range of limitations, including for international travel, will remain in place until April 14. Under the state-of-emergency rule all citizens of Armenia and members of their families regardless of their nationality are allowed to return to Armenia by plane. Armenian citizens are also allowed to leave the country by plane on condition that upon return they will be mandatorily quarantined for the coronavirus infection. The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, has strongly recommended that citizens of Armenia abstain from traveling abroad to avoid possible difficulties conditioned by the global pandemic. Armenia has also banned the entry by airspace for citizens of 16 countries most affected by the novel coronavirus, including China, Iran, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Austria, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. All foreigners are banned from crossing into Armenia by land. The exception is made for foreign truck drivers transporting cargoes and their partners unless they exhibit coronavirus-like symptoms. In a bid to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus Armenia and Russia also introduced restrictions on travel by land and air between the two countries. The measure that does not apply to cargo shipments will be in force at least through March 24. According to the Armenian government, restrictions will not apply to Armenian and Russian citizens and members of their families returning to their countries as well as several other categories of citizens, including diplomats, officials and servicemen newly deployed at the Russian military base in Armenia or returning from Russia. Saint Louis University Forms Missouris First Addiction Medicine Fellowship ST. LOUIS Saint Louis University School of Medicine is tackling the countrys opioid abuse crisis by training community physicians to recognize and treat addictions. SLU has created Missouris first addiction medicine fellowship. Pictured are addiction medicine fellowship program director Fred Rottnek, M.D., a professor of family and community medicine at SLU, and inaugural fellow Kate Austman, M.D. Photo by Maggie Rotermund The addiction medicine fellowship is among the first in the country, as the American College of Graduate Medical Education only certified addiction medicine fellowships in 2018. SLUs first fellow, Kate Austman, M.D., began work in January. By next year, program director Fred Rottnek, M.D., a professor of family and community medicine at SLU, hopes to double the number of fellows. Fellows will do rotations at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital and SSM Health St. Marys Hospital, as well as in clinics and community health centers. While at St. Marys, fellows will work with Jaye Shyken, M.D., the associate program director for the fellowship, at the WISH Center. WISH treats women with addiction issues throughout their pregnancies and the post-partum period. Our setup is unique, Rottnek said. The fellows will complete core rotations in family medicine, psychiatry, maternal/fetal health and telehealth. The rotations are typically two months each, but every Thursday will be spent either at the WISH Center or at ARCA (Assisted Recovery Centers of America). Rottnek said by working with ARCA, SLU will be able to help 15 agencies at more than 30 sites across the state. We provide the medication management piece while the home agencies provide wrap-around services, he said. With telehealth, we can address some of these urgent needs faster. The First Fellow Austman is a family medicine doctor from Gibson City, Illinois. She said watching the opioid crisis hit her community led her to seek out additional training. It started when I started to see moms with heroin addictions come in. The closest methadone clinic is about an hour from us, she said. She did a short fellowship at Rush University in 2018 that included immersion weekends and webinars. Wanting more, she met Shyken, who is a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and womens health and a SLUCare gynecologist, at a conference and Shyken suggested Austman apply for SLUs newly-created fellowship. At that point, I thought there was no way I could do this I was too busy, Austman said. But after another conference last July I told my husband that I cant stop thinking about doing this. SLUs fellowship allows Austman to refresh her skills as a physician while bringing added value to her 20-bed community hospital and patients back home. With the support of her administration and her family, she found an apartment in St. Louis where she stays during the week. She heads back to the family farm each weekend to see her husband and two of her children. Her oldest is a freshman at Colorado State University. I talk with my staff every day and there is a physician assistant and another doctor coming in to help out, she said. Im also still running a clinic (in Illinois) once a month. Rottnek said he was thrilled to get a physician of Austmans caliber and experience as SLUs first fellow. We knew that we wanted to start with someone in the region, so that we could build partnerships through this work, he said. I was extremely happy to get Kate here. And Austman was happy to return she got her undergraduate degree from SLU. I loved it here. Creating Community Change One of the benefits to this addiction fellowship, Rottnek said, is the chance to support early career physicians in smaller, more rural hospitals who see a high volume of opioid use disorder patients, but maybe havent had the opportunity to see the newest, best practices used in an academic medical setting. This is hard work its messy, patient-centered medicine, Rottnek said. We are hoping to create opportunities for physicians to come here for training and go back and champion best practices to their colleagues. We need to change the culture, Austman said. By normalizing these conversations we can help provide our patients with the care they need. Applications are being accepted for fellows to begin July 1. Funding for the fellowship comes from SLU, the Missouri Foundation for Health, SSM Health and the State Opioid Response program through the Missouri Department of Mental Health. The program is open to any board-certified and board-eligible physician. Rottnek said that he hopes to see specialists from pediatrics to geriatrics apply to learn more about addiction medicine. This is an area of excellence for SLU, he added. Its a shame that there is such a need for this, but SLU is so supportive of this work. Our fellowship complements current training programs with graduate students in medical family therapy, psychology and social work. Folding in peer support specialists links campus to community the approach we need to create a workforce our communities need. Established in 1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine has the distinction of awarding the first medical degree west of the Mississippi River. The school educates physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical research, and provides health care on a local, national and international level. Research at the school seeks new cures and treatments in five key areas: infectious disease, liver disease, cancer, heart/lung disease, and aging and brain disorders. An official from one of New Jerseys top community blood-donation centers said the state is facing a critical blood shortage and is in urgent need of donations as the nation deals with novel coronavirus prevention measures. Certainly if this is a long-term thing, its going to have a major impact and possibly cause another health care crisis," said Robert Kessler, senior manager of donor recruitment at Vitalant, a nonprofit community blood bank that supplies blood in New Jersey from Bergen County to Ocean County. Ive seen some hospitals now are canceling elective surgery. But patients still need blood. Patients are still receiving treatments for cancer. They need platelets. They need red cells. There are still (emergency room) traumas happening right now. So the blood has to be there when patients need it. LATEST CORONAVIRUS UPDATES FROM NJ.COM The American Red Cross also issued a statement Tuesday about a critical need for blood. The organization said it faces a severe blood shortage as the coronavirus outbreak threatens the nations supply. It pointed out that the cancellation of nearly 2,700 Red Cross blood drives across the country has resulted in 86,000 less blood donations. Red Cross faces a severe blood shortage as #coronavirus outbreak threatens availability of nations supply. Nearly 2,700 Red Cross blood drives have canceled in the US due to #COVID19 concerns, resulting in 86,000 less blood donations. For more info/appts https://t.co/ge9NFSWE9W pic.twitter.com/ytJGRb7cF9 Red Cross Blood Services #GiveNow (@RedCrossBloodPJ) March 17, 2020 The statistics in New Jersey are equally stark, according to Kessler, who said Vitalant has seen about 40% of its March blood-drive bookings canceled due to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. With the closings of schools, colleges and businesses, thats a big part of it," he said. Traditionally we get towards the spring and high schools and colleges schedule a lot of blood drives. Now, weve been able to keep some of the community drives on our calendar, but thats not making up for our lost volume from the cancellation of the other blood drives." In New Jersey and New York, where Vitalant serves as a primary blood provider, 700 blood products per week are needed. Kessler said Vitalant is approximately 300 units shy of its typical collections for the month. And he fears the numbers are only going to worsen this spring. Because we have more (blood-drive) cancellations through June," Kessler said, the worst is yet to come. Dr. Ralph Vassallo, Vitalants chief medical and scientific officer, said if the blood shortage worsens, hospitals may have to prioritize blood in some circumstances. Hospitals will be extremely challenged if COVID-19 infections increase," he said. The last thing we want them worrying about is having enough blood for trauma victims and cancer patients. Thats why its imperative that healthy individuals donate blood at drives and blood donation sites now." Vitalant officials said all blood types are in demand, with a significant need for platelets and Type O blood donations. The blood bank, which has donation centers in Lincoln Park, Montvale, Paramus and Parsippany, strives to maintain a four-day supply of blood but has half that for many blood types. Were doing everything we can to ramp up our collections at our fixed sites, and were still trying to make it convenient for people at a local blood drive," Kessler said. Its going to be interesting to see as we go through this what the impact is. While restrictions have been put in place in New Jersey for gatherings of 50 or more people, Kessler said donation centers and its blood-donation operations are not gatherings, but rather essential health-care activities because not having enough blood to meet basic nation needs will cause another public-health crisis." People who have visited mainland China, South Korea, Iran and Italy within 28 days, who have had a COVID-19 infection, or who have been exposed to someone suspected of having a COVID-19 infection should not donate now. The bottom line is if youre feeling healthy, if you have an appointment to donate blood, please keep your appointment," Kessler said. Our staff wear gloves and they change them often. We wipe down donor-touched areas before every collection. We use a sterile collection set for every donation. "We prepare the arm for donation with a septic scrub, and we conduct mini-physicals to ensure donors are healthy. In addition, we are ramping up the disinfecting of our equipment to ensure our staff are healthy each day. Weve implemented temperature checks daily as well as a little health assessment, and we ask our workers to stay home if theyre not feeling well. Our top priority is the safety of our donors and our staff. To donate, call 877-258-4825 (877-25-VITAL) or visit Vitalant.org. To donate to the Red Cross, people can use the Red Cross Blood Donor App or they can visit RedCrossBlood.org. People can also call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device. If you would like updates on New Jersey-specific coronavirus news, subscribe to our Coronavirus in N.J. newsletter. 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: Keith Sargeant may be reached at ksargeant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KSargeantNJ. The Department of Homeland Security is reportedly considering sending migrants who are caught illegally crossing the southern border straight back to Mexico in a bid to fight coronavirus. Staff at DHS are said to be discussing the idea, but have not yet presented their final proposal to President Trump, Fox News reports. However, according to The New York Times, the measure could be implemented as early as Thursday, demonstrating the swiftly changing nature of US policy as the country struggles to stem the spread of COVID 19. A DHS spokesperson did not deny the possible changes when asked by Fox News Tuesday, stating: 'President Trump is 100 percent committed to protecting the American people from coronavirus and all options are in the table'. The Department of Homeland Security is reportedly considering sending migrants who are caught illegally crossing the southern border straight back to Mexico in a bid to fight coronavirus. President Trump has not yet been briefed on the reported proposal Officials are said to be fearful that coronavirus could quickly spread through such crowded migrant detention facilities, infecting many migrants and Border Patrol agents. Under current rules, migrants who are apprehended illegally trying to enter the US at the southern border are placed in a detention center until they are processed - which often takes weeks or months. However, officials are said to be fearful that coronavirus could quickly spread through such crowded facilities, infecting many migrants and Border Patrol agents. 'If we return people immediately without taking them back to our processing centers, then you're minimizing the exposure,' one Customs and Border Patrol official told Reuters of the new proposal. However, the prospective new move to send migrants straight back to Mexico would likely face court challenges and may require the cooperation of the Mexican government. The coronavirus outbreak is worsening in the US with nearly 6,400 cases as of Tuesday evening The Trump administration has sought to escalate its response to the coronavirus in recent weeks as the disease has spread across the United States, causing schools and businesses to shutter while killing more than 100 people nationwide. Immigrant rights groups slammed the idea of mass returns of foreign nationals to Mexico. 'People fleeing violence from Mexico and Central American countries are actually at greater the risk of contracting coronavirus in the United States than in their home countries at this point,' said Linda Rivas, executive director at advocacy group Las Americas in El Paso. Mexico has reported 82 coronavirus cases so far, compared with more than 6,000 in the United States. The Delhi High Court Wednesday dismissed the plea of Mukesh Singh, one of the four death-row convicts in the gang rape and murder case, that challenged a trial court order which rejected his claim he was not in the national capital when the crime was committed on December 16, 2012. Justice Brijesh Sethi said there were no grounds to interfere in the detailed and reasoned order of the trial court. The high court further said there was nothing on record to suggest that the trial in the case stood vitiated due to concealment of any material evidence. There is, thus, no infirmity, illegality or irregularity in the order passed by the trial court, the high court said and dismissed Mukesh plea. On Tuesday, the trial court had dismissed his plea and had asked the Bar Council of India to give appropriate sensitisation exercise to his counsel. On March 5, a trial court issued fresh warrants for hanging on March 20 at 5.30 am of all convicts in the case -- Mukesh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Singh (31). Twelve states and four union territories have given their comments on the 268th Report of the Law Commission of India on 'Amendments to Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973 - Provision relating to Bail', Union minister G Kishan Reddy informed Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Reddy said in its report, the Law Commission of India has recommended several amendments in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC). As the criminal laws and criminal procedure are in the concurrent list in the seventh schedule to the Constitution of India, this report was forwarded to all the state governments, union territory administrations for their views or comments. "Till date, comments from 12 states and four UTs have been received. This ministry has sought suggestions from states/UTs, judiciary, academic institutions to make comprehensive amendments to criminal laws and acts," he said replying to a written question. Reddy, Union Minister of State for Home, also said the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) has also been entrusted with the responsibility to review the criminal laws and Acts and suggest revisions. "A committee has also been constituted recently to suggest reforms in criminal laws and Acts," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Photo credit: Harper's Bazaar From Harper's BAZAAR In our regular feature #TheBrand, Bazaars beauty team look into an exciting and efficacious brand taking the beauty industry by storm. This time, its a small-but-mighty skincare line spotlighting integrity in ingredient sourcing. Sustainability is a minefield, especially in beauty. Glass offers a welcome alternative to plastic, but the carbon footprint involved in shipping weighty bottles tempers the appeal. Ditching non-recyclable pumps may be saintly, but issues around product preservation are rife. So far, so confusing. Part of a small and burgeoning group of Brit-made brands getting things (mostly) right is Vanderohe a small, beautifully created skincare line that has garnered a truly loyal following. Whats the story? The Vanderohe story begins in a similar way to many small-batch skincare brands. Blighted by a slew of skin complaints, founder Olivia Thorpe decided to clear out her bathroom shelves and create something herself. But its what Thorpe did next that sets her apart from the rest of the herd. She dug deeper into the world of plant oils, discovering that not all are created equal and even fewer are created truly sustainably. Whats in it? There is nothing revolutionary about plant oils today, but the way in which Thorpe sources hers is radically unlike most big-name brands. I did a lot of research into what makes a superior plant oil when formulating my first product, she says of the best-selling Nourishing Face Serum. It was clear to me from the very start that there is a vast difference in efficacy between even two organic oils from the same plant. During her research, Thorpe discovered that plants grown in their native soil possess the most potent qualities. When I then read around this theory and learned how a plants chemical composition changes in different soils (and how growing them in new territories often requires chemical intervention), it was clear we needed to source from the country of origin," she explains. The decision, she says, was purely quality-led. Theres no point sourcing locally if pesticides are required for the plant to grow well, and the oil isnt of a decent quality. Story continues Undoubtedly, there are more affordable plant oils available on the market, but Thorpe is keen to emphasise the differences in quality, and subsequent benefits to the skin. Firstly, I wouldnt be using something that isnt made with 100 per cent organic or wildcrafted ingredients, she says. The rise in price isnt purely down to the quality of the plant though. Producers have to pay for certification, constant monitoring, and have a much harder time at producing a large crop, Thorpe explains. Then, theres the extraction methods. All our essential oils are extracted by steam distillation; our base oils by cold-pressing. The quality that we require demands these extraction processes, she explains. How sustainable is it? Of course, native-soil sourcing sounds like an exemplary process on the surface, but to wash over the fact that this comes with inevitable air miles would be, well, greenwashing. Thorpe, however, is doing much more than most in the sustainable beauty arena, working an all-encompassing ethos of accountability into the very fabric of the brand. We offset the carbon footprint created in sourcing oils from their native countries through everything else that we do, she says. Our suppliers all have tree-planting schemes that we contribute to when we purchase any particular ingredient, and we make all our products by hand so theres no factory machinery running 24 hours a day. Every product is housed in a recyclable Miron glass bottle, (which preserves the potency of the formula inside), and wrapped in a paper label produced by a certified Carbon Balanced Printer, which offsets its carbon footprint through the World Land Trust. Finally, a portion of Vanderohes profits are donated to Maldivian marine conservation group Marine Savers. Sustainability is constantly evolving and we are making every effort to be at the very front of that to research, to learn, to improve. Its the entire ethos upon which I founded the brand, so I take it very seriously says Thorpe. What skin types will it suit? Of course, anyone with a sensitivity to essential oils should alight here, but for everyone else, theres a lot to love. Both the stand-out Nourishing Face Serum and the luxurious Purifying Cleansing Oil are formulated with high-grade plant oils, and little else. Each bottle comes with a beautifully illustrated map, denoting the origin of every ingredient, and its benefits for the skin. What should I try? The cult hero serum should undoubtedly be top of anyones list here. More of an oil in texture, this beautifully (and naturally) scented floral formula sinks straight into skin, reducing redness and delivering deep moisture. Apricot kernal oil, sourced from Pakistan, brings a heavy dose of antioxidant protection, while Chilean rosehip smooths texture and works to fade pigmentation. Antimicrobial geranium (from Egypt) is a welcome addition for anyone looking to reduce acne scarring, while Bulgarian rose otto boosts the inflammation-boosting properties. The potential benefits are multi-faceted: with regular, consistent use, moisture loss will be decreased, inflammation reduced, and skin will feel more resilient, healthy and glowing. If youre keen to adopt a simple, sustainable skin routine that harnesses the gentle yet often transformative powers of plants, youre sure to become enamoured. Like this article? Sign up to our new newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox. SIGN UP You Might Also Like 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 New Delhi, March 18 : Amid coronavirus outbreak in India, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Wednesday held meeting with all the secretaries of the Union Government to discuss the precautionary measures to stop its spread and stressed on holding meetings through video conferencing, sources said. Gauba emphasised on least gathering in the government offices and the officials have been asked to maintain a distance of one meter, sources said. According to the sources, the entry of visitors in the government offices has been stopped and only such people are being allowed who have proper appointment with the officer concerned. Thermal screening of the officials and visitors is being carried out at the entry gate. The Joint Secretary Administration of the ministry has been advised to ask the housekeeping staff to clean and sanitise the washrooms, common areas, door handles, lift buttons, electric switches, stairs and railings at regular intervals. The shops and the stores in the ministry building have also been closed. On Tuesday, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) issued a memorandum listing preventive measures to the ministries to contain the spread of coronavirus. All non-essential visits to the Parliament House Estate have been curtailed, and thermal scanning at all points of entry have also been initiated. Additionally, all measures have been taken to ensure complete cleanliness in and around Parliament House, including adequate arrangements of hand sanitizers, napkins and soap. BRUSSELS, March 17 (Reuters) - Belgium will impose a lockdown from 1100 GMT on Wednesday until April 5 that will restrict the movement of people to contain the spread of coronavirus, Belgian television RTBF reported. Belgians' travel will be limited to visits to supermarkets, pharmacies and banks or for cases of emergency. Gatherings of people will be forbidden but physical activity will be allowed outside, provided a distance of 1.5 metres between people is respected. Police will ensure the lockdown is enforced, RTBF said. (Reporting by Marine Strauss @StraussMarine) The federal government has cancelled visas issued to travellers from the 13 countries it imposed a flight ban on over coronavirus. ... The federal government has cancelled visas issued to travellers from the 13 countries it imposed a flight ban on over coronavirus. Rauf Aregbesola, minister of interior, disclosed this to state house correspondents at the end of the federal executive council meeting. The 13 countries are: China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, Norway, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Switzerland. Earlier, the federal government had restricted travellers from the countries from coming into Nigeria over the coronavirus outbreak. Nigeria currently has eight confirmed cases of the disease and the patients have a travel history from the US, UK and Italy. A Remote Weapon Station (RWS) is a weapon platform that is operated from a remote source, separate from the station itself. Within this report, these systems are separated into the land and maritime domain. New York, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Remote Weapon System Market, Forecast to 2028" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05863972/?utm_source=GNW This report looks at all RWS sizes/calibres, from 5.56mm to 30mm. There are several global trends that will drive and constrain the RWS market, such as vehicle/vessel modernisation programmes, increased protection for infantry, unmanned vehicle armament, increased naval crew efficiency, high precision warfare, counter-drone capabilities, modularity, and decreased size, weight, and power (SWaP) properties. Most of these trends are interlinked and reflect on the other. The primary drivers of the RWS market will be various modernisation programmes worldwide and the need for increased protection for infantry. Numerous countries are beginning to modernise their mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP), armoured patrol vehicle (APC), and infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) fleets to increase the survivability of infantry after lessons learnt from operations in urban environments and countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq. As part of this movement for increased survivability, countries are adopting RWS systems to move the operator to within the vehicle, removing the soldier from enemy combatants fire. The adoption of RWS systems within the naval domain is due to the need for increased levels of system efficiency on-board vessels as the requirements of naval vessel numbers begin to exceed available manpower. Both RWS domainsland and maritimeare beginning to require RWS systems to be increasingly modular to allow for bespoke systems and to counter a variety of threats. This can be seen through the inclusion of a counter-unmanned system and missile firing capabilities.Weight reduction is still the primary issue faced by many vehicles due to the growing number of systems, accessories, and the number of occupants. The main benefit of RWS systems is the decreased internal space occupied by the weapon, increasing the number of occupants a vehicle can accommodate. This is of growing importance due to the size of many nations squads/sections. The SWaP properties of RWS systems remain the predominant barrier for entry within certain markets. Although the size and weight of RWS systems are ever increasing, most systems are still restricted from being fitted onboard light tactical vehicles, thereby limiting the current penetration of RWS systems within various markets. Metamaterial sciences and nanotechnologies will heavily impact this aspect of the market. Innovation in these technological areas will predominantly come from commercial and non-traditional players.This report delves into the key issues and findings of the market, identifying the current drivers and constraints within the market place, as well as the competitive landscape and evolving market share in greater detail. All these aspects are explored in greater depth within each region. These issues are then applied to generate a forecast for the global market, identifying future opportunities across the land and maritime markets. These forecasts also take into account various geopolitical and economic events, providing scenarios that will result in different market sizes. All forecasts are divided into regions and segments. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05863972/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 ST. LOUIS The Riverfront Times laid off most of its editorial staff on Wednesday and was suspending publication of its weekly print edition, its editor said. Were hoping that by cutting down this drastically that were able to ride this out a little bit better and bring people back just as soon as we can, but its such a complete unknown landscape right now, Editor Doyle Murphy said in an interview. Murphy said the alt-weekly, founded in 1977, will continue publishing to its website with just two staff members, he and web editor Jaime Lees. He said it was not yet clear when or if the print edition would resume. The alt-weekly focuses on, and is distributed at, St. Louis events, concerts, bars and restaurants. But closings and cancellations due to the global pandemic immediately flattened the publications advertising base. New Delhi, March 18 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed an application filed by Mukesh Singh, one of the four convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case, challenging the trial court order that had dismissed his plea, seeking stay on the execution claiming he was not present in Delhi on December 16, 2012, the night of crime. A single-judge HC Bench, headed by Justice Brijesh Sethi, while dismissing the plea filed through advocate M.L. Sharma observed, "There are no grounds to interfere in the in the detailed and reasoned order dated 17.03.2020, passed by the trial court." "There is nothing on record to suggest that trial stands vitiated because material evidence was concealed. There is, thus, no infirmity, illegality or irregularity in the order passed by the trial court," the court said. Sharma had approached the high court against the order that dismissed his client's plea and also directed the Bar Council of India (BCI) to do a sensitisation exercise with the counsel. Additional Sessions Judge Dharmendra Rana had on Tuesday pulled up the counsel for making "false averments". While dismissing his plea, the judge had said, "Unfortunately some mischievous brains have been projecting and consciously nurturing a misplaced notion that there is a premium over dishonesty, mendacity in this country. This court is of the considered opinion that the 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 precious judicial entity and is required to be sagaciously spent. 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. "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 BCI for appropriate sensitisation." Mukesh along with three other convicts -- Akshay, Pawan and Vinay -- is scheduled to be hanged at 5:30 a.m. on March 20. The case pertains to gang-rape and murder of a 23-year-old girl, later dubbed as Nirbhaya, in the national capital in 2012. Six people, including the four convicts and a juvenile, were named accused in the case. Ram Singh, the sixth accused, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail days after the trial began. The juvenile was released in 2015 after three years in a correctional home. The BMW logo on the headquarters of the automobile manufacturer in Munich, Germany, 20 March 2019. Photo: Tobias Hase/picture alliance via Getty Images BMW (BMW.DE) has announced a production stop at its European plants until 19 April in response to the coronavirus pandemic, which is causing a breakdown in automotive supply chains and has killed off consumer demand. Live-streaming its annual press conference from its headquarters in Bavaria on Wednesday, the premium German carmaker said was reacting early to the drop in demand in the global automotive markets by adjusting production and is likely to put staff onto reduced working hours. Chief executive Oliver Zipse said that the number of employees globally some 133,000 should remain stable in 2020. The BMW Group, which includes Mini and Rolls-Royce, expects a significant decrease in 2020 global deliveries and pre-tax earnings. It had been targeting an EBIT margin of between 6% and 8% before the coronavirus devastated sales in the Chinese market and became a pandemic, but said today that its EBIT margin for 2020 would now be somewhere between 2% and 4%. READ MORE: European stocks fall as coronavirus stimulus packages fail to calm investors In 2019, BMW saw a 2.2% rise in global deliveries to 2.5 million vehicles. It reported a 6.8% growth in group revenues to 91.6m but a 27% drop in earnings before interest and tax to 4.4 m. Despite the coronavirus crisis, BMW said it still plans to invest around 30bn in new mobility research and development by 2025. Volkswagen, the worlds largest carmaker, announced this week that it would suspend production at its plants across Europe, including the Lamborghini and Ducati plants, and the big VW factory in its home city of Wolfsburg, Germany. READ MORE: Volkswagen reports 'very successful year' as coronavirus clouds 2020 outlook Toyota, Ford, Daimler, Renault Fiat Chrysler, and the PSA Group, which includes Peugeot, Citroen, and Opel, are all halting production at most of their European manufacturing plants. Porsche on Wednesday also announced an initial two-week production halt at its plants in Zuffenhausen and Leipzig. According to data released today by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, the EU passenger car market had a dire start to 2020, declining by more than 7% in February, after a similar contraction in January, mostly due to global economic uncertainty affecting consumer demand. Germany was the worst hit market last month, followed by France, Italy, and Spain. A licensed child-care operator near Sunnybrook Hospital says health-care workers are begging her to stay open so they can continue saving lives amid schools and daycares being closed to combat COVID-19. The private operator, licensed to care for 11 children between the ages of one and four, has reached out to the hospital and the province, in a bid to help. I know I can (safely) stay open because we are small. I only had three children attending Monday, said the operator, who was closed Tuesday and did not want to be named for fear of reprisals from city and provincial officials. Torontos medical officer of health, Dr. Eileen de Villa, who on Friday urged all licensed child care to close, added bars, nightclubs and theatres to the list Monday and asked restaurants to move to takeout and delivery. Those who defied her would be ordered to close under the Health Protection and Promotion Act and liable for fines up to $25,000 a day, she said. It was the fine that really got to me, so I need some clarity on that as a private business owner, said the Toronto daycare operator, adding a physician with two small children was on the phone Monday evening begging her to stay open so they could continue going to work. Dr. David Williams, Ontarios chief medical officer of health, waited until Monday to recommend all licensed daycares close, saying concern around providing child care for essential workers was the main reason he didnt suggest closing them last week. But Tuesday, after Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency in the province that has added private schools, licensed child care, bars and restaurants to the list of services to be shuttered, both Queens Park and the city are scrambling to figure out daycare for essential workers. The city of Toronto is expected to announce plans Wednesday afternoon, said Councillor Joe Cressy, chair of the citys board of health. We have been working on alternate child care arrangements for this purpose and plan to share the final details (Wednesday), he said in an email. A spokesperson for Education Minister Stephen Lecce said the province is also looking into options for child care for workers in the essential services. Hopefully in the coming days we will have an update, Alexandra Adamo said in an interview Tuesday. This is definitely something we are looking at. She said municipalities will play an integral role in this rollout. We recognize this needs to be done as soon as possible ... but obviously we need to take into account rural Ontario, on-reserve and things like that, she added. The province is also looking at how to support daycare operators, child-care staff who are not working and parents who are being asked to continue paying fees while their programs are closed, she said. We are hoping to provide more clarity on child care as a whole in the coming days, Adamo said. On Monday, Quebec began offering free emergency daycare for children up to age 13 for a broad list of essential workers including those in health and social services, emergency services, corrections and child care workers on the job. Nova Scotia has said it will compensate daycare operators who have been forced to close during the pandemic and are paying staff, so parents dont have to continue paying fees. Ontario child-care advocates say they are pleased the city and Queens Park are working on plans for essential workers in this province. First of all, they should be clear about who is an essential worker, said Martha Friendly of the Toronto-based Childcare Resource and Research Unit. And the conditions under which people get to use (daycare) should be clear also because capacity is an issue, she said. Its not only preschool children, but school-age children too. In Europe, where countries have broad public child-care systems, emergency care is being limited to single parents who are deemed essential workers and to families where both parents do this work, she said. Carolyn Ferns with the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care said she has heard from several daycare operators who have the children of essential workers in their care and are looking for guidance. But governments must oversee emergency care and public health must be involved, she said. Home child care can also be a good option, provided they get the proper support from public health so that all the right precautions are being taken, she added. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- With New York City public, Catholic and private schools closed -- along with an executive order by Gov. Andrew Cuomo that all schools in the state need to close by Wednesday until at least April 1 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) -- the New York State English language arts exam scheduled for next week has been suspended. The New York State Education Department (NYSED) announced Wednesday that the reading exam administered to students in grades 3-8 has been suspended. It was scheduled to be administered both through paper or computer from March 24-31, with make-up test dates from March 30 to April 8. *** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK *** School districts were notified that the New York States Education Department (NYSED) suspended shipments of the tests that were scheduled to arrive this week, via a memorandum from Zachary Warner, director of assessment at the department. The notice stated that during the time of closure, schools need not focus on state assessments, and can instead devote their efforts toward local school and community needs. The math state exam is expected to be administered from April 20 to April 27, and is not included in the suspension at the time. However, the department is continuing to work on its plans for state assessments, and the Office of State Assessment will continue to communicate with schools and districts as more information is available. While the U.S. Department of Educations guidance requires every state to administer state exams, NYSED will apply for waivers for schools impacted by circumstances associated with COVID-19 to the greatest extent permitted by federal law. *** 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. 53 The coronavirus life in New York City: The new normal RELATED COVERAGE: Wagner College closing residence halls for remainder of semester College of Staten Island remains closed Tuesday, Wednesday Key details on SAT, ACT college exam cancellations Staten Island Catholic high schools extend remote learning timeframe Schools closed: 100 sites to open for first responder child care across NYC Staten Island Catholic elementary schools closed until April 20 Coronavirus: NYC schools closed at least until April 20; S.I. cases rise to 16 Coronavirus: Wagner College moves to online learning for rest of semester With NYC schools closing, parents and teachers prepare for new normal NYC offering students free meals: What you need to know St. Johns University students return home: Its difficult Latest on NYC school closures: Child care to be available for first responders Coronavirus case confirmed at St. Ritas School FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. Turkish Embassy in Tehran wrote in its Twitter account that Turkey has sent its medical and health items to Iran for fighting COVID19, Trend reports citing IRNA. Based on the contract signed between Turkey Health Ministry and Iran ambassador to Ankara the following medical items have been sent to Iran for fighting coronavirus, Turkish embassy wrote in its Twitter account. - 1,000 kits - 4,000 face-masks - 4,750 scrubs - 2,400 goggles - 78,000 three-layer masks - 20,000 medical aprons In its message, Turkish embassy wished immediate recovery for the infected people. Earlier, Foreign Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah announced that $10 million in humanitarian aid to Iran to contract coronavirus. Meanwhile, The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) sent its third medical equipment aid package to Iran in support of children against coronavirus on Monday. Some other countries, including China, the UAE, Germany, France, the UK, Japan, Qatar, Azerbaijan, and Russia, have sent aid to Iran to help the country fight the potentially fatal disease. The Pottawattamie County Courthouse is now closed because of COVID-19 concerns. The county made the decision on Monday, closing public access to the building at 4:30 p.m. County offices including auditor, assessor, attorney, recorder, treasurer are closed to the public. The majority of services offered by the departments are available online at pottcounty-ia.gov, while some appointments can be made on a case-by-case basis over the phone. For services: Recorders Office: passport services are suspended indefinitely. Real estate documents and records can be filed electronically or by mail. Call 712-328-5612 for assistance on recreational vehicle registration and vital records. Assessors Office: Applications for tax credits can be downloaded from the Iowa Department of Revenue website. The homestead tax credit, military exemption and other exemptions can be mailed to P.O. Box 1076, Council Bluffs, IA 51502 or emailed to assessor@pottco.org. Call 712-328-5617 for more information. Treasurers Office: Services can be taken care of online or by mail. Gov. Kim Reynolds emergency proclamation suspends regulatory provisions on expiration dates for vehicle registration, registration cards, and registration plates. The proclamation also suspends the requirement that a person to apply for registration of newly-purchased vehicle within 30 days and the requirement that a person has new plates within 45 days after the purchase. Call 712-328-5627 for information. Auditors Office: Candidates that need to file for elections can call ahead and a staff member will meet them at the door. Call 712-328-5700 for more information. If there is business to be conducted, there are means to conduct that business, Board of Supervisors Chairman Justin Schultz told the Nonpareil after the boards Tuesday meeting. But we need to minimize exposure to this virus. Procedures will be put in place to allow people to attend court proceedings, Schultz said. The Fourth Judicial District and Iowa Judicial Branch are working on plans to keep some court services up and running during the pandemic, Fourth Judicial District Court Administrator Robert Gast told the board during a discussion among department heads regarding COVID-19 plans and contingencies. Pottawattamie County Sheriffs Office Lt. Andy Brown, who oversees court security, said video conferencing is being used for initial appearances. Theyre entitled to see a judge within 24 hours. We can still cover that, with the courthouse closed, Brown said during the meeting. The County Attorneys Office had already closed its office to the public and is working on a plan for allowing support staff to work from home if needed. Attorneys already have the capability to work from home. At the county jail, in-person visitation of inmates by family and friends has been barred during the crisis, but electronic options remain. Attorneys are still able to see their clients at the jail. Programming in the jail and sheriffs office lobbies has been canceled until further notice. Jail Administrator Tiffany Mass said the jail is open to members of the public still, as theyre hoping inmates will be bonded out. Were wanting to reduce the population as much as we can, she said. Sheriffs deputies are encouraged to conduct as much of their work by phone as possible. Chief Deputy Rob Ambrose said deputies answering calls for service are practicing social distancing when interacting with the public and staying outside as opposed to entering a home to take a report, for instance while doing field work when unable to do the work over the phone. Mark Shoemaker with Pottawattamie County Conservation said events at parks have been canceled, as have all shelter and cabin rentals for the next month and a half, at least, with renters receiving refunds. Public buildings at Hitchcock Nature Center are closed. Shoemaker said the parks have been popular lately, especially Hitchcock, the past two weekends, but theyre, out on the trails, theyre not in close proximity. We dont have big groups congregating. Im hesitant to close the parks, Shoemaker said. People just want to get outside. The Planning and Zoning Department, housed at the courthouse annex, will conduct business as normal. Planning Director Matt Wyant said precautions are in place for COVID-19. We need to continue issuing permits. Construction would be greatly affected if halted inspections and permits, he told the board. Those departments and others told the board about plans to have staff work from home, where possible, along with other precautions including social distancing and the like in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. As for Board of Supervisors meetings, Schultz said the board will follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and limit meetings to 10 people or less. With five board members plus Auditor Mel Houser serving as meeting clerk during meetings that leaves little room for an in-person audience. Schultz said attendees with business before the board department heads and others would be cycled in as supervisors go through the agenda. The county will livestream the meetings, possibly on Youtube or Facebook Live. The hard part is the (public) interaction piece, Schultz said. If people have something they want to say, theyll have to let us know and get it to us prior to the meeting. Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh said City Attorney Dick Wade and the information technology department are looking at ways to allow council members to hold remote meetings that would be accessible to the public. Iowa Code allows for electronic meetings for good cause when holding a meeting accessible to the public is impossible or impractical. Conditions include ample notice of the change in meeting format and public access. Walsh said the IT department is looking into a system that would allow for a teleconference meeting that would also allow the public to comment. A 28-year-old woman from Plainfield Township died in a one-vehicle crash Tuesday morning, the Northampton County Coroner's Office reports. Rachel Kocher, of the 500 block of Sandt Road outside Pen Argyl, was pronounced dead from injuries suffered in the crash, and her death was ruled an accident, Coroner Zachary Lysek said. The wreck occurred about 8 a.m. at Valley View Drive and East Dannersville Road. Township police did not respond to a call for information about how it occurred. No one else was reported injured. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. If theres anything about this story that needs attention, please email him. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. External Article 18 March 2020 The hospitality industry has warned the new government restrictions around coronavirus could shut down firms. Advertisements Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged everyone to avoid social contact and stay away from pubs and restaurants. Kate Nicholls, chief executive of trade association Hospitality UK, said it was "catastrophic for businesses and jobs". "This announcement will lead to thousands of businesses closing their doors for good, and hundreds of thousands of job losses," she said. "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. "The government must act now to stop them going under and protect the people's jobs." Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to outline a rescue package in the government's daily briefing on the outbreak on Tuesday afternoon. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 18 Trend: Budapest-Baku charter flight, organized by the Azerbaijani government to evacuate Azerbaijani citizens and bring them back home from Hungary, is scheduled for 20:00 (GMT +1) on March 18, Trend reports referring to the official Facebook page of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Hungary. In this regard, the evacuation of Azerbaijani citizens who purchased tickets for flight on the Budapest-Baku route by WizzAir (in order of priority) will be carried out from March 15 to 31. These persons are required to immediately (within one hour) send copies of their identification cards to the embassys email: [email protected] and arrive in Budapest Airport at 16:00 (GMT+1), the embassy said. Sectorally, selling pressure was seen in banks, financials, as well as telecom stocks. At close, the BSE Sensex was down 1,709.58 points or 5.59 percent at 28,869.51 and the Nifty50 fell 498.25 points or 5.56 percent to 8,468.80. The S&P BSE Sensex plunged over 1,700 points to trade below 29,000 on on March 18 while Nifty50 broke below crucial support levels of 8,500 to hit a fresh 3-year low, tracking muted trend seen in other Asian and European markets. Indian market fell tracking a sell-off in global markets. Dow Jones futures plunged more than 800 points (at 16:45 hours IST) as investors worried due to rising coronavirus epidemic, though the US government announced big stimulus to combat its economic fallout. 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 Trump administration on Tuesday unveiled a $1 trillion stimulus package that could deliver $1,000 cheques to Americans within two weeks to buttress an economy hit by coronavirus while many other governments look to fiscal stimulus," the report added. We have collated a list of five factors which could be weighing on markets: Morgan Stanley warns of global recession: Factoring the worst, Morgan Stanley in a note on March 17, warned investors that the seismic waves of COVID-19 are likely to trigger a global recession. "Global recession in 2020 is now our base case scenario," Morgan Stanley Chief Economist Chetan Ahya said in a note on March 17. We expect 2020 global growth to dip to 0.9 percent, the lowest since the global financial crisis when global growth bottomed at -0.5 percent in 2009. This time will be worse than the global recession of 2001, the note added. Under the base case scenario for India, Morgan Stanley estimates Indias growth rate at around 4.5 percent till Q4CY20, and in bear case, it could be near 4 percent. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the global investment bank expects, could slash policy rates by a cumulative 40-65 basis points in the second quarter of the calendar. S&P lowers India's growth forecast to 5.2% in 2020 S&P Global Ratings on Wednesday lowered India's economic growth forecast to 5.2 percent for 2020, saying the global economy is entering a recession amid the coronavirus pandemic. The agency had earlier projected a growth rate of 5.7 percent during the 2020 calendar. Asia-Pacific economic growth in 2020 will more than halve to less than 3 percent as the "global economy enters a recession", S&P said in a statement. India halts key policy plans as revenues shrink: sources 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, said a Reuters report quoting two sources said on Tuesday. Indias income tax revenues contracted 3.5 percent in the first 11 months of the current fiscal year, which began in April 2019, and income from other taxes grew by a meager 3.8 percent, the finance ministry told parliament on Monday, said the report. The food ministry had proposed lowering import taxes on crude and refined vegetable oils, including palm oil, by 3-7 percent to keep a lid on domestic prices that leapt more than 11% after India restricted palm oil imports from Malaysia in January. Banking stocks plunge; lead sectoral fall NiftyBank plunged nearly 6 percent, the lowest since February 2017. The fall in the index was led by losses in IndusInd Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank etc. among others. All industries got impacted by the novel coronavirus outbreak or COVID-19. One should definitely start buying quality stocks in tranches. The selling in large banks, IndusInd Bank, Axis Bank, etc. indicated that there is too much pessimism in the market due to expected weak global growth, Siddharth Purohit of SMC Institutional Equities said in an interview with CNBC-TV18. Shares of IndusInd Bank plunged more than 30 percent in intraday trade to hit a six-year low of Rs 382.55 on March 18 amid weak market conditions and no relief from Supreme Court to telecom players in the AGR case. The stock closed at Rs 459.85, down 23.90 percent. IndusInd Bank has around 2 percent exposure to Vodafone Idea which could find it difficult to pay the entire amount on short notice. So far Vodafone Idea had paid Rs 6,854 crore towards AGR dues. Several Indian and other doctors in the frontline of treating coronavirus patients in the UK have complained that they themselves are not being tested for the virus, prompting growing concern over the ways in which the crisis is being handled by British authorities. The worst is yet to come. Indian doctors and nursing staff are among those in the frontline of treating coronavirus patients, but we are concerned that they are not being tested, Ramesh Mehta, president of the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, said on Wednesday. Indian staff is on the frontline, if they and others also go in isolation, it will further worsen the critical staff shortage in National Health Service (NHS). We have written to the Department of Health on this issue. Those who have symptoms should at least be tested, he added. The Boris Johnson government is bracing for a spike in cases in the next three weeks. Besides advising self-isolation and closure of restaurants, pubs, theatres and public events, it has allocated an additional 330 billion pounds to deal with the situation. Besides concern expressed by many in the Indian community and Indian visitors over the lack of testing for the virus, NHS consultants and others working with less protection have spoken to the British news media, alleging the UKs guidelines on the issue is chaotic. Nishant Joshi, who works in the A&E department of the Luton and Dunstable hospital, told The Guardian: Im treating patients who are perhaps presenting for a broken ankle and they suddenly start coughing all over you. Youre breathing in an aerosol spray of droplets and were not even wearing a mask just scrubs and a plastic apron. So many of my friends are doctors, nurses and healthcare workers on the frontlineBut its not going to just be a question of sacrificing ourselves, its the risk we pose to everyone we come into contact with which includes some of the most vulnerable people in Britain. Joshi, whose wife is also a doctor, said it just makes no sense to any of us, and recalled World Health Organisations advice that testing and contact tracing is vital: Yet, the (UK) government is not even testing those of us who are being exposed in the course of our work fighting this on the frontline. Pleading to be tested, Iszy Lord, 25, a doctor working in a hospital in Grimsby, told the BBC: Were young and fit whereas our colleagues are much older. Were just the sort of people who should be working in hospital right now. The potential implications for self-isolating people without testing are huge. Whats going to happen if anyone gets anything resembling a cold for the next few months, are we going to have to self-isolate for 14 days each time? Its alarming. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON GoAir has decided to let go expat pilots amid disruptions due to the novel coronavirus. The decision came a day after the airline asked a section of its employees to go on a short-term leave without pay and is limiting its international operations in the face of a global pandemic. "In view of the current situation, GoAir has been forced to terminate the contracts of expat pilots, which is in line with the reduced international capacity," said a GoAir spokesperson. GoAir has not specified the number, but reports suggest that there are around 70 expat pilots in its service. The company has already suspended international flights till April 15 in face of travel restrictions due to the coronavirus outbreak. The company has also asked some of its employees to go on a short-term and temporary rotational leave with pay. "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," GoAir had announced on Tuesday. Aviation is one of the worst-hit sectors, along with hospitality, travel, tourism, as travel restrictions have been put in place in view of the COVID-19 contagion. Airlines have been riddled with mass cancellations as passengers are postponing or cancelling their travel plans. ALSO READ:Coronavirus: People with Type-A blood more susceptible to virus, claims study ALSO READ:Coronavirus in India Live updates: PM Modi to address the nation on Thursday In a bid to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the Supreme Court has decided to further limit its functioning and will restrict the number of courts to four on Thursday, a senior official in the top court said. The apex court had earlier announced that it will only hear urgent matters till March 31. This comes in line with the top court's decision to introduce several precautionary measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus and allowed only restricted entry of lawyers, litigants, and journalists in the courtroom. On Tuesday, Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde, along with three other judges visited the Supreme Court corridors and inspected the area to take stock of the situation inside the premise. Thermal-screening of the lawyers, litigants, and media persons are also being conducted in the Supreme Court since Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) [March 18, 2020] MyTelemedicine Launches Coronavirus Covid-19 Self-Assessment Tool MCKINNEY, Texas, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Telehealth industry leader MyTelemedicine announced today the release of a COVID-19 Coronavirus Self-Assessment Tool, designed to help people determine whether to seek immediate medical care and connect them via video call with a licensed doctor nationwide. Available through both the MyTelemedicine online health portal and mobile app, the COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool takes users through a series of diagnostic questions to determine whether they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Those showing signs are immediately directed to initiate a consultation with a virtual physician for further evaluation via the MyTelemedicine video platform. Members also are provided with key CDC resources to assist them with next steps. Those users who do not show signs or symptoms of Coronavirus still will have the option to initiate a video visit. "Our goal is to help flatten the curve and keep people safe," says Rey Colon, CEO and Founder of MyTelemedicine. He adds, "The more consumers we can assist here in the U.S., the better we can prevent the spread of the disease and protect the health of the population as a whole." On the heels of the President's public address at the White House earlier this week, the Trump Administration announced expanded telehealth coverage for Medicare recipients, allowing them to receive vital services from healthcare practitiners without having to leave home. Although telemedicine platforms have been available for several years, the outbreak of Coronavirus may create a tipping point to hasten rapid adoption of telehealth technology services by consumers and providers nationwide. MyTelemedicine has been a leader in the virtual healthcare space since it was founded in 2015. The company uses cloud-based technologies to connect members with U.S. licensed doctors 24/7 via phone, email, or video conference. MyTelemedicine also offers Spanish-language telehealth services for users to consult with fully licensed, Spanish-speaking physicians nationwide. "We are always striving to innovate with purpose, and our new COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool is one of the ways that we can leverage technology for the greater good," says Chief Technology Officer Jesse Roach. The COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool can be accessed through the MyTelemedicine online portal, as well as through the Access a Doctor mobile app, which is available both in the iTunes Store and Google Play. MyTelemedicine plans to roll out additional functionalities to the self-assessment tool in the coming days, including a directory of testing locations nationwide. Says CEO Rey Colon, "Even after COVID-19 goes away, tools like this and telemedicine as a whole will change the way we use healthcare." About MyTelemedicine MyTelemedicine a Nationwide Telehealth SaaS and Service Provider developed a proprietary, Virtual Telehealth platform that allows healthcare providers the ability of consulting with patients remotely via video technology. The digital healthcare technology company's advanced API technology allows third parties to integrate and offer a customized white-labeled telemedicine experience to support their brand identity. Physicians can perform on-demand consultations with members anywhere via telephone and video technology. Patients get advice, recommendations and a diagnosis, which may include a prescription for common illnesses. For more information please visit www.mytelemedicine.com. Media Contact: Yenny Nunez 469-640-6101 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mytelemedicine-launches-coronavirus-covid-19-self-assessment-tool-301026136.html SOURCE MyTelemedicine [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] David Barton, Chief Technology Officer, High Wire Networks High Wires mission is to give midmarket enterprises and small and medium businesses access to the best security experts and systems in the world, which they cant realistically obtain or afford on their own. Our role in the cybersecurity world is part missionary, part equalizer." High Wire Networks, providers of the Overwatch Managed Security Platform-as-a-Service, announced today that cybersecurity expert David Barton has joined the company as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). In his role, Barton will have oversight of technology solutions and channel sales engineering for the Overwatch Managed Security Platform as a Service. Barton joins High Wire with more than 20 years of experience in cybersecurity with companies in various industries, including telecommunications, health care, software development, finance, mortgage and government. Most recently, Barton was the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for Stellar Cyber, makers of the Starlight Open Detection & Response (Open-XDR) security platform. Prior to that he was COO for 5Iron LLC, a managed security services provider (MSSP), and CISO for ForcePoint Inc., a provider of cybersecurity user and data protection technology. He also spent 12 years working for telecommunications giants AT&T/Cingular and Sprint/Nextel. Barton began his career with the United States Air Force, where he spent five years developing and deploying classified and unclassified networks, an experience he calls the foundation for his long career in IT and cybersecurity. Significantly, Barton has developed, implemented and supported security programs in highly regulated environments with emphasis on Sarbanes Oxley (SOX), Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI - DSS), NIST and ISO 27000 Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) standards. David has a broad range of experience working with organizations of all sizes and industries from a highly regulated hospital to a midsize MSSP, said High Wire CEO Mark Porter. This gives him a unique perspective to support our MSP partners and their most exacting customers. He also has a first-hand understanding of the challenges that MSPs and their small and medium business customers face in securing their data and IT systems. The reality is theres not enough security talent to go around, which leaves many organizations vulnerable, said Barton. High Wires mission is to give midmarket enterprises and small and medium businesses access to the best security experts and systems in the world, which they cant realistically obtain or afford on their own. Our role in the cybersecurity world is part missionary, part equalizer to me, thats exciting. As CTO, Barton will ensure that the Overwatch Managed Security Platform has the most current cybersecurity technologies delivered in a cost-effective manner. He will work in tandem with High Wire Networks CISO Philip Burnett, who will oversee the security analysts that monitor the platform and guide their response to the data the platform generates. As the technical sales leader, Barton will be able to translate customer requirements into technology solutions. Hell leverage his extensive real-world experience as a trusted adviser to High Wire Networks MSP sales partners and their customers. About Overwatch by High Wire Networks Overwatch by High Wire Networks simplifies cybersecurity by delivering end-to-end protections for an organizations networks, data, endpoints and users as an affordable monthly subscription service with predicable costs and no capital outlay. Customers get instant access to a scalable, future-proof security platform, including a 24/7 security operations center (SOC), continuous vulnerability assessments, managed secure remote access, security awareness training, real-time patch management and video surveillance. High Wire Networks Overwatch Managed Security Platform-as-a-Service simplifies the delivery of cybersecurity services for managed services providers (MSPs). By tapping into our platform, MSPs can achieve instant scale and immediate ROI, sidestepping the significant investment and time to market required to integrate best-of-breed technology, attract and retain expert security talent, and optimize processes. About High Wire Networks For nearly 20 years, High Wire Networks has been a trusted partner to VARs, MSPs, distributors, integrators, manufacturers and telecom providers by enabling them to minimize overhead while extending delivery capabilities around the world. Our flexible workforce delivers vendor-agnostic technical field, professional and security services in more than 180 countries. Our services include design, installation, configuration and support for unified communications, wired and wireless networks, cabling and infrastructure, and electrical systems. Our new Overwatch Managed Security Platform-as-a-Service enables our partners to deliver comprehensive cybersecurity thats easy to sell and easy to buy for an affordable monthly subscription. We also offer a variety of on-demand, rapid-response solutions with service levels ranging from two hours to next business day for onsite break-fix and remote technical support. With High Wire Networks, partners Get Work Done. Learn more at http://www.highwirenetworks.com. [March 18, 2020] BlueStar Receives Honeywell's 'Distributor of the Year' Award for US and Canadian Regions HEBRON, Ky., March 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BlueStar is honored to have been awarded the 2019 Honeywell Distributor of the year. BlueStar accomplished this feat on account of performance, undiminished support and a drive towards strengthening the BlueStar and Honeywell relationship. The Honeywell Distributor of the Year Award is granted to a company that has accomplished the highest and most sustainable quarterly sales outgrowth throughout the year. BlueStar continues to execute a pattern for delivering growth, value, enablement of Channel initiatives, all while remaining effectively communicative during the collaboration process. The award honors the achievement in both the United States and Canada. Over the tenure of our Honeywell relationship we have expanded our value-add services to support the Honeywell Partners on numerous fronts including marketing and business development programs, custom configuration and service offerings, pre-sale and post-sale support call centers, innovative finance, In-a-Box Solutions, and BlueStars TEConnect Partner Program to accelerate Channel growth for Technology Software Companies with Honeywell solutions. We are honored to receive this recognition for 2019, and BlueStar will continue to expand our valueadds to drive the combined growth of Honeywell and their North American partners, stated BlueStars Vice President of Marketing, Mark Fraker. Honeywells strong and loyal partner network is the cornerstone of success, and BlueStars excellent support of our partners is why they are well deserving of being named our 2019 Distributor of the Year, said Andy DAmelio, VP and GM of Honeywells U.S. Productivity Products business. BlueStar continues to innovate and deliver value with their channel enablement initiatives, helping Honeywell to get our industry-leading products and solutions both established partners and new members of the channel community throughout the U.S. and Canada. ABOUT BLUESTAR BlueStar is the leading global distributor of solutions-based Digital Identification, Mobility, Point-of-Sale, RFID, Digital Signage, Networking and Security technology. BlueStar works exclusively with value-added resellers to provide complete solutions, business development and marketing support. The company brings unequaled expertise to the market, offers award-winning technical support and is an authorized service center for a growing number of manufacturers. BlueStar is the exclusive distributor for the In-a-Box Solutions Series, delivering hardware, software and critical accessories in one bundle with technology solutions across all verticals. For more information, please contact BlueStar at 1-800-354-9776 or visit www.bluestarinc.com. ABOUT HONEYWELL Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 technology company that delivers industry specific solutions that include aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies help everything from aircraft, buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit https://www.honeywell.com/newsroom. Editorial Contact: Dean Reverman Global Marketing Manager BlueStar [email protected] 859-371-4423 Ext. 3273 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] LONDON, March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Marketing and publishing company, HIP Hotels, has announced a new partnership with British publishers and distributors, ACC Art Books, for an initial two year period. The publishers will be the official distributors for HIP Hotels publications for the next two years, which coincides with the launch of their latest coffee table book, Elements, later this year. The partnership sees ACC Art Books as the exclusive distributors of HIP Hotels' collection of books published since 2016, including The Grand Tour, Spectrum IV, as well as the unreleased, Elements. Operating in 260 countries, the partnership will feature the inclusion within the publisher's seasonal Autumn Catalogue. Due to be published officially in July, HIP Hotels' latest publication, Elements, will consist of five chapters divided into the categories Water, Fire, Earth, Air and Soul. Each chapter will feature hotels from the brand's collection that are characteristic of that element, including its location, materials, design and overall atmosphere of the property. The trailer for Elements can be viewed at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoYNJa7cme8 . About HIP Hotels Founded in the 1990s, HIP Hotels provides marketing services to a global collection of hotels with offices in London and New York. Today, they are owned by a private equity firm who are heavily investing in new projects for the brand. With more than two million copies sold worldwide in over eleven languages, HIP Hotels plans to produce a variety of other publications in the coming years. About ACC Art Books ACC Art Books is a major name in luxury publishing, showcasing a repertoire of titles covering the creative arts, including architecture, design, fashion, interior design, music, photography and travel. With 50 years of experience, the publisher mixes tradition with "...the finest in contemporary art and design." Contact: Olivia Cadby olivia.cadby@hiphotels.com +44(0)7446862274 Union minister Jitendra Singh said in Lok Sabha on Wednesday that there has not been a more peaceful eight-month period in the militancy-hit than the one since August last when Article 370 was nullified. Intervening during a discussion on the budget for Jammu and Kashmir, he cited development figures to assert that new dreams and aspirations have emerged in the region after it was brought under the Centre's direct rule. Amid opposition members' attack on the Modi government over the detention of former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, now released, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, Singh hit out at them, saying they are not worried about over 40,000 people who have lost their lives in the last 30 years of militancy there but only bothered about two-three families. The number of detainees in the union territory is the least right now in the last 30 years, the Udhampur MP said. Some people say, Singh claimed, that things remained under control in the erstwhile state after Article 370, which gave it special status, was rolled back and it was brought under the Centre's direct rule by being turned into a union territory because they were detained, in a reference to the former CMs. As the opposition objected, he said he was only airing the view of a section of people who considered these leaders as "potential troublemakers". "Prophets of doom have been proved wrong. That is their agony. It was said earthquake will follow and volcano will erupt," he said. The GST collection from Jammu and Kashmir has since then gone up by 13 per cent and excise duty by 7.5 per cent while 60,000 new pensioners have been enrolled into various schemes, he said. While only 1,008 new houses were built under the PM Awas Yojna in 2008, 18,534 were built in 2019, he said, adding that fund utilisation there has gone up by 48 per cent. If this according to the opposition is "bad condition" as far as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, then let such a condition remain there, Singh said in a jibe at the opposition, adding that over 50,000 new jobs have been created. "The unemployment of youths will go away soon but I cannot make this guarantee about a few families," he said. Some UTs do not have single AIIMS but Jammu and Kashmir has two AIIMS and eight to nine medical colleges, he said. "New dreams, new hopes and new aspirations have taken birth there under the leadership of Modi," he said, noting that the prime minister spent his Diwali after coming to power in 2014 in Kashmir with flood victims and is going to be in Ladakh, which was part of the erstwhile state and is now a UT, on International Yoga Day in June. He said disinformation about security clampdown was spread but even in the worst of times broadband, landline and wifi connections were on in the region, and only mobile internet was blocked to target terrorists. Not curfew but Section 144, which restricts assembly of more than four people, was imposed there after Article 370 was revoked, he said, asserting that when Section 144 can be imposed to tackle coronvarus than why not for dealing with militants. Local recruitment of militants and infiltration have gone down, he said, adding that a record 90 lakh metric tonne of apples was sold this season following the "personal intervention" of Home Minister Amit Shah. Over 520 central laws have been applied there now and, for the first time, block development council polls were held. The Jammu and Kashmir budget is more than what it was for the erstwhile state, which had included Ladakh, and 38 per cent of it is capital fund, Singh said. Corruption has been curbed there, he added. Attacking Singh's speech, TMC's Saugata Roy said he had never heard a lame reason for turning a state into UT, something which had never happened, demanded that it be granted statehood and elections be held there. He demanded the release of former chief ministers. Taking a dig at Modi, he said Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee knew nothing and the prime minister thinks only he knows. (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 Banks 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 Banks website within 15 days. Below are the results of the meeting: 1. The report of the Board of Directors on the Banks operations, activities and financial situation during the last financial year was presented by Brynjolfur Bjarnason, Chairman 2. The Banks 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 Banks 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. Story continues 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 Banks external auditors Deloitte ehf. was elected to continue to act as the Banks 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 Boards 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 Banks 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 Banks Remuneration Policy was approved The meeting approved the Banks 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 Banks 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 Banks 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 Banks 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 Banks 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 Banks 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 Banks 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 Companys 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 Companys 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 Banks Articles of Association was approved It was approved that Article 10.10 of the Banks Articles of Association be amended in such a way that a shareholders 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. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has signed the law "On Amending Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine aimed at Preventing the Occurrence and Spread of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)." According to information on the website of the Verkhovna Rada, on March 18, the document was returned with the signature of the president. As reported, on March 17, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted Law No. 3219 "On Amending Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine aimed at Preventing the Occurrence and Spread of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)." Some 344 deputies voted for the adoption of bill No. 3219, an Interfax-Ukraine agency correspondent reported. The law provides for the creation of a legal basis for the prompt implementation by the state of a set of urgent measures to prevent and treat coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in particular: - the procurement of goods, works and services necessary for this purpose without applying the procedures provided for by the Law of Ukraine "On Public Procurement," a 100% prepayment for such goods, works and services, exemption from import duties and VAT on medicines, medical products and medical equipment designed to prevent the occurrence and spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), control by the Cabinet on the prices of medicines, medical supplies and socially significant products. Such standards will be temporary and will last three months. - a set of legal norms aimed at protecting the rights of individuals and legal entities during quarantine and restrictive measures related to the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), namely: the possibility of working at home for employees, government employees and employees of local governments and providing vacation by agreement; granting the right to owners to change the operating modes of bodies, institutions, enterprises, organizations, in particular, receiving and servicing individuals and legal entities with mandatory informing the population about this through websites and other communication tools; a ban on the cancellation of a certificate of registration of an internally displaced person (for the quarantine period and 30 days after its cancellation); attribution of the legal fact of quarantine introduction to force majeure circumstances; extension of terms for receiving and providing administrative and other services; a ban on the conduct of state supervision (control) of planned measures for the implementation of state supervision in the field of economic activity. The law includes an instruction to the government to establish additional weekly wage supplements to medical and other workers directly involved in the elimination of coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in the amount of up to 200% of wages for the period of implementation of measures to prevent the occurrence and spread of the disease, until the completion of these activities, as well as additional payments to certain categories of workers, providing the main areas of life; The changes also affect the Criminal Code of Ukraine. It is supposed to introduce administrative responsibility for the unauthorized abandonment of the place of observation or quarantine by a person who may be infected with a coronavirus, as well as increasing criminal liability for violation of sanitary rules and norms for the prevention of infectious diseases. Establishment of administrative responsibility for non-disclosure of information on public procurements carried out under this law. So, the text of the document says that Article 325 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine is interpreted in such a way that a penalty of 1,000 to 3,000 tax-free minimum incomes of citizens [UAH 17,000-54,000] will be imposed for violation of the rules and norms established with the aim of preventing epidemic and infectious diseases, as well as mass non-communicable diseases, arrest for a period of six months, restriction or imprisonment for three years, if such actions led or could lead to the spread of the disease. COVID-19 coronavirus will be added to the list of such diseases. If violation of the observational rules entailed death or other serious consequen A medical technician at the at Riverside Medical Group command center administers a COVID-19 test on a patient inside an automobile at Riverside's drive-up facility in Secaucus, N.J. on Monday, March 16, 2020. Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Secaucus, N.J. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Open-ended, tent-like structures are being constructed in a parking lot at the South Beach Psychiatric Center. The Staten Island coronavirus drive-through testing opens Thursday: Here's what to do. When the outbreak first came to New York, the state set a target goal of running 1,000 tests a day. By the end of this week, the state expects to be able to perform 7,000 tests per day an "exponential increase of what we have done," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. Along with the uptick in tests, Americans should expect to see a rise in confirmed cases, he added. Frustrations have grown as other countries have surpassed the number of tests being performed in America. In South Korea, a leader in coronavirus testing capabilities, 15,000 people are tested per day, according to nbcnews.com. This is what the program looks like in other cities across the country. Don't Edit Secaucus, N.J Medical technicians speak with patients inside cars at a drive-up COVID-19 testing facility at Riverside Medical Group in Secaucus, N.J. on Monday, March 16, 2020. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) Don't Edit San Antonio, Texas A medical worker tests a person for the coronavirus at a drive-through facility primarily for first responders and medical personnel in San Antonio, Tuesday, March 17, 2020. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said, "This is not a time to panic. It's not as if we have never been through this before. We've been through this many, many times." (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Don't Edit Denver, Colorado Colorado National Guard medical personnel perform coronavirus test on a motorist at a drive-through testing site outside the Denver Coliseum Saturday, March 14, 2020, in Denver. Officials planned to administer 150 tests but the line of vehicles wrapped around three city blocks. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some it can cause more severe illness. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Don't Edit Dallas, Texas Physician assistant Paige Lehrer takes samples for flu and streptococcal infections testing from a patient as cars line up for drive-through coronavirus testing at Neighborhood Medical Center on Belt Line Road, Monday, March 16, 2020, in Dallas. (Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News via AP) Don't Edit Don't Edit Marrero, Louisiana Long lines of cars at a screening for the COVID-19 coronavirus at a drive-through outside of West Jefferson Medical Center in Marrero, La., on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. (Chris Granger/The Advocate via AP) Don't Edit Marrero, Louisiana A health worker screens a motorcyclist for the COVID-19 coronavirus at a drive-through outside of West Jefferson Medical Center in Marrero, La., on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. (Chris Granger/The Advocate via AP) Don't Edit Tuscaloosa, Alabama DCH Regional Medical Center opened a drive through testing facility for the Covid-19, the disease that is caused by the new coronavirus, Monday, March 16, 2020, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Tuscaloosa had three confirmed cases of Covid-19 as of Monday morning. (Gary Cosby Jr./The Tuscaloosa News via AP) Don't Edit West Palm Beach, Florida Dr. Oneka Marriott prepares to takes samples to be tested for COVID-19, the disease that is caused by the new coronavirus, at a drive through station set up in the parking lot of FoundCare, federally qualified health center in West Palm Beach, Florida on Monday, March, 16, 2020. (Greg Lovett/The Palm Beach Post via AP) Don't Edit Seattle, Washington Medical assistant Miriam Fuentes gives a patient instructions via sign at a drive-through COVID-19 coronavirus testing station for University of Washington Medicine patients Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Seattle. The appointment-only drive-through clinic began a day earlier. Health authorities in Washington reported more COVID19 deaths in the state that has been hardest hit by the outbreak. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) Don't Edit Don't Edit Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel South Beach, Staten Island Large tents go up on the grounds of South Beach Psychiatric Center, March 18, 2020. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel) More on SILive.com. Coronavirus-induced isolation and lockdowns are putting LGBT+ people in the Middle East at risk, campaigners have warned. Many individuals are or, due to money worries, fear becoming trapped with family members hostile to their sexuality or gender, LGBT+ groups say, with government measures to combat the pandemic compromising access to private or safe spaces. Support groups are scaling up phone counselling services for those who have become isolated. Volunteers are also delivering medicine to people with HIV who are unable to leave their homes. The rights of sexual and gender minorities are often repressed across the Middle East. Same-sex relationships are illegal in most countries in the region, with individuals sometimes facing detainment, possible torture or the death penalty, according to Amnesty International. The environment we live in unfortunately can be aggressive towards LGBT+ people, Omar Al Khatib, of the Palestinian LGBT+ group alQaws, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Staying at home can eliminate their access to private spaces and increase bullying. In the West Bank, same-sex relationships are not officially criminalised, however in Gaza homosexuality can be punished with 10 years imprisonment. There are more than 40 confirmed coronavirus cases in the West Bank, and Bethlehem has been placed on lockdown, closing schools, restaurants and places of worship. Mr Al Khatibs organisation, whose activities have been restricted by Palestinian police, have urged those feeling isolated to call their hotline, as social spaces which typically offer some relief from pressures at home have been forced to close. The state of quarantine creates a feeling of isolation and fear, and that they are completely on their own so its not safe for them, he said. In Tunisia where the army began to enforce a nightly curfew on Wednesday, with mosques, cafes and markets closed LGBT+ group Mawjoudin is now offering remote counselling in place of its usual face-to-face services. Homosexuality is criminalised in Tunisia, and Human Rights Watch alleges unchecked discrimination prevents LGBT+ people from enjoying their most basic rights to health, education, work, and legal action against abusers. Mawjoudin has seen calls to its hotline increase in March, an activist called Hana told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, with the group forced to close its centre in the capital, which typically offers a safe haven for members of the LGBT+ community. They have been expressing their frustration, she said. When they go out alone, they have the freedom to not lie anymore to their families and now they dont have it. In Lebanon where same-sex relationships are largely criminalised, despite some recent moves to the contrary borders and most public places have also closed in response to the pandemic. Volunteers with Proud Lebanon which braved violent threats to co-organise the Arab world's first Pride event in 2017 are delivering medication to those with HIV unable to leave their homes. They are afraid to come take their medication, director Bertho Makso told Thomson Reuters. They are afraid there will be shortage of medication and they cant go out because there is no public transport. The United States has placed the new leader of the Islamic State group on its blacklist of terrorists, naming him as Amir Mohammed Abdul Rahman al-Mawli. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday said that al-Mawli was named leader of the ultra-violent group after an October raid by US commandos killed its chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The organization had earlier named Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraishi as its new head, but US officials acknowledged they knew little about him -- and later came to believe that the Islamic State group was using his nom de guerre. Al-Mawli was previously active in al-Qaeda in Iraq and is known for torturing innocent Yazidi religious minorities, Pompeo said. Weve destroyed the caliphate and we remain committed to ISISs enduring defeat no matter who they designate as their leader, he said. A US-led coalition, spearheaded on the ground by Syrian Kurdish fighters, crushed the Islamic States so-called caliphate that once stretched for vast stretches of Iraq and Syria -- but the group has inspired attacks much farther afield. Al-Mawli was named a specially designated global terrorist, putting him on a list created after the September 11, 2001 attacks that makes any support to him a crime in the United States. The State Department has already issued a USD5 million bounty for information leading to al-Mawlis capture. A scholar in Islamic sharia law, al-Mawli rose through the ranks by issuing edicts to justify the persecution of the Yazidi, a campaign that the United Nations has described as genocide. The jihadists killed thousands of Yazidis, who practice an ancient religion, and abducted and enslaved thousands more women and girls as they rampaged across the Middle East. The Guardian, in a January article that cited intelligence sources, said that al-Mawli was raised in an Iraqi Turkmen family -- making him one of the few non-Arabs to rise through the ranks of the extremist group. The newspaper said that intelligence officials were unsure of his whereabouts but believe he likely followed Baghdadi to Idlib, the last Syrian outpost out of the control of President Bashar al-Assads forces. The Counter Extremist Project, which tracks militants, said that al-Mawli served in the Iraqi military under Saddam Hussein before joining Al-Qaeda in Iraq, becoming a jurist for the Sunni Arab militants. It said that US forces captured al-Mawli and jailed him in southern Iraq where he formed his bond with Baghdadi, who was also jailed as part of Al-Qaeda. My colleagues are nervous. My patients are crying. And yet, we are here. 6K Shares Share Do you remember when you were a bright-eyed pre-med student, head bowed at the computer, typing your personal statement? Type, type backspace, backspace type. You didnt want to use the phrase to help people in your statement as your reason for wanting to be a physician. Maybe you said something like me. I mentioned how there were no doctors in my family, and I wanted to be the first. I mentioned that I wanted my life and work to be meaningful. I shared experiences from working as a nurses aide for a local pediatrics group. When I didnt get in the first time (or second), I kept at it. I just knew I was destined to become a physician. Why did I really want to do it? Its hard to put into words, aside from saying that it was a calling. Years later, I still feel that way. I feel blessed to practice medicine daily. Over the last few years, Ive watched as we have disparaged medicine. For all of her glory and wisdom, our society has devalued her. We, physicians, have talked behind her back, called her names, and even abandoned her. We have bullied her, or watched others bully her standing off to the side, leaving her undefended. And then a pandemic happens. Li Wenliang, the whistleblower, makes the ultimate sacrifice as he dies from COVID-19 after caring for affected patients. News from Italy reveals that 1 of 5 cases of COVID-19 is a health care worker. Two emergency physicians (in New Jersey and Washington) are hospitalized in critical condition with COVID-19. My colleagues are nervous. My patients are crying. And yet, we are here. Every physician I know has stepped up to help. Retired physicians are returning to care for patients and educate our teams. Outpatient physicians are re-learning pulmonary and critical care. Administrative physicians are donning scrubs and swabbing patients for COVID-19 in makeshift clinics tucked inside tents. Physicians are talking and tweeting in ways that I havent seen in years. As terrible as this pandemic is, it has fueled an excitement for medicine again. There is a fire in our collective belly to learn more and help as many as we can. We are gobbling up recommendations from our brothers and sisters in Italy and China. We are reading journal articles and passing them around to colleagues. We are rediscovering ways to reduce the incidence of disease via public health measures. We are volunteering to cover for each other. We are crying with each other. Our walls are down, and we are humanizing medicine again. At my alma mater, the University of Mississippi Medical Center, medical students felt helpless as their clinical rotations were closed. They rallied and put together a list of students interested in helping others without being in the hospital or clinic. They are providing babysitting, shopping, and home services for those health care workers on the front lines. Meanwhile, a quick Twitter search will reveal helpful therapies for COVID-19. Instead of claiming research credit, physicians are sharing novel ideas about helpful strategies broadly. A clinical trial for a potential vaccination has opened in the U.S. in record time. I have read about hydroxychloroquine, tocilizumab, and remdesivir as potential palliative strategies. Physicians have shared data on ventilator settings, ECMO, and even sample CT scans of affected patients. In my local physician moms group on social media, we have shared helpful daily updates to over 700 local physicians. In Charlotte, we are raising funds to help our patients with cancer who are affected by COVID-19. Physicians from various hospital systems are working together for the common good of our communities the way medicine should be. May we all emerge on the other side of this pandemic with a renewed enthusiasm for medicine. I am watching, as she welcomes us back with open arms. Perhaps we will all continue to fall in love with her all over again. Ashley Sumrall is an oncologist and can be reached on Twitter @AshleySumrallMD. Image credit: Shutterstock.com Russia arrests all people in Crimea who oppose the annexation, uses the same levers of pressure it used in Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia, and ousts Crimean Tatars from the peninsula. "The authorities of Russia arrest in Crimea all those who oppose annexation. Arrested Crimean Tatars are accused of terrorism. Russia applies in Crimea the same levers of pressure used in Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia. A similar situation took place in the USSR," Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Refat Chubarov said in a commentary to Anadolu Turkish news agency. Chubarov drew attention to the attempts of the Russian authorities to change the ethnic map of Crimea by settling Russian citizens on the peninsula. "Crimean Tatars are being ousted from the peninsula. Instead, ethnic Russians are settled in Crimea. According to the UN, Russia resettled 140,000 residents of Russian regions to Crimea in 2019. Experts believe that this figure is many times greater. The situation experienced by the population of Crimea can exclusively be called a crime," he stated. According to Chubarov, the situation on the peninsula changed after Russia had invaded Crimea. "The residents of the peninsula are deprived of basic rights, including the right to freedom of expression and assembly. Over the past six years, no rally has taken place in Crimea," he said. On March 16, on the anniversary of the illegal referendum in Crimea, Turkey once again confirmed its support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and the non-recognition of the annexation of the peninsula. ol Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday said the Centre is committed towards revival of the beleaguered BSNL but it was not possible to retain all its employees. Prasad also said in Lok Sabha that nearly one lakh employees of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) have opted for the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS). "The government of India is committed for the revival of the BSNL. Our intention is to keep the BSNL alive and that it performs. But it is not possible to retain all employees," he said during the Question Hour. The minister said the central government wanted the revival of the BSNL for public service and fairness. He said 74 per cent of the BSNL revenue goes towards salaries of employees while in case of the private sector telecom operators, the salary outgo is less than 10 per cent. Asked about possibility of the BSNL adopting the 4G technology, Prasad said the Union Cabinet has taken a decision in this regard and the BSNL will roll out 4G services soon. Dismissing the suggestion that the VRS was not attractive and it was a replication of the 'Gujarat model', the minister said, "The Gujarat model is good. Everything about Gujarat is not bad". When former Telecom Minister and DMK member claimed that the minister was giving "half truth" about the salary outgo of the private sector telecom operators, Prasad said he was giving the correct information. "I don't want to go into legacy issues (of the BSNL). If I dig, many things will come out," he said. Prasad said contract employees connected with the BSNL were employees of contractors, not of the BSNL. "We are making payments to contractors so that they can stand on their own feet," he said. In his written reply, Prasad said the BSNL has been incurring losses since 2009-10. On the basis of its financial performance and as per the guidelines issued by Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), BSNL was classified as "Incipient sick CPSE" in 2017. BSNL had a workforce of 1,55,296 employees as on October 1, 2019. The employee cost was 74 per cent of the total revenue for the 2018-19 of BSNL, he said. The minister said the government has approved the revival plan for BSNL on October 23, 2019 which inter-alia, includes reduction in staff cost through VRS for employees of age of 50 years and above. The VRS was offered by BSNL to its employees on October 4, 2019. The scheme was closed on December 3, 2019. 78,569 employees of BSNL have opted for the VRS, he said. Prasad said the BSNL has informed that as per provision of the VRS, the posts falling vacant due to VRS are abolished and there is no recruitment against the vacancies. A man who riffled through the pockets of a man who had overdosed in a Dublin laneway has been been jailed for two years. Andrew Stammers died in the laneway at some point that night but it was not possible to establish if he was dead when John Murdiff (33) and his accomplice stole from him. Murdiff and the other man passed by Mr Stammers again, less than two hours after they had stolen from him and checked on him as they were concerned he had not moved. Once they discovered Mr Stammers was not breathing they ran to a nearby hotel for help Murdiff gave a statement to gardai a month later for the coroner's report and was then told that gardai thad since viewed CCTV footage from the lane that night and had spotted that he had pick pocketed the man Murdiff of Kippure Park, Finglas, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to theft of Andrew Stammers at Adare Lane on October 19, 2017. He has 50 previous convictions for offences including theft, public order and assault causing harm. Garda Cian Flemming agreed with Keith Spencer BL, defending, that Murdiff has written a letter of remorse which has been passed onto the victim's family. It is a great source of guilt to him that had he been more attentive he may have been able to help this man, Mr Spencer said. Gda Flemming agreed with Maurice Coffey BL, prosecuting, that Mr Stammers had been a recovered drug addict for many years who was a dedicated family man and had left that life (of addiction) behind him. However, as Mr Coffey said, for some inexplicable reason Mr Stammers went into Dublin city that day and took heroin. He met with another man in Adare Lane that day and when Mr Stammers was unable to find a vein, this other person injected him with heroin. Counsel said unbeknown to this other man, Mr Stammers died of an overdose at some point that night. He said it was difficult to establish his exact time of death as Mr Stammers remained in the same position in the lane throughout the CCTV footage. He appeared to passers-by that he was asleep, Mr Coffey said. Murdiff and another man can then be seen on CCTV footage approaching Mr Stammers at 12.40am and searching his pockets before taking some unknown items, possibly cigarettes and a small amount of cash, from him. Murdiff and the other man then return to the lane at 2.20am, Gda Flemming said, and at this point they realised Mr Stammers was dead and looked for help. They met a lady, who had first aid training and helped her in attending to the victim. Judge Melanie Greally described it as a deeply distressing and tragic case and acknowledged that Mr Stammers' partner and sister were in court. She said very valuable time was lost between the theft and Murdiff's return to the lane, at which point he did the right thing, but unfortunately that at this stage his assistance was too late. Judge Greally said the case was particularly tragic given that Mr Stammers had successfully battled his addiction and that his family know that not only was he not assisted in his final hours, he had been taken advantage of. She said most right thinking people would view the case with viable disgust and distress. The judge acknowledged a victim impact statement from Mr Stammers' partner which she said sets out her considerable distress in this awful set of circumstances. She said she took into account the fact that Murdiff ultimately raised the alarm and tried to get help for Mr Stammers and accepted his remorse, regret and shame. Judge Greally said she was also taking into account the fact that Murdiff is someone who battles with addiction himself and is making efforts to deal with his addiction in prison. She sentenced Murdiff to two years in prison consecutive to a three year term he is currently serving for assault causing harm, a sentence that was imposed in October 2019. Lack of strong leadership in fight against pandemic in US prompts states to take charge Iran Press TV Tuesday, 17 March 2020 3:17 PM US state and local officials have taken charge in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic amid the lack of central leadership. In the absence of strong federal leadership, US states are improvising rules to combat the coronavirus crisis, The Guardian reported on Tuesday. The lack of strong leadership on a national level has caused a chaotic situation in the fight against the disease, the report noted. It said the Trump administration had not issued guidelines until Monday, leaving it up to patchwork of state and local authorities to decide on rules. Governors and mayors had made the necessary decisions to close restaurants, bars, and schools as the nation hit chaos with people panicking to stock up on grocery supplies, toilet paper and water. Gun stores started seeing a similar run on weapons and ammunition as the panic intensified. The chaos started after the government's top infectious disease expert urged Americans to hunker down as the worst was yet to come. To help slow the spread of the virus, in Ohio and Massachusetts, officials closed restaurants and bars, in Florida, they closed beaches and at least 32 states closed schools. The measures taken against the coronavirus outbreak have all been slightly different from state to state but for weeks they have had one thing in common: nobody was acting on guidelines issued by the federal government, because there weren't any. "You see a whole hodgepodge of efforts being taken across the country," said Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, which announced a tri-state agreement on Monday with neighboring New Jersey and Connecticut on Monday to close all gyms, movie theaters and casinos. "This state is doing this, this state is doing this, this city is doing this it's chaos. I think it actually feeds the feeling that the country's out of control and there is no clear direction This is a national problem, and we need federal leadership." "You look at the countries who have handled this ...they were all handled by national leadership," noted Cuomo. The Trump administration, by contrast, had not issued guidelines for the closure of businesses or restrictions on travel or large gatherings until Monday. US President Donald Trump had downplayed the pandemic for weeks, calling the threat "mild", saying "I'm not concerned" and promising "it will go away, just stay calm" and "Take it easy. Relax. We're doing great." He, however, finally advised Americans to avoid gatherings of 10 or more and stay home if they were sick. "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 in bars, restaurants, and public food courts," Trump said on Monday. Trump instructed state governors to pursue the acquisition of key medical equipment themselves, and not wait to receive help from Washington. "Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment try getting it yourselves," Trump told the governors, according to a recording obtained by The New York Times as quoted by The Guardian. "We will be backing you, but try getting it yourselves. Point-of-sales, much better, much more direct if you can get it yourself." In the absence of central guidance, governors and local officials have in some cases issued conflicting orders. In Pennsylvania, the governor at the weekend advised people to stay home, and the commissioner of Montgomery county, which includes the Philadelphia suburbs, told people to cancel gatherings. But the mayor of Philadelphia, Jim Kenney, had different advice, telling people to go out to eat, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. "I would recommend you wash your hands, you stay out from within three feet of people, and go out and have dinner and tip your waitstaff because they're struggling right now," Kenney said. While school districts across California closed, schools stayed open in the district of House majority leader Kevin McCarthy, a close Trump ally who calls Covid-19 "Chinese coronavirus." McCarthy's Republican colleague, Devin Nunes, encouraged people at the weekend to "go to your local pub". Where many Americans hear conflicting messages, Trump heard harmony. "Everybody is so well unified and working so hard," he tweeted on Monday. "It is a beautiful thing to see." The virus has so far killed 85 people in the United States and there are now more than 4,660 confirmed cases in the country, according to the Johns Hopkins University data dashboard. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced temporary closing of US' northern border with Canada for non-essential traffic after cases of coronavirus infection spiked in both the countries. He, however, said the trade between the two nations would not be affected. "We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic," Trump said in a tweet. "Trade will not be affected. Details to follow!" he said. Soon after the tweet, presidential advisor Kellyanne Conway told reporters that there has been an agreement between the US and Canada to close the border. The president is expected to announce the details soon. She said there is also a possibility of such closing at the US-Mexico border. This would be more complicated because the Department of Homeland Security would need to be involved. But this has been discussed, she said. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the US surged past 6,500, with 115 deaths, while Canada has around 600 confirmed cases and eight deaths. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) AoT confirms reported death at Phuket airport is fake news PHUKET: The Airports of Thailand management team operating Phuket International Airport (AoT Phuket) has dismissed a post that surfaced on social media suggesting a person had died of the COVID-19 coronavirus at the airport. Russiantourismtransport By The Phuket News Wednesday 18 March 2020, 05:46PM A screen shot from the video posted on social media yesterday (Mar 17) claiming a death had occurred at Phuket airport. AoT dismissed the claim as fake news. Photo: Phuket International Airport HKT Facebook page In the post, video footage showed a person being wheeled out of the airport and loaded into an ambulance. The video had a mans voice, who can be assumed as the recorder, saying found one more! One more death! Another man, wearing a blue shirt similar to a taxi driver uniform, then appears on screen stating, one was being wheeled, and one more was already in the ambulance. AoT Phuket did not confirm either who had made the video or when it was posted exactly, declining to disclose specific details when asked. They did, however, clarify that the video footage was of on-site medical staff from Thaksin Hospital at the airport escorting an injured passenger to an ambulance and then onto his flight yesterday (Mar 17). It appears the section of footage that appeared in the online clip was when the passenger was being helped into the ambulance from the terminal. AoT confirmed that at 10:50am an officer was alerted by airline staff that a passenger, due to take Aeroflot flight SU 275 from Phuket to Moscow, was experiencing mobility difficulties due to a broken leg and needed assistance. The passenger was asked to lay on a bed and taken to the exit of the terminal before being wheeled into an ambulance that arrived around 11:20am. The medical staff examined him, shared the health report with the airport doctor who then conducted an additional test. It transpired the passenger had a normal pulse, normal breathing, and a good amount of oxygen in his blood and was passed fit to proceed to his flight. At 11:25am, the ambulance parked beside the airplane on the runway and the passenger was helped onto the plane. AoT also confirmed that the passenger did not have any symptoms to show he was infected with COVID-19 and reiterated that staff at the airport are still working on screening everyone coming in and out of the terminals all the time, in order to ensure the highest standards of health and safety. They concluded by requesting people stop creating and sharing fake news and anyone caught doing so will be punished according to the Computer Crime Act. Erika Rose Unberhagen now helps first responders overcome their addictions On March 10, 2013, Erika Rose Unberhagen had her last drink. She was on the porch of the house where she had been attending a meeting and was drinking straight out of the bottle. She called 911 on herself and told the operator that she was going to drink herself to death. A few days later, after she was released from the hospital, the former police officer entered a treatment program for the fourth time. She didnt know at the time, but she would end up as a professional on the other side of the addictionhelping others. Unberhagen, 49, lives in Bandera, Texas. She grew up under difficult circumstances and pursued a career in law enforcement to show others that they could overcome the circumstances they came from. She started working at the Bell County jail at 18 and became a police officer when she turned 21. Shortly after working as a reserve officer, she began serving as a full-time officer for the Harker Heights Police Department in 1990. The Job Unberhagens first call as a police officer would leave an indelible mark on her psyche. It would be the beginning of a series of traumatic experiences on the job. She responded to a disturbance call, which turned out to be an officer-involved shooting in which the suspect was fatally shot. Thats how I started my career, and I actually had a female officer say, This is do or die. Youre going to stay in this job or this is going to cause you to leave, and I chose to stay, Unberhagen recalled. Erika Rose Unberhagen abused alcohol to help cope with the stress and trauma she experienced as a police officer. (Courtesy of Erika Rose Unberhagen) During the course of her career, she worked in the juvenile division, and covered everything from stolen bicycles to homicides. One of the more traumatic experiences occurred toward the end of her law enforcement career. As she was called to the scene, she knew exactly who the family was as soon as the address came out over the radio. A father had shot and killed his son and daughter, and then taken his own life. Unberhagens son was about the same age as the deceased boy, which was particularly hard on her. To make matters worse, she was tasked with notifying the mother that her two children had been killed. Coping With Alcohol At the time, mental health and post-traumatic stress werent topics that were discussed, particularly in law enforcement. She began to drink to cope with the stress and the trauma from the job, and her sergeant actually owned a local bar where she and her colleagues would drink and talk about the previous shift. The message that was given to me very early on was you work hard you play hard, Unberhagen said. That was really the only coping skill I had at the time was drinking. At first Unberhagen was drinking heavily to cope, but by the time she was promoted to sergeant she had become a full-blown alcoholic. The trauma she experienced on the job ultimately manifested as post-traumatic stress. She noticed she was suffering from symptoms of insomnia, hypervigilance, and anger. She would drink all night to attempt to fall asleep. She couldnt tell anyone she was struggling, and to make matters worse she didnt have any support from her department. Her alcoholism ultimately reached the point where she was often forced to call in sick after drinking all night. It had gotten to the point where I couldnt not drink, Unberhagen said. Erika Rose Unberhagen was a police officer for 15 years. (Courtesy of Erika Rose Unberhagen) After 15 years, Unberhagen retired from law enforcement. Unberhagens husband at the time realized her drinking was getting out of control, and her marriage was suffering as a result. She checked herself into a treatment center, and while she was there she learned her husband had filed for divorce. After she completed the program, she returned home. Her husband left for a conference the next day, and she got drunk the same night. Both of her children had moved away to live with relatives, she had no job, and was forced to sell her home. She checked herself into a second in-patient treatment center, but the day she got out she was drinking again. She ultimately lost her job and her new home. After a third stint in another treatment center, she continued to drink. I was an alcoholic, and I knew it. I had no control over my life. I had no control over my drinking, Unberhagen said. Achieving Sobriety By this time she had been arrested several times for driving while intoxicated, and the first two arrests were by her own department. In fact, the first arrest was made by the officer who she had trained when she was on the job. I was that officer that had done really well and had become police officer of the year, and now I couldnt stay sober. I couldnt obey the laws that I used to swear to uphold, Unberhagen said. Unberhagen continued to drink more and more. At the height of the alcohol abuse, drinking was the first thing she did when she woke up and the last thing she did before she went to sleep. Erika Rose Unberhagen is now a counselor at Warriors Heart and counsels first responders who are struggling with post-traumatic stress and substance abuse. (Courtesy of Erika Rose Unberhagen) By now she was homeless and living out of her car. She fled to Louisiana for a year before a man she had a relationship with convinced her to move in with him back in Texas. Once he realized how bad the alcoholism had become, he offered her an ultimatum. She could either get treatment or he would end the relationship. Unberhagen moved into a womens shelter which had an alcohol treatment program. She finally realized she needed to follow the steps that would lead to her sobriety. It was while I was there that I realized I needed to learn how to live again. I had forgotten how to do that, Unberhagen said. After she left the shelter she went to a meeting, and her sponsor told her that she had to attend 90 meetings in 90 days to show that she was serious about achieving sobriety. She ultimately ended up going to 127 meetings over three months. First Responders After a year and a half of sobriety, Unberhagen decided to go back to school. She earned her masters degree in social work, specializing in mental health and substance abuse. During her own struggle, she had not been able to find a meeting or treatment program that specialized in helping first responders like her. When she learned about Warriors Heart, she had found her calling. The organization treats veterans and first responders contending with post-traumatic stress and substance abuse. Warriors Heart was everything that I went back to school to do. I knew what my mission was, Unberhagen said. When she interviewed for a counseling position at the organization, she was very open about her experience as a police officer and her own struggle with alcoholism. A few days later, she was hired. In the course of her work, shes been able to connect with first responders who are struggling and works with them to determine the root causes of their addictions. The most rewarding part of her work is seeing a first responder find the will to achieve sobriety. Thats what I get from working at Warriors Heart. To see that light come on in their eyes. To see that desire to live again. Thats what will keep me here, Unberhagen said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) China has donated thousands of rapid test kits for coronavirus disease detection in the Philippines, the nation's embassy in Manila said. In a statement, the Chinese Embassy said the first batch of test kits a total of 2,000 arrived in Manila on Monday. The test kits developed by the China BGI Group are expected to have a turnaround time of only three hours. "The kits have not only been widely used in China's battle against the epidemic and proven to be quite effective, but also been exported to more than 50 countries including Japan, Thailand, Brunei, Egypt, Peru and UAE," the embassy-- which jointly donated the products alongside the China Mammoth Foundation-- said in a statement. The Chinese embassy said the East Asian giant is ready to roll out more test kits to the Philippine market in the coming days. Currently, the only COVID-19 test kits available in the Philippines are the ones at the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine donated by the World Health Organization. The government previously said its testing capacity is at 4,500 individual tests. Local scientists at the University of the Philippines National Institutes of Health have also developed test kits for the infectious disease, which will soon begin trial in selected hospitals around the country. RELATED: How a team of Filipino scientists developed a COVID-19 test kit The Philippines saw a huge jump in coronavirus cases in the past week, with the country listing 140 confirmed cases as of Monday. Out of the number, a total of 12 have died. Globally, the coronavirus pandemic has infected more than 162,000 people in 146 different countries and territories, including China, the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak. I have decided it is best to not seek to run for the position which I resigned from in January and instead focus on a new start for the next four years, Evans told The Washington Post on Wednesday. Not running in the special is also a way of showing my sincere regret for the mistakes I made. Is coronavirus hampering religious freedom rights worldwide? USCIRF explains Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is calling on world governments to account for religious freedom in their responses to the coronavirus outbreak, citing concerns with some government and societal responses to the crisis. From a legal perspective, international law requires governments to preserve individual human rights, including religious freedom, when taking measures to protect public health even in times of crisis, reads a factsheet written by USCIRF policy analysts Scott Wiener and Dominic Nardi and USCIRF International Legal Specialist Kirsten Lavery. The factsheet, published Monday by the bipartisan federal commission, reviews the international legal framework surrounding the limitation of religious freedom on the grounds of public health. The document provides examples from the current pandemic where religious freedom issues and public health interventions have overlapped. The factsheet comes as there have been over 204,000 reported COVID-19 cases and over 8,200 deaths worldwide since December, according to Johns Hopkins University & Medicine coronavirus resource center. According to USCIRF, South Korea provides a vivid example of how public health emergencies can increase the risk to marginalized religious groups. USCIRF reports that members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a secretive religious sect that many see as a cult and claims to have over 300,000 members worldwide, have faced considerable criticism and even harassment from the South Korean government and society. It all began after a 61-year-old member of the church developed a fever and attended services in Deagu before being diagnosed with coronavirus. According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about two-thirds of cases could be traced to the church member as a surge of infections broke out among Shincheonji members. USCIRF notes that Shincheonji Church has faced pressure from mainline Protestant groups in South Korea. Although some government measures appeared to be driven by legitimate public health concerns, others appeared to exaggerate the churchs role in the outbreak, USCIRF stressed. The government of Seoul locked down Shincheonji churches in the capital, and some mainline Protestant groups have accused the church of deliberately spreading the disease. Also, local prosecutors are investigating criminal charges of homicide by willful negligence against the churchs founder, Lee Man-hee. USCIRF has received reports of individuals encountering discrimination at work and spousal abuse because of their affiliation with the church, the document explains. According to USCIRF, a petition to ban the church has received more than 1.2 million signatures even though the vice minister of health has stated that Shincheonji Church leaders have cooperated with authorities. In China, where the first case of the virus was reported in early December, the government received pushback over its slow response to the outbreak and censoring of information. As of today, there have been over 80,000 reported cases in China with over 3,000 deaths. The communist government has imposed strict quarantine measures such as locking down Wuhan and four other cities. According to USCIRF, the Chinese government has also used its surveillance apparatus to monitor potentially sick citizens. Human rights advocates are concerned that COVID-19 and the governments response risk exacerbating ongoing religious freedom violations, the report reads. China is ranked as one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to persecution of Christians on Open Doors USAs World Watch List. The communist government has been known to persecute and monitor members of various religious minorities, including the detention of over 1 million Uighur and other Muslims in western China over the last three years. USCIRF voiced concern with reports that authorities in China are forcing Uighurs to work in factories throughout the country to compensate for decreased output during the quarantine. USCIRF fears that the combination of limited access to medical resources and the large concentration of elderly people in Chinas education camps could create a humanitarian disaster if the virus were to reach any of the camps. Additionally, Chinese authorities have quarantined millions of people across the Xinjiang province without warning in January. There are reports that some Uighur residents in the city of Ghulja have limited access to food and local officials have demanded payments in order to bring supplies, USCIRF notes. With over 31,500 cases, Italy has seen the worst outbreak of COVID-19 outside Asia. This has led the Italian government to issue a quarantine of impacted regions as well close schools, theaters and other public gatherings. The quarantine also includes religious services. In compliance with those regulations, several Italian dioceses of the Roman Catholic Church canceled public Masses and suspended Ash Wednesday services, USCIRF notes. Around the northern city of Milan, worshipers are only allowed to visit churches for private prayer and cannot sit together in large groups. According to USCIRF, some religious leaders have questioned the decision to ban church services. The New York Times reports that the Roman Catholic Patriarch of Venice Francesco Moraglia said that he would ask the regional government of Veneto to allow the celebration of mass. He told the newspaper that without communion, we cannot live. The Vatican on March 8 suspended all public masses and celebrations until the beginning of April. With over 17,300 reported cases in the Islamic Republic of Iran, some countries in the Middle East have imposed travel restrictions to the country, impacting the ability of Shia Muslim pilgrims to visit religious sites in Iran such as the Qom and Mashhad seminaries. Also, the debate over whether to close religious sites in Iran has led to viral videos of people licking and kissing the shrines in defiance. At least two men were arrested in recent weeks for licking the shrines and could face prison time as well as flogging, according to the BBC. USCIRF is also concerned for the health of hundreds of religious minority prisoners of conscience as the coronavirus has spread to prisons in Evin, Urmia and Ghazalhesar, On March 3, Iran announced it would release 54,000 prisoners on furlough, and it later released a total of 70,000, USCIRF reports. However, 16 Sufi prisoners at Great Tehran Penitentiary reportedly were moved to a ward with known cases of COVID-19, and eight Sufis from Evin prison were moved to the same ward within GTP. Additionally, eight Sufis in Ghazalhasar Prison were moved to an overcrowded ward at that prison where they are at an increased risk of contracting the virus. In Saudia Arabia, there are 171 cases of coronavirus reported as of Wednesday morning. The kingdom took preemptive measures by banning foreigners from traveling to the pilgrimage cities of Mecca and Medina. The Saudi government established an online portal for those who paid for pilgrimage visas to get a refund. On March 8, Saudia Arabia suspended entry and exit from the predominantly Shia Qatif province, where the first 11 cases of coronavirus were reported in the country. [T]he Saudi government contends that individuals traveling from Iran, which has experienced a high number of cases, may have brought the virus back with them, the USCIRF report reads. Iran is home to several Shia religious pilgrimage sites, so the quarantine around Qatif stands to limit this particular element of Shia religious practice. With over 113 cases of coronavirus as of Wednesday morning, USCIRF warns that the United Arab Emirates has used state authority to restrict religious gatherings. The General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments in Sharjah directed churches to suspend childrens Bible classes and ban children from all church activities, USCIRF reports. It also banned religious lectures and sermons, but allowed individual prayers. The UAE government has also introduced a 15-minute limit on Friday prayer in mosques and cut short weekday prayers as well. The governmental Sharia Ifta Council issued a fatwa this month banning people who feel unwell from attending prayers. The Ministry of Health and Prevention also suspended classes at Quran learning centers to clean the buildings and ordered mosques to do so as well, USCIRF reports. Hindu temples restricted ceremonial events and canceled Holi celebrations in early March, and the Sikh community installed thermal scanners at the Gurunanak Darbar in Jebel Ali and increased sanitation measures there. Other countries included in USCIRFs factsheet include Tajikistan, where the government has taken preemptive measures to limit the spread of COVID-19; and Georgia, where 83 percent of the population is part of the Georgian Orthodox Church and use a shared spoon to conduct communion rituals. The deadline for Irish tourists to return from Spain has been extended until Saturday, the Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed. It was originally set for midnight tomorrow, but has now been extended due to the numbers involved. JACKSON, Mississippi Teachers and employees of city and county governments in Mississippi would be paid even if workers are told to stay home because of the coronavirus pandemic, under a bill the state Senate passed Wednesday. The bill now goes to Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, who requested it. The measure would give city and county governments and school boards the power to pay hourly employees who are not working during a disaster, including the current pandemic. State law already authorizes Mississippi state government to pay its hourly employees in such circumstances. The legislation would not affect private businesses. House members passed the bill and left the Capitol on Tuesday, but senators had to return briefly and pass it Wednesday because a House member blocked it from immediately going to the Senate. Mississippi reported 34 confirmed cases of the virus as of Wednesday, up from 21 Tuesday. The state Health Department said 513 people had been tested in Mississippi by Wednesday. In Jackson County, a second confirmed case of COVID-19 was diagnosed. As with the first, this one was diagnosed in Ocean Springs at a Singing River Health System Clinic. Health system officials said the patient was doing well and recovering at home under self-quarantine. For most people, 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. 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. Mississippi legislators are suspending their work until at least April 1, largely to prevent interaction among thousands of people who converge on the Capitol during most days of legislative sessions. This virus doesn't discriminate," Democratic Sen. Derrick Simmons of Greenville said Wednesday. "It doesn't matter if you're black or white, Democrat or Republican, young or old. Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and House Speaker Philip Gunn will decide whether lawmakers will return April 1 or on a later date. Hosemann said Tuesday that many in Mississippi live paycheck-to-paycheck, and he knows times could be tough as people are asked to isolate themselves from others to curb the spread of the virus. Mississippis 26 state-regulated casinos were ordered to close at midnight Monday, leaving empty parking lots in places that are often bustling. Schools are closed, and some grocery stores shelves have been picked clean of toilet paper and cleaning products. The Mississippi Press Warren Kulo contributed to this report. A CRPF jawan deployed in Chhattisgarh, who showed coronavirus-like symptoms after visiting a hospital in Kerala, has tested negative for the contagious disease, officials said on Wednesday. His samples were collected last week after he reported high fever and cough at a camp in Bastar region. "The test results of the jawan have come negative for coronavirus. He was kept in isolation at a force camp in Chhattisgarh. The jawan has been advised to take precautions for some more days," a senior CRPF officer said. The trooper, part of a battalion deployed for anti-Naxal operations in the state, had reported to his unit on March 10 after coming from his hometown in Kerala's Kottayam district. The jawan was reported to have visited a hospital in Kerala where some people were kept under isolation for COVID-19. His samples were taken and sent to a laboratory in Mumbai after he complained of fever and cough. The 3.25 lakh personnel strong Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has deployed around 25,000 personnel as part of over 26 battalions to conduct anti-Maoist operations in the central Indian state. The number of the novel coronavirus cases in the country rose to 147 on Wednesday, with 10 fresh cases reported from various parts of the country, according to the Union health ministry. The cases include 25 foreign nationals and three people who died in Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra. Over 5,700 people, who had come in contact with coronavirus patients, are under surveillance, the ministry said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ho-hum: Another primary night, another dominating delegate haul for Joe Biden. And this one should about do it. Florida, with a closed primary featuring a more moderate and older electorate, was one of Sanders worst states heading into the night. Sure enough, he lost it by about 40 percentage points, not even coming close to winning a single county. Edison Media Research, which usually conducts in-person exit polls, instead phoned a random sample of early voters to survey the electorate. The results showed that Biden won about two-thirds of men and women, two-thirds of white voters, three-quarters of black voters, and even fought Sanders to an essential draw among self-described very liberal voters. The only demographic Sanders performed well with, as usual, was voters age 45 or younger, winning them by about 20 percentage points. Biden, meanwhile, won three-quarters of voters over 45, who made up 70 percent of the electorate. With 219 delegates at stake, Bidens margin in the state will essentially wipe out all of the delegates Sanders has netted in states hes won. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Illinois, offering 155 pledged delegates, was another romp across the board. Arizona, an overwhelmingly vote-by-mail state, has looked horrible for Sanders in recent polling, and even a miraculous comeback there wouldnt affect the crushing delegate loss inflicted on Sanders in Florida and Illinois. Or just Florida. Or just Illinois. As for the coronavirus factori.e., the wild fact that in spite of national guidance that no more than 10 people should congregate at any given time, presidential primaries, with lines and shit, were heldturnout in Florida was roughly in line with 2016 turnout, while turnout in Illinois was considerably down. Thats not to say that higher turnout, though, wouldve painted a different picture. If anything, weve seen this year that Biden has tended to thrive when turnout spikes, especially in suburban areas. Advertisement Advertisement This might be the last major primary night we see for some time. The Georgia primary, with 105 pledged delegates on the line, was originally scheduled for next Tuesday but has been delayed until May. After that, a few smaller-state primaries are scheduled in the coming weeks before Wisconsin is scheduled to vote on April 7. Then another three weeks elapse before major Northeastern states like New York, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut are scheduled to vote on April 28. The key word, for each of these scheduled primaries, is scheduled. Advertisement Regardless, the race is effectively over. Joe Biden has built up an insurmountable delegate lead and, barring some major medical issuewe hear theres a bug going around?he will be the Democratic presidential nominee. It seemed hard to imagine that Democratic voters could speak with any clear voice just 2 weeks ago, when there were still seven Democratic candidates jockeying for a percentage point or a delegate here and there. More than half of pledged delegates will have been allotted once Tuesdays results are final, and Democratic voters couldnt speak much more clearly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This will apply more pressure on Sanders from mainstream party voices to DROP OUT and GO AWAY so that the party can unite and focus on the general election and the goal of defeating Donald Trump. Sanders may well take them up on their hectoring and be out of the race by Wednesday morning. But if he doesnt, how much would it matter? Consider the speech that Sanders delivered early on primary night, just as results were coming in. It was devoted strictly to his plans for combating the coronavirus, which he laid out in detail on his website. He didnt mention the primaries being held that night, didnt mention Biden or his devilish votes from the 1980s, and didnt address the future of his campaign. He just used his platform as a presidential candidate to express his principles for combating the epidemic and mentioned specific items he might try to introduce as the Senate considers a trillion-dollar stimulus package. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In other words, he promoted his vision without doing any harm to the Democratic Partys prospects for winning the presidency. There are few opportunities for him to do harm in the future, given that primary debates appear to be in the rearview. Sanders doesnt seem interested in trying to take Biden down anymore; in Sundays debate, it was more Biden, mysteriously, who was provoking Sanders. Besides, the primary itself is now, like everything else, a second-tier story to which fewer and fewer are paying attention while theyre fighting for their lives and livelihoods. Sanders is in too big a hole from which to recover. But if he wants to stay in for a while longer to stream webcam videos from Vermont about the coronavirus, the Democratic Party will survive. Bamako, Mali (PANA) - The Malian government has suspended, until further notice, commercial flights from coronavirus-affected countries, with the exception of cargo flights The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) has issued a directive to all licensed Tennessee insurance carriers that cancellations/non-renewals for non-payment of insurance premiums on all lines are to be suspended for up to 60 days for Tennessee insurance policyholders affected by the March 3, 2020 storms. The directive affects policyholders in Benton, Humphreys, Dickson, Cheatham, Davidson, Wilson, Smith, and Putnam counties. Health, home and auto policyholders cannot have their policies canceled for non-payment for 60 days per an executive order fro Governor Bill Lee. Governor Lees order demonstrates to consumers that our Department and all of state government stand with our fellow Tennesseans during rebuilding and recovery, said TDCI Commissioner Hodgen Mainda. These devastating storms may have been strong, but Tennesseans resilience is stronger. I am proud of the recovery efforts thus far and proud that we are helping keep Tennessee strong. If consumers in an affected county discover a policy cancellation or if they have a question about their policies, they are encouraged to contact the department or file a complaint online or by phone at (615) 741-2218. If you were impacted by the March tornadoes and your insurance carrier cancels your policy for non-payment and will not reinstate you at no cost and at the same premium, contact our team immediately and file a complaint, said TDCI Assistant Commissioner Rachel Jrade-Rice. We are here to help Tennesseans recover and rebuild. Last year, the TDCI team returned over $4.27 million to Tennessee consumers as a result of mediation efforts a process where TDCI insurance investigators intercede between insurance companies and policyholders to get wrongfully denied claims overturned and paid for policyholders. The 60-day extension is not a waiver of a policyholders obligation to pay a premium. Where a delay in a premium payment appears to be the result of a disruption to the mail delivery system or to the policyholders displacement due to the tornadoes, TDCI has requested insurers work with the policyholder and take those circumstances into account before policy cancellation. Source: Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Windstorm Tennessee 3 1 of 3 Hearst Connecticut Media / Ben Lambert Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Hearst Connecticut Media / Viktoria Sundqvist Show More Show Less 3 of 3 TORRINGTON An elderly woman was rescued from Burr Pond State Park Wednesday morning after she reportedly fell and injured her head, according to fire officials. The Torrington Fire Department responded to Starks Road at 11:23 a.m. for a report of an elderly woman who fell on the hiking trail that surrounds Burr Pond, fire officials said. Pawan, a hangman from Meerut, on Wednesday conducted dummy execution of the Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case convicts at Tihar Jail here. 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. A Delhi court on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by Mukesh Singh seeking quashing of the death penalty claiming that he was not in Delhi when the crime was committed. 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.) Australian Muslims have been told to pray at home to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus. The Australian National Imams Council on Wednesday announced Friday prayers were cancelled until further notice as the pandemic continues to escalate in Australia and across the globe. 'We strongly urge Muslims to pray their five daily prayers at home and four Rak'at of Dhuhr instead of the Friday prayer. This is to avoid any places of crowded people,' the council said in a statement. Australian Muslims have been urged to pray at home on Friday after it was announced Mosques had cancelled Friday prayer sin the face of the COVID-19 outbreak The Australian National Imams Council made the announcement (pictured) on Wednesday after a meeting of senior Imams and Muslims on Monday 'We advise people to avoid crowded places and continue to follow the recommendations of our health authorities.' CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 565 New South Wales: 267 Victoria: 121 Queensland: 94 South Australia: 37 Western Australia: 35 Tasmania: 7 Northern Territory: 1 Australian Capital Territory: 3 TOTAL CASES: 565 DEAD: 6 Advertisement Meanwhile, Archbishop Glenn Davies from the Anglican Church in Sydney announced all gatherings had been postponed. 'I have decided that the Anglican Church in Sydney should suspend all public church gatherings until further notice,' the Archbishop said. 'We are encouraging all our churches to consider providing their services online or by other communication methods. 'We shall make every effort to care for our church communities and the wider public, especially those who are isolated and vulnerable.' Australians have been told not to leave the country and non-essential indoor gatherings of more than 100 people have been banned by the government. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the historic changes to daily life are a long-haul measure, with the government expecting the virus crisis to roll on for at least six months. 'There is no two-week answer to what we're confronting,' he told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday. 'The idea that you can just turn everything off for two weeks and then turn it all back on again and it all goes away, that is not the evidence.' National coronavirus cases are now at 565, an increase of 400 in five days, and six people have died. Of the 81,000 people tested, 99.5 per cent have been negative. Top doctors have said schools should stay open, with Mr Morrison and chief medical officer Brendan Murphy warning the consequences of closing them would be severe. The Anglican Church in Sydney has also suspended all sessions and prayer in an attempt to protect people from the coronavirus That could include tens of thousands of jobs lost, Mr Morrison said. But Professor Murphy said school life would also have to change, with no assemblies, regular hand washing and strict bans on sick students and teachers. 'It will be hard for schools, but it would be much, much, much harder for society if the schools were closed,' he said. A ban on non-essential indoor gatherings of more than 100 people is effective immediately. It does not affect public transport, airports, medical facilities, supermarkets and shopping centres, parliaments, courts or jails. Office buildings, factories, construction or mining sites, schools, universities, childcare facilities and hotels are also exempt. But people should practice social distancing in all these areas, keeping a space of 1.5 metres between themselves and others. 'Every citizen now has to think about every interaction they have with another person during the day,' Prof Murphy said. 'No more hand-shaking. No more hugging except in your family ... No more scant attention to hand hygiene.' To access our in-house intelligence please request a trial here. Read this article and more for a 30 day period. Are you already an IFLR subscriber? Login here Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. The global automotive radar market is expected to reach USD 12.16 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 20.8%, according to a study conducted by Grand View Research, Inc. The growing focus on active safety features, innovations in the radar technology, decreasing prices of components, and increasing sales of vehicles are the propelling factors for market growth. Radars play a vital role in detecting objects in various safety systems including adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection system, blind spot detection, and automated emergency braking. In order to achieve complete vehicle autonomy, it is essential for automakers to focus on the enhancement of the radar technology and subsequently on the reduction in the size of radar systems. One of the major hurdles hampering the growth of automotive radars is the lack of uniform frequency allocation across the globe. Moreover, the use of higher frequency band is likely to lead to higher resolution benefits and promote the use of a single technology for all applications, thereby reducing the risk of mutual interference. The European Commission has already initiated the 79 GHz project for vehicular radars, which has been the foundation for the future development of the automotive radar market. The market is characterized by the presence of prominent automotive electronics manufacturers including Continental AG, Robert Bosch GmbH, Infineon Technologies AG, and Texas Instruments, among others. Strong R&D capabilities have led to the development of application-oriented radars. Additionally, they have assisted radar manufacturers in complying with different frequency standards present in different countries. According to the World Health Organization, globally 1.25 million people suffer from death due to road traffic crashes each year. Road accidents are likely to become the seventh leading cause of death by 2030 if appropriate measures to increase vehicle safety are not taken. Thus, the need to protect drivers and passengers from potential accidents would play an important role in determining the growth of the automotive radar market. Request a Sample Copy of the Global Automotive Radar Market Research Report @ www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/automotive-radar-market/request/rs1 Further Key Findings from the Study Suggest: Medium & short-range radar is the fastest growing segment in terms of range, owing to their growing use in numerous applications, such as blind spot detection, lane change assist, and park assist, among others. In terms of vehicle types, the passenger car segment is projected to drive the market, owing to the rising radar-based safety systems in mid-priced passenger cars. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is projected to hold the largest market size by 2025 owing to rising safety concerns among growing automotive markets such as India and China. Increasing efforts from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and prominent automakers operating in the U.S. for mandating the installation of AEBs in all cars by 2022 are likely to boost the automotive radar market. The European region held the largest market size in 2016, which is attributed to the increased stringency in safety norms and NCAP rating. The Asia Pacific region is projected to grow at the highest CAGR owing to the rapid adoption of radar-based safety features and increasing vehicle production. Grand View Research has segmented the global automotive radar market on the basis of range, vehicle type, application, and region: Range Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025) Long Range Medium & Short Range Vehicle Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025) Passenger Cars Commercial Vehicles Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025) Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) Blind Spot Detection (BSD) Forward Collision Warning (FCW) Intelligent Park Assist Other ADAS Systems Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014 - 2025) North America U.S. Mexico Canada Europe UK Germany Asia Pacific China India Japan South America Brazil Access full research report on global automotive RADAR market: www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/automotive-radar-market Whether its coming from the Rochester School district or an area business, students can find meals during the statewide academic shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Newts, a small, local chain of restaurants, posted on social media that it would provide free macaroni and cheese and a choice of french fries or applesauce to children in need. "We understand that with Rochester Public Schools closing, there are a lot of families in our community who will find themselves in troubling situations. We at Newts do not want food to be that concern," the company posted online. A number of other restaurants and organizations are hosting similar offerings, including Casablanca Creative Cuisine and Wine, Victorias Ristorante and Wine Bar, and True Smoke BBQ. Ameriprise Financial, located at 2774-C Commerce Drive NW, will be providing bagged lunches to students free of charge. Rochester Public Schools Superintendent Michael Munoz has said that even though schools would discontinue classes until after spring break, the district would still be providing meals to students who need them. ADVERTISEMENT On Tuesday, a representative with the district said meals would be available from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Students will be able to get the meals at Riverside Elementary, John Adams Middle School, and Mayo High School. The district representative said the lunches will be available to any student up to age 18, regardless of their ability to pay. It's unknown how many students will be taking advantage of the meals offered through the district while classes are out, but there are more than 6,300 students in the district who qualify to receive free and reduced lunch. There are roughly 18,300 students in the district overall. The coronavirus raging around the globe has tended to tread gently with children, who account for the smallest percentage of the tens of thousands of infections identified so far. Now, the largest study to date of children and the virus has found that while most develop mild or moderate symptoms, a small percentage especially babies and preschoolers can become seriously ill. LIVE UPDATES: Follow the Houston Chronicle's ongoing coverage of the coronavirus outbreak The study, published online in the journal Pediatrics, looked at more than 2,000 ill children across China, where the pandemic began. It provides a clearer portrait of how the youngest patients are affected by the virus, knowledge that experts say can help influence policies like school closures, hospital preparedness and the deployment of an eventual treatment and vaccine. The researchers analyzed 2,143 cases of children under 18 that were reported to the Chinese Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as of Feb. 8. Just over a third of those cases were confirmed with laboratory testing. The rest were classified as suspected cases based on the childs symptoms, chest X-rays, blood tests and whether the child had been exposed to people with coronavirus. STAYING SAFE: Here's why H-E-B decided not to have seniors-only shopping hours About half of the children had mild symptoms, such as fever, fatigue, cough, congestion and possibly nausea or diarrhea. More than a third about 39% became moderately sick, with additional symptoms including pneumonia or lung problems revealed by CT scan, but with no obvious shortness of breath. About 4% had no symptoms at all. But there were 125 children nearly 6% who developed very serious illness, and one 14-year-old boy with confirmed coronavirus infection died, said Shilu Tong, the studys senior author, who is director of the Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Shanghai Childrens Medical Center. Thirteen of those were considered critical, on the brink of respiratory or organ failure. The others were classified as severe because they had dire respiratory problems. HELP A PET: These Houston animals are in desperate need of homes due to coronavirus threat Effectively, what this tells us is that hospitals should prepare for some pediatric patients because we cant rule out children altogether, said Dr. Srinivas Murthy, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of British Columbia, who was not involved in the study. The main conclusion, Murthy continued, is that children are infected at rates that may be comparable to adults, with severity thats much less, but that even within the kids, theres a spectrum of illness and theres a handful that require more aggressive therapy. More than 60% of the 125 children who became severely ill or critically ill were age 5 or younger, the study reported. Forty of those were infants, under 12 months old. Tong said he believed that younger children were more susceptible to infection because their respiratory systems and other body functions are rapidly developing. Dr. Andrea Cruz, an associate professor of pediatrics of Baylor College of Medicine and co-author of a commentary about the study, said that preschoolers and babies likely get sicker because of their immune system immaturity. They havent been exposed to viruses before and therefore they cant mount an effective immune response, she said in an interview. Scientists are actively trying to determine why so many children appear to emerge relatively unscathed by the new coronavirus, a pattern that also characterized the earlier outbreaks of the closely-related SARS virus in China and MERS in the Middle East. Cases of children with the new coronavirus infection in Italy, Singapore and South Korea seem to be similar, Murthy said. A theory that is gaining increasing currency is that the receptor or protein in human cells that the viral particles bind to, called the ACE2 receptor, is not expressed as prominently in young children or might be a different shape, Murthy said. It might not be as developed in children as in adults, he said, which might make it tougher for the spikes on the tiny viral particles to bind and gain entry to the cells so the virus can replicate. Another theory is that most kids have healthier lungs than adults, Cruz said. Adults have likely been more exposed to pollution over their lifetime and adults with severe coronavirus disease have tended to have underlying health conditions or weakened or aging immune systems. Its also possible, experts say, that childrens immune systems dont rev up to attack the virus as much as adult immune systems do. Doctors have found that some of the serious damage infected adults have endured has been caused not just by the virus itself, but by an aggressive immune response that creates destructive inflammation in the bodys organs. The new study, while large and included cases across China, not just where the outbreak originated in Wuhan, leaves many unanswered questions. For example, the researchers found that more of the severe and critical cases were in children with suspected instead of confirmed coronavirus infection, raising the possibility that other infections wreaked havoc on their bodies, in addition to or possibly even instead of COVID-19. Its also unclear whether the United States can expect the relatively small numbers of child cases reported in China or should brace for more. The age pyramid in China is really different than the U.S. they have a lot fewer kids than we do, said Cruz, who believes, as other experts do, that large numbers of people with mild or asymptomatic disease have not been recorded because testing was not done in those cases. Youve had a lot of undertesting in children because the focus has been on adults. Its likely weve been underestimating the disease burden in kids. Answering questions about coronavirus in children could reverberate well beyond the pediatric population. It could shed light why some patients are most at risk. And, said Murthy, studying the physiology of those who are less affected could help in the development of treatment and a vaccine. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. National Communication Officer of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi is wondering why President Akufo-Addo says 100m has been allocated to fight the coronavirus when the Finance Minister is saying otherwise. This sickness is no respecter of person so we need to be honest and sincere with each other. I feel this govt is being over-pampered because government is not being honest; theyve not shown that it is serious to fight this pandemic, Sammy Gyamfi indicated while speaking on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo'. Justifying his comment, he wondered why the President will indicate that money has been made available to fight the pandemic but the Finance Minister says the money is not available. "The Finance Minister said the money is not available and that government is now in talks with IMF and World Bank to solicit for the money. How can this be? It means government has not committed a pesewa. Why must we do this to ourselves? This government talk but theyre always found lacking when it comes to action," he told host, Kwami Sefa Kayi Watch video below Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has reportedly told Parliament that the $100 million announced by President Akufo-Addo to fight coronavirus is not ready.He allegedly disclosed that Ghana has applied to the World Bank to tap into a $12 billion fast track Covid-19 facility and the IMF $10 billion facility to address the deadly virus.Measures are being put in place for possible financing of the 2020 budget that will result in the impact of the coronavirus. These measures may include the withdrawal from the Ghana Stabilization Fund.We are also discussing with other multilateral and bilateral partners on the potential to close the financial gap. Mr Speaker, even in the global difficult circumstances Ghana is blessed. This honorable house has granted approval to raise $3billion from the Eurobond market for 2020 . . . to support the economy in this dire time. We continue to believe that our land will soon be healed. Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/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 Following a year of mass anti-government demonstrations, Algeria is tightening its grip on the streets with a ban on all protests and marches in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. During a televised address Tuesday, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune told the nation it must prioritize the health of its citizens. The lives of citizens are above all considerations, even if this requires restricting some freedoms, said Tebboune. The largely peaceful protest movement, known as Hirak, erupted in February 2019 when 82-year-old President Abdelaziz Bouteflika announced his plan to run for a fifth term. Protesters succeeded in forcing the resignation of the longtime president, along with other members of the countys political elite, and in the year since have taken to the streets weekly to demand political reforms and an end to government corruption. Its unclear whether the governments ban on mass protests will keep Algerians home during Fridays planned demonstration. On Wednesday, Algeria announced that its confirmed cases of coronavirus had risen to 72, including six deaths. The outbreak is centered mostly in the northern Blida province, southwest of the capital, where 17 members of the same family were infected with the virus. The North African country has ordered schools, universities and mosques closed and banned spectators at sporting events. Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad announced Monday the country would suspend all sea and air travel between Algeria and Europe, as well as flights with several African countries. The national air carrier, Air Algerie, announced Wednesday it would halt all international flights until further notice. Confirmed cases of the coronavirus are relatively low across North Africa, with Libya reporting no infections at all. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) an agency within the Department of Homeland Security has warned that as more companies are allowing their employees to work from home amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the businesses open themselves up to more vulnerabilities that hackers can abuse. In a recently issued notice, CISA explained that remote work options typically require an enterprise virtual private network (VPN) solution to connect employees to an organizations IT network. But this can make employees ripe targets for malicious cyber actors looking to gain access to those networks. It may be hard, today, to understand just how shocking it would have been to encounter OConnor when she first landed in the late 1980s. This was before Courtney Love, Alanis Morissette, riot grrrls, Liz Phair or Lilith Fair. With rare exceptions Madonna, Annie Lennox the women on MTV either played candy pop or served as eye candy for creepy, hair metal bands. OConnor, still 20 when her debut, The Lion and the Cobra, arrived in 1987, could sing with anyone, sliding from the most delicate phrasing to full-throated, octave-leaping howls. She wrote one of the most heartbreaking political songs of the moment, Black Boys on Mopeds and set a 17th-century poem to the beat of James Browns Funky Drummer. The stunning video of Nothing Compares 2 U, largely a close-up of OConnors expressive face, made her the first female artist to win MTVs video of the year. A father who was fighting motor neurone disease (MND) has been named as the youngest person to die after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK. Craig Ruston died on Monday morning, six days after falling ill with a chest infection that was confirmed to be Covid-19. He was among the 14 people who died after contracting the illness in England by Tuesday, when the total number of deaths related to the virus reached 71. Mr Ruston was reportedly 45 years old as is thought to be the youngest person in the UK to die with the killer illness. Previously the youngest victim was believed to have been Nick Matthews, 59, who died in Bristol on Saturday. Mr Ruston had been writing a blog on Facebook about his battle with MND, a degenerative and terminal neurological condition he was diagnosed with two years ago. Paying tribute following his death, the family said they were truly heartbroken. They said that Mr Ruston, from Kettering, Northamptonshire, was "not ready to go". In a post on Mr Ruston's blog page on Tuesday, signed by his wife Sally and his "amazing girls", added: "His fight with MND was not ready to be over. "At diagnosis in June 2018 he was given roughly two years to live. He was pushing that back. Craig was not ready to go." His family said that Mr Ruston was taken ill on Tuesday last week, and spent six days in isolation. Mr Ruston's family added: "How dare that take Craig who was already facing this, the most vile and evil of diseases. "Craig's wish upon death was to give his brain to the Oxford Brain Bank. "It was to be used specifically for MND research and Craig was so keen to do this. "He'd give anything in the name of research. "Sadly this can no longer happen. "How dare this virus take this from Craig." His family said that Mr Ruston was a "wonderfully kind and caring" person who welcomed everyone. They said he was still doing "everything in his power" to raise awareness and fight against MND. They added: "To those of you that knew Craig, before his MND diagnosis, after his diagnosis and to all that follow this his blog, I'm sure you knew or could tell what a wonderfully kind and caring person he was. "He welcomed everyone. There were no airs and graces with Craig. Copyright 2020 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE New Mexico state officials announced expanded economic relief plans Tuesday and were considering more drastic action, as the coronavirus and the steps taken to slow its spread continued to pose unprecedented challenges to the states economy. Statewide, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 the disease caused by the coronavirus climbed to 23 Tuesday after two men in northern New Mexico tested positive. The latest cases are a Taos County man in his 50s and a Santa Fe County man in his 40s. With a ban on large public gatherings in place since shortly after New Mexico confirmed its first case last week, many New Mexico businesses and local branches of national chains have announced temporary closures or changes to their normal hours. In response, the state has put on hold job search requirements for unemployment benefit recipients, launched new business loan programs and is pursuing other possible steps. Its going to be affecting everybody, so we need to be doing everything we can as quickly as we can to help those who are affected, state Workforce Solutions Secretary Bill McCamley told the Journal on Tuesday. McCamley said his agency received about 4,000 phone calls from New Mexicans seeking to file for unemployment benefits, or extend their benefits, on Monday. That compares with 2,500 or so state residents who had called about jobless benefits on the same day a week earlier, he said. The expected surge in unemployment could particularly affect New Mexico restaurant and hospitality workers due to a state directive requiring that bars and restaurants operate at no more than 50% of capacity. It could also eventually put a strain on the states unemployment reserve fund, although theres about $465 million in that fund, McCamley said. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Tuesday that the state has waived its work search requirement for those receiving unemployment benefits for at least the next four weeks. That will allow employees at businesses that close temporarily to get jobless benefits while they wait for their places of work to reopen. We want to give businesses every opportunity to retain employees during this time of significant economic disruption, Lujan Grisham said in a statement. These new unemployment insurance guidelines will allow employers to simultaneously reduce payroll expenses, avoid permanent layoffs, and ensure employees continue receiving income. In addition, the Department of Workforce Solutions has asked President Donald Trumps administration to activate a disaster unemployment assistance program that would allow New Mexicos estimated 62,000 self-employed residents to access jobless benefits. Self-employed workers affected by the coronavirus pandemic could include food truck vendors, massage therapists and musicians at the Santa Fe Opera, McCamley said. He also said the agency was looking at ways to help immigrant workers who are laid off, because such workers are typically not eligible for unemployment. We want to make sure were doing everything we can to make sure our available tools can be utilized, McCamley told the Journal. Were really looking at all our options right now. He urged those seeking jobless benefits to use the agencys online system to avoid overloading a state unemployment telephone hotline. Business fears Steps taken to date have not assuaged all fears, however. The New Mexico Business Coalition expressed concern Tuesday that employers could face rising unemployment taxes, which they pay into the states fund based on a complex formula, due to the expected spike in jobless benefit claims. Carla Sonntag, the business coalitions president, called on Lujan Grishams administration to protect businesses, just as its doing for employees. The same hold harmless emergency protection and waiver of normal rules needs to be extended to employers who could otherwise be hit with enormous unemployment tax increases for the next three years, Sonntag said in a statement. In response, McCamley said he would discuss the issue with business leaders, but he added that the states current focus is on affected workers. In part, thats because new jobless tax rates for employers are not scheduled to take effect until 2021, he said. Meanwhile, New Mexicos congressional delegation on Tuesday called on banks to temporarily suspend the enforcement of foreclosures and evictions. When so many New Mexico families are already frightened about how they will be able to stay healthy and make ends meet, the last thing they should have to worry about is whether they can keep a roof over their heads, the members of the all-Democratic delegation said in a statement. But they also commended New Mexico utility companies and electric co-ops for temporarily halting nonpayment disconnects and late fees. During this unprecedented public health crisis, it is critical for each of us to do the right thing for our neighbors and our fellow New Mexicans, the statement said. Commercial loans In an effort to ease the states economic pain, Lujan Grishams administration has announced several commercial loan programs. That includes state participation in a federal Small Business Association disaster program that offers loans of up to $2 million and making some of a state closing fund for business expansion and relocation available for business loans. We are dedicated to assisting every business that we can to endure the significant hardship this emergency has already caused, Lujan Grisham said in a statement announcing New Mexico had become one of the nations first to qualify for the federal loan program. Meanwhile, state leaders have discussed using money from a roughly $5 billion New Mexico permanent fund to expand a program that provides low-interest loans to businesses. The Small Business Investment Corp., which can manage up to 2% of the Severance Tax Permanent Fund, already provides loans, through microlending organizations, to small New Mexico businesses, and the program could be expanded to assist other types of businesses, State Investment Council spokesman Charles Wollmann said. Lujan Grisham spokesman Tripp Stelnicki said the Governors Office was evaluating the idea, along with other ways to provide additional economic relief, and would likely make additional announcements in the coming days. Journal staff writers Dan McKay and Scott Turner contributed to this report. DETROIT With spring just days away, April Moses and Dormon Page stood in the middle of a city park, a stone's throw from the pavilion and swing set, and committed themselves to one another. The couple were wed in an impromptu ceremony Monday at Geary Park in Ferndale, Michigan, before two witnesses and an officiant. Marriage, in a time of uncertainty. Their nuptials, had the coronavirus pandemic not interfered, would have been held in Las Vegas. They would have left on a flight Monday morning. But as the public health crisis sweeps the country, the couple had to cancel their plans. That wasnt going to stop April from marrying the man she knew she wanted to be with since she laid eyes on him at 14. Related: How do I plan a wedding during the coronavirus outbreak? Newlyweds April and Dormon Page, of Roseville, Michigan, embrace shortly after getting married at Geary Park in Ferndale, Michigan, on Monday, March 16, 2020. The couple had planned to get married in Las Vegas, but had to cancel their plans due to the coronavirus. I always wanted to be his wife," April said, standing at the edge of the park earlier Monday. "So with all this stuff thats going on, its like, Id rather be his wife than to have a big wedding. I just wanted to be married." With the Vegas plans canceled, April and Dormon planned to get hitched at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center in Detroit. Wedding services werent available, so April started Googling local wedding officiants. She found one in Ferndale, the Rev. Pamela Swider. Swider could not be immediately reached for comment. I was just calling around to everywhere I can, to see if anybody was willing to marry us," April said. "And luckily, this nice reverend right here, Pamela, she was willing to marry us right here at this park." Penguins roam free: Chicago aquarium releases penguins after exhibits close due to coronavirus Newlyweds April and Dormon Page of Roseville, Michigan, walk through Geary Park in Ferndale, Michigan, on Monday, March 16, 2020, shortly after getting married. Dormon said the Las Vegas wedding venue would allow them to roll over their reservation to another time within the next year and a half. They might go out there to renew their vows, he said. The coronavirus may have messed up their wedding plans, but April couldnt contain her excitement after her wedding at the park with just her new brother-in-law and the reverends husband as guests. Story continues Id rather be his wife during this crazy time where me and him can actually live as a married couple and enjoy life together with all this craziness, she said. April Page I like the sound of that. Contact reporters Joe Guillen and Gina Kaufman at jguillen@freepress.com and gkaufman@freepress.com. A museum displayed a WWII-era grenade for 2 years: It may have been live the whole time A Florida dog went missing: Two months later, Simba was found 1,400 miles away in Michigan This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Coronavirus in Las Vegas ruined their wedding. They improvised. Good morning. (Heres the sign-up, if you dont already get California Today by email.) As millions of Californians adjust to a surreal, new, locked-down existence an existence in which Gov. Gavin Newsom said public schools are likely to be closed for the rest of the year one place has continued to draw crowds: the local supermarket. In the Bay Area, where shelter in place orders are keeping residents homebound except for essential trips, grocery stores, farmers markets and pharmacies are some of the only places people can go. [Heres what you need to know about coronavirus in California.] In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti stood with representatives of the grocery store industry in a video briefing on Monday aimed at reassuring Angelenos that the food supply is stable and urging us not to hoard things we dont really need. Dr. John Swartzberg, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health, told me packed supermarkets could be the site of the greatest risk to having social distancing work. In retrospect, Scott Bennett wishes he had been a much bigger hoarder. Back in January when COVID-19 was wreaking havoc in parts of Asia and Europe but still a distant threat to Canada, the Cambridge resident noticed a trend in the news: panic buying and hoarding of sanitary supplies was rapidly spreading in affected communities. Simultaneously, it was clear to him that the people who would be the most vulnerable in a pandemic the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions would be the least likely to make it to stores before the shelves were emptied. So the 21-year-old real estate agent made a promise to himself: if virus ended up spreading to Canada, things ought to be a little different in his community. He wanted to be ready. Unprompted, he started slowly stocking up on hygienic supplies. At the time, I jokingly thought the worst-case scenario would result in me being stuck with a lifetime supply of hand sanitizers and Lysol wipes, he said on Monday evening. Right now, I really wish that was the case. Now that the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted Premier Doug Ford to declare a state of emergency in an effort to slow its community spread, Bennett wishes he had stocked up even more supplies when it was still possible. A couple of weeks ago, he posted on his Facebook page that he had put together about 100 sanitary supply kits. Anyone in the Cambridge area who had tested positive or was at risk of contracting COVID-19 and was running out of these supplies could just send their address and Bennett would drop a kit at their doorstep, free of charge. Each kit contains hand sanitizer, antibacterial hand soap, non-latex gloves and disinfectant wipes. All in, he estimates each is worth about $16. I have received hundreds of requests for the kits, said Bennett, noting he can feel a sense of desperation from people reaching out to him for help. The government is recommending that we wash our hands, use hand sanitizers and disinfect surfaces regularly, but with sanitary supplies being cleared out virtually everywhere, people begin to feel a little bit helpless. As the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 continues to grow, people from all walks of life have stepped up to offer support, spread positive vibes and commit acts of kindness. Social media aficionados have even coined a new term for the trend: caremongering. In apartment buildings, those who are less at risk are volunteering to go grocery shopping for those who are in self-isolation or quarantine. Others are offering to purchase medical supplies for those who are unable to leave their homes. A man in downtown Toronto recently offered to buy lunch for staff members working at his condo building, as a token of appreciation. Bennett said hes quickly running out of his supply kits but has started negotiating with local retailers to stock up with more and continue distributions whenever possible. Since his Facebook post, he says hes had offers of assistance in making and delivering the kits. There have been requests from communities outside of Cambridge as well. A few stores have agreed that when they get a new shipment, theyll give me a call first so I can purchase the supplies needed before they are sold out, he said. Going through this experience has given Bennett another reason to be thankful for his own health. He says some of the people hes met have broken down in tears when he showed up with kits. The entire experience has been very rewarding, however I regret not having purchased more supplies back when they were still readily available, he said. My business can only be as healthy as my community is and at times like these, with shortages of essential sanitary items, its important that we all step up and make sure those who are most vulnerable in our community have access to the products they need the most. Chandigarh, March 18 : Even as the state geared up to launch a door-to-door awareness campaign from Thursday, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday appealed to religious organisations and 'dera' heads to keep gatherings under 50 to check the spread of coronavirus. An official statement quoting the Chief Minister said while Punjab with one confirmed case so far is safe, it could not afford to be complacent in the face of the globally spreading coronavirus pandemic. The state was also mulling giving bail to those convicted for minor offences and parole to those who had spent considerable time in jail, said Amarinder Singh, pointing out that the Supreme Court had talked about decongesting the prisons. The final decision would, however, depend on the courts and Advocate General Atul Nanda was taking up the matter with the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, he added. COVID-2019 had spread as an epidemic in many countries and the threat of a similar crisis looms large over India, said Amarinder Singh, adding his government was taking all possible measures to stop the disease from spreading further. Strict monitoring is being conducted of all those arriving from high-risk countries and so far and 116 suspected cases have been tested, he said. The Chief Minister said his government was also ready to look into providing mid-day meals to students at homes or, alternatively, putting money into their accounts, though no such request had been received so far. Even as he reiterated his appeal to people to avoid large gatherings and comply strictly with the state government's directives to limit gatherings to 50 people, the Chief Minister also appealed to religious organisations to keep gatherings at 50 or even less to avert any exigency. Noting that mortality rate was higher among senior citizens and those with compromised immunity, he urged such people to take extra precautions, with their families also taking special care against the outbreak. Appreciating the hard work of the doctors and other medical staff engaged in fighting the problem, Amarinder Singh said the state had adequate life-support system and medicines. A total of 1,700 isolation beds were available, with the entire hostel of Gyan Sagar Medical College in Rajpura town dedicated for the purpose. President Donald Trump speaking during a press briefing with the coronavirus task force at the White House on Wednesday. Read more China is promoting a propaganda narrative that its authoritarian system is uniquely capable of curbing the coronavirus, in contrast to the chaotic response of Europe and the United States. Nevermind that the virus began in Wuhan and spread because Communist Party officials suppressed whistle-blowers. Beijings new storyline stresses that its draconian lockdown of tens of millions of its people (and ability to build new 1,000-bed hospitals in 10 days) was able to control the virus, even as new cases are soaring in America. This propaganda effort might seem unpromising, were it not for the fact that President Donald Trump has only just come to grips with the pandemic, leaving the United States dangerously behind in containing and mitigating the virus. This gives global appeal to the Chinese argument that authoritarianism works better than democratic governance. Hopefully, the inner strengths of our democracy will see us through as displayed by the governors, mayors, media, and health experts who finally forced the president to pay attention. But depending on how things go here, the Chinese version of events could make global inroads and increase Beijings geopolitical influence after the pandemic dies down. READ MORE: Trump should take a lesson from South Korea and start testing now I Trudy Rubin The message the Chinese are trying to promote can be summarized by a March 12 article in the Peoples Daily, which asks why China can pull together the imagination and courage needed to deliver a blow to the virus while the United States struggles to handle the outbreak. The Chinese government is even attempting to argue that the disease didnt originate in Wuhan. An official spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has tweeted that it might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan. (This is more official than the suggestion of Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) that the virus might be Chinese biowarfare. But it is probably in part an unfortunate response to Trumps calling the disease the Chinese virus, which has more of a racist tinge than his use of Wuhan virus. In other words, each side is now politicizing the virus, with the Chinese hitting harder.) Of course, this Chinese narrative is also designed to take some of the heat off Xi Jinping at home, so he can say look at us as compared to the feckless Americans, says the University of Pennsylvanias Jacques deLisle, director of the Center for the Study of Contemporary China. Toward that end, Beijing has just kicked out journalists from the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal, perhaps in part because their reporting on the pandemic in Wuhan might have penetrated the great wall of Chinese censorship. You might conclude, then, that the new Beijing narrative wont get much global traction because it is a pretty transparent effort to airbrush Xi Jinpings mistakes. Yet, the U.S. response to the crisis until the past few days gives Chinas propagandists a huge boost. From late January through early March, Trump downplayed the coronavirus, insisting that it was totally under control, that it would all work out well, that we have pretty much shut it down, that we have very few people with it and theyre all getting better, and that within a couple of days is going to be down to close to zero. While the presidents Jan. 31 decision to ban travelers from China was important, he squandered its major benefit providing the time to prepare for an inevitable outbreak here. Trump misunderstood the disease and rejected the early warnings of health experts. He continues to insult journalists who question his endless misstatements. And his false spin, echoed by Fox commentators, lulled his supporters into complacency. An NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist Poll taken March 12-13 and released this weekend revealed that only 40% of Republicans believed the coronavirus was a real threat, compared with 76% of Democrats and 50% of independents. READ MORE: Death of Chinese whistle-blower doctor should sober Beijing and us I Trudy Rubin No surprise then that, until late last week, the president failed to mobilize the nation and push through a national emergency plan for testing, which is just starting to ramp up. And without widespread tests, or draconian Chinese-style lockdowns, it is impossible to measure and stop the spread. Trump also failed, until the past few days, to rally the military and all government agencies to help states expand their inadequate medical facilities. He failed, until this week, to consult fully with governors desperate for national leadership (insulting them instead with labels like snake). This has costs: The time lost crucial to testing and containing the virus in order to avoid a national shutdown cannot be made up. Now, belatedly, the White House is organizing the whole of government. And listening to the experts. And taking the virus seriously, although the president continues to spin and spout untruths. We dont need the Chinese to point out that this is embarrassing for a great democracy. But we do need to demonstrate, for our own sakes, that their propaganda claim about a hapless democracy unable to cope is false. Even if that coping comes belatedly and in spite of failed White House leadership. The message of Chinese propaganda, contrary to Beijings intentions, is that democracy requires new White House leadership up to the task. Actor Irrfan Khan finally returned to the big screen after battling neuroendocrine tumour in Homi Adajania's Angrezi Medium. The family entertainer also brings together Radhika Madan and Kareena Kapoor Khan for the first time. While the film had already hit the screens on March 13, it soon had to be pulled out since the state governments issued advisories that cinema halls, gyms, swimming pools will remain shut till March 31 due to the coronavirus outbreak. As eagerly we all have been waiting to hear any update on the film's re release, we now have Angrezi Medium director Homi Adajania spilling some beans. He shared, "At midnight all theatres will close across India till the authorities give us further notice. We will re-release Angrezi Medium when it is safe to do so. Till then stay safe and be kind to each other." For the unversed, Angrezi Medium was earlier scheduled to re-release in Kerala, Delhi and Jammu Kashmir considering these states were the first one to shut down the theatres amid coronavirus outburst. Commenting on that, producer Dinesh Vijan had stated, "Angrezi Medium has been a journey I shall cherish all my life. The one thing I've learned from its making is that whatever be the obstacle if we pour our heart and soul into something, the universe will have our back. As the film now reaches India, we have already received unabashed love from Dubai and other international territories. Due to unforeseen circumstances, it will however not release in Kerala, Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir. We hope for the same affection and support you've been giving us since day one. Our movie will reach these places when the time is right, but rest assured, just like Irrfan said, 'wait for us'." The highly anticipated film has received decent reviews from both, the audiences and the critics. It co-stars Pankaj Tripathi, Kiku Sharda, Deepak Dobriyal and Dimple Kapadia in pivotal roles. Stay tuned for more updates on the same. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association (SBOA) has decided to postpone its annual general meeting. The AGM was scheduled for Wednesday, March 25, 2020 at Standardbred Canadas boardroom. The SBOA will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation as it evolves and will communicate to its members when an alternate meeting date can safely be rescheduled. (SBOA) We waited for someone who saw the property for what it was, (and) we got the right person," said listing agent Vincent Anzalone. The timing for the person was also precarious because we dont know what lies ahead. In that sense, I think that Sophia would be relieved to sell this before this unknown. President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a $100 billion coronavirus aid package into law which includes provisions for emergency paid leave for workers as well as free testing. The Senate passed a bill earlier in the day to expand paid leave and unemployment benefits in response to the coronavirus pandemic, part of a staggering response expected in the coming weeks to avoid economic calamity. The chamber approved the bipartisan plan in a 90-8 vote. Two senators Republicans Cory Gardner of Colorado and Rick Scott of Florida did not vote while in self-quarantine after exposure to people who tested positive for the coronavirus disease known as COVID-19. Some GOP lawmakers opposed the bill, arguing it could harm small businesses. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday that he would vote for the plan despite what he called "real shortcomings." With the urgent need to take action, "I do not believe we should let perfection be the enemy of something that will help even a subset of workers," he said. On Tuesday, McConnell advised GOP senators to "gag and vote for it anyway," saying Congress needed to rise above "our normal partisanship." The Senate voted on the legislation later than it originally hoped because Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., forced a vote on an amendment that ultimately failed. It voted on three amendments, all of which failed. The House bill that the Senate considered provides enhanced unemployment insurance, ensures that businesses that have fewer than 500 employees offer two weeks of paid sick leave to their workers, and includes increased funding for food assistance programs and guarantees free testing for the coronavirus. The bill faced opposition from Republican lawmakers in the House, who insisted on technical corrections to the bill. Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas was the prime Republican who held the bill up earlier this week. The revised legislation made changes that could limit the number of people who could get up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave. Dozens of other Republicans lawmakers voted against the original bill, which had President Donald Trump's backing and received overwhelming support from House Democrats. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi crafted it with Trump's Treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin. Congress and the White House aim to pass another, more sprawling stimulus package to try to stop economic disaster. Republicans and Democrats have differing views on what a plan should contain. The Trump administration seeks an $850 billion to $1 trillion stimulus measure, which could include direct payments to Americans, tax cuts or relief to suffering industries. McConnell said Wednesday that he would "not adjourn the Senate until we pass a far bolder package which must include significant relief for small businesses all across our country." In a statement cheering the Senate's approval of the House-passed plan, Pelosi said Congress is "already hard at work on the third bill" which "will take bold, historic action on behalf of America's workers and families." Mr. Robbins said he supported measures to limit bailout money for executive compensation and buybacks. Generally I would think thats appropriate, he said. Those arent the problems we are solving for. Many economists say that the federal government risks catastrophe if it does not respond to the dimming economic activity by showering individuals and businesses with significant financial support. Lawmakers have already approved some expansions in unemployment benefits and mandated paid leave for many workers affected by the virus, and this week, they began to coalesce around plans to send direct payments to individuals across the country. Agreement appears more elusive over the best way to help businesses, including how much to spend and what conditions to attach. But most parties agree there is little time to dicker over the details. The crisis is hitting many low-margin, service-industry companies particularly hard, taking a bite out of small businesses that power much of the economy. Half of all workers are employed by companies with fewer than 500 staff members and small businesses exist in every congressional district around the country. One proposal circulating on Wednesday among White House officials, including the conservative economists R. Glenn Hubbard and Michael R. Strain, called for banks to lend an estimated $1 trillion to small companies to help cover 12 weeks of missed revenue and for the government to pay off the loans, provided the companies do not lay off workers. Senators Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, the chairman of the committee on small businesses, and Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, proposed a similar plan on Wednesday, which would cover six weeks of revenue and cost an estimated $300 billion. There is broad general agreement that small businesses in this country will not be able to survive unless there is extraordinary assistance, Mr. Rubio said. The goal is to keep employees connected to their employers, so that people arent just having to stay home and arent just feeling the stress of being laid off, but the uncertainty of whether theyll even have a job to go back to. History comes alive with reenactor's portrayal of Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to Congress London: British-Iranian mother Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is delighted to have being temporarily released from the Iranian prison she has been confined in for four years, as emergency measures kicked in to curb Iran's raging coronavirus outbreak. The dual citizen, who worked for the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was jailed in 2016 for five years for allegedly "plotting to topple the Iranian government". On Tuesday, London time, she was released on a two-week furlough from Evin prison in Tehran, 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 300 metres from her parents' Tehran home. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is on temporary release from an Iranian prison. Credit:AP "I am so happy to be out," she said. "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. Let us hope it will be the beginning of coming 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 won't happen, then they will drag me back in." No mining activity has been carried out by China in Arunachal Pradesh, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The minister also said that government keeps a close watch on all developments related to national security. In a written reply to a question on whether China was conducting any mining activity near the Arunachal Pradesh border, the minister stated: "No such activity has been carried out by China inside the territory of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh." "Government keeps a constant watch on all developments having a bearing on India's security and takes all necessary measures to safeguard it," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Its all anecdote, and fake news off the anecdotes, said Dr. Garret FitzGerald, chair of the department of pharmacology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Thats the world we are living in. Until there is evidence, there is no reason at all to be issuing public health guidance about Nsaids and the coronavirus, he added. There are reasons to worry about long-term, heavy use of Nsaids, which have been linked an increased risk of kidney damage in some patients. People taking blood thinners also should avoid Nsaids. But for infectious disease specialists, the greater concern is that when Nsaids and acetaminophen reduce fever, patients may be more comfortable but their lower temperatures can short-circuit the bodys main defense against infection. Studies have found that if people infected with a variety of viruses and other microorganisms bring their fevers down, with Nsaids or with acetaminophen, their symptoms may last longer and they continue to shed virus for a longer time meaning they may be contagious for longer periods. Everything that walks, flies, crawls or swims on the face of this earth makes fever, said Dr. Paul Offit, an infectious disease expert at the University of Pennsylvania and Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. Even lizards, he added, which crawl to the top of rocks and sun themselves when they are ill to bring their temperatures up. The immune system works better when the bodys temperature is higher, enabling it to more efficiently kill viruses and bacteria. Dozens of studies in animals, reptiles and humans have found that fever is beneficial in fighting infections. INDIANAPOLIS In a continuing effort to slow the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Gov. Eric J. Holcomb has announced additional efforts. Here are additional directives from Gov. Holcomb: Gov. Holcomb signed an executive order March 16 memorializing that days announcements. A copy of the executive order is attached. Here is a link to the press release: https://calendar.in.gov/site/gov/event/gov-holcomb-announces-more-steps-to-slow-the-spread-of-covid-19/ The governors executive order also actives the Indiana National Guard to be on duty to assist as needed. The governors executive order also delays non-essential public meetings. For essential meetings, one member is required to be physically present, but other members will be allowed to participate electronically. Bars, nightclubs and restaurants should now be closed to dine-in patrons. They may provide take-out and delivery services through the end of March. The governor expects those businesses to comply with the directive for the safety of Hoosiers in their communities without the need to call for enforcement measures. Indiana Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program has provided guidance to WIC agencies to help them continue to serve clients while protecting staff and their families. https://www.in.gov/isdh/19691.htm The CDC has issued new guidance for when people can come out of self-isolation or quarantine. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html The ISDH call center continues to experience high volume. Hoosiers with general questions are encouraged to visit the website in.gov/coronavirus for more information. ISDH has implemented a toll-free call center at 877-826-0011 that includes options for healthcare providers as well as the public. Call center staff will not offer medical advice or provide test results. The Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) has 12 Workforce Regions throughout the state. At least one WorkOne is open in each region, except Marion County. DWD is working with that local WorkOne to ensure unemployment insurance claimants who need access to a computer have that access. The DWD office in the Indiana Government Center South in Marion County is open from 8 a.m.4:30 p.m. and has computers available for use. Here is a link to FAQ on Unemployment Insurance: https://www.in.gov/dwd/files/Indiana_Unemployment_FAQ.pdf The Indiana State Library is now closed to the public. Access to the librarys online services, such as Ask-A-Librarian, INSPIRE and the Digital Collections, will continue to be available without interruption. More information may be found at the ISDH website at in.gov/coronavirus/ and the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html. Two weddings in Lakewood, New Jersey, were broken up by police Tuesday night as state officials continued to warn against large gatherings amid the coronavirus outbreak. Officers responded to the separate celebrations one at Fountain Ballroom on Vassar Avenue and the other at Lake Terrace on Oak Street around 8 p.m. and told venue staff that gatherings of more than 50 people are prohibited, Lakewood Capt. Gregory Staffordsmith said. The workers and attendees then dispersed, he said. We stress that the public do their part in reducing the spread of COVID-19 by obeying the guidelines set forth by the State of New Jersey and encourage cleaning your hands often, staying home if your sick, covering coughs and sneezes, consider wearing a face mask if you arent feeling well, clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and practice social distancing, Staffordsmith said. The events exemplify the challenge of convincing people to follow local and state public health restrictions aimed at helping stop the spread of the fast-moving virus, law enforcement officers said. On Tuesday, Gov. Phil Murphy banned gatherings of more than 50 people and has urged residents not to treat the situation like an extended spring break. The Trump administration has said gatherings should be limited to 10 people. Lakewood police plan to strictly enforce Murphys order in the coming weeks and are sending reminders to venues throughout town about size limits, Staffordsmith said. Mayor Raymond Coles said the township attorney is researching whether any local ordinances would allow officials to enact a temporary penalty for fine against those who hold large gatherings amid the pandemic. Youd hope you wouldnt have to with everything going on in the news, Coles said. But if we stop this thing from spreading now, then we can get back to our lives more quickly... We need to respect the restrictions." Still, Coles said he sympathizes for those forced to cancel or postpone weddings that are often planned months in advance. He said both venues thought Murphys restrictions on gatherings had not yet gone into effect. Neither venue immediately responded to a request for comment. The state rules will also greatly disrupt the large Orthodox community in Lakewood, where gatherings play a big part of everyday life and the religion, Coles said. Two-thirds of the townships 100,000 residents are Orthodox. In a letter to the Lakewood Scoop, local doctor Robert Shanik said on Wednesday that no religious leaders should be meeting with students during the outbreak and suggested all learning be done over the phone. And all of the 200 synagogues and 130 yeshivas in the township have shut down prayer services or limited them to small groups, according to Rabbi Moshe Zev Weisberg, spokesman for the local Jewish communal organization Lakewood Vaad. Shiva, the Jewish ritual in which mourners pay condolences to the family of a deceased person at their home, is also being done by phone, he said. This is a very concentrated close-knit community. Many day-to-day activities and religious customs are done in group settings, so its a bit of a learning curve, Weisberg said. But an incident here or there should not reflect the community. There were three reported coronavirus cases in Ocean County as of Tuesday afternoon. 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: Avalon Zoppo may be reached at azoppo2@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AvalonZoppo. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Ballerino Nan Dae Han traveled to Japan with his girlfriend even with Korean National Ballet's restriction due to the heights of the coronavirus pandemic in South Korea. His Instagram post proved his vacation while netizens disapproved of his action. In February, KNB completed a series of plays in Daegu. Afterwards, the group received advice to stay at home. They were required to follow a strict self-quarantine as the coronavirus hits Daegu the most. The company made provisions that the performance will be put on a halt to combat the pandemic. But, to everyone's surprise, danseur Nan Dae Han and his girlfriend went to Japan for a holiday. He shared his vacation pictures on his Instagram account, which boiled criticisms for his careless actions. His company stated that they will investigate and look into his negligence. Soon after, he immediately deleted his Instagram account. The last performance of Nan Dae Han was Swan Lake at Daegu Opera House. On March 16, KNB issued a letter from their disciplinary committee. The decision is to discharge him from the company. This was the first dismissal of a member from the prestigious group since it started. Nan Dae Hee, 28, became popular after he was featured in the romance variety program "Somebody." The reality show featured male and female dancers. They performed music dedicated to the person they are attracted with. It was rumored as well that, when the show ended, Na Dae Han dated Seo Jeawon. Nan Dae Hee's unforgettable awards were in Pas De Deux Category in Berlin 2012. His performance made him the first awardee. Another 2 members were also sanctioned by the committee for disobedience. Kim Hee-Hyun, one of the soloist ballerinos, is suspended for 3 months. The second member is Lee Jae Woo, one of the principal dancers, received a month of suspension. The committee gave Kim Hee-Hyun longer months for conducting lessons on many occasions. Kim's private lessons prohibit the company's regulations. The Korean National Ballet is Korea's first professional ballet company. Over the years, KNB made a name not only in South Korea but overseas. Established in 1962, the company currently tours around the country. They ensure to provide special performances. It is their mission to be visible to their followers in any city. Many of KNB's dancers, choreographers and directors became popular outside the ballet realm. They've been recognized for their stellar performances. The company produces almost 60 ballet dancers through annual open selections. A young woman who got engaged over the weekend had to get creative in the way she delivered the big news to her grandfather in order to avoid jeopardizing his health amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Carly Boyd had visited her grandpa Shelton at Premier Living & Rehab Center dozens of times before to bring him his laundry and other items, but Monday was unlike any of her previous visits, nursing home administrator Gennie Parnell tells PEOPLE. This time around, Boyd came to the Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina nursing home with a new diamond ring on her finger and Parnell knew Boyd wanted nothing more than to relish the big news with her beloved 87-year-old grandfather. Carly and her grandfather are very close. They have a special bond and relationship. You see her coming and going all of the time to see him, Parnell recalls. She showed me the ring and we kept talking but I watched Carly a couple of times look over toward the wing that her grandfather is living. She didnt say anything and as she was getting ready to leave, I said, Do you want to step over there to the window and say hey?' Parnell continues. I had that feeling that she would love to go over there but maybe she was afraid to ask or thought it wouldnt be acceptable. I said it would be a shame for her not to be able to go over there and at least say hello, adds Parnell. Courtesy Premier Living & Rehab Center Carly Boyd and her grandpa Shelton RELATED: How Event Cancellations and Social Distancing Can Reduce Expected Coronavirus Deaths in the U.S. Boyd immediately said yes to the offer and headed outside to stand near her grandfathers window. Meanwhile, Parnell and a few other staff members went into Sheltons room to notify him that he had a surprise. He was just laying up on the bed very comfortably, eating his ice cream, and we said, Weve got a surprise for you!' Parnell recalls. I lifted the shade and Carly had stepped up to the window and she was holding her hand up pointing at her finger. Story continues Parnell notes it took a moment for Shelton to register what was happening, but once he did, it was a beautiful moment. When he sat up on the side of the bed, I think thats when it really hit him that it was his granddaughter, the nursing home administrator says of Shelton, who she described as the happiest, sweetest man. It certainly thrilled him because he loves her very much. She was telling him she got engaged and he was saying, Come around, come on in, and she said, I cant because of the virus!' Parnell continues. So he stood up and she put her hand on the window and he put his hand on the window. It was so sweet. She started crying and she told him she loved him and when he told her he loved her, you could hear his voice waver a bit and we lost it at that point, Parnell adds. I had my cell phone in my hand because I knew it was gonna be good. RELATED VIDEO: Husband Stands Outside Wifes Window with Sign to Celebrate 67th Anniversary amid Coronavirus Husband Stands Outside Wife's Window with Sign to Celebrate 67th Anniversary amid Coronavirus Though Nancy Shellard has Alzheimer's and "doesnt remember much these days," her daughter tells PEOPLE Nancy always recognizes husband Bob Thankfully, Parnell managed to capture a few shots including one of Boyds initial surprise and one of the pair holding their hands up to the window. Those images were posted to the nursing homes Facebook page, where they have been shared over 174,000 times. While Facebook users around the world have been moved by the emotional moment, Parnell says it simply reflects the unbreakable bond between a young woman and her grandfather. Carly is a health care professional so she completely understands the situation and that its necessary, Parnell explains. She wants her grandfather to be healthy because she wants him at the wedding next year! She also says the images represent the realities that many elderly people in nursing homes and assisted living centers, like Shelton, are currently facing amid the preventative coronavirus restrictions. RELATED: Oregon Woman Helps Elderly Couple Scared to Go Into Grocery Store Amid Coronavirus Pandemic People have commented, most of them positive, but some are like, Id bust that door down to see my loved one and Im thinking No!' Parnell continues. Its that important. We cannot afford to allow that to happen to our residents. Theyre too precious to allow anything to make them suffer any more than they may have already. This is uncharted territory for us but we are doing everything we can, she adds. 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. 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. [snippet1]987600[/snippet1]